Homilies on the Psalms 32.1–32.8
Greek text: PG 29.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 32
32.1PG 29:598
Ἀγαλλιάσθε, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ" τοῖς εὐθέσι πρέπει αἵνεσις. … φαιδροτάτην τινὰ καὶ περιχαρῇ κατάστασιν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀξίοις εὐθυμίας ἐμφαίνουσα. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε οὖν, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ " μὴ ὅταν ὑμῖν εὐθηνῆται τὰ κατὰ τὸν οἶκον, μὴ ὅταν εὐεκτῆτε τῷ σώματι, μὴ ὅταν αἱ ἄρουραι πληθύνωσι καρπῶν παντοδαπῶν " ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι Κύριον ἔχετε, τοιοῦτον μὲν τὸ κάλλος, τοιοῦτον δὲ τὴν ἀγαθότητα, τὴν σοφίαν τοιοῦτον. ᾿Αρκείτω ὑμῖν ἡ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ εὐφροσύνη. "Καὶ ἔοικεν ὁ μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης καὶ χαρᾶς ἐπαγαλλόμενός τινι τῶν περισπουδάστων, οὕτως ἀγαλλιᾷν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ. Διὸ τοὺς δικαίους παρορμᾷ ὁ λόγος αἰσθάνεσθαι μετὰ τοῦ ἀξιώματος, ὅτι τοιούτου Δεσπότου δοῦλοι εἶναι κατηξιώθησαν, καὶ ἐπαγάλλεσθαι αὑτοῦ τῇ δουλείᾳ μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀμυθήτου καὶ σκιρτημάτων, … ἀγάπης τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, Εἴ ποτέ σου τῇ καρδίᾳ οἱονεὶ φῶς ἐμπεσὸν ἀθρόαν Θεοῦ ἔννοιαν ἐνεποίησε, καὶ περιέλαμψέ σου τὴν ψυχὴν, ὥστε ἀγαπῆσαι μὲν τὸν Θεὸν, καταφρονῆσαι δὲ κόσμου καὶ τῶν σωματικῶν πάντων, ἐκ τῆς ἀμυδρᾶς ἐκείνης καὶ βραχείας εἰκόνος γνώρισον τὴν ὅλην τῶν δικαίων κατάστασιν, ὁμαλῶς καὶ ἀδιακόπως τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ εὐφροσύνην κατορθούντων. Σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐμπίπτει ποτὲ σπανίως ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἀγαλλίαμα κατ᾽ οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ, ἵνα σε διὰ μικροῦ γεύματος εἰς ὑπόμνησιν ἀγάγῃ οἵων ἐστέρησαι τῷ δὲ δικαίῳ διαρκῆς ἔστιν ἡ θεία καὶ ἐπουράνιος εὐφροσύνη, διότι ἅπαξ αὐτῷ ἐνοικεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα" πρῶτος δὲ καρπὸς τοῦ Πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρὰ, εἰρήνη. ᾿Αγαλλιᾶσθε οὖν, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ. Οἰονεὶ τόπος χωρητικός ἐστι τῶν δικαίων ὁ Κύριος " ἐν ᾧ τὸν γενόμενον πᾶσα ἀνάγκη εὐθυμεῖσθαι καὶ ἐνευφραίνεσθαι. Γίνεται καὶ ὁ δίκαιος τόπος τῷ Κυρίῳ, λαμβάνων αὐτὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Ὁ μὲν ἁμαρτάνων δίδωσι τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ, παρακούων τοῦ λέγοντος Μηδὲ δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ " καὶ τοῦ Ἐκκλησιαστοῦ: ᾿Εὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ σὲ, τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς. Ἔν αὐτῷ οὖν γενόμενοι τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ καθόσον ἐσμὲν δυνατοὶ, κατοπτεύοντες αὐτοῦ τὰ θαυμάσια, οὕτω συναγάγωμεν ἐκ τῆς θεωρίας ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν εὐφροσύνην. Τοῖς εὐθέσι πρέπει αἴνεσις ᾿ ὥσπερ σκολιὸς ποῦς ὀρθῷ ὑποδήματι οὐχ ἐναρμόζεται, οὕτως οὐδὲ χαρ. Διὰ τοῦτο, οἶμαι, ὡς οὐ πρέποντος τῷ στόματι τῶν δαιμόνων τοῦ περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λόγου, ἀφαιρεῖται αὐτῶν τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἵνα μὴ φανερὸν αὑτὸν ποιήσωσι. Καὶ τῷ Πύθωνι ὁ Παῦλος ἐπιτιμᾷ, ἵνα μὴ ἀπὸ ἀκαθάρτου ὁ ἅγιος συνιστῆται. Τοιοῦτον καὶ τὸ, Τῷ δὲ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός" Ἵνα τί σὺ ἐκδιηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου; Φιλοτιμώμεθα οὖν φυγεῖν πᾶν σκολιὸν ἔργον καὶ στραγγαλιῶδες, καὶ κατορθώσωμεν ὡς εὐθῆ κανόνα τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν καὶ τὸ κριτήριον τῆς ψυχῆς, ἵνα γενομένοις ἡμῖν εὐθέσιν ἐπιπρέψῃ ἡ αἴνεσις τοῦ Κυρίου, Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καθηγησάμενος ὄφις σκολιὸς λέγεται, καὶ ἐπάγεται ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μάχαιρα ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα τὸν ὄφιν τὸν σκολιὸν, ὅτι πολλὰς ἐκκλίσεις καὶ ἐκτροπὰς ἐν τῇ πορείᾳ ποιεῖται. Συρόμενος γὰρ ὁ ὁλκὸς τοῦ ὄφεως ἀνωμάλως τῇ γῇ ἐπισύρεται, ἄλλως ὁρμώντων τῶν ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ πλαγίως ἐφεπομένων τῶν ἑξῆς, καὶ πάλιν τῶν οὐραίων πρὸς τὸ ἐναντίον ἀπονευόντων. Ὥστε ὁ μὲν τῷ ὄφει ἐπόμενος σκολιὸν καὶ ἀνώμαλον καὶ ἐναντιωμάτων γέμοντα τὸν βίον ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιδείξεται " ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ πορευόμενος εὐθείας ποιεῖται τὰς τρίβους, καὶ ὀρθὰς τὰς τροχιὰς τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ. Εὐθὴς γὰρ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ εὐθύτητας εἶδε τὸ πρόσωπον αὑτοῦ. Ἐὰν δύο κανόνες ἀλλήλοις παρατεθῶσιν, ἡ εὐθύτης αὐτῶν συναρμόζει ἀλλήλοις " ἐὰν δὲ διάστροφον ξύλον κανόνι παρατεθῇ, ἀσυνάρμοστον εὑρίσκεται τῷ ὀρθῷ τὸ στρεβλόν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν εὐθὴς ἔστιν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ αἴνεσις, εὐθείας χρεία καρδίας, ἵνα ἐπιπρέψῃ αὐτῇ καὶ ἐφαρμόσῃ ὁ αἶνος. Εἰ δὲ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, πῶς ἂν ἐνέγκῃς τὸν αἶνον, μὴ ἔχων τὸ εὐθὲς πνεῦμά ἐγκαινισθὲν ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις σου; Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν κιθάρᾳ, ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ δεκαχόρδῳ ψάλατε αὐτῷ. Πρότερον ἐν κιθάρᾳ δεῖ ἐξομολογήσασθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ " τουτέστι, τὰς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐνεργείας ἀποδοῦναι ἐναρμονίως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμάρτομεν, ὅτε παρεστήσαμεν τὰ μέλη ἡμῶν δοῦλα τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἀνομίαν, τῷ σώματι καὶ ἐξομολογησώμεθα, τῷ αὐτῷ κεχρημένοι ὀργάνῳ πρὸς τὴν ἀνάλυσιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Ἐλοιδόρησας; εὐλόγησον. Ἐπλεονέκτη… . Ἐφόνευσας; μαρτύρησον" ἢ τὰ ἰσοδυναμοῦντα τῷ … κάκωσον. Καὶ τότε μετὰ τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν ἄξιος εἶ ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ δεκαχόρδῳ ψάλλειν τῷ Θεῷ. Δεῖ γὰρ πρότερον κατορθῶσαι τὰς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐνεργείας, ὥστε ἀρμονίως τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ ἀποτελεῖν, καὶ οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν νοητῶν ἀναβῆναι. Ψαλτήριον γὰρ τάχα ὁ νοῦς εἴρηται ὁ τὰ ἄνω ζητῶν. διὰ τὸ τὴν κατασκευὴν τοῦ ὀργάνου τούτου τὴν ἠχοῦσαν δύναμιν ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν ἔχειν. Τὰ μὲν οὖν τοῦ σώματος ἔργα οἱονεὶ κάτωθεν ἐξομολογεῖται τῷ Θεῷ " τὰ δὲ διὰ τοῦ νοῦ ἐπαγγελλόμενα μυστήρια τὰς ἀφορμὰς ἄνωθεν ἔχει, οἱονεὶ ἐνηχουμένου διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. Ὃ τοίνυν ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ἐπιβλέπων, καὶ οἱονεὶ συνῳδίαν αὐτῶν καὶ συμφωνίαν ποιῶν, οὗτος ἐν δεκαχόρδῳ ψαλτηρίῳ ψάλλει τῷ Θεῷ, διὰ τὸ δέκα εἶναι τὰς γενικὰς ἐντολὰς κατὰ τὴν πρώτην τοῦ νόμου παράδοσιν γεγραμμένας. Ἄσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἅσμα καινόν. Τουτέστιν, Μὴ ἐν τῇ παλαιότητι τοῦ γράμματος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ καινότητι τοῦ πνεύματος λατρεύετε τῷ Θεῷ. Ὁ μὴ σωματικῶς ἐκλαμβάνων τὸν νόμον, ἀλλὰ τὸ πνευματικὸν αὐτοῦ γνωρίζων, οὗτος ἄδει τὸ καινὸν ἅσμα. Διότι τὸ μὲν παλαιούμενον καὶ γηράσκον τῆς Διαθήκης διέβη " τὸ δὲ καινὸν καὶ ἀνανεούμενον ᾆσμα ἡμᾶς τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου διδασκαλίας διεδέξατο, ἥτις ἀνακαινίζει ἡμῶν, ὡς ἀετοῦ, τὴν νεότητα, ὅταν φθείρωμεν μὲν τὸν ἔξω ἄνθρωπον, ἀνακαινώμεθα δὲ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ὁ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενος ἀεὶ ἑαυτοῦ καινότερος γίνεται. Ὥστε ὁ ἀεὶ καινότερος ἑαυτοῦ γινόμενος καινότερον ᾆσμα ἄδει τῷ Θεῷ. Καινὸν … τὸ προσφάτως παρελθὸν εἰς τὴν γένεσιν. Ἐάν τε οὖν τὸν θαυμάσιον τρόπον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν φύσιν ὑπερβαίνοντα τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως διηγῇ τοῦ Κυρίου, καινότερον ἄσμα καὶ ξένον ἄδεις " ἐάν τε τὴν ἀναγέννησιν καὶ ἀνανέωσιν τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου τοῦ ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας παλαιωθέντος διεξίῃς, καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἀπαγγέλλῃς μυστήρια, καὶ οὕτω καινὸν καὶ πρόσφατον ἄδεις τὸ ᾷσμα. Καλῶς ψάλατε αὐτῷ ἐν ἀλαλαγμῷ. ᾿Ακούετε τοῦ παραγγέλματος. Καλῶς ψάλατε - ἀμετεωρίστῳ τῇ διανοίᾳ, εἰλικρινεῖ τῇ διαθέσει. ᾿Εν ἀλαλαγμῷ ψάλατε. “Ὥσπερ τινὲς καλοὶ στρατιῶται μετὰ τὰ νικητήρια τὰ κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἀνενέγκατε ὕμνους τῷ αἰτίῳ τῆς νίκης. Θαρσεῖτε, φησὶν, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον. Τίς ἀνθρώπων ἱκανὸς ἀντιστρατεύσασθαι τῷ πονηρῷ, ἐὰν μὴ τῇ σκέπῃ τοῦ ἀρχιστρατήγου τῆς δυνάμεως προσφυγόντες, ἐκεῖθεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ πίστεως βάλωμεν ἡμῶν τὸν ἐχθρὸν, τοξεύσωμεν; Καλῶς οὖν ψάλατε ἐν "Ἔστι δὲ ὁ ἀλαλαγμὸς φωνή τις ἄναρθρος, συμφώνως ἀλλήλοις τῶν συνασπιζόντων ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ συνεπηχούντων. Ἐν συμφωνίᾳ οὖν καὶ ἐν συμπνοίᾳ, καὶ τῇ διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ἑνώσει ψάλατε. Τί οὖν δεῖ ψάλλοντας λέγειν; Ὅτι εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου. Διὰ τοῦτο πρότερον τοὺς εὐθεῖς καλεῖ πρὸς τὴν αἴνεσιν, ἐπειδὴ εὐθής ἐστι καὶ ὁ μέλλων δοξάζεσθαι Λόγος, ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου, ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὧν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ὥν. Εὐθὴς οὖν ὁ Πατήρ’ εὐθὴς ὁ Υἱός" εὐθὲς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὑτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Τί ἐστιν ὃ λέγει; Ἔργον ὁ οὐρανὸς, ἔργον ἡ γῆ, ἔργον ἡ θάλασσα, ὁ ἀὴρ, τὰ ἄψυχα πάντα, τὰ ἔμψυχα, τὰ λογικὰ, τὰ ἄλογα. Πῶς οὖν ἐν πίστει πάντα; ποία πίστις ἐν τοῖς ἀψύχοις; ποία πίστις ἡ τῶν ἀλόγων; Ποία δὲ πίστις ἐν τῷ λίθῳ; ποία δὲ πίστις ἐν τῷ κυνί; Οὔτε ἄψυχον, οὔτε ἄλογον ἐν πίστει. Ἢ μέντοι ἀπόφασις οὐδὲν ὑπεξείλετο, ἀλλὰ πάντα περιείληφεν εἰποῦσα " Πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὑτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὃ λέγει; Ἐάν τε οὐρανὸν, φησὶν, ἴδῃς, καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ τάξιν, πίστεώς ἐστιν ὁδηγός " δείκνυσι γὰρ τὸν τεχνίτην δι᾿ ἑαυτοῦ " ἐάν τε τὰς περὶ τὴν γῆν διακοσμήσεις, πάλιν καὶ διὰ τούτων αὔξεταί σοι ἡ περὶ τὸν Θεὸν πίστις. Οὐ γὰρ σαρκίνοις ὀφθαλμοῖς καταμαθόντες τὸν Θεὸν, πεπιστεύκαμεν εἰς αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ νοῦ δυνάμει διὰ τῶν ὁρωμένων τὸν ἀόρατον καθορῶμεν. Πάντα οὖν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Κἂν τὸν λίθον καταμάθῃς, ἔχει καὶ αὐτός τινα τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἀπόδειξιν᾽ κἂν μύρμηκα, κἂν ἐμπίδα, κἂν μέλισσαν. Πολλάκις καὶ ἐν τοῖς μικροτάτοις ἡ σοφία τοῦ δημιουργοῦ διαφαίνεται. Ὃ γὰρ οὐρανὸν διαπλώσας, καὶ τὰ ἄπλετα μεγέθη τῶν πελαγῶν ἀναχέας, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ καὶ τὸ λεπτότατον κέντρον τῆς μελίσσης κοιλάνας ὥσπερ αὐλὸν, ὥστε δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἰὸν ἀποχεῖσθαι. Πάντα οὖν τὰ ἔργα αὑτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Μηδέν σοι ἀπιστίας ἐφόδιον ἔστω. Μὴ εἴπῃς " Ὡς ἔτυχε, γέγονε τοῦτο, καὶ αὐτομάτως ἀπήντησε τόδε. Οὐδὲν ἄτακτον, οὐδὲν ἀόριστον, οὐδὲν εἰκῆ γενόμενον, οὐδὲ ὡς ἔτυχε φερόμενον ἐν τοῖς οὖσιν, Ἢ, Κακὴ συντυχία, ἣ, πονηρὰ ὥρα. ᾿Απαιδεύτων αὗται αἱ φωναί. Οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται; καὶ ἐν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἄνευ τοῦ θείου θελήματος. Πόσαι αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς· Μία αὐτῶν οὐχ ἔστιν ἐπιλελησμένη. Ὁρᾷς τὸν θεῖον ὀφθαλμὸν, ὡς οὐδὲν τῶν μικροτάτων τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ διαφεύγει; ᾿Αγαπᾷ ἐλεημοσύνην καὶ κρίσιν ὁ Κύριος" τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ. Εἰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ὑπῆρχεν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσις, ἀποτόμως ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἡμῶν ἀποδιδόντος πρὸς ἃ ἐποιήσαμεν, ποία ἦν ἐλπίς; τίς ἂν ἐσώθη τῶν πάντων; Νῦν δὲ ἀγαπᾷ … τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ποιησάμενος, καὶ προβληθεῖσαν τῷ βασιλικῷ τῆς κρίσεως θρόνῳ, οὕτω παράγει εἰς κρίσιν ἕκαστον. ᾿Εὰν ἀνομίας παρατηρήσῃς, Κύριε, Κύριε, τίς ὑποστήσεται; Οὔτε ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἄκριτος, οὔτε ἡ κρίσις ἀνελεήμων. Πρὸ τῆς κρίσεως οὖν ἀγαπᾷ ἐλεημοσύνην, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὴν κρίσιν. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀλλήλοις συνέζευκται, ὁ ἔλεος μετὰ τῆς κρίσεως " ἵνα μήτε ὁ ἔλεος μόνος χαυνότητα ἐμποιήσῃ, μήτε μόνη ἡ κρίσις ἀπόγνωσιν ἐνεργάσηται. Βούλεταί σε ἐλεῆσαι, καὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ οἰκτιρμῶν μεταδοῦναι ὁ κριτῆς " ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν εὕρῃ σε μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ταπεινὸν, συντετριμμένον, πολλὰ μετακλαύσαντα ἐπὶ τοῖς πονηροῖς ἔργοις, τὰ γενόμενα κρυφῇ ἀνεπαισχύντως δημοσιεύσαντα, τὰ καὶ ὅλως ἐλεεινόν σε γενόμενον ἐὰν ἴδῃ, ἄφθονόν σοι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐλεημοσύνην ἐπιχορηγεῖ - ἐὰν δὲ καρδίαν ἀμετανόητον, φρόνημα ὑπερήφανον, ἀπιστίαν τοῦ αἰῶνος τοῦ μέλλοντος, ἀφοβίαν τῆς κρίσεως, τότε ἀγαπᾷ ἐπὶ σοὶ τὴν κρίσιν. Ὡς γὰρ ἰατρὸς ἐμμελῆς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος καταντλήμασι πρότερον καὶ περιπλάσμασιν ἁπαλοῖς πειρᾶται καταστεῖλαι τὸ οἴδημα· ἐπὰν δὲ ἴδῃ ἀνενδότως καὶ σκληρῶς ἀντιτυποῦντα τὸν ὄγκον, ῥίψας τὸ ἔλαιον καὶ τὴν μαλακὴν ἀγωγὴν, αἱρεῖται λοιπὸν τὴν τοῦ σιδήρου χρῆσιν. ᾿Αγαπᾷ οὖν ἐλεημοσύνην ἐπὶ τῶν μετανοούντων “ ἀγαπᾷ δὲ καὶ κρίσιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνενδότων. Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας λέγει τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι Ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη σου εἰς σταθμόν. Καὶ γὰρ κἀκεῖνος τὴν μετὰ κρίσεως ἐλεημοσύνην παρίστησι, ζυγῷ καὶ ἀριθμῷ καὶ σταθμῷ κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου ἀξίαν ἀντιμετροῦντος.
