SR
← Collationes (Conferences / Collations)/Book 2 · Collationes — Liber II
Chapter 28OdoC.2.28

Caput XXVII

The Iron of Fear Before the Ointment of Love

Scripture's threats are meant to pierce the hardened soul with fear so that, once the wound of sin is laid bare, divine love and consolation may enter and abide.

Perhaps someone asks why things that strike terror are set down without any words of consolation. But the present discussion concerns those who, resisting the divine commandment, have abandoned the fear of the Lord: they incur a sickness of the soul, and yet are not pierced by compunction. For it is necessary that in them the rottenness of the wound be first cut out with the iron of fear, lest, with the pus of sin continually flowing down, the sweetness of the ointment be refused entry. For all the threats of Scripture are hurled against sinners — but only until they repent. And on the other hand, all the consolations of that same Scripture, from the hour they perhaps repent, are extended to them in gentleness. For as Augustine says in the letter of John, iron pierces the hide so that the flax may be able to enter. And so it is necessary that fear pierce the mind, according to that word: 'Pierce with your fear my flesh' (Ps. CXVIII, 120), so that, a hole having been made as if by iron, love — which is meant to abide — may follow in.

Itching Ears and the Refusal of Holy Fear

The wicked prefer pleasant words to divine threats, yet Scripture warns that those who refuse to be frightened by God's warnings will ultimately experience the very terrors they scorned.

It is the custom of the wicked to refuse to hear anything that might disturb their earthly joy, but they gladly listen to those who speak pleasing things. The Apostle speaks of these people: "They will heap up for themselves teachers, itching in their ears" (2 Tim.✦ 4:3). And the prophet speaks in their voice: "Speak to us pleasing things" (Isa.✦ 30:10). But to the Lord, to teachers, and to hearers He speaks with terrible threats, saying through the prophet: "Both those who bless and those who are blessed will be cast down" (Isa.✦ 9:16). Indeed, for those who love the law there is great peace; and on the other hand, there is no peace for the impious, says the Lord. Whoever, therefore, refuses to be frightened even by hearing the threats of Scripture — how much more ought that person to fear experiencing those very threats?

The Two Ways: Obedience and Its Reward

God promises rest and peace to those who turn from evil and heed His word, but threatens destruction to those who refuse — a contrast illustrated by the reverent trembling of King Josiah when the law was read.

Now if anyone wants to be free from anxiety, let that person listen to the Lord as he warns: Turn from evil, and do good (Ps.✦ XXXIII, 15), so that this may come about: 'Whoever listens to me will rest without terror' (Prov.✦1 I, 33). On the contrary, through Isaiah: 'If you do not listen to me, my sword will devour you' (Isa.✦ I, 20). Indeed, how pleasing it is to God if we reverently hear the threats of the Scriptures, or how harmful it is to him if we despise them, is shown in the case of King Josiah and of Jehoiakim.2 Of these two, when the scroll of the law was read, Josiah trembled.✦ And to him God immediately commanded, saying: 'Because you heard the words of the scroll, and your heart was struck with fear, and I too have heard, says the Lord — for this reason I will gather you in peace' (4 Kings✦

Josiah's Trembling and Jehoiakim's Contempt

The chapter closes with the contrasting fates of Josiah, who trembled at God's word and was promised peace, and Jehoiakim, who burned Jeremiah's scroll and was condemned to disgrace.

XXII, 18–20).✦ Jehoiakim, however, who not only did not tremble but even burned the scroll of Jeremiah, earned for himself a divine rebuke, by which it was said to him: No descendant of his shall sit on the throne of David, but his corpse shall be thrown out (Jer.✦ XXII, 30).✦

Read the original Latin

Forte quaeritur, cur ea quae terrorem incutiunt, sine consolationis verbis continuentur. Sed de his nunc sermo est qui divinae praeceptioni resistentes timorem Domini dereliquerunt: languorem animae incurrunt, nec tamen compuncti. Oportet enim ut in eis putredo vulneris prius timoris ferro secetur, ne jugiter defluente sanie peccati suavitas unguenti rejiciatur. Omnes enim Scripturae comminationes contra peccatores jaculantur, sed quo usque resipiscant. Et econtra universae ejusdem Scripturae consolationes, ex ea hora qua forte resipuerint, eis blandiuntur. Ferrum namque, ut in epistola Joannis Augustinus ait, corium transforat, ut linum intrare possit. Et ita necesse est ut timor mentem transfigat, juxta illud: Confige timore tuo carnes meas (Psal. CXVIII, 120), quatenus facto foramine, quasi per ferrum charitas, quae permansura est, succedat.

