The Mole And The Faithless

Ἀσπάλαξ ὑπὸ γῆν ἕρπων τυφλος ὤν, ἀστέρας ἰδεῖν οὐ δύναται· καὶ ὁ μὴ πιστεύων περὶ προσκαίρων οὔτε περὶ τῶν αἰωνίων πιστεύειν δύναται. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source: Migne PG 65 941

The mole crawling blindly beneath the earth is unable to see the stars; and he who has no faith in God concerning transient things, cannot have faith concerning eternal things. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works.

Faith And Salvation

Θαρσεῖτε, ἐγώ εἰμι    Εἰπὼν, Θαρσεῖτε, τὴν πίστιν ἀπαιτεῖ· δι' ἧς ἔκαστος τῶν εἰλικρινῶς εἰς Χριστὸν πιστευόντων σώζεται· ἐπαγαγὼν δὲ, Ἐγὼ εἰμὶ, λύει πάντα φόβον· Ἐγὼ γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰμὶ, ὁ πάντα δυνάμενος ποιῆσαι. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.419

Be of cheer, I am. 1 Saying 'Be of cheer', He sought faith, by which He saves each one who believes sincerely in Christ. And then He adds, 'I am' and dispels all fear. 'I am,' He says, that is: I am He who can do all things. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 14.27

Gathering In Jerusalem

In tempore illo vocabunt Jerusalem solium Domini et congregabuntur ad eam omnes gentes in nomine Domini in Jerusalem, et non ambulabunt post pravitatem cordis sui pessimi. Nequaquam Dominus sedebit super arcam Testamenti et Cherubim, cui prius ab illo populo dicebatur: Qui sedes super Cherubim, manifestare;  sed omnes perfecta mente credentes, erunt thronus Dei. Vel certe melius totum de Ecclesia intelligendum: quando congregantur omnes gentes in nomine Domini in Jerusalem, in qua est visio pacis: et nequaquam ambulant post pravitatem cordis sui pessimi, ut faciunt quae desiderant, nec suos sequuntur errores: sed dicunt cum Propheta: Adhaesit anima mea post te: me suscepit dextera tua. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum In Jeremiam Prophetam, Caput III Source Migne PL 24 703

At that time they will call Jerusalem  the throne of the Lord and all the nations shall be gathered to it, in the name of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall walk no more after the depravity of their base hearts. 1 It shall not be that the Lord will sit above the ark of the testament and the Cherubim, concerning which the people have said, 'You who are enthroned above the cherubim shine forth,' 2  but rather all those believing with a perfect mind will be the throne of God. Or even better, one should understand this as being about the whole Church, when all the nations are gathered in the name of the Lord in Jerusalem, in which is the vision of peace, and they shall no more stubbornly walk after the depravity of their base hearts, that they do what they desire, nor shall they follow their own errors, but they will say with the Prophet, 'My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.' 3 Saint Jerome, from the Commentary on Jeremiah, Chapter 3 1 Jer 3.17 2 Ps 79.2 3 Ps 62.9

The Nations And Salvation

Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei. Quasi intuebatur civitatem illam Ierusalem in terra. Nam videte quam civitatem dicit, de qua dicta sunt quaedam gloriosissima. Nam illa destructa est in terra; hostes passa cecidit in terram, iam non est quod erat: expressit imaginem, transivit umbra. Unde igitur: Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei? Audi unde: Memor ero Raab et Babylonis, scientibus me. In illa civitate, inquit iam ex persona Dei, memor ero Raab, et memor ero Babylonis. Raab non pertinet ad populum Iudaeorum; Babylon non pertinet ad populum Iudaeorum. Nam sequitur: Etenim alienigenae, et Tyrus, et populus Aethiopum, hi fuerunt ibi. Merito gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei: ubi non solus est ille populus Iudaeorum natus ex carne Abrahae; sed ibi omnes gentes, quarum quaedam nominatae sunt, ut omnes intellegantur. Memor ero, inquit: Raab: quae ista est meretrix, illa in Iericho meretrix quae suscepit nuntios et alia via eiecit; quae praesumpsit in promissione, quae timuit Deum, cui dictum est ut per fenestram mitteret coccum, id est, ut in fronte haberet signum sanguinis Christi. Salvata est ibi, et Ecclesiam Gentium significavit. Unde Dominus superbientibus Pharisaeis: Amen dico vobis, publicani et meretrices praecedunt vos in regnum coelorum. Praecedunt, quia vim faciunt: impellunt credendo, et ceditur fidei, nec obsistere potest quisquam; quia qui vim faciunt, diripiunt illud. Ibi enim positum est: Regnum coelorum vim patitur, et qui vim faciunt, diripiunt illud. Hoc fecit ille latro, fortior in cruce quam in fauce. Memor ero Raab et Babylonis. Babylon civitas dicitur secundum saeculum. Quomodo una civitas sancta, Ierusalem; una civitas iniqua, Babylon: omnes iniqui ad Babyloniam pertinent; quomodo omnes sancti ad Ierusalem. Sed delabitur de Babylone in Ierusalem. Unde, nisi per eum qui iustificat impium? Piorum civitas Ierusalem; impiorum civitas Babylon. Sed venit ille qui iustificat impium; quia: Memor ero, inquit, non solum Raab, sed etiam Babylonis. Sed quorum memor erit Raab et Babylonis? Scientibus me. Ideo quodam loco dicit Scriptura: Effunde iram tuam in gentes quae te non cognoverunt. Hic ait: Effunde iram tuam in gentes quae te non cognoverunt; et alibi: Praetende misericordiam tuam scientibus te. Et ut noveritis quia in Raab et Babylone Gentes significavit; quasi diceretur: Quid est quod dixisti: Memor ero Raab et Babylonis, scientibus me? quare hoc dixisti? Etenim alienigenae, inquit, id est, pertinentes ad Raab, pertinentes ad Babylonem, et Tyrus. Sed quousque Gentes? Usque ad fines terrae. Elegit enim populum qui in fine terrae est: Et populus, inquit: Aethiopum, hi fuerunt ibi. Si ergo ibi Raab, ibi ex Babylone, quia ibi alienigenae, ibi Tyrus, ibi populus Aethiopum; merito, gloriosissima de te dicta sunt, civitas Dei. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, Enarratio in Psalmum LXXXVI Source: Migne PL 37 1105-1106

