Salmos 119

Salmos 119:103

I say that in this mystical number the children of Israel came to Marah, where they were not able to draw water because of its bitterness—for the spring had water but no sweetness; it was delightful in appearance, but not sound for tasting—but when Moses threw in a piece of wood they drank the water made sweet in its smoothness, for the mystery of the cross took away the harshness which the noxious water carried. I think that this occurred to provide a type. I think that the bitter water of Marah is the law of the Old Testament, which was a harsh law until it was moderated by the cross of the Lord. It ordered, "An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth," and offered no consolation of mercy with these harsh commands. But indeed where it was tempered with the wood of the gospel's suffering, at once it changed its bitterness into sweetness and offered its sweetened self for all to drink, just as the prophet says, "how sweet are your eloquent sayings to my throat, more than honey and honeycomb to my mouth." Sweet indeed are those eloquent things which they command: "If someone strikes you on the jaw, offer him also the other; if someone takes your tunic, give him also your cloak." Therefore, this is that bitterness which was changed into sweetness, that is, the austerity of the law was tempered by the grace of the gospel. The letter of the law is bitter apart from the mystery of the cross. The apostle speaks of this: "The letter kills." But where the sacraments of the passion are joined to it, every bitterness is spiritually suppressed. And the apostle says concerning it, "But the Spirit makes alive." — SERMON 67:4