1 Samuel 14:27

Jonathan, however, had not heard, when his father adjured the people, etc. He speaks of eyes being illuminated, refreshed, and renewed for gazing, which had already begun to fade due to the customary long fasting or toil. Therefore Jonathan, who had previously conquered the teeth of the rocks and the blows of swords, who, with the boldness of the enemy suppressed, had provided his people with victory and safety, is suddenly distressed by the unforeseen fault of flattering gluttony. And often, noble masters of the Church, although victors of great contests, incur a fault they had not foreseen by reading books of the gentiles with more pleasure than is fitting: to the extent that one of them writes that he was punished in a vision for this very thing, and that it was hurled at him by the Lord among the blows that he should be considered not a Christian, but a Ciceronian. But also many of the faithful listeners endowed with the grace of virtues do not cease to be tempted by lesser vices, which does not escape divine dispensation: so that those who cannot overcome the smaller battles by themselves may learn to thank only the Father of lights in the greater ones they have, attributing nothing to themselves. Jonathan, moreover, dipped the tip of the rod, which he used either for the horse or as an aid for the journey, in wild honey: and thus he turned it with his hand to his mouth. And any teacher sometimes, while taking care to govern subordinates with the authority of power or to conduct himself without offense, believes that he is aided by the arguments or opinions of the gentiles: and thus, so to speak, by the honeyed mouth derived from these, the eyes of the mind are indeed illuminated by the honeycombed composition of words for declaring what they know rightly more sharply; but often the progress of that same mind is delayed, recalling the vanity of the senses from pursuing the worshipers of depraved acts or doctrines. The Psalmist, singing, says, "The iniquitous recounted to me fables, but not as your law, O Lord, all your commandments are truth" (Ps. 118).

There follows: (Verse 27.) But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people, and he stretched out the tip of the staff that he had in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and brought his hand back to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened. Whom does Jonathan represent in this place, if not those who are great in word and deed, yet are not great in the zeal of circumspection? They preach lofty things indeed, they perform mighty works, but they do not manfully hold themselves in the circumspection of humility. For what does it mean that he holds a rod in his hand, except that the discipline by which he forbids others from sinning does not restrain himself? Indeed, the rod by which little ones are accustomed to be corrected can fittingly signify the word of correction. Therefore preaching and good work are the rod and the hand. What then is it to extend the rod and bring back the hand to the mouth with honey, except to receive the taste of vain favor both from the word of preaching and from the zeal of good work? But because he sins in the manner of the elect, he is said to take up honey not with the rod, but with the tip of the rod. For they turn the rod and hand full of honey to their mouth who, according to the voice of Truth: "Do all their works to be seen by men" (Matt. 23:5). For while they are sated with their own praises, they have honey not as a thin taste at the tip of the rod, but either in the whole rod or in the hand for a full meal. Such certainly were those whom the Lord reproaches in the Gospel, saying: "How can you believe, receiving glory from one another?" (John 5:44). What then is this tip of the rod, except that for the most part they both wish to glorify the Lord in their work and do not shrink from appearing praiseworthy themselves? Rightly therefore Jonathan is said not to have heard the voice of the father by which he bound the people under oath, because he does not hear the words of God or of His preacher who neglects to fulfill them. But what does it mean that Jonathan's eyes were enlightened from the taste of honey, except that those who receive the breeze of vain favor are strengthened by the same to perform mighty deeds? In this place indeed the eyes are not said to have been opened, so that they might be understood to have been closed, but so that with the vigor of the body restored, they might be understood as…