On the Ascension of Christ (complete)
Authorship disputed: Printed in Migne as Gregory's; its authorship is questioned (not yet checked against the modern edition).
Greek text: PG 46 (OCR by the Bavarian State Library / Google Books; lines extracted for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 689
689PG 46:689–690
Ὡς γλυκὺς συνέμπορος τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου βίου ὁ προφήτης Δαβίδ, ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς τῆς ζωῆς εὐρισκόμενος, καὶ πάσαις ταῖς πνευματικαῖς ἡλικίαις προσφόρως καταμιγνύμενος, παντὸς τάγματος τῶν προκοπτόντων συνεφαπτόμενος! Τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν νηπίοις συμπαίζει, τοῖς ἀνδράσι συναγωνίζεται, παιδαγωγεῖ τὴν νεότητα, ὑποστηρίζει τὸ γῆρας, τοῖς πᾶσι πάντα γίνεται, στρατιωτῶν ὅπλον, ἀθλητῶν παιδοτρίβης, γυμναζομένων παλαίστρα, νικώντων στέφανος, ἐπιτραπέζιος εὐφροσύνη, ἐπικήδειος παραμυθία. Οὐκ ἔστι τι τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον ἡμῶν τῆς χάριτος ταύτης ἀμέτοχον. Τίς προσευχῆς δύναμις, ἧς μὴ Δαβὶδ συνεφάπτεται; τίς ἑορτῆς εὐφροσύνη, μὴ τοῦ Προφήτου ταύτην φαιδρύνοντος; Ὁ δὴ καὶ νῦν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν· ὅτι καὶ ἄλλως μεγάλην ἡμῖν οὖσαν τὴν ἑορτὴν, μείζονα δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ Προφήτης ἐποίησεν, προσφόρως τῇ ὑποθέσει τὴν ἐκ τῶν ψαλμῶν
Hōs glykys synemporos tou anthrōpinou biou ho prophētēs Dabid, en pasais tais hodois tēs zōēs euriskomenos, kai pasais tais pneumatikais hēlikiais prosphorōs katamignymenos, pantos tagmatos tōn prokoptontōn synephaptomenos! Tois kata Theon nēpiois sympaizei, tois andrasi synagōnizetai, paidagōgei tēn neotēta, hypostērizei to gēras, tois pasi panta ginetai, stratiōtōn hoplon, athlētōn paidotribēs, gymnazomenōn palaistra, nikōntōn stephanos, epitrapezios euphrosynē, epikēdeios paramythia. Ouk esti ti tōn kata ton bion hēmōn tēs charitos tautēs ametochon. Tis proseuchēs dynamis, hēs mē Dabid synephaptetai? tis heortēs euphrosynē, mē tou Prophētou tautēn phaidrynontos? Ho dē kai nyn estin idein; hoti kai allōs megalēn hēmin ousan tēn heortēn, meizona di᾽ heautou ho Prophētēs epoiēsen, prosphorōs tę̄ hypothesei tēn ek tōn psalmōn
How sweet a fellow traveller in human life is the prophet David! He is found on all the roads of life, mingles fittingly with every spiritual age, and lends a hand to every rank of those who are making progress. He plays with those who are infants before God, contends alongside men, trains youth, supports old age; he becomes all things to all: the soldiers’ weapon, the athletes’ trainer, the wrestling school of those in training, the crown of victors, gladness at the table, consolation at the grave. There is nothing in our life that has no share in this grace. What power is there in prayer in which David does not take part? What gladness is there in a feast, unless the prophet brightens it? This can be seen now as well: the feast, great for us in any case, the prophet has made greater by himself, bringing to it, fittingly for the subject, the gladness of the psalms.
1 Cor 9:22 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Gregory praises David as a companion for every stage and occasion of life, who now makes the feast of the Ascension greater by his psalms.
