On Genesis

In Genesim

Didymus the Blind · c. 313–c. 398 AD · PG

The Logos as Creator and the Formation of the Earth§1

1In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1). From God, all things are directed toward the visible and the invisible, with the visible being physical bodies and the invisible being incorporeal and intelligible.

It was necessary therefore to teach that, because also from cosmogony, God is able to be perceived and to be made manifest, as it has been said that in the beginning God made the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1). For the visible creation is contained within these: the earth containing the animals and plants and waters, and the heaven containing the number of the stars. Therefore, the earth is pre-conceived for all the animals and plants and waters, without which the existence of the others would not be possible, namely the stars and the moon; and the heaven, without which nothing of these would exist. And if anyone should suppose there to be a time for the beginning, examining it he would find these things to be pre-conceived of time; and the name of 'the beginning' signifies not one thing but many. For just as one does not understand the word, it sometimes signifies the cause, as 'the thing of this kind is here'; in cause there existed the heaven and the earth, the cause of wisdom, the cause of their existence and of their constitution.

For the world did not come into being by chance or automatically; for all things came into being through the Word, and in Christ Jesus the things on earth and the visible and invisible things in the heavens were created. For in the Son all things consist and are into him, who is before all things. For without the Word of God—who is neither spoken nor is he a subject of thought but is this itself, God-like... to the being, he is unable to sustain anything; just as an architect... the writing of which he intends to build a city... containing within itself. The name of the beginning sometimes signifies kingship, so that it might be also here that, being a king and an authority, he has made this all; nor did he... cast upon it matter toward the essence of the all. If indeed there is also a substance underlying them... for the hypothesis and foundation of all existing things is the Word of God, which being indeed toward the Father as being consubstantial with him, is a simple essence, it has the relation toward the things being created, being all things toward his own will... wisdom but this itself is God-like... a participant in wisdom.

i,2. And the earth was invisible and constructed and darkness was over the abyss; and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The understanding of the word posits as the earth a subsistence under the water... it appeared by God saying: 'Let the water under the heaven be gathered together into one assembly, and let the dry land appear' (Genesis 1:9); the of the water remained the earth.

Greek · §1

In Genesim < ΕΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΓΕΝΕΣΙΝ> 1α ι, 1. [Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐπο]ίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. [··· ··· ···] τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς ὁρατὰ καὶ ἀόρατα φέρεται, τῶν μὲν ὁρατῶν [τὰ σώματα, τ]ῶν δὲ ἀοράτων τὰ ἀσώματα καὶ νοητὰ δηλούντων. [··· ··· ···] μ̣άλιστα ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ [··]τ̣η προηγουμένως τε·η̣ς̣ [··· ··· ···]ως ὅτι γέγονεν εἰπεῖν [··]αξατε τὴν αἰτίαν τη̣σ··· [··· ··· ···]·ης· τὰ μέρη τοίνυν τ[ο]ῦ κόσμου καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν [κόσμον] [··· ··· ···]τες ἦσαν Αἰγύπτιοι, ἐξ ὧν Ἑβραῖοι μαθόντες [··· ··· ·] [··· ··· ···]·· αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ ὅλα τετρακόσια τριάκοντα ἔτ̣[η ··· ··]·ε·· [··· ·· ἐτύγ]χανον· ἀκ̣όλουθον ὅταν τὸν νόμ[ον ··· ··· ···]·· [··· ··· ···] ἀρχῆς ··· ··· ··· ·[.............................] [··· ··· ···]ο̣υ ὄντων εἰς ὃν ἀπ̣··· ··· ··· ··· ··[............] [··· ·· ἀναγ]καῖον οὖν ἦν διδάξαι ὅτ̣ι̣ ··· ··· ··· ···[.........] [··· ··· ···] διότι καὶ ἀπὸ κοσμογονίας ··· ··· ··· ···[......] [δύναται ὁ] Θεὸς νοεῖσθαι καὶ φανεροῦσ[θ]α̣ι ··· ··· ··· ·[.......] [··· ··· ···]ω̣ς εἴρηται ὅτι ἐν ἀρχῇ ὁ Θεὸς ἐ[πο]ίησεν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ [τὴν γῆν· ἡ γὰρ] ὁρωμένη κτίσιν ὑπὸ τούτων περιέχε[ται, τῆς μὲν] [γῆς τὰ ζῷα] καὶ φυτὰ καὶ ὕδατα περιεχούσης, το[ῦ δὲ οὐρανοῦ] [τὸν ἀριθ]μ̣ὸν τῶν ἄστρων· προεπινοεῖται οὖν [πάντων τῶν] [ζῴων καὶ] φυτῶν καὶ ὑδάτων ἡ γῆ, ἧς μὴ ὑφεστώσ[ης οὐ δύναται] [ὕπαρξις τ]ῶν ἄλλων εἶναι, τῶν δ' ἄστρων καὶ σελη´̣[νης ··· ··] [··· ·· ὁ οὐ]ρανός, οὗ χωρὶς τούτων τι οὐκ ἂν ὑπ[άρχοι; εἰ] [δέ τίς τιν]α χρόνον ἂν οἰηθείη εἶναι τὴν̣ [ἀρχὴν ··· ··· ··· ··] [··· ·· ἐξε]τάζων εὕροι ταῦτα τοῦ χρόνου προεπιν[οεῖσθαι· καὶ] [τὸ τῆς ἀρχ]ῆς ὄνομα οὐχ ἓν ἀλλὰ πολλὰ σημαίνει· κα[ὶ γὰρ ··· ·] [··· ··· ···]ν μηκύνω τὸν λόγον σημαίνει ποτὲ τὴν [αἰτίαν ὡς] [ἐνταῦθα τὸ] τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ἐν αἰτίᾳ ὑπῆρχεν ὁ οὐρανὸς κα[ὶ ἡ γῆ, τῆς] 2α σοφίας αἰτίας τῆς ὑπάρξεως καὶ αὐτῶν καταστάσ[ης· οὐ γὰρ ἀγεν]- νήτως ἢ αὐτομάτως ὑπῆ[ρ]ξεν ὁ κόσμος· πάντα γὰρ [διὰ τοῦ λόγου ἐγέ]- νετ̣ο καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐκτίσθη τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς καὶ τὰ ἐν τοῖς [οὐρανοῖς τὰ ὁρατὰ] καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα· ἐν γὰρ τῷ υἱῷ τὰ πάντα συνέστηκε [καὶ εἰς αὐτόν, ὅς] ἐσ[τι] πρὸ πάντων· ἄνευ γὰρ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς οὔ[τε προφορικὸς] οὔτε ἐνδιάθετός ἐστιν ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, Θεοῦ οὐσ[ιώδης ··· ·· τῷ] ὄντι, ο[ὐδ]ὲν ὑποστῆναι δύναται· ὡς γὰρ ἀρχιτέκ[των ··· ··· ···] [··· ··· ···] γρ̣α̣φὴν ἧς μέλλοι ο̣ι᾿̣κοδομῆσαι πό[λεως ··· ··· ··] [....................................] τερον·[··· ··· ··· ···] [...........................] ἐν ἑαυτῇ περιέχουσα. [Σημαίνει] [δέ ποτε τὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς ὄ]νο[μα τὴν βα]σιλείαν, ἵν' ᾖ καὶ ἐνταῦθα [ὅτι βα][σιλεὺς ὢν καὶ ἐξου]σιάστης πεποίηκεν τόδε τὸ πᾶν· οὐδὲ τ̣·[··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··]έβαλεν αὐ[τ]ῷ ὑ´̣λην πρὸς τὴν τοῦ παντὸς ο̣[ὐσίαν] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··] Εἰ δέ τι̣ς̣ κ̣αὶ τ̣η`̣ν ὑποκειμένην αὐτοῖς οὐσίαν [··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ·· ὑπό]θεσις γὰρ καὶ θεμέλιος τῶν ὅλων ὑπάρχων υ[··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··] Θεοῦ λόγος, ὅστις ᾗ μὲν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἐν ε[··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ·· ὁμο]ούσιος αὐτῷ τυγχάνων, ἁπλῆ οὐσία ὑπάρχει [··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··]η πρὸς τὰ δημ̣ι̣ουργούμενα ἔχει τὴν σχέσιν [··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ·]ο̣υσα τὰ πάντα πρὸς τὸ ἑαυτῆς βούλημα [··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··]ῃ σοφία ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ τοῦτο οὐσιώδης. [··· ··] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··]σοφω̣[·] μετόχως. ι,2. Ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος [καὶ ἀ]- [κατασκεύαστος καὶ σ]κότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου· καὶ πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπε̣[φέρε]- [το ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατο]ς. [̔Η τῆς λέξεως κατα]νόησις ὑποβάλλει ὡς ἡ γῆ ὑποστάση ὑπὸ τῷ [ὕδατι] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··] ὤφθη τοῦ Θεοῦ εἴποντος· "6Συναχθήτω τὸ ὕδωρ [τὸ ὑποκάτω] 3α [τοῦ ο]ὐρανοῦ εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν καὶ ὀφθήτω η῾̣ ξ̣η̣ρ̣α´̣"6· ου··· ··· ··· [··· ·]τος τοῦ ὕδατος διέμεινεν ἡ γῆ

Divine Vision and the Nature of Light§2

2Having considered so much, it was necessary for the animals... in such a way it could not remain... not even... the 'was' signifies the ungenerated... God made the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1), whence the earth is not ungenerated. For not always 'was' signifies the eternal, but often... it happens in such a way that 'and there was a man of noble...' gap... invisible through the... constructed, since the things capable... came to this.

These things, indeed, gap he proposes to understand by word... we consider the invisible and unconstructed... by its own word, without and formless... of forms and shaped things... this is constructed from all... with its own matter and... in Wisdom it says: 'For the hand of your Almighty did not fail and create the cosmos out of formless matter...' gap... we only propose by word... And darkness was upon the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:2). Darkness, indeed, someone might take as the sensible... having been light, it was darkness not existing... light subsisting, which was over the deep. The deep, however, is deep water, of which there is no measure to be taken, the depth being made manifest by length and breadth. He says the Spirit hovers over the water; and if the simplest understanding were to fall gap... lying upon the immeasurable water and especially... since the Spirit gap with the senses...

With such discourses, he sows spiritual things many times, he who even now performs the movement. Therefore, it is preserved, for they did not make something of waters according to nature, but something else.

The abyss would be the darkness of ignorance. A holy thing is brought over the powers, spirits, principalities, thrones, lordships. 'God saw the waters, and they saw and were afraid' (Job 38:16). It is evident, however, that it is not about sensible waters, for he neither fears nor sees, for they are inanimate; for God sees not with eyes but understands with unmixed and pure intellect.

Evil exists in things according to nature, but virtue exists part by part from knowledge. 'And God said, Let there be light, and there was light' (Genesis 1:3). What light is there with the luminaries, as in 'Praise him, sun, and moon, praise him, all you stars and light' (Psalm 148:3)? They think another light exists from this, apart from the sun and the rest of the stars. Perhaps it is not entirely irreconcilable to have the notion that before the sun there was some radiance, thinking that another light was to be. For they say that it was not yet defining something for us, but it appeared. Some radiance leaps forward, an external radiance of the sun, the form of sensible lights, as if rays of light.

Greek · §2

τοσοῦτον ἔχουσα̣ ··· · πρ̣ο̣[ ] [··· ·]σ̣ην ἔμελλεν εἶναι χρειῶδες καὶ πρ̣ο`̣ς τὰ ζῷα ·ε··· ··· ··· ··· [··· ·]τως εἶχεν μεῖναι οὐκ ἠδύνατο ου᾿̣δὲ ··· ··· ··· ··· ·· μα [··· ·]· τὸ "6ἦν"6 τὸ ἀγένητον δηλοῦν ··· ··· ται ··· ··· ·· ἐποί- [ησεν] ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν"6, ὅθεν 1 οὐκ ἀγένητ̣ο̣ς̣ [ἡ γ]ῆ. Ο̣υ᾿̣δ̣ε`̣ γ̣ὰρ [ἀεὶ τὸ] "6ἦν"6 τὸ ἀΐδιον δηλοῖ, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις ···[··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··] [··· ··]τω συνῆπται ὡς τὸ "6καὶ ἦν ἀνὴ[ρ ἐκεῖνος εὐγένης ··· ··· ····] [··· ·]τερον δηλ[οῖ [··· ··· ·]α·· ων· ει[···]·· ···[...............................] [··· ···]····βανεται ··· ·· [.................................] [····] εκ····εν τε το̣ ην̣ η····· [...............................] [····] ἀόρατος ου··· ·· διὰ τὴν τ[.............................] [κατα]σκεύαστος, ἐπεὶ τὰ δυνάμεν[α ..............................] [····] ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἐλήλυθε. Ταῦτα με`̣ν [..........................] [····] λέξεως ὑποβάλλει νοεῖν ··η, [.............................] [····]βοιμεν τὴν ἀόρατον καὶ ἀκα̣τα̣[σκεύαστον...................] [····]· τῷ μὲν ἰδίῳ λόγῳ ἄποιος καὶ ἀ´̣[μορφος....................] [····]μάτων καὶ μορφωμάτων αυτ[...................... κατα]- [σκευ]α´̣ζεται τοῦτο ἐξ ὅλων [...................................] [····] μετὰ τῆς ὕλης αὐτῆς καὶ [...............................] [····] ἐν τῇ Σοφίᾳ λέγει· "6Οὐ γὰρ [ἠπόρει ἡ παντοδύναμός σου χεὶρ καὶ κτί]- [σασα τ]ὸν κ̣[ό]σμον ἐξ ἀμόρφου ὕλ[ης...........................] [····]ηματισ··ν μόνῳ λόγ[ῳ π]ρ̣ο̣ε̣π̣ι̣νοουμε[....................] ι, 2. [Καὶ σκότος] ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου, κα[ὶ] πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετ̣ο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος. [Σκότο]ς μὲν οὖν τὸ αἰσθητὸν ε[ἴ τ]ις τοῦτο ἐκλάβοι, δυν[............] [··· ··] φωτὸς γεγενημένου σκότος ἦν οὐκ ουσ[..................] 4α φωτὸς ὑφιστάμενον, ὅπερ ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου ὑπῆρχεν. [Ἡ ἄβυσσος] δέ ἐστιν ὕδωρ βάθυ, οὗ οὐκ ἔστιν μέτρον λαβει῀̣ν, τοῦ βάθου[ς τῷ μήκει] τε κ̣αὶ πλατείᾳ δηλονότι ἑπομένου. Τῷ ὕδατι ἐπιφέρεσ[θαι τὸ πνεῦμά] φησιν· κ̣αὶ εἴη μὲν κατα`̣ τὴν ἁπλουστέραν διάνοιαν πν[··· ··· ··] μέρος τῷ ἀμέτρῳ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπικείμενον καὶ μάλιστ[α ··· ··· ·] φανει α· ἐπ̣ε̣ι̣δὴ δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα ταῖς αἰσθηταῖς διήγεσιν [··· ··· ··] ··σπείρειν ε[··]θεν κ̣αὶ πνευματικὰ πολλάκις, ὁ καὶ νῦν ποι[εῖ ··· ···] μεν τὴν κινητοῦ [··· ··· ·]ιαν. ∆ιῄρηται τοίνυν ἡ τῶ[ν ··· ··· ·] [··· ···] ··· ··· · ε··· [...............]·· γὰρ τα[··· ··· ··] [.....................................]των ε[..................] [.................................]ν πρ̣ος ῃ··· [...............] [.....................................]φυσιν αλλ[..............] [................................ ὑ]δάτων οὐκ ἐποίησεν. ·[····] [............................ Ἡ] ἀ´̣βυσσος οὖν εἴη ἂν ἡ τῆς [···] [............................]·ῃν τὴν ἄγνοιαν σκότῳ και`̣ [···] [............................]· ἅγιον ἐπιφέρεται ἐπάνω [···] [......................]· π[ν]εῦμα ἀρχαὶ ἐξουσίαι θρόνοι κ[υρι]- [ότητες ··· ··· ··· ···]· τ[·] "6Εἴδοσάν σε ὕδατα ὁ Θεὸσ[, εἴδο][σαν σε καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν"6· δῆλ]ον δὲ ὡς οὐ περὶ αἰσθητῶν [ὑδά]- [των ··· ··· ὅτι οὐδὲ φοβεῖ]ται οὐδὲ ὁρᾷ, ἄψυχα γάρ· ὁρᾶ[ται] [γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ··· ··· ··· ·· ἀλλ]ὰ νοήσει ἀσυγχύτῳ καὶ καθ[αρᾷ] [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ···]νοις κακίας ὑπάρχει [··]τε[.......] [··· ··· ··]τοις γενν[··]·[··] κατὰ φύσιν, ἀλλὰ ἐκ γνω[..........] [··· ··· ··]·μενης κακίαν καὶ ἀρετὴν ἀνὰ μέρος ὑπο̣·[............] [··· ··· ··]ς ι, 3. [Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· γε]νηθήτω φῶς καὶ ἐγένετο φῶσ[ 5α τι φῶ[ς μ]ετὰ τῶν φωστήρων ὡς ἐν τῷ "6Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸ[ν ἥλιος] καὶ σελ̣[ήν]η, αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν πάντα τὰ ἄστρα καὶ τὸ φῶ[ς"6, ἕτερον] ἐκ τού[του] φῶς παρὰ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἄστρα ὑπ[άρχειν] νομί[ζον]τες· τάχα δὲ οὐ πάνυ ἀναντίρρητόν ἐστιν[...............] ···σ[···]δε τὴν ὑπόνοιαν ἔχοντες ὅτι πρὸ ἡλί[ου ...................] τις αὐ[γή,] ᾕπερ ἕτερον φῶς εἶναι νομίζουσιν· [....................] ····[··]··· ··· ··· ··φασὶν γὰρ ὅτι μήπω ελ̣[..................] ····[··]τ̣ον καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁρίζοντα ἀλλ̣ὰ παρ··τ·[....................] ····[··]νοντο· προπηδᾷ αὐγή τις εξ··· ···[....................] ····[··] ἑτέρα τοῦ ἡλίου ἡ ἔξω̣θ̣εν αὐγῂ··· ···[..................] ····[··]·ιο τῶν̣ αι᾿̣σθητῶν̣ εἰδέας ··· ··· ·[.....................] [..........]··ας ·[··· ···]··[··· ···]··· φ[..................] [..........]·ι φωτὸς̣ [αὐ]γαὶ ὡς

The Divine Vision of Light§3

3And of the heaven... gaps...our gaps to be composed... gaps...in them this is shown... gaps Just as on the earth... gaps...plants later themselves... gaps...a certain light previously existing... provided the generation of these gaps toward the allegory many gaps door, shepherd, way... gaps relation and philanthropy... gaps so also from the Father it is said to him: 'I have given you to be a light to the nations, to be salvation unto the ends of the earth' (Isa 49:6). This teaches not that he generated the Son out of non-being, but that, being light in essence, he set light to be for those dwelling with him from him.

For not when the light of this intelligible world was set, did it become light existing by itself; for 'was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into the world' (John 1:9). So also the Son, being wisdom eternally, becomes a teacher to be wise and to all as wisdom to those desiring to learn, not receiving wisdom as a beginning of being, but being eternally, for those of us being made wise; for she says about herself: 'Whenever he prepared the heavens, I was with him' (Prov 8:30), making it manifest to the Father: 'Wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification and redemption became ours' gaps...opening gaps...teaches the Psalmist... gaps...God according to nature and... gaps...himself divine... gaps...creation... gaps so God is begotten... gaps according to allegory...

...following... the light that fits... because we shall be deprived... we received... at the same time as the generation... as they were foreknown... of their essence, which was enlightened by God... and to maintain the light unclouded... by the will of God. For he says, 'And God saw the light that it was good' (Genesis 1:4), that is, to take the naturally existing lights.

To see the light, it is necessary to hear in a manner befitting God, not concerning God through human passions or in human-like speech. For as 'he himself said and was born' allusion to John 1:1, the one who spoke according to providence, so that we receive instead of saying his word... he wills... and concerning the... as previously stated... it is not equal to me... men indeed speak, but God speaks through the intellect... thus He speaks, not with a voice of God since He is not... but entering into... and the one hearing it... God speaks these things to the intellects; we say 'to say what God said'...

Greek · §3

καὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ· κ··[..........] [..............]μας ηι[···]··ν ἀποτελεῖσθαι· ον̣· [..........] [..............]·ενοις [···]·νων τοῦτο δεικνυμεν[..............] [...................... Ὥ]σπερ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ε··[...........] [.........................]α̣ φυτὰ ὕστερον αὐτὰ κ·ιν̣[..........] [.........................]αι φῶς τι προυποκείμε[νον ............] [.................... παρά]σχον τὴν γένεσιν ταυτ̣[.............] [.................. πρὸς τ]ὴν ἀλληγορίαν πολλα[...............] [.........................]·ος θύρα ποιμὴν ὁδὸς [...............] [........................σ]χέσει καὶ φιλανθρωπί[ᾳ ..............] [......................ο]ὕτως καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς [λέγετ]α̣ι πρὸς [αὐτὸν·] ["6∆έδωκά σε εἰς 2 φ]ῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σ[ε εἰς σ]ωτηρίαν ε῾̣[ὼς ἐ]- [σχάτου τῆς γῆς."6] Τοῦτο δὲ διδάσκει οὐχ ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος̣ [τὸν υἱὸν] 6α [ἐγέννησ]εν̣, ἀλλ' ὅτι φῶς ὑπάρχοντα κατ' οὐσίαν κ[···]·δεν [··· ····]εσθαι φῶς ἔθετο τοῖς τὸν παρ' αὐτοῦ ·[···]·ν θε [··· ····]··μένοις. Οὐ γὰρ ὅτε τέθειται φῶς το̣[ῦ νο]ητοῦ [κόσμου, γ]έγονεν, <ἀ>ϊδίως ὑπάρχων φῶς· "6Ἦν"6 γὰρ "6τὸ [φῶ]ς̣ τ̣ο`̣ [ἀληθινό]ν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενο[ν εἰς] τὸν κό- [σμον"6. Οὕτ]ω καὶ σοφία ὢν ὁ Υἱὸς ἀϊδίως, γίνετα̣ι̣ τῷ [σοφ]ισθῆ- [ναι καὶ πᾶ]σιν̣ σοφία ὡς τοῖς ποθοῦσι μαθεῖν διδ[άσκα]λος, [τότε μὴ ἀ]ρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι σοφία δεχόμενος, ἀλ[λ' ὢν ἀϊ]δι´̣ω̣ς, [ἡμῶν δὲ] σοφιζομένων· αὐτὴ γὰρ περὶ ἑαυτῆς φ[ησιν·] "6Ἡνίκα [ἡτοίμαζ]εν τὸν οὐρανόν, συμπαρήμην αὐτῷ"6, τῷ πατ[ρὶ δηλ]ονότι, ["6σοφία τε] δικαιοσύνη καὶ ἁγιασμὸς καὶ ἀπολύτρ[ωσις"6 ἐγέ]νετ[ο] [ἡμῖν ··· ···]·· δια´̣νοι̣αν κ̣α̣τὰ [π]άντα̣[..........................] [...................]··· ··· ··· ··· ··μ··· ··υ[...............] [...................]··· ·· δ̣ι̣δάσκει ψαλ[··]·ωτε̣ [...................]·· κατὰ φύσιν Θεὸς καὶ [····]··κ·[..........] [...................]···ος· ἑαυτὸν θε̣ι̣···[····]·[...............] [...................]···δημιουργι̣α̣ ἔτι κ·[......................] [...................]· ο̣ὑ´̣τω θεός ἐστιν γεν[νητός .................] [...................]··· κατ' ἀλληγορίαν ν̣ο̣[.....................] [...................]···ικα ἀκολούθω[σ]· [.....................] [...................]···το τὸ φῶς ἁρμοζον̣[.....................] [...................]····ν ὅτι στερομενω[.......................] [····]δεξα [··· ···]··· ἅμα τῇ γενέσει κα[.....................] [····]··ω̣ς [··· ···]···ντων προεπινοουμ[......................] 7α [····]··ι τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν, ἥτις ὑπὸ Θεοῦ ἐφωτίσ[θη ··· ···] [····]··· καὶ φῶς διατηρεῖν ἀθόλωτον καὶ α··[··· ··· ··] [····]·νη Θεοῦ· "6Καὶ εἶδεν"6 γάρ φησιν "6ὁ Θεὸς τὸ φῶς [ὅτι καλόν"6,] [τουτ]έστιν τὰ πεφυκότα φωτί[σ]μ̣α̣τ̣α λαβεῖν [...................] ι, 4. Κ[α]ὶ [εἶδε]ν ὁ Θεὸς <τὸ φῶς> ὅτι καλόν. Τ[ὸ] ἰδ[εῖ]ν τὸν Θεὸν τὸ φῶς θεοπρεπῶς ἀκούειν δεῖ ο[··· ··· ··] [····]·· περὶ Θεοῦ ἀνθρωποπαθῶς ἢ ἀνθρωπολογῶ[ς ··· ··· ·] [····]··εται· ὡς γὰρ ·· "6αὐτὸς εἶπεν καὶ ἐγεννήθ[ησαν ···] [··· τ]ῷ κατὰ πρόνο̣ι̣α̣ν λόγῳ εἶπεν, ἵνα ὑπολ·[··· ··· ··] [····] αὐτοῦ ἀντὶ τοῦ εἰπεῖν δεχόμεθα ····· [··· ··· ··] [····]· βούλεται ···· καὶ περὶ τοῦ ··· ··· ·· [··· ··· ··] [.....................]··· ··· ··· ···· [.......................] [.....................]σ̣τ̣ερ ··· ··· ··· [.......................] ................... κ]αθὰ π̣ροε̣ι´̣ρη̣τ̣α̣ι̣ ··· ··· [...................] [...................]του νομίζειν ··· ··· ·· [...................] [...............]·····α····κ·πε ··· ··· ·· [....................] [...............]·ι ο̣ὐκ ἴσον τῷ ἐμοι̣··· ···· [...................] [...............]·ν·λα··ν καὶ αὐτω··· ···· [...................] [...............]·λαλε· ἄνθρωποι γοῦν ··· ···· [................] [...............]·· Θεὸς δὲ τὴν διάνοι̣α̣ν̣ ···· [...................] [...............]·[· ο]ὕτ̣ω λαλ[εῖ] ουδ··· ···· [................] [...............] φωνὴν Θεοῦ ἐπεὶ ου··· ···· [.................] [...............] ἀλλ' ἐμβατεύων καθ··· ···· [..................] [...............] καὶ ὁ ἀκούων αὐτοῦ α··· ···· [................] [...............]τοι Θεὸς ταῦτα ταῖς διαν̣ο̣ι´̣α̣ι̣ς̣ · [.................] [...............] λέγομεν τὸ εἰπεῖν τὸν̣ Θ̣ε̣ο`̣ν̣ ···· [................] 8α [··· ··· ··] καὶ

Demonstrating Divinity and the Distinction of Good and Evil§4

4By the greatness of the light that has come, God would see the whole analogy and the harmony it has with other things. We say of the painter that he sees differently through art, even though he also receives it through sensory perception. For the one practicing art, seeing the analogy, perceives the beauty of this member in relation to that and this in relation to that, whereas the non-artist does not reach this appearance, which comes through calculation and technical intellect.

It has been said that the Savior is day; allegorically, 'the night has passed, and the day has approached' (Mark 1:5). For He Himself is day and light; light indeed according to essence, but light through intellect illuminates. For 'the sun of righteousness shall rise' (Malachi 4:2) 'upon you who fear my name.' Nor is it about a sensory light, but it rises as a sun to those who fear. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night (Gen 1:5).

One must take all things according to the law of allegory. For the day is the shining of the law of allegory and illumination, and ignorance is darkness. The word 'called' signifies 'demonstrated'—for this is what is continually meant in the Scriptures. For 'made' sometimes also signifies 'demonstrated'; for the Jews say to the Savior, 'You, being a man, make yourself God' (John 10:34) instead of...

You demonstrate what you do by saying missing no one. And again it has been said that 'for this reason they sought to kill Jesus, not only because he broke the Sabbath, but because he also called God his own Father, making himself equal to God' (cf. John 10:30-33), which signifies equality with the unbegotten God. And John, in the epistle following him, writes: 'If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar' (1 John 1:8), making it clear that God missing—here is where the 'making' is the 'demonstrating' of the sign. But also concerning the priest who took missing, it is said that 'the priest defiles him,' clearly meaning that the one 'defiling him' demonstrates that he has been defiled, not himself missing missing.

God from the beginning had a concept, by which he distinguishes the good and the evil, which exists in the incorruptible missing; but others, having gone astray and using things in various ways, missing that the good is chosen and the evil is missing as is mostly missing; the word says that he weighs down those who are distracted by these missing things: 'Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness' (Isaiah 5:20), which regarding history they do not do—for they do not think darkness is light—but regarding the ways missing the weighing brings upon them missing they treat the love of beauty and knowledge as an excessive thing missing.

In what preceded this it has been said missing seeing creation missing many times in the narration missing having ascended above missing missing is a ditch missing the luminaries became missing who is other missing.

Greek · §4

μεγέθει τῷ γεγενημένῳ φωτὶ προσβαλὼ[ν ......] [··· ··· ··]ελως ἂν ἴδοι Θεὸς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀναλογίαν καὶ αἰτ̣[.......] [··· ··· ··]·τε καὶ οἵαν ἁρμονίαν ἔχει πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα με[...........] [··· ··· ··]· καὶ τὸν ζωγράφον λέγομεν ἑτέρως ὁρᾶν τ[·]ν··[....] [··· ··· ··]τεχνη, καίτοι καὶ αὐτοῦ αἰσθητικῇ προσβολῃ῀̣ [··]τη·[..] [··· ··· ··]· λαμβανομένου· ὁ γὰρ τεχνιτεύσας τὴν ἀν[αλ]ογίαν [ὁρῶν τοῦ]δε τοῦ μέλους πρὸς τόδε καὶ τοῦδε πρὸς τό[δε] τὸ κάλ- [λος αὐ]τοῦ θεωρεῖ, τοῦ ἀτεχνοῦς ταυτῆς μὴ ἐφικνου[μέν]ου τῆς [ὄψεως ἥ]τις λογισμῷ καὶ νοήσει τεχνικῇ γίνεται. Ει̣τ̣[··] του [····] ···· Σωτὴρ εἶναι εἴρηται, κατ' ἀλληγορίαν ἡμέ[ρα ἔ]σται [ὡς εἴ]ρηται· "6Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικε[ν"6. Αὐτὸς] [γὰρ ἡ]μέρα καὶ φῶς ὑπάρχει, φῶς μὲν κατὰ τὴν οὐ[σίαν ...........] [····]··· ··· ···]··[.........]··[.............................] [....................] σκότους ἀλλὰ ὑπ[........................] [...................] διάνοιαν φωτίζει η[........................] [··· ··· "6Ἀνατε]λεῖ"6 γὰρ "6ὑμῖν τοῖς φοβουμ[ένοις τὸ ὄνομά μου ἥλιος [δικαιοσύνης"6· οὐδ]ὲ γὰρ περὶ αἰσθητοῦ φωτὸς ·[..................] [................]τ̣ο τ̣οῖς φοβουμένοις προσενε· [.................] [................] ἀνατέλλει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἥλιον [..................] [................]·ηλων. ι, 5. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς 3 τ[ὸ φῶς ἡμέραν καὶ τὸ σκότος ἐκάλεσ]εν νύκτα. Κατὰ πάσας τὰς [..................] [................] δεῖ λαβεῖν. [Ο]ἱ μὲν γὰρ ποι[...................] [................]ται. δεῖ δὲ λογίζεσθαι ὅτι κα[.................] [................]σι̣ας γίνεται, ὅπερ νύκτα κ[...................] [.............. δη]μιουργός· ἡμ̣έρα οὖν νόμῳ ἀ[λληγορίας ........] [................] ἐλλάμπουσα καὶ φωτισμὸν καὶ ·[...............] [................]·[·]·α̣· ἡ δ' ἄγνοια σκότος· τὸ "6ἐκ[άλεσεν"6 ..] [................]· ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀπέδειξεν ἐκδεκτέο[ν................] 9α τοῦτο γὰρ συνεχῶς τὸ σημαινόμενον ἐν ταῖς [··· ··· ····] τα[ῖς γρα]φαῖς. Σημαίνει γάρ ποτε καὶ τὸ "6ἐποίησεν"6 ἀντ[ὶ τοῦ "3ἀπέδει]- ξεν"3· τῷ γὰρ Σωτῆρι οἱ Ἰουδαῖοί φασιν ὅτι "6σὺ ἄνθρωπος ὢν [ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν] θεόν"6 ἀ[ν]τὶ τοῦ "3ἀποδεικνύεις"3 τὸ ποιεῖς λέγοντες [··· ··· ··· ··] μι οὐδείς· καὶ πάλιν εἴρηται ὅτι "6διὰ [τοῦ]το ἐζ̣[ήτουν ἀποκτεῖναι] Ἰησοῦν, ο[ὐ] μόνον ὅτι ἔλυεν τὸ σάββατον, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ πατέρα [ἴδιον ἔλεγεν] τὸν [Θ]εόν, ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν τῷ Θεῷ"6, ὅπερ ἴσον τῷ ἀ[γεννήτῳ Θεῷ ση]μαίνε[ι]· καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης δὲ ἐν τῇ κατ' αὐτὸν ἐπιστολ[ῇ γράφει· "6Ἐὰν] εἴπ[ωμε]ν̣ ὅτι οὐχ ἡμαρτήκαμεν, ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν [αὐτὸν"6, δηλον]- ότι τὸν Θεόν], ἐνταῦθα τοῦ "6ποιοῦμεν"6 τὸ "3ἀποδείκνυμεν"3 [σημαίνοντος·] ἀλλὰ καὶ] περὶ τοῦ ἱερέως λέγεται τοῦ λαβόντος δια[··· ··· ····] [··· ····]ας ὅτι "6μιαινεῖ αὐτὸν ὁ ἱερεύς"6, δηλονότι τ[οῦ "6μιαινεῖ] [αὐτὸν"6 δη]λοῦντος τὸ ἀποδεῖξα̣ι̣ μ̣εμιασμένον, οὐκ αὐτὸν̣ [··· ··· ····] [.............................]του οὐκ αυ[....................] 10α [··· ··· ἐξ] ἀρχῆς ὁ Θεὸς ἔννοιαν, καθ' ἣν διακρίνειν οἱ῀̣όν τε τ̣[ὸ] ἀγαθὸν [καὶ κ]α̣κόν, ὅπερ ὑπάρ[χ]ει τοῖς ἀδιαστροφ··· ··· ··· ··· ····ου- [σιν· οἱ δ' ἄλλ]οι διεστραμμένοι καὶ ἐναλλὰξ τοῖς πράγμα[σιν] χρώ- [μενοι ··· ···] ὅτι τὸ ἀγαθὸν αἱρετόν ἐστιν τῷ ·α·δι·[···]··α [··· ··· ··· ···]··ι α·[··] κακὸν ὄν· ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον γ[··]··ω [··· ··· ···]επεται· τοὺς τα̣ῖς διεστραμμέναις ταύταις ··[··]τ̣ισιν [··· ··· ···]· ταλανίζων ὁ λόγος φησίν· "6Οὐαὶ οἱ λέγοντ[ε]ς τὸ πο- νηρὸν καλὸ]ν καὶ τὸ καλὸν πονηρόν, οἱ τιθέντες τὸ σκότος φ[ῶς καὶ τὸ φῶς σκότο]ς"6, ὅπερ ἐπὶ τῆς ἱστορίας μὲν οὐ ποιοῦσιν–οὐ γ[ὰρ τὸ [σκότος φῶ]ς εἶναι νομίζουσιν–τῷ δὲ περὶ τοὺς τρόπους ·[··· [··· ··· ··]ει τὸν ταλανισμὸν αὐτοῖς ἐπάγει το τ[···· [··· ··· ··]·ουνται τὴν φιλοκαλίαν καὶ τὴν γνῶσιν [···· [··· ··· ··]··ν περιττὸν πρᾶγμα ··· ···[....................] 13α [.............] ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων εἴρηται [......................] [.............] ὁρωμένης κτίσεως π̣[...........................] [.............] πολλάκις ἐν τῇ διηγήσ̣[ει.........................] [.............] ὑπεραναβεβηκότα σω[...........................] [.............]σ̣ις δίττη ἐστὶν διαν̣[..............................] [.............] οἱ φωστῆρες γενομεν[...........................] [.............] ὅστις ἕτερός ἐστιν π̣[.............................]

The Pattern of the Ages§5

5For gap... Behold, the heaven of the Lord your God Deut 10:14, and the heaven of heavens Deut 10:14... is another... they say seven heavens... gap... to be six heavens without... gap... for Paul 2 Cor 12:2... placing three heavens... gap... other than these... beside the three... gap... the heaven of heavens... it was said: the two... gap... the heaven of heavens... for it has been customary, the scripture gap is not contradictory gap and this has been said thus: that heavens coexist gap... another of the earth... it has been said that the Lord's heaven was named heaven, but that which in the beginning gap.

Before contemplating heaven, there was one and the same... of this Savior, of this world. If there are others present... and of the earth... for things in the world... the eternal word... and the temporal. 'By faith we understand the ages to be perfected by the words of God, into the things not seen being visible' (2 Cor 4:18) [imitation/copy]... and wonderful... Moses constructs according to the pattern; it was being constructed. 'See,' for he says, 'you shall do all according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain' (Exod 25:40). And the wisest Paul, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, through the more perfect and holy... spirit greater.

Greek · §5

[.............] πρὸ πάσης ἡμέρας καὶ [..........................] [.............] δεύτε̣ρ̣ον γεγενημένου [........................] [.............]ἡμέρα γεγ̣ε̣ν̣η̣μένον τω···[........................] [.............]·σθ̣α̣[...........................................] [.............]ι γαρ[.....................................] [.............]ν οὐρανὸν ὅπου ·[................................] "6Ἰδοὺ Κυρίου] τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ὁ οὐρανὸς [καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς τῶν οὐρανῶν [............ἕ]τ̣ε̣ρ̣ο´̣ς ἐστιν ο῾̣ οὐρανο`̣ς̣ [...........................] [............λ]ε´̣γ̣ουσιν ἑπτὰ οὐραν[οὺς ..........................] [.............]ο̣ν ἀναβ̣ατικόν. [.................................] [...........εἶ]ναι οὐρανοὺς ἓξ ἄν[ευ ............................] [.............]ο̣μεν τῶν οὐρανῶν ε[..............................] [.............]ον ὁ μὲν γὰρ Παῦλος [............................] [............τ]ιθεις τρεῖς οὐρανοὺς ου[...........................] [.............]η ἕ[τε]ρον τούτων̣ ·[.............................] [...........πα]ρ̣ὰ τοὺς τρεῖς υπ[................................] [.............] οὐρανοὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν [...........................] [.............] ἐλέγετο· η δύο γ̣[..............................] [.............] οὐρανοὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν [...........................] [.............] εἰωθὲν γὰρ ἡ γρα]φὴ [.........................] 14α [....................................... ο]ὐκ ἔστιν ἀναντίρρητον [.......................................τ]οῦτο δὲ οὕτως εἴρη- [ται .....................................]20συπαρχουσιν οὐρανοὶ20 [........................................]ετα τῆς γῆς ἕτερος [........................................]·ρον εἴρηται ὁ κυρίως [.......................................ο]ὐρανὸς ὠνομάσθη εκα- [........................ οὐραν]ο`̣ν τὸ δὲ ἐν 4 ἀρχῇ γε- [........................................]α 20προ̣επ̣ινοούμενον20 [........................................]ν οὐρανο´̣ν ἐστιν α᾿̣πο [....................................... π]ερὶ κ̣[................] [.............................................]ουτ̣ο[.............] [........................................]ε̣ἷς ἦν καὶ ὁ αὐτὸ[ς ···] [.......................................] ···θεις τὸ του[····] [.....................................το]ῦ Σωτῆρος τοῦτο π·[···] [.....................................]· τοῦ κόσμου του´̣[του] [.....................................] τούτου· ει το·[···] [.....................................]20ε̣ιμενος ἔχει20 ο̣[···] [.....................................]ἄλλοι εἰσὶν παρ[ὰ ··] [.....................................] καὶ γῆς ἑκαστε[···] [.....................................]υσεως οὔτ[ε] γὰ[ρ ···] [.....................................]τα ἐν κόσμῳ α[···] [.....................................]ς λόγος αἰώνια λ[···] [.....................................]μενα καὶ πρόσκαιρα [···] [................................."6Πίστ]ει νοοῦμεν κατηρτ̣[ίσθαι] 15α τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήμασι Θεοῦ εἰς το`̣ μ̣η`̣ ε᾿̣κ̣ φ̣[αινομένου τὸ βλεπόμε]- νον γεγονέναι"6 μιμήματα ··· ··· ··· [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ···] νομενα καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲ ··· ·· τε ··· [··· ··· ·· κατασκευ]- άζει Μωσῆς καθ' ὑφήγησιν ··· ··· ···· [··· ··· ··· ··· ····] κατεσκευάζετο· "6Ὅρα"6 γάρ φη̣σ̣ι̣ν̣ "6π̣ο̣ι̣ήσε̣[ις πάντα κατὰ τὸν] τύπον τὸν δειχθέντα σοι ἐν̣ τ̣ῳ῀̣ ὀ´̣ρ̣ε̣ι̣"6 ·· [··· ··· ··· ··· ··] καὶ ὁ σοφώτατος Παῦλος ἐν τ̣ῃ῀̣ πρὸς Ἑβραί[ους ἐπιστολῇ] διὰ τῆς τελειοτέρας καὶ ἁγίας ··· ··· ···· [...................... ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ὥστε ἐκείνη ··· ··· ··· [...................] και ε·ερ·· πνεῦμα μεῖζον ε·τ··· ···· [..........................] [................................] ···

The Creator revealed through the heavens§6

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

6The heavens are the work of one God, showing the order of things.

For just as a well-founded house shows the craftsman, and a chariot shows the driver, and a ship the pilot, so the greatness and beauty of the created things show their maker. From the magnitude of the things that have come to be, one will be overwhelmed. Not only by sense but also by intellect. For these heavens declare the glory of God (Ps 19:1), and they narrate the rational natures of things.

using a spoken word

Greek · §6

··· [....................] [......................]μηπω[................................. [......................]μενου̣[.................................] [....................]α̣λογιας [.................................] [....................] τοῦ Θεοῦ [................................] [....................]τ̣α̣ι θεωρ[.................................] [....................]ενον ουκ[.................................] [.................... ἐθ]εώρουν το[................................] [....................]ˉυ οὐρανοὺς [..............................] [....................]θ̣ει̣σασθαι [...............................] [....................]εφη τὸ οψο[...............................] [....................]μον οὖν ουραν[............................] [....................]α η ἑνὸς αν[...............................] [....................] Θεοῦ ποίησιν δ[..........................] [....................]τ̣ης τάξεως υ̣[............................] 16α [....................]··· ··· ··ν· ὡς γὰρ εὖ θεμελιωθεῖσα οἰ- [..........................]· τ̣εχνίτου δείκνυσιν καὶ ἅρμα τεταγμέ- [νον .....................]····χου καὶ ναῦς τὴν κυβερνήτου, οὕτως [..................]ον φησιν ἐκ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς τῶν κτισ- [μάτων ............]· ὁ γενεσιουργὸς αὐτῶν θεωρεῖται· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ [...........................]·υς τῶν γενομένων τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τοῦ [.........................]κ̣αταπλαγήσεται· τῆς γὰρ μεγάλως υ- [..........................]·ιν πέρας· οὐ μόνον αἰσθήσει ἀλλὰ καὶ [.............................]ˉοˉν οἱ δὲ οὗτοι οἱ οὐρανοὶ τὴν δόξαν [..............]·κα·οι οὗτο̣ι[...................................] [........................]γ̣α`̣ρ̣ ο῾̣ Θεοῦ [.........................] [........................]ν διηγη̣[..............................] [........................λο]γ̣ικ̣αὶ φύ[σεις .......................] [........................] στερέω[μα.........................] [........................]ν κινουμ[.............................] [........................]· τοιαστε[...........................] [........................]κειμενον τ[...........................] [..........................]ς οὐσίας καὶ [.......................] [........................]γνωσθη Θε[...........................] [........................]ς οὐ θεοι μ[...........................] [........................]ν̣τος καὶ περι[.........................] [........................]ου πνεύματος εἴρητα̣[ι .................] [........................]· τινὲς μὲν οὖ[ν .......................] [........................]α̣ρα τιθεμένοις̣ [.......................] [........................]εται ὡς ετερ[.........................] 17 ο··· ··· ··· ·· τοῖς προειρημένοις ἐκλημπτέον· οὐ γὰρ προφορικῷ χρώμενος λόγῳ λέγει· ἕπεται̣ γ̣ὰρ τῷ χρωμένῳ προ- φορ̣ι̣κ̣ῷ τὸ καὶ ἐνδιάθετον ἔχειν, τοῦ δὲ συνθέτου ἐστὶν εκτε·· ος ··· ··· ··· ··· τὸν ἐνδιάθετον λόγον [··]·εσω ···ακολου [···]····[··]····ναι ο δε [····]αρ ····· [····]·πλους καὶ τὰ παν [··· ··· ··]·διο ου χρησ[··· ···]····[··· ····]·ε··[···]···· [··· ··· ··]··· επιβαλλ···· [·]···· [··· ····]ασκ·[····]···[·] [··· ··· ··] ···· [··] εκ··· ολ[··]·[............................] [··· ··· ··]···· [......] βουλ[···]·[..........................] [··· ··· ··]···· [......] ···· [................................] [··]··· ··ο[....] ·· [....] ··· [.................................] [··]·ε···· [....] ·· [....] ··· 5 [.................................] ··· ··· ·· [....] ··· [....] επι[.............................]νη ··· ··· ·· [....] ··· [....] ··· [............................]ε·ε ··· ··· ·· [....] ··· [....] ··· [.........................] ···· εγ̣ε̣νετο·· [....] ··· [....] ·· [............................]·στερε ··· ··· θελ[....] ··· ··· ···· [...........................]υεμμε σω των υδατω[···] ·· [···] ··· [..........................]·τερον ··· ··· ··· ·· [...] ·· [...] ···· [.........................] την ··ροτεραν [....]· [....] ···· [............................]υμενον ··· ··· ···ου [....] ··· ··· ··· [......................]···ε·ι·ε ··· ··· ··με· [....] ··· ···· [.............................]ετων δια···ν ··· ··· [..] ···· [.................................]ηλογι κε ···· ω·ο·α··· [..] ···η·· [..........................]λλα προς ····και οι

The Water and the Just§7

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

7the truth is different

The inner man is a gift from heaven, and it is fitting to seek God.

Regarding the things which are said, 'Many waters cannot quench love' (Song of Songs 8:7), being used as a symbol, one is not able to be overcome once by the opposing power, about which the saint cries, 'Save me from many waters' (Psalm 69:1), which leads to 'from the hand of strange sons' (Psalm 68:21), water meaning the strange sons. And again, 'If you pass through fire, flame shall not burn you, if through water, rivers shall not overwhelm you' (Isaiah 43:2), which is an athletic prize given to the just. And if someone took these things from the rivers of the sensible, it would not be a great thing not to be overwhelmed by the rivers of the sensible, with many and other evil things being expected of this; but it is a great thing not to be carried away by the streams of the opposing energies nor by the immeasurable wickedness of these, which is a reward becoming the just and a proper end.

Since, being presented through water, the rational animals show that by their own impulse and will the things in wickedness and the things in virtue have happened. For all things happened so that one might have virtue, but some did not preserve the given thing by their own slight deviation. Since God also made man good, but they themselves turned away from the goodness.

Greek · §7

κατ···· ο[·] ···· [..........................]···της χρειας τουτο απρ[·] ···τα [..........................]ις επει τοι 18 νυ̣ν̣ ουχ···· υδωρ υδασ·· λ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ···ως ρεουσων···· σκ·· τω····τυπου επυδ··· ···η κατω··· ρ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··α ···εμμεσω του··· ατοσ··· ν··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ·ε ··· τουτ' αυτα ····σεν ··· ρ··· ··· ·· [...] ··· ··· ·· ε[····]λεγεται ε··· [··] λο··· ·· β··· ··· [......] ··· ··· ··· [··· ··]υ των υπαυτω[···]διε [···] ·[..............................π]ροειρημενοις ο μη· [··· ··· ···] ···[............................]ιωσο· ν[···]μαι ·· [··· ··· ···] ·[................................]ετ [··· ···]ους ·[··· ··· ···] ·[..............................]του [··· ···]αυπ·· [··· ··· ···] ·[..............................] ··· [··· ···]υτα·· [··· ··· ···] ο[...............................]υδωρ [····]μους [··· ··]εροι··· γα[................................] ··ε ····]·υε [··· ··] καιειτ·· χρ[...............................] θ·· [···] ··· [··· ··]···δυ···· νο··[............................] ··· [····] ···[··· ··]ταγαρα ··· χειτ[............................]ο αποστ··· [··· ···]υδ[ω]ρει··· λειασ[.............................]και υγ[··· ····]ρανων τον··· μωδ[............................]αυτον[··]··[···]υν ˉοˉυˉνˉωˉν κατ··· υδωρ·· [.........................ˉθˉ]ˉν τ··[·]ν ·[··· ··]νων παρα···· προβα··[..........................]ε του···· [···] κατα τον ου··· δωρ υ·[..........................]τιθη[·]ο ··· ··τον αινουν··· ˉθˉν δ·· [..........................]ˉθˉυ και[··] ··· ··βωμενω και··· θιστη· [.........................]εχει[·]ο υδωρ αισθητον ουκ ε̣- στιν το· [.........................]·ντα εχειν ···· δυνατα ειναι̣ 19 διαδ····τος· ἑτέρως τὸ ἀληθὲς τῶν ειρ··· ··· ··· ··· δεχ·····ολου τῶν θείων γραφῶν περὶ υ··· ··· ··· ··· πνεύματι ··δ··ληται ὡς ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ· "6Ὁ πι̣σ̣τ̣ε̣υ´̣ω̣ν ει᾿̣ς̣ ε᾿̣μ̣έ, καθῶς ε̣ἰ῀̣π̣ε̣ν̣ ἡ γραφή, ποταμοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλι´̣α̣[ς αὐτοῦ] ρ῾̣ε̣υ´̣σ̣ο̣υ̣- σ̣ι̣ν̣ ὑ´̣δ̣α̣τ̣ο̣ς̣ ζ̣ῶντος"6, ὅπερ αἰσθητῶς μὲν ····[··· ···]·ε···· ··· ··· ····ι ····ναειγ ·ρ····λιας ··· ···[··· ····]· της κα- ··· ··· ···· ἄνθρωπον ὑποβαλλο[μ]ένης περι··· [··· ··· ··]··· ·· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ·· λαβομεν και ··· ····[··· ··· ··]··· ·· ··[···]··· ··· ··· ··· ητη··ιειλ··· ····[··· ··· ··]··· ·· ··· ··· ····α τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον ··ν·[··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··] ··· ··· ·· [··]·εσω [···]ιλιασ· [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··] εναρ···· [··] ·· [····]· νε· [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ···] ειπο···· [···] ·· [····] ··· [··· ······ ··· ··· ··· ··· ···] λογι··· [··] ··· [·]·[·]ολασ· της [··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ····] ··· ··· ··· ···· [·] ··αρτισ··ασ···ερ··· [··· ···] ··· ··· [ὑ´̣]- δωρ το·[··] ··· ···· [··] οὐρανῶν ··· κι·· ειε··· [····]· καὶ προσ- ήκει αιν[··] ··· ··· ··εισθαι κ··ορ ··· ··· ··· ··· ··ον Θεόν· ἔστιν δὲ κ·[·]··· ·· [···]·λαου··υτ ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· περὶ ὧν λέγετα̣ι̣· "6῞Υ̣δ̣ω̣ρ̣ π̣ο̣λ̣υ`̣ οὐ δυνήσεται σβέσ̣αι τὴν ἀγάπ̣ην"6 δου- λόμενον μ··· ··· ··· δ̣υνατ··δε ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ·· η·εν·νου ··· ···· ε᾿̣φάπαξ τῆς ἀντικειμένης δ̣υ̣ν̣α´̣μ̣εως πε- ρὶ ἧς ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ·· τ·ν ὁ ἅγιος βοᾷ· "6Ῥυ῀̣σ̣αί μ̣ε̣ ε᾿̣ξ υ῾̣δα´̣των πολ- λῶν"6, ἅπερ ε··· ··· ···· ἐπάγει· "6ἐκ χειρὸς υἱω῀̣ν̣ α᾿̣λ̣λ̣οτρίων"6, ὕδωρ λέγων τοὺς α᾿̣λ̣λ̣ο̣τ̣ρ̣ι´̣ο̣υς υἱούς. Καὶ πάλιν· "6Ἐα`̣ν̣ δ̣ι̣ε´̣λ̣θ̣ῃς διὰ πυρός, φλὸξ οὐ κατακ̣α̣υ´̣σ̣ε̣ι̣ σ̣ε̣, ἐὰν δι̣' ὕδατος, π̣ο̣τ̣α̣μ̣ο̣ι`̣ οὐ συγκλύσου- 20 σίν σε"6, ἅπερ ἆθλα τῷ δικαίῳ δίδοται. Καὶ εἰ ἐπὶ τὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν ποταμῶν τις αὐτὰ ἐκλάβοι, οὐ μέγα τὸ μὴ συγκλυσθῆναι ὑπὸ [πο]ταμῶν αἰσθητῶν, πολλῶν [κ]αὶ ἄλλων φαύλων τοῦτο προ̣π̣ε̣[π]ονθότων, μέγα δὲ τὸ μὴ ὑπενεχθῆναι τοῖς ῥεύμασιν τῶν ἀντικειμένων ἐνεργειῶν μηδὲ τῇ τούτων ἀμέτρῳ κακίᾳ, ἁ´̣πε̣ρ̣ μι̣σθὸς ὁ πρέπων τοῦ δικαίου τυγχάνει καὶ τέλος οἰκεῖον. Τῶ[ν λο]γικῶν τοίνυν ζῴων διὰ τοῦ ὕδατος παρισταμένων, δηλοῦ[ται ὅ]τι παρ̣' ἰδίαν ὁρμ[ὴ]ν καὶ θέλησιν τὰ μὲν ἐν κακίᾳ, τὰ δὲ ἐ[ν ἀρ]ετῇ γέγονεν. Πάντα μὲν γὰρ γέγονεν ἵνα ἀρετὴν ἔχῃ, ἀλλά [τιν]ες παρ' ἰδίαν ῥοπὴν τὸ δοθὲν οὐκ ἐφύλαξα[ν]. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸν ἀ´̣ν[θρωπον] ὁ Θεὸς [ε]ὔθη πεποίηκε[ν], αὐτοὶ δὲ τῆς εὔθητος ἀπέ- στη[σαν ··· ··· ·]·[·]ν διαφοραι[·]·[···]· ὕδωρ

The Unity of the Father and Son in Creation§8

8It is not useless, nor are the bad things useless essences; for if it were so, the economy of salvation would have been in vain, but it has become a correction, for the good things exist by their own impulse, while the bad things exist by co-existing logical principles.

The thing that has become a firmament in the midst of the water is a word making a pre-existing difference manifest, which, being within the ruling faculty, separates the inferior from the good, so that it might save in this way. You would not take this separation to be bodily, having seen how it was said by Abraham to the rich man asking to be sent to Lazarus: 'A great chasm has been set up between us' (Luke 16:26), declaring that the distinction of evil stands not in a place, but in a change of difference and opposition.

Since justice is not co-existing with injustice, the righteous and the wicked cannot be in the same thing; and I do not say in the same place, but they will have different dispositions. Just as there, the chasm of the difference of virtue and evil has been said to divide the evil from the good, so also now God has made a firmament in the midst of the water, that is, the ruling faculty, so that a distinction of good and evil might come to be.

And since by nature the good is upward-tending and the bad pulls downward those who use it voluntarily—'for the feet of folly bring down those who use it after death into Hades' (Proverbs 15:11)—the bad is indeed below, but those using virtue attain to the things above—'for the Lord takes up' (Psalm 49:12) 'the gentle' (Psalm 147:6)—making the firmament useful, which is the word of faith and virtue, dividing the use of the serious minded, so that they neither be lost nor be destroyed... but the firmament, according to nature, is not a different solid body, but it exists having a standing, and it also surpasses the essence of every body. God said to become a firmament in the midst of the water.

For it is one water taken by law of affinity, the rational essence being one according to the underlying subject, and the differing opinion made the separation. ι, 6. And it happened thus. For it was necessary that the will of the God of all things should be shown through the work, standing at once by the word and the will. And the Son is the will of Him, through whom all things consist, being the Wisdom of the One Begetting, saying: 'Whenever I was preparing the heavens, I was co-partner with Him' (Proverbs 8:30). Therefore, if we hear God say and it happened thus, understanding the Son as the one hearing and fulfilling the will, we do not grasp it visually, but rather so that we may have a union with the Father and the Son through these words, believing in the Creator of all things, the Father and the Son, not as something other than the Father and something other than His own Son being at work; for it was said by this Son: 'For whatever He does, the Son likewise does' (John 5:19).

ι, 7. And God made the firmament and God separated the middle of the water which was under the firmament and the middle of the water of the above firmament. Gapped text... of the water, as it was previously said,... and under the firmament it happened... all things... following. ι, 8. And God called the firmament Heaven, and God saw that it was good. Gapped text... God saw that it was good, so much praise must be spoken, because what is seen immediately shows beauty, Gapped text... having the acceptance of... and of the analogy, one praises seeing that it is good, Gapped text... for virtue is the judgment of... to test the needs and the causes and the... because a friend of beauty is very beautiful in construction... for it is worthless to be constructed... it is to see.

Greek · §8

6 [ο]ὐκ οὐσιώδης αλ·[··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··]·κακαι[··· ··]ται ε[··]· ουσιαι κα···[··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··]· ουκα[··· ··]· τιν[··] Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν πα·[··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··]ματη ···[·] τῆς [σωτ]ηρίου οἰκονομίας σ[··· ··], ἀλλ' οὐ μάτην γέγονε[ν]· διόρθω[σ]ις γὰρ ὑπῆρξεν τοῖς ασ[···] ··· ἰδίᾳ ἄρα ὁρμῇ τὰ μὲν [ἀ]γαθά, τὰ δὲ κακὰ συνζώντω̣[ν λο]γ̣ικῶν ὑπάρχει. Τὸ γεγο[ν]ὸς οὖν στ[ερ]έωμα ἐμμέσῳ τοῦ ὕδα̣τός ἐστιν λόγος διαφορὰν ὑπάρξ[ου]σαν κατὰ γνώμην φανερὰν καθιστῶν, ὅστις ἐγκείμ[ε]νος τῷ ἡγεμονικῷ παρὰ Θεοῦ χωρίζει τὰ φα̣ῦλα τῶν ἀγαθῶν, [ἵ]ν' οὕτω καὶ ἕληται. Τὸν δὲ χωρισμὸν οὕτως ἂν οὐ σωματικῶς ἐκλάβοις, θεωρήσας πῶς εἴρηται ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ πρὸς τὸν πλούσιον αἰτήσαντα ἀποσταλῆναι πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν Λάζαρον· "6Χάσμα μεταξὺ μέγα ἐστήρικται"6, δη̣λοῦντος ὅτι ἡ ἀρετὴ τῆς κακίας διέστηκεν οὐ τόπῳ ἀλλὰ διαφορᾶς ἐξαλλαγῇ καὶ ἐναντιότητι. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἀσυνύπαρκτός ἐστιν ἡ δικαιοσύνη τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, οὐ δύναται ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ εἶναι 21 ὁ δίκαιος καὶ ὁ ἄδικος, ἐν ταὐτῷ δὲ οὐ τόπῳ λέγω ἀλλ' ἕξει̣ καὶ διαθ̣ε´̣σ̣ει. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐκεῖ διαφορὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς κακίας χάσμα εἰ´̣ρη̣ται διαιροῦν τὸ κακὸν ἀπ[ὸ] τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, οὕτω καὶ νῦν στ̣[ερέ]ωμα̣ π̣εποίηκεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐμμέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἡγεμο[νι]κῷ, ἵνα τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ διάκρισις γένηται. Καὶ ἐπεὶ τῇ φύσει τὸ ἀ[γα]θὸν ἀνώφορόν ἐστιν, τὸ δὲ κακὸν κάτω ἕλκον τὸν αὐτῷ ἑκου[σί]ω̣ς χρώμενον–"6τῆς γὰρ ἀφροσύνης οἱ πόδες κατάγουσιν τοὺς [χ]ρωμένους αὐτῇ μετὰ θανάτου εἰς τὸν ᾅδην"6–, κάτω μέν ἐσ̣τ̣ι̣ τὰ χείρο̣ν̣α̣ τὰ δὲ τῇ ἀρετῇ χρώμενα οἰκεῖα τοῖς ἄνω τυγχα´̣[νει]–"6ἀναλαμβάνων"6 γὰρ "6πραεῖς ὁ Κύριος"6–, χρησίμως τοῦ στερεώματος, ὅ ἐστι λόγος πίστεως καὶ ἀρετῆς, διείργοντος τὸ χεῖρον τῶν σπουδαίων, ἵνα μήτ̣ε συν[··]·ι·η μητε κατα[··· ··· ··] ···ολο··· ··θηση εξ·[···]ς̣· ε[··· ··] επτειν··ν ·α [··· ··· ··· ··]··· ··· ··· τὸ στερέω[μα] δὲ π[ρὸς τ]ὴν φύσι[ν ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ·· οὐ]κ ἔστιν ἑτερ[··]·ως [στ]ερεὸν σῶμα ·[··· ··· ··· ··]·ρις̣· δ̣[··] στασις ἔχον ὑπάρχε̣ι, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτω λ[··]η̣το[··· ··]ν̣ καὶ πᾶσαν ὑπερβάλ[λ]ων σώματ[ος] οὐσίαν. Εἶπεν ο[ὖν ὁ] Θεὸς [στερέ]ωμα γενέσθαι ἐμμ[έσ]ῳ τοῦ ὕδατος̣· ἓν γάρ ἐστιν τὸ ὕδ[ωρ ἐκλ]ημφθὲν νόμῳ ἀλλη- γορίας, μιᾶς οὔσης τῆς λογικῆς οὐσίας [κα]τὰ τὸ ὑποκείμενον, καὶ ἡ διάφορος γν[ώ]μη τὸν χωρισμὸν ἐνε[ποί]ησεν. ι, 6. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Ἔδει γὰρ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ γε[ν]έ[σθ]α̣ι, τοῦ ἔργου θᾶττον δειχθέντος καὶ ἅμα τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τῷ θελήματι [ὑ]ποστάντος. Θέλημα δὲ αὐτοῦ ὁ Υἱὸς ὑπάρχει, δι' οὗ τὰ ὅλα συνέστη, Σοφία ὢν τοῦ γεννήσαντος λέγουσα· "6Ἡνίκα ἡτοίμαζεν τὸν οὐρανόν, συμπαρήμην αὐτῷ."6 ∆ιόπ[ερ] ἐὰν ἀ[κ]ούωμεν εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τὸ ἐγένετο οὕτως, τὸν Υἱὸν νοο̣ῦντες τὸν ἀκούοντα καὶ 22 πληροῦντα τὸ βούλημα [··· ··· ··· ··· ····]ωπινως διαλαμβάνομεν ου····ν·ε̣ι̣· ··· ··· ··· ···· ˉοˉυˉς ·ινα καὶ ακου ·[··] ποιησ̣ι····ˉαˉ̣ˉ······ ··· ···εν ἀλλ' ἵνα ἡμεῖς Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ ἕνωσιν ἔχον̣τες [διὰ τ]ούτων τῶν λέξεων δημιουργὸν τῶν ὅλων τὸν [Πατέρα] κ̣[αὶ τὸν] Υἱὸν πιστεύωμεν, οὐχ ἕτερα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ ἕτερα [τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐρ]γαζομένου· εἴρηται γὰρ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ· "6Ἃ γὰρ [ἂν ἐκεῖνος ποι]ῇ, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ὁμοίως ποιεῖ."6 ι, 7. [Καὶ] ἐπ[οίησεν ὁ] Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα καὶ διεχώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσο[ν τοῦ ὕ]δατος ὃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώ- ματο[ς] καὶ ἀνὰ [μέσον τοῦ] ὕδατος τοῦ ἐπάνω το[ῦ στ]ερεώματος. ∆····[··· ····]τοῦ ὕδατος, ὥ[σπερ πρ]ότερ[ον] ε̣ἴρη- ται, ··· ····[·]·[··· ····] δὲ ὑπὸ τὸ στ[ερέωμ]α ε·[··] ἔτυχε ·····[·]·[·]·[····]·[·]···παντα τ̣·[····]·οπ̣· [···]·ιτὰ ἑξῆς δε··· ··[··· ···]υτο ἔργοντα ὅτι επ̣α- να[·]···εστι το··· ··[····]·ν τῶν φθα̣σά[ν]τω[ν]. ι, 8. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς το`̣ σ̣[τερέωμα οὐ]ρανὸν καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. ·[···]ησαι̣ μὲν ·α··· ·· [εἶδεν] ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν, τ̣ο̣σοῦτον δὲ ἔπ̣α̣ι̣νο̣ν ῥητέον ὅτι̣ ο̣····[···]νομενον εὐθὺς̣ τὸ εἶδ[ε]ν ὑποφαίνει κάλλος αλλ··· ···[··]····ενον ἔχει τὴν ἀποδοχὴν ··ερον πα· των··· ···[··]···τιας καὶ τ[ῆς] α᾿̣ν̣αλογίας ἐπ̣αινεῖ ὁρῶν ὅτι καλ··· ··· ···ομεν̣ ··· ···οντι ἡ α᾿̣ρετὴ κρ̣ίσις τῶν ··· ··· ···ε· τῷ δοκιμάζειν τὰς χρείας καὶ τὰς αἰτίας κ̣αὶ τὰς ··α··· ···η̣ν. επει··· ···ο φιλ[ό]τιμος κα̣τασκευ̣·· ασ̣θε̣···· γ̣ὰρ 23 σφόδρα̣ 7 περικαλλ···· καί τινα μέρη ἐξ ὕλης· ἀ´̣τιμον γὰρ τ̣ο`̣ κατασκευάζεσθαι, –ἔστιν ἰδεῖν

Signifying vs Doing and the Gathering of Waters§9

9Other parts are dishonorable, such as hairs and the like, and one would not reproach the builder by comparing them to the honored and beautified places and temples and other buildings in a city, knowing no analogy. For each thing is taken according to its own nature, and it is not so wonderful as when, seeing them all at once as in the arrangement of a city, one tests their utility; so also regarding the creation, and it is much more wonderful. For it is not possible to say 'for this or for that,' since all things are created for their utility.

And there was evening and there was morning, the second day (Gen 1:5). Observe how some, those outside of godliness, say: 'When, according to you, were days foretold to be before the setting of the sun?' It must be said to them that you view all these things by analogy; for teaching through symbols is not forbidden to them. Since they follow the moving things and are joined to the spoken word, let us take a little regarding this. The day is understood in two ways: according to the chronological interval and according to the illumination of the air around us. For when it is said, 'And on the third day' (Gen 1:5), the extent of the day is indicated, not whether the day is bright or dark; but when someone says that today is a gloomy day, he does not say this looking at its extent. Therefore, if the divine word says that a first, second, and third day existed before the creation of the sun and the other luminaries, one must look to the extent of the chronological interval, and say to the one questioning the divine writing that seventy-two, as if hours, have come to pass after the creation of the firmament, before the luminaries had come to be, and this is nothing wonderful. For the sun of the day is not a maker of the day but exists as a sign, since even those things constructed mechanically, some would call the measures of the hours not makers but signs. Thus the sun signifies the times...

The sun and the moon do not perform the action. However, to signify is different from to do, so that such an incongruous interval was not established from the creation of the sun and the other luminaries; for if there were a significance, it became a distance of three days.

And God said, 'Let the water under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear' (Gen 1:9). To say 'God said' we take similarly with those who have passed, when it was said, 'And God said, Let there be light' (Gen 1:3) and 'Let there be a firmament' (Gen 1:6). And let the explicit exposition of the present heading be this: not all water, but the water under the heaven, God commands to be gathered into one gathering; for it has been said that the firmament became in the midst of the waters, so that the part of the water remained above, and the part below. And the utility of the command is shown by saying, 'and let the dry land appear' (Gen 1:9); for the land lies hidden by the waters, and thus having existed unsuitably, it was positioned for the generation of plants and animals. He says, 'And the water was gathered into its gatherings' (Gen 1:10). And one thing, as someone might say, is that which is in the command, but another is that which is in the completion of the work; for it is stated into one gathering that all the water be gathered, and the counter-part says that the water was gathered into its gatherings and thus the dry land appeared.

And the seemingly contradictory thing is restored by the one presiding over the history in this way: the ocean is one sea enclosing the whole inhabited world; for so say those who have reasoned about places, that an island which has a relation to the whole sea—for it is surrounded and enclosed from every side—this, he says, the whole earth and the whole inhabited world has a relation to the ocean. And there are some parts of the ocean as if being cast out into deep places, and thus the other seas were formed. If therefore he says, 'into one gathering' (Gen 1:9), he speaks of the universal gathering, which is called...

Greek · §9

μέρη ἕτερα ἄτιμα οἷον τρίχες καὶ τὰ ὅμοια, καὶ οὐδήπου ὁ πόλεως κρίνειν α᾿̣ναλογίαν ἐπιστάμενος μέμψαιτο τὸν κατασκευάσαντα ὅτι μετὰ τῶν τετιμημένων καὶ κεκαλλωπισμένων ἐν τῇ πόλει τόπων καὶ εἱρκτὴν καὶ ἄλλα ᾠκοδόμησεν· ἕκαστον γὰρ καθ' ἑαυτὸ λαμβανόμενον οὐχ οὕτως ἐστὶ θαυμαστὸν ὡς ὅταν ἀθρόως ἁπάντων ὡς ἐν πόλεως σχήματι δοκιμάσῃ τὴν χρείαν, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς δημιουργίας, καὶ π[ο]λλῷ [θ]αυμαστό- τερον· οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν εἰς τί τοῦτο ἢ εἰς τί τοῦτο, πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείαν αὐτῶν ἔκτισται. ι, 8. Κ[αὶ] ἐγένετο ἑ[σ]πέρ[α κ]αὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα δευτέρα. Ἐπίστασο [ὥ]ς τινε[ς πε]ιρώμενοι τῶν ἐκτὸς τῆς θεοσεβεία<ς> φασίν· Τί δή[πο]τε, κα[τὰ] ὑμᾶς μήπω τοῦ ἡλίου συστάντος, ἡμέραι εἶναι προείρηνται; Ἔστιν μὲν οὖν εἰπεῖ[ν] πρὸς αὐτο[ὺς] ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα κατὰ ἀναγωγὴν θεωρεῖτ̣α̣ι· οὐ γὰρ κεκώλυται παρ' α[ὐ]τοῖς ἡ διὰ συμβόλων διδασκαλία̣· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀκόλουθον πρὸς αὐτοὺς κινοῦντα καὶ τῷ ῥητῷ σ̣υστῆναι, φέρε ὀλίγα περὶ τούτου διαλάβωμεν. Ἡ ἡμέρα διχῶς νοεῖται κατά τε τὸ χρονικὸν διάστημα καὶ κατὰ τὸν̣ φωτισμὸν τοῦ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀέρος. Ὅταν γὰρ λέγηται· "6Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ"6, τὸ πόσον τῆς ἡμέρας δηλοῦται, οὐχὶ ἡ φαιδρὰ ἢ ζοφερὰ ἡμέρα· ὅταν δέ τις λέγῃ ὅτι ζοφώδης ἐστὶν ἡ σήμερον ἡμέρα, οὐκ εἰς τὸ πόσον αὐτῆς βλέπων τοῦτ' ἐρεῖ. Ἐὰν οὖν ὁ θεῖος λόγος λέγῃ πρώτην καὶ δευτέραν καὶ τρίτην 24 ἡμέραν πρὸ γε̣νέσεως ἡλίου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων φωστήρων ὑφεστάναι, εἰς τὸ πόσον τοῦ χρονικοῦ διαστήματος δεῖ σκοπεῖν, καὶ λεκτέον τῷ ἐπαποροῦντι τῇ θεί[α̣] γραφῇ ὅτι ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ δύο ὡσανεὶ ὧραι γεγένη<ν>ται μετὰ τὴν κτίσιν τοῦ στερεώματος οὔπω τῶν φωστήρων γεγενη- μένων, καὶ οὐδὲν θ̣α̣υ̣μαστόν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ποιητικὸς ὁ ἥλιος τῆς ἡμέρας ἀλλὰ σ̣ημ̣αντικὸς ὑπάρχει, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ τὰ κατασκευαζόμενα μηχανικῶς μέτρα τῶν ὡρῶν ποιητικά τις αὐτῶν ἀλλὰ σημαντικὰ ἐρεῖ. Σημαίνουσιν οὖν τοὺς χρόνους ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ οὐ ποιοῦσιν. Ἕτερον δὲ τὸ σημαίνειν παρὰ τὸ ποιεῖν, ὥστε οὐδὲν ἄτοπον διάστημα τοσοῦτον προϋφεστάναι τῆς τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων φωστήρω[ν] δημι[ο]υργίας, ὅ, εἰ ὑπῆρχέν τι̣ σ̣ημαῖνον, τριῶν ἡμερῶ[ν] ἐ[γ]ένετ[ο] διάστημα. ι, 9. [Καὶ ε]ἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Συναχθήτω τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑπ[ο]κάτω τ[οῦ] οὐρανοῦ εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν καὶ ὀφθήτω ἡ ξηρά. Τὸ εἰπεῖν τὸν Θεὸν ὁμοίως ἐκλαμβάνομεν τοῖς φθάσασιν, ὅτε ἐλέγετο "6καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Γενηθήτω φῶ[ς]"6 καὶ "6γενη[θ]ήτω στερέωμα"6. Εἴη δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἐκκειμένου κεφαλαίου ἡ ῥ[η]τὴ διήγησις ἥδε· οὐ πᾶν ὕδωρ ἀλλὰ τὸ ὑποκάτω το̣ῦ οὐρανοῦ προστάττει Θεὸς εἰς μίαν συναχθῆναι συναγωγήν· εἴρηται γὰρ ὅτι τὸ στερέωμα γέγονεν ἐμμέσῳ τῶν ὑδάτων, ὡς τὸ μὲν τοῦ ὕδατος ἄνω ἀπομεῖναι, το`̣ δὲ κάτω. Τὸ χρησιμὸν δὲ τῆς προστάξεως δηλοῖ διὰ τοῦ φάναι "6καὶ ὀφθήτω ἡ ξηρά"6· ἐπικειμένων γὰρ τῶν ὑδά- των αὐτὴ κέκρυπται, οὕτω δὲ ἔχουσα ἀνεπιτηδείως εἶχεν πρὸς γένεσιν φυτῶν καὶ ζῴων. Εἶτά φησιν· "6Συνήχθη τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς 25 αὐτῶν."6 Καὶ ἄλλο μέν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐστὶν τὸ ἐν τῇ προστάξει, ἕτερον δὲ τὸ ἐν τῇ τελεσιουργίᾳ· εἰς γὰρ μίαν συναγωγὴν διείρηται τὸ πᾶν συναχθῆναι ὕδωρ, ἡ δὲ ἀντα- πόδοσίς φησιν εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν [σ]υνῆχθαι τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ οὕτως ὦφθαι τὴν ξηράν. Ἀποκατασταθή[σε]ται δὲ τὸ ὡσανεὶ διάφωνον ὑπ̣ὸ τοῦ προισταμένου τῆς ἱ[σ]τορίας οὕτως. Μία θάλασσά ἐστιν ὁ ὠκεανὸς περιέχουσα τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην· οὕτω γάρ φασιν οἱ τὰ περὶ τόπων φυσιολογήσαντες ὅτι ὃν ἔχει λόγον παρ' ἡμῖν νῆσος πρὸς τὸ ὅλον πέλαγος– περιέχεται γὰρ καὶ πάντοθεν περι- ραίνεται–, τοῦτόν φησιν ὅλη ἡ γῆ καὶ ὅλη ἡ οἰκουμένη τὸν λόγον ἔχει πρὸς τὸν ὠκεανόν. Εἰσὶν δέ τινες τοῦ ὠκεανοῦ ὡσπερεὶ διεκβολαὶ χωροῦσαι εἰς τόπους βαθεῖς, καὶ οὕτως συνέστη τὰ ἄλλα πελάγη. Ἐὰν οὖν λέγῃ "6εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν"6, εἰς τὴν οἰκουμενικὴν λέγε[ι] συναγωγήν, ἣν καλεῖν

The distinction between dry land and the dry element§10

10They have become like an ocean; this element has been gathered into one, and the others, as we say, have been gathered into parts. And 'and so the dry land appeared', and observe that it does not say 'all the dry land'. For under the waters there is land; for it is impossible to sustain water without having land or a corresponding body underlying it. But pay attention if there is a difference between saying 'dry land' and 'land' from what was said in the prophet: 'Once again I will shake the heaven and the earth, the sea and the dry land' (Isa 66:15).

Another says that the same thing is being indicated; yet by another thought, 'dry' and 'land' are named, as regarding the land as that which lies under the heaven, but regarding the dry element as being called so. For it is said, 'This is the sea of God and he himself made it, and his hands formed the dry land' (Ps 95:5), and concerning Jonah being cast from the belly of the sea-monster that 'the sea-monster approached and cast Jonah out onto the dry land' (Jon 2:10) from the liquid substance. These things indeed regarding the literal sense, but regarding the thought which follows the patterns, we say that the waters remaining above the firmament are not perceptible, nor are they part of these perceptible waters; for neither plants nor animals subject to this need of water find themselves there, and whatever was said before as indicative of nothing being water there is stated sufficiently as perceptible water.

We say, therefore, that what remains at hand will establish by its own logic that these are waters held in various and diverse collections under the firmament. For it is impossible for those in a state of discord to ever be of one mind; for discord is alien to both confusion and unity. For virtue is unifying, having a certain continuity. For indeed the temperate man is brave and wise and just, and he who has one virtue has the others, just as in the beatitudes in the Gospel (Matt 5); for he who has the one making-virtue has the others. And there often occurs a deviation regarding the same virtue, such as one being called merciful from the excess, and the just and other temperate man, and thus they are able to be different virtues. He who perfectly has one has the others, and I say 'perfectly' because of the frequent introduction...

The rational animal

Greek · §10

8 εἰώθασιν ὠκεανόν, τοῦτο δὲ τὸ εἰ[ς] μίαν συναχθὲν καὶ εἰς τὰς ἄλλας, ὡς εἴπο̣μεν, συνήχθη, εἰς τὰς κατὰ μέρος. "6Καὶ"6 οὕτω "6ὤφθη ἡ ξηρά"6, καὶ θεώρει ὅτι οὐκ εἶπεν πᾶσα ἡ ξηρά. Καὶ ὑπὸ τὰ ὕδατα γάρ ἐστιν γῆ· ἀδύνατον γάρ ἐστιν ὑφεστάναι ὕδωρ μὴ ἔχον γῆν ἢ σῶμα ἀντίτυπο̣ν ὑποκειμένην. Πρόσσχες δὲ εἰ διαφέρει ξηρὰν εἰπεῖν καὶ γῆν ἐκ τοῦ ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ εἰρημένου· "6Ἔτι ἅπαξ ἐγὼ <σ>είσω τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὴν ξηράν."6 Ἕτερος δὲ ἐρεῖ τὴν αὐτὴν δηλοῦσθαι· καθ' ἑτέραν μέντοι ἐπίνοιαν ξηρὰ καὶ γῆ ὀνομάζεται, ὡς πρὸς μὲν τὸ ὑποκεῖσθαι τῷ οὐρανῷ γῇ, ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὴν ὑγρὰν οὐσίαν ξηρὰ προσαγορευομένη. Εἴρηται γὰρ ὅτι "6αὕτη ἐστὶν 26 Θεοῦ θα´̣λ̣α̣σσα καὶ αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν αὐτήν, καὶ τὴν ξηρὰν αἱ χεῖ[ρ]ες α̣υ᾿̣τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ ἔπ̣λασαν"6, καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ἰωνᾶ δὲ κατα- ποθέντος [ἐ]ν τῇ [κο]ιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους ὅτι "6προσετάγη τὸ κῆτος καὶ ἐξέβ̣α̣λ[εν] τ̣ο`̣ν Ἰωνᾶν εἰς τὴν ξηρὰν"6 ἐκ τῆς ὑγρᾶς οὐσίας. Καὶ ταῦ[τα] μ̣ὲν πρὸς τὸ ῥητόν, πρὸς δὲ τὴν διάνοιαν τὴν τοῖς φθά[σ]ασιν ἀκόλουθον λέγομεν ὅτι τὰ ἀπομείναντα ἐπάνω το̣ῦ στερεώματος ὕδατα οὐκ αἰσθητά εἰσιν οὐδὲ με´̣ρη̣ τῶν̣ υ῾̣δα´̣των τούτων τῶν αἰσθητῶν· οὐδὲ γὰρ φυτὰ οὔτε ζ̣ῷα̣ ταύτῃ τῇ χρείᾳ τοῦ ὕδατος ὑπαγόμενα ἐκεῖ τ̣υγχα´̣νει, καὶ ὅσα ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων εἴρηται δεικτικὰ τοῦ μ̣η̣δε`̣ν̣ εἶναι ὕδωρ ἐκεῖ αἰσθητὸν αὐτάρκως διείρηται. Λέγομ̣εν [οὖ]ν ὅτι τὰ ἀπομείναντα ἐν χείρονι καταστάσει λογικὰ κ̣ατα`̣ κ̣α̣κίαν ἰδίαν ταῦτ' εἶναι τὰ ὑπὸ τὸ στερέωμα διαφόροις [συ]να̣[γω]γαῖς καὶ ποικίλαις ἐνεχόμενα ὕδατα. Ἀδύνατον γάρ ε᾿̣στιν̣ το̣ὺς ἐν κακίᾳ ὁμοφρονῆσαί ποτε· συγχυτικὸν γὰρ αὐτὴ καὶ ἑνώσεως ἀλλότριον. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀρετὴ ἑνοποιὸν ἅτε α᾿̣ντακολουθίαν ἔχουσα. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ σώφρων ἀνδρεῖος καὶ φρόνιμος καὶ δίκαιος, καὶ ὁ μίαν ἔχων καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς ἔχει, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ μακαρισμῶν· ὁ γὰρ τὸ ποιητικὸν ἑνὸς ἔχων μακαρισμοῦ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἔχει. Γίγνεται δὲ πολλάκις ῥοπή τις ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀρετήν, ὡς τὸν μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ πλεονάζοντος ἐλεῆμο̣ν καλεῖσθαι, τὸν δὲ δίκαιον καὶ ἄλλον σώφρον̣α, καὶ οὕτως ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων δύνανται ἀρετῶν. Ὁ τε<λεί>ως μι´̣αν ἔχων καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἔχει, τελείως δὲ λέγω διὰ τὸ πολλάκις ἐν εἰσ̣αγωγῇ καὶ προκοπῇ εἶναι. 27 Ὅτι δὲ ἀντακολουθοῦσιν αἱ ἀρεταί, ἐντεῦθεν ἔσται φανερόν. Τὸ λο[γ]ικὸν ζῷον προτεθειμένον κατὰ ἀρετὴν ζῆν φρονήσεω[ς χρῆ]ται ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸ πρακτέον καὶ μὴ πρακτέον καὶ τὸ αἱ[ρετὸ]ν̣ καὶ φευκτὸν καὶ τὸ ψόγον φέρον καὶ ἔπαινον, χρεία[ς ἡμῖν πα]ν̣τελῶς οὔσης ἐπιστήμης δια- κριτικῆς ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κα[κοῦ], ἱ´̣ν̣α τὸ μὲν ἑλώμεθα, τὸ δὲ φύγωμεν. Ὁ οὕτως ἔχων φρόνησιν καὶ διελὼν τὸ κακὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, πάντως εἰδ̣[ὼς ὅ]τ̣ι̣ τ̣ὸ ἀγαθὸν αἱρετόν ἐστιν καὶ πρακτόν, αἵρεται αὐτ[ό· καὶ φεύγε]ι τὸ ἐναντίον εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ φευκτὸν καὶ βλαβερὸν καὶ [····]·μ̣ον καὶ ἐπιζήμιόν ἐστιν. Καὶ δικαιοσύνης οὖν τῷ τοι[ούτῳ] χρεία, ὅπως ἑκάστῳ ἀπονέμῃ τὸ κατάλληλον, τῷ μὲν ἀγ[αθ]ῷ τὸ αἱρετόν, τῷ δὲ κακῷ τὸ φευκτόν. Ἐγνωκὼς οὖν ποῖα ψε[κτ]ὰ καὶ [πο]ῖα ἐπαινετὰ ἀνδρείας χρῄζει, ἵνα κατα- φρονητικὸς γένητα̣ι̣ τ̣ῶν̣ δόλων μὴ ὑπαγόμενος τοῖς αἱρετίζουσιν. ∆ιὸ καὶ σώφρων ὁ τοιοῦτος· κατάλληλον γὰρ τῷ λογικῷ ζῴῳ σωφροσύνη. Καὶ ὁρᾷ[ς] ὅτι ὁ μίαν ἔχων πᾶσας ἔχει, καὶ ἓν τούτων τέλος ὡς [ἐπὶ] τῶν μακα- ρισμῶν, κἂν ὦσιν διάφοροι. Ὡς γάρ, ἐν πόλει τινὶ δι̣αφόρων τῶν εἰσόδων ὑπαρχουσῶν, ὁ διὰ μιᾶς εἰσιὼν̣ ἀλλ' ε᾿̣ν̣ τ̣ῃ῀̣ π̣όλει ἐστίν, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρετῶν. Ἑνοποιὸν οὖν ἡ α᾿̣ρ̣ετὴ καθὰ καὶ Παῦλος πρὸς τοὺς οὕτω διάγοντας λέγει· "6Ἵνα ᾖτ̣ε κατηρτισμένοι τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ."6 Ἡ δὲ κακία̣ οὐχ οὕτως· αἱ γὰρ ὑπερβολαὶ ταῖς ἐλλείψεσιν οὐ δύνανται συμ̣φωνεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἔχων θρασύτητα καὶ δειλίαν ἔχει. Πάλιν μέση κεῖται εὐσέβεια ἀσεβείας καὶ δεισιδαιμονίας, εὐσέβεια δέ ἐστιν ἡ ἀπο- δεχομένη καὶ σέβουσα ἃ δεῖ, δεισιδαιμονία δὲ τὸ πάντα σέβειν καὶ μὴ σεβάσμια, ἀσέβεια δὲ τὸ μηδαμῶς σέβειν 28 τι μηδὲ τ[ίθε]σθαί τι σεπτόν, ὅπερ ἀθέων ἐστίν. Οὐκ ἂν οὖν συνδρα´̣μοι [δεισιδαι]μονία καὶ 9 ἀσέβεια. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ ὑπὸ τὸ στερέωμα λογικα`̣ ἦσ[αν] ἐνεχόμενα κακίᾳ καὶ ῥοπῇ τῇ πρὸς τὸ κακόν, ἄτακτος δέ [ἐστιν] καὶ συγκεχυμένη ἡ κακία, οὐχ οἷόν τέ ἐστιν ἅπαντα [ἐν] μιᾷ γνώμῃ εἶναι ἢ προαιρέσει. Ὡς γὰρ οἱ διαψηφίζον[τες], ὁ´̣[τε] μὲν ἀληθεύουσιν, ἐν μιᾷ ψήφῳ τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας προφέρουσ[ιν], τῶν διασφαλλομένων ἢ ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλαττον ἢ ἐπὶ τὸ πλέον, [··· ···]ων καὶ τούτων διαφόρως, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς

The Gathering of Waters and the Dry Land§11

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

11Every person, having been cut off from the truth, is drawn into various kinds of wickedness. And regarding those traveling, many are the upward paths, but one is the straight one.

Thus the waters were scattered, which we have set down to be the rational judgments being diverse and being carried by disposition. Therefore, the one who benefits from them by knowing them wants them to become one, since he is also their creator. For it is said that he is the maker of their essence, but each is his own according to the diversity of his judgment.

Therefore God himself protects so that these things might be gathered into one assembly, so that they might become such a water, which is that above the heavens, being one not by number but by harmony. Immediately also, a single soul and heart of all the believers becomes one, not by number but by harmony and by the same purpose and by striving for a single end.

Therefore the God of all things protects so that the divided things might be brought into harmony; for this is the intention of the beneficent God. Since they were poured together and were moving irregularly according to judgment, they are first gathered into assemblies. And it is not contrary to the one protecting to say that they were gathered into their assemblies, God saying: 'Let the water be gathered into one assembly' (Genesis 7:7); for they will not yet have reached the limit of the utmost virtue, the gathering before this being fitting.

And just as if someone, wanting to train his child in perfect matters, entrusts him to a teacher, if he were to first lay these characters before him, then, having grasped them, he would proceed not contrary to the one who entrusted him; for in this way he will reach the perfect things from these. And again, if a king, protecting a city under himself, commands to prepare those by which the construction of the city might happen, he does nothing other than what is the command; for from these and through these the construction will be fulfilled.

So also the rational judgments, being in wickedness, were not able to reach the final desired end, unless various progresses became, which are the systems of the waters; for after the progress, he protects them to come into one assembly. Therefore that which happens does not fight against the command, but...

But this command, as it is at the perfection of the order, is a kind of economy pre-arranging the logical things in which they were able, so that they might thus reach the end. And it happened thus, and the water was gathered into its assemblies. The intention of God is to gather the scattered into one—for he says this—but they, remaining until the end in their own assemblies, were gathered, which are progress.

And God called the dry land, and the collections of the waters he called seas (Gen 1:10). Just as we were saying that the earth, existing after heaven in the beginning, had this name and the heaven had this name, but after the heaven and the earth existing in the beginning, the expanse is primarily called so, but by appellation heaven; so also the earth existing after the heaven existing in the beginning is called this, but concerning which it is now said, this is called by name dry, but by appellation land: 'God called the dry land' (Gen 1:10), as it has been said; 'He called the expanse heaven' (Gen 1:8).

Regarding the allegory, God calls the dry land not by granting it a new name, but because he commanded that the waters lying upon it, which were kin to the abyss, be separated, he calls it dry—for it has been said: 'And let the dry appear' (Gen 1:9)—so that it might truly be called land, having remained as its own underlying soul, and being set free by God for the reception of seeds, it might bring forth a hundred, sixty, thirty of divine, perfect fruit. For the kind of fruit which, upon the being-cultivated earth, the more ready one brings forth... or the later one, contrary to the care of the farmer or the nature of the earth, so also regarding souls: some, having received the seed, stifled it by anxieties and cares, but those having used the agriculture most excellently, having been trained to such an extent, as to benefit themselves and to stand as a source of benefit to others. For the difference of plants is manifold and varied, and the hand that works is irregular, being used such that it will more clearly demonstrate the dryness of the evil earth.

Greek · §11

κακίας ἁπᾶ[ς ὁ ἀπὸ] τ̣οῦ ἀληθοῦς ἀποσφαλεὶς εἰς διάφορα εἴδη ἕλκεται κ[ακίας. Κ]αὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὁδευόντων, αἱ μὲν ἀνοδίαι παμπληθει῀̣[ς], μ[ία δὲ] ἡ εὐθεῖα. Ἐσκεδασμένα οὖν ἦν τὰ ὕδατα, ἅπερ ὑπεθέμεθα εἶναι τὰ λογικὰ γνώμαις διαφόροις καὶ ἤθεσιν ἐνεχ[όμ]ενα. Ταῦτα οὖν βούλεται ἓν γενέσθαι ὁ ὠφελεῖν αὐ[τ]ὰ κα[τ]α- ξιῶν, ἐπεὶ καὶ δημιουργὸς αὐτῶν ὑπάρχει. Προείρηται [γ]ὰρ ὅτ[ι] τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν ποιητής ἐστιν, τῆς δὲ κατὰ τὴν [γ]νώμ[ην] ποικιλίας ἕκαστος ἑαυτῷ. Προστάττει οὖν αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς [εἰ]ς μίαν συναγωγὴν ταῦτα συναχθῆναι, ἵνα γένωνται ὕδωρ τοιοῦτο, οἷόν ἐστιν τὸ ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἓν δὲ οὐ τῷ ἀριθμῷ ἀλλὰ τῇ συμφωνίᾳ. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ μία ψυχὴ καὶ καρδία τῶν πιστευόντων πάντων γινομένη οὐ τῷ ἀριθμῷ ἀλλὰ τῇ συμφωνίᾳ καὶ τῷ τοῦ αὐτοῦ σκοποῦ καὶ ἑνὸς τέλους ὀρέγεσθαι ἓν γίνεται. Προστάττει οὖν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς εἰς συμφωνίαν τὰ διῃρημένα ἀχθῆναι· αὕτη γὰρ ἡ πρόθεσις τοῦ εὐεργέτου Θεοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ συγκεχυμένα ἦσαν καὶ ἀνωμάλως κατὰ γνώμην κινούμενα, πρότερον εἰς συναγωγὰς συνάγονται. Καὶ οὐκ ἐναντίωμά ἐστιν τῷ προσταττομένῳ τὸ εἰπεῖν ὅτι εἰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν συνήχθη, τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰπόντος· "6Συναχθήτω τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν"6· τοῖς γὰρ 29 οὔπω ἐπὶ τὸ τέρμα τῆς ἄκρας ἀρετῆς ἐλθοῦσιν πρέπουσα ἡ πρὸ ταύτης ἐν προκοπῇ [συναγω]γή. Καὶ ὥσπερ εἴ τις παῖδα ἑαυτο[ῦ] βουλόμενος τὰ τέλεια παι[δε]ύε̣ι̣ν̣ μαθή- ματα ἐγχειρίσοι αὐτὸν διδασκάλῳ, εἰ [ὁ ··· ····]αμενος τοὺς χαρακτῆρας ταῦτα ποιῶν πρῶτον αὐτῷ ὑποθοῖτο, εἶτα συλ[λαβάς, οὐκ] ἐναντίως τῷ ἐγχειρίσαντι διαπράττοιτο· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων ἐπὶ τὰ τέλεια ἥξοι. Καὶ πάλιν εἴ τις βασιλε[ὺς τοῖς] ὑφ' ἑαυτὸν προστάττοι πόλιν οἰκοδομῆσαι, εἶθ' οὕτω[ς ἐντε]ίλας εὐτρεπίζοι δι' ὧν ἡ τῆς πόλεως κατασκευὴ γένοιτο, [οὐχ ἕ]τερόν τι παρὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα ποιεῖ· ἐκ γὰρ τούτων καὶ διὰ τ[ούτω]ν ἡ [ο]ἰκοδομὴ πληρωθήσεται. Οὕτω καὶ τὰ λογικὰ ἐν κακίᾳ [ὄ]ντα ο[ὐ]κ ἐδύναντο εἰς τὸ τέλος τὸ ἔσχατον ὀρεκτὸν ἐλθεῖν, [ε]ἰ μὴ πρ[οκοπ]αὶ δ̣ι̣άφοροι γένωνται, αἵτινες τὰ συστέματα τῶν ὑδάτ[ων εἰσί]ν̣· ἡ γὰρ μετὰ τὴν προκοπὴν τελείωσις εἰς μίαν συναγωγ[ὴ]ν ἐλθεῖν αὐτὰ προστάττει. Οὐ μάχεται οὖν τῇ προστάξει τ[ὸ γ]ενόμενον, ἀλλά, ὡς ἔστι̣ν ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον τῆς προστάξεως ἄ[γο]υσα ἥδε πρόσταξις, οἰκονομία τίς ἐστιν προδιατυποῦσα τὰ λογικὰ ἐν οἷς ἐδυνήθησαν, ἵν' οὕτως καὶ τοῦ τέλους ἐφίκωνται. ι, 9. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως καὶ συνήχθη τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν. Ἡ μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόθεσις εἰς ἓν συναγαγεῖν τὰ διεσκορπισμένα–τοῦτο γάρ φησιν–, αὐτοὶ δὲ τέως τοῦ τέλους ἀπολειπόμενοι εἰς τὰς ἑαυτῶν συναγωγὰς συνηνέχθησαν, αἵ εἰσιν προκοπαί. ι, 10. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ξηρὰν γῆν, καὶ τὰ συστέ- ματα τῶν ὑδάτων ἐκάλεσεν θαλάσσας. Ὥσπερ ἐλέγομεν ὅτι ἡ ἐν ἀρχῇ μετὰ οὐρανοῦ γενομένη γῆ αὐτὸ τοῦτο εἶχεν ὄνομα καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, τὸ 30 δὲ μετὰ τὸν ἐν̣ α᾿̣[ρχῇ οὐρανὸν] κ̣αὶ τὴν γῆν γενόμενον στερέωμα μέν ἐστιν κυρίως, [ἐπίκλην] δ̣ὲ οὐρανός, οὕτω καὶ ἡ μετὰ τοῦ ἐν ἀρχῇ γενομένου̣ [οὐρανοῦ γῆ] α̣υ᾿̣τὸ τοῦτο καλεῖται, περὶ δὲ ἧς νῦν λέγεται, αὕ[τη ξηρὰ ὀν]όματι προσαγορεύεται, ἐπίκλην δὲ γῆ· "6Ἐκάλεσ[εν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ξ]η̣ρα`̣ν̣ γῆν"6, ὡς εἴρηται· "6Ἐκάλεσεν τὸ στερέωμα ο̣ὐρ̣α̣ν̣ο´̣ν."6 Π[ρὸς δὲ τ]ὴν̣ ἀλληγορίαν καλεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ξηρὰν γῆν οὐκ ὀ´̣ν̣ο̣μα κ[αινὸν αὐτ]ῇ χαριζόμενος, ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ προσέταξεν ὅπως̣ τ̣α`̣ ἐπι[κείμε]να ὕδατα, ἅπερ συγγενῆ τῇ ἀβύσσῳ ἦσαν, χωρισ̣θ̣ῇ, κ̣α̣λ[εῖ αὐ]τὴν ξηράν–εἴρηται γάρ· "6Καὶ ὀφθήτω ἡ ξηρά"6–, ἵνα η῾̣ α̣υ᾿̣[τὴ] κ̣[ατὰ τ]ο`̣ ἑαυτῆς ὑποκείμενον ἡ ψυχὴ διαμείνασα, τῶν ὑδα´̣[τ]ων δ[··] ···α̣ν- των, γῆ 10 πραγματικῶς προσαγορευθῇ, κα[ὶ ὑπὸ Θεο]ῦ ἐλε̣υ̣θ̣ε̣ρ̣ο̣υ̣μένη πρὸς παραδοχὴν σπερμάτων θείω̣[ν, καρπὸν] τελε̣σι̣ουργήσῃ ἑκατὸν, ἑξήκοντα, τριάκοντα. Καὶ ὃν γὰρ τ̣ρό[πον] ἐπὶ τ̣η῀̣ς̣ γεωργουμένης γῆς ἡ μὲν ἑτοιμότερον α··· ··[ ···]··· ···· καρπόν, ἡ δὲ βραδύτερον παρὰ τὴν ἐμ̣μέλειαν φέρει [το]υ῀̣ γ̣ε̣ω̣ρ̣γ̣ο̣ῦ ἢ τὴν εἰδέαν τῆς γῆς, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ ψυχῶν α̣ἱ μὲν δεξ̣α´̣μεν̣α̣ι̣ τ̣ο`̣ν σπόρον ὑπὸ μεριμνῶν καὶ φροντίδων ἀπέπνιξαν τὸ σπέρμα, αἱ δὲ γεωργίᾳ βελτίστῃ χρησάμεναι ἐπὶ τοσοῦτο̣ν ἐπαίδευ̣σ̣α̣ν̣, ὡς καὶ ἑαυτοὺς ὠφελῆσαι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐκκεῖσθαι σκοπ̣ο`̣ν̣ ὠφελίας. Πολ̣υειδὴς̣ γὰρ καὶ ποικίλη ἡ τῶν Φυ̣τ̣ῶν διαφορά, καὶ ἀνώμαλος ἡ χειρίστη, παρὰ τὸν χρώμενον οὖσα τοιαυ´̣τ̣η̣, ἥτις ἀμείνονα ἐπιδείξει τὴν ξηρὰν τῆς γῆς τῆς κακῆς· τὸ

The Nature of Species and the Sowing of Thorns§12

12For something to be destroyed is held back until the bad planting. And God saw that it was good. The stripping bare of the underlying things of the dryness, so that land might become, God saw as good; as to the spoken word again this is evident. The land, therefore, having been hidden under the waters, was not dry and was not such as to feed animals or bear fruits.

And even after the establishment of the world and the being of animals, from which the successions come, to this it is good to be plants and trees and delicious fruits, from which the animals took sustenance. Since, therefore, as also previously was said, God seeing the analogy accepted and approved it, for this reason it is said: 'God saw that it was good' (Gen 1:10), the seeing being understood in the words to follow as meaning that not [the...]. Just as the craftsmen see the artificial things, and much more the God sees by a superabundance, He does not perceive sensually.

And God said: 'Let the earth bring forth grass.' The underlying earth, having separated itself from the moisture, was named dry, being called land, and it has power to bear fruit. It must be observed that throughout the whole cosmopoeia what God said is intended and God made it, which shows the creative power; for especially through this precedence the creative is shown, but the name Lord shows the meaning of ruler and king. And 'In the beginning' (Gen 1:1) therefore 'God made' (Gen 1:1) is said, not the King or Lord, not that He is another, but that the name God presents the creative more emphatically. When therefore a command is given to Adam, it is said: 'The Lord God commanded Adam' (Gen 2:16), and rightly; for it is the work of a lord and king to give laws and commands.

And God therefore said: 'Let the earth bring forth grass, bearing seed according to its kind and according to likeness.' For of those growing from the earth, some are trees and some are vegetable plants. And Moses, wishing to call the trees in Deuteronomy, says simply 'the woody ones' for trees, the wooden ones, saying the vine, the fig, the olive, but it is evident also as many herbs as to the many people...

Regarding the medical treatments of bodies, Solomon shows that he has received from God the useful knowledge of these things, saying: 'For He himself gave to me the knowledge of what exists, to know the constitution of the world and the operation of the elements' (Job 28:23) and, with a little 'difference of plants and the powers of roots' and the nearby things, not yet calling them wood, but there he calls the herb or grass all things leafy, which also is called field-grass, just as in the Gospel it is called a plant in general, showing it through the similarity of the species.

For since even the Scripture knows the meaning of the species, it says: 'Abstain from every kind of evil' (2 Cor 7:1), using the word species specifically, and often instead of form it says: 'And we saw him, and he had neither species nor beauty' (Isa 53:2), and: 'For we walk by faith, not by sight' (2 Cor 5:7), meaning that the one who does not know through form walks by faith, but the one who walks by sight. Having spoken thus about the weeds or wild plants, 'sowing seed according to its kind' (Gen 1:11), he proceeds to the trees, 'wood that produces fruit' (Gen 1:11); for in every plant is the nature of its seed, whether they are edible, or for some other use, being known to men, or known only to God.

These things are regarding the literal sense, but regarding the allegorical, I think he has this manner: God, having created man, intended for him to bear the fruits of virtues and to make much progress in the knowledge of truth, so He gave him good concepts; but through the ascent, the earth was drawn away from its own purpose, and the man sowed thorns through transgression. As for those who, having received divine instruction, did not attend to the sowing of the word, hearing: 'Sow fire and reap thorns' (Hos 10:12). For he did not plow so that thorns might be reaped; this is not having farmed them well, nor to miss the blessing which Jacob blessed his son saying:

Greek · §12

γὰρ εἶνα̣ι´̣ τι ἀπόλλυσιν ἕως τῇ κακῇ φυτείᾳ ἐνέχεται. ι, 10. Κ̣α̣ι`̣ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. Τ̣ο`̣ γυμνωθη῀̣ναι τ̣ῶν ἐπικειμένων τὴν ξηράν, ἵνα γῆ 31 γένηται, καλὸν εἶδεν ὁ Θεός· ὡς πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν πάλιν τοῦ[το δῆλον. Ἡ γῆ οὖ]ν κεκρυμμένη ὑπὸ τῶν ὑδάτων οὐκ ἦν ξηρά κα[ὶ οἷόν τε ἦν οὔ]τε ζῷα τρέφειν οὐδὲ καρποὺς φέρειν. Καιὸν ο[ὖν μετὰ τὴν κατά]στασιν κόσμου καὶ τὰ ζῷα εἶναι, ἐξ ὧν αἱ διαδ[οχαί, πρὸς τού]τοις καλὸν τὸ εἶναι φυτὰ καὶ δένδρα καὶ καρποὺς ἐ[δωδίμους, ὧν] μετελάμβανον τὰ ζῷα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν, ὡς καὶ πρότερ[ον εἴρηται, τ]η`̣ν ἀναλογίαν ἰδὼν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπεδέξατο καὶ ἐπῄ[νεσεν, διὰ τοῦτο] εἴρηται· "6Εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν"6, τοῦ εἶδεν οὕτ[ω νοουμένου ὡς] ἐντοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἑρμη- νεύεται, ὅτι οὐχ ὁ[··· ··· ··· ···]ιν. Ὡς τὰ τεχνητὰ οἱ τεχνῖται καὶ πολλῷ μᾶ[λλ]ον [··· ··· ····]ριτω ὑπερ- <β>ολῇ ὁ Θεὸς ὁρᾷ, οὐκ αἰσθήσει. ι 11. Καὶ εἶπεν [ὁ] Θεός· [Βλαστησ]άτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου. ∆ιασταλεῖσα ἡ ὑπ̣[ο]κε̣ι̣μ[ένη γῆ τ]ῇ ὑγρᾷ οὐσίᾳ ὠνομάσθη ξηρά, ἐπικληθεῖσα δε`̣ γῆ. κ̣[αὶ δύναμιν] ἔχει πρὸς τὸ καρποφορεῖν. Παρατηρητέον δ̣ὲ ὅτ̣ι δι[' ὅλης τῆς κ]οσμοποιΐας τὸ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρόκειται καὶ ἐπο̣ι´̣η̣σ̣ε̣[ν ὁ Θεός, δη]λοῦν τὸ δημιουργικόν· μάλιστα γὰρ διὰ ταύτης τῆς πρ̣οσ[ηγο- ρ]ι´̣α[ς τὸ] δημιουργικὸν δηλοῦται, ἡ δὲ Κύριος ὀνομασία ἄρχο̣ντος κ[αὶ β]ασί[λε]ως ἐμφαίνει σημασίαν. Καὶ "6ἐν ἀρχῇ"6 οὖν "6ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς"6 εἴρηται, οὐχ ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἢ Κύριος, οὐχ ὅτι ἕτερός ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐμφατικώτερον τὸ δημιουργὸν παρίστησιν τὸ Θεὸς ὄνομα. Ὅτε οὖν ἐντολὴ δίδοται τῷ Ἀδάμ, λέγεται· "6Ἐνετείλατο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀδάμ"6, καὶ εἰκότως· κυρίου γὰρ καὶ βασιλέως ἐστὶν τὸ νόμους καὶ ἐντολὰς διδόναι. ι, 11. Καὶ εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Θεός· Βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶ καθ' ὁμοιότητα. Τῶν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς γῆς φυομένων τὰ μέν ἐστιν δένδρα, τὰ δὲ λαχανώδη φυτά. Καὶ τὰ μὲν δένδρα κ̣α̣λ̣εῖν βουλόμενος Μωσῆς ἐν ∆ευτερονομίῳ τὰ οἰστικὰ ἀκροδρύων φησὶν ἁπ̣λ̣ω῀̣ς̣ δένδρα τὰ ξύλινα, ξύλινα λέγων τὴν ἄμπελον, τὴν συκῆν, τὴν ε᾿̣λ̣α̣ι´̣α̣ν̣, δῆλον δὲ ὡς κ[α]ὶ ὅσα βότανα τοῖς πολλοῖς 32 ἀνθρώπο̣ις οὐ πάνυ ··· ··· ····[··· ··· ··· ··· ···] ··· ··το̣ι῀̣ς περὶ τὰς τῶν σωμάτων ἰατρείας ἔχου[σιν··· ··· ··· ···] ····αν, καθὸ καὶ Σολομὼν δεικνὺς τὸ τούτων [ὠφέλιμον ἀπὸ Θεοῦ] τη`̣ν̣ εἴδησιν αὐτῶν εἰληφ[έ]ναι φησὶ λέγων· "6[Αὐτὸς γάρ μοι ἔδω]κ̣ε̣ν̣ τ̣ω῀̣ν̣ ὄντων γνῶσιν ἀψευδῆ εἰδέναι σύστα[σιν κόσμου καὶ ἐ]ν̣έργ̣ε̣ι̣α̣ν σ̣τοιχείων"6 καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα "6διαφορὰς φυ[τῶν καὶ δυνάμεις] ῥιζ̣ῶν"6 κα̣ὶ τὰ παραπλήσια, οὐκέτι ξυλίνων λέ[··· ··· ··· ··· ···]ρ····, ε᾿̣νταῦθα δὲ βοτάνην χόρτου λέγει πάν[τα τὰ λαχανώδη, ἅπερ καὶ] χόρτ̣ος ἀγροῦ λέγεται, καθὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγε[λίῳ ··· ··· ··· ··· ····] [··· ··· ··· ··· ···] ··· ·· καθόλου φυτόν, δηλοῖ δὲ διὰ τοῦ καθ' ὁμοι[ότητα τὸ εἶδος. Ὅ]τι δ̣ε`̣ κ̣αὶ ἡ γραφὴ οἶδεν τὸ σημαινόμενον τοῦ [εἴδους, φ]ησι´̣ν̣· "6Ἀπὸ παντὸς εἴδους πονηροῦ ἀπέχεσθε"6, [τὸ εἶ]δος κυ̣ρ̣ι´̣ω̣ς̣ λέγων, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἀντὶ μορφῆς λέ[γει· "6Κα]ι`̣ εἴδομεν αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἶδος οὐδὲ κάλλος"6, καί· "6[∆ιὰ πίστεως γὰρ] περιπατοῦμεν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους"6, σημαίνων [ὅτι ὁ μὴ δι]α`̣ μ̣ορφη῀̣ς γ[ιγ]νώσκων διὰ πίστεως περιπατεῖ, ὁ δὲ γε[···]·[···]ς διὰ εἴδ̣ο̣υ̣ς̣. Εἰπὼν οὖν περὶ τῶν χαμαιζήλων φυ[τῶ]ν̣ "6σ[πε]ι῀̣ρο̣ν̣ σ̣πε´̣ρ̣μ̣α̣ κατὰ γένος"6, ἐπάγει περὶ τῶν δένδρων τ̣ο`̣ "6ξύλ[ον 11 κ[α´̣ρ̣π̣ιμ̣ον ποιοῦν καρπόν"6· παντὸς γὰρ φυτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ σπέρματ̣ο̣ς̣ φύσις, ὡς τὰ μὲν αὐτῶν εἶναι ἐδώδιμα, τὰ ···α ἢ εἰς ἑτ̣έρα̣ς χρείας λυσιτελοῦντα, τὰς μὲν καὶ ἀνθρώποις γ̣ν̣ω̣σ̣τ̣άς, τὰ<ς> δ̣ὲ μόνῳ Θεῷ. Ταῦτα μὲν πρὸς τὸ ῥητόν, τὰ δὲ τῆς α᾿̣λ̣λ̣η̣γορίας τοῦτον ἔχειν τρόπον ἡγοῦμαι. ∆ημιουργήσας ὁ Θ̣ε̣ο`̣ς̣ τὸν ἄνθρωπον̣ εὐ´̣θη ἐπὶ τῷ τὰς ἀρετὰς καρποφορεῖν καὶ τὴν γνῶσ̣ι̣ν̣ τῆς ἀληθείας περὶ πολλοῦ ποιεῖσθαι ἐνῆκεν αὐτῷ ἐννοίας ἀγ̣α̣θ̣α´̣ς, ἐξηνέχ̣θ̣η δὲ ἡ κατὰ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν γῆ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας γνώμης ···· ἀκάν<θας> σπειρ̣ήσαντος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ παραβάσεως. Ὅσοι γοῦν θείαν δ̣ι̣δ̣α̣σκαλίαν παραδεξάμενοι οὐ πρόσεσχον τῇ σπορᾷ τοῦ λόγου ἀκούουσιν· 33 "6Σπείρατε πυροὺς καὶ ἀκάνθας θερίσατε."6 Μ̣ὴ γα`̣ρ̣ διὰ τοῦτο ἐσπάρη ἵνα ἄκανθαι θερισθῶσιν α··· ····[····]· τοῦτο μὴ καλῶς αὐτοὺς γεγ̣εωργηκέναι μηδὲ ····υ̣κ̣[····] ··· ··· ··θῆναι τῆς εὐλογίας ἧς ηὐλόγησεν ᾿Ι̣ακ̣ω`̣β̣ τ[ὸν υἱὸ]ν̣ λέγων·

The Goodness of Creation and Divine Activity§13

13“Behold, the fragrance of my son is as the fragrance of a full field which the Lord blessed” (Song of Solomon 4:12). He who conducts his cultivation well will hear, just as the bride: “A garden enclosed, my sister, a garden enclosed.” And “and it was so” and the following things are said for the sake of reciprocity. Genesis 1:12. And God saw that it was good. It is to be noted that, when two things have been commanded and have come to be, it is said as if they were one: “God saw that it was good.” For “God saw that it was good” is said toward the end and the purpose of the sequence; for the sake of men the vegetation sprouted and the other things. I say that what has the analogy in sensible things is good, how much more that which is in virtues and the harmony of a soul living well and choosing the excellent things according to reason and hastening toward the end of virtue. Genesis 1:14–19. And God said: “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heaven for the shining of the earth and for dividing between the day and between the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years, and let them be for shining in the expanse of the heaven so as to shine upon the earth”; and it was so, until it became the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19).

Beginning the book, we say that God, being an active essence, simultaneously wills and is what he wills to be; for it is not possible for his activities to be prior to his existence, as is the case with human arts. For after the work is performed, the house is, and after the building, the house; for the house is not in the building, nor the ship in the shipbuilding; for these activities are measured by time. But God acts without time, leading toward the being which he wills; so therefore activity will not be following something. As soon as it was willed that the lights be, they are, and as soon as he willed the water to be gathered into one collection, the command was fulfilled, and in saying “Let there be an expanse”...

a logic inherent

Greek · §13

"6Ἰδοὺ ὀδμὴ τοῦ υἱοῦ μου ὡς ὀδμὴ ἀγροῦ πλ[ήρο]υ̣ς̣ ὃν ηὐλόγησεν Κύριος"6· ὁ δὲ καλῶς ἑαυτοῦ ἄγων τὴν φυ̣τ̣[εί]α̣ν α᾿̣κ̣ο̣ύσεται καθὰ καὶ ἡ νύμφη· "6Κῆπος κεκλεισμέν̣[ος ἀδελ]φή μου νύμφη."6 Τὸ δὲ "6καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἀνταπ[οδόσε]ως ἕνεκα εἴρηται. ι, 12. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν. Σ̣η̣μειωτέον ὅτι, δύο προσταχθέντων καὶ γεν̣[ο]μ̣ένω̣ν, ὡς περι`̣ ἑνὸς λέγεται· "6Εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν."6 Εἰς γὰ[ρ] τὸ τέλος καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν ἀναφορᾶς οὔσης εἴρηται "6εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν"6· δι<ὰ> γὰρ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἡ βοτάνη ἐβλάστησεν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα. Ἔφην̣ δὲ τὸ ἐν αἰσθητοῖς ἔχον τὴν ἀναλογίαν καλόν, πόσῳ <μᾶλλον> τὸ ἐν ἀρεταῖς καὶ ἁρμονία ψυχῆς εὖ βιούσης καὶ λογικοῦ τὰ αἱρετὰ αἱρουμένου καὶ πρὸς τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀρετῆς σπεύδοντο[ς]. ι, 14–19. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Γενηθήτωσαν φωστῆρες ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰς φαῦσιν τῆς γῆς καὶ διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς νυκτός, καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεῖα καὶ εἰς καιροὺς καὶ ἡμέρας καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς, καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς φαῦσιν ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὥστε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως, ἕως τοῦ καὶ ἐγένετο ἡμέρα τετάρτη. Ἀρχόμενοι τοῦ βιβλίου ἐλέγομεν ὅτι δραστήριος οὐσία ὢν ὁ Θεὸς ἅμα βούλεται καὶ ἔστιν ἃ θέλει εἶναι· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐνεργείας πρὸ τῆς ὑπάρξεως εἶναι, ὡς ἔχει ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων τεχνῶν. μετὰ γὰρ τὸ ἐνεργῆσαι τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶν καὶ μετὰ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἡ οἰκία· οὐ γὰρ 34 ἐν τῷ οἰκοδομεῖσθαι ἡ οἰκία οὐδὲ ἐντῷ ναυπηγεῖσθαι ἡ ναῦς· χρόνῳ γὰρ αὕται αἱ ἐνέργειαι συμμετροῦνται. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἀχ[ρ]ό[ν]ως ἐνεργεῖ ἄγων εἰς τὸ εἶναι ὃ βούλεται· οὐκ ἄρα ἑπομένη κα̣[····]·υμένη ἔσται ἐνέργεια. Ἅμα οὖν βεβούληται εἶναι τοὺς φωστη῀̣ρ̣[α]ς, καὶ εἴσιν, καὶ ἅμα ἐθέλησεν τὸ ὕδωρ συναχθῆναι εἰς συναγω[γὴ]ν μίαν, πεπλήρωται τὸ πρόσταγμα, καὶ ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν "6Γενη- θήτω στ̣ερέωμα"6 ὑπῆρκται τοῦτο. ∆ιόπερ ταύτῃ τῇ ἐννοίᾳ ἑπόμενον [···· πε]ρ̣ι`̣ τῶν ἓξ ἡμερῶν δεῖ νοεῖν ὡς οὐ χρονικῆς ἕνεκα παρ[εκτάσε]ως παρειλημμένων, ἀλλὰ λόγου οἰκείου τῇ δημιουργίᾳ το[ῦ Θεοῦ] καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ δυνάμεως. Πρῶτος γὰρ ὁ ἓξ τελείων ἐ[στί]ν· τελείους δὲ ἀριθμούς φασιν τοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἑαυτῶν με[ρ]ῶν ἀ[π]αρτι- ζομένους, τέσσαρες δὲ μόνοι εἰσὶν ἀπὸ μονάδος ἕως μυρίων. Πρῶτος οὖν ἐστιν ὁ ἓξ, οὗ ἥμισυ τρία, τρίτον δ[ύ]ο, ἕκτον ἕν, ὧν συντεθέντων ὁ ἓξ ἀποτελεῖται. Ὡσαύτως ἔχει καὶ ὁ εἴκοσι ὀκτώ· ἥμισυ γὰρ τούτου δέκα τέσσερα, τέταρτον ἑπτά, ἕβδομον τέσσερα, τεσσερεσκαιδέκατον δύο, εἰκοστοόγδοον ἕν, ἅπερ πάλιν συντεθέντα τὸν εἴκοσι ὀκτὼ ἀποτελεῖ. Καὶ ἕτεροι δὲ πρὸς τούτοις εἰσὶν δύο· ἐὰν δὲ ἑτέρους παρὰ τοὺς τελείους συνθήσῃ, λείπουσιν ἢ ὑπερβάλλουσιν, οἷον ἐπὶ τοῦ ὀκτὼ θεωρητέον· ἥμισυ τέσσερα, τέταρτον δύο, ὄγδοον ἕν, ἅπερ πάλιν συντεθέντα ἐλάττονα ἀριθμὸν φέρει. Καὶ ὁ δώδεκα δὲ συντεθεὶς ὑπερβάλλει· ἥμισυ αὐτοῦ ἕξ, τρίτον τέσσερα, τέταρτον τρία, ἕκτον δύο, δωδέκατον ἕν. Καλοῦσιν οὖν οἱ περὶ ταῦτα ἔχοντες τοὺς ἐλλείποντας ὑποτελεῖς, ὑπερτελεῖς δὲ τοὺς πλεονάζοντας, τελείους δὲ τοὺς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν ἀπαρτιζομένους. Ἔδει οὖν τὸν 12 Θεὸν τέλειον δημιούργημα ποιοῦντα ἐν τελείῳ πρώτῳ ἀριθμῷ εἰς ὑπόστασιν αὐτὸ ἀγαγ̣εῖν, οὐχ ἵνα πάντως εἴπωμεν ὅτι ἑξάκις τοῦ ἡλίου κυκλεύοντος ἡμέραι ἓξ διεγένοντο, –οὔπω γὰρ ἦν γενόμενος ἥλιος ἐν ταῖς πρώταις τρισίν, –ἀλλ' ὅτι λόγου καὶ ἁρμονίας χάριν ὁ ἓξ ἀριθμὸς παρει̣λ̣η´̣μφθη. 35 Παρίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἔννοιαν ταύτην ἀκριβῶς αὐτὸς Μωσῆς τὴν ἐπανακεφαλαίωσιν ποιούμενος τῶν γεγονότων λέγων· "6Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ὁ´̣τε ἐγένετο ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν."6 Ὅλως γὰρ οὔτε ἐν ἡμέρᾳ γέγονεν ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἀλλ' "6ἐν ἀρχῇ"6, οὔτε τὰ πάντα ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ὑπέστησαν, ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὡς, ἅμα

The Purpose of the Luminaries§14

14Because all things have come to be, this number is taken up for the sake of order and for the sake of harmony, as has been said; and because of this, due to our weakness and our inability to perceive otherwise in any suitable way. Let what is said be clear from an example. Our body possesses color and size together with its substance, and it did not come into being as separate things divided in time, but rather, except by thought, the one is before and the other is after.

In the same way, the world, having come into being in order, is completed not by time but by harmony. For no part of the world will be able to be conceived in relation to the others unless the rest exists. And the luminaries, having come into being on the fourth day, show by their preciousness that they were spoken into existence in this way because of the reason concerning them. For the tetrad, being in power, exists as a ten in honor; for through all Scripture, the ten is praised.

But that a certain number, if it is signified in the divine letters, does not always declare a multitude, but a reason, it is to be understood from what has been said concerning God: 'I have left behind seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal' (1 Kings 19:18). For if such a number was the case, the prophet would not have said, 'I am left alone' (1 Kings 19:10), nor did they have the pure relationship toward one another; for they were not fleeing themselves.

A precious reason concerning the seven—for this is both without seed and without fruit—submits the thought that the saints are of the same power, even if they exist as humans, having established something divine and being considered superhuman through contemplation and life. But also in the Apocalypse, John, saying that twelve thousand men fall to the Lamb, who is the Savior, and these virgins with women not defiled, shows that there is a certain precious reason concerning this number; for no one would have said such a great multitude of virgins were gathered from those who believed while John was still alive, perhaps even if there were not so many of them.

We say therefore that the world has come to be in six because of the previously mentioned reason, and the luminaries on the fourth because of the previously mentioned reason, that the tetrad, being a ten in power, possesses the honor. For Moses gave ten words and ten are provided; and one finds other privileges of the ten. 'Let there be' (Genesis 1:3) therefore 'luminaries in the expanse of the...'

of the heaven. And this instructs them toward not being their own gods, just as it seemed to the deceived Egyptians. And it is well placed in the firmament and not beyond the firmament; for those seeing these things.

And he says their work is both that which shines upon the earth and to divide between the day and between the night; for the rising makes the day, and the setting makes the night. Another of their work is to be for signs; for the stars and the sun himself signify many things; but they signify not as making, but as revealing. And those proposing fate set them as poets, saying that if this does to that, but not so, but so that they might signify seasons, months, years; it is not the signifying that is poetic.

For he says, 'And let them be for signs and for seasons and for years' (Genesis 1:14), which signifies the annual seasons, the spring, the winter, and the others; for being in this climate the sun does this or that. And if those concerning the sciences were to say, rushing to conclude that these are for signs, that in this way the argument of fate is introduced, it would not have probability for them; but otherwise it is not even possible for human nature to grasp such signs, because of the pole being moved most sharply by them, through which it is impossible to grasp the hour of the setting.

And the 'and it happened thus,' being reciprocal, shows that the Son did this which the Father willed to establish. For indeed, since it was not said how many lights would become, it was brought forth: 'And God made the two lights' (Genesis 1:16); thus it is the same will and energy of Father and Son. And in part also the beginnings of the lights came to be, of the sun the leader of the day, and of the moon and the other stars the leaders of the night.

Whom He set, not declaring that He set them the same as He made them, nor that having first come to be they were later set, but that the concept submits to the word that the coming-into-being is first to be the placement; for to establish is one thing, and to fit to the other parts of the world is another. And let this be appropriate to those who have said, that He rightly said six days and not six hours or months or years; for to say months or years seemed a slowness, and to say hours seemed unthinkable; for he who does not...

Greek · §14

τῶν πάντων γεγενημένων, τάξεως ἕνεκα και`̣ ἁρμονίας ὁ ἀριθμὸς οὗτος, ὡς εἴρηται, παρεί- λημπται, καὶ π[ρὸ]ς [τ]ο̣[ύ]τῳ διὰ τὸ ἡμῶν ἀσθενὲς καὶ μὴ ἑτέρας δύνασθαι νοεῖν [ἢ τρόπῳ] τινὶ ἡμῖν καταλλήλῳ. Καὶ ἔστω ἀπὸ παραδείγματος σαφὲ[ς τὸ λ]εγόμενον. Τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν ἅμα τῇ ὑποστάσει καὶ χρῶμ[α κ]αὶ μέγεθος ἔχει, καὶ οὐκ ἐν χρόνῳ διεστῶτι ἀλλήλων κεχωρισμένα ὑπέστη καὶ πλὴν τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ τὸ μὲν αὐτῶν πρότερον, τὸ δὲ ὕστερόν ἐστιν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἐν τάξει γενόμενος κόσμος οὐ χρόνῳ ἀλλὰ τ[ῇ] ἁρμονίᾳ συντετέλεσται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μέρος κόσμου τις δυνήσεται ἐννοεῖν πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα μὴ συντρέχον ἕως τὰ λοιπὰ ὑπάρχῃ. Καὶ οἱ φωστῆρες δὲ ἐν τετάρτῃ ἡμέρᾳ γε̣νόμενοι ἅτε τίμιοι δεικνύουσιν ὅτι διὰ τὸν περὶ αὐτοὺς λόγον ἐν ταύτῃ εἴρηνται γεγενῆσθαι. Ἡ γὰρ τετρὰς δυνάμει οὖσα δέκα ἐπὶ τιμίας ὑπάρχει· διὰ πάσης γὰρ γραφῆς ἡ δεκὰς ὑμνεῖται. Ὅτι δὲ οὐκ, ἐὰν ἀριθμός τις ἐν τοῖς θείοις γράμμασιν σημαίνητα̣ι̣, τὸ πλῆθος δηλ̣ο̣ι῀̣ πάντως, ἀλλὰ λόγον, ἐκ τοῦ ε̣ι᾿̣ρημένου πρὸς τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ Θεοῦ ἔστιν νοῆσαι· "6Κατέλιπον ἐμαυτῷ ἑπτακισχιλίους ἄνδ̣ρ̣ας οἵτινες οὐκ ἔκαμψαν γόνυ τῇ Βαάλ."6 Εἰ γὰρ τοσοῦτοι ἐτύγ̣χ̣α̣νον, οὔτ' ἂν ὁ προφήτης εἶπεν· "6Ἐγὼ ὑπολέλειμμαι μονώ- τατος̣"6, ο̣ὐ´̣τε πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἶχον τὸ ἀμιγές· οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς ἔφευγον. Λ̣ο´̣γος τίμιος ὁ περὶ τὴν ἑβδομάδα ὤν– ἀμήτωρ γὰρ αὕτη καὶ ἀπάτω̣ρ̣–ὑποβάλλει νόη̣σιν ὅτι τῆς αὐτῆς εἰσι τῆς δυνάμεως οἱ ἅγιοι, κἂν ε̣ἱ῀̣ς ὑπάρχωσιν, 36 θεῖόν τι καθεστῶτες καὶ ὑπεράνθρωπον θεω̣ρ̣ίᾳ καὶ βίῳ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει ὁ Ἰωάννης λέγων ˉρˉμˉδχιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν ἕπεσθαι τῷ ἀρνίῳ, ὅ ἐστιν ὁ Σωτήρ, καὶ ταῦτα παρθένων μετὰ γυναικῶν μὴ μολυνθέντων, δείκνυσιν ὅτι λόγος τις περὶ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦτον τίμιός ἐστιν· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτω τοσοῦτο πλῆθος παρθένων ἔτι τοῦ Ἰωάννου ἐν βίῳ ὄντος εἴποι τις ἂν ἐκ τῶν πεπιστευκότων συνῆχθαι, τάχα μηδὲ αὐτῶν τοσ[ούτων] ὄντων. Λέγομεν οὖν ὅτι ἐν ἑξάδι ὁ κόσμος γέγονεν δι[ὰ τὴν π]ροειρημένην αἰτίαν, καὶ τῇ τετάρτῃ οἱ φωστῆρες διὰ τ[ὸ πρ]οειρημένον, ὅτι ἡ τετρὰς δυνάμει δεκὰς οὔσα ἔχει τὸ τί[μιο]ν. Καὶ γὰρ δέκα λόγους Μωσῆς δέδωκεν καὶ δέκαται παρέχονται· καὶ ἄλλα δὲ προνόμια τῆς δεκάδος εὕροι τις. "6Γενηθήτωσαν"6 οὖν "6φωστῆρες ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ."6 Καὶ τοῦτο παιδεύει πρὸς τὸ μὴ θεοὺς αὐτοὺς εἶναι, καθὰ Αἰγυπτίοις ἠπατημένοις ἔδοξεν. Καλῶς δὲ ἐν τῷ στερεώματι καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τὸ στερέωμα· τῶν γὰρ̣ ὁρωμένων ταῦτα. Καὶ ἔργον δὲ αὐτῶν φησιν τό τε ἐπὶ γῆς φαίνειν καὶ τὸ "6διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς νυκτός"6· ἡ γὰρ ἀνατολὴ τὴν ἡμέραν, ἡ δὲ δύσις τὴν νύκτα ποιεῖ. Ἕτερον δὲ αὐτῶν ἔργον τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς εἰς σημεῖα· πολλὰ γὰρ σημαίνουσιν οἱ ἀστέρες καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ ἥλιος· σημαίνουσιν δὲ οὐχ ὡς ποιοῦντες ἀλλ' ὡς φανε- ροῦντες. Οἱ δὲ τὴν εἱμαρμένην εἰσηγούμενοι ποιητὰς αὐτοὺς τίθενται λέγοντες ὅτι εἰ ὅδε πρὸς τόνδε συνδράμοι τάδε ποιεῖ, ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ' ἵνα σημαίνωσιν ὥρας, μῆνας, ἐνιαυτούς· οὐ τὸ σημαῖνον δὲ ποιητικόν. "6Καὶ ἔστωσαν"6 γάρ φησιν "6εἰς σημεῖα καὶ εἰς καιροὺς καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς"6, ἅπερ σημαίνει τὰς ἐτησίους ὥρας, τὴν ἐαρινήν, τὴν χειμε- 37 ρινὴν καὶ τὰς ἄλλας· ἐν γὰρ τῷδε τῷ κλίματι ὢν ὁ ἥλιος ἢ τῷδε ταῦτα ποιεῖ. Εἰ δὲ λέγοιεν οἱ περὶ τὰ μαθήματα, συντρέχοντες τῷ εἰς σημεῖα αὐτὰ εἶναι, ὅτι καὶ οὕτως ὁ τῆς εἱμαρμένης εἰσάγεται 13 λόγος, οὐδ' οὕτω μὲν ἂν ἔχοι αὐτοῖς πιθανότητα· ἄλλως δὲ οὐδὲ δυνατὸν ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει καταλαβεῖν τὰ τοιαῦτα σημεῖα, τοῦ πόλου καὶ κατ' αὐτοὺς ὀξύτατα κινουμένου, δι' ὃν ἀμήχανον λαβεῖν τὴν ὥραν τοῦ ἀποτεχθέντος. Τὸ δὲ "6καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως"6, ἀνταποδοτικὸν ὄν, δείκνυσιν ὅτι τοῦτ' ἐποίησεν ὁ Υἱὸς ὅπερ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑποστῆ[ναι ἐ]θέλησεν. Καὶ γάρ, οὐκ εἰρημένου πόσοι γένωνται φωστ[ῆρες], ἐπηνέχθη· "6Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς δύο φωστῆρας"6· οὕτως [ἡ αὐτ]ὴ καὶ βούλησις καὶ ἐνέργεια Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ. Ἀνὰ μέρος δὲ καὶ [αἱ] ἀρχαὶ τῶν φωστήρων ἐγένοντο, τοῦ μὲν ἡλίου τῆς ἡμέρας, σελήνης δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἄστρων νυκτὸς ἡγουμένων. Οὕστινας ἔθετο, οὐ δηλοῦντος τοῦ ἔθετο ταὐτὸν τῷ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ ὅτι πρῶτον γενόμενοι ὕστερον ἐτέθησαν, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἡ ἔννοια ὑποβάλλει λόγῳ πρώτην εἶναι τὴν γένεσιν τῆς θέσεως· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὑποστῆσαί ἐστι, τὸ δὲ ἁρμόσαι πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα τοῦ κόσμου μέρη. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις προσκείσθω, ὅτι δεόντως ἓξ ἡμέρας εἶπεν καὶ οὐχ ἓξ ὥρας ἢ μῆνας ἢ ἐνιαυτούς· τὸ μὲν γὰρ μῆνας ἢ ἐνιαυτοὺς εἰπεῖν βραδύτητα ἐνέφαινεν, τὸ δὲ ὥρας ἀδιανόητον ἐδόκει· ὁ γὰρ μὴ

The Sun of Righteousness and the Seasons of Progress§15

15Knowing not what day or what hour, he recalls a complete number, both days and accordingly. Just as 'God saw' (Gen 1:4) meant that it was good, so 'God saw' means as it is understood in the fading. We say these things to clarify the word, but these things could be for an ascent.

