Standing Before the Lord

Contritum est cor meum in medio mei, contremuerunt omnia ossa mea, factus sum quasi vir ebrius et quasi homo madidus vino a facie Domini, et a facie verborum Sanctorum ejus. Considerato vultu omnipotentis Dei, hoc est, Patris, et considerato vultu Filii, qui juxta Apostolum splendor illius gloriae appellatur, et forma substantiae Dei. Propheta et animo et corpore perhorrescit, et intelligit esse se nihili, secundum quod et in alio loco dicitur: Ut jumentum factus sum apud te. Sive victimam conscientiae et humilitatis suae offert Deo juxta illud quod in Psalmis legitur: Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus, cor contritum et humiliatum Deus non spernit. Ossa autem quae contremuerunt, sive commota sunt, illa intelligamus, de quibus idem David canit: Omnia ossa mea dicent, Domine, quis similis tui ? Factus est quasi ebrius, et quasi homo madidus, sive soporatus vino, nullam habens intelligentiam, nullamque sapientiam. Dominus enim novit cogitationes hominum, quoniam vanae sunt. Si autem hoc ita est, ubi sunt qui perfectam in homine justitiam praedicant? Quod si responderint de sanctis hoc se dicere, non de seipsis, certe nullum puto sanctiorem esse Jeremia, qui virgo, Propheta, sanctificatusque in utero, ipso nomine praefigurat Dominum Salvatorem. Jeremias enim interpretatur, Domini excelsus.  Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum In Jeremiam Propheta, XXIII, IX

'My heart is crushed within me, all my bones tremble, I am made like a man drunk and like a man drenched with wine before the face of the Lord and before the face of his Holy Words.' 1 Having considered himself before the face of the omnipotent God, that is the Father, and having considered himself before the face of the Son, which the Apostle names the splendour of His glory and the form of God's substance,2 the Prophet shudders in mind and body and understands himself as nothing, according to which it is said in another place, ' I was made like a beast before you,' 3 or he offers to God the sacrifice of his conscience and humility, according to which it is read in the Psalms: ' The sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit, a heart crushed and humbled God does not spurn. 4 The bones which tremble or are shaken, we may understand them by that which David sings: 'All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like you' 5 He is made like a drunkard, and like one drenched with wine, that is, stupefied by wine, not having intelligence nor wisdom. 'The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain.' 6 If indeed this is so, where are they who preach that righteousness can be perfect in a human? 7 But if they answer that they speak of the saints and not of themselves, certainly I would think none more saintly than Jeremiah, who as a virgin, a prophet, one sanctified in the womb,  prefigures by his very name the Lord Saviour. For Jeremiah interpreted is 'exalted of the Lord.' Saint Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah, 23.9  1 Jer 23.9 2 Heb 1.3 3 Ps 72.23 4 Ps 50.19 5 Ps 34.10 6 Ps 43.11 7 Pelagians

Seeing God

Et quid mirum si in praesenti saeculo, nisi quando vult, Dominus non videtur? In ipsa quoque resurrectione non facile est Deum videre, nisi iis qui corde sunt mundo. Et ideo ait: Beati mundo corde; ipsi enim Deum videbunt . Quantos beatos iam numeraverat, et tamen videndi his Deum non promiserat facultatem! Si ergo ii qui mundo sunt corde, Deum videbunt; utique alii non videbunt. Neque enim indigni Deum videbunt, neque is qui Deum videre noluerit, potest Deum videre. Nec in loco Deus videtur, sed mundo corde: nec corporalibus oculis Deus quaeritur, nec circumscribitur visu, nec tactu tenetur, nec auditur afflatu, nec sentitur incessu. Et cum absens putatur, videtur: et cum praesens est, non videtur. Denique nec apostoli omnes Christum videbant; et ideo ait: Tanto tempore vobiscum sum, et adhuc me non cognovistis! Qui enim cognovit quae sit latitudo, et longitudo, et altitudo, et profundum, et supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi, vidit et Christum, vidit et Patrem. Nos enim iam secundum carnem non novimus Christum, sed secundum spiritum; spiritus enim ante faciem nostram Christus Dominus, qui nos in omnem plenitudinem Dei misericordia sua implere dignetur; ut videri possit a nobis. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Expositio Evangelii Secundum Lucam, Liber I

And why be amazed if in the present age, unless when he wishes, the Lord is not seen? Even in the resurrection itself it is not easy to see God, unless for those who have pure hearts. And therefore he says 'Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God.'1 How many he names blessed and yet he does not promise them the ability to see God. If therefore those who have pure hearts shall see God, then the others shall not. For the unworthy shall not see God, nor is he able to see God who is unwilling. God is not seen in a place but in a pure heart. Corporeal eyes do not seek out God, nor is He circumscribed by vision, nor receptive to touch, nor is the Spirit heard, nor is His going felt. And when He is thought to be absent, He appears, and when He is present He is not seen. And finally not every Apostle saw God, and therefore He said, 'For such time I am with you and still you do not know me.'2 He who knew what was the breath and the length and the height and the depth and supereminent charity of the knowledge of Christ, saw Christ and saw the Father. We according to the flesh do not know Christ, but rather according to the Spirit, for the Spirit before us is the Lord Christ, we who are worthy to be filled with all fullness of the mercy of God, so he is able to be seen by us. Saint Ambrose, Commentary On The Gospel Of Luke, Book 1 1 Mt 5. 8 2 Jn 14. 9

