Homilies on the Psalms 33.6–33.13

Basil of Caesarea · Homilies on the Psalms · ca. 360-378 · Caesarea · 7 passages

Greek text: PG 29.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Chapter 33

33.6PG 29:358

Γεύσασθε, καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι χρηστὸς ὁ Κύριος. Πολλαχοῦ τετηρήκαμεν, ὅτι τοῖς ἔξωθεν μέλεσιν ὁμωνύμως αἱ τῆς ψυχῆς προσαγορεύονται δυνάμεις. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἄρτος ἐστὶν ἀληθινὸς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, καὶ ἢ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ ἀληθής ἐστι βρῶσις " ἀνάγκη τὴν ἥδονην τῆς εὐφροσύνης τοῦ ἄρτου διὰ γεύσεως ἡμῖν νοητῆς ἐγγίνεσθαι. Ὡς τοῦ μέλιτος ἡ φύσις οὐ τοσοῦτον τῷ λόγῳ δύναται παραστῆναι τοῖς ἀπείροις, ὅσον ἀπ' αὐτῆς τῆς κατὰ τὴν γεῦσιν αἰσθήσεως " οὕτως οὐδὲ ἡ χρηστότης τοῦ οὐρανίου λόγου ἐναργῶς παραδοθῆναι διδασκαλίαις δύναται, ἐὰν μὴ, τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας δόγματα ἐπὶ πλέον βασανίσαντες, δυνηθῶμεν τῇ οἰκείᾳ πείρᾳ τὴν χρηστότητα καταλαβεῖν τοῦ Κυρίου. Γεύσασθε δὲ, εἶπε, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐμπλήσθητε" διότι νῦν μὲν ἐκ μέρους γινώσκομεν, καὶ δι᾽ ἐσόπτρου βλέπομεν καὶ αἰνίγματος τὴν ἀλήθειαν" ἥξει δέ ποτε ὅτε ὁ νῦν ἀῤῥαβὼν, καὶ τὸ γεῦμα τοῦτο τῆς χάριτος εἰς τελειότητα ἡμῖν τῆς ἀπολαύσεως καταντήσει. “Ὥσπερ δὲ οἱ στομαχοῦντες καὶ οἱ κακόσιτοι, ἀποστρεφόμενοι τὰ σιτία, ὑπὸ τῶν ἰατρῶν θεραπεύονται τὸ δυσάρεστον, διεγειρόντων τὰς ὀρέξεις διά τινος ἐπιπτηδεύσεως τῆς ἐν τοῖς βρώμασιν, ὥστε, ὑπὸ τῆς καρυκείας ἐκείνης ἐρεθιζομένης τῆς αἰσθήσεως, ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ πλεῖον ἐπιτείνεσθαι τὰς ὀρέξεις " οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας, Αὐτὴ, φησὶν, ὑμᾶς ἡ πεῖρα πρὸς τὸ ἀκόρεστον τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἀεὶ προσκαλέσεται. Διὰ τοῦτο, φησὶ, Γεύσασθε, ἵνα μακάριοι γένησθε ἀεὶ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην. Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς ἐλπίζει ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Ὁ ἀεὶ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ ὧν τοῦ λόγου, ἐπ' οὐδὲν ἕτερον θήσεται τὴν ἐλπίδα ἣ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον. Φοβήθητε τὸν Κύριον, πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι αὐτοῦ ' ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὑστέρημα τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν. Ἐὰν μὴ φόβος παιδεύῃ ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν, ἀμήχανον κατορθωθῆναι τὸν ἁγιασμὸν ἐν τῷ σώματι. Καθήλωσον γὰρ, φησὶ, ἐκ τοῦ φόβου σου τὰς σάρκας μου. Ὥς γὰρ οἱ ὑπὸ τῶν ἥλων διαπεπαρμένοι τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀκίνητα ἔχουσι πρὸς ἐνέργειαν, οὕτως οἱ τῷ θείῳ φόβῳ τὴν ψυχὴν κατειλημμένοι πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκ τῶν παθῶν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐνόχλησιν διαφεύγουσι. Τῷ οὖν φοβουμένῳ οὐχ ἔστιν ὑστέρημα " τουτέστι, πρὸς οὐδεμίαν ἀρετὴν ἔστιν ἐλλιπὴς ὁ ὑπὸ τοῦ φόβου ἀπὸ πάσης ἀτόπου πράξεως κωλυόμενος, ἀλλὰ τέλειός ἐστι, μηδενὸς τῶν ἐπιβαλλόντων τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει καλῶν ἀπολειπόμενος. Ὡς γὰρ οὐχ ἔστι τέλειος ἐν τῷ σώματι ὁ ἔν τινι μέρει τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐλλιμπάνων, ἀλλ᾽ ἀτελῆς ἔστι καθ᾽ ὃ ἐλλείπει“ οὕτω καὶ ὁ περὶ μίαν τῶν ἐντολῶν καταφρονητικῶς διακείμενος, διὰ τὸ ὑστερεῖν αὐτῆς, ἀτελής ἐστι κατὰ τὸ ἐλλεῖπον. Ὃ δὲ τὸν τέλειον φόβον ἀνειληφὼς, καὶ πάντα σεται τῷ μηδενὸς ὑπερορᾷν' οὐχ ἕξει δὲ ὑστέρ φόβον. χαταπτήσσων δι᾽ εὐλάῤδειαν, οὐδὲν μὲν ἁμαρτήἡμᾶ, τῷ ἐπὶ πάντα διαρκῶς παρεῖναι αὐτῷ τὸν. Πλούσιοι ἐπτώχευσαν καὶ ἐπείνασαν" οἱ δὲ ἐκζητοῦντες τὸν Κύριον οὐκ ἐλαττωθήσονται παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Οἰκοδομείτω μὲν ἡμᾶς καὶ πρὸς τὴν καταφρόνησιν τοῦ, σωματικοῦ πλούτου ὁ λόγος, τὸ ἀβέβαιον τῆς τῶν χρημάτων περιουσίας ἐκδιδάσκων. Εὐμετάπτωτος γὰρ ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ οἱονεὶ κῦμα πεφυκὼς μεταῤῥεῖν. Καὶ πλούσιον λέγει τάχα τὸν Ἰσραήλ ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία, ὧν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πατέρες. Οὗτοι τοίνυν διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἁμαρτίαν ἐπτώχευσαν. Οἱ δὲ ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνων ἐκζητήσαντες τὸν Κύριον οὐχ ἐλαττωθήσονται παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Ἐπτώχευσαν δέ πως καὶ ἐπείνασαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀπέκτειναν τὸν ἄρτον τῆς ζωῆς, ἦλθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ὁ λιμὸς τοῦ ἄρτου " καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐπεβούλευσαν τῇ πηγῇ τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ζῶντος, ἦλθεν αὐτοῖς δίψα, καὶ ἐπετέθη αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐκ τῆς δίψης κόλασις " λιμὸς δὲ οὐχὶ ἄρτου αἰσθητοῦ, οὐδὲ δίψα ὕδατος, ἀλλὰ λιμὸς τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον Κυρίου. ᾿Επτώχευσαν μὲν οὖν καὶ ἐπείνασαν. Οἱ μέντοι ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν μαθόντες ἐκζητεῖν τὸν Κύριον οὐχ ἐλαττωθήσονται παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Τὸ παντέλειον ἀγαθὸν αὐτός ἔστιν ὁ Θεός " οὗ οὐχ ἐλαττωθήσονται πάντες οἱ ἐκζητοῦντες αὐτόν. Μὴ γάρ μοί τις ἀπαίδευτος, ἀδιάκριτον ἔχων τὸν περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ τόπον, ἀγαθὸν ὀνομαζέτω τὸν πρόσκαιρον ἔχοντα τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν καὶ τῇ φθορᾷ τοῦ σώματος συναπερχομένην. Ὁ γὰρ τὸν σωματικὸν πλοῦτον καὶ τὰ σωματικὰ προτερήματα εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάξιν κατάγων. εἰς πράγματα εὐτελῇ καὶ οὐδενὸς λόγου ἄξια ἄγει τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ μόνῳ Θεῷ πρέπον ὄνομα, καὶ ἅμα ἐναντιώματι χαλεπωτάτῳ περιπεσεῖται. Ἢ γὰρ τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐρεῖ, παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἐκζητῆσαι τὸν Κύριον, μὴ τετυχηκέναι τῶν σωματικῶν ἀγαθῶν ἣ εἰ ἐκζητοῦντες ἀπετύγχανον τῶν τοιούτων ἀγαθῶν, τῆς Γραφῆς αὐτῇ κατηγορήσει λεγούσης μηδενὸς ἀγαθοῦ ἐλαττοῦσθαι τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντας τὸν Κύριον. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἐξεζήτουν οἱ ἅγιοι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζητουμένου καταλήψεως οὐκ ἠλαττοῦντο, οὐδὲ τῶν ἀποκειμένων ἐν τῇ αἰωνίᾳ ἀναπαύσει ἀγαθῶν ἐστερήθησαν. Περὶ ἐκείνων γὰρ λέγοιτο ἂν κυρίως τὸ, Παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Αἱ γὰρ σωματικαὶ ἀπολαύσεις πλεῖον τὸ ὀδυνηρὸν ἔχουσι τοῦ ἡδέος - οἱ γάμοι τὰς ἀπαιδίας, τὰς χηρείας, τὰς διαφθοράς - αἱ γεωργίαι τὴν ἀκαρπίαν" αἱ ἐμπορίαι τὰ ναυάγια " οἱ πλοῦτοι τὰς ἐπιβουλάς " αἱ τρυφαὶ καὶ οἱ χόροι, καὶ αἱ συνεχεῖς ἀπολαύσεις τὸ ποικίλον τῶν νοσημάτων, καὶ τὸ πολυειδὲς τῶν παθῶν. Παῦλος μέντοι καὶ ἐξεζήτει τὸν Κύριον, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ ἔλειπε τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Καίτοι τίς ἂν ἐξαριθμήσαιτο τὰ τοῦ σώματος … νυχθήμερον ἐν τῷ βυθῷ πεποίηκεν, ἐν ὁδοιπορίαις πολλάκις, ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει, ἐν νηστείαις πολλάκις, ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, ἐν ἀνάγκαις πολλάκις. Μέχρι τῆς ἐσχάτης ὥρας καὶ πεινῶν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ διψῶν, καὶ γυμνητεύων, καὶ κολαφιζόμενος, πῶς οὐχ ἠλαττοῦτο τῶν σωματικῶν ἀγαθῶν; ᾿Ανάγαγε οὖν μοι τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τὸ ὄντως ἀγαθὸν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν συμφωνίαν τῆς Γραφῆς ἐπιγνῷς, καὶ σεαυτὸν μὴ καταβάλῃς τῇ ἀμφιβολίᾳ τῆς ἐννοίας.

