THEOSISAmbrose of Milan
When they discerned the solution before the sun set, they replied: What surpasses honey in sweetness? What possesses greater strength than a lion? Samson then remarked, ‘And what is more deceitful than a woman?’ For, if you had not disturbed my heifer, you would have never unraveled my riddle.
They responded, ‘What could be sweeter than honey, and what is mightier than a lion?’ To which he countered, If you had not vexed my heifer, you would not have uncovered my riddle. Behold, the divine enigma! Behold, the clear mystery! We have escaped from the slayer, we have triumphed over the mighty. The sustenance of life now replaces the prior hunger of wretched death. Peril has transformed into safety, sorrow into joy.
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From sin flows grace, from frailty arises strength, and from death springs forth life. Yet, there are those who assert that the bond of marriage cannot be fortified until the lion from the tribe of Judah is vanquished. Thus, bees were discovered within His body, symbolizing the church that gathered the honey of wisdom, for after the sufferings of the Lord, the apostles’ faith grew stronger. This lion was slain by Samson, who was a Jew; in him, he discovered honey symbolizing the inheritance awaiting redemption, so that others might also be saved through the grace of election (Rom. 11:5). It is noted, ‘The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went to Ascalon and struck down thirty men.’ He was destined to triumph, for he understood the decrees. Thus, the garments they received were a reward for their wisdom, a sign of friendship to those who had deciphered and provided the solution to the mystery.