{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-4053","native_reference":{"book_number":250,"chapter_from":10,"chapter_to":10,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":1,"verse_to":1},"public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"verse-keyed-module-record","review_required":["English edition and exact text","author/work attribution","dating","verse mapping and citation kind","reuse and attribution","split author quotations and deduplicate"],"review_status":"unreviewed","source_html":"<p><b>Apostolic Constitutions</b>: \"Dead flies spoil the whole pot of sweet ointment,\" and \"when a king hearkens to unrighteous counsel, all the servants under him are wicked.\" So one scabbed sheep, if not separated from those that are whole, infects the rest with the same distemper; and a person infected with the plague is to be avoided by all; and a mad dog is dangerous to everyone that it touches. If, therefore, we neglect to separate the transgressor from the church of God, we shall make the \"Lord's house a den of thieves.\"<br/><i>— CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2:3.17</i></p><p><b>Augustine of Hippo</b>: Indeed, it is said that Beelzebub means prince of flies; and it has been written of them, \"Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the oil.\"<br/><i>— TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF John 1:14.3</i></p><p><b>Didymus the Blind</b>: These flies bring death as well as life. For example there is a divinized fly about which Elijah has said, \"Is there no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of the fly, the God of Ekron?\" I would be astonished if they really did divinize a fly. Rather he hereby has described the worthlessness of their enterprise.<br/><i>— COMMENTARY ON Ecclesiastes 291:3</i></p><p><b>Fulgentius of Ruspe</b>: What is called the prince of flies is shown to be prince of the wicked; another text of Scripture refers to him by saying, \"Dead flies destroy the perfumer's sweet ointment.\" Who destroy except those who grieve the Holy Spirit either by the crime of infidelity or by the filthy obscenity of unclean deeds, while befouling themselves either with a false faith or an evil way of life?<br/><i>— LETTER 48, TO SCARILA</i></p><p><b>Gregory of Neocaesarea</b>: Moreover, flies falling into myrrh, and suffocated therein, make both the appearance of that pleasant ointment and the anointing therewith an unseemly thing; and to be mindful of wisdom and of folly together is in no way proper. The wise man, indeed, is his own leader to right actions; but the fool inclines to erring courses, and will never make his folly available as a guide to what is noble. Yea, his thoughts also are vain and full of folly. But if ever a hostile spirit fall upon you, my friend, withstand it courageously, knowing that God is able to propitiate even a mighty multitude of offenses. These also are the deeds of the prince and father of all wickedness: that the fool is set on high, while the man richly gifted with wisdom is humbled; and that the slaves of sin are seen riding on horseback, while men dedicated to God walk on foot in dishonour, the wicked exulting the while. But if any one devises another's hurt, he forgets that he is preparing a snare for himself first and alone. And he who wrecks another's safety, shall fall by the bite of a serpent. But he who removes stones, indeed shall undergo no light labour; and be who cleaves wood shall bear danger with him in his own weapon. And if it chance that the axe spring out of the handle, he who engages in such work shall be put to trouble, gathering for no good and having to put to more of his iniquitous and shortlived strength. The bite of a serpent, again, is stealthy; and the charmers will not soothe the pain, for they are vain. But the good man does good works for himself and for his neighbours alike; while the fool shall sink into destruction through his folly. And when he has once opened his mouth, he begins foolishly and soon comes to an end, exhibiting his senselessness in all. Moreover, it is impossible for man to know anything, or to learn from man either what has been from the beginning, or what shall be in the future. For who shall be the declarer thereof? Besides, the man who knows not to go to the good city, sustains evil in the eyes and in the whole countenance. And I prophesy woes to that city the king of which is a youth, and its rulers gluttons. But I call the good land blessed, the king of which is the son of the free: there those who are entrusted with the power of ruling shall reap what is good in due season. But the sluggard and the idler become scoffers, and make the house decay; and misusing all things for the purposes of their own gluttony, like the ready slaves of money, for a small price they are content to do all that is base and abject. It is also right to obey kings and rulers or potentates, and not to be bitter against them, nor to utter any offensive word against them. For there is ever the risk that what has been spoken in secret may somehow become public. For swift and winged messengers convey all things to Him who alone is King both rich and mighty, discharging therein a service which is at once spiritual and reasonable.</p><p><b>Gregory of Neocaesarea</b>: Moreover, flies falling into myrrh, and suffocated therein, make both the appearance of that pleasant ointment and the anointing therewith an unseemly thing; and to be mindful of wisdom and of folly together is in no way proper.<br/><i>— A Metaphrase of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter X</i></p><p><b>Jerome</b>: \"Dead<br/>flies putrefy the perfumer's oil; a little folly outweighs wisdom and<br/>honour. \"Here he gives an example to illustrate the idea<br/>expressed above, in which he says that many good things can be outweighed by<br/>one fool, since one evil mixed with good in this way will pollute the greater<br/>part of it, just as flies if they die in oil, make it lose its colour and<br/>smell. And since wisdom is often mixed<br/>with cleverness and prudence has wickedness, he teaches that we must search out<br/>wisdom alone, or that it be mixed with the innocence of doves. Let us then be prudent to the good, and<br/>simple in the face of the wicked. And<br/>this is the meaning: let the righteous man have little simplicity on account of<br/>his having too much suffering, and while he keeps his retribution for God, he<br/>seems foolish, and does wickedness at once in vindication under the guise of<br/>prudence. Another meaning could be those<br/>flies that according to Isaiah inhabit a part of the river of Egypt, and<br/>destroy the sweetness of oil and according to one source leave the smell of<br/>their uncleanness [Cfr. Is. 7, 18.]. The chief of these flies is called Beelzebub<br/>of the demons, and is interpreted as either 'the idol of flies' or 'the man of<br/>the flies', or 'he who has flies' [Cfr. Matth. 12, 24.].<br/><i>— Commentary on Ecclesiastes</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"4b3689bf1230eb9ecbdb7176561b29d793c2afa184aa06b91078924621a68036","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":4053,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"2d0e96527967e592bded6fb7bac5ad2b2fc3e145a8f205fcf17797e4341eb31b","translator":null,"work":null}