Miracles And Nature

Ἐπὶ γὰρ Θεοὺ οὐ δεῖ τῇ φύσει τῶν πραγμάτων προσέχειν, ἀλλὰ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ ἐνεργοῦντος πιστεύειν. Φύσεως γάρ ἐστι νόμος, ὅταν γυνὴ προσμιλήσασα γάμοις τέκῃ· ὅταν δὲ παρθένος ἀπειρόγαμος τεκοῦσα πάλιν παρθένος φανείη, ὑπερ φύσιν τὸ πρᾶγμα. Το οὖν κατὰ φύσιν ζητείσθω, τὸ δὲ ὑπὲρ φύσιν σιγῇ τιμάθω, οὐχ ὡς φευκτὸν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀπόῥῥητον, καὶ σιωπῇ τιμᾶσθαι ἄξιον. Ἀλλ' ἀπονείματέ μοι συγγνώμην, πατακαλῶ, ἐν προοιμίοις καταπαῦσαι τὸν λόγον βουλομένῳ. Δειλὸς γὰρ ὤν πρὸς τὴν τῶν κρειττόνων ἕρευναν, πῶς ἢ ποῦ τρέψω τῶν λόγων τὰ πηδάλια οὐχ ἔχω. Τί γὰρ εἴπω, ἢ τί λαλήσω; Τὴν τεκοῦσαν ὁρῶ, τὸν τεχθέντα βλέπω, τὸν δὲ τρόπον τῆς γεννήσεως οὐ συνορῶ· νικᾶται γὰρ φύσις, νικᾶται καὶ τάξεως ὅρος, ὅπου Θεὸς βούλεται. Οὐ γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν γέγονε τὸ πρᾶγμα· ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ φύσιν τὸ θαῦμα· ἤργησε γὰρ ἡ φύσις, καὶ ἐνήργησε τοῦ Δεσπότου τὸ βούλημα. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος, Εἰς τὸ γενέθλιον τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Λόγος. Source: Migne PG 56. 388

It is not necessary to look for God to work within nature, but to have faith in the power of the work. For it is a law of nature that when a woman in joined in matrimony she gives birth, but when a virgin unmarried gives birth and again appears a virgin, so nature is surpassed. Thus what is done according to nature one may seek but truly when nature is superseded then one should revere in silence, not as a thing to be shunned but as a thing ineffable, and so rightly with silence we venerate. Yet give to me this allowance, I ask, that in the beginning I bring an end to speech. For there is grave concern in the understanding of sublime things, and I do not know how to order my words. What then should I say, or what should I tell? I see a women who gave birth, a child born I discern, but the manner of the generation I do not grasp; for nature is conquered, conquered are the bounds of the ordinary, when God so wishes. For this did not happen according to nature but nature is surpassed by a miracle, for nature subsides when the will of God works. Saint John Chrysostom, from A Sermon on the Birthday of Our Saviour Jesus Christ

The Counsel Of God

Περὶ βουλῆς Θεοῦ· καὶ ὅτι ἄτρεπτος, καὶ ἀνέφικτος ἀνθρώποις ὑπάρχει. Κύριος διασκεδάζει βουλὰς ἐθνῶν, ἀθετεῖ δὲ λογισμοὺς λαῶν.  Ὡς φοβερὸς ἐν βουλαῖς ὑπὲρ τοὺς υἱοὺς ἀνθρώπων.  Πολλοὶ λογισμοὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνθρώπου· ἡ δὲ βουλὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.  Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἅγιος βεβούλευται, τίς διασκεδάσει;  καὶ τὴν χεῖρα τὴν ὑψηλὴν τίς ἀποστρέψει; Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Σαβαὼθ, λέγων·  Ὃν τρόπον εἴρηκα, οὕτως ἔσται, καὶ ὃν τρόπον βεβούλευμαι, οὕτως μενεῖ.  Ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ σοφοί σου;  καὶ ἀναγγειλάτωσάν σοι ὅ τι βεβούλευται Κύριος Σαβαώθ. Τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου, ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, ὃς συμβιβάσει αὐτόν;  ἢ πρὸς τίνα συνεβουλεύσατο, καὶ συνεβίβασεν αὐτόν;  Θεὸς αἰώνιος ὁ κατασκευάσας τὰ ἄκρα τῆς γῆς.  Οὐ πεινάσει, οὐδὲ κοπιάσει, οὐδὲ ἔστιν ἐξεύρεσις τῆς φρονήσεως αὐτοῦ. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος πλὴν ἐμοῦ. Πᾶσα ἡ βουλή μου στήσεται, καὶ πάντα ὅσα βεβούλευμαι, ποιήσω·  ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἤγαγον· ἔκτισα καὶ ἐποίησα αὐτό. Τὸ ῥῆμά μου ὃ ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου, οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ πρός με κενὸν, ἕως ἂν συντελέσῃ πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησα. Τίς ἀνδρῶν γνώσεται βουλὴν Θεοῦ;  ἢ τίς ἐνθυμηθήσεται τί θέλει ὁ Κύριος;  λογισμοὶ γὰρ θνητῶν δειλοὶ, καὶ ἐπισφαλεῖς αἱ ἐπίνοιαι αὐτῶν. Μόλις γὰρ εἰκάζομεν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ ἐν χερσὶν εὑρίσκομεν μετὰ πόνου·  τὰ δὲ ἐν οὐρανοῖς τίς ἐξιχνίασεν;  βουλὴν δέ σου τίς ἔγνω; Ὅπου Θεὸς βούλεται, νικᾶται φύσεως τάξις.  Εἰ ἠβουλήθη γὰρ, ἠδυνήθη.  Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Τὰ Ιἐρα Παραλληλα, Στοικειον Β'  Τιτλ Βʹ.  Migne PG 95 1264-1265

On The Counsel of God, that men are neither able to change or understand it. 'The Lord scatters the counsels of men, He reproves the thoughts of the peoples.' 1 'He is terrible in counsel over the sons of men.' 2 'Many the thoughts in the heart of a man, the counsel of God remains in eternity.' 3 'What the holy Lord has willed, who shall discount? And His high hand who shall escape?' 4 This says the Lord of Hosts: 'As I have spoken, so it shall be, and as I have willed it, so it will remain. Where are your wise ones, O men? Let them cry out to you how the Lord of Hosts is resolved. 5 'Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counsellor, that he teach Him? From whom has He received advice and who has instructed Him? God eternal, who created the ends of the earth. He does not hunger, nor does He toil, nor is there finding out of His mind.' 6 'I am God and there is no other apart from me. All I will shall be and everything which I have resolved, I shall do. I spoke and it came to be, I created and it was. 7 'My word which has gone forth from my mouth, shall not return empty to me, until it complete all that I have wished.' 8 Who among men is able to know the counsel of God? Of who is able to conceive what God wishes? Fearful the thoughts of men and uncertain our foresight. With difficulty we judge the things in the world and what is in our sight with toil we discover. That which is in the heavens, who shall investigate? Your reasoning who shall know? 9 When God wishes it, the order of nature is conquered; for if He wishes it, so it is done. 10   Saint John of Damascus, Sacred Parallels, Letter B, Chap 2 1 Ps 32.10 2 Ps 68.5 3 Prov 19.21 4 Is 14.28 5 Is 19.12 6. Is 40. 13-14 7 Is 48.15 8 Is 55.11 9 Wis 9. 13,16 10 Chrysostom Homily on the Nativity of Christ.

Son And Unicorn

Καὶ ὁ ἠγαπημένος ὡς υἱος μονοκερώτων. Ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱος, ὁ διδοὺς ζωὴν τῷ κόσμῳ, ὅταν μὲν προσφέρῃ θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν ἑαυτὸν τῷ Θεῷ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀμνὸς ὀνομάζεται, τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πρόβατον. Ἴδε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ πάλιν· Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη. Ὅταν δὲ ἀμύνασθαι δέῃ καὶ καθελεῖν τὴν δυναστείαν τὴν ἐπιφυομένην τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐκτεθηριωμένην τινὰ καὶ ἀπηγριωμένην δύναμιν, τότε υἱος μονοκερώτων ὀνομάζεται. Ζῶον γὰρ, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ μεμαθήκαμεν, ὁ μονόκερώς ἐστιν ἄμαχον τὴν δύναμιν, ανυπότακτον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Οὐ γὰρ δήσεις αὐτὸν, φησὶν, ἱμάντι, οὐδε κοιμηθήσεται ἐπὶ φάτνης. Καὶ πολλὰ περὶ τοῦ ἐλευθεριάζειν τὸ ζώον καὶ μὴ ὑπείκειν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ μέρει τῆς προφητείας εἴρηται. Καὶ παρατετήρηται, ὅτι ἐπ' ἀμφότερα κεχρηται τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ μονοκέρωτος ἡ Γραφή· ποτὲ μὲν ἐπαινετῶς, ἄλλοτε δὲ διαβεβλημένως. Ῥῦσαι γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ ῥομφαὶς τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσιν μου. Τὸν πολεμοποιὸν λαὸν διαβάλλων ταῦτα φησι παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πάθους ἐπαναστάντα αὐτῷ. Πάλιν δὲ, Ὑψωθήσεται, φησὶν, ὡς μονοκέρωτος τὸ κέρας μου. Ἔοικεν οὖν διὰ μὲν τὸ ἁμυντικὸν τοῦ ζώου ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν χειρόνων εἰκασίαν  πολλάκις παραλαμβάνεσθαι, διὰ δὲ τὸ ὑψίκερων καὶ ἑλευθέριον πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βελτίονος ἄγεσθαι εἰκασίαν. Καὶ ὅλως, ἐπειδὴ τὸ κέρας ὑπὸ τῆς Γραφῆς ἀντὶ τῆς δόξης πολλαχοῦ παρειλημμένον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν, ὡς τὸ, Ὑψώσει κέρας λαοῦ αὐτοῦ· καὶ, Τὸ κέρας αὐτοῦ ὑψωθήσεται ἑν δόξῃ· ἢ καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸ κέρας ἀντὶ δυνάμεως πολλάκις παραλαμβάνεται· ὡς τὸ, Ὕπερασπιστής μου καὶ κέρας σωτηρίας μου· Χριστὸς δὲ Θεοῦ δύναμις· διὰ τοῦτο ὡς ἔν ἔχων κέρας, τουτέστι μίαν δύναμιν ἔχων τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς, μονόκερως προσηγόρευται. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον ΚΗ' Ψαλμον  Source: Migne PG 29 296