It was said before that 'let there be light' (Gen 1:3) must be raised to the Savior, not as emerging from non-existence, but as becoming fitting for those being enlightened. Among those being enlightened, some receive a lesser illumination and others a greater; and from these come those who experience a nocturnal state. Thus there are now luminaries of the Son's perception, following the will of the present matter: it fits each person's measure, becoming a sun of righteousness for those being raised, and for the lesser, being proportioned and providing a Spirit-illumination analogous to the moon.

And there were also those being enlightened in the night who, being perfect, necessarily provided for the body's need. For the perfect one, even if he is so, all at once, because he has a body, is nourished and undergoes the other needs of the body, which he himself makes perfect as a perfect one; for this reason he also has light, and such a light is a nocturnal light, since the intensity is so much relative to the body's needs, even if it is not lost, but experiences relaxation. And just as the moon itself receives rays from the sun and becomes a second light provided by the greater, so also the church is the light of the world.

For the Lord said to his own disciples, 'You are the light of the world' (Matt 5:14), not solar—for he himself was the sun of righteousness—but lesser and provided by him. But also the apostle, saying, 'In which you are as luminaries in the world' (Phil 2:15), shows that having participated in the true light, they are the light of the world; for he leads on: 'holding the word of life' (Heb 1:3). And the relationship to this light of his might be a moon; for he did not say 'you are the lights,' but the light; for all having unity toward themselves, they are thus one light, being the church. And the stars of these would be subject to the Word, having ascended far above the others according to the allegory, whom...

And they shine. Those who were prophets, sending forth the dawn of the pre-proclamation before the rising of the sun. For He, having risen, guided the whole, and showed all things as one light, because those participating are shown to be perfect light.

For it has been said that the righteous will shine 'as the sun in the kingdom of their own Father' (Malachi 4:2), not 'sun,' but as the sun, just as it is also said in the Song concerning her sharing in the light: 'Who is this that rises like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, dazzling as the sun?' (Song of Solomon 6:10). And observe that some progress are revealed through these: first, one becomes like the dawn, then like the chosen moon instead of the full and uninterrupted moon according to the new moon—for even it is the same, being divided and not moon-like and oscillating, but its perfect state is according to the new moon, which he likens to the bride—and after which, although it is like the sun, it is a dazzling wonder because of much progress and union.

Those becoming such are not light by construction of this kind, but by participation in the true light. They also divide 'in the midst of the day' and 'in the midst of the darkness,' dividing evil from virtue, and thus illuminating those upon the earth, who are not yet heavenly through works. They also signify seasons and days and months and years, knowing the measure of each and how this one stands regarding instruction, just as we say of a physician that it is a time of nourishment based on how the one being fed stands, for even the one using medical art feeds at night.

Therefore, the sun of righteousness and the moon spoken of with it and the stars signify such a time as a time of lessons, a time of progress, a time of introduction; and they signify even the things themselves—for when someone is enlightened, the underlying things themselves are clear—not then under the sun of righteousness when it signifies, but being eternally present, signifying when those advancing need guidance. Therefore they are also said to have come on the fourth day, signifying through allegory the relation toward logical matters. For as it was previously stated, being in potentiality of virtue, we need those who lead into the energy of virtues, which comes from...

Greek · §15

ἐπιστάμενος τί ἡμέρα οὐδὲ τί ὥρα οἶδεν. Τελείου οὖν ἀριθμοῦ μνημονεύων εἰκότως καὶ ἡμέρας παρείληφεν καὶ καταλλήλως. Ἅπερ πάλιν "6εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς"6 ὡς καλῶς γεγένηνται, τοῦ "6εἶδεν̣ ὁ Θεὸς"6 οὕτως ὡς ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν νοουμένου. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν σαφηνίζοντες τὸ ῥητὸν εἴπομεν, τὰ δὲ πρὸς ἀναγωγὴν ταῦτα ἂν εἴη. Ἐλέγετο πρὸ τούτων ὅτι 38 τὸ "6γενηθήτω φῶς"6 εἰς τὸν Σωτῆρα ἀνάγειν δεῖ, οὐχ ὡς ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ὑποστάντα, ἀλλ' ὡς ἁρμοζόμενον τοῖς φωτιζομένοις. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν φωτιζομένων, οἱ μὲν ἐπ' ἐλάττον, οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ πλεῖον τὸν φωτισμόν, δέχονται δέ· παρὰ τούτους εἰσὶν οἱ ἐν νυκτερινῇ καταστάσει τυγχάνοντες. Γίνονται τοίνυν καὶ νῦν φωστῆρες ἐπίνοιαι τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καθὰ ἀκόλουθον ἰδεῖν τὸ βούλημα τοῦ νῦν προκειμένου· ἁρμόζεται πρὸς τὸ ἑκάστου μέτρον, τοῖς μὲν ἀνηγμένοις ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης γινόμενος, τοῖς δὲ ἐλάττοσιν συμμε[τρούμε]νος καὶ τὸν σελήνῃ ἀναλογοῦντα φωτισμὸν Πνεύ[ματ]ος παρέχων. Εἶεν δὲ καὶ οἱ ἐν νυκτὶ φωτιζόμενοι ὅσοι [τέ]λειοι ὄντες τῇ τοῦ σώματος χρείᾳ ἀναγκαίως ἐνδιδόασιν· ὁ γὰρ τέλειος, εἰ καὶ οὕτως ἐστίν, ὁμῶς, ἐπειδὴ σῶμα ἔχει, καὶ τρέφεται καὶ τὰς ἄλλας χρείας τοῦ σώματος ὑπομένει, ἃς καὶ αὐτὰς μὲν ὡς τέλειος ποιεῖ, διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ φῶς ἔχει, φῶς δὲ νυκτερινὸν τὸ τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, ἐπεὶ ὁ τόνος ὁ τοσοῦτος παρὰ τὰς τοῦ σώματος χρείας, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἀπόλλυται, ἀλλ' ἐν ἀνέσει τυγχάνει. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἡ σελήνη αὐτὴ κατά τινας ἐκ τοῦ ἡλίου δέχεται τὰς αὐγὰς καὶ γίνεται δεύτερον φῶς χορηγούμενον ἀπὸ τοῦ μείζονος, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησία φῶς ἐστιν τοῦ κόσμου. Ἀμέλει γοῦν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς Κύριος εἶπεν· "6Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου"6, οὐχ ἡλιακόν, –αὐτὸς γὰρ ἦν ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, –ἀλλ' ἐλάττον καὶ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ χορηγούμενον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος λέγων "6Ἐν οἷς ἐστε ὡς φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ"6 δείκνυσιν ὅτι μετεσχηκότες τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ φωτὸς φῶς εἰσι κόσμου· ἐπάγει γάρ· "6Λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες"6. Καὶ εἴη ἂν ἡ ἐν 39 τούτοις αὐτοῦ τοῦ φωτὸς σχέσις σελήνη· οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν "3ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὰ φῶτα"3, ἀλλὰ τὸ φῶς· ἑνότητα γὰρ πάντες πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἔχοντες οὕτω φῶς ἕν εἰσι, ἐκκλησία ὄντες. Καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες δὲ τούτων ἂν ὑπάγοιντο τῷ Λόγῳ ὑπεραναβεβηκότες τοὺς ἄλλους κατὰ τὴν ἀλληγορίαν, οὓς καὶ φωτίζουσιν. Οἵτινες ἂν εἶεν προφῆται πρὸ τῆς ἀνατολῆς τοῦ ἡλίου αὐγὴν ἐκπέμποντες τὴν τῆς προαναφωνήσεως. Ἐκεῖνος γοῦν ἀνατείλας κατηύγασεν τὸ ὅλον, καὶ ἓν φῶς τὰ πάντα ἀπέδειξεν [διὰ τὸ] τοὺς μετέχοντας φῶς ἀποδειχθῆναι τέλειον. Εἴρη[ται γὰρ] ὅτι ἐκλάμψουσιν οἱ δίκαιοι "6ὡς ὁ ἥλιος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τ[οῦ] πατρὸς ἑαυτῶν"6, οὐχ "3ἥλιος"3, ἀλλ' ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, καθὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἄισμ[α]τι εἴρηται περὶ τη῀̣ς̣ μετασχούσης τοῦ φωτός· "6Τίς αὕτη ἡ ἐκκύπτουσα ὡσεὶ ὄρθ<ρ>ος καλή, ὡς σελήνη ἐκλεκτή, ὡς ἥλιος θάμβος;"6 Καὶ θεώρει ὅτι προκοπαί 14 τινες διὰ τούτων δηλοῦνται· πρῶτον γὰρ ὄρθ<ρ>ος γίνεται, ἔπειτα ὡς σελήνη ἐκλεκτὴ ἀντὶ τοῦ πλήρης καὶ ἀνελλιπὴς κατὰ τὴν πλησιφαῆ, –εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ αὐτή ἐστιν, διχότομός τε οὖσα καὶ μηνοειδὴς καὶ ἀμφίκυρτος, ἀλλ' ἡ τελεία αὐτῆς κατάστασις ἡ κατὰ τὸ πλησιφαές ἐστιν, ᾧ τὴν νύμφην εἰκάζει–, μεθ' ἃ καὶ ὡς ἥλιός ἐστιν αὕτη, θάμβος διὰ τὴν πολλὴν προκοπὴν καὶ ἕνωσιν. Οἱ οὕτως γινόμενοι φῶς οὐκ ἐκ κατασκευῆς εἰσιν τοιοῦτοι, ἀλλ' ἐκ μετουσίας τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ φωτός. Οἳ καὶ χωρίζουσι "6ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς ἡμέρας"6 καὶ "6ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σκότους"6, τὴν κακίαν καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν διαιροῦντες, καὶ οὕτω καταλάμποντες τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς, οἵτινες οὔπω διὰ πράξεως οὐράνιοί εἰσιν. Σημαίνουσίν τε καιροὺς καὶ ἡμέρας καὶ μῆνας καὶ ἐνιαυτοὺς καταλλήλους, τὸ μέτρον ἑκάστου 40 γνωρίζοντες καὶ πῶς ἔχει ὅδε πρὸς παίδευσιν, καθὰ καὶ τὸν ἰατρόν φαμεν λέγειν εἶναι καιρὸν τροφῆς πρὸς τὸ πῶς ἔχει ὁ τρεφόμενος σκοποῦντα· καὶ γὰρ ἐσθότε νυκτὸς τρέφει ὁ τῇ ἰατρικῇ χρώμενος. Σημαίνει οὖν ὁ ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἡ σὺν αὐτῷ λεχθεῖσα σελήνη καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες καιρὸν τοιοῦτον οἷον καιρὸν μαθημάτων, καιρὸν προκοπῆς, καιρὸν εἰσαγωγῆς, σημαίνουσιν δ[ὲ καὶ] αὐτὰ τὰ πράγματα, –ὅταν γὰρ φωτισθῇ τις, καθαρὰ [αὐτ]ὰ τὰ ὑποκείμενα πράγματα–, οὐ τότε τοῦ ἡλίου τῆ[ς δι]καιοσύνης ὑποστάντος ὅτε καὶ σημαίνει, ἀλλ' ὄντος ἀϊδίως, σημαίνοντος δὲ ὅτε οἱ προ- σίοντες χειραγωγίας δέονται. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐν τετάρτῃ ἡμέρᾳ γεγενῆσθαι λέγονται, τοῦ γεγενῆσθαι κατ' ἀλληγορίαν τὴν πρὸς τὰ λογικὰ σχέσιν δηλοῦντος. Ὡς γὰρ προείρηται, ἐν δυνάμει ὄντες ἀρετῆς, χρῄζομεν τῶν ἐναγόντων εἰς αὐτὴν ἐνέργειαν τῶν ἀρετῶν, ἥτις ἐκ

The Creation of Creeping and Flying Creatures§16

16A tetrad leads to a decad. For the tetrad is a power of ten, as has already been shown; for the decad is composed according to the nature of the tetrad. The foundation, in which the lights are made, must receive faith and perfect virtue, which the psalmist, possessing it, said: 'The Lord became my support' (Ps 18:2). And concerning the church it is said: 'Who is this that ascends, leaning upon her brother?' (Ps 121:5). For without the Word it is not possible for the church to be; for this is its support and foundation.

These same lights are signs; according to the literal sense, they sometimes signify a kingdom, or torches, or lightning, or something else of the great things according to their use; but according to anagogical sense, as has been said, they signify progress, and often the desert of the soul; for the lights indicate this allegorically. And these also enlighten those on earth; for those who are not able to share in the perfect light are enlightened through the light of the saints.

And Moses, teaching this, says: 'I stand in the midst of the Lord and you' (Num 12:2), offering your supplications to God and ministering the graces from him to you. So also the Savior, having become man, is a mediator of God and men; for being God, he joins us to the Father, and having become man, in a certain way as a lover of mankind, he speaks to us those things which he heard from the Father. The law might be among the lights inferior to the sun, about which the psalmist said: 'Your law is a lamp to my feet' (Ps 119:105), showing that the law enlightens the progress and the passages of the soul.

Thus also Paul, having been enlightened, says: 'That we may walk decently as in the day' (Rom 13:13); for being in Christ, such people are his, each saying: 'It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me' (Gal 2:20), and: 'I know a man in Christ' (2 Cor 5:19). For thus they become light from light, so as to enlighten others through teaching. And it is necessary to take the 'set' as a sign to 'show', as if it is said concerning the Savior that the Father set him as heir of all instead of 'he demonstrated'; for he did not make him heir later, but made manifest him being already so. 'And God saw that it was good' (Gen 1:4). For it is good also that which is being enlightened by sensible light.

Which is even more evident by intellect. (Gen 1:20–23). And God said: 'Let the waters bring forth creeping living souls and flying things flying upon the earth according to the expanse of the heaven.' And it happened thus. And God made the great sea creatures and every living soul of creeping things, which the waters brought forth according to their kind, and every winged flying thing according to kind. And God saw that it was good. And he blessed them, until the fifth day.

Since the preceding creation is the mortal animals upon the earth which happen to be for the sake of man, following this, the other animals and plants were made because of his need; for some he takes for food, and others for his healing; and there are others, some having become for the sake of labor, and others for some need of his; for nothing stood in being without purpose. Therefore God says: 'Let the waters bring forth creeping living souls and flying things flying upon the earth.' (Gen 1:20). For it was necessary even these to stand in being for the sake of man. Having said 'creeping' regarding their bodies, he says 'all living souls'; for even if it be irrational, it provides a life-giving power joined to the body, which stands for the man even after the dissolution of the body.

Regarding the flying things, those being high-flying, but the majority having low flight, especially those allotted to men for food, it is said from the abundance: 'and flying things flying upon the earth.' (Gen 1:20). For it is probable that because of this they do not fly even to the height of the eagle and the like, so that it might be easy for men, for whom they have come to be. It is said 'according to the expanse' of the 'heaven,' not that they approach this while flying, but that they are under it, even if they do not reach it.

Likewise, the Scripture calls the clouds that carry the rain 'heavens,' and says the rain comes from heaven, even though the clouds are composed within the air, from which the rain is carried; whereas clouds are said to be no more than ten stadia above the earth, yet they are often found seen far above the clouds and lying upon them. This is therefore explained by the air and heaven being often called expanse. And the 'and it happened thus' is similarly to be understood by those who have perished. And what is meant by 'and God made the great sea creatures'?

Greek · §16

τετράδος εἰς δεκάδα ἔρχεται. ∆υνάμει γὰρ δεκὰς ἡ τετράς, ὡς ἤδη δέδεικται· κατὰ γὰρ τὴν τῆς τετράδος σύνθεσιν ἡ δεκὰς ἀπαρτίζεται. Στερέωμα δέ, ἐν ᾧ οἱ φωστῆρες γίνονται, τὴν πίστιν ἐκδεκτέον καὶ τελείαν ἀρετήν, ἣν ἔχων ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς ἔλεγεν· "6Καὶ ἐγένετο Κύριος ἀντιστήριγμά μου."6 Καὶ περὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας λέγεται· "6Τίς αὕτη ἡ ἀναβαίνουσα, ἐπι- στηριζομένη ἐπὶ τὸν ἀδελφιδὸν αὐτῆς;"6 Ἄνευ γὰρ τοῦ Λόγου οὐχ οἷόν τε εἶναι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν· οὗτος γὰρ ταύτης στήριγμα καὶ θεμέλιος ὑπάρχει. Οὗτοι δὲ αὐτοὶ οἱ φωστῆρες εἰς σημεῖά εἰσιν, κατὰ μὲν τὸ ῥητὸν πολλάκις ἢ βασιλείαν σημαίνοντες ἢ αὐχμοὺς 41 ἢ ἐπομβρίας ἤ τι τῶν ἄλλων κατὰ τὸ χρήσιμον μεγάλων, κατὰ δὲ ἀναγωγήν, ὡς εἴρηται, τὰς προκοπάς, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐρημίαν· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ ὑποδει- κνύουσιν οἱ φωστῆρες κατ' ἀλληγορίαν. Οὗτοι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς φωτίζουσιν· ὅσοι γὰρ μὴ δύνανται ἀκράτου τοῦ τελείου φωτὸς μετασχεῖν διὰ τοῦ τῶν ἁγί[ων] φω[τ]ίζονται. Καὶ Μωσῆς τοῦτο διδάσκων φησίν· "6Κἀγὼ ἔστην [ἀ]νὰ μέσον Κυρίου καὶ ὑμῶν"6, τὰς ὑμῶν ἱκεσίας τῷ Θεῷ ἀναφ[έρ]ων, τὰς δὲ παρ' αὐτοῦ χάριτας διακονῶν ὑμῖν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἄνθρωπος γενόμενος μεσίτης ἐστὶν Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων· Θεὸς γὰρ ὢν τῷ Πατρὶ ἡμᾶς συνάπτει, ἄνθρωπος δὲ γενόμενος τρόπον τινὰ ὡς φιλάνθρωπος ἅπερ ἤκουσεν παρὰ Πατρὸς ταῦτα καὶ λαλεῖ ἡμῖν. Τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων τοῦ ἡλίου φώτων εἴη ἂν καὶ ὁ νόμος, περὶ οὗ εἶπεν ὁ ψαλμῳδός· "6Λύχνος τοῖς ποσίν μου ὁ νόμος σου"6, δηλῶν ὅτι φωτίζει ὁ νόμος τὰς προκοπὰς καὶ διαβάσεις τῆς ψυχῆς. Οὕτω φωτισθεὶς καὶ Παῦλός φησιν· "6Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν"6· ἐν Χριστῷ γὰρ ὄντες οἱ τοιοῦτοι αὐτοῦ εἰσιν λέγοντες ἕκαστος· "6Ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός"6, καί· "6Οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ."6 Οὕτω γὰρ φῶς ἐκ φωτὸς γίνονται, ὥστε διὰ τῆς διδα- σκαλίας φωτίζειν τοὺς ἄλλους. ∆εῖ δὲ τὸ ἔθετο ὡς σημαῖνον τὸ "3ἀποδείξαι"3 ἐκλαβεῖν ὡς ἐὰν λέγηται περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ὅτι ὁ Πατὴρ αὐτὸν ἔθετο κληρόνομον πάντων ἀντὶ τοῦ "3ἀπέδειξεν"3· οὐ γὰρ ὕστερον πεποίηκεν αὐτὸν κληρόνομον, ἀλλ' ὄντα ἐφανέρωσεν. "6Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν."6 Καλὸν γὰρ καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ αἰσθητοῦ φωτίζεσθαι φωτός, καὶ πολλῷ πλέον ὑπὸ νοητοῦ. ι, 20–23. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν 15 καὶ πετεινὰ πετόμενα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ τὸ 42 στερέωμα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ κήτη τὰ μεγάλα καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ζῴων ἑρπετῶν, ἃ ἐξήγαγεν τὰ ὕδατα κατὰ γένη αὐτῶν, καὶ πᾶν πετεινὸν πτερωτὸν κατὰ γένος. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλά. Καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτά, ἕως τοῦ ἡμέρα πέμπτη. Ἐπεὶ προηγουμένη κτίσις ἐστὶν τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ἡ κατὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ζῷα θνητὰ τυγχάνον[τα]ς, ἀκολούθως τὰ ἄλλα ζῷά τε καὶ φυτὰ διὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ χρείαν δεδημιούρ- γηται· τὰ μὲν γὰρ εἰς τροφήν, τὰ δὲ εἰς θεραπείαν ἑαυ[τ]οῦ παραλαμβάνει· ἔστιν δ' ἕτερα τὰ μὲν εἰς τὸ ἀχθοφορεῖν, τὰ δὲ εἴς τινα αὐτοῦ χρείαν γεγενημένα· οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰκαίως ὑπέστη. Λέγει οὖν ὁ Θεός· "6Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν καὶ πετεινὰ πετόμενα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς."6 Ἔδει γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα διὰ τὴν ἀνθρώπων ὑποστῆναι χρείαν. Ἑρπετὰ δὲ τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν εἰπὼν ψυχὰς ζώσας τὰς πάσας λέγει· κἂν γὰρ ἄλογος ᾖ, ἀλλὰ ζωτικὴν δύναμιν τῷ σώματι παρέχει συμφθειρομένη αὐτῷ, τῆς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σώματος διάλυσιν ὑφισταμένης. Τῶν πετεινῶν δὲ τῶν μὲν ὑψιπετῶν ὄντων, τῶν δὲ πλειόνων ταπεινὴν ἐχόντων τὴν πτῆσιν, μάλιστα τῶν πρὸς τροφὴν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀπονεμηθέντων, ἀπὸ τοῦ πλεονάζοντος εἴρηται· "6καὶ πετεινὰ πετόμενα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6. Εἰκὸς γὰρ αὐτὰ διὰ τοῦτο μηδὲ εἰς ὕψος κατὰ τὸν ἀετὸν καὶ τὰ ὅμοια ἵπτασθαι, ἵν' εὐχείρωτα ᾖ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, δι' οὓς καὶ γέγονεν. "6Κατὰ τὸ στερέωμα"6 δὲ "6τοῦ οὐρανοῦ"6 εἴρηται, οὐχ ὅτι πλησιάζει ἱπτάμενα τούτῳ, ἀλλ' ὅτι ὑπ' αὐτό εἰσιν, εἰ καὶ μὴ φθάνουσιν ἐκεῖ. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ τὰ νέφη τὰ φέροντα τὸν ὑετὸν οὐρανοὺς καλεῖ ἡ γραφὴ καὶ τὸν ὑετὸν οὐρανόθεν ἔρχεσθαι, καίτοι τῶν νεφῶν περὶ τὸν ἀέρα συνισταμένων, ἀφ' ὧν καὶ ὁ ὑ<ε>τὸς φέρεται, ἅτινα νέφη οὐ πλέον δεκὰ σταδίων ὑπὲρ γῆς λέγεται εἶναι, ὑπὲρ νεφῶν πολλάκις ὀρῶν εὑρισκομένων καὶ τῶν νεφῶν αὐτοῖς ἐπικειμένων. Λύεται οὖν τοῦτο τῷ πολλάκις τὸν ἀέρα καὶ 43 οὐρανὸν καλεῖσθαι καὶ στερέωμα. Τὸ δὲ "6καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως"6 ὁμοίως τοῖς φθάσασιν νοητέον. Τί δὲ "6καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ κήτη τὰ μεγάλα"6;

The Allegory of Water and Senses§17

17It is to be noted that he does not speak concerning the sea monsters as 'let the waters bring forth sea monsters' (Gen 1:21), but that he himself has made them. And these things are found to be of immense size, just as those who have recorded history marvel, as he says they are appropriate to be called islands, into which men often say they have gone out as if into a desert, only then knowing that they are sea monsters, when they provide the sensation of being moved.

Pay attention also to 'God made the great sea monsters and every living soul of creeping animals' (Gen 1:21), because the waters bring forth their bodies—I say, of those composed from the waters—but God makes the sea monsters along with the other animals, providing for them the power of life, not perhaps of the bodies being pre-existent and thus being called souls—for the soul of the irrational does not have life apart from the body—but that, as they subsist together with the will of God, the Scripture says the bodies have come forth from the waters, but that God has made the souls, which is the animation and the movement, not from the waters but from such a purpose of God. And clear also is 'according to their kind' (Gen 1:25), meaning here the species instead of the genus. 'And God saw' (Gen 1:31) he says, 'that it was good.' For regarding the former things it was said 'that it was good' (Gen 1:25) because either the thing becoming was one, or it was composed in one part of the world; but since now it has possessed diverse regions, some of them being airy and others watery, consequently 'God saw that they were good' (Gen 1:31) is said. 'And God blessed them' (Gen 1:22). Why is this, that in the others before these, no blessing is appropriate, whereas here it is said: 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places' (Eph 1:3)? But these are spiritual.

They touch the mind and the inner man, which do not approach the irrational. For the spiritual was added, making it clear that bodily blessings are also, such as health, the well-being of the body, and various other things. Therefore, the growth which He commanded to happen in the living things and the multitude, He called a blessing.

But 'in the seas' is a simpler expression, and concerning lakes and rivers it is said, from the greater one desiring to declare all water. Consequently, concerning the winged ones, 'upon the earth' is said because these approach the earth; for they were not able to have their habitation in the ether because of its heat. 'And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day' Gen 1:5, and appropriately; for it was fitting that the many irrational animals, having senses, should be shown to come into being in the pentad, denoting the senses. For even if men participate in sense, they have the greater of sense, the mind and reason, whereas the irrational have sense alone.

These things, then, are regarding the literal; but for an ascent, water is said in those who have received the law of allegory, especially when we are being set alongside. 'Many waters will not be able to quench the love' Song of Songs 8:7; but this does not happen from the sensible, but from that from which a little virtue is said to be, from 'because the lawlessness has been multiplied, the love of many will be cooled' Matt 24:12. Is not the water that attempts to quench the loving disposition lawlessness? For this stirs up hatred and shuts out the things of love, which has been composed from the communal and the day, which by nature exists in men.

God therefore wills from the waters, having been interpreted, for the creeping things and the winged ones to come forth, which hints at a difference of manners: of those who are low, having reached the depths of wickedness and for this reason having despised the high—for an impious man falling into a depth of evils despises—the manner of creeping things, having been defiled and beset by the multitude of this water.

Greek · §17

Σημειωτέον ὡς οὐ λέγει περὶ τῶν κητῶν ὅτι "3ἐξαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα κήτη"3, ἀλλ' ὅτι αὐτὸς αὐτὰ πεποίηκεν. Ὑπερμεγέθη δὲ ταῦτα τυγχάνει, καθὰ καὶ οἱ ἱστορήσαντες ὑπερθαυμά- ζουσιν, ὡς καὶ νήσοις λέγειν αὐτὰ ἐμφερῆ εἶναι, εἰς ἃ πολλάκις φασὶν ἐξεληλυθέναι ἀνθρώπους ὡς εἰς χέρσον οἰομένους ἐξιέναι, τότε μόνον γινώσκοντες ὅτι κήτη εἰσίν, ὅτε αὐτὰ κινούμ̣ε̣να παρέχει τὴν αἴσθησιν. Πρόσσχες δὲ ἔτι καὶ τῷ "6ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ κήτη τὰ μεγάλα καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ζῴων ἑρπετῶν"6, ὅτι τὰ μὲν ὕδατα ἐξάγει αὐτῶν τὰ σώματα, αὐτῶν λέγω τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ὑδάτων συστάντων, τὰ δὲ κήτη μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων ποιεῖ Θεὸς τὴν ζωτικὴν αὐτοῖς παρέχων δύναμιν, οὐ δήπου τῶν σωμάτων προυποκειμένων καὶ οὕτω ψυχουμένων, –οὐ γὰρ ἔχει χωρὶς τὴν ζωὴν ἡ τῶν ἀλόγων ψυχή, –ἀλλ' ὅτι, ἅμα αὐτῶν ὑποστάντων θελήματι Θεοῦ, τὰ μὲν σώματα ἐκ τῶν ὑδάτων ἐξεληλυθέναι λέγει ἡ γραφή, τὰς δὲ ψυχὰς τὸν Θεὸν πεποιηκέναι, ὅ ἐστιν τὴν ψύχωσιν καὶ τὴν κίνησιν, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑδάτων ἀλλ' ἐκ βουλήματος τοῦ Θεοῦ τοιούτου. Σαφὲς δὲ καὶ τὸ "6κατὰ γένη αὐτῶν"6, νοουμένου ἐνταῦθα τοῦ εἴδους ἀντὶ τοῦ γένους. "6Καὶ εἶδέν"6 φησιν "6ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλά."6 Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν προλαβόντων εἴρηται "6ὅτι καλὸν"6 διὰ τὸ ἢ ἓν εἶναι τὸ γινόμενον ἢ ἐν ἑνὶ τοῦ κόσμου μέρει συστῆναι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὰ νῦν διαφόρους χώρας εἴληχεν, ὡς τὰ μὲν αὐτῶν εἶναι ἀεροπόρα, τὰ δὲ ἔνυδρα, ἀκολούθως τὸ "6εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλὰ"6 εἴρηται. "6Καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτὰ ὁ Θεός."6 Τί δήποτε, ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς πρὸ τούτων μὴ προσκειμένης εὐλογίας, ἐνταῦθα εἴρηται· "6Καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτὰ ὁ Θεός"6; Καὶ ὅρα γε μὴ ἄρα διὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῶν διαδοχὴν συνίστασθαι τοῦτο προσετέθη. Οὐδὲ γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εὐλογοῦνται, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ὁ εὐλογήσας ἡμᾶς ἐν πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ 16 πνευματικῇ ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις"6· αὕται δὲ πνευμα- τικαί εἰσιν νοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἔσω ἀνθρώπο[υ] ἁπτόμεναι, αἵτινες τοῖς ἀλόγοις οὐκ ἐγγίνονται· προσετέθη γὰρ τὸ πνευματικῇ, ἐμφαῖνον ὅτι καὶ σωματικαί εἰσιν εὐλογίαι, 44 οἷον ὑγεῖα εὐεξία σώματος καὶ τὰ ἀδιάφορα. Τὴν αὔξησιν οὖν ἣν προσέταξεν ἐν τοῖς ζῴοις γίνεσθαι καὶ τὸ πλῆθος εὐλογίαν ἐκάλεσεν. Τὸ δὲ "6ἐν ταῖς θαλάσσαις"6 ἁπλούστερον καὶ περὶ λιμνῶν καὶ ποταμῶν εἴρηται, ἀπὸ τῶν μειζόνων θελήσαντος δηλῶσαι πᾶν ὕδωρ. Ἀκολούθως δὲ περὶ τῶν πετεινῶν εἴρηται τὸ "6ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6 διὰ τὸ πλησιάζειν ταῦτα τῇ γῇ· οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο εἰς τὸν αἰθέρα τὴν διατριβὴν ἔχειν διὰ τὴν τούτου θερμότητα. "6Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα πέμπτη"6 καὶ εἰκότως· ἔπρεπεν γὰρ τὰ πολὺ τῆς αἰσθήσεως μετέ- χοντα ἄλογα ζῷα ἐν τῇ πεντάδι δηλούσῃ τὰς αἰσθήσεις γενέσθαι. Κἂν γὰρ ἄνθρωποι αἰσθήσεως κοινωνῶσιν, ἀλλ' ἔχουσιν τὸ μεῖ<ζ>ον τῆς αἰσθήσεως, τὸν νοῦν καὶ λογισμόν, τῶν ἀλόγων περὶ μόνην αἴσθησιν ἐχόντων. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὸ ῥητόν· πρὸς δὲ ἀναγωγὴν ἡ κακία ἐν τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἀλληγορίας νόμῳ ὕδωρ εἴρηται, μάλιστα ὅτε παρετιθέμεθα. "6Ὕδωρ πολὺ οὐ δυνήσεται σβέσαι τὴν ἀγάπην"6· τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ συμβαίνει, ἀλλ' ἀπ' ἐκείνου ἀφ' οὗ σπάνις ἀρετῆς εἶναι εἴρηται ἐκ τοῦ "6διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν ψυγήσεται ἡ ἀγάπη τῶν πολλῶν"6. Οὐκοῦν μὴ ἀνομία τὸ ὕδωρ ἐστὶ τὸ πειρώμενον σβέσαι τὴν διάθεσιν τὴν ἀγαπητικήν; Αὕτη γὰρ τὸ μῖσος ἐγείρουσα ἐκκλείει τὰ τῆς ἀγάπης, ἥτις ἐκ τοῦ κοινωνικοῦ καὶ ἡμέρου, ἅπερ φύσει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑπάρχει, συνέστηκεν. Βούλεται οὖν ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν ὑδάτων τῶν ἑρμηνευθέντων ἔξω γενέσθαι τὰ ἑρπετὰ καὶ τὰ πετεινά, ἅπερ διαφορὰς τρόπων αἰνίττεται, τῶν μὲν εἰστὰ βάθη τῆς κακίας φθασάντων καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καταπεφρονηκότων, –ἀσεβὴς γὰρ ἐμπεσὼν εἰς βάθος κακῶν καταφρονεῖ, –δίκην ἑρπετῶν περὶ τὰ γήϊνα εἰλυμένων καὶ συνεχομένων τῷ πλήθει τούτου τοῦ ὕδατος.

Progress toward perfection and the symbols of the Spirit§18

18Regarding what is said: 'So our soul has passed through the unsubstantial water' (Ps 74:13), which the Benefactor intends to free us from, such a great evil; those who have erroneous thoughts are called winged because they are said to possess meteors, and they seem to think excessively compared to other men, which the Philanthropic God intends to happen outside of this state, so that they might harmonize the understanding, which they undermined regarding things not necessary, into what is fitting and proper according to rational nature, so that they might recover the proper place of the divine fall, from which the deviation occurred.

The evil powers, the devil and his angels, were great sea-monsters according to the rules of allegory, who are called dragons according to the Scripture, meaning that the devil himself is called by this designation much more so. Toward the Savior, indeed, it is said in the manner of a hymn: 'You crushed the heads of the dragon, you crushed the heads of the dragons upon the water' (Ps 74:13). It is clear that these things happened from God, not as they turn out to be trivial, but according to their essential underlying nature. For God did not make a devil or demons as such they are, but they themselves embraced their own destruction; for the Scripture says of the angels who did not keep their own rank (Jude 1:6).

That the devil is called a sea-monster is said in Job concerning him: 'He who is about to seize the great sea-monster' (Job 41:1), and by him sea-monsters under heaven were burned. And the phrase 'God made them' is able to signify 'He demonstrated'; for often the Scripture signifies to do instead of to demonstrate, as in 'If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar' (1 John 1:8), not that we become creators of God, but we demonstrate him to be a liar to the extent concerning us. The same is shown also by what was said to the Jews: 'You, being a man, make yourself God' (Ps 50:4), instead of 'you demonstrate.'

God does this and demonstrates the evil powers and makes them manifest, so that they might not harm immeasurably while remaining hidden, and so that those having the struggle against them might know them; for thus it happens to despise them. God intends these to be outside the waters, just a little away from them, as one wishing to turn away evil in an introduction to virtue—for he who is in evil...

In this way one receives the transition to perfection not all at once, but by taking on progress and advancement, always possessing something of virtue, so that from standing upon the earth one might become flying things of heaven according to those who hear: 'If you should sleep among the lot-lines, wings of a dove hovering and its transport in the greenness of gold' (Job 38:39-41). The 'lot-lines' are the passages of the waters, as in 'Isaac the good desired to rest among the lot-lines' (Gen 26:22), which are the Old and New Testaments flying over him who rests among them, and matching what was said previously to their outcome as having the wings of a dove, by which the Holy Spirit is likened to having come upon Jesus.

These wings are thoughts having a heavenly dimension and magnitude, and from this they are called doves, just as the one who betrothed her calls the bride thus: 'My dove, my perfect one' (Song 5:2). And concerning the saints it is said: 'Who are these that fly like clouds and like doves with their younglings?' (Rev 9:6). The 'younglings of doves' are those being discipled by the perfect ones, such as Paul becoming a dove and having the young Timothy, and Peter having the evangelist Mark. And concerning the old times it was written that some were sons of prophets, whom if I call younglings of the prophets' doves, I would not be erring.

These same are called by one name younglings and by another clouds; for because they carry a divine and spiritual rain, passing this to others for benefit, they are clouds, but because they are modeled according to the transformation of the Holy Spirit, they exist as doves, which are hovering, adorned by the divine word, having been instructed from the divine writings. For just as silver signifies the word, it is clear from 'the tongue of the righteous, refined silver' (Ps 12:6). It is not because of sensible silver, but since the tongue is an instrument of the word, it has taken this as a symbol. This has been refined not concerning chance matters, but by partaking of the heavenly light, which Jesus came to earth to cast, desiring it already to be revealed. But also the tongues appearing to the apostles as if of fire, which sat upon each one of them, signify the divine word and a teaching sign.

Greek · §18

περὶ οὗ εἴρηται· "6Ἄρα διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἀνυπόστατον"6, ἅπερ τοῦ τοιούτου καὶ τοσούτου κακοῦ ἐλευθερῶσαι ὁ εὐεργέτης βούλεται, τῶν δὲ ἐσφαλμένας νοήσεις ἐχόντων πετεινῶν καλουμένων διὰ τὸ δῆθεν περὶ μετέωρα ἔχειν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων περιττὸν δοκεῖν διανοεῖσθαι, ἅπερ καὶ αὐτὰ ἔξω ταύτης τῆς καταστάσεως γενέσθαι βούλεται ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεός, 45 ὅπως τὴν σύνεσιν, ἣν εἰς ἃ μὴ χρὴ κατεδαπάνησαν, ἁρμόσωσιν εἰς τὰ δέοντα καὶ πρέποντα λογικῇ φύσει, ἵν' οὕτως ἀπολαβῶσιν τὸ οἰκεῖον τῆς πτήσεως τῆς θείας, ἀφ' ἧς καὶ ἡ παρατροπὴ γέγονεν. Κήτη δὲ μεγάλα ἦσαν κατὰ νόμους ἀλληγορίας αἱ πονηραὶ δυνάμεις, διάβολος καὶ οἱ ἄγγελο̣ι̣ αὐτοῦ, οἵτινες δράκοντες παρὰ τῇ γραφῇ λέγονται, δηλαδὴ καὶ τοῦ δια- βόλου πολλῷ πλέον ταύτῃ καλουμένου τῇ προσηγορίᾳ. Πρὸς τὸν Σωτῆρα γοῦν τρόπῳ ὑμνῳδίας λέγεται· "6Σὺ συνέτριψας τὰς κεφαλὰς τοῦ δράκοντος, σὺ συνέτριψας τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν δρακόντων ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος."6 Σαφὲς δὲ ὅτι ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονεν, οὐ καθὸ φαῦλα τυγχάνει, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ οὐσίωδες αὐτῶν ὑποκείμενον. Οὐ γὰρ διάβολον ἢ δαίμονας, καθὸ τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν, ὁ Θεὸς πεποίηκεν, ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἀπώλειαν ἐπεσπάσαντο· ἀγγέλους γὰρ τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν τάξιν ἡ γραφή φησιν. Ὅτι δὲ κῆτος ὁ διάβολος εἴρηται, ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ περὶ αὐτοῦ λέγεται· "6Ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι"6, ὑπ' αὐτοῦ δὲ ἐκάμφθησαν κήτη τὰ ὑπ' οὐρανόν. ∆ύναται δὲ καὶ τὸ "6ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ ὁ Θεὸς"6 δηλοῦν τὸ "3ἀπέδειξεν"3· πολλάκις γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀποδεῖξαι σημαίνει, ὡς ἐν τῷ "6Ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι οὐχ ἡμαρτήκαμεν, ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν αὐτόν"6, οὐχ ὅτι ἡμεῖς δημιουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ γινόμεθα, ἀλλ' ἀποδείκνυμεν αὐτὸν τὸ ὅσον εἰς ἡμᾶς ψεύστην. Τὸ αὐτὸ παρίσταται καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ εἰρημένου πρὸς Ἰουδαίων ὅτι "6Σὺ ἄνθρωπος ὢν ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν Θεόν"6, ἀντὶ τοῦ "3ἀποδεικνύεις"3. Τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖ Θεὸς καὶ ἀποδείκνυσιν τὰς 17 π[ο]νηρὰς δυνάμεις καὶ φανεροῖ ταύτας, ἵνα μὴ λανθάνοντες ἀμέτρως βλάπ- τωσιν καὶ ἵνα οἱ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔχοντες τὴν πάλην γινώσκωσιν αὐτούς· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ καταφρονῆσαι αὐτῶν συμβαίνει. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔξω τῶν ὑδάτων βούλεται εἶναι Θεὸς ὀλίγον αὐτὰ τέως ὡς ἐν εἰσαγωγῇ ἀρετῆς ἀποστῆναι κακίας θέλων, –οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν κακίᾳ καὶ τοσαύτῃ γε ἀθρόαν δέχεται τὴν μετάστασιν ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον, ἀλλὰ κατὰ προκοπὴν καὶ ἐπίδοσίν τινα προσλαμβάνων ἀεί τι τῆς ἀρετῆς, – ἵν' οὕτω ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ γῆς ἵστασθαι καὶ πετεινὰ οὐρανοῦ γένωνται κατὰ τοὺς ἀκούοντας· "6Ἐὰν κοιμηθῆτε ἀνὰ 46 μέσον τῶν κλήρων πτέρυγες περιστερᾶς περιηργυ<ρω>μέναι καὶ μετάφρενα αὐτῆς ἐν χλωρότητι χρυσίου"6, κλήρους λέγων τὰς διόδους τῶν ὑδάτων ὡς ἐν τῷ "6Ἰσαὰκ τὸ καλὸν ἐπεθύμησεν ἀναπαυόμενος ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν κλήρων"6, οἵτινες εἶεν ἥ τε παλαιὰ καὶ καινὴ διαθήκη πτεροῦσαι τὸν ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτῶν διαναπαυόμενον καὶ συμβάλλοντα τὰ προειρημένα τῇ τούτω[ν ἐ]κβάσει ὡς πτέρυγας ἔχειν περιστερᾶς, ᾗ εἰκασθὲν τὸ ἅγιον [Π]νεῦμα ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰησοῦν κατελήλυθεν. Αὕται αἱ πτέρυγες νοήσεις [εἰ]σὶν δίαρμα καὶ μέγεθος οὐράνιον ἔχουσαι, ἀπὸ τούτου καὶ περιστεραὶ καλούμεναι, καθὰ καὶ τὴν νύμφην οὕτως ὀνομάζ[ει] ὁ μνηστευσάμενος αὐτὴν λέγων· "6Περιστερά μου τελεία μου."6 Καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων δὲ εἴρηται· "6Τίνες οἵδε ὡς νεφέλαι πέτονται καὶ ὡς περιστεραὶ σὺν νεοσσοῖς;"6 νεοσσοὺς λέγ̣ων περιστερῶν τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῖς τελείοις μαθη- τευομένους, οἷος Παῦλος περιστερὰ τυγχάνων καὶ ἔχων νεοττὸν Τιμόθεον καὶ Πέτρος τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν Μάρκον. Καὶ ἐπὶ τ[ῶ]ν̣ παλαιῶν δὲ ἀνεγρά[φ]η[σά]ν τινες υἱοὶ προφη̣τ̣ῶν, οὕστινας νεοσσοὺς περιστερῶν τῶν προφητῶν λέγω̣ν ο̣υ᾿̣κ ἂν ἁμάρτοις. Οἱ αὐτοὶ δὲ κατ' ἄλλο καὶ ἄλλο νεοττοὶ λέγονται καὶ νεφέλαι· ᾗ γὰρ φέρουσιν ὑετὸν θεῖον καὶ πνευμα̣τικόν, τοῦτον τοῖς ἄλλοις παρα- πέμποντες εἰς ὠφέλιαν, νεφέλαι τυγχάνουσιν, ᾗ δὲ τυποῦνται κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος μετουσίαν, περιστεραὶ ὑπάρχουσιν, αἵτινες περιηργυ<ρω>μέναι εἰ[σί]ν, λόγῳ θείῳ κεκοσμημέναι, ἐκ τῶν θειῶν πεπαιδευμέναι γραφῶν. Ὅτι γὰρ ὁ ἄργυρος σημαίνει τὸν λόγον, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ "6ἄργυρος πεπυρωμένος γλῶσσα δικαίου"6. Οὐ γὰρ ἡ αἰσθητὴ ἄργυρος, ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ ὄργανον λόγου ἐστὶν ἡ γλῶσσα, αὐτοῦ καὶ σύμβολον εἴλημπται. Οὗτος δὲ πεπύρωσται ἅτε 47 οὐ περὶ τῶν τυχόντων ἀλλὰ τοῦ φωτὸς τοῦ οὐρανίου διαλαμβάνων, οὗ ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς ἐπὶ γῆς βαλε[ῖ]ν θέλων ἤδη αὐτὸ ἐξαφθῆναι. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις φανεῖσαι γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, αἳ καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐφ' ἕνα ἑκαστὸν αὐτῶν, τὸν θεῖον λόγον καὶ διδακτικὸν σημ̣[αί]- νο[υ]σιν.

The distinction between irrational and human souls§19

19And the decorations of these, or of the doves, are adorned in the greenness of gold, the gold signifying the mind, and the greenness symbolizing life and incorruptibility.

Therefore, those who are adorned by wisdom—by which God wills that the creeping things to be removed from the waters (Gen 1:20)—these are doves having another mind, being raised up by the wings of truth and always having the life-giving Spirit within themselves. God likewise blesses these very things, so that they may receive multitude and increase; multitude so that they may imitate others, and increase so that they may always have love for the perfection of the good.

And the command 'and fill the waters' (Gen 1:22) would signify that you are no longer being submerged by the bonds of sin, but you continue to dwell, holding yourselves above yourselves. Or perhaps, since water has its own fullness and use for cleansing and watering, both to soak and to sustain, it advises that, turning away from those things which happen under it by intention or by aim—where I say being constricted and submerged by the chains of sins—you move toward those activities: the being watered from pure water and not being constricted, and being cleansed, being freed from all filth, fulfilling these activities of the water, being watered from the immortal water and being cleansed, but not being constricted.

And 'there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day' (Gen 1:23) signifies thus how the day of the sensible reaches its end upon the intelligible; for the end of the passing day becomes the beginning of the one that follows. Therefore, having left the sensible, they move toward the perfect, which is signified by the number six; for the progress of the five leads toward the six. Yet these things are not to be observed by number alone, but according to the meanings within the numbers: the five signifying the sensible, and the six signifying the perfection of the present.

And God said: 'Let the earth bring forth a living soul according to its kind, four-footed and creeping and beasts' (Gen 1:24). Likewise, what God said before must be observed; He said so that the earth might bring forth living souls, which serves as a demonstration...

The souls of irrational animals are not joined to their bodies as they are being corrupted, unlike the souls of humans; for these irrational souls remain even after dissolution. Many, including those outside the faith, agree to this, thinking it is a light matter, though they have only a dim conception of the whole; they say it is a fading thing, but that there is a certain place where souls rub themselves after their departure from there.

Indeed, the command regarding irrational animals is that the earth should bring forth a living soul according to kind—quadrupeds and creeping things and beasts—as the command subjects it; for the earth has the power of the irrational animals coming out of it, a kind of logos-seed existing in it, but rather in the seeds of the animals, this being closer, since the irrational souls provide the imaginative and impulsive motion to the bodies, being themselves corporeal, but rather being in the body and in its composition. For they say, 'The soul is the blood of every living thing' (Gen 2:7). The common things to them are feeding, watching, sleeping, and tiring. But the command is not about every soul, but only about irrational ones; for the human soul is created according to the image and likeness of God, as will be known more precisely in the following.

Furthermore, since the animals brought forth from the earth are not all alike but are submitted to different forms according to kind, he said 'according to kind' (Gen 1:24), signifying the form. Thus, kind is common to them; for all living things have departed from non-living by slight differences in essence; for the essence of a horse is different from that of an ox, and of others likewise. And the command is made for three kinds: quadrupeds and beasts and creeping things, not all quadrupeds and beasts being present. So perhaps one would call the quadrupeds that are useful to men today 'quadrupeds,' but the beasts are those quadrupeds that are countless, and the creeping things are whatever is serpent-like, and the differences of these are not unknown to those who have studied history. And it happened thus (Gen 1:24). For it was necessary that the reality should follow the command. And if anyone were to be surprised by the 'and it happened'...

Greek · §19

Καὶ τὰ μετάφρενα δὲ τούτων ἢ τῶν περιστερῶν ἐν χ[λωρότη]τι χρυσίου διακεκόσμηνται, δηλουμένου διὰ μὲν τοῦ χ[ρυσίο]υ τοῦ νοῦ, διὰ δὲ τῆς χλωρότητος τοῦ ζωτικοῦ καὶ ἀμαρα´̣[ντου]. "6Ὅσοι οὖν σοφίᾳ κεκόσμηνται, καθ' ἣν βούλεται Θεὸς τ[ὰ ἑρπ]όμενα ἀπὸ τῶν ὑδάτων ἀφελέσθαι, οὗτοι περιστερ[αί εἰσι]ν ἕτερον νοῦν ἔχοντες, πτεροῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ὑψούμενοι καὶ ἀεὶ τὸ ζωοποιὸν Πνεῦμα ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἔχοντες. Ταῦτα δ' αὐτὰ καὶ εὐλογεῖ Θεός, ὅπως ἐπίδοσιν πλήθους καὶ αὐξήσεως δέχωνται, πλήθους μὲν ἵνα μιμητὰς ἄλλους ἀποδείξωσιν, αὐξή[σε]ως δὲ ὅπως ἀεὶ αὐτοὶ τῇ προκο̣π̣ῃ῀̣ τοῦ τελείου ἀγαθοῦ ἔρωτα ἔχωσιν. Τὸ δὲ "6καὶ πληρώσατε τ[ὰ ὕ]δα[τα]"6 σημαίνοι ἂν ὅτι μη̣κέ[τι] ὑμεῖς βύθιοι τυγχάνετε [συμ]πν[ιγ]όμενοι τοῖς τῆς ἁμαρτίας δεσμοῖς, ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ κρατο[ῦν]τες αὑτῶν ὑπεράνω αὑτῶ<ν> χωροῦντες διατελεῖτε· ἢ τάχα, ἐπεὶ τὸ ὕδωρ οἰκεῖαν ἔχει πλήρωσιν καὶ χρῆσιν τήν τε κάθαρσιν καὶ τὸ ποτίζειν συμπνίγειν τε καὶ συνέχειν, παραινεῖ ὅτι τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ παρὰ πρόθεσιν κα̣ι`̣ παρὰ σκοπὸν συμβαινόντων ἀποστάντες, τοῦ συνέχεσθαι λέγω καὶ συμπνίγεσθαι, ταῖς σειραῖς τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν συσφιγγο[μέ]ν̣ους, πρὸς ἐκεῖνα χωρεῖτε, τό τε ποτίζεσθαι ἀπὸ ὕδατος κ̣[α]θαροῦ καὶ μὴ συμπνίγοντος καὶ τὸ καθαίρεσθ̣αι παντὸς ἀπαλλαττόμενοι ῥύπου, πληροῦντες 18 ταύτας τὰς ἐνεργείας το[ῦ] ὕδατος, ποτιζόμενοι ἀπὸ ἀθα̣να´̣τ̣ου ὕδατος καὶ καθαιρόμε[νο]ι, ἀλλὰ μὴ συνεχόμενοι. Τὸ δ̣ε`̣ "6Κ̣α̣ι`̣ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα 48 πέμπτη"6 ο̣ὑ´̣τ̣ω̣ς̣ ἀ`̣ν̣ ἐξομαλισθείη· πέρας ἔσχεν αὐτοῖς ἡ τῶν αἰσθητῶν η῾̣μ̣ε´̣ρ̣α̣ ε᾿̣π̣ὶ τὰ νοητὰ χωροῦσιν· τέλος γὰρ τῆς παρελθούσης ἡμέρας ἀρχὴν ποιεῖ τῆς διαδεχομένης. Ἀφέντες οὖν αὐτοὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον χωροῦσιν, [ὃ] δηλοῦται ὑπὸ τοῦ ἓξ ἀριθμοῦ· προκοπὴ γὰρ τῶν πέντε κατ̣ὰ τὸ προσεχὲς τὰ ἕξ. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐκ ἀριθμῷ δεῖ σκοπεῖν ἀλλ[ὰ] κα̣τ̣ὰ τοὺς λόγους τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἀριθμοῖς, τῶν πέντε δηλ[ο]ύ[ντω]ν τὰ αἰσθητά, τῶν δὲ ἓξ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τὴν τελειό[τητα]. ι, 24. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἐξαγαγέτω ἡ γῆ [ψυχὴ]ν̣ ζῶσαν κατὰ γένος, τετράποδα καὶ ἑρπετὰ καὶ θηρ[ία]. Ὡσαύτως τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν τὸ εἶπε[ν ὁ Θεὸς] ἐκλημπτέον, εἶπεν δὲ ἵνα ἐξαγάγῃ ἡ γῆ ψυχὰς ζ̣[ώσας, ὅ]π̣ερ δεικτικὸν ὑπάρχε̣ι τοῦ συνεσπάρ̣σθαι τοῖς σώμασιν τῶν ἀλο´̣γ̣ων τὰς αὐτῶν ψυχὰς ἅτε καὶ συμφθειρόμενας, τῶν ἀ[ν]θρωπίνων οὐχ οὕτως ἐχουσῶν· καὶ μετὰ τὴν διάλυσιν γὰρ ἐπι̣δ̣ι̣α- μένουσιν αὗται. Καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ὁμοδοξοῦσιν οἱ πολλοὶ καὶ [τῶ]ν ἔξω τῆς πίστεως, ᾅδην εἶναι οἰόμενοι, περὶ οὗ φαντασίαν μὲν ἀμυδρὰν ἔχουσιν τὸ ὅλον ··μαινόμενον ··· ···· διάκεινται δὲ ο῾̣[μ]ῶς εἶναι τοῦτο̣ν χωρίον τι ἐν̣ [ᾧ] δια̣τ̣ρ̣ίβουσιν ψυχαὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγήν. ῾Η̣[γοῦν̣] π̣ρόσταξις περὶ ἀλόγων αἰν<ίσσ>εται ὅπ̣ως ἐξαγάγῃ ἡ γῆ ψυχὴν ζῶσαν κατὰ γένος, τετράποδα καὶ ε῾̣ρπετὰ καὶ θηρία, ὑ[πο]β̣αλ̣λ̣ούσης τῆς προστάξεως ὡς ····η γῆ δύναμιν τῶν [ἐξ] α̣υ᾿̣τῆς ἐξελευσομένων ἀλόγων ζῴων ἔχει, λόγου σπερματ̣ι̣κοῦ ἐνυπάρχοντος αὐτῇ τρόπον τινά, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐν τοῖς σπε´̣ρ̣μασιν τῶν ζῴων, τούτου προσεχεστέρου κειμένου μόν[ου ὅτι] τὴν̣ φανταστικὴν καὶ ὁρμητικὴν κίνη̣σιν αἱ τῶν ἀλόγω̣ν̣ ψ̣υ̣χαι`̣ τοῖς σώμασιν παρέχουσιν, σωμ̣α̣τικ̣α̣ι`̣ ὑπάρχουσαι κα̣ὶ α̣υ᾿̣ταί, μᾶλλον δὲ 49 ἐν αὐτῷ οὖσαι τῷ σώματι καὶ ἐν τ̣ῇ τούτου συστάσει· "6Ψυχὴ"6 γάρ φησιν "6παντὸς ζῴου αἷμα αὐτοῦ."6 [Τ]ὸ κοινὸν αὐτοῖς τό τε τρέφεσθαι, γρηγορεῖν, ὑπνοῦν, κάμνειν. Οὐ [π]ερὶ πάσης δὲ ψυχῆς ἐστι τὸ πρόσταγμα, ἀλλὰ περὶ μόνων ἀλ[ό]γω[ν]· ἡ γὰρ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴ κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοιότηταΘεοῦ δεδημιούργηται, [ὡ]ς [ἐ]ν τοῖς ἑξῆς ἀκριβέστερον γνωσθη´̣σεται. Εἶτα ἐπεὶ τ[ὰ ἐ]ξαγόμενα ἐκ τῆς γῆς ζῷα οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντα ὁμ̣οειδῆ ἀλλ[ὰ κατὰ γ]ένη διαφόροις εἴδεσιν ὑποβε- βλημένα, εἰ῀̣π̣εν τὸ "6κατ̣α`̣ γ̣ε´̣νος"6, τοῦ "6καθ' ὁμοιότητα"6 δηλοῦντος τὸ εἶδος. Κοινὸν οὖν αὐτοῖς τὸ γένος· πάντα γὰρ ἔμψυχα ἐξηλλαγμένα ὕπ̣εισιν ταῖς οὐσ[ιώ]δεσιν διαφο- ραῖς· ἑτέρα γὰρ ἵππου καὶ βοὸς̣ οὐσία κα̣ι`̣ τ̣ω῀̣ν [ἄλλ]ων ὁμοίως. Τρισὶν δὲ πρόσταξις γίνεται, τετραπ̣ο´̣δοις τ̣[ε] καὶ θηρίοις καὶ ἑρπετοῖς, οὐ πάντων τετραπόδων καὶ θη̣ρίων ὄ[ντ]ων. Εἴη ἂν οὖν καλῶν τετράποδα μὲν νῦν ὅσα ἥμε̣ρα καὶ ὑπηρετικὰ ἀνθρώπων, θηρία δὲ τὰ ἀτίθασα τετράποδα, ε῾̣ρ̣π̣ε̣τὰ δὲ ὅσα ὀφιώδη, καὶ τούτων δὲ αἱ δια̣φοραὶ οὐκ ἄγνωσ[το]ι τοῖς ἱστορήσασιν. ι, 24. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Ἔδει γὰρ τὸ εἰ῀̣ν̣α̣ι̣ ἀκ[ολου]θεῖν τῇ προστάξει. ∆ιαπο- ρήσειεν δ' ἄν τις τί ἤδη τῷ ··· ····το "6καὶ ἐγένετο

The transition from earthly to heavenly§20

20Thus the phrase 'and God made' is brought in. Immediately, for since according to the succession of living things, the successors in this generation cast the seed, but God forms and fashions it, this is to say, it happens to be the first command, and then the bringing forth of the seed is the perfection of God.

Gaps in text... in the distinction of time according to the first creation... but I consider them as supporting the argument that the casting of the seed is by the power of God and the fashioning of it... God says concerning man, according to Jeremiah: 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jeremiah 1:5). The diversity of the existence of living things is varied; some having their generation from the beginning out of earth and waters, while the succession occurs differently. For some are oviparous, from which the eggs will be, and others are viviparous, God's will having provided a diverse manner for the existence of these. Concerning these, it is said, 'God saw that it was good' (Genesis 1:31), but it was not singularly good; for it was not one work, but diverse works. To the one who might object, saying that regarding the light and the firmament and the sun and the like, 'it was good' was said, but how 'it was good' is said regarding beasts and creeping reptiles, for clearly that which is in them is lowly. To which he replies first, that being God's work, it is good and praiseworthy, even if the precise reason concerning it exists hidden from us; later, if anyone were to search, finding the utility of their existence, if he were to understand the natural aspect in each living thing: the one contributing to men's daily needs and restraining the wild and angry, the other stimulating the negligent with the careful and attentive, just as the divine writing of Proverbs, rebuking the lazy regarding the undertaking of virtue, shows the exhortation from the irrational: 'Go to the ant, you sluggard, and become wiser than it' (Proverbs 6:6); one would also find irrational animals contributing to temperance and to the honor of parents and entirely to virtue, being corrected from the lesser one having become according to the image, by encountering those who write about their nature.

Therefore let the delivery of the literal sense be thus; but the spiritual vision must be spoken. The sinning soul, under the influence of earthly passions, happens to bear the image of the swine and, being entirely earthly in its thinking, is described as such; for it is said concerning the wicked, 'They shall enter into the lowest parts of the earth' (Psalm 16:10), not of this earth, but of that which is understood tropologically, according to which it is said concerning certain things, 'And you have sunk down into the seat' (Psalm 83:14), and, 'You stretched out your right hand and the earth devoured them' (Psalm 74:20), and not having been placed under the earth.

Therefore, these who are under the earth, the word of repentance leads out, becoming through the command of God and making them outside of sin, so that the one casting off the image of the swine may receive the image of the heavenly. Concerning those having this thus, the blessed Paul says, 'He raised us up and seated us with Him in the heavenly places' (Ephesians 2:6), so that those from thence, bearing the image of the heavenly and being made worthy by the training of these things, may be tested according to the manner of those living contrary, being suitable to the place.

Therefore he leads out every 'living soul according to its kind' (Genesis 1:24), of those hearing us 'according to order' (1 Corinthians 14:40). For no one simultaneously departs from wickedness and reaches the end, but it is necessary for each to progress according to his rank toward perfection, advancing from diverse wickedness toward virtue, so that those being horses in manner, concerning whom it was said, 'Male horses were made; each one mated with the wife of his neighbor' (Proverbs 30:31), casting off being such, might become noble horses, being deemed worthy to bear the word by the participation of virtue, so that it might be said in them and through them, 'And your horsemen are salvation' (Psalm 146:13).

And the oxen are those concerning whom it is said, 'Does God not care for the oxen? Or is He speaking through us that the plowman must plow in hope and the sower in hope of participating?' Psalm 50:9. As many therefore as have from that which is upon the earth the zeal toward the divine migration, these are the aforementioned oxen. Others, being dull and slow, are like donkeys and bearing the burden of wickedness, and because of this being dull, according to those saying, 'A lion in the roads, in the streets...'

Greek · §20

οὕτως"6 ἐπιφέρεται τὸ "6καὶ ἐποίησεν Θ̣ε̣ο´̣ς"6. Α̣υ᾿̣τ̣ι´̣κ̣α̣ γοῦν ἐπεὶ κατὰ τὴν διαδοχὴν τῶν ζῴων τὰ διάδοχα ε᾿̣ν̣ τ̣ῇ γ̣ενέσει ταύτῃ τὸ σπέρμα καταβάλλει, μορφοῖ δὲ κα̣ι`̣ διαπλ̣α´̣τ̣τει Θεός, τοῦτ' εἴρηται, προστάγματος πρώτου τυγχάνοντος, ἐ´̣π̣ε̣ι̣τα τὸ ἐξαγαγεῖν τὸ σπέρμα τελεσιουρ- γοῦντος τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ Θεοῦ ··· ··· ····η ἐν̣ διαστάσει χρόνου κατὰ τὴν πρώτην δημι̣ο̣υ̣ρ̣γίαν ··· ···· ἀλλὰ παραστατικὰ ἡγοῦ ὅτι κατὰ Θεοῦ δύναμι̣ν̣ η῾̣ τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ σ̣π̣ε´̣ρ̣μ̣ατο̣ς καταβολὴ γίνεται καὶ ἡ διάπλασις τοῦ ··· ··· ··· ···· ἐπ' ἀνθρώπο̣υ̣ Θ̣ε̣ο´̣ς̣ φησιν πρὸς Ἰερεμίαν· "6Πρὸ τοῦ με πλάσαι σε ἐν 50 κοιλίᾳ ἐπίσταμαί σε."6 ∆ιαφορὰ δὲ τῆς ὑπάρξεως τῶν ζῴων ποικίλη, τῶν μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐκ γῆς καὶ ὑδάτων ἐσχηκότων τὴν γένεσιν, τῆς δὲ διαδοχῆς ἑτερο̣ι´̣ω̣ς γινομένης· τὰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ᾠοτόκα τυγχάνει, ἐξ ὧν τὰ ᾠὰ ἔξεισιν, τὰ δὲ ζωοτόκα, τῆς βουλή[σ]εως τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν διάφορον τρόπον παρασχομένης τῆς τούτων [ὑ]πά[ρ]ξεως. Περὶ ὧν κα̣ι`̣ τὸ 19 "6εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλὰ"6 εἴρηται, οὐ καλόν· οὐ γὰ[ρ ἓν] ἦν ἔργον ἀλλὰ δι̣άφορα. Πρὸς ὅ τις ἐνστήσεται λέγων ὡς ἐ[πὶ μ]ὲν τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ στερεώματος καὶ ἡλίου καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων ἀκολούθως ἐπήνεκται "6ὅτι καλόν"6, περὶ δὲ θηρίων καὶ ἰοβόλων ἑρπετῶν πῶς τὸ "6ὅτι καλὰ"6 εἴρηται· φανερὸν γὰρ τὸ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐ[πα]χθές. Πρὸς ὃ ἐρεῖ πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι, Θεοῦ ἔργον ὄν, καλὸν κ[αὶ ἐπ]αινετὸν ὑπάρχει, κἂν ὁ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἀκριβὴς λόγος κεκρυμ- μέ[νο]ς ἀφ' ἡμῶν ὑπάρχῃ, ἔπειτα εὕροι ἄν τις ἐραυνῶν τὸ χρήσιμον τῆς τούτων ὑπάρξεως, εἰ κατανόησαι τὸ ἐν ἑκάστῳ ζῴῳ φυσικόν, τοῦ μὲν τὸ ἥμερον συντελοῦν ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἐντρέπον τὸν [ἄ]γριον καὶ θυμώδη, τοῦ δὲ τὸ ἐπιμελὲς καὶ φροντιστικὸν διεγ[ε]ῖρ̣ον τὸν ἀμελῆ, καθὸ καὶ ἡ θε[ί]α τῶν Παροιμιῶν γραφὴ ἐντρέπ[ουσ]α τοὺς ὀκνηροὺς περὶ ἀνάλημψιν ἀρετῆς ὑποδείκνυσιν [ἀπὸ] τῶν ἀλόγων τὴν παραίνεσιν λέγουσα· "6Ἴθι πρὸς τὸν μύρμηκα, ὦ ὀκνηρέ, καὶ γενοῦ ἐκείνου σοφώτερος"6· εὕροι δὲ ὁ τοιοῦτος καὶ εἰς σωφροσύνην συντελοῦντα ἄλογα ζῷα καὶ εἰς τιμὴν γονέων καὶ ὅλω̣ς εἰς ἀρετήν, ἐκ τοῦ ἐλάττονος τὸν κατ' εἰκόνα γεγενημένον ἀμελοῦντα διορ- θούμενα, ἐντυχὼν τοῖς περὶ τῆς φύσεως αὐτῶν ἀναγρα- φεῖσιν. Τὰ μὲν οὖν τῆς ῥητῆς ἀποδόσεως ὧδε ἐχέτω· τὰ δὲ τῆς πνευματικῆς θεωρίας ῥητέον. Ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα ψυχὴ ὑπὸ τὴν χύσιν τῶν γηΐνων παθῶν τυγχάνει φοροῦσα τὴν εἰκόνα τ̣ο̣ῦ χοϊκοῦ καὶ ὅλη γηΐνη οὖσα τῷ φρονεῖν τὰ ἐπίγεια· λέγεται γὰρ περὶ τῶν φαύλων· "6Εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὰ κατώτατα τῆς γῆς"6, οὐ δήπου ταύτης, ἀλλὰ τῆς 51 κατὰ τροπολογίαν νοουμένης, καθ' ἣν εἴρηται περί τινων· "6Καὶ ἐβαθύνατε̣ εἰς τὴν κάθισιν"6, καί· "6Ἐξέτεινας τὴν δεξιάν σου καὶ κατέπιεν αὐτοὺς γῆ"6, καιτοὶ οὐχ ὑπὸ γῆς καταποθέντων. Τούτους οὖν τοὺς ὑπὸ γῆν ὄντας τὴν εἰρημένην ὁ τῆς μετανοίας ἐξάγει λόγος διὰ προστάξεως Θεοῦ γινόμενος καὶ ἔξω τῆς ἁμαρτίας ποιεῖ, ἵνα [ὁ] ἀποβάλλων τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ δέξηται τὴν τοῦ ἐ[που]ρανίου. Περὶ τῶν οὕτως ἐχόντων καὶ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλός φησιν· "6Συνήγειρεν καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις"6, ἵνα οἱ ἀπ' ἐντεῦθεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου φοροῦντες καὶ τῆς τούτων διατριβῆς ἀξιωθῶσιν, καθὰ καὶ οἱ ἐναντίως πολιτευόμενοι κατάλληλον τοῖς τρόποις γηΐνοις οὖσιν καὶ καταλλήλου χωρίου πειραθῶσιν. Ἐξάγει οὖν πᾶσαν "6ψυχὴν ζῶσαν κατὰ γένος"6, τοῦ κατὰ γένος ἀκουόντων ἡμῶν "3κατὰ τάξιν"3. Οὐ γὰρ ἅμα τε ἀπέστη τις κακίας καὶ τὸ τέλος ἔχει, ἀλλὰ δεῖ προκ[ο]πῆς ἑκαστῷ τάγματι πρὸς τὴν τελείαν κατόρ- θωσιν ἀπ[ὸ] τῆς διαφόρου κακίας ἐπ' ἀρετὴν ἀγούσης, ἵνα οἱ μὲν ἵπποι ὄντες τῷ τρόπῳ, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Ἵπποι θηλυμανεῖς ἐγενήθησαν· ἕκαστος ἐπὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ ε᾿̣χρεμέτιξεν"6, ἀποβάλλοντες τὸ εἶναι τοιοῦτοι, ἵπποι ἀστεῖοι γένωνται, βαστάζειν ἀξιούμενοι τὸν λόγον τῇ τῆς ἀρετῆς μετουσίᾳ, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ δι' αὐτοὺς λεχθῇ· "6Καὶ ἡ ι῾̣ππασία σου σωτηρία."6 Οἱ δὲ βόες εἰσὶ περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ; ἢ πάντως δι' ἡμᾶς λέγει ὅτι ὀφείλει ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριᾶν καὶ ὁ ἀλοῶν ἐπ' ἐλπίδι τοῦ μετέχειν;"6 Ὅσοι οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπὶ τὰ γήϊνα τὴν σπουδὴν ἔχειν πρὸς 52 τὰ θεῖα μετίασιν, οὗτοι οἱ προειρημένοι εἶεν βόες. Ἄλλοι δὲ νω̣θ̣ε̣ι῀̣ς καὶ βραδεῖς ὑπάρχοντες δίκην ὄνων καὶ ἀχθοφο- ροῦντες τ̣η`̣ν̣ κακίαν, καὶ διά τε τοῦτο νωθεῖς ὑπάρχοντες κατὰ τοὺς λέγοντας· "6Λέων ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις

Divine Cooperation and the Sign of Animals§21

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

21Those being murdered are released from such sluggishness by the Lord's command, which is symbolized by the donkey being loosed by the disciples toward the opposite village so that the Lord, sitting upon it, might release from bonds, irrationality, and sluggishness the beast-like men shown through it.

But camels are also in a human way men, who find it difficult to enter the kingdom of heaven, and they themselves are released by being freed from the harmful burdens of evil, which they happen to carry, according to the prophet Isaiah saying: 'There shields and flying aspides which carried upon donkeys and camels their wealth' (Isaiah 61:5). For it is clear that a shield or a lion has not possessed a perceptible wealth, but the evil powers, which are symbolically named shields and lions through tropology, have possessed that which is signified by tropology, which they do not deposit upon a rational animal or an ox capable of performing noble and useful work, but upon donkeys and camels, which happen to be crested and unclean. These therefore are led out from the master's hand by way of repentance, as it is said, with God presiding over this: for He does not desire the death of the sinner as His repentance (Ezekiel 18:23).

And God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:4). For it is good a transition from evil into virtue. And God has done these things, it must be said, training them so that the once wild beasts of ferocity might be transformed into gentleness. And just as, if I say that the potter makes the clay, I do not signify that he labors so that the clay might remain just as it is, but that, having taken the clay, an earthen vessel might become and no longer exist being broken, so did He make the beasts according to the allegory, not so that they might remain beasts, but so that they might be transformed from the ferocity of evil into the most gentle virtue. And since the characters of men are diverse, through the...

It is said in the plural, 'And God saw that it was good' (Gen 1:31). Since the character of men is signified through irrational animals, this is shown from the book of the Acts of the apostles, when certain foreigners came to the foremost of the apostles, calling him to preach the gospel to them, being foreigners. For when he had gone up to the rooftop to pray, there appeared a vessel like a veil set down with four corners from heaven to earth, in which were all the quadrupeds and the creeping things and the beasts of the earth, and a voice came from heaven to him saying, 'Rise, Peter, slaughter and eat' (Acts 10:13). But he said, 'By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean' (Acts 10:14). And a voice a second time came to him, saying, 'What God has cleansed, do not call common' (Acts 10:15). This is the vision of the animals appearing in the veil, which Peter himself explains when he came to those calling him, saying, 'God also showed me not to call any man common or unclean' (Acts 10:28), lifting up the appearing quadrupeds and beasts to men, having been cleansed by the casting away of impurity.

And this must be stated, that having said 'Bring it out,' he was not satisfied with the command but performed it; for God is not only inciting toward virtue but is already also joined together; for when the good is chosen by one, God also cooperates toward the good, so that, having resolved to obey the command, they may be able to bring the striving thing to its end. For even if someone uses a private impulse toward virtue, he happens to be aware of God, who grants the outcome and the good end of it. This indeed is also shown regarding the paradoxical cases of the Savior, requiring the will from those suffering, where in one place he says, 'What do you want that I should do to you?'; and where, hearing from the leper being ready for faith, he says: 'If you are willing, you are able to cleanse me' (Matt 8:25). And God said: 'Let us make man according to our image and likeness,' and let them rule over the...

Greek · §21

φονευταί"6, ὑπὸ π̣ρ̣ο̣σ̣τάξεως τοῦ Κυρίου τῆς τοιαύτης νωθείας ἐλευθεροῦνται, ὧν συ´̣μβολον φέρει ὁ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποσταλέντων πρὸς τοῦ Κυρίου μαθητ̣ω῀̣ν̣ εἰς τὴν κατέναντι κώμην ὄνος λυ[ό]μενος ὅπ̣ω̣ς ὁ Κύριος ἐπ' αὐτὸν καθίσας δεσμῶν καὶ ἀλογίας κ[α]ὶ νωθείας ἐλευθερώσῃ τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ δηλουμένους κτηνώδεις ἀνθρώπους. Ἀλλὰ καὶ κάμηλοι κατὰ τὸν τρόπον εἰσὶν ἄνθρωποι, οἵτινες δυσκόλως ἐ´̣χουσιν εἰσιέναι εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, οἳ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐλευθεροῦνται ἀπαλλαττόμενοι τῶν βλα<βε>ρῶν φορτίων τῆς κ̣ακίας, ἅπερ ἐπηχθισμένοι 20 τυγχάνουσιν κατὰ τὸν προφήτην Ἠσαίαν λέγοντα· "6Ἐκεῖ *** καὶ ἀσπίδες πετάμενοι οἳ ἔφερον ἐπ' ὄνων καὶ καμήλ̣ω̣ν̣ τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῶν"6· δῆλον γὰ[ρ] οὐκ αἰσθητὸν πλοῦτον ἀσπ[ὶς] ἢ λέων κέκτηται, ἀλλὰ τὸ[ν] κατὰ τροπολογίαν δηλο[ύ]μενον αἱ πονηραὶ δυνάμεις ἀσπίδες καὶ λέοντες συμ̣βο̣λικῶς ὀνομαζόμεναι κέκτηνται, ὃν οὐκ ἐπὶ λο̣γ̣ικὸν ζ̣ῷον οὐκ ἐπὶ βοῦς τοὺς δυναμένους ἐργασίαν σεμνὴν καὶ χρησίμην φέρειν ἐναποτίθενται, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ ὄνων καὶ καμήλων, ἅπερ κεκυρτωμένα καὶ ἀκάθαρτα τυγχάνει. Οὗτοι οὖν ἐξάγονται ἀπὸ τῆς χειρίστης ἕξεως τρόπῳ μετανοίας, ὡς εἴρηται, τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦτο προστάττοντος· οὐ βούλεται γὰρ τὸν θάνα̣τον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ ὡς τὴν μετάνοιαν. ι, 25. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλά. Καλὸν γὰρ ἡ ἀπὸ κακίας εἰς ἀρετὴν μετάστασις. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ πεποιηκέναι τὸν Θεὸν ῥητέον μεταπαιδεύοντα 53 αὐτὰ ὅπως τά ποτε ἰοβόλα θηρία τῆς ἀγριότητος ἀπαλλα- γέντα εἰς ἡμερότητα μεταστῇ. Κ[α]ὶ ὥσπερ, ἐὰν λέγω ὅτι τὸν πηλὸν ὁ κεραμεὺς ποιεῖ, δηλῶ οὐχ ὅτι τοῦτο σπουδάζει ὅπως ἀπομείνῃ ὁ πηλὸς ὡσαύτως, ἀλλ' ἵνα σκεῦος ὀστράκινον γένηται πῆξιν λαβὸν καὶ μηκέτι διαλε- λυμένον ὑπάρχῃ, οὕτως ἐποίησεν τὰ θηρία τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀλληγορίαν, οὐχ ἵνα θηρία μένῃ, ἀλλ' ἵνα μεταστῇ ἀπὸ τ[ῆς] κατὰ κακίαν ἀγριότητος εἰς τὴν πραοτάτην ἀρετήν. Καὶ ἐπεὶ διάφορα τὰ τῶν ἀνθρ̣ώπων ἤθη, διὰ τοῦτο πληθυντικῶς εἴρηται "6Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλά."6 Ὅτι δὲ τὰ ἤθη τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ ἀλόγων ζῴων σημαίνεται, παρίσταται ἐκ τῆς βιβλίου τῶν Πράξεων τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὁπηνίκα ἄνδρες τινὲς παρεγένοντο πρὸς τὸν πρόκριτον τῶν ἀποστόλων μετακαλούμενοι αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ κηρῦξαι αὐτοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἀλλογενέσιν οὖσιν. Ἀνελθόντι γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα προσεύξασθαι ἐφάνη τι σκεῦος ὡς ὀθόνη τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς καθιέμενον ἐκ̣ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ γῆς, ἐν ᾧ ὑπῆρχεν πάντα τὰ τετράποδα καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ καὶ τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς, φωνὴ δ̣ὲ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἦλθεν εἰς αὐτὸν λέγουσα. "6Ἀναστάς, Πέτρε, θῦσον καὶ φάγε."6 Ὃ δὲ ἔφη· "6"3Μηδαμῶς, Κύριε, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον πᾶν κοινὸν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον"3. Καὶ φωνὴ πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτὸν"6 ἐγένετο· "6Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἐκαθάρισεν, σὺ μὴ κοίνου."6 Ἥνπερ ὀπτασίαν τῶν ζῴων τῶν ἐν τῇ ὀθόνῃ φανέντων ἑρμηνεύων αὐτὸς ὁ Πέτρος, ὅτε πρὸς τοὺς καλοῦντας ἧκεν, φησίν· "6Κἀμοὶ ἔδειξεν ὁ Θεὸς μηδένα κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον λέγειν ἄνθρωπον"6, εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἀνάγων τὰ φανέντα τετράποδα καὶ θηρία καθαρθέντας τῷ ἀποβεβληκέναι [τ]ὴν κακίαν. 54 Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ῥητέον, ὅτι εἰπὼν "6Ἐξαγαγέτω"6 οὐκ ἠρκέσθη τῇ προστ̣άξει ἀλλ' ἐποίησεν· οὐ γὰρ μόνον προτρέπεται Θεὸς ἐπὶ ἀρετὴν ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ συνεφάπτεται· τῷ γὰρ τὸ ἀγαθὸν προαιρουμένῳ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς συνεργεῖ εἰς ἀγαθόν, ἵνα προθέμενοι ἀνύσαι τὴν πρόσταξιν δυνηθῶσιν ἐπὶ πέρας ἀγαγεῖν τὸ σπουδαζόμενον. Κἂν γάρ τις ἰδίᾳ ὁρμῇ πρὸς ἀρετὴν χρήσηται, ἐπιδεὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ τὴν ἔκβασιν καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν τέλος αὐτῆς [χ]αριζομένου τυγχάνει. Τοῦτό τοι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν παραδόξων ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐπιδείκνυται ἀπαιτῶν τὴν παρὰ τῶν ἰωμένων βούλησιν, ὅπου μὲν λέγων· "6Τί θέλετε ἵνα ποιήσω ὑμῖν"6; ὅπου δὲ ἀκούων παρὰ τοῦ λεπροῦ ἑτοίμου ὄντος εἰς πίστιν· "6Ἐὰν θέλῃς, δύνασαί με καθαρίσαι."6 ι, 26–28. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν

The Distinction of Soul and Spirit§22

22[...of] the fish of the sea and the winged ones of the heaven and the beasts and all the earth and all the creeping things creeping upon the earth. And God made the man; according to the image of God He made him, male and female He made them. And God blessed them, saying: 'Increase and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and the winged ones of the heaven and all the beasts and all the earth and all the creeping things creeping upon the earth' (Gen 1:28).

The word 'man' signifies also the composite living thing which is composed of soul and body, and especially the soul. Therefore, the wise Peter the apostle calls the hidden part of the heart 'man', and the blessed Paul: 'For I consent according to the law of God according to the inner man' (Rom 7:22), that is, according to the mind, according to the soul. But when it is said: 'There was a certain man in the land of Assyria' (Gen 45:2), and: 'It happened when many men began to become' (Gen 6:9), it signifies the common meaning. If therefore we take the explicit meaning, the composite man signifies the 'And God said: Let us make man' (Gen 1:26).

And not only regarding the composite, but even regarding the visible and perceptible, that is, the body, the blessed Paul intends to extend the name of man, saying: 'Even if our outward man is being destroyed, but the inward is being renewed day by day' (2 Cor 4:16). And according to a first imposition, each of us was composed of soul and body, but there are those who say that man is composed of three, of soul and body and spirit, which they construct by joining themselves to the apostolic saying which says: 'And the God of peace sanctify you completely, and your whole spirit and soul and body' (1 Thess 5:23), not following the idea that it must be said concerning the Holy Spirit in order to be whole, which is not even destined to come into weakness. Therefore, they produce another proof from a different saying having this: 'The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit' (Rom 8:16); for they say our spirit is a different spirit from the Holy Spirit, being witnessed by the Holy Spirit when it is well. And that from Daniel: 'Spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord' (Dan 4:35).

They think it is a mere assistant. But those who do not want there to be anything other than the spirit besides the soul say that it signifies the will through the spirit, or that he has shown even the soul by the designation of the spirit. But those renewing this argument say that, having used a connective conjunction, even in 'spirits and souls of the righteous' (cf. Heb 11:35), he shows the soul to be something other than the spirit.

And as a constructive argument for the composition of man from soul and body, they produce that which is said in the Gospel, broken out: 'Do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; but fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell' (Luke 12:4). And if it is the case that men kill one thing and not the other, then the body and the soul are two. We say, therefore, man and the body only, but not simply, but man with an addition; and the soul alone is man not simply, but man within; and the composite is man simply, without anything added.

Let it therefore be sought here concerning what is said regarding God of all things: 'Let us make man according to an image and in our likeness' (Gen 1:26). The man has not become according to an image of God in the composite sense; for God is not man-shaped. And the divine teaching confirms this; for it is said that God is spirit and light (1 John 1:5), and light and spirit do not have the form of man.

But the Scripture also discusses God having seven eyes, seeing all the earth (Rev 4:8), while man has two; so therefore the man will not be found to be according to the image of God in this way of our seeing. But these things we say not as if God has seven sensible eyes, but we are investigating how man is according to the image and likeness of God; for the Word has shown his perfect contemplative power through the seven, and through the virtues which the number seven has, as has already been foretold.

Again, God is said to have wings, just as the holy one says: 'In the shelter of your wings you will protect me' (Ps 17:8); but man is a wingless animal, and the wingless is not able to have the image and likeness of God, not through sensible things received by us, but through intuitions surpassing and carrying those who desire this upward. It must therefore be investigated how man is according to the image and likeness of God.

Greek · §22

ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρω- πον, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς. Καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς λέγων· Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ὃ ἄνθρωπος σημαίνει καὶ τὸ σύνθετον ζῶον τὸ ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος συνεστὸς καὶ μάλιστα τὴν ψυχήν. [Τὸν] κρυπτὸν οὖν τῆς 21 καρδίας ἄνθρωπον λέγει ὁ πρόκριτος 55 τῶν ἀποστόλων Πέτρος τὴν ψυχήν, καὶ Παῦλος ὁ μακά- ριος· "6Συνήδομαι γὰρ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ κα<τὰ> τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον"6, του῀̣τ' ἔστιν κατὰ τὸν νοῦν, κατὰ τὴν ψυχήν. Ὅταν δὲ λέγηται· "6Ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ Αὐσίτιδι"6, καί· "6Ἐγένετο ἡνίκα ἤρξαντο οἱ ἄνθρωποι πολλοὶ γίνεσθαι"6, τὸ συναμφότερον δηλοῖ. Ἐὰν οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ ῥητοῦ λαμβάνωμεν, τὸ σύνθετον ἄνθρωπον σημαίνει τὸ "6καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον"6. Οὐ μόνον δὲ περὶ τοῦ συνθέτου ἀλλὰ μέχρι καὶ τοῦ φαινομένου καὶ αἰσθητοῦ, τουτ' ἔστιν τοῦ σώματος, παρατείνειν τὴν ὀνομασίαν τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος βούλεται λέγων· "6Εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος διαφθείρεται, ἀλλ' ὁ ἔσω ἀνακαινοῦται ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ."6 Καὶ κατὰ μὲν πρώτην ἐπιβολὴν ἕκαστος ἡμῶν συνέστηκεν ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος, εἰσὶν δὲ οἳ ἐκ τριῶν συνεστάναι λέγουσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος καὶ πνεύματος, ὃ καὶ κατασκευάζουσιν συγχρώμενοι τῷ ἀποστολικῷ ῥητῷ φάσκοντι· "6Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰ[ρ]ήνης ἁγιάσαι ὑμᾶς ὁλοτελεῖς καὶ ὁλόκληρον ὑμῶν τὸ [π]νεῦμα καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ τὸ σῶμα"6, οὐκ ἀκόλουθον ἡγούμενοι τὸ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος εἰρῆσθαι ἵν' ᾖ ὁλόκληρον, ὃ οὐδὲ εἰς ἀσθένειαν ἐλθεῖν πέφυκεν. Τούτου οὖν ἀποδεικτικὸν παράγουσιν καὶ ἕτερον ῥητὸν οὕτως ἔχον· "6Αὐτὸ τὸ Πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν"6· τὸ γὰρ ἡμῶν, φασίν, πνεῦμα ἕτερόν ἐστιν παρὰ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, μαρτυρούμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὅταν εὖ ἔχῃ. Καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ ∆ανιήλ· "6Πνεύματα καὶ ψυχαὶ δικαίων εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Κύριον"6, τοῦ αὐτοῦ παραστατικὸν οἴονται. Οἱ δὲ μὴ βουλόμενοι ἕτερον εἶναι τὸ πνεῦμα παρὰ τὴν ψυχὴν λέγουσιν ὅτι τὴν γνώμην ση[μ]αίνει διὰ τοῦ πνεύμα- τος ἢ ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν τῇ προσηγορί[ᾳ] τοῦ 56 πνεύματος ἐδήλωσεν. Οἱ δὲ πρὸς τοῦτο ἀνανεύοντές φασιν ὅτι συμπλεκτικῷ χρησάμενος συνδέσμῳ τῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ "6πνεύματα καὶ ψυχαὶ δικαίων"6 δηλοῖ ἕτερον εἶναι τὴν ψυχὴν παρὰ τὸ πνεῦμα. Κατασκευαστικὸν δὲ τὸ ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος συνεστάναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον παράγουσιν τὸ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διαρρήδην λεγόμενον· "6Μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεννόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυνα- μένων ἀποκτεῖναι· φοβήθητε δὲ τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεένν[ῃ]."6 Εἰ δὲ τὸ μὲν ἀποκτέν- νουσιν ἄνθρωποι, τὸ δὲ οὔ, δύο εἰσὶν τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἡ Ἐλέγομεν οὖν ἄνθρωπον καὶ τὸ σῶμα μόνον, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ἔξω ἄνθρωπονμετὰ προσθήκης, καὶ μόνην τὴν ψυχὴν ἄνθρωπον οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, τὸν δὲ σύνθετον ἁπλῶς ἄνθρωπον μηδὲν προστιθέντες. Ζητείσθω οὖν ἐνταῦθα περὶ οὗ λέγεται πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων. "6Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοιώσιν ἡμετέραν."6 Οὐ κατὰ τὸν σύνθετον τοίνυν κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ὁ ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν· οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρω- πόμορφος ὁ Θεός. Καὶ τοῦτο ἡ θεία διδασκαλία βεβαιοῖ· λέγεται γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς πνεῦμα καὶ φῶς εἶναι, φῶς δὲ καὶ πνεῦμα οὐκ ἔχει μορφὴν ἀνθρώπου. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑπτὰ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχειν τὸν Θεὸν ἡ γραφὴ διαγορεύει καθορῶντας πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος δύο ἔχει· οὐκ ἄρα κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, οὕτως ἡμῶν θεωρούντων, εὑρεθήσεται. Ταῦτα δέ φαμεν οὐχ ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἑπτὰ αἰσθη- τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντος, ἀλλὰ θηρεύοντες πῶς κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ὁ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν· τὴν γὰρ τελείαν ἐποπτικὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν διὰ τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἐδήλωσεν ὁ λόγος καὶ δι' ἃς ἔχει ἀρετὰς ὁ ἑπτὰ ἀριθμός, ὡς ἤδη προείρηται. Πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς λέγεται πτέρυγας ἔχειν καθὰ ὁ ἅγιός φ[η]σιν· "6Ἐν σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων σου σκεπάσεις με"6, ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἄπτερον ζῷόν ἐστιν, τὸ δὲ ἄπτερον οὐχ οἷόν τε εἰκόνα κα[ὶ ὁ]μοίωσιν ἔχειν Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἐπὶ αἰσθητῶν 57 λαμβανόντων ἡμῶ[ν] τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ πτέρυγας ἀλλ' ἐπὶ νοήσεων ὑπερβαλλουσῶν καὶ ἄνω φερουσῶν τοὺς τοῦτο ποθοῦντας. Ἐρευνητέον οὖν πῶς κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ

Image and Likeness§23

23A man has become. For even the most wise Paul, using this name for man, says: 'For a man ought not to cover his head, being the image and glory of God' (1 Cor 11:7). It has been shown that being an image is not according to the composite; for the one is incorporeal and a spiritual essence, while the other is a body having been formed. Therefore, it is necessary in another way to take the image and the likeness to have become him.

For God, having made all things and being both ruler and leader of all—for as Creator he is thus both ruler and king—having made man so that he also rules over the beasts, cattle, and birds existing through him, shows that the man is an image according to his own ruling. That he has this in such a way is to be learned from the apostolic word: 'But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman' (1 Cor 11:3). Just as the man is ruled by Christ, so the woman is ruled by the man, having him as head.

For according to analogy, the likeness is to be taken, which does not have likeness in the same matters, as we say that the one who has a reason for a physician to produce health, the builder has a reason for constructing a house; for each is a maker of a certain work. Since therefore the man, having become a rational being, imitates God according to his ruling over the things subject to him, by this he is able to be according to the image and likeness of God.

But it is especially possible according to a previously mentioned thought to grasp what is set forth; it has been previously stated that the mind and the soul are man; this, participating in God through His communion, becomes His image, just as we say that the one participating in virtue images it, which even Paul, speaking in Christ, knows and exhorts to be imaged according to Christ: 'until Christ is formed in you' (Gal 4:19), teaching that the thought concerning Christ, being a true soul approaching, characterizes and images it according to Him. 'Let us make man according to our image and likeness' (Gen 1:26); the Son, His only-begotten, is the image of God. Paul teaches this, writing: 'Who is the image of the invisible God' (Col 1:15), an image substantial and unchangeable; 'for He' 'who has seen me has seen the Father' (John 14:9). If it is therefore said concerning God: 'Let...'

Let us make man in our image and likeness; we must not take different images, for there is not one image of the Father and another of the Son. For if he who has seen the Son has seen the Father, and the Son is the character of the subsistence of God according to the blessed Paul, we must not conceive of another image. For nothing of the created things images or characterizes God according to essence. Therefore it is not said: 'Let us make man an image,' but 'according to an image,' which means to be imaged from that image and to imitate it; for man was constructed to be capable of the image.

And it is necessary to understand that there are two things which God says he is making when saying: 'Let us make man in our image and likeness' (Gen 1:26); for I think that the surpassing similarity shows an unchangeable likeness, such that the likeness is an image beyond measure, but not necessarily the image being so precise as to have an unchangeable likeness. Nevertheless, the image would be the beginning and the prelude to the likeness. Therefore, first it is necessary to become according to an image, then according to a likeness; and the first must not be taken by time, especially since it was the first creation of man, but by intention. And that it is so, the written Spirit shows: 'And God made man, in the image of God He made him' (Gen 1:27), without adding 'according to a likeness.'

For the mind, having approached godliness, is first stamped according to the image of God, but later, through progress toward perfection, it becomes according to the likeness of God, as the blessed John says: 'Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be; we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him' (1 John 3:2). For already being according to an image, they hope to become according to a likeness. That this thought is strong, Paul also testifies, exhorting someone to make progress in virtue, saying: 'That you may become according to the image of the Creator,' even though they already are so according to the word of essence. What he therefore says is this: that every man, insofar as he is a creation of God, being receptive of the Word, exists according to an image, being capable, as we have said, of the image and having an aptitude for participation in it; if, however, he should receive this according to energy, just as the man created from the beginning was.

Greek · §23

ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ σοφώτατος Παῦλος τούτῳ τῷ ὀνόματι ἐπὶ τοῦ 22 ἀνθρώπου χρώμενός φησιν· "6Ἀνὴρ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλήν, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων."6 ∆έδεικται δὲ ὅτι οὐ κατὰ τὸ σύνθετος εἶναι εἰκών ἐστιν· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀσώματος καὶ νοερὰ οὐσία ἐστίν, ὁ δὲ σῶμα ἔχει μεμορφω- μένον. Ἑτέρως ἄρα δεῖ λαβεῖν τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν αὐτὸν γεγονέναι. Ὁ Θεὸς οὖν πεποιηκὼς τὰ ὅλα πάντων τε ἄρχων καὶ προ<ηγ>ητὴς ὑπάρχων–ὡς γὰρ δημιουργὸς οὕτω καὶ ἄρχων καὶ βασιλεύς ἐστιν–ποιήσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὥστε καὶ ἄρχειν τῶν δι' αὐτὸν γενομένων θηρίων, κτηνῶν, πτηνῶν, δείκνυσιν εἰκόνα κατὰ τὸ ἄρχειν ἑαυτοῦ εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς λέξεως ἔστι μαθεῖν· "6Θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι ὅτι κεφαλὴ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν, κεφαλὴ δὲ τῆς γυναικὸς ὁ ἀνήρ."6 Ὡς γὰρ ἄρχεται ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὁ ἀνήρ, οὕτως ἄρχεται καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἔχουσα αὐτὸν κεφαλήν. Κατὰ γὰρ ἀναλογίαν ἡ ὁμοιότης λημπτέα, ἥτις οὐκ ἐν ταῖς αὐταῖς ὕλαις ἔχει τὴν ὁμοιότητα, καθὸ λέγομεν ὅτι, ὃν ἔχει λόγον ἰατρὸς πρὸς τὸ ποιεῖν ὑγείαν, τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν λόγον οἰκοδόμος πρὸς τὸ κατασκευάζειν οἰκίαν· ποιητικὸς γὰρ ἑκάτερος ἔργου τινός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν μιμεῖται τὸν Θεὸν ὁ ἄνθρωπος λογικὸς γεγενημένος κατὰ τὸ ἄρχειν τῶν ὑποκειμένων αὐτῷ, κατὰ τοῦτο δύναται εἶναι κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσινΘεοῦ. Ἔστιν δὲ μάλιστα κατὰ προηγουμένην διάνοιαν ἐκλαβεῖν τὸ προκείμενον· προείρηται κυρίως ἄνθρωπος εἶναι ὁ νοῦς καὶ ἡ ψυχή· αὕτη μετέχουσα Θεοῦ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς μετουσίας εἰκὼν αὐτοῦ γίνεται, καθὸ λέγομεν εἰκονίζ[ει]ν τὴν ἀρετὴν τὸν μετέχοντα αὐτῆς, ὅπερ ἐπιστάμεν[ος] καὶ ὁ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλῶν Παῦλός φησιν οἷς προτρέπεται κατὰ 58 Χριστὸν εἰκονισθῆναι· "6μέχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν"6, διδάσκων ὅτι ἡ περὶ Χριστοῦ νόησις ἀληθὴς ἐγγινομένη ψυχῇ χαρακτηρίζει καὶ εἰκονίζει αὐτὴν κατ' αὐτόν. "6Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν"6· εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ μονογενής· Παῦλος τοῦτο διδάσκει γράφων· "6Ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου"6, εἰκὼν δὲ οὐσιώδης καὶ ἀπαράλλακτος· "6Ὁ"6 γὰρ "6ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα."6 Ἐὰν οὖν εἴρηται πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· "6Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν"6, οὐ δεῖ διαφόρους τὰς εἰκόνας λαμβάνειν· οὐ γὰρ ἄλλη Πατρὸς καὶ ἄλλη Υἱοῦ τυγχάνει· εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἑωρακὼς τὸν Υἱὸν εἶδεν καὶ τὸν Πατέρα καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ Υἱός ἐστιν κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Παῦλον, οὐ δεῖ ἑτέραν εἰκόνα ἐννοεῖν. Οὐ γάρ τι τῶν γενητῶν εἰκονίζει καὶ χαρακτηρίζει κατ' οὐσίαν τὸν Θεόν. ∆ιόπερ οὐκ εἴρηται· Ποιήσωμεν τὸν ἄνθρωπον εἰκόνα, ἀλλὰ κατ' εἰκόνα, ὅπερ ἐστιν ἀπ' ἐκείνης εἰκονισθῆναι καὶ μιμήσασθαι ταύτην· χωρητικὸς γὰρ κατεσκευάσθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς εἰκόνος. ∆εῖ δὲ κατανοεῖν ὅτι δύο τινά ἐστιν ἅ φησιν ὁ Θεὸς γενέσθαι λέγων· "6Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν"6· οἶμαι γὰρ ὅτι ἡ ὑπερβάλλουσα ἐμφέρεια ἀπαράλλακτος ὁμοιότητα ἐμφαίνει, ὡς εἶναι τὴν μὲν ὁμοιότητα καὶ εἰκόνος ὑπερβολήν, οὐ πάντως δὲ τὴν εἰκόνα οὕτως ἠκριβάσθαι ὡς ἀπαράλλακτον ἔχειν ὁμοι- ότητα. Ὡσπεροῦν ἀρχὴ καὶ προοίμιον ὁμοιώσεως εἴη ἂν ἡ εἰκών. Πρῶτον οὖν δεῖ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν κατ' εἰκόνα, εἶτα καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, τὸ δὲ πρῶτον οὐ χρόνῳ δεῖ λαβεῖν καὶ μάλιστα ὅτε πρώτη ποίησις τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἦν, ἀλλὰ κατ' ἐπί- νοιαν. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, ἐπιφέρει τὸ συγγραφικὸν Πνεῦμα· "6Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν"6. οὐκέτι προσθεὶς τὸ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν. Ὁ γὰρ ν[οῦς] προσελθὼν τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ τυποῦται μὲν κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα τ[οῦ Θ]εοῦ, ὕστερον δὲ διὰ προκοπῆς τῆς 59 ἐπὶ τελειότητα καθ' ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ γίνεται ὅπερ <παρ>ι- στα`̣ς ὁ μακάριος Ἰωάννης φησίν· "6Ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα Θεοῦ ἐσμεν καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα· οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα."6 Ἤδη γὰρ κατ' εἰκόνα ὄντες ἐλπίζουσιν καθ' ὁμοίωσιν γενέσθαι. Ὅτι δὲ αὕτη 23 ἔρρωται ἡ διάνοια, καὶ Παῦλος μαρτυρεῖ προτρεπόμενός τινας προκόπτειν κατ' ἀρετὴν λέγων· Ἵνα γίνησθε κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος, καίτοι ἤδη ὄντας οὕτω κατὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς οὐσιώσεως. Ὃ λέγει οὖν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, ὅτι πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, ᾗ μὲν δημιούργημα Θεοῦ ἐστιν, δεκτικὸς λόγου τυγχάνων, κατ' εἰκόνα ὑπάρχει, χωρητικὸς ὤν, ὡς εἴπομεν, τῆς εἰκόνος καὶ ἐπιτηδείως ἔχων πρὸς μετουσίαν αὐτῆς, εἰ δὲ κατ' ἐνέργειαν τοῦτο προσλάβοι, ὥσπερ ὁ ἐξ ἀρχῆς δημιουργηθεὶς ἄνθρωπος,

Allegorical Interpretation of Animals§24

24The image-nature is already active within him. Let the saying be clear by way of an example. Man is a rational being; and this essential capacity exists also in the infant, though the rationality does not. Thus the infant also has this power; for when the logos is fulfilled, these things are demonstrated, if he responds to instruction.

So also the image, until it is encroached upon, maintains the value of the first creation; but when evil and hardship are attached, it is necessary to receive the flesh according to what has been said in the Gospel, which is the word of repentance, so that having developed the lying-in-waitness lying upon him, we might make manifest the forms of the image.

And 'and let them rule the fish of the sea and the birds of the heaven and the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth' (Genesis 1:26), according to the previous discourse, would show the beginning dominion of man over the animals subjected to him. For one would marvel how all things, being beyond his power and being wild and having a nature to harm, are simultaneously caught by great fires and nets; yet this would not happen in this way, unless he had a beginning dominion over them from God. For even when large herds of various animals are driven by the gathering of a child or otherwise by a weak man, they clearly demonstrate that there must be a divine power in the rational animal, by which these things are subjected to him. And a beginning dominion is nothing other than a lawful standing. Nothing of the others rules the same-kind; and even if the so-called firstling of a flock is a sheep, it begins the herds according to the preceding way, not by reasoning according to men the shepherds, but it does this by nature. And man became according to the image and likeness of God, in order to rule the things mentioned.

And since we say that the mind of man is man according to another understanding, having been commanded to become according to the image and likeness of God, we appropriately receive that he rules those beasts about which the saint says he sends up a prayer, 'Do not deliver to the beasts a soul confessing to you' (Psalm 22:20), which were the opposing energies, outside of which he prays for the confessing soul to be, or evil thoughts being subjected by them. Again, to the I...

Regarding Job, it is said: 'Behold, beasts eat grass beside you like oxen' (Job 1:24), not that the immediate beasts were driven wild in nature by Job, but that the disorder of opposing powers was being made manifest because they lacked strength against the greatness of the saint's virtue. And many things are found in the Scripture where animals are mystically led.

For indeed, some are called fishes symbolically among men, whom the cast kingdom of the heavens draws into the sea. For from every kind, that is, from every character of men and nation, the proclamation of the Word draws. So it begins also with these fishes. And the winged ones are intellectual, some being slandered and others praised: 'Young vultures flying on high' is said, and concerning a father or mother being spoken ill of, it has been said: 'Ravens tore him from the cliffs and young eagles devoured him' (1 Kings 19:4), which would not be according to history, since slandering parents is found everywhere, while ravens are not found everywhere; but it is clear that, being held by this error under dark energies, he is in some way subdued and devoured, those which, being lowly, are accustomed to wear away a crevice.

And regarding the others, the lover of beauty will find animals taken both praiseworthily and slanderously. Thus the man has been set as ruler over all these, having been born in the image of God. The apostles, having come to this state so that they might be like God according to the image, were the rulers of the fishes of the intellectual sea, having become fishermen by Christ saying to them: 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men' (Matthew 4:19), as also to Peter: 'From now on you will be catching men' (Luke 5:10), those dwelling in the aforementioned sea.

And because they were also rulers of beasts, they received authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. But it is also shown in the Psalm how authority is given by God to the righteous against such things, the Holy Spirit saying to the virtuous one: 'He shall tread upon the asp and the basilisk; he shall trample the lion and the dragon' (Psalm 91:13). And He gave them also authority over the winged ones who snatch up the one being sent by the Word.

Greek · §24

ἔχει ἤδη ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἐνεργοῦν τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα. Καὶ ἔστω ἐπὶ παρα- δείγματος σαφὲς τὸ λεγόμενον. Ὁ ἄνθρωπος λογικός ἐστιν· καὶ αὕτη ἡ οὐσιώδης ἐπιτηδειότης ὑπάρχει καὶ τῷ βρέφει, τὸ δὲ λογικὸν οὔ· ἔχει οὖν καὶ τὸ βρέφος ταύτην τὴν δύναμιν· συμπληρωθέντος γοῦν τοῦ λόγου ἐπιδείκνυται ταῦτα, ἐὰν πρὸς παίδευσιν ῥέψῃ. Οὕτω καὶ τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα, ἕως μὲν οὐκ ἐπιχώννυται, φέρει τῆς πρώτης δημιουργίας τὴν ἀξίαν, ἐπὰν δὲ προσχωσθῇ κακία καὶ μοχθηρία, δεῖ δέξασθαι τὸ σάρον κατὰ τὰ ἐν εὐαγγελίῳ εἰρημένα, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ τῆς μετανοίας λόγος, ἵν' ἀναπτύ- ξαντες τὴν ἐπικειμένην ἀχλὺν τοὺς τύπους τῆς εἰκόνος φανερώσωμ[εν]. Τὸ δὲ "6καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς [κα]ὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6 κατὰ [τὴν] προτέραν διήγησιν ἐμφαίνοι ἂν 60 τὸ ἀρχικὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κατὰ τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων αὐτῷ ζῴων. Θαυμάσαι γὰρ ἄν τις πῶς τὰ πάνυ ὑπὲρ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ τυγχάνοντα καὶ ἄγρια ἅμα καὶ βλάπτειν πεφυκότα καὶ προσέτι ὑπερμεγέθη πάγαις τισὶν καὶ δικτύοις ἀγρεύει· οὐκ ἂν δὲ τοῦτο οὕτως ἐγίνετο, εἰ μὴ ἀρχὴν κατ' αὐτῶν εἶχεν θεόθεν. Ἔσθ' ὅτε γὰρ καὶ ὑπὸ κομιδῇ παιδίου ἢ ἄλλως ἀνθρώπου ἀσθενοῦς ἀγέλαι πολυπληθεῖς διαφόρων ζῴων ἐλαύνονται, ὅπερ σαφῶς ἐπιδείκνυσιν θείαν τινὰ δύναμιν ἐνεῖναι τῷ λογικῷ ζῴῳ, καθ' ἣν αὐτῷ ταῦτα ὑποτέτακται. Ἀρχὴ δὲ οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστι ἢ νόμιμος ἐπι- στασία. Οὐδὲν γοῦν τῶν ἄλλων ἄρχει τοῦ ὁμογενοῦς· κἄν ποτε δὲ ὁ καλούμενος κτίλος πρόβατον ἐξάρχῃ ἀγέλης κατὰ τὸ προηγεῖσθαι, οὐ λογισμῷ κατὰ τοῦς ποιμένας ἀνθρώπους, φύσει δὲ τοῦτο δρᾷ. Γέγονεν δὲ ἄνθρωπος κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ, ἵνα ἄρχῃ τῶν εἰρημένων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ κατ' ἄλλην διάνοιαν τὸν νοῦν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου λέγομεν εἶναι ἄνθρωπον, κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ προσταχθέντα γενέσθαι, καταλλήλως λαμβάνομεν αὐτὸν ἄρχειν θηρίων ἐκείνων περὶ [ὧν] εὐχὴν ἀναπέμπων φησὶν ὁ ἅγιος· "6Μὴ παραδῷς τοῖς θηρίο[ις] ψυχὴν ἐξομο- λογουμένην σοι"6, ἅπερ εἶεν αἱ ἀντικείμεναι ἐ[νέρ]γειαι, ὧν ἔξω γενέσθαι τὴν ἐξομολογουμένην ψυχὴν εὔχεται, ἢ λογισμοὶ πονηροὶ παρ' αὐτῶν ὑποβαλλόμενοι. Πάλιν τῷ Ἰὼβ λέγεται· "6Ἰδοὺ θηρία παρὰ σοὶ χόρτον ἴσα βουσὶν ἐσθίει"6, οὐχ ὅτι τὰ κατὰ τὸ πρόχειρον θηρία παρὰ τῷ Ἰὼβ ἐξήλλακται τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὸ ἀτίθασον τῶν ἐναντίων δυνάμεων ἐξημεροῦτο μὴ σθένον πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἀρετῆς τοῦ ἁγίου. Καὶ πολλὰ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ἐν τῇ γραφ[ῇ] ζῷα μυστικῶς ἀναγόμενα. Καὶ γὰρ ἰχθύες εἰσὶν συμβο- λικῶς καλούμενοί τινες ἐν ἀνθρώποις, οὓς ἑλκεῖ ἡ βληθεῖσα βασιλεία τῶ[ν οὐρα]νῶν εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν. Ἀπὸ γὰρ παντὸς γένους, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἀ[πὸ] παντὸς ἤθους ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἔθνους ἄγει τὸ κήρυγμα τοῦ λόγου. Ἄρχει οὖν καὶ τῶν 61 ἰχθύων τούτων. Καὶ πετεινὰ δέ εἰσιν νοητά, τὰ μὲν ψεγόμενα, τὰ δὲ ἐπαινούμενα· "6Νεοσσοί"6 φησιν "6γυπῶν τὰ ὑψηλὰ πέτοντα"6, καὶ περὶ τοῦ καταλαλοῦντος πατρὸς ἢ μητρὸς εἴρηται· "6Ἐκκόψαισαν αὐτὸν κόρακες ἐκ τῶν φαράγγων καὶ καταφάγοισαν αὐτὸν νεοσσοὶ ἀετῶν"6, ἅπερ ἐπὶ ἱστορίας οὐκ ἂν εἴη, ἐπὶ παντὸς τόπου δυνατοῦ ὄντος εὑρίσκεσθαι κακολογοῦντα τοὺς γονεῖς, κοράκων πανταχόσε μὴ εὑρισκομένων· ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὡς τούτῳ τῷ σφάλματι ἐνεχόμενος ὑπὸ σκοτίων ἐνεργειῶν τρόπον τινὰ δαμάζεται καὶ κατεσθίεται, αἵτινες ταπειναὶ τυγχάνουσιν, φάραγξιν ἐνδιατρίβειν εἰωθυῖαι. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ φιλόκαλος εὑρήσει καὶ 24 ἐπαινετῶς καὶ ψεκτῶς ζῷα λαμβανόμενα. Ἄρχειν οὖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τούτων ἁπάντων τέθειται, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γεγονώς. Οἱ ἀπόστολοι εἰς ταύτην τὴν κατάστασιν ἐληλυθότ[ε]ς ὥστε κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ εἶναι ἦρχον τῶν ἰχθύων τ[ῆ]ς νοητῆς θαλάσσης, ἁλεεῖς ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ γεγενημένοι εἰπόντος πρὸς αὐτούς· "6∆εῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλεεῖς ἀνθρώπων"6, ὡς καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ· "6Ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀνθρώπους ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν"6, τοὺς ἐν τῇ εἰρημένῃ δηλονότι θαλάσσῃ ἐννη- χομένους. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ θηρίων ἄρχοντες ἦσαν, ἐξουσίαν εἰλήφασιν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ δείκνυται ὡς παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐξουσία τῷ δικαίῳ κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων δέδοται, λέγοντος τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος πρὸς τὸν ἐνάρετον· "6Ἐπ' ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσῃ καὶ καταπατήσεις λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα."6 ∆έδωκεν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τῶν πετεινῶ[ν] ἐξουσίαν τῶν ἁρπαζόντων τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου πεμπόμενον

The Intellectual Female and the Seed of the Logos§25

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

25A seed, so that having nourished them they might send them far away, and also of the most beast-like men, concerning whom it has been said: 'Become not like the horse and the mule, to whom there is no understanding' (Psalm 32:9), and: 'You have become female horses.' But the holy ones begin all these things, having transferred them from the hands to better things through the Word. But man has also received authority over the creeping things, which, when he carries them toward pleasures and passions, he would not sin, by abstaining from fleshly desires in the overcoming of them and killing 'the members upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, desire, evil' (Colossians 3:5).

And rightly, according to the reciprocity, it is said: 'And God made the man, according to the image of God He made him' (Genesis 1:27). For the command containing, at the 'according to the image,' the making of him 'also according to likeness,' the reciprocity says that 'according to the image He made him,' without adding the 'according to likeness,' concerning which we discussed briefly before. And the 'male and female He made them' (Genesis 1:27) is to be examined: how, concerning one man commanded by God, the reciprocity says: 'He made them.' And this might be a demonstration according to the literal sense of the woman being consubstantial with the man, being categorized under one kind of them, and because of this the saying 'let us make man' (Genesis 1:26) was uttered; but the 'male and female' is a representation of the parts for the sake of the succession which God established, showing at once also that the woman is 'according to the image of God' (Genesis 1:27), both of them being recipients of the same, both of the imitation and of the participation in God and the taking up of virtue of the Holy Spirit.

And since we were saying that the approach of man is made manifest also in the intellect and soul, let us consider by anagogical ascent thus the 'male and female': just as the one, being able to be a capable teacher, as being able to receive the seed of the Word into the souls capable of receiving it, so if he were male,

They symbolically possess the place of the female, being unable to conceive anything of their own, but receiving instruction from others like the manner of sowing. In the sensible realm, the female and male are made by God; but in the intelligible realm, one possesses a place for himself through his own choice or a teacher, who is male and a sower of good things, or a disciple receiving the seed of another and thus becoming female.

Thus anyone might perceive the greater things through the lesser of the rational. If one wished to take it regarding the Word of God, every rational nature would have a female rank toward Him. This is a bridegroom of the rational essence; for 'he who has' is 'the bridegroom of the bride' (Song of Solomon 2:16). And in the Song of Songs, a bridal song is sung of a bride to a bridegroom, the church being understood as the bride, or the perfect soul already able to be joined to the Word, who is the sower of every rational essence, this essence receiving the benefit from Him both in moral and in the doctrines of truth.

Regarding the sensible, a change of nature is impossible; but regarding the intelligible, a man currently receiving lessons and therefore being in a female rank might at any time, through progress, become as others become a teacher, just as one might again, from sloth, fall away so that he is barely able to receive from another what he himself formerly instructed others. And a testimony of those receiving the seeds of the Word would be, 'From the fear of you we conceived in the womb and labored and brought forth a spirit of salvation upon the earth.' For fear works a holy apprehension concerning God; it has been said: 'The fear of the Lord is pure, remaining for an age of ages' (Psalm 111:10), and: 'The fear of the Lord surpassed all things' (Psalm 111:10), so that whoever possesses it and progresses in it, as a man becomes a rational woman and because of this...

Greek · §25

σπόρον, ἵνα θηρεύοντες αὐτὰ πόρρω αὐτοὺς ἀποπέμπωσιν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τῶν κτηνωδεστέρων ἀνθρώπων, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Μὴ γίνεσθε [ὡ]ς ἵππος καὶ ἡμίονος, οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν σύνεσις"6, καί· "6Ἵπποι θηλυμαν[εῖ]ς ἐγενήθητε."6 Ἄρχουσι δὲ τούτων ἁπάντων 62 οἱ ἅγιοι μετατιθέντες αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν χειρόνων ἐπὶ κρείτ- τονα διὰ τοῦ λόγου. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἑρπετῶν ἐξουσίαν εἴληφεν ἄνθρωπος, ἅπερ εἰς τὰς ἡδονὰς καὶ τ[ὰ] πάθη ἀναφέρων οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοις, ἀπεχόμενος τῶν σαρκικῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν ἐν τῷ κατεξανίστασθαι αὐτῶν καὶ νεκροῦν "6τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν, κακήν"6. Καλῶς δὲ κατὰ τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως ἔχει λεγούσης· "6Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν."6 Τῆς γὰρ προστάξεως περιεχούσης, πρὸς τῷ "6κατ' εἰκόνα"6, "6καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν"6 αὐτὸν γενέσθαι, ἡ ἀνταπόδοσίς φησιν ὅτι "6κατ' εἰκόνα ἐποίησεν αὐτόν"6, οὐ προσθεῖσα τὸ "6καθ' ὁμοίωσιν"6, περὶ οὗ ἐν τοῖς ὀλίγῳ πρότερον διειλήφαμεν. Τὸ δὲ "6ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐ[τ]οὺς"6 ἐξεταστέον, πῶς, περὶ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου προστάξαντος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡ ἀνταπόδοσις λέγει· "6Ἐποίησεν αὐτούς."6 Καὶ εἴη ἂν κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν ἀπόδειξις αὕτη τοῦ ὁμοούσιον εἶναι τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ἀνδρί, ὑπὸ ἓν εἶδος αὐτῶν ταττομένων καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰρημένου τοῦ "6ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον"6· τὸ δὲ "6ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ"6 παραστατικὸν τῶν τμημάτων <ὧν> τῆς διαδοχῆς ἕνεκεν ὁ Θεὸς ᾠκονόμησεν, ἐμφαῖνον ἅμα ὡς καὶ ἡ γυνὴ "6κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ"6 ἐστιν, τῶν αὐτῶν δεκτικοὶ ἀμφότεροι, μιμήσεώς τε τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος μετουσίας καὶ ἀναλήμψεως ἀρετῆς. Καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐλέγομεν δηλοῦσθαι τὴν ἀνθρώπου π[ρο]σηγο- ρίαν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ νοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς, νοήσομεν κατ' ἀναγωγὴν οὕτω τὸ "6ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ"6, ὡς ὁ μὲν δυνάμενος διδα- σκ[α]λικὸς εἶναι, ὡς τὸν τοῦ λόγου σπόρον εἰσ̣ι̣έναι ταῖς παραδέξ[ασ]θαι δυναμέναις ψυχαῖς, οὕτως ἂν ἄρρην εἴη, 63 ἐκείνων συμβ[ολι]κῶς τὸν θήλεος ἐπεχόντων τόπον τῶν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν μὲν τίκτειν οὐδὲν δυναμένων, τὰς δὲ παρ' ἑτέρων παιδεύσεις δεχομένων δίκην σπόρου. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ παρὰ Θεοῦ τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν γίνεται, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ νοητοῦ ἑαυτῷ τις καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας προαιρέσεως ἢ διδασκάλου χώραν ἐπέχει, ὅς ἐστιν ἄρρην καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν σπορεύς, ἢ μαθητὴς τὸν ἑτέρου σπόρον δεχόμενος καὶ θῆλυ κατὰ τοῦτο τυγχάνων. Καὶ οὕτω μὲν ἄν τις νοήσαι τὰ μείζονα πρὸς τὰ ὑποδεέστερα τῶν λογικῶν δεχόμενος. Εἰ δὲ ὡς πρὸς τὸν Λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ τις ἐκλαβεῖν βούλοιτο, πᾶσα ἡ λογικὴ φύσις θήλεος πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχοι τάξιν. Νυμφίος ἐστὶν οὗτος τῆς λογικῆς οὐσίας· "6<Ὁ> ἔχων"6 γὰρ "6τὴν νύμφην νυμφί[ος ἐσ]τίν."6 Καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἄισματι δὲ τῶν ᾀσμάτων καὶ ἐπιθαλάμι[ος] ὕμνος ᾄδεται νύμφης πρὸς νυμφίον, τῆς ἐκκλησίας ν[ύ]μφης νοουμένης ἢ τῆς τελείας ψυχῆς τῆς ἤδη δυναμέ[νη]ς ἁρμοσθῆναι τῷ Λόγῳ, ὅστις σπορεὺς ὑπάρχει πάσης λογ[ι]κῆς οὐσίας, ταύτης δεχομένης τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ 25 ὠφελίαν ἔν τε ἠθικοῖς καὶ τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας δόγμασιν. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἐξαλλαγὴν γενέσθαι τῆς φύσεως ἀδύνατον, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν νοητῶν ὁ νῦν μαθήματα δεχόμενος καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐν τάξει θήλεος ὑπάρχων εἴη ἄν ποτε ἐκ προκοπῆς ἀνὴρ ὡς ἄλλων γενέσθαι διδάσκαλος, ὡς καὶ ἀνάπαλιν ἐκ ῥᾳθυμίας ἀποβαλεῖν τις δύναται τὸ διδάσκαλος εἶναι ὥστε μάλα μόγις δύνασθαι δέξασθαι παρ' ἄλλου ἃ αὐτὸς πρότερον τοὺς [ἄλλο]υς ἐπαίδευεν. Καὶ εἴη ἂν μαρτύ- ριον τῶν δεχομένων τὰς τοῦ Λόγου σπορὰς τὸ "6ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου σου ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβο<με>ν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν πνεῦμα σωτηρίας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6. ῾Ο̣ φόβος δὲ τὴν [ἁγί]αν ἐργάζεται σύλληψιν περὶ Θεοῦ· εἴρηται· "6Ὁ φόβος Κυρίου ἁγν[ός], διαμένων εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος"6, 64 καί· "6Φόβος Κυρίου πάντα ὑπερέβαλεν"6, ὅντινα ἔχων τις καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ προκόπτων ὡς καὶ ἀνὴρ γενέσθαι γυναικὸς νοητῆς καὶ διὰ τοῦτο

The Fruitfulness of Wisdom and Faith§26

26To be called blessed, as the Psalmist says: 'Blessed are you, and good shall it be to you; your wife as a vine growing straight in the trellises of your house, your sons as young olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord' (Psalm 128:1-4). This, according to history, is not without contradiction, for many who feared God remained childless, or remained so until old age, according to Abraham and the father of John, Zechariah. Therefore, what he says is this: the opinion and the faith which the blessed one received, a wife is living with him, able to give birth to works, words, and divine thoughts. For it is said: 'Wisdom gives understanding to a man' (Proverbs 8:22), and the wise man says concerning her: 'I became a lover of her beauty' (Proverbs 8:35), making the wisdom evident, and 'I led her to a union with myself' (Proverbs 8:26).

The one fearing the Lord therefore has this wisdom living with him, the faith, the virtue, from which he produces nothing female but all male; for he does not produce an action recognized as [weak/effeminate] or a shallow or reproached thought, but all things well-proportioned and strong. For it says, 'Your sons' (Psalm 128:3) 'as young olive shoots' (Psalm 128:3), which brings forth oil, the nourisher of light and the reliever of labors. For the spiritual person always progressing has an action like oil, poured out upon his own light, which also contributes to manliness and to the struggles against the opposing energy.

