(2) "And with the enclosures and the trenches, and planted the vine of Sorich," (the chosen, the fruitful one), "made a pillar in the midst thereof, and made the forerunners in it."

The course of speech does not quite follow the natural course of affairs, for they plant before digging, if only by trenches we mean supports that support the fruit of the vine above the ground. Or perhaps the prudent farmer, except for the first preparation, has arranged everything in advance, and then proceeds to plant? Therefore, first he fences, then digs, and then plants grapes. And the grapes are not any kind of grapes, but "Sorich", of which Symmachus made the "chosen". Therefore, what kind of fence is this if not the commandments that God gave to the people before the introduction into the "land of obsession" (cf. Lev. 25:24)? Then God gave them the power to overcome their opponents and eradicate the peoples who had previously lived there. This the Prophet called trenches, because it made them high and famous, lifted up the fruits, so that they would not fall and would not be accessible to everyone. This is followed by the planting of the "elect," because they are descended from the seed of God's elect—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And the "pillar" created "in the midst" is evidently a temple erected in the midst of Judea; the "forerunners" are the Jewish Synagogue itself, because the winepress in the proper sense is the Church of God, made up of people gathered from everywhere; for it the Psalmist also sang songs about "winepresses" (Psalm 8 and 80); "Foreseeing" is both preparation with the help of the law and preliminary instruction in piety. And because it leads to unity, it is a winepress; and since it serves as a preparation for the most perfect, it is a pre-emption.

"And wait for him to make a cluster, and make thorns."

With the planting of the chosen grapes and with so much care, it would be necessary that sweet fruits should be brought, for the works of Abraham are also required of the children of Abraham (John 8:39). But instead of the expected "Make clusters of thorns," that is, instead of rejoicing and calming, I am ready to wound, tear, and bloody those who approach. For which of the prophets did they not kill, according to what is said in the Gospel parable (cf. Matt. 21:35)? I think that it is not only for murder that they are accused of having created thorns, but also because, having ceased to be God-loving, they preferred to be voluptuous, and the cares of life have choked their minds like thorns. As thorns do not bring grapes, so the vine does not bring thorns. That is why the Lord says: "Do they encompass the food from the thorns of the grapes?" (Matt. 7:16). However, the Jews bring thorns instead of bunches.

(3) "And now, you who dwell in Jerusalem and the men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard."

If the vine of the Lord is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah,

"Judge," he says, "between Me and My vineyard," and tell me, what has not yet been done to help it to be fruitful?

(4) "What more shall I do to my vineyard, and I will not do it unto it?" says God. "What have I not yet done, what would be required of Me to take care of him? Is the place not fat and fortified? Or is there no fence? No trenches? Or is the plant not the most noble? But it must be thought that the Scriptures also say this to us, who, being called to produce "the fruits of righteousness" (cf. James 3:18), fall "into misfortunes and snares, and into many lusts, senseless and damaging, which plunge men into destruction and destruction" (1 Tim. 6:18). 9).

"Wait for him to create a cluster, make thorns."

This identity is somewhat necessary, for the one who narrated the song said above: "Wait, that he may make a cluster"; but here he addresses the words to those before whom he is judged: "Judge between Me and My vineyard. Wait for him to create a cluster, make thorns."

(5) "Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard."

It is characteristic of God's love for mankind not to send punishments silently, but to foreshadow them, threatening to call those who have sinned to repentance. Thus God foretold to the Ninevites through Jonah. In the same way, He did not silently send destruction upon sinning Israel, but, having stirred up His servant to pray for the people, He foretold, saying: "And now leave Me, and I will consume" these people (cf. Exodus 32:10). We learn something similar in the Gospel, in connection with the parable of the fig tree. For her lord says to the tiller of the land: "Behold, the third summer, I come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I do not find; Does he sow and exercise the earth?" (Luke 13:7). And he said this both as an encouragement to the cultivator to take care of the fig tree, and as an encouragement to the barren soul to bring forth the fruit required of it. And what we have said is more clearly found in Jeremiah. He says: "Behold, as the frail of the poor, so ye eat in My hand, the house of Israel, saith the Lord. At last I will cry out against the tongue and against the kingdom, that I may root them out and destroy them. And if that tongue turns from its wickedness, I will repent of the wickedness that I have thought of doing to them. And finally, I may build up a river against the tongue and upon the kingdom, and if they do evil before Me, if they do not listen to My voice, I will repent of the good things that I have done to them" (cf. Jeremiah 18:6-10). So here we take this saying not as a sentence about what will certainly be fulfilled, but as a threat to turn the one who tries to turn away from sin. What is the threat?

"I will take away its fence, and it will be plundered; and I will destroy its wall, and it will be trampled underfoot." (6) "And I will leave my vineyard, and it will not be circumcised, it will dig lower, and it will sprout on it like thorns, and we will sing like a cloud, lest rain fall on it." (7) "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, the house of Israel, is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah is the new beloved garden. Wait for judgment to be done, and do iniquity, and not righteousness, but outcry."

So, having taken and considered each threat separately and having delved into its meaning, let us examine whether what has been said does not apply to us also.