Gregory the Dialogist

In his own words on 1 Kings

• 1 Kings 7:29

  But amid these things we must understand that zeal for righteousness should be exercised against the wicked deeds of our neighbors in such a way that the virtue of gentleness is by no means abandoned in the fervor of severity. For the anger of a priest ought never to be hasty and disturbed, but rather tempered with the gravity of deliberation. And so we ought both to bear with those whom we correct and to correct those whom we bear with, lest if one of these two be lacking, the priestly action fail either in fervor or in gentleness. For this is why in the service of the temple, lions and oxen and cherubim were carved by sculptural work on the bases of the temple. For cherubim signifies fullness of knowledge. But what does it mean that on the bases lions are not made without oxen, nor oxen without lions? For what else do the bases in the temple represent but priests in the Church? Who, while they bear the burden of governance, carry, as it were in the manner of bases, a weight placed upon them. Therefore cherubim are depicted on the bases, because it is certainly fitting that the hearts of priests be filled with fullness of knowledge. By lions, moreover, the terror of severity is symbolized, while by oxen the patience of gentleness is represented. And so on the bases neither lions without oxen nor oxen without lions are depicted, because in the priestly heart the virtue of gentleness must always be preserved along with the terror of severity, so that gentleness may season anger, and that same gentleness, lest it perhaps become lax, may be kindled by zeal for severity.

  Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 17

• 1 Kings 13:24

  Seeing we find it written, that what death soever the just man dieth, that his justice shall not be taken from him: what hurt cometh to God's elect servants (walking no question the way to everlasting life), if for a little while they have some pitiful end? and perhaps it proceedeth from some small sin of theirs, which by such kind of death God's pleasure is that it should be purged. And hereof it cometh that reprobates receive superiority and power over others, who at their death be so much the more punished, for that they used their cruel authority against God's servants: as the foresaid wicked and wretched man, whom God suffered not to triumph over that venerable Deacon, though he permitted him to kill his body: which thing to be true we learn also out of holy scriptures. For that man of God which was sent against Samaria, because contrary to God's commandment he did eat in his journey, was slain by a lion; and yet in the same place we read, that the lion stood by the man's ass, and did not touch his dead body. By which we perceive that his sin of disobedience was by that his death pardoned: because the same lion that feared not to kill him, presumed not yet to touch his dead carcass: for licence he had for the one, but no leave was granted for the other, because he that was culpable in his life, having his sin of disobedience now punished, was just by his death; and therefore the lion that before slew the body of a sinner, preserved afterward the corpse of a just man.

  Dialogues, Book 4, Chapter 24

• 1 Kings 13:28

  Seeing we find it written, that what death soever the just man dieth, that his justice shall not be taken from him: what hurt cometh to God's elect servants (walking no question the way to everlasting life), if for a little while they have some pitiful end? and perhaps it proceedeth from some small sin of theirs, which by such kind of death God's pleasure is that it should be purged. And hereof it cometh that reprobates receive superiority and power over others, who at their death be so much the more punished, for that they used their cruel authority against God's servants: as the foresaid wicked and wretched man, whom God suffered not to triumph over that venerable Deacon, though he permitted him to kill his body: which thing to be true we learn also out of holy scriptures. For that man of God which was sent against Samaria, because contrary to God's commandment he did eat in his journey, was slain by a lion; and yet in the same place we read, that the lion stood by the man's ass, and did not touch his dead body. By which we perceive that his sin of disobedience was by that his death pardoned: because the same lion that feared not to kill him, presumed not yet to touch his dead carcass: for licence he had for the one, but no leave was granted for the other, because he that was culpable in his life, having his sin of disobedience now punished, was just by his death; and therefore the lion that before slew the body of a sinner, preserved afterward the corpse of a just man.

  Dialogues, Book 4, Chapter 24