- “All things to all”: 1 Cor 9:22, applied to David.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Asc. 689 (PG 46:689–690; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-ascensione/689). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-ascensione/689
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF2 5 where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 691
691PG 46:691–692
συνεισενεγκὼν εὐφροσύνην. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ ἐνὶ, πρόβατόν σε κελεύει γενέσθαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ποιμαινόμενον, καὶ οὐδενὸς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑστερούμενον· ᾧ καὶ πόα νομῆς, καὶ ὕδωρ ἀναπαύσεως, καὶ τροφὴ, καὶ σκηνή, καὶ τρίβος, καὶ ὁδηγία, καὶ πάντα γίνεται ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς, πρὸς πᾶσαν χρείαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χάριν προσφόρως καταμερίζων. Δι' ὧν ἁπάντων παιδεύει τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ὅτι χρή σε πρόβατον πρῶτον γενέσθαι τοῦ καλοῦ ποιμένος, διὰ τῆς ἀγαθῆς κατηχήσεως πρὸς τὰς θείας τῶν διδαγμάτων νομάς τε καὶ πηγὰς ὁδηγούμενον, εἰς τὸ συνταφῆναι αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ βαπτισμοῦ εἰς τὸν θάνατον, καὶ μὴ φοβηθῆναι τὸν τοιοῦτον θάνατον. Οὐ γὰρ θάνατος οὗτός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ θανάτου σκιὰ καὶ ἐκτύπωμα. Ἐὰν γὰρ πορευθῶ, φησιν, ἐν μέσῳ σκιᾶς θανάτου, οὐ φοβηθήσομαι ὡς κακὸν τὸ γινόμενον· ὅτι σὺ μετ' ἐμοῦ εἶ. Μετὰ ταῦτα παρακαλέσας τῇ βακτηρίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος· ὁ γὰρ παράκλητος τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐστι· τὴν μυστικὴν προτίθησι τράπεζαν, τὴν ἐξ ἐναντίου τῆς τῶν δαιμόνων τραπέζης ἑτοιμασθεῖσαν. Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ διὰ τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας τὴν ζωὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκθλίβοντες· ὧν ἐξ ἐναντίου ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος τράπεζα. Εἶτα μυρίζει τὴν κεφαλὴν τῷ ἐλαίῳ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καὶ προσθεὶς αὐτῷ οἶνον τὸν τὴν καρδίαν εὐφραίνοντα, τὴν νήφουσαν ἐκείνην μέθην ἐμποιεῖ τῇ ψυχῇ, στήσας τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν προσκαίρων πρὸς τὸ ἀΐδιον· ὁ γὰρ τῆς τοιαύτης γευσάμενος μέθης, διαμείβεται τοῦ ὠκυμόρου τὸ ἀτελεύτητον, εἰς μακρότητα ἡμερῶν τὴν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ διαγωγὴν παρατείνων. Τοιαῦτα ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ τῶν ψαλμῶν χαρισάμενος, πρὸς μείζονα καὶ τελεωτέραν εὐφροσύνην ἐν τῷ ἑξῆς ψαλμῷ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπεγείρει· καὶ, εἰ δοκεῖ, καὶ τούτου τὴν διάνοιαν ὑμῖν παραθώμεθα, δι' ὀλίγων ἐπιτεμόμενοι. Τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ γῆ καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς. Τί οὖν ξενίζῃ, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ὤφθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη; κτίσμα γὰρ ἐκείνου ἡ γῆ, διότι καὶ ποίημα. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲν καινὸν, οὐδὲ ἔξω τοῦ πρέποντος, τὸ εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἐλθεῖν τὸν Δεσπότην· οὐ γὰρ ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ γίνεται κόσμῳ, ἀλλ᾽ ἂν αὐτὸς συνεστήσατο, ὁ ἐπὶ θαλασσῶν θεμελιώσας τὴν γῆν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ποταμῶν δίοδον εὔθετον αὐτὴν εἶναι παρασκευάσας. Ὑπὲρ τίνος οὖν ἡ παρουσία; Ἵνα σε τῶν βαράθρων τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐκβαλὼν, ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος ἀγάγῃ, βασιλείας ὀχήματι πρὸς τὴν ἄνοδον τῇ κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν πολιτείᾳ χρησάμενον. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἀνελθεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος ἐκεῖνο, εἰ μὴ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς συνοδεύσειε· ταῖς μὲν χερσὶν ἀθῶος γενόμενος, καὶ μηδεμιᾷ πονηρᾷ πράξει ῥυπούμενος, καθαρὸς δὲ τῇ καρδίᾳ, πρὸς οὐδὲν μάταιον τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ φέρων, μηδέ τινα δόλον τῷ πλησίον ἐξαρτυόμενος. Ταύτης τῆς ἀναβάσεως ἔπαθλόν ἐστιν ἡ εὐλογία· τούτῳ δίδωσι τὴν ἀποκειμένην ἐλεημοσύνην ὁ Κύριος· Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν ζητούντων αὐτὸν γενεὰ, τῶν δι᾿ ἀρετῆς πρὸς ὕψος ἀναβαινόντων, καὶ ζητούντων τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἰακώβ. Τὸ δὲ ἐφεξῆς τῆς ψαλμῳδίας, καὶ αὐτῆς τάχα τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς διδασκαλίας ἐστὶν ὑψηλότερον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ Εὐαγγέλιον, τὴν ἐπὶ γῆς τοῦ Κυρίου διαγωγήν, καὶ τὴν ἀναστροφὴν διηγήσατο. Ὁ δὲ ὑψηλὸς οὗτος
syneisenenkōn euphrosynēn. En men gar tǭ eni, probaton se keleuei genesthai para tou Theou poimainomenon, kai oudenos tōn agathōn hysteroumenon; hǭ kai poa nomēs, kai hydōr anapauseōs, kai trophē, kai skēnē, kai tribos, kai hodēgia, kai panta ginetai ho poimēn ho kalos, pros pasan chreian tēn heautou charin prosphorōs katamerizōn. Di' hōn hapantōn paideuei tēn Ekklēsian, hoti chrē se probaton prōton genesthai tou kalou poimenos, dia tēs agathēs katēchēseōs pros tas theias tōn didagmatōn nomas te kai pēgas hodēgoumenon, eis to syntaphēnai autǭ dia tou baptismou eis ton thanaton, kai mē phobēthēnai ton toiouton thanaton. Ou gar thanatos houtos estin, alla thanatou skia kai ektypōma. Ean gar poreuthō, phēsin, en mesǭ skias thanatou, ou phobēthēsomai hōs kakon to ginomenon; hoti sy met' emou ei. Meta tauta parakalesas tę̄ baktērią tou Pneumatos; ho gar paraklētos to Pneuma esti; tēn mystikēn protithēsi trapezan, tēn ex enantiou tēs tōn daimonōn trapezēs hetoimastheisan. Ekeinoi gar ēsan hoi dia tēs eidōlolatreias tēn zōēn tōn anthrōpōn ekthlibontes; hōn ex enantiou hē tou Pneumatos trapeza. Eita myrizei tēn kephalēn tǭ elaiǭ tou Pneumatos, kai prostheis autǭ oinon ton tēn kardian euphrainonta, tēn nēphousan ekeinēn methēn empoiei tę̄ psychę̄, stēsas tous logismous apo tōn proskairōn pros to aïdion; ho gar tēs toiautēs geusamenos methēs, diameibetai tou ōkymorou to ateleutēton, eis makrotēta hēmerōn tēn en tǭ oikǭ tou Theou diagōgēn parateinōn. Toiauta hēmin en tǭ heni tōn psalmōn charisamenos, pros meizona kai teleōteran euphrosynēn en tǭ hexēs psalmǭ tēn psychēn epegeirei; kai, ei dokei, kai toutou tēn dianoian hymin parathōmetha, di' oligōn epitemomenoi. Tou Kyriou hē gē kai to plērōma autēs. Ti oun xenizę̄, ō anthrōpe, ei ho Theos hēmōn epi gēs ōphthē, kai tois anthrōpois synanestraphē? ktisma gar ekeinou hē gē, dioti kai poiēma. Oukoun ouden kainon, oude exō tou prepontos, to eis ta idia elthein ton Despotēn; ou gar en allotriǭ ginetai kosmǭ, all᾽ an autos synestēsato, ho epi thalassōn themeliōsas tēn gēn, kai pros tēn tōn potamōn diodon eutheton autēn einai paraskeuasas. Hyper tinos oun hē parousia? Hina se tōn barathrōn tēs hamartias ekbalōn, epi to oros agagę̄, basileias ochēmati pros tēn anodon tę̄ kat᾿ aretēn politeią chrēsamenon. Ou gar estin anelthein epi to oros ekeino, ei mē tais aretais synodeuseie; tais men chersin athōos genomenos, kai mēdemią ponērą praxei rhypoumenos, katharos de tę̄ kardią, pros ouden mataion tēn psychēn heautou pherōn, mēde tina dolon tǭ plēsion exartyomenos. Tautēs tēs anabaseōs epathlon estin hē eulogia; toutǭ didōsi tēn apokeimenēn eleēmosynēn ho Kyrios; Hautē estin hē tōn zētountōn auton genea, tōn di᾿ aretēs pros hypsos anabainontōn, kai zētountōn to prosōpon tou Theou Iakōb. To de ephexēs tēs psalmǭdias, kai autēs tacha tēs euangelikēs didaskalias estin hypsēloteron. To men gar Euangelion, tēn epi gēs tou Kyriou diagōgēn, kai tēn anastrophēn diēgēsato. Ho de hypsēlos houtos