Glorious things are said of you, city of God. 1 He was, as it were, contemplating that city of Jerusalem on earth. For consider what city he speaks of, of which are spoken certain most glorious things. For the earthly city has been destroyed; suffering the enemy, it fell to the earth; now it is not what it was; it has shown the image and the shadow has passed away. How then is it said: 'Glorious things spoken of you, city of God'? Listen how: 'I will be mindful of Rahab and Babylon, with those who know me' 2. In that city, he says in the person of God, 'I will be mindful of Rahab and I will be mindful of Babylon.' Rahab does not belong to the Jewish people, Babylon does not belong to the Jewish people. For it follows: 'Even a foreign people, and Tyre, and the people of Ethiopia, they were there.' With good reason then, 'Glorious things are spoken of you, city of God,' where not only is found the Jewish people, born of the flesh of Abraham, but all nations, some of which are named that all may be understood. 'I will be mindful,' he says, 'of Rahab.' She who is that harlot, that harlot in Jericho who received the spies and conducted them out of the city by a different road, who trusted beforehand in the promise, who feared God, who was told to hang out of the window a scarlet thread, that is, to bear upon her brow the sign of the blood of Christ. She was saved there, and thus signified the Church of the Gentiles, whence our Lord said to the proud Pharisees, 'Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go before you into the kingdom of God.' 3 They go before, because they act vigorously. They are driven by faith, and to faith there is yielding, nor can any resist, since they who are forceful seize it. For it is written, 'The kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent seize it' 4 Such was the conduct of the thief, more courageous on the cross than at ambush. 'I will be mindful of Rahab and Babylon.' And by Babylon he speaks of the city of this world. As there is one holy city, Jerusalem, so there is one unholy one, Babylon. All the wicked belong to Babylon, even as all the holy do to Jerusalem. But he slips from Babylon to Jerusalem. How, but by Him who justifies the impious? The city of the pious is Jerusalem, Babylon is the city of the impious, but He comes who justifies the impious, since it is said, 'I will be mindful' not only 'of Rahab,' but even 'of Babylon.' And then of whom shall he be mindful? 'Those who know me.' Whence it is said in Scripture, 'Pour out your anger on the people who have not known you.' 5 Here then he says: Pour out your anger on a people who have not known you. And elsewhere: 'Give your mercy to those who know you.' 6 And that you know that by Rahab and Babylon the Gentiles are signified, it is as if it were said, 'What is this that you say, 'I am mindful of Rahab and Babylon with those who know me of me? Why do you say this?' Even a foreign people, he says, belonging to Rahab, to Babylon, to Tyre. 'And how many people?' Even to the ends of the earth. For indeed he chooses a people who are at the end of the earth, and the people of Ethiopia, he says, these shall be with me. If then there is Rahab, and there is the people of Babylon, and there is a foreign people, and there is the people of Ethiopia, rightly it is said, 'Most glorious things are said of you, city of God.' Saint Augustine of Hippo, Enarrations on the Psalms, from Psalm 86 1 Ps 86.3 2 Ps 68.4 3 Mt 21.31 4 Mt 11.12  5 Ps 78.6  6 Ps 35.11

Suffering And Salvation

Καὶ τοῦτό μοι ἀποβήσεται εἰς σωτηρίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ δόλος εἰσελεύσεται. Δι' ὅλων δὲ σπουδὴ τῷ δικαίῳ ἐστὶ, παιδεῦσαο τοὺς φίλους τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν ἐπιπόνων, ἵνα κερδήσῃ αὐτοὺς μὴ ἐναντία δοξάζειν. Σωτηρίαν γὰρ ταύτην ἐλογίζετο, τὸ τούτους γνῶναι τὸν περὶ τούτου τῆς προνοίας λόγον, ὄν φανερῶσαι βουλόμενος, ἔλεγε τὸ, Ἐλέγξω· πολλάκις γὰρ ὁ ἔλεγχος τὴν ἀπόδειξιν σημαίνει. Τὸ οὖν ἀψευδὲς αὐτοῦ παραστῆσαι θέλων καὶ τὸ εὐλαβὲς, λέγει, ὅτι Ἄ λέγω, Θεοῦ ὀρῶντος φθέγγομαι. Οὐ γάρ οἶόν τε ἀπάτην τινὰ γενέσθαι Θεῷ, ὡς δόλον εἰσελθεῐν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. Ἐφύλαξας δέ μου πάντα τὰ ἔργα. Οἶδεν ὁ μακάριος τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Δαβὶδ εἰρημένον, ἅγιος ὤν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς οὐ παρατηρεῐται πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας τῶν πταιόντων· ἀλλὰ παιδεύων τοὺς φίλους πάλιν, δι' ἤν αἰτίαν πάσχει, ὅτι δι' ἀγῶνα, τὸ προκείμενον εἴρηκεν, ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ πάντα αὐτοῦ, τὸ ἔργα φυλάξαντος, καὶ ακριβώσαντος, καὶ οὕτως ἐπαγαγόντος αὐτῷ τὰ ἀνιαρά· ἵνα τούτου ἐννοήσωσιν, ὅτι τὸ μέγεθος τῶν τοσούτων ἐπαγαγὼν, οὐ δι' ἁμαρτίας ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ δι' ἀγῶνα, καὶ σκοπὸν ἀνδρείας. Δυδύμος του Ἀλεξανδρέως, Εκλογαι Εἰς Τον Ιὠβ, Κεφ ΙΓ' Source: Migne PG 39.1149c-d

And this shall be for my salvation, for wickedness does not come into His presence. 1 In everything the righteous man desires to teach his friends the cause of evil and troubles, that they be enriched, lest they think differently. For this is adjudged to be salvation, if they are made to understand the workings of providence, which wishing to make clear, he said, 'I shall refute,' for often refutation means demonstration. Thus being without deceit and wishing to be pious, he says, 'These things I say speaking before the eyes of God'. For there no one can be deceitful, just as wickedness may not enter into His presence. And you observed all my works. 2 The blessed Job knew what is spoken by David, that God does not inquire into all the wickedness of our errors, 3 but again he instructs his friends concerning the reason why he suffers, that through his trials, which he has spoken as being brought on him, God studies and examines all his works, so that they should not consider the heaping up of troubles on him and the great magnitude of them to be on account of sin, but so that fortitude may be manifested by trial. Didymus the Blind, On Job, Chapter 13 1 Job 13.16 2 Job 13.27 3 Ps 129.3

Happy In The World

Μάστιξ δὲ παρὰ Κυρίου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς.   Ἐὰν ἴδῃς ἄνθρωπον τοιαῦτα κατὰ Θεοῦ λαλοῦντα ὑγιαίνοντα τῷ σώματι, βλέποντα, τὰ αἰσθητήρια σώζοντα, καὶ δοκοῦντα ἐνίοτε καὶ ἐν τοῖς κοσμικοῖς εὐτυχεῖν· ὅρα, ὅτι πεπλήρωται ἐπ' αὐτοῦ ἀσεβοῦς ὄντος τό· Μάστιξ δὲ παρὰ Κυρίου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τον Ιὠβ, Κεφ ΚΑ'  Source: Migne PG 17 77

The whip of The Lord is not upon them... 1 If you observe that a man who speaks things against God is healthy in his body and endowed with good eyesight and unimpaired in his senses, who it seems that whenever he turns to worldly affairs prospers, understand, that it has been fulfilled concerning this impious one: 'The whip of the Lord is not upon them...' Origen, On Job, Chap 21  1 Job 21.9

