Soul And Church

Καὶ ἀνίσταται ἐκ νυκτῶν καὶ ἔδωκεν βρώματα τῷ οἴκῳ καὶ ἔργα ταῖς θεραπαίναις Ἥ καὶ τὴν ἐκ νυκτὸς ἀνισταμένην ψυχὴν, γρηγοροῦσαν εὑρισκει ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος νυμφίος· πάντως δὲ καὶ προσευχομένην τοῦ μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς πειρασμὸν, λέγουσαν τὸ, Ἠγρυπνησα καὶ ἐγενόμην ὡς στρουθίον μονάζον ἐπὶ δώματος· βρῶμα δέ ἐστι ψυχῆς, ἡ μελέτη τῶν θείων λόγων· ἔργα δὲ, αἱ ἀρεταί· θεραπαινίδες δὲ, αἱ αἰσθήσεις· ταῦτ' οὖν παρέχει ἡ τιμιωτέρα λίθων πολυτελῶν ψυχὴ τῷ σωματικῷ αυτῆς οἴκῳ. θεωρήσασα γεώργιον ἐπρίατο ἀπὸ δὲ καρπῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς κατεφύτευσεν κτῆμα. Τὴν τοῦ σπουδαίου ψυχήν φησιν ἔχουσαν Ἐκκλησίαν ξύλον γνώσεως καὶ ξύλον ζωῆς· γνώσεως μὲν ὡς νόμου, ζωῆς δὲ ὡς λόγου· αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκ πλευρᾶς Χριστοῦ προελθοῦσα, καὶ νύμφη τούτου εὑρεθεῖσα, ἡ σώφρων καὶ ἀνδρεία γηνὴ, ἡ τὴν πίστιν τούτου τηρήσασα, καὶ τοῦτον νυμφίον ἀπ' οὐρανῶν πάλιν προσδοκῶσα. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας Source: Migne PG 17.249d-252a

From the night she rises and distributes food to the house and work to the handmaids. 1 The soul rising in the night is found watchful by the spouse, the sun of righteousness, ever praying lest it fall into temptation, saying, 'I watched and was made like a lonely sparrow on the roof.' 2 And the food of the soul is meditation on the Divine words, and the works are the virtues, the handmaids the senses. These things, then, richer than precious stones, she, the soul, brings to the dwelling place of the body.   Ground must be examined and bought and planted out as a vineyard with the earnings of her toil. 3   He speaks of the Church as a zealous soul in possession of the tree of knowledge and the tree of life, that is, having knowledge of the law and the life of the Word. For she who came from the side of Christ is found to be His spouse, a prudent and brave woman, holding to the faith, hoping for that spouse from heaven again. Origen, On Proverbs, Chap 31 Fragment 1 Prov 31.15 2 Ps 101.8 3 Prov 31.16

The Fruit of the Fig Tree

Ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ συκῆ, ἡ ἀνθρωπότης ἐστὶν, ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης, ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ὁ ἀμπελουργὸς, ὁ Υἱος τοῦ Θεοῦ, φιλοπονῆσαι καὶ ἐκκαθᾶραι ἡμῶν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐνδημήσας, ἐκκοπῆναι κελευσθέντα παρὰ τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου ὡς ἄκαρπον. Ἄφες δ' αὐτὴν, φησὶ, καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος. Εἰ διὰ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν οὐκ ἐβελτιώθησαν, καὶ μετανοίας καρποὺς οὐκ ἀπέδωκαν, καὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀδεσθῶσι δόγμασι καὶ παθήμασι· κἂν μὲν ποιήσωσι καρπὸν εὐπειθείας· εί δὲ μή γε, εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐκκόψεις αὐτὴν, εἰς τὸν ἄλλον αίῶνα τὸν ἀπέραντον, τῆς τῶν δικαίων σου μερίδος ἐκτέμνων αὐτούς. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΙΒ', Εύλογιῳ

The fig tree in the Gospel is human nature, the master is God the Father, the vine worker is the Son of God, coming to the vineyard to work on us and purify us, cutting away by the command of the master that which is unfruitful. 'But leave it,' he says, 'even this year. If through the law and prophets it is not made better and the fruit of repentance it does not bring forth, with my teaching and suffering it shall be watered, thus to make the fruit of obedience, and if this is not so, in the future cut it down, and in another age endless, from the portion of your righteous ones it shall be cut off.'1 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 312, To Eulogius 1 Lk 13 6-9

