Homilies on Joshua, Homily 24

Of the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem we said a while ago how the sons of Judah could not exterminate them, and also of the Canaanites living in their midst whom the sons of Ephraim could not exterminate. The present reading relates something similar of the Amorites, saying that “the Amorite continued to live in Elom and in Salamin, and the hand of Ephraim was heavy upon them.” Amorite is interpreted “bitter” or “bitterness.” Living, then, in Elom, which is interpreted “those who butt like rams,” or in Salamin, which is interpreted “the peaceful,” bitternesses remain and dwell among those who butt like rams and among the peaceful. Those who butt like rams are those who, engaged in contests, try to storm the houses and structures of the devil; the peaceful are those who, having overcome fleshly desires, keep peace of soul. Yet in both the hostile power, bitterness, persists and strives to remain. In this we can understand something like the following, since it says that the Amorite continued to live among them. For example, if a hostile power of a demon from the band of bitterness besieges someone’s body and disturbs and deceives his mind, and many prayers, many fasts, and many invocations of exorcists are applied, and to all these the demon remains deaf and persists in the possessed body, enduring more easily the punishments of the exorcists, the torments applied to it by the invocation of the name of God, than departing from the man it shamelessly and wickedly besieges — so too here we must understand those who are called Amorites, who remain and persist in living in Elom and in Salamin. And to show truly that they persist while bearing punishments and scourges, Scripture says: “And the hand of Ephraim was heavy upon them.” But how is the hand of Ephraim made heavy upon the Amorites? Either, as we said, the hand of Ephraim, laid more forcefully in the imposition of hands by the exorcists, is said to be heavy upon the unclean spirits; or else good acts and good works weigh upon and afflict the race of demons and the hostile powers. For the better we act and the more we live in what is best, the more troublesome and heavy this becomes to them. But one who lives in shamefulness and crimes is pleasing and acceptable to them and in a way provides them with pleasures. Whoever makes his hand heavy upon them by good acts, even if he cannot drive them out completely, will certainly make them tributary and subject.

“And the sons of Ephraim went away to go through the land according to their boundaries.” And after relating that account, Scripture shows in what follows how great was the gentleness and humility of Jesus, who was truly worthy to bear the name of the Lord Jesus our Savior. For it says: “The sons of Israel gave a lot to Jesus son of Nun among themselves, by the command of the Lord, and they gave him the city he asked for, Thamnasachar, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and he built the city there and lived in it.” He it is who gave the inheritance to all the sons of Judah, who gave to Ephraim and to the half-tribe of Manasseh; he also gave an inheritance to the magnificent Caleb son of Jephunneh; he sent three men from each tribe to go through the whole land and describe it in a book and return and show it; he cast the lots for all, and he kept himself for the last. Why do you think he wanted to be the last of all? Undoubtedly so that he might be the first of all. And he did not presume to take an inheritance for himself by lot, but received it from the people; and the people gave an inheritance to the one from whom it had received its own. For so it is written: “And the sons of Israel gave a lot to Jesus son of Nun.” But these things too happened to them in figure, to be set before us as a pattern, so that we too may keep the command that he fulfilled in deed, which says: “The greater you are, the more humble yourself, and you will find favor before the Lord.” And again what is written: “If they have made you leader, do not be lifted up, but be among them as one of them.” See, then, how he was the leader of the people, he who had brought them into the holy land, the land of promise; he was the successor of Moses; and he does not allow himself to take a lot of land, but waits to receive a small portion from the people, he, the leader of the people. And having received his little portion, Jesus, worthy of this name, builds the very place he received and establishes it, so as to make it truly worthy of the gift of God and of the divine inheritance.

But since we are accustomed to refer to our Lord and Savior what is written about Jesus, perhaps this whole people of ours too gives some portion to my Lord Jesus and assigns him, as it were, a place to dwell. But so that what is said does not seem insulting, let us ask how we, his servants, give him a place to dwell. If I could become good, I would give the Son of God a place in me, and the Lord Jesus, having received the place from me in my soul, would build it and adorn it, and make in it impregnable walls and lofty towers, and build in me, if I were worthy, a dwelling worthy of himself and of the Father; and so he would adorn my soul and make it capable of his wisdom and knowledge and of all holiness, so much so that he would bring God the Father too in with him to make a dwelling in it, and even to dine with such a soul on the food that he himself would provide. That we may be found worthy to obtain this, let us prepare in ourselves a clean heart, so that the Lord Jesus may graciously choose to enter willingly and gladly the clean lodging of our heart: to whom is glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.