“Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him.”
Him. The folly of exposing one’s life, without necessity, to such imminent danger at sea, is great; though much less than to confide in idols, (Calmet) which are commonly made of more corruptible wood than ships. (Worthington)
“But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves;”
Waves. Of the Red sea, (Vatable) through which the Israelites passed, (Worthington) or rather hast taught navigation to Noe[Noah], (ver. 6.) and enabled him to build the finest vessel that ever appeared.
“Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved.”
Saved. Before the invention of the compass, long voyages were deemed the effects of rashness, or of great confidence in Providence. (Calmet)
“For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.”
Cometh. By which Noe[Noah] was preserved, (Cornelius a Lapide) or criminals are executed. (Jansenius) — The author foretells the redemption of mankind on the cross. (Worthington) (Galatians iii. 13.) (St. Augustine, City of God chap. xv. 26; St. Ambrose, Psalm cxviii. ser. 8.)
“For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life.”
Fornication. Invention of idols brought people to give way to spiritual fornication, and corruption of manners. (Worthington) — They freely practised what was sanctioned by the example of their gods. (St. Augustine, City of God ii. 7., and 3 Kings xiv. 24., and 4 Kings xxiii. 7, 3.) (Calmet)
“For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.”
Beginning. Truth is always prior to falsehood. (Haydock) — Josephus (Jewish Antiquities i. 4.) says, idolatry commenced in the 8th generation, and the Jews assert, under Enos. “Then began the name of God to be profaned,” as the Chaldean, &c., translate, Genesis iv. 26. (St. Jerome, q. Heb.) — The corruption of morals was the natural consequence, ver. 12. — Ever. Christ shall destroy them. (Calmet)
“For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices.”
Servants. This was at first done privately, and made the way for public idolatry. Calvin attempts to refute this assertion, maintaining that Laban’s idols were more ancient, and not images. But this argument is nugatory, as theraphim may be rendered either images, (Protestants, 1552.) or idols. (Protestants, 1603.) The latter version is preferable, as Laban called them his gods, and the Greek and Latin have idols. It is also certain, that Ninus set up the image of his father, Jupiter Belus, to be honoured by the people, before Abraham’s time; and the fathers agree, that the making of images in memory of the dead, was the first occasion of idolatry. (St. Chrysostom, hom. 87. in Matthew; St. Jerome in Osee ii., &c.) (Worthington) — Nimrod ordered divine honours to be paid to his deceased son. (Gul. Paris. Leg.) — Yet this fact is not certain. Diophante, the Lacedemonian, assigns the same origin to idolatry as is here given. (Grotius)
“Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.”
Ignorant. The arts of sculpture and painting may be prejudicial, (Calmet) and were therefore banished by Moses from his republic, (Philo) as the Jews were so prone to idolatry, chap. xv. 4. The case is different with us. (Haydock)
“And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name.”
Name. It cannot with propriety be given to any but God. (Worthington) — The Jews explain this of the name Jehovah, which they will never pronounce. (Calmet)
“For whilst they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites;”
Children. This was done by the Chanaanites, Hebrews, &c., chap. xii. 23., and Isaias lvii. 5. — Hidden. The sacrifices of Ceres, Bacchus, &c., were performed in the dark, and horrible impurities were committed, Ephesians v. 12. — Madness. Before they be initiated in the mysteries of Ceres, or prostitute themselves in honour of the deities of impurity, (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities xviii. 4.) in the very temples. Quo non prostrat femina templo? (Juvenal ix.) (Calmet) — Many crimes proceed from idolatry. (Worthington)
“For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves.”
Mad. Like the Bacchanalian women, running crowned with serpents, and eating raw flesh. — Lies. The delusions of the devil, or the fraud of priests. — Easily. Those who believe not in religion, or in the power of him by whom they swear, can give no security by an oath. They fear no harm, ver. 29. Yet they are perjured if they believe Jupiter, for example, to be a god, (St. Augustine, ep. 54. ad Pub.) and if they do not, they are impious; abusing an oath, which is in itself sacred. (Calmet)
“For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the ungodly.”
Just. Literally, “the punishment of sinners always walketh about,” &c. (Haydock) — “The stone does not hear thee speaking, but God punishes the deceiver.” (St. Augustine) — The pagans supposed that their idols sometimes punished perjury. (Juvenal, Sat. viii.) — It is God who does it. (Calmet)