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having journeyed without turning back, he has ascended to the third degree; whence also, already having a view of the house for which he hastens, he rejoices with gladness, urged on by those who are able to lead the way into the entrance. 1155 Ps 121,2-4 Those who have first firmly established the feet of their soul in the courts of Jerusalem have a desire to ascend also to the temple. The purest theology would be the temple, and the courts of the vision of peace are the partial contemplations, which are the specific virtues. Therefore, the vision of the aforementioned peace, having begun to be transformed, is built by the Lord as a city, whose participation in itself together has the aforementioned courts, in which the feet of the steadfast are standing. And it is not low-lying, but happens to be at a certain height, so that everyone who wishes to become its citizen does not descend but ascends to it. And indeed the tribes of the Lord, the various orders of those being saved, having the intention of confession, ascend there, having been testified by the Lord to have ascended well and confessed, and leading Israel who sees them to zeal and progress. 1156 Ps 121,5 David is often called the savior, either because according to the flesh he is from the seed of David, or because he is strong in hand; for David is interpreted as "strong in hand." For how is he not strong in hand who performs wondrous powers? Of this David is the church, in which thrones are set for judgment, on which the apostles sit judging the twelve tribes of Israel. For the faith and conduct of each apostle is a throne of his kingdom, judging and condemning those who did not accept the one prophesied in the divine scriptures nor believe the words which he did and taught. 1157 Ps 121,6.7 And according to contemplation, he who bears spiritual fruit because he loves Jerusalem will be in great abundance and prosperity, bearing for himself not only the actions of virtue but also the contemplations of truth. And the phrase "In your power" can be said in reference to Jerusalem because, being a reigning power, she has overthrown every enemy formerly at war with her power, so that there is henceforth abundance in the high towers. And these are great towers built in the walls for the sake of watching for approaching enemies. For according to local custom among the Syrians, great houses are called "bareis," which, having also acquired height, having their position on the walled cities, are called "pyrgobareis" (tower-houses). Therefore, when Jerusalem, using the power she has from God, subjugates her opponents, she will cause peace to follow and there to be abundance in her high towers. And allegorically, the high towers would be those who, through the height of their conduct and contemplation of the truth, not only watch for the enemies coming for war but also cast them down from on high with refutations. 1158 Ps 121,8.9 And according to contemplation, he who is born of God by doing righteousness and believing that Jesus is the Christ has as brothers those who do and believe the same things, and as neighbors those who are inferior in the doing of righteousness and in approaching the faith of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, for the sake of both of these orders of his brothers and neighbors, I speak concerning the restored Jerusalem, he says to speak peace, praying that the fatherland of them and of the brothers and of the neighbors be peaceful, but also for the sake of the house of the Lord his God to seek out the things that are truly good for Jerusalem. And he calls the house of the Lord God that to which he began to ascend, for the sake of which he seeks good things for Jerusalem, the keeping of the divine commandments and the understanding of the right faith with truth.

1159 Ps 122,2 It is possible for slaves who have their eyes on the hands of masters

to understand the nations administered by the angels according to "They set the boundaries"

