Commentary on Zechariah · §58 · Didymus the Blind

Milk, Honey, and the Deception of Serpents

Paul is like a spouse, a bride according to the soul of the divine Bridegroom, with the word on his lips, providing milk to those who need it, as it is said: 'You have become in need of milk, not solid food' (Hebrews 5:12). To those who are perfect, he provided honey, handing over wisdom to them, saying: 'But we speak wisdom among the perfect' (1 Corinthians 2:6).

He who has fallen from the chosen land has honey to exist there, as the proverb says: 'Honey drips from the lips of a prostitute woman, which for a little while sweetens your throat, but later you will find it more bitter than bile' (Proverbs 5:3-4). To this honey from the lips of the prostitute, milk flows appropriately from the breasts of dragons; and these are wicked powers, just as the prophet Jeremiah says about them: 'And even dragons bared their breasts, they suckled their young. Daughter of my people, like a sparrow in the wilderness' (Lamentations 4:3).

They say that those who took care to know the nature of reptiles, concerning the so-called horned ones, that having hidden their whole body in the sandy desert, they leave their horns above the surface, which moving, they entice the sparrows. For having taken the fantasy of falling upon worms, they are struck by the venom being injected into their mouths by the horns. Therefore the word says that those receiving the venom from those from whom dragons suckle; even if they are of the people of God, they are dried up 'like the sparrow in the wilderness,' that which was enticed by the said reptiles.

Thus it happened: 'The word of the Lord of Hosts came, saying: These things,' he says, 'says the Lord of Hosts: I have envied Jerusalem and Zion with great zeal, and with great wrath I have envied her. Thus says the Lord: And I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called a true city, and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts a holy mountain' (Zechariah 8:2-3).

As the presented matter might be made clear toward a literal sense thus: There came a word of the Lord of Hosts saying the following things made manifest: 'These things,' he says, 'says the Lord of Hosts: I have envied Jerusalem and Zion,' recalling her to himself after she had been cast out and pushed away, as if she had been insulted by strangers. Not just by chance did I envy her, but in great wrath. From cohabiting women the example was taken for men. The woman who set aside the marriage rights, and strayed from the bed in love toward strangers, no longer being under the guardianship of the former cohabitant, is henceforth neglected, so that it is said to her by the slighted husband: I will no longer spare you, nor be jealous. For how could one be jealous or care when the marriage is dissolved? Even if, then, the one who despised the marriage bed becomes an outcast, having a place of repentance, returning to the one she left, she becomes an object of jealousy again, the former cohabitant receiving her with great goodness. But from the case of women we must pass to the contemplation concerning Zion and Jerusalem. By Jerusalem and Zion I mean not the places, but those dwelling in them. God led her to cohabitation, bringing her up from Egypt, providing laws and ordinances as a dowry, so henceforth to care for and spare the wedded one, and to chamber as fitting with the cohabiting bride. After the harmony thus made according to laws, setting aside the marriage laws, she set aside the protecting and helping husband, as it says: 'As a wife sets aside her companion, the house of Israel set me aside' (Jeremiah 3:20), so henceforth to go to guilty demons and unclean spirits, and to be insulted harlot-wise. And those coming together with her are Babylonians and Assyrians according to allegory. When these things happened for long, Jerusalem and Zion, coming to themselves, remembered the one who of old had taken her as a companion, so as to wish to return to the one from whom she was unyoked. She uttered these voices: 'I will return to my former husband, for it was well with me then rather than now' (Hosea 2:7). Receiving such repentance of hers, he to whom she began to return and come back says: 'In that day,' when the return is confirmed, 'she shall call me: My husband,' as henceforth, as protector and guardian, to be jealous over her with great wrath, avenging those who insulted her. Having been jealous over her with great wrath, so as to desire to be with her as before, when she had not yet strayed from the bed, therefore returning to her: 'I will dwell in her midst' (Zechariah 8:3). But he speaks as concerning one, Zion and Jerusalem; for Zion is part of the metropolis. […]

