Deception and Divine Patience

They were speaking and calculating deceits in anger. This is a kind of impiety; while speaking peaceably, they were not acting peaceably. This is an injustice. One speaks peaceably to friends and companions as a lover of peace, but calculates deceits in anger. Anyone who approaches a neighbor with any deceit and is angry with him does this. And I say: anger is a desire for punishment. For anyone approaching with deceit wants to harm that person, so that the deceitful one is also an angry one. And many times, appearing not to be, he seems to be speaking peaceably.

This indeed is also said in Jeremiah concerning someone: 'He speaks peaceably to his neighbor, but holds enmity within himself' (Jeremiah 9:4). 'To me,' he says, 'they spoke peaceably.' They did not simply speak 'peaceably,' but 'to me'; wanting to deceive me, they spoke peaceably; for the truly peaceful man does not speak peaceably to someone while holding another intention against him. Immediately also the Savior says to others that 'the peacemakers are blessed,' 'because they are sons of God' (Matthew 5:9). To be peaceful is to be sons of God. And he said 'peacemakers' to mean those making peace. When they lead those who have been divided by intention into harmony and friendship, they are peacemakers. And they are peacemakers toward themselves also.

First, having made peace within themselves, so that they do not have fighting thoughts or works within themselves, then they made peace in themselves. And they carry this peace also to others; for they want those being taught to be as they themselves are. They teach to make peace between the soul and the body and the body and the soul; for when the soul 'subdues the body and brings it into subjection,' and the soul rules and the body is ruled, it is a peace of body and soul. Just as they constructed peace within themselves, so they do this toward others who are beloved and loving, or even toward those fighting. Because of this, it is also said in the Didache, the book of instruction: 'You shall make peace with those who fight.' He who brings others who are fighting into peace and social dealings has first made peace himself; he has no strife within himself, he has no fighting thoughts.

21 And they opened their mouths against me. They opened their word against me, speaking peaceably. But their mind was groaning under the deceit.

Being led to the same end, not in a praiseworthy way, but so as to lose one's own virtues. This is also possible: 'they spread the lie against me' (Ps 50:21), as they spoke peaceably, but while calculating deceits in anger, they thought I was being deceived. Then they began to flatter and to spread their word against me.

You have such symbols in history: Delilah, who was brought in the book of Judges (Judg 16), a prostitute, was plotting with deceits to have Samson brought, so that she might give him to the other nations who wished to kill him. And she was saying: 'In what weakness will your strength be, or in what way will you become as weak as one of the hundred and forty men?' She was not telling him the truth. Then, having thought that he believed, she bound him and did other things, and as she was cutting his hair, she was saying: 'Other nations against you, Samson.' See, she spread the mouth the lie against him. Formerly she spoke peaceably, she was flattering. But when it seemed that she had caught him within her snare, as one cutting hair, she was saying: 'Other nations against you, Samson.' And behold, she who formerly spoke peaceably and calculated deceits in anger, when it seemed he had become self-controlled, spread the mouth the lie while now acting grandiosely.

'Well done, well done, our eyes have seen' (Ps 50:21). Those who think they have obtained the hand they wanted, thus they speak: 'Well done, well done, what we wanted, our eyes have not seen; we no longer see you as you were supposed to be, but as we desired. We have found you easy to capture.'

'You have seen, Lord, do not remain silent' (Ps 50:22). The 'do not remain silent' is the 'do not long-suffer any longer' (Ps 50:23); for from many words we showed this: 'I was silent from eternity, shall I also be silent forever?' (Ps 50:24). I was long-suffering, I did not go out against the evils being done. This shall not be forever. Goodness is again known by the one threatening the one already being punished, so that through the threat he may be stirred up and be brought to repentance. And in another psalm he says: 'To the sinner God said: Why do you declare my judgments and take up my words through your lips? But you hated instruction' (Ps 51:16). Then at the end: 'Having done these things, and I was silent'—not going out—'you assumed lawlessness, that I would be like you' (Ps 51:20). But long-suffering does not remain always; for 'I will convict' 'you and present against your face' your sins. And therefore the threats of God happen out of much goodness.