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Patrology
علم الباترولوجي
"كتابات الآباء " |
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XI. FRAGMENTS
FOUND IN GREEK ONLY IN THE OXFORD EDITION / XII. FRAGMENTS NOT
GIVEN IN THE OXFORD EDITION |
XI.--FRAGMENTS FOUND IN GREEK ONLY IN THE OXFORD EDITION.
FROM THE LAST WORK ON THE PASSOVER.
Quoted in the Paschal Chronicle.
Accordingly, in the years gone by, Jesus went to eat the passover
sacrificed by the Jews, keeping the feast. But when he had preached
He who was the Passover, the Lamb of God, led as a sheep to the
slaughter, presently taught His disciples the mystery of the type on
the thirteenth day, on which also they inquired, "Where wilt Thou
that we prepare for Thee to eat the passover?"[1] It was on this
day, then, that both the consecration of the unleavened bread and
the preparation for the feast took place. Whence John naturally
describes the disciples as already previously prepared to have their
feet washed by the Lord. And on the following day our Saviour
suffered, He who was the Passover, propitiously sacrificed by the
Jews.
THE SAME.
Suitably, therefore, to the fourteenth day, on which He also
suffered, in the morning, the chief priests and the scribes, who
brought Him to Pilate, did not enter the Praetorium, that they might
not be defiled, but might freely eat the passover in the evening.
With this precise determination of the days both the whole
Scriptures agree, and the Gospels harmonize. The resurrection also
attests it. He certainly rose on the third day, which fell on the
first day of the weeks of harvest, on which the law prescribed that
the priest should offer up the sheaf.
MACARIUS CHRYSOCEPHALUS: PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON, LUKE XV.
ORATION ON LUKE XV., TOWARDS THE CLOSE.
1. What choral dance and high festival is held in heaven, if there
is one that has become an exile and a fugitive from the life led
under the Father, knowing not that those who put themselves far from
Him shall perish; if he has squandered the gift, and substance, and
inheritance of the Father; if there is one whose faith has failed,
and whose hope is spent, by rushing along with the Gentiles into the
same profligacy of debauchery; and then, famished and destitute, and
not even filled with what the swine eat, has arisen and come to his
Father!
But the kind Father waits not till the son comes to Him. For
perchance he would never be able or venture to approach, did he not
find Him gracious. Wherefore, when he merely wishing, when he
straightway made a beginning, when he took the first step, while he
was yet a great way off, He [the Father] was moved with compassion,
and ran, and fell upon his neck and kissed him. And then the son,
taking courage, confessed what he had done.
Wherefore the Father bestows on him the glory and honour that was
due and meet, putting on him the best robe, the robe of immortality;
and a ring, a royal signet and divine seal,--impress of
consecration, signature of glory, pledge of testimony (for it is
said, "He hath set to his seal that God is true,")[1] and shoes, not
those perishable ones which he hath set his foot on holy ground is
bidden take off, nor such as he who is sent to preach the kingdom of
heaven is forbidden to put on, but such as wear not, and ate suited
for the journey to heaven, becoming and adorning the heavenly path,
such as unwashed feet never put on, but those which are washed by
our Teacher and Lord.
Many, truly, are the shoes of the sinful soul, by which it is bound
and cramped. For each man is cramped by the cords of his own sins.
Accordingly, Abraham swears to the king of Sodom, "I will not take
of all that is thine, from a thread to a shoe-latchet."[2] On
account of these being defiled and polluted on the earth, every kind
of wrong and selfishness engrosses life. As the Lord reproves Israel
by Amos, saying, "For three iniquities of Israel, yea, for four, I
will not turn him back; because they have given away the righteous
for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, which tread upon the
dust of the ground."[3]
2. Now the shoes which the Father bids the servant give to the
repentant son who has be-taken himself to Him, do not impede or drag
to the earth (for the earthly tabernacle weighs down the anxious
mind); but they are buoyant, and ascending, and waft to heaven, and
serve as such a ladder and chariot as he requires who has turned his
mind towards the Father. For, beautiful after being first
beautifully adorned with all these things without, he enters into
the gladness within. For "Bring out" was said by Him who had first
said, "While he was yet a great way off, he ran and fell upon his
neck." For it is here[4] that all the preparation for entrance to
the marriage to which we are invited must be accomplished. He, then,
who has been made ready to enter will say, "This my joy is
fulfilled."[5] But the unlovely and unsightly man will hear,
"Friend, how camest thou in here, without having a wedding
garment?"[6] And the fat and unctuous food,--the delicacies abundant
and sufficing of the blessed,--the fatted calf is killed; which is
also again spoken of as a lamb (not literally); that no one may
suppose it small; but it is the great and greatest. For not small is
"the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world,"[7] who "was
led as a sheep to the slaughter," the sacrifice full of marrow, all
whose fat, according to the sacred law, was the Lord's. For He was
wholly devoted and consecrated to the Lord; so well grown, and to
such excessive size, as to reach and extend over all, and to fill
those who eat Him and feed upon Him. For He is both flesh and bread,
and has given Himself as both to us to be eaten.
To the sons, then, who come to Him, the Father gives the calf, and
it is slain and eaten. But those who do not come to Him He pursues
and disinherits, and is found to be a most powerful bull. Here, by
reason of His size and prowess, it is said of Him, "His glory is as
that of an unicorn."[8] And the prophet Habakkuk sees Him bearing
horns, and celebrates His defensive attitude--"horns in His
hands."[9] Wherefore the sign shows His power and authority,--horns
that pierce on both sides, or rather, on all sides, and through
everything. And those who eat are so strengthened, and retain such
strength from the life-giving food in them, that they themselves are
stronger than their enemies, and are all but armed with the horns of
a bull; as it is said, "In thee shall we butt our enemies."[10]
3. Gladness there is, and music, and dances; although the eider son,
who had ever been with and ever obedient to the Father, takes it
ill, when he who never had himself been dissipated or profligate
sees the guilty one made happy.
Accordingly the Father calls him, saying, "Son, thou art ever with
me." And what greater joy and feast and festivity can be than being
continually with God, standing by His side and serving Him? "And all
that is mine is thine." And blessed is the heir of God, for whom the
Father holds possession,--the faithful, to whom the whole world of
possessions belongs.
"It was meet that we should be glad, and rejoice; for thy brother
was dead, and is alive again." Kind Father, who givest all things
life, and raisest the dead. "And was lost, and is found." And
"blessed is the man whom Thou hast chosen and accepted,"[1] and whom
having sought, Thou dost find. "Blessed are those whose iniquities
are forgiven, whose sins are covered."[2] It is for man to repent of
sins; but let this be accompanied with a change that will not be
checked. For he who does not act so shall be put to shame, because
he has acted not with his whole heart, but in haste.
And it is ours to flee to God. And let us endeavour after this
ceaselessly and energetically. For He says, "Come unto Me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."[3] And
prayer and confession with humility are voluntary acts. Wherefore it
is enjoined, "First tell thy sins, that thou mayest be
justified."[4] What afterwards we shall obtain, and what we shall
be, it is not for us to judge.
4. Such is the strict meaning of the parable.[5] The repentant son
came to the pitying Father, never hoping for these things,--the best
robe, and the ring, and the shoes,--or to taste the fatted calf, or
to share in gladness, or enjoy music and dances; but he would have
been contented with obtaining what in his own estimation he deemed
himself worth. "Make me," he had made up his mind to say, "as one of
thy hired servants." But when he saw the Father's welcome meeting
him, he did not say this, but said what he had in his mind to say
first, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee." And
so both his humility and his accusation became the cause of
justification and glory. For the righteous man condemns himself in
his first words. So also the publican departed justified rather than
the Pharisee. The son, then, knew not either what he was to obtain,
or how to take or use or put on himself the things given him; since
he did not take the robe himself, and put; it on. But it is said,
"Put it on him." He did not himself put the ring on his finger, but
those who were bidden "Put a ring on his hand." Nor did he put the
shoes on himself, but it was they who heard, "and shoes on his
feet."