The God of The Living

Μετὰ ταῦτα ζητῶ πότερον τὸ ' Πλανᾶσθε μὴ εἰδόντες τὰς Γραφὰς, μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ,' ἐπὶ μόνον ἀναφέρεται τὸ, ' Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἀναστάσει οὔτε γαμοῦσιν, οὔτε γαμίσκονται, ' ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ τό· ' Ἀλλ' εἰσὶν ὡς οἱ ἄγγελοι ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ.' Οὐ γὰρ εὑρίσκω ποῦ Γραφῆς λέγονται οἱ σωθησόμενοι εἶναι ὡς ἄγγελοι ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· εἰ μὴ ἄρα τις καὶ τοῦτο φήσει δηλοῦσθαι ἐν τῷ, ' Σὺ δὲ ἀπελεύσῃ πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας σου μετ' εἰρήνης, τραφεὶς ἐν γήρᾳ καλῷ,' καὶ τῷ ' Προσετέθη πρὸς τὸ γένος αὐτοῦ,' ἢ τῷ ἐν  Δευτερονομίῳ λεγομένῳ περὶ ἀνθρώπου, ὡς τεταγμένου ὑπὸ Θεοῦ ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς· ἑαυτῷ δὲ τὴν λέξιν τηρήσας εὑρήσεις. Ἐξῆς τούτῳ ἐστὶν ἰδεῖν τό· Περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ; Οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ ζώτων.' Καὶ εἰς τοῦτο δὲ φήσομεν, ὅτι μυρία δυνάμενος περὶ τοῦ ὑπάρχειν τὴν μέλλουσαν ζωὴν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παραθέσθαι ἀπὸ προφηρῶν ὁ Σωτὴρ, τοῦτο οὐ πεποίηκεν, διὰ τὸ τοὺς Σαδδουκαίους μόνην προσίεσθαι τὴν Μωῦσέως Γραφὴν, ἀφ' ἥς ἐβουλήθη αὐτοὺς συλλογισμῷ δυσωπῆσαι τοιοῦτό  τι δηλοῦντι· ὁ Θεὸς εἶπε Μωῦσει, 'Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ,' ἡνίκα ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου ἐχρημάτισεν αὐτῷ· ἤτοι οὖν ὁ Θεὸς, Θεὸς ὄντων ἐστὶν, ἢ Θεὸς οὐκ ὄντων· ἀλλ' ἄτοπον λέγειν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ὁ εἰπὼν, ' Ὁ ὤν, τοῦτο μοί ἐστιν ὄνομα,' τῶν οὐδαμῶς ὄντων Θεὸς ἐστιν· εἰ δε τοῦτο ἄτοπον, ὄντων Θεὸς ἐστι, καὶ ζώντων, καὶ ὑφεστηκότων, καὶ αἰσθανομένων τῆς χάριτος, ἧς αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐδωρησατο. Θεὸν ἑαυτὸν ἀναγορεύων αὐτῶν, καὶ λέγων· ' Τοῦτό μού ἐστι μνημόσυνον αἰώνιον.' Ὀριγεν, Κατὰ Ματθαιον Ἐξηγητικων, Τομος ΙΖ'

I consider next whether:' You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God,' 1 refer not only to: ' In the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be given in marriage,' 2 but to this also: 'But they are like the angels of God in heaven.' 2 For I do not find anywhere in Scripture that the saved are called angels in heaven, unless perhaps this is said when it is announced, 'You even shall go to your fathers in peace nourished in good old age,' 3 and ' He was placed with his people,' 4 and in that place in Deuteronomy where it says, concerning man, 'wrought by God in heaven and earth,' 5 which place you will find if you seek. Then comes the explanation: ' Of the resurrection of the dead do you not read that which is spoken by God when he says, ' I am God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead but the living.' 6 And of this we say that The Savior was able to bring out from the prophets myriad testimonies to the future life, but it would have been for nothing, for the Sadducees followed only the Mosaic books, and so he wished to convince them by reasoning from them. When He spoke from the burning bush: 'God said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' 7 Truly then God is the God of those who are or of those who are not: absurd it is to say that God who said, 'I Am, this is my name,'8 is the God of those who are not. And if this is absurd, then God is the God of those who are, those who live, and who exist, and who know that they have received grace from God, God himself announcing these things, and saying, ' This is my memorial in eternity.'9 Origen, Commentary on Matthew, Book 17 1 Mt 22.29 2 Mt 22.30 3 Gen 15.15 4 Gen 25.17 5  Deut 4.32 6 Mt 22 31-32 7 Ex 3.6 8 Ex 3.14 9.Ex 3.15

Belief and Possibility

Καὶ κατανοοῦντι ἀπιστότερον ἂν μᾶλλον δόξαι, ἤ εἰ ἐν σώματι μὴ ὑπήρχομεν, καί τις ἔλεγεν, ἐκ μικρᾶς τινὸς ῥανίδος τῆς τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου σπέρματος, δυνατὸν ὀστέα τε καὶ νεῦρα καὶ σάρκας εἰκονοποιηθέντα, οἶα ὀρῶμεν, γενέσθαι. Ἔστω γὰρ νῦν ἐφ' ὑποθέσεως λεγόμενον; εἰ τις ὑμῖν μὴ οὖσι τοιούτοις, μηδὲ τοιούτων, ἔλεγε τὸ σπέρμα τὸ ἀνθρώπειον δεικνὺς, καὶ εἰκόνα γραπτὴν, ἐκ τοῦ τοιοῦδε οἶόν τε γενέσθαι διαβεβαιούμενος, πρὶν ἰδεῖν γενόμενον, ἐπιστεύσατε; Οὐκ ἄν τις τολμήσειεν ἀντειπεῐν. Τὸν αύτὸν οὖν τρόπον, διὰ τὸ μήπω ἑωρακέναι ὑμᾶς ἀναστάντα νεκρὸν, ἀπιστία ἔχει. Ἀλλ' ὄν τρόπον τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ἂν ἐπιστεύσατε ἐκ τῆς μικρᾶς ῥανίδος δυνατὸν τοιούτους γενέσθαι, καὶ ὁρᾶτε γινομένους· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον λογίσασθε, ὅτι διαλυθέντα τὰ ἀνθρώπεια σώματα, κατὰ καιρὸν προστάξει Θεοῦ ἀναστῆναι, καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν ἐνδύσασθαι, οὐκ ἀδυνατον. Ποίαν γὰρ ἀξίαν Θεοῦ δύναμιν λέγουσιν οἱ φάσκοντες εἰς ἐκεῖνο χωρεῖν ἔκαστον, ἐξ οὖ περ' ἐγένετο, καὶ παρὰ ταῦτα μηνδὲν ἄλλο δὐνασθαι μηνδὲ τὸν Θεὸν, οὐκ ἔχομεν λέγειν· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο συνορῶμεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἔπίστευσαν δυνατὸν εἶναι τοιούτους ποτὲ γενέσθαι, ὁποίους καὶ ἕαυτοὺς, καὶ τὸν συμπαντα κόσμον, καὶ ἐξ ὁποίων γεγενημένα ὁρῶσο. Κρεῖττον δὲ πιστεύειν καὶ τὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν φύσει καὶ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατα, ἤ ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀπιστεῖν, προειλήφαμεν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸν ἡμέτρον Διδάσκαλον Ἰησοὺν Χριστὸν ἔγνωμεν εἰπόντα· Τὰ ἀδύνατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δυνατὰ παρὰ Θεῷ.' Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος , Ἀπολογία Πρῶτη,  Μάρτυς

And to the thoughtful nothing would seem more incredible, than, if we were not in the body, some one were to say that from a small drop of human seed bones and sinews and flesh would be able to be fashioned into that which we see. For let this now be said hypothetically: if you were not as you now are, nor arising from such things, and someone were to show you human seed and a picture of a man, and were to say that from the former the latter could be produced, before seeing that which is to come, would you believe? No one will dare to dispute it. In the same way, then, because you have never seen a dead man rise, you are now incredulous. But as at first you would not have believed it possible that such a thing could be produced from the small drop, and yet you see them so produced, so also think that it is not impossible that the dissolved bodies of men should in God's appointed time rise again and put on incorruption. For what power worthy of God they speak of who say that each thing returns to that from which it was produced and that beyond this not even God Himself can do anything, we cannot say. But this we do see clearly, that they would not have believed it possible that they could have become such things as they now see both themselves and the whole world to be. That it is better to believe even what is impossible to our own nature and to men, than to be unbelieving like the rest, we have learned, for we know that our Master Jesus Christ said, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God,' 1 Saint Justin Martyr, First Apology 1 Mt 19:26

