The Nature of Reproach and the Mustard Seed
Having been taken captive together... themselves and the people, and those others through sin, but the people through their own sins and the others through the sins of others. 'And there was not a multitude in their leaps' (Jonah 3:4). But few had become sufficient for... it would have happened, if they had turned back and known what evils they are in. 'Their sins are very great; I will go down and see if they have worked according to their cry coming toward me, but if not, so that I may know' (Jonah 4:2). How much it reached upon the cry of their wickedness and the... but if I do not find them such, but having repented like the Ninevites, I will know them. For those known by God are not trivial; 'the Lord knew those who were His' (1 Sam 2:30). 'But then, not knowing God, you served gods which are not gods by nature; but now, having known God, rather having been known by God' (Acts 17:29). When they were knowing, they were rather being known by the Benefactor.
14 A reproach has become to us from our neighbors. Regarding the history, the neighbors are the nearby ones... since therefore we were carried off into captivity, 'a reproach we have become to our neighbors' (Ps 147:2). They themselves have not suffered nor have they prevailed with the rising of wars, but we. And as for the thought of this: just as the cross of the Savior has become a reproach for the sake of salvation—for it has been said: 'counting the reproach of Christ a greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt' (Ex 12:33)—so also these have in a way fallen into reproaches, having been seized and having been led into captivity. 'Angels,' he says, 'who did not keep their own beginning, but having left their own habitation, fell into everlasting chains' (Heb 2:16). This reproach of the angels is not praiseworthy, because having been granted to dwell in heaven and being able to stand and remain beside God always praising, they became in wickedness so as to fall from heaven. This reproach is trivial. Behold, indeed, the reproach of Christ is not only praiseworthy, but is greater than treasures. And if there were no difference between these, the proverbist would not have said: 'Do not acquire the reproach of evil men' (Prov 22:1). When therefore the apostles were rejoicing...
They rejoice even while being reproached for Christ. Having done nothing wrong, these reproaches of such people are not good. By becoming reproach itself, someone has established the practice of reproaching based on false accusations, not on truths. Thus also is the saying, 'We are without honor; for I think God has shown us the apostles to be the very last, as if marked for death' (1 Cor 4:9). This is the reproach in which they are placed. It is not a true reproach, nor is it from evil men, but from good men. Regarding the spoken word: that it is not earnest, nor God-fearing, and that those coming are our enemies, yet they did not drive us from their land.
14 They mock and deride us in our circle. The ones saying they have come not for their own sake, but for the sake of others, are holy. And they say: having been born, having held us and having drawn us into their land, being in our circle, they reproach us, mock us, and sneer at us; but the reproach, the mockery, and the derision do not touch us, but them. Just as if someone derides another, so that they may have children by weaving themselves together, and enjoy themselves. Therefore, those who are being mocked by these are thought to be such.
15 He made us a parable among the nations. Something hidden by a word is compared to something similar. That it may become clear, let us see from the Gospel (Matt 13:31): he compares the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed, not saying 'it is like a mustard seed' while being a seed itself; for it was no longer a similarity, but an identity. He says 'hyper' [beyond/exceeding]. Therefore, the mustard seed has a power smaller in size than the seeds, capable of transforming and becoming such a plant. And the kingdom of heaven, thus revealing the teaching of the Scriptures, is something humble and small in its wording. If one sees it through the mustard seed, and that it becomes a greater plant, the...
Greek
