170 Ps 101,3 In power, what is said is similar to the prayer of Solomon supplicating concerning the future affliction for the people, so that indeed they might be heard supplicating in it, except that the speaking person says on his own behalf the things of all and that they were not to be overlooked by God, which Israel was in danger of suffering on account of its own wickedness, and also the affliction in a long time. 171 ps 101,14 The supplication of God's servants and the pity of God make the time, not some other cause such as has been fabricated among the Greeks concerning fated times. This is that about which he himself says through Isaiah, At an acceptable time I have heard you; and Paul also writes that this time was fulfilled when the savior came, saying, Behold, now is the acceptable time. For properly the descent of the savior has also happened, having shone forth at the end of the ages. For since the savior has come to take away the sin of the world, it was not necessary for such a great one to come and suffer for the sake of a few sinners. When the time arrived at which it is said, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and when there was no longer on earth a righteous man who understands and seeks God, he has come who for all of them by the grace of God tasted death for everyone. And these things might also be said: when the race of men turned to wickedness, it was necessary for God who provides for their salvation to prevent wickedness. And indeed this has happened through many devices. Patriarchs having been sent who were able to benefit the life of men by their own way of life, but when the law given through Moses also renounced wickedness, they despised the God who had given it; and when epiphanies of prophets and angels were sent to them, God did not cease from providing for their salvation. And yet nothing more happened than that they were worn out in the increase of wickedness. Since, therefore, every medicine and help brought to them through their kinsmen was powerless against their incurable diseases, after all those things the savior has reasonably come, healing every disease and every infirmity so as to even take away their deadness and death. Therefore, for this truth, the savior shone forth in the times of Augustus, the time then having been fulfilled inasmuch as the things of men's salvation were happening appropriately. Concerning this the present discourse also says, That it is time to have pity on Zion, O master, and you, having risen up by yourself, will have pity on her.
172 Ps 102 arg. A thanksgiving ought to follow the preceding prophecy. This has also been composed through this song; both the mercy of God and his judicial righteousness are glorified because through mercy he will deliver the people from those who do wrong, and the removal of corruption and the grace preserved for successors and the heavenly kingdom that will pass to all.
173 Ps 103,3a Heaven does not lie around the universe spherically and run around it, but it roofs the earth, stretched out around it, being roofed from above by waters with a stable and firm foundation. 174 Ps 103,4a But it is clear that "Stretching," "Roofing," and "Making" are instead of "having stretched," "having roofed," and "having made." Thus also is "Forming the spirit of man within him"; since the formation by God has happened once, the earth and its results come to be continually, just as it is also said, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." And to this would also tend "I am who I am," as created things are not being but becoming, having a created nature and for this reason their substance is understood in becoming and is not truly being like the maker. This extends through the holy Trinity, which is creative. 175 Ps 103,5.6 The wondrous thing
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170 Ps 101,3 Ὅμοιον δυνάμει τὸ λεγόμενον τῇ Σαλομῶνος εὐχῇ
προϊκετεύοντος περὶ τῆς μελλούσης τῷ λαῷ θλίψεως, ἵνα δὴ ἀκουσθεῖεν ἱκετεύοντες ἐν αὐτῇ, πλὴν ὅτι τὸ λέγον πρόσωπον ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ λέγει τὰ πάντων καὶ τὸ μὴ περι οφθῆναι ὑπὸ θεοῦ ὅπερ ἐκινδύνευσε παθεῖν ἕνεκα τῆς ἰδίας κακίας ὁ Ἰσραήλ, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐν μακρῷ χρόνῳ κάκωσιν. 171 ps 101,14 Ποιεῖ τὸν καιρὸν ἡ τῶν θεοῦ δούλων ἱκεσία καὶ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ οἶκτος, οὐκ ἄλλη τις αἰτία οἵα περὶ χρόνων εἱρμαρμένων ἐν Ἕλλησι πέπλασται. οὗτος δ' ἐστὶ περὶ οὗ αὐτὸς διὰ Ἡσαΐου φησὶ Καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσά σου· τοῦτον δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος πεπληρῶσθαι τὸν καιρὸν ἐπιδημήσαντος τοῦ σωτῆρος γράφει φάσκων Ἰδοὺ νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος. κυρίως γὰρ καὶ ἡ τοῦ σωτῆρος κάθοδος γέγονεν ἐπιλάμψαντος ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων. ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἆραι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου ἐλήλυθεν ὁ σωτήρ, οὐκ ἔδει δὲ τὸν τηλικοῦτον ὑπὲρ ὀλίγων ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐλθεῖν καὶ παθεῖν. ὅτε διενέστηκεν ὁ χρόνος καθ' ὃν εἴρηται Πάντες ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ, οὐκέτι δὲ ὄντος ἐπὶ γῆς δικαίου συνιέντος τε καὶ ἐκζητοῦντος τὸν θεόν, ἐλήλυθεν ὁ ὑπὲρ πάντων αὐτῶν χάριτι θεοῦ ὑπὲρ παντὸς γευόμενος θανάτου. Ῥηθείη δ' ἂν καὶ ταῦτα· τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένους εἰς κακίαν τραπέντος ἔδει τὸν προνοούμενον τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν θεὸν κωλῦσαι τὴν κακίαν. καὶ δὴ τοῦτο διὰ μηχανημάτων πολλῶν γεγένηται. ἀποσταλέντων πατριαρχῶν τῶν δυναμένων τῇ ἑαυτῶν πολιτείᾳ ὠφελῆσαι τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίον, ἀπειπόντος δὲ πρὸς τὴν κακίαν καὶ νόμου τοῦ διὰ Μωυσέως δοθέντος αὐτοὶ μὲν κατεφρόνουν τοῦ δεδωκότος θεοῦ· προφητῶν τε καὶ ἀγγέλων ἐπιφανείας ἐπιπεμπομένων αὐτοῖς, ὁ δὲ θεὸς οὐκ ἐπαύετο τῆς αὐτῶν προμηθούμενος σωτηρίας. καὶ ὅμως οὐδὲν μᾶλλον ἐγίνετο ἢ εἰς αὔξησιν κακίας ἐπετρίβοντο. ἐπεὶ οὖν πᾶν φάρμακον καὶ βοήθημα διὰ τῶν ὁμογενῶν προσαγόμενον αὐτοῖς ἠτόνησε πρὸς τὰς ἀνιάτους νόσους αὐτῶν, μετὰ πάντ' ἐκεῖνα εἰκότως ὁ σωτὴρ ἐλήλυθε, πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν θεραπεύων ὡς καὶ τὴν νεκρότητα αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν θάνατον ἀνελεῖν. διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐν τοῖς Αὐγούστου χρόνοις ἐπέλαμψεν ὁ σωτήρ, τότε τοῦ καιροῦ πεπληρωμένου καθὸ καταλλήλως ἐγίνετο τὰ τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων. περὶ τούτου καὶ ὁ παρὼν λόγος φησὶν Ὅτι καιρὸς τοῦ οἰκτειρῆσαι τὴν Σιών, ὦ δέσποτα, καὶ σὺ διὰ σεαυτοῦ ἀναστὰς οἰκτειρήσεις αὐτήν.
172 Ps 102 arg. Εὐχαριστίαν ἐχρῆν ἕπεσθαι τῇ προκειμένῃ προφητείᾳ. αὕτη
καὶ συντέτακται διὰ τοῦδε τοῦ ᾄσματος· ἔλεός τε θεοῦ καὶ δικαιοσύνη ἡ κριτικὴ δοξάζεται ὅτι δι' ἐλέου τὸν λαὸν ἐξαιρήσεται τῶν ἀδικούντων, φθορᾶς τε ἀφαίρεσις καὶ ἡ εἰς διαδόχους φυλασσομένη χάρις καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ πάντα διαβησομένη βασιλεία οὐράνιος.
173 Ps 103,3a Οὐ σφαιρηδὸν οὐρανὸς τῷ παντὶ περίκειται καὶ περιθεῖ ἀλλὰ
στεγάζει γῆν τεταμένος περὶ αὐτήν, μονίμῳ καὶ ἑδραίᾳ τῇ στάσει στεγαζόμενος ἄνωθεν ὕδασιν. 174 Ps 103,4a ∆ῆλον δὲ ὅτι τὸ Ἐκτείνων καὶ Στεγάζων καὶ Ποιῶν ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐκτείνας ἐστὶ καὶ στεγάσας καὶ ποιήσας. οὕτω δ' ἔχει καὶ τὸ Πλάσσων πνεῦμα ἀνθρώπου ἐν αὐτῷ· τῆς πλάσεως ὑπὸ θεοῦ γεγονυίας εἰς ἅπαξ γῆ καὶ τὰ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀποτελέσματα διὰ παντὸς γίνεται, καθὸ λέγεται καὶ τὸ Ὁ πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται, κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι. συντείνοι δ' ἂν εἰς τοῦτο καὶ τὸ Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν, ὡς τῶν ποιημάτων οὐκ ὄντων ἀλλὰ γινομένων τῶν γενητὴν ἐχόντων φύσιν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ γίνεσθαι νοουμένης καὶ οὐκ ὄντως οὔσης καθάπερ ὁ ποιῶν. τοῦτο δὲ διήκει διὰ τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος ποιητικῆς οὔσης. 175 Ps 103,5.6 Τὸ θαυμαστὸν
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