233

to the Creator? You have given being to the earth, you made the heavens when they were not, and while these undergo change, you possess immutability. And from the surrounding elements, and of all other things, it showed him to be the maker. "And they all will grow old like a garment, and like a cloak you will roll them up, and they will be changed." But Symmachus has it thus: And they all will grow old like a garment, and like a cloak you will change them, and they will be changed. For all things seen will grow old, and will imitate the oldness of garments; but you will change them, and make them new, and make them incorruptible instead of corruptible. This also the divine Apostle said: "That creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." 28. "But you are the same, and your years will not fail." Therefore you refashion creation as you wish, O Master; but you have an immutable nature, and one superior to alteration. However, the divine Apostle has attributed these properties to the Son, in the Epistle to the Hebrews. But nevertheless in the Son we behold the Father. For whatever he does, these things the Son does likewise; and the identity of nature is recognized in each; for we know one energy of the Trinity. 29. "The sons of your servants shall dwell, and their seed shall be established forever." But Symmachus has put "will abide." And it signifies that those freed from bondage will inhabit Jerusalem, and the seed from them will abide forever. And concerning this seed the divine Apostle said: "Until the seed should come to whom the promise was made." And, "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to your seed,' which is Christ;" This seed will abide forever. For being united to God the Word, it has indestructible being, and it grants life to those who believe, according to the voice of the Lord himself: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live forever." 80.1685

INTERPRETATION OF PSALM 102. 1. "A Psalm of David." This psalm seems to be a sequel to the one

preceding it, and in its very theme. For in that one, those who were lamenting the calamities in Babylon were supplicating God to obtain their return; but here, having obtained what they asked for, they hymn the benefactor. But I think the hymnody is fitting for all people who have been delivered from a more bitter bondage, and have been deemed worthy of a greater freedom. And the meaning of the sayings will also show that this theme is truer than that one; "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name." Those who are gratefully disposed concerning the divine graces stir themselves up to hymnody, repaying the benefactor with what is possible. And it is possible to hymn always, and to carry about a vivid memory of the benefactions. These also consecrate all that is within, and stir up every thought to the divine hymn. For he called "within" the thoughts, and the reflections, and all the movements of the soul. 2. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his rewards." Again the soul is taught to stir itself up, and to drive out the cloud of forgetfulness, and to renew the memory of the benefactions. However, for "rewards," Symmachus has said "benefactions." Then he recounts them in part. 3. "Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases." For he has granted you the forgiveness of sins; he has bestowed on you the healing of passions. Of these things the paralytic enjoyed. For he heard at the same time, "Your sins are forgiven;" and, "Take up your pallet, and go to your house." Thus the sinful woman obtained forgiveness; thus the thief, thus the tax collectors, thus all who believed. 4. "Who redeems life from corruption

233

∆ημιουργῷ; τῇ γῇ τὸ εἶναι σὺ δέδωκας, τοὺς οὐρανοὺς μὴ ὄντας ἐποίησας, καὶ τούτων μεταβολὴν δεχομένων, σὺ τὸ ἄτρεπτον ἔχεις. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν περιεκτικῶν στοιχείων, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων αὐτὸν ἁπάντων ἔδειξε ποιητήν. "Καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλί ξεις αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται." Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος οὕτως· Καὶ πάντες ὡσεὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιωθή σονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἀλλάξεις αὐ τοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται. Ἅπαντα γὰρ τὰ ὁρώμενα καταγηράσει, καὶ ἱματίων μιμήσεται παλαιότητα· σὺ δὲ αὐτὰ ἀλλάξεις, καὶ νεουργήσεις, καὶ ἄφθαρτα ποιήσεις ἀντὶ φθαρτῶν. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Ἀπόστολος ἔφη· "Ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς, εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ." κηʹ. "Σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλεί ψουσιν." Τὴν μὲν οὖν κτίσιν μεταῤῥυθμίζεις ὡς ἐθέλεις, ὦ ∆έσποτα· σὺ δὲ ἄτρεπτον ἔχεις τὴν φύσιν, καὶ ἀλλοιώσεως κρείττονα. Ταῦτα μέντοι ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος τῇ τοῦ Υἱοῦ περιτέθεικεν ἰδιότητι, ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῇ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ θεωροῦμεν τὸν Πατέρα. Ἃ γὰρ ἂν ἐκεῖνος ποιεῖ, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ὡσαύτως ποιεῖ· καὶ τὸ ταυτὸν τῆς φύσεως ἐν ἑκατέρῳ γνωρίζεται· μίαν γὰρ ἴσμεν τὴν τῆς Τριάδος ἐνέργειαν. κθʹ. "Οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν δούλων σου κατασκηνώσουσι, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατευθυνθή σεται." Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος διαμενεῖ τέθεικε. Σημαίνει δὲ ὡς οἱ μὲν τῆς δουλείας ἀπαλλαγέντες τὴν Ἱερου σαλὴμ οἰκήσουσι, τὸ δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν σπέρμα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαμενεῖ. Περὶ τούτου δὲ τοῦ σπέρματος ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος ἔφη· "Ἄχρις οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμα ὃ ἐπήγγελται." Καὶ, "Τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐῤῥήθησαν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ. Οὐ λέγει Καὶ τοῖς σπέρμασιν ὡς ἐπὶ πολλῶν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐφ' ἑνὸς, Καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου, ὅς ἐστι Χριστός·" Τοῦτο τὸ σπέρ μα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαμενεῖ. Ἑνωθὲν γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ ἀνώλεθρον ἔχει τὸ εἶναι, καὶ δωρεῖται ζωὴν τοῖς πιστεύουσι, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ Κυρίου φωνήν· "Ὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα, καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα, ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα." 80.1685

