The Fig and the Vine
"The stone which was rejected by you, the builders, has become the head of the corner." Ps 118:22. For how did the two walls not join and complete one single corner: the one being built from the Jews coming to the gospel, and the other from the Gentiles who believed? For when the Church of both Jews and Greeks was gathered, Christ having become its head, He completed one corner, with all those joined to one building in one faith, all people from the two peoples being created into one new man Eph 2:15.
This stone, thus announced as the cornerstone, chosen, precious, which God placed in the foundations of Zion, no longer to be shamed by any sin, having become pure for everyone believing upon it. Those coming to the immortal living Word, living themselves, are being built up as hidden stones, so that a spiritual house may be composed and an intelligible altar, upon which the sacrifice of praise is offered and all things being like it are spiritual.
May we also, living, become holy stones, rolling upon the earth of God, so that, having been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets of Christ Jesus Eph 2:20, we may be completed as a temple and a spiritual house, so that God may dwell in us.
"I dig a pit," says the Lord of all, "and I will search out all the injustice of that land in one day" Zech 3:9. "On that day," says the Lord of all, "let each call his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree" Zech 3:10.
"I dig," says the Lord of all, "a pit, in order to make all the hidden things manifest, in order to touch and feel all the injustice of that land;" it is clear that of the one being dug, in the one day of illumination, then most especially when "the Lord God shines" Ps 104:4 the Lord of all "the secrets of darkness, and makes manifest the purposes of the hearts," in order to condemn those having done all injustice.
One day can be called the season of our Savior's visitation, in which the benefactor who shines also searches all the injustice of the revealed land, taking away the sin of the world.
Because of this, once the cause of all strife and every unjust war has been overcome, there will be a deep peace, such that no one fears anymore, since strifes are dissolved and wars are ended, and the demons and other opposing powers, which are called 'rulers of this darkness', are gone, so that everyone may live fearlessly and invite his neighbor under the fig and the vine.
This peaceful and stable state is being described, and the prophet Micah foretells presciently that day, saying: 'Each one will call his neighbor and his brother under his fig tree and his vine, not being afraid' (Micah 4:4). For how can anyone still be afraid, when all strifes and wars are dissolved?
What is meant by the mentioned plants, the vine and the fig trees—whether the contemplative or the active life? The vine, producing fruit that makes the contemplative and scientific life joyful, and the fig, being somewhat severe and rough due to the toil and sweat for the sake of possessing virtue.
Regarding the fig thus given, the proverb says: 'He who plants a fig tree will eat its fruits, but he who guards the Lord will be honored' (Proverbs 12:14), which is not contrary to history; for many having planted a sensible fig tree neither sat down nor ate its fruits, either being prevented by death or being driven far away from the plant they planted, while only he who eats the fruits of a spiritual tree eats alone and for all.
The fig is said to be the active and energetic life of good things; likewise the vine should be understood, becoming like a branch of the true vine. For each of the disciples of Jesus is a vine, becoming a branch of the one saying, Savior: 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Every branch remaining in me bears more fruit' (John 15:5).
Those who have cultivated the said trees, becoming fellow-laborers and brothers, invite one another under the vine and the fig tree in peace, to live in luxury. For when you see the contemplative man hurrying to lead his neighbors under the wise theory of God and of His doctrines and...
Greek
