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But those running ahead said, Lord, mighty and powerful, crying this out openly: The one you know as the universal king and master of all, mighty and powerful, this is he, clothed in a body, having excelled against those who fell from our ranks and took on a tyrannical state, being the Lord, mighty in war, having appeared by having destroyed all who wished to oppose and resist. Having heard these things, the rulers, along with their eternal gates, were not content only to do what was commanded, but also announced what they had heard to the higher powers in charge and to the very gates of the higher heavens, proclaiming "Lift up the gates, O you rulers," and what follows. And when they asked again, they gave the reply which they themselves had received, saying, "The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory." They called him Lord of hosts as the commander of armies. It should be noted that those who have studied Hebrew matters say that the word Sabaoth is found in Hebrew. The Seventy, when translating it into the Greek language, at times rendered it as "Lord of hosts," at other times as "Lord of armies," and at other times as "Almighty." Indeed, they say that in this passage too, where Sabaoth is found, the translation became "Lord of hosts." But if Sabaoth refers to the Savior, and is also interpreted as "Almighty," it is fitting that the word "Almighty" should be predicated of the Savior; for if "All things were made through him" and "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together," and he providentially rules all things that have been made through him and is before all things that were established in him, it follows that he is called "Almighty." Indeed, it is his person who says in Zechariah, "Thus says the Lord Almighty: ‘After glory he has sent me,’" and "You shall know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you." For the Almighty sent by the Almighty is the Son, being sent by the Father. And very clearly in the Revelation of John the Savior is called Almighty: "Thus says the Lord, the faithful and true witness, who was and who is and who is to come, the Lord God, the Almighty." For indisputably these things are said about the Son. 216 Ps 24,1b-3a I know that I will not be put to shame, as are those who trust in certain other things; for "He who trusts in riches will fall." Synecdochically, this should be said about all temporary things. For having my trust in you, I pray not to fail in my endeavors, so that I may not incur the laughter of my enemies; and my enemies are the devil and the other evil powers and people outside of godliness. For I have been emboldened, having learned this completely, that none who wait for you will be put to shame. Perhaps these things are fitting for the saints before the advent, who were expecting him and awaiting his descent here. For when he had come, the laughter of the enemies, which they laughed against those who hoped in God, came to an end.

217 Ps 24,3b "For nothing" signifies what is futile and empty. Such is the passage in

Proverbs: "This is the way of all who commit lawless acts," bringing shame to those who transgress for nothing; for they do not accomplish the acts of lawlessness for some good purpose, as the keepers of the law do. 218 Ps 24,4.5 The ways of the Lord are to be called his commandments. But also, he says, "Teach me the very paths upon the ways," so that, having the tracks which those who went before have worn, I may make my journey unerring. And since the practical life alone is not sufficient for perfect salvation, so that with it I may also achieve the contemplative life, "Lead me instructively to your truth." And in another way it may be said regarding the passage: since the law and the prophets are the ways of the Lord, no one other than the Lord was able to make them known to one desiring to experience them. For he himself, having made known to us his ways and taught us his paths by having spoken to the fathers through the prophets, "Lead me to the one who said, ‘I am

