Teaching And Deeds

Et stupebant in docrina ejus, quia in potestate erat sermo ipsius... Sermo doctoris in potestate fit, cum ea quae docet operatur. Nam qui actis ipse sua dicta destruit, contemnitur. Cui contra doctorem instituens Apostolus ait: Nemo adolescentiam tuam contemnat. Singulariter autem Dominus ac principaliter solus ex potestate bona locutus est, quia ex infirmitate mala nulla commisit. Ex divinitatis quippe potentia habuit id quod nobis per humanitatis suae innocentiam ministravit. Aliter in potestate erat sermo ipsius, sive ut alius evangelista dicit, erat docens eos sicut potestatem habens, et non sicut scribae. Quoniam scribae quae per legem didicerant praecepta, populis dabant. Ipse vero quasi auctor impletorque legis, vel mutando, vel augendo quae minus videbantur, libere agendo substituit. Sanctus Beda, In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, Liber II, Caput IV Source: Migne PL 92.379a-b

And they were astonished at His teaching, because there was power in His words... 1 The speech of a teacher has power when he does those things he teaches. For he is scorned who destroys what he has said with his deeds. Against which imposition of such a teacher the Apostle says, 'Do not let anyone scorn your youth.' 2 Only the Lord especially and principally spoke good things from power, because He did no evil from weakness. Certainly from the power of the Divinity He had with which He served us through the innocence of humanity. Otherwise, 'there was power in His words,' because as another Evangelist says, 'He was teaching them as one having power, and not like the scribes,' 3 because the scribes learnt their teaching through the Law and gave it to the people, but He as the author and fulfiller of the Law with deeds openly altered it, either by changing it or supplying what seemed to be lacking. Saint Bede, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Luke, Book 2, Chapter 4 1 Lk 4.32 2 Tim 4.12 3 Mt 7.29

Love And Knowledge

Ὡς μὲν οὖν ἀντακολουθοῦσιν ἀλλήλαις αἱ ἀρεταί, τί χρὴ λέγειν, ἐπιδεδειγμένου ἤδη ὡς πίστις μὲν ἐπὶ μετανοίᾳ ἐλπίδι τε, εὐλάβεια δὲ ἐπὶ πίστει, καὶ ἡ ἐν τούτοις ἐπιμονή τε καὶ ἄσκησις ἅμα μαθήσει συμπεραιοῦται εἰς ἀγάπην, ἣ δὲ τῇ γνώσει τελειοῦται; ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἐξ ἀνάγκης παρασημειωτέον ὡς μόνον τὸ θεῖον σοφὸν εἶναι φύσει νοεῖσθαι χρή· διὸ καὶ ἡ σοφία δύναμις θεοῦ ἡ διδάξασα τὴν ἀλήθειαν· κἀνταῦθάπου εἴληπται ἡ τελείωσις τῆς γνώσεως. Φιλεῖ δὲ καὶ ἀγαπᾷ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὁ φιλόσοφος, ἐκ τοῦ θεράπων εἶναι γνήσιος δι' ἀγάπην ἤδη φίλος νομισθείς. Tαύτης δὲ ἀρχὴ τὸ θαυμάσαι τὰ πράγματα, ὡς Πλάτων ἐν Θεαιτήτῳ λέγει, καὶ Ματθίας ἐν ταῖς Παραδόσεσι παραινῶν θαύμασον τὰ παρόντα, βαθμὸν τοῦτον πρῶτον τῆς ἐπέκεινα γνώσεως ὑποτιθέμενος· ᾗ κἀν τῷ καθ' Ἑβραίους εὐαγγελίῳ "ὁ θαυμάσας βασιλεύσει" γέγραπται καὶ ὁ βασιλεύσας ἀναπαήσεται. Ἀδύνατον οὖν τὸν ἀμαθῆ, ἔστ' ἂν μένῃ ἀμαθής, φιλοσοφεῖν, τόν γε μὴ ἔννοιαν σοφίας εἰληφότα, φιλοσοφίας οὔσης ὀρέξεως τοῦ ὄντως ὄντος καὶ τῶν εἰς τοῦτο συντεινόντων μαθημάτων. Kἂν τὸ ποιεῖν καλῶς ᾖ τισιν ἐξησκημένον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐπίστασθαι, ὡς χρηστέον καὶ ποιητέον, καὶ συνεκπονητέον, καθὸ καὶ ὁμοιοῦταί τις θεῷ, θεῷ λέγω τῷ σωτῆρι, θεραπεύων τὸν τῶν ὅλων θεὸν διὰ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως λόγου, δι' οὗ καθορᾶται τὰ κατ' ἀλήθειαν καλὰ καὶ δίκαια. Eὐσέβεια ἔστι πρᾶξις ἑπομένη καὶ ἀκόλουθος θεῷ. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Β’, Κεφ' Θ’ Source: Migne PG 9.979c-981b

As, then, the virtues follow one another, what need to speak of that which has been demonstrated already, that faith hopes through repentance, and fear through faith, and patience and practice in these, along with learning, culminate in love, which is perfected by knowledge? But what one must note is that the Divine alone must be thought as wise by nature. Therefore wisdom also, which has taught the truth, is the power of God, and in it the perfection of knowledge is embraced. The philosopher loves and likes the truth, being now changed from being a true servant to being considered a friend on account of his love. 1 The beginning of knowledge is a wondering at objects, as Plato says is in his Theaetetus, 2 and Matthias exhorting us in the Traditions, says, 'Wonder at what is before you,' laying this down as the first foundation of further knowledge. So also in the Gospel to the Hebrews it is written, 'He that wonders shall reign, and he that has reigned shall rest.' It is impossible, therefore, for an ignorant man, while he remains ignorant, to philosophise, since he has no grasp of the idea of wisdom and philosophy, which is an effort to grasp that which truly is, and the studies that lead to that. Which is not done to make a man cultivated, but so that there might be knowledge of what is beneficial and how to act and labour, insofar as one has a likeness to God, I mean God the Saviour, by the service of the God of all things through the High Priest, the Word, through whom is seen what is in truth good and right, and piety is conduct suitable for following God. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 2, Chapter 9 1 Jn 15.15 2 Plato Theat 155d

