Bible Verses and Early Church Commentary | Historical Christian Faith

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Judges 16:1-3

When in the course of events he had brought an end to the war with the Philistines, despising his people’s cowardice and scorning the enemy bands, Samson went off to Gaza. This city was in the territory of the Philistines, and he lived there in a certain lodging house. The people of Gaza immediately took note and hastily surrounded his lodging place, putting a guard at all the doorways so that he could not plan to flee by night. When Samson became aware of their preparations, he anticipated the plot they had laid for the nighttime, and taking hold of the columns of the house, lifting all the wood framework and the weight of the tower on his strong shoulders, he carried them up to the top of a high mountain which faced Hebron, where the Hebrew people dwelled.

Source: LETTER 35

[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Judges 16:1-3

When Samson went in to the harlot, he was impure if he did so without reason, but if he did so as a prophet it is a mystery. If he did not enter in order to lie with the woman, perhaps he did so because of a mystery. We do not read that he was intimate with her.… See how it is not recorded in Scripture that he was united to the harlot whom he had visited, but it is written that he slept.… He took away the city gates through which he had gone in to the harlot and carried them to a mountain. What does this mean? Hell and love for a woman Scripture joins together; the house of the harlot was an image of hell. It is rightly considered as hell, for it rejects no one but draws to itself all who enter. At this point we recognize the actions of our Redeemer. After the synagogue to which he had come was separated from him through the devil, they shaved his head, that is, they crucified him on the site of Calvary, and he descended into hell. Then, his enemies guarded the place where he slept, that is, the sepulcher, and wanted to seize him although they could not see him.… The words “he arose and left at midnight” signify that he arose in secret. He had suffered openly, but his resurrection was revealed only to his disciples and certain other people. Thus, all saw the fact that he went in, but the fact that he arose just a few knew, remembered and felt. Moreover, he removed the city gates. That is, he took away the gates of hell. What does it mean to remove the gates of hell, except to take away the power of death? He took it away and did not return it. Furthermore, what did our Lord Jesus Christ do after he had taken away the gates of death? He went up to the top of a mountain. Truly, we know that he both arose and ascended into heaven.

Source: SERMON 118.5

[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on Judges 16:1-3

Samson, in the book of Judges, foreshadowed this by his deeds. When he had entered Gaza, a city of the Philistines, they immediately knew of his entry. They quickly surrounded the city with a blockade and assigned guards, and they rejoiced at having now apprehended Samson who was so extremely strong. But we know what Samson did. At midnight he carried off the gates of the city and ascended to the top of the hill. Whom, dearly beloved, whom does Samson foreshadow by his deed but our Redeemer? What does the city of Gaza signify if not the lower world? What is indicated by the Philistines except the faithlessness of the Jews? When they saw that the Lord was dead and his body had been laid in the sepulcher, they assigned guards there. They were happy that they caught and held him, who shone out as the creator of life, behind the defense of the lower world, as Samson had been held in Gaza. Samson not only went out at midnight but even carried off the gates of the city, because our Redeemer, rising before it was light, not only went out free from the lower world but even destroyed its very defenses. He bore the gates and went up to the top of the hill, because by rising he carried off the defenses of the lower world, and by ascending he passed into the kingdom of heaven.

Source: FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 21

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Judges 16:4-9

But when with free and untrammeled gait he passed not only beyond the limits of his home country but also the boundaries which his ancestors had been taught to observe by custom, he soon found that he was playing with death. With small faith he contracted a marriage with a foreign-born wife and should have been cautious then or later. But he did not refrain from again forming a union, this time with Delilah, who was a prostitute. Out of love for her he caused her to tempt him with the wiles of an enemy. For the Philistines came to her and each man promised her eleven hundred pieces of silver if she would find out in what lay the source of his strength. If they but possessed this secret, he could be surrounded and taken.She who had once prostituted herself for money, cleverly and craftily amid the banquet cups and the charms of her love, in admiration, as it were, of his preeminent bravery, began to question him about it and to ask him how it was he so excelled others in strength. Then, too, as though she were fearful and anxious, she begged him to tell his beloved what bond precisely would put him in the power of another. But he was still prudent and strong-willed, and he countered deceit with deceit against the harlot’s treachery, saying that if he were bound with supple green boughs he would be as weak as other men. When they learned this, the Philistines had Delilah put boughs on him like chains while he slept. Then, as if suddenly awakened, the hero felt his famed and customary strength, broke his bonds and fought back against the many who had their strength untrammeled.

