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ON THE 109TH PSALM. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand. 1. Let us rouse ourselves, I beseech you, and exert ourselves. For the psalm speaks to us of very great doctrines, standing not against one kind of heresy, but against various and different ones. For it is set in array against the Jews, and against Paul of Samosata, 55.265 and against those who hold the opinions of Arius, and against those of Marcion, and against the Manichaeans, and against all who disbelieve in the resurrection. Since, therefore, the battle line is against so many, we too need many eyes, so as to behold the wrestlings with precision. For in the external contests, even if one of the wrestlings in them is overlooked, it does not harm the spectator; for that theater is gathered not for the sake of instruction, but of pleasure. But here, if you do not know with precision from where he is arrayed, and from where we strike him, you will suffer no ordinary loss. Therefore, that you may not suffer this, arouse your mind, make your hearing attentive. We strike the Jews first, and we are arrayed against them, taking the Prophet from these words as an ally. For when we say that these things are clearly said concerning Christ, they do not accept this, but fabricate certain other things. Therefore, let us first refute their argument, and then let us demonstrate ours. And for now let us ask them, who is the lord of this just man? For it says, "The Lord said to my Lord." For he does not mention one person here, but one speaking to another. Who then do they say is the one speaking? God. And the one hearing? Abraham. And others Zerubbabel, and others another; like drunken men, who utter nothing harmonious, or rather like those walking in darkness, and stumbling against one another. What then, tell me, is Zerubbabel the lord of David? And how could it make sense, when he himself is called David as a great honor? And what follows also makes clear that nothing is said here about Zerubbabel, nor about David; for neither of them has been honored with the priesthood; but here it is said of someone who has a certain strange and paradoxical priesthood. For, it says, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." But for now let us unfold the present matter. For they also say certain other things more stale than these, saying that these things were said about the people; but neither have the people become a priest, nor could the other things that were said ever fit them. Therefore, passing over this as stale, and not needing construction for its refutation, let us bring forward another thing which they say. For what do others say again? That the servant of Abraham says these things about his own master. And what could be more stale than this again? For what does the servant of Abraham want here? And where did his master become a priest, who himself even made use of Melchizedek as a priest, and sought blessings from him? And how could it make sense for it to be said of Abraham, "From the womb before the morning star I have begotten you"? and how could these things fit either David, or Zerubbabel, or the people? For what has been said is beyond human nature. And "Sit at my right hand," what interpretation could it have, if those persons are assumed? Not one. And how did he say to Abraham, "Sit at my right hand," when he even considers standing by the angels to be worthy of the greatest honor? But what is their wise argument? And how, he says, do you introduce another Lord, when the Scripture expressly says: The Lord your God is one Lord, and you shall worship him alone,

