Revelation And Hiding

Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν: ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, Πάτερ, Kύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἔκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν, καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις. Ὅ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Ἐξομολογοῦμαι, ἀντὶ τοῦ Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ὦ Πάτερ, ὅτι οἱ δοκοῦντες σοφοὶ καὶ ἔμπειροι εἶναι τῶν Γραφῶν Ἰουδαῖοι, ἠπείθησαν, οἱ δὲ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ νήπιοι ἐπίστευσαν καὶ ἔγνων τὰ μυστήρια. Ἀπέκρυψε δὲ τὰ μυστήρια ὁ Θεὸς απὸ τῶν δοκούντῶν εἶναι σοφῶν, οὐχ ὡς φθονῶν ἤ ὡς αἴτιος ἀγνωσίας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἀξίους, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τούτου τοῦ δοκεῖν ἑαυτοὺς εἶναι σοφούς· ὁ γὰρ δοκῶν ἑαυτὸν σοφὸν, καὶ θαῥῥων τῇ οἰκείᾳ γνώσει, οὐδὲ προσαλεῖται Θεόν. Καὶ λοιπὸν ὁ Θεὸς ὡς μὴ προσκαλούμενος οὐδὲ βοηθεῖ αὐτῷ, οὐδὲ ἀποκαλύπτει. Ἄλλως τε, ὁ Θεὸς μᾶλλον διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν οὐκ ἀποκαλύπτει τοῖς πολλοῖς τὰ μυστήρια, ἵνα μὴ πλεῖον κολασθῶσιν, ὡς μετὰ τὸ γνῶναι διαπτύσαντες. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον , Κεφ ΙΑ' Source: Migne PG 123.256c-d

At that time Jesus answered and said, 'I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden all these things from the wise and clever, and revealed them to little ones.' 1 He says, 'I confess,' that is, I give thanks to you, Father, that the Jews who seem to be wise to themselves and learned in the Scriptures, did not believe, but the uneducated and little ones believed and knew mysteries. For God hides mysteries from those who seem to be wise, not because He begrudges them, or that He is a cause of ignorance, but because they are not worthy, since they seem wise to themselves. But he who is wise to himself and he who is confident in his own knowledge does not call on God. And when one does not call on God, He does not aid, nor does He reveal anything. And besides this, God on account of His love of men does not reveal His mysteries to many, lest more be punished, scorning the things that they teach. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 11 1 Mt 11.25

Seeing The Light

Ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει, εἶδε φῶς μέγα... Σκότος ἐνταῦθα οὐ τὸ αἰσθητὸν καλεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν πλάνην καὶ τὴν ἀσέβειαν· διὸ καὶ ἐπὴγαγε· Τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, φῶη ἔλαμψεν αὐτοῖς. Εἴτα δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐκ αὐτοὶ ζητήσαντες εὗριον, ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῖς ἄνωθεν ἐφάνη, φησίν· Αὐτὸ τὸ φῶς ἀνέτειλε καὶ ἔλαμψεν. Οὐκ αὐτοὶ πρότερον τῷ φωτὶ προσέδραμον· καὶ γὰρ ἐν σκότει τὰ ἀνθρώπινα ἧν πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐβάδιζον ἐν σκότει, ἀλλ' ἐκάθηντο, ὅπερ συμεῖον ἧν τοῦ μὴ ἐλπίζειν αὐτοὺς ἀπαλλάττεσθαι. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.372d-373a

A people sitting in darkness have seen a great light... 1 He does not speak of a material darkness here, but of error and wickedness, therefore he adds: 'On those sitting in a land and in the shadow of death a light has shone.' By which it is shown that they were not seekers who found it, but God on high revealed it, The light rose and shone forth, he says. Not that they hurried to the light before, for before the coming of Christ the things of men were in darkness, and they did not walk in darkness, but they sat, as a sign that they had no hope for a change for themselves. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 4.16

