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QUESTION XIII.

Since Gregory of Nyssa, in his own writings, seems to those not understanding the depth of his lofty contemplation to imply a restoration everywhere [R. in many places], I beseech you to tell what you know concerning this.

Response. The Church knows three restorations. First, that of each person according to the principle of virtue; in which he is restored, having fulfilled the principle of virtue concerning him. Second, that of the whole of nature in the resurrection. The restoration to incorruption and immortality. Third, which Gregory of Nyssa especially employed in his discourses, is this: the restoration again of the powers of the soul that have fallen into sin, to that for which they were created. For it is necessary, just as the whole of nature in the resurrection of the flesh is to receive incorruption in the hoped-for time; so also for the powers of the soul which have gone astray, through the extension of the ages, to lay aside the memories of evil implanted in them; and having passed through all the ages, and not finding a stopping-place, to come to God who has no limit. And thus through knowledge, not by participation in the good things, to receive back its powers, and be restored to its original state, and for the Creator to be shown blameless of sin.

QUESTION XIV.

Why is it that, although there are many graver insults, the Lord in the Gospels appoints the one who calls his brother 'Fool' as liable to Gehenna; but says the one who says 'Raca' is subject to the Sanhedrin.

Response. They say the name 'Fool' is taken to mean one who is senseless (797) and mindless; but 'Raca', in the Hebrew language, is interpreted as 'despicable'. Since, therefore, the name 'fool' is spoken of the atheist and the unbeliever, according to that which says: 'The fool has said in his heart, There is no God.' And according to Moses who says, 'This is a foolish people, and not wise'; whoever calls his brother, who is of the same faith, an atheist and an idolater, or a heretic and an unbeliever, this one says 'fool', and justly becomes liable to Gehenna. But whoever says 'Raca', that is, 'spat upon' [Cort. 'one to be spat upon'] and 'unclean', this one slanders the life of his brother, and is reasonably subject to a lighter penalty.

QUESTION XV.

How should one understand that which is said in the creed, "incarnate of the Holy Spirit, and of Mary the Virgin."

Response. Some of the saints say, that from the Holy Spirit, in the manner of a man's seed, the soul was cast down; and the flesh was formed from the virginal bloods.

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ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΙΓ΄.

Ἐπειδή Γρηγόριος ὁ Νύσσης ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ συγγράμμασι, φαίνεται τοῖς μή τό βάθος ἐπισταμένοις τῆς ὑψηλῆς αὐτοῦ θεωρίας πανταχοῦ [R. πολλαχοῦ] ἀποκατάστασιν ὑπεμφαίνειν, παρακαλῶ ὅπερ ἐπίστασαι περί τούτου εἰπέ.

Ἀπόκρισις. Τρεῖς ἀποκαταστάσεις οἶδεν ἡ Ἐκκλησία. Μίαν μέν, τήν ἑκάστου κατά τόν τῆς

ἀρετῆς λόγον· ἐν ᾗ ἀποκαθίσταται, τόν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ λόγον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐκπληρώσας. ∆ευτέραν δέ, τήν τῆς ὅλης φύσεως ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει. Τήν εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν καί ἀθανασίαν ἀποκατάστασιν. Τρίτην δέ, ᾗ καί μάλιστα κατακέχρηται ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ λόγοις ὁ Νύσσης Γρηγόριος, ἔστιν αὕτη, ἡ τῶν ψυχικῶν δυνάμεων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ὑποπεσουσῶν, εἰς ὅπερ ἐκτίσθησαν πάλιν ἀποκατάστασις. ∆εῖ γάρ, ὥσπερ τήν ὅλην φύσιν ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῆς σαρκός ἀφθαρσίαν χρόνῳ ἐλπιζομένῳ ἀπολαβεῖν· οὕτως καί τάς παρατραπείσας τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις, τῇ παρατάσει τῶν αἰώνων ἀπολαβεῖν τάς ἐντεθείσας αὐτῆς τῆς κακίας μνήμας· καί περάσασαν τούς πάντας αἰῶνας, καί μή εὑρίσκουσαν στάσιν, εἰς τόν Θεόν ἐλθεῖν τόν μή ἔχοντα πέρας. Καί οὕτως τῇ ἐπιγνώσει, οὐ τῇ μεθέξει τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἀπολαβεῖν τάς δυνάμεις, καί εἰς τό ἀρχαῖον ἀποκαταστῆναι, καί δειχθῆναι τόν δημιουργόν ἀναίτιον τῆς ἁμαρτίας.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ι∆΄.

Τί δήποτε πολλῶν οὐσῶν βαρυτέρων ὕβρεων, ὁ Κύριος ἐν Εὐαγγελίοις, τόν λέγοντα τόν ἀδελφόν αὐτοῦ Μωρόν, τῆς γεέννης ὑπεύθυνον ὁρίζεται· τόν δέ λέγοντα Ῥακά, τῷ συνεδρίῳ ὑποκεῖσθαι λέγει.

Ἀπόκρισις. Τό Μωρόν ὄνομα λέγουσιν, ἐπί τοῦ ἄφρονος (797) λαμβάνεσθαι καί ἀνοήτου· τό

δέ Ῥακά Ἑβραίων φωνῇ, κατάπτυστον ἑρμηνεύεται. Ἐπεί οὖν ἐπί τοῦ ἀθέου καί ἀπίστου τό μωρός ὄνομα εἴρηται, κατά τό· Εἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, Οὐκ ἔστι Θεός. Καί κατά τόν Μωϋσῆν λέγοντα, Οὗτος λαός μωρός, καί οὐχί σοφός· ὅστις τόν ἀδελφόν αὐτοῦ τόν ὁμόπιστον, ἄθεον καί εἰδωλολάτρην, ἤ αἱρετικόν καί ἄπιστον ἀποκαλεῖ, οὗτος λέγει μωρόν, καί τῆς γεέννης δικαίως ὑπεύθυνος γίνεται. Ὅστις δέ λέγει Ῥακά, τουτέστιν ἐμπτυσμένε [Cort. ἔμπτυστε] καί ἀκάθαρτε, οὗτος τόν βίον διαβάλλει τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καί εἰκότως κουφοτέρῳ ἐπιτιμίῳ ὑπόκειται.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΙΕ΄.

Πῶς χρή νοεῖν τό ἐν τῷ συμβόλῳ λεγόμενον, " Σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου, καί Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου."

Ἀπόκρισις. Φασί τινες τῶν ἁγίων, ὅτι ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου δίκην γονῆς ἀνδρός τήν ψυχήν

καταβληθῆναι· τήν δέ σάρκα διαπλασθῆναι ἐκ τῶν παρθενικῶν αἱμάτων.