On Perfection 251–267
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 251
251PG 46:251–252
Πρέπουσα τῇ προαιρέσει ἡ σπουδὴ περὶ τοῦ γνῶναι πῶς ἄν τις διὰ τοῦ κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν βίου τελειωθείη, ὥστε διὰ πάντων κατορθωθῆναί σου τῇ ζωῇ τὸ ἀμώμητον. Ἐγὼ δὲ περὶ παντὸς μὲν ἂν ἐποιησάμην, ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ βίῳ τῶν σοὶ σπουδαζομένων εὑρεθῆναι τὰ ὑποδείγματα, ὥστε τοῖς ἔργοις πρὸ τῶν λόγων ἐπιζητουμένην ὑπὸ σοῦ παρασχεῖν διδασκαλίαν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἀξιόπιστος ἦν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡ ὑφήγησις, τοῦ βίου τοῖς λόγοις συμφθεγγομένου. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν εὔχομαι γενέσθαι ποτὲ, νῦν δὲ οὔπω τοιοῦτον ἐμαυτὸν βλέπων, ὡς ἀντὶ τοῦ λόγου προδεικνύειν τὸν βίον, ἵνα μὴ καθόλου δοκοίην ἀσυντελὴς εἶναί σοί τις πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν καὶ ἀνόνητος, ἐφ᾿ ὅ δεῖ συντεῖναι τὸν ἀκριβῆ βίον, ὑποθέσθαι διενοήθην, ἐντεῦθεν τοῦ λόγου τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιησάμενος· Τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Δεσπότου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ χαρισαμένου τὴν κοινωνίαν ἡμῖν τοῦ προσκυνουμένου ὀνόματος, ὥστε ἡμᾶς ἐκ μηδενος ἄλλου τῶν περὶ ἡμᾶς ὀνομάζεσθαι, κἂν πλούσιός τις ὢν τύχῃ, καὶ εὐπατρίδης, κἂν δυσγενὴς ᾗ ἢ πένης, καὶ ἐξ ἐπιτηδευμάτων τινῶν ἢ ἀξιωμάτων τὸ γνώριμον ἔχῃ, πάντων τῶν τοιούτων ὀνομάτων ἀργούντων, μίαν εἶναι κυρίαν κλῆσιν τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκόσι δεδώρηται, τὸ Χριστιανοὺς ὀνομάζεσθαι. Ταύτης ἄνωθεν ἡμῖν ἐπικυρωθείσης τῆς χάριτος, ἀναγκαῖον ἂν εἴη πρῶτον τῆς δωρεᾶς νοῆσαι τὸ μέγεθος, ὥστε κατ᾿ ἀξίαν εὐχαριστῆσαι τῷ τὰ τηλικαῦτα δωρησαμένῳ Θεῷ. Ἔπειτα δὲ τοιούτους ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τοῦ βίου δεῖξαι, οἷον ἐπιζητεῖ ἡ τοῦ μεγάλου τούτου ὀνόματος δύναμις. Τὸ μὲν οὖν μέγεθος τῆς δωρεᾶς, ἧς διὰ τοῦ συνονομασθῆναι τῷ Δεσπότῃ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν ἠξιώθημεν, οὕτως ἂν γένοιτο δῆλον ἡμῖν, εἰ αὐτὸ τὸ σημαινόμενον τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ὀνόματος ἐπιγνοίημεν, ὥστε συνεῖναι, ὅταν διὰ ταύτης τῆς φωνῆς τὸν τοῦ παντὸς Κύριον ἐν ταῖς εὐχαῖς προσκαλώμεθα, ποίαν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἀναλαμβάνομεν ἔννοιαν, ἢ τί διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου και
Prepousa tę̄ proairesei hē spoudē peri tou gnōnai pōs an tis dia tou kat᾿ aretēn biou teleiōtheiē, hōste dia pantōn katorthōthēnai sou tę̄ zōę̄ to amōmēton. Egō de peri pantos men an epoiēsamēn, en tǭ emǭ biǭ tōn soi spoudazomenōn heurethēnai ta hypodeigmata, hōste tois ergois pro tōn logōn epizētoumenēn hypo sou paraschein didaskalian. Houtō gar an axiopistos ēn tōn agathōn hē hyphēgēsis, tou biou tois logois symphthengomenou. Epeidē de touto men euchomai genesthai pote, nyn de oupō toiouton emauton blepōn, hōs anti tou logou prodeiknyein ton bion, hina mē katholou dokoiēn asyntelēs einai soi tis pros ton skopon kai anonētos, eph᾿ ho dei synteinai ton akribē bion, hypothesthai dienoēthēn, enteuthen