145
they were praying from the psalm, saying "O God, give your judgment to the king and your righteousness to the king's son." 759a Ps 71,15c And they glorify him throughout the whole day, that is, the present age or the enlightened life of those who bless. 760a Ps 71,16a The peaks of these mountains are the outcomes of the prophecies upon which he who was prophesied, having arrived, became a support in the earth. 761 Ps 71,16bc For those faithful men whom Jesus brought forth as fruit through his coming have both a multitude and greatness of deeds and contemplations; and a testimony of this is "The righteous man will flourish like a palm tree, he will be multiplied like the cedar in Lebanon." Thus, then, with the fruit of the support of all things having been multiplied and lifted up, the Jews who disbelieved in the savior will blossom forth from the city of Jerusalem like the grass of the earth, being so named very justly on account of withering easily and quickly drying up. Since they have become flesh in their way of thinking by disbelieving in the savior and receiving glory from one another but not seeking that which is given by God alone, they will blossom forth like the grass of the earth; for "All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass." For he did not say "will flourish" but "will blossom forth." And it is well said that those of whom the account speaks "blossom forth like grass from the city" and not "in the city." For having striven to be outside the spiritual city of Jerusalem in life and thought, they were dried up like the grass that withers and dries up quickly, while he who remains within the city will suffer nothing of the sort; for "He who dwells in Jerusalem will not be shaken for ever." 762 Ps 71,17c-19a The tribes blessed in him, being the nations, call him blessed who blessed them, saying "Blessed is the Lord, the God of the seeing race, who alone has done wondrous things, having freed us from idolatry and the worship of wicked demons;" for truly wondrous is each thing that has happened for the calling of the nations. But let not the addition of "Alone" trouble you; for it does not contradict "The Son can do nothing, unless he sees the Father doing it; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." For "Alone" and such things, when taken with respect to the Godhead, signify the Father and the Son, as is presented from the prophet; where it is said to the Father, "And the tall men of Saba will cross over to you and will worship you and will pray in you, for God is in you and there is no God besides you; for you are God, and we did not know it, the God of Israel, the savior." And what is the glory whose name is blessed, which he accomplished when he came, making glorious and honored out of dishonored and inglorious the repentant men? It is possible to say his glory is also the renowned death which he undertook for the salvation of all; for "Jesus was not yet glorified," and "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower, crowned with glory and honor through the suffering of death." *** But if that also is his glory whose name is blessed forever, about which Paul writes "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us," take note. For we especially find this and the declaration concerning it being hymned forever, as Peter said; "Thus says the witness of his sufferings and a partaker of the glory that is to be revealed."
763a Ps 72,1.2 And "Israel" is interpreted as "one who sees God." Therefore, also understanding
whom they see, they know that he is good. And if he provides something gloomy and unpleasant to men, they know that he does this for their benefit and for salvation, and the steps which they had taken and in which they had advanced are not shaken. 764 Ps 72,6b-9 Since those of whom the account speaks are held not only by practical evil but also by impiety, they are consequently clothed in unrighteousness and general moral evil and with this, impiety, thinking impiously concerning all doctrines. And it is well said
145
