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COMMENTARY ON ZEPHANIAH, CHAPTER TWO Assemble and be bound together, untutored nation, before you become like a flower vanishing in a day, before the Lord’s wrath comes upon you, before the Lord’s anger comes upon you (vv.1–2). FTER VERY clearly bringing out the ferocity of war and the magnitude of the coming disaster, he once again duly shifts attention to the call to repentance when it was an easy matter to convince them, probably because they were in fear. After all, sometimes when the mind is set firm in its perverse tendency to vile and profane behavior, we do not easily proceed to an option for repentance, whereas fear frequently forces people even against their will to do so. Accordingly, he urges them to relationship (192) with him. In other words, just as we claim that those who worship idols and devote their attention to their own passions are guilty of apostasy and keeping their distance, so in turn we interpret those who opt to adore him and him alone, and follow the oracles given by him, to be entering into a relationship with him. At any rate he describes the people of Israel as an untutored nation for the reason that they did not respect the ancient commandment, sacrilegiously rejecting the Law that was their tutor and capable of leading them to every form of goodness. As well, he threatens that unless they were bound to him in the ways just mentioned by us, they would differ in no way from flowers in the field that are transient and fading, and would definitely be subject to the effects of wrath. So “while we have time, we work for the good of all.” As long as the Lord, who as God is longsuffering, allows it, let us practice repentance, offer supplication, tearfully utter the appeal, “Do not remember sins of my youth and of my ignorance,”1 at22 1. Gal 6.10; Ps 25.7. COMMENTARY ON ZEPHANIAH 2 23 taching ourselves to him through sanctification and sobriety. This in fact is the way for us to be sheltered on the day of wrath and wash away the stain of our sins before the Lord’s anger comes upon us; he will come, you see, the judge will come in due course from heaven, and render to everyone according to their work. Seek the Lord, all you lowly ones of earth, practice justice and seek righteousness, seek gentleness and respond to it, so that you may be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s wrath (v.3). He makes clear mention (193) of the way for them to be bound to him, despite being a profane and untutored nation, bidding them seek the Lord, practice justice and righteousness, and respond to it. While God is sought by us, therefore, by hankering after what is pleasing to him through the removal of all indifference, we shall on the other hand practice justice by fulfilling his divine law and living virtuously without failing. Likewise, by zealously bedecking ourselves in the ornaments of good works we shall gain a reputation for righteousness, truly reputable and blameless in our reverence for God, and by treading the path of love for the brethren; as Scripture says, “love is the fulfilling of the Law.”2 Now, in my view it is necessary to add to what I have mentioned responding to it, that is, addressing others and directing the brethren; this and no other is the way we shall be perfect in virtue. Our Lord Jesus Christ also said that the one who is proven in work and word will be called great in the kingdom of heaven, while the one who devotes himself to introducing it and is capable of it and bids others do it but cannot bring himself to do what he thinks is right is the least. Somewhere he also criticizes the leaders of the Jews in the words, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for loading heavy burdens on people that are difficult to bear, whereas you yourselves do not so much as lift a finger.”3 It is therefore surely proof of perfect reverence for God to practice virtue and also explain to others the means of becoming exemplary. (194) The fact that the effort involved is not without reward the disciple of Christ clarifies by saying, “The one who converts a sinner from the error of his ways will save that person’s...

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