Source: LETTER 35

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Judges 16:4-9

Overcome by love of money, Achan led to destruction all the people of the fathers. So Joshua the son of Nun, who could stay the sun from setting, could not stay the love of money in people from creeping on. At the sound of his voice the sun stood still, but love of money stayed not. When the sun stood still, Joshua completed his triumph, but when love of money went on, he almost lost the victory.Why? Did not the woman Delilah’s love of money deceive Samson, the bravest man of all? So he who had torn apart the roaring lion with his hands; who, when bound and handed over to his enemies, alone, without help, burst his bonds and killed a thousand of them; who broke the cords interwoven with sinews as though they were but the slight threads of a net; he, I say, having laid his head on the woman’s knee, was robbed of the decoration of his victory-bringing hair, that which gave him his might. Money flowed into the lap of the woman, and the favor of God forsook the man.
Love of money, then, is deadly. Money is seductive, as it defiles those who have it and does not help those who do not.

Source: On the Duties of the Clergy 2.26.130-32

[AD 700] Isaac of Nineveh on Judges 16:4-9

Why was the mighty man Samson rejected by God, he who was set apart and consecrated to God while still in the womb; whose birth was announced by an angel, like John, the son of Zacharias; who was granted great power and worked great wonders [and who by the supernatural strength which God poured into his body smote a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass and became a saviour and judge unto Israel]? Was it not because he defiled his holy members by union with a harlot? For this reason God departed from him and surrendered him to his enemies.

Source: ASCETICAL HOMILIES 10

[AD 1781] Richard Challoner on Judges 16:4

Dalila: Some are of opinion she was married to Samson; others that she was his harlot. If the latter opinion be true, we cannot wonder that, in punishment of his lust, the Lord delivered him up, by her means, into the hands of his enemies. However if he was guilty, it is not to be doubted but that under his afflictions he heartily repented and returned to God, and so obtained forgiveness of his sins.

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Judges 16:10-17

After a short time, Delilah, like one who had been made fun of, began to complain passionately and to ask again and again what his real skill was, demanding proof of his affection for her. Samson, still strong of purpose, laughed at her tricks and suggested to her that if he were bound with seven brand-new ropes he would come into the power of his enemy. This also was tried, in vain. The third time he pretended that she had drawn him out regarding the mystery, but in reality, being nearer to a fall, he said that his strength would leave him if seven hairs of his head were cut and woven into a coverlet. This, too, deceived the tricksters.Later, when the woman boldly deplored the fact that he mocked her so many times and when she lamented that she was unworthy to be entrusted with her lover’s secret and a betrayal, she gained his confidence by her tears. And just since it was due that a man of bravery who had been invincible all this time should pay the price, he opened up the wounded recesses of his soul: the strength of God was in him; he was holy to the Lord and by his command he let his hair grow, for, if he cut it, he would cease to be a Nazarene and would lose the use of his strength! When the Philistines discovered his weakness, through the woman, they gave her, the slave of their price, the reward for the treachery and thus concluded the affair.

Source: LETTER 35

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Judges 16:10-17

Adam was beguiled by speech, and Samson was overcome by a word; in truth, nothing penetrates the soul so much as polished discourse and, on the other hand, nothing is so biting as discourse of a harsher tenor. Although they have overcome the torments that were brought to bear against them, many persons have not withstood harsh discourse.

Source: THE PRAYER OF JOB AND DAVID 2.3.8

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Judges 16:10-17

Is that, then, Samson who broke ropes twisted with thongs, and new cords like weak threads? Is that Samson who did not feel the bonds of his hair fastened to the beam, so long as he had the grace of the Spirit? He, I say, after the Spirit of God departed from him, was greatly changed from that Samson who returned clothed in the spoils of the foreigners, but fallen from his greatness on the knees of a woman, caressed and deceived, is shorn of his hair.Was, then, the hair of his head of such importance that, so long as it remained, his strength should endure unconquered, but when his head was shorn the man should suddenly lose all his strength? It is not so, nor may we think that the hair of his head has such power. There is the hair of religion and faith; the hair of the Nazarite perfect in the law, consecrated in sparingness and abstinence, with which she (a type of the church), who poured ointment on the feet of the Lord, wiped the feet of the heavenly Word, for then she knew Christ also after the flesh. That hair it is of which it is said: “Your hair is as flocks of goats,” growing on that head of which it is said: “The head of the man is Christ.” And in another place: “His head is as fine gold, and his locks like black pine trees.”8
And so, also, in the Gospel our Lord, pointing out that some hairs are seen and known, says, “But even the hairs of your head are all numbered,” implying, indeed, acts of spiritual virtues, for God does not take care for our hair. Though, indeed, it is not absurd to believe that literally, seeing that according to his divine Majesty nothing can be hidden from him.
But what does it profit me, if God himself knows all my hairs? That rather abounds and profits me, if the watchful witness of good works rewards me with the gift of eternal life. And, in fine, Samson himself, declaring that these hairs are not mystical, says: “If I be shorn, my strength will depart from me.”