And these things were perhaps incredible to him and to others, and
unexpected before they took place; but gladly received and praised
were the gifts with which he was presented.
5. The parable exhibits this thought, that the exercise of the
faculty of reason has been accorded to each man. Wherefore the
prodigal is introduced, demanding from his father his portion, that
is, of the state of mind, endowed by reason. For the possession of
reason is granted to all, in order to the pursuit of what is good,
and the avoidance of what is bad. But many who are furnished by God
with this make a bad use of the knowledge that has been given them,
and land in the profligacy of evil practices, and wickedly waste the
substance of reason,--the eye on disgraceful sights, the tongue on
blasphemous words, the smell on foetid licentious excesses of
pleasures, the mouth on swinish gluttony, the hands on thefts, the
feet on running into plots, the thoughts on impious counsels, the
inclinations on indulgence on the love of ease, the mind on brutish
pastime. They preserve nothing of the substance of reason
unsquandered. Such an one, therefore, Christ represents in the
parable,--as a rational creature, with his reason darkened, and
asking from the Divine Being what is suitable to reason; then as
obtaining from God, and making a wicked use of what had been given,
and especially of the benefits of baptism, which had been vouchsafed
to him; whence also He calls him a prodigal; and then, after the
dissipation of what had been given him, and again his restoration by
repentance, [He represents] the love of God shown to him.
6. For He says, "Bring hither the fatted calf, kill it, and let us
eat and be merry; for this my son"--a name of nearest relationship,
and significative of what is given to the faithful--"was dead and
lost,"--an expression of extremest alienation; for what is more
alien to the living than the lost and dead? For neither can be
possessed any more. But having from the nearest relationship fallen
to extremest alienation, again by repentance he returned to near
relationship. For it is said, "Put on him the best robe," which was
his the moment he obtained baptism. I mean the glory of baptism, the
remission of sins, and the communication of the other blessings,
which he obtained immediately he had touched the font.
"And put a ring on his hand." Here is the mystery of the Trinity;
which is the seal impressed on those who believe.
"And put shoes on his feet," for "the preparation of the Gospel of
peace,"[6] and the whole course that leads to good actions.
7. But whom Christ finds lost, after sin committed since baptism,
those Novatus, enemy of God, resigns to destruction. Do not let us
then reckon any fault if we repent; guarding against falling, let
us, if we have fallen, retrace our steps. And while dreading to
offend, let us, after offending, avoid despair, and be eager to be
confirmed; and on sinking, let us haste to rise up again. Let us
obey the Lord, who calls to us, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour,
and I will give you rest."[1] Let us employ the gift of reason for
actions of prudence. Let us learn now abstinence from what is
wicked, that we may not be forced to learn in the future. Let us
employ life as a training school for what is good; and let us be
roused to the hatred of sin. Let us bear about a deep love for the
Creator; let us cleave to Him with our whole heart; let us not
wickedly waste the substance of reason, like the prodigal. Let us
obtain the joy laid up, in which Paul exulting, exclaimed, "Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ?"[2] To Him belongs glory
and honour, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end.
Amen.
MACARIUS CHRYSOCEPHALUS: ORATION VIII. ON MATT. VIII., AND BOOK
VII. ON LUKE XIII.
Therefore God does not here take the semblance of man, but of a
dove, because He wished to show the simplicity and gentleness of the
new manifestation of the Spirit by the likeness of the dove. For the
law was stem, and punished with the sword; but grace is joyous, and
trains by the word of meekness. Hence the Lord also says to the
apostles, who said that He should punish with fire those who would
not receive Him, after the manner of Elias: "Ye know not what manner
of spirit ye are of."[3]
FROM THE SAME.--BOOK XIII. CHAP. IX.
Possibly by the "iota and the tittle" His righteousness exclaims,
"If ye come right to me, I also will come right to you; if ye walk
crooked, I also will walk crooked, saith the Lord of hosts,"[4]
alluding to the offences of sinners under the name of crooked ways.
For the straight way, and that according to nature, which is pointed
out by the iota of Jesus, is His goodness, which is immoveable
towards those who have obediently believed. There shall not then
pass away from the law neither the iota nor the tittle; that is,
neither the promise that applies to the straight in the way, nor the
punishment threatened against those that diverge. For the Lord is
good to the straight in the way; but "those that turn aside after
their crooked ways He shall lead forth with those that work
iniquity."[5] "And with the innocent He is innocent, and with the
froward He is froward; "[6] and to the crooked He sends crooked
ways.
His own luminous image God impressed as with a seal, even the
greatest,--on man made in His likeness, that he might be ruler and
lord over all things, and that all things might serve him. Wherefore
God judges man to be wholly His, and His own image. He is invisible;
but His image, man, is visible. Whatever one, then, does to man,
whether good or bad, is referred to Himself. Wherefore from Him
judgment shall proceed, appointing to all according to desert; for
He will avenge His own image.
XII.--FRAGMENTS NOT GIVEN IN THE OXFORD EDITION.
1. IN ANASTASIUS SINAITA, QUEST. 96.
As it is possible even now for man to form men, according to the
original formation of Adam, He no longer now creates, on account of
His having granted once for all to man the power of generating men,
saying to our nature, "Increase, and multiply, and replenish the
earth."[7] So also, by His omnipotent and omniscient power, He
arranged that the dissolution and death of our bodies should be
effected by a natural sequence and order, through the change of
their elements, in accordance with His divine knowledge and
comprehension.
2. JOANNES VECCUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, ON THE PROCESSION
OF THE SPIRIT. IN LEO ALLATIUS, VOL. I. P. 248.
Further, Clement the Stromatist, in the various definitions which he
framed, that they might guide the man desirous of studying theology
in every dogma of religion, defining what spirit is, and how it is
called spirit, says: "Spirit is a substance, subtle, immaterial, and
which issues forth without form."
3. FROM THE UNPUBLISHED DISPUTATION AGAINST ICONOCLASTS, OF
NICEPHORUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE; EDITED IN GREEK AND LATIN BY LE NOURRY
IN HIS APPARATUS TO THE LIBRARY OF THE FATHERS, VOL. I. P. 1334 A.B.
FROM CLEMENT THE PRESBYTER OF ALEXANDRIA'S BOOK AGAINST JUDAIZERS.
Solomon the son of David, in the books styled "The Reigns of the
Kings," comprehending not only that the structure of the true temple
was celestial and spiritual, but had also a reference to the flesh,
which He who was both the son and Lord of David was to build up,
both for His own presence, where, as a living image, He resolved to
make His shrine, and for the church that was to rise up through the
union of faith, says expressly, "Will God in very deed dwell with
men on the earth?"[8]
Please choose an option. He dwells on the earth clothed in flesh,
and His abode with men is effected by the conjunction and harmony
which obtains among the righteous, and which build and rear a new
temple. For the righteous are the earth, being still encompassed
with the earth; and earth, too, in comparison with the greatness of
the Lord. Thus also the blessed Peter hesitates not to say, "Ye
also, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy
temple, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ."
And with reference to the body, which by circumscription He
consecrated as a hallowed place for Himself upon earth, He said,"
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again. The
Jews therefore said, In forty-six years was this temple built, and
wilt thou raise it up in three days ? But He spake of the temple of
His body."[2]
4. FROM MS. MARKED 2431 IN THE LIBRARY OF THE MOST CHRISTIAN
KING.--IBID. P. 1336 -- A. FROM THE VERY HOLY AND BLESSED CLEMENT,
PRESBYTER OF ALEXANDRIA, THE STROMATIST'S BOOK ON PROVIDENCE.
What is God? "God," as the Lord saith, "is a Spirit." Now spirit is
properly substance, incorporeal, and uncircumscribed. And that is
incorporeal which does not consist of a body, or whose existence is
not according to breadth, length, and depth. And that is
uncircumscribed[3] which has no place, which is wholly in all, and
in each entire, and the same in itself.