Wonder And Teaching

Et mirabantur Judaei... Hic tangitur secundum, scilicet Judaeorum admiratio. Ratio admirationis erat, sicut dicit Augustinus, quod nunquam viderant eum literas dicentem, audiebant autem de lege disputantem; propter quod dicitur: Et mirabuntur Judaei dicentes: Quomodo hic literas scit, cum non didicerit? Unde poterat Dominus dicere illud Prov. trigesimo: Sapientiam non didici, et novi scientiam Sanctorum. Luc. secundo: Stupebant autem omnes, qui eum audiebant, super prudentia et responsis ejus. Respondit eis Jesus, et dixit: Mea doctrina... Hic ponitur tertium, scilicet Christi responsio, qua admirationi eroum satisfacit, ostendens se non habere scientiam per acquisitionem, sicut habent alii homines; sed a sua origine, propter quod dicit: Mea doctrina, scilicet quam doceo, non est mea, id est, a me, vel ad meam gloriam, vel a me acquisita, sed ejus, qui misit me, id est, a Patre, qui misit me; omnia enim, quae habet Filius, a Patre accipit, supra quinto: Non potest Filius a se facere quidquam, nisi quod viderit Patrem facientem, ita nec docere quemquam. Et quia haec responsio manifesta non est nisi his, qui recte audiunt, et hi sunt qui audiunt, ut faciant, propterea dicit: Si quis voluerit voluntatem ejus, scilicet Dei Patris, facere, cognscet de doctrina, utrum ex Deo fit, an ego a me ipso loquar; quia aliter nec me, nec doctrinam meam potest cognoscere vere. Ideo dicitur primae Joan. secundo: Qui dicit se Deum nosse, et mandata ejus non custodit, mendax est, et in hoc veritas non est. Et sic doctrine Christi est commendabilis ab origine. Est etiam commendabilis a fine in hoc quod in docendo non quaerit gloriam propriam. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput VII Source: Here, p717-718

And the Jews were amazed... 1 Here he touches on the second part, that is, the wonder of the Jews. The reason for the amazement was, as Augustine says, that they had never seen anyone teach Him, but then they heard him disputing on the Law, 2 on account of which it is said: 'And the Jews were amazed, saying, 'How does this man have his learning when He was not taught?' Whence the Lord could have spoken that passage in the thirtieth chapter of Proverbs: 'I knew no learning and I had the knowledge of the holy.' 3 And in the second chapter of Luke: 'All who heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His replies.' 4 Jesus answered them, saying, 'My teaching...' Here he sets down the third part, that is the reply of Christ, which stirs up their wonder, showing Him not to have knowledge by acquisition, as other men have, but from His origin, on account of which He says: 'My teaching,' that is, what I teach, 'is not my own,' that is, from me, or for my own glory, or acquired by me, 'but it is of Him who sent me,' that is, the Father, who sent me. For everything which the Son has, He has received from the Father, as in chapter five of this Gospel: 'The Son is not able to do anything of Himself, unless what He sees the Father doing,' 5 and thus not to teach anything. And because this answer was not given for anyone but those who hear rightly,  those who hear that they might do, because of this He says: 'If someone would do His will,' That is, of God The Father, 'he will know if this teaching is from God, or if I speak from myself.' Because otherwise neither me nor my teaching can be truly known. Therefore it is said in the second chapter of the first letter of John: 'He who says he knows God and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.' 6 And thus the teaching of Christ is commendable by its origin, and again it is commendable by its end, in that in teaching He does not seek His own glory. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 7 1 Jn 7.15 2 August Tract On John 29.2 3 Prov 30.3, but here the Vulgate rather asserts ignorance of the knowledge of the holy, and the Hebrew the same. The Septuagint has God teaching him learning and knowledge of the holy. 4 Lk 2.47 5 Jn 5.19 6 1 Jn 2.4

New And Wonderful

Τίς ἡ καινὴ καὶ παράδοξος αὕτη μυσταγωγία; Τίς ἡ παντοδύναμος καὶ φθαρτοποιὸς τῆς θείας Προνοίας εὐμένεια; Τί τὸ δεινὸν καὶ πάνσοφον κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου στρατήγημα; Ἠλευθέρωται κόσμος διὰ παρθένου, ὁ διὰ ταύτης τὸ πρὶν ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν πεσών. Διὰ παρθενικοῦ τοκετοῦ τεταρτάρωται δαιμόνων ἀοράτων τὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα συστήματα. Σύμμορφος τοῖς δούλοις ὁ Δεσπότης γέγονεν, ἵνα οἱ δοῦλοι γένωνται σύμμορφοι πάλιν Θεοῦ. Ὤ βῆθλεὲμ πόλις ἡγιασμένη, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συγκεκληρωμένη. Ὦ φάτνη, ὦ φάτνη συμμέτοχε τῶν Χερουβὶμ, καὶ ὁμότιμε τῶν Σεραφίμ. Ὁ γὰρ αἰωνίως ὑπ' ἐκεὶνων τῶν θρόνων ἐποχούμενος θεϊκῶς, νῦν ἐν σοὶ σωματικῶς πάλιν αὐλίζεται. Ὦ Μαρία, Ὦ Μαρία, ἡ τὸν ἀπάντων Δημιουρὸν πρωτότοκον κεκτημένη. Ὦ ἀνθρωπότης, ἡ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον σωματικῶς οὐσιώσασα, καὶ τῶν ἐπουρανίων καὶ νοετῶν δυνάμεων ἐν τούτῳ τῶ μέρει προτετιμημένη. Οὐ γὰρ ἠξίωσε Χριστὸς μορφωθῆναι πρὸς τὰς τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων μορφὰς, οὔτε μὴν πρὸς τὰς τῶν ἀρχῶν, καὶ δυνάμεων, καὶ ἐξουσιῶν ἀτρέπτους εἰκόνας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς σὲ τὴν κατενεχθεῖσαν ἐπὶ τροπὴν, καὶ τοῖς ἀλόγοις ζώοις παρασυμβεβλημένην. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὑγιαίνοντες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν ἰατροῦ· ἡ δὲ νόσῳ συχνῇ κατασχεθεῖσα, τηλικούτου καὶ τοιούτου τετύχηκεν ἰατροῦ, ὡς μείζονος τῆς ὑγείας εὐτυχής ἐστι σωτηρίας, τοῦ νοσήματος δραπετεύσαντος. Ἀλλὰ ποῦ νῦν ὁ δυσμενὴς καὶ ἀβρόντητος· ὁ ἀλάστωρ καὶ παμμίαρος δράκων, ὁ μετεωρίζειν εἰς ὕψος τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θρόνον ἐπαγγειλάμενος; Ἀμφιλοχίος Ἐπισκόπος Ἰκονίου, Λογός Α´, Εἰς Τὰ Γενέθλια Τοῦ Μεγάλου Θεοῦ Καὶ Σωτῆρος Ὑμων Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Source: Migne 39.39d-41b

