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knowing sin, that it is good to abstain from sin, to have righteousness, it is good when reviled not to revile in return, not to defend oneself against those who treat one badly. "When he suffered," it says, "he did not threaten." Not only did he not do things in retaliation, but he did not even threaten. A threat is a proclamation of dreadful things in advance. When, however, it is no longer a proclamation in advance, but has come to pass, it is no longer a threat. "Glory" therefore "and majesty you will place upon him." And it is well said "you will place upon." This is placed upon another thing already present; for not only now when he came did he begin to place this glory and majesty among rational beings, but at every time and everywhere as it was possible he did this. An addition has become the glory and majesty through his coming, as for instance through the cross. 7 For you will give him a blessing forever and ever. So as we have said concerning life; not that he himself might have it—for he has it—but that those who draw near to him, those who become part of his teachings, might have this. This "forever and ever" blessing is distinguished from what seems to be a blessing among mortals; for this is also sometimes called a blessing: "because in his life his soul will be blessed, until eternity he will not see light." He will not see the light, even if he seems to see bright things now. He does not have this good repute as a permanent possession. 18 The spiritual blessings, therefore, which are given in the heavenly places are the same as this which remains "forever and ever"; for if someone considers having received wealth a blessing, he does not have it "forever and ever"; for it passes away with the material life. But it is possible to say elegantly and ethically that: if one who has wealth so spends it as to find glory also after this, concerning which he says: "Command the rich of this age not to be high-minded." Then it says: "storing up for themselves a foundation of good works," his blessing remains "forever and ever." But the things done from wealth remain indestructible. Likewise also concerning other things: if for moderation—true moderation—he is glorified and blessed, he has it remaining "forever and ever." But if someone thinks he is blessed for virtue in hypocrisy, he has it being destroyed; for when the truth has shone forth and things have appeared as they are by nature, the blessing based on opinion is dissolved. Sometimes it even causes danger. 7 You will gladden him with joy with your presence. The phrase seems to be ambiguous; for one thing signified by it is: "You will gladden him with joy with your presence"; by gladdening your presence you gladden him also. Or both gladden him: you gladden him with joy and your presence with you gladdens him. A certain phrase of this kind is also found in Isaiah: "And the Lord Lord sent me and his spirit." Some take it thus: "the Lord sent me, and his spirit also sent me." And they say that the sending of the Savior at his coming was from both the Father and the Holy Spirit; for it is said: "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you," to her who was conceiving or was about to conceive him, "and the power of the Most High." Behold; it seems here that he was sent from the Father and the Holy Spirit. But others read it thus, and this reading is better: "And the Lord Lord sent me; and he sent his spirit also": the Father sent the Son and the Holy Spirit. The former interpretation says this, that the Father and the Holy Spirit sent the Son. But each one receives a meaning suitable to himself for the reading, as has already been said. And so here it is the presence of the Lord who is spoken of here. And the Son is his image, "the character of his substance." Concerning, therefore, the person assumed by the Savior and every righteous one it is said: "You will gladden him with joy with your presence," for when the Son comes and the
