Discourse 19

Again, the distinctions of revelations and the operations that occur to the saints in the forms of visions. 19. The order, however, of a distinct revelation: not that which is attained through the exercise of wisdom and the labor of thought, which deepens its movements toward some concept, inquiry, and theory concerning the will, through the clarity of the intellect regarding them. For revelation is said to be the silence of the intellect. And it is not that which is attained through effort and human reflection, which is spread out for the discovery of knowledge, but rather through spiritual operation. When that one to whom the revelation occurs is in that very time, he perceives nothing of personal thought or of those things that precede the senses, nor is he aware, nor does he pass judgment. And this: it is not from our thoughts that we speak, but there is something to know beyond the books of the prophets, whose revelations were with them, in that they were in wonder, and in those times they had nothing of those things that are customary and the fitness of voluntary thoughts, or of those things that precede the senses. But their entire mind was fixed solely upon those things that are seen in the revelation. And as it happened to the blessed Peter, when he was hungry and went up to the roof to pray, from the time that revelation came upon him, he was not even aware of his hunger.

but also the recollection of the old age: it was cut off from his thought. When he is in wonder, as Scripture says. And for all these, from the writings of the luminous one of the whole world, the blessed Theodore the bishop, their distinctions are well understood and can be taught. He speaks, then, concerning the kinds and orders of revelations, especially in these writings. The orders of creation are null, and after them those of Job, and finally those of the Twelve, and in the interpretation of Psalms and of Matthew. For Scripture speaks of six kinds of revelations: one, that of perceptions; and the second, by a personal vision; and the third, by a spiritual impulse; and the fourth, by a pattern of service; and the fifth, by a kind of contemplative thing; and the sixth, as in a dream. And that of perceptions is divided into two distinctions: into revelation of elements, and into those that are without matter. In elements, like that of fire, and of water, and of tablets and the rest, which are seen also by the people. And like these, the wonders that occur daily in this all. And by means of revelations the saints perceive their causes and their meanings, and also the hidden or distant works, actions, and intentions that are revealed to men when they occur and happen.

apart from the material elements, like the men who appeared to Abraham, and the ladder of Jacob, and the revelation concerning the ram of the sacrifice. He saw them and acted according to that likeness which was shown to you on the mountain, along with the rest of such things. And like that divine light and the high rays that flashed upon Paul on the road, and blinded his eyes. For it is known that even that revelation was visible and was received through the senses, just as also those who were with him saw and also heard. But it was not a revelation of the intellect, nor a natural and elemental light. Just as also the blessed interpreter, when he interprets in the Paradise, makes known in his interpretation of the passage where he says: "And those who were traveling with Paul on the road stood amazed when they heard a voice, but they did not see anyone. And he interprets: 'The amazed ones,' he says, 'these, however, in silence and without speech, by participation also they themselves were united.' By that perception of the voice which was with him, they received, and by the light that was shown to him, as much as they were able to see, they saw. For it is not to be supposed that Saul was behind the others in this matter, that which happened and occurred with him, when none of those who were with him either heard or saw. But they did not see anyone, for they did not see those who were with Jesus.

...because, as I said, it was not a perceptible light that was seen. For the perception of that which cannot be grasped by the senses is not materialized through divine operations, but was with him in the manner of a vision of light, as when he thought that the heavens were opened, and so forth. These revelations were through the senses of the body, while they were removed from the mixture of elements and the forms of the material natures that are perceptible and sensible. However, the wonder that occurs to those who receive them is not like that of a revelation that takes place through the eyes of the soul. But in a vision of the soul itself, like that which I saw of the Lord sitting on a high throne, and the seraphim, each with six wings, around him. And like that revelation of Ezekiel: the wheels and the terrifying forms, and the voice from within the wheels like the sound of many waters, and the praises heard from the cherubim, many eyes saying, "Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place. Holy. Holy." But these chosen ones are distinguished from those earlier orders that were mentioned, known to the vigilant. And like that water that was seen by Peter and the animals in it, along with the other things that are written. And whoever wishes can know these things from the writings.

...ion, but was with him in the manner of a vision. For the spiritual rapture, like that which seized him up to the end of the world, whether in the body or out of the body, is not known. And he was snatched up to Paradise, and heard words that cannot be spoken, which it is not permitted for a human being to utter. But as for prophecy, like that which was with the prophets, who spoke beforehand about future events many ages before they occurred, just as even Balaam the soothsayer was given to utter great things by the spirit of prophecy, things which surpass even the prophets in their abundance. But as for the contemplative vision, like that which the blessed Paul says: "I pray that the knowledge of God may be filled in you with all wisdom and every spiritual understanding." And may our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give to you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in his knowledge, and may he illuminate the eyes of your hearts, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what is the wealth of his glory among the saints, and what is the supreme greatness of his power in those who believe in him. And the rest of what was given to the apostle in the revelation of knowledge concerning this world that is to come, and the order of the resurrection, and the transformation of human bodies, along with the rest.

...se, and again concerning the order of high contemplations, and again the knowledge concerning the divine nature, like that which was the likeness of God that is invisible, and by His hand He did not make the worlds. He did not reveal God in His spirit. And again: few are those who know from many, and few are those who are convinced from many. And like that which at the beginning the Word was, and that which came, Christ the Son of the living God, and the rest. And like that which man cannot comprehend His judgments, and His ways are not to be traced. And that one does everything according to the intention of His will. And that which God has hidden, He consumes all without being grasped, and He has mercy on all, and the rest. These are the knowledges of the contemplations, which by the spirit concerning the divine nature were given to them to know and to understand. But by dreams, like that which was with Abimelech and Joseph and Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, and that which was seen by the angel of the Lord in a dream to Joseph the husband of Mary, and the rest. Also this, however, is necessary to know: that all revelations, which are for the instruction of the simple and the knowledge concerning the wills that God does, are by means of images, especially for those who are simple in knowledge and deficient in the contemplations of truth.

...those, indeed, which are without adornment and simple, belonging to man, and something simple and belonging to the single nature: without forms, and is known perceptibly. And to this, the clarifying sign clearly shows, in the passage of the two of Job. For see how great these are, in the revelation of knowledge and concepts, given by the understanding that is perceived, and how high these mysteries are, of the knowledge of all that is concerning God, from those revelations of the rest. This is the perfection of knowledge. And again, this also is fitting to know: that revelation and activity are one thing, and truth and knowledge are another. For in revelation, it is not the certainty concerning truth that is given, but according to human power, it shows something of signs and letters. And also the activities and wonders that are in revelations: they are not called knowledge and truth. For these, they are called the workings of activity. For something in them concerning the priority of the knowledge of God, or the incomprehensibility of His nature, or the distinctions of His attributes, or the meaning of the mysteries of His will towards the interior, and the rest of those things which by firm knowledge there is to apprehend concerning Him: from these, to teach these, it does not have.

...those, indeed, which are without adornment and simple, belonging to man, and something simple and belonging to the single nature: without forms, and is known perceptibly. And to this, the clarifying sign clearly shows that other signs and mysteries of the whole are upon the divine nature, which is perceived by the mind; and another is the activity of something that comes upon it from time to time. It shows that not everything that is revealed to it is, or that any activity of something that is moved towards it, is from every side, even to the truth and certainty of the knowledge of God who knows. Many, however, were those who erred concerning them, as if they knew God like children.