On the Three Young Men

The Triumph of Falsehood and the Resilience of the Three Youths§1

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The statue is made well-proportioned and symmetrical, so that either by its size or by the beauty of its composition it might overcome truth, having been forced, by means of falsehood. The art indeed shone, the gold gleamed, the herald shouted, the tyrant threatened, and the furnace was blazing; and along with all these things, the sounds of the musical instruments most terribly drove the foolish into impiety, and the fantasy of what is seen entirely stole the attention of all who were watching.

Yet the provocation of impiety was even more dominant than that of the saints. For all, as it were to say, like being swept by a violent torrent of deception into the cliff of idolatry, these three fine youths, having placed themselves faithfully upon the rock of piety, were not swept away. They were swept away by the stream of injustice. For it is right to say to them: 'If the Lord had not been with us (Psalm 124:1), then the living would have overwhelmed us. If their anger had been kindled against us (Psalm 124:3), then the water would have submerged us.' Our soul passed through a torrent; thus our soul passed through the unsubstantial water. But they were neither submerged by the stream, nor were they caught by the snares, but escaping well into piety, and having used the high wing of faith, they were saved, according to the Proverb-maker: 'Like a dove from the snares, and like an eagle from the trap' (Proverbs 6:5). And only when seeing the devil's nets spread against all humanity did the pious voice grow louder, according to the Hymnographer, saying: 'The sinners shall fall into a pit' (Psalm 141:10). And these three captives did not look away from their own brevity, even while being pursued by so many, but they knew precisely that even the smallest spark of piety is sufficient to consume and vanish all impiety. Because of this, even though they were three, they strengthened one another and bound themselves together. For they knew that the narrow and pressed way is...

The Pride of Man and the Patience of God§2

2Leading into life, and few are those finding it. They remembered the patriarch Abraham, that being alone in all the land a worshiper of God, he did not follow the multitude of the impious, but a law of piety and righteousness was to him a struggle; whence it is appropriate that from him, like from some good root, these fruits of piety have grown. For from him also came patriarchs, and the lawgiver Moses, and the prophets, and all the theologians; and from him previously also that salvation and immortal flower of righteousness, the incarnation of the Savior; and from that root also these three children did not deny their nobility. They remembered also Lot, dwelling in Sodoms, but being far removed from its ways; and they took to mind also Joseph, alone in Egypt, practicing self-control, and being a guardian of piety.

Wherefore also these, threatened by so many myriads, seeing the many, thought that the way leading to destruction is wide and spacious (Matthew 7:13), and many are those finding it; but looking again at themselves and the furnace, they remembered also the wisdom saying here, that just as gold is tested in a furnace, so God chooses hearts. Because of this, neither the war-sounding trumpet-blast frightened them, nor the lyre, delighting the ears with the tones of piety, dissolved their resolve, nor indeed did all the rest of the musical harmony dissolve the beautiful and harmonious harmony of piety, but they set the beautiful confession against the beautiful harmony. And that wicked-minded and impious tyrant, as it was foretold concerning those disobeying the command of iniquity, being pressed by the diabolical blindness, and having, so to speak, taken upon it the face of the ruler of evil, calls to them, he says: 'If truly, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you do not worship my gods, and do not worship the golden image which I have set up?' (Daniel 3:14). He deemed piety to be a mere form, and asks if they truly dare to oppose royal commands, they who profess piety; but it was about to be taught through this trial, that the men of God do not only endure the threats of the tyrant, but also the intensity of the fire.

They will trample by the power of impiety. Now, so that when you hear the sound of the trumpet, and the pipe and lyre, and the cymbals and psaltery, and the symphony, and every kind of musical instrument, falling down you worship the golden image which I have set up.

4. You have rightly interpreted the worship of the demons: 'Falling down, worship.' It is impossible for those worshiping demons not to fall either into destruction or to fall away from the truth. But if not, he says, you will be thrown at that very hour into the furnace of fire that burns. Certainly, if it is a furnace, it is evident that it is fire; and if it is fire, it is evident that it is burning. But he enlarges and widens the threat, in order to bend the mind of impiety: 'At that very hour you will be thrown into the furnace of fire that burns.' And the things of arrogance are indeed portable until this point; but see what he adds after this: 'And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?' Another is this Pharaoh; for he also says to Moses: 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?' (Exodus 5:2). 'I do not know,' says the impious one, 'the Lord, and I will not send the people.' Oh, the much pride of men! Oh, the great patience of God! A man speaks, and God endures; the clay speaks, and the Maker endures; a fleshly tongue speaks, and the Master of the incorporeal angels is moved to compassion. He who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. It is timely in this to remember Isaiah saying: 'Why does the earth and dust act insolently?' (Sirach 10:9). Do you wish to marvel at God's patience? Consider the insolence that has happened to you; how you have been thought to be beyond reproach. Someone is often insulted by a servant, and immediately, putting forward the insolence of liberty, he demands justice for the audacity, punishing the one insulting him with necessary death; someone is insulted again by a trivial and private person, while he himself is being examined in the affairs of the world; and immediately, being bitten by the insolence, he hastens toward punishment, not regarding common nature and the equal value of all things, but rejecting the surrounding dignity, the removal of which is the only way to see the equal value of the race, that we were all fashioned from earth, and into earth we are dissolved; but there is one way into life, and the exit is the same. From clay, he says, you were preserved.

