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of the righteous poured out upon the earth. But these same men are also men of deceit, always deceitfully approaching the Savior and the saints. Therefore he prays that they not reach even the half of their days. For since, having turned away from the day that consists of the radiance of the true light, they devised for themselves a so-called day of enlightenment through mythical traditions, he exhorts that their days being filled in these things is wicked, with their days being interrupted, lest having reached the half of their days, the sun of righteousness should rise for them so that they might be in the day of the Lord. And one might force such things upon the saying: since in life the impious, remaining with an unrepentant choice, do many evil things, sparing them, he deems it worthy that in the middle of human life they be snatched from life so that they might be punished for a few sins and not many. "With these things being so," he says, "I have my expectation and hope in you, Lord."

584 Ps 55,2 Scripture places "to be trampled underfoot" in the sense of contempt, just as it is said of the salt that has lost its taste, "They cast it out." to be trampled underfoot by men, and concerning the one who despises Christ it is written: "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot?" And so the saint, being despised by the one who is a man on account of his depravity, according to "Where there is strife and jealousy among you, are you not carnal and walk as men?", deems it worthy to be pitied by God. But this one, being unceasingly hostile and murderous, afflicts the righteous man by warring against him all the day of his life, not even in the least wishing to be peaceful. And since also in the parable of the tares the sower of these, the wicked man, is interpreted as the devil, consider if the preceding things might also be said about him. 585 Ps 55,3 "Having begun to do this long ago," he says, "or perhaps having fallen from a higher day and life they have come to be my enemies." 586 Ps 55,8a God saves those who have fallen into wickedness for free, receiving nothing from them. For behold, he says, "You were sold for your sins," "and not with silver will you be redeemed," "not by works but being saved by grace." So, "For nothing" signifies that he provides salvation to them not for something given to him. Ps 55,9 The voice of one speaking boldly to God. For he who lives not to sin but to God, through his very works makes his life manifest to God, proclaiming it by disposition and deed. 587 Ps 55,11 The word uttered in God and through God is praiseworthy, and likewise also the speech. Or he predicates "word" (rhema) and "speech" (logos) of the same thing in parallel, or he applies such appellations to one and another. For since a word (rhema) is part of a speech (logos), the one being introduced to godliness, not yet being able to partake of the fullest speech (logos), begins from a word (rhema), that is, a partial speech (logos). Indeed, first the word (rhema) of the Lord comes upon Jeremiah, and after this the speech (logos) of the Lord comes to him; and in Isaiah he says, "Hear the word (rhema) of the Lord, you who tremble at his speech (logos)." And the word (rhema) of the Lord is heard by the one who is in introduction through it. But if someone should object, saying that a word (rhema) is given to those who preach the gospel with great power, let him know that in relation to the future knowledge and teaching, those who now know in part and prophesy in part receive a word (rhema), with the perfect speech (logos) being given to them when perfect knowledge dawns, so that that which is in part is done away with. Therefore, accepting both the introduction and the most full visitation of the speech (logos), he praises in God with word (rhema) and with speech (logos). 588 Ps 55,12 By "flesh" he means either man, or that whose mind is enmity against God, not being subject to the law of God. For he who is in this flesh cannot please God. Therefore, he who is in the spirit fears what flesh will do to him, as one who has put to death the works of the flesh; for this one truly upon

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ἐκκεχυμένου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τῶν δικαίων. οἱ δ' αὐτοὶ καὶ δολιότητός εἰσιν ανδρες, δολερῶς ἀεὶ τῷ σωτῆρι καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις προσερχόμενοι. Τούτους ουν ευχεται μηδ' ἐπὶ τὸ ημισυ τῶν ἡμερῶν αὐτῶν φθάσαι. ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἀποστραφέντες τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἐκ τῆς λάμψεως τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ φωτὸς συνισταμένην ἑαυτοῖς ἡμέραν δῆθεν φωτισμοῦ διὰ μυθικῶν παραδόσεων ἐπενόησαν, πονηρὸν δὲ τὸ ἐν τούτοις ἀναπληρωθῆναι αὐτῶν τὰς ἡμέρας παρακαλεῖ, μεσολαβηθεισῶν τῶν ἡμερῶν αὐτῶν μήποτε ἐπὶ τὸ ημισυ αὐτῶν τῶν ἡμερῶν φθάσασιν ἀνατεῖλαι αὐτοῖς τὸν ηλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ινα ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κυρίου γένωνται. Καὶ πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν δὲ βιάσοιτό τις τοιαῦτα· ἐπεὶ ἐν τῷ βίῳ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς διαμένοντες ἀμετανοήτῳ προαιρέσει πολλὰ κακὰ δρῶσιν, φειδόμενος αὐτῶν ἀξιοῖ οπως μεσούσης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ζωῆς ἁρπαγῶσι τοῦ βίου ινα ὑπὲρ ὀλίγων ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ μὴ πολλῶν τιμωρηθῶσιν. Τούτων, φησίν, ουτω διακειμένων, ἐγὼ τὴν προσδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα ἐπὶ σὲ εχω, κύριε.