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ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΡΘʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ. Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου. αʹ. ∆ιαναστῶμεν, παρακαλῶ, καὶ συντείνωμεν ἑαυτούς. Καὶ γὰρ περὶ σφόδρα μεγάλων ἡμῖν ὁ ψαλμὸς διαλέγεται θεωρημάτων, οὐ πρὸς ἓν εἶδος αἱρέσεως, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ποικίλα καὶ διάφορα ἑστηκώς. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ πρὸς Παῦλον τὸν Σαμοσατέα, 55.265 καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τὰ Ἀρείου φρονοῦντας, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τὰ Μαρκίωνος, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Μανιχαίους, καὶ πρὸς ἅπαντας τοὺς τῇ ἀναστάσει διαπιστοῦντας παρατάττεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πρὸς τοσούτους ἡ παράταξις, πολλῶν καὶ ἡμῖν ὀφθαλμῶν δεῖ, ὥστε μετὰ ἀκριβείας θεωρῆσαι τὰ παλαίσματα. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἔξωθεν ἀγῶσι κἂν παροφθῇ τι τῶν παλαισμάτων τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς, οὐδὲν ἔβλαψε τὸν θεατήν· οὐ γὰρ διδασκαλίας ἕνεκεν, ἀλλὰ τέρψεως ἐκεῖνο τὸ θέατρον συνείλεκται. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἐὰν μὴ μετὰ ἀκριβείας εἰδῇς, πόθεν μὲν ἐκεῖνος παρατάττεται, πόθεν δὲ ἡμεῖς αὐτὸν βάλλομεν, οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ὑποστήσῃ ζημίαν. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ τοῦτο πάθῃς, διανάστησόν σου τὴν διάνοιαν, μετέωρον ποίησον τὴν ἀκοήν. Ἰουδαίους βάλλομεν πρώτους, καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνους παραταττόμεθα, τὸν Προφήτην ἀπὸ τῶν ῥημάτων λαβόντες σύμμαχον τούτων. Καὶ γὰρ λεγόντων ἡμῶν, ὅτι σαφῶς περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ταῦτα εἴρηται, ταῦτα μὲν οὐ καταδέχονται, ἕτερα δέ τινα πλάττουσιν. Οὐκοῦν πρῶτον αὐτῶν τὸν λόγον ἀπελέγξωμεν, καὶ τότε τὸν ἡμέτερον ἀποδείξωμεν. Καὶ τέως ἐρώμεθα νῦν αὐτοὺς, τίς ὁ κύριος τοῦ δικαίου τούτου; Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου. Οὐ γὰρ ἑνὸς προσώπου μέμνηται ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλ' ἑνὸς πρὸς ἕνα ἕτερον διαλεγομένου. Τίνα οὖν φασι τὸν λέγοντα; Τὸν Θεόν. Τὸν δὲ ἀκούοντα; Τὸν Ἀβραάμ. Ἕτεροι δὲ τὸν Ζοροβάβελ, καὶ ἄλλοι ἕτερον· καθάπερ οἱ μεθύοντες, καὶ μηδὲν σύμφωνον φθεγγόμενοι, μᾶλλον δὲ καθάπερ οἱ ἐν σκότῳ βαδίζοντες, καὶ προσαράσσοντες ἀλλήλους. Τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, Ζοροβάβελ κύριος τοῦ ∆αυΐδ; Καὶ πῶς ἂν ἔχοι λόγον, ὃς καὶ αὐτὸς ἀντὶ μεγάλης τιμῆς ∆αυῒδ κέκληται; Καὶ τὰ ἐπιόντα δὲ δηλοῖ, ὅτι οὐδὲν περὶ τοῦ Ζοροβάβελ ἐνταῦθα εἴρηται, οὐδὲ περὶ τοῦ ∆αυΐδ· οὐδεὶς γὰρ αὐτῶν ἱερωσύνῃ τετίμηται· ἐνταῦθα δὲ περί τινος εἴρηται ἱερωσύνην ἔχοντος ξένην τινὰ καὶ παράδοξον. Σὺ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. Ἀλλὰ τέως τὸ παρὸν ἀναπτύξωμεν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἕτερά τινα λέγουσι τούτων ἑωλότερα, περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ λέγοντες ταῦτα εἰρῆσθαι· ἀλλ' οὔτε ἱερεὺς ὁ λαὸς γέγονεν, οὔτε τὰ ἕτερα τὰ εἰρημένα δυνηθείη ποτὲ αὐτῷ ἁρμόσαι. ∆ιόπερ καὶ τοῦτο ὡς ἕωλον παραδραμόντες, καὶ οὔτε κατασκευῆς δεόμενον εἰς ἀνατροπὴν, ἕτερον ὅπερ λέγουσιν εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν. Τί γάρ φασιν ἄλλοι πάλιν; Ὅτι ὁ παῖς τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ταῦτα λέγει περὶ τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ. Καὶ τί τούτου γένοιτο ἂν πάλιν ἑωλότερον; Τί γὰρ ἐνταῦθα βούλεται ὁ παῖς τοῦ Ἀβραάμ; Ποῦ δὲ ἱερεὺς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ γέγονεν, ὅς γε καὶ αὐτὸς ἱερεῖ τῷ Μελχισεδὲκ ἐκέχρητο, καὶ τὰς παρ' αὐτοῦ εὐλογίας ἐζήτει; Πῶς δὲ ἂν ἔχοι λόγον περὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ εἰρῆσθαι τὸ, Ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐγέννησά σε; πῶς δ' ἂν ἢ τῷ ∆αυῒδ, ἢ τῷ Ζοροβάβελ, ἢ τῷ λαῷ ταῦτα ἁρμόσειεν; Ὑπὲρ γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν τὸ εἰρημένον. Τὸ δὲ, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ποίαν ἂν σχοίη ἑρμηνείαν, ἐκείνων τῶν προσώπων ὑποκειμένων; Οὐδὲ μίαν. Πῶς δὲ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ εἶπε, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ὅς γε καὶ τὸ παρεστάναι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις μεγίστης ἄξιον ἡγεῖται τιμῆς εἶναι; Ἀλλὰ τίς αὐτῶν ὁ σοφὸς λόγος; Καὶ πῶς, φησὶ, Κύριον εἰσάγεις ἕτερον, ὅταν ἡ Γραφὴ διαῤῥήδην λέγῃ· Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου Κύριος εἷς ἐστι, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις,