The Metaphor of Teeth and the Soul

“Do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul.” Since they are able to kill the body of a man, but not the soul, it is clear that the same essence is not of soul and body. Therefore, when the soul is hindered from its own and natural impulses, then the man appears as a body of clay, not because the soul is changing into a body, but because its actions are no longer heavenly, but bodily; just as Paul calls “those walking according to the flesh” (1 Cor 3:3) and “according to man” men, saying they have human qualities and not divine energy.

For it is said by the blessed Paul to all those who have devoted themselves to the bodily and because of this are being human in mind: “For where is strife among you, are you not carnal and walking according to man?” (1 Cor 3:3). But when “walking upon the earth they have their citizenship in heaven” (Phil 3:20) and “bear the image of the heavenly” (2 Cor 4:4), they are not a body of clay. “You have made me deaf, so that I may speak and rest my spirit.” He says this, urging them to recognize those coming against them, shifting the cause to the saying “and rest my spirit,” instructing that if they might chance to be corrected from the state of being divided, his spirit—which he had rightfully been angry against their iniquity, not passionably, but as the law is laid down to be angry against sinners—would rest.

And the name of deafness signifies silence, as in “I was deaf and I did not open my mouth, because you are the one who made me” (Ps 31:9). For he says that not speaking is deafness. And again: “When the sinner stood against me, I was deaf and I was humbled, and he was silent from good things.” For when the sinner, who is the devil, having persuaded the soul to sin before it, reproaching it as “an enemy existing and an avenger,” then the soul, feeling shame, receives silence as deafness. Therefore he says, “hold your peace,” so that through the same, instruction might be born in them. Taking up my flesh for those who travel, he in a way gives them a respite. Since he himself had previously accused them as being “accusers of evils”—for they were not calling to prayer as they ought, but rather were stirring up grief and the...

Regarding what is being asked of him, he says: 'I take up my flesh to the teeth,' I am no longer angry against you, but against myself. Let the name of the flesh be thus smoothed over.

For often, when someone wishes to report a crushing having happened to himself, he remembers the flesh according to what is said: 'when those doing evil to me approach to eat my flesh,' (Job 2:10) instead of 'to harm me'; for it was not his flesh they were eating under the skin, but they were distressing him. Similar to this is the 'so that while living they would devour us,' which shows the aggressive action of those who force.

One might say: 'I take up my flesh to the teeth. Thus I nourish my teeth. And just as food being taken up to the teeth is thinned and its usefulness is shown, so also, nourishing my teeth and receiving the increase of benefit from the harms of these, I proceed.' But if he shows endurance through saying 'having taken up the flesh to the teeth' instead of 'not caring for the harm,' consider this.

I will place my soul in hand, if the powerful one should strike me, since he has also lifted the hand. In agreement with the 'having taken up my flesh to the teeth,' one should also strike upon the 'I will place my soul in hand,' so that he is saying: 'and I also despise my own soul, being subject to the one striking me and having already been subjected to this, in order to benefit you in some way,' thereby declaring the God who has consented with the one asking him. 'I am therefore ready to be given over to death.'

But if he says this regarding the change that is about to be, it is worthy of the one understanding to observe: 'since he has also lifted' does not contradict, calling God good because he rescues from those who afflict; 'I will indeed speak and convict against him,' and this will result for me in salvation. In all things, his zeal is to instruct the friends concerning the cause of the oppressors, so that he might win them over not to think against him.

For he reckoned this as salvation, to know this and the account of the providence concerning this, which he wished to make manifest by saying 'and I will convict'; for often the conviction signifies the proof, just as Paul says: 'all things being convicted are made manifest by the light,' (Eph 5:13) and again 'faith is of the things hoped for.' (Heb 11:1)