Sin And Sickness

'Et ecce quidam de scribis dixerunt intra se: Hic blasphemat.' Quid dicunt esse blasphemiam, Marcus consequenter exponit, dicens: Quis, inquiunt, potest dimittere peccata, nisi solus Deus?' Haec commemorantes, qui eum tantum hominem putabant, licet nescientes verum, dicebant: Quia nemo potest dimittere peccata, nisi solus Deus,' et quibus ipse dat potestam dimittendi; et ideo Christus probatur esse verus Deus, dimittens peccata quasi Deus. 'Et cum vidisset Jesus cogitationes eorum,' etc. Et quodam loco ostendit se Deum, qui potest occulta cordis cognoscere, modo tacens loquitur: Dum vestras cogitationes intueor, ex vobis intelligite quid paralyticus consequatur. Quid est facilius dicere: Dimittuntur tibi peccata, aut dicere: Surge et ambula?' utrum sint paralutico peccata dimissa, solus noverat, qui dimittebat. Surge autem et ambula, tam ille qui surgebat quam hi qui videbant approbare poterant; et ideo fit signum carnale, ut probetur spiritale, ei datur intelligi quia ob peccata corporum in debilitates veniunt; idcirco primo dimittuntur peccata, ut sanitas restituatur. Quinque siquidem sunt differentiae causarum, pro quibus in hac vita corporalibus molestiis affligimur: aut augenda merita per patientiam, ut beatus Job; aut ob custodiam virtutum, sicut apostolo Paulo datus est stimulus carnis suae, angelus Satanae colaphizans, ne magnitudine revelationum extolleretur; aut ad corrigenda peccata, sic ut Maria soror Aaron, propter temeritatis verba lepra percussa est; aut ad gloriam Dei, sicut infirmitas Lazari non ad mortem, sed pro gloria Dei fuit; aut ad inchoationem aeternae damnationis, quod reproborum est proprium, sicut Antiochus et Herodes praesenti miseria cunctis ostendebunt quod passuri perpetuo erant in gehenna. Unde dicitur: Duplici contritione contere eos. Sanctus Beda, In Matthaei Evangelium Expositio, Liber II, Caput IX Source: Migne PL 92.45c-46b

And behold some of the scribes said among themselves, 'This man blasphemes.' 1 Why they speak of blasphemy, Mark consequently explains, saying, 'Who, they said, 'is able to forgive sins but God alone?' Aware of this, those who thought Him but a man, not knowing the truth, said, 'Because no one is able to forgive sins, but only God,' 2 and to those whom He gives power to forgive, and therefore Christ is proved to be true God, forgiving sins like God. ' And when Jesus saw their thoughts...' And here He shows himself to be God, who is able to know the hidden things of the heart, as if He silently said, 'While I gaze on the thoughts within you, you yourselves shall understand what is achieved with the paralytic.' 'What is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Rise and walk?' Whether the sins of the paralytic were forgiven only He knew who forgives them. But 'Rise and walk,' so that those who see the one who rises are able to confirm it. So it is that a corporeal sign proves a spiritual one, being given to the mind through the defects of the body; thus first sins are forgiven and then health is restored. There are five different reasons why we are afflicted by troubles in this life: either to augment our merit by endurance, like the blessed Job; or on account of guarding virtue, as the apostle Paul was given a goad of the flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet him lest he become puffed up by the magnitude of revelation; or for correction of sin, like Miriam the sister of Aaron who on account of her bold words was struck down by leprosy; or for the glory of God, as the sickness of Lazarus, which was not to death but for the glory of God; or even as a prelude to eternal damnation, which is fitting for the reprobate, as it was with Antiochus and Herod who by their present misery showed what they would suffer in Hell. 3 Whence it is said by Jeremiah, 'A twofold affliction shall crush them.' 4 Saint Bede, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Book 2, Chapter 9 1 Mt 9.3 2 Mk 2.6-7 3 2 Cor 12.7, Numb 12.10, Jn 11.1-4, Acts 12.21-23, 2 Macc 9.1-28 4 Jerem 17.18