Agalliasthe, dikaioi, en Kyriǭ" tois euthesi prepei hainesis. … phaidrotatēn tina kai pericharę̄ katastasin tēs psychēs epi tois axiois euthymias emphainousa. Agalliasthe oun, dikaioi, en Kyriǭ " mē hotan hymin euthēnētai ta kata ton oikon, mē hotan euektēte tǭ sōmati, mē hotan hai arourai plēthynōsi karpōn pantodapōn " all᾽ hoti Kyrion echete, toiouton men to kallos, toiouton de tēn agathotēta, tēn sophian toiouton. ᾿Arkeitō hymin hē ep᾽ autǭ euphrosynē. "Kai eoiken ho met᾽ euphrosynēs kai charas epagallomenos tini tōn perispoudastōn, houtōs agalliąn ep᾿ autǭ. Dio tous dikaious parormą ho logos aisthanesthai meta tou axiōmatos, hoti toioutou Despotou douloi einai katēxiōthēsan, kai epagallesthai hautou tę̄ douleią meta charas amythētou kai skirtēmatōn, … agapēs tou agathou, Ei pote sou tę̄ kardią hoionei phōs empeson athroan Theou ennoian enepoiēse, kai perielampse sou tēn psychēn, hōste agapēsai men ton Theon, kataphronēsai de kosmou kai tōn sōmatikōn pantōn, ek tēs amydras ekeinēs kai bracheias eikonos gnōrison tēn holēn tōn dikaiōn katastasin, homalōs kai adiakopōs tēn epi tǭ Theǭ euphrosynēn katorthountōn. Soi men gar empiptei pote spaniōs ekeino to agalliama kat᾽ oikonomian Theou, hina se dia mikrou geumatos eis hypomnēsin agagę̄ hoiōn esterēsai tǭ de dikaiǭ diarkēs estin hē theia kai epouranios euphrosynē, dioti hapax autǭ enoikei to Pneuma" prōtos de karpos tou Pneumatos estin agapē, chara, eirēnē. ᾿Agalliasthe oun, dikaioi, en Kyriǭ. Oionei topos chōrētikos esti tōn dikaiōn ho Kyrios " en hǭ ton genomenon pasa anankē euthymeisthai kai eneuphrainesthai. Ginetai kai ho dikaios topos tǭ Kyriǭ, lambanōn auton en heautǭ. Ho men hamartanōn didōsi topon tǭ diabolǭ, parakouōn tou legontos Mēde didote topon tǭ diabolǭ " kai tou Ekklēsiastou: ᾿Ean pneuma tou exousiazontos anabę̄ epi se, topon sou mē aphę̄s. En autǭ oun genomenoi tǭ Kyriǭ, kai kathoson esmen dynatoi, katopteuontes autou ta thaumasia, houtō synagagōmen ek tēs theōrias tais kardiais hēmōn euphrosynēn. Tois euthesi prepei ainesis ᾿ hōsper skolios pous orthǭ hypodēmati ouch enarmozetai, houtōs oude char. Dia touto, oimai, hōs ou prepontos tǭ stomati tōn daimonōn tou peri tou Sōtēros logou, aphaireitai autōn tēn exousian, hina mē phaneron hauton poiēsōsi. Kai tǭ Pythōni ho Paulos epitimą, hina mē apo akathartou ho hagios synistētai. Toiouton kai to, Tǭ de hamartōlǭ eipen ho Theos" Hina ti sy ekdiēgę̄ ta dikaiōmata mou? Philotimōmetha oun phygein pan skolion ergon kai strangaliōdes, kai katorthōsōmen hōs euthē kanona ton noun hēmōn kai to kritērion tēs psychēs, hina genomenois hēmin euthesin epiprepsę̄ hē ainesis tou Kyriou, Hōsper gar ho tēn hamartian kathēgēsamenos ophis skolios legetai, kai epagetai hē tou Theou machaira epi ton drakonta ton ophin ton skolion, hoti pollas ekkliseis kai ektropas en tę̄ poreią poieitai. Syromenos gar ho holkos tou opheōs anōmalōs tę̄ gę̄ episyretai, allōs hormōntōn tōn emprosthen, kai plagiōs ephepomenōn tōn hexēs, kai palin tōn ouraiōn pros to enantion aponeuontōn. Hōste ho men tǭ ophei epomenos skolion kai anōmalon kai enantiōmatōn gemonta ton bion heautou epideixetai " ho de opisō Kyriou tou Theou poreuomenos eutheias poieitai tas tribous, kai orthas tas trochias tōn podōn autou. Euthēs gar Kyrios ho Theos hēmōn, kai euthytētas eide to prosōpon hautou. Ean dyo kanones allēlois paratethōsin, hē euthytēs autōn synarmozei allēlois " ean de diastrophon xylon kanoni paratethę̄, asynarmoston heurisketai tǭ orthǭ to streblon. Epei oun euthēs estin hē tou Theou ainesis, eutheias chreia kardias, hina epiprepsę̄ autę̄ kai epharmosę̄ ho ainos. Ei de oudeis dynatai eipein Kyrion Iēsoun ei mē en Pneumati hagiǭ, pōs an enenkę̄s ton ainon, mē echōn to euthes pneuma enkainisthen en tois enkatois sou? Exomologeisthe tǭ Kyriǭ en kitharą, en psaltēriǭ dekachordǭ psalate autǭ. Proteron en kitharą dei exomologēsasthai tǭ Kyriǭ " toutesti, tas dia tou sōmatos energeias apodounai enarmoniōs. Epeidē gar en tǭ sōmati hēmartomen, hote parestēsamen ta melē hēmōn doula tę̄ hamartią eis tēn anomian, tǭ sōmati kai exomologēsōmetha, tǭ autǭ kechrēmenoi organǭ pros tēn analysin tēs hamartias. Eloidorēsas? eulogēson. Epleonektē… . Ephoneusas? martyrēson" ē ta isodynamounta tǭ … kakōson. Kai tote meta tēn exomologēsin axios ei en psaltēriǭ dekachordǭ psallein tǭ Theǭ. Dei gar proteron katorthōsai tas dia tou sōmatos energeias, hōste armoniōs tǭ theiǭ logǭ apotelein, kai houtōs epi tēn theōrian tōn noētōn anabēnai. Psaltērion gar tacha ho nous eirētai ho ta anō zētōn. dia to tēn kataskeuēn tou organou toutou tēn ēchousan dynamin ek tōn anōthen echein. Ta men oun tou sōmatos erga hoionei katōthen exomologeitai tǭ Theǭ " ta de dia tou nou epangellomena mystēria tas aphormas anōthen echei, hoionei enēchoumenou dia tou pneumatos. Ho toinyn epi pasas tas entolas epiblepōn, kai hoionei synǭdian autōn kai symphōnian poiōn, houtos en dekachordǭ psaltēriǭ psallei tǭ Theǭ, dia to deka einai tas genikas entolas kata tēn prōtēn tou nomou paradosin gegrammenas. Asate tǭ Kyriǭ hasma kainon. Toutestin, Mē en tę̄ palaiotēti tou grammatos, all᾽ en tę̄ kainotēti tou pneumatos latreuete tǭ Theǭ. Ho mē sōmatikōs eklambanōn ton nomon, alla to pneumatikon autou gnōrizōn, houtos adei to kainon hasma. Dioti to men palaioumenon kai gēraskon tēs Diathēkēs diebē " to de kainon kai ananeoumenon ąsma hēmas tēs tou Kyriou didaskalias diedexato, hētis anakainizei hēmōn, hōs aetou, tēn neotēta, hotan phtheirōmen men ton exō anthrōpon, anakainōmetha de hēmerą kai hēmerą. ᾿Alla kai ho tois emprosthen epekteinomenos aei heautou kainoteros ginetai. Hōste ho aei kainoteros heautou ginomenos kainoteron ąsma adei tǭ Theǭ. Kainon … to prosphatōs parelthon eis tēn genesin. Ean te oun ton thaumasion tropon kai pasan tēn physin hyperbainonta tēs enanthrōpēseōs diēgę̄ tou Kyriou, kainoteron asma kai xenon adeis " ean te tēn anagennēsin kai ananeōsin tou pantos kosmou tou hypo tēs hamartias palaiōthentos diexię̄s, kai ta tēs anastaseōs apangellę̄s mystēria, kai houtō kainon kai prosphaton adeis to ąsma. Kalōs psalate autǭ en alalagmǭ. ᾿Akouete tou parangelmatos. Kalōs psalate - ameteōristǭ tę̄ dianoią, eilikrinei tę̄ diathesei. ᾿En alalagmǭ psalate. “Hōsper tines kaloi stratiōtai meta ta nikētēria ta kata tōn echthrōn, anenenkate hymnous tǭ aitiǭ tēs nikēs. Tharseite, phēsin, egō nenikēka ton kosmon. Tis anthrōpōn hikanos antistrateusasthai tǭ ponērǭ, ean mē tę̄ skepę̄ tou archistratēgou tēs dynameōs prosphygontes, ekeithen apo tēs en autǭ pisteōs balōmen hēmōn ton echthron, toxeusōmen? Kalōs oun psalate en "Esti de ho alalagmos phōnē tis anarthros, symphōnōs allēlois tōn synaspizontōn en tǭ polemǭ synepēchountōn. En symphōnią oun kai en sympnoią, kai tę̄ dia tēs agapēs henōsei psalate. Ti oun dei psallontas legein? Hoti euthēs ho logos tou Kyriou. Dia touto proteron tous eutheis kalei pros tēn ainesin, epeidē euthēs esti kai ho mellōn doxazesthai Logos, ho tou Kyriou, ho en archę̄ hōn pros ton Theon, kai Theos hōn. Euthēs oun ho Patēr’ euthēs ho Huios" euthes to hagion Pneuma. Kai panta ta erga hautou en pistei. Ti estin ho legei? Ergon ho ouranos, ergon hē gē, ergon hē thalassa, ho aēr, ta apsycha panta, ta empsycha, ta logika, ta aloga. Pōs oun en pistei panta? poia pistis en tois apsychois? poia pistis hē tōn alogōn? Poia de pistis en tǭ lithǭ? poia de pistis en tǭ kyni? Oute apsychon, oute alogon en pistei. Ē mentoi apophasis ouden hypexeileto, alla panta perieilēphen eipousa " Panta ta erga hautou en pistei. Ti oun estin ho legei? Ean te ouranon, phēsin, idę̄s, kai tēn en autǭ taxin, pisteōs estin hodēgos " deiknysi gar ton technitēn di᾿ heautou " ean te tas peri tēn gēn diakosmēseis, palin kai dia toutōn auxetai soi hē peri ton Theon pistis. Ou gar sarkinois ophthalmois katamathontes ton Theon, pepisteukamen eis auton, alla tę̄ tou nou dynamei dia tōn horōmenōn ton aoraton kathorōmen. Panta oun ta erga autou en pistei. Kan ton lithon katamathę̄s, echei kai autos tina tēs dynameōs tou pepoiēkotos apodeixin᾽ kan myrmēka, kan empida, kan melissan. Pollakis kai en tois mikrotatois hē sophia tou dēmiourgou diaphainetai. Ho gar ouranon diaplōsas, kai ta apleta megethē tōn pelagōn anacheas, houtos estin ho kai to leptotaton kentron tēs melissēs koilanas hōsper aulon, hōste di᾽ autou ton ion apocheisthai. Panta oun ta erga hautou en pistei. Mēden soi apistias ephodion estō. Mē eipę̄s " Hōs etyche, gegone touto, kai automatōs apēntēse tode. Ouden atakton, ouden aoriston, ouden eikē genomenon, oude hōs etyche pheromenon en tois ousin, Ē, Kakē syntychia, hē, ponēra hōra. ᾿Apaideutōn hautai hai phōnai. Ouchi dyo strouthia assariou pōleitai? kai en ex autōn ou peseitai aneu tou theiou thelēmatos. Posai hai triches tēs kephalēs; Mia autōn ouch estin epilelēsmenē. Horąs ton theion ophthalmon, hōs ouden tōn mikrotatōn tēn episkopēn autou diapheugei? ᾿Agapą eleēmosynēn kai krisin ho Kyrios" tou eleous Kyriou plērēs hē gē. Ei kath᾽ heautēn hypērchen hē tou Theou krisis, apotomōs hēmin kata tēn axian hēmōn apodidontos pros ha epoiēsamen, poia ēn elpis? tis an esōthē tōn pantōn? Nyn de agapą … tēn eleēmosynēn poiēsamenos, kai problētheisan tǭ basilikǭ tēs kriseōs thronǭ, houtō paragei eis krisin hekaston. ᾿Ean anomias paratērēsę̄s, Kyrie, Kyrie, tis hypostēsetai? Oute hē eleēmosynē akritos, oute hē krisis aneleēmōn. Pro tēs kriseōs oun agapą eleēmosynēn, kai meta tēn eleēmosynēn erchetai epi tēn krisin. Tauta de allēlois synezeuktai, ho eleos meta tēs kriseōs " hina mēte ho eleos monos chaunotēta empoiēsę̄, mēte monē hē krisis apognōsin energasētai. Bouletai se eleēsai, kai tōn heautou oiktirmōn metadounai ho kritēs " all᾽ ean heurę̄ se meta tēn hamartian tapeinon, syntetrimmenon, polla metaklausanta epi tois ponērois ergois, ta genomena kryphę̄ anepaischyntōs dēmosieusanta, ta kai holōs eleeinon se genomenon ean idę̄, aphthonon soi tēn heautou eleēmosynēn epichorēgei - ean de kardian ametanoēton, phronēma hyperēphanon, apistian tou aiōnos tou mellontos, aphobian tēs kriseōs, tote agapą epi soi tēn krisin. Hōs gar iatros emmelēs kai philanthrōpos katantlēmasi proteron kai periplasmasin hapalois peiratai katasteilai to oidēma; epan de idę̄ anendotōs kai sklērōs antitypounta ton onkon, rhipsas to elaion kai tēn malakēn agōgēn, haireitai loipon tēn tou sidērou chrēsin. ᾿Agapą oun eleēmosynēn epi tōn metanoountōn “ agapą de kai krisin epi tōn anendotōn. Toiouton ti kai ho Hēsaïas legei tǭ Theǭ, hoti Hē eleēmosynē sou eis stathmon. Kai gar kakeinos tēn meta kriseōs eleēmosynēn paristēsi, zygǭ kai arithmǭ kai stathmǭ kata tēn hekastou axian antimetrountos.
“Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; praise befits the upright.” … showing a most bright and joyful state of the soul at things worthy of good cheer. “Rejoice, then, you righteous, in the Lord”: not when your household affairs prosper, not when you are in good bodily health, not when your fields abound with fruits of every kind, but because you have the Lord, so great in beauty, so great in goodness, so great in wisdom. Let joy in him be enough for you. And the one who exults with gladness and joy in something he greatly prizes seems to rejoice in this way over it. That is why the word urges the righteous to perceive, together with the dignity, that they have been counted worthy to be servants of such a Master, and to exult in his service with unspeakable joy and leaping, … love of the good. If ever, like a light falling into your heart, a sudden notion of God has come upon you and lit up your soul, so that you loved God and despised the world and all bodily things, recognize from that dim and brief image the whole state of the righteous, who maintain their gladness in God evenly and without interruption. For to you that exultation comes rarely, by God's dispensation, so that through a small taste he may remind you of what you have been deprived of; but for the righteous the divine and heavenly gladness is lasting, because the Spirit dwells in him once for all; and the first fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. “Rejoice, then, you righteous, in the Lord.” The Lord is, as it were, a place that holds the righteous; whoever has come into it must be of good cheer and rejoice. And the righteous man too becomes a place for the Lord, receiving him into himself. The sinner gives place to the devil, not heeding the one who says, “Do not give place to the devil,” and Ecclesiastes: “If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place.” Having come, then, into the Lord himself, and contemplating his wonders as far as we can, let us gather gladness into our hearts from the contemplation. “Praise befits the upright.” As a crooked foot does not fit into a straight shoe, so neither does … . That is why, I think, since speech about the Savior does not befit the mouth of demons, he takes away their liberty, so that they may not make him known. And Paul rebukes the spirit of Python, so that the Holy One may not be commended by the unclean. Of the same kind is this: “But to the sinner God said: Why do you recount my statutes?” Let us strive, then, to flee every crooked and twisted deed, and let us set our mind and the judgment of our soul straight like a rule, so that the praise of the Lord may befit us when we have become upright. For as the serpent that led the way to sin is called crooked, and God's sword is brought against the dragon, the crooked serpent, because it makes many bends and turnings in its course (for as it crawls, the serpent's coil drags unevenly along the ground, the front parts moving one way, those following coming on aslant, and the tail turning back the opposite way), so one who follows the serpent will show his life crooked, uneven and full of contradictions; but one who walks after the Lord God makes his paths straight and the tracks of his feet upright. “For the Lord our God is upright, and his face beheld uprightness.” If two rules are set beside each other, their straightness fits them to each other; but if a twisted piece of wood is set beside a rule, the crooked is found not to fit the straight. Since, then, the praise of God is upright, there is need of an upright heart, so that the praise may befit it and fit it. And if “no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit,” how could you offer praise, not having an upright spirit renewed within you? [2] “Give praise to the Lord on the cithara; sing to him on the ten-stringed psaltery.” First one must give praise to the Lord on the cithara, that is, render the actions of the body harmoniously. For since we sinned in the body, when we presented our members as slaves to sin for lawlessness, let us give praise with the body too, using the same instrument for the undoing of sin. Have you reviled? Bless. Have you been greedy …? Have you murdered? Bear witness, or … afflict [your body]. And then, after the confession, you are worthy to sing to God on the ten-stringed psaltery. For one must first set right the actions of the body, so as to carry them out in harmony with the divine word, and so ascend to the contemplation of intelligible things. For the mind that seeks the things above is perhaps called a psaltery, because the construction of this instrument has its sounding power from above. The works of the body, then, as it were, give praise to God from below; but the mysteries announced through the mind have their source from above, as if sounded within through the Spirit. The one, then, who looks to all the commandments and, as it were, makes them sing together in harmony, sings to God on the ten-stringed psaltery, because the general commandments are ten, according to the first giving of the law. “Sing to the Lord a new song”: that is, serve God not in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the Spirit. The one who does not take the law bodily but recognizes its spiritual meaning sings the new song. For what was growing old and aging of the covenant has passed away, and we have received in succession the new and renewed song of the Lord's teaching, which renews our youth like an eagle's, when our outer man is wasting away but we are being renewed day by day. And the one who stretches forward to what lies ahead always becomes newer than himself. So the one who always becomes newer than himself sings a newer song to God. New … what has recently come into being. If, then, you recount the Lord's incarnation, wonderful in manner and surpassing all nature, you sing a newer and strange song; and if you go through the regeneration and renewal of the whole world grown old under sin, and proclaim the mysteries of the resurrection, then too you sing the new and fresh song. [3] “Sing well to him with a shout of joy.” Hear the command: “Sing well,” with an undistracted mind, with a sincere disposition. “Sing with a shout of joy.” Like good soldiers after their victories over the enemy, offer hymns to the cause of the victory. “Take courage,” he says, “I have overcome the world.” Who among men is able to campaign against the evil one, unless, fleeing to the shelter of the commander of the host, we shoot at the enemy from there, from the faith in him? “Sing well, then, with a shout of joy.” The shout of joy is an inarticulate cry, raised together in agreement by those who stand shield to shield in war. Sing, then, in harmony and with one breath and in the unity of love. What, then, must we say when we sing? “That the word of the Lord is upright.” That is why he first calls the upright to praise, since the Word who is to be glorified is also upright, the Word of the Lord, who was in the beginning with God and was God. Upright, then, is the Father; upright the Son; upright the Holy Spirit. “And all his works are in faithfulness.” What does he mean? The heaven is a work, the earth a work, the sea a work, the air, all lifeless things, the living, the rational, the irrational. How, then, are all things in faith? What faith is there in lifeless things? What faith belongs to irrational creatures? What faith is in a stone? What faith in a dog? Nothing lifeless or irrational is in faith. Yet the statement excepts nothing, but includes all things when it says, “All his works are in faith.” What, then, does he mean? If you see the heaven and the order in it, it is a guide to faith, for it shows the Craftsman through itself; and if you see the adornments of the earth, again through these your faith in God grows. For we have not believed in God by learning about him with eyes of flesh; rather, by the power of the mind we behold the invisible through the visible. “All his works,” then, “are in faith.” Even if you study a stone, it too holds some proof of the power of its maker; so too an ant, a gnat, a bee. Often in the smallest things the wisdom of the Creator shines through. For he who spread out the heaven and poured out the boundless expanses of the seas is the one who hollowed out the bee's very fine sting like a pipe, so that its venom pours through it. “All his works,” then, “are in faith.” Let there be no provision for unbelief in you. Do not say, “This happened by chance, and that came about of itself.” Nothing among things that exist is disorderly, nothing undetermined, nothing done at random, nothing carried along by chance. Or, “An unlucky chance,” or “An evil hour”: these are the words of the uneducated. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall” without the divine will. How many are the hairs of the head? Not one of them is forgotten. Do you see the divine eye, how none of the smallest things escapes its oversight? “The Lord loves mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.” If God's judgment existed by itself, and he repaid us severely, according to our deserts, for what we have done, what hope would there be? Which of all men would be saved? But as it is, he loves … having made mercy and set it before the royal throne of judgment, he thus brings each one to judgment. “If you mark iniquities, O Lord, O Lord, who shall stand?” Neither is mercy without judgment, nor judgment without mercy. Before judgment, then, he loves mercy, and after mercy he comes to judgment. These are yoked together, mercy with judgment, so that neither mercy alone may produce laxity, nor judgment alone produce despair. The judge wishes to have mercy on you and to share his compassion with you; but if he finds you humble after the sin, contrite, weeping much over your evil works, having made public without shame what was done in secret, and in general become pitiable, he supplies his mercy to you abundantly; but if he sees an impenitent heart, a proud mind, unbelief in the age to come, no fear of the judgment, then he loves judgment toward you. As a skillful and kindly physician first tries to reduce the swelling with fomentations and soft poultices, but when he sees the tumor resisting stubbornly and hard, throws away the oil and the gentle treatment and chooses at last the use of the knife. He loves mercy, then, toward the repentant, and he loves judgment toward the stubborn. Isaiah too says something like this to God: “Your mercy is by weight.” For he too presents mercy joined with judgment, God measuring back by balance and number and weight according to each one's desert.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 33:1 (32:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 10:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 1:34 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 16:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 50:16 (49:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 27:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 4:26 (allusion, low confidence) · Ps 11:7 (10:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:10 (50:12 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 33:2 (32:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 33:3 (32:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 8:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 103:5 (102:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:13 (allusion, high confidence) · John 16:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:4 (32:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:30 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 33:5 (32:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 130:3 (129:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jas 2:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 28:17 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil expounds Ps 33:1–5: the righteous rejoice in God himself; praise befits only the upright; the cithara and ten-stringed psaltery are bodily deeds and the mind keeping the ten commandments; the new song is the spiritual sense; all creation leads to faith; and God joins mercy to judgment.
- Psalm 32 in the Septuagint is Psalm 33 in the English Bible. Quotations: Ps 33:1–5 (LXX 32:1–5); Gal 5:22; Eph 4:27; Eccl 10:4; Ps 50:16 (LXX 49:16); Isa 27:1; Ps 11:7 (LXX 10:7); 1 Cor 12:3; Rom 6:19; Rom 7:6; Ps 103:5 (LXX 102:5); 2 Cor 4:16; Phil 3:13; John 16:33; John 1:1; Matt 10:29–30; Ps 130:3 (LXX 129:3); Isa 28:17 LXX. Allusions: Mark 1:34; Acts 16:16–18; Prov 4:26; Ps 51:10 (LXX 50:12); Exod 20 and Deut 5 (the ten commandments); Heb 8:13; Rom 1:20; Jas 2:13; Wis 11:20 (“measure, number and weight”). Migne's Latin and notes are interleaved throughout the scan and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…”: after the verse (Basil's definition of rejoicing), after “joy and leaping”, after “so neither does” (the crooked heart and praise), in the list of remedies for sins (after “greedy” and before “afflict”), after “New” (Basil's definition of the new), and after “he loves” in the account of mercy and judgment. The markers [2] and [3] show where Migne's sections 2 and 3 begin.
- This staged section holds Migne's sections 1–3; 32.1 and 32.2 together form his section 4.
Notes on the original text
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Extrabiblical texts: Wis 11:20 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.1 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to Migne's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 46 (Exegetic Homilies); the first homily on Psalm 14, not in FOTC, re-read against the Greek.
32.4PG 29:598
Τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ. Ἐνταῦθα διέζευκται ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως ὁ ἔλεος. Μόνου γὰρ τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ, τῆς κρίσεως εἰς τὸν ὡρισμένον καιρὸν ταμιευθείσης. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν οὖν ἔλεός ἐστι χωρὶς κρίσεως “ οὐ γὰρ ἦλθεν ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα σώσῃ τὸν κόσμον. Ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ κρίσις χωρὶς ἐλέους, διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι ἄνθρωπον καθαρὸν εὑρεθῆναι ἀπὸ ῥύπου, μηδὲ ἐὰν μία ἡμέρα ἣ τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ. "Ὥστε ἐάν τις ἴδῃ τὴν κακίαν ὁσημέραι νεμομένην, καὶ τὸ ἐπίκηρον γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄξιον μυρίων θανάτων, ὅσον ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι τυγχάνον, θαυμάσει τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς χρηστότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας. Ἐν τῇ γῇ μέντοι ὄντες τοῦ ἐλέους χρήζομεν. Οἱ γὰρ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ τοῦ μακαρίζεσθαί εἰσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ τοῦ ἐλεεῖσθαι ἄξιοι, Ἢ τάχα διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῖν ἐπενεχθεῖσαν καταδίκην γῆ λεγόμεθα ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀκούσαντες παρὰ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ, Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ" οἱ πλήρεις ἐσμὲν τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ - Νεκροὺς γὰρ ὄντας ἡμᾶς ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις καὶ τοῖς παραπτώμασιν ἐλεήσας ὁ Θεὸς συνεζωοποίησε τῷ Χριστῷ. Τῷ λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν. Ποῦ οἱ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐξουθενοῦντες; ποῦ οἱ χωρίζοντες αὐτὸ ἀπὸ τῆς δημιουργικῆς δυνάμεως; ποῦ οἱ τῆς πρὸς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν συναφείας αὐτὸ διατέμνοντες; ᾿Ακουέτωσαν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ λέγοντος " Τῷ λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὑτῶν. Οὔτε γὰρ ὁ Λόγος, ἣ κοινὴ αὕτη λαλιὰ, νομισθήσεται ἐξ ὀνομάτων καὶ ῥημάτων τὴν σύστασιν ἔχουσα, οὔτε τὸ Πνεῦμα ἀτμὶς εἰς ἀέρα διαχεομένη " ἀλλὰ καὶ Λόγος ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὧν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὃ ἰδίως τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης τετύχηκεν. Ὡς οὖν ὁ δημιουργὸς Λόγος ἐστερέωσε τὸν οὐρανὸν, οὕτω τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται (τουτέστιν, ὃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὑτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ τῶν ἔξωθέν τι καὶ τῶν κτισμάτων αὐτὸ κρίνῃς. ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐκ Θεοῦ ἔχον τὴν ὑπόστασιν δοξάζῃς), ἁπάσας τὰς ἐν αὐτῷ δυνάμεις συνεπέφερε. Τῷ οὖν Πνεύματι πᾶσα ἣ δύναμις ἡ ἐπουράνιος ἐστερεώθη᾽" τουτέστι, τὸ εὔτονον καὶ πάγιον καὶ βέβαιον ἐν ἁγιασμῷ, καὶ πάσῃ τῇ πρεπούσῃ ταῖς ἱεραῖς δυνάμεσιν ἀρετῇ, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐπικουρίας ἔχουσιν. Ἐνθάδε μὲν οὖν Πνεῦμα στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀναγέγραπται" εὑρήσομὲν δὲ ἀλλαχοῦ καὶ Λόγον στόματος αὐτοῦ εἰρημένον, ἵνα νοηθῇ ὁ Σωτὴρ, καὶ τὸ ἅγιον αὑτοῦ Πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν Λόγος μὲν Κυρίου ὁ Σωτὴρ, καὶ Πνεῦμα τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ἀμφότερα δὲ συνήργησε τῇ κτίσει τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ τῶν ἐν αὑτοῖς δυνάμεων, διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηται Τῷ Λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὑτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἁγιάζεται, εἰ μὴ τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος. ᾿Αγγέλων γοῦν τὴν μὲν εἰς τὸ εἶναι πάροδον ὁ δημιουργὸς Λόγος ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν ὅλων παρείχετο" τὸν ἀγιασμὸν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον συνεπέφερεν. Οὐ γὰρ νήπιοι κτισθέντες οἱ ἄγγελοι, εἶτα τελειωθέντες τῇ κατ᾽ ὀλίγον μελέτῃ, οὔτως ἄξιοι τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ὑποδοχῆς γεγόνασιν " ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ συστάσει καὶ τῷ οἱονεὶ φυράματι τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν συγκαταβληθεῖσαν ἔσχον τὴν ἁγιότητα. Διὸ καὶ δυσμετάθετοί εἰσι πρὸς κακίαν, … οἱονεὶ βαφῇ τινι, τῷ ἁγιασμῷ στομωθέντες, καὶ τὸ μόνιμον εἰς ἀρετὴν τῇ δωρεᾷ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἔχοντες.