'Male' (Genesis 1:27) therefore 'and female' (Genesis 1:27), taking according to the aforementioned understanding, is the one teaching things male, and the one receiving from a teacher or from the Word of God, conceiving them and shaping them and bringing them to completion as female, giving birth to the divine virtues, from which he also shall be led to a perfect man. And God blessed them, saying: 'Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and rule over it, and rule the fish of the sea and the birds of the heaven and all the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth' (Genesis 1:28). And God said: 'Behold, I have given you every herb-bearing seed-bearing plant upon all the earth, and every tree which has in itself the fruit of a seed-bearing plant shall be for your food and for all the beasts of the earth and for all the birds of the heaven' (Genesis 1:29-30).

has come forth

Greek · §26

μακαρίζεσθαι, λέγοντος τοῦ ψαλμοῦ· "6Μακάριος εἶ καὶ καλῶς σοι ἔσται, ἡ γυνή σου ὡς ἄμπελος εὐθηνοῦσα ἐν τοῖς κλίτεσι τῆς οἰκίας σου, οἱ υἱοί σου ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν κύκλῳ τῆς τραπέζης σου. Ἰδοὺ οὕτως εὐλογηθήσεται ἄνθρωπος ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον"6, ὅπερ κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν οὐκ ἔχει τὸ ἀναντίρρητον, πολλῶν φοβουμένων τὸν Θεὸν ἀτέκνων διατελεσάντων ἢ μέχρι γήρως κατὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τὸν πατέρα τοῦ Ἰωάννου Ζαχαρίαν διαμεινάντων. Ὃ λέγει τοίνυν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ἡ γνώμη καὶ ἡ πίστις ἣν παρείληφεν ὁ μακαριζόμενος γυνή ἐστιν συνοικοῦσα αὐτῷ, ἔργα καὶ λόγους καὶ νοήματα θεῖ[α γ]εννῆσαι δυναμένη· εἴρηται γάρ· "6Ἡ σοφία τίκτει ἀνδρὶ φρόνη[σι]ν"6, καὶ ὁ σοφός φησιν περὶ αὐτῆς· "6Ἐραστὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς"6, τῆς σοφίας δηλονότι, καὶ "6ἤγαγον αὐτὴν πρὸς συμβ[ίωσι]ν ἐμαυτῷ."6 Ὁ φοβούμενος οὖν τὸν Κύριον ταύτην ἔχει σύνοικον τὴν σοφίαν, τὴν πίστιν, τὴν ἀρετήν, ἀφ' ἧς οὐδὲν θῆλυ γεννᾷ ἀλλὰ πάντα ἄρρενα· οὐ γεννᾷ γὰρ πρᾶξιν καταγιγνωσκομένην ἢ νόημα σαθρὸν ἢ ἐλεγχόμ[ε]νον ἀλλὰ πάντα εὔτονα καὶ ἰσχυρά· "6Οἱ υἱοί σου"6 γάρ φησιν "6ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν"6, ἅπερ φέρει ἔλαιον τρεπτικὸν φωτὸς καὶ λυτήριον πόνων. Ὁ γὰρ πνευματικὸς ἀεὶ προκόπτων πρᾶξιν ἔχει ἐλαίου δίκην, ἐπιχεομένην τῷ ἑαυτοῦ φωτί, ὃ καὶ εἰς ἀνδρείαν καὶ ἀγῶνας τοὺς κατὰ τῆς ἀντικειμένης ἐνεργείας συντελεῖ. "6Ἄρσεν"6 οὖν "6καὶ θῆλυ"6 κατὰ τὴν εἰρημέν̣η̣ν διάνοιαν ἐκλαμβάνοντες, τ̣ὸν μὲν διδάσκοντα ἄρρενα, τὸν δὲ πρὸς διδασκάλου ἢ τοῦ Λόγου [τοῦ Θεοῦ] δεχόμενον τὰς γονὰς καὶ μορφοῦντα αὐτὰς καὶ τελεσιου[ρ]γοῦντα θῆλυ, τὰς θείας ἀρετὰς ἀπογεννῶντα, ἐξ ὧν καὶ εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον ἀχθήσεται. ι, 28–31. Καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς λέγων· Αὐξάνεσθ[ε καὶ] πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατα- 65 κυριεύσατε α[ὐτῆ]ς καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ [τ]ῆς γῆς. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν πάντα χόρ[το]ν σπόριμον σπεῖρον σπέρμα, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπάνω πάσης τ[ῆ]ς γῆς, κ[α]ὶ πᾶν ξύλον ὃ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ καρπὸν σπέρματος σπό[ριμον] ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ παντὶ ἑρπετῷ τῷ [ἕρπον]τι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὃ ἔχει ἐν αὑτῷ ψυχὴν ζωῆς, καὶ πάντα χ[όρτον] χλωρὸν εἰς βρῶσιν. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ [Θεὸς τὰ] πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἰδοὺ καλὰ λίαν. Καὶ ἐγένε[το ἑσπ]έρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα ἕκτη. Τὸ "6καὶ ἐ[ποί]η̣σεν αὐτοὺς"6 π̣[ερὶ ἀν]δρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς εἰρημένον οὐ ξενισ[τ]έον εἰ ἀρσεν̣[ικῷ χα]ρακτῆρι ἐξενήνεκται· ἔδει γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν̣τιμοτέρου τ̣[ὴν ὀν]ομα- σίαν ἀμφοτέρων ποιήσασθαι. Οὐδέποτε γάρ τι[ς περὶ] ἀρρένων καὶ θηλειῶν διαλεγόμενος προέκρινεν ἀπὸ [τῶν] θηλειῶν πο[ι]ήσασθαι τὴν σημασίαν. "6Ε̣υ᾿̣λ̣ο´̣γησεν αὐ[τοὺς]"6 ω῾̣ς συμπληρῶντας τὴν συμβίωσιν καὶ τῆς διαδ[οχῆς ἀ]ρχ̣ομένους. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν λέγων· "6Αὐξά[νεσθ]ε καὶ πληθύνεσθε"6, τὴν τέκνωσιν δηλῶν καὶ τὴν ε[ἰς τοῦ]το 26 ἐπιτηδειότητα ἀκώλυτον̣ εἶναι καὶ ἀπαραπόδισ[τον, κ]αθ' ἣν γονεῖς ἔμελλον ἔσεσθαι τῶν ἐξ α[ὐ]τῶν, οἳ κα[τὰ τ]ὸ θεῖον πρόσταγμα πληροῦν ἔμελλο[ν] τὴν γῆν. Ε[ἴρητ]αι γάρ· "6Καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν"6, ὅπερ φρο[νι]μώτερον [νοεῖν] δ̣εῖ· εἰ δὲ μή γε, μάχεται τῷ ἐνταῦθα λεγομένῳ τ[ὸ ··· παρ]οιμίας φερόμενον· "6Κύριος ἐποίησεν χώρας καὶ ἀοικήτου[ς."6 Καὶ γ]άρ εἰσιν ἀοίκητοι χῶραι καὶ τόποι. 66 Τὸ "6πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν"6 τὴν πρὸς οἴκ̣[η]σ̣ιν εἰλημμένην ἀκου̣στε´̣ον κατὰ τὸ προσυπακούειν τῷ "6πληρ̣ω´̣σατε τὴν γῆν"6 τὴν ε̣ἰς τοῦτο ἔχουσαν ἐπιτηδείως̣. "6Καὶ κα[τ]ακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς"6, ὅπερ τὴν ἐπιτεταμένην ἐξουσίαν [σ]ημ[αί]νει. Οὐ γὰρ μέρους ἐξουσιάζων κατα- κυριεύειν λέγεται. Τ[οῦτο] δ̣ὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ Θεὸς δεδώρηται, ὡς παρεστήσαμεν, ἵνα γεω[ργήσι]μον καὶ τὸ μεταλλεύσιμον ὁ ἐν διαφόροις καὶ πολλαῖς ὕλαις [·····]υς ὑπ' αὐτὸν ὑπάρχῃ. Καὶ γὰρ χαλκὸν καὶ σίδηρον καὶ ἄργ[υρον κα]ὶ χρυσὸν καὶ πολλὰ ἄλλα ἐκ γῆς ἄνθρωπος δέχεται, ἥτις α[ὐ]τῷ [καὶ ε]ι᾿̣ς τροφὴν ἀνεῖται καὶ σκέπην. Καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον τὴν δεσπ[οτείαν] τῆς γῆς ἐδέξατο ἄνθρωπος ὡς καὶ μετατρέπειν αὐτὴν διὰ [τέχνης], ὅταν εἰς ὕελον καὶ ὄστρακον μετάγηται καὶ τὰ ὅμοια. Τ[οῦτ' αὐτ]ὸ γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς ἄρχειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἐπάγε̣[ται δὲ τ]ὸ "6ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετε[ινῶν το]ῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν"6. Καὶ γάρ, ὡς ἤδη καὶ

Divine Providence and Cosmic Harmony§27

27It was said previously regarding certain cages, machines, and hooks for men. These things happen such that even the most fearsome, like the lion and the leopard, whose nature is most wild, are often subjected to the hand of man. And thus the rule over them exists, God having provided this to them.

But it is necessary to know that the manner of rule exists in different ways. One rule is a legal supervision of both the ruler and the ruled; for the law gives authority and rule to the ruler and to the subject, so that in the same way the ruler rules and the subject is subjected, the law directing that it should be done thus. Otherwise, a teacher rules over students, and differently, a master over slaves, and a general over an army. Thus, man rules over irrational animals in different ways, as has been said: in some ways as domestic, in others according to their wild nature; for not all are edible, but some are already for medicinal use and for another contributing need, which the physiologist will find.

Furthermore, to these belongs the word: 'And God said, Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant spreading seed, which is upon the face of all the earth' (Gen 1:29). For God gave authority and knowledge, so that man might know which of those upon the earth is useful for food, and which for medicine, and which for another need. But there is a different nature to these: some are trees, some are vegetables, and some are grasses, and above all, some are edible and some are good for another use.

The need of these should not be ignored according to the command before this—when God said, 'Let the earth sprout herb-bearing seed-bearing plant according to its kind' (Gen 1:11), He adds, 'and a fruitful tree producing fruit' (Gen 1:12), because the trees differ from the herb, calling them 'fruitful trees'—not only does man exercise authority over those resulting from agriculture, but also over their materials which he neither sows nor cultivates, as he has different needs from these; for He does not make these things portable throughout the inhabited places, but it is evident that for the necessity of men, every plant has become a sprout; for all things are made for their use.

The providential character of God over all things is signaled by His declaration: "It shall be for food to you, and to all the beasts of the earth, and to all the fowls of the heaven" (Genesis 9:3). For it is fitting that He who cares for men should also provide for the animals that have become necessary and useful to them, and for other things useful to them; for indeed, not according to the prior logic of irrational things, but indeed through man, He has fashioned His providence. God saw all things again to be good, for they bring forth fruit: "And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). Before this, however, the word had praised each of the things coming into being by saying, "And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:25, 1:31) or "good"; but now it is stated with certainty, "very good," because of the harmony and concord of all things.

Let what is said be clear through an example. One who wishes to assemble a dance selects the best dancers for each part, so that nothing is lacking for their specific task; if, moreover, these are brought together for that which has prepared them, he will find the work resulting from their concord to be exceedingly and superlatively beautiful, which is not possible to result from a single person alone. One might also find this in a military camp: for it is necessary that there be a best spearman, a best archer, a best general, and a best counselor, so that when the time comes, the work of all being joined together may show the magnitude of praise, being referred to a single purpose. The word teaches that all things are "very good" (Genesis 1:31) by showing their interconnectedness, their proportion, their harmony, and their ordered state, and even the unshakable stability of opposites; which, as was said before, is not perceived by the senses, but is judged by the Word. "And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:5); for it was necessary that such a vast and far-reaching cosmos should come into being in this number, the order of which is stated in the seasons, and even more so will be stated in the following sections. This is the explicit statement; since we have already spoken regarding the preceding words and the induction, now this must be done. Men are blessed as they increase and multiply by the manner of gathering together; and it is already foretold how the...

Greek · §27

πρό[τερον εἴ]ρηται, πάγαις καὶ μηχα- ναῖς τισιν καὶ ἀ[γ]κίστροις ἀνθρώποις [····]·τα ταῦτα τυγχάνει, ὡς καὶ τὰ φοβερώτατα οἷον λέ[ων τε] καὶ πόρδαλις, οἷς ἡ φύ[σις] ἀγριωτάτη τιθασ[εύε]σθαι πολλάκ̣[ις ὑ]πὸ χεῖρα ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ οὕτως ἡ κατ' αὐτῶν ἀρχὴ ὑπά[ρ]χει, τοῦ Θεοῦ τα[ύτην αὐ]τοῖς παρασχόντος. ∆̣ε̣ι῀̣ δὲ εἰδέναι ὡς διάφορος ὁ τῆς ἀρχῆς [ὑπάρχ]ει τρόπος. Ἀρχὴ μὲν οὐ῀̣ν ἐστι νόμιμος ἐπιστασία τοῦ τε ἄρ[χοντος] καὶ τοῦ ἀρχομένου· ὁ γὰρ νόμος δίδωσιν ἐξουσίαν καὶ ·[····] α᾿̣ρχῆς τῷ ἄρχοντι καὶ τῷ ὑπηκόῳ, ἵνα κατὰ ταὐτὸν καὶ ἄρχ[ων ἄρ]χῃ καὶ ὁ ὑπήκοος ὑποτάττηται, ὑφηγουμένου τοῦ νόμο[υ ὅτι οὕ]τω ποιητέον. Ἄλλως παρὰ τοῦτον ἄρχει μαθητῶν διδάσ[καλος, κ]αὶ ἑτέρως δούλων δεσπότης καὶ στρατηγὸς στ[ρ]ατοπέδο[υ. Τῶν] 67 ἀλόγων οὖν ζῴων διαφόρως ἄρχει ὁ ἅνθρωπος, ὡς̣ ε̣ἴρηται, τῶν μὲν ἡμέρων οὕτως, τῶν δὲ ἀγρίων πρὸς ὃ πεφ̣υ´̣κασιν· οὐ γὰρ ἅπαντα βρωτά, ἀλλ' ἤδη τινὰ καὶ πρὸς θερα̣π̣είαν ἐστὶν καὶ πρὸς ἑτέραν συντελοῦντα χρείαν, ἣν ὁ φυ̣σ[ι]ολογῶν εὑρήσει. Ἑξῆς τούτοις ἐστὶν τὸ "6Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ [Θεός· Ἰ]δοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν πάντα χόρτον σπόριμον σπεῖ[ρον σ]πέρμα ὅ ἐστιν ἐπάνω πάσης τῆς γῆς"6. ∆έδωκεν γὰρ ὁ [Θεὸς ἐξ]ουσίαν καὶ γνῶσιν, ἵνα γιγνώσκῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ποῖον τῶν ἐ[πάνω] τῆς γῆς σπορίμων εἰς τροφὴν χρήσιμόν ἐστιν καὶ π̣[οῖον εἰ]ς θεραπείαν καὶ ποῖον εἰς ἑτέραν χρείαν. ∆ιαφόρα δ[ὲ φύσις] τούτοις· τὰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν δένδρα, τὰ δὲ λαχανώδ̣[η, τὰ δὲ] πόαι, καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων τὰ μὲν ἐδώδιμα, τὰ δὲ π[ρὸς ἄλλην] χ̣ρῆσιν εὖ ὄντα. Χρείαν οὐκ ἀγνοητέον μὲν το[ύτων κα]τ̣ὰ τὴν πρὸ ταύτης πρόσταξιν –ὅτε εἶπεν ὁ Θεό[ς· "6Βλαστη]σάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατ[ὰ γένος]"6, ἐπάγει· "6καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον π̣[ο]ι̣οῦν καρπόν"6, ὅτι διαφ[έρει πρ]ὸς τὸν χόρτον τὰ δένδρα, "6ξ[ύ]λον κάρπιμον"6 αὐτὰ ὀ[νομάζω]ν–οὐ μόνον δὲ τῶν ἐκ γε]ωργίας περιγινομένων̣ [ὁ ἄνθρωπος] ἐξουσιάζεν, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ ὑλῶν αὐτῶν ἃς οὔτε σπείρει ο[ὔτε γε]ωργεῖ, ὡς καὶ ἐκ τούτων διαφόρους ἔχειν τὰς χρεία[ς· οὐ γ]ὰρ πόρρω τῶν οἰκουμένων τόπων ταύτας φορητὰς̣ π̣[οιεῖ, δ]ῆλον ὡς πρὸς τὸ χρειῶδες τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ τῷ παντὶ [τῶν φύ]τ̣ω̣ν βλάστη γέγονεν· πάντα γὰρ εἰς χρείαν αὐτῶ[ν πεποίη]ται. Σφόδρα δὲ τὸ προνοητικὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλ[ων σημαί]- νεται διὰ τοῦ φάσκειν. "6Ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς βρῶσιν κ[αὶ πᾶσιν] τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς πετεινοῖς το[ῦ οὐρανοῦ."6 Ἔ]πρεπεν γὰρ τὸν κηδόμενον ἀνθρώπων 68 καὶ τῶν εἰς [χρείαν καὶ] ὑπηρεσίαν αὐτῶν γεγενημένων ζῴων καὶ ἄλλων αὐτοῖς χρησίμων προνοεῖσθαι· καὶ γάρ, εἰ μὴ κατὰ προηγούμενον 27 λόγον τῶν ἀλόγων, ἀλλὰ γοῦν διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ αὐτῶν πεποίηται τὴν πρόνοιαν. Ἅπερ πάντα πάλιν εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλά· ἐπιφέρει γάρ· "6Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἰδοὺ κα[λ]ὰ λίαν."6 Καὶ πρὸ τούτου μὲν οὖν ἕκαστον τῶν γινομένων ὁ λόγ[ο]ς ἐπ̣ῄνε̣σ̣εν φάσκων· "6Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλὰ"6 ἢ "6καλόν"6· νῦν δὲ ἐ[πισ]ταμένως εἴρηται· "6καλὰ λίαν"6 διὰ τὴν πάντων ἁρμονίαν [τε καὶ] συ´̣μ̣πνοιαν. Καὶ ἔστω ἐπὶ παραδείγματος τὸ λεγόμενον̣ [φανε]ρόν. Ὁ βουλόμενος συστήσασθαι χορ̣ὸ[ν] τοὺς καθ' ἕκαστ[ον χορε]υτὰς ἀρίστους ἐκλέγετα<ι> ὡς μηδὲν ἐλλείπειν ἕκαστ[ον πρὸ]ς το`̣ οἰκεῖον ἔργον· εἰ δὲ καὶ συνόψοι τούτους εἰς ὃ αὐτοὺς ἡτ̣[οίμα]σ̣εν, εὑρήσει λίαν ὑπέρβολον καλὸν τὸ ἐκ τῆς συμπνοίας α[ὐτῶν γε]νόμενον ἔργον, ὅπερ ἀφ' ἑνὸς μόνου γενέσθαι οὐχ οἷ[όν τε. Τοῦ]το καὶ ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου εὕροι τις ἄν· δεῖ γὰρ ὁπλίτην ἐν αὑ[τῷ ἄρ]ιστον εἶναι, τοξότην, στρατηγόν, σύμβουλον, ἵνα, τοῦ καιροῦ [ἐλθό]ντος, τὸ πάντων ἔργον συναπτόμενον δείξῃ τὸ τοῦ ἐπαί[νου] μέγεθος, εἰς ἕνα σκοπὸν ἀναφερόμενον. Τὴν τῶν πάντω[ν εἰς] προσάλληλα ἀναλο̣γ̣ι´̣[αν] καὶ ἁρμονίαν καὶ τὸ σύμφωνον κα[ὶ τε]ταγμένο̣ν, ἔτι τε τὸ τῶν̣ ἐναντίων ἀστασίαστον ὁ λόγ[ος ἐπι]δεικνὺς τὰ πάντα "6καλὰ λίαν"6 εἶναι διδάσκει, ἅπερ, ὡς κα[ὶ πρότε]ρον εἴρηται, οὐκ αἰσθήσ̣ε̣ι, ἀλλὰ τῷ λόγῳ κρίνεται. "6Καὶ ἐγέν[ε]το ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωΐ, ἡμέρα ἕκτη"6· ἔδει γὰρ τὸν τοσοῦτον [κ]αι`̣ τηλικοῦτον κόσμον ἐν τούτῳ γενέσθαι τῷ ἀριθμῷ, οὗ [ἡ και]ρ̣ονομία καὶ ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν εἴρηται καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον ε᾿̣[ν τοῖ]ς ἑξῆς ῥηθήσεται. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ῥητὸν τοῦτο· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ [ἐν τοῖς] ἔμπροσθεν πρὸς τῇ λέξει καὶ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν εἰρήκαμε[ν, 69 κα]ι`̣ νῦν τοῦτο ποιητέον. Εὐλογοῦνται οἱ ἄνθρωποι αὐξά- νοντες καὶ πληθύνοντες τῷ τρόπῳ τῆς συναγωγῆς· προείρη- ται δ' ἤδη ὡς ὁ

The Rule of Reason over Passions§28

28the structure

He has understanding, whereas the irrational animals have been brought into likeness with them; and 'do not become like the horse and the ass, which have no understanding' (Ps 49:20), and other beautiful things are scattered in the divine Scriptures. Thus one would say that he who, through training, has ascended far above the others, preserves them from the irrationality mentioned. And this is possible even in this way: the various passions and movements of the soul, though many and diverse, are steered by the soul, not being dragged under by the wave of these passions, but holding them and ruling them according to the authority given; for 'let them rule' (Gen 1:28) the fish of the sea and the following.

Or does not the one who is being tossed by the waves of this life from the depths, being moved according to Peter by the word of divine training, and having scattered the others who are loftily puffed up by conceit, being placed in the salvation of humility—upon which the Lord says, 'Learn from me that I am gentle and humble in heart' (Matt 11:29), so that thus, being lifted up from this into divine height, they might grow wings like eagles, having taken wings like doves and having flown to the appropriate rest? But also the one who leads those being driven out into daylight demonstrates the greatness of the rule. And the one who, lifting up his own movements according to the mind and marveling at them in thought, overcomes the struggles, demonstrates the rule given by God, ruling 'and all the earth' (Ps 89:11), which is all the bodily passions, dead 'the members upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire' (Rom 8:13), speaking of those that creep.

It is also said that they rule by the Giver, 'all the herb to be eaten' (Gen 1:29) and the other food, which would reasonably be understood as the teachings of the divine Scripture, the heavenly one becoming food. For 'man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding from the mouth of God' (Matt 4:4). God has also given another kind of food placed upon the earth; for having created the good concepts in the Word from the beginning, He sent them forth, which the one preserving as life always...

Greek · §28

μὲν ἀνὴρ ὁ σπορεὺς καὶ διδάσκαλος τῶν καλῶν ὑπάρχει, θήλεια δὲ ἡ ὑποδεχομένη τὰ παρὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου μαθήματα καὶ μορφοῦσα καὶ ἀποτίκτουσα ψυχή, ὡς ἀμφοτέρων εἶναι τ[ὸ] κατόρθωμα, τοῦ μὲν διδασκάλου ὡς ἐναγαγόντ[ο]ς εἰ[ς αὐ]τήν, τοῦ δὲ μαθητοῦ ὡς εὔεικτον παράσχοντος τὴν κ̣αρ[δίαν π]ρὸς τελεσιουργίαν τῆς ἀγαθῆς πράξεως. Καὶ ἐπεὶ ἡ θεία [παίδε]υσις καὶ εἰσαγωγὴν ἔχει και`̣ προκοπὴν καὶ τέλος, κατὰ τ[αύτην τὸ] "6αὐξάνεσθε"6 νοητέον. Καὶ γ̣α`̣ρ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος τὸ τῆ[ς εἰσαγ]ωγῆς δηλῶν καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταύτῃ ὄντας νηπίους εἰδὼς ε[ἶναί] φησιν· "6Γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα, οὐ βρῶμα"6· ἀλλὰ καὶ τελείοις [οὕτως] λέγει· "6Ἡρμοσάμην ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ παρθένον ἁγνὴν [παραστῆσα]ι τῷ Χριστῷ"6· ἡ γὰρ ἐκκλησία τελεία τυγχάνουσα νύμφ[ης τρό]πῳ τῷ Χριστῷ συναρμόζεται, ἄνδρα αὐτὸν ἔχουσα, περὶ [οὗ λέγε]ται· "6Ἰδοὺ ἀνήρ, ἀνατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ."6 Εὐλογοῦνται οὖν [ὅσοι ἐ]κ μικρῶν τέλειοι καὶ ἐξ ὀλίγων [θ]εωρημάτων πλείονα μ[ανθά]νουσιν, αὔξησιν ἀρετῆς καὶ πλῆθος νοητῶν ἀγαθῶν δ[εχόμ]ενοι, οἱ Θεῷ προσα- νέχοντες. Οὕτω καὶ τὴν γῆν πληροῦσ[ιν, τὴ]ν ἀγαθὴν ἑαυτῶν καρπίαν· καὶ γὰρ Σωτὴρ ἐν εὐαγγελί[ῳ περ]ὶ τοῦ σπόρου τὴν καλὴν γῆν τὴν καρδίαν εἶναι τὴν ἀγαθὴ[ν ἐδ]ίδαξεν, ἥτις δεξαμένη τὸν θεῖον σπόρον πολλὰ γεννήματα ἤγαγεν κατὰ τὸ "6Σπείρετε ἑαυτοῖς εἰς δικαιοσύνην, τρυγή[σα]τε εἰς καρπὸν ζωῆς"6. ∆υνατὸν δὲ καὶ περὶ διδασκάλου αὔξο[ντο]ς καὶ πληθύνοντος τοὺς μαθητευομένους νοῆσαι ὡς ἐνε[ργοῦ]ντος τὴν εἰρημένην εὐλογίαν φάσκουσαν· "6Αὐξάνεσθε κ[αὶ π]ληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε [α]ὐτῆς."6 Κατακυριεύει 70 γὰρ ὁ δρεπόμενος ἃ ἔσπειρεν, ὡς λεχθῆναι περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων· "6Ἐρχόμενοι δὲ ἥξουσιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει αἱροῦντες τὰ δράγματα αὐτῶν"6, εἶτε ε᾿̣ν θεωρήμασιν καὶ πράξεσιν θείαις, εἶτε ἐν μαθηταῖς· [οὐ] μικρὸν γὰρ τῷ διδασκάλῳ καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τούτων ὄφελος. Τ[ὸ δ]ὲ "6[Κ]αὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν [πετει]νῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν"6 οὕτω ν[οηθείη]. ∆ιάφορα ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἤθη τυγχάνει, ὡς τοὺς μ[ὲν ἀκο]ύειν "6Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν"6, περὶ ἄλλων λέγεσ̣θ̣[αι· 28 "6Ἵππο]ι θηλυμανεῖς ἐγενήθητε"6, καὶ πάλιν· "6Ἄνθρωπος ἐν [τιμῇ ὢ]ν οὐ συνῆκεν, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι[ν τοῖς ἀ]νοήτοις καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς"6, καί· "6Μὴ γίνεσθε [ὡς ἵππο]ς καὶ ἡμίονος, οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν σύνεσις"6, καὶ ἕτερα φ[ιλόκ]αλος ἐν ταῖς θείαις γραφαῖς ἐπεσπαρμένα εὑρή[σει.] Λέγοι οὖν ἂν ὅτι ὁ τοὺς ἄλλους ὑπεραναβεβηκὼ[ς διὰ] παιδεύσεως τοὺς προε[ι]ρημένους τῆς ἀλογίας [α᾿̣]π̣ο[σῴζε]ι, ὃ δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ οὕτως· τὰ διάφορα πάθη καὶ κι̣ν̣[ήμ]ατα τῆς ψυχῆς, πολλὰ ὄντα καὶ ποικίλα, ὑπὸ τῆ[ς] ·[···] ψυχῆς ἡνιοχεῖται, μὴ ὑποσυρομένης αὐτῆς τ[ῷ κ]ύματι τῆς τούτων φορᾶς, ἀλλὰ κρατούσης αὐτῶν καὶ α᾿̣[ρ]χ̣ούσης κατὰ τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἐξουσίαν· "6Καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν"6 γὰ[ρ "6τ]ῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἢ οὐκ ἄρχει ἰχ̣θ̣υ´̣ω̣[ν ὁ] τοὺς ἐννηχομένους τῷ κλύδωνι τοῦδε τοῦ βίου [ἐκ τοῦ] βάθους ἀνιμώμενος κατὰ τὸν Πέτρον τῷ λόγῳ τη῀̣[ς θ]είας παιδεύσεως καὶ τοὺς ἄλλως ὑψιπετεῖς δι' οἴημα ·[·]ον κατεσπακ̣ὼς ἐντιθείς τε ταπεινοφροσύνης σ[ω]τ̣ή[ρ]ιον, 71 ἐφ' ἧς ὁ Κύριος παρακα̣λῶν φησιν· "6Μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ"6, ἵν' οὕτως ἀπο`̣ τ̣αύτης εἰς θεῖον ὕψος ἐπαιρόμενοι πτεροφυήσωσιν ὡς ἀετοί, λαβόντες πτέρυγας ὡσεὶ περιστερᾶς καὶ πετασθέντες εἰς̣ τὴν κατάλληλον κατάπαυσιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ τοὺς ἐξηγρ̣ι̣ω[μ]ε´̣νους εἰς ἡμερότητα ἄγων δείκνυσιν τῆς ἀρχῆς [τὸ μέ]γεθος. Καὶ ὁ τὰ ἴδια δὲ κινήμα̣τα ἐπαιρόμενα κ̣[ατὰ το]ῦ νοῦ καὶ κατεξανιστάμενα λογισμῷ ἀγω[νιῶν κα]τακρατεῖν αὐτῶν τὴν παρὰ Θεοῦ δοθεῖσαν ἀρχὴ[ν ἀποδ]είκνυται, ἄρχων "6καὶ πα´̣σης τῆς γῆς"6, ὅ ἐστιν τω῀̣[ν σωμ]ατικῶν ἁπάντων παθῶν, νεκρῶν "6τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐ[πὶ τῆς γ]ῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν"6, ἁ´̣[περ ἑρπ]ετὰ λέγων οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοις. Ὧν καὶ αὐτῶν ἄρχε[ιν λέγετ]α̣ι̣ ὑπὸ τοῦ δεδωκότος "6πάντα χόρτον σπόριμον̣"6 [καὶ τρ]ο̣φὴν τὴν ἄλλην, ἅπερ εὐλόγως ἂν νοηθείη τα`̣ [τῆς θ]είας γραφῆς παιδεύματα, τροφὸς τυγχάνοντα οὐ[ράνιο]ς· "6Οὐ"6 γὰρ "6ἐπ' ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσετα̣ι̣ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ π[αντὶ] ῥήματι ἐκπο- ρευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ."6 ∆έδ[ωκε] δ[ὲ] ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ἕτερον εἶδος τροφῆς ἐπάνω τῆς γῆ[ς] ε᾿̣πικ[εί]μενον· τὰς γὰρ ἀγαθὰς ἐννοίας ἐν τῷ λόγῳ [ἐ]ν̣ α᾿̣ρ̣χῇ δημιουργήσας ἐνέπηξεν, ἃς ὁ διασῴζων ὡς ζω[τ]ι̣[κ]ὸν ἀεὶ τοῦτο

Unit 8§29

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

29the nourishment

having a relation to all things in the end

Greek · §29

φυλάττειν τὸ τρόφιον ἕξει τὴν ἐν ἀρ̣ε̣[τ]ῇ δι̣α̣μονήν, μὴ καταχωννὺς τὰ παρὰ Θεοῦ δοθέντα̣ ἡμῖν [ἐ]ξ ἀρχῆς ἐν τῇ ἐννοίᾳ ἀγαθά. ∆έδωκε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς "6[πᾶν] ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπόν"6, ἐξ οὗ πάλιν τροφή τις δ[έ]δ̣[οτ]α̣ι̣· οἱ γὰρ τελειότεροι καὶ διακονοῦντες τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων σ[ωτηρ]ίαν οὗτοι ἂν εἶεν ξύλα κατὰ τὸ ε̣ἰρημένον· "6Καὶ πάντ[α τὰ ξ]ύλα τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐπικροτήσει τοῖς κλάδοις"6, ἅπερ 72 ε[ἰσ]ι`̣ν̣ [ο]ἱ εὐφραινόμενοι ἐπὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν μετα- νοούντων, παραπλήσιοι ὄντες τῷ μακαριζομένῳ ἐν πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ, ὅντινα ὁμοιοῖ ὁ λόγος τῷ ξύλῳ τῷ πεφυτευμένῳ παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὑδάτων, ὅπερ ἀεὶ ποτίζεται τῇ τῶν θείων μελέτῃ καὶ καιρίως τὸν καρπὸν ἀποδίδωσιν. Τὸ δὲ καί· "6Ὑμῖν δέδοται εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ [π]ᾶσιν τοῖς θηρίοις καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ παντὶ [ἑρπ]ετῷ ἕρποντι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6 οὕτω νοηθείη· ὁ κηδόμενος τῆς̣ [σωτηρ]ίας τῶν πάντων Κύριος διάφορα φάρμα<κα> πρὸς τὰ ποικίλα τραύ[ματα] δέδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁστισοῦν ἀναπολόγητος ᾖ μὴ ἔχων ···[···] οὐκ ἔσχεν τὰς τοῦ λόγου ἀφορμάς· οὕτω καὶ οἱ θεραπ[ευταὶ] αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἕκαστον ἁρμο[ζό]μενοί φασιν καθὰ ὁ Παῦλος [·····] "6Τοῖς πᾶσιν γέγονα τὰ πάντα, ἵνα πάντως τινὰς σώσω"6, [····]·ως καὶ προσφόρως ἑκάστῳ ἁρμο- ζόμενος, καὶ οὐ βάλλω[ν τὰ ἅγι]α τοῖς κυσὶν οὐδὲ τοὺς μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χ[οίρων, ἀλλ]ὰ καὶ τούτους μετάγων [ἀ]πὸ τῶν ἰδιωμάτων ὧν ἔσχον [ἐξ ἰ]δ̣ίας προθέσεως διὰ λόγου καταλλήλου αὐτοῖς εἰς παίδευσιν. [Μὴ ἑ]ρπετὸν ὑπάρχῃ τις καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰς βάθος κακῶν ἀφίκηται, ο[ὐ]κ ἐστέρηται τῆς ἐπιγνώσε̣ως τοῦ καλοῦ, ὅνπερ τρόφιον [ἐπ]άνω τῆς γῆς ὁ Θεὸς δέδωκε[ν] τῇ ψυχῇ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐνεὶς τὰς κ[αλ]ὰς ἐννοίας, ἃς ὁ διακαθαίρων ἕξει ζωτικὴν τροφήν. "6Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς 29 πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν καὶ ἰδοὺ πάντα καλὰ λίαν"6· ὡ[ς] γὰρ ἐν τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ἐλέγετο ὅτι ἡ ἑκάστου πρὸς ἕκαστον ἁρμονία τὸ ἐπιτεταμένον καλὸν δείκνυσιν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν κατὰ ἀρετὴν τόδε πρὸς τόδε ἔχον τὴν ἀναλογίαν, πρ[ὸ]ς [τ]ὸ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τέλος ἔχον τὴν ἀναφοράν, "6λίαν"6 ἐπαινετὸν τ[ὸ] λ̣[εγ]όμενον δείκνυσιν. "6Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένε[τ]ο π̣ρωΐ, ἡμέρα ἕκτη."6 Τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἕκτου ἀριθμοῦ καὶ νῦν ἐφαρμ[ο]- στ̣[έ]ον πολλῷ πλέον, ὅσῳ τὰ ἐπαινούμενα νῦν κρείττονα 73 τῶν αἰ[σ]θ[η]τ̣ῶ[ν] ἐστιν. Ἐπ' ἐκείνων γὰρ ἐλέγετο ὡς ἥρμοζεν ἐν τῷ ἀριθμῷ τούτῳ, τελείῳ τυγχάνοντι καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μερῶν ἀπαρτιζομένῳ, τόνδε τὸν κόσμον γενέσθαι, ἔχοντά τι παθητὸν καὶ δρ̣α̣στήριον· πολλὰ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ποι̣εῖ καὶ πάσχει, εἰ καὶ οὐχ ἅμα, [ὅπε]ρ συμβολικῶς καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀριθμῷ οἱ τὰ περὶ τούτων φυσιο- λογο[ῦ]ν[τες] λέγουσιν. Εἴη δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς λόγον οἰκείως [τέλειο]ς ἀριθμὸς παραλημφθείς· τέλειον γὰρ ὄντως ἡ ἀρετὴ κα[ὶ μὴ ἐλλ]ειπὲς καὶ πληρέστατον, ἅτε Θεοῦ τελειότερον δώρημα. Ἄχρ̣[ι πάντω]ν τῶν ἐν ταῖς σαφηνισθείσαις ἓξ ἡμέραις γεγενημένω[ν φθά]σαντες περιγράψομεν τὸν λόγον, εὐχό- μενοι τὸν τῶν [ὅλων] Θεὸν καὶ δημιουργὸν τοῦ τελείου καὶ πληρεστάτου κόσμου δοῦναι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς τελείαν πρὸς τὰ λεγ[όμενα νό]ησιν. ιι, 1–3. [Καὶ σ]υνετελέσθη ὁ οὐρανὸς [καὶ ἡ γ]ῆ καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν καὶ συνετέλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν [τῇ ἡ]μέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ἃ ἐποίησεν, καὶ κατέπαυ[σεν ἐ]ν̣ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, ὧν ἐ[ποίησ]εν. Καὶ εὐλόγησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἡμέ[ρα]ν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ κατέπαυσεν [ἀ]π̣ὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Θεὸς ποιῆσαι. Τὸ "6συνετελέσθη"6 ὁτὲ μὲ[ν] τὴν φθορὰν σημαίνει, ὁτὲ δὲ τὴν ὕπαρξιν. Ὅταν γοῦν τὸν [Σ]ωτῆρα ἐρωτῶσιν οἱ μαθηταί· "6Πότε ταῦτα ἔσται, καὶ τί τὸ σημε[ῖο]ν τῆς σῆς παρουσίας καὶ συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος;"6, περὶ τοῦ τέλο[υ]ς ἐστὶ τὸ τῆς συντελείας σημαινόμενον, ὅπερ ἀντὶ φθορᾶς [τ]οῦ κόσμου εἴωθε λαμβάνεσθαι· ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὸ

Laws, Fate, and the Seventh Day§30

30It has been completed, rather than being filled; it lies there. For it is not their existence that has been completed, but their making, just as we say also concerning the poetic arts, which bring the end through their activities, saying that the ship or the house has been completed.

Thus the heaven has been completed, having received its proper harmony, which received its fullness from both the firmament and the luminaries and also from the stars, and the earth from both the animals and the various plants. And when each of them had become, the 'has been completed' did not fit; but now, having received the concord and the harmony of all things, the 'The heaven and the earth and all their world were completed' follows.

And it is said that the world of the earth and its fullness according to what is said: 'The earth is the Lord's and its fullness' (Ps 24:1). Because even the variety of the heaven is called a world, Moses himself says concerning them in his words: 'Not looking up to the heaven and seeing the sun and the moon and the stars, all the world of the heaven, being led astray, you shall worship them' (Deut 4:19), who through the position which was set by God, demonstrate beauty, some by moving in these circulations, others to be with these, some making their motion in a straight line, and others in an arc.

An army of heaven, therefore, because of the arrangement, has been said according to what has been said: 'Whose hands made all the host of heaven' (Job 38:7). Concerning which, those who have not understood well have erred, introducing fate and setting all things by necessity, defining the stars to be determining the poetic lives of men and the things happening to others, who, for a sign, if not for the doing, have been set according to also... concerning those having happened on the fourth day, we demonstrated the 'Let them be for signs and for seasons and for months and for years' (Gen 1:14), setting forth as if human life has not been compelled by the stars. For those escaping life through war and universal accidents are not under one formation. And moreover, the argument of fate is more strongly overturned.

From the laws: all Jews, having reached the eighth day from birth, are circumcised, and they receive the trial of iron even from the sprouts infants, and no one could say how all at once they cast the foreskin off within a single hour, almost everywhere on earth and every day as Jews are born; but they say that even certain Ethiopians have the membranes of the genitals removed at the same time as birth, and even these do not all have their birth at once; and altogether the various customs and laws according to the nations negate fate. If this does not fit according to fate, much more do the things of choice. For if fate leads the happening by necessity, and choice has power over the possible things, fate will not be about these things. For virtue and vice have benefited or harmed the one possessing them, and each of those doing actions is blamed because of the bad habits, or praised for acting rightly; but the things happening by necessity omitted... no one accepts or blames the one doing something by necessity. Furthermore, if the laws are from fate, and those not obeying these are not from fate, it seems to negate and overturn fate itself. Significant, then, are the stars, not as makers, but signifying the weather or pestilential occurrences or something else that seems to the one foreseeing, and these things are about this.

Let us return to the thing set forth from the beginning: 'And God finished on the sixth day his works, which he made' (Gen 2:2), which indicates as if the completion is about the only ones which he has made. For there are works which have not yet happened, which were foretold as being to come, such as the resurrection of the dead and entirely those things which are to be according to providence, which happen in their own sequence from God. So the addition 'of the works which he made' is appropriately placed. It is also necessary to contemplate this, that God did not 'rest' (Gen 2:2) in the seventh without having acted, for already all things were completed; but he 'blessed' (Gen 2:3) only the seventh day and sanctified it, and the saying leads to this: 'That in it he rested from all his works, which God began to make' (Gen 2:2). 'Which he began'—for it is not the beginning of all the works...

Greek · §30

συνετελέσθ[η] ἀν[τὶ] του῀̣ ἐπληρώσθη κεῖται. Οὐ γὰρ ἡ ὕπαρξις αὐτῶν συντετέλε̣[σ]τα[ι], ἀλλ' ἡ ποίησις, καθὸ λέγομεν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ποιητικῶν τεχνῶν με[τ]ὰ τὰς ἐνεργείας τὸ τέλος ἐπιφερουσῶν ὅτι φέρε συνετ[ε]λέσ̣θ̣η ἡ ναῦς ἢ οἶκος. Συντετέλεσται οὖν ὁ μὲν οὐρανὸς τὴ[ν] ο̣ἰκεί[α]ν 74 ἁρμονίαν δεξάμενος, ἥτις ἔκ τε τοῦ στερεώματος καὶ τ̣ω῀̣ν φωστήρων καὶ προσέτι τῶν ἀστέρων ἐδέξατο τὴν διαπ̣λήρωσιν, ἡ δὲ γῆ ἔκ τε τῶν ζῴων καὶ τῶν διαφόρων φυ̣τ̣ῶν. Καὶ ὅτε μὲν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἐγίνετο, τὸ "3συντετέ- λ[εσ]ται"3 οὐχ ἥρμοζεν, νῦν δέ, α῾̣πάντων τὴν σύμπνοιαν κ[αὶ τ]ὴ[ν] ἁρμονίαν δεξαμένω̣ν, ἀκολούθως ἐπενήνεκται [τὸ "6Συνε]τελέσθη ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ η῾̣ γ̣η῀̣ καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν"6. Κα̣[ὶ λέγε]τ̣αι μὲν ὁ κόσμος τῆς γ̣η῀̣ς̣ καὶ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς κατὰ τ[ὸ λεγόμε]νον· "6Τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ γῆ καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς."6 Ὅτι καὶ ἡ τ[οῦ οὐρανο]ῦ ποικι[λ]ία κόσμος προσηγόρευται, αὐτὸς Μωσῆς αὐ[ταῖς λέ]ξεσίν φησιν· "6Μὴ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἰ[δὼν τὸν] ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας, πάντα τ̣[ὸν κόσ]μον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, πλανηθεὶς προσκυνήσῃς αὐτοῖς"6, οἵ[τινες διὰ] τ̣ῆς θέσεως, ἧς παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐτέθησαν, τὸ κάλλος ἐπι̣[δείκνυ]νται <ἐν τῷ>, τῶνδε μὲν τάσδε τὰς περικυκλήσεις κινουμ̣[ένω]ν̣, τούσδε δὲ μετὰ τῶνδε εἶναι, καὶ τούσδε μὲν ε᾿̣π̣' [εὐ]θ̣είας ποιεῖσθαι τὴν κίνησιν, τούσδε δὲ ἐγκαρσ̣ι´̣ω̣ς̣. Στρατιὰ γοῦν οὐρανοῦ διὰ τ[ὸ] τεταγμένον εἴρηται κατ̣α`̣ τ̣ο`̣ εἰρημένον· "6Οὗ αἱ χεῖρες ἔκτισαν πᾶσαν τὴν στρατι̣α`̣ν̣ του῀̣ οὐρανοῦ."6 Περὶ ἣν οἱ μὴ καλῶς ἐπιστήσαντες ἀπεσφα´̣λη[σ]αν εἱμαρμένην εἰσηγησάμενοι καὶ πάντα κατ' ἀν̣α´̣γκ[η]ν τιθέμενοι, ποιητι- κοὺς τοῦ βίου τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τῶν ἄλ̣λ̣ω̣[ν] συμβαινόντων τοὺς ἀστε´̣ρας εἶναι ὁρίζοντες, οἳ ε̣ἰς [τὸ] σημεῖον, εἰ οὐκ εἰς τὸ ποιεῖν, τέθεινται καθὰ καὶ οτ··· [πε]ρὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ 30 ἡμέρα̣ γεγενημένων διηγ̣ο̣υ´̣[μ]ε̣νοι τὸ "6Ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεῖα <καὶ εἰς> καιροὺς καὶ μῆνας καὶ ἐνι[αυ]τοὺς"6 ἀπεδείξαμεν, παρατιθέμενοι ὡς οὐ κατηνα´̣γ̣[κα]σται ἐκ 75 τῶν ἀστέρων ὁ βίος ὁ ἀνθρώπινος. [Οὐ] γὰρ οἱ ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ τοῖς καθολικοῖς συμπτώμασι̣ν̣ ἀπαλλαττόμενοι τοῦ βίου ὑπὸ ἕνα σχηματισμό[ν ε]ἰσιν. Ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον [ὁ] τῆς εἱμαρμένης ἀ[νατ]ρ̣έπεται λόγος ἐκ τῶν νό[μ]ων· πάντες Ἰο[υδαῖοι] ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἔχοντες [ἀ]πὸ γενέσεως π[εριτέμ]νονται καὶ πεῖραν σιδήρου ἐξ ἔτι σπαργάνων δ[έχοντ]αι, καὶ οὐ δήπου τις εἰπεῖν ἔχοι ὡς ἅμα πάντες [ὑπὸ μ]ίαν ὥραν ἀποτίκτονται, πανταχόσε σχεδὸν ἐπ̣[ὶ γῆς] κ̣αὶ καθ' ἡμέραν Ἰουδαίων γεννωμένων· ἀλλὰ [καί τινα]ς̣ Αἰθιόπων τὰς κόγχας τῶν γονάτων ἅμα γενέσ̣θ[αι περιαιρεῖ]σθαί φασιν, καὶ οὐδ' οὗτοι ἅμα τὴν γένεσιν ἔχ[ουσιν]· καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς τὰ διάφορα ἔθη καὶ νόμιμα κα[τὰ τὰ ἔθ]νη ἀναιρεῖ τὴν εἱμαρμένην. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο καθ' εἱμ[αρμέ]ν̣ην οὐ χωρεῖ, πολλῷ πλέον οὐδὲ τὰ προαιρετικά. Εἰ γα`̣ρ̣ ἡ μὲν εἱμαρμένη ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐπάγει τὰ συμβαίνον̣τ̣α, ἡ δὲ προαίρεσις περὶ τὰ ἐνδεχόμενα ἔχει, οὐκ ἔ[σ]ται περὶ ταῦτα εἱμαρμένη. Ἀρετὴ γὰρ καὶ κακία τὸν ἔχον[τα] η῾̣ μ̣ε`̣ν̣ ὠφέλησεν, ἡ δὲ ἔβλαψεν, ἕκαστος δὲ τῶν δρώντ[ω]ν ᾒ κ̣ο̣λάζεται ἐκ τῶν ἐπιτηδευ- μάτων τῶν φαύλων, ἢ [ἐπ]αιν̣εῖται κατορθῶν· τὰ δὲ ἐξ ἀνάγκης συμβαίνοντα [···]····αι· τὸν ἐξ ἀνάγκης τι ἐνεργοῦντα οὐδεὶς οὔτ' ἀπ[οδέ]χ̣ε̣τ̣αι, οὔτε μέμφεται. Ἄλλως τε, εἰ οἱ νόμοι ἐξ εἱμαρμ̣[έ]ν̣η̣ς̣ καὶ οἱ τούτοις μὴ πειθόμενοι ἐξ εἱμαρμένης, ἑαυ[τήν], ω῾̣ς̣ ἔοικεν, ἀναιρεῖ καὶ ἀνατρέπει. Σημαντικοὶ οὖν εἰσ̣ι̣[ν ο]ι῾̣ α᾿̣σ̣τ̣έρες, οὐ ποιητικοί, σημαί- 76 νοντες ἢ ἐφ[η]μερίας ἢ λοιμικὰ καταστήματα ἢ ἕτερόν τι ὃ τῷ προνοουμένῳ δοκεῖ, καὶ ταῦτα μὲν περὶ τούτου· ἐπανέλθωμεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς προκείμενον· "6Κα̣ι`̣ συνετέλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ἃ ἐποίησεν"6, ὅπερ ἐμφαίνει ὡς περὶ μόνων ὧν πεποίηκ[εν] εἶναι τὴν συμπλήρωσ[ιν. Εἰ]σὶν γὰρ ἔργα καὶ ἃ μηδέπω γ[έγο]ν[ε]ν, προαναπεφώνη[το δ]ὲ ὡς ἐσόμενα, οἷον ἡ ἀνά[στασις] τῶν <νεκρῶν> καὶ ὅλως τ[ὰ κατὰ] πρόνοιαν ἔσεσθαι μέλλοντ[α, ἅπερ. τ]ῇ οἰκείᾳ. ἀκολουθίᾳ [πα]ρὰ Θεοῦ γίνεται. Καλῶς οὖν ἡ [προσθή]κη "6ὧν ἐποίησεν ἔργων"6 πρόσκειται. ∆εῖ δὲ κα[ὶ τοῦτο] θ̣εωρεῖν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐνεργήσας τι τῇ ἑβδόμῃ "6κατέπαυσεν"6 ὁ [Θεός, –ἤ]δη γὰρ ἅπαντα συντετέλεστο, –"6εὐλόγησεν"6 δὲ μ[όνην "6τ]ὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμη[ν] καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν"6, καὶ τ[ούτοις δὲ] ε᾿̣πάγει τὸ λόγιον φάσκ[ον]· "6Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ [πάντ]ων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, ὧ[ν ἤρ]ξατο ὁ Θεὸς ποιῆσαι."6 "6Ὧν ἤρξατο"6· [οὐ γὰ]ρ πάντων τῶν ἔργων ἀρχ[ὴ]

Perception and Deception§31

31During one of the six days, angels and archangels and all the spiritual essence did not receive a beginning. And because this is so, God himself says in Job: 'When the stars were created, all my angels shouted to me with a great voice' (Job 38:7). Therefore, having been created. Because of this, the saying is confirmed, saying: 'If the spirit of the ruler rises upon you, do not leave your place' (Luke 10:19). For this pretext becomes the cause of many evils, with the devil having cast down something even greater, which now works by introducing a slander against God, as if because of the command not to take hold of only the known good and evil, but also to prevent them from becoming gods, as if he saw them about to become gods.

Indeed, from this deception, the whole heresy called Ophite was established, which exalts the serpent greatly concerning him, as they think, saying: in whom, they say, God intended man to be in wickedness, calling wickedness to be the not-knowing of good and evil; thus they say this craftily: He, they say, made man in good things; and they mythologize other things about the serpent, slandering him whom they have raised up as a god to themselves. However, the serpent performs his deception well, persuading them only to have an opening not for good, just as the apostle said: 'I wish you to be wise unto good, blameless unto evil' (Romans 16:19).

But the serpent, wanting them to be wise unto evil, wished to open those eyes running toward this, who, while virtue is at work, are not opened but happen to be closed, remaining blind, which Jesus says he works in the Gospel, saying: 'I came that those who do not see might see, and those who see might become blind' (John 9:39). But Jesus, according to history, has made no one blind, but has granted sight to the blind. It is therefore evident that he makes those who see badly blind, and makes those who are useful to see again with the useful eyes, who, being the inner man, saving the ability to see clearly not sensually but intellectually, before knowing and imposing reason upon the sense, they hide...

Regarding what was said in the 82nd section: 'The wise will hide perception.' And so that what is said may become clear through an example: perception is the tactile sense of hot and cold, hard and soft, rough and smooth; and to the irrational and the child, these things are manifest through touch. But when the physician comes to feel the pulse, he hides the perception, providing a reason through the movement of the throbbing vessels. In the same way, the laypeople perceive images by sense alone, but the scribes contemplate them with the logic of the eye.

Thus the man, before the transgression, was looking at things with a mind that was scientifically applying understanding to things, as is necessary. As long as he had these eyes directing themselves toward appropriate spectacles, he did not know evil; instead of testing it, he did not accept it. But when these eyes grew dim, and those leaning toward evil were opened, then he also became cast out.

The devil, having this will, seeks to make the woman wise, introducing envy to conceive of God, and promising great things, so that by these things he might entice, saying: 'You shall become like gods, knowing good and evil' (Gen 3:5), while also subverting her intention with more views, lest the idolatry through images be joined, all while flattering the angels who are with him.

3, 6–7. And she saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasing to the eyes and beautiful for understanding, and having taken of its fruit she ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and they ate, and the eyes of the two were opened and they knew that they were naked. Holding fast to the deception of the serpent, she made for him a trial that was the opposite of it; for that which lies out for food is not tested by sight, except that once the deception has begun, it works a certain pleasure and enjoyment, even if it thus rouses the deceived to action.

After having perceived according to the deceptions of the serpent spoken of, she took it through consent and ate, performing the act of a finished work, and she receives the man as a partner, doing and distributing the things toward deception; for such is perception, of which we thought the woman possessed a reason.

Greek · §31

γέγονεν ἔν τινι τῶν ἓξ ἡμερῶ[ν· ἄ]γγελοι καὶ ἀρχάγγελοι [καὶ] πᾶσα ἡ νοερὰ οὐσία οὔτε ἀρχὴν ἐδέξατο. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο οὕτ[ως] ἔχει, ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ λέγει· "6Ὅτε ἐγενήθησαν ἄστρα, ᾔ[νε]σάν με φωνῇ μεγάλῃ πάντες οἱ ἄγ[γ]ελοί μου. 81 "6λοιπὸν γεγενημένης. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τὸ λόγιον προασφαλί- ζεται λέγον· "6Ἐὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ σέ, τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς."6 Αὕτη γὰρ ἡ πρόφασις αἰτία πολλῶν γίνεται κακῶν, ἔτι μείζονα ὑποβαλ[ό]ντος τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅπερ καὶ νῦ[ν] ἐνεργεῖ φθονερὸν εἰσάγω[ν] τὸν Θεόν, ὡς οὐχ ἕνεκα τοῦ μὴ βλ[αφθ]ῆναι ἐντειλαμένου τοῦ [Θεοῦ] μὴ μεταλαμβάνειν μόνου το[ῦ] γνωστοῦ καλοῦ καὶ πονηρ[οῦ], ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι αὐτ[οὺ]ς θεούς, ὡς δὴ διορατικῶν α[ὐτ]ῶν μελλόντων γενέσθαι. Ἀμέλει γοῦν ἐκ ταύτης τῆς παρεκ[δο]χῆς ὅλη αἵρεσις συνέστη ἡ καλουμέν̣η ὀφιανή, ἥτις σεμνύνε[ι τὸ]ν ὄφιν μεγάλα περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὡς οἴεται, λέγουσα· ἐν̣ οἷς φησ[ιν, αὐ]τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλοντος ὡς ἐν κακοπραγίᾳ εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κακοπ[ραγία]ν λέγοντες εἶναι τὸ μὴ γιγνώσκει[ν] καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν, οὕτω[ς δὲ το]ῦτο λέγουσι πανούργως· αὐτός, φησίν, ἐποίησεν ἐν καλοῖς [τὸν ἄ]νθρωπον· καὶ ἄλλα δὲ μυθολογοῦσι περὶ τοῦ ὄφεως κακολογοῦντ[ε]ς ὃν ἀνέπλασαν ἑαυτοῖς θεόν. Ὁμῶς ὄφις δὲ καλῶς π̣οιεῖται τὴ[ν] ἀπάτην, τὴν ἐντρέχειαν μόνον ἀναπείθων αὐτοὺς ἔχειν οὐκ ἐπ' ἀγαθῷ, οὐδ' ὥσπερ ὁ ἀπόστολος 31 ἔλεγεν· "6Βούλομαι ὑμᾶς σοφοὺς μὲν εἶναι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἀκεραί[ο]υς εἰς τὸ κακόν."6 Ὁ δὲ ὄφις θέλων αὐτοὺς εἶναι σοφοὺς εἰς τὸ κακὸν τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦτο ὀφθαλμοὺς ῥέποντας ἀνοῖξαι ἠβούλετο, οἵτινες τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐνεργουμένης οὐ διανοίγονται ἀλλὰ κεκλεισ[μ]ένοι τυγχάνουσιν τύφλωσιν ὠφέλιμον ὑπομέ- νοντες, ἥντινα [ἐ]νεργεῖν φησιν <Ἰησοῦς> ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ λέγων. "6Ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἵνα οἱ μὴ βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καὶ οἱ βλέποντες τυφλοὶ γένωνται."6 Ἰησοῦς δὲ καθ' ἱσ[τ]ορίαν οὐδένα τυφλὸν πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ τυφλοῖς τὸ βλέπειν δεδώρηται. ∆ῆλον οὖν ὅτι ἐκείνους τυφλοῖ τοὺς κακῶς ὁρῶντας καὶ ἀν̣αβλέπειν ποιεῖ τοῖς ὠφελίμοις ὀφθαλμοῖς, οἵτινες τοῦ ἔσω ἀνθρώπου τυγχάνοντες, σῴζοντες τὸ καθαρῶς ὁρᾶν οὐκ αἰσθητῶς ἀλλὰ νοητῶς, πρὶν γν[ό]ντες καὶ τῇ αἰσθήσει λόγον ἐπιβάλλοντες, κρύπτουσιν αὐτὴν κατὰ τὸ 82 εἰρημένον· "6Σοφοὶ κρύψουσιν αἴσθη[σιν]."6 Καὶ ἵνα διὰ παραδείγματος σαφὲς γένηται τὸ λεγό[με]νον, καὶ αἴσθησις ἡ ἁφὴ ἀντιλημπτική [ἐ]στιν θερμῶν καὶ ψυχρῶν, [σκ]ληρῶν καὶ ἁπαλῶν, τραχέων καὶ λείων, καὶ ἀλόγῳ δὲ καὶ παιδίῳ ταῦτ̣α̣ κατὰ τὴν ἁφὴν δῆλα τυγχάνει· ὅταν δὲ φέρε ὁ ἰατρὸς ἅπτηται ἰπω´̣[σ]εως, κρύπτει τὴν αἴσθησιν, λόγον τῇ κινήσει τῶν σφυγμῶν ἐπιβα´̣λ̣[λων]. Οὕτω καὶ τὰς εἰκόνας οἱ μὲν ἰδιῶται αἰσθήσει μόνῃ, οἱ δὲ γρα[φεῖς] τῷ ὀφθαλμοὺς λόγῳ θεωροῦσιν. Εἶχεν οὖν ὁ ἄνθρωπο[ς π]ρὸ παραβάσεως πρ[οσ]βλ[έ]ποντας τὰ πράγματα, τοῦτ' ἔστι [νόη]σιν ἐπιστημονικῶς ἐπιβά[λλου]σαν τοῖς πράγμασιν, ὡς δεῖ. Ἕως οὖ[ν τ]ούτους εἶχε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς π[ροσ]βάλλοντας τοῖς καταλλήλοις θεά[μα]σιν, οὐκ ἐγίγνωσκεν τὸ κακόν, ἀντὶ τοῦ πειρᾶν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐδέχετο· [ὅτ]ε δὲ οὗτοι ἔβυσαν, ἠνοίχθησαν δὲ οἱ ἐπὶ τὸ κακὸν ῥέπ[ο]ν̣[τ]ες, τότε [κ]αὶ [ἐ]ξώβλητοι γεγένηνται. Τούτω̣ν ὁ διάβολος ἔχων τὸ θέλημα σ[οφίζε]ται τὴν γυναῖκα, φθόνον εἰσά[γε]ι Θεοῦ ἐννοεῖν αὐτήν, ἐπαγγέλ[λεται] δὲ μεγάλα, ἵνα καὶ διὰ τούτω̣[ν] δελεάσῃ λέγ̣ω̣ν· "6Ἔσεσθε ὡς θεο[ὺς γιγν]ώσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πον[η]ρόν"6, πρὸς τῷ καὶ ἔννοιαν ὑποβάλλ[ει]ν πλειόνων θεω῀̣ν, μήπω σ̣υσπ̣[·]·σ̣ ουσης τῆς δι' ἀγαλμάτων ε[ἰδ]ωλολατρείας, αἰνιττόμενος̣ τοὺς συνα- ποστάντας ἀγγέλους αὐτῷ. ιιι, 6–7. Καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι καλὸν τὸ ξύλο[ν] εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ ὅτι ἀρεστόν ἐστιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ ὡραῖόν ἐστ[ιν] τοῦ κατανοῆσαι, καὶ λαβοῦσα τοῦ καρποῦ αὐτοῦ ἔφαγεν, καὶ ἔδωκ[εν] καὶ τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς μετ' αὐτῆς, καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ διηνοίχθησαν οἱ ὀφ[θαλ]μοὶ τῶν δύο καὶ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν. Τὰ τη῀̣ς ἀπάτης τοῦ [ὄφε]ως κρατήσαντα ἀντίστροφον αὐτῇ τὴν δοκιμασίαν ἐνεποίε̣[ι]· τὸ γὰρ εἰς βρῶσιν ἐκκείμενον οὐκ ὄψει δοκιμάζεται, πλὴν ἀρξαμ[ένη] ἡ ἀπάτη πρότερον τέρψιν τινὰ καὶ ἡδονὴν ἐργάζεται, εἰθ' ο̣ὕτ̣ω̣ ἐπὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐγείρει τὸν ἀπατώμενον. Μετὰ <τὸ> ᾐσθῆναι ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑπο`̣ ὄφεως εἰρημένοις ἔλαβεν διὰ συγκατ̣αθέσεως καὶ ἔφαγεν τελ̣ε̣σ̣ι̣ουργοῦσα τὴν πρᾶξιν, κοινωνὸν δὲ καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα δέχεται, πο̣ι̣ο̣υ῀̣σα καὶ διακο- νοῦσα τὰ πρὸς ἀπάτην· τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ αἴσθησις, ἥντ̣ι̣ν̣α̣ 83 λόγον ἐπέχειν τῆς γυναικὸς ἐφάσκομεν.

The Deception of the Senses§32

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

32Once the eyes were opened, they knew that they were naked (Gen 2:25). For this happens to those being deceived. For after the activity of their wickedness is made manifest, they come to realize that they were stripped of virtue; this is granted again by the pitiless God, so that he who works wickedness might not remain entirely insensate and stay completely outside of virtue.

This is the deception of the devil: that he makes the things seen according to the true logic by the eye of the pure soul to be seen conversely, supposing the pleasant instead of the good, and showing the good as something harmful. Thus also eyes are opened which previously were usefully closed. For there is in the soul an eye which imposes itself upon the intelligible through itself, but there is that which follows from instruction by another, which the serpent having perverted, filled the things of deception, so that both sensation and the mind would undergo harm; for when sensation suffers perversion, then also the opinions of the mind become diverted.

It has been said concerning those who have used things contrary: 'Woe to those saying the evil is good and the good is evil' (1 Tim 5:22). Thus, pleasures were raised up as the cause of errors; for even those in wisdom say they prefer the pleasant. For many prefer the easy way over virtue, not accepting the strenuous, and they are stripped because of it. Therefore, the pleasant things must be despised, since they become a hypothesis for sins.

There are some who say that 'Adam ate with it' (Gen 3:6) indicates his consent, so that he might not be utterly destroyed, agreeing with what was said by Paul: 'Adam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, came into transgression' (1 Tim 2:14), as if he were able to turn away from the wickedness through her also. And they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles. And they heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden, the cowardly ones, and both Adam and his wife fled from the face of God amidst the tree of the paradise (Gen 3:8). Remaining with the things previously viewed concerning the paradise and Adam and the woman, we connect these things. Since they knew that they were naked...

the shameful thing

Greek · §32

∆ιανοιχθ̣έντων δ[ὲ] τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν "6ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν"6. Φιλεῖ γὰρ τοῦτο τ[οῖς] ἀπατωμένοις συμβαίνειν. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τὸ αἰσχρ̣ο`̣ν τῆς κακίας αὐτῶν φανεροῦτα[ι] ἐπιγιγνωσκόντων ὅτι τῆς ἀρε̣[τῆς] ἐγυμνώθησαν, τοῦτο πάλι[ν] τοῦ οἰκτίρμονος Θεοῦ χαριζο[μέ]νου, ἵνα μὴ ὁ τὴν κακίαν ἐν[ε]ργῶν, παντελῶς ἀναίσθητος δ[ια]τελῶν, ἔξω παντελῶς τῆς [ἀ]ρετῆς διαμείνῃ. Ἡ οὖν ἀπάτη τ[οῦ] διαβόλου αὕτη ἐστίν, ἵνα τὰ [θ]εωρούμενα κατὰ τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄμματος τοῦ καθα[ρο]ῦ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτὸς ἀντιστρόφως ὁρᾶσθαι ποιήσῃ, τὸ μὲν ἡδὺ [ἀν]τὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ὑποτιθείς, τὸ δ' ἀγαθὸν ἐπίπονον παραδει[κ]νύ[ων]. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ διανοίγονται ὀφθαλμοὶ οἱ πάλαι χρησίμως κ[εκλεισ]μέ[ν]οι. Ἔστιν γὰρ ἐν ψυχῇ ὀφθαλμὸς μὲν ὁ δι' ἑαυτοῦ τοῖ[ς νοη]τοῖς ἐπιβάλλων, οὖς δὲ τὸ τῇ παρ' ἑτέρου παιδεύσει ἑπόμ[ενον], ἅπερ διαστρέψας ὁ ὄφις τὰ τῆς ἀπάτης ἐπλήρωσεν, ὡς κα[ὶ 32 τ]ὴν αἴσθησιν καὶ τὸν νοῦν βλάβην ὑπομεῖναι· ὅτε γὰρ ἡ αἴσ[θ]ησις πάσχει διαστροφήν, τότε καὶ αἱ αι῾̣ρέσεις τοῦ νοῦ διεστραμμέναι γίνονται. Εἴρηται περὶ τῶν ἀλλο- κότως κεχρημένων τοῖς πράγμασιν· "6Οὐαὶ οἱ λέγοντες τὸ πονηρὸν καλὸν καὶ τὸ καλὸν πονηρόν."6 Ὑπήχθησαν οὖν ἡδονῇ τῇ αἰτίᾳ τῶν σφαλμάτων· κατὰ γὰρ ταύτη̣ν φασὶν καὶ οἱ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τὰ ἡδέα προτ[ι]- μῶντες· *** Τὴν γὰρ ῥᾳστώνην οἱ πο̣λλοὶ προτιμῶσιν τῆς ἀρετῆς, τὴν συντονίαν οὐκ ἀποδεχόμε[ν]οι, οἵτινες καὶ ἀπ' αὐτῆς γυμνοῦνται. Καταφρονητέον οὖν τῶν ἡδέων, ἅπερ ὑπόθεσις ἁμαρτημάτων γίνεται. Εἴσι τινὲς οἵ φασιν ὅτι τὸ "6μετ' αὐτῆς ἔφαγεν Ἀδὰμ"6 δηλοῖ συγκατά[β]ασιν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ τέλεον ἀπόληται, συγχρώμενοι τῷ εἰρημέ[ν]ῳ ὑπὸ Παύλου· "6Ἀδὰμ 84 οὐκ ἠπατήθη, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἐ]ξαπατηθεῖσα ἐν παραβάσει γέγονεν"6, ὡς ἱκανὸς καὶ αὐτὴν δι' [ἑαυ]τοῦ τῆς κακίας ἀποστῆσαι. ιιι, 7–8. [Καὶ] ἔρραψαν φύλλα συκῆς καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς περιζώματα. Καὶ [ἤκουσ]αν τὴν φωνὴν Κυρίου περιπατοῦντ[ο]ς ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τὸ δειλινόν, [καὶ ἐκ]ρύβησαν ὅ τε Ἀδὰμ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐμμέ[σῳ τοῦ] ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου. Μενόντων τῶν προτεθεωρημένων περί τε τοῦ παραδείσου καὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῆς γυναικός, καὶ ταῦτα συνάπτομεν. Ἐπεὶ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοί εἰσιν, ῥάψαντες φύλλα συ[κ]ῆς ἐποίησαν αὑτοῖς περιζώματα, ἀκούσαντές τε τὴν φωνὴν [Κυρίου] περιπατοῦντος ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τὸ δειλινὸν ἐκρύβησαν ἀπὸ π[ρο]σώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐμμέσῳ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου. Ἄξιον γὰρ μὴ [κακο]λογοῦντας τοῦς τῇ ἱστορίᾳ ἑπομένους εἰπεῖν πῶς συνέρρα[ψαν ἑ]αυτοῖς ἐκ φύλλων συκῆ[ς] περιζώματα, πῶς τε ἀκούουσι τῆς φ[ωνῆ]ς Κυρίου περιπατοῦντος οἱ ἀνάξια αὐτῆς πεποιηκότες, διὰ τί τε [τ]ὸ δειλινὸν περιπατεῖ, ἔτι τε πῶς ἐκρύβησαν, ὅ τι ἐννοήσαντε[ς] περὶ Θεοῦ, ὑπὸ τὸ δένδρον. Οἶμαι γὰρ εἰς ἅπαντα ταῦτα μὴ ἔχειν α[ὐ]τοὺς σῶσαι τὸν εἱρμὸν τῆς̣ ἱστορίας ἄξιον τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος διηγήσε̣ω̣ς. Ἡμεῖς τοίνυν, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν πεποιήκαμεν, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων τὸ θεῖον τῶν γεγραμμένων κατανοήσωμεν. ∆ύο σχέσεις γυμνότητος εἰσάγει ὁ λόγος, μίαν μὲν τὴν πρὸ τῆς παραβάσεως, ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν μετ' αὐτήν, καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀνεπαίσχυντον, τὴν δὲ γνωσθεῖσαν καὶ αἰσχύνην ποιήσασαν. Ἐλέγετο μέντοι καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρότερον εἰρημένοις ὡς οὐδὲν ἄξιον αἰσχύνης ποι[ο]ῦντες ἀλλὰ πάσης ἀπηλ- λαγμένοι κηλῖδος εὐπαρρησίαστον εἶχο[ν] πρὸς Θεὸν τὴν διάνοιαν, τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἀρετή· ἐπειδὴ δὲ παραβ̣ᾶται τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολῆς γεγένηνται, τὸ τηνικαῦτα ἀπαμφια- σθέντες τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸ κάλλος, γυμνοὶ αὐτῆς διαμείναντε̣ς ᾐσχύνοντο λογιζόμενοι ἐξ οἵων ἀγαθῶν εἰς οἷα μετέπεσαν 85 κακ[ά], ἔτι αἰσθήσεως ἐκκειμένης, ἑξῆς καὶ κρύπτονται τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν περιπατοῦντα. [Ὁ] γὰρ ἁμαρτάνων καὶ μήπω ἐκκεκομμένος τὴν αἴσθησιν, ἀλλ[' ἔ]τι περιέπων τὸ ἁμάρτημα, διελέγχεται μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐνεσπαρμένων παρὰ Θεοῦ κοινῶν ἐννοιῶν, ἀεὶ δι' αὐτῶν τοῦ ποιητοῦ ἐμβοῶντος, τῷ δὲ ἔτι ἐνέχεσθαι [τῇ] ἀπάτ[ῃ τοῦ] σφάλματος ἀπολογίας πολλάκις τῶν ἁμαρτημ[ά]τω[ν] συρράπτει. Ἢ τοῦτο ἐν πολλοῖς οὐκ ἔστι φανε[ρ]όν; Πολλάκις γὰρ ὁ τῷ θυμῷ κεχρημ̣ε´̣νο̣ς ἀπολογίας πορίζεται πιθανάς, ἐξ ὧν τοῦ θυμοῦ δῆθεν παραστήσει τὸ εὔλογον, προσχρώμ[ε]νος ἐσθ' ὅτε καὶ τῇ ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν δείξει πρὸς τὸ συνιστᾶ[ν] τὸ ἑαυτοῦ βούλημα, ὅπερ συρράπτοντός ἐστιν ἐκ φύλλων κ[αὶ μὴ] ἀπὸ καρποῦ σκέπην τινὰ οὐ τελείαν· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ περίζ[ωμ]α παρίστησιν. Ἔστιν γὰρ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν θυμουμένων ὡς καὶ ἅγιος θυμῷ

Metaphorical Names and the Presence of God§33

33Having used the fifty-fold, he rose up and spoke of other things, but they did not understand that they had achieved such a thing not by using sword or any defense, but having called upon God himself and having received him leaning toward help through prayer; to whom, if they had made the prayer from anger, God would not have attended through his own exhortation, as it is fitting for the one praying to lift up holy hands without anger or disputations.

Therefore, from the virtue of the saints, the pretenders, desiring to hide their own faults by scattering leaves, think they are making a defense, just as it happened even regarding the first humans. To those using such a purpose, the Lord symbolically rebukes through the fig tree in the Gospels, having come to it and finding nothing but leaves, saying, 'No more shall fruit come from you for an age' (Matthew 21:19). And we do not say that the rebuke was spoken to the fig tree itself; for the sensible fig tree did not bear fruit not because of its own cause. But it is also said regarding Israel having fallen into impiety: 'There is no cluster in the vines, nor figs in the fig trees.' They therefore scattered fig leaves as a plausible defense, as has been said, providing it, but the word is not following the form of the history.

For since paradise was introduced and nakedness and, after this persuasion, knowledge, the word, using the cover from leaves, says it is being made for the subject of the narration according to the custom of the God-breathed Scripture. For often the soul is called at times a vine, at times a sheep, at times a bride in the divine instruction, and the word proceeds accordingly to each one after the other. For when he posits her as a vine, saying, 'A vine flourishing in Israel' (Song of Solomon 6:4), then he calls the teacher-farmers and the attackers foxes; for 'catch for us foxes, even the little foxes that spoil the vineyards' (Song of Solomon 2:15); but when she is a sheep...

He names the teachers shepherds and those who turn away wolves and lions; it has been said: 'Israel, a wandering sheep, lions drove him away' (cf. Ps 54:1/55:23). But also when he calls her a bride, he names the one leading into the truth a bridegroom and the one harming an adulterer; and all these things, even if they are different names, regarding the soul, are considered appropriate and fitting to the Divine Spirit in thought, not because this is a sheep or a bride or a vine.

Consequently, therefore, a memory of paradise having occurred, through the form of the word, he mentioned leaves, which those having fallen from virtue scattered according to the aforementioned understanding. And these themselves also heard the Lord God walking in the paradise. And before the transgression, he was not walking around them outside of them, but was with them.

For of the one guarding virtue and being in it, this is appropriate, as to say: 'I have set the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be shaken' (Ps 16:8), and 'But I am with you always' (Mt 28:20). And of the man being with God, and God being with him: it has been said: 'Draw near to God and he will draw near to you' (Jas 4:8); but when some turn away from him, they hear: 'They went astray from me, and I will go to them in angry wrath' (Hos 8:1).

And just as the one leaving the sun and closing his eyes does not do anything to make the sun less—for it remains as it was, shining—so the one leaving God works harm upon himself; and he leaves him not as if in a place, but turning away from virtue, as those about whom it has been said: 'God will cast them off, because they did not listen to him, and they shall be wanderers among the nations' (Dt 32:19); for because they themselves did not listen, he cast them off. Since therefore even these through the transgression turned away from him, and he himself has become distant from them, yet because he walks through his own goodness, providing perception...

Greek · §33

χρησάμενος τοὺς πεντηκον- τάρχους ἀνεῖλεν καὶ [π]ερὶ ἄλλων, ἀλλὰ οὐκ ἐννοού<ν>των ὡς οὔτε ξίφει οὔτε τινὶ ἀμυντηρίῳ χρησάμενοι τοιαῦτ' ἔδρα- σαν, ἀλλ' αὐτὸν ἐπικαλεσάμενοι τὸν Θεὸν καὶ δι' εὐχῆς αὐτὸν ἐσχηκότες ἐπινεύοντα πρὸς ἐπικουρίαν, οἷς οὐκ ἄν, εἴπερ ἀπὸ θυμοῦ τὴν εὐχὴν ἐποιο[ῦ]ντο, προσέσχεν ὁ 33 Θεὸς διὰ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ παραινῶν ὡς προσήκει τὸν εὐχόμενον ἐπαίρειν ὁσίους χεῖρας χωρὶς ὀργῆς καὶ διαλογισμῶν. Ἀπὸ τῆς οὖν ἀρετῆς τῶν ἁγίων οἱ προφασισταὶ καὶ τὰ ἑαυτῶν κρύπτειν σφάλματα βουλόμενοι φύλλα συρράπ- τοντες, ἀπολογίαν δῆθεν τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς οἴονται ποιεῖσθαι, ἅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πρωτοπλάστων συμβέβηκεν. Τοῖς τοιαύτῃ προθέσει κεχρημένοις διὰ τῆς συκῆς συμβολικῶς ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ἐπιτιμᾷ, ἐλθὼν πρὸς αὐτὴν 86 καὶ μ̣ὴ εὑρὼν εἰ μὴ φύλλα μόνον, "6Οὐ μηκέτι ἐκ σοῦ καρπὸς γένηται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα"6 εἰπών. Καὶ οὐδήπου αὐτῇ τῇ συκῇ τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν εἰρῆσθαί φαμεν· οὐ γὰρ παρὰ τὴν ἑαυτῆς αἰτίαν ἡ αἰσθητὴ συκῆ καρπὸν οὐκ ἔφερεν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ εἰς ἀ[σ]έβειαν ἐκπεσόντος εἴρηται· "6Οὐκ ἔστιν σταφυλὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀμ[πέ]λοις οὐδὲ σῦκα ἐν ταῖς συκαῖς."6 Ἔρραψαν οὖν φύλλα συκῆς πιθα[ν]ὴν ἀπολογίαν, ὡς προείρηται, πορίζοντες, ἀκόλουθος δὲ τῷ σχήματι τῆς ἱστορίας ὁ λόγος. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ παράδεισος εἰσήχθη καὶ γυμνότης καὶ μετὰ π̣α̣ρακοὴν ταύτης ἐπίγνωσις, τὴν σκέπην ἀπὸ φύλλων λέγει ποιεῖσθαι τῷ οἰκείῳ τῆς̣ διηγήσεως ὁ λόγος προσχρώμενος κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ γραφῇ. Πολλάκις γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ π̣ο̣τὲ μὲν ἄμπελος, ποτὲ δὲ πρόβατον, ποτὲ νύμφη ἐν τῇ θείᾳ παιδεύσει λέγεται, καὶ πρὸς ἕκαστον ἀκολούθως ἐπάγει τᾲ ἑξῆς ὁ λόγος. Ὅτε γὰρ ἄμπελον αὐτὴν ὑποτίθεται λέγων· "6Ἄμ̣πελος εὐκληματοῦσα Ἰσραήλ"6, τότε τοὺς διδασκάλους γεωργοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας ἀλώπεκας καλεῖ· "6Πιάσατε"6 γὰρ "6ἡμῖν ἀλώπεκας μικροὺς ἀφανίζοντας ἀμπελῶνας"6· ὅτε δὲ πρόβατον αὐτὴν ὀνομάζει, τοὺς διδασκάλους ποιμένας καὶ τοὺς διαστρέφοντας λύκουσκαὶ λέοντας· εἴρηται· "6Πρόβατον πλανώμενον Ἰσραήλ, λέοντες ἐξῶσαν αὐτόν"6· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅταν νύμφην αὐτὴν καλῇ, τὸν ἐπάγοντα εἰς τὴν ἀλήθειαν νυμφίον καὶ τὸν βλάπτοντα μοιχὸν ὀνομάζει· πάντα δὲ ταῦτα, εἰ καὶ διάφορα ὀνόματά ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀναφερόμενα οἰκείαν καὶ πρέπουσαν τῷ θείῳ Πνεύματι δέχεται τὴν νόησιν, οὐχ ὅτι αὕτη ἢ πρόβατον ἢ νύμφη ἢ ἄμπελός ἐστιν. Ἀκολούθως οὖν, παραδείσου μνήμης γεγενημένης, διὰ τὸ σχῆμα τῆς λέξεως φύλλων ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἃ συνέρραψαν οἱ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐκπεσόντες 87 κατὰ τὴν εἰρημένην διάνοιαν. Οὗτοι δ' αὐτοὶ καὶ ἤκουσαν Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ περι- πατοῦντος ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τὸ δειλινόν. Καὶ πρὸ μὲν τῆς παραβάσεως οὐ περιεπάτει αὐτοῖς ἔξω αὐτῶν τυγχάνων, ἀλλ' ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν. Τοῦ γὰρ τηροῦντος τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ ἐν αυ᾿̣τῇ ὄντος οἰκεῖον τοῦτο, ὡς λέγειν· "6Προορώμην τὸν Κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντός, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ"6, καὶ "6Ἐγὼ δὲ διὰ παντὸς μετὰ σοῦ."6 Τοῦ δὲ ἀνθρώπου μετὰ Θεοῦ ὄντος, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐστιν· εἴρηται γάρ· "6Ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἐγγίσ̣ει ὑμῖν"6· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἀποστῶσιν αὐτοῦ τινες, ἀκούουσιν· "6Ἐπορεύθη[σ]αν πρὸς ἐμὲ πλάγιοι κἀγὼ πορεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐν θυμῷ πλαγίῳ."6 Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ τὸν ἥλιον καταλείπων καὶ βύων̣ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς οὐ ποιεῖ τινα τῷ ἡλίῳ ἐλάττωσιν– μένει γὰρ ὅπερ [ἦ]ν φωτίζων–, οὕτως ὁ καταλείπων Θεὸν ἑαυτοῦ βλάβην ἐργάζεται, καταλείπει δὲ αὐτὸν οὐχ ὡς ἐν τόπῳ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀποστρεφόμενος ὡς ἐκεῖνοι περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Ἀπώσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεός, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσήκουσαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται πλανῆται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν"6· ἐπεὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν, αὐτὸς αὐτοὺς ἀπώσατο. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ οὗτοι διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως ἀπέστησαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτῶν μεμάκρυνται μέν, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀγαθότητα περιπατεῖ, αἴσθησιν παρέχων,

The Face of God and the Choice of Adam§34

34As it has been said, according to common understandings, so that they might turn back. This fearful thing happens appropriately to those who have approached. For the light of truth flourishes in one existing in virtue, never occurring in a dark state—for indeed it is possible to hear the holy one saying: 'Out of the night my spirit breaks toward you, O God' (Ps 44:23), and 'God, my God, toward you I break toward the dawn' (Ps 57:8), and 'In the morning I will come to you and will see you' (Ps 43:4)—but then the hour becomes fearful and dark during the passing evening, when someone establishes himself outside the light, becoming in ignorance and wickedness, as the God says toward the sinning soul: 'I have made your mother like the night' (cf. Lam 1:2). And some become children of the night and of darkness, so that to the one sinning, the darkness from ignorance, impiety, and wickedness is present.

And it is shown how the light has not continuously abandoned them, in the saying that they heard the fearful voice of God walking. For those having the sense of perception receive a somewhat dim state, not having entered into complete ignorance, but being awakened by the philanthropy of God while the hidden thing still strikes them, so that from this they might come into knowledge, as to learn that 'weeping may tarry for the evening, but joy comes in the morning' (Ps 30:5), so that thus it might also be said concerning such people as if one were perceiving some evils: 'Late her voice cried out' (cf. Lam 2:19); for from this it will happen that the repentant come to the light, as to say: 'This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it' (Ps 118:24).

Having heard, therefore, the voice of the Lord walking, as it has been said, they fled from the face of the Lord God. But the face of the Lord God is not said to be anthropomorphic; for it has been said: 'God is Spirit' (John 4:24); and spirit is not composed of parts, such that one of them is called a face or something else of human members. For it is not proper to perceive the voices concerning God in a human way, because of our useful having said it thus. And it is nothing wonderful if these things are said concerning God, when we are thus taught even concerning sensible things. For in Proverbs it has been written: 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue' (Prov 18:21), and we do not understand it as the tongue having a hand, but as an energy, which was named its hand; and since it has been said: '...

Some of his own words justify him, and by his own words he is condemned; therefore he says that it is as if in the hand of the tongue—that is, by the word—'death and life' is, when one uses it well or badly. Thus they hid from the face of God, turning away from the pure thought concerning God, not as Cain did; for he went out from the face of God having prepared himself unseen, according to that which is said: 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God' (Ps 14:1). And all those entering into this thoughtlessness are of that concept.

But those hiding are not uncomprehending of the divine knowledge, yet because of the filthiness of sin they do not have boldness; some are being despised, but the holy, having a free conscience before the Lord, are as to say: 'The Lord lives, before whom he stood' (1 Sam 25:6); but concerning those sinning it is said: 'They turned their heads toward me and not their faces' (Ps 51:5), which it was necessary that they might happen to stand as priests and as angels, always seeing the face of the Father in the heavens. And it is possible by another sense to take 'And they hid from the face of God,' that our face is the Only-begotten Son, being his icon and character of the substance. For he having seen this one saw the Father. It is necessary therefore for them all to do things upon keeping the image according to the icon, according to which he was created. Wishing to transgress the commandment, they turned away from being enlightened from the icon of God. And rightly they flee under the tree, they who are in the midst of the paradise, which was the known good and evil. For he hiding the face of God, as to not work virtue but to be shaped, hides under hypocrisy. For he knowing good and evil, as to not distinguish and to choose the good, thus having a mind of indecision, hides God, shaping virtue.

And the Lord God called Adam and said to him: 'Where are you?' And he said to him: 'I heard the sound of you walking in the paradise and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid.' And he said to him: 'Who told you that you are naked, if not from the tree, of which I commanded you alone not to eat, from it you ate?' And Adam said: The...

Greek · §34

ὡς εἴρηται, κατὰ τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας, ὁπῶς ἐπιστράφωσιν. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται̣ τὸ δειλινὸν καταλλήλως τοῖς παραβεβηκόσιν. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἀρετῇ ὄντι ἀκμάζει τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας φῶς, οὐδέπο̣τε γινομένῳ ἐν σκοτεινῇ καταστάσει–ἀκοῦσαι γοῦν ἔστιν λέγοντος τοῦ ἁγίου· "6Ἐκ νυκτὸς ὀρθρίζει τὸ πνεῦμά μου πρὸς σ̣ὲ ὁ Θεός"6, καὶ "6Ὁ Θεός, ὁ Θεός μου πρὸς σὲ ὀρθρίζω"6, καὶ "6Τὸ πρωῒ παρ[α̣]σ̣τήσομαί 88 σοι καὶ ἐπόψομαι"6–τότε δὲ γίνεται δειλινὴ καὶ σκοτώδης ἡ ὥρα ἐπὶ τὴν ἑσπέραν 34 ἐλαύνουσα, ὅτε τις ἑαυτὸν ἔξω τοῦ φωτὸς καθίστησιν ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ καὶ κακίᾳ γινόμενος, ὡς λέγειν τὸν Θεὸν πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτάνουσαν ψυχήν· "6Νυκτὶ ὡμοίωσα τὴν μητέρα σου"6. Καὶ υἱοὶ δὲ νυκτὸς γίνονταί τινες καὶ σκότους, ὥστε τῷ ἁμαρτάνοντι τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγνοίας καὶ ἀσεβείας καὶ κακίας σκότος πάρεστιν. ∆είκνυται δὲ ὡς οὐκ ἀθρόως ἀφῆκεν αὐτοὺς τὸ φῶς ἐν τῷ λέγεσθαι ὡς τὸ δειλινὸν ἤκουσαν τοῦ Θεοῦ περιπα- τοῦντος. Οἱ γὰρ αὔραν αἰσθήσεως ἔχοντες ἀμαυράν τινα δέχονται κατάστασιν, οὔπω εἰς παντελῆ ἐλθόντες ἄγνοιαν, ἀλλὰ φιλανθρωπ[ί]ᾳ Θεοῦ διεγειρόμενοι ἔτι ἐμβοῶντος αὐτῶν τῷ κρυπτῷ, ἵν' ἐκ [τ]ούτου ἐν μεταγνώσει γένωνται, ὡς μαθε<ῖ>ν ὅτι "6Ψάντος ἑσπέρας αὐλισθήσεται κλαυ- θμός, καὶ εἰς τὸ πρωῒ ἀγαλλίωσις"6, ἵν' οὕτω καὶ περὶ τῶν τοιούτων λεχθῇ ὡς περί τινος αἰσθομένης οἷ κα[κ]ῶν ἐστιν· "6Ὀψὲ φωνὴ αὐτῆς ὠλόλυξεν"6· ἐκ τούτου γὰρ συμβήσεται μετανοοῦντας ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ φῶς, ὡς εἰπεῖν· "6Αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα ἣν ἐποίησεν ὁ Κύριος, ἀγαλλιασώμεθα καὶ εὐφρανθῶμεν ἐν αὐτῇ."6 Ἀκούσαντες οὖν τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου περιπατοῦντος, ὡς εἴρηται, ἐκρύβησαν ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πρόσωπον δὲ Κυρίου Θεοῦ οὐχ ὡς ἀνθρωπομόρφου λέγεται· εἴρηται γάρ· "6Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός"6· πνεῦμα δὲ οὐκ ἐκ μερῶν συνέστηκεν, ὡς τὸ μέν τι αὐτῶν πρόσωπον καλεῖσθαι ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων μελῶν. Οὐ γὰρ προσήκει τὰς περὶ Θεοῦ φωνὰς ἀνθρωπίνως ἐκλαμβάνειν, διὰ τὸ ἡμῶν χρήσιμον οὕτως εἰρημένας. Καὶ οὐδὲν θαυμα- στόν, εἰ περὶ Θεοῦ ταῦτα λέγεται, ὁπότε καὶ περὶ αἰσθητῶν οὕτως διδασκόμεθα. Ἐν γοῦν Παροιμίαις γέγραπται· "6Θάνατος καὶ ζωὴ ἐν χειρὶ γλώσσης"6, καὶ οὐχ οὕτως νοοῦμεν ὡς τῆς γλώττης χεῖρα ἐχούσης, ἀλλ' ἐνέργειαν, ἥτις χεὶρ αὐτῆς ὠνομάσθη· καὶ ἐπεὶ εἴρηται· "6Ἐκ τῶν 89 ἑαυτοῦ τις λόγων δικαιοῦται καὶ ἐκ τῶν λόγων καταδικάζεται"6, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὡς ἐν χειρὶ γλώσσης, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τῷ λόγῳ, "6θάνατος καὶ ζωή"6 ἐστιν, ὅτε τις εὖ ἢ κακῶς αὐτῷ χρῆται. Ἐκρύβησαν οὖν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποστάντες τῆς περὶ Θεοῦ καθαρᾶς νοήσεως, οὐχ ὡς Κάιν· ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀφάνταστον ἑαυτὸν αὐτοῦ παρασκευάσας κατὰ ἐκεῖνον, περὶ οὗ εἴρηται. "6Εἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· οὐκ ἔστιν Θεός"6· πάντες δ' οἱ ἀπρονοησίαν εἰσάγοντες ταύτης εἰσὶ τῆς ἐννοίας. Οἱ δ' ἀποκρυπτόμενοι οὐκ ἀνεννόητοι μὲν τῆς θείας εἰσὶν ἐπιστασίας, διὰ δὲ τὴν ῥυπαρίαν τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν παρρησίαν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, καταφρονηταί τινες ὄντες, ἀλλ' οἱ ἅγιοι ἐλευθέραν ἔχο[ν]τες τὴν συνείδησιν ἐνώπιόν εἰσι τοῦ Κυρίου, ὡς λέγειν· "6Ζῇ Κύριος, ᾧ παρέστην ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ"6· περὶ δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων λέγεται· "6Ἔστρεψαν ἐπ' ἐμὲ νῶτα καὶ οὐ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν"6, ὅπερ ἔδει ἵν' ὡς ἱερεῖς παραστᾶται τυγχάνωσιν καὶ ὡς ἄγγελοι διὰ παντὸς βλέποντες τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς Πατρός. ∆ύναται δὲ καθ' ἕτερον λόγον ἐκλαμβάνεσθαι τὸ "6Καὶ ἐκρύβησαν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ"6, πρόσωπον νοούντων ἡμῶν εἶναι τὸν μονογενὴ Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ὄντα αὐτοῦ εἰκόνα καὶ χαρακτῆρα τῆς ὑποστάσεως. Ὁ γὰρ τοῦτον ἰδὼν ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα. ∆έον οὖν αὐτοὺς πάντα πράττειν ἐπὶ τῷ τηρεῖν τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα, καθ' ὃ καὶ γεγένηνται. Παραβᾶται θελήσαντες εἶναι τῆς ἐντολῆς ἀπέστησαν τοῦ φωτίζεσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ εἰκόνος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰκότως δὲ φεύγουσιν ὑπὸ τὸ ξύλον τὸ ἐμμέσῳ τῷ παραδείσῳ, ὃ ἦν τὸ γνωστὸν καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ. Ὁ γὰρ κρυπτόμενος τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόσωπον, ὡς μὴ ἐνεργεῖν τὴν ἀρετήν, ἀλλ' ἐπιμορφάζεσθαι, κρύπτεται ὑπὸ τὴν ὑπόκρισιν. Ὁ γὰρ γιγνώσκων καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν, ὡς μὴ διαστέλλειν καὶ αἱρεῖσθαι τὸ καλόν, οὕτως τῇ 90 ἐντρεχείᾳ οἴησιν ἔχων κ̣ρύπτεται Θεόν, τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπι- μορφαζόμενος. ιιι, 9–12. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Ἀδὰμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ποῦ εἶ; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τὴν φωνήν σου ἤκουσα περιπατοῦντος ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ καὶ ἐφοβήθην, ὅτι γυμνός εἰμι, καὶ ἐκρύβην. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τίς ἀνήγγειλέν σοι ὅτι γυμνὸς εἶ, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, οὗ 35 ἐνετειλάμην σοι τούτου μόνου μὴ φαγεῖν, ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἔφαγες. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἀδάμ· Ἡ

Repentance through Divine Discipline and Recognition§35

35Woman, whom you gave with me, this one gave to me from the tree and I ate. God, being a source of goodness, calls us again after the mistakes, not omitting the perfect knowledge of the good from our reasoning, even if through sin we turn away from virtue. This God also does to Adam in the present, calling him while he is hiding, saying to him, 'Where are you?' (Genesis 3:9). For he himself had been appointed by God to work and to guard the paradise, having received this place as his own; but having turned away from this because of disobedience, he subsequently hears from God, 'Where are you?' (Genesis 3:9).

Because it is to be learned from the Acts of the Apostles that whenever someone is appointed to a rank, it is called a place—just as when the apostles, desiring to raise up a disciple to stand in the place of Judas the traitor who had put forward Jesus, were lifting up a prayer to God, they were saying, 'You, Lord, know the hearts of all, reveal one to take the place of this ministry' (Acts 1:24). And it followed for Adam, having stepped out, the divine order that the suitable place of the rank would fall away; for he had been cast out from the paradise. And the 'Where are you?' (Genesis 3:9) might even be embarrassing; for God says 'I indeed placed you in virtue, but now where are you?' understanding this, he is ashamed.

And those who, understanding the incorporeal essence as the primary underlying substrate of the soul, and because of this, ought to consider her to be outside of every place, hear it embarrassingly, as if God says 'Where are you?' You exist in a place; you, who because of incorporeality are free from every place, but having not guarded that and having been joined to a body, have become in a place? But also the one having citizenship in heaven and having the heart in heaven because it has been stored up there and is there, is not in a place, having become supra-cosmic. Since Adam also had it thus, he passed over, and thus he hears 'Where are you?' (Genesis 3:9).

And you, the approaching of the Lord here is God; for it is said: 'And God the Lord said.' For when it was concerning creation, it went before: 'In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth' (Genesis 1:1); but when transgression followed, then also the name of the Lord approaches; for it follows the Lord to come against those who are negligent of His commands. For it was necessary for a rebuke, which naturally from...

It becomes a benefit, combining discipline with mercy; for this reason it is said, 'And the Lord God called' (Gen 3:8). David also sings this, saying, 'I will sing to you of mercy and judgment, Lord' (Ps 89:13); for by joining the act of showing mercy with the act of judging, he shows a pattern of philanthropy. For even while rebuking, He shows mercy; for He leads the chastisements toward what is profitable.

Let us also see the response: 'I heard your voice walking in the paradise' (Gen 3:8). For when someone, having become a sinner, prays for a brief perception to merely receive the understanding of God through creation—in which He walks, providing order to each of the existing things—then he turns back and recognizes that He surveys all things and governs them; thus, even through external observation, it happens. For when one beholds the sun's ordered course, the heavens' movement, the moon's changes, the stars' seasonal intervals, and reasons that the driver and commander of all this is the Creator of all things, walking among all, he hears the voice of God, not occurring by chance, but being impressed upon the intellect, that nothing escapes God, but all things are under His economy. And thus, being ashamed, he hides; for the one sinning, not having God before his eyes, sins.

Regarding perception, it is said: 'I heard your voice walking in the paradise and I was afraid, because I am naked' (Gen 3:10). For that very fear still holds a flash of how shameful and chastening vice is. He says that the cause of the fear is the nakedness, which comes from having lost virtue, which was a covering; for virtue is a divine garment. Thus also Paul exhorts: 'Put on the Lord Jesus' (Rom 13:14) and 'Put on the bowels of compassion' (Col 3:12), which is: be adorned in a merciful manner and in the Christ-like way of life; and again: 'Let us put on the armor of light' (Rom 13:12) to prepare ourselves to fight against the adversaries. Since, therefore, he was deprived of these garments because of the transgression, and was being reproved by his conscience, he did not have the boldness to gaze upon God; for this reason he says: 'I was afraid, because I am naked' (Gen 3:10); for just as one who has done absurd things, if he were to seek to face a ruler regarding what has been done, hides himself, so also Adam, who did not...

Greek · §35

γυνή, ἣν δέδωκας μετ' ἐμοῦ, αὕτη μοι ἔδωκεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου καὶ ἔφαγον. Πηγὴ ἀγαθότητος ὑπάρχων ὁ Θεὸς καὶ μετὰ τὰ σφάλματα πάλιν ἡμᾶς καλεῖ, τὴν παντελῆ γνῶσιν τοῦ καλοῦ μὴ ἀπαλείφων ἀπὸ τοῦ λογισμοῦ, κἂν ἡμεῖς διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀποστρεφώμεθα. Τοῦτο καὶ τῷ Ἀδὰμ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ὁ Θεὸς ποιεῖ, καλῶν αὐτὸν κρυπτόμενον, λέγων τε αὐτῷ· "6Ποῦ εἶ;"6 Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐργάζεσθαι καὶ φυλάττειν τὸν παράδεισον τεταγμένος ἦν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τόπον τοῦτον οἰκεῖον παρ' αὐτοῦ δεξάμενος· τούτου δ' ἀποστὰς διὰ τὴν παρα- κοὴν ἀκολούθως ἀκούει παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· "6Ποῦ εἶ;"6 Ὅτι δὴ τάξις, ἣν ἐγχειρίζεται τίς, τόπος καλεῖται, ἔστιν ἀπὸ τῶν Πράξεων τῶν ἀποστόλων μαθεῖν, ὁπηνίκα ἀντὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα τοῦ προδόντος τὸν Ἰησοῦν προστήσασθαι μ̣α̣θητὴν οἱ ἀπόστολοι βουλόμενοι εὐχὴν τῷ Θεῷ ἀναφε´̣- ροντες ἔλεγον· "6Σὺ Κύριε καρδιογνῶστα πάντων, ἀνάδειξον ἕνα λαβεῖν τὸν τόπον τῆς διακονίας ταύτης"6. Καὶ ἠκολούθησεν δὲ τῷ Ἀδὰμ παραβεβηκότι τὴν θ̣ε̣ι´̣αν τάξιν τὸ καὶ τοῦ καταλλήλου τόπου τῆς τάξεως ἐκπεσ̣ε̣ῖν· ἐκβέβληται γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου. Εἴη δ' ἂν καὶ ἐντρεπ̣τ̣ι̣κὸν τὸ "6ποῦ εἶ;"6· ἐγὼ μὲν 91 γάρ σε ἐν ἀρετῇ ἔθηκα, νῦν δὲ ποῦ εἶ; ἐννοήσας αἰσχύνου. Εἴσι δ' οἱ καὶ τὴν ἀσώματον οὐσίαν κατὰ τὸ πρῶτον ὑποκείμενον τῆς ψυχῆς ἐννοοῦντες καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκτὸς παντὸς τόπου αὐτὴν εἶναι προσήκειν λογιζόμενοι, παρ' ἑαυτὴν δὲ σώματος πειραθεῖσαν ἐντρεπτικῶς ἀκούειν· Που εἶ; Ἐν τόπῳ ὑπάρχεις, ἡ ἀπὸ παντὸς τόπου ἐλευθέρα διὰ τὸ ἀσώματος, ὅπερ μὴ φυλάξασα, ἀλλὰ συναφθεῖσα σώματι, ἐν τόπῳ γέγονας; Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ ἐν οὐρανῷ ἔχων τὸ πολίτευμα καὶ ἔχων τὴν καρδίαν ἐν οὐρανῷ διὰ τὸ ἐκεῖ τεθησαυρικέναι κἀκεῖ εἶναι οὐκ ἐν τόπῳ ἐστίν, ὑπερκόσμιο[ς γ]εγενημένος. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ ὁ Ἀδὰμ οὕτως εἶχε, παρέβη δέ, οὕτω[ς] ἀκούει τὸ "6Ποῦ εἶ"6. Σὺ δὲ καὶ τὸ πρόσκεισθαι τὸ Κύριος ἐνταῦθα τῷ Θεός· λέγεται γάρ· Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεός. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ περὶ δημιουργίας, προέκειτο· "6Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν"6· ὅτε δὲ παράβασις ἠκολούθησεν, τότε καὶ τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου πρόσκειται ὄνομα· ἕπεται γὰρ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐπεξέρχεσθαι κατὰ τῶν ἀμελούντων διατάξεων αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐπιτιμίας γὰρ̣ ἔδει, ἥτις οἰκείως ἀπὸ δεσπότου γίνεται, συγκεραν- νύντος ἀγαθό[τ]ητι τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἴρηται· "6Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Κύριος ὁ Θεός"6. Τοῦτο καὶ ∆αυὶδ ψάλλει λέγων. "6Ἔλεος καὶ κρίσιν ᾄσομαί σοι, Κύριε"6· μετὰ γὰρ τοῦ ἐλεεῖν καὶ τὸ κρίνειν συναπτόμενον φιλανθρωπι´̣ας δεῖγμα ἐκφέρει. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπιτιμῶν ἐλέει· πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον γὰρ ἐπάγει τὰ κολαστήρια. Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν· "6Τὴν φωνήν σου ἤκουσα περιπατοῦντος ἐν τῷ πα̣ραδείσῳ"6. Ὅταν γάρ τις ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ γενόμενος αἰσθήσεως βραχεία̣ς δέηται τοῦ μόνως ἔννοιαν δέχεσθαι τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τῆς κτίσεως ἐν ᾗ ἐμπ̣εριπατεῖ τῶν ὅλων προνοούμενος τάξιν ἐπιθεὶς ἑκάστῳ τω῀̣ν ὄντων, τότε καὶ ἐπ̣ι̣σ̣τρέφει καὶ γιγνώσκει ὅτι ἐφορᾷ τὰ ὅλα καὶ διοικεῖ, οὕτω τε ἔξω καταφρονήσεως 92 γίνεται. Ὅταν γὰρ θεάσηται ἡλίου̣ μὲν τὴν τεταγμένην πορείαν, οὐρανῶν δὲ τὴν κίνησιν, σελήνης δὲ τὰς μεταβολάς, ἀστέρων δὲ τὰς κατὰ καιροὺς ἐπιτολάς, καὶ λογίσηται ὅτι ὁ τοῦδε τοῦ παντὸς ἡνίοχος καὶ ταξίαρχος ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἐστὶν δημιουργός, ἐμπεριπατῶν ὅλοις φωνῆς ἀκούει Θεοῦ, οὐ κατὰ πρόσφορον γινομένης, ἀλλ' ἐν διανοίᾳ τυπουμένης, ὅτι Θεὸν οὐδὲν λανθάνει, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὑπὸ τὴν αὐτοῦ οἰκονομίαν ἐστίν. Καὶ οὕτω αἰσχυνθεὶς κρύπτεται· ὁ γὰρ ἁμαρτάνων, οὐκ ἔχων πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν Θεὸν ἁμαρτάνει. Αἰσθήσεως δὲ καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν· "6Τὴν φωνήν σου ἤκουσα περιπατοῦντος ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ καὶ ἐφοβήθην, ὅτι γυμνός εἰμι."6 Αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ φόβος ἔχοντος ἔτι διάλημψιν ὡς αἰσχρὸν ἡ κακία καὶ κολαστέον. Τοῦ δὲ φόβου αἴτιον εἶναί φησιν τὴν γυμνό[τη]τα, ἥτις ἐκ τοῦ ἀπολωλεκέναι τὴν ἀρετήν, ἥτις ἦν σκέπασμα· ἔνδυμα γάρ ἐστιν θεῖον ἡ ἀρετή. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος παραινεῖ· 36 "6Ἐνδύσασθε τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν"6, καὶ "6Ἐνδύσασθε σπλάγχνα οἰκ-τιρμοῦ"6, ὅ ἐστιν· Ἐλεημονικῷ τρόπῳ καὶ τῇ κατὰ Χριστὸν πολιτείᾳ κοσμήθητε, καὶ πάλιν· "6Ἐνδυσώμεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτὸς"6 πρὸς τὸ παρασκευάσαι ἑαυτοὺς προσπολεμεῖν κατὰ τῶν ἀντικειμένων. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τούτων ἐστέρητο τῶν ἐνδυμάτων διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως, ἠλέγχετό τε ἐκ τοῦ συνειδότος, οὐκ εἶχεν παρρησίαν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀτενίζειν· διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· "6Ἐφοβήθην, ὅτι γυμνός εἰμι"6· ὡς γὰρ ἄτοπα πράξας, εἰ ζητοῖτο, πρὸς ἄρχοντος δέει τῶν πεπραγμένων κρύπτεται, οὕτως καὶ ὁ Ἀδάμ, τοῦ μὴ

Allegorical Defense of Adam and the Serpent§36

36A person who is conscious of their own sin maintains boldness. Regarding what happens after correction, the Master of all says he shakes his understanding again: 'Who told you that you were naked, if not from the tree from which I commanded you alone not to eat, from it you ate?' (Gen 3:11). The word is philanthropic; for God again holds to the one who sinned, indicating the thought of the commandment. For it was necessary, after all things, to partake of both the known good and the evil, and not only.

For, as previously stated, the human nature entering in without the energy of virtue is most harmful, but with all things it is useful; which God also commanded like the manner of a good physician, providing a most useful drink for health, which when held together is effective, but when divided harms, just as it is previously stated regarding the so-called 'beast-like' diet. Such is what the Lord says he is teaching in the Gospels: 'Become wise as serpents and innocent as doves' (Matt 10:16).

But regarding these things, Adam says he blames the woman: 'The woman whom you gave with me, she gave to me from the tree and we ate' (Gen 3:12). Envy is a friend to malice, and it is the property of those who sin not to quickly confess the sin, but to divert the blame of the slip. For some think that men give their lives to fate from that source and are compelled toward sin, while others say that all things happen by chance and think that these things happen just so. But the first-formed man, having heard the commandment, says: 'The woman whom you gave with me' (Gen 3:12).

It was necessary for him to understand that first, having received her from God, he also properly received her and that which is advantageous; then, he did not receive her as a teacher, but as one following him. And this we perceived in the fallen ones from the response of the Eve toward the serpent, speaking to him: 'We eat from the fruit of the tree of paradise, but from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the paradise God said: Do not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die' (Gen 2:17); for God had not commanded concerning touching, but she, having learned this as if from Adam, was being taught to be more reverent, since, being weak, she heard from him not even to touch it. How then can the teacher and guide [be...] from the one being led into deception...

Those defending Adam argue from what was said to him: 'The woman whom you gave me with me' (Gen 3:12), for since he said she was given to him with him, knowing that she would be cast out due to disobedience, he accompanied her not to participate in transgression, but for her benefit; for often teachers sympathize with the weaker, so that through this they might work out a repentance for them.

And these things they hold from what is said by Paul, which leads to Christ and the Church: 'Adam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, came into transgression' (1 Tim 2:14). It is understood, being referred to the woman's church and to Adam's Christ, to preserve the chain of allegory and to avoid the possibility that the human race, from which the church is fulfilled, might have used the transgression as a cause for the descent of the Savior, so that he might use the economy, through which curse and sin came, not being these things, but having received them through us.

And the Lord God said to the woman: 'What is this that you have done?' (Gen 3:11) and the woman said: 'The serpent deceived me and I ate' (Gen 3:13). Three persons are introduced by blame here: the man, the woman, and the serpent. And the man had an apology that the woman had become a hindrance to him in eating from the forbidden tree, from which he knew he was naked; but the woman blames the serpent, saying: 'The serpent deceived me and I ate'; for God also sought the cause of the slip from them; but such a question is not borne toward the serpent. For he did not have the cause of the evil to lay upon another, being himself her progenitor.

This also the Lord teaches in the Gospels, saying concerning him: 'When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and his father is the father of lies' (John 8:44); that is, the father of lies; for the devil does not have a father according to those who act mythically. But all those using evil, except him, do not do so from their own, but come to this from his wickedness, when he hears toward the word: 'And you say in your mind: I shall ascend into heaven' (Ps 10:4) and the following. For no one else cast pride upon him, but he himself upon himself; therefore also no word...

Greek · §36

συνειδότος ἑαυτῷ ἁμάρτημα φυλάττοντος παρρησίαν. Πρὸς ἃ μετὰ διορθώσεως πάλιν ὁ τοῦ παντὸς δεσπότης ἀνακινῶν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἔννοιάν φησιν· "6Τίς ἀνήγγειλέν σοι ὅτι γυμνὸς εἶ, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, οὗ ἐνετειλάμην τούτου μόνου μὴ φαγεῖν, ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἔφα̣γε̣ς;"6 Φιλάνθρωπος ὁ λόγος· πάλιν γὰρ ἀντέχεται τοῦ ἁμαρτήσαντος Θεός, ὑποδεικνὺς τῆς ἐντολῆς τὸν λογισμόν. Ἔδει γὰρ μ̣ετὰ πάντων καὶ τοῦ γνωστοῦ καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ μεταλαμβάνειν καὶ μὴ μόνου. Ἡ γάρ, ὡς προείρηται, ἐντρέχεια ἀνθρωπίνη χωρὶς τῆς ἐνεργείας τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπιβλαβέστατον, μετὰ δὲ πάντων ὠφέλιμον· ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς προσέταξεν ἀγαθοῦ ἰατροῦ δίκην, προπότισμα χρησιμώτατον πρὸς ὑγίειαν παρέχων, ὃ συγκραθὲν μὲν 93 λυσιτελεῖ, διαιρεθὲν δὲ βλάπτει, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῆς καλουμένης 93 θηριακῆς προείρηται. Τοιοῦτον ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις παιδεύων φησίν· "6Γίνεσθε φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί."6 Ἀλλὰ πρὸς αὐτὰ ὁ Ἀδὰμ τὴν γυναῖκα αἰτιώμενός φησιν· "6Ἡ γυνή, ἣν ἔδωκας μετ' ἐμοῦ, αὕτη μοι ἔδωκεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου καὶ ἔφαγον."6 Φιλαίτιον ἡ <κα>κία, καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ἴδιον τὸ μὴ ταχέως ὁμολογεῖν τὸ ἁμάρτημα, ἀλλὰ ἀναπλάττεσθαι αἰτίας τοῦ σφάλματος. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἱμαρμένῃ διδόντες τὸν βίον ἀπ' ἐκείνης καὶ εἰς ἁμαρτίαν ἀναγκάζεσθαι οἴονται, οἱ δὲ εἰκῇ καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν τὰ πάντα γίνεσθαι λέγοντες καὶ ταῦτα οὕτω συμβαίνειν νομίζουσιν· ὁδὲ πρωτόπλαστος τῆς ἐντολῆς παρακούσας φησίν· "6Ἡ γυνή, ἣν ἔδωκας μετ' ἐμοῦ."6 Ἔδει δ' αὐτὸν ἐννοῆσαι ὅτι πρῶτον μέν, ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ταύτην δεξάμενος, δεόντως αὐτὴν καὶ τὸ πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον ἐδέξατο, ἔπειτα οὐχ ὡς διδάσκαλον ἔλαβεν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἑπομένην. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν παρεση- μειωσάμεθα ἐκ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως τῆς Εὕας πρὸς τὸν ὄφιν, φασκούσης πρὸς αὐτόν· "6Ἀπὸ καρποῦ ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου φαγόμεθα, ἀπὸ δὲ καρποῦ τοῦ ξύλου ὅ ἐστιν ἐμμέσῳ τῷ παραδείσῳ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Οὐ φάγεσθε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ μὴ ἅψησθε αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνητε"6, περὶ γὰρ ἁφῆς ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἦν ἐντειλάμενος, τοῦτο δὲ ὡς ἐκ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ μαθοῦσαν παιδεύοντος αὐτὴν εὐλαβεστέραν εἶναι, ἅτε ἀσθενῆ, ἀκοῦσαι παρ' αὐτοῦ τὸ μηδὲ ἁψῆσθαι αὐτοῦ. Πῶς οὖν ὁ διδάσκαλος καὶ ὑφηγητὴς παρὰ τῆς μανθα- νούσης εἰς ἀπάτην ἤχθη; Εἰσὶ δ' οἱ ἀπολογούμενοι ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἐκ τοῦ εἰρημένου πρὸς αὐτοῦ· "6Ἡ γυνὴ"6 γάρ φησιν "6ἣν ἔδωκας μετ' ἐμοῦ"6· ἐπεὶ γὰρ μετ' ἐμοῦ αὐτὴν δέδωκας εἶπεν, ἐπιστάμενος ὡς διὰ τὴν παρακοὴν ἐξώβλητος ἔσται, συνηκολούθησεν οὐ κατὰ παράβασίν φασιν αὐτῇ, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν αὐτῆς· πολλάκις γὰρ τοῖς ἀσθενεστέροις οἱ διδάσκαλοι συγκατίασιν, ἵν' ἐκ τούτου ὑποστροφὴν αὐτοῖς ἐργάσωνται. Καὶ ταῦτα κρατύ- 94 νουσιν ἐκ τῶν παρὰ Παύλῳ λεγομένων, ἅπερ εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀνήγ̣[αγεν· "6Ὁ δ̣' Ἀδὰμ οὐκ ἠπατήθη, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἐξαπατηθεῖσα ἐνπαραβάσει γέγονεν."6 Συνετοῦ δέ ἐστιν, εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τῆς γυναικὸς ἀναφερο- μένης καὶ εἰς Χριστὸν τοῦ Ἀδάμ, σῶσαι τὸν εἱρμὸν τῆς ἀλληγορίας καὶ συνεπισκέψαι μήποτε τὸ μὲν γένος τὸ ἀνθρώπων, ἐξ οὗπερ συμπληροῦται ἡ ἐκκ̣λησία, τῇ παραβάσει χρησάμενον αἴτιον κατέστη τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος καθόδου, ἵνα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ χρήσηται, δι' ἣν κατάρα κα̣ὶ ἁμαρτία γέγονεν, οὐκ ὢν ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ δι' ἡμᾶς αὐτὰ ἀναδεξάμενος. ιιι, 13. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῇ γυναικί· Τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· Ὁ ὀ´̣φις ἠπάτησέν με καὶ ἔφαγον. 37 Τρία πρόσωπα εἰσάγεται ὑπὸ μέμψιν ἐνταῦθα· ὁ ἀνήρ, ἡ γυνή, ὁ ὄφις. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀνὴρ ἔσχεν ἀπολογήσασθαι ὅτι ἡ γυνὴ αὐτῷ παραιτία γέγονεν τοῦ φαγεῖν τοῦ ἀπηγορευμένου ξύλου, ἐξ οὗ ἔγνω ὅτι γυμνός ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ γ̣υνὴ αἰτιᾶται τὸν ὄφιν λέγουσα· "6Ὁ ὄφις ἠπάτησέν με καὶ ἔφα̣γ̣ο̣ν"6· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἀπῄτησεν παρ' αὐτῶν τοῦ σφάλματος αἰτίαν· οὐ φέρεται δὲ τοιαύτη πρὸς τὸν ὄφιν ἐρώτησις. Οὐ γὰρ εἶχεν τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς κακίας ἐπ' ἄλλον ἀνενεγκεῖν, αὐτὸς αὐτῆς γεννήτωρ ὑπάρξας. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος διδάσκει λέγων περὶ αὐτοῦ· "6Ὅταν λαλῇ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ, ὅτι ψεύστης ἐστὶν καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ"6, ὅ ἐστιν ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ ψεύδους· οὐ γὰρ ὁ διάβολος πατέρα ἔχει κατὰ τοὺς μυθωδῶς οἰηθέντας. Πάντες δ' οἱ κακίᾳ χρώμενοι πλὴν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ κακεντρεχείας, ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἔρχονται, αὐτοῦ ἀκούοντος πρὸς τοῦ λόγου· "6Σὺ δὲ εἶπας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου· Εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβή- σομαι"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Οὐ γὰρ ἄλλος αὐτῷ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν 95 ὑπέβαλεν, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ· διὸ καὶ οὐδὲ λόγος

The Serpent as a Deceitful Power§37

37the man the cause of a slip

Having made it more cursed than all cattle and all beasts upon the earth, it is evident that God does not direct the rebuke toward this creeping thing alone; for it does not have the nature to lead forward a word of deceit, from which God would make the rebuke come forth by its own account. Paul, indeed, writing to the Corinthians, knowing that there was not an irrational animal, about which he was writing, says: 'I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, he might corrupt your minds from the simplicity' (2 Corinthians 11:3).

For Paul compares a deceit occurring by wicked and crafty men, who were standing by, saying that there is no resurrection of the dead nor that the Savior was born of a virgin, who also deceived the infants in Christ, not having the senses of the heart trained toward the distinction of good and evil, to the deceit by the serpent against Eve, which shows him not as a creeping thing, but an opposing energy, which the Scripture is accustomed to call devil. For 'serpent' is not said simply, just as it was said concerning those: 'Offspring of hedgehogs,' but the serpent, which signifies him, the devil, who even though he became the cause of evil to others, works in the sons of disobedience, and his own works are being carried out by imparting to them sophistic deceit. Therefore also he receives a rebuke exceeding all; 'More cursed' for he says, 'you from all the beasts upon the earth' (Genesis 3:14).

For as a cause of evil, it is fitting that the one who has become a serpent from it is subject to a rebuke above all, both in the manner of cattle and beasts of the earth, by which the Savior gives authority to his own disciples, saying: 'Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy' (Luke 10:19). And to the one dwelling in the help of the Most High, it is said: 'He shall tread upon the asp and the basilisk, and shall trample the lion and the dragon' (Psalm 91:13).

Greek · §37

[ἀ]πο- λογίας αὐτῷ δίδοται. Τί οὖν, φησίν, τοῦτο ἐποίησας; Μὴ γὰρ εἰς τοῦτο ἐτέθης ἐπὶ τῷ αἰτία καταστῆναι τῷ ἀνδρὶ σφάλματος; Καὶ εἶπεν· "6Ὁ ὄφις ἠπάτησέν με"6. Ἀπάτῃ γὰρ τοῦτογέγονεν. Αὐτῆς γὰρ τὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς προενεγκαμένης, αὐτὸς ἀντιστρόφως ἐχρήσατο τῇ προστάξει μετὰ τοῦ καὶ ὑπισχνεῖσθαί τι αὐτοῖς κομπῶδες καὶ δελεάσαι δυνάμενον· "6Ἤδει γάρ"6 φησιν "6ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ᾗ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, διανοιχθήσονται ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καὶ ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοί, γιγνώσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν."6 Ὁμολογεῖ δὲ νῦν τὴν ἀπάτην εἰκότως· Θεοῦ γὰρ αἰσθομένη ἐπιγιγνώσκει τὸ γεγενημένον. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔθος τοῖς ἀπατωμένοις μετὰ τὴν ἔκβασιν ἐπαισ̣θ̣άνεσθαι τοῦ κακοῦ· κατὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀρχήν, τῆς ἡδο̣ν̣ῆς ἐπικρυπτούσης τὴν αἴσθησιν, οὐ γίνεται ἐπίγνωσις. Τὸ δὲ "6εἶπεν"6 οὕτως πάλιν λεκτέον, ὅτι ὁμιλία ἐν διανοίᾳ τῆς γυναικὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονεν, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἄδηλον· ὅτε γάρ, ἁμαρτανόντων ἡμῶν, λογισμὸς ἀνατρεπτικὸς τῆς ἁμαρτίας γίνεται, Θεὸν ἡγητέον ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ παρεῖναι καὶ λαλεῖν. Ἐκεῖ δὲ καὶ τάξιν κατὰ τὰ πρότερον ἀλληγοροῦμεν· ἡ γὰρ ἡδονή, ἥτις ὁ ὄφις ἐστίν, πρότερον τῇ αἰσθήσει, ἣν γυναῖκα ἐλέγομεν, ἐγγίνεται, εἶθ' οὕτως τῷ νῷ αὕτη διακονεῖ, ὅστις καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ εἴρηται. ιιι, 14. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ὄφει· Ὅτι ἐποίησας τοῦτο, ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ἐπὶ τῷ στήθει σου καὶ τῇ κοιλίᾳ πορεύσῃ καὶ γῆν φάγῃ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου. Ὅπερ πρός τε τὸν Ἀδὰμ καὶ τὴν Εὕαν εἶπεν ὁ Θεός, ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν [λ]έγων· "6Τί ἐποίησας τοῦτο;"6, ἀφ' ὧν καὶ τὸν αἴτιον τῆς κακίας [ἤ]κουσεν, τοῦ μὲν Ἀδὰμ τὴν γυναῖκα αἰτιωμένου, τῆς δὲ γ̣υν̣α̣ι̣κὸς τὸν 96 ὄφιν, οὐκέτι εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ὄφιν· ἀρχέκακος γὰρ οὗτος καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπ' ἄλλον ἀνενεγκεῖν οὐκ ἔχων. ∆ιόπερ εὐθὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ "6τί ὅτι ἐποίησας τοῦτο;"6 ἐπάγει τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν εἰπών· "6Ὅτι τοῦτο ἐποίησας, ἐπικα<τά>ρατος σὺ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,"6 ∆ῆλον δὲ ὡς οὐ τῷ ἑρπετῷ τούτῳ τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν προσάγει Θεός· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔχει φύσιν τοῦ τὸν ἀπάτης προαγαγεῖν λόγον, ἐξ οὗ τὴν καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιτιμίαν ἐκκαλέσεται τὸν Θεὸν ποιήσασθαι. Παῦλος γοῦν γράφων Κορινθίοις, ἐπιστάμενος ὡς οὐ ζῷον ἄλογον ὑπῆρχεν, περὶ οὗ ἔγραφεν, φησίν· "6Φοβοῦμαι μήπως, ὡς ὄφις ἐξηπάτησεν Εὕαν ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτοῦ, φθαρῇ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τῆς <ἁπλότητος>"6. Παραβάλλει γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος ἀπάτην γινομένην ὑπὸ κακοήθων ἀνθρώπων καὶ πανούργων, οἵτινες ἐπιφυέντες ἦσαν, λέγοντες μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν μηδὲ ἐκ παρθένου τὸν Σωτῆρα γεγεννῆσθαι, οἳ καὶ ἠπάτων τοὺς ἐν Κορίνθῳ νηπίους ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐκ ἔχοντας τὰ αἰσθητήρια τῆς καρδίας γεγυμνασ- μένα πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ καὶ κακοῦ, τῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄφεως κατὰ τῆς Εὕας ἀπάτῃ, ὅπερ δείκνυσιν αὐτὸν οὐχ ἑρπετόν, ἀλλὰ ἀντικειμένην ἐνέργειαν, ἣν διάβολον ἔθος τῇ γραφῇ 38 καλεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ "3ὄφις"3 ἁπλῶς λέγεται, ὥσπερ καὶ περὶ ἐκείνων ἐλέχθη· "6Ὄφεις γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν"6, ἀλλ' ὁ ὄφις, ὃ δηλοῖ αὐτὸν τὸν διάβολον, ὃς καίτοι ἄλλοις τῆς κακίας αἴτιος κατέστη· ἐνεργεῖ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας, καὶ ἐνεργεῖται τὰ ἴδια ἐμποιῶν ἐκείνοις σοφι- στικῇ ἀπάτῃ. ∆ιόπερ καὶ τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν ὑπερβάλλουσαν δέχεται· "6Ἐπικατάρατος"6 γάρ φησιν "6σὺ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6. Ὡς γὰρ αἴτιος κακίας, εἰκότως καὶ τῇ ἐπιτιμίᾳ ὑπὲρ πάντας ὑπόκειται τοὺς ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τὸ ὄφ<ε>ις εἶναι ἐσχηκότας καὶ κτήνη τῷ τρόπῳ καὶ θηρία γῆς, καθ' ὧν τὴν ἐξουσίαν δίδωσιν ὁ Σωτὴρ τοῖς ἰδίοις μαθηταῖς λέγων· "6Ἰδοὺ δέδωκα μὲν ὑμῖν ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ."6 Καὶ τῷ ἐν τῇ βοηθείᾳ τοῦ Ὑψίστου κατοικοῦν[τι] ἐπιλέγεται· "6Ἐπ' ἀσπίδα 97 καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσῃ καὶ καταπατήσεις λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα."6

The distinction between simplicity and prudence regarding evil§38

38All these things, possessing the ferocity of malice, the devil, called a serpent, is condemned following after all things. And the sentence approaches: 'You shall go upon your belly and upon your dust' (Gen 3:19). For because he thought he had been influenced in his intellect and was deceived into thinking he would have great foods, the word interprets his fall by saying that the earth shall be food to him, having nothing divine or elevated, but being darkened around earthly things, his ruling faculty having fallen, which the breast signifies; he no longer produces something divine or heavenly because of the generative power, which is signified by the belly, having his care around matter and earthly things.

That the belly is thus understood is learned from the opposite, from the singing of the blessed David: 'And your law within my belly' (Ps 119:11), which signifies not the sensible member but the power of the soul. For those who have become men in repentance do not neglect, saying that their intellect, which ought to take divine foods, has been cast down into the earth: 'Our belly has stuck to the earth,' according to all earthly things having happened, to be fed by earth and to give birth to earth. For just as the belly is a vessel of foods, so also it is a workshop of those being formed.

Those producing vile things go crawling upon the earth, but those producing the divine say: 'From the fear of you in the belly we took and labored and brought forth' (alluding to Ps 126:6/Gen 3:16 context); the same offspring of the intellect is also its food. And it is well that it approaches: 'And you shall eat earth all the days of your life' (Gen 3:19); for he did not simply say 'life,' but 'your life,' which I have seized from your own portion, as someone might say to one living not dutifully: 'All the days which I have seized shall be a vile life, sin shall be food to you in all the sinful days you have chosen.' For each thing, in its own way, turning away from the life that is necessary, acquires life for itself.

Similar to this is what was said regarding the rich man: 'You have received your good things in your life' (Luke 16:25), and Lazarus likewise the bad. And observe that regarding the vile one he spoke of his indifferent good things, because he himself considered those very things as good and hoped in them, and for this reason also said 'your good things'; but regarding Lazarus, his own bad things were not spoken of; for not from his own...

You suffered, even if you bore it bravely. And Job, being deprived of pleasant things, since he did not reckon them as his own good, but knowing their nature, as they were given by God, they were used for him, did not say, 'If we had received my goods' (Job 1:21), but 'If we have received goods from the hand of the Lord' (Job 1:21). For he himself considered them goods, the virtues happened to be his, but for those following, by the judgment of God, indifferent, as it was fitting to be used, sufficient for those in need; so indeed he said: 'My door is open to everyone coming.'

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15). When the simpler one understands the evil, he does not have a small harm; for the evil one approaches and subverts the harm, and the simpler soul receives it into useful things. It is therefore necessary that a division occur among these, and that it come to enmity and the non-communion, so as to make the simpler one prudent according to the salutary exhortation regarding the devil: 'For we do not ignore his schemes' (2 Cor 2:11).

Often indeed, seeing a woman's friendship toward a man occurring with simplicity, from which deception follows, making such people act shamefully, we strive not for a peace of hatred, which is the fruit of the Spirit, but for a turning away of peace, by which the Savior comes to bring a sword, saying: 'I did not come to cast peace, but a sword' (Matt 10:34), dividing and cutting off those desiring to be helped from those attempting to harm. God being good, therefore, plants enmity in those for whom peace and harmony are hostile. For when someone, through ignorance of the evil, falls into it and learns that it is disastrous and harmful, he reaps no small benefit.

Consequently, the seed also makes enmity between seed and seed, and him to her. And since what is said is not about a sensible benefit, nor is his seed to be received sensibly, but those stamped and formed and born according to him, who are twisting thoughts away from the truth and its teachings into something foreign; and the seed of the woman similarly refers to those from her—for the church holds the type—or the teachings of divine instruction, toward which the machinations of the opposing evil act.

