Numbers 22

"And the sons of Israel, having set out from there, pitched their camp to the west of Moab beside the Jordan opposite Jericho. And when Balak, son of Zippor, saw," and the rest. Now all the things which are written concerning Balaam and his donkey are a history full of business; but the inner meaning is much more laborious, and I do not know whether it is even easy to explain merely the historical statements themselves. Yet, with God granting, we shall touch briefly on what we can. War is threatening you, O king Balak, son of Zippor; six hundred thousand armed men are rushing upon your borders. It behooved you also to prepare arms, to muster an army, to think about the drawing up of battle, so that you might meet the enemy, while still placed at a distance, equipped with arms. But you send to Balaam the diviner and send many gifts and promise greater ones and say: "come, curse for me the people that has gone out from Egypt." But Balaam, as Scripture teaches, referred these things to God, by whom also he is forbidden to come. But again the king sends envoys and, arms neglected, places all his hope in Balaam, that he may come and deliver words and hurl curses against the people in place of weapons, if perhaps the people, whom the king's army could not overcome, might be conquered by the words of Balaam. What consistency does this history have, what counsel does it show? Where or when was it heard that any of kings, with battle threatening him, having set aside his arms and neglected his army, took refuge in the words of some diviner or soothsayer? Whence again and again the grace of God must be implored by us, that we may be able to explain these things not by fabulous and Jewish narrations, but by rational senses worthy of the divine law. First of all, then, it must be confessed that in certain matters words can do more and avail more than bodies, since what the army of many nations could not accomplish, what could not be obtained by iron and arms, this is accomplished by words; and I do not say by holy words or words of God, but by certain words which are held among men, which how I should name I do not know; yet they are composed by a useless art, of which art let that be the name which each pleases to call it. There is, then, as I said, among men some work that is accomplished by words; which work, however, is such that it cannot be fulfilled by however great the strength of body. For example, there were in Egypt enchanters and magicians. Who among men can by strength of body change a rod into a serpent, which is reported to have been done by them, or who can by the powers of body turn water into blood? Yet the enchanters and magicians of the Egyptians did this. For Moses had first done these things; but because the king of Egypt knew that these things could be done by a certain art of words which is held among men, he thought that Moses too had done these things not by the power of God, but by magical art, and that what he had done by human art, this he was pretending to be done by the power of God. He immediately summons the enchanters and magicians of the Egyptians. Between him who was working by the power of God and those who were invoking demons he makes there be a contest. Yet the contrary power likewise makes the rod a serpent, as the power of God had done; but the serpent which had been made by the power of God swallowed up and devoured all those serpents which by magical art had been turned from rods into serpents: for the demonic power could not restore to good the evil which it had made out of good. It could make a serpent out of a rod, but it could not give back a rod out of the serpent; and therefore all are consumed by that rod which by the power of God had been turned into a serpent. But afterward, by the divine power, it is restored to its own nature, so that it might confess the Lord of nature. The enchanters of the Egyptians made water too be turned into blood, but they could not again turn blood into water; but the power of God turned not water, but the whole river into blood, and again, at the prayer of Moses, gave it back with clear and natural streams. And again the magicians of the Egyptians produced gnats, but they could not drive them away; but Moses both produced gnats and took them away; for our God both causes grief and again restores; but the contrary power can indeed do something evil, but it cannot restore to wholeness. Now we have sent all these things ahead, so that we may be able to observe the works of Balaam or his words; for there are also certain differences among magicians; for some avail more, others less. This Balaam was most famous in the magical art and most powerful in noxious incantations. For he did not have the power or art of words for blessing, but he had it for cursing; for demons are invited to cursing, not to blessing. And therefore, as one experienced in such things, he was held in repute by all who were in the East. For unless very many experiments of his had gone before—that he had frequently by curses routed an armed enemy—the king would surely not have presumed that this could be done by words which could scarcely be fulfilled by iron and the battle-line. Balak, then, being certain of this and having frequently made trial of it, setting aside all the instruments and aids of war, sends envoys to him, saying: "behold, a people has gone out from Egypt, and has covered the face of the earth; and this one has settled beside me." But I think also something more that moved the king; for he seems to have heard that the sons of Israel are accustomed to conquer their enemies by prayer, not by arms, and not so much by iron as by prayers. For Israel moved no arms against Pharaoh, but it was said to him: "the Lord will fight for you, and you shall be silent." But neither against the Amalekites did the force of arms avail so much as the prayer of Moses. For when Moses lifted up his hands to God, Amalek was conquered; but when they were let down and lowered, they made Israel to be conquered. These things surely Balak, king of Moab, had heard. For it is written: "the nations heard and were angry; pangs seized those who dwell in Philistia. Then the leaders of Edom hastened and the princes of the Moabites; trembling laid hold of them." You see that there had come to them what Moses foretold in the Canticle, when they crossed the Red Sea. The king of Moab, then, had heard that this people conquers by prayers and fights against its enemies with the mouth, not with the sword; and on account of this, without doubt, he thought within himself, saying: since indeed no arms can be matched against the prayers and supplications of this people, therefore for me too such prayers and such arms of words and such prayers must be sought as can overcome the prayers of these people.

But that you may know that the king thought something of this sort, understand it from the words of Scripture, which I learned expounded by a certain teacher who had come to believe from among the Hebrews. It is written thus: "And Moab said to the elders of Midian: now this assembly will lick up all who are round about us, as the calf licks up the grass of the field." That teacher, then, who had come to believe from among the Hebrews, would say: why, he says, did he use such an example, saying: as the calf licks up the grass of the field? For this reason, without doubt, because the calf breaks off the grass from the field with its mouth and with its tongue, as with a sickle, cuts whatever it finds; so also this people, like a calf, fights with mouth and lips and has its arms in words and prayers. Knowing this, therefore, the king sends to Balaam, that he too may deliver words contrary to words and prayers against prayers. And do not wonder if there is something of this sort in the magical art; for Scripture too indicates that this art exists, but forbids the use of it. For Scripture indicates also that demons exist, but forbids that they be worshipped and entreated. Rightly, then, it also forbids the use of magic, because the ministers of magicians are apostate angels and malign spirits and unclean demons; for none of the holy spirits obeys a magician. A magician cannot invoke Michael, he cannot invoke Raphael nor Gabriel; much more can a magician not invoke Almighty God nor his Son Jesus Christ our Lord nor his Holy Spirit. We alone have received the power of invoking God the Father; we alone have the power of invoking his only-begotten Jesus Christ. But this is what I say: he who has now received the power of invoking Christ cannot again invoke demons, and he who has been made a partaker of the Holy Spirit ought not further to summon unclean spirits; for if he invokes unclean spirits, the Holy Spirit flees from him. They are magicians who invoke Beelzebul. In fact, that people knew this, and therefore, lying against my Lord Jesus and saying false things, they said: "this man casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons." But the Savior, knowing that it is indeed true that a certain Beelzebul is prince of demons, did not in this convict them of falsehood, but answered them: "if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?" Whence it is established that there are certain evil demons who, when invoked by magicians, are present to them for evil, not for good; for they are ready to do harm, but they do not know how to do good. These demons, then, by a certain art and composition of words, had passed, so to speak, into friendship with Balaam, and, relying on their friendships, he seemed great among men. On account of this, therefore, the king sends to him and says: "come now, and curse for me this people, for it is stronger than we, if perhaps we may be able to strike some of them and drive them out from the land." It seems to me that this king does not entirely trust in Balaam the diviner, being, I believe, greatly terrified by the report of the mighty deeds that had been done among the people of God; and therefore he says, if perhaps the curses of Balaam may prevail even to this extent, that he may be able to strike some of them, and to put the rest to flight, terrified, and drive them from their own land.

This Balaam was exceedingly famous for his magical art and very powerful with his harmful verses. He did not possess the power or skill of words in blessing but only in cursing, for the demons are invited to curse but not to bless. As he was experienced in such matters, for this reason he was esteemed by all men in the Orient. Indeed, abundant proofs of it had happened before when he had frequently turned back an armed enemy with his curses. Otherwise the king surely would not have presumed that what could not be accomplished by iron and the sword could be done by words. Therefore Balak was sure of it and had frequently tried it, for he put aside all instruments and aids of war and sent ambassadors to him saying, "A people has come here from Egypt, who now cover the face of the earth and are settling down opposite us."

We meanwhile say that by a certain dispensation and wisdom of God all things in this world are so arranged that absolutely nothing is idle with God, whether it be evil, whether it be good. But let us explain more plainly what is said. God did not make wickedness; yet, though he could prohibit it when it has been invented by others, he does not prohibit it, but uses it, together with those very ones by whom it is held, for necessary purposes. For through those very persons in whom wickedness is, he makes those illustrious and approved who strive toward the glory of the virtues. For if wickedness were destroyed, there would surely be no one to oppose the virtues. But virtue, having nothing contrary to it, would not shine forth, nor become more splendid and more tested. And a virtue not proved nor tested is not even a virtue. But if these things be said without the testimonies of the divine words, they will seem contrived rather and composed by human art than true and beyond doubt. Let us therefore inquire whether the divine volumes also contain a meaning of this kind. Let us come to Joseph. Take away the wickedness of his brothers, take away envy, take away all that parricidal scheme by which they raged against their brother, to the point of selling him: if you take these away, see how great a dispensation of God you will at the same time have destroyed; for you will at the same time cut off all those things that were done in Egypt through Joseph for the salvation of all. There would have been no interpretation of Pharaoh's dream, if through the envy of his brothers Joseph had not been sold away and come into Egypt; no one would have understood what God had revealed to the king, no one would have gathered grain in Egypt, no one would have provided for the necessity of the famine by wise foresight; Egypt would have perished, the neighboring regions too would have perished by famine, Israel itself and its seed would have perished, and seeking bread it would not have entered Egypt, nor would the sons of Israel have gone out from it with the wonders of the Lord; nowhere would there have been the plagues upon the Egyptians nor those mighty works which God did through Moses and Aaron; no one would have walked through the Red Sea with dry footsteps; mortal life would not have known the food of manna; no streams of waters would have burst forth from the following rock; the law would not have been given by God to men; the things that are recounted in Exodus, in Leviticus, in Numbers too and Deuteronomy would not have come to the knowledge of the human race; certainly no one would have entered the paternal inheritance and the land of promise. And, to come to these things which are in hand, take away the wickedness of Balak, this most evil king, by which he desires to curse Israel, remove his cunning, by which he invites Balaam to curse the people: you will likewise have taken away God's dispensation toward the sons of Israel and the favor of his providence, and nowhere will those prophecies exist which through the mouth of Balaam are prophesied both to the sons of Israel and to the nations. But if you desire this to be confirmed also by testimonies of the New Testament, if you take away the wickedness of Judas and destroy his betrayal, you will likewise have taken away the cross of Christ and his passion; and if there be no cross, the principalities and powers are not stripped, nor are they triumphed over on the wood of the cross. If there had been no death of Christ, surely there would have been no resurrection either, nor would anyone have existed as the firstborn from the dead. But if there had been no firstborn from the dead, neither would there have been for us any hope of resurrection. In a like manner, then, let us suppose concerning the devil himself, for instance, that he had been constrained by some necessity, so as not to sin, or that after his sin the will to wickedness had been taken away from him: there would at the same time surely have been taken away from us the contest against the wiles of the devil, nor would a crown of victory be looked for by him who had lawfully striven. If we did not have those who resist us, there would be no contests, nor would prizes be set up for the victors, nor would the kingdom of heaven be prepared for those who conquer, nor would this momentary and light burden of our tribulation work for us beyond measure a weight of glory in the future, nor would any of us hope, for the endurance of tribulations, for the immense glory of things to come. From all which it is gathered that God uses not only good things for a good work, but also evil things; and this is truly marvelous, that God uses evil vessels for a good work. For in this great house of the world there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of clay; and some indeed unto honor, but others unto dishonor, yet both necessary. But since these vessels of which we speak are to be understood as rational and of free choice, not by chance nor by accident is each one made either a vessel of honor or a vessel of dishonor, but he who has shown himself such as to deserve to be chosen is made a chosen vessel and a vessel of honor. But he who lives by unworthy and most base thoughts, this one is formed a vessel of dishonor, not by his maker, but by himself, the causes of his own dishonor having been given. The maker, then, did not make them to be such, but he dispenses minds of this kind according to their purpose by the justice of his providence and by a certain ineffable reason. Just as, for instance, in great cities, if there are men more unworthy and of hidden and most base life, they are condemned to work at all the meanest and most laborious tasks, and yet such tasks are necessary to the city (for example, they serve the furnaces of the bath for kindling the fires, that you may enjoy either the convenience or the delights, or they clean out the drains or perform other things of this kind, that for you the dwelling in the city may be made agreeable; and they indeed either act from their own purpose or suffer according to their deserving, yet their work is of use to those for whom the things that are good and useful are provided), so also with these things which we have set forth: God indeed did not make wickedness, yet, once it was invented by the intent of the purpose of those who turned aside from the right way, he was unwilling to take it away entirely, foreseeing this, that, even if it were useless to those who used it, he would nevertheless make it useful to those against whom it was exercised. And therefore we ought by all means to flee, lest wickedness ever be found in us; but in others we must be zealous to conquer it, not to destroy it, because even those in whom wickedness is confer some necessary work upon the universe. For nothing is idle, nothing empty with God, since either he uses the good purpose of a man for good things or he uses the evil purpose for necessary things. But you will be blessed, if rather from the virtues that are in you the universe of this life may be found to obtain some good thing from you, like those of whom the Apostle Peter says: that you may be as lights in this world, holding the word of life. Unto glory, therefore, are lights necessary to this world. And what is so delightful, what so magnificent as the work of the sun and moon, by which the world is illumined? Yet the world itself has need also of angels who are set over the beasts, and of angels who preside over earthly exercises. There is need also of angels who preside over the birth of animals, over the plantation of shrubs and plants and the rest of the increases of the fields. And again there is need of angels who preside over holy works, who teach the understanding of the eternal light and the acknowledgment of the hidden things of God and the knowledge of divine things. See, therefore, that you do not make yourself to be found among those angels who are set over the beasts, if you lead a beastly life, or among those who are set over earthly works, if you have loved bodily and earthly things. But be diligent, that you may rather be taken up into the fellowship of the angel Michael, who ever offers the prayers of the saints to God. And you will be taken up into this number or into that office, if you persist always in prayer and watch in it and fulfill what the Apostle says: "praying without ceasing." Or certainly that you may be taken up into the fellowship and office of Raphael, who presides over healing; if, when you see someone wounded by sins and pierced by the arrows of the devil, you apply the cure of words and confer the medicine of the word of God, that you may heal the wounds of sin through repentance and show the medicine of confession. He, therefore, who does works of this kind in this world, offers himself to be formed by the maker in the age to come as a vessel of election and useful to the Lord, prepared for every good work; but if he does the contrary, he will offer himself as a vessel unto dishonor to the divine dispensation. And for this reason I think it is that in the divine volumes both the deeds of the good and of the evil are written, and that the divine Scriptures are woven together out of acts both on the left hand and on the right, that we may understand that with God neither the works of the evil nor of the good are idle. But now, after a very long digression, yet one necessary to the matter, let us return to our subject.

He adds moreover: "for I know," he says, "that those whom you have blessed will be blessed, and those whom you have cursed will be cursed." I do not believe that the king knew that whomever Balaam had blessed would be blessed; but it seems to me that he says these things for the sake of flattery, so that, exalting and extolling his art, he may render him more ready for the crime. For the magical art does not know how to bless, because neither do demons know how to do good. Isaac and Jacob know how to bless, and all the saints; none of the impious knows how to bless. But at length the envoys come to Balaam. For "there came," he says, "the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, and the divinations in their hands." Among those arts of divination which human curiosity has devised, there are certain things which Scripture indeed has named "divinations," but which Gentile custom calls either tripods or cauldrons or by other terms of this kind; which, as if consecrated to this very purpose, are wont to be moved and handled by these people. Divine Scripture indeed names a certain ephod in the vernacular tongue in the prophets, which they hand down to be the garment of those who prophesy. Yet in the divine Scriptures one thing is held to be prophecy, another divination; for it says: "there shall be no augury in Jacob, nor divination in Israel. In due time it shall be told to Jacob and Israel what God is about to do." Divination, then, is utterly renounced; for it is fulfilled by the work and ministry of demons, as we have already said above. Balaam, therefore, having received the divinations, when the demons were wont to come to him, sees indeed that the demons are put to flight, but that God is present; and therefore he says that he is consulting God, because he nowhere sees the demons accustomed to obey him. God himself, then, comes to Balaam, not because he was worthy that God should come to him, but so that those might be put to flight who were accustomed to be present to him for cursing and doing harm; for from this point God was already providing for his people. He is present, then, and God says to him: "why have these men come to you?" And Balaam said to God: "Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying: behold, a people has gone out from Egypt, and has covered the face of the earth, and this one sits beside me; come now, therefore, and curse it for me, if perhaps we may be able to strike it and drive it out." And God said to Balaam: "you shall not go with them, nor shall you curse the people; for it is blessed."

There are many things that remained over for us when we were expounding the reading about Balaam and his donkey; and since it is a discourse bound by time, held in the church for the sake of edification, it did not have space enough for us to set forth each single word of Scripture in such a way that nothing at all should be left undiscussed, and to apply an explanation to each point, since indeed a style of this kind belongs rather to commentaries. Therefore those matters that seem worthy of inquiry we take up again, and, discussing them, we shall attempt to treat them with what explanation we can and to bring them into the open. But there is a further difficulty in the explanation of the history itself, namely how, when it is said that God came by night to Balaam first and asked who the men were that had come to him, and Balaam had answered that they had been sent by Balak, the son of Zippor, saying, "Come, and curse for me the people," God answered him, "You shall not go with them, nor shall you curse the people; for it is blessed"; yet again a second time it is said that God came to him by night and told him to go with them, but to observe this, that the word which God should give in his mouth, this he should speak; and again a third time, as he was going, an angel of God met him, to whom his journey seemed so far from proper or fitting that he even wished to kill him, had not the donkey, seeing the angel whom Balaam could not see, turned aside. And nevertheless, after he is blamed by the angel for having wished to go, he is again permitted by that very angel to go; only that he should keep the word which God should give in his mouth, so as to bring forth this alone and nothing further. All these things, then, have a difficult explanation; yet, as we have already said above, we shall give you in a few words occasions of understanding, so that you too may do what is written: that when these things are heard the wise may become wiser, and, "Give occasion to the wise, and he will be wiser." But before we come to the matter, we shall not even omit this, which, attending rather curiously, we observed in this place. In the letters of the Hebrews the name of God, that is God or Lord, is said to be written differently; for one thing is written for any god whatever, and another for God himself, of whom it is said: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, God is one." This God of Israel, then, the one God and creator of all, is written with a certain fixed sign of letters, which among them is called the Tetragrammaton. Whenever, therefore, God is written in the Scriptures under this sign, there is no doubt that it is said of the true God and creator of the world. But whenever it is written with other, that is, common, letters, it is held uncertain whether it is said of the true God or of one of those of whom the Apostle says: "although there are those who are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as there are many gods and many lords; yet for us there is one God the Father, from whom are all things, and we through him." Those, then, who read the Hebrew letters say that in this place God is not set down under the sign of the Tetragrammaton; concerning which let him inquire who can. But also, as to what God said to Balaam, as if asking who those men were, it is inquired why he seems to be ignorant; and again, as to what he says: "you shall not curse the people; for it is blessed," whether it can be so understood as if he had said: "you shall not curse my people."

