One Spirit Or Another

Ερωτ ΛΗ’ Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Πνεῦμα πονηρὸν παρὰ Κυρίον ἔπνιγε τὸν Σαούλ; Τοῦ θείου Πνευματος ἀποστάντος, χώραν ἔλαβε τὸ παμπόνηρον πνεῦμα. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ ἐντεῦθεν μετὰ τοῦ Δαβὶδ βοᾷν· Τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἅγιον μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ' ἐμου. Οὕτω τῆς ἀποστολικῆς χάριοτς τὸν Ἰούδαν καταλιπούσης, εἰσελήλυθεν εἰς αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος. Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Εἰς Τὴν Πρωτην Τῶν Βασιλειων Source: Migne PG 80.564d

Question 38 How should it be understood that 'An evil spirit from the Lord troubled Saul' 1 When the divine Spirit has withdrawn, the wicked spirit takes its place. Which we are taught when David cries out: 'Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.' 2 Likewise the devil entered into Judas when the Apostolic grace left him. 3 Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Questions On The First Book Of Kings 1 1 Kings 16.14 2 Ps 50.11 3 Jn 13.27

Sons And Fathers

Ερωτ ΙΓ´ Τίνος χάριν Σαμουὴλ διὰ τὰς τῶν παίδων παρανομίας οὐκ ἔτισε δίκασς; Ἀδικήματα ἧν, οὐκ ἀσεβήματα, τὰ παρὰ τούτων γινόμενα. Οὒτε γὰρ γάμους διέῥῥηξαν, καὶ ταῖς τοιαύταις λαγνείαις καθύβρισαν τὴν θείαν σκηνήν· οὔτε τῇ γαστρὶ τὰ πρωτεϊα τῶν ἱερείων ἀπένειμαν, τὴν τῶν θυσιῶν ἀναστρέψαντες τάξιν. Δωροδοκίαν δὲ μόνον αὐτῶν ἡ ἱστορία κατηψορεῖ. Καὶ οὐδὲ ταύτην ὁ προφήτης ἠπίστατο. Πόῥῥωθεν γὰρ αὐτῶν διῆψεν. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ᾤκει τὴν Ἀραμαθὲν, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τὴν βερσαβεέ. Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Εἰς Τὴν Πρωτην Τῶν Βασιλειων Source: Migne PG 80.548a-b

Question 13 Why was Samuel not ruined for the crimes of his sons? 1 They were unjust not impious in the things that they did. For they did not violate marriage, nor with such lust did they defile the Divine tabernacle, nor did they place the first offerings in their own stomachs, overturning the order of sacrifice. 1 The history accuses them of one thing only, that they were corrupted by gifts. And the Prophet did not know this, since he was dwelling far away from them. He was living at Ramah and they at Beersheba. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Questions On The First Book Of Kings 11 King 8.1-3 2 As Eli perished because of the wickedness of his sons, 1 King 2.12-

Man And Boy

Ερώτησις Θ' Τί δήποτε κομιδῇ νέῳ ὄντι τῷ Σαμουὴλ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ὢφθη Θεός; Εἰς ἔλεγχον τοῦ γεγρηρακότος ἀρχιερέως τὸ μειράκιον ἠξιώθη τῆς θείας ἐπιφανείας. Οὕτω γαρ ἤν ἄγαν νέος, ὡς τὴν περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ διδασκαλίαν μηδέπω δύνασθαι δέξασθαι. Αὐτικα γοῦν ὁ Ἡλεὶ μετὰ τὴν τρίτην κλῆσιν συνεὶς ὡς ὁ Θεός ἐστιν ὁ καλῶν, περιτὸν μὲν εἰπεῖν, καὶ ὑπέλαβεν ὡς ὁ Θεός ἐστιν ὁ καλῶν· ἔφη δέ· Ἐὰν καλέσῃ σε ὁ καλῶν ἐρεῖς, Λάλει, Κύριέ μου ὅτι ἀκούει ὁ δοῦλος σου. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τὴν τοιαύτην ἡλικίαν τῆς πολιᾶς προτετίμηκεν ὁ Θεός· καὶ τὸν ὀκτὼ καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἕτη βεβιωκότα, καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἕτη ἀρχῆς ἀξιωθέντα διπλῆς, καὶ κριτὴς γὰρ ἦν, καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς καταλιπὼν, τῷ σμικροτάτῳ διειλέχθη παιδίῳ· διδάσκων ὅσῳ πολιᾶς ἀμείνων νεότης ἀρετῇ κοσμουμένη. Ὁ μέντοι Ἡλεὶ δῆλός ἐστιν οἰκείοις μὲν κοσμούμενος κατορθώμασι· διὰ δὲ τὴν τῶν παίδων πονηρίαν τῆς πανωλεθρίας τὴν ψῆφον δεξάμενος. Δηλοῖ δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐσένειαν καὶ τὰ ῥήματα. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ᾐσχύνθη πατακαλέσαι τὸν νέον μηνῦσαι τὰ θεόθεν ἀπαγγελθέντα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅρκοις αὐτὸν κατέδησε καὶ ἀραῖς, ὥστε μηδὲν ἀποκρύψαι τῶν δηλωθέντων. Εἶτα τὴν ἐξενεχθεῖσαν ψῆφον μαθὼν, τὴν ἀξιέπαινον ἀφῆκε φωνήν· Κύριος ἐστι, τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ποιήσει. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῶν υἱῶν τὴν σφαγὴν ἐγνωκὼς, οὐκ ἀγεννῶς ἢνεγκεν ὁ πατὴρ καὶ πρεσβύτης· τὴν δέ γε κιβωτὸν δορυάλωτον γεγενῆσθαι μαθὼν, κατέπεσε μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ δίφρου, τῇ δὲ τῆς ἀθυμίας ὑπερβολῇ τοῦ βίου τὸ τέλος ἐδέξατο. Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Εἰς Την Πρωτην Των Βασιλειων Source:Migne PG 80.129a-b