Fruit and Leaves

Καὶ ἔσται ὡς τὸ ξύλον τὸ πεφυτευμένον παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὑδάτων, ὃ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ·  καὶ τὸ φύλλον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀποῤῥυήσεται·  καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἂν ποιῇ, κατευο δωθήσεται, Μετὰ ταῦτα παραληψώμεθα τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Ἀκύλα λεγόμενον, «μεταπεφυτευμένον.». Πόθεν γὰρ τὸ ξύλον, περὶ οὗ ὁ λόγος, μεταπεφύτευται ἐπὶ ταῖς τῶν ὑδάτων διαιρέσεσιν; Ἢ γὰρ ἐῤῥιζωκὸς ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, ἐπ' εὐεργεσίᾳ πολλῶν μεταπεφύτευται, εἰς τὸ καὶ ἄλλους μεταλαβεῖν αὐ τοῦ τῆς εἰκόνος, τῆς κατὰ τὸ μεταπεφυτεῦσθαι λαμβανομένης· οὐχ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ (ἔστι γὰρ), ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ παρ' ἑτέροις γεγένηται· ἢ καθ' ἑτέραν ἐπιβολὴν ἡ ψυχή ἐστι τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ἣν ἔλαβεν, ἐντεῦθεν μεταπεφυτευμένη ἐπὶ τὸν παράδεισον, ὅπου καὶ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιόν φησιν αὐτὸν μετὰ τὸ πάθος γεγονέναι, διηγούμενον αὐτὸν εἰρηκέναι τῷ μετανοήσαντι λῃστῇ· «Σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ.». Μεταπεφύτευται δὲ ἐκεῖ, ἵνα οἱ ἄξιοι σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι φωτίζωνται ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τῷ τῆς γνώσεως φωτισμῷ, προκόπτοντες ἐν τῇ τῶν ὄντων θεωρίᾳ, κατὰ τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ταῦτα δὲ οὕτως ἐξειλήφαμεν, ἐπειδὴ κυρίως ἐπὶ δένδρων λέγεται τὸ «φέρειν καρπόν·» τὸ δὲ «διδόναι,» μᾶλλον ἐμψύχοις ἁρμόζει, καὶ ταῦτα λογικοῖς. Ζητητέον δὲ εἰ ἔστι καιρὸς τῷ ξύλῳ τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ καρποῦ· λέγειν γὰρ τὴν σοφίαν καρπόν ποτε μὴ ἔχειν, οὐχ ὅσιον· διὸ οὐκ εἴρηται, ὃ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ ἐνέγκει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' «ὃ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ.». Καιρὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ διδόναι ἡ τοῦ λαμβάνοντός ἐστιν ἐπιτηδειότης.Ὅσον γὰρ τὸ ἐπ' αὐτῷ, ἕτοιμόν ἐστιν ἀεὶ διδόναι τὸν καρπὸν αὐ τοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ τοὺς οἰκονόμους ὁ Λόγος θέλει πιστοὺς εἶναι καὶ φρονίμους, οὐχὶ ἁπλῶς διδόντας τὸ σιτο μέτριον τοῖς συνδούλοις, ἀλλ' ἐν καιρῷ διδόντας, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἡ σοφία πιστῶς ἅμα καὶ φρονίμως τοὺς ἰδίους οἰκονομήσει καρπούς; Ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ καιρός ἐστι τοῦ διδόναι, ὥσπερ καὶ τῷ λαμβάνοντι τοῦ λα βεῖν. Τί δὲ τὸ φύλλον τῆς ζωῆς, τουτέστι τῆς σο φίας, οὐκ ἀποῤῥεῦσον, κατιδεῖν ἄξιον· οὐκ ἄλλοθεν δὲ λαβεῖν αὐτὸ ἔστιν ἢ μετρίως τοῖς φυσικοῖς ἐπι διατρίψαντας. Δῆλον δὲ, ὅτι διὰ τοὺς καρποὺς τὰ καρποφόρα δένδρα, ὁ Δημιουργὸς ἐκέλευσε βλαστῆσαι, δι' οὓς τὰ ἐκείνοις χρειώδη κατ' ἐπακολούθησιν πεποίηκε. Χρεία δὲ σκέπης τοῖς καρποῖς τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν φύλλων φυλακῆς ἕνεκεν. Ταῦτα οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς περὶ τῶν ὅλων σοφίας ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, ἐν ᾗ τὰ πάντα ὁ τῶν ὅλων Δημιουργὸς πεποίηκεν. Ἃ μὲν γὰρ προη γουμένως γίνεται, ἃ δὲ κατ' ἐπακολούθησιν διὰ τὰ προηγούμενα. Προηγουμένως μὲν γὰρ τὸ λογικὸν ζῶον, διὰ δὲ τὴν αὐτοῦ χρείαν κτήνη καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς φυόμενα. Μήποτε οὖν οἱ μὲν λόγοι τῶν προη γουμένως γεγονότων οἱ καρποί εἰσι τοῦ δένδρου τῆς ζωῆς· τῶν δὲ διὰ ταῦτα κτισθέντων τὰ φύλλα, ὧν οὐδὲν μάταιόν ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἐξουθενεῖσθαι πάντη ἄξιον ὡς εὐτελὲς, ἵνα ἔλθῃ πίπτειν καὶ ἀποῤῥεῖν μὴ φρουρούμενον. Καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον τὸ ἑξῆς· «Καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἂν ποιῇ κατευοδωθήσεται.». Ἔστι γὰρ εἴς τινα ἀναγκαῖα καταχρήσασθαι καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ ἀκολουθήματος γενομένοις. Καρπὸς δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἴη ἂν προηγουμένως ἡ διδασκαλία, ἡ τῶν τιμιωτέρων τροφὴ, φύλλον δὲ ἡ τῶν ἀλογωτέρων τροφή· ὥσπερ τοῖς καρποῖς χρῶνται οἱ ἄνθρωποι, φύλλοις δὲ τὰ βοσκήματα. Δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ τῆς Γραφῆς καρπούς τινας λέγειν, οὓς ἐκλαμβάνουσιν οἱ λογικώτεροι· φύλλα δὲ οἷς τρέφονται οἱ ἁπλούστεροι. Τοῦ δὲ μακαριζομένου καὶ ὡμοιωμένου τῷ ξύλῳ τῆς ζωῆς καρπὸς μὲν λέγοιτο τὰ προηγούμενα ἔργα, οἷον εὐ ποιία, καὶ περὶ τὴν σοφίαν ἀσχολία·φύλλα δὲ τὰ βιωτικὰ αὐτοῦ κινήματα, οὐδὲ ταῦτα ἄξια κατα φρονεῖσθαι, οὐδὲ ἀποῤῥεῖν τῷ μετὰ προσοχῆς καὶ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ πάντα ποιεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν τῶν πραττομένων ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κατευοδοῦται.  Ὠριγεν, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος Α'

