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and of the aforementioned noon; and as I report, God will hear these things from my voice, accepting and (so to speak) delighting in my voice that has recounted all things. 578 Ps 54,20b He says that God is existing before the ages but not that he existed. For if he had said that he existed, he himself, having a beginning at some measured interval, formerly being, would have existed. For this reason, then, he said, "He who is," positing his existence as without beginning and eternal, and by "before the ages" laying the foundation of the beginning of the existence of the ages. One must understand "of the ages" as being extensions of created things. And the savior, being eternal from eternal, is before the ages because the ages themselves also came to be through him. and Paul says, "And he is before all things"; and "existing" is the same as "before all things"; for he did not say "And he came to be before all things." and the savior says about himself, "Before Abraham was," he did not say, "I was," but "I am." 579 Ps 54,20d Of sins, some are difficult to heal or even incurable, but others are curable. And for the curable ones it is possible to find an exchange, the sacrifice offered for sins, but also almsgiving and fasting with prayer (for these deliver from death), but for those who have sinned incurably it is not possible to offer an exchange as a ransom and a means of salvation. for if a man sins against a man and they pray for him, there is an exchange for these things; but if against the Lord God, who will pray for him? For there is no exchange for such things. 580 Ps 54,21.22a He stretched out his hand in repaying what was worthy of what they had done. For since they became betrayers and murderers of Christ, having committed irreconcilable lawlessness, they were seen as worthy to fall under punishment. They were captured, then, by the Romans so as to be enslaved and driven from the land that nurtured them, which has never happened to any other nation. But these were cast off from their homeland with no return. For they profaned the covenant of God, not receiving but even killing the one prophesied by it. and perhaps also, since the covenant was appointed to be kept according to what is perceptible until a certain time, when the time was fulfilled in which it had to change from according to the flesh to according to the spirit, by remaining in the typical worship, they "profaned his covenant." Therefore, having stretched out his punishing hand, he gave them over so that his wrath came upon them to the end, by which they were also divided, no longer gathering in his land but scattered among every nation. And the wrath of the face of God brought these things upon them, since when his face shone forth and appeared, they did not receive it. 581 Ps 54,22b-d For, although thought to be soft and smooth because they were uttered with hypocrisy, they were destructive missiles and full of poison. There are also those who interpret this concerning God thus: God brought his heart near, condescending to men, and uttering words like oil that heal and release the pains of the weary. But these words, softer than oil, are found to be missiles for those who despise them, punishing those who despise them. In many places the term "arrow" is used for punishments, and an arrow and a missile are the same in substance. 582a Ps 54,24a God, not allowing shaking for the righteous man, will bring those who have profaned his covenant down into a pit of corruption, which is the opposite of the wells from which the Word commands to drink life and incorruption. or perhaps by "pit of corruption" he means hades, into which those corrupted in mind are brought down by God, being handed over by his decree and judgment. 583 Ps 54,24b-d We will understand those whom he prays to be humbled by the God who exists before the ages to be the Jews. For they opposed the will of the only-begotten, not fearing God but also profaning his covenant. and by "men of blood" he means those who said, "His blood be on us and on our children," being also guilty of all blood

