SERMO 32
OF GOLIATH AND DAVID
AND ON THE CONTEMPT OF THE WORLD
In the Scriptures, some things are hidden more secretly, others are manifested.
God and our Lord, caring for and healing every illness of the soul, has brought forth many remedies from the holy Scriptures, as if from certain storerooms of His, when divine readings are read. These remedies are to be applied by our ministry to our wounds. For we do not declare ourselves to be the children of the physician, by whom He deigns to heal others, so that we ourselves would no longer need necessary treatment. If we look to Him, if we present ourselves to Him with our whole heart to be healed, we will all be healed. Many things have been read, and great, and necessary. Although all things may be so, yet some are hidden more secretly in the Scriptures to exercise those who seek, while others are placed in open and evident places to heal those who desire them. This Psalm indeed contains great secrets, which, if we wished to treat each one individually, I fear that common weakness could not bear it, whether due to the temporal heat, the strength of the body, the slowness of understanding, or even because of our own insufficient ability. Thus, we will sample a few things from it, as much as we believe will be sufficient for our duty and for the intention of your Charity.
The Word of God must be listened to attentively.
First, its title is: To Goliath. Those who are not unacquainted with the divine Scriptures, who love to frequent this school, who do not hate the teacher like desperate children, and who offer a keen ear in church to the readers and open the receptacle of their heart to the flow of divine Scripture, who do not care for matters within the walls of their house and are not delighted by domestic stories, such that they gather to find with whom to talk about trifles, not with whom to listen to useful things, who do not love to speak of other people's matters when they have run out of their own, who therefore gather not in this way and frequently gather, are not unacquainted with the title of this psalm that is written: To Goliath. They know who Goliath was. Nevertheless, for others who are either now attentive or at another time less attentive, or perhaps have accustomed themselves to choke the word in their heart with the thorns of worldly affairs, that is, with the cares of worldly business, let us narrate even these very old and usual things to those attentive and diligent in the study of the Divine Letters.
David proceeds fearlessly against Goliath.
Goliath was one of the Philistines, that is, of the foreigners, who were waging war at that time against the children of Israel. At that time, the holy David, who authored this psalm, or rather, through whom the Holy Spirit administered this psalm, was a boy tending his father's sheep, of tender age, scarcely an adolescent. His brothers, already young men, were serving in the army of the king. He had brought them something from home, sent by their parents for their use. Thus, at that time, when fighting was going on, he was found in the army, not yet a soldier, but a servant and brother of soldiers. Then Goliath, of whom mention has been made, appeared: of immense physical stature, armed, trained in strength, and haughty with boasting, who proudly challenged the enemy people to a single combat, that is, one chosen from among them should come forth against him, so that the outcome of the entire war would depend on the duel, with an agreement and covenant added, that if any one of those two prevailed, victory would be granted to the entire side from which he had stood. The king of the Jewish people, the children of Israel, was Saul. He was distressed, agitated, seeking someone equal to him throughout the entire army. But he found none, neither in form nor in the boldness of the challenge. While he was agitated, this boy David dared, not presuming on his own strength, but in the name of his God, to go forth against him. It was reported to the king, not as the boldness of youth, but as the confidence of piety. And the king did not refuse, he did not decline. He understood, when he saw the daring boy, that there was something divine in him, and that such a tender age could not presume to such things without divine inspiration. He willingly accepted. He went forth against Goliath.
Therefore, in all who were in that part from which David came forth, there was no presumption except in God. However, in them, the whole hope was in the strength of one man. But what is man, except what is sung in this psalm? Man is likened to vanity, his days pass like a shadow. Therefore, their hope is vain, which is placed in a passing shadow. However, David was armed so that, since he was unequal in age and strength, he might be equal as if by arms. But the old arms did not aid, but rather burdened the new age. And this relates to what also the apostolic reading mentioned before the song of the psalm, saying: Put off the old man and put on the new. David did not wish for the oldness of arms. He cast them off. He said they were burdensome because they entangled him. He desired to proceed to battle very light, strong not in himself but in the Lord, armed not so much with iron as with faith.
Five stones symbolized the law.