And he shall be like a tree planted by flowing waters which gives fruit in its time and his leaf shall not wither and in whatever he shall do he shall prosper. 1 Here we shall note that Aquila translated ' transplanted' for planted. What then of the tree, to which the text refers, planted in the division of waters? In the Father it is rooted, and it has been transplanted for the benefit of many, that others also participate in the image which by its transplantation it has received, not that it is only in the Father, which it is, but that to others also it may be. Or if you wish to interpret it another way, it is the soul of the Saviour taken up, which into paradise is translated, whence the Evangelist tells us that during the passion he spoke to the penitent thief, saying, ' Today you shall be with me in paradise.' 2 For there transplanted , they are worthy to be with Christ, who are lit by the same bright knowledge of insight according to the wisdom of God. And so we may elucidate these things: that 'to bear fruit' is said to be the proper of trees, 'to give' pertains more to the ensouled and rational. Certainly it must be wondered what time the fruit of the tree of life comes forth, for to assert that at some time it does not have wise fruit is wicked. It did not say, that it 'bears' fruit in its time but it 'gives' fruit in its time. The time of giving is an opportunity for receiving. What belongs to itself it is always  prepared to give. If the keepers of the word wish to be faithful and prudent then let them not simply conserve the word, but let them give a measure, and let them give at the right time, for doing so will they not more faithfully and prudently administer their fruit? The favourable time is the same for the one who gives and to the one who receives. And why it may be that the leaf of the tree of life, that is of wisdom, does not wither, it is worthy to consider. One cannot receive anything from that which has suffered physical destruction. On account of the fruit is the fruit bearing tree is manifest, the creator calling to growth, by which those things which are required are produced. And to be conserved the fruit require a covering of leaves. These things happen then everywhere wisdom is seen, in which the Creator of all is at work. Other things certainly may occur, other things on consequence of peculiarity. Particular is the rational animal, acquiring what is needful from beasts and things that grown from earth. Never then are these fruits of the tree of life produced but reasonably, and so the leaves along with them cannot be worthless, nothing of the tree being able to be condemned as having no value, and so they do not  fall and wither. And so next it is said: 'And everything which he does, he prospers'. And this is so by a certain necessity, everything coming to be as a consequence. The fruit of Christ is the teaching of doctrine, which is food for the stronger, and the leaves are the food of the more simple. Thus the fruits have their use for men, the leaves for beasts. For what Scripture calls fruit is that which is able to be received by rational beings, and leaves that which nourish simple things. The blessed man is judged to be like the tree of life and one can name his works its fruit, and whatever he does he does well, and he works according to wisdom. And his studies are his living moving leaves, which being of great value are not to be spurned, nor should they be allowed to fall away, so that without error he might do everything to the glory of God. So indeed in whatever he does he prospers. Origen, On the Psalms, Psalm 1 1 Ps 1.3 2 Lk 23.43

