{"slug":"khazarzar-maximus-confessor-pg-91a-1","id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-maximus-confessor-pg-91a-1","title":"PG_91A_1","title_source":"PG_91A_1","author":"Maximus Confessor","genre":"other","date":null,"tradition":"greek","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4.1-flash:floor","provider":"Baidu","generated":"2026-11-15T18:35:19Z","cost_usd":0.019064},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-maximus-confessor-pg-91a-1","work_id":"khazarzar-maximus-confessor-pg-91a-1","edition":"khazarzar","language":"","license":null,"url":null},"stats":{"passages":178,"english_words":44225,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":182825,"commentary_units":0,"commentary_kinds":0,"derived_notes":6,"ambiguities":0,"work_notes":0,"external_links":0,"timeline":0},"summary":{},"links":[],"checks":{"work":"khazarzar-maximus-confessor-pg-91a-1","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":178,"translated":178,"commentary_passages":0,"commentary_units":0,"english_words":44225,"source_letters":183174,"commentary_kinds":0},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4.1-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Greek; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 178 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"6 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: khazarzar."}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":178},"term_index":[],"citations":{},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ΑΠΑΝΤΑ, ΜΑΞΙΜΟΥ τοῦ ΟΜΟΛΟΓΗΤΟΥ * ος Τόμος Α ΕΡΩΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΕΙΣ Α' 1 ΠΡΟΣ ΘΕΟΠΕΜΠΤΟΝ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟΝ ΕΡΜΗΝΕΙΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΝΘ' (59) ΨΑΛΜΟΝ ος Τόμος Α ΕΡΩΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΕΙΣ Α' * ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ *** *** πάθεσιν καὶ τὴν προσβολὴν μειοῖ τὴν κακίαν καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὸ πρότερον ἀποκαθίσταται σχῆμα, τουτέστιν εἰς τὴν κατὰ φύσιν ἐπιθυμίαν εἴ τινες *** ἔφεσις καὶ πόθος Θεοῦ. Τὸ δὲ τὴν χεῖρα βαλεῖν «εἰς τὸν κόλπον» σημαίνει τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον, ἐν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ τῆς φύσεως ἐργαστηρίῳ σαρκούμενον· τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ κόλπος καὶ ἡ λευκὴ χεὶρ σημαίνει· καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ προτέρῳ σχήματι τῆς χειρὸς ἀποκαθισταμένης δηλοῦται ὡς μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ὁ Κύριος ἀναλαμφθεὶς ἐν τῷ πατρικῷ κόλπῳ ἀπεκατέστη. Μωυσῆς γὰρ ὡς μεσίτης τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ γεγονώς, ποτὲ μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς πρόσωπον ἐπέχει, ποτὲ δὲ τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ ἐν γῇ Σενναὰρ οἰκοδομούμενος πύργος; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἰκοδομοῦμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς πύργον ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἐξ ἀνατολῶν κινηθῶμεν, τουτέστιν ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἀποκινηθῶμεν τῆς γνώσεως· ἐρχόμεθα δὲ εἰς γῆν Σενναάρ, τουτέστιν εἰς τὸ","english":"ALL THE WORKS OF MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR * Volume One, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS I 1. To Theopemptos the Scholastic: An Interpretation of the 59th Psalm. Volume One, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS I * QUESTION, ANSWER *** *** and by the passions, and the assault diminishes the evil, and again it is restored to its former condition, that is, to the natural desire, if any *** is a striving and longing for God. And to put the hand \"into the bosom\" signifies our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of the Father, becoming flesh in the workshop of our nature; for this is what the bosom and the white hand signify; and again, when the hand is restored to its former condition, it is made clear that after the resurrection the Lord, having shone forth, was restored to the Father's bosom. For Moses, having become a mediator between God and the people, sometimes holds the person of God the Father, and sometimes that of our nature. QUESTION: What does the tower built in the land of Shinar signify? ANSWER: We too build a tower whenever we move from the east, that is, whenever we depart from knowledge; and we come to the land of Shinar, that is, to the","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"*\n\nΤό ἔργο τοῦ ἁγίου Μαξίμου χωρίστηκε σέ τόμους καί ἀναγράφονται οἱ σελίδες σύμφωνα μέ τή σειρά \"ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΣ Ο ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣ\" τῶν ἐκδόσεων \"ΤΟ ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΟΝ\" Θεσσαλονίκη 1992, ΦΙΛΟΚΑΛΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΠΤΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΩΝ, γιά νά μπορεῖ εὔκολα ὁ ἀναγνώστης νά συμβουλεύεται μετάφραση. Τό κείμενο προέρχεται ἀπό τρεῖς πηγές: 1) ἀπό τήν ἠλεκτρονική βιβλιοθήκη ἑλληνικῶν κειμένων,, ( :// ), 2) κείμενα πού δέν περιλαμβάνονται στό ἀπό τήν πατρολογία τοῦ, τόμος ος καί ος (τά δακτυλογράφησε ἡ μητέρα τοῦ π. Ἀρσενίου Μέσκου), καί 3) τά σχόλια στά ἔργα τοῦ ἁγίου Διονυσίου τοῦ Ἀρεοπαγίτη ἀπό τίς ἐκδόσεις ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΟ, τό κείμενο περάστηκε ἀπό σκάνερ, ἀκολούθησε ὀπτική ἀναγνώριση χαρακτήρων καί ἔλεγχος. Τόμος καί σελίδα γιά τίς ἐκδόσεις ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΟ ἀναγράφονται μέ τόν ἀκόλουθο τρόπο:, δηλαδή ἀκολουθεῖ ἡ δέκατη σελίδα τοῦ Β τόμου. Ἐπίσης ὑπάρχει καί ἔνδειξη γιά τήν σελίδα τῆς πατρολογίας ὅταν τό κείμενο προέρχεται ἀπό ἐκεῖ.\n\n* Τό κείμενο προέρχεται ἀπό τήν πατρολογία τοῦ, σέ ἀντιπαράθεση μέ τό κείμενο τῶν ἐκδόσεων \"ΤΟ ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΟΝ\" τῆς σειρᾶς \"ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΣ Ο ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣ\" Θεσσαλονίκη 1992, ΦΙΛΟΚΑΛΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΠΤΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΩΝ, τόμος Α.","english":"The work of Saint Maximus was divided into volumes and the pages are recorded according to the order of \"GREGORY PALAMAS\" of the \"TO BYZANTION\" editions, Thessaloniki 1992, PHILOKALIA OF THE NEPTIC AND ASCETIC FATHERS, so that the reader can easily consult the translation. The text comes from three sources: 1) from the electronic library of Greek texts, ( :// ), 2) texts not included in the Patrologia of, volume and (typed by the mother of Fr. Arsenios Meskos), and 3) the commentaries on the works of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite from the BYZANTION editions; the text was passed through a scanner, followed by optical character recognition and checking. Volume and page for the BYZANTION editions are recorded in the following manner:, that is, the tenth page of volume B follows. There is also an indication of the page of the Patrologia when the text comes from there.\n\n* The text comes from the Patrologia of, in comparison with the text of the \"TO BYZANTION\" editions of the series \"GREGORY PALAMAS\" Thessaloniki 1992, PHILOKALIA OF THE NEPTIC AND ASCETIC FATHERS, volume A.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"τῆς γαστριμαργίας πάθος· Σενναὰρ γὰρ ‘γρηγόρησις ὀδόντων’ ἑρμηνεύεται· εἶτα καὶ οἰκοδομοῦμεν πύργον, τουτέστιν τὰ σαρκικὰ πάθη περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμεθα καὶ οἰκοδομοῦμεν πάθος πάθει συνάπτοντες. «Ἕως δὲ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ»· οὐ γάρ ποτε παύσασθαι βούλονται οἱ περὶ τὰ μάταια τὴν σπουδὴν ἔχοντες, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπλήρωτον τὴν περὶ αὐτὰ ὄρεξιν ἔχουσιν. Παύει δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν τοῦ πύργου οἰκοδομὴν καὶ «συγχεῖ τὰς γλώσσας» ὅτ᾽ ἂν πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον παιδεύων ἐγκόπτει τὴν ἡμετέραν κακίαν· ὅτ᾽ ἂν γὰρ τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ τῆς πορνείας ἡττημένον νόσῳ παιδεύει ἢ τὸν τῇ γαστριμαργίᾳ δεδουλωμένον πενίᾳ σωφρονίζει, οἱονεὶ ἐγκοπὴν τοῦ τῶν παθῶν πύργου ποιεῖται, «συγχέων» ἅμα καὶ τὰς γλώσσας· τὸν γὰρ πόρνον πάντοτε περὶ πορνείας μελετῶντα καταστείλας τῇ νόσῳ, εἰς τὴν περὶ τοῦ σώματος ὑγεῖαν ἀπασχολεῖσθαι ποιήσας, οἱονεὶ τὴν φωνὴν συγχέας τῆς συνεχοῦς μελέτης τοῦ πάθους.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει «Δαβὶδ ψάλλων καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν πνεῦμα τοῦ Σαοὺλ καταπαύων»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πᾶς ὁ κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Δαβὶδ ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα, τουτέστιν τὸ λογιστικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ νικῶν θυμὸν καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν καθάπερ ἐκεῖνος τὸν λέοντα καὶ τὴν ἄρκον, οὗτος τῷ λόγῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας χρώμενος μετά τινος ὑψηλῆς θεωρίας ἡδύνει τὸν ἀκούοντα καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς κακίας πάθη κατευνάζει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὅτι «ἐάν τις μὴ γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος» καὶ ἐν ἄλλῳ τόπῳ πάλιν «αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί», παρακαλῶ μαθεῖν τίς ἡ διαφορά.","english":"the passion of gluttony; for Sennaar is interpreted as \"gnashing of teeth\"; then we also build a tower, that is, we make much of the fleshly passions and build, joining passion to passion. \"Even to heaven\": for those who have their zeal set on vain things never wish to cease, but have an insatiable appetite for them. But God stops the building of the tower and \"confuses the tongues\" whenever, instructing us for our benefit, he hinders our wickedness; for whenever he chastens the man defeated by the disease of fornication, or disciplines with poverty the man enslaved to gluttony, he makes, as it were, a hindrance to the tower of the passions, at the same time \"confusing\" the tongues; for having subdued the fornicator, who is always meditating on fornication, by disease, and having made him occupy himself with the health of the body, he has, as it were, confused the voice of his continual meditation on the passion.\n\nQUESTION: What does it mean, \"David singing and putting to rest the evil spirit of Saul\"? ANSWER: Everyone who, like the blessed David, shepherds the sheep, that is, the rational faculty of the soul, and conquers anger and desire as he conquered the lion and the bear, this man, using the word of teaching with some lofty contemplation, sweetens the hearer and calms the passions of wickedness within him. QUESTION: Since it is written in the Gospel that \"unless one is born of water and the Spirit,\" and in another place again, \"he himself will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,\" I ask to learn what the difference is.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐν ἑκάστῳ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα γινόμενον, ὡς μὲν ὕδωρ τὸν τῆς σαρκὸς μολυσμὸν καθαίρει, ὡς δὲ Πνεῦμα τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς κηλίδας ἐκπλύνει, ὡς δὲ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ὑποτίθεται τοὺς τρόπους τῶν ἀρετῶν, ὡς δὲ πῦρ Θεὸν κατὰ χάριν ἀποτελεῖ, τὰ θεῖα τῆς ἀρετῆς γνωρίσματα ἐπιλάμπον αὐτῷ. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν Θεολόγον Γρηγόριον λέγοντα ἐν τῷ τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς λόγῳ, 'οἱ ἀπόστολοι διὰ τριῶν χαρισμάτων εἰλήφασιν τὸ τέλειον, πρῶτον μὲν νόσους ἰώμενοι καὶ δαίμονας ἀπελαύνοντες, δεύτερον δὲ τὸ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐμφύσημα, τρίτον δὲ αὐτὸ οὐσιωδῶς τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει γλωσσῶν πυρίνων', πῶς τις, εἴπερ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις γένηται κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν ἰσοστάσιος, δύναται λαβεῖν τὰ εἰρημένα χαρίσματα καὶ πῶς χρὴ νοεῖν τὸ «οὐσιωδῶς», ὡς ἐν ὑποδείγματι ἑρμηνευθῆναι παρακαλῶ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Δυνατὸν καὶ ἡμᾶς, εἴπερ μιμηταὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων σπεύσωμεν γενέσθαι, πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς ἐπιτάσσειν τοῖς πάθεσιν καὶ τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς ἐξιᾶσθαι νόσους, δεύτερον δὲ διὰ τῆς φυσικῆς θεωρίας τὴν φύσιν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἀποκαθιστάνειν, τρίτον διὰ τῆς τοῦ λόγου διδασκαλίας τοῦτο γὰρ αἱ γλῶσσαι πῦρ γίνεσθαι τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, ἅμα μὲν τὰ πάθη αὐτῶν πυρὸς δίκην ἀναλίσκοντας, ἅμα δὲ καὶ φωτίζοντας. Πῶς δὲ ἐνήργει τὸ πρότερον τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα καὶ πῶς οὐσιωδῶς τελευταῖον ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἐπεφοίτησεν, ἀναγκαῖον ὡς ἐν ὑποδείγματι διερμηνεῦσαι. Καθάπερ ξύλον ἐπιτιθέμενον τηγάνῳ, εἶτα, τοῦ πυρὸς ὑφαπτομένου, διὰ μέσου τοῦ τηγάνου τῆς θέρμης τοῦ πυρὸς μεταλαμβάνει τὸ ξύλον, οὕτως τὸ πρότερον ἀμυδρῶς ἐνήργει τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις·","english":"ANSWER: In each person the Holy Spirit, when it comes to be, cleanses the defilement of the flesh as water, washes away the stains of the soul as spirit, suggests the ways of the virtues as Holy Spirit, and makes one a god by grace as fire, causing the divine marks of virtue to shine upon him. QUESTION: Since, according to Gregory the Theologian, who says in his oration on Pentecost, \"the apostles received perfection through three gifts: first, healing diseases and driving out demons; second, the breathing upon them after the resurrection; third, the Spirit himself essentially in the form of fiery tongues,\" how can anyone, if he becomes equal to the apostles in virtue, receive the gifts that have been mentioned, and how should \"essentially\" be understood? I ask that it be explained by way of an example. ANSWER: It is possible for us too, if we hasten to become imitators of the apostles: first, through the practical life, to command the passions and heal the diseases of the soul; second, through natural contemplation, to restore nature to itself; third, through the teaching of the word—for this is what the tongues of fire become for those who hear, at once consuming their passions like fire and at the same time enlightening them. But how the Holy Spirit worked previously, and how he came upon the apostles essentially at the last, it is necessary to explain by way of an example. Just as a piece of wood placed on a frying pan, then, when the fire is kindled, through the medium of the pan the wood partakes of the heat of the fire, so previously the Spirit worked faintly in the saints;","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"εἰ δέ τις κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ὑπόδειγμα ἐπαρεῖ τὸ διὰ μέσου τήγανον καὶ τὸ πῦρ ἀμέσως τοῦ ξύλου περιδράξεται,\n\nεὐθέως πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν ἀφομοιοῖ τὸ ξύλον. Οὕτως ὡς ἐν αἰσθητοῖς ὑποδείγμασιν εἰκάζειν ἔστιν τὸ «οὐσιωδῶς». ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ἡ Γραφὴ τρανῶς οὐ λέγει ὅτι δέδωκεν δεκάτας ὁ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Μελχισεδέκ, ἄλλως τε δὲ καὶ εἰ πάντα ἀπέδωκεν, καθὼς αὐτὸς λέγει ὅτι «ἕως σφαιρωτῆρος ὑποδήματος» οὐκ ἔλαβεν, πόθεν δέδωκεν δεκάτας; Οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἴδιόν τι ἐπεφέρετο εἰς πόλεμον ἔκπληκτος ἀπερχόμενος. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ἡ θεία Γραφὴ «ἱερέα τοῦ Θεοῦ» τὸν Μελχισεδὲκ λέγει εἶναι, προσηκόντως ἄρα ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ὡς λαϊκοῦ τάξιν ἐπέχων δεδωκέναι τῷ ἱερεῖ τὰς δεκάτας πιστευθήσεται. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ εἶχεν πόθεν παρασχεῖν, ἐκεῖθεν δῆλον· οἱ γὰρ ἐπιστρατεύσαντες βασιλεῖς ἐπὶ Σόδομα οὐ μόνον τὰ Σοδόμων εἶχον λαβόντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλων χώρων εἶχον μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν λάφυρα ἅπερ ἦσαν προαιχμαλωτεύσαντες· ἅπερ πάντα κατακόψας αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ λαβών, τὰ μὲν τῶν Σοδομιτῶν ἀπέδωκεν, τὰ δὲ ἄλλα παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ κατέσχεν· ἐξ ὧν καὶ τὰς δεκάτας τῷ Μελχισεδὲκ παρέσχετο.","english":"But if someone, following the same illustration, sets the intervening pan directly over the fire, it will immediately lay hold of the wood and at once assimilate the wood to its own nature. In this way, as in perceptible illustrations, one may conjecture what \"substantially\" means. QUESTION: Since Scripture does not clearly say that Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, and moreover, if he gave back everything, as he himself says that he did not take so much as \"a thong of a sandal,\" from where did he give tithes? For he had not brought any property of his own to the war, since he set out in alarm. ANSWER: Since divine Scripture says that Melchizedek is \"a priest of God,\" Abraham, holding the rank, as it were, of a layman, will fittingly be believed to have given the tithes to the priest. That he also had the means to provide them is clear from this: for the kings who marched against Sodom had not only taken the possessions of Sodom, but also had with them spoils from other regions, which they had taken captive beforehand. Abraham defeated them and took all these things; the possessions of the Sodomites he gave back, but the rest he kept for himself, and from these he also provided the tithes to Melchizedek.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν οἱ μὲν κατὰ νόμον ἱερεῖς γυναῖκας ἔχειν οὐκ ἐκωλύοντο, οἱ δὲ κατὰ Χριστὸν ἱερεῖς κωλύονται ὅσον ἀπὸ τῆς συνηθείας; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ μὲν πρόχειρον, ὡς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ὑψηλοτέρου ὄντος καὶ ὡς πολλοῖς γέγονεν ἡ παρθενία βατὴ ἐξότου διὰ παρθενίας τεχθῆναι ὁ πάντων Δεσπότης ηὐδόκησεν, ὅπερ τοῖς ἀρχαίοις σπάνιον ἦν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἱερωσύνη κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ γενέσθαι πιστεύεται καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρών, Μελχισεδὲκ δὲ γυναῖκα ἐσχηκέναι οὐκ ἀναγέγραπται, ἀναγκαίως ἄρα καὶ οἱ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τάξιν ἱερατεύοντες ἐπίσκοποι γυναῖκας οὐ προσίενται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται ὅτι ὁ προφήτης Ἀμὼς «αἰπόλος ἦν κνίζων συκάμινα», τί ἐστιν «αἰπόλος» καὶ τί «τὸ κνίζειν»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ «Αἰπόλος» ἐστὶν ποιμὴν αἰγῶν, τὸ δὲ «κνίζειν» ἐστὶν τὸ τεμεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ὁ ὀπὸς τοῦ συκαμίνου ὠμός ἐστιν καὶ παχὺς καὶ βλαβερός, οἱ κνίζοντες τέμνουσιν μετὰ μαχαιρίων τὸ συκάμινον καὶ ποιοῦσιν ἀπορρεῦσαι τὸν ὀπόν. Ζῳύφια δὲ εἰσέρπουσιν ἔσωθεν καὶ τῆς ἀκτίνος τοῦ ἡλίου εἰσβαλλούσης, γλυκαίνουσιν καὶ ἁπαλύνουσιν αὐτό. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν κατὰ τὸ γράμμα· κατὰ δὲ τὸν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς τρόπον, ποιμήν ἐστιν αἰγῶν ὁ ποιμαίνων τῷ λόγῳ τὸ ἐπιθυμητικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς μέρος. Κνίζει δὲ συκάμινα ὁ τὸ σῶμα δι᾽ ἐγκρατείας ὑποπιάζων καὶ τὴν ὑγρότητα τῶν παθῶν ἀπορρέων· οὗτος γὰρ δίκην ζῳυφίων δέχεται θείους λογισμοὺς καὶ «ἡλίῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης» γλυκαίνεται καὶ ἁπαλύνεται τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ προφήτης ἀπὸ Θεοῦ καὶ διδάσκαλος ἑτέροις καθίσταται.","english":"QUESTION: For what reason were the priests according to the law not prevented from having wives, while the priests according to Christ are prevented, as far as custom is concerned? ANSWER: The immediate answer is that the Gospel is higher, and that virginity has become accessible to many ever since the Lord of all was pleased to be born through virginity, which was rare among the ancients. But since the priesthood of the Gospel is believed to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron, and Melchizedek is not recorded as having had a wife, it necessarily follows that the bishops who serve as priests according to his order do not admit wives. QUESTION: Since it is written that the prophet Amos \"was a goatherd and a nipper of sycamore figs,\" what is a \"goatherd\" and what is \"nipping\"? ANSWER: A \"goatherd\" is a shepherd of goats, and \"nipping\" is cutting. Since the sap of the sycamore is raw and thick and harmful, those who nip cut the sycamore with small knives and make the sap flow out. But small creatures creep in from within, and when the sun's ray shines in, they sweeten and soften it. This is according to the letter; but according to the manner of spiritual interpretation, a goatherd is one who shepherds with reason the desiring part of the soul. And he nips sycamores who subdues the body through self-control and drains away the moisture of the passions; for such a one, like the small creatures, receives divine thoughts and is sweetened and softened in soul by the \"sun of righteousness\" and is established by God as a prophet and teacher for others.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ χαλκοῦς ὄφις ὁ κατὰ πρόσταξιν Θεοῦ ὑπὸ Μωυσέως ἐφ᾽ ὑψηλοῦ κρεμασθεὶς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἐξαρχῆς ἀπατήσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ νοητὸς ὄφις διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ τὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας νόμον ἡμῖν ἐγκατέμιξεν, ὄφεως δίκην ἕρπων ἐν ἡμῖν διὰ τῆς ἡδονῆς, διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τὴν ἔρημον παθῶν ἀρετὴν βαδίζων ἐὰν στραφῇ εἰς Αἴγυπτον, τουτέστιν εἰς τὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας σκοτασμόν, ὑπὸ τῶν νοητῶν ὄφεων\n\nπλήττεται· ἐὰν δὲ εἰς τὸν σταυρωθέντα Κύριον ἀτενίσει, οὗτινος ἡ σὰρξ ἐφ᾽ ὕψους κρεμασθεῖσα νεκρὸν εἶχεν τὸν ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ τοῦ ὄφεως τῆς ἁμαρτίας νόμον καὶ ἀνενέργητον, σῴζεται. Χαλκοῦς δὲ ὁ ὄφις, ἐπειδὴ οὔτε μείωσιν οὔτε ἰὸν ἐπιδέχεται ἡ τοῦ χαλκοῦ φύσις, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ὁ Κύριος προσήκατο ἰὸν ἁμαρτίας «οὐδὲ ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ εἶδεν διαφθοράν».\n\nἘπειδὴ δὲ ὁ Θεολόγος Γρηγόριος μέμνηται λέγων «ὁ δὲ χαλκοῦς ὄφις κρεμνᾶται μὲν κατὰ τῶν δακνόντων ὄφεων, οὐχ ὡς δὲ τύπος τούτου τοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν παθόντος, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἀντίτυπος» καὶ ὅτι «ὁ πιστεύων συννεκροῖ τὰς ὑπ᾽ αὐτὸν δυνάμεις», ἀναγκαῖον καὶ ταῦτα διασαφῆσαι. Ὁ δι᾽ ἀρετῆς καὶ γνώσεως τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὀπτικὸν ἀνακαθήρας γινώσκει σαφῶς ὅτι ἡ κακία ἀνυπόστατός ἐστιν καὶ ἐν οὐδενὶ τῶν ὄντων ὑπάρχουσα εἰ μὴ μόνον ἐν τῷ πράττεσθαι. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὁ ἀρχέκακος ὄφις τὴν σκολιότητα τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς ἐνεκέρασεν, ἐνκελεύεται Μωυσῆς κρεμάσαι τὸν χαλκοῦν ὄφιν, παραδηλῶν τὸ μέλλον ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου γενήσεσθαι· αὐτὸς γὰρ καὶ μόνος διὰ τοῦ πάθους τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐστηλίτευσεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ἔδειξεν ἀνενέργητον καὶ νεκράν.","english":"QUESTION: What does the bronze serpent mean, which at God's command was hung by Moses on high in the wilderness?\n\nANSWER: Since the noetic serpent who from the beginning deceived man mixed the law of sin into us in the flesh through disobedience, crawling in us through pleasure like a serpent, for this reason the one who walks through the wilderness of the passions in virtue, if he turns back to Egypt, that is, to the darkness of sin, is struck by the noetic serpents; but if he fixes his gaze on the crucified Lord, whose flesh, hung on high, held the law of the serpent of sin in our flesh dead and inactive, he is saved. And the serpent is bronze because the nature of bronze admits neither diminution nor venom, just as the Lord did not take in the venom of sin, \"nor did his flesh see corruption.\"\n\nSince Gregory the Theologian makes mention, saying, \"The bronze serpent is hung up against the serpents that bite, not as a type of him who suffered for us, but as an antitype,\" and that \"the one who believes puts to death the powers subject to him,\" it is necessary to clarify these things as well. The one who has purified the eye of the soul through virtue and knowledge knows clearly that evil is without subsistence and exists in none of the things that are, except only in being practiced. Since, then, the serpent, the originator of evil, mixed the crookedness of sin into man through disobedience, Moses is commanded to hang up the bronze serpent, hinting at what was to happen in the case of the Lord; for he alone, through the passion of the cross, exposed sin and showed it to be inactive and dead.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"Ὅστις οὖν ἀτενίζει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ πιστεύει νενεκρῶσθαι καὶ ἀνενέργητον γενέσθαι τὸν ἐχθρόν, οὗτος καὶ «συννεκροῖ τὰς ὑπ᾽ αὐτὸν δυνάμεις»· οὐκέτι γὰρ οὔτε διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων οὔτε διὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν δι᾽ ὧν εἶχεν τὸ κράτος, καταβλάψαι δύναται· διὰ τοῦτο οὖν εἴρηται τῷ πατρὶ «οὐχ ὡς τύπος, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἀντίτυπος», ὡς παραδηλοῦντος τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου νέκρωσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Πῶς χρὴ καὶ ἡμᾶς, εἴπερ «ὁ νόμος πνευματικός ἐστιν», ἑορτάζειν τὸ σάββατον τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ τὸ σάββατον τῶν ἑβδομάδων ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ Πεντηκοστή, καὶ τὸ σάββατον τῶν ἐνιαυτῶν τὴν ἑπταετερίδα, καὶ τὸ σάββατον τῆς ἑπταετερίδος ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Ἰωβηλαῖος;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἑορτάζομεν τὴν ἑβδομάδα τῶν ἡμερῶν ὅτ᾽ ἂν τὴν τῶν κακῶν ἐνέργειαν παύσωμεν, [ἢ] ἑορτάζομεν δὲ καὶ τὸ σάββατον τῶν ἑβδομάδων ὅτε τὰς συγκαταθέσεις τῶν πονηρῶν λογισμῶν παύσωμεν. Ἑορτάζομεν δὲ καὶ τὸ σάββατον τῶν ἐνιαυτῶν ὅτε τὴν προσβολὴν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας μὴ παραδεξώμεθα, ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἐνιαυτὸς ἔχει τῶν καρπῶν τὴν ἀναβλάστησιν καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐν τούτοις διεγείρουσαν. Ἑορτάζομεν δὲ καὶ τὸν ἰωβηλαῖον ὅτε τὰς μνήμας τῶν κακῶν καὶ φαντασίας τὰς ἐκ προλήμψεως ἡμῖν ἐπισυμβαινούσας τέλεον καταπαύσωμεν· τὸ γὰρ ἰωβηλαῖον ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ζῶντος λύσις δεσμῶν’ ἢ ‘ζῶντος ἀπαλλαγὴ πένθους·’ ὅτε γάρ τις τὴν ἀπάθειαν τελείαν κτήσηται, τότε λύεται τῶν δεσμῶν τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ πένθους ἀπαλλαγεὶς χαρὰν τῇ ψυχῇ εἰσοικίζεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει Ἐλισσαῖος ἀναστήσας τὸν υἱὸν τῆς Σουμανίτιδος; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐλισσαῖος ὁ προφήτης δηλοῖ τὸν Κύριον, ὁ δὲ τῆς Σουμανίτιδος παῖς τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν.","english":"Whoever therefore fixes his gaze on him and believes that the enemy has been put to death and made inactive, this man also \"puts to death with him the powers that are under him\"; for no longer, either through the senses or through sensible things, through which he had his power, can he do harm. For this reason, then, it was said to the Father, \"not as a type, but as an antitype,\" as indicating the putting to death of the devil. QUESTION: How ought we also, if indeed \"the law is spiritual,\" to keep the sabbath of days and the sabbath of weeks, which is Pentecost, and the sabbath of years, the seven-year period, and the sabbath of the seven-year period, which is the Jubilee? ANSWER: We keep the sabbath of days when we cease from the activity of evils; and we keep the sabbath of weeks when we cease from the assents to evil thoughts. And we keep the sabbath of years when we do not accept the assault of desire, since the year has the sprouting of fruits and stirs up desire in these things. And we keep the Jubilee when we completely cease from the memories of evils and the fantasies that come upon us from preconception; for Jubilee is interpreted as \"release of the bonds of the living\" or \"deliverance of the living from grief.\" For when someone has acquired perfect impassibility, then he is released from the bonds of sin, and, delivered from grief, he brings joy to dwell in his soul. QUESTION: What does Elisha raising the son of the Shunammite mean? ANSWER: Elisha the prophet signifies the Lord, and the child of the Shunammite signifies human nature.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἠσθένησεν αὐτὴ διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως καὶ τῷ διαβολικῷ καύσωνι ἐθανατώθη, ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Κύριος τὸν Μωυσῆν διὰ ῥάβδου θαυματουργοῦντα, καθάπερ καὶ Ἐλισσαῖος τὸν Γιεζεί, καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστησεν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, οὔτε δὲ οἱ προφῆται τοῦτο ἴσχυσαν. Αὐτὸς οὖν διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν ὁ Κύριος τὴν ἡμετέραν σάρκα ἀναλαβών, διὰ τῶν ταύτης παθημάτων τὴν νεκρωθεῖσαν ἡμῶν φύσιν ἐζωοποίησεν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 12\n\nΤί δήποτε ὁ μὲν εἷς τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν τὴν γενεαλογίαν ἀπὸ τῶν κάτω ἐπὶ τὰ ἄνω ποιεῖται, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος τὸ ἐναντίον;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἶμαι ὅτι οὐκ ἀσκόπως, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ λίαν μυστικῶς τοῦτο πεποιήκασιν· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ μὲν τῶν πιστῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν ἐπὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν τῶν ἐντολῶν κατάγονται, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς πράξεως τῶν ἐντολῶν ἀρχόμενοι ἐπὶ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀνάγονται, τούτου χάριν ὁ μὲν κατάγει, ὁ δὲ ἀνάγει τὴν γενεαλογίαν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν ἐν τῇ προθέσει τοῦ τιμίου σώματος καὶ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου τοὺς ἄρτους καὶ τὰ ποτήρια ἄνισα προτίθειν ἔθος ἐστὶν τῇ Ἔκκλησίᾳ; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πάντα ὑπερφυῆ λόγον ἔχουσιν τὰ ἐν τῇ Ἔκκλησίᾳ τελούμενα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατ᾽ ἐξαίρετον τὰ σύμβολα ταῦτα τῆς θείας οὐσίας εἰσὶν μυστήρια καὶ ἀπεικονίσματα, ἔστιν δὲ αὕτη ἀσύνθετος πᾶσα δὲ κτίσις σύνθετός ἐστιν, μόνη δέ, ὡς εἴρηται, ἡ ἁγία Τριὰς ἁπλῆ καὶ ἀσύνθετος διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἄνισα προτίθησιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοὺς ἄρτους καὶ τὰ ποτήρια, τὸ θεῖον ἐν τούτοις χαρακτηρίζουσα.","english":"For since she herself had become weak through the transgression and had been put to death by the devil's scorching heat, the Lord sent Moses working wonders with a rod, just as Elisha sent Gehazi, and he did not raise the man up, nor were the prophets able to do this. Therefore the Lord himself, out of love for mankind, took up our flesh, and through its sufferings he made alive our nature that had been put to death.\n\nQUESTION 12\n\nWhy is it that one of the evangelists makes the genealogy from the lower to the upper, while the other does the opposite?\n\nANSWER I think they have done this not without purpose, but rather very mystically; for since some of the faithful are led down from the promises to the practice of the commandments, while others, beginning from the practice of the commandments, are led up to the promises, for this reason the one leads the genealogy down, and the other leads it up.\n\nQUESTION For what reason, in the setting forth of the precious body and blood of the Lord, is it the custom of the Church to set forth the loaves and the cups unequal?\n\nANSWER All things that are accomplished in the Church have a transcendent meaning. Since these symbols are preeminently mysteries and representations of the divine essence, and this essence is without composition, while all creation is composite, and only, as has been said, the Holy Trinity is simple and without composition—for this reason, then, the Church sets forth the loaves and the cups unequal, marking the divine in these things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδή τινες ἀποροῦσιν ὅτι \"πῶς λαθεῖν λέγεται πάσας τὰς οὐρανίους δυνάμεις ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐνανθρώπησις, ὁπόταν εὑρίσκωμεν ὅτι καὶ αἱ προφητεῖαι αἱ περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου δι᾽ ἀγγέλων γεγόνασιν καὶ τὴν σύλληψιν τῆς παρθένου ὁ Γαβριὴλ εὐαγγελίζεται καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας ἄγγελοι μυσταγωγοῦσιν;\" τί οὖν ἐστιν τὸ λαθὸν τοὺς ἀγγέλους;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὅτι μὲν ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἄγγελοι τὴν μέλλουσαν ἔσεσθαι ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῦ Κυρίου ἐνανθρώπησιν, οὐ δεῖ ἀμφιβάλλειν. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἔλαθεν αὐτούς, ἡ ἀκατάληπτος τοῦ Κυρίου σύλληψις καὶ ὁ τρόπος πῶς ὅλος ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ ὅλος ὢν ἐν πᾶσιν καὶ πάντα πληρῶν, ὅλος ἦν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ τῆς Παρθένου.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δήποτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει Γεβάλ, ἐν ᾧ αἱ κατάραι ἐδόθησαν, προστάσσεται ὁ τοῦ Ναυὴ Ἰησοῦς θυσιαστήριον οἰκοδομῆσαι καὶ γράψαι τὸν νόμον; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ 'Γαρίζιν' ἑρμηνεύεται ‘περιτομή,’ 'Γεβὰλ' δὲ ‘φύραμα·’ ἐν τῷ φυράματι οὖν τῆς ἐθνικῆς μερίδος τῆς κατηραμένης πήγνυσιν θυσιαστήριον ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός, τουτέστιν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἐγγράφων τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν 'λιθίναις ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πλαξὶν' «καρδίαις σαρκίναις». Ἐκ λίθων δὲ τελείων, «ἐφ᾽ οὓς οὐκ ἐπεβλήθη σίδηρος», τὸ θυσιαστήριον οἰκοδομηθῆναι λέγει, δηλῶν τοὺς νοητοὺς λίθους τοὺς ἀποστόλους, ἀπελεκήτους διὰ τὸ ἁπλοῦν τῶν τρόπων καὶ ἀπέριττον γενομένους· ἐξ ὧν ἡ τῶν ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησία συνέστη.","english":"QUESTION: Since some are perplexed, saying, \"How is the Lord's becoming man said to have escaped the notice of all the heavenly powers, when we find that the prophecies concerning the Lord were given through angels, and Gabriel announces the conception of the virgin, and angels initiate the shepherds into the mystery?\" What, then, is it that escaped the notice of the angels?\n\nANSWER: That the angels knew beforehand the Lord's becoming man, which was to be for the salvation of men, there is no need to doubt. But this escaped them: the incomprehensible conception of the Lord, and the manner in which, being whole in the Father and whole in all things and filling all things, he was whole in the womb of the Virgin.\n\nQUESTION: Why ever, on Mount Gebal, where the curses were given, is Joshua the son of Nun commanded to build an altar and write the law?\n\nANSWER: \"Garizin\" is interpreted as \"circumcision,\" and \"Gebal\" as \"mixture.\" In the mixture, then, of the accursed portion of the Gentiles, our Lord Jesus Christ sets up an altar—that is, the Church—inscribing the law not on \"tablets of stone, but on tablets\" \"that are hearts of flesh.\" And he says that the altar was to be built of whole stones, \"upon which no iron was laid,\" signifying the spiritual stones, the apostles, who became unhewn through the simplicity and plainness of their ways; from these the Church of the Gentiles was constituted.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὅπερ ἀπειλεῖ ὁ προφήτης τοὺς ποιοῦντας «χαύωνας τῇ στρατιᾷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ» παραδίδοσθαι τῷ Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὥστε ἐν τῇ πύλῃ Ἱερουσαλὴμ πῆξαι τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Χαύωνές εἰσιν ἀρτίδια ἐκ διαφόρων εἰδῶν ὄντα, ἅπερ ποιοῦντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ἐτίθουν ἐν ταῖς θυρίσιν τῶν οἴκων, δεχόμεναι τὴν αὐγὴν τῆς σελήνης καὶ τοῦ ἑωσφόρου. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν χαύωνες ‘θυρίδες’ ἑρμηνεύονται, τοῦτο ὑποβάλλει νοεῖν ὅτι ὅστις διὰ τῆς ἡδονῆς τὰς αἰσθήσεις πρὸς τὰ\n\nαἰσθητὰ ἐπιτερπῶς ἔχει, οὗτος χαύωνας ποιεῖ. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸν νοητὸν Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐν τῇ πύλῃ Ἱερουσαλήμ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, δέχεται βασιλεύοντα ἐν αὐτῇ, ἐκθλίβων αὐτὴν ὡς ὑποχείριον· Ναβουχοδονόσορ γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘προφητεύων κρίσιν θλίψεως.’ ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῦσιν αἱ κατὰ τὸν νόμον προσαγόμεναι πέντε θυσίαι· τὸ πρόβατον, ὁ βοῦς, ἡ αἴξ, ἡ τρυγὼν καὶ ἡ περιστερά;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κατὰ μὲν μίαν ἐπιβολὴν λαμβάνεται ὁ κριὸς μὲν ὡς ἡγεμονικὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ λογιστικοῦ, ὁ δὲ ταῦρος ἐπὶ τοῦ θυμικοῦ, ἡ δὲ αἲξ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ, ἡ δὲ τρυγὼν ἐπὶ τῆς σωφροσύνης, ἡ περιστερὰ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ. Εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ τὰ ἑκάστου ζῴου προσόντα φυσικῶς ζητῆσαι καὶ ἑκάστου αὐτῶν τὴν πρόσφορον ἐφαρμόσαι θεωρίαν, φασὶν οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπεσκεμμένοι ὅτι τρία προσάγει τῷ κεκτημένῳ τὸ πρόβατον, τὸν μαλλόν, τὸ γάλα, τὸν ἀμνόν· ἡ δὲ κόρη τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ αὐτοῦ συμπεριπολεῖ τῷ ἡλίῳ καὶ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ἀφοδεύει σπυράθους τριακοσίους ἑξηκονταπέντε.","english":"QUESTION: What does it mean that the prophet threatens those who make \"chaunoi for the host of heaven\" with being handed over to Nebuchadnezzar, so that he sets up his throne in the gate of Jerusalem?\n\nANSWER: Chaunoi are little cakes made from various kinds of grain, which the Jews and their women, when making them, used to place in the windows of their houses, receiving the light of the moon and of the morning star. Since, then, chaunoi is translated as \"windows,\" this suggests the understanding that whoever through pleasure keeps his senses agreeably disposed toward sensible things, this man makes chaunoi. For this reason he also receives the noetic Nebuchadnezzar reigning in the gate of Jerusalem, that is, in the soul, oppressing it as subject; for Nebuchadnezzar is translated \"prophesying the judgment of affliction.\"\n\nQUESTION: What do the five sacrifices brought according to the law signify: the sheep, the ox, the goat, the turtledove, and the pigeon?\n\nANSWER: On one interpretation, the ram is taken as the ruling faculty in relation to the rational part, the bull in relation to the spirited part, the goat in relation to the desiring part, the turtledove in relation to chastity, and the pigeon in relation to sanctification. But if one must also inquire into the natural properties of each animal and apply the fitting contemplation of each of them, those who have examined such matters say that the sheep brings three things to its owner: wool, milk, and a lamb; and the pupil of its eye moves around with the sun, and each day it drops three hundred and sixty-five pellets.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"Τὸ δὲ λογικὸν πρόβατον ὁ ἄνθρωπος, εἴπερ ἑαυτὸν θυσίαν προσφέρειν τῷ κεκτημένῳ Θεῷ ἐσπούδακεν, χρεωστεῖ διδόναι ὥσπερ μαλλὸν τὴν ἠθικὴν πρᾶξιν, ὡς δὲ γάλα τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν θρεπτικὴ γὰρ αὐτὴ τοῦ νοῦ ὡς δὲ ἀμνὸν τὸν μαθητευόμενον ἀπογεννᾶν διὰ τῆς ἰδίας διδασκαλίας κατὰ πάντα ὅμοιον ἑαυτῷ καὶ τέλειον προσάγειν τῷ Θεῷ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν κόρην τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἔχει τῷ ἡλίῳ συμπεριπολοῦσαν, τουτέστιν τὸν νοῦν τῷ ἡλίῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης διὰ τῆς προνοητικῆς τῶν ὄντων διοικήσεως φέροντι τὰ ἡμέτερα συμπεριπολεῖ, τουτέστιν ἐπακολουθεῖ· ἔν τε γὰρ θλίψεσιν ἔν τε εὐημερίαις εὐχαριστῶν ἕπεται τῇ καλῶς ἀγούσῃ τὰ πάντα προνοίᾳ. Ἀποβάλλει δὲ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἑκάστης ἡμέρας σπυράθους τξε (365), τουτέστιν τὰ ὑπὸ χρόνον καὶ γένεσιν ὡς φθαρτὰ καὶ περισσὰ ἑκάστοτε ἀπορρίπτει.\n\nΠερὶ δὲ τοῦ βοός φασιν ὅτι τὴν καρδίαν τρίγωνον κέκτηται, τὸν δὲ νεφρὸν πεντάβολον· ἔχει δὲ καὶ τρεῖς στομάχους καὶ τὴν μὲν ἡμέραν φωτοειδεῖς ἔχει τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, τῇ δὲ νυκτὶ πυροειδεῖς καὶ τρίτον τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τρίτον τῆς νυκτὸς κατ᾽ ἀνατολὰς ὁρῶν πνέει φυσῶν· ὁ δὲ δεξιὸς αὐτοῦ ῥὶς εὐωδιάζει μόσχον, τὸ δὲ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἀναιρετικόν ἐστιν πάντων τῶν ἡμέρων ζῴων χωρὶς τοῦ κυνός. Δεῖ οὖν καὶ ἡμᾶς ὥσπερ βοῦν τὸν ζυγὸν φέροντας τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τὸ ἄροτρον τοῦ λόγου μεταχειριζομένους, τὰς λιθίνας ἀνατέμνειν καρδίας καὶ τὰς μὲν ἀκάνθας τῶν παθῶν ἐκριζοῦν, πλατύνειν δὲ τὴν γῆν τῆς καρδίας πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ θείου λόγου·","english":"The rational sheep is man, if indeed he has earnestly desired to offer himself as a sacrifice to God who possesses him; he owes it to give, as wool, his ethical practice, and as milk, his natural contemplation—for this is nourishing to the mind—and as a lamb, to bring forth the disciple through his own teaching, and to present him to God in all things like himself and perfect. But such a man also has the pupil of his eye revolving together with the sun, that is, his mind revolves together with the Sun of righteousness, who by his providential governance of things that exist carries our affairs along, that is, it follows after him; for both in afflictions and in prosperity, giving thanks, he follows the providence that rightly guides all things. And such a man casts off each day three hundred sixty-five droppings, that is, he continually throws away the things that are under time and generation as corruptible and superfluous.\n\nConcerning the ox, they say that it has a triangular heart, and a kidney of five lobes; it has also three stomachs, and by day it has eyes like light, but by night like fire, and at the third hour of the day and the third hour of the night, looking toward the east, it breathes by blowing; and its right nostril gives off a sweet odor, a calf, and its blood is destructive of all tame animals except the dog. It is necessary, then, that we too, like an ox bearing the yoke of Christ and handling the plow of the word, cut open stony hearts and root out the thorns of the passions, and broaden the earth of the heart for the reception of the divine word.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"ἔχειν δὲ καὶ τὴν καρδίαν τρίγωνον, τουτέστιν τὸν περὶ Τριάδος λόγον ὑγιῆ ἔχειν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, ἵνα ὥσπερ ἡ καρδία διαδίδωσι φυσικῶς τὴν ζωὴν τῷ σώματι, οὕτως καὶ ἡ εἰς Θεὸν εὐσέβεια τὰ μέλη τῆς ψυχῆς συνίστησιν· τὸν δὲ νεφρὸν ἔχειν πεντάβολον, τουτέστιν τὸ ἐπιθυμητικὸν μὴ πρὸς τὰ πάθη τετράφθαι, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν πέντε αἰσθήσεων τὴν κτίσιν κατοπτεύειν εἰς μόνην ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ ἀγάπην τοῦ κτίσαντος· τρεῖς δὲ καὶ στομάχους κεκτῆσθαι· ὁ στόμαχος πρῶτον τὰ σιτία δεχόμενος καὶ διὰ τῆς πεπτικῆς δυνάμεως τὸ εἰλικρινὲς αὐτῶν ἑκάστῳ τῶν μελῶν παραπέμψας, τὸ λοιπὸν τῇ κοιλίᾳ δίδωσιν.\n\nΟὕτως οὖν καὶ ἡμᾶς προσῆκεν διὰ πρακτικῆς καὶ φυσικῆς καὶ θεολογικῆς θεωρίας ἀγομένους καὶ τὰ πρόσφορα πᾶσιν τοῖς μέλεσιν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπονέμοντας, καὶ τοῦ ἥττονος προνοεῖσθαι μέρους, τουτέστιν τοῦ σώματος· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ κοιλία· τρίτον δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τρίτον τῆς νυκτὸς ἀφορῶντας πρὸς ἀνατολὰς πνέειν, τουτέστιν τὴν τρισσὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόνοιαν συντηρητικὴν καὶ ἐπιστρεπτικὴν καὶ παιδευτικὴν ἀφορῶντας, ἔν τε νυκτὶ πειρασμῶν ἔν τε ἡμέρᾳ εὐημερίας","english":"And it has a triangular heart, that is, to have the sound doctrine concerning the Trinity in the heart, so that just as the heart naturally distributes life to the body, so too piety toward God establishes the members of the soul; and it has a five-banded kidney, that is, the desiring faculty is not turned toward the passions, but through the five senses contemplates creation for the sole desire and love of the Creator; and it possesses three stomachs: the stomach first receives the food and, through the digestive power, sends the pure part of it to each of the members, and gives the rest to the belly.\n\nIn this way, then, it is fitting that we too, being led through practical, natural, and theological contemplation and assigning what is suitable to all the members of the soul, should also take forethought for the lesser part, that is, the body—for this is the belly—and, looking three times by day and three times by night, should breathe toward the east, that is, looking to the threefold providence of God—preservative, converting, and disciplinary—both in the night of temptations and in the day of prosperity.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"εὐχαριστεῖν· ἔχειν δὲ καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐν μὲν νυκτὶ πυροειδεῖς, ἐν δὲ ἡμέρᾳ φωτοειδεῖς, τουτέστιν τὴν θεωρητικὴν δύναμιν ἐν μὲν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν ἀρετῶν τὰς ἐκ τοῦ ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀκτίνας τῆς γνώσεως ὑποδεχομένην, ἐν δὲ τῇ νυκτὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἐπαγομένων ἀλλεπαλλήλων πειρασμῶν τοὺς λόγους καταλαμβάνουσαν τῶν ἐγκαταλείψεων· ἔχειν δὲ καὶ τὸν δεξιὸν ῥῖνα εὐώδη· δεξιὸν μέρος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐστὶν ἡ ψυχή, ἐπειδὴ διπλοῖ ἐσμεν ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος· ὁ οὖν διὰ τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς ἀρετὰς τὴν χάριν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐπισπασάμενος γίνεται τοῖς ἄλλοις εὐώδης. Τὸ δὲ αἷμα τοῦ τοιούτου ἀναιρετικόν ἐστιν τῶν ἡμέρων ζῴων, τουτέστιν ὁ κατὰ παρατροπὴν θυμὸς ἀναιρετικός ἐστιν τοῖς μιμουμένοις αὐτὸν ἀνθρώποις, τροφὴ δὲ τοῖς ὑλακτοῦσιν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν δαίμοσιν. Ἡ δὲ αἲξ φύσιν ἔχει τοιαύτην· τὰ ὄρη εὐκόλως ἀναβαίνουσα κρημνοβατεῖ καὶ ἐπιτέρπεται τῶν μουσικῶν μελῶν καὶ τὸ δεξιὸν αὐτῆς κέρας ἐὰν θυμιαθῇ ἐν οἱῳδήποτε τόπῳ, σεισμοῦ φαντασίαν παρέχει· ἀφοδεύει δὲ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας σπυράθους διακοσίους. Δεῖ οὖν καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν ψυχὴν τοὺς κρημνοὺς τῶν πειρασμῶν εὐθαρσῶς διαπηδᾶν καὶ τὰ προφητικὰ ὄρη ἀναβαίνοντας τὸ ὕψος τῆς γνώσεως θηρᾶσθαι καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ ἥδεσθαι, καὶ οὐ μόνον ἥδεσθαι ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τοῦ δόνακος, τουτέστιν τοῦ ἐμπράκτου λόγου διδάσκοντας ἡδονὴν ἐντιθέναι τοῖς ἀκούουσιν. Τὸ δὲ δεξιὸν κέρας σημαίνει ὅτι ὁ τὸ θεωρητικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς διὰ τῆς προσευχῆς τῷ Θεῷ προσαγαγών, εὐώδης γινόμενος τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἕξιν τῶν σαρκικῶν παθῶν διασαλεύει.","english":"To give thanks; and to have eyes fiery in the night, but light-like in the day—that is, the contemplative power receiving in the day of the virtues the rays of knowledge from the sun of righteousness, and in the night of successive temptations brought on for the sake of virtue grasping the principles of abandonments; and to have the right nostril fragrant. The right part of man is the soul, since we are double, of soul and body. So the one who, through the virtues of the soul, has drawn to himself the grace of the Holy Spirit becomes fragrant to others. And the blood of such a one is destructive to tame animals—that is, anger turned aside is destructive to the men who imitate it, but food for the demons who bark against us. And the goat has this nature: easily ascending the mountains, it walks on cliffs and delights in musical melodies, and its right horn, if burned as incense in any place, produces the appearance of an earthquake; and it voids two hundred dung-pellets each day. It is necessary, then, that our soul also boldly leap over the cliffs of temptations and, ascending the prophetic mountains, hunt the height of knowledge and delight in it, and not only delight but also, through the reed—that is, the practical word—teaching, instill pleasure in those who hear. And the right horn signifies that the one who offers the contemplative part of the soul to God through prayer, becoming fragrant to those who hear, shakes the disposition of fleshly passions in them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"Ὁ τοιοῦτος ἑκάστοτε τὴν περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἀποβάλλει πλάνην· αἱ γὰρ αἰσθήσεις τῶν αἰσθητῶν συμπλεκόμεναι· *** οἷον, δεκαπλούμενος ὁ τέσσαρα[ς] ἀριθμὸς ποιεῖ τὸν τεσσαράκοντα, οὗτος δὲ πενταπλούμενος ἀποτελεῖ τὰ διακόσια. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ δίδραγμον ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἀπαιτεῖται τελέσαι καὶ τίς ὁ ἰχθὺς ὃν ὁ Πέτρος κρατῆσαι κελεύεται καὶ τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ στατῆρα λαβεῖν καὶ δοῦναι τοῖς ἀπαιτοῦσιν;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἱ ἀπαιτοῦντες τὰ δίδραγμα εἰκόνα φέρουσιν τῶν φυσικῶν ἐν ἡμῖν παθῶν· οὗτοι προσῆλθον τῷ Πέτρῳ, τουτέστιν τῷ πρακτικῷ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ ταπεινῷ καὶ μαθητοῦ τρόπον τῷ πατρὶ ὑπακούσαντι, ἀπαιτοῦντες ὡς ἄνθρωπον ἅπερ εἶχον ἔθος πάντας ἀνθρώπους δασμολογεῖν. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἔδειξεν ὡς Θεὸς καὶ Δεσπότης διὰ τῆς παραβολῆς ἑαυτὸν ἐλεύθερον· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπείπερ τὴν ἡμετέραν ὑποδὺς σάρκα καὶ τὰ ταύτης κατεδέξατο ἀδιάβλητα πάθη, ταῦτα καὶ τελέσαι τῇ φύσει ἠνέσχετο χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας.","english":"Such a person always casts off the error of the senses concerning sensible things; for the senses are entwined with sensible things; *** for example, the number four multiplied tenfold makes forty, and this multiplied fivefold produces two hundred. QUESTION: What is the double-drachma which the Lord also is required to pay, and what is the fish which Peter is commanded to catch and to take the stater in it and give to those who demand it?\n\nANSWER: Those who demand the double-drachma bear the image of the natural passions within us; these came to Peter, that is, to the Lord's practical and humble faculty, which in the manner of a disciple obeyed the Father, demanding as from a man the things which they were accustomed to exact as tribute from all men. But the Lord showed Himself free as God and Master through the parable; yet since He put on our flesh and accepted its blameless passions, He endured also to pay these by nature without sin.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς πλάσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ δύο γενικοὺς αὐτῷ λόγους ἐνθέμενος, ἕνα μὲν προηγούμενον τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς, ἕτερον δὲ κατὰ πρόνοιαν τὸν τῆς σαρκός, οὐδοποτέρῳ δὲ τούτων ἐμμείναντος, ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν τῇ παραβάσει τῆς ἐντολῆς, τὸν δὲ τῇ παραχρήσει τῶν ὅρων τῆς φύσεως παρατρώσαντος, ὅντινα λόγον ἐν τῷ πάθει κρύψας εἴασεν νήχεσθαι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ τοῦ ταραχώδους βίου, διὰ τοῦτο ἀπαιτουμένου τοῦ Κυρίου τελέσαι τὸν φόρον τῆς φύσεως, ὡς Δεσπότης καὶ διορθωτὴς τῆς φύσεως, διὰ τοῦ λόγου τῆς πράξεως τὸ ἐννηχόμενον ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ τοῦ βίου γλίσχρον τῆς ἁμαρτίας πάθος κρατήσας καὶ τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ καταποθέντα λόγον, τουτέστιν τὸν ἐξαρχῆς κατὰ παραχώρησιν δεδομένον ὅρον τῆς χρείας, ἀνασπάσας, ἐλεύθερον τοῦ τῆς παραχρήσεως πάθους τῇ φύσει ἀπέδωκεν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 19\n\nἘπειδὴ Γρηγόριος ὁ Νύσσης ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ συγγράμμασιν φαίνεται τοῖς μὴ τὸ βάθος ἐπισταμένοις τῆς ὑψηλῆς αὐτοῦ θεωρίας πολλαχοῦ ἀποκατάστασιν ὑπεμφαίνειν, παρακαλῶ ὅπερ ἐπίστασαι περὶ τούτου εἰπεῖν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τρεῖς ἀποκαταστάσεις οἶδεν ἡ Ἐκκλησία· μίαν μὲν τὴν ἑκάστου κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς λόγον, ἐν ᾗ ἀποκαθίσταται τὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ λόγον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐκπληρώσας· δευτέραν δὲ τὴν τῆς ὅλης φύσεως ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει, τὴν εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ ἀθανασίαν ἀποκατάστασιν· τρίτη δέ, ᾗ καὶ μάλιστα κατακέχρηται ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ λόγοις ὁ Νύσσης Γρηγόριος, ἐστὶν αὕτη· ἡ τῶν ψυχικῶν δυνάμεων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ὑποπεσουσῶν εἰς ὅπερ ἐκτίσθησαν πάλιν ἀποκατάστασις.","english":"For since at the beginning he formed man and implanted in him two generic principles, one preceding, that of the soul, and the other by providence, that of the flesh, and he did not abide in either of these, but neglected the one by the transgression of the commandment and the other by the misuse of the bounds of nature, whatever principle he hid in his passion and left to swim in the sea of this troubled life—for this reason, when the Lord was required to pay the tax of nature, as Master and corrector of nature, through the principle of action he seized the slippery passion of sin that was swimming in the sea of life, and drawing up the principle swallowed within it, that is, the limit of need given from the beginning by concession, he restored it to nature free from the passion of misuse.\n\nQUESTION 19\n\nSince Gregory of Nyssa in his own writings appears, to those who do not know the depth of his lofty contemplation, in many places to hint at restoration, I ask you to say what you know about this. ANSWER The Church knows three restorations: one, that of each person according to the principle of virtue, in which he is restored when he has fulfilled the principle of virtue that is in him; a second, that of the whole nature in the resurrection, the restoration to incorruption and immortality; and a third, which Gregory of Nyssa especially employs in his own discourses, is this: the restoration of the psychic powers that have fallen under sin to that for which they were created.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"Δεῖ γὰρ ὥσπερ τὴν ὅλην φύσιν ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀφθαρσίαν χρόνῳ ἐλπιζομένῳ ἀπολαβεῖν, οὕτως καὶ τὰς παρατραπείσας τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις τῇ παρατάσει τῶν αἰώνων ἀποβαλεῖν τὰς ἐντεθείσας αὐτῇ τῆς κακίας μνήμας καὶ περάσασαν τοὺς πάντας αἰῶνας καὶ μὴ εὑρίσκουσαν στάσιν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἐλθεῖν, τὸν μὴ ἔχοντα πέρας, καὶ οὕτως, τῇ ἐπιγνώσει οὐ τῇ μεθέξει τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἀπολαβεῖν τὰς δυνάμεις καὶ εἰς τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀποκαταστῆναι καὶ δειχθῆναι τὸν δημιουργὸν ἀναίτιον τῆς ἁμαρτίας. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸν Βὴλ ἱστορία καὶ τίς ὁ Δανιὴλ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαρεῖος γινώσκων τὰ ἴχνη τῶν εἰσελθόντων ὅτι ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων εἰσίν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἐν τῇ ‘συγχύσει’ τοῦ βίου γινόμενος τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ Βαβυλὼν ἑρμηνεύεται ναὸν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ποιεῖ τῷ Βήλ, τουτέστιν τῷ διαβόλῳ· ἐν ᾧ εἰ γένηται ὁ Δανιήλ, τουτέστιν ὁ νόμος τοῦ Θεοῦ ’κρίσις’ γὰρ ‘Θεοῦ’ Δανιὴλ ἑρμηνεύεται διδάσκει τὸν Δαρεῖον, τουτέστιν τὸν βασιλέα νοῦν, ὅτι τὰ ἴχνη τῶν ἐν τῷ ναῷ, τουτέστιν τῆς ψυχῆς, περιπατούντων ἀνδρῶν εἰσιν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων, τουτέστιν θυμοῦ καὶ ἐπιθυμίας καὶ ἀγνοίας· ὅθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς νοῦς τοῦτο γινώσκων παραδίδωσι τῇ κρίσει, τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ πάντας ἄρδην ἀπολέσθαι. Ἡ δὲ πασθεῖσα κονία δηλοῖ τὴν ἄσκησιν καὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν· διὰ τούτων γὰρ κατάδηλα γίνονται τῷ νῷ τὰ ἴχνη τῶν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ διαθεόντων παθῶν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Πῶς δεῖ νοεῖν τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰρημένον «ἀπαρχὴ Χριστός, ἔπειτα οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ, εἶτα τὸ τέλος»;","english":"For just as the whole nature must receive in the resurrection the incorruption of the flesh in the time that is hoped for, so also the perverted powers of the soul must, through the extension of the ages, cast off the memories of evil implanted in it, and having passed through all the ages and finding no resting place, come to God, who has no end, and thus, by knowledge and not by participation in good things, recover the powers and be restored to the original state, and the Creator be shown to be blameless for sin. QUESTION: What does the story concerning Bel mean, and who is Daniel, and who is King Darius, who knew the footprints of those who entered, that they were of men and women and children? ANSWER: Every man who comes to be in the \"confusion\" of life—for Babylon is interpreted as confusion—makes his own soul a temple to Bel, that is, to the devil; in which, if Daniel comes to be—that is, the law of God; for Daniel is interpreted as \"judgment of God\"—he teaches Darius, that is, the king, the mind, that the footprints of those walking in the temple, that is, in the soul, are of men and women and children, that is, of anger and desire and ignorance; whence the king, the mind, knowing this, hands them over to judgment, to the law of God, so that all may be utterly destroyed. And the smitten clay signifies ascetic practice and humility; for through these the footprints of the passions running about in the soul become clearly manifest to the mind. QUESTION: How should one understand what was said by the Apostle, \"Christ the firstfruits, then those who are Christ's at his coming, then the end\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ «Ἀπαρχὴ Χριστὸς» διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως γέγονεν, «ἔπειτα οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ», οἱ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύσαντες, «εἶτα τὸ τέλος», πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν ἡ διὰ πίστεως σωτηρία. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸν καθένα θέλεις ἐκλαβεῖν τὰ εἰρημένα, «ἀπαρχὴ Χριστός» ἐστιν ἡ εἰς αὐτὸν πίστις, «ἔπειτα οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ», τὰ ἔργα τῆς πίστεως, «εἶτα τὸ τέλος», τὸ χωρισθῆναι πάντων, αἰσθητῶν τε καὶ νοητῶν, καὶ διὰ γνώσεως κολληθῆναι τῷ Θεῷ. Τὸ δὲ ἔσχατος ἐχθρὸς καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατός ἐστιν ὅτ᾽ ἂν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον θέλημα ἅπαν τῷ Θεῷ παραχωρήσωμεν· τότε καταργεῖται καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος ἐχθρός· θάνατος δὲ λέγεται ἐπειδὴ ἡ ζωὴ ὁ Θεός ἐστιν, τὸ δὲ ἀντικείμενον τῇ ζωῇ εἰκότως λέγεται θάνατος.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ τόξον ὅπερ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς διαθήκην πρὸς τὸ γένος τὸ ἀνθρώπινον;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ τὸ τόξον τετράχροόν ἐστιν, δηλοῖ τὴν σάρκα τοῦ Κυρίου ἐκ τεσσάρων καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς γενομένην στοιχείων καὶ μὴ ἔχουσαν αἰτίαν συστάσεως καθάπερ οὐδὲ τὸ","english":"ANSWER: \"Christ the firstfruits\" has come to be through the resurrection, \"then those of Christ,\" those who believed in him, \"then the end,\" the salvation of all the nations through faith. But if you wish to interpret what is said also in relation to each individual, \"Christ the firstfruits\" is faith in him, \"then those of Christ\" are the works of faith, \"then the end\" is to be separated from all things, both sensible and intelligible, and through knowledge to be joined to God. And the last enemy that is destroyed is death, whenever we ourselves also surrender our entire self-determining will to God; then the last enemy is also destroyed; and it is called death because God is life, and what is opposed to life is reasonably called death.\n\nQUESTION: What does the bow mean which God set in the cloud as a covenant with the human race?\n\nANSWER: Since the bow is four-colored, it signifies the flesh of the Lord, which came to be from the four elements according to us and has no cause of composition, just as neither does the","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":"τόξον. Ταύτην ἔθετο ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ· νεφέλη δὲ ὁ κόσμος διὰ τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἤτοι τὸ ἐπιτίμιον τοῦ θανάτου· ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ καλοῦ λαμβάνεται ἡ νεφέλη ὡς ἠπίως ἀρδεύουσα καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ καύσωνος σκιάζουσα, ποτὲ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ ὀργῆς ὡς διὰ τὸ ῥαγδαῖον καὶ σφοδρὸν καταστρέφειν καὶ χαλαζοῦν. Κατὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ τίθεσθαι τὸ τόξον λέγει, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ τῆς ὀργῆς κόσμῳ τὴν σάρκωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου, εἰς τὸ μηκέτι ἐκ τῶν τῆς κακίας ὑδάτων κατακλυσθῆναι τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος, τόξον δὲ διὰ τοῦτο, ἵνα γινώσκωμεν ὅτι ἡ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τοῦ Κυρίου καταλλαγὴ πόλεμός ἐστιν τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐχθρῶν καὶ πολεμίων, ἢ καὶ ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς τὸν ἐχθρὸν πόλεμος ἡμῖν γέγονεν καταλλαγή. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀπαγορεύει ὁ νόμος ἐσθίειν πᾶν αἷμα θηρίων καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Θηρία οὐ μόνον τὰ ἀτίθασα λέγει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἥμερα τὰ παρὰ τῷ νόμῳ ἀκάθαρτα, οἷον, ὄνον καὶ χοῖρον καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα· εἰσὶν δὲ ταῦτα πάθη κακίας σφοδρότερα καὶ ἀνήμερα. Οὐ χρὴ οὖν πρὸς σύστασιν τῆς ἡμῶν κακίας τούτοις κεχρῆσθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ αἷμα λαμβάνεται εἰς τὴν σύστασιν τῆς ζωῆς, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸν θυμὸν διὰ τὸν φόνον, ὑποβάλλει νοεῖν ὅτι δεῖ τὴν πᾶσαν ἡμῶν ζωὴν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ τιθέναι καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοῖς ζῆν ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ, καθά φησιν ὁ νόμος ὅτι \"ἐκχέεις τὸ αἷμα ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου\", ἢ καὶ τὸ θυμικὸν μὴ πρὸς ἰδίαν ἄμυναν ἢ πρὸς ἴδιον πάθος ἔχειν ὑπουργοῦντα ἀλλ᾽ ἢ μόνον πρὸς τὸ ἀνδρείως καὶ εὐτόνως τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν θείων ἀντέχεσθαι.","english":"The bow. He placed it in the cloud, that is, in the world; and the world is called a cloud because of the wrath of God, or rather the penalty of death. For sometimes \"cloud\" is taken in a good sense, as gently watering and casting shade from the heat, and sometimes also in the sense of wrath, as because of its rushing and violent nature it overturns and rains hail. In this sense, then, he says that the bow is placed in the cloud, that is, the incarnation of the Lord in the world of wrath, so that the human race might no longer be flooded by the waters of wickedness. And it is a bow for this reason, that we may know that the Lord's reconciliation with us is a war against our enemies and adversaries, or that the Lord's war against the enemy has become reconciliation for us. QUESTION: For what reason does the law forbid eating any blood of beasts and the rest? ANSWER: It calls \"beasts\" not only the untamed ones, but also the tame ones that are unclean under the law, such as the donkey and the pig and the like; and these are passions of wickedness more violent and untamed. It is not right, then, to employ these for the strengthening of our wickedness. But since blood is taken for the sustenance of life, and often also for anger because of murder, it suggests that we should understand that we must place our whole life before God and live not for ourselves but for God, as the law says, \"you shall pour out the blood before the altar,\" or also that we should not keep the spirited part of the soul serving our own defense or our own passion, but only for holding fast to God and divine things with courage and intensity.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":20,"ref":"p20","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὁ ταῦρος ὁ κερατιστὴς καὶ δια τί ἄλογον ὢν φονεύεται; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ταῦρος κερατιστής ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ λόγον ζῆλον ὡς δῆθεν κατὰ Θεὸν κεκτημένος καὶ τούτῳ κεχρημένος πρὸς ἑτέρων ἄμυναν. Χρὴ οὖν τὸ τοιοῦτον πάθος ἀποκτέννειν, ἵνα μὴ πολλοὺς πλῆξαν φονεύσῃ καὶ συνκινδυνεῦσαι παρασκευάσῃ τὸν ἴδιον δεσπότην, τουτέστιν τὴν ψυχήν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ὁ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ποικίλος χιτὼν καὶ τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸ ἐνύπνιον ἔκβασις τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν προσκυνήσεως; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πᾶς Ἰσραήλ, τουτέστιν ‘νοῦς ὁρῶν Θεόν,’ ποιεῖ τῷ ἰδίῳ υἱῷ τῷ Ἰωσήφ, τουτέστιν τῷ κατὰ Θεὸν γεννωμένῳ, χιτῶνα ποικίλον, τουτέστιν τὸν ἠθικὸν τρόπον ἐνδέει μετὰ τῆς ποικίλης τῶν ἀρετῶν διαφορᾶς. Τῷ τοιούτῳ οὖν Ἰωσὴφ ἑρμηνεύεται δὲ ‘πρόσθεσις’ προσκυνοῦσιν ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί· παντὶ γὰρ προστιθέντι καὶ αὔξοντι τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ γνώσεως μέτρα προσκυνοῦσιν ὁ φυσικὸς νόμος καὶ ἡ τιθηνοῦσα αἴσθησις, ὑποκύπτοντες μετὰ τῶν κατ᾽ αὐτοὺς λόγων φυσικῶν καὶ αἰσθητικῶν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ καὶ εἰς τὸν Κύριον λαμβάνεται ὁ Ἰωσήφ, ποιεῖν εἰκότως λέγεται ὁ Θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τῷ ἰδίῳ καὶ κατὰ φύσιν Υἱῷ χιτῶνα ποικίλον, ὅπερ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐξ ἡμῶν ἀνέλαβεν σῶμα ταῖς θείαις ἀρεταῖς πεποικιλμένον, κατὰ τὸ ἐν ψαλμοῖς εἰρημένον \"σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι\", ὅπερ οἱ κατὰ σάρκα ἀδελφοὶ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐκδύσαντες τῷ αἵματι τοῦ πάθους ἐμόλυναν. Προσεκύνησαν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ δώδεκα ἀδελφοί, τουτέστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ λατρεία καὶ οἱ ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα φυλῶν πιστεύσαντες.","english":"QUESTION: What is the horned bull according to the law, and why, though it is irrational, is it put to death? ANSWER: A horned bull is one who possesses zeal contrary to reason, as though for God, and uses it for defense against others. Such a passion must therefore be put to death, lest, having struck many, it kill them and cause its own master, that is, the soul, to share the danger. QUESTION: What is Joseph's many-colored tunic, and what does the fulfillment in the dream of the father's and brothers' bowing down signify? ANSWER: Every Israel, that is, \"a mind that sees God,\" makes for his own son Joseph, that is, for the one born according to God, a many-colored tunic, that is, the ethical manner of life woven with the varied diversity of the virtues. To such a Joseph—for the name is interpreted as \"addition\"—father and mother and brothers bow down; for to everyone who adds and increases the measures of virtue and knowledge, the natural law and the nurturing sense bow down, submitting together with their natural and sensory principles. But since Joseph is also taken to refer to the Lord, God and the Father is reasonably said to make for his own and natural Son a many-colored tunic, namely the body he took from us for our sake, adorned with the divine virtues, as it is said in the Psalms, \"but a body you prepared for me,\" which his brothers according to the flesh, the Jews, stripped off and defiled with the blood of his passion. And his father and mother and the twelve brothers bowed down to him, that is, the law and the worship and those from the twelve tribes who believed.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":21,"ref":"p21","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ στῦλος τῆς νεφέλης ὁδηγῶν τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ ὁ στῦλος τοῦ πυρὸς φωτίζων τὴν νύκτα;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Δι᾽ ἀμφοτέρων ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος σημαίνεται· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ διὰ τῆς πράξεως ὁδεύουσιν ἀναψύχων ἐκ τοῦ καύσωνος τῶν πειρασμῶν γίνεται στῦλος νεφέλης, τοῖς δὲ διὰ τῆς γνώσεως ὁδεύουσιν φωτίζων καὶ τὴν ἀχλὺν τῆς ἀγνωσίας ἀνακαθαίρων γίνεται στῦλος πυρός.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ μάννα καὶ τί τὸ ἐπόζειν τοῖς μὴ αὐτάρκως ἐκλέγουσιν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ μάννα σημαίνει τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον τὸν πᾶσιν διὰ πράξεως καὶ γνώσεως προσφυῶς ἁρμοζόμενον καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τρέφοντα. Ὅτ᾽ ἂν οὖν τις δεόντως καὶ κατὰ λόγον τούτῳ κέχρηται, τουτέστιν τὴν μεσότητα τῶν ἀρετῶν μετέρχεται, φεύγων ἐφίσης τὰς τούτων ὑπερβολὰς καὶ ἐλλείψεις, οὗτος τὸ μάννα αὐτάρκως συλλέγει. Ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ μὴ δεόντως ἀλλὰ καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν τῷ λόγῳ χρήσεται, οἷον καλὸν γὰρ ἀπὸ μιᾶς ἀρετῆς σημᾶναι τὸ λεγόμενον ὅτ᾽ ἄν τις σωφροσύνην μετερχόμενος φύγῃ μὲν τὸ ἀκόλαστον, βδελυκτὸν δὲ τὸν γάμον κρινεῖ, ἤδη ἐπώζεσεν αὐτῷ ὁ λόγος τῆς σωφροσύνης τῇ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς ἀμετρίᾳ, καὶ οὐ μόνον ἐπώζεσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σκώληκας ἐξῆρψεν, τουτέστιν πάθη ἕτερα γεννήσας.","english":"QUESTION: What does the pillar of cloud that led by day and the pillar of fire that gave light by night signify?\n\nANSWER: By both, the Word of God is signified. For to those who journey by practice, refreshing them from the heat of temptations, he becomes a pillar of cloud; and to those who journey by knowledge, giving light and clearing away the mist of ignorance, he becomes a pillar of fire.\n\nQUESTION: What does the manna signify, and what does it mean that it bred worms in those who gathered it without sufficiency? ANSWER: The manna signifies the Word of God, which adapts itself fittingly to all through practice and knowledge and nourishes the soul. Whenever, then, someone uses it as is due and according to reason—that is, pursues the mean of the virtues, avoiding alike their excesses and deficiencies—this person gathers the manna sufficiently. But whenever someone uses the Word not as is due but in excess—for it is good to illustrate what is said from a single virtue: whenever someone pursuing chastity flees licentiousness but judges marriage abominable—then the word of chastity has already bred worms in him through the immoderation of excess, and not only bred worms but also brought forth maggots, that is, having generated other passions.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":22,"ref":"p22","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ὁ λόγος τῆς πλησσομένης καὶ ἀποβαλλούσης γυναικὸς καὶ ὅτι «ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ τὸ παιδίον ἐξεικονισμένον, ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς» δοῦναι τὸν πλήξαντα ὁ νόμος διαγορεύει, εἰ δὲ ἀμόρφωτον ἐκπέσοι, ζημιοῖ μόνον; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κατὰ μὲν τὸ γράμμα οὕτως νοοῦμεν· ἐπειδὴ ὁ φόνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ψυχὴ γὰρ οὐδέποτε φονεύεται ἀθάνατος οὖσα διὰ τοῦτο τὸ μὴ ἐξεικονισμένον εἰς ἀνθρωπείαν μορφὴν οὐκ ἐπάγει τὸν κίνδυνον ἢ μόνον ὀλίγην ζημίαν· εἰ δὲ ἀπήρτισται ἡ ἀνθρωπεία εἰκών, φόνον εἰκότως τετελειωμένου ἀνθρώπου ὁ τοιοῦτος εἰσπράττεται. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν πνευματικὴν θεωρίαν τοῦτο ὑπολαμβάνομεν, ὅτι ὁ ψυχὴν ἐγκυμονήσασαν τὸν θεῖον λόγον καὶ μορφώσασαν διὰ τῆς ἕξεως τὸ σπέρμα τῆς ἀρετῆς σκανδαλίσας καὶ ποιήσας ἀποβάλλειν τὸ τοιοῦτον τῆς διδασκαλίας μόρφωμα, ἔνοχός ἐστιν τοῦ θανάτου· ὁ δὲ σκανδαλίζων ψυχὴν τὸν σπόρον μὲν τοῦ λόγου δεξαμένην, μὴ μορφώσασαν δὲ τοῦτον δι᾽ ἕξεως καὶ ἐνεργείας, ἐπιτιμίου ἄξιος.