Greek

σου.» ‹2.217› Τυγχάνων γοῦν Παῦλος οἷα σύζυγος νύμφη κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ θείου νυμφίου, ἔχων ὑπὸ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἑαυτοῦ, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τὸν λόγον, ἐπότιζε γάλα τοὺς περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· «Γεγόνατε χρείαν ἔχοντες γάλακτος, οὐ στερεᾶς τροφῆς.» Τοῖς δὲ τὸ μέλι παρεῖχεν οὖσιν τελείοις, σοφίαν παραδιδοὺς αὐτοῖς φάσκων· «Σοφίαν δὲ λαλοῦμεν ἐν τοῖς τελείοις.» ‹2.218› Ὁ ἐκπεσὼν τοῦ ἐκλεκτὴ γῆ ὑπάρχειν μέλι ἔχει ἐκεῖνο περὶ οὗ γέγραπται παροιμιωδῶς· «Μέλι ἀποστάζει ἀπὸ χειλέων γυναικὸς πόρνης, ἣ πρὸς ὀλίγον γλυκαίνει σὸν φάρυγγα, ὕστερον μέντοι πικρότερον χολῆς εὑρήσεις.» ‹2.219› Τούτῳ τῷ ἐκ τῶν χειλέων τῆς πόρνης μέλιτι, κατάλληλον ῥεῖ γάλα ἐκ τῶν μασθῶν τῶν δρακόντων· πονηραὶ δέ εἰσιν οὗτοι δυνάμεις, ὡς περὶ αὐτῶν ὁ προφήτης Ἰερεμίας οὕτω λέγει· «Καί γε δράκοντες ἐξέδυσαν μασθούς, ἐθήλασαν σκύμνους αὐτῶν. Θυγάτηρ λαοῦ μου ὡς στρουθίον ἐν ἐρήμῳ.» Φασὶν οἷς ἐμέλησεν ἐπιστῆσαι τῇ φύσει τῶν ἑρπετῶν, περὶ τῶν καλουμένων κεραστῶν, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ψαμμώδει ἐρήμῳ κρύψαντες ἑαυτῶν ὅλον τὸ σῶμα, τὰ κέρατα ἄνω τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἐῶσιν, ἅπερ κινοῦντες δελεάζουσι τὰ στρουθία. ‹2.220› Καταπτάντα γὰρ σκωλήκων φαντασίαν λαβόντα, πλήττονται ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰοῦ ἐνιεμένου εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τῶν κεραστῶν. ∆ιό φησιν ὁ λόγος τοὺς λαμβάνοντας τὸν ἰὸν ἀφ' ὧν θηλάζουσιν δρακόντων· κἂν ὦσιν τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ξηραίνονται «κατὰ τὸ στρουθίον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ», τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων ἑρπετῶν δελεασθέν. ‹2.221› Zach. VIII, 1®3: Καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου παντοκράτορος λέγων· Τάδε λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ· Ἐζήλωσα τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὴν Σιὼν ζῆλον μέγαν, καὶ θυμῷ μεγάλῳ ἐζήλωσα αὐτήν. Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Καὶ ἐπιστρέψω ἐπὶ Σιὼν καὶ κατασκηνώσω ἐν μέσῳ Ἰερουσαλήμ, καὶ κληθήσεται Ἰερουσαλὴμ πόλις ἀληθινὴ καὶ τὸ ὄρος Κυρίου παντοκράτορος ὄρος ἅγιον. ‹2.222› Ὡς πρὸς ῥητὸν σαφηνισθείη τὸ προκείμενον οὕτως· Ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου παντοκράτορος λέγων τὰ ἑξῆς δηλούμενα· Τάδε, φησίν, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ· Ἐζήλωσα τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὴν Σιών, ἀνακαλεσάμενος αὐτὴν πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν μετὰ τὸ ἐκβληθῆναι καὶ ἀπωσθῆναι, ὡς περιυβρισθῆναι αὐτὴν ὑπὸ ἀλλοτρίων. Οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχεν δὲ ἐζήλωσα αὐτήν, ἀλλ' ἐν θυμῷ μεγάλῳ. ‹2.223› Ἀπὸ συμβιουσῶν δὲ γυναικῶν ἀνδράσιν ἐλήφθη τὸ παράδειγμα. Ἡ ἀθετήσασα γυνὴ τὰ γαμικὰ δίκαια, ἀποφοιτήσασά τε τοῦ θαλάμου ἔρωτι τῷ πρὸς ἀλλοτρίους, οὐκέτι ὑπὸ τὴν κηδεμονίαν τυγχάνουσα τοῦ πρότερον συμβιοῦντος, παρορᾶται λοιπόν, ὡς λέγεσθαι αὐτῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀθετηθέντος ἀνδρός· Οὐ φείσομαι ἐπὶ σοὶ ἔτι, οὐδὲ ζηλώσω. Πῶς γὰρ ἂν ζηλώσειέν τις ἢ φροντίσειεν διαλυθέντος τοῦ γάμου; Κἂν τοίνυν ἐξώβλητος γένηται ἡ καταφρονήσασα τοῦ γαμικοῦ θαλάμου, ἔχουσα μετανοίας τόπον, ἀνακάμψασα πρὸς ὃν καταλέλοιπεν, ζηλωτὴ γίνεται πάλιν, πολλῇ ἀγαθότητι προσηκαμένου αὐτὴν τοῦ πάλαι συνοικήσαντος. ‹2.224› Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ κατὰ τὰς γυναῖκας μεταβητέον ἐπὶ τὴν περὶ τῆς Σιὼν καὶ Ἰερουσαλὴμ θεωρίαν. Τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὴν Σιὼν οὐ τοὺς τόπους λέγω, ἀλλὰ τοὺς οἰκοῦντας ἐν αὐτοῖς. ‹2.225› Ἠγάγετο ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς συμβίωσιν ἀναγαγὼν ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, νόμους καὶ δικαιώματα δίκην ἕδνων παρασχών, ὡς λοιπὸν κήδεσθαι καὶ φείδεσθαι τῆς ἠγμένης, καὶ θαλαμεύεσθαι ὡς πρέπει συνοικοῦσαν κουρίδιον. ‹2.226› Μετὰ τὴν οὕτω γεναμένην κατὰ νόμους ἁρμονίαν, ἀθετήσασα τοὺς γαμηλίους νόμους, ἠθέτησεν τὸν προστάτην καὶ ἐπίκουρον ἄνδρα, ὡς λέγειν· «Ὡς ἀθετεῖ γυνὴ εἰς τὸν συνόντα, ἠθέτησεν εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ οἶκος Ἰσραήλ», ὡς ἀπελθεῖν λοιπὸν πρὸς δαίμονας ἀλιτηρίους καὶ πνεύματα ἀκάθαρτα, καὶ περιυβρίζεσθαι πορνικῶς. Εἰσὶν δὲ οἱ συνερχόμενοι αὐτῇ Βαβυλώνιοι καὶ Ἀσσύριοι κατ' ἀλληγορίαν. ‹2.227› Τούτων ἐπὶ πολὺ γινομένων, 64 ἀνανήψασα ἡ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἡ Σιὼν ἀνεπόλησεν τοῦ πάλαι αὐτὴν πρὸς σύμβιον εἰληφότος, ὡς θελῆσαι ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς τὸν ἀφ' οὗ ἀπεζεύχθη. Φωνὰς γοῦν ἀφῆκεν ταύτας· «Ἐπιστρέψω ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνδρα μου τὸν πρότερον, ὅτι καλῶς μοι ἦν τότε ἢ νῦν.» Τὴν τοιαύτην μετάνοιαν αὐτῆς προσηκάμενος πρὸς ὃν ἐπιστρέψαι καὶ ἀνακάμψαι ἤρξατο λέγει· «Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ», ὅταν ἡ ἐπιστροφὴ δηλονότι βεβαιωθῇ, «καλέσει με· Ὁ ἀνήρ μου», ὡς λοιπὸν οἷα προστάτην καὶ κηδεμόνα ἐν θυμῷ μεγάλῳ ζηλῶσαι αὐτήν, τιμωρούμενον τοὺς περιυβρίσαντας αὐτήν. Ἐν θυμῷ μεγάλῳ ζηλώσας αὐτήν, ὥστε ποθῆσαι συνεῖναι αὐτῇ ὡς πρότερον, ὅτε οὔπω ἀποφοιτήσασα ἦν τοῦ θαλάμου, διὸ ἐπιστρέφων πρὸς αὐτήν· «Κατασκηνώσω ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς.» ‹2.228› Ὡς περὶ μιᾶς δὲ λέγει τῆς Σιὼν καὶ τῆς Ἰερουσαλήμ· μέρος γὰρ ἡ Σιὼν τῆς μητροπόλεώς ἐστιν. ‹2.229›