What is this new and wonderful heavenly teaching? What is this almighty and mortal-making benevolence of Divine Providence? What grand subtlety and plan against the devil? The world is liberated by a virgin, that which was previously crushed beneath sin by a virgin. By a virgin's giving birth a whole great mass of unseen demons has been cast headlong into Tartarus. The Lord has been fashioned to be like His servants, so that His servants might again be made like God. O holy city of Bethlehem, you have become a common inheritance for men. O manger, O manger, fellow participant with the Cherubim and sharing the honour of the Seraphim. For He who is eternally seated above those celestial thrones, 1 is now laid on you in the flesh. O Mary, Mary, for your first born son you have the Creator of all things. O humanity, which the Word of God has made its corporeal substance and for this is more highly honoured than the heavenly and intellectual powers. For Christ did not take on the form of an archangel, 2 nor the changeless images of principalities and virtues and powers, but He has come down to your changeable nature, which has been compared to the brute animals. 3 There is no work for a physician with the healthy, 4 but there is much to occupy him with the sick, and only with such a great physician does it happen that when the sickness is expelled, there comes about a greater salvation superior to health. Where now that wicked enemy, that wretched and abominable dragon, who said that he would set up his throne in the heights? 5 Amphilocius of Iconium, from from Sermon 1, On The Birth of our Almighty God and Saviour Jesus Christ 1 Ps 79.2 2 Heb 2.16 3 Ps 48.13 4 Mt 9.12 5 Isaiah 14.13

Sickness And Wonder

Τί ἔτι; Καλὸν φιλανθρωπία καὶ πτωχοτροφία καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀσθενείας βοήθημα. Μικρὸν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως πρόελθε, καὶ θέασαι τὴν καινὴν πόλιν, τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας ταμεῖον, τὸ κοινὸν τῶν ἐχόντων θησαύρισμα, εἰς ὃ τὰ περιττὰ τοῦ πλούτου, ἤδη δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ταῖς ἐκείνου παραινέσεσιν ἀποτίθεται, σῆτας ἀποσειόμενα καὶ κλέπτας οὐκ εὐφραίνοντα καὶ φθόνου πάλην καὶ καιροῦ φθορὰν διαφεύγοντα· ἐν ᾧ νόσος φιλοσοφεῖται καὶ συμφορὰ μακαρίζεται καὶ τὸ συμπαθὲς δοκιμάζεται. Τί μοι πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον, ἑπτάπυλοι Θῆβαι καὶ Αἰγύπτιαι καὶ τείχη Βαβυλώνια καὶ Μαυσόλου Καρικὸς τάφος καὶ Πυραμίδες καὶ Κολοσσοῦ χαλκὸς ἄμετρος, ἢ ναῶν μεγέθη καὶ κάλλη τῶν μηκέτι ὄντων, ἄλλα τε ὅσα θαυμάζουσιν ἄνθρωποι καὶ ἱστορίαις διδόασιν, ὧν οὐδὲν τοὺς ἐγείραντας πλὴν δόξης ὀλίγης ὤνησεν; Ἐμοὶ δὲ θαυμασιώτατον, ἡ σύντομος τῆς σωτηρίας ὁδός, ἡ ῥᾴστη πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἀνάβασις. Οὐκ ἔτι πρόκειται τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν θέαμα δεινὸν καὶ ἐλεεινόν, ἄνθρωποι νεκροὶ πρὸ θανάτου καὶ τετελευτηκότες τοῖς πλείστοις τοῦ σώματος μέλεσιν, ἀπελαυ νόμενοι πόλεων, οἰκιῶν, ἀγορῶν, ὑδάτων, αὐτῶν τῶν φιλτάτων, ὀνόμασι μᾶλλον ἢ σώμασι γνωριζόμενοι· οὐδὲ προτίθενται συνόδοις τε καὶ συλλόγοις κατὰ συζυγίαν τε καὶ συναυλίαν, μηκέτ' ἐλεούμενοι διὰ τὴν νόσον, ἀλλὰ μισούμενοι· σοφισταὶ μελῶν ἐλεεινῶν, εἴ τισι καὶ φωνὴ λείπεται. Τί ἂν ἅπαντα ἐκτραγῳδοίην τὰ ἡμέτερα, οὐκ ἀρκοῦντος τοῦ λόγου τῷ πάθει; Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνός γε μάλιστα πάντων ἔπεισεν ἀνθρώπους ὄντας ἀνθρώπων μὴ καταφρονεῖν, μηδ' ἀτιμάζειν Χριστόν, τὴν μίαν πάντων κεφαλήν, διὰ τῆς εἰς ἐκείνους ἀπανθρωπίας· ἀλλ' ἐν ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις συμφοραῖς τὰ οἰκεῖα εὖ τίθεσθαι, καὶ δανείζειν Θεῷ τὸν ἔλεον, ἐλέου χρῄζοντας. Διὰ τοῦτο, οὐδὲ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἀπηξίου τιμᾶν τὴν νόσον, ὁ εὐγενής τε καὶ τῶν εὖγεγονότων καὶ τὴν δόξαν ὑπέρλαμπρος, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀδελφοὺς ἠσπάζετο, οὐχ ὅπερ ἄν τις ὑπολάβοι κενοδοξῶν, τίς γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἀπεῖχε τοῦ πάθους;, ἀλλὰ τὸ προσιέναι τοῖς σώμασιν ἐπὶ θεραπείᾳ διὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ φιλοσοφίας τυπῶν, καὶ φθεγγομένη καὶ σιωπῶσα παραίνεσις. Καὶ οὐχ ἡ μὲν πόλις οὕτως, ἡ χώρα δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐκτὸς ἑτέρως· ἀλλὰ κοινὸν ἅπασιν ἀγῶνα προὔθηκε τοῖς τῶν λαῶν προεστῶσι, τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς φιλανθρωπίαν καὶ μεγαλοψυχίαν. Καὶ ἄλλων μὲν οἱ ὀψοποιοὶ καὶ αἱ λιπαραὶ τράπεζαι καὶ τὰ μαγείρων μαγγανεύματα καὶ κομψεύματα καὶ οἱ φιλόκαλοι δίφροι, καὶ τῆς ἐσθῆτος ὅση μαλακή τε καὶ περιρρέουσα· Βασιλείου δὲ οἱ νοσοῦντες καὶ τὰ τῶν τραυμάτων ἄκη καὶ ἡ Χριστοῦ μίμησις, οὐ λόγῳ μέν, ἔργῳ δὲ λέπραν καθαίροντος. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΜΓ', Εἰς τὸν μέγαν βασίλειον, ἐπίσκοπον Καισαρείας Καππαδοκίας, ἐπιτὰφιος Source: Migne PG 36.577c-580c

