Habakkuk 2:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Conversely, the one who affirms the truth of my words will partake in life, which stands as both a reward and a gracious acknowledgment.

Regarding the historical account, it was Cyrus, son of Cambyses, of whom it is said, “If he tarry, bear with him,” for he did indeed conquer Babylon and ravaged other cities. In terms of the deeper spiritual interpretation, these words rightly point to Christ, our Savior, for He is “the One who is, and who was, and who is to come” (Rev. 1:8), and all that the prophets prophesied about Him will come to pass. In His coming, He will triumph over the powers of darkness, and the wicked and unclean spirits will lose their hold on us—as clearly foretold in the Holy Scriptures, showcasing that the unfolding of events serves as testament to this truth. Nonetheless, there is a “prediction for a time,” for in the closing days of this age, the Only Begotten shone brightly; those who turned away from Him and rejected faith in Him offended God, thus forfeiting their access to divine blessings and facing exclusion from the company of the saints, as foretold by the prophet: “like a shrub in the desert, and will not see when good comes” (Jer. 17:6). Yet, the one who conquers laziness and despair, fostering love and faith in mind and heart, will receive a remarkable reward—eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and sanctification through the Spirit; for we are justified “not by the works of the law,” as it is written (Gal. 2:16), but by faith in Christ, for “the law produces wrath” (Rom. 4:15), whereas grace, which absolves from sin, averts wrath.

In a remarkable act, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, took a pound of pure and costly perfume and anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair, filling the room with a sweet fragrance of peace. We have heard this account; now, let us delve into its deeper significance. To become a devoted follower, one should, like Mary, anoint the Lord’s feet with the fragrance of peace. This ointment symbolizes justice, which is why it was measured; however, it was also pure and precious nard. The term pisticus is likely referring to the origin of this valuable myrrh; all of this holds profound meaning in relation to the sacrament. In Greek, pistis translates to ‘faith.’ You have endeavored to fulfill justice, for "the just shall live by faith." Anoint the feet of Jesus—not just symbolically but by living righteously in the footsteps of our Lord. Wipe His feet with your hair—if you possess any excess, offer it to those in need; thus, you have washed the feet of the Lord, since hair is indeed superfluous to the body. You understand how to manage what is surplus to you; it may be unnecessary for you but vital for the Lord's feet. Perhaps the world requires the touch of the Lord's feet. For to whom, if not to His followers, will He declare at the end, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto Me"? The Lord asserts that you have utilized your surplus, yet you have honored My feet.

The holy man received a promise in the book of Isaiah, summarized in the words, ‘Thou shalt yet speak as I say, Behold I am here’ (Isaiah 65:24). The Lord responded to the prophet, instructing him to document the vision and to articulate it on boards, emphasizing the need for clarity. These boards reference the apostle’s statement in his letter to the Corinthians: ‘You are our epistle written in our hearts; it is recognized and read by all men. You are clearly witnessed, being the message of Christ, perfected by us, and inscribed, not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart’ (2 Cor. 3:2-3). Similarly, Solomon expresses in Proverbs the essence of inscribing it on the depth of one’s heart (Proverbs 3:3). The command emphasizes clarity in writing for the reader’s swift comprehension, ensuring no hindrance obstructs the eagerness to read. This directive is given because the vision pertains to a distant future, an appointed time. When that time arrives, the prophecy will be validated through its fulfillment. If, dear reader, the realization of the promise appears prolonged, do not lose hope, but remain patient; for I am with you, the One promising and declaring: ‘But if anyone does not believe in this My promise, and doubts My words: “What is coming will come and will not delay,” he is not pleasing to My soul, just as: “Your new months and your Sabbaths My soul hates” (Isaiah 1:14). To interpret what God refers to as His soul, we can think of His thoughts and intentions, suggesting that such a person displeases My understanding. Just as one displeases Me by doubting the fulfillment of My promise, so the righteous will thrive through their faith in My words. This encapsulates the essence of this passage.