Greek · §38

Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἀγριότητα κακίας ἔχοντα ὑπερβάλλων ὁ διάβολος ὄφις καλούμενος ἀκολού[θως] ὑπὲρ πάντα καταδικάζεται. Πρόσκειται δὲ τῇ ἐπιτιμίᾳ καὶ τὸ "6Ἐπὶ τῷ στήθει σου καὶ τῇ κοιλίᾳ σου πορεύσῃ"6· ἐπεὶ γὰρ δοκῶν νόησιν ἐπηρμένην ἔχειν καὶ τροφὰς ἐπιμορφα- ζόμενος ἔχειν μεγάλας ἠπάτα, τὴν πτῶσιν αὐτοῦ ὁ λόγος ἑρμηνεύει φάσκων ὡς γήϊνα αὐτῷ ἔσται τροφή, οὐδὲν θεῖον ἢ ἀνηγμένον ἔχοντι, ἀλλ' εἰλυσπωμένῳ περὶ τὰ γήϊνα, τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐκπεσόν<τος, ὃ> τὸ στῆθος σημαίνει, οὐκέτι ἀποτίκτοντός τι θεῖον ἢ οὐράνιόν τι διὰ τὸ τὴν γεννητικὴν δύναμιν, ἥτις διὰ τῆς κοιλίας σημαίνεται, περὶ τὴν ὕλην καὶ τὰ γήϊνα ἔχειν τὴν σπουδήν. Ὅτι δ' ἡ κοιλία οὕτως νοεῖται, ἐκτοῦ ἐναντίου ἔστι μαθεῖν, ψάλλοντος τοῦ μακαρίου ∆αυίδ· "6Καὶ τὸν νόμον σου ἐμμέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου"6, ὅπερ οὐ τὸ αἰσθητὸν μέλος ἀλλὰ δύναμιν ψυχῆς σημαίνει. Ἀμέλει γοῦν οἱ ἐν μετανοίᾳ γεγενημένοι ἄνθρωποι γνόντες ὅτι ἡ νόησις αὐτῶν ὀφείλουσα οὐρανίων μεταλαμβάνειν τροφῶν εἰς γῆν κατεβλήθη φασίν· "6Ἐκολλήθη εἰς γῆν ἡ γαστὴρ ἡμῶν"6, κάτα πάντα γήϊνα γεγενημένη τῷ καὶ γήϊνα τρέφεσθαι καὶ γήϊνα ἀποκυίσκειν. Ὡς γὰρ δοχεῖόν ἐστιν ἡ κοιλία τροφῶν, οὕτω καὶ ἐργαστήριον τῶν πλαττομένων. Οἱ μὲν οὖν φαῦλα γεννῶντες ἐπὶ γῆς ἕρποντες πορεύονται, οἱ δὲ θεῖα ἀποτίκ- τοντές φασιν· "6Ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου σου ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβομεν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν"6· τὸ δ' αὐτὸ γέννημα διανοίας καὶ τροφεῖόν ἐστιν. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ προσκεῖσθαι· "6Καὶ γῆν φάγῃ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου"6· οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς "3ζωῆς"3 εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς, ἣν εἵλω ἐκ τῆς σεαυτοῦ ῥοπῆς, ὡς εἰ λέγοι τις καὶ τῷ μὴ καθηκόντως ζῶντι· Πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἣς εἵλω ἔχειν ζωῆς φαῦλος ἔσει, ἁμαρτίαι σοι τροφὴ ἐν πάσαις αἷς προέκρινας ἡμέραις σου φαύλαις. Ἕκαστα 98 γὰρ πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον τρόπον, ἀποστὰς τῆς δεούσης ζωῆς, ἑαυτῷ ζωὴν περιποιεῖται. Τούτῳ ὅμοιον καὶ τὸ πρὸς τὸν πλούσιον εἰρημένον· "6Ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου [ἐν] τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά."6 Καὶ παρατήρει ὅτι τοῦ μὲν φαύλου τὰ ἀδιάφορα̣ ἀγαθὰ εἶπεν· ἐπεὶ αὐτὸς ὡς ἀγαθὰ αὐτὰ ἐλογίζετο καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἤλπισ̣εν, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ "6τὰ ἀγαθά σου"6 εἶπεν· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Λαζάρου οὐκ ἐρρέθη τὰ κακὰ ἑαυτοῦ· οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας προθέσεως ἔπασχεν, εἰ καὶ γενναίως ἔφερεν. Καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ δὲ στερηθεὶς τῶν ἡδέων, ἐπεὶ οὐχ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγαθὰ αὐτὰ ἐλογίζετο, ἀλλ' ἐπιστάμενος αὐτῶν τὴν φύσιν, ὡς ἐδόθησαν παρὰ Θεοῦ, αὐτοῖς ἐκέχρητο, οὐκ εἶπεν· "3Εἰ τὰ ἀγαθά μου ἐδεξάμεθα"3, ἀλλ' "6Εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου"6. Ἃ γὰρ αὐτὸς ᾑρεῖτο ἀγαθά, αἱ ἀρεταὶ ἐτύγχανον, τοῖς δ' ἀκολουθοῦσιν, κρίσει Θεοῦ ἀδιαφόροις, ὡς ἔπρεπεν ἐκέχρητο, ἐπαρκῶν δεομένοις· οὕτω γοῦν καὶ ἔφη· "6Ἡ θύρα δέ μου παντὶ ἐλθόντι ἠνέῳκτο"6. ιιι, 15. Καὶ ἔχθραν θήσω ἀνὰ μέσον σοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς γυναικός, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῆς· αὐτός σου τηρήσει κεφαλήν, καὶ σὺ τηρήσεις αὐτοῦ πτέρναν. Ὅτε ὁ ἁπλούστερος σύνεστιν πονηρῷ, οὐ μικρὰν ἔχει τὴν βλάβην· ὁ πονηρὸς γὰρ 39 προσέρχεται καὶ τὰ βλάβης ὑποβάλλει, καὶ δέχεται ἡ ἁπλουστέρα ψυχὴ εἰς ὠφέλιμα. ∆εῖ οὖν διαίρεσιν γενέσθαι τούτων καὶ εἰς ἔχθραν καὶ τὸ ἀκοινώνητον ἐλθεῖν, ὡς τὸν ἁπλούστερον γενόμενον κατὰ τὸ σωτήριον παράγγελμα φρόνιμον εἰπεῖν περὶ διαβόλου· "6Οὐ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ νοήματα ἀγνοοῦμεν."6 Πολλάκις γοῦν καὶ γυναικὸς φιλίαν πρὸς ἄνδρα σὺν ἁπλότητι γινομένην ὁρῶντες, ἐξ ἧς ἀπάτης ἕπεται αἰσχροποιεῖν τοὺς τοιούτους, σπουδάζομεν οὐ μίσει εἰρήνης, ἥτις ἐστὶ καρπὸς τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ ἀποστροφῇ εἰρήνης, καθ' ἧς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἥκει μάχαιραν ἐπενεγκεῖν λέγων· "6Οὐκ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην, ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν"6 διαιροῦσαν καὶ διατέμνουσαν τοὺς ὠφελεῖσθαι ποθοῦντας ἀπὸ τῶν βλάπτειν ἐπιχειρούντων. Ἀγαθὸς οὖν ὑπάρχων ὁ Θεὸς φυτεύει ἔχθραν οἷς ἡ εἰρήνη καὶ ἡ συναφὴ πολέμιον. Ὅταν γάρ τις ἀγνοίᾳ τοῦ κακοῦ αὐτῷ περιπίπτων μανθάνῃ ὅτι ὀλέθριόν ἐστι καὶ ἐπιζήμιον, ὠφελίαν οὐ μικρὰν καρποῦται. Ἀκολούθως 99 δὲ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα τῷ σπέρματιἐχθρὸν ποιεῖ καὶ αὐτὸν αὐτῇ. Καὶ ἐπεὶ μὴ περὶ αἰσθητοῦ ὄφεώς ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον, οὐδὲ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ αἰσθητὸν ἐκδεκτέον, ἀλλὰ τοὺς κατ' αὐτὸν τυπωθέντας καὶ μορφωθέντας καὶ γεννηθέντας ἢ λογισ[μο]ὺς διαστρέφοντας ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ μαθήματα αὐτῆς ἀλλότρ[ια], σπέρμα δὲ τῆς γυναικὸς ὁμοίως τοὺς ἀπ' αὐτῆς ἐναρέτους–τῆς γὰρ ἐκκλησίας ἐπέχει τύπον–, ἢ τὰ τῆς θείας παιδεύσεως μαθήματα, πρὸς ἃ ἡ τοῦ ἀντικειμένου κακουργία τὰς ἐπιχειρήσεις ποιεῖται.

The Serpent's Strike and the Curse§39

39There is a distinction between seed and offspring, and it is stated in the Gospels: of those Jews saying, 'We are the seed of Abraham' (Matt 3:9), the Savior, while permitting this to them, forbids them to be found to be children of Abraham by saying, 'If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham' (Matt 3:9). For one who exists as a child is also seed, but not every seed and child becomes complete by being miscarried or not being brought to full development. This also applies according to the logic of the ascent. For many, having begun according to Hymenaeus and Alexander regarding faith, having shipwrecked, were not completed as children. Everything has its order and its phrasing. For it is not the serpent toward the seed, but toward her; nor is the seed of the serpent toward her, but its seed. For the extremely evil has the battle against the surpassingly good, and the lesser against the equal. For God gives even the outcome of being able to endure without becoming immeasurable according to some temptation: 'If the Lord had not been with us, we would have been swallowed up' (Ps 54:5). And since the Lord of all is good, He exposes the schemes of the adversary and reveals the attacks against Him; while the devil watches the progress of the man and the crossings upon virtue, which are revealed through the wing, the man's head of evil he watches; for when this is removed, the whole is removed as well. Pay attention to how the word shifted from one genus to another; for regarding the woman all those things were said: 'I will put enmity between you and the woman' (Gen 3:15) and the following, but now he says: 'He shall guard the head and you his wing.' For it was necessary to speak regarding the weaker one, 'I will put enmity,' so that the pure might not have place for deception, but regarding the man, so that, not having been deceived according to the apostolic voice, it should be said: 'He shall guard your head.' For being strong and being able to fight, he is more fit to guard the attacks of the adversary, not allowing him to introduce the beginning of deception to himself as to the Woman, who, as we previously said, accompanied him, since he himself also said: 'The woman whom you gave with me' (Gen 3:12), whom He also did not abandon because of her usefulness. It has been joined together.

For it is not for their own sake; just as the saints who followed those being taken captive in Babylon had done nothing worthy of captivity, but so that they might become physicians of those taken captive, like Daniel and Hezekiah and the three youths in the furnace.

Therefore, what is said to the serpent, 'He shall strike your head' (Gen 3:15), shows that, even if you deceived the woman as a weaker one, the man will fight against the head of your wickedness, which is impiety, which the wise man casts out, so that the devil does not reach the head of the wise man, but rather the wing, which would be the extremities of those contributing to virtue. For often, being unable to fight something of the former, he sits in wait regarding human needs, so that through these he might trip them up.

This same thing is said in the Psalms: 'They shall guard my wing' (Ps 91:4); and this 'to guard' means the same as 'to keep' in the present context; for 'to watch over' shows that we are not ignorant that the words lie toward preservation, and to cover, as in 'You, Lord, will guard us and preserve us' (Ps 121:7), and in 'Holy Father, keep them' (III, 16–19).

And to the woman he said: 'In multiplying I will multiply your sorrows and your groaning; in sorrows you shall bear children, and your turning toward your husband, and he shall rule over you' (Gen 3:16). And to Adam he said: 'Because you heard the voice of your woman and ate from the tree, of which I commanded you alone not to eat, from it you ate, cursed is the earth because of your works; in sorrows you shall eat it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles it shall bring up for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread, until you turn to the earth from which you were taken, for earth you are and to earth you shall return' (Gen 3:17-19).

It is not unbelievable to take the histories from these words. For it appears as if the woman is heavily and continuously afflicted by sorrows and groans, undergoing not a little toil both in conceptions and in parturition and also in nursing, just as the one of the blessed Job says that 'Your memorial is blotted out from the earth, sons and daughters, the pangs and labors of my womb, which I toiled for in vain...'

Greek · §39

Σπέρματος δὲ καὶ τέκνου διαφορὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις εἴρηται, τῶν μὲν Ἰουδαίων λεγόντων· "6Σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ ἐσμεν"6, τοῦ δὲ Σωτῆρος τοῦτο μὲν αὐτοῖς συγχωροῦντος, ἀπαγορεύοντος δὲ αὐτοὺς τέκνα τυγχ[ά]νειν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἐν τῷ λέγειν· "6Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἦτε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ποιεῖτε."6 Ὁ μὲνγὰρ τέκνον ὑπάρχων καὶ σπέρμα ἐστίν, οὐ πάντως τοῦ σπέρματος καὶ τέκνου γινομένου τῷ ἀπαμβλίσκεσθαι καὶ μὴ τ[ε]λεσιουργεῖσθαι. Εἴη δὲ τοῦτο καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς λόγον ἑπόμενο[ν]. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἀρξάμενοι κατὰ τὸν Ὑμέναιον καὶ Ἀλέξανδρον περὶ τὴν πίστιν ναυαγήσαντες τέκνα οὐκ ἀπετελέσθησαν. Πᾶν δὲ τεταγμένως καὶ τὰ τῆς φράσεως ἔχει. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ὄφις πρὸς τὸ σπέρμα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς αὐτήν, οὐδὲ τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ ὄφεως πρὸς αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῆς. Τὰ γὰρ ἄκρως κακὰ πρὸς τὰ ὑπερβάλλοντα ἀγαθὰ ἔχει τὴν μάχην, καὶ τὰ ἐλάττω πρὸς τὰ ἰσόρροπα. Ὁ Θεὸς γὰρ δίδωσιν καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν μὴ ἐῶν ἄμετρον γίνεσθαι κατά τινος πειρασμόν· "6Εἰ μὴ Κύριος ἦν ἐν ἡμῖν, ἄρα κατέπιον ἡμᾶς."6 Ὡς ἀγαθὸς δὲ ὁ τοῦ παντὸς Κύριος καὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς τοῦ ἀντικειμένου καταμηνύει καὶ τὰς κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐπιθέσεις ἐκδιδάσκει, τοῦ μὲν διαβόλου ἐπιτηροῦντος τὰς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου προκοπὰς καὶ διαβάσεις ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετήν, αἵτινες διὰ τῆς πτέρνας δηλοῦνται, τοῦ δὲ ἀνθρώπου τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς κακίας ἐπιτηροῦντος· τούτου γὰρ ἀναιρουμένου, συναναιρεῖται καὶ τὸ πᾶν. Πρόσ<σ>χες δὲ πῶς ἀπὸ γένους ἐπὶ γένος ἕτερον μετέστη ὁ λόγος· ὡς γὰρ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα πάντα ἐκεῖνα ἐλέγετο· "6Ἔχθραν θήσω ἀνὰ μέσον σου καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, νῦν δέ φησιν· "6Αὐτὸς τηρήσει κεφαλὴν καὶ σὺ αὐτοῦ 100 πτέρναν."6 Ἔδει γὰρ περὶ μὲν τῆς ἀσθενεστέρας λέγεσθαι 100 τὸ ἔχθραν θήσω, ἵνα τὸ ἀμιγὲς μηδὲ ἀπάτης χώρα γένηται, περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἀνδρός, ἅτε οὐκ ἐξαπατηθέντος κατὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν φωνήν, λέγεσθαι· "6Αὐτός σου τηρήσει κεφαλήν."6 Ἰσχυ[ρὸ]ς γὰρ ὢν καὶ πολεμεῖν ἐστιν ἐπιτη- δειότερος καὶ φυλάττειν τὰς τοῦ ἀντικειμένου ἐπιβολάς, μὴ συγχωρῶν αὑτῷ ἀπάτης ἀρχὴν προσαγαγεῖν ὡς τῇ Εὕᾳ, ᾗ, καθὼς προειρήκαμεν, συνηκολούθησεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς εἶπεν· "6Ἡ γυνὴ ἣν ἔδωκας μετ' ἐμοῦ"6, ἣν καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκεν διὰ τὸ αὐτῆς χρήσιμον. Συνεκβέβληται γὰρ οὐ δι' ἑαυτόν, καθὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐν Βαβυλῶνι αἰχμαλωτιζομένοις ἠκολούθουν οἱ ἅγιοι οὐδὲν ἄξιον αἰχμαλωσίας δεδρακότες, ἀλλ' ὅπως ἰατροὶ τῶν αἰχμαλωτισθέντων γένωνται, ὡς ∆ανιὴλ καὶ Ἰεζεχιὴλ καὶ οἱ 40 ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ τρεῖς παῖδες. Τὸ λεγόμενον οὖν πρὸς τὸν ὄφιν "6αὐτός σου τηρήσει κεφαλὴν"6 ἐμφάνοι ἂν ὅτι, εἰ καὶ ὡς ἀσθενεστέραν ἠπάτησας τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀλλ' ὁ ἀνήρ σοι προσπολεμήσει τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς σῆς κακίας ἐπιτηρῶν, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἀσέβεια, ὅπερ ὁ σοφὸς ἐκβάλλει, τοῦ διαβόλου μὴ ἐφικνουμένου τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ σοφοῦ, ἀλλ' εἰ ἄρα τῆς πτέρνης, ἥτις εἴη ἂν τὰ ἐσχατιὰ τῶν εἰς ἀρετὴν συντελούντων. Πολλάκις γὰρ μὴ δυνάμενός τι τῶν προηγουμένων πολεμεῖν, περὶ τὰς χρείας τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας ἐνεδρεύει, ἵνα διὰ τούτων ὑποσκελίσῃ. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ καὶ ἐν ψαλμοῖς λέγεται· "6Αὐτοὶ τὴν πτέρναν μου φυλάξουσιν"6· τοῦτο δὲ τὸ φυλάξαι τῷ τηρῆσαι ἐν τῷ νῦν προκειμένῳ ταὐτὸ σημαίνει· τὸ ἐπιτηρῆσαι γὰρ δηλοῖ, οὐκ ἀγνοούντων ἡμῶν ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ διατηρῆσαι κεῖνται αἱ λέξεις καὶ σκεπάσαι ὡς ἐν τῷ "6Σύ, Κύριε, φυλάξεις ἡμᾶς καὶ διατηρήσεις ἡμᾶς"6, καὶ ἐν τῷ "6Πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτούς"6. ιιι, 16–19. Καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ εἶπεν· Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ 101 τὰς λύπας σου καὶ τὸν στεναγμόν σου· ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα σου ἡ ἀποστροφή σου, καὶ αὐτός σου κυριεύσει. Τῷ δὲ Ἀδὰμ εἶπεν· Ὅτι ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς τῆς γυναικός σου καὶ ἔφαγες ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, οὗ ἐνετειλάμην σοι τούτου μόνου μὴ φαγεῖν, ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἔφαγες, ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου· ἐν λύπαις φαγῇ αὐτὴν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου. Ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀνατελεῖ σοι, καὶ φαγῇ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ. Ἐν ἱδρῶτι τοῦ προσώπου σου φαγῇ τὸν ἄρτον σου, ἕως τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι σε εἰς τὴν <γῆν> ἐξ ἧς ἐλήμφθη<ς>, ὅτι γῆ εἶ καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ. Οὐκ ἀπίθανόν ἐστιν καὶ τὰς ἱστορίας ἐκλαβεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν λέξεων τούτων. Καὶ γὰρ φαίνεται ὡς ἡ μὲν γυνὴ πυκναῖς καὶ συνεχέσιν λύπαισπιέζεται καὶ στεναγμοῖς, οὐ μικρὸν ὑπομένουσα κάματον ἔν τε ταῖς συλλήψεσιν καὶ ἀποτέξεσιν ἔτι τε καὶ ἀνατροφαῖς, καθὸ καὶ ἡ τοῦ μακαρίου Ἰώβ φησιν ὅτι "6Ἠφανισταί σου τὸ μνημόσυνον ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, υἱοὶ καὶ θυγατέρες, ἐμῆς κοιλίας ὠδῖνες καὶ πόνοι, οὓς εἰς τὸ κενὸν ἐκοπίασα μετὰ

The Church's Union with Christ and the Consequences of Disobedience§40

40He is consumed by labors, bringing all things to the man more strongly than a master, awaiting the commands issued from him, while the man himself is exhausted by cares, being constantly occupied with toil and sweat throughout his life. For he is not a partaker of those who grieve the woman, but he himself is gripped by peculiar pains throughout his living, laboring and wearing out both body and soul on various things; for his household matters are not the most foolish, such as the upbringing of children, and the many pains of these, whether pressed by diseases or preempted by death, from all of which a surpassing remedy and sufficient labor are needed, and many things could be said which are most manifest to all.

Let us see also each of the things said. To the one it has been said, 'Cursed are you,' but to Adam not so, but 'Cursed is the ground because of your works' (Gen 3:17), and rightly so; for he, not having been defeated by sin, did not surpass it, but followed the woman according to that which was given to us beforehand, 'The woman whom you gave to me' (Gen 2:24), when we were presented with the apostolic saying: 'Adam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, came into transgression' (1 Tim 2:14). But even to the woman directly, threats are given: 'I will greatly multiply your sorrows' (Gen 3:16). And the saying 'You are dust and to dust you shall return' (Gen 3:19) also brings forth the characteristic of the bodily substance; for the soul does not have its beginning from the earth, so that it might also be dissolved into it, according to those who falsely claim it is corruptible.

Since, as we have seen before, Paradise was taken by us allegorically to be a divine place of enjoyment for the blessed powers, so too the things concerning the man and the woman must be interpreted. We have, therefore, from the blessed Paul, principles leading toward the upward ascent, him saying, 'This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church' (Eph 5:32). The church, therefore, brings forth children in sorrows, for the labor of virtue precedes and works out unremitting repentance toward salvation; and it brings them forth through the bath of regeneration. For labor follows virtue, while pleasure follows ease. The Savior teaches this, saying, 'Narrow is the gate and compressed is the road leading to life' (Matt 7:14), but 'wide' and 'broad is the road...'

The one leading to destruction, and many are those entering into it. And the sighing has praise through virtue being produced: of those groaning. But it also has a turning toward the man Christ, being ruled by him, so that according to his pledges, the offspring of virtue being obtained from her might have its perfection through him.

For 'I betrothed to you one man a pure virgin to Christ,' says Paul (2 Cor 11:2). For blessed is the church, when it is surrounded by Christ, and each woman is blessed who is under a perfect and diligent one and a savior of the duty of ruling. For let no one, taking the strayed lifestyles, attempt to counterfeit; let him test the word, for they were not provided for in the divine word concerning such things, and Paul, teaching this, exhorts, saying, 'just as also the Christ did to the church,' which is self-evident.

And regarding the commandment containing the rule, as it is not necessary to merely say that the one forbidden to eat in these things was sufficient once having been made clear now, this alone we should pass over, while noting this: that because Adam, having heard the voice of the woman, did not previously sin, but followed her, through which the things said stand; for 'Cursed is the earth in your labors' (Gen 3:17), he says, 'Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you' (Gen 3:18). For what from the following of the body is not painful, pleasures and cares being attached to it from it?

For these thorns the Savior interpreted, which entangle the seed being cast by Jesus, if the receiver does not receive into this depth; but also the one called Earth, who receives much rain upon her and brings forth good vegetation for those whom she also cultivates, receives blessing from God; but bearing thorns and thistles, she is unproven and near to a curse, the end of which is into burning. If therefore anyone, through study, should cause these to sprout but does not forgive, he will have a pasture, which is some food; for first the growing thing will be grass-like, as also the Savior says, 'whether an ear of grain' (John 12:24). This, therefore, the spiritual, the diligent one will not find without study nor without toil.

Greek · §40

μόχθων"6, καὶ ὡς ἅπαντα πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα ἤνεγκεν ἰσχυρότερον δεσπότου, τὰς ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἀπεκδεχομένη ἐπικελεύσεις, ὁ δὲ ἀνὴρ ἔργοις καὶ φροντίσιν κατατρυχόμενος πόνοις καὶ ἱδρῶσιν διὰ παντὸς διατελῶν τοῦ βίου. Καὶ γὰρ τῶν λυπούντων τὴν γυναῖκα οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμέτοχος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἰδιαζόντως πόνοις συνέχεται διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν, ἄλλα ἐπ' ἄλλοις πονῶν τε καὶ κάμνων σώματι καὶ ψυχῇ· καὶ γὰρ τὰ κατ' οἶκον αὐτῷ οὐκ ἀφρόν- τιστα, παίδων ἀνατροφή, καὶ τούτων πολλάκις ὀδύναι διάφοροι ἢ νόσοις πιεσθέντων ἢ θανάτῳ προλαμβανόντων, ἐξ ὧν ἁπάντων ἀνία ὑπερβάλλουσα καὶ πόνος ἱκανώτατος, καὶ πολλὰ ἂν εἴη λέγειν, ἃ πᾶσίν ἐστι προδηλότατα. Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὸ καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν εἰρημένων. Τῷ μὲν οὖν ὄφει εἴρηται· "6Ἐπικατάρατος σύ"6, τῷ δὲ Ἀδὰμ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ' "6Ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου"6, καὶ εἰκότως· οὐ γὰρ ἡττηθεὶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ παρέβη, ἀλλ' ἀκολουθήσας τῇ γυναικὶ κατὰ τὰ προαπο- 102 δοθέντα ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ "6Ἡ γυνὴ ἣν ἔδωκας μετ' ἐμοῦ"6, ὅτε παρετιθέμεθα τὸ ἀποστολικὸν λέγον· "6Ἀδὰμ γὰρ οὐκ ἠπατήθη, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἐξαπατηθεῖσα ἐν παραβάσει γέγονεν."6 Ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ εἰς πρόσωπον αἱ ἀπειλαὶ δίδονται· "6Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὰς λύπας σου"6. Ἐπιφέρων δὲ καὶ τὸ "6Γῆ εἶ καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ"6, τῆς σωματικῆς οὐσίας τὸ ἴδιον ἐπιδείκνυσιν· οὐ γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ ἀπὸ γῆς ἔχει τὴν ἀρχήν, ἵνα καὶ εἰς ταύτην ἀναλυθῇ κατὰ τοὺς φθαρτὴν αὐτὴν εἰσηγουμένους. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ὁ παράδεισος ἡμῖν ἐν ἀλληγορίᾳ ἐλαμβάνετο χωρίον εἶναι θεῖον ἐνδιαίτημα μακα- ρίων δυνάμεων, καταλλήλως καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἐκλημπτέον. Ἔχομεν τοίνυν ἐκ τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου ἀρχὰς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν ἀγούσας λέγοντος τὸ "6Μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν, ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν."6 Ἡ ἐκκλησία τοίνυν τέκνα ἐν λύπαις τίκ- τει, πόνος γὰρ τῆς ἀρετῆς προηγεῖται καὶ λύπῃ, μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον κατεργαζομένη· τίκτει δὲ αὐτὰ διὰ 41 λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας. Ἕπεται γὰρ τῇ μὲν ἀρετῇ πόνος, τῇ δὲ ἡδονῇ ῥᾳστώνη. Τοῦτο ὁ Σωτὴρ παιδεύει λέγων· "6Τί στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν"6, "6πλατεῖα"6 δὲ "6καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι εἰς αὐτήν."6 Καὶ ὁ στεναγμὸς δὲ ἔπαινον̣ ἔχει δι' ἀρετὴν γινόμενος· "6τῶν καταστενα- ζόντων ***"6. Ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα Χριστὸν τὴν ἀποστροφὴν ἔχει, παρ' αὐτοῦ κυριευομένη, ἵνα κατὰ τὰς ἐκείνου ὑποθημοσύνας τὰ παρ' αὐτῆς ἀποτικτόμενα τῆς 103 ἀρετῆς γεννήματα ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἔχῃ τὴν τελεσιουργίαν· "6Ἡρμοσά[μ]ην γὰρ ὑμᾶς"6 φησιν ὁ Παῦλος "6ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ <παρθένον ἁγνὴν> παραστῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ."6 Μακαρία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία, ὅτε ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ π[ε]ριέχεται, καὶ ἑκάστη δὲ γυνὴ ὑπὸ τελείου καὶ σπουδαίου καὶ σῴζοντος τὸ καθῆκον τοῦ ἄρχειν μακαρία. Μὴ γάρ τις τὰς διεστραμμένας συμβιώσεις παραλαμβάνων ψευδοποιεῖν πειράσθω τὸ ῥητόν· οὐδὲ γὰρ περὶ τῶν τοιούτων τῷ λόγῳ τῷ θείῳ πεφρόντισται, καὶ τοῦτο διδάσκων ὁ Παῦλος παραινεῖ λέγων· "6*** ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν"6, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀπαθῶς. Τὰ δὲ περὶ τῆς ἐντολῆς περιεχούσης ὡς οὐ δεῖ μόνου τοῦ ἀπηγορευμένου φαγεῖν ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων αὐτάρκως σαφηνισθέντα νῦν παρεατέον, τοῦτο μόνον καὶ νῦν ἐπιση- μειώμενος, ὡς ὅτι τῆς φωνῆς ἀκούσας τῆς γυναικὸς ὁ Ἀδὰμ οὐ προηγουμένως ἥμαρτεν, ἀλλ' ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῇ, δι' ἣν καὶ τὰ εἰρημένα ὑφίσταται· "6Ἐπικατάρατος"6 γάρ φησιν "6ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σοῦ."6 *** "6Ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀνατελεῖ σοι"6. Τί γὰρ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ σώματος ἀκολουθίας οὐκ ἐπώδυνόν ἐστιν, ἡδονῶν τε καὶ μεριμνῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐπιφυομένων; Ταύτας γὰρ εἶναι τὰς ἀκάνθας ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡρμήνευσεν, αἵτινες συμπνίγουσι τὸν ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ βαλλόμενον σπόρον, ἐὰν ὁ δεξάμενος μὴ εἰς βάθος τοῦτον ὑποδέξηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον ὡς Γῆ ἡ πιοῦσα τὸν ἐπ' αὐτῆς ἐρχόμενον πολλάκις ὑετὸν καὶ τίκτουσα βοτάνην εὔθετον ἐκείνοις δι' οὓς καὶ γεωργεῖ- ται, μεταλαμβάνει εὐλογίας ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐκφέρουσα δὲ ἀκάνθας̣ καὶ τριβόλους, ἀδόκιμος καὶ κατάρας ἐγγύς, 104 ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν."6 Ἐὰν οὖν τις διὰ μελέτης ταύτας μὲν ἀναβλαστῆσαι μὴ συγχωρήσῃ, σχήσει χόρτον, ὅ ἐστι τρόφιμόν τι· πρῶτον γὰρ χορτῶδες ἔσται τὸ φυόμενον, ὡς καὶ ὁ Σωτήρ φησιν· "6*** εἶτεν στάχυν"6. Τοῦτον οὖν τὸν πνευματικὸν οὐκ ἀμελετήτως οὐδ' ἄτερ πόνου εὑρήσει ὁ σπουδαῖος. Καὶ γὰρ

The Curse and the Mother of the Living§41

41Virtue is difficult to attain through toil, because the hearts of men are carefully inclined toward evil. For he says, 'Through many tribulations you must enter the kingdom of heaven' (Acts 14:22). The first stages of virtue are like a good introductory fodder, perhaps an ear of grain, when one begins to receive great introductory lessons of perfection by hearing.

'But solid food is for the perfect, who, having trained their senses through the six faculties, have the capacity to distinguish between good and evil' (Hebrews 5:14). Therefore, virtue is a struggle where the hearts of men lie carefully toward evil; because of this, he says, 'Eat your bread with sweat all the days of your life' (Genesis 3:19), which could not be said of angels, for the works of virtue are easier for them.

One must also interpret allegorically the phrase, 'Until you turn back to the land from which you were taken.' For having risen in a spiritual body, you will have a heavenly citizenship, becoming in the land of the meek. For 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth' (Matthew 5:5), even if instead of this earth, a man has exchanged it for a desert because of his own faults.

For among ourselves we become either earth or heaven; the wise Paul instructs this by saying, 'And just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly' (1 Corinthians 15:49), which the disciples defend in their prayer, saying, 'Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth' (Matthew 6:10). When will this be? Either when men walking upon the earth have a citizenship in heaven.

It should be noted, however, that if something is interpreted allegorically, it is not always necessary to smooth everything over; for if the literal sense is understood to be appropriate for an allegory, once this is understood, it is not necessary to accept everything as an upward leading, such as regarding 'you shall not muzzle an ox while it is trampling' (Deuteronomy 25:4), which, because it is fitting, allows one to recognize the teacher and the labors which he endures for the sake of those being instructed.

It has been said that it is not necessary to speak of the ox in a dual sense or what this leads to, for it was not omitted for that reason. These things have been said so that no one, being brought into Christ from Adam, should demand of Christ all the familiar things pertaining to Adam. For He Himself became a curse on behalf of humanity, having the Church as a symbol, which was the woman, so that through His labor and His emptying, life might come to those who are falling away; for He 'made sin on behalf of us, not knowing sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him' (2 Cor 5:21). But sin is not entirely non-existent, for if it were not, it would not have been productive of righteousness. For it also became a curse, so that we might obtain a blessing; and just as Adam was not deceived, but followed after the woman being deceived, so, the humanity having been tripped up, He 'emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave' (Phil 2:7). For if the race had not happened to transgress, He would not have had need of the healer, since no wound had occurred, which was calling out the epidemic among men.

Adam called the name of his wife Life, because she is the mother of all the living. Adam, moved by foresight and knowing that they would be outside the paradise because of the transgression, pre-proclaims the future Life calling the woman, 'for she will be mother of all the living' (Gen 3:20). For from her the whole succession has come, and it is not necessary to pre-assume that this also applies to the irrational. For it is not fitting to include and take along those which do not belong, even if something is said in general. For if the saying says, 'I will pour out from my spirit upon all flesh' (Joel 2:28), it would be following to include the flesh of the irrational; nor if it says again, 'And all flesh shall see the salvation of our God' (Isa 27:9), would it be fitting to pre-assume this also regarding the flesh of the irrational. So also now Eve is the mother of all the living, it being evident that she does not have the flesh of humans as mother. If this were also to be brought to the Church, who would...

Greek · §41

ἐπιμελῶς τῆς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ τὰ κακὰ ἐκκειμένης, δυσθήρατος ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ κόπῳ λαμβανομένη· "6∆ιὰ"6 γὰρ "6πολλῶν θλίψεών"6 φησιν "6δεῖ ὑμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν."6 Ἀγαθοῦ δ' εἰσαγωγικὸν χόρτον τέως ἐμφαγεῖν τὰ πρῶτα τῆς ἀρετῆς, εἶτεν στάχυν, ὅτε μεγάλα εἰσαγωγικὰ μαθήματα τελειότητός τις ἐπιλαμβάνεται ὡς ἀκοῦσαι· "6Τελείων δέ ἐστιν ἡ στερεὰ τροφή, τῶν διὰ τὴν ἕξιν τὰ αἰσθητήρια γεγυμνασμένα ἐχόντων πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ."6 Ἐπίμοχθον οὖν ἡ ἀρετή, ὅπου καὶ ἡ καρδία τῶν ἀνθρώ- πων ἐπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὸ κακὸν ἔγκειται· διὰ τοῦτο "6πάσας"6 φησὶν "6τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου ἐν ἱδρῶτι φαγῇ τὸν ἄρτον σου"6, ὅπερ οὐκ ἂν λεχθείη ἀγγέλοις· εὐκολώτερον γὰρ παρ' ἐκείνοις τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐνεργεῖται. Οἰκείως δὲ τῇ ἀλληγορίᾳ ἐκλημπτέον καὶ τὸ "6ἕως ἂν ἀποστρέψῃς εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐξ ἧς ἐλήμφθης"6. Ἀναστὰς γὰρ ἐν πνευματικῷ σώματι οὐράνιον ἕξεις πολιτείαν ἐ[ν] τῇ γῇ τῶν πραῶν γινόμενος· "6Μακάριοι"6 γὰρ "6οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν"6, εἰ καὶ ἀντὶ ταύτης τὴν χέρσον διὰ τὰ ἴδια πταίσματα ἄνθρωπος ἀντικατηλ- λάξατο. Παρ' ἑα<υ>τοὺς γὰρ ἢ γῆ ἐσμεν ἢ οὐρανὸς γινόμεθα τοῦτο ὁ σοφὸς Παῦλος παιδεύει λέγων· "6Καὶ καθὼς ἐφορέσαμεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ, φορέσομεν καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου"6, ὅπερ ἐν τῇ εὐχῇ λέγειν προστάτ- τονται οἱ μαθηταί· "6Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς."6 Πότε δὲ τοῦτο ἔσται, ἢ ὅταν ἄνθρωποι ἐπὶ γῆς 42 περιπατοῦντες ἐν οὐρανῷ ἔχωσιν τὸ πολίτευμα. Σημειωτέον δὲ τοῦτο, ὅτι οὐκ, ἐάν τι ἀλληγορῆται, πάντως ὅλον ἐξομαλίζειν ἀνάγκη· εἴλημπται γὰρ διὰ τί τὸ ῥητὸν οἰκεῖον πρὸς ἀλληγορίαν, τούτου δὲ νοουμένου, 105 οὐκ ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰ πάντα δέχεσθαι πρὸς ἀναγωγήν, οἷον ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ "6οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα"6, ὅπερ διὰ τὸ προσήκειν ἐπιγιγνώσκειν τὸν διδάσκαλον καὶ τοὺς πόνους οὓς πονεῖ ὑπὲρ τῶν παιδευομένων εἴρηται· οὐκ ἀνάγκη δὲ λέγειν εἰ δίκερως ὁ βοῦς καὶ ταῦτα εἰς τί ἀνάγεται· οὐ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο παρείλημπται. Ταῦτα δὲ εἴρηται ἵνα μή τις, εἰς Χριστὸν ἀναγομένου τοῦ Ἀδάμ, πάντα ἀπαιτήσῃ περὶ Χριστοῦ τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὅλα τὰ οἰκεῖα. Καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς κατάρα ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος γέγονεν, σύμβολον ἐχούσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἥτις ἦν ἡ γυνή, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ κόπου αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς κενώσεως ζωὴ γένηται τοῖς ἀποσφα- λεῖσιν· "6Τὸν"6 γὰρ "6μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς γενώμεθα δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ."6 Ἁμαρτία δὲ οὐ καθάπαξ ἐστίν, ἣ γὰρ ἂν οὐκ ἦν ποιητικὴ δικαιοσύνης. Καὶ γὰρ κατάραδὲ γέγονεν, ἵν' ἡμεῖς εὐλογίαν σχῶμεν· καὶ ὥσπερ οὐχ ὁ Ἀδὰμ ἠπατήθη, ἀλλὰ τῆς γυναικὸς ἐξαπατηθείσης ἠκολού- θησεν, οὕτω, τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος σφαλείσης, "6ἐκένωσεν ἑαυτὸν μορφὴν δούλου λαβών"6. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ παραβὰν ἐτύγχανε τὸ γένος, οὐδὲ τοῦ θεραπεύσοντος ἔχρηζον, τραύματος μὴ γεγενημένου, ὃ τὴν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπιδημίαν ἐξεκάλειτο. ιιι, 20. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἀδ[ὰ]μ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ Ζωή, ὅτι αὕτη μήτηρ πάντων τῶν ζώντων. Συνέσει κινούμενος προμηθεστάτῃ ὁ Ἀδάμ, ἐπιστάμενος ὅτι ἔξω τοῦ παραδείσου διὰ τὴν παράβασιν ἔσονται, προαναφωνεῖ τὸ μέλλον Ζωὴν καλῶν τὴν γυναῖκα, "6ὅτι αὕτη μήτηρ πάντων"6 ἔσται "6τῶν ζώντων"6. Ἐξ αὐτῆς γὰρ ἅπασα ἡ διαδοχὴ γέγονεν, οὐ δεῖ δὲ προσυπακούειν ὅτι καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων. Οὐ γάρ, ἐὰν καθόλου τι λέγηται, προσπαραλαμβάνειν καὶ τὰ μὴ πεφυκότα προσήκ[ε]ι. Οὐ γάρ, ἐὰν φάσκῃ τὸ λόγιον· "6Ἐκχέω ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα"6, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀλόγων προσλαβεῖν ἀκόλουθον· οὐδ' ἂν λέγῃ πάλιν· "6Καὶ ὄψεται πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν"6, προσυπακούειν τοῦτο καὶ περὶ τῆς σαρκὸς τῶν ἀλόγων ἁρμόζει. Οὕτω καὶ νῦν πάντων τῶν ζώντων μήτηρ ἡ Εὕα, τῶν πεφυκότων δηλονότι μητέρα αὐτὴν ἔχειν ἀνθρώπων. 106 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν αὕτη ἀνάγοιτο, τίς ἂν

The Weight of the Body and the Dwelling§42

42Another might be a mother of those living according to the life of our Lord Jesus Christ saying, 'I am the Life' (John 14:6), or the church, which has life from him as from a fountain, from which even those registered in it, the church being experienced as firstborn, participate in divine life. And it is evident that if this is a mother, and Christ is a father of the believers, 'from whom every family is named in the heavens and on earth' (Ephesians 3:15).

And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife skin garments and clothed them (Genesis 3:21). Fittingly, the skin garments become those which no one would call other than bodies, being consistent with the one who is about to be a mother to all with her husband. For if even the skin-lovers would think that God has made garments out of skins, what is appropriate for the 'clothed them' (Genesis 3:21), being able to do this through themselves? For coverings were not unthought of, those who sewed for themselves girdles out of leaves.

But that in many of the divine teachings the body is called skin, it is possible to find. For the blessed Job says: 'For I know that he who is about to release me is ever-enduring; he will raise my skin upon the earth that draws these things' (Job 19:26), and Job clearly spoke these things about his own body. And again the same says such things about himself: 'You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you brought me together with bones and sinews' (Job 10:11). For it is a clear and most evident sign that the skin garments are the body, since Job also remembers the one who clothed, which was also said concerning the first-formed.

And it also has the merit of observation; for it is possible to say as 'God made skin garments for both' (Genesis 3:21), but it is not said thus, but 'God made for Adam and his wife garments' (Genesis 3:21). For it is evident that there are different characters of male and female and different idiosyncrasies and many more, just as the place of the man and the woman possessing the succession are beginnings. First, it is said that man came to be in the image, which signifies the incorporeal; but since he also came to be in another state as needing something to use, he lacked an organic body, and now they become skin garments. This is illustrative of what is said: 'For corruptible...'

The body weighs down the soul, as this thickness shows; and thereafter the earthly tent wears out the prudent mind. The earthly tent is that which the soul uses when being freed from this body toward its own transitional movements, which serves as a means of joining the spiritual essence to the thickness. This weighs down the soul, but the tent wears out not the soul but the mind.

The apostle teaches this, saying: 'We know that if our earthly house, the tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, an unmade eternal house in the heavens; for indeed we who are in the tent groan' (2 Cor 5:1-4). By calling the house a tent, he clearly teaches the things previously mentioned.

If anyone were to seek how, if paradise is a place transcended, they are being led in and thus cast out, it must be said that things are not exactly as the words of the utterance are. For in things happening at once, it is often fitting that the former and the latter be said, not so that the things have the same state as the words of the utterance. This kind is that which is said in prophecy: 'Behold, the Lord sits upon a thin cloud, and he will come into Egypt, and the works of Egypt's hands will be shaken' (Isa 19:1). For it is not to be thought that the Lord has come from heaven, so that by thus descending upon him to Egypt he comes to a place near the earth, but because he simultaneously took a body and was in Egypt, these things are said because the order of things is not being unified.

Therefore, we do not say that the Savior, having first sat upon the thin cloud, came into the world, but we say these things together; and here we do not say that in paradise he had thick bodies and thus were cast out, for it is not possible to live there with such a body. Indeed, the thief he led into paradise with a naked soul, saying to him: 'Today you will be with me in paradise' (Luke 23:43)—and indeed his body remained in the cross until it was given to the earth—at the same time as the one who heard said: 'You are a seal of likeness and a crown of beauty in the luxury of paradise,' it did not become like you, as shown by living there. Through these things he demonstrates that to dwell there with thick bodies was not possible.

Greek · §42

ἄλλη εἴη μήτηρ τῶν ζώντων κατὰ τὴν ζωὴν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν λέγοντα· "6Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ Ζωή"6, ἢ ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἥτις ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀπὸ πηγῆς τὴν ζωὴν ἔχει, ἐξ ἧς καὶ οἱ ἀπογεγραμμένοι ἐν αὐτῇ, πρωτοτόκων ἐκκλη- σίᾳ τυγχανούσῃ, ζωῆς θείας μετέχουσιν. ∆ῆλον δὲ ὅτι, εἰ αὕτη μήτηρ, καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς πατὴρ τῶν πιστευόντων ὑπάρχει, "6ἐξ οὗ πᾶσα πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται"6. ιιι, 21. Καὶ ἐποίησεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ κιτῶνας δερματίνους καὶ ἐνέδυσεν αὐτούς. Καταλλήλως τῇ μελλούσῃ πάντων ἔσεσθαι μητρὶ μετὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εἰς τοῦτο συμβαλλομένου οἱ δερμάτινοι κιτῶνες γίνονται, οὓς οὐκ ἂν ἑτέρους τις τῶν σωμάτων εἴποι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ οἱ φιλίστορες ἐκ δερμάτων κιτῶνας τὸν Θεὸν πεποιηκέναι οἰήσονται, τί πρόσκειται καὶ τὸ "6ἐνέδυσεν αὐτούς"6, δι' ἑαυτῶν τοῦτο ποιῆσαι δυναμένων; Οὐ γὰρ ἀνεννόητοι ἐτύγχανον σκεπασμάτων, οἵ γε ῥάψαν- τε[ς] ἑαυτοῖς ἐκ φύλλων περιζώματα. Ὅτι δὲ πολλαχοῦ τῶν θ[εί]ων παιδευμάτων τὸ σῶμα δέρμα καλεῖται, ἔστιν εὑρεῖν. Ἰὼ[β] γὰρ ὁ μακάριός φησιν· "6Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ἀέναός ἐστιν ὁ ἐκλύε̣ι̣ν με με´̣λλων· ἐπὶ γῆς ἀναστήσαι τὸ δέρμα μου τὸ ἀναντλοῦν ταῦτα"6, παντὶ δέ τῳ σαφὲς ὡς ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ σώματος ἑαυτοῦ ὁ Ἰὼβ ἔφασκεν· Καὶ πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ τοιαῦτά φησιν· "6∆έρμα καὶ κρέας με ἐνέδυσας, ὀστέοις δὲ καὶ νεύροις με ἐνείρας."6 Σαφὲς γὰρ καὶ ἀριδηλότατον δεῖγμα τοῦ τοὺς δερματίνους κιτῶνας εἶναι τὸ σῶμα, ὅτι καὶ τοῦ ἐνέδυσας μνημονεύει ὁ Ἰώβ, ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πρωτοπλάστων εἴρηται. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὰ 43 τῆς παρατηρήσεως ἔχει· δυναμένου γὰρ λεχθῆναι ὡς "3ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀμφοτέροις κιτῶνας δερματίνους"3, οὐχ οὕτω δ' εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ "6ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῇ γυναικ[ὶ] αὐτοῦ κιτῶνας"6. 107 ∆ῆλον γὰρ ὅτι διάφοροι χαρακτῆρες ἄρρενος καὶ θήλεος καὶ ἰδιοσυγκρισίαι ἑτέραι καὶ ἕτερα πλεῖστα, καθὰ ὁ μὲν ἀνδρὸς χώραν, ἡ δὲ γυναικὸς ἐπέχουσα τῆς διαδοχῆς εἰσιν ἀρχή. Πρότερον μὲν οὖν κατ' εἰκόνα ὁ ἄνθρωπος γεγενῆσθαι εἴρηται, ὅπερ δηλοῖ τὸ ἄϋλον· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐν ἑτέρᾳ καταστάσει γεγένηται ὡς δεῖσθαί τινος ᾧ χρήσεται, ἐδέησεν αὐτῷ ὀργανικοῦ σώματος, νῦν δὲ καὶ δερμάτινοι γίνονται. Τούτων παραστατικόν ἐστιν τὸ λεγόμενον· "6Φθαρτὸν γὰρ σῶμα βαρύνει ψυχήν"6, τοῦ φθαρτοῦ σώματος δηλοῦντος τὸ παχὺ τοῦτο, εἶθ' ἑξῆς "6[κ]αὶ βρίθει τὸ γεῶδες σκῆνος νοῦν πολυφροντίδα"6, γεῶδες σκῆνος λέγων ᾧ κέχρηται ἡ ψυχὴ ἀπαλλαττομένη τοῦδε τοῦ σώματος πρὸς τὰς μεταβατικὰς ἑαυτῆς κ[ι]νήσεις, ὅπερ μέσον ἐστὶ συνάπτον τὴν νοερὰν οὐσίαν πρὸς τὸ [π]αχύ· τοῦτο τὴν ψυχὴν βαρεῖ, τοῦ σκήνους οὐ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀλλ[ὰ] τὸν νοῦν βρίθοντος. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος διδάσκει λέγων· "6[Ο]ἴδαμεν ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ [ἐ]πίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σκήνους καταλύθῃ οἰκοδ[ομὴν ἐκ Θεο[ῦ ἔ]χομεν, οἰκίαν ἀχειροποίητον αἰώνιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· καὶ γὰρ οἱ [ὄ]ντες ἐν τῷ σκήνει στενάζομεν"6· οἰκίαν γὰρ σκήνους λέγων φαν[ε]ρῶς διδάσκει τὰ προειρη- μένα. Ζητήσειεν ἄν τις, εἰ ὁ παράδεισος χωρίον ἐστὶν ὑπεραναβεβηκός, πῶς ἐκεῖ ἐνδιδύσκονται καὶ οὕτως ἐκβάλ- λονται· πρὸς ὃ λεκτέον ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἔχει τὰ τῆς προφ[ορ]ᾶς, οὕτως καὶ τὰ πράγματα. Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς ἅμα γινομένοις πολλά[κι]ς ἁρμόζει τὸ μὲν πρότερον, τὸ δ' ὕστερον λεχθῆ- ναι, οὐχ ἵ[ν]α, ὡς ἔχει τὰ τῆς προφορᾶς, καὶ τὰ πράγματα ἔχῃ. Τούτου τοῦ [εἴ]δους ἐστὶν τὸ ἐν τῇ προφητείᾳ λεγόμενον οὕτως· "6Ἰδοὺ Κύριος κά[θ]ηται ἐπὶ κούφης νεφέλης, καὶ ἥξει εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ σεισθήσετ[α]ι τὰ χειροποίητα Αἰγύπτου"6· οὐ γὰρ ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ τὸ σῶμα κεκομι[κ]έναι 108 τὸν Κύριον φρονητέον, ἵν' οὕτως ἐπ̣' αὐτοῦ ὀχούμενος ἐπὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον τὸν περίγειον ἔλθῃ τόπον, ἀλλ' ἅμα τε σῶμα ἔλαβεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἦν, τάξεως δὲ οὐ συγχεούσης τὰ πράγματα χάριν εἴρηται. Ὡς οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος οὔ φαμεν ὅτι προκαθίσας ἐπὶ τῆς κούφης νεφέλης ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ἅμα λέγομεν, καὶ ἐνταῦθα οὔ φαμεν ὅτι ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ ἔσχον τὰ παχέα σώματα καὶ οὕτω ἐκβέβληνται· οὐχ οἷόν τε γὰρ μετὰ σώματος ἐκεῖ τοιούτου διάγειν. Ἀμέλει γοῦν τὸν λῃστὴν γυμνῇ τῇ ψυχῇ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον εἰσήγαγεν λέγων αὐτῷ· "6Σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ"6–καὶ γὰρ τὸ αὐτοῦ σῶμα ἐν τῷ ἰκρίῳ ἔμεινεν, ἕως καὶ τῇ γῇ παρεδόθη– ἅμα καὶ ὁ ἀκούσας· "6Σὺ ἀποσφράγισμα ὁμοιώσεως καὶ στέφανος κάλλους ἐν τῇ τρυφῇ τοῦ παραδείσου"6, οὐκ ἐγενήθη ὅμοιός σοι δεικνύμενος ἐκεῖσε διάγειν. ∆ιὰ τούτων παρίστησιν ὡς παχέα σώ[μ]ατα ἐν αὐτῷ διατρίβειν οὐχ οἷά τε ἦν. ιιι, 22. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός. Ἰδοὺ

God's communal sharing and guidance§43

43Has Adam become like one of us, knowing good and evil? And might he not ever stretch out his hand, take the fruit of the tree of life, eat, and live forever? Many take this word spoken to Adam mockingly, saying something unsuitable of God. For it is not fitting for a serious man to stumble over a trifle, much less God.

Since, they say, the serpent promised this to the woman, saying: 'For God knows that on whatever day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil' (Gen 3:5), God said to Adam after he transgressed: 'Behold, Adam has become like us,' mocking him. Therefore, we, driving away such a notion from God in accordance with the will of the divinely inspired scripture, have taken up what is set forth.

The devil is not by nature evil or in essence, but he became good and well, having become devil, satan, and evil through a personal change; but then he was good and well when he held a place in the rank of angels, but he departed from them, cast down to earth because of the pride he conceived for himself. Thus he did not say to Adam: 'Behold, you have become like one of us,' but 'like one of us'; for from the heavenly ones this one fell, just as the psalmist teaches, saying: 'I said, you are gods and all of you are sons of the Most High, but you die like men and fall like one of the rulers' (Ps 82:6). For he too is a ruler and a god, not by essence, but by god-making, and he fell like those about whom it is said: 'I said, I begot sons and raised them, but they rejected me.'

'Behold, Adam has become like one of us,' he led on how? 'To know good and evil.' For only those not using virtue possess this, knowing only what is good and what is evil, without restraining themselves to choose the good and flee the evil. Instead, they use things in a shifting way, according to those who are debated about whom it is said: 'Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness' (Isa 5:20). And thus God says 'of us' to his own angels, just as...

He is a bodyguard to his own. But when it is known from the Scriptures that God makes himself common with his own creatures, it is learned from what was said to the disciples by the Savior: 'Rise up, let us go from here' (Matt 26:38), which also does not have a small significance in its observation; for indeed 'rise up' is toward them, but 'let us go' is with them.

Since the Savior 'did no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth' (Rom 7:7), therefore he has not become subject to it by a fall, and such a rising is not necessary for him as it is for the disciples, to whom he said, 'Rise up,' 'Arise from the human things,' and he counts in his departure himself. Since human nature alone does not have the power to use virtue without the breath of God, because of this he says, 'Let us go from here'; for he himself is both shepherd and staff, which guides over divine things.

Indeed, he also said to the thief: 'Today you shall be with me in Paradise' (Luke 23:43). But it is also said in the unholy thought directed toward men in the Tower of Babel: 'Come, let us go down and let us pour out their tongue' (Gen 11:7). For even if he does what God wills through subordinate angels—but I say his judgment is happening in the things that occur—it is said that he descends with those sent by him.

'Behold,' he says, 'Adam has become like one of us, knowing good and evil' (Gen 3:22), to whom he goes as a condemnation, yet in a nurturing way, the Philanthropist. For he performs both the threats and the inductions toward the beneficial. And what is it that he says: 'And now, perhaps one day he will stretch out his hand and take of the tree of life and live forever' (Gen 3:22)? Envy has driven him away from the divine dance; if it were this, it would be impossible for him to exist much more and superabundantly in God.

Therefore, he does not prevent them from taking the Tree of Life again out of envy, but he prevents them unsuitably. For just as the Savior commands: 'Do not throw the holy things to the dogs, neither your pearls before the swine' (Matt 7:6), and he also brings forward the reasoning, saying: 'lest they trample them and turning, tear you to pieces' (Matt 7:6), so it is not good for one having become in sins and still being in them to receive the life of the tree; for such a thing is contemptible. If the worthless one were prevented from such a guidance, not...

Greek · §43

Ἀδὰμ γέγονεν ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶ[ν] τοῦ γιγνώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν; καὶ νῦν μή ποτε ἐκτείν[ῃ τ]ὴν χεῖρα καὶ λάβῃ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ φάγῃ καὶ ζήσετ[αι εἰ]ς τὸν αἰ[ῶνα]. Οἱ πολλοὶ ὡς χλευαστικῶς εἰρηκότα τὸ ῥῆ[μ]α τοῦτο τῷ Ἀδὰμ τὸν Θεὸν ἐκλαμβάνουσιν, ἀνάρμοστόν τι τῷ [Θ]εῷ λέγοντες. Οὐ γὰρ οἰκεῖον σπουδαίῳ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐπεμβαίνειν πτώματί τινος, μή τί γε δὴ τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐπεὶ γάρ, φησὶν, ὁ ὄφις τοῦτο κατεπαγγείλατο τῇ γυναικὶ λέγων· "6Ἤδει γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι, ᾗ δ' ἂν ἡμέρ[ᾳ] φάγητε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, διανοιχθήσονται ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καὶ ἔ[σε]σθε ὡς θεοὶ γιγνώσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν"6, ὁ Θεὸς εἶπεν τῷ Ἀδὰμ παραβάντι· Ἰδοὺ Ἀδὰμ ὡς ἡμεῖς γέγονεν,εἰρωνευόμενος α[ὐ]τόν. Ἀπάγοντες οὖν ἡμεῖς καὶ ἐξορίζοντες τὴν τοιαύτην 109 ἔνν[οι]αν ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκείως τῷ βουλήματι τῆς θεοπνεύ- στου γραφῆς ἐκλάβωμεν καὶ τὸ προκείμενον. Ὁ διάβολος οὐ φύσει κακὸς ἢ κατ' οὐσίαν ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ καλὸς καὶ ἀγαθὸς γέγονεν, κατ' ἰδίαν τε μεταβολὴν τραπεὶς γέγονεν 44 διάβολος καὶ σατανᾶς καὶ πονηρός· τότε δὲ ἀγαθὸς καὶ καλὸς ἦν, ὅτε τοῦ τάγματος ἐτύγχανε τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἐξ αὐτῶν δὲ ἀπέστη ῥιφεὶς ἐπὶ γῆς διὰ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν, ἣν ἑαυτῷ ἐπενόησεν. Οὐκ εἶπεν οὖν τῷ Ἀδάμ· Ἰδοῦ γέγονας ὡς εἷς ἡμῶν, ἀλλ' "6ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν"6· ἐκ γὰρ τῶν οὐρανίων ὁ εἷς οὗτος ἐξέπεσεν, καθὰ καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς διδάσκει λέγων· "6Ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱο[ὶ Ὑ]ψίστου πάντες, ὑμεῖς δὲ δὴ ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνῄσκετε καὶ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων πίπτετε."6 Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἄρχων καὶ θεός, οὐ κατ' οὐσίαν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ θεοποίησιν, ἐξέπεσεν ὡς κἀκεῖνοι περὶ ὧν [Εἰ]πὼν δὲ ε[ἴ]ρηται· "6Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα, αὐτοὶ δέ με ἠθέτησαν."6 "6Ἰδοὺ γέγονεν Ἀδὰμ ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν"6, ἐπήγαγεν πῶς· "6[το]ῦ γιγνώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν"6. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ γὰρ μόνον [οἱ] μὴ χρώμενοι τῇ ἀρετῇ ἔχουσιν, γινώσκοντες μόνον [τί] καλὸν καὶ [τί] πονηρόν, μὴ διαστέλλοντες δὲ [ὡ]ς αἱρεῖσθαι μὲν τὸ ἀγαθόν, φεύγειν δὲ τὸ κακόν. Ἐναλλὰξ γο[ῦν] τοῖς πράγμασιν χρῶνται κατὰ τοὺς ταλανιζομένους περὶ ὧν λέγεται· "6Οὐαὶ οἱ λέγοντες τὸ πονηρὸν καλὸν καὶ τὸ καλὸν πονηρόν, οἱ τιθέντες τὸ σκότος φῶς καὶ τὸ φ[ῶ]ς σκότος."6 Λέγει δὲ οὕτως ὁ Θεὸς τὸ "6ἐξ ἡμῶν"6 τοῖς ἑαυτο[ῦ ἀ]γγέλοις, καθάπερ βασιλεὺς τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ δορυφόροις. Ὅτ[ι] δὲ τὸ κοινοποιεῖν ἑαυτὸν τὸν Θεὸν μετὰ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ κτισ[μ]άτων ἐκ τῆς γραφῆς γιγνώσκεται, ἔστιν μαθεῖν ἐκ τοῦ π[ρὸ]ς τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰρημένου τοῖς μαθηταῖς· 110 "6Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν"6, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ οὐ μικρὰν ἔχει τὴν παρατήρησιν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ "6ἐγείρε[σ]θε"6 πρὸς ἐκείνους, τὸ δὲ "6ἄγωμεν"6 μετ' ἐκείνων. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ὁ Σωτὴρ "6ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἐποίησεν οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ"6, διὸ οὐδὲ ὑπὸ πτῶμα γεγένηται, τοιαύτης ἐγέρσεως οὐ χρῄζει ὡς οἱ μαθηταί, οἷς εἶπεν "6Ἐγείρεσθε"6, "3διαναστῆτε τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων"3, συναριθμεῖ δ' ἐν τῷ ἀπελθεῖν ἑαυτόν. Ἐπεὶ μόνης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως οὐκ ἔστιν χωρὶς ἐπιπνοίας Θεοῦ τῇ ἀρετῇ χρήσασθαι, διὰ τοῦτο "6ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν"6 λέγει· αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν κα[ὶ] ποιμὴν καὶ ὅδοσκαὶ βακτηρία, <ἣ> ἐπὶ τὰ θεῖα χειραγωγεῖ. Ἀμέλει γοῦν καὶ τῷ λῃστῇ εἶπεν· "6Σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ [ἐ]ν τῷ παραδεί- σῳ."6 Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀθέῳ ἐπινοηθεί[σῃ] πρὸς ἀνθρώπων πυργοποιΐᾳ εἴρηται· "6∆εῦτε καὶ κατα[β]άντες συγχέωμεν αὐτῶν τὴν γλῶτταν."6 Κἂν γὰρ διὰ ὑπο[υργ]ῶν ἀγγέλων ποιῇ ἃ βούλεται Θεός, –ἀλλὰ λέγω κρίσει α[ὐ]τοῦ γίνεσθαι τὰ γινόμενα, – καταβαίνειν σὺν τοῖς π[ρ]οστελ[λομ]ένοις ὑπ' αὐτοῦ λέγεται. "6Ἰδοὺ"6 οὖν "6γέγονέν"6 [φ]ησιν "6Ἀδὰμ ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν τοῦ γιγνώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πο[ν]ηρόν"6, οἷς ἐπάγει ὥσπερ κατάκρισιν κηδεμονικῶς ὁ φι[λά]νθρωπος. Καὶ γὰρ τὰς ἀπειλὰς καὶ τὰς ἐπαγωγὰς πρὸς [τὸ] συμφέρον ποιεῖται. Τί δέ ἐστιν ὅ φησιν· "6Καὶ νῦν μή [π]οτε ἐκτείνῃ τὴν χεῖρα καὶ λάβῃ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς κ[αὶ] ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα"6; Φθόνος ἔξω θείου χοροῦ ἀπελήλασται· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, πολλῷ πλέον καὶ ὑπερβαλλόντως ἐν [Θ]εῷ τοῦτον ὑπάρχειν ἀδύνατον. Οὐ φθόνῳ οὖν κωλύει τοῦ 111 ξ[ύ]λου τῆς Ζωῆς πάλιν αὐτοὺς λαβεῖν, ἀλλ' ἀναρμόστως κωλύει. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ Σωτὴρ παραγγέλλει· "6Μὴ βάλητε τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσὶν μηδὲ τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων"6, ἐπιφέρει τε καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν λέγων· "6μήποτε καταπατήσωσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς"6, οὕτω οὐ καλὸν τὸν ἐν ἁμαρτίαις γεγενημένον καὶ ἔτι ἐν αὐταῖς ὄντα τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ξύλου δέχεσθαι· καταφρονητικὸν γὰρ τὸ τοιοῦτο. Εἰ δὲ κωλυθείη τῆς τοιαύτης ἀγωγῆς ὁ φαῦλος, μὴ

The Consequences of Sin and the Exile of Adam§44

44Sometimes one perceives the evil that will come by an untimely desire for teaching; and if he does not desire it, he is nonetheless bettered by the habit of despising the divine, which comes to him through his own thoughts. For evil becomes long-lasting once the good has been despised, resulting in an unerasable state toward it.

The phrase 'unto the age' is placed instead of 'through life,' which is similar to what is said by Paul: 'I will not eat meat for an age, so that I may not scandalize my brother' (1 Cor 8:9, 23-24). And the Lord God sent him out from the paradise of luxury to work the earth from which he was taken, and He cast out Adam and settled him opposite the paradise of luxury.

If anyone asks how, since the serpent was the cause of the transgression and the woman was the first to be deceived, it is not said concerning them 'I was cast out,' but concerning Adam, who is said by the wise Paul not to have been deceived. We say that if he who suffered the lesser sin became exiled outside the paradise, how much more those who committed the great sins. For if the serpent was cast out, it is not yet clear whether the matter concerning the woman and Adam was worthy of being cast out from the paradise, since Adam, who is not subject to great errors, has become exiled, it is clear that those who sinned greatly are also subject to it.

It is also possible to presuppose concerning the woman that she was cast out together with Adam; for the name of Adam means 'man,' which the saying having this form confirms: 'And God formed the man male and female and called their name Adam' (Gen 3:20), which is 'He called their name man.' Concerning the serpent, it might be said that it was in paradise not as one worthy to pass time there, but just as it is said in Job that 'the angels of God came to stand before Him' (Job 1:6), so also it is said concerning the serpent.

Therefore, God sent out Adam—and it is clear that He also sent out the woman—from the paradise; and that which is being sent out has a time to return. For He did not send him out to have him in an irreversible state, but so that, having been settled, he might encounter...

in His non-looking-at, God happens to be gazing at him

Greek · §44

καθ' ἡμέραν ἀκαίρως διδασκαλίας ἐπαΐων ποθήσει ποτὲ αἰσθόμενος οἷ κακῶν ἐστιν· εἰ δὲ καὶ μὴ ποθήσοι, βελτίων ἡ ἐν τοῖς ἐξ ἐπινοίας αὐτοῦ κακ[οῖ]ς διατριβὴ τῆς τῶν θείων καταφρονήσεως, εἰ ταῦτά τις αὐτῷ ἀκ[α]ίρως προσάγοι· πολυχρόνιον γὰρ τὸ κακὸν γίνεται, τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ [κ]αταφρονηθέντος, ἐξ οὗ συμβαίνει ἀνεράστως ἔχειν πρὸς αὐτ[ό]. Τὸ δ' "6εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα"6 πρόσκειται ἀντὶ τοῦ "3διὰ βίου"3, ᾧ ὅμοιόν ἐστι [τὸ] παρὰ Παύλῳ λεγόμενον· "6Οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέας εἰστὸν αἰῶνα, ἵνα μ[ὴ] τὸν 45 ἀδελφόν μου σκανδαλίσω."6 ιιι, 23–24. καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐ[τὸ]ν Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς ἐργάζεσθ[αι τ]ὴν γῆ[ν] ἐξ ἧς ἐλήμφθη, καὶ ἐξέβαλεν τὸν Ἀδὰμ καὶ κατῴκισε[ν] ἀπέν[αν]τι τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς. Ζητήσειεν ἄν τις πῶς, τοῦ ὄ[φ]εως μὲν αἰτίου τῆς παραβάσεως γεγενημένου, τῆς δὲ γυναικὸς [ἐξ]απατηθείσης πρώτης, οὐκ εἴρηται περὶ τούτων ὡς ἐξεβλήθησα[ν], ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἀδάμ, ὃς εἴρηται παρὰ Παύλῳ τῷ σοφῷ μὴ ἠπατῆ[σ]θαι. Λέγομεν ὅτι, εἰ ὁ τὸ ἐλάττον παθὼν ἔξω τοῦ παραδείσου γ[έγ]ονεν, πόσῳ δὴ πλέον οἱ τὰ μεγάλα πταίσαντες. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ [ὁ] ὄφις ἐκβέβλητο, οὔπω δῆλον τὸ περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἄξιον εἶναι τοῦ ἐκβληθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ παραδείσου, ἐπειδὴ <δὲ> ὁ Ἀδὰμ, ὃ ο[ὐ]χ ὑπόκειται τοῖς μεγάλοις σφάλμασιν, ἔξω γέγονεν, δῆλον ὡς κ[αὶ] οἱ τὰ μεγάλα ἁμάρτοντες. ∆ύναται δὲ καὶ 112 προσυπακούεσθα̣ι περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς τῷ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἐκβεβλῆ- σθαι συνεκβαλλομένης καὶ αὐτῆς· καὶ γὰρ τὸ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὄνομα ἄνθρωπον σημαίνει, ὅπερ βεβαιοῖ τὸ λόγιον οὕτως ἔχον· "6Καὶ ἔπλασεν"6 γάρ φησιν "6ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἄρρεν καὶ θῆλυ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν Ἀδάμ"6, ὅ ἐστιν "3ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν ἄνθρωπον"3. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ ὄφεως λεχθείη ἂν ὅτι ἐν παραδείσῳ ἦν οὐχ ὡς ἄξιος ἐκεῖ διάγειν, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ εἴρηται ὅτι "6ἦλθον οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ παραστῆναι ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ"6, οὕτω καὶ περὶ τοῦ ὄφεως ἐκλημπτέον. Ἐξαπέστειλεν οὖν τὸν Ἀδάμ, δῆλον δ' ὅτι καὶ τὴν γυν[α]ῖκα, ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου, τὸ δ' ἀποστελλόμενον καιρὸν ἔχει τοῦ ἐ[π]ανακάμψαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀνεπι- στρεπτὶ ἔχει<ν> αὐτὸν ἐξαπέστειλεν, ἀλλὰ ἵνα καταντικρὺ κατοικισθεὶς ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀναπολήσει αὐτοῦ γίνηται ἀτενίζων αὐτῷ. Ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν [ἐ]ξ ἧς ἐλήμφθη ἐξεβλήθη, ἵνα τὸ σκεῦος ἑαυτοῦ ἄγῃ σεμνῶς, ἡν[ιο]χῶν αὐτὸ καὶ μὴ ἐὼν τὰς σωματικὰς ὁρμὰς κατατρέχειν τοῦ [λο]γισμοῦ. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ κατῴκισεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεὸς καταντικρὺ [τ]οῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς, νόμον δεδωκὼς ἐν διανοίᾳ, ὃν [κ]αὶ ὕστε[ρον] γραπτὸν παρέσχετο, ἵνα ἐγκειμένην προστάγμ[α]σιν ἑαυ[τ]οῦ τὴν ἀρετὴν εὑρίσκων χρήσηται αὐτῇ καὶ δι' αὐτῆς [κα]τανόησιν λάβῃ τῆς θείας καὶ καθαρωτέρας ζωῆς τοῦ παραδεί[σο]υ. Καὶ κατανόησον πῶς ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ Κάιν οὐκ εἴρηται· "3Ἐξέβαλεν [αὐ]τὸν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ προσώπου ἑαυτοῦ"3, ἀλλ' "6ἐξῆλθεν Κάιν ἀπὸ προσ[ώπο]υ τοῦ Θεοῦ"6, νῦν δὲ "6καὶ ἐξέβαλεν τὸν Ἀδάμ"6, τρόπον τινὰ ἔτι ἔχ[οντ]α αὔραν πόθου τοῦ παραδείσου, διὰ δὲ τὸ ἀνάξιον ἐκβαλ- λόμ[ενον]. Οὕτω δὲ οὐχ ὡς παντελῶς ἀλλότριον ἐξέβαλεν· "6Καὶ κατῴκι[σέν]"6 φησιν "6αὐτὸν ἀπέναντι τοῦ παραδείσου"6, ἔτι γὰρ κηδομένου καὶ οὐ[κ ἀ]παγορεύσαντος τὸ κατοι- κίσαι, κατῴκισεν δὲ αὐτὸν νομίμως, ὡς [πρ]οείρηται, 113 ἐνθεὶς αὐτῷ ἔννοιαν τῶν ἀπαγορευόντων τὸ κακὸν νόμων, ὅπερ εἰσαγωγὴ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἐστιν, οὐ κρύψας τὸν παρά- δεισον ἀπ' αὐτοῦ· οὐ γὰρ ἀφεῖλεν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τὴν γνῶσιν τοῦ καλοῦ, οὐδὲ λήθην ἐνεποίησεν αὐτῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς, καθ' ἣν ἐν παραδείσῳ διῆγεν. ιιι, 24. Καὶ ἔταξεν τὰ χερουβεὶμ καὶ τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν τὴν στρεφομένην φυλάττειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς. Αἱ προσηγορίαι τῶν ὑπ[ε]ρβεβηκυιῶν δυνάμεων, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, οὐχ ἁπλῶς κα[τὰ] τὰ παρ' ἡμῖν κύρια καλούμενα ὀνόματά εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ πολ[ιτ]ειῶν σημαντικαί· ἀρχαὶ καὶ ἐξουσία<ι>, θρόνοι, κυριότητε[ς δ]ιὰ τὸ ἄρχειν καὶ ἐξουσιά- ζειν καὶ βασιλεύειν, –τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ θ[ρό]νος δηλοῖ κατὰ τὸ ἐν Παροιμίαις λεγόμενον· "6Μετὰ γὰρ [δικ]αιοσύνης ἑτοιμάζεται θρόνος ἀρχῆς"6, –καὶ κυριότητες δ[ὲ δ]ιὰ τὸ κυριεύειν λέγονται. Οὕτω χερου<βεὶ>μ ἐκ τοῦ ἐνυπάρ- χοντ[ος] αὐτοῖς ἐκλήθησαν· "3πλῆθος"3 γὰρ "3γνώσεως"3 ἑρμηνε[ύε]ται χε[ρο]υβείμ. Ἀπ' αὐτοῦ οὖν τούτου τοῦ προσόντος αὐτοῖς ἡ προσηγο[ρία] εἴρηται. Ταὐτῇ τοι καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀβρὰμ Ἀβραὰμ μετωνο[μά]σθη καὶ ἀπὸ Σάρας Σάρρα καὶ ἀπὸ Ἰακὼβ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ Πέ[τρο]ς δ' ὁ

The Sword and the Multitude of Cherubim§45

45The foremost of the apostles of this allegory has attained it through the progress of virtue, just as those previously set forth have. For having passed from a lesser virtue, which was signified by the first names, to a greater, they received the allegories of virtue intimately, as it is possible to encounter these interpretations.

For Abram is interpreted toward others as 'father of a son,' but Abraham as 'father of sons,' the first indicating a teaching capacity not yet able to pass into all things, which the second indicated. And Sarah, one being written as 'Rho,' is interpreted as 'smallness,' which indicates the introductory way, but Sarai as 'ruling,' through which the perfection of virtue is indicated; for this is original and most powerful. Jacob, being interpreted as 'flutterer,' presents the ascetic and that which stands against the passions, but Israel, being renamed by God from one doing nothing worthily, presents the contemplative and the purity of the mind, by which he sees God, as happens after the moral perfection; for Israel is interpreted as 'mind seeing God.'

And what must be said about the foremost of the apostles, when our Lord Jesus Christ was clearly revealed in the Gospel through his confession in this way: having said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matt 16:16), he answered, 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it' (Matt 16:18). And these things are about these figures; but let us return to the beginning: 'And he ordered the cherubim and the flaming, turning sword to guard the way of the tree of life' (Gen 3:24). And it is possible also from these things to refute those who now consider the earth to be paradise, asking them how an inanimate sword guards, if it were taken in such a way; for to guard is not only to guard a living thing but also...

It happens to be, and especially the paradise of God. But what word will they give concerning the fact that nothing else has been given to guard the way of the tree of life, or the intellectual Cherubim who have ascended above? For from those guarding, it is to be understood intellectually the greatness of the thing being guarded. How is it that regarding the sword a single one is called a character, but regarding the Cherubim a multitude? Surely, since nothing cold or anything else, which is not even good to speak of, will be said of them, it is time for us, understanding the given guard as worthy of the divine paradise, to discourse familiarly about this, God giving it.

Therefore, the philanthropy of God signifies that the sword is one, which is a sign of the punishing power guarding, and a 'multitude' of 'knowledge' leading toward divine virtue. For God does not bring punishments according to sins, but gives many occasions leading toward salvation. And that He does not punish according to merit is shown by the Psalm: 'If, Lord, I observe iniquity, who shall stand? For with You is the propitiation' (Ps 130:3). Regarding those calling toward virtue, there are many causes: first, the gift of those conceiving the common things, through which virtue is perfected as being saved unswervingly; through these, patriarchs having been covered by a multitude of sin, the law, the prophets, and in connection with the ages, the Lord, who also gave the apostles; and in total, nothing of that which is from providence is there which does not call toward salvation.

But also the sword has been set for useful use for this very reason. Or is the word of the Scripture not a divine paradise, having within itself also the threats against those unwilling to fall under the commands of God, and the myriad corrections calling toward virtue? For these also, being poetic regarding the entrance into paradise, prevent even the bitterness of punishment. That the sword, instead of punishment, in the Scriptures...

Greek · §45

πρόκριτος τῶν ἀποστόλων τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτη[ς τ]ετύχη- κεν διὰ προκοπὴν 46 ἀρετῆς ὡς καὶ οἱ προεκτεθ[έν]τες. Ἀπὸ γὰρ ὑποδεεστέρας ἀρετῆς, ἥτις διὰ τῶν πρώτω[ν ὀ]νο- μάτων ἐσημαίνετο, διαβάντες ἐπὶ μείζονα, οἰκείως [ἀρετ]ῆς τὰς προσηγορίας ἐδέξαντο, ὡς ἔνεστιν ἐντύχοντα τα[ῖς τ]ούτων ἑρμηνείαις θεωρῆσαι. Ἀβρὰμ μὲν γὰρ ἑρμηνεύε[ται] 114 πρὸς ἑτέραις καὶ "3πατὴρ υἱοῦ"3, Ἀβραὰμ δὲ "3πατὴρ υἱῶν"3, τοῦ μὲν πρώτου δηλοῦντος διδασκαλικὴν ἕξιν, οὐ´̣πω δὲ διαβαίνειν εἰς πάντας δυναμένην, ὅπερ ἐδήλου δε̣ύτερον· Σάρα δέ, ἑνὸς προσγραφομένου ῥῶ, "3μικρότης"3 ἑρμηνεύεται, ὅπερ δηλοῖ τὸν εἰσαγωγικὸν τρόπον, Σάρρα δὲ "3ἀρχοῦσα"3 δι' οὗ δηλοῦται ἡ τελειότης τῆς ἀρετῆς· ἀρχικὸν γὰρ αὕτη καὶ δυνατώτατον. Ἰακὼβ "3πτερνιστὴς"3 ἑρμηνευόμενος παρίστησι τὸ ἀσκητικὸν καὶ πρὸς τὰ πάθη ἀντιστατικόν, Ἰσραὴλ δὲ πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ μετονομαζόμενος τοῦ μηδὲν εἰκαίως ποιοῦντος, παρίστησιν τὸ θεωρητικὸν καὶ τὴν τοῦ νοῦ καθαρότητα, καθ' ἣν Θεὸν ὁρᾷ, [ὅπ]ερ μετὰ τὴν ἠθικὴν κατόρθωσιν συμβαίνει· "3νοῦς"3 γὰρ "3[ὁρῶ]ν Θεὸν"3 Ἰσραὴλ ἑρμηνεύεται. Τί δὲ δεῖ περὶ τοῦ προκρ[ίτο]υ τῶν ἀποστόλων λέγειν, ὅποτε ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς φανε[ρῶ]ς ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ τὴν ὁμολογίαν αὐτὸν οὕτω κέ[κ]ληκεν· εἰπόντι γὰρ "6Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος"6 [ἀπε]κρίνατο· "6Σὺ εἶ Πέτ̣ρος καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομή[σω] μου τὴν ἐκκλησία̣ν, καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐ[τῆς]."6 Καὶ τα[ῦτα] μὲν περὶ τούτων· ἐπανέλθωμεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ ε᾿̣[ξ ἀ]ρχῆς· "6Κ[αὶ] ἔταξεν τὰ χερουβεὶμ καὶ τὴν φλογίνην ῥομ[φα]ίαν τὴν στρεφομένην φυλάττειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύ[λου] τῆς ζωῆς"6. Κα̣ὶ ἔστιν καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων ἐλέγξαι τοὺς κ[αὶ νῦ]ν εἶναι νομίζον̣τας ἐπὶ γῆς τὸν παρά- δεισον, ἐρω̣[τῶν]τας αὐτοὺς πῶς ῥο̣μφαίαφυλάττει ἄψυχος, εἰ οὕτω λ[αμβά]νοιτο· <τὸ> γὰρ φυλάττειν οὐκ ἐμψύχου μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ λο[γικοῦ] τυγχάνει, καὶ μάλιστα Θεοῦ παράδεισον. Τίνα δὲ δώσουσι[ν λό]γον περὶ τοῦ μὴ ἕτερά τινα δεδόσθαι φυλάττειν τὴν ὁδὸ[ν το]ῦ ξύλου 115 τῆς ζωῆς ἢ τὰ ὑπερανεβεβηκότα λογικὰ χερουβείμ; Ἐκ γὰρ τῶν φυλαττόντων τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ φυλαττομένου ἔστιν μὲν νοεῖν. Πῶς δὲ ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς ῥομφαίας ὁ ἑνικὸς εἴρηται χαρακτήρ, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν χερουβεὶμ πλῆθος; Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν παρ' ἐκείνων ἢ ψυχρά τινα, ἃ οὐδὲ λέγειν καλόν, λεχθήσεται, ὥρα ἡμᾶς, ἀξίαν τοῦ θείου παραδείσου ἐννοοῦντας τὴν δοθεῖσαν φυλακήν, οἰκείως περὶ τούτου, Θεοῦ δίδοντος, διαλαβεῖν. Φιλανθρωπίαν μὲν οὖν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων σημαίνει τὸ μίαν εἶναι ῥομφαίαν, ὅπερ σημεῖόν ἐστι κολαστικῆς δυνάμεως, τὴν φυλάσσουσαν, "3πλῆθος"3 δὲ "3[τ]ῆς γνώσεως"3 τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν θείαν ἀρετὴν ἀγούσης. Οὐ γὰρ κα[τ]ὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἐπάγει Θεὸς τὰς κολάσεις, πολλὰς διδο[ὺ]ς ἀφορμὰς ἐπὶ σωτηρίαν ἄγουσας. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν οὐ κατ' ἀξίαν κ[ολ]άζει, δηλοῖ ὁ ψαλμός· "6Ἐὰν ἀνομίας παρατηρήσῃ, Κύριε, τί[ς] ὑποστήσεται; ὅτι παρὰ σοὶ ὁ ἱλασμός ἐστιν"6. Τῶν δ' ἐπὶ τὴν ἀ[ρετ]ὴν καλούντων πολλὰ τὰ αἴτια, πρῶτον ἡ τῶν κοινῶν ἐνν[οιῶ]ν δόσις, καθ' ἃς σῳζόμενας ἀδιαστρόφους ἡ ἀρετὴ κατο[ρ- θο]ῦται, ἐπὶ τούτων διὰ πλῆθος ἁμαρτίας κα[λυφ]θεισῶν [π]ατριάρχαι, νόμος, προφῆται καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν [α]ἰώνων [ὁ] Κύριος, ὃς καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους δέδωκεν, καὶ ὅλως οὐδὲν τῶν πα[ρὰ] τῆς προνοίας ἐστὶν ὃ μὴ ἐπὶ σωτηρία̣ν καλεῖ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ [ῥ]ομφαία χρησίμως καὶ δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο τέθειται. Ἢ οὐ θε[ῖος] παράδεισός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ τῆς γραφῆς λόγος ἔχων ἐν ἑαυ[τῷ] καὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς τὰς κατὰ τῶν μὴ βουλομένων ἕπεσθ[αι τ]αῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ προστάξεσιν καὶ τὰς μυρίας διορθώσεις ἐπὶ τὴ[ν ἀ]ρετὴν καλοῦσας; Καὶ γὰρ αὕται, ποιητικαὶ τυγχάνουσαι τῆ[ς] ἐπὶ τὸν παράδεισον εἰσόδου, κωλύουσι καὶ τῆς κολάσεως [τ]ὴν πικρίαν. Ὅτι δὲ ἡ ῥομφαία ἀντὶ κολάσεως ἐν ταῖς γραφ[αῖς] 116

Modes of Human Generation§46

46Many testify: 'By the sword' he says, 'all the people of the sinners shall perish' (Ezekiel 21:7). And not everywhere do all perish by swords, but the sword signifies the punishment that is about to be brought upon those who sin. And the saying 'You Ethiopians are wounded by my sword' (Jeremiah 46:9) presents the same thought; but also that which is said in the Exodus by those being afflicted by Pharaoh against Moses and Aaron: 'Behold, God is judging to give a sword into the hands of Pharaoh' (Exodus 7:17), they show by the name of the sword the tribulation brought upon themselves. To this also is consistent that 'If you do not turn the sword, it will shine' (Acts 3:24); and this sword, being turned, is said so that, having been turned from evil toward the virtue of the man, it might itself provide the entrance.

The guard, therefore, to which the sword and the cherubim have been placed, as was foretold, might be for benefit, so that, if there should arise any desire for the entrance, through these there might be a guidance: the cherubim signifying the knowledge of the truth, which he who wishes to enter must partake of, and the sword the perilous conduct; for through many tribulations it is possible to attain the kingdom, as it is written. But that the punishment lying from God, being turned and not always being executed, teaches the case of the Ninevites, who checked the wrath through repentance; to them, thus, the threat was turned. But also the saints, knowing the judgment concerning the cherubim and how it is not possible to enter into paradise without the divine economy concerning them, say: 'He who sits upon the cherubim, appear,' just as one holding the reins to them, opening or closing the entrance according to His will, because those outside desire to enter by obeying Your commands. But also others, knowing that He is the one who departs against man, 'You are earth and to earth you shall return' (Genesis 3:19), entreat Him saying: 'O He who sits upon the cherubim, let the earth be shaken,' so that, a change having occurred concerning the earth, He might say to the thief: 'Today you shall be with me in paradise' (Luke 23:43). And Adam knew Eve his wife, and having conceived, she bore Cain and said: 'I have acquired...'

Man was made through God. And it was added that he bore his brother Abel. And Abel became a shepherd of sheep, but Cain was working the earth. Subsequently, after the expulsion from paradise and the making of the skin tunics, it is said: Adam knew Eve his wife, by means of knowledge instead of trial, and the union with a woman being called coitus; for he knew her according to the sense of 'knowing'. Thus also he said, having seen her: 'This is now bone of my bones' (Gen 2:23).

According to the knowledge which Adam knew Eve his wife, it is also said in the Kings: 'Elkanah knew Hannah his wife' (1 Sam 1:20). Thus it is also said concerning Rebekah: 'She was a virgin, a man had not known her' (Gen 24:67), and nowhere was she known by any man, but it is clear that because she had not yet been joined to a man, it is thus said. And it is good indeed to say: 'She was a virgin, a man had not known her'; unless it be understood properly, it would be a contradiction, but desiring to show the saying as being most ignorant both in body and in mind, he thus spoke.

Even more divinely thus Mary affirmed: 'How shall this be to me, since I do not know a man?' (Luke 1:34). For being a truthful woman of sight, having been troubled upon seeing the angel, unless he himself removed the fear from her, and since she was likely to be a law-abiding woman, it is possible that no one of the appearing angels was to understand her, those having been sent to approach the daughters of men. 'And having conceived, she bore Cain' (Gen 4:1).

Another mode of the generation of humans is inscribed; for Adam was formed from dust, and Eve was built from being taken from the side of the man, but this one now being born from both parents came forth first, unlike the generation according to the Savior which happened from a virgin alone. For it is not unseasonable to note this, so that all the modes of the generation of humans may be numbered, saving us the previously mentioned things concerning the dust, as it signifies the bodily substance, namely the existence of the body in paradise.

'Having conceived' is also said here, and it is clear that these are from seed; subsequently, as not having entirely exhausted the word concerning providence, he said: 'I have begotten a man through God' (Gen 4:25).

Greek · §46

φέρεται, ἔστιν ἐκ πολλῶν μαρτύρασθαι· "6Ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ"6 φησὶν "6τελευτήσουσιν πάντες ἁμαρτωλοὶ λαοῦ"6· καὶ οὐδήπου πάντες διὰ ξίφους ἀποθνῄσκουσιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν κατὰ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ἐπιφέρεσθαι κόλασιν τὸ τῆς ῥομφαίας 47 ὄνομα δηλοῖ· καὶ τὸ "6Ὑμεῖς δ' Αἰθίοπες τραυματίαι ῥομφαίας μού ἐστε"6 τὴν αὐτὴν παρίστησιν διάνοιαν· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ ὑπὸ τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Φαραὼ καταπονουμένων πρὸς Μωσέα καὶ Ἀαρών· "6Ἴδοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ κρίναι *** δοῦναι ῥομφαίαν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας Φαραώ"6, δηλοῦσιν δὲ διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τῆς ῥομφαίας τὴν καθ' ἑαυ[τ]ῶν ἐπενεχθεῖσαν θλῖψιν. Τούτοις συνᾴδει καὶ τὸ "6Ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιστραφῆτε τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ, στιλβώσει"6· αὕτη δὲ στ[ρε]φομένη εἴρηται, ἵνα, στρα- φέντος ἀπὸ κακίας ἐπ' ἀρετὴν [τ]οῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ αὐτὴ στραφῇ τὴν εἴσοδον παρέχουσα. Ἡ φυλακὴ ο[ὖν, εἰ]ς ἣν τέθεινται ἡ ῥομφαία καὶ τὰ χερουβείμ, ὡς πρ[οείρ]ηται, εἴη πρὸς ὠφέλειαν, ἵνα, εἰ γένοιτο πόθος τινὶ τῆς εἰσόδου, [δι]ὰ τούτων ἡ χειραγωγία γένηται, τῶν μὲν χερουβεὶμ αἰνιττο[μέν]ων τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς ἀληθείας, ἧς μετέχειν δεῖ τὸν εἰσεῖνα[ι β]ουλόμε[νο]ν, τῆς δὲ ῥομφαίας τὴν ἐπίπονον ἀγωγήν· καὶ γὰρ δι[ὰ π]ολλῶν [θλ]ίψεων τῆς εἰσόδου ἔστιν τῆς βασιλείας τυχεῖν, ὡ[ς γ]έγραπται. Ὅτι δὲ στρεφομένη ἡ παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐκ[κε]ιμένη κόλασις καὶ οὐ πάντως ἐνερχομένη, τὰ κατὰ Νινευεί[τα]ς διδάσκει, οἳ τὴν ὀργὴν διὰ μετανοίας ἐκώλυσαν· τούτοις [δὲ] τὰ τῆς ἀπειλῆς ἐστράφη. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι, εἰδότες τὸ περὶ τ[ὰ] χερουβεὶμ κρῖμα καὶ ὡς οὐχ οἷόν τε εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν παρά[δει]σον χωρὶς τῆς περὶ αὐτὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκονομίας, φασίν· "6Ὁ καθή[μ]ενος ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβεὶμ ἐμφάνηθι"6 καθάπερ ἡνίοχος αὐτοῖς ἐ[πο]χούμενος καὶ τῇ σῇ βουλῇ ἀνοίγων ἢ κλείων τὴν εἴσοδον, ὅτ[ι] τ[ο]ῖς σοῖς πειθόμενοι προστάγ- 117 μασι οἱ ἔξω εἰσελθεῖν ἐπιθυμοῦσιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλοι ἐπιστάμενοι ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀποφηνάμενος κατὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· "6Γῆ εἶ καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ"6, παρακα- λοῦσιν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· "6Ὁ καθήμενος ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβείμ, σαλευθήτω ἡ γῆ"6, ἵνα, μεταβολῆς γεγενημένης περὶ τὴν γῆν, εἴπῃ τῷ λῃστῇ· "6Σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ"6. ιῃ, 1–2. Ἀδὰμ δὲ ἔγνω Εὕαν τὴν [γ]υναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν τὸν Κάιν καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρω- πον διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ προσέθηκεν τεκεῖν τ[ὸ]ν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἄβελ. Καὶ ἐγένετο Ἄβελ ποιμὴν π[ρο]βάτων, Κάιν δὲ ἦν ἐργαζόμενος τὴν γῆν. Ἀκολούθως μετὰ τὴν ἐ[κ]βολὴν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου καὶ τὴν ποίησιν τῶν δερμ[α]τί[ν]ων κιτώνων εἴρηται· Ἔγνω δὲ Ἀδὰμ Εὕαν τὴν γυνα[ῖκα] αὐτοῦ, τῆς γνώσεως ἀντὶ πείρας καὶ τῆς πρὸς γυναῖκα [συν]όδου λεγομένης· ᾔδει γὰρ αὐτὴν κατὰ τὸ τοῦ ἐπίστα[σθ]αι σημαινόμενον· οὕτω γοῦν καὶ εἶπεν θε[α]σ̣άμεν[ος] αὐτήν· "6Τοῦτο νῦν ὀστοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων μου"6. [Κα]τὰ τὴν [γ]νῶσιν ἣν ἔγνω Ἀδὰμ Εὕαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ εἴρηται κα[ὶ ἐ]ν ταῖς Βασιλείαις· "6Ἔγνω Ἐλκανᾶ Ἅνναν τὴν γυναῖκααὐτοῦ"6. [Οὕ]τως εἴρηται καὶ περὶ Ῥεβέκκας· "6Παρ- θένος ἦν, ἀνὴρ οὐκ ἔ[γνω] αὐτήν"6, καὶ οὐδήπου ὑπ' οὐδένος ἐγιγνώσκετο ἀνδρό[ς, ἀ]λλὰ δῆλον ὡς διὰ τὸ μήπω συνελη- λυθέναι αὐτὴν ἀνδρὶ [οὕ]τως εἴρηται. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν· "6Παρθένος ἦν, ἀνὴρ οὐκ ἔγν[ω] αὐτήν"6· εἰ μὴ συνετῶς νοηθῇ, δισσολογία ἂν εἴη, ἀλλὰ δ[ηλ]ῶσαι βουλόμενον τὸ λόγιον ὡς καὶ σώματι καὶ γνώμῃ ἁγνοτάτη ἐτύγχανεν, 118 οὕτως εἴρηκεν. Οὕτω θειότερον καὶ Μαρία ἔφασκεν· "6Πῶς ἔσται μοι τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γιγνώσκω;"6 Ἀλήθης γὰρ οὖσα ὄψεως ἀνδρός, διεταράχθηθεασαμένη τὸν ἄγγελον, εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς αὐτῆς ἀφεῖλεν τὸν φόβον, πιθανὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ νομομαθὴ οὔσαν ἐννοῆσαι μὴ ἄρα τις τῶν παραβάντων ἀγγέλων ἦν ὁ φανείς, τῶν ἐπιτεθυμηκέναι εἰρημένων τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων θυγατέρας. "6Καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν τὸν Κάιν."6 Ἕτερο[ς] τρόπος γενέσεως ἀνθρώπων ὑπογράφεται· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἀδὰμ ἀπ[ὸ] χοῦ πέπλασται, ἡ δὲ Εὕα ἀπὸ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς λη[μ]φθεῖσα ᾠκοδομήθη, οὗτος δὲ ὁ νῦν γεννώμενος ἐξ ἀ[μ]φοτέρων τοκέων πρῶτος προῆλθεν, τῆς κατὰ τὸν Σωτῆρα γ[εν]ε´̣σεως ἐκ μόνης παρθένου γεγενημένης. Οὐκ ἄκαιρον γὰρ τ[ο]ῦτο παρασημήνασθαι, ἵνα πάντες οἱ τρόποι τῆς 48 ἀνθρώπων γενέ[σ]εως ἐξαριθμηθῶσιν, σῳζόντων ἡμῶν τὰ προειρημέ[ν]α [π]ερὶ τοῦ χοῦ, ὡς τῆς σωμα- τικῆς οὐσίας δηλουμένης, κα[ταλ]λήλου δηλαδὴ τῆς ἐν παραδείσῳ διατριβῆς ὄντος το[ῦ σ]ώματος. "6Συλλαβοῦσα"6 δὲ εἴρηται ἐνταῦθα καὶ δῆλον [ὡς ἐ]κ σπερμάτων οὗτοι· ἀκολούθως δέ, ἅτε μὴ πάντη ἐ[ξῃρ]ημένη τὸν περὶ προνοίας λόγον, εἶπεν· "6Ἐκτη- σάμην ἄνθρωπ[ον] διὰ το[ῦ Θεοῦ]"6· εἰ γὰρ

Divine guidance and the types of Cain and Abel§47

47They served as parents to the offspring, but the whole was drawn by the guidance of God. It is necessary to take 'through God' more simply instead of 'from God'; for thus also Joseph said, 'Is not their declaration through God?' (Gen 41:56) instead of 'from God.' 'And he added the birthing of the brother of Cain, Abel' (Gen 4:2). Philon indeed intends for them to be twins from a single conception; for, he says, it is appropriate to him who begot Cain to have added the birthing of his brother Abel.

Whether it is healthy or not, you will test by knowing, it being possible for them to have come to be even apart in different times; for, if one were to add the Bible of the Testament to a friend, he would find in it and how much later than another he had received it. Whatever Philon has said allegorically, the lover of beauty will understand, but nonetheless it must be said regarding this according to potentiality.

The soul, therefore, when it falls by impulse and error, produces vile offspring; but if the mind, having risen, makes some return, then immediately it begins to push those away and to give birth to an introduction of virtue, which is acceptable; it will at some time reach perfection, increasing by a little progress, but it is impossible to turn back, having prepared virtue, to add evil by the straying of a frivolous thought.

And it is also good that their occupations are written down; 'Abel' for instance, he says, 'became a shepherd of sheep, but Cain was working the earth' (Gen 4:2), which, as a remark toward history, is not unfavorable, and is observing our order. For in his birth he placed Cain, the necessity of that time demanding it, but in the occupations he puts forward the righteous. For the things of Abel are more frivolous and more precious, which Cain was eager for; for the living things differ from the lifeless things by the reason of their nature. And in this way Philon rightly said that those about to take hold of the beginnings are to be trained in the pastoral way, both of others and of his own. But Cain was not called a farmer, but working the earth; for he was not a farmer according to Noah, who is said to be a farmer, not a laborer. And toward allegory, Abel is a shepherd of living things, which is of the sensible, being led by knowledge...

placing the thought as a companion and leader

Greek · §47

ὑπηρέτησαν ὡς γονεῖς τῇ ἀποτέξ[ει], ἀλλ' ἀγω[γῇ] Θεοῦ τὸ πᾶν ἤρτυται. Τὸ δὲ "6διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ"6 ἁπλούστ[ερο]ν ἐκλαβεῖν δεῖ ἀντὶ τοῦ "3παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ"3· οὕτως γὰρ καὶ ὁ Ἰωσ[ὴφ] εἶπεν· "6Οὐχὶ διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ διασάφησις αὐτῶν ἐστιν;"6 ἀντ[ὶ το]ῦ "3παρὰ Θεοῦ"3. "6Καὶ προσέθηκεν τεκεῖν τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Κ[άι]ν τὸν Ἄβελ"6. Ὁ Φίλων μὲν οὖν βούλεται διδύμους αὐτοὺς εἶν[αι] ἀπὸ μιᾶς συλλήμψεως· διό, φησίν, πρόσκειται τῷ ἔτεκεν τ[ὸν] Κάιν τὸ προσέθηκεν τεκεῖν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἀβέλ. Π[ό]τερον ὑγιῶς ἔχει ἢ οὔ, ἐπιστήσας δοκιμάσεις, δυνατοῦ ὄντ[ο]ς καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοὺς ἐν διαφό- ροις χρόνοις γεγεννῆσθαι· καὶ γ[άρ], εἴ τῳ φίλον προσέσθαι 119 τὴν βίβλον τῆς διαθήκης εὑρήσει ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ πόσον θάτερ[ο]ς θατέρου τῷ χρόνῳ προσείληφεν. Ὅσα μὲν οὖν Φίλων εἰς τοῦτο ἀλληγορῶν εἶπεν, ὁ φιλόκαλος εἴσεται, λεκτέον δ' ὅμως εἰς τοῦτο τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν. Ἡ ψυχὴ τοίνυν, ὅτε μὲν παροράματι καὶ σφάλματι ὑποπίπτει, ἀπογεννᾷ φαῦλα γεννήματα, ἐὰν δὲ νήματα, ἐὰν δὲ ἀνανήψας ὁ νοῦς ἐπιστροφήν τινα σχῇ, τότε δῆτα ἄρχεται ἐκεῖνα μὲν ἀπωθεῖσθαι, τίκτε̣ι̣ν δὲ εἰσαγωγὴν ἀρετῆς, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀποδεκτόν· κατ' ὀλίγον [δὴ] προκοπῇ αὐξομένη ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον ἥξει ποτέ, τὸ ἀνάπαλιν δὲ ἄπευκτον, ἀρετῆς προκαταρξαμένης, κακίαν προσθεῖναι τ[ο]ῦ ἀστείου λογισμοῦ παρατραπέντος. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ τὰ ἐπιτηδε[ύμα]τα αὐτῶν ἀναγεγρᾶφθαι· "6<Ὁ> μὲν"6 γὰρ "6Ἄβελ"6 φησὶν "6ἐγένετο πο[ι]μὴν προβάτων, Κάιν δὲ ἦν ἐργαζόμενος τὴν γῆν"6, ὅπερ ὡς πρὸς τὴν ἱστορίαν ἔχοι παρατήρησιν οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητον, καὶ τ[ὴ]ν̣ τάξιν ἡμῶν ἐπιτηρούντων. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῇ γενέσει τὸν Κάιν [προ]έταξεν, τοῦ χρόνου τοῦτ' ἀναγκά- ζοντος, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐπιτη[δεύ]μασιν προτάττει τὸν δίκαιον. Ἀστεῖα γὰρ καὶ τιμιώτερα τ[ὰ το]ῦ Ἄβελ, ὧν ἐσπούδαζεν Κάιν· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἔμψυχα τῶν ἀψ[ύχων] τῷ τῆς φύσεως λόγῳ διαφέρει. Καὶ ταύτῃ κ[αλῶς] ὁ Φίλω[ν] τοὺς ἀρχῆς μέλλοντας ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι τῆς τε [ἑτ]έρων κ[αὶ] τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐν τῇ ποιμενικῇ προπαιδεύεσθαι ἔφη. Κάιν δ[ὲ ο]ὐκ ἐρρέθη γεωργός, ἀλλ' ἐργαζόμενος τὴν γῆν· οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀ[στε]ῖος κατὰ τὸν Νῶε, ὅστις γεωργός, οὐκ ἐργάτης, εἴρηται. Πρὸς δὲ ἀ[λλ]η̣γορίαν ποιμήν ἐστιν ὁ Ἅβελ ζῴων, ὅ ἐστιν τῶν αἰσθήσ[εω]ν, ὑπὸ ἐπιστήμην ἄγων ταῦτας ὡς νομεὺς ἄριστος, τῷ τ[ε θ]υμικῷ καὶ ἐπιθυμητικῷ ἡνίοχον καὶ ταξίαρχον τὸν λογισ[μὸ]ν ἐπιτιθείς. Ὁ δὲ Κάι̣ν περὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰ γήϊνα εἰλ[υ]σ<πώ>μενος οὐ γεωργὸς εἴρηται–ἢ γὰρ ἂν καὶ περὶ αὐτὰ τάξιν [ἐ]ζήτει–, ἀλλ' ἐργαζόμενος τὴν γῆναὐτὸ μόνον, φιλοσώματός 120 [τι]ς ὤν, μηδένα λόγον ἢ τάξιν ἔχων, ὃς εἴποι ἂν προσφόρως ἑαυτῷ· "6Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν· αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθ[ν]ῄσκομεν"6, τοῦ σὺν ἐπιστήμῃ θείᾳ ταῦτα ποιοῦντος κατὰ τὸ λεχθὲν "6Εἴτε ἐσθίετε, εἴτε πίνετε, εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε"6 ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐργάτου γῆς τυγχάνοντος. Οὗτοι δέ, ὡς προείρηται, τρόποι ψυχῆς ἂν εἶεν διάφοροι κατὰ διαφόρους ἐνεργούμενοι χρόνους. ιῃ, 3–5. Καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ' ἡμέρας ἤνεγκεν̣ Κάιν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς θυσίαν τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ Ἄβελ [ἤν]εγκεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐ[π]ὶ Ἄβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ δὲ Κάιν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυ[σία]ις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν· καὶ ἐλύπησεν τὸν Κάιν λίαν καὶ συνέπεσεν τῷ προσώπῳ. Σύντονον καὶ ἀνενδοίαστον εἶνα[ι] προσήκει τὸν ἐνάρετον, ὡς μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν ἑτοιμότ[ε]ρ̣ο̣ν εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐνέργειαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ, κω[λυό]ντων ἄλλων, ἐθέλειν αὐτῆς προκινδυνεύειν καθάπ[ερ] ἥ τε μακαρία Σουσάννα καὶ Ἰωσὴφ ὁ ἀνδρειότατος· 49 πε[ιρώ]μενοι γὰρ ὡς ἀντεχό- μενοι τῆς σωφροσύνης περιπ[οι]οῦνται [ἐνσ]τάσεσιν. Κύριοι γὰρ τοῦ ταύταις περιβαλεῖν ἐφαίνον[το] οἱ εἰς ἁμαρτίαν προτρεπόμενοι· ὅμως οὐκ εἶξαν, [ἀ]λλ' εἵλαντ[ο] τὸ γνήσιον τὸ πρὸς Θεὸν διατηρεῖν, καὶ εἰ θάνατ[ος] γένοιτο· οὕτως διαπύρῳ τῷ πόθῳ τῆς ἁγνείας ἀντείχον[το], καὶ τὸ τέλος δὲ διέδειξεν καὶ τοῖς ἀπίστοις τὴν κρίσιν [α]ὐτῶν καὶ τὴν δοκιμασίαν σωτήριον Θεοῦ, τῆς ἀρετῆς αὐ[το]ὺς ἀποδεξαμένου. Ἀλλ' ὁ Κάιν οὐ τοιοῦτος, μελλητὴς δ[ὲ ε]ἰσάγεται· "6Μεθ' ἡμέρας"6 γὰρ "6ἤνεγκεν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς"6, ὥσπερ ἔκ τινος μεταγνώσεως Θεοῦ μνημονεύων. Το[ῦ]το καταμεμφομένη ἡ θεία γραφὴ διδάσκει· "6Μὴ 121 ἀπόσχῃ εὖ [π]οιεῖν ἐνδεή, ἡνίκα ἂν ἔχῃ ἡ χείρ σου βοηθεῖν. Μὴ εἴπης· Ἐπανελθὼν ἐπάνηκε καὶ αὔριον δώσω, δυνατοῦ σου ὄντος εὖ ποιεῖν"6. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἄβελ οὐκ εἴρηται ὡς "6μεθ' ἡμέρας"6, ἀλλά· "6Καὶ Ἄβελ ἤνεγκεν καὶ

The Face of the Soul and God's Call to Cain§48

48He himself—and what kind of things he brought, the saying indicates, implying their character and value: 'from the firstlings of his sheep and from the fatlings' (Gen 4:4). While regarding Cain as having performed the approach negligently, and Abel with sincerity, 'God looked upon Abel and his gifts, but upon Cain and his sacrifices He did not pay attention' (Gen 4:5). For the sincerity is evident in Abel; for he brought firstlings, judging them to be the most honorable to give to God, which are also the fatlings, as he ought to have done, providing from the firstborn. For it is fitting to offer firstfruits to God beforehand, which the blessed David does spiritually, saying: 'From the night my spirit cries out to You, O God' (Ps 63:8), for none of the others is a response for me but refuge toward You; even so to You, God, the duties are offered before all things.

And a gift differs from a sacrifice in that the gift is offered from animals, but the sacrifice is not; and in so far as the animals of the soulless are by nature more precious. And what is this 'God did not pay attention' (Gen 4:5), from which Cain was also disgraced and his face fell, if anyone should ask, or how did Cain know that God was not paying attention, so that he might be grieved? Regarding what someone says about the Bible of the Covenant, in which it is written that fire descending from heaven received the sacrifices properly offered, from which it is likely he knew Cain, because the fire did not come upon his offerings, unlike those of Abel which were consumed by him. This also happened in the Leviticus; for those bringing strange fire upon the altar suffered no small punishment (Lev 10:1), and Elijah the great prophet, contending against the priests of Baal, demonstrated how fire from heaven burns upon his sacrifice, being holy (1 Kings 18:38).

These things, then, the discourse provides; and the mind of upward leading would be such: those who feign virtue, displaying outward appearance not from a sincere intention but for another reason, are some who are hesitant and unapproved, not offering firstfruits to God; but the firstfruit of virtue is that which comes from the will; from there a movement grows upon it. David teaches this, asserting: 'But his will was in the law of the Lord' (Ps 40:8); those...

Fourthly, hypocrites, not having a desire for virtue, or for the sake of shameful gain, or for glory, pretend to possess virtue. Since this was the portion of Cain, he brought offerings with him during the day, but Abel immediately brings firstborn animals and livestock; for the unrighteous man, in offering his firstfruits, does not think that his action is not pleasing to God, just as the blessed Paul says: 'Not that I, but the grace of God is with me' (2 Cor 12:9), and the Psalmist: 'Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it' (Ps 127:1).

Abel therefore, having reasoned about the living and irrational possessions and having made them stable, offered to God those belonging to him and not those belonging to his passions. Sorrow comes to those who use things in a way that is not required, like the fire of the conscience rebuking and demonstrating, even if evil is still held, the impropriety of the actions being performed, from which the countenance of the soul falls, from which also the bodily features receive their decline. Because it is the countenance of the soul, the saying says: 'The wisdom of man brightens his countenance' (Prov 15:13), and 'We reflect the glory of the Lord with a face unveiled' (2 Cor 3:18), the sign of the sensible face being indicated in 'a heart rejoicing, a cheerful countenance, but in sorrows, a gloomy face' (Prov 15:13), which happened to Cain under the rebuke of the conscience (Gen 4:6-7).

And the Lord God said to Cain: 'Why have you become dejected, and why has your countenance fallen? If you had offered rightly, would you not have passed by rightly? You have sinned. Be quiet. The turning is toward you, and you shall rule him.' The philanthropy of God toward all is shown, that He also converses with those who err, not allowing them to be submerged by sins, but awakening them to turn toward virtue through feeling, which even now happens to Cain, God saying to him according to what was echoing in his mind: 'Why have you become dejected?' You have become an excuse for this, and you were not a different thing from the sin itself. And He even suggests the manner of the slip, saying: 'If you had offered rightly, would you not have passed by rightly? You have sinned.' For those who consider providence to be over all things and...

Greek · §48

αὐτός"6· καὶ ποῖα ἤνεγκεν, παρασημαίνει τὸ λόγιον, αἰνιττόμενον αὐτῶν τὸ οἰκεῖον καὶ τίμιον· "6ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων"6. Ἅτε δὲ τοῦ μὲν Κάιν ἠμελημένως πεποιηκότος τὰ τῆς προσαγωγῆς, τοῦ δ' Ἄβελ γνησίως, "6ἐπεῖδεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ Ἄβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ δὲ Κάι[ν] καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν"6. Τὸ γὰρ γνήσιον διαφ[αί]νεται τοῦ Ἄβελ· πρωτότοκα γὰρ προσήγαγεν, τὰ τιμιώτατα τ[ῷ] Θεῷ κρίνας ἀπονέμειν, ὧν ἐστιν καὶ τὰ στέατα, ὡς ἔδει κ[αὶ τ]ὸν Κάιν ποιῆσαι, ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτογενημάτων παράσχοντα. Ἀ[π]άρχεσθαι γὰρ προη- γουμένως πρέπει τῷ Θεῷ, ὅπερ πνευματικῶς ὁ μακάριος ∆αυὶδ ποιεῖ λέγων· "6Ἐκ νυκτὸς ὀρθρίζει τὸ πνεῦμά μου πρ[ὸ]ς σέ, ὁ Θεός"6, οὐδέν μοι τῶν ἄλλων πρόκριτόν ἐστιν ἀλλ' ἡ πρὸ[ς] σὲ καταφυγή· καίτοι σοι τῷ Θεῷ πρὸ παντὸς πράγματος ἀπο[νέμητ]αι τὰ καθήκοντα. ∆ῶρον δὲ θυσίας ταύτῃ διαφέρει ὅτ[ι τὸ μ]ὲν δῶρον ἀπὸ ζῴων προσάγεται, ἡ δὲ θυσία οὐχί· ὅσῳ δὲ [ζῷ]α τῶν ἀψύχων τῇ φύσει τιμιώτερα φανερ[όν. Τί] δὲ τὸ "6[Οὐ] προσέσχεν ὁ Θεός"6, ἐξ οὗ καὶ λελύ- πηται Κάιν καὶ συν[έπ]εσεν αὐτοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον, εἴποι τις ἄν, ἢ πῶς ἔγνω Κάιν ὅτι ο[ὐ] προσεδέ[χε]το Θεός, ἵνα καὶ λυπηθῇ; πρὸς ὃ λέγοι τις τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς βίβλου τῆς δ[ιαθ]ήκης, ἐν ἧ γέγραπται ὡς ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ πῦρ κατιὸν ἐδέχετο [τὰς] θυσίας τὰς δεόντως προσαγομένας, ἐξ οὗ εἰκὸς ἐγνωκ[έ]ναι τὸν Κάιν, ἐπὶ τὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπελ- θόντος τοῦ πυρός, τῶ[ν τ]οῦ Ἄβελ δαπανηθεισῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ Λευι[τι]κῷ ἐγίνετο· οἱ γὰρ προαγα- γόντες ἀλλότριον πῦρ ἐπὶ τὸ θυ[σι]αστήριον δίκην ὑπέσχον οὐ μίκραν, καὶ Ἠλίας ὁ μέγας προφήτης [π]ρὸς τοὺς 122 ἱερεῖς τῆς Βάαλ ἀπομαχό<μενος> διέδειξεν ὡς ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ τὸ πῦρ κατῄει ἐπὶ τὰς αὐτοῦ, ἁγίου ὄντος, θυσίας. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἡ τοῦ ῥητοῦ παρέχει διήγησις· ὁ δὲ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς νοῦς τοιοῦτος ἂν εἴη· οἱ τὴν ἀρετὴν ὑποκρι- νόμενοι τῷ μὴ ἀπὸ γνησίας προθέσεως ἀλλ' ἄλλου χάριν τὴν ἐξωφάνειαν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι μελληταί τινές εἰσιν καὶ ἀδόκιμοι, οὐκ ἀπαρχόμενοι τῷ Θεῷ· ἀπαρχὴ δ' ἐστὶν ἀρετῆς ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης· κίνησις ἐπ' [α]ὐτὴν ἐκεῖθεν φύεται. Τοῦτο ∆αυὶδ παιδεύει φάσκων· "6Ἀλλ' ἦν [ἐν] νόμῳ Κυρίου τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ"6· οἱ δ' ὑποκριταί, οὐκ ἔχοντες ἀρετ[ῆ]ς θέλημα, ἢ αἰσχροῦ χάριν κέρδους, ὡς εἴρηται, ἢ δόξης τὰ τῆς ἀ[ρε]τῆς ὑποκρίνονται. Ταύτης ὢν τῆς μερίδος Κάιν προσήγα̣[γεν] μεθ' ἡμέρας, ὁ δ' Ἄβελ ἀμελλητὶ ζῷα πρωτότοκα καὶ στέατ[α] προσάγει· οὐδεμίαν γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ πρᾶξιν οἴεται ἀπαρχόμενος ὁ [ἐ]νάρετος εἶναι μὴ τῷ Θεῷ προσήκουσαν, καθὰ καὶ Παῦλος ὁ μα[κ]άρ[ιο]ς λέγων· "6Οὐκ ἐγὼ δέ, ἀλλὰ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ σὺν ἐμοί"6, καὶ ὁ Ψα[λμ]ῳδός· "6Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον, εἰς μάτην ἐκοπία[σαν ο]ἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες αὐτόν."6 Ὁ Ἄβελ οὖν τὰ ζωτικὰ καὶ ἄλογα κ[τή]ματα [···ημ]ερώσας τῷ λογισμῷ καὶ εὐσταθῆ ποιήσας ἀνέ[φ]ερε τῷ [Θε]ῷ οἰκείων αὐτῷ καὶ μὴ τοῖς πάθεσιν. Γίνεται λύπ[η] τοῖς μὴ ὃν δεῖ τρόπον χρωμένοις τοῖς πράγμασιν, δίκην πυρὸ[ς] τοῦ συνειδότος ἐλέγχοντος καὶ παραδεικνύντος, κἂν ἔτι [ἡ] κακία ἐνέχηται, 50 τὸ ἀπρεπὲς τῶν ἐνεργουμένων, ἐξ οὗ καὶ σ̣[υ]μπίπτει τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς πρόσωπον, ἀφ' οὗ καὶ οἱ σωματικοὶ χαρα[κτ]ῆρες δέχονται τὴν κατήφειαν. Ὅτι δὲ ψυχῆς πρόσωπον ἔ[σ]τιν, φησὶν τὸ λόγιον· "6Σοφία ἀνθρώπου φωτιεῖ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ"6, κ[α]ὶ "6Ἀνακεκα- λυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου κατοπτριζόμεθα"6, 123 τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ προσώπου σημαινομένου ἐν τῷ "6καρδίας εὐφραινομένης πρόσωπον ἱλαρόν, ἐν λύπαις οὔσης σκυθρωπάζει"6, ὅπερ τῷ Κάιν συμβέβηκεν ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος ἐλεγχομένῳ. ιῃ, 6–7. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Κάιν· Ἵνα τί περίλυπος ἐγένου, καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσεν τὸ πρόσωπόν σου; Οὐκ ἂν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς, ἥμαρτες. Ἡσύχασον. Πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ σὺ ἄρξ[ει]ς αὐτοῦ. Φιλανθρωπία τοῦ Θεοῦ [τ]ῶν ὅλων ὑπερβάλλουσα δείκνυται, ὅτι καὶ τοῖς σφαλλομέν[ο]ις διαλέγεται, μὴ ἐῶν αὐτοὺς βυθίζεσθαι ταῖς ἁμαρ[τίαι]ς, ἀλλὰ διεγείρων πρὸς τὸ συναισθομένους ἐπὶ τὴν [ἀρε]τὴν ἐπιστρέψαι, ὅπερ καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τοῦ Κάιν γίνεται, λ[έγο]ντος αὐτῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατὰ τὸ ἐνηχεῖν ἐν διανοίᾳ· "6Ἵν[α τί] π̣ερίλυπος ἐγένου;"6, σαυτῷ τούτου παραίτιος γέγονας καὶ ο[ὐχ ἕ]τερος τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος πρόφασις ὑπῆρξεν. Ὑποτ[ί- θε]ται δὲ καὶ τὸν τρόπον τοῦ σφάλματος λέγων· "6Οὐκ [ἂν ὀρ]θῶς προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς, ἥ[μαρτε]ς."6 Ὅσοι γ[ὰρ] πρόνοιαν ἐφεστάναι μὲν τοῖς ὅλοις ἡγοῦντ[αι κ]αὶ

The Correction of False Virtue§49

49They present their offerings as thanksgiving, doing so naturally; but those who use them carelessly, as if keeping the precious things for themselves and offering the cheap ones, have made a poor choice. Since Israel does this very thing, the prophetic word says rebukingly and admonishingly: 'If you bring a blind man for sacrifice, is it not bad? And if you bring a lame or sick man, is it not bad? Bring him to your leader' (Malachi 1:8).

But also Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles, when many were offering for the needs of those in need, they themselves received the price of a field, from which, having decided upon it, they brought the half and the other half making a poor choice, which the apostle's spokesman, inspired by the Spirit, rebuking said: 'Was it not still yours, and was it not under your control when you sold it? Why did you dare to do this in your heart?' (Acts 5:3-4). This also was said to Cain by God: 'Why are you so troubled, and why is your face downcast? If you had offered rightly, but had not offered rightly, you sinned' (Genesis 4:6).

For all sin as they bring to God as a needy person, ignoring what was said in the Psalms toward Him, the God: 'Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?' (Psalm 50:9) and also: 'Mine are all the beasts of the field, cattle on the mountains and oxen' (Psalm 50:10). For all that you have in abundance from me, I also have all things, so that one not in need did not command, but rather from these, using them symbolically, it is fitting to use virtue not carelessly, but perfectly and completely.

Furthermore, in order that the evil may not advance, it is exhorted to be at rest from it, so that by rubbing against it one might not work up a worse sorrow. In this way it is also said to Zion, being moved disorderly—for such is the name—'Stand up, you, Zion' (Isaiah 62:1). Since the rational animal is active, either working out evil or virtue, in a manner of speaking,

When one does evil, it is appropriate for him to stand against this, so that virtue may find the space that is becoming. This indeed David advises: 'Turn away from evil' (Psalm 34:14), saying, 'and do good' (Psalm 34:14). 'Be still' (1 Kings 19:12), therefore, he says, do not progress through evil; do not consider through negligence as if your sacrifice was not properly received. For many, often stumbling themselves and for this reason not having God as a co-worker, are displeased with providence, which God prevents in Cain, saying: 'Be still' (1 Kings 19:12).

And also the 'his turning toward you and you shall turn him back' (Psalm 94:7) comes, teaching that whatever is offered to God not according to what is becoming, these things are not offered to him, but belong to the Giver, turning back toward him because of not having found a place in God. So also those providing alms for the sake of being seen by men withhold their own reward, having nothing from God; for they did not do this with a divine purpose. The whole discourse of the word is most useful for character, and thus being taken simply, it teaches sincerely regarding offerings and not to do them carelessly; and since we lead the aforementioned into the modes of the soul in the instances of errors, it is necessary even now to do this.

The word of God, existing according to common concepts and being present to the conscience, paternally reproves those stumbling, which is also presented now. For the hypocrites, insofar as to show virtue for honor, even if they do not choose it, seem to do something right; because they use a bad division, the one moving from the depth of the intention toward their own pleasures, the other shaping themselves to make the gift of outward appearance through God, it is expected they are not acceptable, cleaning the outside of the cup (Matthew 23:25) and surrounding themselves outwardly with the skin of a sheep, but being wolves within, snatching (Matthew 7:15); to such ones, reproving...

Greek · §49

διεξ[ά]γουσιν αὐτῶν τὰ πράγματα προσάγοντες εὐχαριστίαν [οἰ]κείως ποιοῦσιν, ἠμελημένως δὲ ταύτῃ χρώμενοι, ὡ[ς] τὰ μὲν τίμια ἑαυτοῖς φυλάττειν, προσάγειν δὲ τὰ εὐτελῆ, [οὗτ]οι κακῶς τῇ διαιρέσει κέχρηνται. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ π[οιο]ῦντος, ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος ἐπιτιμητικῶς καὶ ἐντρεπτικ[ῶς] φησιν· "6<Ἐὰν προσαγάγητε τυφλὸν εἰς θυσίαν, οὐ κακόν; καὶ ἐὰν προσα- γάγητε χωλὸν ἢ ἄρρωστον,> οὐ κακόν; Προσάγαγε αὐτὸ τ[ῷ] ἡγουμένῳ σου"6. Ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἀνανία καὶ Σαφφείρα ἐν ταῖς Πράξε̣σιν τῶν ἀποστόλων, πολλῶν προσφερόντων 124 εἰς χρείας τοῖς̣ δεομένοις, καὶ αὐτοὶ καθυπέσχοντο τιμὴν χωρίου, ἀφ' ἧς νοσφισάμενοι τὸ ἥμισυ τὸ ἕτερον προσήγαγον κακῶς τῇ διαιρέσει χρώμενοι, ὅπερ ἐλέγχων ὁ πρόκριτος τῶν ἀποστόλων τῷ πνεύματι κινούμενος ἔλεγεν· "6Οὐχὶ μένον σοὶ ἔμενεν καὶ πραθὲν ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ὑπῆρχεν; Τί ὅτι ἔθου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ποιῆσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο;"6 ὃπερ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τῷ Κάιν ὑπὸ Θεοῦ εἴρηται· "6Ἵνα τί περίλυπος ἐγένου καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσεν τὸ πρόσωπόν σου; Ο[ὐκ] ἂν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς, ἥμαρτε."6 Ἁμαρ[τ]άνουσι γὰρ ὅσοι ὡς δεομένῳ τῷ Θεῷ προσάγουσιν, ἀγνοο[ῦν]τες τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν Ψαλμοῖς πρὸς αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ· "6Μὴ φάγο[μ]αι κρέα ταύρων, ἢ αἷμα τράγων πίομαι;"6 καὶ ἔτι· "6Ἐμά ἐστιν [πάν]τα τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ, κτήνη ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν καὶ βόες"6· ὑμεῖς μ[ὲν] γὰρ ὅσα εὐχείρωτα παρ' ἐμοῦ ἔχετε, ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τὰ πάντα, [ὥσ]τε οὐ δεόμενος διετάξατο, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τούτων συμβολικ[ῶς πα]ιδεύων ὡς οὐκ ἠμελημένως τῇ ἀρετῇ χρῆσθαι πρ[οσήκ]ει, ἀλλὰ τελείᾳ καὶ ὁλοκλήρῳ. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ προκόπτῃ τὸ κακόν, ἠ[ρεμ]εῖν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ παραινεῖ, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιτριβόμενον λύμην ἐργάσητ[αι χ]είρονα. Οὕτῳ καὶ τῇ Σίων λέγεται ἀτάκτως κινουμένῃ–τ[ο]ι[οῦ]- τον γὰρ [ὄνομ]α–· "6Στῆσον σεαυτὴν Σίων."6 Ἐπεὶ γὰρ τὸ λογικὸν [ζ]ῷον ἐνε[ργη]τικόν ἐστιν ἢ κακίαν ἢ ἀρετὴν ἐνεργοῦν, εἰκότω[ς], ὅτε κακ[ία]ν πράττει, οἰκεῖον αὐτῷ τὸ στῆσαι ταύτην, ἵν' οὕ[τω]ς ἡ ἀρετὴ χώραν εὕρῃ τὴν πρέπουσαν. Τοῦτό τοι καὶ ∆αυὶδ [πα]ραινεῖ· "6Ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ"6 λέγων "6καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν."6 "6Ἡσ[ύχ]ασον"6 οὖν, φησίν, μὴ πρόκοπτε τῷ κακῷ, μὴ διὰ τῆς κατηφεί[ας] λογίζου ὡς οὐ δεόντως οὐ προσεδέχθη σου ἡ θυσία. Πολλο[ὶ γ]ὰρ πολλάκις αὐτοὶ σφαλλόμενοι καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μὴ ἔχοντες εἶτα καθ' ἑαυτοὺς συνεργὸν τὸν Θεὸν δυσαρεστοῦνται τῇ προν[οί]ᾳ, ὅπερ κωλύει Θεὸς ἐπὶ τοῦ Κάιν λέγων· "6Ἡσύχασον."6 125 Ἐπάγει δὲ [κ]αὶ τὸ "6πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ"6, παιδεύων ὡς ὅσα οὐ κατὰ τὸ πρέπον προσάγεται Θεῷ, 51 ταῦτα οὐκ αὐτῷ προσφέρεται, ἀλλὰ τοῦ δεδωκότος ἐστὶν ὑποστρέφοντος πρὸς αὐτὸν διὰ τὸ μὴ εὑρηκέναι χώραν ἐν Θεῷ. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἐλεημοσύνην παρέχοντες πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀπέχουσιν ἑαυτῶν τὸν μισθόν, οὐδὲν ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἔχοντες· οὐ γὰρ θείῳ [σ]κόπῳ τοῦτ' ἐποίησαν. Ὅλη μὲν οὖν ἡ τοῦ ῥητοῦ διή[γη]σις ὠφελιμωτάτη πρὸς ἦθος καὶ οὕτω ψιλῶς λαμβανομ[έ]νη, παιδεύουσα γνησίως τὰς προσφορὰς καὶ μὴ ἠμελημένως π̣οιεῖσθαι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν εἰς τρόπους ψυχῆς ἀ[νη]γάγομεν τὰ προειρημένα, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ νῦν τοῦτο ποιῆσ[αι]. Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ κατὰ τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας ἐνυπάρχων, τῇ συνειδήσει τε παρών, κηδεμονικῶς ἐλέγχει τοὺς σφα[λ]λομένους, ὅπερ καὶ νῦν παρίσταται. Οἱ γὰρ ὑποκριταί, ὅσον μὲν εἰ[ς] τὸ τιμίαν δεικνύναι τὴν ἀρετήν, εἰ καὶ μὴ αἱροῦνται αὐ[τήν], ὀρθόν τι δοκοῦσιν ποιεῖν· ἐπειδὴ δ̣ε`̣ τῇ διαιρέσει φαύλω[ς χρ]ω῀̣νται, τὸ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ βάθους τῆς διανοίας κίνημα προ`̣ς τὰς ἑ[αυτ]ῶν ἡδονὰς ἄγοντες, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἐξωφανείας δ[ῶρον] διὰ Θεοῦ ποιεῖν σχηματιζόμενοι, εἰκότως οὐκ εἴσι δε[κτοί], τὸ ἔξω[θ]εν τοῦ ποτηρίου καθαρίζοντες καὶ ἔξωθεν μὲν προ[βά]του δορὰ[ν] περιβαλ- λόμενοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ ὄντες λύκοι ἅρπαγες· τοῖς τοιούτ[οι]ς ἐλέγχων

The Hypocrisy of Cain and the Divine Visitation§50

50whitewashed tombs

But 'Cain rose up against Abel' also shows the intention along with the act. These things are contained in the account of history; since we have judged Cain to be a hypocrite according to the account of the anagoge, such things would also be the case now. The secret man is a brother to the man appearing outwardly, and a man in thought; for it is proper to attend to both the serious matters, both in rightly calculating and in displaying an outward adornment suitable to the ways, which the Psalmist, instructing, says in the first Psalm: 'Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly' (Ps 1:1), and shortly after: 'He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, which shall bring forth its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not fall' (Ps 1:3). By saying 'fruit' he means virtuous action from a disposition, but 'leaf' is the outward appearance, which is shown in form, adornment, and the smiling of teeth.

Therefore, whenever the hypocrite strives at these things, while his thought is found to be straying, he kills the brother, having a thought discordant with the outward. The plain is this: the mechanism against those being deceived, into which he brings himself previously to sin by means of them. Such also are the sophists, using the plain of words, through which they lead their own brothers into impiety. And the Lord God said to Cain: 'Where is Abel your brother?' (Gen 4:9). And he said: 'I do not know; am I not a keeper of my brother?'

The Philanthropic God also visits again those who have been entirely estranged from him through much goodness, and through the visitation raises them to perception, which he also does now toward Cain, first by bringing to him the words from conscience, and then also by saying 'Abel the brother,' as if weighing him down with the designation of nature and leading him to the perception of the stain. The magnitude of the deed is presented, that he killed both a brother and a righteous brother, whom God had made, having raised up, for help and assistance. For this is what the saying says: 'A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity' (Prov 17:17). For the reason of the brothers' existence, the word states...