Porro mos pravorum est, ut nihil audire velint, per quod eorum terrena laetitia perturbetur, sed illos libenter auscultant qui placentia loquuntur. De quibus Apostolus: Coacervabunt, inquit, magistros prurientes auribus (II Tim. IV, 3). Et propheta ex eorum voce: Loquimini nobis placentia (Isa. XXX, 10). Sed Domino et magistris, et auditoribus terribiliter comminatur, dicens per prophetam: Et qui beatificant, et qui beatificantur, erunt praecipitati (Isai. IX, 16); diligentibus quippe legem pax multa, et econtra non est pax impiis, dicit Dominus. Quisquis ergo comminationibus Scripturarum, etiam auditu non vult terreri, quantomagis debet earumdem comminationum experientiam formidare?

Quisquis autem vult securus esse, audiat monentem Dominum: Diverte a malo, et fac bonum (Psal. XXXIII, 15), ut fiat illud: Qui autem me audierit absque terrore quiescet (Prov. I, 33). Econtra per Isaiam: Quod si non audieritis me, gladius meus devorabit vos (Isa. I, 20). Sane quam gratum sit Deo, si comminationem Scripturarum reverenter audiamus, vel quam injuriosum sit ei, si contemnamus, in facto Josiae regis, et Joachim demonstrat. Quorum Josias audito legis volumine intremuit. Cui et illico Deus mandavit, dicens: Pro eo quod audisti verba voluminis, et perterritum est cor tuum, et ego audivi, ait Dominus, idcirco colligam te in pace (IV Reg.

XXII, 18-20). Joachim vero qui non solum non timuit, sed etiam volumen Jeremiae combussit, divinam invectionem promeruit, qua ei dictum est: Non erit ex eo qui sedeat super solium David, sed cadaver ejus projicietur (Jer. XXII, 30).

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩2Tim.4.3 — For the time will come when they will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers according to their own desires,
  2. ↩Isa.30.10 — who said to the seers, 'You shall not see,' and to the prophets, 'You shall not perceive for us what is right; speak to us smooth things, see for us illusions.'
  3. ↩Isa.9.16 — Therefore the Lord does not rejoice in their young men, and he has no compassion on their orphans or their widows; for all of them are ungodly and do evil, and every mouth speaks folly. In all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is still stretched out.
  4. ↩Ps.33.15 — He forms the hearts of them all; he understands all their deeds.
  5. ↩Prov.1.33 — But whoever listens to me will dwell securely and will be at ease, free from the fear of evil.
  6. ↩Isa.1.20 — But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
  7. ↩2Kgs.22.11;2Chr.34.19 — When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. 2Chr.34.19 — And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his garments.
  8. ↩2Kgs.22.19-2Kgs.22.20 — Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and its inhabitants—that they would become a desolation and a curse—and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. 2Kgs.22.20 — Therefore, behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your graves in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the evil that I am bringing upon this place. And they brought back word to the king.
  9. ↩2Kgs.22.18-2Kgs.22.20 — But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, you shall say to him: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: The words that you have heard— 2Kgs.22.19 — Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and its inhabitants—that they would become a desolation and a curse—and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. 2Kgs.22.20 — Therefore, behold, I am gathering you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your graves in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the evil that I am bringing upon this place. And they brought back word to the king.
  10. ↩Jer.22.30 — Thus says the LORD: Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not prosper in his days; for no one of his offspring shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling again in Judah.
  11. ↩Jer.22.30 — Thus says the LORD: Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not prosper in his days; for no one of his offspring shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling again in Judah.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The embedded quotation 'Qui autem me audierit absque terrore quiescet' echoes Prov. 1:33 (Vulgate). Final resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
  2. 2 ↩injuriosum sit ei — 'harmful to him' is unusual; the sense is likely 'harmful to the one who despises' (i.e., to us), but the Latin dative ei could refer to God. Rendered as 'harmful it is to him' preserving the ambiguity for reviewer resolution.

Collationes (Conferences / Collations) companion

Day 11 and onward, delivered every morning

All 140 conferences — and the rest of the Sub Rosa library — in daily portions in the free Chosen Portion iOS app

Odo urged a daily return to sacred reading as the cure for the soul's slow decline; Chosen Portion makes that daily return a scheduled habit on your phone.

  • Continue through all three books of the Conferences at 5 minutes a day
  • Daily examination-style readings drawn from 78+ historic works
  • One morning notification to keep the practice going past day 10
Chosen Portion — Daily Prayer (free iOS app) →