The Son And Knowledge

Et scimus quoniam Filius Dei venit....  Quid enim apertius his verbis? Quid dulcius? Quid adversus omnes haereses fortius potuit dici? Christus est verus Dei Filius. Pater Christi Jesu Domini nostri verus est Deus. Venit Filius Dei sempiternus temporaliter in mundum, qui erat in mundo, et per quem factus est mundus. Neque aliam ob causam venit nisi nostrae salutis, hoc est, ut daret nobis sensum cognoscere verum Deum. Nemo enim sine divina cognoscere verum Deum, nemo Deum cognescere nisi ipse docente poterat: sicut et ipse dicit: Et nemo novit Filium nisi Pater, neque Patrem quis novit nisi Filius, et cui voluerit Filius revelare. Subauditur: Et Patrem et Filium. Utrumque enim Filius revelat, qui, in carne visibilis apparens, divinitatis arcana per Evangelium suum modo patefacere dignatus est. Sanctus Beda, In I Epistolam Sancti Joannis Source: Migne PL 93.120a-b

And we know that the Son Of God has come... 1 What indeed is more frank than these words? What is more sweet? What was able to be said more powerfully against heretics? Christ is the true Son of God. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the true God. The eternal Son of God came for a time into the world, He who was in the world and through whom it was made. 2 And He came for no other cause but for our Salvation, that is, that He give us the ability to know the true God. For no one without the Divine knows the true God, no one knows God unless that same One has taught him, as even He said: 'And no one knows the Son unless the Father, nor knows the Father unless the Son, and him to whom the Son choses to reveal Him.' 3 Which understand: Both the Father and the Son. For both the Son reveals, He who, in the visible flesh appearing, the secrets of divinity through His Gospel deigned to reveal. Saint Bede, Commentary On The First Letter of Saint John 1 1 Jn 5.20 2 Jn 1.10 3 Lk 10.22

Light And Salvation

Deus misereatur nobis et benedicat nos inluminet vultum suum super nos et misereatur nobis ut cognosceamus in terra viam tuam, in omnibus gentibus salutare tuum. Quod autem in latinis libris ita scribitur:  ut cognoscmaus in terra viam tuam, in graecis ita est τοῦ γνῶναι ἐν τῇ γῇ τὴν ὁδὸν σου. inter γνῶναι et cognoscamus, id differt, quod sine personae definitione est γνῶναι ; cognoscamus autem, ipsos eos qui haec loquuntur ostendit. Ergo secundum veram illam graecitatis translationem, illuminari se Dei vultu ob id deprecantur, ut cognita fiat in terra Dei via, quae est doctrine vitae religiosae. Per eam enim ad Deum pergitur. Religiosae autem viae doctrina Christus est, quam se esse Evangeliis ostendit: Ego sum veritas, via et vita. Et rursum: Nemo ad Patrem vadit, nisi per me. Et hunc esse viam, ipse ille connexus sibi psalmi sermo testatur. Quae in terra, id est, vel ex terra ortis, vel inhabitantibus cognoscibilis, et nota praestanda est. Ut cognosceamus in terra viam tuam, in omnibus gentibus salutare tuum. Jesus salutarem dici ipse ille proprietatis sermo loquitur. Nam quod nobiscum salutare est, id apud Hebreaum Jesus est. Confirmat autem istud Angelus ad Joseph de Maria loquens, Pariet autem filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Jesum: quia ipse salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis Jesum itaque ostendit angelus idcirco, quia salutaris esse populo, nuncupandum. Tantae ergo praedicationi se impares esse nisi illuminentur ostendunt: nisi quodam vultus Domini splendore lucescant. Sunt enim et ipsi secundum Evangelium lumen mundi, Dominus autem ipse lux vera est. a luce illuminati, ut lumen essent apostoli et prophetae. Caeterum superfluum est ideo illuminari se velle, ut cognoscant ea de quibus quasi cognitis praedicabant. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum LXVI Source: Migne PL 9.438c- 439b

