Piety And Seeking

Sentite de Domino in bonitate, et in simplicitate cordis quaerite illum. In bonitate autem de Domino sentit qui sacram Scripturam secundum pietatem legit atque intelligit, et in simplicitate cordis eum quaerit, qui humiliter ejus voluntati se subjicit ad custodiendum videlicet mandata ejus. Nam qui pie quaerit Dominum, honorat sacram Scripturam, et non reprehendit quod nondum intelligit, et propterea non resistit: quod est mitem esse, de quo in Evangelio Veritas ipsa ait: Beati mites, quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram. Hinc ergo mundi philosophi, et eorum sequaces haeretici excipiuntur qui ratione humana secreta se aestimant capere posse divina, cum scriptum sit: Sapientiam Dei praecedentem omnia quis investigabit? Et Apostolus manifeste dicat: Incomprehensibilia esse judicia Dei, et investigabiles vias ejus: qui in praesenti vita potius colendus est recta fide, quam incauta disputatione. Rabanus Maurus, Commentariorum In Librum Sapientiae Wisdom, Liber I, Caput I Source: Migne PL 109.673b-c

Think of the Lord in goodness, and seek Him in simplicity of heart. 1 They think of the Lord in goodness who piously read and understand Holy Scripture, and they seek Him in simplicity of heart who humbly subject themselves to His will, that is, in the guarding of His commandments. For he who piously seeks the Lord reveres Holy Scripture, and he does not dispute what he does not yet understand, on account of which he is not impeded, which is to be meek, concerning which the Truth says in the Gospel, 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit he earth.' 2 Therefore the worldly philosophers, and those who are followers of heretics, are excluded, who with human reason think they can draw out and grasp Divine secrets, even when it it is written, 'Who is able to investigate the wisdom of God which excels everything?' And the Apostle openly says, 'The judgements of God are incomprehensible and His ways are beyond investigation,' 3 who in the present life would rather have care for correct faith than foolish arguments. Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on the Book of Wisdom, Book 1, Chapter 1 1 Wisdom 1.1 2 Mt 5.4 3 Sirach 1.3, Rom 11.33

Thinking And Seeking

Sentite de Domino in bonitate et in simplicitate cordis quaerite illum. Sentite, id est, recte aestimate, de Domino in bonitate, id est bene, non male, ut haeretici. Monet autem ad bene sentiendum et sensu exteriori pie divinas Scripluras legendo , et sensu interiori pie intelligendo. Unde Glossa: Scripturam pie legite et intelligite, pie, scilicet devote approbando et exsequendo quod intelligitis , et non redarguendo et contemnendo quod non intelligitis. Et in simplicitate cordis quaerite illum, ad ipsum scilicet totam cordis intehtionem dirigendo. Unde Glossa: Voluntati eius vos subiicite; quod non faciunt hypocritae, et ideo inconstantes sunt, secundum illud lacobi primo: Vir duplex animo inconstans est in omnibus viis suis; et propter hoc dicitur eis Ecclesiastici secundo: Vae duplici corde! Cor duplex est, quando partes eius ad diversa feruntur principaliter, quod est occasio mortis spiritualis , secundum illud Osee decimo: Divisum est cor eorum, nunc interibunt. Simplex autem est cor, quando omnes partes eius ad unum simplicissimum feruntur, scilicet ad Deum, secundum illud Ecclesiastici trigesimo: Congrega cor tuum in sanctitate. In simplicitate cordis, id est in simplici unitate cordis. Hanc unitatem faciunt fides in rationali, secundum illud ad Ephesios quarto': Unus Dominus, una fides etc; caritas in concupiscibili ; primae ad Corinthios sexto: Qui adhaeret Domino unus spiritus est; pax in irascibili; ad Ephesios quarto: Solliciti servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis. Prima unitas prohibet divisionem errorum in intellectu; secunda, desideriorum in affectu; tertia, schismatum in effectu. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Librum Sapientiae, Caput I Source: Here, 360

Think of the Lord in goodness and seek Him in simplicity of heart. 1 'Think,' that is, judge rightly, 'of the Lord in goodness,' that is, well and not wickedly, as heretics do. And he exhorts that for good thinking the exterior sense of the Divine Scripture should be read piously, and the interior meaning should be understood piously. The Gloss, 'Read and understand Scripture piously.' Piously by devoutly approving and following what you understand, and by not disputing and condemning what you do not understand. 'And seek Him in simplicity of heart,' that is, direct all the intention of your heart to Him. The Gloss, 'Subject your will to His,' which hypocrites do not and therefore they are inconstant, according to which it says in the first chapter of the Letter of James, 'A man with a double mind, inconstant in all his ways.' And because of this it is said to them in the second chapter of Ecclesiasticus, 'Woe to the one with a double mind.' 2 The heart is double when its part incline to different things, which is the cause of spiritual death, according to the tenth chapter of Hosea, 'Their hearts are divided, now they shall perish.' 3 But the heart is simple when all its parts incline to one most simple thing, that is, God, according to which, in the thirtieth chapter of Ecclesiasticus, 'Gather your hearts in holiness.' 4 'In simplicity of heart,' that is, in the simple unity of the heart. Faith makes this unity in the mind, in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, 'One Lord, one faith,' and love makes it with the desires, in the sixth chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians, 'He who cleaves to God is one spirit,' and peace makes it in the passions, in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, 'Having care to guard unity in the bond of peace.' 5 Firstly unity prohibits the division of errors in the understanding, and secondly the division of desires in affection, and thirdly the division of schism in action. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On Wisdom, Chapter 1 1 Wisdom 1.1 2 James 1.8, Sirach 2.14 3 Hosea 10.2 4 Sirach 30.24 5 Ephes 4.5, 1 Cor 6.17, Ephes 4.3

Scripture And Life

Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς δοκεῖτε ἐν αὐταῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν· καὶ ἐκεῖναί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οὐ θέλετε έλθεῖν πρὸς με, ἴνα ζωὴν ἔχητε . Δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω, ἀλλ᾽ ἔγνωκα ὑμᾶς , ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς. Εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι, Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, τουτέστιν, αἱ Γραφαὶ αἱ περὶ ἐμοῦ μαρτυροῦσαι, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ὑμῖν. Διδάσχων οὖν πῶς δυνήσονται σχεῖν τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, φησίν· Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφάς· ἐν αὐταῖς γὰρ δοκεῖτε ὑμεῖς ζωὴν ἔχειν. Ὄρα δὲ πῶς οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἔχετε ζωὴν, ἀλλ᾽, Ὅτι δοκεῖτε· δοκεῖτε δὲ εἰπε, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐδὲν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἐκεῖθεν έκαρποῦντο, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀναγνώσεως μόνης σώζεσθαι προσδοκῶντες, πίστεως μὴ προσούσης. Ἐκεῖναι μὲν γάρ εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ· ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν πρός με, ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχητε. Ὥστε κἀντεῦθεν μανθάνωμεν, ὡς ἐκ προαιρέσεως ἦσαν κακοί. Οὐκ εἶπε γὰρ , ὅτι Οὐ δύνασθε ἐλθεῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι Οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν. ᾿Ακουέτωσαν Μανιχαῖοι, ὅτι οὐ φύσει τὸ κακὸν, ἀλλὰ προαιρέσει συνίσταται. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀνέμνησεν αὐτοὺς τῆς Ἰωάννου μαρτυρίας, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τῆς δια τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, διὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτῶν μόνον ταῦτα ποιῶν· εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν πολλοὺς ὑποπτεύειν, ὅτι δόξης ἔρωτι ταῦτα λέγει· διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω· τουτέστι, Δόξης οὐ δέομαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ φύσιν ἔχω τοιαύτην, ὥστε δεῖ σθαι τῆς παρὰ ἀνθρώπων δόξης. Ὑμεῖς δὲ διώκετέ με προφασιζόμενοι, ὅτι δι' ἀγάπην Θεοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖτε. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο, οὐκ ἔστι. Ἔγνωκα γὰρ ὑμᾶς , ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· κἂν ἄνω καὶ κάτω τοῦτο προβάλλοισθε, τὸ διὰ τὸ διώκειν με. Εἰκότως οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ εἶχον, ἐπεὶ ἐδίωκον τὴν αὐτο αγάπην, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰκότως καὶ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἶχον μένοντα ἐν αὐτοῖς· τὸν γὰρ Λόγον καὶ Θεὸν παρῃτοῦντο . Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ιὠαννὴν, Κεφαλὴ E' Source: Migne PG 123.1280a-c

You study the Scriptures because you think you will find eternal life in them, and they bear witness to me, and you do not wish to come to me that you might have life. I do not receive glory from men, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 1 He said to them, that is, the word of God said, that the Scriptures which testify about me, they are not in you. Then teaching how one is able to have the word of God, He says, 'You study the Scriptures because you think you will find eternal life in them.' Note how He does not say 'You have eternal life,' but 'you think' showing that they do not gather according to truth there who hope to be saved from reading alone, not coming near to faith. For 'they bear witness to me, and you do not wish to come to me, so that you might have life.' Hence we learn from this that they were wicked. For He does not say, 'You are not able to come,' but 'You do not wish to come,' Let the Manicheans hear that nothing is evil by nature, but it is established in the will. Then having borne witness to John and the Father, and the works He had performed for their salvation, He says that they scorned many of them, as if they were done for the love of glory. Therefore He says, 'I do not receive glory from men,' that is, 'I do not lack it, but nor do I have a nature which values human glory. But you persecute me, saying that is on account of the love of God that you do this, but it is not so. I know that you do not have the love of God in you, even if you boast of it, because you persecute me because of God.' Rightly, then, it is said that the Jews do not have the love of God, since they persecute that same love which is the Son of God. Hence rightly are they said not to have the word of God abiding in them, for they rejected the Word and God. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 5 1 Jn 5.39-42