tou logou tēn archēn poiēsamenos; Tou agathou Despotou hēmōn Iēsou Christou charisamenou tēn koinōnian hēmin tou proskynoumenou onomatos, hōste hēmas ek mēdenos allou tōn peri hēmas onomazesthai, kan plousios tis ōn tychę̄, kai eupatridēs, kan dysgenēs hę̄ ē penēs, kai ex epitēdeumatōn tinōn ē axiōmatōn to gnōrimon echę̄, pantōn tōn toioutōn onomatōn argountōn, mian einai kyrian klēsin tois eis auton pepisteukosi dedōrētai, to Christianous onomazesthai. Tautēs anōthen hēmin epikyrōtheisēs tēs charitos, anankaion an eiē prōton tēs dōreas noēsai to megethos, hōste kat᾿ axian eucharistēsai tǭ ta tēlikauta dōrēsamenǭ Theǭ. Epeita de toioutous heautous dia tou biou deixai, hoion epizētei hē tou megalou toutou onomatos dynamis. To men oun megethos tēs dōreas, hēs dia tou synonomasthēnai tǭ Despotę̄ tēs zōēs hēmōn ēxiōthēmen, houtōs an genoito dēlon hēmin, ei auto to sēmainomenon tou kata ton Christon onomatos epignoiēmen, hōste syneinai, hotan dia tautēs tēs phōnēs ton tou pantos Kyrion en tais euchais proskalōmetha, poian tais psychais hēmōn analambanomen ennoian, ē ti dia tou onomatos toutou kai
Your zeal to know how one may be perfected through a life of virtue, so that blamelessness may be achieved in your life in every respect, befits your chosen way of life. For my part, I would have counted it above everything to have examples of what you are eager for found in my own life, so as to give you the teaching you ask for by deeds before words. For then the guidance toward good things would be trustworthy, the life speaking in harmony with the words. But since I pray that this may happen some day, while I do not yet see myself as such that I can show my life in place of speech, so that I may not seem altogether useless to you and of no help toward the goal, I have resolved to set out the aim to which an exact life must strain, beginning my discourse from here. Our good Master Jesus Christ has graciously granted us a share in his worshipped name, so that we are named from nothing else that belongs to us, whether one happens to be rich and well-born, or low-born or poor, or has some distinction from pursuits or offices: all such names lie idle, and he has given one proper name to those who have believed in him, to be called Christians. Since this grace has been confirmed to us from above, it would be necessary first to understand the greatness of the gift, so as to give thanks worthily to God who has given such great things; and then to show ourselves through our life such as the power of this great name requires. The greatness of the gift, of which we have been counted worthy by being named together with the Master of our life, would become clear to us if we came to know what the name of Christ itself signifies, so as to understand, when we call on the Lord of all by this word in our prayers, what idea we take up in our souls, or what we
Notes and citation
Summary: Writing to a correspondent eager for perfection, Gregory proposes to show what the name “Christian” signifies and what life it requires, beginning from the meaning of the name of Christ.