Nevertheless, having disarmed, he chose something with which to fight. And this not without a sacrament. For you see as it were two kinds of lives, one old among foreigners, the other new among Israelites struggling against each other. On that side is the body of the devil, on this side the prefiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. He took five stones from the brook, from the river, and placed them in the shepherd's pouch in which milk is usually stored. Thus he proceeded armed. The five stones were the law; for the law is contained in the five books of Moses. And in that law are the ten saving precepts, to which the other commandments serve. Therefore, the law is prefigured both by the number five and the number ten. And so David fought with five, and sang with ten, saying: In the psaltery of ten strings I will praise you. Nor did he throw all five stones, but took one. For in the number of stones he showed the number of books, in one stone the unity of those fulfilling the law. For unity itself fulfills the law, that is, charity. Therefore, those five stones were taken from the river. What did the river signify at that time?
On the Allegories of the Scriptures and Their Significance.
For things are not always signified in the Scriptures by fixed realities. And your Holiness ought to know this on account of the other rules, so that you may also teach listeners who are docile. Those things which are presented allegorically in the Scriptures do not always signify the same thing. A mountain does not always signify the Lord, a stone does not always signify the Lord, a lion does not always signify the Lord, nor does it always signify good, nor does it always signify evil, but it depends on the places of the Scriptures, where the other circumstances of the reading pertain. Just as letters are repeated in so many thousands of words and speeches but are not increased. Words are infinite, but letters are finite. No one can count words; anyone can count letters, from which the multitude of words arises. When one letter is placed in various places, it has value according to the place, not representing a single thing. How different are things like God and the devil? Yet in the beginning, the letter D is there, when we say "God," and when we say "devil." Thus, just as a letter has value according to the place, the person is mistaken and very absurd and childishly obtuse, who, when he reads, for example, the letter D in the name of God, fears to place it in the name of the devil, as if he were injuring God. So too is the one who unskillfully hears the divine Scriptures, let us not depart from this very example, when he hears, for instance, a river placed allegorically, where it is said: "The streams of the river shall make glad the city of God" – it is said about the flood of the Holy Spirit, of which in another place the Prophet says: "They shall be filled with the abundance of your house, and you shall give them drink from the torrent of your pleasures" – when therefore he has taken the river in a good sense and praised it and has been delighted by it, when according to the place it is said to him that the river signifies men flowing and given to temporal things, passing away with the love of those passing away, he is terrified. Because in another place he had taken the river to signify something good, and he is troubled. Thus, he becomes mute in the Scriptures, just as he becomes mute in letters, if he does not want to transfer those very letters to other words, but holds them only in those words in which he first learned them.
From the river where David took the stones.
If your Holiness has understood this, what was said to you is, as we believe, very useful and which helps you greatly, not only to listen to our discourses but also to understand the very Scriptures, about which we are discoursing to you. Therefore, the river from which David took the five stones at that time did not signify something good. Indeed, I know it is possible for some to consider and understand that river in a good sense, as if someone might wish to understand it as baptism, so that stones lifted from baptism, that is, baptized men, are the strongest against the devil, who was signified by Goliath. However, due to the number five, the reason is established for us, because we said that the law is signified by the number five, due to the five books of Moses. What does it signify that they were taken from the river and placed in a shepherd's pouch? We have already said: by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that the devil would truly be conquered, the law passes to grace. What signifies grace more than an abundance of milk? However, those stones were taken from the river. The river signified the fickle people, devoted to temporal matters, loving transient things, and rushing to the sea of this world with the force of desire, like the old people of the Jews. They had received the law but trampled on the law and passed over the law and were carried into the sea, as a river flows over those stones. For those stones did not establish a limit for the river to set the river in place. If they had done so, they would signify the constraint of the law and those who, when they begin to flow with their pleasures and desires, coming to the precepts of the law, stop and restrain the impulses of their lusts. However, those stones were not like that, but in the river, over which the water flowed. Just as the transgressing people passed over the law. Therefore, from there the Lord took the law to grace, that is, he took it from the river and placed it in the shepherd's pouch.
By the grace of God, it is necessary to fulfill the commandments.