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνουσιν αἱ «ἓξ πόλεις τῶν φυγαδευτηρίων» καὶ διατί αἱ μὲν τρεῖς ἐδόθησαν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, αἱ δὲ ἄλλαι τρεῖς ἔξω; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ἡ φυλὴ τοῦ Γὰδ διὰ τὸ πολλὰ κεκτῆσθαι κτήνη ἔξω τῆς γῆς τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἔλαβεν τὰς πόλεις, ἐκ τούτων ἀφιέρωσεν ὁ νόμος τρεῖς εἰς τὸ καταφεύγειν τὸν ἀκουσίως φονεύοντα, τὰς δὲ ἄλλας τρεῖς εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Τοῦτο οὖν σημαίνεται κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς τρόπον·","english":"QUESTION: What is the meaning of the woman who is struck and miscarries, and that the law directs that if the child comes out fully formed, the one who struck her is to give \"life for life,\" but if it comes out unformed, he is only fined? ANSWER: According to the letter we understand it thus: since murder pertains to the body—for the soul is never murdered, being immortal—therefore what is not fully formed into human shape does not bring the danger of death, or only a small penalty; but if the human image has been completed, such a one is reasonably exacted as for the murder of a perfected human being. But according to spiritual contemplation we understand this: that whoever causes a soul that has conceived the divine word and has formed the seed of virtue through habit to stumble, and makes it cast away such a formation of teaching, is guilty of death; but whoever causes a soul to stumble that has received the seed of the word but has not formed it through habit and activity is worthy of rebuke.\n\nQUESTION: What do the \"six cities of refuge\" signify, and why were three given in the land of promise, and the other three outside? ANSWER: Since the tribe of Gad, because it possessed many cattle, received its cities outside the land of promise, from these the law consecrated three for the involuntary manslayer to flee to, and the other three in the land of promise. This, then, is signified according to the manner of spiritual interpretation:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":23,"ref":"p23","source":"ἐπειδὴ τρεῖς τρόποι εἰσὶν καθ᾽ οὓς ἀδιαθέτως ἁμαρτάνομεν, κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν τῆς τυραννίδος, ἐξ ἀπάτης καὶ ἐξ ἀγνοίας, δεῖ τὸν ἐν τούτοις ἐνεχόμενον, πρὶν τὸ παρεπόμενον πάθος καταδιῶξαν φονεύσῃ τὸν τοιοῦτον, ἐνδιαθέτως ποιοῦν ἁμαρτάνειν αὐτόν, φεύγειν, τὸν μὲν ἐκ τυραννίδος ἁμαρτάνοντα εἰς τὴν πόλιν τῆς ἐγκρατείας, τὸν δὲ ἐξ ἀπάτης εἰς τὴν πόλιν τῆς πείρας καὶ τῆς καλῆς πανουργίας, τὸν δὲ ἐξ ἀγνοίας εἰς τὴν πόλιν τῆς μαθήσεως. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀπενεμήθησαν τοῖς πρακτικοῖς διὰ τὸ εὔφορον καὶ πρὸς νομὴν κτηνῶν ἐπιτήδειον· ἡ γὰρ πρακτικὴ καὶ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἐστιν εὔφορος καὶ τῶν κτηνωδεστέρων ποιμαντική.\n\nΑἱ δὲ ἔσω πόλεις ἀπενεμήθησαν τοῖς γνωστικοῖς· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τρισὶν καταγίνεται ὁ γνωστικός, ἔν τε ἠθικῇ, φυσικῇ καὶ θεολογικῇ γνώσει, δεῖ τὸν ἀκουσίως φόνον ἐργαζόμενον, τουτέστιν ἀπείρως ἐπιβάλλοντα, ἐν μὲν τῇ ἠθικῇ διδασκαλίᾳ θυμὸν καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν παρὰ λόγον κινοῦντα εἰς τὴν πόλιν τῆς πραότητος καταφεύγειν τέλος γὰρ ἠθικῆς φιλοσοφίας ἡ πραότης ἐστίν, τὸν δὲ εἰς τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν σφαλλόμενον καὶ ἀνεπιστημόνως ἐπιβάλλοντα, εἰς τὴν πόλιν τῆς ἐπιστήμης καταφεύγειν· τὸν δὲ εἰς τὴν θεολογίαν σφαλλόμενον δεῖ καταφεύγειν εἰς τὴν πόλιν τῆς πίστεως, μήπως τὸ παρεπόμενον τῆς ἀγνοίας πάθος καταλαβεῖν ἐξισχύσει καὶ ἀπολέσῃ τὸν μέτοχον αὐτοῦ. Τί δέ ἐστιν τὸ «ἕως οὗ ὁ μέγας ἱερεὺς ἀποθάνῃ», μένειν δεῖ τὸν τοιοῦτον καὶ τότε εἰς τὴν ἔγκτητον αὐτοῦ γῆν ἐπανέρχεσθαι, ἀκόλουθον θεωρῆσαι. «Ἱερεὺς μέγας» ἐστὶν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός·","english":"Since there are three ways in which we sin without deliberate intent—through the act of tyranny, through deceit, and through ignorance—the one caught in these must, before the attendant passion pursue and kill such a person by making him sin with deliberate intent, flee: the one sinning from tyranny to the city of self-control, the one from deceit to the city of experience and noble cunning, and the one from ignorance to the city of learning. These were assigned to the practical, because of their fertility and suitability for the grazing of cattle; for the practical life is fertile in virtues and is the shepherd of the more beast-like.\n\nThe inner cities were assigned to the contemplative; for since the contemplative is occupied with three things—ethical, natural, and theological knowledge—the one who commits involuntary murder, that is, who applies himself without experience, must, when in ethical teaching he moves anger and desire contrary to reason, flee to the city of gentleness (for the end of ethical philosophy is gentleness); and the one who errs in natural contemplation and applies himself without understanding must flee to the city of knowledge; and the one who errs in theology must flee to the city of faith, lest the passion attendant upon ignorance prevail and destroy the one who partakes of it. But what is the meaning of \"until the great high priest dies,\" that such a one must remain and then return to his inherited land, it is fitting to consider. The \"great high priest\" is our Lord Jesus Christ.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":24,"ref":"p24","source":"ὅτ᾽ ἂν οὖν εἰς τελείαν ἀπάθειαν ἔλθωμεν καὶ μηκέτι προσάγωμεν αὐτῷ τι τῶν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, εἴτε λόγους εἴτε νοήματα, καὶ ἁπλῶς ὅτ᾽ ἂν ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν καὶ ἔννοιαν γενώμεθα καὶ «μηκέτι Χριστὸν κατὰ σάρκα γινώσκομεν», τότε ἀπέθανεν ἡμῖν ὁ μέγας ἱερεύς, μηκέτι παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἔκ τινος τῶν γεγονότων λατρείαν δεχόμενος· καὶ λοιπὸν εἰς τὴν ἔγκτητον ἡμῶν γῆν ἀποκαθιστάμεθα, τουτέστιν τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Θεῷ, ἐν ᾧ οἱ τῶν ἀρετῶν λόγοι εἰσίν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνες αἱ ῥάβδοι ἃς ὁ Ἰακὼβ λεπίσας ἔθηκεν εἰς τὰ ποτιστήρια καὶ τίς ἡ Ῥαχὴλ ἡ τὰ εἴδωλα κλέψασα καὶ τίς ἡ τερέβινθος ἐν ᾗ ταῦτα ὁ Ἰακὼβ κατέκρυψεν;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πᾶς Ἰακώβ, τουτέστιν ‘πτερνιστής,’ λεπίζει τὰς ῥάβδους, τουτέστιν τοὺς λόγους τῶν ὄντων καθαροὺς ποιῶν τῶν ἐπικειμένων αὐτοῖς ὑλικῶν σχημάτων τίθησιν ἐν τοῖς ποτιστηρίοις, τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ ἕξει τῆς γνώσεως, ἵνα οἱ δίκην προβάτων μαθητευόμενοι τῇ μαθήσει ἐν αὐτῇ ἐνκισσῶντες ἀποτυπῶνται πρὸς τὴν αὐτῆς μίμησιν. Πᾶσα οὖν ψυχὴ μαθητευθεῖσα οὕτως κλέπτει τὰ εἴδωλα τοῦ ἰδίου πατρὸς τοῦ κακῶς αὐτὴν πρότερον τῇ κακίᾳ γεννήσαντος. Εἰσὶν δὲ τὰ εἴδωλα μὴ ἐνόντα φυσικῶς τοῖς ὁρωμένοις, ἀλλ᾽ «ἐκ τοῦ κακοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου» εἰδωλοποιούμενα πρὸς ἀπάτην σχήματα· ἅπερ κλέπτει καλῶς ὁ κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον πάντα αἰχμαλωτίζων εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Κρύπτει δὲ ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς σάγμασιν τῶν καμήλων· κάμηλον ἐνταῦθα τὸ σῶμα λάβε διὰ τὸ σκολιὸν καὶ ὅτι διόλου τὰ ἴχνη τῶν ποδῶν τῇ γῇ ἐντυποῦσα ἡ κάμηλος τὸ ἐκ τῆς παραβάσεως γενόμενον σκολιὸν καὶ ἐμπαθὲς ἡμῶν δηλοῖ σῶμα·","english":"When, then, we come to perfect dispassion and no longer bring to him anything of this world, whether words or thoughts, and simply when we have come beyond sense and conception and \"no longer know Christ according to the flesh,\" then the great high priest has died for us, no longer receiving from us worship from any of the things that have come to be; and thereafter we are restored to our inherited land, that is, to the land in God himself, in which are the principles of the virtues.\n\nQUESTION: What are the rods that Jacob, having peeled them, placed in the watering troughs, and who is Rachel who stole the idols, and what is the terebinth in which Jacob hid these things?\n\nANSWER: Every Jacob—that is, \"supplanter\"—peels the rods, that is, making the principles of beings pure of the material forms that lie upon them, places them in the watering troughs, that is, in the habit of knowledge, so that those who are taught like sheep by the teaching, drinking from it, may be stamped in imitation of it. Every soul, then, that has been taught in this way steals the idols of its own father—of him who formerly gave birth to it badly through evil. And the idols are not things that exist naturally in the things seen, but forms fashioned as idols \"from the evil father, the devil,\" for deception; these the one who, according to the Apostle, takes every thought captive to the obedience of Christ steals well. And he hides them in the camels' packs; understand the camel here as the body, because of its crookedness and because the camel, imprinting its footprints entirely on the earth, signifies our body that has become crooked and passionate from transgression.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":25,"ref":"p25","source":"σάγματα δέ εἰσιν οἱ διάφοροι τῆς ἀσκήσεως τρόποι, οἷς ἐπικαθημένη ἡ ψυχὴ διαφεύγει τὸν ἐρευνῶντα τῆς κακίας πατέρα καὶ ζητοῦντα τὰ πρὸς ἐξαπάτην ἐπινοηθέντα αὐτῷ εἴδωλα, ἅπερ διὰ τῆς ὑψηλῆς περὶ αὐτῶν ἀναγωγῆς καὶ θεωρίας καλῶς ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἀποσπάσασα κατέκρυψεν ἐν τοῖς πιέζουσιν τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν τῆς ἐγκρατείας σάγμασιν. Ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἔλθῃ, τουτέστιν εἰς τὴν τελείαν γνῶσιν, τότε κελεύεται καὶ ταῦτα περιελέσθαι, τουτέστιν τὰ κλαπέντα καλῶς πρὸς ἡμετέραν ἀναγωγήν, εἴτε ἠθικωτέρους τρόπους ὥσπερ ἱμάτιον εἴτε τοὺς φυσικοὺς λόγους ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐνωτιζομένους ὥσπερ ἐνώτια. Ταῦτα γὰρ ὁ διορατικὸς νοῦς λαβὼν ἐν τῇ τερεβίνθῳ κατέκρυψεν, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ· πᾶσα γὰρ πρᾶξις καὶ γνῶσις ἐν αὐτῷ ἐνκέκρυπται. Τερεβίνθῳ δὲ ὁ σταυρὸς παρεικάζεται ἐπειδὴ ἐν μὲν τῷ χειμῶνι ἀτερπές ἐστιν πάνυ τὸ δένδρον, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἔαρι εὐωδέστατον πάνυ καὶ τερπνότατον· οὕτως καὶ ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν μὲν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ ἐξουδενώσεως δοκεῖ ἔχειν εἶδος, ἐν δὲ τῷ μέλλοντι πολλῆς εὐωδίας καὶ δόξης ἐκπέμπει εὐπρέπειαν.","english":"The \"saddles\" are the various modes of ascetic practice, upon which the soul, sitting mounted, escapes the father of wickedness who searches out and seeks the idols devised by him for deception; these idols the soul, through the lofty spiritual interpretation and contemplation of them, has well torn away from him and hidden in the saddles of self-control that press upon our body. But when it comes into the land of promise, that is, into perfect knowledge, then it is commanded also to take these off—that is, the things well stolen for our spiritual ascent, whether the more ethical modes like a garment, or the natural principles heard from them like earrings. For these the discerning mind, having taken, hid in the terebinth, that is, in the mystery of the cross; for all practice and knowledge is hidden in it. And the cross is likened to a terebinth because in winter the tree is altogether unpleasant, but in spring it is very fragrant and very pleasant; so too the cross of the Lord in the present life seems to have a form of contempt, but in the life to come it sends forth a beauty of great fragrance and glory.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":26,"ref":"p26","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸν Ἰούδαν καὶ τὴν Θάμαρ ἱστορία; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκ φύλης Ἰούδα τὸ «κατὰ σάρκα» γενόμενος καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ βίου ἐλθὼν τῇ πρὸς «τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ», ηὗρεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τῆς πλάνης τὴν ἐκπορνεύσασαν «ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων» τῶν ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησίαν καὶ συναφθεὶς παρέσχετο αὐτῇ ῥάβδον καὶ ὁρμίσκον καὶ δακτύλιον, τουτέστιν τὴν διὰ σταυροῦ νέκρωσιν καὶ τὴν περὶ τῶν ὄντων εὐσεβῆ δόξαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριν, καὶ ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν πρακτικήν, φυσικὴν καὶ θεολογικὴν γνῶσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τοῦ ἁγίου Κυρίλλου Ἀλεξανδρείας περὶ τοῦ Ναβουθὲ καὶ τοῦ Ἀχαάβ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Εἰς Χριστὸν ἀναφέρεται τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ναβουθέ· ἀμπελὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν· ὁ δὲ Ἀχαὰβ εἰς τύπον τῶν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἡγουμένων, οἵτινες ἤθελον ἔχειν αὐτὸν εἰς κῆπον λαχάνων, ποτίζοντες αὐτὸν ἀνατροπὴν θολεράν· τὸν δὲ Χριστὸν πρόσωπον ἐπέχοντα τοῦ Ναβουθὲ μὴ θελῆσαι αὐτὸν δοῦναι ὡς πατρῴαν κληρονομίαν· ὅθεν τὴν νοητὴν Ἰεζάβελ, τουτέστιν τὴν συναγωγήν, συκοφαντούμενον ἀναιρεῖν αὐτόν.","english":"QUESTION: What does the story concerning Judah and Tamar mean? ANSWER: Our Lord Jesus Christ, who became \"according to the flesh\" from the tribe of Judah and came in the way of life that leads to \"the lost sheep of the house of Israel,\" found in the way of error the Church of the Gentiles, which had played the harlot \"after other gods,\" and having joined himself to her he gave her a staff and a cord and a ring, that is, the mortification through the cross, the pious opinion concerning beings, and the grace of the Spirit, and, simply put, practical, natural, and theological knowledge. QUESTION: Of Saint Cyril of Alexandria concerning Naboth and Ahab. ANSWER: The things concerning Naboth are referred to Christ; and the vineyard is Israel, according to Isaiah; and Ahab is a type of the leaders of Israel, who wished to have it as a garden of vegetables, watering it with a muddy overthrow; but Christ, holding the person of Naboth, did not wish to give it as a paternal inheritance; whence the intelligible Jezebel, that is, the synagogue, having slandered him, put him to death.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":27,"ref":"p27","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Εἰς πρόσωπον τίνος λαμβάνεται ὁ Ἰεφθάε καὶ ἡ τούτου θυγάτηρ; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ μὲν Ἰεφθάε εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Κυρίου, ἡ δὲ τούτου θυγάτηρ εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ παντάχραντον σάρκα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ Ἰεφθάε ἐκ πόρνης ἦν γεγεννημένος καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων ἐξεδιώχθη καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἐπολέμησεν καὶ ἐνίκησεν τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, ὑποσχόμενος τῷ Θεῷ τὸν ὑπαντῶντα αὐτῷ ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων αὐτοῦ προσάγειν εἰς θυσίαν, οὕτως καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐκ τῆς ἐκπορνευσάσης ἡμῶν φύσεως τὸ κατὰ σάρκα ἀναμαρτήτως προελθὼν καὶ τῆς οἰκείας σαρκὸς γενόμενος σπορεύς, ἐκδιωχθείς τε ὑπὸ τῶν δοκούντων ἰδίων εἶναι Ἰουδαίων καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πόλεμον νικήσας, προσήγαγεν τὴν οἰκείαν αὐτοῦ σάρκα τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί· Ἰεφθάε γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ἄνοιξις Θεοῦ.’ ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ τὸ τῶν Παροιμιῶν τὸ «ἐν ὀκνηρίαις ταπεινωθήσεται δόκωσις καὶ ἐν ἀργίᾳ χειρῶν στάξει οἰκία»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡ δόκωσις λαμβάνεται εἰς τὰς φυσικὰς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις· ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ δοκοὶ ἀμελούμεναι καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἐπικειμένου βάρους καμπτόμεναι καταπίπτουσιν, οὕτως καὶ αἱ φυσικαὶ τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις, μὴ ἐπιμελούμεναι διὰ τῆς μελέτης τῶν θείων λογίων, τῷ βάρει τῶν ἑκουσίων καὶ ἀκουσίων πειρασμῶν καμπτόμεναι πρὸς τὰ αἰσθητὰ καταπίπτουσιν. Ἐν ἀργίᾳ δὲ χειρῶν στάζει οἰκία ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἡ ψυχὴ ἀπραξίαν ἀγαθῶν ἔχουσα, διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων τὰς τῶν ὑλικῶν φαντασίας σταλαγμῶν δίκην εἰσδεχομένη τὴν ἐνοικοῦσαν χάριν ἀποδιώκει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ ὁ ἐν Κανᾷ γάμος καὶ τί τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ τελεσθέντα μυστήρια;","english":"QUESTION: In whose person are Jephthah and his daughter to be understood? ANSWER: Jephthah is understood in the person of the Lord, and his daughter in the person of his all-immaculate flesh. For just as Jephthah was born of a harlot and was driven out by his own people, and going out he made war and conquered his adversaries, promising God to bring to sacrifice the one who met him from his own household, so too the Lord, who came forth without sin according to the flesh from our nature that had played the harlot, and became the sower of his own flesh, was driven out by the Jews who seemed to be his own, and having won the war on our behalf, he brought his own flesh to God and the Father; for Jephthah is interpreted as \"the opening of God.\" QUESTION: What does the passage in Proverbs mean, \"In slothfulness the beam shall be brought low, and in idleness of hands the house shall drip\"? ANSWER: The beam is understood as the natural powers of the soul; for just as beams, when neglected and bent by the weight laid upon them, fall down, so too the natural powers of the soul, when not cared for through the study of the divine oracles, being bent by the weight of voluntary and involuntary temptations, fall down toward sensible things. And \"in idleness of hands the house shall drip\" means that when the soul, having no practice of good works, receives through the senses the impressions of material things like drops, it drives away the grace that dwells within it. QUESTION: What does the marriage at Cana mean, and what are the mysteries accomplished in it?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":28,"ref":"p28","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κανὰ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘κτῆσις,’ Γαλιλαία δὲ ‘ἀποκάλυψις·’ πᾶς οὖν νοῦς ἕξιν ἀποκαλυπτικὴν ἔχων τῶν θείων, ἐν τῷ συνάπτεσθαι τῇ ἀρετῇ ἢ καὶ τῇ αἰσθήσει δέεται τῆς τοῦ λόγου μεσιτείας ἵνα ἡ μὲν ἀρετὴ τῇ γνώσει συναφθεῖσα τοῦ νοῦ, σύμφωνος γένηται πρὸς αὐτόν, ἡ δὲ αἴσθησις ὑποκύπτουσα ὑπὸ τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ\n\nνοῦ γένηται, τοῦ φυσικῶς αὐτὴν τάττοντος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ γνωστικὴ ἕξις διὰ τῆς καθ᾽ ἡδονὴν διαχύσεως ἐκ τῆς γενομένης παρακοῆς ὑδαρώθη, ἦλθεν ὁ Λόγος ἐπανάγων εἰς γῆν τὴν ἐξαρχῆς στερρότητα. Ἡ δὲ αἰτοῦσα μήτηρ ἐστὶν ἡ πίστις ἢ καὶ ἡ ταπείνωσις ἢ καὶ ἡ ἐπιστημονικὴ σοφία· ἑκάστη γὰρ τούτων τίκτειν πέφυκεν τὴν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἄκραν θεοειδῆ ἕξιν.\n\nΤὸ δὲ «οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου» δηλοῖ, ἐπειδὴ προηγεῖται ἡ διδασκαλία τῶν σημείων διὰ γὰρ τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ ἡ τῶν σημείων ἐπίδειξις γίνεται οὔπω δὲ ἦν ἐκεῖ διδάξας καὶ πεῖραν λαβὼν αὐτῶν ἀπιστίας, διὰ τοῦτο εἶπεν· «οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου».\n\nΟἱ δὲ ὑπηρέται δηλοῦσιν τοὺς προφήτας, οἵτινες τὴν φύσιν διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως κενωθεῖσαν διὰ τῆς αὐτῶν διδασκαλίας *** ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐλθὼν μετέβαλεν εἰς πνευματικὴν γνῶσιν καὶ τὴν φύσιν εἰς τὸ ὑπὲρ φύσιν ἀνήγαγεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως. Αὐτὴ γὰρ ἐπέχει τῆς Θεοτόκου τὸ πρόσωπον· καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ Θεοτόκος, κατὰ τὴν δημιουργίαν ἐκ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Υἱοῦ αὐτῆς ὑπάρχουσα, κατὰ σάρκα αὐτὴ αὐτὸν ἀπεκύησεν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις ἐκ τοῦ λόγου ὑπάρχουσα διὰ τῆς ἐνεργείας τῆς πράξεως τὸν λόγον εἰς ἐνέργειαν ἄγει.","english":"ANSWER: Cana is interpreted as “possession,” and Galilee as “revelation.” Every mind, then, that has a revelatory habit of divine things, when it is joined to virtue or also to sense, needs the mediation of the Word, so that virtue, having been joined to the knowledge of the mind, may become concordant with it, and sense, submitting, may come under the authority of the mind, which naturally orders it. But since the gnostic habit was made watery through the diffusion of pleasure from the disobedience that had occurred, the Word came, restoring to the earth the firmness that was from the beginning. And the mother who asks is faith, or also humility, or also scientific wisdom; for each of these is naturally disposed to give birth to the supremely God-like habit in human beings.\n\nAnd “My hour has not yet come” indicates that the teaching precedes the signs; for because of those who disbelieve the teaching, the display of signs takes place, but he had not yet taught there and taken experience of their disbelief; for this reason he said, “My hour has not yet come.”\n\nAnd the servants signify the prophets, who [restored] the nature that had been emptied through transgression through their own teaching *** and the Lord, having come, changed it into spiritual knowledge and led nature up to what is above nature through faith. For she [faith] holds the person of the Mother of God; for just as the Mother of God, existing according to creation from the Lord and her Son, herself gave birth to him according to the flesh, so also faith, existing from the Word, through the activity of practice brings the Word into activity.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":29,"ref":"p29","source":"Αἱ δὲ ὑδρίαι ἐπειδὴ ἕξ εἰσιν δηλοῦσιν τὴν ποιητικὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἕξιν διὰ τὸ καὶ τὸν Κύριον ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις τὸν ὁρατὸν δημιουργῆσαι κόσμον. Ὁ δὲ ἀρχιτρίκλινος ὁ διακριτικός ἐστιν νόμος· διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· «πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον προτίθησιν καὶ τότε τὸν ἐλάσσω»· ὁ γὰρ ἀκραιφνὴς καὶ διακριτικὸς νόμος διακρίνων «ἔδει», φησίν, «τὸν νοῦν πρῶτον τῇ ἐπιγνώσει εἰς τὸν αἴτιον ἀναδραμεῖν καὶ εἶθ᾽ οὕτως εἰς τὰ μετ᾽ αὐτόν, ὅπερ ὁ Ἀδὰμ οὐκ ἐποίησεν» ἢ καὶ ὅτι «τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου διδασκαλίαν ἔδει πρώτην ποθῆναι τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν». ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Πῶς νοήσωμεν τὸ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ὅτι «μείζων Ἰωάννου ἐν γεννητοῖς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, ὁ δὲ μικρότερος αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὅστις ὑπὲρ τὸν Ἰωάννην ταπεινώσει ἑαυτόν τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ «μικρότερος» ἐκεῖνος μείζων ἐστὶν τοῦ Ἰωάννου. Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως· ἐπειδὴ ὁ Ἰωάννης τὴν ἐνταῦθα ἐφικτὴν διὰ θεωρίας γνῶσιν κατειληφέναι πιστεύεται, ἡ μικρὰ καὶ τελευταία κατὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν φανήσεσθαι κατάστασιν γνῶσις μείζων ὑπάρχει τῆς ἐνταῦθα. Ἢ καὶ ὅτι ὁ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἄκρος θεολόγος τοῦ ἐν ἀγγέλοις ἐσχάτου ἐστὶν μικρότερος. Ἢ καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν πολιτείαν τὴν ἐσχάτην ἔχων τάξιν τοῦ κατὰ τὴν νομικὴν δικαιοσύνην ἄκρου μείζων ἐστίν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἄρα δηλοῦσιν τὰ παρὰ τῷ νόμῳ ἀκάθαρτα ὄρνεά τε καὶ χερσαῖα καὶ ἔνυδρα τῷ καθολικῷ λόγῳ;","english":"The water jars, since there are six, signify the productive habit of good things, because the Lord also created the visible world in six days. The steward of the feast is the discerning law; therefore it says: “Every man first sets out the good wine and then the lesser”; for the pure and discerning law, in discerning, says, “the mind ought first to run back in knowledge to the Cause and then thus to the things after him, which Adam did not do,” or also that “the teaching of the Lord ought to have been desired first, before the law and the prophets.” QUESTION: How should we understand the Gospel saying that “among those born of women none has arisen greater than John, yet the lesser than he in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”? ANSWER: Whoever humbles himself more than John—for this is the “lesser”—that one is greater than John. Or also otherwise: since John is believed to have attained the knowledge here attainable through contemplation, the small and last knowledge that will appear in the future state is greater than that here. Or also that the one who is foremost among men as a theologian is lesser than the last among angels. Or also that the one who holds the last rank in the evangelical conduct is greater than the one who is foremost in legal righteousness. QUESTION: What, then, do the unclean birds and land animals and water creatures in the law signify by the universal principle?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":30,"ref":"p30","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὰ μὲν ὄρνεα δηλοῦν ὑπειλήφαμεν τὸ καθόλου τῆς κενοδοξίας καὶ ὑπερηφανίας πάθος εἰς διαφόρους τρόπους διαιρούμενον κατὰ τὰς τῶν ὀρνέων διαφοράς. Τὰ δὲ καθόλου χερσαῖα ζῷα δηλοῦσιν τὸ πάθος τῆς φιλαργυρίας εἰς διαφορὰς σχιζόμενον κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου ἤθους τῶν ζῴων διαφοράν. Τὰ δὲ καθόλου ἔνυδρα δηλοῦσιν τὸ τῆς γαστριμαργίας πάθος διὰ τὸ γλίσχρον καὶ δυσκίνητον καὶ τῇ γῇ ἐνκυλινδεῖσθαι καὶ φλέγμα εἶναι τοὺς παρὰ τῷ νόμῳ ἀκαθάρτους ἰχθύας· τὰ δὲ ἔχοντα πτερύγια καὶ λεπίδας καθαρὰ ὁ νόμος ὁρίζεται, σημαίνων διὰ μὲν τοῦ ἔχοντος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ πτερύγια τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ἡδονῇ ἔχοντα ἐπηρτημένον ὑψηλὸν λόγον μὴ συγχωροῦντα ἐπὶ τῇ κοιλίᾳ πορεύεσθαι, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ νώτου ἔχοντος πτερύγια τὸν τῇ ὑπομονῇ τῶν ἐπερχομένων ἀνδρικῶς διανηχόμενον τοῦ βίου τὴν\n\nθάλασσαν, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἔχοντος ἐν τῇ οὐρᾷ πτερύγια τὸν εὐμηχάνως τὰς λαβὰς τῶν θηρευτῶν δαιμόνων διαδιδράσκοντα, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἔχοντος ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν πτερύγια τὸν ἔχοντα τὸ θεωρητικὸν πάντοθεν τὸν νοῦν κατασφαλίζοντα. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν πρὶν γεννηθῆναι τὸν Ἡσαῦ ἡ Γραφὴ λέγει μεμισῆσθαι αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν δὲ Ἰακὼβ ἠγαπῆσθαι;","english":"ANSWER: We have supposed that the birds indicate the general passion of vainglory and pride, divided into various modes according to the differences of the birds. But the land animals in general indicate the passion of avarice, split into differences according to the difference of each animal's character. And the water creatures in general indicate the passion of gluttony, because of their slipperiness and sluggishness and their wallowing in the earth and being phlegm—the fish unclean according to the law; but those having fins and scales the law defines as clean, signifying by the one having fins on its belly the one who has a lofty reason suspended over pleasure, not permitting him to walk upon his belly, and by the one having fins on its back the one who by endurance of what comes upon him manfully swims across the sea of this life, and by the one having fins on its tail the one who cleverly escapes the grasp of the hunting demons, and by the one having fins on its head on either side the one who secures his contemplative mind from every side. QUESTION: For what reason does the Scripture say that Esau was hated by God before he was born, but Jacob was loved?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":31,"ref":"p31","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κατὰ μὲν τὸ γράμμα δῆλον ὡς ἐγίνωσκεν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ πάντα εἰδὼς πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν ὁποῖοι ἤμελλον ἔσεσθαι κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἑκάτεροι καὶ ὡς γινώσκων τὸν μὲν ἤδη ἐμίσει, τὸν δὲ ἠγάπα. Εἰ δὲ κατ᾽ ἀναγωγὴν ἐξετάζει τις τὸ προκείμενον, μεμίσηται παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ πᾶς νοῦς κατὰ τὸν Ἡσαῦ δασὺς τῇ ὕλῃ τῇ κοσμικῇ καὶ τετραχυμμένος τοῖς ἀπηγορευμένοις λογισμοῖς· ἠγάπηται δὲ πᾶς Ἰακώβ, νοῦς λεῖος, ἀπέριττος καὶ ἄϋλος καὶ μονότροπος. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ πᾶς Ἰσαὰκ ἔχει δύο υἱούς, οἵτινες πρὶν γεννηθῶσιν ὁ μὲν μεμίσηται, ὁ δὲ ἠγάπηται· εἰσὶν δὲ οὗτοι «ὁ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος» καὶ «τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκός»· οἵτινες καὶ πρὶν εἰς ἐνέργειαν ἔλθωσιν ὁ μὲν ἠγάπηται, ὁ δὲ μεμίσηται.\n\nΚαὶ ἄλλως ὁ Ἰσαὰκ εἰς τύπον λαμβάνεται τοῦ Θεοῦ· οὗτος ἔσχεν δύο υἱούς, τὸν γραπτὸν καὶ τὸν πνευματικὸν νόμον· καὶ ὁ μὲν δασὺς ἦν καὶ τραχύς, ὁ δὲ λεῖος. Εἶχεν γὰρ ὁ νόμος πολλὰς καὶ ἀναριθμήτους παρατηρήσεις καὶ ἐμισήθη κατὰ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν ὅτι «τὰς ἑορτὰς ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ σάββατα μισεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου»· ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἠγαπᾶτο· ἦν γὰρ λεῖος· τὸ γὰρ Εὐαγγέλιον λεῖόν ἐστιν καὶ συντετμημένον· ἀπαιτεῖ γὰρ πίστιν εἰλικρινῆ εἰς Θεὸν καὶ ἀγαθὴν συνείδησιν εἰς τὸν πλησίον. [Περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἄλλως] Ἢ καὶ κατὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων ἑρμηνείαν μεμίσηται παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ πᾶς ‘ἐξουδενωτὴς’ καὶ φαῦλος τῆς εὐσεβείας· τοῦτο γὰρ Ἡσαῦ ἑρμηνεύεται· ἠγάπηται δὲ πᾶς ‘πτερνιστὴς’ τῆς κακίας, ὅπερ ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἑρμηνεύεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δήποτε ὁ μὲν Ἀβραὰμ τρεῖς ἀγγέλους εἶδεν, ὁ δὲ Λὼτ δύο;","english":"ANSWER: According to the letter, it is clear that God, who knows all things before their coming into being, knew of what sort each of the two would be according to their free choice, and knowing this, he already hated the one and loved the other. But if one examines the matter at hand by way of spiritual interpretation, every mind is hated by God in the manner of Esau—hairy with worldly matter and rough with forbidden thoughts; and every Jacob is loved—a smooth mind, simple, immaterial, and single in its disposition. And in another sense, every Isaac has two sons, who before they were born, the one is hated and the other loved; and these are \"the law of the spirit\" and \"the mind of the flesh\"; and before they come into activity, the one is loved and the other hated.\n\nAnd in another sense, Isaac is taken as a type of God; he had two sons, the written law and the spiritual law; and the one was hairy and rough, the other smooth. For the law had many and countless observances, and it was hated according to Isaiah, for \"my soul hates your feasts and sabbaths\"; but the other was loved, for it was smooth; for the Gospel is smooth and concise, for it requires sincere faith toward God and a good conscience toward one's neighbor. [On the same matter, in another sense] Or, according to the interpretation of the names, every \"despiser\" and base person in matters of piety is hated by God—for this is what Esau means; and every \"supplanter\" of evil is loved, which is what Jacob means. QUESTION: Why is it that Abraham saw three angels, but Lot two?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":32,"ref":"p32","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ μὲν Ἀβραὰμ ἅτε τετελειωμένος καὶ ὑπερβὰς τὰ φαινόμενα καὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος καὶ μονάδος τὴν γνῶσιν ἐλλαμφθείς διὸ καὶ τὸ ἄλφα εἰς προσθήκην τοῦ ὀνόματος δέχεται ὡς μόνος τῷ μόνῳ κατὰ τὴν γνῶσιν προσχωρήσας εἰκότως τρεῖς ἀγγέλους ὁρᾷ. Ὁ δὲ Λὼτ μήπω τὰ ὁρώμενα τῇ γνώσει διαβάς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ὁρωμένων τὸ θεῖον θρησκεύων καὶ μηδὲν πλείω τούτων φανταζόμενος, μὴ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὰ δύο, ὕλην καὶ τὸ εἶδος, γενόμενος, ἐξ ὧν τὰ φαινόμενα, μὴ δὲ τὸν περὶ μονάδος καὶ τριάδος λόγον τῇ γνώσει περιλαβών, διὰ τοῦτο δύο ἀγγέλους ὁρᾷ. Ὅθεν ἐπισπευδόντων αὐτὸν τῶν ἀγγέλων καὶ εἰς τὸ ὄρος σῴζεσθαι κατεπειγόντων, ἀπώκνησεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἀνελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν Σιγὼρ καταλαβεῖν παρεκάλει, εἰς τὴν μικροτέραν γνῶσιν· ‘μικρὰ’ γὰρ ἡ Σιγὼρ ἑρμηνεύεται. Οἱ δὲ τὸν Λὼτ ἐκβάλλοντες ἄγγελοι λαμβάνονται ἐπὶ τῶν δύο Διαθηκῶν τοῦ τε γραπτοῦ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ νόμου· διὰ τούτων γὰρ ἐκβάλλεταί τις καὶ φεύγει τὴν περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ πλάνην καὶ τὸν ἐκ τούτων διαφεύγει ἐμπρησμόν. Ἔχει δὲ τὴν σύνοικον αἴσθησιν συναναβαίνουσαν· ἐὰν οὖν ταύτη στραφῇ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, γίνεται στήλη ἁλός, παράδειγμα πᾶσιν ἐκκειμένη, τῆς ἁλμώδους κακίας τὴν ἀμετάθετον ἕξιν φέρουσα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ οἶνον ἐκ Σοδόμων ἐπιφέρεται, ὅπερ δηλοῖ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων λογισμῶν τὰς προλήψεις, αἱ δύο θυγατέρες μεθύσκουσιν τὸν τοιοῦτον πρὸς τὸ συλλαβεῖν· ἔστιν μὲν οὖν ἡ πρώτη θυγάτηρ ἡ ἐπιθυμία· ἐπὰν γὰρ τὰς πρώτας τῶν προλήψεων μνήμας ἀνακινήσει ὁ νοῦς, εὐθέως ἡ ἐπιθυμία συγγινομένη συμλαμβάνει τὴν συγκατάθεσιν· εὐθέως οὖν καὶ ἡ δευτέρα προσέρχεται· ἔστιν δὲ ἡ","english":"ANSWER: The answer: Abraham, being perfected and having transcended things visible and illuminated with the knowledge of the Holy Trinity and Unity—for which reason he also receives the alpha as an addition to his name, as one who alone in knowledge drew near to the One alone—rightly sees three angels. But Lot, not yet having transcended things seen by knowledge, but worshipping the divine from things seen and imagining nothing beyond these, nor having become beyond the two, matter and form, from which things visible consist, nor having grasped in knowledge the account concerning Unity and Trinity—for this reason he sees two angels. Hence, when the angels urged him on and pressed him to be saved on the mountain, he shrank back from going up the mountain, but begged to reach Sigor, that is, the lesser knowledge; for Sigor is interpreted as \"little.\" The angels who cast Lot out are taken to refer to the two Testaments, the written and the evangelical law; for through these a person is cast out and flees the error concerning sensible things and escapes the conflagration that comes from them. He has his companion, sense perception, going up with him; if therefore he turns back to the things behind, he becomes a pillar of salt, set forth as an example to all, bearing the unchangeable disposition of salt-like wickedness. And if he also brings wine from Sodom, which signifies the preconceptions of impure thoughts, his two daughters make such a one drunk so as to conceive; the first daughter, then, is desire; for when the mind stirs up the first memories of preconceptions, desire immediately consorts and conceives assent; immediately, then, the second also comes; and it is the","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":33,"ref":"p33","source":"ἡδονή· μεθ᾽ οὗ συγγινομένη συλλαμβάνει τὴν ἐνέργειαν. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐπικατάρατα τὰ τοιαῦτα κυήματα καὶ οὐκ εἰσέρχονται «εἰς Ἐκκλησίαν Κυρίου ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης καὶ δεκάτης γενεᾶς».\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δήποτε πολλῶν ὄντων βαρυτέρων ὕβρεων ὁ Κύριος ἐν Εὐαγγελίοις τὸν λέγοντα τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ «μωρὸν» τῆς γεέννης ὑπεύθυνον ὁρίζεται, τὸν δὲ λέγοντα «ῥακὰ» τῷ συνεδρίῳ ὑποκεῖσθαι λέγει; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ «μωρὸς» ὄνομα λέγουσιν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἄφρονος λαμβάνεσθαι καὶ ἀνοήτου, τὸ δὲ «ῥακὰ» Ἑβραίων φωνῇ ‘κατάπτυστον’ ἑρμηνεύεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀθέου καὶ ἀπίστου τὸ «μωρὸς» ὄνομα εἴρηται κατὰ τὸ «εἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· \"οὐκ ἔστιν Θεός\"», καὶ κατὰ τὸν Μωυσῆν λέγοντα «οὗτος λαὸς μωρὸς καὶ οὐχὶ σοφός», ὅστις τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμόπιστον ἄθεον καὶ εἰδωλολάτρην ἢ αἱρετικὸν καὶ ἄπιστον ἀποκαλεῖ, οὗτος λέγει μωρὸν καὶ τῆς γεέννης δικαίως ὑπεύθυνος γίνεται. Ὅστις δὲ λέγει «ῥακά», τουτέστιν 'ἐμπτυσμένε καὶ ἀκάθαρτε', οὗτος τὸν βίον διαβάλλει τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰκότως κουφοτέρου ἐπιτιμίου ὑπόκειται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ ἐν τοῖς Κριταῖς ἱστορία ἡ κατὰ τὸν Λευΐτην καὶ τὴν παλλακὴν ἣν παραχρησάμενοι ἐφόνευσαν οἱ τῆς φυλῆς Βενιαμίν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς γενόμενος ἐκ Θεοῦ ἱερὸς νοῦς τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως ἐθανάτωσεν, ἔλαβεν τὴν παλλακήν, τουτέστιν τὴν νομικὴν λατρείαν, μὴ οὖσαν φυσικὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπείσακτον· εἶτα ἐπαναστάντων τῶν φυσικῶν κινημάτων οἱονεὶ λύκων ἐφόνευσαν καὶ αὐτήν.","english":"Pleasure; uniting with it, she conceives the activity. For this reason such conceptions are accursed, and they do not enter \"into the assembly of the Lord until the third and fourth and tenth generation.\"\n\nQUESTION: Why ever, when there are many graver insults, does the Lord in the Gospels declare the one who calls his brother \"fool\" liable to Gehenna, but says that the one who says \"raca\" is subject to the council? ANSWER: The name \"fool\" they say is taken for the senseless and unintelligent, while \"raca\" is translated in the Hebrew tongue as \"spat upon.\" Since, then, the name \"fool\" is spoken of the godless and unbelieving, according to \"The fool said in his heart: 'There is no God,'\" and according to Moses saying, \"This people is foolish and not wise,\" whoever calls his brother—one of the same faith—godless and an idolater, or a heretic and unbeliever, this man says \"fool\" and justly becomes liable to Gehenna. But whoever says \"raca,\" that is, \"spat upon and unclean,\" this man slanders his brother's life and reasonably is subject to a lighter penalty. QUESTION: What does the story in Judges mean, concerning the Levite and the concubine whom the men of the tribe of Benjamin abused and killed? ANSWER: Since the sacred mind, which came from God in the beginning, put to death the natural law through transgression, it took the concubine, that is, the legal worship, which is not natural but introduced from without; then, when the natural impulses rose up like wolves, they killed her too.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":34,"ref":"p34","source":"Ὁ δὲ ἱερὸς νοῦς ἀγανακτήσας μελίζει ταύτην καὶ ἀποστέλλει εἰς πᾶν ὅριον Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὰς δώδεκα φυλάς, τουτέστιν τὰς νομικὰς ἐντολὰς διέλει καὶ ἑκάστην ἀπονέμει τῇ ἁρμοζούσῃ τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμει, ὥστε πάσας συγκινηθῆναι πρὸς ἀναίρεσιν τῶν ἀτακτησάντων λογισμῶν. Εἰσὶν δὲ τρεῖς μὲν αἱ τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις· τὸ λογικόν, τὸ ἐπιθυμητικόν, τὸ θυμικόν. Δέονται δὲ αὗται τῶν γενικῶν τεσσάρων ἀρετῶν· ἄνευ γὰρ τούτων οὔτε κακίας ἀναίρεσις γίνεται, οὔτε ἀρετῆς κατόρθωσις. Εἶτα πρὸς τὸ καὶ εἰς ἐνέργειαν τὰ καλῶς κριθέντα ἐλθεῖν χρῄζουσιν καὶ τῶν πέντε αἰσθήσεων ἵνα ὁ δωδέκατος εἰς πέρας ἔλθῃ ἀριθμός, ὁ πάντα τὸν Ἰσραὴλ χαρακτηρίζων. Ἢ καὶ χρόνον καὶ φύσιν ὁ δωδέκατος σημαίνει ἀριθμός· ἑβδοματικὸς γὰρ ὁ χρόνος, πενταδικὴ δὲ ἡ φύσις. Τὸ δὲ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ πολλοὺς τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν πεσεῖν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τοὺς ὀλίγους νικῆσαι σημαίνει ὅτι δεῖ τὸν πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀνταγωνιζόμενον καθαρεύειν παντὸς πάθους, ἐπεὶ ἕως ὅτε ἢ ὑψηλοφροσύνῃ κεκράτηται ἢ κενοδοξίᾳ ἢ τύφῳ ἢ ἀλαζονείᾳ, ἢ κατακρίνει ἑτέρους ἢ ἄλλῳ οἱῳδήποτε πάθει ἐνέχεται, ἐν τῷ πολεμεῖν δῆθεν πρὸς τὰ πάθη ἀδρανὴς εὑρίσκεται καὶ πίπτει· ἀλλὰ δεῖ πάντων καθαρεύειν καὶ εἶθ᾽ οὕτως παρατάττεσθαι καὶ οὕτως ὁ Κύριος παρέχει τὴν νίκην. Τὸ δὲ παρακληθῆναι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑπολειφθεῖσιν τοῦ Βενιαμὶν τοῖς καταφυγοῦσιν ἐν τῇ πέτρᾳ Ῥεμμών, δηλοῖ ὅτι τὸν πρὸς τὰ πάθη μαχόμενον οὐ δεῖ συναναιρεῖν τοῖς πάθεσιν τὴν φυσικὴν δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν παρὰ φυσικὴν δύναμιν περιποιεῖσθαι·","english":"But the sacred mind, indignant, dismembers her and sends her to every border of Israel, to the twelve tribes—that is, it divides the legal commandments and assigns each one to the fitting power of the soul, so that all may be stirred together toward the destruction of the thoughts that have fallen into disorder. Now the powers of the soul are three: the rational, the desiring, the spirited. And these need the four generic virtues; for without these there is neither destruction of vice nor achievement of virtue. Then, in order that the things rightly judged may also come into activity, they need the five senses as well, so that the number twelve may reach its fulfillment, the number that marks out all Israel. Or the number twelve also signifies time and nature; for time is hebdomadic, while nature is pentadic. And the fact that many of the Israelites fell in the war and afterward the few conquered signifies that the one who struggles against sin must be pure from every passion, since as long as he is mastered by pride or vainglory or conceit or boastfulness, or condemns others, or is entangled in any other passion whatsoever, while he wars, ostensibly against the passions, he is found ineffective and falls; but he must be pure from all things and then so array himself, and so the Lord grants the victory. And the fact that Israel was comforted concerning the remnant of Benjamin who fled to the rock Remmon signifies that the one fighting against the passions must not destroy the natural power together with the passions, but must preserve the things that are according to nature—","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":35,"ref":"p35","source":"οἷον, ἀγωνίζεταί τις κατὰ τοῦ πάθους τῆς γαστριμαργίας, οὐ δέον πάντη τὴν χρειώδη τροφὴν τὴν πρὸς τὴν τῆς ζωῆς σύστασιν ἀνελεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἁβροδίαιτον καὶ λυσσώδη δίαιταν. Τὸ δὲ φυγεῖν εἰς τὴν πέτραν σημαίνει τὴν κατὰ Χριστὸν πίστιν ἢ τὴν παγίαν ἕξιν τῆς πρακτικῆς ἥτις τὴν τῶν παθῶν ἀταξίαν εὐμαρῶς θανατοῖ· Ῥεμμὼν γὰρ ‘μετεωρισμὸς θανάτου’ ἑρμηνεύεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 42\n\nΤί ἐστιν ὅπερ ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐπιστέλλων Τιμοθέῳ ἔγραψεν «ἐπίστηθι εὐκαίρως ἀκαίρως»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Εἴτε τῇ κακίᾳ, φησίν, ἐνέχεταί τις, ὅντινα εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν διδαχθῆναι, ὑποτίθου αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς διδασκαλίας τὴν φυγὴν τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ· εἴτε οὐκ ἐνέχεταί τις τῇ κακίᾳ, ὅπερ δοκεῖ ἀκαίρως, τὸν τοιοῦτον τὴν γνῶσιν ὑποτίθου, φησίν, κατασφαλιζόμενος αὐτὸν πρὸς μέλλουσαν πειρασμῶν ἐπανάστασιν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ παραβολὴ τῶν δέκα παρθένων; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἄνθρωπος πέντε αἰσθήσεις ἔχει νοερὰς ἀντιλημπτικὰς τῶν νοητῶν, πέντε δὲ σωματικὰς ἀντιλημπτικὰς τῶν αἰσθητῶν, δοκεῖ ἡ παραβολὴ τὸν καθένα αἰνίττεσθαι ἄνθρωπον. Ὅστις οὖν ἔχει τὴν λαμπάδα τῆς πρακτικῆς ἀρετῆς, ἔχει δὲ καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον τῆς γνώσεως ἐπάρδοντα, τουτέστιν μετὰ γνώσεως τὰς πράξεις γινομένας, οὗτος ὑποτάξας τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὰς τούτου αἰσθήσεις ταῖς νοεραῖς συνάψας, γέγονεν πέντε φρόνιμοι. Ὅστις δὲ τὴν πρακτικὴν δοκεῖ μετιέναι μὴ ἔχων τὸ τῆς γνώσεως ἔλαιον, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ διὰ κενὴν δόξαν ἢ διὰ γαστριμαργίαν ἢ φιλαργυρίαν ταύτην ἀφρόνως ἐπιτηδεύει, οὗτος τρέψας τὰς νοερὰς αἰσθήσεις περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ καὶ πρόσκαιρα·","english":"For example, someone struggles against the passion of gluttony, not needing to abolish entirely the necessary food that sustains life, but rather the luxurious and rabid way of life. And to flee to the rock signifies the faith in Christ, or the firm habit of the practical life, which easily puts to death the disorder of the passions; for Rhemmon is interpreted as \"exaltation of death.\" QUESTION 42\n\nWhat is it that the Apostle wrote in his letter to Timothy: \"Be instant in season, out of season\"?\n\nANSWER Whether someone is entangled in evil, says he, and it is timely for him to be taught, instruct him through teaching in the flight from evil and the choice of the good; or whether someone is not entangled in evil, which seems untimely, instruct such a one in knowledge, says he, securing him against the coming uprising of temptations.\n\nQUESTION What does the parable of the ten virgins mean? ANSWER Since man has five intellectual senses that apprehend intelligible things, and five bodily senses that apprehend sensible things, the parable seems to hint at each individual man. Whoever therefore has the lamp of practical virtue, and also has the oil of knowledge enriching it—that is, his actions performed with knowledge—this one, having subjected the body and joined its senses to the intellectual senses, has become five prudent virgins. But whoever seems to pursue the practical life without having the oil of knowledge, but practices it foolishly either for empty glory or for gluttony or for love of money, this one, having turned the intellectual senses toward sensible and temporal things—","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":36,"ref":"p36","source":"καὶ ταύτας ἀπογεώσας, εἰκότως γέγονεν πέντε παρθένοι μωραί, ἐκ μόνων τῶν αἰσθητῶν γινωσκόμενος.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ κατ᾽ ἀναγωγὴν ὁ παράδεισος ὁ κατ᾽ ἀνατολὰς φυτευόμενος; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Παράδεισον οἶμαι δηλοῦσθαι τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καρδίαν φυτευθεῖσαν ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ γνώσεως. Ἐν τῷ μεσαιτάτῳ ταύτης ἐφύτευσεν ὁ Θεὸς «τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τὸ ξύλον τοῦ εἰδέναι γνωστὸν καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ». Καὶ τὸ μὲν «ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς» λαμβάνεται ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου τῶν νοητῶν, τὸ δὲ «γνωστὸν καλοῦ καὶ κακοῦ» ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου τῶν αἰσθητῶν· οὗτος γὰρ ἔχει γνῶσιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς καλλονῆς τῶν κτισμάτων τὸν δημιουργὸν ἐννοοῦσιν καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν ἀναγομένοις εἰς τὸν αἴτιον τούτων, γνῶσίς ἐστιν καλοῦ, τοῖς δὲ μόνῃ τῇ αἰσθήσει ἐναπομένουσιν καὶ τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῶν αἰσθητῶν φενακιζομένοις ἐπὶ τὴν ὕλην τὴν πᾶσαν ὄρεξιν τῆς ψυχῆς τρέψασιν, γνῶσίς ἐστιν κακοῦ. Εἰ δέ τις ἀπορῶν ἀνθυπενέγκοι ὅτι \"πῶς δύναται ἐπὶ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου τοῦτο ληφθῆναι ἵνα ποτὲ μὲν καλόν, ποτὲ δὲ πονηρὸν ἡ περὶ τοῦ ἑνὸς γνῶσις γένηται;\", πρὸς ὃν λεκτέον ὅτι ἐπειδὴ εἴρηται τὸν νοητὸν καὶ τὸν αἰσθητὸν κόσμον εἶναι τὰ δύο ξύλα, μετέχει δὲ καὶ τῶν ἑκατέρων ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὡς ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος ὤν, ἡνίκα οὖν τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς κῦρος ἐπὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν καὶ τὸ σῶμα ῥέψει, ἰδοὺ μετέλαβεν τοῦ ξύλου καὶ ἔγνω τὴν πεῖραν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ, καλοῦ μὲν κατὰ τὸ ἥδεσθαι φυσικῶς τὸ σῶμα τῇ ἀπολαύσει τῶν αἰσθητῶν, κακοῦσθαι δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀρχομένην ὑπὸ τοῦ χείρονος καὶ τὰς φυσικὰς δυνάμεις ἐξασθενοῦσαν.","english":"and having stripped these away from the earth, he has reasonably become five foolish virgins, being known from sensible things alone.\n\nQUESTION: What does the paradise planted toward the east signify in the anagogical sense? ANSWER: I think the paradise signifies the heart of man, planted in the east of the knowledge of God. In the very midst of it God planted \"the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.\" And \"the tree of life\" is taken to mean the principle of intelligible things, while \"the knowledge of good and evil\" means the principle of sensible things; for this latter has knowledge of good and evil. For to those who, from the beauty of created things, conceive of the Creator and through them are led up to the cause of these things, it is knowledge of good; but to those who remain in sensation alone and are deceived by the surface appearance of sensible things, turning the whole desire of the soul toward matter, it is knowledge of evil. But if someone, being at a loss, should object: \"How can this be taken of one man, so that the knowledge of one thing becomes at one time good and at another time evil?\" — to him it must be said that, since it has been stated that the intelligible and the sensible world are the two trees, and man partakes of both, being composed of soul and body, whenever the ruling part of the soul inclines toward sensation and the body, behold, he has partaken of the tree and has come to know by experience good and evil — good, in that the body is naturally pleased by the enjoyment of sensible things; but evil, in that the soul begins to be corrupted by the inferior and its natural powers are weakened.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":37,"ref":"p37","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν δειχθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου ὀψάριον κείμενον ἐπὶ τὴν ἀνθρακιάν;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ ἰχθὺς δηλοῖ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν νηχομένην ἐν τῇ συγχύσει τῶν παθῶν, ἣν διὰ τὴν ἄφατον φιλανθρωπίαν ὁ Κύριος κατελθὼν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ τοῦ βίου ἀνέσπασεν καὶ ὀπτήσας τῷ πυρὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος καὶ πάσης γλισχρότητος\n\nπαθῶν ἐκτήξας, βρῶσιν ἑαυτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πεποίηται. Πεινᾷ γὰρ ἀεὶ ὁ Λόγος τὴν ἡμῶν σωτηρίαν μετὰ τῶν ἑπομένων αὐτῷ· ὅθεν κατὰ μίμησιν αὐτοῦ καὶ θανεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμῶν εἵλαντο σωτηρίας.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ Ζακχαῖος ὁ τελώνης καὶ τί τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτόν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ζακχαῖος ὁ τελώνης ἐστὶν ὁ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ κτίσιν τελωνῶν εἰς ἰδίαν ἀπόλαυσιν. Ἀκούει δὲ τοῦ Λόγου παριόντος καὶ ἀνέρχεται ἐπὶ συκομορέαν ὅτ᾽ ἂν ὁ λόγος τῆς μετανοίας ἐν αὐτῷ γένηται· πείθει γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐπάνω τοῦ φρονήματος τῆς σαρκὸς γενέσθαι· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ συκομορέα· ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ εὐμαρῶς τὸν Λόγον θεάσηται καὶ ἀκούσῃ αὐτοῦ ὅτι \"σπεύσας κατάβηθι\", τουτέστιν \"εἰ ὅλον με δέξασθαι ποθεῖς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου, μὴ μόνον τὸ ἐπάνω τοῦ σαρκικοῦ φρονήματος γενέσθαι ἀρκεῖν οἰηθῇς, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ποίησον τὴν πορείαν\".","english":"QUESTION: What does the fish shown by the Lord after the resurrection, lying on the coals, signify?\n\nANSWER: The fish signifies human nature swimming in the confusion of the passions, which the Lord, through his ineffable love for humanity, came down into the sea of this life and drew up, and having roasted it with the fire of the Holy Spirit and melted away all the clamminess\n\nof the passions, he made it food for himself and for the apostles. For the Word always hungers for our salvation together with those who follow him; whence, in imitation of him, they also chose to die for our salvation.\n\nQUESTION: What does Zacchaeus the tax collector in the Gospel signify, and what are the things concerning him? ANSWER: Zacchaeus the tax collector is the one who taxes God's creation for his own enjoyment. He hears the Word as he passes by and climbs up a sycamore tree whenever the word of repentance comes to be in him; for it persuades him to get above the mindset of the flesh—for this is the sycamore tree—so that from there he may easily behold the Word and hear him say, \"Hurry, come down,\" that is, \"If you desire to receive me wholly in your house, do not think it enough merely to get above the fleshly mindset, but also make your journey with me through the virtues.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":38,"ref":"p38","source":"Τὸ δὲ ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν τοῦτον δηλοῖ ἢ διὰ τῶν τεσσάρων γενικῶν ἀρετῶν ἑκάστῃ κεχρημένος πρὸς κατόρθωσιν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἢ καὶ τὴν ἐνέργειαν καὶ τὴν συγκατάθεσιν καὶ τὰς προλήψεις τῶν μνημῶν καὶ τὰς ψιλὰς φαντασίας ἀποσκευάζων ἑαυτοῦ, τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἐνέργειαν διὰ τῆς ἐγκρατείας, τὴν δὲ συγκατάθεσιν διὰ τῆς προσοχῆς καὶ τῆς τῶν λογισμῶν παραφυλακῆς, τὰς δὲ προλήψεις διὰ τῆς ἐμμελοῦς ἀναγνώσεως, τὰς δὲ φαντασίας διὰ τῆς ἐκτενοῦς προσευχῆς. Ἢ τὴν πρακτικὴν λέγει καὶ φυσικὴν καὶ θεολογικὴν καὶ εὐκτικήν· ἡ γὰρ εὐκτικὴ τῆς θεολογίας ἐστὶν ὑψηλοτέρα· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῶν γεγονότων τὸ θεῖον θεολογεῖ, ἡ δὲ αὐτῷ συνάπτει ἀγνώστως καὶ ἀπορρήτως τὴν ψυχὴν τῷ Θεῷ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ Μωσέως γεγραμμένον \"ἐκ γὰρ ἀμπέλου Σοδόμων ἡ ἄμπελος αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ κληματὶς αὐτῶν ἐκ Γομόρρας\" καὶ τίς ὁ οἶνος ὃν οὐ δεῖ πίνειν τὸν Ναζιραῖον καὶ τί τὸ ὄξος καὶ τὰ σίκερα καὶ σταφυλὴ καὶ στέμφυλα;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἄμπελος Σοδόμων ἐστὶν ἡ ἀλογία· Σόδομα γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ἐνέωσις’ ἤγουν ‘τύφλωσις,’ Γόμορρα δὲ ‘παραπικρασμός·’ ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς ἀλογίας ὁ τῆς ἁμαρτίας παραπικρασμὸς καὶ ἡ ἐκστατικὴ τῆς κακίας μέθη τοῦ οἴνου. Ἔνθεν τὸν Ναζιραῖον ἀπέχεσθαι τοῦ τοιούτου οἴνου ὁ λόγος παρεγγυᾷ·","english":"But \"I repay fourfold\" signifies this: either that he uses each of the four generic virtues for the accomplishment of good works, or that he sets aside from himself the activity and the assent and the preconceptions of memories and the bare fantasies—the activity through self-control, the assent through attentiveness and the guarding of thoughts, the preconceptions through well-tuned reading, and the fantasies through earnest prayer. Or it means the practical, the natural, the theological, and the prayerful; for the prayerful is higher than the theological; for the one theologizes the divine from created things, while the other unites the soul to God unknowingly and ineffably.\n\nQUESTION: What does what is written in the song of Moses mean, \"For their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and their branch from Gomorrah,\" and what is the wine which the Nazirite must not drink, and what is the vinegar and the strong drink and the grape and the pressed grapes?\n\nANSWER: The vine of Sodom is unreason; for Sodom is interpreted as \"turning away,\" that is, \"blindness,\" and Gomorrah as \"provocation\"; for from unreason comes the provocation of sin and the ecstatic drunkenness of the wine of evil. Hence the word enjoins the Nazirite to abstain from such wine.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":39,"ref":"p39","source":"Ναζιραῖος δὲ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘περιπεφραγμένος·’ τὸν γὰρ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατησφαλισμένον δέον ἀπέχεσθαι τοῦ τοιούτου τῆς ἀλογίας οἴνου, ἀλλὰ καὶ σταφυλῆς, τουτέστιν τοῦ θυμοῦ, καὶ σταφίδος τῆς μνησικακίας αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν θυμοῦ παλαίωσις ἀλλὰ καὶ ὄξους, τῆς ἐπὶ ἀστοχίᾳ τῶν καθ᾽ ἡδονὴν λύπης, καὶ τοῦ σίκερα, τοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀμύνῃ τῶν πέλας ἥδοντος γλυκέα γὰρ πάντα τὰ σίκερα ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὰ στέμφυλα, τὰ ἐπινοητικὰ καὶ συστατικὰ εἴδη τῆς κακίας. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὴν τρίχα ὁ τοιοῦτος κείρεται, τουτέστιν τοὺς διαφόρους τοῦ νοῦ συστατικοὺς καὶ κόσμον αὐτῷ παρέχοντας λογισμούς. Διὰ τοῦτο Σαμψών ἑρμηνεύεται δὲ ψιλούμενος ‘εἰκάζων εἰκασίαν,’ δασυνόμενος δὲ ‘ἥλιος αὐτῶν’ ἡνίκα ἐπὶ τὸν μηρὸν τῆς Δαλιδᾶς ἀνεπάη, τουτέστιν ἐπὶ τὸ παθητικὸν τῆς ἡδονῆς μέρος ἔρριψεν, ἀφῃρέθη τὰς τρίχας, τοὺς λογισμοὺς δηλαδή, τουτέστιν ἰσχὺν αὐτοῦ διδόντας κατὰ τῶν παθῶν καὶ γέγονεν παίγνιον δαιμόνων, τυφλωθεὶς τοὺς δύο ὀφθαλμούς, πρακτικῆς φημι καὶ θεωρητικῆς γνώσεως. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον \"περιζωσάμενοι τὴν ὀσφὺν ὑμῶν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ\" καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ὅπλα τῆς πνευματικῆς παρατάξεως; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ","english":"Nazirite\" is interpreted as \"fenced round\"; for the one who has been secured by the law of God ought to abstain from this wine of irrationality, but also from the grape, that is, from anger, and from the raisin, that is, from the remembrance of wrongs—for this is the aging of anger—but also from vinegar, the grief that comes from failure in matters of pleasure, and from sikera, the sweetness that comes from the defense of neighbors; for all sikera is sweet, but not even the grape-skins, the inventive and constitutive forms of evil. But such a person does not even shear the hair, that is, the various reasonings that constitute the mind and provide it with adornment. For this reason Samson—interpreted, when written without the rough breathing, as \"likening a likeness,\" but with the rough breathing as \"their sun\"—when he rested on the thigh of Delilah, that is, when he cast himself upon the passible part of pleasure, was deprived of his hair, that is, of the reasonings, which give him strength against the passions, and became a plaything of demons, blinded in both eyes, I mean of practical and contemplative knowledge. QUESTION: What is it according to the Apostle, \"having your loins girded about in truth,\" and the rest of the weapons of the spiritual battle array? ANSWER:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":40,"ref":"p40","source":"Τὸ «περιζωσάμενοι τὴν ὀσφὺν ὑμῶν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ» καλῶς ὁ τῆς θεολογίας ἐπώνυμος ἑρμήνευσε Γρηγόριος, φάσκων \"μήποτε ὡς τὸ ἐπιθυμητικὸν τοῦ θεωρητικοῦ περισφίγγοντος\". Τὸ δὲ «ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν θώρακα τῆς δικαιοσύνης» ἐστὶν ἐπειδὴ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἕξις ἀπονεμητικὴ τοῦ ἴσου ἐστίν, δεῖ δὲ τὰς ἐν ἡμῖν τῆς ψυχῆς τρεῖς δυνάμεις ἰσοστατεῖν καὶ διὰ τούτων τὰς τέσσαρας γενικὰς ἀρετὰς ἰσοκρατῶς συνίστασθαι τοῦτο γὰρ δικαιοσύνη καὶ διὰ μὲν τῆς φρονήσεως τὸ λογικὸν κινούμενον πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὄντων ἐπίσκεψιν δίκην ἁλυσιδωτοῦ θώρακος λόγον ἀποδεσμεῖ λόγῳ· ὡσαύτως καὶ σωφροσύνης καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τοὺς διαφόρους λόγους ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ συνάπτοντα χρὴ κατασφαλίζειν ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τὸ μὴ τιτρώσκεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν πεμπομένων ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ βελῶν. Θυρεὸν δὲ πίστεως δεῖ νοεῖν τὴν ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφερομένην τοῦ Ἰησοῦ νέκρωσιν· ἐκ ξύλου γὰρ καὶ βύρσης κατεσκευασμένος ὁ θυρεὸς τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ μυστήριον ἡμῖν ὑπαινίσσεται καὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ σώματι νέκρωσιν· τοῖς γὰρ κεκτημένοις ταῦτα θυρεὸς πίστεως γίνονται. Τὸ δὲ «ὑποδησάμενοι τοὺς πόδας ἐν ἑτοιμασίᾳ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης» οὕτως χρὴ νοεῖν· ἐπειδὴ «Εὐαγγέλιον εἰρήνης» τὸ χάρισμα τῆς ἀπαθείας εἶναι ὑπενοήσαμεν, τῷ οὖν μήπω εἰς αὐτὸ καταντήσαντι ὁ Ἀπόστολος παρακελεύεται πρὸς ἑτοιμασίαν τοῦ τοιούτου χαρίσματος τὰς βάσεις τῆς ψυχῆς τῇ νεκρότητι τοῦ σώματος ὑποδεδέσθαι· οὕτως γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀκάνθης τῶν παθῶν ἄπληκτος διαμένει καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, τῶν πονηρῶν φημι λογισμῶν, ἄτρωτος. «Περικεφαλαία» δὲ «σωτηρίου» ἐστὶν ἡ ἐλπίς·","english":"Gregory, who is surnamed of theology, well interpreted the phrase \"having girded your loins in truth,\" saying, \"perhaps because the desiring faculty is restrained by the contemplative.\" And \"having put on the breastplate of righteousness\" means that since righteousness is a disposition that distributes equality, the three powers of the soul within us must be equally balanced, and through these the four generic virtues must be established with equal sway; for this is righteousness. And through prudence the rational faculty, moved toward the examination of beings, binds reason with reason like a chain-link breastplate; likewise one must secure oneself with temperance and the rest, joining the various principles into one, so as not to be wounded by the arrows sent by the enemy. And the shield of faith one must understand as the mortification of Jesus carried about in the body; for the shield, made of wood and hide, hints to us the mystery of the cross and the mortification in the body; for to those who possess these things they become a shield of faith. And \"having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace\" must be understood thus: since we have supposed the \"Gospel of peace\" to be the gift of impassibility, the Apostle exhorts the one who has not yet attained to it to shod the bases of the soul, for the preparation of such a gift, with the deadness of the body; for thus he remains unstruck by the thorn of the passions and unwounded by the serpents and scorpions, I mean the evil thoughts. And the \"helmet\" is \"of salvation,\" namely hope.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":41,"ref":"p41","source":"ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ αἰσθητὴ περικεφαλαία ἐστὶν ἡ κάσσις, ἐκ χαλκοῦ ἔχουσα τὴν κατασκευήν, ὁ δὲ χαλκὸς στιβαρὸς καὶ στίλβων καὶ μὴ δεχόμενος μείωσίν ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ κεφαλὴ τὴν πίστιν δηλοῖ, δεῖ νοεῖν ὅτι ἡ κατασφαλιζομένη τὴν πίστιν ἐστὶν ἡ ἐλπίς· αὕτη γὰρ στερρὰ καὶ ἀμείωτος οὖσα, οὐκ ἐᾷ τὴν πίστιν παραβλέπεσθαι. Πάντα γὰρ ἐλπίζει καὶ οὐκ ἐξίσταται τῆς περὶ Θεὸν πεποιθήσεως, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ δοξάζει κατὰ τὸν Ἰὼβ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἰοῦ δίκην ἐξουδενοῦσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἔνδον ὁ τοιοῦτος στίλβων ἐστὶν καὶ φαιδρός, τῇ ἐλπίδι γαννύμενος.\n\nἩ δὲ «μάχαιρα τοῦ Πνεύματός» ἐστιν ἡ διάκρισις «ἡ διαιροῦσα τὸ κρεῖττον ἀπὸ τοῦ χείρονος»· ταύτην δὲ μετὰ χεῖρας ἔχειν ἀεὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος παραγγέλλει, τουτέστιν διὰ τῆς πράξεως ἀεὶ ταύτην ἐνεργὸν ἔχοντας μεταχειρίζεσθαι· ὡς γὰρ ἡ ἐκ σιδήρου μάχαιρα ἀεὶ χειριζομένη φοβερὰ τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις ἐστίν, εἰ δὲ ἀποτεθῇ καὶ ἀργήσει, τῷ ἰῷ δαπανᾶται, οὕτως καὶ ἡ διάκρισις εἰ μὴ συνῆπται τῇ πράξει, ἀνόνητός ἐστιν καὶ ἄχρηστος καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας δαπανᾶται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει Δωὴκ ὁ Σύρος ὁ φονεύσας τοὺς τριακοσίους πεντήκοντα ἱερεῖς; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Δωὴκ ὁ Σύρος ὁ ‘ὑπερήφανός’ ἐστιν ‘λογισμὸς' ἢ 'τὸ τῶν παθῶν σάλος’ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος ἑρμηνείαν. Καὶ εἰκότως τὰς ἡμιόνους βόσκει ὁ τοιοῦτος Σαούλ, τὴν ἄγονον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἕξιν. Καὶ ἀντίκειται τῷ Δαυΐδ, τῷ λογισμῷ τῆς ταπεινώσεώς φημι· Δαβὶδ γὰρ κατὰ μίαν τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ἑρμηνείαν ‘ἐξουδενωμένος’ ἑρμηνεύεται.","english":"For since the visible helmet is the casque, having its construction from bronze, and bronze is sturdy and shining and does not admit of diminution, and the head signifies faith, one must understand that what safeguards faith is hope; for this, being firm and undiminished, does not allow faith to be overlooked. For it hopes all things and does not depart from its confidence in God, but even if, according to Job, it seems to the many to be despised like poison, yet inwardly such a one is shining and bright, rejoicing in hope.\n\nAnd the \"sword of the Spirit\" is discernment, \"which divides the better from the worse\"; the Apostle enjoins us always to hold this in our hands, that is, through action always to wield it as active; for as the sword of iron, always handled, is fearful to adversaries, but if it is laid aside and left idle, it is consumed by rust, so too discernment, if it is not joined to action, is unprofitable and useless and is consumed by evil. QUESTION: What does Doek the Syrian mean, who killed the three hundred and fifty priests? ANSWER: Doek the Syrian is \"the proud thought\" or \"the surge of the passions,\" according to the interpretation of the name. And fittingly such a Saul feeds the mules, the barren habit of virtue. And he is opposed to David, I mean the thought of humility; for David, according to one interpretation of his name, is interpreted as \"despised.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":42,"ref":"p42","source":"Οὗτος φονεύει τοὺς ἱερεῖς Νόμβα, τουτέστιν τοὺς ἐνκαθημένους τῇ ἀρετῇ θείους καὶ ἱλαστικοὺς λογισμούς Νόμβα γὰρ ‘ἐγκαθισμὸς’ ἑρμηνεύεται, τριακοσίους δὲ πεντήκοντα ἐπειδὴ διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων προσβάλλοντες τῇ κτίσει τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις γεγενημένῃ, τὸν ταύτης δημιουργὸν ὑπερθαυμάζοντες δοξάζομεν διὰ τῆς τῶν λογισμῶν ἐπιστημονικῆς γνώσεως· ἑξάκις δὲ πεντήκοντα ποιεῖ τὸν τριακόσια ἀριθμόν· πάλιν δὲ τὰς δέκα ἐντολὰς τοῦ νόμου διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἐκπληροῦντες ἀποτελοῦμεν τὸν πεντήκοντα. Τοὺς λογισμοὺς\n\nοὖν τοὺς ἐκ τούτων ἱερουργοῦντας τῷ Θεῷ καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἐγκαθημένους ἀποκτέννειν πέφυκεν ὁ ὑπερήφανος λογισμὸς ἢ καὶ ὁ τῶν παθῶν σάλος. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Πῶς χρὴ νοεῖν τὸ ἐν τῷ Συμβόλῳ λεγόμενον \"σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φασί τινες τῶν ἁγίων ὅτι ἐκ Πνεύματος μὲν ἁγίου δίκην γονῆς ἀνδρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν καταβληθῆναι, τὴν δὲ σάρκα διαπλασθῆναι ἐκ τῶν παρθενικῶν αἱμάτων. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ τῶν Παροιμιῶν \"χειρὶ χεῖρα ἐμβαλὼν οὐκ ἀθῳωθήσεται\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πράξει ἐναρέτῳ ὁ πρᾶξιν μίσγων φαύλην «οὐκ ἀθῳωθήσεται». ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν· «μὴ ἐγγυήσῃς σὸν φίλον· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔχεις» ἀποδοῦναι, «λήμψονται τὸ στρῶμα τὸ ὑπὸ τὰς πλευράς σου». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φίλον λέγει τὸ σῶμα διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸ τῆς ψυχῆς σχέσιν· τοῦτο μὴ ἐγγυᾶσθαί φησιν, τουτέστιν μὴ φειδοῦς ἀξιοῦν, μὴ δὲ τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἀρετὴν πόνους ἀποδιδόναι ὀφείλοντα, τὴν ἄνεσιν ἐᾶν μεταδιώκειν.","english":"This one kills the priests of Nob, that is, the divine and propitiatory thoughts that sit in virtue; for Nob is interpreted as \"sitting in,\" and the three hundred and fifty, since through the senses we come into contact with the creation of God that was made in six days, and marveling exceedingly at its Creator we glorify him through the scientific knowledge of thoughts; and six times fifty makes the number three hundred; and again, fulfilling the ten commandments of the law through the senses, we complete the fifty. The proud thought, then, or even the surge of the passions, naturally kills the thoughts that from these minister to God and sit in virtue.\n\nQUESTION: How should one understand what is said in the Creed, \"made flesh of the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin\"?\n\nANSWER: Some of the saints say that the soul was cast in from the Holy Spirit after the manner of a man's seed, but the flesh was formed from the virgin blood.\n\nQUESTION: What is the saying from Proverbs, \"He who puts hand into hand shall not go unpunished\"?\n\nANSWER: He who mingles a base action with a virtuous action \"shall not go unpunished.\"\n\nQUESTION: From the same: \"Do not stand surety for your friend; for if you do not have\" the means to repay, \"they will take the bed from under your ribs.\"\n\nANSWER: He calls the body a friend because of the soul's attachment to it; this, he says, do not stand surety for, that is, do not deem it worthy of indulgence, nor, when it ought to repay the labors for virtue, allow it to pursue ease.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":43,"ref":"p43","source":"Εἰ γὰρ τῇ ἀσκήσει προσανέχων ὁ νοῦς ἄρξηται ὑπενδιδόναι, μὴ εὑρίσκων ἀποδοῦναι ὁ νοῦς τὸν ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς λόγον, λαμβάνουσιν οἱ δαίμονες καὶ εἰς ἃς ἐπανεπαύετο ἀσκήσεις ἐξ αὐτοῦ· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ στρῶμα.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ τὸ Ἡσαΐου ῥητὸν \"τίς ἐμέτρησεν τῇ χειρὶ τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν σπιθαμῇ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν δρακί\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν προφήτην Ἀμβακοὺμ «ἐκάλυψεν οὐρανοὺς ἡ ἀρετὴ» τοῦ Κυρίου, τουτέστιν ἡ κατὰ σάρκα αὐτοῦ πολιτεία τὴν τῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀγγέλων ἀρετήν, αὐτὸς τῇ πράξει τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ χείρ ἐμέτρησεν πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, ὕδωρ τροπικῶς ὀνομασθεῖσαν· ἡ γὰρ ἑνωθεῖσα τῷ Λόγῳ φύσις πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν κατείληφεν. Τὸν δὲ οὐρανὸν σπιθαμῇ· οὐρανὸν λέγων τὸν ὑψηλότερον τῶν ὄντων λόγον, σπιθαμὴν δὲ τὴν μετὰ πράξεως ἐκτεταμένην γνῶσιν τῶν αἰσθητῶν διὰ τὸ πέντε δακτύλους ἔχειν τὴν χεῖρα· τούτους οὖν τοὺς λόγους ἐνανθρωπήσας ὁ Κύριος ἐξεμέτρησεν ἀνακεφαλαιωσάμενος τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ. Τὸ δὲ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν δρακὶ τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ὅτι οὕτως ὁ Κύριος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα γηΐνην οὖσαν περιέσφιγξεν ὡς μηδὲ τὰ φυσικὰ καὶ ἀδιάβλητα πάθη μὴ ἐφιέντος αὐτοῦ ἐνεργεῖν.","english":"For if the mind, applying itself to ascetic practice, begins to give way, not finding the reason for virtue to render, the demons take hold even of the ascetic practices in which it had rested from it; for the bed signifies this.\n\nQUESTION: What does the saying of Isaiah signify: \"Who measured the water with his hand, and the heaven with a span, and all the earth with a handful\"?\n\nANSWER: Since, according to the prophet Habakkuk, \"the virtue of the Lord covered the heavens\"—that is, his conduct in the flesh covered the virtue of the angels in the heavens—he himself by practice (for this is the hand) measured all knowledge, figuratively called water; for the nature united to the Word has comprehended all knowledge. And the heaven with a span: calling \"heaven\" the higher reason of things that exist, and \"span\" the knowledge of sensible things extended through practice, because the hand has five fingers; these reasons, then, the Lord measured out when he became man, summing up all things in himself. And \"all the earth with a handful\" signifies this: that the Lord so enclosed his own flesh, which was earthly, that he did not allow even the natural and blameless passions to be active.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":44,"ref":"p44","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ὁ Ἐζεκίας καὶ τίς ἡ ἀσθένεια καὶ τίς ἡ παλάθη ἐξ ἧς ἰάθη τὸ τραῦμα; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Ἐζεκίας εἰς πρόσωπον λαμβάνεται τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος· τὸ δὲ τραῦμα τὸ ἐν τῷ μηρῷ σημαίνει τὸν νόμον τῆς ἁμαρτίας διὰ τὸ παρακεῖσθαι τῷ μηρῷ τὰ γεννητικὰ μέρη· ἡ δὲ παλάθη ἐστὶν ἡ σὰρξ ἡ ζωοποιὸς τοῦ Κυρίου, μὴ ἔχουσα ὀπὸν ἁμαρτίας, ἐξ ἧς ἴασις ἡμῖν γέγονεν τῆς πληγῆς τῆς παραβάσεως. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ ἐκπεσὸν σιδήριον ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ἀφ᾽ ἑνὸς τῶν υἱῶν τῶν προφητῶν ὅπερ ὁ προφήτης Ἐλισσαῖος ἐμβαλὼν ξύλον, ἐπιπολάσαι πεποίηκεν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nΕἰρηναῖος λέγει «δι᾽ ἔργου» δεῖξαι τὸν προφήτην ἐν τῷ ἀναγαγεῖν τὸ σιδήριον ὅτι «τὸν στερεὸν Λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὃν ἀμελῶς ἀποβαλόντες οὐχ εὑρίσκομεν, ἀποληψόμεθα πάλιν διὰ τῆς τοῦ ξύλου οἰκονομίας. Ὅτι δὲ ἀξίνῃ ἔοικεν ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ διδάσκει Ἰωάννης ὁ Βαπτιστὴς λέγων \"ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται\" καὶ Ἰερεμίας δὲ λέγων \"ὁ Λόγος Κυρίου ὡς πέλεκυς κόπτων πέτραν\"».","english":"QUESTION: Who is Hezekiah, and what is the illness, and what is the cake of figs by which the wound was healed? ANSWER: Hezekiah is taken as a figure of humanity; the wound in the thigh signifies the law of sin, because the generative parts lie adjacent to the thigh; and the cake of figs is the life-giving flesh of the Lord, which has no hole of sin, from which healing has come to us for the blow of transgression. QUESTION: What does the iron that fell into the Jordan from one of the sons of the prophets signify, which the prophet Elisha, casting in a piece of wood, caused to float up? ANSWER: Irenaeus says that the prophet showed “by deed,” in bringing up the iron, that “the solid Word of God, which we, having carelessly cast away, do not find, we shall receive back again through the economy of the wood. And that the Word of God is like an axe, John the Baptist teaches, saying, ‘And already the axe is laid to the root of the trees,’ and Jeremiah also, saying, ‘The Word of the Lord is like a axe cutting a rock.’","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":45,"ref":"p45","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τῶν ρνγ (153) ἰχθύων ἀριθμός; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδήπερ ἀπὸ μιᾶς ἀρχόμενος κατὰ σύνθεσιν μέχρις τῶν δέκα ἑπτὰ πληροῖς τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦτον, σημαίνει ὅτιπερ διά τε τῆς ἐκπληρώσεως τῶν δέκα ἐντολῶν καὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐνεργειῶν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος εἰσέρχονται οἱ σῳζόμενοι εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἢ καὶ τοὺς διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος καὶ τῆς τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδος ὑπερθετικὸς γὰρ τοῦ ἑβδοματικοῦ χρόνου ὁ πεντηκοστὸς ἀριθμός ἐστιν καὶ τῆς διὰ τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐνεργείας, ὅπερ σημαίνεται διὰ τοῦ ἑκατοστοῦ ἀριθμοῦ, σῳζομένους καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀξιουμένους. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ οἱ ὄφεις ὑπὲρ ὧν ὁ Κύριος κατὰ Γρηγόριον τὸν Νύσης τὰς γ (3) ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἡμέρας πεποίηκεν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τρεῖς εἰσὶν τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις, λογικόν, θυμικόν, ἐπιθυμητικόν· οἱ μὲν οὖν ἄνδρες λαμβάνονται εἰς τὸ λογικόν, αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες εἰς τὸ ἐπιθυμητικόν, οἱ δὲ ὄφεις εἰς τὸ θυμικόν. Ἀποκαθίστανται οὖν ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι αἱ τρεῖς αὗται δυνάμεις τῇ ἐπιγνώσει· ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν δὲ καὶ ὁ Κύριος τὸ ζωοποιὸν κατεδέξατο πάθος καὶ τὴν εἰς ᾅδου κάθοδον.","english":"QUESTION: What does the number of the 153 fish in the Gospel signify? ANSWER: Since, beginning from one and proceeding by addition up to seventeen, you complete this number, it signifies that through the fulfillment of the ten commandments and the seven operations of the Holy Spirit those who are saved enter the kingdom of heaven, or also those saved through faith in the Holy Trinity and the hope of things to come; for the number fifty is beyond the hebdomadal time, and the operation through the commandments, which is signified by the number one hundred, and those deemed worthy of the kingdom. QUESTION: Who are the men and the women and the serpents for whom the Lord, according to Gregory of Nyssa, made the three days in Hades? ANSWER: There are three powers of the soul: the rational, the irascible, the appetitive. The men, then, are taken for the rational, the women for the appetitive, and the serpents for the irascible. These three powers, then, are restored in the age to come by knowledge; and for their sake the Lord also accepted the life-giving passion and the descent into Hades.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":46,"ref":"p46","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν Παροιμιῶν, τὸ «διορατικὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ὀξὺν» τοῦ νοῆσαι «βασιλεῦσιν δεῖ παρεστάναι», πῶς νοήσωμεν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸν ὀξὺν περὶ τὸ πρακτικὸν καὶ θεωρητικὸν περὶ τὸ γνωστικὸν τοῖς τρισὶν νόμοις παρεστάναι ὁ λόγος βούλεται, τῷ φυσικῷ καὶ τῷ γραπτῷ καὶ τῷ τῆς χάριτος, ἵνα ἐξ αὐτῶν ὁδηγούμενος κατορθώσῃ δεόντως πρακτικὴν καὶ φυσικὴν καὶ θεολογικὴν φιλοσοφίαν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν· «ἑπτάκις πεσεῖται ὁ δίκαιος καὶ ἀναστήσεται». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Δίκαιον ἐνταῦθα τὸν μόνον ἀληθῶς δίκαιον τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ὑπολαμβάνειν χρεών. Ἐπεὶ οὖν αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν λέγεται καὶ πίπτειν καὶ ἀνίστασθαι ὡς τὰ ἡμέτερα πάντα διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν καταδεξάμενος, ἔπεσεν δὲ ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν ἑπτάκις κατά τε τὴν τοῦ προπάτορος παράβασιν πρώτην γενομένην, δευτέραν δὲ τὴν τολμηθεῖσαν τοῦ Κάϊν μιαιφονίαν, πρῶτον τῇ φύσει καινοτομήσαντος φόνον, τρίτην ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν Νῶε γενεᾶς, ἐφ᾽ ἧς οὐ κατέμεινεν τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τὸ εἶναι σάρκας, τετάρτην ἐπὶ τῆς πυργοποιΐας, πέμπτην ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ γενεᾶς, ἐξ ἧς μόνος αὐτὸς τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησεν, ἕκτην ἐπὶ τοῦ Μωυσέως, εἰς τοσοῦτον τῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ γενεᾶς ἀθεΐας ἐξοκειλάσης ὡς αὐτὸν εἰς ἐπικουρίαν τῆς τοσαύτης ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πεμφθῆναι, ἑβδόμην ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν προφητῶν γενεᾶς, ἥτις τὰς προλαβούσας γενεὰς εἰς κακίας μέτρον πάσας ὑπερηκόντισεν ἐπεὶ οὖν, ὡς εἴρηται, ἑπτάκις ἔπεσεν ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν,","english":"QUESTION: From Proverbs, how are we to understand \"a discerning and sharp man must stand before kings\"? ANSWER: The word intends that the man sharp in the practical and contemplative in the intellectual should stand before the three laws—the natural, the written, and the law of grace—so that, guided by them, he may rightly direct practical, natural, and theological philosophy.\n\nQUESTION: From the same: \"Seven times shall the righteous fall and rise again.\" ANSWER: Here one must understand the righteous as the only truly righteous one, our Lord Jesus Christ. Since, then, he is said both to fall and to rise in us, as having in his love for mankind accepted all that is ours, our nature fell seven times: first in the transgression of the forefather; second, the murder of Cain that was dared, when he first by nature innovated killing; third, in the generation at the time of Noah, when the Spirit of God did not remain because they were flesh; fourth, at the building of the tower; fifth, in the generation at the time of Abraham, from which he alone was well-pleasing to God; sixth, at the time of Moses, when the generation in his day plunged into such godlessness that he was sent from God to aid such impiety; seventh, in the generation of the prophets, which surpassed all the preceding generations in the measure of wickedness. Since, then, as has been said, our nature fell seven times,","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":47,"ref":"p47","source":"ταύτην ἀφάτῳ φιλανθρωπίᾳ κινηθεὶς ἀνέστησεν ὁ Κύριος, αὐτὴν τὴν φύσιν ἑνώσας ἑαυτῷ καθ᾽ ὑπόστασιν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνας σημαίνει ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγων \"τοὺς προηλπικότας ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ\" πρὸς Ἐφεσίους γράφων;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πᾶς τις τῶν ἁγίων τῶν πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Κυρίου, οἱανοῦν ἀρετὴν ἐξασκῶν, κἂν εἰ μὴ τὸ ὅλον τῆς οἰκονομίας μυστήριον ἐγίνωσκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ μέρους φυσικῶς κινούμενος ἤλπιζεν καὶ προσεδόκα ὅτι ὁ τὴν φύσιν ποιήσας αὐτὸς καὶ παραφθαρεῖσαν ἀνασώσηται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «εἰς τὸ εἰδέναι ἡμᾶς τίς ἐστιν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις καὶ τί τὸ ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ «Ἡ τῆς κλήσεως ἐλπίς» ἐστιν ἡ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου πολιτείαν διὰ πράξεως ἀπάθεια· «πλοῦτος» δὲ «τῆς δόξης τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις» ἐστὶν ὁ κατὰ τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς ἀληθείας πλοῦτος· «ὑπερβάλλον» δὲ «μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ» ἐστιν ἡ τοῖς ἀξίοις δωρηθησομένη θέωσις, ὡς ὑπὲρ φύσιν οὖσα καὶ θεοὺς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων κατὰ χάριν τοὺς μετόχους ἀποτελοῦσα. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἀποστόλου· «αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς».","english":"Moved by ineffable love for humanity, the Lord raised this up, uniting that very nature to himself in hypostasis.\n\nQUESTION: Whom does the Apostle mean when he says, writing to the Ephesians, \"those who had previously hoped in Christ\"?\n\nANSWER: Any one of the saints before the coming of the Lord, practicing virtue in whatever way, even if he did not know the whole mystery of the economy, nevertheless, being moved naturally in part, hoped and expected that the one who made nature would himself also restore it when it had been corrupted.\n\nQUESTION: From the same: \"that we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what the surpassing greatness of his power.\"\n\nANSWER: \"The hope of the calling\" is freedom from passion through action in accordance with the Lord's own manner of life; \"the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints\" is the riches that come through knowledge of the truth; and \"the surpassing greatness of his power\" is the deification that will be granted to those who are worthy, since it is beyond nature and by grace makes its partakers gods from men.\n\nQUESTION: From the same Apostle: \"For we are his workmanship, created for good works.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":48,"ref":"p48","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τοῦτο εἴρηται τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ, ὡς οἶμαι, ἐπειδὴ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς ποιήσας ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, διὰ δὲ τῆς παραβάσεως παραπεσόντα ἀνέκτισεν πάλιν διὰ τῆς ἐνσάρκου αὐτοῦ ἐπιδημίας καὶ εἰς τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀπεκατέστησεν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ» καὶ τὰ λοιπά. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Εἴτε τοὺς δύο λαοὺς συνάψας ἐποίησεν ἕν, εἴτε τὰ ἐπίγεια καὶ τὰ οὐράνια συνῆψεν γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα, διεστηκότα πρὸς ἄλληλα εἴτε καὶ εἰς τὸν καθένα λαμβάνεις· συνῆψεν ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀεὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὰ στασιάζοντα· ὑπέταξεν γὰρ «τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ πνεύματος». «Καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας»· μεσότοιχον ἢ τὴν σάρκα ἢ τὰ αἰσθητὰ ἢ τὴν νομικὴν λατρείαν ἐκάλεσεν, φραγμὸν δὲ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν· ταῦτα γὰρ τοίχου δίκην, μὴ ἐπιστημόνως μὴ δὲ μετὰ γνώσεως πνευματικῆς κεχρημένοις αὐτοῖς ἡμῖν, διετείχιζον ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ὑπέβαλλον. Τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκί· τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἔχθραν εἰπών· αὐτὴ γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐχθροὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ κατέστησεν. Τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας· νόμος ἐντολῆς ἐστιν τὸ οὐ φονεύσῃς καὶ τὰ λοιπά· ὁ δὲ φυσικῶς τῇ ἐντολῇ ἐπιβάλλων καὶ γινώσκων τὸν λόγον τῆς ἐντολῆς οἶδεν ὅτι οὐ μόνον σωματικοῦ φόνου ἀπέχεσθαι δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντὸς πάθους λυμαινομένου τὴν φύσιν· καὶ γὰρ καὶ φθόνος καὶ καταλαλιὰ καὶ πάντα τὰ πάθη φθαρτικὰ τῆς φύσεώς εἰσιν. Ὁ Κύριος οὖν ἐλθὼν ἐν δόγμασιν κατήργησεν τὸν νόμον, ἀντὶ τοῦ \"ἔπαυσεν\", λέγων «ἐρρήθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις \"οὐ φονεύσῃς\", ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν·","english":"ANSWER: This was said by the Apostle, I believe, because God, having made man in the beginning, and man having fallen through transgression, restored him again through his incarnate visitation and re-established him in his original state. QUESTION: From the same: \"He who made both one and broke down the middle wall of the barrier, the enmity in his flesh,\" and the rest. ANSWER: Whether he made the two peoples one by joining them, or joined things earthly and heavenly—for he joined these too, though they were set apart from one another—or whether you take it of each individual: he joined soul and body, which are always at variance with each other; for he subjected \"the mind of the flesh to the law of the Spirit.\" \"And having broken down the middle wall of the barrier\": he called the middle wall either the flesh, or things perceptible, or the legal worship, and the barrier he called sin; for these, like a wall, when we used them neither knowingly nor with spiritual knowledge, walled us off from God and subjected us to sin. \"The enmity in his flesh\": calling sin enmity; for it is this that made us enemies of God. \"Having abolished the law of commandments in dogmas\": the law of the commandment is \"You shall not murder\" and the rest; but he who naturally applies himself to the commandment and knows the meaning of the commandment knows that one must abstain not only from bodily murder but from every passion that corrupts nature; for envy and slander and all the passions are destructive of nature. The Lord, then, having come, abolished the law \"in dogmas,\" that is, \"he stopped it,\" saying, \"It was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' but I say to you:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":49,"ref":"p49","source":"\"πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ εἰκῇ, ἔνοχος ἔσται\"», ἀλλ᾽ οὐ μόνον διδάξας ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ποιήσας. Καὶ τὰς θυσίας δὲ τὰς κατὰ τὸν νόμον δογματίσας κατήργησεν,\n\nπνευματικῶς νοεῖσθαι παρασκευάσας· μᾶλλον δὲ τὰς πολλάς, τύπον οὔσας τοῦ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν μυστηρίου δείξας, κατέπαυσεν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν Παροιμιῶν· «τίς ἀνέβη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ κατέβη; τίς συνήγαγεν ἀνέμους ἐν κόλπῳ; τίς συνέτριψεν ὕδωρ ἐν ἱματίῳ; τίς ἐκράτησεν τῶν ἄκρων τῆς γῆς; τί ὄνομα αὐτῷ»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἐπλάσθη ὥστε πρὸς τὴν αἰτίαν ἀναβῆναι τῷ πόθῳ καὶ εἶθ᾽ οὕτως εἰς τὰ μετὰ τὴν αἰτίαν κτίσματα κατελθεῖν καὶ ταῦτα καλῶς τῇ γνώσει ἐπισκοπήσαντα ἀναβιβάσαι πρὸς τὸν ποιητὴν τούτων, τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ πρὶν ὑψωθῆναι πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν κατένευσεν πρὸς τὴν ὕλην, ἐλθὼν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ δεύτερος Ἀδὰμ «ἀνακεφαλαιώσατο ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα» καὶ ἔδειξεν εἰς τί παρήχθη ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος. Κατὰ γὰρ τὴν πρόσληψιν τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως πρῶτον ἀνέβη κινηθεὶς πρὸς τὸν αἴτιον, εἶτα καὶ κατέβη κατὰ τὴν θεότητα, τὴν τοῦ «δούλου μορφὴν» ὑποδύς, καὶ πάλιν δὲ ἀνέβη κατὰ τὸ συναμφότερον ἐν τῇ μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν ἀναλήψει. Οὕτω δεῖ καὶ ἡμᾶς πρῶτον ὑψοῦσθαι πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ στομοῦντας τὴν ψυχὴν τὸν ὅλον αὐτῆς πόθον πρὸς αὐτὸν τείνειν καὶ εἶθ᾽ οὕτως καταβαίνειν ἐπὶ τὴν ἔρευναν τῶν ὄντων καὶ ἕκαστον ὡς ἔχει φύσεως ἐπισκοπεῖν καὶ πάλιν δι᾽ αὐτῶν ἀναβιβάζεσθαι τῇ θεωρητικῇ γνώσει εἰς τὸν τούτων δημιουργόν. Ὁ τοιοῦτος συνάγει «ἀνέμους ἐν κόλπῳ»·","english":"Everyone who is angry with his brother without cause will be liable to judgment,\" but not only by teaching but also by doing. And the sacrifices according to the law, having established them as doctrine, he abolished, having prepared them to be understood spiritually; or rather, showing the many to be a type of the mystery concerning him, he brought them to an end.\n\nQUESTION From Proverbs: \"Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the winds in his bosom? Who has bound up water in a garment? Who has grasped the ends of the earth? What is his name?\"\n\nANSWER Since in the beginning man was formed for this purpose, to ascend by desire to the Cause and then thus to descend to the creatures that come after the Cause and, having well surveyed them by knowledge, to lead them back up to their Maker, but he did not do this, but before being lifted up to God he inclined downward toward matter, our Lord Jesus Christ, the second Adam, came and \"recapitulated all things in himself\" and showed for what purpose the first man was brought into being. For according to the assumption of human nature, he first ascended, being moved toward the Cause, then he also descended according to his divinity, putting on the \"form of a servant,\" and again he ascended according to both natures in the assumption after the resurrection from the dead. Thus we too must first be lifted up to God and, sharpening the soul, stretch its whole desire toward him, and then thus descend to the investigation of beings and survey each one as it is by nature, and again through them be led back up by contemplative knowledge to their Creator. Such a person gathers \"winds in his bosom\";","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":50,"ref":"p50","source":"τοὺς γὰρ διαφόρους λόγους τῶν ὄντων τροπικῶς ἀνέμους ὀνομασθέντας συνάγει εἰς τὸν κόλπον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ καρδίας. Ἐπεὶ οὖν κόλπος ἐστὶν ὁ ὀμφαλὸς ἐν ᾧ φασιν τὸν πρῶτον γόνον τὴν ἀρχὴν λαμβάνειν, χρὴ νοεῖν ὅτι ἐν τῷ γονίμῳ καὶ θεωρητικῷ μέρει τῆς καρδίας συνάγων τοὺς διαφόρους λόγους ἀποτίκτει ἕνα λόγον Θεοῦ· οἱ γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν ὄντων λόγοι εἰς ἓν συνάγονται. Ἀλλὰ καὶ συντρίβει ὕδωρ ἐν ἱματίῳ· ὕδωρ εἰσίν, ὡς πολλαχοῦ τῆς Γραφῆς εὑρήσεις λεγούσης, οἱ πειρασμοί· τούτους ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ σώματι ἢ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἠθικῷ μέρει τῆς φιλοσοφίας πάσχων μεθ᾽ ὑπομονῆς συντρίβει, ἀπράκτους αὐτοὺς ἀποπέμπων. Κρατεῖ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄκρων τῆς γῆς, μὴ δὲ τὰ φυσικὰ τοῦ σώματος πάθη συγχωρῶν ἀλόγως ἐκφέρεσθαι.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου· «καὶ ἔσονται οἱ καταλελειμμένοι ὑπὲρ τὸ χρυσίον τὸ ἄπυρον».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἱ δοκιμασθέντες διὰ τῶν πειρασμῶν καὶ ἐγκαταλειφθέντες πρὸς πλείονα πεῖραν ὡς Ἰώβ, ὁ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ οἱ κατ᾽ αὐτούς, οὗτοι ὑπὲρ «τὸ χρυσίον τὸ ἄπυρόν» εἰσιν, ὑπὲρ τὸν δίκην χρυσοῦ εὐθῆ πλασθέντα Ἀδάμ, τὸν μὴ πυρωθέντα διὰ πειρασμῶν καὶ βαστάσαντα.","english":"For he gathers into the bosom of his own heart the various principles of beings, which are figuratively called winds. Since, then, the bosom is the navel, in which they say the first offspring receives its beginning, one must understand that in the fertile and contemplative part of the heart, gathering the various principles, he brings forth one principle of God; for the many principles of beings are gathered into one. But he also crushes water in a garment; water, as you will find Scripture saying in many places, is temptations; these, suffering them in his own body or also in the ethical part of philosophy with endurance, he crushes, sending them away without effect. And he holds also the ends of the earth, not permitting even the natural passions of the body to be borne along irrationally.\n\nQUESTION From Isaiah: \"And those who are left shall be more precious than unalloyed gold.\"\n\nANSWER Those who have been tested through temptations and left behind for greater experience, like Job, Joseph, and those like them—these are more precious than \"unalloyed gold,\" more precious than Adam, who was fashioned upright like gold but was not tried by fire through temptations and did not endure.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":51,"ref":"p51","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ ἐν τῇ Γενέσει «ἄνθραξ καὶ ὁ λίθος ὁ πράσινος»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐκάτεροι τὸν Κύριον δηλοῦσιν· ὁ μὲν ἄνθραξ ὡς φωτιστικὸς καὶ καυστικός, διὰ τὸ παρεκτικὸν εἶναι τὸν Κύριον γνώσεως, δαπανητικὸν δὲ τῆς μοχθηρίας· ὁ δὲ πράσινος λίθος ἐπειδὴ τονωτικός ἐστιν τῆς ὁρατικῆς δυνάμεως, δηλοῖ καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν Κύριον, ὡς τοῦ θεωρητικοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τόνου ποιητικόν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει κατὰ θεωρίαν ἡ τύφλωσις τοῦ Σαμψών; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nΣαμψὼν ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ἥλιος,’ ἡ δὲ Δαλιδὰ ‘πτωχεύουσα·’ ἐπέπεσεν οὖν ὁ Σαμψὼν ἐπὶ τὸν μηρὸν τῆς Δαλιδά, τουτέστιν ἐπὶ τὸ παθητὸν μέρος τῆς ἡδονῆς, καὶ ἐπτώχευσεν τῆς φωτιζούσης αὐτὸν ἀρετῆς. Τότε ἤνεγκεν κουρέα καὶ ξυρὸν καὶ ἐξύρησεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ζ (7) βοστρύχους· κουρεύς ἐστιν ὁ διάβολος, ξυρὸν δὲ ἡ ἀπάτη κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον \"ὡσεὶ ξυρὸν ἠκονημένον ἐποίησας δόλον\", οἱ δὲ ζ (7) βόστρυχοι ἑπτὰ ἐνέργειαι κατὰ τὸν προφήτην Ἡσαΐαν τοῦ πνεύματος. Ὅτ᾽ ἂν οὖν ἤρξαντο φύειν αὐτοῦ αἱ τρίχες, τουτέστιν ὅτ᾽ ἂν εἰς μετάμελον ἦλθεν τῶν αὐτῷ πεπραγμένων, τότε χειραγωγεῖ αὐτὸν τὸ παιδάριον, τουτέστιν ὁ νόμος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἄγει αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς στύλους ἐφ᾽ ὧν ἐπεστήρικτο ὁ οἶκος τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, οἵτινές εἰσιν θυμὸς καὶ ἐπιθυμία, ὑφ᾽ ὧν πᾶς ἀλλόφυλος ἁλίσκεται νοῦς. Τὸ δὲ συναποθανεῖν τὸν Σαμψὼν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, σημαίνει τὴν συντέλειαν ἤγουν νέκρωσιν τοῦ σαρκικοῦ φρονήματος.","english":"QUESTION: What does \"the coal and the green stone\" in Genesis mean? ANSWER: Both signify the Lord: the coal, as being illuminating and burning, because the Lord is the giver of knowledge and the consumer of wickedness; and the green stone, since it is strengthening to the power of sight, also itself signifies the Lord, as the one who produces the tone of the soul's contemplative faculty. QUESTION: What does the blinding of Samson mean in the way of contemplation? ANSWER:\n\nSamson is interpreted as \"sun,\" and Dalila as \"impoverished.\" Samson, then, fell upon the thigh of Dalila, that is, upon the passive part of pleasure, and became impoverished of the virtue that enlightened him. Then he brought a barber and a razor and shaved off his seven locks. The barber is the devil, and the razor is deceit, according to what is written: \"you made deceit like a sharpened razor,\" and the seven locks are the seven energies of the Spirit, according to the prophet Isaiah. When, therefore, his hairs began to grow, that is, when he came to repentance for what he had done, then the little child leads him by the hand, that is, the law of God, and brings him to the pillars on which the house of the foreigners was supported, which are anger and desire, by which every foreign-minded intellect is captured. And Samson's dying together with the foreigners signifies the consummation, that is, the mortification, of the fleshly mindset.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":52,"ref":"p52","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει αὐτὸς ὁ Σαμψὼν ἐν τῇ σιαγόνι τοῦ ὄνου ἀποκτείνας τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐνταῦθα τύπον ὁ Σαμψὼν φέρει τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Ναζιραίου τοῦ Χριστοῦ· αὐτὸς γὰρ τὴν ἡμετέραν σάρκα λαβὼν ἄνικμον πάσης ἁμαρτίας, τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους ἀνεῖλεν δαίμονας. Τὸ δὲ δεθῆναι ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων τὸν Σαμψὼν καὶ παραδοθῆναι τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις σαφῶς ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου πεπλήρωται· δήσαντες γὰρ αὐτὸν οἱ δοκοῦντες ἴδιοι εἶναι Ἰουδαῖοι παρέδωκαν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπήγασεν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Κυρίου ὥσπερ ἐκ τῆς σιαγόνος τὸ τῆς γνώσεως ὕδωρ ὅπερ ἐδίψα λέγων \"ἵνα γινώσκωσίν σε τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν\". Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕκαστος Σαμψών, τουτέστιν Ναζιραῖος, διὰ τῆς σιαγόνος, τουτέστιν διὰ τῆς ἐγκρατείας τοῦ σώματος, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἑτερογενὲς τῆς ψυχῆς καθὰ καὶ ὁ ὄνος τῆς ἐθνικῆς μερίδος τῷ νόμῳ, ἀποκτέννει τὰ πάθη διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς. Εἶτα καὶ διψᾷ θείας γνώσεως καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐπικλήσεως ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς ἐναρέτου πράξεως καταπέμπεται αὐτῷ θεία γνῶσις, ποτίζουσα αὐτὸν καὶ ἀναψύχουσα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ συνσχεθῇ ἔσω τειχῶν τῆς Γάζης, τουτέστιν ὑπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, τοῖς ὤμοις τῆς πρακτικῆς ἀναλαμβάνει τὰς πόρτας, τουτέστιν τὰς αἰσθήσεις, καὶ ἀνάγει εἰς τὸ ὅρος τῆς ὑψηλῆς γνώσεως.","english":"QUESTION: What does it mean that Samson himself, having killed the Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey?\n\nANSWER: Here Samson bears the type of the true Nazirite, Christ; for he, having taken our flesh, dry of every sin, destroyed the Philistines, that is, the demons. And that Samson was bound by his own people and handed over to the Philistines has been clearly fulfilled in the Lord; for those who seemed to be his own, the Jews, bound him and handed him over to the nations. But also from the body of the Lord, as from the jawbone, gushed forth the water of knowledge, of which he thirsted when he said, \"that they may know you, the true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.\" But also each Samson, that is, each Nazirite, through the jawbone, that is, through self-control of the body, which is of a different kind from the soul, just as the donkey is of the Gentile portion under the law, kills the passions through the practical life. Then he also thirsts for divine knowledge, and through the invocation, from the virtuous action itself, divine knowledge is sent down to him, watering him and refreshing him. And if he is also confined within the walls of Gaza, that is, by things perceptible to the senses, on the shoulders of the practical life he takes up the gates, that is, the senses, and leads them up to the mountain of lofty knowledge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":53,"ref":"p53","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν τὰ μὲν ἑπτὰ ἔθνη παρακελεύεται ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ ἀπολέσαι, τὰς δὲ πέντε σατραπίας οὐδαμῶς; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πάντα τὰ παρὰ φύσιν πάθη μισῶν ὁ Θεὸς κελεύει ἀπόλλυσθαι· τὰς δὲ κατὰ φύσιν τῶν πέντε αἰσθήσεων δυνάμεις οὐ βούλεται ἀναιρεθῆναι, εἰ δὲ ἄρα παρὰ φύσιν ποτὲ κινηθῶσιν, τὰς ἐνεργείας αὐτῶν ἀποκτέννυσθαι. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον λέγων \"νίψαι σου τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλήν\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ πρόσωπον ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ βίος, χαρακτηρίζων καθάπερ ἡ ὄψις ὁποῖοί τινές ἐσμεν κατὰ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον. Τοῦτο οὖν ὁ λόγος παρακελεύεται νίπτειν, τουτέστιν καθαίρειν τὸν βίον κηλίδος πάσης ἁμαρτιῶν. Κεφαλὴ δέ ἐστιν ὁ ἡμέτερος νοῦς, ὃν ὁ λόγος ἀλείφειν κελεύει, τουτέστιν τῇ θείᾳ καταφαιδρύνειν γνώσει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 71\n\nΤί ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπόκρισις λέγοντος «εἴπατε τῇ ἀλώπηκι» περὶ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου λέγων ὅτι «σήμερον καὶ αὔριον ἰάσεις ἐπιτελῶ καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡρῴδης ‘δερμάτινος’ ἑρμηνεύεται· χρὴ οὖν τοὺς σαρκικοὺς λογισμοὺς τοὺς θέλοντας ἀποσπάσαι τὸν νοῦν ἐκ τῆς πρακτικῆς ἀρετῆς βδελύττεσθαι καὶ λέγειν αὐτοῖς ὅτι σήμερον καὶ αὔριον ἰάσεις ἐπιτελῶ καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι, τουτέστιν ἰῶμαι διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς τὰ ἴδια μέλη πρῶτος, εἶτα καὶ τὰς αἰσθήσεις πρὸς τὸ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ὑγιῶς ἐπιβαλεῖν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι, τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῆς θείας γνώσεως τὸ τέλειον λαμβάνων.","english":"QUESTION: For what reason does God command the sons of Israel to destroy the seven nations, but not at all the five satrapies? ANSWER: God, hating all passions that are contrary to nature, commands them to be destroyed; but the natural powers of the five senses he does not will to be abolished, but if ever they are moved contrary to nature, that their activities be put to death. QUESTION: What does it mean that the Gospel says, \"Wash your face and anoint your head\"? ANSWER: Our face is our life, characterizing, just as the countenance does, what sort of persons we are in the inner man. This, then, the word exhorts us to wash, that is, to cleanse our life from every stain of sins. And the head is our mind, which the word commands us to anoint, that is, to make radiant with divine knowledge. QUESTION 71: What is the Lord's answer when he says, \"Tell that fox,\" speaking about Herod, that \"today and tomorrow I perform healings and on the third day I am made perfect\"? ANSWER: Herod is interpreted as \"leathern\"; it is necessary, then, to loathe the fleshly thoughts that wish to draw the mind away from practical virtue, and to say to them, \"Today and tomorrow I perform healings and on the third day I am made perfect,\" that is, I heal my own members first through practice, then also the senses, so as to apply them soundly to things perceptible, and on the third day I am made perfect, receiving perfection in the contemplation of divine knowledge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":54,"ref":"p54","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον ὅτι «σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύνανται»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Σάρξ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπιθυμία, αἷμα δὲ ὁ θυμός· καὶ εἰκότως ὁ μὴ τούτων καθαρεύων βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύναται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ τὸ ἐν Χωρὴβ Σινᾶ ὄρος καὶ τί τὰ γενάμενα ἐν αὐτῷ μυστήρια; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Σινᾶ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘πειρασμός,’ Χωρὴβ δὲ ‘νέωσις.’ Χρὴ οὖν τὸν τοῦ ὕψους τῆς γνώσεως ἐφιέμενον πρῶτον ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ γενέσθαι τῶν πειρασμῶν καὶ νεῶσαι καὶ σπεῖραι καρπὸν γνώσεως καὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἁγνίσασθαι ἀπὸ παντὸς πάθους, τρεῖς δὲ ἡμέρας, ἀντὶ τοῦ τὰς τρεῖς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις, πάσης κεκαθάρθαι σαρκικῆς ἡδονῆς, μὴ συμπαραλαμβάνειν δὲ τὸ θῆλυ, μήτε μὴν ἄλογον, τοῦτο δηλοῦντος τοῦ λόγου, ὡς χρὴ τὸν ἄξιον θέλοντα γενέσθαι θείας φωνῆς μηδὲν ἔχοντα θηλυδριῶδες μήτε ἀλόγιστον, ἀλλὰ λαμπροῖς τοῖς ἱματίοις τῆς ἀρετῆς ἠμφιεσμένον προσβαίνειν τῷ ὄρει τῆς γνώσεως. Οὕτω γὰρ κατὰ τὸν θεσπέσιον Μωυσέα διὰ τῆς φυσικῆς θεωρίας καὶ τῆς τοῦ χρόνου ἰδιότητος ὅπερ δηλοῖ τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα πρεσβυτέρους γενόμενον καὶ παρελθόντα τὰς φωνὰς καὶ τοὺς ἤχους, τὰς ἐκ τῶν φαινομένων δηλώσεις, μόνους ἐπιφέρεται μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ Ἀαρὼν καὶ τοὺς δύο υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ Ναδὰβ καὶ Ἀβιούδ, τουτέστιν Ἀαρὼν τὸν λόγον καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ υἱοὺς θυμὸν καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν.","english":"QUESTION: What is it that the Apostle means when he says, \"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God\"?\n\nANSWER: Flesh is the desire, and blood is the anger; and reasonably, the one who is not pure from these cannot inherit the kingdom of God.\n\nQUESTION: What does Mount Sinai in Horeb signify, and what are the mysteries that took place in it? ANSWER: Sinai is interpreted as \"temptation,\" and Horeb as \"renewal.\" It is necessary, then, that the one who aspires to the height of knowledge first be in endurance of temptations and renew himself and sow the fruit of knowledge and righteousness and be purified from every passion, and for three days—that is, the three powers of the soul—be cleansed from every fleshly pleasure, and not take along the female, nor indeed the irrational; the word indicating this, that the one who wishes to become worthy of the divine voice must have nothing effeminate nor irrational, but clothed in the bright garments of virtue, ascend the mountain of knowledge. For thus, according to the inspired Moses, through natural contemplation and the peculiarity of time—which signifies the seventy elders—having become and passed beyond the voices and the sounds, the manifestations from things that appear, he brings with himself only Aaron and his two sons Nadab and Abihu, that is, Aaron the reason and his sons anger and desire.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":55,"ref":"p55","source":"Ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτους καταλιπεῖν χρὴ δίκην καπνοῦ καὶ θυέλλης καὶ μόνον ἔχειν τὸν Ἀαρών, τὸν ἁπλοῦν πρὸς τὴν νόησίν φημι λόγον, δίκην ἀστραπῶν καταλαμπόμενον ταῖς θείαις ἐλλάμψεσιν, εἶτα καὶ τοῦτον καταλιπεῖν ἔξω καὶ εἰς τὸν γνόφον τῆς ἀγνωσίας εἰσδῦναι, ἔνθα πᾶσα ἀλογία καὶ ἀνοησία. Τοὺς δὲ ὑπὸ τὸ ὄρος ἁγνισθέντας τοῦ λαοῦ σημαίνειν οἶμαι τοὺς πρακτικούς, τοὺς δὲ ἑβδομήκοντα πρεσβυτέρους τοὺς τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν μετερχομένους, τοὺς δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἀαρὼν τοὺς τὴν θεολογίαν μετιόντας, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ Μωυσέα τοὺς δι᾽ ἀποφάσεως καὶ ἀγνωσίας ἑνουμένους τῷ Θεῷ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν διάψαλμα;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἶμαι ὅτι ἢ ἀπὸ νοήματος εἰς νόημα μεταβολὴ ἢ καὶ τρόπου διδασκαλίας εἰς ἕτερον τρόπον.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ «συνήφερεν αὐτῷ ἵνα μύλος ὀνικὸς περιτεθῇ ἐν τῷ τραχήλῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ῥιφῇ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἢ ἵνα σκανδαλίσῃ ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nΜικρούς, οἶμαι, λέγει τοὺς κατὰ διάνοιαν ἀφελεῖς καὶ διὰ σμικρότητα νοὸς μὴ δυναμένους διακρίνειν τὰ τῆς προνοίας κρίματα. Ὅστις οὖν σκανδαλίσῃ τοὺς τοιούτους, συνέφερεν αὐτῷ ἑλληνικῆς εἶναι μοίρας, οἳ δίκην ὄνου ἐν μυλῶνι μόνῃ τῇ κινήσει τοῦ κόσμου ἐνήσχηνται, καὶ ἵνα ῥιφῇ ἐν τῷ πελάγει τῆς θαλάσσης, τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ συγχύσει τοῦ βίου. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος Πέτρος βεβαιοῖ λέγων \"κρεῖσσον ἦν αὐτοῖς μὴ ἐπιγνωκέναι τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἢ ἐπιγνοῦσιν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω ἀνακάμψαι\".","english":"But it is necessary to leave these also behind, like smoke and tempest, and to keep only Aaron—I mean the simple word with respect to understanding—illumined like lightning flashes by the divine illuminations, and then to leave this too outside and to enter into the darkness of ignorance, where all is irrationality and folly. But those of the people who were purified beneath the mountain I think signify the practical, the seventy elders those who pursue natural contemplation, those around Aaron those who pursue theology, and those after the likeness of Moses those who are united to God through negation and ignorance.\n\nQUESTION: What is a diapsalma?\n\nANSWER: I think it is either a change from one meaning to another, or a change from one manner of teaching to another.\n\nQUESTION: What is the meaning of \"It were better for him that a millstone of an ass were hung about his neck and that he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of the little ones to stumble\"? ANSWER:\n\nBy \"little ones,\" I think, he means those who are simple in mind and, through smallness of understanding, are unable to discern the judgments of providence. Whoever, then, causes such as these to stumble, it were better for him to be of the Greek portion, who, like an ass in a mill, are occupied with the motion of the world alone, and that he be cast into the open sea, that is, into the confusion of life. And the apostle Peter also confirms this, saying, \"It were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":56,"ref":"p56","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος ἕνεκεν μετὰ τὸ λιθοβοληθῆναι κατὰ πρόσταξιν Θεοῦ τὸν τὰ ξύλα ἐν σαββάτῳ συλλέξαντα, κελεύει εἰς τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἱματίων ἀποδεσμεῖσθαι κλῶσμα ὑακίνθινον;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ πράξει καὶ γνώσει σαββατίζων, εἶτα ῥαθυμήσας, ἄρξηται τὰς ἐξαπτικὰς τῶν παθῶν ὕλας ἑαυτῷ ξύλων δίκην συλλέγειν, ἢ καὶ ὁ γνωστικὸς περὶ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν τῶν ὁρατῶν στραφείς· εἰκότως τοῖς θείοις λόγοις οἱονεὶ λίθοις τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀποκτέννονται πάθη. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὁρῶν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ῥάθυμον καὶ εὐόλισθον τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πρὸς τὸ μὴ τῇ λήθῃ κρατουμένους ἐκπίπτειν τῆς ἐντολῆς, κελεύει εἰς τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἱματίων ἀποδεσμεῖσθαι κλῶσμα ὑακίνθινον, ἵνα βλέποντες εἰς μνήμην ἔρχωνται τοῦ προστάγματος. Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ φαινόμενος τοῦ νόμου σκοπός, ὁ δὲ πνευματικὸς καὶ τὰ βάθη καθαίρων ἐστὶν οὗτος· ἐπειδὴ τὸ κράσπεδον ἐκ τοῦ στήμονος τοῦ ἱματίου ἐστίν, τοῦτο σημαίνει ὅτι δεῖ τῷ ἱματίῳ τῆς πρακτικῆς καὶ ἠθικῆς φιλοσοφίας ἠρτῆσθαι τὴν πίστιν τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ στήμων καὶ ἁπλῶς συμπεπλέχθαι πίστιν καὶ πρᾶξιν, ἐκ τούτων δὲ ἀποδεσμεῖσθαι ὑακίνθου τρόπον τὴν γνῶσιν ἤτουν σοφίαν· σοφίαν γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς ἐτυμολογοῦντας ἡ σοφία λέγεται, ὅπερ ἡ τῆς ὑακίνθου χρόα διὰ τῆς μελάνσεως ἐνδείκνυται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ἡ κατὰ τὸν Ἄβελ καὶ τὸν Κάϊν κατ᾽ ἀναγωγὴν θεωρία; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Κάϊν λαμβάνεται ἐπὶ τοῦ φρονήματος τῆς σαρκός, ὁ δὲ Ἄβελ ἐπὶ τοῦ πένθους ἤγουν τῆς μετανοίας.","english":"QUESTION: For what reason, after the man who gathered wood on the Sabbath was stoned by the command of God, does he command a fringe of blue thread to be bound to the edges of garments?\n\nANSWER: The one who keeps the Sabbath in practice and knowledge, and then grows slack and begins to gather for himself, like wood, the materials that kindle the passions, or even the one who is knowledgeable but turns to the surface of visible things—such passions are reasonably put to death by the divine words as if by stones. But since God saw the slackness and easy slipping of men, so that, held fast by forgetfulness, they might not fall away from the commandment, he commands a fringe of blue thread to be bound to the edges of garments, so that, looking at it, they may come to remember the commandment. This is the apparent purpose of the law, but the spiritual one, which purifies the depths, is this: since the fringe is from the warp of the garment, this signifies that the faith of practical and ethical philosophy must be attached to the garment—for this is the warp—and, simply put, that faith and practice be interwoven, and that from these knowledge, or wisdom, be bound on in the manner of blue; for wisdom is called wisdom according to those who derive its etymology, which the color of the blue indicates through its darkness.\n\nQUESTION: What is the anagogical contemplation concerning Abel and Cain?\n\nANSWER: Cain is taken to mean the mind of the flesh, and Abel to mean mourning, that is, repentance.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":57,"ref":"p57","source":"Ὅτ᾽ ἂν οὖν μήπω τελείως κατορθώσας τὴν πρακτικὴν ἕξιν ὁ νοῦς χλευάζεται ὑπὸ τοῦ φρονήματος τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἐκβαίνει μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πεδίον, τουτέστιν εἰς τὸ πλάτος τῆς φυσικῆς θεωρίας, ἀποκτέννεται μὴ ἰσχύων τὰς ἐπιφανείας τῶν ὄντων διαπερᾶσαι ἀλλ᾽ ἐν αὐταῖς ἐναπομένων. Ὅστις οὖν ἀποκτέννει τὸν Κάϊν, τουτέστιν τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκός, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ συγκατάθεσις ὁ γὰρ φονεύων τὸ πένθος συγκατατίθεται τῇ κακίᾳ, ἑπτὰ ἐκδικούμενα παραλύει, τουτέστιν τὰ ἑπτὰ τῆς πονηρίας πνεύματα ἢ καὶ τὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐνεργούμενα ἑπτὰ τῆς κακίας πάθη καταργεῖ. Ἡ δὲ κατάρα τοῦ στένειν τὸν Κάϊν δηλοῖ τὴν τοῦ συνειδότος ἐπανάστασιν τοῦ ἀεὶ τύπτοντος καὶ κατασείοντος αὐτοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ ἡ κατὰ τὸν Λάμεχ ἱστορία;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φασί τινες τῶν τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένων ὅτι ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς τοῦ Λάμεχ ἀταξίας καὶ ἀναρχίας οὔσης ὁ δυνατὸς τὸν ἀσθενοῦντα κατεδυνάστευεν. Οὗτος οὖν ὁ Λάμεχ ὑπαντήσας ἄνδρα μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ. Ἀπαντήσας δὲ καὶ ἀδελφὸν μετὰ ἀδελφῆς ἀπέκτεινεν καὶ αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐκάλεσεν ἡ Γραφὴ ἄνδρα, τὸν δὲ νεανίσκον. Ταῦτα μὲν κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν· κατὰ δὲ θεωρίαν λαμβάνεται ὁ Λάμεχ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐνεργείας τῆς κακίας. Ἀπέκτεινεν γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν τὸν ἄνδρα, τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον,","english":"When, therefore, the mind has not yet perfectly accomplished the practical habit and is mocked by the mindset of the flesh, and goes out with it into the plain—that is, into the breadth of natural contemplation—it is killed, being unable to pass through the outward appearances of beings but remaining in them. Whoever, then, kills Cain—that is, the mindset of the flesh, which is consent (for he who slays grief consents to evil)—shall be avenged sevenfold, that is, he destroys the seven spirits of wickedness, or also the seven passions of evil that are wrought by them. And the curse of Cain's groaning signifies the uprising of conscience that ever strikes and shakes his mind. QUESTION: What does the story concerning Lamech signify? ANSWER: Some of those educated in divine things say that in the times of Lamech, when there was disorder and anarchy, the strong tyrannized the weak. This Lamech, then, encountering a man with his wife, killed him and took his wife. And encountering also a brother with a sister, he killed him too and took his sister. And the Scripture called the one a man, and the other a young man. These things are so according to the history; but according to contemplation, Lamech is taken as representing the activity of evil. For he killed in us the man—the natural law,","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":58,"ref":"p58","source":"καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὴν αἴσθησιν· ἀπέκτεινεν δὲ καὶ τὸν νεανίσκον, τὸν πνευματικόν φημι νόμον, καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν, ὅπως ταύταις μιγνύμενος ὁ τῆς κακίας σπορεὺς ἀποτεκεῖν ποιήσῃ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Ἐκ τούτου οὖν τοῦ Λάμεχ ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτὰ ἐκδικεῖται, τουτέστιν ὑπὲρ τῆς συγκαταθέσεως καὶ ἐνεργείας δίκας εἰσπράττεται. Ὅθεν ὁ Κύριος λέγοντι τῷ Πέτρῳ \"ποσάκις ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις;\" ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Κύριος \"οὐ μόνον ἕως ἑπτάκις ἀλλ᾽ ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά\", τουτέστιν \"τῷ μετανοοῦντί σοι μὴ μόνον τὰ μικρὰ τὰ ἐν συγκαταθέσει γινόμενα ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἐνεργείας ἀφήσεις\". ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ τὸ χωνευτὸν καὶ τὸ γλυπτὸν καὶ τὸ θεραφὶν ἅπερ ἐποίησαν ἐπὶ τοῦ Γεδεὼν καὶ τί τὰ ἐνώτια καὶ οἱ μηνίσκοι ἅπερ ἐποίησεν ὁ Γεδεὼν ἐφοὺδ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐν τῇ πύλῃ καὶ γέγονεν εἰς σκάνδαλον τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐκεῖνος ποιεῖ χωνευτὸν κατὰ τὴν Γραφὴν ὁ ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν προλήψεων ἔχων τοὺς τύπους τῆς κακίας καὶ ἐξ αὐ τῶν χωνεύων καὶ εἰς ἐνέργειαν φέρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν· γλυπτὸν δὲ ποιεῖ ὁ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ δημιουργῶν τὸ πάθος· θεραφὶν δὲ ποιεῖ ὁ τὴν ἕξιν τῶν παθῶν κεκτημένος ὥσπερ δοχεῖον· φασὶ γὰρ τὸ θεραφὶν δοχεῖον εἶναι τοῦ αἵματος τῶν θυομένων.","english":"And he took from him the perception; and he killed also the young man, I mean the spiritual law, and took from him the understanding, so that the sower of evil, mingling with these, might cause sin to be brought forth. From this Lamech, therefore, vengeance is exacted seventy times seven, that is, he is punished for the consent and the activity. Whence, when Peter said to the Lord, \"How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?\" the Lord answered, \"Not only until seven times, but until seventy times seven,\" that is, \"to you who repent, you shall forgive not only the small things that come about in consent, but also the activities.\" QUESTION: What do the molten image and the carved image and the teraphim signify, which they made in the time of Gideon, and what are the earrings and the crescents which Gideon made into an ephod and set up in the gate, and it became a snare to his house? ANSWER: He makes a molten image according to the Scripture who has the types of evil from external preconceptions, and from these melts them down and brings sin into activity; and he makes a carved image who fashions the passion from himself; and he makes a teraphim who possesses the habit of the passions as a vessel; for they say that the teraphim is a vessel of the blood of the sacrificed.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":59,"ref":"p59","source":"Τὸ δὲ ποιῆσαι τὸν Γεδεὼν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐνωτίων καὶ τῶν μηνίσκων ἐφούδ, τοῦτο σημαίνει ὅτι ὅστις τῶν διδασκάλων ἀφ᾽ ἑκάστου λαμβάνων λόγον ἢ δόγμα τοῦτο γὰρ ἐνώτια καὶ μηνίσκοι περί τινος τῶν κατὰ τὴν κτίσιν προφαινομένων, εἶτα ἐξ ὅλων συναγείρων ἓν μυστικὸν λόγον θεωρίας καὶ τοῦτον προτιθεὶς ἐν φανερῷ εἴτε καὶ ἐν βίβλοις κατατιθέμενος τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ πύλη, ὅσοι μὴ δύνανται νοῆσαι ἐκ νηπίας φρενὸς τὸ μυστικὸν τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἑνιαῖον, σκανδαλίζονται εἰς τὸν εἰπόντα διδάσκαλον. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν τὸν Γεδεὼν ἱστορία καὶ ὁ πόκος καὶ ὁ πόλεμος πρὸς τοὺς Μαδιηναίους καὶ τὰ λοιπά;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἀγάρ, ἡ παιδίσκη Σάρρας, λαμβάνεται ἐπὶ τῆς αἰσθήσεως· αὐτὴ συλλαμβάνουσα διὰ τῆς φυσικῆς θεωρίας γεννᾷ τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον. Εἰ δὲ κατεξαναστῇ αὐτὴ τοῦ νοὸς ὥσπερ ἐκείνη τῇ Σάρρᾳ ’ἄρχουσα’ δὲ ἡ Σάρρα ἑρμηνεύεται παρωθεῖται ἡ αἴσθησις καὶ συλλαμβάνει ὁ νοῦς τὸν Ἰσαάκ, τὸν πνευματικὸν νόμον, ἐξ οὗ ὁ Ἰσραήλ, τουτέστιν ‘ὁ νοῦς ὁ τὸν θεὸν ὁρῶν.’ Οὗτος ἐπειδὰν τυραννεῖται ὑπὸ τοῦ Μαδιάμ, τουτέστιν τῆς πορνείας, παραδίδοται κατὰ συγχώρησιν ἑπτὰ ἔτη, τουτέστιν ἐν τοῖς χρονικοῖς καὶ ἐπικαίροις πάθεσιν. «Καὶ ἐποίησαν», φησίν, «οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν τρυμαλιὰς καὶ σπήλαια»· πολεμούμενος γὰρ ὁ νοῦς δοκεῖ ἐπινοεῖν κακώσεις καὶ πόνους, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς γνώσεως τούτους ποιῶν ἀνονήτως κοπιᾷ. «Ἔσπειρεν», γάρ φησιν, «ἀνὴρ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἀνέβαινεν Μαδιὰμ καὶ Ἀμαλὶκ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ἀνατολῶν καὶ διέφθειρον τὸν καρπὸν τῆς γῆς»· Ἀμαλὶκ γὰρ ἡ γαστριμαργία καὶ Μαδιὰμ ἡ πορνεία καὶ υἱοὶ ἀνατολῶν ἡ κενοδοξία·","english":"But Gideon's making an ephod from the earrings and the crescents signifies this: that whoever of the teachers, taking a word or a doctrine from each one—for the earrings and crescents are concerning something of the things that appear in creation—and then gathering from all of them one mystical word of contemplation, and setting this forth openly or depositing it in books—for this is the gate—as many as are unable to understand from an infantile mind the mystical and unified meaning of the word are scandalized at the teacher who spoke it. QUESTION: What does the history concerning Gideon himself signify, and the fleece, and the war against the Midianites, and the rest?\n\nANSWER: Hagar, the maidservant of Sarah, is taken to mean the senses; she, conceiving through natural contemplation, gives birth to the natural law. But if she rises up against the mind, as that one did against Sarah—and Sarah is interpreted as \"ruling\"—the senses are thrust aside, and the mind conceives Isaac, the spiritual law, from whom comes Israel, that is, \"the mind that sees God.\" This one, when he is tyrannized by Midian, that is, by fornication, is handed over by permission for seven years, that is, in the temporal and seasonal passions. \"And the sons of Israel,\" it says, \"made for themselves holes and caves in the mountains\"; for the mind, when warred upon, seems to devise hardships and toils, but doing these without knowledge, it labors to no profit. \"For a man of Israel,\" it says, \"sowed, and Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east came up and destroyed the fruit of the land\"; for Amalek is gluttony, and Midian is fornication, and the sons of the east are vainglory.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":60,"ref":"p60","source":"διαφθείρουσιν πάντα τὸν σπόρον τῆς καρδίας, ὅνπερ ἄνευ γνώσεως ἐπιτηδεύειν δοκεῖ. «Καὶ οὐχ ὑπελείποντο ὑπόστασιν ζωῆς ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ», φησίν, ἐκ ποιμνίου καὶ μόσχου καὶ ὄνου, τουτέστιν ἔκ τε τοῦ λογικοῦ καὶ θυμικοῦ καὶ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ. «Ἀνέβαινον δὲ καὶ αἱ κτήσεις αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ σκηναὶ σὺν τοῖς καμήλοις αὐτῶν ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμός», τουτέστιν τὰ ποικίλα εἴδη τῶν παθῶν καὶ αἱ μνήμαι αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ φαντασίαι. «Καὶ ἐπτώχευσεν», φησίν, «ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Μαδιὰμ καὶ ἐκέκραξαν πρὸς Κύριον οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν Κύριος ἄνδρα προφήτην»· ἡνίκα γὰρ πτωχεύσει ὁ νοῦς πάσης ἀρετῆς, οἱ δὲ λογισμοὶ τούτου ἐκ\n\nμεταμελείας βοήσωσιν πρὸς Κύριον, ἐξαποστελεῖ Κύριος λόγον ἀναμιμνήσκοντα τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἄνοδον, τουτέστιν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ σκοτασμοῦ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν λύτρωσιν. «Καὶ ἦλθεν», φησίν, «ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ ἐκάθισεν ὑπὸ τὴν τερέβινθον» τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ μυστήριον αἰνιττόμενος «καὶ ἦν», φησίν, «Γεδεὼν ῥαβδίζων σῖτον ἐν ληνῷ», τουτέστιν τὴν πρακτικὴν μετερχόμενος μετὰ τῆς γνώσεως· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ληνὸς τοῦ οἴνου. «Καὶ ὤφθη αὐτῷ ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· \"Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ, δυνατὸς ἰσχύϊ\"»· τὸν γὰρ ὑποτάξαντα καὶ δουλωσάμενον τὰ πάθη καὶ τὸ κῦρος διὰ πρακτικῆς καὶ γνώσεως κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ἔχοντα, ἐκ τῶν ἰδιωμάτων αὐτὸν καλεῖ· \"Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ\". Καὶ δείκνυται τὸ ταπεινὸν τοῦ τοιούτου νοὸς ἐκ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως· εἶπεν γάρ· \"Καὶ εἰ ἔστιν Κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν, εἰς τί ηὗρεν ἡμᾶς τὰ κακὰ ταῦτα;\" «Καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος· \"Πορεύου ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου· ταύτῃ σώσῃς τὸν Ἰσραήλ\"», τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ τῆς πράξεως καὶ τῆς γνώσεως.","english":"They destroy all the seed of the heart, which he seems to pursue without knowledge. \"And there was not left any substance of life in Israel,\" he says, from flock and calf and donkey, that is, from the rational, the irascible, and the concupiscible. \"And their possessions and their tents went up with their camels, of which there was no number,\" that is, the various kinds of the passions and their memories and imaginations. \"And Israel became poor,\" he says, \"from the face of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent out a man, a prophet.\" For whenever the mind becomes poor of every virtue, and its thoughts cry out to the Lord from repentance, the Lord will send out a word that reminds of the exodus from Egypt, that is, the redemption from the darkness of sins. \"And the angel of the Lord came,\" he says, \"and sat under the terebinth,\" hinting at the mystery of the cross, \"and Gideon,\" he says, \"was threshing grain in the winepress,\" that is, pursuing the practical life together with knowledge; for this is the winepress of wine. \"And the angel appeared to him and said to him: 'The Lord is with you, mighty in strength.'\" For the one who has subjected and enslaved the passions and has the authority through practice and knowledge according to him, he calls him from his own qualities: \"The Lord is with you.\" And the humility of such a mind is shown from the answer; for he said: \"And if the Lord is among us, for what purpose have these evils found us?\" \"And the angel said to him: 'Go in your strength; by this you shall save Israel,'\" that is, in the strength of action and knowledge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":61,"ref":"p61","source":"«Καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον· \"Εἰ εὖρον χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, μὴ δὴ κινηθῇς ἐντεῦθεν ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν με πρὸς σέ\"». «Καὶ Γεδεὼν εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐποίησεν ἔριφον αἰγῶν καὶ ἔλαβεν οἰφὶ σεμιδάλεως καὶ ἄζυμα καὶ τὰ κρέα ἔθηκεν ἐν τῷ κοφίνῳ καὶ τὸν ζωμὸν ἔθηκεν ἐν τῇ χύτρᾳ καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τὴν τερέβινθον καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος· \"Λάβε τὰ κρέα καὶ τοὺς ἀζύμους καὶ θὲς πρὸς τὴν πέτραν ἐκείνην καὶ τὸν ζωμὸν ἔκχεον ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ». Καὶ ἐποίησεν οὕτως». Ὅτ᾽ ἂν γὰρ νόημα πνευματικὸν καταπεμφθῇ τῷ νῷ καὶ εὕρῃ ὁ νοῦς ἁρμόσαι τῇ τοιαύτῃ γνώσει διὰ τῶν προσφυῶν πράξεων τὰ ἐπιβάλλοντα, οὐκ ἀποκινεῖται ἡ γνῶσις. Τὸ δὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τὰ κρέα καὶ τοὺς ἀζύμους καὶ τὸν ζωμὸν σημαίνει τὴν πρᾶξιν μετὰ τοῦ ἀτύφου περικεχυμένην τῇ γνώσει· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ ὁ ζωμός. Θεῖναι δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς τὴν πέτραν προστέταχεν· δεῖ γὰρ γνῶσίν τε καὶ πρᾶξιν τῇ εἰς Χριστὸν πίστει συνάπτεσθαι. «Καὶ ἐξέτεινεν ὁ ἄγγελος τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου τῆς ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἥψατο τῶν κρεῶν καὶ ἀνέβη πῦρ ἐκ τῆς πέτρας καὶ κατέφαγεν τὰ κρέα καὶ τοὺς ἀζύμους καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος ἀπῆλθεν ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ». Ὅτ᾽ ἂν γὰρ ἡ τοιαύτη πρᾶξις καὶ γνῶσις τῇ πίστει τελειωθῶσιν, τότε τὸ πῦρ τοῦ Πνεύματος φωτεινὰς ἀπεργάζεται ταύτας καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς γνώσεως λόγος συναφίπταται· οὐκέτι γὰρ ὡς τὸ πρότερον παρέπεται ὑπομιμνήσκων· ὅλῳ γὰρ τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος ὁ νοῦς ἐγκραθεὶς οὐκέτι τοῖς ἐναρχθεῖσιν προσκάθηται.","english":"And he said to the angel, 'If I have found favor in your eyes, do not move from here until I come to you.'\" \"And Gideon went in and prepared a kid of the goats, and took an ephah of fine flour and unleavened cakes, and put the meat in the basket, and put the broth in the pot, and brought it out to him under the terebinth; and the angel said to him, 'Take the meat and the unleavened cakes and place them on that rock, and pour out the broth upon it.' And he did so.\" For whenever a spiritual thought is sent down to the mind, and the mind finds that it can fit what is fitting to such knowledge through actions that are naturally suited, knowledge does not move away. And bringing out the meat and the unleavened cakes and the broth signifies action together with freedom from vainglory poured around knowledge; for the broth makes this clear. And he commanded these to be placed on the rock; for knowledge and action must be joined to faith in Christ. \"And the angel stretched out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat, and fire rose up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes, and the angel departed from his eyes.\" For whenever such action and knowledge are perfected by faith, then the fire of the Spirit makes them luminous, and the word of the beginning of knowledge flies up together with them; for no longer does it follow along as before, reminding; for the mind, having been wholly kindled by the light of the Spirit, no longer sits by the things that were begun.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":62,"ref":"p62","source":"Ὁ δὲ πόκος σημαίνει τὴν Ἰουδαϊκὴν λατρείαν· ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν γὰρ ἐγένετο δρόσος· εἶχεν γὰρ δικαιώματα λατρείας. Εἰς δὲ «πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ξηρασία»· πάντα γὰρ τὰ ἔθνη ξηρὰ ἐτύγχανον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ γνώσεως. Τὸ δὲ ἐκπιάσαι εἰς τὴν λεκάνην τὸ ὕδωρ ἐσήμανεν τὴν μέλλουσαν τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάριν· εἶχεν γὰρ ἡ Παλαιὰ ἐν πολλοῖς τύπους τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος· οὗτοι οὖν ἐκπιασθέντες ἐν τῇ λεκάνῃ τοῦ βαπτίσματος τὸ κατ᾽ αὐτὸ μυστήριον ἡμῖν ὑπέδειξαν. Τὸ δὲ δευτερῶσαι καὶ ἀνάπαλιν τὸν μὲν πόκον ἔχειν τὴν ξηρασίαν, πᾶσαν δὲ τὴν γῆν δρόσον, ἐσήμαινεν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου· πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ γῆ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς ἐπληρώθη δρόσου· κατελείφθη δὲ ξηρὸς πάσης πίστεως ὁ Ἰουδαίων λαός. Εἰς δὲ τὸν καθένα· πόκος ἐστὶν ἡ ἠθικὴ φιλοσοφία ἐκπιεζομένη εἰς τὴν λεκάνην τῆς γνώσεως· τὸ δὲ τὴν γῆν πᾶσαν ἔχειν τὴν δρόσον σημαίνει ὅτι μετὰ τὴν κατόρθωσιν τῆς ἠθικῆς φιλοσοφίας πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τῆς καρδίας πληροῦται θείας γνώσεως. Εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ μόνῃ τῇ τῶν ἠθῶν κατορθώσει δίχα τῆς προσφυοῦς γνώσεως ἐπαίρεταί τις, ὁ τοιοῦτος τὴν μὲν γῆν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ καρδίας ἄνικμον ἔχει, τὴν δὲ ἔξω σκηνὴν ὥσπερ πόκον καλλωπίζων φαίνεται.","english":"But the fleece signifies the Jewish worship; for the dew came upon it, for it had the ordinances of worship. But \"upon all the earth dryness\"; for all the nations were dry of the knowledge of God. And the wringing out of the water into the basin signified the coming grace of baptism; for the Old Testament had in many things types of holy baptism; these, then, having been wrung out into the basin of baptism, showed forth to us the mystery itself. And the second time, and again, that the fleece had dryness and all the earth dew, signified the grace of the Gospel; for all the earth was filled with the dew of the Gospel; but the people of the Jews was left dry of all faith. And in the individual sense: the fleece is ethical philosophy wrung out into the basin of knowledge; and that all the earth has the dew signifies that after the right accomplishment of ethical philosophy, all the earth of the heart is filled with divine knowledge. But if one is exalted on the mere right accomplishment of morals without the knowledge that grows from it, such a one has the earth of his own heart without moisture, and appears to be adorning the outer tent like a fleece.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":63,"ref":"p63","source":"Τὸ δὲ ἐξιόντι τῷ Γεδεὼν εἰς τὴν παράταξιν ὑποστρέψαι τὰς δέκα χιλιάδας, σημαίνει τοὺς δειλίᾳ τὸ ἐπίπονον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀποδιδράσκοντας, προδιδούντων τὰς αἰσθήσεις καὶ τὰς αὐτῶν ἐνεργείας. Αἱ δὲ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες αἱ κύπτουσαι ἐπὶ κοιλίαν\n\nκαὶ πίνουσαι τόδε τὸ ὕδωρ εἰσὶν οἱ τὰ αἰσθητὰ προδώσαντες μετὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων· τὰ γὰρ τέσσαρα στοιχεῖα συντιθέμενα ταῖς πέντε αἰσθήσεσιν ἀποτελεῖ τὸν εἴκοσι. Οὗτοι τῇ γῇ προσκυλινδούμενοι, τουτέστιν τῇ γηΐνῃ προσπαθείᾳ ἡττημένοι, τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς γνώσεως πειρῶνται πίνειν· οὓς ὁ λόγος ἀποβλήτους τῆς πνευματικῆς παρατάξεως ὄντας ἀποβάλλεται. Τριακοσίους δὲ μόνον ἐκλέγεται τοὺς λάμψαντας· οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν οἱ σταυρώσαντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰς τρεῖς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις τῇ ἑκατοντάδι τῆς τελειότητος σώας φυλάξαντες· ἑκατοντὰς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δεκαπλουμένη τῶν ἐντολῶν δεκάς, ἑκάστης ἐντολῆς τὴν ἑτέραν ἐνπεριεχούσης καὶ σαφέστερον εἰπεῖν ἡ μία δέκα οὖσα· ὅθεν καὶ τῇ Σάρρᾳ προκοψάσῃ προσετέθη τὸ ῥό, δηλοῦντος τοῦ λόγου τὸ κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν αὐτῆς τέλειον. Οὗτοι δὲ λάμπτοντες ταῖς χερσὶν τὸ ὕδωρ πίνουσιν· διὰ γὰρ τῶν πόνων τῆς πράξεως τὸ ὕδωρ ἀρύονται τῆς γνώσεως.","english":"But Gideon's returning to the camp with the ten thousand who went out signifies those who out of cowardice flee the toilsome labor of virtue, betraying their senses and their activities. And the twenty thousand who bow down on their belly and drink this water are those who have betrayed sensible things along with their senses; for the four elements combined with the five senses make twenty. These, rolling on the ground—that is, defeated by earthly attachment—try to drink the water of knowledge; these the Word rejects, since they are cast out of the spiritual camp. But he chooses only the three hundred who shone forth; these are those who have crucified themselves and have kept intact the three powers of the soul with the hundred of perfection; for a hundred is the ten of the commandments multiplied tenfold, each commandment containing the other, and to speak more clearly, the one being ten; whence also to Sarah when she had advanced, the rho was added, the word indicating her perfection in virtue. And these, shining, drink the water with their hands; for through the labors of action they draw the water of knowledge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":64,"ref":"p64","source":"Κελεύει δὲ τούτοις ὁ τῆς πνευματικῆς παρατάξεως στρατηγὸς κρατεῖν ἐν μὲν τῇ ἀριστερᾷ ὑδρίας ἔνδον ἐχούσας λαμπάδας, ἐν δὲ δεξιᾷ κερατίνην, καὶ οὕτως τοῖς πολεμίοις συμπλέκεσθαι, σημαίνων διὰ τούτων ὅτι δεῖ τὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἀοράτους ἐχθροὺς παρατάττεσθαι μέλλοντα διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ἀριστερὰ χείρ κρατεῖν τὸ σῶμα ἤδη διὰ τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἀποβάλλοντα πᾶσαν παθῶν νοτίδα καὶ ξηρὸν ὀστράκου τάξιν γενόμενον, ἔνδον ἔχον τὸ φῶς τῆς γνώσεως, τῇ δὲ δεξιᾷ, τουτέστιν τῇ θεωρίᾳ, κατέχειν τὴν τοῦ λόγου διδασκαλίαν· αὐτὴ γὰρ ἡ κερατίνη. Τὸ δὲ συντρίβειν τὰς ὑδρίας σημαίνει ὅτι ἡ τελεία νέκρωσις τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἡ ταύτης ὑπεροψία ἐκκαλύπτει ἡμῖν τὸ φῶς τῆς γνώσεως.\n\nΤὸ δὲ λέγειν \"ῥομφαία τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ τῷ Γεδεὼν\" σημαίνει ὅτι ὁ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου τὸν τμητικὸν ἐπιφερόμενος μετὰ καὶ τῆς ἰδίας σπουδῆς, ἀναιρεῖ τὰ πάθη. Τὸ δὲ ἐνύπνιον ὅπερ εἶδον οἱ Μαδιηναῖοι δηλοῖ ὅτι ἡνίκα ἄρξηται ὁ νοῦς τῇ ἀσκήσει ἑαυτὸν ἐκδιδόναι καὶ κακουχεῖν τὸ σῶμα, τεκμαίρονται οἱ τῆς πορνείας δαίμονες ὥσπερ δι᾽ ἐνυπνίου ὅτι \"εἰ ἐξισχύσει ἐπεκτεῖναι ἑαυτὸν ὁ νοῦς τῇ τοιαύτῃ ἀσκήσει, ἀποκτέννει ἡμᾶς»· μαγὶς γὰρ κριθίνη κυλιομένη, τουτέστιν ἄσκησις προβαίνουσα, καταστρέφει τὰς σκηνὰς τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, τὰ συστατικὰ δηλαδὴ τῶν δαιμόνων πάθη.","english":"The commander of the spiritual battle array orders them to hold in the left hand jars containing lamps within, and in the right hand a horn, and thus to engage the enemies, signifying by these things that one who is about to array himself against the invisible enemies must do so through the practical life—for this is what the left hand means—already casting off through ascetic practice every moisture of the passions from the body and becoming dry like a potsherd, having within the light of knowledge; and in the right hand, that is, in contemplation, to hold the teaching of the word—for this is the horn. And the breaking of the jars signifies that the perfect mortification of the flesh and the contempt for it unveils to us the light of knowledge.\n\nAnd the saying \"A sword for the Lord and for Gideon\" signifies that one who bears the word of the Lord, which is cutting, together with his own zeal, destroys the passions. And the dream that the Midianites saw declares that whenever the mind begins to give itself over to ascetic practice and to maltreat the body, the demons of fornication surmise, as it were through a dream, that \"if the mind prevails to extend itself in such ascetic practice, it will kill us\"; for a barley cake rolling, that is, ascetic practice advancing, overturns the tents of the foreigners, that is, the passions that constitute the demons.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":65,"ref":"p65","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρημένον τὸ «ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰμι ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος λέγεται μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν εἶναι ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, ἐν δὲ τῷ μέλλοντι οἱ ἅγιοι μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἔσονται, τῇ χάριτι θεωθέντες. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ Ἰεριχὼ καὶ τίς ὁ Ἀχὰρ ὁ κλέψας ἐκ τοῦ ἀναθέματος καὶ διατί ὁ μὲν Θεὸς καῆναι αὐτὸν προστάσσει, ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐλιθοβόλησεν αὐτόν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὅστις εἰς παράταξιν θείαν καταλεγεὶς κυκλοῖ τὴν Ἰεριχὼ ἑπτὰ περιόδοις σαλπίζων, τουτέστιν διοδεύων τὸν ἑβδοματικὸν τοῦ χρόνου τούτου αἰῶνα τῇ σάλπιγγι τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, διδάσκεται πάντα τὰ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου τῷ Θεῷ ἀνατιθέναι. Ὅστις δὲ νοσφίσηται γλῶσσαν καὶ κρύψει ἐν τῇ γῇ, τουτέστιν τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ γηΐνῃ τοῦ κόσμου σοφίᾳ, ἢ καὶ ψιλήν ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἱμάτιον τουτέστιν τὸ ἦθος πρὸς ἀρέσκειαν τῶν θεωμένων ἐξασκῶν, καὶ διακοσίους χρυσοῦς, τουτέστιν τὰ αἰσθητὰ πάντα μετὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων, οὕστινας χρυσοῦς ἐν τῇ γῇ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκικῆς ἀπολαύσεως κατακρύψας, οὗτος ὑπὸ τοῦ στρατηγοῦντος λόγου πρῶτον μὲν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ πυρὸς δίκην ζέσαντος, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ θείοις λόγοις οἱονεὶ λίθοις βαλλόμενος ἀποκτέννυται.","english":"QUESTION: What is the meaning of what the Lord said to the apostles, \"Behold, I am with you until the end of the age\"? ANSWER: The Lord himself is said to be with us in the present age, but in the age to come the saints will be with him, having been deified by grace. QUESTION: What does Jericho signify, and who is Achar who stole from the accursed thing, and why does God command that he be burned, while Joshua stoned him? ANSWER: Whoever has been enrolled in the divine battle array encircles Jericho with seven circuits, sounding the trumpet—that is, traversing the sevenfold age of this time with the trumpet of the Gospel—and is taught to dedicate all things of this age to God. But whoever purloins a tongue and hides it in the earth—that is, the word in the earthly wisdom of the world—or even a mere garment, that is, cultivating character for the pleasing of onlookers, and two hundred gold pieces, that is, all perceptible things together with the senses, which gold pieces he hides in the earth of his own fleshly indulgence—this man is first seared as it were by fire at the hand of the governing word, and then, struck as with stones by divine words, is put to death.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":66,"ref":"p66","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Περὶ διαφόρων θελημάτων Θεοῦ.\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τρία θελήματα ἐπὶ Θεοῦ χρὴ ὑπολαμβάνειν, κατ᾽ εὐδοκίαν, κατ᾽ οἰκονομίαν, κατὰ συγχώρησιν. Καὶ τὸ μὲν κατ᾽ εὐδοκίαν δηλοῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἀβραάμ, λέγοντα πρὸς αὐτὸν \"ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου\"· τὸ δὲ κατ᾽ οἰκονομίαν δηλοῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ οἰκονομηθέντα πρὸς τὴν τῶν μελλόντων ἔκβασιν· τὸ δὲ κατὰ συγχώρησιν δηλοῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰὼβ γενόμενα. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν· «μὴ μακαρίσῃς ἄνδρα πρὸ τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Καὶ κατὰ τὸν πρόχειρον τῶν πολλῶν νοῦν, διὰ τὸ ἄδηλον καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης προαιρέσεως εὐόλισθον, οὐ χρὴ μακαρίζειν τινὰ μέχρις διὰ πάσης ἀρετῆς διελθὼν ἀναντιρρήτῳ τέλει τὴν ζωὴν κατακλείσει. Πρὸς δὲ τὸν ὑψηλότερον νοῦν, ὁ ἀρξάμενος διὰ τῆς μετανοίας καὶ ἀσκήσεως τὸ ζῶν ἐν αὐτῷ γήϊνον φρόνημα ταπεινοῦν καὶ ἀσθενῆ ποιεῖν οὔπω μακαριστὸς μέχρις ἂν διὰ τοῦ συντόνου τῆς ἀσκήσεως πόνου νεκρωθῇ καὶ συντέλειαν λάβῃ· ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος μακάριος, ὡς τῷ Χριστῷ συναποθανὼν διὰ τῆς τῶν κακῶν ἀπραξίας καὶ συνανιστάμενος πάλιν διὰ τοῦ ὕψους τῶν ἀρετῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς σημαίνει λέγων \"μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ\", οἱ καθαροὶ δηλονότι κακίας, \"οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου\", οἱ διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν πράξεων ὁδεύοντες.","english":"QUESTION: Concerning the various wills of God.\n\nANSWER: Three wills ought to be understood in God: according to good pleasure, according to economy, and according to permission. The will according to good pleasure makes clear the things concerning Abraham, when he said to him, \"Go out from your land\"; the will according to economy makes clear the things arranged concerning Joseph for the fulfillment of what was to come; and the will according to permission makes clear the things that happened concerning Job. QUESTION: What is this: \"Do not bless a man before his end\"? ANSWER: According to the ready understanding of the many, because of the uncertainty and the slippery nature of human choice, one ought not to bless anyone until, having passed through every virtue, he closes his life with an incontestable end. But according to the higher understanding, the one who has begun through repentance and ascetic practice to humble and weaken the earthly-mindedness that lives in him is not yet blessed until, through the intense labor of ascetic practice, it has been put to death and has reached its completion; for such a person is blessed, as one who has died together with Christ through the cessation from evils and is raised together with him again through the height of the virtues. For the psalmist also signifies this when he says, \"Blessed are the blameless in the way,\" clearly those pure from evil, \"who walk in the law of the Lord,\" those who journey through good deeds.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":67,"ref":"p67","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς περὶ ἐχθρῶν λέγων \"τῶν κύκλῳ συνεπιτιθεμένων\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ κύκλῳ ἐστὶν τὸ ἐμπρός, τὸ ὀπίσω, τὸ δεξιόν, τὸ ἀριστερόν. Ἐπιτίθενται οὖν ἡμῖν οἱ δαίμονες ἔμπροσθεν μὲν ὅτ᾽ ἂν διὰ τῶν τῆς ὕλης ἐπιφανειῶν δελεάζουσιν, ὀπίσω δὲ ὅτ᾽ ἂν διὰ τῶν προλήψεων τῶν λογισμῶν τῆς κακίας τὴν μνήμην ἀνακινοῦσιν, ἀριστερὰ δὲ ὅτ᾽ ἂν διὰ τῶν σαρκικῶν καὶ ἀκολάστων παθῶν τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκμοχλεύουσιν, δεξιὰ δὲ ὅτ᾽ ἂν διὰ κενοδοξίας καὶ ὑπερηφανίας τῇ ψυχῇ ἐπιτίθενται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν· «λάβετε ψαλμὸν καὶ δότε τύμπανον»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Λάβετε διδασκαλίαν ἔνθεον καὶ δότε πρᾶξιν ἐνάρετον διὰ τῆς νεκρώσεως τοῦ σώματος.