Judges 6:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He will descend like rain on a freshly cut field, like water droplets soaking the ground (Psalm 71:6). This passage refers to the signs performed by Judge Gideon, which pointed to Christ. He sought a sign from the Lord, first requesting that dew be on the wool alone while the surrounding land remained dry, and then asking the opposite, which was granted. This dry fleece, lying in the midst of the world, symbolized the former nation of Israel. In this context, Christ came as rain upon the fleece, leaving the rest of the earth parched; thus, He affirmed, "I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). There, amidst the children of Israel, He found His mother and took on the humble form of a servant, appearing to humanity.

The essence of God is embodied in Christ; the truth of the Lord extends to the heavens. The heavens represent the apostles and prophets, who are instructed not to pour down their message upon Israel. This aligns with historical accounts found in the book of Judges, where it is noted that the fleece remained dry while rain fell on other lands. This signifies a lack of spiritual nourishment in Israel while the rest of the world receives it abundantly.

Afterward, those sheep from the house of Israel perished, as noted in Matthew 15:24, illustrating the spiritual condition of the Jewish people who turned away from the source of living water mentioned in Jeremiah 2:13. Their faith has withered, and this divine spring has now flowed into the hearts of the Gentiles, as prophesied in Isaiah 3:2. The entire world now benefits from the refreshing dew of faith, while the Jewish people have lost their prophets and leaders. It is unsurprising that the barrenness of disbelief reigns among those whom the Lord has denied the nourishing rain of prophecy, affirming, “And I will command My clouds not to water this vineyard” (Isaiah 5:6).

What was the significance of the dew on the fleece? Gideon initially requested that the fleece be wet with dew while the surrounding ground remained dry. Later, he sought a contrary sign—that the ground be saturated with moisture while the fleece remained dry. This represented that Israel once flourished in divine favor, akin to the fleece soaked in dew, enabling all of humanity to share in spiritual blessings. In contrast, Israel faced deprivation of these gifts, much like the fleece devoid of dew.

We appropriately liken Mary to a fleece: she conceived the Lord, embracing Him entirely within her being; she did not allow her body to be torn but remained gentle in obedience and steadfast in holiness. Indeed, it is fitting to compare Mary to a fleece, for through her fruit, salvation's garments are fashioned for all peoples. Undoubtedly, Mary represents a fleece, for from her tender womb emerged the Lamb, who, bearing His mother's flesh, envelops the wounds of all nations with His gentle covering. Every sin's wound is shrouded in Christ's fleece, cleansed in His blood, and adorned in His garment so that healing may be bestowed.

We can observe in the book of Judges the prophetic truth that reveals itself to us: across ‘all the earth’ and throughout the fields of sunflowers, the refreshing ‘dew’ of the knowledge of Christ has been and continues to be present; however, ‘on the fleece only’ of the Jews there remains ‘dryness’ (Judges 6:40). This reflects the reality that the life-giving, rejuvenating, sustaining grace has withdrawn from them.

Despite Gideon's steadfastness and bravery, he sought a sign from the Lord to confirm his impending triumph, stating, "If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken, behold, I will spread out here in the threshing floor, and if the dew be only on the wool, and the whole land be dry, I shall know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken." This indeed occurred. Subsequently, he requested that the dew cover all the earth while leaving the wool untouched, and this too came to pass. The dew on the wool represented faith in Judah, as God's words descend like dew; thus, Moses proclaims, "My doctrine shall rain down like rain, as the dew of my speech" (Deuteronomy 32:2).

The initial representation was also water, which Gideon illustrated as follows: when the angel approached him, instructing him to confront the Midianites, Gideon sought confirmation from God. He placed a fleece on the threshing floor and asked, "If there is dew on the whole ground, and the fleece remains dry…" And indeed, it occurred as he requested. This served as a symbol indicating that all other nations were without dew, while the Jews, represented by the fleece, were untouched. Subsequently, dew fell upon the other nations, signifying holy baptism, while the Jews continued without dew. The prophets proclaimed that renewal would come through water. When the apostles preached the message of faith in God to all creation, their teachings were embraced by us Greeks, and indeed, the whole world has accepted their message.

Following such a remarkable miracle, Gideon's spirit could not oscillate between faith and apprehension. His subsequent actions reflect his total mastery over himself, though their specifics are not included in the parable. To understand why this parable is read during the feast of the Epiphany, we must consider the metaphorical significance of the dew, which is the focus of the parable. The dew serves as a symbol of God’s grace, akin to the refreshing and renewing effect of dew on plants parched by the sun, which restores and revitalizes humanity (Is. 26:19, Hos. 14:6). Prior to Christ's arrival, people resembled vegetation suffering from the heat due to their spiritual desolation. Their restoration and revival stemmed from the grace of the Holy Spirit.