Strength in Christ vs. Assyrian Pride
The reigning power is at stake, and the insolence of the Assyrians prevails. For both types of insolence exist: some through being slanderers, others through being arrogant and insulting out of pride.
When the opposing forces are destroyed, those traveling through a narrow sea are strengthened by their Lord God, each saying thankfully, 'The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation' (Exodus 15:2). And again, 'I will love you, Lord, my strength' (Exodus 15:2). Likewise, Jeremiah says to God, 'My strength and my help and my refuge, Lord my God' (Jeremiah 33:2). The same is said by the hymn-singer and prophet Jeremiah, and Paul, speaking in Christ, writes most powerfully, 'I can do all things in him who strengthens me' (Philippians 4:13).
Once the insolence of the Assyrians is removed and the kingdom of the Egyptians is destroyed, being armed with the beneficial appellation, they boast against those being overthrown, except each one saying, 'May it never be to me to boast except in the cross of Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world' (Galatians 6:14). For the world having been crucified so that it no longer operates, being prevented from where it wishes to go and doing what it loves, the servant of Christ is crucified to it, so that even though his feet and hands are prevented from operating, he will unceasingly boast, declaring, 'I have been crucified with Christ.'
He who possesses this confidence bravely in Christ boasts according to what was said, 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord' (1 Corinthians 1:31); for one who does not boast cannot, in a psychic or somatic way, or even regarding things external, boast in anything of his own. For all these things have been forbidden: 'For let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong in his strength, nor the rich in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows the Lord, to do righteousness and justice in the midst of the earth' (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
This same voice, the mother of the prophet Samuel sent up, thanking for the birth of a child born contrary to expectation, only substituting prudence for wisdom. And there also exist for us brave deeds from God, so that we may give thanks to the generous one who desired them.
Having sufficiently described also the third word concerning the prophet Zechariah, there we may rest, entreating the God who increases visions 'to give a word in the opening of the mouth' (Zechariah 1:17), toward the following, as if to clarify, if it should seem good to him.
Greek
βασιλευούσης, καὶ ἡ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ὕβρις ·······ι̣σχει. Ἀμφοτέρως γὰρ ὕβριζον, τοῦτο μὲν λοίδοροι ὑπάρχοντες, τοῦτο δὲ ἀλαζόνες καὶ καθ' ὑπερηφανίαν ἐξυβρίζοντες. 3.320 Τῶν ἀντικειμένων καταλυθέντων, κατισχύονται ὑπὸ Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτῶν οἱ ἐν θαλάσσῃ στενῇ πορευόμενοι, ὡς χαριστηρίως λέγειν ἕκαστον· «Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ἡ 113 ὕμνησίς μου Κύριος, καὶ ἐγένετό μοι Κύριος εἰς σωτηρίαν.» Καὶ ἔτι· «Ἀγαπήσω̣ σε, Κύριε, ἡ ἰσχύς μου.» Ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ Ἰερε̣μίας πρὸς τὸν Θεόν φησιν· «Ἰσχύς μου καὶ βοήθειά μου καὶ καταφυγή μου, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου.» Τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ υ῾̣μνῳδῷ καὶ προφήτῃ Ἰερεμίᾳ, καὶ ὁ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλῶν Παῦλος ἐρρωμενέστατα γράφει· «Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντι.» 3.321 Ἀφαιρεθείσης τῆς ὕβρεως τῶν Ἀσ̣συρίων καὶ τῆς βασιλείας τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καταλυ̣θείσης, τῇ τοῦ εὐεργέτου προσηγορίᾳ ὁπλισάμενοι κατακαυχῶνται κατὰ τῶν ἀνατραπέντων, μόνον οὐχὶ ἕκαστος λέγων· «Ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δι' οὗ ἐμοὶ κόσμος̣ ἐσταύρωται κἀγὼ κόσμῳ.» Σταυρωθέντος γὰρ τοῦ κόσμου̣ ὡς μηκέτ' ἐνεργεῖν, κωλυόμενον̣ ὅπῃ βούλεται χωρεῖν καὶ πράττειν τὰ αὐτῷ φίλα, σταυροῦται αὐτῷ ὁ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος, ὥστε τῶν ποδῶν καὶ τῶν χειρῶν κ̣ωλυθέντων ἔτι ἐνεργεῖν, ἀνεμεσήτως καυχήσεται φάσκων· «Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι.» 3.322 Ὁ ταύτην τὴν πεποίθησιν γενναίως ἔχων ἐν Χριστῷ καυχᾶται κατὰ τὸ λεχθέν· «Ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχάσθω», οὐ καυχώμενος ἐπ' οὐδενὶ ὧν ἰδίων ἔχειν δύναται ψυχ̣ικῷ, οὐ σωματικῷ, οὐδὲ τῶν ἐκτός τινι. Ἀπη̣γόρευται γὰρ τα̣ῦτα πάντα· «Μὴ καυχάσθω γάρ, φησίν, ὁ σοφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ἐπὶ τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὐτ̣ο̣ῦ, μηδὲ ὁ πλ̣ούσιος ἐπὶ τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσ̣θω ὁ καυχώμενος, συνίειν καὶ εἰδέναι τὸν Κύριον καὶ ποιεῖν ἔλεον καὶ κρίμα ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς.» 3.323 Ταύτην τὴν φωνὴν καὶ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ προφήτου Σαμουὴλ ἐπὶ τῷ τοκετῷ τοῦ παρὰ προσδοκίαν γεναμένου τέκνου εὐχαριστοῦσα ἀνέπεμψεν, μόνον ἐναλλάξασα ἀντὶ τῆς σοφίας φρόνησιν. 3.324 Ὑπάρξεται δὲ καὶ ἡμῖν θεόθεν ἀνδραγαθήματα ἵν' εὐχαριστήσωμεν τῷ ὀρέξαντι αὐτὰ ὑπάρχοντι μεγαλοδώρῳ. 3.325 Αὐτάρκως̣ περιγραφέντος καὶ τοῦ τρίτου λόγου τοῦ εἰς πρ̣οφήτην Ζαχαρίαν, αὐτοῦ που καταπαύσωμεν παρακαλοῦντες τὸν ὁράσεις πληθύνοντα Θεὸν «δοῦναι λόγον ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματος», πρὸς το`̣ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ω῾̣ς οἷόν τε σαφηνίσαι, ἐὰν αὐτῷ δοκῇ.
About this text
Didymus the Blind on Zechariah.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.