The Shadow of Death and Divine Wandering

he prevents a perceived destruction by making things seem unimportant, following the principle of 'treating non-existent things as if they were real.' Thus he says: 'Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time' (1 Peter 5:6). And again: 'The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble' (James 4:6). For he brings those who have perfected the virtue of humility into the kingdom of heaven; for he is the one about whom it is said: 'And he will save the poor in spirit' (Matthew 5:3). He reveals deep things out of darkness.

Having said this, he will proceed regarding creation and providence, and regarding foreknowledge and his unchangeable nature, as well as knowing the things being done in secret. Similar to this is what is said by David: 'Lord, you have tested me and known me; you knew my seat and my rising; you understood all my thoughts from afar' (Psalm 139:2). For it is not that when I reason, you come to know my thoughts, but rather you exist as a foreknower of things, and so also of thoughts. 'Where shall I go from your spirit, or from your face where shall I flee? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I descend to Hades, you are there; if I take up the wings of my dawn and dwell at the limits of the sea, even there your hand will guide and your right hand will hold me fast' (Psalm 139:7-10).

But even beyond these things, he says something else in the 'I said: therefore darkness shall overpower me,' instead of 'hide me.' But even this, teaching again that the knowledge of God cannot be prevented, he says: 'The darkness shall not be darkness from you, and night shall be enlightened as the day' (Psalm 18:11). For to men, indeed, the night makes a difference from the day, but to you, O Lord, even these things are enlightened, instead of 'they become manifest'; which is also what the apostle makes manifest, saying: 'all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him' (Hebrews 4:13). And in Daniel it is said: 'knowing all things in the darkness, and the light is with him' (Daniel 2:22), which is our Savior, who 'enlightens every man' (John 1:9). Therefore, everything is manifest to him... and the deeds of men, those happening in secret and in darkness, he makes manifest when it is necessary. And he is also able to reveal the obscure parts of words, according to 'he will understand a parable and a dark saying' (Matthew 13:35), through enlightenment.

Having become mine in thought, he led the shadow of death into light. Now he calls the shadow of death the wickedness which is hidden and operating with deceit toward someone, as if to call the shadow of death himself. For often those operating are signified by the name of the virtue, just as the righteous is called righteousness in 'that we might become the righteousness of God in Him' (2 Cor 5:21). And the apostle, regarding those having love, indicated it by the name of love, saying: 'Love is patient, does not boast, is not rude, does not think of evil, believes all things' (1 Cor 13:4). He does not speak these things concerning the virtue, but concerning the one having the love.

Then again he selects: 'Love never fails' (1 Cor 13:8); and it is not a great thing that a virtue 'does not fail'—it is not its nature—but he speaks concerning the one established in this; for as much as anyone has of it, he is not to be lost. Therefore, if he says 'to lead the shadow of death into light', he does not mean the wickedness, but he speaks of the one operating it, according to 'for you were once darkness, but now light in the Lord' (Eph 5:8). For when they were darkness, existing in ignorance, they happened to be a shadow of death. But when he enlightened them having known them, then he led them out from the shadow of death, so that it might be said concerning them: 'as luminaries in the world' (Phil 2:15), who 'having put away the lie', which is 'darkness', 'speak the truth', which is what is light.

He is wandering nations and destroying them. Wandering is a homonym. For deception is also called wandering, and lawlessness is called wandering, according to that which is said: 'and they became wanderers among the nations' (Acts 13:41). But God does not wander in an unwholesome way in doing this, but is pulling them away from wickedness. And if he also says that 'to deliver to a reprobate mind' is wandering (2 Thess 2:11), he does not do this in an unwholesome way, as it is heard from the Lord saying: 'Behold, I will send him a delusion' (2 Thess 2:11), which is: because he turns toward evils, while caring for his salvation, God turns him away, instead of the soul prospering in evils. He turns him toward a useful wandering placed for him. In the same manner, it is said that he destroys the wicked, either by subjecting them to punishment or by destroying their vice through a turning back. Thus, God either destroys the nations by punishing them or by destroying their wickedness. So also 'to seek and...