Declaring the Resurrection

Κατανοήσωμεν, ἀγαπητοί, πῶς ὁ δεσπότης ἐπιδείκνυται διηνεκῶς ἡμῖν τὴν μέλλουσαν ἀνάστασιν ἔσεσθαι, ἧς τὴν ἀπαρχὴν ἐποιήσατο τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστήσας. Ἴδωμεν, ἀγαπητοί, τὴν κατὰ καιρὸν γινομένην ἀνάστασιν. Ἡμέρα καὶ νὺξ ἀνάστασιν ἡμῖν δηλοῦσιν· κοιμᾶται ἡ νὺξ, ἀνίσταται ἡ ἡμέρα· ἡ ἡμέρα ἄπεισιν, νὺξ ἐπέρχεται. Λάβωμεν τοὺς καρπούς· ὁ σπόρος πῶς καὶ τίνα τρόπον γίνεται;  ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων καὶ ἔβαλεν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἕκαστον τῶν σπερμάτων, ἅτινα πεσόντα εἰς τὴν γῆν ξηρὰ καὶ γυμνὰ διαλύεται· εἶτ’ ἐκ τῆς διαλύσεως ἡ μεγαλειότης τῆς προνοίας τοῦ δεσπότου ἀνίστησιν αὐτά, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς πλείονα αὔξει καὶ ἐκφέρει καρπόν. Ἅγιος Κλήμης Ῥώμης, Ἐπιστολή πρὸς Κορινθίους,

Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a future resurrection, of which He has made the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits by raising Him from the dead. Let us behold, beloved, the resurrection which is happening in its proper time. Day and night declare to us a resurrection. The night sleeps, the day arises, the day departs, the night comes. Let us turn to the fruits; how does the sowing of seed take place? The sower goes out and casts it into the ground, and the seed being scattered, which dry and naked fell on the earth, is dissolved. Then out of its dissolution the mighty providence of the Lord raises it up, and from one many arise and put forth fruit. Saint Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians

Resurrection And Renewal

Εἰ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντός δυνατὸς ὁ θεὸς ὑφιστᾷν ὄσα βούλεται, πόσῳ μᾶλλον έκ τοῦ ὑφεστῶτος άνακαινίσαί τὰ ἤδη γενόμενα, καὶ εἰς γῆν ὑποστρέψαντασώματα; Ὁτε δὲ ἔσται, καὶ πῶς ἔσται ἀνάστασις, καὶ τὸ μυστήριον τῶν σπειρομένων διδάξει σε, καὶ πάντων τῶν φυτῶν ἡ κίνησις, χειμῶνι τελευτώντων, καὶ ἔαρι ἀναζώντων. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΣΠΔ', Συναδιῳ Source: Migne PG 78.349b

If God can bring from nothing what He will, how much more will He be able to renew bodies that having existed at some time have then passed away into the earth? What will be, and how the resurrection will be, the mystery of sowing shall teach you, the motion of everything grown perishing in winter, and in spring returning to life. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 284, To Synadius

The Women And The Angel

Erat autem aspectus ejus sicut fulgur: et vestimentum ejus sicut nix.  Ut ipso quoque significaret habitu ac vultu quia is gloriam resurrectionis nuntiabat qui et terribilis ad damnandum reprobos, et benignus esset ac blandus ad consolandum electos. Respondens autem angelus dixit mulieribus: Nolite timere, vos.   Ac si aperte dicat: Paveant illi qui non amant adventum supernorum civium, et carnalibus pressi desideriis, ad eorum se societatem desperant posse pertingere; non vos, quae vestros concives videtis. Scio enim quod Jesum, qui crucifixus est, quaeritis, etc. Scio inquit, quod funus Salvatoris, charitatis officio celebrate venistis, sed hic praesentem cernere non habetis, qui jam sua virtute surrexit, licet nunquam majestate sentiatis absentem; et si meis verbis non creditis, veritatem resurrectionis, vel vacuo probate sepulcho; subjunxit: 'Et cito euntes', usque' ibi eum videbitis, ecce praedixit vobis.' Felices feminae, quae angelico doctae oraculo, triumphum resurrectionis mundo annuntiare meruerunt, ac mortis imperium quam Eva serpentino seducta afflatu induxit, praedicare dirutum. Sanctus Beda, In Matthaei Evangelium Expositio, Liber IV

And his face was like lightening and his vestments like snow. 1 The garments and face signify the same thing because he announces the glory of the resurrection, this one who is terrible damning the wicked and kind and charming comforting the elect. Answering the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid.' As if he had openly said, Let them fear who being oppressed with worldly desires do not  love the higher city and those who despair of being able to attain to this society, not you who look on your fellow citizen. For I know that Jesus , who was crucified, you seek, etc. I know, he said, that the corpse of the Saviour you have come to administer to by the office of charity, but do not tarry here to see him present, He who has already risen by his power, for it is not for you to feel His majesty absent. And if my words you do not believe, test the truth of the resurrection by the empty tomb. He adds: And go quickly...until ...there you will see him, behold, I have spoken to you. Happy women, who are taught by the speech of an angel, who are worthy to announce to the world the triumph of the resurrection, and to pronounce destroyed the empire of death brought in by Eve when she was seduced by the serpent. Saint Bede, from the Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Book 4 1 Mt 28.3

Entering the Tomb

' Et introeuntes monumentum, viderunt juvenem sedentem a dextris, coopertum stola candida.' Introierunt sepulcrum, ut consepulatae Christo, Christo consurgerent de sepulcro, et impleretur illud Apostoli: 'Consepulti estis ei in baptismo, in quo et resurrexistis. Vident juvenem, ut discernerent nostrae resurrectionis aetetam; vident juvenem, quia nescit resurrectio senectutem, neque aetates recipit aeterna perfectio. Homo ubi nescit nasci, mori nescit; et ubi nasci morique nescit, ibi aetatum nec admittit detrimentum, nec indiget incrementis. Vident juvenem sedentem a dextris, quia resurrectio recipit nil sinistrum. 'Vias,' inquit  'quae a dextris sunt, novit Dominus. Et 'Tunc statuet justos ad dexteram suam. Orate, fratres, ut et nos moriamur vitiis, sepeliamur temporlibus pompis, ut aeternitati resurgamus in Christo, et a dextris positi mereamur audire: 'Venite, benedicti Patris mei, percipite regnum quod voibs paratum est ab origine mundi. Stola ista non ex mortali vellere, sed virtute vitali; splendens coelesti lumine, non colore terreno; et clara Creatoris munere, non arte fullonis, dicente Propheta: Amictus lumine sicut vestimentum et de justis: Tunc justi fulgebunt sicut sol. Terreni terrenis velati sunt vestimentis; et ideo sicut novitate splendent, ita vetustate sordescunt: coelestes vero amictu coelestis luminis ambiuntur, et a terreno squalore suspensi, nec foedantur vetustate umquam, nec ullis sordibus obscurantur; sed vestes quas semel dederit resurrectio, perpetuo lumine vestiuntur. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo LXXXII

'And entering the tomb they saw the youth sitting to the right, covered in a white robe.' 1 They entered the tomb, that they be buried with Christ, and with Christ they rose from the tomb, and what was spoken by the Apostle was fulfilled, ' You were buried with him in baptism, in which even you have risen. 2 They saw the youth, that they behold the age of our resurrection, they see the youth, because the resurrection does not know old age. nor does eternal perfection admit the ages. A man who does not know birth does not know death and where to be born and die is not known is not permitted the detriment of age, nor does it need growth. They see the youth sitting at the right side, because the resurrection does not receive the left. 'The ways,' he says, 'which are from the right , the Lord knows. 3 And, 'Then stand the righteous at his right.' 4  Pray, brothers, that we also may die to the vices and be buried to temporal vanities, so that we may rise to eternity in Christ, and be found worthy of being placed on his right and hearing: Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. 5 This robe is white not from work of mortal fingers, but from the vitality of virtue, shining with celestial light, not the color of the earth, and bright with the gift of the Creator, not with the art of the fuller, as the Psalmist says, ' Clothed with light like a vestment' 6  and concerning the righteous ' Then the righteous shall shine like the sun. 7 Like the earth are the vestments of the earth, and therefore like new they shine which were of old mired, clothed with the heavenly light they shine in the heavens, taken up from earthly squalor, not soiled with age anymore, not with any dirt obscured, but vested once and for all with what the resurrection gives, they are clothed with perpetual light . Saint Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 153  1 Mk 16.5 2. Col 2. 12 3 Prov . 4. 27 4 Mt 25. 33 5 Mt 25. 34 6 Ps 103.2 7 Mt 13 .43

God And Man

Ὥσπερ παρθενευούσης της φύσεως ό τόκος τοῦ Κυρίου γεγένηται, καὶ ἡ πρόοδος τῆς σαρκώσεως τῇ ἀγνείᾳ μείωσιν οὐκ ἐποίησεν· οὕτως ἐσφραγισμένου τοῦ μνήματος, ή ἀνάστασις γέγονε· θεοῦ γὰρ ένανθρωπήσαντος τὰ ἀμφότερα. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΥΔ', Θεοδοσιῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne PG 78.408c

As the birth of the Lord did not trouble the nature of Virginity and the Incarnation did not bring detriment to the purity of the flesh, so it is with the sealing of the tomb and the Resurrection: both speak of God and man. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 404, To Theodosius the Deacon

Suffering Curses

Καὶ γὰρ πᾶν γένος ἀνθρώπων εὑρεθήσεται ὑπὸ κατάραν ὅν. Κατὰ τὸν νόμον Μωῦσέως ἐπικατάρατος γὰρ εἴρηται πᾶς ὅς οὐκ ἐμμένει ἐν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά. Καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀκριβῶς πάντα ἐποίνσωεν, οὐδ' ὑμεῖς τολμήσετε ἀντειπεῖν· ἀλλ' εἰσὶν οἵ μᾶλλον καὶ ἥττον ἀλλήλων τὰ ἐντεταλμένα ἐφύλαξαν. Εἰ δὲ οἱ ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον ὑπὸ κατάραν φαίνονται εἶναι διὰ τὸ μὴ πάντα φυλάξαι, οὐχὶ πολυ μᾶλλον πάντα τὰ ἔθνη φανήσονται ὑπὸ κατάραν ὅντα καὶ εἰδωλολατροῦντα, καὶ παιδοφθορῦντα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα κακὰ ἐργαζόμενα; Εἰ οὖν καὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Χριστὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκ παντὸς γένους ἀνθρώπων ὁ Πατὴρ τῶν ὅλων τὰς πάντων κατάρας ἀναδέξασθαι ἐβουλήθη, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἀναστήσει αὐτὸν σταυρωθέντα καὶ ἀποθανόντα, διὰ τί ὡς κεκατηραμένου τοῦ ὑπομείναντος κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς βουλὴν ταῦτα παθεῖν τὸν λόγον ποιεῖτε, καὶ οὐχὶ μᾰλλον ἑαυτοὺς θρηνεῖτε; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς παθεῖν ταῦτα αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου γένους ἐνήργησεν, ὑμεῖς οὐχ ὡς γνώμῃ Θεοῦ ὑπηρετοῦντες τοῦτο ἐπράξατε. Οὐδὲ γὰρ, τοὺς προφήτας ἀναιροῦντες, εὐσέβειαν εἰργάσασθε. καὶ μή τις ὑμῶν λεγέτω· Εἰ ὁ Πατὴρ αὐτὸν ἠθέλησε ταῦτα παθεῖν, ἵνα τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἴασις γένηται τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲν ἠδικήσαμεν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν μετανοοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις, καὶ ἐπιγνόντες τοῦτον εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ φυλάσσοντες αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐντολὰς, ταῦτα φήσετε, ἄφεσις ὑμῖν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὅτι ἔσται, προεῐπον· εἰ δὲ αὐτοῦ τε ἐκείνου, καὶ τῶν εἰς εἰεῖνον πιστευόντων καταρᾶσθε, καὶ ὁπόταν ἐξουσίαν ἔχητε, ἀναιρεῖτε, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ τὸ ἐκείνῳ ἐπιβεβληκέναι τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν, ὡς παρὰ ἀδίκων καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ μέχρις ὅλου σκληροκαρδίων καὶ ἀσυνέτων ἐκζητηθήσεται; Καὶ γὰρ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ, ' ὅτι ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου,' οὐχ ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ καταρωμένου τούτου τοῦ ἐσταυρωμνου, ἡμῶν τονοῖ τὴν ἐλπίδα ἐκκριμαμένην ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυρωθέντος Χριστοῦ ἀλλ' ὡς προειπόντος τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ὑφ' ὑμῶν πάντων καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων ὑμῖν μὴ ἐπιστάμενον τοῦτον εἶναι τὸν πρὸ πάντων ὄντα, καὶ αἰώνιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἱερέα, καὶ βασιλέα, καὶ Χριστὸν, μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι.  Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρυφονα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος

For the whole human race will be found to be under a curse. According to the law of Moses: 'Cursed is every one that remains not in all the things written in the book of the law and does not do them.'1 And no one has accurately done them all, nor will you dare dispute this, but some more, and some less than others, have observed those things commanded. But if those who are under this law appear to be under a curse for not having observed everything, how much more shall all the nations appear to be under a curse who worship idols, who corrupt youths, and perform other evils? If, then, the Father of all wished His Christ, for the whole human race, to take upon Himself the curses of all, knowing that he would raise him up after He had been crucified and died, why do you speak about Him who submitted to suffer these things according to the will of the Father as if He were accursed, and do not rather lament yourselves? For although His Father caused Him to suffer these things for the human race, yet you did not do this in obedience to the will of God. For you did not perform pious acts by slaying the prophets. And let none of you say: 'If His Father wished Him to suffer these things, that by His wounds the human race might have healing, we have done no wrong.' If you repent of  sins, and acknowledge Him to be Christ, and keep His commandments, you may say this, for forgiveness of sins shall be yours, as I have said before, but if you curse Him and them that believe in Him, and, when you have the power, kill them, how is it possible that when you laid your hands on Him you shall not be marked as unrighteous and sinful men, utterly hard hearted and without understanding?  For the statement in the law, 'Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree,' 2 is not because He who has been crucified is cursed by God, but confirms our hope which depends on the crucified Christ, for God foretold that which would be done by you all, and by those like you, who do not know that this is the One who existed before all, who is the eternal Priest of God, and King, and Christ. Saint Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 1 Deut 27:26 2 Deut 21:23

Lamenting Judas

Σήμερον, ἀγαπητοὶ, ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς παρεδόθη·  τῇ γὰρ ἐπιούσῃ ἑσπέρᾳ ταύτῃ, λαβόντες αὐτὸν, ἀπῆλθον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι.  Ἀλλὰ μὴ γένῃ κατηφὴς, ἀκούσας ὅτι Ἰησοῦς παρεδόθη· μᾶλλον δὲ γενοῦ κατηφὴς, καὶ κλαῦσον πικρῶς, ἀλλὰ μὴ ὑπὲρ τοῦ παραδοθέντος Ἰησοῦ, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τοῦ προδότου Ἰούδα.  Ὁ μὲν γὰρ παραδοθεὶς τὴν οἰκουμένην ἔσωσεν, ὁ δὲ προδοὺς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἀπώλεσε· καὶ ὁ μὲν προδοθεὶς ἐν δεξιᾷ κάθηται τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ὁ δὲ παραδοὺς ἐν ᾅδου νῦν ἐστι, τὴν ἀπαραίτητον ἀναμένων κόλασιν.  Διὰ τοῦτον οὖν κλαῦσον καὶ στέναξον, διὰ τοῦτον πένθησον, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης ἡμῶν διὰ τοῦτον ἐδάκρυσεν. Ἰδὼν γὰρ αὐτὸν, φησὶν, ἐταράχθη καὶ εἶπεν·  Εἷς ἐξ ὑμῶν παραδώσει με. Ὢ πόση εὐσπλαγχνία τοῦ Δεσπότου. ὁ προδοθεὶς ὑπὲρ τοῦ προδόντος ἀλγεῖ.  Ἰδὼν γὰρ αὐτὸν, ἐταράχθη, φησὶ, καὶ εἶπεν·  Εἷς ἐξ ὑμῶν παραδώσει με. Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἠθύμησεν;  Ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν φιλοστοργίαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιδεικνύμενος, καὶ διδάσκων ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐ τὸν πάσχοντα κακῶς, ἀλλὰ τὸν ποιοῦντα κακῶς, τοῦτον θρηνεῖν πανταχοῦ δίκαιον.  Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐκείνου χεῖρον, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐκεῖνο μὲν οὐ κακὸν, τὸ κακῶς παθεῖν, κακὸν δὲ τὸ ποιῆσαι κακῶς.  Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κακῶς παθεῖν, τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν προξενεῖ, τὸ δὲ κακῶς ποιῆσαι αἴτιον ἡμῖν τῆς γεέννης καὶ τῆς κολάσεως γίνεται.  Μακάριοι γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος, Εἰς Την Προδοσιαν Του Ἱουδα

Today, beloved, our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, for it was on this approaching evening that the Jews seizing him, took Him away. But do not be dejected hearing that Jesus was betrayed, but rather be dejected and weep bitterly, not over the betrayed Jesus, but over the traitor Judas. For He who was betrayed saved the whole world, while he who betrayed lost his soul. And He who was betrayed is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, and he who betrayed is now in hell, awaiting the inevitable punishment. So weep and groan for this, mourn for this, since even our Master wept for this. For beholding him, Jesus was troubled and said: 'One of you shall betray Me' 1. Oh, how great is our Master’s compassion! He who was betrayed grieved for him who betrayed. For beholding him, Jesus was troubled and said: 'One of you shall betray Me.' Why was He disheartened? Both to show His tender love and to teach us that to mourn, not for the one suffering evil, but for the one doing evil, is most righteous. The latter is worse than the former, or rather, to suffer evil is not evil, but to do evil is evil. For while suffering evil gains the Kingdom of Heaven, doing evil is the cause of  Gehenna and punishment for us. 'For Blessed,' says the Lord, 'are they who are persecuted on account of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' 2 Saint John Chrysostom, On The Betrayal of Judas  1 John 13:21 2 Matt 5:10

Foreseeing Betrayal

Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ προεῖπεν ὁ Κύριος, ὠ Θαυμάσιε, τὴν τοῦ Ἱούδα προαίρεσιν, ἐκεῖνος πρὸς  τὴν προδοσίαν ὠλίσθησεν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὤδινε τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ὁ ἀλιτήριος, ὁρῶν τα κρύφια τῆς καρδίας κινήματα, τὰ μέλλοντα ὡς παρόντα προέφηνε. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΝϚ', Νειλῳ

It's not, excellent fellow, that because the Lord foretold the treachery of Judas, that he fell to betraying him, but because that wicked man had conceived betrayal, and seeing the hidden movements of the heart, 1 He spoke of future things as things present. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 56, to Neilos 1 cf Mt 9.4, Ps 43.22

Peter's Sifting

Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος· Σίμων, Σίμων, ἰδοὺ ὁ Σατανᾶς ἐξῃτήσατο ὑμᾶς, τοῦ σινιάσαι ὡς τὸν σῖτον.  Ἀναγκαῖον οἴμαι καὶ ἐπωφελὲς μαθεῖν τίς ἧν ἡ πρόφασις, ἡ παρενεγκοῦσα εἰς τοῦτο τοῦ Σωτῆρος τοὺς λόγους. Διορθωσάμενος δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ Χριστὸς δι' ὦν ἐπετίμνσε τῷ τῆς φιλοδοξίας πάθει, καὶ ἑαυτὸν εἰς ὑπόδειγμα δέδωκε, τρίτον τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐπικούρημα προσκεκόμικε, διὰ τῶν προκειμένων ἀναγνωσμάτων· διδάσκει γὰρ ὅτι μέτρια φρονεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀναγκαῖον, οὐδεν μὲν ὄντας τό γε ἧκον εἰς τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν, καὶ εἰς τὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας διανοίας εὐόλισθον, στηριζομένους δὲ καὶ ὄντας ὅπερ ἐσμεν, δι' αὐτόν τε καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ χαρίσμασι σεμνύνεσθαι δεῖ. Κἄν εἴ τις οὕτως διατεθῇ, ποῖον εὑρήσει τόπον ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ ὑπερκεῖσθαι τινων ἐθέλειν; Ταύτῃτοι τοὺς μὲν ἑτέρους ἀφίησι μαθητὰς, ἐπ' αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν κορυφαῖον ἔρχεται· καὶ φησιν ὅτι 'Πολλάκις ἠθελησεν ὁ Σατανᾶς σινιάσαι καὶ ὑμᾶς ὡς τὸν σῖτον,' ἀντὶ τοῦ δοκιμάσαι καὶ πειράσαι· ἔθος γὰρ τῷ Σατανᾷ, τοῖς εὐδοκιμοῦσιν ἐπιπηδᾷν· οὕτως ἐζήτησε τὸν Ἰωβ, ἀλλ' ἡττᾶτο τῆς ἐκείνου τληπαθείας. Πλὴν πλεονεκτεῖ τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν, ἀσθενὴς γὰρ αὒτη, δεινὸς δὲ καὶ ἀπηνὴς ἐκεῖνος· ὡς γάρ φησι περὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ Γράμμα τὸ ἱερὸν, ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ πέπηγεν ὥσπερ λίθος, ἔστηκε δὲ ὥσπερ ἄκμων ἀνήλατος. Πλὴν τοῖς τῶν ἁγίων ὑπενήνεκται ποσὶ, Χριστοῦ καὶ τοῦτο κατωρθωκότος. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λούκαν Εὐάγγελιον, Κεφα. ΚΒ'

The Lord said to him, 'Simon, Simon, behold, Satan would sift you like wheat.' 1 I think it is both necessary and beneficial for us to learn what the reason was which led to these words of our Saviour. To correct the disciples who had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, Christ, giving himself as pattern, offers them a third assistance, as we read in the lessons before us, that we must think humbly of ourselves, that we are nothing in our nature as men and our minds are unsteady, and we are strengthened and what we are only through Him and of Him, by grace magnified. And if this is so what place in us shall we find for proud thoughts? He therefore passes over the other disciples and comes to their head, and says, 'Satan has often wished to sift you like wheat', that is, to search and test you, for it is Satan's habit to assail distinguished men. So he sought out Job, but was worsted by his endurance. Even so, he targets human nature, for it is weak, while he is fearfully harsh, for as Sacred Scripture says concerning him, 'His heart is made like stone: and he stands like an anvil that cannot be beaten out.' 2 Yet he is placed under the feet of the saints by Christ's victory.  Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 22 1 Lk 22.31  2 Job 41.15

Fear and Suffering

Τότε λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Πὰντες ὑμεῖς σκανδαλισθήσεσθε ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτη· γέγραπται γὰρ· Πατάξω τὸν ποιμένα, καὶ διασκορπισθήσεται τὰ πρόβατα τῆς ποίμνης. Πόθεν και τῷ Πέτρῳ καὶ τοῖς τοσοῦτος ἐγίνετο φόβος; Ἐταράχθησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ οὐχ ὡς ἐλαφροί τινες, ἀλλ' ὅτι πολλῆς ἔγεμεν ἀπορίας τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ δυσκατάληπτος ἧν ἡ γνῶσις τοῠ μυστηρίου τούτου, πῶς ὁ τοὺς νεκροὺς ἀναστήσας, καὶ μυρία ποιήσας σημεῖα ὑπὲρ ἄνρθωπον, εἰς οὕτως ἄτιμον παρεδόθη θάνατον. Οὕτος δὲ ἧν ὁ διὰ τοῠ προφήτου εἰρηκως· 'Πατάξω τὸν ποιμένα.' Διὸ καὶ ὁ Δαβίδ φησι πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ὅτι ' Ὄν σὺ ἐπταξας, αὐτοὶ κατεδίωχαν.' Πλὴν οὐ πάντη τοῦτο καὶ πάντως γέγονε βουλήσει τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀλλ' ἤθελε μὲν μὴ παθεῖν αὐτὸν, εἴγε προσεδέξαντο οἱ Ἱουδαῖοι· ἐπειδὴ καὶ οὐ προσήκαντο, ἀλλ' ἠθέλησαν φονεῦσαι, συγκατέθετο ὁ Πατὴρ τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦτο παθεῖν. Οὕτω δὲ νοητέον καὶ τὸ εἰρημένον πρὸς Πιλάτον ὑπὸ Χροστοῦ, ὅτι ' Οὐκ εἶχες ἐξουσίαν οὐδεμίαν κατ' ἐμοῦ, εἰ μὴ ἧν σοι δεδομένον ἄνωθεν· ἀντὶ τοῦ, μὴ συνῇνεσεν ὁ Πατὴρ ἑλομενῳ μοι παθεῖν. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Μαθθαιον Εὐάγγελιον, Κεφα Κϛ.

Then Jesus said to them everyone of you shall be scandalised because of me this night, for it is written, Strike the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered. 1,2   Why did Peter and the others fear? The disciples were troubled, and that not lightly, for they were greatly struck by confusion concerning the matter and the difficultly of gaining understanding of this mystery, how the dead might be resurrected and innumerable signs occur above the heads of men, so disgraceful did they admit death to be. And this was said through the Prophet, 'Strike the shepherd.' 2 And therefore David said to the Father, 'Whom you strike, they are overthrown.' 3 Except this was not at all what the Father wished, for he wished Him not to suffer, but the Jews took Him; indeed since they were not able to follow but wished to murder, the Father condescended that the Son suffer this. Thus it is to be understood what was said to Pilate by Christ, that ' You do not have any power over me unless it is given to you from above.' 4 That is, if my Father were unwilling that I suffer. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Matthew, Chapter 26 1 Mt 26.31 2 Zachar 13.7 3 Ps 68 4 Jn 19.11

A Sign Of Virtue

Ἔγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον σου, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν έκ τοῦ κόσμου, καθὼς ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου.  Ὅταν ἐνάρετοι γενόμενοι διωκώμεθα παρὰ τῶν πονηρῶν, καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐφιέμενοι χλευαζώμεθα παρ' ἐκείνων, μὴ ἀλύωμεν, μηδὲ δυσχεραίνωμεν. Τοιαύτην γὰρ τὸ πρᾶγμα τὴν φύσιν ἔχει, καὶ πανταχοῦ μῖσος εἴωθε τίκτειν ἡ ἀρετὴ παρὰ τοῖς πονηροῖς. Φθονοῦντες γὰρ τοῖς ἐπιεεικῶς βιοῦν βουλομένοις, καὶ οἰόμενοι παρασκευάζειν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολογίαν, ἐὰν τὴν ἑτέρων δόξαν καταβάλωσι, μισοῦσί τε ὡς τὰ ἐναντία μετιόντας, καὶ πάντα πράττουσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καταισχύνειν τὸν βίον τὸν ἐκείνων. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀλγῶμεν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀρετῆς σημεῖον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστός φησιν· Εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἦτε, ὁ κόσμος ἄν τὸ ἲδιον ἐφίλει· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ πάλιν, Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὅταν καλῶς ὑμᾶς εἴπωσι πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησι· Τὸν λόγον σου δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτούς. Πάλιν λέγει τὴν αἰτίαν, δι' ἤν ἄξιοί εἰσι πολλῆς παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐπιμελείας τυχεῖν. Διὰ γὰρ σὲ ἐμισήθησαν, φησὶ, καὶ τὸν λόγον τὸν σόν· ὥστε δίκαιοι πάσης ἂν εἴεν ἀπολαῦσαι προνοίας. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος , Ὁμιλια ΠΒ', Ὑπομηνμα Εἰς Τὸν Ἅγιον Ἰωάννην Τὸν Ἀπόστολον Καὶ Εὑαγγελιστήν.