'And beloved as a son of the unicorns.' 1 The only begotten Son who gave life to the world when He offered himself to the Lord as a sacrifice and oblation for our sins, is named the lamb of God and the sheep, 'Behold the lamb of God,' 2 and 'As a sheep led to the slaughter.'  3 But when to ward off and pull down the growing power of the race of men, like some unbroken and untamed power, so He is named the son of the unicorn. For we learn in Job that the unicorn is an animal of unconquerable virtue and never subject to men. It says, 'For you will not bind him nor will he sleep in a stable.'  4 For that the animal is a great lover of liberty and not tameable by men is spoken of in this part of prophecy. But it has been observed that in one part of Scripture the likeness to a unicorn is used in laudatory fashion and in another to dispraise. 'Seize,' David says,'my soul from the swords and my humility from the horns of the unicorns.' 5 He spoke these things against a warring people, when a time of distress had come upon him. For again it is said, 'He shall exult my horn like the unicorn.' 6 And it seems on account of the passion of the animal for revenge that is often understood in a bad sense, and contrariwise on account of its high horn and desire for freedom, it is used in a good sense. And in sum, because we find that Scripture often employs the horn as a sign of glory, for example, 'He shall exult the horn of his people,' 7 and 'His horn he shall exult in glory,' 8  this is because the horn is understood as virtue, that is, 'My protector and horn of my salvation.'  9 And Christ is the power of God, therefore He is named as He who has one horn, that is, He has one common power with the Father. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 28 1 Ps 28.6 2 Jn 1.29 3 Act 8.32, Isa 53.7 4 Job 39.10 5 Ps 21.22 6 Ps 91.11 7 Ps 148.14 8 Ps 111.9 9 Ps 17.3

The Little Ones

Quaestio 1 Quod dictum est: Occisos infantes a bimatu et infra, significatum est humiles habentes geminam caritatem, tamquam parvulos bimos posse mori pro Christo. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Quaestionum Septendecim In Evangelium Secundum Matthaeum Source: Migne PL 35.1365

Question 1 When it is said, 'Killing the babes two years old and less,' 1 here is signified those humble ones who have the twofold love, 2 just as those two year old little ones who were able to die for Christ. Saint Augustine of Hippo, Seventy Questions On The Gospel Of Matthew 1 Mt 2.16 2 Mt 22.37-40

Saint John And Sons

Ματθαῖος μὲν γὰρ, τοῖς προσδοκῶσι τὸ ὲξ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Δαυῗδ Ἑβραίος γράφων, Βίβλος, φησὶ, γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαυῗδ, υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ· καὶ Μάρκος εἰδὼς ὃ γράφει, ἀρχὴν διηγεῖται τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, τάχα εὑρισκόντων ἡμῶν τὸ τέλος αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ ἐν ἀρχῇ Λόγον Θεὸν Λόγον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ Λουκᾶς εἰρηκὼς ἐν ἀρχῇ τῶν Πράξεων· Τὸν μὲν πρῶτον λόγον ἐποιησάμην περὶ πάντων ὦν ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς ποιεῖν καὶ διδάσκειν, ἀλλὰ γε τηρεῖ τῷ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος ἀναπεσόντι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοὺς μείζονας καὶ τελειοτέρους περὶ Ἰησοῦ λόγους· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἐκείνων ἀκρατῶς ἐφανέρωσεν αὐτοῦ τὴν θεότητα, ὡς Ἰωάννης παραστήσας αὐτὸν λέγοντα· Ἐγὼ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια, καὶ ἡ ζωή· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός· καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει· Ἐγω εἰμι τὸ Α καὶ τὸ Ω, ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος· ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος. Τολμητέον τοίνυν εἰπεῖν ἀπαρχὴν μὲν πασῶν Γραφῶν εἶναι τὰ Εὐαγγέλια, τῶν δὲ Εὐαγγελίων ἀπαρχὴν τὸ κατὰ Ἰωάννην· οὖ τὸν νοῦν οὐδεὶς δύναται λαβεῖν μὴ ἀναπεσὼν ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος Ἰησοῦ, μηδὲ λαβὼν ἀπὸ Ἰησοῦ τὴν Μαρίαν γινομένην καὶ αὐτοῦ μητέρα· καὶ τηλικοῦτον δὲ γενέσθαι δεῖ τὸν ἐσόμενον ἄλλον Ἰωάννην, ὥστε οἰονεὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην δειχθῆναι ὄντα Ἰησοῦν ἀπὸ Ἰησοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ οὐδεὶς υἱὸς Μαρίας, κατὰ τοὺς ὑγιῶς περὶ αὐτῆς δοξάζοντες, ἤ Ἰησοῦς, φησὶ δὲ Ἰησοῦς τῇ μητρὶ· Ἴδε ὁ υἱός σου, καὶ οὐχὶ· Ἴδε καὶ οὗτος υἱός σου· ἴσον εἴρηκε τῷ· Ἴδε οὗτος ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὄν ἐγέννησας. Καὶ γὰρ πᾶς ὁ τετελειωμένος ζῇ οὐκέτι, ἀλλ' ἐν αὐτῷ ζῇ Χριστός· καὶ ἐπεὶ ζῇ ἐν αὐτῷ Χριστὸς, λέγεται περὶ αὐτοῦ τῇ Μαρίᾷ· Ἴδε ὁ υἱός σου ὁ Χριστός. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ἰωαννην Εὐαγγελιον, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον Source: Migne PG 14.29-32

For Matthew writing for the Hebrews who expected Him to be descended from Abraham and David, said 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ son of David, son of Abraham.' 1 Mark knowing what he wrote, thus began his Gospel, and perhaps in John we find the perfection of it, whose account begins 'the Word was God.' Luke in the beginning of Acts says, 'The first account I made concerning all the things which Jesus did and taught,' 2 for the greater and more perfect words concerning Jesus he kept for him who lay upon the breast of Jesus. Not one of those so purely manifested His Divinity like John, who presented Him saying, 'I am the light of the world,' 3'I am the way, the light and the truth,' 4 'I am the resurrection,' 5 'I am the gate,' 6 'I am the good shepherd,' 7 and in the Apocalypse, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.' 8 Let us be so bold as to say that the first of all the Scriptures is the Gospel and the first of all the Gospels is that given by John, whose meaning no one is able to grasp unless he has reclined on the breast of Jesus, or has received Mary from Jesus, who thus becomes his mother, for that is necessary for him who would be another John in the future, that like John, in the same way, he be received as Jesus from Jesus. For if no one is a son of Mary, in the judgement of those who rationally grasp these things, apart from Jesus, yet Jesus says to his mother, 'Behold your son,' 9 and not, 'Behold, even this is your son,' but it is as if He had said, 'Behold, here is Jesus whom you bore.' For he who is perfect does not live any more but Christ lives in him. 10 And when Christ lives in him, it is said of him to Mary, 'Behold your son, Christ.' Origen, from the Commentary On the Gospel of John, Book 1.6  1 Mt 1.1 2 Acts 1.1 3 Jn 8.12 4 Jn 14.6 5 Jn 11.25 6 Jn 10.9 7 Jn 10.11 8 Rev 22.13 9 Jn 19.26 10 Galat 2.20

Friends And Enemies

Positis genibus clamavit dicens: ne statuas illis hoc peccatum. Videte, dilectissimi fratres, affectum beati viri; videte magnam et admirabilem caritatem. In persecutione positus erat, et pro persecutoribus supplicabat, atque in illa lapidum ruina, quando alius oblivisci poterat etiam carissimos suos, ille Domino commendabat inimicos. Quod enim dicebat, cum lapidaretur? Domine, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum. Plus itaque tunc illorum dolebat peccata quam sua vulnera, plus illorum impietatem quam suam mortem; et recte plus. In illorum quippe iniquitate erant multa quae plangi, in illius autem morte non erat quod debuisset doleri; illorum impietatem mors sequebatur aeterna, hujus autem mortem vita perpetua. Imitemur ergo in aliquo, dilectissimi fratres, tanti magistri fidem, tam praeclari martyris caritatem; diligamus nos hoc animo in Ecclesia fratres nostros, quo ille tunc dilexit inimicos suos. Sed quod pejus est aliquoties non solum inimicos non diligmus, nec amicis quidem fidem integram custodimus. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia LXIV Source: Migne PL 57.381a-b