Blasphemy And The Son And The Holy Spirit

Πολυδύναμον καὶ πολυθύλλητον ἐπεζήτηας ζήτημα, πολλοῖς μὲν ἐρευνηθὲν, μόνοις δὲ τοῖς θεοπνεύστοις καταληφθὲν, Ὃς ἂν εἴποι λόγον κατὰ τοῦ Υἰοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ· ὃς δ' ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ, οὔτε ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. Καὶ τί, ὅτι μιᾶς οὐσης τῆς οὐσίας τῆς θεῖκῆς Τριάδος, ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ βλασφημία, ἔφης, οὐκ ἐκδικεῖται, ἀλλ' ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος μόνη; Ἄκουε τοίνυν· Ὅς ἂν εἴποι κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου βλάσφημον λόγον, οὐ κρίνεται, εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ἐπειδὴ τοῖς λημῶσι τὸν τῆς τῆς διανοίας ὄφθαλμὸν, δυσκατάληπτος καὶ δυσθεώρητος ὁ ἠνωμένος ἀῥῥήτως Θεὸς τῇ εὐτελείᾳ τῆς φαινομένης σαρκὸς, ἀγνοουμένης τῆς κρυπτομένης θεότητος. Τοῖς δὲ καθαροῖς τὴν διάνοιαν, οἶς ἐπεφάνη ἡ σαρκωθεῖσα θεότης, οὐδε ἀπιστία ὅλως ἐγγέγονεν, οὐδὲ ἡ τῆς κρίσεως ἠπείληται ἀνταπόδοσις. Ἡ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου βλασφημία διὰ τοῦτο ὑπάρχει ἀσύγγνεσωος, ἐπειδὴ αὔτὰ τὰ ἔργα φαινόμενα, ἀγνώμονας καὶ ἀχαρίστους ἐλέγχει τοὺς βλασφημοῦντας. Τῶν γὰρ παθῶν ἔκκοπτομένων, καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων ἐλαυνομένων ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τῆς θεότητος, ἐν τῷ βεελζεβοὺλ ταύτας γίνεσθαι τὰς θεοσημείας οἱ γογγυσταὶ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐσυκοφάντησαν. Ταύτην οὖν τὴν βλασφημίαν τὴν κατὰ τῆς θείας τρανῶς οὖσαν οὐσίας, ἀσυγχώρητον εἶναι ὁ Κύριος ἀπεφήνατο. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΙΘ' Γοργονιῳ Source: Migne PG 78.220c-221b

You have asked a very powerful and weighty question, which many others have enquired into, and only those inspired with the Divine spirit have grasped it, 'He who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him, but he who speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, not in this age, nor in the age to come.' 1 And why, since they are of one substance of the Divine Trinity, does He say that blasphemies against the Son of Man will not be punished, but only those against the Holy Spirit? Hear, then, that he who shall speak blasphemously against the Son of Man shall not be judged, says the Lord, because those who have the eye of the mind blinded to the secret God so hard to grasp and perceive united with the inferior and more overt flesh, do so in ignorance of the hidden Divinity. Understanding is for the pure, to whom the Divinity in the flesh has appeared, not for the faithless to whom it has never happened, and that is not denounced with a judgement of punishment. But he who speaks against the Holy Spirit lacks hope of forgiveness because its overt works refute the ignorance and unthankfulness of blasphemers. For when the power of Divinity casts out sickness and drives out demons, the Jews asserted that these Divine signs were done through Beelzebub. Whence the Lord proclaimed that this blasphemy, which opposes the revelation of the Divine essence, is without any forgiveness. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 59, To Gorgonius 1 Mt 16.16

Barking and Blasphemy

Εἰ βλάψει κύων ὑλακτῶν γίγαντα δυσμαχώτατον, βλάψει καὶ τὸν ἀληθῆ πιστὸν πνεῦμα τῆς βλασφημίας, παρενοχλοῦν τῇ ψυχῇ. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΤΙΓ' Θεσσαλιῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne PG 79.196d

If a large dog harms by wearing one down grievously with his barking, so truly the spirit of blasphemy harms the faith, exhausting the soul. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 313, to Thessalius Deacon

The Reward Of Servants

Et attendit Dominus, et audivit, et scriptus est liber monumenti coram eo timentibus Dominum, et cogitantibus nomen ejus. Et erunt mihi, ait Dominus exercituum, in die qua ego facio, in peculium: et parcam eis, sicut parcit vir filio suo servienti sibi. Et convertemini, et videbitis quid sit inter justum et impium, et inter servientem Deo et non servientem ei.  LXX: Et attendit Dominus, et audivit, et scripsit librum monumenti in conspectu suo his qui timent Dominum, et qui reverentur nomen ejus. Et erunt mihi, dicit Dominus omnipotens in die ego facio, in acquisitionem, et eligam eos sicut eligit homo filium  suum qui servit ei: et converimini, et videbitis quid sit inter justum et iniquum, et inter servientem Dei, et eum qui non servit ei.  Haec justis loquentibus, et timentibus Deum, singulis cum proximo suo, qui verba blasphemiae, nec audire voluere nec dicere, attendit Dominus et audivit, et scriptus et liber monumenti coram eo, timentibus, et cogitantibus nomen ejus, ut cum dies judicii venerit, reddat et blasphemantibus poenas, et timentibus praemia. Liber autem scriptus est, de quo in Daniele legimus: Throni positi sunt, et liberi aperti sunt. Et erunt Domino exercituum in peculium timentes Dominum, in die qua judicii tempus advenerit. Pro peculio in Hebraeo legitur scolla סְגֻלָּה; quod Aquila περιούσον, et caeteri περιποίυσιν interpretati sunt. Timentes igitur Dominum, qui locuti sunt cum proximo suo, et ad verba blasphemiae responderunt, erunt in die judicii in peculium, et parcet eis: quia omnis homo sub peccato. Sive eliget eos, sicut eligere solet homo filium suum servientem sibi. In quo duplex effectus est, et pietatis in filum, et servitutis in famulum. Et tunc qui nunc blasphematis et dicitis: Quod emolumentum, quia custodivimus praecepta ejus, et ambulavimus tristes coram Domino? ex illorum electione et beatitudine, et vestram miseriam cognoscetis, et versi in poenitentiam, videbitis quid sit inter justum et impium, et inter servientem Deo, et non servientem ei. Sanctus Hieronymous, Commentarium In Malachiam Prophetam, Cap III Source: Migne PL 25.1573c-1574b