For in one psalm he bids you become a sheep shepherded by God and lacking none of the good things; for it the good shepherd becomes grassy pasture, water of rest, food, shelter, path, guidance, and everything, apportioning his grace fittingly to every need. By all these he teaches the Church that you must first become a sheep of the good shepherd, led by good catechesis to the divine pastures and springs of teaching, so as to be buried with him through baptism into death, and not to fear such a death. For this is not death, but the shadow and impression of death. For “if I walk,” he says, “in the midst of the shadow of death, I will not fear” what happens as an evil, “because you are with me.” After this, having comforted with the staff of the Spirit (for the Paraclete, the Comforter, is the Spirit), he sets out the mystic table, prepared over against the table of the demons. For it was they who afflicted human life through idolatry; over against them is set the table of the Spirit. Then he anoints the head with the oil of the Spirit, and, adding to it the wine that gladdens the heart, he produces in the soul that sober drunkenness, moving the thoughts from the temporary to the everlasting; for one who has tasted such drunkenness exchanges the short-lived for the endless, extending his life in the house of God to length of days. Having given us such gifts in one of the psalms, he rouses the soul in the next psalm to a greater and more perfect gladness; and, if you please, let us set its meaning before you too, summarizing it briefly. “The earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.” Why then are you surprised, O man, that our God was seen on earth and lived among men? For the earth is his creature, being also his work. So there is nothing new or unfitting in the Master’s coming to his own; for he does not come into a strange world, but into one he himself established, he who founded the earth upon the seas and made it fit for the passage of the rivers. Why, then, did he come? To bring you out of the pits of sin and lead you up to the mountain, with a life of virtue for your royal chariot in the ascent. For it is not possible to ascend that mountain unless one travels with the virtues: innocent of hands and defiled by no evil deed, pure in heart, not lifting his soul to anything vain, nor contriving any deceit against his neighbour. The prize of this ascent is the blessing; to such a man the Lord gives the mercy laid up for him. “This is the generation of those who seek him,” of those who climb to the height through virtue and “seek the face of the God of Jacob.” What follows in the psalm is perhaps loftier even than the teaching of the Gospel itself. For the Gospel narrated the Lord’s sojourn and life on earth; but this lofty
Ps 23:1 (22:1 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 23:2 (22:2 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 6:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 23:4 (22:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 23:5 (22:5 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:21 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 104:15 (103:15 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 23:6 (22:6 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 24:1 (23:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 24:2 (23:2 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 24:3 (23:3 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 24:4 (23:4 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 24:5 (23:5 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 24:6 (23:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:11 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Gregory reads Psalm 23 as the path of the catechumen to baptism, the mystic table, chrism, and cup, and Psalm 24 as God’s coming to his own earth to lead the virtuous up his mountain.