'And on his knees he called out saying, Do not hold this sin against them.' 1 See, dearest brothers, the state of the blessed man, see his great and admirable love. In persecution he was placed, and for his persecutors he prayed, and in that rain of stones, when other would have forgotten even their dearest ones, he commended his enemies to the Lord. For what did he say when he was stoned? 'O Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' Thus he groaned more for their sins than for his own wounds, more for their impiety than his own death, and rightly more. For in their iniquity there was much to lament and in his death there was nothing to grieve, since eternal death followed upon their impiety and eternal life his death. Let us imitate in some way, dearest brothers, the faith of such a teacher, the love of this glorious martyr; let us love in our souls our brothers in the Church as he loved his enemies. For what is much worse  is not only that we do not love our enemies,  but that neither do we keep faith with friends. Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 64 1 Acts 7.59

Becoming Man

Ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐγνώσθη, ἡ χάρις ἤλθε, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἐφάνη· ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς ὤν, ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγος, σὰρξ ἐγένετο δι' ἡμας, ἵνα θνητοὺς εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἀναστήσῃ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἀνεγείρῃ· ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν ὅλων, ὁ πρὸ πάσης κτίσεως ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων, μόνῳ Παρτὶ καὶ Πνεύματι συνυπάρχων ἀθάνατος, σήμερον ἰδοὺ ἐκ Παρθένου γεννώμενος, χωρὶς πάσης ἁμαρτίας, ἄνευ ἀνθρώπου, ἤτοι ἀνδρος. Ἀμφιλοχίος Ἐπισκόπος Ἰκονίου, ἐκ τοῦ Περὶ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως Source: Migne PG 39.100

Truth is known, grace has come, and life has appeared, the Word of God and the Son of God is incarnated for us that mortals be established in eternal life and be raised from the dead; the Creator of all things, before every created thing visible and invisible, with the Father and the Holy Spirit immortally coexisting, behold, today He is born of the Virgin, He who is without sin, without deed of man, man has become. Amphilocius of Iconium, The Generation of the Lord According to the Flesh, Fragment

Opening The Womb

Τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, ὅτι Πᾶν πρωτότοκον διανοϊψον μήτραν, ἅγιον τῷ Κυρίῳ, οὐ περὶ παντὸς εἴρηται πρωτοτόκου· μὴ οὕτως οἱ ἀμαθεῖς νομιζέτωσαν· ἀλλὰ περὶ ἑνὸς καὶ μόνον, τοῦ ἐν τῷ τίκτεσθαι τὴν μήτραν ἀνοιξαντο. Πᾶσαν γὰρ μήτραν μίξις καὶ συνουσία ἀνοίγνυσι· τὴν δὲ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν κυήσασαν, αὐτὸς συλληφθεὶς ἀσπόρως προερχόμενος ἤνοιξε, καὶ πάλιν ἐσφραγισμένην κατέλιπεν· ἀληθῶς μὲν γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, ἀληθῶς δὲ Θεὸς καὶ προσκυνούμενος εἷς ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν φύσεων. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβίον Α', Ἐπιστολὴ ΚΓ' Θεοφιλῳ Migne PG 78. 196-197

When it is said in Sacred Scripture: 'Every firstborn that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord,' 1 this does not pertain to every firstborn, as uneducated men judge, but truly to that one who in birth alone opened the womb. For every womb is opened with laying together and embrace but she who bore our Lord Jesus Christ conceived without seed and He coming forth opened and again left her closed and sealed; truly being made man and truly God, the one worshipful in two natures. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 23, To Theophilus 1 Exod 13.23, Lk 2.23

Shepherds Of Bethlehem

Transeamus usque Bethlehem, et videamus hoc Verbum quod factum est, sicut Dominus ostendit nobis. Et venerunt festinantes. Vides festinare pastores; nemo enim cum desidia Christum requirit. Vides pastores angelo credidisse; et tu Patri, Filio, Spiritui sancto, angelis, prophetis, et apostolis crede. Vide quam signate Scriptura singulorum libret momenta verborum: Festinant, inquit, Verbum videre. Etenim cum caro Domini videtur, Verbum videre, quod est Filius. Non mediocre fidei tibi hoc videatur exemplum, non vilis persona pastorum. Certe quo vilior ad prudentiam, eo pretiosior ad fidem. Non gymnasia choris referta sapientum, sed plebem Dominus simplicem requisivit, quae phalerare audita, et fucare nesciret. Simplicitas enim quaeritur, non ambitio desideratur. Nec condemnenda putes quasi vilia verba prophetarum: a pastoribus populus ad Dei reverentiam congregatur; 'mirati enim sunt de iis, quae dicebantur a pastoribus ad ipsos.' Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Evangelii secundum Lucam, Liber II Migne PL 15.1571-72

'Let us go to Bethlehem and let us see this word that has been given to us, as the Lord has shown to us. And they went swiftly.'  1 You see that the shepherds hurry; for no one with sluggishness desires Christ. You see that the shepherds believed the angel, and so you, then, have faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and the Angels and the Prophets and the Apostles. See how with the meaning of each word Scripture weighs the moment. Hurry, it says, to see the Word. Indeed when the flesh of the Lord is seen, the Word is seen, which is the Son. This is no image of you who are of a petty faith, nor indeed is the lowly state of the shepherds. Certainly as something is more vile to the clever, so it is more precious to faith. It is not schools stuffed full of choirs of the clever the Lord seeks but the simple, whose hearing is adornment and who do not know not how to ornament themselves. For simplicity He seeks, ambition He does not want. Nor should you think to condemn as vile the words of Prophets, for by the shepherds the people are gathered to the reverence of God: 'They were amazed by the things which the shepherds told them.' 2 Saint Ambrose, from The Commentary On The Gospel of Luke, Book 2 1 Lk 2.15 2 Lk 2.18

Poverty And The Incarnation

Μακάριος ὁ συνιὼν ἐπὶ πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα. Μακαρίζει τὸν δυνάμενον συνιέναι τήν πτωχείαν, ἢν δι' ἡμᾶς ἀνείληφεν ὁ Χριστός, Τοῦτον γὰρ λέγει πτωχὸν, διότι πλούσιος ὤν, ἐπτώχευσε δι' ἡμᾶς, ἵν' ἡμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσωμεν.  Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Εἰς Τους Ψαλμους, Ψαλμός Μ' Migne PG 69. 993

'Blessed is he who thinks on the poor and needy.' 1   Blessed, he says, is he who is able to understand poverty, which Christ took up for our sake. For this he calls poverty, He who when He was rich, became needy for us, that by His poverty we be enriched. 2 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Psalms, Psalm 40 1 Ps 40.2 2. 2 Cor 8.9

Gideon And Christmas

Cum his Gedeon ad praelium pergit, eosque non armis, sed tubis, lampadibus, et lagenis armavit. Nam, sicut illic scriptum est, accensas lampades miserunt intra lagunculas, et tubas in dextera, lagenas autem in sinistra tenuerunt, et ad hostes suos cominus venientes cecinerunt tubis, confregerunt lagunculas, lampades apparuerunt, et hinc tubarum sonitu, illinc lampadarum coruseatione territi hostes in fugam versi sunt. Quid hoc est, quod tale bellum per prophetam ad medium adducitur? An indicare nobis propheta studuit quod adventum Redemptoris nostri contra diabolum illa sub Gedone duce pugnae victoria designavit? Talia illic nimirum acta sunt, quae quanto magis usum pugnandi transeunt, tanto amplius a prophetandi mysterio non recedunt. Quis enim unquam cum lagenis et lampadibus ad praelium venit? Quis contra arma veniens, arma deseruit? Ridicula nobis haec profecto fuerant, si terribilia hostibus non fuissent. Sed victoria ista attestante, didicimus ne parva haec quae acta sunt perpendamus. Gedeon itaque ad praelium veniens? Redemptoris nostri signat adventum, de quo scriptum est: Tollite portas, principes, vestras, et elevamini portae aeternales, et introibit rex gloriae. Quis est iste rex gloriae? Dominus fortis et potens, Dominus potens in praelio. Hunc Redemptorem nostrum non solum opere sed etiam nomine prophetavit. Gedeon namque interpretatur circuiens in utero. Dominus enim noster per majestatis potentiam omnia circumplectitur, et tamen per dispensationis gratiam intra uterum Virginis venit. Quid est ergo circuiens in utero, nisi quia omnipotens Deus Christus intra uterum fuit per infirmitatis substantiam, et extra mundum per potentiam majestatis? Madian vero interpretatur de judicio Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, Mysticorum Expositiones Sacramentorum Seu Quaestiones In Vetus Testamentum, In librum Judicum, Cap V Migne PL 83.383-384