Understanding and the Animal Man

Tὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα πάντα ἐραυνᾷ, καὶ τὰ βάθη τοῦ θεοῦ. Βάθη τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ἱερῶν Γραμμάτων ἡ κεκρυμμένη καὶ ἀπόθετος γνῶσις, ἢς εἰδὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων ἀποκαλύπτει ψυχαῖς, θεῖον τινα νοῦν ἀποφεῖνον τὸν αὐτοῖς. Ψυχινὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ, μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστιν, καὶ οὐ δύναται γνῶναι... Ψυχινός ἐστιν ὁ κατὰ σάρκα ζῶν καὶ μήπω τὸν νοῦν φωτισθεὶς διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ μόνην τὴν ἐμφυτον καὶ ἀνθρωπίνην σύνεσιν ἔχων, ἤν ταῖς ἀπὰντων ψυχαῖς ἐμβάλλει ὁ Δημιουργός. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Εἰς Τὴν Πρωτάν Ἐπιστολήν Παύλου Πρὸς Κορινθίους, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.865b-c

For the Spirit scrutinises everything, even the depths of God... The depths of God are the secret and hidden meanings of Holy Scripture, which the Spirit reveals to those who have holy souls, making a certain Divine mind dwell in them. But the animal man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, because it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand... 1 An animal because of his living according to the flesh and not yet having a mind enlightened by the Holy Spirit, but only having the innate human understanding, which is sent into every soul by the Creator. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the First Letter to the Corinthians, Fragment 1 1 Cor 2.14

Before The Face Of God

Certe, Fratres, modo pereant peccatores a facie Dei. Modo pereant peccatores et non pereant peccatores. Si incipiant iuste vivere, peribunt utique peccatores, sed non peribunt homines. Homo peccator, duo nomina sunt. Homo unum nomen est, et peccator unum nomen est. In his duobus nominibus intellegimus, quia unum horum Deus fecit, alterum horum homo fecit. Hominem enim Deus fecit, peccatorem se ipse homo fecit. Quid ergo contremiscis, quando tibi dicit Deus: Pereant peccatores a facie mea? Hoc tibi dicit Deus: 'Pereat in te quod tu fecisti, et servo quod ego feci.' Et modo ardet ignis in calore verbi, res est in fervore Spiritus Sancti, sicut diximus iam dudum, quia scriptum est in alio psalmo: Nec est qui se abscondat a calore eius. Spiritus autem Sancti esse calorem dicit Apostolus: Spiritu ferventes. Ergo pro facie Dei, tibi pone interim Scripturam Dei. Liquesce ab illa. Paeniteat te, cum audis haec de peccatis tuis. Cum autem te paenitet, et cum te ipsum excrucias sub calore verbi, cum etiam lacrimae currunt, nonne cerae tabescenti et tamquam in lacrimas currenti similis inveniris? Modo ergo fac quod in posterum times, et non habebis quod in posterum timeas. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo XXIIa, De versu 3 Psalmi LXVII, Sicut deficit fumus, deficiant, sicut fluit cera a facie ignis, sic pereant peccatores a facie Dei. Source: Migne PL 38.151-2

Certainly, brothers, sinners perish from before the face of God. 1 Yet in a way they do perish and in a way they do not. If they begin to live rightly, sinners shall perish but men shall not. A man, a sinner, these are two names. A man is one name, and a sinner is one name. With these two names we understand that God made one of them and man made the other. God made man, man made the sinner. Why, then, do you tremble, when God says to you. 'Sinners shall perish before my face?' God is saying to you, 'Let what you have made perish in you and attend to what I have made.' In one way fire flares up in the heat of the Word, and things themselves in the fervour of the Holy Spirit, as we have already said, because it is written in another Psalm, 'There is no one who can hide himself from His heat.' And the Apostle says of the heat of the Holy Spirit, 'Fervent with the Spirit.' 2 Therefore instead of the face of God place before yourself the Scriptures of God. Melt because of them. Repent when you hear these things said of your sins. For when you repent, when you excruciate yourself with the fire of the Word, when tears run, is it not that you find similarity in the melting of wax and in the flowing of tears? Therefore do now what you fear in the future and in the future you will not have what you fear. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 22a, On the third verse of the sixty seventh Psalm, 'As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts before the face of fire, so let sinners perish before the face of God.' 1 Ps 67.3 2 Ps 18.7, Rom 12.11

Fleeing Babylon

Fugite ergo de medio Babylonis, ut medietatem Babylonis deserentes, in finibus ejus incipiatis esse, non in medio. Quod si cui videtur obscurum, sic fiet manifestius: quia qui valde demersus est in vitiis, hic medius habitator est. Qui vero paulatim relinquens malum, et naturam suam ad meliora convertens, non tam coeperit virtutes possidere, quam cupere, iste licet ex medio fugerit Babylonis, tamen necdum de Babylone discessit. Secundum istius modi expositiones decet sacras Litteras credere, ne unum quidem apicem habere vacuum sapientia Dei. Qui enim mihi homini praecipit, dicens: Non apparebis ante conspectum meum vacuus, multo plus hoc ipse agit, ne aliquid vacuum loquatur. Ex plenitudine ejus accipientes prophetae ea, quae erant de plenitudine sumpta, cecinerunt, et idcirco sacra volumina spiritus plenitudine spirant, nihilque est, sive in Prophetis, sive in Lege, sive in Evangelio, sive in Apostolo, quod non a plenitudine divinae majestatis descendat. Quamobrem spirant in Scripturis sanctis hodieque plenitudinis verba, Spirant autem his, qui habent et oculos ad videnda coelestia, et aures ad audienda divina, et nares ad ea quae sunt plenitudinis sentienda. Haec dixi, quia non sit simpliciter positum: Fugite de Babylone, sed cum additamento necessario: Fugite de medio Babylonis, et resalvate unusquisque animam suam. Primum oportet fugere de medio Babylonis, deinde singulos animas suas resalvare, cum fugerint. Neque vero dixit salvate, sed resalvate. Appositio syllabae significat sacramentum. Quia quondam gustantes salutem, et de ea propter peccata postea corruentes, venerunt ad Babylonem. Cujus rei causa oportet resalvare animam suam, ut incipiat recuperare quod perdidit, secundum apostolum Petrum dicentem ita: Reportabimus finem fidei salutem, de qua salute exquisierunt et scrutati sunt prophetae, qui propter nostram prophetaverunt gratiam. Verumtamen in nobis est fugere de Babylone, et in nostra positum est potestate, si velimus resuscitare quod corruit. Origenes,Homiliae XIV in Jeremiam, Sermo II, Interprete Hieronymo Stridonensis Source: Migne PL 25.600a-d

'Flee, then, from the midst of Babylon,' 1 so that forsaking the midst of it you begin to be on its edges, and not in the middle of it. If this seems obscure to some, let it be made more manifest. He who is utterly immersed in vice, he is a dweller in the midst of it, but he who withdraws himself a little from evil and turns his nature to better things, and who not so much begins to possess the virtues than to recover, this one can be said to have fled from the midst of Babylon, but he has yet to cut himself off from Babylon. It befits us to believe that this is the way of understanding Holy Scripture, lest the wisdom of God note there is an emptiness at our height. For He who commands man, saying, 'You shall not appear empty before me,' 2 much more urges this lest we speak in vain. For the prophets received His fullness, and when they were full to bursting, they sang, and therefore the holy books breathe forth the fullness of the sprit, and nothing, either in the prophets, or in the Law or in the Gospel, or in the Apostle, is there that has not come down from the fullness of the Divine majesty. As they breathe forth in the Holy Scriptures their fullness of words even today, so they breathe in those who have eyes for seeing the things of heaven and ears for the hearing of Divine things and noses for the sensing of such fullness. I have said this because it is not set down simply,' Flee from Babylon' but it comes with a necessary addition, 'Flee from the midst of Babylon and let each one restore his soul.' First one must flee from the midst of Babylon, then, having fled, each one must restore his soul. For it does not say 'save' but 'restore.' And the difference in phrasing signifies a mystery. That is, they once tasted of salvation and after fell into ruin because of their sins, and so came to Babylon, which is the cause of them needing to restore their souls, so that they may begin to recover what they have lost, as the Apostle Peter says 'Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, which salvation the prophets have inquired and diligently sought, who prophesied grace.' 3 Truly it is for us to flee from Babylon and it is in our power if we wish to restore what has been ruined. Origen, Fourteen Homilies on Jeremiah, from the Second Sermon, Translated by Saint Jerome. 1 Jerem 51.6 2 Exod 23.15 3 1 Pet 1.9-10