Geusasthe, kai idete hoti chrēstos ho Kyrios. Pollachou tetērēkamen, hoti tois exōthen melesin homōnymōs hai tēs psychēs prosagoreuontai dynameis. Epei de artos estin alēthinos ho Kyrios hēmōn, kai ē sarx autou alēthēs esti brōsis " anankē tēn hēdonēn tēs euphrosynēs tou artou dia geuseōs hēmin noētēs enginesthai. Hōs tou melitos hē physis ou tosouton tǭ logǭ dynatai parastēnai tois apeirois, hoson ap' autēs tēs kata tēn geusin aisthēseōs " houtōs oude hē chrēstotēs tou ouraniou logou enargōs paradothēnai didaskaliais dynatai, ean mē, ta tēs alētheias dogmata epi pleon basanisantes, dynēthōmen tę̄ oikeią peirą tēn chrēstotēta katalabein tou Kyriou. Geusasthe de, eipe, kai ouchi emplēsthēte" dioti nyn men ek merous ginōskomen, kai di᾽ esoptrou blepomen kai ainigmatos tēn alētheian" hēxei de pote hote ho nyn arrhabōn, kai to geuma touto tēs charitos eis teleiotēta hēmin tēs apolauseōs katantēsei. “Hōsper de hoi stomachountes kai hoi kakositoi, apostrephomenoi ta sitia, hypo tōn iatrōn therapeuontai to dysareston, diegeirontōn tas orexeis dia tinos epiptēdeuseōs tēs en tois brōmasin, hōste, hypo tēs karykeias ekeinēs erethizomenēs tēs aisthēseōs, aei pros to pleion epiteinesthai tas orexeis " houtō kai epi tou logou tēs alētheias, Autē, phēsin, hymas hē peira pros to akoreston tēs epithymias aei proskalesetai. Dia touto, phēsi, Geusasthe, hina makarioi genēsthe aei peinōntes kai dipsōntes tēn dikaiosynēn. Makarios anēr hos elpizei ep᾿ auton. Ho aei en epithymią hōn tou logou, ep' ouden heteron thēsetai tēn elpida hē epi ton Kyrion. Phobēthēte ton Kyrion, pantes hoi hagioi autou ' hoti ouk estin hysterēma tois phoboumenois auton. Ean mē phobos paideuę̄ hēmōn tēn zōēn, amēchanon katorthōthēnai ton hagiasmon en tǭ sōmati. Kathēlōson gar, phēsi, ek tou phobou sou tas sarkas mou. Hōs gar hoi hypo tōn hēlōn diapeparmenoi ta melē tou sōmatos akinēta echousi pros energeian, houtōs hoi tǭ theiǭ phobǭ tēn psychēn kateilēmmenoi pasan tēn ek tōn pathōn tēs hamartias enochlēsin diapheugousi. Tǭ oun phoboumenǭ ouch estin hysterēma " toutesti, pros oudemian aretēn estin ellipēs ho hypo tou phobou apo pasēs atopou praxeōs kōlyomenos, alla teleios esti, mēdenos tōn epiballontōn tę̄ anthrōpinę̄ physei kalōn apoleipomenos. Hōs gar ouch esti teleios en tǭ sōmati ho en tini merei tōn anankaiōn ellimpanōn, all᾽ atelēs esti kath᾽ ho elleipei“ houtō kai ho peri mian tōn entolōn kataphronētikōs diakeimenos, dia to hysterein autēs, atelēs esti kata to elleipon. Ho de ton teleion phobon aneilēphōs, kai panta setai tǭ mēdenos hyperorąn' ouch hexei de hyster phobon. chataptēssōn di᾽ eulardeian, ouden men hamartēēma, tǭ epi panta diarkōs pareinai autǭ ton. Plousioi eptōcheusan kai epeinasan" hoi de ekzētountes ton Kyrion ouk elattōthēsontai pantos agathou. Oikodomeitō men hēmas kai pros tēn kataphronēsin tou, sōmatikou ploutou ho logos, to abebaion tēs tōn chrēmatōn periousias ekdidaskōn. Eumetaptōtos gar ho ploutos, kai hoionei kyma pephykōs metarrhein. Kai plousion legei tacha ton Israēl hōn hē huiothesia kai hē latreia, hōn hai epangeliai, ex hōn hoi pateres. Houtoi toinyn dia tēn eis ton Kyrion hamartian eptōcheusan. Hoi de ant᾽ ekeinōn ekzētēsantes ton Kyrion ouch elattōthēsontai pantos agathou. Eptōcheusan de pōs kai epeinasan. Epeidē gar apekteinan ton arton tēs zōēs, ēlthen ep᾽ autous ho limos tou artou " kai epeidē epebouleusan tę̄ pēgę̄ tou hydatos tou zōntos, ēlthen autois dipsa, kai epetethē autois hē ek tēs dipsēs kolasis " limos de ouchi artou aisthētou, oude dipsa hydatos, alla limos tou akousai logon Kyriou. ᾿Eptōcheusan men oun kai epeinasan. Hoi mentoi apo tōn ethnōn mathontes ekzētein ton Kyrion ouch elattōthēsontai pantos agathou. To panteleion agathon autos estin ho Theos " hou ouch elattōthēsontai pantes hoi ekzētountes auton. Mē gar moi tis apaideutos, adiakriton echōn ton peri tou agathou kai kakou topon, agathon onomazetō ton proskairon echonta tēn apolausin kai tę̄ phthorą tou sōmatos synaperchomenēn. Ho gar ton sōmatikon plouton kai ta sōmatika proterēmata eis tēn tou agathou taxin katagōn. eis pragmata eutelę̄ kai oudenos logou axia agei to semnon kai monǭ Theǭ prepon onoma, kai hama enantiōmati chalepōtatǭ peripeseitai. Ē gar tous apostolous erei, para to mē ekzētēsai ton Kyrion, mē tetychēkenai tōn sōmatikōn agathōn hē ei ekzētountes apetynchanon tōn toioutōn agathōn, tēs Graphēs autę̄ katēgorēsei legousēs mēdenos agathou elattousthai tous ekzētountas ton Kyrion. ᾿Alla kai exezētoun hoi hagioi ton Kyrion, kai tēs autou tou zētoumenou katalēpseōs ouk ēlattounto, oude tōn apokeimenōn en tę̄ aiōnią anapausei agathōn esterēthēsan. Peri ekeinōn gar legoito an kyriōs to, Pantos agathou. Hai gar sōmatikai apolauseis pleion to odynēron echousi tou hēdeos - hoi gamoi tas apaidias, tas chēreias, tas diaphthoras - hai geōrgiai tēn akarpian" hai emporiai ta nauagia " hoi ploutoi tas epiboulas " hai tryphai kai hoi choroi, kai hai synecheis apolauseis to poikilon tōn nosēmatōn, kai to polyeides tōn pathōn. Paulos mentoi kai exezētei ton Kyrion, kai ouden autǭ eleipe tōn agathōn. Kaitoi tis an exarithmēsaito ta tou sōmatos … nychthēmeron en tǭ bythǭ pepoiēken, en hodoiporiais pollakis, en limǭ kai dipsei, en nēsteiais pollakis, en kopǭ kai mochthǭ, en anankais pollakis. Mechri tēs eschatēs hōras kai peinōn anthrōpos, kai dipsōn, kai gymnēteuōn, kai kolaphizomenos, pōs ouch ēlattouto tōn sōmatikōn agathōn? ᾿Anagage oun moi tēn dianoian epi to ontōs agathon, hina kai tēn symphōnian tēs Graphēs epignǭs, kai seauton mē katabalę̄s tę̄ amphibolią tēs ennoias.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” We have often observed that the powers of the soul are called by the same names as the outward members. Since our Lord is the true bread, and his flesh is true food, the pleasure of the delight of the bread must come to us through an intelligible taste. As the nature of honey cannot be presented to the inexperienced by description so much as by the very perception of tasting, so neither can the goodness of the heavenly Word be clearly conveyed by teachings, unless, having tested the doctrines of the truth more thoroughly, we can grasp the goodness of the Lord by our own experience. He said “Taste,” not “Be filled,” because now we know in part and see the truth through a mirror and in a riddle; but a time will come when the present pledge and this taste of grace will reach the perfection of enjoyment for us. As with those who have weak stomachs and no appetite and turn away from food, physicians treat their distaste by rousing their appetites through some skill in the dishes, so that, the sense being stimulated by that seasoning, the appetites are always stretched toward more, so too with the word of truth: the very experience, he says, will always call you to an insatiable desire. That is why he says “Taste,” so that you may become blessed, always hungering and thirsting for righteousness. “Blessed is the man who hopes in him.” The one who is always in desire for the word will set his hope on nothing else but the Lord. “Fear the Lord, all you his saints, for there is no want to those who fear him.” Unless fear trains our life, it is impossible to achieve holiness in the body. For “Nail my flesh,” it says, “with your fear.” For as those pierced through with nails keep the members of the body motionless for action, so those whose souls are held by divine fear escape all the troubling that comes from the passions of sin. To the one who fears, then, there is no want; that is, the one kept by fear from every improper action is lacking in no virtue, but is perfect, falling short of none of the goods befitting human nature. For as a man is not perfect in body who lacks some part of what is necessary, but is imperfect in what he lacks, so too one who is contemptuously disposed toward one of the commandments is imperfect, because he falls short of it, in what is lacking. But the one who has taken up perfect fear and, cowering in reverence, [shrinks from] all things, [will commit no sin], because he overlooks nothing; and he will not suffer want, because fear is continually present to him in all things. [7] “The rich have become poor and gone hungry, but those who seek out the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” Let the word build us up also toward contempt of bodily wealth, teaching the instability of an abundance of money. For wealth is easily overturned and, like a wave, naturally flows away. And perhaps he calls Israel rich, “to whom belong the adoption and the worship, to whom the promises, from whom the fathers.” These, then, because of their sin against the Lord, became poor. But those who sought out the Lord in their place shall not lack any good thing. They became poor, then, and hungry. For since they killed the bread of life, the famine of bread came upon them; and since they plotted against the spring of living water, thirst came on them, and the punishment of thirst was laid on them: “a famine not of bread” perceived by the senses, “nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.” They became poor, then, and hungry. But those from the nations who learned to seek out the Lord shall not lack any good thing. The all-perfect good is God himself, of whom none who seek him out shall be in want. Let no uneducated person, having an undiscerning view of good and evil, call good what has a temporary enjoyment and passes away with the decay of the body. For one who ranks bodily wealth and bodily advantages among goods brings down the august name that befits God alone to cheap things worthy of no account, and at the same time will fall into a most grievous contradiction. For either he will say that the apostles failed to obtain bodily goods because they did not seek out the Lord; or, if they failed to obtain such goods while seeking him, he will accuse Scripture itself, which says that those who seek out the Lord lack no good thing. But the saints did seek out the Lord, and were not lacking in the grasp of him whom they sought, nor were they deprived of the goods laid up in eternal rest. Of those goods “any good thing” would properly be said. For bodily enjoyments have more pain than pleasure: marriages bring childlessness, widowhood, ruin; farming, crop failures; trade, shipwrecks; wealth, plots; luxuries and dances and continual enjoyments, the variety of diseases and the many kinds of sufferings. Paul, at least, sought out the Lord, and he lacked none of the good things. And yet who could count the body's [sufferings]? … a night and a day he spent in the deep; on journeys often; in hunger and thirst; in fastings often; in toil and hardship; in necessities often. Right to the last hour hungry and thirsty and naked and beaten, how was he not lacking bodily goods? Lead your mind up, then, to what is truly good, so that you may recognize the agreement of Scripture and not cast yourself down by doubt about its meaning.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 34:8 (33:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:32 (allusion, high confidence) · John 6:55 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 1:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 34:9 (33:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:120 (118:120 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:10 (33:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 9:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 9:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 2:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Amos 8:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:11 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil explains Ps 34:8–10: tasting the Lord's goodness through experience of the Word whets insatiable desire; fear of God makes one lack no virtue; Israel the rich became poor of the Word while the seekers from the nations lack no good, for the true good is God, not bodily goods, which Paul lacked.

Quotations: Ps 34:8–10 (LXX 33:9–11); John 6:32, 55; 1 Cor 13:9, 12; Matt 5:6; Ps 119:120 (LXX 118:120, “nail my flesh with your fear”); Rom 9:4–5; Amos 8:11; 2 Cor 11:25–27; 1 Cor 4:11. Allusions: 2 Cor 1:22 (pledge); Jer 2:13 (spring of living water); John 6:35. Lines are lost where Migne's notes stand in the scan: in the account of the perfect man who fears God (bracketed words supplied by sense) and before Paul's catalogue of sufferings (marked “…”). The marker [7] shows where Migne's section 7 begins.

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): τετηρήχαμεν, → τετηρήκαμεν,; ἀνάγχη → ἀνάγκη; Ὁ τῆς → τῆς; χατὰ τὴν → κατὰ τὴν; διδασχαλίαις → διδασκαλίαις; εἶθ, ἴος τπ060 : πρὸς σὲ δὲ οὐχ ἐγγιεῖ οὐδὲ πλὴν τινος τῶν, εἰς. Παρ. ἰογιλ5 πρὸς σὲ δὲ οὐδὲ τι τις τῶν. Μοχ πι88. βεχ τοῖς ἔξωθεν. Εὐϊ1 τοῖς ἔ Μὸχ «00 π!85. ἐπειδὴ ἄρτος. ᾿ ἀληθείας → ἀληθείας; δυνηθῶ- Α μεν → δυνηθῶμεν; οἰχείᾳ → οἰκείᾳ; χαταλαδεῖν → καταλαβεῖν; ἐχ μέρους → ἐκ μέρους; γινώσχομεν, → γινώσκομεν,; ἀῤῥαθὼν, → ἀῤῥαβὼν,; χαταντήσει. → καταντήσει.; χαχόσιτοι, → κακόσιτοι,; χαρυχείας → καρυκείας; ἐχείνης → ἐκείνης; ἀχόρεστον → ἀκόρεστον; προσχαλέσεται. → προσκαλέσεται.; μαχάριοι → μακάριοι; γέ- → γένησθε; " νησθε ἀεὶ → ἀεὶ; διχαιοσύνην. → δικαιοσύνην.; ἤακάριος → Μακάριος; ἀγὴρ → ἀνὴρ; Ὦ → Ὁ; Φοθήθητε → Φοβήθητε; φοδουμένοις → φοβουμένοις; φόθος παιδεύῃ → φόβος παιδεύῃ; χατορθωθῆναι → κατορθωθῆναι; Κωθήϊλωσον → Καθήλωσον; φόδου → φόβου; ἀχίνητα → ἀκίνητα; φόδῳ → φόβῳ; ἐχ τῶν → ἐκ τῶν; ξνόχλησιν → ἐνόχλησιν; φοδουμένῳ → φοβουμένῳ; φόθου → φόβου; ἁτόπου → ἀτόπου; πράζεως → πράξεως; χωλυόμενος, → κωλυόμενος,; ἐπιθαλλόντων → ἐπιβαλλόντων; χαλῶν → καλῶν; ἑλλιμπάνων, → ἐλλιμπάνων,; χαθ᾽ → καθ᾽; χαταφρονητιχῶς → καταφρονητικῶς; διαχείμενος, → διακείμενος,; χατὰ τὸ → κατὰ τὸ; ἐλλέϊπον. → ἐλλεῖπον.; φόδον → φόβον; φόθον. → φόβον.; ἰμφαΐι, ποι δυίοπι ἱπιρ! απ. Νὰπι πῆς αυϊάθιι χαταπτήσσων → χαταπτήσσων; διαρχῶς → διαρκῶς; Ὁ 1. ὕεμβ. 11. ίυϊίοα ἐριιεγμπί οἱ ἐδιτίόγιηι; ἐπἐκζητοῦντες → ἐκζητοῦντες; ἐλαττωθήσογται → ἐλαττωθήσονται; Οἰχοδομείτω → Οἰκοδομείτω; χαταφρόνησιν → καταφρόνησιν; σωματιχοῦ → σωματικοῦ; ἀδέδαιον → ἀβέβαιον; ἐχδιδάσχων. → ἐκδιδάσκων.; πλαῦτος, → πλοῦτος,; Νοιιαυ πιθ5. φόθος ἡμῶν παιδεύει τὴν ζωήν. Ν δα βαϊπιᾶγαῖ, ργὸ ἐν χρῷ ροϑδιιίίδδ8α ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ΜΝ] τοίδγαι, ἶνα ἐν χρῷ, 5'ν6 ἐν τῷ σώματι 18ρὴ πεφυχὼς → πεφυκὼς; ἐπαγ → ἐπαγγελίαι,; γελίαι, ἐξ → ἐξ; ἐχείνων → ἐκείνων; ἀπέχτειναν → ἀπέκτειναν; ἐπεθούλευ → ἐπεβούλευσαν; σαν τῇ → τῇ; χόλασις → κόλασις; ἀχοῦσαι → ἀκοῦσαι; ἐχξητεῖν → ἐκζητεῖν; ἐλαττωθέσονταε → ἐλαττωθήσονται; ἐχζητοῦντες → ἐκζητοῦντες; ἀδιάχριτον → ἀδιάκριτον; ιὃὸν → τὸν; χαχοῦ → κακοῦ; πρόσχαιρον → πρόσκαιρον; ἀπόλαυ-σιν → ἀπόλαυσιν; σωματιχὸν → σωματικὸν; σωματιχὰ → σωματικὰ; χατάγων. → κατάγων.; σεμνὺν → σεμνὸν; ἐχζητῆσαι → ἐκζητῆσαι; πετυχηχέναι → τετυχηκέναι; σωματιχῶν ἀγαθῶν ἣ → σωματικῶν ἀγαθῶν ἣ; ἐχζη- → ἐκζητοῦντες; «οὔντες ἀπετύγχανον → ἀπετύγχανον; Γραφῇς → Γραφῆς; ἀγαϑοῦ → ἀγαθοῦ; ἐχζητοῦντας → ἐκζητοῦντας; ἡλαττοῦντο, → ἠλαττοῦντο,; ἀποχειμένων → ἀποκειμένων; ἔστερήθησαν. → ἐστερήθησαν.; χυρίως → κυρίως; γεωργίαε → γεωργίαι; ἀχαρπίαν" → ἀκαρπίαν"; ἐπιόουλάς → ἐπιβουλάς; ποιχίλον → ποικίλον; Ἀερ. → …; δοουπάυβ ἀπὸ τῆς. Μοχ οὐἰιῖ πεφυχός. ἢ πι88. πο ρδυεὶ. Βαϊ ἦλθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἡ δίψα. ἐπετέθη. 58 ρα. νυχθήμερον → νυχθήμερον; πεποίηχεν, → πεποίηκεν,; ὁδοιπορίαι; → ὁδοιπορίαις; πολλάχις, → πολλάκις,; πολλά- → πολλάκις,; Αὶ πιούο ποη χις, ἐν → ἐν; χόπῳ → κόπῳ; ἀνάγχαις → ἀνάγκαις; πολλάχις. → πολλάκις.; χολαφιζόμενος, → κολαφιζόμενος,; ἡλαττοῦτο → ἠλαττοῦτο; σωματιχῶν ἀγαθῶν; → σωματικῶν ἀγαθῶν;; χαταδάλῃς → καταβάλῃς; ἀμφιθολίᾳ → ἀμφιβολίᾳ.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.6 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-6). (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.

33.8PG 29:358

Δεῦτε, τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ μου" Φόβον Κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς. Ἐνδιαθέτου διδασκάλου φωνὴ, προσκαλουμένου εἰς μάθησιν διὰ πατρικῆς εὐσπλαγχνίας. Καὶ γὰρ τέκνον ἐστὶ πνευματικὸν τοῦ διδασκάλου ὁ μαθητής. Ὁ γὰρ παρά τινος τὴν μόρφωσιν τῆς εὐσεβείας δεχόμενος, οὗτος οἱονεὶ διαπλάττεται παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς σύστασιν ἄγεται, ὥσπερ καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς κυοφορούσης τὰ ἐν αὑτῇ διαμορφούμενα βρέφη. Ὅθεν καὶ Παῦλος ὅλην τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τῶν Γαλατῶν, ἐκ τῶν προτέρων διαπεσοῦσαν μαθημάτων, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἀμορφωθεῖσαν, πάλιν ἀναλαμβάνων, καὶ μορφῶν ἄνωθεν ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸν Χριστὸν, τέκνα ἔλεγε " καὶ ἐπειδὴ μετ᾽ ὀδύνης καὶ θλίψεως ἐποιεῖτο τῶν ἐσφαλμένων τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν, ὠδίνειν ἔλεγε τῇ ψυχῇ διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀποπεσοῦσι λύπην. Τεκνία μου, οὗς πάλιν ὠδίνω, ἄχρις οὐ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν. Δεῦτε οὖν, τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ μου. Τί ποτε ἄρα διδάσκεῖν μέλλει ὁ πνευματικὸς ἡμῶν πατήρ; Φόβον, φησὶ, Κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ ἄνω προσέταξε φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ φόβου κέρδος ὑπέδειξεν, εἰπὼν, Ὅτι οὐχ ἔστιν ὑστέρημα τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὑτόν" νῦν καὶ διδασκαλίαν τινὰ τοῦ θείου φόβου ἡμῖν παραδίδωσι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ, ὅτι χρὴ ὑγιαίνειν, παντός ἐστιν εἰπεῖν, καὶ τοῦ ἰδιώτου - τὸ δὲ, πῶς χρὴ κτήσασθαι τὴν ὑγείαν, τοῦτο ἴδιον ἤδη τοῦ τὴν ἰατρικὴν τέχνην ἐπισταμένου. Οὐ πᾶς φόβος ἀγαθόν ἐστι καὶ σωτήριον, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστι τις καὶ ἐχθρὸς φόβος, ὃν ἀπεύχεται ὁ Προφήτης ἐγγενέσθαι αὐτοῦ τῇ Ψυχῇ, λέγων: Ἀπὸ φόβου ἐχθροῦ ἐξελοῦ τὴν ψυχήν μου. Ἐχθρὸς γὰρ φόβος ὁ θανάτου ἡμῖν δειλίαν ἐμποιῶν, ὁ προσώπων ὑπεροχὰς καταπτήσσειν ἡμᾶς ἀναπείθων. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ ταῦτα φοβούμενος δυνήσεται ἐν καιρῷ μαρτυρίου μέχρι θανάτου πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀντικαταστῆναι, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι τῷ Κυρίῳ τὴν ὀφειλήν, τῷ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι; Καὶ ὁ ὑπὸ δαιμόνων εὐπτόητος τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἔχει φόβον ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Καὶ ὅλως, ὁ τοιοῦτος φόβος ἀπιστίας ἔοικεν ἔγγονον εἶναι πάθος. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ πιστεύων ἰσχυρὸν αὐτῷ παρεῖναι τὸν βοηθὸν φοβεῖται ἀπό τινος τῶν ἐπιχειρούντων αὐτὸν ἐκταράσσειν. Φόβος δὲ ὁ σωτήριος, καὶ φόβος ἀγιασμοῦ ποιητικὸς, φόβος ὁ κατ᾽ ἐπιτήδευσιν, καὶ οὐχὶ κατὰ πάθος ἐγγινόμενος τῇ ψυχῇ, ποῖός ἐστι βούλει διηγήσωμαι; Ὅταν μέλλῃς ἐπί τινα ὁρμᾷν ἁμαρτίαν, ἐννόησόν τοῦ ἐκεῖνο τὸ φρικτὸν καὶ ἀνύποιστον τοῦ Χριστοῦ δικαστήριον, ἐν ᾧ προκαθέζεται μὲν ἐπὶ θρόνου τινὸς ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ἐπηρμένου ὁ κριτῆς, παρέστηκε δὲ πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις ὑποτρέμουσα τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἕνδοξον" παράγεσθαι δὲ μέλλομεν καθ᾽ ἕνα εἰς ἐξέτασιν τῶν βεβιωμένων ἡμῖν. Εἶτα τῷ πολλὰ πονηρὰ πεποιηκότι κατὰ τὸν βίον φοβεροί τινες καὶ κατηφεῖς παρίστανται ἄγγελοι, πῦρ βλέποντες, … διὰ τὴν πικρίαν τῆς προαιρέσεως, νυκτὶ ἐοικότες τὰ πρόσωπα, διὰ τὸ κατηφὲς καὶ μισάνθρωπον. Εἶτα βάραθρον βαθὺ, καὶ σκότος ἀδιεξόδευτον, καὶ πῦρ ἀλαμπές" ἐν τῷ σκότει τὴν μὲν καυστικὴν δύναμιν ἔχον, τὸ δὲ φέγγος ἀφῃρημένον. Εἶτα σκωλήκων γένος ἰοβόλον καὶ σαρκοφάγον, ἀπλήστως ἐσθίον, καὶ μηδέποτε κορεννύμενον, ἀφορήτους ὀδύνας ἐμποιοῦν τῇ καταδρώσει. Εἶτα τὴν πασῶν χαλεπωτάτην κόλασιν, τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἐκεῖνον καὶ τὴν αἰσχύνην τὴν αἰώνιον. Ταῦτα φοβοῦ " καὶ τούτῳ τῷ φόβῳ παιδευόμενος, οἱονεὶ χαλινῷ τινι ἀνάκοπτε τὴν Ψυχὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς τὰ φαῦλα ἐπιθυμίας. Τοῦτον τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυρίου διδάσκειν ἡμᾶς ὁ πατὴρ ἐπηγγείλατο" οὐχ ἁπλῶς διδάσκειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ προαιρουμένους· οὐ τοὺς μακρὰν ἀποπεσόντας ἀλλὰ τοὺς δι" ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ σωθῆναι προστρέχοντας " οὐ τοὺς ξένους τῶν Διαθηκῶν,, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ βαπτίσματος τῆς υἱοθεσίας οἰκειουμένους τῷ λόγῳ. Διὰ τοῦτο, φησὶ, δεῦτε τουτέστι, διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἐγγίσατέ μοι, τέκνα, υἱοὶ φωτὸς γενέσθαι διὰ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας καταξιωθέντες. ᾿Ακούσατε, οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ ὦτα τῆς καρδίας ἀνεῳγμένα - Φόβον Κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς" τοῦτον, ὃν μικρῷ πρόσθεν ὁ λόγος ὑμῖν ὑπέγραψεν.

Deute, tekna, akousate mou" Phobon Kyriou didaxō hymas. Endiathetou didaskalou phōnē, proskaloumenou eis mathēsin dia patrikēs eusplanchnias. Kai gar teknon esti pneumatikon tou didaskalou ho mathētēs. Ho gar para tinos tēn morphōsin tēs eusebeias dechomenos, houtos hoionei diaplattetai par᾽ autou, kai eis systasin agetai, hōsper kai hypo tēs kyophorousēs ta en hautę̄ diamorphoumena brephē. Hothen kai Paulos holēn tēn Ekklēsian tōn Galatōn, ek tōn proterōn diapesousan mathēmatōn, kai hoionei amorphōtheisan, palin analambanōn, kai morphōn anōthen en autois ton Christon, tekna elege " kai epeidē met᾽ odynēs kai thlipseōs epoieito tōn esphalmenōn tēn epanorthōsin, ōdinein elege tę̄ psychę̄ dia tēn epi tois apopesousi lypēn. Teknia mou, hous palin ōdinō, achris ou morphōthę̄ Christos en hymin. Deute oun, tekna, akousate mou. Ti pote ara didaskein mellei ho pneumatikos hēmōn patēr? Phobon, phēsi, Kyriou didaxō hymas. Epeidē anō prosetaxe phobeisthai ton Kyrion, kai to ek tou phobou kerdos hypedeixen, eipōn, Hoti ouch estin hysterēma tois phoboumenois hauton" nyn kai didaskalian tina tou theiou phobou hēmin paradidōsi. To men gar, hoti chrē hygiainein, pantos estin eipein, kai tou idiōtou - to de, pōs chrē ktēsasthai tēn hygeian, touto idion ēdē tou tēn iatrikēn technēn epistamenou. Ou pas phobos agathon esti kai sōtērion, all᾽ esti tis kai echthros phobos, hon apeuchetai ho Prophētēs engenesthai autou tę̄ Psychę̄, legōn: Apo phobou echthrou exelou tēn psychēn mou. Echthros gar phobos ho thanatou hēmin deilian empoiōn, ho prosōpōn hyperochas kataptēssein hēmas anapeithōn. Pōs gar ho tauta phoboumenos dynēsetai en kairǭ martyriou mechri thanatou pros tēn hamartian antikatastēnai, kai apodounai tǭ Kyriǭ tēn opheilēn, tǭ hyper hēmōn apothanonti kai egerthenti? Kai ho hypo daimonōn euptoētos ton echthron echei phobon en heautǭ. Kai holōs, ho toioutos phobos apistias eoiken engonon einai pathos. Oudeis gar pisteuōn ischyron autǭ pareinai ton boēthon phobeitai apo tinos tōn epicheirountōn auton ektarassein. Phobos de ho sōtērios, kai phobos agiasmou poiētikos, phobos ho kat᾽ epitēdeusin, kai ouchi kata pathos enginomenos tę̄ psychę̄, poios esti boulei diēgēsōmai? Hotan mellę̄s epi tina hormąn hamartian, ennoēson tou ekeino to phrikton kai anypoiston tou Christou dikastērion, en hǭ prokathezetai men epi thronou tinos hypsēlou kai epērmenou ho kritēs, parestēke de pasa hē ktisis hypotremousa tēn epiphaneian autou tēn hendoxon" paragesthai de mellomen kath᾽ hena eis exetasin tōn bebiōmenōn hēmin. Eita tǭ polla ponēra pepoiēkoti kata ton bion phoberoi tines kai katēpheis paristantai angeloi, pyr blepontes, … dia tēn pikrian tēs proaireseōs, nykti eoikotes ta prosōpa, dia to katēphes kai misanthrōpon. Eita barathron bathy, kai skotos adiexodeuton, kai pyr alampes" en tǭ skotei tēn men kaustikēn dynamin echon, to de phengos aphę̄rēmenon. Eita skōlēkōn genos iobolon kai sarkophagon, aplēstōs esthion, kai mēdepote korennymenon, aphorētous odynas empoioun tę̄ katadrōsei. Eita tēn pasōn chalepōtatēn kolasin, ton oneidismon ekeinon kai tēn aischynēn tēn aiōnion. Tauta phobou " kai toutǭ tǭ phobǭ paideuomenos, hoionei chalinǭ tini anakopte tēn Psychēn apo tēs pros ta phaula epithymias. Touton ton phobon tou Kyriou didaskein hēmas ho patēr epēngeilato" ouch haplōs didaskein, alla tous akouein autou proairoumenous; ou tous makran apopesontas alla tous di" epithymian tou sōthēnai prostrechontas " ou tous xenous tōn Diathēkōn,, alla tous ek tou baptismatos tēs huiothesias oikeioumenous tǭ logǭ. Dia touto, phēsi, deute toutesti, dia tōn agathōn ergōn engisate moi, tekna, huioi phōtos genesthai dia tēs palingenesias kataxiōthentes. ᾿Akousate, hoi echontes ta ōta tēs kardias aneǭgmena - Phobon Kyriou didaxō hymas" touton, hon mikrǭ prosthen ho logos hymin hypegrapsen.

“Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” It is the heartfelt voice of a teacher, calling to learning with a father's tenderness. For the disciple is a spiritual child of his teacher. For one who receives from someone the formation of godliness is, as it were, molded by him and brought to consistency, as infants are formed by the mother who carries them in the womb. That is why Paul too, taking up again the whole church of the Galatians, which had fallen away from its earlier teaching and, as it were, lost its form, and forming Christ in them anew, called them children; and since he made the correction of those who had gone astray with pain and affliction, he said that he was in labor in his soul because of his grief over those who had fallen away: “My little children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.” “Come, then, children, listen to me.” What, then, is our spiritual father going to teach? “The fear of the Lord,” he says, “I will teach you.” Since above he commanded us to fear the Lord and showed the gain from fear, saying, “For there is no want to those who fear him,” now he also hands on to us a teaching of the divine fear. For to say that one must be healthy belongs to anyone, even the layman; but how one must acquire health belongs only to one who knows the art of medicine. Not every fear is good and saving; there is also a fear that is an enemy, which the prophet prays may not arise in his soul, saying, “From fear of the enemy deliver my soul.” For the fear that produces cowardice before death in us, that persuades us to cower before the eminence of persons, is an enemy. For how will one who fears these things be able, at the time of martyrdom, to resist sin to the death and repay the debt to the Lord who died and rose for us? And one easily frightened by demons has the enemy fear in himself. And in general such fear seems to be a passion born of unbelief. For no one who believes that he has a strong helper present fears any of those who try to disturb him. But the saving fear, the fear that produces holiness, the fear that comes about in the soul by practice and not by passion: do you want me to describe what it is? … When you are about to rush into some sin, think, I beg you, of that dread and unbearable tribunal of Christ, in which the judge presides on a high and lofty throne, and all creation stands by, trembling at his glorious appearing; and we are to be brought one by one to the examination of our lives. Then, beside the one who has done much evil in his life stand fearful and gloomy angels, looking fire, [breathing] …, because of the bitterness of their purpose, like night in their faces because of their gloom and hatred of men. Then a deep pit, and impenetrable darkness, and a fire without light, having in the darkness its burning power but deprived of brightness. Then a venomous and flesh-eating race of worms, eating insatiably and never filled, causing unbearable pains by their devouring. Then the hardest punishment of all, that reproach and eternal shame. Fear these things, and, trained by this fear, check your soul, as with a bridle, from its desire for base things. This fear of the Lord the father promised to teach us; not simply to teach, but to teach those who choose to listen to him; not those who have fallen far away, but those who run to him out of desire to be saved; not strangers to the covenants, but those made his own by the word through the adoption of baptism. That is why he says, “Come”: that is, draw near to me through good works, children, you who have been counted worthy to become sons of light through the new birth. “Listen,” you who have the ears of your heart opened: “I will teach you the fear of the Lord,” the fear the word sketched for you a little before.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 34:11 (33:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 4:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:9 (33:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 64:1 (63:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 12:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 5:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 9:48 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 12:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 2:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 5:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Titus 3:5 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: On Ps 34:11 Basil distinguishes the enemy fear, born of unbelief, from the saving fear of God, and teaches it through a vivid picture of Christ's judgment seat, the dark fire, the worms and eternal shame.

Quotations: Ps 34:11 (LXX 33:12); Gal 4:19; Ps 34:9 (LXX 33:10); Ps 64:1 (LXX 63:2). Allusions: 2 Cor 5:10 (tribunal of Christ); Mark 9:48 (the worm); Matt 25:30 (outer darkness); Dan 12:2 (eternal shame); Eph 2:12 (strangers to the covenants); 1 Thess 5:5; Titus 3:5; Heb 12:4. Basil's description of the punishments of hell is translated as written. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan, and are marked “…”: after “what it is?” and in the description of the angels (“[breathing]” supplied by sense).

