A Good Welcome

Ἐὰν τὴν στεφάνην ἐπιθῶμεν τῷ δώματι τῆς καλῆς πολιτείας, δυνήσόμεθα πάντως καθ' ὁμοίωσιν τῆς πιστοτάτης Ῥαὰβ, οὐχὶ κάτω που, ἀλλὰ ἄνω μᾶλλον ὑποδέξασθαι καὶ ξενίσαι τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἀληθέστερον δὲ λέξω, αὐτὸν ξενοδοχῆσαι Ἰησουν Χριστὸν τὸν τῶν ἀγγέλων Δεσπότην. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΞΑ' Μελετιῳ Καγκελλαριῳ Source: Migne PG 79.109-b-c

If we would put on the crown in the house of good living, we are certainly able to do so in the likeness of the most faithful Rahab, who did not receive the messengers of Joshua in any place below, but in the heights, 1 and so, I speak truly, we welcome Christ the Lord of the angels. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 61, To Meletius the Cancellarius 1 Joshua 2.1-6

A Prostitute Transformed

Ῥαὰβ πλατυσμὸς ἑρμηνεύεται, ἡ γὰρ τὸ πρῶτον πόρνη, νῦν δὲ σώφρων Ἐκκλησία διὰ τῆς πίστεως πλατύνεται ταῖς θεωρίαις, καὶ τοῖς θείοις νοήμασιν. Διὰ τοῦτο Κορινθίοις γράφει ὁ μέγας Ἀπόστολος· Μὴ στενοχωρεῖσθε· μᾶλλον δὲ πλατύνθητε, καθάπερ οὖν ἡ ἐμη καρία πεπλάτυται.  Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΝΓ' Πλουτινῳ Ὑπατικῳ  Source: Migne PG 79.105d

Rahab translated means broadening, for she who was first a prostitute is now the prudent Church, by faith being broadened with insight, and even with Divine understanding. On account of this the great Apostle writes to the Corinthians: Do not grieve, rather be broadened, as even my heart has been broadened. 1 Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 53,To Plutinos The Consul 1 cf 2 Cor 6.11-13

Keeping The Spies

Haec quae prius idolis prostituta fuit meretrix impia, suscipens exploratores Jesu, facta est fidelis et casta: quos custodiens a persequentibus inimicis, non in inferioribus depositos obruit, sed in solario domus suae levatos latenter abscondit. Solarium vere propterea dicitur, eo quod solis lumine perfundatur. Quis est autem sol humani cordis, nisi ille de quo dictum est per prophetam: Timentibus autem nomen meum orietur sol justitiae, et sanitas in pennis ejus . De ispo sole oriente Zacharias in Evangelio sic prophetat: Quia visitavit nos oriens ex alto, illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent. Nam et Abacuc prophet Christi ascensionem et ordinis ecclesiastici firmitatem sub nomine solis lunaeque sic praedicat: Elevatus est sol, et luna stetit in ordine suo.  Cor ego uniuscujusque fidelis non incongrue spiritale solarium dicitur, quod solis illius superni radiis salubriter illustratur. Raab itaque meretrix quos exploratores Jesu in solario suae domus abscondit, utique in superioribus, hoc est spiritali scientia illuminati cordis intima dilectione continuit, ut propheticum illud eloquium operis veritate cantaret: In corde meo abscondi eloquia tua, ut non peccem tibi. Vera itaque fides, quae divinis eloquiis intimatur, tunc persequentibis non traditur, tunc in corde fidelium inviolata et incolumis custoditur, si non terrenis, et caducis, atque carnalibus, sed coelestibus et spiritalibus promissis animus perserveret affixus, nec contempletur quae videntur, sed quae non videntur: Quae enim videntur temporalia sunt, sicut ait Apostolus: quae autem non videntur, aeterna sunt. Caeterum quisquis propterea Christianam fidem tenet, ut res terrenas et transitorias acquirat, iste exploratores Jesu, non in superioribus domus suae, sed in inferioribus collocat; ubi cum fuerint positi, facilius et inveriri possunt ab inimicis et perimi. Omnis enim persecutor et inimicus Ecclesiae illos spiritaliter interimit, et ipsis ingerit aeternae mortis interitum, quorum cor invenerit terrenis et caducis rebus innexum. Sanctus Fulgentius Ruspensis, De Remissione Peccatorum, Lib I, Cap XXI Source: Migne 65 544d-545b