What more? Philanthropy is noble, and also support of the poor, and aid given to human infirmity. Go a little way from the city and behold a new city, a storehouse of piety, a common treasury of those who possess, in which the excesses of their wealth, and even their necessities, because of his exhortations, are stored, from which the moth has been shaken and which no more appear pleasing to the thief, 1 escaping the strife of envy and the corruption of time's passing. There sickness is regarded philosophically, and misfortune is thought a blessing, and sympathy is put to the test. Why should I compare this work with Thebes of the seven gates, and Egyptian Thebes, and the walls of Babylon, and the Carian tomb of Mausolus, and the Pyramids, and the immeasurable bronze weight of the Colossus, or the size and beauty of shrines that are no longer exist, and all those other things at which men wonder, and of the historic record, from which those who raised them gained nothing but a small scrap of fame? Mine is the most wonderful, it is the short road to salvation, the easy ascent to heaven. No longer before our eyes is set a terrible and piteous spectacle, men dead before death, the greater part of whose limbs have been mortified, who have been driven away from their cities and homes and public places and fountains, and even from their loved ones, who are now recognised only by their names rather than by their features. They are no longer placed before us at our gatherings and meetings, according to our associations and fellowships, and those composers of tragic songs are not pitied but abhorred, if any of them still have a voice. Why should I try to express in tragic style all our experiences, when no tongue can measure the suffering? But it was him above all others who persuaded men not to despise those who are men, nor dishonour Christ, the one Head of all, by their inhumanity toward them, but to use the misfortunes of others to firmly establish themselves, and to lend to God that mercy of which they have need. Therefore He did not disdain to honour disease with his lips, even though he was noble, and of good lineage and of brilliant reputation, but he greeted them as brothers, and not, as some may suppose, from vainglory; for who was so far removed from such an affliction? But he took the lead in tending to bodies, as a consequence of his philosophy, and so gave not only spoken but also silent instruction. The effect of this is seen not only in the city, but in the country and beyond. Even the foremost of the people have competed with one another in their philanthropy and generosity to them. Others had their cooks, and expensive tables, and the dishes and dainties of gourmands, and exquisite carriages, and soft and flowing robes, Basil had the sick and the healing of their wounds, and the imitation of Christ, by cleansing leprosy, not by a word, but by action. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 43, Funeral Oration on Saint Basil the Great, Bishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia. 1 Mt 6.19-20

Wonder And Belief

Et factum est, cum consummasset Jesus verba haec, admirabantur turbae super doctina ejus. Placatus rationabiliter intellectus hominis laudem generat: victus autem, admirationem. Quicquid autem digne laudare non possumus, hoc admiramur. Admiratio tamen eorum magis ad Christi gloriam pertinebat, quam ad fidem ipsorum. Non enim ideo mirabantur, quasi credentes in Christum essent, non mirarentur, sed potius crederent. Nam omne dictum aut factum illud movet admirationem, quod superat facientis aut dicentis personam. Utputa, autem magnum sit, quod Deus dicit aut facit, tamen minus est quam Dei potentia. Ideo quicquid a Deo factum aut dictum audimus, non admiremur, quia omnia minora quam Dei potentia. Tamen audiebat populus cum silentio et gravitate, et admirans proficiebat in verbis ipsius: quia admiratio, etsi ipsa non est ex fide, tamen invitatio est ad fidem. Nam qui admiratur de verbis doctinae, quamvis adhuc non credat, tamen jam in ipso limine credulitatis consistit, ut credat. Turbae erant quae mirabantur, id est, populus vulgaris. Non erant illic Pharisaei, aut principes populi, aut sacerdotes, qui solent non discendi studio audire, sed contradicendi, non ut aliquid salutis acquirant, sed ut aliquid calumniae inveniant. Et ideo simpliciter audiebat populus simplex. Si autem aliqui eorum affuissent, sine dubio silentium et gravitatem populi, sicut consueti fuerant, contradictionibus suis conturbassent: qui ubi major scientia, illic malitia fortior. Qui enim festinaverit esse prior, difficle contentus erat esse secundus. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia XX Source: Migne PG 56.746