A People Excluded

Μίαν μοῖραν, ἓν ψυχῶν γένος ἀποκηρύττω τῆς πανηγύρεως, στένων μὲν καὶ ἀλγῶν, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐπαΐον τας ἴσως πενθῶν, οὐδ' αἰσθανομένους τῆς ἑαυ τῶν ἀπωλείας ἀποδυρόμενος· τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς πληγῆς αὐτῶν τὸ ἐλεεινότατον· ἀποκηρύττω δ' ὅμως, οἳ, σπαρέντες οὐκ ἐπὶ τὴν στερεὰν πέτραν καὶ ἄσειστον, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὴν ξηράν τε καὶ ἄγονον· εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ τῷ λόγῳ προσελθόντες ἐπιπολαίως καὶ ὀλιγόπιστοι, καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς, εὐθέως ἐξανατείλαντες, καὶ προκύψαντες, ἵνα τοῖς πλησίον ἀρέσωσιν, ἔπειτα ὑπὸ βραχείας τοῦ πονηροῦ προσβολῆς καὶ ὀλίγου πειρασμῶν καύσωνος, ἐξηράνθησαν καὶ ἀπέθανον. Καὶ τούτων ἔτι χείρους, καὶ μᾶλλον ἀποκηρυκτέοι τῆς πανηγύρεως, ὅσοι μηδὲ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀντέβησαν τῷ καιρῷ, καὶ τοῖς τὴν κακὴν αἰχμαλω σίαν ἡμᾶς αἰχμαλωτίζουσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀναβάντος εἰς ὕψος, καὶ καλῶς ἡμᾶς αἰχμαλωτίσαντος· ἀλλ' ἐκπεριουσίας ἐφάνησαν πονηροί τε καὶ εὔωνοι, οὐδὲ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀντισχόντες, οὐδὲ γενομένης τινὸς αὐτοῖς θλίψεως, ἢ πειρασμοῦ, διὰ τὸν Λόγον σκανδαλισθέντες, ἀλλὰ προσκαίρου κέρδους, ἢ θεραπείας, ἢ δυναστείας μικρᾶς, οἱ δείλαιοι τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν ἀπεμπολήσαντες. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Δ' Κατὰ Ἰουλιανοῦ βασιλέως Source: Migne PG 35.541

One group, one kind of souls, I exclude from the festive assembly,  groaning and suffering, and who are perhaps neither attentive to the causes of my distress, nor aware of their own lamentable ruin, which is the most pitiable part of their affliction, nevertheless I exclude all who have not been sown on the solid and unshakeable rock, but on the dry and sterile ground, and they are those of little faith who have come to the Word superficially, and who because they have no depth of earth, on springing up and emerging, upon a brief assault of the wicked one, and a slight blaze of trial, have withered and died. 1 And there are those yet worse than them, and indeed more worthy of exclusion from the festive assembly: as many as did not even for a little while hold out against the time and against those who were leading us away into an evil captivity, away from Him who ascended up on high and for our good made captives of us, 2 but they did most overtly show themselves wicked and worthless, for they did not resist even for a little while, though not even any affliction or trial had troubled them on account of the Word, but for the sake of present gain, or place at court, or brief power, the wretches bartered away their own salvation. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 4, Against the Emperor Julian 1 Mt 13.5-6 2 Ps 67.19

Rahab And The Spies

Iste Jesus filius Nun mittit duos exploratores ad Jericho urbem, qui suscipiuntur a meretrice Raab. Jesus iste dux populi in sememtipso Dominum Jesum Christum et vocabulo ostendit et facto. Jericho autem civitas mundus iste est, ad quem Dominus Jesus Christus ad perscrutandos mores hominum duo Testamenta direxit. Nam in eum, ut credentium fidem, aut rebellium pervicaciam plenius comprobaret, ante adventum judicii sui, quasi exploratores duos, legem et Evangelium destinavit. Raab vero typum tenet Ecclesiae, quae de extraneis atque alienis gentibus congregate est, quae antea vivens in desideriis carnis, fornicabatur in idolis. De talibus ait Dominus quod praecedent vos in regno coelorum.  Haec igitur Testamenta Domini sola suscepit, et eadem fideliter conservat, inimicis omnino non tradidit, ipsa potis periclitari optans, dummodo illaesa ac salva servaret. Haec casurum mundum, sicut illam civitatem, firmiter credidit. Haec pro se ac suorum omnium salute pactum cum Testamentis Domini fecit. Haec in domo sua coccum, id est, sanguinis signum posuit. Extra hanc si quis inventus fuerit, ruinam saeculi atque incendium mundi nulla ratione vitabit. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis,Mysticorum Expositiones Sacramentorum Seu Quaestiones In Vetus Testamentum, In Josue, Caput II Source: Migne PL 83.371

This Joshua son of Nun sent two spies to the city of Jericho who were taken in by the harlot Rahab. 1 And that this Joshua leader of the people is our Lord Jesus Christ is shown in the name and the deed. 2 The city of Jericho is the world, to which the Lord Jesus Christ sends the two testaments for the scrutinizing of the ways of men. For thus, that the faith of believers, or the rebelliousness of the obstinate He fully prove, before the coming of His judgement, so he sends these two spies, the Law and the Gospel. Rahab is a type of the Church whom from an exterior and alien people is gathered, who before were living in the flesh and fornicating with idols. And concerning such the Lord says that 'They shall proceed you into the kingdom of heaven.' 3 She alone takes up the testaments of the Lord and faithfully guards them, not giving them to the enemy but desiring to risk danger while she protects inviolate and secure what she has. She among the events of the world, that city, firmly believes. She makes the way with the testaments of the Lord for her salvation and all belonging to her. She has placed in her house the scarlet, that is the sign of blood. And if someone is found without this he will on no account escape the ruin and the burning of the world. Saint Isidore of Seville, Expositions of Sacred Mysteries or Questions on the Old Testament, On Joshua, Chap 2 1 Joshua 2.1 2 Jesus is a form of the name Joshua 3 Mt 21.31