Here a deeper question arises, and I do not know whether it is fitting to lay bare a matter of such profound mystery and to bring it forth to the crowds—and those crowds who come to the hearing of the word of God only for a few days and immediately depart, nor tarry longer in the meditation of the word of God; yet for the sake of those who are studious and thirst to hear and are able to grasp the spiritual sense, we shall say a few things out of many. Something of this sort, then, can be objected. Suppose Balaam invokes the demons, suppose he curses the people, suppose the invoked demons do what they can: can God not defend the people from the demons and destroy their power in doing harm? What need was there, then, that he himself should come to Balaam and forbid the accustomed demons to approach, lest they even attempt or endeavor to wish to injure his people? To these things, then, although not all that can occur are to be brought forth, nevertheless we shall say in part that God does not wish to condemn the race of demons before the time. For the demons themselves also know that the present age contains their time. For this reason, in fact, they even begged the Lord that he would not torment them before the time, nor send them into the abyss. And on account of this he has not removed the devil from the principality of this age, because there is still need of his work for the perfection of those who are to be crowned; there is still need of his work for the exercises of the contests and the victories of the blessed. So, then, neither does he wish to draw away the rest of the demons violently, before the time, from the intention of their purpose; and therefore from the beginning he did not permit them to be invoked through Balaam, lest perhaps, being invoked, they should be destroyed before the time and be done away with, while God defended his people. For it is one thing if a demon requests from God someone to tempt, as in the case of Job, and receives power over him with a certain distinction—for example, that it be said to him: I give you all his goods into your power, but do not touch him himself; or again: I give you power over him, but guard his soul. And it is another thing if, at a magician's demand and with certain adjurations extorting it, the demons rage without any restriction; in which case, if freedom of will be preserved for them, they will give the people of God over to destruction; but if freedom of will be taken away, this would be to have condemned the rational creature and to have brought judgment before the time and to have hindered all those who, contending against them in the contest, could be crowned. For if freedom of will be taken from the demons, no one further will assail the athletes of Christ; but with no one assailing, there will be no contest, and with the contest removed there will be no reward, no victory. For this reason, therefore, God uses such a way, so that both the people, still untrained and who had newly begun to be drawn away from the worship of demons, may not be handed over to the demons, and responses may be delivered to the invoking magician, and the race of demons may not be stripped of the power of free will. And therefore God comes beforehand and forbids Balaam to go and to invoke the demons for cursing—if only he had ceased from his cupidity. But because he persists in the desire for money, God, indulging the freedom of will, permits him to go again, yet puts his word into his mouth, forbidding the curse to be made through the demons, so that he might give place to blessings, and in place of curses he makes Balaam bring forth blessings and prophecies, which could edify not only Israel, but also the rest of the nations. For if his prophecies have been inserted by Moses into the sacred volumes, how much more were they written down by those who dwelt then in Mesopotamia, among whom Balaam was held magnificent, and of whose art it is established that they were disciples? From him, in fact, the race and institution of the magicians is said to flourish in the regions of the East, who, having written down among themselves all the things that Balaam had prophesied, had this also in writing: that "a star shall arise out of Jacob, and a man shall spring up out of Israel." These things the magicians had in writing among themselves, and therefore, when Jesus was born, they recognized the star and understood the prophecy to be fulfilled—they, rather than the people of Israel, who despised to hear the words of the holy prophets. Those, then, from these things alone which Balaam had left in writing, recognizing that the time was at hand, came and, seeking him out, straightway adored him and, that they might declare their faith to be great, venerated a small child as if a king.

Love of money then is an old and ancient vice, which showed itself even at the declaration of the divine law; for a law was given to check it. On account of love of money Balak thought Balaam could be tempted by rewards to curse the people of our fathers. Love of money would have won the day too, had not God bidden him hold back from cursing.

This Balaam, as we said above, was a diviner, foreknowing things to come sometimes by the ministry of demons and by magic art. He is asked by King Balak to curse the people of Israel; envoys come, they carry instruments of divination in their hands, the nations stand astonished and anxious, awaiting what Balaam may answer, of whom they were persuaded that he was held worthy of divine conversations. See now how wisdom makes this vessel, prepared unto dishonor, to profit unto the usefulness not only of one nation, but of almost the whole world, and to this man, to whom demons were accustomed to appear, God appears, forbidding the journey of the evil work. Balaam is amazed and marvels at the authority of the one forbidding; for it was not usual for evil to be displeasing to demons. But meanwhile he sends back the envoys, saying that he cannot do anything except the word which God should give in his mouth. The envoys return again, again he inquires, again he is troublesome, again he desires to hear; for one who is greedy does not easily lack an eye to reward. What, then, does he hear a second time from God? "If these men came to call you," he says, "arise and go with them." In which indeed God yields to the will of his greed, that what is written may be fulfilled: "he let them go according to the desire of their heart, they shall go in their own wills," yet nevertheless the counsel of the divine dispensation is fulfilled; for it is said to him: "the word, whatever I shall give in your mouth, this you shall speak." If Balaam had been worthy, God would have placed his word not in his mouth, but in his heart. But now, since in his heart there was the desire of reward and the greed of money, the word of God is placed not in his heart, but in his mouth. For a wondrous and great dispensation was being carried out, that, since the words of the prophets, which were contained within the court of Israel, could not reach the nations, through Balaam, in whom faith was held by all the nations, the secret mysteries concerning Christ might become known also to the nations, and he might carry a great treasure to the nations, borne not so much by heart and understanding as by mouth and speech. But that we may not delay over each point—for there is no time for all things to be resolved—Balaam, having mounted his donkey, went along the way; an angel met him, that one without doubt who was present with the sons of Israel. He opens the mouth of the donkey, that Balaam may be reproved through her, and that he who seemed a diviner and wise might be confuted by the voice of a dumb beast.

But let us return to the subject. Balaam is troublesome to God and almost extorts that it be permitted him to go to curse the sons of Israel and to invoke the demons, to whom God had already come. He mounts the donkey; there meets him the angel who kept watch on behalf of Israel, concerning whom it is written, the Lord saying to Moses: "my angel will go with you." To him, then, pressing on to go, it is granted; on the way he is crushed by the donkey; but the magician sees the demons, he does not see the angel; the donkey, however, sees it. Not because she was worthy to see the angel, just as neither was she worthy to speak, but so that Balaam might be confuted and, as Scripture says in a certain place, a mute animal, answering with human voice, might rebuke the madness of the prophet. But since many things have now been said concerning the history, let us touch also on some things concerning the allegory at the end. If you see the contrary power assailing the people of God, you understand who it is that sits upon the donkey; and if you consider men, how they are cast headlong by demons, you understand what the donkey is. For thus in the Gospel too you will understand Jesus sending his disciples to the donkey, which was tied, and to its colt, that the disciples may loose her and lead her, that he himself may sit upon her. And perhaps this donkey—that is, the Church—formerly bore Balaam, but now Christ, from the time when she was loosed by the disciples and, released from the bonds by which she had been bound, that the Son of God might sit upon her and with her might enter into the holy city, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "rejoice, daughter of Zion; proclaim, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your king comes to you, meek and sitting upon a beast of burden." By the beast of burden—that is, the donkey—he means, without doubt, those who believe from among the Jews, and by the young colt those, surely, who from among the nations believe in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.

But after these things it now seems fitting to touch also on something of allegory. This Balaam, who is interpreted "a vain people," seems to me to bear the person of the scribes and Pharisees of the Jewish people. But Balak, who is interpreted "exclusion" or "devouring," is himself also to be understood as bearing the person of some one of the spiritual contrary powers of this world, which desires to exclude and devour Israel—not that Israel which is according to the flesh, but that which is according to the spirit. This contrary power, then, wishing the spiritual Israel to be destroyed and utterly extinguished, uses no other ministers than the chief priests and scribes and Pharisees; it invites these, to these it promises rewards and prizes. But they, just as this Balaam does, feign that they refer all things to God and act with zeal for God; for they say: "search the Scriptures and see that a prophet does not arise out of Galilee"; and again they say: "we have a law, and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." Through each of these things the scribes and Pharisees indeed seem to have zeal for God, but a feigned one. But the donkey on which Balaam sat, since Scripture says: "men and beasts you will save, O Lord," can be understood as that part of the believers which, whether for foolishness or for innocence, is compared to animals. For thus also the Apostle says: "consider your calling, brothers, that not many among you are wise, not many powerful, not many noble; but the foolish things of the world God has chosen, that he may confound the wise." These, then, such as they are—as the deeds that were done in the parables in the Gospel signify—were held in a manner subjected and bound by those most evil masters, the scribes and Pharisees, but they are loosed by the Lord, not indeed through the Lord himself, but through his disciples; for he himself says to the disciples: "go into the village that is opposite you; and you will find a donkey tied and her colt; loose them and bring them." As, therefore, in the Gospel not the Lord himself, but the disciples loose the donkey, so also here the mouth of the donkey is opened not by God himself, but by an angel; and as in the Gospels those who do not see reprove those who see, so also here those who were dumb reprove those who speak. And this is what the Lord said: "Father, I give you thanks, because you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to little ones." The scribes, therefore, and Pharisees were they who sat upon this donkey and held her bound. Against these, then, the angel is angry, and, but for a certain foresight of things to come, he would indeed have destroyed them, but would have saved the donkey, who saw and reverenced him who came to the vineyard and stood among the vineyards. Yet he crushed the feet of the one sitting upon her against the wall, and therefore perhaps that ancient rider of hers cannot walk, nor come to him who says: "come to me all you who labor and are burdened." Yet the donkey comes, led by the disciples, and on her, on whom then sat Balaam greedy for reward, now Jesus sits. And do not marvel if you see him, whom we said bears the form of the scribes and teachers of the people, prophesying about Christ; for we read that Caiaphas also did this, who said: "it is expedient for you that one man perish for the whole people"; but this, it says, because he was high priest of that year, he prophesied. Balaam therefore also prophesies about Christ, and therefore let no one be exalted, even if he prophesy, even if he deserve foreknowledge, but let him return to the saying of the Apostle, who, looking to these things, says: "whether prophecies, they will be abolished; whether tongues, they will cease; whether knowledge, it will be destroyed." And what, then, is it that remains? "Faith," he says, "and hope and charity; but the greater of these is charity." And "charity alone," he says, "is that which never falls." Therefore above prophecy, above knowledge, above faith, above even martyrdom itself, as Paul teaches, charity is to be held and charity is to be cultivated, because both God is charity and Christ his Son is charity, who may deign to grant us the perfection of charity. To him be glory unto ages of ages. Amen.

Now what was the guilt which Balaam incurred, but that he spoke one thing, and designed another? For God requires a clean vessel, not one defiled by uncleanness and pollution. Balaam therefore was tried, not approved, for he was full of deceit and treachery. Again, when he first enquired whether he should go to that vain people, and was forbidden, he excused himself: afterwards, when more honourable messages were sent, he who ought to have refused consent, seduced by ampler promises and more abundant gifts, was led again to enquire of God, as if many gifts could influence the mind of God.

Answer was made to him as to a covetous man, not as to one who sought the truths that so he might rather be deceived than rightly informed. He set out, an Angel met him in a narrow place, and shewed himself to the ass, but not to the diviner. To the former he revealed himself, the latter he crushed; yet, that he might at length be recognized by him, he opened his eyes also. He saw, but even yet he did not believe the manifest oracle, and though his very eyes ought to have convinced him, he answered confusedly and doubtingly.

The sick are to be admonished to consider how great health of the heart is in bodily affliction, which recalls the mind to knowledge of itself, and renews the memory of infirmity which health for the most part casts away, so that the spirit, which is carried out of itself into elation, may be reminded by the smitten flesh from which it suffers to what condition it is subject. Which thing is rightly signified to Balaam (had he but been willing to follow obediently the voice of God) in the very retardation of his journey. For Balaam is on his way to attain his purpose; but the animal which is under him thwarts his desire. The ass, stopped by the prohibition, sees an angel which the human mind sees not; because for the most part the flesh, slow through afflictions, indicates to the mind from the scourge which it endures the God whom the mind itself which has the flesh under it did not see, in such sort as to impede the eagerness of the spirit which desires to advance in this world as though proceeding on a journey, until it makes known to it the invisible one who stands in its way.

I even think those birds blessed, which were offered for the birth of the Lord; and just as I marvel at Balaam's ass and heap up her happiness, because she was worthy not only to see the angel of God, but also, with her mouth unlocked, to break forth into human speech, so much more do I proclaim and exalt these birds, that they were offered for our Lord and Savior before the altar.