And when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching. 1 When the understanding of man is pleased by reason it gives praise, but when it is overcome it is amazed. For whatever we are not capable of worthily praising, we are amazed at. Their wonder, however, pertained more to the glory of Christ than to their faith. For they did not wonder as believers in Christ, since believers do not wonder but believe. Everything said or done that moves to wonder is because it surpasses the one doing or speaking. So though it may be great what God says or does, it is not less than the power of God. Therefore, whatever is done by God, or we hear said, we do not wonder at, because everything is less than the power of God. However, the people hearing in silence and sincerity, were profited by their wonder at His words, because wonder, even if it does not come from faith, yet is an invitation to faith. For he who is amazed at the words of teaching, although he does not yet believe, yet by that is set on the threshold of believing, so that he may believe. The crowds were amazed, that is, the common people were. They were not Pharisees, or rulers of the people, or priests, who are not accustomed to hear with an eagerness to learn, but to dispute, and that not that they grasp something of salvation, but that they find something to claim as fault. Therefore, the simple people who were listening in simplicity, as they were accustomed, would have been confused by such disputations, because where there is more knowledge, there is greater evil. He who hastens to be first, has difficulty in being content to be second. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from Homily 20 1 Mt 7.28

Wonder And Knowledge

Διὸ παραινῶ φεύγειν αὐτῶν τὴν μανίαν· μανίας γὰρ ἐσχάτης φιλονεικεῖν εἰδέναι τί τὴν οὐσίαν ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι μανίας ἐσχάτης τοῦτο, ἀπὸ τῶν προφητῶν ὑμῖν τοῦτο ποιήσω φανρόν· οἱ γὰρ προφῆται οὐ μόνον τί τὴν οὐσίαν ἐστὶν ἀγνοοῦντες φαίνονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ πόση τίς ἐστιν ἀποροῦσι· καίτοι γε οὐχ ἡ οὐσία ἀπὸ τῆς σοφίας, ἀλλ' ἡ σοφία ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας. Ὅταν δὲ μηδὲ ταύτην δύνωνται καταλαμβάνειν οἱ προφῆται μετ' ἀκριβείας, πόσης ἂν εἴη μανίας τὸ τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτὴν νομίζειν δύνασθαι τοῖς οἱκείοις ὑποβάλλειν λογισμοῖς; Ἀκούσωμεν τοίνυν τί φησιν ὁ προφήτης περὶ αὐτῆς· Ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσις σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ. Μᾶλλον δὲ ἀνωτέρω τὸν λόγον ἀγάγωεν. Ἐξομολογήσομαι σοι, ὅτι φοβερῶς ἐθαυμαστώθης. Τί ἔστι φοβερῶς; Πολλὰ θαυμάζομεν νῦν, ἀλλ' οὐ μετὰ φόβου, οἴον κιόνων κάλλη, τύπων ζωγραφίας, ἄνθη σωμάτων· θαυμάζομεν πάλιν τῆς θαλασσης τὸ μέγεθος, καὶ τὸν ἄπειρον βυθὸν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ φόνου, ὅταν πρὸς τὸ βάθος κατακύψωμεν. Οὔτω τοίνυν καὶ ὁ προφήτης πρὸς τὸ ἄπειρον καὶ ἀχανὲς πέλαγος τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ κατακύψας σοφίας, καὶ ἰλιγγιάσας, μετὰ φόβου πολλοῦ θαυμάσας ἀνεχώτησε βοῶν καὶ λέγων· Ἐξομολογήσομαι σοι, ὅτι φοβερῶς ἐθαυμαστώθης· θαυμάσια τὰ εργὰ σου· καὶ πάλιν· Ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσις σοῦ ἐξ ἐμοῦ, ἐκραταιώθη, οὐ μὴ δύνυμαι πρὸς αὐτὴν.   Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος Περὶ Ἀκαταληπτου, Λόγος Πρῶτος Migne PG 48 705

Thus I exhort flight from their madness, for it is most extreme madness to strive to know what God is in His essence. And that you know that this is the most extreme madness I shall make it clear to you from the Prophets, for not only is it apparent that the Prophets were ignorant of the Divine essence but they were also unknowing of how vast His wisdom is, yet essence does not come from wisdom, but wisdom from essence. And when the Prophets are not able to grasp His wisdom accurately, how great is the madness of those who think they are able to make His essence a subject of their thoughts? Let us listen, then, to what a Prophet says about this, 'Your knowledge is too wonderful for me.' 1 And a little further on we have the passage: 'I give you thanks, for you are fearfully wondrous.' 2 And why fearfully? We wonder greatly but not fearfully at the beauty of columns, visual art, the blossoming of the body, and again we wonder at the vastness of the sea and its limitless depths, and then with fear when we incline to think of its depths. And thus did the Prophet incline considering the limitless and vast sea of God's wisdom, and so with swimming head, beset with wonder, he drew back and cried out in a loud voice: ' 'I will give thanks to you, for your are fearfully wondrous; wondrous are your works,' 2 and again, 'Your knowledge is too wondrous from me, so great that I am not able to draw near it.'  1 Saint John Chrysostom, On The Incomprehensible, from the First Homily 1 Ps 138.6 LXX 2 Ps 138.14

Creation And Consciousness

Tunc surgens imperavit ventis, et mari, et facta est tranquillitas magna. Porro homines mirati sunt, dicentes: Qualis est hic, quia venti et mare obediunt ei? Ex hoc autem loco intelligimus quod omnes creaturae sentiant creatorem: quibus enim imperatur, sentiunt imperantem: non errore haereticorum, qui omnia putant animantia sensibilia esse; sed maiestate conditoris, quae apud nos insensibilia sunt, illi sensibilia sunt. Non discipuli, sed nautae, et caeteri qui in navi erant, mirabantur. Sin autem quis contentiose voluerit eos, qui mirabantur, fuisse discipulos, respondebimus, recet homines appelatos, qui necdum noverant potentiam Salvatoris. Sanctus Hieronymus, In Evangelium Matthaei Commentarius, Lib I, Cap IX Migne PL 26 53-54

