The Fire of God and the Three Youths
Does he remember? In order to show that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, He burned the arrogant outside the furnace, but preserved those who are humble in the midst of the fire. Therefore also the fire continued with the saints; for even among all things, the Creator was commanded to praise even the fire: 'Bless, fire and burning, the Lord' (Ps 148:8). This is so that the Babylonian magicians, by whom fire is honored, might be instructed, because this fire is not of those being worshiped, but of those worshiping. But nevertheless, coming to the last part, let us rest the word. 'Bless, says Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, the Lord' (Dan 3:24). What was the need for so many ranks to be listed before their final name? For were they not themselves among the sons of Israel blessing?
Greek
μέμνηται; Ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι Ὁ Θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάττεται, τοῖς δὲ ταπεινοῖς χάριν δίδωσι, τοὺς ἀλαζόνας ἔξω τῆς καμίνου κατέφλεγε, τοὺς ὁσίους καὶ ταπεινοὺς ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ πυρὸς διεφύλαξεν. ∆ιὸ καὶ συνεχόρευσε τοῖς ἁγίοις τὸ πῦρ· μετὰ γὰρ πάντων καὶ αὐτὸ ὑμνεῖν προσετάχθη τὸν ∆ημιουργόν· Εὐλογεῖτε, πῦρ καὶ καῦμα, τὸν Κύριον· ἵνα παιδεύωνται οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι μάγοι, παρ' οἷς τιμᾶται τὸ πῦρ, ὅτι τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι τῶν προσκυνουμένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν προσκυνούντων. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐπὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ἐλθόντες καταπαύσωμεν τὸν λόγον. Εὐλογεῖτε, φησὶν, Ἀνανία, Ἀζαρία, Μισαὴλ, τὸν Κύριον. Τίς ἦν χρεία τοσούτων ταγμάτων ἠριθμημένων τῷ τελευταίῳ αὐτοὺς ὀνόματι προστεθῆναι; αὐτοὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εὐλογήσαντες; αὐτοὶ
About this text
The three young men in the furnace: defying a king, unharmed by fire, singing in the flames.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 65 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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