Deep Things Are Not to Be Preached to Weak Souls

But the preacher should know how to avoid drawing the mind of his hearer beyond its strength, so that the string of the soul, so to speak, is not stretched more than it can bear and broken. For all deep things should be covered up before a crowd of hearers and scarcely opened to a few. That is why the Truth himself says, “Who, do you think, is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their measure of wheat at the proper time?” By a measure of wheat is meant a portion of the Word, so that nothing is spilled, as happens when more is given to a narrow heart than it can hold. That is why Paul says, “I could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to people of the flesh. As to infants in Christ, I gave you milk to drink, not solid food.” [a]

That is why Moses, when he comes out from the sanctuary of God, veils his shining face before the people: because, in truth, he does not show the crowds the secrets of the inmost brightness. That is why the divine voice commands him that, if anyone digs a cistern and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, he must pay the price. For when someone who has reached the deep streams of knowledge does not cover them before the brutish hearts of his hearers, he is judged liable to penalty if, through his words, a soul, whether clean or unclean, is caught on a stumbling stone.

That is why it is said to the blessed Job, “Who has given understanding to the rooster?” For a holy preacher, crying aloud in a time of darkness, is like the rooster crowing in the night, when he says, “It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep”; and again, “Wake up, you righteous, and do not sin.” Now the rooster usually sings loud songs in the deeper hours of the night, but when morning is already near, he makes small and thin sounds. For the one who preaches rightly cries aloud plainly to hearts that are still in the dark and shows them nothing of hidden mysteries, so that they may hear the subtler teachings about heavenly things only when they draw near to the light of truth.