'I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.'  1 When having become virtuous we are persecuted by the wicked, and when wishing for virtue we are mocked by them, let us not be troubled or vexed. For this is the nature of it, that everywhere virtue often elicits hatred from the wicked. For envying those who wish to live well and thinking to prepare for themselves an excuse if they can overthrow the repute of others, they hate them as having pursuits opposed to their own, and do everything to bring dishonour to their lives. But let not us be distressed, for this is a sign of virtue. Because of this Christ also says, 'If you were of the world, the world would love its own.' 2 And again in another place, 'Woe unto you when all men speak well of you.'  3 And so He also says here, 'I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them.' Again He tells the reason for which they were worthy to obtain much care from the Father; For Your sake they have been hated, He says, and for Your word, so that they might benefit from your all encompassing providence. Saint John Chrysostom, Homily 82 on The Gospel of John 1 Jn 17:14 2 Jn 15:19  3 Lk 6:26

Kings and Saints and Judgement

Καὶ νῦν, Βασιλεῖς, σύνετε, παιδεύθητε, πάντες οἱ κρίνοντες τὴν γὴν, κ. τ. ἑ.  Οὐκ ἀλλότριον μὲν τῆς χρηστότητος τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὸ τοῖς παραστᾶσι Βασιλεῦσι τῆς γῆς μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν συναχθέντων κατ' αὐτοῦ λέγειν τὸ, 'Καὶ νῦν, Βασιλεῖς, σύνετε,' εί γὰρ καὶ πρότερον ἀγνοήσαντες ἐπεβουλεύσατε, ἀλλὰ νῦν συνέντες μετανοήσατε. Τῳ δὲ μὴ προσεῖσθαι τὸ 'τῆς γῆς' μήποτε 'βασιλεὺς” τοὺς ἀγίους φησιν· κυρίως γὰρ βασιλεὺς ὁ ἄρχειν ἐπιστάμενος ἀνυπευθύνως. Πῶς δὲ οὐ βασιλεῦς ὁ κληρονομῶν βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ἐσόμενος ἐν βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ; Καὶ δεῖ γε τὸν ἄγιον, ἀγωνιζόμενον βασιλεύειν, ἄρξασθαι ἀφ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἰδίων κινημάτων. Τούτων γὰρ πρότερον βασιλεῦσαι δεῖ, μηκέτι βασιλευόμενον ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῆς μεμελετηκυίας βασιλεύειν ἐν τῷ θνητῷ ἡμῶν σώματι. Δοκεῖ δὲ το, 'ἐπιστημώθητε,' ὡς Ἀκύλας ἐκδέδωκεν, ἐμφατικώτερον εἶναι τοῦ 'σύνετε,' προστάσσον ἐπιστήμην ἀναλαβεῖν οἰκείαν οὖσαν οὐκ ἄλλῳ τῳ ἤ τοῖς βασιλεῦσι· 'Παιδεύθητε, πάντες οἱ κρίνοντες τὴν γῆν.' Ὅν τρόπον διχῶς ἐξεδεξάμεθα τοὺς βασιλεῖς, οὕτως καὶ τοὺς κρίνοντας τὴν γῆν νοῆσαι ἡμᾶς δυνατόν. Ἥ γὰρ  οἱ ἀρχοντες οἱ συναχθέντες ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίοῦ καὶ κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῠ κρίνοντες λέγοιντο ἂν τὴν γὴν, οἰκείου τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ἔργου τυγχάνοντος τοῦ κρίνειν· ἢ κρίνοντες τὴν γὴν οἱ ἄγιοι, ὡς δείξομεν. Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος Β', Ὠριγεν

'And now kings understand, be educated, all you who judge the earth, etc,' 1 It is not strange on account of the goodness of the Saviour that he says to the princes and kings of the earth who stood against him, ' And now kings, understand,' that is, before in ignorance you acted maliciously against me but  now repentant be prudent. But because earlier the words were 'kings of the earth' 2  perhaps we should understand here by the name of kings saints. For certainly a king is he who knows how to rule without flaw. How shall he not be a king who shall inherit the kingdom of heaven and whose future is in the kingdom of God? And it should be that a holy man is one who knows how to reign being in command of his own affections. For these cannot rule until they have taken care to rule over the sin that was ruling our mortal body. And it may be that in this line rather than 'understand' the word 'know' should be read, as Aquila translated it, which has greater emphasis, for such knowledge certainly should be commanded to kings which is so important to them. 'Learn all you who judge the earth.' Now as we accept two types of kings, so we are able to understand those who judge the earth. For there are the princes gathered as one against the Lord and against his anointed,2 whom one may say judge the earth, for it is the proper work of princes to judge, and then those who judge the world are the saints, as we have shown. Origen,On the Psalms, Psalm 2 1 Ps 2.10 2 Ps 2.2

Thoughts Coming and Going

Τῶν λογισμῶν οἱ τέμνουσιν, οἱ δὲ τέμνονται· καὶ τέμνουσι μὲν οἱ πονηροὶ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς, τέμνονται δὲ πάλιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαθῶν οἱ πονηροὶ, τὸ τοίνυν Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον πρώτως τεθέντι προσέχει λογισμῷ, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον κρίνει ἡμᾶς, ἢ ἀποδέχεται.  Ὃ δὲ λέγω τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν.  Ἔχω τινὰ φιλοξενίας λογισμὸν, καὶ τοῦτον ἔχω διὰ τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλ' οὑτος  ἐπελθόντος τοῦ πειράζοντος τέμνεται καὶ δόξης χάριν φιλοξενεῖν ὑποβάλλοντος.  Πάλιν· ἔχω φιλοξενίας λογισμὸν πρὸς τὸ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις φανῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτος ἐπελθοντος κρείττονος λογισμοῦ διατέμνεται, τοῦ πρὸς τὸν Κύριον μᾶλλον ῾ῶν τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀπευθύνοντος.    Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Περὶ διαφόρων πονηρῶν λογισμῶν