5. FROM THE SAME MS.--IBID. 1335
<greek>Fusis</greek> (nature) is so called from <greek>to</greek>
<greek>pefukenai</greek> (to be born). The first substance is
everything which subsists by itself, as a stone is called a
substance. The second is a substance capable of increase, as a plant
grows and decays. The third is animated and sentient substance, as
animal, horse. The fourth is animate, sentient, rational substance,
as man. Wherefore each one of us is made as consisting of all,
having an immaterial soul arid a mind, which is the image of God.
6. IN JOHN OF DAMASCUS--PARALLEL--VOL. II. P. 307.
The fear of God, who is impassible, is free of perturbation. For it
is not God that one dreads, but the falling away from God. He who
dreads this, dreads falling into what is evil, and dreads what is
evil. And he that fears a fall wishes himself to be immortal and
passionless.
7.THE SAME, P. 341.
Let there be a law against those who dare to look at things sacred
and divine irreverently, and in a way unworthy of God, to inflict on
them the punishment of blindness.
8. THE SAME, P. 657.
Universally, the Christian is friendly to solitude, and quiet, and
tranquillily, and peace.
9. FROM THE CATENA ON THE PENTATEUCH, PUBLISHED IN LATIN BY
FRANCIS ZEPHYRUS, P. 146.
That mystic name which is called the Tetragrammaton, by which alone
they who had access to the Holy of Holies were protected, is
pronounced Jehovah, which means, "Who is, and who shall be." The
candlestick which stood at the south of the altar signified the
seven planets, which seem to us to revolve around the meridian, [4]
on either side of which rise three branches; since the sun also like
the lamp, balanced in the midst of the planets by divine wisdom,
illumines by its light those above and below. On the other side of
the altar was situated the table on which the loaves were displayed,
because from that quarter of the heaven vital and nourishing breezes
blow.
10. FROM J. A. CRAMER'S CATENAE GRAECORUM PATRUM IN NOV. TEST.
OXFORD 1840 VOL. III.
On Acts vii. 24, 25. The mystics say that it was by his word alone
that Moses slew the Egyptian; as certainly afterwards it is related
in the Acts that [Peter] slew with his word those who kept back part
of the price of the land, and lied.
11. THE SAME, VOL. IV. P. 291.
On Rom. viii. 38. "Or life, that of our present existence," and
"death,"--that caused by the assault of persecutors, and "angels,
and principalities, and powers," apostate spirits.
12. P. 369, CHAP. X. 3.
And having neither known nor done the requirement of the law, what
they conceived, that they also thought that the law required. And
they did not believe the law, as prophesying, but the bare word; and
followed it from fear, but not with their disposition and in faith.
13. VOL. VI . P. 385.
On 2 Cor. v. 16. "And if we have known Christ after the flesh."
And so far, he says, no one any longer lives after the flesh. For
that is not life, but death. For Christ also, that He might show
this,[1] ceased to live after the flesh. How? Not by putting off the
body! Far be it! For with it as His own He shall come, the Judge of
all. But by divesting Himself of physical affections, such as
hunger, and thirst, and sleep, and weariness. For now He has a body
incapable of suffering and of injury.
As "after the flesh" in our case is being in the midst of sins, and
being out of them is to be "not after the flesh;" so also after the
flesh, in the case of Christ, was His subjection to natural
affections, and not to be subject to them was not to be "after the
flesh." "But," he says, "as He was released, so also are we." Let
there be no longer, he says, subjection to the influences of the
flesh. Thus Clement, the fourth book of the Hypotyposes.
14. FROM THE SAME, P. 391.
On 2 Cor. vi. 11. "Our heart is enlarged." For as heat is wont to
expand, so also love. For love is a thing of warmth. As if he would
say, I love you not only with mouth, but with heart, and have you
all within. Wherefore he says: "ye are not straitened in us, since
desire itself expands the soul." "Our heart is enlarged" to teach
you all things; "but ye are straitened in your own bowels," that is,
in love to God, in which you ought to love me. Thus Clement, in the
fourth book of the Hypotyposes.
