The Triadic Pattern in History and Scripture
The ten plagues against the Egyptians were intended to discipline their arrogance, just as the ten commandments were given to discipline the people's insensitivity. And the very letter, brothers, by which the number ten is written—I speak of the iotathe shape and type of a rod; for a rod was used to discipline both the Egyptians and the people.
Our Lord Jesus, having worked a threefold multiplication of the nine beatitudes from the triple Trinity, has won the crown of the beatitudes. For the worshipful Trinity, the royal dignity, the immaculate nature, and the unparented sovereignty hold glory within the Trinity; and God honors the number of virtues on earth when it is equal to the Holy Trinity.
I say something like this: there are many patriarchs, yet the God of the patriarchs calls himself God: 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' This is not because Moses was not a god or Joseph was not a god, but rather He is the God of all who call upon Him in truth; He honors the earthly as the heavenly does, as in an image. Three patriarchs for the honor of the Trinity; three virtues for the honor of the Trinity; and now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.
Creation is divided into three, into the order of the heavenly, the earthly, and the subterranean. Times are cut into three: the past, the present, and the future. And just as there were many patriarchs, yet the Trinity sufficed for the doxology of the Spirit, so from many priests a triad of priests is selected: Moses, Aaron among his priests, and Samuel. Many kings and many priests exist, but three are remembered: 'But David and Hezekiah and Josiah,' says the Scripture, 'all sinned.' Three children in the furnace; with Christ on the mountain, Peter, James, and John. Many angels in heaven, but three appear to Abraham. All days belong to God, yet three serve the mystery of Christ.
Which three? 'Take Isaac, whom you loved, your only son, and go to one of the mountains.' And Abraham journeyed three days and three nights, so that he might also show the mystery. For just as you received Isaac living from death, so listen: from the moment he was led to sacrifice, he died to his father; for it is not the outcome of the work, but the intention that validates the promise. Isaac had died to his father regarding the intention; on the third day, he was given back living as a type of the resurrection. Jonah could have spent many days in the sea, but he does not do so except for the three, to show the mystery of the resurrection.
Furthermore, he says, even if you find such testimonies divided, do you not take them up again as an icon of the Trinity and the economy? These signs are not sufficient.
Greek
ταῖς πληγαῖς ταῖς κατὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων· δέκα πληγαὶ κατὰ Αἰγυπτίων σωφρονίζουσαι τὴν ἀλαζονείαν, δέκα ἐντολαὶ τῷ λαῷ παιδεύουσαι τὴν ἀναισθησίαν· καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ στοιχεῖον, ἀδελφοί, δι' οὗ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν δέκα γράφεται, τὸ ἰῶτα λέγω, ῥάβδου ἔχει σχῆμα καὶ τύπον· ῥάβδος γὰρ ἦν παιδεύουσα καὶ Αἰγυπτίους καὶ τὸν λαόν. Ἰησοῦς δὲ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν δίδωσιν ἐννέα μακαρισμοὺς ἀπὸ τριπλῆς τριάδος τρίπλοκον ἐργασάμενος τῶν μακαρισμῶν τὸν στέφανον· ἐπειδή, ἀδελφοί, ἡ προςκυνητὴ τριάς, τὸ βασιλικὸν ἀξίωμα, ἡ ἄχραντος φύσις, ἡ ἀδέσποτος δεσποτεία ἐν τῇ τριάδι τὴν δόξαν ἔχει, καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα τιμᾷ ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ γῆς καὶ τῶν ἀρετῶν τὸν ἀριθμόν, ὅταν ἰσάριθμος ᾖ τῇ ἁγίᾳ τριάδι. Οἷόν τι λέγω· πολλοὶ πατριάρχαι· καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατριαρχῶν ἑαυτὸν λέγει θεόν· Ἐγὼ ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ 165 καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ· οὐχ ὅτι Μωϋσέως οὐκ ἦν θεὸς ἢ ὅτι Ἰωσὴφ οὐκ ἦν θεός· πάντων γὰρ θεὸς τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων αὐτὸν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ· ἀλλὰ τιμᾷ ὥςπερ ἐν εἰκόνι τοῖς ἐπιγείοις τὰ οὐράνια. Τρεῖς πατριάρχαι εἰς τιμὴν τριάδος· τρεῖς ἀρεταὶ εἰς τιμὴν τριάδος· νυνὶ δὲ μένει τὰ τρία ταῦτα, πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη. Εἰς τρία διῄρηται ἡ κτίσις, εἰς τάξιν ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων. Εἰς τρία τέμνονται χρόνοι, εἰς τὰ παρεληλυθότα καὶ ἐνεστῶτα καὶ μέλλοντα. Καὶ ὥςπερ πολλοὶ πατριάρχαι, ἡ δὲ τριὰς ἤρκεσεν εἰς δοξολογίαν τοῦ πνεύματος, οὕτω πολλῶν ὄντων ἱερέων τριάδα ἱερέων ἐπιλέγεται· Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἀαρὼν ἐν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ Σαμουήλ. Πολλοὶ βασιλεῖς, πολλοὶ ἱερεῖς, καὶ τρεῖς οἱ μνημονευόμενοι· Πλὴν γὰρ ∆αυὶδ καὶ Ἐζεκίου καὶ Ἰωσίου, φησὶν ἡ γραφή, πάντες ἥμαρτον. Ἐν καμίνῳ τρεῖς παῖδες· μετὰ Χριστοῦ εἰς τὸ ὄρος Πέτρος, Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης. Πολλοὶ ἐν οὐρανῷἄγγελοι, καὶ τρεῖς ἐπιφαίνονται τῷ Ἀβραάμ. Πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι θεοῦ, καὶ τρεῖς ὑπηρετοῦσι τῷ μυστηρίῳ Χριστοῦ· τρεῖς ποῖαι; Λάβε τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ὃν ἠγάπησας τὸν υἱόν σου τὸν μονογενῆ καὶ πορεύου εἰς ἓν τῶν ὀρέων· καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ἀβραὰμ τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας, ἵνα ὁμοῦ δείξῃ καὶ τὸ μυστήριον· Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκ θανάτου ζῶντα παρέλαβε τὸν Ἰσαάκ· καὶ ὅπως, ἄκουε. Ἀφ' οὗπερ ἐκεῖνος εἰς θυσίαν παρελήφθη, τῷ πατρὶ ἀπέθανεν· οὐ γὰρ ἡ ἀπόβασις τοῦ ἔργου, ἀλλ' ἡ πρόθεσις κυροῖ τὸ ἐπάγγελμα. Νενέκρωτο Ἰσαὰκ τῷ πατρὶ ὅσον εἰς τὴν πρόθεσιν· τρίτη ἡμέρα, καὶ ἀπεδόθη ζῶν εἰς τύπον τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Ἠδύνατο καὶ Ἰωνᾶς ποιῆσαι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ πολλὰς ἡμέρας, ἀλλ' οὐ ποιεῖ ἢ μόνον τὰς τρεῖς, ἵνα δείξῃ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τὸ μυστήριον. 166 Εἶτα, φησί, κἂν εὕρῃς που διῃρημένως τοιαύτας μαρτυρίας, πάλιν ὡς εἰκόνας ἀναλαμβάνεις τῆς τριάδος καὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας; Οὐ βούλει ταῦτα τὰ σημεῖα. Ἐὰν ἐγὼ λέγω, παραγράφου
About this text
When the Son hands the kingdom to the Father, is he lesser? Severian says no, from Scripture.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 65 (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.