And the Lord attended, and He heard, and the book of rememberance was written before Him of those who revere Him and those who meditate on His name. 'And they shall be to me,' says the Lord of Hosts, 'on the day I act, a valued servant, and I shall spare them, as a man is merciful to his son who attends to him. And you shall turn and you shall see what separates the righteous and the impious, and those who serve God and those who do not.' 1 The Septuagint has: And the Lord attended and heard, and He wrote the book of remembrance set in His sight of those who revered the Lord and those who adored His name. 'And they shall be to me,' says the Lord Almighty, 'on the day I act, a possession, and I shall choose them like a man chooses his son to attend to him, and you shall turn and you shall see what separates the righteous and the iniquitous, and those who serve God and those who do not.' 1 These things are for the righteous speakers and those who revere God, each one who with his neighbour neither wishes to hear or to speak words of blasphemy, that the Lord has attended and heard, and that the book of remembrance is written before Him, of those who revere Him and those who think on His name, that when comes the day of judgement, punishment shall be given to the blasphemers and reward to the reverers. For the book is written, as we read in Daniel: 'His throne has been placed and the books are opened.' 2 And they shall be a servant to the Lord of Hosts who revere the Lord in the time when the day of judgement has come. And for servant in Hebrew it is said ' סְגֻלָּה' 'scolla' that is, possession, which Aquila translates as περιούσον 'treasure' and others 'a thing preserved.' The reverers of the Lord, therefore, are those who have spoken with their neighbours and have answered their blasphemous words, and they will be a valued servant on the day of judgement, and He shall have mercy on them, for every man is a sinner. Or He shall choose them, like a man is accustomed to chose his son to attend to him. In which two things are accomplished: piety as a son, service as a servant. And then for those who now blaspheme and say, 'What reward when we have kept his commandments, and have walked in grief before the Lord?' 3 It is from their blessedness and the choosing of them that you shall know your wretchedness and turn to regret, and you shall thus see what separates the righteous and the impious, and those who serve God and those who do not serve. Saint Jerome, from the Commentary on The Prophet Malachi , Chapter 3 1 Malachi 3.16-18 2 Daniel 7.9 3 Malachi 3.14

Vain Cities Of God

Dolosa autem doctinae est haereticorum, sub nomine Dei blasphema, sub praetextu religionis impia, sub veritatis specie fallex: quorum in animo et cogitatione solum contentionis studium persistit. Nihil ad salutem hominum laborant, nihil ad spem acquirunt, nihil pacificum cogitant, ut omnis his in contentionibus labor sit, et pugnam meditentur. isti infelices animas exstinguunt, et in vanum ecclesias sibi congregant: quas civitates Dei, secundum propheticam evangelicamque consuetudienm, nuncupari frequens et plurima auctoritas est. Hoc ergo significatur his dictis: Viri sanguinum declinate a me. Quia contentiones in cogitatione, accipient in vanum civitates suas.Viri sanguinum sunt, propter deperditarum animarum reatum: declinare jubentur, quia contentiones in cogitatione sunt. Hi in vanum civitates Dei accipiunt, infructuosarum ecclesiarum coetus per schismatum dissidia reddentes. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum CXXXVIII Source: Migne PL 9.815

Grievous are the teaching of heretics, blasphemy beneath the name of God, impiety beneath the pretext of religion, a lie beneath the appearance of truth, whose soul's only desire is to persist in contention of thought. They do not labour for the salvation of men, nor do they acquire hope, nor do they consider peace, but all their labour is in dispute and all their thoughts of strife. They extinguish unfortunate souls, and they gather their churches in vain, which are the cities of God according to the prophetic and evangelical custom, frequently to be called and great is  their power. And this is signified in these words: 'Men of blood begone from me,' 1 and 'Because they are contending in their thought they will receive their cities in vain.' 2 Men of blood they are on account of the guilt of their ruin of souls, and they are commanded to begone because they are contentious in thought. In vain they receive their cities of God, the dissidence of schism producing a gathering of fruitless churches. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 138 1 Ps 138. 19 2 Ps 138.20

False Prophets And Blasphemy

Fuerunt vero et pseudoprophetae in populo... Quae secta Latine, Graece dicitur haeresis, cum quis stulta obstinatione errorum quem semel coepit semper sectari nullatenus cessat. Quod haereticorum proprium esse quis nesciat? Et eum qui emit eos Dominum negant... De hoc emptore et Paulus ait: Empti enim estis pretio magno, glorificate et portate Deum in corpore vestre. Merito autem sibi celerem perditionem superducunt, qui Redemptorem summ negantes, hunc recte confitendo glorificare, et bene faciendo suo in corpore ferre detrectant: quod omnes faciunt haeretici; nam et Arius, qui Redemptorem nostrum in divinitate Patre minorem dicit, et Photinus, qui dicit: Christus homo est, Deus non est, et Manichaeus, qui dicit, Christus Deus tantum est, homo verus non est, et Ebion, qui dicit: Christus ante Mariam non erat, ex ipsa originem sumpsit, et Apollinaris, quid dicit: Christus tantum Deus ? caro est, animam rationalem nunquam suscepit, et Pelagius, qui dicit: Christus Redemptor parvulorum in baptismo non est, quia sine iniquitatibus concepti, et sine delictis a matre sua geniti, nullum prorsus habent peccatum quod sibi debeat dimitti, ideoque Christus non est Salvator omnium electorum; et caeteri cum his haeretici Dominum profecto, qui emit eos pretio sanguinis sui, negant, quia illum non qualem veritas ostendit, sed qualem ipsi sibi fingunt praedicant. Et propterea a Redemptore alieni facti, nihil certius quam foveam perditionis exspectant. Et multi sequenter eorum luxurias... Via veritatis blasphemabitur per haereticos non solum in eis quos suae haeresi eductos associant, sed in eis quoque quos per impurissima sua facta et sacrificia, vel mysteria exsecranda quae faciunt, in odium Christiani nominis concitant, existimantibus imperitis omnes Christianos hujusmodi flagitiis esse mancipatos. Qualibus dicit Scriptura: Per vos nomen meum blasphematur in gentibus. Sancta Beda,  In II Epistolam Sancti Petri, Caput II Migne PL 93 74

However, there were false prophets among the people... 1 What is known in Latin as 'sect' is named 'haeresis' in Greek, which once begin in the foolish obstinacy of error never ceases to divide. Who knows the actual number of heresies? And He who redeemed them, The Lord, they deny... Concerning this redemption Paul says, 'You have been bought at great price, glorify and carry God in your body.' 2 And so with merit they who deny their own Redeemer are led off into the obscuring darkness, the one in whom it is right to glory in confession and in which body they belittle it is good to remain, for all the heretics do this, Arius speaks of our Redeemer being less in Divinity than the Father, and Photinus says, 'Christ is a man, not a God,' and Manicheus says, 'Christ is God alone and not truly a man,' and Ebion says , 'Christ was not before Mary, from her He had His origin,' and Apollonaris says, 'Christ is God? Only as regards flesh, the rational soul he did not take up,' and Pelagius says, 'Christ is not the Redeemer of little ones in baptism, because they are conceived without sin, and without fault they are brought forth from their mothers, and thus they have no sin which should be removed, and therefore Christ is not the saviour of all the elect', and others who He redeemed with the price of His blood with these heretics deny Him, because they do not not reveal the truth but they preach that which they have made for themselves. And on account of this they are alienated from the Redeemer, and nothing more certain may they hope for than the pit of destruction. And many will follow them in their lusts... The way of truth will be blasphemed not only by heretics among those who they have led away to associate with them in their heresy, but also by those who by impure deeds and sacrifices make the sacraments execrable, thus arousing hatred of the Christian name, and by those who judge poorly all Christians are bound up with those who commit these crimes. Concerning which Scripture says, 'Because of you my name is blasphemed among the nations.' 3 Saint Bede, from The Commentary on the Second Letter of Saint Peter, Chapter 2 1 2 Pet 2.1 2 1 Cor 6. 20 3 Isai 52.5

