For the LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers has he covered.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
If they could not believe, what is the sin of a person not doing what he cannot do? But if they sinned by not believing, then they could believe and did not.… Then what will we answer about another testimony of the prophet that the apostle Paul cites, saying, “Israel did not obtain what he was seeking, but the election did obtain it. The rest indeed have been blinded, as it has been written, ‘God gave them a spirit of insensibility, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear until this present day.’ ”
You have heard, brothers, the question proposed; you see, of course, how profound it is. But we answer as best we can. “They could not believe,” because Isaiah the prophet foretold this. But the prophet foretold it because God foreknew that it would be. Why they could not, however, if it should be asked of me, I quickly answer, because they were not willing. For God foresaw their evil will and he, from whom the future cannot be hidden, foretold it through the prophe...
Not to recognize sins lest penance follow is the wrath of God, as it is written: “And the Lord gave to them the spirit of a deep sleep,” lest they actually return and be cured and be healed by their lamentations and just satisfactions after their sins.…
The first degree of felicity is not to sin; the second, to recognize the sins committed. In the former, innocence runs upright and unimpaired to save; in the latter, there follows the remedy to cure. They have lost both of these by offending God.… Or do you think, brother, that crimes against God are light matters, small and of little moment, because through them the majesty of an offended God is not sought, because the wrath and fire and day of the Lord are not feared, because, with Antichrist at hand, the faith of a militant people is disarmed while vigor and the fear of Christ are taken away? - "Letter 59.13"
Sleep, or compunction, (Romans xi. 8.; Calmet) denoting their obstinacy. (St. Chrysostom)
Visions. Protestants, "the seers. "(Haydock)
The Jews perceived but very imperfectly the meaning of the prophets, when they spoke of a future Redeemer, God and man. They are now more infatuated, (Calmet) having a veil on their hearts, 1 Corinthians iv. 3. Both learned and ignorant refuse to believe, excusing themselves, ver. 12. (Haydock)
The more they read the Scriptures, the less do they understand. (Calmet)
