Three Commands

Contemplare viam, tene lumbrum, confortare robore vehementer, quoniam avertit Dominus contumeliam Jacob... Tria preacipiuntur Judae. Primum, ut contempletur viam, et iter per quod ambulaturus est, diligenter ascpiciat, juxta illud quod in Jeremia scriptum est: State in viis, et interrogate semitas aeternas, et videte quae sit via bona; et ambulate in ea: ut cum steterimus in viis multis, veniamus ad eam viam quae dicit: Ego sum via. Deinde dicitur ei, ut teneat lumbum, id est, ut post electionem viae mortificet corpus suum, et servituti subjiciat, ne quasi rex et magister aliis praedicens, ipse reprobus inveniatur. Longum est nunc dicere, quod virtus diaboli vel maxime sit in lumbis, et quod ad David repromissio fiat: De fructu lumbi tui ponam super thronum tuum. Et illud Apostoli: Adhuc enim in lumbo patris sui erat Abrahae, Levi, quando ivit in occursum Abraham Melchisedech. Et quod Joannes zona pellicea cingitur, et quod a Salvatore discipulis imperatur: Sint lumbi vestri praecincti. Et Apostolus ad Ephesios: State ergo accincti lumbos vestros in veritate: licet enim ἄσκησις plurimum praestet, et vitae continentia super mortificatione lumborum; tamen nihil eos ita mortificat ut cognitio veritatis. Unde dicitur: Accingite lumbos vestros in veritate. Si enim veritas est Christus, qui tota in Christo mente credidit, lumbos suos mortificavit in Christo. Tertio praecipitur, confortate virtute nimis: elegisti, inquit, viam, tenuisti lumbum, assume virtutem: ut possis pugnare cum hostibus. Et ne forte diffidas, datur tibi causa cur speres: Avertit, inquit, Dominus contumeliam Jacob, sicut contumeliam Israel, Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum In Naum Prophetam Migne PL 25.1244b-1245d

Contemplate the way, gird your loins and gather all your strength, since the Lord will take away the disgrace of Jacob like the disgrace of Israel...' 1 Three things are commanded Judah. First that he contemplate the way and diligently scrutinize the path on which he shall walk, according to which it is written in Jeremiah, 'Stand in the ways and ask after the eternal paths and see what might be the good way and walk in it.' 2 That when we have stood in the many ways, we come to that way which says, 'I am the way.' 3 Then it is said to him that he should gird his lions, that is, that after the choice of the way that he should mortify his body, and that he should subject it to discipline, lest as a king and teacher admonishing others, he is found worthy of reproof. 4 Too long would it be for me now to speak of what great power the devil has in the lions, and what was promised to David, 'From out the fruit on your loins I shall place on your throne. 5 And the Apostle: 'For yet in the loins of his father Abraham was Levi, when Melchizedek went to meet Abraham,' 6 And when John girded himself with a belt of leather, 7 and that the Saviour commanded his disciples: 'May your loins be girded.' 8 And the Apostle to the Ephesians: 'Stand thus with your loins girded in truth.' 9 for one may set asceticism over these many things, and the continence of life over the mortification of loins: however nothing so mortifies like the knowledge of truth. Whence it is said: 'Gird your loins in truth.' For if Christ is the truth, he who believes in Christ with his whole mind, mortifies his loins in Christ. Thirdly it is commanded, gather all your strength. You have chosen the way, it says, you have girded your loins, now take up virtue that you be able to fight with the enemy. And lest perhaps you hesitate, the reason is given why you should hope: 'The Lord takes away the disgrace of Jacob and the disgrace of Israel.' Saint Jerome, from the Commentary on Nahum 1 Nahum 2, 1-2 2 Jeremiah 6.16 3 Jn 14.6 4 1 Cor 9.27 5 Ps 131.11 6 Hebr 7.10 7 Mt 3.4 8 Lk 12.35 9 Ephes 6.14