Divine Birth
The nature of Christ's birth is such that it did not mix with the one who gave birth, for he left the shape of virginity intact.
If you disbelieve, you can learn from Ezekiel, who described a gate that was closed and would not be opened, and through which no one would pass, because the Lord God of Israel would enter and exit, and it would be closed (Ezekiel 44:2).
The law commanded that every male who opens the womb should be called holy to the Lord, but Christ surpasses this sanctification and excels in his birth.
He has gone up to the command of the law, which requires a sacrifice to be offered after childbirth, as it is said in the law of the Lord, 'a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons' (Leviticus 12:8).
Luke, guided by wisdom, exposes the incomplete law, which allows for a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons to be offered if the one offering is not able to provide a lamb.
Luke remembers the poor one who voluntarily became poor for us, and who did not have an inn or the means to offer a lamb.
Rather, Christ himself was the lamb of God, the true sheep, who offered himself for the world.
Therefore, what the law commanded, Christ fulfilled, and what he manages, he signified.
In the city of Jerusalem, there lived a man named Simeon, a righteous and devout individual who was expecting the consolation of Israel.
The Holy Spirit was upon him, and he had been revealed by the Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Christ of the Lord (Luke 2:26).
Simeon's wealth was great, and his character was multifaceted, like a plant full of fruit and a vine full of grapes.
The phrase 'behold a man' is astonishing, and the word is full of wonder, for in Jerusalem, a city that the prophet Sophonias said God would search with a lamp, and not find (Sophonias 1:12).
The interpretation of Simeon's name, 'hearing of God,' is fitting for his character, which was acquired from the economy of the Spirit.
Where there is hearing of God, there is certainly obedience to the law, observance of commandments, and a running of good life, with the goal of salvation approaching.
This is the true character of the man, about whom these things are said according to reason.
As a righteous and devout man, Simeon was expecting consolation for Israel.
The goal of the righteous is not to seek their own interests, but rather the interests of others and the common good, so that the salvation of all may be achieved, not just their own personal enjoyment.
And the holy Spirit was on him.
Simeon received the king of the ages in his hands.
Greek
τῆς φύσεως, οὐκ ἐζη μίωσε τὴν τεκοῦσαν· ἀκέραιον γὰρ αὐτῇ τὸ σχῆμα τῆς παρθε νίας κατέλιπεν. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, παρὰ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιὴλ μάνθανε· «Καὶ ἀπέστρεψέ με κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς πύλης τῶν ἁγίων τῆς ἐξω τέρας, τῆς βλεπούσης κατὰ ἀνατολάς, καὶ αὕτη ἦν κεκλεισμένη. Καὶ εἶπε κύριος πρός με· Ἡ πύλη αὕτη κεκλεισμένη ἔσται, οὐκ ἀνοιχθήσεται, καὶ οὐδεὶς οὐ μὴ διέλθῃ δι' αὐτῆς, ὅτι κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ εἰσελεύσεται καὶ ἐξελεύσεται, καὶ ἔσται κεκλεισμένη.» «Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν ἅγιον τῷ κυ ρίῳ κληθήσεται.» Οὗτος δὲ οὐ μόνον ἅγιος. Ὅσον τοίνυν ὑπερέχει τῷ ἁγιασμῷ, τοσοῦτον καὶ τῷ τόκῳ πλεονεκτεῖ καὶ τοῦ νόμου τὴν ἐντολὴν ἀναβέβηκεν. Πλὴν δὲ ὅμως «τοῦ δοῦναι θυσίαν, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν νόμῳ κυρίου, ζεῦγος τρυγόνων ἢ δύο νεοσσοὺς περιστερῶν.» Ἀτελῆ τὸν νόμον ὁ Λουκᾶς οὐκ ἀγνοίᾳ κρατηθείς, σοφίᾳ δὲ ὁδηγηθεὶς ἐξέθετο. Ὁ μὲν νό μος ἔλεγεν· «ἀμνὸν καὶ νεοσσόν»· οὐκ εὐποροῦντος δὲ τοῦ προσφέροντος, «ζεῦγος τρυγόνων ἢ δύο νεοσσοὺς περιστερῶν καὶ σεμίδαλιν» προσέταττεν. Ὁ Λουκᾶς δὲ τὴν τοῦ πλουτοῦν τος ἀφῆκεν προσφοράν· πτωχοῦ γὰρ ἐμνημόνευσε τοῦ δι' ἡμᾶς ἑκουσίως πτωχεύσαντος. Οὐκ ἦν αὐτῷ, φησίν, κατάλυμα· πόθεν ἀμνὸν ἐκέκτητο; Ἐπὶ φάτνης σπαργανωθείς, πόθεν προσέφερε πρόβατον; Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἔχρῃζεν ἀμνοῦ· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἦν «ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ», τὸ ἀληθινὸν πρόβατον. Αὐτὸς ἑαυ τὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ κόσμου ἔθυεν· διὰ τοῦτο τί μὲν ὁ νόμος προσέταττεν ἐξηγόρευσεν, τί δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς οἰκονομεῖ ἐσήμανεν. 4 Εἶτα ἑξῆς· «Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος», φησίν, «ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ, ᾧ ὄνομα Συμεών, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος δίκαιος καὶ εὐλαβής, προσδεχόμενος παράκλησιν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἦν ἐπ' αὐτῷ· καὶ ἦν αὐτῷ κεχρηματισμένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον, πρὶν ἂν ἴδῃ τὸν Χριστὸν κυρίου.» Πολὺς ὁ τοῦ Συμεὼν πλοῦτος, ποικίλα τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τὰ ὅπλα, γέμει καρπῶν τὸ φυτόν, γέμει βοτρύων ἡ ἄμπελος. Οὐ μόνον «ἦν ἄνθρωπος», ἀλλὰ καὶ «Συμεὼν ὠνομάζετο». Πρὸς τούτοις «δί καιος» οὐ μόνον «δίκαιος», ἀλλὰ καὶ «εὐλαβής», ἀλλὰ καὶ πα ράκλησιν ἐζήτει τῷ Ἰσραήλ, ἀλλὰ καὶ «Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἦν ἐπ' αὐ τῷ», ἀλλὰ καὶ «χρηματισθεὶς ὑπῆρχεν μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον πρὶν ἂν ἴδῃ τὸν Χριστὸν κυρίου.» «Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος»· ποῦ; «Ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ». Ἔκπληξιν ἡ λέξις ἔχει, γέμει τὸ ῥῆμα θαύματος· ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἄνθρωπος περὶ ἧς Σοφονίας ὁ προφήτης τὸν θεὸν αὐτὸν εἰσήγαγε λέγοντα· «Ἐξερευνήσω τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ μετὰ λύχνου καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρω.» Καὶ λύχνου χρῄζει τὸ φῶς; Οὔ φησιν, ἀλλὰ λύχνον καλεῖ τὸν νόμον. «Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄν θρωπος ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ ᾧ ὄνομα Συμεών.» Καὶ τίς ἡ ἑρμηνεία τοῦ δηλωθέντος ὀνόματος; «Ἀκοὴ θεοῦ», ὥστε πρέπουσαν τῇ πολιτείᾳ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ πνεύματος οἰκονομίας ἐ κτήσατο· ὅπου γὰρ «ἀκοὴ θεοῦ», ἐκεῖ πάντως ὑπακοὴ νόμου, τήρησις ἐντολῶν, ἀγαθοῦ βίου δρόμος, σκοπὸς σωτηρίας εἰς τέ λος προσερχόμενος· ἐν οἷς ὁ ἀληθινὸς χαρακτηρίζεται ἄνθρω πος, περὶ οὗ ταῦτα κατὰ λόγον ἐπήγαγεν. 5 «Καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος δίκαιος καὶ εὐλαβής, προσδεχό μενος παράκλησιν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ»· τοῦτο δικαίου σκοπὸς μὴ ζητεῖν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου καὶ τῶν πολλῶν, τῆς κοι νῆς σωτηρίας μὴ τῆς ἰδίας ἀπολαύσεως γίνεσθαι. «Καὶ Πνεῦμα», φησίν, «ἅγιον ἦν ἐπ' αὐτῷ»· ὄχημα ὑπῆρχε δεσποτικὸν ὁ Συμεών, θρόνος θεοῦ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μετὰ χεῖρας τὸν βασιλέα τῶν αἰώνων ἐδέξατο. «Καὶ ἦν αὐτῷ κεχρηματισμένον μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον πρὶν ἂν ἴδῃ τὸν Χριστὸν κυρίου»· οὐκοῦν ὁ
About this text
Hesychius of Jerusalem, Homilia i de Hypapante (Greek).
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 93 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.