Planting Trees

Et erit tamquam lignum, quod plantatum est juxta decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo. Et folium ejus non defluet. Ridiculum hoc forte et ineptum comparatae beatitudinis credetur exemplum: in quo ligni plantatio, decursus aquarum, fructuum datio, suum tempus, et folium non defluens praedicatur. Haec quidem secundum homines saeculi nulla forte existimabuntur. Sed videamus secundum propheticam doctrinam, quanta in his ipsis rebus ac verbis comparatae beatitudinis gloria collecetur. In libro Geneis II, IX et X, ubi plantatum a Deo paradisum legislator ostendit, omne quoque lignum specie pulchrum et ad esam bonum productum esse monstravit; esse quoque et in medio paradiso lignuum vitae, et lignum sciendi boni et mali exposuit; irrigari deinde paradisum divisum sit. Quod autem esset hoc lignum vitae, propheta Salomon docuit, dicens, de adoratione sapientiae: Lignum vitae est omnibus qui complectuntur eam, et qui incumbunt in eam sicut in Domino, secura' Lignum ergo hoc vivens est: neque solum vivens, sed etiam rationale; rationale autem in tantum ut fructus det; det vero non confuse, non importune, sed tempore suo, Et plantatum hoc lignum est 'juxta decursus aquarum,' in possessione scilicet regni Dei, id est, in paradiso, et unde flumen exiens in quatuor principia dividitur. Non enim ait: Post decursus aquarum, sed: 'Juxta decursus aquarum, unde primum decursum aquarum divisiones sortiuntur. Illic enim plantatum hoc lignum est, quo latronem illum, se Dominum confitentem, Dominus qui Sapientia est introduxit, dicens, 'Amen dico tibi, hodi mecum eris in paradiso', Et quia sapientiam, qui Christus est, lingum vitae congnominari de sacramento futurae corporationis et passionis, prophetica auctoritate docuimus: etiam ex Evangelliis intelligentiae cujus est proprietas, adstruenda. Dominus namque ipse se arbori comparavit, cum in Beelzebub daemonia cum Judaei ejicere dixissent: Aut facite, inquit, arborem bonam et fructus ejus bonos, aut facite arborem malam, et fructus ejus malos; ex fructu enim arbor cognoscitur. Quia cum fructus est et optimus, daemonia ejicere; Beelzebub eum, cujus fructus pessimi sunt, esse dicebant. Hujus quoque beati ligni non dedignatus est, in se docere virtutem, cum pergens ad crucem ait: Quia si in humido ligno haec faciunt, in arido quid fiet? per humidi ligni exemplum, nihil in se ariditati mortis obnoxium esse significans. Huic itaque ligno beatus ille vir similis fiet; cum, translati latronis in paradisum modo, secundum decursus aquarum et ipse plantetur: et fiet beata illa, et non eradicanda novella plantatio, quam in Evangeliis Dominus significat, cum de aliena plantatione conqueritur, dicens: Omnis plantatio quam non plantavit Pater meus coelestis, eradicabitur. Hoc ergo lignuum dabit fructus suos. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum Primum