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): τέχνα, ἀχούσατέ → τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ; οὐδον → Φόβον; διδασχάλου φωνὴ, → διδασκάλου φωνὴ,; προσχαλουμένου → προσκαλουμένου; πατριχῆς → πατρικῆς; πνευματιχὸν → πνευματικὸν; διδασχάλου ὁ → διδασκάλου ὁ; εὐσεδείας → εὐσεβείας; χυοφορούσης → κυοφορούσης; Ἐχχλησίαν → Ἐκκλησίαν; Γαλα- → Γαλατῶν,; Β ργίοτίθυβ ἀἰδο!ρ! 115. ἀἰ!υρδϑιν, εἱ 1. 51 αὐ] τῶν, ἐχ τῶν → ἐκ τῶν; ἀμόλωθεῖσαν, → ἀμορφωθεῖσαν,; ἀναλαμδάνων, → ἀναλαμβάνων,; τέχνα ἔλεγε → τέκνα ἔλεγε; τοῖς; → τοῖς; Τεχγία → Τεκνία; οὗ μορφρωωθῇ → οὐ μορφωθῇ; τέχγω, → τέκνα,; διδάσχεῖν → διδάσκεῖν; πνευματιχὸς → πνευματικὸς; Φόδον, → Φόβον,; Κυρίον → Κυρίου; φοδεῖσθαι → φοβεῖσθαι; ἐχ τοῦ → ἐκ τοῦ; φόδου χέρδος → φόβου κέρδος; φοδουμένοις → φοβουμένοις; διδασχαλίαν → διδασκαλίαν; φόδου ἡμῖν → φόβου ἡμῖν; χτήσασθα!: → κτήσασθαι; ποῦ τὴν → τοῦ τὴν; ἰατριχὴν → ἰατρικὴν; φόθος → φόβος; ςόδος, → φόβος,; φόδου ἐχθροῦ → φόβου ἐχθροῦ; ἐξειοῦ → ἐξελοῦ; φυχήγ → ψυχήν; φόθδος → φόβος; χαταπτήσσειν → καταπτήσσειν; φοδούμενος → φοβούμενος; ἀντιχαταστῆναι, → ἀντικαταστῆναι,; ὀφειλῆν, → ὀφειλήν,; ἀποθανόντι: → ἀποθανόντι; φόθον → φόβον; φόδος ἀπιστίας → φόβος ἀπιστίας; ἔοιχεν → ἔοικεν; φοθεῖται → φοβεῖται; ἐχταράσσειν. → ἐκταράσσειν.; Φόὅος → Φόβος; φόδος ἀγιασμοῦ → φόβος ἀγιασμοῦ; ποιητιχὸς, → ποιητικὸς,; φόδος ὁ → φόβος ὁ; χατ᾽ → κατ᾽; (ὅ) ἐστι → ἐστι; διηγήσωμα:; → διηγήσωμαι;; αἰχίι, οὐ οομεδριδιη δ ἰΔρ518 (τἰϑε ἴδει, ΕἸ οἰ πιεῖ, αυοιποάο ναὸ σοιῃραγαηιία δ 85. δἷΐ, αι ἀ δι {||856, πα ρϑα πὶ γοῦθα ᾿ς νεγι! ἀοθυΐδ5θ6. ἃ εἰδ: ἐμιοί γα υἷε Ομ γίϑιὶ (γί θιη δ], 4υᾶϑο, εοξίϊα : ἰῃ 4φι0 Α Ὅταν → Ὅταν; ἐννόη → ἐννόησόν; σόν μοι ὀχαπθη 8} (ατί. Ὠεΐηά6 οἱ, 4α] πηι] τᾶ ]8 ρὲγ νἱδἰ} |65, οὐ (Δοϊοὶ ἰοιγ οἰ Δία πὶ οἱ Πποπιίηυμ 86 608, αἱ οἱ δυβου!ᾶγο σοϊαη!,, ποῦ ἀΐι Ῥο νος; δι} Υἱι ο]ϊςθὶ αιιθπὶ νον ἀἷες υἱάοτε ϑοπος δὶ αυΐβ, ἰπᾳυΐ, νὰ]ῖ ν τ, πύθῃ ἐχεῖνο τὸ → τοῦ ἐκεῖνο τὸ; φριχτὸν → φρικτὸν; διχαστήριον, → δικαστήριον,; προχαθέζεται → προκαθέζεται; χριτῆς, → κριτῆς,; παρέστηχε → παρέστηκε; χτίσις → κτίσις; χαθ᾽ → καθ᾽; ἐξέτα. → ἐξέτασιν; σιν τῶν → τῶν; βεδιωμένων → βεβιωμένων; ποντρὰ → πονηρὰ; πεποιηχότι → πεποιηκότι; χατὰ → κατὰ; φούεροξ → φοβεροί; χατηφεῖς → κατηφεῖς; -ττῦρ → …; τες, διὰ → διὰ; πιχρίαν → πικρίαν; νυχτὶ → νυκτὶ; ἐοιχύτες → ἐοικότες; χατηφὲς → κατηφὲς; μισάνθρωτον. → μισάνθρωπον.; σχότει → σκότει; χαυστιχὴν → καυστικὴν; σχωλήχων → σκωλήκων; ἰοθόλον → ἰοβόλον; σαρχοφάγον, → σαρκοφάγον,; Β μηδέποτε → μηδέποτε; χορεννύμενον, → κορεννύμενον,; χόλασιν, → κόλασιν,; ἐχεῖνον → ἐκεῖνον; φοθοῦ → φοβοῦ; φόδῳ → φόβῳ; ἀνάχοπτε → ἀνάκοπτε; φόδον → φόβον; Κνρίου → Κυρίου; διδάσχειν ἡμᾶς → διδάσκειν ἡμᾶς; διδάσχειν, → διδάσκειν,; ἀχούειν → ἀκούειν; προαερουμένουζ' → προαιρουμένους·; οὗ τοὺς → οὐ τοὺς; μαχρὰν → μακρὰν; (θ), ἀλλὰ → ἀλλὰ; Διαθηχῶν,, → Διαθηκῶν,,; τς → τῆς; οἰχειουμένους → οἰκειουμένους; ἐγγέσατέ → ἐγγίσατέ; τέχνα, υἱοὶ → τέκνα, υἱοὶ; χαταξιωθέντες. → καταξιωθέντες.; ᾿Αχούσατε, → ᾿Ακούσατε,; Φόδον Κυρίου → Φόβον Κυρίου; μιχρῷ → μικρῷ; πρόσθε» → πρόσθεν; ὑτἐγραψεν. → ὑπέγραψεν..

Topics: Eschatology, Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.8 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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33.9PG 29:358

Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωὴν, ἀγα πῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; Εἴ τις θέλει, φησὶ, ζωὴν, οὐ τὴν κοινὴν ταύτην ἣν καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῇ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὄντως ζωὴν τὴν θανάτῳ μὴ διακοπτομένην. Νῦν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀποθνήσκετε, Καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ὅταν δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ, ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ ὄντως ζωὴ ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ἡ ἡμετέρα ἐν αὐτῷ διαγωγὴ ζωή ἐστιν ἀληθινή. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ αἱ ἡμέραι ἄλλαι εἰσὶν ἀγαθαὶ, ἃς ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ προτίθησιν ἀγαπῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; Αἱ γὰρ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἡμέραι πονηραὶ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος, τοῦ κόσμου μέτρον ὑπάρχων, περὶ οὗ εἴρηται, ὅτι Ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται, συναφομοιοῦνται τῇ φύσει τοῦ κόσμου ὅν ἐκμετρεῖ. Μέρη δὲ τοῦ χρόνου τούτου αἱ ἡμέραι αὗται. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος" Ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρὸν, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσι. Καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ δὲ, Αἱ ἡμέραι φησὶ, τῶν ἐτῶν μου μικραὶ καὶ πονηραί. Οὐκοῦν νῦν μὲν οὐχ ἐσμὲν ἐν ζωῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν θανάτῳ. Διὸ καὶ ηὔχετο ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, λέγων " Τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου; "Αλλη δέ τίς ἐστι ζωὴ, πρὸς ἣν καλεῖ ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος “ καὶ νῦν μὲν αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν πονηραὶ, ἄλλαι δέ τινές εἰσιν ἀγαθαὶ, ἃς νὺξ οὐ διακόπτει" ἔσται γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν φῶς αἰώνιον, καταλάμπων αὐτὰς τῷ φωτὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δόξης. Μὴ τοίνυν, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ἡμερῶν ἀγαθῶν, τὴν ἐνταῦθά σοι νομίσῃς ζωὴν ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις προκεῖσθαι. Φθαρταὶ γάρ εἰσιν αὗται, ἃς ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος ἀπεργάζεται" οὐδὲν δὲ φθαρτὸν ἀρμοζόντως ἂν δῶρον γένοιτο τῷ ἀφθάρτῳ. Εἰ γὰρ ἄφθαρτος ἡ Ψυχὴ, ἄφθαρτα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ χαρίσματα. Καὶ Παράγει τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Εἰ δὲ σκιὰν ἔχει ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, νόει μοι τινα Σάββατα τρυφερὰ, ἅγια, ἐκ τῶν αἰωνίων ἡμερῶν, νεομηνίας, ἑορτάς " καὶ νόει μοι ἀξίως τοῦ πνευματικοῦ νόμου. Παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον. Εἰ βούλει ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις γενέσθαι ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς, εἰ ἀγαπᾷς τὴν ζωὴν, ποίησον τὴν ἐντολὴν τῆς ζωῆς. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν με, φησὶ, τὰς ἐντολάς μου τηρήσει. Πρώτη δὲ ἐντολὴ τὸ, παῦσαι τὴν γλῶσσαν ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ χείλη τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον. Σχεδὸν γὰρ ἣ προχειροτάτη καὶ πολύτροπος ἁμαρτία ἣ διὰ γλώσσης ἐστὶν ἐνεργουμένη. Ὠργίσθης; καὶ ἣ γλῶσσα προτρέχει. Ἐν ἐπιθυμίαις εἶ; καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἔχεις πρὸ πάντων οἱονεί τινα μαστροπὸν καὶ ὑποκρινομένην τοὺς πλησίον. Καὶ ὅπλον σοι πρὸς τὴν ἀδικίαν ἡ γλῶσσα, μὴ τὰ ἀπὸ καρδίας φθεγγομένη, ἀλλὰ τὰ πρὸς ἀπάτην προφέρουσα. Καὶ τί δεῖ πάντα τῷ λόγῳ ἐπεξιέναι τῶν διὰ γλώσσης ἁμαρτανομένων; Πεπλήρωται ἡμῶν ὁ βίος τῶν ἀπὸ γλώσσης πταισμάτων. Αἰσχρολογία, εὐτραπελία, μωρολογία, τὰ οὐχ ἀνήκοντα, καταλαλιαί, λόγος ἀργὸς, ἐπιορκίαι, ψευδομαρτυρίαι, πάντα ταῦτα τὰ κακὰ, καὶ ἔτι πλείω τούτων, τῆς γλώσσης ἐστὶ δημιουργήματα. Οἱ δὲ ἀνοίγοντες τὸ στόμα κατὰ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀδικίαν εἰς τὸ ὕψος λαλοῦντες, ἄλλῳ τινὶ τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ οὐχὶ τῷ ὀργάνῳ τῆς γλώσσης ἐργάζονται; Ἐπειδὴ οὖν Ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου δικαιωθήσῃ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου κατακριθήσῃ, παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐνεργήσῃς θησαυρίσματα γλώσσῃ ψευδεῖ μάταια. Παῦσον δὲ καὶ τὰ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον: ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ὅλον τὸ ὄργανον τὸ πρὸς τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ λόγου σοι δεδομένον σχολάζειν ἀπὸ τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐνεργείας ποίησον. Ἔστι δὲ ὁ δόλος κακοποιία λαθραία ἐν προσποιήσει τῶν βελτιόνων τῷ πλησίον προσφερομένη.

Tis estin anthrōpos ho thelōn zōēn, aga pōn hēmeras idein agathas? Ei tis thelei, phēsi, zōēn, ou tēn koinēn tautēn hēn kai ta aloga zę̄, alla tēn ontōs zōēn tēn thanatǭ mē diakoptomenēn. Nyn gar, phēsin, apothnēskete, Kai hē zōē hēmōn kekryptai syn tǭ Christǭ en tǭ Theǭ hotan de ho Christos phanerōthę̄, hē zōē hēmōn, tote kai hymeis syn autǭ phanerōthēsesthe en doxę̄. Oukoun kai hē ontōs zōē ho Christos, kai hē hēmetera en autǭ diagōgē zōē estin alēthinē. Homoiōs de kai hai hēmerai allai eisin agathai, has en epangelią protithēsin agapōn hēmeras idein agathas? Hai gar tou aiōnos toutou hēmerai ponērai, epeidē kai ho aiōn houtos, tou kosmou metron hyparchōn, peri hou eirētai, hoti Ho kosmos holos en tǭ ponērǭ keitai, synaphomoiountai tę̄ physei tou kosmou hon ekmetrei. Merē de tou chronou toutou hai hēmerai hautai. Dia touto phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos" Exagorazomenoi ton kairon, hoti hai hēmerai ponērai eisi. Kai ho Iakōb de, Hai hēmerai phēsi, tōn etōn mou mikrai kai ponērai. Oukoun nyn men ouch esmen en zōę̄, all᾽ en thanatǭ. Dio kai ēucheto ho ᾿Apostolos, legōn " Tis me rhysetai ek tou sōmatos tou thanatou toutou? "Allē de tis esti zōē, pros hēn kalei hēmas ho logos “ kai nyn men hai hēmerai hēmōn ponērai, allai de tines eisin agathai, has nyx ou diakoptei" estai gar ho Theos autōn phōs aiōnion, katalampōn autas tǭ phōti tēs heautou doxēs. Mē toinyn, hotan akousę̄s hēmerōn agathōn, tēn entautha soi nomisę̄s zōēn en epangeliais prokeisthai. Phthartai gar eisin hautai, has ho aisthētos hēlios apergazetai" ouden de phtharton armozontōs an dōron genoito tǭ aphthartǭ. Ei gar aphthartos hē Psychē, aphtharta autēs kai ta charismata. Kai Paragei to schēma tou kosmou toutou. Ei de skian echei ho nomos tōn mellontōn agathōn, noei moi tina Sabbata tryphera, hagia, ek tōn aiōniōn hēmerōn, neomēnias, heortas " kai noei moi axiōs tou pneumatikou nomou. Pauson tēn glōssan sou apo kakou, kai cheilē sou tou mē lalēsai dolon. Ei boulei en tais hēmerais genesthai tais agathais, ei agapąs tēn zōēn, poiēson tēn entolēn tēs zōēs. Ho gar agapōn me, phēsi, tas entolas mou tērēsei. Prōtē de entolē to, pausai tēn glōssan apo kakou, kai cheilē tou mē lalēsai dolon. Schedon gar hē procheirotatē kai polytropos hamartia hē dia glōssēs estin energoumenē. Ōrgisthēs? kai hē glōssa protrechei. En epithymiais ei? kai tēn glōssan echeis pro pantōn hoionei tina mastropon kai hypokrinomenēn tous plēsion. Kai hoplon soi pros tēn adikian hē glōssa, mē ta apo kardias phthengomenē, alla ta pros apatēn propherousa. Kai ti dei panta tǭ logǭ epexienai tōn dia glōssēs hamartanomenōn? Peplērōtai hēmōn ho bios tōn apo glōssēs ptaismatōn. Aischrologia, eutrapelia, mōrologia, ta ouch anēkonta, katalaliai, logos argos, epiorkiai, pseudomartyriai, panta tauta ta kaka, kai eti pleiō toutōn, tēs glōssēs esti dēmiourgēmata. Hoi de anoigontes to stoma kata tēs doxēs tou Theou, kai adikian eis to hypsos lalountes, allǭ tini tēn asebeian kai ouchi tǭ organǭ tēs glōssēs ergazontai? Epeidē oun Ek tōn logōn sou dikaiōthēsę̄, kai ek tōn logōn sou katakrithēsę̄, pauson tēn glōssan sou apo kakou, kai mē energēsę̄s thēsaurismata glōssę̄ pseudei mataia. Pauson de kai ta cheilē sou tou mē lalēsai dolon: anti tou, Holon to organon to pros tēn diakonian tou logou soi dedomenon scholazein apo tēs ponēras energeias poiēson. Esti de ho dolos kakopoiia lathraia en prospoiēsei tōn beltionōn tǭ plēsion prospheromenē.

“Who is the man who desires life, who loves to see good days?” If anyone desires life, he says, not this common life which even irrational creatures live, but the real life that is not cut short by death. For now, he says, “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God; but when Christ, our life, appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” So Christ is the real life, and our way of living in him is true life. Likewise there are other good days, which he sets before us in the promise: “who loves to see good days?” For the days of this age are evil, since this age too, being the measure of the world, of which it is said that “the whole world lies in the evil one,” is assimilated to the nature of the world that it measures. And these days are parts of this time. That is why the Apostle says, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” And Jacob too says, “The days of the years of my life are few and evil.” So now we are not in life but in death. That is why the Apostle too prayed, saying, “Who will deliver me from the body of this death?” But there is another life, to which the word calls us; and now our days are evil, but there are other good days, which night does not cut short; for God will be their eternal light, shining on them with the light of his own glory. So when you hear of good days, do not think that life here is set before you in the promises. For these are perishable, which the visible sun produces; and nothing perishable could fittingly be a gift to the imperishable. For if the soul is imperishable, its gifts are imperishable too. And “the form of this world is passing away.” And if the law has a shadow of the good things to come, think for me of certain delightful, holy Sabbaths of the eternal days, new moons, feasts; and think of them as befits the spiritual law. “Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.” If you wish to be in the good days, if you love life, do the commandment of life. “For the one who loves me,” he says, “will keep my commandments.” And the first commandment is to keep the tongue from evil and the lips from speaking deceit. For almost the readiest and most varied sin is the one worked through the tongue. Have you become angry? The tongue runs ahead. Are you in desire? You have the tongue before all, as a kind of procurer, deceiving your neighbors. And the tongue is your weapon for injustice, not uttering what is from the heart, but bringing forth what serves deceit. And why must I go through in my discourse all the sins committed by the tongue? Our life is filled with the slips of the tongue: obscene talk, coarse jesting, foolish talk, things not fitting, slanders, idle words, perjuries, false witness; all these evils and still more are the products of the tongue. And those who open their mouths against the glory of God and speak injustice on high, do they work their impiety with some other organ than the tongue? Since, then, “by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned,” keep your tongue from evil, and do not work treasures by a lying tongue, which are vain. And keep your lips from speaking deceit: that is, make the whole organ given you for the service of the word rest from evil activity. Deceit is a secret wrongdoing offered to one's neighbor under the pretense of better things.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 34:12 (33:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:4 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 5:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 47:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 60:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rev 22:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 7:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 10:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 2:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 34:13 (33:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 73:9 (72:9 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 12:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 21:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: On Ps 34:12–13 Basil teaches that the true life is Christ and the good days are those of the age to come, not this evil age, and that the first commandment of that life is to restrain the tongue, source of the readiest and most varied sins.

