Homilies on Judges — Homily 5 (Judges 4:4–22 — Deborah, Barak, Jael, 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 Deborah and Barak and Jael and Sisera.
1. We pass from questions to questions and from mysteries to mysteries, and while we can scarcely and with difficulty explain each of the first things, more difficult matters follow upon the difficult ones — matters which do not so much require the eloquence of human talent as they demand the inspiration of divine grace. For without doubt the hearer will ask — since indeed there is that saying of the Apostle Paul which declares: "all Scripture divinely inspired is useful for teaching, for reproof, for instruction which is in righteousness" — what this Scripture has in itself (which we likewise without doubt confess to be divinely inspired) that may yield to us "for instruction," that may yield "for reproof," that may yield "for discipline," that may yield "for righteousness." For what is conferred upon us from this, if we read what has just been recited — that is, that "Deborah," it says, "a woman, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she herself judged Israel at that time; and she," it says, "Deborah, sat under a palm tree between the middle of Ramah and the middle of Bethel, on Mount Ephraim, and the sons of Israel went up to her, that they might be judged"? And then, what erudition or teaching or righteousness do those things confer upon us which follow, whether concerning Barak or concerning Jael or even concerning Sisera, "the commander of the army of Jabin"?
2. Let us see, then, whether perhaps through these things we may be taught something worthy, as also from the other Scriptures, concerning the more hidden mysteries. First, this very fact that, although many men are reported to have been judges in Israel, of none of them is it said that he was a "prophet" except of "Deborah the woman." Even the very first surface of the letter itself furnishes no small consolation to the female sex in this, and it summons them, that they should by no means despair, on account of the weakness of their sex, of being able to become capable even of the grace of prophecy, but that they should understand and believe that purity of mind, not diversity of sex, merits this grace. But let us see what secret of the inner understanding also breathes forth here. "Deborah" is interpreted as "bee or speech". But we have already said in the earlier passages too that Deborah is to be taken as a figure of prophecy, which is the bee. For it is certain that all prophecy composes the sweet honeycombs of heavenly doctrine and the sweet honey of the divine utterance. Whence David also sang, saying: "how sweet are your utterances to my throat, above honey and the honeycomb to my mouth!" And again elsewhere he says "that the judgments of God are precious above gold and the precious stone exceedingly, and sweeter above honey and the honeycomb."
3. But let us also consider this — where the prophecy is said to "reside" and where its place is described. "Under a palm tree," it says, "between the middle of Ramah and the middle of Bethel." Prophecy has its seat "under a palm tree," because "the righteous man," says David, "will flourish like a palm tree" — through this, that prophecy leads the one instructed by its teachings to the "palm of the heavenly calling of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord." And it is said to sit "between the middle of Ramah and the middle of Bethel." "Ramah" is interpreted as "heights". "Bethel," however, as "the house of God". See in what places "prophecy" is said to "reside" — between the heights and the house of God. For nothing lowly, nothing cast down, nothing base can be found near the seat of prophecy; just as Solomon likewise, describing the seat of wisdom, says of it that she either "stands at the gates of the cities" or dwells "on the ramparts of the walls" or "acts freely" in the high towers. In this way, then, prophecy, which is now described in Deborah, is said to dwell between the house of God and the heights. For it does not teach us "to seek the things that are upon the earth, but the things that are in the heavens and in the heights, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God": thither prophecy exhorts us to ascend, thither it strives to set its disciples.
4. This prophecy, therefore, first of all, it says, "sent and called Barak to herself." Now "Barak" is interpreted as "flashing". But a flashing is that which has light indeed, but not lasting; for it shines forth for a little while and ceases. This Barak, therefore, seems to me to bear the figure of the former people, who first of all was called through prophecy and invited to hear the utterances of God and to receive the gifts of the divine law — who indeed shone and flashed in the splendor of the law for a brief time, but did not long endure nor was able to obtain the continuous brightness of the light. When, therefore, Deborah had said to Barak — that is, prophecy to the former people — that: "the Lord God of Israel has commanded you, and do you go up onto Mount Tabor, and take ten thousand men" and the rest that is written, let us see what Barak, in the person of the people, answered to prophecy: "I will not go up," he says, "unless you also go up with me, because I do not know the day on which the Lord will send his angel with me." You see, then, how prophecy delivered to those former ones the utterances of God and says that the commands were given to them, that they should "go up onto the mountain"; but they excuse themselves and say: "I will not go up unless you too go up with me." And as regards the excuse it is indeed true, but as regards the promise it is false. For that they "did not go up" onto the mountain of God is certain; but that they promise they will go up together with prophecy is false. For they did not follow prophecy, so as to believe in him concerning whom all prophecy was written beforehand, Christ. Therefore, then, Deborah says to him: "I will go with you. Nevertheless know that the primacy will not be yours on this way which you tread, but into the hand of a woman the Lord will deliver Sisera." She clearly shows that "the primacy will not be" with that people, nor will the palm of victory abide with it, "but into the hand of a woman," whose name was Jael, "Sisera will be delivered." Now it is described that, when according to the admonition of Deborah — that is, of prophecy — Barak pursued Sisera the leader of the Philistines, he himself indeed could not seize him, but there met him "as he fled" a foreign woman, Jael, which woman had previously held a covenant of friendship with him; "to whom," when he had "turned aside" for the sake of hiding, he asked for water to drink, but by her "he was given milk to drink"; and when she had placed him "in hiding" and had covered him with skins, after this she drove a stake, driven in "with a mallet," through his cheeks — or "jaws" — and fixed it fast: and then, "meeting" Barak as he pursued, she "showed Sisera" "now dead" and laid low.
