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hidden, whom he also showed to be a prophet by filling him with his own spirit. Some said the shepherd was Joseph, whose bones he brought up and led along with those who were formerly under his hand, showing that he does not forget even the dead saints, choosing to bring them to life. Others said it was Christ 2676 who was brought up from the earth, either because of the resurrection, or because of his birth from the earth. And he calls the days eternal, either the ancient ones, or the ones always remembered. But the phrase, "where is he?" accuses their forgetfulness. And the phrase, "For a spirit came down from the Lord, and guided them," is in agreement. And David also says: "He sent forth his spirit, and healed them." And God is the spirit. And instead of, "Water prevailed before his face," Symmachus said, "He who broke the waters before them." And you would understand "prevailed," because he conquered their nature by congealing them. For, he says, the waters, being fluid by nature, were congealed like a wall; that is, he gave them the strength to be congealed. And to what follows, they say, "He led them, like a horse in a field, with all ease," is equivalent to the passage in the Psalms: "He brought up his people like sheep, and guided them, like a flock in the wilderness." And at the same time he was saving the people, and he himself was glorified, making a name for himself. But Symmachus said "their"; that is, glorifying his own people. Therefore, finding them insensible, he became hostile. Yet we must not despair; but let us persist, I and as many as are God-loving, in supplications to him, saying: Return from heaven; if only we might become better, and worthy of saying, Behold. Some say the prayers are from the whole nation; others, from the prophet alone. And he recognizes God from heaven, not as enclosed by a place, but as resting in dignities among the powers above. For this reason he also calls heaven a house and a throne; that is, raising the minds of the hearers, which have fallen to the earth, from earthly matters, so that they might think nothing lowly about God. For he who holds all things together, and governs them, would rightly be known from heaven. And they remind God that often, not because of them, but because of his own zeal, he was benevolent toward them, though they were unworthy, as he even deigned to say, My people are children. And as no longer partaking of his zeal and his strength, they say these things, not as though those things had ceased. For he was zealous long ago when they were slaves to the Egyptians, and when they became captives he said: I have been zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great zeal. Then, saying that he was angry with their captors, he adds: For I was a little angry, but they added to the evil. Some, however, took zeal to mean his providence for them. Therefore, being angry with the people, he says: I will take my zeal from you, that is, my care. For neither was Abraham our father, even if he served in our generation. But you are the one who brought us forth from non-being, and 2677 the Father of all spirits, and of the souls made according to your image. For even if he received the promise, yet he has not seen us. Therefore have mercy on us, whom your name adorns. For we have been called your inheritance. Therefore grant it for your name's sake, so that it may not be blasphemed among the nations. Having said these things from his own person and that of the more devout, the prophet introduces those among the people who are fond of blaming, not hesitating often to complain to God himself, saying: Why did you make us wander, Lord, from your way? as though blaming him for the falling away, which they endured on account of Christ, according to those who say the statement was made by all the people; or rather, from the prophet, who, they say, refers all things to God, not as the cause of sinning, but as permitting it; through which he does not immediately exact punishment. Thus, when we sin, we are said to be sold by him, as being given over to our own sins. For this reason also he is said to have hardened Pharaoh's heart, because, being long-suffering, he did not destroy him from the first plague, so that when he was struck many times and did not turn back, He might be shown blameless in bringing the final plague. But you, therefore, O God, for the sake of your servants; for it is likely that there are some such people in the multitude; that is, for the sake of those who