Standing And Falling

Ἐπετίμησας ὑπερηφάνοις ἐπικατάρατοι οἱ ἐκκλίνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου Πότε γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ ἀντικειμένη ἐνέργεια οὐ παλαίει; Οὐ μόνον ὅτ' ἂν ὁμολογουμένως ἀνταγωνίζηται ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ κἂν γενώμεθα ἐν τοῖς καλοῖς καὶ διαφέρουσιν, ἀγωνίζεται πῶς ἡμᾶς φυσιώσαι καὶ ὑψηλόφρονας ποιήσαι· Ὁ Θεὸς δὲ ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσι χάριν. Διὰ τοῦτο ὅσῳ μέγας εἴ, ταπείνου σεαυτὸν, καὶ ἔναντι Κυρίου εὑρήσεις χάρινι. Εἰρήκαμεν δὲ ἥδη ὡς δυνατόν ἐστιν ἐκκλίνειν, οὐ μόνον ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνικῶς λεγομένης, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν. Ὅπου γὰρ ἐντολὴ, δύναται ἔγκλισις γενέσθαι· ἡ ἐντολὴ Θεοῦ εὐθεῖά ἐστιν.  Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμός ΡΙΗ' Source: Migne PG 39 1568

You cry out against the proud, cursed are they who fall away from your commandments... 1 For when does the struggle of the adversary against us cease? Not only does he openly struggle against us, but he even does so when we have passed into good things, for then he strives to make us proud and arrogant. But, 'God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.' 2 As much then as you are greater so much more humble you must be, and in the presence of God you will find grace. We have already said we should not only not fall away from the right way but even from His commandments, for where are His commandments there it is possible to fall away; the command of God is rectitude. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 118 1 Ps 118.21 2 1 Pet 5.5

Deeds And The Virtuous Man

Ὁ τὰς ἀρετας ἐν ἑαυτῷ καθιδρύσας, καὶ ταύταις ὅλος ἀνακραθείς, οὐκ ἔτι μέμνηται νόμου ἢ ἐντολῶν ἢ κολάσεως, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λέγει καὶ πράττει ὁπόσα ἡ ἀρίστη ἕχις ὑπαγορεύει. Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Ὁ Πρακτικός Source: Migne PG 40 1232

One who has established the virtues in himself and is entirely permeated with them no longer tries to be mindful of the law or the commandments, or punishment. Rather, he says and does what his excellent condition suggests. Evagrius Ponticus, from The Praktikos

Law And Liberty

Qui autem perspexerit in lege perfectae libertatis, et permanserit in ea... Legem perfectae libertatis, gratiam dicit Evangelii. Nihil enim ad perfectum adduxit lex dicit. Et alibi: Non enim accepistis spiritum servitutis iterum in timore, sed accepistis spiritum adoptionis filiorum. Et iterum: Ubi enim spirtus Domini, ibi libertas. Et ipse Dominus: Si vos, inquit, Filius liberaverit, vere liberi eritis. Sanctus Beda, Super Divi Jacobi Epistolam, Caput I Source: Migne PL 93 17

For he who has looked into the law of perfect liberty, and remained in it... 1 The law of perfect liberty is the grace of the Gospel. 'For the law does not lead to perfection.' 2 And elsewhere: 'For you have not received the spirit of servitude again in fear, but you received the spirit of adopted sons.' 3 And again: 'For where is the spirit of God there is liberty.' 4 And the Lord himself says: 'If the Son has liberated you, truly you are free.' 5 Saint Bede, from the Commentary on the Letter of Saint James, Chapter 1 1 Jam 1.25 2 Hebr 7.19 3 Rom 8.15 4 2 Cor 3.17 5. Jn 8.36

Trust And Hope

Ἀγαθὸν πεποιθέναι ἐπὶ Κύριον ἢ πεποιθέναι ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον, ἀγαθὸν ἐλπίζειν ἐπὶ Κύριον ἢ ἐλπίζειν ἐπ' ἄρχοντας.  Οὐ καθάπαξ τὸ πεποιθέναι καὶ ἐλπίζειν ἐπὶ Κύριον συνκρινόμενον τῷ πεποιθέναι ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἐλπίζειν ἐπ' ἄρχοντας ἀγαθόν ἐστιν. Ἁπλῶς γὰρ καὶ κυρίως ἀγαθὸν τοῦτο. τὸ δὲ ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἄρχοντα πεποιθέναι καὶ ἐλπίζειν οὐκ ἀγαθόν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοῦς ἐπ' ἀνθρώπῳ πεποιθέναι καὶ ἐν ἄρχοντι ἐλπίζειν σπουδάζοντας ἡ τοιαύτη προσάγεται παίδευσις, ὅπως μάθωσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀεὶ μένοντα καὶ ἰσχυρὸν ὄντα καὶ παντοδυνάμενον θεὸν πεποιθέναι καὶ μὴ ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον θνητὸν καὶ ῥᾷστα φθειρόμενον. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος ΡΙΖ' Source: Migne PG 39 1557