With this company Gideon went to war, men who had no arms but were equipped with trumpets and torches and jars. For, as it is written, burning torches they placed within their jars and trumpets they held in their right hands and jars in their left, and coming near to their enemies they blew their trumpets and broke their jars and their torches appeared, and with this roar of sound and the blazing of the torches the terrified enemy were turned to flight. 1 And then what is this, that such tale of battle is brought to us by the Prophet? 2 Does the Prophet not wish to indicate to us that this victory in battle under the leadership of Gideon is as the advent of the Lord against the devil? Certainly such are the deeds, and the more they pass the common custom of combat, so the more they acquire the mystery of prophecy. For who goes to battle with jars and torches? Who comes against arms lacking arms? Undoubtedly to us these things would be ridiculous if they had not terrified the enemy. But victory being recorded, we learn not to judge these deeds to be slight. Gideon goes to war in such a manner? It signifies the advent of the Lord, concerning which it is written, 'Open your gates, princes, lift up the eternal doors, and the king of glory shall enter. Who is this king of glory? The Lord strong and powerful, the Lord powerful in battle.' 3 And our Redeemer is not only prophesied by the deed but by the name, for Gideon interpreted means 'surrounded in the womb.' For our Lord is surrounded by all power of majesty, however by the dispensation of grace he came into the Virgin's womb. Why is He thus surrounded in the womb unless because in the womb the Divine Christ was in the infirmity of our substance as beyond the world in the power of majesty? And Madian, the place of battle, interpreted is 'concerning judgement'. Saint Isidore of Seville, from Expositions of Sacred Mysteries or Questions on the Old Testament, On the Book of Judges, Chap 5 1 Judg 7.17-21 2 cf Is 9 1-7 3 Ps 23.7-8

Gospel Beginnings

Et quare Joannes statim in principio Evangelli sui divinitatis ejus monstravit naturam dicens: In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum? Quoniam Joannes, inter gentes in exsilio constitutus, Graeco sermone Evangelium causa gentium scripsit, quae non cognoscebant si Deus Filium habet, aut quomodo genitum habet: idcirco superfluum erat primum incarnationis ejus mysterium gentibus demonstrarem cum illum ipsi quis esset nescirent: ideo necessarium fuit primum illis ostendere, quia est Filius Dei Deus: deinde in sequentibus, quia carnem suscepit, dicens: Quia Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis. Matthaeus autem Evangelium Judaeis Hebraico sermone conscripsit, sicut jam diximus supra, ut Judaei legentes aedificarentur in fide. Judaei enim semper cognoscebant, quia est Filius Dei, et quomodo est Filius Dei. Superfluum ergo erat exponere eis divinitatis ejus naturam, quam ipsi optime cognoscebant; necessarium autem fuit mysterium incarnationis ejus ipsis ostendere. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia Prima Source: Migne PG 56.612-613

And why does John in the beginning of his Gospel show the nature of His Divinity saying, 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God? 1 Because John, who was in exile among the Gentiles, on account of them wrote his Gospel in Greek, for those who did not know if God had a Son, or how He was begotten; therefore it was superfluous that he first show the mystery of the incarnation to the Gentiles when there were those who had no knowledge of Him at all, and thus it was necessary first to show to them that the Son of God is God; then following that, because He took up flesh, to say 'The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.' 2 Matthew wrote his Gospel in the Hebrew language for the Jews, as we have already said, that in reading it the Jews be edified in the faith. For the Jews always knew that He is the Son of God, and how He is the Son of God. Superfluous for him then it was to explain the nature of His Divinity, which they knew very well, but it was necessary to describe to them the mystery of His incarnation. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from The First Homily 1 Jn 1.1 2 Jn 1.14

Incarnation And Healing

Πάλιν ἔφη Θεὸς πρὸς τὸν ἱερὸν δηλονότι Μωσέα· Εἰσένεγκαι τὴν χεῖρα σου εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου. Καὶ εἰσήνεγκε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοὺ εἰς τὸν κόλπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγενήθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ λεπτρῶσα ὡς χιών. Καὶ εἶπε πάλιν· Εἰσένεγκαι τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου. Καὶ εἰσνήνεγκε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ εῑς τὸν κόλπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξήνεγκε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ κόλπον αὐτοῠ, καὶ πάλιν ἀπεκατεστάθη εἰς τὴν χρόαν τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ. Θεοπρεπὲς γοῦν ὅτι μάλιστά γε τὸ ἁπαλλάξαι δύνασθαι λέπραν. Τὰ δὲ εἰς τοῦτο λοιπὸν ἀγριότητος ἀφιγμένα τῶν παθῶν, ὡς μηδὲ αὐταῖς εἴκειν ἀνέχεσθαι ταῖς τῶν ἰατρῶν ἐμπειρίας, δέοιτ' ἂν ἤδη πως ἐν τοῖς καθ' αὐτὰ μόνης τάχα που τῆς ἄνθεν ἐξουσίας, ᾖ τὸ ἀντιστατοῦν οὐδὲν, πάντα βάσιμα καὶ εὐήνυτα· ἀνίατον δὲ νοσημάτων ἡ λέπρα. Ὅτι τοίνυν τὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀπεγνωσμένα, καὶ τὰ παρ' ἡμῖν ἀδύνατα, παρ' αὐτῷ δυνατὰ, καὶ οὐδὲν ὅλως τὸ ἄναντες ἐφῆκε νοεῖν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, διὰ τοῦ τὴν Μωσέως χεῖρα θεραπεῦσαι λελεπρωμένην· ὡς ἂν εἰδεῖεν ἐντεῦθεν οἱ κεκλημένοι, τουτέστιν, οἱ ἐξ αἵματος Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι κἂν δυσδιάφυκτον ἔχοιεν τὴν συμφορὰν, ταῖς Αἰγυπτίων μοχθηρίαις ὑπιζευγμένοι, καὶ νόσον ὥσπερ τινὰ παθόντες ἐσχάτην, τὴν ὑπ' ἐκείνοις δουλείαν· ἀλλ' εὐμήχανος ὁ ἰατρὸς, καὶ τὰ πολὺ δυσεξίτητα τῶν παθῶν παρενεγκεῖν εὐκόλως εἰδὼς καὶ δυνάμενος, καὶ τοῦτο ἀμογητὶ καὶ οὐκ ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῳ. Ἅμα γὰρ εἰσήνεγκε ὁ Μωσῆς τὴν χεῖρα ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ, καὶ ἀπήλλακται τοῦ νοσεῖν. Ὑπῃνίττετο δέ τι ἕτερον ἡμῖν, καθάπερ ἐγῷμαι, τὸ χρῆμα. Μακροὺς γὰρ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τρίβοντες χρόνος οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, ἐξέθορον μὲν τῆς ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐκ πατέρων αὐτοῖς ἐντριβοῦς ἐπιεικείας, ἔθεσί τε μᾶλλον τοῖς ἐπιχωρίοις ἐνιζηκότες, καὶ βαθύνοντες λίαν εἰς κάθεσιν, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ προφήτου φωνήν· Λελατρεύκασι μὲν τῇ κτίσει, παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα. Κατωλισθήκασι δὲ καὶ εἰς πᾶν εἰδος ἀκαθαρσίας, μονονουχὶ δὲ τεθνεῶτα λοιπὸν καὶ ἀπεψυγμένον ἐσχήκασι νοῦν. Ἀκαθαρσίας γὰρ καὶ νεκρότητος σημεῖον ἡ λεπρα. Μεμυσταγώγηκε δὲ διὰ τοῦ θαύματος, ὡς εἰ παραδέξοιτο Θεὸς αὐτοὺς, μονονουχὶ δὲ καὶ ἐγκολπώσοιτο πάλιν, οὐ δυσαπότρεπτον ἔξουσι τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν, διακρούσονται δὲ καὶ μάλα ῥᾳδίως τὸν ἐκ τῆς νοητῆς νεκρότητος μολυσμόν. Καὶ οὑτωσὶ μὲν ἡμῖν ὁ ἔν γε τούτῳ λόγος. Ὅτι δὲ τε Χριστροῦ μυστήριον ἐσκιαγραφεῖτο πάλιν ὡς ἐν τῇ Μωσέως χειρὶ λελεπρωμένῃ τε καὶ κεκαθαρμένῃ, διειτεῖν παιράσομαι. Οὐκοῦν, ὅτι Πάντα γέγονε δι' Υἱοῦ καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν, ὁ θεσπέσιος ἡμῖν εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης εὖ μάλα διαμαρτύρεται. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πρὸς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἐνεργὸς ὁ Πατὴρ δι' αὐτοῦ, ταύτῃτοι καὶ ἡ θεόπνευστος Γραφὴ χεῖρα τε ἡμῖν, βραχίονα τε καὶ δεξιὰν ὀνομάζει τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν Υἱόν. Καὶ γοῦν ὁ θεσπέσιος Ἠσαῗας, Κυριε, φησὶ , τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνε ἀπεκαλύφθη; Μεμενήκασι γὰρ σκληροὶ καὶ ἐξήνιοι, καὶ πολὺ νοσοῦντες τὸ ἀπειθὲς οἱ τάλανες Ἰουδαῖοι. Καὶ τῷ μὲν λόγῳ Κυρίου καὶ αὐτοὺς ἔφη τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἐστερεῶθαι Δαβιδ· διά δὲ γε φῶνῆς προφητῶν ὁ Θεὸς  καὶ Πατήρ διισχυρίσατο λέγων· Ἐγὼ τῇ χειρί μου ἐστερέωσα τὸν οὐρανόν. Προσπεφώνηκε δὲ καὶ ἑτέροις· Ἐγὼ γὰρ ὁ Θεός σου ὅς ἐνίσχυσά σε, καὶ ἐβοήθησά σοι, καὶ ἠσφαλισάμην σε τῇ δεξιᾷ τῇ δικαίᾳ μου. Χεῖρα δὴ οὖν ἔθος τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ Γραφῇ τὸν Υἱόν ἀκοκαλεῖν. Ὅρα τοίνυν την Μωσέως χεῖρα κρυπτομένην ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτοῦ, εἶτα πρὸς τὸ ἔξω φερομένην, καὶ ὀρωμένην ἐν λέπρᾳ· καὶ πάλιν εἰσφερομένην ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραχρῆμα τοῦ πάθους ἀπηλλαγμένην. Ἐννοοῦντες δὲ τὸ μυστήριον καὶ τὸν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τρόπον, ὅπη τε καὶ ὅπως ἂν ἔχῃ καταθρεῖν σπουδάζοντες, τοιοῦτο τι γεγονὸς εὑρήσομεν. Ἢν μὲν γάρ πως ὁ Υἱός ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα πεποίηκεν ὁ Πατήρ. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐστιν ὁ βραχίων ὁ ὑψηλὸς, ἡ πάντα ἰσχύουσα χεὶρ, ἡ ἀξιοθαύμαστος δεξιά. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τρόπον τινὰ εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἐκβέβηκεν τόπον, γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἔλαβε, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ προφήτου φωνὴν, ἐν ὑπολήψει γέγονε καὶ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ. Ἀκάθαρτος γὰρ ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις πρὸς Θεὸν, εἴ γε ἀληθὲς ὅ φησιν ὁ προφήτης Ἠσαῗας, ὅτι Πᾶσα ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν, ὡς ῥάκος ἀποκαθημένης' Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Γλαφψρων Εἰς Την Ἐξοδον, Βιβλιον Β' Migne PG 69 472-476