Scripture's Understanding

Crescente autem per hoc studium innovatione mentis nostrae, etiam Scripturarum facies incipiet innovari, et sacratioris intelligentiae pulchritudo quodammodo cum proficiente proficiet. Pro capacitate enim humanorum sensuum, earum quoque species coaptatur, et vel terrena carnalibus, vel divina spiritalibus apparebit, ita ut hi quibus antea videbatur crassis quibusdam nebulis involuta, nec subtilitatem ejus deprehendere, nec fulgorem valeant sustinere. Sed ut hoc ipsum quod astruere nitimur, aliquo clarius pandatur exemplo, unum legis testimonium protulisse sufficiat, per quod etiam omnia praecepta coelestia secundum mensuram status nostri ad omne hominum genus probemus extendi. Scriptum est in lege: Non fornicaberis. Hoc ab homine carnalium adhuc obscenitatum passionibus obligato secundum simplicem litterae sonum salubriter custoditur. Ab eo autem qui jam ab hac actione lutulenta et impuro discessit affectu, necesse est idipsum spiritaliter observari, ut scilicet non solum a caeremoniis idolorum, sed etiam ab omni superstitione gentilium et auguriorum omniumque signorum et dierum ac temporum observatione discedat, vel certe ne quorumdam verborum aut nominum conjecturis, quae sinceritatem fidei nostrae polluunt, implicetur. Hac enim fornicatione etiam Jerusalem dicitur constuprata, quae fornicata est in omni colle sublimi, et sub omni ligno frondoso. Et quam Dominus iterum increpans per prophetam: Stent, inquit, et salvent te augures coeli, qui contemplabantur sidera et supputabant menses, ut ex eis annuntiarent ventura tibi. De qua fornicatione et alibi arguens eos Dominus, ait: Spiritus fornicationis decepit eos, et fornicati sunt a Deo suo. Quisquis vero a gemina hac fornicatione discesserit, habebit tertiam quam devitet, quae in lege et Judaismi superstitionibus continetur. De quibus Apostolus: Dies, inquit, observatis et menses et tempora et annos. Et iterum: Ne tetigeris, ne gustaveris, neque conjecturaveris. Quae de superstitionibus legis dicta esse non dubium est, in quas si quis inciderit, proculdubio moechatus a Christo, ab Apostolo non meretur audire: Despondi enim vos uni viro virginem castam exhibere Christo; sed illud ad eum quod sequitur voce ejusdem Apostoli dirigetur: Timeo autem vos, ne sicut serpens seduxit Evam astutia sua, ita corrumpantur sensus vestri a simplicitate quae est in Christo Jesu. Quod si immunditiam hujus quoque fornicationis effugerit, habebit quartam quae haeretici dogmatis adulterio perpetratur. De qua idem B. Apostolus: Ego, inquit, scio, quia post discussionem meam intrabunt lupi graves in vos, non parcentes gregi, et ex vobis ipsis surgent viri loquentes perversa, ut abducant discipulos post se. Hanc etiam qui potuerit declinare, caveat ne subtiliore peccato in fornicationis vitium collabatur, quae scilicet in cogitationum pervagatione consistit, quia omnis cogitatio non solum turpis, sed etiam otiosa, a Deo quantulumcumque discedens, a perfecto viro immundissima fornicatio deputatur. Sanctus Ioannes Cassianus, Collatio Decima Quarta, quae est prima abbatis Nesterotis, De Spiritali Scientia, Caput XI, De multiplici intellectu divinarum Scripturarum Source: Migne PL 49.972b- 974b

As the renewal of our soul grows by means of this study, the Scriptures will also begin to put on a new face, and the beauty of holier understanding will somehow advance with our advance. For their form is adapted to the capacity of men's understanding and they will appear earthly to carnal people, and Divine to spiritual ones, so that those to the former it appears to be wrapped in thick clouds and they cannot apprehend its subtleties nor endure its light. But to make what we are trying to accomplish somewhat clearer by an instance, it will be enough to produce a single passage of the law, by which we can prove that all the heavenly commands as well are applied to men in accordance with the measure of our state. It is written in the law, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 1 According to the simple meaning of the letter this is rightly observed by a man who is still in bondage to foul passions. But by one who has already forsaken these defiling acts and impure affections, it must be observed in the spirit, so that he may forsake not only the worship of idols but also all heathen superstitions and the observance of auguries and omens and all signs and days and times, or that at least he be not entangled in the conjectures of words and names which destroy the purity of our faith. For by fornication of this kind we read that Jerusalem was defiled, as she committed adultery on every high hill and under every green tree, 2 whom also the Lord rebuked by the prophet, saying, 'Let the augers of heaven stand up and save you, those who gazed at the stars and counted the months, that from them they might tell the things that shall come to you,' 3 of which fornication elsewhere also the Lord says in rebuking them, 'The spirit of fornication deceived them and they went whoring from their God.' 4 And the one who has cut off both these sorts of fornication, will have a third to avoid, which is contained in the superstitions of the law and of Judaism, regarding which the Apostle says, 'You observe days and months and times and years,' and again, 'Touch not, taste not, handle not.' Which things are without doubt said of the superstitions of the law, into which one who has fallen has certainly gone a whoring from Christ, and is not worthy to hear this from the Apostle, 'For I have espoused you to one husband, to exhibit you as a chaste virgin to Christ.' 5 But this which follows will be directed to him by the words of the same Apostle, 'But I am afraid lest as the serpent by his cunning deceived Eve, so your minds should be corrupted and fall from the simplicity which is in Christ Jesus.' But if one has escaped the uncleanness even of this fornication there will still be a fourth, which is committed by adulterous intercourse with heretical teaching. The blessed Apostle also speaks about this: 'I know that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock, and of yourselves also shall arise men speaking perverse things so as to lead astray the disciples after them.' 2 And he who has been able to avoid even this, let him take care lest he fall by a more subtle sin into the evil of fornication, which is that which consists of wandering thoughts, because every thought which is not only shameful but even idle, departing even a little from God, is reckoned by the perfect man as the foulest fornication. Saint John Cassian, Conferences, Conference 14, which is the first of the Abbot Nesteros, Chapter 11, On the Manifold Understanding of Holy Scripture. 1 Exod 20.14 2 Jerem 3.6 3 Isaiah 47.13 4 Hosea 4.12 5 2 Cor 11.2 6 Acts 20.29-30

Seeking And Preserving

Συνεξάπτει δὲ ἡ γραφὴ τὸ ζώπυρον τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ συντείνει τὸ οἰκεῖον ὄμμα πρὸς θεωρίαν, τάχα μέν τι καὶ ἐντιθεῖσα, οἷον ὁ ἐγκεντρίζων γεωργός, τὸ δὲ ἐνυπάρχον ἀνακινοῦσα. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ἀπόστολον, ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄρρωστοι, καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί. Eἰ δὲ ἑαυτοὺς διεκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα. Ἤδη δὲ οὐ γραφὴ εἰς ἐπίδειξιν τετεχνασμένη ἥδε ἡ πραγματεία, ἀλλά μοι ὑπομνήματα εἰς γῆρας θησαυρίζεται, λήθης φάρμακον, εἴδωλον ἀτεχνῶς καὶ σκιαγραφία τῶν ἐναργῶν καὶ ἐμψύχων ἐκείνων, ὧν κατηξιώθην ἐπακοῦσαι, λόγων τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν μακαρίων καὶ τῷ ὄντι ἀξιολόγων. Tούτων ὃ μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος, ὁ Ἰωνικός, οἳ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Μεγάλης Ἑλλάδος, τῆς κοίλης θάτερος αὐτῶν Συρίας ἦν, ὃ δὲ ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου, ἄλλοι δὲ ἀνὰ τὴν ἀνατολήν· καὶ ταύτης ὃ μὲν τῆς τῶν Ἀσσυρίων, ὃ δὲ ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ Ἑβραῖος ἀνέκαθεν· ὑστάτῳ δὲ περιτυχὼν, δυνάμει δὲ οὗτος πρῶτος ἦν, ἀνεπαυσάμην, ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ θηράσας λεληθότα. Σικελικὴ τῷ ὄντι ἦν μέλιττα προφητικοῦ τε καὶ ἀποστολικοῦ λειμῶνος τὰ ἄνθη δρεπόμενος ἀκήρατόν τι γνώσεως χρῆμα ταῖς τῶν ἀκροωμένων ἐνεγέννησε ψυχαῖς. Ἀλλ' οἳ μὲν τὴν ἀληθῆ τῆς μακαρίας σῴζοντες διδασκαλίας παράδοσιν εὐθὺς ἀπὸ Πέτρου τε καὶ Ἰακώβου Ἰωάννου τε καὶ Παύλου τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων, παῖς παρὰ πατρὸς ἐκδεχόμενος, ὀλίγοι δὲ οἱ πατράσιν ὅμοι, ἧκον δὴ σὺν θεῷ καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς τὰ προγονικὰ ἐκεῖνα καὶ ἀποστολικὰ καταθησόμενοι σπέρματα. Kαὶ εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι ἀγαλλιάσονται, οὐχὶ τῇ ἐκφράσει ἡσθέντες λέγω τῇδε, μόνῃ δὲ τῇ κατὰ τὴν ὑποσημείωσιν τηρήσει. Ποθούσης γὰρ οἶμαι ψυχῆς τὴν μακαρίαν παράδοσιν ἀδιάδραστον φυλάττειν ἡ τοιάδε ὑποτύπωσις· ἀνδρὸς δὲ φιλοῦντος σοφίαν εὐφρανθήσεται πατήρ. Tὰ φρέατα ἐξαντλούμενα διειδέστερον ὕδωρ ἀναδίδωσι, τρέπεται δὲ εἰς φθορὰν ὧν μεταλαμβάνει οὐδείς. Kαὶ τὸν σίδηρον ἡ χρῆσις καθαρώτερον φυλάσσει, ἡ δὲ ἀχρηστία ἰοῦ τούτῳ γεννητική. Συνελόντι γὰρ φάναι ἡ συγγυμνασία ἕξιν ἐμποιεῖ ὑγιεινὴν καὶ πνεύμασι καὶ σώμασιν. Oὐδεὶς ἅπτει λύχνον καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον τίθησιν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῆς λυχνίας φαίνειν τοῖς τῆς ἑστιάσεως τῆς αὐτῆς κατηξιωμένοις. τί γὰρ ὄφελος σοφίας μὴ σοφιζούσης τὸν οἷόν τε ἐπαΐειν; ἔτι τε καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ σῴζει αἰεὶ καὶ αἰεὶ ἐργάζεται, ὡς βλέπει τὸν πατέρα. Διδάσκων τις μανθάνει πλεῖον καὶ λέγων συνακροᾶται πολλάκις τοῖς ἐπακούουσιν αὐτοῦ· εἷς γὰρ ὁ διδάσκαλος καὶ τοῦ λέγοντος καὶ τοῦ ἀκροωμένου, ὁ ἐπιπηγάζων καὶ τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὸν λόγον, ᾗ καὶ οὐ κεκώλυκεν ὁ Kύριος ἀπὸ ἀγαθοῦ σαββατίζειν, μεταδιδόναι δὲ τῶν θείων μυστηρίων καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου τοῦ ἁγίου τοῖς χωρεῖν δυναμένοις συγκεχώρηκεν. Αὐτίκα οὐ πολλοῖς ἀπεκάλυψεν ἃ μὴ πολλῶν ἦν, ὀλίγοις δέ, οἷς προσήκειν ἠπίστατο, τοῖς οἵοις τε ἐκδέξασθαι καὶ τυπωθῆναι πρὸς αὐτά· τὰ δὲ ἀπόρρητα, καθάπερ ὁ θεός, λόγῳ πιστεύεται, οὐ γράμματι. Kἄν τις λέγῃ γεγράφθαι οὐδὲν κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ φανερωθήσεται, οὐδὲ κεκαλυμμένον ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται, ἀκουσάτω καὶ παρ' ἡμῶν, ὅτι τῷ κρυπτῶς ἐπαίοντι τὸ κρυπτὸν φανερωθήσεσθαι διὰ τοῦδε προεθέσπισεν τοῦ λογίου, καὶ τῷ παρακεκαλυμμένως τὰ παραδιδόμενα οἵῳ τε παραλαμβάνειν δηλωθήσεται τὸ κεκαλυμμένον ὡς ἡ ἀλήθεια, καὶ τὸ τοῖς πολλοῖς κρυπτόν, τοῦτο τοῖς ὀλίγοις φανερὸν γενήσεται· ἐπεὶ διὰ τί μὴ πάντες ἴσασι τὴν ἀλήθειαν; διὰ τί δὲ μὴ ἠγαπήθη ἡ δικαιοσύνη, εἰ πάντων ἡ δικαιοσύνη; ἀλλὰ γὰρ τὰ μυστήρια μυστικῶς παραδίδοται, ἵνα ᾖ ἐν στόματι λαλοῦντος καὶ ᾧ λαλεῖται, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἐν φωνῇ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ νοεῖσθαι. Δέδωκεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος A’, Κεφ' A’ Source: Migne PG 9.697a-701c

Scripture kindles the living spark of the soul and directs the eye suitably for contemplation, perhaps inserting something, as the farmer who ingrafts, but even exciting what is there. 'For there are many among us,' according to the holy Apostle, 'who are weak and sickly, and many sleep. But if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged.' 1 Now this work of writing is not composed for display, but as my memoranda stored up against old age, as a remedy against forgetfulness, and truly as an image and outline of those vigorous and animated discourses which I was privileged to hear from blessed and truly remarkable men. Of these there was one in Greece, an Ionian, another in Magna Graecia, and the first of these was from Coele-Syria and the second from Egypt, and there were others in the East, one who was born in Assyria, and the other was a Jew of Palestine. When I came upon this last one, who was the first in ability, having tracked him down concealed in Egypt, I found rest. He was the true Sicilian bee, gathering the spoil of the flowers of the prophetic and Apostolic meadow, who engendered in the souls of his hearers a certain pure element of knowledge. For preserving the tradition of the blessed teaching derived directly from the holy Apostles, Peter, James, John, and Paul, the sons receiving it from the father, but few are like the fathers, they came by God's will to us also, to deposit those ancestral and Apostolic seeds. And well I know that they will exult in this, not that they will be delighted with this tribute, but solely on account of the preservation of the truth as they delivered it. For I think such a sketch as this will please a soul that desires the preservation of the blessed tradition. 'A man who loves wisdom will make a father glad.' 2 When wells are pumped out they yield purer water, and one which no one uses putrefies. Use keeps steel brighter, but disuse produces rust in it. In a word, exercise produces a healthy condition both in souls and bodies. 'No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, but on a stand, so that it may shine on those who are regarded worthy of the feast.' 3 For what is the use of wisdom if it does not make him who can hear it wise? For still the Saviour saves, 'and always works, as He sees the Father.' 4 By teaching one learns more, and in speaking one is often a hearer along with the audience. For the teacher of him who speaks and of him who hears is one who waters both the mind and the word. Thus the Lord did not prohibit us from doing good while keeping the Sabbath, but allowed us to communicate Divine mysteries and holy light to those who are able to receive them. He did not disclose to the many what did not belong to the many, but to the few to whom He knew that they belonged and were capable of receiving and being shaped according to what was given. But secret things are entrusted to speech, not to writing, as is the case with God. And if someone will say that it is written, 'There is nothing secret which shall not be revealed, nor hidden which shall not be disclosed,' 5 let him hear from us that what was predicted by this passage is that to him who hears secretly even what is secret shall be made manifest, and to him who conceals what is delivered to him that which is veiled shall be disclosed as truth, and what is a secret to many shall appear manifest to the few. For why do not all know the truth? Why is not righteousness loved, if righteousness belongs to all? But the mysteries are delivered mystically, that what is spoken may be in the mouth and in him who speaks rather than in the voice. 'God gave to the Church some to be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the holy, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.' 6 Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 1, Chapter 1 1 1 Cor 11.30 2 Prov 29.3 3 Mt 5.15 4 Jn 5.19 5 Lk 8.17 6 Ephes 4.11-12

Winged Creatures

..et quattuor animalia singula eorum habebant alas senas.... Testimonia sunt Veteris Testamenti librorum. Ideo viginti et quatuor totidem faciunt, quot sunt seniores super tribunalia sedentes. Sed sicut animal volare non potest nisi pennas habeat, sic, nec praedicatio Novi Testamenti fidem habeat, nisi habeat per Veteris Testamenti praenuntiata testimonia, per quae tollitur a terra et volat. Semper enim, quod ante dictum est, et postea factum invenitur, illud fidem facit indubitabilem. Rursum et ales si non haereant animalibus, vitam unde trahant, non habent. Nisi enim quae praedixerunt prophetae, in Christo essent consummata, inanis erat praedicatio eorum. Haec est tenet Ecclesia catholica quae et antea predicata, et postea consummata sunt. Et volat quippe et merito tollitur a terra vivum animal. Haereticis autem qui testimonio prophetico non utuntur, adsunt et eis animalia, sed non volant, quia sunt terrena. Judaeis autem qui non accipiunt Novi Testamenti praedicationem, adsunt alae, sed non volant, id est inanem vaticinationem hominibus afferunt, facta dictis non conferentes. Victorinus Petavionensis, Scoli in Apocalypsin Beati Joannis, Caput IV Source: Migne PL 5.325c-326a

...and the four creatures each had six wings...' 1 These are the testimonies of the books of the Old Testament. Thus the twenty four wings in total make as many as there are elders sitting upon the thrones. But as an animal cannot fly unless it has wings, so the announcement of the New Testament gains no faith unless it has the foretold testimonies of the Old Testament, by which it is lifted from the earth and flies. For it is always that which has been told before and is later found to have happened that produces an undoubting faith. Again, if the wings are not attached to the living creatures, they do not have that from which they may draw life. For unless what the prophets foretold had been consummated in Christ, their preaching was vain. The Catholic Church holds those things which were both predicted before and afterwards accomplished. And it flies because rightly the living animal is lifted up from the earth. And there are living creatures for heretics who do not make use of the prophetic testimony, but they do not fly, because they are of the earth. And there are wings for the Jews who do not receive the proclamation of the New Testament, but they cannot fly, that is, they bear a vain prophesying to men, not bringing facts into accord with words. Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of St John, Chapter 4 1 Apoc 4.8