The Finger And The Spirit

Ὅτι μὲν ἔφης, κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἡ βλασφήμια, δῆλον ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου φωνῆς λεγούσης, Ὅς ἂν εἴποι κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ. Καὶ ὅτι ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἀγίου ἐκδικεῖται ἡ βλασφημία σαφές. Ὅτι δὲ τῆς θείας ἐστὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον οὐσίας, τοῦτο σὺ ᾔτηας Γραφικῶς τρανωθῆναι. Ἔξεστί σοι ἀγχινοῦντι καὶ μικρὸν προελθόντι ἐκ τῶν ἐν χερσὶ τοῦ Κυρίου φωνῶν καὶ τὴν λύσιν εὑρεῖν. Εἰ ἐγὼ, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, οἱ  υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν; Εἰ δὲ πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω ταῦτα, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἡ βσαιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἔν τῷ ἑτέρῳ σαφέστερον εἰρηκὼς εὐαγγελιστὴς, Εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια. Δάκτυλον Θεοῦ, τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγων τὸ ἅγιον. Δάκτυλος δὲ, ὡς ἐν ὑποδείγματι τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς, τῆς οὐσὶας ἐστὶ τοῦ σώματος. Τὴν τοίνυν ἀχώρισιον καὶ συγγενῆ τῆς θείας οὐσίας τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ὑπόστασιν, τῷ τοῦ δακτύλου ὀνόματι ἐφανέρωσε. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον ΞΒ' Θεοπομπῳ Μονακῳ Source: Migne PG 78. 221

What the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit may be, which you ask, the voice of the Lord makes clear when He says, 'If someone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him.' 1 And so know that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall be punished. And then you enquire where it is clearly witnessed in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is of the Divine nature. With a little attention and advancement you will find the solution in your hands by the voice of Lord. He says, 'For if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? And if I cast them out by the spirit of God, then undoubtedly the kingdom of heaven has come among you.' 2 And another Evangelist speaks more openly: 'If I cast out demons by the finger of God.' 3 In which passage the finger of God is to be understood as the Holy Spirit. And the finger, which is given us as a figure, is of the essence of the body. So inseparable from and cognate with the Divine essence is the person of the Holy Spirit, which is declared by the word of finger. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 62, To the Monk Theopompos 1 Mt 12.32 2 Mt 12.27 3 Luc 11.10

Defective Speech

Περὶ βλασφήμου καὶ μεγαλοῤῥήμονος.  Εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν· Λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, λέγων· Ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἐὰν καταράσηται Θεὸν, ἁμαρτίαν λήψεται· ὁ ὀνομάζων δὲ ὄνομα Κυρίου, λίθοις λιθοβολείτω αὐτὸν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Μὴ ἐξελθέτω μεγαλοῤῥημοσύνη ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν. Τί ἐτόλμησεν ἡ καρδία σου, ὅτι θυμὸν ἔῤῥηξας ἔναντι Κυρίου;  Ἐξολοθρεύσει Κύριος πάντα τὰ χείλη τὰ δόλια, γλῶσσαν μεγαλοῤῥήμονα· τοὺς εἰπόντας, Τὴν γλῶσσαν ἡμῶν μεγαλυνοῦμεν, τὰ χείλη ἡμῶν παρ' ἡμῖν ἐστι·τίς ἡμῶν κύριός ἐστιν;  Ἀφανισθήσεται Σαμάρεια, ὅτι ἀντεῖπε πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῆς· ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ πεσοῦνται αὐτοὶ, καὶ τὰ ὑποτίτθια αὐτῶν ἐδαφισθήσονται. Μεθύσατε αὐτὸν, ὅτι ἐπὶ Κύριον ἐμεγαλύνθη. Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Ἐπειδὴ δέδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου ὡς καρδίαν Θεοῦ, ἰδοὺ ἐπάγω ἐπὶ σὲ ἀλλοτρίους, λοιμοὺς ἐθνῶν, καὶ ἐκκενώσουσι τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς ἐπιστήμης σου, καὶ στρώσουσι τὸ κάλλος σου εἰς ἀπώλειαν. Φιλάνθρωπον πνεῦμα σοφίας, καὶ οὐ κατορθώσει βλάσφημον ἀπὸ χειλέων αὐτοῦ. Πᾶσα ἁμαρτία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις·  τῷ δὲ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα βλασφημήσαντι οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. Ὁ μὲν ἁμαρτάνων, παραβαίνει νόμον· ὁ δὲ βλασφημῶν, εἰς αὐτὴν ἀσεβεῖ τὴν Θεότητα. Τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει βλασφημοῦντας, σωφρόνιζε· κἂν ἀκούσῃς τινὸς ἐν ἀμφόδῳ, ἢ ἐν ἀγορᾷ, ἐπιτίμησον, κἂν πληγὰς ἐπιθεῖναι δέῃ, μὴ παραιτήσῃ.Ῥάπισον αὐτοῦ τὴν ὄψιν, σύντριψον αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα, ἁγίασόν σου τὴν χεῖρα διὰ τῆς πληγῆς. Κἂν ἐγκαλῶσί τινες, κἂν εἰς δικαστήριον ἕλκωσιν, ἀκολούθησον. Καθάπερ ὁ λίθον ἀκοντίζων εἰς τὸ ὕψος, τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μὲν τὸ σῶμα διατεμεῖν οὐ δύναται, οὐδὲ πρὸς τὸ ὕψος φθάσαι ἐκεῖνο, τὴν δὲ πληγὴν τῇ ἰδίᾳ δέχεται κορυφῇ, πρὸς τὸν ἀκοντίσαντα ἐπανιόντος τοῦ λίθου· οὕτως καὶ ὁ βλασφημῶν εἰς τὴν μακαρίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐσίαν, ἐκείνην οὐ παραβλάψει ποτὲ, πολλῷ μείζονα οὖσαν καὶ ὑψηλοτέραν· κατὰ δὲ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς τὸ ξίφος ἀκονᾷ, ἀγνώμων περὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην γενόμενος. Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Τὰ Ιἐρα Παραλληλα, Στοικειον Β'  Τιτλ Ηʹ. Migne PG 95 1285-1288