And again God said to the blessed Moses, 'Place your hand into your lap.' And he placed his hand in his lap and it was made leprous like snow. And He said again, 'Place your hand in your lap.' And he placed his hand in his lap and he drew it out and it was restored to the color of flesh.' 1 And indeed very befitting it is that God is able to provide a cure for leprosy. And those who are afflicted with diseases which no medical skill seems to be able to relieve, are left needy of all else but the Divine power which nothing can resist, but to which everything must bow and serve. Thus irremediable is the disease of leprosy, and truly a desperate thing, to men, but things which appear to us to be impossible are easy for God, 2 Thus God himself when he cleansed the leprous hand of Moses not only taught that nothing should be judged irremediable, but they were called to understand, that is, the Israelites, that even if they suffered from some unavoidable evil, while they were subject to the shameless Egyptians, and they were touched by the worst disease, and I speak here of the servitude in Egypt, a most capable physician may be prepared for them, one who best knows how and is quickly able to cure even the worst types of evils, and that without toil and in brief time, for at the moment Moses took his hand into his lap it was healed. And this also subtly speaks to us about something else, I judge. Because the people of Israel had spent a long time in Egypt, they turned from the fair ways of heaven and their fathers during their stay and fell into the ways of the people in whose land they were dwelling, and as the Prophet's voice says, 'They served the creature rather than the Creator.' 3 And they fell into every sort of uncleanliness and dead and lifeless were the souls of those touched. For leprosy is a sign of uncleanliness and death and thus they were taught by the miracle that God would not only call them back to Himself but in his lap establish them afresh, not only cleansing ingrained filth, but effortlessly scouring the depths of their dead hearts. And thus this to you is spoken. But again in this infection of Moses' hand with leprosy which was then made clean, is also foreshadowed the mystery of Christ, of which I shall speak of in addition. 'Everything was made through the Son and without Him not one thing was made,' 4 as the blessed Evangelist John has given good witness to you. Now since the Father works everything through the Son, thus Sacred Scripture names for us the Son of the Father the hand, and the arm and right hand. So even the blessed Isaiah says: 'Lord, who believes in our report? And to whom is revealed the right hand of the Lord?' 5 For the Jews endured hard and grievous misery, laboring excessively in unbelief. And David testifies that by the word of the Lord the heavens are made, and with the speech of the same Prophet God the Father thus confirms it: 'My hand has established heaven.' 6 And addressing others, He says, ' For I, your God, have strengthened you, and helped you, protecting you with my just right hand.' 7 Divine Scripture, then, is accustomed to name the Son the hand. And thus consider the hand of Moses which was hidden in his lap, and being drawn out was infected with leprosy, and again in the lap placed and drawn out again it was clean. 8 See here the mystery and the manner of the Incarnation, how it may be and the likeness it may have, for if we look deeply into it we shall grasp what shall become plain. For the Son was in the lap of God the Father, and through Him the Father made all things. He is the exalted arm, and the flawlessly strong hand, and the wondrous right hand. Then after He had come out of His own place, being made man, He took on our infirmities, 9 according to the voice of the Prophet, being judged obnoxious and filthy, for every human state compared to God is unclean, and so Isaiah says, 'As a cloth stained with menstrual blood is all our righteousness.' 10 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, from Glaphrya on Exodus, Book 2 1 Exod 4.6-7  2 cf Lk 18.27  3 Rom 1.25  4 Jn 1.3  5 Is 53.2  6 Is 48.13  7 Is 41. 10  8 Exod 4. 6-7  9 Is 53.4 10 Is 64.6

Birth And Hope

Ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐκσπάσας με ἐκ γαστρός    Τάχα γὰρ ὁ ἐκ σπέρματος συλληφθείς ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ πληρωθέντος τοῦ καιροῦ τῆς ἀποτέξεως, ὑπ' αὐτῆς τῆς μήτρας ἐπὶ τὰ ἔξω προβάλλεται. Μόνον δὲ τὸν σωτῆρα ὁ πατὴρ ἐκ τῆς γαστρὸς τῆς παρθένου ἐκσπᾷ, οὐκ ἔξωθεν σπέρματος αὐτῇ καταβληθέντος ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτῆς τοῦ θείου τόκου ἐξεσπασμένου.  ἡ ἐλπίς μου ἀπὸ μαστῶν τῆς μητρός μου Τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις τὸ ἐλπίζειν καὶ προσδοκᾶν τὰ μέλλοντα μετὰ συμπλήρωσιν τοῦ λόγου ἐφ' ἡλικίαις γενομένοις ἐπέρχεται. Μόνον δὲ τὸ ἐκ Μαρίας βρέφος ἀπὸ μαστῶν τῆς μητρὸς ἐλπίζει τελειότητα· θεὸν γὰρ ἔχει τὴν ἐλπίδα· οὐδέποτε γὰρ ἐν κακίᾳ γεγένηται, πάντων ἀνθρώπων μετὰ ἄγνοιαν καὶ πονηρίαν τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἀσπαζομένων. Καὶ τοῦτο δηλῶν ̔Ησαΐας ἔλεγεν· Πρὶν η γνῶναι αὐτὸν ἀγαθὸν η κακὸν ἀπειθεῖ πονηρίᾳ τοῦ ἐκλέξασθαι τὸ ἀγαθόν.  Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος ΚΑ' Migne PG 39.1277

'For you drew me from the womb.' 1 For swiftly from seed conceived in the womb, with the time of birth fulfilled, a man by the same womb is cast forth. But alone the Father drew the Saviour from the womb of the Virgin, for as the seed in her was not cast down from outside, so the drawing out of the Divine birth. 'My hope from the breasts of my mother, ' 1  With other men there is hope and expectation of future things with completion of reason by increase of years, but alone the child of Mary from the breasts of His mother hoped for perfection, for His was Divine hope, and thus never did he do anything wicked, whereas every man after ignorance and error only then embraces the good, and this Isaiah clearly spoke of saying, 'Before he knows good or evil,  he shall reprove evil and choose good.' 2 Didymus the Blind, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 21 1 Ps 21.10 2 Is 8 15-16

Isaiah And The Incarnation

Τῇ λαβίδι ἔλαβεν ὁ διορατικώτατος Ἡσαῖας τὸν ἐκ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἄνθρακα, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἐνανθρώπησιν θεωρῶν τηλαυγέστατα. Ἄνθραξ ἠ θεία ἐωρὰτο οὐσία· λαβὶς δὲ ἡ ἐξ ἡμῶν αὐτῇ ἐνωθεῖσα ἀναμάρτητος σάρξ. Ἥψατο δὲ τῶν χειλέων Ἥσαῖου, καὶ τὰς αὐτοῦ ἐκάθηρεν ἁμαρτίας, τὰς πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως δηλονότι. Ἡ γὰρ ἄῥῥητος τοῦ λόγου πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἔνωσις ἦρε θεοπρεπῶς τὰς τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς ἁμαρτίας. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΜΒ' , Ἀρχοντιῳ Μονακῳ Source: Migne PG 78.208d-209a