Whoever therefore wishes to fulfill the law, let him consider grace. Therefore, those ten commandments of the psaltery of ten strings are the same as those which were among that ancient people, but those ten commandments oppressed that people with fear. For in them there was not the charity which is through grace but there was fear. The commandments of the Lord were penal to that people, because they could not be fulfilled with love. They tried, but were overcome by desire. Therefore, when anyone has made the transition to grace, he does not fulfill other commandments, but those which could not be fulfilled by fear, are fulfilled by it. It is not, however, the power of the commandments, but the power of the grace of God. For if it were the power of the commandments of the law, it would fulfill those as well. He who passes over to Christ, passes from fear to love, and begins to be able to do through love what he could not through fear. And he who trembled in fear does not tremble in love. Therefore, this is in the ten commandments, because David signifies the man who passes over to grace when he says: In the psaltery of ten strings I will sing praises to you, now to sing in the commandments, that is, to fulfill the commandments joyfully.
God gives strength so that what He commands can be fulfilled.
And so, Brothers, know that grace accomplishes this, no one should presume on their own strength. For this is to presume upon the grace of God. For God calls you and commands you to act, but He Himself gives strength so that what He commands can be fulfilled. However, you must embrace faith capably, so that with the abundance of grace you humble yourself, beg God, and presume nothing of yourself; strip yourself of Goliath, clothe yourself in David. This pertains to what is said in the same psalm, which we have already begun to mention: What is man? For this warns man not to presume upon himself. See now how he enchants against Goliath, who presumed upon himself; and commends to you David, who was weak among men but very strong in God. What is man? And it says what man is: Because you have made yourself known to him. This is the whole of man, if God is made known to him. But if God is not made known to him, man is nothing. What is man, to whom God has not been made known? Man is likened to vanity, his days pass like a shadow. Therefore, what is man, because you have made yourself known to him; and the son of man, that you care for him? What does it mean that you care for him? It pleased you to choose him and to place him in some superior and eminent position. This is due to your mercy, not his merits.
Ask what is proper to man, you will find sin. Ask what is proper to man, you will find a lie. Remove sin, and whatever you consider in man is from God. Therefore, let man not love what is his own. This might also pertain to what the Apostle says: Let no one seek what is his own. Sometimes people hear this from readers and are encouraged to take others' possessions. It matters who tells you: "Do not seek what is yours." Sometimes it is said by an evil advisor, sometimes by a good teacher. God is a good teacher. Therefore, when you hear from God: "Do not seek what is yours," do not take it as it is usually said. There is something good that God admonishes you for. As we were saying, seek what is yours, you will find sin. Therefore, do not seek sin, and you will not seek what is yours. Do not seek a lie, and you will not seek what is yours. For truth is from God, a lie is from yourself.
Let us close the doors of desire and fear to the devil.
And if the devil occasionally suggests something, he holds the consenting one, he does not compel the unwilling. For he does not deceive or drag anyone unless he finds someone partly already like himself. For he finds him desiring something, and desire opens the door to the devil's entering suggestion. He finds him fearing something, he advises him to avoid what he finds him fearing. He advises him to obtain what he finds him desiring. And through these two doors of desire and fear, he enters. Close them, and you fulfill what the Apostle said in today's reading: Do not give a place to the devil. For there the Apostle wanted to show that although the devil enters and possesses, the man still gave him a place to enter.
Therefore, because man is nothing to whom God has not made himself known and whom God does not esteem, He gives him His grace, finding in him what to condemn and giving all to the confessor, so that He may crown the believer. For what did the Lord find in men when He came except that which He would condemn? Absolutely, Brothers, consider and see, whether in that people of the Israelites, or among the Gentiles, He found nothing but what He would condemn. And therefore, He willed to come humbly to sinners, not as a judge, that He might spare them, so that first He might grant mercy by forgiving sins, and then afterward exhibit severity by punishing sins. Let us not abuse, that is, let us not misuse His mercy, and we will not feel His severity. Therefore, this is all that man is to whom God makes himself known, that He gives him His grace from which David presumed. But Goliath, proud, arrogant, and inflated, presumed from himself and his own strength, established the entire victory of his whole side in himself alone. And because all pride has the insolence of a brazen face, he was struck down on that very face by a coming stone. The brow that bore the insolence of his pride was overthrown, and the brow that bore the humility of the cross of Christ prevailed.
By what means do we bear the sign of the cross on the forehead?