Two modes of seeing

Therefore, when the righteous depart from life, the mountains and the hills, the angels and the righteous ones, will receive them with joy, rejoicing because of the one sheep. Along with this, even all the woods of the field will strike rejoicing, which are the intelligible things in paradise.

Then he says: 'Instead of a stack, a cypress shall rise up' (Gen 49:11), instead of being fruitless and thorny, useful and fragrant—for this is what the one repenting becomes—'and instead of boxwood, myrtle shall rise up' (Gen 49:11), changing from a foul odor to a fragrance. Since we have trees taken up intellectually, it is necessary also to contemplate the oak, to which Abraham comes, upon which sitting he was worthy of a vision when he also received the promise concerning Isaac. Through works and labors, advancing toward the heights, one is presented with the participation in the fragrance and the contemplation of the high and divine notions.

You shall also observe what was signaled, that 'the Canaanites still dwelt in the land' (Gen 48:11), lest we might think that to the one advancing everything is immediately set free, but he still has some of the old habit—for this is what 'still' signifies—which might be understood concerning those following the saint who have not yet attained perfection.

And the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to him: 'To your seed I will give this land' (Gen 28:13). And Abraham built there an altar to the Lord who appeared to him. Accordingly, to the one who has obeyed the commands given by God Himself, He appears, making the good hope of those expecting Him more certain; for He also promises to give the land to his seed. Accordingly also the saint, being thankful, builds an altar to the one who proposed the promise. And let these things be spoken in a manner of interpretation.

It is worthy to contemplate regarding 'God appeared to Abraham,' for the invisible God, as is demonstrated in the Gospel, it being said 'No one has seen God ever' (John 1:18), and 'Not that anyone has seen the Father' (John 6:46), but also Paul saying concerning God: 'Whom no man of men has seen nor is able to see' (1 Tim 6:16), which signifies that which is invisible by nature. For some of the visible things we do not see, but we are able to see, even if this does not follow; such is the nature of the visible things. But the invisible is not such that it cannot be seen...

Not something, but because of being invisible, it is not seen. It is therefore clear that seeing is twofold: one according to sense, the other according to intellect; the one is perceptive of visible things, the other of invisible things, which is a pure mind, through which God appeared to Abraham (Gen 15:1). The word also has another observation. For it has not been said, 'Abraham saw God,' but 'God appeared to Abraham' (Gen 15:1). Since we are toward created nature and its weakness, the thing is not possible; but as toward the philanthropy of God, it becomes possible, through His goodness granting Himself to His own comprehension.

And if ever 'saw' is placed instead of 'appeared' as in Isaiah (Isa 6:1): 'I saw the Lord sitting,' and the following, let us be instructed from what happened to Abraham: that, God granting Himself, this happens. That seeing is sometimes also applied to the intellect, as Paul writing to the Romans says: 'For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are perceived in the works, being clearly seen' (Rom 1:20). And Moses, regarding God, of whom he had a concept, that He is invisible, was saying: 'Show me yourself; that I may know you clearly' (Ex 33:18), and again: 'For He appears to those who do not believe in Him' (Heb 11:6); for if the thing seen were of a visible nature and it were possible to appear to the unbelieving, now it is said: 'He appears to those who do not believe in Him' (Heb 11:6), having had the intellect illumined by divine light. Again the matter applies to the sensible things: for first we see them, then, of the type coming from the sense into the intellect, we perceive them; and the intelligible things provide themselves for being known, not by the intellect preceding beforehand, if not only by turning itself toward comprehension, but also by following that which appeared. And sometimes the thought about God happens also from the comprehension of the creation, according to 'For from the beauty of the things, analogously, the Creator of them is perceived' and just as God appeared to Abraham. For the name 'God' is joined to creation as in 'In the beginning God made the heaven' (Gen 1:1), and: 'God said, Let there be light' (Gen 1:3), the appellation of 'Lord' being spoken then when the law was provided. Thus, having beheld through the all-harmonious order of the all...