- The treatise is traditionally said to be addressed to the monk Olympius; he is not named in this section.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word; OCR stray letter): ἐπι ζητουμένην → ἐπιζητουμένην; δῆλον ἡ ἡμῖν → δῆλον ἡμῖν.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 251 (PG 46:251–252; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/251). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/251
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-251) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 253
253PG 46:253–254
τανοοῦντες, εὐσεβῶς αὐτὸν ἐπικαλεῖσθαι πιστεύομεν. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ τοῦτο νοήσωμεν, τότε δι' ἀκολούθου, καὶ οἷους προσήκει ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς περὶ τὸν βίον σπουδῆς ἐπιδειχθῆναι, σαφῶς μαθησόμεθα, διδασκάλῳ καὶ ὁδηγῷ πρὸς τὸν βίον τῷ ὀνόματι χρώμενοι. Οὐκοῦν τὸν ἅγιον Παῦλον πρὸς τὰ δύο ταῦτα καθηγεμόνα ποιούμενοι, ἀσφαλεστάτην ἕξομεν ὁδηγίαν πρὸς τὴν τῶν ζητουμένων σαφήνειαν. Οὗτος γὰρ μάλιστα πάντων ἀκριβῶς, καὶ τί ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς κατενόησε, καὶ οἷον εἶναι χρὴ τὸν ἐπονομαζόμενον αὐτῷ, δι' ὧν ἐποίησεν, ὑφηγήσατο· οὕτως ἐναργῶς αὐτὸν μιμησάμενος, ὡς ἐν ἑαυτῷ δεῖξαι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Δεσπότην μεμορφωμένον, διὰ τῆς ἀκριβεστάτης μιμήσεως, μεταβληθέντος τοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ εἴδους πρὸς τὸ πρωτότυπον, ὡς μηκέτι Παῦλον εἶναι δοκεῖν τὸν ζῶντά τε καὶ φθεγγόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸν τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν αὐτῷ ζῇν· καθώς φησιν ὁ καλὸς τῶν ἰδίων ἀγαθῶν ἐπαισθόμενος, ὅτι Εἰ δοκιμὴν ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ. Καὶ, ὅτι Ζῶ δὲ ἐγὼ οὐκ ἔτι, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός. Οὗτος οὖν τοῦ κατὰ Χριστὸν ὀνομάζοντος ἐγνώρισεν ἡμῖν τὸ σημαινόμενον, εἰπὼν, ὅτι Χριστός ἐστι Θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ Θεοῦ σοφία, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰρήνην αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσε, καὶ φῶς ἀπρόσιτον, ἐν ᾧ οἰκεῖ ὁ Θεὸς,; ἁγιασμόν τε καὶ ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἀρχιερέα τε μέγαν, καὶ Πάσχα, ἱλαστήριον ψυχῶν, ἀπαύγασμα δόξης, χαρακτῆρα ὑποστάσεως, καὶ ποιητὴν αἰώνων, βρῶμα πνευματικὸν καὶ πόμα, καὶ πέτραν, καὶ ὕδωρ, θεμέλιον πίστεως, καὶ γωνίας κεφαλὴν, καὶ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου εἰκόνα, καὶ μέγαν Θεὸν, κεφαλήν τε τοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας σώματος, καὶ τῆς καινῆς κτίσεως πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἀπαρχὴν τῶν κεκοιμημένων, πρωτότοκον ἐκ νεκρῶν, καὶ πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ μεσίτην Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων, καὶ μονογενῆ δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφανωμένον, καὶ Κύριον τῆς δόξης, καὶ ἀρχὴν τῶν ὄντων (οὕτως εἰπὼν περὶ αὐτοῦ· ὡς ἐστιν ἀρχὴ), βασιλέα τε δικαιοσύνης πρὸς τούτοις, βασιλέα εἰρήνης, καὶ βασιλέα τῶν ἁπάντων, ἀπερίγραπτον ἔχοντα τῆς βασιλείας τὸ κράτος. Καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα πολλὰ, ὧν οὐκ ἔστι τὸ πλῆθος ῥᾳδίως ἐξαριθμήσασθαι· ἅπερ πάντα συντεθέντα πρὸς ἄλληλα, τῆς ἑκάστου τῶν ἐπωνύμων διανοίας, τὸ παρ' ἑαυτῆς εἰς ἔνδειξιν τοῦ σημαινομένου συνεισφερούσης, ἔμφασίν τινα τῆς σημασίας τοῦ κατὰ Χριστὸν ὀνόματος ἡμῖν ἐμποιεῖ, ὅσον χωροῦμεν τῇ ψυχῇ κατανοῆσαι, τοσοῦτον τὰ τῆς ἀφράστου μεγαλειότητος ἡμῖν ἐνδεικνύμενα. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν πάσης ἀξίας τε καὶ ἐξουσίας καὶ δυναστείας ὑπέρκειται τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ἀξίωμα, τῇ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσηγορίᾳ κυρίως καὶ πρώτως τὸ βασιλικὸν διασημαίνεται κράτος (προηγεῖτο γὰρ, καθὼς ἐν ταῖς ἱστορίαις ἐμάθομεν, τῆς βασιλείας ἡ χρίσις), τῇ δὲ βασιλείᾳ πᾶσα ἡ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐμπεριέχεται δύναμις, τούτου χάριν ὁ τὰ περιεχόμενα κατανοήσας, καὶ τὴν περιεκτικὴν τῶν κατὰ μέρος συγκατενόησε δύναμιν. Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, ἧς ἐνδεικτικὸν ὄνομα ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ κλῆσις ἐστιν Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ
tanoountes, eusebōs auton epikaleisthai pisteuomen. Epeidan de touto noēsōmen, tote di' akolouthou, kai hoious prosēkei hēmas dia tēs peri ton bion spoudēs epideichthēnai, saphōs mathēsometha, didaskalǭ kai hodēgǭ pros ton bion tǭ onomati chrōmenoi. Oukoun ton hagion Paulon pros ta dyo tauta kathēgemona poioumenoi, asphalestatēn hexomen hodēgian pros tēn tōn zētoumenōn saphēneian. Houtos gar malista pantōn akribōs, kai ti estin ho Christos katenoēse, kai hoion einai chrē ton eponomazomenon autǭ, di' hōn epoiēsen, hyphēgēsato; houtōs enargōs auton mimēsamenos, hōs en heautǭ deixai ton heautou Despotēn memorphōmenon, dia tēs akribestatēs mimēseōs, metablēthentos tou tēs psychēs autou eidous pros to prōtotypon, hōs mēketi Paulon einai dokein ton zōnta te kai phthengomenon, all᾽ auton ton Christon en autǭ zę̄n; kathōs phēsin ho kalos tōn idiōn agathōn epaisthomenos, hoti Ei dokimēn zēteite tou en emoi lalountos Christou. Kai, hoti Zō de egō ouk eti, zę̄ de en emoi Christos. Houtos oun tou kata Christon onomazontos egnōrisen hēmin to sēmainomenon, eipōn, hoti Christos esti Theou dynamis kai Theou sophia, alla kai eirēnēn auton ekalese, kai phōs aprositon, en hǭ oikei ho Theos,? hagiasmon te kai apolytrōsin, archierea te megan, kai Pascha, hilastērion psychōn, apaugasma doxēs, charaktēra hypostaseōs, kai poiētēn aiōnōn, brōma pneumatikon kai poma, kai petran, kai hydōr, themelion pisteōs, kai gōnias kephalēn, kai Theou tou aoratou eikona, kai megan Theon, kephalēn te tou tēs Ekklēsias sōmatos, kai tēs kainēs ktiseōs prōtotokon, kai aparchēn tōn kekoimēmenōn, prōtotokon ek nekrōn, kai prōtotokon en pollois adelphois, kai mesitēn Theou kai anthrōpōn, kai monogenē doxę̄ kai timę̄ estephanōmenon, kai Kyrion tēs doxēs, kai archēn tōn ontōn (houtōs eipōn peri autou; hōs estin archē), basilea te dikaiosynēs pros toutois, basilea eirēnēs, kai basilea tōn hapantōn, aperigrapton echonta tēs basileias to kratos. Kai alla toiauta polla, hōn ouk esti to plēthos rhądiōs exarithmēsasthai; haper panta syntethenta pros allēla, tēs hekastou tōn epōnymōn dianoias, to par' heautēs eis endeixin tou sēmainomenou syneispherousēs, emphasin tina tēs sēmasias tou kata Christon onomatos hēmin empoiei, hoson chōroumen tę̄ psychę̄ katanoēsai, tosouton ta tēs aphrastou megaleiotētos hēmin endeiknymena. Epeidē toinyn pasēs axias te kai exousias kai dynasteias hyperkeitai to tēs basileias axiōma, tę̄ de tou Christou prosēgorią kyriōs kai prōtōs to basilikon diasēmainetai kratos (proēgeito gar, kathōs en tais historiais emathomen, tēs basileias hē chrisis), tę̄ de basileią pasa hē tōn loipōn emperiechetai dynamis, toutou charin ho ta periechomena katanoēsas, kai tēn periektikēn tōn kata meros synkatenoēse dynamin. Hautē de estin hē basileia, hēs endeiktikon onoma hē tou Christou klēsis estin Oukoun epeidē
understand by this name when we believe we call on him reverently. When we have understood this, we will then learn clearly, as a consequence, also what kind of people we ought to show ourselves through our zeal for our life, using the name as teacher and guide for life. So if we take Saint Paul as our leader in these two things, we shall have the surest guidance to clarity about what we are seeking. For he, most exactly of all, both understood what Christ is and showed by what he did what one named after him must be, imitating him so clearly as to show his own Master formed in himself, through the most exact imitation, the form of his soul having been changed toward the archetype, so that it no longer seemed to be Paul living and speaking, but Christ himself living in him; as the good man says, perceiving his own good things: “Since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me,” and: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” This man, then, made known to us what the name of Christ signifies, saying that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God; and he also called him peace, and light unapproachable in which God dwells, sanctification and redemption, and great high priest, and Passover, propitiation of souls, radiance of glory, impress of substance, and maker of the ages, spiritual food and drink, and rock, and water, foundation of faith, and head of the corner, and image of the invisible God, and great God, and head of the body of the church, and firstborn of the new creation, and first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, firstborn from the dead, and firstborn among many brothers, and mediator between God and men, and only-begotten crowned with glory and honour, and Lord of glory, and beginning of the things that are (saying of him “who is the beginning”), and besides these king of righteousness, king of peace, and king of all things, having an unlimited power of kingship. And many other such names, whose number cannot easily be counted. All these, put together, each name's meaning contributing its own share to the indication of what is signified, produce in us some impression of the meaning of the name of Christ, showing us as much of his ineffable majesty as we are able to grasp in our soul. Now since the dignity of kingship lies above every rank and authority and power, and the name of Christ properly and primarily signifies royal power (for, as we have learned in the histories, anointing came before kingship), and in kingship is contained all the power of the other names, therefore whoever has understood the contents has also understood the power that contains them in detail. And this is the kingship of which the title “Christ” is the indicative name. Since, then,
2 Cor 13:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 2:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:30 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 4:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 5:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 3:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 1:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 1:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 10:3–4 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 2:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Titus 2:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 8:29 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 2:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 7:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:15 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Paul, in whom Christ lived, teaches the meaning of the name “Christ” through many titles (power, wisdom, peace, light, high priest, Passover, image, firstborn, king), all summed up in the royal anointing the name signifies.
- “Christ” (Χριστός) means “anointed”; Gregory notes that anointing preceded kingship in Israel.
- Quotations: 2 Cor 13:3; Gal 2:20. Titles gathered from 1 Cor 1:24, 30; Eph 2:14; 1 Tim 6:16; Heb 4:14; 1 Cor 5:7; Rom 3:25; Heb 1:2–3; 1 Cor 10:3–4; 1 Cor 3:11; Eph 2:20; Col 1:15, 18; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor 15:20; Rom 8:29; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 2:9; 1 Cor 2:8; Heb 7:2; 1 Tim 6:15. “Firstborn of the new creation” combines Col 1:15 and 2 Cor 5:17.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR Latin o for ο and stray hyphen): σημαινo- μένου → σημαινομένου.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 253 (PG 46:253–254; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/253). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/253
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-253) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 255
255PG 46:255–256