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ἁμαρτίαν εἰδὼς ὅτι καλόν ἐσ̣τιν τὸ ἀπέχεσθαι ἁμαρτίας, τὸ δικαιοσύνην ἔχειν, καλόν ἐστιν τὸ λοιδορούμενον μ̣ὴ ἀντιλοιδορεῖν, τὸ μὴ ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς κακωτικῶς διατιθέντας. "πάσχων", φησίν, "οὐκ ἠπείλει". οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐποίει τὰ ἀντάξια, ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ ἠπείλει. ἀπειλὴ δέ ἐστιν προαναφώνησις φοβερῶν. ὅταν μέντοι μηκέτι προαναφώνησις ᾖν, ἀλλ' ἐκβάσεως τύχῃ, οὐκέτι ἀπειλή ἐστιν. "δόξαν" οὖν "καὶ μεγαλοπρέπειαν ἐπιθήσεις ἐπ' αὐτόν". εὖ δὲ καὶ τὸ φάναι "ἐπιθήσεις". πρὸς ἑτέρῳ κειμένῳ καὶ τοῦτο ἐπιτίθεται· οὐ γὰρ νῦν μόνον ὅτε ἐπεδήμησεν, ἤρξατο τὴν δόξαν ταύτην καὶ τὴν μεγαλοπρέπειαν ἐν τοῖς λογικοῖς θεῖναι, ἀλλ' ἑκάστοτε καὶ πανταχοῦ ὡς ἐνεδέχετο ἐποίει τοῦτο. προσθήκη δὲ γέγονεν ἡ διὰ τῆς ἐπιδημίας δόξα καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια οἷον διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ. 7 ὅτι δώσεις αὐτῷ εὐλογίαν εἰς αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. οὕτως ὡς εἰρήκαμεν περὶ τῆς ζωῆς· οὐχ ἵνα αὐτὸς αὐτὴν ἔχῃ -ἔχει γὰρ αὐτήν-, ἀλλ' ἵνα οἱ πλησιάζοντες αὐτῷ, οἱ περὶ τὰ μαθήματα αὐτοῦ γινόμενοι ἔχωσιν ταύτην. διαστέλλεται δὲ αὕτη ἡ "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος" εὐ λογία πρὸς τὴν δοκοῦσαν ἐν θνητοῖς εὐλογίαν εἶναι· λέγεται γάρ ποτε καὶ αὕτη εὐλογία· "ὅτι ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ εὐλογισθήσεται, ἕως αἰῶνος οὐκ ὄψεται φῶς". οὐκ ὄψεται τὸ φῶς, κἂν λαμπρὰ δοκῇ νῦν ὁρᾶν. οὐκ ἔχει παράμονον ταύτην τὴν εὔκλειαν. 18 αἱ εὐλογίαι οὖν αἱ πνευματικαὶ αἱ διδόμεναι ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις αἱ αὐταί εἰσιν ταύτῃ τῇ "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος" μενούσῃ· εἰ γάρ τις εὐλογίαν νομίζοι τὸ πλοῦτον εἰληφέναι, οὐκ ἔχει αὐτὴν "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος"· σ̣υ̣ν̣απέρχεται γὰρ τῇ ζωῇ τῇ ὑλικῇ. δυνατὸν δὲ χαριέντως καὶ ἠθικῶς εἰπεῖν ὅτι· ὁ ἔχων πλοῦτον ἐὰν οὕτως αὐτὸν ἀναλίσκῃ ὥστε εὑρεῖν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα δόξαν, περὶ ἧς λέγει· "τοῖς πλουσίοις τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου παράγγελλε μὴ ὑψηλὰ φρονεῖν". εἶτα λέγει· "ἀποθησαυρίζοντες ἑαυτοῖς θεμέλιον καλῶν ἔργων", ἡ τούτου εὐλογία μένει "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος". τὰ δὲ πραχθέντα ἐκ τοῦ πλούτου ἀκαθαίρετα μένει. ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀ´̣λ̣λων· ἐὰν ἐπὶ σωφροσύνῃ-τῇ ἀληθῶς σωφροσύνῃ- δοξάζηται καὶ εὐλογῆται, παραμένουσαν αὐτὴν ἔχει "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος". εἰ δέ τις ἐπὶ ὑποκρίσει ἀρετῇ νομίζει εὐλογεῖσθαι, καταλυομένην αὐτὴν ἔχει· ἐκλαμψάσης γὰρ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων οὕτω φανέντων ὡς ἔχουσιν φύσεως λύεται ἡ κατ' ὑπόλημψιν εὐλογία. ἐνίοτε καὶ κίνδυνον προξενεῖ. 7 εὐφρανεῖς αὐτὸν ἐν χαρᾷ μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου. δοκεῖ ἀμφίβολος εἶναι ἡ λέξις· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὑπ' αὐτῆς σημαίνεται· "εὐφρανεῖς αὐτὸν ἐν χαρᾷ μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου"· εὐφραίνων τὸ πρόσωπόν σου εὐφρανεῖς κἀκεῖνον. ἢ ἀμφότερα εὐφραίνει ἐκεῖνον· εὐφρανεῖς αὐτὸν ἐν χαρᾷ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου σύν σοι εὐφρανεῖ αὐτόν. τοιαύτη τις καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἰσαίᾳ φέρεται λέξις· "καὶ κύριος κύριος ἀπέστειλέν με καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ". οἱ μὲν οὕτω λαμβάνουσιν· "ἀπέστειλέν με κύριος, ἀπέστειλέν με δὲ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ". καὶ λέγουσιν τὴν ἀποστολὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος τὴν κατὰ τὴν ἐπιδημίαν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος γεγονέναι· εἴρηται γάρ· "πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σέ", πρὸς τὴν κυοῦσαν αὐτὸν ἢ κυοφορήσουσαν, "καὶ δύναμις ὑψίστου". ἴδε· δοκεῖ ὧδε ἀπεστάλθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος. ἄλλοι δὲ οὕτως ἀναγιγνώσκουσιν, καὶ κρείττω ἐστὶν αὕτη ἡ ἀνάγνωσις· "καὶ κύριος κύριος ἀπέστειλέν με· ἀπέστειλεν δὲ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ"· ὁ πατὴρ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα. ἡ δὲ πρότερον ἐκδοχὴ τοῦτο λέγει, ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἀπέστειλαν τὸν υἱόν. ἕκαστος δὲ κατάλληλον ἑαυτῷ νόησιν πρὸς τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν δέχεται, ὡς ἤδη ἐλέχθη. καὶ ἐνταῦθα οὖν πρόσωπόν ἐστιν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ ἐνταῦθα λεγομένου. ἐστὶν δὲ ὁ υἱὸς ἡ εἰκὼν αὐτοῦ, "ὁ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ". περὶ τοῦ οὖν ἀναλημφθέντος προσ ώπου ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ παντὸς δικαίου λέγεται ὅτι· "εὐφρανεῖς αὐτὸν ἐν χαρᾷ μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου", ὅταν γὰρ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱός καὶ ὁ