Incarnation
The virgin's question to Gabriel, 'How will this be for me, since I do not know a man?' (Luke 1:34), reveals her astonishment and perplexity at the angel's message.
She is overwhelmed by the wonder of it all and is struggling to comprehend the extraordinary things being said to her.
Her innocence and purity are evident in her words, as she protests that she has not touched the flower of her prime and has kept the temple of her body uncorrupted.
The angel's immediate response, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you,' (Luke 1:35), provides the answer to the virgin's question.
This response highlights the miraculous nature of the conception and the role of the Holy Spirit in it.
The angel's words also emphasize the virgin's purity and her suitability to bear the Only-Begotten Son of God, who wished to take on the form of a servant from her without corruption.
You must not separate the mysteries that follow, for in a cave, you give birth to the creator of all creation, and in a manger, you sit with the one who sits on the cherubim, without a place in the inn, yet you are the mother of the king of those above and below.
For he willingly becomes poor out of you, so that he may also humble the rich, and become a model of endurance and a teacher of gratitude for the poor.
He willingly places himself in the manger, so that the animal-like ones may run to him and find the Logos sitting in the manger, and take from him the rational dignity, so that they may find bread having expected straw, and eat the true bread, the food of life, the dinner of light, the nourishment of joy, and the sweetness of incorruptibility, which gives the knowledge of the kingdom, the pledge of adoption, the lot of the heavens, and the communion of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greek
2 δύ ναται; Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἐνεργείας θεοῦ, ἐξ ἐπιφοιτήσεως ὑψί στου, ἐκ παρουσίας Πνεύματος. 5 Τοιγαροῦν ἡνίκα ἡ παρθένος πρὸς τὸν Γαβριὴλ ἔλεγε· «Πῶς ἔσται μοι τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω;» τουτέστιν· «Ἐκ πλήττει με τὸ θαῦμα, καταπλήττει με τὸ ῥῆμα», καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἀγ γέλου χρηματισμὸς τὴν παρθένον ἐξίστησιν. «Θαυμαστὰ λέγεις, ἐμοὶ δὲ διὰ τὸ ξένον ὕποπτα. ∆έδοικα τοῦ εὐαγγελισμοῦ τὸ και νόν, θορυβοῦμαι πρὸς τὸ λίαν τῶν λεγομένων ἄηθες. "3Πῶς ἔσται μοι τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω;"3 Πῶς ἔσομαι μή-τηρ, μὴ γενομένη νύμφη; Οὐκ ἔφθειρα τὸ τῆς ὥρας ἄνθος, τὸν ζωστῆρα τῆς παρθενίας οὐκ ἔλυσα, τὸν δεσμὸν τῆς μήτρας οὐκ ἐχαύνωσα, τὴν σφραγῖδα τῆς γαστρὸς οὐ παρέλυσα.» Ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος παραχρῆμα ἐπήγαγε· «Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ δύναμις ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοι» τουτέστιν· «Εἰ ἐγίνωσκες ἄνδρα, οὐκ ἂν ἔτεκες θεόν, δούλου μορφὴν λαβεῖν ἐκ σοῦ διὰ σὲ χωρὶς φθορᾶς εὐδοκήσαντα, οὐκ ἂν ὄργανον ἐγένου τῆς τοῦ πάντα παραγαγόντος σαρκώσεως. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καθαρὰ τυγχάνεις κοίτης γαμικῆς, ἐπειδὴ τὸν ναὸν ἄφθαρτον καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ῥύπου παντὸς ἐλευθέραν ἐτήρησας, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐπιδημεῖ σοι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐπισκιάζει καὶ μετὰ σαρκὸς ἐκ σοῦ ὁ Μονογενὴς τίκτεται. Σὺ οὖν μηδαμῶς διακριθῇς τὰ ἑξῆς μυστήρια, μὴ διακριθῇς ἐν σπηλαίῳ τίκτουσα τὸν ὅλης τῆς κτίσεως δημιουργόν, μὴ διακριθῇς ἐν φάτνῃ καθίζουσα τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν νώτων τῶν χερουβὶμ καθεζόμενον, οὐκ ἔχουσα τόπον ἐν τῷ καταλύματι καὶ μήτηρ βασιλέως τῶν ἄνω καὶ τῶν κάτω τυγχάνουσα.» 6 Ἑκὼν γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ πτωχεύει, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους χαλι-νώσῃ, καὶ τοῖς πτωχοῖς ὑπόθεσις ὑπομονῆς καὶ διδάσκαλος εὐχαριστίας γένηται. Ἑκὼν ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης τίθεται, ἵνα οἱ κτηνώδεις προσδράμωσι καὶ τὸν Λόγον εὕρωσιν ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης καθήμενον, ἵνα ἀναλάβωσιν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸ λογικὸν ἀξίωμα, ἵνα σῖτον εὕρωσι προσδοκήσαντες ἄχυρα, ἵνα ὡς κτήνη προσδράμωσι δράγματα κριθῆς ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης εὑρεῖν οἰόμενοι καὶ τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἀληθινὸν φάγωσι, τὴν τροφὴν τῆς ζωῆς, τὸ δεῖπνον τοῦ φωτός, τὴν βρῶσιν τῆς χαρᾶς, τῆς ἀφθαρσίας τὸ γλύκασμα, ἐξ οὗ τῆς βασιλείας ἡ γνῶσις, τῆς υἱοθεσίας ὁ ἀρραβών, ὁ τῶν οὐρανῶν κλῆρος, ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 3
About this text
Hesychius of Jerusalem, Homilia i de sancta Maria deipara (Greek).
Original English Translation of Hesychius of Jerusalem’s Homilia i de sancta Maria deipara — new OET from PG 93 Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 93 (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.