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν στοιχείωσις;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τρία φασὶν λέγεσθαι σώματα· πρῶτον μὲν τὸ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων, πυρός, ὕδατος, γῆς, ἀέρος· εἶτα ἐκ τούτων δεύτερα σώματα, πάντα τὰ φυόμενα δένδρα τε καὶ λαχανηρά· ἐκ τούτων δὲ τρίτον σῶμα τὸ ἀνθρώπινον καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀλόγων· ταῦτα γὰρ τρώγοντες γίνονται σάρκες. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἀρχὴ καὶ στοιχείωσίς ἐστιν τῶν ἡμετέρων σωμάτων τὰ τέσσαρα στοιχεῖα, οὕτως καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ἡ ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων γενικῶν ἀρετῶν στοιχείωσις καὶ ἀρχὴ ποιεῖ τὴν τῶν ἠθῶν κατόρθωσιν· εἶτα ἐξ αὐτοῦ οἱονεὶ δεύτερον σῶμα ἡ ἕξις τῶν ἀρετῶν· εἶτα ἀπὸ ταύτης σωματοποιεῖται ἡ γνῶσις ἤτουν θεωρία· «πρᾶξις γὰρ ἐπίβασις θεωρίας». ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 88","english":"QUESTION: What does the psalmist mean when he says concerning enemies, \"of those who attack on every side\"? ANSWER: \"On every side\" means what is in front, behind, on the right, and on the left. The demons attack us in front when they entice us through the appearances of matter; behind, when they stir up the memory of evil through preconceptions in our thoughts; on the left, when they pry the soul loose through fleshly and dissolute passions; and on the right, when they attack the soul through vainglory and pride.\n\nQUESTION: What is this: \"Take a psalm and give a timbrel\"? ANSWER: Take divine teaching and give virtuous action through the mortification of the body.\n\nQUESTION: What is elemental composition?\n\nANSWER: They say that three kinds of bodies are spoken of: first, that of the four elements—fire, water, earth, air; then, from these, second bodies—all growing things, both trees and vegetables; and from these, a third body—the human body and that of irrational animals; for by eating these they become flesh. Therefore, just as the four elements are the beginning and elemental composition of our bodies, so also the elemental composition and beginning of the soul from the four generic virtues produces the right ordering of character; then, as it were, from this comes a second body—the habitual state of the virtues; then from this knowledge, that is, contemplation, is embodied; \"for action is the stepping-stone to contemplation.\" QUESTION 88","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":68,"ref":"p68","source":"Τί σημαίνει ἡ τῷ Ἰακὼβ ὀφθεῖσα κλῖμαξ καὶ τίνες οἱ καταβαίνοντες καὶ ἀναβαίνοντες ἄγγελοι;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κλίμακα οἰόμεθα εἶναι τὴν εἰς Θεὸν εὐσέβειαν. Ἄγγελοι δὲ κατερχόμενοι καὶ ἀνερχόμενοι· ἀνερχόμενοι μὲν οἱ τῶν ἀρετῶν λόγοι δι᾽ ἡμῶν ὑψούμενοι, κατερχόμενοι δὲ οἱ διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν ἡμῶν ὕψωσιν κατιόντες τῆς γνώσεως λόγοι. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ δηνάριον τὸ ἐπιδιδόμενον τῷ Κυρίῳ ὑπὸ τῶν Φαρισαίων; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Δηνάριόν ἐστιν ὁ κατὰ συγχώρησιν δεδομένος τῆς χρείας τοῦ σώματος νόμος· δεῖ οὖν προσαγόντων ἡμῖν τοῦτον τῶν εἰς τύπον τῶν δαιμόνων ὄντων Φαρισαίων κρατεῖν καὶ ἐξετάζειν διὰ τῆς διακρίσεως καὶ τῇ μὲν φύσει ἀπονέμειν τὰ τῆς χρείας τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν δοῦναι τὰ Καίσαρος τῷ Καίσαρι, τὴν δὲ πᾶσαν τῆς ψυχῆς ἔφεσιν ἀπονεῖμαι τῷ Θεῷ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ τὸ «ἐὰν διώκουσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ ταύτης τῆς πόλεως, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἄλλην»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Αἱ πόλεις ἐπὶ φρουρᾶς καὶ ἀσφαλείας καὶ φυλακῆς τιμίων εἰσίν· πόλις οὖν ἐστιν κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀλληγορίας τρόπον ἡ ἐκ διαφόρων τρόπων ἐπινοουμένη ἄσκησις, οἷον, ἐγκράτεια οἴνου, βρωμάτων ἀποχή, ἐπιτεταμένη ἀγρυπνία καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἅτινά εἰσιν φρουρὰ καὶ ἀσφάλεια. Ἐὰν οὖν διώκουσιν ἡμᾶς οἱ δαίμονες ἀπὸ ἑνὸς τούτων, τύφον ἢ κενοδοξίαν διὰ τοῦ τοιούτου τῆς ἀσκήσεως εἴδους προσάγοντες, κρεῖττόν ἐστιν ὑποχωρεῖν τῆς τοιαύτης δοκούσης εἶναι ἀκριβεστέρας ἀγωγῆς, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ὑπερηφανίαν ἐμπέσῃς, καὶ φυγεῖν εἰς ἄλλην ἀκενόδοξον ἀρετὴν μέχρις ἂν ὁ τῆς ἀπαθείας ἔλθῃ λόγος.","english":"What does the ladder seen by Jacob mean, and who are the angels descending and ascending?\n\nANSWER: We consider the ladder to be piety toward God. The angels descending and ascending: those ascending are the principles of the virtues, being exalted through us; those descending are the principles of knowledge, coming down because of the exaltation of our virtues. QUESTION: What does the denarius handed to the Lord by the Pharisees mean? ANSWER: The denarius is the law of the body's need given by concession; when the Pharisees, who are a type of the demons, bring this to us, we must master it and examine it through discernment, and assign to nature the things of need—for this is to give the things of Caesar to Caesar—but assign the whole desire of the soul to God.\n\nQUESTION: What does \"if they persecute you from this city, flee to the other\" signify?\n\nANSWER: Cities are for guard and security and protection of precious things; a city, then, in the manner of allegory, is the ascetic practice devised from various modes—for instance, abstinence from wine, fasting from foods, intense vigil, and the like, which are a guard and security. If, then, the demons persecute us from one of these, bringing in vainglory or conceit through such a form of ascetic practice, it is better to withdraw from such a mode of conduct that seems more exact, lest you fall into pride, and to flee to another virtue free of vainglory, until the principle of dispassion comes.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":69,"ref":"p69","source":"Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως· πόλεις λέγει τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας ψυχάς· ἐπὶ γὰρ ταύτας οἱ ἀπόστολοι λόγοι παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος πεμπόμενοι, ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν ἀξίων ὑποδεχθέντες ἐν αὐτοῖς οἰκοῦσιν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἀναξίων ἑαυτοὺς κρινάντων ἀπελασθέντες εἰς ἑτέρων ψυχὰς μετοικίζονται, δεκτικὰς τῆς αὐτῶν διδασκαλίας γεγενημένας. Καὶ τὰς τοιαύτας πόλεις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ οὐ μὴ τελέσωσιν ἀληθῶς ἐνδημοῦντες αὐταῖς καὶ πῇ μὲν εἰσοικιζόμενοι, πῇ δὲ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν διωκόμενοι, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κατὰ τὴν ἔνδοξον αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν τὰ πάντα πληρῶν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν· «κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ Κυρίου συμπαθείας λόγῳ χρώμενος, οὔτε τὸν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ συντετριμμένον τῇ ἀπογνώσει εἰς τέλος κατεαγῆναι ποιεῖ, οὔτε τὸν τὸ λογιστικὸν ἔχοντα τετυφωμένον διὰ κενοδοξίαν τινῶν ἀρετῶν σβέννυσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐᾷ ἔχειν τὴν προθυμίαν μέχρις ἂν εἰς τὸ τέλειον ἔλθοι τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ τὸ συναυξάνειν τῷ ἀγαθῷ σπόρῳ τὰ ζιζάνια, τουτέστιν ταῖς ἀρεταῖς τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας καὶ κενοδοξίας πάθος συναναβλαστάνειν. Ὅθεν ὁ τῶν ψυχῶν γεωργὸς μὴ ἐκτίλλεσθαι ταῦτα προστάσσει μέχρι ἂν αἱ ἀρεταὶ λάβωσιν πῆξιν, μήποτε ἀνασπάσαι τὰ τοιαῦτα πάθη θέλων τις, συνεκτίλῃ τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς προθυμίαν.","english":"Or, to put it another way: he calls human souls \"cities.\" For the apostolic words, sent from the Savior, when received by those who are worthy, dwell in them; but when those who are unworthy have judged themselves, they are driven out and migrate to the souls of others, which have become receptive of their teaching. And such cities of Israel they will certainly not finish, truly dwelling in them and at one time settling in, at another being driven from them, until the Son of Man comes in his glorious presence, filling all things. QUESTION: What is this: \"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering flax he will not quench\"? ANSWER: He who in imitation of the Lord employs the principle of compassion neither causes the one bruised by sin through despair to be broken utterly, nor quenches the one whose rational faculty has been smoldered by vainglory over certain virtues, but allows him to keep his zeal until he comes to the perfection of knowledge. For this, I think, is also what it means to grow the tares together with the good seed—that is, to let the passion of people-pleasing and vainglory spring up together with the virtues. Hence the farmer of souls commands that these not be pulled up until the virtues have taken firm root, lest someone, wishing to uproot such passions, pull up the zeal for virtue along with them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":70,"ref":"p70","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 92\n\nΤί δηλοῖ τὸ προφητικὸν αἴνιγμα \"σαλπίσατε\" λέγων \"ἐν νεομηνίᾳ σάλπιγγι, ἐν εὐσήμῳ ἡμέρᾳ ἑορτῆς ἡμῶν\"; Τίς ἄρα ἡ εὔσημος ἑορτή; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τοὺς διδασκάλους τῆς Ἐκκλησίας σαλπίζειν διὰ τοῦ λόγου τῆς διδασκαλίας ὁ Λόγος παρακελεύεται· σάλπιγγι δὲ σαλπίζειν, τουτέστιν τῇ νεκρώσει τοῦ σώματος· ἐν νεομηνίᾳ δὲ τῇ κατὰ τὴν σελήνην· μὴν γὰρ ἡ σελήνη λέγεται. «Εὔσημος» δὲ «ἑορτὴ» κατὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τῷ ἑβδόμῳ μηνὶ ἐπετελεῖτο ἡ τῶν σαλπίγγων· τῇ δεκάτῃ δὲ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μηνὸς τὴν νηστείαν τοῦ Ἱλασμοῦ καὶ τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ τὴν Σκηνοπηγίαν ἐπετέλουν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ πνευματικῶς ἑορτάζομεν οὕτως, τῷ μὲν ἑβδόμῳ μηνί, τουτέστιν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ τῆς χάριτος νόμῳ τὴν εὔσημον τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἡμέραν ἐπιτελοῦντες· ἑπτὰ γὰρ νόμους ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἐξαρχῆς τῇ φύσει παρέσχετο· τῷ μὲν Ἀδὰμ δύο, τὸν πρὸ τῆς παραβάσεως ἀπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ τοῦ δένδρου μὴ φαγεῖν καὶ τὸν μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν «ἐν ἱδρῶτι τοῦ προσώπου» τὸν ἄρτον ἐσθίειν, τρίτον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ Νῶε, τέταρτον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, τὸν τῆς περιτομῆς, πέμπτον τὸν Μωσέως, ἕκτον τὸν προφητικόν, ἕβδομον τὸν εὐαγγελικόν, ἐν ᾧ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν καρπῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν φωτισμῶν τῷ Θεῷ προσάγομεν· τῇ γὰρ πρώτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν καρπῶν οἱ κατὰ νόμον προσῆγον. Τῇ δεκάτῃ δὲ τοῦ μηνὸς τὴν νηστείαν τοῦ Ἱλασμοῦ τελοῦμεν διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἡμῶν ἱλασμοῦ μυσταγωγούμενοι, νηστεύοντες ἀπὸ πάσης κακίας· τῇ δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ τὴν σκηνοπηγίαν ἄγομεν·","english":"QUESTION 92\n\nWhat does the prophetic riddle mean when it says, \"Sound the trumpet on the new moon, on the notable day of our feast\"? What, then, is the notable feast? ANSWER: The Word exhorts the teachers of the Church to sound the trumpet through the word of teaching; and to sound with a trumpet, that is, with the mortification of the body; on the new moon, that is, according to the moon; for the month is called the moon. And the \"notable feast\" among the Jews was celebrated in the seventh month, the feast of trumpets; and on the tenth of the same month they celebrated the fast of the Atonement, and on the fifteenth the Tabernacles. But we celebrate spiritually in this way: in the seventh month, that is, in the seventh law of grace, performing the notable day of the Gospel; for God of all from the beginning gave seven laws to nature: to Adam two—not to eat of the fruit of the tree before the transgression, and after the transgression to eat bread \"in the sweat of his face\"; a third to Noah; a fourth to Abraham, that of circumcision; a fifth through Moses; a sixth the prophetic; a seventh the evangelical, in which we offer to God the firstfruits of the fruits of virtue at the beginning of our illuminations; for on the first day of the month those under the law offered the firstfruits of the fruits. And on the tenth of the month we perform the fast of the Atonement, being mystagogically instructed through the name of our Lord Jesus, who became our atonement, fasting from all evil; and on the fifteenth we keep the Tabernacles.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":71,"ref":"p71","source":"προστιθέντες γὰρ τῷ κατὰ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν μυστηρίῳ τὰς πέντε τῆς ψυχῆς ἀντιλημπτικὰς δυνάμεις, εἰς μηδὲν τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἀσχολουμένας ἀλλ᾽ αὐτῷ συνημμένας τῷ Κυρίῳ, τὴν πῆξιν ἐν αὐτῷ λαμβάνομεν τῶν ἀρετῶν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν Ἠθικῶν τοῦ ἁγίου Βασιλείου ἄπορον ἐν τῷ 'Περὶ νηστείας' λόγῳ· «ὅτε», φησίν, «ἀπεγνώσθη ἡ τελείωσις, τότε συνεχωρήθη ἡ ἀπόλαυσις». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τότε ἀπεγνώσθη ἡ τελείωσις, ὅτε τὰς δοθείσας αὐτῷ φυσικὰς δυνάμεις ὁ ἄνθρωπος διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς παρέτρεψεν. Ἀδύνατον οὖν ἦν ἐνσχεθεῖσαν τὴν φύσιν τῇ ὑλικῇ προσπαθείᾳ ἐπανελθεῖν εἰς τὸ τέλειον μέχρις ὁ τῆς φύσεως ποιητής, ὑπὲρ φύσιν γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, τὴν φύσιν εἰς τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ἐπανήγαγεν. Συγχωρηθῆναι δὲ τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν λέγει ἀντὶ τοῦ παραδοθῆναι τῇ αὐτονομίᾳ τῆς πλάνης.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πρώτου ψαλμοῦ· τίνος χάριν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν ψαλμῶν παράδειγμα ἔλαβεν οἴκου θεμέλια καὶ τρόπιν πλοίου καὶ ζῴου καρδίαν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ οἶκος ἀπὸ λίθων συγκείμενος ἀποφυγὴ μὲν ψύχους καὶ καύσωνος γίνεται, ἔτι δὲ σκέπη καὶ φυλακὴ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἐκ τούτου μανθάνομεν, ἑπόμενοι τῇ φυσικῇ θεωρίᾳ, οἶκον εἶναι τὴν ἄσκησιν ἐκ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν συγκειμένην λόγων, σκέπην μὲν παρέχουσαν ἡμῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ διαβολικοῦ τῶν πειρασμῶν καύσωνος, θέρμην δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἀπόγνωσιν ψύξεως, φυλακὴν δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων δαιμόνων.","english":"For when we add to the mystery according to our Lord Jesus the five receptive powers of the soul, which are occupied with none of the sensible things but are united to the Lord himself, we receive in him the fixing of the virtues. QUESTION From the Ethics of Saint Basil, a difficulty in the discourse On Fasting: \"When,\" he says, \"perfection was despaired of, then indulgence was permitted.\" ANSWER: Perfection was despaired of when man perverted through disobedience the natural powers given to him. It was impossible, then, for nature, once entangled in material attachment, to return to perfection, until the Maker of nature, becoming man beyond nature, brought nature back to what is according to nature. He says that indulgence was permitted instead of being handed over to the autonomy of error.\n\nQUESTION From the same, on the first psalm: for what reason, at the beginning of the psalms, did he take as an example the foundations of a house, the keel of a ship, and the heart of a living creature? ANSWER: Since a house composed of stones becomes a refuge from cold and heat, and further a shelter and guard for man, from this we learn, following natural contemplation, that the house is the ascetic practice composed of the principles according to virtue, providing us shelter from the diabolical heat of temptations, and warmth from his coldness in despair, and a guard from the demons who plot against us.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":72,"ref":"p72","source":"Πλοῖον δὲ ἔλαβεν τὴν ἑκάστου ψυχήν, οἷόν τινα τρόπιν τὴν κατὰ τὴν φρόνησιν ἔχουσαν πῆξιν, σανίδας δὲ προσηρτημένας, τὴν τοῦ σώματος νέκρωσιν, τῇ ἀκριβείᾳ οἷον ἀσφάλτῳ τὰς ἁρμονίας τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλίσασαν καὶ μὴ συγχωροῦσαν εἰσδῦναί τι τῆς ἁλμώδους κακίας, ἐπιπορευομένην δὲ τὴν θάλασσαν τοῦ βίου καὶ διαπορευομένην τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον, ἐμπόρου τρόπον τὰ παρόντα\n\nδιδοῦσαν καὶ ἀντικτωμένην τὰ μέλλοντα. Καρδίαν δὲ ζῴου ἔλαβεν τὴν πίστιν, περιυφαινομένην πάντοθεν διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ 'Εἰς τὸ Βάπτισμα' λόγου τοῦ ἁγίου Γρηγορίου τοῦ Θεολόγου ἄπορον προφητικῆς λέξεως· «μακάριος ὁ σπείρων ἐπὶ πᾶν ὕδωρ καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν αὔριον ἀρουμένην καὶ ἀρδομένην, ἣν σήμερον βοῦς καὶ ὄνος πατεῖ». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὴν ἀρουμένην μὲν διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς καὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας τῶν παθῶν καθαιρομένην, ἀρδομένην δὲ διὰ τῆς γνώσεως ψυχήν, ἣν ἐπάτει σήμερον βοῦς καὶ ὄνος βοῦν τὸν Ἰουδαϊκὸν νόμον λέγων, ὄνον δὲ τὴν ἐθνικὴν μερίδα τουτέστιν τὴν τῷ γράμματι ἐμμένουσαν καὶ τῇ ἀλογίᾳ πιεζομένην σήμερον, αὔριον δὲ μεταβληθεῖσαν διὰ πράξεως καὶ γνώσεως· εἰς ἣν ὁ σπείρων τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς σπέρματα μακάριος.","english":"The ship took the soul of each person, having as it were a keel—the fixity that comes from prudence—and planks fitted on, the mortification of the body, securing the joints of the soul with exactness like asphalt, and not permitting anything of the briny evil to seep in, as it traverses the sea of this life and passes through this age, giving the things present in the manner of a merchant and acquiring in exchange the things to come. And it took the heart of an animal, faith, woven all around with virtues. QUESTION: From the discourse of Saint Gregory the Theologian \"On Baptism,\" a difficulty in a prophetic saying: \"Blessed is the one who sows upon every water and every soul—tomorrow to be plowed and watered, which today an ox and a donkey tread.\" ANSWER: The soul that is plowed through the practical life and cleansed of the thorns of the passions, and watered through knowledge—which today an ox and a donkey were treading, calling the ox the Jewish law and the donkey the Gentile portion, that is, the one that abides by the letter and is pressed down by unreason—today, but tomorrow changed through action and knowledge; blessed is the one who sows the seeds of virtue in it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":73,"ref":"p73","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «μακάριος ὃς κἂν χειμάρρους ᾖ σχοίνων ἐξ οἴκου Κυρίου ποτίζεται».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Χειμάρρους σχοίνων ἐστὶν ἡ σὰρξ ἡ τῷ χειμῶνι τῶν παθῶν παρασύρουσα τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις καὶ σχοίνων δίκην τῇ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τραχύτητι πλήττουσα. Ἐξ οἴκου δὲ Κυρίου ποτίζεται ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἐκ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου, τοῦ τὴν ἡμετέραν σάρκα ἀναλαβόντος, ἐξ ἧς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ βίου γενόμενος ἔπιεν τὸ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάθος καὶ γέγονεν ἡμῖν εἰς οἶκον καταφυγῆς, ἀρδεύεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «χθὲς ἐξηραίνου θάλλουσα τῇ αἱμορροίᾳ· ἐπήγαζες γὰρ τὴν φοινικῆν ἁμαρτίαν».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Χθές, φησίν, ἐξηραίνου τῇ ἀρετῇ, ἔθαλλες δὲ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· σήμερον ἀνέθηλας τῇ ἀρετῇ, ξηρανθεῖσα τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· «ἥψω γὰρ τῶν κρασπέδων Χριστοῦ»· κράσπεδά εἰσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ αἱ διάφοροι ἀσκήσεις, ἐπειδὴ καθάπερ ἐκ τοῦ ἐνδύματος τὰ κράσπεδα, οὕτως αἱ ἀσκήσεις ἐκ τῆς ἠθικῆς ἤρτηνται φιλοσοφίας· αἵτινες μετὰ ταπεινοφροσύνης γινόμεναι ἱστᾶν πεφύκασιν τὴν τῶν παθῶν ῥύσιν.","english":"QUESTION From the same: \"Blessed is he who, though he be a torrent of reeds, is watered from the house of the Lord.\"\n\nANSWER The torrent of reeds is the flesh, which by the winter of the passions drags along the powers of the soul and, like a reed, strikes with the roughness of sins. And it is watered from the house of the Lord whenever it is irrigated from the commandments of the Lord, who took up our flesh, from which, having come into the path of life, he drank the passion for our sake and became for us a house of refuge. QUESTION From the same: \"Yesterday you were dried up, flourishing with the flow of blood; for you were gushing forth the crimson sin.\"\n\nANSWER Yesterday, he says, you were dried up in virtue, but you were flourishing in sin; today you have sprouted anew in virtue, having been dried up in sin; \"for I touched the hem of Christ's garment.\" The hems of Christ are the various ascetic practices, since just as the hems hang from the garment, so the ascetic practices depend on the ethical philosophy; these, when practiced with humility, are by nature able to check the flow of the passions.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":74,"ref":"p74","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «χθὲς ἐπὶ κλίνης ἔρριψο παρειμένος καὶ λελυμένος» καὶ τὰ λοιπά.\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κλίνην τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν λέγει τοῦ σώματος, παρειμένον δὲ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς. «Καὶ οὐκ εἶχες», φησίν, «ἄνθρωπον», τουτέστιν ἀνδρεῖον λογισμόν, «ἵνα ὅτ᾽ ἂν ταραχθῇ τὸ ὕδωρ, βάλῃ σε εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν», ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἐν σοὶ γένηται λογισμὸς ταράσσων πρὸς διάκρισιν τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ τοῦ χείρονος, ἐμβάλῃ σε εἰς τὸ τῆς καθάρσεως ὕδωρ. «Σήμερον ηὗρες ἄνθρωπον τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ Θεόν»· ὅτ᾽ ἂν γάρ τις τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ χρώμενος καθαίρει, Θεὸς μέν ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν, ἄνθρωπος δὲ ᾥτινι ὀργάνῳ κέχρηται πρὸς σωτηρίαν τοῦ κάμνοντος. «Ἤρθης ἀπὸ κραβάτου, μᾶλλον δὲ ἦρας τὸν κράβατον», τουτέστιν διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς ἐβάστασας τὸ σῶμα, μηκέτι κατασπασθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «οἶδα πῦρ οὐ καθαρτήριον ἀλλὰ κολαστήριον ἢ Σοδομιτικόν, ὃ πᾶσιν ἁμαρτωλοῖς ἐπιβρέχει θείῳ καὶ καταιγίδι μιγνύμενον, ἢ τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ\n\nδιαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ, ἤτε ὃ πρὸ προσώπου Κυρίου πορεύεται καὶ φλογιεῖ κύκλῳ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ, ἢ τὸ τούτων φοβερώτερον, ὃ τῷ ἀκοιμήτῳ σκώληκι συντέτακται, μὴ σβεννύμενον ἀλλὰ διαιωνίζον τοῖς πονηροῖς». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐκείνοις ἐπιβρέχεται «Σοδομιτικὸν πῦρ», τοῖς τὸν νόμον τῆς φύσεως τῇ παραχρήσει πατήσασιν· ἔστιν δὲ τοῦτο ὁ τῆς συνειδήσεως ἔλεγχος, ὅτ᾽ ἂν πυρὸς δίκην ταύτην κατακαίει. Θεῖον δέ ἐστιν αἱ διάφοροι περιστατικαὶ συμβάσεις, καταιγίδες δὲ αἱ ἀθρόαι περιστάσεις, αἵτινες μιγνύμεναι σφοδροτέρως ἀλγυνοῦσιν.","english":"QUESTION From the same: \"Yesterday you were cast upon a bed, relaxed and dissolved,\" and the rest.\n\nANSWER He calls the bed the rest of the body, and \"relaxed\" in pleasures. \"And you had not,\" he says, \"a man,\" that is, a manly reason, \"so that when the water was troubled, he might cast you into the pool,\" that is, whenever a reason arises in you that troubles you toward the discernment of the good and the worse, it might cast you into the water of purification. \"Today you have found a man who is the same and God\"; for whenever someone by using teaching purifies, God is the one who works, but man is the instrument he has used for the salvation of the sick. \"You were taken up from the bed, or rather you took up the bed,\" that is, through the practical life you carried the body, no longer being dragged down by it.\n\nQUESTION From the same: \"I know a fire, not purifying but punishing, either Sodomitic, which rains upon all sinners with sulfur and mingled with a tempest, or the one prepared for the devil and his angels, or the one which goes before the face of the Lord and will set his enemies ablaze round about, or the one more fearful than these, which is joined with the unceasing worm, not being quenched but enduring forever for the wicked.\"\n\nANSWER Upon those who have trampled the law of nature by misuse, that \"Sodomitic fire\" rains; and this is the conviction of conscience, whenever it burns it like fire. And sulfur is the various circumstantial occurrences, and tempests are the sudden circumstances, which, being mingled together, pain more violently.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":75,"ref":"p75","source":"Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τὴν συνείδησιν καίονται κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ, ὅσοι διὰ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας φθονερῶς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόνοιαν διαβάλλουσιν καὶ τῇ πρὸς τὸν πλησίον κέχρηνται ἀπάτῃ. Τὸ δὲ «ὃ πρὸ προσώπου Κυρίου πορεύεται» φλογίζον «τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ» πῦρ ἐστιν αἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνέργειαι· αὗται γὰρ χαρακτηρίζουσιν τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόσωπον, οἷον, τὸ ἀγαθόν, τὸ φιλάνθρωπον, τὸ πρᾶον καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια· αἵτινες τοὺς μὲν οἰκείως ἔχοντας πρὸς αὐτὰ φωτίζουσιν, τοὺς δὲ ἐναντίως ἔχοντας καὶ ἀπηλλοτριωμένους τῆς ὁμοιότητος φλέγουσιν. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τὰ εἴδη τοῦ πυρὸς οὐκ εἶπεν διαιωνίζειν, διότι κατὰ τὸν Νύσσης Γρηγόριον δεῖ τὴν φύσιν τὰς ἰδίας ἀπολαβεῖν δυνάμεις καὶ τῇ ἐπιγνώσει ἀποκαταστῆναι εἰς ὅπερ γέγονεν ἐξαρχῆς, ὥστε τὸν Δημιουργὸν ἀναίτιον ἀποδειχθῆναι τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ φοβερώτερον εἶπεν τὸ πῦρ, ὃ τῷ αἰωνίῳ σκώληκι συντέτακται, μὴ σβεννύμενον ἀλλὰ καὶ διαιωνίζον τοῖς πονηροῖς· ὅπερ, φαινομένου τοῦ θείου καὶ εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν προκειμένου τοῖς ἀξίοις, τοὺς μὴ διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἑαυτοὺς λαμπρύνοντας, δίκην σκώληκος ἀεὶ τὴν μνήμην ἀνακινούσης, καὶ ἀναλογιζομένους τὴν ἀποτυχίαν καὶ στέρησιν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἀπεράντως κατεσθίει καὶ βασανίζει διηνεκῶς πυρὸς σφοδρότερον. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν 'Περὶ χαλάζης' λόγον εἰς τὸ «οὐ δέχομαι πηγὴν φράσσεσθαι καὶ χειμάρρουν φέρεσθαι».","english":"But those are burned in their conscience, in imitation of the devil and his angels, as many as through pride enviously slander God's providence and practice deceit toward their neighbor. And the fire that \"goes before the face of the Lord\" and flames \"his enemies\" is the energies of God; for these mark the face of God—namely, the good, the philanthropic, the gentle, and things like these—which enlighten those who are disposed toward them, but burn those who are disposed contrarily and alienated from likeness. And these forms of fire he did not say are everlasting, because, according to Gregory of Nyssa, nature must recover its own powers and be restored by knowledge to what it was from the beginning, so that the Creator may be shown to be not the cause of sin. But that fire he called more fearful, which is joined with the eternal worm, not extinguished but also everlasting for the wicked; which, when the divine appears and is set forth for the enjoyment of the worthy, devours and torments endlessly and continually those who do not make themselves bright through good works—like a worm always stirring up the memory—and who reckon up their failure and deprivation of the good, more fiercely than fire. QUESTION From the same, on the discourse \"On Hail,\" on the words \"I do not accept that a spring be stopped and a torrent be borne along.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":76,"ref":"p76","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πηγή ἐστιν ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ διδασκαλία, ἀεὶ διὰ πίστεως βλύζουσα, χείμαρρος δὲ ἡ ἔξω φιλοσοφία, ἐν μόνῳ τῷ λόγῳ τὸ πειθανὸν ἔχουσα. Καὶ ἄλλως· πηγή ἐστιν ὁ τῷ λόγῳ τὸν βίον ἔχων συμφωνοῦντα, χείμαρρος δὲ ὁ ἄπρακτος λόγος, ἐν μόνῃ τῇ προφορᾷ τὴν ἀκοὴν γοητεύων. Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως· πηγή ἐστιν ὁ κατὰ τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἐγκειμένων τοῖς μανθάνουσιν τὴν παράδοσιν ποιούμενος, χείμαρρος δὲ ὁ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα διδάσκων.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «περὶ τῶν δικαίων τοῦ Θεοῦ κριμάτων, ἐάν τε καταλαμβάνωμεν ἡμεῖς, ἐάν τε ἀγνοῶμεν τὴν πολλὴν ἄβυσσον». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἄβυσσος λέγεται ἡ ἀκαταληψία ἡ ἐκ τοῦ βύειν ἤγουν ἐκ τοῦ φράσσειν, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ περὶ τῆς βυούσης τὰ ὦτα ἀσπίδος ἀντὶ τοῦ \"τῆς φραττούσης\"· ὡς οὖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς μὴ δυναμένους ἐν περιλήψει γενέσθαι τῆς τὰ κρίματα βλυζούσης προνοίας εἰσὶν ἀκατάληπτα, κατ᾽ ἄλλον δὲ τρόπον ληπτά. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «πῶς καὶ ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη εἰς σταθμοὺς κατὰ τὸν ἅγιον Ἡσαΐαν; οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἄκριτον, εἰ καὶ τοῖς ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι ἔδοξεν». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐὰν σταθμίζεται ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ περιγράφεται εἰκότως. Μᾶλλον οὖν τοῦτο χρὴ ὑπολαμβάνειν, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἔχομεν δύναμιν ὀπτικὴν καὶ ἀκουστικὴν","english":"ANSWER: The teaching of the Gospel is a spring, always gushing forth through faith, while the philosophy outside is a winter torrent, having its persuasiveness in the word alone. And in another sense: a spring is the one whose life is in harmony with his word, while a winter torrent is the word without action, enchanting the ear with its utterance alone. Or also in another sense: a spring is the one who makes the transmission of the things that lie in the minds of those who learn, while a winter torrent is the one who teaches according to the letter.\n\nQUESTION: From the same: \"concerning the righteous judgments of God, whether we comprehend them or are ignorant of the great abyss.\" ANSWER: An abyss is said to be the incomprehensibility that comes from closing, that is, from shutting, according to what is said in the psalm about the asp that stops its ears, meaning \"that shuts.\" As, then, in relation to us who are unable to come into comprehension of the providence that gushes forth judgments, they are incomprehensible, but in another way they are graspable. QUESTION: From the same: \"how is almsgiving also into balances, according to Saint Isaiah? For the good is not without judgment, even if it seemed so to those in the vineyard.\" ANSWER: If the almsgiving of God is weighed, it is also reasonably circumscribed. Rather, then, one should suppose this, that just as we have the power of sight and of hearing","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":77,"ref":"p77","source":"καὶ ἀναπνευστικὴν οὐχ ὅλον εἰσδεχομένας τὸν ἀέρα ἢ τὸ φῶς ἢ τὴν φωνήν ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν ἄλλῳ ὑπελείφθη ἡ ἐκ τούτων μετοχή ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀναλόγως προσοῦσαν δύναμιν ἑκάστῳ μετέχει, οὕτως καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐλεημοσύνη κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου τῶν ὑποκειμένων διαθέσεων ποιότητα καὶ τὴν ἄφεσιν καὶ τὴν χάριν δίδωσιν· οἷον, τελείως τις μετενόησεν, τελείως καὶ ἀφίεται· μερικῶς μετενόησεν, μερικῶς καὶ ἀφίεται· ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀγαπῶντος.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «καὶ ἡ ὀργὴ κατὰ λόγον τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ ποτήριον ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου προσαγορευομένη καὶ κόνδυ πτώσεως ἐκπινόμενον, εἰ καὶ πᾶσιν ὑφαιρεῖ τι τῆς ἀξίας καὶ τὸ τῆς ὀργῆς ἄκρατον φιλανθρωπίᾳ κίρνησι· κλίνων μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀποτόμου πρὸς τὸ ἐνδόσιμον».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ «Χεὶρ Κυρίου» ἐστὶν ἡ δημιουργικὴ δύναμις καὶ συντηρητικὴ καὶ τοῦ εὖ ποιητικὴ καὶ τοῦ φεῦ ἀποποιητική· πᾶσα οὖν ἁμαρτία, ἅμα ὑποστῇ, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ τέλους ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ κρίσιν ἔχει παραπεπηγμένην. Κλινεῖ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀποτόμου πρὸς τὸ ἐνδόσιμον, διὰ τῶν σωτηρίων ἐντολῶν ὑποτιθεμένη τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν κενωτικὴν τῆς τοιαύτης κρίσεως μετάνοιαν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐρώτησις ἀπόρου ἐκ τοῦ 'Περὶ εὐταξίας' λόγου τοῦ ἁγίου Γρηγορίου τοῦ Θεολόγου· «πῶς λόγος νοῦ γέννημα καὶ γεννᾷ λόγον ἐν ἄλλῳ νοΐ»; Περὶ ποίου ἄρα λέγει λόγου, τοῦ ἐνδιαθέτου ἢ τοῦ προφορικοῦ; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φασὶν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν μὴ εἶναι τὸ ἄφετον καὶ ἁπλοῦν κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν ἢ μόνον τὸ Θεῖον, τὰ δὲ ἄλλα πάντα, ὅσα μετὰ Θεὸν καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ τὸ εἶναι ἔχει, ἐξ οὐσίας καὶ ποιότητος ἤτουν δυνάμεως εἶναι, τουτέστιν ἐξ οὐσίας καὶ συμβεβηκότος.","english":"And those who breathe do not receive the whole air, or the light, or the voice, since otherwise the participation in these would be left to no other; but each partakes according to the power that is present to it proportionally. So also the mercy of God gives both forgiveness and grace according to the quality of each one's disposition among those subject to it. For example, if someone has repented perfectly, he is forgiven perfectly; if he has repented partially, he is forgiven partially. The same holds also in the case of one who loves.\n\nQUESTION From the same: \"And the wrath, according to the measure of the sins, and the cup in the hand of the Lord that is so called, and the blow of falling that is drunk down, even if it takes away something from the dignity of all and, by his love for mankind, mixes the unmixed wine of wrath, inclining from the harsh to the yielding.\"\n\nANSWER The \"hand of the Lord\" is the creative and sustaining power, both the power that does good and the power that rejects evil. Every sin, as soon as it exists, has the judgment from its end fixed alongside it. And it will incline from the harsh to the yielding, through the saving commandments suggesting to the soul the repentance that empties out such a judgment. QUESTION A question of difficulty from the discourse \"On Good Order\" of Saint Gregory the Theologian: \"How is the word a offspring of the mind and begets a word in another mind?\" About what sort of word, then, does he speak—the word in the mind or the word spoken aloud? ANSWER Our fathers say that the unbegotten and simple according to essence is either only the Divine, while all other things, as many as have their being after God and from God, are from essence and quality, that is, from essence and accident.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":78,"ref":"p78","source":"Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, πάντως καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ νοῦς ὑπάρχουσα κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτῆς, ἔχει ὡς ἀγέννητον ἑαυτήν, ἑαυτῷ γεννῶντα γεννητῶς, ὡς εἶναι τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐν τῷ νῷ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ νοῦ γεννώμενον ἄλλον αὐτῷ ἐκεῖνο τὸν γεννῶντα νοῦν μετὰ τῆς κατὰ τὴν γέννησιν ἰδιότητος τῆς μηδαμῶς δεχομένης ἀντιστροφήν. Αὐτὸς οὖν ὁ λόγος ὁ οὕτω καὶ ὢν καὶ γεννώμενος, τῆς ὑπουργοῦ φύσεως τὴν φωνὴν λαμβάνων, προφέρεται καὶ γεννᾷ λόγον ἐν ἄλλῳ νοΐ, διὰ τῆς τοῦ δεχομένου ἀκοῆς τῷ νῷ παραπεμπόμενος. Γεννᾷ δὲ λόγον ἐν ἄλλῳ νοΐ, οὐ δημιουργῶν λόγον ἐν ἄλλῳ ἀλλὰ διδοὺς εἴδους, ἵν᾽ οὕτως εἴπω, καὶ μορφῆς δύναμιν πρὸς τὸ σχηματίσαι νόημα τῷ ἀκούοντι. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ εἰρηνικοῦ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἁγίου Γρηγορίου· «τριάδα τελείαν ἐκ τριῶν τελείων, μονάδος μὲν κινηθείσης διὰ τὸ πλούσιον, δυάδος δὲ ὑπερβαθείσης διὰ τὴν ὕλην καὶ τὸ εἶδος ἐξ ὧν καὶ τὰ σώματα, τριάδος ὁρισθείσης διὰ τὸ τέλειον· πρώτη γὰρ ὑπερβαίνει δυάδος σύνθεσιν».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οὐ τοῦ εἶναι τὴν θείαν καὶ μακαρίαν Τριάδα αἰτίαν ἐνταῦθα τίθεται, τῆς ὑπὲρ αἰτίαν καὶ λόγον, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν ἀληθεστάτην εὐσέβειαν τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος χειραγωγίας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τῶν ὄντων τὸν γενεσιουργὸν ἐννοοῦμεν, οὕτω καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς ὑπάρξεως τῆς ὑπεραρρήτου θεότητος ἔκ τινων τῶν κατὰ τὰ ὄντα συμβόλων μυστικῶς διδασκόμεθα, αὐτῆς δηλονότι τῆς ἁγίας θεότητος κινούσης ἡμᾶς εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἑαυτῆς καὶ εὐσεβεῖς παρεχούσης ἀφορμὰς πρὸς τὸ τολμᾶν ἐξετάζειν τὸν τρόπον τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς αὐτῆς ὑπάρξεως.","english":"But if this is so, then certainly the soul also, being intellect according to its power, has itself as unbegotten, generating for itself in a generated manner, so that the word in the intellect and generated from the intellect is another beside that generating intellect, together with the property belonging to the generation, which in no way admits of reversal. This same word, then, which thus both is and is generated, taking the voice of the ministering nature, is brought forth and generates a word in another intellect, being conveyed to the intellect through the hearing of the receiver. And it generates a word in another intellect, not creating a word in another but giving the power of form and, so to speak, of shape to fashion a thought in the hearer. QUESTION From the word of the peacemaker, the same holy Gregory: \"A perfect Trinity from three perfect things, the Monad having been moved because of its richness, the Dyad having been surpassed because of matter and form, from which bodies also come, the Triad having been defined because of perfection; for the first surpasses the composition of the Dyad.\" ANSWER It is not the cause of the being of the divine and blessed Trinity that is placed here—that which is beyond cause and reason—but the guidance of our own selves by the holy Trinity toward the truest piety. For just as from the substance of existing things we conceive the Creator, so also we are mystically taught the manner of the existence of the ineffable divinity from certain symbols among existing things, clearly the holy divinity itself moving us to knowledge of itself and providing pious occasions for us to dare to examine the manner of its supernatural existence.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":79,"ref":"p79","source":"Λέγεται οὖν κινεῖσθαι ἢ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν κινουμένους ἢ ὡς αἰτία τῆς ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν γνῶσιν αὐτῆς κινήσεως. Ἐκίνησεν οὖν ἑαυτὴν ἐν ἡμῖν πρὸς τὸ γνῶναι ὅτι ἔστιν τις\n\nαἰτία τῶν ὅλων· ὅπερ ἐστὶν μονάδος κινηθείσης. Δυάδος δὲ ὑπερβαθείσης λέλεκται ὅτι συνθέσεως ἔξω καθορᾶται ἡ θεία φύσις. Τριάδος δὲ ὁρισθείσης διὰ τὸ τέλειον εἴρηται ὅτι αὐτὸ τὸ ὂν οὐκ ἔξω σοφίας καὶ ζωῆς ἐστιν· ὅπερ νοήσαντες ὡρίσαμεν σοφίαν τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ Λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ζωὴν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν, κατ᾽ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ κτισθεῖσα, ἐν τοῖς τρισὶ τούτοις καθορᾶται, ἐν νῷ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ πνεύματι.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἔσδρᾳ λεγόμενον \"φοβέρισον αὐτοὺς ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ φοβέρισον εἴρηται ἀντὶ τοῦ \"κατάπληξον αὐτούς\", οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ἠπειλημένων φοβερῶν· δουλικὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ Ἰουδαίοις ἁρμόδιον.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν 'Ἠθικῶν' τοῦ ἁγίου Βασιλείου εἰς τὸν πρῶτον ψαλμόν· «ἵνα ὥσπερ ἐν κοινῷ τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρείῳ πάντες ἄνθρωποι, ἕκαστος τὸ ἴαμα τοῦ οἰκείου πάθους ἐκλεγώμεθα· 'ἴαμα', γάρ φησιν, 'καταπαύσῃ ἁμαρτίας μεγάλας'». Τίνος χάριν ὁ διδάσκαλος ἐνταῦθα οὐ τῇ Γραφῇ ἠκολούθησεν; ἐκείνη γὰρ τὸ ἴαμα τὸ ἐᾶσαι τὸν ἐπεισελθόντα πονηρὸν λογισμὸν καὶ μὴ παραδέξασθαι ἐξέδωκεν, αὐτὸς δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἰάσεως τὴν λέξιν ἐξέδωκεν.","english":"It is said, then, that it is moved either because of us who are moved toward it, or as the cause of our movement toward the knowledge of it. It moved itself, then, within us toward knowing that there is some cause of all things; which is the case of a monad having been moved. But when the dyad has been surpassed, it has been said that the divine nature is beheld outside of composition. And when the triad has been defined, it has been said on account of the perfect that being itself is not outside of wisdom and life; which, having understood, we defined the Son and Word of God as wisdom, and the Holy Spirit as life, since our soul too, created in the image of God, is beheld in these three: in intellect, word, and spirit.\n\nQUESTION: What does what is said in Esdras mean, \"Make them fearful in the law of the Lord\"? ANSWER: \"Make them fearful\" is said instead of \"strike them with amazement,\" not from the good things promised, but from the fearful things threatened; for this is servile and fitting for Jews.\n\nQUESTION: From the Ethics of Saint Basil on the first psalm: \"so that, as in a common hospital of souls, all people, each choosing the remedy for his own passion; for 'a remedy,' he says, 'shall put an end to great sins.'\" For what reason did the teacher here not follow the Scripture? For that passage rendered \"remedy\" as leaving the evil thought that has entered in and not receiving it, but he rendered the word as \"healing.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":80,"ref":"p80","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος ἔχει, καὶ πᾶσα ῥῆσις ἀνθυπακουόμενον, καὶ πᾶσα ἐνέργεια ἀποτέλεσμα, πολλάκις οἱ ἀκριβέστεροι τῶν διδασκάλων ἐκ τῶν ἀποτελεσμάτων τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ ἰδίου λόγου ποιοῦνται, καθάπερ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὁ διδάσκαλος ἐχρήσατο· καὶ γὰρ τέλος τοῦ ἐᾶσαι καὶ μὴ παραδέξασθαι τὸ κακὸν ἴασίς ἐστιν καὶ ὑγεία.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «ἄλλα μὲν οὖν προφῆται παιδεύουσιν καὶ ἄλλα ἱστορικοί, καὶ ὁ νόμος ἕτερα, καὶ ἄλλο τὸ εἶδος τῆς παροιμιακῆς παραινέσεως». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Προφῆται μὲν παιδεύουσιν τὰ προγνωστικά, ἱστορικοὶ δὲ τὴν τῶν καλῶν ἀνάμνησιν καὶ παράθεσιν, ὁ δὲ νόμος τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ κακοῦ εἴδησιν· τὸ δὲ εἶδος τῆς παροιμιακῆς παραινέσεως συμβουλὴν γνώμης παρέχεται, τουτέστιν τοὺς τρόπους τῶν πρακτέων ὑποτίθεται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «καὶ πού τις τῶν σφόδρα ἐκτεθηριωμένων ὑπὸ θυμοῦ, ἐπειδὰν ἄρξηται τῷ ψαλμῷ κατεπᾴδεσθαι, ἀπῆλθεν εὐθὺς τὸ ἀγριαῖνον τῆς ψυχῆς τῇ μελῳδίᾳ κατακοιμήσας».","english":"ANSWER: Since every beginning has an end, and every utterance has a response, and every action has a result, the more precise of the teachers often make the beginning of their own discourse from the results, just as the teacher did here as well; for the end of leaving evil alone and not accepting it is healing and health.\n\nQUESTION: From the same: \"Other things, then, the prophets teach, and other things the historians, and the law different things, and different is the form of proverbial exhortation.\" ANSWER: The prophets teach things foreknown, the historians the recollection and setting forth of good things, and the law the knowledge of good and evil; but the form of proverbial exhortation provides counsel of judgment, that is, it suggests the ways of things to be done.\n\nQUESTION: From the same: \"And where is one of those utterly brutalized by rage, when he begins to be enchanted by the psalm, who departed immediately, having lulled to sleep the wild part of the soul by the melody?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":81,"ref":"p81","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οὐ περὶ τοῦ ἁπλῶς ψάλλοντος ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ εἰδότος ψάλλειν εἶπεν ὁ διδάσκαλος· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ Ἐλισσαῖος παρὰ τῶν βασιλέων ἐπεζήτησεν νεανίσκον εἰδότα ψάλλειν, τουτέστιν νοοῦντα καὶ δυνάμενον διὰ τῆς τοῦ ῥητοῦ μεσιτείας τὴν ἐγκειμένην διάνοιαν πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν διαβιβάσαι καὶ ἐντυπῶσαι. Ὁ τοιοῦτος γὰρ οὐ μόνον κατακοιμῆσαι δύναται τὸν θυμὸν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκδιῶξαι δαίμονας, τουτέστιν οὐ μόνον τὰ πάθη τῆς σαρκὸς σβέσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς διεγείροντας ταῦτα δαίμονας ἀποδιῶξαι, κατὰ τὸν μέγαν Δαβὶδ τὸ πονηρὸν πνεῦμα τοῦ Σαοὺλ ἐκδιώκοντα. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «ὅπλον ἐν φόβοις νυκτερινοῖς, ἀνάπαυσις κόπων ἡμερινῶν». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nΝύκτα ἐκάλεσεν τὰς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ κεκρυμμένας δολερὰς προσβολάς, ἡμέραν δὲ τοὺς ὁμολογημένους καὶ ἐν φανερῷ πειρασμούς. Ὁ οὖν τὴν ἕξιν τῆς θείας γνώσεως εἰληφὼς καὶ μηδὲν ἀγνοῶν τῶν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ νοημάτων οὐ φοβεῖταί τι τῶν κεκρυμμένων τοῦ ἐχθροῦ προσβολῶν· φόβος γὰρ οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἢ προσδοκώμενον κακόν. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν ἡγεῖται τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν ὁμολογημένων πειρασμῶν πόνους διὰ τὴν ἐγγινομένην ἐκ τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς συμπλοκῆς τῇ ψυχῇ δοκιμασίαν καὶ τὴν ἐλπιζομένην ἐκ ταύτης μακαρίαν ἐκδοχὴν τοῦ στεφάνου τῆς ἀφθαρσίας.","english":"ANSWER: The teacher spoke not of the one who simply sings psalms, but of the one who knows how to sing psalms; for in this way Elisha too asked the kings for a young man who knew how to play, that is, one who understood and was able through the mediation of the spoken word to convey and imprint the meaning contained in it upon the soul. For such a person is able not only to lull anger to sleep but also to drive out demons, that is, not only to quench the passions of the flesh but also to drive away the demons who stir them up, like the great David driving out the evil spirit of Saul. QUESTION: From the same: \"a weapon in the terrors of the night, a rest from the labors of the day.\" ANSWER: He called the hidden and deceitful assaults of the enemy \"night,\" and the open and manifest temptations \"day.\" Therefore the one who has received the habit of divine knowledge and is ignorant of none of the enemy's designs fears none of the enemy's hidden assaults; for fear is nothing other than an expected evil. But indeed he also regards the labors of manifest temptations as a rest, because of the testing that comes to the soul from its engagement with them and the blessed hope of the crown of incorruption that is expected from it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":82,"ref":"p82","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου πρὸς Ῥωμαίους· «συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Καθάπερ ἀποδρᾶσαν καὶ πλανώμενον κτῆνος διώκει ὁ ἴδιος δεσπότης, ἐπὰν δὲ συγκλείσει αὐτὸ μετὰ τῶν διωκόντων καὶ εὕρῃ αὐτὸ τετραυματισμένον ἐπιμελεῖται αὐτοῦ, οὕτως καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐνανθρωπήσας συνέκλεισεν ἀντὶ τοῦ \"κατέλαβεν\" καὶ ηὗρεν πάντας ἀπειθεῖς καὶ ἁμαρτωλούς, καὶ ἐλεήσας διέσωσεν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οὐ περὶ σωματικῆς νόσου τοῦτο εἴρηται τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ ἀεὶ γὰρ ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ ταῖς τοῦ σώματος νόσοις ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀσθενοῦντι κατὰ ψυχὴν λάχανα ἐσθίειν προστάσσει, τουτέστιν τὰ σχέδια καὶ λιτὰ καὶ εὐκατέργαστα καὶ μὴ λιπαίνοντα τὴν σάρκα. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὁ πρόχειρος νοῦς· κατὰ δὲ τὴν θεωρίαν, ἐκεῖνος ἀσθενεῖ καὶ λάχανα ἐσθίει, ὅστις ἀδυνάτως ἔχει πρὸς τὸ ὕψος τῆς γνώσεως ἀναβῆναι καὶ κατὰ Μωσέα αὐτῷ τῷ γνόφῳ οὗ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἐμπελάσαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀκμὴν εἴτε τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ εἷς εἴτε καὶ τῶν ὑψηλοτέρων τούτων τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα πρεσβυτέρων τυγχάνων, τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν δίκην λαχάνων τρέφεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «λέγω μὲν Χριστὸν διάκονον γεγενῆσθαι περιτομῆς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας».","english":"QUESTION From the Apostle to the Romans: \"For God shut up all in disobedience.\"\n\nANSWER Just as a master pursues his own beast that has run away and gone astray, and when he has shut it up with those who pursue it and finds it wounded, he cares for it, so also the Word of God, having become man, shut up—instead of \"laid hold of\"—and found all disobedient and sinful, and having mercy he saved them. QUESTION From the same: \"But the one who is weak eats vegetables.\" ANSWER This was not said by the Apostle concerning bodily sickness—for he always rejoiced in the sicknesses of the body—but he commands the one who is weak in soul to eat vegetables, that is, things simple and plain and easily prepared and not fattening the flesh. And this is the ready meaning; but according to contemplation, that one is weak and eats vegetables who is unable to ascend to the height of knowledge and, like Moses, to draw near to the very darkness where God is, but is still either one of the people or even one of those higher seventy elders, and is fed on natural contemplation as on vegetables. QUESTION From the same: \"I say that Christ has become a servant of circumcision for the sake of truth.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":83,"ref":"p83","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς ἀπατηθεὶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἐν παραβάσει γενόμενος παρεσυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσιν καὶ κατεδικάσθη κατὰ τὸν αὐτῶν τρόπον καὶ γεννᾶσθαι καὶ ἀποθνῄσκειν, ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ ἴδιον πλάσμα εἰς τέλος ἀπολέσθαι μὴ ἀνασχόμενος κατὰ μὲν διαφόρους καιροὺς τὴν αὐτοῦ διεπραγματεύετο σωτηρίαν, ἐν δὲ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐκδηλότερον ἐποιεῖτο τὴν μέλλουσαν ἔσεσθαι διὰ τῆς ἐνσάρκου αὐτοῦ ἐπιδημίας σωτηρίαν, ὅθεν μετὰ πάσας τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπαγγελίας δίδωσιν αὐτῷ τὴν περιτομήν, ἥτις ἐδήλου τὴν περιαίρεσιν τοῦ παθητικοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς μέρους, ἐπεὶ οὖν πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι περιέτεμον μὲν τὸ ἐμπαθὲς τῆς ψυχῆς μέρος, οὐ μὴν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς περιεῖλαν ὑπέκειντο γὰρ τῇ καταδίκῃ τῆς φύσεως, γεννηθέντες ἐκ συνουσίας, αὐτὸς ἐλθὼν ὁ Κύριος ὁ καὶ Δεσπότης τῆς φύσεως, ὁ καὶ δοὺς τῷ Ἀβραὰμ τὴν περιτομήν, διάκονος ταύτης καὶ πληρωτὴς ἀληθῶς γέγονεν, τὴν παντελῆ τῆς ἐμπαθοῦς γεννήσεως περιαίρεσιν ποιησάμενος· ἄνευ γὰρ σπορᾶς συνελήφθη καὶ δίχα φθορᾶς ἐγεννήθη.","english":"ANSWER Since in the beginning man was deceived and came to be in transgression, he was likened to the beasts and was condemned to both be born and to die in their manner. But the Lord, not enduring that his own handiwork should be utterly destroyed, worked out his salvation at different times, and in Abraham he made more manifest the salvation that was to come through his incarnate visitation. Therefore, after all the promises made to him, he gave him circumcision, which signified the removal of the passible part of the soul. Since, then, all the saints circumcised the passible part of the soul, yet did not remove it completely—for they were subject to the condemnation of nature, having been born from intercourse—the Lord himself came, who is also Master of nature, who also gave Abraham circumcision, and truly became its servant and fulfiller, effecting the complete removal of passible generation; for without seed he was conceived and without corruption he was born.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":84,"ref":"p84","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «καὶ τοῦτο εἰδότες τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι ὥρα ἤδη ὑμᾶς ἐξ ὕπνου ἐγερθῆναι».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nΚαιρὸν λέγει τὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ κηρύγματος καὶ ὅτι δεῖ πιστεύσαντας καὶ δικαιωθέντας πρὸς φυλακὴν τῆς ἐκ πίστεως καὶ χάριτος δικαιώσεως τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐκθύμως ἀντέχεσθαι καὶ κοιμωμένους διὰ τῆς ἀπραξίας τῶν ἐντολῶν καὶ πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ καὶ θεῖα τὸν νοῦν ἔχοντας ἀνενέργητον ἐξεγερθῆναι τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ ἐγρήγορον ἔχειν τὸν νοῦν πρὸς τὰ οὐράνια καὶ νοητὰ κάλλη, πᾶσαν αἴσθησιν πρὸς τὰ αἰσθητὰ κατακοιμήσαντας, ἵνα ἐξῇ ἡμῖν κατὰ τὸν Σολομῶντα λέγειν \"ἐγὼ καθεύδω καὶ ἡ καρδία μου ἀγρυπνεῖ\".\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «εἰ ὅλως νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν;»\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ περὶ τῶν νεκρῶν σωμάτων λέγει ταῦτα γάρ ἐστιν τὰ πίπτοντα καὶ ἀνιστάμενα βαπτιζόμεθα δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς τούτων ἀναστάσεως τὸ γὰρ βάπτισμα τύπον φέρει τῆς ταφῆς καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως· ἡ γὰρ κατάδυσις καὶ ἀνάδυσις τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ὁ Απόστολος τοὺς ἐνδυάζοντας περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐπιστομίζων ἔφη· \"τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν;\" Ὁ γὰρ τὸν τύπον ἐνταῦθα τῆς ταφῆς καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐπιτελῶν ἐκδέξεται καιροῖς ἰδίοις καὶ τὴν παντελῆ κατ᾽ ἀλήθειαν ἔσεσθαι ἀνάστασιν.","english":"QUESTION From the same: \"And this, knowing the time, that the hour has already come for you to be awakened from sleep.\"\n\nANSWER\n\nHe calls \"time\" that of the gospel preaching, and that those who have believed and been justified ought eagerly to cling to the practice of the virtues for the guarding of the justification that comes from faith and grace, and that we who sleep through the inactivity of the commandments, and who keep our mind inactive toward spiritual and divine things, should be awakened in heart and keep the mind watchful toward the heavenly and intelligible beauties, having lulled all sense perception to sleep toward sensible things, so that it may be possible for us to say, according to Solomon, \"I sleep, and my heart keeps watch.\"\n\nQUESTION From the same: \"If the dead are not raised at all, why are they also baptized for them?\"\n\nANSWER Since he is speaking about dead bodies—for these are the things that fall and rise—we are baptized for their resurrection; for baptism bears the type of burial and resurrection. For the immersion and the emergence signify this. The Apostle, silencing those who doubt about the resurrection, said: \"Why are they also baptized for them?\" For the one who here accomplishes through baptism the type of burial and resurrection will await in its own times also the complete resurrection that will truly be.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":85,"ref":"p85","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν δειχθεῖσα τῷ Πέτρῳ ὀθόνη καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ὑπάρχοντα θηρία καὶ ἑρπετὰ καὶ τετράποδα; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸ ὀφθὲν τῷ προφήτῃ Ἰεζεκιὴλ ὅτι «τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν ἧν ὡς τροχὸς ἐν τροχῷ», δηλοῦται δὲ διὰ τούτων ὅ τε αἰσθητὸς καὶ νοητὸς κόσμος ἐν ἀλλήλοις ὑπάρχοντες ὁ μὲν γὰρ νοητὸς κόσμος τοῖς τύποις ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ αἰσθητῷ, ὁ δὲ αἰσθητὸς κόσμος τῷ λόγῳ ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ νοητῷ ἐδείκνυτο οὖν τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ πάντα τὰ τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ κόσμου· τὸ γὰρ «τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς καθιέμενον» τὸν ἐκ τεσσάρων στοιχείων συγκείμενον κόσμον δηλοῖ, ἐν τῷ νοητῷ ὑπάρχοντα καθαρὸν κατὰ τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐνυπάρχοντα λόγον. Ἤκουεν δὲ \"ἀναστὰς θῦσον καὶ φάγε\", τουτέστιν \"τῷ νῷ διανάσθητι ἐκ τῶν κατ᾽ αἴσθησιν καὶ θῦσον καὶ φάγε, τῇ τοῦ λόγου διαιρέσει τὴν αἴσθησιν διελὼν καὶ πνευματικῶς ταῦτα ἀναλαμβάνων οἰκείωσαι\". Ἢ καὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν δηλοῖ τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς τῶν Εὐαγγελίων στηριζομένην ἢ καὶ ταῖς τέσσαρσιν γενικαῖς ἀρεταῖς. Τὰ δὲ θηρία καὶ ἑρπετὰ τὰ διάφορα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤθη δηλοῦσιν τὰ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν μέλλοντα τῇ πίστει τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσχωρεῖν. Τὸ δὲ θῦσον καὶ φάγε δηλοῖ ὅτι \"πρῶτον τῷ λόγῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀπόκτεινον τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς κακίαν καὶ τότε φάγε τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτῶν οἰκειούμενος, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Κύριος ταύτην ἑαυτῷ βρῶσιν ἐποιεῖτο\".","english":"QUESTION What does the sheet shown to Peter in the Acts mean, and the beasts and reptiles and four-footed animals in it? ANSWER Since, according to what was seen by the prophet Ezekiel, \"their work was as a wheel within a wheel,\" and by these things both the sensible and the intelligible world are indicated as existing in one another — for the intelligible world is in the sensible by its types, and the sensible world is in the intelligible by its principle — therefore all things of the sensible world were shown to the Apostle; for \"let down by four corners\" indicates the world composed of the four elements, existing in the intelligible world pure according to the principle indwelling in them. And he heard, \"Rise, kill and eat,\" that is, \"Be minded in your intellect toward the things of sense, and kill and eat, dividing sense by the division of the principle, and receiving these spiritually, make them your own.\" Or it also indicates the Church, established upon the four corners of the Gospels, or also upon the four generic virtues. And the beasts and reptiles indicate the various characters of men among the nations who were about to come to the faith of Christ. And \"kill and eat\" indicates that \"first by the principle of teaching, put to death the evil in them, and then eat, making their salvation your own, just as the Lord also made this food for Himself.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":86,"ref":"p86","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ ἐν ταῖς αὐταῖς Πράξεσιν ὁ τῶν πέντε μυριάδων ἀριθμὸς τῶν καέντων βιβλίων;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῆς μυριάδος τέλος ἐστὶν παντὸς ἀριθμοῦ, δηλοῦται διὰ τούτου ὅτι πάσης μαγείας καὶ περιεργίας τέλος ἄλλο οὐκ ἔστιν εἰ μὴ ἡ τῶν αἰσθητῶν πλάνη, ἣν οἱ διαγινώσκοντες τῷ πυρὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς διδασκαλίας κατακαίουσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ἐκπνεῦσαι τὸν Κύριον ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ πρὸ τῶν λῃστῶν καὶ τί δηλοῦσιν οἱ λῃσταὶ καὶ αἱ κλάσεις τῶν σκελῶν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nἘπειδὴ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεὸς ὢν φύσει, σάρκα ἀναλαβὼν τὴν ἡμετέραν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν γέγονεν μόνος ἄνθρωπος, μόνος τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ σκοπὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ φυλάξας, ὅνπερ εἶπεν \"ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ᾽ εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ ὁμοίωσιν\", καὶ καθάπερ ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ταῖς θείαις χερσὶν διεπλάσθη, οὕτως καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ θάνατον ἀποθνῄσκων ὁ Κύριος μόνος καὶ πρῶτος ταῖς πατρικαῖς παλάμαις τὴν αὐτοῦ ψυχὴν ἐναπέθετο. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἦν καὶ ἐγένετο μονογενὴς καὶ πρωτότοκος ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, οὕτως καὶ τὸν ἀναιρέτην τοῦ θανάτου θάνατον μόνος καὶ πρῶτος ὑπομεῖναι κατεδέξατο, ἵνα γένηται καὶ πρωτότοκος ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων.","english":"QUESTION What does the number of the five ten-thousands of books that were burned in the same Acts signify?\n\nANSWER Since the number of a ten-thousand is the end of every number, it is signified by this that the end of all magic and meddlesome curiosity is nothing other than the deception of sensible things, which those who recognize it burn up with the fire of the apostolic teaching. QUESTION What is the reason that the Lord expired on the cross before the robbers, and what do the robbers and the breaking of the legs signify? ANSWER\n\nSince our Lord Jesus Christ, being God by nature, having taken up our flesh, has truly become the only man, alone preserving in himself the purpose of God, which he spoke: \"Let us make man in our image and likeness,\" and just as the first man was molded by the divine hands, so also the Lord, dying the death on his behalf, alone and first placed his own soul in the Father's palms. And just as he was and became the only-begotten and firstborn among many brothers, so also he alone and first deigned to undergo the death that slays death, so that he might become the firstborn from the dead and in all things himself have the first place.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":87,"ref":"p87","source":"Οἱ δὲ λῃσταὶ λαμβάνονται ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως διαιρουμένης εἰς δικαίους καὶ ἁμαρτωλούς. Ἡ δὲ τῶν σκελῶν κλάσις δηλοῖ ὅτι πάντας μὲν ἀνθρώπους ἀποθνῄσκοντας οὐκ ἄνευ πλημμελημάτων καὶ συντριβῆς ἁμαρτίας εὑρίσκεσθε, μόνος δὲ ὁ Κύριος σῶος καὶ ἄνευ τῆς οἱασοῦν ἁμαρτίας ἀπέθανεν. Εἰς δὲ τὸν καθένα λαμβάνονται οἱ λῃσταὶ πολλαχῶς· λαμβάνονται γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ σαρκικοῦ καὶ πνευματικοῦ φρονήματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ θυμοῦ καὶ ἐπιθυμίας, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ κόσμου καὶ τοῦ νοητοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ γραπτοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῦ τῆς χάριτος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἁμαρτανόντων ἡμῶν καὶ δικαιοπραγούντων ἀεὶ ὁ λόγος συγκαταβαίνων μέσος ἡμῶν σταυροῦται, ἡνίκα οὖν διὰ τῆς ἡμῶν κακοπραγίας καὶ ἀγνοίας τὸν λόγον ἀνενέργητον καὶ κλίνοντα κάτω ποιήσωμεν, εὐθέως οἱ δαίμονες ἐπιπηδῶντες τὰς πορευτικὰς καὶ διαβατικὰς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις ἡμῶν κατακλάννουσιν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ἡ διαφωνία τῶν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἀναγεγραμμένων ἐν τῇ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον ὀπτασίᾳ; Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῇ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ὀπτασίᾳ ἱστορεῖ ὁ Λουκᾶς τοὺς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὄντας τῆς φωνῆς μὲν ἀκοῦσαι, μηδένα δὲ θεωρῆσαι· ἐν δὲ τῷ διηγεῖσθαι τὸν Παῦλον ἐπὶ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν τὴν αὐτὴν ὀπτασίαν λέγει τοὺς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὄντας τὸ μὲν φῶς τεθεᾶσθαι, τὴν δὲ φωνὴν τοῦ λαλοῦντος μὴ ἀκηκοέναι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἱστορίαν ὁ Χρυσόστομος πάνυ ἐπιστημόνως ἑρμηνεύσας τὸν τόπον ἔφη ὅτι ἡ πρώτη ἐξήγησις ἡ λέγουσα \"τῆς φωνῆς ἤκουον οἱ συνόντες\", τῆς Παύλου φωνῆς λέγει ἀκούειν αὐτοὺς τῆς λεγούσης \"τίς εἶ, Κύριε;\" οὐδένα δὲ ἔβλεπον ἄνθρωπον εἰ μὴ Παῦλον.","english":"The robbers are taken in relation to our nature as divided into the righteous and the sinful. And the breaking of the legs signifies that all men, when they die, are found not without transgressions and the crushing of sin, but only the Lord died whole and without any sin whatsoever. And in the case of each person the robbers are taken in many ways; for they are taken in relation to body and soul, and in relation to the fleshly and the spiritual mind, but also in relation to anger and desire, and in relation to the sensible world and the intelligible, and in relation to the written law and the law of grace. And since, both when we sin and when we do righteousness, the Word, condescending, is always crucified in our midst, whenever, then, through our evil conduct and ignorance we make the Word inactive and inclining downward, immediately the demons, leaping upon us, break the onward-moving and passable powers of the soul.\n\nQUESTION What is the discrepancy between the things recorded in the Acts in the vision of Paul? For in the vision on the road Luke records that those who were with him heard the voice but saw no one; but when Paul recounts the same vision at the steps, he says that those who were with him saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one speaking. ANSWER According to the history, Chrysostom, having interpreted the passage very knowledgeably, said that the first explanation, which says \"those who were with him heard the voice,\" means that they heard the voice of Paul, which said \"Who are you, Lord?\" but they saw no man except Paul.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":88,"ref":"p88","source":"Ἡ δὲ δευτέρα ἐξήγησις ἡ λέγουσα τὸ μὲν φῶς τεθεᾶσθαι, τὴν δὲ φωνὴν τοῦ λαλοῦντος μὴ ἀκηκοέναι, φωνῆς λέγει αὐτοὺς μὴ ἀκηκοέναι τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον γεγενημένης, μόνον δὲ τὸ φῶς τεθεᾶσθαι. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν θεωρίαν οὕτως ἐκληπτέον τὸν τόπον· ὁ γνωστικὸς νοῦς κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον ἔχει συνόντας αὐτῷ τοὺς λογισμούς· κατὰ οὖν τὴν πρώτην τοῦ Λόγου πρὸς τὸν νοῦν γινομένην ἐμφάνειαν οἱ λογισμοὶ ἀπηχήματα μόνον καὶ ἰνδάλματα τῆς γνώσεως ἀκούουσιν, οὐδὲν δὲ τετρανωμένον θεωροῦσιν· προκόπτοντος δὲ τοῦ νοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν γινομένου, τουτέστιν ἐπὶ τῆς ὑψηλῆς θεωρίας, οὐκέτι οἱ λογισμοὶ ἰνδαλμάτων ἀλλὰ τοῦ φωτὸς τῆς γνώσεως τέλειον ἐν μετουσίᾳ γίνονται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Πῶς ὀφείλει εὐσεβῶς νοηθῆναι ἡ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ κειμένη τοῦ Θεοῦ μεταμέλεια; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φασὶν οἱ τὰ θεῖα εὐσεβῶς φρονεῖν διεγνωκότες ἀδύνατον εἶναι τὸν Θεόν, φύσει ὄντα δημιουργόν, καὶ μὴ προνοητὴν εἶναι φύσει τῶν δεδημιουργημένων. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, ἀνάγκη πᾶσά ἐστιν, φυσικῶς προνοουμένου τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, πολλοὺς εἶναι παρ᾽ αὐτῷ τοὺς περὶ τὴν προνοουμένην φύσιν τῆς σωτηρίας τρόπους.","english":"The second explanation, which says that they saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one speaking, says that they did not hear the voice of the Lord that came to Paul, but only saw the light. According to the contemplative interpretation, the passage must be understood thus: the gnostic intellect, after the manner of Paul, has the thoughts accompanying it. Therefore, at the first manifestation of the Word to the intellect, the thoughts hear only echoes and images of knowledge, but they contemplate nothing clearly articulated. But as the intellect advances and comes to the steps, that is, to the high contemplation, the thoughts are no longer partakers of images but of the light of knowledge perfectly.\n\nQUESTION: How should the repentance of God that lies in Scripture be piously understood?\nANSWER: Those who have determined to think piously about divine things say that it is impossible for God, who is by nature the Creator, not to be by nature the Provider of the things created. And if this is so, it is altogether necessary that, since God by nature provides for humanity, there are many ways of salvation with him concerning the nature that is provided for.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":89,"ref":"p89","source":"Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀγχίστροφον ζῷον ὁ ἄνθρωπος, εὐχερῶς τοῖς καιροῖς καὶ τοῖς πράγμασιν συμμεταβαλλόμενον, ἀνάγκη πάντως καὶ τὴν θείαν πρόνοιαν, μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν οὖσαν, συμμεταβάλλεσθαι ταῖς ἡμῶν διαθέσεσιν, διὰ τῶν προσφυῶς ἁρμοζόντων ταῖς ἐν τῇ φύσει ἀναφυομέναις κακίαις τρόπον ἐφευρίσκουσαν. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῆς ἰατρικῆς πολλαὶ αἱ ταύτης ὑποκείμεναι νόσοι, καὶ ἀνάγκη τὸν ἐπιστήμονα ἰατρόν, τοῦ ὑποκειμένου σώματος εἰς πολλὰ καὶ διάφορα πάθη μεταπίπτοντος, καὶ αὐτὸν εἰς κρείττονας τρόπους ἀπὸ τῶν ἡττόνων μεταβαίνειν, οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ ἡ ἀπὸ τοιοῦδε τρόπου ἐπὶ ἕτερον τρόπον τῆς προνοίας μετάβασις μεταμέλεια τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ Γραφῇ σύνηθες ὀνομάζεσθαι.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ τὸ τοῦ ρδ' (104) ψαλμοῦ ῥησίδιον τὸ «μετέστρεψεν τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ τοῦ μισῆσαι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Θεὸς οὐ μόνον γινώσκει τὰ ὄντα πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ὡς ἐν αὐτῷ ὄντα αὐτῇ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, κἂν εἰ αὐτὰ τὰ πάντα, τά τε ὄντα καὶ τὰ ἐσόμενα, οὐχ ἅμα τῷ γνωσθῆναι καὶ τὸ καθ᾽ αὑτὰ εἶναι ἔλαβον, ἀλλ᾽ ἕκαστα τῷ ἐπιτηδείῳ καιρῷ οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε τῶν ἅμα εἶναι τὸ ἄπειρον καὶ τὰ πεπερασμένα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τέλος τῆς ἑκάστου κατὰ τὴν κίνησιν διαθέσεως· οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν χρόνος ἢ αἰὼν ὁ ταύτην μεταξὺ Θεοῦ διακόπτων· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ πρόσφατον, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέλλοντα ὡς παρόντα εἰσίν· οἱ δὲ χρόνοι καὶ οἱ αἰῶνες οὐ τῷ Θεῷ ἀλλ᾽ ἡμῖν εἰσιν δεικτικοὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ὄντων. Μὴ δὲ γὰρ ὅτε τι ὁρῶμεν τὸν Θεὸν ποιοῦντα, τότε καὶ τῆς περὶ αὐτὸ γνώσεως ἦρχθαι νομίσωμεν.","english":"For since man is a creature that turns quickly and easily changes along with times and circumstances, it is entirely necessary that divine providence too, being one and the same, changes along with our dispositions, finding a way through the means that are naturally suited to the evils that spring up in our nature. And just as in medicine the diseases that underlie it are many, and the skilled physician must, when the body before him falls into many and various affections, himself pass over from lesser methods to better ones, so too with God the transition of providence from one kind of method to another is customarily called in Scripture the repentance of God.\n\nQUESTION: What does the passage of the 104th psalm mean, \"He turned their heart to hate his people\"?\n\nANSWER: God knows the things that exist before the ages as existing in himself in truth itself, even if all things, both those that are and those that will be, did not receive their own being at the same moment they were known, but each at its suitable time—for it is not possible for the infinite and the finite to be simultaneous—but also the end of each one's disposition according to its movement; for there is no time or age that interrupts this between God, for nothing in him is recent, but future things are present. Times and ages are indicative to us, not to God, of the things that are in God. For let us not suppose that when we see God doing something, then he has also begun the knowledge concerning it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":90,"ref":"p90","source":"Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο ἀληθές, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστιν, ᾔδει πάντως ὡς παροῦσαν τὴν μέλλουσαν οὐ μόνον ἔσεσθαι τῶν Αἰγυπτίων πονηρίαν καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀγαθῶν ἐργασίαν ἀπειθῆ προαίρεσιν καὶ ἐπιτήδειον πρὸς ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν Αἴγυπτον συνηθείας πεπραγμένων τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις κακῶν διάθεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν εὐπειθῶς προσχωρεῖν μέλλουσαν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς εὐσεβείας διὰ τῆς πίστεως. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν τὰς τοιαύτας κεκρυμμένας διαθέσεις καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ πρὶν κατησχημένας συνεχώρησεν εἰς ἐνέργειαν ἐλθεῖν, κατὰ τοῦτο λέγεται μεταστρέψαι· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπιτόνιν ἠσφαλισμένον καὶ βίᾳ ὁρμὴν ὕδατος κατέχον, εἰ τύχοι τινὰ στρέψαι τοῦτο, εὐθὺς τὴν κεκρυμμένην ὁρμὴν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκδίδωσιν, οὕτω καὶ αἱ πονηραὶ καὶ αἱ ἀγαθαὶ διαθέσεις συγχωρούσης τῆς προνοίας διὰ τῶν μέσων πραγμάτων εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς ἄγονται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνων τύποι ἦσαν ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ ὅ τε Μωυσῆς καὶ ὁ Φαραὼ καὶ τίς ἡ Αἴγυπτος καὶ πῶς αἱ πληγαὶ τοῖς μὲν ἦσαν, τοῖς δὲ οὐκ ἦσαν; Καὶ τίς ὁ ὀλοθρευτὴς καὶ τίς ὁ τῶν πρωτοτόκων θάνατος καὶ διατί ἡ Γραφὴ πῇ μὲν λέγει ἀναγαγεῖν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, πῇ δὲ ἐξαγαγεῖν;","english":"But if this is true, as indeed it is, he knew altogether that the future wickedness of the Egyptians was already present, and their disposition of will that was disobedient to every good work and ready for the avenging of the evils done to the Israelites by the custom in Egypt, and also the readiness of the Israelites to come over obediently to the word of piety through faith. Since, then, he permitted such hidden dispositions, even those formerly disgraced by him, to come into action, in this respect he is said to have turned them; for just as a man, should he happen to turn a closed sluice that holds back the rush of water by force, the water immediately gives forth its hidden rush, so also the wicked and the good dispositions, when providence permits, are brought into the open through intermediate things.\n\nQUESTION: Of what were Moses and Pharaoh types in the Exodus, and what is Egypt, and how were the plagues for some and not for others? And who is the destroyer, and what is the death of the firstborn, and why does the Scripture say in one place \"to lead up out of Egypt\" and in another \"to lead out\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":91,"ref":"p91","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Μωυσῆς τύπος ἐστὶν τῶν εὐσεβῶν καὶ τοῦ κατ᾽ αὐτῶν τέλους, ὁ δὲ Φαραὼ τῶν ἀσεβῶν καὶ τοῦ κατ᾽ αὐτῶν τέλους· καθ᾽ ὅσον γὰρ ἦν ὁ Μωυσῆς ὑπήκοος καὶ ἁπαλὸς πρὸς ἐκτύπωσιν τῶν θείων παραγγελμάτων, κατὰ τοσοῦτον ἦν ὁ Φαραὼ πρὸς τὰ ἐναντία διακείμενος. Αἴγυπτος δὲ κατὰ μίαν τῶν περὶ αὐτῆς ἐπιβολῶν ‘σκοτασμὸς’ ἑρμηνεύεται, λαμβάνεται δὲ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον. Φασὶν δὲ τὴν Αἴγυπτον οἱ γηογραφεῖς πάσης τῆς γῆς χθαμαλωτέραν εἶναι· διὰ τοῦτο ἡ Γραφὴ οὐ μόνον ἐξήγαγεν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνήγαγεν λέγει, ἐξαγωγὴν δηλούσης τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς προσπαθείας τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ἐρχομένων, ἀναγωγὴν δὲ τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ὑλικῶν ἐπὶ τὰ νοητὰ ἀναφερομένων.\n\nΑἰγύπτιοι δέ εἰσιν πάντες οἱ φιλήδονοι καὶ φιλόκοσμοι, κἂν εὐγενεῖς ὦσιν τῷ σώματι· Ἰσραηλῖται δὲ πάντες οἱ φιλόθεοι καὶ μισόκοσμοι. Τοῖς μὲν οὖν τὸ ὕδωρ αἷμά ἐστιν, τοῖς δὲ ὕδωρ κατὰ φύσιν· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ ὕδωρ θρεπτικόν ἐστιν καὶ ζωτικόν, δηλοῖ ὅτι ὅστις τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης πρὸς ἀδικίαν καὶ ἁρπαγὴν καὶ πλεονεξίαν ποιεῖται, φονεὺς ὑπάρχων τῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀδικουμένων, τὸ ὕδωρ αἷμα ἔχει· ὅστις δὲ τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῆς ζωῆς ἐκ δικαίων πόνων ἔχει, τούτῳ τὸ ὕδωρ, τῆς ζωῆς ὕδωρ ἐστίν. Ἀποκτέννονται δὲ τὰ πρωτότοκα τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔχουσιν τὰς φλιὰς κεχρισμένας τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἀμνοῦ. Πρωτότοκα δέ εἰσιν τὰ πρῶτα τοῦ νοῦ γεννήματα καὶ διανοήματα, φλιαὶ δὲ αἱ αἰσθήσεις, ὀλοθρευτὴς δὲ ὁ διάβολος, διὰ μέσου τῶν αἰσθήσεων δεσμεύων τὴν ψυχὴν πρὸς τὰ αἰσθητὰ καὶ πᾶν αὐτῆς θεῖον κίνημα ἀναιρῶν.","english":"ANSWER: Moses is a type of the pious and of their end, and Pharaoh of the impious and of their end; for to the extent that Moses was obedient and tender toward the impression of the divine commandments, to that extent Pharaoh was disposed toward the opposite. Egypt, according to one of the interpretations concerning it, is translated \"darkening,\" and it is taken to mean this present age. The geographers say that Egypt is the lowest-lying of all the earth; therefore Scripture says not only \"he brought out\" but also \"he brought up,\" \"bringing out\" signifying those who come from the attachment to the flesh to the spirit, and \"bringing up\" those who are led up from material things to intelligible things.\n\nAll the pleasure-loving and world-loving are Egyptians, even if they are noble in body; and all the God-loving and world-hating are Israelites. For the former, then, the water is blood, but for the latter water according to nature; for since water is nourishing and life-giving, it shows that whoever makes the starting-point of this life a matter of injustice and robbery and greed, being a murderer of those he wrongs, has his water as blood; but whoever has the starting-point of life from righteous labors, for him the water is the water of life. And the firstborn of the Egyptians are killed because they do not have their doorposts smeared with the blood of the lamb. The firstborn are the first offspring and thoughts of the mind, the doorposts are the senses, and the destroyer is the devil, who through the senses binds the soul to sensible things and abolishes every divine movement of it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":92,"ref":"p92","source":"Διατηροῦνται δὲ τὰ πρωτότοκα καὶ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν τῇ χρίσει τοῦ αἵματος, τουτέστιν τὰ θεῖα τοῦ νοῦ κινήματα τῇ νεκρώσει τῶν αἰσθήσεων.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν τῷ οε' (75) ψαλμῷ εἰρημένον, ὅτι «ἐνθύμιον ἀνθρώπου ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι καὶ ἐγκατάλειμμα ἐνθυμίου ἑορτάσει σοι»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡ μὲν ἑορτὴ εὐφραινομένων ἐστίν, ἡ δὲ ἐξομολόγησις ἐταζομένων· καὶ τὸ μέν ἐστιν λύπης, τὸ δὲ χαρᾶς. Τοῦτο οὖν λέγει, ὅτι ἐν τῇ κρίσει ἀντισηκούμενον τὸ παροδικὸν καὶ ἀτελὲς τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἐνθύμημα τῷ πονηρῷ καὶ ἀπηρτισμένῳ ἐνθυμήματι τὸ πλέον ἔχει· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐτάζεται, τὸ δὲ ἑορτῆς καὶ χαρᾶς γίνεται πρόξενον.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγων \"ἐμοὶ δὲ γένοιτο πέντε λόγους λαλῆσαι ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πέντε λόγους λαλεῖ, κἂν εἶς ἐστιν ὁ λαλούμενος, ὁ λόγον παιδαγωγικὸν τῶν πέντε αἰσθήσεων λαλῶν· μυρίους δὲ λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ λαλεῖ ὁ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου λόγου πρόσκλησιν ποιούμενος παθῶν. Καὶ πάλιν· πέντε λόγους λαλεῖ ὁ διὰ τῆς ἐν πνεύματι τῶν ὄντων θεωρίας τὸν κτίστην δεικνύων· πενταδικὴ γὰρ ἡ φύσις ἐξ εἴδους καὶ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων οὖσα· μυρίους δὲ λόγους λαλεῖ ὁ λόγους κεκομψευμένους καὶ συμπλοκὰς πειθανὰς περὶ τῆς ἐνεργείας τῶν ὁρατῶν ποιούμενος πρὸς οἰκείαν δόξαν καὶ ἀπόλαυσιν καὶ θεοποιῶν τὴν κτίσιν παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα· ἡ κτίσις γὰρ οὐχ ἵνα θεωθῇ ἐδόθη ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα Θεὸν διδάξῃ.","english":"The firstborn of the Israelites too are preserved by the anointing of blood, that is, the divine movements of the mind are preserved by the mortification of the senses.\n\nQUESTION: What is the meaning of what is said in the seventy-fifth psalm, that \"the thought of man will give thanks to you, and the remnant of thought will keep festival to you\"? ANSWER: Festival belongs to those who rejoice, but confession to those who are examined; and the one is of grief, the other of joy. This, then, is what he says: that in the judgment the transient and imperfect thought of good, when weighed against the evil and complete thought, has the advantage; for the one is examined, while the other becomes the cause of festival and joy.\n\nQUESTION: What does the Apostle indicate when he says, \"I would rather speak five words in the Church than ten thousand words in a tongue\"?\n\nANSWER: He speaks five words, even if it is one word that is spoken, when he speaks a word of instruction concerning the five senses; but he speaks ten thousand words in a tongue who through his own word makes an invitation to the passions. And again: he speaks five words who through the spiritual contemplation of beings points out the Creator; for the nature composed of form and the four elements is fivefold; but he speaks ten thousand words who makes ornate words and persuasive combinations concerning the activity of things seen, for his own glory and enjoyment, and deifies creation contrary to the Creator; for creation was not given in order to be deified, but in order to teach God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":93,"ref":"p93","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῦσιν οἱ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ παραιτούμενοι τὴν κλῆσιν διὰ τὸν ἀγρὸν καὶ τὸν γάμον καὶ τὰ ζεύγη τῶν βοῶν;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Διὰ τῆς γυναικὸς ἡ φιληδονία δηλοῦται, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ζεύγους τῶν βοῶν ἡ φιλοκτημοσύνη, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἡ γαστριμαργία· περὶ ἃ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἀπασχολούμενος τῶν θείων ἐπαγγελιῶν ἐκπίπτει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐτυμολογεῖται γαστριμαργία;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οὐδεὶς οὔτε γραμματικῶν οὔτε ῥητόρων ἐμνημόνευσεν. Ἀριστοτέλης δὲ ἐν τῷ 'Περὶ ζῴων' μέμνηται ζῴου μαργοῦ λεγομένου καὶ ὅτι γεννᾶται ἀπὸ σήψεως μεταξὺ τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος· καὶ ἀφ᾽ οὗ γεννηθῇ, οὐ παύεται γῆν φαγὸν ἕως ἐκτρυπῆσαν τὴν γῆν εἰς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἔλθῃ· καὶ ἐλθὸν θνῄσκει τρεῖς ἡμέρας, καὶ\n\nμετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἔρχεται νέφος βροχῆς καὶ βρέχει ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναζῇ, μηκέτι ἀειφάγον ὄν. Καὶ ἐκ τούτου οἶμαι τοὺς ἀρχαίους φιλοσόφους ὁρμηθέντας τοὺς πολυφάγους γαστριμάργους ἀποκαλέσαι. Δύναται δέ τις εὐσεβῶς τοῖς οὖσιν ἐπιβάλλειν εἰδώς, καὶ κατὰ πνευματικὴν θεωρίαν ἐκλαβεῖν τὰ εἰρημένα. Πᾶν γὰρ πάθος ἀπὸ σήψεως γεννᾶσθαι πέφυκεν καὶ ἐπειδὰν γεννηθῇ οὐ παύεται ἐσθίον τὴν ὑποστήσασαν αὐτὸ καρδίαν ἕως ἂν διὰ τῆς ἀγωνιστικῆς ἕξεως εἰς φανέρωσιν ἔλθῃ· καὶ ἐλθὸν θνῄσκει ταῖς τρισὶ δυνάμεσι τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ οὕτως ἡ χάρις τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὡς διὰ νέφους τῆς διδασκαλίας ἐπιφανεῖσα, σταλαγμοὺς δίδωσιν γνώσεως καὶ ζωοποιεῖ, οὐ κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἐμπαθῆ ζωήν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἐνάρετον καὶ τῷ Θεῷ οἰκείαν.","english":"QUESTION: What is the meaning of those in the Gospel who excuse themselves from the call because of the field, the marriage, and the pairs of oxen?\n\nANSWER: By the woman is signified the love of pleasure, by the pair of oxen the love of possessions, and by the field gluttony; occupied with these, every man falls away from the divine promises. QUESTION: What is the etymology of gluttony?\n\nANSWER: Neither the grammarians nor the rhetoricians have mentioned it. But Aristotle in his On Animals mentions an animal called the margos, and that it is born from putrefaction between the earth and the water; and from the time it is born, it does not cease eating earth until, having bored through the earth, it comes to the surface; and having come forth it dies for three days, and after three days a rain cloud comes and rains upon it and it revives, no longer being an earth-eater. And from this, I think, the ancient philosophers, taking their start, called those who eat much gluttons. But one may piously apply these things, knowing how, and understand what is said according to spiritual contemplation. For every passion is naturally born from putrefaction, and once it is born it does not cease eating the heart that gave it substance until through the ascetic habit it comes into the open; and having come forth it dies by the three powers of the soul, and thus the grace of the Holy Spirit, appearing as through a cloud of teaching, gives drops of knowledge and brings to life, not according to the former passionate life, but according to the virtuous life that is proper to God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":94,"ref":"p94","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ἡ παραβολὴ τῶν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ μισθωθέντων ἐργατῶν εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα καὶ τίς ἡ δοκοῦσα ἀνισότης;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσις οὐ κατὰ χρόνον καὶ σῶμα γίνεται, διότι καὶ ἡ ψυχή, ἄχρονος καὶ ἀσώματος οὖσα, διὰ τὸ μὴ κατὰ χρόνον τὴν αὔξησιν καὶ τὸ πέρας δέχεσθαι, ἀχρόνως καὶ τὰς κινήσεις τῆς διαθέσεως ποιεῖται. Καλὸν δὲ ἐν ὑποδείγματι διασαφῆσαι τὰ λεγόμενα· πολλάκις ἐστίν τις ἑβδομήκοντα χρόνους ἔχων ἐν τῷ μονήρει βίῳ, ἄλλος δὲ μίαν ἡμέραν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ τοῦ ἐπαγγέλματος σκοπός ἐστιν ἵνα τῆς πρὸς τὰ ὑλικὰ προσπαθείας καὶ σχέσεως ἀνασπάσας, τὴν ψυχὴν ὅλην μετενέγκῃ πρὸς Θεόν, ὁ οὖν ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη ἔχων οὐδόλως περὶ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀπαθείας μεριμνήσας ἐτελεύτησεν, ὁ δὲ μίαν ἡμέραν ἔχων, πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν πρὸς τὰ ὑλικὰ ἐμπαθῆ διάνοιαν ἀνασπάσας, ὅλην τῷ Θεῷ ἐγκολπώσας ἐτελειώθη· ἐν τῇ οὖν γινομένῃ κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν διανομῇ, ὁ μὲν ἀξίως τὸν μισθὸν λαμβάνει ὡς εἰς πέρας τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ ἐπαγγέλματος ἀγαγών, ὁ δὲ κατὰ χάριν καὶ μόνον ὑπὲρ οὗ τὸν τῆς ἀσκήσεως ὑπέμεινεν κόπον.","english":"QUESTION: What is the parable of the laborers hired into the vineyard in the Gospel, and what is the apparent inequality?\n\nANSWER: God's judgment does not take place according to time and body, because the soul also, being timeless and bodiless, since it does not receive growth and its end according to time, makes the movements of its disposition timelessly. It is good to clarify what is said by means of an example: often there is someone who has seventy years in the monastic life, and another one day; since the goal of the profession is that, having drawn the soul away from attachment and relation to material things, he may transfer the whole soul to God—the one, then, who has seventy years, having taken no care at all for such dispassion, died, while the one who has one day, having drawn away his whole passionate thought toward material things and having embraced it wholly in God, was perfected. In the distribution, then, that takes place at the judgment, the one receives his reward worthily, as having brought the goal of his profession to completion, while the other receives it according to grace alone, for the sake of which he endured the labor of asceticism.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":95,"ref":"p95","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Εἰ ἄρα τῷ Ἰὼβ ἀπαράδεκτος γέγονεν ἡ λύπη ἐν τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν αὐτῷ; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἀπαράδεκτον λύπης γεγενῆσθαι λέγομεν τὸν Ἰώβ· ὁ γὰρ ἅπαξ εὐσεβῶς τὴν διάσκεψιν τῶν ὄντων ποιησάμενος καὶ βεβαιώσας ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸ πρὸς τὰ παροδεύοντα μῖσος καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὰ ἀπαρόδευτα ἀγάπην, πῶς παθοῦσιν τοῖς παροδικοῖς διὰ τῆς ἐναλλαγῆς τοῦ τρόπου, ὅπερ φυσικῶς πάσχειν εἰώθασιν, λυπεῖσθαι ἠδύνατο; ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί οὖν οὐδεὶς τῶν ἁγίων ἐδέξατο λύπην καὶ πῶς περὶ πολλῶν ἁγίων λέγεται λύπην ἐσχηκέναι, καθὰ καὶ Παῦλος λέγει ὅτι \"λύπη μοί ἐστιν ἀδιάλειπτος\" καὶ τὰ λοιπά;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ μὲν περὶ τὰ πρακτὰ καταγινόμενος, ἕως ἂν ἡ συνείδησις αὐτὸν διὰ τὰς κατὰ μνήμην φαντασίας κεντᾷ πλήττουσα, λυπεῖται πάντως τὴν ἐπαινετὴν λύπην· ὁ δὲ εἰς τὸ τῆς τελειότητος μέτρον ἐφθακώς, καὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτην γίνεται· ὁ γὰρ διὰ γνώσεως πεφωτισμένος, τὸ νοερὸν τῆς ψυχῆς Θεῷ ἀδιαιρέτως ἐξαπλώσας κατὰ τὴν ἴσην τῆς κινήσεως ταυτότητα, καὶ τὴν ἀνεκλάλητον χαρὰν ἐν τῇ διηνεκεῖ τοῦ θείου κάλλους τρυφῇ κτησάμενος, πῶς τὴν ταύτης ἀντικειμένην λύπην δέξηται; Ποτὲ λυπεῖσθαι δὲ λέγονται οἱ ἅγιοι κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ αὐτῶν Δεσπότου· λέγεται γὰρ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ καὶ λύπη καὶ χαρὰ κατὰ τὴν πρόνοιαν, λύπη μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀπολλυμένων, χαρὰ δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν σῳζομένων. Εἷς οὖν ὁ λόγος τῆς λύπης, πολλοὺς ἐπιδέχεται τρόπους διαθέσεων. Ἡ οὖν λεγομένη ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων λύπη ἔλεός ἐστιν καὶ","english":"QUESTION: Was grief then unacceptable to Job in the things that befell him? ANSWER: We say that Job was not subject to grief; for he who once made the contemplation of things in a pious manner and confirmed in himself hatred toward things that pass away and love toward things that do not pass away, how could he grieve at passing things through a change of disposition, which things are naturally accustomed to suffer? QUESTION: Why then did none of the saints receive grief, and how is it said of many saints that they had grief, just as Paul also says, \"Grief is to me unceasing,\" and the rest? ANSWER: He who is occupied with practical matters, as long as conscience goads and strikes him through fantasies in memory, grieves altogether with the praiseworthy grief; but he who has reached the measure of perfection becomes beyond this; for he who has been illumined through knowledge, having stretched out the noetic part of the soul to God indivisibly in the equal sameness of motion, and having acquired the ineffable joy in the continual delight of the divine beauty, how could he receive the grief that is opposed to this? But sometimes the saints are said to grieve in imitation of their own Master; for grief and joy are said of God in accordance with providence, grief over those who are perishing, and joy over those who are being saved. One therefore is the principle of grief, but it admits many modes of disposition. The grief then that is spoken of in the case of the saints is mercy and","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":96,"ref":"p96","source":"συμπάθεια καὶ χαρᾶς περιουσία, θεοειδοῦς τελειότητος ἔνδον ἀποκειμένης καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἐκτὸς προνοητικῶς διαδιδομένης.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Εἰ προηγεῖται ἡ θεωρία τῆς πράξεως;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Διττὸς ὁ τῆς θεωρίας τρόπος· α. μὲν ὁ ὁρίζων τοῖς πρακτοῖς τὰ δέοντα, ὅστις καὶ προηγεῖται τῶν πρακτῶν· β. δὲ ἕτερος ὁ τὰ πραττόμενα διανοούμενος, ὅστις καὶ μετεπινοεῖται τῆς πράξεως.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου· «ἀμπελῶνα ἐφύτευσα καὶ φραγμὸν αὐτῷ περιέθηκα» καὶ τὰ λοιπά.\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος φύτευσις τὴν δημιουργίαν σημαίνει, ὁ δὲ φραγμὸς τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον, ἡ δὲ χαράκωσις τὸν γραπτόν· οἷς τὴν φύσιν ὁ δημιουργὸς κατησφαλίσατο. Ὅστις οὖν τὴν κατὰ φύσιν σπορὰν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ γεωργήσει κατὰ προαίρεσιν γνησίως, ἐκεῖνος καρπὸν τῷ φυτευτῇ ἐποίησεν· ὅστις δὲ πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὂν παραλόγως φέρεται, ἐκεῖνος ἀκάνθας ποιεῖ, τουτέστιν τὰ πάθη, καὶ καταπατεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ταῦτα ἐνεργούντων δαιμόνων.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν Ἀισμάτων· «δεῦρο ἀπὸ Λιβάνου, νύμφη, δεῦρο ἀπὸ Λιβάνου, ἀπὸ μανδρῶν λεόντων, ἀπὸ ὀρέων παρδάλεων».","english":"Sympathy and an abundance of joy, with a Godlike perfection stored within and providentially distributed to things outside.\n\nQUESTION: Does contemplation precede practice?\n\nANSWER: The mode of contemplation is twofold: one defines what is fitting for practical matters, and this one precedes practical actions; the other understands the things that are done, and this one is conceived after the action.\n\nQUESTION: From Isaiah: \"I planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it,\" and the rest.\n\nANSWER: The planting of the vineyard signifies creation, the hedge the natural law, and the wall the written law; by these the Creator secured nature. Whoever genuinely cultivates the natural seed of the good by choice, that one has produced fruit for the planter; but whoever is borne irrationally toward non-being, that one produces thorns, that is, the passions, and is trampled by the demons who work these things.\n\nQUESTION: From the Song of Songs: \"Come from Lebanon, bride, come from Lebanon, from the dens of lions, from the mountains of leopards.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":97,"ref":"p97","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος πρὸς τὴν νυμφευομένην αὐτῷ δι᾽ ἀγαθῶν ἔργων λέγει ψυχὴν ἢ καὶ πρὸς τὴν φύσιν ἅπασαν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει ὁ Λίβανος καὶ τῆς κακοεξίας ὁπερ αἱ μάνδραι τῶν λεόντων σημαίνουσιν· ὁ γὰρ λέων ἀεὶ κατὰ τῶν ὤμων ἐπέρχεται, τουτέστιν τῆς πρακτικῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ὀρέων παρδάλεων, τουτέστιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγνοίας· τὸ γὰρ ζῷον τοῦτο φυσικῶς κατὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν ποιεῖται, οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ προδήλως εἰς τὴν γνῶσιν λαμβάνονται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου· «ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη καὶ τοὺς βουνοὺς κριθήσομαι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ τὴν ζωὴν τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὸν περίγειον τοῦτον τόπον προνοητικῶς εἰσιν πεπιστευμένοι ἄγγελοι, διακονοῦντες ἡμῖν τοὺς θείους λόγους, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ οἱ προφῆται διεκόμισαν ἡμῖν διὰ τῶν ἰδίων λόγων τοὺς τρόπους τῆς σωτηρίας, ἐπὶ τούτων οὖν λέγει κριθήσεσθαι μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, ὄρη λέγων τοὺς ἀγγέλους, βουνοὺς δὲ τοὺς πατριάρχας καὶ προφήτας. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ \"ὀρφανὸν καὶ χήραν ἀναλήψεται καὶ ὁδὸν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἀφανιεῖ\";","english":"ANSWER: God the Word says to the soul that is espoused to him through good works, or also to the whole nature of humanity, to come out from idolatry—for this is what Lebanon signifies—and from ill habit, which the lairs of lions signify; for the lion always rushes upon the shoulders, that is, upon the practical faculty, and from the mountains of leopards, that is, from ignorance; for this animal naturally makes its attack upon the eyes, and the eyes are evidently taken to mean knowledge.\n\nQUESTION: From Isaiah: \"I will enter into judgment with you upon the mountains and the hills.\" ANSWER: Since angels have been entrusted with the providential care of the life of soul and body and of this earthly region, ministering to us the divine words, and likewise the prophets conveyed to us the ways of salvation through their own words, he says that he will judge with us upon these, calling the angels mountains and the patriarchs and prophets hills. QUESTION: What does the psalm mean: \"He will take up the orphan and the widow, and he will destroy the way of sinners\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":98,"ref":"p98","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Χήρα ἐστὶν ψυχὴ τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον θνήξασα, ὀρφανὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ ὑπόκλοπος τρόπος, ὁ χάριν φιλενδειξίας καὶ λημμάτων ἁδροτέρων ἐπιτηδευόμενος, πατέρα μὴ ἔχων τὸν Θεόν. Διὰ οὖν τῆς ὑποθετικῆς συμβουλῆς ὁ Κύριος τὸν μὲν φυσικὸν νόμον ζωοποιῶν, τὸν δὲ ὑπόκλοπον τρόπον διορθούμενος, ὥστε δι᾽ αὐτὸ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ μὴ διὰ φθειρομένην δόξαν γενέσθαι, ἀναλαμβάνει, ἐξαφανίζων τὰς ὁδοὺς τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, τουτέστιν τὴν προτέραν ἀγωγὴν ἐν ᾗ περιεπάτει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 135\n\nἘκ τοῦ Ἰώβ· «παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν σκέπην, πέτραν περιεβάλοντο». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὰ μὴ ἔχοντα σκέπην πρότερον, τουτέστιν πίστιν, ἦσαν τὰ ἔθνη· περιεβάλοντο δὲ πέτραν, τὴν εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν πίστιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Εἰ δυνατὸν φυσικὴν ἀπόδειξιν εὑρεθῆναι περὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πάντα τὰ ὄντα ἐν τρισὶν τρόποις εἶναι πεπίστευται, ἐν οὐσίᾳ, ἐν διαφορᾷ, ἐν ζωῇ· καὶ ἐκ μὲν τοῦ τῆς οὐσίας τῶν ὄντων λόγου τὸ εἶναί τινα οὐσίαν πιστούμεθα, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Πατήρ· ἐκ δὲ τῆς διαφορᾶς τῶν ὄντων τὴν σοφίαν, τουτέστιν τὸν Υἱόν σοφίας γὰρ τὸ ἀπονεῖμαι ἑκάστῃ φύσει τὴν πρόσφορον ἰδιότητα, καὶ εὐκρινῆ καὶ ἄφυρτα καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν καὶ πρὸς τὰ λοιπὰ διατηρεῖν ἕκαστον τῶν γεγονότων ἐκ δὲ τῆς ζωῆς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ ταῦτα ἐνυπόστατα εἰσὶν καὶ λέγονται, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν κτισμάτων συμβεβηκότα. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ ἁγίου Γρηγορίου τοῦ Θεολόγου εἰς τὸ «πάντες μὲν εἰσέφερον τὸ κηρυχθὲν αὐτοῖς, οἱ δὲ αὐτεπάγγελτοι ἦσαν καὶ τί σημαίνουσιν τὰ προσαγόμενα»;","english":"ANSWER: A widow is a soul that has died to the natural law, and an orphan is the stealthy manner of life that is pursued for the sake of vainglory and richer gains, having not God as its father. Therefore, through this conditional counsel, the Lord gives life to the natural law and corrects the stealthy manner of life, so that it may be done for the sake of the good itself and not for corruptible glory; he takes it up, destroying the ways of sinners, that is, the former conduct in which it walked. QUESTION 135\n\nFrom Job: \"Because they had no covering, they wrapped themselves in a rock.\" ANSWER: Those who previously had no covering, that is, faith, were the nations; but they wrapped themselves in a rock, the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. QUESTION: Is it possible to find a natural proof concerning the Holy Trinity? ANSWER: All beings are believed to exist in three modes: in substance, in difference, and in life. And from the principle of the substance of beings we are convinced that there is a certain substance, which is the Father; from the difference of beings, the wisdom, that is, the Son—for it belongs to wisdom to assign to each nature its proper characteristic and to preserve each of created things distinct and unmixed, both in relation to itself and in relation to the rest; and from life, the Holy Spirit. But in the case of God these are enhypostatic and are so called, while in the case of created things they are accidents. QUESTION: From Saint Gregory the Theologian, on the passage \"All brought what was proclaimed to them, but some were self-appointed\"—and what do the things brought signify?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":99,"ref":"p99","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Αὐτεπάγγελτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐκ τῶν ἐνόντων αὐτοῖς φυσικῶν σπερμάτων πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐρχόμενοι, κηρυττόμενοι δὲ οἱ ἐκ διδασκαλίας εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐρχόμενοι. Καὶ χρυσὸν μὲν προσφέρει ὁ εὐσεβῶς τὸν περὶ θεολογίας λόγον ποιούμενος, ἄργυρον δὲ ὁ βίον καθαρὸν καὶ διδασκαλίαν λαμπρὰν καὶ διαφανῆ, λίθους δὲ τιμίους ὁ τὴν πρακτικὴν δυναστείαν θείοις λόγοις κοσμῶν, βύσσον δὲ κεκλωσμένην ὁ τὴν ἕξιν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀκουσίοις πειρασμοῖς ἀτίνακτον διαφυλάττων καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν ὕδατος τρόπον τοὺς ἐγγινομένους τῇ ψυχῇ ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας λογισμοὺς ἀποπλύνων καὶ ἐξασπρύνων, κόκκινον δὲ νενησμένην ὁ τῇ περιουσίᾳ τοῦ λόγου τὰ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν ἡδονῇ καὶ πάθη ἐξαφανίζων διὰ τῆς νεκρώσεως τῶν μελῶν τοῦ σώματος, πορφύραν δὲ ὁ τὴν τῶν ὄντων γνῶσιν ἀκριβῶς καὶ ἀπταίστως ἐγκολπισάμενος· ἡ γὰρ πορφύρα κατὰ μίαν ἐπιβολὴν εἰς τὴν γνῶσιν λαμβάνεται· ἐκ πολλῶν γὰρ καὶ διαφόρων σύγκειται εἰδῶν, καθάπερ καὶ ἡ γνῶσις ἐκ πολλῶν καὶ διαφόρων θεωρημάτων. Δέρματα δὲ ἠρυθροδανωμένα προσφέρει ὁ τῇ αἰσθήσει παντελῶς νεκρωθείς, τρίχας δὲ ὁ τὴν παντελῆ πρὸς τὰ παρόντα ἀναισθησίαν κτησάμενος. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ \"δουλεύσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν φόβῳ καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε αὐτῷ ἐν τρόμῳ\" καὶ πῶς ἐστιν ἐν ταὐτῷ δυνατὸν καὶ τρέμειν καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθαι καὶ πῶς πάλιν ἐν τῷ ιη' (18) λέγει \"ὁ φόβος Κυρίου ἁγνός, διαμένων εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος\", ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης φησὶν \"ἡ ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον\" καὶ εἰ ἔξω βάλλεται πῶς διαμένει;","english":"ANSWER: Those who come to the good from the natural seeds within them are self-summoned; those who come to the good through teaching are called proclaimed. And he who makes the discourse concerning theology in a pious manner offers gold; he who offers a pure life and bright and transparent teaching offers silver; he who adorns the practical dominion with divine words offers precious stones; he who keeps the habit of virtue unshaken in involuntary temptations and through them washes away and cleanses, in the manner of water, the thoughts that arise in the soul from sin offers twisted linen; he who destroys the pleasures and passions that are in our power through the abundance of the word, through the mortification of the members of the body, offers spun scarlet; he who has embraced the knowledge of beings accurately and without error offers purple; for purple is taken for knowledge in a single casting, for it is composed of many and various forms, just as knowledge is composed of many and various contemplations. He who has been completely deadened to sense perception offers reddened skins; he who has acquired complete insensibility toward present things offers hair. QUESTION: What is the meaning of the psalm's \"Serve the Lord in fear and rejoice in him with trembling,\" and how is it possible at the same time both to tremble and to rejoice? And how again does it say in the eighteenth (18) psalm, \"The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever and ever,\" while John says, \"Love casts out fear\"? And if it is cast out, how does it endure?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":100,"ref":"p100","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Διττὸς ὁ φόβος· ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ ἐγκλήμασιν, ὁ δὲ κατ᾽ ἀξίαν τοῦ ἀγαπωμένου· ἡ οὖν ἀγάπη τὸν ἐπὶ ἐγκλήμασιν φόβον ἀποτίθεται, τὸν δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀξίας τοῦ ἀγαπωμένου συντηρεῖ. Ἀγαλλίασις δέ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπὶ κτήσει τινῶν ἐπίχαρτος διάθεσις, εὐφροσύνη δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ τῶν κτηθέντων ἀπόλαυσις. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνουσιν αἱ τῷ Φαραὼ καθ᾽ ὕπνον δειχθεῖσαι βόες καὶ οἱ στάχυες; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐνταῦθα ὁ Φαραὼ ἐπὶ τῆς φύσεως λαμβάνεται· οἱ δὲ βόες οἱ καλοὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν δηλοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ στάχυες τὴν γνῶσιν· ἐν γὰρ τῷ ἑβδοματικῷ τούτῳ χρόνῳ\n\nγνῶσις καὶ πρᾶξις ἐνεργοῦνται. Αἱ δὲ ἕτεραι βόες καὶ στάχυες αἱ αἰσχραὶ καὶ ἀνεμόφθοροι δηλοῦσιν τὴν ἄγνοιαν καὶ τὴν κακίαν, αἵτινες ἴσχυσαν καταπιεῖν τήν τε πρακτικὴν τῶν βοῶν ἀκμαιότητα τήν τε γνῶσιν τὴν διὰ τῶν καλῶν σταχύων δηλουμένην. Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ ἀληθινὸς Ἰωσὴφ ὁ μόνος καὶ προγνώστης καὶ διορθωτὴς τῆς τοιαύτης λιμοῦ, λαμβάνων πίστιν ὥσπερ χρυσὸν καὶ λαμπρὸν βίον ὥσπερ ἀργύριον καὶ ἠθικὴν φιλοσοφίαν ὥσπερ πρόβατα καὶ τὸ εὔδρομον καὶ πρόθυμον τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν βίου ὥσπερ ἵππους, παρέχει τὸν σῖτον, τουτέστιν τὴν ἀληθῆ γνῶσιν.","english":"ANSWER: Fear is twofold: the one is on account of transgressions, the other is according to the worth of the beloved. Love, then, sets aside the fear that is on account of transgressions, but preserves the fear that is according to the worth of the beloved. And exultation is the rejoicing disposition at the acquisition of certain things, while gladness is the enjoyment of the things acquired. QUESTION: What do the cows and the ears of grain shown to Pharaoh in sleep signify? ANSWER: Here Pharaoh is taken as representing nature; the good cows signify practice, and the ears of grain signify knowledge; for in this sevenfold time knowledge and practice are operative. And the other cows and ears of grain, the ugly and blighted ones, signify ignorance and vice, which had strength to swallow up both the prime vigor of the cows' practice and the knowledge signified by the good ears of grain. But our Lord Jesus Christ, the true Joseph, the only foreknower and corrector of such a famine, taking faith as gold and a radiant life as silver and ethical philosophy as sheep and the swift and eager course of the life according to God as horses, provides the grain, that is, the true knowledge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":101,"ref":"p101","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν ὁ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας καὶ τίς ἡ χήρα γυνή; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κριτὴν ἀδικίας λέγει τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον, ἐκ τῆς παραβάσεως πωρωθέντα καὶ μήτε Θεὸν μήτε ἄνθρωπον ἐντρεπόμενον, χήραν δὲ τὴν χηρεύουσαν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ψυχήν. Αὕτη γὰρ εἰ εἰς μετάμελον ἔλθοι, ἐκβιάζεται τὸν φυσικὸν νόμον διοχλοῦσα διὰ τῆς ἀσκήσεως καὶ ἐγκρατείας ἀποσχέσθαι τῶν παρὰ φύσιν. Καὶ ἐάν, φησίν, ὁ νοῦς διὰ τῆς ἐσπουδασμένης καὶ φιλοπόνου προσεδρείας ἰσχύσῃ ἀνύσαι καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ φύσιν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον, φησίν, ὁ Θεὸς εἰσακούσεται τῶν διὰ προσευχῆς ἐκτενοῦς καὶ ἀναιδοῦς προσεδρείας «βοώντων πρὸς αὐτόν»; ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ἡ κεφαλὶς ἡ ἐπιδοθεῖσα Ἰεζεκιὴλ τῷ προφήτῃ ἐν ᾗ ἐγέγραπτο «θρῆνος καὶ μέλος καὶ οὐαί», καὶ πῶς ἐγλυκάνθη ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡ κεφαλίς ἐστιν ὁ θεῖος Λόγος· ἐγγέγραπται δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ θρῆνος, τουτέστιν αἱ ἀπειλαὶ τῶν κολάσεων, μέλος αἱ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπαγγελίαι, οὐαὶ δὲ καθότι οἱ μήτε τῷ φόβῳ τῶν κολάσεων μήτε τῇ προτροπῇ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν σωφρονιζόμενοι καὶ βελτίους γινόμενοι τὸ οὐαὶ τῆς αἰωνίου κολάσεως πάντως ἐκδέξονται. Τὸ δὲ γλυκανθῆναι ἐν τῷ στόματι τοῦ προφήτου τὴν κεφαλίδα τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ὅτι ὁ ἀεὶ μελετῶν τὰ προειρημένα καὶ προσέχων τοῖς ἀπειλουμένοις τε καὶ ἐπηγγελμένοις τῇ ἐλπίδι γλυκαίνεται.","english":"QUESTION: What is the judge of injustice in the Gospel, and who is the widow woman? ANSWER: He calls the judge of injustice the natural law, hardened by transgression and reverencing neither God nor man, and the widow the soul widowed of good works. For if this soul comes to repentance, she constrains the natural law by troubling it through ascetic practice and self-control to abstain from what is contrary to nature. And if, he says, the mind through earnest and laborious perseverance prevails to accomplish even things beyond nature, how much more, he says, will God listen to those who cry out to him through the persistent and shameless perseverance of prayer? QUESTION: What is the scroll given to Ezekiel the prophet, on which was written \"lamentation and song and woe,\" and how was it made sweet in his mouth? ANSWER: The scroll is the divine Word; and in it is written lamentation, that is, the threats of punishments, song, the promises of good things, and woe, in that those who are disciplined neither by the fear of punishments nor by the encouragement of promises and become better will certainly receive the woe of eternal punishment. And the scroll being made sweet in the mouth of the prophet signifies this, that the one who always meditates on the things foretold and attends to the things threatened and promised is made sweet by hope.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":102,"ref":"p102","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν μετὰ δέκα ἡμέρας τῆς ἀναλήψεως τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ Πνεῦμα κατῆλθεν;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φασί τινες τῶν τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένων, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ἐννέα τάξεις κατὰ τὸν Διονύσιον τὸν Ἀρεοπαγίτην αἱ ἀγγελικαὶ δυνάμεις εἰσίν, ἀνιὼν κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ὁ Κύριος κατὰ γὰρ τὸ θεῖον πάντα πληροῖ ἑκάστῳ τάγματι μίαν ἡμέραν ἀπένειμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἕως τῆς τελευταίας· ἐδέοντο γὰρ καὶ αὗται τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς αὐτὰς ἐπιδημίας· ἐν αὐτῷ γάρ, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον, ἀνεκεφαλαιώθη οὐ μόνον τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐν οὐρανῷ. Καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἐνεφανίσθη τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ καὶ οὕτως τὸ Πνεῦμα κάτεισιν. Ἔστιν δὲ θεωρῆσαι τὸ προκείμενον καὶ κατ᾽ ἄλλον θεωρίας τρόπον· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐν ταῖς αὐτοῦ δέκα ἐντολαῖς ἐγκέκρυπται, σωματοῦται δὲ ἐν ἡμῖν συγκαταβαίνων ἡμῖν διὰ τῆς πράξεως, αὖθίς τε ἀνάγει ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς γνώσεως ὑψῶν ἡμᾶς, μέχρις οὗ ἔλθωμεν εἰς τὴν πάντων ὑψηλοτέραν τῶν ἐντολῶν, τὴν λέγουσαν \"Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, Κύριος εἷς ἐστιν\"· ὅτε γὰρ ἐκ πάντων ἀφεθείς, μᾶλλον δὲ πάντα ἀφεὶς ὁ ἡμέτερος νοῦς εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν Θεὸν καταλήξει, τότε τὰς πυρίνας γλώσσας δέχεται, Θεὸς κατὰ χάριν γινόμενος. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 143","english":"QUESTION: For what reason did the Spirit descend ten days after the Lord's ascension?\n\nANSWER: Some of those learned in divine things say that, since according to Dionysius the Areopagite the angelic powers are nine orders, the Lord, ascending in his human nature—for according to his divine nature he fills all things—assigned one day to each rank, from the last to the final one; for these too had need of the Lord's visitation to them; for in him, according to the Apostle, all things were summed up, not only those on earth but also those in heaven. And after this he appeared to God the Father, and thus the Spirit descends. But it is possible to contemplate the present matter in another mode of contemplation as well: since the Word of God is hidden in his ten commandments, and is embodied in us, descending to us through practice, and again leads us up through knowledge, raising us until we come to the highest of all the commandments, which says, \"The Lord your God, the Lord is one\"; for when our mind, released from all things—or rather, having let go of all things—reaches God himself, then it receives the tongues of fire, becoming God by grace. QUESTION 143","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":103,"ref":"p103","source":"Τί δήποτε λέγοντος τοῦ Λουκᾶ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν περὶ τοῦ Παύλου ὅτι «ἔσπευδεν, εἰ δυνατὸν ἦν αὐτῷ, ποιῆσαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα», φαίνεται γονυκλισίαν ποιήσας, ὃ τοῖς κανόσιν ἀπηγόρευται; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οὐ περὶ αὐτῆς τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ἐν ᾗ τὸ Πνεῦμα κατῆλθεν λέγει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ αἱ πεντήκοντα ἡμέραι ἡμέρα λέγεται τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς, ἔσπευδεν ὁ Παῦλος τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πασχαλίας πρώτην ἡμέραν ποιῆσαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ὡς δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι ἐν ταῖς νηστείαις ἔκλινεν γόνυ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δήποτε ὁ ἀπόστολος Παῦλος Ῥωμαῖον ἑαυτὸν ἀποκαλεῖ καὶ πρὸς τὸν χιλίαρχον διαλεγόμενος ἔφη ὅτι \"ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἱ κατὰ πᾶσαν χώραν, ὡς δή τι μέγα τὸ Ῥωμαῖοι καλεῖσθαι νομίζοντες, παρέχοντες δόσεις ἀπεγράφοντο Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ ἔτρεχεν εἰς τὸ γένος τὸ ὄνομα· ἐπειδὴ οὖν καὶ οἱ γονεῖς τοῦ ἀποστόλου ὄντες ἐν Ταρσῷ ἀπεγράφησαν εἰς τὸ καλεῖσθαι Ῥωμαῖοι, εἰκότως ὁ ἀπόστολος ὡς ἐξ αὐτῶν γεννηθεὶς λέγει ὅτι \"ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι\".","english":"QUESTION: Why is it that, when Luke says in the Acts concerning Paul that \"he hastened, if it were possible for him, to make the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem,\" he appears to have knelt, which is forbidden by the canons? ANSWER: He is not speaking about Pentecost itself, on which the Spirit descended, but since the fifty days are called the day of Pentecost, Paul hastened to make the first day from the Passover in Jerusalem, as it is clear that he bent the knee during the fasts.\n\nQUESTION: Why is it that the apostle Paul calls himself a Roman and, speaking to the chiliarch, said, \"But I was also born\"? ANSWER: Those throughout every land, thinking it something great to be called Romans, by giving payments were enrolled as Romans, and the name ran to their family; since, therefore, the parents of the apostle, being in Tarsus, were enrolled to be called Romans, reasonably the apostle, as born of them, says, \"But I was also born.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":104,"ref":"p104","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Ἀμὼς τοῦ προφήτου· «καὶ συναθροισθήσονται πόλεις δύο ἢ τρεῖς εἰς μίαν πόλιν τοῦ πιεῖν ὕδωρ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐμπλησθῶσιν». Τί δηλοῦσιν αἱ πόλεις; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πόλεις ἐνταῦθα τὰς ψυχὰς ὑποληπτέον διὰ τὸ ὥσπερ οἰκίαις συγκεῖσθαι καὶ δεκτικὰς εἶναι τῶν ἀρετῶν· δύο δὲ πόλεις τὰς διὰ πράξεως καὶ θεωρίας πεπολισμένας ψυχάς· τρεῖς δὲ τὰς διὰ τῆς ἀνενδυάστου πίστεως τὴν θεολογίαν κατορθούσας. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὁ προφήτης ἐν εἴδει κατάρας τοῦτο ἔθηκεν, σημαίνει ὅτι ἡνίκα γένηται λιμός, οὐκ ἄρτου καὶ ὕδατος ἀλλὰ «λιμὸς τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον Κυρίου», κἂν εἰς τὸ μέτρον φθάσωσιν τῶν εἰρημένων ἀρετῶν αἱ τοιαῦται ψυχαί, ἀμελήσωσιν δέ, δοκοῦσιν μὲν ζητεῖν γνῶσιν, ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν πρᾶξιν οὐ μετέρχονται, ἀποτυγχάνουσιν· κἂν εἰ συνάγεσθαι δοκοῦσιν εἰς μίαν πόλιν, τουτέστιν εἰς τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὐκ ἐμπιπλῶνται γνώσεως· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτῷ δίδοται τῆς διδασκαλίας ἡ χάρις, τοῦ δύνασθαι ποτίσαι τοὺς ἐνδεεῖς τὴν θείαν γνῶσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «πόλις ἐξ ἧς ἐξεπορεύοντο χίλιοι, ὑπολειφθήσονται ἑκατόν, καὶ ἐξ ἧς ἐξεπορεύοντο ἑκατόν, ὑπολειφθήσονται δέκα».","english":"QUESTION: From the prophet Amos: \"And two or three cities shall be gathered into one city to drink water, and they shall not be filled.\" What do the cities signify? ANSWER: Here the cities must be understood as souls, because they are composed as it were of houses and are receptive of the virtues. Two cities are souls that have been ordered by practice and contemplation; three are those that accomplish theology through unwavering faith. Since, then, the prophet set this down in the form of a curse, it signifies that when a famine comes—not of bread and water, but \"a famine of hearing the word of the Lord\"—even if such souls reach the measure of the virtues mentioned, yet if they grow negligent, they seem indeed to seek knowledge, but since they do not pursue practice, they fail; and even if they seem to be gathered into one city, that is, to the teacher, they are not filled with knowledge; for the grace of teaching is not given to him either, so as to be able to give the divine knowledge to drink to those in need. QUESTION: From the same: \"A city from which a thousand went forth, a hundred shall be left; and from which a hundred went forth, ten shall be left.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":105,"ref":"p105","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ πᾶς ἀριθμὸς εἰς τέσσαρας δεκάδας ἐμπεριέχεται οἷον, ἡ πρώτη ἀπὸ τῆς μονάδος δεκάς, εἶτα πάλιν αὐτὴ τῆς ἑκατοντάδος ἐστὶν μονάς, εἶτα ἑκατοντὰς μονάς ἐστιν τῆς χιλιάδος, πάλιν ἡ χιλιὰς μονάς ἐστιν τῆς μυριάδος ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀριθμὸς κατὰ πρόσβασιν πληθύνεται καὶ τὴν προσθήκην λαμβάνει, τοῦτο οἶμαι δηλοῦσθαι διὰ τῶν ἀριθμῶν, ὅτι τὰς δέκα ἐντολὰς οὕτως κατορθώσας ὥστε ἑκάστην ἐντολὴν ἐμπεριέχεσθαι ταῖς λοιπαῖς, οὗτος δεκαπλασιάσας ταύτας ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἑκατοντάδα καὶ κατὰ τὴν Σάρραν τὸ «ρ» προσθήκην ἐδέξατο. Ὅστις δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις γνῶσιν κατώρθωσεν δεκαπλασιάσας τὰ ἑκατὸν ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν χιλιάδα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τῷ προφήτῃ ἐν εἴδει κατάρας εἴρηται, τοῦτο δηλοῖ ὅτι διὰ τῆς ἀμελείας ὁ εἰς τὸ μέτρον τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν χιλιάδος ἐλθὼν ὑφίεται καὶ εἰς τὴν ἑκατοντάδα ἔρχεται· ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἑκατοντάδος εἰς μόνην τὴν κατὰ τὸ ἦθος τῶν ἐντολῶν παρατήρησιν ἔρχεται ἢ καὶ Ἰουδαϊκῶς ταύτας ἐπιτελεῖ.","english":"ANSWER: Since every number is contained within four tens—for example, the first ten from the unit, then again this same is the unit of the hundred, then the hundred is the unit of the thousand, and again the thousand is the unit of the ten-thousand—since, then, the number of virtue is also multiplied by increase and receives addition, this, I think, is signified through the numbers: that one who has so set right the ten commandments that each commandment is contained in the rest, this one, having multiplied them tenfold, came to the hundred and, in the manner of Sarah, received the addition of \"rho.\" And whoever has also set right the knowledge that comes after these, having multiplied the hundred tenfold, came to the thousand. But since this too was spoken by the prophet in the form of a curse, it shows that through negligence the one who has come to the measure of the thousand in virtue is let down and comes to the hundred; likewise also the one who comes from the hundred in practice to the mere observance of the commandments in character, or even fulfills them in a Jewish manner.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":106,"ref":"p106","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· «οὐαὶ οἱ ἐπιθυμοῦντες τὴν ἡμέραν Κυρίου, καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν σκότος καὶ οὐ φῶς, ὃν τρόπον ὅτ᾽ ἂν φύγῃ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ λέοντος καὶ ἐμπέσῃ αὐτῷ ἄρκος καὶ εἰσπηδήσῃ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπερείσηται τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ δάκῃ αὐτὸν ὄφις». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡμέρα Κυρίου ἐστὶν ὁ φωτισμὸς καὶ ἡ γνῶσις τοῦ Κυρίου· ὅστις οὖν ἐπιθυμεῖ ἐπιλαβέσθαι γνώσεως Θεοῦ ἄνευ πράξεως, οὗτος εἰκότως ταλανίζεται· ὑπὸ γὰρ τῶν παθῶν διοχλούμενος, θυμοῦ τε καὶ ἐπιθυμίας, φεύγειν τὸ δακεῖν ζητῶν ἐκ τοῦ λέοντος, τουτέστιν τοῦ θυμοῦ, ἐμπίπτει εἰς τὴν ἄρκον τῆς ἐπιθυμίας· εἶτα ἐκ τούτων στενοχωρούμενος ἐμπηδᾷ εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν τοῖχον ἀπερείδεται καὶ δάκνει αὐτὸν ὄφις· οἶκός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή, τεῖχος δὲ τὸ σῶμα· ἐπειδὰν οὖν τὰς πρακτικὰς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις τῇ ἀπολαύσει τοῦ σώματος ἀπερείσηται, ἐξέρχεται ἡ ἡδονή αὐτὴ γὰρ ὁ ὄφις καὶ δάκνει αὐτόν· δι᾽ ἑκάστης γὰρ τοῦ σώματος αἰσθήσεως ὥσπερ δι᾽ ὀπῆς ἕρπουσα ἡ ἡδονὴ δάκνει τὴν ἀθλίαν ψυχήν. Τῷ οὖν οὕτως ἀσθενοῦντι τοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁ τῆς γνώσεως ἥλιος σκότος ἐστὶν καὶ τύφλωσις.","english":"QUESTION From the same: \"Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord, and this is darkness and not light, as when a man flees from the face of the lion and a bear meets him, and he leaps into his house and rests his hands against the wall and a serpent bites him.\" ANSWER The day of the Lord is the illumination and knowledge of the Lord. Whoever, then, desires to attain the knowledge of God without practice, this man is rightly called wretched; for, harassed by the passions, both anger and desire, while seeking to escape being bitten by the lion—that is, by anger—he falls into the bear of desire; then, pressed hard by these, he leaps into the house and rests his hands against the wall, and a serpent bites him. The house is the soul, and the wall is the body. Whenever, then, he rests the practical powers of the soul upon the enjoyment of the body, pleasure comes forth—for this is the serpent—and bites him; for through each sense of the body, as through a hole, pleasure creeping in bites the wretched soul. To the man, therefore, who is thus weak in the eyes of the soul, the sun of knowledge is darkness and blinding.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":107,"ref":"p107","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Ψαλτηρίου· «τὰ λόγια Κυρίου λόγια ἁγνά, ἀργύριον πεπυρωμένον, δοκίμιον τῇ γῇ, κεκαθαρισμένον ἑπταπλασίως». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὡς ἁγνίζοντα ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης κηλίδος ἁμαρτιῶν εἴρηνται ἁγνά· ἀργύριον δὲ πεπυρωμένον διὰ τὸ διαφανὲς αὐτῶν καὶ φωτιστικὸν ὡς ἐν ἀργύρῳ· καὶ διὰ τὸ θεῖον αὐτῶν καὶ δοκιμαστικὸν τῶν ἡμετέρων καρδιῶν· γῆ γὰρ ἡ καρδία ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ εἴρηται· κεκαθαρμένον δὲ ἑπταπλασίως ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἑκάστην ἐντολὴν ἑπταπλασίως καθαίρομεν. Καλὸν δὲ ἐπὶ μιᾶς ἐντολῆς σαφηνισθῆναι τὸ λεγόμενον· διαγορεύει ὁ νόμος τὸ οὐ φονεύσῃς· ὅστις οὖν ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν θέλει ἑπταπλασίως καθᾶραι, οὐ μόνον τοῦ διὰ χειρὸς φόνου ἀπέχεται, ἀλλὰ κἂν ἴδῃ πεινῶντα τρέφει, κἂν ἴδῃ διψῶντα ποτίζει, κἂν ἴδῃ γυμνὸν περιβάλλει, κἂν ἴδῃ ξένον συνάγει, κἂν ἴδῃ νοσοῦντα οὐ παρορᾷ, κἂν ἐν φυλακῇ ἴδῃ τρέχει πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ ἁπλῶς ὁ ἑνὸς τούτων ἀμελήσας κατὰ τοῦτον φόνον εἰργάσατο· ἔασεν γὰρ ὅσον τὸ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ ἀποθανεῖν, δυνάμενος ἀνακτήσασθαι τὸν δεόμενον αὐτοῦ. Συνάπτων οὖν τις τὰς ἀπηριθμημένας ἓξ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐντολὰς τῆς νομικῆς οὐ φονεύσῃς ἐντολῆς, καθαίρει τὸ λόγιον Κυρίου ἑπταπλασίως· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ ἑκάστης ἐντολῆς δυνατὸν ἐφαρμόζειν.","english":"QUESTION From the Psalter: \"The words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried in the fire, tested upon the earth, purified sevenfold.\" ANSWER They are called pure because they purify us from every stain of sins; and \"silver tried in the fire\" because of their transparency and illuminating power, as it were in silver; and because of their divine and testing power over our hearts—for the heart is called \"earth\" in the Gospel; and \"purified sevenfold\" when we purify each commandment sevenfold. It is good to clarify what is said by means of one commandment. The law declares, \"You shall not murder.\" Whoever therefore wishes to purify this commandment sevenfold not only abstains from murder by the hand, but if he sees one who is hungry, he feeds him; if he sees one who is thirsty, he gives him drink; if he sees one who is naked, he clothes him; if he sees a stranger, he takes him in; if he sees one who is sick, he does not overlook him; if he sees one in prison, he runs to him; and simply put, whoever neglects one of these has committed murder against that person—for he has left him, as far as lies in his power, to die, though he was able to restore the one who needed him. Therefore, when one joins the six commandments of the Lord that have been enumerated to the legal commandment \"You shall not murder,\" he purifies the word of the Lord sevenfold; and this can be applied to each commandment.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":108,"ref":"p108","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τῶν Παροιμιῶν· «σπάνιον εἰσάγαγε σὸν πόδα πρὸς τὸν σεαυτοῦ φίλον, μήποτε πλησθείς σου μισήσῃ σε».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φίλον ἐνταῦθα τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν λέγει διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸ φυσικὴν ἕνωσίν τε καὶ στοργήν. Παραινεῖ οὖν ὁ λόγος τὴν περὶ τὸ σῶμα πρόνοιαν μὴ πεφροντισμένην ποιεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ μόνῳ τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ἴχνει τὴν αὐτοῦ πρόνοιαν ποιεῖσθαι, καὶ τοῦτο δὲ σπανίως, μήποτε τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτοῦ περὶ πολλοῦ ποιουμένου σου, τὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ μισούντων ἐν σοὶ ἐνδείξηται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἰακὼβ λεγόμενον τὸ «ἐγὼ ἀπετίννυον κλέμματα ἡμέρας καὶ κλέμματα νυκτός»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\n«Κλέμματα ἡμέρας» νόησον τὰ διὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν αἰσθήσεων συμβαίνοντα ἡμῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ ἡττήματα, ὑπὲρ ὧν ὁ πατριάρχης ἀπετίννυεν τοὺς τῆς ἀσκήσεως πόνους. Κλέμματα δὲ νυκτός εἰσιν ἅπερ διὰ τῶν ἔνδον λογισμῶν συλᾷ ἡμᾶς ὁ ἐχθρός, ὑπὲρ ὧν χρὴ ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὸν πατριάρχην ἀποτιννύειν πόνους καὶ ἀγρυπνίας καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς ἀσκήσεως εἴδη.","english":"QUESTION From Proverbs: \"Rarely set your foot toward your own friend, lest, having had his fill of you, he hate you.\"\n\nANSWER Here it calls our body a \"friend\" because of the natural union and affection we have toward it. The word therefore advises that we should not take anxious care for the body, but should exercise providence over it only by the mere track of the soul, and that rarely, lest, when you make much of its rest, it display in you the things of the enemies and those who hate.\n\nQUESTION What does it mean, the saying from the patriarch Jacob: \"I was paying for thefts of the day and thefts of the night\"?\n\nANSWER\n\nUnderstand \"thefts of the day\" as the defeats that come to us from the evil one through the outward senses, for which the patriarch paid off the labors of asceticism. And \"thefts of the night\" are those things which the enemy steals from us through inward thoughts, for which we must, like the patriarch, pay off labors and vigils and the remaining forms of asceticism.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":109,"ref":"p109","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸν νόμον περὶ τῆς ἀγνοίας τοῦ φόνου νευροκοπουμένη ἐν τῇ φάραγγι δάμαλις;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Σημαίνει διὰ τούτων τὸ πνευματικὸν βούλημα τῆς Γραφῆς ὅτι οὐ μόνον περὶ τῶν προδήλων ἁμαρτημάτων χρὴ δεδοικέναι ὡς μέλλοντας ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν διδόναι δίκην, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀγνώστως ἡμῖν πραττομένων δεδοικότας, ἀεὶ τὴν δάμαλιν, τουτέστιν τὴν σάρκα ἡμῶν, νευροκοπεῖν ἐν τῇ φάραγγι τῆς ἐγκρατείας καὶ τῆς ἀσκήσεως. Διὰ τοῦτο δὲ τὴν δάμαλιν ζῶσαν κατελίμπανον, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς μάθωμεν μὴ τὸ σῶμα ἀποκτέννειν, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐπανισταμένας ἡδονὰς νευροκοπεῖν καὶ δαμάζειν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνουσιν Ναδὰβ καὶ Ἀβιοὺδ οἱ «προσενέγκαντες πῦρ ἀλλότριον» καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κατακαέντες;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἱ ἀεὶ τῷ Θεῷ ἱερατεύοντες, καὶ προσάγοντες ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν ζῶσαν, καὶ τὴν ζέσιν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἔχοντες ἐν ἑαυτοῖς κατὰ τὸν Κλεόπαν, τὸ ἴδιον πῦρ τῷ Θεῷ προσάγουσιν· ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ ῥαθυμήσαντες ἔξω ταύτης τῆς καταστάσεως γένωνται καὶ τὴν ἔξαψιν τῶν παθῶν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς συναγάγωσιν, τότε τὸ ἀλλότριον πῦρ ἐπεισήγαγον καὶ κατακαίονται τὴν συνείδησιν τῷ πυρὶ τῶν ἐλέγχων. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν ἡ σεμίδαλις ταῖς νομικαῖς θυσίαις ἀεὶ συμπαραλαμβάνεται καὶ ποτὲ μὲν ἐλαίῳ πεφυραμένη, ποτὲ δὲ εἰς κλίβανον, ποτὲ δὲ εἰς τήγανον; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὴν σεμίδαλιν ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου ληπτέον ὡς λογικῶν οὖσαν τροφήν· καὶ ὅτε μὲν ἐλαίῳ πεφυραμένη, τὸν λόγον δηλοῖ μετὰ τοῦ φωτισμοῦ τῆς γνώσεως· ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ εἰς τήγανον, δηλοῖ τὸν λόγον δεδοκιμασμένον καὶ συνεστῶτα ἐκ τῶν ἔνδοθεν προσπιπτόντων ἡμῖν ἡδονικῶν πειρασμῶν·","english":"QUESTION What does the heifer, hamstrung in the valley according to the law concerning unknown murder, signify?\n\nANSWER By these things the spiritual intent of the Scripture signifies that we must fear not only for manifest sins, as those who will give account for them, but also, fearing for things done by us unknowingly, we must always hamstring the heifer—that is, our flesh—in the valley of continence and ascetic practice. For this reason they left the heifer alive, so that we too might learn not to kill the body, but to hamstring and tame the pleasures that rise up against us.\n\nQUESTION What do Nadab and Abiud signify, who \"offered strange fire\" and were therefore consumed?\n\nANSWER Those who always serve God as priests, and offer themselves to God as a living sacrifice, and have within themselves the fervor of the Holy Spirit, like Cleopas, offer their own fire to God; but whenever, growing slack, they fall outside this state and gather up within themselves the kindling of the passions, then they have brought in strange fire and are consumed in conscience by the fire of reproofs. QUESTION For what reason is fine flour always included with the sacrifices of the law, and sometimes kneaded with oil, sometimes baked in an oven, sometimes in a pan? ANSWER Fine flour is to be understood as referring to the word, since it is the food of rational beings; and when kneaded with oil, it signifies the word together with the illumination of knowledge; when in a pan, it signifies the word tested and consolidated by the pleasurable temptations that assail us from within;","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":110,"ref":"p110","source":"ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ εἰς κλίβανον, δηλοῖ τὸν λόγον στερρὸν ὄντα διὰ τῆς ἐν ὑπομονῇ δοκιμασίας τῶν ἔξωθεν ἡμῖν προσπιπτόντων πειρασμῶν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Διατί ἐν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ μηνὶ εἰς τὴν πεντεκαιδεκάτην ἡμέραν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἑορταζόντων τῶν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, προσῆγον εἰς τὴν πρώτην ἡμέραν ιδ' (14) μόσχους καὶ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ὑφαίρουσαν τὸν ἕνα μόσχον ἕως οὗ ἦλθον εἰς τοὺς ἑπτά;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου στραφῆναι δεῖ καὶ γενέσθαι ὡς τὰ παιδία, τὸ δὲ παιδίον ἐστέρηται πάντη τῆς ἐμπαθοῦς κινήσεως, ἡνίκα δὲ γένηται δεκατεσσάρων ἐτῶν εὐθέως ἡ ἐμπαθὴς κίνησις ἄρχεται ἐν αὐτῷ διεγείρεσθαι, τοῦτο οὖν, ὡς οἶμαι, τὸ μυστικὸν τοῦ νόμου παραδηλοῖ, ὅτι χρὴ καὶ τῆς φυσικῆς κινήσεως τὴν μείωσιν τῷ Θεῷ ἱερουργεῖν, μέχρις ἂν εἰς τὴν τελείαν ἔλθωμεν ἀπάθειαν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 155\n\nΤί σημαίνουσιν οἱ σν' (250) ἄνδρες οἵτινες ἐπεσυνεστήσαντο Μωυσῇ καὶ προσφέροντες τὸ θυμίαμα, ἐξῆλθεν πῦρ παρὰ Κυρίου καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτοὺς καὶ προσέταξεν Κύριος τῷ Ἐλεάζαρ ἀνελέσθαι τὰ πυρεῖα αὐτῶν καὶ ποιῆσαι αὐτὰ λεπίδας ἐλατὰς καὶ προσαρτῆσαι τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ πεντήκοντα ἀριθμὸς ἐπὶ τῶν θείων ἀεὶ λαμβάνεται ὡς ὑπερβατικὸς τῶν ὑπὸ χρόνον· ὁ δὲ τῶν διακοσίων ἀριθμὸς ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν καὶ αἰσθήσεων διὰ τὴν τοῦ τέσσαρα πρὸς τὸν πέντε ἀριθμὸν σύνθεσιν. Ὅσοι οὖν τὰ αἰσθητὰ αἰσθητῶς λαμβάνουσιν καὶ τὰς θείας ἀρετὰς διὰ τὰ αἰσθητὰ μετέρχονται, οὗτοι ἐπισυνίστανται τῷ θείῳ νόμῳ καὶ τῷ πυρὶ τῶν ἐλέγχων τὴν συνείδησιν αὐτῶν κατακαίονται.","english":"But when it means into an oven, it signifies the word that is firm through the testing in endurance of the temptations that fall upon us from outside.\n\nQUESTION Why, in the seventh month, on the fifteenth day, when those according to the law were celebrating seven days, did they bring on the first day fourteen calves, and each day diminish one calf until they came to seven?\n\nANSWER Since according to the word of the Lord one must turn and become like children, and the child is wholly deprived of the passionate motion, but when he becomes fourteen years old the passionate motion immediately begins to be stirred in him, this, then, as I think, is what the mystical meaning of the law intimates: that one must consecrate to God also the diminution of the natural motion, until we come to perfect dispassion.\n\nQUESTION 155\n\nWhat do the two hundred and fifty men signify who rose up against Moses and, while offering incense, fire came out from the Lord and devoured them, and the Lord commanded Eleazar to take up their censers and make them into hammered plates and attach them to the altar? ANSWER The number fifty is always taken in divine matters as transcending things under time; and the number two hundred in the case of sensible things and senses, because of the composition of the number four with five. Therefore as many as receive sensible things sensibly and pursue the divine virtues because of sensible things, these rise up against the divine law and are burned in their conscience by the fire of reproofs.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":111,"ref":"p111","source":"Καὶ τότε ὁ ἱερατικὸς τῆς διδασκαλίας λόγος τὰ πυρεῖα αὐτῶν λαμβάνει, τουτέστιν τὸν νοῦν ἐν ᾧ τὸν οὐ κατ᾽ ἐπίγνωσιν ζῆλον τῷ Θεῷ ἐνόμιζον προσάγειν, καὶ διὰ τῆς διδασκαλίας τὸ ἐπικείμενον αὐτῷ πάχος ἐλαύνει καὶ λεπτύνει καὶ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, τουτέστιν τῇ θείᾳ γνώσει, προσάγει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν «ἄλλαγμα κυνὸς καὶ μίσθωμα πόρνης» ἀπαγορεύει ὁ νόμος; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Σημαίνει διὰ τούτων ὅτι δεῖ τῷ Θεῷ τὰς ἀρετὰς προσάγειν θυμοῦ καὶ ἐπιθυμίας ἀνεπιμίκτους, θυμὸν λέγων τὸν κύνα, πόρνην δὲ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ προδήλως ὁ κα' (21) ψαλμὸς εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἀναφέρεται, πῶς νοήσωμεν τὸ «ἐγὼ δέ εἰμι σκώληξ καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπος»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς διὰ τὴν ἄφατον αὐτοῦ περὶ ἡμᾶς φιλανθρωπίαν ἐγένετο καὶ ἐκλήθη σκώληξ· ὡς γὰρ ὁ σκώληξ ἄνευ συνουσίας τίκτεται, οὕτως καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐκτὸς σπορᾶς συνελήφθη. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς σκώληξ δέλεαρ γέγονεν τῷ διαβόλῳ· περιχανὼν γὰρ ὡς σκώληκι τῇ σαρκί, τῇ θεότητι περιεπάρη. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐστιν σκώληξ· τῇ γὰρ σοφίᾳ ὁ σοφὸς εὐθὺς εὑρίσκεται, τῷ δὲ ἄφρονι σκολιός. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν γίνεται σκώληξ ἡνίκα ἁμαρτάνομεν, τὴν συνείδησιν ἡμῶν διελέγχων καὶ κατατρώγων. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν τῇ Γενέσει γεγραμμένον τὸ «καὶ ἔταξεν τὰ χερουβὶμ καὶ τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν τὴν στρεφομένην, φυλάσσειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὥσπερ τὸ ξύλον τὸ αἰσθητὸν τροφὴ γίνεται τῆς σαρκός, οὕτως καὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Κύριος, τροφὴ καὶ ζωὴ γίνεται τῶν ἡμετέρων ψυχῶν. Ὁδὸς δὲ ἡ ἀπάγουσα πρὸς αὐτόν ἐστιν αἱ ἀρεταί·","english":"And then the priestly word of teaching takes their fire-pans, that is, the mind in which they thought they were offering to God a zeal not according to knowledge, and through teaching it drives out and thins the thickness that lies upon it, and brings it to the altar, that is, to the divine knowledge. QUESTION For what reason does the law forbid \"the exchange of a dog and the hire of a harlot\"? ANSWER By these things it signifies that one must offer to God the virtues unmixed with anger and desire, calling anger a dog, and desire a harlot. QUESTION Since the twenty-first psalm clearly refers to the Lord, how are we to understand \"But I am a worm and not a man\"? ANSWER Our Lord Jesus Christ, because of his ineffable love for mankind toward us, became and was called a worm; for just as the worm is born without intercourse, so too the Lord was conceived without seed. But also as a worm he became bait for the devil; for gaping wide open at his flesh as at a worm, he was caught fast by his divinity. But he is also a worm to his enemies; for by wisdom the wise man is immediately found, but to the fool he is crooked. But he also becomes a worm in us whenever we sin, convicting and gnawing at our conscience. QUESTION What is that which is written in Genesis, \"and he appointed the cherubim and the flaming sword that turns, to guard the way of the tree of life\"? ANSWER Just as the perceptible tree becomes food for the flesh, so too the tree of life, which is the Lord, becomes food and life for our souls. And the way that leads to him is the virtues;","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":112,"ref":"p112","source":"φυλάττεται δὲ αὐτὴ ὑπὸ τῶν χερουβὶμ καὶ τῆς φλογίνης ῥομφαίας· χερουβὶμ δὲ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘πλῆθος γνώσεως·’ διὰ δὲ τῆς γνώσεως ὁ πόθος ἡμῖν ὁ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἐγγίνεται, διὰ δὲ τῆς φλογίνης ῥομφαίας, τουτέστιν τῆς διακρίσεως τῆς τῶν μοχθηρῶν ἀναλωτικῆς, ὁ φόβος ἡμῖν προσγίνεται· ἄρα οὖν φόβος καὶ πόθος ἐστὶν ὁ φυλάσσων τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς. Στρέφεσθαι δὲ λέγεται ἡ ῥομφαία· ὅτ᾽ ἂν γὰρ ἁμαρτάνομεν διὰ τῆς συνειδήσεως ἡμῶν διελέγχουσα κατὰ πρόσωπον ὑπαντᾷ, ὅτε δὲ μετανοῶμεν δίδωσι πάροδον.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου· «Ὅστις ἐποικοδομεῖ ἐπὶ τὸν θεμέλιον τοῦτον χρυσὸν ἢ ἄργυρον, λίθους τιμίους, ξύλα, χόρτον, καλάμην, τὸ πῦρ αὐτὰ δοκιμάσει. Εἴ τινος\n\nοὖν τὸ ἔργον μενεῖ ὃ ἐποικοδόμησεν, μισθὸν λήψεται· εἴ τινος δὲ τὸ ἔργον κατακαήσεται, ζημιωθήσεται, αὐτὸς δὲ σωθήσεται, οὕτως δὲ ὡς διὰ πυρός». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Θεμέλιός ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πίστις. Ἐποικοδομεῖ δέ τις ἐν αὐτῇ ὡς χρυσὸν μὲν τὴν θεολογικὴν μυσταγωγίαν, ὡς ἄργυρον δὲ τὸν διαφανῆ βίον, λίθους δὲ τιμίους τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς λογισμούς, ξύλα δὲ τὴν περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ προσπάθειαν, χόρτον δὲ ὁ τὴν ἀλογίαν τρεφόμενος, καλάμην δὲ ὁ τὴν φθορὰν ἐργαζόμενος. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἐχόντων τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις ἡ τῆς γνώσεως ἡμέρα δηλοῖ ὅτι ἐν πυρί, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι, γέγονεν ἡ τούτων ἀποκάλυψις. Ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν τὰ ἔργα κατακαίονται, τῆς διαγνώσεως δικαιούσης τὴν συνείδησιν καὶ μειούσης τὰς ἁμαρτίας διὰ τῆς μετανοίας καὶ σῳζούσης τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ζημιούσης δὲ τοῦ προλαβόντος χρόνου τὴν ἀργίαν τῶν ἀρετῶν.","english":"It is guarded by the cherubim and the flaming sword; and \"cherubim\" is interpreted as \"multitude of knowledge.\" Through knowledge, our longing toward God comes to be in us; through the flaming sword, that is, through discernment that consumes wicked things, fear comes to be added to us. Therefore fear and longing are what guard the way of the tree of life. The sword is said to turn: for whenever we sin, it meets us face to face, convicting us through our conscience; but whenever we repent, it gives us passage.\n\nQUESTION From the Apostle: \"Whoever builds on this foundation gold or silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble—the fire will test them. If anyone's work which he built remains, he will receive a reward; if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire.\" ANSWER The foundation is faith in Christ. One builds on it, as it were, gold—theological mystical teaching; silver—a transparent life; precious stones—pious thoughts; wood—attachment to perceptible things; hay—one who feeds on irrationality; stubble—one who works corruption. And in the case of those who have good deeds, the day of knowledge shows that their revelation has occurred in fire, that is, in the Spirit. But in those who sin, their works are burned up, while discernment justifies the conscience and diminishes sins through repentance and saves the man, but penalizes the idleness of the virtues of the preceding time.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":113,"ref":"p113","source":"Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι τὰ ἔργα τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἰς ἀνυπαρξίαν χωροῦσιν, τῆς φύσεως τὰς ἰδίας δυνάμεις σώας ἀπολαμβανούσης διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς τῆς κρίσεως. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν ὅπερ ὁ Δαβὶδ ψάλλει λέγων \"δὸς τὸ κράτος σου τῷ παιδί σου, καὶ σῶσον τὸν υἱὸν τῆς παιδίσκης σου\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ φύσιν δοῦλοί ἐσμεν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῆς δὲ παιδίσκης αὐτοῦ τῆς σοφίας υἱοί, δοθῆναι ἡμῖν εὔχεται πρῶτον τὸ κράτος, τουτέστιν τὴν κατὰ τῶν παθῶν δυναστείαν, καὶ τότε διὰ τοῦτο ἡ σωτηρία ἡμῖν περιγίνεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ἐν ταῖς Βασιλείαις γέγραπται ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς «ἐπέσεισεν τὸν Δαβὶδ» ἀριθμῆσαι τὸν λαόν, ἐν δὲ ταῖς Παραλειπομέναις τὸν διάβολον λέγει, πῶς οὖν δειχθήσεται ἡ θεία Γραφὴ ἑαυτῇ συμφωνοῦσα; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ Ἀπόστολος Θεὸν τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου λέγει τὸν διάβολον, κατὰ τοῦτο ἐκλημπτέον τὸ τῶν Βασιλειῶν. Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως· ἐπειδὴ χωρὶς τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίας οὐδὲν γίνεται, ἀλλ᾽ εἴτε κατὰ εὐδοκίαν, εἴτε κατ᾽ οἰκονομίαν, εἴτε κατὰ συγχώρησιν τὰ πάντα γίνονται, τὸ ἐν ταῖς Βασιλείαις γεγραμμένον ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἐπέσεισεν ἀντὶ τοῦ \"παρεχώρησεν\" νοεῖν ἐστιν εὐσεβές, ἐν δὲ ταῖς Παραλειπομέναις τὸν διάβολον τὸν ἐνεργήσαντα καὶ αἴτιον γενόμενον. Ἑβδομήκοντα δὲ χιλιάδες πίπτουσιν ἢ οἱ εὑρεθέντες μετὰ Ἀβεσαλὼμ ἢ οἱ τὸ πάθος ἔχοντες τῆς οἰήσεως καὶ ὑπερηφανίας. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν θεωρίαν, τοῦτο σημαίνει ὅτι πᾶς Δαυΐδ, ὁ μὴ κατὰ διάθεσιν ἀλλὰ συναρπαγὴν ἐπάρσεως ἀπογεννήσας λογισμόν, μεταγνοὺς αἰτεῖται τὸν Θεόν, καὶ θνῄσκουσιν οἱ περὶ τὰ χρονικὰ καὶ πρόσκαιρα λογισμοί·","english":"But even in the age to come the works of sin pass into non-existence, while nature receives back its own powers intact through the fire of judgment. QUESTION: What is it that David sings, saying, \"Give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your handmaid\"? ANSWER: Since by nature we are servants of God, but sons of his handmaid, Wisdom, he prays that strength be given to us first, that is, dominion over the passions, and then through this salvation comes to us. QUESTION: Since in the Kingdoms it is written that God \"incited David\" to number the people, but in the Chronicles it says the devil did, how then will the divine Scripture be shown to be in agreement with itself? ANSWER: Since the Apostle calls the devil the god of this age, the passage in the Kingdoms must be understood in that sense. Or also otherwise: since nothing happens without the providence of God, but all things happen either by good pleasure, or by economy, or by permission, it is pious to understand what is written in the Kingdoms, that God incited, in place of \"he permitted,\" while in the Chronicles it is the devil who worked and became the cause. And the seventy thousand fall either as those found with Abessalom or as those who have the passion of conceit and pride. And according to contemplation, this signifies that every David who has begotten a thought not by disposition but by a snatching away of elation, on repenting asks God, and the thoughts concerned with temporal and transient things die;","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":114,"ref":"p114","source":"ὁ γὰρ ἑβδομηκοστὸς ἀριθμὸς τὴν χρονικὴν κίνησιν σημαίνει διὰ τὸν ἑβδοματικὸν κύκλον. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ παραιτήσασθαι ἄμεινον τοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν δαιμόνων διώκεσθαι καὶ λιμὸν τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον Κυρίου.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ παραλυτικὸς ὁ διὰ τῆς στέγης ὑπὸ τεσσάρων χαλώμενος καὶ εἰ δυνατὸν κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀποστεγασθῆναι τὸν οἶκον; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἱστορίαν πάντως ἀπεστεγάσθη ὁ οἶκος, ἐπειδὴ οἱ τῶν τόπων ἐκείνων αὐτόπται γενόμενοί φασιν τὰς στέγας τῶν οἴκων ἀπὸ λίθου κισηρήτου εἶναι ἐλαφροτάτου, ὥστε τὸν ἀποστεγάσαι βουλόμενον εὐκόλως καὶ συντόμως δύνασθαι τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Κατὰ δὲ τὸν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς τρόπον, παραλυτικός ἐστιν πᾶς νοῦς ἐν ἁμαρτίαις νοσῶν καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος διὰ τῆς φυσικῆς θεωρίας αὕτη γὰρ ἡ θύρα ἰδεῖν\n\nτὸν λόγον· διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἀποστεγάσας τὸ κάλυμμα τῆς παχύτητος τοῦ νομικοῦ γράμματος, διὰ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀρετῶν χαλᾶται ἐκ τοῦ ματαίου ὕψους πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτὸν κενώσαντα λόγον καὶ τῇ πίστει καὶ τῇ πράξει λαμβάνει τὴν ἴασιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ Βαβυλωνία κάμινος;","english":"For the number seventy signifies temporal motion because of the seven-day cycle. For this reason it is better to decline being pursued by the hostile demons and to endure a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.\n\nQUESTION: What does the paralytic mean, who is let down through the roof by four men, and is it possible, according to the historical account, for the house to have been unroofed? ANSWER: According to the historical account, the house was certainly unroofed, since those who were eyewitnesses of those places say that the roofs of the houses there are made of pumice stone, which is very light, so that one who wishes to unroof it can easily and quickly do so. But according to the manner of spiritual interpretation, every mind is a paralytic that is sick in sins and unable through natural contemplation—for this is the door—to see the Word; having unroofed through faith the covering of the coarseness of the legal letter, it is let down through the four virtues from the vain height to the Word who emptied himself, and through faith and action it receives healing.\n\nQUESTION: What does the Babylonian furnace mean?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":115,"ref":"p115","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Διττῶς τοὺς πειρασμοὺς προσγίνεσθαι ἡμῖν συμβαίνει· ἑκουσίως διὰ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἡδονικῶν παθῶν καὶ ἀκουσίως διὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἐπιφορῶν. Καὶ ὅτε μὲν ἑκουσίως, παρακελευομένου τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ, τουτέστιν τοῦ διαβόλου, ἐξάπτομεν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν κάμινον τῶν παθῶν, ὑποκαίοντες θυμὸν μὲν ὡς κληματίδα, ἐπιθυμίαν δὲ ὡς πίσσαν, ἡδονὴν δὲ ὡς τὴν νάφθαν, τὴν τοῦ λόγου δὲ παρατροπὴν ὡς στυππίον τὸ γὰρ λίνον ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου λαμβάνεται, ὅθεν καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ἱερατεύοντες λίνα ἐφόρουν ὅτ᾽ ἂν οὖν ὁ λόγος παρατραπῇ, γίνεται στυππίον καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ εὐχερῶς τὰ λοιπὰ πάθη ἐξάπτονται. Ἐὰν δέ τις κατὰ τοὺς μακαρίους παῖδας ἐπικαλέσεται τὸν Θεὸν διὰ τῆς ταπεινώσεως καὶ τῆς ἐκτενοῦς προσευχῆς, ἐκλύεται τῶν δεσμῶν χειρῶν καὶ ποδῶν, τουτέστιν τὴν πρακτικὴν καὶ τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν πορείαν, καὶ δροσίζεται τῇ ἐπιφοιτήσει τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ ἀκουσίως πειραζόμεθα καὶ ἀνάπτει ἡμῖν ὁ νοητὸς Ναβουχοδονόσορ τὴν κάμινον διὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἐπιφορῶν, νοσῶν καὶ λοιπῶν ἀβουλήτων περιστάσεων, καὶ οὕτως δυνάμεθα διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ εὐχαριστίας δροσίζεσθαι τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν ἀποκειμένων ἀγαθῶν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος χάριν καταγελωμένου Ἐλισσαίου τοῦ προφήτου ἐκ τῶν παίδων ηὔξατο καὶ ἐξῆλθον ἄρκοι καὶ ἀνέρρηξαν μβ' (42) παῖδας; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φασί τινες μὴ εἶναι Ἰσραηλίτας τοὺς παῖδας ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ οὐχὶ παῖδας τῇ ἡλικίᾳ ἀλλὰ τῇ φρονήσει.","english":"ANSWER: Temptations come upon us in two ways: voluntarily, through the pleasurable passions within us, and involuntarily, through afflictions from without. And when voluntarily—at the urging of Nebuchadnezzar, that is, the devil—we kindle for ourselves the furnace of the passions, fueling it with anger as with a vine-branch, with desire as with pitch, with pleasure as with naphtha, and with the perversion of the reason as with tow; for flax is taken to mean the reason, which is why the priests, when serving as priests, wore linen garments. So whenever the reason is perverted, it becomes tow, and through it the remaining passions are easily kindled. But if someone, like the blessed children, calls upon God through humility and earnest prayer, he is loosed from the bonds of hands and feet—that is, from the practical life and the journey according to God—and is refreshed by the visitation of the Holy Spirit. And when we are tempted involuntarily and the intelligible Nebuchadnezzar kindles the furnace for us through afflictions from without—sickness and other unwanted circumstances—even so we are able, through endurance and thanksgiving, to be refreshed by the hope of the good things laid up in store. QUESTION: For what reason, when the prophet Elisha was mocked by the children, did he pray and bears came out and tore apart forty-two (42) children? ANSWER: Some say that the children were not Israelites but from among the foreigners, and that they were not children in age but in understanding.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":116,"ref":"p116","source":"Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤκουον τὸν προφήτην πολλὰ σημεῖα ποιοῦντα καὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευον ἀλλὰ κατεγέλων αὐτῷ, παρῆσαν δέ τινες μὴ κοινωνοῦντες τῆς ματαίας αὐτῶν γνώμης, ἵνα μὴ οὖν οὗτοι βλάπτωνται καὶ τὸ βλάσφημον εἰς Θεὸν ἀνατρέχῃ, ἐπεξῆλθεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεός. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν θεωρίαν πᾶς νοῦς κατὰ τὸν Ἐλισσαῖον φαλακρός, τουτέστιν καθαρὸς ὑλικῶν νοημάτων, ἐν τῇ ἀναβάσει τῆς γνώσεως πολλὰ ὑπὸ τῶν λογισμῶν τῶν περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ καὶ τὴν ὕλην καὶ τὸ εἶδος καταγελᾶται, τοῦ τεσσαράκοντα δηλοῦντος τὰ αἰσθητά· ὕλη δὲ καὶ τὸ εἶδος προστιθέμενα ἀποτελεῖ τὸν τεσσαρακονταδύο ἀριθμόν. Σκώπτεται οὖν ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων λογισμῶν ὁ νοῦς πρὸς τὸ εἰς ὄκνον αὐτὸν ἐμβληθῆναι πρὸς τὴν ἀρετήν. Τούτους οὖν δι᾽ εὐχῆς ἀναιρεῖ διὰ τῶν δύο ἄρκων, τουτέστιν διὰ ἡδονῆς καὶ ἐπιθυμίας· κατ᾽ ἀντιστροφὴν γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον μεταχειριζόμενα τὰ τοιαῦτα πάθη, ἀποκτενοῦσιν τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοὺς ἐμπαίκτας. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου παραβολὴ ἡ περιέχουσα τὴν συμβολὴν τῶν βασιλέων τῶν κ' (20) καὶ τῶν δέκα χιλιάδων; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ μετὰ τῶν δέκα χιλιάδων παρατασσόμενος βασιλεὺς σημαίνει τὸν ἐν ἡμῖν βασιλέα νοῦν μετὰ τῶν δέκα ἐντολῶν πολεμοῦντα τῷ ἑτέρῳ βασιλεῖ τῷ ἔχοντι τὰς εἴκοσι χιλιάδας, τουτέστιν τῷ κοσμοκράτορι τῷ μετὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν καὶ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἀντιπαρατασσομένῳ· αἱ γὰρ πέντε αἰσθήσεις προσκλινόμεναι τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ἐκ τεσσάρων οὖσιν στοιχείοις, ποιοῦσιν τὸν εἴκοσι· διὰ τούτων γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁ ἐχθρὸς παρατάσσεται. Τὸ δὲ καθίσαι καὶ βουλεύσασθαι σημαίνει, εἰ δυνατόν ἐστιν πᾶσαν κακοπάθειαν καὶ πόνον ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἀναδέξασθαι·","english":"Since, then, they heard the prophet performing many signs and did not believe but mocked him, and there were present some who did not share their vain opinion—so that these might not be harmed and the blasphemy against God might not be attributed to them—God came out against them. In contemplation, every intellect is bald, according to Elisha—that is, pure of material concepts—yet in the ascent of knowledge it is much mocked by the reasonings concerned with sensible things, matter, and form, since the number forty indicates sensible things; and matter and form added together produce the number forty-two. The intellect, then, is mocked by such reasonings so as to be cast into hesitation regarding virtue. These, therefore, he destroys through prayer by means of the two bears—that is, through pleasure and desire; for when such passions are handled in reverse for the better, they will kill the mocking reasonings. QUESTION: What does the Gospel parable mean that contains the symbol of the kings with twenty and the ten thousand? ANSWER: The king arrayed with the ten thousand signifies the king in us, the intellect, warring with the ten commandments against the other king who has the twenty thousand—that is, against the ruler of this world, who is arrayed with sensible things and the senses; for the five senses inclined toward sensible things, which are from four elements, make twenty; for through these the enemy is arrayed against us. And to sit down and take counsel signifies whether it is possible to undertake every hardship and toil for the sake of virtue.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":117,"ref":"p117","source":"εἰ δὲ μή γε, τὰ πρὸς\n\nεἰρήνην πρεσβεῦσαί φησιν, τουτέστιν τοῖς ἐπιταχθεῖσιν ἡμῖν μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν φυσικοῖς ὑποτασσομένους, τὴν κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἀδυνάτως ἔχοντας μετελθεῖν πολιτείαν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ κωφὸς δαίμων; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ψυχὴ ἀνήκοος ταῖς ἐντολαῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ὀχλεῖται ὑπὸ τοῦ κωφοῦ δαίμονος· ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ γένηται ἐν αὐτῇ διὰ τῆς ἐργασίας τῶν ἐντολῶν, τότε οὐ μόνον ἀκούει, ἀλλὰ καὶ λαλεῖ διὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ὁ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ κατὰ τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου πύργος ὃν ὁ μὴ δυνηθεὶς ἀπαρτίσαι ἐμπαίζεται ὑπὸ τῶν παραπορευομένων; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ πύργος σημαίνει τὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν τελείωσιν μετὰ γνώσεως οἰκοδομηθεῖσαν. Ὅστις οὖν μετὰ τὴν κατὰ πρᾶξιν ἀπάθειαν ἔχει ἐπιτηδειότητα πρὸς ἐπίκτησιν φυσικῶν καὶ θεωρητικῶν καὶ θεολογικῶν λόγων, δι᾽ ὧν ἀπαρτίζεται ἡ τελεία γνῶσις, οὗτος ἀπαρτίζει τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου· ὁ δὲ ἕν τι τούτων ἐλλείπων, ὡς μὴ δυνηθεὶς εἰς πέρας ἀγαγεῖν τὴν οἰκοδομήν, ἐμπαίζεται παρὰ τῶν παραπορευομένων ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 168 *** εὐαγγελιστῶν δειχθήσεται ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὰ καθόλου φασὶ σημαντικὰ εἶναι τῶν ἐπὶ μέρους καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ μέρους τῶν καθόλου· ὁ οὖν εἰπὼν \"ἦλθον τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ζητῆσαι\", τὴν καθόλου φύσιν ἐσήμανεν Ἰσραὴλ οὖσαν κατὰ τὸν τῆς Γενέσεως λόγον καὶ ‘τὸν Θεὸν’ ἀεὶ ‘ὁρῶσαν·’ ὁ δὲ εἰπὼν εἰς τὰ πρόβατα οἴκου Ἰσραὴλ καὶ μόνον ἀπεστάλθαι, καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦ ἐπὶ μέρους τὸ καθόλου ἐσήμανεν.","english":"If not, he says, entreat for the things that make for peace, that is, by submitting to the natural ordinances imposed on us after the transgression, since we are unable to pursue the way of life according to the Gospel.\n\nQUESTION: What does the deaf demon in the Gospel mean? ANSWER: A soul disobedient to the commandments of the Lord is troubled by the deaf demon; but whenever the Word of God comes to be in it through the working of the commandments, then it not only hears but also speaks through the knowledge of God. QUESTION: What does the tower in the Gospel, in the Lord's parable, mean—the one that the man unable to finish it is mocked for by those who pass by? ANSWER: The tower signifies the perfection of the virtues, built up together with knowledge. Whoever, then, after practical dispassion has a fitness for acquiring the natural, contemplative, and theological principles, through which perfect knowledge is completed—this man completes the building of the tower; but the one lacking any one of these, as unable to bring the building to completion, is mocked by those who pass by. QUESTION 168 *** will be shown to be evangelists. ANSWER: They say that universal things are significant of particular things, and particular things of universal things. He, then, who said, \"I came to seek the lost,\" signified the universal nature—Israel, which according to the principle of Genesis both is and always \"sees God\"; but he who said that he was sent only to the sheep of the house of Israel, he too through the particular signified the universal.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":118,"ref":"p118","source":"Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἀβραὰμ τὸ διαρρυὲν ἐν τῷ προπάτορι διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τῆς φύσεως ἀγαθὸν δι᾽ ἐπιγνώσεως ἀνεσώθη, ἐπαγγελίαν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῷ δίδωσιν πατέρα αὐτὸν ἔσεσθαι πολλῶν ἐθνῶν, τῶν δι᾽ ἐπιγνώσεως εἰς τὴν ὁμοίαν αὐτοῦ πίστιν καταντώντων καὶ υἱοθετουμένων αὐτῷ· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι εἴπερ υἱοθετοῦνται, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου Ἰσραήλ εἰσιν καὶ συγκληρονόμοι καὶ σύσσωμοι.\n\nἩ δὲ αἴτησις τῶν ψιχίων τῆς Χαναναίας τὴν ἁρμόδιον τῶν εἰσαγομένων εἰς τὸν κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν βίον ἐξ ἀπιστίας δηλοῖ διδασκαλίαν· ὁ γὰρ ἁπλοῦς καὶ τελειότατος τῆς γνώσεως λόγος εἰς πολλὰ μερίζεται κατὰ τὴν τῶν ὑποδεχομένων ἕξιν· ἄρα οὖν τοῖς εἰσαγομένοις ἁρμόδιός ἐστιν ἡ κατήχησις, ἥτις ψιχίων παρεικάζεται. Ὁ δὲ κύων, ἐπειδὴ ζῷόν ἐστιν ὑλακτικόν, ἐκδιώκων μὲν τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους, προσσαίνων δὲ τοῖς οἰκείοις, λαμβάνεται ἐπὶ τῆς πρακτικῆς ἕξεως, ἥτις ἐκδιώκει μὲν τὰς παρὰ φύσιν κακίας, προσσαίνει δὲ ταῖς φυσικαῖς ἀρεταῖς, τονωτικῶς ταύτας φυλάττουσα. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωὰβ ἱστορία ἡνίκα τὸν Σάβεε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Βοχορὶ ἐπεδίωκεν «ἐπαίροντα χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Δαβὶδ» καὶ τίς ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ῥίψασα ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ;","english":"For since in Abraham the good of nature that had been dissipated in the forefather through disobedience was restored through knowledge, God gives him the promise that he will be father of many nations—of those who through knowledge arrive at the same faith as his and are adopted as sons to him; for it is clear that if they are adopted as sons, they are also of the house of Israel and co-heirs and members of the same body.\n\nAnd the Canaanite woman's request for the crumbs indicates the teaching suited to those being introduced into the life according to virtue from unbelief; for the simple and most perfect word of knowledge is divided into many parts according to the condition of those who receive it. Therefore catechesis is suited to those being introduced, which is likened to crumbs. And the dog, since it is a barking animal, driving away strangers but fawning on its own, is taken to mean the practical condition, which drives away the vices contrary to nature but fawns on the natural virtues, guarding them with vigor. QUESTION: What does the story concerning Joab mean, when he pursued Sheba the son of Bichri, \"lifting up his hand against David,\" and who is the woman who threw his head from the wall?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":119,"ref":"p119","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Ἰωὰβ δασυνόμενος ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ἔξωθεν ἢ ἐπιδιώκων,’ ψιλούμενος δὲ ‘διδοὺς ἢ πάροχος·’ ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνδρείας τὸν Ἰωὰβ ἐκληπτέον, τὸν δὲ Σάβεε ἐπὶ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἥτις ὡς κεφαλὴ οἰκίσκων τρόπον καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πάθη ἐμπεριέχει. Ὅτ᾽ ἂν οὖν αἴσθηται ὁ ἐνάρετος νοῦς τῆς ἐπαναστάσεως τῆς\n\nὑπερηφανίας, ἀποστέλλει τὸν Ἰωάβ, τουτέστιν τὴν ἀνδρείαν, ἐκδιώκουσαν καὶ παροτρύνουσαν τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις πρὸς ἀναίρεσιν αὐτῆς. Φεύγουσα οὖν αὐτὴ ἐγκρύπτεται ὡς εἴς τινα πόλιν, μιᾷ τῶν ἀρετῶν· ἐκπορθεῖ ταύτην ἡ ἀνδρεία, ζητοῦσα τὴν τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἀναίρεσιν ποιήσασθαι· ἡ δὲ σοφὴ γυνή, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ σοφία, τῇ ἐφευρέσει τῶν συστατικῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς αἰτιῶν ἀναίρεσιν ποιεῖται τῶν ποιητικῶν τῶν παθῶν αἰτιῶν, δι᾽ ὧν πᾶσα σύστασις γίνεται ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ κακίας. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸν Ἀμεσσαεὶ ἱστορία ἡνίκα ὁ Ἰωὰβ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Ἀμεσσαεὶ ‘ἠλειμμένος ἢ ἀλείφων’ ἑρμηνεύεται· λαμβάνεται οὖν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀπαθείας, ὡς πᾶσαν λαβὴν τῶν ἐναντίων διαφεύγων εὐχερῶς διὰ τὴν τελειότητα, ὁ δὲ Ἰωὰβ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνδρείας. Ὅτ᾽ ἂν οὖν ἡ ψυχὴ διὰ τῆς ἀνδρείας μετὰ τὴν ἐν ἕξει τελείαν ἀπάθειαν καταλείψασα τὴν εὐχήν, πάθει τινὶ μάτην προσασχολεῖται, ἀποκτέννει, τουτέστιν ἄπρακτον ποιεῖ τὸν τελεώτερον τῆς θεωρίας τρόπον, τοῖς ἡττημένοις ἐχθροῖς προσασχολουμένη.","english":"ANSWER: Joab, when aspirated, is interpreted as \"outside\" or \"pursuing,\" but when unaspirated, as \"giving\" or \"supplying.\" Here Joab must be understood as courage, and Sheba as pride, which, like a head, contains the rest of the passions in the manner of a little house. Whenever, therefore, the virtuous mind perceives the uprising of pride, it sends Joab, that is, courage, which drives out and urges on the powers of the soul toward its destruction. Fleeing, then, it hides itself as if in some city, in one of the virtues; courage sacks it, seeking to bring about the destruction of pride. But the wise woman, which is wisdom, by discovering the constituent causes of virtue, brings about the destruction of the productive causes of the passions, through which every constitution of evil comes to be in the soul. QUESTION: What does the story concerning Amasa mean, when Joab killed him? ANSWER: Amasa is interpreted as \"anointed\" or \"anointing\"; he is therefore taken as impassibility, as one who easily escapes every grasp of the adversaries through perfection, while Joab is taken as courage. Whenever, then, the soul, through courage, after the perfect impassibility in habit, having abandoned prayer, busies itself vainly with some passion, it kills him, that is, it makes the more perfect mode of contemplation inactive, busying itself with defeated enemies.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":120,"ref":"p120","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν Ἰωὰβ ἱστορία ὅτε ἀπέκτεινεν τὸν Ἀβεννὴρ καὶ τίς ἡ ἐπενεχθεῖσα αὐτῷ κατάρα;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐνταῦθα ὁ Ἰωὰβ ἐπὶ τοῦ μνησικάκου λαμβάνεται λογισμοῦ, καθ᾽ οὗ καὶ τὴν κατάραν δέχεται, τὸ ἐπὶ σκυτάλης ἐπερείδεσθαι καὶ ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ πίπτειν, δηλοῦντος, οἶμαι, τοῦ λόγου διὰ μὲν τῆς σκυτάλης τὴν περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ τοῦ μνησικάκου ἐλπίδα πᾶς γὰρ μνησίκακος λογισμός, ἀεὶ ἐν τοῖς ὑλικοῖς εἰλούμενος, ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὴν ἐπερείδησιν ἔχει διὰ δὲ τοῦ «πίπτειν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ» τὴν διὰ τοῦ τομωτάτου λόγου τῆς τοιαύτης σχέσεως ἀναίρεσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίνος ἐπέχει πρόσωπον ὁ Χοῦσι ἡνίκα ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν ὁ Δαβὶδ «διασκεδάσαι τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Ἀχιτόφελ»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ Χοῦσι υἱὸς ἦν τοῦ Ἰεμινί, ὡς μὲν εἰς τὸ ἴδιον πρόσωπον ἑρμηνεύεται ‘νήθων,’ ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς σχέσιν λέγεται ‘υἱὸς δεξιός·’ λαμβάνεται δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς διακρίσεως· αὐτὴ γὰρ τῇ διαγνωστικῇ δυνάμει λεπτύνει καὶ διασκεδάζει τῶν ἀντικειμένων τὰς βουλάς. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ εἰρημένον τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ \"τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν πληρουμένου\";","english":"QUESTION: What does the story concerning the same Joab mean, when he killed Abner, and what is the curse that was brought upon him?\n\nANSWER: Here Joab is taken to mean the resentful thought, against which he also receives the curse—namely, to be leaned upon a staff and to fall by the sword—the account indicating, I think, through the staff the resentful thought's hope in things perceptible (for every resentful thought, always rolling about in material things, has its leaning upon them too), and through \"falling by the sword\" the removal of such a disposition by the most incisive word.\n\nQUESTION: Whose person does Hushai represent when David sent him \"to scatter the counsel of Ahithophel\"?\n\nANSWER: Since Hushai was the son of Jemini, in his own person he is interpreted as \"spinning,\" but in relation to his father he is called \"a right son\"; and he is taken to mean discernment; for this, by its discerning power, makes subtle and scatters the counsels of the adversaries.\n\nQUESTION: What does what was said by the Apostle mean, \"the fullness of him who fills all things in all things\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":121,"ref":"p121","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ Θεὸς κατὰ μὲν τὴν οὐσίαν ἀποφατικῶς πάντων ὑφεξῄρηται τῶν ὄντων· οὔτε γὰρ λέγεται, οὔτε νοεῖται, οὐδὲ μετέχεται οὐδαμῶς ἀπό τινος· κατὰ δὲ τὴν προνοητικὴν πρόοδον ὑπὸ πολλῶν μετεχόμενος, ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ πληροῦται. Ἕκαστον γὰρ τῶν γεγονότων κατὰ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λόγον, τὸν ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ὄντα, μέλος Θεοῦ λέγεται εἶναι καὶ τόπον ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ἔχειν· ἀμέλει τοι καὶ εἰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν κινηθείη σοφῶς τε καὶ λελογισμένως, ἐν τῷ Θεῷ γενήσεται, τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον πληρῶν καὶ τὴν εὐπρέπειαν ἐν τῷ σώματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὡς μέλος εὔχρηστον ἐργαζόμενος. Ὅστις δὲ ἀφεὶς τὸν ἴδιον λόγον παραλόγως πρὸς τὰ ἀνύπαρκτα φέρεται, δίκην δικαίως αἰωνίαν ὑφέξει τῆς γενομένης ὅσον ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ μομφῆς ἐν τῷ σώματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ 174\n\nΤί σημαίνει ὁ Ἀδωνιβέζεκ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ναυὴ Ἰησοῦ «κρεμνώμενος ἐπὶ διδύμου ξύλου»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ δίδυμον ξύλον τύπον φέρει τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα πρὸς τὰ αἰσθητὰ ἐνεργείας καὶ σχέσεως. Ὅστις οὖν κατὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν διὰ τῶν ἐντολῶν τέμνων τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀνενέργητον τὴν κακίαν ἐπί τε ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος πρός τε τὴν αἴσθησιν καὶ πρὸς τὰ παρὰ φύσιν ποιήσει, οὗτος τὸν ἄρχοντα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἐπὶ διδύμου ξύλου ἐκρέμασεν.","english":"ANSWER: God, according to His essence, is removed in a negative sense from all beings; for He is neither spoken of, nor conceived, nor participated in by anyone in any way. But according to His providential procession, being participated in by many, He is also filled by them. For each of the things that have come to be, according to its own principle (logos) that exists in God, is said to be a member of God and to have a place in God. Indeed, if it is moved according to that principle wisely and with reason, it will come to be in God, fulfilling its own place and working out its proper order in the body of Christ as a useful member. But whoever abandons his own principle and is carried irrationally toward things that do not exist will justly undergo eternal punishment for the blame that has come about, as far as he is concerned, in the body of Christ.\n\nQUESTION 174\n\nWhat does Adonibezek mean, when he was hanged by Joshua the son of Nun \"on a double tree\"?\n\nANSWER: The double tree bears the type of the activity and relation toward perceptible things, both of soul and body. Whoever, then, in the manner of Joshua, cutting the path of virtue through the commandments, makes evil inactive both in soul and body, both as regards perception and as regards things contrary to nature, this man has hanged the ruler of this world on a double tree.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":122,"ref":"p122","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ κατὰ τὸν Ἀχαὰβ ἱστορία ἡνίκα ὁ προφήτης εἶδεν τὰς ἀγγελικὰς δυνάμεις ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ προφήτης ἐνταῦθα τὸν καθόλου τῆς προνοίας ὑφαίνει λόγον, εἰδὼς πᾶσιν ἐμμεμίχθαι τὸν ἀρχικὸν λόγον· καὶ διὰ μὲν τῶν δεξιῶν τοὺς ὑποθετικοὺς τῶν καθηκόντων πράξεων εἰσηγεῖται λόγους, διὰ δὲ τῶν ἀριστερῶν τοὺς τῆς κρίσεως ἤτοι τῶν οὐκ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν. Ὅστις δὲ μήτε τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τοῦ θείου νόμου, μήτε τῇ ἐπιφορᾷ τῶν συμβαινόντων θλίψεων πρὸς τὸ εὐθὲς ἄγεται, οὗτος παραδίδοται, καταλιμπανόμενος τῇ φιλαυτίᾳ ἤτοι τῇ ἐν αὐτῷ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἥτις εἰς πλεῖονα κακῶν ὠθοῦσα βάθος οὐχ ἵσταται ἕως οὗ ἀποκτείνασα ἀμετανόητον τῷ ἐκεῖσε παραπέμψῃ δικαστηρίῳ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ συγκύπτουσα γυνὴ ἐπὶ ἔτη ιη' (18); ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ψυχὴ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ἐνησχημένη διὰ τῶν ταύτης τριῶν δυνάμεων σημαίνεται διὰ τῆς συγκυπτούσης γυναικός. Ὁ γὰρ ἓξ ἀριθμός, ἐν ᾧ ὁ αἰσθητὸς εἰς γένεσιν παρήχθη κόσμος, τρισσούμενος ἀποτελεῖ τὸν ὀκτωκαιδέκατον. Ἐὰν οὖν διὰ τῆς μετανοίας προσέλθῃ τῷ Λόγῳ καὶ Θεῷ, ὑγιὴς γίνεται, μηκέτι εἰς τὰ γήϊνα κατακύπτουσα ἀλλὰ τὰ οὐράνια περιαθροῦσα κάλλη. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἡ ᾠδὴ Ἀμβακοὺμ λέγουσα \"ἐξέλειπον ἀπὸ βρώσεως πρόβατα καὶ οὐχ ὑπάρχουσιν βόες ἐπὶ φάτνης\";","english":"QUESTION: What does the story concerning Ahab mean, when the prophet saw the angelic powers on the right and on the left?\n\nANSWER: The prophet here weaves the universal account of providence, knowing that the governing principle has been mingled with all things; and by the right he introduces the principles of the actions that are fitting and conditional, while by the left he introduces those of judgment, that is, of things not in our power. But whoever is led to what is right neither by the teaching of the divine law nor by the onset of afflictions that befall him, this one is handed over, being abandoned to self-love, that is, to the sin within him, which, thrusting him into a deeper depth of evils, does not stop until, having killed him, it sends him unrepentant to the tribunal there.\n\nQUESTION: What does the woman in the Gospel who was bent double for eighteen years mean?\n\nANSWER: A soul entangled in sensible things is signified through this woman bent double, by means of its three powers. For the number six, in which the sensible world was brought into generation, tripled makes eighteen. If, then, through repentance it comes to the Word and God, it becomes healthy, no longer bending down to earthly things but gazing around at the beauties of heaven.\n\nQUESTION: What does the song of Habakkuk mean, which says, \"The sheep failed from food, and there are no oxen at the manger\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":123,"ref":"p123","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πρόβατά εἰσιν τὰ τοῦ νοῦ νοήματα καὶ κινήματα, βόες δὲ ἡ πνευματικὴ διδασκαλία, φάτνη ἡ κατὰ πρᾶξιν ἀπάθεια, ἧς μὴ ὑπαρχούσης ἐκλιμπάνει ἡ πνευματικὴ διδασκαλία· ταύτης δὲ ἐκλειπούσης συνεκλείπειν αὐτῇ πέφυκεν καὶ τὰ δι᾽ αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ νοῒ ἡμῶν συνιστάμενα νοήματά τε καὶ κινήματα, τῆς ψυχῆς πρὸς τὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα διὰ τὸν τοῦ λόγου λιμὸν κατερχομένης. Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως· ἐξέλιπον τὰ λογικὰ πρόβατα ἐκ τοῦ μὴ σιτεῖσθαι τὴν πνευματικὴν τῆς διδασκαλίας βρῶσιν, διὰ τὸ μὴ ὑπάρχειν ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοὺς πνευματικοὺς βόας, τοὺς διδασκάλους. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει κατ᾽ ἀναγωγὴν τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου παράγγελμα \"ἐάν τις ἀγγαρεύσῃ σε μίλιον ἕν, ὕπαγε μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ δύο\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ ἀγγαρεύων ἡμᾶς ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ διδασκαλίας τὸ ἓν τῆς ἐντολῆς αὐτοῦ μίλιον. Καλὸν οὖν ἡμᾶς ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ κελεύοντος καὶ ὑπάγειν δύο μίλια, τουτέστιν ὑπακούειν τῆς ἐντολῆς καὶ προστίθειν διὰ τῶν ἔργων τὸ ἄλλο ἓν μίλιον.","english":"ANSWER: The thoughts and movements of the mind are sheep, and the oxen are spiritual teaching, and the manger is the impassibility that comes through practice; when this is absent, spiritual teaching fails, and when this fails, the thoughts and movements that are established in our mind through it naturally fail along with it, since the soul descends to the affairs of life because of the famine of the word. Or, in another way: the rational sheep have failed because they do not feed on the spiritual food of teaching, since the spiritual oxen—the teachers—are not present at the manger of the Church. QUESTION: What does the Lord's command mean in an anagogical sense, \"If anyone compels you to go one mile, go with him two\"? ANSWER: The one who compels us is the Lord through his teaching—the one mile of his commandment. It is good, then, for us to hear him commanding and to go two miles, that is, to obey the commandment and to add the other mile through works.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":124,"ref":"p124","source":"Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως· ἀγγαρευόμεθα τὸ τῆς πίστεως μίλιον, ἀπαιτούμεθα δὲ καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῆς πίστεως.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ «ἐάν τίς σε ῥαπίσῃ εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐάν σε, φησίν, οἱ δαίμονες διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν ῥαπίσωσιν εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, ἐπαίροντες διὰ τῶν δεξιῶν ἔργων, στρέψον τὴν ἄλλην, τουτέστιν τὰ τῆς ἀριστερᾶς πράξεως ἔργα ὅσα ἡμῖν πέπρακται, ὑπ᾽ ὄψιν ἄγων. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει τὸ εἰρημένον ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς, ὅτι \"οὐ μὴ πίω ἐκ τοῦ γενήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου ἕως ἂν αὐτὸ πίω καινὸν μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Πατρός μου\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις ἐστὶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ ἡμετέρα σωτηρία κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ταύτην δὲ διὰ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα οἰκονομίας ἐκπληρώσας ὁ Κύριος καὶ τὸν περὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς σωτήριον σκοπὸν εἰς πέρας ἀγαγὼν διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ διδασκαλίας καὶ πολιτείας, τοὺς αὐτοῦ μαθητὰς ὑπὲρ τὴν αἴσθησιν ποιήσας γενέσθαι, οὐκέτι, φησίν, πίω ἐκ τοῦ γενήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου, τουτέστιν τῆς οἰκονομηθείσης διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ ἐνδημίας τοῖς ἀνθρώποις σωτηρίας. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι πίνει τοῦτο καινόν, τουτέστιν ἀνανεούμενον διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος καὶ θεοὺς χάριτι τοὺς ἀξίους ἀπεργαζόμενος διὰ τῆς ἐκστατικῆς καὶ μεμεθυσμένης τῶν ἀγαθῶν μετουσίας.","english":"Or, put differently: we are compelled to go the mile of faith, and we are also required to perform the works of faith.\n\nQUESTION: What is the meaning of \"If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also\"?\n\nANSWER: If, he says, the demons strike you on the right cheek through your thoughts, lifting you up through right works, turn the other, that is, bring into view the works of the left action, as many as we have done. QUESTION: What does the saying of the Lord to the disciples mean, that \"I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father\"?\n\nANSWER: Since our salvation is food and drink for God, as it is written, and the Lord fulfilled this through the economy according to the flesh and brought the saving purpose concerning us ourselves to completion through his own teaching and conduct, having made his disciples to become beyond sense perception, he says, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine, that is, of the salvation that has been dispensed to men through his sojourn among us. But in the age to come he drinks this new, that is, renewed through the Holy Spirit and making those who are worthy gods by grace through the ecstatic and drunken participation in good things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":125,"ref":"p125","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ «οὐ μὴ καταμείνῃ τὸ Πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας· ἔσονται δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ἔτη»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κηδόμενος ὁ Θεὸς τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τότε σωτηρίας προεῖπεν ἔσεσθαι τὴν αὐτῶν ζωὴν ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ἔτη· ἕως οὗ γὰρ ἐχρηματίσθη ὁ Νῶε κατασκευάσαι τὴν κιβωτὸν ἐγένοντο εἴκοσι ἔτη· ἐν ἑκατὸν δὲ ἔτεσιν ἔμεινεν τεκταίνων τὴν κιβωτόν, ὥστε διὰ τῆς παραστάσεως ἐλθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς διόρθωσιν· μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἐπήγαγεν τὸν κατακλυσμὸν καὶ ἦρεν ἅπαντας. Καὶ ἀληθεύει ἡ Γραφὴ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ἔτη ἔσεσθαι τῇ γενεᾷ ἐκείνῃ ἐξότε ἠπείλησεν αὐτοῖς.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ὁ Εὔτυχος πεσὼν «ἀπὸ τοῦ τριστέγου, διαλεγομένου τοῦ Παύλου»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πᾶς νοῦς τὴν πρακτικὴν καθάπερ πρώτην στέγην ἀναβὰς καὶ τῇ φυσικῇ θεωρίᾳ ὡς δευτέρᾳ στέγῃ ἐπιστήσας ἑαυτὸν καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀνενδυάστου πίστεως τῷ τῆς θεολογίας ὕψει ὥσπερ τρίτῃ στέγῃ ἑαυτὸν ἐπιβιβάσας, εἶτα τοῦ θείου λόγου καταμελήσας καὶ νυστάξας, πίπτει ἀπὸ τοῦ εἰρημένου τριστέγου· εἰ δὲ ἐπιπίπτων αὐτῷ ὁ λόγος τῆς διδασκαλίας εὕρῃ ἐν αὐτῷ ζωτικόν τι καὶ μὴ πάντη διὰ τῆς ἀπογνώσεως ἐνεκρώθη, διὰ τῆς μετανοίας πάλιν ζωοποιεῖται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Πῶς τῆς προθέσεως οὐ ταὐτῆς οὔσης ἓν τὸ δηνάριον λέγεται ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ δίδοσθαι παρὰ τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου τοῖς ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι καμοῦσιν, καὶ ὅτι αἱ κλήσεις διάφοροι;","english":"QUESTION: What is the meaning of \"My Spirit shall not remain among these men, because they are flesh; but their days shall be a hundred and twenty years\"? ANSWER: God, caring for the salvation of men at that time, foretold that their life would be a hundred and twenty years. For twenty years passed from when Noah was commanded to build the ark; and for a hundred years he remained building the ark, so that by its presence they might come to correction. After this, however, he brought on the flood and swept them all away. And the Scripture is true that a hundred and twenty years would be given to that generation from the time he threatened them.\n\nQUESTION: What does Eutychus signify in the Acts, when he fell \"from the third story, while Paul was discoursing\"?\n\nANSWER: Every mind that has ascended through the practical life as a first story, and has established itself in natural contemplation as a second story, and by undoubting faith has mounted itself up to the height of theology as a third story, and then neglects the divine word and grows drowsy, falls from the said third story. But if the word of teaching, falling upon him, finds in him something living and he has not been wholly deadened through despair, he is made alive again through repentance.\n\nQUESTION: How is it said in the Gospel that one denarius is given by the householder to those who labored in the vineyard, though their intention was not the same, and that the callings are different?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":126,"ref":"p126","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nΦασί τινες τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων τὰς διαφόρους κλήσεις τὰς διαφόρους ἡλικίας σημαίνειν, ἕτεροι δὲ τὰς διαφόρους προθέσεις. Τὸ δὲ δηνάριον ὑπόθου εἶναι τὴν σωφροσύνην, ἀλλὰ πολλαὶ ταύτης αἱ διαφοραί· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔχων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα, ταύτης τυχὼν φυλάττει κατὰ τοῦτο τὴν σωφροσύνην· ἔστιν δὲ ἄλλος ὑψηλότερος τούτου, ὅτι οὐ συνεχῶς κέχρηται τῇ ἀδείᾳ τοῦ νόμου· ἄλλος δὲ διὰ μόνην τὴν ἐκ διαδοχῆς παιδοποιΐαν τοῦ γένους ταύτῃ κέχρηται· ἕτερος δὲ μετὰ τὸ τυχεῖν ἑνὸς ἢ δευτέρου παιδὸς τέλεον ἀφίσταται τῆς γαμικῆς ὁμιλίας· ἔστιν δὲ ὁ πάντων τούτων ὑψηλότερος ὁ μηδόλως ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδώσας τῷ γάμῳ ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἀγάπην τὴν παρθενίαν ἀσκῶν. Ἔδειξεν οὖν ὁ λόγος πέντε προθέσεις, μίαν τῆς μιᾶς ὑψηλοτέραν, ἐν αἷς δηλοῦνται αἱ πέντε κλήσεις καὶ τὸ ἓν τῆς σωφροσύνης δηνάριον· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρετῶν ἔκλαβε. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δηλοῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸν προφήτην Ἰωνᾶν καὶ τίς ἡ Ἰόππη ἐξ ἧς φεύγει; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Λαμβάνεται ὁ Ἰωνᾶς φεύγων ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν· αὕτη γὰρ οὖσα εἰς Ἰόππην ἑρμηνεύεται δὲ ‘κατασκοπὴ χαρᾶς,’ δηλοῦται δὲ ὁ παράδεισος ἔφυγεν διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς καὶ δίδωσιν ἑαυτὴν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ τοῦ βίου καὶ χειμάζεται καὶ καταπίνεται ὑπὸ τοῦ νοητοῦ κήτους καὶ ἐμεῖται διὰ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ τριημέρου ταφῆς. Λαμβάνεται δὲ πάλιν καὶ εἰς τὸ προφητικὸν χάρισμα καὶ κηρύσσει ἐν τῇ Νινευή, τουτέστιν εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ ἀδημονεῖ ἐπὶ τῇ κολοκύνθῃ·","english":"ANSWER\n\nSome of the holy fathers say that the different callings signify the different ages, while others say they signify the different dispositions. Understand the denarius to be chastity, but its differences are many: for the man who has his own wife, having obtained her, preserves chastity in this respect; but there is another higher than he, because he does not continuously make use of the freedom of the law; another makes use of it only for the procreation of the race through succession; another, after obtaining one or two children, completely abstains from marital intercourse; and there is one higher than all these, who has not given himself to marriage at all but practices virginity for love of the Lord. The account has therefore shown five dispositions, one higher than another, in which the five callings and the one denarius of chastity are made clear; and understand this also in the case of the other virtues. QUESTION: What do the events concerning the prophet Jonah signify, and what is Joppa, from which he flees? ANSWER: Jonah, fleeing from the face of the Lord, is taken to signify our nature; for this nature, being in Joppa—which is interpreted as \"observation of joy\"—and meaning Paradise, fled through disobedience and gave itself to the sea of life and is storm-tossed and swallowed by the spiritual sea-monster and vomited up through the Lord's three-day burial in Hades. He is taken again also to signify the prophetic grace, and he preaches in Nineveh, that is, to the Gentiles, and is distressed over the gourd.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":127,"ref":"p127","source":"ἔστιν δὲ ἡ κολόκυνθα ἡ σωματικὴ τοῦ νόμου λατρεία, ἣν ὁ σκώληξ ἐξήρανεν, ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός, ὁ εἰπὼν \"ἐγώ εἰμι σκώληξ καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπος\"· κατήργησεν γὰρ διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας τὴν πρόσκαιρον τοῦ νόμου λατρείαν. Τὸ δὲ εἶναι ἐν τῇ πόλει δώδεκα χιλιάδας οἵτινες οὐκ ἔγνωσαν δεξιὰν ἢ ἀριστεράν, σημαίνει τοὺς μήτε ὑπερβολῇ μήτε ἐλλείψει ἀλλὰ μεσότητι καὶ ὁδῷ βασιλικῇ τὴν ἀρετὴν μετιόντας.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί δήποτε κόραξ διατρέφει τὸν Ἡλίαν πρωῒ μὲν ἄρτον, δείλης δὲ κρέα; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ κόραξ λαμβάνεται ἐπὶ τῆς φύσεως τῆς διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς μελανθείσης, Ἡλίας δὲ καθήμενος ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳ λαμβάνεται ἐπὶ τοῦ νοὸς τοῦ γνωστικοῦ ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳ τῶν πειρασμῶν καὶ τῶν πόνων τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἱδρυμένου. Οὗτος τρέφεται ἐκ τῆς μελανθείσης φύσεως πρωῒ μὲν ἄρτον, τουτέστιν γνῶσιν ἐκ τῆς τῶν ὄντων φυσικῆς θεωρίας συλλέγων, δείλης δὲ κρέα· μυεῖται γὰρ τὸ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τοῦ Κυρίου γενησόμενον τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως μυστήριον, ὅτι πάντως ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ὑποστήσας τὴν φύσιν, καὶ διαφθαρεῖσαν ἐπανορθώσηται. Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως· Ἡλίας εἰς τύπον τοῦ Κυρίου λαμβάνεται· αὐτὸς γὰρ λιμοῦ νοητοῦ πάσας τὰς καρδίας κατέχοντος, ἦλθεν ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ βίῳ, τῶν πειρασμῶν καὶ τῶν παθῶν ἑκὼν ἀνασχόμενος, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἐλθόντα οὐ παρέλαβον οὐδὲ ἔθρεψαν, τὰ δὲ ἔθνη τὰ τῇ εἰδωλολατρείᾳ μεμελανωμένα ὑπεδέξαντο καὶ ἔθρεψαν διὰ γνώσεως καὶ πράξεως, διὰ τοῦ ἄρτου τῆς γνώσεως δηλουμένης, διὰ δὲ τοῦ κρέατος τῆς πράξεως. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ \"ἀγαλλιάσεται ὡς γίγας δραμεῖν ὁδόν\";","english":"The gourd is the bodily worship of the law, which the worm dried up—the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, \"I am a worm and not a man\"; for by his coming he abolished the temporary worship of the law. And the fact that there were in the city twelve thousand who did not know right or left signifies those who pursue virtue neither by excess nor by deficiency but by the mean and the royal road.\n\nQUESTION: Why is it that a raven feeds Elijah with bread in the morning and meat in the evening? ANSWER: The raven is taken to mean the nature that has been blackened by disobedience, while Elijah, sitting by the brook, is taken to mean the knowing mind established in the brook of temptations and the labors of ascetic practice. He is fed from the blackened nature with bread in the morning—that is, gathering knowledge from the natural contemplation of beings—and with meat in the evening; for he is initiated into the mystery of the Lord's incarnation that will come at the last, that he who established nature out of nothing will surely restore it when it has been corrupted. Or otherwise: Elijah is taken as a type of the Lord; for when an intelligible famine held all hearts, he came to the brook—that is, to this life—willingly enduring temptations and passions, and his own people, though he came to his own, did not receive him or feed him, but the nations, blackened by idolatry, welcomed him and fed him through knowledge and practice, knowledge being signified by the bread and practice by the meat. QUESTION: What is the meaning of what is said in the psalm, \"He will rejoice like a giant to run his course\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":128,"ref":"p128","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ «Γίγας» ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ἐπιπίπτων,’ λαμβάνεται δὲ εἰς τὸν Κύριον· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἠγαλλιάσατο κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς οἰκονομίας τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν\n\nπραγματευσάμενος, καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ταῖς δαιμονικαῖς φάλαγξιν, καταργήσας αὐτῶν τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν δυναστείαν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ οα' (71) ψαλμοῦ· «ἀνατελεῖ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ δικαιοσύνη καὶ πλῆθος εἰρήνης, ἕως οὗ ἀνταναιρεθῇ ἡ σελήνη». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Δῆλον πᾶσίν ἐστιν ὡς περὶ τῆς ἐνσάρκου πολιτείας τοῦ Κυρίου ὁ προφήτης τῷ Πνεύματι ταῦτα προεῖπεν. Ἡμέραι δὲ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰσὶν οὐχ ἃς ἐπὶ γῆς σωματικῶς διέτριψεν ἀλλ᾽ αἱ ἀρεταί, αἵτινες ἡμέρας δίκην φωτίζουσαι ἀνατέλλειν ἐν ἡμῖν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ποιοῦσιν. Ποίαν δικαιοσύνην ἢ τὴν ἀπονεμητικὴν ἕξιν τὴν μὴ ἐῶσαν ἐπανίστασθαι τὸ ἧττον τῷ κρείττονι, τουτέστιν «τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ πνεύματος»; «Πλῆθος δὲ εἰρήνης» ἐν ἡμῖν γίνεται ὅτ᾽ ἂν κατευνασθέντα τὰ πάθη ἀστασίαστα πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν διαμένουσιν· τὸ δὲ «ἕως οὗ ἀνταναιρεθῇ ἡ σελήνη» τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ὅτι τοσαύτη γίνεται τῇ ψυχῇ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ γνώσεως τῆς ἀνατελλούσης ἡμῖν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὥστε καὶ αὐτὰς ψιλὰς τὰς φαντασίας τῆς ἀλλοιωτῆς ἡμῶν φύσεως αὕτη γὰρ ἡ σελήνη τέλεον ἀνταναιρεθῆναι. «Καὶ κατακυριεύσῃ», φησίν, «ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἕως θαλάσσης»· θάλασσαν ἐνταῦθα τὴν πρᾶξιν δηλοῖ, ἐξ ἧς ἀρχόμενος κυριεύει τῶν ὑποτασσομένων τῷ αὐτοῦ νόμῳ «ἕως θαλάσσης», τῆς ἀπλέτου δηλονότι γνώσεως, ἐν ᾗ ἐννήχονται διὰ τῆς τῶν ὄντων θεωρίας οἱ ταύτης μέτοχοι.","english":"ANSWER: \"Giant\" is interpreted as \"one who falls upon,\" and it is taken to refer to the Lord; for he rejoiced, having accomplished our salvation along the path of his dispensation, and he fell upon the demonic phalanxes, abolishing their dominion against us.\n\nQUESTION: From the 71st Psalm: \"In his days righteousness shall spring up and abundance of peace, until the moon be removed.\" ANSWER: It is clear to all that the prophet foretold these things by the Spirit concerning the Lord's life in the flesh. And the Lord's days are not those he spent bodily on earth, but the virtues, which, illuminating like days, cause righteousness to spring up in us. What righteousness, if not the distributive habit that does not allow the lesser to rise up against the greater, that is, \"the mind of the flesh against the law of the spirit\"? And \"abundance of peace\" comes to be in us when the passions, having been calmed, remain free from rebellion toward the soul; and \"until the moon be removed\" signifies this: that such great knowledge of God comes to the soul, springing up righteousness in us, that even the bare fantasies of our mutable nature—for this is the moon—are completely removed. \"And he shall have dominion,\" it says, \"from sea to sea\": here it indicates the sea as practice, from which beginning he rules over those subject to his law \"to the sea,\" that is, clearly to the boundless knowledge, in which those who partake of it swim through the contemplation of beings.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":129,"ref":"p129","source":"Ἢ καὶ θάλασσαν τὸ βάπτισμα νόησον, ἐν ᾧ κατὰ τὸν προφήτην ἀφανίζεται τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀντικειμένου εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν πρώτην καὶ τὰ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν ἐσχάτην, πρώτην θάλασσαν, ὡς εἴρηται, λέγων τὸ βάπτισμα, ἐσχάτην δὲ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἐν ᾗ τὰ ὀπίσθια τοῦ ἐχθροῦ καταργοῦνται· τότε γὰρ ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν ἀποτίθεται τελείως τὸν διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως ἐντεθέντα νόμον τῆς ἁμαρτίας.\n\nἪ καὶ ἄλλως· ἀφανίζεται τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ διαβόλου, τουτέστιν αἱ πονηραὶ πράξεις, διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς· αὐτὴ γάρ, ὡς εἴρηται, ἡ πρώτη θάλασσα· ἀφανίζεται δὲ καὶ τὰ ὀπίσθια, τουτέστιν αἱ προλήψεις τῶν κακῶν καὶ αἱ φαντασίαι, διὰ τῆς δευτέρας θαλάσσης, τουτέστιν τῆς γνώσεως. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἡ πρὸς Νικόδημον ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου γενομένη διάλεξις, ἐν ᾗ λέγει ὅτι τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις, περὶ ποίου λέγει πνεύματος; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τινὲς μὲν περὶ τοῦ ἀερίου πνεύματος λέγειν τὸν Κύριον νομίζουσιν, ἐμοὶ δὲ μᾶλλον φαίνεται ὅτι περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος λέγει. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐξουσιαστικῶς ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ, θέλει δὲ ἐν τοῖς δεκτικοῖς καὶ καθαροῖς τὴν διάνοιαν·","english":"Or understand the sea as baptism, in which, according to the prophet, the face of the adversary is destroyed into the first sea and his back parts into the last sea, calling the first sea, as has been said, baptism, and the last the resurrection, in which the back parts of the enemy are abolished; for then our nature fully puts off the law of sin that was implanted through transgression.\n\nOr otherwise: the face of the devil is destroyed, that is, his evil deeds, through the practical life; for this, as has been said, is the first sea; and his back parts are also destroyed, that is, the preconceptions of evils and the fantasies, through the second sea, that is, knowledge. QUESTION: The conversation that took place from the Lord with Nicodemus, in which he says that the Spirit blows where he wishes and you hear his voice—about what spirit does he say this? ANSWER: Some think that the Lord is speaking about the airy wind, but to me it rather appears that he is speaking about the Holy Spirit. For this Spirit blows where he wishes with authority, and he wishes in those who are receptive and pure in mind.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":130,"ref":"p130","source":"οὗτοι γὰρ ἐμπνεόμενοι τὰ θεῖα χαρίσματα, πόθεν μὲν ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς τὸ οἱονοῦν χάρισμα ἢ διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν, οὐ γινώσκουσιν, οὐδὲ εἰς ποῖον τέλος καταντᾷ ἡ τοῦ χαρίσματος δωρεά, μόνον δὲ τὴν φωνὴν ἀκούουσιν, τουτέστιν αὐτὴν τὴν διὰ τῆς τοῦ βίου καθαρότητος τοῦ χαρίσματος ἐνέργειαν διαδεικνυμένην καὶ τρόπον τινὰ φωνὴν ἀφιεῖσαν, εἴτε διδασκαλίας ἐστὶν χάρισμα εἴτε ἰαμάτων εἴτ᾽ ἔτι *** *** *** ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος βλασφημία καὶ πῶς «πᾶν ἁμάρτημα ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, τοῖς δὲ εἰς αὐτὸ βλασφημοῦσιν οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται, οὔτε ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἡ περὶ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος βλασφημίας ἀπορία αὐτόθεν ἔχει τὴν λύσιν· τοῦ γὰρ Κυρίου ἰάσεις ποιοῦντος ποικίλας, οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὰς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνεργείας τῷ\n\nἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ταύτας ἀνετίθεσαν. Τὸ δὲ οὔτε ἐνταῦθα οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι ἄφεσιν γίνεσθαι τοῖς βλασφημοῦσιν, ἑξῆς ζητητέον. Φασί τινες τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἠκριβωκότων τέσσαρας ( εἶναι τρόπους δι᾽ ὧν συγχώρησις γίνεται ἁμαρτημάτων, δύο ἐνταῦθα καὶ δύο ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἐξικνεῖται ἡ μνήμη ὅλου τοῦ χρόνου μνημονεύειν τὰ σφάλματα, ἵνα ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἐνταῦθα μετανοήσῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ᾠκονόμησεν φιλάνθρωπος ὢν ὁ Δεσπότης τῆς φύσεως, καὶ ἡμῶν μὴ μετανοούντων, τρόπους μετανοίας· ἐν μὲν τῷ μέλλοντι, ὡς εἴρηται, δύο·","english":"For these, being inspired with the divine charisms, do not know from where any charism at all was given to them, or for what cause, nor to what end the gift of the charism arrives, but they only hear the voice—that is, the very activity of the charism made manifest through the purity of life, and in some manner emitting a voice—whether it is a charism of teaching or of healings or yet *** *** *** QUESTION: What is the blasphemy against the Spirit, and how is it that \"every sin will be forgiven to men, but to those who blaspheme against it it will not be forgiven, neither in this age nor in the one to come\"?\n\nANSWER: The difficulty concerning the blasphemy against the Spirit has its solution from the very matter itself; for when the Lord was performing various healings, the Jews attributed the energies of the Spirit to the\n\nruler of the demons. But that there is no forgiveness for those who blaspheme, neither here nor in the age to come, must be examined next. Some of those who have accurately understood such matters through the Spirit say that there are four ways by which forgiveness of sins comes about, two here and two in the age to come. For since memory does not reach so far as to remember the sins of the whole of time, so that a man might repent of them here, the Master of nature, being philanthropic, arranged ways of repentance even when we do not repent; in the age to come, as has been said, two;","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":131,"ref":"p131","source":"ὅτ᾽ ἄν τις ἀδιαφόρως ἐνταῦθα ἁμαρτήσας καὶ πάλιν ἀδιαφόρως ἀγαθοεργήσας, εἴτε εἰς οἶκτον καὶ συμπάθειαν πρὸς τὸν πλησίον κινηθεὶς ἢ ὅσα ἄλλα φιλανθρωπίας ἐχόμενα, ταῦτα ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς κρίσεως ζυγοστατούμενα, ἐφ᾽ ἃ τὴν ῥοπὴν ἕξει, συγχώρησις γίνεται· οὗτος μὲν ὁ εἷς τρόπος· δεύτερος δὲ οὗτος· ὅτ᾽ ἄν τις ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐνεχόμενος, ἀκούων δὲ τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος \"μὴ κρίνετε ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε\", φοβούμενος οὐδένα κρίνει, ἐν τῇ ἐξετάσει τῶν βεβιωμένων ὡς φύλαξ τῆς ἐντολῆς οὐ κρίνεται· τῆς γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ ἐντολῆς οὐκ ἐπιλήσμων ὁ ἀψευδέστατος. Οἱ δὲ ἕτεροι δύο τρόποι ἐνταῦθα τὴν συγχώρησιν ἔχουσιν· ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἐν ἁμαρτίαις τις ὢν οἰκονομῆται ἐκ τῆς προνοίας ἐν συμφοραῖς, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν νόσοις ὡς οὐκ οἷδεν γὰρ διὰ τῶν τοιούτων καθαίρει αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός καὶ εἰ μὲν εὐχαριστεῖ πειραζόμενος, τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ μισθὸν λαμβάνει, εἰ δὲ ἀχαριστεῖ, δι᾽ ἃς μὲν ἁμαρτίας παιδεύεται ἐκ τούτων καθαίρεται, τὴν δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀχαριστίας εἰσπράττεται ποινήν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἅτινα εἰς ἀνθρώπους τις ἁμαρτάνει, ὡς ἔδειξεν ὁ λόγος, πολλὰς ἔχει προφάσεις συγχωρήσεων ἁμαρτάνων γάρ τις εἰς ἄνθρωπον, ἄλλον δὲ ἄνθρωπον εὖ ποιῶν, εἰς ἣν φύσιν ἥμαρτεν, αὐτῇ καὶ ἀπελογήσατο ἡ δὲ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα βλασφημία ἔστιν δὲ ἡ ἀπιστία μὴ ἔχουσα ἑτέραν πρόφασιν συγχωρήσεως εἰ μὴ τὸ γενέσθαι πιστόν, εἰκότως τῷ ἐν τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ τὸν βίον κατακλείσαντι οὔτε ἐνταῦθα οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι ἀφεθήσεται τῆς ἀπιστίας καὶ ἀθεΐας ἡ ἁμαρτία.","english":"Whenever someone here sins indifferently and again does good indifferently, whether moved to pity and compassion toward his neighbor or to whatever else pertains to philanthropy, these things are weighed in the balance in the age to come at the time of judgment, and forgiveness is granted for whatever the inclination favors. This is the one way. The second is this: whenever someone entangled in sins, hearing the Lord say, \"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged,\" fears and judges no one, in the examination of his life he is not judged, as one who has kept the commandment; for the most truthful one is not forgetful of his own commandment. The other two ways have their forgiveness here: whenever someone in sins is administered by providence in calamities, in necessities, in illnesses—for God purifies him through such things in a way he does not know—and if he gives thanks while being tested, he receives the reward for his thanksgiving; but if he is ungrateful, he is purified from these things for the sins for which he is disciplined, but he is exacted the penalty for his ingratitude. Since, therefore, whatever sins someone commits against men, as the account has shown, has many occasions for forgiveness—for in sinning against a man, and doing good to another man, he has made his defense to the very nature against which he sinned—but the blasphemy against the Spirit, which is unbelief, has no other occasion for forgiveness except to become faithful, reasonably for the one who has shut up his life in unbelief, neither here nor in the age to come will the sin of his unbelief and godlessness be forgiven.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":132,"ref":"p132","source":"( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου· «ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· εἰσί τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστώτων οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσονται θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει». Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Μάρκος, ὁ δὲ Ματθαῖος· «ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος τοῖς καθ᾽ ἱστορίαν γινομένοις οὐ περιγράφεται, ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ἐνεργὴς ὢν ἡλίου δίκην τὸ οἰκεῖον φῶς ἐπιλάμπει, οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἔλεγεν τὸ εἰσίν τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστώτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ πάντων τῶν κατ᾽ αὐτοὺς τῇ ἀρετῇ διαλαμψάντων λέγει ἀντὶ τοῦ \"τῶν τῇ βάσει τῶν ἀρετῶν πλησίον μου ἐχόντων τὴν στάσιν\". Τὸ δὲ «οὐ μὴ γεύσονται θανάτου» εἴρηται μὲν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὅτι οὐ μὴ γεύσονται τοῦ φυσικοῦ θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν διὰ τῆς Μεταμορφώσεως τὴν εἰκόνα τῆς μελλούσης ἔσεσθαι τοῖς ἁγίοις λαμπρότητος. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ οἶδεν ὁ λόγος διαφόρους θανάτους καὶ γὰρ ἡ τῶν παθῶν νέκρωσις θάνατος λέγεται· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ πρακτικός, ἡνίκα τὴν πρὸς τὰ πάθη μάχην ἀφέμενος ἐπὶ τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν ἔλθῃ, ἀπέθανεν τῇ προτέρᾳ καταστάσει, ἐνασχολούμενος τῇ τῶν ὄντων θεωρίᾳ, ἀργήσας ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἀγωνιστικῆς μάχης·","english":"QUESTION From the Gospel: \"Amen I say to you, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God having come in power.\" Mark says this, but Matthew says: \"until they see the Son of Man coming in his glory.\"\n\nANSWER Since the Word of God is not circumscribed by things that happen according to history, but being always active, like the sun, shines forth its own light, he spoke to the disciples not only according to history when he said \"there are some of those standing here,\" but he also speaks concerning all those who shone in virtue in their time, meaning instead \"those who have their standing near me on the foundation of the virtues.\" And \"they will not taste death\" was said also concerning the apostles, that they will not taste natural death until they see through the Transfiguration the image of the brightness that will belong to the saints. But since the word knows different deaths—for the mortification of the passions is also called death—and also the practical life, when, having ceased the battle against the passions, it comes to natural contemplation, it has died to its former state, being occupied with the contemplation of beings, having become idle from the agonistic battle of the practical life.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":133,"ref":"p133","source":"ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ περάσας τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν καὶ πάντα τὰ αἰτιατὰ καταλιπὼν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἴτιον ἐλθὼν διὰ τῆς θεολογικῆς ἀποφάσεως, καὶ οὗτος ἔθανεν τῇ προτέρᾳ καταστάσει, μηκέτι ἐν τοῖς πεποιημένοις κινούμενος ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ ποιητῇ τῶν ὅλων μεταβιβάσας τὴν κίνησιν περὶ οὖν τοῦ κατὰ ἀφαίρεσιν πάντων γινομένου θανάτου λέγει ὅτι οὐ μὴ γεύσονται αὐτοῦ, τουτέστιν οὐ μὴ πάθωσιν αὐτὸν ( οἱ τῶν ἀποστόλων κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν ἰσοστάσιοι, ἕως οὗ μεταμορφωθεὶς\n\nὁ Κύριος παραδείξει ἑαυτὸν μηκέτι καταφασκόμενον ἐκ τῆς τῶν ὄντων θέσεως, ἀλλὰ τῇ κατὰ ἀπόφασιν θεολογίᾳ παραδεικνὺς τὸ ἀπρόσιτον τῆς θεότητος κρύφιον. Τὸ δὲ λέγειν τὸν μὲν ἕνα τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν \"ἐρχόμενον τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ\", τὸν δὲ ἕτερον \"ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει\", τοῦτο σημαίνει· ἐπειδὴ κατὰ μὲν τὴν θεότητα ἔστιν Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γέγονεν δι᾽ ἡμᾶς Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, καθ᾽ ὃ μὲν οὖν ἐστιν Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀεὶ τὴν δόξαν κέκτηται, κατὰ δὲ τὸ γενέσθαι Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου λέγεται ἔρχεσθαι ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ. Οὕτως γὰρ ἐδόξασεν τὴν προσληφθεῖσαν ἀνθρωπότητα ὅτι ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ παθητῷ σώματι ὢν ὤφθη ἐν τῷ ὄρει μεταμορφωθείς, οὕτως ἡμεῖς ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει ἄφθαρτον ἀπολαμβάνοντες σῶμα ἐσόμεθα· τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει ἐσήμανεν ὡς οὔπω ἐνεργείᾳ πάρεστιν ἡ ἐλπιζομένη τῶν ἁγίων ἄφθαρτος καὶ αἰώνιος βασιλεία.","english":"But also the one who has passed beyond natural contemplation and has left behind all caused things and has come to the Cause through theological negation—this one too has died to his former state, no longer being moved among things made but having transferred his movement to the Maker of all things. Concerning the death, then, that comes about through the removal of all things, he says that they will not taste it—that is, they will not suffer it—namely those equal to the apostles in virtue, until the Lord, having been transfigured, shows himself no longer spoken of affirmatively from the positing of existing things, but by the theology according to negation displaying the inaccessible hiddenness of the Godhead. And the fact that one of the evangelists says \"the Son of Man coming in his glory,\" while the other says \"until they see the kingdom of God having come in power,\" means this: since according to the Godhead he is the Son of God, but according to the human nature he became for our sake the Son of Man—according to what he is, then, as Son of God he always possesses the glory, but according to his becoming Son of Man he is said to come in his glory. For in this way he glorified the humanity he assumed, so that just as, being in a passible body, he was seen transfigured on the mountain, so we, receiving an incorruptible body in the resurrection, will be. For the phrase \"having come in power\" indicated that the hoped-for incorruptible and eternal kingdom of the saints is not yet present in actual operation.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":134,"ref":"p134","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ «Καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ἓξ παραλαμβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν κατ᾽ ἰδίαν καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔλαμψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο λευκὰ ὡς τὸ φῶς».\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τὸ μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ἓξ σημαίνει ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις ὁ Θεὸς τὴν φαινομένην κτίσιν εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρήγαγεν, οἵτινες τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῶν ἀρετῶν καὶ τῆς γνώσεως τὰ φαινόμενα πάντα διέβησαν, οὗτοι τῷ Λόγῳ συναναβαίνουσιν ἐν τῷ τῆς θεολογίας ( ὄρει. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὁ Λουκᾶς ὀκτὼ ἡμερῶν ἐμνημόνευσεν καὶ δοκεῖ ἐναντιότητα τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν δεικνύειν, τὸ ἄπορον ἐν τούτοις οἶμαι τὴν ἐπίλυσιν δέχεσθαι καὶ συντρέχειν τὴν ἱστορίαν ἁρμοδίως τῇ θεωρίᾳ· ὥσπερ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν ὁ τὰς ἓξ ἡμέρας εἰπὼν τὰς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ εἶπεν, ὁ δὲ τὰς ὀκτὼ εἰπὼν καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐν ᾗ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐν ᾗ ἡ Μεταμόρφωσις γέγονεν ἐσήμανεν, οὕτως καὶ κατὰ τὴν θεωρίαν· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ ἄνθρωπος διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως εἰς τὸ παρὰ φύσιν ἐξωλίσθησεν, δεῖ τὸν θέλοντα συναναβῆναι τῷ Λόγῳ εἰς τὸ τῆς θεολογίας ὄρος πρῶτον μὲν καθάπερ μίαν ἡμέραν περᾶσαι τὰ παρὰ φύσιν καὶ καθάπερ ἓξ ἡμέρας περᾶσαι τὴν φύσιν καὶ γενέσθαι ἐν τῇ ὑπὲρ φύσιν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὀγδόη· ὑπερθετικὴ γὰρ τοῦ χρόνου αὕτη καὶ τὴν μέλλουσαν χαρακτηρίζει κατάστασιν.","english":"QUESTION: \"And after six days Jesus takes Peter and James and John and brings them up into a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as the light.\"\n\nANSWER: \"After six days\" means that, since in six days God brought the visible creation into being, those who by the abundance of virtues and knowledge have passed beyond all visible things ascend together with the Word on the mountain of theology. But since Luke mentioned eight days and seems to show a contradiction among the evangelists, I think this difficulty admits of a solution, and that the history harmonizes fittingly with the contemplation. For just as, according to the history, the one who said \"six days\" meant the days in between, while the one who said \"eight\" indicated both the beginning, in which the Lord spoke, and the end, in which the Transfiguration took place, so also according to the contemplation. For since man, through transgression, slipped away into what is contrary to nature, the one who wishes to ascend with the Word to the mountain of theology must first pass through what is contrary to nature as though it were one day, and pass through nature as though it were six days, and come to be in what is above nature, which is the eighth; for this is beyond time and marks out the state that is to come.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":135,"ref":"p135","source":"Διατί δὲ «παραλαμβάνει Πέτρον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην» μόνους κατ᾽ ἰδίαν; Ὡς ἀεὶ τοῦ Λόγου τὴν ὀχλώδη καὶ ταραχῆς ἀνάμεστον ἐκνεύοντος κατάστασιν, καὶ ἐπειδὴ ὁ Πέτρος κατὰ τὸ πρῶτον τοῦ Σίμωνος ὄνομα ‘ὑπακοὴ’ ἑρμηνεύεται, κατὰ δὲ τὸ Πέτρος δηλοῖ τὴν ἀτρεψίαν, σημαίνεται δὲ διὰ τούτων ἡ κατὰ τῶν τῆς ὑπακοῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν ἄτρεπτος καὶ ἀμετακίνητος εἰς Θεὸν πίστις, ὁ δὲ Ἰάκωβος ἑρμηνεύεται ‘πτερνιστής,’ δηλοῦται δὲ διὰ τούτου ἡ ἐλπίς εἰ μὴ γάρ τις ἐλπίσῃ τῶν παρερχομένων τούτων καὶ φθαρτῶν ἀντιλαμβάνειν τὰ ἀπαρόδευτα καὶ ἄφθαρτα, οὐκ ἂν τὸν τὴν ἀπάτην ἀεὶ ἐν τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ἔχοντα διάβολον πτερνίσαι δύναται, ὁ δὲ Ιωάννης ἑρμηνεύεται ‘περιστερά,’ δηλοῦται δὲ διὰ τούτου ἡ ἀγάπη, ἐπειδὴ ἡ πραότης οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἢ θυμοῦ καὶ ἐπιθυμίας εἰς τὰ παρὰ φύσιν ἀκινησία, ὁ δὲ μήτε δι᾽ ἐπιθυμιῶν μήτε δι᾽ ἀποτυχίαν ( ὧν ἐπιθυμεῖ εἰς θυμὸν ἐρχόμενος προδήλως πάντας ἀγαπᾷ, τοῖς οὖν κτησαμένοις πίστιν, ἐλπίδα τε καὶ ἀγάπην συναναβαίνει ὁ Λόγος εἰς τὸ τῆς θεολογίας ὄρος καὶ μεταμορφοῦται ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, οὐκέτι τῷ Θεὸς λέγεσθαι καὶ ἅγιος καὶ βασιλεὺς καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα καταφασκόμενος, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ ὑπέρθεος καὶ ὑπεράγιος καὶ πάντα τὰ καθ᾽ ὑπεροχὴν λεγόμενα ἀποφασκόμενος.","english":"Why does he take \"Peter and James and John\" alone by themselves? Because the Word always withdraws from the crowded and disturbance-filled condition, and since Peter, according to the first name of Simon, is interpreted as \"obedience,\" and according to \"Peter\" it signifies immutability, and by these is signified the immutable and immovable faith toward God that comes from obedience to the commandments; and James is interpreted as \"supplanter,\" and by this is signified hope—for unless one hopes, in taking hold of these passing and corruptible things, to receive the untrodden and incorruptible things, he cannot supplant the devil, who always has his deceit in sensible things; and John is interpreted as \"dove,\" and by this is signified love, since meekness is nothing other than the stillness of anger and desire toward things contrary to nature, and the one who, neither through desires nor through failure to obtain what he desires, comes into anger, clearly loves all. To those, then, who have acquired faith, hope, and love, the Word goes up with them to the mountain of theology and is transfigured before them, no longer being affirmed as God and holy and king and the like, but being denied according to what is beyond God and beyond holy and all things said by way of preeminence.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":136,"ref":"p136","source":"Πρόσωπον δὲ τοῦ Λόγου ἐστίν, ὅπερ ἔλαμψεν ὥσπερ ἥλιος, ἡ χαρακτηριστικὴ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ κρυφιότης, ᾗπερ ἐνατενίσαι τῇ τῶν λογισμῶν ἑρμηνείᾳ ἀδύνατον, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τῇ λαμπρότητι τοῦ ἡλίου, κἂν εἰ πάνυ τις τὴν ὀπτικὴν δύναμίν ἐστιν κεκαθαρμένος. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἱμάτιον ἐμνήσθη ἡ Γραφή, χρὴ κατὰ τὸν εἱρμὸν τῆς ἀκολουθίας καὶ τοῦ σώματος μνείαν ποιήσασθαι. Σῶμα οὖν τοῦ Λόγου ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν ἀρετῶν οὐσία, οἷον, ἡ ἀγαθότης, ἡ πραότης καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα· ἱμάτια δὲ τοῦ Λόγου εἰσὶν τὰ τῆς Γραφῆς ῥήματα καὶ ἡ προβεβλημένη καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ τὸ εἶναι λαβοῦσα κοσμουργία, ἅπερ λευκὰ βλέπουσιν οἱ τὸ μὲν γράμμα τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἀποξέοντες τῆς ἐπικειμένης παχύτητος καὶ τῇ τοῦ Πνεύματος θεωρίᾳ τὸ λαμπρὸν τῶν νοημάτων ἐποπτεύοντες κάλλος καὶ οἱ τὴν αἰσθητὴν κτίσιν τῇ περιαιρέσει τῆς κατ᾽ αἴσθησιν ἀπάτης λαμπρῶς ἐποπτεύοντες καὶ ἐκ μεγέθους καλλονῆς τὸν ταύτης Δημιουργὸν ἀναλόγως συλλογιζόμενοι.