The Distinction of Divinity and Humanity
If someone says: 'For this reason I am rational, because I have a rational father; and for this reason I am mortal, because I have a mortal father,' it is true; for the 'because' shows a cause.ce, therefore, he lives because of the father, what is being said is not life derived from life, but as a fountain of life and as one giving to all; for we say that the living one has life, but we also say that the life is not one named from life, for life does not participate in something else, but it is life itself. Thus, he does not live through the father.
A human, therefore, lives because of something, but God is not because of something. Yet both have run together regarding the arrival of a season. I do not say the arrival is entirely according to the flesh; for many seasons He desired; He is always arriving. And thus I have drawn out what is in Micah: 'And you, Bethlehem, house of Ephrathah, you are small. Out of you shall come to me the ruler, and his exits are from the beginning' (Micah 5:2). For it is not that he came from the father just now previously, from which the need of the administration of saving things comes. The need of his exit is always happening and happening wherever. For this reason, he said not one, but many exits. 'For this reason He will give them until the time of birthing.'
The last exit, that of the birthing of Mary, is a certain 'until the time of birthing'; for the Scripture does not praise those plural birthing, but says one birthing, signified by the word. And 'birthing' in the strict sense is not one who took in seed and conceived and formed and surrounded, but she herself gives birth. For this reason, he came from a woman. No one of the others comes from a woman, but all come through a woman; yet all come from men; for the woman comes from the man, and the man through the woman. And this must be said: that genealogies are made casually, scientifically, and piously when they are descended from fathers; for the genealogy from women is slandered. Therefore, only this one has given birth without a man. And for this reason the Savior came from a woman, not through a woman, even if many others are made to be said not 'from Mary,' but 'through Mary.' So many will seem to be ambassadors speaking thus. And God is from the Father and not because of something, but the human...
Regarding the descent from David and Mary and for what reason: for the sake of the salvation of the world he has come, to abolish death, to do much for mortals who had cast themselves away through their own negligence. Why do I say these things in grace? The things said about the Savior declare his divinity. And all the things reported concerning divinity are incomparable to any other; for he is the only-begotten. But the things said about the man touch upon human faults, just as they do those of the dying. The zealous become imitators of the man. But they do not imitate the divinity—for this is an unreasonableness—they imitate the man. Whatever is said about the man could also be said about the angels and about perfect men. But whatever is said about the divinity, neither about angels nor about holy men will be said. I do not say that any of the created things is wisdom, or a radiance of glory, or a character of the divine essence, or the only-begotten Son of God.
But whatever is said as being about the man, it could be said, for example: 'You seek to kill me, a man,' being 'one who has spoken the truth to you, which I heard from God' (John 8:46). And many others, having learned the truth from God, spoke the truth. Not this one more, but this one more, this one incomparably. And again: 'But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me' (John 14:11). And others speak the truth: for if we grant that no one spoke the truth except Christ himself, we give in to the anonymous heresy. That is, an anonymous heresy that seems to overturn the truth or to have come from the books. And many have books and compositions, and they say this too: that the truth never came among men except upon the appearance of the Savior; for 'grace and truth came through Jesus Christ' (John 1:17). And see where the argument leads them: because they want the old scripture to not be from God, nor the prophets, they say that the truth never came to men except after the appearance having happened. And saying these things, they divide the one divinity, and they say that the one who was the Creator was before the appearance, and they seek another father for Christ. But we do not say this, that ever the truth...
