The Endurance of Mercy and the Nature of Commandments
Having been distanced from paradise, the previously spoken evils of the interpreted Easts hold such a distance from himself. For the evils are far from the virtues.
But as one in the Easts has the previously spoken evils distanced from him by God, so he who is in them, desiring to sin by himself and not from God, is not distanced from the Easts, but is cast out of paradise. But even after these things have happened through disobedience to the divine commands, Jesus comes upon the evils according to 'Make way for him who is stepping upon the evils, the Lord is the law to him' (Ps 102:13), and he will not stay there long, but coming to the pain, saying 'With me you shall be in paradise.' For providing a remission of sins, he removes the evils from the rising toward paradise.
Rather, God excessively and super-abundantly pities those who fear him (Ps 102:13), having set them into the rank of his sons, making known to each of us the creature. For he did not create anything hating, but knowing the hearts of men, he fashioned them individually as he saw fit for each of us. And we have power and a starting point, and these he gives upon us having them by energy to become his sons. It is possible to grasp that he himself knows our creature and thus: let him take experience of our creature; having become flesh, he assumed a natural disposition so as to consider us sons of himself.
Not as a creator of our nature did he create the weakness. For even if not all our construction is from dust (for we have a spiritual nature in ourselves, becoming an icon and likeness of God), but rather in supplications toward God, deeming him a gatherer and benefactor, we say that he brings forward the lesser and weaker of those in us: 'Remember, Lord, what dust we are; therefore help our weakness and our poverty' (Ps 102:14). Following 'Remember, Lord, what dust we are,' it forbids not the inner man, but the outer things lying ahead. For according to the present and after the flesh, we have certain days that complete the extending time of the life after the flesh, surpassing it like a parching meadow.
He sings along with the others, and Isaiah says: 'All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man is like the flower of the grass; the sun rises and withers the grass, and its flower falls' (Isa 40:6-8). These things represent the glories, honors, and all the prosperities existing in this life which seem to those living in the flesh to be abundant, yet they depart like a flower and grass, and wither as if they had never even existed (Ps 102:17-18).
You should also perceive in another way the children of righteous men as zealots for their works. Thus, the mercy of God toward those who fear Him is indescribably extended from age to age (Ps 102:17-18). For He does not sometimes show mercy and sometimes not; for being good by nature, He always shows mercy. Moreover, righteousness is the spouse of this mercy; it is not limited by time, but extends to all generations, remaining upon the sons of sons and through all succession, so that He may always have this righteousness with those who guard the covenant of God from age to age, who are also inscribed as heirs of the coming promises through their doing of good. For those guarding it will also remember the commandments of God by doing them. For these are given not as a mere memory, but a memory for the purpose of doing. And regarding that which they are given for the purpose of doing, the Savior also establishes, saying: 'He who has my commandments and does them, he is the one who loves me' (John 14:15). For the promises are the reward and inheritance not of their memory alone, but of their doing.
And in other places it has been said that God is not in a place, but it is said that He dwells in heaven through a certain following and economy. Accordingly, it has been said that they have prepared for Him even here in heaven, that is, they have established the throne of His kingdom and His rule, not only of those in heaven, but of all, holding and dominating universally (Ps 102:19). One should not regard the prophet as a man, but rather the Holy Spirit within him, commanding the angels regarding the things at hand; for all His angels (meaning the Lord's) say, 'Bless Him' (Ps 103:20). The Spirit commands all the angels, being their essence. If this is so, how did some dare with audacity...
