Philocalia
they laid down the toils of faith. For them, indeed, nearly their whole life was spent in showing the most holy and sovereign Trinity to be of equal h
to attempt to correct the sayings of scripture for consistency, greatly preserving for those who are able to understand the coherence of the thought.
Free Will. 20. On good and evil things, and that these are in things subject to choice and in things not subject to choice, and according to the teach
rulers spoken of from Judah and leaders [from] his loins, when he for whom it is reserved, that is, the kingdom, shall come, and the expectation of th
And he came who according to Job subdued the great sea monster, and who gave authority to his genuine disciples to tread upon snakes and scorpions, an
that is, of the elementary teaching, to be brought to perfection, so that the wisdom spoken to the perfect may also be spoken to us. For he who posses
of the wives of Abraham, and of two sisters married to Jacob, and of two handmaids who bore children by him, they will say nothing else than that thes
orphans but Clement will send to the cities abroad and you will report to the presbyters of the church. For Grapte, who admonishes the widows and th
of new moons or of sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come. And further, also in the [epistle] to the Hebrews, speaking of those of the circumc
to things that have happened and things to be done, wherever the Word found things that had happened according to history which could be applied to th
Moses commands us to offer but a griffin has never been recorded to have been subject to man, which the lawgiver forbids to be eaten. But even the fa
to his brother, and so on and: But I say to you, do not swear at all. and in the Apostle the saying must be observed: Warn those who are unruly, comf
Isaac, he too having descended from Abraham, with all being traced back to Adam, whom the apostle says is Christ? For every beginning of families that
he came to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel and when many from Israel did not yield to his teaching, those from the Gentiles are also cal
fleeing the allegory in these things, and thinking that the letter has been written for its own sake, they will stand by the will of the Holy Spirit w
behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, to open the book and its seven seals. 2.2 But concerning its being sealed on
holy, for one who perceives the weakness of our race, and that it is impossible for us to grasp the principles of God's art, contemplated with all acc
It is. from the fifth volume of the commentary on the Gospel of John, on the prologue. Since you are not content for us to have undertaken the present
of many theorems, of which each theorem is a part of the whole discourse. But those outside this, promising to contain any kind of discussion and decl
the things before, he has understood the entire scripture as one book, understood as very sweet in the beginning when one chews it, but bitter in the
to the gospel or to himself or to the apostles. But one who has been educated in the music of God, being wise in deeds and words, and for this reason
he might change it, leading it to the singular. For having read: “They wept and entreated me ” and: “In the house of On they found me ” he might say t
of angels in the hand of a mediator and in the passage: So that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by f
to others. And if we carefully observe this, we are freed from many errors and misinterpretations. It is necessary, therefore, to know that the word
in unbelief, confusion, outside. From the 20th book on Ezekiel. Thus says the Lord Lord: behold, I will judge between sheep and sheep, between rams a
For there are certain powers in us, of which the better ones are nourished by these, as it were, incantations, being kindred to them, and though we do
so that having despoiled the Egyptians, they might find material for the construction of the things received for the worship of God. For from the thin
His Christ would also know, and he who partakes of the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ. May you partake, and may you always increase your parti
of a spotted robe and of countless other things, one who takes the pains can find not a few examples. But we have made this digression, in order that
arising in those who speak effectively. For the prophet says in the sixty-seventh psalm, that the Lord will give a word to those who preach the gospel
knowing the first good, wrote indeed, as of God manifesting himself to the worthy and suitable, that God appeared, so to speak, to Abraham, or to Isaa
to the prophets of the Jews or to the oracles of the Christians the argument must be constructed in this way, from a certain example concerning foods
the concept of forbearance is corrupted by the meanness of the words, but in this too Celsus slanders the Word, saying: “But concerning these and othe
three apostles. But he will say that these things are fabrications and in no way different from myths, just as are the other wonderful things about Je