The Refinement of the Three Youths§3

3You, just as I. But the potter demands such superiority from his equals; but God, surpassing all in both nature and law, and being so much higher—to the extent that one must think of the Maker of all things as being higher—is blasphemed and despised by the ignorant. He is not provoked, for he is impassive; but he punishes those who persist in folly a little later, because he is the judge of truth and the unbribable critic.

In order that all who sin might not be destroyed all at once, he delays the punishment and offers forbearance, so that he might draw them toward repentance. But let us return to what was before. A man, surrounded by flesh, dared to say: 'Who is this god who will deliver you from my hands?' (Daniel 3:15). But these three blessed children, having heard this, were not startled by the blasphemy; for they themselves were companions of God's patience. Instead, taking up the voice of faith against the words of unbelief, they answered back to the tyrant, undoing lawlessness by law, and overcoming the threat of injustice with the freedom of righteousness, saying: 'Know this, O king: we do not worship your gods, nor do we bow down to the golden image which you have set up.'

'Cease your folly, man; feel shame for the insulting worship of the image. For if you set up the image, how can you worship those whom you have made? Who ought to be the creators: men of God, or a god of men? For if they are truly gods, the honor of being a creator is fitting for them; but as we have often said, if art had not been present to men, the Greeks would not have had gods. Rather, let us grant even to that, that if there were any perception in the idols, it was fitting for men, the workers of them, to worship them. For by the laws of nature, the creature worships the Creator, not the maker submitting to his own creation. Therefore we, being companions of piety and following divine law, say: We do not worship your gods, nor do we bow down to the golden image which you have set up; but God is in heaven, who will deliver us from your hands.'

Then, so that they might not either dare to test God or hope to be saved from being cast down into the fire, they are immediately brought to trial; and if not, that is, even if...

It is not saved, but rather let our bodies be consumed by the fire; yet even so we are not deprived of piety, for we do not worship God for reward, but we confess the truth with good intention. When the tyrant heard this promise of faith, he was all the more inflamed with rage and commanded the furnace to be heated sevenfold; for it was necessary that the most tested silver be purified sevenfold. For the words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in the earth and purified sevenfold; therefore the furnace was heated sevenfold, so that the saints might be purified sevenfold.

Because the men of God are called silver, remember what Wisdom says: 'The tongue of the righteous is like refined silver.' And listen to the prophet Jeremiah, speaking concerning those rejected from piety: 'Call them rejected silver, because God has rejected them.' If the unrefined are rejected silver, but those who are perfected are clearly the most tested silver; for just as the furnace was heated, so much was the passion for the testimony brightened.

For these three holy children, having entered with faith, trod upon the flame, breathing a thin air and a veil amidst the heights of the fire. For He who does all things and transforms, blunted the heat of the fire and cut short its caustic energy, as that hymn of praise confirms it: 'The voice of the Lord cutting through the flame of fire.' The fire had indeed settled within, becoming calm, but the holy children were dancing, enjoying alone that promise which God, through the prophet Isaiah, promises to every soul filled with piety and faith: 'Even if you walk through fire,' He says, 'I am with you, and the flame shall not burn you.'

And one could see the promise advancing through works. For the fire did not touch the members of the saints; it did not scorch the eyes, which were looking rightly toward piety and recognizing the Creator through the order of those things seen; it did not wrong the ears that had fulfilled the divine law; it did not approach the mouth, nor touch the lips, while disfiguring their hymns and their hymn-writing tongues. Each of the saints had his own sanctuary: the hands, the ecstasy of the prayers, and the...

Divine Providence vs. Pagan Idolatry§4

4The distribution of alms; the breasts, the power of piety dwelling in them; the belly and the lower members, the exercise of temperance; the feet, the course of virtue. And what must be said regarding each part? For even the fire did not dare to consume the hairs, because they were more properly covered by piety as a diadem; and thus it also spared the garment because of the modesty of the saints. What then? On this, the God of the Chaldeans exhorts one to seize the fire, so that, not thinking the energy of the fire to be magic, they might not dim the glory of the martyrs and slander the wonder of the truth; for this reason, some were at rest within, while the fire was presented to the Chaldeans without, so that it might safely convince those watching that upon the saints He did not ignore His own nature, but honored piety; just as the lions protected Daniel in the pit. In this way, they truly established an angelic choir, and the three-times-blessed children brought God, and all creation, both the unseen and the seen, into one choir of hymnody.