Then He arose and commanded the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, 'What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?' 1 From this we understand that all creation is conscious of its Creator; for that which is commanded is conscious of He who commands. Not by the error of the heretics who think that everything animate is conscious, but by the majesty of the Maker things which to us have no consciousness, do so to Him. And not the disciples, but the sailors and the rest who were in the boat marvelled. However, if someone wishes to contend that they who marvelled were the disciples, yet rightly they are named men who do not yet understand the power of the Saviour. Saint Jerome, from the Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Book 1, Chapter 9 1 Mt 8.26-27

The Counsel Of God

Περὶ βουλῆς Θεοῦ· καὶ ὅτι ἄτρεπτος, καὶ ἀνέφικτος ἀνθρώποις ὑπάρχει. Κύριος διασκεδάζει βουλὰς ἐθνῶν, ἀθετεῖ δὲ λογισμοὺς λαῶν.  Ὡς φοβερὸς ἐν βουλαῖς ὑπὲρ τοὺς υἱοὺς ἀνθρώπων.  Πολλοὶ λογισμοὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνθρώπου· ἡ δὲ βουλὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.  Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἅγιος βεβούλευται, τίς διασκεδάσει;  καὶ τὴν χεῖρα τὴν ὑψηλὴν τίς ἀποστρέψει; Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Σαβαὼθ, λέγων·  Ὃν τρόπον εἴρηκα, οὕτως ἔσται, καὶ ὃν τρόπον βεβούλευμαι, οὕτως μενεῖ.  Ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ σοφοί σου;  καὶ ἀναγγειλάτωσάν σοι ὅ τι βεβούλευται Κύριος Σαβαώθ. Τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου, ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, ὃς συμβιβάσει αὐτόν;  ἢ πρὸς τίνα συνεβουλεύσατο, καὶ συνεβίβασεν αὐτόν;  Θεὸς αἰώνιος ὁ κατασκευάσας τὰ ἄκρα τῆς γῆς.  Οὐ πεινάσει, οὐδὲ κοπιάσει, οὐδὲ ἔστιν ἐξεύρεσις τῆς φρονήσεως αὐτοῦ. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος πλὴν ἐμοῦ. Πᾶσα ἡ βουλή μου στήσεται, καὶ πάντα ὅσα βεβούλευμαι, ποιήσω·  ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἤγαγον· ἔκτισα καὶ ἐποίησα αὐτό. Τὸ ῥῆμά μου ὃ ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου, οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ πρός με κενὸν, ἕως ἂν συντελέσῃ πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησα. Τίς ἀνδρῶν γνώσεται βουλὴν Θεοῦ;  ἢ τίς ἐνθυμηθήσεται τί θέλει ὁ Κύριος;  λογισμοὶ γὰρ θνητῶν δειλοὶ, καὶ ἐπισφαλεῖς αἱ ἐπίνοιαι αὐτῶν. Μόλις γὰρ εἰκάζομεν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ ἐν χερσὶν εὑρίσκομεν μετὰ πόνου·  τὰ δὲ ἐν οὐρανοῖς τίς ἐξιχνίασεν;  βουλὴν δέ σου τίς ἔγνω; Ὅπου Θεὸς βούλεται, νικᾶται φύσεως τάξις.  Εἰ ἠβουλήθη γὰρ, ἠδυνήθη.  Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Τὰ Ιἐρα Παραλληλα, Στοικειον Β'  Τιτλ Βʹ.  Migne PG 95 1264-1265

On The Counsel of God, that men are neither able to change or understand it. 'The Lord scatters the counsels of men, He reproves the thoughts of the peoples.' 1 'He is terrible in counsel over the sons of men.' 2 'Many the thoughts in the heart of a man, the counsel of God remains in eternity.' 3 'What the holy Lord has willed, who shall discount? And His high hand who shall escape?' 4 This says the Lord of Hosts: 'As I have spoken, so it shall be, and as I have willed it, so it will remain. Where are your wise ones, O men? Let them cry out to you how the Lord of Hosts is resolved. 5 'Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counsellor, that he teach Him? From whom has He received advice and who has instructed Him? God eternal, who created the ends of the earth. He does not hunger, nor does He toil, nor is there finding out of His mind.' 6 'I am God and there is no other apart from me. All I will shall be and everything which I have resolved, I shall do. I spoke and it came to be, I created and it was. 7 'My word which has gone forth from my mouth, shall not return empty to me, until it complete all that I have wished.' 8 Who among men is able to know the counsel of God? Of who is able to conceive what God wishes? Fearful the thoughts of men and uncertain our foresight. With difficulty we judge the things in the world and what is in our sight with toil we discover. That which is in the heavens, who shall investigate? Your reasoning who shall know? 9 When God wishes it, the order of nature is conquered; for if He wishes it, so it is done. 10   Saint John of Damascus, Sacred Parallels, Letter B, Chap 2 1 Ps 32.10 2 Ps 68.5 3 Prov 19.21 4 Is 14.28 5 Is 19.12 6. Is 40. 13-14 7 Is 48.15 8 Is 55.11 9 Wis 9. 13,16 10 Chrysostom Homily on the Nativity of Christ.

Shepherds Of Bethlehem

Transeamus usque Bethlehem, et videamus hoc Verbum quod factum est, sicut Dominus ostendit nobis. Et venerunt festinantes. Vides festinare pastores; nemo enim cum desidia Christum requirit. Vides pastores angelo credidisse; et tu Patri, Filio, Spiritui sancto, angelis, prophetis, et apostolis crede. Vide quam signate Scriptura singulorum libret momenta verborum: Festinant, inquit, Verbum videre. Etenim cum caro Domini videtur, Verbum videre, quod est Filius. Non mediocre fidei tibi hoc videatur exemplum, non vilis persona pastorum. Certe quo vilior ad prudentiam, eo pretiosior ad fidem. Non gymnasia choris referta sapientum, sed plebem Dominus simplicem requisivit, quae phalerare audita, et fucare nesciret. Simplicitas enim quaeritur, non ambitio desideratur. Nec condemnenda putes quasi vilia verba prophetarum: a pastoribus populus ad Dei reverentiam congregatur; 'mirati enim sunt de iis, quae dicebantur a pastoribus ad ipsos.' Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Evangelii secundum Lucam, Liber II Migne PL 15.1571-72