ἐστιν ὁ λίθος ὁ ἐξουθενηθεὶς ὑφ' ὑμῶν τῶν οἰκοδόμων, γενάμενος εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας.» 1.259 Πῶς γὰρ οὐ συνῆψεν καὶ μίαν ἀπετέλεσεν γωνίαν τοὺς δύο τοίχους, τόν τε οἰκοδομούμενον ἐκ τῶν προσελθόντων τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ Ἰουδαίων καὶ τῶν πιστευσάντων ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν· συγκειμένης γὰρ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἔκ τε Ἰουδαίων καὶ Ἑλλήνων, κεφαλὴ αὐτῆς γενάμενος ὁ Χριστός, μίαν ἀπετέλεσε γωνίαν, συμφωνούντων λοιπὸν κατὰ μίαν πίστιν τῶν συνηρμοσμένων εἰς μίαν οἰκοδομήν, πάντων ἀνθρώπων τῶν προσηκαμένων τὸ θεῖον εὐαγγέλιον ἀπὸ τῶν δύο λαῶν κτιζομένων εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον. 1.260 Τὸν οὕτω ἀπαγγελλόμενον λίθον, ὄντα «ἀκρογωνιαῖον, ἐκλεκτόν, ἔντιμον, ἐνέβαλεν ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὰ θεμέλια τῆς Σιών, μηκέτι αἰσχυνομένου» δι' ἁμαρτίαν τινός, καθαρσίου γεγενημένου παντὸς τοῦ πιστεύοντος ἐπ' αὐτῷ. Οἱ προσερχόμενοι τῷ ἀθανάτως ζῶντι Λόγῳ, ζῶντες καὶ αὑτοί, λανθάνοντες λίθοι ἐποικοδομοῦνται, ἵν' οἶκος πνευματικὸς συστῇ καὶ θυσιαστήριον νοητόν, ἐφ' ὃ ἀναφέρεται ἡ τῆς αἰνέσεως θυσία καὶ αἱ ὁμογενεῖς αὐτῇ πᾶσαι οὖσαι πνευματικαί. 1.261 Γενοίμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς ζῶντες λίθοι ἅγιοι, κυλιόμενοι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵν' «ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ» ναὸς καὶ οἶκος πνευματικὸς ἀποτελεσθῶμεν, ἵν' ἐνοικήσῃ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν. 1.262 Zach. III, 9–10: Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ὀρύσσω βόθρον, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ, καὶ 26 ψηλαφήσω πᾶσαν τὴν ἀδικίαν τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ. Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ, συγκαλέσατε ἕκαστος τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ ὑποκάτω ἀμπέλου καὶ ὑποκάτω συκῆς. 1.263 Ὀρύσσω, φησίν, ἐγὼ Κύριος παντοκράτωρ, βόθρον, ἐπὶ τῷ τὰ κεκρυμμένα πάντα φανερῶσαι, ἐπὶ τῷ ἅψασθαι καὶ ψηλαφῆσαι πᾶσαν τὴν ἀδικίαν τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης, δῆλον δ' ὅτι τῆς ὀρυττομένης, ἐν μιᾷ τῇ ἐπιλαμπομένῃ ἡμέρᾳ, τότε μάλιστα ὅτε «φωτίζει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς» ὁ παντοκράτωρ «τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους, καὶ τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν φανεροῖ», ἐπὶ τῷ καταδικάσαι τοὺς πράξαντας τὴν ἀδικίαν πᾶσαν. 1.264 ∆ύναται ἡμέρα μία καλεῖσθαι ὁ καιρὸς τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιδημίας, ἐν ᾗ ψηλαφᾷ ὁ ἐπιλάμψας εὐεργέτης ἅμα καὶ κριτὴς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀδικίαν τῆς δεικνυμένης γῆς, «αἱρῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου»· οὗ κατορθωθέντος, ἐκποδὼν γεναμένης τῆς μητρὸς πάσης στάσεως καὶ παντὸς πολέμου ἀδικίας, εἰρήνη ἔσται βαθεῖα, ὡς μηκέτι δεδιέναι τινά, καταλυθέντων τῶν στάσεις καὶ πολέμους ἐγειρόντων δαιμόνων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀντικειμένων δυνάμεων, αἳ εἴρηνται «κοσμοκράτορες τοῦ σκότους τούτου», ὡς ἀφόβως λοιπὸν διάγειν ἕκαστον καὶ προσκαλεῖσθαι τὸν πλησίον ὑποκάτω συκῆς καὶ ἀμπέλου. 1.265 Ταύτην ὑπογράφων τὴν εἰρηναίαν καὶ εὐσταθῆ κατάστασιν, καὶ Μιχαίας ὁ προφήτης προαναφωνεῖ προγνωστικῶς τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ λέγων· «Προσκαλέσεται ἕκαστος τὸν πλησίον καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ὑποκάτω συκῆς καὶ ἀμπέλου αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ ἐκφοβοῦντος.» Πῶς γὰρ ἔτι ἐκφοβῶν τις ἔσται, πάντων τῶν στάσεις καὶ πολέμους ἐγειρόντων καταλυθέντων; 1.266 Τί δ' αἰνίττονται τὰ μνημονευθέντα φυτ̣ά, ἄμπελον καὶ συκῆν λέγω, ἢ τὸν θεωρητικὸν καὶ πρακτικὸν βίον; Ἡ μὲν ἄμπελος τὸν γνωστικὸν καὶ ἐπιστημονικὸν εὐφροσύνης ποιητικὸν ποιοῦσα καρπόν, ἡ δὲ συκῆ τὸν πρακτικόν, αὐστηρά τις καὶ τραχεῖα τυγχάνουσα διὰ τοὺς ὑπὲρ κτήσεως ἀρετῆς πόνους καὶ ἱδρῶτας. 1.267 Περὶ τῆς οὕτω ἀποδιδομένης συκῆς τὸ σαλαμώντιον θέσπισμα ἐν Παροιμίαις λέγει· «Ὁ φυτεύων συκῆν φάγεται τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων τὸν Κύριον τιμηθήσεται», οὐκ οὔσης ἀναντιρρήτου τῆς ἱστορίας· πολλοὶ γὰρ φυτεύσαντες αἰσθητὴν συκῆν οὐδ' ἐδρέψαντο οὐδ' ἔφαγον τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς, ἢ θανάτῳ κωλυθέντες, ἢ πόρρω οὗ ἐφύτευσαν φυτοῦ ἀπῳκισμένοι, μόνου καὶ παντὸς ἐσθίοντος τοὺς καρποὺς οὗ ἐφύτευσαν πνευματικοῦ δένδρου. 1.268 Εἴρηται δ' ἡ συκῆ ὁ πρακτικὸς καὶ ἐνεργητικὸς τῶν καλῶν βίος· καταλλήλως ἐκδεκτέον καὶ τὴν ἄμπελον, τὴν γινομένην οἷα κλῆμα ἀμπέλου τῆς ἀληθινῆς. Ἄμπελος γάρ ἐστιν ἕκαστος τῶν Ἰησοῦ μαθητῶν, κλῆμα τυγχάνων τοῦ λέγοντος Σωτῆρος· «Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς δὲ τὰ κλήματα. Πᾶν κλῆμα μένον ἐν ἐμοὶ πλείονα καρπὸν φέρει.» 1.269 Φιλέταιροι καὶ φιλάδελφοι τυγχάνοντες οἱ τὰ λεχθέντα δένδρα γεωργήσαντες, προσκαλοῦνται ἀλλήλους ὑποκάτω ἀμπέλου καὶ συκῆς εἰρηναίως, ἐπὶ τῷ τρυφῶντας διάγειν. Ὅτε γοῦν ὁρᾷς τὸν γνωστικὸν ἄνδρα σπεύδοντα ἄγειν τοὺς πλησίους ὑπὸ τὴν σοφὴν θεωρίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ δογμάτων τε καὶ
About this text
Didymus the Blind on Zechariah.
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- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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