συναιχμαλωτισθέντες ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ·· ἑαυτῶν καὶ ὁ λαὸς καὶ ἐκεῖνοι διὰ ἁμαρτίας, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν λαὸς διὰ τὰς ἰδίας, οἱ δὲ διὰ τὰς ἄλλων. "καὶ οὐκ ἦν πλῆθος ἐν τοῖς ἀλλάγμασιν αὐτῶν". ὀλίγοι δὲ αὐτάρκεις γέγοναν πρὸς σ̣····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ἐγένετο ἄν, εἰ ἦσαν ἐπιστρέψαντες καὶ γνόντες οἷ κακῶν εἰσιν. "αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα· καταβὰς ὄψομαι εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομένην πρός με συντελοῦνται, εἰ δὲ μή, ἵνα γνῶ". ὅσον ἧκεν ἐπὶ τῇ βοῇ τῆς κακίας αὐτῶν καὶ τῇ ἐπιτάσει ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ··· εἰ δὲ μὴ εὕροιμι αὐτοὺς τοιούτους, ἀλλὰ μετανοήσαντας ὡς τοὺς Νινευίτας, γνώσομαι αὐτούς. ὅτι δὲ οἱ ὑπὸ θεοῦ γιγνωσκόμενοι οὔκ εἰσιν φαῦλοι· "ἔγνω κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ". "ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν οὐκ εἰδότες θεὸν ἐδουλεύετε τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσιν θεοῖς· νῦν δὲ γνόντες θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ θεοῦ". ὅτε ἦσαν γνόντες, μᾶλλον ἐγιγνώσκοντο ὑπὸ τοῦ εὐεργέτου. 14 ἔθου ἡμᾶς ὄνειδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν. πρὸς τὴν ἱστορίαν γείτονές εἰσιν οἱ ἀστυγείτον̣ες, οἱ πλησίον ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· · ἐπεὶ οὖν εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ἀπήχθημεν, "ὄνειδος ἡμᾶς ἔθου τοῖς 318 γείτοσιν ἡμῶν". ····· ····· ···· ἡμῖν. αὐτοὶ μὲν οὐ πεπόνθασιν οὐδὲ κεκράτηνται μετὰ τῶν ἀνελθόντων πολεμίων, ἀλλὰ ἡμεῖς. ὡς δὲ πρὸς διάνοιαν τοῦτο· ὡς ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ὄνειδος γέγονεν σωτηρίας ἕνεκα–εἴρηται γάρ̣· "τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πλείονα πλοῦτον ἡγησάμενος τῶν Αἰγύπτου θησαυρῶν"–, οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι τρόπον τινὰ ὀνείδεσιν περιπεπτώκασιν κρατηθέντες καὶ εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ἀχθέντες. "ἀγγέλους", φησίν, "τοὺς μὴ 223 τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχήν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολιπόντας τὸ ἴδιον οἰκητήριον δεσμοῖς ἀι¨̣δίοις" ὑπέβαλεν. οὔκ ἐστιν ἐπαινετὸς ὀνειδισμὸς οὗτος τῶν ἀγγέλων, ὅτι τὸν οὐρανὸν οἰκεῖν λαχόντες κ̣αὶ δυνάμενοι παραστάται διαμεῖναι τοῦ θεοῦ ἀεὶ ὑμνοῦντες, γεγόνασιν ἐν κακίᾳ ὥστε ἐκπεσεῖν τοῦ οὐραν̣οῦ. οὗτος ὀνειδισμὸς φαῦλός ἐστιν. ἰδοὺ γοῦν ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ οὐ μόνον ἐπαινετός, ἀλλὰ καὶ θησαυρῶν πλείων ἐστίν. καὶ εἰ μη`̣ ἦν διαφορὰ τούτων, οὐκ ἂν ἔλεγεν ὁ παροιμιαστής· "μὴ κτήσῃ κακῶν ἀνδρῶν ὀνείδ̣η". ὁ´̣τε οὖν ο̣ι῾̣ ἀπόστολοι χαίρουσιν καὶ ἀγαλλιῶνται ὀνειδιζόμενοι ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ····· ····· ··· τ̣ι ποιήσαντες, οὔκ εἰσιν ἀγαθοὶ οὗτοι οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τοιούτων. ὄνειδος αὐτὸς γενόμενός τισιν ἔθηκ̣εν̣ τὸ ὀνειδίζεσθαι ἐπὶ τῷ ἐπὶ ψευδοκατηγορίαις, οὐκ ἐπ' ἀληθῶς ἐχούσαις ὀνειδίζεσθαι. οὕτω γοῦν καὶ τό· "ἡμεῖς ἄτιμοι· δοκῶ γάρ, ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους". τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ ὄνειδος αὐτοὺς τεθεῖσθαι. οὐκ ἀληθὴς ὀνειδισμός ἐστιν, οὐ κακῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν. ἐπερ · πρὸς τὸ ῥητόν; –τοῦτο ὅτι ····· ····· ····· ···· οὐ σπουδ̣αῖα, οὐ θεοσεβῆ, καὶ οἱ ἐπελθόντες πολέμιοι ἡμῶν ····· ····· ····· ····· ·····υς δὲ οὐ μετήνεγκαν ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας αὐτῶν. 14 μυκτηρισμὸν καὶ καταγέλωτα τοῖς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν. οἱ ἅγιοί εἰσιν οἱ λέγοντες ····· ····· ····· ····· ··· ἐλη̣λυθότες οὐχ ἑαυτῶν ἕνεκα, ἀλλὰ ἄλλων χάριν. καὶ λέγουσιν ····· ····· ····· ····· ·····ν γενάμενοι κρατήσαντες ἡμᾶς καὶ ἑλκύσαντες εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν κύκλῳ ἡμῶν ὄντες ὀνειδίζουσιν ἡμᾶς καὶ χλευάζουσιν καὶ μυκτηρίζουσιν· ἀλλὰ ὁ ὀνειδιςμὸς καὶ ὁ μυκτηρισμὸς καὶ ὁ καταγέλ̣ως οὐχ ἡμῶν ἅπτεται, ἀλλ' ἐκείνων. ὡς ἐὰν καταγελῶν τις ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····κεν, ἵνα ἀλλήλους ἐπι πλεκόμενοι παῖδας ἔχωσιν, καὶ ε····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····χητα καὶ ἀπολαύῃ. τοὺς στερομένους οὖν τούτων χλευ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· η῾̣γοῦνται. 15 ἔθου ἡμᾶς εἰς παραβολὴν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ···κρυμμένον λόγῳ ὅμοιον ὁμοίῳ παραβάλληται. ὅμοιον ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· σαφ̣ὲς γένηται, ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἴδωμεν· παραβάλλει τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν τῷ κόκκῳ τοῦ 319 σινάπεως οὐ τοῦτο λέγων ὅτι· "ὁμοία ἐστὶν τῷ κόκκῳ τοῦ σινάπεως" καὶ αὐτὴ κόκκος οὖσα· οὐκέτι γὰρ ὁμοιότης ἦν, ἀλλὰ ταὐτότης. ὑπερ····· ····· ···· λέγει. ἔχει τοίνυν ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σινάπεως τὸ τῶν σπερμάτων μικρομεγεθέστερον ····· ···· ··· δύναμιν δυναμένην μεταβαλεῖν καὶ τοιόνδε γενέσθαι φυτόν. καὶ ἡ βασιλεία τοίνυν τῶν οὐρανῶν δηλοῦσα τὴν διδασκαλίαν τῶν γραφῶν ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ λέξει, ταπεινή τίς ἐστιν καὶ μικρά. εἰ μ····· ····· ····· αὐτὴν διὰ σινάπεως, καὶ ὅτι μεῖζον φυτὸν γίνεται ὁ
About this text
Didymus the Blind on the Psalms.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
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- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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