5. What, then, does all this text of the history show us of the mystery? "Jael," that foreign "woman" concerning whom prophecy said that the victory would come to pass "into the hand of a woman," holds the figure of the Church, which has been gathered from the foreign nations. Now "Jael" is interpreted as "ascent", because in truth there is no other ascent by which one may ascend to heaven except "through the Church of the manifold wisdom of God." She, therefore, is the one who, while she ascends from bodily things to spiritual and from earthly to heavenly, slays Sisera — of whom we have already said above that he holds the figure of the carnal vices and of the "animal" or "earthy" man, because Sisera is interpreted as "the sight of a horse", concerning which Scripture says: "do not become like the horse and the mule, which have no understanding." With a stake, therefore, she slays him — that is, she lays him low with the sharp point and power of the wood of the cross. And not without cause is she described as having pierced through his "jaws" with the stake. For that mouth which spoke of carnal things, and that doctrine which set forth the glory of the flesh, which persuaded the wise of the world that life should be spent in delights and pleasure and had deceived the human race by the flattery of luxury — that mouth, I say, is pierced and bored through by the wood of the cross, because that "way" of pleasure which philosophy had proclaimed "broad and spacious," this Christ showed us to be the "narrow and strait way of salvation." Thus, then, Jael the Church delivered over to eternal sleep Sisera the prince of vices, covered with skins — that is, lulled to sleep by the mortification of the members. Yet Jael the Church, after this, also "met" the former people as it pursued Sisera. For Israel "pursued the law of righteousness, but did not attain to the law." The Church, therefore, also "met" that very people and "showed" it its work, showed it the victory accomplished, and invites it into fellowship with the overthrown enemy. For that is true which the Apostle says will come to pass "in the last time": that, "when the fullness of the nations has entered in, then all Israel shall be saved." The "primacy," then, comes to pass indeed "into the hand of" a foreign "woman," yet Barak too is not excluded from the fellowship of glory — Barak who indeed had begun first, but came last to the end. Nay rather, while he arrives, the foreign woman Jael in a manner snatches the passing victory. The same figure went before also in the brothers Esau and Jacob. For while Esau pursues the wild things, while he lingers in the forest glades, Jacob, coming before him and offering to his father the foods of blessing prepared, likewise by the counsels of his mother, received the birthright's blessing. So too in the Gospel, as the Lord was going to raise up "the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue," the "woman who suffered from an issue of blood," coming before, first obtains healing by her faithful touch.
6. But if from this too something seems worthy of being asked by diligent hearers — namely that he is said to have "given him milk to drink" when he had asked for "water" — let us see whether perhaps, according to the mystical or allegorical laws, something of this kind can also be shown concerning this. The food of "milk" is said in the holy Scriptures to be this first moral instruction, which is delivered to beginners as though to "little ones." For at the beginnings the deep and more hidden mysteries are not at once to be delivered to disciples, but the correction of morals, the amendment of discipline, the first elements of religious conduct and of simple faith are delivered to them. This is the "milk" of the Church, these are the first elements of the "little ones" who are beginning. But this food indeed bestows life and salvation upon those who bear the purpose of advancing toward the good; whereas upon those to whom contrary things are pleasing, to whom luxury, lust, avarice, and all impiety are dear, doctrine of this kind furnishes death and destruction. Thus, then, it comes about that from these same foods by which the good are nourished, the evil are choked, and where for the pious there is life, there for the impious there is death. Finally, that the matter of which we speak may become plainer by an example: wine helps the healthy and those living suitably and, as Scripture says, "gladdens the heart of man" — of the healthy man at least — but to the feverish, if they take it, it straightway brings ruin and destruction. So it comes about that the same thing, taken in the same way, confers on one indeed life, but on another death. Thus, then, it is also to be understood that this Sisera, the "animal man" and prince of vices, was extinguished through the doctrine of the Church, which he did not receive in faith. But let each and every soul also strive to lull to sleep and extinguish Sisera within itself by this evangelical and apostolic milk. For if anyone, taught through these things, has "mortified his members which are upon the earth, avarice, fornication" and the rest which the holy Apostle enumerates, he will be seen to have slain Sisera within himself — so that these things may be shown to be accomplished not only in the person of the Church, but also that each one may show them to be fulfilled in his own soul. Since, therefore, as we have said, Sisera indeed began to be pursued by the former people, but was slain by a woman — this Church of the nations — and into her hand was given the palm of victory, at the consummation of all things, that is, at the end of the age, a song too will be sung to the Lord through Deborah, in which the "primacy" will indeed be given to Jael, the Church of the nations, nor yet will Barak's praise be passed over in silence, but one and the same reward of victory will be given to both the first and the last, through Jesus Christ our Lord, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!"