Tou eleous Kyriou plērēs hē gē. Entautha diezeuktai apo tēs kriseōs ho eleos. Monou gar tou eleous Kyriou plērēs hē gē, tēs kriseōs eis ton hōrismenon kairon tamieutheisēs. Entautha men oun eleos esti chōris kriseōs “ ou gar ēlthen hina krinę̄ ton kosmon, all᾽ hina sōsę̄ ton kosmon. Ekei de ouk estin hē krisis chōris eleous, dia to mē dynasthai anthrōpon katharon heurethēnai apo rhypou, mēde ean mia hēmera hē tēs geneseōs autou. "Hōste ean tis idę̄ tēn kakian hosēmerai nemomenēn, kai to epikēron genos tōn anthrōpōn axion myriōn thanatōn, hoson epi tois hamartēmasi tynchanon, thaumasei ton plouton tēs chrēstotētos tou Theou, kai tēs anochēs autou kai tēs makrothymias. En tę̄ gę̄ mentoi ontes tou eleous chrēzomen. Hoi gar en tǭ ouranǭ tou makarizesthai eisin, all᾽ ouchi tou eleeisthai axioi, Ē tacha dia tēn ek tēs hamartias hēmin epenechtheisan katadikēn gē legometha hēmeis hoi akousantes para theou kai to, Gē ei, kai eis gēn apeleusę̄" hoi plēreis esmen tōn oiktirmōn tou Theou - Nekrous gar ontas hēmas tais hamartiais kai tois paraptōmasin eleēsas ho Theos synezōopoiēse tǭ Christǭ. Tǭ logǭ Kyriou hoi ouranoi estereōthēsan, kai tǭ pneumati tou stomatos autou pasa hē dynamis autōn. Pou hoi to Pneuma exouthenountes? pou hoi chōrizontes auto apo tēs dēmiourgikēs dynameōs? pou hoi tēs pros Patera kai Huion synapheias auto diatemnontes? ᾿Akouetōsan tou psalmou legontos " Tǭ logǭ Kyriou hoi ouranoi estereōthēsan, kai tǭ pneumati tou stomatos autou pasa hē dynamis hautōn. Oute gar ho Logos, hē koinē hautē lalia, nomisthēsetai ex onomatōn kai rhēmatōn tēn systasin echousa, oute to Pneuma atmis eis aera diacheomenē " alla kai Logos ho en archę̄ hōn pros ton Theon, kai Pneuma to hagion, ho idiōs tēs prosēgorias tautēs tetychēken. Hōs oun ho dēmiourgos Logos estereōse ton ouranon, houtō to Pneuma to ek tou Theou, ho para tou Patros ekporeuetai (toutestin, ho ek tou stomatos hautou, hina mē tōn exōthen ti kai tōn ktismatōn auto krinę̄s. all᾽ hōs ek Theou echon tēn hypostasin doxazę̄s), hapasas tas en autǭ dynameis synepephere. Tǭ oun Pneumati pasa hē dynamis hē epouranios estereōthē᾽" toutesti, to eutonon kai pagion kai bebaion en hagiasmǭ, kai pasę̄ tę̄ prepousę̄ tais hierais dynamesin aretę̄, ek tēs tou Pneumatos epikourias echousin. Enthade men oun Pneuma stomatos autou anagegraptai" heurēsomen de allachou kai Logon stomatos autou eirēmenon, hina noēthę̄ ho Sōtēr, kai to hagion hautou Pneuma ek tou Patros. Epei oun Logos men Kyriou ho Sōtēr, kai Pneuma tou stomatos autou to hagion Pneuma, amphotera de synērgēse tę̄ ktisei tōn ouranōn kai tōn en hautois dynameōn, dia touto eirētai Tǭ Logǭ Kyriou hoi ouranoi estereōthēsan, kai tǭ Pneumati tou stomatos hautou pasa hē dynamis autōn. Ouden gar hagiazetai, ei mē tę̄ parousią tou Pneumatos. ᾿Angelōn goun tēn men eis to einai parodon ho dēmiourgos Logos ho poiētēs tōn holōn pareicheto" ton agiasmon de autois to Pneuma to hagion synepepheren. Ou gar nēpioi ktisthentes hoi angeloi, eita teleiōthentes tę̄ kat᾽ oligon meletę̄, outōs axioi tēs tou Pneumatos hypodochēs gegonasin " all᾽ en tę̄ prōtę̄ systasei kai tǭ hoionei phyramati tēs ousias autōn synkatablētheisan eschon tēn hagiotēta. Dio kai dysmetathetoi eisi pros kakian, … hoionei baphę̄ tini, tǭ hagiasmǭ stomōthentes, kai to monimon eis aretēn tę̄ dōreą tou hagiou Pneumatos echontes.
“The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.” Here mercy is separated from judgment. For the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord alone, judgment being reserved for its appointed time. Here, then, there is mercy without judgment; for he did not come to judge the world but to save the world. But there judgment is not without mercy, because no man can be found clean of filth, not even if his life be one day. So if anyone sees wickedness spreading daily, and the mortal race of men deserving countless deaths as far as its sins go, he will wonder at the riches of God's kindness, and his forbearance and patience. While we are on earth, however, we need mercy. For those in heaven are worthy of being called blessed, not of being pitied. Or perhaps, because of the condemnation brought on us by sin, we are called earth, we who heard from God, “You are earth, and to earth you shall return”; we are full of the compassion of God. For when we were dead in sins and trespasses, God had mercy on us and made us alive together with Christ. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their power by the breath of his mouth.” Where are those who set the Spirit at nought? Where are those who separate him from the creating power? Where are those who cut him off from his union with the Father and the Son? Let them hear the psalm saying, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their power by the Spirit of his mouth.” For neither will the Word be thought to be this common speech, consisting of nouns and verbs, nor the Spirit a vapor dispersing into the air; but the Word is he who was in the beginning with God, and the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, who has received this name properly. As, then, the creating Word established the heaven, so the Spirit who is from God, who proceeds from the Father (that is, who is “from his mouth,” so that you may not judge him to be something external or one of the creatures, but may glorify him as having his hypostasis from God), brought with him all the powers in them. By the Spirit, then, all the heavenly power was established; that is, they have from the help of the Spirit their vigor, firmness and steadfastness in holiness and in every virtue befitting the holy powers. Here, then, “the Spirit of his mouth” is written; and we shall find elsewhere “the Word of his mouth” as well, so that the Savior and his Holy Spirit may be understood to be from the Father. Since, then, the Savior is the Word of the Lord and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of his mouth, and both worked together in the creation of the heavens and of the powers in them, therefore it has been said, “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their power by the Spirit of his mouth.” For nothing is sanctified except by the presence of the Spirit. The creating Word, the maker of all things, gave the angels their passage into being, and the Holy Spirit brought them sanctification. For the angels were not created as infants and then perfected by gradual exercise and so became worthy to receive the Spirit; but in their first constitution and, as it were, in the very mixture of their substance they had holiness laid down along with it. That is why they are hard to move toward wickedness, … tempered by holiness as by a dye, and having steadfastness in virtue by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 33:5 (32:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 14:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 2:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:6 (32:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · John 15:26 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil explains that on earth God's mercy works without judgment, since Christ came to save, while at the judgment there will be no judgment without mercy.
- Quotations: Ps 33:5 (LXX 32:5); John 3:17 (12:47); Job 14:4–5 LXX. Allusion: Rom 2:4. The sentence continues in 32.2; its last word (“condemnation”) is completed across the break.
- Quotations: Gen 3:19; Eph 2:5; Ps 33:6 (LXX 32:6); John 15:26; John 1:1. Allusions: Ps 119:72 or Isa 55:11 (“the word of his mouth”); 2 Thess 2:8. Basil's questions at the start are aimed at those who denied the Spirit's divinity (the Pneumatomachi); “hypostasis” here is the Spirit's distinct subsistence (Greek hypostasis). A line is lost after “hard to move toward wickedness” (marked “…”); the end of the section in the scan is Migne's notes and the opening words of the next verse, removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); word broken at a line end rejoined): πἬλήρης → πλήρης; διέζευχται → διέζευκται; χρίσεως ὁ → κρίσεως ὁ; χρίσεως εἰς → κρίσεως εἰς; χρίσεως “ → κρίσεως “; ἕνα → ἵνα; χρίνῃ → κρίνῃ ; πὸν → τὸν; χόσμον, → κόσμον,; χόσμον. → κόσμον.; Ἐχεῖ → Ἐκεῖ; χρίσις → κρίσις; χαθαρὸν → καθαρὸν; καχίαν → κακίαν; ἐπίχηρον → ἐπίκηρον; θανά- Ὁ των, → θανάτων,; χρηττότητος → χρηστότητος; μαχροθυμίας. → μακροθυμίας.; μαχκαρίζεσθαί → μακαρίζεσθαί; ν ἐχ τ → ν ἐκ τ; χα- → καταδίκην; }0ὺ σιν, 4, ὅ, σία ΕΠΧΧ,. 4“) Άοπι. τι, ὁ. αι! 84 δ πι) π|55. τὸν ἔλεον. Αἱ ΟἹ] Πα τιϊπΐ ρτί πη οἱ δ᾽ ταδιχην γῆ → γῆ; ἀχούσαντες → ἀκούσαντες; γῇ" → γῆν; οἰχτιρμῶν → οἰκτιρμῶν; Νεχροὺς.γὰρ → Νεκροὺς γὰρ; ἐλεήτας → ἐλεήσας; συγεζωοποίησε → συνεζωοποίησε; «ἰόγῳ → λόγῳ; πγεύματι → πνεύματι; στόμᾶτος → στόματος; δημιουργιχῆς → δημιουργικῆς; ᾿Αχουέτωσαν → ᾿Ακουέτωσαν; «1όγῳ → λόγῳ; ἐστερεὠωθησαν, → ἐστερεώθησαν,; χὰο → γὰρ ὁ; χοινὴ → κοινὴ; Β ἐν → ἐν; τετύχηχεν. → τετύχηκεν.; ἐχ τοῦ Θεοῦ, → ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ,; ἐχπορεύεται → ἐκπορεύεται; ἐχ τοῦ στόματος → ἐκ τοῦ στόματος; ξξωθέν → ἔξωθέν; χτισμάτων → κτισμάτων; χρίνῃς. → κρίνῃς.; ἐχ Θεοῦ → ἐκ Θεοῦ; δοξάξῃς), → δοξάζῃς),; βέδαιον → βέβαιον; ᾿πάσῃ → πάσῃ; , ἐχ τῆς τοῦ Πνε → , ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Πνε; ἐπιχουρίας → ἐπικουρίας; ἐχ τοῦ Πατρός. → ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός.; χτίσει → κτίσει; εἴρτται → εἴρηται; ἀὐτῶν. → αὐτῶν.; ἁγιάξεται, → ἁγιάζεται,; “Ποῦ → τοῦ; συνεπέφερε». → συνεπέφερεν.; χτισθέντες → κτισθέντες; χατ᾽ → κατ᾽; συγχαταθληθεῖσαν → συγκαταβληθεῖσαν; χαχίαν, → κακίαν,; εὐγεγο → …; θοπιϊπὶ εοἰϊ βυπιαῖϊ δι, οἱ τρί τῖιι οτἷς εἶ τα ἢγπηῖα δϑὶ : 0 ς 651, 50{}{|ΠΠ4ι6 πὶ, ἢγπι 1816 ι δρί τ 5 651, υἱογαια δυίθηι ἴῃ ΠΟ 5. οἱ δογυη {πιο η) δὐϊρίδοίτατ, πἰϑὶ ρὲ γ θὺ;, οἱονεὶ → οἱονεὶ; ἔχοντες. 4“ ὅοη. ηἱ, 19. 5“ Εμίιε5. Η, ὅ. (δ) Εαἰιΐο Ραγίβ. ὁ Λόγος. 564 ἀδ68ι1 ἁνγιἰοι ας ἰπ Εἰ δὲ Πρ. δοχῖυ8 οἱ (010. αιιπίυβ εἰ μή. θ)ε6ϑι εἰ ἰῃ Εὐδε! ΟΟπιπηθηι γι 5, δὲ ἐν τη988. Μοχ οἰεϊιο Ρατίβ. ὁ δημιουργὸς τῶν ὅλων ὁ ποιητὴς Λόγος παρείχετο, οονίυ56. Εἰ δι ιυΐπι!5. οἱ φοπιργθ ἢ δὶ θ1]65, Δ}. 581 ἀϊσυμίυν, ουτῃ ἴῃ 8014 Ὠεὶ ξυ]α πιοιεγαῖιγ ἢ Ουοά δηΐπ Ἰδία (6 βίηφι δ [υυ] οἷα τη] τ 651 ἀἰβογί μι 5 ἴῃ ρΘΕοοΔι15 ἃς γϑοῖα (ε8 : «Ὁ ἰἢ 0 Βότϑν θοπϑι πϑοῖα, ἴῃ νἱ φίηίιαῖ6 δὰ φυοίθοι [Ὡεἰ16 οι ΡΥ ν πα} ρο856, αυοὰ ἐμ ὀϊ νιν} 5 Ῥγίηυβ εἱ ψιδγίυβ ὡς εἰς ἀσχόν. → ἔχοντες..
Topics: Eschatology, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.4 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to Migne's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 46 (Exegetic Homilies); the first homily on Psalm 14, not in FOTC, re-read against the Greek.