Source: ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 2, PROLOGUE 13.16

[AD 431] Paulinus of Nola on Judges 16:10-17

Like the famed Samson, whose power lay in the strength of his hair, whose locks were endowed with sacred might, he must throttle and bring low the lion by means of the strong arms of prayers and pluck the sweet fruit of notable victory from its dead mouth.But this triumph must be a lesson to him not to make alliances with foreigners. That woman of another race I interpret as the law of the flesh, so wily with its alluring nets. If this law proves stronger than the law of the mind, it will drag him into the dominion of sin. The evil counsel of its pleasant words weakens with its deceitful guile the male spirit. It blinds the eyes of the mind and shaves the head; it plunders and disarms faith. I would not have our boy a Samson in this respect, becoming involved in a love encounter immediately followed by captivity, enervation and blindness, even though the strong Samson later recovered his strength when his hair grew again. For he was led by the hand from the mill to be the sport of the vaunting enemy, and though physically blind he used his mind’s eye and summoned God to take vengeance. Then, when his hair restored his strength, he brought down that house of the enemy. Once his hands, more powerful than any stone, gripped the pillars of the house in their fierce embrace, the roof collapsed upon him when its props were torn from the earth. Yet even in his death God’s powerful hero involved the foe in destruction, and by a glorious death [he] avenged the disgrace of his life as a slave. He had lived a life of subservience under an exultant foe, but even as he fell he conquered the eclipsed enemy, destroying more thousands at his death than he had killed in his life.
I pray that our son may imitate Samson’s death by his own, that while remaining in the flesh he may conquer that flesh and live for God, subduing the sins of the flesh. I would not have him devoting his heart in enslavement to the flesh’s joys as to the wiles of that criminal woman, to become subsequently the property of the foe, stripped of the strength of grace.

Source: POEM 24.529-581

[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Judges 16:10-17

What was the meaning of Samson? If I say he signified Christ, it seems to me that I speak the truth. However, the thought immediately occurs to anyone who reflects: Was Christ overcome by the flattery of a woman? How is Christ understood to have gone in to a prostitute? Then, again, when did Christ have his head uncovered or his hair shaved, himself robbed of courage, bound, blinded and mocked? Watch, faithful soul. Notice why it is Christ, not only what Christ did, but also what he suffered. What did he do? He worked as a strong man and suffered as a weak one. In the one person I understand both qualities; I see the strength of the Son of God and the weakness of the Son of man. Moreover, when the Scriptures extol him, Christ is entire, both head and body. Just as Christ is the head of the church, so the church is his body; and in order that it might not be alone, it is the whole Christ with the head. Now the church contains within itself both strong and weak members. It has some who are fed on bread alone, and others who must still be nourished with milk. There is a further fact which must be admitted: in association at the sacraments, the imparting of baptism or participation at the altar, the church has both just and unjust people. At present the body of Christ is a threshing floor, as you know, but afterwards it will be a granary. While it is a threshing floor, it does not refuse to tolerate chaff, but when the time of storage comes it will separate the wheat from the chaff. Thus, some things Samson did as the head and others as the body, but all in the person of Christ. Inasmuch as Samson performed virtues and miracles, he prefigured Christ, the head of the church. When he acted prudently, he was an image of those who live justly in the church, but when he was overtaken and acted carelessly, he represented those who are sinners in the church. The prostitute whom Samson married is the church which committed fornication with idols before knowing one God, but which Christ afterwards united to himself. However, when she was enlightened and received faith from him, she even merited to learn the mysteries of salvation through him, and he further revealed to her the mysteries of heavenly secrets.

