Psalm 78 (77):3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Creator influences His creation through unseen means, ensuring that the essence remains unchanged and is not made into something transient or material. Instead, He employs both tangible and perceptible signs—sights and sounds—as much as human limitations allow to convey His will.

Just as an angel can interact with air, fog, clouds, fire, and other natural elements, or a person can express thoughts using their face, voice, hands, pen, or written words to convey hidden insights, so too does God, who governs all creation, use both angels and humans to communicate His desires. Consider how a human emissary can command another to go here or there, or instruct a servant to accomplish tasks (Luke 7:8). With what greater authority and power does God accomplish this, for He is the Lord to whom all things submit? These divine revelations were heard in the Old Testament and are now understood in the New Testament—heard when they were prophesied and recognized when they came to pass. Where promises are fulfilled, the listener is assured of the truth. Our ancestors, Moses and the Prophets, have faithfully informed us.

The term 'recognized' parallels 'discerned'; He emphasizes that we have not simply heard but have come to genuinely grasp these truths. Another perspective suggests that perhaps the disciples respond by affirming how much they have both heard and learned. Yet, it is not every person who comprehends this wisdom; it is reserved for those who grasp the meaning of these teachings. Athanasius remarks that what we have learned through listening to the forebears, all of it is derived from the deeds and manifestations of Christ Himself. Didymus notes that those who possess the mind of Christ comprehend these matters on a spiritual level. The early church fathers conveyed teachings in a physical sense and, through their insight, gave birth to others who would continue to share with future generations. Origen suggests that Christ speaks in the singular form above, yet in this context uses the plural, indicating His descent from His divine height, addressing humanity, and including His relatives and disciples. When He imparts His law, He speaks with the authority of a sovereign, though by explicating ancient texts, He broadens the scope of His messages. He states: ‘And we have heard,’ acknowledging His awareness of humanity. He notes from whom this knowledge comes—our fathers—not in the sense of biological lineage, as those who were Hellenists and without the Law could not have instructed Gentile believers, but rather he refers to those who are spiritual fathers, as Origen elaborates, including Moses, the prophets, and the sacred writers, alongside their interpreters and educators. The Son of these ancient figures and prophets is Christ, born through His mother, and likewise, the Apostles are their descendants, while the entire body of believers—those belonging to Christ and the Apostles—forms the subsequent generation of the faithful.

He expresses his intent to speak openly, so we might emulate the teachings shared, continually dedicating the beginnings of our speech to God, much like we offer the first fruits, ensuring that we refrain from speaking until we voice what is pleasing to the Lord. It can be noted that the prophet speaks on behalf of the Lord, identifying His people as humanity and His law as the ancient commandments. Matthew likewise interprets this when he states: “That it may be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, ‘I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter the hidden things of the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 13:35). What did the prophet connect to this? “What we have heard and learnt, and our fathers have told us.” These words resonate with all of humanity.

For this reason, he emphasizes not just hearing but also knowledge, stating, "What we have heard and what we have known." Given that many unfounded stories circulate in the world, which lack credence and are often mere fables, the Prophet wisely anchors all that is conveyed by solid and well-known accounts from the church fathers, particularly those whom God Himself has endorsed and to whom He entrusted His celestial teachings, allowing them to be faithfully passed down through the ages to the final generations. Thus, he further instructs: Let us not withhold from their children, signifying we should not keep anything hidden from our descendants, but rather strive to convey all that has been passed down to us from our forebears to their offspring. This aims to ensure that no one is left to excuse themselves for ignorance. Moreover, he articulates the purpose of this transmission, stating, "Proclaiming the praises of the Lord, and His power, and His miracles which He hath wrought." However, since mere human agreement alone would not suffice to render the doctrine wholly reliable, the Prophet goes a step further, affirming God as its origin. He makes it clear that the fathers did not impart this doctrine to their children out of their own volition but rather as a command from God.

The Savior calls His people to listen attentively, warning them to avoid the same dire outcome as the former Israelites who failed to heed God’s commands. He instructs them to carefully consider the gospel's teachings and to receive the prophetic message with sincere hearts. Despite their strength, the Israelites succumbed to defeat during the Passion of Christ due to their disbelief. Notably, the tribe of Ephraim, having fallen into the idolatry of the golden calf, led astray the other tribes. Because of this betrayal, God stripped them of their courage; despite their prowess in archery, they became fainthearted, retreating on the battlefield. They were ultimately taken captive and dispersed among the nations. God showed mercy to the Jews even as He recognized their complete surrender to worldly wisdom and their unwillingness to repent. In His profound compassion, He chose not to annihilate all of them in the wilderness, but instead offered them His mercy. Humanity, being made of flesh, is susceptible to passions and decay. The Spirit, once separated from man, will not return until the second coming.