Good it is to trust in God than man, good it is to hope in the Lord than to hope in princes. 1 Not for one and same reason is it good to trust and hope in the Lord and to have confidence in men and hope in princes. For the former is universally and absolutely good, and to have trust in men and to hope in them, or their princes, is not a good. He exhorts, therefore, those who put their hope in men and in rulers of men that they should not doubt that they should rather trust in the almighty God, who always remains strong, that not in man's mortality and weakness they perish. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 117 1 Ps 117.8-9

Good Works And Knowledge

Gratias ago Deo meo, semper mentionem tui faciens in orationibus meis, audiens fidem tuam et charitatem, quam habes in Dominum Jesum, et in omnes sanctos; ut communicatio tua accepta fiat in agnitione omnis boni, quae in nobis est in Christo. Gaudere se dicit, et Deo gratias referre in precibus suis, quia firmus erat in fide et bonis operibus insistebat: qui enim diligit Christum, probare hoc debet in servos ejus, sciens Dominum sibi imputaturum quidquid constiterit erogatum in servis. Apostolus tamen hoc se dicit addere precibus, ut operatio ejus cum cognitione fiat bonitatis; hoc est, ut tali hoc mente operetur, ut in futurum hujus rei exspectet mercedem. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Philomenem Source: Migne PL 17 504-505

'I gave thanks to my God, always making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of your faith and charity which you have in the Lord Jesus and in all the saints, that your faithful fellowship received may be in the knowledge of all good which in us is in Christ.' 1  He says that he rejoices and refers to giving thanks to God in his prayers, for firm he was in faith and he persevered in good works. For he who loves Christ, should prove this in his servants, knowing that the Lord shall impute to him what he gives to his servants. However, the Apostle adds to the prayers, that his work be with knowledge of the good, that is, that he will act with such a mind, that in the future he might hope for the reward of it. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On The Epistle of Saint Paul To Philemon 1 Philemon 4-6

