It's a common expression to say, "I have read through the book," or "I have gone through the narrative." This aligns with what Isaiah conveys about the overshadowing darkness in his writings: "And all prophecy is to you as the words of a sealed book, presented to one who can read, who is told, ‘Read this’; and he responds, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’"
In the Revelation, a scroll sealed with seven seals appears, and if given to a learned man to read, he will respond, "I cannot, for it is a sealed scroll." Many today presume they understand the Scriptures, yet they possess a sealed scroll, unable to open it unless the One with the key of David unlocks it, Who opens, and no one shuts, and shuts, and no one opens (Rev. 3:7). In the Acts of the Apostles, the holy eunuch, referred to by both titles in Scripture, was reading the prophet Isaiah. When Philip asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" he answered, "How can I unless someone guides me?" (Acts 8:30-31). I, too, will remark—just to relate—am not more pious or diligent than this eunuch, who, leaving the royal palace to come to the Temple from Ethiopia, cared so deeply for the Law and divine wisdom that he read the Holy Scriptures even while in his carriage. However, while holding the book and contemplating the words of the Lord, pronouncing them aloud, he still did not grasp the One whom he honored in the text, apart from his awareness. Philip came and unveiled Jesus, hidden within the Scriptures. Oh, the remarkable power of the teacher! In that instant, the eunuch believed, was baptized, became sacred and faithful, transformed from a disciple into a teacher, discovering more in the secluded fountain of the church than in the ornate temple of the synagogue. I mention this briefly, constrained by the limits of this letter, so you may realize the necessity of having a guide when engaging with the Scriptures.
Instead of the spirit of slumber, the Septuagint translates it as brokenness, while Theodotion calls it mindfulness, and Aquila renders it as sound sleep—which in Hebrew is termed thardema—an affliction which God imposed on Adam (Gen. 2) during the creation of the woman from a rib from his side. Jonah too fell into such a deep sleep upon the ship (Jon. 1:5). The entirety of the prophecy following the fall of Jerusalem and the temple, called Ariel, targets the scribes and Pharisees, who, holding the key of knowledge, neither enter themselves nor allow those wishing to enter. They are ordered to become intoxicated from astonishment and awe, or better as the Septuagint suggests, from the loosening of their entire body and spirit, staggering—not from wine or sackcloth—but from the spirit of slumber or brokenness from the Lord, so that when they recognize their wrongdoing, they may repent and echo the prophet, "I have returned to my anguish, when I observed my affliction" (Psalm 31:4). Thus, know, O scribes and Pharisees, acting as rulers of the Jews, that the Lord will recompense you. For when you listened to the Lord, you refused to comprehend, closed your eyes so you could not behold Him, and deafened your ears so you could not hear. Consequently, the Lord shall likewise shut your eyes, that is, the prophets through whom you have perceived the knowledge of God. Or He will seal your eyes, including the prophets who serve as your leaders. Before John the Baptist, the Law and the prophets were present (Luke 16:16), so that those who do not see would indeed perceive, as validated by the subsequent message: "In that day, the deaf shall hear the words of the scroll, and the eyes of the blind shall see" (v. 18). For the Lord came to judge, that those who see among the Jews should not perceive, and that the blind—meaning the Gentile nations—should come to see and behold the Lord (John 9:39). Therefore, He did not explicitly declare that the vision of all the prophets would be sealed from all readers; instead, it shall be sealed specifically to you to whom I presently speak and whom I foretell, or seal forever the eyes of your leaders, who, as the Seventy claim, presume to have seen hidden and secret matters. And it shall be, says He, that all Holy Scripture shall be enclosed and sealed for you. Thus, you who assert your understanding of the Law and the prophetic foreshadowings, who occupy yourselves day and night with the Scriptures, may remain unable to grasp the very texts you read, as it is written in the Revelation of John: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and its seals?" (Rev. 5:2). And when no one was found able to break the seals, he wept, but eventually received the divine assurance: "Weep not, for the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to break the scroll and to unloose its seals" (ibid., v. 5). The Lion of the tribe of Judah represents the Lord Jesus Christ, who unsealed the scroll, not only the psalms of David as many suppose but all of Scripture, which originates from one Holy Spirit, and thus is termed one book. Ezekiel alludes to this with a mysterious declaration, stating it is inscribed both inside and outside (Ezek. 2:10), reflecting its essence and letter—not only in the book of Jeremiah or Isaiah but across all of Holy Scripture, which is referred to as one book. Therefore, while the Jewish teachers still today cannot read or unseal and unravel the mysteries of the Scriptures, if you present this book to those who are unlearned, consumed by their instructors, they will concede their lack of understanding of the texts and thus find themselves unable to read. Yet of the two evils, it is far better to admit ignorance of the Law than to pridefully claim wisdom while being unable to fathom its message.
THEOSIS