You have wearied the Lord with your words, and you said: Wherein have we wearied him? In that you say: Every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such please him: or surely where is the God of judgment?
הוֹגַעְתֶּ֤ם יְהוָה֙ בְּדִבְרֵיכֶ֔ם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמָּ֣ה הוֹגָ֑עְנוּ בֶּאֱמָרְכֶ֗ם כָּל־עֹ֨שֵׂה רָ֜ע ט֣וֹב ׀ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה וּבָהֶם֙ ה֣וּא חָפֵ֔ץ א֥וֹ אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Have you observed those who complain and face consequences for their actions? Consider instead those who express gratitude—those who find salvation. While some assert, "Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord," the faithful declare, "It is not peculiar to Thy pure eyes to look upon wickedness" (Hab. 1:13).
Previously, I noted that the Almighty lamented over the descendants of Levi in various ways. He rebuked their negligence by declaring, ‘And out of the way of the plunder, and of the lame, and of the sick’ (Malachi 1:13), and further stated, ‘And they were obnoxious to those who were offended in the law’ (Malachi 2:9). It seems that they, while in positions of honor, unjustly condemned the weaker individuals and exploited others through their selfishness. They judged not by truth or divine statute but rendered biased and erroneous judgments, possibly even unlawfully taking possessions that were not theirs, delighting in receiving corrupt gifts, abusing their priestly role, and elevating themselves above their subordinates.
Those who faced such injustice were astonished by this disgraceful and unlawful conduct, especially since they saw no punishment from God nor any sign of His wrath, unlike those who usually scorn Him. Instead, these priests lived in comfort and pleasure. Unable to withstand this discrepancy, and perhaps having ceased to contemplate God's boundless mercy, they lamented in fear, asserting, ‘Every one that doeth evil, doeth good before Him, and in them Thou Thyself art well pleased’. This suggests they believed even wicked acts were pleasing to God, proposing that He favored those who chose such a dishonorable lifestyle. If this accusation were untrue, they questioned, ‘where is the God of truth?’ Indeed, it seems just that the Lord of righteousness would not tolerate the negligence of greedy priests and those who desecrate the altar, especially those committed to unrighteous, sinful, and lawless actions. This may stem from their own cowardice.
We should recognize that such foolish rhetoric angers God, as it assumes the audacity to chastise the God of patience, who graciously waits for the return of the wayward and the improvement of the sinful. The apostle Paul similarly rebuked those who procrastinated in repentance, stating, ‘Or do you neglect the riches of His goodness, gentleness, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart, you are gathering wrath to yourself in the day of wrath and revelation and justice of God’ (Romans 2:4-5). Those filled with such coldness and who speak carelessly about Him truly offend God. Those who provoke such affliction will bear guilt for their sins. Therefore, it is essential for those chosen for ministry or priesthood to lead lives of holiness and righteousness within the church. In doing so, they will serve as exemplars of good conduct and virtue for the laypeople, who, by observing the glorious and admirable lifestyle of the priests, will also honor the Almighty. This aligns with the words of the Savior: ‘Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16). Just as the laity may falter when priests live immorally, immense benefits will arise when they see their priests doing good and striving to lead lives that please God.
You have confidently called upon the Lord in your declarations, asking, “In what manner do we call upon You with courage? In that you proclaim, 'All who commit wrongdoing are regarded as good by the Lord, and He delights in them'; and in that you inquire, 'Where is the God of justice?'” This idea is articulated more fully in the seventy-second Psalm, which begins, “How excellent is the God of Israel for those who are pure in heart.” Yet, my feet have nearly slipped, and my steps have almost faltered; for I have envied the unrighteous, observing the comfortable lives of sinners, who seem to be untouched by death, as their troubles are severe but overlooked. They are not engaged in the afflictions of humanity, nor do they share in the punishments that befall others (Psalms 72:5).
Then I reflected, “Surely I have washed my heart in vain and cleansed my hands in innocence" (ibid., v. 13). Consequently, the people returning from captivity in Babylon saw that all the other nations, even in their idol worship, were thriving in wealth, enjoying robust health, and possessing all that is deemed good in this life. In contrast, they, burdened with divine wisdom, found themselves in distress, lack, and servitude. They were tempted to say, "There is no divine governance in human affairs; everything unfolds by mere chance; how is it ruled by divine justice? Why does God seem to favor the wicked, and frown upon the righteous? If God indeed reasons about all matters, where is His true and honest judgment?" The skeptical mind, doubting in the afterlife, repeatedly poses such questions to God. It observes the unjust in dominance and the faithful in a state of disgrace, noting the former's extraordinary abundance of resources while the latter struggle to obtain even the essentials of life. Sometimes, they suffer from neglect, blindness, disfigurements, and ailments, akin to Lazarus, whom we read about in the Gospel (Luke 16), who, at the gate of the rich man adorned in purple, sought to survive on the crumbs that fell from his table. The rich man was so heartlessly cruel that, despite being human, he showed no compassion for Lazarus, who received more sympathy from the dogs than from him. And those who are unaware of the time of reckoning and of true goodness—what remains eternally—declare, “The wicked please Him,” and “Where is the God of justice?”
For some individuals, witnessing the prosperity of those who engage in wrongdoing has led them to unreasonably assert that God must favor the wicked; otherwise, He would not grant them such happiness. This heresy, declares God, has particularly incited My wrath against you. Yet, you fail to see this grave injustice as anything but a minor fault. In expressing their stubbornness, the prophet proclaimed, ‘And say, ‘Why have you angered Him?’’ It should be clear to you that the Almighty is the Source of all truth. As the Source of righteousness, He is detested by those who delight in sin. The principles governing His household are beyond comprehension. Nevertheless, I assure you that the time for just retribution will arrive. To clarify this, God first prophesies the initial coming of our Lord Christ and directs attention to John the Baptist, the herald of this event. For he states:
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS