The Transformation of the Right Hand of the Most High

To be transformed into something else until the end. The same applies to knowledge and wisdom; we say the same thing: there is one being introduced into wisdom who is subject to testing as one capable of sinning. For it is said, 'reprove the wise, and he will love you' (Prov 9:8). No one is reproved unless he possesses the things by which he is to be reproved. This wise person, who is subject to testing, is a newborn and, being just brought in, is able to make progress continually. But when he receives wisdom such that it is no longer possible to receive it as an addition, he has been transformed until the end.

And here, even if many saints were being influenced by 'the body of humility,' they receive 'out of His fullness,' not the fullness itself, nor each one out of the fullness, but 'all from the fullness.' And they receive here 'a pledge of the Spirit,' not the whole Spirit itself, so that I may phrase it this way. But when 'the partial' is abolished and the end remains, and 'face to face' is seen, and men become like God according to what has been said: 'when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is' (2 Cor 5:17), here is the end of those being transformed. And it is well to say 'those being transformed' and not 'those having been transformed.'

No one is praised for knowledge and virtue if he merely became knowledgeable or virtuous, but when he is actively knowledgeable; for virtue and knowledge belong to the active, having their being in the act of being. Therefore, 'unto the end,' 'on behalf of those being transformed.' This blessedness, divine and superlative transformation, we have from the right hand of the Most High; for it is said: 'this is the transformation of the right hand of the Most High.'rich, He became poor for our sake, so that through His poverty we might become rich' (2 Cor 8:9)—and see: 'being rich, He became poor for our sake'—for having been transformed, He also made His presence felt. But remaining apart from His presence, He is the same, always possessing being as rich. 'For our sake' He became poor. Therefore, when having become poor for our sake, He makes us rich, we are being transformed in wealth and are coming unto the end, if we become rich as He is, as is possible, whenever we behold 'His glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth' (John 1:14). Thus, the saints receive 'out of the fullness.' No one receives the fullness, nor all...

In the same way with the words, 'I will pour out from my Spirit.' He did not say, 'my spirit'; for those who are spirit-bearers here receive a 'pledge' of the 'Spirit.' And the pledge is poured out from the Spirit. And the pledge is a part of a whole. Therefore, 'unto the end,' 'concerning those who shall be transformed.'

So, 'this is the transformation of the right hand of the Most High.' The right hand of the Most High is unshakeable and unchangeable. It always has and is the same; for we understand it as nothing other than the Savior. How then is it transformed, let us see: it descends along with us to instruct; and then, in reality, we were benefited if it descends along with us. But if it remains above itself, we are not benefited.

Therefore he says this: 'Will the Lord cast off forever or withhold his mercy?' (Ps 89:3) and 'Will he cut off his mercy from generation to generation or withhold his compassions?' (Ps 89:3) He says: 'And I said, Now I have begun,' when, through the descending process, I received experience of the right hand. 'Now I have begun': it happened in the beginning to know the truth, in the beginning to know the works of providence, the creative mercies of God toward good. So I said, 'Now I have begun.'

He says: 'This transformation,' which I endured, 'of the right hand of the Most High' is. This transformed me. No one of the created things was able to transform me in this way; for all need one who leads toward progress, one who perfects. But speaking more popularly and for those speaking in the middle, we will say that this is the transformation of the Most High: being a blessing, it has become a curse, so that it may release the curse and demonstrate those who are blessed. Being righteousness, it has therefore become sin, but sin such as is a maker of righteousness. And 'in him' we become 'the creative righteousness of God.' It is not righteousness simply, but of God.

We have said many times that those who are renamed possess the names of the seven gifts when they are perfected according to them. In the same way, regarding the one perfected in love, as is possible in life, Paul calls it love; for 'love does not boast, is not rude, does not seek its own' (1 Cor 13:4) is not said concerning the virtue of love, the commandment which is greater than all, but concerning the one possessing it, concerning the one doing it. Therefore the Savior becomes for the sake of all of us. He becomes flesh, 'so that we might become the righteousness of God' (2 Cor 5:21); for having seen 'his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten' (John 1:14), [he...]