In addition to this, consider the Seventy’s translation. Inscribe this in your heart, similar to how students learning to write practice the curves of letters on beech boards, honing their skills through careful exercise. Likewise, you, speaking on behalf of a doubting people, must etch these truths on the tablets of your heart and upon your steadfast spirit. The vision represents the promise and should be presented without obscurity or ambiguity; it must stand firm on the clear foundation of hope. However, O prophet, I command you not because you lack understanding (for a prophet would not be one if ignorant), but to ensure you write as clearly as possible, enabling readers to comprehend without obstacles—an idea captured by the Seventy with the words ὁπως γινω'σων, indicating that ‘he who reads should run swiftly,’ reflecting the same urgency in the Epistle to Timothy about seeking righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness (1 Tim. 6:11), as well as in Romans, with the call to be ‘zealous in hospitality’ (Rom. 12:13), and in Corinthians, where it urges to ‘strive for love’ (1 Cor. 14:1). The vision, as relayed, instructs to inscribe it clearly on wood so that those who read may do so swiftly; this is set for an ordained time, which the Saviour indicated when He said: “At an acceptable time, I have heard you, and in the day of salvation, I have helped you” (Isa. 49:8). It will occur at the culmination of the world, aligned with the final hour, as John notes: “Children! It is the last hour” (1 Jn. 2:18). This vision will not be in vain; it will bring salvation to many and unite more tribes alongside the remnant of Israel. Therefore, if this vision seems somewhat delayed and does not align with your expectations, dear reader, heed the command to read from the prophet’s tablets. Do not hesitate, but await its unfolding: for what is promised will surely come without delay. Yet if your faith falters and you doubt the fulfillment of My promises, a grave consequence awaits you—your actions will displease My soul. Conversely, the one who believes My words and does not waver shall receive eternal life. Do not be quick to accuse Me of insincerity when I enact judgment or give life; for he who lives by faith is the sole author of his life, and you risk displeasing My soul by rejecting belief. Here, we clearly foresee a prophecy concerning the coming of Christ. This leads to the conclusion that until His arrival, unrighteousness will dominate the world, justice remains incomplete, and true Nebuchadnezzar ensnares souls as one might catch fish. Let no one misconstrue my use of the term visus, a less common masculine term in Latin, in place of visio, the more fitting feminine term. This is because hazon, translated by Aquila as ὁραμα, is masculine in Hebrew and means ‘seen’; the Hebrew maintains this masculine form throughout. The Seventy translated ‘write down the vision’ (visionem) and later stated, ‘if he is not there, wait for him’: ‘for he that comes shall come and shall not delay; but if he departs, he shall be displeasing to My soul.’ They initially rendered ‘vision’ feminately, although in Hebrew it is masculine, and subsequently adopted masculine declension in phrases like ‘wait for it’ and ‘it shall be displeasing to my soul.’ However, they should have consistently applied the feminine form when referring back to 'vision' and wrote: ‘wait for it, for she that comes shall come; and if she strays, she shall be displeasing to My soul.’ I mention this not to remain silent about my understanding, but to clarify that this interpretation can be gleaned from their translation. ‘Write down the vision in which the promise of Christ is encapsulated, and record these prophetic words on a beech board, tablets, or ‘pages,’ as Simmachus rendered. This speaks of a time when the conclusion of the world will be near, when My Son will arrive to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel and will gather other sheep, forming one flock, uniting the two branches that Ezekiel speaks of, where ‘the power of God’ will enable the prophetic hand to bring all together in union. But, O prophet or O people—who, through doubt, reflect on Christ’s delay—if His coming seems far off, wait, for He who is coming will certainly arrive without delay. The Apostle’s writing to the Romans, using the LXX translation to state, ‘The just shall live by my faith’ (Rom. 1:17), highlights that he was addressing Romans unfamiliar with Hebrew; therefore, the accuracy of scholarly nuances in wording didn't overshadow the essential meaning. Instead, it is clear that whenever the translated meanings diverge in LXX and Hebrew, he relied solely on the teachings of Gamaliel, a renowned law teacher.