Works Human And Divine

Ὅθεν τῆς σαρκὸς πασχούσης, οὐκ ἦν ἐκτὸς ταύτης ὁ Λόγος· διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ‘αὐτοῦ’ λέγεται καὶ τὸ πάθος· καὶ θεϊκῶς δὲ ποιοῦντος αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐκ ἦν ἔξωθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ σάρξ· ἀλλ' ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ σώματι ταῦτα πάλιν ὁ Κύριος ἐποίει. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἄνθρωπος γενόμενος ἔλεγεν, Εἰ οὐ ποιῶ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Πατρός μου, μὴ πιστεύετέ μοι· εἰ δὲ ποιῶ, κἂν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύητε, τοῖς ἔργοις πιστεύετε, ἵνα γινώσκητε ὅτι ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ Πατὴρ, κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ. Ἀμέλει ὅτε χρεία γέγονε τὴν πενθερὰν θερὰν τοῦ Πέτρου πυρέσσουσαν ἐγεῖραι, ἀνθρωπίνως μὲν ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα, θεϊκῶς δὲ ἦν παύων τὴν νόσον. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ ‘ἐκ γενετῆς τυφλοῦ’ ἀνθρώπινον ἀπὸ τῆς σαρκὸς ἠφίει ‘τὸ πτύσμα,’ θεϊκῶς δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἤνοιγε διὰ τοῦ πηλοῦ· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Λαζάρου φωνὴν μὲν, ὡς ἄνθρωπος, ἀνθρωπίνην ἠφίει· θεϊκῶς δὲ,  ὡς Θεὸς, τὸν Λάζαρον ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν. Ταῦτα δὲ οὕτως ἐγίνετο, καὶ ἐδείκνυτο, ὅτι μὴ φαντασίᾳ ἀλλὰ ἀληθῶς ἦν ἔχων σῶμα· ἔπρεπε δὲ τὸν Κύριον, ἐνδιδυσκόμενον ἀνθρωπίνην σάρκα, ταύτην μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων παθῶν αὐτῆς ὅλην ἐνδύσασθαι, ἵνα, ὥσπερ ἴδιον αὐτοῦ’ λέγομεν εἶναι τὸ σῶμα, οὕτω καὶ τὰ τοῦ σώματος πάθη ἴδια μόνον αὐτοῦ λέγηται, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἥπτετο κατὰ τὴν θεότητα αὐτοῦ. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἑτέρου ἦν τὸ σῶμα, ἐκείνου ἂν λέγοιτο καὶ τὰ πάθη· εἰ δὲ τοῦ Λόγου ἡ σὰρξ ὁ γὰρ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς πάθη λέγεσθαι αὐτοῦ, οὖ καὶ ἡ σάρξ ἐστιν. Οὖ δὲ λέγεται τὰ πάθη, οἷά ἐστι μάλιστα τὸ κατακριθῆναι, τὸ μαστιγωθῆναι, τὸ διψᾷν, καὶ ὁ σταυρὸς, καὶ ὁ θάνατος, καὶ αἱ ἄλλαι τοῦ σώματος ἀσθένειαι, τούτου καὶ τὸ κατόρθωμα καὶ ἡ χάρις ἐστί. Διὰ τοῦτο τοίνυν ἀκολούθως καὶ πρεπόντως οὐκ ἄλλου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Κυρίου λέγεται τὰ τοιαῦτα πάθη· ἵνα καὶ ἡ χάρις παῤ αὐτοῦ ᾖ, καὶ μὴ ἄλλου λάτραι γινώμεθα, ἀλλὰ ἀληθῶς θεοσεβεῖς, ὅτι μηδένα τῶν γενητῶν, μηδὲ κοινόν τινα ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ φύσει καὶ ἀληθινὸν Υἱὸν, τοῦτον καὶ γενόμενον ἄνθρωπον, οὐδὲν ἦττον Κύριον αὐτὸν καὶ Θεὸν καὶ Σωτῆρα ἐπικαλούμεθα. Τοῦτο δὲ τίς οὐκ ἂν θαυμάσειεν; ἢ τίς οὐκ ἂν σύνθοιτο θεῖον ἀληθῶς εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα; εἰ γὰρ τὰ τῆς θεότητος τοῦ Λόγου ἔργα μὴ διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐγίνετο, οὐκ ἂν ἐθεοποιήθη ἄνθρωπος· καὶ πάλιν, εἰ τὰ ἴδια τῆς σαρκὸς οὐκ ἐλέγετο τοῦ Λόγου, οὐκ ἂν ἠλευθερώθη παντελῶς ἀπὸ τούτων ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ἀλλ' εἰ ἄρα πρὸς ὀλίγον μὲν ἀνεπαύετο, ὡς προεῖπον, πάλιν δὲ ἔμενεν ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἡ φθορὰ, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνθρώπων γέγονε, καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυται. Πολλοὶ γοῦν ἅγιοι γεγόνασι καὶ καθαροὶ πάσης ἁμαρτίας· Ἱερεμίας δὲ καὶ ἐκ κοιλίας ἡγιάσθη· καὶ Ἰωάννης ἔτι κυοφορούμενος ‘ἐσκίρτησεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει' ἐπὶ τῇ φωνῇ τῆς Θεοτόκου Μαρίας· καὶ ὅμως ἐβασίλευσεν ὁ θάνατος ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ μέχρι Μωσέως, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς μὴ ἁμαρτήσαντας, ἐπὶ τῷ ὁμοιώματι τῆς παραβάσεως Ἀδάμ· καὶ οὕτως ἔμενον οὐδὲν ἧττον οἱ ἄνθρωποι θνητοὶ καὶ φθαρτοὶ, δεκτικοὶ τῶν ἰδίων τῆς φύσεως παθῶν. Νῦν δὲ τοῦ Λόγου γενομένου ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἰδιοποιουμένου τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς, οὐκέτι ταῦτα τοῦ σώματος ἅπτεται διὰ τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ γενόμενον Λόγον· ἀλλ' ὑπ' αὐτοῦ μὲν ἀνήλωται, λοιπὸν δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὐκέτι κατὰ τὰ ἴδια πάθη μένουσιν ἁμαρτωλοὶ καὶ νεκροὶ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Λόγου δύναμιν ἀναστάντες, ἀθάνατοι καὶ ἄφθαρτοι ἀεὶ διαμένουσιν. Ὅθεν καὶ γεννωμένης τῆς σαρκὸς ἐκ τῆς Θεοτόκου Μαρίας, αὐτὸς λέγεται γεγεννῆσθαι, ὁ τοῖς ἄλλοις γένεσιν εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρέχων· ἵνα τὴν ἡμῶν εἰς ἑαυτὸν μεταθῇ γένεσιν, καὶ μηκέτι ὡς γῇ μόνη ὄντες εἰς γῆν ἀπέλθωμεν, ἀλλ' ὡς τῷ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ Λόγῳ συναφθέντες, εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀναχθῶμεν παῤ αὐτοῦ. Οὐκοῦν οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάθη τοῦ σώματος οὐκ ἀπεικότως εἰς ἑαυτὸν μετέθηκεν, ἵνα μηκέτι ὡς ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλ' ὡς ἴδιοι τοῦ Λόγου, τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς μετάσχωμεν. Οὐκέτι γὰρ, κατὰ τὴν  προτέραν γένεσιν, ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ ἀποθνήσκομεν· ἀλλὰ λοιπὸν τῆς γενέσεως ἡμῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς σαρκικῆς ἀσθενείας μετατεθέντων εἰς τὸν Λόγον, ἐγειρόμεθα ἀπὸ γῆς, λυθείσης τῆς δι' ἁμαρτίαν κατάρας διὰ τὸν ἐν ἡμῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γενόμενον κατάραν· καὶ εἰκότως γε. Ὥσπερ γὰρ, ἐκ γῆς ὄντες πάντες, ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ ἀποθνήσκομεν, οὕτως ἄνωθεν ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος ἀναγεννηθέντες, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ πάντες ζωοποιούμεθα, οὐκέτι ὡς γηΐνης, ἀλλὰ λοιπὸν λογωθείσης τῆς σαρκὸς διὰ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, ὃς δι᾿ ἡμᾶς ἐγένετο σάρξ. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Κατὰ Ἀρειανῶν, Λόγος Τρίτος Source: Migne PG 26 389-396