Quotations: Ps 34:12–13 (LXX 33:13–14); Col 3:3–4; 1 John 5:19; Eph 5:16; Gen 47:9; Rom 7:24; 1 Cor 7:31; Heb 10:1; John 14:15, 21; Matt 12:36–37; Prov 21:6 LXX. Allusions: Isa 60:19–20 and Rev 22:5; Col 2:16–17; Eph 5:4; Ps 73:8–9 (LXX 72:8–9). A line is lost after “because the days are evil” in the scan (marked by Migne's notes, removed); the staged section 33.6, which holds only scan debris, belongs here.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; scan debris removed (Migne's Latin column, notes, marginal letters or numbers)): Τῖς → Τίς; ἘΠ᾿ → Εἴ; φηδὶ, → φησὶ,; χοινὴν → κοινὴν; διαχοπτομένην. → διακοπτομένην.; ἀποθνήσχετε, → ἀποθνήσκετε,; χέχρυπται → κέκρυπται; φαγερωθῇ, → φανερωθῇ,; "αἱ → καὶ; φαγερωθήσεσθε → φανερωθήσεσθε; Οὐκοὺν → Οὐκοῦν; ἀγαυάς; → ἀγαθάς;; χόσμου μέτρον → κόσμου μέτρον; ὄλος → ὅλος; συναφομύῖον → συναφομοιοῦνται; ται τῇ → τῇ; χόσμου ὅν → κόσμου ὅν; ἔχμετρεῖ. → ἐκμετρεῖ.; Ἐξαγοραζόμεγοι → Ἐξαγοραζόμενοι; τῷ ἰοχίι, ΕΔΙΠο Ρατῖβ, ζωὴ ὑμῶν. Π|8 υῶ ρϑυί ἰιΐγα ἰασυμιιν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φᾶνε μιῇ ἡμέραι → ἡμέραι; Ἰαχὼδ → Ἰακὼβ; Αἰ ἡμόέ- → Αἱ ἡμέραι; Α 46 πυης ἰη ν!ἃ ποη δυπυδ, 564 ἴῃ πιορίδ. Ἰἀεῖγοο ραι, φησὶ, → φησὶ,; Οὐχοὖν → Οὐκοῦν; πἰς → τίς; χαλεῖ → καλεῖ; εἶσιν → εἰσιν; διαχόπτει" → διακόπτει"; χαταλάμπων → καταλάμπων; ἀχούσῃς → ἀκούσῃς; προχεῖσθαι. → προκεῖσθαι.; δῶριν → δῶρον; Παρἄγει → Παράγει; σχιὰν → σκιὰν; Β ἔχει → ἔχει; νόε: → νόει; μοΐ → μοι; Σάδδατα → Σάββατα; ἐχ → ἐκ; πνευματιχοῦ → πνευματικοῦ; χείζη → χείλη; «αλῆσαι → λαλῆσαι; καχοῦ, → κακοῦ,; Ὑλώσσης → γλώσσης; ἸὨργίσθης; → Ὠργίσθης;; μαστρωπὸν → μαστροπὸν; υποχρινομένην → ὑποκρινομένην; «ἰ → τί; χαταλαλιαἱ, → καταλαλιαί,; ἐπιορχίαι, → ἐπιορκίαι,; καχὰ, → κακὰ,; ἀδιχίαν → ἀδικίαν; πὸ ὕψος → τὸ ὕψος; ἀπέθειαν → ἀσέβειαν; ὁργάνῳ → ὀργάνῳ; «Ἰόγων → λόγων; “λόγων → λόγων; σοὺ → σου; καταχριθήσῃ, → κατακριθήσῃ,; χαχοῦ, → κακοῦ,; μάπαια. → μάταια.; διαχοτὴ → διακονίαν; Υἱίδπι δαί ϑεϊ πη65 {{] ρτοροηὶ ἰῃ ῥ τοι υἱ ἸΙεροι βρί για] επὶ ἠδοεῖ. (ΥῈ85. 14.) γο δε {ἷπ- ἸΙοςο εἰμὶ 681 δά ἰπϊψυΐδιθημ, οὐ ὅσ οογὰθ πο οἱ ἱπίᾳυϊαίοιι ἰη ὀχοείδυμι οἰαιϊοηι, μὲ φυϊὰ αἰϊυά νίαν τοῦ → τοῦ; χαχοποιία → κακοποιία.

Topics: Ethics, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.9 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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33.10PG 29:358

Ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν· " ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Στοιχειώδεις αἱ παραινέσεις, καὶ εἰσαγωγοὶ εἰς … πρῶτον ἀπέχεσθαι, ἐκκλίνειν ἀπὸ κακοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ τελείῳ πρέπουσα ἡ ἀποχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἄρτι στοιχειουμένῳ ἐκνεῦσαι προσήκει ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ κακὸν φορᾶς, καὶ οἱονεὶ ὁδοῦ κακῆς τῆς ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ βίῳ συνηθείας ἀπαλλαγέντα, οὕτως ἄψασθαι τῆς τῶν ἀγα θῶν ἐνεργείας. ᾿Αμήχανον γὰρ ἄψασθαι τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μὴ ἀποστάντα πρότερον παντελῶς καὶ ἐκνεύσαντα τοῦ κακοῦ " ὡς ἀμήχανον ὑγείαν ἀναλαβεῖν μὴ τῆς νόσου ἀπαλλαγέντα " ἣ ἐν θερμότητι γενέσθαι τὸν μὴ … …δεκτα γὰρ ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις... Οὕτω καὶ τὸν μέλλοντα ἐν ἀγαθῷ βίῳ γενέσθαι, πάσης προσήκει τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ κακὸν συναφείας ἀπαλλαγῆναι. Ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὑτήν. Περὶ ταύτης εἴρηκεν ὁ Κύριος" Εἰρήνην ἀφίημι ὑμῖν, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν οὐ καθὼς ὁ κόσμος δίδωσιν εἰρήνην, ἐγὼ δίδωμι ὑμῖν. Ζήτησον οὖν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Διώξεις δὲ οὐκ ἄλλως ἣ κατὰ σκοπὸν τρέχων εἰς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως. “Ἄνω γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡ ἀληθής. Ἐπεὶ ὅσον γε τῇ σαρκὶ συνδεδέμεθα χρόνον, πολλοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐκταράσσουσιν ἡμᾶς συνεζεύγμεθα. Ζήτησον οὖν εἰρήνην, λύσιν τῶν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου θορύβων - κτῆσαι γαληνιῶντα νοῦν, ἀκύμονά τινα καὶ ἀτάραχον κατάστασιν τῆς ψυχῆς, μήτε ὑπὸ παθῶν σαλευομένην μήτε ὑπὸ τῶν ψευδῶν δογμάτων διὰ πιθανότητος προκαλουμένων εἰς συγκατάθεσιν περιελκομένην, ἵνα κτήσῃ τὴν εἰρήνην τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ὑπερέχουσαν πάντα νοῦν, φρουροῦσαν τὴν καρδίαν σου. Ὃ ζητῶν εἰρήνην Χριστὸν ἐκζητεῖ, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ὁ κτίσας τοὺς δύο εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὑτοῦ, εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

Ekklinon apo kakou, kai poiēson agathon; " zētēson eirēnēn, kai diōxon autēn. Stoicheiōdeis hai paraineseis, kai eisagōgoi eis … prōton apechesthai, ekklinein apo kakou. Ou gar teleiǭ prepousa hē apochē tou kakou, alla tǭ arti stoicheioumenǭ ekneusai prosēkei apo tēs epi to kakon phoras, kai hoionei hodou kakēs tēs en tǭ ponērǭ biǭ synētheias apallagenta, houtōs apsasthai tēs tōn aga thōn energeias. ᾿Amēchanon gar apsasthai tou agathou mē apostanta proteron pantelōs kai ekneusanta tou kakou " hōs amēchanon hygeian analabein mē tēs nosou apallagenta " hē en thermotēti genesthai ton mē … …dekta gar tauta allēlois... Houtō kai ton mellonta en agathǭ biǭ genesthai, pasēs prosēkei tēs epi to kakon synapheias apallagēnai. Zētēson eirēnēn, kai diōxon hautēn. Peri tautēs eirēken ho Kyrios" Eirēnēn aphiēmi hymin, eirēnēn tēn emēn didōmi hymin ou kathōs ho kosmos didōsin eirēnēn, egō didōmi hymin. Zētēson oun tēn tou Kyriou eirēnēn, kai diōxon autēn. Diōxeis de ouk allōs hē kata skopon trechōn eis to brabeion tēs anō klēseōs. “Anō gar estin hē eirēnē hē alēthēs. Epei hoson ge tę̄ sarki syndedemetha chronon, pollois kai tois ektarassousin hēmas synezeugmetha. Zētēson oun eirēnēn, lysin tōn tou kosmou toutou thorybōn - ktēsai galēniōnta noun, akymona tina kai atarachon katastasin tēs psychēs, mēte hypo pathōn saleuomenēn mēte hypo tōn pseudōn dogmatōn dia pithanotētos prokaloumenōn eis synkatathesin perielkomenēn, hina ktēsę̄ tēn eirēnēn tou Theou tēn hyperechousan panta noun, phrourousan tēn kardian sou. Ho zētōn eirēnēn Christon ekzētei, hoti autos estin hē eirēnē ho ktisas tous dyo eis hena kainon anthrōpon, poiōn eirēnēn, kai eirēnopoiēsas dia tou haimatos tou staurou hautou, eite ta en tois ouranois eite ta epi tēs gēs.

“Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” The exhortations are elementary, introductions to [virtue]: first to abstain, to turn away from evil. For abstaining from evil does not befit the perfect man; but it is fitting for one who is just beginning to learn the elements to turn aside from the drift toward evil, and, having been rid of the habit of an evil life as of an evil road, then to take up the doing of good. For it is impossible to take hold of good without first standing wholly apart from evil and turning away from it, as it is impossible to recover health without being rid of disease, or for one not [rid of cold] to be in warmth; for these cannot receive one another. So too the one who is to be in a good life must be rid of all contact with evil. “Seek peace and pursue it.” Of this the Lord said, “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give peace to you.” Seek, then, the peace of the Lord and pursue it. And you will pursue it only by running toward the goal for the prize of the upward call. For true peace is above. Since, at least as long as we are bound to the flesh, we are yoked also to many things that disturb us. Seek, then, peace, release from the tumults of this world; acquire a calm mind, an untroubled and unruffled state of soul, neither shaken by passions nor drawn about by false doctrines that by their persuasiveness invite assent, so that you may acquire “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guarding your heart.” The one who seeks peace seeks Christ, for “he himself is our peace,” who created the two into one new man, making peace, and “making peace by the blood of his cross, whether things in heaven or things on earth.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 34:14 (33:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:20 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: On Ps 34:14 Basil teaches that turning from evil is the first step for beginners, and that the peace to be pursued is Christ's peace, the calm of a soul unshaken by passions and false doctrine.

Quotations: Ps 34:14 (LXX 33:15); John 14:27; Phil 3:14; Phil 4:7; Eph 2:14–15; Col 1:20. Lines are lost in the scan and marked “…”: after “introductions to” (supplied as “[virtue]”) and in the comparison with heat and cold (bracketed words supplied by sense).

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): “Εχχλιγον → Ἔκκλινον; καχοῦ, → κακοῦ,; ἀγα. → ἀγαθόν·; θόν " → "; Σταχειώδεις → Στοιχειώδεις; των ἀπέχεσθαι, → … πρῶτον ἀπέχεσθαι,; ἐχχλίνειν → ἐκκλίνειν; χαχοῦ. → κακοῦ.; χαχοῦ, → κακοῦ,; χειουμένῳ → στοιχειουμένῳ; ἐχνεῦσαι → ἐκνεῦσαι; προσήχει ἀπὸ → προσήκει ἀπὸ; χαχὸν φορᾶς, → κακὸν φορᾶς,; χαχῆς → κακῆς; βίω → βίῳ; ἐχνεύσαν: → ἐκνεύσαντα; χαχοῦ " → κακοῦ "; ἀναλαδεῖν → ἀναλαβεῖν; μὲ → μὴ …; δεχτα → …δεκτα; Β ἐν → ἐν; γενέσθα. → γενέσθαι,; προσήχει τῆς → προσήκει τῆς; χαχὸν συναφείας → κακὸν συναφείας; ἀπαλλαγῖνναι. → ἀπαλλαγῆναι.; εἴρηχεν → εἴρηκεν; εἰρήγηγν → εἰρήνην; δίδωμ' → δίδωμι; χόσμος → κόσμος; χατὰ → κατὰ; σχοπὸν → σκοπὸν; βραθεῖον → βραβεῖον; χλήσεως. → κλήσεως.; σαρχὶ → σαρκὶ; ἐχταράσουσιν → ἐκταράσσουσιν; συνεξεύγμεθα. → συνεζεύγμεθα.; χόσμου → κόσμου; τούτον → τούτου; θορύδων → θορύβων; χτῆσαι → κτῆσαι; γα. ληνιῶντα νοῦν, → γαληνιῶντα νοῦν,; ἀχύμονά → ἀκύμονά; χατάστασιν → κατάστασιν; ([, μὴἣτε → μήτε; πιθανότητο; → πιθανότητος; περιελχομένην, → περιελκομένην,; ἵκά → ἵνα; χτήσῃ → κτήσῃ; γοῦν, → νοῦν,; χαρδίαν → καρδίαν; ἐχζητεῖ, → ἐκζητεῖ,; (ἰδ), Κ᾿ → ὁ; ἔχτισε → κτίσας; χαινὸν → καινὸν; στανριῦ → σταυροῦ.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.10 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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33.11PG 29:358

Ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίοις, καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὐτῶν. Ὥσπερ οἱ ἅγιοι σῶμά εἰσι Χριστοῦ καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους“ καὶ ἔθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησία τοὺς μὲν ὀφθαλμοὺς, τοὺς δὲ γλώσσας, ἑτέρους τὸν τῶν χειρῶν, καὶ ἄλλους τὸν τῶν ποδῶν ἐπέχοντας λόγον " οὕτω καὶ αἱ ἅγιαι δυνάμεις αἱ πνευματικαὶ καὶ περὶ τὸν οὐράνιον οὖσαι αἱ μὲν ὀφθαλμοὶ λέγονται, τῷ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἡμῶν πιστευθῆναι, αἱ δὲ ὦτα, τῷ παραδέχεσθαι ἡμῶν τὰς δεήσεις. Νῦν οὖν τὴν ἐποπτικὴν ἡμῶν δύναμιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν εὐχῶν ἀντιληπτικὴν, ὀφθαλμοὺς εἶπε καὶ ὦτα. Ὀφθαλμοὶ οὖν Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους, καὶ ὦτα αὑτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὑτῶν. Ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα πρᾶξις τοῦ δικαίου ἀξία τῆς θεωρίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πᾶν ῥῆμα, τῷ μηδὲν ἀργῶς λέγεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου, ἐνεργόν ἐστι καὶ ἔμπρακτον, διὰ τοῦτο ἀεὶ ἐφορᾶσθαι καὶ ἀεὶ εἰσακούεσθαι τὸν δίκαιον ὁ λόγος φησί. Πρόσωπον δὲ Κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακὰ, τοῦ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι ἐκ γῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον αὑτῶν. Πρόσωπον οἶμαι τὴν πεπαῤῥησιασμένην καὶ φανερὰν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιδημίαν τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς κρίσεως λέγεσθαι. Διὸ καὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου, ὡς ἔτι πόῤῥωθεν ἐπισκοποῦντος ἡμᾶς, ἐπιβλέπειν τὸν δίκαιον εἴρηνται" αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπιφανήσεσθαι, ἐπὶ τῷ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι ἐκ γῆς πᾶν τὸ τῆς πονηρίας μνημόσυνον. Μὴ γάρ μοι σωματικῶς διαπεπλασμένον τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ νοήσῃς· ἐπεὶ οὕτω γε καὶ ἄλογον εἶναι δόξει τὸ παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς εἰρημένον, ἰδίᾳ μὲν ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπάρχειν ἐπιλάμποντας τῷ δικαίῳ, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπιφερόμενον τοῖς πονηροῖς. Καίτοι οὔτε ὀφθαλμοὶ χωρὶς προσώπου, οὔτε πρόσωπον ὀφθαλμῶν ἐστιν ἄμοιρον. Ἄνθρωπος μὲν οὖν οὐ μὴ ἴδῃ τὸ πρόσωπον Κυρίου, καὶ ζήσεται· οἱ δὲ ἄγγελοι τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ μικρῶν διὰ παντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Διότι νῦν μὲν χωρῆσαι ἡμᾶς τὴν θέαν τῆς ἐνδόξου ἐπιφανείας διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν περικειμένην ἡμῖν ἀμήχανον᾽ οἱ μέντοι ἄγγελοι, τῷ μηδὲν ἔχειν προκάλυμμα τοιοῦτον παραπλήσιον τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ, ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς ἐμποδίζονται διηνεκῶς ἐνατενίζειν τῷ προσώπῳ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὥστε καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐπειδὰν γενώμεθα υἱοὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως, τότε καταξιωθησόμεθα τῆς πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον γνώσεως. Τότε δὲ οἱ μὲν δίκαῖοι ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει τῆς θέας τοῦ προσώπου καταξιωθήσονται· οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐν κρίσει, μελλούσης ἐξολοθρεύεσθαι παρὰ τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ πάσης τῆς ἁμαρτίας.

