The Rebuke Within the Devil
The evil one is being covered by the right hand of God, who helps. See what the hymn-singer is crowing toward him who is thus being found under the hand of God: 'The Most High is my refuge; evil shall not approach you, and a rod shall not come near your dwelling, because he commands his angels concerning you' (Ps 91:2); and shortly after: 'He shall tread upon the lion and the dragon' (Ps 91:13).
Regarding this lion and dragon thus spoken of, in the Apocalypse of John it is said that he is 'the ancient Satan' (Rev 12:9). From a parallel it will seem to be revealed in such a theory that 'devil' and 'Satan' are the same, the name Satan being Hebrew, meaning 'adversary' in the Greek voice. These things being thus considered, it is blessed to have the devil as an enemy and an adversary and not a friend; for his fellowship is harmful and strikes toward destruction. Immediately, too, approaching Judas, he made him a 'son of perdition' (John 17:12) and his own child, so as to share in his designation.
For the Savior says concerning him to the twelve disciples: 'Did I not choose you, the twelve? And one of you is a devil' (John 6:70). And even to this Jesus, as a man having become one having taken up a soul and a body of a man, stood in the desert as an adversary at the right hand, fasting forty days and nights equally. Was he not, as an adversary, having led him painfully to the pinnacle of the temple, saying, 'Cast yourself down from here' (Matt 4:5); and having shown all the kingdoms of the inhabited world and their glories, saying, 'All these things I will give to you, if falling you worship me' (Matt 4:8)? Even if he said these things with deceit, he was overturned and cast down, having become wretched under the one 'being tempted in all things' (Heb 4:15) by other men.
May God, the helper of the helpless, grant also to us, who have 'against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and the spiritual forces of wickedness' (Eph 6:12), to remain unassailable and undefeated, not being touched at all by the evil one.
Zechariah III, 2: And the Lord said to the devil: 'The Lord rebuke you, O devil, and the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you.' Is this not like a brand plucked from the fire? The Lord, he says, said to the...
The Lord rebukes the devil: 'The Lord rebuke you, Satan.' And in the present text, the Lord speaks concerning the Lord, the Father concerning the Son, as has been previously stated. How then does the Lord speak, and what does He mean by rebuking the devil?
The Master of all does not use a spoken word in any one of the human dialects to converse with the devil; for He Himself, being incorporeal and existing as a spiritual essence, does not use vocal organs, nor does the devil, whose hearing is struck by words composed of syllables, have a hearing toward Him, especially when God is the one speaking. Indeed, encountering the book of Job, finding there God speaking to the devil and the devil to God, we are not so small-minded as to think that questions and answers occur according to the vocal utterance of human dialect; it is otherwise fitting and proper for the persons present. For God indeed says when He wishes to make manifest to those whom He has judged to hear, as if He again hears those conversing with Him, knowing what they have in their ruling principle.
And in the present context, the Lord said to the devil, making manifest to him the thing being announced, having it thus: 'The Lord rebuke you, Satan,' but not saying: 'You shall be a vessel of wrath in which also the tormentors may rebuke those who have worked wickedly as they deserved.' But if He says to him 'in you,' the word has such a meaning: since, having sinned hidden within yourself, and not escaping notice in doing this, God, who hides your secret and foreknows all, rebukes in you, overseeing the malice hidden in you.
Because the devil thus works malice, and many born according to wickedness by him, God says toward him in Isaiah: 'But you have said in your mind, I will ascend into heaven,' and the following until: 'I shall be like the Most High' (Isa 14:14). This is consistent with what is said in the Psalms: 'The transgressor says that he sins in himself' (Ps 51:4). For sinning in himself and saying in his mind, 'I will ascend into heaven,' he receives the rebuke in himself without escaping. It is equivalent to what was said: 'The fool has said in his heart, There is no God' (Ps 14:1).
Having shown how even he who sins in secret does not escape punishment, he shows hereafter who it is that rebukes, that He who has chosen Jerusalem exists.
Greek
τοῦ πονηροῦ τοῦ βοηθουμένου ὑπὸ τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ Θεοῦ σκεπομένου. 1.190 Ὅρα γοῦν τί κελαδῶν ὁ ὑμνῳδὸς πρὸς τὸν οὕτω ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ Θεοῦ τυγχάνοντα· «Τὸν ὕψιστον ἔθου καταφυγήν σου, οὐ προσελεύσεται πρὸς σὲ κακά, καὶ μάστιξ οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ τῷ σκηνώματί σου, ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ»· καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· «Ἐπ' ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσει, καὶ καταπατήσεις λέοντα καὶ 19 δράκοντα.» 1.191 Περὶ τοῦ οὕτω λεγομένου λέοντος καὶ δράκοντος, ἐν τῇ Ἰωάννου Ἀποκαλύψει λέγεται ὡς εἴη «ὁ ἀρχαῖος Σατανᾶς». Ἐκ παραλλήλου δόξει εἰρῆσθαι ἐν τῇ τοιαύτῃ θεωρίᾳ διάβολος καὶ Σατανᾶς ὁ αὐτός, ἑβραϊκὴ δ' οὖσα ἡ Σατανᾶς φωνὴ «ἀντικείμενος» σημαίνει τῇ Ἑλλήνων φωνῇ. 1.192 Τούτων οὕτω θεωρουμένων, μακάριόν ἐστιν ἔχειν ἐχθρὸν καὶ ἀντικείμενον τὸν διάβολον καὶ μὴ φίλον· ἐπιβλαβὴς γὰρ ἡ τούτου ἑταιρία καὶ εἰς ὄλεθρον κατασπῶσα. Αὐτίκα γοῦν πλησιάσας τῷ Ἰούδᾳ, «υἱὸν ἀπωλείας» αὐτὸν ἐποίησεν καὶ ἴδιον τέκνον ὡς μετασχεῖν καὶ τῆς προσηγορίας αὐτοῦ. 1.193 Φησὶν γὰρ ὁ Σωτὴρ περὶ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς δώδεκα μαθητάς· «Οὐχὶ τοὺς δώδεκα ὑμᾶς ἐξελεξάμην; Καὶ εἷς ἐξ ὑμῶν διάβολός ἐστιν.» Καὶ αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ Ἰησοῦ, καθὸ ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν ἀναλαβὼν ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀνθρώπου, ἐν τῷ ἐρήμῳ ἔστη ἀντικείμενος ἐκ δεξιῶν νηστεύοντι τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ νύκτας ἴσας. 1.194 Ἦ οὐκ ἀντικείμενος ἀναγαγὼν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ δολερῶς ἔφασκεν· «Βάλε σεαυτὸν ἐντεῦθεν κάτω», καὶ δείξας πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τῆς οἰκουμένης καὶ τὰς δόξας αὐτῶν· «Ταῦτα πάντα δώσω σοι», εἶπεν, «ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι». Πλὴν εἰ καὶ σὺν δόλῳ ταῦτ' ἔλεγεν, ἀνετράπη καὶ κατεβλήθη ἔξαθλος γενάμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ «πειραθέντος κατὰ πάντα» τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις. 1.195 ∆ῴη δὲ καὶ ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τῶν ἀβοηθήτων βοηθός, τὴν πάλην ἔχουσιν ἡμῖν «πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου καὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας», ἀπλήκτους καὶ ἀπτώτους διαμεῖναι, μηδ' ὅλως ἁψαμένου ἡμῶν τοῦ πονηροῦ. 1.196 Zach. III, 2: Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς τὸν διάβολον· Ἐπιτιμήσαι Κύριος ἐν σοί, διάβολε, καὶ ἐπιτιμήσαι Κύριος ἐν σοὶ ὁ ἐκλεξάμενος Ἰερουσαλήμ. Οὐκ ἰδοὺ τοῦτο ὡς δαλὸς ἐξεσπασμένος ἐκ πυρός; 1.197 Ὁ Κύριος, φησίν, εἶπεν τῷ διαβόλῳ· Ἐπιτιμήσαι ἐν σοί, διάβολε. Καὶ ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ λέξει, ὁ Κύριος περὶ Κυρίου λέγει, ὁ Πατὴρ περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ὡς ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται. Πῶς δὲ λέγει καὶ τί τῷ διαβόλῳ ὁ Κύριος ἐπιστατέον. 