Eating Honey

Φάγε μέλι υἱέ ἀγαθὸν γὰρ κηρίον ἵνα γλυκανθῇ σου ὁ φάρυγξ. Oὕτως αἰσθήσῃ σοφίαν τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου καὶ ἐλπίς σε οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει. Ἐσθίει μέλι ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ὠφελούμενος· ὁ δὲ ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἐκβάλλων τῶν πραγμάτων τοὺς λόγους, ἀφʼ ὧν εἰλήφασιν ἅγιοι προφῆται καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν, τρώγει κηρίον· καὶ τὸ μὲν μέλι φαγεῖν, τοῦ βουλομένου παντός· τὸ δὲ κηρίον, μόνου τοῦ καθαροῦ· ἢ καὶ μέλι ῥητέον τὴν ἀλληγορίαν· κηρίον δὲ, τὴν ῥητὴν ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ ἱστορίαν, πρὸς τὸ ἔχειν τὸν ἀποκεκρυμμένον νοῦν καὶ βαθύτερον, ἔνεστι γὰρ τῷ κηρίῳ μέλι· φάρυγγα δὲ τὴν θρεπτικὴν τῆς ψυχῆς δύναμιν, δι' ἧς αἱ τροφαὶ παραπέμπονται εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν· ἐὰν οὖν ταῦτα κατορθώσῃς, τά τε κατὰ διάνοιαν, καὶ τὰ καθ' ἱστορίαν, ἔσονταί σοι αἰσθήσει τῆς σοφίας αὐτὰ τὰ σοφὰ δόγματα· ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς τὸν πνευματικὸν τῆς Γραφῆς νοῦν, ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου, ὡς λεχθῆναι· Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ· οὐκ ἀποβαλεῖς δὲ τὴν εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐλπίδα. Μὴ προτιμήσῃς τὸν διάβολον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνης, ἢν οἱ δίκαιοι νομεύονται· μηδὲ ἀπατηθῇς μωρολογίαις θανατηφόροις χορτάσαι σου τὴν καρδίαν σου, ὅ ἐστι κοιλία. Μὴ ἕνεκεν ἡδονῆς προδῷς τὸν Θεόν· οὗτος γὰρ νομὴ δικαίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλείψῃ σε. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας, Κεφαλή KΔ´ Source: Migne PG 17.228a-c

Eat honey, O son, for it is good and the comb is most sweet in your throat. So is wise teaching to your soul, which when you find it, you shall have hope at the end, and your hope shall not perish. 1 He eats honey who is improved by the Divine Scriptures. And he who draws out from the account of things, derived from the holy prophets and the Apostles, he eats the comb in teaching and doing. To eat honey is more pleasing, but the comb is only for the pure. The honey is spoken of allegorically. So the comb is what we name speculation and investigation, which grasps the more hidden and deeper sense, and in the comb is the honey. The throat is the digestive faculty of the soul by which power food is sent to the stomach. If, then, you are rightly established in these things, things of understanding and investigation, you shall you grasp the wisdom of wise teaching. For if you find the spiritual understanding of Scripture, even your death will be a beautiful thing, as it says: 'Precious in the sight of God is the death of his holy ones.' 2 You shall not have lost hope for the future. Do not prefer the devil to the righteousness of God which feeds the righteous. Nor be deceived, that you fill your heart, which is like a stomach, with foolish and fatal teachings. Do not on account of pleasure be a traitor to God. He feeds the righteous and He shall not abandon you. Origen, On Proverbs, Chapter 24 1 Prov 24.13-14 2 Ps 115.15

The Spirit's Inspiration

Post haec vidi et ecce ostium apertum in coelo. Ostium apertum in caelo, Novum Testamentum praedicatur. Et vox prima quam audivi tanquam tubae loquentis mecum, dicens: ascende huc. Quando apertum ostenditur , clatisum fuisse antea hominibus manifestum est. Satis autem et plene patefactum est, quando Christus cum corpore in coeios ad Patrem ascendit. Vox autem prior quam audierat, cum dicit illam secum esse locutam , sine contradictione arguit eos, qui aliuin in prophetiis , alium in Evangelio dicunt fuisse locutum, cum magis ipse qui venit, ipse sit qui in prophelis locutus est. Joannes enim ex circumcisione erat; et omnis ille populus qui VeterisTestamenti praedicatiouem audierat, illa voce aedificatus est. Illa eademque vox, inquit, quam audieram, illa mihi dixit: Ascende huc. Id est spiritus, quem paulo ante quam filium hominis inter candelabra aurea ambulantem se vidisse fatetur: et nunc exinde recolit, quae per legem in similitudinibus praenuntiata erant, et per hanc scripturam conjungit omnes priores, et aperit scripturas. Et quia postquam invitavit in coelum omnes credentes in nomine suo Dominus noster, statim Spiritum sanctum effudit qui ferturus ad coelum, ait: Statim fui in spiritu. Et cum aperiatur per Spiritum sanctum mens fidelium, et illud eis manifestetur, quid et prioribus est praedictum, significater ait. Victorinus Petavionensis, Scoli in Apocalypsin Beati Joannis Source: Migne PL 5.323c-324a

After that I saw a door open in heaven. 1 The door open in heaven speaks of the New Testament. And the first voice that I heard, speaking to me like a trumpet, said, 'Come up here.' When it is shown to have been opened, it is manifest that it was closed before to men. It was plainly thrown right open when Christ in the body ascended to the Father in the heavens. But the voice which he had previously heard, when he says that it spoke to him, without contradiction disputes with those who say that one thing was spoken in the prophets and another in the Gospel, when rather He who came is He who spoke through the prophets. For John was of the circumcision and all that people who heard the Old Testament preached were edified by that voice. 'That same voice,' he says, 'which I heard, that said to me, 'Come up here.' That is, the Spirit, whom a little before he says he had seen walking like a son of man in the midst of the golden candlesticks. And he now gathers from Him what had been foretold in similitudes by the Law, and through  Scripture joins up all that came before, and thus open up the Scriptures. And because after our Lord invited all who believe in His name into heaven, He then poured out the Holy Spirit which brings to heaven, he says: 'Immediately I was in the Spirit.' Since when the mind of the faithful is opened by the Holy Spirit, that is made manifest to them which was foretold to those who came before, he distinctly says. Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of St John 1 Apoc 4.1-2

Dwellings Of The Levites

Quod vero habitacula Levitis a Jesu per omnes tribus decernuntur, significatur ut hi qui in Ecclesia Dei, scientiae operam dantes, doctinae gratiam administrant, rursum omnibus quibus dispensant divina terrena subsidia, quae non habent, recipiant, ut impleatur illud quod Apostolus praecepit, dicens: Si nos vobis spiritualia seminavimus, magnum est ut carnalia vestra metamus? Et merito isti in cunctis tribubus divisi dicuntur, quia dispensatione cunctorum vivunt. Quod autem quadraginta duas urbes accipiunt, indubitanter ipsa praedicatio sanctorum signatur; ipsi enim possident doctrinam, quae legis Decalogo constant, et quadrifido Evangelii numero, quasi quaterdenias urbes habentes. Quibus etiam duae adjiciuntur, quia nimirum cuncta quae praedicant, morali ac mystico sensu annuntiant. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis,Mysticorum Expositiones Sacramentorum Seu Quaestiones In Vetus Testamentum, In Josue, Caput XVI-XVII Source: Migne PL 83.378c-379a

That the dwellings of the Levites were distributed by Joshua throughout all the tribes, 1 signifies those in the church of God who, attending to the work of knowledge, and administering the grace of teaching, are settled among all those who are given the promised land, so that they who do not have might receive. Thus is fulfilled what the Apostle exhorted, saying, 'If we have sowed spiritual things among you, is it too great a thing that we reap your material things?' 2 And with good reason they are said to be divided among every tribe, so that they might live for the guidance of all. And that they receive forty two cities is undoubtedly a sign of the preaching of the holy, for they indeed possess teaching, which is contained in the ten commandments and the fourfold Gospel, which being multiplied gives forty cities. To which two are then added, for certainly everything which they preach is spoken of in a moral and mystical sense. Saint Isidore of Seville, Expositions of Sacred Mysteries or Questions on the Old Testament, On Joshua, Chapters 16-17 1 Joshua 21 2. 1 Cor 9.11

The King And The Cellar

Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua... Secundum allegoraim autem Ecclesia a Christo per gratiam in sacram Scripturam tracta dicit: Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua. Cellaria, in quibus varii potus servantur, sunt libri sacrae Scripturae, de quibus variae sententiae sitientibs justitia propinantur. Cum enim lectio de Joseph legitur, quasi poculum contra adulterium porrigitur; cum vero Judith Scriptura recitatur, quasi castitatis propinatur. In haec cellaria Christus sponsam introduxit, quando sensum ei aperuit, ut intelligeret Scripturas. Christus autem proprie rex dicitur secundum carnem, qua humano generi a Patre praeficiutr, ut scriptum est: Ego autem constitutus sum rex ab eo. Et item ad Pilatum: Tu dicis: Quia rex sum ego. Item: Data est mihi omnis potestas in caelo et in terra. Et iterum: Ipse est qui constitutus est a Dei judex vivorum et mortuorum. Hic solus potest introducere in Scripturam, qui solus potuit septem signacula libri solvere, quae erant ejus incarnatio, nativitas, passio, inferni spoliatio, resurrectio, ascensio, futurum judicium. Honorius Augustodunensis, Expositio in Cantica Canticorum, Caput I Source: Migne PL 172.366d-367a

