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you sleep, let wisdom be with you; appropriately to these things you will say, "Honor her, that she may embrace you." He who sleeps with her, being fearless and without care, rejoices upon his bed. Therefore all the souls of his saints, like brides sleeping with the God Logos who is the bridegroom of every rational nature, rejoice upon their beds. 1285 Ps 149,6.7 The high praises of God shown forth through hymns and theology are in the spiritual throat of the saints, who exalt his name together. For praising with much truth they glorify and highly exalt him, having also two-edged swords in their hands, though not slaying men but being ready to execute vengeance on all disobedience, since the weapons of their warfare are not carnal but mighty in God, through which they tear down every contentious stronghold of supposedly high arguments raised up against the knowledge of God. And it is well said that the swords in their hands are two-edged, since every word that the saints have is two-edged, according to the living and active Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword. Therefore, those who use the words of truth not only cut out what is false and superfluous, refuting sophisms, but also wound their hearers with a love for the truth. It is possible to say that both testaments are two-edged swords found in the hands, that is, the deeds, of the saints. And it is also possible to call every exhorting word a two-edged sword, doing both things: reproving the one who accepts it unto repentance, and executing vengeance and punishing the one who disobeys to the end. It does not say that the saints inflict a vengeance that leads the nations to destruction, but one that is reasonably executed upon them, insofar as they are gentiles and idolaters, so that, having cast off the life of the gentiles, they might become fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Consequently they will also work reproofs among the peoples, since the gentiles are worse than the peoples, the greater of the reproofs, vengeance, is upon the gentiles, while the reproofs are upon the better peoples; For, "Reprove a wise man, and he will love you"; "Make known to a just man, and he will increase in receiving." For the peoples will not hate those who reprove them, because they are not evil, even if they sin out of inattentiveness, whereas those who are set in perfect malice are hostile towards those who reprove them. For it is said, "Do not reprove the wicked, lest they hate you." You will find this interpretation also in the Gospel, if you attend to the saying of the Savior which states, "If your brother sins against you, go and reprove him between you and him alone; and if he listens to you, you have gained your brother, but if he does not listen to you, take one or two others, and if he refuses to listen, tell it to the church; but if he despises even her, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." This one * having become wicked through despising all is not to be reproved; for he will hate everyone who reproves him, even if he be a saint. 1286 Ps 149,8.9 For these, it says, will bind their hands in iron fetters, of those who seem to be glorious among them, not allowing them to do the things which, before being bound, they did wickedly and to the harm of many. But the saints do not carry out the vengeance and the reproofs or the imposing of bonds indiscriminately, but by a written judgment, bringing forth from the written oracles the construction of true doctrines and the overthrow of falsely called knowledge. I am not unaware, however, that some of the interpreters have taken the interpretation historically, fashioning for themselves a victory over certain physical enemies, and trophies and hymns of praise.

1287 Ps 150,1c.2a But also the comprehension of God through the divine scriptures

is a firmament of the power of God, but is not the power of God itself. But you will also understand it thus: the power of God came to men, when they partook of the Holy Spirit;

