The Temple of God and the Restoration of the Soul

Each one comes from his own place, not sensorially and bodily but in spirit and truth. Therefore, those who worship and fall down to him, bowing the knee to him and confessing him, come according to a disposition rather than a change of place; not only those on earth but also those in heavens and under the earth, weeping before him the weeping of repentance, and how much some weep and suffer. But a blameless weeping, escaping every stain, becomes one who is confident before the Lord.

And they say the reason by which the things written are fulfilled, asserting that he himself is our God and we are sheep of his pasture, a relationship of the people to God being shown through this word. Because of this he says: We become the people of his pasture, which he himself granted to make himself our God; for since he himself is our God, and we become the people of his pasture, and since we are the people of his pasture, he is our God. And being the people of his pasture, we are also sheep of his hand, he being our shepherd. Therefore no one shall snatch us from his right hand; for I myself give them eternal life, and no one shall snatch them from my hand (Ps 94:7c–9).

Having said that these words were spoken by the Holy Spirit as the end of the psalm, the apostle placed them in the Epistle to the Hebrews somewhat randomly and brought an interpretation to them. But he interpreted 'today', referring to the age that has fully come; for each day of the age is signified by 'today'. But the heart is hardened, appearing hard and contrary through all sin, bowing down to wickedness like that of Pharaoh. Therefore, abandoning this hardness, let us bow our hearing to the shouting God in order to become righteous.

Another says 'I said, I provided food' (Ps 94:10-11), referring to not every generation, but that generation always associating with error because of not wanting the knowledge of God; he says that God, having been angered, swore not to enter into his rest, saying these things in Psalm 106. Having explained this word of Paul, we will say nothing more than what was said then. Understand also thus: the rational soul, becoming according to the image and likeness of God, is the intellect of the one who has been made, especially with virtue...

Being sinful, the one sinning is taken captive and is disgraced, so that he is no longer a temple of God. For if God says concerning some, 'My spirit shall by no means remain in these men because they are flesh' (cf. Psalm 51:11), for formerly, when the temple of the divine Spirit was dwelling in them, it was like His own; but those sinning have become flesh, subject to passion and material, having taken it on, the one dwelling in them has departed as a conqueror, and they remained under destruction by the evil spirits who captured them.

Therefore, just as the one sinning, having become a captive, ceases to be a temple of God through the destruction of his edifice built of virtues, so also the one returning to God through repentance is not only ransomed from captivity, but is also founded and built up as a temple of God through correctness of mind and excellent deeds. And this is what the introductory part of the psalm declares. For after the captivity, once the temple is built, a gracious song of thanksgiving is sent up for the forgiveness of the captivity and the dedication of the temple.

And regarding the literal sense, one will be able to take what is according to the place. For it appears that the temple was built in the times of Ezra after the captivity. It must be said that concerning such a thing, David, having seen more prophetically the ancient restoration of the temple, has made the song for the dedication of the temple. But the singers, having put off the old man and having put on the new, being renewed into becoming according to the image of the one who created him, and being made suitable to the new discipleship of the new covenant, conforming to the newness of the teaching of Christ, sing.

Here indeed all the earth is commanded to obey, and in the heavens to worship: 'Let all the earth worship you and sing to you' (Psalm 95:6); and it is said in Isaiah, 'The whole earth is full of His greatness' (Isaiah 6:3), and in others, 'The whole earth is full of His glory.' Not all who sing to God are commanded to obey Him and to bless His name. For through good works and knowledge of the truth, one blesses and glorifies the name of God. For it is said in the Gospel, 'Let your light shine before men' (Matthew 5:16), so that they may see your good works and glorify the Father.