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ «Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὤφθησαν Μωυσῆς καὶ Ἡλίας συλλαλοῦντες αὐτῷ· ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Πέτρος εἶπε τῷ Ἰησοῦ· \"Κύριε, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς εἶναι ὧδε· εἰ θέλεις, ποιήσωμεν τρεῖς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν καὶ Μωσῇ μίαν καὶ Ἡλίᾳ μίαν\"». ( ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἱ γὰρ διαβαίνοντες ἀπὸ τοῦ γράμματος εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα ὁρῶσιν τόν τε νόμον καὶ τοὺς προφήτας συνόντας τῷ Λόγῳ καὶ διαπρυσίῳ καταγγέλλοντας φωνῇ τὴν αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν. Τίνος δὲ χάριν σκηνῶν ὁ Πέτρος ἐμνημόνευσεν; Ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα γνῶσις καὶ πᾶσα ἀρετή, συγκρινομένη τῇ μελλούσῃ καταστάσει, σκηνῆς εὐκαταλύτου οὐδὲν διενήνοχεν, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον φάσκοντα \"εἴτε προφητεῖαι παύσονται εἴτε γνῶσις καταργηθήσεται\".","english":"The face of the Word, which shone like the sun, is the hiddenness that characterizes His essence, at which it is impossible to gaze directly through the interpretation of thoughts, just as it is impossible to gaze at the brightness of the sun, even if one has thoroughly purified one's power of sight. But since Scripture has mentioned a garment, it is necessary, following the sequence of the passage, to make mention also of the body. The body of the Word, then, is the essence of the virtues—for example, goodness, meekness, and the like; and the garments of the Word are the words of Scripture and the ordered creation that has been brought forth and received its being from God, which those see as white who scrape off the letter of the divine Scripture from the thickness that lies upon it and, by the contemplation of the Spirit, behold the radiant beauty of the meanings, and who behold the sensible creation radiantly by stripping away the deception that comes through the senses and who, from the greatness of its beauty, proportionally infer its Creator.\n\nQUESTION: \"And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared, conversing with Him. And Peter answered and said to Jesus: 'Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You will, let us make three tents: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'\" ANSWER: For those who pass from the letter to the spirit see both the Law and the Prophets in company with the Word and proclaiming His presence with a voice that rings out clearly. For what reason did Peter mention tents? Because all knowledge and all virtue, compared with the state that is to come, differs in no way from a tent that is easily taken down, according to the Apostle who says, \"whether prophecies, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it shall be done away.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":137,"ref":"p137","source":"Τρεῖς δὲ σκηναί εἰσιν· πραγματική, φυσικὴ καὶ θεολογική· καὶ τὴν μὲν θεολογικὴν ὡς Θεῷ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀπένειμεν, τὴν δὲ φυσικὴν θεωρίαν τῷ Μωυσῇ ὡς γεγραφότι τὴν τῶν ὅλων γέννησιν, τὴν δὲ πρακτικὴν τῷ Ἡλίᾳ ὡς παρθένῳ καὶ ζηλωτῇ καὶ ἀσκητῇ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τίς ὁ λόγος τοῦ Μωσέα καὶ Ἡλίαν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας νηστεῦσαι καὶ τί δήποτε ὁ Κύριος ὥσπερ τὰ τῶν δούλων ἐπισφραγίσας κατεδέξατο καὶ αὐτὸς τὰς αὐτὰς μ' (40) ἡμέρας ἄσιτος διαμεῖναι καὶ τί σημαίνει ὁ τεσσαράκοντα ἀριθμός; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ μὲν τεσσαρακοστὸς ἀριθμὸς ὡς κακωτικὸς πολλαχοῦ ἐν τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ παρείληπται Γραφῇ, ὡς οἱ κακοπαθήσαντες ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἰσραηλῖται τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη καὶ οἱ αὐτοὶ δουλεύσαντες ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τετρακόσια ἔτη. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ κόσμος οὗτος ἐν ᾧ τὴν κάκωσιν ὑπομένομεν ἐκ τεσσάρων συνίσταται στοιχείων. Ὁ οὖν Μωυσῆς ὡς πρῶτος νομοθετήσας καὶ νηπίοις οὖσι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τὸν νόμον παραδούς, τεσσαράκοντα νηστεύει ἡμέρας, σημαίνων ὅτι ἡ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν νομοθεσία τῶν κατὰ πρᾶξιν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν ἀποχὴν νομοθετεῖ· πᾶσα γὰρ ἁμαρτία ἐκ τῶν αἰσθητῶν καὶ τῶν αἰσθήσεων συνίστασθαι πέφυκεν. ( Ὁ δὲ Ἡλίας τοῦ προφητικοῦ χαρίσματος τύπον φέρων ὡς ὑπεραναβεβηκὼς τὰ νομικὰ παραγγέλματα νηστεύει τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, σημαίνων ὅτι τὸ προφητικὸν χάρισμα τὴν ἀποχὴν τῶν συγκαταθέσεων νομοθετεῖ. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ὡς πληρωτὴς τοῦ νόμου καὶ μόνος ἄρας τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, νηστεύσας τὰς τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, δέδωκεν ἡμῖν δύναμιν οὐ μόνον τῶν κατὰ πρᾶξιν καὶ συγκατάθεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν ἀπέχεσθαι ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ψιλῶν φαντασιῶν ἀνωτέρους γενέσθαι.","english":"There are three tents: the practical, the natural, and the theological. The theological he assigned to the Lord God, the natural contemplation to Moses, since he wrote the generation of all things, and the practical to Elijah, as a virgin, a zealot, and an ascetic.\n\nQUESTION: What is the reason that Moses and Elijah fasted forty days, and why did the Lord, as if sealing the things of his servants, deign himself also to remain without food the same forty days? And what does the number forty signify? ANSWER: The number forty is taken in many places in the divinely inspired Scripture as productive of affliction, as when the Israelites suffered hardship in the desert forty years, and the same people served in Egypt four hundred years. But this world also, in which we endure affliction, consists of four elements. Moses, then, as the first lawgiver and as one who delivered the law to the Jews while they were infants, fasts forty days, signifying that the legislation given through him legislates abstinence from sins committed in practice; for every sin is naturally constituted from sensible things and the senses. Elijah, bearing the type of the prophetic gift as one who has transcended the legal precepts, fasts forty days, signifying that the prophetic gift legislates abstinence from assents. The Lord, as the fulfiller of the law and the only one who took away the sin of the world, having fasted the forty days, gave us power not only to abstain from sins in practice and assent but also to become superior to the bare fantasies themselves.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":138,"ref":"p138","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Τί σημαίνει ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὅτε μετὰ τὸ πάντα πειρασμὸν τοῦ διαβόλου τοῦ Κυρίου ἀποκρουσαμένου ἐπισημαίνεται ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ὅτι «ἀπέστη ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὁ διάβολος ἄχρι καιροῦ»; Ποίου ἄρα καιροῦ;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Διπλῶν τῶν πειρασμῶν ὄντων, ἑκουσίων τε καὶ ἀκουσίων, τουτέστιν ἡδονικῶν τε καὶ ἐπιπόνων, πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τῶν ἡδονικῶν πειράσας τὸν Κύριον ὁ διάβολος, διά τε γαστριμαργίας καὶ φιλαργυρίας καὶ κενοδοξίας πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα ἡδονῆς εἰσιν ποιητικά καὶ ἀποκρουσθείς, ἀπέστη ἄχρι καιροῦ. Ποίου καιροῦ; Τοῦ κατὰ τὸν σταυρὸν πάθους, ἵνα καὶ διὰ τῶν ἀκουσίων καὶ ἐπιπόνων πειρασμῶν, ὡς ᾤετο, προσβαλὼν τῷ Κυρίῳ, δυνηθείη εὑρεῖν ἐν αὐτῷ τι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων παθῶν· ἀπεκρούσθη δὲ καὶ διὰ τούτων, καὶ θριαμβευθεὶς ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ κατηργήθη. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ μεμαρτύρηται ὁ Ἰωάννης ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου μείζων πάντων τῶν ἐν γεννητοῖς γενέσθαι καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ βίος αὐτοῦ καθαρὸς καὶ ἁμαρτίας πάσης κεχωρισμένος ἦν, τίνος *** *** λείπει ΠΑΡΑΛΛΑΓΗ Α' ΕΡΩΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΕΩΝ ἐρωτήσεις διάφοροι καὶ ἐκλογαὶ διαφόρων κεφαλαίων ἀπορουμένων ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,1 Τίνες ἀρεταὶ ψυχῆς καὶ τίνες σώματος;","english":"QUESTION: What does it mean in the Gospel when, after the Lord had repelled every temptation of the devil, the evangelist notes that \"the devil departed from him until a time\"? What sort of time?\n\nANSWER: Since temptations are of two kinds, voluntary and involuntary—that is, those of pleasure and those of pain—the devil first tempted the Lord through those of pleasure, through gluttony and love of money and vainglory (for all these are productive of pleasure), and having been repelled, he departed until a time. What sort of time? The time of the passion at the cross, so that by assailing the Lord also through involuntary and painful temptations, as he supposed, he might be able to find in him some of the human passions. But he was repelled through these as well, and having been triumphed over in the cross, he was brought to nothing. QUESTION: Since John has been testified by the Lord himself to be greater than all those born of women—for indeed his life was pure and separated from all sin—of what *** *** missing VARIANT OF THE FIRST BOOK OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: various questions and selections of various chapters that are puzzling ( QUESTION 1,1: Which are the virtues of the soul and which of the body?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":139,"ref":"p139","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἀρεταὶ ψυχῆς εἰσιν αὗται· ἀγάπη, ταπείνωσις, πραότης, μακροθυμία, ἀνεξικακία, ἀμνησικακία, ἀοργησία, τὸ ἄθυμον, τὸ ἄφθονον, τὸ ἄκριτον, τὸ ἀκενόδοξον, ἐλεημοσύνη, σωφροσύνη, τὸ ἀφιλάργυρον, συμπάθεια, τὸ ἄτυφον, τὸ ἀνυπερήφανον, τὸ κατανυκτικόν. Ἀρεταὶ δὲ σώματός εἰσιν αὗται· νηστεία, χαμευνία, ἀγρυπνία, ἐγκράτεια, ἀκτημοσύνη, τὸ ἀπερίσπαστον. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,2 Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ εἰρημένον \"ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι, ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ\";\n\n( ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ «Ψάλλει τις τῷ πνεύματι» ὅτ᾽ ἂν μόνον τὴν προφορὰν τῶν ψαλλομένων διὰ γλώσσης φέρει· «ψάλλει δὲ τῷ νοῒ» ὅτ᾽ ἂν τὴν δύναμιν τῶν ψαλλομένων γινώσκων τῇ θεωρίᾳ εὐφραίνεται.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,3 Τί ἐστιν· «ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήφθην καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέν με ἡ μήτηρ μου»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ προηγούμενος σκοπὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἦν τοῦ μὴ διὰ γάμου γεννᾶσθαι ἡμᾶς καὶ φθορᾶς, ἡ δὲ παράβασις τῆς ἐντολῆς τὸν γάμον εἰσήγαγεν διὰ τὸ ἀνομῆσαι τὸν Ἀδάμ, τουτέστιν ἀθετῆσαι τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ δοθέντα αὐτῷ νόμον, πάντες οὖν οἱ ἐξ Ἀδὰμ γεννώμενοι ἐν ἀνομίαις συλλαμβάνονται, ὑποπίπτοντες τῇ τοῦ προπάτορος καταδίκῃ. Τὸ δὲ καὶ «ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέν με ἡ μήτηρ μου» σημαίνει ὅτι ἡ Εὔα ἡ πάντων ἡμῶν μήτηρ πρώτη ἐκίσσησεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ὥσπερ ὀργῶσα τὴν ἡδονήν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς τῇ τῆς μητρὸς ὑποπίπτοντες καταδίκῃ κισσᾶσθαι λέγομεν ἐν ἁμαρτίαις.","english":"ANSWER: The virtues of the soul are these: love, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness of injuries, freedom from anger, freedom from despondency, freedom from envy, freedom from rash judgment, freedom from vainglory, almsgiving, chastity, freedom from love of money, compassion, freedom from pride, freedom from arrogance, compunction. And the virtues of the body are these: fasting, sleeping on the ground, vigil, self-control, poverty, freedom from distraction. QUESTION 1.2: What is it that is said in the Apostle, \"I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the mind also\"?\n\nANSWER: One \"sings with the spirit\" when he merely utters the pronunciation of the things sung with the tongue; and he \"sings with the mind\" when, knowing the power of the things sung, he rejoices in contemplation.\n\nQUESTION 1.3: What is this: \"In iniquities I was conceived, and in sins my mother brought me forth\"?\n\nANSWER: Since the prior purpose of God was that we should not be born through marriage and corruption, but the transgression of the commandment introduced marriage because Adam acted lawlessly, that is, rejected the law given to him by God, therefore all who are born from Adam are conceived in iniquities, falling under the condemnation of the forefather. And \"in sins my mother brought me forth\" signifies that Eve, the mother of us all, first brought forth sin, as it were teeming with pleasure. For this reason we too, falling under the condemnation of our mother, are said to be brought forth in sins.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":140,"ref":"p140","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,4 Τί ἐστιν τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λεγόμενον \"ἀνάθεμα ( εἶναι ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν συγγενῶν μου\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\n«Ηὐχόμην», φησίν, παραδοθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῷ διαβόλῳ ὥστε μαστιγωθῆναι καὶ τὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ κολάσεις ὑπομεῖναι, ἅσπερ κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἐχρεώστουν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς Θεὸν αὐτῶν ἀπιστίας, μόνον ἵνα σωθῶσιν· καθ᾽ ὃν τρόπον καὶ ὁ Κύριος «παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ γέγονεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα». ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,5 Κατὰ πόσους τρόπους ἐξαμαρτάνει ὁ ἄνθρωπος; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἶμαι κατὰ τέσσαρας τρόπους ἁμαρτάνειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κατὰ συναρπαγήν, κατὰ ἀπάτην, κατὰ ἄγνοιαν, κατὰ διάθεσιν. Καὶ αἱ μὲν πρῶται τρεῖς εὐχερῶς εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν καὶ μετάνοιαν ἔρχονται, ὁ δὲ ἐκ διαθέσεως ἁμαρτάνων καὶ μήτε τῇ πείρᾳ μήτε τῷ χρόνῳ εἰς μετάνοιαν ἐρχόμενος ἀνήκεστον ἔχει τὴν κόλασιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,6 Τί δηλοῖ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὁ Κύριος λέγων ὅτι «δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται»;\n\n( ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Φασὶ τὸ ἀσσάριον δεκάνουμον εἶναι· δηλοῦται δὲ διὰ τοῦ δέκα τὸ ἰῶτα γράμμα· ἀρχὴ δέ ἐστιν τοῦτο τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἐξαγοράζεται οὖν διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Κυρίου ὁ παλαιὸς καὶ ὁ νέος λαός, καὶ ὁ ἔσω καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἄνθρωπος.","english":"QUESTION 1.4: What is the meaning of what the Apostle says, \"I could wish to be anathema from Christ for my kinsmen\"?\n\nANSWER: \"I could wish,\" he says, to be handed over by Christ to the devil, so as to be scourged and to endure the punishments on behalf of Israel, which by justice they owed for their unbelief toward God, only that they might be saved; in the same way as the Lord also \"gave himself up and became a curse for us.\"\n\nQUESTION 1.5: In how many ways does a man sin?\n\nANSWER: I think a man sins in four ways: by seizure, by deception, by ignorance, by disposition. And the first three come easily to recognition and repentance, but the one who sins from disposition and comes to repentance neither through experience nor through time has an incurable punishment.\n\nQUESTION 1.6: What does the Lord signify in the Gospel when he says that \"two sparrows are sold for an assarion\"?\n\nANSWER: They say that the assarion is worth ten nummi; and by the ten is indicated the letter iota; and this is the beginning of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore through the name of the Lord both the old and the new people are redeemed, and the inner and the outer man.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":141,"ref":"p141","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,7 Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἀπὸ Ἐλισσαίου, ἀναλαμβανομένου τοῦ Ἡλίου, ῥηθὲν \"ποῦ ὁ Θεὸς ἀφφώ;\" ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κατὰ τρεῖς ἐπιβολὰς ἑρμηνεύεται· ἢ \"ποῦ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου;\" ἢ \"ποῦ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ μεγάλου μου;\" ἢ \"ποῦ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ κρυβέντος;\" ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,8 Κατὰ πόσους τρόπους αἱ ἀλληγορίαι καὶ τί ἐστιν τροπολογία; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἀλληγορία ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀψύχων, οἷον, ὀρέων, βουνῶν, δένδρων καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν. Τροπολογία δέ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων μελῶν, οἷον, κεφαλῆς, ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν· τροπολογία γὰρ ἀντὶ τοῦ τρέπεσθαι λέγεται. ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,9 Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ εἰρημένον \"καθήμενος κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου κατελάλεις, καὶ κατὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς μητρός σου ἐτίθεις σκάνδαλον\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ τὴν τοῦ ὁμοπίστου πρᾶξιν κακηγορῶν καὶ ὥσπερ ἐγκαθήμενος τῇ τούτου λοιδορίᾳ, οὗτος εἰκότως λέγεται κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καταλαλεῖν. Ὁ δὲ τὸν υἱὸν τῆς σοφίας κοσμούμενον φθόνῳ φερόμενος ἐνδιαβάλλων καὶ πάντας σκανδαλίζων, οὗτός ἐστιν 'ὁ τιθεὶς τῷ υἱῷ τῆς μητρὸς σκάνδαλον'. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,10 Ἐπειδὴ ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ Διαδόχῳ ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ κεφαλαίῳ γέγραπται 'κριθήσεσθαί τινας διὰ πυρὸς καὶ καθαίρεσθαι ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι', παρακαλῶ ἐκκαλυφθῆναί μοι διὰ τῆς σαφηνείας τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ πατρός. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἱ τὸ τέλειον τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπης κεκτημένοι καὶ τὸ πτερὸν τῆς ψυχῆς διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν μετεωρίσαντες, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον ἐν νεφέλαις ἁρπάζονται καὶ εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχονται. ( Οἱ δέ γε μὴ πάντη τὸ τέλειον κτησάμενοι ἀλλὰ καὶ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ κατορθώματα κεκτημένοι, οὗτοι ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ τῆς κρίσεως","english":"QUESTION 1.7: What is the meaning of what was said by Elisha, when Elijah was taken up, \"Where is the God of Aphpho?\" ANSWER: It is interpreted in three senses: either \"Where is the God of my father?\" or \"Where is the God of my great one?\" or \"Where is the God of the hidden one?\" QUESTION 1.8: In how many ways are allegories [used], and what is tropology? ANSWER: Allegory is [the application of figurative language] to inanimate things, such as mountains, hills, trees, and the rest. Tropology is [the application of figurative language] to our own members, such as the head, eyes, and the rest; for tropology is so called from \"turning.\" ( QUESTION 1.9: What is the meaning of what is said in the psalm, \"You sat and spoke against your brother, and you set a stumbling block before the son of your mother\"? ANSWER: He who slanders the deed of a fellow believer and, as it were, sits down to revile him, is rightly said to speak against his brother. But he who, carried away by envy, slanders the son who is adorned with wisdom and causes all to stumble—this is the one who \"sets a stumbling block before the son of his mother.\" QUESTION 1.10: Since it is written in Saint Diadochus, in the hundredth chapter, that \"some will be judged through fire and purified in the age to come,\" I beg that the intention of the father be revealed to me through clarity. ANSWER: Those who have acquired the perfection of love toward God and have raised the wing of the soul on high through the virtues are, according to the Apostle, caught up in the clouds and do not come into judgment. ( But those who have not altogether acquired perfection but possess both sins and right actions—these, in the tribunal of judgment","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":142,"ref":"p142","source":"ἔρχονται κἀκεῖ διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ φαύλων πράξεων ἀντεξετάσεως οἱονεὶ πυρούμενοι, εἴπερ ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν πλάστιγξ ἐπιβαρήσει, καθαίρονται τῆς κολάσεως. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,11 Περὶ διαφόρων δικαιοσυνῶν.\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τρεῖς δικαιοσύνας οἱ τὰ θεῖα σοφοὶ λέγουσιν εἶναι, ἀνθρωπίνην, ἀγγελικὴν καὶ θείαν· καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀνθρωπίνην φασὶν τὴν ἐν τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἰσονεμίαν τε καὶ εὐγνωμοσύνην, τὴν ἀγγελικὴν δὲ τῆς θείας γνώσεως ἄφθονον μετάδοσιν· τὴν δὲ θείαν δικαιοσύνην ὁρίζονται τὸ πάσχειν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,12 Τίνος χάριν ἐπιτιμήσας ὁ Κύριος τῷ Πέτρῳ εἴρηκεν αὐτὸν σατανᾶν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οὐχ ὥς τινες νομίζουσιν τὸν Πέτρον ἀποκαλεῖ σατανᾶν ὑβριστικῶς ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου στερήσεις ( ἡμῶν ἕξεις ἐγένοντο, οἷον, ὁ αὐτοῦ θάνατος ἡμῖν ζωὴ γέγονεν, ἡ αὐτοῦ ἀτιμία ἡμῖν ἐγένετο δόξα. Ὁ οὖν ἀπόστολος Πέτρος, τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος μέλλειν πάσχειν αὐτόν, ὑπελάμβανεν τῇ φύσει τῶν πραγμάτων ἑπόμενος ὡς ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν τὴν ζωὴν ἀποθνῄσκειν ἢ τὴν τοσαύτην δόξαν ἀτιμασθῆναι. Ὁ οὖν Κύριος τὴν ὑπόνοιαν ταύτην ἀναιρῶν, ὡς οὐ δεῖ φύσεως ἀκολουθίαν ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ φύσιν ἐπιζητεῖν διὰ γὰρ τῶν ἐναντίων ταῦτα ποιήσας, βεβούλευται διὰ θανάτου ζωήν, δι᾽ ἀτιμίας δόξαν ὡς οὖν ἀντικειμένην αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπόνοιαν ταύτην λέγει· \"ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου\" ἀντὶ τοῦ \"ἕπου μου τῇ βουλῇ καὶ μὴ προλάμβανε ζητῶν ἀκολουθίαν πραγμάτων\". Τὸ δὲ σατανᾶς ὄνομά φασιν ‘ἀντικείμενον’ ἑρμηνεύεσθαι· ὅπερ ὁ Κύριος οὐχ ὑβριστικῶς προήγαγεν ἀλλ᾽ ὡσανεὶ ἔλεγεν \"ἀντικείμενέ μου τῷ σκοπῷ\".","english":"They come there also through the examination of good and evil deeds, being as it were purified by fire, if indeed the scale of good deeds weighs more heavily, and they are cleansed of punishment. QUESTION 11: Concerning different righteousnesses.\n\nANSWER: Those wise in divine things say that there are three righteousnesses: human, angelic, and divine. They call the human righteousness the equality and fair-mindedness among the sensible things of this world; the angelic, the ungrudging imparting of divine knowledge; and they define divine righteousness as suffering on behalf of those who sin. QUESTION 12: For what reason did the Lord, when he rebuked Peter, call him Satan? ANSWER: The Lord does not call Peter Satan insultingly, as some suppose, but because the Lord's privations became our possessions—for example, his death became life for us, his dishonor became glory for us. So the apostle Peter, when the Lord said that he was about to suffer, supposed, following the nature of things, that it was impossible for life to die or for such great glory to be dishonored. The Lord, then, refuting this supposition—since one ought not to seek the sequence of nature in things that are above nature; for by contraries he accomplished these things, having purposed life through death and glory through dishonor—says, as this supposition of his was opposed to him, \"Get behind me,\" instead of \"Follow my purpose and do not preemptively seek the sequence of things.\" And they say the name Satan is interpreted as \"opponent,\" which the Lord brought forward not insultingly but as if he were saying, \"You who are opposed to my purpose.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":143,"ref":"p143","source":"( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,25 Πῶς ὀφείλομεν εὐσεβῶς νοῆσαι τὸ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, ὅτι \"ὁ Πατὴρ κρίνει οὐδένα ἀλλὰ τὴν κρίσιν πᾶσαν δέδωκεν τῷ Υἱῷ\" καὶ πῶς ἐν ἄλλῳ τόπῳ λέγει ὅτι \"ἐγὼ κρίνω οὐδένα ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Λόγος ὃν ἐλάλησα, ἐκεῖνος κρινεῖ αὐτόν\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Καθ᾽ ὃ Θεός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ὁ Πατὴρ οὐδὲ ὁ Υἱὸς κρινεῖ οὐδένα· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἀλόγων γίνεται κριτὴς ἀλλ᾽ ἀνθρώπων. Ὁ δὲ Πατὴρ δέδωκεν τῷ Υἱῷ τὴν κρίσιν, οὐ καθ᾽ ὃ Θεός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς ἀλλὰ καθ᾽ ὃ ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν. Κρινεῖ δὲ πάντας συγκρίνων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὡς ἀνθρώπου πολιτείαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Πάλιν δὲ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ κρινεῖ, τουτέστιν ἡ διδασκαλία, ἥντινα διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐνεδείξατο κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον \"ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν\". ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,27 Τί δηλοῖ τὸ τῶν Παροιμιῶν αἴνιγμα τὸ «ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου ψώμιζε αὐτόν, ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐχθρὸν ἔχομεν κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ἡμέτερον σῶμα, ἀεὶ διὰ τῆς ἐπαναστάσεως τῶν παθῶν πολεμοῦν ἡμᾶς. Ἐὰν οὖν ἐκ τῆς συνειδήσεως πιεζόμενον τὸ τῆς σαρκὸς φρόνημα πεινᾷ, τουτέστιν ὀρέγεται σωτηρίας, ἢ διψᾷ θείαν γνῶσιν, δέον τρέφειν αὐτὸ δι᾽ ἐγκρατείας καὶ πόνων καὶ ποτίζειν τῇ μελέτῃ τῶν θείων λογίων. Οὕτως γὰρ σωρεύεται ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, τουτέστιν ἐπὶ τὸν νοῦν· ἄνθρακες πυρός, θεῖοι καὶ πνευματικοὶ λογισμοί.","english":"QUESTION 1,25: How should we piously understand the Gospel saying, \"The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,\" and how does he say in another place, \"I judge no one, but the word which I have spoken, that will judge him\"? ANSWER: Insofar as he is God, neither the Father nor the Son will judge anyone; for a human being does not become a judge of irrational creatures, but of human beings. The Father has given judgment to the Son, not insofar as the Son is God, but insofar as he has become man. He will judge all, comparing his own conduct as a man with ours. Again, his word will judge—that is, the teaching which he demonstrated through his deeds, according to what is written: \"which Jesus began to do and to teach.\" QUESTION 1,27: What does the riddle of Proverbs signify: \"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head\"? ANSWER: We have as an enemy against the soul our own body, which always wages war against us through the uprising of the passions. If, then, the mind of the flesh, pressed by conscience, is hungry—that is, desires salvation—or is thirsty for divine knowledge, it is fitting to feed it through self-control and labors and to give it drink through the meditation of the divine oracles. For in this way there is heaped upon its head—that is, upon the mind—coals of fire, divine and spiritual thoughts.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":144,"ref":"p144","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,28 Τί σημαίνει τὸ ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ εἰρημένον \"ὡμοιώθην πελεκᾶνι ἐρημικῷ\";\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ πελεκὰν οὗτος ὄρνεόν ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ ὄφις πολὺ ἐχθραίνει τῶν νεοττῶν αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸς δὲ τί μηχανᾶται; Εἰς ὕψος πήγνυσι τὴν καλιὰν αὐτοῦ, πανταχόθεν περιφράσσων αὐτὴν ( διὰ τὸν ὄφιν. Τί οὖν ποιεῖ ὁ κακομήχανος ὄφις; Περισκοπεῖ ὅθεν πνέει ὁ ἄνεμος κἀκεῖθεν ἐμφυσᾷ τοῖς νεοττοῖς τὸν ἰὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ τελευτῶσιν. Ἔρχεται οὖν ὁ πελεκὰν καὶ θεωρεῖ ὅτι ἀπέθανον αὐτοῦ τὰ παιδία καὶ σκοπεῖ νεφέλην καὶ πέταται εἰς ὕψος καὶ μετὰ τῶν πτερύγων τύπτει αὐτοῦ τὰς πλευρὰς καὶ ἐξέρχεται αἷμα καὶ διὰ τῆς νεφέλης ἐπιστάζει τούτοις καὶ ἐγείρονται. Λαμβάνεται οὖν ὁ πελεκὰν εἰς τὸν Κύριον· τὰ δὲ παιδία αὐτοῦ, ὁ Ἀδὰμ καὶ ἡ Εὔα, ἡ ἡμετέρα φύσις, ἡ δὲ καλιὰ αὐτοῦ ὁ παράδεισος, ὁ δὲ ὄφις ὁ ἀποστάτης διάβολος. Ἐνεφύσησεν οὖν ὁ ἀρχέκακος ὄφις διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῖς πρωτοπλάστοις καὶ γεγόνασιν νεκροὶ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. Ὁ γοῦν Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸς διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην ὑψοῦται ἐπὶ τοῦ τιμίου σταυροῦ καὶ νυγεὶς τὴν πλευρὰν διὰ τῆς νεφέλης τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ζωὴν ἡμῖν ἐδωρήσατο τὴν αἰώνιον. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,29 Τί ἐστιν· «ἐκεῖ στρουθία ἐννοσσιεύσουσιν»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Στρουθία ἢ τὰς ψυχὰς ἢ τὰς διαφόρους ἀρετὰς λέγει. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,30 Τί σημαίνει· «τοῦ ἐρῳδιοῦ ἡ κατοικία ἡγεῖται αὐτῶν»; ( ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐρῳδιόν φασιν ὄρνεον εἶναι, τοσαύτῃ δὲ σωφροσύνῃ συζῆν, ὥστε ἡνίκα πρὸς συνουσίαν συνέρχεσθαι μέλλει, τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας πενθεῖν καὶ πάλιν μετὰ ταῦτα ἄλλας τεσσαράκοντα.","english":"QUESTION 1,28: What does the statement in the hundred and first psalm mean, \"I have become like a solitary pelican\"?\n\nANSWER: This pelican is a bird, and the serpent greatly hates its nestlings. What does it contrive? It builds its nest on high, fencing it in on every side because of the serpent. What then does the crafty serpent do? It looks around to see from where the wind blows, and from there breathes its venom upon the nestlings, and they die. Then the pelican comes and sees that its children are dead, and it looks for a cloud and flies up on high, and with its wings strikes its own sides, and blood comes out, and through the cloud it sprinkles it upon them, and they are raised up. The pelican, then, is taken as the Lord; and its children, Adam and Eve, our nature; and its nest, paradise; and the serpent, the apostate devil. The author of evil, then, the serpent, breathed through disobedience upon the first-formed, and they became dead in sin. Therefore our Lord and God, because of his love for us, is lifted up on the precious cross, and having been pierced in the side, through the cloud of the Holy Spirit he granted us eternal life.\n\nQUESTION 1,29: What is this, \"There the sparrows will build their nests\"?\n\nANSWER: He calls the sparrows either the souls or the various virtues.\n\nQUESTION 1,30: What does this mean, \"The dwelling of the heron leads them\"?\n\nANSWER: They say that the heron is a bird, and that it lives with such chastity that whenever it is about to come together for intercourse, it mourns for forty days, and again after these, another forty.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":145,"ref":"p145","source":"Τὴν δὲ καλιὰν πήγνυσιν ἐν τοῖς δένδροις ἔνθα μὴ ἐπισκιάζεται ὑπό τινος ἀλλὰ καθαρὸν τὸν ἀέρα ἔχει. Σημαίνει δὲ διὰ τούτων τὴν σωφροσύνην· αὕτη γὰρ ἡγεῖται πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν· ἀποδιάκειται δὲ καὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, ἀπὸ μηδενὸς σκιαζομένη τῶν προσκαίρων· ὁ τεσσαρακοστὸς γὰρ ἀριθμὸς τὴν ἑκάστου τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων ἐμπεριέχει τελείωσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,31 Τί ἐστιν τὸ «ἀποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας γονέων ἐπὶ τέκνα ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης γενεᾶς τοῖς μισοῦσίν με»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πρώτην γενεὰν ὑπειλήφαμεν εἶναι τὴν σπορὰν τοῦ κακοῦ, τουτέστιν τὴν προσβολήν, δευτέραν δὲ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, τρίτην δὲ τὴν ἕξιν τοῦ κακοῦ, τουτέστιν τὴν συγκατάθεσιν, τετάρτην δὲ τὴν ἐνέργειαν, τουτέστιν τὴν πρᾶξιν. Ἀποδίδοται οὖν ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης γενεᾶς, τουτέστιν ὑπὲρ τῆς συγκαταθέσεως καὶ τῆς πράξεως· ἡ γὰρ προσβολὴ καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία ἀνεύθυνός ἐστιν, ὡς μὴ εἰς πέρας τοῦ κακοῦ προελθόντος.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,33 Τί σημαίνει τὸ «ἐπὶ ταῖς τρισὶν ἢ τέσσαρσιν ἀσεβείαις Τύρου οὐκ ἀποστραφήσομαι»;","english":"It fixes its nest in the trees where it is not overshadowed by anything but has the air clear. By these things it signifies chastity; for this leads the way among all the virtues; and it is also driven away from sensible things, overshadowed by none of the things that are temporary; for the number forty contains the perfection of each of the four elements. QUESTION 1,31: What is the meaning of \"repaying the sins of parents upon children to the third and fourth generation to those who hate me\"?\n\nANSWER: We have understood the first generation to be the sowing of evil, that is, the assault; the second, desire; the third, the habit of evil, that is, consent; and the fourth, activity, that is, action. It is repaid, then, to the third and fourth generation, that is, on account of consent and action; for the assault and the desire are not blameworthy, since the evil has not proceeded to its end.\n\nQUESTION 1,33: What does it mean, \"For three or four impieties of Tyre I will not turn away\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":146,"ref":"p146","source":"( ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἀσεβείας οἶμαι τέσσαρας τὸν προφητικὸν αἰνίττεσθαι λόγον, ταύτας, τὴν προσβολήν, τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, τὴν ἕξιν τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ τὴν ἐνέργειαν. Ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς πρώτης καὶ τῆς δευτέρας, τουτέστιν τῆς προσβολῆς καὶ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, ἀνοχὴν ποιεῖται ὁ Θεός, ὡς μὴ τοῦ κακοῦ προβάντος εἰς τελείωσιν. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς τρίτης καὶ τῆς τετάρτης ἀσεβείας, τουτέστιν ἕξεως καὶ ἐνεργείας ἤγουν συγκαταθέσεως καὶ εἴρξεως, τὴν ἀπειλὴν ὁ λόγος εἰκότως ἐνδείκνυται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,34\n\nὍτι οὐ δύναται λέγεσθαι ὁ Χριστὸς Πνεύματος καθάπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ὅτι λέγεται ἀδιαφόρως Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ καὶ Πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὥσπερ ἐστὶν αἴτιος τοῦ λόγου ὁ νοῦς, οὕτως καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος, διὰ μέσου δὲ τοῦ λόγου· καὶ ὥσπερ οὐ δυνάμεθα εἰπεῖν τὸν λόγον εἶναι τῆς φωνῆς, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὸν Υἱὸν λέγειν τοῦ Πνεύματος.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,35 Τί δηλοῖ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου λεγόμενον τὸ «ἐὰν ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ἢ ἡ χεὶρ ἢ ὁ ποὺς σκανδαλίζῃ σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτοὺς καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ»; ( ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἔστιν μὲν καὶ περὶ φίλων ὡς ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ οἰκείων ὥσπερ χειρῶν ἡμῶν ὄντων ἀναγκαίων, καὶ ἑταίρων ποδῶν δίκην διακονούντων ἡμῖν ὑπονοεῖν τὴν παραβολὴν κατὰ τὸ πρόχειρον αἰνίττεσθαι· οὕσπερ, ἐὰν σκανδαλίζωσιν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καταβλάπτωσιν, ἐκκόπτειν ὁ λόγος παρεκελεύσατο. Ἔστιν δὲ καὶ ἄλλως ἐκλαβεῖν τὸ παράγγελμα κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς τρόπον· ἐὰν ἔχῃς θεωρητικὴν γνῶσιν ὥσπερ ὀφθαλμόν, πρὸς τύφον δὲ αὐτὴ ἐπαίρει σε καὶ ὑπερηφανίαν, ἔκκοψον αὐτήν· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ πρᾶξιν ἀστείαν, καὶ αἰτία σοι γίνεται ἐπάρσεως, ἔκκοψον αὐτήν·","english":"I think the prophetic word intimates four forms of impiety: the assault, the desire, the habit of evil, and the activity. In the case of the first and second, that is, the assault and the desire, God exercises forbearance, since the evil has not advanced to completion. But in the case of the third and fourth forms of impiety, that is, habit and activity—in other words, consent and practice—the word reasonably sets forth the threat. QUESTION 34\n\nThat Christ cannot be said to be of the Spirit, as is said of the Father and the Son, since Spirit of God and Spirit of Christ are said without distinction. ANSWER: Just as the mind is the cause of the word, so it is also of the spirit, but through the word; and just as we cannot say that the word is of the voice, so neither can we say that the Son is of the Spirit.\n\nQUESTION 35: What does what is said by the Lord signify: \"If your eye or your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut them off and cast them from you\"? ANSWER: It is possible to surmise that the parable intimates, in its obvious sense, things also concerning friends, as though they were eyes, and relatives, as though they were our necessary hands, and companions who serve us in the manner of feet; and if these cause us to stumble and harm the soul, the word has enjoined us to cut them off. But it is also possible to take the command in another way, according to the manner of spiritual interpretation: if you have contemplative knowledge, as it were an eye, but it lifts you up toward vainglory and pride, cut it off; and if you have a refined practice, and it becomes a cause of exaltation for you, cut it off.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":147,"ref":"p147","source":"ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ἐὰν ἱκανότητα ἔχῃς διακονίας, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ πούς, καὶ ὡς ἐκ τούτου φυσᾶσαι, ἀπόσθητι ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς. Συμφέρει γάρ σοι παρὰ ταύτας τὰς δοκούσας εἶναι ἀρετὰς γενέσθαι καὶ μὴ διὰ τῆς ἐπάρσεως καὶ ὑπερηφανίας εἰς παντελῆ χωρῆσαι ἀπώλειαν.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,36 Τί δηλοῖ τὸ «ἐπήρθη ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη ἔστη ἐν τῇ τάξει αὐτῆς»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἐν ἡμῖν ὑψωθῇ ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων καὶ τῆς ἀληθοῦς γνώσεως, τότε ἡ σελήνη ἵσταται ἐν τῇ τάξει αὐτῆς, τουτέστιν ἡ ἡμετέρα φύσις, ἡ ὑπὸ τροπὴν οὖσα καὶ ἀλλοίωσιν, τάξιν λαμβάνει βάσιμον. ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,37 Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν τῇ καθολικῇ Πέτρου γεγραμμένον \"ἵνα κριθῶσιν μὲν κατὰ ἀνθρώπους σαρκί, ζῶσιν δὲ κατὰ Θεὸν πνεύματι\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ περὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ κατακλυσμῷ εἴρηται ταῦτα, οὗτοι δὲ εἶχον παντελῆ ἀγνωσίαν Θεοῦ καὶ πονηροῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι συνέζων, ὅσα μὲν οὖν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ἡμάρτανον διὰ τῶν καθ᾽ ἑκάστην συμβαινόντων αὐτοῖς πειρασμῶν, πολέμων τε καὶ ἐπαγωγῶν καὶ ποικίλων συμβάσεων, ἀφῆκεν αὐτοῖς· τὰ δὲ περὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀγνοίας καὶ ἀσεβείας ἁμαρτήματα οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτοῖς, ἵνα διὰ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν πίστεως, ἡνίκα διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν ἐν τῇ τοῦ ᾅδου γένηται χώρᾳ, ὅσοι πιστεύσουσιν, ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς ἡ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἁμαρτία καὶ ζήσωσιν κατὰ Θεὸν πνεύματι, κριθέντες δηλονότι σαρκὶ καθὼς εἴρηται ὑπὲρ τῶν εἰς ἀνθρώπους πλημμελειῶν. ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,45 Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν ψαλμοῖς εἰρημένον \"σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός\"; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἕξ εἰσιν σχολαὶ ἅστινας κατορθοῦντες Θεὸν ἐπιγνῶναι δυνάμεθα·","english":"Likewise, if you have a capacity for service, which is the foot, and are puffed up as a result, renounce it. For it is better for you to become free of these apparent virtues than through elation and pride to proceed to utter destruction.\n\nQUESTION 36: What does \"the sun was lifted up and the moon stood in its order\" signify? ANSWER: Whenever the sun of righteousness is exalted in us through good works and true knowledge, then the moon stands in its order—that is, our nature, which is subject to turning and change, receives a stable order.\n\nQUESTION 37: What is that which is written in the Catholic Epistle of Peter, \"that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit\"? ANSWER: Since these things were said concerning those in the flood, and they had complete ignorance of God and lived together with evil practices, therefore whatever sins they committed against themselves through the temptations that befell them each day—wars and invasions and various encounters—he forgave them; but the sins of ignorance and impiety toward him he did not forgive them, so that through faith in him, when by his love for humanity he came into the region of Hades, as many as would believe, the sin of impiety might be forgiven them and they might live according to God in the spirit, having been judged, clearly, in the flesh, as has been said, for their transgressions against men.\n\nQUESTION 45: What is that which is said in the Psalms, \"Be at leisure and know that I am God\"? ANSWER: There are six forms of leisure, by cultivating which we can come to know God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":148,"ref":"p148","source":"πρώτη ἡ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐνεργείας, δευτέρα ἡ τῆς ἐξαπτικῆς διαίτης, τρίτη ἡ τοῦ τόπου τῆς ἐπιμιξίας τῶν ἀφυλάκτως βιούντων, τετάρτη ἡ τοῦ ἀπροσφόρου ἐπιτηδεύματος τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν βίου, πέμπτη ἡ τῆς ὑπάρξεως τῆς διαβεβλημένης καὶ εἰς πολλὰ περισπώσης τὸν νοῦν, ἕκτη τὸ μὴ ἔχειν καθόλου ἴδιον θέλημα. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν καὶ ἀποταγὴ καὶ ὑποταγὴ ἡ ἀληθινὴ καὶ κατὰ Θεόν. ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,67\n\nΠῶς ὀφείλομεν νοεῖν τὴν περὶ συντελείας τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἄγνοιαν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Διπλῆ τίς ἐστιν ἄγνοια· ἡ μὲν διαβαλλομένη, ἡ δὲ ἀδιάβλητος, καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ οὐκ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν. Καὶ ἡ μὲν διαβαλλομένη καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν, ἡ περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν ἄγνοια· ἡ δὲ ἀδιάβλητος καὶ οὐκ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν ἐστιν ὅσα ( θελόντων ἡμῶν γινώσκειν οὐ γινώσκομεν, οἷον, τὰ πόρρω γινόμενα, τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι. Εἰ οὖν ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις προφήταις διεγινώσκετο τὰ πόρρω καὶ οὐκ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν χάριτι, πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον πάντα ἐπίστατο ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, οὐ φύσει ἀλλ᾽ ἑνώσει τῇ πρὸς τὸν Λόγον; Καθάπερ γὰρ σίδηρος πεπυρακτωμένος πάντα τὰ ἰδιώματα τοῦ πυρὸς ἔχει φωτίζει γὰρ καὶ καίει οὐ μὴν φύσει ἐστὶν πῦρ ἀλλὰ σίδηρος, οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον τοῦ Κυρίου, καθ᾽ ὃ μὲν ἡνώθη τῷ Λόγῳ, πάντα ἐπίστατο καὶ τὰ θεοπρεπῆ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ διεδείκνυτο, καθ᾽ ὃ δὲ φύσις ἀνθρωπεία ἐν αὐτῷ ἥνωτο, λέγεται ἀγνοεῖν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,68 Τί σημαίνει τὸ μοναχικὸν σχῆμα καὶ πρὸ τούτου τίς ἡ ἀπόκαρσις τῶν τριχῶν; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὥσπερ πάντων τῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι μελῶν ἡ κεφαλὴ προτερεύει, οὕτως καὶ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ὁ νοῦς κεφαλῆς τρόπον ἐπέχει·","english":"The first is the activity of sin; the second, the inflammatory manner of life; the third, the place of mingling with those who live carelessly; the fourth, the unsuitable pursuit of the life according to God; the fifth, existence that is slandered and distracts the mind in many directions; the sixth, not having one's own will at all. And this is both renunciation and true submission according to God. (Question 1,67\n\nHow ought we to understand the ignorance concerning the consummation of the Son? Answer: Ignorance is twofold: the one is blameworthy, the other blameless; and the one is in our power, the other not in our power. The blameworthy one and the one in our power is ignorance concerning virtue and piety; the blameless one and the one not in our power is whatever we do not know though we wish to know it—for example, things happening far away, things about to happen. If, then, things far away were known among the holy prophets, and that not by our power but by grace, how much more did the Son of God know all things, and therefore the human element, not by nature but by union with the Word? For just as iron heated to glowing has all the properties of fire—for it enlightens and burns—yet is not by nature fire but iron, so too the human element of the Lord, insofar as it was united to the Word, knew all things and all things befitting God were displayed in it, but insofar as a human nature was united in it, it is said to be ignorant. Question 1,68 What does the monastic habit signify, and before this, what is the cutting off of the hair? Answer: Just as the head takes precedence over all the members in the body, so also in the soul the mind holds the place of the head;","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":149,"ref":"p149","source":"τοῦτον οὖν ἀποκείρειν δεῖ πάντων τῶν κοσμικῶν νοημάτων. Τὸ δὲ κολόβιον, ἐπειδὴ τὸ μὲν ὅλον σῶμα σκέπει, μόνας δὲ τὰς χεῖρας γυμνοῖ, σημαίνει ὡς χρὴ τὴν ἠθικὴν φιλοσοφίαν ἐνδεδύσθαι ἀφῃρημένους τὰς πρακτικὰς τῆς ( ἁμαρτίας ἐνεργείας· αἱ γὰρ χεῖρες ὁμολογουμένως πράξεως καὶ ἐνεργείας εἰσὶν σύμβολον.\n\nἩ δὲ ζώνη, ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ νεκρῶν δερμάτων γίνεται, περισφίγγει δὲ ψύας καὶ ὀμφαλόν, σημαίνει τὴν νέκρωσιν διὰ τῆς ἐγκρατείας καὶ ὡς χρὴ ταύτην ἐπικεῖσθαι ἀεὶ ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς κακίας δυνάμει καὶ ἐνεργείᾳ· ἡ γὰρ δύναμις τῆς ἀντικειμένης τοῦ πονηροῦ δυναστείας ἐστὶν κατὰ τὸν Ἰὼβ «ἐπ᾽ ὀμφαλοῦ γαστρός», καὶ «αἱ ψύαι» κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Δαβὶδ πληροῦνται τῶν δαιμονικῶν ἐμπαιγμάτων· «ἐμπαίγματα» δέ εἰσιν αἱ διάφοροι τῆς πορνείας ἐνέργειαι. Ὁ δὲ ἀνάλαβος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐμπρὸς καὶ ὀπίσω τὸν σταυρὸν ἔχει, σημαίνει ὅτι χρὴ κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον μὴ μόνον σταυρωθῆναι ἡμᾶς τῷ κόσμῳ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν κόσμον ἡμῖν, ἵνα φευγόντων ἡμῶν τὸν κόσμον μηδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔχωμεν μὴ δὲ τῇ πρὸς αὐτὸν σχέσει διὰ τῆς ἐπιφαινομένης ἀπάτης ἐγκρατηθῶμεν, μήτε δὲ πάλιν ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν διωκόμενοι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, ἐκ τῶν ἀκουσίων πειρασμῶν ὑπενδώσωμεν τοῦ τόνου τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀλλὰ ἀναίσθητοι καὶ νεκροὶ διαμείνωμεν πρός τε τὰ ἀκούσια καὶ τὰ ἑκούσια πάθη.","english":"This, then, must be cut off from all worldly thoughts. The kolobion, since it covers the whole body but leaves only the hands bare, signifies that we must be clothed in ethical philosophy, having stripped away the practical activities of sin; for the hands are admittedly a symbol of action and activity.\n\nThe belt, since it is made from dead skins and girds the loins and the navel, signifies mortification through self-control, and that this must always be applied to the power and activity of evil; for the power of the opposing tyranny of the wicked one is, according to Job, \"upon the navel of the belly,\" and \"the loins,\" according to the blessed David, are filled with demonic mockeries; and \"mockeries\" are the various activities of fornication. The analabos, since it has the cross both in front and behind, signifies that, according to the Apostle, not only must we be crucified to the world but the world to us, so that, as we flee the world, we may have nothing as an obstacle, nor be held fast by our attachment to it through the deception that appears, nor again, being pursued from behind by the world, may we yield the tension of piety through involuntary temptations, but may we remain insensible and dead to both involuntary and voluntary passions.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":150,"ref":"p150","source":"Τὸ δὲ κουκούλλιον δηλοῖ τὴν φρουροῦσαν καὶ σκέπουσαν τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ γὰρ ἀποκειράμενος τὰ τοῦ κόσμου νοήματα τὴν περικεφαλαίαν δέχεται τοῦ σωτηρίου.\n\nΤὰ δὲ σανδάλια τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν λόγον· ἐπειδὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν δερμάτων εἰσίν, μικρῷ δὲ μέρει τοῦ σώματος ὑπόκεινται, ( τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ᾗπερ τὸ ὅλον σῶμα πρὸς τὰ ἴχνη τοῦ σανδαλίου ἔχει, οὕτω χρὴ τὴν ψυχὴν τῷ σώματι κεχρῆσθαι, καὶ τούτῳ νεκρῷ τῶν παρὰ φύσιν παθῶν.\n\nΤὸ δὲ περιβόλαιον, ἐπειδὴ τετράγωνόν ἐστιν, ἐκ τεσσάρων δὲ στοιχείων καὶ ὁ κόσμος, σημαίνει ὅτι χρὴ περιβεβλῆσθαι ἡμᾶς τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν, ὥστε μὴ πρὸς αἴσθησιν καὶ πάθη τὰ ὁρώμενα βλέπειν ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ ἐν αὐτοῖς λόγου πρὸς τὸν τούτων δημιουργὸν ἀνάγεσθαι. Τὸ δὲ τὴν ἀριστερὰν χεῖρα παραγυμνοῦσθαι σημαίνει ὅτι χρὴ τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις ἐν ἡμῖν προφαίνεσθαι κατὰ τὸν τοῦ Σωτῆρος λόγον, ὅπως ἴδωσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὰ καλὰ ὑμῶν ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσιν τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.","english":"The koukoulion signifies the grace of God that guards and covers our mind. For the one who has cut away the thoughts of the world receives the helmet of salvation.\n\nThe sandals have this meaning: since they are made of dead skins and are placed under a small part of the body (in the same way that the whole body stands in relation to the footprints of the sandal), so the soul must make use of the body, and this body dead to the passions contrary to nature.\n\nThe cloak, since it is four-cornered, and the world is made of four elements, signifies that we must be clothed in natural contemplation, so as not to look upon visible things in relation to sensation and the passions, but through the principle within them to be led up to their Creator. The baring of the left hand signifies that our good deeds must be shown forth in us according to the word of the Savior, so that people may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":151,"ref":"p151","source":"Τὸ δὲ μαῦρα τὰ ἐνδύματα εἶναι σημαίνει ὅτι χρὴ ἡμᾶς ἀφανεῖς εἶναι τῷ κόσμῳ, ὡς τὸ πολίτευμα ἔχοντας ἐν οὐρανῷ. Εἰ δέ τις τὸ παλλίον τετράγωνον ὂν καὶ εἰς τὰς γενικὰς τέσσαρας ἀρετὰς ἐκλάβοι, τοῦ εἰκότος οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,69\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ [«Εἰρήνην ὁ ἱερεὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς καθέδρας τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιφθέγγεται, τὸν Κύριον τῆς καθέδρας μιμούμενος ἀναλαμβανόμενον, εἰρήνην τὴν οἰκείαν καὶ ἀφιέντα καὶ διδόντα. Τὸ δὲ «καὶ τῷ πνεύματί σου» τῷ λαῷ ἀποκρινόμενον ( τοῦτο δηλοῖ· εἰρήνην μὲν ἡμῖν παρέσχες, Κύριε, καὶ τὴν ἐν ἀλλήλοις ὁμόνοιαν· εἰρήνην δὲ δὸς ἡμῖν τὴν πρὸς σὲ ἀδιαίρετον ἕνωσιν, ἵνα τῷ Πνεύματί σου εἰρηνεύοντες, ὃ ἡμῖν ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς δημιουργίας ἐνέθηκας, ἀχώριστοι τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης τυγχάνωμεν.] ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,70\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ [Εἰ ὅλως νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν; ὁ θεῖος ἔφη Ἀπόστολος. Εἰ ὅλως, φησίν, τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀνίστανται, τί καὶ ἐν τῷ βαπτίζεσθαι εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν αὐτὰ μεταποιεῖσθαι πιστεύομεν;] ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,71","english":"That the garments are black signifies that we must be invisible to the world, since we have our citizenship in heaven. But if one should take the pallium, being four-sided, as referring to the four general virtues, he will not miss the probable meaning. QUESTION 69\n\nANSWER [The priest proclaims peace to the Church from the height of the seat, imitating the Lord of the seat when he was taken up, both leaving and giving his own peace. And the response of the people, \"and with your spirit,\" signifies this: you have granted us peace, Lord, and concord with one another; grant us also the peace of undivided union with you, so that, being at peace through your Spirit, which you placed in us at the beginning of creation, we may be inseparable from your love.] QUESTION 70\n\nANSWER [If the dead are not raised at all, why are they also baptized on their behalf? said the divine Apostle. If, he says, our bodies do not rise at all, why do we believe that in baptism they are transformed to incorruption?] QUESTION 71","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":152,"ref":"p152","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ [Εἰ τῆς γραφικῆς ζητεῖς μουσικῆς διασάφησιν, οὕτως νοητέον. «Αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον ἐν φωνῇ σάλπιγγος»· ἐν τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ἀναστάσεως σάλπιγγι γῆ σειωμένη ὡς γέγραπται. «Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ καὶ κιθάρᾳ»· τῇ γλώσσῃ ἡμῶν καὶ τῷ στόματι ὡς πλήκτρῳ τινὶ τῷ Πνεύματι κρουομένων. «Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ χορῷ»· ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ψυχῇ, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ὡς χοροὶ αἱ πρὸς Θεὸν διαβαίνουσιν δεήσεις. «Αἰνεῖτε ( αὐτὸν ἐν χορδαῖς καὶ ὀργάνῳ»· ἐν καρδίᾳ καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ ἔσωθεν σπλάγχνῳ καὶ νεύροις, ἅπερ ὄργανον κέκληκεν. «Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν κυμβάλοις εὐήχοις»· τοῖς χείλεσιν, δι᾽ ὧν τὰ ἐναρμόνια τῆς ψαλμῳδίας πλέκεται μέλη.] ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,73 Ἐπειδὴ κατά τινα τῶν ἀντιγράφων τοῦ Ἀποστόλου περιέχεται ὅτι «πάντες μὲν κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα», κατά τινα δὲ ὅτι «πάντες μὲν οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα», παρακαλῶ μαθεῖν ποίαν χρὴ τῶν ἐκδόσεων ἐγκρῖναι καὶ τί τὰ ἐκ τούτων δηλούμενα; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Οἶμαι ὅτι καθ᾽ ἑκατέραν τῶν ἐκδόσεων, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὰ ἀρχαῖα τῶν ἀντιγράφων τὰς δύο περιέχουσιν, εὐσεβῶς τις ἐκλαμβάνων τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ οὐκ ἀποπεσεῖται σκοποῦ. Κατὰ μὲν τὸ πάντες μὲν κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα, οὕτω χρὴ νοεῖν, ὅτι πάντες μὲν τὴν διὰ τοῦ θανάτου κοίμησιν ὑπομενοῦμεν, οὐ πάντες δὲ τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν παρρησίαν ἀνταλλαξόμεθα· ὅπερ ὁ αὐτὸς Ἀπόστολος ἐν ἄλλῳ σαφέστερον τίθησιν φάσκων \"εἴπερ καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι οὐ γυμνοὶ εὑρεθησόμεθα\".","english":"ANSWER [If you seek the clarification of the scriptural music, it must be understood thus. “Praise the Lord with the sound of the trumpet”: in the remembrance of the resurrection, the earth shaken by the trumpet, as it is written. “Praise him with psaltery and harp”: with our tongue and mouth, as with a certain plectrum, struck by the Spirit. “Praise him with timbrel and dance”: in flesh and soul, from which, as dances, the petitions that pass to God go up. “Praise him with strings and organ”: in the heart and in every inward part and sinew, which he has called an organ. “Praise him with cymbals of good sound”: with the lips, through which the harmonious strains of psalmody are woven.] QUESTION 73 Since in one of the copies of the Apostle it is contained that “we shall all indeed sleep, but we shall not all be changed,” and in another that “we shall not all indeed sleep, but we shall all be changed,” I ask to learn which of the editions one ought to approve, and what is signified by these things. ANSWER I think that according to either edition, since the ancient copies contain both, one who takes them piously will not fall away from the apostolic purpose. According to “we shall all indeed sleep, but we shall not all be changed,” it must be understood thus: that we shall all undergo the sleep through death, but we shall not all exchange glory and boldness of speech; which the same Apostle sets forth more clearly in another place, saying, “if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":153,"ref":"p153","source":"Κατὰ δὲ τὸ οὐ πάντες μὲν κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα, οὕτω χρὴ ἐκδέχεσθαι, ὅτι πάντες μὲν οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα τὴν χρονικὴν κοίμησιν, ὥστε δεηθῆναι ταφῆς καὶ λύσεως τῆς εἰς φθοράν· ἀλλὰ σύντομον τὸν θάνατον οἱ τότε εὑρισκόμενοι ὑπομενοῦσιν, ( μὴ δεόμενοι χρονικῆς κοιμήσεως διὰ τὴν παραυτίκα γινομένην ἀνάστασιν· πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγήσονται, τουτέστιν τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν ἐνδύσονται.\n\nἜστι δὲ καὶ ἑτέρας θεωρίας ἐπιβολὴ περὶ τούτου· «οὐ πάντες κοιμηθησόμεθα», ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις τὴν παῦσιν καὶ τὴν ἀνενεργησίαν ποιησάμενοι, οὐδὲ τὰ ἑαυτῶν πάθη κοιμήσομεν κατὰ τὸ «ἐγὼ καθεύδω καὶ ἡ καρδία μου ἀγρυπνεῖ»· σημαίνει γὰρ ὁ τῶν θείων ἐρώτων τὰ Ἄισματα γεγραφὼς ὅτι ὁ πάντη ἀνενέργητος γενόμενος πρός τε τὰ αἰσθητὰ πάντα καὶ νοητά, οὗτος μόνῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ ἀγρυπνεῖ, μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεωρίᾳ ἐνευφραινόμενος. Τὸ δὲ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα τὴν κοινὴν δηλοῖ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἀλλαγήν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,77 Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ εἰρημένον τὸ «ὄφελον καὶ ἀποκόψονται»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τοῦτο εἴρηται ἀντὶ τοῦ \"θρηνήσουσιν καὶ κόψονται\", εἰς ( μετάνοιαν ἐρχόμενοι ὧν ἥμαρτον ἀναστατοῦντες τοὺς πιστούς. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,78 Τίνος χάριν Μωαβεῖται καὶ Ἀμμανεῖται ἀπαγορεύονται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Κυρίου «ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης καὶ δεκάτης γενεᾶς καὶ ἕως εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα»;","english":"According to the saying, \"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,\" it must be understood thus: that we shall not all sleep the temporal sleep, so as to require burial and release into corruption; but those found at that time will endure a brief death, not needing temporal sleep because of the resurrection that occurs instantly; and all shall be changed, that is, shall put on incorruption.\n\nThere is also an approach of another contemplation concerning this: \"We shall not all sleep,\" having made cessation and inactivity in sins, nor shall we put our own passions to sleep, according to \"I sleep, but my heart keeps watch.\" For the writer of the Song of divine loves signifies that he who has become entirely inactive toward all things sensible and intelligible, this man keeps watch with his heart alone, rejoicing in the contemplation of God alone. And \"we shall all be changed\" declares the common change into incorruption.\n\nQUESTION 77: What is the saying in the Apostle, \"Would that they would even cut themselves off\"?\n\nANSWER: This is said in place of \"they will lament and beat their breasts,\" coming to repentance for the sins by which they overturned the faithful.\n\nQUESTION 78: For what reason are the Moabites and Ammonites forbidden to enter into the temple of the Lord, \"until the third and fourth and tenth generation, and forever\"?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":154,"ref":"p154","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ Μωαβείτης ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ἔντερον πατρός,’ Ἀμμανείτης δὲ ‘πατὴρ μητρός,’ σημαίνεται διὰ τούτων ὅτι ὅστις ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου παραλάβῃ ὑπόδειγμα κακίας, οὗτος τὸ ἔντερον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐφανέρωσεν· ὅστις δὲ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τέκῃ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, οὗτός ἐστιν πατὴρ μητρός, τουτέστιν τῆς ἰδίας ἁμαρτίας. Οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης καὶ δεκάτης γενεᾶς καὶ ἕως εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, τουτέστιν ὁ μὴ δι᾽ ἕξεως ἀγαθῆς καὶ πράξεως αὕτη γὰρ τρίτη καὶ τετάρτη γενεὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν καὶ διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ τῆς πίστεως τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ καὶ διὰ τὰς δέκα τοῦ νόμου ἐντολὰς καὶ διὰ τῆς τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος ἐσομένης παλιγγενεσίας ἑαυτὸν τῷ Θεῷ οἰκειῶν, οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς οἶκον Θεοῦ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ οὐρανίῳ πόλει, «ἐν ᾗ πάντων εὐφραινομένων ἡ κατοικία». ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,79 Τί δήποτε ἐν μέρει λεπρὸς ἀκάθαρτός ἐστιν παρὰ ( τοῦ νόμου, ὁ δὲ ὁλόλεπρος ὢν καθαρός ἐστιν;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὁ κατά τι μέρος λεπρὸς νεκρὸν ἔχει τὸ μέρος ᾧ ἐστιν ἡ λέπρα· ὑποφεύγοντος γὰρ τοῦ ζωτικοῦ αἵματος κοιλαίνεται ὁ τόπος, καὶ ἡνίκα τῇ ἁφῇ τοῦ ἱερέως ὑπέκυπτεν ἡ κοίλανσις τῆς λέπρας, ἐμίαινεν τὸν τοιοῦτον· οὕτω καὶ ὁ κατά τι μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς λεπρωθεὶς κοιλανθείσης τῆς ψυχῆς, τουτέστιν ταπεινωθείσης διὰ τῆς ὑποχωρήσεως τῆς ζωτικῆς δυνάμεως τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀκάθαρτος γίνεται. Ὁ δὲ ὁλόλεπρος τὴν μὲν χροιὰν τοῦ λεπροῦ ἔχει, τὸ δὲ ζωτικὸν αἷμα δι᾽ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος ἔχει ἐν τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ ἐνεσπαρμένον.","english":"ANSWER: Since \"Moabite\" is interpreted as \"bowel of a father,\" and \"Ammonite\" as \"father of a mother,\" it is signified by these that whoever receives an example of wickedness from another has made manifest the bowel of the father; but whoever gives birth to sin from himself, this one is father of a mother, that is, of his own sin. Such people, therefore, shall not enter the house of the Lord until the third and fourth and tenth generation, and until eternity—that is, the one who does not, through good habit and action (for this is the third and fourth generation of the virtues), and through the name and faith of the Lord Jesus, and through the ten commandments of the law, and through the regeneration that will be in the age to come, make himself at home with God, shall not enter the house of God, that is, into the heavenly city, \"in which is the dwelling of all who rejoice.\"\n\nQUESTION 79: Why is it that in part a leper is unclean according to the law, but one who is wholly leprous is clean?\n\nANSWER: The one who is leprous in some part has that part in which the leprosy is dead; for when the life-giving blood withdraws, the place becomes hollow, and whenever the hollow of the leprosy submitted to the touch of the priest, it defiled such a person. So too, the one who has become leprous in some part of the soul, when the soul has been hollowed out—that is, humbled through the withdrawal of the life-giving power of virtue—becomes unclean. But the wholly leprous one has the color of the leper, yet has the life-giving blood scattered over the surface throughout the whole body.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":155,"ref":"p155","source":"Τοῦτο οὖν σημαίνει ὅτι ὁ εἰς τὸ ἔσχατον πέρας τῆς κακίας ἐλθών, εἶτα μεταμεληθεὶς ἐπαναλαμβάνει τὴν ζωτικὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς δύναμιν, μόνον δὲ τὴν συνείδησιν ἔχει κεχρωσμένην ταῖς προτέραις προλήψεσιν· οὐ δύναται γὰρ ἅπερ ἔπραξεν μὴ λογίζεσθαι ὡς μὴ πράξας· διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ὁ νόμος τὸν τοιοῦτον καθαρὸν ἀποφαίνει.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,81 Τί δήποτε ὁ Χὰμ ἔπταισεν καὶ ὁ Χαναὰν κατηράθη; καὶ εἰ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα τις τὴν τῆς Γραφῆς ἔννοιαν ἐκλάβοι, ἄδικος ἐν τούτῳ φανήσεται ὁ δίκαιος Νῶε, ἄλλου πταίσαντος ἐπ᾽ ἄλλῳ τὴν κατάραν φέρων· ἄλλως τε δέ, καὶ εἰ ὁ Χαναὰν κατηράθη, ἔδει ( πάντως καὶ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ γένος κατηραμένον εἶναι, εὑρίσκομεν δὲ τὸ γένος αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσδραμόν[τα] πίστει. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ\n\nΕὑρίσκομεν πανταχοῦ τὸν Θεὸν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους κατὰ τῆς κακίας ἀγωνιζομένους καὶ ταύτῃ καταρωμένους. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν αὐτὴ πρώτως κατὰ τὴν ἕξιν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ λαμβάνει τὴν γένεσιν, ἐκ ταύτης δὲ ἡ κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν προέρχεται ἁμαρτία, εἰκότως ὁ Χαναὰν ὡς τὴν κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν χαρακτηρίζων ἁμαρτίαν τῆς κατάρας τετύχηκεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ κατὰ μόνην τὴν κίνησιν τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦτο σκοπῆσαι θέλεις, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ συναμφοτέρῳ, σώματός φημι καὶ ψυχῆς, ἕξις εἰς τέλος μὴ προελθοῦσα, τοῦτο ἐνέργεια ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ.","english":"This therefore signifies that the one who has come to the furthest limit of wickedness, and then, having repented, recovers the life-giving power of virtue, has only his conscience stained by his former preconceptions; for he cannot fail to reckon what he has done as not done. For this reason, then, the law declares such a person clean.\n\nQUESTION 81: Why did Ham sin and Canaan be cursed? And if one were to take the meaning of the Scripture according to the letter, the righteous Noah will appear unjust in this, bringing a curse upon one person for another's sin; and besides, if Canaan was cursed, his offspring from him ought certainly also to be cursed—yet we find his offspring, more than the others, running to faith in Christ. ANSWER:\n\nWe find everywhere that God and all the saints strive against wickedness and curse it. Since, then, wickedness first takes its origin in a person according to habit, and from this the sin according to activity proceeds, Canaan, as representing the sin according to activity, has reasonably met with the curse. But if you wish to consider this according to the mere movement of the soul—which is in the composite of both, I mean body and soul—a habit that has not proceeded to its end is an activity in the soul.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":156,"ref":"p156","source":"ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,82\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Πρόνοια τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἐκ Θεοῦ εἰς τὰ ὄντα γινομένη ἐπιμέλεια· πρόνοιά ἐστιν βούλησις Θεοῦ, δι᾽ ἣν πάντα τὰ ὄντα τὴν πρόσφορον διεξαγωγὴν λαμβάνει. ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Α,83\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὤφθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ δι᾽ ἀγγέλου, τῷ Μωυσῇ διὰ πυρὸς ἐν βάτῳ, Ἡσαΐᾳ διὰ τῶν σεραφίμ, Ἰεζεκιὴλ διὰ τῶν χερουβίμ· διαφόροις τρόποις ἑωρακέναι μεμαρτυρήκασιν οὗτοι πάντες.\n\nΠΑΡΑΛΛΑΓΗ Β' ΕΡΩΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΕΩΝ ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Β,6 Τί ἐστι τὸ «ἰδοὺ δὴ τί καλὸν ἢ τί τερπνὸν ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τὸ κατοικεῖν ἀδελφοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό»;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Κατὰ μὲν τὸν πρόχειρον νοῦν ὅτ᾽ ἂν ὁμόπιστοι ὦσιν, «ἰδοὺ τὸ καλόν»· ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ σύμφωνοι καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις, «ἰδοὺ τὸ τερπνόν». «Ἀδελφοὺς δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατοικοῦντας» νόησον τὰς τρεῖς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις ἢ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὸ σῶμα, ὅτ᾽ ἂν σύμφωνα ὦσι περὶ τὴν τῶν θείων γνῶσιν καὶ περὶ τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις· ὅτ᾽ ἂν γὰρ εὖ πράττωσιν, «ἰδοὺ τὸ καλόν»· ὅτ᾽ ἂν δὲ καὶ ἡ γνῶσις συμφωνεῖ, «ἰδοὺ τὸ τερπνόν». ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Β,7 «Ὡς μύρον ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς τὸ καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ πώγωνα, τὸν πώγωνα τὸν Ἀαρών, τὸ καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ τὴν ᾤαν τοῦ ἐνδύματος αὐτοῦ». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Μύρον ἐστὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, κεφαλὴ δὲ ὁ νοῦς, πώγων δὲ ὁ λόγος· ἐμπεριέχει γὰρ τὴν καρδίαν ὁ λόγος. Πώγων δὲ Ἀαρὼν ὁ κατασφάττων ἐστὶ τὰ πάθη λόγος καὶ ἱερουργῶν τὰς ἀρετὰς τῷ Θεῷ. Καταβαίνει δὲ ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάρις καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ᾤαν τοῦ ἐνδύματος, τουτέστι διαδίδοται διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἠθικὴν φιλοσοφίαν· ἡ γὰρ ᾤα τοῦ ἐνδύματος τὸ πέρας ἐστίν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Β,8 Ὡς «δρόσος Ἀερμὼν ἡ καταβαίνουσα ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη Σιών».","english":"QUESTION 1,82\n\nRESPONSE: Providence, then, is the care that comes from God to existing things; providence is the will of God, through which all existing things receive their fitting guidance. (QUESTION 1,83\n\nRESPONSE: He appeared to Abraham through an angel, to Moses through fire in the bush, to Isaiah through the seraphim, to Ezekiel through the cherubim; all these have testified that they saw him in different ways.\n\nVARIANT 2 OF THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (QUESTION 2,6: What is \"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is, but for brothers to dwell together in unity\"?\n\nRESPONSE: In the immediate sense, when they are of the same faith, \"behold, the good\"; and when they are in agreement also in works, \"behold, the pleasant.\" Understand \"brothers dwelling together in unity\" as the three powers of the soul, or the soul and the body, when they are in agreement concerning the knowledge of divine things and concerning good deeds; for when they act well, \"behold, the good\"; and when knowledge also agrees, \"behold, the pleasant.\" (QUESTION 2,7: \"As ointment upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down upon the hem of his garment.\" RESPONSE: The ointment is the Holy Spirit, the head is the intellect, the beard is the word; for the word encompasses the heart. The beard of Aaron is the word that slays the passions and consecrates the virtues to God. And the grace of the Spirit descends also upon the hem of the garment, that is, it is distributed through the practical life also to ethical philosophy; for the hem of the garment is the extremity. QUESTION 2,8: As \"the dew of Hermon that descends upon the mountains of Zion.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":157,"ref":"p157","source":"ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὄρη Σιών εἰσιν οἱ τὰ ὑψηλὰ σκοπεύοντες ἅγιοι· ἐπὶ τούτους καταβαίνει ἡ δρόσος τοῦ Ἀερμών. Ἀερμὼν δὲ ‘θηρίων’ ἑρμηνεύεται ‘ἀποστροφή.’ Φασὶ δὲ καὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην ἐκεῖ γεννᾶσθαι ποταμόν· σημαίνει δὲ διὰ τούτων τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος χάριν· αὕτη γὰρ ἀεὶ καταβαίνει ἐπὶ τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῆς γίνεται ἡ τῶν νοητῶν θηρίων ἀποστροφή.\n\n( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Β,9\n\nὍτι «ἐκεῖ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τὴν εὐλογίαν, ζωὴν ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος». ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἀρραβὼν γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν πάντων καὶ τῆς ἀϊδίου ζωῆς ἐστιν ἡ διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος διδομένη χάρις, ἧς μέτοχοι γενοίμεθα χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.\n\nΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Β,14 Πῶς νοήσομεν τὸ ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ Διονυσίῳ γεγραμμένον, ὅτι «καὶ τὸ μὴ ὂν ἐφίεται» τοῦ Θεοῦ;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν τῶν ὄντων ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ὄντα, κατὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ μὴ ὂν θέσιν λαμβάνει· Κυρίως γὰρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ λέγεται τὸ μὴ ὄν, ἐπειδὴ οὐδέν ἐστι τῶν ὄντων.