Question 9 Why was it that the God of all appeared to Samuel while he was yet so young? 1 For the reproof of the high priest who was old the youth was worthy of the Divine appearance. For he was yet very young and so not able to receive the teaching of God. And quickly Heli, after the third calling, understanding that it might be God who was calling, spoke with sense, and supposing that it might be God who was calling, said: 'If he calls you, who has called, say: Speak, my Lord, because your servant is listening.' Even with this said, God did pass over the years of the old man, scorning him who had lived ninety eight years, who for forty two years had been honoured with the office of magistrate, for he was a judge and high priest, and He spoke to a little boy, by that teaching how much more adorned with virtue might be youth than old age. And though it is clear that Heli was adorned with right deeds, on account of the depravity of his sons he received the sentence of death. But his words did show his piety. For firstly he did not blush to ask a youth about what had been spoken to him by God. And then he even constrained him with oaths and curses, that the boy reveal all clearly to him. Then when he had learnt the full extent of it, he gave voice to praise: 'It is the Lord, who shall do what is pleasing before Him.' Then learning of the slaughter of his sons, the father and old man was not carried off by such bereavement, but when he learnt that the ark had been seized by the enemy, then he fell from his seat, slain by the grave grief of his soul, receiving the end of his life. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Questions On The First Book Of Kings 1 1 Kings 3.10-

Things Of God And Men

Καὶ ἐγενήθη ῥῆμα Κυρίου πρὸς Σαμουὴλ, λέγων· Μεταμεμέλημαι ὅτι ἔχρισα τὸν Σαοὺλ εἰς βασιλέα. Ὡσπερ ἀνθρώπων μὲν χεὶρ καὶ ποῦς καὶ ὀφθαλμὸς καὶ οὖς, καὶ εἴ τι τουοῦτον ὀνομάζεται, σημαντικὰ τῶν μελῶν τοῦ ἡμετέρου σώματός ἐστιν· ἐπὶ δὲ Θεοῦ χεὶρ μὲν τὸ δυμιουργικὸν, ὀφθαλμὸς δὲ τὸ ἐποπτικόν· καὶ οὖς μὲν τὸ ακουστικὸν, ποῦς δὲ τὸ τῆς παρουσίας, ὅτ' ἂν ἐνεργῇ τι· οὕτω καὶ θυμὸς μὲν Θεοῦ λέγεται παιδεία, ἡ κατὰ τῶν παιόντων, οὐ πάθος Θεοῦ· μεταμέλεια δὲ ἡ ἀπὸ πράγματοκ εἰς πρᾶγμα μετάθεσις τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκονομίας. Ὅ γὰρ ἡμεῖς μεταμελούμενοι ποιοῦμεν, τουτέστιν ἐκεῖνα μὲν φεύγομεν ἐφ' οἶς μετεμελήθημεν, ἕτερα δὲ διώκομεν τὰ κρείττω· τοῦτο μεταμέλεια Θεοῦ λέγεται. Διὰ τί; Ἐπειδὴ σωματικώτερον τοῖς βαρυτάτοις τὴν διάνοιαν ἔδει περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοὺς προφήτας ὁμιλεῖν, ἵνα χωρηθῇ· οἱ γὰρ ἀγάλματα ἄπερ ἔγλυφον καὶ ἐχώνευον θεοὺς νομίζοντες, ἥδη δὲ καὶ ἄλογα, πῶς ἂν ἐχώρησαν διὰ πνευματικῶν νοημάτων τε καὶ ῥημάτων τὰ περὶ Θεοῦ λεγόμενα; Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαί Εἰς Την Πρῶτην Των Βασιλειών Source: Migne PG 17.44b

And the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 'I repent that I anointed Saul king.' As the hand of man and foot and eye and ear, and anything like these which are named, signify the members of our body, yet with God the hand means the creative power, and the eye the power of seeing all things, and the ear the ability to hear all things, and the foot his presence, for so it is done, and likewise the anger of God is to be understood this way, for as for Him being troubled, there is no passion in God. Repentance then is the figure for the Divine dispensation to change one thing to another. For when we come to repent it is that we would be rid of that which we repent and pursue better things, and so is named the repentance of God. But why are these things expressed like this? It was so the prophets could speak to those more dull in mind among us about God that there was accommodation to things corporeal. I mean, those who sculptured and set up idols which they judged to be gods; for so lacking in reason how would they have been able to grasp through purely spiritual thoughts and words the things that were said about God? Origen, Fragment from a Commentary On The First Book of Kings 1 1 Kings 15.11