This woman who was an impious prostitute among idols, taking in the spies of Joshua, was made faithful and chaste, guarding them from the enemy who sought them, not driving them down into a room below, but sending them up to a high chamber of her house to hide them there. 1And indeed such a place is named a solarium because it is lit by the light of the sun. And what is the sun of the human heart, unless that concerning which it is said through the Prophet: 'On those who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise and healing is in its wings.'  2 And concerning the same rising sun Zachariah makes prophecy in the Gospel: 'For he has visited us rising from the height, to illuminate those who are sat in darkness and in the shadow of death.' 3 And the prophet Habakkuk speaks of the Ascension of Christ and the firmness of the ecclesiastical order under the name of the sun and moon: 'Elevated is the sun and the moon stands in its circuit.' 4 Thus it is not unreasonable to speak of the heart of one faithful as being spiritually lit by the sun, enlightened with the wholesome rays of the supernal sun. The whore Rahab thus hid the spies of Joshua in the sun room of her house, that is, in the high place, that is, the chambers of her heart were with spiritual illumination continually lit, that she might in truth have sung that prophetical verse: 'In my heart I have hidden your words, that I might not sin against you.' 5 Thus true faith, which the inspired speech intimates, is not then given over to persecutors, but is guarded in the heart of the faithful inviolate and unharmed, if the soul is firmly fastened not to worldly things, to fallen things, to flesh, but to heavenly and spiritual promises, not contemplating what is seen, but what is not seen, for what is seen is transient, says the Apostle, and what is not is eternal. 6 Whoever therefore holding the Christian faith, would acquire things worldly and transient, he sends the spies of Joshua not into the heights of his house but into the depths, where being placed, they are easily found by the enemy and seized. For every persecutor of the Church seeks to kill them spiritually, and to bring them into eternal death, which is found in the heart bound to worldly and fallen things. Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, On the Forgiveness of Sins, Book 1, Chap 21 1 Joshua 2. 1-6 2 Malac 4.2 3 Luc 1.78-79 4 Habac 3.11 LXX 5 Ps 118.11 6 2 Cor 4.18

The Nations And Salvation

Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei. Quasi intuebatur civitatem illam Ierusalem in terra. Nam videte quam civitatem dicit, de qua dicta sunt quaedam gloriosissima. Nam illa destructa est in terra; hostes passa cecidit in terram, iam non est quod erat: expressit imaginem, transivit umbra. Unde igitur: Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei? Audi unde: Memor ero Raab et Babylonis, scientibus me. In illa civitate, inquit iam ex persona Dei, memor ero Raab, et memor ero Babylonis. Raab non pertinet ad populum Iudaeorum; Babylon non pertinet ad populum Iudaeorum. Nam sequitur: Etenim alienigenae, et Tyrus, et populus Aethiopum, hi fuerunt ibi. Merito gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei: ubi non solus est ille populus Iudaeorum natus ex carne Abrahae; sed ibi omnes gentes, quarum quaedam nominatae sunt, ut omnes intellegantur. Memor ero, inquit: Raab: quae ista est meretrix, illa in Iericho meretrix quae suscepit nuntios et alia via eiecit; quae praesumpsit in promissione, quae timuit Deum, cui dictum est ut per fenestram mitteret coccum, id est, ut in fronte haberet signum sanguinis Christi. Salvata est ibi, et Ecclesiam Gentium significavit. Unde Dominus superbientibus Pharisaeis: Amen dico vobis, publicani et meretrices praecedunt vos in regnum coelorum. Praecedunt, quia vim faciunt: impellunt credendo, et ceditur fidei, nec obsistere potest quisquam; quia qui vim faciunt, diripiunt illud. Ibi enim positum est: Regnum coelorum vim patitur, et qui vim faciunt, diripiunt illud. Hoc fecit ille latro, fortior in cruce quam in fauce. Memor ero Raab et Babylonis. Babylon civitas dicitur secundum saeculum. Quomodo una civitas sancta, Ierusalem; una civitas iniqua, Babylon: omnes iniqui ad Babyloniam pertinent; quomodo omnes sancti ad Ierusalem. Sed delabitur de Babylone in Ierusalem. Unde, nisi per eum qui iustificat impium? Piorum civitas Ierusalem; impiorum civitas Babylon. Sed venit ille qui iustificat impium; quia: Memor ero, inquit, non solum Raab, sed etiam Babylonis. Sed quorum memor erit Raab et Babylonis? Scientibus me. Ideo quodam loco dicit Scriptura: Effunde iram tuam in gentes quae te non cognoverunt. Hic ait: Effunde iram tuam in gentes quae te non cognoverunt; et alibi: Praetende misericordiam tuam scientibus te. Et ut noveritis quia in Raab et Babylone Gentes significavit; quasi diceretur: Quid est quod dixisti: Memor ero Raab et Babylonis, scientibus me? quare hoc dixisti? Etenim alienigenae, inquit, id est, pertinentes ad Raab, pertinentes ad Babylonem, et Tyrus. Sed quousque Gentes? Usque ad fines terrae. Elegit enim populum qui in fine terrae est: Et populus, inquit: Aethiopum, hi fuerunt ibi. Si ergo ibi Raab, ibi ex Babylone, quia ibi alienigenae, ibi Tyrus, ibi populus Aethiopum; merito, gloriosissima de te dicta sunt, civitas Dei. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, Enarratio in Psalmum LXXXVI Source: Migne PL 37 1105-1106

Glorious things are said of you, city of God. 1 He was, as it were, contemplating that city of Jerusalem on earth. For consider what city he speaks of, of which are spoken certain most glorious things. For the earthly city has been destroyed; suffering the enemy, it fell to the earth; now it is not what it was; it has shown the image and the shadow has passed away. How then is it said: 'Glorious things spoken of you, city of God'? Listen how: 'I will be mindful of Rahab and Babylon, with those who know me' 2. In that city, he says in the person of God, 'I will be mindful of Rahab and I will be mindful of Babylon.' Rahab does not belong to the Jewish people, Babylon does not belong to the Jewish people. For it follows: 'Even a foreign people, and Tyre, and the people of Ethiopia, they were there.' With good reason then, 'Glorious things are spoken of you, city of God,' where not only is found the Jewish people, born of the flesh of Abraham, but all nations, some of which are named that all may be understood. 'I will be mindful,' he says, 'of Rahab.' She who is that harlot, that harlot in Jericho who received the spies and conducted them out of the city by a different road, who trusted beforehand in the promise, who feared God, who was told to hang out of the window a scarlet thread, that is, to bear upon her brow the sign of the blood of Christ. She was saved there, and thus signified the Church of the Gentiles, whence our Lord said to the proud Pharisees, 'Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go before you into the kingdom of God.' 3 They go before, because they act vigorously. They are driven by faith, and to faith there is yielding, nor can any resist, since they who are forceful seize it. For it is written, 'The kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent seize it' 4 Such was the conduct of the thief, more courageous on the cross than at ambush. 'I will be mindful of Rahab and Babylon.' And by Babylon he speaks of the city of this world. As there is one holy city, Jerusalem, so there is one unholy one, Babylon. All the wicked belong to Babylon, even as all the holy do to Jerusalem. But he slips from Babylon to Jerusalem. How, but by Him who justifies the impious? The city of the pious is Jerusalem, Babylon is the city of the impious, but He comes who justifies the impious, since it is said, 'I will be mindful' not only 'of Rahab,' but even 'of Babylon.' And then of whom shall he be mindful? 'Those who know me.' Whence it is said in Scripture, 'Pour out your anger on the people who have not known you.' 5 Here then he says: Pour out your anger on a people who have not known you. And elsewhere: 'Give your mercy to those who know you.' 6 And that you know that by Rahab and Babylon the Gentiles are signified, it is as if it were said, 'What is this that you say, 'I am mindful of Rahab and Babylon with those who know me of me? Why do you say this?' Even a foreign people, he says, belonging to Rahab, to Babylon, to Tyre. 'And how many people?' Even to the ends of the earth. For indeed he chooses a people who are at the end of the earth, and the people of Ethiopia, he says, these shall be with me. If then there is Rahab, and there is the people of Babylon, and there is a foreign people, and there is the people of Ethiopia, rightly it is said, 'Most glorious things are said of you, city of God.' Saint Augustine of Hippo, Enarrations on the Psalms, from Psalm 86 1 Ps 86.3 2 Ps 68.4 3 Mt 21.31 4 Mt 11.12  5 Ps 78.6  6 Ps 35.11

Rahab And The Spies

Iste Jesus filius Nun mittit duos exploratores ad Jericho urbem, qui suscipiuntur a meretrice Raab. Jesus iste dux populi in sememtipso Dominum Jesum Christum et vocabulo ostendit et facto. Jericho autem civitas mundus iste est, ad quem Dominus Jesus Christus ad perscrutandos mores hominum duo Testamenta direxit. Nam in eum, ut credentium fidem, aut rebellium pervicaciam plenius comprobaret, ante adventum judicii sui, quasi exploratores duos, legem et Evangelium destinavit. Raab vero typum tenet Ecclesiae, quae de extraneis atque alienis gentibus congregate est, quae antea vivens in desideriis carnis, fornicabatur in idolis. De talibus ait Dominus quod praecedent vos in regno coelorum.  Haec igitur Testamenta Domini sola suscepit, et eadem fideliter conservat, inimicis omnino non tradidit, ipsa potis periclitari optans, dummodo illaesa ac salva servaret. Haec casurum mundum, sicut illam civitatem, firmiter credidit. Haec pro se ac suorum omnium salute pactum cum Testamentis Domini fecit. Haec in domo sua coccum, id est, sanguinis signum posuit. Extra hanc si quis inventus fuerit, ruinam saeculi atque incendium mundi nulla ratione vitabit. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis,Mysticorum Expositiones Sacramentorum Seu Quaestiones In Vetus Testamentum, In Josue, Caput II Source: Migne PL 83.371

This Joshua son of Nun sent two spies to the city of Jericho who were taken in by the harlot Rahab. 1 And that this Joshua leader of the people is our Lord Jesus Christ is shown in the name and the deed. 2 The city of Jericho is the world, to which the Lord Jesus Christ sends the two testaments for the scrutinizing of the ways of men. For thus, that the faith of believers, or the rebelliousness of the obstinate He fully prove, before the coming of His judgement, so he sends these two spies, the Law and the Gospel. Rahab is a type of the Church whom from an exterior and alien people is gathered, who before were living in the flesh and fornicating with idols. And concerning such the Lord says that 'They shall proceed you into the kingdom of heaven.' 3 She alone takes up the testaments of the Lord and faithfully guards them, not giving them to the enemy but desiring to risk danger while she protects inviolate and secure what she has. She among the events of the world, that city, firmly believes. She makes the way with the testaments of the Lord for her salvation and all belonging to her. She has placed in her house the scarlet, that is the sign of blood. And if someone is found without this he will on no account escape the ruin and the burning of the world. Saint Isidore of Seville, Expositions of Sacred Mysteries or Questions on the Old Testament, On Joshua, Chap 2 1 Joshua 2.1 2 Jesus is a form of the name Joshua 3 Mt 21.31