On Blasphemy and Proud Speech The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'A man who curses God shall bear his sin; he who uses the name of the Lord shall be stoned by all the gathering of the sons of Israel.' 1 'Let not a proud word pass out your mouth.' 2 'For what dares your heart that impassioned you would rise up against the Lord?' 3   The Lord destroys all the lips of the cunning, the tongues of the proud speakers, those who say, 'Our tongues we magnify, our lips are ours; who is our Lord?' 4 'He shall obliterate Samaria, for it has spoken against its God. By the sword they shall fall and the babes at breast shall be cast down to the ground.' 5 'Make him drunk, because he has spoken against the Lord.' 6   Thus says the Lord: Because you claim your heart as the heart of a God, behold I shall lead over you foreigners and pestilence from the nations, and they shall draw out their swords over you, and over the beauty of your knowledge, and they shall crush down your beauty into the dust.' 7 'Benevolent is the spirit of wisdom and it does not let blasphemy come from its lips.' 8 'Every sin shall be forgiven men; yet if a man blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, he shall not be forgiven, not in this age, nor the age to come.' 9 'He who sins indeed violates the law, but he who blasphemes against the Divine name is impious.' 10   Chastise those who blaspheme in the city. And if you hear them in the street, or in the forum, denounce them. And even if the matter should come to blows, do not hesitate to do this. Set yourself against his face, smash his mouth, sanctify your hands through blows. And even if they accuse you, even if they haul you off to judgement, do this. 11   As he who casts a stone into the air, and for certain it cleaves the air above, yet it is not able to come to the heights, rather it may just fall with a blow on his own head, so like a stone thrown in this manner is he who utters contumacious and impious words against the blessed of God. Certainly he does no harm to Him who is at such a far distance and height, but truly in his own soul he drives a sword, senseless concerning the doing of good deeds. 12   Saint John of Damascus, Sacred Parallels, Part 2, Chap 8 1 Levit 24.15 2 1 Kings 2.3 3 Job 15.12 4 Ps 11.3,4 5 Hosea 14.1 6 Jerem 48.20 7 Ezek 28. 6-7 8 Wis 1.6 9 Mt 12.31 10 Basil 11 Chrysostom 12 Chrys Hom 3 On the Incomprehensible.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Sicut ergo detestamur Arianos, qui inter Patrem et Filium aliquam volunt esse distantiam, ita etiam Macedonianos pariter detestamur, qui licet Patri et Filio tribuant aequalitatem, Spiritum tamen sanctum inferioris putant esse naturae: non considerantes eam blasphemiam se incidere, quae neque in praesenti saeculo, neque in futuro sit remittenda judicio, dicente Domino: Quicumque dixerit verbum contra Filium Hominis, remittetur ei; qui autem dixerit contra Spiritum sanctum, non remittetur ei neque in hoc saeculo, neque in futuro. Permanens itaque in hac impietate sine venia est, quia exclusit eum a se per quem poterat confiteri; nec umquam perveniet ad indulgentiae remedium, qui patrocinaturum sibi non habet advocatum. Ab ipso enim est invocatio Patris, ab ipso sunt lacrymae poenitentium, ab ipso sunt gemitus supplicantium; et nemo potest dicere Dominum Jesum, nisi in Spiritu sancto; cujus aequalem cum Patre et Filio omnipotentiam, unamque Deitatem evidentissime praedicat Apostolus, dicens: Divisiones quidem gratiarum sunt, idem autem Spiritus. Et divisiones ministrationum sunt, idem autem Dominus. Et divisiones operationum sunt, idem vero Deus, qui operatur omnia in omnibus. His, dilectissimi, aliisque documentis, quibus innumerabiliter divinorum eloquiorum conuscat auctoritas, ad venerationem Pentecostes unanimiter incitemur, exsultantes in honorem sancti Spiritus, per quem omnis Ecclesia catholica sanctificatur, omnis anima rationalis imbuitur; qui inspirator fidei, doctor scientiae, fons dilectionis, signaculum castitatis, et totius est causa virtutis. Gaudeant fidelium mentes, quod in toto mundo unus Deus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus sanctus, omnium linguarum confessione laudatur; quodque illa significatio, quae in specie ignis apparuit, et opere perseverat et munere. Ipse enim Spiritus veritatis facit domum gloriae suae luminis sui nitore fulgere, et in templo suo nec tenebrosum aliquid vult esse, nec tepidum. Sanctus Leo Magnus, Sermo LXXV

