Death And Life

Ἀνέστην ἐγὼ ἀνοῖξαι τῷ ἀδελφιδῷ μου· αἱ χεῖρές μου ἔσταξαν σμύρναν, οἱ δάκτυλοί μου σμύρναν πλήρη. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλως ἐν ἡμῖν γενέσθαι τὸν ζῶντα λόγον, τὸν καθαρὸν λέγω καὶ ἀσώματον νυμφίον τὸν δι' ἀφθαρσίας καὶ ἁγιότητος ἑαυτῷ τὴν ψυχὴν συνοικίζοντα, εἰ μή τις διὰ τοῦ νεκρῶσαι τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς περιέλοιτο τὸ τῆς σαρκὸς παραπέτασμα καὶ οὕτως ἀνοίξοι τῷ λόγῳ τὴν θύραν, δι' ἧς εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν εἰσοικίζεται, δῆλόν ἐστιν οὐ μόνον ἐκ τῶν θείων τοῦ ἀποστόλου δογμάτων ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν νῦν εἰρημένων παρὰ τῆς νύμφης· Ἀνέστην γάρ, φησίν, ἀνοῖξαι τῷ ἀδελφιδῷ μου διὰ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὰς χεῖράς μου τῆς σμύρνης πηγὰς ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ῥεούσας τὸ ἄρωμα καὶ πλήρωμα τῶν δακτύλων δεῖξαι τὴν σμύρναν. Τὸν γὰρ τρόπον, δι' οὗ ἀνοίγεται τῷ νυμφίῳ ἡ θύρα, φησὶ διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων ὅτι διὰ τοῦ Συνταφῆναι αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος εἰς τὸν θάνατον ἀνέστην· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐνήργησεν ἡ ἀνάστασις μὴ προκαθηγησαμένης τῆς ἑκουσίου νεκρότητος. Ἐνδείκνυται δὲ τὸ ἑκούσιον ἡ ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς ἀπορρέουσα τῆς σμύρνης σταγὼν καὶ τὸ πεπληρῶσθαι τοὺς δακτύλους αὐτῆς τοῦ ἀρώματος τούτου· οὐ γὰρ ἑτέρωθεν ἐγγενέσθαι τῇ χειρὶ λέγει τὴν σμύρναν. Ἦ γὰρ ἂν ἐνομίσθη διὰ τούτου περιστατικὸν αὐτῇ καὶ ἀκούσιον συμβῆναι τὸ διὰ τῆς σμύρνης δηλούμενον. Ἀλλ' αὐτάς φησι τὰς χεῖρας, σημαίνει δὲ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν τὰς ἐνεργητικὰς τῆς ψυχῆς κινήσεις, ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν στάξαι τὴν σμύρναν, τὴν οἴκοθεν ἐκ προαιρέσεως τῶν σωματικῶν παθημάτων γινομένην νέκρωσιν διὰ τούτου σημαίνων, ἣν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς δακτύλοις πεπληρῶσθαι λέγει, τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον εἴδη τὰ διῃρημένως δι' ἀρετῆς σπουδαζόμενα τῷ τῶν δακτύλων διερμηνεύων ὀνόματι· ὡς εἶναι πάντα τὸν νοῦν τῶν λεγομένων τοιοῦτον, ὅτι ἔλαβον δύναμιν ἀναστάσεως διὰ τοῦ νεκρῶσαι τὰ μέλη μου τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἑκουσίως μοι τῆς τῶν τοιούτων μελῶν ἐνεργηθείσης νεκρώσεως, οὐ παρ' ἄλλου ταῖς χερσὶν ἐντεθείσης τῆς σμύρνης ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἐμῆς προαιρέσεως ἀπορρεούσης, ὡς καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς κατ' ἀρετὴν ἐπιτηδεύμασιν, ἅπερ δακτύλους ὠνόμασεν, ἀνελλιπῆ τὴν τοιαύτην ἐνορᾶσθαι διάθεσιν· ἔστι γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀτελῶς τὴν ἀρετὴν μετιόντων ἰδεῖν ἑνὶ μὲν αὐτούς τινι τεθνεῶτας πάθει ἐν ἑτέροις δὲ ζῶντας, καθάπερ ὁρῶμέν τινας νεκροῦντας μὲν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ ἀκόλαστον, ἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, τρέφοντας δὲ δι' ἐπιμελείας τὸν τῦφον ἢ ἕτερόν τι πάθος τὸ τῇ ψυχῇ λυμαινόμενον, οἷον τὸ φιλοχρήματον ἢ τὸ ὀργίλον ἢ τὸ φιλόδοξον ἢ ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτον, οὗ κακῶς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ζῶντος οὐκ ἔστι πλήρεις τοὺς δακτύλους ἐπιδεῖξαι τῆς σμύρνης· οὐ γὰρ διὰ πάντων φαίνεται τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἡ τοῦ κακοῦ νέκρωσίς τε καὶ ἀλλοτρίωσις, πάντων δὲ πληρωθέντων τῶν τοιούτων δακτύλων τῆς νοηθείσης σμύρνης καὶ ἀνίσταται ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ ἀνοίγει τῷ νυμφίῳ τὴν εἴσοδον. Διὰ τοῦτο τάχα καὶ ὁ μέγας Παῦλος καλῶς νοήσας τὴν τοῦ Δεσπότου φωνὴν ἥ φησιν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι φυῆναι στάχυν, ἐὰν μὴ προδιαλυθῇ τῷ θανάτῳ ὁ κόκκος, τοῦτο κηρύσσει τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τὸ δόγμα ὅτι χρὴ θάνατον τῆς ζωῆς καθηγήσασθαι, ὡς οὐκ ἐνδεχόμενον ἄλλως ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ τὴν ζωὴν γενέσθαι, εἰ μὴ διὰ θανάτου λάβοι τὴν πάροδον· διπλῆς γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν οὔσης τῆς φύσεως, τῆς μὲν λεπτῆς τε καὶ νοερᾶς καὶ κούφης, τῆς δὲ παχείας καὶ ὑλικῆς καὶ βαρείας, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα ἀσύμβατον πρὸς τὴν ἑτέραν ἐν ἑκατέρᾳ τούτων τὴν ὁρμὴν εἶναι καὶ ἰδιάζουσαν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ νοερόν τε καὶ κοῦφον οἰκείαν ἔχει τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνω φοράν, τὸ δὲ βαρὺ καὶ ὑλῶδες ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ κάτω ῥέπει καὶ φέρεται. Ἐξ ἐναντίου τοίνυν γινομένης αὐτοῖς φυσικῶς τῆς κινήσεως οὐκ ἔστιν εὐοδωθῆναι τὸ ἕτερον μὴ ἀτονήσαντος τοῦ ἄλλου πρὸς τὴν κατὰ φύσιν φοράν. Μέση δὲ ἀμφοῖν ἑστῶσα ἡ αὐτεξούσιος ἡμῶν δύναμίς τε καὶ προαίρεσις δι' ἑαυτῆς ἐμποιεῖ καὶ τόνον τῷ κάμνοντι καὶ ἀτονίαν τῷ κατισχύοντι· ἐν ᾧ γὰρ ἂν γένηται μέρει, τούτῳ δίδωσι κατὰ τοῦ ἄλλου τὰ νικητήρια. Οὕτως ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ ἐπαινεῖται μὲν ὁ πιστὸς καὶ φρόνιμος οἰκονόμος, οὗτος γάρ ἐστι κατά γε τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον ἡ καλῶς τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἐπιστατοῦσα προαίρεσις· ἐπαινεῖται γὰρ ὅτι τρέφει τὴν οἰκετείαν τοῦ δεσπότου διὰ τῆς τῶν ἐναντίων νεκρώσεως· ἡ γὰρ ἐκείνων φθορὰ τροφή τε καὶ εὐεξία τῶν κρειττόνων ἐστίν, κατηγορεῖται δὲ ὁ κακὸς δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ὁ διὰ τοῦ τοῖς μεθύουσι συνεῖναι πληγαῖς αἰκιζόμενος τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ οἰκετείαν· πληγὴ γάρ ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς κατὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἡ τῆς κακίας εὐημερία. Οὐκοῦν καλῶς ἔχει τὸν προφητικὸν ζηλώσαντας λόγον πρωΐαν ἑαυτοῖς ποιεῖν διὰ τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι πάντας τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς τῆς γῆς τοῦ ἐξολεθρεῦσαι ἐκ πόλεως Κυρίου, ψυχὴ δὲ ἡ πόλις, πάντας τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοὺς ἐργαζομένους τὴν ἀνομίαν, ὧν ὁ ὄλεθρος ζωὴ γίνεται τῶν ἀμεινόνων. Οὕτως οὖν διὰ τοῦ θανάτου ζῶμεν, ὅταν τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν, καθώς φησιν ὁ προφήτης, τὸ μὲν ἀποκτείνῃ τὸ δὲ ζωοποιήσῃ ὁ λόγος ὁ εἰπὼν ὅτι Ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ καὶ ζῆν ποιήσω. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Ἐξηγησις Του Αἰσματος Των Ἀσμάτων Ὁμιλία ΑΒ' Source: Migne PG 44.1016c-1020a

I rose up, that I open to my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers covered with myrrh. 1 It is not possible in any other way that the living Word be in us, I speak of Him who is the pure and incorporeal spouse, who by immortality and sanctity binds himself to our soul, unless with the dying of the earthly members, of the surrounding veil of the flesh; for even so shall be opened a gateway for the Word, through which He will enter into the soul, which way is not only manifest from the teachings of the Holy Apostle, but even from these things which here the bride says. 'I rise up,' she says, that I open to my beloved, and the streams of myrrh from my hands accomplish this, from which a fragrance flows, and by the declaration that my fingers are replete with myrrh. For with these words she indicates how the gate is opened to the bridegroom. 