The Depth of Judgment and the Nature of Shame

They persecute us; for indeed we become soldiers, approaching them with swords, not in order to strike down, but so that we might suffer nothing.

Regarding: what is the 'confinement'? The 'confinement' signifies many things, but most especially it has become a confinement that is like a gathering of the conclusion, which prevents the impulse of one desiring to philosophize. For even those who engage in dialogue have been accustomed to say, 'I have shut him in.' It also signifies something else, as it lies within the philosophy of Paul: 'God gave them all over to disobedience, so that He might have mercy on all' (Romans 11:32). And observe the sequence of the words: the Gentiles, having believed in the Savior, were descending into the fold from the Jews. And previously, again, the Jews prevented the nations from being called unto salvation; for they were saying, 'You are receiving into salvation those from the descendants of your cursed fathers, from idolaters, from many gods.' Therefore, He has made a confinement; He has reproved both.

And such an image is to be used: let someone have a son remaining with him and another cast out because of a malice that preceded. If, the cast-out having repented, the father wishes to receive him in, the son who remains opposes him, saying, 'Does this man become a co-heir with me? He has done such and such.' He reproves even that one upon other sins, saying, 'It is not for this reason that this one is cut off from the lot; and you cast him out, because you have done such and such.' And eventually he no longer argues; for this one too was shut in, that is, he was shut in by the reproofs, just as that one was.

'So that He might have mercy on all'—this is what He has done; for not so that He might prove them to be such, having pursued the reproofs, but so that He might prevent each one from the rest. For neither does the Greek still ascend above the Jews through the cross presented to the Savior by them, nor do they ascend above these; for all were found under sin. This is therefore what he says: 'Just as once you disbelieved in God,' you Greeks—even if now you have embraced the gospel and set before yourselves to be God-fearing, but once you also were impious—'but now you have been set free by their disobedience'—if Israel had not been disobedient, you would not have had salvation, for they were arguing and preventing—'so,' he says, 'these also,' the Jews, 'disbelieved in your mercy, so that they also might be set free.' Therefore, as a conclusion, it followed...

For God gave them up to all unrighteousness, that He might have mercy on all (Rom 1:24). The depth of the judgment: 'O depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are His judgments and untraceable His ways; for who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?' (Rom 11:33)—the one who shut up all into unrighteousness. Regarding wars, 'shutting up' is taken thus: when every way is removed from them to tread upon and to harm severely; for one is shut up in this way.

Just as the Jew reasoned to himself: 'Do not reproach the sin of the Gentiles; for you also have done the same things' (Rom 2:24). Again, the Greeks who were trampling upon the Jews and saying, 'The murderers and such like.' He says: 'When were you unrighteous? You were idolaters.' Having said to my soul, 'I am your salvation.' Say, O God, truly to the soul: 'I am your salvation.' But when do you say, 'I am the salvation'? Either when you save, or when you bring everything to my soul, leading it toward that same salvation?

Those seeking my soul were put to shame and were ensnared. These are the ones doing wrong, these are the ones warring, concerning whom he said: 'Judge those doing wrong to me, war against those warring against me.' 'They were put to shame,' he says, 'and were ensnared.' It is not possible for anger to be in them, but shame because of the things they do; for in this way they will cease. Indeed, those having known hat they have come into shame, say: 'We have slept in our shame, and our dishonor has uncovered us.' It is 'having known,' that they have come into shame and that they were exposed by dishonor.

And this shame and dishonor came from sin. Something like this also in Ezekiel, toward someone being insolent and acting impudently, he says: 'Be ashamed and take your dishonor.' As if someone, suppose, were condemned to serve in public works, such as in a mine or in metal, and thinks greatly upon this, we say to him: 'Be ashamed, know that you are in dishonor.' But—was it the shame of Adam? For not every shame is of the same kind. The scripture itself says: 'There is a shame that follows sin, and there is shame of glory and joy.' And behold: many regarding those things in which it is necessary to sink and to hide and...