God be merciful to us and bless us, shine the light of your face on us and be be merciful to us, that we know on earth your way, among all the nations your salvation. 1 That which in the Latin books is written, 'that we know on the earth your way' in the Greek reads, 'To know on earth your way,' and there is a difference between 'to know' and 'that we know' because to know is without expression of the person; for 'that we know' shows that they speak this about themselves. Thus according to the correct Greek translation they pray to be enlightened by the face of God, that the way of God be known on earth, which is the teaching of the religious life. For by that one comes to God. And the teaching of the religious way is Christ, which the Gospels declare: 'I am the truth and the way and the light, and again 'No one comes to the Father unless through me.' 2 And that this is the way, the other part of the Psalm bears witness. What is on the earth either rises from the earth, or must be brought forth to be knowable to the inhabitants. 'That we know on earth your way, among all the people's your salvation.' To say that Jesus is salvation is to speak the name correctly. For what we pronunce 'salvation' in Hebrew is Jesus. And this is confirmed by that angel who spoke to Joseph concerning Mary saying, 'She shall bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, because he will save the people from their sins.' 3 Thus the angel announces that His name to be Jesus because He shall be the salvation of the people. Therefore men are unequal to such preaching unless they show that they are illuminated, unless they shine with the splendour of the face of the Lord. For according to the Gospel they are the light of the world, and the Lord Himself is the true light, 4 and by light illuminated, the Apostles and Prophets are light. And concerning other things the wish to be illuminated is superfluous, that they might know things which as things knowable they might preach. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 66 1 Ps 66.2-3 2 Jn 14.6 3 Mt 1.21 4 Jn 1.9

Judging Joseph

Ὅλην τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς τὸ σαρκικὸν φρόνημα κατανεύεις, καὶ λέγεις τό· Ἔγνω αὐτήν· εἴ γε καὶ ἔγνω, μίξιν ὑπαινίττεσθαι. Ἀλλὰ γνῶθωι, κομψότατε, ὅτι οὐ φιλήδονος, οὐδὲ λάγνος ὑπῆρχεν ὁ Ἰωσὴφ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ θεοσεβής τε καὶ δίκαιος. Ἀκούσας δὲ παρὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου εἰπόντος περὶ τῆς Παρθένου ἐπιτόκου τυγχανούσης, ὅτι Τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου, καὶ τεχθήσεται, καὶ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ βασιλεύσει εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, προσέθετο εὐλαβεῖσθαι ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου, φρίξας τοῦτο δὴ τὸ ἔκπληκτον, καὶ παραδοξότατον μυστήριον. Διόπερ οὐκ ἔτι λοιπὸν ὡς μνηστὴρ, καὶ ἀνὴρ, ἀλλ' ὡς λατρευτὴς, καὶ διάκονος Θεου ἐμβριθέστατος, συσφίγξας τῇ σωφροσύνῃ τοὺς οἰκείους λογισμοὺς, ἐξυπηρετεῖτο σὺν πάσῃ ὁσιότητι, καὶ πολλῇ ἀγνότητι, καὶ φόβῳ θείῳ τῇ λεγομένῃ, οὐ μὴν καὶ οὔσῃ, γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ Μαρίᾳ. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΣΟΑ' Κυριλλῳ Πρωτευοντι Source: Migne 79.181c-d

Your whole mind bent down in carnal thought, you say, 'He knew her; if he knew her, he had intercourse with her.' 1 But you should know, clever fellow, that Joseph was not given to pleasure or lust, but he was a most pious and righteous man. He understood when he heard from the angel about the Virgin birth: 'That in her is conceived of the Holy Spirit, and He that is born will save His people, and rule in eternity,' 2 that it was a warning coming from the face of God, striking him with fear account of its wonderous and admirable mystery. Whence after, not as a suitor or a husband, but as a most faithful worshipper and servant of God, bound to continence by his own thoughts, with all piety and chastity, by the fearful Divine words, not as his own did he receive Mary. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 271, To Cyrillus The Primate 1 Mt 1. 25 2 Mt 1. 23

Dreams And Knowledge

Mihi quoque non in sapientia, quae est in me plusquam in cunctis viventibus, sacramentum hoc revelatum est: sed ut interpretatio regi  manifesta fieret, et cogitationes mentis tuae scires. Putaverat rex notitiam futurorum solertia mentis humanae posse comprehendi; et ideo sapientes Babylonis interfici jusserat. Ergo Daniel eos excusat qui dicere non potuerant, et ipse invidiam fugit, ne quis aestimet, eum quae dicturus est propria dixisse sapientia. Causa autem revelationis propheticae, regis est desiderium, qui voluit ventura cognoscere. Ergo honorat regem, quando propter illius scientiam sibi dicit a Deo mysteria revelata. Et hoc considerandum, quod somnia in quibus aliqua ventura signantur, et quasi per nubilum veritas demonstratur, non pateant conjectoribus et humanae mentis arbitrio, sed Dei solius scientiae. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentaria in Daniel, Caput II Source:  Migne PL 25.503b-c