'I rose up', because I was entombed with Him in death, through baptism into death. The resurrection shall have no efficacy unless voluntary death shall have preceded it. And the sign of this will is that dripping of the myrrh flowing from her hands, and her fingers, which may be said to abound with its fragrance, for from nowhere else she says the myrrh is in her hands. For she thinks that in any other state, which is signified by the myrrh, there would be an unwillingness to come. She speaks of her hands, and the meaning of the hands is that they are effectors of the motions of the soul, which by dripping with myrrh she wishes to signify the death of corporeal passions from the determinations of the soul, and which she says covers every finger, and by the name of fingers understand every type of thing which our pursuit of virtue has in different ways cultivated in us. Thus of everything said here, the meaning of it is this: I have received the power of resurrection from Him, because I have given my worldly members to death, and by that dying of members which I have by my own will performed, not from another, myrrh is given into my hands, by the flowing away of the will of my soul, that all my efforts in virtue be agreeable, which the fingers signify, which disposition of the soul is clearly seen. It is those who have not perfectly cultivated virtue who are seen to be dead in some disease and living in other things, as we see some who have killed off intemperance, but grow fat on vanity, or with some other passion of the soul, for example, desire for wealth, or wrath, or ambition, or anything of this kind which yet wickedly lives in the soul, which she does not exhibit whose fingers are replete with myrrh, for by the death of all pursuits of evil, and estrangement from them, it does not appear, but when the fingers are replete so, as the myrrh is understood, the soul rises and opens a way in for the bridegroom. On account of which perhaps Paul rightly understood the voice of the Lord, that a seed shall not germinate, unless first it is dissolved in death, 2 this teaching preaching in the Church, that it is necessary to advance to death for life, as it is not possible in any other way that life exist in a man, unless he gain it by the entry of death. For our twofold nature is the subtle and light power of the intellect, and a heavy and earthy matter, and it is necessary that the one for the other have an especially strong repulsion, for the light nature of the intellect possesses an inclination to what is on high, and that which is heavy and material always inclines and is carried off to what is below. When, then, such natures have contrary motions, one will not function well according to the nature of its inclination unless the other languishes. And set in the midst between them is our faculty of free will, and the choice it makes through itself indicates where firmness resides and where weakness prevails. For the parts being joined as one, one must yield victory to the other. Thus in the Gospel the faithful and prudent administrator of his own affairs who is praised, my word proposes, is he who is the good choice made in us. 3 He is praised for feeding the household of the Lord with the death of that which opposes, for their feeding is the ruin of that which opposes and the good health of what is better; and on the contrary the lazy servant is admonished, who turning to drunkenness, inflicted blows on the household of God, 4 for truly it is a whipping of virtues when vice flourishes. According to which we are rightly zealous for the prophetic word if in the morning we turn to the killing of all sinners on the earth, scourging them utterly from the city of God, 5 which is the city of the soul, all the thoughts which work iniquity, which in life is the murder of good things. So in this way by death we live, when those things in us, which the Prophet speaks of, are slain and the Word lives, He who says, 'I kill and I give life.' 6 Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on The Song of Songs, from Homily 12 1 Song 5.5 2 1 Cor 15.36, Jn 12.24 3 Mt 24.45-47 4 Mt 24.48-51 5 Ps 100.8 6 Deut 32.39