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COMMENTARY ON HABAKKUK, CHAPTER ONE The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw (v.1). Y ‘ORACLE’ here he refers to reception of the vision, or premonition, that he had when God gave it. It is he, after all, who, according to Scripture, multiplied visions, and he who spoke to prophets, foretelling the future to them through the Holy Spirit and, as it were, setting it before their sight as though already happening.1 Now, of the fact that they were not in the habit of uttering sentiments of their own heart,2 but rather communicated to us the words from God, he clearly convinces us, calling himself a prophet and showing himself to be filled with grace for that purpose. How long, O Lord, shall I cry aloud and you will not hearken? Shall I call to you when wronged and you will not save? (v.2) The prophet adopts the point of view of the oppressed person, (71) subject to the insufferable insolence and provocation of people addicted to wrongdoing, and he very skillfully testifies to God’s lovingkindness surpassing all bounds, presenting him as very ready to forgive, although committed to hating evildoers. The fact that he does not immediately call the fallen to account he clearly demonstrates by saying that he reaches such a degree of silence and long-suffering that there is now need even to cry aloud in complaint that some people commit against others an oppression no longer bearable, and, as it were, direct unrestrained insolence at the weak. The protests at this which he levels at God’s tolerance, in fact, testify to God’s unbounded loving-kindness: 333 1. Hos 12.10. When this term “oracle” occurred at Na 1.1, we saw that Cyril took Jerome’s advice to avoid any suggestion of ecstatic possession, unlike Theodore ; and he may be following that advice given again here. See p. 283, n. 1. He does not, however, follow Jerome in debating the time of the prophet’s ministry. 2. Jer 23.16, an oft-cited basic criterion for an authentic prophet. 334 CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA How long, O Lord, shall I cry aloud and you will not hearken? Shall I call to you when wronged and you will not save, despite your threats of justice against those bent on extreme and harsh acts of lawlessness ? Why did you make me see hardships and gaze upon troubles, wretchedness , and impiety? (v.3) From this you would also learn the holy ones’ hatred of wickedness, referring to others’ troubles as their own. Consequently, Paul in his great wisdom also says, “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?” He also bade us in our own case to “weep with those who weep,”3 showing that sympathy and love for one another are particularly appropriate for the saints. Now, he says that God had made him see hardships and troubles, namely, on the part of the transgressors, and impiety on the part of those given to injustice—not that it was he who caused him to suffer, but that he was (72) long-suffering to the guilty ones even for such a long time, or that he was capable of releasing him from life to prevent his being a spectator of such wrongful behavior. Now, it was customary with the holy ones, when suffering such severe depression, to seek to be dissolved, as for example blessed Jonah: “Now Lord, take my life from me, because it is better for me to die than to live.” Paul in his great wisdom also writes that “it would be better for me to be dissolved and be with Christ.”4 For people anxious to live a holy life, you see, relief from troubles is riddance here and now of the affairs of this world, and respite, as it were, from burdensome cares here below. Judgment has gone against me, and the judge accepts bribes. Hence the Law is undermined, and justice does not take effect, because impious people have control of justice; for this reason a perverted judgment will be delivered (v.4). He brings out clearly that, far from its being some personal matter that induces discouragement in him, it is rather the recognition by him, as a holy man concerned for justice , of people setting the divine commandment at naught—not ordinary people but those elevated to the highest office, leaders of the people appointed to...

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