32.5PG 29:598
Συνάγων ὡς ἀσκὸν ὕδατα θαλάσσης, τιθεὶς ἐν θησαυροῖς ἀβύσσους. Οὐκ εἶπε, Συνάγων τὰ ὕδατα τῆς θαλάσσης ὡς ἐν ἀσκῷ, ἀλλ᾽ Ὡς ἀσκὸν, οὕτω τὰ ὕδατα τῆς θαλάσσης συνάγων. Νόησον δέ μοι τὴν τοῦ ἀσκοῦ φύσιν, νῦν μὲν διαφυσωμένην, ὅταν τῷ ἐναποληφθέντι πνεύματι τὸ δέρμα περιταθῇ " νῦν δὲ συστελλομένην, ὅταν ὑποχωρήσῃ τὸ διατεῖνον. Οὕτω τοίνυν ἡ θάλασσα ποτὲ μὲν ἐκφλεγμαίνει καὶ ζεῖ τοῖς πνεύμασιν ἀγριαινομένη καὶ ἐξοιδαίνουσα " ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν ὑπὸ γαλήνης εἰς ταπεινὸν καταστέλλεται. Ὡς οὖν ἀσκὸν, οὕτως συστέλλει καὶ ταπεινοῖ τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς θαλάσσης ὁ Κύριος. Εὔρομεν δὲ ἔν τισι τῶν …, ἐπὶ τὴν παλαιὰν ἱστορίαν τοῦ λόγου ἡμᾶς ἀναπέμποντος, ὅτε ἡ Ἐρυθρὰ θάλασσα, οὐδενὸς αὐτὴν διαιροῦντος, οὐδὲ συνέχοντος, αὐτὴ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν συνειστήκει, οἷον ἀσκῷ τινι ἐνδεδεμένη, τοῦ θείου προστάγματος προχυθῆναι αὐτὴν οὐχ ἐῶντος. Τιθεὶς, φησὶν, ἐν θησαυροῖς ἀβύσσους. ᾿Ακολουθότερον ἣν ὡς πρὸς τὴν κοινὴν ἔννοιαν εἰπεῖν, Τιθεὶς ἐν ἀβύσσοις τοὺς θησαυρούς " τουτέστιν, ἐν μυστηρίῳ συνέχων τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πλοῦτον. Νῦν δὲ ὥσπερ τινὰ κειμήλια ἄξια τῶν θείων θησαυρῶν τὰς ἀβύσσους εἶναί φησι. Μήποτε οὖν οἱ περὶ τῆς θείας κρίσεως λόγοι, ἄῤῥητοι ὄντες καὶ ἀκατάληπτοι ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ἐννοίαις, ἄβυσσοι λέγονται, ἐν μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ γνώσει ἀποκειμένων τῶν λόγων, καθ᾽ οὗς ἕκαστα οἰκονομεῖ; Ὅτι γὰρ τὰ περὶ ἔκαστον κρίματα ἄβυσσος προσηγορεύθη, ἐν ἑτέρῳ ψαλμῷ δεδιδάγμεθα λέγοντι· Τὰ κρίματά σου ἄβυσσος πολλή. Ἐὰν οὖν ἐπιζητῇς, διὰ τί τοῦ μὲν ἁμαρτωλοῦ ἡ ζωὴ παρατείνεται, τοῦ δὲ δικαίου αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς παροικίας συντέμνονται, διὰ τί ὁ μὲν ἄδικος εὐθηνεῖται, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος θλίβεται, διὰ τί τὸ παιδίον πρὶν εἰς τελείωσιν ἐλθεῖν ἀνηρπάσθη, πόθεν πόλεμοι, διὰ τί τὰ ναυάγια, οἱ σεισμοὶ, οἱ αὐχμοὶ, αἱ ἐπομβρίαι, διὰ τί τὰ φθαρτικὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δεδημιούργηται, διὰ τί ὁ μὲν δοῦλος, ὁ δὲ ἐλεύθερος, ὁ μὲν πλουτεῖ, ὁ δὲ πένεται (πολὺ δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁμαρτανομένοις ἢ κατορθουμένοις ἐστὶ τὸ διάφορον" ἣ μὲν γὰρ πορνοβοσκῷ πραθεῖσα πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ " ἡ δὲ εὐθὺς ἀγαθῆς δεσποίνης ἐπιτυχοῦσα συνεξετράφη τῇ παρθενίᾳ), διὰ τί αὕτη μὲν εὐηργετήθη, ἐκείνη δὲ κατεδικάσθη ' καὶ τίς ἡ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστου τούτων παρὰ τοῦ κριτοῦ ἀνταπόδοσις - ταῦτα πάντα λαβὼν εἰς ἔννοιαν, ἐνθυμήθητι, ὅτι ἄβυσσός ἐστι τὰ κρίματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῷ τοῖς θησαυροῖς τοῖς θείοις ἐναποκεκλεῖσθαι, οὐχ εὔληπτα τοῖς τυχοῦσι, Καὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι δὲ ἐπαγγελία δέδοται παρὰ Θεοῦ, ὅτι Δώσω σοι θησαυροὺς ἀποκρύφους, ἀοράτους. Ἐπειδὰν οὖν καταξιωθῶμεν τῆς πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον γνώσεως, ὀψόμεθα καὶ τὰς ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀβύσσους. Συνάγων δὲ τὰ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ περὶ ἀσκῶν εἰρημένα, μᾶλλον γενήσῃ ἐν περινοίᾳ τοῦ βουλήματος τοῦ προφητικοῦ. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀνακαινούμενοι ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ τὸν καινὸν οἶνον ἀπὸ τῆς ἀμπέλου τῆς ἀληθινῆς χωροῦντες, ἀσκοὶ εἶναι λέγονται ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ καινοί " οἱ δὲ μηδέπω τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποθέμενοι ἀσκοί εἰσι παλαιοὶ, μὴ δυνάμενοι πιστεύεσθαι τὴν ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ νέου οἴνου. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ βάλλει οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιοὺς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἐκχυθῇ, καὶ πάντη ἀπόλωνται ἐκεῖνοι οἱ ἀσκοὶ, οὐδεμιᾶς ἀξιούμενοι συγγνώμης ἔτι, ἐὰν τὸν καλὸν καὶ καινὸν ἐκχέωσιν οἶνον. Οἶνον γὰρ καινὸν εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινοὺς βλητέον. Τὸν καινὸν καὶ πνευματικὸν οἶνον, καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ζέοντα, τὸν μηδέποτε παλαιούμενον τῆς ἀληθείας νοῦν εἰς τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον βλητέον· ὅς, διὰ τὸ πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέρειν, ἀσκὸς ἂν λέγοιτο εἶναι καινὸς δικαίως.
Synagōn hōs askon hydata thalassēs, titheis en thēsaurois abyssous. Ouk eipe, Synagōn ta hydata tēs thalassēs hōs en askǭ, all᾽ Hōs askon, houtō ta hydata tēs thalassēs synagōn. Noēson de moi tēn tou askou physin, nyn men diaphysōmenēn, hotan tǭ enapolēphthenti pneumati to derma peritathę̄ " nyn de systellomenēn, hotan hypochōrēsę̄ to diateinon. Houtō toinyn hē thalassa pote men ekphlegmainei kai zei tois pneumasin agriainomenē kai exoidainousa " pote de palin hypo galēnēs eis tapeinon katastelletai. Hōs oun askon, houtōs systellei kai tapeinoi to hydōr tēs thalassēs ho Kyrios. Euromen de en tisi tōn …, epi tēn palaian historian tou logou hēmas anapempontos, hote hē Erythra thalassa, oudenos autēn diairountos, oude synechontos, autē pros heautēn syneistēkei, hoion askǭ tini endedemenē, tou theiou prostagmatos prochythēnai autēn ouch eōntos. Titheis, phēsin, en thēsaurois abyssous. ᾿Akolouthoteron hēn hōs pros tēn koinēn ennoian eipein, Titheis en abyssois tous thēsaurous " toutestin, en mystēriǭ synechōn ton heautou plouton. Nyn de hōsper tina keimēlia axia tōn theiōn thēsaurōn tas abyssous einai phēsi. Mēpote oun hoi peri tēs theias kriseōs logoi, arrhētoi ontes kai akatalēptoi tais anthrōpinais ennoiais, abyssoi legontai, en monę̄ tę̄ tou Theou gnōsei apokeimenōn tōn logōn, kath᾽ hous hekasta oikonomei? Hoti gar ta peri ekaston krimata abyssos prosēgoreuthē, en heterǭ psalmǭ dedidagmetha legonti; Ta krimata sou abyssos pollē. Ean oun epizētę̄s, dia ti tou men hamartōlou hē zōē parateinetai, tou de dikaiou hai hēmerai tēs paroikias syntemnontai, dia ti ho men adikos euthēneitai, ho de dikaios thlibetai, dia ti to paidion prin eis teleiōsin elthein anērpasthē, pothen polemoi, dia ti ta nauagia, hoi seismoi, hoi auchmoi, hai epombriai, dia ti ta phthartika tōn anthrōpōn dedēmiourgētai, dia ti ho men doulos, ho de eleutheros, ho men ploutei, ho de penetai (poly de kai en tois hamartanomenois ē katorthoumenois esti to diaphoron" hē men gar pornoboskǭ pratheisa pros anankēn estin en tę̄ hamartią " hē de euthys agathēs despoinēs epitychousa synexetraphē tę̄ parthenią), dia ti hautē men euērgetēthē, ekeinē de katedikasthē ' kai tis hē eph᾽ hekastou toutōn para tou kritou antapodosis - tauta panta labōn eis ennoian, enthymēthēti, hoti abyssos esti ta krimata tou Theou, kai tǭ tois thēsaurois tois theiois enapokekleisthai, ouch eulēpta tois tychousi, Kai tǭ pisteuonti de epangelia dedotai para Theou, hoti Dōsō soi thēsaurous apokryphous, aoratous. Epeidan oun kataxiōthōmen tēs prosōpon pros prosōpon gnōseōs, opsometha kai tas en tois thēsaurois tou Theou abyssous. Synagōn de ta en tę̄ Graphę̄ peri askōn eirēmena, mallon genēsę̄ en perinoią tou boulēmatos tou prophētikou. Hoi men oun anakainoumenoi hēmerą kai hēmerą, kai ton kainon oinon apo tēs ampelou tēs alēthinēs chōrountes, askoi einai legontai en tǭ Euangeliǭ kainoi " hoi de mēdepō ton palaion anthrōpon apothemenoi askoi eisi palaioi, mē dynamenoi pisteuesthai tēn hypodochēn tou neou oinou. Oudeis gar ballei oinon neon eis askous palaious, hina mē kai ho oinos ekchythę̄, kai pantē apolōntai ekeinoi hoi askoi, oudemias axioumenoi syngnōmēs eti, ean ton kalon kai kainon ekcheōsin oinon. Oinon gar kainon eis askous kainous blēteon. Ton kainon kai pneumatikon oinon, kai tǭ Pneumati tǭ hagiǭ zeonta, ton mēdepote palaioumenon tēs alētheias noun eis ton kainon anthrōpon blēteon; hos, dia to pantote tēn nekrōsin tou Iēsou en tǭ sōmati peripherein, askos an legoito einai kainos dikaiōs.
“Gathering the waters of the sea as in a wineskin, placing the deeps in storehouses.” He did not say, “gathering the waters of the sea as in a wineskin,” but “as a wineskin,” so gathering the waters of the sea. Consider for me the nature of a wineskin, now inflated when the hide is stretched by the air caught in it, now contracted when what stretched it withdraws. So too the sea sometimes swells and boils, made wild and puffed up by the winds, and sometimes again is calmed down low by stillness. As a wineskin, then, so the Lord contracts and lowers the water of the sea. And we have found in some [copies, “as in a wineskin,”] the word sending us back to the ancient history, when the Red Sea, with nothing dividing or holding it, stood up by itself, as if tied in a wineskin, the divine command not allowing it to pour out. “Placing,” he says, “the deeps in storehouses.” It would have been more in keeping with common understanding to say, “placing the treasures in the deeps,” that is, keeping his own wealth hidden in mystery. But as it is, he says that the deeps are like treasures worthy of the divine storehouses. Perhaps, then, the principles of the divine judgment, being ineffable and incomprehensible to human thoughts, are called deeps, the principles by which he manages each thing being stored up in God's knowledge alone. For that the judgments concerning each thing have been called a deep we have been taught in another psalm, which says, “Your judgments are a great deep.” If, then, you ask why the sinner's life is prolonged while the days of the righteous man's sojourning are cut short; why the unjust man prospers and the just man is afflicted; why the child was snatched away before coming to maturity; where wars come from; why shipwrecks, earthquakes, droughts, floods; why things destructive to men have been created; why one man is a slave and another free, one rich and another poor (and great is the difference in sins and in good deeds too: one woman, sold to a brothel-keeper, is in sin under compulsion, while another, who happened at once on a good mistress, was brought up in virginity); why this one was rewarded and that one condemned; and what the judge's recompense for each of these is: taking all this into mind, consider that the judgments of God are a deep, and, because they are shut up in the divine storehouses, not easily grasped by just anyone. And to one who believes, a promise has been given by God: “I will give you hidden treasures, unseen.” When, then, we are counted worthy of knowledge face to face, we shall see also the deeps in God's storehouses. And if you gather what is said in Scripture about wineskins, you will come nearer to understanding the prophet's intention. Those who are renewed day by day, and hold the new wine from the true vine, are called new wineskins in the Gospel; but those who have not yet put off the old man are old wineskins, not able to be trusted with receiving the new wine. For no one puts new wine into old wineskins, lest the wine be spilled and those wineskins perish altogether, deemed worthy of no further pardon if they spill the good and new wine. For new wine must be put into new wineskins. The new and spiritual wine, boiling with the Holy Spirit, the never-aging understanding of the truth, must be put into the new man, who, because he always carries about in his body the dying of Jesus, may justly be called a new wineskin.
Ps 33:7 (32:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 15:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 36:6 (35:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 45:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 15:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Col 3:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 9:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil explains Ps 33:7: God gathers the sea like a wineskin, as at the Red Sea; the “deeps in storehouses” are the unsearchable principles of his judgments, to be seen face to face; and the faithful are new wineskins for the new wine of the Spirit.