\n\n( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Β,18 Τί ἐστιν· «εὐκοπώτερόν ἐστι κάμηλον διὰ τρυμαλιᾶς ῥαφίδος εἰσελθεῖν ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν»; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Εὐκολώτερόν ἐστι, φησί, τὸ σκολιὸν τῶν ἐθνῶν τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ κάμηλος εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς καὶ τεθλιμμένης, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ τρυμαλιά, εἰς τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν ἢ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸν λαὸν ἔχοντα νόμον καὶ προφήτας· ὥσπερ δὲ ἡ ῥαφὶς πίπτει εἰς δύο σχίσματα καὶ ἀποτελεῖ ἕν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ ῥαφίς, συνῆψε τοὺς δύο λαούς, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἕν.","english":"RESPONSE: The mountains of Zion are the saints who look to the heights; upon them the dew of Hermon descends. And Hermon is interpreted as “turning away of beasts.” They say also that the river Jordan is born there; and by these things he signifies the grace of holy baptism; for this always descends upon the saints, and through it comes the turning away of the noetic beasts.\n\nQUESTION 2,9\n\nThat “there the Lord commanded the blessing, life unto the age.” RESPONSE: For Arrabo is the grace given through holy baptism, of all good things and of eternal life, of which may we become partakers by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nQUESTION 2,14 How shall we understand what is written in Saint Dionysius, that “even that which is not desires” God?\n\nRESPONSE: Since God is none of existing things but is above all existing things, in this respect even that which is not takes its place; for strictly it is said of him that he is that which is not, since he is none of existing things.\n\nQUESTION 2,18 What is this: “It is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man into the kingdom of the heavens”? RESPONSE: It is easier, he says, for the crookedness of the nations—for this is the camel—to enter through the narrow and constricted way, which is the eye of the needle, into the kingdom of the heavens, than for the people of the Jews, having the law and the prophets. And just as the needle falls into two splits and produces one, so also our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the needle, joined the two peoples, according to the Apostle, making both one.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":158,"ref":"p158","source":"Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ δι᾽ ἐγκρατείας λεπτύνας ἑαυτὸν καὶ κλώσας εὐκολώτερον εἰσέρχεται διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἢ πλούσιος ὁ τραπέζῃ καὶ ἀνθρωπίνῃ δόξῃ ἑαυτὸν ἐμπλατύνων ἀεί. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Β,23 Διατί οἱ πρώην ἄνθρωποι ἔζων πολλὰ ἔτη, οἱ δὲ τελευταῖοι ὀλίγα; ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ πάντη ἀθεΐαν ἐνόσουν οἱ πρώην, ᾠκονόμησεν ὁ Θεὸς πολὺν αὐτοὺς χρόνον παρακατέχεσθαι ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ, ὅπως διὰ τῶν ἀλλεπαλλήλων συμβάσεων εἰς αἴσθησιν αὐτοὺς ἀγάγῃ ὅτι ἔστιν τις πρόνοια ἡ τὴν ποικίλην τῶν γινομένων διεξάγουσα κίνησιν. Ἡ δὲ τελευταία γενεά, ἐπειδὴ γνῶσιν ἔλαβε τοῦ τε γραπτοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῦ πνευματικοῦ, διὰ τοῦτο οὐ παρακατέχεται τῇ πολυχρονίῳ ζωῇ. ΠΑΡΑΛΛΑΓΗ Γ' ΕΡΩΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΕΩΝ ( ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Γ,1 Τί ἐστι τὸ «ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον. κατ᾽ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ καὶ ὁμοίωσιν», καὶ ὑποκαταβὰς λέγει «καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κατ᾽ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν» καὶ παρέλειπεν τὸ καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσιν;\n\nΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ἐπειδὴ ὁ πρῶτος τοῦ Θεοῦ σκοπὸς ἦν τὸ ἄνθρωπον γενέσθαι «κατ᾽ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ καὶ ὁμοίωσιν», ἔστι δὲ τὸ «κατ᾽ εἰκόνα» ἡ ἀφθαρσία, ἡ ἀθανασία, τὸ ἀόρατον, ἅπερ εἰκονίζει τὸ θεῖον, ταῦτα δέδωκεν ἔχειν τῇ ψυχῇ, δεδωκὼς αὐτῇ μετὰ τούτων καὶ τὸ αὐτοδέσποτον καὶ αὐτεξούσιον, ἅπερ πάντα τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσιν εἰκονίσματα. Τὸ δὲ «καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσίν» ἐστιν ἡ ἀπάθεια, τὸ πρᾶον, τὸ μακρόθυμον καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ γνωρίσματα, ἅπερ πάντα ἐνεργείας Θεοῦ εἰσιν παραστατικά. Τὰ οὖν τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ, ἅπερ τὸ κατ᾽ εἰκόνα δηλοῦσιν, δέδωκε φυσικῶς τῇ ψυχῇ· ἃ ( δὲ τῆς ἐνεργείας εἰσὶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ «καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσιν»","english":"But also the one who has made himself thin through self-control and has become more easily broken enters through the narrow gate into the kingdom of heaven than the rich man who continually widens himself with table and human glory. QUESTION 2.23: Why did the people of former times live many years, but the last ones few? RESPONSE: Since the people of former times were thoroughly sick with godlessness, God arranged for them to be kept in this life for a long time, so that through successive covenants he might bring them to the perception that there is a providence which directs the varied motion of things that come to be. But the last generation, since it received knowledge of both the written law and the spiritual law, is for this reason not kept in long-lived life. VARIANT OF THE THIRD BOOK OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ( QUESTION 3.1: What is “Let us make man according to the image of God and likeness,” and then, coming down, he says “And God made man, according to the image of God he made him,” and omitted the “according to the likeness”?\n\nRESPONSE: Since God's first purpose was that man become “according to the image of God and likeness,” and “according to the image” is incorruption, immortality, invisibility—things which image the divine—these he gave the soul to have, having given it along with these also self-mastery and free will, all of which are images of God's essence. But “according to the likeness” is impassibility, gentleness, long-suffering, and the remaining marks of God's goodness, all of which are indicative of God's activities. Therefore the things of his essence, which the “according to the image” makes clear, he gave naturally to the soul; but the things which are of God's activity—the “according to the likeness”—","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":159,"ref":"p159","source":"χαρακτηρίζοντα, ταῦτα τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ αὐτεξουσίῳ ἀφῆκε γνώμῃ, ἀναμένων τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ τέλος, εἴ πως ἑαυτὸν διὰ τῆς μιμήσεως τῶν θεοπρεπῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς γνωρισμάτων τῷ Θεῷ ὅμοιον καταστήσῃ· διὰ τοῦτο οὖν παρέλειπεν ἡ θεία Γραφὴ ἐν τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα λεχθεῖσιν τὸ «καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσιν». ( (1393) ΠΡΟΣ ΘΕΟΠΕΜΠΤΟΝ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟΝ* Ἐρωτήσαντα περί τοῦ κριτοῦ τῆς ἀδικίας καί τοῦ, «ἐάν τίς σε ῥαπίσῃ ἐπί τήν δεξιάν σιαγόνα», καί τοῦ, «μή μου ἅπτου, οὕπω γάρ ἀναβέβηκα πρός τόν Πατέρα».\n\nΟἷς Λόγος ὑπάρχει τό προσκυνούμενον, τούτοις καί βίος ἐκφάντωρ Λόγου τό κατορθούμενον· ἵνα σφραγῖδα γνώσεως ἀληθοῦς τήν πεῖραν λαβόντες τῆς πράξεως, μάθωσιν ἀφ᾿ ὧν, ὡς θέμις, πεπόνθασιν, ὅσον τοῦ τί εἰδέναι, μεῖζον τό γίνεσθαι· καί τούτου μᾶλλον, τό ἀεί καί μᾶλλον, ἕως ἄν αὐτοῖς ἡ πρός τόν αἴτιον ἀδίστακτος οἰκείωσις, κατορθωθείη, στάσει τήν κίνησιν περιγράφουσα καί ἀτρεψίᾳ γνώμης τήν ἔφεσιν· οἷς καί ἡ κατά χάριν ἐκθέωσις, ἱερᾶς τῆς κατά τόνδε τόν βίον καί θεοειδοῦς ἀγωγῆς, ἔπαθλον ἀντιδίδοται. Πρός οὕς μάλα σοφῶς καὐτός ἀπευθύνων τόν βίον, θεοφύλακτε δέσποτα, ζητεῖν ἐπείγῃ τό πᾶσι προκείμενον δι᾿ ἀγαθότητα, καί πάντας δι᾿ ἀπειρίαν διαδιδράσκον· τό μέν, ἵν᾿ ἑλκύσῃ πρός ἑαυτό, τῷ ἀμηχάνῳ τῆς ὡραιότητος κεντρίζων τήν ἔφεσιν· τό δέ, ἵνα στομώσῃ, τῇ τῆς ὑπεραπείρου καταπλήξει καί θείας ὑπεροχῆς περιστέλλον τόν κόρον, ὕβρεως ὄντα πατέρα καί διαχύσεως γέννημα, τοῖς τήν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν οὐ προθεωροῦσι σύν τοῖς Χερουβίμ τεταγμένην καί στρεφομένην, οὐκ ἄλλοις, ἤ τοῖς δίχα φόβον πρός ( ἀρετήν ἐπιστρέφουσιν·","english":"He left these things to our self-determining will, awaiting man's end, to see whether by imitation of the God-befitting marks of virtue he might make himself like God. For this reason, then, divine Scripture, in what was said afterward, omitted the phrase \"according to the likeness.\" (1393) TO THEOPEMPTOS THE SCHOLASTIC, who asked about the unjust judge, and about \"if anyone strikes you on the right cheek,\" and about \"do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.\"\n\nFor those to whom the Word is the object of worship, the life that manifests the Word is also what is accomplished; so that, having received experience of action as a seal of true knowledge, they may learn from what they have, as is fitting, suffered, that becoming is greater than knowing what one is—and, more than this, the ever and increasingly so, until their unwavering attachment to the Cause is accomplished, circumscribing motion by rest and desire by unchangeableness of will; to whom also deification by grace is given as the prize of a sacred and God-like conduct in this life. Directing his own life wisely toward these things, God-guarded master, you are eager to seek what lies before all by reason of goodness, and yet escapes all by reason of inexperience—the one, that it may draw them to itself, goading desire with the ineffable sting of beauty; the other, that it may sharpen them, by the astonishment of the utterly boundless and divine transcendence restraining satiety, which is the father of insolence and the offspring of dissipation, for those who do not look beforehand at the flaming sword stationed and turning with the Cherubim, and who turn to virtue for no other reason than without fear.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":160,"ref":"p160","source":"ἔνθεν τῷ μεγέθει τῆς ἐπί τά καλά προκοπῆς συνεπεκτείνων τό μέτριον, ᾧ καί μᾶλλον ἐπαύξεις σύν ἀσφαλείᾳ τήν πρόοδον· ἠξίωσας ἀγνώτην ὄντα με καί ταπεινόν ἐπιγνῶναι, δι᾿ οὗ τοῖς κατ᾿ αὐτήν ἡ φύσις τρόπου παρείχετο· φημί δέ, τοῦ γράμματος ὅ λόγος συνδεκτικός τῶν ἀπόντων ἐστί, καί τῶν οὐ βλεπομένων ἐμφανιστικός· τοσοῦτον νοήσει παραδιδούς καί συνάπτων τόν τέως αἰσθήσει μή γνωριζόμενον, ὅσον διά ταύτης αὐτός χαραττόμενος παχύνεται σωματούμενος· ᾧ καί τήν ἐμήν οὐδένειαν εἰς πόθον ἤγαγες τόν ὑμέτερον πλέον, ᾗ θέαν τήν οἰκείαν ἀσωμάτως κεκίνηκας· προδείξας αὐτόν ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοῖν τούτοιν ἔχειν μᾶλλον τό ἴσον περί τόν λόγον, ἤ ὅσον ἕτεροι περί σέ τήν τοῦ λόγου χάριν παρά τούς ἄλλους προτερήματα· οἷς διά βίου κοσμούμενος, πῶς ποτε τήν ἐμήν ἀμβλυωπίαν πρός θεωρίαν ἐνάγειν ἐσπούδασας, ἱερῶν καί ταῦτα λόγων, καί ὧν ἡ ἐπίβασις, κρεῖττον ἤ κατά ἄνθρωπον, τόν οὔπω τελείως ὑπεραναβάντα τήν τῶν ἀστάτων καί διαστατῶν φύσιν καί γένεσιν· μή ὅτι γ᾿ ἐμοί τῷ φορυτῷ τούτων ἑκουσίως συμφυρομένῳ, καί σκώληκος δίκην τῇ σήψει τῶν ἀκαθάρτων καλινδουμένῳ καί ἡδομένῳ παθῶν. Πλήν τῆς εὐπειθείας χάριν, καί τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης τιμήν, τῶν ὑπέρ ἀξίαν κατατολμῶν, ἐκεῖνά φημι περί ὧν ἐκελεύσατε· στοχαστικῶς, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἀποφαντικῶς.","english":"From this, extending the moderate measure to the greatness of your progress toward good things, by which you increase your advance all the more with safety, you have deemed worthy to know me, who am unknown and lowly, through which nature was provided with the manner corresponding to it. I mean the letter, which is the connecting word of those absent and the revealer of things not seen, handing over to the understanding and joining to it as much as the one previously not known by sense perception is thickened and embodied by being itself delineated through it. By this you have also brought my nothingness into your desire more, or rather you have moved your own vision incorporeally, having shown beforehand that he has more equality in both these things concerning the word, or as much as others have concerning you in the preeminence of the grace of the word beyond others. Adorned by these throughout life, how have you ever been eager to lead my dim-sightedness toward contemplation, and these things of sacred words, whose ascent is beyond what is human, for one who has not yet perfectly transcended the nature and generation of unstable and dimensional things—not to mention me, who willingly mingle with their refuse and, like a worm, roll in the putrefaction of unclean passions and take pleasure in them. Nevertheless, for the sake of obedience and in honor of your love, daring to attempt things beyond my worth, I speak of those things about which you commanded—by conjecture, but not by assertion.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":161,"ref":"p161","source":"Τό κείμενο προέρχεται ἀπό τήν πατρολογία τοῦ, τόμος ος (τό δακτυλογράφησε ἡ μητέρα τοῦ π. Ἀρσενίου Μέσκου), σέ ἀντιπαράθεση μέ τό κείμενο τῶν ἐκδόσεων ʺΤΟ ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΟΝʺ τῆς σειρᾶς ʺΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΣ Ο ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣʺ Θεσσαλονίκη *\n\n1992, ΦΙΛΟΚΑΛΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΠΤΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΩΝ, τόμος Α.\n\nΚριτήν ἀδικίας ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ παραβολικῶς ὑπάρχειν καί λέγεσθαι, τόν ἡμέτερον λογισμόν, ἀρχῆθεν ἐκ παραβάσεως ἄδικων πεποιημένον τήν κρίσιν· ὡς τήν τοῦ Κτίσαντος μέν οὐ δεξάμενον ἐντολήν· τήν δέ τοῦ φθείροντος ἑλόμενον συμβουλήν· ἐξ οὗ καί τό χοϊκός εἶναι, τοῦ εἶναι, καί τοῦ θεός γενέσθαι πάμπολυ προετίμησε. Πόλιν δέ εἶναι τούτου, τήν αἴσθησιν, ἤ τόν ὁρώμενον κόσμον· οἷς παραλόγως κατά σχέσιν ἐπαναπαυόμενος, ( τῆς κατοικίας τήν παροικίαν ἠλλάξατο· μήτε Θεόν φοβούμενος, μήτε μήν ἄνθρωπον τόν αὐτόν γεγενημένον δι᾿ ἡμᾶς ἐντρεπόμενος· τό μέν, διά τήν ἄνοιαν· τό δέ, διά τήν καταφρόνησιν· ἐκείνην τε μή προορωμένην τῶν κριμάτων τό μέγεθος καί ταύτην οὐκ εἰργομένην, ἥν τέως ἡ χρηστότης προσμένουσα τήν μεταβολήν ἀναστέλλει, τήν βάσανον· αἷς ἑαυτόν αὐθαδῶς περιέσπειρε, τῇ δεδομένῃ παρά τοῦ Κτίσαντος εἰς ἐξάνυσιν τῶν καθηκόντων αὐτεξουσίῳ τιμῇ παρά τό δέον ἀποχρησάμενος· καί τοῦ νοουμένου τό φανέν ἀγαθόν κρίνας, ὅ μή θέμις ἦν, αἱρετώτερον. Χήραν δέ διοχλοῦσαν, τήν λογικήν ψυχήν ἅτε δή πρός καρπογονίαν ἱερῶν καί ὁσίων ἔργων οὐκ ἔχουσαν τόν τά καλά κατά φύσιν σπείροντα λόγον. Μόνῃ τῇ πρός αὐτήν ὁλικῇ ταύτῃ στοργῇ καί διαθέσει κρατούμενον· ἀλλ᾿ οὐ προσμένοντα διά τήν ἀπόνευσιν, καί τήν αὐθαίρετον πρός τά τῆδε ῥοπήν.","english":"The passage comes from the Patrologia, volume 91 (typed by the mother of Fr. Arsenios Meskos), in comparison with the text of the editions \"TO BYZANTION\" of the series \"GREGORY PALAMAS\" Thessaloniki *\n\n1992, PHILOKALIA OF THE NEPTIC AND ASCETIC FATHERS, volume I.\n\nThat the judge of injustice in the Gospel exists and is spoken of in parable as our own reasoning, which from the beginning through transgression has made judgment unjust; as having not received the commandment of the Creator, but having chosen the counsel of the corrupter; from which also it preferred being earthy, and being, and becoming god, by far. And that his city is the senses, or the visible world; in which, resting unreasonably by relation, it exchanged the sojourning for the dwelling; neither fearing God, nor indeed revering the man who became the same for our sake; the one, because of folly; the other, because of contempt; that one not foreseeing the magnitude of the judgments, and this one not being restrained, which for a time the goodness, awaiting the change, holds back—the torment; with which it boldly wrapped itself around, having misused the self-determining honor given by the Creator for the accomplishment of what is fitting, contrary to what is right; and having judged the apparent good of the intelligible to be preferable, which was not lawful. And the widow who kept troubling him is the rational soul, as having no word that sows good things by nature for the fruit-bearing of sacred and holy works. Held by this whole affection and disposition toward it alone; but not waiting because of the turning away, and the self-chosen inclination toward things here.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":162,"ref":"p162","source":"Ἀντίδικον δέ ταύτης, φημί τῆς ψυχῆς, τό τῆς δυστήνου σαρκός ἔνυλον κίνημά τε καί φρόνημα, δι᾿ οὗ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν θείας εἰκόνος καί τοῦ κατ᾿ αὐτήν ἀξιώματος, τό τε κάλλος καταμολύνειν σπουδάζουσι, καί τό διαυγές ἀμαυροῦν οἱ ἀκάθαρτοι δαίμονες, ὁπηνίκα, δι᾿ ἡδονῆς ὑποπίπτουσιν, ἐπεισφρήσουσι δεινῶς ἡμῖν τά τῆς ἀτιμίας αἴσχη καί πάθη· δι᾿ ἅ καί ὁ θάνατος κατεκρίθη τῆς φύσεως, οὐχ ἑλομένης τό ἀπαρχῆς τῆς ὄντως κατατρυφῆσαι ζωῆς. Ὑπωπιασμούς δέ τούς ἐκ τῆς συνειδήσεως μεθ᾿ ὑποφωνήσεώς τινος παρακλητικούς αἰκισμούς, οἷς προτινομένοις ἐκ τῆς ψυχῆς, ἡρέμα πως εἴωθεν κάμπτεσθαι τό αὐστηρόν τοῦ λογισμοῦ, καί πρός τά καλά διά τήν χρονιωτέραν ἕξιν ἀνύπεικτον, οὐ φέροντος ἐνδομυχοῦσαν, καί οἷον αἰκίζουσάν τε συνεχῶς καί διοχλοῦσαν τήν βάσανον· ἕως λυμῄνηται τά τήν ψυχήν λυμαινόμενα πάθη, δι᾿ ἐγκρατείας, καί τῆς πρός τά μέλη τῆς σαρκός ( ἑκουσίου νεκρώσεως. Εἶτα καί πρός ἀγχιστείαν αὐτοῦ τοῦ λόγου δι᾿ εὐσεβείας, καί τῆς περί τά κρείττω τελεωτέρας ἀγάγοι σπουδῆς, οἷς φυσικῶς ἐνεργουμένοις, τά οἰκεῖα καί πατρικά παραβάλλων, ὁ ὑπέρ οὐσίαν καί φύσιν Θεός Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, «ὁ δέ Θεός οὐ μή ποιήσῃ», φησί, «τήν ἐκδίκησιν ὑμῶν», δι᾿ ἐμοῦ σαρκωθέντος, καί τήν τοῦ καθαιρέτου τῆς φύσεως ποιουμένου καθαίρεσιν. Οὕτω μέν οὖν τά περί τούτου διεξῆλθον ἐπιτόμως ἐγώ, καθ᾿ ὅσον τό ἐγχωροῦν τῆς διανοίας μέτρον ἐπήρκεσεν· εἰ καί ἄλλως ἄλλοι τόν τόπον κατανοήσαντες· οἱ μέν εἰς Χριστόν· οἱ δέ τοὔμπαλιν, εἰς τόν Ἀντίχριστον ἐξειλήφασι. Δέος δέ μοι νοεῖν, ἤ λέγειν ἑκάτερα· τό μέν, ὡς ἀσύγκριτον·","english":"But its adversary, I mean the material motion and disposition of the wretched flesh, through which the unclean demons strive to defile the beauty of the divine image in us and of the dignity that accords with it, and to darken its radiance—whenever, through pleasure, they fall upon us, they will terribly thrust upon us the shame and passions of dishonor; through these, death was also condemned for our nature, since it did not choose from the beginning to delight in the truly living life. And by \"bruises\" I mean the chastisements that come from conscience, with a certain encouraging undertone, by which, when they are struck forth from the soul, the severity of the reasoning is somehow gently bent, and which it does not endure when it is unyielding toward good things because of a more long-standing habit, since the torment lies hidden within and, as it were, constantly scourges and troubles it—until the passions that corrupt the soul are destroyed through self-control and the voluntary mortification of the members of the flesh. Then may he lead us also to kinship with the Word himself through piety and the more perfect zeal for things that are better; and since these things are accomplished naturally, comparing his own and the Father's, our Lord Jesus Christ, God beyond essence and nature, says, \"And shall God not surely execute,\" says he, \"your vengeance,\" through me who was made flesh, and who brings about the destruction of the destroyer of nature. Thus, then, I have gone through these matters concerning him briefly, insofar as the measure of my understanding has sufficed; although others have understood the place differently: some referring it to Christ, others on the contrary to the Antichrist. But I fear to think or to speak either of the two: the one, as being incomparable—","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":163,"ref":"p163","source":"οὐ γάρ μείων μέν Υἱοῦ· μείζων δέ Πατρός, ἡ ἐκδίκησις· ἤ δι᾿ ἄλλου, καί ἄλλη τό σύνολον, πλήν τοῦ Υἱοῦ. Καί πῶς ἐπί τῆς αὐτῆς συγκριτικῶς φησι, τό, «ὁ δέ Θεός», φησίν, «οὐ ποιήσει τήν ἐκδίκησιν ὑμῶν»; Οὐ γάρ ἔχει χώραν· ἤ διάφορος πάντως δειχθήσεται, καί μετά τῆς φύσεως οὐ δυναμένης τό ἴσον δρᾷν· καί διά τοῦτο λοιπόν οὐ συντασσομένης· εἰκονιζούσης δέ μόνον, ὡς ὑπερκειμένην, τήν ὑπερέχουσαν. Τό δέ, ὡς ἀνέκδεκτον καί ἀμήχανον, τό καλόν ποιεῖν τόν κακίας εὑρετήν καί διδάσκαλον· «οὐ γάρ δύναται», φησί, «δένδρον σαπρόν καρπούς καλούς ποιεῖν»· καλόν δέ ἡ ἐκδίκησις, καί τόν τήν ὄχλησιν ἀφοσιοῦσθαι δεόντως τοῦ προσπελάζοντος· ἤ τούτῳ παραβάλλεσθαι τυχόν, ὅ μή θέμις, τόν Πατέρα, καί πάσης ἀρετῆς καί ζωῆς χορηγόν ἐξ Υἱοῦ, καί ταῦτα μονογενοῦς, καί ἴσου τήν φύσιν καί τήν ἀγαθότητα. Οὐ γάρ τά καλά διά τῶν κακῶν μηνύεσθαι πέφυκεν, ὥσπερ οὐδέ διά σκότους τό φῶς, ἤ\n\nθανάτου ζωή· καί τοῦ μηδαμῶς ὄντος, τό ὄν. Καί οὐ λέγω ταῦτα πρός τήν ἐκείνων ἀθέτησιν· ἔχομαι ( γάρ καί ἀντέχομαι ζωῆς πλέον, τῆς τῶν φαμένων διδασκαλίας· ἀλλά τό οἰκεῖον μέτριον δι᾿ ἄκραν δειλίαν ἀσφαλιζόμενος. Τήν δέ ἀνάγνωσιν τοῦ ὑπωπιάζειν κανονίζειν οὐ πρέπον ἐμοί, διά τήν ἐν τούτοις ἀμαθίαν, ἤ τοῖς ἠσκημένοις καί σπουδῇ προελομένοις τήν παίδευσιν· οἵ ταύτην ὀφείλειν φασί κανονίζεσθαι βαρυτόνως μᾶλλον, ἤ περισπωμένως, ὅτι τέ φασι τῶν ῥημάτων οὐδέν περισπᾶται, πλήν εἰ μή ἐκ συναιρέσεως βαρυτόνου καθέστηκεν, ὡς τό, νοῶ, καί ποιῶ, καί χρυσῶ, καί ὅσα τοιαῦτα, φυλάσσοντα καί μετά προθέσεως ἐπί τῆς αὐτῆς τόν τόνον.","english":"For the vengeance is not less than the Son, and greater than the Father; nor is it through another, and another altogether, apart from the Son. And how does he say this in the same passage by way of comparison, the phrase “but God,” he says, “will he not avenge you”? For it has no place; or it will be shown to be altogether different, and with the nature unable to do the equal thing; and for this reason no longer being ranked together; but only imaging, as that which is above, the surpassing thing. And the phrase, as being inadmissible and impossible, that the inventor and teacher of evil should do the good: “For a corrupt tree,” he says, “cannot bring forth good fruits”; and the vengeance is good, and to set aside the annoyance duly of the one who approaches; or perhaps to compare the Father to this, which is not lawful, the Father who is the provider of every virtue and life from the Son, and that of the only-begotten, and equal in nature and goodness. For good things are not naturally made known through evil things, just as neither is light through darkness, or life through death; and the existent through that which in no way exists. And I do not say these things for the rejection of their teaching; for I hold and cling to life more than the teaching of those who affirm it; but safeguarding my own measure through extreme timidity. But the reading of “to keep under” and “to regulate” is not fitting for me, because of my ignorance in these matters, or for those who have been trained and have chosen education with zeal; who say that this ought to be regulated with the grave accent rather than with the circumflex, because, they say, none of the verbs is circumflexed, unless it has come to be from a contraction of a grave-accented form, as “I think,” and “I do,” and “I gild,” and as many such things, keeping the same accent also with a preposition.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":164,"ref":"p164","source":"Τήν δεξιάν, σιαγόνα, τήν δεξιάν πρᾶξίν φημι, καί ὅσην ἐνθέος ἡμῖν διά τῶν ἐντολῶν συνιστάμενος βίος χαρακτηρίζει, ῥαπιζομένην ὑπό τοῦ πονηροῦ τῇ προλήψει τῆς ἐνεργουμένης καλοκαγαθίας· καί τῇ πληγῇ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν οἰήσεως, φλεγμαίνουσάν πως διά κενοδοξίας, καί ἐπαιρομένην κατά τῶν μηδεμίαν, ἅ μή τήν ἴσην τυχόν κεκτημένων· δι᾿ ἥν ὥσπερ ἄλλην καί οἷον ἀριστεράν στρέφειν προσήκει, τόν ἤδη πρότερον ἡμᾶς κατά τήν ἀπάτην τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου καταμολύναντα βίον, τούτῳ τε πλήττεσθαι συνεχῶς διά τῆς μνήμης· καί ὡς ἁμαρτωλούς μᾶλλον συστέλλεσθαι καί μετριάζειν, ἤ ὡς ἁγίους μετεωρίζεσθαι, καί δι᾿ ἔπαρσιν καταπίπτειν, οὐκ ἔχοντας πῆξιν ἱεράν τήν ταπείνωσιν. Τιμάσθω δέ μετά τῶν κατά θεωρίαν λαμβανομένων· μᾶλλον δέ καί πρό τούτων, εἰς ἑτοιμασίαν ἱεράν καί προκάθαρσιν, καί σωματικῶς ταῦτα τελούμενα διά τόν ἐντειλάμενον Κύριον· προσπαθείας ἐντεῦθεν ἕξιν τοῖς κατορθοῦσι δορούμενον, καί τῆς τοῦ πλήττοντος περιγραφήν ἀπιστίας, τῷ ἑτοίμῳ τῆς παραδοχῆς τό πρόθυμον τῆς πληγῆς ἀναστέλλοντα, αἰδομένου τυχόν, εἰ μή τι ἄλλο, τό ὑπερβάλλον τῆς ὑποπτώσεως· καί τό μηδαμῶς ἀντιτείνεν τόν δυνάμενον τοῦτο ποιεῖν, εἰργόμενον δέ διά τήν πρόσαξιν.","english":"The right cheek—I mean the right action—and the whole life that is established in us by God through the commandments and that marks us out, is struck by the evil one through the preconception of the good that is being worked in us; and by the blow of the conceit that comes from this, it is inflamed, as it were, through vainglory, and is lifted up against those who have acquired nothing, or perhaps not an equal measure; for which reason one ought to turn, as it were, the other cheek, that is, the life that previously defiled us according to the deception of this age, and to be struck by this continually through memory; and to be restrained and to be moderate rather than to be exalted as holy, and to fall through pride, not having humility as a sacred foundation. But let it be honored along with the things that are understood in contemplation; or rather even before these, for a sacred preparation and preliminary purification, these things being accomplished also bodily because of the Lord who commanded it; granting from this a disposition of attachment to those who succeed, and a circumscription of the unbelief of the one who strikes, checking the eagerness of the blow by the readiness of acceptance, since he is perhaps ashamed, if nothing else, of the excess of submission; and of not resisting at all, when one is able to do this, but being restrained because of the offering.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":165,"ref":"p165","source":"Τό δέ, «μή μου ἅπτου», πρός τήν Μαγδαληνήν λέλεκται ( Μαρίαν παρά τοῦ Κυρίου, κηπουρόν αὐτόν εἶναι νομίσασαν· δηλοῦντος τοῦ μυστηρίου, καί ὑπεκφαίνοντος, ὡς ψυχή πᾶσα νοερά, μήπω τό συμφυές σκῆνος ὑπεραναβᾶσα, καί διά τοῦτο τῶν ἐν γενέσει καί φθορᾷ μόνον, οὐδέν οὐδαμῶς διαφερόντων λαχάνων κηπευομένων· ἴση γάρ ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοῖν ἤ τε ῥοή καί ἀποῤῥοή, καί ἡ τοῦ χρόνου περιγραφή καί περίοδος· δημιουργόν εἶναι τόν Λόγον ὑπολαμβάνουσα, διά τήν περί ταῦτα, καί ἕως τούτων πρόοδον αὐτοῦ καί συγκατάβασιν· οὐκ ἀξία τῆς τούτου κατά πνεῦμα καθέστηκεν ἐπαφῆς, καί ταῦτα τοῖς φαινομένοις αὐτόν ἐπιζητοῦσα· καί σάρκα δι᾿ ἡμᾶς γεγενημένον γινώσκουσα μόνον αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ οὐχί πρεπόντως καί Θεόν ἐκ Θεοῦ τοῦ Πατρός γεγεννημένον γινώσκουσα. Τοῦτο γάρ κατὰ τό εἰκός νοεῖν ὑποβάλλει, τό, «οὔπω ἀναβέβηκα πρός τόν Πατέρα μου», τό μή δι᾿ ἄκρας θεολογίας καί πίστεως, οἷς ἡ τῶν ὁρωμένων περιγράφεται φύσις, ὑψωθῆναι πρός τῆς οὕτω διακειμένης ψυχῆς· ἀλλ᾿ ἔτι παιδαγωγικῶς δεομένης εἰς ἐντελεστέραν τούτου κατάληψιν, ἐπί τήν ἀποκαλυπτικήν ἕξιν τῶν θείων ὡσεί τινα Γαλιλαίαν διά θεωρίας ἀναδραμεῖν· καί σύν τοῖς ὑπ᾿αὐτοῦ προτετυπωμένοις καί προβεβλημένοις λόγοις, ὅλον ὡς θέμις περιληφθῆναι, καί γενέσθαι τοσοῦτον ὅπερ αὐτός ἦν ὁ γενόμενος ὅπερ ἡμεῖς, ὅσον ἐδείχθη τοῦτο γενόμενος πλήν μόνης τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὡς καί ἡμεῖς ἐκείνῳ δίχα μόνης τῆς φύσεως, ἡνίκα τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπιτύχοιμεν· ἥν δι᾿ ἐλπίδος νῦν προσδεχόμενος, καί προσήκουσι τῶν ἐντολῶν ἔργοις δεόντως ἀποσεμνύνων, ἀπολαύσαις ὅσον ἐπίστευσας, καί τρυφήσαις ὅσον ἐπόνησας·","english":"The \"Do not touch me\" was said to Mary Magdalene by the Lord, she who supposed him to be a gardener; the mystery indicating and hinting that every rational soul, not yet having risen above the body that is connatural to it, and for this reason [concerned] only with things in generation and corruption, which in no way differ at all from cultivated vegetables—for the flow and outflow are equal in both, and the circumscription and cycle of time—supposing the Word to be a craftsman because of his procession and condescension concerning these things and up to these things, is not worthy of his spiritual touch, and this even though she sought him among things visible and knew him only as one who had become flesh for our sake, but did not fittingly know him as God begotten of God the Father. For this, as is likely, is what the words \"I have not yet ascended to my Father\" suggest: that he was not exalted by thorough theology and faith—by which the nature of things seen is circumscribed—by the soul thus disposed, but that she still needed, in a pedagogical way, to run back through contemplation to the revelatory state of divine things, as it were to some Galilee, and together with the principles prefigured and set forth by him, to be encompassed wholly as is fitting, and to become as much what he was who became what we are, insofar as he was shown to have become this apart from sin alone, as we also [become] that one apart from nature alone, when we obtain the gift; which now receiving in hope, and duly honoring with the fitting works of the commandments, may you enjoy as much as you believed, and delight as much as you labored.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":166,"ref":"p166","source":"μᾶλλον δέ πλέον καί ἀπειράκις ὅσον καί ὁ ταύτης δοτήρ ὑπερουσίως ὑπερανέστηκε καί φύσεως κίνησιν, καί παντός αἰῶνος περίληψιν.\n\n( ΕΡΜΗΝΕΙΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΝΘ' (59) ΨΑΛΜΟΝ* «Εἰς τὸ τέλος, τοῖς ἀλλοιωθησομένοις, εἰς στηλογραφίαν τῷ Δαυΐδ, εἰς διδαχήν, ὁπότε ἐνεπύρισε τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν καὶ Συρίαν Σωβὰ καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν Ἰωὰβ καὶ ἐπάταξε τὴν φάραγγα τῶν ἁλῶν, δώδεκα χιλιάδας». «Εἰς τὸ τέλος, τοῖς ἀλλοιωθησομένοις» ὁ παρὼν ἐπιγέγραπται ψαλμός, διά τε τὴν ἐπὶ τέλει τῶν χρόνων διὰ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενομένην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐξ ἀπιστίας εἰς πίστιν καὶ ἀπὸ κακίας εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀγνοίας εἰς γνῶσιν Θεοῦ γνωμικήν τε καὶ προαιρετικὴν μεταβολὴν καὶ ἀλλοίωσιν, διά τε τὴν εἰς ὕστερον ἐπὶ τέλει τῶν αἰώνων γενησομένην δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ καθολικὴν τοῦ παντὸς γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν χάριτι φυσικὴν ἐκ θανάτου καὶ φθορᾶς εἰς ζωὴν ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν διὰ τῆς προσδοκωμένης ἀναστάσεως ἀλλοίωσίν τε καὶ ἀνανέωσιν· «εἰς στηλογραφίαν» δὲ τῷ «Δαυΐδ», τουτέστιν αὐτῷ τῷ Χριστῷ, διά τε τὴν γεγενημένην ἤδη κατὰ τὴν θείαν αὐτοῦ σάρκωσιν, στήλης δίκην, ἐν αὐτῷ μὲν ὡς ἀρχηγῷ καὶ Σωτῆρι, καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς κατ᾽ αὐτὸν εὐσεβῶς βιοῦσι τῆς κακίας ἀναίρεσιν, διά τε τὸν ἔτι δι᾽ αὐτοῦ γενησόμενον παντελῆ τοῦ τε θανάτου καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς ἀφανισμόν. «Εἰς διδαχὴν» δέ, ὁπόταν «ἐνεπύρισε τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν καὶ τὴν Συρίαν Σωβά». Εἰς διδαχὴν ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀλλοιουμένοις καὶ ἀλλοιωθησομένοις, δηλονότι τὴν ἐπαινετὴν καὶ θείαν ἀλλοίωσιν, ὁ ψαλμὸς ἐπιγέγραπται παρὰ τοῦ ( Δαβὶδ τοῦ νοητοῦ, λέγω δὲ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ.","english":"Rather, to a greater and incomparably higher degree, inasmuch as the Giver of it transcends in a superessential manner both the motion of nature and the comprehension of every age.\n\nINTERPRETATION OF THE 59TH PSALM: \"For the end, for those who shall be changed, for an inscription on a pillar to David, for instruction, when he burned Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and struck the valley of salt, twelve thousand.\" \"For the end, for those who shall be changed\" is the present psalm inscribed, both because of the change and alteration that came to men at the end of the times through the advent of Christ, from unbelief to faith and from vice to virtue and from ignorance to the knowledge of God—a change of judgment and of choice—and because of the universal, natural change and renewal of the whole race of men that will afterward come to pass at the end of the ages, through our Savior God himself, from death and corruption to immortal life and incorruption, through the resurrection that is awaited; and \"for an inscription on a pillar\" to \"David,\" that is, to Christ himself, both because of the destruction of vice that has already come to pass through his divine incarnation, as it were a pillar, in him as leader and Savior, and after him in those who live piously according to him, and because of the complete obliteration of death and corruption that will yet come to pass through him. And \"for instruction,\" when \"he burned Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah.\" For instruction to us who are being changed and who shall be changed—namely, the praiseworthy and divine change—the psalm is inscribed by David the spiritual, I mean Christ our God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":167,"ref":"p167","source":"Μόνος γὰρ αὐτὸς ἀληθινὸς βασιλεὺς ὑπάρχων τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ὁρῶντος Θεόν, ὡς πάσης ἀναιρέτης κακίας καὶ ἀγνωσίας καὶ νικητὴς παντὸς χρόνου καὶ φύσεως, δι᾽ ὧν ἐν ἡμῖν ἡ κακία συνίστασθαι πέφυκεν, ἐνεπύρισε τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν, διὰ σαρκὸς ἡμῖν ὁμιλήσας, τουτέστι τὴν ἐπικλυζομένην τοῖς παρὰ φύσιν πάθεσι τῆς σαρκὸς ἕξιν τῆς κακίας, καὶ τὴν «Συρίαν Σωβά», τουτέστι τὴν δεδουλωμένην τῷ χρόνῳ ἤγουν ἠπατημένην τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ διάθεσιν· ἑπτὰ γὰρ ἡ Σωβὰ ἑρμηνεύεται, σαφῶς δὲ τοῦτο δηλοῖ τὴν χρονικὴν ἰδιότητα· ἑβδοματικὸς γὰρ ὁ χρόνος. Φύσιν γὰρ καὶ χρόνον εἴωθεν ὁ διάβολος συνεπικινεῖν ἑαυτῷ κατὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς γνώσεως, τοὺς ἀφανεῖς συμπλέκων πολέμους, ὡς τὰς δύο Συρίας κατὰ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ὁ Ἀδρααζάρ Ἀδρααζὰρ γὰρ εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα φωνὴν μεταφραζόμενος λύων ἰσχὺν ἢ κατασκάπτων δύναμιν ἑρμηνεύεται, ὅστις ἐστὶν ὁ διάβολος ὁ δι᾽ ἀπάτης τὴν πνευματικὴν ἰσχὺν τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς τῇ παραβάσει τῆς θείας ἐντολῆς διαλύσας, καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τῇ φύσει δουλώσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον· ἄνευ γὰρ τῶν ὑπὸ φύσιν καὶ χρόνον μάχεσθαι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παντελῶς οὐ δύναται. «Καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν Ἰωὰβ καὶ ἐπάταξε τὴν φάραγγα τῶν Ἁλῶν, δώδεκα χιλιάδας».","english":"For he alone is the true king of Israel and of the one who sees God, and as the destroyer of all evil and ignorance and the conqueror of all time and nature, through the things by which evil is naturally established in us, he set Mesopotamia on fire, having conversed with us through the flesh—that is, the habit of evil in the flesh that is flooded by passions contrary to nature—and \"Syria of Zobah,\" that is, the disposition enslaved to time, or rather deceived by this age; for Zobah is interpreted as seven, and this clearly indicates the property of time, for time is hebdomadal. For the devil is accustomed to stir up nature and time together with himself against virtue and knowledge, weaving unseen wars, as Adraazar did against David with the two Syrias. For Adraazar, translated into the Greek tongue, is interpreted as loosing strength or overthrowing power, who is the devil, who by deceit at the beginning dissolved the spiritual strength of our nature through the transgression of the divine commandment, and enslaved man to time and nature; for without fighting by means of things under nature and time, he is altogether unable to wage war against men. \"And Joab returned and struck the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":168,"ref":"p168","source":"Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ τῷ νοητῷ βασιλεῖ Δαβὶδ στρατηγῶν, τουτέστι τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ, κατὰ τῶν ἐναντίων δυνάμεων, πατάσσει δώδεκα χιλιάδας ἐν τῇ φάραγγι τῶν Ἁλῶν. Φάραγξ δέ ἐστιν Ἁλῶν ἡ σάρξ, ὡς χωρίον παθῶν ἀτιμίας διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς γενομένη, ἐν ᾗ, καθάπερ φάραγγι, διὰ λόγου καὶ θεωρίας πᾶς εὐσεβὴς καὶ φιλόθεος πατάσσει φύσιν καὶ χρόνον, ἤγουν τὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς παράλογον πρόληψιν, μηδαμῶς ἐμμένων ( διὰ τὸ ὕψος τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς γνώσεως τοῖς ὑπὸ φύσιν καὶ χρόνον νόμοις. Ὁ γὰρ δώδεκα ἀριθμὸς τὴν φύσιν δηλοῖ καὶ τὸν χρόνον, Τό κείμενο προέρχεται ἀπό τήν πατρολογία τοῦ, σέ ἀντιπαράθεση μέ τό κείμενο τῶν ἐκδόσεων ʺΤΟ ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΟΝʺ τῆς σειρᾶς ʺΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΣ Ο ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣʺ *\n\nΘεσσαλονίκη 1992, ΦΙΛΟΚΑΛΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΠΤΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΩΝ, τόμος Α.\n\nεἴπερ πενταδικὴ μὲν ἡ φύσις διὰ τὰς αἰσθήσεις, ἑβδοματικὸς δὲ ὁ χρόνος, ὡς πᾶσι καθέστηκεν εὔδηλον, πέντε δὲ τοῖς ἑπτὰ συνθείς, τὸν δώδεκα πληρώσαις ἂν σαφῶς ἀριθμόν.\n\nΤυχὸν δὲ καὶ τὴν κακῶς δι᾽ ἀπάτης παρὰ φύσιν συμπλακεῖσαν τῇ τετράδι τῶν αἰσθητῶν τριάδα τῶν δυνάμεων τῆς ψυχῆς κατὰ τὴν σχέσιν, δι᾽ ἧς πᾶσα γίνεσθαι πέφυκεν ἁμαρτία, ὁ τῶν ἀνῃρημένων ἀριθμὸς ὑποσημαίνει, ὃν καταφονεύει καλῶς ὁ τῷ νοητῷ Δαβὶδ ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἀγῶσιν ὑπουργῶν καὶ γνωστικῶς τὰς ἀοράτους μάχας συνάπτων καὶ κατὰ τῶν πονηρῶν δυνάμεων πνευματικῶς παραταττόμενος· πᾶσα γὰρ ψυχῆς δύναμις, παρὰ φύσιν κινουμένη, τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς συμπλέκεσθαι πέφυκεν.","english":"For everyone who serves as a general under the spiritual king David—that is, under our Lord Jesus—against the opposing powers strikes down twelve thousand in the Valley of Salt. The Valley of Salt is the flesh, which became a place of dishonorable passions through disobedience, in which, as in a valley, every pious and God-loving person, through reason and contemplation, strikes down nature and time—that is, the irrational preconception of the soul concerning them—never remaining subject to the laws of nature and time because of the height of virtue and knowledge. For the number twelve signifies nature and time, since nature is fivefold because of the senses, and time is sevenfold, as is evident to all; and adding five to seven, you would clearly complete the number twelve.\n\nPerhaps also the number of those slain signifies the triad of the soul's powers wrongly entangled through deceit, contrary to nature, with the tetrad of sensible things in their relation—through which every sin naturally comes to be—which number the one who serves the spiritual David well in his struggles for the truth slays, and who joins invisible battles in a knowing way and arrays himself spiritually against the evil powers. For every power of the soul, when moved contrary to nature, is naturally inclined to become entangled with sensible things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":169,"ref":"p169","source":"Ἐπειδὰν οὖν ὅ τε λόγος καὶ ὁ θυμὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία, τρεῖς τὸν ἀριθμὸν οὖσαι γενικαὶ τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις, τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ἡττηθῶσι, τέσσαρσιν οὖσι, τὸν δώδεκα ἀριθμὸν ἀποτελεῖ· τέσσαρα γὰρ ἐπὶ τρία καὶ τρία ἐπὶ τέσσαρα συντιθέμενα, τοῦτον πληροῖ τὸν ἀριθμόν, ὃν ἀναιρεῖ ὁ τῷ Κυρίῳ πιστῶς προσχωρῶν καὶ καλῶς ἀριστεύων κατὰ παντὸς ἀφανοῦς καὶ πολεμίου πνεύματος. Ἐπιγέγραπται γοῦν ὁ παρὼν ψαλμὸς «τοῖς μὲν ἀλλοιωθησομένοις» ἡμῖν, «εἰς διδαχὴν» τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς παρὰ τοῦ νοητοῦ Δαβὶδ γενομένων ἀγαθῶν, «εἰς στηλογραφίαν δὲ τῷ Δαυΐδ», τουτέστιν εἰς ἀνάρρησιν τῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν αὐτοῦ θείων καὶ σωτηρίων κατορθωμάτων· ἀνάρρησιν γὰρ κατορθωμάτων ἡ στηλογραφία δηλοῖ κατὰ τοὺς ἐπιστήμονας τῶν τοιούτων ὀνομάτων ἐξηγητάς. «Ὁ Θεός, ἀπώσω ἡμᾶς καὶ καθεῖλες ἡμᾶς, ὠργίσθης καὶ ᾠκτείρησας ἡμᾶς». Ἀπώσατο ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεός, ὅταν, μὴ φυλάξαντες κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς ( τὴν ἐντολήν, ἀνάξιοι ἐφάνημεν τῆς κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὁμιλίας· καθεῖλεν ἡμᾶς, ὅταν τοῦ ὕψους τῆς ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ δόξης διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν κακίαν ἀπεξένωσεν· ὠργίσθη, ὅταν ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ καὶ κολάσει τῆς κακίας τῷ τοῦ θανάτου ἐπιτιμίῳ ἡμᾶς καθυπέβαλεν· ᾠκτείρησεν ἡμᾶς, ὅταν διὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς αὐτοῦ Υἱοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου σαρκωθέντος καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ πάντων ἡμῶν ὀφειλὴν καταδεξαμένου ἐλυτρώσατο ἡμᾶς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δόξαν πάλιν ἐπανήγαγεν. «Συνέσεισας τὴν γῆν καὶ συνετάραξας αὐτήν· ἴασαι τὰ συντρίμματα αὐτῆς, ὅτι ἐσαλεύθη».","english":"When, therefore, the reason and the spiritedness and the desire—three in number, being the generic powers of the soul—are defeated by the sensible things, which are four, they complete the number twelve; for four times three and three times four, added together, fill up this number, which he destroys who faithfully comes to the Lord and nobly plays the champion against every invisible and hostile spirit. At any rate, the present psalm is inscribed \"for us who shall be changed, for instruction\" in the good things that have come to us from the noetic David, and \"for a pillar-inscription for David,\" that is, for the proclamation of his divine and saving achievements on our behalf; for a pillar-inscription signifies the proclamation of achievements, according to those who are learned in the interpretation of such names. \"O God, you have thrust us away and cast us down; you were angry and you had mercy on us.\" God thrust us away when, not having kept the commandment in the beginning, we appeared unworthy of converse with him face to face; he cast us down when, because of our wickedness, he estranged us from the height of the glory in paradise; he was angry when, for the punishment and chastisement of wickedness, he subjected us to the penalty of death; he had mercy on us when, through his only-begotten Son, God the Word, who was made flesh and accepted the debt on behalf of us all, he redeemed us from death and led us back again to his own glory. \"You shook the earth and troubled it; heal its fractures, for it has been shaken.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":170,"ref":"p170","source":"Συνέσεισεν ἡμῶν τὴν γῆν καὶ συνετάραξε, τουτέστι τὴν καρδίαν, δοὺς ἡμῖν τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν τὸ χεῖρον τοῦ κρείττονος γνωστικῶς διακρίνουσαν καὶ τὸν νόμον τοῦ Πνεύματος κατὰ τοῦ νόμου τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπεγείρουσαν καὶ τὸν κατὰ τῶν παθῶν ἐπαινετὸν πόλεμον ἐν ἡμῖν δημιουργοῦσαν καὶ τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν τῶν παθῶν συνέχειαν συσσείουσαν καὶ συνταράσσουσαν ἐπὶ ταῖς κατὰ πρόληψιν ἀτόποις μνήμαις τὴν συνείδησιν· ἰᾶται δὲ τὰ συντρίμματα τῆς ἡμῶν καρδίας, ἅπερ σαλευθεῖσά τε καὶ ὀλισθήσασα διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς ἐκ τῆς ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ παραβάσεως ὑπέμεινε, διὰ τῆς ἐν χάριτι πνευματικῆς ἀναγεννήσεως. «Ἔδειξας τῷ λαῷ σου σκληρά· ἐπότισας ἡμᾶς οἶνον κατανύξεως· ἔδωκας τοῖς φοβουμένοις σε σημείωσιν τοῦ φυγεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου τόξου, ὅπως ἂν ῥυσθῶσιν οἱ ἀγαπητοί σου».\n\nΔεικνύει σκληρὰ τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτὸν διὰ τῶν ἐντολῶν ὁ Θεός, κατὰ τὴν πρακτικὴν φιλοσοφίαν τοὺς τρόπους τῆς τοῦ σώματος νεκρώσεως ὑποτιθέμενος ἢ τοὐναντίον διὰ τῆς ποικίλης προνοίας καὶ κρίσεως φιλανθρώπως πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον ( παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, τοὺς μὴ κατὰ θέλησιν ἀνεχομένους τὸν θεῖον ζυγὸν ὑπελθεῖν τοῦ νόμου τῶν ἐντολῶν· ποτίζει δὲ οἶνον κατανύξεως, ἤγουν τὴν ἑπομένην τῇ διὰ τῆς πρακτικῆς καθάρσει κατὰ τὴν πνευματικὴν θεωρίαν χαριζόμενος γνῶσιν· πᾶσα γὰρ γνῶσις πνευματικὴ κατανύσσει τὴν καρδίαν, εἰς συναίσθησιν ἄγουσα τοῦ μεγέθους τῶν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν θείων εὐεργεσιῶν· δίδωσι δὲ τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτὸν σημείωσιν τοῦ φυγεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου τόξου, τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ","english":"He shook our earth and troubled it—that is, our heart—giving us the sword of the Spirit, which discerns in a knowing way the worse from the better, and rouses the law of the Spirit against the law of the flesh, and creates in us the praiseworthy war against the passions, and shakes and troubles the continuity of the passions within us, and troubles the conscience by the untimely memories of preconceptions; and he heals the fractures of our heart, which, having been shaken and having slipped through disobedience at the beginning from the transgression in paradise, it endured, through the spiritual regeneration in grace. \"You showed your people hard things; you gave us to drink the wine of compunction; you gave to those who fear you a sign to flee from the face of the bow, so that your beloved might be delivered.\"\n\nGod shows hard things to those who fear him through the commandments, setting forth, according to the practical philosophy, the modes of the mortification of the body, or conversely, through his varied providence and judgment, in a humane way for our benefit, training us—we who do not willingly endure to come under the divine yoke of the law of the commandments; and he gives to drink the wine of compunction, that is, granting the knowledge that follows the purification through the practical life according to spiritual contemplation; for all spiritual knowledge brings compunction to the heart, leading it to a sense of the greatness of the divine benefits bestowed upon us; and he gives to those who fear him a sign to flee from the face of the bow—the mortification of the","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":171,"ref":"p171","source":"Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέρειν διδάσκων τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν, καθ᾽ ἣν ἡ παντελὴς τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπραξία συνέστηκε· σημείωσις γὰρ ἀληθὴς ἡ διὰ σταυροῦ νεκροῦσα τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς καθέστηκε δύναμις. «Πρὸς τὸ φυγεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου τόξου».\n\nΤουτέστιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐμφαινομένης τοῖς οὖσιν ἀπατηλῆς ἐπιφανείας· πρόσωπον γὰρ τόξου, φημὶ δὲ ἑκάστου δαιμονιώδους πάθους, ἡ τὴν αἴσθησιν ἐρεθίζουσα τῶν σωμάτων ἐστὶν ἐπιφάνεια, καθάπερ ἀκὶς βέλους τὴν αἴσθησιν τιτρώσκουσα καὶ πρὸς τὰ πάθη τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπρεπῶς διερεθίζουσα. Διόπερ ἀπὸ προσώπου τόξου φησὶν ὁ λόγος φεύξεσθαι τοὺς φοβουμένους τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπὸ τόξου· τὸ γὰρ τόξον τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἄνευ προσώπου τυχὸν οὐδέ τι δράσειε κατὰ τῶν φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον.\n\n«Ἐφ᾽ ᾧ ῥυσθῆναι τοὺς ἀγαπητοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ». Ἀγαπητοὶ δὲ Θεοῦ εἰσὶν οἱ κατὰ θεωρίαν συνεκτικοὶ τῆς θείας γνώσεως λογισμοί, οὓς ῥύονται οἱ κατὰ τὴν πρακτικὴν συνιστάμενοι τρόποι τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀπὸ πάσης πλάνης καὶ πασῶν τῶν διοχλουσῶν τῇ ψυχῇ κατὰ πρόληψιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας μνημῶν.","english":"Teaching those who fear him to carry Jesus in the body, by which the complete inactivity of sin is established; for a true sign is the power that puts to death through the cross the mindset of the flesh. \"To flee from the face of the bow.\"\n\nThat is, from the deceptive appearance that shows itself in existing things; for the face of the bow—I mean of each demonic passion—is the outward appearance of bodies that provokes the senses, wounding the senses like the barb of an arrow and improperly stirring the soul toward the passions. Therefore the word says that those who fear the Lord will flee from the face of the bow, but not from the bow; for the bow of sin, perhaps without a face, would do nothing against those who fear the Lord.\n\n\"By which to be delivered the beloved of God.\" And the beloved of God are the thoughts that, in contemplation, are cohesive of divine knowledge, which the modes of the virtues established in the practical life deliver from all error and from all the memories that trouble the soul through the preconception of sin.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":172,"ref":"p172","source":"«Σῶσον τῇ δεξιᾷ σου καὶ ἐπάκουσόν μου. Ὁ Θεὸς ἐλάλησεν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ· Ἀγαλλιάσομαι καὶ διαμεριῶ ( Σίκημα καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα τῶν σκηνῶν διαμετρήσω».\n\nΣώζει ὁ Θεὸς τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, διδοὺς τὸν μονογενῆ αὐτοῦ Υἱόν δεξιὰ γὰρ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υιός λύτρον ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου σωτηρίας· ἐπακούει δέ, διδοὺς τῷ δικαίῳ πρὸς τῇ ἀφέσει τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ πνευματικὰ χαρίσματα ἀκούει μὲν γὰρ τοῦ ἱκετεύοντος αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός, πρῶτον διὰ τῆς μετανοίας ἄφεσιν διδοὺς ἁμαρτημάτων, ἐπακούει δέ, πρὸς τῇ ἀφέσει τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ τὰ διὰ χάριτος πνευματικῆς διδοὺς ἐνεργήματα· λαλεῖ δὲ ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ σαρκωθέντι αὐτοῦ Λόγῳ, τὸν θεῖον αὐτοῦ σκοπόν, τὸν ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν κατὰ τὴν ἔνσαρκον αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ οἰκονομίαν, διὰ τῆς καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἀνθρωποπρεποῦς αὐτοῦ ἀναστροφῆς οἱονεὶ διαρρήδην βοῶν καὶ τῷ βίῳ διδοὺς εἰς ὑποτύπωσιν αἰωνίου ζωῆς εἰκόνα, πάσης γεγωνοτέραν φωνῆς, τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἐπίδειξιν· ‘λαλεῖ’ δὲ καὶ ‘ἐν’ ἑκάστῳ ‘ἁγίῳ’ φυλάττοντι αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐντολάς, οἷον ζῶντας δεικνὺς διὰ τῶν ἔργων τοὺς λόγους καὶ πάσης φωνῆς γεγωνοτέρους. Ἀγαλλιᾶται δὲ ὁ δίκαιος, ἡνίκα, τελειωθεὶς τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Μονογενοῦς, ἱκανὸς γένηται ‘διαμερίσαι’ τὴν ‘Σίκημα,’ τουτέστιν ἄλλοις ἀναλόγως ἐκ πείρας ἐπιστήμονος ὑποθέσθαι τοὺς κατὰ τὴν πρακτικὴν ἀνδρικοὺς τῶν ἀρετῶν τρόπους· ὠμίασις γὰρ ἡ Σίκημα ἑρμηνεύεται, ὅπέρ ἐστιν ἡ πάντων μὲν ἐφεκτικὴ τῶν παθῶν, πασῶν δὲ ἐνεργητικὴ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἕξις πράξεως γὰρ σύμβολον τὸν ὦμον εἶναι φασίν.","english":"Save with your right hand and hear me. God has spoken in his holy one: I will rejoice and divide Shechem, and I will measure out the valley of tents.\"\n\nGod saves with his right hand, giving his only-begotten Son; for the Son is the right hand of the Father, a ransom for the salvation of the world. And he hears, giving to the righteous, in addition to the forgiveness of sins, spiritual gifts as well; for God hears the one who supplicates him, first giving forgiveness of sins through repentance, and he hears, in addition to the forgiveness of sins, also giving the workings that come through spiritual grace. And he speaks in his holy one, that is, in his incarnate Word, [declaring] his divine purpose, which was hidden from the ages and from the generations according to the incarnate economy of Christ, through his conduct among us, which is befitting to man, as it were crying aloud and giving in his life, as a pattern of eternal life, an image louder than any voice—the demonstration of good works. And he \"speaks\" also \"in\" each \"holy one\" who keeps his commandments, showing the words, as it were, to be alive through the works and louder than any voice. And the righteous man rejoices when, perfected by the grace of the Only-Begotten, he becomes able to \"divide\" \"Shechem,\" that is, to set before others, in proportion to experienced knowledge, the manly ways of the virtues according to the practical life; for Shechem is interpreted as \"shoulder,\" which is the habit that restrains all the passions and activates all the virtues; for they say that the shoulder is a symbol of action.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":173,"ref":"p173","source":"Καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα τῶν Σκηνῶν διαμετρεῖ, τοὺς προσφόρους ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὄντων κατὰ τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν λόγους ἀπονέμων· ἡ γὰρ ‘κοιλὰς τῶν Σκηνῶν’ ὁ παρών ἐστι κόσμος, ἐν ᾧ πάντων κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου διάφορον γνώμην τὲ καὶ διάθεσιν ἀπαγὴς ὑπάρχει καὶ πρόσκαιρος, σκηνῶν δίκην, ἡ παροῦσα ζωή. Ἢ πάλιν Σκηναὶ τυγχάνουσι τῆς παρούσης κοιλάδος οἱ ( τῶν ἀρετῶν τρόποι, οὓς διαιρεῖ γνωστικῶς τοῖς διδασκομένοις, πρὸς τὴν ἑκάστου ἕξιν κατάλληλον διδοὺς ἀγωγὴν καὶ προσφυλακὴν τῶν τιμίων, ὁ διανέμειν εἰδὼς ἑκάστῳ διὰ τῆς καλῆς διδασκαλίας τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν πρὸς σωτηρίαν ὁδόν. Ἢ Σκηναὶ κοιλάδος ὑπάρχουσιν αἱ διὰ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ παγεῖσαι κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην τῶν πιστευσάντων ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησίαι, ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον, ὡς οἶμαι, τῶν ἄλλων ἐστὶν ἐπιφανέστερον.\n\nἪ πάλιν ‘κοιλάδα Σκηνῶν διαμετρεῖ’ ὁ τὸν κόσμον τῶν σωμάτων καθάπερ κοιλάδα σκηνῶν γνώσει περιλαμβάνων· «σκῆνος» γὰρ πολλαχοῦ τῆς Γραφῆς τὸ σῶμα προσηγορεύθη.","english":"And he measures out the valley of tents, assigning to each of existing things the principles suited to it according to natural contemplation; for the present world is the \"valley of tents,\" in which the present life, like tents, is unstable and temporary for all, according to each one's differing opinion and disposition. Or again, the tents of the present valley are the modes of the virtues, which he divides in a gnostic manner among those being taught, giving to each a mode of conduct suited to his state and a guardianship of things precious—he who knows how to distribute to each through good teaching the path fitting for salvation. Or the tents of the valley are the Churches of the believing nations, established through Christ our Savior God throughout the whole inhabited world, which, as I think, is more manifest than the others.\n\nOr again, \"he measures out the valley of tents\" means he who comprehends the world of bodies by knowledge as a valley of tents; for \"tent\" is used in many places of Scripture to name the body.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":174,"ref":"p174","source":"«Ἐμός ἐστι Γαλαὰδ καὶ ἐμός ἐστι Μανασσῆς καὶ Ἐφραΐμ κραταίωσις τῆς κεφαλῆς μου».\n\nΓαλαὰδ κατὰ μίαν τῶν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ ἑρμηνειῶν ἐστὶν ἀποκάλυψις, Μανασσῆς δὲ ἑρμηνεύεται λήθη· ἀποκάλυψις δὲ καὶ λήθη εἰκότως προσγίνονται τῷ δικαίῳ, λαμβάνοντι μὲν διὰ θεωρίας τῶν ἀπορρήτων τὴν μύησιν, τῶν δὲ κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν πόνων τὴν λήθην διὰ τὴν διαδεχομένην τοὺς πόνους τῶν ἀρετῶν εὐφροσύνην τῆς πνευματικῆς θεωρίας. Ἐφραΐμ δὲ ἑρμηνεύεται πλατυσμός, ὅπέρ ἐστιν ἡ κατὰ πίστιν ἐπὶ τοῖς μέλλουσιν ἀγαθοῖς ἄπτωτος ἐλπίς, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἀντίληψις ‘τῆς κεφαλῆς’ τοῦ δικαίου, τουτέστι τῆς πίστεως· παντὸς γὰρ δικαίου κεφαλὴ ἡ πίστις ἐστὶ καὶ παντὸς ἔργου ἀγαθοῦ, ‘κραταίωσις’ δὲ ταύτης καθέστηκεν ἀσφαλὴς ἡ τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν ἀδιάπτωτος ἐλπίς· καθ᾽ ἣν ὡς παρόντα τὰ μέλλοντα θεωροῦντες, ἐμπλατυνόμεθα ταῖς θλίψεσιν, ἀκατάπτωτοι ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς διαμένοντες. «Ἰούδας βασιλεύς μου, Μωὰβ λέβης τῆς ἐλπίδος μου». Ἰούδας ἐξομολόγησις ἑρμηνεύεται· ἄρχει γὰρ ἡ δι᾽ εὐχῶν ἐξομολόγησις ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Δύναται δὲ νοηθῆναι καὶ εἰς τὸν Κύριον ὁ Ἰούδας, ὅς ἐστιν ἀληθινὸς βασιλεὺς τοῦ πνευματικοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ὁρῶντος Θεόν, ὁ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἡνίκα γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, ἐξομολογούμενος πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα καὶ λέγων· «ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, Πάτερ ἅγιε». Μωὰβ δὲ 'ἔντερον πατρὸς' ἑρμηνεύεται, νοεῖται δὲ τὸ ἡμέτερον σῶμα, δι᾽ οὗ κατὰ τὴν πρακτικὴν φιλοσοφίαν, λουτροῦ δίκην ὅπερ δηλοῖ σαφῶς ὁ λέβης, ἡ κάθαρσις πέφυκε γίνεσθαι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων·","english":"Mine is Gilead and mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the strengthening of my head.\"\n\nGilead, according to one of the interpretations of this name, means revelation, and Manasseh is interpreted as forgetfulness. Revelation and forgetfulness reasonably come to the righteous man: he receives initiation through contemplation of the ineffable things, and forgetfulness of the labors of virtue through the gladness of spiritual contemplation that succeeds the labors of the virtues. And Ephraim is interpreted as enlargement, which is the unfailing hope, according to faith, in the good things to come; this is the support of the righteous man's \"head,\" that is, of faith. For the head of every righteous man and of every good work is faith, and the \"strengthening\" of it is the secure, unfailing hope of the good things to come. Through this hope, contemplating future things as present, we are enlarged in afflictions, remaining unshaken in temptations. \"Judah is my king, Moab is the cauldron of my hope.\" Judah is interpreted as confession; for confession through prayers governs every good thing among the saints. And Judah can also be understood as referring to the Lord, who is the true king of the spiritual Israel and of him who sees God, who for our sake, when he became man, confessed to the Father, saying, \"I confess to you, holy Father.\" And Moab is interpreted as \"his father's thigh,\" and it is understood as our body, through which, according to the practical philosophy, purification from sins naturally takes place, like a bath—which the cauldron clearly indicates.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":175,"ref":"p175","source":"κάθαρσις γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ‘λέβης τῆς ἐλπίδος,’ τουτέστιν ἡ διὰ βίου κατὰ τὴν κάθαρσιν πρὸς κληρονομίαν τῶν κατ᾽ ἐλπίδας ἀποκειμένων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν ἑτοιμότης. Δύναται δὲ πάλιν νοηθῆναι ὁ ‘Μωὰβ’ καὶ εἰς τὴν σάρκωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου· Υἱὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπου δι᾽ ἡμᾶς γέγονέ τε καὶ ἐχρημάτισεν ὁ ἀληθινὸς ‘λέβης τῆς ἐλπίδος’ ἡμῶν, τουτέστιν ὁ ῥυπτικὸς καὶ καθαρτικὸς τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἡμετέρων κηλίδων τὲ καὶ μολυσμῶν.\n\n«Ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν ἐκτενῶ τὸ ὑπόδημά μου, ἐμοὶ ἀλλόφυλοι ὑπετάγησαν». Ἰδουμαία αἱματώδης πηλὸς ἑρμηνεύεται. Δύναται δὲ ληφθῆναι καὶ εἰς τὴν σάρκα τοῦ Κυρίου, δι᾽ ἧς ἐπέβη, ὡς δι᾽ ‘ὑποδήματος,’ τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις, ἄλλως χωρῆσαι τὸν Ποιητὴν μὴ δυναμένης τῆς κτίσεως, ἄπειρόν τε καὶ ἀχώρητον κατὰ φύσιν τυγχάνοντα.\n\nΔύναται δὲ πάλιν νοηθῆναι καὶ εἰς τὴν ἑκάστου ἡμῶν σάρκα, ἐφ᾽ ἧς ‘ἐκτείνομεν τὸ ὑπόδημα,’ τουτέστι τὴν φρουροῦσαν τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν τοῦ διαβόλου τριβόλων τὲ καὶ ( ἀκανθῶν ἄσκησίν τε καὶ ἐγκράτειαν τοῦτο γὰρ χρὴ νοεῖσθαι τὸ ὑπόδημα· ἄνευ γὰρ ἀσκήσεως καὶ ἀκριβοῦς ἐγκρατείας τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς πάθη καταπαλαῖσαι τὸν ἀσκητὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀμήχανον. Δύναται δὲ πάλιν ὑπόδημα νοηθῆναι ψυχῆς καὶ ἡ διὰ λόγου καὶ θεωρίας νεκρωθεῖσα αἴσθησις, δι᾽ ἧς ἐπιβαίνουσα ἡ ψυχὴ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς, τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον ἀβλαβῶς διαπορεύεται, τοὺς αὐτοῦ λόγους διὰ μέσης τῆς αἰσθήσεως ὡς ὑποδήματος φαντασιουμένης, τὰς τῶν ὁρατῶν κατ᾽ εἶδος καὶ σχῆμα διαφορὰς ἀναλεγομένη πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἑνὸς μόνου τε καὶ ἀρχικοῦ Λόγου σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν. «Ἐμοὶ ἀλλόφυλοι ὑπετάγησαν».","english":"For cleansing is the \"cauldron of hope,\" that is, the readiness, through one's life in accordance with cleansing, for the inheritance of the good things laid up for us according to hope. But \"Moab\" can again be understood also with reference to the incarnation of the Lord. For the true \"cauldron of our hope\" became and was called a Son of Man for our sake, that is, the one who washes away and cleanses the stains and defilements that come from our sin.\n\n\"Upon Edom I will stretch out my sandal; foreigners have been subjected to me.\" Edom is interpreted as bloody clay. But it can be taken also with reference to the flesh of the Lord, through which, as through a \"sandal,\" he trod upon human things, since creation could not otherwise contain the Maker, who is by nature infinite and uncircumscribable.\n\nBut it can again be understood also with reference to the flesh of each one of us, upon which we \"stretch out the sandal,\" that is, the discipline and self-control that guard the soul from the evil thorns and briers of the devil—for this is what the sandal must be understood to mean. For without discipline and exact self-control it is impossible for the ascetic of piety to subdue the passions of the flesh. But the sandal of the soul can again be understood as the perception that has been put to death through reason and contemplation, by which the soul, treading upon sensible things, passes through this age unharmed, imagining the principles of this age through perception itself as through a sandal, and gathering up the differences of visible things according to species and shape for the understanding and knowledge of the one only and originating Word. \"Foreigners have been subjected to me.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":176,"ref":"p176","source":"Ἡνίκα γὰρ διὰ σαρκὸς τοῖς καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐπεχωρίασε τόποις ὁ Κύριος, ὑπετάγη τῷ κράτει τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ οὐ μόνον καταργηθέντα τὰ πνεύματα τῆς πονηρίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, δεξάμενα διὰ τῆς κλήσεως τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου κήρυγμα, ὑπέκυψεν· ‘ὑποτάσσονται’ δὲ καὶ παντὶ δικαίῳ οἱ ‘ἀλλόφυλοι,’ ἡνίκα\n\nἐπιβαλών, ὥσπερ ὑπόδημα, τῇ γῇ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν νεκροῦσαν τὸν νόμον τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐγκράτειαν, δαμάσει οὐ μόνον τὰ ἐμφωλεύοντα αὐτῇ ἀκάθαρτα πάθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐνεργοῦντας ταῦτα πονηροὺς καταργήσει δαίμονας. «Τίς ἀπάξει με εἰς πόλιν περιοχῆς;»\n\nΠόλις ἐστὶ περιοχῆς ἡ ἐκ πολλῶν συνηθροισμένη θείων καὶ μυστικῶν θεωρημάτων σοφία, περιεχομένη ἤγουν περιπεφραγμένη, καθὼς ἕτερος ἔφη τῶν ἐκδοτῶν, τοῖς τῶν ἀρετῶν ὀχυρώμασιν.\n\nἪ πάλιν ‘πόλις’ ἐστὶ ‘περιοχῆς’ ἡ κατάστασις, καθ᾽ ἣν ἀνάλωτος καὶ ἀπροσπέλαστος γίνεται τοῖς πολεμίοις διὰ τὴν φρουροῦσαν αὐτὸν τῶν ἁγίων δυνάμεων περιβολὴν ὅ γε ἀληθῶς θεοσεβὴς καὶ φιλόθεος. Ἢ πάλιν ‘πόλις’ ἐστὶ ‘περιοχῆς’ ἡ λόγῳ καὶ βίῳ τετειχισμένη ( ψυχὴ καὶ πάσαις ταῖς τῶν ἀρετῶν πλήθουσα χάρισιν. Ἢ πάλιν ‘πόλις’ ἐστὶ ‘περιοχῆς’ ἡ τῆς ἀληθοῦς καὶ ἀπταίστου γνώσεως ἕξις ἡ ἐκ πάντων ἠθικῶν τε καὶ φυσικῶν καὶ θεολογικῶν θεωρημάτων περιεχομένη, εἰς ἣν ἀπάγεται πᾶς εὐσεβής, ὑπ᾽ ἄλλου μὲν οὐδενός, ὑπὸ μόνου δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ πάντας πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἕλκοντος δι᾽ ἄφατον ἀγαθότητος μέγεθος. «Ἢ τίς ὁδηγήσει με ἕως τῆς Ἰδουμαίας;»","english":"For when the Lord came to our regions through the flesh, not only were the spirits of wickedness abolished and subjected to the might of his strength, but all the nations also, having received through the calling the saving proclamation of the Gospel, bowed down beneath it. And the \"foreigners\" are subjected to every righteous man whenever,\n\nhaving placed upon the earth of his flesh, as it were a sandal, the continence that puts to death the law of sin, he will tame not only the unclean passions that lurk within it, but will also abolish the wicked demons who activate them. \"Who will lead me into the city of encompassment?\"\n\nThe city of encompassment is the wisdom gathered together from many divine and mystical contemplations, encompassed—that is, fenced round about, as another of the expositors said—by the fortifications of the virtues.\n\nOr again, the \"city of encompassment\" is the state in which the truly God-fearing and God-loving man becomes impregnable and inaccessible to the enemies, through the surrounding protection of the holy powers that guards him. Or again, the \"city of encompassment\" is the soul walled about by reason and life, and abounding in all the graces of the virtues. Or again, the \"city of encompassment\" is the habit of true and unerring knowledge, encompassed by all ethical, natural, and theological contemplations, to which every pious man is led—by no other than God alone, who draws all to himself through the ineffable magnitude of his goodness. \"Or who will guide me as far as Idumea?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":177,"ref":"p177","source":"Ἰδουμαία, καθὼς ἔδειξε προλαβὼν ὁ λόγος, ἐστὶν ἡ πάντων τῶν ὑπὸ αἴσθησιν κτισμάτων σύστασις, περὶ ἣν ἡ ἐν πνεύματι φυσικὴ θεωρία συνίστασθαι πέφυκεν, καθ᾽ ἣν ἐκ καλλονῆς καὶ μεγέθους κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργὸς τῷ εὐσεβῶς ἀναλεγομένῳ τὴν τῶν ὄντων γνῶσιν θεωρεῖται. Ἤ τυχὸν ἡ κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν πρακτικὴ διὰ σαρκὸς φιλοσοφία, καθ᾽ ἣν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος γίνεται ναὸς τὸ ἡμέτερον σῶμα, τοῖς τῶν ἐντολῶν συνοικοδομούμενον κάλλεσιν, εἰς ἣν ὁ αὐτὸς πάλιν ‘ὁδηγεῖ’ Κύριος, χαριζόμενος τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν ὁρωμένων τὴν ἐπιστήμην, καὶ διδάσκων τῶν μελῶν τῆς γηΐνης ταύτης καὶ ἐπικήρου σαρκὸς τὴν νέκρωσιν.\n\nἪ ἵνα συνελὼν εἴπω, ‘πόλις’ ἐστὶ ‘περιοχῆς’ ἡ τῶν νοητῶν γνωστικὴ θεωρία, ‘Ἰδουμαία’ δὲ ἡ τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἐπιστήμη, εἰς ἃς ‘ἀπάγει’ τε καὶ ‘ὁδηγεῖ’ ἡ μόνη τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς σοφία, ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱός. Διὸ ἐπάγων ὁ προφήτης φησίν· «Οὐχὶ σύ, ὁ Θεός, ὁ ἀπωσάμενος ἡμᾶς;»\n\nΤουτέστιν ὅτι Σύ, ὁ Θεός, ὁ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ‘ἀπωσάμενος ἡμᾶς,’ αὐτὸς διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους σου οἰκτειρήσας, ( ‘ἀπάγεις εἰς πόλιν περιοχῆς’ καὶ ‘ὁδηγεῖς ἕως τῆς Ἰδουμαίας’ κατὰ τὴν προαποδεδομένην ἐξήγησιν. «Καὶ οὐκ ἐξελεύσῃ, ὁ Θεός, ἐν ταῖς δυνάμεσιν ἡμῶν». ‘Οὐ’ γὰρ ‘ἐξελεύσεται ὁ Θεὸς ἐν’ τῷ ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ θαρροῦντι καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τόξῳ ἐλπίζοντι καὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν ἐπιγραφομένῳ ἑαυτοῦ σωτήριον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Θεῷ κερατιοῦσι τοὺς ἐχθροὺς καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἐξουδενοῦσι τοὺς ἐπανισταμένους αὐτοῖς εἰκότως ὁ Θεὸς ἐξελεύσεται πρὸς τὸν κατὰ τῶν ἀοράτων ἐχθρῶν πόλεμον.","english":"Edom, as the preceding discourse showed, is the constitution of all sensible created things, around which the natural contemplation in the Spirit is by nature established, through which, from the beauty and magnitude of created things, the Creator is proportionally contemplated by the one who piously gathers the knowledge of beings. Or perhaps it is the practical philosophy according to virtue through the flesh, through which our body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit, built up together with the beauties of the commandments, to which the same Lord again \"leads the way,\" granting to those who love him both the knowledge of things seen and teaching the mortification of the members of this earthly and corruptible flesh.\n\nOr, to speak concisely, \"a city of encompassment\" is the gnostic contemplation of intelligible things, and \"Edom\" is the knowledge of sensible things, to which the only Wisdom of God and the Father, the only-begotten Son, \"leads away\" and \"guides.\" Therefore the prophet adds: \"Was it not you, O God, who cast us off?\"\n\nThat is, you, O God, who in the beginning \"cast us off\" because of sin, yourself, in the compassion of your mercy having taken pity, \"lead us away into a city of encompassment\" and \"guide us as far as Edom,\" according to the interpretation given above. \"And you will not go forth, O God, in our hosts.\" For God will not \"go forth\" in the one who trusts in himself and hopes in his bow and inscribes his own sword as his salvation, but in those who gore their enemies in God himself and in his name bring to nothing those who rise up against them, God will reasonably go forth to the war against the invisible enemies.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]},{"i":178,"ref":"p178","source":"«Δὸς ἡμῖν βοήθειαν ἐκ θλίψεως· καὶ ματαία σωτηρία ἀνθρώπου». Εὐκτικῶς δέεται τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἐκ προσώπου τῆς κοινῆς φύσεως ὁ προφήτης ‘δοθῆναι ἡμῖν βοήθειαν ἐκ’ τῆς ‘θλίψεως,’ δηλαδὴ τῆς κατασκεδασθείσης τῆς φύσεως διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ μέχρι τῶν τοῦ ἅδου πυλῶν αὐτὴν καταπιεσάσης. ‘Θλίψις’ γάρ, κατ᾽ ἐμὲ φάναι, ἡ τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς ἐστι τυραννὶς καὶ ἐπικράτεια, ‘βοήθεια’ δὲ ἡ διὰ τῆς χάριτος βεβαία τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐλπίς, πρὸς ἣν ἀφορῶντες οἱ εὐσεβεῖς τὴν τοῦ θανάτου κατήφειαν ἀλύπως διαφέρουσιν. Ἢ πάλιν ‘θλίψις’ ἐστὶν ὁ ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς πόνος, ‘βοήθεια’ δὲ ἡ τοῦτον διαδεχομένη κατὰ Θεοῦ χάριν ἀπάθεια, πρὸς ἣν πᾶσα συγκρινομένη ἀνθρώπων\n\nσωτηρία ματαιότης ἐστὶ καὶ παντελὴς ἀνυπαρξία· τοῦτο γὰρ δίκαιον νοεῖσθαι τὴν ματαιότητα.\n\n«Ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ποιήσωμεν δύναμιν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξουδενώσει τοὺς θλίβοντας ἡμᾶς».\n\nἘν τῷ Θεῷ ποιοῦσι δύναμιν οἱ μὴ ἐπιγράφοντες ἑαυτοῖς ( τῶν ἀρετῶν τὰ κατορθώματα μηδὲ τῇ ἑαυτῶν σοφίᾳ τὴν τῶν θείων μυστηρίων κατάληψιν, ἐν οἷς ‘αὐτὸς’ ὁ Θεὸς μονώτατος καὶ ὅλως χωρῶν, πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἐργάζεται καὶ χαρίζεται γνῶσιν, ‘ἐξουδενῶν’ πάντας τοὺς ἀντικειμένους τῇ τε ἀρετῇ καὶ τῇ γνώσει πονηροὺς δαίμονας καὶ διὰ κακίας καὶ ἀγνωσίας ‘ἐκθλίβειν’ ἐπιχειροῦντας τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν. Αὐτὸς γὰρ πάντων ὑπάρχει Σωτήρ, ὅτι καὶ πάντων Δημιουργός. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμήν.","english":"Give us help from tribulation, and vain is the salvation of man.\" The prophet, in the manner of prayer, entreats God and Savior on behalf of the common nature, that \"help be given to us from\" the \"tribulation,\" that is, from the tribulation that has been scattered throughout nature because of sin and has swallowed it down even to the gates of Hades. For \"tribulation,\" to speak according to my understanding, is the tyranny and dominion of death and corruption, while \"help\" is the sure hope of resurrection through grace, looking toward which the pious bear the dejection of death without pain. Or again, \"tribulation\" is the labor for virtue, and \"help\" is the dispassion that succeeds it according to the grace of God, compared with which every human salvation is vanity and complete non-existence; for this is what it is right to understand by vanity.\n\n\"In God we shall do power, and he will bring to nothing those who afflict us.\"\n\nThose who do power in God are those who do not ascribe to themselves the achievements of the virtues, nor to their own wisdom the comprehension of the divine mysteries, in which God himself, alone and wholly containing them, works every virtue and grants knowledge, \"bringing to nothing\" all the evil demons who oppose both virtue and knowledge and who through wickedness and ignorance attempt to \"afflict\" those who fear him. For he is the Savior of all, since he is also the Creator of all. To him be the glory and the might unto the ages of ages, amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[],"ambiguities":[],"confidence":"","notes":[]}]}