Homilies on Judges — Homily 4 (Judges 3:31–4:3 — Shamgar, Jabin, Sisera)
Latin source: Origen's Greek homilies on Judges, surviving only in Rufinus of Aquileia's Latin translation (c. 400), from the reading text of W. A. Baehrens (ed.), Origenes Werke VII (GCS 30, Leipzig, 1921), pp. 464–522. This English translation is released into the public domain.Concerning Shamgar and Jabin and Sisera.
1. To the rule of Ehud the ambidextrous is joined the rule of Shamgar. But let us see how Ehud, who is interpreted "praise," brought his rule to a close. The narrative has taught us those things which are written concerning Eglon the king, how this most wise Ehud, using a certain artifice and, so to speak, a cunning but praiseworthy deception, slew Eglon the tyrant, who is interpreted "whirling" or "of the wheel-track." Such, then, ought the judges of our people also to be, as was that Ehud who is interpreted "praise," so that they may cut down all the whirling motions and wheel-tracks of the evil path and destroy the king of the Midianites. Now the Midianites are interpreted "flowing" or "outpouring." Who, then, can be seen or understood to be the prince or leader of this fluid and dissolute nation, other than the discourse of that philosophy which judges pleasure to be the highest good — whom the Gospel discourse, which is compared to a sword, may slay and destroy? And let the prophetic word itself be shut up in their belly and in the innermost vitals by the disputations of the "ambidextrous" teacher, so that, confining them by the assertion of truth, he may extinguish every "thought" of a depraved doctrine and gross understanding "that exalts and raises itself up against the spiritual knowledge of Christ"; so that, doing thus and contending in the word of God, each judge of the Church may himself also become that praiseworthy Ehud, of whom the Lord may say: "Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things".
2. But having briefly gone back over these matters from the earlier reading — that is, over the end of Ehud — let us now see what sort the beginning of Shamgar is also, who is there interpreted "stranger." For it is true that all who are men of God are strangers in this world and sojourners upon the earth, just as was also he who said that: "I am a sojourner with thee upon the earth and a pilgrim, as all my fathers were". And so the Holy Spirit there calls this Shamgar too a sojourner — that is, here. For what is "there" to the Holy Spirit, who is in the heavens, is "here" to us. What, then, is said of Shamgar? "He smote", it says, "the Philistines, six hundred men, with the handle — or "foot" — of a plow". I see another kind of praise in Shamgar: this one fights with a "plow". Ehud was fighting with a sword, this one with a plow. Yet this one too conquers, overcomes, and lays low the Philistines. It can happen, therefore, that a judge of the Church does not always bring forth the sword — that is, does not always use the austerity of the word and the sharpness of correction — but sometimes also imitates the farmer, and, as it were plowing the soil of the soul and often cutting it open with a gentle admonition, prepares it, fit for receiving the seeds. Thus the Philistines will be slain in this way too, when we use not arguments and sharpness against our adversaries, but drive out vices and sins from the souls of our hearers by a rustic and simple admonition. But you also yourself, O hearer, be the farmer of your own soul; use this plow which Shamgar uses. But when "you have put your hand to the plow", do not "look back" — that is, after "you have taken up your cross and followed Christ", after you have renounced the world and the things which are in the world, do not "look back", do not seek again those things which "for the sake of Christ you had counted as dung", because, if you always keep your "hand upon this plow", so that you may confidently say: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world", then, as you say these things, "there shall fall at your right hand ten thousand, and at your left hand a thousand, but unto you they shall not come near". But this very thing also that it said, that "Shamgar smote the Philistines, six hundred of them", does not seem to me to have been said idly. For what need was there to designate even the number? Unless perhaps in the number itself it indicated more plainly those things of which we spoke above. For the number six, which multiplied comes to six hundred, holds the figure of this world, which is said to have been completed in six days. "Six hundred", therefore, he is said "to have smitten with the plow", he to whom "through the cross of Christ the world is crucified".
3. But what is added after this? "And the children of Israel", it says, "added to do evil in the sight of the Lord; and Ehud was dead". Undoubtedly in these matters too there is preserved that observation which we pointed out in the preceding passages: that for the sins of the people the good leader of the people dies. For when they have been made unworthy and have "done evil in the sight of God", the man of God will be taken away from them. But perhaps our people will say: when is the Church of God without a judge? Even if the former departs, another is supplied. Perhaps we shall say something bold, yet we say what is written. Not always is the prince of the people and judge of the Church given by the judgment of God, but according as our merits demand. If our deeds are evil and we "work evil in the sight of God", princes are given to us according to our heart; and this I will prove to you from the Scriptures. For hear what the Lord says: "They made themselves a king and not by me, and a prince and not by my counsel". And this seems to be said of that Saul, whom indeed the Lord himself had chosen and had commanded to be made king; but because he had been chosen not according to the will of God, but according to the merit of a sinful people, he denies that he was appointed with his will or counsel. Let us understand, then, that some such thing happens in the churches also, that according to the merits of the people either a ruler of the Church powerful in word and deed is granted by God or, if "the people do evil in the sight of the Lord", such a judge of the Church is given under whom the people may suffer "hunger and thirst", "not a hunger of bread nor a thirst of water, but a hunger of hearing the word of God". So, then, let us act, and so let us pray, that the divine displeasure may never condemn us in a "hunger of the word" and a "thirst", that there may never be taken away from us one who may instruct us in word and deed, who may furnish to the peoples out of himself a perfect example in conduct and integrity, in patience and meekness. For if we "do evil in the sight of the Lord" — that is, if we act wickedly, if we do our own will and not God's — then "Ehud dies" for us also, Shamgar is taken away, and our praise will be darkened, and we will be "delivered into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan". Now "Jabin" is interpreted "sense" or "prudence." If, therefore, we "do not approve to have God in our knowledge, God delivers us up unto a reprobate sense, filled", it says, "with iniquity, wickedness, fornication, covetousness, full of envy, murders, contention, deceit, whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, injurious, proud, haughty, disobedient to parents, disorderly, without affection, without mercy". You see who and of what sort are they who "are delivered up unto a reprobate sense", who "are delivered up to Jabin the prince of the Canaanites".
4. "And the prince", it says, "of the army of Jabin was Sisera, and he himself dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles, and he had nine hundred iron chariots. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord". In this too there is likewise kept that observation which we designated above: that the children of Israel do not know how "to cry out to the Lord", except when "they have been delivered into the hands of Jabin", or when they are afflicted through his "prince of the army, Sisera", who "had", it says, "nine hundred iron chariots", by which of course the people of stiff neck was afflicted. Now "Sisera" is interpreted "vision of a horse." For he is the "animal" and not the "spiritual" man, who sees nothing except those things which are "animal"; that is his vision, that is ever his gaze. And therefore the "animal man" and "he who is according to the flesh" always "persecutes him who is according to the spirit", until the "spiritual" man understands and "examines all things" and understands whence help is to be sought for himself, and "cries out to the Lord", until, for that soul which "has cried out to the Lord", there is raised up prophecy, which is in the figure of Deborah, and according to the grace and understanding of prophecy either the people of the Church may be governed or even the sense of each mind and soul may be ruled, through Christ Jesus our Lord, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!".