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ἀνεπιστρέπτει ὁδεύσας, εἰς τρίτον βαθμὸν ἀναβέβηκεν· οθεν καὶ ἐξ ἀπόπτου ηδη τοῦ οικου ἐφ' ον σπεύδει φαντασίαν λαβὼν εὐθυμεῖ θυμηδίαν προτρεπομένων αὐτὸν τῶν ἡγεῖσθαι τῆς εἰσόδου δυναμένων. 1155 Ps 121,2-4 Οἱ ἱδρυθέντες βεβαίως τοὺς πόδας τῆς ψυχῆς ἑαυτῶν πρότερον ἐν ταῖς τῆς ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ αὐλαῖς πόθον εχουσι τοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ναὸν ἀναβῆναι. ἡ δὲ ἀκραιφνεστάτη θεολογία ὁ ναὸς ειη, αὐλαὶ δὲ τῆς ὁράσεως τῆς εἰρήνης αἱ κατὰ μέρος θεωρίαι, αἱ ἰδικαὶ ἀρεταὶ τυγχάνουσαι. ἡ τοίνυν τῆς προειρημένης εἰρήνης ορασις ἀρξαμένη μεταποιεῖσθαι ὡς πόλις ὑπὸ κυρίου οἰκοδομεῖται, ης ἡ μετοχὴ αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ αὐλὰς εχει τὰς προειρημένας, ἐν αις οἱ πόδες τῶν βεβαίων ἑστῶτές εἰσιν. οὐ χαμαίζηλος δέ, ἀλλ' ἐν υψει τινὶ ουσα τυγχάνει, ὡς πάντα τὸν βουλόμενον πολίτην αὐτῆς γενέσθαι μὴ καταβαίνειν ἀλλ' ἀναβαίνειν πρὸς αὐτήν. καὶ φυλαὶ γοῦν κυρίου τὰ διάφορα τάγματα τῶν σῳζομένων ἐξομολογήσεως προαίρεσιν εχουσαι ἀναβαίνουσιν ἐκεῖ, μεμαρτυρημέναι ὑπὸ κυρίου καλῶς ἀναβάσαι καὶ ἐξομολογησάμεναι καὶ εἰς ζῆλον καὶ προκοπὴν αγουσαι τὸν δρῶντα αὐτὰς ̓Ισραήλ. 1156 Ps 121,5 ∆αυὶδ ὁ σωτὴρ πολλάκις ειρηται, ητοι διὰ τὸ ἐκ σπέρματος ∆αυὶδ ειναι τὸ κατὰ σάρκα η διὰ τὸ ἱκανῶς τῂ χειρὶ ὑπάρχειν· ∆αυὶδ γὰρ ἱκανὸς χειρὶ ἑρμηνεύεται. πῶς γὰρ οὐχ ἱκανὸς χειρὶ ὁ τεραστίους δυνάμεις ποιῶν; τούτου τοῦ ∆αυὶδ ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἐν ῃ θρόνοι εἰς κρίσιν ιδρυνται ἐφ' οις οἱ ἀπόστολοι καθήμενοι κρίνουσι τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ ̓Ισραήλ. ἡ γὰρ ἑκάστου ἀποστόλου πίστις καὶ πολιτεία βασιλείας αὐτοῦ θρόνος ἐστί, κρίνων καὶ καταδικάζων τοὺς μὴ προσηκαμένους τὸν προφητευόμενον ἐν ταῖς θείαις γραφαῖς μηδὲ πιστεύσαντας οις ἐποίει καὶ ἐδίδασκε λόγοις. 1157 Ps 121,6.7 Καὶ κατὰ θεωρίαν δὲ ὁ διὰ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν τὴν ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ καρποφορῶν τὰ πνευματικὰ ἐν πολλῇ ειη εὐθηνίᾳ καὶ εὐετηρίᾳ εσται, οὐ πράξεις αὐτῷ μόνον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀλλὰ καὶ θεωρίας τῆς ἀληθείας καρποφορῶν. τὸ δὲ ̓Εν τῇ δυναστείᾳ σου δύναται πρὸς τὴν ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ διὰ τὸ βασιλεύειν δυναστεύουσαν εἰρηκέναι πάντα ἐχθρὸν πρότερον πολεμοῦντα δυναστείᾳ καθελοῦσαν ὡς εὐθηνίαν ειναι λοιπὸν ἐν ταῖς πυργοβάρεσιν. ουτοι δὲ μεγάλοι πύργοι εἰσὶν ἐν τοῖς τείχεσι κατασκευαζόμενοι τοῦ ἀποσκοπεῖν χάριν τοὺς ἐρχομένους πολεμίους. βαρεῖς γὰρ ἐπιχωρίῳ εθει παρὰ Σύροις αἱ μεγάλαι οἰκίαι καλοῦνται, αιτινες καὶ υψος προσλαβοῦσαι ἐπὶ τῶν τετειχισμένων πόλεων τὴν θέσιν εχουσαι πυργοβάρεις καλοῦνται. οταν τοίνυν τῇ δυναστείᾳ ἑαυτῆς ῃ ἀπὸ θεοῦ εσχε χρησαμένη ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ καθυποτάξῃ τοὺς ἀντιταγμένους, εἰρήνη ποιήσει ἀκολουθῆσαι καὶ ἐν ταῖς πυργοβάρεσιν αὐτῆς εὐθηνίαν ειναι. Ειεν δ' αν κατ' ἀλληγορίαν πυργοβάρεις οἱ δι' υψος τῆς πολιτείας καὶ θεωρίας τῆς ἀληθείας μὴ μόνον σκοποῦντες τοὺς ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ πόλεμον ἐχθροὺς ἀλλὰ καὶ υψωθεν ἐν τοῖς ἐλεγχοῖς βάλλοντες αὐτούς. 1158 Ps 121,8.9 Κατὰ θεωρίαν δὲ ὁ ἐκ θεοῦ γεννηθεὶς τῷ ποιεῖν δικαιοσύνην καὶ πιστεύειν οτι ̓Ιησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ἀδελφοὺς εχει τοὺς τὰ αὐτὰ ἐνεργοῦντας καὶ πιστεύοντας, πλησίον δὲ τοὺς ὑποδεεστέρους τῇ ποιήσει τῆς δικαιοσύνης καὶ τῇ πίστει ̓Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ προσερχομένους. Πλὴν ενεκα ἀμφοτέρων τούτων τῶν ταγμάτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν πλησίον, λέγω περὶ τῆς ἀποδοθείσης ̔Ιερουσαλήμ, εἰρήνην λαλεῖν φησιν, εἰρηνικὴν ειναι εὐχόμενος αὐτῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ τῶν πλησίον πατρίδα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ενεκα τοῦ οικου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἑαυτοῦ ἐκζητεῖν τὰ κυρίως ἀγαθὰ τῇ ̔Ιερουσαλήμ. οικον δὲ κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ λέγει ἐφ' ον αν ἀναβαίνειν ηρξατο, ενεκα τούτου ζητῶν ἀγαθὰ τῇ ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ τὴν τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν τήρησιν καὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως σὺν ἀληθείᾳ κατανόησιν.

1159 Ps 122,2 ∆υνατὸν δούλους εἰς χεῖρας κυρίων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εχοντας

ἐκλαβεῖν τὰ εθνη τὰ ὑπὸ τοὺς ἀγγέλους οἰκονομούμενα κατὰ τὸ Εστησαν ορια