584 Ps 55,2 Τὸ καταπατεῖσθαι ἐπὶ καταφρονήσεως τάττει ἡ γραφή, ωσπερ ἐπὶ

τοῦ μεμωραμένου ἁλὸς λέγεται Εξω βάλλουσιν αὐτό. καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ περὶ τοῦ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐξευτελίζοντος γέγραπται· Πόσῳ δοκεῖτε χείρονος ἀξιωθήσεται τιμωρίας ὁ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καταπατήσας; καὶ ὁ αγιος ουν ἐξευτελιζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ διὰ φαυλότητα ἀνθρώπου οντος κατὰ τὸ Οπου ερις ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ ζῆλος οὐχὶ σάρκικοί ἐστε καὶ κατὰ ανθρωπον περιπατεῖτε; ἐλεηθῆναι ὑπὸ θεοῦ ἀξιοῖ. Ουτος δὲ ἀδιαστάτως πολέμιος καὶ φονικὸς ων ολην τὴν τοῦ βίου ἡμέραν ἐκθλίβει πολεμῶν τὸν δίκαιον, οὐδὲ κατὰ ποσὸν εἰρηνικὸς ειναι βουλόμενος. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ παραβολῇ τῶν ζιζανίων ὁ τούτων σπορεὺς πονηρὸς ανθρωπος ὁ διάβολος ἡρμήνευται, ἐπίστησον εἰ καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ ῥηθείη τὰ προκείμενα. 585 Ps 55,3 ̓Αρξάμενοι ἀπὸ πολλοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖν, φησίν, η τάχα ἀπὸ ὑψηλοτέρας ἡμέρας καὶ ζωῆς καταπεσόντες ἐπὶ τὸ ἐχθροί μου ειναι ἐληλύθασιν. 586 Ps 55,8a Τοὺς εἰς κακίαν πεσόντας σῴζει ὁ θεὸς δωρεάν, οὐδὲν παρ' αὐτῶν δεχόμενος. ̓Ιδοὺ γάρ φησι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν ἐπράθητε καὶ οὐ μετὰ ἀργυρίου λυτρωθήσεσθε, οὐκ ἐξ εργων ἀλλὰ χάριτι σῳζόμενοι. τὸ γοῦν ̔Υπὲρ μηδενὸς σημαίνει μὴ ὑπέρ τινος διδομένου αὐτῷ τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτοῖς παρέχειν. Ps 55,9 Παρρησιαζομένου πρὸς θεὸν ἡ φωνή. ὁ γὰρ ζῶν μὴ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀλλὰ τῷ θεῷ δι' αὐτῶν τῶν εργων φανερὰν τῷ θεῷ ποιεῖ τὴν ζωὴν ἑαυτοῦ, ἐξαγγέλλων αὐτὴν διαθέσει καὶ πράξει. 587 Ps 55,11 Τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ καὶ διὰ τὸν θεὸν προφερόμενον ῥῆμα αἰνετόν ἐστιν, ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ λόγος. ητοι δὲ ἐκ παραλλήλου κατὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ τὸ ῥῆμα καὶ τὸν λόγον κατηγορεῖ, η ἐπ' αλλου καὶ αλλου τίθεται τὰς τοιαύτας προσηγορίας. ἐπεὶ γὰρ τὸ ῥῆμα μέρος ἐστὶ λόγου, ὁ εἰς τὴν θεοσέβειαν εἰσαγόμενος πληρεστάτῳ λόγῳ μήπω δυνάμενος κοινωνεῖν ἀπὸ ῥήματος αρχεται τουτέστι μερικοῦ λόγου. ἀμέλει πρότερον τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου γίνεται ἐπὶ ̔Ιερεμίαν καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο λόγος κυρίου γίνεται πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ ἐν ̔Ησαΐᾳ ̓Ακούσατέ φησι ῥῆμα κυρίου οἱ τρέμοντες τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ. ἀκούεται δὲ ῥῆμα κυρίου τῷ ἐν εἰσαγωγῇ γινομένῳ δι' αὐτοῦ. Εἰ δέ τις ἐνστήσεται ῥῆμα λέγων δίδοσθαι τοῖς εὐαγγελιζομένοις δυνάμει πολλῇ, ιστω πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν γνῶσιν καὶ διδασκαλίαν ῥῆμα λαμβάνειν νῦν τοὺς ἐκ μέρους γινώσκοντας καὶ προφητεύοντας, τοῦ τελείου λόγου διδομένου αὐτοῖς τῆς τελείας γνώσεως ἐπιλαμπούσης ὡς τὴν ἐκ μέρους καταργηθῆναι. ̓Αποδεχόμενος ουν καὶ τὴν εἰσαγωγὴν καὶ τὴν πληρεστάτην τοῦ λόγου ἐπιφοίτησιν ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ αἰνεῖ ῥήματι καὶ λόγῳ. 588 Ps 55,12 Σάρκα δὲ η τὸν ανθρωπον λέγει η ἐκείνην ης τὸ φρόνημα εχθρα εἰς θεὸν τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτασσομένης. ὁ γὰρ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ σαρκὶ γινόμενος θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύναται. φοβεῖται ουν μήτι ποιήσει αὐτῷ σὰρξ ὁ ἐν πνεύματι γινόμενος, ὡς αν τὰ εργα τῆς σαρκὸς νεκρώσας· ουτος γὰρ ἀληθῶς ἐπὶ