Greek
παραδείσῳ μακρυνθείσας ε χει ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ† τοσαύτῃ διαστάσει ο σον ἀπέχουσιν αἱ ἀρτίως εἰρημέναι δυσμαὶ τῶν ἑρμηνευθεισῶν ἀνατολῶν· μακρὰν γὰρ αἱ κακίαι τῶν ἀρετῶν. ἀλλ' ω σπερ ὁ ἐν ταῖς ἀνατολαῖς ω ν μακρυνομένας ε χει ὑπὸ θεοῦ τὰς προειρημένας δυσμάς, ου τως ὁ ἐν αὐταῖς διὰ τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν ει ναι θέλων παρ' ἑαυτὸν ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ μεμακρύνεται ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνατολῶν, ἐκβληθεὶς τοῦ παραδείσου. ἀλλ' ο μως καὶ τούτων γεγενημένων ἐκ παρακοῆς τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν, ἐρχόμενος ̓Ιησοῦς ἐπὶ τὰς δυσμὰς κατὰ τὸ ̔Οδοποιήσατε τῷ ἐπιβεβηκότι ἐπὶ δυσμῶν, κύριος ο νομα αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἐάσει ἐπὶ πολὺ ἐκεῖσε διατρῖψαι, πρὸς ε καστον ἐρῶν Μετ' ἐμοῦ ε σῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ. α φεσιν γὰρ ἁμαρτημάτων παρέχων ἀφίστησι τῶν 211 δυσμῶν ἐπὶ τῷ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον κατὰ ἀνατολὰς ἀνάγειν. 983 Ps 102,13.14a Μᾶλλον δὲ καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερεχόντως οἰκτείρει θεὸς τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν, εἰς τάξιν υἱῶν αὐτοὺς θέμενος τῷ αὐτὸν ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐγνωκέναι πλάσμα. οὐδὲ γὰρ μισῶν τι κατεσκεύασεν, ἀλλ' ἐπιστάμενος τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων α ς κατὰ μόνας ε πλασεν οι δεν τί ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν συμφέρει. καὶ ω ν ε χομεν δύναμιν καὶ ἀφορμήν, καὶ ταῦτα δίδωσιν ἐπὶ τῷ κατ' ἐνέργειαν ἡμᾶς αὐτὰ ε χοντας υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι. ∆υνατὸν ἐκλαβεῖν τὸ Οτι αὐτὸς ε γνω τὸ πλάσμα ἡμῶν καὶ ου τως· πεῖραν ε λαβε τοῦ πλάσματος ἡμῶν· γενάμενος σὰρξ ε σχε φυσικὴν διάθεσιν ω στε υἱοὺς ἡμᾶς ἑαυτοῦ λογίσασθαι. 984 Ps 102,14b Οι δεν ὡς δημιουργὸς τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν τὴν ἀσθένειαν. εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ πᾶσα ἡ κατασκευὴ ἡμῶν ἐκ χοός ἐστιν (ε χομεν γὰρ καὶ νοερὰν φύσιν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν θεοῦ τυγχάνουσαν), ἀλλά γε ἐν ταῖς πρὸς θεὸν ἱκεσίαις συλλήπτορα καὶ εὐεργέτην ε χειν αὐτὸν ἀξιοῦντες τὸ ὑποδεέστερον καὶ ἀσθενέστερον τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν προφέροντές φαμεν Μνήσθητι, κύριε, ο τι χοῦς ἐσμεν· διὸ βοήθησον τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ καὶ τῇ εὐτελείᾳ ἡμῶν. 985 Ps 102,15 ̓Ακολούθως τῷ Μνήσθητι, κύριε, ο τι χοῦς ἐσμεν οὐ περὶ τοῦ ε σω ἀνθρώπου ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ ε ξω τὰ προκείμενα διαγορεύει. κατὰ γὰρ τὴν ε νυλον καὶ μετὰ σαρκὸς ζωὴν ἡμέρας τινὰς ε χομεν τὰς συμπληρούσας ἡμῖν τὸν παρεκτείνοντα χρόνον τῆς μετὰ σαρκὸς ζωῆς παραβαλλομένας χόρτῳ ξηραινομένῳ. τούτοις συνῳδὰ καὶ ὁ ̔Ησαίας φησι Πᾶσα σὰρξ χόρτος καὶ πᾶσα δόξα ἀνθρώπου ὡς α νθος χόρτου· ἀνέτειλεν ὁ η λιος καὶ ἐξήρανε τὸν χόρτον, καὶ τὸ α νθος αὐτοῦ ἐξέπεσεν. παρίστησι δὲ ταῦτα τὰς ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ ὑπαρχούσας τοῖς μετὰ σαρκὸς ζῶσι δοκούσας εὐημερίας πλούτους δόξας ἀξιώματα καὶ τὰς α λλας εὐπραγίας, αι περ δίκην α νθους καὶ χόρτου ἀπορρεῖ καὶ μαραίνεται ὡς μηδὲ γεγονέναι δοκεῖν. 