It is not by the wisdom in me, that I know more than anyone living, that this mystery has been revealed, but that the understanding of it be made manifest to the king, and you know the thoughts of your mind. 1 The king thought that the knowlege of the future was capable of being grasped by the cleverness of the human mind and therefore he commanded that the wise men of Babylon be killed. 2 But Daniel excused them who were not able to speak of the future, and distanced himself from envy, lest someone judge that what he was going to speak was spoken from his own wisdom. For the cause of the prophetic revelation is the desire of the king, who wishes to know the things that are to come. Therefore Daniel honours the king when he says that is on account of his knowledge that God reveals these mysteries to him. And this also must be considered, that dreams in which things to come are signified, are as truth shown through a cloud, not openly for the interpretation and judgement of men, but only by the knowledge of God. Saint Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 2 1 Dan 2.30 2 Dan 2.10-12

God And Righteousness

Dic mihi, quibus modis facit Deus justitiam cum sanctis suis? Respondit : Tribus : monstrat, ut sciant; persuadet, ut diligant; adjuvat, ut perficiant. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, De Veteri et Novo Testamento Quaestiones, Quaestio XVII Source:  Migne PL 83.203c

Tell me, in what ways does God make righteousness with his saints? Answer: In three ways. He reveals that they might know it, persuades that they might love it, aids that they might be perfected. Saint Isidore of Seville, Questions on the Old and New Testaments, Question 17

Resurrection And Revelation

Qui praedestinatus est Filius Dei in virtute secundum spiritum sanctificationis ex resurrectione mortuorum Jesu Christi Domini nostri. Filium Dei dicens, Patrem significavit Deum; addito autem spiritu sanctificationis, ostendit mysterium Trinitatis. Hic ergo qui incarnatus, quid esset, latebat; tunc praedestinatus est secundum spiritum sanctificationis in virtute manifestari Filius Dei, cum resurgit a mortuis, sicut scriptum est in psalmo octogesimo quarto: Veritas de terra orta est. Omnis enim ambiguitas et diffidentia resurrectione ejus calcata est, et compressa; siquidem adhuc in cruce positum, centurio videns magnalia, Dei Filium confitetur. Nam et discipuli in morte ejus dubitaverunt, dicente Cleopha in Emmaus: Nos putabamus quia ipse erat, qui incipiebat Israel. Et ipse Dominus ait: Cum exaltaveritis Filium hominis, tunc cognoscetis quia ipse ego sum; et iterum: Cum exaltatus fuero a terra omnia traham ad me, id est, tunc cognoscar omnium esse Dominus. Ideo autem non dixit ex resurrectione Jesu Christi, sed ex resurrectione mortuorum; quia resurrectio Christi generelem tribuit resurrectonem. Haec enim major videtur virtus in Christo et victoria, ut ea postestate operaretur mortuus, qua operatus fuerat et vivus. Quo facto apparuit illusisse mortem, ut redimeret nos; unde Dominum nostrum hunc vocat. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Ad Romanos, Caput Primum Source: Migne PL 17 50

'He who was marked out as the Son of God in the power of the spirit of sanctification from the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.' 1 Saying 'the Son of God' he signifies God the Father, and with the addition of 'the spirit of sanctification' he declares the mystery of the Trinity. He, then, who was incarnated, what He was, was hidden, and then, marked out by the spirit of sanctification, in power He was manifested as the Son of God when He rose from the dead; as it is written in the eighty fourth Psalm: 'Truth from the earth has arisen.' 2 Every uncertainty and lack of confidence is trodden down and crushed by His resurrection. Certainly while He was yet placed on the cross, the centurion, perceiving wonders, confessed the Son of God, 3 but even the disciples doubted in His death, with Cleophas saying in Emmaus: 'We thought that He was the one who would restore Israel.' 4 And the Lord himself said, 'When you have raised up the Son of Man you will know that I am.' 5 and again, 'When I am lifted up from the earth I shall draw all to me.' 6 that is, then I shall be known as the Lord of all. Therefore he does not say 'from the resurrection of Jesus Christ', but 'from the resurrection of the dead,' because the resurrection of Christ was given for the general resurrection. For this power appears greater in Christ, and the victory, being done while dead, than what was done while living. By which He appeared to mock death, that he might redeem us, whence he calls Him Our Lord. Ambrosiaster, from the Commentary On The Epistle of Saint Paul To The Romans, Chapter 1 1 Rom 1.4 2 Ps 84.12 3 Mt 27.54 4 Lk 24.21 5 Jn 8.28 6 Jn 12.32

Joseph's Troubles

Joseph ille martius solo nomine, conscientia sponsus, praegnantem sponsam fluctuans et anxius intuetur, quia neque accusare innocentem, neque praegnantem poterat excusare; tacere tutum non erat, erat loqui periculum. Admittit, non prodit crimina accusator insontis. Erat ipse testimonium castitatis, erat custos pudoris: aliud noverat, aliud intuebatur; confundebat visus quem non confundebat Virginis fides: actus at vita in bivio; mens justa et sanctus animus ancipiti cogitatione torquetur; sentit, sed tantum non potest penetrare sacramentum, quia nec accusare poterat, et defensare penes homines non valebat. Merito mox occurit angelus, merito responsum subvenit mox divinum, cui humano deficiente consilio justitia non defecit. Et qui dicit? Joseph fili David, noli timere. Qui nihil fecerat, quid timebat? Timebat, quia etsi nullus in facto reatus erat, erat in causa maximus pavor. Sanctus animus quidquid non assequitur, expavescit, Cave ergo homo, de partu nostrae matris taliter disputare, cum angelum respondisse sufficiat: Noli timere accipere Mariam conjugem; quod enim in illa natum est, de Spiritu sancti est. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo CLXXV Source: Migne PL 52.657-58

Joseph, he who was a husband in name alone, in conscience a spouse, observing his betrothed pregnant was troubled and anxious, because he was neither able to accuse the innocent nor excuse the pregnant. It was not safe to keep silent, it was dangerous to speak. He commits a crime, does not expose it, who is an accuser of the guiltless. He himself was proof of chastity, he was the guardian of modesty. One thing he knew, he saw something else; what was seen confused him whom the Virgin's faithfulness did not confuse. Deeds and life were at a meeting of two roads; a righteous mind and holy soul were troubled by two edged thought; he observed but was unable to comprehend such a mystery, because he could not accuse and he was not capable of defending her before men. Thus it was fitting that an angel quickly came, fitting that a Divine response swiftly came to help him who was lacking in human counsel but not lacking in righteousness. And what did the angel say? 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear' 1 He who had not done anything, what did he have to fear? He feared because even if he was guilty in nothing, there was distress on account of the situation. Whatever a holy soul does not grasp is a cause of trouble. So let a man be wary of disputing our Mother giving birth when the angelic answer suffices, 'Do not fear to take Mary for your wife; that within her is from the Holy Spirit. 1 Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 175 1 Mt 1.20

Being Peter

Εἰ δὲ φήσαντες καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ὁ Πέτρος· Σὺ εἴ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ζῶντες, οὐχ ὡς σαρκὸς καὶ αἰματος ἡμῖν ἀποκαλυψάντων, ἀλλὰ φωτὸς ἡμῶν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐλλάμψαντος ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς Πατρὸς, γινόμεθα Πέτρος· καὶ ἡμῖν ἂν λέγοιτο ἀπὸ τοῦ Λόγου τό· Σὺ εἴ Πέτρος, καὶ τὰ εξῆς. Πέτρα γὰρ πᾶς  ὁ Χριστοῦ μαθητὴς, ἀφ' οὗ ἔπινον οἱ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν τοιαύτην πέτραν οἰκοδομεῐται ὁ ἐκκλησιαστικὸς πᾶς λόγος, καὶ ἡ κατ' αὐτὸν πολιτεία· ἐν ἐκαστῳ γὰρ τῶν τελείων ἐχόντων τὸ ἄθροισμα τῶν συμπληρούντων τὴν μακαριότητα λόγων, καὶ ἔργων, καὶ νοημάτων, ἔστιν ἡ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκοδομουμένη Ἐκκλησία. Ὀριγεν, Κατὰ Ματθαιον Ἐξηγητικων, Τομος ΙΒ'