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Didymus the Blind explains Zechariah verse by verse, from the measuring of Jerusalem and the high priest's filthy garments to the lampstand and flying sickle.

Didymus the Blind (c. 313–c. 398) was a Christian theologian in Alexandria who lost his sight at about age four and nevertheless became head of the city's catechetical school. He remained a layman and an ascetic scholar, deeply influenced by the work of Origen. He wrote this commentary for readers seeking a Christian understanding of the prophet Zechariah.

Jerome visited Alexandria in 386 and asked Didymus to write on Zechariah because Origen's own commentary had stopped at chapter five and Zechariah was considered the longest and most obscure of the Minor Prophets. Didymus composed the work shortly after that request and delivered it to Jerome by 393. The commentary survived in a single papyrus codex found in 1941 at Tura near Cairo, copied in the late sixth or early seventh century.

The commentary moves verse by verse through all fourteen chapters of Zechariah. Didymus reads the prophet's visions and oracles as prophecies of Christ's incarnation, the calling of the Gentiles, and the spiritual restoration of Jerusalem, understood as the Church or the purified soul. A reader will meet Zechariah himself, Joshua the high priest, Zerubbabel, the interpreting angel, and the devil, and will hear Didymus argue against heretics such as Tatian, Paul of Samosata, Photinus, Marcellus, Artemas, and Theodotus. To follow the work, know that Jerusalem and Zion are spiritual realities, the Dawn is a title for Christ, and the author quotes the Septuagint, so Psalms are numbered one lower than in many modern Bibles and books such as 1 Kingdoms are cited as 1 Samuel.

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