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δὲ οἱ προτρέχοντες, Κύριος, ελεγον, κραταιὸς καὶ δυνατός, αντικρυς τοῦτο βοῶντες· ον ιστε παμβασιλέα καὶ τῶν ολων δεσπότην κραταιὸν καὶ δυνατόν, ουτός ἐστιν σῶμα περικείμενος, ἀριστεύσας κατὰ τῶν ἀφ' ἡμῶν πεσόντων καὶ τυραννικὴν εξιν ἀναλαβόντων, Κύριος ων δυνατὸς ἐν πολέμῳ, ὀφθεὶς τῷ πάντας καταλελυκέναι ἀντιδοξῆσαι καὶ ἀνθίστασθαι θελήσαντας. Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ αρχοντες μετὰ καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων πυλῶν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἠρκέσθησαν τὸ προσταχθὲν μόνον ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς ὑπερτέρω δυνάμεσιν ἐπιστατούσαις καὶ αὐταῖς ταῖς πύλαις τῶν ἀνωτέρων οὐρανῶν απερ ηκουσαν ἀνήγγειλαν, κηρύττουσαι τὸ Αρατε πύλας, οἱ αρχοντες ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. καὶ πυθομέναις πάλιν αὐταῖς ἀπεκρίναντο ην εσχον καὶ αυται ἀπόκρισιν, Κύριος δυνάμεων εἰποῦσαι Αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης. ∆υνάμεων δὲ κύριον αὐτὸν ειπον ὡς αρχοντα στρατοπέδων. σημειωτέον δὲ οτι οἱ τὰ ̔Εβραίων ἠκριβωκότες φασὶν τὴν Σαβαὼθ φωνὴν ἐν τῷ ̔Εβραικῷ κειμένην. εἰς Ἑλλάδα φωνὴν οἱ ἑβδομήκοντα μεταλαμβάνοντες ὁτὲ μὲν τὸ Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων, ὁτὲ δὲ Κύριος στρατιῶν, ὁτὲ δὲ τὸ Παντοκράτωρ εταξαν. λέγουσι γοῦν καὶ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ κειμένου τοῦ Σαβαώθ, μετάληψις εἰς τὸ Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων γέγονεν. εἰ δὲ τὸ Σαβαὼθ ἐπὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος κεῖται, ἑρμηνεύεται δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸ Παντοκράτωρ, εἰκότως ἡ Παντοκράτωρ φωνὴ τοῦ σωτῆρος κατηγορηθείη· εἰ γὰρ Πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ γέγονεν καὶ Αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν, κρατεῖ δὲ προνοητικῶς τῶν δι' αὐτοῦ πάντων γεγενημένων καὶ πρὸ πάντων ἐστὶν τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ συστάντων, ἀκολούθως Παντοκράτωρ λέγεται. αὐτοῦ γοῦν ἐστι πρόσωπον λέγον ἐν Ζαχαρίᾳ Ουτω λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ ̓Οπίσω δόξης ἀπέστειλέν με, καὶ Γνώσῃ οτι κύριος παντοκράτωρ ἀπέστειλέν με πρός σε. παντοκράτωρ γὰρ ὑπὸ παντοκράτορος ἀποστελλόμενος ὁ υἱός ἐστιν, ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς πεμπόμενος. ἀριδηλότατα δὲ ἐν τῇ ̓Ιωάννου ̓Αποκαλύψει παντοκράτωρ ὁ σωτὴρ λέγεται· Τάδε γὰρ λέγει κύριος, ὁ μαρτὺς ὁ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός, ὁ ην καὶ ὁ ων καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ. ἀναμφισβητήτως γὰρ ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ ειρηται. 216 Ps 24,1b-3a Οιδα μὴ καταισχυνθησόμενον ἐμαυτόν, ωσπερ καταισχύνονται οἱ ἐπ' αλλοις τισὶ πεποιθότες· ̔Ο πεποιθὼς γὰρ ἐπὶ πλούτῳ ουτος πεσεῖται. συνεκδοχικῶς δὲ περὶ πάντων τῶν προσκαίρων τοῦτο λεκτέον. τὴν γὰρ πρὸς σὲ πεποίθησιν εχων ευχομαι μὴ διαμαρτεῖν τῶν σπουδαζομένων, οπως μὴ ὀφλήσω παρὰ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς γέλωτα· ἐχθροί μου δὲ διάβολος καὶ αἱ αλλαι πονηραὶ δυνάμεις καὶ ανθρωποι θεοσεβείας ἐκτός. τεθάρσηκα γὰρ καθ' ολου τοῦτο μαθών, οὐ καταισχυνθήσεσθαι πάντας τοὺς ὑπομένοντάς σε. Τάχα δὲ ἁρμόζει ταῦτα τοῖς πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας ἁγίοις. προσδοκῶσιν αὐτὸν καὶ ὑπομένουσιν τὴν δεῦρο κάθοδον αὐτοῦ. ἐληλυθότος γὰρ αὐτοῦ, τέλος ισχει ὁ γέλως τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ον ἐκάγχαζον κατὰ τῶν ἐπὶ θεὸν ἐλπιζόντων.

217 Ps 24,3b Τὸ ∆ιὰ κενῆς τὸ μάταιον καὶ κενὸν σημαίνει. τοιοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ ἐν

Παροιμίαις Αυτη ἡ ὁδὸς πάντων τῶν συντελούντων τὰ ανομα, αἰσχύνην φέρουσα τοῖς διὰ κενῆς ἀνομοῦσιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐπί τινι τέλει χρηστῷ ὡς οἱ φύλακες τοῦ νόμου τὰ τῆς ἀνομίας ἐπιτελοῦσιν. 218 Ps 24,4.5 ̔Οδοὺς κυρίου ῥητέον τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ. ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὰς Τὰς ἐπὶ ταῖς ὁδοῖς τρίβους δίδαξόν μέ φησιν, ινα τὰ ιχνη α ετριψαν οἱ προοδεύσαντες εχων ἀπλανῆ τι ποιήσωμαι τὴν πορείαν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ μὴ ἀπαρκεῖ πρὸς τελείαν σωτηρίαν μόνος ὁ πρακτικὸς βίος, ινα σὺν τούτῳ καὶ τὸν θεωρητικὸν κατορθώσω, ̔Οδήγησόν με παιδευτικῶς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου. Καὶ αλλως δὲ κατὰ τὸν τόπον λεχθήσεται· τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ὁδῶν κυρίου τυγχανουσῶν, οὐκ αλλος αὐτὰς γνωρίσαι τῷ ποθοῦντι πειραθῆναι αὐτῶν οιός τε η ὁ κύριος. αὐτὸς γὰρ γνωρίσας ἡμῖν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς τρίβους διδάξας, διὰ τοῦ λελαληκέναι τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ̔Οδήγησόν με ἐπὶ τὸν εἰπόντα· ̓Εγώ