If we say, as Peter, 'You are the Christ, the living Son of God,' 1  and not as having it revealed by flesh and blood, but by the light from our Father who is in heaven blazing in our hearts, we are made Peter, and it will be said to us by the Word, 'You are Peter' and so on. For every disciple of Christ is a rock, from which drank those who drank from the spiritual stone which accompanied them, 2 and on every such stone is built the word of the Church, and by that is membership, for in each of those being perfected, that blessed gathering of perfecting words and deeds and thoughts is the building up of the Church by God. Origen, Commentary on Matthew, Book 12 1 Mt 16.16 2 1 Cor 10.4

Darkness and Revelation

Ipse revelat profunda et abscondita, et novit in tenebris constituta, et lux cum eo est.   Cui Deus revelat profunda, et potest dicere: O profundum divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae Dei, iste, habitante in se Spiritu scrutatur etiam profunda Dei, et in profunda animae suae fodit altissmos puteos, et omnem terram egerit, quae profundas aquas operire consuevit: servatque mandatum Dei, dicens: Bibe aquam de tuis vasis, et de puteorum tuorum fonte. Quodque sequitur: Novit in tenebris constituta, et lux cum eo est: tenebrae significant ignorantiam, et lux scientiam atque doctrinam. Itaque Deum ut perversa non capiant, ita recta ambiunt, atque circumdant, Sive interpretandum est, quod tenebrosa mystica quaeque et profunda significet, juxta illud quod legimus in Proverbiis: Intelligit quoque parabolam et tenebrosum sermonem, hoc ipsum significat quod in Psalmis legimus: Tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris. Qui enim ad excelsa conscendit, et terrena deserens, instar avium tenuissimum aerem et aetherea quaeque desiderat, iste nubes efficitur, ad quam veritas Dei pervenit, et quae super sanctos pluere consuevit: repletusque multitudine scientiae, habet multas aquas in corde suo tenebrosas et involutas caligine, quam solus Moyses ingreditur et loquitur Deo facie ad faciem, de quo scriptum est: Posuit tenebras latibulum suum. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentaria in Daniel, Caput II

It is He who reveals deep and hidden things, and He knows what is placed in darkness, and with Him is light. 1 A man to whom God makes profound revelations and who can say, 'O the depth of the riches of the knowledge and wisdom of God', 2 he is one who, having the Spirit in himself, inquires into the deep things of God, and digs the deepest of wells in the depths of his soul, and he carries off all the earth which is accustomed to conceal the deep waters, and he observes the command of God, which says: 'Drink water from your vessels and from the spring of your wells' 3. As for the words which follow: 'He knows what is placed in the darkness, and with Him is the light,' the darkness signifies ignorance, and the light signifies knowledge and learning. Therefore as wrong cannot hide God away, so right encompasses and surrounds Him. Or we should interpret it to mean all obscure mysteries and deep things, according to what we read in Proverbs: 'He understands also the parable and the dark saying,'  and this meaning is the same as that line we find in the Psalms: 'Dark waters in the clouds of the sky.' 4 For one who ascends to the heights and forsakes the things of earth is like a bird desiring the most rarefied atmosphere and things ethereal, and he becomes like a cloud into which the truth of God penetrates and which is accustomed to rain upon the saints. Replete with a plenitude of knowledge, he has in his heart many dark waters enveloped with deep darkness, which only Moses can penetrate and speak with God face to face, concerning which it is written: 'He has made darkness His hiding-place'. 4 Saint Jerome, from the Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 2 1 Dan 2.22 2 Rom. 11.33 3 Prov. 5.15 4 Ps. 17.12

The Presence Of The Good

Hoc bonum veniat in animam nostram, in nostrae mentis viscera, quod propitius Deus dat petentibus se. Hic est via nostra, hic est sapientia nostra, justitia nostra, pastor nostra, et pastor bonus, hic est vita nostra. Vides quanta bona in uno bono! Haec bona nobis praedicat Evangelistae. Haec bona requirens David, ait, 'Quis ostendit nobis bona?' Et ostendit ipsum esse bona, subjicens: 'Signatum est in nobis lumen vultus tui.' Quis autem lumen vultus Patris, nisi splendor gloriae, et imago invisibilis Dei, in quo et videtur et clarificatur Pater, sicut ipse clarificat Filium suum? Ipse est ergo Dominus Juseus summum bonum, quod nobis annuntiatum a prophetis, praedicatum ab angelis, promissum a Patre, evangelizatum est ab apostolis. Qui nobis tanquam maturitas advenit: nec solum tanquam maturitas, sed tanquam maturitas in montibus adest; ut nihil acerbum, nihil immaturum in nostris consiliis sit, nihil immite, nihil apserum in operibus ac moribus, qui primus Evangelizans bona adfuit. Unde et ait: Ipse qui loquebar, adsum,' id est, qui loquebar in prophetis, adsum in corpore, quod suscepi ex Virgine: adsum interior imago Dei, character substantiae. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Epistola XXIX, Ad Ireneaum Source: Migne PL 16.1055d-1056b

May this Good come into our soul, and into depths of our mind, which the merciful God gives to those who seek Him. He is our Treasure, He is our Way, He is our Wisdom, He is our Righteousness, our Shepherd, the good Shepherd, He is our Life. You see how many goods there are in one good! These goods the Evangelists preach to us. These goods David seeks, saying, 'Who will show us good things?' And then he shows that He Himself is our Good, adding, 'The light of your face is sealed upon us.' 1 Who indeed is the light of the Father's face but the splendor of His glory and the image of the invisible God, in whom the Father is both seen and glorified, as He also glorifies His Son? 2 Thus the Lord Jesus Himself is that chief Good which was announced to us by prophets, declared by Angels, promised by the Father, preached by the Apostles. He has come to us as ripeness, not as ripeness only, but as ripeness in the mountains, that there be nothing bitter, nothing immature in our counsels, nothing harsh, nothing bitter in our actions or manners, the first Preacher of good tidings having come to us. Whence He said, 'He who spoke, I am here,' that is, I who spoke in the prophets, 3 am present in the body which I took from the Virgin; I am present as the interior image of God, the substantial character. Saint Ambrose of Milan, from Letter 29, To Ireneaus 1 Ps 4.6 2 Heb 1.3, Jn 17.5 3 Jn 4.26, Heb 1.1

The Hand that Reveals

'Aperiente autem te manum tuam, universa implebuntur bonitate.' Quid est, O Domine, quod aperis manum tuam? Manus tua Christus est. Et brachium Domini cui revelatum est? Cui revelalur, illa aperitur : revelatio enim, apertio est. Aperiente autem te manum tuam, universa implebuntur bonitate. Revelante te Christum tuum, universa implibuntur bonitate. Non autem habent a se bonitatem;nam aliquando probatur illis: Avertente autem te faciem tuam, turbabuntur Multi repleti bonitate, sibi tribuerunt quod habebant, et voluerunt gloriari quasi in iustificalionibus suis, et dixerunt sibi, iustus sum, magnus sum; et facti sunt sibi placentes. Et sonuit eis Apostolus: Quid enim habes quod non accepisti? Volens autem probare Deus homini quod ab illo habeat quidquid habet, ut cum bonitate habeat et humilitatem, aliquando cum perturbat; avertit ab illo faciem suam, et decidit tentationem; et ostendit illi quia quod justus erat, et recte ambulabat,ipso regente fiebat.  Enarratio in Psalmum CIII, Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis

'With the opening of Your hand, they shall all be filled with good.' What is it, O Lord, that You open Your hand? Christ is Your hand. 'To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?' To whom it is revealed, to him it is opened: revelation is opening. 'With the opening of Your hand, they shall all be filled with good.' With the revelation of Your Christ, 'they shall all be filled with good.' But they do not have good from themselves; and this is often proved to them. 'When You hide Your face, they are troubled' Many filled with goodness have attributed to themselves what they had, and have wished to boast of their own righteousness; they have said to themselves, 'I am righteous; I am great,' and they have become self-complacent. To these the Apostle speaks: 'What have you, that you did not receive?' So God, wishing to prove to man that whatever he has he has from Him, that with good he may gain humility, sometimes troubles him; He turns away His face from him, and man falls into temptation; thus He shows him that his righteousness, and his walking aright, was only under His rule. Commentary on Psalm 103, Saint Augustine of Hippo