Greek · §50

ὁ Κύριος ἔλεγεν· "6Τί παρομοιάζετε τάφοις κεκονι[αμ]ένοις· ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν ὀστέων νεκρῶν καὶ πάσης ἀκαθ[αρ]σίας."6 Ἀλλ' οἱ ἐνάρετοι, ὅλοι δι' ὅλων ὄντες Θεοῦ καὶ διαθέσει καὶ π[ρ]α´̣ξει, καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, ἃ δὴ τῆς σωματικῆς ἀνάγκης ἕνεκ[εν] εἰς αὐτοὺς ὅρα, καὶ αὐτὰ σοφῶς ἐπ̣ιτελοῦντες, ὀρθῶς τῇ π[ρο]σαγωγῇ τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν χρῶνται, καὶ τῷ σώματι καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ καθα[ρ]ότητος ἐπιμελόμενοι, ὧν τύπος ὁ Ἄβελ ὑπάρχει 126 ἄρχοντα καὶ προστάτην τὸν Θεὸν τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πράξεων τιθέμενος. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐναρέτου ἴδιον, τῆς πράξεως τοῦ ὑποκριτοῦ ὑποστρεφούσης ἐπ' αὐτόν· Θεὸς γὰρ τὸ βάθος τῆς διανοίας ἐνορῶν οὐχ ὑποδέχεται τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ τοιούτου ἐνεργούμενα. ιῃ, 8. Καὶ εἶπεν Κάιν πρὸς Ἄβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ. ∆ιέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον· καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ἀνέστη Κάιν ἐπὶ Ἄβελ τὸν ἀδελ[φ]ὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν. Ἡ κατ' ὀλίγον ἐπίδοσις τῆ[ς κ]ακίας μὴ ἐμποδιζομένη εἰς ἀμετρίαν φθάνει, καὶ κρυπτο´̣[μ]ενον ἁμάρτημα τῇ διανοίᾳ, ἐπὰν μὴ ἀπὸ λογισμοῦ κω[λ]υθῇ, ἀποτελέσει τὰ τῆς ἐνεργείας, κἂν δόξῃ πρὸς βραχὺν [ἀ]ν̣αμένειν χρόνον. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστ[ό]λων φέρεται· τοῦ γὰρ ἡγέμονος πλεῖστα ὅσα παρὰ τοῦ Παύ[λο]υ ἀκούσαντος περὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῆς θείας καὶ ἐμφό[βο]υ γεγενημένον, ἐνέκειτο πάλιν τὸ τῆς φιλαργυρίας [π]ά[θ]ος· φησὶν γὰρ τὸ συγγραφικὸν Πνεῦμα ὡς ἔφη πρὸς Παῦλον· "6[Και]ρὸν ἔχων μεταπέμψομαί σε"6, ἅμα καὶ προσδοκῶν χρ[ήμα]τα παρ' αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν. Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ὁ ἀλάστωρ Κάιν [πάσχ]ει· μετ[ὰ γ]ὰρ τὸ ἐντραπῆναι ὀλίγον ἐνίσχων τρέφει [τ]ὸν φθόν[ον ἐν] τῇ διανοίᾳ καί φησιν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν με[τ]ὰ δόλο[υ· "6∆ι]έλθωμεν εἰστὸ πεδίον"6· καὶ διελθὼν οὐκ ἀφῆκ[εν] τὸν θυ[μό]ν, ἀλλ' ἐπιθέμενος ἀναιρεῖ τὸν ἀδελφόν. [Τι]νὲς καὶ ταῦτα ζητεῖν θέλοντές φασιν· Τίνι ἀμυντηρ[ίῳ] χρησάμενος ἀνεῖλεν τὸν Ἄβελ; Οὐδὲν δέ τοι τὸ ἄπ[ορ]ον· καὶ γάρ, εἰ καὶ μὴ σιδήρῳ, ἀλλὰ γοῦν ἢ λίθῳ ἢ ξύλῳ τοῦ[το] οἷόν τε ἦν γενέσθαι, ὃ καὶ ἡ βίβλος τῆς διαθήκης ᾐν[ίξ]ατο. Σφαγὴν δὲ ὁμῶς ἡ γραφὴ τὴν ὁπωσδήποτε γινομ[έ]νην ἀναίρεσιν εἶναί φησιν, ὡς δηλοῦται ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ τῇ Ἰωάννου· "6Καθὼς 127 Κάιν ἔσφαξεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ὅτ[ι τ]ὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρὰ ἦν, τὰ δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ δίκαια"6. Τ[ὸ] δὲ "6ἀνέστη Κάιν ἐπὶ Ἄβελ"6 καὶ τὴν ἐπίθεσιν ἅμα καὶ τὴν ἑκ[ού]σιον ὁρμὴν δηλοῖ. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὁ τῆς ἱστορίας περιέχει λόγο[ς]· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τρόπον ὑποκριτὴν ἐφάσκομεν εἶναι τὸν Κά[ι]ν κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς λόγον, τοιαῦτα ἂν εἴη καὶ [τὰ] νῦν. Ἀδελφός ἐστι τοῦ φαινομένου ἔξω ἀνθρώπου [ὁ κ]ρυπτ[ὸς] καὶ ἐν διανοίᾳ ἄνθρωπος· ἀμφοτέρων γὰρ τὸν σπουδ[αῖο]ν̣ ἐπι[μ]έλεσθαι προσήκει, καὶ ὀρθά τε λογιζόμενον καὶ σ[τολι]σμὸν [ο]ἰκεῖον τοῖς 52 τρόποις ἐπιδεικνύμενον, ὅπερ καὶ ὁ ψαλ[μ]ῳδὸς [π]αιδεύων ἐν πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ φησιν· "6Μακάριος ἄνη[ρ ὃ]ς οὐκ ἐ[π]ορεύθη ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν"6, καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· "6ὃ τὸν καρπὸ[ν] αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ φύλλον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπορρυ[ήσε]ται"6, καρπὸν μὲν λέγων τὴν ἀπὸ διαθέσεως ἐνάρετο[ν πρ]ᾶξιν, φύλλον δὲ <τ>ὸ ἔξωθεν κατάστημα, ὃ ἐν σχήμα[τι κα]ὶ στολισμῷ καὶ μειδιασμῷ ὀδόντων διαφ[αίν]εται. [Ἐπὰ]ν οὖν ὁ ὑποκριτὴς ταῦτα σπουδάζῃ, τοῦ λογ[ισμοῦ] δὲ αὐτ[οῦ] διεστραμμένου τυγχάνοντος, τὸν ἀδελφ[ὸν σ]φάτ- τ[ει], ἀσύμφωνον τὴν διάνοιαν τοῖς ἔξωθεν ἔχων. [Π]εδιὰς δ[ὲ] τούτῳ ἡ κατὰ τῶν ἀπατωμένων μηχανή, ει᾿̣[ς] ἣν χωρῶ[ν] τῇ κατ' ἐκείνων ἀπάτῃ ἑαυτὸν πρότερον εἰς ἁμαρτίαν ἄγε[ι]. Τοιοῦτοι δὲ καὶ οἱ σοφισταὶ τυγχά- νουσιν, πεδια´̣δι τῇ λέξε[ι] χρώμενοι, δι' ἧς εἰς ἀσέβειαν περιάγουσιν τοὺς ἑαυτῶ[ν ἀ]δελφούς. ιῃ, 9. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Κάιν· [Πο]ῦ ἐστιν Ἄβελ ὁ ἀδελφός σου; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐ γιγνώσκω· μ[ὴ] φύλαξ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μού εἰμι ἐγώ; Ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς καὶ τ[οὺ]ς πάντη ἀλλοτριωθέντας 128 αὐτοῦ διὰ πολλὴν ἀγαθότητα πάλιν ἐπισκέπτεται καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐπισκέψεως εἰς αἴσθησιν διεγε̣ίρει, ὅπερ καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τοῦ Κάιν ποιεῖ, πρῶτον μὲν ἐνιεὶς αὐτῷ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς συνειδήσεως λόγους, ἔπειτα καὶ δ[ι]ὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν "6Ἄβελ ὁ ἀδελφὸς"6 ὥσπερ βαρύνει αὐτὸν τῇ προσηγορίᾳ τῆς φύσεως καὶ ἄγει εἰς συναίσθησιν τοῦ μιάσμα[το]ς. Μέγεθος παρίσταται τ̣οῦ τολμήματος, ὅτι καὶ ἀπέκτει[ν]εν κ[αὶ] ἀδελφὸν καὶ δίκαιον ἀδελφὸν, ὃν δι' ἐπικουρίαν καὶ [β]οή- θε[ιαν] ὁ Θεὸς πεποίηκεν, ἀνελών. Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ λόγιόν φησιν· "6Εἰς πά[ντ]α̣ καιρὸν φίλος ὑπαρχέτω σοι, ἀδελφοὶ δὲ ἐν ἀνάγκ[α]ις χρή[σι]μοι ἔστωσαν· τούτου γὰρ χάριν γεννῶνται"6. Τὴν γ[ὰ]ρ αἰτί[αν] τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑποστά- σεως ταύτην ὁ λόγος

Divine Providence and the Guilt of Cain§51

51It signifies this. For the divine providence, existing as a unifying force, does this through all things. Even while the fraternal disposition and the extreme proximity for union are sufficient in the law, it does not permit these to be joined by marriage, but allows others with sisters and near relatives, so that through them they may be gathered together and from others text gapped and a disposition, which Cain suffered. For one must see even his hypocrisy in saying with thoughtlessness: 'I do not know; am I a guardian of my brother?' (Gen 4:9). For through the 'I do not know' the audacity is shown, because he thought he could hide from God; and through the 'Am I a guardian?' the unprincipled, irrational, and therefore senseless thing is revealed; for he ought to have been a guardian of his brother. And God said: 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the earth' (Gen 4:10). And now you are cursed from the earth, which had the stomach of its earth to receive the blood of your brother from your hand, because you work the earth and it will not add its strength to give to you; you shall groan and tremble upon the earth (Gen 4:11-12).

And the Philanthropist teaches while he is shameless, and thinking he can hide from God, he instructs him as this is impossible: 'The voice' he says, 'of your brother's blood cries to me from the earth' (Gen 4:10), do not suppose that the sleepless eye of Providence has escaped the stain. But he reveals it as a voice of blood, just as also elsewhere: 'Behold, the wages of the laborers who laid hold on your fields, who deprived you, cry out' (Jas 5:4). And so it is to be struck, and it is also possible that the blood is said to be there instead of the soul. And if anyone says that he was reminded because of this blood, that the body hid it; he also remembers the pouring out and how the earth had the stomach of its earth to receive the blood of a brother continuously, so that, growing large, the thing done might cause the hot-tempered one to be struck with remorse. And he brings upon him also curses, fittingly for one who worked so much, I say: 'And now you are cursed from the earth, because you work the earth and it will not add its strength to give to you' (Gen 4:12). For often, because of the sin of men, the poverty of the earth happens, not yielding its fruits according to what was said: 'The earth shall mourn because of those who dwell...'

In it. For it has been given to her to bear fruits to those who maintain a right calculation, and to those falling, providing the necessary things through the philanthropy of God; and again, by His command, those fruits which are lacking from her are restored, so that a return may occur. It is for a leading back; if we follow the first principles, God blames the hypocrite because he perverts the life-giving power of the soul, making it like the man outside, as it has been said. Therefore, he will be accursed, no longer providing fruits, but wasting his opportunity on something useless, so that from this he may be cast down into the beginning of virtue. For it is useful even to be perverted by evil, when the results from it are not attained, so that having undergone toil, he may be imbued with the love of virtue according to what was said: 'Egypt has toiled, and the commerce of the Ethiopians and the Sabaeans, tall men, shall pass over you' (Ezekiel 30:16). And 'groaning' and 'trembling upon the earth' (Psalm 55:6) shall be, thus being judged, always being reproved by the conscience.

And Cain said to the Lord God: 'My guilt is too great to be forgiven; if you cast me out today from the face of the earth and from your face I will be hidden, I will be a wanderer and a trembler upon the earth, and it shall be that everyone who finds me will kill me' (Genesis 4:9, 12, 14). The word of God remains even for those who are strangers to themselves, through which they take Him to be a philanthropist and good regarding His own; and it is not possible to cut away this good concept, even if they are often dissatisfied through the depth of wickedness. Immediately, therefore, those who are altogether forgetful of God, being surrounded by necessity, flee to supplications and entreaties, as is seen also regarding Cain. For as God was moved to pity regarding the murder of the brother and, after acting with boldness, hypocritically asking him, 'Where is Abel your brother?' (Genesis 4:9), yet, lest more perversion exist in man, having known from the words of God—through which he learned from the reproof of what had happened in his conscience—that the eye of God is unavoidable, he must not turn this eye toward all foreign things, from which it will happen to groan and tremble and to expect refutation from everyone who finds him.

Greek · §51

ὑπο[σ]ημαίν[ει]. Ἑνωτικὴ γὰρ ὑπάρχουσα ἡ θεία διοίκησις διὰ πάντων τοῦ[το π]οιεῖ. Ἀμέλει καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ἀρκούσης τῆς ἀδελφικῆς δια- θέ[σ]εω[ς] καὶ τῶν σφόδρα ἐγγὺς εἰς ἕνωσιν, τούτους μὲν οὐ συγχωρεῖ γ[άμ]ῳ συνάπτεσθαι, ἄλλας δὲ παρὰ τὰς ἀδελφὰς καὶ τὰς πλη[σίον] ἐπιτρέ[π]ει, ἵνα διὰ τούτων ἐπισυνάγηται καὶ ἀπὸ ἄλλων σ̣[···]η καὶ δι[ά]θεσις, ἅπερ ἐπάτησεν Κάιν. Ἰδεῖν γὰρ αὐτοῦ καὶ τ[ὴν ὑ]πόκρισ[ιν ἔ]στιν λέγοντος μετὰ ἀπονοίας· "6Οὐ γινώσκω· μὴ φύ[λα]ξ τοῦ ἀ[δελφ]οῦ μού εἰμι ἐγώ;"6 ∆ιὰ μὲν γὰρ το<ῦ> "6Οὐκ οἶδα"6 τὸ θρασὺ δ[εί]κνυτ[αι, ὅ]τι ᾠήθη Θεὸν λανθάνειν, διὰ <δὲ> τοῦ "6Μὴ φύλαξ;"6 τὸ α᾿̣δ̣ι̣άθετον [κα]ὶ ἀνήμερον καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀδιανόητον δηλοῦτα[ι· φ]ύλακα γὰρ αὐτὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦἔπρεπεν εἶναι. 129 ιῃ, 10–12. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Τί ἐποίησας; Φωνὴ αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου βοᾷ πρὸς μὲ ἐκ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ νῦν ἐπικα- τάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἣ ἔχανεν τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς δέξασθαι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκ τῆς χει̣ρός σου, ὅτι ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν καὶ οὐ προσθήσει τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς δοῦναί σοί· στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ἀναισχυνοῦντα διδάσκει ὁ φιλάνθρωπος, καὶ οἰόμενον λανθάνειν Θεὸν παιδεύει ὡς [το]ῦτο ἀδύνατον· "6Φωνή"6 φησιν "6αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου [β]οᾷ πρὸς μὲ ἐκ τῆς γῆς"6, μὴ νόμιζε τὸν ἀκοίμητον ὀφ[θα]λμὸν τῆς προνοίας διαπεφευγέναι τὸ μίασμα. Φωνὴ[ν] δὲ αἵματος τὴν φανέρωσιν λέγει ὡς καὶ ἑτέρωθι· "6Ἰδοὺ ὁ μισθὸς τῶν ἐργατῶν τῶν ἀμησάντων τὰς χώρα[ς] ὑμῶν ὁ ἀπεστερημένος ἀφ' ὑμῶν κράζει"6. Καὶ οὕτω[ς] γ[ὰ]ρ ἐκλημπτέον, δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἀντὶ τῆς ψυ[χῆς] ἐνταῦθα εἰρῆσθαι. Λέγοι δ' ἄν τις ὅτι διὰ τοῦ<το> αἵματος ἐμνήσθη, ὅτι τὸ σῶμα ἔκρυψεν. Ἐκχύ[σεως] δὲ μνημονεύει καὶ ὡς ἡ γῆ ἔχανεν τὸ στόμα α[ὐτῆς] δέξασθ̣αι τὸ αἷμα καὶ ἀδελφοῦ συνεχῶς, ἵνα μεγ[εθύ]νων [τὸ] πραχθὲν καταιδέσῃ τὸν ὠμόθυμον. Ἐπ[άγ]ει δὲ αὐτ[ῷ] καὶ ἀρὰς εἰκότως τοσοῦτον ἐργα- σαμένῳ [λ]έγω<ν>· "6Καὶ ν[ῦν] ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἐργᾷ τὴν [γ]ῆν καὶ οὐ πρ[ο]σθήσει τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς δοῦναί σοι."6 Πολλάκ[ι]ς γὰρ διὰ τα`̣ς̣ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτίας ἡ τῆς γῆς ἔνδεια συμβαίνει τοὺς καρ̣π̣οὺς οὐκ ἀποδιδούσης κατὰ τὸ 53 εἰρημένον· "6[Π]ενθήσει ἡ γῆ διὰ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν̣ αὐτῇ."6 ∆έδο[τ]αι γὰρ αὐτῂ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐκφέρειν καρποὺς τοῖς ἀδιάστρο[φ]ον μὲν τηροῦσι τὸν λογισμόν, φιλανθρωπίᾳ δὲ Θεοῦ κ[αὶ] τοῖς σφαλλομένοις 130 παρέχει τὰ ἀναγκαῖα, προστάγματι πάλιν αὐτοῦ τῶν ἀπ' αὐτῆς ἐκλειπόν[των] καρπῶν, ἵν' ἐπιστροφὴ γένηται. Εἴη δὲ πρὸς ἀναγωγήν, ἑπομένων ἡμῶν τοῖς πρώτοις, αἰτιώμενος τὸν ὑποκριτὴν ὁ Θεός, ὅτι τὴν ζωτικὴν δύναμιν τῆς ψυχῆς διαστρέφει, ἀδελφὸν οὖσαν τοῦ ἔξω ἀνθρώπου, ὡς εἴρηται. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπικατάρατος ἔσται, μηκέτι παρέχουσα καρπούς, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐντρέχειαν ἐπὶ χρησίμῳ παραπολλύουσα, ἵν' ἐκ τούτου <εἰς> τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀρχὴν καταβάληται· [χρ]ήσιμον γὰρ καὶ τὸ διαστραφῆναι πονηρίαν, τῶν ἀπ' αὐτῆ[ς ··]τελῶν μὴ ἐπιτυγχανομένων, ἵνα κόπος ἐγγενόμε[νος] ἔρωτα τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐμποιήσῃ κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "6Ἐκοπίασεν Αἴγυπτος, καὶ ἐμπορία Αἰθιόπων καὶ οἱ Σαβαεὶμ ἄνδρες ὑψηλοὶ ἐπὶ σὲ διαβήσονται"6. "6Στένων"6 δὲ "6κα[ὶ] τρ[έ]μων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6 ἔσται, οὕτω κρινόμενος, ἀεὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος ἐλεγχόμενος. ιῃ, 13–14. [Καὶ] εἶπεν Κάιν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν· Μείζων ἡ α[ἰ]τία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με· εἰ ἐκβάλλεις με σήμερον ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσομαι· καὶ ἔ[σομαι σ]τένων καὶ τρέμων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἔσται, πᾶς ὁ εὑρίσκ[ων] με ἀποκτενεῖ με· Ἔγκειται καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτριοῦσιν ἑ[α]υτοὺς το[ῦ] Θεοῦ λόγος, καθ' ὃν περὶ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ ὡς φιλανθρώπου καὶ ἀγαθοῦ [ἀν]αλαμβάνουσιν· καὶ οὐχ οἷόν τε ἐκκεκόφθαι ταύτην ἀγ̣αθ̣[ὴ]ν τὴν ἔννοιαν, κἂν διὰ βάθος κακίας δυσαρεστῶνται π[ο]λλάκις. Αὐτίκα γοῦν εἰς ἀνάγκην περιστάντες οἱ πάν[τως] Θεοῦ ἀμνήμονες ἐπὶ λιτὰς καὶ ἱκεσίας καταφεύγ[ου]σιν, ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κάιν θεωρεῖται. Ὡς γὰρ ἐπιλήσμων [Θεοῦ] ἐπὶ τὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ φόνον 131 ὁρμήσας καὶ μετὰ θράσους [ὑ]ποκρινάμενος αὐτῷ ἐρωτή- σαντι· "6Ποῦ Ἄβελ ὁ ἀδελφός σου;"6, ἅτε δὲ μήπω πλείστης ἐν ἀνθρώποις διαστροφῆς ὑπαρχούσης, γνοὺς ἐκ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγων, ὧν διὰ τοῦ ἐλέγχου ἔμαθεν τῶν ἐν τῷ συνειδότι γεγενημένων, ὡς ἀναπόδραστός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀφθαλμός, δέεται αὐτοῦ μὴ εἰς παντὴ ἀλλοτρίω- σιν αὐτοῦ τοῦτον περιστῆσαι, ἐξ οὗ στένειν τε καὶ τρέμειν συμβήσεται καὶ ὑπὸ παντὸς τοῦ εὑρίσκοντος αὐτὸν προσ- δοκᾶν ἀναίρεσιν. Ὁ γὰρ

Cain's fear and the perfection of the sevenfold vengeance§52

52Having been struck, as if the protective power of God has departed from him, all other things are considered fearful by him, and he has no confidence in anything done by his own hand. These things are said to us regarding the whole scope of Cain's reply; but let us also see his mixed reply, which is faulty and does not partake of divine grace.

"Greater" he says, "is the cause for me to be forgiven," which would mean, according to a first understanding, that the evil upon me will be greater, if you, O God, do not pass over my injustice; for still, being under guardianship, the not-being-expelled is a state. This same thing is said regarding God in the prophet, concerning those of worthy consideration and those handed over to an unproven mind: "I will not visit their daughters when they play the harlot, nor their virgins when they commit adultery. For when they are sinning, those whom he wishes to train, he says: 'I will visit their lawlessness with a rod and their sins with whips, but my mercy I will not withdraw from them.'" (Ezekiel 16:25; Ezekiel 20:47).

What he says now, that is, that the reproach from you, Lord, will be greater than me, as previously stated; and since he thinks himself having stumbled and having suffered a perversion, he thinks that having been cast out from the earth, he will be cast out from the face of God. According to another understanding, he might be saying these things, that the evil to me will be greater if I remain in the land, O God, lest you destroy me into non-existence; for if you cast me out from the earth, and from your face I will be hidden, no longer existing, which was possible for him, but since you do not cast me out from the earth—for this must be obeyed—I shall be in it groaning and trembling, from everyone finding me and killing me.

For many, when they know for themselves the immeasurableness of their errors, having some notion that God himself will visit them, they consider non-existence to be preferable, preferring to suffer insensibility to existing; this would be clear from what was said by the prophet concerning the traitors of Jesus: "They will wish it if they were consumed by fire." (2 Thessalonians 1:9). And in another way he might be imposing this meaning to his saying: "If you cast me out," and asking for a place of repentance today so that the present might be surpassed, "today"...

It was said. But he also desired that the one called 'his own' might fall into perfection toward God, so that he would not lie exposed to anyone finding him for destruction.

Cain might have wondered at any time, finding him and killing him, that nothing existed at all besides him and the mothers; to whom one might say that, having first the idea that a succession of men was to come, he feared that having worked such a great defilement, he might be destroyed as an abomination by those coming, the weight of which would pass upon the born ones as well; then, even if not this, he suspected that divine powers would be vengeful for the impious deed, which he was likely to have seen the pouring out of the evil.

But regarding the bringing back: And the Lord God said to him, 'Not thus' (Gen 4:15); everyone who kills Cain, seven avenges he will release. And the Lord God set a sign for Cain, not to kill him, everyone finding him. For a greater punishment, or according to the suspicion of Cain, that everyone finding him kills him, protecting the murderer of his own brother, God says, 'Not thus' (Gen 4:15); that is, this justice of the transgression is not suitable to you, to be destroyed by him. For this one will release seven avenging, which signifies perfect punishment.

For often the number seven in the Scripture is taken to mean perfection; this is shown by what is said: 'Seven eyes are watching over all the earth' (Zech 1:10); for God is not a body, so that his eyes might be by the number seven, but it teaches clearly that his watchful power is most complete and great.

Others have said that, just as the man of the Savior had seven resting spirits, 'spirit of wisdom and understanding, spirit of counsel and strength, spirit of knowledge and piety, spirit of the fear of God' (Isa 11:2), so each man, being a perfect man before sin, toward whom we are to arrive, the apostle teaching says, 'until we all arrive at a perfect man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ' (Eph 4:13), having these resting in him, if he should sin, will release them, for which vengeance ought to be most complete and appropriate. It should be noted, however, that

Greek · §52

πεπεισμένος ὡς ἡ σκεπαστικὴ δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἀπέστη πάντα τὰ ἄλλα φοβερὰ λογίζεται κ̣αὶ ἐπ' οὐδενὶ τῶν ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ πραττο- μένων θαρρεῖ. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἡμῖν εἴρηται εἰς τὴν ὅλην περίνοιαν τῆς τοῦ Κάιν ἀποκρίσεως· ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὴν ὑποσυγκεχυ- μένην αὐτοῦ ἀπόκρισιν, ἅτε φαύλου καὶ οὐ μετέχοντος θεία[ς] χάριτος. "6Μείζων"6 φησίν "6ἐστιν ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με"6, ὅπερ εἴη δηλοῦν κατὰ πρώτην διάνοιαν ὅτι μεῖζον ἔσται μου τὸ κ[ακό]ν, μὴ ἐπεξερχομένου σου, ὠ῀̣ Θεέ, τῇ κατ' ἐμο[ῦ ἀ]δικίᾳ· ἔτι γὰρ ὑπὸ κηδεμονίαν ὑπάρχοντός ἐστ[ι τ]ὸ μὴ ἀπ̣αγορεύεσθαι. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀξίων καταφρονήσεως καὶ εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν παραδοθέντων λέγεται πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· "6Οὐ μὴ ἐπισκήψομαι ἐπὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν, ὅταν πορνεύωσιν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς νύμφας αὐτῶν, ὅταν μοιχεύωσιν. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐπιστρέψαι οἵους τε ὄντας πα̣ιδευ῀̣σαι βούλεται, φησίν· "6Ἐπισκέψομαι ε᾿̣ν ῥάβδῳ 132 τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν μάστιξιν τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν, τὸ δὲ ἔλεός μου οὐ μὴ ἀποστήσω ἀπ' αὐτῶν."6 Ὅ τι δε`̣ νῦν φησιν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ὅτι μείζων μου ἡ μέμψις ἔσται, σοῦ, Κύριε, μὴ ἐπεξίοντος, ὡς εἴρηται· ὡς δὲ ἐσφαλμένος καὶ διαστροφὴν παθὼν οἴεται ὅτι τῆς γῆς ἐκβεβλημένος καὶ τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκβληθήσεται. Κατὰ δὲ ἑτέραν διάνοιαν εἴη ἂν λέγων ταῦτα, ὅτι μεῖζόν μοι ἔσται κακόν, εἰ παραμένοιμι ἐν τῇ γῇ, σοῦ, ὦ Θεέ, μὴ ἀπολλύοντός με εἰς ἀνυπαρξίαν· εἰ γὰρ ἐκβάλλοις με ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσομαι μηκέτι ὑπάρχων, ὅπερ εὐκτὸν αὐτῷ ὑπῆρχεν, ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ ἐκβάλλεις με ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς–τοῦτο γὰρ προσυ- πακούειν δεῖ–, ἔσομαι στένων ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ τρέμων, 54 παν[τ]ο`̣ς τοῦ εὑρίσκοντός με ἀποκτενο<ῦ>ντος. Ὅτι δὲ οἱ πολλοί, ἐ[πειδὰ]ν γιγνώσκωσιν ἑαυτοῖς ἀμετρίαν σφαλμάτων, ἔχον[τές] πως ἔννοιαν ὡς μετελεύσεται αὐτὸς ὁ Θεός, αἱρετὸν [ἡγ]οῦνται τὸ μὴ εἶναι, ἀναισθησίαν παθῶν τοῦ ὑπάρχειν προτιμῶντε<ς>, εἴη ἂν σαφὲς ἐκ τοῦ εἰρημ[ένου] ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου περὶ τῶν προδότων Ἰησοῦ· "6Θελήσουσ[ιν ε]ἰ ἐγενήθησαν πυρίκαυστοι."6 Καὶ ἑτέρως δ' ἂν ἐπιβάλοι λέγον[τ]ος αὐτοῦ· "6Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις με"6, "6σήμερον"6 δ' αἰτοῦντος τόπον μετανοίας ἵν' ὑπερτεθῇ τὸ νῦν, "6σήμερον"6 εἰρημένον. Ἐβούλετο δὲ καὶ τέλει τῷ καλουμένῳ "6ἰδίῳ"6 πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ περιπεσεῖν, ἵνα μὴ παντὶ τῷ εὑρίσκοντι εἰς ἀναίρεσιν ὑποκείμενος ᾖ. Ἐρωτήσειεν ἂν τίνα δήποτε ἐδεδίει ὁ Κάιν εὑρήσοντα αὐτὸν καὶ ἀποκτενοῦντα, μηδενὸς ὅλως πλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν τοκέων ὑπάρχοντος· π[ρὸ]ς ὃν εἴποι τις ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν ἔννοιαν ἔχων ὡς διαδοχῆς ἐσομένης ἀνθρώπων, ἐφοβεῖτο μὴ ὡς τοσοῦτον μίασμα ἐργασάμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἐσομένων ἀναιρεθῇ ὡς βδελυκτὸς, τοῦ τοσούτου ἄγους 133 ε᾿̣πὶ καὶ τῶν γεννησομένων διαβαίνοντος, ἔπειτα δέ, εἰ καὶ μὴ τοῦτο, θείας δυνάμεις ἐτόπαζεν ἐκδίκους ἔσεσθαι τῆς ἀνοσιουργίας, ἃς εἰκὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἑορακέναι μήπω τῆς κακίας κεχυμένης. Τὰ δὲ πρὸς ἀναγωγήν #561 ιῃ, 15. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κύριος ὁ Θεός· Οὐχ οὕτως· πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας Κάιν ἑπτὰ ἐκδικούμενα παραλύσει. Καὶ ἔθετο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς σημεῖον τῷ Κάιν τοῦ μὴ ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν παντὰ τὸν εὑρίσκοντα αὐτόν. Ἐπὶ μείζονα κόλασιν ἢ κατὰ τὴν ὑπόνοιαν τοῦ Κάιν τὴν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ εὑρίσκων αὐτὸν ἀποκτενεῖ αὐτὸν φυλάττων, τὸν τοῦ ἰδίου ἀδελφοῦ φονέα γεγενημένον, φησὶν ὁ Θεός· "6Οὐχ οὕτως"6· ἔστιν οὐχ αὕτη σο[υ] ἁρμόνιος ἡ δίκη τοῦ πλημμελήματος τὸ ὑπὸ ὁτουοῦν ἀναιρεθῆναι. Οὗτος γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἐκδικούμενα παραλύσειε, ὅπερ δηλοῖ τὴν τελείαν τιμωρίαν. Πολλάκις γὰρ ὁ ἑπτὰ ἀριθμὸς ἐν τῇ γραφῇ ἀντὶ τελειότητος παρείλημπται· τοῦτο δηλοῦται ὑπὸ τοῦ [λε]γομένου· "6Ἑπτὰ ὀφθαλμοί εἰσιν ἐπιβλέποντες ἐπὶ π[ᾶ]σαν τὴν γῆν"6· οὐ γὰρ δὴ σῶμά ἐστιν ὁ Θεός, ἵνα καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν ἑπτὰ ἀριθμὸν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ τυγχά- νωσιν, ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὡς τὴ[ν ἐ]ποπτικὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν πληρεστάτην καὶ μεγ[άλη]ν εἶναι διδάσκει. Ἄλλοι δὲ εἶπον ὅτι, ὥσπερ ὁ τοῦ [Σ]ωτῆρος ἄνθρωπος ἔσχεν ἑπτὰ πνεύματα ἐπαναπαυσόμενα, "6[π]νεῦμα σοφίας καὶ συνέσεως, πνεῦμα βουλῆς καὶ ἰσχύος, πνεῦμα γνώσεως καὶ εὐσεβείας, πνεῦμα φόβου Θεοῦ"6, οὕτως ἕκαστος ἄνθρωπος, πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀνὴρ τέλειος ὤν, εἰς ὃν καὶ καταντῆσαι ἡμᾶς ὁ ἀπόστολος διδάσκων φησίν· "6ἄχρι καταντήσωμεν πάντες εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ"6, ἔχων ταῦτα 134 ἐπανα<πα>υσόμενα, εἰ ἁμαρτήσοι, παραλύσει αὐτά, περὶ ὧν ἐκδίκησις γενέσθαι ὤφειλεν πληρεστάτη καὶ κατάλ- ληλος. Σημειωτέον δὲ ὅτι

Cain's exile and the nature of God's presence§53

53The phrase 'everyone who killed Cain' is said instead of a vocative, instead of 'O Cain, everyone who killed', or other ways about him, so that it might be 'everyone who killed Cain', which some say would not be a sin for certain powers. To these same things he gave a 'sign' 'not to let him be killed' (Gen 4:15), which was God's command for him; for no such judgments happen without forgiveness.

He set a sign, the momentum of repentance after the falls, by which he will not be easy to take away. For it is a great good not to fall; but to come after the falls into recognition would be a second chance, which God provides through teaching to prevent falling into deception. Such a mind is suggested by what is said in the Psalms: 'Light was signaled in the face of the Son, or the light of your face toward us, O Lord' (Ps 89:13), which you say properly, speaking of divine thought. For so also the fleeing from the face of the bow would happen, of the face of God in us, as it is said, while it exists; and what follows confirms it: 'So that your beloved ones may be delivered' (Ps 100:2). Therefore, through philanthropy and goodness, God gives a place of repentance even to those falling greatly, so that a recovery of virtue may happen again.

So Cain went out from the face of God and dwelt in the land of Nod opposite Eden (Gen 4:16). We say that the going out of Cain from the face of God is not to be taken locally, but that everyone sinning becomes outside God, since we also understand entering toward God in this way, the Psalmist saying: 'Enter before Him in gladness' (Ps 100:2); For someone enters before God, leaving all things outside—sins and sensible things—and becoming another in the world, so that he might thus become a partaker of the knowledge concerning God. It is said here therefore: 'Cain went out from the face of God' (Gen 4:16), and we do not say that...

What kind of place is it in which God exists, and from which Cain, while existing, went out? For God is uncircumscribable and is not subject to places, even if a temple has later become a teaching for symbolic worship. Cain went out, having made himself unworthy of the face of God, having become otherwise thoughtless.

Concerning such things it is said, 'God is not before him' (Ps 31:9), and concerning the sons of Eli it is said, 'The sons of Eli did not know the Lord' (1 Sam 2:12); for if they drew near to the temple, it was in their disposition and works that he was found outside. That Cain went out in this way, the following shows: 'And he dwelt' (Gen 4:16) for he says 'in the land of Nod, opposite Eden.' For 'Nod' is interpreted as 'trembling'; for where was it necessary for the one departing from peaceful virtue to dwell, except in 'trembling,' in an unstable and uncertain thing, which is wickedness? And also 'opposite'; for wickedness is contrary to virtue.

We must remember, therefore, that when we were participating in the account of Adam's expulsion, we noted that He expelled him not as one having gone out of his own accord, but still possessing an impulse of longing for the enjoyment of the luxury of Paradise; therefore, opposite these things, He settled him, just as He himself had managed the dwelling. For to those who do not sin greatly, since virtue does not exist within them deeply, a certain quick opportunity is given, indicating a return, being given toward God, which was not said of Cain.

For neither has he been settled nor expelled, having perished through a willing longing for evil; therefore he dwells in 'trembling,' being incessantly disturbed, since he desired this, of the contrary stable thing, in order to have a strong standing, as if he could stand even with God, according to what was said: 'But you shall stand with me' (Ps 16:8), and by the Savior regarding those not tasting death: 'There are some standing here' (John 12:35), who were his acquaintances. But even Paul, exhorting not...

Greek · §53

τὸ "6πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας Κάιν"6 ἢ ἀντὶ κλητικῆς εἴρηται, ἀντὶ τοῦ "3ὦ Κάιν, πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας"3, ἢ ἄλλοις περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἵν' ᾖ "3πᾶς ὁ τὸν Κάιν ἀποκτείνας"3, οὓς δυνάμεις τινάς τις ὁ λέγων οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι. Ταῖς δ' αὐταῖς ταύταις "6σημεῖον"6 δέδωκεν "6τοῦ μὴ ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν"6, ὅπερ ἂν εἴη αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ πρόσταγμα· οὐ γάρ τι τῶν τοιούτων κριμάτων χωρὶς συγχωρήσεως γίνεται. *** –ηυιτ λιγνες εν βλανξ– Σημεῖον ἔθετο τὴν μετὰ τὰ πταίσματα ῥο[πὴν τ]ῆς μετανοίας, καθ' ἣν οὐκ εὐχείρωτος ἔσται πρ[ὸς ἀν]αίρεσιν. Μέγα μὲν γὰρ ἀγαθὸν τὸ μὴ πταῖσαι· τὸ δὲ μ[ε]τὰ τὰ πταίσματα ἐν μεταγνώσει γενέσθαι δεύτερος ἂ[ν] εἴη λιμήν, ὅπερ οἰκονομῶν ὁ Θεὸς <διὰ> διδασκαλίας διεγείρει πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑποπεσεῖν τῷ ἀπατεῶνι. Τοιαύτην τὴν διάνοιαν ὑποβάλλει τὸ ἐν ψαλμοῖς λεγόμενον· "6Ἐσημειώθη ἐφ' προσώπου φῶς τὸν Υἱὸν ἢ τὰς ἡμᾶς τὸ φῶς τοῦ προσώπου σου, Κύριε"6, ὅπερ θείας ἔννοιας λέγων οἰκείως ἐρεῖς. Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν καὶ τὸ φυγεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου τόξου 135 γενήσεται, τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν, ὡς εἴρηται, ὑπάρχοντος· καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς δὲ ἐπιφερόμενον βεβαιοῖ· "6Ὅπως ἂν ῥυσθῶσιν οἱ ἀγαπητοί σου"6. Φιλανθρωπίᾳ 55 οὖν καὶ ἀγαθότητι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τοῖς μεγάλα σφαλλομένοις τόπον μετανοίας δίδωσιν, ἵνα πάλιν ἀνάλη<μ>ψις τῆς ἀρετῆς γένηται. ιῃ, 16. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν Κάιν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Ναῒν κατέναντι Ἐδέμ. Τὸ ἐξελθεῖν τὸν Κάιν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐ τοπικῶς ἐκλαμβάνοντές φαμεν ὅτι πᾶς ἁμαρτάνων ἔξω Θεοῦ γίνεται, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν οὕτω νοοῦμεν, λέγοντος τοῦ ψαλμοῦ· "6Εἰ[σ]έλθατε ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει"6· εἰσέρχεται δέ τις ἐνώπιον Θεοῦ τὰ ἔξω πάντα καταλιπών, ἁμαρτήματά τε καὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ πράγματα, καὶ ἄλλος τοῦ κόσμου γινόμενος, ἵν' οὕτως τῆς περὶ Θεοῦ γνώσεως μέτοχος γένηται. Λέγεται οὖν ἐνταῦθα· "6Ἐξῆλθεν Κάιν ἀπ̣[ὸ] προσώ- που Θεοῦ"6, καὶ οὐ λέγομεν ὅτι τόπος τίς ἐστιν, ἐν ᾧ ὁ Θεὸς ὑπάρχει, ἐν ᾧ Κάιν ὑπάρχων ἐξῆλθεν· ἀπερίγραφ[ος] γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τόποις οὐχ ὑποκείμενος, εἰ καὶ ναὸς ὕστερον γέγο[νεν], συμβολικῆς λατρείας ὑπάρχων διδα- σκαλία. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖ[ν] Κάιν, ἀνάξιον ἑαυτὸν καταστήσας τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀνεννόητος λοιπὸν αὐτοῦ γεγενημένος. Περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἴρηται· "6Οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ"6, καὶ περὶ τῶν υἱῶν Ἠλὶ λέγεται· "6Υἱοὶ Ἠλὶ οὐκ εἰδότες τὸν Κύριον"6· καὶ γὰρ εἰ προσεκαρ- τέρουν τῷ ναῷ, ἀλλὰ τῇ διαθέσει καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις ἔξω ἐτύγχανον αὐτοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ Κάιν οὕτως ἐξῆλθεν, τὸ ἐπιφερόμενον παρί- στησιν· "6Καὶ ᾤκησεν"6 γάρ φησιν "6ἐν γῇ Ναῒν κατέναντι Ἐδέμ"6 "3Σάλος"3 γὰρ ἡ Ναῒν ἑρμηνεύεται· ποῦ γὰρ 136 ἔδει τὸν ἀποστάντα τῆς εἰρηνικῆς ἀρετῆς οἰκεῖν ἢ ἐν τῇ "3σάλῳ"3, ἀστάτῳ πράγματι καὶ ἀβεβαίῳ, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ κακία; Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ κατέναντι· ἐναντία γὰρ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἡ κακία. Μεμνήμεθα τοίνυν ὡς, ὅτε διελαμβάνομεν περὶ τῆς ἐκβολῆς τοῦ Ἀδάμ, ἐσημειωσάμεθα ὅτι ἐκβέβληκεν αὐτὸν οὐκ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐξελθόντα, ἀλλὰ ἔτι ἔχοντα ἔναυσμα πόθου τῆς διατριβῆς τοῦ παρ<α>δείσου τῆς τρυφῆς· διὸ καὶ κατέναντι τούτων αὐτὸν κατῴκισεν, οἷον αὐτὸς καὶ τὴν οἴκησιν οἰκονομήσας. Τοῖς γὰρ μὴ μεγάλα ἁμαρτάνουσιν, ἐπεὶ οὐ πόρρω ἡ ἀρετὴ ἐνυπάρχει, δίδοταί τις πρόφασις ταχεῖαν τὴν ὑποστροφὴν ὑποδεικνύουσα, πρὸς Θεοῦ διδο- μένη, ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κάιν οὐκ εἴρηται. Οὔτε γὰρ κατῴκισται οὐδὲ ἐκβέβληται, προθύμῳ πόθῳ πρὸς τὸ κακὸν ἀπολι- σθήσας· διόπερ καὶ "3σάλον"3 οἰκεῖ, ἀδιαστάτως ταρατ- τόμενος, ἐπεὶ [τ]οῦτο ἐπόθησεν, τοῦ ἐναρέτου βεβαίου ὑπάρχοντος, διὰ [τὸ στ]άσιν ἔχειν ἰσχυράν, ὡς καὶ μετὰ Θεοῦ στῆναι δύνασθαι [κα]τὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "6Σὺ δὲ αὐτοῦ στῆθι μετ' ἐμοῦ"6, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ [Σ]ωτῆρος περὶ τῶν θανάτου μὴ γευομένων· "6Εἰσί τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστηκότων"6, οἵτινες ἦσαν οἱ γνώριμοι αὐτοῦ. Ἀ[λ]λὰ καὶ Παῦλος προτρέπων μὴ

Stability in Virtue and the Origin of Incest§54

54It is written for every master of teaching to be carried forward: 'Stand fast therefore, and do not again be held by the yoke of slavery' (Gal 5:1). And the Psalmist says thankfully: 'You have set my feet upon a rock' (Ps 40:2). But concerning evils, as always rubbing against bad things, it has been said: 'The shaking of their feet shall not stand' (Ps 68:6). For it is a great sin to be always moving in evil, which the word says is not to be in Zion, wishing it: 'Set yourself, O Zion' (Ps 69:28).

This is what the blessed David, possessing this, sang so that he might not fall from it: 'And let not the hand of sinners shake me' (Ps 69:28), which is: the deeds of a sinner, of the devil, may not turn me away from virtue. And Cain knew his wife, and having conceived, she bore Enoch (Gen 4:17). And he was building a city, and he named the city after the name of his son Enoch.

Some seek from where Cain had a wife, since there were none other than Adam and Eve, from whom the evildoers introduce brother-marriage. It was necessary for them to realize that from this brother-marriage is not introduced. For if, while others existed, he used the relation to his sister, the word was probable; but if, of no one existing, it happened for the establishment of succession, where is there room for brother-marriage, such as being of another could be accepted for a yoke-mate? A word is also carried among the Stoics, seeking whether, if the conflagration of the world should happen and the one wise man of the human race should remain with his daughter to watch over the ember, knowing that the world will be decorated again, which is why there is a need for succession, if it is used properly for the daughter; and the word seems to them not unfamiliar regarding there not being another.

This also seems to have happened concerning the daughters of Lot, which the lovers blame, but none of the wise. For they do not suppose there was another man because of the having happened of the burning of those cities, but having also taken them as maidens, that all the land had undergone such things previously, they say: 'Behold, our father has grown old, and there is no man who shall come to us, as it is fitting for all the land; come, and let us give our father wine' (Gen 19:31). And that they did not do this through passion, but having left an ember, one came and turned the other to do this, which she would not have done quickly if she had served through passion, but by the same means.

this is the proper designation of succession

Greek · §54

περιφέρεσθαι παντὶ ἀνα[ξί]ῳ διδασκαλίας γράφει· "6Στήκετε οὖν καὶ μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε"6· καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς δὲ εὐχαριστητικῶς φησιν· "6Ἔστησας ἐπὶ πέτραν τοὺς πόδας μου"6· περὶ δὲ τῶν φαύλων ὡς ἀεὶ ἐπιτριβομένων ἐν κακοῖς εἴρηται· "6Οὐ μὴ στῇ"6 ὁ σάλος τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῶν. Μέγα γὰρ ἁμάρτημα ἀεὶ ἐν τῷ κακῷ κινεῖσθαι, ὅπερ μὴ βουλόμενος ἐν τῇ Σιὼν εἶναί φησιν ὁ λόγος· "6Στῆσον σεαυτὴν Σιών"6· ὅπερ ἔχων ὁ μακάριος ∆αυίδ, ἵνα μὴ αὐτοῦ ἐκπέσῃ, ἔψαλλεν· "6Καὶ χεὶρ ἁμαρτωλῶν μὴ σαλεύσαι με"6, ὅ ἐστιν· πράξεις ἁμαρτωλοῦ, τοῦ διαβόλου, μὴ 137 ἀποστήσῃ με ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς. ιῃ, 17. Καὶ ἔγνω Κάιν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν τὸν Ἑνώχ. Καὶ ἦν οἰκοδομῶν πόλιν, καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἑνώχ. Ζητοῦσί τινες πόθεν ἔσχεν γυναῖκα ὁ Κάιν, οὐκ ὄντων ἄλλων ἢ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῆς Εὕας, ἐξ οὗ οἱ κακοῦργοι ἀδελφογαμίαν εἰσάγουσιν. Ἔδει δ' αὐτοὺς ἐννοεῖν ὡς οὐκ ἐκ τούτου ἀδελφογαμία εἰσάγεται. Εἰ μὲν γάρ, ἀλλῶν οὐσῶν, ἐκέχρητο τῇ ἀδελφῇ, πιθανὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος· εἰ δέ, μηδένος ὑπάρχοντος, πρὸς σύστασιν τῆς διαδοχῆς τοῦτο γέγονεν, ποῦ χώραν ἔχει ἀδελφογαμία, <οὐχ> οἵου τε ὄντος ἑτέρωθεν δέξασθαι πρὸς συζυγίαν; Φέρεται καὶ λόγος παρὰ τοῖς Στωϊκοῖς ζητούμενος ὡς, εἰ συμβαίη ἐκπύρωσιν γενέσθαι τοῦ 56 κόσμου καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ζώπυρον παραμεῖναι τὸ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου γένους μο´̣νος σοφὸς μείνοι μετὰ θυγατρὸς ἐπιστάμενος ὅτι διακοσμηθήσεται πάλιν κόσμος, δι' ὃ καὶ χρεία διαδοχῆς, εἰ καθηκόντως χρήσηται τῇ θυγατρί· καὶ φαίνεται αὐτοῖς ὁ λόγος οὐκ ἀνοίκειος τῷ μὴ εἶναι ἄλλην. Τοῦτο φαίνεται καὶ περὶ τῶν θυγατέρων τοῦ Λὼτ γεγενημένον, ὃ οἱ φιλαίτιοι μὲν αἰτιάσονται, τῶν δὲ συνετῶν οὐδείς. Μὴ γὰρ οἰόμεναι ἄλλον ἄνδρα εἶναι διὰ τὴν γεγενημένην καῦσιν τῶν πόλεων ἐκείνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσλαβοῦσαι ὡς κόραι ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τοιαῦτα ὑπέστη ἐμπρησθεῖσα, λέγουσι γοῦν· "6Ἰδοὺ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν γεγήρακεν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς εἰσελεύσεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καθὼς καθήκει πάσῃ τῇ γῇ, δεῦτε καὶ ποτίσωμεν τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτῶν οἶνον"6· καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἐμπαθῶς τοῦτο πεποιήκασιν, ἀλλὰ ζώπυρον ὑπολιποῦσαι, συνελθοῦσα ἡ 138 μία προετρέψατο καὶ τὴν ἄλλην τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, ὅπερ οὐκ ἂν ἐποίει ταχέως, εἰ πάθει ἐδούλευεν, ἀλλὰ τῷ αὐτῷ τρόπῳ ὡς ἡ πρώτη ᾠκονόμησεν καὶ ἡ δευτέρα πεποίηκεν διαδοχῆς ἕνεκεν πλείονος. Οὐκ ἐγκλητέος οὖν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ Κάιν, εἰ καὶ ἐν πολλοῖς διεσφαλῇ. Σημειωτέον ὡς οὐκ εἶπεν· Ἔγνω Κάιν τὴν ἀδελφήν, ἀλλὰ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ· αὕτη γὰρ ἡ προσηγορία τῆς διαδοχῆς οἰκεία. Ζητήσειεν ἄν τις πῶς, πέντε που ὀνομασθέντων ἀνθρώπων, τῶν γονέων τοῦ Κάιν καὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς γυτοῦτο ναικός, πόλιν οἰκοδομεῖν λέγεται, πρᾶγμα πολυπληθείας δεομένου· ὁ δὲ ζητῶν καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἀπαιτήσει διὰ τί πόλιν ἐποίουν, ἑνὸς ἄντρου ἢ καὶ οἰκηματίου σφόδρα μίκρου ἀρκοῦντος πρὸς οἴκησιν· πρὸς ἃ *** –λε ρεστε δε λα παγε εν βλανξ 139 ιῃ, 18. Ἐγεννήθη δὲ τῷ Ἑνὼχ Γαϊδάδ, καὶ Γαϊδὰδ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Μαουιά, καὶ Μαουιὰ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Μαθου- σαήλ, καὶ Μαθουσαὴλ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Λάμεχ. Τὴν γενεὰν τοῦ Κάιν διηγεῖται, ἥτις ἕως ἑβδόμης γενεᾶς φθάσασα τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἐπιγενομένου ἀπώλετο· ἡ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ διαδοχὴ ἀπὸ Σήθ, οὗ ἀνέστησεν ὁ Θεὸς, καταγομένη εἰς ἔτι νῦν φυλάττεται· ἀπὸ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἦν ὁ τοῦ Νῶε οἶκος καὶ οἱ διασωθέντες μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ. Εἰ δέ τις καὶ ἀναγαγεῖν ταῦτα βούλεται, ἀπὸ τῆς ἑρμηνείας τῶν ὀνομάτων δεχόμενος τῆς ἀναγωγῆς τὴν ἀρχὴν μετὰ τοῦ μὴ ψυχρολογεῖν τοῦτο ποιείτω. Εἴρηται δὲ καὶ Φίλωνι εἰς ταῦτα, ἅπερ ὁ φιλόκαλος ἐπισκεψάμενος τὴν δεοῦσαν δεχέσθω ὠφέλειαν. ιῃ, 19–22. Καὶ ἔλαβεν ἑαυτῷ Λάμεχ δύο γυναῖκας· ὄνομα τῇ μι[ᾷ] Ἀδὰδ καὶ ὄνομα τῇ δευτέρᾳ Σελλά. Καὶ ἔτεκε<ν> Ἀδὰδ τὸν Ἰωβέλ· [ο]ὑ῀̣τος ἦν ὁ πατὴρ οἰκούντων ἐν σκηναῖς κτηνοτρόφων. Καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ Ἰουβάλ· οὗτος ἦν ὁ καταδείξας ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν. Σελλὰ δὲ ἔτεκεν καὶ αὐτὴ τὸν Θόβελ, καὶ ἦν σφυροκόπος χαλκεὺς χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου· ἀδελφὴ δὲ Θόβελ Νοεμά. Τὸ παλαιὸν οὐκ ἐδοκεῖ παράνομον εἶναι οὐδὲ τοῖς σπουδαίοις δύο γυναῖκας ἔχειν· τῆς διαδοχῆς γὰρ καὶ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἀνθρώπων καιρὸς ἦν. Ὁ Λάμεχ οὖν δύο γυναῖκας ἔχων ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἐποίησεν υἱούς, οἳ καὶ 140 ἀρχηγοὶ τεχνῶν γεγένηνται, ὁ μὲν κτηνοτρόφων ἀρχηγὸς γεγενημένος, ὃς ἀδελφὸν Ἰουβὰλ εἶχε̣ν̣ κ̣α̣ταδείξαντα ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν, ἐκ δὲ τῆς ἑτέρας ὁ Θόβελ, ὅστις σφυροκόπος ἤρξατο εἶναι χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου, οὗ καὶ ἀδελφὴν ὀνομάζει. Παρίστησιν μὲν οὖν διὰ τῶν ἐκτεθέντων ἡ θεία παίδευσις ὡς

The distinction between hearing and being instructed§55

55Humans are animals of choice, participating in sciences; for they do not live by sensation alone like the irrational, but reason already shows itself through the creation of arts. The first point regarding the literal sense is this; the things regarding the ascent are these.

The cattle-tender is different from the shepherd; for the one uses knowledge, but the cattle-tender does not. Abel was the righteous shepherd, governing his irrational powers—the desiring, the appetitive, and the spirited—according to the right reason; but the cattle-tender, lacking science and being a certain pleasure-seeker, is subject to the sensations alone, not ruling them but being ruled by them.

And as a clear example, it would be said in this way: The physician uses touch differently than one looking toward pleasure; this one, then, is a kind of cattle-tender, but the physician is a shepherd, for he uses reason with sensation. In the same way, regarding smell and the other sensations, the one using them with reason is best. For reasoning begins the sensation, and if the reasoning is held in check, the man receives the qualities according to the passions, such as being called a lion through the spirited part, a fox through the cunning, and a serpent through the earthly part, and also being called a horse through the pleasurable part; for they say, 'You have become like mares' (Psalm 55:19), and other men are called such because, being entirely of the sensations, they produce nothing divine, like us; for he says, 'Do not become like a horse and a similar creature, which have no understanding' (Psalm 49:20).

The cattle-tender is such, being a certain base person, not dwelling in a house but in tents, a precarious thing, not imitating those who dwell in tents for the sake of entering into the house, who also say as in the Psalm: 'How lovely are your dwellings, O Lord of hosts: my soul longs and even faints for the courts of the Lord' (Psalm 84:1-2); for the one progressing from tents desires the courts, singing: 'I will go in the way of a wonderful habitation until I reach the house of God' (Psalm 77:13). The other brother is 'he who showed the harp and the lyre' (Psalm 33:2), being his brother in righteousness; for he has neighbors for the enjoyment of pleasures and the deception through music being worked upon the ears; for 'woe' to 'those who rise up...'

Chasing the morning and the evening, remaining blind; for wine will intoxicate them; for they drink wine with lyres and psalteries, but they do not look upon the works of the Lord. And the other one crafts war-gear from bronze and iron, the bronze making its sound, just as Paul writes, 'I have become a sounding bronze' (1 Cor 13:1); and he himself is also a worker of iron, being a certain sophist and deceiving through seeming probabilities.

And Lamech said to his wives, Adam and Zillah: 'Hear my voice, women of Lamech; be instructed by my words; for I have killed a man for a wound, and a young man for a bruise' (Gen 4:23-24); for seventy times seven has been avenged from Cain, and from Lamech seventy times seven. I believe that being instructed is brought about only by divine instruction, and it differs from hearing, when it is joined with it; for the one, being instructed, is the hearing of that which is near, but the hearing is the hearing of that which is far off, and the word is not near. And in Isaiah, 'Hear, O heaven, and be instructed, O earth, for the Lord has spoken' (Isa 30:2), is not said in parallel, which is also 'Be instructed, O heaven, and I will speak' (Isa 40:9)—for instead of 'Pay attention,' other interpreters say 'Be instructed'—'and let the earth hear the words from my mouth' (Isa 30:2). And they say such an observation exists: when the law was being given by God, since it happened to be near the heavenly works, for this reason the heaven is commanded to be instructed; but when they departed from the upright citizenship, as to become far from the earth, then it is said, 'Hear, O heaven'—for they happened to be far—'and be instructed, O earth,' for this earth was near through its attachments. Therefore Lamech did not say 'Hear' and 'Be instructed' in parallel, but rather we have observed the difference between them in the Scripture not to be untimely; and what is it that we should learn, he says: 'Hear my voice, women of Lamech; be instructed by my words' (Gen 4:23). And someone might say that the voice and the words are in parallel; but he who seeks precision even regarding these would say that regarding the voice he ordered 'Hear,' but regarding the words he ordered the more precise thing, which is to be instructed.

Greek · §55

προαιρετικὰ ζῷα οἱ ἄνθρωποι τυγχά- νουσιν, μετέχοντες ἐπιστημῶν· οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ τὰ ἄλογα μόνῃ αἰσθήσει συνζῶσιν, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ τοῦ λογιστικοῦ ἡ ἀρετὴ δείκνυται διὰ τοῦ καὶ τεχνῶν εὑρετὰς γεγενῆσθαι. Τὰ μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν οὕτως ἔχει· εἴη δὲ τὰ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς ταῦτα. Ὁ κτηνοτρόφος ἕτερός ἐστι τοῦ ποιμένος· ὁ μὲν γὰρ σὺν ἐπιστήμῃ νέμει, [ὁ] δὲ κτηνοτρόφος οὔ. Ἄβελ ὁ δίκαιος ποιμὴν ἐτύγχανεν, [τὰς] ἀλόγους ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεις ἐπιθυμητικὴν ὀρεκτι[κὴ]ν θυμικὴν ἄγων κατὰ λόγον τὸν ὀρθόν· ὁ δὲ κτηνοτρό[φο]ς ἀμοιρῶν ἐπιστήμης, ἡδονικός τις ὤν, [μ]όνων ἐστὶ [τ]ῶν αἰσθήσεων, οὐ κρατῶν ἀλλὰ κρατούμενος ὑπ' αὐτῶν. Καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ παρα- δείγματος σαφὲς ἂν εἴη τὸ λεγόμενον τοῦτον τρόπον. Ὁ ἰατρὸς ἄλλως χρῆται τῇ ἁφῇ ἢ ὁ πρὸς 57 ἡδονὴν ὁρῶν· οὗτος οὖν κτηνοτρόφος τρόπον τινά ἐστι̣ν̣, ὁ δὲ ἰατρὸς ποιμήν· λόγῳ γὰρ χρῆται τῇ αἰσθήσει. Οὕτω καὶ περὶ ὀσφρήσεως καὶ τῶν ἄλλων αἰσθήσεων ὁ λόγῳ αὐταῖς χρώμενος ἄριστος. Ἄρχει γὰρ ὁ λογισμ̣ὸς τῆς αἰσθήσε̣ω̣ς, ἐπὰν δὲ ὁ λογισμὸς κατακρατηθῇ, κατὰ τὰ πάθη λοιπὸν δέχεται τὰς προσηγορίας ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς μὲν διὰ τὸν θυμὸν λέων καλεῖσθαι, διὰ δὲ τὸ πανοῦργον ἀλώπηξ, διὰ 141 δὲ τ[ὸ] γεῶδες ὄφις, οὕτως ὡς καί τινας διὰ τὸ ἡδονικὸν καλεῖσθαι ἵππος· "6Ἵπποι"6 γάρ φησιν "6θηλυμανεῖς ἐγενήθητε"6, καὶ ἄλλους ἀνθρώπους καλεῖσθαι διὰ τὸ ὅλους τῶν αἰσθήσεων ὄντας μηδὲν θεῖον ἀπογεννᾶν ἡμιό- νους· "6Μὴ γίγνεσθε"6 γάρ φησιν "6ὡς ἵππος καὶ ἡμίονος, οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν σύνεσις."6 Ὁ μὲν οὖν κτηνοτρόφος τοιοῦτος, φαῦλος τις ὑπάρχων, οὐκ οἶκον οἰκῶν, ἀλλὰ σκηνάς, πρᾶγμα ἀβέβαιον, οὐκ ἐκείνους μιμούμενος τοὺς διὰ προκοπὴν σκηνοῦντας, ἵν' ἀπὸ τούτου καὶ εἰς τὸν οἶκον εἰσελθῶσιν, οἳ καὶ λέγουσιν ὡς ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ· "6Ὡς ἀγαπητὰ τὰ σκηνώματά σου, Κύριε τῶν δυνάμεων· ἐπιποθεῖ καὶ [ἐ]κλείπει ἡ ψυχή μου εἰς τὰς αὐλὰς τοῦ Κυρίου"6· ἀπὸ γὰρ σκηνῶν ὁ προκόπτων αὐλῶν ἐπιθυμεῖ ψάλλων· "6∆ιελεύσομαι ἐν τόπῳ σκηνῆς θαυμαστῆς ἕως τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ."6 Ὁ δ' ἕτερος ἀδελφός ἐστιν "6ὁ καταδείξας ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθ[άραν]"6, ἐν δίκῃ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τυγχάνων· γειτνίασιν γὰρ ἔχει πρὸς [τὴν] τῶν ἡδέων ἀπόλαυσιν καὶ ἡ διὰ μουσικῆς ἀπατὴν ἐνεργ[ουμέ]ν̣η̣ τ̣α̣ῖς ἀκοαῖς· "6Οὐαὶ"6 γὰρ "6οἱ ἐγειρόμενοι τὸ πρωῒ καὶ τὸ σίκε[ρα διώ]κοντες καὶ μένοντες τὸ ὀψέ· ὁ γὰρ οἶνος αὐτοὺς συγκαύσει· μ[ετὰ] γὰρ κιθάρας καὶ ψαλτηρίου τὸν οἶνον πίνουσιν, τὰ δὲ ἔργα τοῦ Κυρίου οὐκ ἐμβλέπουσιν."6 Ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἑτέρας τεχνιτεύει σκεύη πολέμια διὰ χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου, τοῦ μὲν χαλκοῦ τὴν φωνὴν σημαί- νοντος, ὡς καὶ Παῦλος γράφει· "6Γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν"6· ὁ δ' αὐτὸς καὶ σιδήρου ἐργατής ἐστιν, σοφιστής τις ὢν καὶ διὰ δῆθεν δυνατῶν πιθανοτήτων ἀπατῶν. ιῃ, 23–24. Εἶπεν δὲ Λάμεχ ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ γυναιξὶν Ἀδὰ καὶ Σελλά· Ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς φωνῆς γυναῖκες Λάμεχ, ἐνωτίσασθέ μου τ̣ο̣υ`̣ς̣ λ̣ο´̣γ̣ο̣υ̣ς̣· ὁ´̣τι ἄνδρα ἀπέκτεινα εἰς τραῦμα ἐμοί, καὶ νεανίσκον εἰς μώλωπά μοι· ὅτι ἑπτάκις ἐκδεδίκηται ἐκ Κάιν, ἐκ δ[ὲ] Λάμεχ ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά. Τὸ ἐνωτίζεσθαι παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ παιδεύσει νομίζω μόνῃ 142 φέρεσθαι, διαφέρει δὲ τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι, ὅτε σὺν αὐτῷ συνάπτεται, ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἐνωτίζεσθαι τὴν ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς ἀκοήν, τὸ δὲ ἀκοῦσαι τὸ ὁπωσοῦν ἀκοῦσαι, καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐγγὺς ὁ λόγος ἐστίν. Καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἠσαίᾳ δὲ τὸ "6Ἄκουε, οὐρανέ, καὶ ἐνωτίζου, γῆ, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησεν"6 οὐκ ἐκ παραλ- λήλου ἐστὶν λεγόμενον, ὃ καὶ τὸ "6Ἐνωτίζου, οὐρανέ, καὶ λαλήσω"6–ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ "6Πρόσεχε"6 τὸ "6Ἐνω̣τίζου"6 ἄλλοι λέγουσιν ἑρμηνευταί–"6καὶ ἀκουέτω γῆ ῥήματα ἐκ στόματος μου"6. Καί φασιν τοιαύτην εἶναι τὴν παρα- τήρησιν· ὅτε ὁ νόμος πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐδίδοτο, ἐπεὶ πλ[η]σίον ἐτύγχανον τῶν οὐρανίων ἔργων, διὰ τοῦτο ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐνωτίζεσθαι παραγγέλ̣λεται, ὅτε δὲ ἀπέστησαν τῆς ἐναρέτου πολιτείας, ὡς ἐγγὺς γενέσθαι τῆς γῆς, τ[ο´̣]τε λοιπὸν εἴρηται· "6Ἄκουε, [οὐρα]νέ"6–πόρρω γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐτύγχανεν–"6καὶ ἐνωτίζου, γῆ"6– πλη̣[σίον γ]ὰρ αὕτη διὰ τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων ὑπῆρχεν. [···] ὁ Λάμεχ οὖν <οὐκ> ἐκ παραλλήλου εἶπεν τὸ "6Ἀκούσατε"6 καὶ "6Ἐ[νω]τίσασθε"6, ἀλλὰ γοῦν οὐκ ἀκαίρως τὴν διαφορὰ[ν] αὐτω῀̣ν κειμένην ἐν τῇ γραφῇ παρετηρησάμεθα· τί δέ ἐστιν ὃ, λέγει, μαθῶμεν· "6Ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς φωνῆς, γυναῖκες̣ Λάμεχ· ἐνωτίσασθέ μου τοὺς λόγους."6 Καὶ τὴν φωνὴν οὖν καὶ τοὺς λόγους ἐκ παραλλήλου τις ἂν λέγοι· ὁ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων ἀκρίβειαν ζητῶν λέγοι ἂν ὅτι ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς φωνῆς τὸ "6Ἀκούσατε"6, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν λόγων τὸ ἀκριβέστερον, ὅπερ ἐστὶν τὸ ἐνωτί- ζεσθαι, ἔταξεν. Εἰς ταύτην

Lineage and the Definition of Man§56

56Observing the difference, someone might say that John was a 'voice crying out' (Matt 3:3), taking the immediate word of the scriptures to mean 'voice', but the mystical mind to mean 'logos'. 'That I killed a man unto my wound and a youth unto my blindness' (Gen 4:24). It is said in the book of the Testament by Lamech that Cain was killed accidentally; for he was turned back while building some wall, behind which Cain was, who was also killed accidentally. That he was killed, he says, 'unto my wound' happened, but that he did not do it willfully, 'unto my blindness' happened.

Adam knew (Gen 4:1) Eve his wife, and having conceived, she bore a son and named his name Seth, saying: 'God has raised up for me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed' (Gen 4:25). Previously, regarding the things signified by 'knew' (Gen 4:1), we did not say that Adam's knowing Eve his wife meant standing beside her, but rather that they had come together, which also now signifies. She, 'having conceived she bore a son', whom 'and named Seth, saying: God has raised up for me seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed' (Gen 4:25).

Those bringing forward different natures of the Valentinian heresy, saying that their unsuited virtue is that which they call earthly, and the unsuited evil, which they indeed also call spiritual, saying a third is the psychic, which is considered by them as being a mixture; and they take Cain as a sign of the unsuited virtue, and Abel of the spiritual, referring the remainder to Seth. It is not of the present time to refute this impious heresy, so that the word may not be defiled; but we also consider the word of Eve to be a testimony to the manner of Seth. For instead of the excellent Abel, this is interpreted as 'watering/refreshing'; and this is a symbol of life-giving provision; for this 'bringing forward' one must be interpreted as Abel having a brother, so that being first and more perfect, he might bring forward to God the spiritual sacrifices in the manner of a priest, while Seth brings forward a secondary struggle, through watering and teaching, those being instructed to God, who instead of Cain exists as someone self-willed and throwing blame upon himself; for he is a creature [interpreted as...].

Genesis 5:26. And to Seth there was born a son, and he named his name Enos; he hoped to call upon the name of the Lord God. The holy ones from the holy often possess both a physical descent from them and a descent according to the soul, in the same manner that Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac of Jacob, and Jacob of Joseph; for these exist both by human succession from them and have become imitators of their virtue. But Esau became the son of Isaac according to the flesh alone, becoming a stranger to him through his own will; for he happened to be worthless. Seth, therefore, being placed instead of the righteous, begets Enos the righteous, who instead of the name of the Lord is called man; of such a nature, his soul's virtue declaring the 'according to the image' and the state of a truly existing man; for Enos is a 'man' among the Hebrews.

One must also add what is proper to man: 'He' says, 'hoped to call upon the name of the Lord'; and this is a virtuous practice for such a man. The hope that this truly is, is to become like God as much as possible; and to hope to call upon the name of the Lord God while simultaneously subjecting oneself to authority and to divine teaching is the hope.

Genesis 1:1–2. This is the book of the generations of men. On the day God made Adam, He made him according to the image of God; male and female He made them, and blessed them, and named their name Adam, on the day He made them. Here he called the narrative concerning Adam and his succession down to the present. Before the sixth day, on which man came into being, it was called the 'book of heaven and earth'; for we had finished that whole narrative concerning those before man, setting down another beginning of the generation of men. He calls 'generation' the word describing His making, just as it is said concerning Jesus: 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,' speaking according to the flesh; for the eternal one is unknown to men; for it is said: 'Who shall recount his lineage?' Just as we did not say the six days were a multitude of days, so also not the one...

Greek · §56

τὴν διαφορὰν ὁρῶν̣ τις λέγοι ὅτι Ἰωάννης "6φωνὴ βοῶντος"6 ἐτύγχανεν, ἐκλαμβάνων τὴν μὲν πρόχειρον λέξιν τῶν γραφῶν φωνήν, τὸν δὲ μυστικὸν νοῦν λόγον. "6Ὅτι ἄνδρα ἀπέκτεινα εἰς τραῦμα ἐμοὶ καὶ νεανίσκον 143 εἰς μώλωπά 58 μοι."6 Λέγε<ται> ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῆς διαθήκης ὑπὸ τοῦ Λάμεχ τὸν Κάιν ἀνῃρῆσθαι ἀκουσίως· τοῖχον γάρ τινα οἰκοδομῶν προσανέτρεψεν αὐτόν, ὄπιθεν ὄντος τοῦ Κάιν, ὃς καὶ ἀνῃρέθη ἀκουσίως. Τῷ μὲν οὖν ἀνῃρῆσθαι φησίν, "6εἰς τραῦμα ἐμοὶ"6 γέγονεν, τῷ δὲ μὴ ἑκὼν "6εἰς μώλωπά μοι"6. *** –τρειζε λιγνες εν βλανξ– ιῃ, 25. Ἔγνω δὲ Ἀδὰμ Εὕαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν υἱὸν καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σὴθ λέγουσα· Ἐξανέστησεν γάρ μοι ὁ Θεὸς σπέρμα ἕτερον ἀντὶ Ἄβελ, ὃν ἀπέκτεινεν Κάιν. Πρότερον διαστέλλοντες τὰ σημαινόμενα τοῦ "6ἔγνω"6 τὸ ἐγνωκέναι Ἀδὰμ τὴν Εὕαν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ οὐ τὸ ἐπί- στασθαι ἐλέγομεν, ἀλλὰ τὸ σ̣υ̣ν̣εληλυθέναι, ὅπερ καὶ νῦν σημαίνει. Ἥτις "6συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν υἱόν"6, ὃν "6καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν Σὴθ λέγουσα· Ἀνέστησεν γάρ μοι ὁ Θεὸς σπέρμα ἀντὶ Ἄβελ, ὃν ἀπέ[κ]τεινεν Κάιν"6. Οἱ τῆς Οὐαλεντίνου αἱρέσεως φύσεις διαφόρους εἰσ[άγο]ντες ὡς 144 τὴν μὲν αὐτῶν ἀνεπίδεκτον ἀρετῆς εἶναι, ἥντινα καὶ χοϊκὴν καλοῦσιν, τὴν δὲ ἀνεπίδεκτον κακίας, ἣν δὴ καὶ πνευματικὴν ὀνομάζουσιν, τρίτην λέγοντες εἶναι τὴν ψυχικήν, ἥτις μεμιγμένη τις παρ' αὐτοῖς νομίζεται· καὶ τῆς μὲν ἀνεπιδέκτου ἀρετῆς σημεῖον τὸν Κάιν λαμβάνουσιν, τῆς δὲ πνευματικῆς τὸν Ἄβελ, τὴν λοιπὴν ἐπὶ τὸν Σὴθ ἀναφέροντες. Οὐ τοῦ παρόντος δὲ καιροῦ τὴν δυσσεβὴ ταύτην διελέγξαι αἵρεσιν, ἵνα μὴ ὁ λόγος μηκύνηται· σ[··]νομεθα δὲ καὶ τὸν λόγον τῆς Εὕας ὥσπερ μαρτυρίαν εἶναι τοῦ τρόπου τοῦ Σήθ. Ἀντὶ γὰρ σπουδαίου τοῦ Ἄβελ οὗτος ἑρμηνευόμενος "3ποτισμός"3· ζωτικῆς δὲ χορηγείας τοῦτο σύμβο[λο]ν· ἔδει γὰρ τὸν "3ἀναφέροντα"3 τοῦτον γὰρ Ἄβελ ἑρμηνεύ[ε]ται–ποτισμὸν ἔχειν ἀδελφόν, ἵνα πρῶτός τις ὢν καὶ τελειότερος ἐκεῖνος ἱερέως δίκην ἀναφέρῃ τῷ Θεῷ τὰς πνευματικὰς θυσίας, ὁ δὲ Σὴθ δευτερεῖα ἄγων προσφέρῃ διὰ ποτισμοῦ καὶ διδασκαλίας τοὺς παιδευομέ[ν]ους τῷ Θεῷ, ὃς ἀντὶ Κάιν ὑπάρχει αὐθεκάστου τινὸς ὄντος [κα]ὶ ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ βαλλομένου· κτῆσις γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται Κάιν. ιῃ, 26. [Κ]αὶ τῷ Σὴθ ἐγένετο υἱός, ἐπωνόμασεν δὲ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐνώς· οὗτος ἤλπισεν ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ. Οἱ ἐξ ἁγίου ἅγιοι πολλάκις καὶ τὴν κατὰ σάρκα γένεσιν ἐξ ἐκείνων ἀπέχουσι καὶ τὴν κατὰ ψυχήν, ὅνπερ τρόπον Ἀβραὰμ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ πατὴρ γέγονεν καὶ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ Ἰακὼκαὶ Ἰακὼβ τοῦ Ἰωσήφ· οὗτοι γὰρ ἅμα τε τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ διαδοχῇ ἐξ αὐτῶν ὑπάρχουσιν καὶ μιμηταὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς αὐτῶν κατέστησαν. Ὁ δὲ Ἠσαὺ κατὰ σάρκα μόνην γέγονεν τοῦ Ἰσαάκ, ἀλλοτριούμενος αὐτοῦ διὰ γνωμήν· φαῦλος γὰρ ἐτύγχανεν. Ὁ Σὴθ οὖν ἀντὶ τοῦ δικαίου τεχθεὶς γεννᾷ τὸν Ἐνὼς δίκαιος δίκαιον, ὃς ἀντὶ τοῦ κυρίου ὀνόματος ἄνθρωπος καλεῖται, τῆς τοιαύτης προση- 145 γορίας, τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀρετὴν δηλούσης, σῳζούσης τὸ "6κατ' εἰκόνα"6 καὶ τὴν τοῦ ὄντως ὄντ[ο]ς ἀνθρώπου κατάστασιν· Ἐνὼς γὰρ παρ' Ἑβραίοις ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν. Ἀμέλει γοῦν καὶ τὸ ἴδιον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου προσάπτει αὐτῷ· "6Οὗτός"6 φησιν "6ἤλπισεν ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου"6· προσήκουσα δὲ αὕτη ἀνθρώπῳ ἐναρέτῳ πρᾶξις· ἐλπὶς δὲ ἡ τῷ ὄντι αὕτη ἐστὶν τὸ ὁμοιωθῆναι τῷ Θεῷ κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν· ἐλπίζειν δὲ ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἅμα καὶ ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν διδασ- καλίαν τὴν θείαν ἐστὶν ἑαυτὸν ὑποτά[τ]τοντος. ῃ, 1–2. Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως ἀνθρώπων. Ἧι ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Ἀδάμ, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν· ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς, καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐπων[ό]μασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν Ἀδάμ, ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς. Βίβλ[ον] ἐνταῦθα τὴν διήγησιν τὴν περὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῆς διαδοχῆς αὐτοῦ ἕως τῶν παρόντων ἐκάλεσεν. Πρὸ μὲν οὖν τῆς ἕκτης ἡμέρας, καθ' ἣν ὁ ἄνθρωπος συνέστη, "6βίβλος"6 ἐλέγετο "6οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς"6· ὅλην γὰρ ἐκείνην τὴν διήγησιν τοῖς πρ[ὸ] τοῦ ἀνθρώπου γεγονόσιν ἀπένειμεν, ἄλλην ἀρχὴν τῆς τῶν [ἀνθρώπων] γενέσεως κατατιθέμενος· γένεσιν δὲ τὸν λόγον δ̣ιαγρ[άφοντα] τὴν ποίησιν αὐτοῦ φησιν, ὡς καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἴρηται· "6Βίβλ[ος 59 γε]νέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ"6, τὴν κατὰ σάρκα λέγων· ἡ γὰρ ἀΐδιος ἄγν[ωστος] ἀνθρώποις· λέγεται γάρ· "6Τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται;"6 Ὥ[σ]περ δὲ οὐ πλῆθος ἡμερῶν τὰς ἓξ ἡμέρας ἐλέγομεν εἶναι, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὴν μίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν

Longevity and the Lineage of Seth§57

57God creates by time. For humans have their actions distributed by time, but God is not so; for 'He himself said and they were brought into being' (Gen 1:3), and we do not have the power to divide the willing of Him who wishes to bring into existence that which He wills, and because of order, as it has been said, the first has been grasped in perfection. But likewise it has been said regarding the man having come to be 'according to the image' (Gen 1:26). And the 'and blessed them' (Gen 3:22) is an explicit sign of them being good; for blessing reaches toward good things; for 'this one shall receive a blessing from the Lord' (Gen 4:1). It is to be noted that He calls both Adams, and regarding 'male and female He made them' (Gen 1:27) having said in the first chapters, we shall not repeat. And if both Enoch and Adam signify man, it is not to be treated as strange; for among the Hebrews, man is many-named, just as among those speaking in Greek, man is called part, mortal, light; and these things, falling under etymologies, are by nature and not by position, as has been said before.

Adam lived three hundred and thirty years and begat according to his own idea and according to his image, and he named his son Seth. And the days of Adam became seven hundred years after the begetting of Seth, and he begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Adam which he lived were three hundred and thirty years and he died. The life of men now is cut short to a small number; for it shall be said later from the histories that the matter has proceeded by a little, as it was also foretold regarding the one saying by God: 'My spirit shall not abide in these men because they are flesh, but their days shall be one hundred and twenty years' (Gen 6:3), and it is also said by the Psalmist: 'The days of our years are seventy years, if in strength eighty years, and the more of them are labor and sorrow' (Ps 90:10); for the years after the eightieth year...

Life is toil and labor. At that time, one did not even rise quickly; indeed, one hundred and sixty years seemed to be the prime. And it was fitting in the beginning that men were long-lived, so that the human race, being generated from a single origin, would not be cut off by their being short-lived. For thus, since the time of life was greater, more were born, yet there becomes one memory because of the reason of succession, those called the firstborn.

And if someone says: 'And indeed Seth is third, not firstborn,' it must be said that since it was not appropriate from Cain, being of low status, nor from Abel, who departed childless, it is fitting that he is in a certain way a firstborn from Seth. As for 'according to the form' and 'according to the image,' it will seem to be taken more simply as being the same, but the one who loves art would say that 'according to the form' is by the ***, and 'according to the image' is by the ***. These things are now given thus; but if anyone is troubled by the number of years or the interpretation of the names of those being born, Philo would give a mystical account without being cold-hearted. Pay attention, therefore, to this, for it is useful.

And Seth lived five hundred and twenty years and begat Enos (Gen 5:21). And Seth lived, after Enos was begotten, seven hundred and seventy years and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Seth were twelve hundred and ninety years and he died. And this Enos is the same name as the one before him, who was a son of Cain. And this Enos lived eighty and died; and his son was Kenan, who himself lived ninety and eighty and died; and his son was Mahalalel, and of him the time was completed in ninety-five years; and his son was Jared, who lived sixty-two and nine hundred and died, who begat Enoch (Gen 5:24). And Enoch lived one hundred and sixty-five years and begat the...

Greek · §57

χρόνῳ Θεὸς δημι- ουργεῖ. Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ τὰς πράξεις χρόνῳ συμμε- τρουμένας ἔχουσιν, Θεὸς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως· "6Αὐτὸς̣"6 γὰρ "6εἶπεν καὶ ἐγεννήθησαν"6, καὶ οὐκ ἔχομεν διαστεῖλαι τὸ θελῆσαι τοῦ ὑπᾶρξαι ὃ βούλεται ὑποστῆσαι, τάξεως δ' ἕ<νεκεν>, ὡς εἴρηται, ὁ πρῶτος ἐν τελείοις εἴλημπται. Ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ "6κατ' εἰκόνα"6 τὸν ἄνθρωπον γεγονέ- ναι τότε ὁμοίως εἴρηται. Τὸ δὲ "6καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς"6 ἐμφατικὸν τοῦ ἀγαθοὺς 146 εἶναι· εὐλογία γὰρ εἰς ἀγαθοὺς φθάνει· "6Οὗτος"6 γὰρ "6λήμψεται εὐλογίαν παρὰ Κυρίου"6. Σημειωτέον ὅτι ἀμφοτέρους Ἀδὰμ καλεῖ, καὶ περὶ τοῦ "6ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτοὺς"6 εἰπόντες ἐν τοῖς πρώτοις, οὐ παλιλλογήσομεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ Ἐνὼς καὶ Ἀδὰμ τὸν ἄνθρωπον σημαίνει, οὐ ξενιστέον· παρ' Ἑβραίοις γὰρ πολυώνυμος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὥσπερ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἑλληνιστὶ λαλοῦσιν ἄνθρωπον, μέροπα, βροτόν, φῶτα· ἐτυμολογίαις δὲ ταῦτα ὑποπίπτοντα φύσει καὶ οὐ θέσει εἰσίν, ὡς καὶ πρότερον εἴρηται. ῃ, 3–5. Ἔζησεν δὲ Ἀδὰμ τριάκοντα καὶ διακόσια καὶ ἐγέννησεν κατὰ τὴν ἰδέαν α[ὐτ]οῦ καὶ κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σήθ. Ἐγένοντο δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι Ἀδὰμ μετὰ τὸ γεννῆσαι αὐτὸν τὸν Σὴθ ἑπτα- κόσια ἔτη, καὶ ἐγέννησεν υ[ἱο]ὺς καὶ θυγατέρας. Καὶ ἐγένον- [το π]ᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι Ἀδὰμ ἃς ἔζησεν τριάκοντα καὶ ἐν[νακόσ]ια ἔτη καὶ ἀπέθανεν. [Ἡ ζωὴ μ]ὲν ἀνθρώπων νῦν εἰς ὀλίγον ἀριθμὸν συντέτμηται· ῥ[ηθήσ]εται γὰρ ὕστερον ἐκ τῶν ἱστοριῶν οὕτω κατ' ὀλίγο[ν] χωρῆσαν τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὡς καὶ προανα- φωνηθῆναι πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος· "6Οὐ μὴ καταμείνῃ τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας, ἔσονται δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν ἔτη ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι"6, εἴρηται δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ ψαλμῳδοῦ· "6Αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἐτῶν ἡμῶν ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη, ἐὰν δὲ ἐν δυνα- στείαις ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη, τὸ δὲ πλεῖον αὐτῶν κόπος καὶ πόνος"6· τὰ γὰρ μετὰ τὸ ὀγδοηκοστὸν ἔτος τῆς ζωῆς πόνος ἐστὶν καὶ κόπος. Τότε δὲ οὐδὲ ταχέως ἐγήρων· 147 ἑκατὸν γοῦν καὶ ἑξήκοντα ἐτῶν ἀκμαῖς ἐδόκουν εἶναι. Καὶ εἰκότως γε κατ' ἀρχὰς πολυχρόνιοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐτύγχανο[ν], ἵνα μή, ὠκυμόρων αὐτῶν τυγχανόντων, ἐπιλείψῃ τὸ τῶ[ν] ἀνθρώπων γένος ἀπὸ μιᾶς ἀρχῆς κατα- γόμενον· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ πλείονα<ς> ἐγ<έν>νων, τοῦ χρόνου τῆς ζωῆς πλείονος ὄντος, ἑνὸς δὲ μνήμη γίνεται διὰ τὸν τῆς διαδοχῆς λόγον, τῶν πρωτο[τό]κων ὀνομαζομένων. Εἰ δέ τις λέγοι· Καὶ μὴν Σὴθ τρίτος, οὐ πρωτότοκος, ἐστίν, λεκτέον ὡς οὔτε ἀπὸ Κάιν ἔπρεπεν φαύλου ὄντος οὔτε ἀπὸ Ἄβελ ἀτέκνου ἀναχωρήσαντος, διόπερ εἰκότως ἀπὸ τοῦ Σὴθ τρόπον τινὰ πρωτοτόκου ὑπάρχοντ[ος]. Τὸ δὲ "6κατὰ τὴν ἰδέαν"6 καὶ "6κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα"6 δόξει μὲν ἁπλ[ο]ύστερον λαμβανόμενον ταὐτὸν ἂν εἴη, ὁ δὲ φιλοτεχνῶν λέγοι ἂν ὅτι κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἰδέαν τῷ ***, "6κατὰ"6 δὲ "6τὴν εἰκόνα"6 τῷ ***. Ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω νῦν ἀποδέδοται· εἰ δέ τις καὶ τῷ πλήθε[ι τῶν ἐ]τῶν καὶ τῇ ἑρμηνείᾳ τῶν ὀνομάτων <τῶν> γεννωμένων ἔ[νσχοι, Φί]λων ἀποδοίη λόγον μυστικὸν μετὰ τοῦ μὴ ψυχρολογ[εῖ]ν̣· πρόσεστε οὖν τούτῳ, ὠφέλιμον γάρ. ῃ, 6–8. Ἔζησεν δὲ Σὴθ πέντε καὶ διακόσια ἔτη καὶ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἐνώς. Καὶ ἔζησεν Σὴθ μετὰ τὸ γεννῆσαι αὐτὸν τὸν Ἐνὼς ἑπτὰ ἔτη καὶ ἑπτακόσια καὶ ἐγέννησεν υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας. Καὶ ἐγένοντο πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι Σὴθ δώδεκα καὶ ἐννακόσια ἔτη καὶ ἀπέθανεν. Ὁμώνυμος δέ ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ Ἐνὼς τοῦ πρὸ τούτου, ὃς υἱὸς ἦν τοῦ Κάιν. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ Ἐνὼς ἔζησεν ˉϠ καὶ ἀπέ- θανεν· υἱὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ Καινάν, ὃς καὶ αὐτὸς ἔζησεν ˉι καὶ ˉϠ καὶ ἀπέθανεν· υἱὸς δὲ τούτου Μαλελεήλ, καὶ τούτου δὲ ὁ χρ[ό]νος 60 ἐν πέντε καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἔτεσιν συνετελέσθη· καὶ τούτου δὲ υἱὸς Ἰάρεδ, ὃς ἔζησεν δύο καὶ ἑξήκοντα 148 ἔτη καὶ ἐννακόσια καὶ ἀπέθανεν, ὃς ἐ[γ]έννησεν τὸν Ἑνώχ. ῃ, 21–24. Καὶ ἔζησεν Ἑνὼχ πέντε καὶ ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἑ[κα]τὸν ἔτη καὶ ἐγέννησεν τὸν

The Transfer of Election and the Symbolism of Noah's Sons§58

58After Methuselah was born, Enoch found favor with God after two hundred and thirty years, and he fathered sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch found favor with God, and he was not found, because God transferred him.

The Apostle, having received the word concerning Enoch, says in the Epistle to the Hebrews: 'By faith Enoch was transferred so as not to see death' (Heb 11:5). His life is described in a number of days, and having completed a year and a remainder, he was transferred, which one would logically consider to be a translation into better things, since he was promised the virtue which ought to exist in humans according to perfection and fullness. But his translation did not happen like that of other men; for the bodies of the others, remaining here and being dissolved, were separated from the souls; concerning this it is said that he was transferred, about which we understand that either he was taken up like Elijah or by some other way he was snatched into a divine place.

It is proper to observe here how what is said by Paul, 'And just as it is appointed for men to die once' (Heb 9:27), is made true. For if these, I say Elijah and Enoch, having been taken up, are to be with their thickest bodies even now and throughout the whole age, then the word of the wise and holy Paul concerning the necessity of all men dying is false. But it is not false. Therefore, what is set forth requires a theory, even if not in the way accustomed, that although other men have shared in death now, it must be understood that their mortal part is to be set aside according to the secret word of God, so that they might possess the fleshy life. For if the Savior is the 'firstborn from the dead' (Col 1:18), He would be the firstborn of these.

For it is undignified for such a word to be outside of them; furthermore, if they did not lay aside the fleshy life, as we have said, they would not have shared in the divine resurrection, by which from the dishonorable we shall all receive the body as honorable, from the glory as splendid, from the weak as powerful, from the psychic as spiritual. If one also reads the book of the Testament to a friend, he will know that he is said to be snatched into Paradise; and to know this, even if it is not from an irreproachable book, is not absurd. And there are those who speak of the translation by way of way...

They say it is so, according to which the Savior said to the disciples, 'You are no longer of this world, but I have chosen you' (John 15:19), effecting a transfer of election from the worldly things; and they receive another explicit thing constructed by this: 'We know that we have passed from death into life' (1 John 3:14). For those having passed from the death which follows through wickedness, we have been transferred unto the life which is from virtue.

This repayment suits not only Enoch, but all the saints; therefore, examine whether it is fitting to approve the former. And Noah was 500 years old, and Noah fathered three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. It is to be observed that he did not say at this point from how many years he began to father, but by chance he had three sons, not born at once. And it is also good that it is written that he had not fathered daughters, but sons, as a symbol showing that the righteous man is not a female-bearer, just as it has been written concerning Moses and Abraham; for these also did not have daughters.

For indeed someone is blessed, according to the Psalm, a father of well-born offspring, hearing: 'Blessed are you, and it shall be well with you. Your children like olive shoots around your table; thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord' (Psalm 128:3-4). But the daughters are perceived as symbols. Immediately also the tyrant Pharaoh, being fond of the males born by the Hebrews, destroys them, taking possession of the females. For those offspring of the soul that are well-born, those turning toward the things below strive to destroy, rejoicing in wealth and human things.

Immediately also the following explicitly teaches this: as a multitude became, daughters were born to them (Genesis 6:1). And it happened when men began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. The 'many' can also be applied to a multitude, over which especially it is most dominant, even regarding the Egyptians. For in the Exodus it is said: 'And the sons of Israel were fruitful and became Egyptians' (Exodus 1:7). But also the 'Many say to my soul' (Psalm 51:5) instead of 'Egyptians'; for words do not bring serious matters. And Paul, saying: 'For we are not as many who corrupt the word of the Lord' (2 Cor 2:17), shows those who are negligent. And also the...

Greek · §58

Μαθουσαλά, εὐηρέστησεν δὲ Ἑνὼ[χ] τῷ Θεῷ μετὰ τὸ γεννῆσαι αὐτὸν τὸν Μαθουσαλὰ διακόσια ἔτη, καὶ ἐγέννησεν υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας. Καὶ ἐγένοντο πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι Ἑν[ὼ]χ πέντε καὶ ἑξήκοντα καὶ τριακόσια ἔτη. Καὶ εὐηρέστησεν Ἑνὼχ [τ]ῷ Θεῷ, καὶ οὐχ ηὑρίσκετο̣, ὅτι μετέθηκεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός. Τὴν περ[ὶ τοῦ] Ἑνὼχ λέξιν παραλαβὼν ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους λέ[γ]ει· "6Πίστει Ἑνὼχ μετετέθη τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον"6. Περιγράφετα[ι] δ̣' ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ λοιπὸν μετε[τ]έθη, ὅπερ συνετῶς λογίσαιτο ἄν τις ὅτι τελειότητος καὶ πληρό[τ]ητος ἐπειλημμένος κατὰ τὴν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὑπᾶρξαι ὀφείλουσαν ἀρετὴν μετετέθη [εἰς] τὰ κρείττονα. Ἡ δὲ μετάθεσις [α]ὐτοῦ οὐ κατὰ τοὺς ἄλλους γέ[γονεν] ἀνθρώπους· τὰ γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων σω´̣ματα ἐνταῦθα διαμείναν[τα καὶ δια]λυ- θέντα ἐχωρίσθη τῶν ψυχῶν, περὶ δὲ τούτου λέγε[ται ὅτι μ]ετετέθη, περὶ οὗ νοοῦμεν ὅτι ἢ ὡς Ἠλίας ἀνελήμφθη ἢ καθ' ἕ[τ]ερον τρόπον εἰς θεῖον ἡρπάγη χῶρον. Ἐνταῦθα λοιπὸν σκοπεῖν προσήκει τὸ ὑπὸ Παύλου εἰρημένον "6Καὶ καθὼς ἀπόκειται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἅπαξ ἀποθανεῖν"6 πῶς ἀληθεύεται. Εἰ γὰρ οὗτοι, Ἠλίας λέγω καὶ Ἑνώχ, μετὰ τῶν παχυτάτων σωμάτων ἄχρις̣ καὶ νῦν καὶ τοῦ παντὸς αἰῶνος ἔσεσθαι μέλλοντες ἀνελήμ- φθησαν, ψευδὴς ὁ λόγος ὁ περὶ τοῦ δεῖν πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἀποθανεῖν παρὰ Παύλου τοῦ σοφοῦ καὶ ἁγίου λεγόμενος. Ἀλλ' οὐ ψευδής. Θεωρίαν ἄρα πρέπουσαν ἔχει τὸ προ- κείμενον, εἰ καὶ μὴ τῷ εἰθισμένῳ τ̣ὸ νῦν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις θανάτῳ κεκοινωνήκασιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ τὴν ἔνυλον ζωὴν ἀποτεθεῖσθαι κατὰ τὸν ἀπόρρητον ἡμῖν τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγον τὸ θνητὸν αὐτῶν δεῖ νο̣η῀̣σαι. Εἰ γὰρ "6πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν"6 ὁ Σωτήρ, καὶ τούτων ἂν εἴη πρωτότοκος. 149 Ἄδοξον γὰρ τὸ ἐκτὸς αὐτοὺς εἶναι τοῦ τοιούτου λόγου, ἄλλως τε, εἰ οὐκ ἀπέθε<ν>το τὴν ἔνυλον ζωήν, ὡς εἴπομε[ν, ο]ὐδὲ τῆς θείας ἀναστάσεως κεκοινωνήκασιν, καθ' ἣν ἐξ ἀτίμ[ο]υ ἔντιμον, ἐξ ἀδόξου ἐπίδοξον, ἐξ <ἀ>σθενοῦς δυνατόν, ἐξ ψυχικοῦ πνευματικὸν ἀπολημψόμεθα πάντες τὸ σῶμα. Εἰ δέ τῳ φίλον κα̣[ὶ] τὴν βίβλον τῆς διαθήκης ἀναγιγνώ- σκειν, γνώσεται ὡς [εἰς] τὸν παράδεισον ἡρπᾶσθαι λέγεται· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ εἰδέναι, [εἰ κα]ὶ μὴ ἐξ ἀναντιρρήτου βιβλίου ἐστίν, οὐκ ἄτοπον. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ τὴν μετάθεσιν τὴν ἐκ τρόπου εἰς τρόπον φασὶν εἶναι, καθ' ἣν [το]ῖς μαθηταῖς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἔλεγεν· "6Οὐκέτι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου [ἐσ]τέ, ἐγὼ δὲ ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς"6, τῆς ἐκλογῆς μετάθεσιν ἐκ τῶν κοσμικῶν ποιούσης, καὶ ἕτερον δὲ ῥητὸν τούτου κατα- σκευαστικὸν δέχονται· "6Ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι μεταβεβή[κ]αμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴ[ν ζω]ήν"6· οἱ γὰρ μεταβεβηκότες ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ ἑπ[ομένου] τῇ κακίᾳ ἐπὶ τὴν ζωὴν τὴν ἐξ ἀρετῆς μετεληλύ[θαμεν]. Αὕτη δὲ ἡ ἀπόδοσις οὐ μόνῳ τῷ Ἑνώχ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶ[σι]ν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἁρμόζει· διόπερ ἐπιστῆσον εἰ τὴν προτέραν ἐγκρίναι προσήκει. ῃ, 32. Καὶ ἦν Νῶε ἐτῶν ˉφ, καὶ ἐγέννησεν Νῶε τρεῖς υἱούς, τὸν Σήθ, τὸν Χάμ, τὸν Ἰάφετ. Παρατηρητέον ὅτι οὐκ εἶπεν ἐπὶ τούτου πόσων ὑπάρχων ἐτῶν ἤρξατο γεννᾶν, ἀλλὰ ˉφ τυγχάνων εἶχεν τρεῖς οὐχ ἅμα γεννηθέντας υἱούς. Εὖ δὲ καὶ ὅτι οὐ θυγατέρας γεγεννηκέναι ἀναγέγραπται, ἀλλ' υἱούς, διὰ συμβόλου δεικνυμένο̣υ ὅτι οὐ θηλυτόκος ὁ δίκαιος, ὡς καὶ περὶ Μωσέως καὶ Ἀβραὰμ ἀναγέγρα[πτ]αι· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὗτοι θυγατέρας ἔσχον. Μακαρίζεται γοῦν τις κατὰ 150 ψυχὴν πατὴρ εὐτόνων γεννημάτων ὑπάρχων, ἀκούων· "6Μακάριο[ς] εἶ καὶ καλῶς γὰρ ἔσται. Οἱ υἱοί σου ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν κ[ύκλ]ῳ τῆς τραπέζης σου· οὕτως εὐλογηθήσεται ἄνθρωπος ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον"6. Αἰσθητῶν δὲ σύμβολα τυγχάνουσιν αἱ θυγατέρες. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ ὁ τύραννος Φαραὼ φιλοπαθὴς [ὢν] τὰ γεννώμενα παρὰ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις ἄρρενα ἀνῄρει, 61 τὰ [θή]λεα περιποι- ούμενος. Τὰ γὰρ γεννήματα τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ [ε]ὔτονα οἱ περὶ τὰ κάτω στρεφόμενοι ἀναιρεῖν σπουδάζουσιν, χαίροντες περὶ πλοῦτον καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. Αὐτίκα γοῦν κ[αὶ] τὸ ἑξῆς ῥητὸν τοῦτο παιδεύει· ὡς γὰρ πλῆθος ἐγένοντο, [θ]υγατέρες αὐτοῖς ἐγεννή<θη>σαν αὐτοῖς. ῃι, 1. Καὶ ἐγένοντο ἡνίκα ἤρξαντο οἱ ἄνθρωποι πολλοὶ γίνεσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ θυγα[τ]έρες ἐγεννήθησαν αὐτοῖς. [Τὸ "6πολ]λοὶ"6 δυνατὸν καὶ ἐπὶ πλήθους, ἐφ' οὗ μάλιστα καὶ κυριόλε[κτον, ἐκλ]αμβάνεσθαι καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ χυδαίου. Καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ γὰρ [εἴρηται· "6Κ]αὶ ἐπλη- θύνθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ χυδαῖοι ἐγένον[το]"6. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ "6Πολλοὶ λέγουσι τῇ ψυχῇ μου"6 ἀντὶ το[ῦ] "3χυδαῖ- οι"3· οὐ γὰρ σπουδαῖα ἐπιφέρουσιν ῥήματα. Καὶ Παῦλος δὲ λέγων· "6Οὐ γάρ ἐσμεν ὡς οἱ πολλοὶ καπηλεύοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου"6, τοὺς ἠμελημένους δηλοῖ. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ

The Two Senses of Flesh§59

59To say these are earthly is appropriate, for thinking of earthly things, they were of little value and more suited to the many; for these are not in heaven, but upon the earth. It is fitting that 'and daughters were born to them' (Gen 6:2); for the foolish man neglects the female.

Indeed, the angels of God, seeing the daughters of men <that they were beautiful>, took wives for themselves from all those whom they chose. A wife is joined to a man by the Lord; therefore, he who uses marriage without hope toward God for himself and does not receive it from God—since God also brought the woman to Adam—is in error. It is therefore useful even the word to avoid doing anything without God. For he who strives for a marriage of honor does not look toward wealth, nor toward nobility, nor toward beauty, if he be uncontrolled.

So also the holy Abraham sends his own servant for a marriage, commanded to receive the one chosen for Isaac. The written Spirit also says about her, neglecting it: 'She was a virgin; a man knew her not' (Matt 1:25), because through 'she was a virgin' he shows the purity of the soul, and through 'a man knew her not' this very incorruptibility of the body. And that not every marriage is from God, Paul writes: 'Do not become unequally yoked with unbelievers' (2 Cor 6:14), which he commanded naturally at the beginning of the proclamation, even if Paul seems to say: 'If anyone has an unbelieving wife' (1 Cor 7:13); for it is clear that they were joined before faith, whom he did not wish to be divided after the faith so that the word might not be hindered.

And toward allegory, God joins a wife to a man for purpose, piety, and wisdom, so that he might beget virtues; for 'Wisdom' (Prov 8:2) indeed 'bears prudence to a man,' and Solomon says concerning wisdom: 'I became a lover of her beauty' (Song 1:4) and led her to live with myself. God joins this wife; for 'the Lord gives wisdom' (Prov 2:6). These men, concerning whom the preceding text says they took wives, did not expect this to happen from God. For this reproves their irrational desire, because they looked toward beauty; for this 'beautiful' signifies. It is sought by many whether angels by nature mixed with women...

Regarding what is said: some say that pleasure-seeking demons, having been enamored of the bodies of women, have united with them, but the resulting conception prevents this from being understood, for it is not possible for a human succession to exist in such a way. Others say that angels, desiring the bodies, have been entangled in sensation by God's providence, so that having been satiated with longing, they might return to what they left behind, while warning women toward sensation, and they say this is how they produce thoughts and actions. Others say that demons use pleasure as an instrument for wicked men, through whom they enjoy themselves by means of the sin of those people, as if they could unite with women.

Indeed, the Lord God said: 'My Spirit shall never remain in men for ever because they are flesh' (Psalm 51:13). The Spirit of God remains in those higher beings who have surpassed the material, for those who approach them are called 'flesh' because they are understood as material and subject to passions. For He does not speak of the immediate flesh; otherwise, it would happen that no man could partake of the Spirit of God. But that there is another flesh besides this visible one in which we are surrounded, Paul writes: 'For the mind of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: for they that are in the flesh cannot please God' (Romans 8:7); for if someone were to take the visible flesh, many would have pleased God with it, all the saints. And again saying, 'But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit' (Romans 8:9), he signifies the false flesh; for they were still in the flesh, having this life.

Furthermore, it is called flesh that which surrounds us, and the irrational animal, and man: 'For I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh' (Joel 2:28), instead of upon men, 'and all flesh shall see the salvation of God' (Joel 2:32). And the word of scripture is also called flesh: 'For the flesh' he says, 'profits nothing; it is the spirit that gives life' (John 6:63). For the scripture, when taken purely, does not give life sensually, just as we might say that he who makes shapes according to geometry is useful, but he who does this without reason would be less than a painter.

Greek · §59

"6ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6 λέγειν τούτους πεπλη- θύνθαι· γήϊνα γὰρ φρονοῦντες εὐτελεῖς ἦσαν καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖσμᾶλλον οἰκειότεροι· οὐ γὰρ ἐν οὐρανῷ οὗτοι, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ γῆς. Εἰκότως δὲ "6καὶ θυγατέρες αὐτοῖς ἐγεννήθησαν αὐτοῖς"6· θηλυτόκον γὰρ ἠμελημένον ὁ φαῦλος. ῃι, 2. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰς θυγατέρας τῶν ἀνθρώπων <ὅτι καλαί εἰσιν>, ἔλαβον ἑαυτοῖς γυναῖκας ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐξελέξαντο. Παρὰ Κυρίου ἁρμόζεται γυνὴ ἀνδρί· διόπερ ὁ χωρὶς 151 τῆς̣ εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἐλπίδος τῇ συζυγίᾳ χρώμενος [ἑ]αυτῷ καὶ οὐκ ἐκ Θεοῦ δέχεται, ἐπεὶ καὶ τῷ Ἀδὰμ ὁ Θεὸς [τὴ]ν γυναῖκα ἤγαγεν. Ὠφέλιμον οὖν καὶ τὸ ῥητὸν πρὸ[ς τ]ὸ μὴ χωρὶς Θεοῦ τι ποιεῖν. Ὁ γὰρ τὸν τίμιον γάμον σπου- δάζων οὐκ εἰς πλοῦτον ὁρᾷ, οὐκ εἰς εὐγένειαν, οὐκ εἰς εὐμορ[φίαν], ἐὰν ἀκόλαστος ᾖ. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Ἀβραὰμ ἐ[κπ]έμπει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ παῖδα πρὸς μνηστείαν τρόποις [···]ομένην δέξασθαι τῷ Ἰσαὰκ προστεταγμένος. Ἀμέλει γοῦν καὶ τὸ συγγραφικὸν Πνεῦμά φησιν περὶ αὐτῆ[ς·] "6Παρθένος ἦν· ἀνὴρ οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτήν"6, διὰ μὲν τοῦ "6π[αρθ]ένος ἦν"6 καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς δεικνὺς καθαρότητα, διὰ δὲ τοῦ "6ἀνὴρ οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτὴν"6 αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ τοῦ σώμ[ατ]ος ἀδιάφθορον. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ πᾶς γάμος ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, γρ[ά]φει Παῦλος· "6Μὴ γίνεσθε ἑτεροζυγοῦντες ἀπίστοις"6, ὅπερ οἰκείως ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ κηρ̣ύγ̣μ[α]τος προσέταττεν, εἰ καὶ φαίνεται ὁ Παῦλος ·····[·] "6Εἴ τις γυναῖκα ἔχει ἄπιστον"6· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι πρὸ πίστεως ἦσαν συναφθέντες, οὓς οὐκ ἐβούλετο διαιρεῖσθαι μετὰ τὴν πίστιν ἵνα μὴ ὁ λόγος ἐμποδίζηται. Καὶ πρὸς ἀλληγορίαν δὲ γνώμην καὶ εὐσέβειαν καὶ σοφίαν συνάπτει Θεὸς ἀνδρί, ἵν' ἀπογεννήσῃ ἀρετάς· "6Ἡ σοφία"6 γοῦν "6τίκτει ἀνδρὶ φρόνησιν"6, καὶ Σολομὼν δέ φησιν περὶ τῆς σοφίας· "6Ἐραστὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς"6 καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὴν πρὸς συμβίωσιν ἐμαυτῷ. Ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα ὁ Θεὸς ἁρμόζει· ὁ γὰρ "6Κύριος δίδωσιν σοφίαν"6. Οὗτοι οὖν περὶ ὧν τὰ προκείμενα ἑαυτοῖς ἔλαβον γυναῖκας, οὐκ ἐκδεξάμενοι παρὰ Θεοῦ το[ῦτο] γενέσθαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐλέγχει τὴν ἄλογον ἐπιθυμίαν ὅτι πρὸς 152 εὐμορφίαν ἔβλεψαν· τὸ γὰρ "6καλαὶ"6 τοῦτο σημαίνει. Ζητ[ε]ῖται παρὰ πολλοῖς πότερον ἄγγελοι φύσει συνεμίγησαν ταῖς γυναιξὶν ····ν ἕτερον ἔχει τὸ λεγόμενον. Ἔ[νιο]ι μὲν οὖν φασιν ἡδυπαθεῖς δαίμονας ἐρασθέντας [σ]ωμάτων γυναιξὶν συνεύνασθαι, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο νοεῖν κωλύει ἡ γενομένη ἐξ αὐτῶν σύλλημψις· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τ[ε] ἀνθρώ- πων διαδοχὴν ὑπᾶρξαι οὕτως. Ἕτεροι δέ φασιν ὅτι [ἄγ]γελοι τῶν σωμάτων ἐπιθυμήσαντες αἰσθήσει συνε[πλ]α´̣κησαν Θεοῦ τοῦτο οἰκονομοῦντος, ἵνα κορεσθέντες τοῦ πόθου ἐπιστρέψωσιν εἰς ὃ καταλελοίπασιν, ἀλλη- γο[ρο]ῦντες δὲ τὰς γυναῖκας εἰς τὴν αἴσθησιν καὶ τὰ σώματα τοῦτό φασιν, ἐξ ὧν γίγαν[τας τ]οὺς λογισμοὺς καὶ πράξεις ἀπεγέννησαν. Εἰσὶ δ' οἱ φάσκοντες ὡς δαίμονες δι' ἡδυπαθείας ὀργάνῳ χρῶνται φαύλοις ἀνθρώποις, δι' ὧν ὥσπερ οἷόν τε συνεῖναι γυναιξίν, τῇ ἀπ' ἐκείνων ἁμαρτίᾳ αὐτοὶ ἡδόμενοι. ῃι, 3. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεός· Οὐ μὴ καταμείνῃ τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖς 62 ἀνθρώποις εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας. Τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Πνεῦμα παραμένει ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω χωρήσασιν τῶν ὑλικῶν, δι' ἃ σάρκες λέγονται οἱ προσπελ[άζ]οντες αὐτοῖς, σαρκῶν νοουμένων τῶν ὑλικῶν καὶ ἐμπαθῶν καταστάσεων. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν πρόχειρον σάρκα λέγει· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν συνέβ[α]ινεν μηδένα ἄνθρωπον μετέχειν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ [ἔσ]τι[ν] ἄλλη 153 σὰρξ παρὰ ταύτην τὴν ὁρ[ω]μένην ἣν περικείμεθα, Παῦλος γράφει· "6Τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκ̣[ὸς] ἔχθρα εἰς Θεόν· τῷ γὰρ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται, οὐδ[ὲ γ]ὰρ δύναται· οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες Θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύναν- ται"6· εἰ γάρ τις σάρκα λάβοι τὴν ὁρωμένην, πολλοὶ σὺν αὐτῇ Θεῷ [ἤρε]σαν, οἱ ἅγιοι πάντες. Καὶ πάλιν λέγων "6Ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ [ἐν σ]αρκί, ἀλλ' ἐν πνεύματι"6, τὴν ψεγομένην σάρκα σημαίνει· ἐν σαρκ̣[ὶ γὰρ ἦ]σαν ἔτι, 152 τοῦτο τῷ ζῆν ἔχοντες. [152]Εἶτα λέγεται σὰρξ ἣν περικείμεθα καὶ τὸ ἄλογον ζῷον καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος· 153 "6Ἐκχεῶ 153γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα"6, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπους, "6καὶ ὄψεται πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ [σω]τήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ"6. Λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἡ λέξις τῆς γραφῆς σάρξ· "6Ἡ σὰρξ"6 γάρ φησιν "6οὐκ ὠφελεῖ οὐδέν, τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ ζωοπ[οι]οῦν"6. Ψιλῶς γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ λαμβανομένη καὶ αἰσθητῶς οὐ [ζω]οποιεῖ, ὡς εἰ λέγοιμεν ὅτι καὶ ὁ κατὰ γεωμετρίαν σχήματα π[οιῶ]ν ὠφελεῖ, ὁ δὲ μόνον ἄνευ λόγου τοῦτο ποιῶν ἐλάττων ἂν εἴη ζωγράφου.

The Significance of the Number Six and One Hundred Twenty§60

60Since therefore many men, having been born, were full of weakness, he says, 'My Spirit shall not abide in them.' For 'a holy spirit of discipline will flee from guile' (Ps 51:13); but guile is a more grievous passion, for it harms thoughtlessly. And 'unto the age' (Gen 6:3) signifies how such they are throughout their life. This is equivalent to 'I will not eat meat unto the age' (Ex 11:5). Whether therefore men are being driven by demons having taken daughters, or, as is previously rendered, the angels of desirable sensations, the Spirit does not remain in these. For whoever has come to this through passions and sins, it is evident that they have no part of the divine Spirit; for even those who have come for the help of the divine Spirit are deprived.

If anyone should be surprised at the saying that angels are souls, he ought not to marvel; for the spiritual is the same for both, even if an angel has a subtle body and the man a thick one; for to please God is common to both, since it is also common to the rational nature. And if anyone brings an objection as to how the pre-existing souls desired bodies, of which they did not know, it must be said to whom that desiring is often said not strictly as desiring that toward which their actions lead. Often indeed, also rebuking those living not well, saying, 'you desire to perish' (Matt 27:5), we do not say that 'you desire this very thing' (Acts 22:4), but 'you do such things which lead you to destruction' (Gal 6:7). If therefore anyone says that the souls desired bodies, it must be understood thus: that they were in such a state that they had need of the intercourse in the body, their being unworthy to be in a place not like this, after such actions.

Yes, 'and their days shall be a hundred and twenty years' (Gen 15:16). Everything that God does and says, He does and says by a true judgment. Since therefore 'their days shall be a hundred and twenty' is said as a necessity, but this does not appear to be so, it is necessary to interpret the intention of the thing foretold differently. The numbers received in the Scriptures were not received haphazardly, but for the sake of a certain word; often they are not even introduced naturally to the history, being received for the sake of a certain word. For to say, 'I left with myself seven thousand men, who did not do...' (1 Kings 19:18).

Because the history of bowing the knee to Baal is not possessed—for the holy one did not know so much—he was troubled for the sake of showing the thought, that everyone who surpasses the sensible and the world having been made in six days, having been brought forth in the restorative seventh week, is left by God as a goal for others and a benefit.

Thus also the number six was taken in the generation of this world as perfect, just as it has been said in the passages. And 'six times he is delivered from necessities' is not said because of the number or because of being delivered from necessities so many times, but rather, as long as one is in the things of the one having been made in six, he is under necessities, thus it is said; of the cessation, which is shown through the seventh, they do not have purification, as it was said to the disciples by the Savior: 'You are not of this world' (John 15:19) having surpassed the necessities in it.

These things were prepared beforehand to show that the number one hundred twenty is not in vain taken here; and it is necessary also to note this, that the scripture, taking the numbers, connects them with their own properties as of the world having been made in six days (Genesis 1). Let us take an example. For it is not possible to say that God made the world in six angels or in six monads or in six men; for time was being shown. Therefore, being offered in six days, it is said because time falls to the generation, being appropriately synchronized with the day, so as not to be years or months or hours; for the former is worthy of God, but the latter is the name of the incomplete; for not knowing what a day is, we are ignorant of the hour. And there, since it was concerning life, he mentioned years.

And... the many will say that God, as cutting off their life, established it at one hundred twenty, with the former living many years; but this was not fitting; for they seem to have lived more years. Let us therefore see the characteristic of the number. It is said therefore that this number, having been composed of its own parts, is doubled; for if the half is composed, which is sixty, the third is missing, the fourth is missing, the fifth is twenty-four, the sixth is twenty, the eighth is eighty-five, the tenth is missing, the twelfth is missing, the fifteenth is eight, the twentieth is missing, the twenty-fourth is five, the thirtieth is four...

Greek · §60

152 Ἐπεὶ οὖν πολλοὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι γεγενημένοι φαυλ[ότη]τος ἦσαν πλήρεις, οὐ μὴ κατοικήσει, φησίν, τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐν αὐτοῖς· "6Ἅγιον γὰρ πνεῦμα παιδεί[α]ς φεύξεται δόλον"6· χείριστον δὲ πάθος ὁ δόλος· ἀπρονοή- τως γὰρ βλάπτει. Τὸ δ' "6εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα"6 σημαίνοι ἂν τὸ διὰ βίου αὐτῶν ὁπόσον τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν. Τούτω̣ ἰσοδυναμεῖ τὸ "6οὐ [μ]ὴ φαγῶ κρέας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα"6. Εἴτ' οὖν ἄνθρωποι ὑπὸ δαιμόνων ἐλαυνόμενοί εἰσιν 153 θυγατέρας δεξάμενοι, εἴτε, ὡς προαποδέδοται, οἱ ἄγγελοι αἰσθήσεων ἐπιθυμηταί, οὐδὲν τούτοις τὸ πνεῦμα καταμένει. Ὅσοι γὰρ πάθει καὶ ἁμαρτήμασιν ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἦλθον, δῆλον ὡς ἀμετόχως ἔχουσι π[ν]εύματος θείου· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ διὰ βοήθειαν ἐλθόντες πνεύματος θείου στέρονται. Εἰ δέ τις ξενίζοιτο ἐπὶ τῷ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀγγέλους εἰρῆσθαι, οὐ δεῖ θαυμάζειν· τὸ γὰρ νοερὸν ἀμφοτέρων ταὐτόν, κἂν ἄγγελος λεπτὸν ἔχῃ σῶμα, ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος παχύ· κοινὸν γὰρ ἀμφοτέροις τὸ Θεῷ ἀρέσκειν, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ τῆς λογικῆς φύσεως κοινόν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔνστασίν τις κομίζοι ὅτι πῶς αἱ προϋπάρχουσαι ψυχαὶ σωμάτων ἐπεθύ- μησαν, ὧν οὐκ ᾔδεσαν, πρὸς ὃν λεκτέον ὅτι τὸ ἐπιθυμεῖν λέγεται πολλάκις οὐχ ὡς πάντως τοῦτο εἰς ὃ αἱ πράξεις ἄγουσιν ἐπιθυμεῖν. Πολλάκις γοῦν καὶ ἐπιτιμῶντες τοῖς οὐ καλῶς πολιτευομένοις [ὅτι] "3ἐπιθυμεῖς ἀπολέσθαι"3, οὐ τοῦτό φαμεν ὅτι "3αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποθεῖς"3 ἀλλὰ "3τοιαῦτα πράττεις ἃ ἄγει σε εἰς ἀπώλειαν"3. Εἰ οὖν τις λέγοι ὅτι ἐπεθύμησαν αἱ ψυχαὶ σώματα, οὕτω δεῖ δι[ανο]εῖσθαι ὅτι τοιαύτης καταστάσεως ὑπήρξαντο, ἥτις χρε[ία]ν εἶχεν 154 τῆς ἐν σώματι διαγωγῆς, ἀναξίων αὐτῶν οὐσῶν μετὰ πράξε[ω]ν τοιούτων ἐν χ̣ωρίῳ εἶναι μὴ τοιούτῳ. ῃι, 3. Ἔσονται δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν ἑκατὸν ε[ἴκ]οσι ἔτη. Πᾶν ὃ ποιεῖ καὶ λέγει Θεός, κρίσει τιν[ὶ] ἀληθινῇ καὶ πο[ι]εῖ καὶ λέγει. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὡς ἀναγκαῖον λέγ[ει τ]ὸ "6ἔσονται αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι"6, οὐ φα[ίνε]ται δὲ τοῦτο, ἀναγκαῖον ἑτέρως θηρεῦσαι τὴν τοῦ προ[κει]- μένου διάνοιαν. Οἱ παραλαμβανόμενοι ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς ἀριθμοὶ οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχεν παρελήμφθησαν, ἀλλὰ λόγου τινὸς χ̣[άρ]ιν· πολλάκις οὐδ' οἰκείως τῇ ἱστορίᾳ εἰσά- γονται, λόγου τ[ιν]ὸς ἕνεκα παραλαμβανόμενοι. Τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν "6Κατέλιπον [ἐμ]αυτῷ ἑπτακι<σ>χιλίους ἄνδρας, οἵτινες οὐκ ἔκαμψαν [γό]νυ τῇ Βαὰλ"6 τὴν ἱστορί[αν] οὐκ ἔχον–οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐλάνθανον τοσοῦτοι τὸν ἅγιον– διε̣λήμφθη τῆς διανοίας χάριν δηλούσης ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑπερβὰς τὰ αἰσθητὰ καὶ τὸν ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις γενάμενον κόσμον, ἐν τῇ ἑβδομάδι τῇ ἀνα̣γ̣ω̣γικῇ γεγενημένος, ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ καταλείπεται σκοπὸς τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ὄφελος. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἓξ ἀριθμὸς εἰς τὴν 63 γένεσιν το̣υ῀̣ κ̣όσμου παρείλημπται ὡς τέλειος, καθὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν εἴρηται. Καὶ τὸ "6Ἑξάκις ἐξ ἀναγκῶν ἐξελεῖται"6 οὐ διὰ τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἢ διὰ τ̣ο`̣ τ̣οσαυτάκις ῥύεσθαι ἀπὸ ἀναγκῶν εἴρηται, ἀλλ' ἐπεί, ἕως τις ε᾿̣ν̣ τοῖς πράγμασιν τοῦ ἐν ἓξ γενομένου ἐστίν, ὑπὸ ἀνάγκας ἐστ̣ίν, οὕτως εἴρηται· τῆς κατα- παύσεως, ἣ διὰ τοῦ ἑβδόμου δηλοῦται, κάθ̣α̣ρ̣σιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, ὡς εἴρηται τοῖς μαθηταῖς πρὸς τοῦ Σωτῆρος· "6Οὐχ [ὑμεῖς] ἐστὲ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου"6 ὑπερβάντες τὰς ἐν αὐτῷ [ἀνά]γκας. Ταῦτα δὲ προκατεσκευάσθη πρὸς τὸ δειχθῆναι ὡς οὐ μάτην ὁ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ἀριθμὸς ἐνταῦθα παρείλημπται· 155 δεῖ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἐπ̣ιτηρεῖν, ὅτι ἡ γρα[φὴ] παραλαμβάνουσα τοὺς ἀριθμοὺς συνάπ̣τ̣ε̣ι αὐτοῖς οἰκεῖα ὡ[ς ἐπ]ὶ τοῦ ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις κόσμου γεγενημένου. Λάβωμέ[ν τι] παρά- δειγμα. Οὐ γὰρ φέρε εἰπεῖν ἐν ἓξ ἀγγέλοις ἢ ἐ[ν ἓξ] μονάσιν ἢ ἐν ἓξ ἀνθρώποις <π>εποίηκεν ὁ Θ̣εὸς τὸν κόσμον· χ[ρόνος] γὰρ ἐδηλοῦτο. Προσφόρως οὖν ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις εἴ[ρηται δ]ιὰ τὸ ἕπεσθαι τῇ γενέσει χρόνον, οἰκείως τῇ ἡμ[έρᾳ συγχ]ρώμενος, ἵνα μὴ ἔτη ἢ μῆνας ἢ ὥρας· τὸ μὲ[ν γὰρ ἀ]νάξιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ δὲ ἀτελοῦς ὄνομα· μὴ γὰρ εἰδ[ότες ἡ]μέραν τί ἐστιν, ὥραν ἠγνοοῦ- μεν. Καὶ ἐνταῦθ[α δέ], ἐπεὶ περὶ ζωῆς ἦν, ἐτῶν ἐμνη- μόνευσεν. Κα[ὶ ··· ὁ] πολὺς λέξει ὡς συντέμνων ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν τὴν [ζωὴν] εἰς ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι αὐτὴν περιέστησεν, τῶν π[ροτέρ]ων πολλοῖς ἔτεσιν ἐπιβιούντων· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο [οὐ προ]σῆκεν· φαίνονται γὰρ πλείονα ἔτη ζήσαντες. Ἴ[δωμε]ν τοίνυν τὸ ἰδίωμα τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ. Λέγεται τοίνυν ὅ[τι οὗτος] ὁ ἀριθμὸς ἐκ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μερῶν συντεθέντων δι[πλασιά]ζεται· ἐὰν γὰρ συντεθῇ τὸ ἥμισυ, ὅ ἐστιν ἑξήκον[τα, τρ]ίτον ˉμ, τέταρτον ˉλ, πέμπτον εἴκοσι τέσσερα, ἕκτο[ν] εἴκοσι, ὄγδοον δέκα πέντε, δέκατον ˉιˉβ, δωδέ- κατ[ον] ˉι, πεντεκαιδέκατον ὀκτώ, εἰκοστὸν ˉϛ εἰκοστο- τέ[ταρ]τον πέντε, τριακοστὸν τέσσερα,

Numerical Symbolism and the Giants§61

61Four hundred sixty-two, one hundred twenty-one, makes the total four hundred forty, being double the one hundred twenty, of which the parts are fifteen, just as fifteen increased by progression makes the one hundred twenty. That the fifteen was received into the most perfect degree is clear; for of that same number six degrees are missing. But also the 'giving a portion to the seven', which signifies the Old Testament, and 'also to the eight', which is a symbol of the Resurrection and the New Testament, joins the fifteen. For the Jews, receiving only the old, give a portion to the seven, not hearing that it also gives to the eight; but also the heretics, setting aside the old, giving a portion to the eight, refuse to have the seven provide; the ecclesiastical, receiving both covenants, gives a portion to both. Since therefore also the one hundred twenty number is doubled, there exists a symbol of teaching being awakened toward the true life according to both practice and contemplation, honored, so that having doubled the life, they may have this life, being made manifest through the number, in order that the said thing—that he who lives not also by practice and contemplation does not live, but just as the profligate has died—may be true.

4. And the giants were upon the earth in those days and after that, as the sons of God were approaching the daughters of men and they became to themselves (Gen 6:4). Those were the giants from of old, the men who are named. Those outside the faith, bringing this in from myths, bring it in; but in the Divine Scripture, instead of strong men, they are named. For in Isaiah, God threatening to take away the useful things of these, since they were worthy of this, joins both giant and strong among those being taken away. And Goliath he thus called, testifying...

with passions

Greek · §61

τεσσερακοστὸν τρεῖσ[, ἑξ]εκοστὸν δύο, ἑκατοστοεικοστὸν ἕν, ἀποτελεῖ τὸν δ[ιακό]σια τεσσεράκοντα, διπλασίονα ὄντα τοῦ ἑκατὸν εἴκο[σι, οὗ] τὰ μέρη δέκα πέντε τυγχάνει, ὅσπερ δέκα πέντε αυ᾿̣[ξόμ]ενος κατὰ παραύξησιν ποιεῖ τὸν ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι. Ὁ δὲ δέκ[α π]έντε ὅτι εἰς τὸν τελειότατον βαθμὸν 156 παρελήμφθη, δῆλόν ἐστιν· τοῦ γὰρ [αὐ]τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ ἓξ βαθμοί *** Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ "6δὸς μερίδα τοῖς ἑπτά"6, [ὅπε]ρ δηλοῖ τὰ τῆς παλα̣ι̣ᾶς διαθήκης, "6καί γε τοῖς ὀκτώ"6, ὅ[περ] ἀναστασίμου [καὶ] καινῆς διαθήκης ἐστὶν σύμβολ[ον, τ]ὸν δέκα πέντε [συ]νάπτει. Ἰουδαῖοι γοῦν τὴν πα[λαιὰ]ν μόνον δεχόμε̣νοι τοῖς ἑπτὰ διδόασιν μερίδα, [μὴ] ἀκούοντες τοῦ καὶ τοῖς ὀκτὼ αὐτὴν διδόναι· ἀλλὰ [καὶ οἱ ἑ]τερόδοξοι ἀθετοῦντες τὴν παλαιάν, τοῖς ὀκτὼ μ[ερίδα] διδόντες, παραιτοῦνται τοῖς ἑπτὰ παρέχειν· τοῦ ἐκ[κλησια]στικοῦ ἀμφοτέρας δεχομένου τὰς διαθήκας, ἀ[μφοτέ]ροις μερίδα δίδωσιν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ ὁ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι [ἀριθμὸς] διπλασιάζεται, σύμβολον ὑπάρχει διδασκαλ[ίας διε]γειρούσης ἐπὶ τὴν ἀληθῆ ζωὴν κατά τε πρᾶξιν [καὶ θε]ωρίαν τιμ̣ω̣μέν[η]ν̣, ἵνα διπλασιάσαντες τὸν βίο[ν τὴν] ζωὴν ταυ´̣την ἔχωσιν διὰ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ δηλουμ[ένην, ἵ]ν' ᾗ τὸ λεγόμενον ὅτι ὁ μὴ καὶ πράξει καὶ θεωρίᾳ ζῶ[ν οὐ ζῇ], ἀλλὰ καθάπερ ἡ σπαταλῶσα τέθνηκεν. ῃι, 4. Οἱ δὲ γίγαντες ἦσαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐν τα[ῖς ἡ- μ]έραις ἐκείναις καὶ μετ' ἐκεῖνο, ὡς ἂν εἰσεπορεύοντο [οἱ] υἱοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς τὰς θυγατέρας τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἐγέννων ἑ[αυτοῖ]ς· ἐκεῖνοι ἦσαν οἱ γίγαντες οἱ ἀπ' αἰῶνος, οἱ ἄνθρωποι οἱ [ὀνο]μαστοί. Οἱ μὲν ἔξω τῆς πίστεως γίγαντας εἰσάγοντες ἀ[πὸ μ]ύθων τοῦτο εἰσάγουσι<ν>, ἐν δὲ τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ ἀντὶ ἰσχυρῶν ἀ[νθρώπων] ὀνομάζονται. Ἐν γοῦν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ ἀπειλῶν ὁ Θεὸς ἀφαιρήσειν [το]ύτων τὰ χρήσιμα, ἐπεὶ τούτου ἄξιοι ἐτύγχανον, συν[άπτ]ει καὶ γίγαντα καὶ ἰσ- χύοντα ἐν τοῖς ἀφαιρουμένοις. Καὶ [τὸν] Γολιὰδ δὲ οὕτως ἐκάλεσεν μαρτυρήσασα ἡ γραφὴ ὅ[τι ἰ]σχυρὸς ὑπῆρχεν καὶ πολεμιστής. Ἀλλὰ καί, ὅτε Μωσῆς ἐξέ- 157 [γρ]αψεν τοὺς κατασκόπ[ου]ς εἰς̣ τὴν πολεμίαν ἀπαγ- [γέλλ]οντας, περὶ τῆς χώρας ἔλεγον· "6Ἀλλὰ καὶ υἱοὺς γιγάντων ἑω[ράκ]αμεν ἐκεῖ"6, εἶθ' ἑρμηνεύοντες τὸ μέγε- θος αὐτῶν 64 ἔλεγον· "6Κα[ὶ ἦμ]εν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ ἀκρίδες"6. Οὕτ̣ω̣ς μεγαλοσώμ[ατ]α αὐτοὺς εἶναι μαρτυρεῖ. Καὶ εἰμ̣ε`̣ν̣ ε᾿̣πι<τε>τευγμένως ε[ἴρη]ται ὡς ὀργάνοις δαίμονες ἐχρῶντ̣ο̣ [ἀ]νθρώποις ἐμπαθέσι[ν, λέ]γοι ἄν τις ὅτι πρὸς ἔλεγχον αὐτῶν τῆ[ς] σωματικωτάτη[ς ἕξ]εως τηλικοῦτοι ἀπεγεννήθησαν αὐτοῖς, οἳ καὶ "6ὀνο[μαστο]ὶ"6 ἐκαλοῦντο "6ἀπ' αἰῶνος"6, δηλοῦντος τοῦ "6ἀπ' αἰῶνος"6 τ[ὸ πολ]υχρονίως τὸν περὶ αὐτῶν ὡς μεγαλοσωμάτων λόγ[ον ἐκφ]έρεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ γίγαντας λέγοις <αὐ>τοὺς διὰ τὸ τῆ[ς ἕξεως] φαῦλον καλεῖσθαι, οὐκ ἂν ἔξω λόγου εἴη τὸ λεγόμ[ενον, οἵτ]ινες κατὰ κακίαν τοὺς ὑφ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐγέννων, ἐπ[ὶ μέγεθ]ος φαυλότητος ἀλείφοντες. Εἰ δὲ τὸ "6μετ' ἐκεῖνο"6 ὑ[πάρχ]ον ἐν τῷ προκειμένῳ πρὸς τῷ χρόνῳ δηλοῖ καὶ τ[ὸ μετ]ὰ τὸ κεχωρίσθαι αὐτῶν τὸ πνεῦμα περὶ ο̣ὑ῀̣ εἶπεν ὁ [Θεός· "6Οὐ] μὴ καταμείνῃ τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐντοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις [διὰ τὸ] εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας"6, συνεπισκ[έ]ψαι· τότε γὰρ ἀλ[λοτρι]ωθέντες τῆς μετουσίας αὐτοῦ, εἴτ' ἄνθρωποι εἴτε κα[ὶ ἄλλο]ι, γεννήματα εἶχον ἐπαιρόμενα κατὰ τῆς γνώ[μης] τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐ μόνον νοήματα ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνθρώπους. ῃι, 5–7. Ἰδὼν δὲ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ἐπλ[ηθ]ύνθησαν αἱ κακία<ι> τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶς τις δ[ιανο]- εῖται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελ̣ω῀̣ς̣ ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ [πάσ]ας τὰς ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐνεθυμήθη ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ἐποίησεν τὸ[ν ἄνθρωπ]ον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ διενοήθη καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἀπαλείψ[ω τὸ]ν ἄνθρωπον ὃν ἐποίησα ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕω[ς κτ]ήνους καὶ ἀπὸ ἑρπετῶν ἕως τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανο[ῦ, ὅτι] ἐθυμώθην ὅτι ἐποίησα αὐτούς. Ἀκολούθως, εἰ καὶ μὴ πρ[οαι]ρετικόν τι τὰ ἄλογα

Anthropomorphism and Divine Attributes§62

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

62They were acting, and they were being destroyed together with the man, through whom he also came to fulfill his own needs, a life-spark being left behind with Noah and from them.