Sometimes thoughts cut off and sometimes they are cut off. Evil thoughts cut off good thoughts, and again evil thoughts are cut off by good thoughts. The Holy Spirit therefore notes to which thought we give priority and for that condemns or approves us. What I mean is something like this: I have a thought of hospitality and it is for the Lord’s sake, but this is cut off when the tempter comes to me and in its place he suggests giving hospitality for the sake of glory. Again, I have the thought of hospitality in order to appear hospitable to men, but this is cut off when a better thought comes to me, which leads me to practice this virtue for the Lord’s sake. Evagrius Ponticus, On Various Evil Thoughts

Speech and Appearances

Εἴπε πάλιν, ὅτι Ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος δοκῶν σιωπᾶν, καὶ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ κατακρίνει ἄλλους· ὁ τοιοῦτος πάντοτε λαλεῖ. Καὶ ἔστιν ἄλλος, ἀπὸ πρωϊ ἔως ἑσπέρας λαλῶν, καὶ σιωπὴν κρατεῖ· τουτέστιν ὅτι ἐκτὸς ὠφελείας οὐδὲν λαλεῖ. Ἀποφθεγματα των ἀγιων γεροντων, Παλλαδιος

Again Father Poemen  said, 'There is a man who seems to be silent and in his heart he condemns another, and so this man is speaking all the time. There is another man who talks from dawn until dusk and maintains silence, that is, he speaks only what is profitable.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia

Laughter and Man

Μιμηλοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους γελοίων, μᾶλλον δὲ καταγελάτων παθῶν, τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐξελαστέον πολιτείας. Πάντων γὰρ τῶν λόγων ἀπὸ διανοίας καὶ ἤθους ῥεόντων, οὐχ οἶόν τέ ἐστι γελοίους τινὰς προέσθαι λόγους, μὴ οὐχὶ ἀπὸ γελοίου ἤθους φερομένους. Τὸ γὰρ, ' Οὐκ ἔστι δένδρον καλὸν, ποιοῦν καρπὸν σαπρόν· οὐδὲ μὴν δένδρον σαπρὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν,' κανταῦθα ἁρμοστέον· καρπὸς διανοίας γὰρ ὁ λόγος ἐστίν. Εἰ τοίνυν τοὺς γελωτοποιοὺς ἐξοικιστέον τῆς ἡμεδαπῆς πολιτείας, πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἐπιτρέπειν γελωτοπειεῖν· ἄτοπον γὰρ, ὦν ἀκροατὰς γενέσθαι κεκώλυται, τούτων εὐρίσκεσθαι μιμητάς. Πολλῷ δὲ ἔτι ἀτοπώτερον, γελοῖον αὐτὸν σπουδὰζειν γενέσθαι, τουτέστιν ἐφυβριστον καὶ καταγελαστον. Εἰ γὰρ γελοίως σχηματισθῆναι, καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς πομπαῖς ὀρῶνται τινες, οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείναιμεν· πῶς  ἂν εἰκότως τὸν ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπον, ἐπὶ τὸ γελοιότερον σχηματιζόμενον, ἀνασχοίμεθα, καὶ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον; Οὔκουν ἐκόντες ἐπὶ τὸ γελοιότερον μεταστρεψαιμεν ἄν ποτε. Καὶ πῶς ἂν κατὰ τοὺς λόγους ἐπιτηδεύσαιμεν εἶναί τε καὶ φαίνεσθαι γελοῖοι, τὸ τιμιώτερον πάντων τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις κτημάτων κατομωκώμενοι, τὸν λόγον; Κλεύη μὲν οὔν ἐπιτηδεύειν ταῦτα ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ὁ τῶν γελοίων λόγος τοῖος ἀιροάσεως ἄξιος, διὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ αἰσχρὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐθίζων· χαριεντιστέον τε, οὐ γελωτοποιητέον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν γέλωτα ἐπιστομιστέον· καὶ γὰρ αὖ καὶ αὐτὸς, ὅν μὲν δεῖ τρόπον ἐξαγόμενος, ἐμφαίνει κοσμιότητα· μὴ ταύτῃ δὲ χωρῶν, ἀκολασίαν ἐνδείκνυται. Ἁπλῶς γὰρ, ὁπόσα φυσικὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐστὶ, ταῦτα ούκ ἀναιτεῖν ἐξ αὐτῶν δεῖ· μὰλλον δὲ μέτρον αὐτοῖς καὶ καιρὸνἐπιτιθέναι πρέποντα. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὰν γελαστικὸν ζῶον ὁ ἄνθρωπος, γελαστέον τα πάντα· ἐπειδὰν οὐδὲ ὁ ἵππος, χρεμαετιστικὸς ὤν, χρεματίζει τὰ πάντα· ὡς δὲ ζῶα λογικὰ, σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἁρμοστέον εὐκράτως, τὸ αὐστηρὸν τῆς σπουδῆς ἡμων καὶ τὸ ὑπέρτονον χαλῶντας ἐμμελῶς, οὐκ ἐκλύοντας ἐκμελῶς· Κλημεντος του Αλεξανδρεως, Ὁ Παιδαγωγός, Λόγος Δεύτερος

And those who are imitators of ludicrous things, or rather of ridiculous states, should be driven from our state. 1 For since all speech flows from mind and character, there could not be ludicrous speech unless it proceed from a ludicrous inner state. For when it is said, 'It is not a good tree which produces corrupt fruit, nor a corrupt tree which produces good fruit,'2 one must apply it in these matters, for speech is the fruit of the mind. If, then, buffoons are to be ejected from our state, much more it is necessary that we do not turn to inciting laughter, for it would be absurd to be imitators of things to which we are prohibited to listen. And still more absurd it is to be keen to be ridiculous, that is, the target of insult and derision. For if we could not endure a ridiculous figure, such as we see in some processions, how could we without disgrace have the inner man made ridiculous, and that to one's face? Thus we should never willingly assume a ludicrous character. And how, then, can we take to being and appearing to be ridiculous in conversation, which is the most honourable of all human possessions? It is therefore disgraceful to wish to do this, since the conversation of buffoons is not worthy to be received, as by the very words employed it accustoms one to shameful deeds.  One may be witty, yes, but not a buffoon. But even laughter should be kept under restraint, for when given seasonably it shows orderliness, but when inappropriately it shows a lack of self control. For, in a word, whatever is natural to men one must not take from them, but rather lay down a measure and indicate suitable times. For because man is a animal that laughs does not mean he should be laughing at everything, any more than the horse, which is an animal that neighs, should neigh at everything. But as rational animals we are to control ourselves wisely, harmoniously easing the roughness and strain of our serious affairs, not inharmoniously tearing them apart. Clement of Alexandria, The Teacher, Book 2.  1 cf Plato, Republic Bk 10, 606c -607e 2 Mt 7.18