Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
אֲבַדּ֣וֹן וָ֭מָוֶת אָ֣מְר֑וּ בְּ֝אָזְנֵ֗ינוּ שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Abaddon and death declare, "With our ears we have heard the report of it." These two expressions suggest that the adversary can be identified, as he embodies death, accompanied by destruction. Thus, they acknowledged that they had indeed heard a rumor concerning the reverence of the Lord; they could not refute this, for it was inherent to the very goodness of creation. Yet, due to the wickedness of rebellion, they chose to reject it.
Destruction and Death declare, "We have heard of their glory with our ears" (Job 28:22). Who do we identify as 'Destruction and Death' if not the malevolent spirits, the architects of destruction and death, whose leader is referred to by John, saying, "And his name was Death" (Rev. 6:8)? These spirits of arrogance are subservient to this entity, proclaiming about the Wisdom that is God that they have heard of its glory, for they cannot attain the fullness of blessedness without the ability to contemplate it. To perceive the Wisdom of God is synonymous with possessing it. Hence, it was revealed to John regarding the reward awaiting the victor, "I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, except he that receiveth" (Rev. 2:17).
In our earthly existence, we may occasionally comprehend or witness something that we have not fully received; yet there is a 'new name inscribed on a white stone' as part of eternal reward, representing a divine knowledge of God that is not available to many, and which can only be known by the one who has received it. Therefore, as previously mentioned, since to see God equates to possessing Him, the fallen spirits do not embark on perceiving this 'Wisdom' because, due to their pride, they have lost the ability to receive it. They have shut their hearts' eyes to His radiance, preventing His light from illuminating them. This is akin to stating regarding these same malevolent spirits, "They are of those that rebelled against the light" (Job 24:13). Thus, although the evil spirits have 'heard of the glory of Wisdom,' they have not experienced it; they are simultaneously aware of its might yet refuse to submit humbly beneath it. Consequently, Truth speaks regarding their leader, declaring, "He was a man-killer from the beginning, and did not stand in the truth" (John 8:44). And it continues:
Humanity has mastered the skill of uncovering metals and precious gems hidden in the earth's depths, which remain elusive to the sharp gaze of the eagle and the fierce strength of the lion (28:1-8). Yet, while unearthing treasures in the mountain's foundations and the depths of the seas, humanity fails to find wisdom, which is far more valuable than all earthly riches (9-19). Wisdom is concealed from all and belongs solely to God; it can be grasped through reverence and the renunciation of evil (20-28). Sacred texts frequently refer to the righteous as wise and the wicked as foolish. True wisdom, particularly in the grandfather figure, lies in the capacity to live purposefully and uphold one’s virtues. Nothing elevates a person's virtues or aligns with their purpose more than a life devoted to God. When an individual succumbs to wickedness and indulges their passions, they become an irrational being, losing both discernment and will.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS