Part 24 (1/2)

111. This is the teaching of the words: ”The sons of G.o.d saw the daughters of men that they were fair.” Why did they not see the daughters of G.o.d and desire those in the Church and possess the promise of the seed? Are they not convicted of contempt for the sisters of their own generation, that is the true Church, and of mingling with the carnal and impious generation of Cain? They despise the simplicity and reserve of their sisters and prefer the smiles, the dress, the wiles of the daughters of Cain; the latter they crave and cultivate, the former they treat either with neglect or dishonor.

112. With such eyes as Eve viewed the apples when she fell into sin, the sons of G.o.d viewed the daughters of men. Eve had seen the forbidden tree before that, but with eyes of faith looking back to G.o.d's commandment; for that reason she did not crave, but rather she fled from the same. When, however, the eyes of faith were dimmed and she beheld the tree solely with carnal eyes, she stretched out her hand with desire and invited also Adam, her husband.

113. Likewise the sons of the patriarchs had seen long before that the daughters of the Cainites excelled in form, dress and elegance of manners. Nevertheless, they did not mingle with them, for the eye of faith looked back to the commandment of G.o.d and to the promise of the seed to be born from the generation of the righteous. But the eyes of faith having been lost, they saw no longer either the command or the promise of G.o.d, but followed merely the desire of the flesh. The simple, good and virtuous girls of their own generation they despised; the Cainites they married, seeing they were polished, charming and pleasant.

114. It is not a sin, therefore, that they marry, nor is the s.e.x in itself condemned. Condemnation lies in this, that with contempt of the divine commandment they marry unlawfully; that they permit themselves to be led astray by their wives from the true wors.h.i.+p to the wicked wors.h.i.+p of a false church; that, after the fas.h.i.+on of the Cainites, they pay no heed to parental authority and become guilty of violence, oppression and other sins.

Moses clearly reveals their sin when he says: ”They took them wives of all that they chose,” as if he said: To marry a wife is not an evil but a blessing, if it be done lawfully. But they sinned in that they married without judgment, against the will and purpose of the parents, marrying whom and as many as they pleased, regardless of their own estate, whether married or single.

115. This is a stern word, by which Moses characterizes it as a great sin that they arbitrarily married two wives or more, exchanged them, or s.n.a.t.c.hed them from others, after the manner of Herod, who possessed himself of his brother's wife. It is this unbridled reign of evil l.u.s.t that Moses discloses and condemns.

116. Berosus writes that incestuous marriages also took place among them, so that they married even their mothers and sisters. But I doubt whether they were so wicked as that. It is a sin sufficiently grave that in marrying they dispensed with judgment, the authority of their parents and even with the Word of G.o.d, following altogether the guidance of l.u.s.t and desire. They took whom they pleased and whom they could, and by such license they brought chaos into domestic, public and churchly relations.

B. DISORDER IN ALL BRANCHES OF SOCIETY

The sin of the primeval world was, therefore, an upheaval of all established order, inasmuch as the Church was demoralized by idolatry and false modes of wors.h.i.+p. This condition was aggravated by those oppressors who cruelly persecuted the righteous teachers and holy men.

Public discipline was destroyed by oppression and violent deeds, and domestic discipline by uncurbed l.u.s.t. Upon such overturning of piety and integrity followed universal depravity; men were not merely evil but plainly incorrigible.

C. THE TYRANNY EXERCISED.

V. 4a. _The Nephilim_ (giants) _were in the earth in those days,_

117. Moses continues the description of the sin and offense which provoked the deluge. The first point was that the sons of G.o.d had fallen from the fear of G.o.d, and the Word had become altogether carnal, perverting not only the Church but also the State and home.

Now he adds that wickedness had grown to the extent of giants arising upon earth. He clearly states that there were born from the concubinage of the sons of G.o.d with the daughters of men, not sons of G.o.d, but giants; that is, bold men who arrogated to themselves at the same time both government and priesthood.

118. Just so the pope arrogates to himself at the same time the spiritual and the temporal sword. This would not be the height of evil, if he would only make use of his power for the preservation of State and Church; but the greatest sin is that he abuses his power for the establishment of idolatry, for a warfare against sound doctrine, and for purposes of oppression even in the State. When the Papists are reproved with the Word of G.o.d, they spurn such reproof, claiming that they are the Church and incapable of error. This cla.s.s of people Moses calls ”giants,” men who arrogate to themselves power both political and ecclesiastical, and who sin most licentiously.

119. Such men are described in the Book of Wisdom who say: ”Let unrighteousness be our law,” 2, 11. Also in Psalms, 12, 4: ”Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?” Again in Psalm 73. ”They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: they speak loftily,” etc. Such were the giants who withstood the Holy Spirit to his face, who, through the mouth of Lamech, Noah and the sons of Noah, exhorted, implored, taught and reproved.

120. There are those who dispute the meaning of the noun Nephilim and derive it from _Naphal_, which signifies ”to fall.” They commonly take it in a pa.s.sive sense, meaning that other men, seeing the uncouth forms and extraordinary size, fell down from fear. Let the rabbis vouch for the correctness of this; it is ridiculous to call them ”_Nephilim_” because others fell. Some, however, suggest the etymology that they were thus called because they had fallen from the common stature of men, and allege as proof-pa.s.sage Numbers 13, 33, from which it appears that giants possessed huge bodies like the Anakim and Rephaim. Which of these are right, I do not decide, especially since it is certain that a theory of all words can not be given, nor their origin demonstrated.

121. But here another question obtrudes itself: Why should those born from the sons of G.o.d and the daughters of men alone have differed from the ordinary stature of man? I have no other answer than that the text says nothing of stature in this place. In Numbers 13, 33 it is said: ”There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, who come of the giants: and we were in our sight as gra.s.shoppers, and so we were in their sight.” There hugeness of body is shown, but not here; therefore they may be called giants for some other reason than ma.s.sive stature.

122. To give my opinion of the word, I hold it is to be taken neither in the sense of the neuter nor of the pa.s.sive, but of the active, inasmuch as the word ”_naphal_” is often used in the sense of the active, though it does not belong to the third conjugation, in which almost all transitive verbs are found. Thus in Joshua 11, 7: ”So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell upon them.” If the verb is construed as neuter, as if Joshua and his men had fallen before the enemies, history will object; for the meaning is that they fell upon the enemies and suddenly overpowered them.

123. Therefore, this pa.s.sage and other, similar ones prompt me to understand ”_nephilim_” to designate not bulk of body, but tyranny and oppression, inasmuch as they domineered by force, making no account of law and honor, but merely indulging their pleasure and desire.

Rightful rulers the Scripture calls shepherds and princes, but those who rule by wrong and violence are rightly called ”_Nephilim_,”

because they fall and prey upon those beneath them.

Thus in Psalm 10: ”He croucheth and humbleth himself and _Venaphal Baa Zumaf Helkaim_ (falls with his strong ones upon the poor)”. The Holy Spirit speaks there of the reign of the Antichrist, whom he describes as raging so furiously as to crush what he can, and, at all events, to bend what he cannot crush, so that afterward he may suppress with all his strength what has been bent. For _baazuma_ can be indifferently rendered by ”with his strength,” or ”with his strong ones.” This power, he says, he uses only against those who are _Hilkaim_, that is the poor, such as have previously been in some state of affliction.

Others who excel in power, he wors.h.i.+ps so as to draw them over to his side.

124. Accordingly I interpret ”giants” in this pa.s.sage not as men of huge stature, as in Numbers 13, 33, but as violent and oppressive; as the poets depict the Cyclopeans, who fear neither G.o.d nor men, but follow only their desires, relying upon their strength and power. For the oppressors sit enthroned in majesty, sway empires and kingdoms, and arrogate to themselves even spiritual power, but use such power against the Church and the Word of G.o.d for the gratification of their l.u.s.t.

125. Observe here the strange counsel of G.o.d, commanding us to fear the authorities, to obey, serve and honor them, while at the same time the threats and dreadful reproofs which he administers are almost invariably directed against those in authority, against kings and princes, as if G.o.d proceeded against them with a peculiar hatred.

Scripture enjoins upon us to honor authority, but itself does not honor it; rather it destroys it with a threat of the gravest penalties. Scripture enjoins us to fear authority, but itself appears to despise authorities, inasmuch as it does not commend but threatens.