246

speaking with boldness in the gate, the entrance for useful things, is not put to shame by his enemies, who were eager to be hinderers of the fulfillment of his desire and of his edification. It is not surprising if, having blessed a man in the singular, he said in the plural that those speaking in the gate would not be put to shame; for the saying is not about one but about everyone who has filled his desire from the arrows.

1173 Ps 127,2 And otherwise you might say that virtue itself nourishes the soul,

so that these very labors according to God are nourishing and gladdening to the soul. Therefore, the one who fears the Lord eats the labors of his fruits, but the one who loves him, as one already perfect, will eat the living heavenly bread according to the saying, "Blessed is he who will eat bread in the kingdom of heaven." But here he says fruits for hands, so that he might say, "You will eat the labors of your hands," that is, of the practical powers. 1174 Ps 127,3 It is indeed readily apparent and at hand, smoothing out the text, that these promises are given to the one who fears the Lord, as to one still imperfect, but not to the one who loves him with all his heart and with all his soul and strength; For "eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and it has not entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love him." But to the one who fears the Lord a gift of God is given, a certain partner and spouse, not just any woman but she who is likened to the true vine, so that it might be said of her, "A good wife is a good portion," and "Who can find a virtuous woman? For such a one is more precious than costly stones." as, conversely, on the contrary, an evil and irascible spouse would be the wrath of God, so also sons from God are given to the one who fears the Lord, not like the many sons but those like young olive shoots surrounding and crowning his table. and you will understand these from the perfect one who says, "But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God." For of such an olive tree the offspring are said to be like young olive shoots. But if someone says that those who do not fear the Lord often have an abundance of children and a flourishing wife, but we will say that the present beatitude does not simply promise a wife and children, but this very thing: a wife likened to a vine, and children to young olive shoots; but the things of the ungodly are not such. 1175 Ps 127,4 From this, you who fear the Lord are blessed, since the wife with you is a vine, productive of gladdening fruits. But also your offspring are not weak, not effeminate, but vigorous sons being around your table in the manner of young olive shoots, bearing the fruit of the nourishment of light. And your intelligible table is full of all the things that nourish the mind and the soul. But know that being in these things, you have a blessing from the Lord which no one else but the devout one will receive from the Lord. And it is shown through the "Man" and "every man." Therefore it is not proper to understand the preceding things about a physical wife and bodily children, since many who have the fear of God have had neither wife nor children. If, therefore, the literal meanings are not universal, the spiritual meaning of what is set forth must be sought for every devout person.

1176 Ps 128,1-4 But according to the anagogical sense, you will understand it thus: those who are captured by one attack of the enemies

would not say this, but only he who from youth to old age puts the enemies to flight, always becoming their victor and trophy-bearer. and as proof that they had often made war, he added the words, "For they were not able to prevail against me;" for I had the Lord who crushes enemies, strengthening me. And of the things declared with boldness, he calls not just anyone as a witness, but the mind that sees God. and the added phrase "From my youth" shows that from a young age

246

παρρησίαν ἐν πύλῃ τῇ τῶν ὠφελίμων εἰσαγωγῇ λαλῶν οὐ καταισχύνεται ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, οιτινες κωλυταὶ τῆς πληρώσεως τῆς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς ἐσπούδαζον ειναι. οὐ θαυμαστὸν δὲ εἰ ἑνικῶς μακαρίσας ανθρωπον· πληθυντικῶς ειπε μὴ καταισχυνθήσεσθαι τοὺς λαλοῦντας ἐν πύλῃ· οὐ γὰρ περὶ ἑνὸς ἀλλὰ περὶ παντὸς τοῦ πληρώσαντος τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν βελῶν ὁ λόγος.