And he shall be like a tree planted beside flowing waters, which shall yield its fruit in its own season, and his leaf shall not fall.1 This may perhaps be deemed an absurd comparison of blessedness, in which a planted tree, flowing waters, the giving of fruit, its own time, and the leaf that does not fall, are esteemed. All this may be judged to be nonsense by men of the world. But let us look at the teaching of the Prophet and see how much wonder is to be found in the objects and words used for these comparisons of blessedness. In the book of Genesis where the lawgiver shows us the paradise planted by God, we are told that every tree is fair to see and good for food 2, and also that in the midst of paradise is the tree of Life and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and next that the garden is watered in divisions. What this tree of Life is The Prophet Solomon teaches us  in his praise of Wisdom, when he says of Wisdom: 'She is a tree of life to all those who embrace her and those who rest on her do so securely as on the Lord.' 3 This tree therefore is living, and not only living, but even having reason, reason inasmuch that it may put forth fruit not randomly nor inappropriately but in its season. And this tree is beside the flowing waters in the domain of the Kingdom of God, that is, in Paradise, and where the stream issues forth it is divided into four heads. For he does not say, 'Behind the flowing waters,' but, 'Beside the flowing waters,' at the place where first the flowing waters are divided. There the tree is planted where the Lord, Who is Wisdom, led the thief who confessed Him to be the Lord, replying: 'Truly I say unto you, today shall you be with Me in Paradise.'4 And now that we have taught on prophetic warrant that Wisdom, which is Christ, is named the tree of Life in accordance with the mystery of the coming Incarnation and Passion, we must seek support for this particular understanding in the Gospels. The Lord compared Himself to a tree when the Jews said that He cast out devils by Beelzebub, and He said,  'Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.'5; Because although the casting out of demons is an excellent fruit, they said He was Beelzebub, whose fruits are the worst. Nor did He refuse to teach that the power that makes the tree blessed was in His Person, for on the way to the Cross He said: For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry tree ?'6  Declaring by this image of the green tree that there was nothing in Him that was subject to the dryness of death. That blessed man, then, will become like this tree when he, like the thief, is brought into paradise and planted beside the flowing waters, and it will be a blessed planting, a new planting which cannot be uprooted, which the Lord mentions in the Gospels when He deplores any other planting, saying, 'Every planting which is not planted by my heavenly Father shall be uprooted.'7 This tree, therefore, will yield its fruits. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, Psalm 1 1 Ps 1.3 2 Gen 2:9-10  3 Prov 3:18 LXX 4 Lk 23:43  5Mt 12:33  6 Lk 23:31  7 Mt 15:13

Waters and Fruit

Καὶ ἔσται ὡς τὸ ξύλον τὸ πεφυτευμένον παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὑδάτων, ὃ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ.  Ὁ διὰ πάσης τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ζωῆς καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ νυκτός τε καὶ ἡμέρας τῷ θείῳ σχολάζων νόμῳ, καὶ τοῖς ἐξ αὐτοῦ λογικοῖς νάμασιν ἀρδόμενος, σφόδρα οἰκείως φυτῷ παρ' ὕδασιν ἐῤῥιζωμένῳ παραβέβληται· διὸ καὶ μακάριος ὡς ἀληθῶς οὗτος, ἅτε μάλιστα ποτιζόμενος τοῖς θείοις μαθήμασιν, ὥριμον ἑαυτοῦ τὸν καρπὸν ἀποδίδωσιν.  Εἶτ' ἐπειδὴ ξύλον ἐστὶ ζωῆς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς κατὰ τὸν Σολομῶντα φήσαντα περὶ τῆς Σοφίας·  Ξύλον ἐστὶ ζωῆς πᾶσι τοῖς ἀντεχομένοις αὐτῆς καὶ τοῖς ἐπερειδομένοις ἐπ' αὐτὴν ὡς ἐπὶ Κύριον ἀσφαλῆ· εἰκότως ὁ μακαριζόμενος τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱῷ ἀφωμοίωται τῷ παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους ὄντι τῶν ὑδάτων μαρτυρούμενος καὶ κηρυττόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν τῆς θείας Γραφῆς διδασκάλων καὶ προφητῶν·  οἵτινες καὶ ἀφέσεις ὑδάτων παρὰ τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ λέγονται Γραφῇ.  Τούτῳ οὖν ἀφωμοίωται ὁ μακαριζόμενος, ἀρδόμενος διεξόδοις τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς πνευματικῶν ναμάτων, καρπόν τε ἀγαθὸν προφέρων.  Ὑπομνηματα Ἐις Τους ψαλμους. ψαλμος Α' Εὐσέβιος ὁ Καισάρειος