Likewise, men were also perishing as wickedness increased upon the earth, because they sinned by thinking with the evil, not casually but through careful use of sins. Let us carefully examine what was said from the beginning: 'The Lord God having seen,' he says, 'that the wickednesses of men had been multiplied upon the earth' (Gen 6:5). For did he not previously see their wickednesses? But it is evident that now he has seen them for the purpose of vengeance. For when he does not wish to send punishments to those sinning, it is said he does not see them, which is to say when he is sleeping, while others are watching. It is indeed said by someone: 'I awoke to my impieties,' and after having tested the patience of God through many impieties, after those who reproach had passed by, he says: 'I awoke to my impieties.' And another saint said: 'He arose like one sleeping, like a strong man having roared from wine'; for having been very patient, he comes excessively and unceasingly with punishments to those in such need, which is why the unceasingness and the multitude is called an awakening and a roaring from wine. For it is like a good physician to use the sufferings at the right time, which is made evident by 'The Lord God having seen.'

And if it is about to be that 'everyone thinks in his heart toward evil things' (Ps 32:9), even though Noah did not have it so, we should not be surprised; for it is said regarding the majority in this way, just as 'every brother betrays and every friend acts deceitfully' (Prov 27:6). And it is possible, since Noah was not at all a man—for he had ascended beyond the human condition—that this was said as not being applicable to him at all among men, but happening to a god, as it is said: 'He called those gods to whom the word of God came.' Similar to this is also 'I said in my ecstasy: every man is a liar' (Ps 53:6); for he was a god, as we have demonstrated, the one saying these things. For if a man were not thus, if he were a liar, then 'every man' would no longer be true.

Not a liar, but speaking the truth, yet he is not a man himself, who is called a man through excellence beyond human measure, as it is said: 'For where there is strife and jealousy, are you not men, as these also walk?' (James 3:16). For their malice was not practiced by them by chance, but with care and deliberation; for this reveals what is in the heart (Luke 6:45).

Likewise, 'from youth' can be understood in two ways: either being smeared with evil from a small age, or that no one among those described as a man is an elder, even if the nature is so, setting forward the novelties and the instabilities. 'For old age is not an honorable thing measured by long life or by the number of years; for much is wisdom to men, and old age is a life without a cloud' (Sirach 4:10). And it is not unlikely that the 'youth of sin' and 'remember not my ignorance' (Psalm 25:11) carry interpretations saying: 'Remember not whatever evil things I have done.'

Having said these things, it is worthy to consider what is revealed from 'God remembered that he made man upon the earth' (Psalm 8:4) and 'I was grieved that I made them' (Psalm 8:5), which is equivalent to 'I repented that I made Saul king' (1 Samuel 15:11). It must be said, however, that things are said about God in a human manner, and not in the way the words and the thought possess. For if hands, feet, eyes, and ears are transferred in the Scripture, one must not think that God is formed in a human way, but it is clear that we shall call each of these things regarding the active powers of God, such as hands and the unretreating eyes, and likewise his discerning eyes and his practical hands, even if through another understanding.

For indeed, regarding sensible things, each of the named things signifies only one thing, such as wood; but regarding God, they are called by many names, which are to be understood by the word as preceding the various things about him. For so God is called both Spirit and Source, and again hands and feet are said to belong to him; yet nowhere, even if he had something sensible, were his names so many; for neither light nor Spirit nor Source have hands.

Greek · §62

158 ἔπραττον, μετὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου συ[ν]απόλλυνται, δι[' ὃν κ]αὶ γεγόνασιν πρὸς τ̣ο`̣ αὐτοῦ χρείας ἐκτ̣ε̣λεῖν, ζωπύρου κ[ατα]λιμπανομένου μ[ε]τ̣α`̣ τοῦ Ν]ῶε καὶ ἀπ̣' α̣ὐτῶν. Ἀκολούθω[ς δὲ] καὶ διαφθείροντ̣α̣ι̣ ἄ[νθρωπο]ι, κακίας πλ̣ε̣ο̣νασάσης ἐπὶ γῆ[ς, ὅτι] μετὰ τοῦ κακοῦ [τ]ῷ δια- νοεῖσθαι ἡμάρτανον, οὐ παρέ[ργως] ἀλλ' "6ἐπιμελῶ[ς"6 τ]α̣ι῀̣ς̣ ἁμαρτίαις χρω´̣μενοι. Ἐπιμελῶς [ἐξ]ετάσωμεν τὸ ε[ἰρη]θὲν ἄνωθεν ἀρ̣ξ̣α´̣μενοι· "6Ἰδών"6 φ[ησιν] "6Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ἐπλ[η]θ̣υ´̣ν̣θησαν αἱ κακίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ [τῆς γῆ]ς."6 Ἄρα γὰρ πρότερ̣ο̣ν̣ οὐχ ἑώρα αὐτῶν τὰς κακίας; Ἀλ[λὰ δῆλο]ν ὅτι νῦν ἐπὶ ἐκ̣δ̣ι̣κ̣η´̣σει τεθέαται. Ὅτε γὰρ οὐ βούλ[εται κόλ]ασιν ἐπιπέμψαι τ̣ο̣ι῀̣ς̣ ἁμαρτάνουσιν, λέγεται μὴ ὁρ[ᾶν αὐτού]ς, ἔστιν δ' ὅτε κο̣ι̣μᾶσθαι, ἄλλοις δὲ γρηγορένα[ι. Λέγεται] γοῦν ὑπό τι̣ν̣ος· "6᾿Ε̣γ̣ρ̣η̣γορήθη ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσεβήματά μο[υ"6, ἐπὶ δὲ π]ο̣λλὰ ἀσεβήμ̣ατ̣α̣ τ̣α`̣ς̣ μακροθυμίας Θεοῦ πειραθείς, [παρελθόν]των τῶν ἐπιπο´̣[νω]ν φησίν· "6Ἐγρηγορήθη ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσεβή[ματά] μου"6. Καὶ ἄλλος δέ τις εἶπεν ἅγιος· "6Ἐξηγέρθη ὡς ὁ ὑπνῶ[ν Κύριος], ὡς δυνατὸς κεκραιπαληκὼς ἐξ οἴνου"6· πολὺ γὰρ μ[ακρο- θ]υμήσας ἐπάγει ὑπερ̣βαλλόντως καὶ ἀθρόως τὰς κο[λάσει]ς τοῖς οὕτω δεομένοις, ὅπερ διὰ τὸ ἀθρόον καὶ πλῆθ[ος ἐξ]έγερσις καὶ κραιπάλη̣ ἐξ οἴνου λέγεται. Ἰατροῦ γὰρ ἀγαθο[ῦ τυγ]χάνει τὸ καιρίως̣ κεχρῆσθαι τοῖς πάθεσιν, ὅπερ διὰ τ[οῦ "6Ἰδ]ὼν δὲ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς"6 δ[η]λοῦται. Εἰ δὲ πρόσκειται τὸ "6πᾶς τις [διανο]εῖται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρά"6 καίτοι τοῦ Νῶε [οὐχ ο]ὕτως ἔχοντος, οὐ δεῖ ξενίζεσθαι· πρὸς γὰρ τὸ ὡς ἐπὶ [τὸ π]λεῖστον οὕτως εἴρηται, καθὰ καὶ τὸ "6πᾶς ἀδελφὸς πτέρ[νῃ π]τερνιεῖ καὶ πᾶς φίλος δολίως πορεύσεται"6· 159 δυνατὸν δὲ δ[ή, ἐ]πεὶ ὁ Νῶε οὐ κα̣θόλου̣ ἀ´̣ν̣θ̣ρ̣ω̣π̣ο̣[ς ἦν – ἀ]ναβεβήκει γὰρ [τὴν] ἀνθρώπων κατάστασιν–, τοῦτο εἰρῆσ̣[θαι ὡς] μὴ ὑποκειμέν[ου αὐ]τοῦ τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καθόλου, θεοῦ [τυγχ]άνοντος καθὸ [εἴρητ]αι· "6Ἐκείνους θεοὺς εἶπεν πρὸς οὓς [ὁ λόγο]ς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγέ[νετο]"6. Τούτῳ ὅμοιον καὶ τὸ "6ἐγὼ εἶπα [ἐν] τῇ ἐκστάσει μ[ου· π]ᾶς ἄνθρωπος ψεύστης"6· θεὸς γὰρ ἦν, ὡς ἀ[ποδ]εδώκαμεν, ὁ τ[αῦτα] λέγων. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ οὕτως εἶχεν και`̣ [ἄνθρωπο]ς ψεύστης ἦν [·· οὐ]κέτι ἀληθὲς τὸ "6πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ψ[εύστη]ς"6· ἀλλ' ἀληθεύ[ει μὲ]ν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτὸς ἄνθρωπος ο῾̣ ὑ[περ]βὰς δι' ἀρετὴν [ἀνθρώπου] ὀνομασίαν 65 καθὸ εἴρηται· "6῞Ο̣π̣[ου γὰ]ρ ἔρις καὶ ζῆλ[ος, οὐχὶ ἄ]νθρωποί ἐστε, ὡς καὶ οὗτοι περι[πατεῖ]τε;"6 Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἔ[τυχεν ἐπ]ράττετο παρὰ αὐτῶν η῾̣ κ̣[ακία] ἀλλ' "6ἐπιμελῶ[ς"6 καὶ βεβο]υλευμένως· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλ[οῖ τὸ "6ἐ]ν τῇ καρδίᾳ"6. [Ὡσαύτως] τὸ "6ἐκ νεότητος"6 διττῶς ἂ[ν νοη]θείη, ἤτοι ἐκ μ[ικρᾶς] ἡλικίας εἰς κακίαν ἀλειφόμ̣[ενοι], ἢ ὅτι οὐδεὶς τ[ῶν κατὰ] τὸν διαγραφέντα ἄνθρωπον π[ρεσβύ]της ἐστί, κἂν τὴ[ν φύσι]ν οὕτως ὑπάρχῃ, τὰ νεω[τεροπο]ιὰ καὶ ἐπιπόλαι[α προ]ταττόμενος· "6Γῆρας γὰρ τίμ[ιον οὐ] τὸ πολυχρόνιον [οὐδὲ ἀ]ριθμῷ ἐτῶν μεμέτρηται· π̣[ολιὰ] γάρ ἐστιν φρόν[ησις ἀ]νθρώ- ποις καὶ γῆρας βίος ἀκηλίδωτ̣[ος"6. Οὐ]κ ἀνοικείως δὲ [καὶ τὸ "6ἁ]μαρτίας νεότητος καὶ τὰς [ἀγνοία]ς μου μὴ μνησθ[ῇς"6 ἑρ]μηνεύσεις λέγων ὅτι ὅσα [πονηρ]ῷ ἤθει ἔπραξα [μὴ μ]νησθῇς. Τούτων οὕτως εἰ[ρημέν]ων ἄξιον θεωρῆσ[αι τί δ]ηλοῦται ἐκ τοῦ "6ἐνεθυμήθη [ὁ Θεὸς ὅ]τι ἐποίησεν τὸν [ἄνθρωπον] ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ διενοήθη"6 καὶ "6ἐ[θυμώθ]η̣ν ὅτι ἐποίησα α[ὐτούς]"6, ὅπερ ἰσοδυναμεῖ τῷ "6μετε[μελήθ]ην ὅτι ἔχρισα τὸ[ν Σαο]ὺλ εἰς βασιλέα"6. Λεκτέον [δὲ ὅτ]ι̣ ἀνθρωπο- 160 πα[θῶς πε]ρὶ Θεοῦ λέγεται καὶ οὐχ οὕτως ὡς αἱ λέξεις καὶ ἡ νόησις ἔχε[ι. Ἐ]ὰν γὰρ περὶ χειρω̣[ν] καὶ ποδῶν καὶ ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ [ὤτω]ν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ μ[ετα]φέρηται, οὐ δεῖ οἴεσθαι ἀνθρ[ωπ]ίνως ἐσχημα[τῖσθαι] τὸν Θεόν, ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὡς δυν[άμε]ις αὐτοῦ δραστι̣κ̣α`̣ς̣ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὸ ἀναπόδρασ[τον ὀ]φθαλμοὺς καὶ οὑ´̣τ̣ω̣ς̣ ἕκαστον ὡς περὶ δυνάμεως [ἐκλη]μψόμεθα Θεοῦ ··· ··· · εἰ καὶ καθ' ἑτέραν διάνοιαν το[ὺς ἐν τ]ῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ διο[ρατικοὺς] ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς πρα[κτικοὺ]ς χεῖρας καὶ τα`̣ λ̣ο̣ι̣π̣α`̣ ὁμοίως. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι ἐπὶ μ[ὲν τῶν] αἰσθητῶν ἕκασ[τον τῶν] ὀνομαζομένων οἷον ξύλον μ[όνον] τι σημαίνει, ἐπὶ δ[ὲ τοῦ] Θεοῦ πλειόνων ὀνομάτων λεγο[μένων], ἃ νοεῖσθαι προίσ[τησι] λόγῳ τὰ διάφορα περὶ αὐτοῦ· [οὕτω]ς γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ πν[εῦμα καὶ πη]γὴ καλεῖται καὶ πάλιν χεῖρα[ς καὶ] πόδας ἀνάγετ[αι ἔχειν]· οὐδήπου δέ, εἴπερ αἰσθητόν τ[ι ἔτυ]χον, τοσαῦτα ἦσ̣[αν αὐτοῦ] τὰ ὀνόματα· οὐ γὰρ τὸ φῶς ἢ τὸ [πνεῦμα ἢ ἡ] πηγὴ χεῖρας ἔχο̣[υσιν]. Καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ

Grace, Virtue, and the Increase of Faith§63

63It was thought and regretted as if regarding an unchangeable mind. For just as men, wishing to present a confession to those being taught by themselves that they erred greatly and are unworthy of lessons, say: 'I regretted that I gave so much to you, leading you to the knowledge of the transgression,' so also God is said to not undergo a passion of regret, but rather to speak for the sake of the manifestation of the greatness of the sin. For He did not not know that such things would be, but through goodness He viewed whether perhaps from the laws written according to the intellect they would follow. We use an image toward it not being a passion of God, but of those who change in such a way.

Let someone be wise... gaps... and because of this an heir... gaps... he himself did not change according to the mind among those changed, when the property came to the righteous alone; for this one had the purpose from the beginning. And good is 'I will blot out the man whom I have made from the face of the earth' (Gen 1:28); for He does not lead him into non-existence, nor does He blot him out according to the soul, but from the earth. And this is not only the work of God, having been deceived by evil, to destroy men, but also through a sign to destroy the one dwelling in the earth being a lowly one; for the lowly one is a resident of the earth, the holy one being not a resident but a sojourner. Thus also it is said in Jeremiah: 'The evils shall be burned upon those dwelling on the earth' (Jer 5:31), those rooting themselves on the earth, which the holy one says he did not suffer, thanking: 'In a short time He has brought me to an end in the land' (Ps 116:7), and in the Revelation it is said: 'Woe to those dwelling on the earth' (Rev 6:10), not to those sojourning; but the purpose of God is to snatch the man from the earthlings, even if he himself holds to the earthlings.

'But Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord God' (Gen 6:8). It is great and heavenly to find grace in the sight of God, and this is accomplished through pleasing Him, which follows that to please men, the one pleasing to men not always pleasing to God. For see what the blessed Paul says: 'If I were still pleasing men, I would not be a Christ's slave' (Gal 1:10).

Then I would not have been, and the Psalmist says: 'The Lord scatters the bones of those who please men' (Ps 52:9). But those who have the grace from God say: 'He who has graced us along with the beloved' (Eph 1:6), just as Mary also hears from the angel: 'Rejoice, favored one, the Lord is with you' (Luke 1:28). For this is the grace, to have the Lord with oneself; and one has the Lord with oneself by being distinguished by virtue and good deeds, saying: 'If you seek the testing of the Christ speaking in me' (1 Cor 4:9).

For He himself gives grace and peace; for this is what the holy man prays for, saying: 'Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ' (2 Cor 13:13). And God gives this gift, having provided us the occasion to receive it. For it is said in Proverbs: 'Grace and friendship set free, which you have kept for yourself, so that you may not become despised' (Prov 28:14); for in the power of one's own choice is the ability to keep these and to succeed.

Thus also Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord God from his own domestic preparation, himself having graced himself through works of virtue and from this having received grace from God; for the God of all, working together with those succeeding and striving on our part, adds to, adorns, and leads into the greatness of good. The disciples of the Savior, knowing this, having already pre-succeeded in the faith toward him, were saying to him, knowing that faith is also God-given: 'Increase our faith' (Luke 22:32).

For just as a word of wisdom is given through the Spirit and a word of knowledge according to the Spirit (1 Cor 12:8), so also faith is in the same Spirit. For it is impossible to receive the faith given from God according to grace without having that which is established from our own part. For this is made clear from 'increase our faith' (Luke 22:32); but even Isaiah says, from the person of the Lord's man, or even from himself: 'He has added to me an ear for hearing, and the instruction of the Lord opens my ears' (Isa 50:4); for the hearing and instruction given toward God opens even these ears to hear the intellect more divinely.

Thus also let us understand 'grace for grace' (John 1:16), understanding the one from God approaching through our own part. And also let us understand the 'found' which was said, so that it might be shown that having sought...

Greek · §63

διενοήθη καὶ μετε[μελήθη] ὡς περὶ ἀτρέπτου [νοή]σομεν. Ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον καὶ ἄ[νθρωποι τὴν] ἔμφασιν παρασ[τῆσαι] βουλόμενοι τοῖς ὑφ' ἑαυτῶν διδ[ασκομέ]νοις ἁμαρτη´̣μ̣α̣τ̣[ος ὅτι] μεγάλως ἐσφάλησαν καὶ ἀνάξι[οί εἰσι] μαθημάτων λέ[γουσι]· Μετεμελήθην ὅτι τὰ τηλικαῦ[τα σοι π]αραδέδωκα, εἰς ἐ[πίγνω]σιν τοῦ πταίσματος αὐτὸν ἀγαγ[όντες, τ]ὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον [καὶ ὁ] Θεὸς οὐ πάθος ὑπομένων μετα[μέλεσ]θαι λέγεται, ἀλ[λὰ δι'] ἔμφασιν τοῦ μεγέθους τοῦ ἁμ[αρτή- μ]ατος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἠγ̣[νόει ὅ]τι τοιοῦτοι ἔσονται, ἀγαθότητι δ[ὲ ἐθε]ώρει εἴ πως ἐκ τῶ[ν νό]μων τῶν κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐπιγρα[φέντων]. Εἰκόνι δὲ χρησο´̣[μεθα] πρὸς τὸ μὴ αὐτοῦ εἶναι πάθος το[ῦ Θεοῦ ἀ]λλὰ τῶν μεταβαλ[λομέ]νων τοιαύτῃ. Ἔστω τις σοφὸς ε[····]·ιοις πάλιν ·····[····] τιθέμενος, εἰ συμβαίη τινὰς τ[·····]ιδων ········· [····] καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀποκλήρους, οὐκ αὐτ[ὸς ἐπὶ] τῶν 161 μετ̣αβληθ[έντων] τ]ῇ γνώμῃ μετέβαλεν, εἰς τοὺς δικαίους μόνους ἐλθούσης τῆς] περιουσίας· τοῦτον γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἶχεν τὸν σκοπόν. Εὖ δὲ τὸ "6ἀπαλείψω τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὃν ἐποίησα ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς"6· οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἀνυπαρξίαν αὐτὸν περιάγει, οὐδὲ κατὰ ψυχὴν ἀπαλείφει, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ γῆς. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἔργον ἐστὶ Θεοῦ τό, ἐπιπολασάσης κακίας, ἀναιρεῖν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ συμβόλου ἀπόλλυσιν τὸν ἐν τῇ γῇ κατοικοῦντα φαῦλον ὄντα· κάτοικος γὰρ γῆς ὁ φαῦλος, τοῦ ἁγίου οὐ κατοίκου ἀλλὰ παροίκου τυγχάνοντος. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ ἐν Ἰερεμίᾳ λέγεται· "6Ἐκκαυ-θήσεται τὰ κακὰ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6, τοὺς ῥιζώσαντας ἐπὶ γῆς, ὅπερ οὐ παθὼν ὁ ἅγιός φησιν εὐχαριστῶν· "6Παρὰ βραχὺ συνετε´̣[λε]σάν με ἐν τῇ γῇ"6, καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει δὲ λέγεται· "6Οὐαὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν"6, οὐ τοὺς παροικοῦντας· σκοπὸς δὲ Θεοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν γηΐνων τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποσπᾶσαι, κἂν αὐτὸς τῶν γηΐνων ἀντέχηται. 66 ῃι, 8. Νῶε δὲ εὗρεν χάριν ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μέγα καὶ οὐράνιόν ἐστιν τὸ εὑρεῖν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦτο δὲ κατορθοῦται ἐκ τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀρεσκείας, ᾧ ἕπεται καὶ τὸ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσ̣κ̣ει̣ν, τοῦ ἀρέσκοντος ἀνθρώποις οὐ πάντως Θεῷ ἀρέσκοντος. Ὅρα γὰρ τί ὁ μακάριος Παῦλός φησιν· "6Εἰ ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην"6, καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδός· "6Κύριος διεσκόρπισεν ὀστᾶ ἀνθρωπαρέσκων"6· οἱ δὲ ἐκ Θεοῦ τὴν χάριν ἔχοντές φασιν· "6Ὃς ἐχαρίτωσεν ἡμᾶς σὺν τ[ῷ] ἠγαπημένῳ"6, ἅμα καὶ Μαρία ἀκούει πρὸς τοῦ ἀγγέλου· "6Χαῖρε κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ"6. Αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ χάρις τὸ ἐ´̣χειν μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Κύριον· ἔχει δὲ μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Κύριον ὁ δι' ἀρε[τὴ]ν καὶ πράξεις ἐναρέ- τους λέγων· "6Εἰ δοκιμὴν ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ [λα]λοῦντος Χριστοῦ"6. Αὐτὸς γὰρ δίδωσιν χάριν καὶ εἰρήνην· τοῦτο 162 γὰρ [ἐ]πεύχεται ὁ ἅγιος λέγων· "6Χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ"6. ∆ίδωσιν δὲ Θεὸς τὸ δῶρον τοῦτο, ἡμῶν τὴν ἀφορμὴν τοῦ λαβεῖν αὐτὸ παρεχόντων. Εἴρηται γοῦν ἐν Παροιμίαις· "6Χάρις καὶ φιλία ἐλευθεροῖ, ἃς τήρησον σεαυτῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἐπονείδιστος γένῃ"6· ἐν γὰρ τῇ τῆς προαιρέσεώς ἐστιν ἐξουσίᾳ †·τιη† τηρῆσαι αὐτὰς καὶ κατορθῶσαι. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ Νῶε ἐκ τῆς̣ οἰκείας προπαρασκευῆς εὗρεν χάριν ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ, αὐτὸς διὰ τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔργων χαριτώσας ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἐκ τούτου δεξάμενος παρὰ Θεοῦ χάριν· τοῖς γὰρ ἀφ' ἡμῶν κατορθουμένοις καὶ ἀνυομένοις συνέργων ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς προστιθεὶς ἐπι- κοσμεῖ καὶ εἰς̣ μέγεθος ἀγαθοῦ ἄγει. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ εἰδότες οἱ τοῦ Σωτῆρος μαθηταὶ ἤδη δι' ἑαυτῶν προκατορθώσαντες τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πί[σ]τιν ἔλεγον αὐτῷ εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ θεοδώρητος πίστις ἐστίν· "6Πρόσθες ἡμῖν πίσ̣τι̣ν̣"6. Ὡς γὰρ λόγος σοφίας δίδοται διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ λόγος γνώσε̣ως κατὰ τὸ πνεῦμα, οὕτω καὶ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι. Ἀδύνατον γάρ ἐστιν δέξασθαι τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ χάριν διδομένην πίστιν μὴ ἔχοντα τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν συνισταμένην. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ γὰρ δηλοῦται ἐκ τοῦ "6πρόσθες ἡμῖν πίστιν"6· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ Ἠσαΐας ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ κυριακοῦ, ἔστω δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου, φησίν· "6Προσέθηκέν μοι ὠτίον τοῦ ἀκούειν καὶ ἡ παιδεία Κυρίου διανοίγει μου τὰ ὦτα"6· ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ διδομένη ἀκοὴ καὶ παιδεία δ[ι]ανοίγει καὶ ταῦτα τὰ ὦτα πρὸς τὸ τὴν διάνοιαν θειότερον ἀκούειν. Οὕτω καὶ τὸ "6χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος"6 νοήσομεν, τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐφ' ἡμῖν προσγινομένην νοοῦντες. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ "6εὗρεν"6 εἴρητα[ι, ἵ]να δειχθῇ ὅτι ζητήσας

Partial Perfection and Noah's Character§64

64He found it rightly, those who do not seek in the way they ought, not finding; for they say, 'They shall seek me,' yet 'evil men and they shall not find' (John 14:20). From this it is known that he sought well from the judgment and gift of God, when, as if sealing the grace himself, he gives: 'Not of the one willing nor of the one running, but of the merciful God' (Romans 3:27), and 'If the Lord builds a house, in vain the builders labored for it' (Psalm 127:1).

Yes, 9. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, being perfect in his generation, and he pleased God (Genesis 6:9). The genealogy of the righteous is not so much of men as of virtues; for these are his preceding offspring. This indeed teaches the written Spirit; for it being the case to say the generations of Noah, it brought forward: 'Noah was a righteous man, being perfect in his generation, and he pleased God' (Genesis 6:9).

Let us see what is signified by 'perfect in his generation.' According to a first interpretation, one might say that, compared to the men of his own time who had endowed themselves with immeasurable evil, he was perfect; this is not a great thing, if he were compared to the unknown, for it might perhaps be possible to say that of those entering the ark with him, he was called perfect because he was different; for it is indeed likely that they were such from the holy habit.

It might also be said thus: the generation of the righteous is similarity, and this is signified from 'This is the generation of those seeking him' (Psalm 14:3); for having said, 'Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? He who has innocent hands and is pure in heart' (Psalm 24:3-4) and the following, he brought forward: 'This is the generation of those seeking him,' having spoken of one generation of those adorned with the same virtue. By this, in the opposite way, similarly, it is the thing said: 'Sons of this age are wiser than the sons of light in their own generation'; for the generation of such things is the similar state and way of life.

And it is necessary to hear 'perfect' as it is in men, which Paul said to know perfectly in part, saying concerning the perfect: 'When the perfect comes, that which is in part shall be done away' (1 Corinthians 13:10); all the perfection being accomplished in men is as towards that in the future.

An age is complete only in part. Let what is said be clear by way of an example: he who is in the first letters is complete, yet as far as the one listening to grammatical discourse, he is incomplete. And the Apostle himself, saying, 'We know in part and we prophesy in part' (1 Cor 13:9), speaks this concerning himself and those like him: 'As for those who are perfect, we think this,' and 'But we speak wisdom among the perfect' (1 Cor 1:6); for just as the citizenship existing there is incomplete, as we have said, as far as the knowledge that is to come, being 'face to face' (1 Cor 13:12), even if it has reached its utmost limit.

And the things said about Noah—that he was righteous, and perfect, and pleasing to God—must be taken all at once, even if the words have an order; for he was 'righteous' and 'being perfect' he had a pleasingness toward God. But the perfect and the righteous are anticipated by the pleasingness; for it is not that because he pleased, he became righteous and perfect, but because he appeared righteous and perfect, he has been shown to be pleasing to God. And if Noah is said to be a man of such a state, it is not necessary to be surprised, since we have often observed that the name 'man' signifies more; for it is not regarding mere dust alone, as it is said: 'For where there is strife and jealousy among you, are you not acting as men and walking according to man?' (Gal 1:7), and concerning the devil sowing evil thoughts, it is said: 'A man has done this' (John 6:70); here, in addition to declaring the nature, it also signifies the 'man' as the one who saves according to the 'image' (Gen 1:26). And also, that he 'being perfect pleased God' (Gen 6:8); for he pleased God having already been promised perfection, not pleasing God by pleasing in everything, but by being pleasing to both righteous men and in other ways to men; for he is praised not only for pleasing the righteous, but after that for pleasing God.

10. And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. He fathered three sons, and Noah became a father of such a number; for nothing was said before this of having had another child. The explicit part is clear; but if one looks toward an upward leading, he might say that one fathering two of a certain physical sex would be casting symbols; for the two are kindred in matter, for this is divisible; but the one who fathered three is called perfect, being first to bear a complete image.

Greek · §64

δεόντως εὗρεν, τῶν μὴ ὃν δεῖ τρόπο[ν] ζητούντων οὐχ εὑρισκόντων· "6Ζητήσουσίν με"6 γάρ φησιν "6κακοὶ καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσουσιν"6. Ἐντεῦθεν δὲ γνωρίζεται ὅτι καλῶς ἐζήτησεν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπικρίσεως καὶ δωρείας, ὅταν ὥσπερ ἐπισφραγίζων αὐτὸς τὴν χα´̣ριν δῷ· "6Οὐ"6 γὰρ "6τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντ̣ο̣ς 163 Θεοῦ"6, καὶ "6Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον, εἰς μάτην ἐκοπίασαν̣ οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες αὐτόν"6. ῃι, 9. Αὗτ̣αι δὲ αἱ γενέσεις Νῶε. Νῶε ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος, τέλειος ὢν ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησεν Νῶε. Τοῦ δικαίου ἡ γενεαλογία οὐκ ἔστιν τοσοῦτον ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ὅσον ἐξ ἀρετῶν· αὗται γὰρ αὐτοῦ προηγούμενα γεννήματα. Τοῦτό τοι διδάσκει τὸ συγγραφικὸν πνεῦμα· προκειμένου γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ τὰς γενέσεις τοῦ Νῶε εἰπεῖν, ἐπήνεγκεν· "6Νῶε ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος, τέλειος ὢν ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησεν"6. Τί δὲ δηλοῦται ἐκ τοῦ "6τέλειος ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ"6, ἴδωμεν. Καὶ κατὰ μὲν πρώτην ἀπόδοσιν λέγοι ἂν ὅτι, τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν κατ' αὐτὸν αὐτοῦ καιρὸν εἰς ἄμετρον κακίαν ἐπιδεδωκότων, ἐκ τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς συγκρίσεως τέλειος ἦν, ὅπερ οὐ μέγα τυγχάνει, εἰ πρὸς ἀπεγνωσμένους συγκρίνοιτο, τάχα δυναμένου λεχθῆναι ὅτι τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰσελθόντων διαφέρων τέλειος ἐλέγετο· καὶ γὰρ εἰκὸς αὐτοὺς εἶναι τοιούτους ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον συνηθείας. Λεχθείη δὲ καὶ οὕτως· γενεὰ τοῦ δικαίου ἐστὶν ἡ 67 ὁμοιοτροπία, καὶ τοῦτο σημαίνεται ἐκ τοῦ "6Αὕτη ἡ γενεὰ ζητούντων αὐτόν"6· εἰπὼν γὰρ "6Τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ Κυρίου ἢ τίς στήσεται ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ; ἀθῷος χερσὶν καὶ καθαρὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, ἐπήγαγεν· "6Αὕτη ἡ γενεὰ ζητούντων αὐτόν"6, τοὺς τῇ αὐτῇ κεκοσμένους ἀρετῇ μίαν γενεὰν εἰπών. Τούτῳ κατὰ τὸ ἐναντίον ἀναλόγως ὅμοιόν ἐστιν τὸ λεγόμενον· "6Υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος το[ύ]του φρονιμώτεροί εἰσιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ φωτὸς ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ τῇ ἑαυτῶν"6· γενεὰ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἡ ὁμοία κατάστασις καὶ πολιτεία. ∆εῖ δὲ οὕτως ἀκούειν τέλειον ὡς ἐν ἀνθρώποις, ὅπερ τέλειον ὁ Παῦλος ἐκ μέρους γιγνώσκειν ἔφη, λέγων περὶ τοῦ τελείου· "6Ὅταν ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους 164 καταργηθήσεται"6· πᾶσα ἡ ἐν ἀνθρώποις κατορθουμένη τελειότης ὡς πρὸς τὸ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι τέλειον ἐκ μέρους ἐστίν. Καὶ ἔστω ἐπὶ παραδείγματος σαφὲς τὸ λεγόμενον· ὁ ἐν τοῖς πρώτοις γράμμασιν τέλειος ὡς πρὸς τὸν γραμματικῶν λόγων ἀκούοντα ἀτελής ἐστιν. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγων "6Ἐκ μέρους γιγνώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομέν"6 φησιν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων· "6Ὅσοι οὖν τέλειοι τοῦτο φρονῶμεν"6, καὶ "6Σοφίαν δὲ λαλοῦμεν ἐν τοῖς τελείοις"6· ὡς γὰρ πρὸς τὴν ἐντῷ μέλλοντι, ὡς ἔφαμεν, γνῶσιν "6πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον"6 οὔσαν ἀτέλης ἡ ἐνταῦθα ὑπάρχει πολιτεία, κἂν εἰς ἄκρον φθάσασα τυγχάνῃ. Τὸ δὲ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ τέλειον καὶ τὸ εὐαρεστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ περὶ τοῦ Νῶε λεγόμενον ἅμα ἐκλαμβάνειν δεῖ, κἂν τὰ ῥήματα τάξιν ἔχῃ· "6δίκαιος"6 γὰρ καὶ "6τέλειος ὢν"6 τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν εἶχεν εὐαρέστησιν· προεπινοεῖται δὲ τῆς εὐαρεστήσεως τὸ τέλειον καὶ δίκαιον· οὐ γὰρ ὅτι εὐηρέ- στησεν, γέγονεν δίκαιος καὶ τέλειος, ἀλλ' ὅτι δίκαιος καὶ τέλειος ἀνεφάνη, ἀποδέδεικται εὐαρεστῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τηλικαύτης ὑπάρχων ὁ Νῶε καταστάσεως ἄνθρωπος εἴρηται, οὐ δεῖ ξενίζεσθαι, πολλάκις ἡμῶν παρατηρησαμένων ὅτι πλείονα σημαίνει τὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὄνομα· οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ ψεκτοῦ μόνου, ὡς εἴρηται· "6Ὅπου γὰρ ἔρις καὶ ζῆλος ἐν ὑμῖν, οὐχὶ ἄνθρωποί ἐστε καὶ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖτε;"6 καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἐπ[ι]σπείροντος δὲ διαβόλου κακὰς ἐννοίας εἴρηται· "6Ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος τοῦτο ἐποίησεν"6· ἐνταῦθα δὲ πρὸς τῷ τὴν φύσιν δηλοῦν ἔτι καὶ τὸν κυρίως ἄνθρωπον σημαίνει τὸν σῴζοντα τὸ "6κατ' εἰκόνα"6. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ "6τέλειος ὢν τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησεν"6· 165 ἤδη γὰρ τελειότητος ἐπειλημμένος εὐηρέστησεν τῷ Θεῷ, οὐ παντὸς εὐαρεστοῦντος τῷ Θεῷ εὐαρεστοῦντος, ἀλλ' ἐσθότε, καὶ δικαίοις ἀνδράσ[ι] καὶ ἄλλως ἀνθρώποις· καὶ γὰρ εἰ ἐπαινεῖται ὁ δικαίῳ ἀρέσκων, ἀλλ[ὰ] μετὰ τὸ τῷ Θεῷ ἀρέσκειν. ῃι, 10. Ἐγέννησεν δὲ Νῶε τρεῖς υἱοὺς τὸν Σὴμ τὸν Χὰμ τὸν Ἰάφετ. Τρεῖς μὲν υἱοὺς ἐγέννησεν καὶ τοσούτων γέγονεν πατὴρ ὁ Νῶε· οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸ τούτου εἴρηται ἐσχηκέναι ἄλλο τέκνον. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ῥητὸν φανερόν· εἰ δὲ πρὸς ἀναγωγήν τις βλέποι, λέγοι ἂν ὅτι δύο τις γεννῶν ὑλικῆς ἕξεως ἂν εἴη σύμβολα τίκτων· τὰ γὰρ δύο τῇ ὕλῃ οἴκεια· διαιρετὴ γὰρ αὕτη· ὁ δὲ τριαγεννητικὸς τέ<λειος> λέγεται πρῶτος ὢν ἄρτιος εἰκόνα φέρων

The Corruption of the Earth and Human Wickedness§65

65Of the Creator, for He is a support; and still, the removal of a number from Him makes a dyad, as it is evident that the three came by addition. But to humans, those things which are signified by the two, if a calculation were added, no longer remain material or human, partaking of rectitude; for it is not necessary merely to act, but also with right reason, so that it may receive praise.

And one is able, by changing the mode of speech, to take these things toward the perfection of the soul; for first a passion must come to the soul, then thus a disposition must become, and thus to impel toward action. And we say a passion is not the thing being denied, but the impulse of the soul as it would imprint upon the virtuous; and these things also happen from the opposite.

Three, therefore, are these offspring of the diligent; let the pre-passion now be a burden in relation to indifferent matters. And if one, imposing them even upon interpretations, might find something useful, let him observe. Shem, indeed, is interpreted perfect, Japheth breadth or beauty, but Ham is daring or impetuous or heat or excess.

And what other offspring would have been fitting for the righteous, such as perfection, breadth and beauty, which are all the marks of virtue? For beauty, joined with breadth, makes the wide road go outward, which leads to destruction; but if it is that Ham is interpreted daring or impetuous or heat or excess, let these be taken as domestic to his manner, as if toward the worthless son for a reproach, but for the perfect, let them be received with careful use; for the virtuous is most unforced, since even the violent seize the kingdom; but such a one is also daring against the opposing powers, according to Paul the blessed saying, 'Our struggle is not against blood and flesh' (Eph 6:12), and the following: this impetuous one, just as he is daring, is not acquiring impetuousness toward evil, but happening upon virtue, being hot and zealous in the Spirit, from which he also stands apart from human things (Eph 1:11–12).

But the earth was against the Lord, and the earth was filled with injustice. And the Lord God saw the earth, and it was corrupted, because all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

The corruption of the earth does not signify the loss of the so-beautiful element into non-existence, but rather the excess of the sins of men; the earth calls men by a metonymic manner, just as the psalmist says: 'Let all the earth worship you and sing to you' (Ps 66:5), and again 'Sing to the Lord, all the earth' (Ps 96:1); for when it is said 'The heavens and the earth were finished' (Gen 2:4), this element is signified, and 'Let the earth blossom' (Isa 45:18). Such has become the wickedness of men, who are called earth, as to see God, that element which incites them through much goodness and the great things of the wings. For it has been said: 'If, Lord, you observe iniquity, Lord, who will stand?' (Job 35:12). It does not bring wrath day by day, but when the moderate measures of sins occur, as it was said just as in the prophet Jonah: 'The cry of wickedness ascended to God' (Jon 2:2), and concerning Sodom: 'The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has filled the heavens, and their sins are exceedingly great' (Gen 18:20), just as here the similar is said: 'And the earth was filled with injustice' (Gen 6:11), and the rest.

See that God is not previously ignorant, but is manifesting the watchful power toward vengeance, just as in 'And God saw the earth, and it was corrupted' (Gen 6:11). And he calls the corruption the wickedness and the punishment upon it, just as the Scripture often declares in that which was said by Paul: 'If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him' (1 Cor 3:17); for he who, sinning through lawlessness, works the corruption of the temple of God, is found under punishment and is destroyed, the punishment being now signified by the corruption. And it is a corruption also to be delivered over to an unproven mind; for this is the most extreme punishment. And it is not necessary, according to the Manichaeans, to suppose that useless matter remaining in the wandering...

Greek · §65

τοῦ δημιουργοῦ, δρα- στήριος γάρ, καὶ ἔτι ἡ ἀφαίρεσις ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἑνὸς ἀριθμοῦ δυάδα ποιεῖ, ὡς δηλονότι κατὰ προσθήκην τὰ τρία γεγένηται· τοῖς δὲ ἀνθρωπίνοις, ἃ δηλοῦται διὰ τῶν δύο, εἰ προστεθείη λογισμός, οὐκέτι ὑλικὰ ἢ ἀνθρώπινα μένουσιν, ὀρθότητος μετέχοντα· οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς πράττειν δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ λόγῳ ὀρθῷ, ἵν' ἔχῃ τὸν ἔπαινον. ∆ύναται δέ τις καὶ τροπολογῶν εἰς τὴν ψυχῆς τελείωσιν ταῦτα λαμβάνειν· δεῖ γὰρ πρότερον ἐγγενέσθαι τι τῇ ψυχῇ πάθος, εἶθ' οὕτω διάθεσιν γενέσθαι, καὶ οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν ὁρμῆσαι· πάθος δέ φαμεν οὐ τὸ ψεγόμενον, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὡς ἂν ἐκτύπωσιν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπὶ ἐνάρετον ὁρμήν· γίνεται δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου ταῦτα. Τρία οὖν ταῦτα γεννήματα τοῦ σπουδαίου· ἐάσθω γὰρ νῦν ἡ προπάθεια ὡς ῥοπὴν εἰς τὰ ἀδιάφορα ἔχουσα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ταῖς ἑρμηνείαις τις ἐπιβάλλων εὐπορήσοι τινὸς ὠφελίμου, σκοπητέον. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Σὴμ ἑρμηνεύεται 68 τέλειος, Ἰάφετ πλατυσμὸς ἢ καλλονή, Χὰμ δὲ τολμηρὸς ἢ προπετὴς ἢ θέρμη ἢ ἔκτασις. Ποῖα δὲ ἄλλα γεννήματα τῷ δικαίῳ ἥρμοζεν ὡς ἡ τελειότης πλατυσμός τε καὶ 166 καλλονή, ἅπερ ἅπαντα τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐστιν γνωρίσματα; Καλλονὴ γὰρ μετὰ πλατυσμοῦ συναπτομένη ἔξω ποιεῖ τῆς πλατείας ὁδοῦ, ἥτις ἐπὶ τὴν ἀπώλειαν ἄγει· εἰ δ' ὅτι ὁ Χὰμ ἑρμηνεύεται τολμηρὸς ἢ προπετὴς ἢ θέρμη ἢ ἔκτασις, εἴη μὲν ὡς πρὸς τὸν φαῦλον υἱὸν ἐπὶ ψόγου λαμβανόμενα οἴκεια τῷ ἐκείνου τρόπῳ, ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὸν τέλειον τῇ χρήσει σπουδαίως εἴλημπται· ἀβιαστικώτατον γὰρ ὁ ἐνάρετος, ἐπεὶ καὶ βιασταὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἁρπάζουσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ τολμηρὸς ὁ τοιοῦτος κατὰ τῶν ἐναντίων δυνάμεων κατὰ Παῦλον τὸν μακάριον λέγοντα· "6Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· προπετὴς δὲ οὗτος ὡς καὶ τολμηρός, τὴν προπέτειαν οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ κτώμενος, ἀλλ' ἐπιτυχὼν ἐπ' ἀρετὴν θερμὸς καὶ ζέων τῷ Πνεύματι τυγχάνων, ἐξ οὗ καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐξίσταται. ῃι, 11–12. Ἐφθάρη δὲ ἡ γῆ ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ ἐπλήσθη ἡ γῆ ἀδικίας. Καὶ εἶδεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἦν κατεφθαρμένη, ὅτι κατέφθειρεν πᾶσα σὰρξ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Φθο̣ρα`̣ν γῆς οὐ τὴν εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἀπώλειαν τοῦ οὕτω καλοῦ στοιχείου δηλοῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῶν ἀνθρώ- πων ὑπερβολήν, γῆν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μετωνυμικῷ τρόπῳ καλῶν, καθὰ καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδός φησιν· "6Πᾶσα ἡ γῆ προσκυνησάτωσάν σοι καὶ ψαλλάτωσάν σοι"6, καὶ πάλιν "6Ἄισατε τῷ Κυρίῳ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ"6· ὅταν γὰρ λέγηται "6Συνετελέσθη ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ"6, τὸ στοιχεῖον τοῦτο σημαίνεται, καὶ "6Βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ"6. Τοσαύτη δὲ ἡ κακία τῶν ἀνθρώπων γεγένηται, οἵτινες γῆκαλοῦνται, ὡς Θεὸν ἰδεῖν αὐτὴν τὸν διὰ πολλὴν ἀγαθότητα παρορῶντα καὶ τὰ μεγάλα τῶν πταισμάτων· 167 εἴρηται γάρ· "6Ἐὰν ἀνομίας παρατηρήσῃ Κύριε, Κύριε τίς ὑποστήσεται;"6 Οὐκ ὀργὴν οὖν ἐπάγει καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, ἐπειδὰν δὲ τὰ μέτρια τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων γένηται, ὡς λεχθῆναι καθάπερ ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ Ἰωνᾴ· "6Ἀνέβη ἡ κραυγὴ τῆς κακίας πρὸς τὸν Θεόν"6, καὶ περὶ Σοδόμων· "6Κραυγὴ Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόρων πεπλήθυνται, καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα"6, ὡς καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ ὅμοιον· "6Καὶ ἐπλήσθη ἡ γῆ ἀδικίας"6 τό τε λοιπόν. Ὁρᾷ οὐ πρότερον ἀγνοῶν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπὶ ἐκδικίας ἐποπτικὴν δύναμιν δηλῶν, καθὰ ἐν τῷ "6Καὶ εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἦν κατεφθαρμένη"6. Φθορὰν δὲ τὴν κακίαν καλεῖ καὶ τὴν ἐπ' αὐτῇ τιμωρίαν, οὕτω πολλάκις τῆς γραφῆς δηλούσης ἐν τῷ ὑπὸ Παύλου εἰρημένῳ· "6Εἴ τις τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φθείρει, φθερεῖ τοῦτον ὁ Θεός"6· ὁ γὰρ δι' ἀκολασίας ἁμαρτάνων φθορὰν τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐργαζόμενος ὑπὸ κόλασιν εὑρισκόμενος φθείρεται, τῆς κολάσεως τὰ νῦν ὑπὸ τῆς φθορᾶς δηλουμένης. Φθορὰ δέ ἐστιν καὶ τὸ εἰς ἀδόκιμον παραδοθῆναι νοῦν· ἐσχάτη γὰρ αὕτη τιμωρία. Οὐ δεῖ δὲ κατὰ τοὺς Μανιχαίους οἴεσθαι ὅτι ἡ ἄποιος ὕλη περιλειφθεῖσα ἐν τῷ περιπολεῖν

The Nature of Opportunity and the Fullness of Sin§66

66He works the corruption of the earth. For this made men blameless, if the inability to be adorned toward God worked a sorrow; but the hardship of ways is shown through the corruption of the earth, just as it was foretold, of men corrupting the way of God, which had taken hold to prosper toward blessedness. Such are those having heard the words of Jesus and not doing them.

And if it also shows the flesh of man, as is often said, one should observe whether 'all flesh corrupted his way' (Ps 145:17) shows how each man has strayed from his own opinion. But that flesh is said instead of man is clear from 'I will pour out from my spirit upon all flesh' (Isa 44:3), and 'He will judge all flesh' (Isa 40:6). Therefore all those of the generation of Noah, having become earthly and fleshy, each strayed from 'his way' (Gen 6:11) which he had received; for the way is called to be received of him and to be given to God. Thus they corrupted their own way or the way of God; for both are possible.

And God said to Noah: 'The time of every man comes against me, because the earth was filled with injustice from them' (Gen 6:11). Many of the written things have a more useful history for the many. For these, living by sensation and glory, do not reach the truly great and profitable things. And let the said thing be upon an example.

Jesus healed a blind man from birth, and Lazarus, having had four days in the tomb, he brought out by command alone, and again the one in the cave, remaining in much decay, he raised. These things were for the sensible fulfillment and were symbolic: the one healing the blind from birth showing the sight of a soul that had never seen, because it had been overturned in sin and ignorance from soft nails, and again the one already pathless and having lost hope, having fallen from the blessed life, was shown symbolically coming back to it through Jesus, and the one seized by decay, then having been saved, testified to the return of a soul falling into insensibility. But these are more wonderful and greater than the healing of bodies, since the essence of the soul is more precious than the body, but which the many do not know. He, therefore, explaining the paradoxes thus to them, makes it more useful, and in the things now set forth of the history...

It also has a more useful benefit for the many. For what does he say? 'The opportunity for every man has come upon the earth' (Luke 19:44). And Peter also says that by the patience of God the deluge was delayed, so that repentance might be given.

For it has been revealed that the construction of the ark took place in a hundred years, so that seeing men and inquiring about the cause might take the opportunity for repentance. But opportunity here must not be thought of as being called by someone a time-keeper; for not fate holds sway over things, but everything happens by the will of God.

Therefore, it should be understood that 'the opportunity for every man has come upon the earth' means the almost-fullness of the sinning men, by which the bringing on of vengeance must be approached, as it is said: 'For the iniquities of the Amorites are not yet full unto this time' (Gen 15:16), instead of saying 'they have not sinned so much that their repentance be known.' For God does not bring wrath upon every single day, even though sins are being committed; rather, He does this by providing a place for repentance and giving the opportunity to recognize their own sinning; but when thus the things concerning them are completed so that they no longer have opportunity to recognize their sin, the time has come for them to suffer.

And once the mention of the filling up of sin has occurred, this is to be noted: that it is not the same to fill up sins in one man and in a whole nation. For among the many, all sins are found to be present, such as one being unmanageable and another being spared, one being bold and another cowardly, and again one being licentious and another being foolish; but for one man, it is impossible to find these opposing vices in excess and deficiency. For it is possible for all virtues to be in a man, for they follow one another, but the vices are not so, because of the things previously mentioned.

And these things being a digression, let us return to the beginning: 'The opportunity for every man has come.' No one has such sins that they might be forgiven him; and just as an excellent physician, even if it happens at night, sets a time for the sick to receive nourishment according to the state of the disease, so also is the present thing being said. For when men have reached the extremity of sin, through which the deluge is brought, this happens.

Greek · §66

φθορὰν τῆς γῆς ἐργάζεται· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀμέμπτους ἐποίει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, εἰ τὸ μὴ δυνηθὲν διακοσμηθῆναι πρὸς Θεοῦ τὴν λύμην εἰργάζετο· ἀλλὰ τρόπων μοχθηρία διὰ τῆς φθορᾶς τῆς γῆς δηλοῦται, καθὰ καὶ προείρηται, τῶν ἀνθρώπων διαφθειράντων τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἣν ἐπὶ τῷ εὐοδεύειν ἐπὶ μακαριότητα εἰλήφεσαν. Τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀκούσαντες τοὺς Ἰησοῦ λόγους καὶ μὴ ποιήσαντες. Εἰ δὲ καὶ σάρκα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὡς πολλαχοῦ εἴρηται, δηλοῖ, σκοπητέον μὴ τὸ "6Κατέφθειρεν πᾶσα σὰρξ τὴν 168 ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ"6 δηλοῖ ὡς ἕκαστος ἄνθρωπος διεστράφη ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκείας γνώμης. Ὅτι δὲ ἡ σὰρξ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου λέγεται, σαφὲς ἐκ τοῦ "6Ἐκχέω ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα"6, καὶ "6Κρίνεται αὐτὸς πρὸς πᾶσαν σάρκα"6. Ὅλοι οὖν οἱ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Νῶε γενεὰν γήϊνοι καὶ σάρκινοι γεγενημένοι διέστρεψαν "6τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ"6 ἕκαστος, ἣν παρείληφεν· οὕτω γὰρ τῷ μὲν δεδέχθαι αὐτοῦ, τῷ δὲ δεδόσθαι Θεοῦ ἡ ὁδὸς λέγεται. Κατέφθειραν οὖν τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὁδὸν ἢ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀμφοτέρως γὰρ οἷόν τε. ῃι, 13. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ 69 Θεὸς πρὸς Νῶε· Καιρὸς παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκει ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ, ὅτι ἐπλήσθη ἡ γῆ ἀδικίας ἀπ' αὐτῶν. Πολλὰ τῶν γεγραμμένων ὠφελιμωτέραν ἔχει τὴν ἱστορίαν τοῖς πολλοῖς. Οὗτοι γὰρ αἰσθήσει καὶ δόξῃ ζῶντες οὐκ ἐφικνοῦνται τῶν ἀληθῶς μεγάλων καὶ ἐπωφελῶν. Καὶ ἔστω ἐπὶ παραδείγματος τὸ λεγόμενον. Τυφλὸν ἀπὸ γενετῆς Ἰησοῦς ἰάσατο καὶ Λάζαρον τέσσαρας ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ μνημείῳ ἔχοντα ἐξήγαγεν προστάξει μόνῃ, καὶ πάλιν τὸν ἐν ˉλˉη ἔτεσιν ἐν πολλῇ παρέσει μένοντα ἤγειρεν. Ταῦτα δὲ πρὸς τῷ αἰσθητῶς πληροῦσθαι καὶ συμβολικὰ ἦσαν, τοῦ μὲν ἀπὸ γενετῆς τυφλοῦ δηλοῦντος ἀνάβλεψιν ψυχῆς μηδέποτε βλεψάσης διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἁπαλῶν ὀνύχων ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ καὶ ἀγνοίᾳ ἀνατετρᾶφθαι, καὶ πάλιν ὁ ἤδη ὀδωδὼς καὶ ἀπεγνωσμένην ἔχων τὴν ἐλπίδα, ἐκπεσών τε τῆς μακαρίας ζωῆς, ἐπ' αὐτὴν διὰ Ἰησοῦ συμβολικῶς ἐλθὼν ἐδείκνυτο, καὶ ὁ παρέσει δὲ κατειλημμένος εἶτα σωθεὶς ἐμήνυεν ψυχῆς εἰς ἀναισθησίαν πεσούσης ἐπι- στροφήν. Θαυμασιώτερα δὲ ταῦτα καὶ μείζονα τῆς σωμάτων ἰάσεως, ὅσῳ καὶ ἡ ψυχῆς οὐσία τιμιωτέρα σώματος, ἀλλ' ὅπερ οἱ πολλοὶ ἀγνοοῦσιν. Ὁ οὖν τὰ παράδοξα οὕτως αὐτοῖς διηγούμενος ὠφελιμώτερον ποιεῖ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς νῦν συνεκτεθεῖσιν τὰ τῆς 169 ἱστορίας πολλὴν καὶ εὐσυνοπτοτέραν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἔχει τὴν ὠφελίαν. Τί γάρ φησιν; "6Καιρὸς παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6, λέγει δὲ καὶ ὁ Πέτρος μακροθυμίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπῆχθαι τὸν κατακλυσμόν, ἵνα μετάνοια δοθῇ. Προδεδήλωται γὰρ ὅτι ἐν ἑκατὸν ἔτεσιν ἐγίνετο τὸ τῆς κιβωτοῦ κατασκεύασμα, ἵνα ὁρῶντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ πυνθανόμενοι τὴν αἰτίαν λάβωσιν καιρὸν μετανοίας. Καιρὸν δὲ ἐνταῦθα οὐ δεῖ νομίζειν τὸν παρά τισιν ὡροσκόπον καλούμενον· οὐδὲ γὰρ εἱμαρμένη κρατεῖ τῶν πραγμάτων, ἀλλὰ ψήφῳ Θεοῦ πάντα γίνεται. ∆ιόπερ ἡγητέον τὸ "6Καιρὸς παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6 σημαίνειν τὴν ὡσανεὶ συμπλήρωσιν τῶν ἡμαρτημένων ἀνθρώποις, καθ' ἣν ἡ τῆς ἐκδικίας ἐπαγωγὴ προσάγεσθαι ὀφείλει, καθὸ λέγεται· "6Οὔπω γὰρ ἀναπεπληρῶνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῶν Ἀμαρραίων ἕως τοῦ νῦν"6 ἀντὶ τοῦ οὔπω τοσαῦτα ἥμαρτον ὡς ἀπογνωσθῆναι αὐτῶν τὴν μετάνοιαν. Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ὀργὴν ἐπάγει ὁ Θεὸς καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, καίτοι ἁμαρτημάτων γινομένων, τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖ τόπον μετανοίας παρέχων καὶ διδοὺς καιρὸν τοῦ καταγνῶναι ἑαυτῶν τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας· ὅταν δὲ οὕτω συνετελεσθῇ τὰ κατ' αὐτοὺς ὡς μηκέτι ἔχειν καιρὸν τοῦ μεταγνῶναι, καιρὸς ἦλθεν τοῦ παθεῖν αὐτούς. Ἅπαξ δὲ ὑπομνήσεως γεγενημένης τοῦ ἀναπληροῦσθαι ἁμαρτίας, τοῦτο σημειωτέον, ὅτι οὐ ταὐτὸν ἕνα πληροῦσθαι ἄνθρωπον ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ ὅλον λαόν· ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς πολλοῖς πάσας ἐγχωρεῖ τὰς ἁμαρτίας εὑρίσκεσθαι, ὡς τὸν μὲν φέρε ἄσωτον εἶναι, τὸν δὲ φειδωλόν, καὶ τὸν μὲν θρασύν, τὸν δὲ δειλόν, καὶ πάλιν τὸν μὲν ἀκόλαστον, τὸν 170 δὲ ἠλίθιον· περὶ ἕνα δὲ ἄνθρωπον τὰς ἐναντίας ταύτας κακίας, ὑπερβολὰς οὔσας καὶ ἐλλείψεις, εὑρίσκεσθαι ἀδύνα- τον. Πάσας μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ τὰς ἀρετὰς εἶναι δυνατόν, ἀλλήλαις γὰρ ἀντακολουθοῦσιν, τὰς δὲ κακίας οὐχ οἷόν τε διὰ τὰ προειρημένα. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὡς παρεκβάσει, ἐπανελθῶμεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς· "6Καιρὸς παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκει"6. Οὐδεὶς τοιαῦτα ἁμαρτήματα ἔχει ὡς συγχωρηθῆναι αὐτῷ· καὶ ὥσπερ ἄριστος ἰατρὸς καιρὸν τοῦ τροφὴν δέξασθαι τὸν κάμνοντα, κἂν ἐν νυκτὶ γίνηται, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ νοσήματος τοιάνδε κατάστασιν τίθεται, οὕτω καὶ τὸ νῦν λεγόμενον. Τοιῶσδε γὰρ ἐχόντων τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς εἰς ἔσχατον ἁμαρτίας ἥκειν, δι' ἃς ὁ κατακλυσμὸς ἐπάγεται, γίνεται τοῦτο

Divine Will and the Ark§67

67They act without being recognized. It is not necessary to suppose it is a lie that the time of every man has come, even if eight were saved in the ark; for here the general has been taken instead of 'for the most part'.

If, however, the 'every man' says, 'For where are strife and jealousy among you, are you not men?' (James 3:16), Noah is not subject to this by surpassing the human condition; and thus it is true that the time of every man has come, according to that which is called to sin in this way. Nor is 'against me' added in vain; for no mortal possesses the knowing of the time, by which one might have worthily acted so that the rest might have been made known. For this indeed no mortal truly knows; for if he were knowing the hearts, he would not even have helped by quickly turning back those who had come into sin.

For the only thing belonging to the unexceedable goodness, the goodness of essence which is not diminished, is to see the hidden and to know the time. If even someone of mortals participates in goodness from God by disposition, yet he is ignorant of the impositions of sins and the causes, just as God, knowing all, knows the time of the reprimand, therefore it is said 'against me' and 'because the earth was filled with injustice from them'. It is fitting that this too is said; for punishment does not come upon them because of the sins of others. It is also evident from this that such a death did not come upon them by fate; for since he says 'the earth was filled with injustice from them', the time has come, which would not have been established, unless they were sinning.

Yes, and behold, 'I will destroy them and the earth' (Jonah 3:4). The philanthropy and goodness of God are shown through these by foretelling what is to come, so that by the fear of what is expected, he might restrain the evil, which also happened to the Ninevites upon hearing the prophet Jonah: 'In three days Nineveh shall be overthrown' (Jonah 3:4). Consequently, too, to the righteous man he foretells these things and pre-arranges the making of the ark, putting forward this construction more clearly for the sake of every proclamation toward repentance, and he promises to destroy them and the earth, since it was necessary for this. For there are many reprimands given by God for the sake of the recognition of sins occurring; he wants...

For he says that he wished to gather all men into the knowledge of truth, as a bird gathers its young under its wings, but you did not wish to (Matt 23:37). For necessity does not force the good to become so, nor is it possible; for such a thing is no longer good. But when God, knowing all things, after many admonitions finds those whom he admonishes not obeying, he destroys them, according to what is profitable for his judgment. And the earth is also destroyed—that is, the things in the earth—for this is what 'the earth' signifies appropriately; for the things of men perishing, it was necessary for the things standing through them to pass away also. Just as the birds were left behind through Noah and those with him, and likewise the birds of all other animals were left behind.

Make for yourself an ark of squared timber; you shall make an ark for the sick; and you shall make it secure inside and outside with pitch (Gen 6:14). And so you shall make the ark: three hundred cubits the length of the ark, and fifty cubits the breadth, and thirty cubits its height. You shall make the ark by gathering pieces together, and you shall complete it one cubit by one cubit upward; and you shall make the door of the ark on the side. Make for it two or three decks. And I, behold, I bring the flood upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, in which is the spirit of life under heaven; and whatever is on the earth shall perish (Gen 6:17).

The phrase 'of squared timber' has the greater following, being commanded to make Noah's ark, first so that much time would not be consumed in dividing them, and secondly, which is more truthful, so that being made from whole timbers it might be more secure; for it was going to encounter storms and not a small gale, against which it would not have withstood if it had not been constructed from whole timbers. And 'the sick' is also useful, which are divided places, because of these two things: first, so that the habitation of the animals, which he was going to bring with him, would not be mixed, and second, for the joining of the construction; it is weaker...

Greek · §67

ἀσυγγνώστατα πράττουσιν. Οὐ δεῖ δὲ οἴεσθαι ψεῦδος εἶναι τὸ καιρὸν παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκειν, εἰ καὶ ὀκτὼ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ διεσώθησαν· ἐνταῦθα γὰρ τὸ καθόλου ἀντὶ τοῦ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον εἴληπται. Εἰ δὲ κατὰ τὸ "6Ὅπου γὰρ ἔρις καὶ ζῆλος ἐν ὑμῖν, οὐχὶ ἄνθρωποί ἐστε"6 λέγει τὸ "6παντὸς ἀνθρώπου"6, οὐχ ὑπόκειται ὁ Νῶε τούτῳ ὑπερβαίνων τὴν ἀνθρώπου κατάστασιν· καὶ οὕτως ἀληθὲς τὸ παντὸς 70 ἀνθρώπου καιρὸν ἥκειν, τοῦ κατὰ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν οὕτω καλουμένου. Οὐδὲ <ματαίως> καὶ τὸ "6ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ"6 πρόσκειται· οὐδενὸς γὰρ γενητοῦ ὑπάρχει τὸ γνῶναι καιρόν, καθ' ὃν ἄξια πεποίηκέν τις τοῦ λοιπὸν ἀπογνωσθῆναι. Καὶ τοῦτό γε δεόντως οὐδεὶς οἶδεν γενητός· εἰ γὰρ ἐγίγνωσκον τὰς καρδίας, οὐδ' ἂν ἐβοήθουν ἀποστρεφόμενοι ταχέως τοὺς ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ γεγενημένους. Μόνης γὰρ τῆς ἀγαθότητός ἐστιν τῆς ἀνυπερβλήτου, τῆς κ[α]τ' οὐσίαν ἀγαθότητος 171 τῆς μὴ μειουμένης, καὶ ὁρᾶν τὸ κρυπτὸν καὶ τὸν καιρὸν εἰδέναι. Εἰ δὲ καί τις γενητῶν ἐκ Θεοῦ μ[ε]τέχει ἀγαθό- τητος κατὰ διάθεσιν, ἀλλ' οὖν τὰς ἐπιβολὰ[ς] τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ τὰς αἰτίας ἀγνοεῖ, ἅσπερ πάσας εἰδὼς ὁ Θεὸς τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἐπιτιμίας γιγνώσκει, διὸ εἴρηται "6ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ"6 καὶ "6ὅτι ἐπλήσθη ἡ γῆ ἀδικίας ἀπ' αὐ- τῶν"6. Εἰκότως δὲ καὶ τοῦτο εἴρηται· οὐ γὰρ ἄ[λ]λων ἁμαρτόντων ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἡ τιμωρία ἔρχεται. ∆ῆ[λο]ν δὲ καὶ ἐκ τούτου ὡς οὐχ εἱμαρμένη αὐτοῖς ἐπήνε[γ]κεν τὸν τοιοῦτον θάνατον· ἐπεὶ γὰρ "6ἐπλήσθη"6 φησὶν "6[ἡ] γῆ ἀδικίας ἀπ' αὐτῶν"6, ὁ καιρὸς ἥκει, ὅσπερ οὐκ ἂν ἐνστήσῃ, [ε]ἰ μὴ ἡμάρτανον. ῃι, 13. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐ[γὼ] κ̣[ατ]αφθείρω αὐτοὺς καὶ τὴν γῆν. Φιλανθρωπ[ία] κ̣αὶ ἀγαθότης Θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τούτων δηλοῦται προλέγοντ̣ο̣ς [τὸ] ἐσόμενον, ἵνα τῷ φόβῳ τῶν προσδοκωμένων̣ τ̣ὴ[ν] κακίαν ἀναστείλῃ, ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ Νινευειτῶν γέγονεν τοῦ προφήτου Ἰωνᾶ ἀκούσαντος· "6Ἔτι τρεῖς ἡμέραι καὶ Νινευὴ καταστραφήσεται"6. Ἀκολούθως οὖν καὶ τῷ δικαίῳ ταῦτα προλέγει καὶ προδιατάττει τὴν κιβωτὸν γενέσθαι, παντὸς κηρύγματος ἐναργέστερον πρὸς μετάνοιαν τὴν ταύτης κατασκευὴν προβαλλόμενος, φθείρειν δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ τὴν γῆν κατ- επαγγελεῖται, ἐπεὶ τούτου ἔχρῃζον. Εἴσι μὲν γὰρ ἐπιτιμίαι πολλαὶ πρὸς Θεοῦ διδό- μεναι ἐπὶ τῷ μετάγνωσιν γενέσθαι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων· θέλε[ι] γὰρ πάντας ἀνθρώπους σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν λέγων· "6Ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις ἐπισυνάγει τὰ νοσσία ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελή- 172 σατε"6. Ἀνάγκη γὰρ οὐ βιάζεται ἀγαθοὺς γενέσθαι, οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε· οὐκέτι γὰρ ἀγαθὸν τὸ τοιοῦτον. Ἐπὰν δὲ Θεὸς ὁ τὰ πάντα ἐπιστάμενος μετὰ πολλὰς τὰς νουθεσίας μὴ ἔχῃ ὑπακούοντα τὸν νουθετούμενον, τούτους, περὶ ὧν ὁ [λό]γος, καταφθείρει αὐτούς, καὶ τούτου κρίσει αὐτοῦ συμφέροντος. Συμφθείρεται δὲ καὶ ἡ γῆ–τουτέστιν τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ, τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὰ νῦν ἡ γῆ–εἰκότως· τῶν γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ἀπολλυμέν[ων], ἔδει καὶ τὰ δι' αὐτοὺς συστάντα παραπόλεσθαι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ζ[ωπύ]ρου πα<ρα>- καταλιμπανομένου διὰ τοῦ Νῶε καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐ[τ]ῷ, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων ὁμοίως ζώπυρα κατελείφθησ̣[α]ν̣. ῃι, 14–17. [Π]οίησον οὖν σεαυτῷ κιβωτὸν ἐ<κ> ξύλων τετραγώνων· ν[οσ]σ̣ι̣α`̣ς ποιήσ̣ε̣ι̣ς̣ τὴν κιβωτόν· καὶ ἀσφαλ- τώσεις αὐτὴν ἔσωθε[ν] καὶ [ἔ]ξωθεν τῇ ἀσφάλτῳ. Καὶ οὕτως ποιήσεις τὴν κιβωτό[ν]· τριακοσίων πήχεων τὸ μῆκος τῆς κιβωτοῦ καὶ πεντήκ̣[ο]ν̣τ̣[α] πήχεων τὸ πλάτος καὶ τριάκοντα πήχεων τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς. Ἐπισυνάγων ποιήσεις τὴν κιβωτὸν καὶ εἰς πῆχυν συντελέσεις αὐτὴν ἄνωθεν· τὴν δὲ θύραν τῆς κιβωτοῦ ποιήσεις ἐκ πλαγίων. Κατάγαια διώροφα καὶ τριώροφα ποιήσεις αὐτῇ. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἰδοὺ ἐπάγω τὸν κατακλυσμόν, ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καταφθεῖραι πᾶσαν σάρκα, ἐν ᾗ ἐστιν πνεῦμα ζωῆς ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ· καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν ᾖ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τελευτήσει. Πλείστην ἀκολουθίαν ἔχει τὸ ῥητόν, "6ἐκ ξύλων τετρα- γώνων"6 προσταττομένου ποιῆσαι τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Νῶε, πρῶτον μὲν ἵνα μὴ καὶ πολὺς χρόνος καταναλίσκηται εἰς διαίρεσιν α̣υ᾿̣τ̣ω῀̣ν̣, ἔπειτα, ὅπερ καὶ ἀληθέστερόν ἐστιν, ἵν' ἐξ ὁλοκλή[ρ]ω̣ν ξ̣υ´̣λ̣ω̣ν̣ γινομένη ἀσφαλεστέρα τυγχάνῃ· ἔμελλεν γὰρ καὶ ὄρεσιν προσπελάζειν καὶ ζάλην οὐ μικρὰν ὑφίστασθαι, πρὸς ἅπερ οὐκ ἂν <ἀν>τεῖχεν, εἰ μὴ 173 ἐξ ὁλοκλήρων ξύλων κατεσκεύαστο. Χρησίμως̣ δὲ καὶ "6νοσσιὰς"6 γενέσθαι προστάττει, αἵπερ εἰσὶν χῶραι διῃρη- μέναι, δύο τούτων ἕνεκεν, πρός τε τὸ μὴ ἀναμὶξ εἶναι τὴν τῶν ζῴων [δι]ατριβήν, ὧν ἔμελλεν εἰσάγειν 71 μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ πρὸς τὸ σύνδ[ε]σιν εἶναι τοῦ κατασκευάσματος· ἀσθενέστερον

The Utility of Divine Words vs. Idle Speech§68

68For it was—if fifty in width, three hundred in length, and thirty cubits in height—existing as an unconnected thing. It was well-sealed both outside and inside to prevent water from entering toward nothingness.

And indeed, the fact that the length was greater than the width was good; for in this way it was easy to move, since even the boats are in proportion to this shape. And if someone were to say that it became square underneath, this is not without truth; for it was made not for sailing previously, but for guarding, and for this reason it became so; otherwise it would have been quickly worn down, if it were not square. And it was joined together appropriately, so that the influx of the waters might have a sliding effect and not, as if against rock, throw the waves upward everywhere by its height. And the making of the door on the sides was appropriately arranged.

The dwellings were constructed appropriately so as to endure all the animals being brought in, both those and those for food. And the passage, 'But I, even I, bring a flood upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven; whatever is on the earth shall perish' (Genesis 6:17), is indeed awakening, as previously stated, and shows that both those on the earth and those in the air shall perish; for perhaps the aquatic ones were saved. And 'I establish my covenant with you' (Genesis 9:9). The covenant made by God with Noah does not appear to be an alliance, as Symmachus and Aquila interpreted. Perhaps so that He might not despise the words, the future was revealed to Noah, so that he might be hopeful concerning the things to come and might instruct, and his own generation, as 'God brought these things upon them because of sins; and you are being saved through righteousness' (Genesis 6:13), so that the shame of wickedness might be shown and the attraction of virtue; not as virtue exists as a pleasant wage, but because the diligent one, not being subject to the manner of punishment, does not rest from it. And 'I establish' shows the stability here. If you, your sons, your wife, and the wives of your sons enter into the ark (Genesis 7:7). The Savior in the Gospel said—

Regarding every idle word, men will give an account on the day of judgment; but an idle word is useless and having nothing beneficial. If this is not presented as a burden to men, much more do the divine words not contain such a thing, but everything is brought forth usefully in them, and we have seen this from the things set forth.

When entering the ark, Noah arranged the sons, and to the wife the wives of his sons; and when the time for going out into the earth remained, the flooding having ceased, the saying is noted thus: 'And God said to Noah: You and your wife and your sons and the wives of your sons come out of the ark' (Gen 7:7). For it was proper, since the corruption of men was about to happen, that the righteous should not be without companions, so as to use the married ones. Therefore he separated the wives of the men, saying: 'Let in you and your sons and your wife and the wives of your sons' (Gen 8:18); but when it was received that the succession was about to be restored again, he gave to Noah the wife, saying: 'Come out, you and your wife and your sons and the wives of your sons' (Gen 8:18).

And that because of custom it was not spoken appropriately, but with observation, it is possible to say, and to believe the Gospel, it having been said by the Savior: 'No one is able to serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other; you cannot serve God and mammon' (Matt 6:24). And it is clear that the love of money is the slavery of mammon, and it is upon every evil. For it is in no way possible to serve both evil and virtue; for the one doing sin is a slave of sin, and everyone who does sin hates the evil things. For those who love God hate the evil things. 'For either he will hate the one and love the other'—for the virtuous one loves God and hates evil—'or he will hold to the one and despise the other,' which is precisely said; for he said 'to hold against' the evil, not 'to love' it. For no one with love toward...

Greek · §68

γὰρ ἦν, εἰ πεν[τ]ήκοντα τὸ πλάτος καὶ τριακοσίων τὸ μῆκος καὶ τὸ ὕψος τριά[κ]οντα πηχῶν ὑπάρχον ἀσύνδετον ἔμενεν. Ἀσφαλτοῦτ[αί τ]ε καὶ ἔξωθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν πρὸς τὸ μηδεμίαν παρείσ[δυ]σιν ὕδα[τος] γενέσθαι. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ εἶναι τὸ μῆκος τοῦ πλάτους μ̣[εῖ]ζον· οὕτ[ω γὰρ] εὐκίνητον ἦν, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ σκάφη ταύτης εἰσὶ τῆς τοῦ σχήμα[τος ἀ]ναλογίας. Εἰ δ' ὅτι τετράγωνος κάτωθεν γέγονέν τις λέ[γοι, καὶ] τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπεικότως· ἐπεὶ γὰρ οὐκ εἰς τὸ πλεῖν προηγ̣ο̣υμέ[νως ἀ]λλ' εἰς τὸ φυλάττειν ἐγίνετο, διὰ τοῦτο οὕτως γέγονεν· ἄ[λ]λως [τ]ε καὶ κατεποντοῦτο τάχεως, εἰ μὴ τετράγωνος ἦν. Ἐπισυνη[γ]μένη δὲ οἰκείως ἐγίνετο, ἵνα ἡ τῶν ὑδάτων ἐπιφορὰ ἔχ[ῃ τὸ]ν ὄλισθον καὶ μὴ καθάπερ εἰς πέτραν πάντοθεν ἔχουσαν ὕψος προσαράττῃ τὰ κύματα. Καὶ τὸ τὴν θύραν δὲ ἐκ πλαγίων γε[ν]έσθαι ἐπιτηδείως προσ- ετάττετο *** (2 λιγνες εν βλανξ̣ "6Κατάγαια"6 δὲ "6διώροφα καὶ τριώροφα"6 οἰκείως κατεσκευάζετο πρὸς τὸ διαρκέσαι πάντα τὰ εἰσαγόμενα ζῷά τε καὶ τὰ πρὸς τροφὴν τούτω̣ν̣. Τὸ δὲ "6ἐγὼ δὲ ἰδοὺ ἐπάγω τὸν κατακλυσμόν, ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καταφθεῖραι πᾶσαν σάρκα ἐν ᾗ ἐστιν πνεῦμα ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, κα[ὶ ὅ]σα ἐὰν ᾖ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τελευτήσει"6 ἐστὶ μὲν καὶ διεγερτικόν, [καθὰ πρότερον] εἴρηται, δηλοῖ δὲ ὅτι τά τε ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ τὰ ἀεροπό[ρα φθαρήσετ]α̣[ι· τ]άχα γὰρ τὰ ἔνυδρα διεσῴζετο. *** (12 λιγνες εν βλανξ̣ 174 ῃι, 18. Καὶ στήσω τὴν διαθήκην μου πρὸς σέ. Οὐ φαίνεται πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Νῶε γεγενημένη δ[ια]θή[κη] ἡ συνόρκη, ὡς Σύμμαχος καὶ Ἀκύλας ἡρμή- νευσαν. Μὴ δ[ή]που καταπορῇ τοὺς λόγους, ἀπεκαλύφθη τῷ Νῶε τὸ ἐσόμε[νον, ἵνα] εὔελπις [ᾖ] περὶ τῶν μελλόντων καὶ παιδεύῃ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γενε[ὰν] ὡς "3ἁμαρτημάτων ἕνεκεν ὁ Θεὸς ταῦτα ἐπήγαγεν· καὶ ὑμεῖς διὰ δικα̣ι̣οσύνην σῴζεσθε"3, ἵνα τὸ αἶσχος τῆς κακίας ὑποδειχ[θ]ῇ καὶ [τὸ] τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐράσμιον, οὐχ ὡς τῶν ἡδέων μισθοῦ ὄ[ν]τος ἀρε̣τῆς, ἀλλ' ὅτι οὐ συναναπαύει τοῦ τρόπου τῆς κολάσεως ὁ σπουδα̣ι῀̣ος οὐχ ὑποκείμενος αὐτῇ. Τὸ δὲ "6στήσω"6 ἐνταῦθα τὸ βέβα̣ι̣ο̣ν̣ δηλοῖ. ῃι, 18. Εἰσελεύσῃ δὲ εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου και`̣ η῾̣ γ̣υ̣ν̣η´̣ σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου μετὰ σοῦ. Ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐν εὐαγγελίῳ εἶπεν περὶ παντὸς ἀργοῦ ῥήματος δ[ώσειν] ἀνθρώπους λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως, ἀργὸν δὲ ῥῆμα ἐ[··· ··· ··· ·]κον καὶ μὴ ἔχον τι ἐπωφελές· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο ἀνθρώποις π[ροσ]τ̣[άττεται] μὴ προφέρειν, πολλῷ πλέον οὐδὲ τὰ θεῖα λόγια περι[έ]χε[ι τι τοι]οῦτον, ἀλλὰ χρησίμως ἅπαντα ἐν αὐτοῖς φέρεται και̣[·]ατα̣[··] η[··]·μεν ἐκ τῶν ἐκτεθέντων. Εἰσερχομένῳ 175 εἰς τὴν κ[ι]βω[τὸν] [τ]ῷ Νῶε τοὺς υἱοὺς συνέταξεν, καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ τὰς γυναῖκας τῶν υ̣ι῾̣ω῀̣ν· ὅτε δὲ [λ]οιπὸν καιρὸς τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν γῆν, παυσαμένου τοῦ κ[α]τακλυσμοῦ, ἐπισημαίνεται τὸ λόγιον οὕτως· "6[Κα]ὶ εἶπεν ὁ [Θ]εὸς τῷ Νῶε· Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ σὺ καὶ ἡ γυνή [σου κ]αὶ οἱ υἱ[οί σ]ου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου μετὰ σοῦ"6. Ἔπρ[ε]π[εν] γάρ, με[λλο]ύσης φθορᾶς ἀνθρώπων γίνεσθαι, μὴ ἀσυμπαθε[ῖς] γενέσθαι τ[οὺς] δικαίους, ὥστε τοῖς γαμικοῖς ἀδέως χρᾶσθαι. ᾿Ε̣χ̣ώρισεν ο[ὖν τ]ὰς γυναῖκας τῶν ἀνδρῶν λέγων· "6Εἰσελεύσῃ σὺ [κ]αὶ οἱ υἱοί [σου καὶ] ἡ γυνή σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου"6· ὅτε δὲ [ἐδ]έχετο [ὅτι ἔμπ]αλιν ἤμελλεν ἀποδοθῆναι ἡ διαδοχή, ἀποδέ[δω]κεν, ὡ[ς παρεθ]έμεθα, τῷ Νῶε τὴν γυναῖκα λέγων· "6Ἔξελθε σὺ [κ]αὶ ἡ γυνή [σου, οἱ υἱοί] σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου"6. Καὶ ὅτι δι' ἔθους [οὐκ] ἐ´̣φη ε[ἰκαίως, ἀ]λλὰ μετὰ παρατηρήσεως, λέγειν ἔστιν, καὶ [τὸ ε]ὐαγγ[έλιον π]ιστώσασθαι, εἰρημένου πρὸς τοῦ Σωτῆρος· "6Οὐδεὶς [δύν]α̣ται δ[υσὶ κυρίοι]ς δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τ[ὸν ἕτερ]ον ἀγ[απήσει] ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου κατα[φρονήσει]· οὐ δ[ύνασθ]ε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ"6. Καὶ δηλο[νότι δουλεί]α̣ τοῦ [μαμω]νᾶ ἡ φιλαργυρία, καὶ ἐπὶ πάσης δὲ κακίας [··· ··· ··]ν. Οὐ[δαμῶς] γὰρ οἷόν τε κακίᾳ καὶ ἀρετῇ δουλεύειν· ὁ γὰρ ποιῶν τ]ὴν [ἁμαρτ]ίαν 72 δοῦλός ἐστι τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ πᾶσα με[····· ··· ··· ···]ωντα μισεῖν τὰ πονηρά. Οἱ γὰρ ἀγαπῶντε[ς ··· ··· ··· ·· μ]ισεῖται πονηρά. "6Ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τ[ὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει"6] –ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ Θεὸν ὁ ἐνάρετος μισῶν τὴν κακί[αν–"6ἢ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθέ]ξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει"6, ὅπερ [··· ··· ··· ··] ἀκριβῶς εἴρηται· τὸ γὰρ ἀντέχεσθαι εἶπεν [ἐπὶ τῆς κακία]ς, οὐ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀγάπῃ τῇ πρὸς [··]α[···

Noah's righteousness and the significance of numbers§69

69He does not act, but having slipped, he holds on; and he is not said to hate God, but to despise Him. Therefore, the dwelling place of the word is this: for the diligent, to be loved by God; for wickedness, to be hated; and again, for wickedness, to hold on to the worthless person, and for God, to be despised by such a person.

For no one is ever said to despise someone of sin or to hate God, even if the worthless ones, having leaned toward wickedness for a moment, are said to hate God according to: 'Lord, did I not hate those whom you hate?' (Psalm 43:22). But the Lord does not do this, but, having slipped, as it was said, he is said to hate. And to despise is the most important of such precision and observation, according to what is said again by the Savior: 'Whoever confesses me before men, I will confess him also' (Matthew 10:32)—not 'in me' he said, 'but I will deny him' (Matthew 10:33). For the one confessing God in Christ does this, but the one denying does not do this in Christ. Therefore, the confession must be in Him.

It has been said that confession is to those who are not such, but only to those saying it with words: 'They profess God, but their works deny Him' (Titus 1:16), and 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me' (Isaiah 29:13). For in the one confessing, the one being confessed is present, and the one confessing is in the one being confessed. But let no one think the same regarding 'I am in the Father and the Father is in me' (John 14:10); for the one signifies union, the other signifies being in the one being confessed, as is shown in 'whoever confesses in me,' where 'I will confess him also' is not changed—for God does not partake of man—but it signifies a judgment from God.

Not of the one confessing. Thus also it has been said concerning the sons of Noah and him and his wife and his sons, but as we have well observed: 'Enter, you and your sons with you' (Gen 7:1). For not he through them, but they through him and the benefit from him were saved. And this is confirmed by what is coming in the next, the saying of God to Noah: 'Because I saw you righteous before me in this generation' (Gen 6:9). For the greatness of his soul is shown by the 'righteous,' since it is not simply testified, but before God.

Regarding verse 19: And from all animals and from all flesh, two by two from all (Gen 7:2). If someone, aiming at the natures of numbers and knowing that the seven in the Scriptures has many prefigurations remembered, and the two is appropriate to the matter, as was said before, will understand how he arranged the number seven among the clean in the following, but the two among the unclean even now; and he will also seek how, even before the law was given concerning clean and unclean, the two is said, lest someone might argue that to the righteous was fore-seen the scientific arrangement of the law. And he also will provide how one man is so powerful over such animals as to even bring them into the ark; let him hear that it is given to the righteous to fulfill the command through God's cooperation, and nothing is improbable regarding what is said by God and the wild animals. And if even to the foremost of the apostles, Peter, in the vessel like a mirror of all animals, the images were made manifest, what is improbable if God brought together them because a world is to be made again, when he commands the righteous the bringing in of these, so that from them also a succession of generations might come after these things.

Regarding verses 19–20: 'You shall enter into the ark, so that you may nourish with you male...'

Greek · §69

··· ··]ην ἐνεργεῖ, ἀλλ' ὀλισθήσας ἀντέχεται, οὐδὲ [μ]ισ[εῖν λέ]γεται τὸν Θεόν, ἀλλὰ κατα- φρονεῖν· διόπερ τὸ οἰκεῖ[ον ··· ···]ενι μὲν ῥῆμα, τῷ 176 μὲν Θεῷ τὸ ἀγαπᾶσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ σπουδαίου, τῇ δὲ κακίᾳ τὸ μισεῖσθαι, καὶ πάλιν τῇ μὲν κα̣κίᾳ τὸ ἀντέχεσθαι αὐτῆς τὸν ἐνεχόμενον φα[ῦ]λον, τῷ δε`̣ Θ̣ε̣ῷ τὸ καταφρονεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ τοιούτου. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ εἴ[πο]ι ἄν ποτε̣ κ̣αταφρονεῖν τινα τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἢ μισεῖν τὸν Θεό[ν], εἰ καὶ πρὸς [ἐ]πί- πληξιν οἱ φαῦλοι διὰ τὸ ῥοπὴν ἐσχηκέν[αι π]ρὸς κακ[ίαν μ]ισεῖν λέγονται Θεὸν κατὰ τὸ "6κύριε οὐχὶ τ[ο]ὺς μισο[ῦν- τ]άς σε ἐμίσησα;"6 οὐ γὰρ τοῦτο κυρίως ποι[εῖ, ἀ]λλ' ὀλισ[θών], ὡς ἐλέχθη, μισεῖν λέγεται. Τὸ δὲ κατα[φρον]εῖν κυριώτατον τοιαύτης ἀκριβείας καὶ παρατηρή[σεώς] ἐστ[ι κατὰ] τὸ λεγόμενον πάλιν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· "6Πᾶ[ς ὃς ἂ]ν ὁμολ̣ο̣γήσῃ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁμ[ολογ]ήσω κἀγ[ὼ] ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἀρνήσηται"6–οὐκ "6ἐ[ν ἐμο]ὶ"6 εἶ[πεν]–"6ἀρνήσομαι κἀγὼ αὐτόν"6· ὁ γὰρ ὁμολογ[ῶν τὸν] Θεὸν ἐν̣ [Χριστῷ] τοῦτο ποιεῖ, ὁ δὲ ἀρνούμενος οὐκ ἐν [Χριστῷ τ]οῦτο πο[ιεῖ]. ∆εῖ οὖν τὴν ὁμολογίαν ἐν αὐτῷ εἶνα[ι ··· ·]ω̣ς̣ και·[·· ··]ση πρὸς τοὺς μὴ τοιούτους, ἀλλὰ μόν[ον τοῖς] λόγο̣[ις λέ]γοντας ὁμολογεῖν εἴρηται· "6Θεὸν ὁμολ[ογοῦσι]ν εἰδ[έναι, τοῖ]ς δὲ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται"6, καὶ "6Ὁ λαὸς οὗτ[ος τοῖ]ς χείλ[εσίν με] τιμᾷ, τῇ δὲ καρδίᾳ πόρρω ἄπεστιν ἀ[π' ἐμοῦ"6· ἐν γὰρ τῷ ὁ]μολογοῦντι ὁ ὁμολογούμενός ἐστιν κ[αὶ ὁ ὁμολογῶν ἐντῷ] ὁμολο- γουμένῳ. Ἀλλὰ μη´̣ τις ταὐτὸν οἴη[ται τῷ "6ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρ]ὶ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί ἐστιν"6· τὸ μὲν γὰρ τὸ απ̣[··· ··· ··· ····]γ̣ίας δηλοῖ, τὸ δὲ τὴν ἐν τῷ ὁμολογου[μένῳ ··· ··· ·, ὅπ]ερ δηλοῦται ἐν τῷ "6πᾶς ὁστισοῦν ὁμολο[γήσῃ ἐν ἐμοί"6, τ]οῦ "6ὁμολογήσω κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ"6 οὐ μετο[··· ··· ··· ··]τος, –οὐ γὰρ Θεὸς ἀνθρώπου μετέχει, –ἀλλὰ κρίσιν [··· ··· ··· ···] ἐκ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὁμολογοῦντος. Οὕτως οὖν παρ[··· ··· ··· · εἴ]ρηται καὶ τὸ περὶ τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Νῶε καὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆ[ς γυναικὸς] αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν υἱῶν, ἀλλ' ὡς παρετηρησάμεθα κα̣λῶ[ς ··· ··· ··] 177 Εἴσελθε σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου μετὰ σοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸς δι' αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ [α]ὐτ[οὶ] δι' αὐτ[ὸ]ν καὶ τὴν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ὠφελίαν διεσώθησαν. Καὶ τοῦτ[ο βεβαι]οῦτα[ι ἐκ] τοῦ ἐν τοῖς μετέπειτα ἐπιφερομένου, λέγο[ντος τοῦ Θεο]υ῀̣ πρὸς [τὸ]ν Νῶε· "6Ὅτι σε εἶδον δίκαιον ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ ἐ[ν τῇ γεν]εᾷ ταύ[τῃ]"6. Τὸ μέγεθος γὰρ αὐτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς δηλοῦτ[αι τῷ "6δί]καιος"6, ἐ[πε]ὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς μεμαρτύρηται, ἀλλ' ἐναντίον τ[οῦ Θεοῦ]. ῃι, 19. Καὶ ἀπ[ὸ πά]ντων κτηνῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκὸς δύο δύ[ο ἀπὸ πάντ]ων. Εἰ[ς τὰς] φύσεις τῶν ἀριθμῶν τις ἀποσκοπῶν καὶ γιγ[νώσκων] ὡς [ὁ ἑπτὰ ἐν] γραφαῖς πολλὰ ἔχων προ- νόμια μνημονεύετ̣[α]ι, ὁ δὲ δύο [ἐστὶ τῇ ὕ]λῃ οἰκεῖος, καθὰ καὶ πρότερον εἴρηται, ἐπιστήσει πῶς ἐπὶ [μὲν τῶν] καθαρῶν ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς τὸν ἑπτὰ ἔταξεν ἀριθμόν, ἐπὶ δὲ [τῶν ἀκα]θάρτων καὶ νῦν τὸν δύο· ἔτι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ζητήσει πῶς, [μηδέπω] τοῦ νόμου δεδομένου περὶ καθαρῶν καὶ ἀκα[θ]άρτων, [ὁ δύο λέ]γεται, εἰ μή που ἀπολόγοιτό τις ὅτι τῷ δικαίῳ προ[εθεωρεῖ]το ἡ ἐπιστη- μονικὴ τοῦ νόμου διάταξι[ς]. Κἀκεῖ[νος π]ροσαπορῶν πῶς εἷς ἄνθρωπος τοσούτων [κτηνῶν] περι[κρατεῖ] ὥστε καὶ εἰσαγαγεῖν αὐτὰ εἰς τὴν κ[ιβωτὸν] ἀκου[έσθω ὅ]τι Θεοῦ συνεργείᾳ τῷ δικαίῳ δέδοται [τὸ ἀναπ]λη[ροῦν] τὸ πρόσταγμα, οὐδὲν δὲ ἄπιστον τὸ [ὑπὸ Θεοῦ κ]αὶ τὰ [ἄγρια] ἡμεροῦσθαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τῷ προκρίτῳ [τῶν ἀποσ]τόλων [Πέτρῳ] ἐν τῷ σκεύει τῷ ὡς ὀθόνῃ πάντων τ[ῶν ζῴ]ων αἱ εἰ[κόνες] ἐφανερώθησαν, τί ἄπιστον εἰ διὰ τὸ μέ[λλειν] παλιγ[γίνεσ]θαι κόσμον συνήργησεν, ὅτε τῷ δικαίῳ κ[ελεύε]ι τούτων [εἰσαγ]ωγήν, ἵνα καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μετὰ ταῦτα διαδ[οχὴ 73 γέ]νηται. ῃι, 19–20. [Εἰσ]άξεις εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν, ἵνα τρέφῃς μετ[ὰ σε]αυτοῦ [ἄρσ]εν

God as Provider and the Meaning of House and City§70

70And females; there shall be from the winged ones according to their kind, and from the cattle according to kind, and from all creeping things of the earth according to their kind. Two by two from all shall come in to you to be fed with you, male and female. And let one note that here 'kind' is used instead of 'species', it being said sometimes 'species' and 'kind'. Gap And you shall take to yourself from all the foods that you eat, and you shall gather to yourself, and there shall be for you and for them to eat.

It is to be supposed for the righteous man not only to think of himself and those with him, but also of the speechless, for he rightly pities the souls of his animals. Regarding 'gathering to yourself', it has a remark that in the places where you live, and other animals do not approach, gather the foods; for if they lay in those places, they were working out their need by greedily attacking the foods.

And Noah did all that the Lord God commanded him, so he did. It is praiseworthy when done with understanding, a reliable one capable of judging rightly says, 'that he did thus as the one who commanded had instructed him'; for this is the virtue of the action. For there was once gap not indeed thus as he was commanded; for gap to the showing of the action gap of the disposition, not the manner which is gap. Every action not occurring with the proper calculation is incomplete, even if the result becomes perfect; and the righteous is testified to as having also done gap.

For this also the Savior instructs, saying, 'Have mercy and you shall be shown mercy' (Luke 6:36), but he intends that mercy should not come through pitying, which is not to be a merchant or to play with the needs of the suffering; for they say, 'Become perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect' (Matthew 5:48); for God is giving of Himself and not receiving from another; so also you, zeal for the giving, just as the blessed Paul also leaves it: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' (Acts 20:35). For the one receiving does not imitate the...

God is not one who receives anything from anyone, but is the provider of all good things. Thus, the imitator of God gives. As it is written, 'And the Lord God said to Noah: Enter, you and all your household, into the ark, because I have seen you righteous before me in this generation' (Gen 7:1).

In this way it appears that the whole house consisted of only the eight; for they did not bring a healer unless it was to prevent men from being lost or because of the being of such people. Therefore, a house is called here the kinship within the eight, for often such a name is shared by those who are of the same kind, especially regarding the one having been built. The same thing you would find regarding a city.

For it is said in the Gospel, 'And he led him' (meaning Jesus), 'to the brow of the mountain, where their city was built' (Matt 13:52), signifying now the name of the city that was constructed and built; and in 'And when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred' (Matt 21:10), the gathering of the people is signified by the city. And again, in 'Jesus began to upbraid the cities in which most of his powers had come to pass, because they did not repent' (Luke 19:43), this signifies: for repentance does not happen in non-living things or material things; whereas the name of the house signifies the building in 'This is this house...' text gapped.

...the assembly, the gathering, if it is said... the royal, and the jailer, and the house. He says the reason for entering the ark was 'because I saw you righteous before me' (Gen 7:1). He did not say simply 'because I saw you'—for Abel was righteous and Enoch, whose hope was 'to call upon the name of the Lord God' (Heb 11:6)—but 'because I saw you righteous before me in this generation,' making it clear. It is not merely presented that because of his virtue and his children participating in it they were saved, but, as previously foretold, the generation signifies the likeness, just as we have set forth also in the cases of those who perished. It also signifies the generation of the same manner, to say 'all righteous blood shed upon the earth from the...'

Greek · §70

καὶ θῆλυ· ἔσονται ἀπὸ τῶν πετει- νῶ[ν κα]τὰ γένος [καὶ] ἀπὸ τῶν κτηνῶν κατὰ γένος καὶ ἀπὸ [πάν]των ἑρπε[τῶν] τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος αὐτῶν. 178 [∆ύο δ]ύο ἀπὸ πάντων εἰσ[ελεύσον]ται πρὸς σὲ τρέφεσθαι μετὰ σοῦ ἄρσεν καὶ θῆ[λυ. Λεκτ]έον δὲ ὅτι ἐνταῦθα τὸ γένος ἀντὶ τοῦ εἴδου[ς ἐστίν], λεγομένου ποτὲ τοῦ εἴδους καὶ γένους. Καὶ π[··· ···]εξω *** (17 λιγνες εν βλανξ̣ ῃι, 21. [Σ]ὺ δὲ λήμψῃ̣ [σεαυ]τ̣ῷ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν βρωμάτων ἃ ἔδεσθε, καὶ σ[υνάξ]εις πρὸς σεαυτόν, καὶ ἔσται σοι κἀ[κείν]οι̣ς φαγ̣ε̣ι῀̣[ν]. [···]·ητ··[··· ··]α ὑποτίθεσθαι τῷ δικαίῳ οὐ μόνον ἑαυτ̣ο̣υ῀̣ κ̣[αὶ τῶ]ν σὺν αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων φρονῆ- σαι· δικα[ίως] γὰρ οἰκτείρει ψυχὰς κτηνῶν αὐτοῦ. Το`̣ δ̣ὲ "6πρὸς [σεα]υτὸν συνάξεις"6 παρατήρησιν ἂν ἔχοι ὅτι 179 ἐν οἷς [σὺ] διαιτᾷ καταγωγίοις, καὶ ἄλλα ζῷα οὐ πλησιάζει, συνάγαγε τὰς τροφάς· εἰ γὰρ [ἐν τοῖς ἐ]κείν[ων] τόποις ἀπέκειντο, ἀφειδῶς ἐπιβαί[νοντα ταῖς] τρο[φα]ῖς ἔνδειαν αὐτῶν ἐργάζοντο *** (13 λιγνες εν βλανξ̣ ῃι, 22. [Καὶ ἐπο]ίησεν Νῶε πάντα ὅσα ἐνετείλατ[ο αὐτῷ] Κύριος [ὁ Θεός], οὕτως ἐποίησεν. [Μέγας] ἔπαινός ἐστιν, ὅταν, ἐπιστήμονο[ς ποιή]σαν- [τος, εἰ]πῇ τις ἀξιόπιστος καὶ ὀρθῶς κρίνε[ιν δυνά]μενος [ὅτι οὕ]τως ἐποίησεν ὡς ὁ προστάξας ὑπέθ[ηκεν α]ὐτῷ· [ἀρετῆ]ς γὰρ αὕτη ἡ πρᾶξις. Ἔστιν γάρ ποτε[ ··· ··]···· ··· ··]ιν μὴ μὴν οὕτως ὡς προσέταξεν· τὸ γὰ[ρ ··· ·] ··· ···· ·]ν̣ην πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τὴν πρᾶξι[ν ··· ·]··· · σ[··]θ̣αι τῆς διαθέσεως, οὐχ ὃν δεῖ τρόπον ἔχ[···]κα···τος. Πᾶ[σ]α πρᾶξις μὴ μετὰ τοῦ πρέποντος λογισ[μοῦ] γινομένη [ἀ]τελής ἐστι, κἂν τὸ ἀποτέλεσμα γίνη̣[ται] τε´̣λειο̣ν, μ[αρ]τυρεῖται δὲ ὁ δίκαιος ὡς καὶ ποιήσας 180 κα[···]··· ··· ·ο[··· ··· Το]ῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ παιδεύει λέγων· "6Ἐλεᾶτε καὶ ἐ[λεηθήσεσ]θε"6, βούλεται δὲ τὸν ἔλεον μὴ μετὰ σ[αλ]πίγγω[ν γίνεσθ]αι, ὅ ἐστιν μὴ ἐμπομπεύειν καὶ ἐναλαζ[ον]εύεσ[θαι ταῖς] ἐνδείαις τῶν πενομένων· "6Γίνεσθε"6 γάρ [φη]σιν "6τ[έλειοι ὡς] ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν"6· ὁ [Θεὸς] γὰρ [ἑαυτοῦ] μεταδοτικός ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοθεν δ[εχό]μεν[ος· οὕτ]ω καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸ μεταδοτικὸν ζηλώσατε, [καθὰ] παρα[ινεῖ κ]αὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος· "6Μακάριόν ἐστι μᾶ[λλον] διδόν[αι ἢ λ]αμβάνειν"6. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ λαμβάνων μιμεῖται [τὸν] Θεόν· ὁ [γὰρ Θεὸ]ς παρ' οὐδενός τι δέχεται, ἀλλὰ χορηγὸ[ς τῶν] πάντ[ων ἀ]γαθῶν. Ὁ μιμητὴς οὖν τοῦ Θεοῦ δίδωσιν. ῃιι, 1. Κ[αὶ εἶ]πεν Κύριο[ς ὁ Θεὸς] πρὸς Νῶε· Εἴσελθε σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἰκό[ς σου] τὴν κ[ιβωτόν, ὅ]τι σε εἶδον δίκαιον ἐναντίον μου ἐ[ν τῇ γε]νεᾷ τ[αύτῃ]. <Οὕτ>ως ἐμφ[αίνεται] ὅτι ἅπας ὁ οἶκος οἱ ὀκτὼ μόνοι ἐτύ[γχα]νον· θ[εραπευτὴ]ν γὰρ οὐκ ἐπηγάγοντο ἢ διὰ τὸ μήπω [κα]ταδ[εδουλῶσ]θαι ἀνθρώπους ἢ διὰ τὸ ἀκτήμονας εἶναι τ[ῶν] τοιού[των]. [Οἶκον] οὖν ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐν τοῖς ὀκτὼ συγ[γέ]νειαν [καλεῖ, πο]λλάκις γὰρ τοιούτου ὀνόματος ὁμων[υ]μοῦντ[ος καὶ ἐ]πὶ τούτων, κυρίως ἐπὶ τοῦ οἰκοδομηθ[έν]τος λεγ[ο- μένο]υ. Τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ πόλεως εὕροις ἄ[ν]. Ἐν τῷ εὐα̣[γγελί]ῳ γοῦν εἴρηται· "6Καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτόν"6, δηλο- ν[ότ]ι τὸν Ἰησοῦν, "6ἕ[ως ὀ]φρύος τοῦ ὄρους, <ἐφ'> οὗ ἡ πόλις αὐτῶν ᾠκοδόμητο"6, δηλ[οῦντο]ς νῦν τοῦ ὀνόματος τῆς πόλεως τὴν κατασκευασθεῖ[σαν κ]αὶ οἰκοδομηθεῖσαν, ἐν δὲ τῷ "6ὡς δὲ ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς εἰς Ἱ[εροσό]λυμα, ἐσείσθη πᾶσα ἡ πόλις"6 τοῦ ἀθροΐσματ[ο]ς τοῦ περιεχ[ομέν]ου 181 τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως σημαινομέ[ν]ου. Καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ "6ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὀνειδίζειν τὰς πόλει[ς ἐν αἷς ἐ]γένοντο αἱ πλεῖσται δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐ μ[ετε- νόησαν"6 αὐ]τὸ [τοῦ]το δηλοῦται· μετάνοια γὰρ οὐκ ἐν ἀψύχοι[ς οὐδὲ ἐν ὑλ]ικο[ῖς] γίνεται, τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ οἴκου σημαίνον[τος τὸ μὲ]ν οἰ[κο]δόμημα ἐν τῷ "3ἥδε τοῦδε οἰκ[ία"3··· ··]. ου··τη συναγωγή, τὸ δὲ ἀθρόϊσμα, ἐπὰν λέγητ[··· ··· ·]υ [·]··δε ὁ βασιλικὸς καὶ ὁ δεσμοφύλαξ καὶ ἡ οἰκία [··· ··· ·]η. Τὴ[ν δ]ὲ αἰτίαν τοῦ εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰσελθεῖν ἐ[πάγων] φησίν· "6[ὅτι] σ̣ε`̣ εἶδον δίκαιον 74 ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ"6. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς "6[ὅτι σ]ὲ εἶδον"6 [εἶπ]ε̣ν, –καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἄβελ δίκαιος ἦν καὶ ὁ Ἐνὼς ο[ὗ ἐλπὶς] τὸ "6ἐ[πικαλ]εῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ"6, –ἀλλ' "6ὅτι σὲ εἶδ[ον δίκ]αιον [ἐνωπί]ον ἐμοῦ ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ"6, τῇ παρού[σῃ δ]ηλον[ότι. Ο]ὐ παρίσταται ὅτι διὰ τὴν τούτου ἀρετὴ[ν καὶ ο]ἱ παῖ[δες αὐ]τοῦ μετέχοντες αὐτῆς ἐσώθησ̣α[ν, γενε]ὰν [δέ, ὡς] προείρηται, τὴν ὁμοτροπίαν δηλ[οῖ, καθ]ὰ πα[ρεθέ]μεθα καὶ ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν. Προσέ[τι δηλοῖ] τ̣ο̣ὺς [τοῦ α]ὐτοῦ τρόπου γενεὰν λέγεσθαι τὸ "6ζη[τηθή- σεται π]ᾶν αἷμα δ]ίκαιον ἐκκεχυμένον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τ[ῆς

Common Notion and Numerical Symbolism§71

71In the generation of the righteous, so that we might take the righteous with him, he himself was found righteous against the world, not being entirely righteous against God being righteous; for only sons and women were found righteous against Noah. But it is great thus to be the opposite of God to be called righteous, as it is said: 'And the stars are not pure before him' (Job 9:21) and the other lights; but also in the psalms it is said: 'No living thing shall be justified before you' (Psalm 5:4), and again another saying he says: 'All our righteousness was as a garment laid aside' (Isaiah 64:6) from the presence of all the righteous.

From the clean animals he brought into the ark seven seven male and female, and from the animals not being clean two two male and female, and from the birds of the heaven the clean seven seven male and female, and from the birds not being clean two two male and female, to breed seed upon all the earth. Consequently, 'seven seven' (Genesis 7:2) he commands to be brought in from the clean. Since they were for food and for religious services for men, and they themselves who remained in the ark had need, therefore more are taken, so that from them and a greater generation might arise a succession suitable for their needs; but concerning the others, having brought in this many, he commanded 'two two' (Genesis 7:2) to be brought in.

And if it is necessary also to bring in natural philosophy by the word, one might say, as before, that since the two are divided, and this is characteristic of matter, the number two is characteristic of the unclean. But also, the two being taken away, the Savior calls 'into one new man' (Ephesians 2:15) the two, both the one from circumcision and the one from the Gentiles, bringing them into the unity of the commonwealth according to the Gospel, which the ancient saints had, there being no difference between Hellenism and Judaism. For from the arts of which there are statues, and with them idolatry, and after them the law, Judaism comes to be. The first of the human commonwealths, which was Christianity, though it did not have this name, according to the common...

A common notion exists, which even the Savior proclaimed: 'Whatever you want that men should do to you, do likewise to them' (Matt 7:12). This lies in the common notion; for whatever one does not want to suffer, he ought not to do to his neighbor. Because of this, it lies in the common notion, so that the man being led by God may be without reproach.

Later, when the notion is perverted, the Scripture is given, not to fight against that, but to lead men into it; for it is said: 'The law was given for help' (Rom 7:12). So also the Gospel has been proclaimed in the whole world, so that no one might claim to be unreminded of common notions.

These things, then, are treated as regarding the literal sense; but it must also be said that clean animals are introduced seven times seven. For to say what follows the history, that because they are to be used by men both for sacred rites and for food, they must be more numerous, and also because of the logic of numbers, since it is much remembered in the Scripture: I say, in the seventh day, God ceased (Gen 2:2)... many.

For regarding the unbegotten, those around the week refer to the birth; for this is virgin and without a father and without a husband, so that the said thing may be such. All numbers within ten, being doubled or tripled, except the seven, beget and are begotten, such as one begetting two, and two the four, thus having been begotten by the one, and the four the eight having been begotten by the two; and the five the ten; but the six, whenever it begets, does not beget, and the seven is neither begotten by those who preceded it nor does it beget anyone by itself until ten; but also the two the six and the three the nine, being tripled, beget.

And it has another distinction; for if in a doubling logic you multiply the numbers from the unit up to seven, it becomes at once also a square; for one, two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, having been doubled, becomes sixty-four, which is a square, for eight...

Greek · §71

γενεᾶς] τού[της]"6. Ἐν τῇ τῶν δικαίων γενεᾷ, ἵνα λάβωμ[εν τοὺς] σὺν [αὐτ]ῷ δικαίους, αὐτὸς εὑρέθη ἐναντίον αὐ[τοῦ δίκαιο]ς, οὐ [παν]τὸς δικαίου ἐναντίον Θεοῦ δικαίου <ὄ>ντος· [δίκαιοι] γὰρ υἱοὶ [κ]αὶ γυναῖκες ἐναντίον Νῶε ἐτύγχανον [μόνον]. Μέγα [δὲ ο]ὕτως ἐστὶν τὸ ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶναι δίκα̣[ιον, ὡς] λέγεσ[θαι]· "6Ἄστρα δὲ οὐ καθαρὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ"6 καὶ [τὰ ἄλλ]α φῶτα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ψαλμοῖς λέγεται· "6Οὐ δικαιω[θήσε]ται κατενώπιον σου πᾶς ζῶν"6, καὶ πάλιν ἕτερον [λόγιό]ν φησιν· "6Ὡς ῥάκος ἀποκαθημένης πᾶσα ἦν δικαιοσύ[νη ἡ]μῶν"6 ἐκ πρ[ο]σώπου πάντων τῶν δικαίων. 182 ῃιι, 2–3. Ἀπ[ὸ δὲ τῶν] κτηνῶν τῶν καθαρῶν εἰσάγαγε πρὸς σὲ ἑπτὰ ἑπτ[ὰ ἄρσεν] καὶ θῆλυ, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν μὴ ὄντω[ν καθα]ρῶν δύο δύο ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πετε[ι]νῶν [τοῦ οὐραν]ο̣υ῀̣ τῶν καθαρῶν ἑπτὰ ἑπτὰ ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ, καὶ ἀ[πὸ τῶν] πετεινῶν τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν δύο δύο ἄρ[σεν] καὶ θ[ῆλυ δια]θρέψαι σπέρμα ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Ἀκο[λούθως] "6ἑπτὰ [ἑπτὰ]"6 ἀπὸ τῶν καθαρῶν προστάττει εἰσαγ[αγεῖν]. Ἐπει[δὴ γὰρ] αὐτῶν καὶ πρὸς τροφὰς καὶ πρὸς ἱερουρ[γίας ἔ]μελλ[ον ἄνθρ]ωποι καὶ αὐτοὶ δὲ οἱ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ ἐ[μμένον]τες χ[ρείαν ἔχ]ειν, διὰ τοῦτο πλείονα κατα[λαμβάνο]ν[ται, ἵν' ἐξ α]υ᾿̣τῶν καὶ πλείων γένηται διαδοχὴ π[ρὸς] τὰς α[ὐτῶν χ]ρείας κατάλληλος· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν αλλω· [··· ·]κότω[ν ··· ··· τ]οσαύτην εἰσαγόντων χρείαν "6δύο δύο"6 [εἰσ]άγεσ[θαι προσέ]τ̣αξεν. Εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ φυσιολογίαν εἰσάγ[ειν] τῷ λόγ[ῳ ··· ···]ωπονοις λέγοιτ' ἄν, ὡς καὶ πρὸ τούτου, [ὅτι, ἐ]πεὶ ἡ δ[υὰς διαι]ρετή, τοῦτο δὲ τῇ ὕλῃ οἰκεῖον, οἰκεῖος [τοῖς] μὴ καθ[αροῖς ὁ] δύο ἀριθμός. Ἀλλὰ καί, τοῦ δύο ἀναιρέτ[ου], ὁ Σωτὴρ κ[αλεῖ "6εἰς] ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον"6 τοὺς δύο, τόν τε ἐ[κ] περιτομ[ῆς καὶ] τὸν ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς κ[α]τὰ τὸ ε[ὐαγγέλ]ιον πολιτείας εἰσάγων, ἥντινα οἱ παλαι[οὶ] ἅγιοι ἔ[σχον, 183 μ]ηδεμιᾶς οὔσης διαφορᾶς ἑλληνισμο[ῦ] καὶ ἰουδαισμοῦ. Ἀφ' οὗ γὰρ τέχναι ἐξ ὧν ἀγάλ[ματα, καὶ ἡ] δὲ μετ' αὐτὰς εἰδωλολατρεία, καὶ ἐξότε νόμ[ος, γίνετα]ι̣ ἰο[υ]δαισμός. Ἡ πρώτη οὖν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πολιτεί[α, ἥτις χρι]στ[ια]νισμοῦ ἐτύγχανεν, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἡ προσηγορί[α αὕτη, κ]ατὰ τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας ὑπάρχει, ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Σωτὴ[ρ ··· ··]· ἐκήρυττεν· "6Πάντα ὅσα θέλετε ἵνα ποιῶ[σιν ὑμῖν οἱ] ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε ὁμοίως"6. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐν τ[ῇ κοινῇ κ]εῖται ἐννοίᾳ· ἃ γὰρ μὴ βούλεταί τις παθεῖν, τα[ῦτα οὔ]τε τῷ πέλας ποιεῖν ὀφείλει. ∆ιὰ δὲ τοῦτο κεῖται το[ῦτο ἐ]ν τῇ κοινῇ ἐννοίᾳ, ἵνα ἀναπολόγητος ᾖ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ε[··· ··]·αγόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὕστερον δέ, διαστραφείσης [τῆς ἐν]νοί[α]ς, ὁ γραπτὸς δέδοται, οὐ μαχόμενος ἐκείνῳ, ἀλ[λὰ ···]·ιων [τοὺς ἀν]θρώπους εἰς αὐτόν· εἴρηται γοῦν· "6Νόμον εἰς βοή[θειαν] δέ[δ]ω- κεν"6. Ο̣ὕτω καὶ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ [κεκή- ρυκ]ταιἵν[α μὴ] προφασίσηταί τις ὡς μὴ ὑπομνησθείς, [··· ··· ·]·α [··· ··]ν κοινῶν ἐννοιῶν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὡ[ς πρὸς τὸ ῥη]τὸν [··· ·]ηται· λεκτέον δὲ καὶ ὅτι τὰ καθαρὰ ζῷ[α ··· ··· ·]·· [···]ως ἑπτὰ ἑπτὰ εἰσάγεσθαι [··· ···]ε·[··· ·] γὰρ τὸ εἰπεῖν τὸ ἀκόλουθον τῇ ἱστορίᾳ, ὅτ̣[ι διὰ τὸ] α̣υ᾿̣τοῖς κ]αὶ πρὸς ἱερουργίαν καὶ πρὸς τροφὴν μέλ[λειν χ]ρ̣η῀̣[σθαι] τοὺς ἀνθρώπους διὰ τοῦτο πλείονα, ἔτι καὶ δι[ὰ τὸν ἀριθ]μῶν λ[όγο]ν, ὅτι πολυΰμνητός ἐστιν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ ·[··· ··· ·]·· ··[·τ]ῃ ἑβδομάδι λέγω, κατέπαυσεν ὁ Θεὸς ···[··· ··]· γ·[··] πλείονας. Εἰς γὰρ τὴν ἀγένητον οἱ περὶ τ[··· ··]ν το[··· ·]ναγουσι τὴν ἑβδομάδα· αὕτη γὰρ παρθέν[ος ἐσ]τὶ καὶ ἀπάτωρ καὶ ἀμήτωρ, ἵν' 75 ᾖ τὸ λεγόμενον τοιο̣[ῦ- το]ν̣. Πάντες οι῾̣ ἐντὸς δεκάδος ἀριθμοὶ διπλασιαζόμε[νοι 184 ἢ τ]ριπλασ[ιαζόμενοι π]λὴν τοῦ ἑπτὰ καὶ γεννῶσιν καὶ γεν[νῶνται, ο]ἷον ὁ εἷς γεννᾷ τὸν δύο, καὶ ὁ δύο τὸν τέσσε[ρα] οὕτ[ως γεννη]θεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἑνός, καὶ ὁ τέσσερα τὸν ὀκτὼ γεν[νη]θεὶς [καὶ αὐτὸς] ὑπὸ τῶν δύο, ὁ δὲ πέντε τὸν δέκα, καὶ ὁ ἓξ δέ ποτ[ε γεννώμεν]ος οὐ γεννῶν, ὁ δὲ ἑπτὰ οὔτε ὑπὸ τῶν φθασάντων γ[εννᾶται οὔ]τε τινὰ μεθ' ἑαυτὸν ἕως δεκάδος γεννᾷ· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ δύο τὸν ἓξ καὶ ὁ τρία τὸν ἐννέα τριπλασιαζόμενοι γεννῶσιν. Ἔχει δὲ κα[ὶ ἕτερόν] τι προνόμιον· ἐὰν γὰρ ἐν διπλασίονι λόγῳ πολυπλασιά[ζῃς το]ὺς ἀπὸ μονάδος ἀριθμοὺς ἕως ἑπτά, ἴσος ἅμα καὶ τετράγ[ωνος] γίνεται· εἷς γάρ, δύο, τέσσερα, ὀκτώ, δέκα ἕξ, τριάκοντα δύο, [διπ]λασιασθέντα τὸν ἑξήκοντα τέσσερα, ὅστις τετράγωνος [μέν ἐ]στιν, ὀκτὰ γὰρ

Divine Patience and Human Response§72

72Eighty-six and sixty-four, a cube, for four times four is sixty-four. But also, being tripled up to seven from the unit, the seven hundred twenty-nine is formed, and being both a square and a cube: one, three, nine, twenty-seven, eighty-one, two hundred forty-three, seven hundred twenty-nine, as it has been said, completes both a cube and a square; thus the square: seventy-two times twenty-seven is seven hundred twenty-nine; thus the cube: nine times ninety-nine is seven hundred twenty-nine. The square signifies stability, but the cube signifies something else.

Therefore, what has been spoken concerning the numbers would not be unrepresentative, having been proven by not involving the divine letters in nothing. And to those things spoken, it is appropriate to add that a porthole was appropriately left in the ark, so that, lest another origin arise, a heresy concerning two creators be introduced. For if, even with such security made, the heretics find differences, introducing divinities, how much more would they find plausible arguments for their own evil hypothesis.

For, 'And in seven days I will cause rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will destroy all the living things which I have made upon the face of the earth' (Genesis 7:4, 17). And this is foretold by the philanthropy of God for correction, in order to hear about the destruction that shall be after seven days, just as in the disasters we have set aside the preaching according to Jonah, which also happened through the repentance of the Ninevites, as it occurred. And forty days and forty nights of rain from above and below has happened in this way, so that the mountains were overwhelmed by fifty cubits.

If even the number according to which the destruction occurred has a reason, consider how 'I will destroy all the living things which I have made upon the face of the earth.' Some, having taken the matter of the destruction, thought that a previous world had endured a conflagration according to the Stoics, with the same elements existing in the matter which is unchangeable from this world. But this was sketched...

If in the demonstration of dogmas; for it is not possible for the movements of souls to occur without deviation from what has happened and what is to happen, so as to differ in no way.

Genesis 6:22: 'And Noah did all that the Lord God commanded him.' For all the things the Lord God commanded to be done are a testimony for man, and it is said in those things which preceded. The blessed David was also worthy of such an acceptance, concerning whom God said to find 'David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will' (Acts 13:22).

Genesis 6:3: 'And Noah was five hundred years old, and the flood of water came upon the earth.'... regarding the goodness of God, how in a hundred percent of years he allowed the ark to be made; for this is evident from the five hundred years from when Noah began to... it became wise toward the assembling of all things, so that seeing the strangeness of the construction, men might hear, learn the reason, and cease from wickedness. If they had heard and repented, the flood would not have come.

That this happened for the sake of long-suffering and to call men to repentance, Peter, the spokesman of the apostles, in the epistle concerning him, marks out concerning the Savior: 'In which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who indeed in the days of Noah, while the ark was being constructed, were disobedient, when the long-suffering of God was waiting' (1 Peter 3:19). And from this let us observe that he said many sins occur 'upon the earth' (Revelation 18:4); but God does not bring the flood... for some reason of long-suffering, he makes this a place of repentance, giving it. So also, after a transgression, he gave a law that forbids, and after admonitions, he brings reproofs, not casting them away. And in the... you will find this.

Israel, being part of the Lord and a son of God, transgressed his commands, even though God was doing all things for him. For what does he say in Isaiah? 'A horn was raised up for the beloved in a horn in a place of drinking' (Isaiah 49:2), where 'horn' refers to the kingship, and 'place of drinking' signifies the instruction through law and prophets. 'And...'

Greek · §72

ὀκτὼ ἑξήκοντα τέσσερα, κύβος δέ, τέτρα γ[ὰρ τέ]σσερα τέτρα ἑξήκοντα τέσσερα. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τριπλα- σιαζόμ[ενοι] ἕως ἑπτὰ πάλιν ἀπὸ μονάδος ἀποτελεῖ τ[ὸν] ε῾̣π̣τ̣α̣κόσια ε[ἴκοσι ἐνν]έα καὶ αὐτὸν ὄντα τετράγωνον ἅμα κ[αὶ] κύβον· εἷς [γάρ, τρία], ἐννέα, εἴκοσι ἑπτά, ὀγδοήκοντα εἷς, δ[ιακόσια τ[εσσε[ράκοντα τρ]ία, ἑπτακόσια εἴκοσι ἐννέα, ὡς εἴρηται, κ̣[ύβον] ἅμα κ[αὶ τετρά- γων]ον συμπληροῖ, τετράγωνον μὲν οὕτως· [ἑπτὰ εἰ]- κοσάκ[ις εἴκοσι ἑπ]τὰ ἑπτακόσια εἴκοσι ἐννέα, κύβον οὕτως· ε᾿̣[ννεά]κις ἐνν[έα ἐννεά]κις ἑπτακόσια εἴκοσι ἐννέα· σημαίνει μ[ὲν] τὸ τετρ[άγωνον] βεβαιότητα, ὁ δὲ κύβος *** Οὐκ ἀπεικ[ότως] οὖν ἂν εἴη τὰ περὶ τῶν ἀριθμῶν εἰρημέ[να] τῷ μηδὲ[ν ἀρ]γὸν ἐγκεῖσθαι τοῖς θείοις γράμμασιν πεπιστω̣[μέ][ν]ως. Κἀκείν[οις τοῖ]ς εἰρημένοις προσθεῖναι προσήκει ὅτι δεόντ[ως] ζώπυρον κ[αταλ]έλειπται ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ, ἵνα μή, ἄλλης ἀρχῆς γινο[μέ]νης, ὡς περ[ὶ δύο δ]ημ̣ιουργῶν αἵρεσις εἰσαχθῇ. Εἰ γάρ, καὶ τοσαύτης ἀσφαλείας π[εποι]ημένης, εὑρησιλογοῦσιν οἱ αἱρετικοὶ διαφόρους εἰσά- γον[τες] θεότητας, πόσῳ πλέον εἰ καὶ λόγους πιθανοὺς 185 πρὸς τὴν αὐτῶν κακὴν ὑπόθεσιν ηὕρισκον. ῃιι, 4. Ἔτι γὰρ ἡμερῶν ἑπτὰ ἐπάγω ὑετὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τε[σσεράκοντ]α̣ ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσερ[ά]κοντα νύκτας· καὶ ἐξαλείψω [πᾶσαν τὴ]ν ἀν[άσ]τασιν, ἣν ἐποίησα ἀπὸ προσ- ώπου τῆς γῆς. Καὶ [τοῦ]το φιλανθρωπίᾳ Θεοῦ προείρηται ἐπὶ διορ- θώσε̣[ι ··· ·]ον τ[ῷ] ἀκούσεσθαι περὶ τοῦ μετὰ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἔσεσ[θαι κα]τακλυσμόν, καθὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν παρεθέμεθ[α τὸ κατὰ] τὸν Ἰωνᾶν κήρυγμα, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ ἐπὶ μετανοίᾳ γέγονεν [τῶν Νι]νευειτῶν, καθὼς καὶ συμβέ- βηκεν. Τεσσεράκοντα δὲ η῾̣[μερῶ]ν̣ καὶ τεσσεράκοντα νυκτῶν ἄνωθεν καὶ κάτωθεν ἐπ[ομβρί]α γεγένηται οὕτως, ὥστε ὑπερβαλέσθαι τὰ ὄρη πή[χεις πε]ντε[κα]ίδεκα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς καθ' ὃν ὁ κατακλυσμ[ὸς γέγ]ονεν ἔχει λόγον, συνεπίσκεψαι ὅπως "6ἐξαλείψω πᾶσ[αν τὴ]ν ἀνά[στασι]ν, ἣν ἐποίησα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς"6. Τινὲς τὸ τῆς [ἀνασ]τάσεως ·[···]· ἐξειληφότες ᾠήθησαν ἐκ προτέρου κό[σμου] πυρωθέντος [κατ]ὰ τοὺς Στωϊκοὺς τοῦτον ὑφιστάναι κα[ὶ γενέ]σθαι, τῶν [αὐ]τῶν ἐνυπαρχόντων ἐν τῇ ὕλῃ τῇ ἀπὸ τ[οῦδε κ]όσμου [ἀ]παραλλάκτου πρὸς τοῦτον. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐσχε̣[δίασα]ν ἐν[τῇ τ]ῶν δογμάτων ἀποδείξει· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε [ἀπαραλλ]άκτως [τὰ κ]ινήματα τῶν ψυχῶν συμβῆναι τοῦ γε[γενημ]ένου [καὶ] τοῦ μέλλοντος, ὥστε ἐν μηδενὶ διαλλά[ττειν]. ῃιι, 5. Κα[ὶ ἐπ]οίησεν Νῶε πάντα ὅσα ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ [Κύριος ὁ Θ]εός. Ὅτι̣ [αὕ]τη ἀνθρώπῳ μαρτυρία ἐστὶν τὸ πάντα ἃ ἐνε[τείλατ]ο Κύριος ὁ [Θεὸς] ποιῆσαι, καὶ ἐν τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν εἴρηται. Το[ιαύτ]ης ἀποδοχῆς ἠξιώθη καὶ ὁ μακά- ριος ∆αυίδ, περὶ οὗ εἶπε[ν ὁ Θ]εὸς εὑρεῖν "6∆αυὶδ τὸν τοῦ Ἰεσσαὶ ἄνδρα κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν [μου, ὃ]ς ποιήσει πάντα τὰ θελήματά μου"6. 186 ῃιι, 6. [Νῶε δὲ ἦν ἐτ]ῶν ἑξακοσίων, καὶ ὁ κατακλυσμὸς τοῦ ὕδατος ἐ[γένετο ἐπὶ τ]ῆς γῆς. [·]·μ[··· ··· · τ]ὴν ἀγαθότητα τοῦ Θεοῦ, πῶς ἐν ἑκατὸν ὅλοις ἔ[τ]εσιν [τὴν κιβω]τὸν γίνεσθαι συνεχώρησεν· δῆλον γὰρ τοῦτο ἐκ [τοῦ πεντα]κοσίων ἐτῶν εἶναι ὅτε ἤρξατο αὐτὴν ὁ Νῶε π̣οι [··· ··· ··] ἐγίνετο σοφῶς πρὸς τοῦ τὰ ὅλα συστησαμένου, ἵν̣α [βλέψαν]τες τὸ ξένον τοῦ 76 κατασκευάσματος οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ ἀ[κούσαν]τές τε καὶ μαθόντες τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ παύσωνται τῆς κακίας. [Εἰ ἤκου]σαν μετανοήσαντες, οὐκ ἐπήγετο ὁ κατακλυσμός. Ὅτι δὲ μ[ακροθυ]μ̣ίας χάριν καὶ τοῦ ἐκκαλέσασθαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐπὶ μετάν[οιαν το]ῦτο γεγένηται, Πέτρος ὁ πρόκριτος τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐν τῇ [κατ' α]ὐτὸν ἐπιστολῇ χαράττει περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· "6Ἐν ᾧ κ[αὶ το]ῖ[ς] ἐν φυλα[κῇ πν]εύμασιν πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν, ἀπειθήσασί[ν πο]τε ὅτε [ἀπεξεδέ]χετο ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμία ἐν ἡμεραῖς Ν[ῶε κα]τασκευα[ζομένη]ς κιβωτοῦ"6. Καὶ ἐκ τούτου σκοπῶμεν ὅτι εἶπ[εν ὅτι] πολλαὶ ἁ]μαρτίαι "6ἐ]πὶ τῆς γῆς"6 γίνονται· μὴ ἐπάγῃ δὲ ὁ Θεὸς α·[····] ἁμα[ρτ··· ···] διά τινα μακροθυμίαν τοῦτο ποιεῖ τόπον μ̣[ε]τανοίας [διδούς. Ο]ὕτω καὶ μετὰ παράβασιν νόμον δέδωκ[εν] κωλυτικ[ὸν καὶ μετὰ τ]ὰς νουθεσίας προσάγει ἐλέγχους ἀπε[ιλῶν]. Καὶ ἐν τοῖ[ς ··· ··· ·]·ος τοῦτο εὑρήσεις. Ὁ Ἰσραὴλ μερὶς Κυρίου κα[ὶ υἱ]ὸς Θεοῦ ὑπ[άρχων τ]ὰς αὐτοῦ προστάξεις παρέβαινεν, καίτοι Θεο[ῦ] πάντα εἰς [αὐτοὺ]ς ποιοῦντος. Τί γάρ φησιν ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ; "6Ἀμπ[ελὼ]ν̣ ε᾿̣γεν[ήθη τῷ ἠ]γα̣πημένῳ ἐν κέρατι ἐν τόπῳ πίονι"6, "6κέρα[τι"6 μὲν] τὴν βα[σιλείαν] λέγων, "6πίονι"6 δὲ "6τόπῳ"6 σημαίνων τὴν διὰ [νό]μου καὶ πρ[οφητῶ]ν παίδευσιν. "6Καὶ

The Ark and the Flood§73

73He planted a vine, which is the chosen one; for he planted the people to be a kingdom and a chosen priesthood. He built a tower to provide refuge for the approaching enemies (Isa 5:2); the tower is a pedagogical thing, guarding and at the same time mocking the enemy's onset. Having built, he hears: 'If a spirit of the prevailing one ascends upon you, do not leave your place' (Luke 17:5). He also made a hedge and placed a fence around it, which signifies the safety from the angels. And despite all these things having happened, he remained in the same fruitlessness; therefore he says: 'What more shall I do to my vine when I have done nothing for it?' (Isa 5:4).