986 Ps 102,17.18 Νοήσεις δὲ καὶ α λλως υἱοὺς τῶν δικαίων ἀνδρῶν τοὺς τῶν ε ργων αὐτῶν ζηλωτάς· ου τως τὸ ε λεος ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτὸν ἀπερίγραφόν ἐστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ε ως τοῦ αἰῶνος παρατεῖνον. οὐ γὰρ ποτὲ μὲν ἐλεεῖ, ποτὲ δὲ οὐ· φύσει γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ω ν ἀεὶ ἐλεεῖ. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ σύζυγος τῷ ἐλέει τούτῳ δικαιοσύνη· οὐδ' αὐτὴ περιοριζομένη χρόνῳ, εἰς πάσας ἐκτείνεται τὰς γενεάς, ἐπὶ υἱοὺς υἱῶν καὶ εἰς πᾶσαν διαδοχὴν παραμένουσα, ὡς ἀεὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ταύτην ε χειν μετὰ τοῦ ἐξ αἰῶνος εἰς αἰῶνα ἐλέου τοὺς φυλάσσοντες τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ θεοῦ, οι καὶ ἐνεγράφησαν διὰ τοῦ πράττειν τὰ ἀγαθὰ κληρονόμοι τῶν μελλουσῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν. Ου τω γὰρ φυλάσσοντες αὐτὴν καὶ μεμνήσονται τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντολῶν ἐπὶ τῷ ποιεῖν αὐτάς. δέδονται γὰρ αυ ται οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ μνήμην αὐτῶν ψιλὴν ει ναι ἀλλὰ μνήμην εἰς τὸ ποιῆσαι. ο τι δὲ εἰς τὸ ποιεῖν δέδονται, καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ παρίστησιν εἰπὼν ̔Ο ε χων τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ ποιῶν αὐτάς, ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαπῶν με. τῆς γὰρ ποιήσεως ἀλλ' οὐ τῆς μνήμης αὐτῶν μόνης μισθὸς καὶ κληρονομία αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι. 987 Ps 102,19 Καὶ ἐν α λλοις ει ρηται οὐκ ἐν τόπῳ ει ναι τὸν θεόν, ἀκολουθίᾳ δέ τινι καὶ οἰκονομίᾳ λέγεσθαι αὐτὸν οἰκεῖν ἐν οὐρανῷ. ἀκολούθως ου ν ἐκείνοις καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐν οὐρανῷ ἡτοιμακέναι τουτέστιν ἱδρυκέναι τὸν θρόνον τῆς βασιλείας ει ρηται, τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ βασιλείας οὐ μόνον τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντων ἁπαξαπλῶς κρατούσης καὶ δεσποζούσης. 988 Ps 102,20a Οὐ τὸν προφήτην α νθρωπον ο ντα ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ πνεῦμα α γιον ἡγητέον προστάττειν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις τὰ ἐγκείμενα· πάντες γάρ φησιν οἱ α γγελοι αὐτοῦ (δηλονότι τοῦ κυρίου) εὐλογεῖτε αὐτόν. προστάττον δὲ πᾶσι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις τὸ πνεῦμα, ε τερον αὐτῶν κατ' οὐσίαν ἐστίν. εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, πῶς θρασέως ἐτόλμησάν τινες
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Discover how early Christians interpreted the Psalms as divine messages and prophecies about salvation and judgment.
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