These things have you done, and I kept silence; you thought that I was altogether such a one as yourself: but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
28. "These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue" (ver. 21). Therefore the Lord our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. Now, "These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue" What is, "I held my tongue"? From vengeance I have desisted, my severity I have deferred, patience to thee I have prolonged, thy repentance I have long looked for ..."Thou hast imagined iniquity, that I shall be like unto thee;" Thou hast imagined that I shall be like unto thee, while thou wilt not be like unto Me. For, "Beye,"he saith, "perfect, even as your Father, which is in the heavens, who maketh His sun to rise on the good and evil." Him thou wouldest not copy, who giveth good things even to evil men, insomuch that sitting thou dost detract even from good men. "I will reprove thee," when "God manifest shall come, our God, and shall not keep silence," "I will reprove thee." And what to thee shall I do in reproving thee? what to thee shall I do? Now thyself thou seest not, I will make thee see...
Silent, and deferred punishment, (St. Augustine) waiting for thy conversion, Romans ii. 4.
Unjustly, is not expressed in Hebrew. (Berthier)
Face, judgment and hell, (Chaldean) or all these things, (St. Jerome) and thy manifold transgressions. The sight will be most intolerable. (Calmet)