As therefore we detest the Arians, who wish there to be a difference between the Father and the Son, so also we detest the Macedonians, who, although they grant equality to the Father and the Son, yet think the Holy Spirit to be of a lower nature, not considering that they fall into that blasphemy which is not to be forgiven either in the present age or in the future judgment, for as the Lord says: 'Whoever shall have spoken a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him, but he who shall have spoken against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, not in this age, nor in the age to come.' 1 And so to persist in this impiety is unforgivable, because it severs a man from Him by Whom he could confess, nor will he ever have the remedy of pardon who has no Advocate to plead for him. For from Him is the invocation of the Father, from Him the tears of penitents, from Him the groans of suppliants, 'and no one can call Jesus the Lord save in the Holy Spirit,' 2 whose equal omnipotence with the Father and the Son and one Deity, the Apostle most clearly proclaims, saying, 'There are divisions of graces but the same Spirit. And the divisions of ministries but the same Lord. And there are divisions of operations but the same God, Who works all things in all.' 3 By these and other proofs, by which the authority of the Divine words are set ablaze, let us with one mind be incited to reverence of the Pentecost, exulting in honour of the Holy Spirit, through Whom the whole Catholic Church is sanctified, and every rational soul imbued, He who is Inspirer of the Faith, Teacher of Knowledge, Fount of Love, Seal of Chastity, and Cause of all Virtue. Let the minds of the faithful rejoice, that throughout the world One God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is praised by the confession of all tongues, and that the sign which appeared in the likeness of fire persists in His work and gift. For the Spirit of Truth Himself makes the house of His glory shine with the brightness of His light, and in His temple He will have nothing dark nor lukewarm . Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 75 1 Mt 12:32 2 1 Cor 12:3-6 3 1 Cor 12:3-6

The Corruption of Works

Quidam eorum qui libenter habent criminari proximos suos, ascribunt nobis et doctrinae nostrae crimen blasphemiae, quod a nobis nunquam audierunt: de quo ipsi viderint, nolentes observare mandatum illud quod dicit, quia maledici regnum Dei non possidebunt, dicentes me, patrem malitiae ac perditionis et eorum qui de regno Dei ejiciuntur, id est diabolum, dicere esse salvandum: quod ne aliquis quidem mente motus, et manifeste insaniens dicere potest. Sed nihil mirum mihi videtur, si adulteretur doctrina mea ab inimicis meis, et tali adulterio corrumpatur, quali adulterio corrupta est Epistola Pauli apostoli. Quidam enim sub nomine Pauli falsam epistolam conscripserunt, ut conturbarent Thessalonicenses, quasi instaret dies Domini, et seducerent eos. Propter hanc ergo Epistolam in secunda Epistola quam ad Thessalonicenses scribit, haec dixit: Rogamus autem vos, fratres, per adventum Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et nostrae congregationis in ipsum, ut non moveamini cito a sensu vestro, neque terramini, neque per spiritum, neque per verbum, neque per epistolam tanquam per nos missam, quasi instet dies Domini. Nemo vos seducat ullo modo. Talia ergo quaedam video etiam nobis accidere. Nam quidam auctor haereseos, cum sub praesentia multorum habita inter nos fuisset disputatio, et descripta, accipiens ab his qui descripserant codicem, quae voluit addidit, et quae voluit abstulit, et quod ei visum est permutavit, circumferens tanquam ex nomine nostro, insultans et ostendens ea quae ipse conscripsit. Pro quibus indignantes fratres qui in Palestina sunt, miserunt ad me Athenas hominem qui acciperet a me ipsum authenticum exemplar, quod ne relectum quidem vel recensitum a me antea fuerat, sed ita neglectum jacebat, ut vix inveniri potuerit. Misi tamen, et sub Deo teste loquor, quoniam, eum convenissem illum ipsum qui adulteraverat librum, arguens quare hoc fecisset, velut satisfaciens mihi respondit: Quoniam magis ornare volui disputationem illam, atque purgare. Videte quali purgatione disputationem nostram purgavit. Tali nempe, quali purgatione Marcion Evangelia purgavit, vel Apostolum; vel quali successor ejus post ipsum Appelles. Nam sicut illi subverterunt Scripturarum veritatem: sic et iste, sublatis quae vere dicta sunt, ob nostri criminationem inservit quae falsa sunt. Sed licet homines haeritici et impii sint qui haec facere ausi sunt, tamen habebunt et illi judicem Deum, qui talibus adversum nos criminationibus accommodant fidem. Origenes, ex Epistola ad quosdam charos suos Alexandriam, Interprete Rufino Aquileiense