1173 Ps 127,2 Καὶ αλλως δ' αν ειποις τρέφειν ψυχὴν αὐτὴν τὴν ἀρετήν,

ωστε ειναι αὐτοὺς τοὺς κατὰ θεὸν καμάτους τροφίμους καὶ εὐφραντικοὺς ψυχῆς. ὁ μὲν ουν φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν αὐτοῦ ἐσθίει, ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν αὐτὸν ὡς ηδη τέλειος τὸν ζῶντα φάγεται αρτον τὸν ἐπουράνιον κατὰ τὸ Μακάριος ος φάγεται αρτον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Καρποὺς δέ φησιν ἐνταῦθα τὰς χεῖρας, ινα ειπῃ Τοὺς πόνους τῶν χειρῶν σου φάγεται, τουτέστι τῶν πρακτικῶν δυνάμεων. 1174 Ps 127,3 Προχείρως μέν ἐστι καὶ περὶ πόδα τὴν λέξιν ἐξομαλίζοντα ταύτας δίδοσθαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ φοβουμένῳ τὸν κύριον, ὡς αν ετι ἀτελεῖ, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ τῷ ἀγαπῶντι αὐτὸν ἐξ ολης καρδίας καὶ ἐξ ολης ψυχῆς καὶ δυνάμεως· ̓Οφθαλμὸς γὰρ οὐκ ειδε καὶ ους οὐκ ηκουσε καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, α ἡτοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. τῷ δὲ φοβουμένῳ τὸν κύριον δῶρον θεοῦ δίδοται κοινωνός τις καὶ σύζυγος, οὐχ ἡ τυχοῦσα γυνὴ ἀλλ' ἡ τῇ ἀληθινῇ ἀμπέλῳ παρεικασμένη, ωστ' αν εἰρῆσθαι περὶ αὐτῆς Γυνὴ ἀγαθὴ μέρις ἀγαθή, καὶ Γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν τίς αν εὑρήσῃ; τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστι λίθων πολυτελῶν ἡ τοιαύτη. ὡς εμπαλιν ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου πονηρὰ καὶ τὸν τρόπον ὀργαλέα σύζυγος ὀργὴ αν ειη θεοῦ, ουτω καὶ υἱοὶ ἐκ θεοῦ δίδονται τῷ φοβουμένῳ τὸν κύριον οὐχ ομοιοι τοῖς πολλοῖς υἱοῖς ἀλλ' οἱ ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν κυκλοῦντα καὶ στεφανοῦντα τὴν τράπεζαν αὐτοῦ. νοήσεις δὲ καὶ τούτους ἀπὸ τοῦ τελείου τοῦ λέγοντος ̓Εγὼ δὲ ὡσεὶ ἐλαία κατάκαρπος ἐν τῷ οικῳ τοῦ θεοῦ. τῆς γὰρ τοιαύτης ἐλαίας τὰ γεννήματα ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν ειναι λέγεται. Εἰ δέ τις μὴ φοβουμένους τὸν κύριόν φησι πολλάκις ἐν περιουσίᾳ τέκνων ὑπάρχειν καὶ ἐν εὐθηνίᾳ γυναικός, ἀλλ' ἐροῦμεν οτι ὁ παρὼν μακαρισμὸς οὐχ ἁπλῶς γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα ἐπαγγέλλεται, ἀλλ' ολον αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὴν ἀμπέλῳ μὲν ἀπεικασμένην γυναῖκα, νεοφύτοις δ' ἐλαιῶν τέκνα· οὐ τοιαῦτα δὲ τὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν. 1175 Ps 127,4 ̓Απεντεῦθεν μακάριος ει ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον, ἐπεὶ ἡ συνοῦσά σοι γυνὴ οἰστική ἐστι καρπῶν εὐφραινόντων τυγχάνουσα αμπελος. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ γενήματά σου οὐκ ἀσθενῆ οὐ θήλεα ἀλλ' ευτονοι υἱοὶ περὶ τὴν σὴν τράπεζαν οντες δίκην νεοφύτων ἐλαιῶν τὴν τροφὴν τοῦ φωτὸς καρποφορούντων. πλήρης δὲ πάντων τῶν τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τρεφόντων ἡ νοητὴ τράπεζά σου ὑπάρχει. Ισθι δὲ ἐν τούτοις γεγονὼς ὑπὸ κυρίου εὐλογίαν εχειν ην οὐκ αλλος η ὁ εὐλαβὴς παρὰ κυρίου λήψεται. δηλοῦται δὲ διὰ τοῦ Ανθρωπος καὶ πᾶς ανθρωπος. διὸ οὐ περὶ αἰσθητῆς γυναικὸς καὶ σωματικῶν τέκνων ἐκλαβεῖν προσήκει τὰ προκείμενα, πολλῶν τὸν θεοῦ φόβον κεκτημένων ουτε γυναῖκα ουτε τέκνα ἐσχηκότων. εἰ τοίνυν τὰ τῆς λέξεως οὐ καθόλου, τὸ πνευματικὸν τῶν ἐκκειμένων ζητητέον παντὶ εὐλαβεῖ ὑπάρχοντι.

1176 Ps 128,1-4 Κατὰ ἀναγωγὴν δὲ νοήσεις ουτως· οἱ μιᾷ προσβολῇ

πολεμίων ἁλισκόμενοι οὐ λέγοιεν τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ μόνος ὁ ἐκ νέου μέχρι γήρως εἰς φυγὴν τοὺς πολεμίους τρέπων ἀεὶ νικητὴς καὶ τροπαιοῦχος αὐτῶν γινόμενος. ἀπόδειξιν δὲ τοῦ πλεονάκις αὐτοὺς πεπολεμηκέναι ἐπήγαγε τὸ Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησάν μοι· ειχον γὰρ τὸν κύριον τὸν συντρίβοντα πολεμίους ἐνδυναμοῦντά με. Τῶν δὲ μετὰ παρρησίας ἀπαγγελλομένων οὐ τὸν τυχόντα ἀλλὰ τὸν ὁρῶντα θεὸν νοῦν μάρτυρα καλεῖ. καὶ τὸ ̓Εκ νεότητός μου προσκείμενον δείκνυσιν οτι ἐκ νέων