The Vision of God through Purity

It shall be shown. Such a person is said to be filled. But this fullness is not from a turning away, but it makes an increase of the desire. The heart sees God (Mt 5:8); for the incorporeal seizes the incorporeal. And the heart, having completed the perfection it was receiving, will then see the perfect thing. This happens through the cleansing of what hinders, just as the eye, once cleansed of obstacles, sees the light.

How then does the divine Scripture say, 'No one has ever seen God' and 'No one shall see my face and live' and 'Whom no man has seen, nor is able to see'? (Mt 5:8) How then do you say that 'no one has ever seen God'? We say that He is seen and seized through the Word; or, through the divine Scripture, we see God with the eyes of knowledge, or through the wisdom manifest to all, we see through reasoning the One who made all things, just as in the case of human creations, the maker of the work in question is seen in a certain way by the intellect. But not the nature of the artisan is seen, but only the technical skill. Thus also, he who sees God in creation does not depict the essence, but the wisdom of the One who made all things is portrayed. Is it not then true that the Lord says God shall be seen by the pure in heart, promising so, and the Scripture does not lie, neither saying that anyone has seen God nor saying that anyone is able to see?

But he who is removed through righteousness, the present things and the future things, instead of these, will bear fruit, for righteousness is not unjust toward its own (Mt 5:10). For it is necessary to strive to keep the brightness given to us in a high place and not to cover it up through sloth, of which the couch resting the body with fleshly pleasures is a symbol (Mt 5:15); for the beautiful is not to us by nature, but by a gift. But such a thing, being neglected, departs. And the glory of God, placing the end of works before us, leads us away from our own ambition.

A virtuous life is light (Mt 5:16). The law judges fleshly things, those things done through the flesh, but the Lord, sanctifying spirits, requires blessedness through the Spirit (Mt 5:21-22). Therefore, he calls the spiritual one 'brother,' the one dwelling according to the Spirit, being named brother.

Because of this, Paul will be indignant with those who are sinning (Mt 5:22). But if it is not said in vain, as some wish it not to be—for if he sins, he is not spiritual, and the one who is not spiritual is not truly a brother—he hands the murderer over to the judgment of the law, but the one raging is handed over to the eternal judgment. Theodore and Theodore are recorded as saying in vain what was not actually said.

Regarding Matthew 5:22, he says that the one who called his brother 'Raca' is liable to the judgment of the saints. For he who blasphemes against the common part sins. Raca, indeed, calls the despised one, as another says; for so also among the Syrians the scoundrel is called. But what he says regarding the soul rather, he speaks of judgment and testing; for not indeed, if someone says only these things, will he be responsible for the punishment, but he will be much more without responsibility having said other things.

Regarding Matthew 5:29-30, concerning the bodily things he speaks of members; and excessively, not that one must actually cut off the members, but such as to kill them and to set them aside sluggishly for sin, as the Apostle has said; and not to spare even the most necessary things, if through them someone is to experience a bad activity. It is not necessary to cut off the members, but such as to kill these and make them inactive toward sin. Regarding Matthew 5:34, the heaven is therefore the throne of God, since God is holy and 'rests among the saints'; but He is not contained by such a throne, but pervades all things by a creative and watchful and sanctifying power. Regarding Matthew 5:48, the man is perfect in imitation of God in his own measures.

Regarding Matthew 6:1-2, in other matters he speaks of righteousness, thus calling almsgiving. But the aim of almsgiving he sets before us as the glory from God, not from men; for whoever wishes to please someone, he receives praise as a reward from them. Not indeed he who has already been seen has done it for the sake of being seen, but he who wishes to be seen and is doing this also. Regarding Matthew 6:11, give us today the coming and destined food, the life-giving one, and in the present age, as if providing a pledge, providing the Holy Spirit. Regarding Matthew 6:34, if caring for one day is heavy and wretched, how is the excess not unmanageable? If caring for one day is both heavy and burdensome, how much more would caring for many things be wretched and senseless. Regarding Matthew 7:6, the word is holy and a pearl, the heretics are dogs and pigs.