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κρυπτόμενον, ὃν καὶ προφήτην ἀπέδειξεν τοῦ ἰδίου πληρώσας πνεύματος. Τινὲς δὲ ποιμένα τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἔφασαν, οὗπερ ἀναγαγὼν τὰ ὀστᾶ, μετὰ τῶν πρὶν ὑποχειρίων διήγαγεν, δεικνὺς ὡς οὐδὲ νεκρῶν τῶν ἁγίων ἐπιλανθάνεται, ζωοποιεῖν αὐτὰ προαιρούμενος. Ἄλλοι τὸν Χρι 2676 στὸν ἔφασαν ἐκ γῆς ἀναχθέντα, ἢ διὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἢ καὶ διὰ τὴν ἀπὸ γῆς αὐτοῦ γέννησιν. Ἡμέρας δὲ αἰωνίους, ἢ τὰς ἀρχαίας, ἢ τὰς ἀεὶ μνημονευτούς φησιν. Τὸ δὲ, ποῦ ἐστι; τῆς αὐτῶν λήθης κατηγορεῖ. Σύμφωνον δὲ τὸ, "Κατέβη γὰρ πνεῦμα παρὰ Κυρίου, καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτούς." Καὶ ∆αβὶδ δέ φησιν· "Ἐξαπέστειλεν τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰάσατο αὐτούς." Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, Κατίσχυσεν ὕδωρ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, ὁ Σύμμαχος, Ὁ ῥήξας ὕδατα ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, εἴρηκεν. Καὶ κατίσχυσε δὲ νοήσεις, ὅτι νενίκηκεν αὐτῶν τὴν φύσιν πήξας αὐτά. Ἐπάγη γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡσεὶ τεῖχος τὰ ὕδατα ῥευστὰ τῇ φύσει τυγχάνοντα· ἤγουν πρὸς τὸ παγῆναι ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἰσχύν. Καὶ τῷ μετὰ ταῦτα, φασὶ, ∆ιήγαγεν αὐτοὺς, ὡς ἵππον ἐν πεδίῳ, μετὰ πάσης ἀνέσεως, ἰσοδυναμεῖ τὸ ἐν Ψαλμοῖς· "Ἀνήγαγεν ὡς πρόβατα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς, ὡς ποίμνιον ἐν ἐρήμῳ." Ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὸν λαὸν ἔσωζε, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐδοξάζετο ποιῶν ἑαυτῷ ὄνομα. Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος αὐτῶν ἔφη· τοῦτ' ἔστι, τὸν ἴδιον δοξάζων λαόν. Ἀναισθήτους τοίνυν εὑρὼν, γέγονε δυσμενής. Οὐ μὴν ἀπογνωστέον· ἀλλ' ἐπιμείνωμεν ἐγώ τε καὶ ὅσοι θεοφιλεῖς ταῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἱκετείαις, λέγοντες· Ἐπίστρεψον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ· εἴγε κρείττους γενοίμεθα, καὶ ἄξιοι τοῦ λέγειν, Ἴδε. Τινὲς δὲ ἀπὸ παντὸς τοῦ ἔθνους φασὶ τὰς λιτάς· ἄλλοι τοῦ προφήτου μόνου. Ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ δὲ γνωρίζει τὸν Θεὸν, οὐχ ὡς τόπῳ περικλειόμενον, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν ἀξίαις ἀναπαυόμενον ταῖς ἄνω δυνάμεσιν. ∆ιὸ καὶ οἶκον καὶ θρόνον λέγει τὸν οὐρανόν· ἤγουν ἀναφέρων ἐκ τῶν γηΐνων πραγμάτων τὰ τῶν ἀκουόντων φρονήματα καταπεπτωκότα πρὸς γῆν, ὡς ἂν μηδὲν φρονοῖεν περὶ Θεοῦ ταπεινόν. Τὰ γὰρ πάντα συνέχων, καὶ κυβερνῶν, γνωρισθείη ἂν εἰκότως ἐξ οὐρανοῦ. Ὑπομιμνήσκουσι δὲ τὸν Θεὸν, ὡς πολλάκις οὐ δι' αὐτοὺς, διὰ δὲ τὸν ἴδιον ζῆλον, γέγονε περὶ τούτους φιλάνθρωπος ἀναξίους ὑπάρχοντας, ὡς καὶ καταξιώσας εἰπεῖν, Ὁ λαός μου τέκνα. Ὡς δὲ μηκέτι μετέχοντες τοῦ ζήλου, καὶ τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ, ταῦτά φασιν, οὐχ ὡς ἐκείνων ἐκλελοιπότων. Ἐζήλου γὰρ πάλαι δουλεύοντας Αἰγυπτίοις, αἰχμαλώτων τε γεγονότων ἔφασκεν· Ἐζήλωκα τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ τὴν Σιὼν ζῆλον μέγαν. Εἶτα τοῖς ἑλοῦσι φήσας ὀργίζεσθαι, ἐπάγει· Ἀνθ' ὧν ἐγὼ μὲν ὠργίσθην ὀλίγα, αὐτοὶ δὲ συνεπέθεντο εἰς κακά. Τινὲς δὲ ζῆλον τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐδέξαντο πρόνοιαν. Τοιγαροῦν ὀργιζόμενος τῷ λαῷ λέγει· Ἀρῶ τὸν ζῆλόν μου ἀπὸ σοῦ, τοῦτ' ἔστι, τὴν κηδεμονίαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἦν πατὴρ ἡμῶν, εἰ καὶ τῇ γενέσει διηκονήσατο Σὺ δὲ ὁ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων παραγαγὼν, καὶ 2677 Πατὴρ πάντων πνευμάτων, καὶ τῶν κατ' εἰκόνα τὴν σὴν πεποιημένων ψυχῶν. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ εἰ καὶ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν εἴληφεν, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς οὐ τεθέαται. Ὅθεν ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, οὓς τὸ σὸν ὄνομα κοσμεῖ. Κλῆρος γάρ σου κεκλήμεθα. Τῷ σῷ τοίνυν ὀνόματι χάρισαι, ὡς ἂν μὴ βλασφημῆται παρὰ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Ταῦτα ἐξ οἰκείου προσώπου, καὶ τῶν εὐλαβεστέρων εἰπὼν ὁ προφήτης, εἰσάγει τοὺς ἐν τῷ λαῷ φιλαιτίους οὐκ ὀκνοῦντας αὐτῷ πολλάκις καταμέμφεσθαι τῷ Θεῷ λέγοντας· Τί ἐπλάνησας ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ σου; ὡς ἂν αὐτὸν τῆς ἐκπτώσεως, ἢν διὰ Χριστὸν ὑπέμειναν, αἰτιώμενοι, κατὰ τοὺς λέγοντας ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ παντὸς τὸν λόγον εἰρῆσθαι· ἤγουν ἀπὸ τοῦ προφήτου, ὃς πάντα, φασὶν, ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἀναφέρει, οὐχ ὡς τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν αἴτιον, ἀλλ' ὡς συγχωροῦντα· δι' ὧν οὐ παραχρῆμα δίκην εἰσπράττεται. Οὕτως ἁμαρτάνοντες πεπρᾶσθαι λεγόμεθα παρ' αὐτοῦ, ὡς ταῖς ἰδίαις ἁμαρτίαις ἐκδεδομένοι. ∆ιὸ καὶ τοῦ Φαραὼ σκληρύναι λέγεται τὴν καρδίαν, διότι μακροθυμῶν, οὐκ ἀπὸ πρώτης αὐτὸν ἀνεῖλε πληγῆς, ὡς ἂν πολλάκις παιομένου, καὶ μὴ ἐπιστρέφοντος, ἀναίτιος δειχθῇ τὴν ἐσχάτην ἐπάγων πληγήν. Σὺ δ' οὖν, ὁ Θεὸς, διὰ τοὺς δούλους σου· καὶ γὰρ εἰκὸς εἶναί τινας ἐν τῷ πλήθει τοιούτους· ἤγουν διὰ τοὺς