The Descent of God

Descendit ut videret. Descendere Deus dicitur quando se sensibus vel operibus commodat humanis, sicut ad Moysen dixit: Videns vidi afflictionem populi mei, et descendi liberare eos. Et de Sodomitis dictum est: Descendam, et videbo utrum eum clamorem qui venit ad me opere compleverint. Et nota in sequentibus hic mysterium Trinitatis commendari, cum dicit: Descendamus et confundamus. Mystice turris haec mundi superbiam signat, sive etiam elationem haereticorum quit turrim pravi dogmatis contra Deum volunt aedificare. Quae merito turris Babel, id est confusionis appellatur. Profecti sunt autem de Oriente, quia verum solem reliquerunt. Invenerunt campum Senaar, qui interpretatur fetor vel excussio dentium, quia dogmata haereticorum non bonum Christi odorem, sed fetorem habent, et amiserunt dentes quibus cibos verbi Dei commolerent. Remigius Antissiodorensis, Commentarius In Genesim, Cap XI Source: Migne PL 131.81c-d

He descended that He might see. 1 God is said to descend when He turns to human minds and works, as He said to Moses: 'I have seen the affliction of my people, and I have come down to liberate them.' 2 And concerning Sodom He says: 'I shall descend and I shall see whether the clamour that comes to me suits the work.' 3 And note the commendation of the mystery of the Trinity in what follows, when He says, 'Let us descend and let us confound.' Spiritually the tower signifies the pride of the world, or indeed the elation of heretics who wish to build a tower of depraved teaching against God. Which is rightly called 'the tower of Babel,' that is, confusion. 'And they came from the east,' because they have forsaken the true sun. 'They came upon the plain of Shinar,' 4 which some interpretate 'fetor', or 'a breaking of teeth,' because the teachings of heretics have no good scent of Christ, 5 but a stench, and they lose their teeth by which they chewed the bread of the word of God. Remigius of Auxerre, Commentary On Genesis, Chap 11 1 Gen 11.5 2 Exod 3.8 3 Gen 18.21 4 Gen 11.2 5 cf 2 Cor 2.14-16