who are in no way lacking intelligible thunder. 15.19 And his garments below are different, they are not white, they are not as the light if you go u
admittedly more numerous but I think also among barbarians, as many as profess to practice medicine. And again, since philosophy, professing truth an
to think and to speak and to do, when reviled, we bless when persecuted, we endure when defamed, we entreat and we would not say things that may an
brother of Artemis, and paternal brother of Hermes and as many other things as the wise fathers of Celsus's doctrines and the ancient theologians of
of the name of Isaac, and something is revealed from the voice of Jacob and if indeed the one who calls or the one who adjures names the God of Abrah
as they wish, so he says it also happens among Christians. And he says that some, not even wishing to give or receive a reason for what they believe,
to seek proofs. And how is it not more reasonable, since all human affairs depend on faith, to trust God rather than them? For who sails, or marries,
I know the Stoic, or all the Peripatetic doctrines? unless perhaps, having heard the phrase for I know all things from some insensitive laymen who w
a profession was apparent since the word and the preaching were in the persuasive wisdom of phrasing and composition of words and faith would have b
to remove from such great evils those who were preoccupied in them. And among the Greeks a certain Phaedo, and I know not if a second, and one Polemon
We will say that the story about Aristotle is also a slander against Jesus and his disciples for when he saw that a court was about to be assembled a
And indeed one of the prophets, Hosea, says at the end of his words: Who is wise, and will understand these things? Or prudent, and will know them? Bu
that he might bring to nothing things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence some have been moved to suppose that no one educated or wi
inviting them. which certain of the Cynics especially have done, discoursing in public to those who happen to be present. Will they then say that thes
a gathering of prudent men would never be addressed, but where they see boys and a crowd of household slaves and a throng of foolish men, there to bri
of the riddles and of the things said with concealment in the law and prophets and gospels, which you have despised as containing nothing of value, no
of stone as being worthy of worship but the common conception demands we understand that God is in no way corruptible matter, nor is he honored in in
to say to those who, through hatred for the hated, accuse them of things for which their dearest friends are praised. For just as in their case hatred
for food, and others for shelter. For it was better for those not intending to seek divine things and to philosophize to be in want, so as to use thei
to be captured by them? For if indeed the world came to be by providence, and God presides over all things it was necessary that the first sparks of
among them their succession, because men have need of honey for many things, for the healing of suffering bodies and as a purifying food. But what is
Indeed, when they meet, they converse with each other, which is why they do not miss their paths therefore, there is among them a fulfillment of disc
to have granted aids, because neither wisdom nor reason is in them, but a certain natural constitution for such things for the sake of the animals' pr
divination and after this to set forth the defense more clearly and demonstratively to reject the arguments of those who do away with such kinds of
mantic birds and the other irrational animals and conceptions of the divine and foreknowledge concerning future things, would have revealed such thing
taken as an example of the worst things, and never is a wolf or a fox named in connection with a good thing. It seems, then, that there is a certain f
For none of the irrational animals has a conception of God. And it is a falsehood that irrational animals are nearer to divine communion since even
to act, he would not have said that storks are more pious than men. Furthermore, as if standing up for the piety of the irrational animals, Celsus int
has the cause of movement, animals and plants and simply all things that are held together by nature and soul, among which they say are also minerals.
being driven out of what is solemn and stable so that they change to licentiousness, often beginning their licentiousness in the middle of their life
someone that in like manner those who are perishing are not of free will nor will they perish by their own fault. And what is said in Ezekiel: I will
to Pharaoh? For it is necessary for one who believes that the scriptures are true and that God is just, if he is fair-minded, to struggle with how in
narratives are also considered violent, let us see also from prophetic discourse, what those say who have experienced the great goodness of God, and h