In the bringing of the coal in the forceps from the altar to Isaiah 1 the most perceptive may most clearly see the incarnation of the Lord. By the coal is indicated the Divine essence, and by the forceps the flesh without taint of sin, to which, taking it from us, He was joined. And it touches the lips of Isaiah it purges his sin, that is, clearly all human nature, for the conjunction of human nature with the Word, which no words are able to explain, is the consent of the the Divine to take up the sins of the whole world. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 42, To Archontius the Monk 1 Isaiah 6.6

The Virgin's Son

Καὶ τὸ Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται καὶ τέξεται υἱὸν εἰς τοῦτον προείρητο. εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐκ παρθένου οὗτος, περὶ οὗ Ἠσαίας ἔλεγεν, ἔμελλε γεννᾶσθαι, εἰς ὃν τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ἐβόα· Ἰδοὺ κύριος αὐτὸς ἡμῖν δώσει σημεῖον· ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται καὶ τέξεται υἱόν; εἰ γὰρ ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι πρωτοτόκοις καὶ οὗτος γεννᾶσθαι ἐκ συνουσίας ἔμελλε, τί καὶ ὁ θεὸς σημεῖον, ὃ μὴ πᾶσι τοῖς πρωτοτόκοις κοινόν ἐστιν, ἔλεγε ποιεῖν; ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀληθῶς σημεῖον καὶ πιστὸν τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔμελλε γίνεσθαι, τοῦτ' ἔστι διὰ παρθενικῆς μήτρας τὸν πρωτότοκον τῶν πάντων ποιημάτων σαρκοποιηθέντα ἀληθῶς παιδίον γενέσθαι, προλαβὼν αὐτὸ διὰ τοῦ προφητικοῦ πνεύματος κατὰ ἄλλον καὶ ἄλλον τρόπον, ἀνιστόρησα ὑμῖν, προεκήρυξεν, ἵνα ὅταν γένηται δυνάμει καὶ βουλῇ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων ποιητοῦ γενόμενον γνωσθῇ· ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ πλευρᾶς μιᾶς τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἡ Εὔα γέγονε, καὶ ὥσπερ τἄλλα πάντα ζῶα λόγῳ θεοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐγεννήθη. ὑμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἐν τούτοις παραγράφειν τὰς ἐξηγήσεις, ἃς ἐξηγήσαντο οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν παρὰ Πτολεμαίῳ τῷ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων βασιλεῖ γενομένῳ, τολμᾶτε, λέγοντες μὴ ἔχειν τὴν γραφὴν ὡς ἐκεῖνοι ἐξηγήσαντο, ἀλλ' Ἰδού, φησίν, ἡ νεᾶνις ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, ὡς μεγάλων πραγμάτων σημαινομένων, εἰ γυνὴ ἀπὸ συνουσίας τίκτειν ἔμελλεν, ὅπερ πᾶσαι αἱ νεάνιδες γυναῖκες ποιοῦσι πλὴν τῶν στειρῶν, ἃς καὶ αὐτὰς βουληθεὶς ὁ θεὸς γεννᾶν ποιῆσαι δυνατός. ἡ μήτηρ γὰρ τοῦ Σαμουὴλ μὴ τίκτουσα διὰ βουλὴν θεοῦ τέτοκε, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἁγίου πατριάρχου Ἀβραάμ, καὶ Ἐλισάβετ ἡ τὸν βαπτιστὴν Ἰωάννην τεκοῦσα, καὶ ἄλλαι τινὲς ὁμοίως. ὥστε οὐκ ἀδύνατον ὑπολαμβάνειν δεῖ ὑμᾶς πάντα δύνασθαι τὸν θεὸν ὅσα βούλεται. καὶ μάλιστα, ἐπειδὴ ἐπεπροφήτευτο μέλλειν γίνεσθαι, μὴ παραγράφειν ἢ παρεξηγεῖσθαι τολμᾶτε τὰς προφητείας, ἐπεὶ ἑαυτοὺς μόνους ἀδικήσετε, τὸν δὲ θεὸν οὐ βλάψετε. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρύφωνα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος Migne PG 6 673

And, 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,' 1 was spoken about Him. For if He was not to be born from a virgin, concerning whom Isaiah spoke, of whom did the Holy Spirit cry out, 'Behold, the Lord Himself shall give us a sign: behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son?' For if He also were to be begotten by intercourse like all other firstborn sons, then why did God say that He would give a sign which is not common to all firstborn sons? But that which is truly a sign, and which was to be made trustworthy to the race of men, that is, that the first begotten of all everything made through a virgin's womb would become incarnate and be a child, he anticipated by the Spirit of prophecy, as I have repeated to you in various ways, and predicted it, in order that when it came to be, it be known as the work of the power and will of the Maker of all things; just as Eve was made from a rib of Adam, and as all living beings were created in the beginning by the word of God. But in these matters you try to pervert the expositions which your elders gave in the time of Ptolemy king of Egypt, saying that the Scripture does not have the meaning as they explained it, but says, 'Behold, the young woman shall conceive,' as if great things were signified if a woman should give birth from sexual intercourse, which indeed all young women do, apart from the barren; but even these women, if God wills, He is able to make capable. For the mother of Samuel, who had not brought forth child, gave birth by the will of God, and also the wife of the holy patriarch Abraham, and Elisabeth, who bore John the Baptist, and other women like these. So that you must not suppose that it is impossible for God to do anything He wills. And most of all, when it was prophesied that this would be, you lot should not try to pervert or misinterpret the prophecies, since you will harm yourselves alone, not God. Saint Justin Martyr,  from The Dialogue With Trypho 1 Isai 7.14

Descents And Ascents

Hic igitur Filius Dei Dominus noster, exsistens Verbum Patris, et filius hominis: quoniam ex Maria, quae ex hominibus habebat genus, quae et ipsa erat homo, habuit secundum hominem generationem, factus est filius hominis. Propter hoc et ipse Dominus dedit nobis signum in profundum, in altitudinem sursum, quod non postulavit homo, quia nec speravit virginem praegnantem fieri posse, quae erat virgo, et parere filium, et hunc partum Deum esse nobiscum, et descendere in ea quae sunt deorsum terrae, quaerentem ovem quae perierat, quod quidem erat proprium ipsius plasma, et ascendere in altitudinem, offerentem et commendantem Patri eum hominem, qui fuerat inventus. Sanctus Ireneaus Lugdunensis, Adversus Haereses, Lib III, Cap XIX. Migne PG 7.941

He therefore, the Son of God, our Lord, is the Word of the Father and the Son of man, since He had from Mary, she who had descent from men and who was herself a human being, generation according to man and was made the Son of man. According to which the Lord Himself gave us a sign, in the depth and in the height above, 1  which man did not ask for, because he did not expect that a virgin could conceive, or that she who was a virgin could give birth to a son, and that what was thus born should be 'God with us,' descending to those things which are of the earth below, seeking the sheep which had perished, which indeed was His own work, and ascending to the height above, offering and commending to His Father man, who had been found. Saint Ireneaus of Lyon, Against Heresies, Book III, Ch 19.  1 Is 7:14

The Lamp Of The Incarnation

Τὴν ἔνσαρκον οἰκονομίαν λύχνον φησιν· ἡ γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφία τὸν εἰρημένον ἄψασα λύχνον ηὗρε τὴν δραχμὴν τὴν ἀπολωλυϊαν. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΣΝΘ', Ναυκρατιῳ Migne 79 177-180

He speaks of the dispensation of the incarnation as a lamp, for the wisdom of God is said to be a blazing lamp seeking the lost drachma. 1 Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 259 To Naukratios 1 Lk 15.8-9

Descent And Darkness

Καὶ ἔκλινεν οὐρανὸν καὶ κατέβη καὶ γνόφος ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. Ἡ δὲ κατάβασις, τῇ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀκόλουθος οἰκονομίᾳ· κατέβη δὲ οὐ τοπικῶς, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, μορφὴν δούλου λαβεῖν, τὸ δὲ ἀσαφὲς καὶ λανθάνον τῆς τοῠ Θεοῦ γνῶσεως, διὰ τοῦ γνόφου παρίσταται· εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ Μωῦσῆς, ὡς ἦν ἀνθρώπῳ δυνατὸν, εἰσελήλυθεν· τοιαύτη καὶ ἡ δεῦρο ἐπιδημία τῷ μὴ δι' ὅλων ἐγνῶσθαι τοῖς γενητοῖς. Δυδύμος του Ἀλεξανδρέως, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος ΙΖ' Source: Migne PG 39.1244-45

And He bent heaven and came down and darkness was beneath his feet. 1 This descent is consonant with the incarnation of the Lord, for He did not descend in space, but when in the form of God to take up the form of a slave. 2 And that which is obscure and hidden is the knowledge of God, which through darkness appears, into which Moses penetrated, as much as it is possible for a man. And this signifies the dwelling here of the Lord, known to none but a few. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 17 1 Ps 17.10 2 Philip 2.6-7

Timely And Untimely Births

Καιρὸς τοῦ τεκεῖν καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν.   Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ τόκος ὥριμος καὶ οὐκ ἀμβλωθρίδιος εἶναι, ὅταν, καθώς φησιν Ἡσαΐας, ἐκ τοῦ θείου τις φόβου κυοφορήσας διὰ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς ὠδίνων τὴν ἰδίαν σωτηρίαν γεννήσῃ· ἑαυτῶν γὰρ τρόπον τινὰ πατέρες γινόμεθα, ὅταν διὰ τῆς ἀγαθῆς προαιρέσεως ἑαυτοὺς πλάσωμέν τε καὶ γεννήσωμεν καὶ εἰς φῶς προαγάγωμεν. τοῦτο δὲ ποιοῦμεν διὰ τοῦ δέξασθαι ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸν θεὸν, τέκνα θεοῦ καὶ τέκνα δυνάμεως καὶ υἱοὶ ὑψίστου γενόμενοι. καὶ πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς ἀμβλίσκομεν καὶ ἀτελεσφορήτους τε καὶ ὑπηνεμίους ἀπεργαζόμεθα, ὅταν μὴ μορφωθῇ ἐν ἡμῖν, καθώς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μορφή. δεῖ γὰρ εἶναι, φησίν, ἄρτιον τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπον. ἄρτιος δὲ πάντως ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν, ᾧ τελείως ὁ τῆς φύσεως συμπεπλήρωται λόγος. οὐκοῦν εἰ μέν τις δι' ἀρετῆς τέκνον θεοῦ ἑαυτὸν ἐποίησε λαβὼν ἐξουσίαν τῆς εὐγενείας ταύτης, ἔγνω οὗτος τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἀγαθῆς ὠδῖνος καὶ χαίρει κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον εἰκότως, Ὅτι ἐγεννήθη ἄνθρωπος εἰς τὸν κόσμον. ὁ δὲ γενόμενος τέκνον ὀργῆς καὶ υἱὸς ἀπωλείας καὶ σκότους ἔκγονος, γέννημα ἐχίδνης, ἔκγονον κακὸν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα, δι' ὧν ὁ πονηρὸς διαβάλλεται τόκος, οὐκ ἔγνω τὸν ζωογονοῦντα καιρόν· εἷς γὰρ καιρὸς ὁ εἰς ζωὴν τίκτων καὶ οὐ πολλοί. οὗ ὁ διαμαρτὼν ἐν τῇ ἀκαιρίᾳ τοῦ τόκου τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ ἑαυτὸν ὤδινε καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐμαιεύσατο. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Εἰς Τον Ἐκκλησιασην, Ὁμιλια Ϛ'  Source: Migne PG 44 701-703

'There is a time to be born and a time to die.' 1   To me birth seems timely and does not suffer miscarriage when, as Isaiah says, there is pregnancy by the fear of God and birth by travail of soul. 2  For in like manner we become fathers when by choice of the good we fashion ourselves and come to birth and enter the light. We do this in order to manifest God in ourselves, having become children of God,3 children of virtue 4 and sons of the most High. 5 But again we suffer miscarriage, producing nothing since we are but puffed up with wind, when, as the Apostle says, we do not bear Christ's form within us. 6 For we must, he says, become a perfect man of God, and perfect is he in whom the Word has worked the perfection of nature. If anyone makes himself a son of God by virtue, he receives power to give birth well; he knows the time of good travailing and rejoices according to the Gospel which says that a man is born into the world. 7 But he who is a child of wrath, 8 a son of perdition, 9 a descendant of darkness, 10 an offspring of a viper, 11 an evil generation 12 and anything else by which is brought forth a wicked child, he does not know the time to produce life, because there is one time to give birth to life, not many. Thus anyone who bears witness to an untimely birth travails to his own ruin and has death for a midwife. Saint Gregory of Nyssa, On Ecclesiastes, from Homily 6  1 Eccl 3. 2 2 Is 26.17  3 Jn 1.12  4 Jud 18.2  5 Lk 6.35  6 Gal 4.19  7 Jn 16.21  8 Eph 2.3  9 Jn 17.12  10 1 Thes 5.5  11 Mt 3.7  12 Prov 30.11

Virgins And Virtue

Ἡ κατὰ τὰς δέκα παρθένους παραβολὴ, τῶν τρόπων καὶ τῶν βίων δείκνυσι τὸ διάφορον. Πᾶασι μὲν ἐπαρθένευον, οὐ πᾶσαι δὲ ὁμοίως καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀρετῶν ἐπεμέλοντο, ἀλλὰ ταύτῃ μόνῃ ἀρκεῖσθαι πρὸς τὴν εἴσοδον τῆς βασιλείας ᾦήθησαν. Ἔδέιξε δὲ ἡ κρίσις ἡ ἀδέκαστος, ὅτι οὐδὲν παρθενίας ὄφελος, συμπαθείας ἀπούσης. Καὶ πᾶσα ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατὸς τοῦ βασιλέως πεποικιλμένη. Πεποικίλθαι χρὴ, φησὶ, τοῖς χρυσαυγέσι κροσσοῖς τῶν ἀρετῶν πασῶν. Εἰ γὰρ παρθωνεύει τις, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ αὐχεῖ, τοῦ μείζονος κατορθώματος τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἀστοχεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ παρθενεύων γέγραπται, ἀλλ' ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.  Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβίον Α', Ἐπιστολὴ ΣΠϚ' Εὐτονιῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne PG 78.349-352

The parable of the ten virgins 1 shows the difference between conduct and the life. All were virgins but not all alike had care for the rest of the virtues, which alone pleases for advancement to the kingdom of heaven. The incorruptible judgement shows that virginity profits not those who were slow to be merciful. With every glory the daughter of the king is adorned. It is necessary, it says, to be adorned with the golden raiment of every virtue. 2 For if someone vaunts virginity and glories in it, then that one strays from a greater virtue, humility. It is not written that he who reveres virginity shall be exalted but he who humbles himself. 3   Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 286, To Eutonius the Deacon 1 Mt 25. 1-13 1 Ps 46.14 2 Mt 23.12

Virginity And Marriage

Πολλοὶ τῶν μεγάλων ἀνθρώπων τὴν παρθενίαν θαυμάζουσιν· καὶ γάρ ἐστι θαυμαστὴ ὡς τῶν ἀγγέλων σύμφυτος, ὡς τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων συνόμιλος, ὡς τῶν ἀσωμάτων φύσεων σύνδρομος, ὡς τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας λαμπαδοῦχος, ὡς τὸν κόσμον νικῶσα, ὡς τὰ πάθη πατοῦσα, ὡς τὰς ὀρέξεις χαλινοῦσα, ὡς τῇ Εὔᾳ μὴ κοινωνοῦσα, ὡς λύπης ἀπηλλαγμένη, ὡς ἁγνείας ἐπειλημμένη, ὡς στεναγμῶν λελυτρωμένη, ὡς τὴν καταδεδικας μένην ἀπόφασιν μὴ προσδεχομένη τὴν φάσκουσαν· Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὰς λύπας σου καὶ τὸν στεναγμόν σου· ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα σου ἡ ἀποστροφή σου, καὶ αὐτός σου κυριεύσει. Θαυμαστὴ τοιγαροῦν ἡ παρθενία ὡς ἀδούλωτον κτῆμα, ὡς ἐλεύθερον ἐνδιαίτημα, ὡς ἀσκητικὸν ἐγκαλλώπισμα, ὡς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἕξεως ἀνωτέρα, ὡς τῶν ἐπ' ἀνάγκαις παθῶν ἀπολυθεῖσα, ὡς συνεισελθοῦσα τῷ νυμφίῳ Χριστῷ εἰς τὸν θάλαμον τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς παρθενίας κλέη ταῦτα καὶ τὰ παραπλήσια τούτων. Ὁ δὲ τίμιος γάμος ὑπέρκειται παντὸς δώρου γηΐνου, ὡς ἔγκαρπον δένδρον, ὡς ἀστειότατον φυτόν, ὡς ῥίζα τῆς παρθενίας, ὡς γεωργὸς τῶν λογικῶν καὶ ἐμψύχων κλάδων, ὡς εὐλογία τῆς τοῦ κόσμου αὐξήσεως, ὡς παρήγορος τοῦ γένους, ὡς δημιουργὸς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ὡς τῆς θεϊκῆς εἰκόνος ζωγράφος, ὡς τὸν δεσπότην εὐλογοῦντα κεκτημένος, ὡς πάντα τὸν κόσμον φέρειν δεχόμενος, ὡς ἐκείνῳ πολιτευόμενος ὃν καὶ ἐνανθρωπῆσαι ἐδυσώπησεν, ὡς δυνάμενος λέγειν μετὰ παρρησίας· Ἰδού, ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ θεός. Περίελε τὸν τίμιον γάμον καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσεις τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος· ἔνθεν γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοθεν τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος ἀναλέγεται. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγοντες οὐ μάχην παρεισβάλλομεν μεταξὺ παρθενίας καὶ γάμου· ἑκάτερα δὲ ὡς ἀλληλόχρεα θαυμάζομεν. Ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἑκατέρων ὁ δεσπότης προνοητής, οὐκ ἀντιταλαντεύει ἕτερον τῷ ἑτέρῳ· πρὸς πάντα γὰρ τὰ ἑκάτερα μέρη τῆς θεοφοβίας ἔχεται. Δίχα γὰρ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς θεοφοβίας οὔτε παρθενία σεμνὴ οὔτε γάμος τίμιος. Ἀμφιλοχίος Ἐπισκόπος Ἰκονίου, εἰς τὴν θεοτόκον καὶ εἰς τὸν Συμεῶνα καὶ Ἄνναν. Λογός Β' Source: Migne 39.44-45