The King brought me into his cellar.. 1 According to the allegorical sense, 'the king brought me into his cellar,' speaks of the Church that has been drawn into Sacred Scripture by the grace of Christ. The cellar, in which various drinks are kept, are the books of Sacred Scripture and by the drinking of the various passages those who drink are brought closer to righteousness. For when they read of Joseph, it is as they take a drink against adultery, and when Judith is recited it is as if they are brought near to chastity. Into this cellar Christ has brought the bride when He opens her mind so that she might understand the Scriptures. And Christ is called king according to the flesh since He has been set over the human race by the Father, and thus it is written: 'I have established a king for them.' 2 And again to Pilate: 'You say that I am a king.' 3 Again, 'All power is given to me in heaven and earth.' 4 And again: 'He has been established by God as the judge of the living and the dead.' 5 He alone brings us into the Scriptures, He alone is the one who is able to unseal the seven seals of the book, 6 which were His Incarnation, His Nativity, His Passion, His Despoiling of Hell, His Resurrection, His Ascension, and Final Judgement. Honorius of Autun, Commentary on The Song of Songs, Chapter 1 1 Song 1.2 2 Ps 2.6 3 Jn 18.37 4 Mt 28.18 5 Acts 10.42 6 Apoc 5

Understanding and Revelation

Et respondens unus, cui nomen Cleophas, dixit ei: Tu solus peregrinus es in Jerusalem, et non cognovisti quae facta sunt in illa his diebus? Peregrinum putabant eum, cujus vultum non agnoscebant. Sed et revera peregrinus erat eis a quorum naturae fragilitate percepta jam resurrectionis gloria longe distabat. Peregrinus erat eis, a quorum adhuc fide, ut pote resurrectionis ejus nescia, manebat extraneus. Quibus ille dixit: Quae? Et dixerunt ei: De Jesu Nazareno, qui fuit vir propheta, potens in opere et sermone coram Deo et omni populo. Prophetam et magnum fatentur, Filium Dei tacent, vel scilicet nondum perfecte credentes, vel solliciti ne inciderent in manus Judaeorum persequentium, quia nesciebant quis esset cum quo loquebantur, quod verum credidere celantes. Et quomodo tradiderunt eum summi sacerdotes et principes nostri in damnationem mortis, et crucifixerunt eum. Nos autem sperabamus quia ipse esset redempturus Israel. Merito tristes incedebant, quia et seipsos quodammodo arguebant, quod in illo redemptionem speraverint, quem jam mortuum viderant, et nec resurrecturum credebant. Et maxime dolebant eum sine culpa occisum, quia noverant innocentem. Et nunc super haec omnia, tertia dies est hodie quod haec facta sunt. Sed et mulieres quaedam ex nostris terruerunt nos, quae ante lucem fuerunt ad monumentum, et non invento corpore ejus, venerunt, dicentes se etiam visionem angelorum vidisse, qui dicunt cum vivere. Terruisse dicuntur merito eos, quorum mentibus plus de non invento corpore dominico moestitiam qua dolebant addere, quam denuntiata per angelos ejus resurrectione, gaudium quo recrearentur videre potuerunt. Et abierunt quidam ex nostris ad monumentum, et ita invenerunt sicut mulieres dixerunt, ipsum vero non invenerunt. Cum ipse Lucas supra Petrum dixerit cucurrisse ad monumentum, et nunc Cleopham dixisse, ipse retulerit quod quidam eorum cucurrerant (0626D)ad monumentum, intelligitur attestari quod duo ierint ad monumentum. Sed Petrum solum primo commemoravit, quia illi primitus Maria nuntiaverit. Et ipse dixit ad eos: O stulti et tardi corde ad credendum in omnibus quae locuti sunt prophetae. Nonne haec oportuit pati Christum, et ita intrare in gloriam suam? Et incipiens a Moyse et omnibus prophetis, interpretabatur illis in omnibus Scripturis quae de ipso erant. Hoc nobis in loco non ulla Scripturam interpretandi, sed gemina nosipsos humiliandi necessitas incumbit, qui neque in Scripturis quantum oportet edocti, neque ad implenda quae discere forte potuimus quantum decet sumus intenti. Nam si Moyses et omnes prophetae Christum locuti sunt, et hunc per angustiam passionis in gloriam suam intraturum qua ratione se gloriantur esse Christianos, qui juxta virium suarum modulum neque Scripturas qualiter ad Christum pertineant investigare, neque ad gloriam quam cum Christo habere cupiunt, per passiones tribulationum desiderant attingere? Et appropinquaverunt castello quo ibant, et ipse se finxit longius ire, et coegerunt illum dicentes: Mane nobiscum, quoniam advesperascit, et inclinata est jam dies. Et intravit cum illis. Nihil simplex veritas per duplicitatem fecit, sed quod dicitur: Finxit se longius ire, talem se exhibuit discipulis in corpore, qualis apud illos in mente erat. Probandi autem erant si hi qui eum etsi necdum ut Deum diligerent, saltem ut peregrinum amare potuissent. Sed quia esse extranei a charitate non poterant hi cum quibus veritas gradiebatur, eum ad hospitium quasi peregrinum vocant. Cur autem dicimus vocant, cum illic scriptum sit: Et coegerunt illum? Ex quo nimirum exemplo colligitur, quia peregrini non solum ad hospitium invitandi sunt, sed etiam trahendi. Et factum est dum recumberet cum illis, accepit panem, et benedixit ac fregit, et porrigebat illis, et aperti sunt oculi eorum, et cognoverunt eum. Quem in Scripturae sacrae expositione non cognoverunt, in panis fractione cognoscunt. Audiendo praecepta Dei illuminati non sunt, faciendo illuminati sunt. Quia scriptum est: Non auditores legis justi sunt apud Deum, sed factores legis justificabuntur. Quisquis ergo vult audita intelligere, festinet ea quae jam intelligere potuit, opere implere Sanctus Beda, In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, Liber VI, Caput XXIV Source: Migne PL 92.626a-627b

And the one named Cleophas answered and said to Him: 'Are you alone a stranger in Jerusalem that you do not know what has happened these past days?' 1 They thought He was a stranger, they did not recognise His face. And indeed He was certainly a stranger to them since by the weakness of their nature they were distant from the glorious teaching of the resurrection. He was a stranger to them because of their faith that was yet ignorant of the resurrection and thus He remained apart from them. He said to them,' What is this?' They said to Him, 'It is about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, powerful in deed and speech before God and all the people.' They called Him a great prophet, but were silent about the Son of God, either because they were not yet perfect believers, or they were worried lest they might fall into the hands of persecuting Jews, and since they did not know who it was they were speaking to they concealed what they truly believed. 'And they handed Him over to the chief priests and our leaders who condemned Him to death, and they crucified Him. But we were hoping that He would be the one who would save Israel.' Rightly they were aggrieved because they reproved themselves, since they had hoped He was to be the redeemer, Him whom they had then seen dead, and they did not believe He would be resurrected. And they also grieved for Him slain without fault because they knew Him to be innocent. 'And now after all these things, today it is three days since they were done. But certain women of ours who were at the tomb before dawn did not find His body there and they were terrified, and they came and said they had seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.' They are rightly said to have been terrified, and more in their minds at not finding the body which they had come to mourn than by the message of the angels about His resurrection in which they would have rejoiced had they been able to see it. 'And some men of ours went to the tomb and they found it just as the women had said, and they did not find Him.' When Luke previously said that Peter had run to the tomb and now he says Cleophas speaks of certain men of theirs running to the tomb, it is understood to bear witness that two had gone to the tomb. But he first recalls Peter only, because Mary had first spoken to him. And He said to them, 'O foolish and slow of heart to believe in everything which the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that Christ suffer and thus enter into His glory?' And He began to interpret from Moses and all the prophets all the Scriptures about Himself No interpretation of Scripture is given to us here, but it imposes on us the necessity of humility who are neither learned in the Scriptures nor zealous to practice what perhaps we were able to learn as much as it befits. For if Moses and all the prophets had spoken of Christ and that He was to enter into His glory through the anguish of the passion, for what reason should Christians glorify themselves who according to the rule of their own people neither strive to investigate the Scriptures for Christ, nor desire to have that glory with Christ which they attain through the suffering of tribulations? And as they went they came near a village and He made to go onwards, but they imposed on Him, saying, 'Stay with us, for evening falls and the day has passed.' And He went in with them. This is no simple truth He made through concealment, but when it is said, 'He made to go onwards,' in such a way he showed Himself in the body to the disciples as He was in their minds. For they were being tested, so that if they did not yet love him as God, they might yet be able to love Him as a stranger. But because they were estranged from the love of the truth He was not able to walk with them, and they called Him into the inn as a stranger. But why do we say that they called Him when it has been written, 'They imposed on Him,'? It is arranged so for the sake of example, because strangers are not only invited but even drawn. And when they sat with Him, He took bread and blessed it and broke it and he held it out to them, at which their eyes were opened and they knew Him. In the breaking of bread they knew Him whom they did not know in the exposition of the sacred Scriptures. They were not illuminated by hearing the teachings of God, but by the act they were enlightened. Whence it is written, 'It is not the hearers of the Lord that are righteous before God, but they are righteous who are doers of the law.' 2 Thus whoever wishes to understand what they have heard, let him make haste to fulfill in works what he has been able to understand. Saint Bede, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Luke, Book 6, Chapter 24 1 Lk 24.18 2 Rom 2.13