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καθεύδῃς, μετὰ σοῦ εστω ἡ σοφία· ἁρμοδίως τούτοις ἐρεῖς Τίμησον αὐτήν, ινα σε περιλάβῃ. ̔Ο ταύτῃ συγκαθεύδων αφοβος καὶ ἀμέριμνος ων ἀγαλλιᾶται ἐπὶ τῇ κοίτῃ αὐτοῦ. διὸ πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ οια νύμφαι συνευναζόμεναι τῷ θεῷ λόγῳ οντι νυμφίῳ πάσης λογικῆς φύσεως ἀγαλλιῶνται ἐπὶ ταῖς κοίταις αὐτῶν. 1285 Ps 149,6.7 Αἱ δι' υμνων καὶ θεολογίας ἀποδεικνύμεναι ὑψώσεις θεοῦ ἐν τῷ νοητῷ λάρυγγι τῶν ὁσίων τυγχάνουσιν ὑψούντων τὸ ονομα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό. αἰνοῦντες γὰρ σὺν ἀληθείᾳ πολλῇ δοξάζουσι καὶ ὑπερυψοῦσιν αὐτόν, εχοντες ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ καὶ διστόμους ῥομφαίας, καίτοι οὐ κατὰ ἀνθρώπων φονῶντες ἀλλ' ἐν ἑτοίμῳ εχοντες ἐκδικῆσαι πᾶσαν παρακοήν, ἐπείπερ τὰ οπλα τῆς στρατείας αὐτῶν οὐ σαρκικὰ ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ θεῷ δι' ων καθαίρουσι πᾶν ἐριστικὸν ὀχύρωμα διαδη * θεν ὑψηλῶν λόγων ἐπαιρουμένων κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ θεοῦ. Ευ δὲ καὶ τὸ φάναι διστόμους ειναι τὰς ἐν ταῖς αὐτῶν χερσὶ ῥομφαίας, ἑκάστου λόγου ου εχουσιν οἱ οσιοι διστόμου οντος κατὰ τὸν ζῶντα τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον καὶ ἐνεργῆ καὶ τομώτερον ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον. διὸ καὶ οἱ χρώμενοι τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας λόγοις οὐ μόνον ἐκτέμνουσι τὰ ψευδῆ καὶ τὰ περιττὰ λύοντες σοφίσματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τιτρώσκουσιν εἰς ερωτα τῆς ἀληθείας τοὺς ἀκροωμένους. ∆υνατὸν ἀμφοτέρας τὰς διαθήκας ῥομφαίας διστόμους εἰπεῖν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τουτέστι πράξεσι τῶν ὁσίων εὑρισκομένας. δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ εκαστον προτρεπτικὸν λόγον δίστομον μάχαιραν εἰπεῖν ἀμφότερα ποιοῦντα, ἐλέγχοντα μὲν τὸν εἰς μετάνοιαν καταδεχόμενον αὐτόν, ἐκδικοῦντα δὲ καὶ τιμωρούμενον τὸν ἀπειθοῦντα μέχρι παντός. Οὐ τὴν εἰς ἀπώλειαν ἀπάγουσαν τὰ εθνη ἐκδίκησιν τοὺς ὁσίους ποιεῖν λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὴν εὐλόγως γινομένην ἐπ' αὐτούς, καθὸ εθνη καὶ εἰδωλολάτραι τυγχάνουσιν, οπως τὴν ἐθνῶν ζωὴν ἀποβαλόντες συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ γένωνται. ̔Επομένως δὲ καὶ ἐλεγμοὺς ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς ἐνεργήσουσιν, ἐπείπερ τὰ εθνη χείρονα τῶν λαῶν τὸ μεῖζον τῶν ἐλέγχων ἡ ἐκδίκησις ἐπὶ τὰ εθνη γίνεται, οἱ δὲ ελεγχοι ἐπὶ τοὺς κρείττονας λαούς· Ελεγχε γὰρ σοφόν, καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε· Γνώριζε δικαίῳ, καὶ προσθήσει τοῦ δέχεσθαι. οὐ γὰρ μισήσουσιν οἱ λαοὶ τοὺς ἐλέγχοντας τῷ μὴ τυγχάνειν κακοί, εἰ καὶ ἐξ ἀπροσεξίας ἁμαρτάνουσι, τῶν πεποιωμένων κατὰ τελείαν κακίαν πρὸς τοὺς ἐλέγχοντας ἀπεχθῶς ἐχόντων. ειρηται γοῦν Μὴ ελεγχε κακούς, ινα μή σε μισήσωσιν. ταύτην τὴν ἑρμηνείαν εὑρήσεις καὶ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ, ἐπιστήσας τῇ λέξει τοῦ σωτῆρος φασκούσῃ ̓Εὰν ἁμάρτῃ εἰς σὲ ὁ ἀδελφός σου, υπαγε καὶ ελεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου· καὶ ἐάν σου ἀκούσῃ, ἐκέρδησας τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀκούσῃ σου, παράλαβε ενα ετερον η δύο, καὶ ἐὰν παρακούσῃ, ἀνάγγειλον τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτῆς περιφρονήσει, εστω σοι ὡς ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης. τοῦτον * κακὸν γεγενημένον διὰ τοῦ πάντων καταπεφρονηκέναι οὐκ ἐλεγκτέον ἐστί· μισήσει γὰρ πάντα τὸν ἐλέγχοντα, καν αγιος τυγχάνῃ. 1286 Ps 149,8.9 ∆ήσουσι γὰρ ουτοι, φησίν, τὰς χεῖρας ἐν χειροπέδαις σιδηραῖς τῶν δοκούντων ἐνδόξων ειναι παρ' αὐτοῖς, πράττειν αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐῶντες α πρὸ τοῦ δεθῆναι κακῶς καὶ ἐπὶ βλάβῃ πολλῶν επραττον. οὐκ ἀκρίτως δὲ τὴν ἐκδίκησιν καὶ τοὺς ἐλεγμοὺς η τὴν περιβολὴν τῶν δεσμῶν ποιοῦνται οἱ οσιοι ἀλλ' η ἐγγράπτῳ κρίματι, ἐκ τῶν γεγραμμένων λογίων τὴν κατασκευὴν τῶν ἀληθῶν δογμάτων καὶ ἀνατροπὴν τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως ἐπιφέροντες. Οὐκ ἀγνοῶ δὲ ως τινες τῶν ἐξηγησαμένων ἱστορικῶς ελαβον τὴν ἑρμηνείαν, κατὰ πολεμίων τινῶν αἰσθητῶν νίκην καὶ τρόπαια καὶ ὑμνολογίας ἑαυτοῖς ἀναπλάσαντες.

1287 Ps 150,1c.2a ̓Αλλὰ καὶ ἡ διὰ τῶν θείων γραφῶν τοῦ θεοῦ κατάληψις

στερέωμα δυνάμεως θεοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐκ αὐτὴ ἡ δύναμις θεοῦ ὑπάρχει. Νοήσεις δὲ καὶ ουτως· ἡ θεοῦ δύναμις εἰς ἀνθρώπους ηκεν, οτε τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος μετέσχον·