- Psalm 23 (LXX 22) is read of initiation: the shepherd (23:1–2), baptism as the shadow of death (23:4; Rom 6:4), the table “prepared over against those who afflict me” (23:5), here the table opposed to the table of the demons (1 Cor 10:21), the oil and the cup (23:5), and length of days (23:6). “Wine that gladdens the heart”: Ps 104:15 (LXX 103:15). Psalm 24 (LXX 23): 24:1–6. “The Paraclete”: the Greek word means both “comforter” and “advocate”, echoing “comforted” (παρακαλέσας).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word; stray letter): πρό βατόν → πρόβατόν; ποιμαινό μενον → ποιμαινόμενον; φοβηθήσομαι Βὡς → φοβηθήσομαι ὡς; εὐφροσύ νην → εὐφροσύνην.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Asc. 691 (PG 46:691–692; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-ascensione/691). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-ascensione/691
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF2 5 where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 693
693PG 46:693–694
προφήτης, ἐκβὰς αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν, ὡς ἂν μὴ βαρύνοιτο τῷ ἐφολκίῳ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ταῖς ὑπερκοσμίοις δυνάμεσιν ἑαυτὸν καταμίξας, τὰς ἐκείνων ἡμῖν φωνὰς διεξέρχεται, ὅτε προπομπεύουσαι τοῦ Δεσπότου ἐπὶ τὴν κάθοδον, ἐπαρθῆναι κελεύουσι τῶν περιγείων ἀγγέλων, τῶν τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ζωὴν πεπιστευμένων, τὰς εἰσόδους, λέγουσαι· Ἄρατε πύλας, οἱ ἄρχοντες, ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐπάρθητε, πύλαι αἰώνιοι, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ εἰς ὃ ἂν γένηται ὁ τὸ πᾶν ἐν ἑαυτῷ περιέχων, σύμμετρον ἑαυτὸν τῷ δεχομένῳ ποιεῖ· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἄνθρωπος γίνεται, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ ἀκόλουθον πάντως καὶ ἐν ἀγγέλοις γινόμενος, πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων φύσιν ἑαυτὸν συγκατάγει· διὰ τοῦτο χρήζουσιν οἱ πυλωροὶ τοῦ δεικνύντος· Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης; Οὗ χάριν τὸν κραταιὸν αὐτοῖς καὶ δυνατὸν ἐν πολέμῳ ὑποδεικνύουσι, τὸν μέλλοντα πρὸς τὸν αἰχμαλωτίσαντα τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν συμπλέκεσθαι, καὶ καταλύειν τὸν ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου τὸ κράτος· ἵνα τοῦ ἐσχάτου ἐχθροῦ ἀφανισθέντος, εἰς ἐλευθερίαν τε καὶ εἰρήνην ἀνακληθῇ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον. Πάλιν διεξέρχεται τὰς ὁμοίας φωνάς· πεπλήρωται γὰρ ἤδη τὸ τοῦ θανάτου μυστήριον, καὶ κατώρθωται κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἡ νίκη, καὶ ἐγήγερται τὸ κατ' αὐτῶν τρόπαιον ὁ σταυρός· Καὶ πάλιν ἀνέβη εἰς ὕψος, αἰχμαλωτεύων τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ὁ δοὺς τὴν ζωήν τε καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν, τὰ ἀγαθὰ ταῦτα δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Καὶ δεῖ πάλιν ἀνοιχθῆναι τὰς ὑπερκειμένας πύλας αὐτῷ. ᾿Αντιμεταλαμβάνουσι τὴν προπομπὴν οἱ ἡμέτεροι φύλακες, καὶ ἀνοιχθῆναι αὐτῷ τὰς ὑπερκειμένας πύλας παρακελεύονται, ἵνα πάλιν ἐν αὐταῖς δοξασθῇ. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἀγνοεῖται ὁ τὴν ῥυπαρὰν στολὴν τοῦ ἡμετέρου βίου περιβαλόμενος, οὗ τὸ ἐρύθημα τῶν ἱματίων ἐκ τῆς ληνοῦ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων κακῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο παρ᾿ ἐκείνων ἡ ἐρωτηματικὴ αὕτη φωνὴ πρὸς τοὺς προπομπεύοντας γίνεται· Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης; εἶτα, ἡ τούτων ἀπόκρισις, οὐκέτι, Ὁ κραταιὸς καὶ δυνατὸς ἐν πολέμῳ, ἀλλὰ, Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων, ὁ τοῦ παντὸς ἐξημμένος τὸ κράτος, ὁ ἀνακεφαλαιώσας τὰ πάντα ἐν ἑαυτῷ, ὁ ἐν πᾶσι πρωτεύων, ὁ εἰς τὴν πρώτην κτίσιν ἀποκαταστήσας τὰ πάντα, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης. Ὁρᾶτε ὅπως ἡμῖν γλυκυτέραν τὴν ἑορτὴν ὁ Δαβίδ ἀπειργάσατο, τὴν ἰδίαν χάριν τῇ φαιδρότητι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐγκαταμίξας. Οὐκοῦν μιμησώμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς τὸν Προφήτην, ἐν οἷς δυνατόν ἐστι κατορθῶσαι τὴν μίμησιν, ἐν τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν τῇ τοῦ βίου πραότητι, ἐν τῇ πρὸς τοὺς μισοῦντας μακροθυμίᾳ· ἵνα γένηται ἡ τοῦ Προφήτου διδασκαλία τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν πολιτείας χειραγωγία, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Αμήν.
prophētēs, ekbas autos heauton, hōs an mē barynoito tǭ epholkiǭ tou sōmatos, kai tais hyperkosmiois dynamesin heauton katamixas, tas ekeinōn hēmin phōnas diexerchetai, hote propompeuousai tou Despotou epi tēn kathodon, eparthēnai keleuousi tōn perigeiōn angelōn, tōn tēn anthrōpinēn zōēn pepisteumenōn, tas eisodous, legousai; Arate pylas, hoi archontes, hymōn, kai eparthēte, pylai aiōnioi, kai eiseleusetai ho Basileus tēs doxēs. Kai epeidē eis ho an genētai ho to pan en heautǭ periechōn, symmetron heauton tǭ dechomenǭ poiei; ou gar monon en anthrōpois anthrōpos ginetai, alla kata to akolouthon pantōs kai en angelois ginomenos, pros tēn ekeinōn physin heauton synkatagei; dia touto chrēzousin hoi pylōroi tou deiknyntos; Tis estin houtos ho Basileus tēs doxēs? Hou charin ton krataion autois kai dynaton en polemǭ hypodeiknyousi, ton mellonta pros ton aichmalōtisanta tēn anthrōpinēn physin symplekesthai, kai katalyein ton echonta tou thanatou to kratos; hina tou eschatou echthrou aphanisthentos, eis eleutherian te kai eirēnēn anaklēthę̄ to anthrōpinon. Palin diexerchetai tas homoias phōnas; peplērōtai gar ēdē to tou thanatou mystērion, kai katōrthōtai kata tōn polemiōn hē nikē, kai egēgertai to kat' autōn tropaion ho stauros; Kai palin anebē eis hypsos, aichmalōteuōn tēn aichmalōsian, ho dous tēn zōēn te kai tēn basileian, ta agatha tauta domata tois anthrōpois. Kai dei palin anoichthēnai tas hyperkeimenas pylas autǭ. ᾿Antimetalambanousi tēn propompēn hoi hēmeteroi phylakes, kai anoichthēnai autǭ tas hyperkeimenas pylas parakeleuontai, hina palin en autais doxasthę̄. ᾿All᾽ agnoeitai ho tēn rhyparan stolēn tou hēmeterou biou peribalomenos, hou to erythēma tōn himatiōn ek tēs lēnou tōn anthrōpinōn kakōn. Dia touto par᾿ ekeinōn hē erōtēmatikē hautē phōnē pros tous propompeuontas ginetai; Tis estin houtos ho Basileus tēs doxēs? eita, hē toutōn apokrisis, ouketi, Ho krataios kai dynatos en polemǭ, alla, Kyrios tōn dynameōn, ho tou pantos exēmmenos to kratos, ho anakephalaiōsas ta panta en heautǭ, ho en pasi prōteuōn, ho eis tēn prōtēn ktisin apokatastēsas ta panta, autos estin ho Basileus tēs doxēs. Horate hopōs hēmin glykyteran tēn heortēn ho Dabid apeirgasato, tēn idian charin tę̄ phaidrotēti tēs Ekklēsias enkatamixas. Oukoun mimēsōmetha kai hēmeis ton Prophētēn, en hois dynaton esti katorthōsai tēn mimēsin, en tę̄ pros Theon agapę̄, en tę̄ tou biou praotēti, en tę̄ pros tous misountas makrothymią; hina genētai hē tou Prophētou didaskalia tēs kata Theon politeias cheiragōgia, en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, hǭ hē doxa eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. Amēn.
prophet, going out of himself, as though no longer weighed down by the burden of the body, and mingling with the supramundane powers, recounts to us their words when, escorting the Master on his descent, they bid the angels around the earth, who have been entrusted with human life, to lift up the entrances, saying: “Lift up the gates, you rulers, your gates, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall come in.” And since he who contains all things in himself makes himself proportionate to whatever receives him, into whatever he comes (for he becomes not only man among men, but, consistently, when he comes among angels too he brings himself down to their nature), for this reason the gatekeepers need someone to point him out: “Who is this King of glory?” So they point him out to them as “the one strong and mighty in battle”, who was to grapple with the one who had taken human nature captive and destroy him who had the power of death, so that, when the last enemy had been abolished, humankind might be called back to freedom and peace. Again he recounts similar words; for now the mystery of death has been fulfilled, the victory over the enemies has been won, and the cross has been raised as a trophy over them; and again “he has gone up on high, leading captivity captive,” he who gave life and the kingdom, these good gifts, to men. And the gates above must again be opened to him. Our guardians now take their turn in the escort and bid the gates above be opened for him, so that he may be glorified in them again. But he is not recognized, clothed as he is in the soiled robe of our life, his garments red from the winepress of human evils. That is why these questioning words are spoken by those powers to the escort: “Who is this King of glory?” Then the escort answers no longer “The one strong and mighty in battle”, but “The Lord of hosts”, he who holds the power of the universe, who summed up all things in himself, who is first in all things, who restored all things to their first creation: “he is the King of glory.” You see how David has made our feast sweeter, mingling his own grace with the brightness of the Church. Let us, then, imitate the prophet too, in what our imitation can achieve: in love for God, in gentleness of life, in patience with those who hate us; so that the prophet’s teaching may become our guide by the hand to a life according to God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Ps 24:7 (23:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 24:8 (23:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 24:9 (23:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 24:10 (23:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 2:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 68:18 (67:19 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 63:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 1:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 3:21 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 24’s dialogue at the gates is read twice: of the angels at Christ’s descent into the world and at his ascent in our flesh, when he is hailed as Lord of hosts and King of glory.
- “Lift up the gates …”, “Who is this King of glory?”, “strong and mighty in battle”, “Lord of hosts”: Ps 24:7–10 (LXX 23:7–10), quoted in the Septuagint form (“you rulers”). “Him who had the power of death”: Heb 2:14; “the last enemy”: 1 Cor 15:26; “he has gone up on high, leading captivity captive”: Ps 68:18 (LXX 67:19), cf. Eph 4:8; garments red from the winepress: Isa 63:1–3; “summed up all things”: Eph 1:10; “first in all things”: Col 1:18; restoration: Acts 3:21.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letter in a Greek word): ἂv → ἂν.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Asc. 693 (PG 46:693–694; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-ascensione/693). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-ascensione/693
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF2 5 where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.