ψαλμοῦ προσηύχοντο λέγοντες ̔Ο θεός, τὸ κρίμα σου τῷ βασιλεῖ δὸς καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ βασιλέως. 759a Ps 71,15c ∆οξολογοῦσί τε αὐτὸν δι' ολης ἡμέρας ητοι τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος αἰῶνος η τοῦ πεφωτισμένου βίου τῶν εὐλογούντων. 760a Ps 71,16a Ακρα τούτων τῶν ὀρέων αἱ ἐκβάσεις τῶν προαναφωνήσεών εἰσιν ἐφ' α φθάσας ὁ προφητευόμενος στήριγμα γέγονεν ἐν τῇ γῇ. 761 Ps 71,16bc Ους γὰρ ἐκαρποφόρησεν ̓Ιησοῦς διὰ τῆς ἐπιδημίας πιστοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ πλῆθος καὶ μέγεθος πράξεων καὶ θεωρημάτων εχουσιν· μαρτύριον δὲ τούτου τὸ ∆ίκαιος ὡς φοῖνιξ ἀνθήσει, ὡσεὶ κέδρος ἡ ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ πληθυνθήσεται. ουτω γοῦν πληθυνθέντος καὶ ὑπεραρθέντος τοῦ καρποῦ τοῦ στηρίγματος τῶν ολων, ἐξανθήσουσιν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τῆς ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ οἱ ἀπιστήσαντες τῷ σωτῆρι ̓Ιουδαῖοι ὡς ἐκ τῆς γῆς χόρτος, διὰ τὸ εὐμάραντον καὶ ταχὺ ἀποξηραίνεσθαι ουτως ὠνομασμένοι καὶ μάλα δικαίως. ἐπεὶ σὰρξ τῷ φρονήματι γεγόνασιν ἀπιστήσαντες τῷ σωτῆρι καὶ δόξαν παρ' ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες ἀλλὰ μὴ τὴν παρὰ θεοῦ μόνου διδομένην ζητοῦντες, ἐξανθήσουσιν οια τῆς γῆς χόρτος· Πᾶσα γὰρ σὰρξ χόρτος καὶ πᾶσα δόξα ἀνθρώπου ὡς ανθος χόρτου. οὐ γὰρ ἀνθήσειν ειπεν ἀλλ' ἐξανθήσειν. Ευ δὲ καὶ τὸ ̓Εκ πόλεως καὶ μὴ ἐν πόλει ἐξανθῆσαι οια χόρτος τοὺς περὶ ων ὁ λόγος. εξω γὰρ τῆς πνευματικῆς πόλεως ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ βίῳ καὶ φρονήματι σπεύσαντες ειναι ὡς ὁ εὐμάραντος καὶ ξηραινόμενος ταχὺ χόρτος ἐξηράνθησαν, τοῦ ενδον ἐν τῇ πόλει μένοντος οὐδὲν τοιοῦτο πεισομένου· Οὐ σαλευθήσεται γὰρ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ὁ κατοικῶν ̔Ιερουσαλήμ. 762 Ps 71,17c-19a Αἱ εὐλογηθεῖσαι ἐν αὐτῷ φυλαὶ ουσαι τὰ εθνη μακαρίζουσιν τὸν εὐλογήσαντα λέγουσαι Εὐλόγητος κύριος ὁ τοῦ διορατικοῦ γένους θεός, ος μόνος θαυμάσια πεποίηκεν ἐλευθερώσας ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ εἰδωλολατρείας καὶ δαιμόνων ἀλιτηρίων θεραπείας· θαυμάσιον γὰρ ἀληθῶς εκαστον τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς κλήσεως τῶν ἐθνῶν γεγονός. Προσκείμενον δὲ τὸ Μόνος μὴ ταραττέτω σε· οὐ γὰρ ἐναντιοῦται τῷ Οὐ δύναται ποιεῖν ὁ υἱὸς οὐδέν, ἐὰν μὴ βλέπῃ τὸν πατέρα ποιοῦντα· α γὰρ αν ὁ πατὴρ ποιῇ, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς ὁμοίως ποιεῖ. τὸ γὰρ Μόνος καὶ οσα τοιαῦτα ἐπὶ θεότητος λαμβανόμενα δηλοῖ πατέρα καὶ υἱόν, ὡς ἐκ τοῦ προφήτου παρίσταται· ενθα ειρηται πρὸς τὸν πατέρα Καὶ οἱ Σαβαεῖν ανδρες ὑψηλοὶ ἐπὶ σὲ διαβήσονται καὶ προσκυνήσουσίν σοι καὶ ἐν σοὶ προσεύξονται, οτι ἐν σοὶ ὁ θεός ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ εστι θεὸς πλὴν σοῦ· σὺ γὰρ ει ὁ θεός, καὶ οὐκ ῃδειμεν, θεὸς τοῦ ̓Ισραὴλ σωτήρ. Τίς δὲ ἡ δόξα ης τὸ ονομα εὐλογεῖται η ην κατώρθωσεν ἐπιδημήσας ἐπιδόξους καὶ ἐπιτιμίους ποιήσας ἐξ ἀτίμων καὶ ἀδόξων τοὺς μετανοήσαντας ἀνθρώπους; δυνατὸν δόξαν αὐτοῦ φάναι καὶ ον ἀνεδέξατο ἀοίδιμον θάνατον ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ολων σωτηρίας· τὸ γὰρ ̓Ιησοῦς οὐδέπω ἐδοξάσθη, καὶ τὸ Τὸν ἠλαττωμένον βλέπομεν ̓Ιησοῦν διὰ τὸ πάθημα τοῦ θανάτου δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφανωμένον *** Εἰ δὲ κἀκείνη δόξα αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ης εὐλογεῖται τὸ ονομα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα περὶ ης γράφει Παῦλος Οὐκ αξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς, ἐπίστησον. μάλιστα γὰρ ταύτην καὶ τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς ἀπαγγελίαν εἰς ἀεὶ ὑμνούμενον εὑρίσκομεν, Πέτρου φήσαντος· τάδε λέγει ὁ μάρτυς τῶν αὐτοῦ παθημάτων Καὶ ὁ τῆς μελλούσης ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι δόξης κοινωνός.
763a Ps 72,1.2 Καὶ ὁ ̓Ισραὴλ δὲ ὁρῶν τὸν θεὸν ἑρμηνεύεται. διὸ καὶ νοοῦντες
ον ὁρῶσιν ισασιν οτι ἀγαθός ἐστιν. καν τι γοῦν σκυθρωπόν τε καὶ ἀηδὲς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παρέχει, ισασιν ὡς συμφερόντως καὶ πρὸς σωτηρίαν ποιεῖ τοῦτο, καὶ οὐ σαλεύονται τὰ διαβήματα α ησαν διαβεβηκότες καὶ προκόψαντες. 764 Ps 72,6b-9 ̓Επεὶ μὴ μόνῃ πρακτικῇ κακίᾳ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσεβείᾳ ἐνέχονται οἱ περὶ ων ὁ λόγος, ἀκολούθως περιβέβληνται ἀδικίαν καὶ τὴν καθ' ολου ἠθικὴν κακίαν καὶ σὺν ταύτῃ ἀσέβειαν ἀσεβῶς περὶ πάντων τῶν δογμάτων φρονοῦντες. ευ δὲ καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν