Chapter V.
That God caused the mountains to grow old, that is, to convert the letter of the Old Testament into a spiritual meaning: The Jews cannot be excused for not knowing this, because of the miracles that accompanied Christ's death; but especially because of the sun's eclipse which is described. Other works of Christ are mentioned, and especially walking on water; where Peter's wavering and the grinding of the ships of Tarshish, which represent our bodies, are described.
12. For who are the mountains that are made old, if not Moses, Aaron, and Elijah, Joshua, Gideon, the prophets, all the books of the old Testament? The Lord Jesus came: he brought a new Testament, and that which was old became new. The Christian has been renewed, the Jew has grown old. Grace has been renewed, the letter has grown old. He overturns mountains and turns things upside down. For he both destroys and demolishes the understanding according to the letter, and establishes spiritual understanding. Therefore, that understanding of the Law vanished, and it became spiritual. Hence the Apostle says: But we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal (Rom. VII, 14). But even he who was carnal became spiritual, as he himself asserts, saying: For I, too, have the spirit of God (l Cor., VII, 40). Therefore, Jesus has hidden these mountains, and the Jews do not know. For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of majesty: they would never have followed Jewish delusions. Therefore, they are the ones who do not know. Hence, in the Gospel, the Lord Jesus says: 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' (Luke 23:34).
13. But they are not excused because they do not know, since they did not want to know what they should have known. Certainly, we do not envy them if they follow the Lord's judgment. For the higher judgment usually absolves, not the future one. But neither is he free from guilt who crucified the author of his own salvation and did not seek forgiveness afterwards. Let it be that he did not know before whom he was persecuting; nevertheless, when he was placed on the cross, he ought to have recognized that he was the Lord of all the elements, under whom all elements trembled, the sky was darkened, the sun withdrew, the earth split, the tombs of the dead were opened, and the dead received the company of the living. And the centurion said: Truly this man was the Son of God (Matth., XXVII, 54). The centurion recognizes the foreigner, the Levite does not recognize his own: the Gentile venerates, the Hebrew renounces. Therefore, it is not without reason that the pillars of the world were moved when the chief priests did not believe. But the old pillars were moved so that new ones could be confirmed, as He himself deigned to say: I have confirmed its pillars (Psal. LXXIV, 4). Listen to which pillars He has confirmed. Peter and James and John, who were seemed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship (Galatians 2:9).
14. So how then do they excuse themselves from not knowing, some of whom saw, others recognized, that the sun did not complete its daily course? And again, before the completion of the span of the night, it went out, making night into day, and day into night. Surely they should have understood that the sun obeyed the command to go out and the command to return. For the Lord had foretold (Matthew 12:40) that He would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights; the sun had learned this, and it observed the command. He was doubting, saying: What am I to do? I arise, and it is day: I set, and it is night. If I keep to my course, I will delay the salvation of the world. Let us also hasten to our redemption: I myself must also hasten to a new life; for by the grace of the cross, all things are renewed, and a new sun, and a new heaven. Therefore, I hasten, that I may be able to see that sun of justice, enlightening the souls of all. But what am I to do? He Himself desires to rise again after three days. I have found what to do, so that I do not delay and keep track of the number of days. I will not make a whole day and a whole night. I will shorten the hours, so that there are indeed three days and nights between the dead and the Lord Jesus: but they allow for a shorter interval than three days and nights, let him rise from the dead. Therefore, I will shorten the hours when he ascends the cross. Let night immediately come at the sixth hour; so that I may not see the passion of the Lord, but may escape the sight of a treacherous persecution. I will slay, and there will be a night of three hours: I will go forth, and I will renew the day, so that it will be of three hours: the first day has passed: the second night will follow in its own space, and likewise the day will follow: the third night will begin, the Lord will rise in the night, and there will be a day in the light of the rising; so that it may be fulfilled: And the night will be illuminated like the day (Psalm 138:12). This is that great day which Abraham saw and rejoiced in: of which David also says: This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24): in which I will perish not by the toil of service, but by the fruit of rejoicing.
Therefore, the Lord himself directs the day, and before the consummation of the world, he will be seen as the light that enlightens every man coming into this world. He is the Lord who marks and counts the multitude of stars; he is the Lord who alone extends the sky, who walked as if on the floor over the sea; when Peter saw him walking, and said, 'Lord, command me to come to you on the water' (Matthew 14:28). And the Lord commanded, but he faltered; and if the Lord had not reached out his right hand, he would have been drowned by the waves. The flesh wavered, the right hand saved. And he said to him: O you of little faith, why did you doubt? (Matthew, 31). Therefore, faith walked in the Apostle, not the flesh. Finally, faith wavered, and the flesh began to feel shipwrecked. This is not said improperly; for the flesh is the ship of the soul, as it is written: Those who go down to the sea in ships (Psalm 106:23). And elsewhere: As the pains of a woman in labor, you shall break the ships of Tarshish with a vehement spirit (Psalm 47:8). For our souls, when they give birth to the Word, experience pains: but what she has given birth to, she no longer remembers the sadness on account of the joy; for a man is born to her who has redeemed the world. Ships of Tharsis, that is, intelligible things which bore gold and silver to Solomon, that is, our bodies, which hold treasure in earthen vessels, as the Apostle says (2 Corinthians 4:7): or perhaps these births are easily destroyed, according to what was said: Woe to those who are pregnant and nursing (Luke 21:23)! For when the soul is shaken, the flesh fluctuates; or when the passionate spirit is agitated within, the body is tormented. When the appointed time for resurrection comes, they will be raised up, as it is written: 'Come, Spirit, and breathe on these dead, and they shall live' (Ezekiel 37:9). Hence, Job himself also says later: 'For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God' (Job 19:25-26). But those who are raised to judgment will be crushed. But contrition is good: for God does not despise a contrite and humble heart (Ps. 50:19). And elsewhere: Heal his contritions (Ps. 59:4). But it was also said to Jehoshaphat: The ships were broken, so as not to go to Tharsis (2 Chr. 20:37), because he had involved himself in sacrilege. Therefore, contrition signifies both; because both will be present on the day of judgment: When all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have done good will proceed to the resurrection of life; but those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment (John 5:28-29). Which David the prophet also signifies saying: There are pains like those of a woman in labor: as we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God (Ps. 47:8-9). For it includes both future sorrow and joy: sorrow from judgment, and joy from absolution.