The Turning Sword

Καὶ ἔταξε τὰ χερουβὶμ καὶ την φλογνην ῥομφαίαν τὴν στρεφομένην φυλάσσειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς. Ῥομφαία εἴρηται στρεφομένη, ἵνα στραφέντος ἀπὸ κακίας εἰς ἀρετὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ αὐτὴ στραφῇ τὴν εἴσοδον παρέχουσα. Εἰ τοίνυν τῆς εἰσόδου τινὶ γένοιτο πόθος, διὰ τούτων χειραγωγεῖτα· τῶν μὲν χερουβὶν, αἰνιττομένων τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς ἀληθείας, ἦς μετέχειν εἰκὸς τὸν εἰσιέναι βουλόμενον ἑρμηνεύεται γὰρ πλῆθος γνώσεως· τῆς δὲ ῥομφαίας, τὴν ἐπίπονον ἀγωγήν. Διὰ πολλῶν γὰρ θλίψεων τῆς εἰσόδου τῆς βασιλείας ἔστιν ἐπιτυχεῖν. Δυδύμος του Ἀλεξανδρέως, Εἰς Την Γενεσιν, Ἐκλογή

'And he placed the Cherubim with a flaming turning sword to guard the way to the tree of life.' 1 A turning sword, it says, that a man turning from vice to virtue is given entry by such turning. If then there comes to someone a desire to enter, by this he will be led. And by the Cherubim is signified knowledge of truth, the name interpreted meaning 'full of knowledge', which to partake of befits the one who desires to enter. And the sword indicates a life of trial; for entry into the kingdom is not permitted unless through many tribulations. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on Genesis, Fragment 1 Gen 3.24