1.198 Οὐ προφορικῷ λόγῳ χρώμενος κατά τινα μίαν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων διαλέκτων ὁμιλεῖ τῷ διαβόλῳ ὁ πάντων δεσπότης· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτὸς φωνητικοῖς ὀργάνοις χρᾶται ἀσώματος καὶ νοερὰ οὐσία ὑπάρχων, οὐδὲ πρὸς ὃν ὁ λόγος διάβολος πληττομένην ἔχει ἀκοὴν ὑπὸ φωνῶν συγκειμένων ἐκ συλλαβῶν, μάλιστα ὅταν Θεὸς ᾖ ὁ λέγων. Ἐντυγχάνοντες γοῦν τῇ βίβλῳ τοῦ Ἰώβ,εὑρίσκοντες ἐκεῖ Θεὸν λέγοντα τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὸν διάβολον, οὐχ οὕτω μικροφυεῖς ἐσμεν ὡς νομίσαι κατὰ προφορὰν ἀνθρωπίνης διαλέκτου γίνεσθαι τὰς ἐρωτήσεις καὶ ἀποκρίσεις· ἄλλως ἁρμόζει καὶ πρέπει τοῖς ἐκκειμένοις προσώποις. Λέγει μὲν γὰρ Θεὸς ὅταν ὃ βούλεται φανερώσῃ οἷς ἔκρινεν ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ, ὡς αὖ ἀκούει τῶν διαλεγομένων αὐτῷ γινώσκων ὃ ἔχουσιν ἐν ἡγεμονικῷ τῷ σφῶν. 1.199 Καὶ ἐν τοῖς προκειμένοις γοῦν εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ, φανερώσας αὐτῷ τὸ ἀπαγγελλόμενον ἔχον οὕτως· «Ἐπιτιμήσαι Κύριος ἐν σοί, διάβολε», μόνον οὐχὶ λέγων· Σκεῦος ὀργῆς ἔσῃ ἐν ᾧ καὶ δι' οὗ ἐπιτιμῶνται οἱ κολαστέοι ἐπαξίως οἷς ἠργάσαντο φαύλως. Εἰ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγοιτο τὸ «ἐν σοί», διάνοιαν ἔχει τὸ ῥητὸν τοιαύτην· ἐπεὶ ἐν σεαυτῷ κεκρυμμένως ἁμαρτάνεις, οὐ λανθάνεις δὲ τοῦτ' ἐνεργῶν, τὸ κρυπτόν σου καὶ πάντων προκαταλαμβάνων ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιτιμᾷ ἐν σοί, ἐπιστάμενος τὴν ἐν σοὶ κρυπτομένην κακουργίαν. 1.200 Ὅτι δὲ οὕτως κακουργεῖ ὁ διάβολος καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν κατὰ πονηρίαν γεννηθέντων ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν Ἠσαΐᾳ ὁ Θεός φησιν· «Σὺ δὲ εἶπας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου· Εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβήσομαι», καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς μέχρι τοῦ· «ἔσομαι ὅμοιος τῷ ὑψίστῳ». Τούτῳ συνᾴδει καὶ τὸ ἐν Ψαλμοῖς εἰρημένον· «Φησὶν ὁ παράνομος τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ.» Ἁμαρτάνων γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ λέγων ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ· «Εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβήσομαι», οὐ λαθὼν ἐν ἑαυτῷ δέχεται τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν. Ἰσοδυναμεῖ τοῖς εἰρημένοις τό· «Εἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· Οὐκ 20 ἔστιν Θεός.» 1.201 ∆είξας ὡς καὶ ὁ ἐν κρυπτῷ ἁμαρτάνων οὐ διαδιδράσκει τιμωρίαν, δείκνυσιν ἑξῆς τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἐπιτιμῶν, ὅτι ὁ ἐκλεξάμενος τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ ὑπάρχει.
About this text
Didymus the Blind on Zechariah.
Original English Translation — new OET from PG Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.