Joel 1:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

O Lord, these people have sinned a great sin... and if... But if thou put away their sin, put it away: but if not, blot me also out of this book which thou hast written’ (Ex. 32:31-32). The priesthood serves as the mediator between God and humanity, and for those entrusted with such a significant role, it is just that they approach boldly in prayer, as though they are laying down their lives for God on behalf of all and offering sacrifices for sin (Hosea 4:8). Thus, when the people act unjustly, violating the law, the priests of the sacred altars will ‘take’ their own souls to God on their behalf (with ‘take’ meaning 'bring' or 'lift up,' since to lift up to God was referred to as ‘take’). What leads to their lament? The fields and the wheat suffer, it is said, consumed by the locusts and as if scorched by ‘sipples’ (Joel 1:4), as if they are burning and despoiling what lies within the fields. The earth, he remarks, should also grieve when its produce has withered; ‘the wheat suffers, the wine fails, the oil diminishes’: the wheat suffers, meaning all the good things that make it admired as a source of bountiful fruit have vanished. This reflects our observations regarding earthly deeds. Yet, any true priest will mourn for those who, due to the profound depravity of their hearts, reject cleansing through faith and do not cherish the sanctification of Christ, for they will inevitably lack spiritual vitality and be bereft of what sustains and elevates them spiritually, having neither wheat nor wine, and devoid of oil's benefit. This is spoken in a mysterious manner, for to those who embrace faith, Christ will present Himself as the bread of life (He proclaimed: ‘I am the bread of life’ - John 6:51) and as the wine that brings joy to the heart of man (Psalm 103:15). Truly contemplate what I express here. They will also partake in oil—spiritual and sanctifying, understood as the reception of His grace—while those who maintain obstinate, irreverent, and ungodly thoughts, with minds resistant and hardened, will be deprived entirely of the blessings we have discussed. It is essential to observe that Paul, while faithfully preaching Christ to the Gentiles, appeared to grieve for the unbelief of Israel, declaring, ‘My sorrow is great’ (Romans 9:2) and similar sentiments. This discourse, as mentioned, is laden with mystery and significance.

The priests are in tears as the customary sacrifices are no longer being offered according to divine command, particularly as they no longer receive their tithes. The entire region lies in ruin. The land mourns, symbolizing the sorrow of its inhabitants; wheat, wine, and oil have become scarce. The farmers are ashamed and weep not just over the lost wheat, but also over the barley that is typically more fruitful and valuable, as well as the vegetables that the earth no longer yields. The devastation extends beyond crops; even the fruit-bearing trees, like the fig and pomegranate, have withered, leaving both fruitful and barren trees decimated. All this transpires so that human joy turns to despair. A parallel can be drawn to the Jewish people after the coming of the Savior, who, in a fit of rage, cried out for His execution, declaring, “We have no king but Caesar.” In those days, Jerusalem was under siege, and the Jews faced such extreme famine and disease that they resorted to the unthinkable. The sacrifices ceased, and joy disappeared, as they rejected the message of the angel who proclaimed great joy.

The deeper meaning of this state can be understood like this: when the bride, who has received divine teaching, separates from her bridegroom due to sin and is clothed not in fine linen but in mourning garments, the broken spirit is the true sacrifice to God. The drink offering that brings joy to the heart of mankind becomes absent in the house of God, which is the Church, as the apostle teaches. However, the nature of the sacrifice will transform when iniquity prevails and love grows cold. The leaders of the church will witness the unfruitfulness of the faithful fields, now overrun with thorns rather than virtues, with the crops destroyed by locusts and worms. The glory of the cup, which is written, “Thy cup is glorious," will diminish, and the oil that gives vitality, as noted in Ecclesiastes, will no longer be present. Consequently, farmers will feel shame upon realizing their fields yield neither wheat for sustenance nor barley for livestock, with the grapes that were meant to be fruitful producing only thorns. The fig tree, where Nathanael once sat before his faith, the pomegranate tree associated with the beloved in the Song of Songs, and the palm tree that has wilted after losing its sap—all rites that symbolize flourishing—will become mere memory. The apple tree, which the Song also praises, will share in this desolation. Ultimately, all the trees have withered, and instead of joy and celebration, sorrow and shame hang heavy over the children of men.