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΡΒʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Ψαλμὸς τῷ ∆αβίδ." ∆οκεῖ μὲν ὁ ψαλμὸς οὗτος ἀκόλουθος εἶναι τῷ

προτεταγμένῳ, καὶ κατ' αὐτὴν τὴν ὑπόθεσιν. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ μὲν γὰρ, οἱ τὰς ἐν Βαβυλῶνι συμφορὰς ὀλοφυρόμενοι, τὸν Θεὸν ἱκέτευον τῆς ἐπανόδου τυχεῖν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ τετυχηκότες ὧν ᾔτησαν ὑμνοῦσι τὸν εὐεργέτην. Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἁρμόττειν τὴν ὑμνῳδίαν καὶ πικροτέ ρας ἀπαλλαγεῖσι δουλείας, καὶ μείζονος ἀξιωθεῖσιν ἐλευθερίας. ∆ηλώσει δὲ καὶ τῶν ῥητῶν ἡ διάνοια, ὡς αὐτὴ μᾶλλον ἡ ὑπόθεσις ἐκείνης ἀληθεστέρα· "Εὐλόγει, ἡ ψυχή μου, τὸν Κύριον, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντός μου τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ." Οἱ εὐγνωμόνως περὶ τὰς θείας χάριτας διακείμενοι εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς διεγείρουσι, τὸν εὐεργέτην οἷς δυνατὸν ἀμει βόμενοι. ∆υνατὸν δὲ ὑμνεῖν ἀεὶ, καὶ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ἔναυλον περιφέρειν τὴν μνήμην. Οὗτοι καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντὸς καθιεροῦσι, καὶ πάντα λογισμὸν εἰς τὸν θεῖον ὕμνον ἀνακινοῦσιν. Ἐντὸς γὰρ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς λογισμοὺς, καὶ τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις, καὶ πάντα τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ κινήματα. βʹ. "Εὐλόγει, ἡ ψυχή μου, τὸν Κύριον, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου πάσας τὰς ἀνταποδόσεις αὐτοῦ." Πάλιν ἑαυτὴν ἡ ψυχὴ διεγείρειν διδάσκεται, καὶ τῆς λήθης ἐξελαύνειν τὸ νέφος, καὶ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ἀνανεοῦσθαι τὴν μνήμην. Τὰς μέντοι ἀνταποδόσεις, εὐεργεσίας ὁ Σύμμαχος εἴρηκεν. Εἶτα ταύτας κατὰ μέρος διέξεισι. γʹ. "Τὸν εὐϊλατεύοντα πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας σου, τὸν ἰώμενον πάσας τὰς νόσους σου." Οὗτος γάρ σοι δεδώρηται τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν ἄφεσιν· οὗτός σοι κεχάρισται τῶν παθημάτων τὴν ἴασιν. Τούτων ὁ παρειμένος ἀπήλαυσεν. Ἤκουσε γὰρ κατὰ ταυτὸν, "Ἀφέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου·" καὶ, "Ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου, καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου." Οὕτως ἡ ἁμαρτωλὸς γυνὴ τετύχηκε τῆς ἀφέσεως· οὕτως ὁ λῃστὴς, οὕτως οἱ τελῶναι, οὕτως ἅπαντες οἱ πιστεύσαντες. δʹ. "Τὸν λυτρούμενον ἐκ φθορᾶς τὴν ζωήν