THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
These are challenging statements, and I worry they might not be fully understood. For indeed, the enemies referenced here are the Jews; they observe the law of God, which is why it was advised, "Kill them not, lest they should ever forget thy law: in order that the nation of the Jews may remain, and by its preservation the number of Christians may increase." They persist in all nations as Jews, and they have not completely lost their identity despite being under Roman authority; they continue to uphold their laws, which are God's laws. But what has happened to them? They pay tithes of mint and cumin while neglecting the more significant aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness—demonstrating their hypocrisy as they strain out a gnat but swallow a camel (Matthew 23:23-24).
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This is the Lord's message to them. They faithfully observe the law and the prophets, yet they fail to recognize the prophetic light, who is Christ Jesus. They do not see Him now as He reigns in Heaven, nor did they recognize Him during His humble walk on earth, leading them to the grave act of shedding His blood—though it must be noted not all are guilty of this act. This is still relevant to your community to understand; for many turned to the Christ whom they had crucified, and through faith in Him, they received forgiveness even for that grievous sin, providing an example for others that one should not fall into despair over their transgressions.
“Crucify Him, crucify Him,” they called out—expressing their desire to erase, eliminate, and extinguish Christ. However, through His resurrection, the One they sought to erase brought an end to the wickedness of their words. With the knowledge that He whom they wished to destroy is alive, they are filled with dread, since the One who was despised on earth is now honored among all nations in Heaven; they are astonished, and their wicked speech is silenced. Their pride entrapped them; despite their futile efforts to overpower God, they achieved nothing. They might have crucified a man, thinking they had triumphed, yet they accomplished death rather than life.
What is the fate of those who converted? They learned that the one they executed had risen. They believed in His resurrection when they witnessed that, from the heights of Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to empower the believers, realizing that they had neither condemned anything nor accomplished anything in their actions. Their deeds amounted to nothing, leaving sin un erased. Their sins remained, capturing them in their arrogance, as they recognized themselves burdened by their guilt. Thus, they were called to confess their sins, turning to Him who offers forgiveness to sinners, enabling even those who caused His death to live again. They grappled with their pride.
The conclusion of curses and falsehoods will be made whole, but it will not be fulfilled. This is often misunderstood, linking to the idea that when caught in their pride, the fullness of cursing and deceit will be evident. What does completeness entail? It means perfection: to be brought to completion equates to achieving fulfillment. Pride obstructs one’s path to perfection; nothing hinders this progress as pride does. Listen closely to what I say, and recognize a perilous evil that warrants caution. What might this evil be? The depths of pride harbor profound wickedness that the enemy must be held accountable for. It is he who is the foremost of all sinners, the instigator of sin; he bears no blame for adultery or theft but fell victim to pride.
In summary, while all vices manifest in immoral actions should be feared, pride in righteous actions is a far greater danger. Thus, it is unsurprising that the Apostle expresses humility, stating, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). Recognizing his own vulnerability, he mentions the affliction brought upon him by the divine Physician to prevent exaltation from the abundance of revelations; he recounts beseeching the Lord three times for relief, who replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:7-9). Observe the effects: the Apostle, a teacher to the Gentiles, became afflicted while proclaiming truth. Who among us would dare to claim otherwise without facing shame? If we assert that Paul did not endure, we place him on a pedestal and falsely accuse him of deceit. Yet, as he speaks truthfully, we must accept that an angel of Satan was given to him, preventing his possible pride from delusions of grandeur. We ought to be cautious of the serpent of pride.
What does it signify that in wrath the declaration of completion will occur? There exists a consuming anger and a consuming wrath. Divine retribution is referred to as wrath; at times God avenges in order to purify; at other times, He avenges to condemn. He chastens every son He embraces (Heb. 12:6). He condemns when He separates the wicked, saying, “Go into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). This signifies the wrath of annihilation rather than fulfillment. In the wrath of completeness, proclamations of consummation will be established; the apostles will declare that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more (Rom. 5:20), and humanity's weaknesses are meant to be mended through humility. Those who ponder this and acknowledge their sins will not be caught in pride.