Genesis 11:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God,” as the apostle states, “into the likeness of an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to four-footed beasts, and creeping things, and changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator: wherefore God also gave them up to unbecoming passions, and led them into lives devoid of godliness” (Rom. 1:23-26). Even though they instituted laws as a foundation for their civic life, many of which may have appeared commendable, they effectively undermined them through their sinful actions. Idolatry did not originate with Seruch, Abraham's great-grandfather, as some have claimed about its beginnings; rather, Seruch accepted the idols that had already been created and was their artisan. The real inception of idolatry was initiated by Nain, the son of Bilhah. Upon King Bilhah's death, who ruled over Assyria and Babylonia, also known as Chaldea, his son Nin ascended to the throne. Mourning for his father, Nin crafted a statue resembling him in every detail and placed it on a pillar in the heart of the city to commemorate his father's memory, desiring that the people would continue to honor him even after death. He enacted a law stating, “If anyone guilty and deserving of death were to come to this pillar and idol and worship it, let them be pardoned and freed from their execution.” Those who sought the king's favor began to approach and worship this idol of his father, as it pleased Nin. People from other nations, following the lead of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, began similarly to honor their former rulers and revered figures, erecting pillars and idols in their names. As demons observed the reverence afforded to these lifeless idols formed by human hands, they began to inhabit them, producing sounds and deluding humanity. They started to respond to inquiries as if prophesying the future. In their madness, individuals began to consider these idols as living beings, bestowing upon them divine honors and offering sacrifices. Thus, polytheism and idolatry took root and flourished among mankind. (The Amsterdam chronicler believes that the idol of Vil was erected not by Nin but by Semiramis, claiming she was Vil’s daughter and Nin his son-in-law; however, the majority argue that Nin was actually the son of Vil, who set up the image of his father.)

In Egypt, idolatry also found its beginnings through a nobleman named Syrophanis. Mourning for his deceased son and seeking solace in his grief, he sculpted an image resembling his son and placed it atop the tomb, which brought him some relief from his sorrow. Those under his authority began to offer sacrifices and worship this idol to please their lord. Saint Chrysostom addresses this in his discussions on the Epistle to the Ephesians, stating: “A certain wealthy man, bitterly weeping for his son and finding no comfort in his lamentations, sought to temper his grief by creating a soulless likeness of the deceased. Constantly gazing at it, he thought he saw his son alive in the image. Some men, blinded by greed, began serving this image in the name of the rich man, turning it into a form of idolatry.” Additionally, it is recorded that Syrophanis, witnessing the admiration from his friends for the likeness of his son, built a temple over the tomb in his honor and appointed priests to serve continuously, establishing a duty roster for them. The priests were commanded to set aside worldly concerns during their service, abstaining from their wives and maintaining rigorous fasts. This practice later became entrenched among idol priests everywhere, who began to refrain from meat and wine, except for sacrificial offerings, and they distanced themselves from their wives and even children during their periods of service.

They devoted themselves diligently (as the Stoic Cherimon notes) to the study of astrology, sorcery, and understanding the nature of visible creations. This is mentioned for the purpose of prompting reflection in the spiritual community: If the priests serving demons led such ascetic lives, eschewing food and drink, foregoing contact with their spouses until their duties ended, diligently attending to their pagan responsibilities, what ought the Christian priests—who serve the true God and present the bloodless offering of His Son for the entire world—how ought they to behave? Are the idol priests not an embarrassment to Christian priests who indulge in drunkenness, who live immoral lives, who pursue vanity indiscriminately, neglecting to read the holy texts spiritually, failing to teach others, but merely carrying out their duties in a beastly fashion? Will they not face harsher condemnation and greater torments? For those who were unaware of the true path maintained such rigorous abstinence, while these, though informed of the salvation they’ve received and charged with guiding others toward it, dwell in indulgence and excess. The demon worshippers served with great reverence, yet these serve Christ with disregard. Woe to the corruption and unrighteousness within the clergy! How will they stand before Christ, whom they have not served with the fervor displayed by those who serve vain idols?

George Kedrin recounts that during the era of Ragab, pride took hold among people, leading them to rise against one another and claim royal titles. They began manufacturing weapons and waging wars. The tribe of Canaan grew weary and eventually fell into slavery, as foretold by their ancestor Noah. Remembering our prior mention of Asshur, known as Bilhah, we see that upon Nevrod's death, he could no longer tolerate the Hamite tribe’s rule in Babylon, overthrowing them and establishing his own dominion. Similarly, Kedar's account of Nina, son of Beel, who was the first to expand the Assyrian monarchy, reveals his motives; he sought to conquer tranquil regions where the inhabitants were content with their borders and untrained in warfare, extending his realm. Yet, his ambition didn’t halt there; he sought wealthier territories and warred against King Zoroaster of Bactria, ultimately defeating and killing him, thereby subjugating his kingdom. The Bactrian realm, located beyond Assyria and bordering Asian Scythia, derived its name from the river Bactros, along which lay the city of Bactra, its capital. In this kingdom, a cruel practice was shared: when parents aged and began to decline, their children would offer them to dogs for consumption. These dogs were bred specifically for this heinous task and were dubbed "funeral dogs," as they consumed human flesh. O, the ingratitude of children, repaying their parents’ love and nurturing with such cruelty! How blind and misled were these pagans, deceived by demons, believing this wicked act to be a sacred duty! One might ponder if this reflects God's righteous judgment upon these people, who, having sacrificed their own children to demons, now faced retribution of being consumed themselves. The scripture notes, “They devoured their sons and their daughters with the demon, shedding innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters” (Psalm 105:37-38). Thus did they receive no mercy from their children, who, in line with divine justice, cost the parents dearly for their deeds: “What you have done to your children, you shall also receive back.”

Regarding Zoroaster, it is said that he entered the world laughing, surprising observers, as typically infants cry upon birth; contrary to this, he emerged rejoicing. As he matured, he became highly intelligent and is credited with being the first to develop astrology and sorcery post-flood, also becoming a skilled healer. He authored many books of wisdom, all of which were burned by Nin, who killed Zoroaster himself. The fleeting nature of life and human fortune was starkly illustrated in his life: he arrived laughing but departed weeping; he entered with joy but exited in lament. He shed no tears at his start but bled at his end. Having enjoyed a life filled with royal prestige, he ultimately lost everything, falling victim to his enemies and meeting a violent demise. What value was that joyful beginning, if he ended in sorrow, slain by a foe? Such is the human experience—starting with joy and concluding with sorrow. We may find transient delight, only to see it swiftly eclipsed by grief. This reality becomes especially poignant at death when worldly joys fade, supplanted by the weight of grief for one who indulged in a life of ease and sin.

Our lives resemble the waters of a river—sweet at first but destined to merge with the bitterness of the sea; once they enter the sea, they lose their sweetness and become brackish, much like our days which may seem enjoyable as we pursue transient pleasures, be they fleeting wealth, vain glory, or sensual indulgence. All the while, we are unwittingly flowing toward the bitter end, drawing near to our death. When we finally arrive at that moment, grief floods in and sweeps away every past pleasure, rendering any former sweetness moot in the face of current anguish. Many rivers pour into the sea, yet the sea remains bitter, transforming the sweetness of rivers into its own bitterness. Similarly, even if one accumulates worldly delights, they cannot sweeten the harshness of death’s hour; rather, they amplify its bitterness. For at that dire moment, present joys transform into sorrow, and the more pleasures one has experienced in life, the more bitterness they shall face at the end, as the Scripture remarks concerning the proud woman of Babylon, “In the measure that she glorified and pampered herself, so much torment and sorrow give her” (Rev. 18:7). Blessed is he who does not indulge in laughter during this life but instead weeps; who finds no joy in temporal circumstances but mourns for his shortcomings; who does not chase after vanity but reflects on the sorrow of death, judgment, and hell, striving to please God and gain eternal delight in the joy of his Lord. It’s important to note that there later existed another astrologer sharing the name Zoroaster from Persia. It is said he foretold his demise by lightning and instructed the Persians to preserve his bones honorably, promising them the indestructibility of their kingdom as long as his remains were respected. His prophecy regarding his death came true as he was struck by lightning; however, his claim about the endurance of the Persian kingdom proved to be false, as his kingdom soon fell.