One might blame the farmer for not casting the seeds sooner upon the rocky ground, seeing some other rocky ground that has received the seeds and is f
21.15 After this was the passage from the gospel, when the savior said that for this reason he speaks to those outside in parables, that seeing they m
that they would have long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes, when the savior came near their borders, they do not even hear the things of t
we might stumble, while it is understood that something has happened in a human way, but the good deed is thankfully referred to God the perfecter th
thus? Or does not the potter have authority over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? For someone will
O man, who are you who answers back to God? 21.22 But to those who introduce natures and use the saying, these things must be said: if they preserve t
those who were allotted to be overseers of the earth established laws for those who were being legislated for, cooperating with the lawgivers. It seem
different relations and laws see if temperance will not consequently be one of the relatives, and courage and prudence and knowledge and the other vi
the voice of his neighbor. And the Lord scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city and the tower. Fo
in proportion to the sins of those who had obtained the other lands, first, having been punished to a lesser degree and paid the penalty, as if discip
blessings for none of these things will any longer reasonably come to be. And if one were to look at the consequences for himself of what he teaches,
in a prophetic book which makes clear beforehand the things concerning Judas the traitor, to suppose, having learned what was to be, seeing it being f
king of the Macedonians, and Ptolemy who ruled Egypt, who was surnamed Lagos, it is thus prophesied: And behold, a he-goat came from the west over the
that what is in our power can be preserved. 23.8 To these we must say that when God applies himself to the beginning of the creation of the world, sin
hearing they will turn back or they will persist in their own sins just as it is said in Jeremiah: Perhaps they will hear and repent. For God does no
in the psalm, whose beginning is: O God, do not be silent about my praise for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful has been opened
taking the hour of this man’s birth, they ascertain how each of the wandering stars is perpendicularly aligned, either with this degree of the zodiac
of the father and that of the mother and that of his wife and of his sons and of the servants and of the dearest friends, and perhaps also of the murd
the intelligible dodecatemorion being one thing, and the, as it were, formation another and they say the results are found not from the formation, bu
Pharaoh was for the demonstration of the power of God and the proclamation of his name in all the earth, consider how great a demonstration of God's p
of men that not at every hour are some of the stars well-positioned and others ill-positioned for it is an even, varied circle, having infinite prete
a place for withdrawal. But if anyone should say that matter is in God, it is necessary to examine likewise, whether as though he were separating hims
If you have something to say, begin your speech. For if our inquiry were born of contention, I would not have thought it right to define evils a secon
God is the creator. Let this argument, therefore, be well addressed to him but to me it seems a falsehood to say that matter is without quality. For
and to turn that to the better, seems to me to be worthy of incurring blame, having left a part of matter to be evil to the destruction of the part wh
it was opposed to itself. Thus since opposites exist, it is shown that matter does not exist. These things have been drawn from the 7th book of the Ev
of their coming into being and as knowing all things before their coming into being he foreknew and predestined some to be conformed to the image of
he will discipline his body and bring it into subjection, being careful lest, having preached to others, he himself should become disqualified, and th
events teaching that we must choose justice and temperance and prudence and courage and the actions according to them, but shun their opposites. There
accomplishing by the very act of working, they were doing good to men and delivering them from evils. And those who say such things will pass on to th
For the just man did not give his money at interest and did not take bribes against the innocent and: He who does these things will not be shaken for
of providence, according to the good temper of the airs and the bearing of sufficient rain so the good of the rational being is a mixture of both his
for God to effect a hardening of anyone's heart, and to effect a hardening for the purpose of the one being hardened disobeying the will of the one ha
being destroyed. Yet this also must be inquired into, because the apostle, using the words from here, says: Therefore, He has mercy on whom He wills,
