Weeping and pleading for me, they encountered me within the house of ὢν, where it was declared, The Lord God Almighty is his remembrance; therefore, you should turn to your God, uphold mercy and judgment, and draw close to Him consistently.
As Ephraim leads us astray, pursuing falsehood and straying into madness by wavering between two neighboring nations, forging alliances with Assyrians and sending gifts to Egypt, I now have all judgment over Judah and visitation upon Jacob. Through His visitation, He calls forth calamities and punishments, so that after justly rewarding Ephraim, He will also address Judah, of the seed of Jacob, based on his actions and endeavors; for Judah's fall was not by chance or mere human frailty, but rather he sought and discovered opportunities for sin. The multitude of blessings bestowed upon Judah, or Jacob, is also emphasized; he is referred to as a son through his father, and the earlier events are recounted to highlight both God's mercy toward Jacob and his steadfastness against the Lord.
In Rebekah's womb, he caused Esau's death—not through his own capability, for he lacked reason, but rather through God's mercy, who knows and cherishes those He has predestined. Not only did he slay his brother in the womb, he also stood steadfast against the angel when Jacob wrestled with him all night long. Because of his unwavering stance, he received the name εὐθυτάτου, translated from Hebrew as Isar, meaning straight or just. He overcame the angel, thus gaining strength through the blessing of the one he defeated. He wept and implored the angel, declaring, I will not let you go unless you bless me. After heeding the counsel of his parents and fleeing to Mesopotamia, he encountered the same angel at Bethel, who spoke to Jacob and, in doing so, also addressed his descendants; in Jacob, God's love for Judah is evident, and that name, bestowed by the angel and by God, has endured to this day.
Therefore, O Judas, emulate your father; weep and beseech the Lord of Hosts, and return to Him. Uphold mercy and justice, trusting in your God in all circumstances, flourishing in virtue through righteous deeds. Instead of saying I cried and begged him, the common text indicates, They cried and begged Me, and in the house of ὢν they found Me, where it was said to them. Ὢν signifies sorrow. Thus, anyone who weeps, repents, and seeks the Lord shall encounter Him in the renewal of their heart and will receive answers when they call upon Him.
Judas can represent a member of the Church who is being chastised by the Lord for failing to remember the former blessings he has received and instead piling sin upon sin. The nature of those blessings is also noted. For when the Church bore you, born through faith, you caused the death of your brother, whether Jew or Gentile, and claimed his birthright, standing firmly before the angel due to your strength—either conquering opposing powers or becoming stronger through the angel’s divine blessings. In a spiritual sense, you overcame the angel to vanquish men, gaining strength as a result.
Having attained victory, you began to weep and plead with the angel of the Lord. In recognizing your past transgressions, you found Him at Bethel, the house of God, synonymous with the Church, or within the house of ὢν, symbolizing the trials borne from tears and repentance. To clarify who Judas signifies, it is noted, there he spoke to us, referring to us Christians, and from that time to the present, we bear the name of Christ, who corrects and supports us. Therefore, you, a Church member known as Judas and a confessor, should continually turn in repentance towards your Lord. If you falter, follow the example of the prophet who stated, ‘I will wash my bed with my sighs, I will wet my bed every night with my tears.’ Do not confine yourself to these words, but keep God's commandments and show mercy to others for your own pardon. Render just judgments, ensuring that you are judged with the measure you employ, and maintain constant trust in your God or draw near to Him, excelling consistently in virtue.
THEOSIS