Whence it was that the flesh suffering the Word was not apart from it, and therefore the passion is said to be His, and doing divinely His Father's works, the flesh was not apart from Him, but in the body itself the Lord did them. Thus, being made man, He said , 'If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe in me, but if I do, though you do not believe in Me, believe the works, that you may know that the Father is in Me and I in Him.' 1 And thus when there was need to raise Peter's mother in law, who was sick with a fever, humanely He stretched forth His hand, but divinely He stopped the illness. 2 And concerning that man blind from the birth, human was the spittle that He brought from the flesh, but divinely did He open the eyes by clay. 3 And with Lazarus He brought forth a human voice as man, but divinely, as God, He raised Lazarus from the dead. 4 And these things were thus done and made manifest because He had a body, not in appearance, but in truth, and it became the Lord, in putting on human flesh, to put it on complete with the affections belonging to it, so that as we say that the body was His own, so also we may say that the body's affections were proper to Him alone, even though they did not touch Him according to His Godhead, and if then the body were another's, to him too would have been the affections attributed, but if the flesh is the Word's, for, as it is said, the Word became flesh, so it is necessary that the affections also of the flesh are His whose is the flesh. And to whom affections are ascribed, such as to be condemned, to be scourged, to thirst, and the cross, and death, and the other infirmities of the body, His is the triumph and the grace. Because of this then, consistently and fittingly such affections are ascribed not to another but to the Lord, that the grace may be from Him, and that we may become, not worshippers of any other, but truly devout, because we invoke no originated thing, no common man, but the natural and true Son of God, who has become man, yet is not the less Lord and God and Saviour. Who will not marvel at this? Or who will not agree that such a thing is truly Divine? For if the works of the Word's Godhead had not taken place through the body, man would not been deified, and again, had not the things of the flesh been ascribed to the Word, man would not have been completely delivered from them, but though they had ceased for a little while, as I said before, still sin remained in him and corruption, as it was for mankind before Him, and for this reason: many, for instance, have been made holy and clean from all sin, why, Jeremiah was hallowed even from the womb, and John, while yet in the womb, leaped for joy at the voice of Mary, Bearer of God, nevertheless, 'Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression,' 5 and thus men remained mortal and corruptible as before, liable to the affections proper to their nature. But now the Word having become man and having taken up what pertains to the flesh, no longer do these things touch the body, because of the Word who has come into it, but they by Him are destroyed, and after men no longer remain sinners and dead according to their proper affections, but having risen according to the power of the Word, they are ever immortal and incorruptible. Whence also as the flesh is born of Mary, Bearer of God, He Himself is said to have been born, He who gives to others an origin of being, in order that He may take our origin into Himself, and we may no longer, as mere earth, to earth return, but as being joined into the Word from heaven, may be carried to heaven by Him. Therefore not without reason has He transferred the other affections of the body to Himself, but that we, no longer as men, but as proper to the Word, may share in eternal life. For no longer according to our former origin, in Adam, do we die, but henceforth our origin and all infirmity of flesh being transferred to the Word, we are raised from the earth, the curse from sin being removed because of Him who is in us and who for us become a curse. And certainly with reason, for as we are all from earth and die in Adam, so being regenerated from above by water and Spirit, in Christ we are all given life, no longer of the earth, but the flesh is made Word by reason of God's Word who for our sake became flesh. Saint Athanasius, from Against the Arians, Oration III 1 Jn 10.37-38  2 Mt 8.14  3 Jn 9.1-8  4 Jn 11. 43-44  5 Rom 5.14

Piety And Works

Ὅταν ὁ νοῦς τοῦ τῆς εὐσεβείας σκοποῦ ἐπιλάθηται, τότε τὸ προφανὲς ἔργον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀνόνητον γίνεται. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source:  Migne PG 65 937

When the mind neglects to give attention to piety then evidently the work of virtue becomes worthless. Saint Mark The Ascetic, from On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works.