to do something alien to the profession of physicians, leading him who should be healed to inflammations and abscesses so I think God also said: But
to punish him for the sins against Abner the son of Ner, and to kill him for his offenses then he adds: And you will bring down his gray head in peac
man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. But observe in these things that God afflicts and tests, so that the things in each
from the text that the heart of Pharaoh was hardened how is he just who hardened the heart of the king so that he would not send away his people, and
behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, to open the book and its seven seals. 2.2 But concerning its being sealed only, Isaiah says thus: And all these words will be to you as the words of this sealed book, which if they give to a man who knows letters, saying: read this, he will say: I cannot read, for it is sealed; and this book will be given into the hands of a man who does not know letters, and one will say to him: read this, and he will say: I do not know letters. For these things must be thought to be said not only about the revelation of John and of Isaiah, but also about all divine scripture, as is confessed by those able even moderately to understand divine words, since it is filled with riddles and parables and obscure words and other various kinds of obscurity, difficult for human nature to grasp. Wishing to teach this very thing, the savior also says, since the key was with the scribes and Pharisees who were not striving to find the way to open, the saying: Woe to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and those who were entering you did not allow to enter. 2.3n and after other things: But as we are about to begin the interpretation of the psalms, let us set forth a most elegant tradition handed down to us by the Hebrew generally concerning all divine scripture. For that one used to say that the whole divinely-inspired scripture, because of the obscurity in it, was like many locked rooms in one house; and next to each room was placed a key not the one suitable for it; and thus the keys were scattered around the rooms, each one not fitting those which they are next to; and it was a very great task both to find the keys and to fit them to the rooms which they are able to open; therefore it is to be understood that the scriptures also, being obscure, take the starting points for being understood from nowhere else than from one another, having the exegetical key scattered in themselves. At any rate, I think that the apostle also, suggesting such an approach of understanding the divine words, says: Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 2.4n and after many things, comparing the beatitude stated in the singular with the one spoken in the plural, he says: But if The oracles of the Lord are pure oracles, silver fired in a crucible, tested for the earth, purified seven times; and with all accuracy and scrutiny the holy spirit has inspired them through the ministers of the word, lest the proportion should also escape us, [according to which] the wisdom of God has reached to all divinely-inspired scripture, down to the last letter; and perhaps for this reason also the savior says: one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law, until all things are accomplished. For just as in the creation of the world the divine art appears not only in heaven and sun and moon and stars, having pervaded through all those bodies, but also on earth in more humble matter it has done the same, so that neither the bodies of the smallest animals are disdained by the craftsman, and much more also the souls existing in them, each having received in itself some property, salutary as in an irrational creature; nor the plants of the earth, in each of which the artifice exists concerning the roots and the leaves and the fruits that come forth and the differences of their qualities; so we suppose concerning all the things written by the inspiration of the holy spirit, that the sacred providence bestowing superhuman wisdom through the letters to the race of men, has sown salutary oracles, so to speak, in each letter, as far as possible, traces of wisdom. 2.5 However, it is necessary for one who has once accepted that these scriptures are from the creator of the world to be persuaded, that whatever things concerning creation meet those who seek the reason concerning it, these things also apply concerning the scriptures. And indeed there are also in creation some things difficult to find or even impossible to find for human nature; and not for this reason is the creator of all to be accused, so to speak, because we do not find a reason for the creation of basilisks and of the other venomous beasts; for in this case
ἰδοὺ ἐνίκησεν ὁ λέων ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Ἰούδα, ἡ ῥίζα ∆αυεὶδ, ἀνοῖξαι τὸ βιβλίον καὶ τὰς ἑπτὰ σφραγῖδας αὐτοῦ. 2.2 Περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἐσφραγίσθαι
μόνον ὁ Ἠσαΐας οὕτως· Καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν τὰ ῥήματα πάντα ταῦτα ὡς οἱ λόγοι τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου τοῦ ἐσφραγισμένου, ὃ ἐὰν δῶσιν αὐτὸ
ἀνθρώπῳ ἐπισταμένῳ γράμματα λέγοντες· ἀνάγνωθι ταῦτα, καὶ ἐρεῖ· οὐ δύναμαι ἀναγνῶναι, ἐσφράγισται γάρ· καὶ δο θήσεται τὸ βιβλίον
τοῦτο εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπου μὴ ἐπιστα μένου γράμματα, καὶ ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ· ἀνάγνωθι τοῦτο, καὶ ἐρεῖ· οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι γράμματα. ταῦτα
γὰρ οὐ μόνον περὶ τῆς ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰωάννου καὶ τοῦ Ἠσαΐου νομιστέον λέγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ πάσης θείας γραφῆς, ὁμολογουμένως
παρὰ τοῖς κἂν μετρίως ἐπαΐειν λόγων θείων δυναμένοις πεπληρωμένης αἰνιγμάτων καὶ παραβολῶν σκοτεινῶν τε λόγων καὶ ἄλλων ποικίλων
εἰδῶν ἀσαφείας, δυσλήπτων τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει. ὅπερ διδάξαι βουλόμενος καὶ ὁ σωτήρ φησιν, ὡς τῆς κλειδὸς οὔσης παρὰ τοῖς γραμματεῦσι
καὶ Φαρισαίοις οὐκ ἀγωνιζομένοις τὴν ὁδὸν εὑρεῖν τοῦ ἀνοῖξαι, τό· Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς, ὅτι ἤρατε τὴν κλεῖδα τῆς γνώσεως·
αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσήλθετε, καὶ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους οὐκ ἀφίετε εἰσελθεῖν. 2.3n καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα· Μέλλοντες δὲ ἄρχεσθαι τῆς ἑρμηνείας
τῶν ψαλ μῶν, χαριεστάτην παράδοσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἑβραίου ἡμῖν καθο λικῶς περὶ πάσης θείας γραφῆς παραδεδομένην προτάξω μεν. ἔφασκε
γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἐοικέναι τὴν ὅλην θεόπνευστον γραφὴν, διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀσάφειαν, πολλοῖς οἴκοις ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ κεκλεισμένοις· ἑκάστῳ
δὲ οἴκῳ παρακεῖσθαι κλεῖν οὐ τὴν κατάλληλον αὐτῷ· καὶ οὕτω διεσκεδάσθαι τὰς κλεῖς περὶ τοὺς οἴκους, οὐχ ἁρμοζούσας καθ' ἑκάστην
ἐκείνοις οἷς παράκεινται· ἔργον δὲ εἶναι μέγιστον εὑρίσκειν τε τὰς κλεῖς καὶ ἐφαρμόζειν αὐτὰς τοῖς οἴκοις, οὓς ἀνοῖξαι δύναν
ται· νοεῖσθαι τοίνυν καὶ τὰς γραφὰς οὔσας ἀσαφεῖς, οὐκ ἄλλοθεν τὰς ἀφορμὰς τοῦ νοεῖσθαι λαμβανούσας ἢ παρ' ἀλλήλων ἐχουσῶν
ἐν αὐταῖς διεσπαρμένον τὸ ἐξηγητικόν. ἡγοῦμαι γοῦν καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον τὴν τοιαύτην ἔφοδον τοῦ συνιέναι τοὺς θείους λόγους ὑποβάλλοντα
λέγειν· Ἃ καὶ λαλοῦμεν οὐκ ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις, ἀλλ' ἐν διδακτοῖς πνεύματος, πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συγκρί
νοντες. 2.4n καὶ μετὰ πολλὰ υγκρίνων τοὺ ἑνικῶ κειμένου μακαριμοὺ πρὸ τοὺ πληθυντικῶ εἰρημένου, Φηίν· Εἰ δὲ Τὰ λόγια κυρίου
λόγια ἁγνὰ, ἀργύριον πεπυ ρωμένον, δοκίμιον τῇ γῇ, κεκαθαρισμένον ἑπταπλασίως· καὶ μετὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας ἐξητασμένως τὸ ἅγιον
πνεῦμα ὑποβέβληκεν αὐτὰ διὰ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν τοῦ λόγου, μήποτε καὶ ἡμᾶς διαφεύγῃ ἡ ἀναλογία, [καθ' ἣν] ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἔφθασε γραφὴν
θεόπνευστον ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ μέχρι τοῦ τυχόντος γράμματος· καὶ τάχα καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ σωτήρ φησι· Ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ
παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται. ὃν τρόπον γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς κοσμοποιΐας ἡ θεία τέχνη οὐ μόνον ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἡλίῳ καὶ
σελήνῃ καὶ ἄστροις φαίνεται δι' ὅλων τῶν σωμάτων ἐκείνων πεφοιτη κυῖα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ἐν ὕλῃ εὐτελεστέρᾳ τὸ αὐτὸ πεποίη
κεν, ὡς μὴ ὑπερηφανεῖσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ τεχνίτου μήτε τὰ σώματα τῶν ἐλαχίστων ζώων, πολλῷ δὲ πλέον καὶ τὰς ἐνυπαρχούσας ψυχὰς ἐν
αὐτοῖς, ἑκάστης ἰδίωμά τι λαβού σης ἐν αὐτῇ, ὡς ἐν ἀλόγῳ σωτήριον· μήτε τὰ τῆς γῆς βλαστήματα, ἑκάστῳ ἐνυπάρχοντος τοῦ τεχνικοῦ
περὶ τὰς ῥίζας καὶ τὰ φύλλα καὶ τοὺς ἐνδεχομένους καρποὺς καὶ τὰς διαφορὰς τῶν ποιοτήτων· οὕτως ἡμεῖς ὑπολαμβάνομεν περὶ πάντων
τῶν ἐξ ἐπιπνοίας τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἀναγεγραμ μένων, ὡς τῆς ἐπιδιδούσης τὴν ὑπεράνθρωπον σοφίαν ἱερᾶς προνοίας διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων
τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, λόγια σωτήρια ἐνεσπαρκυίας, ὡς ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ἑκάστῳ γράμ ματι κατὰ τὸ ἐνδεχόμενον ἴχνη τῆς σοφίας.
2.5 Χρὴ μέντοι γε τὸν ἅπαξ παραδεξάμενον τοῦ κτί σαντος τὸν κόσμον εἶναι ταύτας τὰς γραφὰς πεπεῖσθαι, ὅτι ὅσα περὶ τῆς κτίσεως
ἀπαντᾷ τοῖς ζητοῦσι τὸν περὶ αὐτῆς λόγον, ταῦτα καὶ περὶ τῶν γραφῶν. ἔστι δέ γε καὶ ἐν τῇ κτίσει τινὰ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει δυσεύρετα
ἢ καὶ ἀνεύρετα· καὶ οὐ διὰ τοῦτο κατηγορητέον τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῶν ὅλων, φέρε εἰπεῖν, ἐπεὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκομεν αἰτίαν βασιλίσκων κτίσεως
καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἰοβόλων θηρίων· ἐνθάδε γὰρ