- Quotations: Ps 33:7 (LXX 32:7); Ps 36:6 (LXX 35:7); Isa 45:3; Matt 9:17; Mark 2:22. Allusions: Exod 14:21–22 and 15:8; 1 Cor 13:12; John 15:1; 2 Cor 4:10, 16; Col 3:9. Words are lost after “we have found in some” (supplied in brackets: Basil reports a reading “as in a wineskin”). Migne's notes interleaved near the end of the scan are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); OCR misreading): Συναγων → Συνάγων; ὕδωτα → ὕδατα; θαϊάσσης, → θαλάσσης,; ἀδύσσους. Οὐκ → ἀβύσσους. Οὐκ; Σννάγων → Συνάγων; ἀσχῷ, → ἀσκῷ,; ἀσχοῦ → ἀσκοῦ; ἐναποληφθέντε → ἐναποληφθέντι; “ν → νῦν; ἐχφλεγμαίνει → ἐκφλεγμαίνει; χαταστέλλεται. → καταστέλλεται.; ἀσχὼὸν, → ἀσκὸν,; τῇς θαλάσσης → τῆς θαλάσσης; ἕν τισι → ἔν τισι; ἀνσῆς, → …,; συνεἰστήχει, → συνειστήκει,; ἀσχῷ τινι → ἀσκῷ τινι; ἀδύσσους. ᾿Αχολουθότερον → ἀβύσσους. ᾿Ακολουθότερον; χοινὴν → κοινὴν; ἀδύασσοις → ἀβύσσοις; συνἔχων → συνέχων; χειμὴλια → κειμήλια; ἀδύσσους εἶναί → ἀβύσσους εἶναί; τῇς θείας → τῆς θείας; χρίσεως → κρίσεως; ἀχατάληπτοι → ἀκατάληπτοι; ἄδυσσοι → ἄβυσσοι; ἀποχειμένων → ἀποκειμένων; χαθ᾽ → καθ᾽; ἔχοαστα → ἕκαστα; οἰχονομεῖ; → οἰκονομεῖ;; ἔχαστον → ἔκαστον; χρίματα ἄδνσσος → κρίματα ἄβυσσος; πρυσηγορεύθη, → προσηγορεύθη,; λέγον τι" Τὰ → λέγοντι· Τὰ; χρίματά → κρίματά; ἄδυσσος → ἄβυσσος; πο.1.1ἡ. → πολλή.; παροιχίας (1 σὺντέμνονται, → παροικίας συντέμνονται,; ἄδιχος → ἄδικος; εὐθηνεῖτα:, → εὐθηνεῖται,; θλίθεται, → θλίβεται,; τὶ τὸ παιδίον → τί τὸ παιδίον; ἐπομόρίαι, → ἐπομβρίαι,; φθαρτιχὰ → φθαρτικὰ; πένετα: → πένεται; χατορθυυμένοις → κατορθουμένοις; πορνοδοσχῷ → πορνοβοσκῷ; ἀνάγχην → ἀνάγκην; (1ὅ,) δεσποίνης → δεσποίνης; ἐχείνη → ἐκείνη; χατεδιχάσθη → κατεδικάσθη; ἑχάστου τούτων → ἑκάστου τούτων; χριτοῦ → κριτοῦ; λαδὼν → λαβὼν; ἕννοιαν, → ἔννοιαν,; ἄδυσσός → ἄβυσσός; χρίματα τοῦ → κρίματα τοῦ; ἐναποχεχλεῖσθαι, → ἐναποκεκλεῖσθαι,; πιστεύπαροιχίας, → πιστεύοντι; ἀεεδῖ ἴμ π}} 15. τ μας οἷν. φυλτιι ἡ δὲ ὁδηγοῦ ἀγαθῆς, εἰς., πα- Οοἀΐεα8 πομι}}} ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστῳ. ΑΤΠ ἐφ᾽ ἑχάστου. οντι δὲ → δὲ; Α θησαυροὺς → θησαυροὺς; ᾿χαταξιωθῶμεν → καταξιωθῶμεν; ἀδύσσους. Συνάγων → ἀβύσσους. Συνάγων; ἀσχῶν → ἀσκῶν; προφητιχοῦ. → προφητικοῦ.; ἀναχαινούμενοι → ἀνακαινούμενοι; «ἧς → τῆς; ἀσχοὶ εἶναι → ἀσκοὶ εἶναι; χαινοί → καινοί; ὃὲ → δὲ; ἀσχοί → ἀσκοί; ἀσχοὺς παλαιοὺς, → ἀσκοὺς παλαιοὺς,; ἐχχυθῇ, → ἐκχυθῇ,; ἐχεῖνοι → ἐκεῖνοι; ἀσχοὶ, → ἀσκοὶ,; ἑὰν → ἐὰν; χαλὸν → καλὸν; χαινὸν ἐχχέωσιν → καινὸν ἐκχέωσιν; Β φεοιιίλπι οὐ πᾳυδιν νϑιθγαϑοδηίθπν, ἱπ πόναμα εἰς → εἰς; ἀσχοὺς χαινοὺς → ἀσκοὺς καινοὺς; χαινὸν καὶ → καινὸν καὶ; ζέονκα, → ζέοντα,; χαινὸν ἄνθρωπον → καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; βλητέον- → βλητέον·; ΒΟΥ 8 ἀἰοὶ πιθοῦ ροίόϑί. πάντοτε → πάντοτε; νέχρωσιν → νέκρωσιν; ἀσχὸς → ἀσκὸς; χαινὲς → καινὸς.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.5 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to Migne's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 46 (Exegetic Homilies); the first homily on Psalm 14, not in FOTC, re-read against the Greek.
32.6PG 29:598
Φοβηθήτω τὸν Κύριον πᾶσα ἡ γῆ " ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ δὲ σαλευθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην. Ἐπειδὴ φόβος Κυρίου ἀρχὴ αἰσθήσεως, οἱ τὰ γήινα φρονοῦντες διὰ φόβου παιδεύ… ἀναγκαίως παραλαμβάνεται ὁ φόβος, ἀγάπη δὲ, λοιπὸν παραλαβοῦσα τοὺς ῥυθμισθέντας ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπιστημονικοῦ φόβου, τελειοῖ. Πάσῃ οὖν τῇ γῇ φόβον παραγγέλλει ὁ λόγος. Σαλευθήτωσαν δὲ, φησὶ, ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην. Οἰονεὶ πᾶν κίνημα, εἴτε κατὰ νοῦν, εἴτε κατὰ σωματικὴν ἐνέργειαν ἐπιτελούμενον, κατὰ τὸ βούλημα αὐτοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνεργείσθω. Οὕτω γὰρ νοῶ τὸ, Σαλευθήτωσαν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. Οἱονεὶ μήτε ὀφθαλμὸς σαλευέσθω ἄνευ Θεοῦ - μὴ χεὶρ κινείσθω ἄνευ Θεοῦ" μὴ ἡ καρδία διανοείσθω τὰ μὴ εὐάρεστα τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ ὅλως ἀπὸ μηδενὸς ἄλλου σαλευθήτωσαν, μηδὲ αὐτούς τι κινείτω, εἰ μὴ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος. Ὅτι Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν " αὑτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν. Πρὸς δύο τὰ προάγοντα δύο ἐπήγαγε " Φοβηθήτω πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, καὶ, Σαλευθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην, τὸ, Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν, Αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν. Ἐπειδὴ σύνθετος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἔκ τε τοῦ γηΐνου πλάσματος καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐνοικούσης ψυχῆς τῷ σώματι, γῇ μὲν λέγεται τὸ ἐκ τῆς γῆς πεπλασμένον, κατοικῶν δὲ τὴν οἰκουμένην, ἡ τὴν ἐν σώματι διαγωγὴν λαχοῦσα ψυχή. Καταλλήλως οὖν τῇ γῇ ἀποδέδοται τὸ, Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν" ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ πλά… τῆς κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ Θεοῦ κτισθείσης τὸ, ᾿Εκτίσθη. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ κτίσις ἐπὶ τῆς μετακοσμήσεως καὶ βελτιώσεως πολλάκις λαμβάνεται, ὡς τὸ, Εἰ τις ἐν Χριστῷ καινὴ κτίσις " καὶ τὸ, Ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον" τάχα τὸ μὲν, Ἐγενήθη, ἐπὶ τῆς πρώτης οὐσιώσεως τοῦ ἀνθρώπου λέγεται" τὸ δὲ, Ἐκτίσθη, ἐπὶ τῆς δευτέρας διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀναγεννήσεως. Ὅσον δὲ λόγου Ψιλοῦ ἐντολὴ Θεοῦ διαφέρει, τοσοῦτον κτίσεως πρὸς γένεσίν ἐστι τὸ διάφορον. Κύριος διασκεδάζει βουλὰς ἐθνῶν" ἀθετεῖ δὲ λογισμοὺς λαῶν. Ἐξήγησίς ἔστι τοῦ προάγοντος, πῶς ἔκτισεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκότας, ἐκ τοῦ διασκεδάσαι τὰς ἀσυνέτους βουλὰς τῶν λαῶν, ἃς εἶχον περὶ εἰδωλολατρείαν καὶ περὶ πᾶσαν ματαιότητα, καὶ ἀθετεῖν τὰς βουλὰς τῶν ἀρχόντων. Δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τοῦ πάθους καιρὸν ἀναγαγεῖν ταῦτα, ὅτε οἱ μὲν ἐνόμιζον σταυροῦν τὸν βασιλέα τῆς δόξης, ὁ δὲ διὰ τῆς τοῦ σταυροῦ οἰκονομίας ἀνενεοῦτο τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἀναστάσει διεσκεδάννυτο μὲν ἣ βουλὴ τῶν ἐθνῶν, τοῦ Πιλάτου καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν, καὶ ὅσοι τὰ περὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐνήργουν - ἡθετοῦντο δὲ αἱ βουλαὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων, ἀρχιερέων καὶ γραμματέων καὶ τῶν βασιλέων τοῦ λαοῦ. Ἡ γὰρ ἀνάστασις πᾶσαν αὐτῶν διέλυσε τὴν ἐπίνοιαν, ᾿Αναλεγόμενος δὲ τὰ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστης ἱστορίας ὅσα περὶ τὰ ἄπιστα ἔθνη ἐνήργησεν ὁ Θεὸς, εὑρήσεις καὶ κατὰ τὸν σωματικὸν νοῦν πολλὴν ἔχον τὴν δύναμιν τὸ ῥητόν. Ὅτε γὰρ Ἰωρὰμ υἱὸς ᾿Αχαὰβ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Ἰσραὴλ, τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς Συρίας υἱὸς ᾿Αδὲρ, πολλῇ δυνάμει καὶ βαρεία χειρὶ στρατηγήσας, περιεκάθητο τὴν Σαμάρειαν, ὥστε ἐπιλιπεῖν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἀναγκαῖα, καὶ κεφαλὴν ὄνον πεντήκοντα εἶναι σίκλων ἀργυρίου, καὶ τέταρτον κάβου κόπρου περιστερῶν πέντε σίκλων Τότε τοίνυν, ἵνα ἡ ἐπαγγελία τοῦ Ἑλισσαίου πληρωθῇ, διεσκεδάσθησαν αἱ βουλαὶ τῆς Συρίας, καὶ καταλιπόντες τὰς σκηνὰς ἑαυτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν περιουσίαν ἔφυγον, τοσαύτην εὐθηνίαν καταλιπόντες ἐν τῇ Σαμαρείᾳ, ὥστε μέτρον σεμιδάλεως σίκλον, … οὖν ὁ Κύριος οἶδε διασκεδάζειν βουλὰς ἐθνῶν. Πῶς δὲ ἀθετεῖ βουλὰς ἀρχόντων, ἐπὶ τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ μεμαθήκαμεν, ὅτε ηὔξατο εὐχὴν ὁ Δαβὶδ λέγων· … Ὅταν οὖν ἀκούσῃς τινὸς ἀπειλοῦντος μεγάλα, καὶ ἐπαγγελλομένου σοι παντοδαπὰς ἐπάξειν κακώσεις, ζημίας, ἢ πληγὰς, ἢ θανάτους, ἀπόβλεψον πρὸς τὸν Κύριον τὸν διασκεδάζοντα βουλὰς ἐθνῶν, καὶ ἀθετοῦντα λογισμοὺς λαῶν.
Phobēthētō ton Kyrion pasa hē gē " ap᾿ autou de saleuthētōsan pantes hoi katoikountes tēn oikoumenēn. Epeidē phobos Kyriou archē aisthēseōs, hoi ta gēina phronountes dia phobou paideu… anankaiōs paralambanetai ho phobos, agapē de, loipon paralabousa tous rhythmisthentas apo tou epistēmonikou phobou, teleioi. Pasę̄ oun tę̄ gę̄ phobon parangellei ho logos. Saleuthētōsan de, phēsi, ap᾿ autou pantes hoi katoikountes tēn oikoumenēn. Oionei pan kinēma, eite kata noun, eite kata sōmatikēn energeian epiteloumenon, kata to boulēma autois tou Theou energeisthō. Houtō gar noō to, Saleuthētōsan ap' autou. Hoionei mēte ophthalmos saleuesthō aneu Theou - mē cheir kineisthō aneu Theou" mē hē kardia dianoeisthō ta mē euaresta tǭ Theǭ. Kai holōs apo mēdenos allou saleuthētōsan, mēde autous ti kineitō, ei mē ho tou Theou phobos. Hoti Autos eipe, kai egenēthēsan " hautos eneteilato, kai ektisthēsan. Pros dyo ta proagonta dyo epēgage " Phobēthētō pasa hē gē, kai, Saleuthētōsan pantes hoi katoikountes tēn oikoumenēn, to, Autos eipe, kai egenēthēsan, Autos eneteilato, kai ektisthēsan. Epeidē synthetos ho anthrōpos ek te tou gēïnou plasmatos kai ek tēs enoikousēs psychēs tǭ sōmati, gę̄ men legetai to ek tēs gēs peplasmenon, katoikōn de tēn oikoumenēn, hē tēn en sōmati diagōgēn lachousa psychē. Katallēlōs oun tę̄ gę̄ apodedotai to, Autos eipe, kai egenēthēsan" epi men tou pla… tēs kat' eikona tou Theou ktistheisēs to, ᾿Ektisthē. Epeidē de hē ktisis epi tēs metakosmēseōs kai beltiōseōs pollakis lambanetai, hōs to, Ei tis en Christǭ kainē ktisis " kai to, Hina tous dyo ktisę̄ eis hena kainon anthrōpon" tacha to men, Egenēthē, epi tēs prōtēs ousiōseōs tou anthrōpou legetai" to de, Ektisthē, epi tēs deuteras dia tēs charitos tou Christou anagennēseōs. Hoson de logou Psilou entolē Theou diapherei, tosouton ktiseōs pros genesin esti to diaphoron. Kyrios diaskedazei boulas ethnōn" athetei de logismous laōn. Exēgēsis esti tou proagontos, pōs ektisen ho Theos tous eis auton pepisteukotas, ek tou diaskedasai tas asynetous boulas tōn laōn, has eichon peri eidōlolatreian kai peri pasan mataiotēta, kai athetein tas boulas tōn archontōn. Dynaton de kai epi ton tou pathous kairon anagagein tauta, hote hoi men enomizon stauroun ton basilea tēs doxēs, ho de dia tēs tou staurou oikonomias aneneouto tēn anthrōpotēta. En gar tę̄ anastasei dieskedannyto men hē boulē tōn ethnōn, tou Pilatou kai tōn stratiōtōn, kai hosoi ta peri ton stauron enērgoun - hēthetounto de hai boulai tōn archontōn, archiereōn kai grammateōn kai tōn basileōn tou laou. Hē gar anastasis pasan autōn dielyse tēn epinoian, ᾿Analegomenos de ta eph᾽ hekastēs historias hosa peri ta apista ethnē enērgēsen ho Theos, heurēseis kai kata ton sōmatikon noun pollēn echon tēn dynamin to rhēton. Hote gar Iōram huios ᾿Achaab ebasileusen en Israēl, tote ho basileus Syrias huios ᾿Ader, pollę̄ dynamei kai bareia cheiri stratēgēsas, periekathēto tēn Samareian, hōste epilipein autois ta anankaia, kai kephalēn onon pentēkonta einai siklōn argyriou, kai tetarton kabou koprou peristerōn pente siklōn Tote toinyn, hina hē epangelia tou Helissaiou plērōthę̄, dieskedasthēsan hai boulai tēs Syrias, kai katalipontes tas skēnas heautōn kai pasan tēn periousian ephygon, tosautēn euthēnian katalipontes en tę̄ Samareią, hōste metron semidaleōs siklon, … oun ho Kyrios oide diaskedazein boulas ethnōn. Pōs de athetei boulas archontōn, epi tou ᾿Achitophel memathēkamen, hote ēuxato euchēn ho Dabid legōn; … Hotan oun akousę̄s tinos apeilountos megala, kai epangellomenou soi pantodapas epaxein kakōseis, zēmias, ē plēgas, ē thanatous, apoblepson pros ton Kyrion ton diaskedazonta boulas ethnōn, kai athetounta logismous laōn.
“Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all who inhabit the world be moved by him.” Since “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of perception,” those who mind earthly things [must be] trained … ; fear is necessarily taken up first, and then love, receiving those who have been formed by an intelligent fear, makes them perfect. So the word commands fear to all the earth. “And let all who inhabit the world,” it says, “be moved by him”: that is, let every movement, whether carried out in the mind or in bodily action, be worked in them according to the will of God. For so I understand “let them be moved by him”: let no eye move without God; let no hand stir without God; let the heart not think what is not pleasing to God. And in general let them be moved by nothing else, and let nothing move them except the fear of God. “For he spoke, and they came to be; he commanded, and they were created.” To the two preceding clauses he added two: to “Let all the earth fear” and “Let all who inhabit the world be moved,” he added “He spoke, and they came to be” and “He commanded, and they were created.” Since man is composite, made of an earthly molding and of the soul that dwells in the body, what was molded from the earth is called earth, and the soul that has been allotted life in the body is called the one who inhabits the world. Fittingly, then, “He spoke, and they came to be” is assigned to the earth: to the molding … [and] to the soul, which was created according to the image of God, “it was created.” And since creation is often taken of reordering and improvement, as in “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation,” and “so that he might create the two into one new man,” perhaps “came to be” is said of man's first coming into existence, and “was created” of the second, the regeneration through the grace of Christ. As much as a command of God differs from a bare word, so great is the difference between creation and coming to be. “The Lord scatters the counsels of the nations; he frustrates the thoughts of peoples.” This is an explanation of what precedes: how God created those who have believed in him, by scattering the senseless counsels of the peoples, which they held about idolatry and every vanity, and by frustrating the counsels of the rulers. It is also possible to refer these words to the time of the passion, when they thought they were crucifying the King of glory, while he by the dispensation of the cross was renewing humanity. For in the resurrection the counsel of the nations was scattered, of Pilate and the soldiers and all who carried out what concerned the cross; and the counsels of the rulers were frustrated, of the chief priests and scribes and the kings of the people. For the resurrection undid all their scheme. And if you gather from each history what God worked against the unbelieving nations, you will find that the saying has great force in its bodily sense too. For when Joram son of Ahab reigned in Israel, then the king of Syria, the son of Ader, campaigning with a great force and a heavy hand, besieged Samaria, so that their necessities failed them and an ass's head cost fifty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a kab of dove's dung five shekels. Then, so that the promise of Elisha might be fulfilled, the counsels of Syria were scattered, and they left their tents and all their substance and fled, leaving such plenty in Samaria that a measure of fine flour cost a shekel …. So the Lord knows how to scatter the counsels of nations. And how he frustrates the counsels of rulers, we have learned in the case of Ahithophel, when David prayed, saying … . So when you hear someone threatening great things and promising to bring on you all kinds of ills, losses or blows or deaths, look to the Lord who scatters the counsels of nations and frustrates the thoughts of peoples.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 33:8 (32:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 1:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 4:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 33:9 (32:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 1:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:10 (32:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 4:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:24 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 7:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:31 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ps 33:8–10 Basil teaches that fear begins and love perfects; “came to be” refers to the body and first creation, “was created” to the soul and new creation in Christ; and God scatters the counsels of nations, as at the cross and resurrection, at Samaria's siege, and with Ahithophel.
- Quotations: Ps 33:8–10 (LXX 32:8–10); Prov 1:7 LXX (“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of perception”); 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:15; 2 Kgs 6:25 (LXX 4 Kgdms 6:25); 2 Kgs 7:16. Allusions: 1 John 4:18; Gen 2:7 and 1:27; 1 Cor 2:8; Acts 4:25–28; 2 Kgs 6:24–7:20; 2 Sam 15:31; 17:14. Basil's “son of Ader” is the Septuagint form of Ben-hadad. Lines are lost and marked “…”: after “trained” (the statement that fear is the first discipline), at “to the molding …” (where the assignment of “it was created” to the soul is partly lost; bracketed words supplied), after “a shekel” (the price of barley), and after “saying” (David's prayer, 2 Sam 15:31). Migne's notes at the end of the scan are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); OCR misreading): Φοξηθήτω τὸν → Φοβηθήτω τὸν; κατοιχοῦντες → κατοικοῦντες; φόδος Κυρίου → φόβος Κυρίου; φόθου → φόβου; παιδευέἀναγκαίως → παιδεύ… ἀναγκαίως; παραλαμθάνεται → παραλαμβάνεται; φόδος, → φόβος,; παραλαθοῦσα → παραλαβοῦσα; ἐπιστημονιχοῦ → ἐπιστημονικοῦ; φόδου, → φόβου,; φόθον → φόβον; Σαιλευθήτωσαν → Σαλευθήτωσαν; αὐὖτοῦ → αὐτοῦ; κατοιχοῦγτες → κατοικοῦντες; χίνημα, → κίνημα,; χατὰ νοῦν, → κατὰ νοῦν,; χατὰ σιυματιχὴν → κατὰ σωματικὴν; αὖτοῖς → αὐτοῖς; θήτωσαν ἀπ' → Σαλευθήτωσαν ἀπ'; ἄνεν → ἄνευ; χινείσθω → κινείσθω; χαρδία → καρδία; χινείτω, → κινείτω,; μῇ → μὴ; φόδος. → φόβος.; αὐὖτὸς → Αὐτὸς; ἐχτίσθησαν. Πρὸς → ἐκτίσθησαν. Πρὸς; Φοξηθήτω πᾶσα → Φοβηθήτω πᾶσα; ἐνετείζατο, → ἐνετείλατο,; ἔχ τε → ἔκ τε; ἐχ τῆς ἐνοιχούσης → ἐκ τῆς ἐνοικούσης; ἐχ τῆς γῆς → ἐκ τῆς γῆς; χκατοιχῶν → κατοικῶν; πλά τ, δ᾽. δηΐπὴ ἰπίο! ἶρο ᾿Πυικ!, Οσπιπιουεαπίωγ αὖ 60. 4 θέ ποῃ ρίλεθι!. ΕΠ Ὶ δαμεπιι, ἃ. μι} 0 Εαπεῖο Ῥαγίβ. δἱ ποπ}} πι58. καὶ ἐγενήθησαν. Αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐχτίσθησαν. 8611 τούτην ΠΠπ4, Αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο καὶ ἐχτίσθησαν, ἀξοϑὶ ἧι ἀγδηδηυ δι 0}6 δυ μι υ, αἱ 651 ΠΠπ|Δ : δὲ φια ἐπ Οἰιτὶ- “γε Ποίαμι αἰβδοι νι!. Οτοὐ δἱ ἴῃ 8ἴηφυ! 5 Ὠἰδίον 5 γαφ6ι}, οἱ φυδγί ρᾶγϑ σα] βδίδγουγ 8. ΘΟ πι ᾽ ηἰ αι η- Δεβίιορῆοί "8, Οὐπὶ ἱμί τον δυ δ γῖβ 4 δπιρίαιν τῆς → πλά… τῆς; χατ' → κατ'; εἰχόνα → εἰκόνα; χτισθείσης → κτισθείσης; ᾿Εχτίσθη. → ᾿Εκτίσθη.; χτίσις → κτίσις; μεταχοσμήσεως → μετακοσμήσεως; λαμδάνεται, → λαμβάνεται,; καιγὴ → καινὴ; χτίσῃ → κτίσῃ; ἔνα → ἕνα; Ἐτγενήθη. → Ἐγενήθη,; Ἐχτίσθη, → Ἐκτίσθη,; χτίσεως → κτίσεως; ᾿Ἐξήγησίς → Ἐξήγησίς; ἔχτισεν → ἔκτισεν; πεπιστευχότας, → πεπιστευκότας,; ἐχ τοῦ → ἐκ τοῦ; διασχεδάσαι → διασκεδάσαι; χαιρὸν → καιρὸν; στανροῦν → σταυροῦν; ροῦ οἰχονομίας → σταυροῦ οἰκονομίας; Ἕν → Ἐν; διεσχεδάτετο → διεσκεδάννυτο; ὃΣ → δὲ; β:σιλέων → βασιλέων; πᾶταν → πᾶσαν; τὴ» → τὴν; ἐχάστῆς → ἑκάστης; χατὰ τὸν → κατὰ τὸν; σωματιχὸν → σωματικὸν; ᾿Αχαὰδ → ᾿Αχαὰβ; περιεχάθητο → περιεκάθητο; ἀναγχαῖα, → ἀναγκαῖα,; χεφαλὴν → κεφαλὴν; πεν" → πεντήκοντα; τήχοντα εἶναι → εἶναι; σίχλων ἀργυρίον, → σίκλων ἀργυρίου,; γάθου → κάβου; χόπρου περιστερῶν πέντε σίχλων Τότε → κόπρου περιστερῶν πέντε σίκλων Τότε; πλὴρωϑῇ, → πληρωθῇ,; χαταλιπόντες → καταλιπόντες; σχηνὰς → σκηνὰς; »αὶ → …; Πῶ; → Πῶς; Δαδὶδ → Δαβὶδ; λέγων᾽ → λέγων· … Ὅταν; ἀχούσῃς → ἀκούσῃς; ἐπαγγεὶλομένου → ἐπαγγελλομένου; χαχώσεις, → κακώσεις,; ἀπόδλεψον → ἀπόβλεψον; διασχεδάζοντα → διασκεδάζοντα; 20" γισμοὺς λαῶν. 16 ἢ} (ογ. ν, 17, 11 Εριιθβ. μι, 15, 151 περ. νι, 235, δες. Βερ. τν, δ]. ἄδτδ εβὶ δἱ Ἰδοιϊοποιῃ ἰδ πέντε ἴῃ πιαγεὶπα χόπρου περιστερῶν πέντε σίχλων ἀργυρίου, ΝΥ Ν Ραγίβ. αὐτῶν. τ γογὰ δι → λογισμοὺς λαῶν..
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.6 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to Migne's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 46 (Exegetic Homilies); the first homily on Psalm 14, not in FOTC, re-read against the Greek.
32.7PG 29:598
Ἢ δὲ βουλὴ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μένει" καὶ λογισμοὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν δόγματα, τὴν ματαίαν ταύτην φιλοσοφίαν, ὅπως λεπτοὶ καὶ περιττοὶ περὶ τὰς εὑρήσεις τῶν δογμάτων εἰσὶν ἕν τε λογικοῖς θεωρήμασι καὶ ἠθικαῖς διατάξεσι, καὶ φυσιολογίαις τισὶ καὶ δόγμασιν ἄλλοις τοῖς ἐποπτικοῖς λεγομένοις; πῶς διεσκέδασται πάντα, καὶ ἠχρείωται, μόνη δὲ ἐμπολιτεύεται νῦν τῷ κόσμῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου; Πολλαὶ γὰρ αἱ βουλαὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνθρώπων· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐκράτησε. Καὶ ἀναγκαῖόν γε, εἰ μέλλει μόνιμος καὶ ἑδραία ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλὴ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἐναπομένειν, προδιασκεδασθῆναι πρότερον ἐν ἡμῖν τοὺς ἀνθρωπίνους λογισμούς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ γράφειν μέλλων ἐν κηρῷ, προκαταλεαίνων πρότερον, οὕτως ἐπιβάλλει τοὺς τύπους οὓς ἐὰν θέλῃ" οὕτω καὶ καρδίαν χρὴ τὴν μέλλουσαν τρανῶς ὑποδέχεσθαι τὰ θεῖα λόγια, καθαρὰν ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων λογισμῶν ἀποδειχθῆναι. Λογισμοὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν δύο εἰσὶν οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ λαοὶ, καὶ δύο αὐτοῖς διαθῆκαι εἰσι δεδωρημέναι, δύνανται κατὰ τὸ, Λογισμοὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν, δὶς τῆς γενεᾶς ὀνομαζομένης, δύο νοεῖσθαι καὶ λογισμοί" εἷς μὲν καθ᾽ ὃν τὴν προτέραν ἐδεξάμεθα Διαθήκην, ἕτερος δὲ ὁ τὴν καινὴν καὶ σωτήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίαν ἡμῖν χαρισάμενος. Μακάριον τὸ ἔθνος οὗ ἐστι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ, λαὸς ὃν ἐξελέξατο εἰς κληρονομίαν ἑαυτῷ. Οὐδεὶς μακαρίζει τὸν λαὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλὰ τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν λαῶν ἀριστίνδην ἐξειλεγμένον. Ἡμεῖς γάρ ἔσμεν τὸ ἔθνος, ὧν ἐστι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν " ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν καὶ λαὸς ὃν ἐξελέξατο εἰς κληρονομίαν ἑαυτῷ - ἔθνος μὲν, διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἐθνῶν πολλῶν συνειλέχθαι, λαὸς δὲ, διὰ τὸ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀποβληθέντος λαοῦ δὲ ἐκλεκτοὶ, … μακαρίζει οὐχὶ τὸν κληθέντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐκλεχθέντα. Μακάριος γὰρ ὃν ἐξελέξατο. Τίς δὲ ἡ αἰτία τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ; Ἢ προσδοκωμένη κληρονομία τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν. Ἢ μήποτε κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον, ἐπειδὴ, ὅταν τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰσέλθῃ, τότε πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ σωθήσεται, πρῶτον μακαρίζει τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἕπειτα τὸν ὕστερον σωζόμενον Ἰσραήλ; Σώζεται δὲ, δηλονότι, οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν, ἀλλὰ τὸ λεῖμμα μόνον τὸ κατ᾽ ἐκλογὴν χάριτος. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι" Λαὸς ὃν ἐξελέξατο εἰς κλη-
Ē de boulē tou Kyriou eis ton aiōna menei" kai logismoi tēs kardias autou eis genean kai genean. Ouch horąs ta tōn ethnōn dogmata, tēn mataian tautēn philosophian, hopōs leptoi kai perittoi peri tas heurēseis tōn dogmatōn eisin hen te logikois theōrēmasi kai ēthikais diataxesi, kai physiologiais tisi kai dogmasin allois tois epoptikois legomenois? pōs dieskedastai panta, kai ēchreiōtai, monē de empoliteuetai nyn tǭ kosmǭ hē alētheia tou Euangeliou? Pollai gar hai boulai en kardią anthrōpōn; all᾽ hē boulē tou Kyriou ekratēse. Kai anankaion ge, ei mellei monimos kai hedraia hē para tou Theou boulē tais psychais hēmōn enapomenein, prodiaskedasthēnai proteron en hēmin tous anthrōpinous logismous. Hōsper gar ho graphein mellōn en kērǭ, prokataleainōn proteron, houtōs epiballei tous typous hous ean thelę̄" houtō kai kardian chrē tēn mellousan tranōs hypodechesthai ta theia logia, katharan ek tōn enantiōn logismōn apodeichthēnai. Logismoi tēs kardias autou eis genean kai genean. Epei oun dyo eisin hoi eklektoi laoi, kai dyo autois diathēkai eisi dedōrēmenai, dynantai kata to, Logismoi tēs kardias autou eis genean kai genean, dis tēs geneas onomazomenēs, dyo noeisthai kai logismoi" heis men kath᾽ hon tēn proteran edexametha Diathēkēn, heteros de ho tēn kainēn kai sōtērion tou Christou didaskalian hēmin charisamenos. Makarion to ethnos hou esti Kyrios ho Theos autou, laos hon exelexato eis klēronomian heautǭ. Oudeis makarizei ton laon tōn Ioudaiōn, alla ton laon ton apo pantōn tōn laōn aristindēn exeilegmenon. Hēmeis gar esmen to ethnos, hōn esti Kyrios ho Theos hēmōn " hēmeis esmen kai laos hon exelexato eis klēronomian heautǭ - ethnos men, dia to ex ethnōn pollōn syneilechthai, laos de, dia to anti tou apoblēthentos laou de eklektoi, … makarizei ouchi ton klēthenta, alla ton eklechthenta. Makarios gar hon exelexato. Tis de hē aitia tou makarismou? Ē prosdokōmenē klēronomia tōn aiōniōn agathōn. Ē mēpote kata ton ᾿Apostolon, epeidē, hotan to plērōma tōn ethnōn eiselthę̄, tote pas Israēl sōthēsetai, prōton makarizei to plērōma tōn ethnōn, hepeita ton hysteron sōzomenon Israēl? Sōzetai de, dēlonoti, ouch ho tychōn, alla to leimma monon to kat᾽ eklogēn charitos. Dia touto phēsi" Laos hon exelexato eis klē-
“But the counsel of the Lord abides forever, and the thoughts of his heart to generation and generation.” Do you not see the doctrines of the nations, this vain philosophy, how subtle and elaborate they are in inventing doctrines, in logical theories and ethical rules and certain natural philosophies and other doctrines called “epoptic”: how all have been scattered and made useless, and now the truth of the Gospel alone holds citizenship in the world? “For many are the counsels in the heart of men, but the counsel of the Lord” has prevailed. And it is necessary indeed, if the counsel from God is to remain lasting and firm in our souls, that human reasonings first be scattered in us beforehand. For as one who is going to write on wax first smooths it and so puts on whatever letters he wishes, so too the heart that is to receive the divine sayings clearly must be shown clean of contrary thoughts. “The thoughts of his heart to generation and generation.” Since, then, there are two chosen peoples, and two covenants have been given them, two thoughts may be understood according to “The thoughts of his heart to generation and generation,” the generation being named twice: one according to which we received the first covenant, and the other, the one that gave us the new and saving teaching of Christ. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance.” No one calls blessed the people of the Jews, but the people chosen out of all the peoples on the ground of excellence. For we are the nation whose God is the Lord; we are also the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance: a nation, because it was gathered from many nations; a people, because it was put in place of the people cast off; and chosen …: he calls blessed not the one who was called, but the one who was chosen. For blessed is the one “whom he has chosen.” And what is the cause of the blessedness? The expected inheritance of eternal goods. Or perhaps, according to the Apostle, since “when the fullness of the nations has come in, then all Israel will be saved,” he first calls blessed the fullness of the nations, and then Israel, which is saved later? And it is clear that not just anyone is saved, but only the remnant chosen by grace. That is why he says, “the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 33:11 (32:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Col 2:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Prov 19:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:12 (32:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 2:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 22:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 11:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 11:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 11:5 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ps 33:11–12 Basil contrasts the scattered philosophies of the nations with the abiding counsel of God, reads the two “generations” as the two covenants, and calls blessed the chosen people gathered from the nations, before the remnant of Israel.