And he shall be like a tree planted planted beside flowing waters which gives it fruit in its own time. 1  He who through his whole life, when the time allows, takes to the study of the Divine Law night and day is watered spiritually by the river flowing by and is must sensibly compared to a tree whose roots are near the waters, which the blessed man reveres, for he who is watered by the Divine discipline shall bring forth his fruit at the appropriate time. Then because the wood of life is of the Son of God according to Solomon, who says concerning Wisdom: 'It is the wood of life to everyone who has embraced it,'2 and he who clings it to it for safety, as to the Lord, he is rightly called blessed who is thus like the Son of God, who thus is placed next to the flowing waters, the testimonies and preaching of the teachers of Divine Scripture and the Prophets, that which Scripture entitles flowing waters. Because of this, then, is the comparison of the blessed man, he who is watered by the flow of spiritual rivers, pouring forth from Sacred Scripture, bringing forth good fruit. Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on the Psalms, Psalm 1, 1 Ps 1.3 2. Prov 3.18

Leaves And Fruit

Ἠρωτήθη ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων, τί μεῖζον, ὁ σωματικὸς κόπος, ἤ ἡ φυλακή τῶν ἔνδον. Εἷπε δὲ ὁ γέρων· Ἐοικε δένδρῳ ὁ ἀνθρωπος ὁ τοίνυν σωματικὸς κόπος φύλλα ἐστιν· ἡ δέ τῶν ἔνδον φυλακὴ ὁ καρπός ἐστιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, Πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκοπτεται, καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται, φανερόν ἐστιν ὅτι διὰ τὸν καρπόν ἐστιν ἡμῶν ἡ σπουδὴ πᾶσα, τουέστι τὴν τοῦ νοὸς φυλακήν. χρεία δέ ἐστι καὶ τῆς ἐκ τῶν φύλλων σκέπης καὶ εὐκοσμίας, ἄτινά ἐστιν ὁ σωματικὸς κόπος. Ἀποφθέγματα Ἀγίων Γερόντων, Παλλάδιος Γαλατίας Source: Migne PG 65.112b

Father Agathon was asked, 'What is greater, corporeal labour or guarding the interior?' The old man said, 'Like the leaves of a tree are the corporeal works of a man and guarding the interior is the fruit. Indeed, as it is written, 'Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire.' It is evident that it is our task to watch the fruit, that is, to guard the mind. Yet it is necessary that the leaves are there as a shelter and an adornment, that is, corporeal labour.' Sayings of the Fathers, Palladius of Galatia

Man as a Tree Inverted

Quem Fructum Homo Producit O vilis humane condicionis indignitas, indigna vilitatis humane condicio ! Herbas et arbores investiga: ille de se producunt flores, frondes, et fructus, et tu de te lendes et pediculos et lumbricos. Ille de se fundunt oleum, vinum, et balsamum, tu de te sputum, urinam, et stercus. Ille de se spirant suavitatem odoris, et tu de te reddis abominacionem fetoris. Qualis est arbor, talis est fructus, "non enim potest arbor mala fructus bonos facere." Quid est enim homo secundum formam nisi quedam arbor eversa? Cuius radices sunt crines, truncus est capud cum collo, stipes est pectus cum alvo, rami sunt ulne cum tibiis, frondes sunt digiti cum articulis. Hoc est folium quod a vento rapitur et stipula que a sole siccatur.  Innocentius III, De miseria condicionis humane

What Fruit a Man Produces O vile baseness of the human condition, O shameful condition of human worthlessness. Study the herbs and trees: that one produces flowers, leaves and fruit, and you fleas, lice and worms. Another gives oil, wine and balm, you excrete spit, urine and excrement. Another breathes sweet odours, you produce an abominable fetor. Like the tree, so is the fruit: 'no bad tree is able to produce good fruit.' What is man in form but a tree inverted? The hairs of his head are the roots, the upper trunk is the head with the neck, the lower trunk is the chest with the belly, the branches are the arms and legs, the leaves are the fingers and toes. He is a leaf ripped away by the wind and a stalk which the sun burns dry. Pope Innocent III, The Misery of the Human Condition