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καὶ τῆς προειρημένης μεσημβρίας· ἀπαγγέλλοντος δέ μου, ταῦτα εἰσακούσεται ὁ θεὸς τῆς φωνῆς μου, ἀποδεχόμενος καὶ (ιν' ουτως ειπω) τερπόμενος ἐπὶ τῇ φωνῇ μου τῇ πάντα διηγησαμένῃ. 578 Ps 54,20b ̔Υπάρχοντα δέ φησι τὸν θεὸν πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἀλλ' οὐχ ὑπάρξαντα. εἰ γὰρ ειρηκεν ὑπάρξαντα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀρχὴν εχων μεμετρημένῳ τινὶ διαστήματι πρώην ων ὑπῆρχεν. διὰ τοῦτο ουν ειπεν ̔Ο ὑπάρχων, αναρχον καὶ ἀΐδιον αὐτοῦ τὴν υπαρξιν τιθέμενος, διὰ δὲ τοῦ Πρὸ αἰώνων ἀρχὴν ὑπάρξεως τῶν αἰώνων καταβαλλόμενος. δεῖ δὲ Τῶν αἰώνων ἀκούειν ὡς παρεκτάσεων οὐσῶν τῶν κτισμάτων. Καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ δὲ ἀΐδιος ἐξ ἀϊδίου τυγχάνων πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐστὶν τῷ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς αἰῶνας δι' αὐτοῦ γεγονέναι. καὶ Παῦλος δὲ Καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν, φησί, πρὸ πάντων· ισον δὲ τὸ ̔Υπάρχων τὸ αὐτό ἐστι Πρὸ πάντων· οὐ γὰρ ειπεν Καὶ αὐτὸς γέγονε πρὸ πάντων. καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ Πρὶν ̓Αβραὰμ γενέσθαι οὐκ ειπεν ἐγὼ ημην ἀλλ' ἐγώ εἰμι. 579 Ps 54,20δ Τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὰ μὲν δυσίατα η καὶ ἀνίατα, τὰ δὲ ἰάσιμα. καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν ἰασίμων εστιν ἀντάλλαγμα εὑρεῖν τὴν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν προσαγομένην θυσίαν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐλεημοσύνην καὶ νηστείαν μετὰ προσευχῆς (ταῦτα γὰρ ῥύεται ἐκ θανάτου), τῶν δὲ ἀνίατα ἡμαρτηκότων οὐκ εστιν ἀντάλλαγμα λύτρον καὶ σῶστρον καταθέσθαι. ἐὰν γὰρ ἁμαρτῶν ἁμάρτῃ ἀνὴρ εἰς ανδρα καὶ προσεύξωνται περὶ αὐτοῦ, εστι τούτων ἀντάλλαγμα· ἐὰν δὲ εἰς κύριον τὸν θεόν, τίς προσεύξεται περὶ αὐτοῦ; οὐκ εστι γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἀντάλλαγμα. 580 Ps 54,21.22a ̓Εξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ἀποδιδόναι τὰ ἀντάξια ων εἰργάσαντο. ἐπεὶ γὰρ προδόται καὶ φονεῖς Χριστοῦ γεγένηνται ἀκατάλλακτα ἠνομηκότες, αξιοι ὑποπεσεῖν τιμωρίᾳ ωφθησαν. ἑάλωσαν ουν ὑπὸ ̔Ρωμαίων ὡς ἐξανδραποδισθῆναι καὶ τῆς θρεψαμένης χώρας ἐξωσθῆναι ο οὐπώποτε αλλῳ εθνει γεγένηται. ουτοι δ' αν ἐπάνακτοι τῆς πατρίδος ἀπερρίφησαν. ̓Εβεβήλωσαν γὰρ τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ θεοῦ, οὐ προσηκάμενοι ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀναιρήσαντες τὸν ὑπ' αὐτῆς προφητευόμενον. τάχα δὲ καὶ ἐπεὶ μέχρι καιροῦ ωριστο τηρεῖσθαι κατὰ τὸ αἰσθητὸν ἡ διαθήκη, πληρωθέντος τοῦ χρόνου καθ' ον εδει ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ἐπὶ τὸ κατὰ πνεῦμα αὐτὴν μεταβαλεῖν, ἐμμείναντες τῇ τυπικῇ λατρείᾳ ̓Εβεβήλωσαν τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ. διὸ καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα τὴν κολαστικὴν ἀπέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὡς φθάσαι ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ εἰς τέλος ὑφ' ης καὶ διεμερίσθησαν οὐκέτι ἐν τῇ αὐτοῦ χώρᾳ συστρεφόμενοι ἀλλ' ἐν παντὶ εθνει ἐσκορπισμένοι. ταῦτα δ' αὐτοῖς προυξένησεν ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐπεὶ ἐπιλάμψαντος καὶ ἐπιφανέντος τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο. 581 Ps 54,22b-δ ̓Απαλοὶ γὰρ νομιζόμενοι ειναι καὶ λεῖοι διὰ τὸ μεθ' ὑποκρίσεως αὐτοὺς προφέρεσθαι βολίδες ησαν ἀναιρετικαὶ καὶ ἰοῦ πλήρεις. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ καὶ περὶ θεοῦ ἑρμηνεύοντες ουτως· τὴν καρδίαν ἑαυτοῦ θεὸς ηγγισεν συγκαταβαίνων τοῖς ἀνθρώποις λόγους τε προφέρων ἐλαίου δίκην ἰωμένους καὶ λύοντας τὰς ἀλγηδόνας τῶν καμνόντων. ουτοι δὲ οἱ ὑπὲρ ελαιον ἀπαλοὶ λόγοι τοῖς καταφρονοῦσιν αὐτῶν εὑρίσκονται βολίδες, κολάζοντες τοὺς καταφρονοῦντας. πολλαχοῦ δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν κολάσεων κεῖται ἡ βέλους προσηγορία, βέλος δὲ καὶ βολὶς ταὐτὸν καθ' ὑποκείμενον. 582a Ps 54,24a Τῷ δικαίῳ οὐ διδοὺς σάλον ὁ θεὸς τοὺς βεβηλώσαντες τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ κατάξει εἰς φρέαρ διαφθορᾶς, ἐναντίως εχον τοῖς φρέασιν ἀφ' ων πίνειν ζωὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν προστάττει ὁ λόγος. η τάχα Φρέαρ διαφθορᾶς τὸν ᾳδην λέγει εἰς ον οἱ διαφθαρέντες τὴν γνώμην κατάγονται ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ψήφῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ κρίσει παραδιδόμενοι. 583 Ps 54,24b-d Ους ευχεται ταπεινωθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑπάρχοντος πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων τοὺς ̓Ιουδαίους ειναι νοήσομεν. ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ τῷ θελήματι ἀντέπιπτον τοῦ μονογενοῦς, οὐ φοβηθέντες τὸν θεὸν ἀλλὰ καὶ βεβηλώσαντες τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ. ανδρας δὲ αἱμάτων λέγει τοὺς εἰπόντας Τὸ αιμα αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν, οντας καὶ ἐνόχους παντὸς αιματος