Greek
ε̣ι᾿̣ λ̣ε´̣γ̣οι̣ τις̣· "διὰ τοῦτο λογικ̣ός εἰμι, ὅτ̣ι λογικὸν ἔχω πατέρα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο θνητός εἰμι, ὅτ̣ι θ̣νη̣τὸν ἔχω π̣ατ̣ε´̣ρα". καὶ ἀληθ̣ές γε· το`̣ "ὅτι" ἐστι`̣ν̣ ἀποδεικτικὴ αἰτία. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ζῇ διὰ τὸν πατέρα, ε᾿̣σ̣τὶν̣ λεγ̣ο´̣μ̣ενος ζωὴ ο̣ὐ παρονομαζόμενος ἀπὸ ζωῆς, ἀλλ' ὡς πηγὴ ζωῆς κα̣ι`̣ ω῾̣ς μεταδιδοὺς̣ π̣α̣ν̣τί· λε´̣γ̣ο̣με̣ν̣ γ̣α`̣ρ τὸν ζῶντα ζωὴν ἔχειν, 1 λέγομεν δὲ κα̣ὶ τ̣η`̣ν̣ ζωὴν̣ τη`̣ν̣ ου᾿̣ παρονομαζομένην̣ ἀπο`̣ ζωῆς· οὐ γὰρ μ̣ε̣τέχει ζωή, ἀλλὰ αὐτή ε᾿̣σ̣τι̣ν̣ ἡ ζωή. οὕτως οὐ῀̣ν ζῇ δια`̣ τὸν πατε´̣ρ̣α. ἀ´̣ν̣θ̣ρ̣ω̣πος οὖν δι̣α´̣ τ̣ι̣, θεὸς δὲ οὐ διά τι. ἀμφότερ̣α δὲ συνε´̣δραμε̣ν ἐπὶ του῀̣ τῆς ἐπιδημίας καιροῦ. ἐπιδημίαν δὲ οὐ πάντως λέγω τὴν̣ κατὰ σάρκα· πολλὰς γὰρ̣ ἠθέλησεν· α᾿̣ε̣ι`̣ ἐπιδημεῖ. καὶ οὕτω γοῦν ἐξείληφα τὸ ἐν τῷ Μιχ̣α̣ι´̣ᾳ̣· "καὶ σύ, Βηθλεέμ, οἶκος τοῦ Ἐπάθα, ὀλιγοστὸς εἶ. ἐκ σοῦ μοι ἐξελεύσεται, καὶ αἱ ἔξοδοι αὐτοῦ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς" ε̣ἰσιν· οὐ γάρ που νῦν πρ̣ότ̣ε̣ρ̣ο̣ν̣ ε᾿̣ξ̣ε̣λ̣θὼν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἧκεν, ἀφ' οὗ ἡ χρεία τῆς δ̣ιοικ̣ήσεω̣ς τῶν σωστικῶν. ὅπως̣ π̣ο̣τ̣ε`̣ γινομένη καὶ ὅπου ποτὲ γινομένη τῆς ἐξόδου αὐτοῦ χρεία. διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ μίαν̣, ἀλλὰ πολλὰς ἐξόδους εἶπεν. "διὰ τοῦτο δώσει αὐτοὺς ἕως καιροῦ τικτούσης". ἡ τελευταία ἔξοδ̣ος̣, η῾̣ τοῦ τοκετοῦ τῆς Μαρίας, ἐστίν τις "ἕως καιροῦ τικτούσης"· ἡ γραφὴ γὰρ οὐκ αἰνεῖ τικ̣τούσας, ἀλλὰ μίαν λέγει τίκτουσαν σημαινομε´̣ν̣η̣ν διὰ τῆς λέξ̣ε̣ω̣ς̣. τίκτου̣σα δὲ κ̣υρίω̣ς ε᾿̣σ̣τὶν ἡ μὴ σπέρματα ἀναλαβοῦσα καὶ κυοφορήσασ̣α κα̣ι`̣ μο̣ρ̣φ̣ω´̣σασα κ̣α̣ι`̣ π̣ε̣ρ̣ιστέγ̣ουσα, ἀλλὰ αὐτὴ τίκτει. διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ γυναικὸς γέγονεν. οὐδεὶς τῶν ἄλλων ἐκ γυν̣αικ̣ός, ἀλ̣λ̣ὰ διὰ γυναικὸς πάντες· ἐξ ἀνδρῶν δὲ πάντες· ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρ̣ὸς γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ γίνεται, καὶ ὁ̣ ἀνὴρ διὰ τῆς γυναικός. καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ῥητέον, ὅτι αἱ γενε̣αλογίαι ἀπαθῶς̣ καὶ ε᾿̣πιστημο´̣ν̣ως καὶ εὐσεβῶς γίνονται, ὅταν ἀπὸ πατέρων κατάγωνται· διαβάλλεται γὰρ̣ ἡ γενεα̣λ̣ογία ἡ ἐκ γυναικῶν. μόνη οὖν αὕτη ἡ τίκτουσα ἄνευ ἀνδρ̣ὸς τέτοκ̣εν̣. καὶ διὰ τ̣οῦτο ἐκ γυναικὸς γέγονεν ὁ σωτήρ, οὐ διὰ γυναικός, εἰ καὶ πολλοὶ ἄλλοι γ̣ι´̣νονται λε´̣γοντες̣ ο̣υ᾿̣κ̣ 3 "ἐκ̣ Μαρίας", ἀλλὰ "διὰ Μαρίας". δόκησι̣ν οὖν πρεσβεύουσιν πολλοί. καὶ ὁ θεὸς ε᾿̣κ τοῦ π̣ατρός ἐστιν καὶ οὐ διά τι, ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ̣ τ̣ο̣ῦ ∆αυὶδ καὶ τῆς Μαρίας καὶ διά τι. ἕνεκα τῆς σω̣τηρίας τοῦ κόσμου ἐλήλυθεν, ἵνα