Speech And Understanding

Quare loquelam meam non cognoscitis? Nota, quod Dominus loquitur nobis aliquando per signa creaturae; aliquando per litteras Scriptarae; aliguando quasi per nuntios, et hoc in praedicatione; aliquando quasi voce viva, et hoc interna inspiratione. Loquitur ergo per signa creaiiirae; Proverbiorum primo: Sapientia foris praedicat, id est in creaturis; unde Proverbiorum sexto: Vade ad formicam, o piger , et considera vias eius. Loquitur per litteras Scripturae; unde Exodi vigesimo: Locutus est Dominus cunctos sermones hos; et leremiae trigesimo sexto: Tolle volumen et scribe in eo omnia verba, quae locutus sum tibi adversus Israel et ludam . Loquitur per nuntios in praedicatione, quibus dicitur Matthaei decimo: Non vos estis, qui loquimini, sed Spiritus Patris vestri, qui loquitur in vobis. Loquitur voce viva et interna inspiratione; unde in Psalmo: Audiam, quid loquatur in me Dominus Deus; et Osee secundo: Ducam eam in solitudinem et loquar ad cor eius. Cum igitur Dominus loquatur signis, litteris , nuntiis et verbis, recte improperat indoctis: Quare loquelam meam non cognoscitis? Quia non potestis audire sermonem meum. Nota, quod gravis fuit Christus malis ad audiendum; unde hic: Quia non potestis etc. Ad videndum; Sapientiae secundo: Gravis est nobis etiam ad videndum. Ad sustinendum; loannis undecimo: Quid facimus, quia hic homo multa signa facit? Si dimittimus eum sic, omnes credent in eum; hoc dicebant ludaei graviter ferentes Christum. Sanctus Bonaventura, Collationes In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput VIII, Collatio XXXV Source: Here, p577

'Why do you not understand what I say?' 1 Observe that the Lord sometimes speaks to us through the signs of created things, and something through the letters of Scripture, and sometimes through messengers, which is by preaching, and sometimes with the living voice, which is internal inspiration. Of the signs of created things it is said in the first chapter of Proverbs: 'Wisdom preaches outside,' that is, through created things, whence in the sixth chapter of Proverbs: 'Go to the ant, sluggard, and consider his ways.' 2 He speaks through the letters of Scripture in the twentieth chapter of Exodus: 'The Lord spoke all these words,' and in the thirty sixth chapter of Jeremiah: 'Take up the book and write in it all the words I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah.' 3 He speaks through messengers by preaching, concerning which it is said in the tenth chapter of Matthew: 'It is not you who speak but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.' 4 And He speaks with the living voice by internal inspiration, whence in the Psalm: 'I shall hear what the Lord God shall say in me.' And in the second chapter of Hosea: 'I shall lead her into solitude and I shall speak to her heart.' 5 When, therefore, the Lord speaks in signs and letters and messengers and words, rightly He reproves the unlearned with: 'Why do you not understand what I say?' 'Because you cannot hear my word.' Observe that hearing Christ was a burden to the wicked, whence here: 'You cannot...' and also in seeing, in the second chapter of Wisdom: 'It is burdensome for us even to see.' And in enduring, in the eleventh chapter of John, 'What shall we do, because this man makes many signs? If we leave him alone, everyone will believe in him.' 6 This they said who were bearing Christ as a burden. Saint Bonaventura, Observations On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 8 1 Jn 8.43 2 Prov 1.20, Prov 6.6 3 Exod 20.1, Jerem 36.2 4 Mt 10.20 5 Ps 84.9, Hosea 2.14 6 Wisdom 2.15, Jn 11.47

Reckoning The Slain

Tunc Herodes videns quod illusus esset a Magis, iratus est valde. Et mittens occidit omnes pueros qui erant in Bethlehem, et in omnibus finibus ejus, a bimatu et infra, secundum tempus quod exquisierat a Magis. Omnes igitur occidit, ut unus non effugeret. Sed quanti eorum essent,non facile repritur, etsi quorumdam traditio habeat juxta Apocalypsin Joannis centum quadraginta quator millia fuisse. Nam ibidem e omni tribu duodecim millia leguntur ascripti; hic vero ex Bethlehem atque ejus finibus omnes perhibentur occisi. Rursus alii asseverant per viginti locorum spati duo millia infantum occisos fuisse, ita ut in singulis locis centum perempti essent. Quod nos non astruimus. Quia quod in Scripturis sanctis non legimus, melius ignorare quam temere definire credimus. Hoc tantum ad praesens fatemur, quod Deum non lateant cui omnia vivunt, qui pro domino mortis dispendium subierunt. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Liber I, Caput II Source: Migne PL 120.142b

Then Herod seeing how he was deceived by the Magi was greatly angered, and he ordered all the young boys who were in Bethlehem to be killed, and in all the surrounding region, from two years and under, according to the time he had learnt from the Magi. 1 Therefore he killed them all, that not one might escape. But it is not easy to reckon how many there were, even if it is the custom of some to hold that according to the Apocalypse of John they were one hundred and forty four thousand. For there they read that it is written that from every tribe there were twelve thousand. But here it is said that all those from Bethlehem and all the surrounding region were killed. 2 Again others assert that in twenty places two thousand children were killed, so that in each place a hundred were slain. We cannot confirm this, because we think that it is better to confess ignorance of what is not told in the Holy Scriptures than to make bold statements. For the present this alone we will say, that they are not unknown to God, with whom they all live, all who have undergone the sentence of death for the Lord. 3 Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 1, Chapter 2 1 Mt 2.16 2 Apoc 7.5

Beginnings And Ends

Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ θεοῦ, καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ: ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου: φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ: ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ. Ἰωάννην τὸν τελευταῖον τῶν προφητῶν, ἀρχὴν εἶναι τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τοῦ Υἱου τοῦ Θεοῦ φησι. Τὸ γὰρ τέλος τῆς Παλαιᾶς, ἀρχὴ τῆς Νέας Διαθήκης· ἡ δὲ μαρτυρία ἡ περὶ τοῦ Προδρόμου ἀπὸ δύο προφητῶν ἐλήφθη. Τοῦ μὲν γὰρ Μαλαχίου ἐστὶ τὸ Ἰδοὺ ἀποτέλλω τὸν ἀγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου· τοῦ δὲ Ἠσαΐου, τὸ, Φωνὴ βοῶντος, καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς. Ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς πρὸς τὸν Υἱόν ἐστιν ὁ λόγος, λέγοντος ἄγγελον εἶναι τὸν Πρόδρομον, διὰ τὸ ἀγγελικὴν καὶ σχεδὸν ἄῡλον ἔχειν ζωὴν, καὶ τὸ ἀγγέλλειν καὶ μηνύειν τὸν Χριστὸν ἐρχόμενον· κατεσκεύασε δὲ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Κυρίου, τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν Ἰουδαίων διὰ τοῦ βαπτίζειν παρασκευάζων δέξασθαι τὸν Χριστόν· τὸ δὲ, πρὸ προσώπου σου, τοῦτο σημαίνει, ὅτι Ἐγγύς σου ἴσται ὁ ἄγγελός σου· ὅθεν δείκνυται ἡ οἰκειότης τοῦ Προσδρόμου πρὸς τὸν Χριστόν· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τῶν βασιλέων ἐγγύς προπορεύονται οἱ μάλιστα οἰκεϊοι. Φωνὴ δὲ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, τάχα μὲν καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, τάχα δε καὶ ἐν τῇ Συναγωγῇ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἤτις ἔρημος ἦν παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Ὁδὸς δὲ, ἡ Νέα Διαθήκη· τρίβοι δὲ ἡ Παλαιὰ, ὡς κατατετριμμένη· πρὸς μὲν οὖν τὴν ὁδὸν ὤφειλον ἐτοιμασθῆναι, τουτέστι, πρὸς τὴν Νέαν Διαθήκην, τῆς δὲ Παλαιᾶς τὰς τρίβους εὐθείας ποιῆσαι, πάλαι μὲν δεξάμενοι ταύτας, εἶτα σκολιοὶ φανέντες καὶ χωλάναντες ἀπὸ τῶν τρίβων αὐτῶν. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατά Μάρκον, Κεφαλ. Α’ Source: Migne PG 123.493c-496a

The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah, 'Behold I send my angel before your face, who shall prepare your way before you. A voice crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' 1 This speaks of John as the last of the prophets, and the beginning of the Gospel of the Son of God, for the end of the Old Testament is the beginning of the New Testament. But this testimony that is given of the forerunner is taken from two prophets. Malachi says, 'Behold, I send my angel before your face, who shall prepare your way before you,' and Isaiah says, 'The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, etc.' 2 The speech is of God the Father to the Son, and it speaks of the forerunner as an angel, because he shall live an angelic life apart from material things, and he shall announce and reveal the coming of Christ. He shall prepare the way of the Lord by baptising the souls of the Jews so that they are ready to receive Christ. In addition to this, 'before your face,' signifies 'your angel shall be near you,' in which is shown the familial relationship of the 'angel' with Christ, for it is those who are most closely related to a king who stand nearest to him. 'A voice crying out in the desert', is perhaps the desert of the Jordan, or perhaps the synagogue of the Jews, which was a desert of every good. But 'the way' is the New Testament, whereas 'the paths' is the Old, which are worn away. Thus they should prepare the way, that is, to the New Testament. And to make the paths of the Old Testament right, which they had received of old, but then made crooked and closed up with their own paths. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Mark, Chapter 1 1 Mk 1.1-3 2 Malachi 3.1, Isaiah 40.3