Ophthalmoi Kyriou epi dikaiois, kai ōta autou eis deēsin autōn. Hōsper hoi hagioi sōma eisi Christou kai melē ek merous“ kai etheto ho Theos en tę̄ Ekklēsia tous men ophthalmous, tous de glōssas, heterous ton tōn cheirōn, kai allous ton tōn podōn epechontas logon " houtō kai hai hagiai dynameis hai pneumatikai kai peri ton ouranion ousai hai men ophthalmoi legontai, tǭ tēn episkopēn hēmōn pisteuthēnai, hai de ōta, tǭ paradechesthai hēmōn tas deēseis. Nyn oun tēn epoptikēn hēmōn dynamin, kai tēn tōn euchōn antilēptikēn, ophthalmous eipe kai ōta. Ophthalmoi oun Kyriou epi dikaious, kai ōta hautou eis deēsin hautōn. Epeidē pasa praxis tou dikaiou axia tēs theōrias tou Theou, kai pan rhēma, tǭ mēden argōs legesthai para tou dikaiou, energon esti kai emprakton, dia touto aei ephorasthai kai aei eisakouesthai ton dikaion ho logos phēsi. Prosōpon de Kyriou epi poiountas kaka, tou exolothreusai ek gēs to mnēmosynon hautōn. Prosōpon oimai tēn peparrhēsiasmenēn kai phaneran tou Kyriou epidēmian tēn epi tēs kriseōs legesthai. Dio kai ophthalmoi Kyriou, hōs eti porrhōthen episkopountos hēmas, epiblepein ton dikaion eirēntai" auto de to prosōpon epiphanēsesthai, epi tǭ exolothreusai ek gēs pan to tēs ponērias mnēmosynon. Mē gar moi sōmatikōs diapeplasmenon to prosōpon tou Theou noēsę̄s; epei houtō ge kai alogon einai doxei to para tēs Graphēs eirēmenon, idią men ophthalmous hyparchein epilampontas tǭ dikaiǭ, idią de to prosōpon epipheromenon tois ponērois. Kaitoi oute ophthalmoi chōris prosōpou, oute prosōpon ophthalmōn estin amoiron. Anthrōpos men oun ou mē idę̄ to prosōpon Kyriou, kai zēsetai; hoi de angeloi tōn en tę̄ Ekklēsią mikrōn dia pantos blepousi to prosōpon tou Patros hēmōn tou en tois ouranois. Dioti nyn men chōrēsai hēmas tēn thean tēs endoxou epiphaneias dia tēn astheneian tēs sarkos tēn perikeimenēn hēmin amēchanon᾽ hoi mentoi angeloi, tǭ mēden echein prokalymma toiouton paraplēsion tę̄ hēmeterą sarki, hyp᾽ oudenos empodizontai diēnekōs enatenizein tǭ prosōpǭ tēs doxēs tou Theou. Hōste kai hēmeis, epeidan genōmetha huioi tēs anastaseōs, tote kataxiōthēsometha tēs prosōpon pros prosōpon gnōseōs. Tote de hoi men dikaioi en agalliasei tēs theas tou prosōpou kataxiōthēsontai; hoi de hamartōloi en krisei, mellousēs exolothreuesthai para tēs dikaias kriseōs tou Theou pasēs tēs hamartias.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears toward their prayer.” As the saints are the body of Christ and members in part, and God has set in the Church some as eyes, some as tongues, others holding the place of hands and others of feet, so too the holy spiritual powers around the heavenly … : some are called eyes, because they have been entrusted with oversight of us, and some ears, because they receive our prayers. So now he has called eyes and ears the power that oversees us and the power that takes up our prayers. “The eyes of the Lord,” then, “are on the righteous, and his ears toward their prayer.” Since every action of the righteous man is worthy of God's beholding, and every word, since nothing is said idly by the righteous man, is effective and active, the word therefore says that the righteous man is always overseen and always heard. “But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to destroy their remembrance from the earth.” I think “face” means the open and manifest coming of the Lord at the judgment. That is why the eyes of the Lord are said to look on the righteous man, as one who still oversees us from afar, while his very face is to appear to destroy from the earth every remembrance of wickedness. For do not think of God's face as bodily shaped; since in that way what is said by Scripture will even seem absurd, that eyes on the one hand shine on the righteous and the face on the other is brought against the wicked. And yet there are no eyes without a face, nor is a face without eyes. Man, then, shall not see the face of the Lord and live; but the angels of the little ones in the Church always behold the face of our Father in heaven. For now it is impossible for us to take in the sight of his glorious appearing because of the weakness of the flesh that surrounds us; but the angels, because they have no such covering like our flesh, are hindered by nothing from gazing continually on the face of the glory of God. So we too, when we have become sons of the resurrection, shall then be counted worthy of the knowledge face to face. And then the righteous will be counted worthy with exultation of the sight of the face, but sinners will come to judgment, when all sin is to be destroyed by the just judgment of God.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 34:15 (33:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 12:36 (allusion, low confidence) · Ps 34:16 (33:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 33:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 20:36 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:12 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: On Ps 34:15–16 Basil explains God's “eyes” and “ears” as the angelic powers that oversee and hear the righteous, and his “face” as Christ's manifest coming in judgment, to be seen by the righteous after the resurrection.

Quotations: Ps 34:15–16 (LXX 33:16–17); 1 Cor 12:27; Exod 33:20; Matt 18:10; 1 Cor 13:12. Allusions: 1 Cor 12:12–21; Luke 20:36; Matt 12:36. A line is lost after “around the heavenly” (where Migne's notes stand in the scan; Basil probably wrote “choir” or “throne”), marked “…”.

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): ἐχ μέρους“ → ἐκ μέρους“; θὲ; → Θεὸς; Ἐχχλησία → Ἐκκλησία; μοι. πάνθοι ἐπισχοπὴν ἡμῶν πιστευθῆναι. (02 οὐ 5. νεγθα ὀχϑογίθογα ἤθη ἀυθ αν «όπον, αἱ → αἱ; ἐπισχοπὴν Α οου!!, αᾳυοι! εοπεγοάϊυπι οἷβ δἰ πηυπ9 058. ἱπβρὶἡμῶν → ἐπισκοπὴν ἡμῶν; δεήπεις. → δεήσεις.; ἐποπτιχὴν → ἐποπτικὴν; ἀντιληπτιχὴν, → ἀντιληπτικὴν,; Ὀφθαϊμοὶ → Ὀφθαλμοὶ; “πᾶν → πᾶν; δικαίον, → δικαίου,; ἔμπραχτον, → ἔμπρακτον,; ἐ φορᾶσθαι → ἐφορᾶσθαι; εἰσαχούεσθαι → εἰσακούεσθαι; δίχαιον → δίκαιον; Πρόσωπον. → Πρόσωπον; χρίσεως λέγεσθαι. → κρίσεως λέγεσθαι.; πόῤἕωθεν → πόῤῥωθεν; ἐπισχοποῦντος → ἐπισκοποῦντος; ἐπιδλέπειν → ἐπιβλέπειν; Β εἴρηνται" → εἴρηνται"; “Ὁ → τῷ; ἐχ γῆς → ἐκ γῆς; πονηρία: → πονηρίας; σωματιχῶς → σωματικῶς; νοήσῃ:" → νοήσῃς·; πονηρυἷς. → πονηροῖς.; Ανθρωπος → Ἄνθρωπος; ζῆσεται" → ζήσεται·; Ἐχχλησίᾳ → Ἐκκλησίᾳ; ἐπιφανεία: → ἐπιφανείας; ο τῆς → τῆς; σαρχὸς → σαρκὸς; περιχειμένην → περικειμένην; προχάλυμμα → προκάλυμμα; σαρχὶ, → σαρκὶ,; διηνεχῶς → διηνεκῶς; χαταξιωθησόμεθα → καταξιωθησόμεθα; πρόσὠπὸν → πρόσωπον; δίχαῖοι → δίκαῖοι; χατγι → καταξιωθήσονται·; οῖι [οἴη θοπιϊηΐ, εἰ νίνοι δ" : Δηβ6} να ΓῈ 60ἀξιωθήσονται" οἱ → οἱ; χρίσει, → κρίσει,; χρίσεως τοῦ → κρίσεως τοῦ.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.11 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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33.12PG 29:358

Ἐκέκραξαν οἱ δίκαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὑτούς. Νοητὴ τῶν δικαίων ἣ κραυγὴ, ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ τῆς καρδίας τὴν μεγαλοφωνίαν ἔχουσα, δυναμένη ἐφικέσθαι καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ὤτων τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ γὰρ μεγάλα αἰτῶν, καὶ περὶ ἐπουρανίων εὐχόμενος, οὗτος κράζει, καὶ ἀκουστὴν ἀναπέμπει τῷ Θεῷ τὴν εὐχήν. ᾿Εκέκραξαν οὖν οἱ δίκαιοι " οὐδὲν μικροπρεπὲς, οὐδὲ γήϊνον, οὐδὲ ταπεινὸν ἐπεζήτησαν. Διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῶν παρεδέξατο τὴν φωνὴν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτούς οὐ τοσοῦτον ἀπολύων αὐτοὺς τῶν ὀχληρῶν, ὅσον κρείτ… . Κύριος τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τῷ πνεύματι σώσει, Τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγαθότητι πᾶσιν ἐγγίζει" μακρύνομεν δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ἡμεῖς διὰ τῆς ἀμαρτίας. ᾿Ιδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐ μακρύνοντες ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ σοῦ, ἀπολοῦνται. Διὰ τοῦτο Μωῦσῆς ἐγγίζειν λέγεται τῷ Θεῷ " καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος παραπλήσιος ἐκείνῳ, δι᾽ ἀνδραγαθήματα καὶ πράξεις ἀγαθὰς ἐγγὺς γίνεται τοῦ Θεοῦ. “Αντικρὺς δὲ προφητείαν ἔχει ὁ λόγος τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Κυρίου. … ἐλέγετο: Πρόσωπον Κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακά" τουτέστιν, ἡ ἐπιφάνεια αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν κρῖσιν ἐπὶ ἀφανισμῷ πάσης πονηρίας γενήσεται· ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ᾿Εγγὺς ὁ Κύριος τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν, τὴν ἐπιδημίαν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου τὴν ἐν σαρκὶ προαγγέλλει, ἐγγίζουσαν ἤδη, καὶ οὐ μακρὰν ἀφεστηκυῖαν. Καὶ τοῦτό σοι πιστὸν ἐκ τῆς Ἡσαΐου προφητείας γενέσθω" Πνεῦμα γὰρ Κυρίου ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ, οὗ ἔνεκεν ἔχρισέ με εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς τὴν καρδίαν, κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν, καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἰατρὸς ἀπεστέλλετο τῶν συντετριμμένων τὴν καρδίαν, ᾿Εγγὺς, φησὶ, Κύριός ἐστιν" ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς ταπεινοῖς καὶ ὑμᾶς καὶ εἰς μακροθυμίαν ἐνάγων τῇ χαρᾷ τῶν προσδοκωμένων. Συντριμμὸς δὲ καρδίας ἐστὶν ὁ ἀφανισμὸς τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων λογισμῶν. Ὁ καταφρονήσας τῶν τῇδε, καὶ ἀποδεδωκὼς ἑαυτὸν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐμπαρέχων ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον καὶ θειοτέροις νοήμασιν, οὗτος ἂν εἴη ὁ συντετριμμένην ἔχων τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ ποιήσας αὐτὴν θυσίαν οὐκ ἐξουδενωμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου. Καρδίαν γὰρ συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει. Ἐγγὺς οὖν Κύριος τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τῷ πνεύματι σώσει. Ὃ μηδὲν ἔχων ἔπαρμα, μηδὲ φρονῶν ἐπί τινι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, οὗτος καὶ συντετριμμένος ἐστὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ ταπεινὸς τῷ πνεύματι. Ἔστι μὲν ταπεινὸς καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν πορευόμενος, διότι ταπεινωτικὴ μάλιστα πάντων ἡ ἀμαρτία. Καθὸ καὶ τὴν ἐφθαρμένην καὶ ἀπολέσασαν τὸν τῆς παρθενίας ἁγιασμὸν λέγομεν ταπεινοῦσθαι. Ὡς ὁ Ἀμνὼν, φησὶν, ἐπαναστὰς τῇ θάμαρ, Ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτήν. Ὅσοι οὖν τὸ ἀνάστημα καὶ τὸ δίαρμα τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπολωλέκασιν, ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καταβληθέντες εἰς γῆν, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐδαφισθέντες, ὁμοίως … ἀνορθωθῆναι εἰς τὸ παντελὲς, οὗτοι τεταπείνωνται μὲν, οὐ μὴν τῷ πνεύματι" οὐ γὰρ ἐπαινετὴ αὐτῶν ἡ ταπείνωσις. Ὅσοι δὲ ἔχοντες τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου χάριν, ἑκόντες ἑαυτοὺς ὑποταπεινοῦσι τοῖς ὑποδεεστέροις, κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον λέγοντες ἑαυτοὺς εἶναι δούλους τινῶν ἐν Χριστῷ, καὶ Πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι" καὶ πάλιν. Ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν" οἱ πνευματικῶς τῇ ταπεινώσει κεχρημένοι, πάντων ἑαυτοὺς ποιοῦντες ἐσχάτους, ἵνα πάντων πρῶτοι γένωνται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Τούτους καὶ μακαρίζει ὁ Κύριος λέγων" Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι. Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὐτῶν ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος. Ἐν παντὶ, φησὶ, … φησι καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς - Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλίψιν ἔχετε" ἀλλὰ θαρσεῖτε, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον. “Ὥστε ἐὰν ἴδῃς ποτὲ ἐν νόσοις, ἐν πηρώσεσι σώματος, ἐν ἀποβολῇ τῶν οἰκείων, ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν ἀτιμίαις, ἐν πάσῃ ἐνδείᾳ καὶ ὑστερήσει τῶν ἀναγκαίων τοὺς δικαίους ὑπάρχοντας, μνήσθητι, ὅτι Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὑτῶν ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος. Ὃ δὲ λέγων μὴ πρέπειν τῷ δικαίῳ τὴν θλίψιν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον λέγει ἣ μὴ ἁρμόζειν τῷ ἀθλητῇ τὸν ἀνταγωνιστήν. Μὴ ἀγωνιζόμενος δὲ ὁ ἀθλητὴς τίνας ἔξει τῶν στεφάνων τὰς ὑποθέσεις; Ἤδη δὲ τέταρτον λέγεται ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ τούτῳ, τίνα τρόπον ἀπὸ θλίψεως ῥύεται ὁ Κύριος, οὖς ἐὰν θέλῃ ῥύσασθαι. Πρῶτον μὲν γάρ · ᾿Εξεζήτησα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἐπήκουσέ μου, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεών μου ἐῤῥύσατό με" δεύτερὸν δὲ πάλιν" Οὗτος ὁ πτωχὸς ἐκέκραξε, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν" αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὑτοῦ ἔσωσεν αὑτόν" καὶ τρίτον’ ᾿Εκέκραξαν οἱ δίκαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτούς" καὶ τελευταῖον: Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὐτῶν ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος.