καταρ̣γήσῃ τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα πολλὰ ποιήσῃ το̣ῖς θν̣ητοῖς, ἅπερ ἐκ ῥαθυμίας ἰδίας ἀποβεβ̣λη´̣κ̣εσαν. τίνος δὴ ταῦτα χα´̣ριν λέγω; τὰ λεγόμενα περὶ τ̣οῦ σ̣ωτῆρος δηλοῖ τὴν θεότητα̣. καὶ π̣άντα̣ τὰ ἀπαγγελλόμενα περὶ τῆς θεότητος ἀσυντρ̣όχασ̣τ̣ά εἰσιν πρὸς ἄλλον τιν̣α´̣· μ̣ο̣ν̣ογενὴς γάρ ἐστιν. τὰ δὲ περὶ τ̣ο̣ῦ ἀνθρώπου λε̣γ̣όμε̣ν̣α̣ κατορθώματα ὡς ἀνθ̣ρ̣ω´̣που ἅπτεταί πως καὶ τῶν δι καίων. μιμ̣ηταὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου γίνονται οἱ σπουδαῖοι. ο̣υ᾿̣ μιμοῦνται δὲ τὴν θεότητα–τοῦτο γὰρ ἀνο´̣σ̣ι̣όν ἐστιν–, τὸν̣ ἀ´̣νθρ̣ω̣πον μιμοῦνται. ὅσα οὖν λέγεται περὶ του῀̣ α᾿̣νθρώπου, ῥηθείη ἂν καὶ περὶ τω῀̣ν ἀγγέλων καὶ περὶ τῶν τελείων ἀνδρῶν. ὅσα δ̣ὲ λέγεται περὶ τῆς θεότητος, οὐδὲ περὶ α᾿̣γ̣γ̣ε´̣λων οὐδὲ πε̣ρ̣ὶ ἀνθ̣ρ̣ω´̣πων ἁγίων ῥηθήσεται. οὐ λ̣έγω τινὰ τῶν γενητῶν σοφίαν εἶνα̣ι ἠ`̣ ἀπαύγασμα δόξης ἢ χαρακτῆρα τῆς θεικῆς ὑποστάσεως ἢ μονογενῆ τοῦ θεοῦ υἱόν. ὅσα δ̣ὲ λέγε̣ται ὡς π̣ερ̣ὶ ἀνθρώπου, ῥηθείη ἄν, οἷον· "ζητεῖτέ με ἀποκτεῖναι, ἄνθρωπον" ὄντα, "ὃς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑμῖν λελάληκα, ἣν ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ". καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοὶ μαθόντες παρὰ το̣ῦ θεοῦ τη`̣ν ἀλήθειαν ἐλάλησαν. οὑ῀̣τ̣ος δὲ πλειόνως, οὗτος μειζόνως, ο̣ὗτος ἀσυνκρίτως. καὶ πάλιν· "ἐγὼ δὲ ὅτι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑμῖν λέγω, οὐ πιστεύετέ μοι". καὶ ἄλλοι λέγο̣υσιν τὴν ἀλήθειαν· ἐὰν γὰρ δῶμεν, ὅτι οὐδεὶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν εἶπεν ἢ αὐτ̣ὸς ὁ Χριστός, δίδο̣μ̣ε̣ν ε̣ι᾿̣ς̣ τὴν αἵρεσιν α᾿̣κ̣ο´̣νην τὴν ἀνώνυμον. ἔνι ἀνώνυμός τις αἵρεσις ἡ ἐξανατ̣εῖλ̣αι δοκοῦσα ἢ γεγονέναι ἐκ βιβλίων. καὶ πολλοὶ βίβλους, συντάξεις, ἔχουσιν καὶ τοῦτο λέγουσι̣ν̣, ὁ´̣τι οὐδέποτε ἐν ἀνθρώποις γέγονεν η῾̣ ἀλήθεια εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ τῇ ἐπιδημίᾳ τοῦ σωτῆρος· "ἡ χάρις" γ̣ὰρ "καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο". καὶ ὅρα ποῦ συνάγει αὐτοῖς ὁ λόγος· ἐπεὶ βούλον̣ται τὴν παλαιὰν γραφὴν μὴ ἐκ θεοῦ εἶναι μηδὲ τοὺς προφήτας, λέγουσιν, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἡ ἀλήθεια ε̣ι᾿̣ς̣ α᾿̣νθρ̣ώπο̣υ̣ς ἐλήλυθεν εἰ μὴ τῆς ἐπιδημίας γεγενημένης. ταῦτα δὲ λέγοντες τὴν μίαν̣ θ̣ε̣ο´̣τ̣ητα δ̣ι̣ακο´̣πτουσιν καὶ ἄλλον λέγουσιν τὸν πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τὸν κοσμοποιόν̣, ἄλλον δε`̣ ζ̣ητ̣οῦσιν πατέρα Χ̣ριστοῦ. οὐ λέγομεν δὲ ἡμεῖς τοῦτο, ὅτι ποτὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια
About this text
Didymus the Blind on the Psalms.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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