I have done all things without fail; therefore, since they themselves do not have the power to say what must happen, I will say, 'I will announce to you what I shall do to my vine' (Isa 5:5-6); I will take away what I gave it, 'I will pull down its wall and it shall be a pavement, and I will take away the fence and it shall be a plunder' (Isa 5:5-6). For it is useful to provide this help, which they received from the angels, to those who are useless, so that seeing what evils they are, they may desire to turn back; therefore he also rebukes, saying: 'And I will command the clouds not to rain upon it' (Isa 5:6), which signify the prophets and the messengers of the spiritual rain, concerning which it was said: 'The clouds rained down righteousness' (Job 36:28).

For with this rain, instead of grapes, he would have had to bear thorns; therefore the ruin of Israel has become such a loss by not receiving it. Thus it was; the deluge was brought upon them, with no one among the men desiring to be benefited by their own inclination. There will be a total destruction of the virtue that stands as a whole, just as the Savior says: 'Will the Son of Man, when he comes, find faith upon the earth?' (Luke 18:8). And Noah entered, and his sons, and his wife, and the wives of his sons with...

He entered into the ark because of the water of the flood. And from the winged ones and from the livestock the clean and from the livestock the not clean and from all the creeping things of the earth, two by two, they entered toward Noah into the ark, male and female, according to what God commanded him (Genesis 7:2). It is evident that, since certain signs of the flood existed and were made manifest to Noah, such as the moisture of the earth or the similarities, Noah entered into the ark, not after much time had passed.

And the things concerning the sons after Noah and the wives of the sons having entered, having been observed previously, have been said: for it was not fitting, such a punishment coming upon all, for them to perform the things of weddings; therefore, in order to have leisure from these, he divided the pairs, giving them out at the exit from the ark. And generally also he says that the animals had entered, having mentioned the clean ones first because of their preciousness; and the things previously mentioned—when Noah was being arranged toward God to bring in from the animals into the ark, and you cast them in here, so that we may not always say the same things.

And it happened after the seven days, and the water of the flood became upon the earth in the six hundredth year in the life of Noah, of the second month, the seventh and twentieth of the month (Genesis 7:11). Some observed because the flood happened in such a number, saying that, since for the perfection of a work gaps they emerged, because of this, it was remembered, a perfect inundation occurring, which for the salvation of the world came to be. For the removing of the sinners from the earth and the taking of the human race at the beginning to live with virtue is perfect; and just as it is of an excellent physician not only to excise a corruption having happened in bodies, but also to grow the flesh instead of the corruptions that remained, so is the work of God.

Greek · §73

ἐφύτευσα ἄμπελον Σωρή[κ"6], ὅ ἐστιν ἐκλε[κτή· ἐ]πι`̣ γὰρ τῷ "6βασίλειον"6 εἶναι "6ἱεράτευμα"6 καὶ ἐκλεκτὴν ἄμπελο[ν εἶν]αι ἐφύτευσεν τὸν λαόν. "6Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησα πύργον"6 ἐπὶ τῷ κα[ταφε]υ´̣γειν 187 τοὺς ἐπερχομένους ἐχθρούς· λόγος δὲ τούτου παιδευτικὸς ὁ πύργος, φρουρῶν ἅμα καὶ ἐκ̣παίων ἐχθρῶν ἔφοδον. Οἰκο<δο>μήσας ἀκούει· "6Ἐὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζον̣-τος [ἀ]νάβῃ ἐπὶ σέ, τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς"6. Θριγκόν τε ἐποίησεν κα[ὶ φρ]αγμὸν περιέθηκεν, ἃ δηλοῖ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀγ̣γέλων ἀσφάλ[ει]αν. Καὶ ὁμῶς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ἀκαρπίᾳ, τοσούτων γεγενημένων, διέμεινεν· διό φησιν· "6Τί ἔτι ποιήσω τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησα αὐτῷ;"6 πάντα πεποίηκα ἀνελλιπῶς, διόπερ, ἐπεὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν εἰπεῖν ὃ δεῖ γενέσθαι, ἐγὼ ἐρῶ, "6ἀπαγγε̣λ̣ῶ ὑ[μ]ι῀̣ν τί ποιήσω τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου"6· ἀφελῶ ἃ δέδωκα αὐτῷ, "6καθελῶ τὸν τοῖχον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσται εἰς καταπάτημα, καὶ τὸν φρα̣γμὸν ἀφελῶ καὶ ἔσται εἰς διαρπαγήν"6. Χρήσιμον γὰρ τῶν ἀνωφελῆ τὴν ἀπ' ἀγγέλων δεξαμένων βοήθειαν ταύτην προσαφελεῖν· [ἵνα ὁρῶ]ντες οἷ κακῶν εἰσιν ποθήσωσιν ἐπιστρέψαι, [δ]ι̣όπερ καὶ ἐ[λέγ]χει λέγων· "6Καὶ ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐντελοῦμαι τὸ μὴ βρέξαι ε̣[ἰς] α̣ὐτὸν <ὑετόν>"6, αἵτινες τοὺς προφήτας δηλοῦσιν καὶ τ̣οὺς δια- κόνους τ[οῦ πνε]υματικοῦ ὑετοῦ, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Αἱ νεφέλαι ῥανάτωσ[αν] δικαιοσύνην"6. Τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ ὑετῷ οὐ δεόν[τως] ἐχρήσατο α᾿̣[ντὶ] σ̣ταφυλῆς ἀκάνθας ἐνεγκών· διόπερ ἐξώ[λεια] το[ῦ] ᾿Ι̣σρα[ὴλ γέ]γονεν τοσαύτην ὠφελίαν μὴ δεξαμέ[νου]. Οὑ´̣τως̣ ει[·····] ὁ κατακλυσμὸς ἐπήχθη, μηδὲν τῶν ἀν̣θρώπω̣ν ἐν τῇ ἑαυ[τῶν] π̣ροθυμίᾳ ὠφεληθῆναι θελησάντων. ∆̣····η̣τ̣οι ἔσται [ἡ τοῦ] καθόλου συντέλεια σπάνει ἀρετῆς ὑφισταμέ[νη], καθὰ καὶ ὁ Σ[ωτήρ φ]ησιν· "6Ἄρα ἐλθὼν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εὑρήσει τὴν [π]ίστιν ἐπὶ τ[ῆς γ]ῆς;"6 ῃιι, 7–9. Εἰσῆ[λθ]εν δὲ Νῶε καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ [αἱ γ]υναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν [διὰ τ]ὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ. Καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν καὶ ἀπὸ [τ]ῶν κτηνῶν τῶν̣ καθαρῶν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν [καὶ] ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς δύο δύο εἰσῆλθον π[ρὸς Ν]ω῀̣ε εἰς 188 τὴν κιβωτὸν ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ κατὰ ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός. ∆ῆ[λό]ν ἐστιν ὅτι, σημείων τινῶν τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ὑπαρξάντων καὶ φανέν̣των τῷ Νῶε οἷον τῆς ὑγρᾶς τῆς γῆς ἢ τῶν ὁμο[ιο]τ̣ρόπων, εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν ὁ Νῶε, οὐ πολλοῦ διαγεγονότος̣ [χρό]νου. Τὰ δὲ περὶ τοῦ μετὰ τοῦ Νῶε τοὺς υἱοὺς καὶ μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς τὰς γυναῖκας τῶν υἱῶν εἰσεληλυθέναι παρατηρηθέντα πρότερον εἴρηται· οὐ γὰρ ἥρμοζεν, τοσαύτης κολάσεως ἐπὶ πάντας ἐλθούσης, αὐτοὺς τὰ τῶν γάμων ἐπιτελεῖν· διόπερ πρὸς καιρόν, ἵν' ἀπὸ τούτων σχολάσωσιν, διεῖλεν τὰς 77 συζυγίας ἀποδιδοὺς αὐτὰς ἐν τῇ ἀπὸ τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἐξόδῳ. Ἀπὸ κοινοῦ δὲ καὶ τὰ ζῷα εἰσεληλυθέναι φησίν, τῶν καθαρῶν προτέρων μνημονεύσας διὰ τὸ τίμιον· καὶ τὰ προειρη- μένα δέ, ὅτε πρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ προσετάττετο Νῶε εἰσαγαγεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν ζῴων εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν, καὶ ἐνταῦθα συμβαλεῖς, ἵνα μὴ ἀεὶ τὰ αὐτὰ λέγωμεν. ῃιι, 10–19. Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὰς ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ κατ[ακ]λυσμοῦ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐν τῷ ἑξακοσιοστῷ ἔτει ἐν τῇ [ζωῇ] τ̣οῦ Νῶε, τοῦ δευτέρου μηνός, ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μην[ός]. Παρετήρησάν [τ]ι̣νες διὰ τὸ ἐν ἀριθμῷ τοιούτῳ ἐπῆχθαι τὸ[ν κ]ατακλυ[σ]μὸ[ν λέ]γ̣οντες ὅτι, ἐπειδὴ ἐπὶ τελειότητι ἔργου ε[··· ·] γον[···]ε·[·]α̣[·]·ς̣ ἐξᾶραι, διὰ τοῦτο τούτου ἐμνήσθη, τε[λείας] ἐπιρύσεως γινομένης, ἥτις ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ κόσμ[ου ἐγίνε]το. Καὶ τὸ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς γὰρ ἀφαιρεθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς [γῆς καὶ] τὸ ἀρχὴν λαβεῖν τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος σὺν ἀρετῇ ζῆν τ[έλειόν] ἐστιν· καὶ ὥ[σπ]ερ ἀρίστου ἰατροῦ ἐστιν οὐ μόνον ἐκτεμε[ῖν σῆ]ψιν γεγενημένην σωμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαυξῆσαι σάρκ[ας ἀν]τὶ τῶν σῆψιν ὑπομεινασῶν, οὕτω Θεοῦ ἔργον

The Significance of the Forty Days§74

74leading the reader upward

It is said that three days and three nights were spent in the heart of the earth, from the interval of the night of Friday and that of Sunday, through the whole night of the Sabbath. These things are said to us as a digression, for those wishing to show that the Scripture, when touching the ends of times, usually uses such methods.

On that day all the fountains of the deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened, and rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights (Gen 7:11–12). This number is an ill-omened one. For the sons of Israel also completed so many years in their journey, and Moses himself did not eat bread for forty days; and the Savior also fasted with this number of days, which provides a following understanding to the divine letters for those not passing over them as trivial. Therefore also the duration of the water occurred in so many days in number.

If anyone should seek, setting aside those things concerning the floodgates of the heavens, why the deluge occurred—since God, calling upon the water of the sea, sends the rain—how the deluge happened, as if by some mechanical way of the sea becoming rain and then returning upon it; to which it might be said that first the fountains of the deep burst forth to provide the supply—and indeed, it is written that when it was willed to overflow, 'the fountains of the great deep burst forth' (Gen 7:11)—and then nothing could stop the quantity of water from stopping God, just as in the Gospels the five loaves were increased for five thousand (Matt 14:17-21).

On that day Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth, the sons of Noah, and the wife of Noah and the three wives of his sons entered into the ark with him, and all the animals according to kind, and all the cattle according to kind, and every creeping thing moving upon the earth according to kind, and every winged thing according to kind (Gen 7:13–16). They entered with Noah into the ark, two by two of all flesh, in which is the spirit of life. And the males and females entering from all flesh entered, just as God commanded Noah. It is evident that the deluge did not happen suddenly, but provided a sign, as previously said, so that the process might be leadingly...

Greek · §74

ἁμαρτωλοὺς φ[θεῖρ]αι, ἵνα ἀρχὴν λάβωσιν οἱ κατὰ δικαιοσύνην ζῶντες. Ἀμέλει γοῦν μ̣ετὰ ταῦτα ε᾿̣[γ]ένοντο Ἀβραὰμ ἸσαὰκἸακώβ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πρὸς ἀναγωγήν τις ἐθέλοι, [λ]έγοι ἂν ὅτι, ἐπεὶ ὁ <ἑ>πτὰ ἀριθμὸς ἀναπαύσεώς ἐστι σύμβολον, [ὁ ἐ]ν 189 τούτῳ μένειν μὴ βουλόμενος διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐκλέγεσθαι τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν ἐκείνην, περὶ ἧς ὁ Σωτήρ φησιν· "6Ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ' ὑμᾶς καὶ μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι κ[α]ὶ τα[πε]ινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμ[ῶ]ν"6, ὑπὸ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας γίνεται καὶ τὴν κόλασιν τὴν ἐπαγομένην διὰ τὴν κακίαν. Τοῦτο δὲ συμβαίνει ἐν τῷ ἑξακοσιοστῷ ἔτει οὔπω πληρωθέντι, διὰ συμβόλου δεικνυμένου ὅτι καὶ ἐν τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ἀτελεῖς ἦσαν οἱ ὑπὸ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν γεγενημένοι, οὐχ ὡς δεῖ οὐδὲ τούτοις χρώμενοι. Τὰ γὰρ ἑξακόσια συγγένειαν ἔχει πρὸς τὸν ἕξ, ἐν ἒξ ἑκατοντάσιν συμπλη- ρούμεν<α>. Εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ εἰς τὸ "6ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι"6 γεγενῆσθαι τὸν κατακλυσμὸν εἰπεῖν, λεχθείη ἂν τοῦτο· οὐ πᾶσα ἀπειλὴ βεβαιοῦται, ἐξ ἡμῶν ἢ συμπληρου̣[μ]ένη ἢ παυο- μένη, καθὰ καὶ ἐπὶ Νινευειτῶν γέγονεν· ἐπεὶ ο[ὖ]ν ὁ ἀριθμὸς οὗτος βεβαιότητός ἐστι σύμβολον, –τρεῖς [γ]ὰρ τρὶς τρίς–, διὰ τοῦτο ἐν αὐτῷ ἐπήχθη κατὰ τῶν μ̣[ὴ ἐπι]στραφέντων ἀλλ' ἀμετακινήτως ἐχόντων πρὸς κακ[ίαν] βεβαία κόλασις. "6Ἐν ἑξακοσιοστῷ"6 δὲ λέγει γεγενῆσθαι τ̣[ὸν] κατα- κλυσμὸν ἐξ ἄκρου αὐτοῦ ἁψάμενος. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔθος [τῇ γ]ρ̣αφῇ, καθὰ καὶ ὁ Σωτήρ φησιν· "6Ὥσπερ γὰρ Ἰων̣ᾶς ἔμενεν [ἐν τῇ κ]οιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους <τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας>, οὕτως <ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου> ἐν τῇ καρ- [δίᾳ τ]ῆς γῆς τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας"6. Εἰ γὰρ δι' ὅλου τις τού[του] ἔχοιτο, ὁλοκλήρους λέγων ἡμέρας τρεῖς καὶ νύκτας αὐ[τὸν] μεμενηκέναι, ψεύδεται· τῇ γὰρ ἕκτῃ ὥρᾳ τῆς παρασκ[ευῆ]ς̣ ἐσταυρώθη, ἥντινα ἡμέραν καλεῖ, ἐκ τοῦ ἅψασθαι τῆς [ἡμέρ]ας οὕτως ὀνομάζων –δηλονότι καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς παραλαμ̣[βα]νομένης, πάσῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ παρελθοῦσα νὺξ συμμετρεῖται, καὶ τῆς συνηθείας οὕτως ἐχούσης ὡς τὰς νύκτας ἐπιγινομένων ἡμερῶν λογίζεσθαι–, μεθ' ἣν νὺξ πληρεστάτ[η] καὶ ἡμέρα τοῦ σαββάτου, εἶτα νὺξ καὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ἀναστασί[μο]υ ἡμέρας, ἥψατο γὰρ καὶ αὐτῆς. Καὶ οὕτω ἐξ 190 ἄκρου τοῦ τε πρώ[του δια]στήματος τοῦ νυχθημέρου τῆς παρασκευῆς ἁψάμενος καὶ τοῦ τῆς κυριακῆς, ὅλου τε τοῦ νυχθημέρου τοῦ σαββάτου, τρεῖς ἡμέρα[ς κα]ὶ τρεῖς νύκτας διατετελεκέναι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς εἴρηται. [Ταῦ]τα δὲ ὡς ἐν παρεκβάσει ἡμῖν εἴρηται, δηλῶσαι βουλομένοις ὅτι ἡ γραφὴ συνηθῶς ἐξ ἄκρου τῶν χρόνων ἁπτομένη χρῆται τοιούτοις τρόποις. ῃιι, 11–12. Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐρράγησαν πᾶσαι αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς ἀβύσσου, καὶ οἱ καταράκται τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἠνεῴχ- θησαν, καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ὑετὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσεράκοντα νύκτας. Ὁ ἀριθμὸς οὗτος κακωτικός ἐστιν. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τοσαῦτα ἔτη διετέλεσαν ἐν τῇ ὁδοιπορίᾳ, 78 καὶ Μωσῆς δὲ αὐτὸς τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας ἄρτον οὐκ ἔφαγεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ἀριθμῷ τω῀̣ν ἡμερῶν ἐνήστευσεν, ὅπερ τοῖς μὴ παρε[ρ]χ̣ομένοις παρέργως τὰ θεῖα γράμματα παρέξει διάνοιαν ἀκόλουθον. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἡ φορὰ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν τοσούτῳ γέγονεν ἡ[μερῶν] ἀριθμῷ.Ζητήσειεν ἄν τις τὰ περὶ τῶν καταρακτῶν τοῦ οὐραν[οῦ] [ἐ]κ̣εῖνα παρατιθέμενος, ὅτι προσκαλούμενος ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ὕδωρ [τῆς] θαλάσσης τὸν υ῾̣ετὸν ἐπιπέμπει, πῶς ὁ κατακλυσμὸς γέγονε[ν], τρόπον τινὰ μηχανῆς τρόπῳ ἐκ τῆς θαλάττης τοῦ ὑετοῦ [γι]νομένου καὶ πάλιν ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἰόντος· πρὸς ὃ λεχθείη ὅτι [πρῶ]τον μὲν αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς ἀβύσσου ῥαγεῖσαι τὴν χορηγίαν παρέσχον, –καὶ γάρ, ἅτε ἐπισχεῖν ἐβουλήθη, ἀναγέγραπται· "6Ἐπεκαλύφθη- σαν αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς ἀβύσσου"6, –ἔπειτα οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς καὶ τὸ ποσ[ὸν] τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπαύξειν τὸν Θεόν, καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις [ο]ἱ πέντε ἄρτοι ἐπὶ πεντακισχιλίους ηὐξήθησαν. ῃιι, 13–16. [Ἐν] τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε, Σήμ, Χάμ, Ἰάφεθ, οἱ υἱοὶ Νῶε, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ Νῶε καὶ αἱ τρεῖς γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν, [κ]αὶ πάντα τὰ θηρία κατὰ γένος καὶ πάντα τὰ κτήνη κατὰ γέν̣[ος καὶ] πᾶν ἑρπετὸν κινούμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ 191 γένος καὶ πᾶν πετεινὸν κατὰ γένος. Εἰσῆλθον πρὸς Νῶε εἰς τὴν κι[βω]τὸν δύο δύο ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκός, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν πνεῦμα [ζ]ωῆς. Καὶ τὰ εἰσπορευόμενα ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκ̣ὸς εἰσῆλθον, καθὰ ἐνετείλατο ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Νῶε. ∆ῆλον ὡς οὐκ ἀθρόως ὁ κατακλυσμὸς γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ παρέσχεν τι καὶ σημεῖον, ὡς καὶ πρότερον εἴρηται, ἵν' εὐαγώγως τὰ

The Fifteen Cubits and the Destruction of All Life§75

75The animals entered the ark not in a confused mass, so that the ark would not be damaged by the sudden rushing of the waters through their joining together. The entry occurred in order, first Noah, through whom the others were saved, and then the others following him; thus the animals entered, which should be noted as having happened by divine power, for the numbering and bringing in was not by human endeavor, but had become a cooperation with God. Also, 'according to kind' is well-stated; for it was not possible for them to have the same sustenance, being divided by their natures. And he added 'in which is the spirit of life' for contrast with the dead. If anyone were to note how, then, the pure were not mentioned but the impure: 'two two' they say 'entered into the ark' (Gen 7:9), and it is clear that these were the impure; to which someone says that it is evident that, since the impure entered and the pure also entered, if the lesser entered, it is clear that the greater also entered. Furthermore, the 'two two' could also be taken to refer to the pure, the word indicating that all entered in pairs.

And the Lord God closed the ark from the outside, and the deluge happened for forty days and forty nights upon the earth, and the water multiplied and lifted up the ark, and it was raised from the earth, and the water prevailed and multiplied greatly upon the earth, and the ark was carried upon the water (Gen 7:17-20). And following this history, the ark is closed 'from the outside' by the power of God, with no man being outside. Since he succeeded in making it secure both inside and outside, and since it was not possible to secure it from the outside if the door had not been closed, so as not to say that entry was made for the water through the door, he added the security from God; and this is both varied and convenient. And 'lifted up the ark' is also well-stated, uniformly and not suddenly, just as we previously set forth the reason. And the water prevailed greatly, greatly upon the earth and covered all the high mountains which were under the heaven; the water was raised fifteen cubits above. The commentators excessively...

They say men are called to ascend to the high mountains. And indeed he signaled as fifteen cubits the water rose above the high mountains, from which it is clear, as that has been rightly said, especially since it also happens contrary to the will of God; for to Noah, on account of righteousness, God commanded to construct an ark, saying that he would destroy all flesh, so that no one was saved outside of the ark (Gen 6:17).

And concerning the rising of the water above fifteen cubits, if anyone wishes to be expert in the number, he will see that it is taken from many places in the Scripture: the steps of the temple were fifteen, and the word commands to give a portion to the seven and also to the eight, meaning this: that those approaching provide the old covenant along with the new part to the seven and to the eight. One might perhaps say that those who became contemptuous of the mystery signified by the number had become ripe for the wickedness of the flood.

For it is signaled again in the Scriptures by the multitude of the water, as in: 'What do you think against the Lord? A completion...' (Job 40:21-23). For if anyone thought that the fluid things of life, instead of being taken as a flood when they multiply, with the failing of the love of many, would be a completion, he would understand it properly in the word.

And all flesh moved upon the earth, the winged, and the cattle, and the beasts; and every creeping thing moving upon the earth, and every man, and all things that have the breath of life, and everyone who was upon the dry land died (Gen 7:21-23). And everything that stands upright, which was upon the face of all the earth, from man even to cattle and creeping things and the winged of the heaven, was wiped out; and they were wiped out from the earth.

The spoken word is manifest; for it declares the destruction of all living things except those in the ark; but for those reasoning, it implies that even the irrational perished because of having become subject to necessity. Furthermore, everyone perished by the punishing water, the one losing life according to the 'image' and having the image of the swine, as if beasts, creeping things, and other irrational ones were split into different natures, as some hear: 'offspring of hedgehogs,' and others snakes and scorpions, and others...

Greek · §75

<ἄλογα> ἐπὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰσέλθωσιν καὶ μὴ συμπεφυρμένως, καὶ ὅπως μή, ἀθρόως τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπιρρεύσαντος, καὶ τῆς κιβωτοῦ βλάβη γένηται, προσαρα- ξάντων τῶν ὑδάτων. Ἐν τάξει δὲ καὶ ἡ εἴσοδος γέγονεν πρώτου Νῶε, δι' ὃν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἐσῴζοντο, εἶθ' ἑξῆς καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι καὶ οὕτω τὰ ἄλογα εἰσῆλθον, ὅπερ παρατηρητέον ὅτι θείᾳ δυνάμει γέγονεν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνης ἦν ἐπιχει- ρήσεως τὰ ἀτίθασα εἰσαγαγεῖν, εἰ μὴ Θεοῦ γεγόνει συνεργείᾳ. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ "6κατὰ γένος"6· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν ἅμα εἶναι αὐτῶν τὴν δίαιταν, διῃρημένω[ν ταῖς] φύσεσιν. Προσέθηκεν δὲ τὸ "6ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν πνεῦμα ζωῆς"6 πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν νεκρῶν. Σημειώσαιτο ἄν τις πῶς [οὖ]ν ο[ὐκ ἐ]μ̣νήσθη τῶν καθαρῶν ἀλλὰ τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν· "6δύο [δύο]"6 γ[άρ φη]σιν "6εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν"6, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι ταῦτα [ἦσ]α̣ν̣ [τὰ μὴ] καθαρά· πρὸς ὃ λέγοι τις ὅτι φανερὸν ὅτι, τῶν μ̣η`̣ κ[αθαρῶ]ν εἰσελθόντων, καὶ τὰ καθαρὰ εἰσῄει· εἰ γὰρ τὰ ἐλάτ̣[τονα] εἰσῄεσαν, δῆλον ὅτι τὰ κρείττω. Ἔπειτα τὸ "6δύο δύο"6 εἴη [ἂν καὶ] περὶ τῶν καθαρῶν ἐκλαβεῖν, δηλοῦντος τοῦ λόγου ὅτι κ[ατὰ] σ̣υζυγίαν τὰ πάντα εἰσῆλθεν. ῃιι, 16–18. Καὶ ἔκλ[εισε] Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἔξωθεν αὐτοῦ τὴν κιβωτόν, καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ κατα[κλ]υ̣σμὸς τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσεράκοντα νύκτα̣ς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπληθύνθη τὸ ὕδωρ κ<αὶ> ἐπῆρεν τὴν κιβωτόν, καὶ ὑψώθη ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπεκράτει τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπληθύνετο σφόδρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπεφέρετ[ο] ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος. 192 Καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἱστορίαν αὐτὴν ἀκολούθως Θεοῦ δυνάμει "6ἔξωθεν"6 κέκλεισται ἡ κιβωτός, ἀνθρώπου μὴ ὑπάρχοντος ἔξωθε̣[ν]. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἅπασαν ἀσφαλτώσας ἐτύγχανεν ἔσωθεν κα̣[ὶ ἔ]ξωθεν, τὴν δὲ θύραν μήπω κλεισθεῖσαν οὐχ οἷός τε ἦν ἔξ[ω]θεν ἀσφαλτῶσαι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἄν τινα εἰπεῖν ὅτι διὰ τῆς θύρας εἴσοδος ἐγίνετο τῷ ὕδατι, τὴν ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἀσφάλειαν προσέθηκεν· ποικίλη δὲ αὕτη καὶ εὔπορος. Καλῶς δὲ καὶ τὸ "6ἐπῆρεν τὴν κιβωτὸν"6 ὁμαλῶς καὶ οὐκ ἀθρόως, καθὰ καὶ πρότερον τὴν αἰτίαν παρεθέμεθα. ῃιι, 19–20. Τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ ἐπεκράτει σφόδρα σφόδρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά, ἃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ· πεντεκαίδεκα πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ. Περιττῶς οἱ φάσκοντες διασεσῶσθαι ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὰ ὑψηλὰ ὄρη φασίν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐσημειώσατο ὡς πεντεκαίδεκα [π]ήχεισἐπήρθη τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπάνω τῶν ὑψηλῶν ὀρῶν, ἐξ οὗ δῆλον ὡς ἐκεῖνο εἰκαίως εἴρηται, μάλιστα ὅτι καὶ ἐν̣α̣ν[τίον] τοῦ 79 βουλήματος τοῦ Θεοῦ τυγχάνει· τῷ Νῶε γὰρ δικαιοσύνης ἕνεκα κιβωτὸν κατασκευάσαι προσέ- ταξεν ο῾̣ [Θεὸς] λέγων ὅτι πᾶσαν σάρκα καταφθερεῖ, ὥστ' οὐ διεσώ[θη] τις ἔξω τῆς κιβωτοῦ. Καὶ περὶ τοῦ ὑψῶσθαι δὲ τ[ὸ ὕδωρ] ἐπάνω πήχεις δεκάπεντε, εἴ τις ἐθέλοι τῷ ἀριθ[μῷ ἐ]πιστάνων, θεωρήσει ὅτι πολλαχοῦ τῆς γραφῆς [παρα]λαμβάνεται· οἱ τοῦ ναοῦ ἀναβαθμοὶ δεκάπεντε [ἦσα]ν̣, καὶ διδόναι προστάττει ὁ λόγος "6μερίδα τοῖς ἑπ[τὰ] καί γε τοῖς ὀκτώ"6, νοουμένου τούτου ὅτι οἱ μὲν πρ[ο]σ̣ι̣έμενοι τὴν παλαιὰν μετὰ καὶ τῆς νέας μέρος τοῖς ἑπτὰ καὶ τοῖς ὀκτὼ παρέ- χουσιν. Πιθανῶς ἂν εἴποι τις ὅτι οἱ καταφρονηταὶ γεγενη- μένοι τοῦ διὰ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ σημαινομένου μυστηρίου ὑπὸ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν [γε]γένηνται τῆς κακίας. Σημαίνεται γὰρ πάλιν ἐνταῖς [γρα]φαῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τοῦ ὕδατος 193 ὡς ἐν τῷ "6Τί λογίζεσθε ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον; Συντέλειαν ***"6· εἰ γάρ τις λογίσαιτο ὅτι τὰ ῥευστὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα ἀντὶ κατακλυσμοῦ λαμβανόμενα, ὅτε πληθύν̣ε̣ι̣, ψυχομένης [τ]ῆς τῶν πολλῶν ἀγάπης, συντέλεια ἔσται, προσεχῶς ἐν τῷ [λ]όγῳ νοήσειεν. ῃιι, 21–23. Καὶ ἀπέθανεν πᾶσα σὰρξ κινουμένη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τῶν πετεινῶν καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ τῶν θηρίων· καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετὸν κινούμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἔχει πνοὴν ζωῆς καὶ πᾶς ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς ξηρᾶς ἀπέθανεν. Καὶ ἐξηλείφθη πᾶν τὸ ἀνάστημα, ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ προσώπου πάσης τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους καὶ ἑρπετῶν καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ· καὶ ἐξηλείφθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς. Τὸ μὲν ῥητὸν φανερόν· φθορὰν γὰρ πάντων τῶν ζώντων πλὴν τῶν ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ δηλοῖ, {πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν λογιζομένων γάμων}, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ἀπώλετο διὰ τὸ διὰ χρείαν γεγενῆσθαι. Πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν πᾶς ἀπώλετο ὑπὸ τοῦ κολαστικοῦ ὕδατος ὁ τὸ "6κατ' εἰκόνα"6 ἀπολω- λεκὼς καὶ τοῦ χοϊκοῦ ἔχων τὴν εἰκόνα, ὡς εἰς διάφορα ἤθη σχισθῆναι θηρίων τε καὶ ἑρπετῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀλόγων, καθὰ ἀκούουσίν τινες· "6Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν"6, καὶ [ἄλ]λοι ὄφεις καὶ σκορπίοι, ἕτεροι δὲ

The Ark as the Church§76

76Dogs, according to what was said: 'Watch out for the dogs'; and having fully received the craftiness of wickedness, they were dissolved in a manner fitting the destruction caused by wickedness, this being a symbolic indication of the water. These themselves are also earthly, as having lost the heavenly image; and they themselves perished 'upon the dry land,' of a wickedness possessing nothing life-giving (Gen 7:23–24).

And Noah alone was left remaining, and those with him in the ark, and the water rose upon the earth for one hundred and fifty days. Fittingly Noah is saved without participating in wickedness, along with those who were with him and being instructed by him, having risen above the weight of the water understood allegorically by fifteen cubits, reaching the temple through the steps, and having fulfilled the things foretold through the number: for 'water' 'will not be able to much extinguish love' (Gen 8:1–3).

And God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock and all the winged creatures, as many as were with him inside the ark. And God brought a wind upon the earth, and the water subsided; and the fountains of the abyss were covered and the cataracts of the heaven, and the rain was restrained from the heaven. And the water was receding as it went from the earth, the water was receding and retreating after fifty and one hundred days.

And the 'remembered' is to be heard in a God-befitting way, not as from forgetfulness, but just as he says concerning the ungodly: 'I do not know where you are from; depart, workers of iniquity; never did I know you' (Matt 25:12), the 'never' here indicating knowledge, 'never as having had you as our own'; 'remembered' is not having been overlooked—for the holy is before God always—but rather to make the memory of him a beginning of a race to lead him to the beginning, and similarly for the others. Some seek where the water of the deluge has retreated, through the coming of a wind, by which the water was subsided, whether this be the will of God or a divine power being at work; and in addition to this, it became a co-worker for the subsiding of the abysses and the upper downpour being hindered (Gen 8:4).

And the ark rested in the seventh month, and the following. The spoken is manifest; let us look at the thing toward understanding.

Yes, the ark is the church saving those who are clinging to it through prudence and works of virtue, which also sits in highness. For it never becomes in lowliness, therefore nor do the gates of Hades prevail against it; it stands before Christ glorious, having neither wrinkle nor line or anything of that kind, since even Christ is in highness, which is shown in 'Behold, this one comes leaping upon the mountains' (Song of Solomon 2:8), the prophets and Moses and the invisible powers. It sits, therefore, upon the rock, by the word of the cleavage of piety. For 'the foundations' (Psalm 127:1) of God are 'in the holy mountains' (Psalm 127:1), which also are the city of God; for 'God' (Psalm 89:2) 'established it for all eternity' (Psalm 89:2). 'For they received' (Isaiah 26:2) it says 'the city having the foundations' (Isaiah 26:2), of which God is the craftsman and creator. Let the mountains also have driven away 1380 sheep that did not fall by the plan. And if anyone through the number wishes to speak technically, he might say that the stability of the divine church is shown through it; for this is square, and the same is also a cube; for three times three is twenty-seven. And 'Arariad' is interpreted as a testimony of descent; but God testifies to that which is upon the church through a descending polity, which is unseasonable; for it has been said: 'If you pass through water, rivers shall not overwhelm you' (Isaiah 43:2), and again: 'We passed through fire and water, and you brought us out to refreshment' (Isaiah 43:2). And it is also good that the deluge be fulfilled in a year; for when the true sun shines and illuminates our intellect, then every disturbance of the soul shall be driven away.

[Uncertain/Broken Greek] And Noah opened the door of the ark, and the following. And here the spoken word is not obscure; but if, looking toward edification, you investigate the things concerning opening, that the knowledge of 196 seasons is necessary for the righteous and is for his own benefit and for the benefit of others. For there is a time when it is proper to close and a time when it is proper to open; thus, after the Savior opened, it was said to those regarding Cleopas: 'Did not our heart burn within us when he opened to us the Scriptures?' (Luke 24:32) but also you will observe the 'Open to me the gates of righteousness' (Psalm 115:19) if it coincides with the spoken word, and the thing protected in Isaiah, 'Open, you princes' (Isaiah 26:2), from the same sequence; and the...

Greek · §76

κύνες κατὰ τὸ εἰρημέ[νον]· "6Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας"6· καὶ ὅλως τὸ πολύτροπον τῆς [κα]κίας ἀναδεξάμενοι εἰκότως τῇ ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας φθορ̣ᾷ διελύθησαν, ταύτην τοῦ ὕδατος συμβο- λικῶς ὑποδείκνυντος. Οὗτοι δ' αὐτοὶ καὶ γήϊνοι, ὡς ἀπο- λωλεκότες τὴν ε᾿̣π̣ουράνιον εἰκόνα· οἱ δ' αὐτοὶ καὶ "6ἐπὶ τῆς ξηρᾶς"6 ἀπώλοντο, τῆς μηδὲν ζωτικὸν ἐχούσης κακίας. ῃιι, 23–24. Καὶ κατελείφθη μόνος Νῶε καὶ οἱ μετ' αὐτοῦ 194 ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ, καὶ ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἑκατὸν πεντήκοντα ἡμέρας. Εἰκότως Νῶε σῴζεται μὴ μετέχων κακίας μετὰ καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ, ἅτε παρ' αὐτοῦ παιδευομ̣ένων, ὑπεραναβὰς τὴν φορὰν τοῦ ἀλληγορουμένου ὕδατος πεντεκαίδεκα πήχεις, φθάσας εἰς τὸν ναὸν διὰ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν, καὶ τὰ προειρημένα δι<ὰ> τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ δηλοῦσθαι πληρώσας· "6Ὕδωρ"6 γὰρ "6πολὺ οὐ δυνήσεται σβέσαι τὴν ἀγάπην"6. *** ῃιιι, 1–3. Καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Νῶε καὶ πάντων τῶν θηρίων καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάντων τῶν πετεινῶν, ὅσα ἦν μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐντῇ κιβωτῷ. Καὶ ἐπήγαγεν ὁ Θεὸς π[ν]εῦμα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἐκόπασεν τὸ ὕδωρ· καὶ ἐπεκαλύφ- θησαν αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ [οἱ] καταράκται τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ συνεσχέθη ὁ ὑετὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Καὶ ἐνεδίδου τὸ ὕδωρ πορευόμενον ἀπ̣[ὸ τ]ῆς γῆς, ἐνεδίδου καὶ ἠλαττονοῦτο τὸ ὕδωρ μετὰ πεντήκοντα <καὶ ἑκατὸν ἡμέρας>. Καὶ τὸ "6ἐμνη´̣σθη"6 θεοπρ[ε]πῶς ἀκουστέον, οὐχ ὡς ἐκ λήθης, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ περὶ τῶν ἀσέβων λέγει· "6Οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς πόθεν ἐστέ· ἀποχωρεῖτε ἐργάται ἀνομίας· οὐδέποτε ὑμᾶς ἔγνων"6, τῆς γνώσεως ἐνταῦθα δηλούσης τὸ "3οὐδέποτε ὡς ἡμετέρους ὑμᾶς ἔσχον"3, "6ἐμνήσθη"6 οὐκ ἐκλαθόμ[ε]νος, –ἐνώπιον γὰρ διὰ παντός ἐστιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ ἅγιος, –ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπ[ὶ] τὸ ἀγαγεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ἀρχὴν γενέσθαι γένους μνήμην αὐτο̣υ῀̣ εἶπεν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων. Ζητοῦσί τινες ποῦ κεχώρηκεν τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ 80 κατα- κλυσμοῦ, πνεύματος ἐπελθόντος, δι' ὃ κεκόπακεν τὸ ὕδωρ, ὅπερ ἢ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ εἴη ἢ θεία δύναμις τοῦτο ἐγκεχειρισμένη· πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ καὶ συνεργὸν πρὸς τὸ 195 κοπάσαι γέγονεν ἡ ἐποχὴ τῶν ἀβύσσων καὶ ἡ ἄνωθεν ἐπομβρία κωλυθεῖσα. ῃιιι, 4. Καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τὸ μὲν ῥητὸν φανερόν· τὸ δὲ πρὸς διάνοιαν ἴδωμεν. ∆ύναται εἶναι ἡ κιβωτὸς ἡ ἐκκλησία σῴζουσα τοὺς διὰ φρονημάτων <καὶ> ἔργων ἀρετῆς πρὸς αὐτὴν κολλωμένους, ἥτις καὶ ἐν ὕψει καθέζεται. Οὐδέποτε γὰρ ἐν ταπεινῷ γίνεται, διόπερ οὐδὲ πύλαι ᾅδου κατισχύουσιν αὐτῆς· παρίσταται τῷ Χριστῷ ἔνδοξος, οὐκ ἔχουσα σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν ὕψει ἐστίν, ὃ δηλοῦται ἐν τῷ "6Ἰδοὺ οὗτος ἥκει πηδῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη"6, τοὺς προφήτας καὶ Μωσέα καὶ τὰς ἀοράτους δυνάμεις. Ἐν τῇ πέτρᾳ οὖν καθέζεται, τῷ ἀρραγεῖ τῆς εὐσεβείας λόγῳ. "6Οἱ θεμέλιοι"6 γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ "6ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις"6, ἅπερ καὶ πόλις εἰσὶν Θεοῦ· "6Ὁ Θεὸς"6 γὰρ "6ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα"6. "6Ἐξεδέχοντο γάρ"6 φησιν "6τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν"6, ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεός. Εἴη δὲ ὄρη καὶ εἰσαπομείναντα ˉˉϛˉˉΘˉ πρόβατα τὰ μὴ ὑποπεσόντα τῇ πλάνῃ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸν ἀριθμόν τις ἐθέλοι τεχνολογεῖν, εἴποι ἂν ὅτι τὸ βέβαιον δηλοῦται δι' αὐτοῦ τῆς θείας ἐκκλησίας· τετράγωνος γὰρ οὗτος, ὁ δ' αὐτὸς καὶ κύβος· τρὶς τρία γὰρ τρὶς εἴκοσι ἑπτά. "6Ἀραριὰδ"6 δὲ ἑρμηνεύεται μαρτυρία καταβάσεως· Θεὸς δὲ μαρτυρεῖ τῷ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν διὰ πολιτείας [κ]αταφεύγοντι, ὅστις ἀχείμαστός ἐστιν· εἴρηται γάρ· "6Ἐὰν διέλθῃς [δι' ὕ]δατος, ποταμοὶ οὐ συγκλύσουσίν σε"6, καὶ πάλιν· "6∆ιήλθαμεν [διὰ] πυρὸς καὶ ὕδατος, καὶ ἐξήγαγες ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀναψυχήν"6. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐν ἐνιαυτῷ πληροῦσθαι τὸν κατακλυσμόν· ἐπὰν γὰρ ὁ ἀληθινὸς ἥλιος φωτίσῃ καὶ καταυγάσῃ ἡμῶν τὴν διάνοιαν, τότε πᾶσα περίστασις τῆς ψυχῆς ἐκποδὼν οἰχήσεται. ῃιιι, 6. Καὶ ἀνέῳξεν Νῶε τὴν θυρίδα τῆς κιβωτοῦ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Κ̣αὶ ἐνταῦθα οὐκ ἀσαφὲς τὸ ῥητόν· εἰ δὲ πρὸς ἀνα- γωγὴν σκοπε̣ι῀̣ς̣ σ̣οι ἐραυνήσεις τὰ περὶ ἀνοίξεως, ὅτι 196 καιρῶν ἐπίγνωσις πρέπουσα τῷ δικαίῳ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ὠφελίαν ἐστὶν καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἄλλων. Ἔστιν γὰρ ὅτε κλείειν πρέπει καὶ ὅτε ἀν̣οίγειν· οὕτως, ἀνοι´̣ξαντος τοῦ Σωτῆρος, τοῖς περὶ Κλεοπᾶν εἴρηται· "6Οὐχὶ ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν καιομένη ἦν, ὅτε διήνοιγεν ἡμῖν τὰς γραφάς;"6 ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ "6Ἀνοίξατέ μοι πύλας δικαιοσύνης"6 σκοπήσεις εἰ συμβάλλεται τῷ ῥητῷ, καὶ τὸ προσταττόμενον ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ "6Ἀνοίξατε οἱ ἄρχοντες"6 ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀκολου-θίας σκοπήσεις· καὶ τὸ

The Raven and the Dove§77

77It has been shut according to the saying, 'Do not throw the holy things to the dogs' (Matt 7:6); for whenever someone rightly shuts or opens, he is an imitator of Noah.

And he sent the raven (Gen 8:7), and the following. Not all who are under the same guidance of the church exist, but some are doves and others are ravens, being symbols of manners and characters. And the dove is a sign of pure life, for it has been arranged among the pure and is brought up for sacrifice, but the raven has nothing of this. According to this understanding, the history concerning Elijah (1 Kings 17) is also to be interpreted, how ravens nourished him; for when a teacher removes the unclean from uncleanness as if to change his manner, the one being helped has food.

This one himself, whom I say also has the manner of the raven, even if he seems to be under the righteous, having gone out as if in a contest toward temptation, does not turn back. And do not marvel if the righteous sends such a one into the gymnasium, where he also says a divine word: 'Child, if you approach to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation' (Sir 24:2); therefore he does not turn back, being uncertain and prone to fall into temptation, not yet established.

And he sent the dove (Gen 8:8), and the following. Being ready for temptations is a prelude and a foundation of the true citizenship; for this reason also the one living according to the dove is sent to the 81st stadium. Regarding the important word, he says to them: 'If you sleep...'

Greek · §77

κεκλεῖσθαι κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "6Μὴ βάλητε τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσίν"6· ὅτε γάρ τις καθηκόντως κλείει ἢ ἀνοίγει, οὗτος μιμητὴς τοῦ Νῶέ ἐστιν. ῃιιι, 7. Καὶ ἀπέστειλε τὸν κόρακα, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Οὐ πάντες οἱ ὑπὸ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τῆς αὐτῆς ἀγωγῆς ὑπάρχουσιν, ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν περιστεραί, οἱ δὲ κόρακες τυγχά- νουσιν, σύμβολα τυγχάνοντες τρόπων καὶ ἠθῶν. Καὶ περιστερὰ μέν ἐστιν καθαροῦ βίου σημεῖον, αὕτη γὰρ ἐν τοῖς καθαροῖς τέτακται καὶ εἰς θυσίαν ἀναφέρεται, ὁ δὲ κόραξ οὐδέτερον ἔχει. Κατὰ ταύτην τὴν διάνοιαν ἐκλημπτέα ἐστὶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ Ἠλίαν ἱστορία, ὡς κόρακες αὐτὸν ἔθρεψαν· ὅτε γὰρ διδάσκαλος ἀκάθαρτον μεθίστησιν τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας ὡς μεταβα[λ]εῖν αὐτὸν τοῦ τρόπου, τροφὴν ἔχει τὸν ὠφελούμενον. Οὗτος δ' αὐτός, ὁ τοιοῦτός φημι καὶ κατὰ τὸν κόρακα τρόπον ἔχων, κἂν ὑπὸ τὸν δίκαιον δοκεῖ τυγχάνειν, ἐξελθὼν ὡς ἐν ἀγῶνι πρὸς πειρασμὸν οὐχ [ὑ]ποστρέφει. Μὴ θαυμάσῃς δὲ εἰ ὁ δίκαιος ἀποστέλλει τὸν τοιο[ῦτον] εἰς γυμνάσιον, ὅπου γε καὶ θεῖον λόγιόν φησιν· "6Τέκνον, εἰ προσέ[ρχῃ] δουλεύειν Κυρίῳ, ἑτοίμασον τὴν ψυχήν σου εἰς πειρασμόν"6· διόπερ̣ οὐδὲ ὑποστρέφει, ἀβέβαιός τις ὢν καὶ ζάλην ἐνεγκεῖν πειρασμῷ οὐ δεδυνημένος. ῃιιι, 8. Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν τὴν περιστεράν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Προοίμιον καὶ θεμέλιός ἐστιν τῆς ἀληθοῦς πολιτείας τὸ εἰς πειρασμοὺς πρόθυμον· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν περιστερὰν πολιτευόμενος ἀποστέλλεται εἰς τὸ 81 στάδιον. 197 Περὶ τῶν σπουδαίων τὸ λόγιον πρὸς αὐτοῖς φησιν· "6Ἐὰν κοιμηθῆτε

The Dove's Return to the Beloved§78

78Between the lots, the wings of a dove are moving, and their feathers are in the greenness of gold. Toward such a soul the word says: 'My good one, my dove' (Song of Solomon 2:14).

Because such a soul is certainly such that, even if it is born into trials and is sent away from the helpers, it returns immediately to the helper, especially when it does not yet realize that the end of the trial is to take hold of the land. For it is not proper to oppose the immeasurable; therefore also the righteous man extends his hand helping and stretching out aid. We lead this up through the clear text.

And having waited yet seven other days, he sent her away again. He sends the dove away again in the same manner, and she returns having olive fruit in her mouth (Genesis 8:11). For the diligent person does all things by word; so he led the light-bearing actions toward the righteous man, a sign of not acting on his own, but rather moving toward the teacher, 'toward evening,' near the end. And having been sent away a third time, she no longer returns; for after so many progresses, to be without a teacher has become self-sufficient. And this is how the ascent proceeds; but the spoken words are not obscure.

And it happened in the one hundred and sixty-first, and the following. Since the spoken word is clear, let us now speak of the things of the intellect.

Greek · §78

ἀνάμεσον τῶν κλήρων, πτέρυγες περι- στερᾶς περιηργυρωμέναι, καὶ τὰ μετάφρενα αὐτῶν ἐν χλωρότητι χρυσίου."6 Πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην ψυχὴν ὁ λόγος φησίν· "6Καλή μου, περιστερά μου."6 ∆ιότι βεβαία τυγχάνουσα ἡ τοιαύτη ψυχή, κἂν ἐν πειρασμοῖς γένηται καὶ ἔξω τῶν ὠφελού<ν>των ἀποστάλῃ, ὑποστρέφει ἀδιά- φορος πρὸς τὸν ὠφελητήν, ὅτε μάλισ̣τα σύνοιδεν οὔπω τέλος εἶναι πειρασμοῦ, ὥστε γῆς ἐπιλαβέσθαι. Καὶ πρέπει γὰρ μὴ εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα ἀντιτείνειν· διόπερ καὶ ὁ δίκαιος ἐκτείνει τὴν χεῖρα ἐπικουρῶν καὶ βοήθειαν ὀρέγων. Τοῦτο δὲ ἀνηγά<γο>μεν διὰ τὸ σαφές. ῃιιι, 12. Καὶ ἐπίσχων ἔτι ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ ἑτέρας πάλιν ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτήν. Οἰκείως πάλιν ἐξαποστέλλει τὴν περιστεράν, καὶ ὑπο- στρέφει ἔχουσα ἐλαίας κάρφος ἐν τῷ στόματι. Λόγῳ γὰρ ἅπαντα πράττει ὁ σπουδαῖος· φωτὸς οὖν φυλακτικὰς πράξεις ἤγαγεν πρὸς τὸν δίκαιον, σημεῖον τοῦ μὴ ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ βάλλεσθαι, ἀλλ' ἢ πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον χωρεῖν, "6πρὸς ἑσπέραν"6, πλησίον λοιπὸν τοῦ τέλους. Καὶ τρίτον διαπο- σταλεῖσα οὐκέτι ὑποστρέφει· μετὰ γὰρ τοσαύτας προκοπὰς αὐτάρχης λοιπὸν γεγένηται χωρὶς διδασκάλου εἶναι. Καὶ ἡ μὲν ἀναγωγὴ οὕτως· τὰ δὲ ῥητὰ οὐκ ἄδηλα. ῃιιι, 13. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ καὶ ἑξακοσιοστῷ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τοῦ ῥητοῦ σαφοῦς ὄντος, τὰ τῆς διανοίας περιλαλητέον.

The Ark and the Transition from Trial§79

79He who has departed above through goodness sees evil having reached its end, having passed through the covering that comes from trials and having happened above these things. And the ceasing at the seventh and tenth signifies stability; for the number is square and a cube. Genesis 7:15–16. And the Lord God said: 'Go out from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and the wives of your sons,' and the following. We noted before that at the beginning of the flood it was said harmoniously, 'Enter into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and the wives of your sons with you' (Gen 7:7), but now, 'Go out from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and the wives of your sons.'

For it was necessary then, while all men were perishing, in a certain way not to let them be occupied with those following marriages, but now he is commanded to go out familiarly with his wife and the sons with their own; for it was going to be the beginning of... to become. And appropriately, while he himself hears the command to go out, he stands as advocate for leading out the animals, as their king and master having been appointed by God. And the saying is observed that 'all' went out,

Greek · §79

Ὁ ἄνω χωρήσας διὰ καλοκαγαθίαν ὁρᾷ τὴν κακίαν τέλος λαβοῦσαν, περιελὼν τὸ κάλυμμα τὸ ἐκ πειρασμῶν συμβαῖνον καὶ τούτων ἀνω[τέρ]ω γεγονώς. Τὸ δὲ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι πεπαῦσθαι [τὴν] βεβαιό[τ]ητα σημαίνει· τετράγωνος γὰρ ὁ ἀριθμὸς καὶ κύβος. ῃιιι, 15–16. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεός· Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ σὺ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἐπεσημηνάμεθα πρὸ τ[ού]του ὅτι ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ κατα- κλυσμοῦ ἁρμόνιον ἦν λεχθῆναι "6Εἴσελ[θε] εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ ἡ γυνή σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶ[ν] υἱῶν σου μετὰ σοῦ"6, νῦν δέ "6Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ σὺ καὶ ἡ γυνή σου καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν 198 υἱῶν σου"6. Ἔδει γὰρ τότε μέν, ἅτε πάντων ἀνθρώπων φθειρομένων, τρόπον τινὰ μὴ ἐντρυφᾶν αὐτοὺς τοῖς γάμοις ἀκολάζοντας, νῦν οἰκείως μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτὸς ἐξελθεῖν κε̣λεύεται καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων οἱ υἱοί· ἀρχὴ γὰρ ἔμελλον τῆς ··· ··· ··· {ἔσεσθαι} γενέσθαι. Πρεπόντως δὲ αὐτὸς μὲν ἀκούει ἐξελθεῖν, περὶ τῶν ζῴων ἐξαγαγεῖν προστάτ- τεται ὡς βασιλεὺς αὐτῶν καὶ δεσπότης πρὸς Θεοῦ χειρο- τονηθείς. Παρατηρεῖται δὲ τὸ λόγιον ὅτι "6πάντα"6 ἐξῆλθε,

Noah's Altar and the Sacrifice§80

80No one being harmed. And Noah built an altar. Even if he did indeed act in concert with something for salvation, having constructed the ark and having safely sealed it and having done the other things, he did not set it upon himself; rather, as one giving thanks, he builds an altar.

And previously we said properly that he brought more fittingly clean animals into the ark than unspecified animals; for it was intended to perform sacred rites from them. And even if it was not commanded by law to perform sacred rites, but being righteous—just as Abel from the beginning did and had and was receiving from God (Gen 4:4)—he considered it just to receive from the Giver thankfully.

And the 'from all' must be heard as him having presented to the altar with prudence. For there are three things brought up for sacrifice: among the animals of the livestock, a calf, a sheep, and of these missing text, and a dove. These therefore are the 'all'.

And it is possible to find this from the Scriptures, that, regarding what is said in the general, it is proper to take it according to what follows; for the 'And all flesh shall see the salvation of God' (Isa 49:6) must not simply be understood as all, but the livestock are clean except for the living thing, which is the human nature. This was previously spoken because of those things said in the law.

Greek · §80

οὐδένος βλαβέντος. ῃιιι, 20. Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν Νῶε θυσιαστήριον. Εἰ καὶ συνε´̣πραξέν τι πρὸς σωτηρίαν Νῶε κατα- σκευάσας τὴν κιβωτὸν καὶ ἀσφαλῶς αὐτὴν ἀσφαλτώσας καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ποιήσας, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ ἐβάλετο, ἀλλ' εὐχα- ριστῶν θυσιαστήριον οἰκοδομεῖ. Οἰκείως δὲ πρὸ τούτου ἐλέγομεν ὅτι πλείονα εἰκότως τῶν ζῴων τῇ κιβωτῷ καθαρὰ ζῷα εἰσήγαγεν· ἔμελλεν γὰρ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἱερουρ- γεῖν ***. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μήπω νόμῳ προστεταγμένον ἦν ἱερουργεῖν, ἀλλὰ δίκαιος ὤν, καθὰ καὶ Ἄβε̣λ̣ ἐξ̣ ὡ῀̣ν̣ ἔκαμνεν καὶ εἶχεν ἀπήρχετο Θεῷ, δίκαιον ἡ[γούμ]ενος τῷ δεδωκότι εὐχαριστητικῶς ἀπάρχεσθαι. Τὸ δὲ "6ἀπὸ πάντων"6 εἴρ̣ησθαι αὐτὸν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ προσανενεγκεῖν συνετῶς ἀκούειν δεῖ. Τρία γάρ ἐστι τὰ εἰς θυσίαν ἀνα- φερόμεν[α] ··· ζῴων τῶν ἐν κτήνεσιν μόσχος, πρόβατον, ·ει̣[··]··νων δὲ τούτων, καὶ περιστερά. Ταῦτα οὖν ἐστι τὰ "6πάντα"6. Καὶ ἔστι τοῦτο ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν εὑρεῖν, ὅτι, τοῦ καθόλου λεγομένου, πρὸς τὸ [ἀκ]ολούθως αὐτὸ ἐκλαμβάνειν προσήκει· τὸ γὰρ "6Καὶ ὄψεται πᾶσα [σὰρ]ξ τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ"6 οὐχ ἁπλῶς πᾶσαν ἡγεῖσθαι δεῖ, Καθαρὰ δὲ τὰ κτήνη τὰ ἀλλὰ τὴν [πεφ]υκυῖαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις. [π]ροειρημένα διὰ τ̣ὰ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ εἰρημένα ***

The Earthly Nature of Sin and the Call to the Heavenly§81

81And the Lord said to Abram: 'Go out from your land and from your kindred and from your father's house into the land which I will show you; and I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will magnify your name, and you shall be blessed, and I will bless those blessing you, and those cursing you I will curse; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you' (Gen 12:1-3).

Not as a total exclusion does God command Abraham to depart from his land and his kindred, but seeing in him something worthy to be remaining arranged under his guardianship, which was the faith in him; for the one having faith in God was not bound to remain with the foolish, since his father was an idolater. For often the company of the evil harms the diligent, and especially when they are fresh. Because of this also the Savior preaches: 'If anyone wants to come after me and does not hate his father and his brothers and sisters and also his wife and children, he cannot be my disciple' (Luke 14:26).

It was not hatred of the kin being worked by this that the Lord said, but if something of these things became an obstacle toward virtue, it is to be hated for the sake of virtue, which the disciples, having done, said: 'Behold, we have left all and have followed you' (Matt 19:27).

This therefore also now is commanded to the patriarch, God promising to show him a land so that he may live there, to make him into a great nation, and to bless him and to magnify his name and to show him blessed, so that those blessing him find blessing from him, and those cursing him receive a curse from him. And in addition to these, it is promised to him that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in him, which are not all human, as we are entering from the lifting up, beginning from those above. For the devil is the father of every sinner according to the...

It has been said: 'Everyone who does sin is of the devil' (1 John 3:8). For just as he who does the will of God becomes his offspring—for he says, 'Everyone who does righteousness is born of God' (1 John 3:7)—so 'the one doing sin is of the devil' (1 John 3:8) and of his father. And there is also a kinship through the composition of this father.

Therefore, God exhorts him to explain this, calling it earth, for it is nothing heavenly but all earthly in the opposing devil, so that, casting off the image of the swine, he might take up the image of the heavenly. Such a thing is brought forth in a psalm regarding the Church from among the Gentiles, saying: 'Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house, for the king of your beauty has desired you, and he is your Lord' (Psalm 45:10).

For already, having existed, the word, with a prophetic eye, was awakening the daughter to move away from idolatry, exhorting her to hear and to see, having a pure heart both to hear and to see the Word of God; and for this purpose also to incline the ear, so that from these she might forget 'your people' (Psalm 45:10) of the household 'and your father' (Psalm 45:10) so as to renounce him, adding also the reason, which we also agreed exists in the patriarch: the beauty of the soul; for nothing beautifies the soul like virtue. It is therefore necessary to forget all earthly things, which are divided into the things previously mentioned.

And he says to the earnest one that he has come to an earth which, if God shows it to him, is not visible, even though he followed this also for the sake of a symbol, but is invisible; 'for hope that is seen is not hope' (Romans 8:24). And what is it that he will do 'into a great nation' (Acts 15:5) after taking it according to the spoken word? For it is clear that this also existed according to history. And it is great in reality to become a nation when one is adorned by virtues. It is evident that, progressing more...

Greek · §81

82 209 χιι, 1–3. Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος τῷ Ἀβράμ· Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου καὶ ἐκ τ[ο]ῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου εἰς τὴν γῆ[ν] ἣν ἐάν σοι δείξω· καὶ ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα, καὶ εὐλογήσω σε, καὶ μεγαλυνῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου καὶ ἔσῃ εὐλογητός, καὶ εὐλογήσω το̣υ`̣ς̣ εὐλογοῦντάς σε, καὶ τοὺς καταρωμένους σε καταράσομαι· καὶ ἐνευλογη- θήσονται ἐν σο[ὶ πᾶ]σαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς. Οὐκ ἀποκληρωτικῶς τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ὁ Θεὸς κελεύει ἀποστῆναι τῆς γῆς καὶ τῆς συγγενείας ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐνιδὼν ἐν αὐτῷ ἄξιόν <τι> τοῦ ὑπὸ κηδεμονίαν αὐτοῦ λοιπὸν τετάχθαι, ὅπερ ἦν ἡ εἰς αὐτὸν πίστις, καὶ οὐχ ἥρμοζεν τὸν ἔχοντα πίστιν εἰς Θεὸν παραμενεῖν τοῖς φαύλοις· εἰδωλολάτρης γὰρ ἦν ὁ τούτου πατήρ. Πολλάκις γὰρ ἡ συνουσία τῶν κακῶν βλάπτει τοὺς σπουδαίους, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν νεοπαγεῖς ὦσιν. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ κηρύττει· "6Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν καὶ οὐ μισεῖ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τὰς ἀδελφάς, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα, οὐ δύναται εἶναί μου μαθητής"6. Οὐ μῖσος δὲ τῶν οἰκείων ἐνεργαζόμενος τοῦτ̣ο̣ ἔφη ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλ' εἰ ἐμπόδιον τούτων τι πρὸς ἀρετὴν γίνοιτο, [μι]σητέον αὐτὸ δι' ἀρετήν, ὅπερ ποιήσαντες οἱ μαθηταὶ ἔλεγον· "6Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν πάντα καὶ ἠκολουθήκαμέν σοι"6. Τοῦτ' οὖν καὶ νῦν τῷ πατριάρχῃ προστάττεται, <τοῦ Θεοῦ> ἐπαγγελομένου δείξειν αὐτῷ γῆν, ἵν' ἐκεῖ διάγῃ, ποιήσειν τε αὐτὸν εἰς ἔθνος μέγα, εὐλογήσει<ν> τε καὶ μεγαλυνεῖν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ εὐλογητὸν αὐτὸν ἀποδείξειν, ὡς τοὺς εὐλογοῦντας αὐτὸν τυγχάνειν παρ' αὐτοῦ εὐλογίας, τοὺς δὲ καταρωμένους κατάραν ὑφίστασθαι πα[ρ' αὐ]τοῦ. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἐν ὑποσχέσει αὐτῷ κατε- παγ̣γ̣έλλεται ἐνε[υλο]γηθῆναι ἐν αὐτῷ πᾶσας τὰς φυλὰς τῆς γῆς, ἅπερ ἅπαντα οὐκ ἀνθρ[ώ]πινα τυγχάνει, ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς εἰσόμεθα [τὰ] ἐντεῦθεν ἄν̣ω̣θε̣[ν] ἀρχόμενοι. Παντὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ διάβολος πατή[ρ ἐσ]τιν κατὰ τὸ ε̣ι᾿̣ρημένον· "6Πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν"6. 210 Ὡς γὰρ ὁ πο̣ι̣ῶν τὸ θέλη[μα τοῦ] Θεοῦ γέννημα αὐτοῦ γίνεται, –"6Π̣[ᾶς]"6 γάρ φησιν "6ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαι- [οσύν]ην ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται"6–, οὕτως "6ὁ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ δ̣ιαβο´̣λου ἐστίν"6 καὶ πατρὸς αὐτῆς̣. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ συγγένειαν τὴν ἐκ τούτου̣ [τοῦ] πατρὸς σύστασιν. Ταύτην οὖν ὑπεξελθεῖν αὐτῷ παρακελε̣ύετ̣αι Θεὸς γῆν αὐτὴν καλ[ῶν, –ο]ὐδὲν γὰρ οὐράνιον ἀλλὰ πάντα γήϊν̣α ἐν τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ διαβόλῳ, –ἵν' οὕτω ἀποθέμενος τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ ἀναλάβῃ τὴν εἰκόν̣α̣ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου. Τοιοῦτον δ' ἐν ψαλμῷ φέρεται πρὸς τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐκκλησίαν λεγόμενον· "6Ἄκουσον, θύγατερ, καὶ ἰδὲ καὶ κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἐπιλάθου τοῦ λαοῦ σου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου, ὅτι ἐπεθύμησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ κάλλους σου, καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Κύριός σου"6. Ἤδη γὰρ αὐτὴν ὑπαρξαμένην τοῦ κινεῖσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας προφητικῷ ὀφθαλμῷ διεγείρων ὁ λόγος θυγατέρα καλεῖ προτρεπόμενος αὐτὴν ἀκοῦσαί τε καὶ ἰδεῖν, τοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγου ἅμα καὶ τὸ ἀκούεσθαι καὶ τὸ ὁρᾶσθαι ἔχοντος καρδίᾳ καθαρᾷ, πρὸς δὲ τοῦτο καὶ κλῖναι τὸ οὖς, ἵν' ἐκ τούτων ἐπιλάθῃ "6τοῦ λαοῦ σου"6 οἰκείου "6καὶ πατρός σου"6 ἀποταξαμένη αὐτῷ, προσθεὶς καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν, ἥνπερ καὶ ἐν τῷ πατριάρχῃ ἐφάσκομεν ἐνυπάρχειν, κάλλος ψυχῆς· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως καλλωπίζει τὴν ψυχὴν ὡς ἀρετη´̣. ∆εῖ οὖν ἐπιλαθέσθαι πάντων τῶν γηΐνων ἃ διαιρεῖται εἰς τὰ προειρημένα. Φησὶν δὲ τῷ σπουδαίῳ ἥκειν εἰς γῆν ἣν ἐὰν αὐτῷ δείξῃ Θεός, οὐχ ὁρατο´̣ν, εἰ καὶ συμβόλου χάριν καὶ τοῦτο παρηκολούθησεν, ἀλλ' ἀόρατον· "6ἐλπὶς γὰρ βλεπομένη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπίς"6. Τί δὲ καὶ τὸ ποιήσειν [αὐ]τὸν "6εἰς ἔθνος μέγα"6 μετὰ τὸ κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν ἐκλαβεῖν; ∆ῆλον γὰρ [ὅτ]ι καὶ καθ' ἱστορίαν τοῦτο ὑπῆρξεν. Μέγα δέ ἐστιν τῷ ὄντ̣ι γινόμενος ἔθνος, ὅταν ἐξ ἀρετῶν κοσμῆται. Φανερὸν δὲ ὅτι, πλειον·[··]· προκοπῶν

The Motive and Manner of Abraham's Obedience§82

82When things are becoming in the soul, there is not a human magnitude established, but a heavenly one, which is a blessing, not merely spoken out, but truly manifested, through the becoming of a great and famous name from the accompanying virtue and the world following from the spiritual blessing; for a good name is more desirable than wealth and 'good reputation sustains the bones' (Sirach 7:36). Nor is it sufficient to bless, but he goes further saying: 'And you shall be blessed' (Gen 12:2), becoming worthy of blessing because of the magnitude and the progress of perfected virtue; and he blesses also those who bless him, not by mere utterance, but by the choice and election of those whom he himself is chosen by. Likewise, those standing in opposition to him will fall under a curse.

And this appears to the one reading the histories, in which it is made clear that as many as received him poorly were blessed, but as many as did not use him properly have become under a curse, such as Abimelech. And these things can also be said concerning invisible powers, where holy angels bless the diligent one and are blessed by him, but the devil and the demons curse him and fall under a curse. Furthermore, there will be another achievement: to be blessed in him all the tribes of the earth, being delivered from being tribes of the earth through the imitation of him according to holiness, no longer thinking of their earthly things. And the diligent one is destined for this, to be blessed in him through imitation by all the tribes of the earth, even if not all approach, separating themselves from this by their own will.

And Abram went, just as the Lord spoke to him (Gen 12:4), and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he went out from Haran. And Abram took his wife Sarai and Lot the son of his brother, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and every soul whom they had gathered from Haran, and they went to journey to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan (Gen 12:5). This is a great testimony to the patriarch, that he thus traveled just as God spoke to him, and of the acceptance of Lot following along with Abram. And the saying testifies also to the time in which he went out and how he led out all that they had gathered from Haran and every soul whom they had gathered, and thus they came to the land of Canaan.

And this would indeed have the greatest reception in itself: that he did not remain, not being overcome by the familiarity of kinship, nor of friends, nor of others, whatever enticements there were toward not departing from the fatherland, but he saw all things aside, becoming obedient to the divine command. An addition, as we have previously said, is that he also journeyed thus just as God spoke to him. For it often happens to do the commanded thing, but not to carry it out as the one who commanded had set forth. Here it happened thus, that God commanded, and the cause of the deed was divine, and the result was according to the purpose of the commander.

Not thus do those practicing almsgiving act for the sake of being seen by men, completing the deed, but being secured in their merit by the manner of the acting. But the blessed Paul does not act thus, but saying, 'Become imitators of me' (1 Cor 11:1), he did not simply command this, but further brought it forth, 'just as I am of Christ' (1 Cor 11:1), not in appearance but in truth. Again the Savior, saying, 'Learn from me that I am gentle and humble in heart' (Matt 11:29), leads the hearers to understand toward learning both the manner and the energy and the causes of gentleness and humility.

And the patriarch also leads his possessions, not as one enslaved to them, as if he were not enslaved to his only begotten son, but having taken them for the needs. And these things, having been said for the sake of the history, are sufficient for benefit, to which one must also add the leading out from Haran and the souls which they acquired, to show that he acquired the household in his own manner; for no one, according to what has been said, is slow in the house of a wise man. And the word of the leading out also has much benefit for being able to level all things.

Haran, therefore, is interpreted as 'wheels,' which is a symbol of the senses; for the places of the senses are like wheels. Thus God wills to turn him away from the sensible things. And the possessions, having become established in these things, the saint leads along to be useful to him for the entrance into the intelligible perfections; for does not the perfect one among the great also lack the decorated adornment, the grinding of teeth and the stepping of the foot? And he also leads the wife, who...

Greek · §82

ἐν ψυχῇ γινομένων, μέγεθος οὐκ ἀνθρώπινο[ν σ]υνίσταται, ἀλλ' οὐράνιον, ὅπερ εὐλογία ἐστίν, ου᾿̣ ψιλῶς προφερομένη, ἀλλὰ πραγματικῶς, 211 μεγάλου τοῦ 83 ὀνόματοσκαὶ διαβοήτου γινομένου ἐκ τῆς συ̣νούσης ἀρετῆς καὶ τοῦ κόσμου τοῦ ἑπομένου ἐκ τῆς εὐλογίας τῆς πνευματικῆς· αἱρετώτερον γὰρ ὄνομακαλὸν ἢ πλοῦτος *** καὶ "6φήμη ἀγαθὴ πιαίνει ὀστᾶ"6. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖται δὲ τῷ εὐλογῆσαι, ἀλλ' ἔτι ἐπάγει λέγων· "6Καὶ ἔσῃ εὐλογητός"6, ἄξιος εὐλογίας γινόμενος̣ διὰ τὸ μέγεθος καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τελείαν ἀρετὴν προκοπήν, εὐλογεῖ δὲ καὶ τοὺς εὐλογοῦντας, οὐ ψιλῇ προφορᾷ, ἀλλὰ τῇ αἱρέσει καὶ ἐκλογῇ ὧν αὐτὸς ἐκλέγεται. Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ κατάρᾳ ὑποπεσοῦνται οἱ ἐναντίως αὐτῷ διακείμενοι. Καὶ φαί- νεται τοῦτο τῷ ἀναγνόντι τὰς ἱστορίας, ἐν αἷς δηλοῦται ὡς ὅσοι μὲν αὐτὸν ἀσμένως ὑπεδέξαντο εὐλογήθησαν, ὅσοι δὲ οὐ δεόντως αὐτῷ ἐχρήσαντο ὑπὸ κατάραν γεγόνασιν ὡς ὁ Ἀβιμέλεχ. ∆ύνανται δὲ καὶ περὶ ἀοράτων δυνάμεων ταῦτα λέγεσθαι, ἁγίων μὲν ἀγγέλων εὐλογούντων τὸν σπουδαῖον καὶ εὐλογουμένων, διαβόλου δὲ καὶ δαιμόνων καταρωμένων αὐτὸν καὶ ὑπὸ κατάραν πιπτόντων. Ἔτι δὲ ἕτερον ὑπάρξει κατόρθωμα τὸ ἐνευλογηθῆναι ἐν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς φυλὰς τῆς γῆς, ἀπαλλαττομένας τοῦ γῆς εἶναι φυλὰς διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν μίμησιν κατὰ ἁγιότητα, μηκέτι τὰ ἐπίγεια αὐτῶν φρονουσῶν. Ἔκκειται δὲ εἰς τοῦτο ὁ σπουδαῖος εἰς τὸ ἐνευλογηθῆναι ἐν αὐτῷ διὰ μιμήσεως πάσας τὰς φυλὰς τῆς γῆς, κἂν μὴ πᾶσαι προ- σέλθωσιν τῇ προαιρέσει ἑαυτὰς ἀπὸ τούτου χωρίζουσαι. χιι, 4–5. Καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ἀβράμ, καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ᾤχετο μετ' αὐτοῦ Λώτ. Ἀβρὰμ δὲ ἦν πέντε καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα ἐτῶν, ὅτε ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ Χαρράν. Καὶ ἔλαβεν Ἀβρὰμ τὴν Σάραν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν Λὼτ υἱὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτῶν, ὅσα ἐκτήσαντο, καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχήν, ἣν ἐκτήσαντο ἐκ Χαρράν, καὶ ἐξῆλθαν πορευθῆναι εἰς γῆν Χαναὰν καὶ ἦλθαν εἰς γῆν Χαναάν."6 212 Μεγάλη μαρτυρία τῷ πατριάρχῃ αὕτη, ὅτι οὑ´̣τω πεπόρευται καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός, ἀποδοχῆς δὲ καὶ Λὼτ συνακολουθήσας τῷ Ἀβράμ. Μαρτύρεται δὲ τὸ λόγιον καὶ τὸν χρόνον καθ' ὃν ἐξελήλυθεν καὶ ὡς ἅπαντα ὅσα ἐκτήσαντο ἐξήγαγον ἐκ Χαρρὰν καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἣν ἐκτήσαντο καὶ οὕτως ἦλθον εἰς γῆν Χαναάν. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ἂν εἴη ἔχ[ο]ν [κα]ὶ καθ' αὑτὸ μεγίστην ἀποδοχήν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀναμείνας, οὐ καμφθεὶς οἰκειότητι συγγενείας, οὐ φίλων, οὐ τῶν ἄλλων, ὅσα ἀγωγὰ εἰς τὸ μὴ ἀποστῆναι τῆς πατρίδος ὑπῆρχεν, ὑπερεῖδεν ἅπαντα τῷ θείῳ κατα- πειθὴς γινόμενος προστάγματι. Προσθήκη, ὡς προλα- βόντες εἰρήκαμεν, τὸ καὶ οὕτως πορευθῆναι καθὼς ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός. Συμβαίνει γὰρ πολλάκις ποιῆσαι μὲν τὸ προσταττόμενον, μὴ οὕτω δὲ αὐτὸ ἀνῦσαι ὡς ὁ προστάξας ὑπέθετο. Ἐνταῦθα οὕτως γέγονεν ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἐκέλευσεν, καὶ τῆς αἰτίας τοῦ πραττομένου θείως γινομένης καὶ τοῦ ἀποτελέσματος κατὰ τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ κελεύσαντος. Οὐχ οὕτως οἱ ἐλεημοσύνην ποιοῦντες πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι ὑπ' ἀνθρώπων ἐνεργοῦσιν, τὴν μὲν πρᾶξιν ἐπιτελοῦντες, τῷ δὲ τρόπῳ τοῦ ἐνεργουμένου διασφαλλόμενοι. Ὁ μακά- ριος δὲ Παῦλος οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ λέγων "6Μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε"6 οὐχ ἁπλῶς τοῦτο προσέταττεν, ἀλλ' ἑξῆς ἐπέ- φερεν "6καθὼς κἀγὼ τοῦ Χριστοῦ"6, οὐ τῷ δοκεῖν ἀλλ' ἀλη- θείᾳ. Πάλιν δ' ὁ Σωτὴρ λέγων "6Μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ"6 ἐνάγει τοὺς ἀκούοντας κατανοεῖν εἰς τὸ μαθεῖν καὶ τὸν τρόπον καὶ τὴν ἐνέργειαν καὶ τὰς αἰτίας τῆς πραότητος καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης. Ἐπάγεται δὲ ὁ πατριάρχης καὶ τὴν κτῆσιν οὐχ ὡς δεδουλωμένος αὐτῇ ὅ γε μὴ τῷ μονογενεῖ υἱῷ ἑαυτοῦ δουλωθείς, ἀλλ' ἑλὼν αὐτὰ πρὸς τὰς χρείας. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τῆς ἱστορίας ἕνεκα λεχθέντα ἱκανὰ πρὸς ὠφελίαν, οἷς προσλημπτέον καὶ τὸ ἐξαγαγεῖν ἐκ Χαρρὰν 213 καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἃς ἐκτήσαντο δηλοῦν ὅτι τῆς οἰκετείας οὓς πρὸς τ[ὸ]ν ἑαυτοῦ τρόπον ἐκτήσατο συνεπηγάγετο· οὐδεὶς γάρ, κατ[ὰ] τὸ εἰρημένον, βραδὺς ἐν οἰκίᾳ σοφοῦ. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς λόγος πολλὴν τὴν ὠφελίαν τῷ ἅπαντα ἐξομαλῖσαι δυναμένῳ. Χαρρὰν μὲν οὖν ἑρμη- νεύεται "3τρῶγλαι"3, ὅπερ σύμβολόν 84 ἐστιν τῶν αἰσθήσεων· οἱ τόποι γὰρ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ὡσανεὶ τρῶγλαί εἰσιν. Βούλεται οὖν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπαναστῆναι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν. Καὶ τὴν ἐν τούτοις κτῆσιν συνετῶς γεγενημένην ὁ ἅγιος συνεπάγεται χρησιμεύουσαν αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν εἰστὰ νοητὰ τελείωσιν, ἢ ὁ τέλειος πρὸς τοῖς μεγάλοις οὐκ ἔχει καὶ τὸν στολισμὸν κεκοσμημένον μειδιασμόν τε ὀδόντων καὶ βῆμα ποδός; Ἐπάγεται δὲ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἥτις

Spiritual Ascent and the Meaning of Sychar§83

83"My beginning" is interpreted opportunistically; for the wise man is with wisdom, either being led by her or having the rule from her, and having her as a spouse according to the Song of Solomon: "I brought her into my life to live with me" (Song of Solomon 1:2, 1:4), making wisdom clear, "and I became a lover of her beauty" (Song of Solomon 1:4); and she also bears prudence to a man.

This also leads on Lot the brother, concerning whom we would understand thus: Abram is a son of God through righteousness, for "everyone who does righteousness is born of God" (1 John 5:3), and because of this he is a participant in the mysteries of the divine, the invisible, and the superlative; and such a one has a brother who wisely transforms the sensible. For such a thing contributes to the perfect one; and Lot is his son, interpreted as "a turning away, having been liberated"; for since he is not a son of the wise but of one possessing the sensible, he is a turning away, being slightly shaken from the sensible, but since he is under the holy one and follows him, he exists as having been liberated, receiving this beginning of the divine and superlative understanding.

This indeed, Abram was leading both in man and in manner, wisely receiving the sensible things as well; for it is beautiful even for a turning away to flow toward the beautiful and be shaken from the opposites; such also is a prayer sent up, saying by the Psalmist: "Let the whole earth be shaken from before his face" (Psalm 104:7); for this happening, the earth no longer remains earth, because the Face has seized those upon the earth to become heavenly. Of the same thought is also "He who sits upon the cherubim, let the earth be shaken" (Psalm 97:5), so that a change may occur around him.

Thus also those with him, the patriarch, went out, changing toward the better; for they came into Canaan, which is interpreted as "prepared"; for it is proper for the one now being brought in to have begun to leave the sensible things to be turned toward the reception of more divine things. "And Abram traveled through the land as far as the place of Shechem, at the high oak; and the Canaanites were living in the land then" (Genesis 12:6). The word introduces that, having been moved as a newcomer into this land, he necessarily understands its form by traveling its length, and likely its breadth as well, learning its territory; for the saying "as far as the place of Shechem" signifies...

And that the Canaanites dwelt upon the land. Necessarily, therefore, one must move toward the ascent. The holy one, having been transferred from the sensible things, which he also rightly divides, toward a more divine progress, and having passed on, perceived the length, which they say provides as it were the height, and he perceived the height of the divine things. This very thing also the blessed Paul says: 'what breadth and length and depth to know the surpassing grace of God' (Ephesians 3:18). All these things, therefore, he perceived from the greater thing and is testifying concerning the others.

And he comes 'as far as the place of Sychar' (John 4:5), where the spring happened to be, upon which Jesus sat down having labored, because he had a body conformed to our flesh, which it is probable they suggest is because of the greater and theological occupation, which is indicated by the length; he came also to the discourse concerning the incarnation according to that which was said by Jesus: 'Abraham desired to see my day, and he saw and rejoiced' (John 8:56). And he comes to Sychar, being worthy of being interpreted as a 'shoulder' through the diverse actions of all these things; for the shoulder, from which the 'shoulder' support comes, is a symbol of work, as it has been said: 'Give your heart unto your shoulders' (Proverbs 4:23), and concerning one of the patriarchs: 'He set his shoulder to toil' (Genesis 49:24).

So also it is said concerning the man whom the Savior took up: 'His beginning was upon his shoulder' (Acts 1:11); having worked, he had the beginning, but the work was not from evil unto virtue—for 'sin he did not do' (Hebrews 4:15)—but the guarding of perfection; so also regarding the man who was king, having the eternal, innate, and essential kingdom of the God Word, not by work or by toil. And he comes 'to the high oak,' and since many of the trees and plants signify something intelligible, as those saying in Isaiah: 'In joy you shall go forth and in gladness you shall be taught; for the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you in joy, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands' (Isaiah 55:13), which signifies nothing sensible, but the exodus of the blessed, who do not depart with weeping, but with joy.

Someone says, 'What a vain thing is this: If death is so bitter' (1 Corinthians 15:33), but concerning Abraham it is said that he fell asleep and was joined to his fathers, 'having been nourished in...

Greek · §83

ἑρμηνεύε- ται "3ἀρχή μου"3 προσφόρως· ὁ σοφὸς γὰρ μετὰ τῆς σοφίας ἐστὶν ἤτοι ἀρχόμενος ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἢ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἔχων τὸ ἄρχειν, καὶ σύζυγον αὐτὴν ἔχων κατὰ τὸ σαλομώντιον· "6Ἤγαγον αὐτὴν εἰς συμβίωσιν ἐμαυτῷ"6, τὴν σοφίαν δηλονότι, "6καὶ ἐραστὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς"6· αὕτη δὲ καὶ τίκτει ἀνδρὶ φρόνησιν. Ἐπάγεται δὲ καὶ τὸν Λὼτ τὸν ἀδελφιδοῦν, περὶ οὗ οὕτως ἂν διαλάβοιμεν· ὁ Ἀβρὰμ υἱὸς Θεοῦ διὰ δικαιοσύνην ὑπάρχει, –"6Πᾶς"6 γὰρ "6ὁ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται"6, –καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῶν θείων καὶ ἀοράτων καὶ ὑπερφυῶν ἐστι μέτοχος μυστηρίων, ἔχει δ' ἀδελφὸν ὁ τοιοῦτος τὸν τῶν αἰσθητῶν σοφῶς μεταποιούμενον· συμβάλλεται γὰρ τῷ τελείῳ τὸ τοιοῦτον· τούτου δ' υἱὸς ὁ Λὼτ "3ἀπόκλισις λελυτρωμένος"3 ἑρμηνευόμενος· ᾗ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν υἱὸς τοῦ σοφοῦ ἀλλὰ τοῦ περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ ἔχοντος, ἀπόκλισίς ἐστιν ὀλίγον σαλευόμενος ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, ᾗ δὲ ὑπὸ τὸν ἅγιόν ἐστιν καὶ τούτῳ ἕπεται, λελυτρωμένος ὑπάρχει ἀρχὴν ταύτην τῆς τῶν θείων καὶ ὑπερφυῶν νοήσεως δεχόμενος. Τοῦτον δὴ καὶ ἄνθρωπον καὶ τρόπον ἐπήγετο Ἀβρὰμ σοφῶς δεχόμενος καὶ τὰ αἰσθητά· καλὸν γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἀπόκλισιν εἶναι ῥέποντα πρὸς τὰ καλὰ καὶ σαλευόμενον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ εὐχὴ ἀναπέμπεται λέγοντος τοῦ ψαλμῳδοῦ· "6Σαλευθήτω ἀπὸ προσώπου 214 αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ"6· τούτου γὰρ γινομένου οὐκέτι ἡ γῆ γῆ μένει, τοῦ προσώπου καταλάμψαντος τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς πρὸς τὸ γενέσθαι οὐρανίους. Τῆς αὐτῆς διανοίας ἐστὶν καὶ τὸ "6Ὁ καθήμεν̣ος ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβείμ, σαλευθήτω ἡ γῆ"6, ἵνα μεταβολὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ γένηται. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τῷ πατριάρχῃ ἐξῆλθον μεταβαλόντες ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον· ἦλθον γὰρ εἰς Χαναάν, ὅπερ ἑρμηνεύεται "3ἡτοι- μασμένη"3· πρέπει γὰρ τῷ νῦν εἰσαγομένῳ ἀρξαμένῳ καταλιπεῖν τὰ αἰσθητὰ εὐτρεπισθῆναι πρὸς παραδοχὴν τω῀̣ν θειοτέρων. χιι, 6. Καὶ διώδευσεν Ἀβρὰμ τὴν γῆν εἰς τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχὲμ ἐπὶ τὴν δρῦν τὴν ὑψηλήν· οἱ δὲ Χαναναῖοι τότε κατῴκουν τὴν γῆν"6 Εἰσάγει μὲν ὁ λόγος ὅτι νεωστὶ εἰς̣ τὴν γῆν ταύτην μεταστὰς ἀναγκαίως αὐτῆς τὴν εἰδέαν κατανοεῖ διοδεύων τὸ μῆκος, εἰκὸς δ' ὅτι καὶ τὸ πλάτος, τὴν περιοχὴν αὐτῆς καταμανθάνων· σημειοῦται γὰρ τὸ λόγιον "6ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχέμ"6, καὶ ὅτι δὲ οἱ Χαναναῖοι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κατῴκουν. Ἀναγκαίως δὲ ἀπὸ τούτου χωρητέον ἐπὶ τὴν ἀναγωγήν. Ὁ ἅγιος μεταστὰς ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ καλῶς μετῄει, ἐπὶ προκοπὴν θειοτέραν, καὶ μετελθὼν κατενόει τὸ μῆκος, ὅπερ ἔμφασιν παρέχει ὡς τὸ ὕψος καὶ τῶν θείων κατενόει. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος *** τί πλάτος καὶ μῆκος καὶ βάθος γνῶναι τε τὴν ὑπερβάλ- λουσαν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ"6. Ταῦτα οὖν ἅπαντα κατενόει ἀπὸ τοῦ μείζονος καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων μαρτυρούμενος. Ἔρχεται δὲ "6ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχέμ"6, ἔνθα ἡ πηγὴ ἐτύγχανεν, ἐφ' ἣν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκαθέσθη κοπιάσας διὰ τὸ ὁμοούσιον τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ σῶμα ἔχειν, ὅπερ πιθανῶς ὑποβάλλοι ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς μείζονος καὶ περὶ θεολογίαν ἀσχολίας, ὃ δηλοῦται διὰ τοῦ μήκους, ἦλθεν καὶ εἰς τὸν περὶ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως λόγον κατὰ τὸ ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ 215 εἰρημένον· "6Ἀβρ<α>ὰμ ἐπεθύμησεν ἰδεῖν τὴν ἡμέραν [τ]ὴν ἐμήν, καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἐχάρη"6. Ἔρχεται δὲ εἰς Συχὲμ ἑρμηνευομένην ὠμίασιν διὰ πράξεων ἐναρετῶν ἁπάντων τούτων ἀξιούμενος· ὁ ὦμος γάρ, ἀφ' οὗ ἡ ὠμίασις, σύμβολον ὑπάρχει ἔργου, καθὸ εἴρηται· "6∆ὸς καρδίαν σου εἰς ὤμους σου"6, καὶ περὶ ἑνὸς τῶν πατριαρχῶν· "6Ὑπέθηκεν τὸν ὦμον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πονεῖν"6. Οὕτω γοῦν λέγεται καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, οὗ ἀνέλαβεν ὁ Σωτήρ· "6Ἐγενήθη ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου 85 αὐτοῦ"6· ἐργασά- μενος ἔσχεν τὴν ἀρχήν, ἔργον δὲ οὐ τὸ ἀπὸ κακίας εἰς ἀρετήν– "6Ἁμαρτίαν"6 γὰρ "6οὐκ ἐποίησεν"6–, ἀλλὰ τὴν φυλακὴν τῆς τελ̣ε̣ι̣ότητος· οὕτω καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον βασιλεὺς ἦν, τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου τὴν ἀΐδιον καὶ σύμφυτον καὶ οὐσιώδη ἔχοντος βασιλείαν, οὐκ <ἐξ> ἔργου ἢ πόνου. Ἔρχεται δὲ καὶ "6ἐπὶ τὴν δρῦν τὴν ὑψηλήν"6, καὶ ἐπεὶ πολλὰ τῶν δένδρων καὶ φυτῶν νοητά τινα δηλοῖ, ὡς τὰ ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ λέγοντι· "6Ἐν χαρᾷ"6 φησιν "6ἐξελεύσεσθε καὶ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ διδαχθήσεσθε· τὰ γὰρ ὄρη καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ ἐξολου῀̣νται προσδεχόμενοι ὑμᾶς ἐν χαρᾷ καὶ πάντα τὰ ξύλα τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐπικροτήσει τοῖς κλάδοις"6, ἅπερ οὐδὲν αἰσθητὸν σημαίνει, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἔξοδον τῶν ἀστείων, οἳ οὐ μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ ἀπέρχονται, ἀλλὰ μετὰ χαρᾶς. Φαῦλος οὖν τίς φησιν· "6Εἰ οὕτω πικρὸς ὁ θάνατος"6, περὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἀβρὰμ λέγεται ὅτι ἐκοιμήθη καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ, "6τραφεὶς ἐν

Two modes of seeing§84

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

84Therefore, when the righteous depart from life, the mountains and the hills, the angels and the righteous ones, will receive them with joy, rejoicing because of the one sheep. Along with this, even all the woods of the field will strike rejoicing, which are the intelligible things in paradise.

Then he says: 'Instead of a stack, a cypress shall rise up' (Gen 49:11), instead of being fruitless and thorny, useful and fragrant—for this is what the one repenting becomes—'and instead of boxwood, myrtle shall rise up' (Gen 49:11), changing from a foul odor to a fragrance. Since we have trees taken up intellectually, it is necessary also to contemplate the oak, to which Abraham comes, upon which sitting he was worthy of a vision when he also received the promise concerning Isaac. Through works and labors, advancing toward the heights, one is presented with the participation in the fragrance and the contemplation of the high and divine notions.

You shall also observe what was signaled, that 'the Canaanites still dwelt in the land' (Gen 48:11), lest we might think that to the one advancing everything is immediately set free, but he still has some of the old habit—for this is what 'still' signifies—which might be understood concerning those following the saint who have not yet attained perfection.

And the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to him: 'To your seed I will give this land' (Gen 28:13). And Abraham built there an altar to the Lord who appeared to him. Accordingly, to the one who has obeyed the commands given by God Himself, He appears, making the good hope of those expecting Him more certain; for He also promises to give the land to his seed. Accordingly also the saint, being thankful, builds an altar to the one who proposed the promise. And let these things be spoken in a manner of interpretation.

It is worthy to contemplate regarding 'God appeared to Abraham,' for the invisible God, as is demonstrated in the Gospel, it being said 'No one has seen God ever' (John 1:18), and 'Not that anyone has seen the Father' (John 6:46), but also Paul saying concerning God: 'Whom no man of men has seen nor is able to see' (1 Tim 6:16), which signifies that which is invisible by nature. For some of the visible things we do not see, but we are able to see, even if this does not follow; such is the nature of the visible things. But the invisible is not such that it cannot be seen...

Not something, but because of being invisible, it is not seen. It is therefore clear that seeing is twofold: one according to sense, the other according to intellect; the one is perceptive of visible things, the other of invisible things, which is a pure mind, through which God appeared to Abraham (Gen 15:1). The word also has another observation. For it has not been said, 'Abraham saw God,' but 'God appeared to Abraham' (Gen 15:1). Since we are toward created nature and its weakness, the thing is not possible; but as toward the philanthropy of God, it becomes possible, through His goodness granting Himself to His own comprehension.

And if ever 'saw' is placed instead of 'appeared' as in Isaiah (Isa 6:1): 'I saw the Lord sitting,' and the following, let us be instructed from what happened to Abraham: that, God granting Himself, this happens. That seeing is sometimes also applied to the intellect, as Paul writing to the Romans says: 'For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are perceived in the works, being clearly seen' (Rom 1:20). And Moses, regarding God, of whom he had a concept, that He is invisible, was saying: 'Show me yourself; that I may know you clearly' (Ex 33:18), and again: 'For He appears to those who do not believe in Him' (Heb 11:6); for if the thing seen were of a visible nature and it were possible to appear to the unbelieving, now it is said: 'He appears to those who do not believe in Him' (Heb 11:6), having had the intellect illumined by divine light. Again the matter applies to the sensible things: for first we see them, then, of the type coming from the sense into the intellect, we perceive them; and the intelligible things provide themselves for being known, not by the intellect preceding beforehand, if not only by turning itself toward comprehension, but also by following that which appeared. And sometimes the thought about God happens also from the comprehension of the creation, according to 'For from the beauty of the things, analogously, the Creator of them is perceived' and just as God appeared to Abraham. For the name 'God' is joined to creation as in 'In the beginning God made the heaven' (Gen 1:1), and: 'God said, Let there be light' (Gen 1:3), the appellation of 'Lord' being spoken then when the law was provided. Thus, having beheld through the all-harmonious order of the all...

Greek · §84

γήρει καλῷ"6. Τῶν δικαίων οὖν ἀναχωρούντων τοῦ βίου, "6τὰ ὄρη καὶ οἱ βουνοί"6, <οἱ> ἄγγελοι καὶ οἱ δίκαιοι, προσδέξονται αὐτοὺς ἐν χαρᾷ, συγχαίροντα διὰ τὸ ἓν πρόβατον. Σὺν τούτοις δὲ "6καὶ πάντα τὰ τοῦ ἀγροῦ ξύλα ἐπικροτήσει"6 χαίροντα, ἅπερ ἐστὶν τὰ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ λογικά. Εἶτα λέγει· "6Ἀντὶ στοιβῆς ἀναβήσεται κυπάρισσος"6, ἀντὶ ἀκάρπου καὶ ἀκανθώδους χρήσιμον καὶ εὐῶδες–τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ μετανοῶν γίνεται–, "6καὶ ἀντὶ κονύζης ἀναβήσεται 216 μυρσίνη"6, τῆς δυσωδίας εἰς εὐωδίαν μεταβαλούσης. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔχομεν δένδρα νοητῶς λαμβανόμενα, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ περὶ τῆς δρυὸς θεωρῆσαι, εἰς ἣν ὁ Ἀβρὰμ ἔρχεται, ὑφ' ἣν καθεζόμενος καὶ ὀπτασίας ἠξιώθη, ὅτε καὶ τὴν κατὰ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἐπαγγελίαν ἐδέξατο. ∆ι' ἔργων οὖν καὶ πόνων ἐπὶ τὰ ὕψη προκόπτων πρόεισιν μεταλαμβάνων εὐωδίας καὶ θεωρίας τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ θείων νοημάτων. Σκοπήσεις δὲ καὶ τὸ παρασημανθέν, ὅτι "6οἱ δὲ Χαναναῖοι ἔτι κατῴκουν τὴν γῆν"6, μήποτε δυνάμεθα νοῆσαι ὅτι τῷ προκόπτοντι οὐκ εὐθὺς ἅπαντα ἐλευθεροῦται, ἀλλ' ἔχει τινὰ καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς συνηθείας–τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ "6ἔτι"6 δηλοῖ–, ἅπερ ἂν νοήσειας περὶ τῶν ἀκολούθων τῷ ἁγίῳ μήπω τελείων τυγχανόντων. χιι, 7. Καὶ ὤφθη Κύριος τῷ Ἀβρὰμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην. Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ Ἀβρὰμ θυσιαστήριον τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ ὀφθέντι αὐτῷ. Ἀκολούθως τῷ πειθαρχήσαντι τοῖς κελευομένοις ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιφαίνεται, ἐλπίδι ἀγαθῇ τῶν προσδο- κωμένων αὐτὸν βεβαιότερον ποιῶν· ἐπαγγέλλεται γὰρ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτῷ δώσειν τὴν γῆν. Ἀκολούθως δὲ καὶ ὁ ἅγιος, εὐχάριστος ὤν, θυσιαστήριον οἰκοδομεῖ τῷ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν προτείναντι. Καὶ ταῦτα ὡς μεταφράσεως τρόπῳ εἰρήσθω. Ἄξιον δὲ θεωρῆσαι εἰς τὸ "6Ὤφθη ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀβράμ"6, τοῦ γὰρ Θεοῦ ἀοράτου τυγχάνοντος, καθὰ τὰ ἐν εὐαγγελίῳ ἀποδείκνυται, λεγομένου "6Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε"6, καὶ τοῦ "6Οὐχ ὅτι τὸν Πατέρα ἑώρακέν τις"6, ἀλλὰ καὶ Παύλου λέγοντος περὶ Θεοῦ· "6Ὃν εἶδεν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν δύναται"6, ὅπερ σημαίνει τὸ φύσει ἀόρατον. Ἔνια γὰρ τῶν ὁρατῶν οὐχ ὁρῶμεν, ἀλλὰ ἰδεῖν δυνάμεθα, κἂν μὴ ἀκολουθήσῃ δὲ τοῦτο· τῆς τῶν ὁρωμένων φύσεώς ἐστιν ἐκεῖνα· τὸ δὲ ἀόρατον οὐ διὰ τὸ μὴ ὁρᾶσθαι τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἀόρατον οὐχ ὁρᾶται. ∆ῆλον οὖν ὅτι τὸ ὁρᾶν δίττον, τὸ μὲν κατ' αἴσθησιν, τὸ δὲ κατὰ διάνοιαν· καὶ τὸ μὲν τῶν ὁρατῶν ἀντιλημπτικόν, τὸ δὲ τῶν ἀοράτων, 217 ὅπερ ἐστὶν νοῦς καθαρός, καθ' ὃν ὤφθη [ὁ] Θεὸς τῷ Ἀβράμ. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν παρατήρησιν ὁ λόγος. Οὐ γὰρ εἴρ[η]ται "3εἶδεν ὁ Ἀβρὰμ τὸ<ν> Θεόν"3, ἀλλ' "6ὤφθη ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀβράμ"6. Ὅσον γὰρ ἦμεν πρὸς τὴν γενητὴνφύσιν καὶ τὸ ταύτης ἀσθενές, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐφικτὸν τὸ πρᾶγμα· ὅσον δὲ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, δυνατὸν γίνεται, αὐτοῦ δι' ἀγαθότητος ἐπιδιδόντος ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κατανόησιν. Εἰ δέ ποτε ἀντὶ τοῦ "6ὤφθη"6 τὸ "6εἶδεν"6 κεῖται ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ· "6Εἶδον τὸν Κύριον καθήμενον"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, παιδευώμεθα ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς τὸν Ἀβρὰμ γεγενη- μένου ὅτι, Θεοῦ ἐπιδιδόντος ἑαυτόν, τοῦτο γίνεται. Ὅτι δὲ τὸ ὁρᾶν 86 τάττεταί ποτε καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ νοεῖν, ὁ Παῦλος Ῥωμαίοις γράφων λέγει· "6Τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθόραται"6. Καὶ Μωσῆς δὲ ἀξιῶν τὸν Θεόν, περὶ οὗ ἔννοιαν εἶχεν, ὅτι ἀόρατός ἐστιν, ἔλεγεν· "6Ἐμφάνισόν μοι σεαυτόν· γνωστὼς ἴδω σε"6, καὶ πάλιν· "6Ἐμφανίζεται γὰρ τοῖς μὴ ἀπιστοῦσιν αὐτῷ"6· εἰ γὰρ φύσεως ὁρατῆς ἐτύγχανεν τὸ ὁρώμενον καὶ τοῖς ἀπίστοις δυνατὸν ἦν φαίνεσθαι, νῦν δ' εἴρηται· "6Ἐμφανίζεται τοῖς μὴ ἀπιστοῦσιν αὐτῷ"6 καταυγασθεῖσιν ὑπὸ θείου φωτὸς τὴν διάνοιαν. Ἀνάπαλιν δὲ ἔχει τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν· πρῶτο̣ν̣ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὰ ὁρῶμεν, εἶτα, τοῦ ἐκ τῆς αἰσθήσεως τύπου ἐν διανοι´̣ᾳ γινομένου, νοοῦμεν αὐτά· τὰ δὲ νοητὰ ἑαυτὰ εἰς τὸ γινώ- σκεσθαι παρέχει, τοῦ νοῦ οὐ προκαταρχομένου εἰ <μὴ> μόνον κατὰ τὸ εὐτρεπίζειν ἑαυτὸν εἰς κατανόησιν ἀλλ' ἐπα- κολουθοῦντος τῷ ὀφθέντι. Γίνεται δέ ποτε καὶ ἐκ τῆς κατανοήσεως τῆς δημιουργίας ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ νόησις κατὰ τὸ "6Ἐκ γὰρ καλλονῆς τῶν κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργὸς αὐτῶν θεωρεῖται"6 καὶ καθὸ ὁ Θεὸς ὤφθη τῷ Ἀβράμ. Τὸ γὰρ "6Θεὸς"6 ὄνομα ὡς ἐπίπαν συνζεύγνυται τῇ δημιουργίᾳ ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ "6Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν"6, καὶ· "6Εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Γενηθήτω φῶς"6, τῆς τοῦ "6κυρίου"6 προσηγορίας τότε λεγομένης ὅτε ὁ νόμος παρείχετο. Οὕτω γοῦν θεασάμενος διὰ τῆς παν- αρμονίου τάξεως τοῦ παντὸς

Seed vs Child and Abraham's Altar§85

85God turned away from the wandering error he had learned from his father, and then revealed himself to the holy one for understanding, following the instruction from hearing, which occurred in the command, 'Go out from your land and from your kindred' (Gen 12:1). But the hearing of the soul should be considered the persuasive assent of those being brought under, and the eye the imposition after progress and the most certain grasp of the instructions. For it is to be understood that to know the same things differently is more introductory, progressing, and having progressed closely in the understanding of God.

It is also promised to the seed that he will give the land, that land about which the Savior said, 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth' (Matt 5:5), and in the Psalms, 'Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land' (Ps 37:35), and it is clear that not this land which we plow and sow—of which he was king—but the heavenly one, which is the most perfect knowledge of God; this 'the righteous shall inherit and dwell upon it for an age of ages' (Ps 37:34), but it shall not be upon the sensible land. This, therefore, God promises to give to the seed of the holy one, and 'seed' in this place he calls the child. For a difference is often found between seed and child; for if someone has become a child of someone, to him he has also become seed, but not, because it is seed, does a child become; for it happens not to be formed or to be completed or to be made like, as the Scripture says. Just as in bodily things there is seed not becoming a child, and a child being and seed, so also in the things according to soul and intellect. The Savior therefore says to those saying, 'We have Abraham as father' (Matt 3:9): 'If you are children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham' (Matt 3:9); for from these one becomes a child. These whom he said are not children of Abraham, he says are his seed, claiming: 'I know that seed...'

You are the seed of Abraham, so it is clear that it is not both seed and child, but rather they have received seed according to the succession from Abraham and have borne fruit from his nourishment, but they did not imitate his practice, though it was possible for them, using the appropriate means, to become children. Therefore here, since a promise is given to the seed, we take the seed to mean child. In the Psalms, indeed, it is said: 'The seed of Abraham are his servants, the sons of Jacob his chosen ones' (Ps 105:44). But as for that which is sometimes declared as not both seed and child, Paul writes: 'not all are children' (Rom 9:7); for not all those of Israel are Israel (Rom 9:6), but rather that one about whom the Savior said: 'Behold a man Israelite in whom there is no deceit' (Rom 7:7); but not these about whom it has been said: 'See Israel according to the flesh' (2 Cor 1:3). These things are regarding the difference between seed and child; let us return to what was explicitly set forth.

Abraham, therefore, builds an altar, moving in a thankful manner, spiritually offering sacrifices, even though he was making the symbol regarding those about whom it has been said: 'offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God' (2 Cor 8:13), and 'sacrifice to God a sacrifice of praise' (Heb 13:15), and 'sacrifice a sacrifice of righteousness and hope in the Lord' (Ps 37:3). 'It is necessary, indeed, that the patterns in the heavens be purified by these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves are superior to these sacrifices' (Heb 9:23). Such an altar is built by the one making progress and having followed the one who called him, having become as a remnant outside the land and the kindred and the house of the father, as to be worthy to see God, him having made him worthy to appear to the saint. Genesis 12:8. And he departed from there to the mountain toward the east of Bethel, and he set up his tent there, toward the sea, and the Annaites toward the south. What the explicit word signifies is not unclear; but for instruction, it signifies that he crossed over to a higher progress and state. It is signified through the mountain, and not simply 'into...

Greek · §85

τὸν Θεὸν ἀπέστη τῆς πολυθέου 218 πλάνης, ἣν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς μεμαθήκει, καὶ [ἀ]κολούθως εἰς κατανόησ̣ιν ὁ Θεὸς ἑαυτὸν παρέχει τῷ ἁγίῳ μετὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀκοῆς παίδευσιν, ἥτις ἐγίνετο ἐν τῷ "6Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐκ τ̣ῆς συγγενείας σου"6. Ἀκοὴν δὲ ψυχῆς ἡγητέον τὴν πειθήνιον σ̣υγκατάθεσιν τῶν ὑποβαλλομένων, ὀφθαλμὸν τὴν μετὰ τ̣ὴν προκοπὴν ἐπιβολὴν καὶ κατάλημψιν βεβαιοτάτην τῶν π̣αιδευμάτων. Ἰστέον γὰρ ὅτι τὰ αὐτὰ διαφόρως ἔστιν γνῶν̣αι̣, εἰσαγωγικώτερον, προκόπτοντα, οἰκείως δὲ προκόψαντι ε᾿̣κ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ κατανοήσεως. Κατεπαγγέλλεται καὶ τῷ σπέρμ̣ατι τὴν γῆν δώσειν, γῆν ἐκείνην περὶ ἧς εἶπεν ὁ Σωτήρ· "6Μακάρι̣οι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν"6, καὶ ἐν Ψαλμ̣οῖς· "6Ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον καὶ φύλαξον τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψώσ̣ε̣ι σε τοῦ κατακληρονομῆσαι γῆν"6, δῆλον δ' ὡς οὐ ταύτην ἣν π̣α̣τοῦμεν καὶ σπείρομεν, – αὐτῆς ἦν βασιλεύς, –ἀλλὰ τὴν οὐράνι̣ον, ἥτις ἐστὶν γνῶσις Θεοῦ τελειοτάτη̣· ταύτην "6δίκαιοι κληρονο̣μήσουσιν καὶ κατασκηνώσουσιν εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος ἐπ' αὐτήν"6 ἐπ̣ὶ δὲ τῆς αἰσθητῆς τοῦτο οὐκ ἔσται. Ταύτην οὖν κατεπαγγε´̣<λλε>ται Θεὸς τῷ σπέρματι δώσειν τοῦ ἁγίου, σπέρμα δὲ ἐνταῦθ̣α̣ τὸ τέκνον λέγει. ∆ιαφορὰ γὰρ πολλάκις σπέρματος κα̣ι`̣ τέκνου εὑρίσκεται· εἰ γὰρ τέκνον τινός τις γέγονεν, τούτῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ σπέρμα γέγονεν, οὐ μήν, ἐπεὶ σπέρμα, γίνεται καὶ τέκνον· συμβαίνει γὰρ μὴ μορ<φω>θῆναι μηδ' ἀποτελεσθῆναι ἢ ἐξεικονισθῆναι, ὡς ἡ γραφή φησιν. Ὥσπερ δὲ ἐν τοῖς σωματικοῖς ἐστιν σπέρμα μὴ γινόμενον τέκνον καὶ τέκνον ὂν καὶ σπέρμα, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ ψυχὴν καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν. Ὁ Σωτὴρ γοῦν λέγει τοῖς εἰποῦσιν ὅτι "6πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ"6· "6Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ποιεῖτε"6· ἐκ γὰρ τούτων τις τέκνον γίνεται. Τούτους οὓς εἶπεν μὴ εἶναι τέκνα Ἀβραάμ, σπέρμα αὐτοῦ λέγει εἶναι φάσκων· "6Οἶδα ὅτι σπέρμα 219 Ἀβραάμ ἐστε"6, ὥστε δῆλον ὡς οὐ τὸ σπέρμα καὶ τέκνο[ν], ἀλλὰ σπέρμα μὲν καθὸ τὴν διαδοχὴν ἐκ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἐσχήκασιν καὶ ἀνατροφὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐκαρπώσαντο, οὐκ ἐμιμήσαντο δὲ τούτου τὴν πρᾶξιν, δυνατὸν δὲ ἦν χρησα- μένους τῇ ἐπιτηδειότητι καὶ τέκνα γενέσθαι. Ἐνταῦθα οὖν, ἐπεὶ ἐπαγγελία δίδοται τῷ σπέρματι, τὸ σπέρμα τέκνον ἐκλαμβάνομεν. Ἐν Ψαλμοῖς γοῦν λέγεται· "6Σπέρμα Ἀβραὰμ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ, υἱοὶ Ἰακὼβ ἐκλεκτοὶ αὐτοῦ"6. Ὅτι δὲ δηλοῦταί ποτε ὡς οὐ τὸ σπέρμα καὶ τέκνον, Παῦλος γράφει· "6*** ἀλλ' οὐ πάντως τέκνα"6· οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος περὶ οὗ ὁ Σωτὴρ εἶπεν· "6Ἴδε ἄνθρωπος Ἰσραηλίτης, ἐν ᾧ 87 δόλος οὐχ ὑπάρχει"6· ἀλλ' <οὐχ> οὗτοι περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Βλέπετε τὸν Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ σάρκα"6. Ταῦτα μὲν περὶ τῆς διαφορᾶς σπέρματος καὶ τέκνου· ἐπανελθετέον δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ ἐκτεθὲν ῥητόν. Οἰκοδομεῖ τοίνυν Ἀβρὰμ θυσιαστήριον εὐχαριστητικῶς κινούμενος, πνευμα- τικῶς ἀναφέρων θυσίας, εἰ καὶ τὸ σύμβολον ἐποίει περὶ ὧν εἴρηται "6ἀνενέγκαι πνευματικὰς θυσίας εὐπροσδέκτους τῷ Θεῷ"6 καὶ "6Θῦσον τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως"6 καὶ "6Θύσατε θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἐλπίσατε ἐπὶ Κύριον"6. "6Ἀνάγκη δὲ τὰ μὲν ὑποδείγματα τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ταύταις ταῖς θ̣υσίαις καθαρίζεσθαι, αὐτὰ δὲ τὰ ἐπουράνια κρείττοσιν θυσίαις παρὰ ταύτας."6 Τοιοῦτον οὖν θυσια- στήριον οἰκοδομεῖ ὁ προκόπτων καὶ ἀκολουθήσας τῷ καλέσαντι καὶ ἔξω τῆς γῆς καὶ τῆς συγγενείας καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρὸς γεγενημένος ὡς λοιπὸν ἀξιωθῆναι τοῦ ἰδεῖν Θεόν, αὐτοῦ καταξιώσαντος ὀφθῆναι τῷ ἁγίῳ. χιι, 8. Καὶ ἀπέστη ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατὰ ἀνατολὰς Β̣αιθήλ, καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ κατὰ θάλασσαν καὶ Ἀγγαὶ κατὰ νότον. Τὸ μὲν ῥητὸν τί δηλοῖ, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄδηλον· πρὸς̣ δ' ἀναγωγὴν σημαίνει ὡς ἐπὶ ὑψηλοτέραν προκοπὴν καὶ κα̣τ̣α´̣σ̣τ̣ασιν διέβη. ∆ηλοῦται διὰ τοῦ ὄρους, καὶ οὐχ 220 ἁπλῶς "6εἰς

The Mountain and the Dwelling of God§86

86Not a mountain, but the house of God; for this is interpreted as Bethel, which is not only a house but also with other things according to what was said in Aisma: 'My brother is like a deer or a young hart upon the mountains of Bethel' (Gen 25:9). For many mountains and hills are in the house of God, as from 'Behold, this one comes leaping upon the mountains, fleeing upon the hills' (Ps 42:6); and with each progress there is to ascend to a hill, and from the hill to a mountain, and from lower mountains to higher ones; for this is known both in the introductions of virtues and in the virtues themselves.

But there is one mountain above all, the Savior and Lord of us, concerning whom it is said: 'The mountain of the Lord shall be made manifest at the latter end of the days' (Zech 14:4), which is another thing compared to the other mountains, so as to speak for the sake of the holy teaching, so that no one might misunderstand: 'Why do you suppose it is fortified mountains?' Then, teaching the most excellent mountain, he says: 'The mountain of God, a fertile mountain, a fortified mountain, a fertile mountain. Why do you suppose it is fortified mountains, the mountain in which God was pleased to dwell?' which signifies the Lord having become man. For the incarnation is shown through this word, just as also with Job: 'Did you not care for me like milk, and did you not curdle me like cheese?' (Job 10:10). For the Savior alone comes from a virgin; therefore it is said. Is this said concerning others? For no one else had such a constitution. Therefore Job did not say 'I was curdled,' but 'You curdled me like cheese'; for what the Spirit has done, that the casting of the seed in others works, at the command of God. And the same 'fertile' exists from the presence of the Spirit and from the power of the Most High.

And in the common sense, all and even the temple of the Savior are by creation from God, but the Savior is exceptional through the Lord; for He has used it as an instrument toward the incarnation. And just as all the earth of God is a creation, but the temple had it exceptional because of the God being honored there, so also regarding the things previously mentioned. And since, wherever God honors, that place is called His house, Jacob testifies saying: 'How fearful is this place! This is nothing else but the house of God, and this is a gate of heaven' (Gen 28:17). Therefore one must not pay attention, if he says...

Many will call themselves Christs according to what is said: 'Many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ' (John 8:56). For there is a mountain in which God pleased to dwell; for the pleasure of the dwelling was not made by any man. Therefore, Abram, advancing through the intellect, burns toward this mountain.

Indeed, coming without neglect, he testified to him, saying: 'Your father Abraham rejoiced in order to see my day, and he saw and rejoiced' (John 8:56), having been enlightened by the true light being presented to him from the preceding advancements. And it is also good to say that this mountain is 'toward the east'; for it has lights from every side. Whatever conception of this mountain you take, it is luminous; for it is called wisdom, word, life, truth, justice, sanctification, and redemption. All these things, while rising, are lights—not many lights according to their essence, for they have one underlying subject, the Son of God—but diverse according to their energies.

Therefore, 'toward the east' of the house of God, which shines through all, the holy man came, being led by virtues; and it is also possible to call the various doctrines of piety 'eastings,' through which Abraham had arrived at the tent, which he used for the advancements—for this tent signifies the house of God being permanent; for 'I will pass through a place of wondrous habitation until the house of God' (Psalm 84:10). Having passed through the tent, he presses into the house that remains forever, with which there is no other ascent. This is also said in another psalm: 'How beloved are your habitations, Lord of powers! My soul longs and even faints for the courts of the Lord' (Psalm 84:2).

For he who has not yet reached the courts, while in the tents, has love advancing and expects completion in saying: 'My heart and my flesh shall rejoice in a living God' (Psalm 36:9), when it occurs in that establishment, with which there is no other, into which those who have reached are called blessed, the psalmist saying: 'Blessed are all those dwelling in your house' (Psalm 84:4), not as sojourners but as dwellers; for this belongs to those in tents and advancements, but to dwell is to come into the house of God, in which they are blessed, as it were 'unto the ages of ages,' praising him.

Greek · §86

τὸ ὄρος"6, α᾿̣λ̣λὰ τὸ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ· τοῦτο γὰρ Βαιθὴλ ἑρμηνεύε[τ]αι, ὅπερ οὐ μόνον ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺν ἄλλοις κατὰ τὸ ἐν Ἄισμασιν εἰρημένον· "6Ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀδελφιδός μου τῷ δόρκωνι ἢ νεβρῷ ἐλάφων ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη Βαιθήλ"6. Πολλὰ γὰρ ὄρη καὶ βουνοὶ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσιν ὡς ἐκ τοῦ "6Ἰδοὺ οὗτος ἥκει πηδῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη διαλλόμενος ἐπὶ τοὺς βουνούς"6· καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην προκοπὴν ἔστιν εἰς βουνὸν ἀνελθεῖν, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ βουνοῦ εἰς ὄρος, καὶ ἐκ ταπεινοτέρων ὀρῶν εἰς ὑψηλότερα· τοῦτο γὰρ ἔν τε ταῖς εἰσαγωγαῖς τῶν ἀρετῶν καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀρεταῖς γνωρίζεται. Ἓν δέ ἐστιν τὸ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ὄρος, ὁ Σωτὴρ καὶ Κύριος ἡμῶν, περὶ οὗ λέγεται· "6Ἔσται ἐπ' ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐμφανὲς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ Κυρίου"6, ὅπερ ἄλλο ἐστὶ παρὰ τὰ ἕτερα ὄρη, ὡς τὸν ἅγιον διδασκαλίας χάριν λέγειν, ἵνα μὴ ἀποσφάλωσίν τινες· "6Ἵνα τί ὑπολαμβάνετε, ὄρη τετ<υ>ρωμένα;"6 εἶτα παιδεύων τὸ ἐξοχώτατον ὄρος φησίν· "6Ὄρος τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅρος πῖον, ὄρος τετυρωμένον, ὄρος πῖον. Ἵνα τί ὑπολαμβάνετε, ὄρη τετυρωμένα, τὸ ὄρος ὃ εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς κατοικεῖν ἐν αὐτῷ;"6 ὅπερ σημαίνει τὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα Κύριον. Ἡ γὰρ ἐνσωμάτωσις δηλοῦται διὰ ταύτης τῆς λέξεως, καθὰ καὶ παρὰ τῷ Ἰώβ· "6Ἦ οὐχ ὥσπερ γάλα με ἤμελ-ξας, ἐτύρωσας δέ με ἴσα τυρῷ;"6 Μόνος γὰρ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐκ παρθένου· διὸ λέγεται. Μὴ περὶ ἄλλων τοῦτο λέγεται; οὐδὲ γὰρ τοιαύτην ἔσχεν σύστασιν ἄλλος. ∆ιόπερ ὁ Ἰὼβ οὐκ εἶπεν "3ἐτυρώθην"3, ἀλλ' "6ἴσα τυρῷ ἐτύρωσάς με"6· ὃ γὰρ πεποίηκεν τὸ Πνεῦμα, τουτὸ ἡ καταβολὴ τῶν σπερμάτων ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐνεργεῖ, Θεοῦ κελεύσαντος. Τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ "6πῖον"6 ὑπάρχει ἐκ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Πνεύματοσκαὶ τῆς τοῦ Ὑψίστου δυνάμεως. Καὶ τῷ κοινῷ μὲν λόγῳ πάντες καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ ναὸς τοῦ Σωτῆρος κατὰ δημιουργίαν ἐκ Θεοῦ τυγχάνουσιν, ἐξαίρετον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου· ὀργάνῳ γὰρ αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν κέχρηται. Καὶ ὥσπερ πᾶσα μὲν ἡ γῆ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν κτίσμα, ἐξαίρετον δὲ εἶχεν ὁ ναὸς διὰ τὸ ἐκεῖθεν τὸν Θεὸν χρημα- 221 τίζειν, οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν προειρημένων̣. [Ὅ]τι δέ, ἔνθα Θεὸς χρηματίζει, οἶκος αὐτοῦ ὁ τόπος ἐκεῖνος λέγετ[αι], μαρτυρεῖ Ἰακὼβ λέγων· "6Ὡς φοβερὸς ὁ τόπος οὗτος· οὐκ ἔστιν τοῦτο ἀλλ' ἢ οἶκος Θεοῦ, καὶ αὕτη πύλη το<ῦ> οὐρανοῦ"6. Οὐ δεῖ οὖν προσέχειν, εἰ λέγοιεν πολλοὶ ἑαυτοὺς χριστοὺς κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "6Πολλοὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου λέγοντες· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Χριστός"6. Ἓν γάρ ἐστιν ὄρος ἐν ᾧ "6εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς κατοικεῖν"6· ἡ γὰρ εὐδόκησις τῆς κατοικήσεως αὐτὸ καὶ οὐκ ἀνὴρ ἔπλασεν. Εἰς τοῦτο οὖν τὸ ὄρος τῇ διανοίᾳ προκόπτων καίει ὁ Ἀβράμ. Ἀμέλει γοῦν ἐλθὸν ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτῷ λέγον· "6Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἠγαλλιάσατο ἵνα ἴδῃ τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἐμήν, καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἐχάρη"6, φωτισθεὶς τῷ ἀληθινῷ φωτὶ προξενηθέντι αὐτῷ ἐκ 88 τῶν προλαβουσῶν προκοπῶν. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ ὄρος τοῦτο εἰρῆσθαι ὡς "6κατ' ἀνατολάς"6 ἐστιν· παντόθεν γὰρ φῶτα ἔχει. Οἵαν γὰρ ἂν ἐπίνοιαν τούτου τοῦ ὄρους λάβοις, φωτεινή ἐστιν· λέγεται γὰρ σοφία λόγος ζωη`̣ ἀλήθεια δικαιοσύνη ἁγιασμὸς ἀπολύ- τρωσις. Ταῦτα πάντα ἀνατέλλοντά εἰσι φῶτα, οὐ πολλὰ φῶτα κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν, –ἓν γὰρ ἔχουσιν ὑποκείμενον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱόν, –ἀλλὰ κατ' ἐνεργείας διαφόρους. "6Κατὰ ἀνατολὰς"6 οὖν τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ δι' ὅλου καταυγαζομένου ἦλθεν ὁ ἅγιος ἐκ τῶν ἀρετῶν χειραγωγούμενος· δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ τὰ ποικίλα δόγματα τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀνατολὰς εἰπεῖν, δι' ὧν ἐληλυθὼς ὁ Ἀβρὰμ τὴν σκηνὴν ἔπηξεν, ᾗ ἐκέχρητο μὲν εἰς τὰς προκοπάς, –τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ σκηνὴ δηλοῖ, –τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ μονίμου τυγχάνοντος· "6∆ιελεύσομαι"6 γὰρ "6ἐν τόπῳ σκηνῆς θαυμαστῆς ἕως τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ"6. ∆ιελθὼν οὖν διὰ τῆς σκηνῆς πήγνυσιν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τὸν ἀεὶ μένοντα, μεθ' ὃν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνάβασις ἄλλη. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἄλλῳ ψαλμῷ λέγεται· "6Ὡς ἀγαπητὰ τὰ σκηνώματά σου, Κύριε τῶν δυνάμεων· ἐπιποθεῖ καὶ ἐκλείπει ἡ ψυχή μου εἰστὰς αὐλὰς τοῦ Κυρίου"6. Ὁ γὰρ μήπω εἰς τὰς αὐλὰς φθάσας ἐν ταῖς σκηναῖς ἔχει τὴν ἀγάπην προκόπτων 222 καὶ προσδοκῶν τελείωσιν ἐν τῷ λέγειν· "6Ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἡ σάρξ̣ μ̣ο̣[υ ἀ]γαλλιάσεται ἐπὶ Θεὸν ζῶντα"6, ὅτε ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ καταστα´̣σ̣[ει γί]νεται, μεθ' ἣν οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρα, εἰς ἣν οἱ φθάσαντες μα̣κ̣αρίζ̣ονται, λέγοντος τοῦ ψαλμοῦ· "6Μακάριοι πάντες οἱ κατοικο̣υ῀̣ν̣τ̣ε̣ς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου"6, οὐ παροικοῦντες ἀλλὰ κατοικοῦντες· τοῦτο γὰρ̣ τ̣ω῀̣ν ἐν σκηναῖς καὶ προκοπαῖς ἴδιον, κατοικούντων δὲ τὸ εἰς Θ̣ε̣ο̣υ῀̣ ο̣ἶκ̣ον ἐλθεῖν, ἐν ᾧ μακαρίζονται οἷα "6εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αι᾿̣ω´̣ν̣ω̣ν̣"6 αἰνοῦντες αὐτόν, ὅπερ τὸ

The Altar of Virtue and Calling upon the Lord§87

87Above all things the end is evident: that for which the tent has been pitched, having advanced through progress and remaining toward perfection, and for which the one persuaded by the word, despite being dissuaded, will arrive: 'Watch your foot, lest when you go into the house of God and draw near, you hear' (Ps 119:10). For thus he will be able to dwell in the house, saying, 'That I may dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days' (Ps 27:4). It must be known that through these things the divine citizenship is symbolically shown, even if the persona of Abraham is not yet fully completed, for he has not yet been called away.

And he pitches the tent 'by the sea,' being firm and unshakeable because of holding fast to virtue perfectly, so as to say: 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution?' (Rom 8:35) and the following, regarding which he says 'sea,' would not be sins. For whenever a saint is, even in perfection, he has a dizziness pressing upon him and the instability of created nature, which the perfect man, as a charioteer, prevents from the activity of evil by remaining in its power, which is blessed; for this is good even while existing in virtue, since even the evil man exists in the power of virtue, having turned to this by his own intention, though he did not guard himself as one who has become good.

And he himself also pitches the tent 'in winds from the south' in a way suitable to reaching the mountain of the house of God and being illuminated through all things from the east, which are the virtues according to their kind, and making no care for any of the opposing things—for even the waves from the sea do not overturn his well-established structure—which transforms the words of Jesus into works by becoming a feast; for this is interpreted as 'winds.' For the great feast is the perfection of virtue. For this is also what the psalmist says: 'Hear the voice of rejoicing and confession of those celebrating' (Ps 100:1); for he who rejoices at the presence of the Spirit and confesses, not as one sinning and repenting, but as one giving thanks, celebrates—for the name of confession lies in place of thanksgiving, as in 'We confess to You, O Lord Father of the heavens...'

For they say, 'the thought of a man' Eccl 2:2, which makes it clear that of the one rejoicing, 'he shall confess to you and a treasure of thought shall celebrate for you.' And he built there an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.

Appropriately, the one who crossed over and upon the given mountain built the house of God; and having been illumined by the rising suns and having struck down the opposing things in such a way that no one would stir up indignation, he raised up an altar, upon which he completes the sacrifice of pleasingness and righteousness according to what was said before concerning the spiritual sacrifice, which is the system of virtues. 'And he called upon the name of the Lord,' which someone taking hastily might say means that the altar, which he built, he named 'of the Lord'; but it is possible to say it more mystically and more sublimely, that he called upon the name of the Lord not by a mere word, but truly, the mind making its petition to God, not performing the virtues through something else, but through the good itself. For according to this understanding, even the Savior, while teaching, instructed to pray and to say, 'Our Father,' not to do this by mere utterance, but so that they might present themselves as sons and no longer call upon God the Father in vain; thus we hear: 'No one says Lord Jesus except in the Holy Spirit' 1 Cor 12:3, and this does not apply to those who say this by mere utterance and in vain.

Therefore, Abraham was doing the building of the altar of virtues for the Lord, through it and not through something else. And Abram took it and having gone, he campaigned in the wilderness. Since the spoken word is not manifest, it must be spoken toward the understanding. For even if someone is perfect, he is not released from those who fight, even if he is a child, just as to the Corinthians, to whom Paul writes: 'You have not received a temptation which is not human; but God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will make the way of the escape to endure' 1 Cor 10:13. And to the Ephesians, as if already perfect, he writes and counts himself: 'For our struggle is not against blood and flesh' Eph 6:12; he does not say 'not...