Ekekraxan hoi dikaioi, kai ho Kyrios eisēkousen autōn, kai ek pasōn tōn thlipseōn autōn errhysato hautous. Noētē tōn dikaiōn hē kraugē, en tǭ kryptǭ tēs kardias tēn megalophōnian echousa, dynamenē ephikesthai kai autōn tōn ōtōn tou Theou. Ho gar megala aitōn, kai peri epouraniōn euchomenos, houtos krazei, kai akoustēn anapempei tǭ Theǭ tēn euchēn. ᾿Ekekraxan oun hoi dikaioi " ouden mikroprepes, oude gēïnon, oude tapeinon epezētēsan. Dia touto autōn paredexato tēn phōnēn ho Kyrios, kai ek pasōn tōn thlipseōn autōn errhysato autous ou tosouton apolyōn autous tōn ochlērōn, hoson kreit… . Kyrios tois syntetrimmenois tēn kardian, kai tous tapeinous tǭ pneumati sōsei, Tę̄ heautou agathotēti pasin engizei" makrynomen de heautous hēmeis dia tēs amartias. ᾿Idou gar, phēsin, ou makrynontes heautous apo sou, apolountai. Dia touto Mōysēs engizein legetai tǭ Theǭ " kai ei tis allos paraplēsios ekeinǭ, di᾽ andragathēmata kai praxeis agathas engys ginetai tou Theou. “Antikrys de prophēteian echei ho logos tēs epidēmias tou Kyriou. … elegeto: Prosōpon Kyriou epi poiountas kaka" toutestin, hē epiphaneia autou kata tēn krisin epi aphanismǭ pasēs ponērias genēsetai; entautha de, ᾿Engys ho Kyrios tois syntetrimmenois tēn kardian, tēn epidēmian tēn tou Kyriou tēn en sarki proangellei, engizousan ēdē, kai ou makran aphestēkuian. Kai touto soi piston ek tēs Hēsaïou prophēteias genesthō" Pneuma gar Kyriou ep᾿ eme, hou eneken echrise me euangelisasthai ptōchois tēn kardian, kēryxai aichmalōtois aphesin, kai typhlois anablepsin. Epeidē gar iatros apestelleto tōn syntetrimmenōn tēn kardian, ᾿Engys, phēsi, Kyrios estin" hymin legō tois tapeinois kai hymas kai eis makrothymian enagōn tę̄ charą tōn prosdokōmenōn. Syntrimmos de kardias estin ho aphanismos tōn anthrōpinōn logismōn. Ho kataphronēsas tōn tę̄de, kai apodedōkōs heauton tǭ logǭ tou Theou, kai emparechōn heautou to hēgemonikon tois hyper anthrōpon kai theioterois noēmasin, houtos an eiē ho syntetrimmenēn echōn tēn kardian, kai poiēsas autēn thysian ouk exoudenōmenēn hypo tou Kyriou. Kardian gar syntetrimmenēn kai tetapeinōmenēn ho Theos ouk exoudenōsei. Engys oun Kyrios tois syntetrimmenois tēn kardian, kai tous tapeinous tǭ pneumati sōsei. Ho mēden echōn eparma, mēde phronōn epi tini tōn anthrōpinōn, houtos kai syntetrimmenos esti tę̄ kardią, kai tapeinos tǭ pneumati. Esti men tapeinos kai ho kata tēn hamartian poreuomenos, dioti tapeinōtikē malista pantōn hē amartia. Katho kai tēn ephtharmenēn kai apolesasan ton tēs parthenias hagiasmon legomen tapeinousthai. Hōs ho Amnōn, phēsin, epanastas tę̄ thamar, Etapeinōsen autēn. Hosoi oun to anastēma kai to diarma tēs psychēs apolōlekasin, hypo tēs hamartias katablēthentes eis gēn, kai hoionei edaphisthentes, homoiōs … anorthōthēnai eis to panteles, houtoi tetapeinōntai men, ou mēn tǭ pneumati" ou gar epainetē autōn hē tapeinōsis. Hosoi de echontes tēn tou Pneumatos tou hagiou charin, hekontes heautous hypotapeinousi tois hypodeesterois, kata ton ᾿Apostolon legontes heautous einai doulous tinōn en Christǭ, kai Pantōn peripsēma heōs arti" kai palin. Hōs perikatharmata tou kosmou egenēthēmen" hoi pneumatikōs tę̄ tapeinōsei kechrēmenoi, pantōn heautous poiountes eschatous, hina pantōn prōtoi genōntai en tę̄ basileią tōn ouranōn. Toutous kai makarizei ho Kyrios legōn" Makarioi hoi ptōchoi tǭ pneumati. Pollai hai thlipseis tōn dikaiōn, kai ek pasōn autōn rhysetai autous ho Kyrios. En panti, phēsi, … phēsi kai ho Kyrios tois heautou mathētais - En tǭ kosmǭ thlipsin echete" alla tharseite, egō nenikēka ton kosmon. “Hōste ean idę̄s pote en nosois, en pērōsesi sōmatos, en apobolę̄ tōn oikeiōn, en plēgais, en atimiais, en pasę̄ endeią kai hysterēsei tōn anankaiōn tous dikaious hyparchontas, mnēsthēti, hoti Pollai hai thlipseis tōn dikaiōn, kai ek pasōn hautōn rhysetai autous ho Kyrios. Ho de legōn mē prepein tǭ dikaiǭ tēn thlipsin, ouden heteron legei hē mē harmozein tǭ athlētę̄ ton antagōnistēn. Mē agōnizomenos de ho athlētēs tinas exei tōn stephanōn tas hypotheseis? Ēdē de tetarton legetai en tǭ psalmǭ toutǭ, tina tropon apo thlipseōs rhyetai ho Kyrios, ous ean thelę̄ rhysasthai. Prōton men gar ; ᾿Exezētēsa ton Kyrion, kai epēkouse mou, kai ek pasōn tōn thlipseōn mou errhysato me" deuteron de palin" Houtos ho ptōchos ekekraxe, kai ho Kyrios eisēkousen" autou, kai ek pasōn tōn thlipseōn hautou esōsen hauton" kai triton’ ᾿Ekekraxan hoi dikaioi, kai ho Kyrios eisēkousen autōn, kai ek pasōn tōn thlipseōn autōn errhysato autous" kai teleutaion: Pollai hai thlipseis tōn dikaiōn, kai ek pasōn autōn rhysetai autous ho Kyrios.

“The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their afflictions.” The cry of the righteous is intelligible, having its loudness in the hidden place of the heart, able to reach the very ears of God. For the one who asks great things and prays for heavenly things is the one who cries, and sends up to God a prayer that is heard. “The righteous cried,” then: they sought nothing petty, nothing earthly, nothing low. That is why the Lord received their voice and delivered them from all their afflictions, not so much by releasing them from the troubles as by making them [stronger than them] … . “[Near is the] Lord to the brokenhearted, and he will save the humble in spirit.” By his own goodness he draws near to all; but we remove ourselves far off by sin. “For behold,” it says, “those who remove themselves far from you will perish.” That is why Moses is said to draw near to God; and if there is anyone like him, he comes near to God through brave deeds and good actions. But the passage contains an outright prophecy of the coming of the Lord. … it was said: “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,” that is, his appearing at the judgment will be for the destruction of all wickedness; but here, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted” foretells the coming of the Lord in the flesh, already drawing near and not far off. And let this be made credible to you by the prophecy of Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, [to heal] the broken in heart, to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind.” For since he was being sent as physician of the brokenhearted, “The Lord is near,” he says: I say it to you the humble, [encouraging] you also toward patience by the joy of what is expected. And brokenness of heart is the destruction of human reasonings. The one who has despised the things here, given himself over to the word of God, and offered his governing part to thoughts beyond man and more divine, he would be the one who has a broken heart and has made it a sacrifice not despised by the Lord. “For a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.” “The Lord,” then, “is near to the brokenhearted, and he will save the humble in spirit.” The one who has no elation and does not pride himself on any human thing is both broken in heart and humble in spirit. One who walks in sin is also humble, since sin is the most humbling of all things. In that sense we say that a woman who has been corrupted and lost the holiness of virginity has been humbled. “Amnon,” it says, “rose against Tamar and humbled her.” Those, then, who have lost the uprightness and elevation of soul, thrown to the ground and as it were leveled by sin, and likewise [unable] to be set upright again altogether, these have been humbled, but not in spirit; for their humiliation is not praiseworthy. But those who, having the grace of the Holy Spirit, willingly humble themselves to their inferiors, saying with the Apostle that they are servants of certain people in Christ, and “the refuse of all until now,” and again, “We have become as the offscouring of the world”: these, who use humility spiritually, making themselves last of all so as to become first of all in the kingdom of heaven, the Lord calls blessed, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of all of them.” “In everything,” he says, “… ,” as the Lord too says to his own disciples, “In the world you have affliction; but take courage, I have overcome the world.” So if you ever see the righteous in diseases, in bodily maiming, in loss of their own, in blows, in dishonors, in every want and lack of necessities, remember that many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of all of them. One who says that affliction does not befit the righteous man says nothing else than that an opponent does not befit an athlete. And if the athlete does not contend, what occasions will he have for crowns? This is now the fourth time it is said in this psalm how the Lord delivers from affliction those whom he wishes to deliver. First: “I sought out the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my afflictions”; second again: “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his afflictions”; and third: “The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their afflictions”; and last: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of all of them.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 34:17 (33:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:18 (33:19 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 73:27 (72:27 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 24:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 34:16 (33:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 61:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 4:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:17 (50:19 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 13:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 4:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 9:35 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:19 (33:20 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 16:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:4 (33:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:6 (33:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: On Ps 34:17–19 Basil teaches that the righteous cry in the heart for heavenly things; the Lord's nearness to the brokenhearted foretells his coming in the flesh; spiritual humility differs from the degradation of sin; and afflictions are the athlete's contest from which God delivers.

Quotations: Ps 34:17–19 (LXX 33:18–20); Ps 73:27 (LXX 72:27); Ps 34:16 (LXX 33:17); Isa 61:1 (Luke 4:18); Ps 51:17 (LXX 50:19); 2 Sam 13:14 (LXX 2 Kgdms 13:14); 1 Cor 4:13; Matt 5:3; 2 Cor 4:8; John 16:33; Ps 34:4, 6 (LXX 33:5, 7). Allusions: Exod 20:21 and 24:2 (Moses drawing near); 2 Cor 4:5 (servants of others in Christ); Mark 9:35. Lines are lost where Migne's notes stand in the scan, marked “…”: after “making them” (bracketed words supplied), before “it was said” (Basil's back-reference), in the clause “likewise [unable]”, and after “In everything, he says” (2 Cor 4:8, “afflicted”); “[encouraging]” is supplied by sense.

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): Ἑχέχραξαν → Ἐκέκραξαν; δίχαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, → δίκαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν,; χρανγὴ, → κραυγὴ,; χαρδίας τὴν → καρδίας τὴν; ἐφιχέσθαι → ἐφικέσθαι; των τοῦ → ὤτων τοῦ; Ὁ μ6 «ιἱ δὰ ἰρβ85 οἰδιῃ Πεὶ Θεοῦ. → Θεοῦ.; ἀχουστὴν → ἀκουστὴν; Θεῖο ν"ηδ58. διὸ ὀφθαλμοὶ μὲν ὡς ἔτι. Μυχ ποι πι59. ἐπὶ τῷ. ᾿ Εαἰιΐ ἐννοήσῃς. Αἱ δερίἐπὶ π|85. νοήσης. 4ηληῖο ροϑὶ πι88. δεζ ἰδίᾳ γάρ. Εἰ ἰδίᾳ μέν. Άθᾷ. ν. τρὸς αὑτῶν. Οἱ δέ, οἷς. Ῥεεσαίοτος ἱπ ἡκαάϊεῖο. δρ0!]6 ἀπὸ χοινοῦ, τῆς θέας τοῦ προσώπον χαταξιωθήσοντα:» εὐἶτει.. Οἰαηιαυετιηι δα με!; πἢ}}} δδείυπν, Α τῷ → τῷ; ᾿Εχέχραξαν οὖν → ᾿Εκέκραξαν οὖν; ἐχ πασῶν → ἐκ πασῶν; χρείτ- → κρείτ… .; ἑξαυτοῦ → ἑαυτοῦ; μαχρύνομεν → μακρύνομεν; μαχρύγογτες → μακρύνοντες; ἐχείνῳ, → ἐκείνῳ,; “Αντιχρὺς → “Αντικρὺς; Κυεἰ → Κυρίου. …; πιπιῖεε ερί τί ξαἰυαῦΐι. (γυἱ αἰ }} Πδἰνοῖ οἰ δι! η 8, Ροβδίηϊ, μυπι δι) δαπὶ φαΐ δι, ποι ἰΔη θη βρίγιιι : μοι δπίπι Ἰδα Ὁ 0}}}8 681 Π]υτιαὶ μι πι}}}{85. Ουἱΐ γα γὸ Χχ, 29, 88 Εχοί. χχιν, 2. ἐλέγετο: → ἐλέγετο:; καχά" → κακά"; χατὰ τὴν → κατὰ τὴν; χρῖσιν → κρῖσιν; πάτης → πάσης; γενέσεται" → γενήσεται·; σαρχὶ → σαρκὶ; μαχρὰν → μακρὰν; ἀφεστηχυῖαν. → ἀφεστηκυῖαν.; ἐχ τῆς → ἐκ τῆς; Ἡ → Ἡσαΐου; σαῖου προφητείας → προφητείας; ἔνεχεν → ἔνεκεν; τυ: → τυφλοῖς; λοῖς ἀνάδλεψιν. → ἀνάβλεψιν.; χαρδίαν, ᾿Εγγὺς, → καρδίαν, ᾿Εγγὺς,; μαχροθυμίαν → μακροθυμίαν; τὴ χαρᾷ → τῇ χαρᾷ; χαρδίας ἐστὶν → καρδίας ἐστὶν; χαταφρονήσας → καταφρονήσας; ἀποδεδωχὼς → ἀποδεδωκὼς; ἡγεμονιχὸν → ἡγεμονικὸν; χαρδίαν, καὶ → καρδίαν, καὶ; τεταπειγωμένην → τεταπεινωμένην; ὅ Θεὸς → ὁ Θεὸς; πγεύματι σώσει. → πνεύματι σώσει.; πορενόμενος, → πορευόμενος,; ταπεινωτιχὴ → ταπεινωτικὴ; Ὡ: → Ὡς; Ἑτακπείγωσεν → Ἐταπείνωσεν; ἀπολωλέχασιν, → ἀπολωλέκασιν,; χαταθληθέντες → καταβληθέντες; ὁμοίως → ὁμοίως …; δ᾽ Ῥ92), 1, 19θ.ὡ 5511 ας. χ!, 16. 59 θευϊ. βοχίο τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. ἀνορθωθῆναι → ἀνορθωθῆναι; ἑχόντες → ἑκόντες; χατὰ τὸν → κατὰ τὸν; ἑαυ ποὺς εἶναι → ἑαυτοὺς εἶναι; κύσμου → κόσμου; χεχρημένοι, → κεχρημένοι,; ἐχυτοὺς → ἑαυτοὺς; μαχαρίζει → μακαρίζει; πγεύματι. → πνεύματι.; Πο.ιλ.1αἱ → Πολλαὶ; θ.ἰψεις → θλίψεις; ᾿ΕΥἦ → Ἐν; παγτὶ, → παντὶ,; Ομ → …; γίβίο βυηϊ, βεγνοβ ᾽ν, οἱ Θπιπίνηι το] είαπιεπίμπι αὐ φησι → φησι; ἑχυτοῦ → ἑαυτοῦ; ἘΥ → Ἐν; γενίκηχα → νενίκηκα; τὸν» → τὸν; ἀποδολῇ → ἀποβολῇ; οἰχείων, → οἰκείων,; Πο.λ.αὶ → Πολλαὶ; ἀγων!ζόμενος → ἀγωνιζόμενος; ὃὲ → δὲ; αὶ ᾿Εξεζήτησα → · ᾿Εξεζήτησα; ἑπήκουσέ → ἐπήκουσέ; εἰ διιαιἰον δ μι δίονιηι,, οἱ φιιοά δα οπιπίϑι5 μὶς [186-γοηΐγα {τὶ θυ] αι! οη δι, αἢ}}}} δἰὐα ἀ ἀἰοῖα πἰδὶ Δ. Π|6 188 Ψψεων → θλίψεων; ᾿Εχέχραξαν οἱ → ᾿Εκέκραξαν οἱ; δίχαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὖτῶν, → δίκαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν,; Πο.ιϊ.λαὶ → Πολλαὶ; θίψεις → θλίψεις; δικαίων,, → δικαίων,.

