Joshua — Chapter 2

Lapide: The two spies sent from Setim — S. Augustinus: Jesus sends two explorers because the true Jesus was to give the two precepts of charity; what else does He send but to love God and love neighbour?

Lapide: Rahab's lie was an officiosum mendacium (officious or white lie), venial sin in a pagan woman who believed it lawful to save guests. S. Augustinus: she was rewarded not for her falsehood but for her benevolence; the falsehood was not remunerated, only the mercy.

Lapide: Rahab hid the spies on the roof under stalks of flax. Origen (Hom. 3): \"She places them in the upper rooms; no one sent by Jesus is found lying on the ground, but abides in the heights.\"

Lapide: \"The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath\" — Rahab's confession of the one true God, enlightened by God Himself; she believed, hoped, loved, and was justified, as Paul teaches (Heb. 11:31) and James (Jas. 2:25).

Lapide: The scarlet thread (funiculus coccineus) — S. Ambrosius (De Fide V.4): Rahab by this scarlet cord signified the Passion of Christ, by whose faith and merits she was delivered from bodily and spiritual death; the red cord = the blood of the Redeemer. S. Augustinus (on Ps. 86): the scarlet cord = the sign of the blood of Christ on Rahab's house, figure of the Church of the Gentiles. Origen: \"The blood of Christ is the sign of redemption in Rahab's house, that is, in the Church.\"

Lapide: Allegorically (S. Augustinus, Origen, Rupertus): Rahab represents the Church of the Gentiles. First, like Rahab she was a den of demons, but by receiving the Hebrew explorers (the Apostles) she became faithful and chaste. Second, as Rahab was saved by the scarlet cord, so the Church by the blood of Christ. Third, Rahab gathered all her kindred — so the Church spread to all nations. Fourth, outside Rahab's house all were slain — outside the Church all perish.