'Let us go to Bethlehem and let us see this word that has been given to us, as the Lord has shown to us. And they went swiftly.'  1 You see that the shepherds hurry; for no one with sluggishness desires Christ. You see that the shepherds believed the angel, and so you, then, have faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and the Angels and the Prophets and the Apostles. See how with the meaning of each word Scripture weighs the moment. Hurry, it says, to see the Word. Indeed when the flesh of the Lord is seen, the Word is seen, which is the Son. This is no image of you who are of a petty faith, nor indeed is the lowly state of the shepherds. Certainly as something is more vile to the clever, so it is more precious to faith. It is not schools stuffed full of choirs of the clever the Lord seeks but the simple, whose hearing is adornment and who do not know not how to ornament themselves. For simplicity He seeks, ambition He does not want. Nor should you think to condemn as vile the words of Prophets, for by the shepherds the people are gathered to the reverence of God: 'They were amazed by the things which the shepherds told them.' 2 Saint Ambrose, from The Commentary On The Gospel of Luke, Book 2 1 Lk 2.15 2 Lk 2.18

Virginity And Marriage

Πολλοὶ τῶν μεγάλων ἀνθρώπων τὴν παρθενίαν θαυμάζουσιν· καὶ γάρ ἐστι θαυμαστὴ ὡς τῶν ἀγγέλων σύμφυτος, ὡς τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων συνόμιλος, ὡς τῶν ἀσωμάτων φύσεων σύνδρομος, ὡς τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας λαμπαδοῦχος, ὡς τὸν κόσμον νικῶσα, ὡς τὰ πάθη πατοῦσα, ὡς τὰς ὀρέξεις χαλινοῦσα, ὡς τῇ Εὔᾳ μὴ κοινωνοῦσα, ὡς λύπης ἀπηλλαγμένη, ὡς ἁγνείας ἐπειλημμένη, ὡς στεναγμῶν λελυτρωμένη, ὡς τὴν καταδεδικας μένην ἀπόφασιν μὴ προσδεχομένη τὴν φάσκουσαν· Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὰς λύπας σου καὶ τὸν στεναγμόν σου· ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα σου ἡ ἀποστροφή σου, καὶ αὐτός σου κυριεύσει. Θαυμαστὴ τοιγαροῦν ἡ παρθενία ὡς ἀδούλωτον κτῆμα, ὡς ἐλεύθερον ἐνδιαίτημα, ὡς ἀσκητικὸν ἐγκαλλώπισμα, ὡς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἕξεως ἀνωτέρα, ὡς τῶν ἐπ' ἀνάγκαις παθῶν ἀπολυθεῖσα, ὡς συνεισελθοῦσα τῷ νυμφίῳ Χριστῷ εἰς τὸν θάλαμον τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς παρθενίας κλέη ταῦτα καὶ τὰ παραπλήσια τούτων. Ὁ δὲ τίμιος γάμος ὑπέρκειται παντὸς δώρου γηΐνου, ὡς ἔγκαρπον δένδρον, ὡς ἀστειότατον φυτόν, ὡς ῥίζα τῆς παρθενίας, ὡς γεωργὸς τῶν λογικῶν καὶ ἐμψύχων κλάδων, ὡς εὐλογία τῆς τοῦ κόσμου αὐξήσεως, ὡς παρήγορος τοῦ γένους, ὡς δημιουργὸς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ὡς τῆς θεϊκῆς εἰκόνος ζωγράφος, ὡς τὸν δεσπότην εὐλογοῦντα κεκτημένος, ὡς πάντα τὸν κόσμον φέρειν δεχόμενος, ὡς ἐκείνῳ πολιτευόμενος ὃν καὶ ἐνανθρωπῆσαι ἐδυσώπησεν, ὡς δυνάμενος λέγειν μετὰ παρρησίας· Ἰδού, ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ θεός. Περίελε τὸν τίμιον γάμον καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσεις τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος· ἔνθεν γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοθεν τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος ἀναλέγεται. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγοντες οὐ μάχην παρεισβάλλομεν μεταξὺ παρθενίας καὶ γάμου· ἑκάτερα δὲ ὡς ἀλληλόχρεα θαυμάζομεν. Ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἑκατέρων ὁ δεσπότης προνοητής, οὐκ ἀντιταλαντεύει ἕτερον τῷ ἑτέρῳ· πρὸς πάντα γὰρ τὰ ἑκάτερα μέρη τῆς θεοφοβίας ἔχεται. Δίχα γὰρ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς θεοφοβίας οὔτε παρθενία σεμνὴ οὔτε γάμος τίμιος. Ἀμφιλοχίος Ἐπισκόπος Ἰκονίου, εἰς τὴν θεοτόκον καὶ εἰς τὸν Συμεῶνα καὶ Ἄνναν. Λογός Β' Source: Migne 39.44-45

They are many great men who admire virginity, for indeed it is a wonder to share the nature ofangels, to be as an associate of lofty powers, as a companion ofincorporeal nature, as a torch of the holy Church, as one who conquersthe world, as one who treads down passions, as one who binds appetite, as one who has no communion with Eve, as one untouched by sorrow, as one immune togroans, as one loosed from moaning, as one not expecting that decree ofcondemnation which says, 'I shall multiply the multitude of your sorrows and your groans; insorrow you shall birth children, and you shall incline to your man and he shallrule over you.' 1 Thus is virginity a wonder, as a thing knowing no servitude, as a place of freedom, as a honourableascetic discipline, as something superior to human state, as a thingthat frees from pressing passions, as that which enters the wedding chamber with Christ the bridegroomin the kingdom of heaven. And these emblems of virginity things near may have. Indeed marriage is honourable, 2 a over all worldly things, as a fruit bearing tree, as an elegant plant, as the root of virginity, that which produces living and rational branches, as a blessing of growth to the world, as a type ofcomfort, as the Creator of man, as the painter of the Divine image, as that to which the Lord gave blessing, as that which may receive Him who bears the whole world, for Him prepared who descending became man, that it is able to say openly, 'Behold, I and the children which the Lord has given to me.' 3 Take away honourable marriage and you will not find the flower of virginity, because the flower of virginity is not gathered from another. But when we speak of these things, we by no means set up a fight between virginity and marriage, but we admire the different offices of both. Since the provident master of each one does not oppose one to the other, in both piety may be embraced. For without devout piety, neither is virginity venerable nor is marriage honourable. Amphilocius of Iconium, from Oration 2, On The Mother Of God and Simeon and Anna 1 Gen 3.16 2 Heb 13.4 3 Isaiah 8.18

