The Alteration of the Most High's Right Hand

Regarding improper usage, they say that for a man, the names of species and kinds signify a common essence as appellatives, while 'this one' or 'that one' is used as a master. It is also said that 'master' signifies something else by improper usage.

I say many times: 'isometric' corresponds to 'concordant'. To be isometric is said to be in equal measure. I say that it also means to harmonize and to be in agreement. This is an improper usage; for to harmonize and to be in agreement is said of sounds. And again, we say of those who think the same and are of one mind that they are in concord. 'Master' is indeed used of those who think the same and intend the same, namely 'thinking the same' and 'being of one mind', but 'to be in concord' is an improper usage.

Therefore, it is possible for a master to be a name not distinguished by improper usage, but by appellative use, such as Abimelech, and for a title, such as Anchos. Thus the history is clear: he saw that King Saul was positioned with military power against his one man, David, and they were armed without armor. He fled there; and since it was not safe to enter a foreign city or land—for then suspicion of spies was greatest because the city-dwellers always had war against themselves—he feigned madness and let his saliva flow and acted foolishly, beating the doors of the gate, so that he might seem to be possessed by demons. Thus, those of Anchos slandered him. He says, 'I am diminished,' he says, 'when being seized, for you seize me when I am seized?' (Psalm 34:6). And they released him and he departed.

He named such a state of affairs a 'change of countenance'; for change signifies a change of quality. Thus a change of quality happened voluntarily, not involuntarily; for it happens to change involuntarily, such as when someone, having been frightened, becomes pale, or having been struck, or from some disturbance, seems to be flushed. Thus this change happened voluntarily even unto form.

And since David is often drawn up, as has been said in the preceding sections, to the Savior, you will say that the change of the countenance of the Savior is the taking on of the form of a slave. And here it has not happened as a change from one form into another form, but a concealment of form from another apparent form; for even a change of the countenance of the turning one cannot take place. And concerning him, the Savior, it is said in one of the Psalms: 'This is the al...'

The alteration of the right hand of the Most High. The right hand of the Father—and especially according to the intention of the Psalmist—is often said to be the Savior. But having become flesh, he was altered, a curse. He endured becoming sin, so that the sinners might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor 5:21). Therefore, the alteration is an assumption in this way, not a change; for no one would seek a change regarding the unchangeable. If not, as someone says, it is foreign.

‘This’ then is ‘the alteration of the right hand of the Most High.’ The right hand of the Most High is unchangeable. And he became sin not by chance, but so that he might make righteousness. But sin making righteousness is not a change from non-sin to being sin; for sin makes bad people, it makes injustice. But this makes righteousness of those having it. When therefore the Word becomes flesh and takes the form of a servant (John 1:14), he was altered according to the person, not by change, as I have already often said, but by assumption. And also: ‘We have seen him, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father’ (John 1:14), signifies the glory according to his own nature. He therefore had glory fitting the flesh which was becoming to him.

‘This is the alteration of the right hand of the Most High.’ I do not say that we should speak of an alteration here which he himself received when we were saying that the assumption of the servant's form was altered, but rather ‘this is the alteration’ which he himself alters; for he himself describes the wrath, and makes the mercies effective. He says little about glorifying and praising: ‘For I will remember from the beginning of your wonders’ (Ps 77:8). ‘And I said, Now I have begun’ (Ps 77:9). I said all things darkly, that having been troubled I did not speak, that the watchmen had come upon me, but rather: ‘Now I have begun.’ I will now narrate other things after those, those following the dark things.

‘This is the alteration of the right hand of the Most High.’ Therefore he says: ‘Who is God like our God, the great?’ (Ps 86:8). ‘You made known your power among your peoples’ (Ps 86:9). Behold, this is the alteration. Then he altered his countenance. You can take the king of Egypt more allegorically as the ruler of this world, the devil. Therefore, the place which is among us is a land of different tribes. And just as when Egypt is named, it is the place upon the earth, Pharaoh is called the one ruling and tyrannizing, and when Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar is called, and when Assyria...