13.

"And I have covered in fasting My Soul, and it became to Me for a reviling" (ver. 10). His fasting was, when there fell away all they that had believed in Him; because also it was His hunger, that men should believe in Him: because also it was His thirst, when He said to the woman, I thirst, "give Me to drink:" ¹ yea for her faith He was thirsting. And from the Cross when He was saying, "I thirst," ² He was seeking the faith of them for whom He had said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." ³ But what did those men give to drink to Him thirsty? Vinegar. Vinegar is also called old. ⁴ With reason of the old man they gave to drink, because they willed not to be new. Why willed they not to become new? Because to the title of this Psalm whereon is written, "For them that shall be changed," they belonged not. Therefore, "I have covered in fasting My Soul." Lastly, He put from Him even the gall which they offered: He chose rather to fast than to accept bitterness. For they enter not into His Body that are embittered, ⁵ whereof in another place a Psalm saith, "They that are embittered shall not be exalted in themselves." ⁶ Therefore, "I have covered in fasting My Soul: and it became to Me for a reviling." This very thing became to Me for a reviling, that I consented not to them, that is, from them I fasted. For he that consenteth not to men seducing to evil, fasteth from them; and through this fasting earneth reviling, so that he is upbraided because he consenteth not to the evil thing.