The Nature of Hope and Scientific Expectation

"of the Most High". See: it seems here to have been sent from the Father and the Holy Spirit. Others, however, read it this way, and this reading is better: "and the Lord, the Lord, has sent me; and his Spirit also has sent" (Ps 2:7); the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The former version says this: that the Father and the Holy Spirit sent the Son. Each person receives the reading according to his own appropriate understanding, as has already been said. And here, therefore, there is a person of the Lord being spoken of here. And the Son is his image, "the character of his substance."

Concerning the one having taken on a face by the Savior and every righteous man, it is said: "rejoice him in joy with your face" (Ps 2:11), for when the Son and the Father come, and someone has seen the character immediately and the one of whom the character is: "he who has seen me has seen the Father" (Ps 2:12). Rejoicing happens by God and of his own face. And it is also possible to take it this way: "rejoice him in joy with your face." Therefore, this is said concerning every righteous man: for your face, through which "in image and likeness" (Gen 1:26) it has become, shall be revealed of him.

And I say: things that have happened, even if they are separate, often exist together with substances; for example, color: for the body is not first created, and then it is colored; it is created having been colored, and nevertheless we say that color is in certain things among those things that happen and un-happen. I added "in certain things," since among sensible things, it neither comes upon nor goes away from the snow; nor does moisture come upon or go away from water; for it is essential. Since, therefore, the rational is good from the beginning, it is not good in the same way as God; for it is not good according to substance, but according to a state and a disposition. Even if man has become "in image and likeness" (Gen 1:26), this thing which has form is separate, being cast off and being taken up. However, when God saves, every image will be destroyed. But this shall be revealed in the one having been saved.

For the king hopes in the Lord (Ps 20:7). This king hopes in the Lord. He hopes that there will be salvation for those for whom he has come to suffer. The end of the one striving is not in doubt.

But he hopes unchangeably; for 'in the mercy of the Most High he is not shaken' (Ps 56:3). Therefore his hope does not fall. And I offer a paradigm, though it is perhaps a violent one: no one hopes for things present. The healthy man does not hope to be healthy, nor the rich man to be rich. It is of things to come. Hope and expectation are the same. Expectation is a genus of hope; for hope is indeed the expectation of good things from God.

Of things to come, the former the possible has an existence such that it is able to happen or not to happen as it may turn out, but the latter the certain will certainly happen; for example, what I say scientifically, by way of an image: that after such a period there is an eclipse of the sun. Only the expert hopes for this; for the other person does not know at all whether it happens or does not happen. It is good to remind of this that there are four problems: two simple and two compound. Simple are 'that it is' and 'what it is.' Then compound are 'how it is' and 'why it is.'

It is therefore for the expert to expect these things which will certainly happen scientifically. For he knows both that an eclipse is, and what an eclipse is, namely a running-to-meet of the moon. And how it happens: that, when the moon becomes in opposition under the sun, an eclipse happens. Behold, the 'how it happens.' And the 'why it is so': because the sun, revolving, moves in varying intervals. And under the solar circle is that of the moon. Therefore it does not always happen in opposition. It is as if there are two circles. If it happens thus and again into the lower one, the lower thing happening hides the upper. They say, therefore, that an eclipse is the opposition of the moon toward the sun.

It is therefore for the expert to know this unpassable expectation. And of things happening by chance, let them expect, I say, rain or good fortune. But many dispute these things. He says, therefore: 'Rejoice in him with joy; for the king hopes in the Lord' (Ps 21:14). The king is the one hoping. And his hope and expectation are unpassable. And he says: 'In the mercy of the Most High he shall not be shaken' (Ps 56:3). He being shown mercy by the Most High is not shaken; for then he is shaken, when the subjects are found unworthy of his kingship. And he abandons them, he turns away from them. And to hope is as to be persuaded by God, in this way.