- Quotations: Ps 33:11–12 (LXX 32:11–12); Prov 19:21; Rom 11:25–26; Rom 11:5. Allusions: Col 2:8 (vain philosophy); Matt 22:14 (called and chosen); 1 Pet 2:9–10. “Epoptic” is the philosophers' name for the highest, contemplative doctrine. Basil's contrast between the Jewish people and the Church is translated as written. A line is lost after “and chosen” (marked “…”). The section ends in the middle of the verse; the last words are completed from Basil's quotation.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); word broken at a line end rejoined): βου.λὴ → βουλὴ; αὶ Ἵ. γεπ8. 11. Ἰογισμοὶ → καὶ λογισμοὶ; γεγεάν. → γενεάν.; λογιχοῖς → λογικοῖς; ἠθιχαῖς → ἠθικαῖς; ἐποπτιχοῖς → ἐποπτικοῖς; διεσχέδασται → διεσκέδασται; χόσμῳ → κόσμῳ; χαρδίᾳ → καρδίᾳ; ἀνθῥώπων" → ἀνθρώπων·; ἐχράτησε. → ἐκράτησε.; ἀναγχαῖόν → ἀναγκαῖόν; μέλληι → μέλλει; ἑδῥαία → ἑδραία; προδιασχεδασθῆναι → προδιασκεδασθῆναι; χηρῷ, → κηρῷ,; προχαταλεαίνων → προκαταλεαίνων; ἐπιθάλλει → ἐπιβάλλει; τύ- Β πους → τύπους; οὺὃς → οὓς; χαρδίαν → καρδίαν; χαθαρὰν → καθαρὰν; ἐχ τῶν → ἐκ τῶν; χαρδίας → καρδίας; ἐχλεχτοὶ → ἐκλεκτοὶ; διαθῆχαΐ → διαθῆκαι; χατὰ → κατὰ; κιρδίας → καρδίας; γεγεὰν, → γενεὰν,; ὀνομαξομένης, → ὀνομαζομένης,; Διαθήχην, → Διαθήκην,; χαινὴν → καινὴν; διδασχαλίαν → διδασκαλίαν; Μαχάριον → Μακάριον; «αὸς → λαὸς; Ιουδαίων, → Ἰουδαίων,; λαὺν → λαὸν; χληρονομίαν → κληρονομίαν; ἀνεὶ → ἀντὶ; ἀπούδληθέντος → ἀποβληθέντος; ἐχλεκχτοὶ, → ἐκλεκτοὶ, …; χληθέντα, → κληθέντα,; ἐχλεχθέντα. → ἐκλεχθέντα.; Μαχάριος → Μακάριος; μαχαρισμοῦ; → μακαρισμοῦ;; προσδοχωμένη → προσδοκωμένη; χληρονομία τῶν → κληρονομία τῶν; μαχαρίζει → μακαρίζει; Σώξεται → Σώζεται; ἐχλογὴν → ἐκλογὴν.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.7 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to Migne's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 46 (Exegetic Homilies); the first homily on Psalm 14, not in FOTC, re-read against the Greek.
32.8PG 29:598
Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ὁ Κύριος" εἶδε πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐξ ἑτοίμου κατοικητηρίου αὑτοῦ. Τοὺς μένοντας ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰδίου ἀξιώματος … ἀνθρωπίνῃ ἄνωθεν ἐφορᾷ ὁ Κύριος " τοὺς δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἔσχατον τῆς κακίας ὑπενεχθέντας ἑτέρως ἐπισκέπτεται διὰ τοῦ αὐτὸς καταβαίνειν. Κραυγὴ γὰρ, φησὶ, Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤῥας πεπλήθυνται, καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα. Καταβὰς οὖν ὄψομαι εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομένην πρὸς μὲ συντελοῦνται" καὶ πάλιν" Κατέβη ἰδεῖν τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸν πύργον, ὃν ᾧκοδόμησαν οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ, Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ὁ Κύριος " εἶδε πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Σκόπει τὸν ὑψηλὸν θεατὴν, σκόπει τὸν … Ὅπου περ ἂν βαδίζῃς, ὅ τι περ ἂν ἐνεργῇς, κἂν ἐν σκότει, κἂν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, ἐπισκοποῦντα ἔχεις τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀφθαλμόν. Ἐξ ἑτοίμου κατοικητηρίου αὐτοῦ. Οὐ πύλαι ἀνοίγονται " οὐ παραπετάσματα συνάγονται" ἕτοιμόν ἔστιν εἰς θέαν τὸ κατοικητήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πάντας ἐφορᾷ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Οὐδὲ εἷς διαφεύγει αὐτοῦ τὴν θέαν " οὐ σκότος, οὐ τοῖχοι παρακαλύπτοντες, οὐδὲν ἐμπόδιόν ἐστιν ὀφθαλμοῖς Θεοῦ. Ὅς γε τοσοῦτον ἀπέχει τοῦ μὴ καθέκαστον ἐφορᾷν, ὅτι καὶ τὰς καρδίας ἐφορᾷ, ἃς αὐτὸς ἔπλασεν ἄνευ τῆς πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον ἐπιμιξίας. Ἁπλῆν αὐτὴν ἔπλασε καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν εἰκόνα σώζουσαν τὴν καρδίαν ὁ δημιουργὸς τῶν ἀνθρώπων Θεός " ὕστερον δὲ αὑτὴν τῇ πρὸς τὰ πάθη τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπιπλοκῇ ποικίλην ἐποιήσαμεν καὶ παντοδαπὴν ἡμεῖς τὴν καρδίαν, τὸ θεοειδὲς αὐτῆς καὶ ἁπλοῦν καὶ μονότροπον διαφθείραντες. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καρδιῶν ἔστι δημιουργὸς, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ συνίησι πάντα τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν. Ἔργα δὲ λέγομεν καὶ τοὺς λόγους καὶ τὰς ἐννοίας, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀπαξαπλῶς τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κίνησιν. Ποίᾳ γὰρ διαθέσει καὶ τίνι προθέσει, πότερον εἰς ἀνθρώπων ἀρέσκειαν, ἣ εἰς ὑπουργίαν τῶν δεδομένων ἡμῖν προσταγμάτων παρὰ Θεοῦ, μόνος οἷδεν ὁ συνιεὶς πάντα τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ περὶ παντὸς ῥήματος ἀργοῦ διδόαμεν λόγον. Καὶ ἕως ποτηρίου ὕδατος ψυχροῦ τὸν μισθὸν οὐχ ἀπόλλυμεν, διὰ τὸ εἰς πάντα ἡμῶν τὰ ἔργα συνιέναι τὸν Κύριον.
Ex ouranou epeblepsen ho Kyrios" eide pantas tous huious tōn anthrōpōn ex hetoimou katoikētēriou hautou. Tous menontas epi tou idiou axiōmatos … anthrōpinę̄ anōthen ephorą ho Kyrios " tous de pros to eschaton tēs kakias hypenechthentas heterōs episkeptetai dia tou autos katabainein. Kraugē gar, phēsi, Sodomōn kai Gomorrhas peplēthyntai, kai hai hamartiai autōn megalai sphodra. Katabas oun opsomai ei kata tēn kraugēn autōn tēn erchomenēn pros me syntelountai" kai palin" Katebē idein tēn polin kai ton pyrgon, hon hǭkodomēsan hoi huioi tōn anthrōpōn. Entautha de, Ex ouranou epeblepsen ho Kyrios " eide pantas tous huious tōn anthrōpōn. Skopei ton hypsēlon theatēn, skopei ton … Hopou per an badizę̄s, ho ti per an energę̄s, kan en skotei, kan en hēmerą, episkopounta echeis ton tou Theou ophthalmon. Ex hetoimou katoikētēriou autou. Ou pylai anoigontai " ou parapetasmata synagontai" hetoimon estin eis thean to katoikētērion tou Theou. Pantas ephorą tous huious tōn anthrōpōn. Oude heis diapheugei autou tēn thean " ou skotos, ou toichoi parakalyptontes, ouden empodion estin ophthalmois Theou. Hos ge tosouton apechei tou mē kathekaston ephorąn, hoti kai tas kardias ephorą, has autos eplasen aneu tēs pros to cheiron epimixias. Haplēn autēn eplase kath᾽ heautēn eikona sōzousan tēn kardian ho dēmiourgos tōn anthrōpōn Theos " hysteron de hautēn tę̄ pros ta pathē tēs sarkos epiplokę̄ poikilēn epoiēsamen kai pantodapēn hēmeis tēn kardian, to theoeides autēs kai haploun kai monotropon diaphtheirantes. Epei oun kardiōn esti dēmiourgos, dia touto kai syniēsi panta ta erga hēmōn. Erga de legomen kai tous logous kai tas ennoias, kai pasan apaxaplōs tēn tou anthrōpou kinēsin. Poią gar diathesei kai tini prothesei, poteron eis anthrōpōn areskeian, hē eis hypourgian tōn dedomenōn hēmin prostagmatōn para Theou, monos hoiden ho synieis panta ta erga hēmōn. Dia touto kai peri pantos rhēmatos argou didoamen logon. Kai heōs potēriou hydatos psychrou ton misthon ouch apollymen, dia to eis panta hēmōn ta erga synienai ton Kyrion.
“The Lord looked down from heaven; he saw all the sons of men from his prepared dwelling place.” Those who remain in their own dignity … [and do what belongs to] human [nature] the Lord oversees from above; but those who have been carried down to the extreme of wickedness he visits in another way, by coming down himself. For “the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah,” it says, “has multiplied, and their sins are very great. I will go down, then, and see whether they are doing according to their cry that comes to me”; and again, “He came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.” But here: “The Lord looked down from heaven; he saw all the sons of men.” Consider the lofty spectator, consider the … . Wherever you walk, whatever you do, whether in darkness or by day, you have the eye of God watching over you. “From his prepared dwelling place.” No gates are opened, no curtains are drawn aside; the dwelling place of God is ready for viewing. He oversees all the sons of men. Not one escapes his sight; no darkness, no walls that cover, nothing is a hindrance to the eyes of God. He is so far from not overseeing each one that he even oversees their hearts, which he himself molded without mixture with the worse. Simple, keeping the image in itself, did God the creator of men mold the heart; but afterward we ourselves, by entangling it with the passions of the flesh, made the heart varied and manifold, corrupting its godlike, simple and single nature. Since, then, he is the creator of hearts, he therefore understands all our works. And by works we mean words and thoughts and, in short, every movement of man. For with what disposition and what purpose, whether to please men or to serve the commandments given us by God, he alone knows who understands all our works. That is why we give an account even of every idle word, and why we do not lose the reward even of a cup of cold water: because the Lord understands all our works.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 33:13 (32:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:14 (32:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 11:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:15 (32:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 12:36 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:42 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ps 33:13–15 Basil contrasts God's overseeing from heaven with his “coming down” to Sodom and Babel, stresses that nothing escapes his eye, and teaches that the creator of the once-simple heart understands all our works and intentions.
- Quotations: Ps 33:13–15 (LXX 32:13–15); Gen 18:20–21; Gen 11:5. Allusions: Matt 12:36; Matt 10:42; Ps 139:11–12 (LXX 138). Migne's Latin and notes are interleaved after the opening verse and at the end in the scan, and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…” after “in their own dignity” and after “consider the” (bracketed word supplied).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers); OCR misreading): ἐπέδιιεψεν → ἐπέβλεψεν; ὁτοίμου → ἑτοίμου; ἀξιώ- → ἀξιώματος …; 4.1 Ρριγ, π΄, 9. δ᾽ (4, 55 Μαῖι. σχ, 6. φεπεταίϊοπεπι. Νοὺ νἰ 685 φοητ πὶ ἀοξηιδῖα, νη πὶ νης ΡΠ Οδορἢΐαπι, 4131} 8.}00}|68 δἷηι οἱ ὀχ ὶ Ἐνδηφεὶ! νόγίι88 πυῃς ἴῃ πη )60 νἱροαιῦ Μυ ἃ δα θι ποη ᾳυΐνῖ8, 86 ταὶ ιΐα 50 πὶ, 408 δα πὶ 565 χι, ὅ. δ δι οπιποδ ἢ ἰος ποηιϊίπιιπι. (πδί γα δ᾽ τυ ἐπ τοπο νῖβ, δίνα ἱπ ἀΐδ, ργοβρίεἴθη! πὶ θεἰ οουϊαῖ Ροτί:θ, πθῃ σοπίγαϊπίιγ νοὶα, ἐχρθαϊατη δδί μ Δ ]ποβίγα ορογὰ ἰμ 16} } 411. Ομότα δυϊθιη ἀϊείπμαδ οἱ νϑῦἀνθρωπίνῃ → ἀνθρωπίνῃ; χαχίας → κακίας; ἐπισχέπτεται → ἐπισκέπτεται; χαταδαίνειν. → καταβαίνειν.; «αἱ → καὶ; πεπἪλήθυνται, → πεπλήθυνται,; Καταξὰς → Καταβὰς; δὶ → εἰ; ἐρχομέγὴν → ἐρχομένην; Κατέξη → Κατέβη; ἐπέδλεψεν → ἐπέβλεψεν; Σχόπει → Σκόπει; σχόπει → σκόπει; σιν. Ὅπου → … Ὅπου; βαδίξῃης, → βαδίζῃς,; χἂὰν → κἂν; σχότει, → σκότει,; χἂν → κἂν; ἐπισχοποῦντα → ἐπισκοποῦντα; δ Θεοῦ → Θεοῦ; κατοικηττιρέου → κατοικητηρίου; ἀνοίγοντα: → ἀνοίγονται; χατοικητέριον → κατοικητήριον; Οὐξὲ → Οὐδὲ; σχότος, → σκότος,; χαθέχαστον → καθέκαστον; χαρδίας → καρδίας; ᾿Απλτιν → Ἁπλῆν; χαθ᾽ → καθ᾽; χαρδίαν ὁ → καρδίαν ὁ; δημιουργὺς → δημιουργὸς; πὰ → τὰ; σαρχὸς → σαρκὸς; ἐπιπλοχῇ → ἐπιπλοκῇ; ποιχίλην → ποικίλην; χαρδίαν, → καρδίαν,; χαρδιῶν → καρδιῶν; χίνησιν. → κίνησιν.; Ποίξ → Ποίᾳ; δ:αθέσει → διαθέσει; ἀρέσχειαν, → ἀρέσκειαν,; “ὁ (δη. χνῆν, 90, 91. “΄ ὅπ. χι, ὅ, δ Μάι}. → .
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.8 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 29 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to Migne's divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 46 (Exegetic Homilies); the first homily on Psalm 14, not in FOTC, re-read against the Greek.