Some of those who freely accuse their neighbours ascribe to us and our teaching the crime of blasphemy, which they have never heard from us, concerning which let them look to themselves who are unwilling to observe the command that says 'Speakers of evil shall not possess the kingdom of heaven,'1 that is, those who say that I say that the father of wickedness and perdition and those who were cast out of the kingdom of heaven, that is the devil, shall be saved, which is something not one of disturbed mind or stark mad would be able to say. But it does not seem amazing to me if my teaching has been falsified by my enemies and by such a falsification corrupted as was an epistle of the Apostle Paul. For they wrote under the false name of Paul that they might trouble the Thessalonians, as if the day of the Lord were near, and that they might seduce them. Because of this in the second letter which he wrote to the Thessalonians he says this: 'We ask you, brothers, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering into him, that you be not quickly moved in your minds, nor fearful, either by a spirit, or a word, or a letter claiming to be sent by us, as though the day of the Lord were near. Let no one seduce you in any way.'2 Such a thing I see happening even to us. For a certain author of heresy, when in the presence of many there was a discussion between us, it being recorded, took the book from those who had written it, added what he wished, removed what he wished, and changed what seemed good to him, and then he carried it around as if it were by us, mocking and showing off those things which he had written. The brothers who are in Palestine being indignant at this sent to me at Athens a man who was to receive the authentic work, which I had neither reread nor corrected, but it was lying so neglected that he was scarcely able to find it. I sent it off, however, and I say with God as witness that when I met the man who had falsified the book and questioned him as to why he had done so, as if he were satisfying me, he replied: 'Because I wished to adorn the discussion and purify it.' See with what sort of purity he purified our discussion! Certainly with such a purification Marcion purified the Gospels or the Apostles, or his successor after him Apelles. For as they subverted the truth of the Scriptures, so this man took out what we had truly spoken and to incriminate us inserted what was false. But it is for heretical and impious men to dare to do such things, but they shall have God's judgement who give credit to such accusations against us. Origen, from a Letter to Certain Dear Friends at Alexandria, Translated by Rufinus of Aquileia 1 1 Cor 6. 10 2 2 Thes 2.1-3

Falling Into Poverty

Ἐξομολογήσεται σοι, ὅταν ἀγαθύνης αὐτῷ. Περὶ τοῦ χοῖκοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἀγαθὰ νομίζοντος εἴναι μόνα τὰ τοῦ Βίου τούτου προτερήματα, πλοῦτον, καὶ ὑγίειαν, καὶ δυναστείαν, περὶ τούτου φησὶν, ὅτι ἐξομολογήσεται τῷ Θεῷ, ὅταν ἀγαθύνηται· ἐν δὲ τοῖς περιστατικοῖς πᾶσαν ἀφίησι δυσφημίαν. καταλιπὼν γὰρ τὸν πένητα, πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἥδη ποιεῖται τὸν λόγον· ἐν κατηγορίᾳ τῇ τοῦ πλούτου παραλαμβάνων καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ εὐθηνιᾳ μόνῃ εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ, σκυθρωποτέρων δέ τινων περιστάντων, μηκέτι τὸν αὐτὸν διαμένειν. Τοιοῦτον γάρ ἐστι καὶ τὸ τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς κατηγορίαν προσθερόμενον τῷ Ἰὼβ, ὅτι οὐ δωπρεὰν σέβεται Ἰὼβ τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλὰ μισθὸν ἔχει τῆς εὐσεβείας τὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Διὸ καὶ εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετῆς ἐγύμνωσεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεὸς ὦν εἶχεν, ἵνα διὰ πάντων διαφανῇ τὸ πρὸς Θεὸν εὐχάριστον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμός ΜΗ' Source: Migne PG 29 456c-457a

He shall confess you while you bless him. 1 This is about a man of the world who judges those things of the world to be good which promote this life, things such as wealth and health and power, and so it is said that he shall confess God while he blesses him with such things, but in adversity he shall utter every blasphemy, for on account of God abandoning him to penury he will speak so, that is, in criticism of Him who takes away his wealth, which wealth was the only reason he gave thanks to God, but, grievous things befalling, his thankfulness passes away. And this is the criticism the devil directs against Job, that he is not pious to God freely but on account of his wealth, and so on. Therefore to show the virtue of the man God deprives him of all he has that the goodness of the man through everything might be apparent. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 48 1 Ps 48.19