They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring.
פָּצ֣וּ עָלַ֣י פִּיהֶ֑ם אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה טֹרֵ֥ף וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 6 commentaries
They have bared their fangs at me and spoken against me, motivated not by your Word but by their wicked inclinations. Like a ravenous lion that roars, they attacked me and took me away, shouting, ‘Crucify him, crucify him!’ (John 19:6)
They spoke against me not from your Word, but out of their own desires. Like a fierce and roaring lion, I was seized and taken away; and the sound of their roar was: Crucify Him, Crucify Him. (John 19:6)
The Prophet addresses the priests and scribes, who were given authority over the people, and who acted with great arrogance, along with the young men who were under their authority. He refers to them as fat, denoting those who have benefited from His grace. This echoes the prophecy of the great Moses, who declared, “And Jacob shall eat, and be filled, and shall deny the beloved: fat, thickened, enlarged: and forsake” the Lord “that created Him” (Deuteronomy 32:15). Similarly, the esteemed Hosea compares the people of God to a rebellious youth, stating, “for like a youth, Ephraim, with the arrow of the firing squad, is furious” (Hosea 4:16). Ephraim symbolizes the people. Thus, it is said: “And Ephraim is a young woman taught to love strife” (Hos.
10:11), indicating a love for contention and persistence; for He refers to strife (νεῖκος) not as victory, but as endurance. Indicating the ensuing humiliation, He adds, “But I will tread upon the goodness of her neck,” signifying a humbling of her proud essence and the imposition of the yoke of servitude. Consequently, the Psalm also foreshadows the emergence of the hierarchs, scribes, and Pharisees, who, mimicking the ferocity of bulls and lions, surrounded the Lord Christ (Psalm 21:14).
The Jewish leaders, as he states, raised their voices against me, proclaiming to Pilate, ‘Take, take, crucify him’ (John 19:15). To rephrase: It is remarked that when the lion is driven by hunger to pursue its food, it lets out a powerful and overwhelming roar. This roar initially instills fear in its prey, and afterwards, the lion torments what it has captured. In a similar manner, the Hebrew people almost snarled in opposition to Christ.
In this passage, the speaker expresses discontent regarding the brutal savagery of his adversaries, likening them first to calves, then to lions, and finally to dogs. Everyone is aware of how aggressive calves can become when provoked. Similarly, lions pose a significant threat to humanity due to their danger. Furthermore, dogs, when enraged and ready to inflict harm, are known to turn against people. The core message is that David's foes exhibited such a ruthless and savage nature that they appeared to be more like wild beasts than human beings.
When the lions unleashed their roars, the unrighteous Jews bellowed at Christ, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" (Ii. 19:6).
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS