Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews

“For the Earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God. But if it bear thorns and briars it is rejected, and near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned.”

1. Let us hear the oracles of God with fear, with fear and much trembling. For (it is said) “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling.” But if even our joy and our exultation ought to be “with trembling,” of what punishment are we not worthy, if we listen not with terror to what is said, when the things spoken, as now, are themselves fearful?

For having said that “it is impossible for those who have fallen away” to be baptized a second time, and to receive remission through the laver, and having pointed out the awfulness of the case, he goes on: “for the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God. But if it bear thorns and thistles, it is rejected, and near unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

Let us then fear, beloved! This threat is not Paul's, these words are not of man: they are of the Holy Ghost, of Christ that speaks in him. Is there then any one that is clear from these thorns? And even if we were clear, not even so ought we to be confident, but to fear and tremble lest at any time thorns should spring up in us. But when we are “thorns and thistles” through and through, whence (tell me) are we confident? And are becoming supine? What is it which makes us inert? If “he that thinks he stands” ought to fear “lest he fall”; for (he says) “Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall”; he that falls, how anxious ought he to be that he may rise up again! If Paul fears, “lest that by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should be a castaway”; and he who had been so approved is afraid lest he should become disapproved: what pardon shall we have who are already disapproved, if we have no fear, but fulfill our Christianity as a custom, and for form's sake. Let us then fear, beloved: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven.” Let us fear, for it “is revealed” not “against impiety” only, but “against all unrighteousness.” What is “against all unrighteousness”? [Against all] both small and great.

2. In this passage he intimates the lovingkindness of God towards man: and the teaching [of the Gospel] he calls “rain”: and what he said above, “when for the time ye ought to be teachers”, this he says here also. Indeed in many places the Scripture calls the teaching “rain.” For (it says) “I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it”, speaking of “the vineyard.” The same which in another place it calls “a famine of bread, and a thirst of water.” And again, “The river of God is full of waters.”

“For land,” he says, “which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it.” Here he shows that they received and drank in the word, yea and often enjoyed this, and yet even so they were not profited. For if (he means) you had not been tilled, if you had enjoyed no rains, the evil would not have been so great. For (it is said) “If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin.” But if you have often drunk and received [nourishment], wherefore have you brought forth other things instead of fruits? For (it is said) “I waited that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth thorns.”

You see that everywhere the Scripture calls sins “thorns.” For David also says, “I was turned into mourning when a thorn was fixed in me.” For it does not simply come on us, but is fixed in; and even if but a little of it remain in, even if we take it not out entirely, that little of itself in like manner causes pain, as in the case of a thorn. And why do I say, 'that little of itself'? Even after it has been taken out, it leaves therein for a long time the pain of the wound. And much care and treatment is necessary, that we may be perfectly freed from it. For it is not enough merely to take away the sin, it is necessary also to heal the wounded place.

But I fear however lest the things said apply to us more than to others. “For,” he says, “the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it.” We are ever drinking, ever hearing, but “when the sun is risen” we straightway lose our moisture, and therefore bring forth thorns. What then are the thorns? Let us hear Christ saying, that “the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

3. “For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it,” he says, “and brings forth meet herbs.” Because nothing is so meet as purity of life, nothing so suitable as the best life, nothing so meet as virtue.

“And brings forth” (says he) “herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God.” Here he says that God is the cause of all things, giving the heathen a blow, who ascribed the production of fruits to the power of the earth. For (he says) it is not the hands of the husbandman which stir up the earth to bear fruits, but the command from God. Therefore he says, “receives blessing from God.”

And see how in speaking of the thorns, he said not, “bringing forth thorns,” nor did he use this word expressive of what is useful; but what? “Bearing” [literally “putting out”] “thorns,” as if one should say, “forcing out,” “throwing out.”

“Rejected” (he says) “and near unto cursing.” Oh! How great consolation in this word! For he said “near unto cursing,” not “a curse.” Now he that has not yet fallen into a curse, but has come to be near [thereto], may also come to be far off [therefrom].

And not by this only did he encourage them, but also by what follows. For he did not say “rejected and near unto cursing,” “which shall be burned,” but what? “Whose end is to be burned,” if he continue [such] (he means) unto the end. So that, if we cut out and burn the thorns, we shall be able to enjoy those good things innumerable and to become approved, and to partake of blessing.

And with good reason did he call sin “a thistle,” saying “that which bears thorns and thistles”; for on whatever side you lay hold on it, it wounds and stings, and it is unpleasant even to look at.

4. Having therefore sufficiently rebuked them, and alarmed and wounded them, he in turn heals them, so as not to cast them down too much, and make them supine. For he that strikes one that is “dull,” makes him more dull. So then he neither flatters them throughout, lest he should make them supine, nor does he wound them throughout, but having inserted a little to wound them, he applies much to heal in what follows.

For what does he say? We speak not these things, as having condemned you, nor as thinking you to be full of thorns, but fearing lest this should come to pass. For it is better to terrify you by words, that you may not suffer by the realities. And this is specially of Paul's wisdom.