Source: SERMON 118.3

[AD 395] Gregory of Nyssa on Judges 16:19-21

But the one who has taken root as “a fruitful olive tree in the house of God” composes those words against the tyrant which we have heard in the psalm, saying, “Why do you glory in evil, you who are mighty in iniquity,” whose “tongue” is “like a sharp razor.” It was by means of these two things that [Samson] was led off, after [Delilah] had removed the beauty of his hair and cut off the “seven locks of curls” in which our strength lies. Now you will by all means understand the meaning of the spiritual curls from the number seven, just as Isaiah has enumerated the grace which comes from the Spirit in seven parts. If these are cut off, as happened in the case of Samson, the destruction of the “eyes” follows, and one becomes a laughing stock to foreigners when they are drunk.

Source: ON THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE PSALMS 2.13.183

[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Judges 16:19-21

Now what does it mean that Samson possessed strength in his hair? Notice this carefully, too, brothers. He did not have strength in his hand, his foot, his chest, not even in his head, but in his hair. What is hair? If we perceive it, the apostle answers us after being questioned, “Hair is a covering”; and Christ had strength in a covering, when the shadows of the old law protected him. For this reason the hair of Samson was a covering, since it was seen and understood in Christ at different times. What does it mean that Samson’s secret was betrayed and his head was shaved? The law was despised and Christ suffered. They would not have killed Christ if they had not contemned the law, for they knew that it was not right for them to kill him. They told the judge, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” Samson’s head was shaved, the secrets were exposed, the covering was removed; Christ who lay hidden was revealed. Moreover, the hair was restored and again covered the head, because the Jews were unwilling to recognize Christ when he was risen. He was in a mill, blinded and in a prison house. The prison or mill is the labor of this world. The blindness of Samson indicates people who are blinded by their infidelity and do not recognize Christ exercising his power or ascending into heaven.

Source: SERMON 118.6

[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Judges 16:23-30

The Spirit, therefore, “asks” and “intercedes,” but we “pray.” And Joshua’s words commanding the sun to stand over [Gibeon] seem to me to be an intercession also.… And in Judges, Samson in my opinion said in intercession: “Let me die with the foreigners—when he bent in his strength and the house fell upon the princes and all the people that were there.” Even though it is not written that Joshua and Samson “interceded” but that they “said,” nevertheless their words seem to be an “intercession,” which we must judge to be different from a “prayer,” if we are to give words their proper meaning.

Source: ON PRAYER 14.5

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Judges 16:23-30

With the passage of time his hair began to grow; then, during a crowded banquet of the Philistines, Samson was brought from prison and shown before the people. About three thousand men and women were there. They taunted him with cruel remarks, they surrounded him with mocking jests which he bore with greater stamina and beyond what his blind appearance suggested, for he was a man of great native strength. To live and to die are functions of nature, but mockery belongs to the baseborn. The wish arose in him, therefore, either to compensate for such insults by revenge or preclude any more insults by death. He pretended that he could no longer support himself, because of the weakness of his body and the knots of his shackles, and he asked a servant boy, who was guiding his steps, to put him near the pillars which supported the house. Placed there, he grasped with both hands the support of the entire building and, while the Philistines were intent upon the sacrifices of the feast in honor of their god Dagon, through whom they thought the adversary had come into their hands, accounting the woman’s treachery among the benefits of heaven, he called to the Lord, saying, “Lord, once more remember your servant so that I may revenge myself on the Gentiles for my two eyes. Do not allow them to give glory to their gods, because with their help they have got me in their power. I count my life as of no worth. Let my soul die with the Philistines, so that they may know that my weakness no less than my strength is deadly.”So he shook the columns with mighty force and loosened and shattered them. The crash of the roof came next and fell on him and hurled headlong all those who were looking on from above. There in great confusion lay heaps of men and women. Though slain, Samson attained his wished-for triumph, greater than all his former victories, and a death not inglorious or lacking luster. Although he was unassailable here and hereafter, and was not to be compared in his life with men who experienced war, in his death Samson conquered himself and made his invincible soul despise death, giving no thought to the end of life which all people fear.
Through his valor he ended his days with numerous victories and found the captive not undone but triumphing. The fact that he was outwitted by a woman must be attributed to his nature, not to his person; his condition was human rather than his fault. He was overwhelmed and yielded to the enticements of sin. And when Scripture bears witness that he killed more in death than when he possessed the light of life, it seems that Samson was made a captive more to work the ruin of his adversaries than to become cast down or counted less. He never experienced degradation, for his grave was more famous than had been his power. Finally, he was overwhelmed and buried not by weapons but by the dead bodies of his enemies, covered with his own triumph, leaving to posterity a glorious renown. Those people of his, whom he had found captive, he ruled in liberty for twenty years. Then, entombed in the soil of his native land, he left behind the heritage of liberty.
Because of this example, men should avoid marriage with those outside the faith, lest, instead of love of one’s spouse, there be treachery.

Source: LETTER 35

[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Judges 16:23-30

Furthermore, the fact that after Samson’s hair grew again he recovered his former strength and seizing the pillars destroyed the house of his enemies together with its builders, is also seen today in the case of some sinners. If they destroy their vices by repentance and provide a place for virtue, the likeness and figure of Samson is fulfilled in them. Then is accomplished in them what is written concerning Samson: “Those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed during his lifetime.” It is true, brothers. A greater number of sins is destroyed by repentance than is known to be overcome at a time when one seems to be free from offenses. Now we should not notice with indifference that at the death of Samson all his enemies were killed. Thus, may our adversaries also be destroyed at our death. Brothers, the apostle says, “Mortify your members, which are on earth: lust, evil desire and covetousness (which is a form of idol worship).” Let drunkenness and pride die in us, envy be extinguished, anger appeased and malice rejected. If we endeavor to kill all these things with God’s help, like Samson we can destroy our adversaries by dying to sins and vices.

Source: SERMON 119.5

[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Judges 16:23-30

Now that splendor which was restored in Samson and was covered at his death I think fits every servant of Christ. If someone is overtaken by some sin and in a salutary manner has recourse to the remedies of repentance, with the restoration of grace there returns the face of a good conscience, like the hair which grew again. Thus, it becomes possible for the merits of faith like very strong muscles of courage to attack and overthrow the enemy’s pillars which support the hostile house. What are these pillars of the enemy’s house except our sins upon which the house of the devil rests, where he feasts as victor and mocks our minds if they have been captivated? Therefore, we eject this enemy from his house by the destruction and death of our flesh. Our enemy is enclosed within us; he daily wages an internal war inside. As long as we sometimes assent to him, in accord with the evil agreement of our will he gains power over us. With our vices against us as his accomplices within, he attacks our exterior ministry, so that when we hand over to him our members for works of iniquity we are killed by our own sword, as is usually said. However, we ought to remember the agreement which we promised in return for the grace of baptism, when we were buried together with Christ in the mystery of the cross: that we would renounce the devil, his ostentatious displays and his works. Let us no longer live in this world as we have been; in fact, let us no longer live to ourselves but let Christ live in us. When he has been restored to the honor of the head, the house of the devil will fall, and all our enemies will die with our sins in eternal destruction.

Source: SERMON 119.3

[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Judges 16:23-30

“Therefore his enemies brought him to play the buffoon before them.” Notice here an image of the cross. Samson extends his hands spread out to the two columns as to the two beams of the cross. Moreover, by his death he overcame his adversaries, because his sufferings became the death of his persecutors. For this reason Scripture concludes as follows: “Those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed during his lifetime.” This mystery was clearly fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ, for at his death he completed our redemption which he had by no means publicly announced during his life: who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Source: SERMON 118.6

[AD 1781] Richard Challoner on Judges 16:28

Revenge myself: This desire of revenge was out of zeal for justice against the enemies of God and his people; and not out of private rancour and malice of heart.

[AD 1781] Richard Challoner on Judges 16:30

Let me die: Literally, let my soul die. Samson did not sin on this occasion, though he was indirectly the cause of his own death. Because he was moved to what he did, by a particular inspiration of God, who also concurred with him by a miracle, in restoring his strength upon the spot, in consequence of his prayer. Samson, by dying in this manner, was a figure of Christ, who by his death overcame all his enemies.

[AD 373] Ephrem the Syrian on Judges 16:31

Satan the tyrant outwitted Samson with a woman,
the same tyrant outwitted Adam with a woman:
Samson had to grind at the mill, Adam had to labor wearily on the soil;
Samson prayed to be released,
whereas we pray to grow old in our misery.
Blessed is he who delivered Samson, releasing him from the grinding.
Samson is a type of the death of Christ the high priest:
Samson’s death returns prisoners to their towns,
whereas the High Priest’s death has returned us to our heritage.

Source: HYMNS ON PARADISE 13.12-13