It is necessary, however, not to leave that thing unexamined: for whose sake did not all equally hymn the creation, but the work was set forth in parts. It is sufficient, indeed, to say how much was said toward the truth: 'Bless the Lord, all His works, God' (Prayer of Azariah 1:35). But since in the land of the ungodly this great theater of piety was being performed, it was necessary for the Babylonians to be instructed: who the works are, and who is the Maker of all things. And they begin from angels and conclude with men. They were thought to be gods; and among the Greeks, it is mythologized that these, they say, whom we worship as gods, are angels of the great God. In order that the foolish might be instructed that the angels are not those being worshipped, but those who worship, for this reason they cry out: 'Bless the Lord, O angels of the Lord' (Daniel 3:58). The sun and the moon and the whole choir of the stars were worshipped. For this reason, they also take these into the worship of the hymns. 'Bless, they say, O sun and moon; bless, O stars of the heaven, the Lord' (Daniel 3:62-63). Then after these, 'All rain and dew, the Lord'. What then does the phrase 'All rain...' want to say?

It is good to observe the rain and the frost, and all the winds. Many times there are cloudless days and untimely, violent winds. But those of falsehood always love to attribute everything to some material thing or to an evil disorder, not knowing that nothing is unmanaged or has happened in vain, but that God manages all these things for the discipline of humans and for the avoidance of impiety. For the order of the created things is accustomed to proclaim the Creator, while disorder demands the worship of creatures. For if the rain or the winds were something divine and venerable, they would not be disordered; for the divine does not accept disorder. Because of this they say: 'Every rain, and frost, and all the winds are the Lord.'

Rains and winds were worshipped, some as nourishers, others as farmers of the earth's fruits; and the earth was worshipped, and its fruits were dedicated to various demons; saying the vine is a gift of Dionysus, and the olive of Athena; and others to other fruits. And this same word of truth, being made firm, says: 'Bless the Lord, all things growing in the earth'. For He himself is the Creator and Master of all things growing and to be grown.

Then after this, the mountains and the hills. Are then the mountains and the hills outside of God? By no means; but because in the hills the defilements of the demons were constructed, and there idols were worshipped, because of this it says: 'Bless the Lord, mountains and hills.' But nonetheless, having remembered the hills, He remembers also the springs and the rivers and the sea; for these too were made gods; and they called the springs Nymphs, Poseidon the sea, and certain Sirens and Nereids; and that even rivers were worshipped is testified by those in Egypt even unto here; they offered incense at the rising of the Nile, not marveling at Him as a God by nature, but treating the water itself as a god by worshiping it. Because of this they also call rivers and springs and the sea into the hymnody.

Then the winged things of heaven and the cattle; for these too are not exempt from making gods; for the eagle was worshipped, and the hawk; and the wild beasts and the cattle the Egyptians have honored by the names of gods; and so much did the error prevail.

The Distinction of Humanity§5

5For even from the worshipped animals they named the cities; and it is said among them to be Dogs and Sheep and Wolves and Lions. But after all these things he brings forward the human race. Bless, he says, O sons of men, the Lord (Daniel 3:82 LXX).

Lastly the human race is arranged, not according to its worth, but because of the creation. Bless, O Israel, the Lord (Daniel 3:83 LXX). Which was an exceptional race of the men upon the earth, this indeed he brings forward, and so many differences he sets out within the nation, and he brings forward the priests of the Lord for the reproof of the priests of the false gods. He says then: Slaves of the Lord.

Then, so that those who preceded this dance might not be counted as strangers by those living, they count them before God, saying: Bless, spirits and souls of the righteous, the Lord; then, O holy ones and humble in heart, the Lord (Prayer of Azariah 1:64-65). Why are there holy ones and humble ones?

The Fire of God and the Three Youths§6

6Does he remember? In order to show that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, He burned the arrogant outside the furnace, but preserved those who are humble in the midst of the fire. Therefore also the fire continued with the saints; for even among all things, the Creator was commanded to praise even the fire: 'Bless, fire and burning, the Lord' (Daniel 3:66). This is so that the Babylonian magicians, by whom fire is honored, might be instructed, because this fire is not of those being worshiped, but of those worshiping. But nevertheless, coming to the last part, let us rest the word. 'Bless, says Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, the Lord' (Prayer of Azariah 1:66). What was the need for so many ranks to be listed before their final name? For were they not themselves among the sons of Israel blessing?

The Purpose of the Blessing§7

The Integrity of the Miracle§8

8This testimony was received. For since the king's dream was interpreted, and he was worshiped by this king as a god, and he was called Belteshazzar by the name of the god among the Persians (Daniel 4:8), so that it might not be thought—because of the name of Belteshazzar being attached to him—that the fire's energy had ceased, God manages that Daniel not be brought into the middle, so that the wonder might be pure in its piety. And these things indeed are to this much; but may it be for us, through the prayers and intercessions of those who bore witness, to take up the same zeal, to be worthy of the same praises, and to obtain the same kingdom, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom the glory and the power belong unto the ages of ages. Amen.