From Of Old

Mνήσθητε νόμου Μωυσῆ τοῦ δούλου μου καθότι ἐνετειλάμην αὐτῷ ἐν Χωρηβ πρὸς πάντα τὸν Ισραηλ προστάγματα καὶ δικαιώματα Ἀναπείθι πάλιν ἐννοεῐν τοὺς ἐντευξομένους τοῖς τοῦ προφήτου λόγοις ὅτι μὴ καινὸν ἤ ἀσύνθες τὸ ἐπὶ Χρσιτῷ γέγονε κήρυγμα, μήτε μὴν μόναις ταῖς Μαλαχίου φωναῖς προαπηγγελμένον· ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἄνθωέν τε καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐκ πρώτων, ἴνα οὕτως εἴπωμεν, χρόνων, καθ' οὔς κέκληται πρὸς θεογνωσίαν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτε τοὺς ἐν Χωρὴβ κεκρσμᾡδηκε νόμος. Καταβέβηκε μὲν γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἐν εἱδευ πυρὸς ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινᾶ, ἔφαίνοντο δὲ καπνοὶ μὲν, καὶ φλόγες ὑψοῦ τε διάττουσαι, καὶ πολὺ τοῖς θεωμένοις ἐμποιοῦσαι τὸ δεῖμα. Σκότος δὲ ἦν, καὶ γνόφος, καὶ θύελλα, καὶ φωνὴ τῆς σάλπιγγος, ἠχούσῃς μέγα. Τότε δὴ, τότε περίφοβοι γεγονότες υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ προσῇεσαν λέγοντες τῳ μεσίτῃ καὶ παιδαγωγῷ, Μωσῆς οὕτος ἤν· Λάλει σὺ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ μὴ λαλείτω πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν. Καὶ δὴ πρὸς ταῦτα Θεὸς· Ὄρθῶς, φησὶ, πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησαν. Προφήτην αὐτοῖς ἀναστήσω ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν ὥσπερ σὲ, καὶ θήσω τοὺς λόςους μου εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαλήσει αὐτοῖς κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐντέλωμαι αὐτῷ. Ὀρᾷς ὅπως ἐκ μακρῶν τῶν ἄνεθεν χρόνων προανεφώνει Χριστὸν τὸ Γράμμα τὸ ἱερόν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὰς εἰ δὴ βοῦλοιτό τις τὰς τοῦ νὁμου βασανίζειν σκιὰς, Χριστὸν εὑρήσει γραφόμενον, καὶ τὸ ἐπ' αὐτῷ μυστήριον. Καὶ γοῦν ἔφασκεν Ἰουδαίοις· Εἰ ἐπιστεύετε Μωσῇ, ἐπιστεύετε ἄν ἐμοί· περὶ ἐμοῦ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἔγραψε. Πλήρωμα γὰρ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν ὁ Χριστός. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Εἰς Τὸν Προφήτην Μαλαχίαν, Κεφαλ Δ’ Source: Migne PG 72.364c-d

Remember the law of Moses, my servant, as I instructed him on Horeb for all of Israel, with precepts and judgements. 1 Again he exhorts those attendant to the words of the prophet that there is not a new or unprecedented preaching being made about Christ, nor was it foretold by Malachi alone, but from of old and, we might say, from the earliest times, when Israel was called to the knowledge of God, it was hidden in the law on Horeb. For the God of all things came down in the form of fire on Sinai, and amid smoke, and flames flashing on high, and the sight of such things was a cause of grave terror. And there was darkness and blackness and storms and the loud blasting of a trumpet, and then the sons of Israel who were struck with fright came to the mediator and instructor, that is, Moses, and said, 'Speak for us, and let not God speak to us, lest we perish.' Concerning which God said, 'Everything they have said is well spoken. I shall raise up from them a prophet from among their brothers, just like you, and I shall place my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them everything which I have commanded him.' 2 Do you now see how from the oldest times Christ was foretold by Holy Scripture? For if someone wishes to examine these things of the law, he shall grasp that Christ and His mystery is written in them. Thus He Himself says to the Jews, 'If you believed in Moses, you would believe in me, for he wrote of me.' 3 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Prophet Malachi, Chapter 4 1 Malachi 4.4 2 Exod 20.19, Deut 18.17-18 3 Jn 5.46

Parts Of Speech

Tria sunt in sermone Dei: elementa, exordia et completiones. in elementis expressio vocis sed intelligentia non est: in exordio sermonis intelligentia est, sed perfecta non est; in completione sermonis, perfecta intelligentia est. Figurae Veteris Testamenti elementa fuerunt sermonis Dei. Praecepta Decalogi exordium fuerunt sermonis Dei. Praecepta novi Testamenti completio sunt sermonis Dei. Prohbitio procinae carnis elementum fuit sermonis Dei. Prohibitio moechiae carnalis, exordium; prohibitio spiritulais moechiae, completio. In Veteri Testamento iterum quando dictum est: Carnem cum sanguine non comedetis, elementum fuit; quando dictum est: Non occides, exordium; quando dictum est: Si quis irascitur fratri suo sine causa, reus erit judicio, completio. In Veteri Testamento vox fuit, in Novo intellectus, in vita aeterna, res. In Veteri Testamento via fuit, in Novo veritas, in aeternitate, vita. Unde dicitur: Ego sum via, veritas et vita. Idem enim et ibi via fuit, et hic veritas est, et illic vita erit. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber I, Tit CLX, De tribus quae sunt in sermone Dei Source: Migne PL 177.558a-b

There are three parts of the speech of God, elements, beginnings, perfections. In the elements is the expression of speech but there is no understanding. In the beginning is the understanding of speech but there is no perfection of it. In the completion of speech understanding is perfected. The figures of the Old Testament are the elements of the speech of God. The commandments of the Decalogue are the beginning of the speech of God. The teachings of the New Testament are the perfection of the word of God. The prohibition of pig flesh was the element of the word of God, the prohibition of carnal adultery the beginning, the prohibition of spiritual adultery the perfection. Again in the Old Testament when it was said 'You shall not eat flesh with blood,' 1 this was the element, when it was said: 'You shall not kill' 2 this was the beginning, when it was said, 'If someone is angry with a brother without reason, he shall be guilty of judgement,' 3 this is the perfection. In the Old Testament was the voice, in the New Testament is the understanding, in eternal life shall be the thing itself. In the Old Testament was the way, in the New the truth, in eternity, the life. Whence it is said: 'I am the way and the truth and the life.' 4 For there He was the way and here He is the truth and there He shall be the life. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 1, Chapter 160, On the three parts of the speech of God 1 Genes 9.4 2 Exod 20.13 3 Mt 5.22 4 Jn 14.6

Seeing Within

Sacri eloquii mysticos sensus Propheta per aspirationem sancti Spiritus prudenter intelligens, dicit: Mirabilia testimonia tua, ideo scrutata est ea anima mea. Qui rursus ait: Revela oculos meos, et considerabo mirabilia de lege tua. Qui enim necdum occulta de apertis intelligit, oculos velatos habet. Qui vero jam intelligit, revelatis oculis mirabilia de lege Dei considerat, quia, spiritaliter litterae verba discutiens, quae interius magnitudo lateat pensat. An non est mirabile quando aliud auribus sonat, atque aliud exit ad intelligentiam quod non sonabat? Cui ergo verbum sacri eloquii nisi lapidi simile dixerim, in quo ignis latet? Qui manu quidem frigidus tenetur, sed, percussus ferro, per scintillas micat, atque hoc emittit ignem qui post ardeat, quod prius manus frigidum tenebat. Sic etenim, sic verba sunt sacri eloquii, quae quidem per narrationem litterae frigida tenentur; sed si quis haec, aspirante Domino, intento intellectu pulsaverit, de mysticis ejus sensibus ignem producit, ut in eis verbis post animus spiritaliter ardeat, quae prius per litteram ipse quoque frigidus audiebat. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber Secundus, Homilia X Source: Migne PL 76.1058a-c

Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the prophet wisely understands the spiritual sense of sacred speech, saying, 'Your testimonies are wondrous, therefore my soul has studied them.' He who says again: 'Open my eyes, and I shall consider the wonders of your law.' 1 For he who does not yet understand hidden things as things revealed, he has his eyes veiled. But he who understands with eyes opened considers the wonders of God's law, because spiritually shattering the literal words, he ponders the greatness hidden within. Is it not to be wondered at that when something resounds in the ear, yet something escapes understanding which is not heard? To what then might I say the word of holy speech is like but a stone in which fire is hidden? It is cold when it is held in the hand but when it is struck with iron, it flashes with sparks, and that which emits the fire is afterward warm, which before was so cold to the touch. So indeed are the words of sacred speech, which by the literal narration are felt to be cold, but if someone, by the inspiration of the Lord, shall strike them with zealous understanding, he shall produce the fire of spiritual understanding, so that after, because of these words, the soul is spirtually aflame, that which before by the letter listened in coldness. Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 2, from Homily 10 1 Ps 118.129, 18