The Book of Tobit 11:13 Комментарий

And receiving him, he kissed him with his wife, weeping for joy. Judaea, in the end, joyfully receiving the union with Christ, joined weeping to its joy: rejoicing because it believes; grieving because it came to the Lord so late.

A sort of membrane, like an egg, began to come out of Tobias' eyes after they were anointed with the fish's gall, and he regained his sight. And the people of the Jews, after they recognize the bitter malice of the most wicked enemy, will regain the lost light. The membrane, which had covered his eyes, signifies the folly of self-pleasing. For they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge (Rom. X). And as it says again: Seeking to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to the righteousness of God (Ibid.). For the black pupil sees, the white one is darkened. And those who seem wise to themselves, saying, "Are we also blind?" (John IX), the truth is not in them. But those who are conscious of their own frailty and ignorance and know how to say, "My God, enlighten my darkness" (Psalm XVII), these will enjoy the light of life in the Lord. Moreover, the membrane was like an egg, for eggs signify hope; because it is not yet alive, not yet animated, but is separated from the bird that laid it, waiting to live, proceed, run, and fly. And the Apostle says: "But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience" (Rom. VIII). Hence, in the evangelical parable, under the name of bread, fish, and egg, the three highest virtues, faith, hope, and charity are expressed. Therefore, the people of the Jews still have a veil before the face of their heart, so that they do not understand the grace of Christ. They have a cataract, because they seem to themselves white and just above all. But they have this cataract like the membrane of an egg; because they endure the blindness of the mind under the most foolish and vain hope of Christ being born in the flesh and delivering them and giving them a great kingdom throughout the world. But to any of them from whom the mist of error is removed, they will recognize that Christ has already come and redeemed the world with His blood. It aptly fits what follows: