Hosea 6:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Similarly, the Israelites, who had the grace and love of the Sovereign God—Their Savior and protector who grants mercy like the morning cloud and dew, who dispenses His judgment as light, and who bestows upon them the honor of the law—neglected what was essential for their well-being and glory, and they showed contempt for God, Lord of all, despite His clear admonitions through wise Moses: ‘Thou shalt not make unto thee an idol, nor any likeness of any thing that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth’ (Ex. 20:4), and again, ‘Let no other gods be to thee but me’ (Ex. 20:3). Yet, like Adam, they strayed into apostasy, turning away from the One who could grant them joy, as they broke the covenant.

If we interpret this prophecy in a deeper sense, referring to Christ, we clarify the previous statements. God the Father sent the Son from heaven to illuminate the Israelites, to clarify His judgments, to instruct them to abandon the old sacrifices and burnt offerings prescribed by the law, and to extend mercy instead, justifying them by faith, and inviting them to know the true God; for through Him, we have encountered the Father and been ‘brought’ to Him (Eph. 2:18), as the Holy Scriptures proclaim. Yet the Israelites became ‘as a man transgressing the covenant.’ To elaborate on this, when one violates a will established by another, they either fail to inherit what is bequeathed to them or rob others of their designated inheritance. The Jews acted similarly with regard to Christ. How so? The Father appointed Christ a glorious inheritance, dominion over the people, as He declared, ‘I am ... I am made king by him over Zion his holy city’ (Ps. 2:6), and conferred upon the Son the spiritual vineyard, which is Israel, referred to as “the vineyard of the Lord of hosts...,” in the words, “is the man of Judah, the new garden of the beloved” (Is. 5:7). However, as the blessed Evangelist John noted, ‘into his own came, and his own did not receive him’ (John 1:11), for they led Him outside the city gates to execute Him, saying: ‘This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and let us keep his possessions’ (Mt. 21:38). Observe how they became ‘like a man transgressing the covenant.’ They recognized the heir, yet failed to provide for his inheritance. Thus, they disregarded the Father’s will, depriving the heir of his rightful inheritance as far as their actions allowed, while they themselves remained outside of grace and missed the inheritance intended for them by God. The Lord declared through the prophet: ‘These days are coming, saith the Lord, and I will give unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah a new covenant, not according to the covenant which I gave unto their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt’ (Jer. 31:31-32). A comparison of the new covenant with the first reveals significant differences in the promised benefits. They were offered the land of the Amorites, Gergesites, Hivites, and Jebusites; yet, the new covenant, that is, the promises of Christ, calls them through faith to be children of God, to attain immortality, everlasting life, fellowship with God through the Spirit, and entry into the kingdom of heaven. However, they rejected the inheritance designated for them by God and the Father through the Son. Thus, they sinned against God in two ways: by violating the covenant and, to the extent possible, attempting to exclude the heir from the inheritance given to him by the Father, thereby depriving themselves of what was intended for them in Christ.

For offerings and numerous burnt sacrifices are not what I desire. The sacrifices and burnt offerings signify the salvation of believers and the restoration of sinners. Yet they mirrored Adam’s actions in paradise, disregarding My covenant and law on earth. In paradise, they altered everything about Me similarly to Adam’s transgression. It is no surprise that the faults of the father are echoed in the children. God continually invites both those outside the Church and those who falter within it to repent, declaring, I desire compassion, not sacrifice, and deeper spiritual insights rather than burnt offerings. Nevertheless, they present desecrated bread, give alms, and perceive themselves as humble, yet such humility is only valid as a pleasing offering to Me if executed rightly. Since they have abandoned divine conduct, they vainly boast of possessing other virtuous qualities while cutting off the head of faith; for they have breached God’s covenant within the Church, much like Adam did in paradise, and they follow the same path as their progenitor, resulting in their expulsion from the Church, just as he was cast out of paradise.

Your stronghold is like that of a sea marauder. I spoke of this city, as one given over to idolatry and leading many into sin. They muddy the waters, disturbing the clarity of God’s truth. I compared the city's influence to that of a sea thief because they animate idols through enchanting sorcery and clever contrivances. Just as sea robbers covertly attack swimmers, so the servants of idols, lacking their own fortitude, entice the unwary with their deceptions. Yet the priests of God should have courageously condemned this audacious evil, but they remained silent, fearing the wrath of the wicked. Thus, it is rightly stated against them, ‘The priests have concealed the path of the Lord and silenced the inhabitants of Shechem because they have committed wickedness.’ In the house of Israel, I have witnessed a grave matter: the harlotry of Ephraim is present, and Israel is polluted, while Judah has abandoned his harvest. The implication of this is that Levi, a forebear of the priests, with the aid of Simeon, utterly destroyed the city of Shechem, avenging the indignities suffered by his sister upon those who wronged her. Therefore, God charges the priests, saying, 'You, their descendants, lack their zeal. They defended their sister’s honor and took issue with their father’s household; yet you, with all your power, were unwilling to call out the transgressions committed against Me, remaining silent even when you witnessed not just one, but all of Ephraim and Judah daring to engage in such dreadful and loathsome defilements. It is lamentable, however, that Judah, at the moment when the fruits of God’s promises should have been gathered, allowed the harvest to go unclaimed. Cast aside, O Judah, your negligence and indifference.