Greek · §87

ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τέλος δηλοῖ, εἰς ὃ ἔπηξε̣ν̣ τ̣ὴν̣ σκηνὴν διὰ προκοπῶν διεληλυθὼς καὶ τελειότητος λοιπὸν με̣τ̣α̣π̣ο̣ιούμενος, εἰς ὃ ἥξει ὁ πειθόμενος τῷ λόγῳ παραινοῦντι· "6Φυ´̣λ̣α̣ξ̣ο̣ν τὸν πόδα σου ἐν ᾧ ἐὰν ἀπέρχῃ εἰς οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐγγὺς τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ α᾿̣κοῦσαι"6· οὕτω γὰρ κατοικῆσαι τὸν οἶκον δυνήσεται λέγων· "6Τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ κα̣τοικεῖν με ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου εἰς μακρότητα ἡμερῶν"6. Εἰδέναι δε̣ι῀̣ ὁ´̣τ̣ι̣ δ̣ιὰ το̣ύτ̣ω̣ν συμβολικῶς ἡ πολιτεία ἡ θεία δηλοῦται, κἂν τὸ προ´̣σ̣ω̣π̣ο̣ν̣ τοῦ Ἀβ̣ρὰμ ἔτι τελείωσιν ἐπιδέχηται· οὔπω γὰρ μετακέκλη̣τ̣α̣ι̣. "6Κατὰ θάλασσαν"6 δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν πήγνυσιν βέβαιος ὢν καὶ ἄσ̣ε̣ι̣σ̣τ̣ο̣ς̣ διὰ τὸ τελείως ἀντέχεσθαι τῆς ἀρετῆς ὥστ' ἂν εἰπεῖν· "6Τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; θλῖψις ἢ στενοχωρία <ἢ> διωγμός;"6 καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, ἅπερ θάλασσαν λέγων οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοις. Ὁπ̣ούποτε γὰρ ἂν ᾖ ὁ ἅγιος, κἂν ἐν τελειότητι, ἐφεδρεύουσαν ἔχει̣ τη`̣ν ζάλην καὶ τῆς γενητῆς φύσεως τὸ τρεπτόν, ὅπερ ἡνιοχῶν ὁ τέλειος κωλύει τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῆς κακίας ἐν δυνάμει αὐτῆς διαμένων, ὅπερ ἐστὶ μακάριον· ἀγαθοῦ γάρ ἐστι τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἀρετῇ ὑπάρχοντος, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ κακὸς ἐν δυνάμει ἀρετῆς ὑπάρχει, τῇ ἰδίᾳ προθέσει τραπεὶς ἐπὶ τοῦτο και`̣ μὴ φυλάξας ἑαυτὸν ὡς γέγονεν ἀγαθός. Ὁ δ' αὐτὸς καὶ ἐν "6Ἀγγαὶ κατὰ νότον"6 πήγνυσι τὴν σκηνὴν οἰκείως τῷ ἐφθακέναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ δι' ὅλων πεφωτισμένος ἐκ τῶν ἀνατολῶν, 223 αἵτινές εἰσιν αἱ κατ' εἶδος ἀρεταί, καὶ μηδὲν τῶν ἀντι- στα̣τ̣[ού]ν̣τ̣ω̣ν ἐστὶ φροντίδα ποιούμενος, –οὐδὲ γὰρ αἱ ἐκ τῆς θαλάττης τ̣ρ̣ι̣κ̣υ̣μ̣ι´̣αι ἀν̣ατρέπουσιν αὐτοῦ τὸ οἰκοδό- μημα καλῶς ἱδρύμενον, –ὁ´̣σ̣περ τοὺς λόγους Ἰησοῦ εἰς ἔργα μεταβέβληκεν ἐν ἑορτῇ γ̣ινο´̣μ̣ενος· τοῦτο γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται Ἀγγαί. Ἡ μεγάλη γὰρ ἑορτ̣ὴ η῾̣ τ̣ῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπάρχει τελείωσις. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδός̣ φ̣η̣σ̣ι̣ν· "6Φωνῇ ἀγαλλιάσεως καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως ἤχου ἑορτα̣ζ̣ο´̣ν̣των"6· ο῾̣ γὰρ ἀγαλλιώμενος ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ Πνεύματος παρουσίᾳ καὶ ε᾿̣ξ̣ο̣μ̣ολογούμενος οὐχ ὡς ἁμαρτάνων καὶ μετανοῶν ἀλλ' ὡς̣ ε̣υ᾿̣χ̣α̣ριστ̣ω῀̣ν ἑορτάζει, –κεῖται γὰρ τὸ τῆς ἐξομο- λογήσεως ὄνομ̣α̣ α᾿̣ν̣τ̣ι`̣ εὐχ̣αρ̣ιστίας ὡς ἐν τῷ "6Ἐξομολο- γοῦμαί σοι Πάτερ Κύριε το̣υ῀̣ ο̣υ᾿̣ρ̣α̣ν̣οῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς"6· –φησὶν γὰρ "6ὅτι ἐνθύμιον ἀνθρώπου"6, δη̣λ̣ο̣ν̣ότι τοῦ ἀγαλλιωμένου, "6ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι καὶ ἐγκατα´̣λ̣ε̣ι̣μ̣μα ἐνθυμίου 89 ἑορτάσει σοι"6. χιι, 8. Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσι̣α̣σ̣τ̣η´̣ρ̣ιον τῷ Κυρίῳ κ̣α̣ι`̣ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Πρεπόντως ὁ διαβὰς καὶ ἐπὶ τ̣ο`̣ ἀποδοθὲν ὄρ̣ος και`̣ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνατολῶν̣ καταυγασθεὶς καὶ πατήσας τὰ ἀντικείμενα οὕτως ὡς μηδένα αὐτὰ δεδι´̣ττεσθαι εὐχαριστίας ἤγειρε θυσιαστήριον, ἐφ' ᾧ ἐπιτελεῖ τῆς αἰνέσεως τὴν θυσίαν καὶ δικαιοσύνην κατὰ τὰ προειρημένα περὶ πνευ<μα>τικῆς θυσίας, ἥτις ἐστὶ τὸ σύστημα τῶν ἀρετῶν. "6Καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου"6, ὅπερ προχείρως τις ἐκλαμβάνων λέξει ὅτι τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ὃ ᾠκοδόμησεν, ὠνόμασεν "3Κυρίου"3· δυνατὸν δὲ μυστηρι- κώτερον καὶ ὑπεραναβεβηκότως εἰπεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου ἐπικαλέσασθαι οὐ ψιλῇ συλλαβῇ ἀλλὰ πραγματικῶς, τοῦ νοῦ τὴν ἔντευξιν Θεῷ ποιουμένου, μὴ δι' ἄλλο τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐνεργοῦντ̣ο̣ς ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὸ τὸ ἀγαθόν. Κατὰ γὰρ ταύτην τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ διδάσκων προσεύχε̣σθαι καὶ λέγειν "6Πάτερ ἡμῶν"6 οὐ κατὰ 224 προφορὰν τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἐπαίδευσεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα παραστήσωσιν ἑα̣υ̣τοὺς υἱοὺς καὶ μηκ̣ε´̣τ̣ι̣ ματαίως ἐπικαλῶνται τὸν Θεὸν πατέρα· ο̣ὕτως ἀκούομεν και`̣ ······ "6Οὐδεὶς λέγει Κύριον Ἰησοῦν εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι α῾̣γίῳ"6, τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ὑπ̣α´̣ρ̣χ̣ε̣ι̣ τοῖς κατὰ μόνην τὴν προφορὰν του῀̣τ̣ο λέγουσιν καὶ ματ̣α̣ι´̣ω̣ς̣. ῾Ο̣ οὖν Ἀβρὰμ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ ἐξ ἀρ̣ετῶν θυσια- στηρίου τ̣ῳ῀̣ Κυρίῳ καὶ δι' αὐτὸν καὶ οὐ δι' ἄλλον ἐποιεῖτο. χιι, 9. Καὶ ἐπῇρεν Ἀβρὰμ καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐστρατο- πέδευσεν ἐν τῇ ε᾿̣ρ̣η´̣μ̣ῳ̣. Τοῦ ῥητοῦ οὐκ ἀδήλου ὄντος, λεκτέον τὸ πρὸς διάνοιαν. Κ̣ἀ`̣ν̣ γ̣α`̣ρ̣ τ̣ε´̣λειός τις ᾖ, οὐκ ἀπαλλάττεται τῶν πολεμούντων, κἂν ἐ´̣τ̣ι̣ ν̣ήπιος καθὼς Κορίνθιοι, οἷς ἐπιστέλλων Παῦλός φησιν· "6Πει̣ρασμὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ εἴληφεν εἰ μὴ ἀνθρώπινος· πιστὸς δὲ ὁ Θεός, ὃς ο̣ὐκ ε᾿̣άσει ὑμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δύνασθε, ἀλλὰ σὺν τῷ πειρα̣σ̣μ̣ῳ῀̣ ποιήσει τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν"6. Ἐφεσίοις δὲ ὡς ἤδη τελείοις ἐπιστέλλει καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἀριθμῶν· "6Οὐ γάρ ἐστ̣ιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα"6· οὐ λέγει "3οὐ

The Famine and the Sojourning of Abraham§88

88It has happened, but it is not our struggle. For it once happened, when he set himself to be a fleshly thing having been brought under sin, signifying those in such a state, to whom it is also necessary to say as he himself writes: 'I beat my body and make it my slave, lest after preaching to others I myself become disqualified' (1 Cor 9:27). He fights with heavenly weapons against spiritual forces.

It is therefore perfect to fight just as Abraham stood at the house of God according to what was assigned, and by becoming like that himself, as it has been said: 'Those who have trusted in the Lord are like Mount Zion' (Ps 125:1). Having become thus, standing knowing that the opposing forces would not let go of him, he encamped, just as Jacob, when he was about to encounter Esau, a great war being present and envying him, 'saw the camp of God' (Gen 32:2); for it was necessary for God to be preparing for the athlete's courage to show him that he has allies.

And Elisha, when he was about to go out from the king of Syria, had a divine camp around himself, which the little boy of the prophet had been terrified by, later having become courageous from his eyes being opened. And likewise it is to have encamped 'in the wilderness.' So also the Savior is tested in the wilderness; and in Isaiah you have: 'As a storm through a wilderness, coming out of the wilderness from the earth' (Isa 34:10), which signifies a trial.

Therefore Abraham encamped 'in the wilderness'; for mostly the trials happened outside of cities because they were found without help from similar men: 'For brother helped by brother is like a strong city' (Prov 18:19). And the Savior, as foretold, is tested in the wilderness, so that what is called such may be: a soul in trial sees itself as a wilderness without allies, God does this providentially; for if he had pre-revealed to them the outcome and that they would conquer the trial, the effort would not have been great; nor did he send a prayer or do anything else. It is shown to them again that God also allies with them, so that they might not thus become evil. And so indeed for men, but for the Savior after the trial, angels appear, and these are for service, so that the ill-willed, before these angels appeared, might not say...

that victory belongs to angels. What is the service of the angels, or the placement of the souls who are persuaded by God? For they did not come for the sake of helping. And indeed he rebukes Peter because he wanted to fight excessively, saying: 'Do you think that I was not able to entreat my Father, and he would have given to me more than twelve legions of angels?' (Matt 26:53). Thus, an alliance is not necessary.

And there was a famine upon the earth; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, because a famine had grown strong upon the earth (Gen 12:10). The literal sense is clear; but this is the meaning for the intellect. The wise of God are above the earth, not being of it; therefore, in this way, a famine has occurred. For to those who think of earthly things, a famine of hearing the word of the Lord often happens, if they are worthy of it, and later they again receive it. In this way, too, Abram comes to 'sojourn' (not to dwell) in Egypt, descending in sympathy with those suffering the famine, not to live there; for those around Daniel did not come to Babylon because of sins, but so that they might help those deported there because of sins. For God has pity on those sinning to the extent that it is possible for them to repent. And just as doctors are sent where there is much harm or disease, not so that they themselves might share in the disease, but so that they might heal those who are sick, so the saints became present in the confusion and in Babylon, not being residents; for they had possessed nothing worthy of it, which is the property of those dwelling there.

And it happened, as Abram approached entering Egypt, that Abram said to Sarai his wife (Gen 12:11-13): 'I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance; so it will be, when the Egyptians see you, they will say, "She is his wife," and they will kill me, and they will take you to themselves; so say then that you are my sister, so that it may go well for me because of you, and my soul may live because of you.' Regarding the spoken word, it is fitting with prudence, believing that God, having brought him out of his own land, will not neglect his marriage; he suggests to her to say to them that she is his sister, so that, this being said first and alone, they might not receive the notion that she is his wife, deceiving them through this. For there was also in Egypt...

Greek · §88

γέγονεν"3, ἀλλ' "6οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη"6· γέγονεν γάρ ποτε, ὅτε ὑπετίθετο ἑαυτὸν σάρκινον εἶναι πεπραμένον ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, σημαίνων τοὺς ἐν τοιαύτη καταστάσει, οἷς καὶ δέον ἐστὶν λέγειν ὡς αὐτὸς γράφει· "6Ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι"6. Ἔχει δὲ τὴν μάχην χρώμενος ὅπλοις ἐπουρανίοις ᾗ πρὸς πνευματικὰ ἐπουράνια. Τελείου οὖν ἐστιν τὸ πολεμεῖν καθὰ καὶ Ἀβρὰμ ἐπιστὰς τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατὰ τὰ ἀποδοθέντα, κατ' αὐτὸ καὶ αὐτὸς γινόμενος καθὰ εἴρηται· "6Οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπὶ Κύριον ὡς ὄρος Σιών"6. Τηλικοῦτος οὖν γεγενημένος, ἐπιστάμενος ὅτι οὐκ ἀφέξεται αὐτοῦ ἡ ἐναντία φάλαγξ, ἐστρα<το>πέδευσεν, ὥσπερ ὁ Ἰακὼβ μέλλων τῷ Ἠσαύ, μεγάλῳ πολεμίῳ ὄντι καὶ φθονοῦντι αὐτῷ, συντυγχάνειν, "6εἶδεν παρεμβολὴν Θεοῦ"6· ἔδει γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν παρα- σκευάζοντα εἰς ἀνδρείαν τὸν ἀθλητὴν δεῖξαι αὐτῷ ὅτι ἔχει τοὺς συμμαχοῦντας. Καὶ Ἐλισαῖος δὲ μέλλων πορθεῖ- σθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς Συρίας βασιλέως εἶχεν περὶ ἑαυτὸν θεῖον στρατόπεδον, ὅπερ ἀγνοοῦν τὸ παιδάριον τοῦ προφήτου πεφόβηται, ὕστερον ἐκ τῆς ἀποκαλύψεως τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ θαρσήσας. 225 Εὐ῀̣ δὲ καὶ τὸ "6ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ"6 ἐστρατοπεδευκέναι. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐν ἐρήμῳ πειράζεται· καὶ ἐν Ἠσαΐᾳ ἔχεις· "6Ὡς καταιγὶς δι' ἐρήμου διέλθοι ἐξ ἐρήμου ἐρχομένη ἐκ γῆς"6, ἅπερ δηλοῖ πειρασμόν. Ἐστρα- <το>πέδευσεν οὖν ὁ Ἀβρὰμ "6ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ"6· ἔξω πόλεων γὰρ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον οἱ πειρασμοὶ <ἔ>τυχον διὰ τὸ ἀβοηθήτους αὐτοὺς εὑρίσκεσθαι ἐκ τῶν ὁμοίων ἀνθρώπων· "6Ἀδελφὸς γὰρ ὑπὸ ἀδελφοῦ βοηθούμενος ὡς πόλις ὀχυρά"6. Καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ οὖν, ὡς πρόειπον, ἐν ἐρήμῳ πειράζεται, ἵν' ᾖ τὸ λεγόμενον τοιοῦτον· ἡ εἰς πειρασμὸν ἐρχομένη ψυχὴ ὥσπερ ἔρημον ἑαυτὴν ὁρᾷ συμμαχίας, Θεοῦ τοῦτο οἰκονομικῶς ποιοῦντος· εἰ γὰρ προαπεκάλυπτεν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἔκβασιν καὶ ὅτι νικήσουσιν τὸν πειρασμόν, οὐ μέγα [ἦν] τὸ ἀνυσμένον· οὐδὲ γὰρ εὐχὴν ἀνέπεμπον οὐδ' ἄλλο τι ἐποίουν. ∆είκνυται δὲ 90 αὐτοῖς πάλιν ὅτι καὶ συμμαχεῖ Θεός, ἵνα μηδ' οὕτως ἀποκακήσωσιν. Καὶ οὕτω μὲν ἀνθρώποις, τῷ δὲ Σωτῆρι μετὰ τὸν πειρασμὸν φαίνονται ἄγγελοι, καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς διακονίαν, ἵνα μὴ οἱ ἐθελόκακοι, πρὸ τούτου φανέντων τῶν ἀγγέλων, εἴπωσιν ὅτι ἀγγέλων ἡ νίκη. Τίς [δ]ε`̣ ἡ διακονία τῶν ἀγγέλων ἢ ἡ παράθεσις τῶν ψυχῶν τῶν πειθομένων Θεῷ; Οὐδὲ γὰρ βοηθείας ἕνεκα παρῆσαν. Καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ γοῦν ἐπιτιμᾷ διὰ τὸ ἐθέλειν ὑπερπολεμεῖν αὐτοῦ λέγων· "6Ἢ δοκεῖς ὅτι οὐκ ἐδυνάμην παρακαλέσαι τὸν Πατέρα μου καὶ ἔδωκεν ἄν μοι πλείους δώδεκα λεγιώνων ἀγγέλων;"6 Οὕτως οὐ δέεται συμμαχίας. χιι, 10. Καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ κατέβη Ἀβρὰμ εἰς Αἴγυπτον παροικῆσαι ἐκεῖ, ὅτι ἐνίσχυσεν λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Σαφὲς μὲν τὸ τοῦ ῥητοῦ· τὸ δὲ πρὸς διάνοιαν τοῦτό ἐστιν. Οἱ σοφοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνωτέρω τῆς γῆς εἰσιν, οὐκ ὄντες αὐτῆς· ἐν ταύτῃ οὖν λιμὸς γέγονεν· τοῖς τὰ ἐπίγεια γὰρ φρονοῦσιν λιμὸς τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον Κυρίου πολλάκις συμβαίνει, ἐὰν τούτου ὦσιν ἄξιοι, ὕστερόν ποτε τούτου πάλιν ἀποδιδομένου. Ταύτῃ τοι καὶ ὁ Ἀβρὰμ εἰς Αἴγυπτον "6παροικῆσαι"6, οὐ κατοικῆσαι, ἔρχεται συγκαταβαίνων τοῖς τὴν λιμὸν παθοῦσιν, οὐκ οἰκῆσαι ἐκεῖ· καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν ∆ανιὴλ οὐ δ̣ι' ἁμαρτήματα γεγένηνται ἐν Βαβυλῶνι, ἀλλ' ἵνα βοηθῶσιν τοῖς ἐκεῖ διὰ ἁμαρτήματα μετοικισθ[εῖ]σιν. Φείδεται γὰρ Θεὸς τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων εἰς ὅσον ἐνδέχεται 226 [αὐ]τοὺς μετανοῆσαι. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἰατροὶ πέμπονται ἐνθὰ πολλὴ βλάβη ἐστὶν ἢ νόσος οὐχ ἵνα αὐτοὶ κοινωνήσωσιν νόσῳ ἀλλ' ἵνα ἰάσωνται τοὺς νοσοῦντας, οὕτως οἱ ἅγιοι ἐγίνοντο εἰς τὴν σύγχυσιν καὶ εἰς τὴν Βαβυλῶνα οὐ κάτοικοι ὄντες· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄξιον αὐτῆς ἐκέκτηντο, ὅπερ ἴδιον τῶν κατοικούντων. χιι, 11–13. Ἐγένετο δέ, ἡνίκα ἤγγισεν Ἀβρὰμ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, εἶπεν Ἀβρὰμ Σάρᾳ τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ· Γινώσκω ἐγὼ ὅτι γυνὴ εὐπρόσωπος εἶ· ἔσται οὖν ὡς ἂν ἴδωσίν σε οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, ἐροῦσιν ὅτι γυνὴ αὐτοῦ αὐτή, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσίν με, σὲ δὲ περιποιήσονται· εἰπὸν οὖν ὅτι ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ εἰμι, ὅπως ἂν εὖ μοι γένηται διὰ σέ, καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου ἕνεκεν σοῦ. Πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν ἁρμόζεται μετὰ συνέσεως πρὸς τὴν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων φιληδονίαν πιστεύων ὅτι ἐξαγαγὼν αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας γῆς Θεὸς οὐ περιόψεται αὐτοῦ τὸν γάμον, ὑποβάλλει δὲ αὐτῇ λέγειν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὅτι ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, ἵνα, τούτου πρώτου καὶ μόνου λεγομένου, μὴ δέξωνται ἔννοιαν ὡς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ αὐτῆς ὑπαρχούσης, ἀπατῶν αὐτοὺς διὰ τούτου. Ἦν γὰρ καὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ

The Gospel Teaching as a Spouse and Abraham's Entry into Egypt§89

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

89Brotherhood and in his own land, as he later says: 'For truly she is my sister' (Gen 12:13). Therefore, this alone deceives them with a false wisdom, and he says it first as a subordinate matter. For since it was likely that those according to the laws of adultery among the Egyptians would kill him so that they would not allow it to be known that they were adulterers, Abram was reckoned as such.

These things, then, are for the sake of the spoken word; but regarding the intellect, those coming from virtue into vice are said to descend into Egypt; for it has been said many times: 'Woe to those descending into Egypt' (Hos 7:14). Here it is not 'he descended' that is intended, but 'he entered'; for his descent is an entrance. For every diligent person descends with those who stumble, not stumbling himself but leading them along from the stumbling block; and just as one becomes a Jew to the Jews without being a Jew, and lawless to the lawless without being lawless, so one becomes into Egypt without becoming Egyptian. Therefore, let others descend there, but he enters; for it was not their wickedness that brought him there, but a certain economy being carried out.

The virtuous man enters into Egypt often using foreign instruction, so that he may construct something useful from it, just as blessed Paul has done, asserting from Aratus 'For we are also of the same race' (Acts 17:28), in order to do the following: and the 'To an Unknown God' (Acts 17:23) and the 'Cretans are always liars' (Titus 1:12); so also every intellect exhorts to be taken captive into the obedience of Christ.

Having entered, as we have said, into Egypt, he subjects something to virtue, so that he may say that she is his wife; for the diligent and perfect man does not say that his virtue is his own exclusively to those inferior to him, lest he provoke them to envy, but says that she is his sister, giving the secondary things toward a unity toward his own virtue, so that he might descend together with the weak, so that they might desire her as one set forth to be received. For often, when we have learned something desiring to make it common, we make the contemplations common, such as those concerning providence, so that with...

so that he might also receive her to himself. For the evangelical teaching is a celestial spouse of the perfect; yet this is not snatched away, even if it is spoken among the perfect, but it is shared with all, just as Paul says, 'But I desire all men to be as I am myself' (1 Cor 4:6). For having become such, they will know that this instruction is a spouse of the perfect. For 'Wisdom' 'bears prudence to a man' (Prov 8:12), and I, says the perfect one, 'became a lover of her beauty' (Prov 8:26), clearly meaning Wisdom; for the wise man wishes to impart his own to all, so that they will not envy.

And it happened, when Abram entered into Egypt (Gen 12), the Egyptians seeing the woman that she was exceedingly beautiful, and the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and they commended her to Pharaoh, and they brought her into the house of Pharaoh; and they dealt well with Abram because of her, and there came to him sheep and oxen and donkeys and boys and girls and mules and camels. The wise intention of the patriarch did not miss the mark; for he did not plot, but rather a way becomes available so that the marriage of the holy one might not be corrupted; for the Egyptians did not rush upon her as if toward one neglected; but rather the princes, having seen her, presenting her as a favor to the king, brought her, and thus it happened that they dealt well with them because of her.

Abram therefore enters into Egypt according to the allegorical manner as a perfect toward the imperfect, so that he might be benefited, fitting himself, possessing the virtue, as previously foretold, not as one approaching him as an exclusive possession, but showing it to all as a sister to share with, so that they might be able, having seen, to love her. And observe that the princes saw her; for even in the rank of the Egyptians according to allegory, there are certain purer ones who also have much inclination toward seeing the virtue. And these have come to be not only to see, but

Greek · §89

ἀδελφογαμία καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτοῦ γῇ, ὡς ὕστερον εἶπεν· "6Καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν"6· ἀπάτην οὖν αὐτοὺς σοφὴν ἀπατᾷ τοῦτο μόνον καὶ πρῶτον λέγειν ὑποβαλλομένη. Σῳζομένων γὰρ εἰκὸς τῶν κατὰ μοιχείας νόμων παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις, ἐλογίζετο ὁ Ἀβρὰμ ὅτι, ἵνα μὴ δόξωσιν εἶναι μοιχοί, δολοφονήσουσιν αὐτόν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τοῦ ῥητοῦ χάριν· πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν οἱ ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς εἰς κακίαν ἐρχόμενοι κατιέναι εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον λέγονται· εἴρηται γοῦν πολλάκις· "6Οὐαὶ οἱ καταβαί- νοντες εἰς Αἴγυπτον"6. Ἐνταῦθα οὐ "3κατέβη"3 [π]ρόκειται, ἀλλ' εἰσῆλθεν· ἡ γὰρ τούτου κατάβασις εἴσοδός ἐστιν. 227 Συγκαταβαίνει γὰρ πᾶς σπουδαῖος τοῖς σφαλλομένοις οὐ σφαλλόμενος ἀλλὰ μετάγων αὐτοὺς τοῦ σφάλματος· καὶ ὥσπερ γίνεται Ἰουδαίοις Ἰουδαῖος οὐκ ὢν Ἰουδαῖος,καὶ ἀνόμοις ἄνομος οὐκ ὢν ἄνομος, οὕτω γίνεταί τις εἰς Αἴγυπτον οὐκ αἰγυπτιάζων. ∆ιὸ ἄλλοι καταβαινέτωσαν ἐκεῖ, αὐτὸς δὲ εἰσέρχεται· οὐ γὰρ κακία αὐτῶν κατήνεγκεν, ἀλλ' οἰκονομία τις ἐκτελουμένη. Εἰσέρχεται ὁ ἐνάρετος εἰς Αἴγυπτον πολλάκις χρώμενος ἀλλοτρίᾳ παιδεύσει, ἵν' ἐξ αὐτῆς τι χρήσιμον κατασκευάσῃ, καθὰ καὶ Παῦλος ὁ μακάριος πεποίηκεν φάσκων τὸ ἀπὸ Ἀράτου "6Τοῦ γὰρ καὶ γένος ἐσμέν"6, ἵνα τὰ ἑξῆς ποιήσῃ, καὶ τὸ "6Ἀγνώστῳ Θεῷ"6 καὶ τὸ "6Κρῆτες ἀεὶ ψεῦσται"6· οὕτω δὲ καὶ παραινεῖ πᾶν νόημα αἰχμαλωτίζεσθαι εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἰσελθών, καθὰ εἴπομεν, εἰς Αἴγυπτον τῇ ἀρετῇ ὑποτάσσεταί τινα, ἵνα εἴπῃ ὅτι γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν· ὁ γὰρ 91 σπουδαῖος καὶ τέλειος οὐκ ἀποκληρωτικῶς ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἀρετὴν εἶναί φησιν τοῖς ὑποδεεστέροις, ἵνα μὴ φθόνον αὐτοῖς εἰσαγάγῃ, ἀδελφὴν δὲ ἑαυτοῦ αὐτὴν εἶναί φησιν τὰ δευτερεῖα πρὸς ἕνωσιν τὴν πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἑαυτοῦ διδούς, ἵνα συγκατέλθῃ τοῖς ἀσθενέσιν, οὕτω τε ποθήσωσιν αὐτὴν ὡς κοινῇ ἐκκειμένην δέξεσθαι. Πολλάκις γοῦν ἐπιστῆσαί τινα βουλόμενοι κοινοποιοῦμεν τὰ θεωρήματα οἷον τὰ περὶ προνοίας, ἵν' οὕτω μετὰ τοῦτο καὶ δέξηται ἑαυτῷ αὐτήν. Ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ οὖν διδασκαλία ἀστὴ γαμετὴ τοῦ σπουδαίου ἐστίν· ταύτην δὲ οὐχ ἁρπάζει, εἰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς τελείοις αὐτὴν λαλεῖ, ἀλλὰ κοινοποιεῖται πᾶσιν ταύτην, καθάπερ Παῦλος λέγων· "6Θέλω δὲ πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἶναι ὡς καὶ ἐμαυτόν"6· τοιοῦτοι γὰρ γεγενημένοι γνώσονται ὅτι τοῦ τελείου σύζυγός ἐστιν αὕτη ἡ παίδευσις· "6Ἡ σοφία"6 γὰρ "6τίκτει ἀνδρὶ φρόνησιν"6, καὶ ἐγώ, φησὶν ὁ τέλειος, "6ἐραστὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς"6, σοφίας δηλονότι· ὁ σόφος δὲ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πᾶσιν μεταδοῦναι βούλεται· οὕτω γὰρ οὐδὲ φθονήσουσιν. χιι, 14–16. Ἐγένετο δέ, ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Ἀβρὰμ εἰς 228 Αἴγυπτον, ἰδόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν γυναῖκα ὅτι καλὴ εἴη σφόδρα, καὶ εἶδον αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες Φαραώ, καὶ ἐπῄνεσαν αὐτὴν πρὸς Φαραώ, καὶ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φαραώ· καὶ τῷ Ἀβρὰμ εὖ ἐχρήσαντο δι' αὐτήν, καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ πρόβατα καὶ μόσχοι καὶ ὄνοι καὶ παῖδες καὶ παιδίσκαι <καὶ> ἡμίονοι καὶ κάμηλοι. Τὸ συνετὸν βούλευμα τοῦ πατριάρχου οὐκ ἠστόχησεν· οὔτε γὰρ ἐπεβουλεύθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁδός τις γίνεται τοῦ μὴ διαφθαρῆναι τὸν γάμον τοῦ ὁσίου· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὡς πρὸς ἠμελημένην ἐπεπήδησαν Αἰγύπτιοι· ἀλλὰ γὰρ οἱ ἄρχοντες θεασάμενοι τῷ βασιλεῖ χάριν κατατιθέμενοι προσήγαγον αὐτὴν ὡς δῶρον αὐτῷ, οὕτω τε συμβέβηκεν τὸ καὶ καλῶς αὐτοὺς τῷ Ἀβρὰμ δι' αὐτὴν χρήσασθαι. Εἰσέρχεται τοίνυν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὁ Ἀβρὰμ κατὰ τὸν ἀλληγορίας τρόπον ὡς τέλειος πρὸς ἀτελεῖς, ἵν' ὠφελη- θῶσιν, ἁρμοζόμενος, ἔχων τὴν ἀρετήν, ὡς προείρηται, οὐχ ὡς ἀποκληρωτικῶς αὐτῷ προσοῦσαν, ἀλλ' ἅπασιν αὐτὴν ὑποδεικνὺς ὡς ἀδελφὴν συγκατιών, ἵν' οὕτω δυνηθῶσιν θεασάμενοι ἀγαπῆσαι αὐτήν. Παρατήρει δὲ ὅτι οἱ ἄρχοντες αὐτὴν εἶδον· ἔστιν γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ τάγματι τῶν κατὰ ἀλληγορίαν Αἰγυπτίων καθαριότεροί τινες οἳ καὶ πολλὴν ἔχουσιν ἐπιτηδειότητα πρὸς τὸ θεάσασθαι τὴν ἀρετήν. Οὗτοι δὲ οὐκ ἄχρι μόνον τοῦ θεάσασθαι γεγένηνται, ἀλλὰ

The fulfillment of time and the manner of departure§90

90And I have brought her to their ruler, that is, the Word ruling over them, in order to praise her; for this was the purpose of the holy Abraham, to bring them joyfully. [Genesis 12:12: And there fell upon Abram a dark and great fear concerning the suns.]

But Abram, beholding divine sights, was seized by a fear befitting perfection. Note that a dark ecstasy fell upon him concerning the suns, signifying the progress of the Word by the passing of the day of his present state, so that another progress of blessing might be received by him as it comes upon him, according to which it was said: 'I will fulfill him with length of days,' Genesis 25:15 not necessarily promising him long life, but clearly progress in illuminations. Therefore 'ecstasy' falls upon him; and ecstasy is not like madness, but is wonder and the translation from the visible to the invisible. For the apostle says: 'Whether then we are beside ourselves, or whether we are in our right minds' 2 Cor 5:13, not declaring that we have learned from God, but that, even if we become outside of human things through contemplation, we do this through God, just as David says: 'I said in my ecstasy: Every man is a liar' Ps 52:6; for having become ecstatic, he says concerning men that they are liars, he himself no longer being a man because of the communion of the Holy Spirit, but being another of those concerning whom it was said: 'For where there is strife and jealousy among you, are you not humans and walking according to human ways?' Gal 5:15. While Abram is in ecstasy, a dark fear falls upon him, not participating in darkness but in uncertainty and not knowing readily; such a great fear does not happen to small men. And since instead of uncertainty darkness is often taken, it is said: 'And he set darkness in his hiding place' Ps 18:11; and in truth, the contemplation and comprehension of super-abundant dogmas instills a gloom upon the great, and falls upon such people a divine fear with reverence.

And it was said to Abram: 'Knowing you shall know that your seed shall be a stranger in a land not its own, and they shall enslave them and afflict them for four hundred years; and the nation, which they shall serve, I will judge; and after these things they shall come out this way with much spoil.' Genesis 15:13-14 The sojourning into Egypt...

The word foretells it; for they did not dwell as strangers being their own, having served Pharaoh and having been much ill-treated by him and the Egyptians. It does not contend with what is written there in Exodus; for there it is said: 'After four hundred and thirty years the power of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt' (Exodus 12:40), here it says 'after forty'; but it must be understood that it was not said that they went out upon the completion of the four hundred years, but after four hundred years, which the thirty years make manifest. And the 'I will judge the nation whom they shall serve' (Exodus 12:3) has reached its outcome according to what is written in Exodus; for He brought upon them ten-fold plagues, and they sank at last like lead in much water. But also 'with much baggage' (Exodus 12:36) they have gone out, as history shows, from which we are instructed that, even if God ill-treats someone in time, He does not do this differently, but for a good end.

If the word also alludes to the sojourning of the saints, consider this. 'And you shall go to your fathers in peace, having been nourished in a good old age; but in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full' (Genesis 15:15-16). It is apparent from the immediate text that he is foretelling to him the departure from life. And for edification, these things might be said. The wise man departs from life in peace, but the one sinning has confused thoughts and has a troubled soul; and just as one is received in death, so he will be judged. The one having prepared peace for himself from this place, he departs in peace, but the one having trouble and confused thoughts toward this, he will be judged. This is shown from what is in Ecclesiastes: 'Wherever the wood falls, there it remains' (Ecclesiastes 9:7). This does not have this meaning in history; for it is not always that wherever wood falls, there it remains; for often it is moved; but it is clear that the man is what is signified in enigma through the wood, so he will be judged as he is found.

Therefore, fittingly, Abraham will depart to the fathers being pleasing to God, sharing the same promise; for 'the firstfruits' are 'Christ, then those of Christ.' And even for the righteous, the promise and the dwelling are different; for there are many dwellings with the Father. Thus, he will depart to the fathers according to the Spirit, being diligent in the...

Greek · §90

καὶ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα ἑαυτῶν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τὸν ἡγεμονεύοντα αὐτῶν λόγον μετὰ τοῦ ἐπαινεῖν αὐτήν· οὗτος γὰρ ὁ σκοπὸς ἦν τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀβρὰμ εὐαγώγως αὐτοὺς *** 229 <χῃ, 12. Περὶ δὲ ἡλίου δυσμὰς ἔκστασις ἐπέπεσε τῷ Ἀβράμ, καὶ ἰδοὺ φόβος σκοτεινὸς μέγας ἐπιπίπτει αὐτῷ.> 230 <Ὁ δὲ Ἀβρὰμ> ὡς θεῖα θεάματα θεωρῶν ἐφοβήθη φόβον προσήκοντα τελείῳ. Παρατήρει δὲ ὅτι περὶ ἡλίου δυσμὰς ἔκστασις ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἐπέπεσεν, προκοπὴν σημαίνοντος τοῦ λόγου διὰ τοῦ παρεληλυθέναι αὐτῷ τὴν τῆς παρούσης καταστάσεως ἡμέραν, ἵν' ἄλλη αὐτὸν προκοπὴ διαδέξηται εὐλογίας ἐπ' αὐτὸν φθανούσης, καθ' ἣν εἴρηται· "6Μακρότητι ἡμερῶν ἐμπλήσω αὐτόν"6, οὐ πάντως πολυχρονιότητα αὐτῷ ἐπαγγελλόμενος, ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὡς φωτισμῶν προκοπάς. "6Ἔκστασις"6 οὖν ἐπι<πί>πτει αὐτῷ, ἔκ<σ>τασις δὲ οὐχ ἡ παραφροσύνῃ ὁμοία, ἀλλ' ὁ θαυμασμὸς καὶ τὸ μεταστῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρατῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀόρατα. Λέγει γοῦν ὁ ἀπόστολος· "6Εἴτε γὰρ ἐξέστημεν Θεῷ, εἴτε σωφρο- νοῦμεν ὑμῖν"6, οὐ τόδε δηλῶν ὅτι Θεῷ ἐμάνημεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι, κἂν ἔξω τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων διὰ θεωρίαν γενώμεθα, Θεῷ τοῦτο ποιοῦμεν, καθὰ καὶ ∆αυίδ φησιν· "6Ἐγὼ εἶπα ἐν τῇ ἐκστάσει μου· Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ψεύστης"6· ἐκστὰς γὰρ καὶ γενόμενος θεὸς λέγει περὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὅτι ψεῦσταί εἰσιν, αὐτὸς οὐκέτι ἄνθρωπος ὑπάρχων διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος κοινωνίαν, ἀλλ' ἄλλος ἐκείνων τυγχάνων, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται· "6Ὅπου γὰρ ἔρις καὶ ζῆλος ἐν ὑμῖν, οὐχὶ ἄνθρωποί ἐστε καὶ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖτε;"6 Ἐκστάντος οὖν τοῦ Ἀβράμ, σκοτεινὸς φόβος 92 ἐπι- <πί>πτει αὐτῷ, οὐ σκότους μετέχων ἀλλ' ἀσαφείας καὶ μὴ γιγνωσκόμενος προχείρως· οὗτος μέγας ὑπάρχων φόβος οὐ μικροῖς συμβαίνει. Ὅτι δὲ ἀντὶ ἀσαφείας πολλάκις ὁ σκότος παραλαμβάνεται, εἴρηται· "6Καὶ ἔθετο σκότος ἀποκρυφὴν αὐτοῦ"6· καὶ τῷ ὄντι ἡ τῶν ὑπερφυῶν δογμάτων θεωρία καὶ κατάλημψις καὶ τοῖς μεγάλοις εἴλιγγον ἐμποιεῖ καὶ φόβον θεῖον μετ' εὐλαβείας τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐπιβάλλουσιν. χῃ, 13–14. Καὶ ἐρρέθη πρὸς Ἀβράμ· Γιγνώσκων γνώσῃ ὅτι πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐν γῇ οὐκ ἰδίᾳ, καὶ δουλώσουσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ κακώσουσιν αὐτοὺς τετρακόσια ἔτη· τὸ δὲ ἔθνος, ᾧ ἂν δουλεύσουσιν, κρινῶ ἐγώ· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐλεύσονται ὧδε μετὰ ἀποσκευῆς πολλῆς. 231 Τὴν εἰς Αἴγυπτον παροίκησιντοῦ λαοῦ τὸ λόγιον προαναφωνεῖ· οὐκ ἰδίαν γὰρ οὖσαν παρῴκησαν δουλεύ- σαντες τῷ Φαραὼ καὶ πολλὰ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων κακωθέντες. Οὐ μάχεται δὲ τοῖς ἐνταῦθα τὰ ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ γεγραμμένα· ἐκεῖ γὰρ εἴρηται· "6Μετὰ τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη ἐξῆλθεν ἡ δύναμις Κυρίου ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου"6, ἐνταῦθα "6μετὰ τετρακόσιά"6 φησιν· ἀλλ' ἐπιστῆσαι δεῖ ὅτι οὐκ ἐρρέθη ὡς πληρωθέντων τῶν τετρακοσίων ἐτῶν ἐξῆλθον ἀλλὰ μετὰ τετρακόσια ἔτη, ὅπερ ἐμφαίνει τὰ τριάκοντα. Καὶ τὸ "6κρινῶ δὲ ἐγὼ τὸ ἔθνος ᾧ ἂν δουλεύσωσιν"6 ἐκβάσεως τετύχηκεν κατὰ τὰ ἐν Ἐξόδῳ γεγραμμένα· δεκάπληγον γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐπήγαγεν καὶ τελευταῖον ἔδυσαν ὡσεὶ μόλιβος ἐν ὕδατι πολλῷ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ "6μετὰ ἀποσκευῆς πολλῆς"6 ἐξεληλύθασιν, ὡς ἡ ἱστορία δηλοῖ, ἐξ ἧς παιδευόμεθα ὅτι, κἂν ἐν χρόνῳ Θεός τινα κακώσῃ, οὐκ ἀδιαφόρως τοῦτο ποιεῖ ἀλλ' ἐπ' ἀγαθῷ τέλει. Εἰ δὲ αἰνίττεται ὁ λόγος καὶ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων παροίκησιν, συνεπισκέψαι. χῃ, 15–16. Σὺ δὲ ἀπελεύσῃ πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας σου <μετ' εἰρήνης> τραφεὶς ἐν γήρει καλῷ· τετάρτῃ δὲ γενεᾷ ἀποστραφήσονται ὧδε· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναπεπλήρωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῶν Ἀμορραίων ἕως τοῦ νῦν. Φαίνεται ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου τὴν ἐκ τοῦ βίου ἀναχώρησιν αὐτῷ προαπαγγέλλων. Πρὸς δὲ ἀναγωγὴν ταῦτα ἂν λεχθείη. Ὁ σοφὸς ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἀπέρχεται τοῦ βίου, ὁ δ' ἁμαρτάνων συγκεχυμένους ἔχει λογισμούς, ταραττομένην ἔχει τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ ὡς παραλαμβάνεταί τις ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ, οὕτω καὶ κρίνεται. Ὁ εἰρήνην ἑαυτῷ ἀπ' ἐντεῦθεν κατασκευάσας ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ ἀπέρχεται, ὁ δὲ ταράχους ἔχων καὶ συγκεχυμένους λογισμοὺς πρὸς τοῦτο καὶ κρι- θήσεται. Τοῦτο δηλοῦται ἐκ τοῦ ἐν τῷ Ἐκκλησιαστῇ· "6Οὗ ἐὰν πέσῃ τὸ ξύλον, ἐκεῖ μενεῖ"6. Οὐκ ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχον ἐπὶ ἱστορίας· οὐ γὰρ πάντως ἔνθα πίπτει ξύλον, ἐκεῖ μενεῖ· πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ μετάγεται· ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὡς ὁ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν ὁ διὰ τοῦ ξύλου ἐν αἰνιγμῷ σημαινόμενος, οὕτω κριθησόμενος ὡς καὶ εὑρίσκεται. 232 Ἁρμοζόντως οὖν ἐν εἰρήνῃἈβραὰμ ἀπελεύσεται πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ε̣ὐάρεστος ὢν Θεῷ, τῆς αὐτῆς ἐπαγγελίας κοινωνῶν· "6Ἀπαρχὴ"6 γὰρ "6Χριστός, ἔπειτα οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ"6. Καὶ αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν δικαίων διάφορος ἡ ἐπαγγελία καὶ ἡ μονή· πολλαὶ γὰρ μοναὶ παρὰ τῷ Πατρί. Πρὸς οὖν τοὺς πατέρας τοὺς κατὰ πνεῦμα ἀπελεύσεται ὁ σπουδαῖος τῇ

The Fire of the Covenant and the Divided Pieces§91

91A son is like a father in manner, even if the father is weak in the flesh. Regarding Abraham, it is said concerning those from him that 'in the fourth generation they shall turn away from this place' (Gen 15:16), signifying the inheritance of the land. Because of this, it is said that after 'four hundred years' (Gen 15:16) the turning away shall be, because the Amorites had not yet filled up their sins, by which they would afterward be judged, so that after they are judged, they might become inhabitants of that land.

For God brings punishments with measure and timing, being long-suffering until the time of retribution arrives. Similar and constructive to this is what is said in the Gospel: 'Then Jesus began to upbraid the cities in which most of his powers had come to pass, because they did not repent: Woe to you, Chorazin; woe to you, Bethsaida, for if in Tyre and Sidon the powers that happened in you had happened, long ago they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes' (Matt 11:20-22). To this someone asks: How is it then that they did not repent, if indeed they were repenting, but rather they were completed there where they did not repent? And we say that the Son of God is wisdom, who also did these things; for knowing the hidden things, he knew that those repenting were not making a true repentance, and because of this the powers did not occur there.

And it is appropriate to say concerning them: it is better for them not to have known the truth than to have known and to have turned back to what is behind. Thus he did not do the extraordinary things for Tyre and Sidon; for it was to be easy for them to repent. Since those among whom the movement occurred did not have a soul recognizable to the judge, which required the demonstration of signs, he did this so that these might be without defense, and those Amorites might not cause more harm at an unseasonable time. And if this has been said excessively by the Savior to rebuke those who saw the signs and did not repent—and indeed this way is didactic—one should consider it. For the long-suffering and goodness of the Judge is shown in awaiting the fulfillment of the sins of the Amorites, after having reproved and exhorted and everything that leads to recognition, before God brings the punishment, just as it happened to Pharaoh.

For often, being subject to punishment and being deemed worthy of forgiveness, he brought upon himself through his own hardness of heart the final condemnation.

And when the sun had gone toward the west, a flame became, and behold, a smoking oven and torches of fire, which passed between the divided pieces. The clarity of the saying would be shown thus: concerning the sun already setting, 'a flame became' and 'a smoking oven' appeared, and 'also torches of fire, which passed between the divided pieces,' both burning and lighting the place so as to see the patriarch's actions and to show the symbols more divinely, which is necessary to investigate. And this is to be noted, that not only when a covenant is being made did fire appear, but also through Moses the law is given upon fire; for they saw the fire, but not seeing the one speaking, they heard the things having been legislated. But it was suggested through these things that such things might be. Since the law has struggle and punishment, having been given in the midst of the fire, it was evident that it brings burning to some and illumination to others. For the fire has a twofold power, lighting and burning at once; so the law having been given burns those who fall away from it, and illuminates its guardians. So also here torches and smoke appeared; and smoke is a completion and as a following-up of fire having appeared, but a flame became first. We say therefore that in such a difficulty for the one dividing the practical things, there must be illumination from God and fear, as is indicated by the oven, so that all things may be accomplished according to the right word.

On that day the Lord God established a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your seed I will give this land from the river of Egypt even to the great river Euphrates, the Kenites, and the following.' Of the torches passing through the divided pieces, the covenant was being confirmed, the God saying: 'To your seed I will give this land,' and he also traces out the extent of the land. And it is necessary, according to the previously stated things, to understand the land being given to the seed as being given to the one according to the Holy Spirit. This also the Savior promises to those who have been made upright in meekness. This is a fitting promise to the true children and not to the...

Greek · §91

ὁμοιότητι τῶν τρόπων υἱὸς ὑπάρχων αὐτῶν, κἂν κατὰ σάρκα φαύλους ἔχῃ πατέρας. Ταῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Ἀβρὰμ εἰπὼν περὶ τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ λέγει ὅτι "6τετάρτῃ γενεᾷ ἀποστραφήσονται ὧδε"6, τὴν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τῆς κληρονομίας δηλῶν. ∆ιὰ δὲ τοῦτο μετὰ "6τετρακόσια ἔτη"6 φησὶν τὴν ἀποστροφὴν ἔσεσθαι, διότι̣ ο̣ὔπω ἐξεπλήρωσαν οἱ Ἀμορραῖοι ἑαυτῶν τὰς ἁμαρτίας, δι' ἃς λοιπὸν πείσονται καταστροφήν, ἵν' ἐκείνων δικασθέντων αὐτοὶ οἰκήτορες τῆς γῆς ἐκείνων γένωνται. Καὶ τὰς τιμωρίας γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς μέτρῳ καὶ καιρῷ ἐπιφέρει μακροθυμῶν ἕως ὁ καιρὸς ἐνστῇ τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως. Τούτῳ ὅμοιον καὶ κατασκευαστικὸν ὑπάρχει τὸ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ λεγόμενον· "6Τότε Ἰησοῦς ἤρξατο ὀνειδίζειν τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς ἐγένοντο αἱ πλεῖσται δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐ μετενόησαν· Οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν· οὐα<ί> σοι Βηθσαϊδάν, ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδόνι ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ 93 καὶ σποδῷ μετε- νόησαν"6. Πρὸς ὃ λέγοι τις ἄν· Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἐγένοντο, εἴ γε μετενόουν, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖ ἐπετελέσθησαν ἔνθα οὐ μετενόη- σαν; Καὶ λέγοιμεν ὅτι σοφία ἐστὶν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίησεν· ἐπεὶ γὰρ τὰ κρυπτὰ ἐπιστάμενος ἐγίνωσκεν ὅτι μετανοήσαντες οὐ γνησ̣ίαν ἐποιοῦντο μετά- νοιαν, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖ οὐκ ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάμεις. Καὶ ἔστιν περὶ αὐτῶν οἰκεῖον εἰπεῖν· κρεῖσσον γὰρ αὐτοῖς μὴ ἐπεγνωσκέναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἢ ἐπιγνοῦσιν ἀνακᾶμψαι εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω. Οὕτως οὐ πεποίηκεν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδόνι τὰ παράδοξα· ἔμελλεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς εὐμετάπτωτος εἶναι ἡ μετάνοια. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὗτοι παρ' οἷς ἐγένοντο <τὸ> κίνη<μα> οὐ<κ> εἶχον ψυχῆς γνωριζόμενον τῷ κριτῇ, ὅπερ ἔχρῃζεν τῆς τῶν σημείων ἐπιδείξεως, διὰ τοῦτο 233 ἐποίησεν, ἵνα οὗτοι μὲν ἀναπολόγητοι ὦσιν, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ μὴ πλέον βλάβωσιν ἀκαίρως τινὸς ἀξιούμενοι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ὑπερβολικῶς εἴρηται πρὸς τοῦ Σωτῆρος πρὸς ἐντροπὴν τῶν θεασαμένων τὰ σημεῖα καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων, –καὶ γὰρ οὗτος ὁ τρόπος διδασκαλικὸς ὑπάρχει, –συνεπι- σκέψαι. ῾Η̣ μακροθυμία οὖν καὶ ἀγαθότης τοῦ κριτοῦ δείκνυται τῷ ἀπεκδέχεσθαι τὴν ἀναπλήρωσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῶν Ἀμορραίων, μετὰ τὸ ἐλέγξαι καὶ προτρέψασθαι καὶ ὅσα συντελεῖ μετάγνωσιν ἐπάγοντος τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν κόλασιν, καθὰ καὶ τῷ Φαραὼ γεγένηται· πολλάκις γὰρ ἐπιτι- μώμενος καὶ συγχωρήσεως ἀξιούμενος ἐπήγαγεν ἑαυτῷ διὰ τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τὴν τελευταίαν κατάκρισιν. χῃ, 17. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐγένετο ὁ ἥλιος πρὸς δυσμαῖς, φλὸξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἰδοὺ κλίβανος καπνιζόμενος καὶ λαμπάδες πυρός, αἳ διῆλθον ἀνάμεσον τῶν διχοτομημάτων τούτων. Τὸ σαφὲς τοῦ ῥητοῦ οὕτως ἂν παρασταίη. Περὶ δυσμὰς τοῦ ἡλίου ἤδη χωροῦντος "6φλὸξ ἐγένετο"6 καὶ "6κλίβανος καπνιζόμενος"6 ἐφαίνετο "6καὶ λαμπάδες πυρός, αἳ διῆλθον ἀνάμεσον τῶν διχοτομημάτων"6, ἀμφο- τέραι καίουσαι καὶ φωτίζουσαι τὸν τόπον πρὸς τὸ ὁρᾶν τὸν πατριάρχην τὰ γινόμενα καὶ σύμβολα ἐπιδεικνύναι θειότερον, ἅπερ ἀναγκαῖον διεραυνήσασθαι. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ σημειωτέον, ὅτι οὐ νῦν μόνον διαθήκης γινομένης πῦρ ἐφάνη, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ Μωσέως ὁ νόμος ἐπὶ πυρὶ δίδοται· ἐώρων γὰρ τὸ πῦρ, τὸν λαλοῦντα οὐ θεωροῦντες ἤκουον τὰ νομοθετηθέντα. Ἃ δὲ ᾐνίττετο διὰ τούτων εἴη ἂν τοιαῦτα. Ἐπεὶ ὁ νόμος ἆθλα καὶ ἐπίτιμα ἔχει, ἐμμέσῳ τοῦ πυρὸς δοθεὶς ἐδήλου ὅτι τοῖς μὲν καῦσιν ἐπιφέρει, τοῖς δὲ φωτισμόν. ∆ιττὴν γὰρ ἔχει δύναμιν τὸ πῦρ, φωτίζον ἅμα καὶ καῖον· ὁ δοθεὶς οὖν νόμος τοὺς μὲν λιποτάκτας αὐτοῦ καίει, τοὺς δὲ φύλακας αὐτοῦ φωτίζει. Οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα λαμπάδες καὶ καπνὸς̣ ἐφαίνοντο· ἔστι δὲ ὁ καπνὸς ἀπο- 234 τέλεσμα καὶ ὡς παρακολούθημα πυρὸς ἐξαφθέντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ φλὸξ προτέρα ἐγίνετο. Λέγομεν οὖν ὡς ἐν τοιαύτῃ δυσχωρίᾳ τῷ διαιροῦντι τὰ πρακτέα καὶ μὴ φωτισμοῦ δεῖ τοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ φόβου, ὅσπερ διὰ τοῦ κλιβάνου δηλοῦται, ἵνα ἅπαντα κατὰ τὸν ὀρθὸν ἐπιτελῆται λόγον. χῃ, 18– 19. Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ διέθετο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀβρὰμ διαθήκην λέγων· Τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Αι᾿̣γύπτου ἕως τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου ποταμοῦ Εὐφράτου, τοὺς Καιναίους, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τῶν λαμπάδων διελθουσῶν τὰ διχοτομήματα, ἐβεβα̣ιοῦτο ἡ διαθήκη, λέγοντος τοῦ Θεοῦ· "6Τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην"6, διαγράφει δὲ καὶ τὸ διάστημα τῆς γῆς. ∆εῖ δὲ κατὰ τὰ προαποδοθέντα ἀνάγοντα̣ γ̣ῆν ἐννοεῖν τῷ σπέρματι διδομένην τῷ κατὰ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἁγίου. <Ταύ>την καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ τοῖς πραότητα κατορθώσασιν κατεπαγγέλλεται. Αὕτη πρέπουσα ἐπαγγελία τοῖς τέκνοις τοῖς ἀληθέσι καὶ οὐ τοῖς

The Pedagogy of Ascent§92

92Through succession to all. For 'the children of the flesh are not these children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as seed' (Genesis 17:19). For he who does the works of it is his child. And also well is 'from river to river'; for the virtue which is the due promise to the seed is that which is in the middle of flowing things, not being parts of the flowing things, but their boundaries; for if any virtue should become external to it, these things immediately encounter it. And if this has been said to the virtuous one because of the lying in wait of trials, you will understand, it being in the middle of those distressing things and overcoming them.

But Sarah the wife of Abram did not bear him children. And she had an Egyptian handmaid, whose name was Hagar. And Sarah said to Abram: 'Behold, the Lord has closed up on me the not-to-bear-children; go therefore to my handmaid, so that I may make children from her.' And Abram obeyed the voice of Sarah. The apostle led these to the two covenants by the law of allegory; and since the literal has also come to pass, it is also worthy to be seen. The holy ones lived together thus, not to hunt pleasures but for the sake of children. For such a tradition is brought about concerning them, that they only had intercourse with women when they had a time of conception; neither while nursing nor while feeding the infant, nor while pregnant, did they have intercourse; for in none of these times did they consider union to be appropriate.

And Jacob also confirms the tradition; for having tested in much time that Rachel did not accept to bear children, he no longer approached her; and she, thinking that if he approached her, she would bear, was saying: 'Give me children, or if not, kill me.' For he did not know that Jacob was not a potter, but was seeking union as if the holy one had ceased for the said reason, so that he might not labor in vain. And he said to her: 'Am I instead God to you, who has deprived you of the fruit of the womb?' (Genesis 29:31). And Sarah, being wise and holy, knowing for much time that through intercourse she had not received according to the belly, abstained from the fellowship with him, and since she knew that he would have children following him, she gave her handmaid to him as a wife concubine. The temperance and also the abundance of Sarah and of Abram are shown.

The lack of passion comes not from one's own impulse, but through offspring produced by a woman. The explicit teaching is indeed useful, as we have explained.

The logic of ascent is smoothed out by using the pattern of the blessed Paul, who led the two women toward the two covenants; using this method in other matters, he led Sarah toward perfect virtue and philosophy, she being a married woman, free and noble, and living according to the laws; and virtue lives with the wise according to the laws, so that she may bring forth divine offspring from herself. For 'Wisdom' 'bears prudence to a man' (Prov 31:10), and it is said toward the pious and holy: 'Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, your children like olive shoots around your table' (Ps 128:3). Thus the man who fears the Lord shall be blessed toward perfect virtue.

Sarah is led toward the spiritual, while Hagar the handmaid, the Egypt, is signified by Philo as the preliminary exercises and by Paul as the shadow. For it is impossible to grasp any of the spiritual or high notions without the shadow according to the letter or the introductory training; for one must first produce offspring from the lesser things. According to the shadow, they were immersing themselves, performing Pascha sensuously and circumcising themselves physically, being led by these things toward 'offering a sacrifice of praise to God' (Heb 13:15), which is the property of the free.

Since it is a matter of diligence for the wise to make room for the greater things, virtue proposes to use the introductory things first with a divine aim and to bring forth offspring from them. For since he who is now approaching virtue is not able to grasp perfection and thus bring forth from it, it is assumed that he first clothes himself in the preliminary trainings, so that he may also make room for it perfectly, if he is able.

And having taken Sarah, the wife of Abram, Hagar the Egyptian, his own handmaid, after ten years of living with Abram in the land of Canaan, she gave her to Abram her husband as a wife, and went in to Hagar, and conceived (Gen 16:3). As previously stated, Sarah offers the most precise example of temperance, having abundantly presented her own handmaid to Abram, observing that after...

Greek · §92

ἐκ διαδοχῆς πᾶσιν· "6Οὐ"6 γὰρ "6τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα"6· ὁ γὰρ ποιῶν αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα τέκνον αὐτοῦ ἐστ̣ι̣ν. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ "6ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἕως τοῦ ποταμοῦ"6· ἡ γὰρ πρέπουσα ἐπαγγελία τῷ σπέρματι τοῦ ἁγίου ἡ ἀρετή ἐστιν, ἥτις μέση τῶν ῥευστῶν πραγμάτων ἐστίν, οὐκ ὄντων αὐτῆς μερῶν τῶν ῥευστῶν πραγμάτων, ἀλλ' ὅρων αὐτῶν· ἔξω 94 γάρ τις εἰ γίνοιτο ἀρετῆς, ταῦτα αὐτῷ εὐθὺς προαπαντᾷ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ ἐπικεῖσθαι πειρασμοὺς τῷ ἐναρέτῳ τοῦτο εἰ´̣ρ̣η̣ται, ἐπιστήσ̣εις, μέσου αὐτοῦ ὄντος τῶν θλιβόντων καὶ ὑπερνικῶντος. χῃι, 1–2. Σάρα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ Ἀβρὰμ οὐκ ἔτικτεν αὐτῷ. Ἦν δὲ αὐτῇ παιδίσκη Αἰγυπτι´̣α, ᾗ ὄνομα Ἁγάρ. Εἶπεν δὲ Σάρα πρὸς Ἀβράμ· Ἰδοὺ δὴ συνέκλεισέν με Κύριος τοῦ μὴ τίκτειν· εἴσελθε οὖν πρὸς τὴν παιδίσκην μου, ἵνα τεκνοποιήσω ἐξ αὐτῆς. Ὑπήκουσεν δὲ Ἀβρὰμ τῆς φωνῆς Σάρας. Ἀνήγαγεν τα̣ύτας ἀπόστολος εἰς τὰς δύο διαθήκας 235 ἀλληγορίας νόμῳ· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τὸ ῥητὸν γεγένηται, καὶ αὐτὸ ἄξ̣ιον θεωρῆσαι. Οἱ ἅγιοι οὕτως συνεβίουν ὡς μὴ ἡδονὰς θηρᾶν ἀλλὰ τέκνων χάριν. Καὶ γὰρ παράδοσις τοιαύτη περὶ αὐτῶν φέρεται, ὅτι τότε μόνον συνῄεσαν ταῖς γυναιξίν, ὅτε καιρὸν εἶχον συλλήμψεως· οὔτε δὲ θηλαζούσῃ οὔτε τρεφούσῃ τὸ βρέφος συνῄε̣σ̣αν οὔτε̣ κυοφο- ρούσῃ· ἐν οὐδενὶ γὰρ το̣υ´̣των τῶν καιρῶν οἰκείαν ἡγοῦντο τὴν σύνοδον. Βεβαιοῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ τὴν παράδοσιν· ἐν γὰρ πολλῷ χρόνῳ δοκιμάσας ὅτι οὐκ ἐπεδέχετο ἡ Ῥαχὴλ τεκνῶσαι, οὐκέτι προσῄει αὐτῇ· ἐκείνης δ' οἰομένης ὅτι, ἐὰν προσέλθῃ αὐτῇ, τεκνοῖ, ἔλεγεν· "6Ἢ δός μοι τέκνα, εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀπόκτεινόν με σύ"6. Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι οὐκ ἦν πλάστης ὁ Ἰακώβ, ἀλλὰ σύνοδον ἀπῄτει ὡς τοῦ ἁγίου παυσαμένου διὰ τὴν εἰρημένην αἰτίαν, ἵνα μὴ ματαιουργῇ. Ὃς δὲ πρὸς αὐτήν· "6Μὴ ἀντὶ Θεοῦ σοι ἐγώ εἰμι, ὃς ἐστέρησέ <σε> καρπὸν κοιλίας;"6 Καὶ ἡ Σάρα οὖν, σοφὴ καὶ ἁγία οὖσα, πολλῷ χρόνῳ εἰδυῖα ὅτι συνευναζομένη οὐκ ἔλαβεν κατὰ γαστρός, ἀπέσχετο τῆς πρὸς αυ᾿̣τὸν κοινωνίας καί, ἐπειδὴ ἐγίγνωσκεν ἀκόλουθον εἶναι ἔχειν ἐκεῖνον τέκνα, τὴν παιδίσκην ἑαυτῆς ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα παλλακίδα. Σωφροσύνη ἅμα καὶ ἀφθονία τῆς Σάρας καὶ τοῦ Ἀβρὰμ <δείκνυται> ἀπάθεια το<ῦ> πρὸς τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ ἰδίας ὁρμῆς ἑλομένου τοῦτο ἀλλ' εἴκοντος διὰ τέκνων γένεσιν. Χρήσιμον μὲν οὖν καὶ τὸ ῥητόν, καθὰ διεξεληλύθαμεν. Ὁ δὲ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς λόγος οὕτως ἂν ἐξομαλισθείη, ὡς τύπῳ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος εἰς τὰς δύο διαθήκας ἀνήγαγεν τὰς δύο γυναῖκας· τούτῳ καὶ Φίλων χρώμενος ἐν ἑτέροις πράγμασιν ἀνήγαγεν τὴν μὲν Σάραν εἰς τὴν τελείαν ἀρετὴν καὶ φιλοσοφίαν, αυ᾿̣τὴν οὖσαν γαμετὴν ἐλευθέραν τε καὶ εὐγενίδα καὶ κ̣ατὰ νόμους σύνοικον· συνοικεῖ δὲ ἡ 236 ἀρετὴ τῷ σοφῷ κατὰ νόμους, ἵνα θεῖα γεννήματα ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀπογεννήσῃ· "6Ἡ σοφία"6 γὰρ "6τίκτει ἀνδρὶ φρόνησιν"6, καὶ πρὸς τὸν εὐλαβῆ καὶ ὅσιον λέγεται· "6Ἡ γυνή σου ὡς ἄμπελος εὐθηνοῦσα ***, οἱ υἱοί σου ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν κύκλῳ τῆς τραπέζης σου. Οὕτως εὐλογη- θήσεται Εἰς μὲν οὖν τὴν τελείαν ἀρετὴν καὶ ἄνθρωπος ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον"6. πνευματικὴν ἡ Σάρα ἀνάγεται, ἡ δὲ Ἁγὰρ ἡ παιδίσκη ἡ Αἰγυπτία παρὰ μὲν Φίλωνος τὰ προγυμνάσματα σημαίνειν εἴρηται, παρὰ δὲ Παύλῳ τὴν σκιάν. Ἀδύνατον γάρ τι τῶν πνευματικῶν ἢ ὑψηλῶν νοημάτων χωρὶς τῆς κατὰ τ̣ο`̣ γ̣ρ̣α´̣μ̣μα σκιᾶς ἢ τῶν εἰσαγωγικῶν προπαιδεύσεω̣ς̣ κ̣α̣τ̣αλαβεῖν· δεῖ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων πρότερον τεκ̣ν̣ο̣υ῀̣ν̣. Κατὰ γοῦν τὴν σκιὰν ἐβουθύτουν, πάσχα ἐπετέλουν αἰσ̣θ̣η̣τ̣ῶς καὶ περιετέμνοντο σωματικῶς, διὰ τούτων χειραγωγούμενοι ἐπὶ τὸ θύειν "6τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως"6, ὅπερ ἐστὶν τῆς ἐλευθέρας ἴδιον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν σπουδὴ τῷ σοφῷ τάξει χωρεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ μείζονα, ὑποβάλλει ἡ ἀρετὴ σκοπῷ θείῳ τοῖς εἰσαγωγικοῖς πρότερον χρῆσθαι καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν τεκνοποιεῖν. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἄρτι προσιὼν τῇ ἀρετῇ τελειότητος ἐφάψασθαι οὐχ οἷός τέ ἐστιν ὥστε καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τεκνῶσαι, ὑποτίθεται αὐτῷ πρότερον ἐγγυμνάσασθαι τοῖς προπαι- δεύμασιν, ἵν' οὕτω καὶ αὐτὴν τελείως χωρῇ, εἰ δυνηθῇ. χῃι, 3–4. Καὶ λαβοῦσα Σάρα ἡ γυνὴ Ἀβρὰμ Ἁγὰρ τὴν Αἰγυπτίαν τὴν ἑαυτῆς παιδίσκην μετὰ δέκα ἔτη τοῦ οἰκῆσαι μετὰ Ἀβρὰμ ἐν γῇ Χαναὰν καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν Ἀβρὰμ τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς αὐτῷ γυναῖκα, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς Ἁγάρ, καὶ 95 συνέλαβεν. Καθὰ προείρηται, σωφροσύνης δεῖγμα ἀκριβέστατον ἐκφέρει ἡ Σάρα ἀφθόνως προσενεχθεῖσα πρὸς <Ἀβρὰμ> τὴν ἑαυτῆς παιδίσκην συνεωρακυῖα ὅτι μετὰ

The Nature of Virtue and its Fruits§93

93Ten years have not passed, and the impassibility of the wise man is because he aims to prepare the soul as it is suitable for the marriage. The matters of the upbringing have already been spoken of, that according to the aim of virtue, it is necessary to have first used the introductory things, so that through them he might first become a parent; and the children from the preliminary training are no less children of virtue because of the aim having done the same toward it. Having used this, therefore, he accomplished a better acquisition; for progress is most ready for the wise man.

"And he saw that she had conceived in the womb, and the lady was dishonored in her presence" (Gen 18:13). The aim, as has been spoken, is for the wise man to be trained in the preliminary training and in the shadow, so that having been trained in these things, he may proceed to the greater things; for as such a sequence is proper, so there is not a following return from the knowledge of the perfects into the smaller things. For the apostle neglects, writing to the Galatians, those who wish to live with the shadow of the law after the gospel (Gal 4:25). For the Jews, having the shadow as a companion, are one thing, and the Galatians, after believing the gospel, wished to Judaize (Acts 15:5), having been deceived by a certain Ebion, who wished to Judaize after Christianizing and was persuading the others thus, since he had the epithet of this name among the apostles because of his making poverty manifest; for Ebion is interpreted as poor, because of his shallow and poor intellect, being called Ebion the poor; for that the Galatians were Greeks, Paul writes: "But at that time you did not know God, but served those which are by nature not gods; but now having known God, or rather having been known by God" (Gal 4:8). He therefore blames them, as has been said; for it is necessary to repay the promise of the Scriptures: "Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected in the flesh?" (Gal 3:3); for having once been cast into a divine beginning, they were not appropriately seeking the types, for they were seeking them at an unseasonable time. For it is necessary to understand for what reason the sensory circumcision is given and until when...

For what period must he live as a citizen? If someone perceives this, he has fathered a child from a concubine, and after this he is able to perceive the circumcision being made in the heart by the Spirit (Rom 2:29). And this holy man, following the guidance of virtue, entered toward her to whom a maidservant had been handed to him, as we have shown, who also conceived, toward whom it is not fitting to remain thereafter exceeding what is necessary.

For many, having used preliminary exercises for the sake of complete instruction, having left behind them such things, are born in a slave-like manner and in a certain way dishonor virtue. But these things must not be referred to the person of Abraham, but to such a manner of those using this kind of way. And if, since we said that virtue... is the thing presupposing the things of the introduction, someone says that the offspring are a kind of part of it and such a person dwells with virtue primarily—for the underlying subject acts according to its postulates—it must be said therefore that of those things happening in time, some are prior to some and others are later, but when they are simultaneous, we take as understood that of those existing at once, one precedes and the other follows, as if regarding natural causes; virtue indeed is the cause of all things happening through it; therefore, even if such things precede it in time, it is by nature prior, just as marriage exists prior to child-rearing; for because of these things marriage... of virtue. And regarding the other sciences, the same...

Therefore, he who prefers other things to virtue dishonors virtue; for if someone were to choose it not for its own sake but for the sake of some other praise or glory, he in a certain way dishonors the good, it not receiving dishonor in itself. And take note that it has not even been said that Abram dishonored it—for this would not be harmonious with him—but since it is possible to happen from...

Greek · §93

δέκα ἔτη οὐ συνείληφεν, καὶ τοῦ σοφοῦ δὲ τὸ ἀπαθὲς ὅτι σκοπῷ παιδοποιεῖ ὡς εἴκει τῇ γαμετῇ. Τὰ δὲ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς ἤδη προείρηται, ὅτι κατὰ τὸν 237 σκοπὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐστιν [τὸ] ὑποβάλλειν πρότερον τοῖς εἰσαγωγικοῖς κεχρῆσθαι, ἵν' [ἐξ] αὐτῶν πρότερον τεκνο- ποιήσῃ· οὐδὲν δ' ἧττον καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῆς προπαιδεύσεως τέκνα τῆς ἀρετῆς εἰσιν διὰ τὸ σκοπῷ τῷ πρὸς αὐτὴν αὐτὰ πεποιηκέναι. Χρησάμενος οὖν τούτοις θᾶττον τὴν σύλλημψιν εἰργάσατο· ἑτοιμοτάτη γὰρ τῷ σοφῷ ἡ προκοπή. χῃι, 4. Καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχει, καὶ ἠτιμάσθη ἡ κυρία ἐναντίον αὐτῆς. *** ὁ σκοπός, ὡς προείρηται, προγυμνασθῆναι τὸν σοφὸν ἐν τῇ προπαιδεύσει καὶ τῇ σκιᾷ, ἵνα ἐν τούτοις γυμνασθεὶς χωρήσῃ ἐπὶ τὰ μείζονα· ὡς γὰρ πρέπουσα τάξις ἡ τ̣ο̣ι̣α̣υ´̣τ̣η̣, οὕτως οὐκ ἀκολούθως ἡ μετὰ τὴν τῶν τελείων γνῶσι̣ν̣ ε̣ι᾿̣ς̣ τ̣α`̣ μικρὰ ὑποστροφή. Ἀμέλει γοῦν ὁ ἀπόστολος Γαλάταις, γ̣ρ̣άφ̣ε̣ι̣ θέλουσιν μετὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῇ σκιᾷ τοῦ νόμου συζῆν. Ου᾿̣ γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι, οἱ σύντροφον ἔχοντες τὴν σκιάν, Γαλᾶται δέ, μετὰ τὸ πιστεῦσαι τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ ἤθελον ἰουδαΐζειν ἀπατηθέντες ὑπὸ Ἐβίωνός τινος ἰουδαΐζειν μετὰ τοῦ χριστιανίζειν θέλοντος καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους οὕτω πείθοντος, ὡς τὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου ἐπωνυμίαν πρὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἔσχεν διὰ τὸ δηλοῦσθαι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τὴν πτωχείαν· πτωχὸς γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται Ἐβίων, διὰ τὸ σαθρὸν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ πτωχὸν τῆς διανοίας Ἐβίων καλούμενος· ὅτι δὲ Ἕλληνες ἦσαν Γαλᾶται, γράφει Παῦλος· "6Ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν οὐκ εἰδότες Θεὸν ἐδουλεύετε τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσι̣ν̣ θ̣ε̣οῖς, νῦν δὲ γνόντες Θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες υ῾̣πὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ"6. Αἰτιᾶται οὖν αὐτούς, ὡς προεῖπον· δεῖ γὰρ ἀποδοῦναι τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν γραφῶν· "6Ἐναρξάμενοι πνεύματος νῦν σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε"6· ἅπαξ γὰρ ἀρχὴν θείαν καταβεβλημένοι οὐ προσηκόντως τοὺς τύπους ἐζήτουν, ἀκαίρως γοῦν ἐπιζητοῦντες. ∆εῖ γὰρ νοῆσαι τὴν αἰσθητὴν περιτομὴν διὰ τί δέδοται καὶ μέχρι 238 ποίου καιροῦ ὀφείλει πολιτεύεσθαι· ἐα`̣ν γα`̣ρ τοῦτο νοήσῃ τις, ἐτέκνωσεν ἐκ τῆς παλλακίδος καὶ μ̣ε̣τὰ τοῦτο δύναται νοῆσαι τὴν ἐν καρδίᾳ περιτομὴν π̣ν̣ε̣υ´̣μ̣α̣τ̣ι̣ γινομένην. Καὶ οὗτος ὁ ἅγιος καθ' ὑφήγησιν τῆς ἀρετῆς ει᾿̣σ̣η῀̣λθεν πρὸς ἣν ἐνεχείρισεν αὐτῷ θεραπαινίδα, ὡς ἀποδεδώκαμεν, ἣ καὶ συνέλαβεν, πρὸς ἣν οὐκ εἶτα μένε̣ι̣ν προσ̣η´̣κει ὑπερβαί- νοντα τὸ χρειῶδες. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἕνεκα τῆς τελείας πα̣ι̣δ̣εύσεως χρησάμενοι προγυμνάσμασιν αὐτοῖς ἐναπομ̣ε̣ι´̣ναντες δου- λοπρεπῆ γεννῶσιν καὶ τρόπον τινὰ ἀτιμάζουσιν τὴν ἀρετήν. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐ δεῖ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Ἀβρα`̣μ ἀναφέρειν ἀλλ' εἰς τὸν τρόπον τὸν τοιοῦτον και`̣ τ̣οὺς̣ τ̣ούτῳ̣ τῷ εἰ´̣δει χρωμένους. Εἰ δ' ὅτι ἔφαμεν τὴν ἀρετὴν ··· ··ειν τὴν ὑποτιθεμένην τὰ τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς, λέγοι τις ὅτι τρόπον τινὰ αὐτῆς ἐστι τὰ γεννήματα καὶ πρώτῃ τῇ ἀρετῇ σ̣υ̣νοικεῖ ὁ τοιοῦτος, – κατὰ γὰρ τὰς αὐτῆς ὑποθήκας ἐνεργεῖτ̣α̣ι̣ ὁ ὑποκείμενος αὐτῇ, –λεκτέον οὖν ὅτι τῶν ἐν χρόνῳ γινο̣με´̣ν̣ω̣ν τὰ μὲν πρότερά τινός ἐστιν, τὰ δ' ὕστερα, ἐσθότε δὲ σ̣υ´̣γ̣χ̣ρ̣ο̣ν̣α̣, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἅμα ὑπαρχόντων τὸ <μὲν> προυπάρχειν, τὸ δ' ἕπ̣ε̣σ̣θ̣α̣ι̣ ε᾿̣π̣ινοίᾳ λαμβάνομεν ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν φύσει αἰτιῶν· ἡ ἀρετὴ γ̣ο̣υ῀̣ν̣ α̣ι᾿̣τ̣ι´̣α̣ ἐστὶν πάντων τῶν δι' αὐτὴν γινομένων· διόπερ, κἂν χ̣ρ̣ο´̣ν̣ῳ̣ τ̣α̣υ῀̣τ̣α προήγηται, ἀλλ' αὐτή γε τῇ φύσει προτέρα ἐστὶν ὡς̣ γ̣α´̣μ̣ο̣ς̣ υ῾̣π̣α´̣ρ̣χ̣ει πρότερον ἢ παιδοποιΐα· διὰ γὰρ ταῦτα ὁ γάμος̣ ··· ··· ··· · τ̣ῆς ἀρετῆς. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ ἐπιστημῶν τὸ αυ̣···· τι̣ ··· ··· · Ἀτιμάζει οὖν τὴν ἀρετὴν ὁ ἕτερα προκ̣ρ̣ίν̣ων αὐτῆς̣· εἰ γάρ τις αὐτὴν αἱροῖτο μὴ δι' αὐτὴν ἀλλ' ἄλλου χάριν ο̣ἱ῀̣ο̣ν̣ ἐπαίνου ἢ δόξης, τρόπον τινὰ ἀτιμάζει τὸ ἀγαθόν, αὐτὸ καθ̣' ε῾̣α̣υ̣τ̣ὸ ἀτιμίαν οὐ δεχόμενον. Πρόσ<σ>χες δὲ ὅτι οὐδὲ εἴρηται ἠτίμασ̣ε̣ν̣ αὐτὴν 239 Ἀβράμ, –οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁρμόνιον ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦτο–· ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ τ̣ο̣υ῀̣το ἐνδέχεται παρά

The distinction between Sarah and Hagar§94

94Noting that the word was becoming certain as something to come to pass, he was implying that it is not proper to remain in the things before it, thereby dishonoring virtue.

Sarah said: 'I am wronged by you; I gave my maidservant of mine into your bosom; but seeing that she has conception in her womb, I have been dishonored in opposition to her; may God judge between me and you.' (Gen 16:2). The 'from you' is twofold, that is, either 'from you' or 'from whom'; so that regarding the 'from you' it is thus: when anyone, desiring to use the preliminary exercises for the sake of virtue and the perfection of wisdom, remains in these in some way dishonoring the virtue by not using them for what is necessary, and the 'from whom' will receive the same intellect, the only difference being that he truly dishonors the virtue by hastening to give birth from the introduction alone and setting this as the end.

Pay attention also to 'in opposition to her'; for the virtue was not simply dishonored, but 'in opposition to her'; for when anyone, having used the preliminary exercises because of the perfection of wisdom, goes beyond the need, he dishonors the virtue in himself. As for 'may God judge between me and you', one might say it literally as having been spoken because of some movement from a human being in her, but following the intention of those who have understood, it is said toward the one remaining in the introductory character: that you did not bear perfect children from me, but rather allowed them to remain still in those things.

Abram said to Sarah: 'Behold, your maidservant is in your hands; use her as it is pleasing to you.' (Gen 16:6). Regarding the literal sense, the word of the patriarch introduces an indifference, as he receives the maidservant from the woman without desiring pleasure and now being content with her and withdrawing when he wishes; but toward an elevation, the diligent one, even if remaining in the introduction and being alienated from the perfection of virtue, receives the rebuke from her unpleasantly, and then, having moved from the smaller things, as if subjecting himself to her, uses her instructions to restore authority. For whenever he is eager to say, do, and think all things toward the goal of virtue, he most readily receives the corrections from her.

And Sarah mistreated her and drove her away from her presence. This mistreatment of the handmaid, whom we lead into the preliminary exercises, turns out to be a kind of dismissal of them. For those who are pressing toward perfection no longer need them. Because of this, she rightly departs; for she no longer endures the introductory elements of having attained progress and perfection.

And an angel of the Lord of God found her at the water spring in the desert, at the spring on the road to Shur (Gen 16:7). And the angel of the Lord said to her, 'Hagar, handmaid of Sarah, whence do you come and whither are you going?' And she said, 'I am fleeing from the presence of Sarah, my mistress' (Gen 16:8). From these things, one can see and know the virtue of Hagar and that she was not ungrateful, as an angel was conversing with her and placing care for her not as a trivial matter; for it is evident that it was according to the will of God. It was not unlikely that she was diligent, as she was chosen by the holy Sarah for the companionship of Abraham. And her thankfulness is shown by her saying, 'I am fleeing from the presence of Sarah, my mistress'; nothing trivial is said about her. In the things previously mentioned, Sarah's virtue and the spiritual understanding of the divine Scriptures were placed, while Hagar was the introductory and shadowy one.

Therefore, the one approaching the divine instruction ought to attend to her in this way, so as to understand him according to letter and spirit, in a manner and order that fits. Thus it is necessary for the child of Sarah's introduction, so that he may reach the more perfect things, just as it was said concerning the Israelites, 'that they were first entrusted with the words of God' (Rom 3:2), which are given until a time of correction. For no one remaining in the letter or in her introductory wisdom is being made an opponent. Therefore, this lover of wisdom, if he remains using only the introductory things, in a way dishonors virtue; and if he rises up, he will have lost the introductory guidance as having departed from it; once progress has been attained, the former things pass away, just as was the case with the Egyptian Hagar; for the things of the introduction are confirmed by earthly examples.

Greek · §94

τινων γενέσθαι ἀσφαλι- ζόμενον τὸ λόγιον̣ ἐπεσημήνατο αἰνιττόμενον ὅτι οὐ πρέπει τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀτιμάζοντα καταμένε̣ι̣ν̣ ἐν τοῖς πρὸ αὐτῆς *** 240 χῃι, 5. Εἶπεν δὲ 96 Σάρα· Ἀδικοῦμαι ἐκ σοῦ· ἐγὼ ἔδωκα τὴν παιδίσκην̣ μ̣ο̣υ̣ εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου· ἰδοῦσα δὲ ὅτι ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχει ἠτιμάσθην ἐνα̣ντίον αὐτῆς· κρίναι ὁ Θεὸς ἀνάμεσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ. Τὸ "6ἐκ σοῦ"6 διττόν, ἤτοι "3ἀπὸ σοῦ"3 ἢ "3ἀφ' οὗ"3, ἵν' ᾖ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ "3ἀπὸ σοῦ"3 οὑ´̣τ̣ω̣ς̣· ὅταν τις τῆς ἀρετῆς χάριν καὶ τῆς τελείας σοφίας προπαιδεύμ̣α̣σιν ἐθέλων χρῆσθαι καταμένῃ ἐν τούτοις τρόπον τινὰ ἀδικ̣ε̣ι῀̣ τὴν ἀρετὴν οὐκ εἰς τὸ δέον τοῖς πρὸ αὐτῆς κεχρημένος, καὶ τὸ "3α᾿̣φ' οὗ"3 δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν δέξεται διάνοιαν, μόνης διαφορᾶς τῆς προει- ρημένης τυγχανούσης, ὅ<τι> καὶ τῷ ὄντι ἀτιμάζει τὴν ἀρετὴν ὁ τεκνῶσαι ἐκ τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς μόνης σπεύδων καὶ τοῦτο τέλος τιθέμενος. Πρόσ<σ>χες δὲ καὶ τῷ "6ἐναντίον αὐτῆς"6· οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς ἠτιμάσθη ἡ ἀρετὴ ἀλλ' "6ἐναντίον αὐτῆς"6· ὅτε γάρ τις τοῖς προπαιδεύμασιν κεχρημένος διὰ τὴν τελείαν σοφίαν ἔξω τῆς χρείας γίνεται, ἀτιμάζει ἐν αὑτῷ τὴν ἀρετήν. Τὸ δὲ "6κρίναι ὁ Θεὸς ἀνάμεσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ"6 εἴποι μὲν ἄν τις κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν ὡς ἀπὸ ἀνθρω- πίνου τινὸς κινήματος ἐγγεγενημένου ἐν αὐτῇ εἰρῆσθαι, πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν ἑπομ̣ε´̣νως τοῖς φθάσασιν λεχθείη πρὸς τὸν καταμείναντα τῷ εἰσαγωγ̣ι̣κ̣ῷ χαρακτῆρι, ὅτι οὐ 241 παρ' ἐμὲ οὐκ ἐτέκνωσας τὰ τέλεια α᾿̣λλὰ παρα`̣ τὸ ἔτι ἐν ἐκείνοις παραμένειν. χῃι, 6. Εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβρὰμ πρὸς <Σ>άραν· Ἰδοὺ ἡ παιδίσκη σου ἐν ταῖς χερσίν σου· χρῶ αὐτῇ ὡς ἄν σοι ἀρεστὸν ᾖ. Ἀπάθειαν μὲν ὡς πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν εἰσάγει ὁ λόγος τοῦ πατριάρχου καὶ παρὰ τῆς γυναικὸς τὴν παιδίσκην δεξα- μένου οὐχ ἡδονὴν θη̣ρῶντος καὶ νῦν εἴκοντος αὐτῇ καὶ ἀφισταμένου ὅτε καὶ βούλεται· πρὸς δὲ ἀναγωγὴν ὁ σπουδαῖος, κἂν τῇ εἰσαγωγῇ καταμένῃ, καὶ μ̣ὴ τέλεον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀλλοτριωθεὶς δέχεται ἀσμένως τὸν παρὰ ταύτης ἔλεγχον καὶ θᾶττον μεταστὰς ἀπὸ τῶν μικρῶν ὥσπερ ὑποτάττων ἑαυτὸν αὐτῇ κατὰ τὰς ἐκείνης ὑφηγή- σεις χρῆται τοῖς προγυμνάσμασιν ἐκείνῃ τὸ κῦρος ἀνάπτων. Ἅτε γ̣ὰρ πρὸς τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς σκοπὸν ἅπαντα καὶ λέγειν καὶ πράττειν καὶ διανοεῖσθαι προθυμούμενος τὰς παρ' ἐκείνης διορθώσεις ἑτοιμότατα δέχεται. χῃι, 6. Καὶ ἐκάκωσεν αὐτὴν Σάρα καὶ ἀπέδρα ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῆς. Κάκωσις τῆς παιδίσκης, ἣν ἀνήγομεν εἰς τὰ προ- γυμνάσματα, τυγχάνει, ἣ τρόπον τινὰ κατάργησίς ἐστιν αὐτῶν. Τούτων γὰρ ὁ ἐπὶ τ[ὴ]ν̣ τελειότητα ἐπειγόμενος οὐκέτι δέεται. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο εἰκο´̣τως ἀποδιδράσκει· οὐ γὰρ ἔτι ὑπομένει τὰ εἰσαγωγικὰ προ[κο]πῆς ἐγγενομένης καὶ τελειότητος. χῃι, 7–8. Εὗρεν δὲ αὐτὴν ἄγγελος Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ Σούρ. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· Ἁγὰρ παιδίσκη Σάρας, πόθεν ἔρχῃ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ; Καὶ εἶπεν· Ἀπὸ προσώπου Σάρας τῆς κυρίας μου ἐγὼ ἀποδιδράσκω. Ἐκ τούτων ἔστιν καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς Ἁγὰρ συνιδεῖν καὶ γνῶναι ὡς οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητος αὐτή, ἀγγέλου αὐτῇ συνομιλοῦντος καὶ τιθεμένου τὴν περὶ αὐτη῀̣ς̣ κηδεμονίαν 242 οὐκ ἐν παρέργῳ· δῆλον γὰρ ὡς κ̣α̣τ̣α`̣ Θεοῦ βούλησιν ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· Οὐκ ἀπεικὸς δὲ ταύτην εἶνα̣ι̣ σπουδαίαν ω῾̣ς̣ α̣ι῾̣ρ̣ε̣θ̣ε̣ι῀̣σ̣α̣ν̣ ὑπὸ Σάρα̣ς̣ τῆς ἁγίας εἰς σ̣υ̣ν̣ο̣ι´̣κησιν Ἀβράμ. Καὶ τὸ εὔγνωμον δε`̣ αυ᾿̣τ̣η῀̣ς̣ παρίσταται ἐκ τοῦ λέγειν "6ἀπὸ προσώπου Σα´̣ρ̣α̣ς τῆς̣ κ̣υρίας μου ἐγὼ ἀποδιδράσκω"6 οὐδὲν φαῦλον περὶ αυ᾿̣τ̣η῀̣ς̣ ··· ··· ··· · απ··· ·θεν··ς̣ ἀποδιδράσκων ποιεῖν καὶ τὰ ··· ··· ·· τατ··· ··· · ε᾿̣ν τοῖς προειρημένοις ἐτίθετο εἶναι ἡ Σάρα ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ πνευματικὴ τ̣ω῀̣ν γραφῶν νόησις, ἡ δὲ Ἁγὰρ ἡ εἰσαγ̣ω̣γικὴ καὶ σκιώδης. Ὁ προσερχόμενος τοίνυν τῇ θείᾳ παιδεύσε̣ι̣ οὕτως αὐτῇ προσέχ̣εσθαι ὀφείλει ὡς νοῆσαι αὐτη`̣ν κατὰ γράμμα καὶ πνεῦμα ὁδῷ καὶ τάξει χωροῦντα. ∆εῖ οὖν τεκνῷ Σάρας τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς, ἵν' οὕτως ἐπὶ τὰ τελειότερα φθάσῃ καθὰ καὶ οἱ Ἰσραηλῖται περὶ ὧν εἴρηται "6ὅτι πρῶτοι ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ Θεοῦ"6, ἅπερ δέδονται μέχρι καιροῦ διορθώσεως. Οὐδει`̣ς̣ γ̣α`̣ρ̣ καταμένων ἐν τῷ γράμματι ἢ τῇ εἰσαγωγῇ αὐτῆς σοφίας ἀντιποιούμενός ε᾿̣σ̣τ̣ι̣ν̣. Οὗτος οὖν ὁ τῆς σοφίας ἐραστὴς εἰ τοῖς εἰσαγωγικοῖς χρώμενος παραμένοι τούτοις, τρόπον τινὰ ἀτιμάζει τὴν ἀρετήν· εἰ δ' ἀνανήψοι, ἀπω- θεῖται μὲν τὴν εἰσαγωγικὴν ἀγωγὴν ὡς 97 ἀποδρᾶναι ταύτην· προκοπῆς ἐγγεγενημένης τὰ πρότερα παρέρχεται, ἅπερ ἦν τῆς αἰγυπτίας Ἁγ̣άρ̣· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν γηΐνων παραδειγμάτων τὰ τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς βεβαιοῦται.

Spiritual Vision and the Seed of Abraham§95

95So she flees, and while fleeing, an angel finds her; for an angel does not become invisible. For this is what the addition of 'of the Lord' signifies. It has been said that the evil ones are called such, as it is said: 'An apostolate through evil angels... we shall judge angels' (Acts 13:46). The angel does not find her fleeing, but turns her back because of the greatness of virtue; for the didactic word and the lessons of the introduction turn back toward virtue.

And it is also good that, saying she was found in the desert and at the spring, she is said to be found on Your way, which is interpreted as continuity; for she did not become a fugitive outside the house, nor did she flee quickly. Just as when we began the introductions to virtue, she does not go outside the enclosure but remains in the introduction. Therefore, the didactic word also turns back, showing him the fitness of remaining by saying: 'Where do you come from and where are you going?' For the virtuous person must know both the beginnings and the goal. But he who uses the introduction, often boasting of the greatness of virtue, remains in it in a certain way, fleeing the tone of perfection; for this is shown by: 'I am fleeing from the presence of Sarah, my mistress' (Gen 16:6).

But even when the beauty of the spiritual law stands present, the shadowy things flee, those luminous sacrifices being handed over and brought in by the shadow; so also the partial is nullified when the perfect stands present. The one hearing toward the Savior fled from the presence, saying: 'You must be born again' (John 3:7), and saying: 'How can a man be born when he is old?' (John 3:4); for the divine thinks in a human way. And it is also good to be found at the spring of water; for the one being led into the pure things is found, which is what the water signifies, and into the desert of evils such a one is, having been removed from wickedness and possessing virtue.

And the angel of the Lord said to her: 'Return to your mistress and humble yourself under her hands' (Gen 20:6). The literal sense is not obscure; but it is shown from the allegory that, even if each one is led by some reasonable action, which he thought to be among those surrounding the shadow of the law, and as if he were fleeing...

The teaching word turns such a spiritual vision back toward the preceding will. For the Lord indeed placed the things in the letters of the shadow to stand away by saying: 'What multitude of your sacrifices to me?' (Psalm 50:6) and 'Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay to the Most High your vows' (Psalm 51:16). Great indeed is that which, being called master under the hands of spiritual teaching, is found and humbled by it, not being humble itself but as toward a master. For that which has been glorified in this part will not be glorified because of the surpassing glory.

And the angel of the Lord said to her: 'I will multiply your seed, and it shall not be numbered from the multitude' (Genesis 16:10). He who lives according to the introduction is not undeservedly worthy of blessing; for his progress, proceeding toward the approaching goal, will reach the perfection. And observe that regarding virtue—for from it is the genuine seed of Abraham—after God had brought him out and said: 'Look now at the heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them' (Genesis 15:5), it was said: 'So shall your seed be,' but regarding this it was not said 'according to the stars shall your seed be,' but only: 'it shall not be numbered from the multitude,' so that perhaps from this difference you might be able to know that the offspring of the perfect are luminous, while those of the introduction are not such.

And the angel of the Lord said to her: 'Behold, you are in the womb and shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction' (Genesis 16:11). Great indeed in that time was childbearing considered text gapped... and even perhaps of virginity and of the teaching concerning virtue prevailing among men; therefore they used to make prayers concerning this and in matters of blessing they counted such things. And these things indeed were said because of the emphasis of the spoken word; but those intended for understanding might be such things. He who is already beginning the Godly training and is in the introductory stages, just as a pregnant woman seeing toward this text gapped...

Greek · §95

Φεύγει οὖν αὕτη καὶ φεύγουσαν αὐτὴν ἄγγελος εὑρίσκει· οὐ γὰρ ἀφάνης γίνεται ἄγγελος ··· ··· ··· τ̣ο̣υ῀̣τ̣ο γὰρ ἡ προσθήκη τοῦ "6Κυρίου"6 σημαίνει. Εἴρηνται ··· ··· ··· π̣ονηροὶ καθὸ λέγεται· "6Ἀποστολὴν δι' ἀγγέλω̣ν̣ π̣ο̣ν̣η- ρ̣ω῀̣ν̣ ··· ··· ··· ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν"6. Ὁ ἄγγελος ο̣ὐ῀̣ν ε̣ὑρ̣ω`̣ν̣ αυ᾿̣τ̣η`̣ν φεύγουσαν διὰ τὸ τῆς 243 ἀρετῆς μέγεθος ἐπισ[τρέ]φει· ὁ γὰρ διδασκαλικὸς λόγος καὶ τὰ τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς μαθ[ήμ]ατα ἐπιστρέφει πρὸς τὴν ἀρετήν. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐν ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς αὐτὴν λέγειν ηὑρῆσθαι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ Σου´̣ρ, ἥτις ἑρμηνεύεται συνοχή· οὐ γὰρ ἔξω τοῦ οἴκου ἐγεγόνει φεύγουσα οὐδὲ τάχει α···να αποστ····ν εκ̣ει··· ·ως δήπ̣οτε καὶ τῶν εἰσαγωγῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀρξαμεν·· Οὐκ ἔξω οὖν τοῦ περιβόλου γίνεται οτ··· ··· κα[··· ··] τῇ εἰσαγωγῇ καταμένῃ· διὸ καὶ ἐπιστρέφει ὁ διδασκα[λικ]ὸς λόγος τὸν τοιοῦτον ὑποδεικνὺς αὐτῷ τὸ ει᾿̣κα̣ῖον τῆς παραμονῆς διὰ τοῦ λέγειν· "6Πόθεν ἔρχῃ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ;"6 Πρέπει γὰρ καὶ τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν εἰδέναι τὸν ἐνάρετον· ὁ δὲ χρώμενος τῇ εἰσαγωγῇ πολλάκις τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἀρετῆς προφασι- ζόμενος καταμένει ἐν αὐτῇ τρόπον τινὰ διαφεύγων τὸν τόνον τῆς τελειότητος· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῦται διὰ τοῦ "6Ἀπὸ προσώπου Σάρα̣ς̣ τῆς κυρίας μου ἐγὼ ἀποδι- δράσκω"6. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ κάλλους τοῦ πνευματικοῦ νόμου ἐνστάν- τος φεύγει τὰ σκιώδη, φωτεινῶν θυσιῶν παρ̣ὰ τὰς ὑπὸ τῆς σκιᾶς παραδιδομένων κα̣ὶ εἰσαχθεισῶν· οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργεῖται ἐνστάντος τοῦ τελείου. Ἀπεδί- δρασκεν ἀπὸ προσώπου ὁ ἀκούων πρὸς τοῦ Σωτῆρος· ∆εῖ ὑμᾶς γεννηθῆναι ἄνωθεν, καὶ λέγων· "6Πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος γεννηθῆναι γέρων ὤν;"6 τὸ γὰρ θεῖον ἀνθρω- πίνως ἐνόει. Καλὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ εὑρίσκεσθ̣αι̣ ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος· ὁ γὰρ εἰσαγόμενος περὶ τὰ καθάρσια εὑρίσκεται, ἅπερ σημαίνει τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ εἰς ἔρημον τω῀̣ν̣ κακῶν ὁ τοιοῦτός ἐστιν κακίας ἀπηλλαγμένος καὶ ἐχ̣ο´̣μενος ἀρετῆς. 244 χῃι, 9. Εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· Ἀποστρά- φητι πρὸς τὴν [κυ]ρίαν σου καὶ ταπεινώθητι ὑπὸ τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῆς. Τὸ μὲν ῥητὸν οὐκ ἀσαφές· δείκνυται δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἀλληγο- ρίας ὅτι, κἂν ὑπό τινος εἰκαίας πράξεως ἄγῃ ἕκαστος, ἧς οἰήθῃ εἶναι τῶν τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ νόμου περιεπόντων, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀποφεύγῃ τὴν πνευματικὴν θεωρίαν, ὑποστρέφει τὸν τοιοῦτον ὁ διδασκαλικὸς λόγος εἰς τὸ προηγούμενον βούλημα το̣[ῦ ···]υ· Καὶ γὰρ Κύριος τὰ ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν τῆς σκιᾶς ἠρέμα ὑπέβαλλε̣[ν] ἀφίστασθαι αὐτῆς διὰ τοῦ λέγειν· "6Τί μοι πλῆθος τῶν θυσιῶν ὑμ̣ω῀̣ν;"6 καὶ "6Μὴ φάγομαι κρέας ταύρων καὶ αἷμα τράγων πίομαι; Θῦσ̣ο̣ν̣ τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως καὶ ἀπόδος τῷ Ὑψίστῳ τὰς εὐχάς σου"6. Μέγα οὖν τὸ ὑπὸ τὰς χεῖρας τῆς πνευματικῆς διδασ- καλίας κυρίασὀνομαζομένης εὑρίσκεσθαι καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι ὑπ' αὐτὴν οὐκ οὖσαν ταπεινὴν ἀλλ' ὡς πρὸς τὴν κυρίαν. Καὶ γὰρ οὐ δεδόξασται τὸ δεδοξασμένον ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει ἕνεκεν τῆς ὑπερβαλλούσης δόξης. χῃι, 10. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου καὶ οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους. Οὐκ ἀπιθάνως εὐλογίας ἀξιοῦται καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν εἰσαγωγὴν ζῶν· ἡ γὰρ τούτου προκοπὴ κατὰ τὸν προσή- κοντα σκοπὸν προΐουσα ἥξει ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον. Παρατήρει δὲ ὅτι ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς ἀρετῆς–ἀπ' αὐτῆς γὰρ τὸ γνήσιόν ἐστι σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ–ἐξαγαγόντος τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτὸν ἔξω καὶ εἰπόντος· "6Ἀνάβλεψον δὴ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἀρίθμησον τοὺς ἀστέρας εἰ δυνήσῃ ἐξαριθμῆσαι αὐτούς"6, εἴρηται· "6Οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου"6, ἐπὶ δὲ ταύτης οὐκ ἐλέχθη ὡς "3κατὰ τοὺς ἀστέρας ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου"3 ἀλλὰ μόνον· οὐκ ἀριθμήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους, μήποτε ἐκ ταύτης τῆς διαφορᾶς δυνήθῃς ἐπιστῆσαι ὅτι τὰ μὲν τοῦ 245 τελείου γεννήματα φωτεινὰ τυγχάνει, τὰ δὲ τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς οὐ τοιαῦτα. χῃι, 11. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· Ἰδοὺ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχεις καὶ τέξεις υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ ὅτι ἐπήκουσεν 98 Κύριος τῇ ταπεινώσει σου. Μέγα τι κατ̣' ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον ἡ τεκνογονία ἐνομίζετο ··· ···μεν κα··· ··· ··· ·ν ἀν̣θρώπων, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ μήπ̣ω̣ τῆς παρθενείας καὶ τῆς περὶ ἀρετῆς διδα- σκαλίας ἰσχυούσης ἐν ἀνθρώποις· δι̣όπ̣ερ καὶ εὐχὰς ἐπὶ τούτου ἐποιοῦντο καὶ ἐν εὐλογίας μέρει τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐλογί- ζοντο. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἕνεκα τῆς ἐμφάσεως τοῦ ῥητοῦ ἐλέχθη· τὰ δὲ πρὸς διάνοιαν εἴη ἂν τοιαῦτα. "3Ὁ ἤδη ἐναρχόμενος τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν παιδεύσεως καὶ ἐν τοῖς εἰσαγωγικοῖς υ῾̣πάρχων καθάπερ κυοφορῶν τὰ εἰς τοῦτο ορωντα·υ··· ···αμφιλος τις ὑπάρχων εἰ ὅλως απ··· ··· ··· ··· ···

Angels as Bearers of Divine Words§96

96Nevertheless, the promise of the teaching word happens in this way: it will prescribe; for often, through closeness, those teaching know the burdens of those being discipled and do not ignore their intelligence. But that the state of the stomach is unclear is learned from the Gospel, saying of the Savior: 'Woe to those with full bellies and to those nursing at that time' (Luke 10:23). For such conditions are unstable when a trial stands near. Because of this, the word says that such ones desire to be weaned: 'You who have been weaned from milk, who have been turned away from the breast, expect hope upon hope in tribulation upon tribulation'; for as a remainder, standing in stability, they receive tribulation upon tribulation.

But they are incomplete regarding what Paul says: 'I gave you milk, not food; for you were not able, and even now you are not able' (1 Cor 3:2). It is therefore foretold to her that she will bear a son, saying, 'You will call his name Ishmael' (Gen 16:12). This one will be a rustic man. In many ways, one who is not such is separated from the diligent, the wise, and the civilized. We say, therefore, as toward a citizen, and toward an expert, and toward an unlearned person, and toward a recently learned person, and toward a rustic.

Since, therefore, the offspring of virtue is lawful citizenship, he who is not according to citizenship, against the city of the living God, the heavenly, living the heavenly city, is a rustic, lacking that state, dwelling in a field and not yet in a city. And it is good even to say not only rustic but also a man; for participation in the Word of God does not happen to one just beginning, but after making progress—for regarding those, He said, toward whom the Word of God became—and thus he will be a citizen of the heavenly city; for concerning such things, these things are said by the wise Paul to the Hebrews: 'Zion, mountains and city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, being inscribed in it' (Heb 12:22). The Savior says, therefore: 'Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you, but that your names are inscribed in the heavens' (Luke 10:20). And it is not necessary anywhere to reason thus, that names are inscribed in the heavens by gathering them together, but names according to virtue; these things have the heavens in eternal memory.

Scripture. And these indeed are written in the heavens, but those conversely positioned, thinking of earthly things, called their names upon their own earths, fittingly of Jeremiah concerning them saying: 'Having been set down upon the earth they shall be written' (Jer 32:50). His hand is upon all and the hands of all are upon him, and according to the face of all his brothers he will dwell. And Hagar called the name of the Lord who was speaking to her: 'You are the God who sees me,' because he said: 'For indeed I have seen one who sees me' (Gen 16:13). Because of this she called the well 'The Well of him whom I saw between Kadesh and Beerlahai' (Gen 16:14).

In what was previously read, he was an angel of God speaking to her, but now he is named Lord and God; and he who does not distinguish himself from the matters says that the angel does not convey his own words but the words of God like the prophets; for in a certain way even the angels, when they minister the divine... and foretell the things to come, do the work of prophets... and the name of the angel is one of activity and not of essence, just as the name of the prophet is by designation... the angel spoke the things of God... he named him through the one dwelling, just as Isaiah, prophesying, at times indeed from his own person as one having the spiritual thing in himself speaking, and at times as one bearing the face of God, not beforehand saying 'the Lord says' as when he says: 'I made earth and man upon it' (Isa 45:7), but from the Lord he announces... 'Hear, O heaven, and be attentive, O earth, for the Lord has spoken' (Isa 40:9). We say this not as all the words are being borne through him, but as a participation is being granted and authority, and because of the indwelling of God, they are called gods, those who partake.

Indeed, it was also said of Moses that an angel was speaking: 'And the angel of the Lord called him and said: I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob' (Ex 3:2-6). These are words regarding the ministering of angels, but they are also regarding the power of God. And this is the first explanation...

Greek · §96

···σει ὅμως ἐπαγγελία τοῦ διδασκαλικοῦ λόγου γίνεται οὕτ̣ω ὅτι τέξεται· ἀγχινοίᾳ γὰρ πολλάκις οἱ διδάσκοντες τὰς ἐπιβολὰς τῶν μαθητευομένων ἴσασιν καὶ τὰς εὐφυί¨̣α̣ς αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀγνοοῦσιν. Ὅτι δὲ τὸ γαστρὸς ἄδηλ̣ο´̣ν̣ ἐστιν, ἔστιν ἀπὸ εὐαγγελικοῦ μαθεῖν, λέγοντος τοῦ Σωτῆρος· "6Οὐαὶ δὲ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ"6. Καὶ γὰρ τοιαῦται ἕξεις ἀβέβαιοι ἐπιστάντος πειρασμοῦ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο λόγος τοὺς τοιούτους ἀπογαλακτίζεσθαι βουλόμενός. φησιν· "6Οἱ ἀπογεγαλακτισμένοι ἀπὸ <γαλακτός, οἱ ἀπεσπασμένοι ἀπὸ> μαστοῦ, θλῖψιν ἐπὶ θλίψει προσδέχου ἐλπίδα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι"6· ὡς γὰρ λοιπὸν ἐν βεβαιότητ̣ι̣ ε᾿̣ν̣στάντες θλῖψιν ἐπὶ θλίψει προσδέχονται. Ἀτελεῖς δὲ εἰσὶν π̣ερὶ ὧν λέγει Παῦλος· "6Γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα οὐ βρῶμα· οὔπω γὰρ <ἐ>δύνασθε, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἔτι νῦν δύνασθε̣"6. Κατεπαγ̣[γέλ]λεται οὖν αὐτῇ τέξεσθαι υἱὸν λέγων ὅτι "6καλέσεις τὸ ὄ[νο]μα αὐτοῦ Ἰσμαήλ"6. 246 χῃι, 12. Οὗτος ἔσται ἄγροικος ἄνθρωπος. Κατὰ πλείονας τρόπους διαστέλλεται ἀπὸ τοῦ σπουδαίου καὶ σοφοῦ καὶ πολιτικοῦ ὁ μὴ τοιοῦτος. Λέγομεν οὖν ὡς πρὸς πολίτην καὶ ἐπιστήμονα ἰδιώτην καὶ ἄγροικον καὶ ὡς πρὸς μεμαθηκότα καὶ πεπαιδευμένον ἀμαθῆ καὶ ἀρτιμαθῆ. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τὸ γέννημα τῆς ἀρετῆς πολιτεία ἐστὶν νόμιμος, ὁ μὴ πολιτείᾳ κ̣α̣τ̣α`̣ τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος τὴν ἐπουράνιον βιῶν ἄγροικός ἐσ̣τι̣ν, ·α·· ε᾿̣λλειπόμενος ἐκείνης τῆς καταστάσεως ἀγρὸν οἰκει῀̣ οὔπω πόλιν. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ μόνον ἄγροικον ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν· οὔπω γὰρ μετουσία Θεοῦ λόγου γίνεται τῷ νῦν ἀρχομένῳ ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὸ προκόψαι, –ἐκείνους γὰρ θεοὺς εἶπεν, πρὸς οὓς ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγένετο, –καὶ οὕτως ἔσται πολίτης τῆς ἐπουρανίου πόλεως· περὶ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων λέγεται πρὸς τοῦ σοφοῦ Παύλου πρὸς Ἑβ̣ρ̣α̣ι´̣ο̣υ̣ς̣ τ̣α̣υ῀̣τα· Σιὼν ὄρει καὶ πόλει Θεοῦ ζῶντος Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ, ἐν ταύτῃ ἐγγραφησόμενοι. Λέγει γοῦν ὁ Σωτήρ· "6Μὴ χαίρετε ὅτι τὰ δαιμ̣ο´̣ν̣ι̣α ὑμῖν ὑποτάσ- σεται ἀλλ' ὅτι τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν ἐγγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς"6. Καὶ οὐδήπου δεῖ οὕτω λογίζεσθαι ὅτι τὰ ἐκ συλλαβῶν ὀνόματα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἐγγράφονται ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν ὀνόματα· ταῦτα τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀείμνη- στον ἔχει τὴν γραφήν. Καὶ οὗτοι μὲν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐγγρά- φονται, οἱ δὲ ἐναντίως διακείμενοι γήι¨̣να φρονοῦντες ἐπεκαλέσαντο τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν γη̣ΐνων αὐτῶν, εἰκότως τοῦ Ἰερεμίου περὶ αὐτῶν λέγοντος· "6Ἀφε-στηκότες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς γραφήσονται"6. χῃι, 12–14. Αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας καὶ αἱ χεῖρες πάντων ἐπ' αὐτόν, καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν ἀδελφῶν 247 αὐτοῦ κατοικήσει. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἁγὰρ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ λαλοῦντος πρὸς αὐτήν· Σὺ ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐπιδών με, ὅτι εἶπεν· Καὶ γὰρ ἐνώπιον εἶδον ὀφθέντα μοι. Ἕνεκεν τούτου ἐκάλεσεν τὸ φρέαρ Φρέαρ οὗ ἐνώπιον εἶδον ἀνὰ μέσον Καδὴς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Βάραδ. Ἐν τοῖς προαναγνωσθεῖσιν ἄγγελος ἦν Θεοῦ ὁ πρὸς αὐτὴν λαλ̣ω῀̣ν̣, νῦν δὲ Κύριον καὶ Θεὸν αὐτὸν ὀνομάζει, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἀπαλλάττων αὑτὸν πραγμάτων ἐρεῖ ὅτι ὁ ἄ[γ]γελος οὐκ ἰδίους λόγους διηκόνει ἀλλὰ τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς οἱ πρ[ο]φῆται· τρόπον γάρ τινα καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι ὅτε διακο- νοῦσιν τὴν ··[···]·ι̣ν καὶ προθεσπίζουσιν τὰ ἐσόμ̣ενα ἔργον προφητῶν ··· ποιοῦσιν ·μ··· ··· ···ν καὶ τὸ ἄγγελος ὄνομα ἐνερ[γεί]α̣ς κ̣αὶ οὐκ οὐσίας ἐστὶν παραστα- τι̣κ̣ὸν ὡς καὶ τὸ προφ··[ ]τη τῇ προσηγορίᾳ ··· ··· ··· [···] ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ·ων ··ε̣ννου ···· ἄγγελος ··[···] ἄγγελοι ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· τὰ Θεοῦ ἐλάλησεν ὁ ἄγγελος 99 [···]···ν ὠνόμασεν διὰ τὸν ἐνοικοῦντα, καθὰ καὶ Ἠσαΐας [προ]- φητεύων ποτε μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου προσώπου ὡς ἔχων το`̣ [πνευματι]κὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ λαλεῖ, ποτὲ δὲ ὡς τὸ Θεοῦ προφέρων πρό[σω]πον, μὴ προειπὼν δὲ "6λέγει Κύριος"6 ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ· "6Ἐγὼ ἐ[ποί]ησα γῆν καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἐπ' αὐτῆς"6, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπαγγέλ<λ>ει ·[·]τ·ν φαινε··· ··· ··· γη· "6Ἄκουε, οὐρανέ, καὶ ἐνωτίζου, γῆ, [ὅτ]ι Κύριος ἐλάλησεν"6. Τοῦτό φαμεν ὡς οὐ πάντων τῶ[ν] λόγων δι' αὐτοῦ προφερομένων ἀλλ' ὡς μετουσίας [χ]αριζομένης καὶ αὐθεντίαν καὶ διὰ τὴν ἐνοίκησιν τοῦ [Θεοῦ] θεῶν ὀνομαζομένων τῶν μετεχόντων. Ἀμέλε[ι γο]ῦν καὶ Μωσεῖ λαλῶν ἄγγελος ἐρρέθη· <***> γάρ· "6Καὶ ἐκάλεσε[ν] 248 α̣ὐτὸν ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ"6. Ὡς πρὸς τὸ διακονεῖνοὖν ἀγγέλων εἰσὶν λόγοι, ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὴν δύναμι̣ν Θεοῦ. Καὶ αὕτη μὲν ἡ πρώτη ἀπόδοσι̣ς̣ ···· ··· ··· ἔστιν δὲ καὶ

The Nature of Divine Vision§97

97Another introductory remark: there are many gods and many lords in heaven and on earth, but the gods are not idols or demons, but rather those to whom the maker of them became related. If the Word of God comes to men, men become god-makers... gaps... when the Word of God was seen... gaps... It is said, therefore, of gods... gaps... according to 'The Lord spoke among gods' (Psalm 89:1), clearly meaning those who are gods by participation... gaps... of the makers... gaps... and the one seen... gaps... the Lord was named... gaps... not himself but 'You, the God who grants me'... gaps... god-making... gaps... And that which is the sincere part of the vision brought it forward: 'And indeed it was seen before me' (Job 1:6), and it is clear that not with fleshly eyes but with the intellect, as it has been said: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matthew 5:8); for He is manifested to those not believing in Him. For God provides Himself for contemplation through goodness, the created nature being unable to see Him unless He grants Himself for contemplation according to the proportion of each one's faith.

And also the Scripture says: 'Because of this the vessel called, Vessel before whom I saw' gaps... for a vessel is the understanding of those things which are fitting; for the name... gaps... is often taken upon the intelligible: 'Drink waters from your vessels and from your cisterns the springs' (Proverbs 5:15). The beginning of the... gaps... the flowing insights are the cisterns of the spring, which is the correct conception concerning God, the cisterns being the divine words. And also the vision of the teacher's word having been seen 'between Kadish and between Barad' (Ezekiel 1:4) is well interpreted; for Kadish is interpreted as holy, and Barad as lightning. In the midst, therefore, of this holy one... gaps... and in the midst of lightning, of a luminous state, the instruction is...

Greek · §97

ἄλλη εἰσαγωγικῷ το̣ι̣α̣ύτη· ε̣ι᾿̣σ̣ι`̣ θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κύριοι πολλοὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ κ̣αὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, θεοὶ δὲ οὐ τὰ εἴδωλα ἢ δαίμονε̣ς̣ α᾿̣λλ' ε᾿̣κεῖνο̣ι̣ πρ̣ο`̣ς οὓς γέγονεν ὁ θεοποιή[σα]ς αὐτούς. Ἐὰν̣ πρὸς ἀν[θρώπου]ς̣ γ̣ε´̣ν̣η̣ται ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγος, οἱ ἄνθρωποι [θ]ε̣ο̣ποιοῦνται ε··· ··· ··· ·· ην ὅτε̣ ὁ Θεοῦ λόγος ο̣ραγ̣[·]··· ··εσ̣τ̣ιν. Λέγετα̣ι γοῦν θεῶν ··· ·· κατὰ τὸ "6Θεὸς [θ]εῶν Κύριος ἐλάλησεν"6, δηλονότι τῶν κατὰ μετουσία[ν ·]··· τῶν π̣οι̣ησάντων ··· · Θεοῦ λόγον κατὰ τουτο·ς [···]·νομένων. Καὶ ὁ ὀφθεὶς ··α··· ·· ὁ Κύριος ὠνομάσθη ·[··]···ει̣ μὴ κ̣αὶ διὰ τουτ····ει ··· ··· ··· ὁ Θεὸς ἀλλὰ "6 Σὺ ὁ Θεὸ[ς ὁ ἐ]πιδών με"6 ε·· ε··· ··· ··· ····· ·· θεο-ποιουμένων [····] Καὶ ··· ·· δὲ τὸ εἰλικρινε`̣ς τῆς ὀπτασίας ἐπήγαγεν· "6 Καὶ γ[ὰρ ἐ]νώπιον εἶν ὀφθέντα μοι"6, δῆλον δὲ ὡς οὐ σαρκὸς ὄμμ̣[ασι]ν α᾿̣λλὰ δια̣ν̣οίας καθὸ εἴρηται· "6 Μακά-ριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ κα[ρδ]ίᾳ ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται"6· ἐμφανίζεται γὰρ τοῖς μὴ [ἀ]πιστοῦσιν αὐτῷ. Ἀγαθότητ̣ι̣ γὰρ ο῾̣ Θ̣εὸς ἑαυτὸν εἰς καταν[όη]σιν παρέχει, ἀδυνάτου οὐ´̣σ̣η̣ς τῆς γενητῆς φύσεως ἰδεῖν [μὴ] αὐτοῦ ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδιδόντος εἰς θεωρίαν πρὸς τὴν ἑκάστο[υ τ]ῆς πίστεως ἀναλογίαν. Φρέαρ τ· δὲ καὶ τὸ συγγραφικὸν π[νεῦμα] ···· λέγειν· "6Ἕνεκεν τούτου ἐκάλεσεν τὸ φρέαρ Φρέαρ οὗ ἐ[νώ]πιον εἶδον"6· φρέαρ γὰρ αν··· ··· ἐστιν ἡ τῶν πρεπόντω[ν] κατανόησις· τὸ γὰρ ὄνομα ··· ··· τ̣ῶν πολλάκις ἐπὶ νοητω῀̣[ν λαμ]βάνεται· "6 Πίνε ὕδατα ἀπὸ σῶν 249 ἀγγείων καὶ ἀπὸ σῶν φρεάτων πηγῆς"6. Ἡ μὲν ἀρχὴν τοῦ ··· · του·· να··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··α τ̣ὴν ἀρχὴν γινομ··· · θεωρήματ̣α̣ ῥαίνοντα τὰ φρέατά ἐστιν τῆς πηγῆς, ἥτις ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ ὀρθὴ κατάληψις, τῶν φρεάτων ὄντων τῶν θείων λόγων. Εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ "6ἀνὰ μέσον Καδὴς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Βάραδ"6 τεθεᾶσθα̣ι̣ τὴν ὀπτασίαν τ̣ο̣υ῀̣ <δι>δασκαλικοῦ λ̣ο´̣γ̣ο̣υ̣· ἑρμηνεύεται μὲν γὰρ Καδὴςἁγία, Βάραδ δὲ ἀστραπή. Ἐμμ[έσ]ῳ οὖν τούτων τοῦ τε ἁγίου, οὗπερ μ̣η`̣ν ὑπάρχει θ··· ··· ···[··], καὶ ἐμμέσῳ ἀστραπῆς, φωτεινῆς κατα-στάσεως, ἡ παίδευσι[ς] η῾̣

The Birth of Ishmael and the Significance of the Text§98

98It becomes divine: 'For your lightnings have appeared to the inhabited world' (Ps 103:4). Gen 16:15–16. And Hagar bore a son to Abram, and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. And Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

It may be said that for the sake of solemnity and authenticity, the phrase 'Hagar bore a son to Abram' lies there with observation, but the following is clear regarding the spoken word; let us also consider these matters. The one making progress, when he brings forth toward the goal of the teacher, that which is being brought forth is not easy to misinterpret. Therefore, the appropriate word of the birth applies to the one rightly educating and sowing what is profitable; it said, 'Hagar bore a son to Abram' (Gen 16:15). Since this is so... providing what the Scripture says, it is brought forward: 'And Abram called the name of his son' (Gen 16:11), and it leads to 'whom she bore to him' (Gen 16:15); for if not for the meaning which he had, the phrase 'And Abram called the name of his son' would have sufficed, without adding 'whom she bore to him.'

And these things are enough for now; let us see also that concerning the numbers of the years of the patriarch; for it is said: 'Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram' (Gen 16:16). Both the numbers are... Gaps... Gen 17:1. And Abram was ninety-nine years old, and the Lord appeared to him.

Greek · §98

θεία γίνεται· "6Ἔφαναν γὰρ αἱ ἀστραπαί σου τῇ οἰκουμένῃ"6. χῃι, 15–16. Καὶ ἔτεκεν Ἁγὰρ τῷ Ἀβρὰμ υἱὸν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἀβρὰμ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ ὃν ἔτεκεν Ἁγὰρ Ἰσμαήλ. Ἀβρὰμ δὲ ἦν ὀγδοήκοντα ἓξ ἐτῶν ἡνίκα ἔτεκεν Ἁγὰρ τὸν Ἰσμαὴλ τῷ Ἀβράμ. Πιθανὸν μὲν ἂν λέγοιτο ὅτι πρὸς κατάστασιν σεμνότητος καὶ γνησιότητος κεῖται μετὰ παρατηρήσεως τὸ "6ἔτεκεν <Ἁγὰρ τῷ> Ἀβρὰμ υἱόν"6, σαφῆ δὲ πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν τὰ ἑξῆς· ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἀναγωγήν. Ὁ προκόπτων ὅτε πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ διδασκάλου τίκτει, οὐκ εὐκα-ταφρόνητόν ἐστι τὸ τικτόμενον. Τὸ κατάλληλον οὖν παρί-σ<τα>ται τὸ λόγιον τοῦ γεννήματος πρὸς τὸν ὀρθῶς παιδεύοντα καὶ σπείροντα τὸ ὠφελοῦν ··· εἶπ̣εν "6ἔτεκεν Ἁγὰρ τῷ Ἀβράμ"6. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχει ···· παρέσχον τῆς γραφῆς λεγούσης, ἐπιφέρεται· "6 Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἀβρὰμ τὸ ὄνομα <τοῦ υἱοῦ> αὐτοῦ"6, καὶ ἐπάγει "6ὃν ἔτεκεν αὐτῷ"6· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔννοιαν, ἣν ἀποδε···α ··· εἶχεν το··υτ··, ἠρκεῖτο τῷ "6καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἀβρὰμ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ"6, οὐ προσθεὶς τὸ "6ὃν ἔτεκεν αὐτῷ"6. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπ̣ι`̣ τοσοῦτον· ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ το`̣ περὶ τ̣ῶν ἀριθμῶν τῶν ἐτῶν τοῦ πατριάρχου· εἴρηται γάρ· "6Ἀβρὰμ δὲ ἦν 100 ὀγδοήκοντα ἓξ ἐτῶν ἡνίκα ἔτεκε̣ν̣ Ἁγὰρ τὸν Ἰσ̣μαὴλ τῷ Ἀβράμ"6. Ἀμφότεροι τοίνυν οἱ ἀριθμοὶ 250 ........................................................α ......................................................τ̣ω̣ .......................................................... ......................................................... ........................................................ς̣ ......................................................τω ......................................................... χῃιι, 1. ᾿Ε̣γ̣ε´̣ν̣ε̣τ̣ο̣ δ̣ε`̣ ᾿Α̣β̣ρ̣α`̣μ̣ ε᾿̣τ̣ω῀̣ν̣ ε᾿̣ν̣ε̣ν̣η´̣κ̣ο̣ν̣τ̣α̣ ε᾿̣ν̣ν̣ε´̣α̣ κ̣α̣ι`̣ ὤφθη Κύριος

The Call of Abraham and the Nature of God§99

99To Abram it was said: 'I am your God; be pleasing before me and become blameless' (Gen 17:1). The number hundred is composed of ten tens; and these those rolling moving were said to be squares, and the square shape is stable. Gaps... again then God appeared to Abraham, a lover of mankind, in order to appear and qualify him to be God, saying, 'I am your God' (Gen 17:1). And he is not the God of the saints gaps but being the Creator of all, indeed of heaven and earth and those in them, becoming God absolutely according to their worship gaps... it is said: 'The God, my God,' declaring by the word that the God of all things and of me, and as one serving you, you are God. And he leads him into a struggle and a preparation of manliness, the saying 'Be pleasing before me' gaps...

...

Greek · §99

τῷ Ἀβρὰμ κ̣α̣ι`̣ ε̣ἰ῀̣π̣ε̣ν̣ α̣υ᾿̣τῷ· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός [σου], εὐαρέστει ἐνάντιον ἐμοῦ καὶ γίνου ἄμεμπτος. Ὁ ἑκατὸν ἀριθμὸς συντελεῖται ἐκ δέκα τῶν δέκα· οὗτοι δ' οἱ ··· ··τοις κυλιόμενοι ἐλέχθησαν εἶν̣α̣[ι] τετράγωνοι, τὸ δὲ τετρ[άγωνο]ν σχῆ-μα βέβαιόν ἐστιν. Ἀμέλει γο[ῦν] ··· ·επα ··· ··· ·· τῇ ἀγνωσι´̣ᾳ̣ ·· ··· ··ως ἔσται ....................α.................. πρώτην ............................ε̣σ̣ω α̣ρετη....................... ................................αυτω π................ον ··· ........................τ̣ε̣λιότης ἐπὶ το ·σ.................... ............................δυ ···εις ε.................λησ· ......................................................νχα .......................................νω................ ··· ··εν τω...........αηλ δ··· ··· ·· πο................κον ··· ··· ·ωρητ·ον· πάλιν οὖν ὤφθη τῷ Ἀβρ̣α`̣μ ὁ Θεὸς ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· ··· φ̣ι̣λ̣άνθρωπο̣ς εἰς τὸ ὀφθῆναι καταξιῶν αὐτοῦ εἶναι Θεὸς λέγων "6Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός σου"6. Ἔστιν δὲ τῶν ἁγίων Θεὸς ου̣·····ων α᾿̣λλα`̣ καὶ πάντων μὲν οὐρανο̣υ῀̣ καὶ γῆς καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς δημιουρ[γὸς] ὤν, ἐξαιρέτως κατὰ λατρείαν αὐτῶν Θεὸς γινόμενος ου··· · [··] εἴρηται· "6Ὁ Θεός, ὁ Θεός μου"6, δηλοῦντος τοῦ λόγου ὅτι ὁ πάντων Θεὸς καὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ ὡς δουλεύοντός σοι Θεὸς τυγχάνεις. Ἀλείφ̣ω̣ν̣ δὲ αὐτ̣ὸν̣ ε̣ι᾿̣ς̣ ἀγῶνα καὶ παρασκευὴν ἀνδρείας ἐπάγει τὸ "6 Εὐαρέστει ε᾿̣ναντίον 251 ......................................................... το̣....................................................... ......................................................... .........................................................

The Covenant and the Multiplication of Nations§100

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

100And I will multiply your covenant through me and through you exceedingly. Let there be no blame found against me. He promised to multiply himself according to the word, and this is no wonder. For other nations have also become many. And Abraham fell upon his face. They are rejoicing and being multiplied just as the patriarch. And God spoke to him, saying: 'And behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of a multitude of nations. And your name shall not be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, because a father of many nations I have made you. And I will multiply you exceedingly, exceedingly.' Again, the Lord, after the falling, confirms the promise, saying to him that He will make a covenant with him; and he shall be a father of a multitude.

Greek · §100

......................................................... το....................................................... χῃιι, 2. Καὶ θ̣η´̣σ̣ο̣μ̣α̣ι̣ τ̣η`̣ν̣ δ̣ι̣α̣[θήκην μου ἀνὰ] μ̣ε´̣σ̣ο̣ν̣ ε᾿̣μ̣ο̣υ῀̣ κ̣α̣ι`̣ α᾿̣ν̣α`̣ μ̣ε´̣σ̣ο̣ν̣ σοῦ κα̣ι`̣ π̣λ̣η̣θ̣υ̣ν̣ω῀̣ σ̣ε̣ [σφόδρα. ] Ὡς...........[··· ··· ··· ·]........................... ................[··· ··· · ἐνα]ν̣τ̣ι´̣ο̣ν̣ ἐμοῦ γίνου ἄμεμπτος ................[··· ··· ··· ·]··ς κληρονομίας ···ουτα̣ ·ε̣παγ-γελ ··· ἑαυτὸν πληθύνειν ··· ·· κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν ···εσχεν οὐ θαῦμα δὲ τοῦτο. Καὶ γὰρ ἄλλα̣ ἐ´̣θ̣ν̣η πολυάνθρωπα γεγόνασιν χῃιι, 3. Κ̣α̣ι`̣ ἐ´̣π̣ε̣σ̣ε̣ν̣ ᾿Α̣β̣ρ̣α`̣μ̣ ε᾿̣π̣ι`̣ π̣ρ̣ο´̣σ̣ω̣π̣ο̣ν̣ α̣ὐτοῦ................................................... ......................................................... ......................................................... ·ν....................................................... εισ̣...................................................... νον...................................................... ......................................................... οι··· ··· ··αν.......................................... χαίροντες ἅμα κα̣ι`̣ καταπληθ̣υ̣νόμενοι ὡς καὶ ὁ πατριάρχης. χῃιι, 3–6. Καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς λέγων· Καὶ ἐγὼ ἰδοὺ ἡ διαθήκη μου με-τὰ σοῦ καὶ ἔσῃ πατὴρ πλήθους ἐθνῶν. Καὶ οὐ κληθήσεται τὸ ὄ-ν̣ο̣μ̣α´̣ σου Ἀβρὰμ ἀλλ' ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου Ἀβραάμ, ὅτι πατέ-ρ̣α̣ πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε. Καὶ αὐξανῶ σε σφόδρα σφό-δρα. Πάλιν Κυ´̣ρ̣ι̣ο̣ς̣ μ̣ε̣τ̣ὰ τὸ πεσεῖν βεβαιοῖ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν λέγων αὐτῷ ὅτι α̣υ᾿̣τ̣ο`̣ς σ̣υ`̣ν̣ α̣ὐτῷ διαθήσεται διαθήκ̣ην· ἔσῃ δὲ πατὴρ πλήθους 101

Contents