Topics: Christology, Prayer

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.12 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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33.13PG 29:358

Φυλάσσει Κύριος πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτῶν" ὃν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ συντριβήσεται. Πότερον δεῖ ἐπὶ τῆς λέξεως μεῖναι, καὶ ἀρκεσθῆναι τῇ κατὰ τὸ πρόχειρον προσπιπτούσῃ ταῖς ἀκοαῖς ἡ μῶν ἐννοίᾳ, ὅτι τὰ ὀστᾶ ταῦτα, τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑποστηρίγματα, οὐ συντριβήσεται τῶν δικαίων διὰ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου δεδομένην αὑτοῖς φυλακήν; Καὶ πότερον ζῶντος μόνον καὶ ἐν τῷ βίῳ τυγχάνοντος ἀσύντριπτα τοῦ δικαίου φυλαχθήσεται τὰ ὀστᾶ; ἣ καὶ ἀπολυθέντος τοῦ δεσμοῦ τοῦ σωματικοῦ, μηδὲν αἴτιον ἐπισυμβήσεσθαι συντριβῆς τῷ δικαίῳ; Καὶ μὴν πολλὰ μεμαθήκαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς πείρας ὀστᾶ δικαίων συντετριμμένα, τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν μαρτυρίας παραδόντων ἑαυτοὺς παντοίοις εἴδεσι παθημάτων. “Ηδη γάρ τινῶν καὶ σκέλη κατέαξαν οἱ διώκοντες, καὶ χεῖρας καὶ κεφαλὰς διέπειραν τοῖς ἤλοις πολλάκις. τίς ἀντερεῖ μὴ οὐχὶ πάντων εἶναι δικαιοτάτους τοὺς ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ τετελειωμένους; ᾿Αλλὰ μήποτε, ὥσπερ ἄνθρωπος λέγεται, τουτέστιν, ἡ ψυχὴ, καὶ ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἀνθρώπινος " οὕτω καὶ τὰ μέλη αὑτοῦ ὁμωνύμως ὀνομάζεται πρὸς τὰ τῆς σαρκός" ὡς πολλάκις ὀνομάζει ἣ Γραφὴ τοῦ κρυπτοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἐν τῷ λέγειν " Τοῦ σοφοῦ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐν κεφαλῇ αὐτοῦ" τουτέστι προορατικόν ἐστι καὶ περιεσκεμμένον τὸ κρυπτὸν τοῦ σοφοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁμοίως λέγει τούς τε τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τῆς σαρκός, οὐ μόνον ἐν ᾗ παρεθέμεθα λέξει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ φάσκειν τὴν ἐντολὴν Κυρίου τηλαυγῇ εἶναι καὶ φωτίζουσαν ὀφθαλμούς. Τί δὲ δεῖ λέγειν περὶ τοῦ, Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν, ἀκουέτω; Δῆλον γὰρ, ὅτι κέκτηνταί τινες ὦτα κρείττονα δυνάμενα ἀκούειν λόγων Θεοῦ. Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας ἐκεῖνα τὰ ὦτα τί φησιν; Οἱ κωφοὶ, ἀκούσατε, καὶ οἱ τυφλοὶ, ἀναβλέψατε - καὶ, Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα, καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦμα - καὶ, Ὁδόντας ἁμαρτωλῶν συνέτριψας. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα εἴρηται πρὸς τὰς ὑπουργούσας δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὴν νοητὴν τροφὴν καὶ τὸν νοητὸν λόγον. Τοιοῦτον δὲ καὶ τὸ, Τὴν κοιλίαν μου ἀλγῶ· καὶ τὸ, Ὁ ποῦς τοῦ δικαίου οὐ μὴ προσκόψῃ. Πάντα γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἔσω ἀνθρώπου κατείλεκται τὰ τοιαῦτα, Κατὰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ὀστᾶ τινα ἂν τοῦ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, ἐν οἷς ὁ σύνδεσμος καὶ ἡ ἁρμονία τῶν ψυχικῶν ἐστι δυνάμεων συγκροτουμένη. Καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ ὀστᾶ τῇ οἰκείᾳ εὐτονίᾳ τῶν σαρκῶν περιστέλλει τὴν ἁπαλότητα, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ εἰσί τινες, οἵ διὰ τὴν οἰκείαν … . βαστάζειν. Καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ ὀστᾶ συνάπτεται ἀλ… ἐπιπεφυκόσιν, οὕτως ἂν εἴη καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης σύνδεσμος, συμφυΐαν τινὰ καὶ ἕνωσιν τῶν πνευματικῶν ὀστέων ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατεργαζόμενος, Περὶ τούτων τῶν ὀστέων τῶν λυομένων ἀπὸ τῆς ἁρμονίας, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐξάρθρων γινομένων, φησὶν ὁ Προφήτης " Διεσκορπίσθησαν τὰ ὀστᾶ ἡμῶν παρὰ τὸν ἄδην. Καὶ ἐάν ποτέ γε ταραχὴ αὐτὰ καὶ κραδασμὸς καταλάβῃ, εὐχόμενος λέγει" Ἴασαί με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐταράχθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου. Ὅταν δὲ σώζῃ τὴν οἰκείαν ἁρμονίαν, φυλαττόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, οὐδὲ ἓν αὐτῶν συντριβήσεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἄξιά ἐστι δόξαν ἀναφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ. Πάντα γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ ὀστᾶ μου λογικῶν ὀστέων φύσιν; Τάχα δ᾽ ἂν τοῦτο ἡ Ἐκκλησία λέγοι, τὸ, Πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἐροῦσι, κατὰ τὸ «ἧς ἀναστάσεως μυστήριον. Τάδε γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος τοῖς ὀστέοις τούτοις - Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ φέρω εἰς ὑμᾶς πνεῦμα ζωῆς, καὶ δώσω ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς νεῦρα, καὶ ἀνάξω ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς σάρκας, καὶ ζήσεσθε, καὶ γνώσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος. Ταῦτα οὖν τὰ ὀστᾶ, ἀπολαβόντα τὴν ζωὴν, εὐχαριστοῦντα τῷ ἀναστήσαντι, ἐροῦσι. Κύριε, Κύριε, τίς ὅμοιός σοι;

Phylassei Kyrios panta ta osta autōn" hon ex autōn ou syntribēsetai. Poteron dei epi tēs lexeōs meinai, kai arkesthēnai tę̄ kata to procheiron prospiptousę̄ tais akoais hē mōn ennoią, hoti ta osta tauta, ta tēs sarkos hypostērigmata, ou syntribēsetai tōn dikaiōn dia tēn para tou Kyriou dedomenēn hautois phylakēn? Kai poteron zōntos monon kai en tǭ biǭ tynchanontos asyntripta tou dikaiou phylachthēsetai ta osta? hē kai apolythentos tou desmou tou sōmatikou, mēden aition episymbēsesthai syntribēs tǭ dikaiǭ? Kai mēn polla memathēkamen epi tēs peiras osta dikaiōn syntetrimmena, tōn en tois hyper tēs eis Christon martyrias paradontōn heautous pantoiois eidesi pathēmatōn. “Ēdē gar tinōn kai skelē kateaxan hoi diōkontes, kai cheiras kai kephalas diepeiran tois ēlois pollakis. tis anterei mē ouchi pantōn einai dikaiotatous tous en tǭ martyriǭ teteleiōmenous? ᾿Alla mēpote, hōsper anthrōpos legetai, toutestin, hē psychē, kai ho nous ho anthrōpinos " houtō kai ta melē hautou homōnymōs onomazetai pros ta tēs sarkos" hōs pollakis onomazei hē Graphē tou kryptou anthrōpou, en tǭ legein " Tou sophou hoi ophthalmoi en kephalę̄ autou" toutesti prooratikon esti kai perieskemmenon to krypton tou sophou. Kai palin ophthalmous homoiōs legei tous te tēs psychēs kai tēs sarkos, ou monon en hę̄ parethemetha lexei, all᾽ en tǭ phaskein tēn entolēn Kyriou tēlaugę̄ einai kai phōtizousan ophthalmous. Ti de dei legein peri tou, Ho echōn ōta akouein, akouetō? Dēlon gar, hoti kektēntai tines ōta kreittona dynamena akouein logōn Theou. Pros de tous mē echontas ekeina ta ōta ti phēsin? Hoi kōphoi, akousate, kai hoi typhloi, anablepsate - kai, To stoma mou ēnoixa, kai heilkysa pneuma - kai, Hodontas hamartōlōn synetripsas. Tauta gar panta eirētai pros tas hypourgousas dynameis epi tēn noētēn trophēn kai ton noēton logon. Toiouton de kai to, Tēn koilian mou algō; kai to, Ho pous tou dikaiou ou mē proskopsę̄. Panta gar epi tou esō anthrōpou kateilektai ta toiauta, Kata de ton auton logon kai osta tina an tou en tǭ kryptǭ, en hois ho syndesmos kai hē harmonia tōn psychikōn esti dynameōn synkrotoumenē. Kai hōsper ta osta tę̄ oikeią eutonią tōn sarkōn peristellei tēn hapalotēta, houtō kai en tę̄ Ekklēsią eisi tines, hoi dia tēn oikeian … . bastazein. Kai hōsper ta osta synaptetai al… epipephykosin, houtōs an eiē kai ho tēs agapēs kai tēs eirēnēs syndesmos, symphyïan tina kai henōsin tōn pneumatikōn osteōn en tę̄ Ekklēsią tou Theou katergazomenos, Peri toutōn tōn osteōn tōn lyomenōn apo tēs harmonias, kai hoionei exarthrōn ginomenōn, phēsin ho Prophētēs " Dieskorpisthēsan ta osta hēmōn para ton adēn. Kai ean pote ge tarachē auta kai kradasmos katalabę̄, euchomenos legei" Iasai me, Kyrie, hoti etarachthē ta osta mou. Hotan de sōzę̄ tēn oikeian harmonian, phylattomena hypo tou Kyriou, oude hen autōn syntribēsetai, all᾽ axia esti doxan anapherein tǭ Theǭ. Panta gar, phēsi, ta osta mou logikōn osteōn physin? Tacha d᾽ an touto hē Ekklēsia legoi, to, Panta ta osta mou erousi, kata to «hēs anastaseōs mystērion. Tade gar, phēsi, Kyrios tois osteois toutois - Idou egō pherō eis hymas pneuma zōēs, kai dōsō eph᾽ hymas neura, kai anaxō eph᾽ hymas sarkas, kai zēsesthe, kai gnōsesthe, hoti egō eimi Kyrios. Tauta oun ta osta, apolabonta tēn zōēn, eucharistounta tǭ anastēsanti, erousi. Kyrie, Kyrie, tis homoios soi?

“The Lord keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.” Must we stay with the wording and be content with the sense that first strikes our ears, that these bones, the supports of the flesh, will not be broken in the righteous because of the guard given them by the Lord? And are the bones of the righteous man kept unbroken only while he is alive and in this life, or will nothing cause breaking for the righteous man even when he has been released from the bodily bond? And yet we have learned by experience that many bones of the righteous have been broken, of those who gave themselves up to all kinds of sufferings in witness to Christ. For persecutors have already broken the legs of some, and hands and heads they have often pierced with nails. … who will deny that those perfected in martyrdom are the most righteous of all? But perhaps, as the soul, the human mind, is called man, so too its members are named in the same way as those of the flesh; as Scripture often names the members of the hidden man, when it says, “The eyes of the wise man are in his head,” that is, the hidden part of the wise man is foresighted and circumspect. And again it speaks of eyes alike of the soul and of the flesh, not only in the saying we cited, but also in saying that the commandment of the Lord is far-shining and enlightens the eyes. And what need is there to speak of “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”? For it is clear that some possess better ears, able to hear words of God. And to those who do not have those ears, what does he say? “Hear, you deaf, and look up, you blind”; and, “I opened my mouth and drew in the Spirit”; and, “You have broken the teeth of sinners.” For all these are said with reference to the powers that serve the intelligible food and the intelligible word. Such too is “My belly, my belly, I am in pain,” and “The foot of the righteous will not stumble.” For all such things are listed of the inner man. And by the same reasoning there would be certain bones of the hidden man, in which the bond and harmony of the soul's powers is held together. And as bones protect the softness of the flesh by their own firmness, so too in the Church there are some who, by their own [strength], can bear [the weaknesses of the weak]. And as the bones are joined to one another by the [sinews] that grow on them, so too the bond of love and peace would be what produces a natural union and unity of the spiritual bones in the Church of God. Of these bones, loosed from their harmony and, as it were, put out of joint, the prophet says, “Our bones have been scattered beside Hades.” And if turmoil and shaking ever seize them, he prays, saying, “Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.” But when they keep their own harmony, guarded by the Lord, not one of them will be broken, but they are worthy to give glory to God. “For all my bones,” he says, “[will say: O Lord, who is like you?”] … [the] nature of the rational bones? Perhaps the Church might say this, “All my bones will say,” according to the mystery of the resurrection. “For thus says the Lord to these bones: Behold, I am bringing into you the breath of life, and I will put sinews upon you and bring up flesh upon you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” These bones, then, having received life, thanking the one who raised them up, will say, “O Lord, O Lord, who is like you?”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 34:20 (33:21 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 2:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 19:8 (18:9 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 11:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 42:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:131 (118:131 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 3:7 (3:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 4:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 91:12 (90:12 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 15:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 4:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Col 2:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 141:7 (140:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 6:2 (6:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:20 (33:21 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 35:10 (34:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 37:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 37:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil asks how Ps 34:20 can say the bones of the righteous are not broken, since the martyrs' bones were broken.

Quotation: Ps 34:20 (LXX 33:21). The sentence continues in 33.11; this short section and 33.11 belong together. Migne's notes at the end of the scan are removed.
This section continues the sentence ending 33.10. Quotations: Eccl 2:14; Ps 19:8 (LXX 18:9); Matt 11:15; Isa 42:18; Ps 119:131 (LXX 118:131); Ps 3:7 (LXX 3:8); Jer 4:19; Ps 91:12 (LXX 90:12); Ps 141:7 (LXX 140:7); Ps 6:2 (LXX 6:3); Ps 35:10 (LXX 34:10); Ezek 37:5–6. Allusions: Rom 15:1 (bearing the weak); Eph 4:3, 16; Col 2:19. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan, marked “…”: at the start of the section, in the account of the bones of the Church (bracketed words supplied by sense), and after Ps 35:10, where Basil's question ends with “the nature of the rational bones”.

Notes on the original text

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Topics: Eschatology, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.13 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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