They are many great men who admire virginity, for indeed it is a wonder to share the nature ofangels, to be as an associate of lofty powers, as a companion ofincorporeal nature, as a torch of the holy Church, as one who conquersthe world, as one who treads down passions, as one who binds appetite, as one who has no communion with Eve, as one untouched by sorrow, as one immune togroans, as one loosed from moaning, as one not expecting that decree ofcondemnation which says, 'I shall multiply the multitude of your sorrows and your groans; insorrow you shall birth children, and you shall incline to your man and he shallrule over you.' 1 Thus is virginity a wonder, as a thing knowing no servitude, as a place of freedom, as a honourableascetic discipline, as something superior to human state, as a thingthat frees from pressing passions, as that which enters the wedding chamber with Christ the bridegroomin the kingdom of heaven. And these emblems of virginity things near may have. Indeed marriage is honourable, 2 a over all worldly things, as a fruit bearing tree, as an elegant plant, as the root of virginity, that which produces living and rational branches, as a blessing of growth to the world, as a type ofcomfort, as the Creator of man, as the painter of the Divine image, as that to which the Lord gave blessing, as that which may receive Him who bears the whole world, for Him prepared who descending became man, that it is able to say openly, 'Behold, I and the children which the Lord has given to me.' 3 Take away honourable marriage and you will not find the flower of virginity, because the flower of virginity is not gathered from another. But when we speak of these things, we by no means set up a fight between virginity and marriage, but we admire the different offices of both. Since the provident master of each one does not oppose one to the other, in both piety may be embraced. For without devout piety, neither is virginity venerable nor is marriage honourable. Amphilocius of Iconium, from Oration 2, On The Mother Of God and Simeon and Anna 1 Gen 3.16 2 Heb 13.4 3 Isaiah 8.18

According To The Flesh

Verum occurunt nobis quidam quaestiones acerbissimas commoventes, quomodo videtur Christus ex semine David descendere, quem constat ex Ioseph non esse natum, in quem Ioseph series ex Dauid descendentis generationis adducitur? Quibus occurrere quamuis molestum sit secundum litterae rationem, tamen respondetur a nostris, quod Maria, quae desponsata Ioseph antequam convenirent inventa est in utero habens de Spiritu sancto, secundum legem sine dubio contribuli suo et cognato coniuncta est; et quamuis dicatur ad eam ab angelo, quia Elisabeth, cognata tua, et ipsa pariet filium in senectute sua, Elisabeth autem ex filiabus Aaron esse dicatur, tamen affirmabitur a nostris, quod cognationis nomen non solum ad contribules sed ad omnes qui sunt ex genere Israel possit aptari, sicut idem apostolus de omnibus simul dicit: qui sunt cognati mei secundum carnem. Haec quidem et alia his similia respondentur; verum quam sint valida adversum assertiones eorum qui nos de Scripturarum testimoniiis perurgent probato tu qui legis. Nobis tamen haec intelligenda secundum spiritalem uel allegoricam rationem magis videntur, secundum quod nihil obest, etiam quod Ioseph pater Christi dicitur. Et a Matthaeo refertur, quod Ioram genuit Oziam. In quarto autem Regnorum scriptum est, quod Ioram genuit Ochoziam, Ochozias Ioas, Ioas Amasiam, Amasias Azariam, ipsum qui interdum Ozias nominatur, et Azarias Ionatham. Hic ergo Ozias, qui et Azarias, cum in quarto Regnorum libro dicatur Amasiae esse filius, a Mattheo Jorae filius scribitur, tribus in medio generationibus praetermissis. Cujus rei dissertio, certum est quod non secundum historiam, sed secundum spiritalem intelligentiam constet; quae non est nobis nunc in transitu pulsanda: in suo enim loco tangetur. Interum sufficit nobis ad eos qui adversantur respondere, quod sicut Jesus Joseph filius esse dicitur, ex quo non est generatus; et Ozias genitus ex Joram, ex quo non est genitus: ita et ex semine David secundum carnem Christus potest accipi, ut quidquid rationis vel assertionis in Joram protulerunt, et in Joseph, hoc et in David suscipiendum dicamus. Origenes, Commentariorum In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Romanos, Liber Primus, Interprete Rufino Aquileiense Source: Migne PG 14.850-851

But there are some who direct against us barbed questions, asking us how it seems that Christ is descended from the seed of David, when he was not born of Joseph, for from Joseph's lineage the descendants of David are traced? Although it is a cause of trouble on account of having to write the words, however we reply that Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph and who before they came together was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit, according to the law was of the same tribe and joined to one of the same tribe, and although it was said to her by the angel that Elizabeth her relative was to bear a son in her old age, and Elizabeth was spoken of being of the tribe of Aaron, however we say, that the name of relation is not only meant to refer to those of one's own tribe, but to all who are able to be called of the people of Israel, as the same Apostle concerning all them at once says, 'those who are my people according to the flesh.' 1 These and other things let them be an answer to them, but how these replies may fare against the assertions of those who press us concerning the witness of the Scriptures, you who read may put to the test. And yet to us there must be understanding according to the spirit, and by use of allegory it seems there is no obstacle to calling Joseph the father of Christ. In Matthew it is said that Jehoshaphat begat Joram, 2 but in the fourth book of Kings it is written that Joram sired Ahaziah, Ahaziah Joash, Joas Amaziah, and Amaziah Azariah, the same who is yet named Uzziah, and Azariah Jotham. 3 Hence Uzziah who is also called Azariah, is said to be the son of Amaziah in the fourth book of kings, 4 and yet in Matthew's account he is recorded as a son of Joram, three generations between having been omitted. The explanation of this matter is certainly not established by the historical but by the spiritual understanding, concerning which now is not the time for us to deal with these matters in passing but let them be studied in their own place. Enough for the moment to answer those who oppose us that just as Jesus is said to be the son of Joseph, by who he was not sired, and Uzziah is said to be sired by Joram, by whom he was not, so one is able to understand that Christ was of David's seed according to the flesh, and thus we say that whatever defense and proof they propose for Joram and Joseph should be accepted as well in the case of David. Origen, from the Commentary on the Letter of Paul to the Romans, Translated by Rufinus of Aquileia. 1 Rom 9.3 2 Mt 1.8 3 4 Kings 8.25 4 4 Kings 15.1

Three Dignities

Jesu Christi, filii David, filii Abrahae Quare autem non illi suffecit dicere illum filium abrahae solius, aut David solius? Quia ad ambos de Christo nascituro ex eis, promissio fuerit facta. Ad Abraham quidem sic: Et in semine tuo benedicentur omnes tribus terrae: quod intelligi non potest nisi in Christo, quoniam inter caeteros Judaeos et gentes numquam amicitia stabilis fuit. Ad David autem ita dicit: Juravit autem Dominus David veritatem et non frustrabitur eum: de fructu ventris tui ponam super sedem tuam. Ideo ergo utrius quae filium dicit, ut utriusque promissiones in Christo impletas ostenderet. Deinde quia Christu tres dignitates fuerat habiturus, rex, propheta, sacerdos; Abraham autem habuit duos filios, et duas dignitates: propheta enim fuit, et sacerdos, sicut Deus ad illum dicit in Genesi: Accipe vaccam triennem, etc, propheta autem, sicut ait Dominus ad Abimelech de illo: Quoniam propheta est et orabit pro te, et salvus eris tu, et domus tua ; ideo ergo dictus est filius Abrahae et David, ut propheta quidem intelligatur et sacerdos ex Abraham, rex autem ex David. Item ideo non dictus est tantummodo David filius, quia David rex fuit et propheta, sacerdos autem non fuit. Ideo ergo amborum filius nominatus est, ut utriusque patris triplex dignitas originali jure congnosceretur in Christo. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia Prima Source: Migne PG 56.612-613

'Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.' 1 Why did it not suffice to say the son of Abraham alone, or the son of David alone? Because to both the promise was made concerning the birth of Christ from them. To Abraham it was said, 'And by your seed all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves,' 2 which cannot be understood but as referring to Christ, because between the Jews and the Gentiles there was no stable friendship. And to David it was said, 'The Lord swore to David a truth and it shall not be in vain; the fruit of your womb I shall place on your throne.' 3 Therefore to both He spoke of a son, that both promises in Christ he show to be fulfilled. Then because in Christ three dignities were to dwell, king and prophet and priest, Abraham had two sons and two dignities, for he was a prophet and a priest, a priest since God said to him in Genesis, 'Take a three year old cow' 4 and a prophet since the Lord spoke of him to Abimelech, saying, 'Because he is a prophet and he shall pray for you and you shall be saved, you and all your house.' 5 Therefore it is said 'the son of Abraham and David' that the prophet and the priest be understood from Abraham and the king from David. We may not say the son of David alone, because though David was a king and a prophet, he was not a priest. Therefore the son of both He is named that with the paternity of both the triple dignity of Christ be known. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from the First Homily 1 Mt 1.1 2 Gen 22.18 3 Ps 131.11 4 Gen 15.9 5 Gen 20.7