Believing and Knowing

Καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐθαυμάστωσε Κύριος τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ. Ὁ προφήτης περὶ Χριστοῦ διδάσκει ἡμᾶς, ὅς ἐστιν ἀληθὴς ὅσιος, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῷ ιεʹ ψαλµῷ·. καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι δὲ ἐµαρτύρησαν, ὡς περὶ Χριστοῦ προφητευοµένου λέγοντες εἰρῆσθαι τὸ, Οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν µου εἰς ᾄδην, οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σοῦ ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. Δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ περὶ παντὸς ὅσίου διδάσκεσθαι ἡμὰς. Οὐ ταυτὸν δὲ ἐστι πιστεῦσαι, ὅτι ἐθαυμάστωσε Κύριος τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ γνῶμαι, ὡς οὐδὲ ταυτόν ἐστι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πιστεῦσαι, καὶ γνῶναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ πιστεῦσαι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ γνῶναι τὸν Θεόν. Οἱ ἀπόστολοι οὖν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἐπίστευον· ἀλλ' οὐ παντως ὅτε ἐπίστευον ἐγνώκεισαν αὐτήν. Ἀπόδειξις δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, ἐνθα εἴρηται· Εἀν μείνητε ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ λόγῳ, ἀληθῶς μαθηταί μού ἐστε, καὶ γνώσεσθε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς. Πιστεύουσι γὰρ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, φησὶ, τὸ γνώσεσθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν· κατὰ γὰρ τοὺς προφήτας πιστεῦσαι δεῖ πρὶν συνιέναι καὶ λαλῆσαι· τοῦ μὲν Ἠσαῖου λέγοντος· Ἐὰν μὴ πιστεύσητε, οὐδ' οὐ μὴ συνῆτε· τοῦ δὲ Δαυΐδ· Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα. Ὅτι δὲ τὸ γινώσκειν τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ πιστεύειν αὐτῷ διαφέρει, ἐν τοῖς Ψαλμοϊς ἀναγέγραπται διὰ ποῦ, Σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι εγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός· οὐ γὰρ τοῖς ἀπιστοῦσι φησι· Σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι εγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός. Ἐπὶ γνῶσιν οὖν ἡμας ὁ λόγος προκαλούμενος ὑποβάλλει καὶ τὴν τίνος γνῶσιν ἀναλαβειν ἡμᾶς χρὴ, ὥς εἰσιν ὑπο Θεοῦ τεθαυμαστωμένοι οἱ ὅσιοι, θαύμασι προσαχθέντες τῶν ἀποῥῥήτων μυστηρίων καὶ τῶν ἁγίων θεωρημάτων, καὶ αὐτοὶ δι' αὐτὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριν καὶ θείαν ἐπισκοπὴν θαυμαστοὶ γενόμενοι. Εὐσέβιος ὁ Καισάρειος, Ὑπομνηματα Ἐις Τους ψαλμους, ψαλμος Δ'

And know that the Lord makes a wonder of His holy one. 1 The Prophet teaches us concerning Christ, He who is truly holy, according to which it is said in the fifteenth Psalm, and the Apostles bear witness that it is spoken prophetically of Christ: 'Do not abandon my soul to the inferno, nor allow your holy one to see corruption.' 2 And this is able to teach us about every sort of holiness. It is not the same to believe that the Lord has made a wonder of his holy one, and to know it, because it is not the same to believe the truth and to know it, and to believe in God and to know God. The Apostles certainly believed in truth, but while they believed they did not completely know it. Which we say is well demonstrated by this passage of the Gospel: 'If you remain in my word, you shall truly be my disciples and you shall know truth, and the truth shall make you free.' 3 For they believe in truth, that know the truth, for according to the Prophets, belief is first and then we understand and we speak; as Isaiah says, ' If you do not believe nor shall you understand.' 4 And David says, 'I believed and so I spoke.' 5 Which shows there is a difference between knowing God and believing in God, which in the Psalms is described in these words: 'Be free and see that I am God.' 6 For this is not said to unbelievers: 'Be free and see that I am God.' When thus we are called to knowledge, as in this Psalm, it indicates at the same time knowledge of that thing which we should take up, that the holy have been made wonders by God, they who are moved wondrously by unutterable mysteries and sacred insights, and that they by the grace of God are beholders of Divine wonders. Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 4 1 Ps 4.4 2 Ps 15.10, Acts 2.27 3 Jn 8, 31-32 4 Isa 7.9 5 Ps 115.10 6 Ps 45.11

The World and Wonder

Ἦλθέ τις τῶν γερόντων πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Θεόδωρον, και εἷπεν αὐτῷ· Ἰδοὺ ὁ δεῖνα ὁ αδελφος ὑπέστρεψεν εις τὸν κόσμον. Και εἷπεν αὐτῷ ὁ γερων· Ἐπι τούτῳ θαυμάζεις; μὴ θαυμαζῃς, ἀλλὰ θαύμασον μᾶλλον ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς ὅτι ἠδυνήθη τις ἐκφυγειν ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ ἐχθροῦ. Ἀποφθέγματα Των Ἁγίων Γερόντων, Παλλαδιος Source: Migne PG 65.189a

One of the elders come to Father Theodoros and said to him, 'Behold,  a wonder, a brother has gone back to the world.' And he replied, 'Why are you amazed? Do not be amazed, but rather be astonished when you hear that someone is able to flee from the mouth of the enemy.' Sayings of the Fathers, Palladius of Galatia