The Church Fathers on this verse
THEOSIS
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Numbers 15:37Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord also said to Moses:

Douay-Rheims

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

2 Church Fathers comment on this verse

John Chrysostom

4th centuryChurch Father

To aid in their remembrance of His blessings in various ways, God instructs His people, akin to children, to perform what many do to combat forgetfulness: they were to attach blue threads around the edges of their garments, extending to their feet. This custom served as a reminder of His commandments, and these threads were referred to as "wings." They made a point to create broad bands for these fringes and to widen the wings of their garments, revealing their excessive pride. Why do you take pride in expanding them (Matthew 23:5)? Does your righteousness lie in such displays? What benefit do they provide if you do not heed the reminders they offer? God asks not for their adornment to be increased, but for you to recall His blessings. If acts of charity and fasting, which demand effort and signify our good deeds, are not to be glorified, how then, O Jew, can you elevate yourself in matters that distinctly highlight your inattention?

Cyrill of Alexandria

5th centuryChurch Father

The command to inscribe the law within our hearts reflects a profound understanding of the burdens of the soul. Therefore, it is instructed that the commandments should be recorded on a tablet, marking significant thresholds, and that these divine statutes, infused with revelation, should be attached to one’s right hand; additionally, it's deemed valuable for the garments to bear tassels and threads of the color of jachon. Some may question how such tassels and jachon hues serve as reminders of divine precepts. It is acknowledged that ancient teachings conveyed the law in mysterious ways, as if casting shadows of deeper truths.

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The placement of the jachon threads on one’s hands and arms subtly suggests that we ought to focus on and aspire towards heavenly pursuits while remembering the divine mandates from above.

In certain cultures, such as that of the Indians, the jachon stone is believed to possess a quasi-ethereal essence, a blend of light and darkness, with depths that resemble flowing water, evoking a sense of movement and vitality. The law, therefore, wisely establishes that jachon threads should adorn both garments and hands, symbolizing: Let the law encompass your mind and intellect, acting as a celestial garment and the arbiter of virtuous actions. The hand represents our deeds, and when they align with what is lawful and good, they remain free from reproach, distancing themselves from wickedness that the left side signifies.

Consequently, the Pharisees overly embellished their scrolls and made a spectacle of their traditions, as noted in Matthew 23:5, but Christ admonished them for this practice, indicating it stemmed from a place of servitude rather than a true remembrance of the law. It is entirely possible to adhere to the law while engaging in lawlessness when one misapplies its intent. This is akin to the wisdom of Solomon, who warned against excessive self-adulation, asking, “Why should you ruin yourself?” (Ecclesiastes 7:16). Therefore, inscribing the divine commandments within one's mind and heart is essential; as David articulates, “The law of his God is in his heart, and his feet shall not stumble” (Psalm 36:31). It is clear that those who harbor the divine law in their thoughts will be securely rooted and steadfast in virtue.

Indeed, consistent and diligent attention to the law guides us on the righteous path, which aligns with what pleases God, dispelling the darkness and confusion that can cloud the soul.