15. FROM VOL. III. v. 286.
Heb. i. I. "At sundry times and divers man Since the Lord, being the
Apostle of the Almighty, was sent to the Hebrews, it was out of
modesty that Paul did not subscribe himself apostle of the Hebrews,
from reverence for the Lord, and because he was the herald and
apostle of the Gentiles, and wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews in
addition [to his proper work].[3]
16. FROM THE SAME.
The same work contains a passage from The Instructor, book i. chap.
vi.[4] The passage is that beginning, "For the blood is found to
be," down to "potent charms of affection."
Portions, however, are omitted. There are a good many various
readings; but although the passage in question, as found in Cramer's
work, is printed in full in Migne's edition, on the alleged ground
of the considerable variation from the text of Clement, the
variation is not such as to make a translation of the passage as
found in Cramer of any special interest or value. We have noted the
following readings:--
<greek>ginetai</greek>, where, the verb being omitted, we have
inserted is: There is an obstruction, etc.
<greek>suriggas</greek>, tubes, instead of <greek>s</greek><s212>,
<greek>raggas</greek> (hollows), hollows of the breasts.
<greek>geitniaxouswn</greek>, for <greek>getniouswn</greek>
neighbouring (arteries).
<greek>epilhyei</greek>, for interruption (such as this).
<greek>apoklhrw</greek>,<greek>s</greek>, <greek>is</greek> occurs
as in the text, for which the emendation <greek>apolhrhsis</greek>,
as specified in the note, has been adopted. <greek>htis</greek>
<greek>esti</greek>, omitted here, which is "sweet through grace,"
is supplied.
P. 142.
<greek>gala</greek>, milk, instead of <greek>manna</greek>, manna,
(that food) manna.
P. 149.
<greek>krh</greek> <greek>de</greek> <greek>katanohsai</greek>
<greek>thn</greek>
<greek>f</greek>,<greek>usi</greek>,<greek>n</greek> (but it is
necessary to consider nature), for <greek>ou</greek>
<greek>katanenohkotes</greek>, <greek>t</greek>. <greek>f</greek>.,
through want of consideration of nature.
<greek>katakleiomenh</greek>, agreeing with food, for
<greek>katakleiomenw</greek>, agreeing with heat (enclosed within).
<greek>ginetai</greek> for <greek>gar</greek> (which is
untranslated), (the blood) is (a preparation) for milk.
P. 144.
<greek>toinun</greek> <greek>ton</greek> <greek>logon</greek> is
supplied, and <greek>eikotws</greek> omitted in the clause, Paul
using appropriate figurative language.
P. 145.
<greek>plhn</greek> is supplied before <greek>alla</greek>
<greek>to</greek> <greek>en</greek> <greek>auth</greek>, and the
blood in it, etc., is omitted.
P. 146.
"For Diogenes Apolloniates will have it" is omitted.
<greek>panth</greek>, rendered "in all respects," is connected with
the preceding sentence.
P. 147.
<greek>oti</greek> <greek>t</greek><ss228><greek>inun</greek>, for
<greek>Ws</greek> <greek>d</greek>. And that (milk is produced).
<greek>thnikauta</greek> for <greek>thnikade</greek> in the clause,
"and the grass and meadows are juicy and moist," not translated.
<greek>proeirhmenw</greek>, above mentioned (milk), omitted.
<greek>trufhs</greek> for <greek>trofhs</greek>, (sweet) nutriment.
<greek>tw</greek> omitted before <greek>glukei</greek>, sweet
(wine), and <greek>kaqaper</greek>, "as, when suffering."
<greek>to</greek> <greek>liparon</greek> for <greek>tw</greek>
<greek>liparw</greek>, and <greek>aridhlws</greek> for
<greek>aridhlou</greek>, in the sentence: "Further, many use the fat
of milk, called butter, for the lamp, plainly," etc.
N. B.
[Le Nourry decides that the Adumbrations were not translated from
the Hypotyposes, but Kaye (p. 473) thinks on insufficient grounds.
See, also (p. 5), Kaye's learned note.] |