τοῦ μεγίστου τε καὶ θειοτάτου καὶ πρώτου τῶν ὀνομάτων γέγονε παρὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Δεσπότου ἡμῖν κοινωνία, ὥστε τοὺς τῇ ἐπωνυμίᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τιμηθέντας Χριστιανοὺς ὀνομάζεσθαι· ἀναγκαῖον ἂν εἴη πάντα τὰ ἑρμηνευτικὰ τῆς τοιαύτης φωνῆς ὀνόματι καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν καθορᾶσθαι, ὡς μὴ ψευδώνυμον ἐφ ἡμῖν εἶναι τὴν κλῆσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ βίου τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἔχειν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ καλείσθαί τι τὸ εἶναι γίνεται· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ὑποκειμένη φύσις, οἷα δ' ἂν οὖσα τύχῃ, διὰ τῆς προσφυοῦς τοῦ ὀνόματος σημασίας γνωρίζεται. Οἷόν τι λέγω· Εἰ δένδρῳ τις ἢ πέτρα προσηγορίαν ἀνθρώπου χαρίσαιτο, ἆρα ἄνθρωπος ἔσταί διὰ τὴν κλῆσιν, ἢ τὸ φυτὸν, ἢ ὁ λίθος; Οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα· ἀλλὰ χρὴ πρῶτον εἶναι ἄνθρωπον, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ὀνομασθῆναι τῇ προσηγορίᾳ τῆς φύσεως. Οὐδὲ γαρ ἐπὶ τῶν ὁμοιωμάτων αἱ κλήσεις ἔχουσι τὸ κύριον, ὡς εἴ τις ἄνθρωπον λέγει τὸν ἀνδριάντα, ἢ ἵππον τὸ μίμημα· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μέλλοι τι κυρίως καὶ ἀψευδῶς ὀνομάζεσθαι, ἀληθῆ δείξει πάντως τὴν προσηγορίαν ἡ φύσις. Ἡ δὲ ἀναδεξαμένη τὴν μίμησιν ὕλη, ὅπερ ἂν οὖσα τύχῃ, τοῦτο καὶ ὀνομάζεται, χαλκὸς, ἢ λίθος, ἤ τι τοιοῦτον ἕτερον, ᾧ ἐπέβαλεν ἡ τέχνη τὸ εἶδος πρὸς τὸ δοκοῦν σχηματίσασα. Οὐκοῦν τοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἑαυτοὺς ὀνομάζοντας, πρῶτον γενέσθαι χρὴ ὅπερ τὸ ὄνομα βούλεται, εἶθ' οὕτως ἑαυτοῖς ἐφαρμόσαι τὴν κλῆσιν. Καὶ ὥσπερ εἴ τις διακρίνοι ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄντος ἀνθρώπου τὸν ὁμωνύμως ἐπὶ τῆς εἰκόνος λεγόμενον, ἐκ τῶν ἰδιωμάτων ποιήσεται τὴν διάκρισιν (τὸ μὲν γὰρ ζῶον λογικὸν διανοητικὸν ὀνομάσει, τὸ δὲ ἕτερον ὕλην ἄψυχον διὰ μιμήσεως ὑπελθοῦσαν τὸ εἶδος)· οὕτω καὶ τὸν Χριστιανὸν, τόν τε ἀληθῶς ὄντα καὶ τὸν δοκοῦντα, διὰ τῶν ἐπιφαινομένων τοῖς χαρακτῆρσιν ἰδιωμάτων ἐπιγνωσόμεθα. Χαρακτῆρες δὲ τοῦ ὄντως Χριστιανοῦ πάντα κἀκεῖνά ἐστιν, ὅσα περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐνοήσαμεν. Ὧν ὅσα μὲν χωροῦμεν, μιμούμεθα· ὅσα δὲ οὐ χωρεῖ ἡ φύσις πρὸς μίμησιν, σεβόμεθά τε καὶ προσκυνοῦμεν. Οὐκοῦν πάντα τὰ ἑρμηνευτικὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ σημασίας ὀνόματα ἐπιλάμπειν χρὴ τῷ Χριστιάνῷ βίῳ, τὰ μὲν διὰ μιμήσεως, τὰ δὲ διὰ προσκυνήσεως, εἰ μέλλοι ἄρτιος εἶναι ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος, καθώς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, μηδαμοῦ διὰ τῆς κακίας ἀκρωτηριάζων τὴν ἀρτιότητα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ τὰς μυθικὰς τερατείας ἢ διὰ τῶν λόγων ἢ διὰ τῆς γραφικῆς πλάσσοντες τέχνης, βουκεφάλους τινὰς, ἢ ἱπποκενταύρους, ἢ δρακοντόποδας, ἢ ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτον ἐξ ἑτερογενῶν συντιθέντες, οὐ πρὸς τὸ τῆς φύσεως ἀρχέτυπον τὴν μίμησιν ἄγουσιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς παραλόγου ταύτης ἐπινοίας τὴν φύσιν ἐμφαίνοντες, ἄλλο τι πλάσσουσι, καὶ οὐκ ἄνθρωπον, σχηματίζοντες πρὸς τὸ δοκοῦν τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον· καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις ἄνθρωπον εἴποι τὸ πεπλασμένον διὰ τῆς ἀλλοκότου ταύτης συνθέσεως, κἂν μέρει τινὶ τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου σώματος προσεοικὸς τύχῃ τὸ μέρος τοῦ πλάσματος οὕτως οὐδ᾽ ἂν Χριστιανὸς ἀκριβῶς ὀνομασθείη ὁ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἄλογον ἔχων, τουτέστιν, ὁ τὴν τοῦ παντὸς κεφαλὴν, ἥτις ὁ Λόγος ἐστὶν, ἐν τῇ πίστει μὴ ἔχων, κἂν ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἄρτιος ᾖ, ἢ ὁ τῇ κεφαλῇ τῆς πί
tou megistou te kai theiotatou kai prōtou tōn onomatōn gegone para tou agathou Despotou hēmin koinōnia, hōste tous tę̄ epōnymią tou Christou timēthentas Christianous onomazesthai; anankaion an eiē panta ta hermēneutika tēs toiautēs phōnēs onomati kai en hēmin kathorasthai, hōs mē pseudōnymon eph hēmin einai tēn klēsin, all᾽ ek tou biou tēn martyrian echein. Ou gar ek tou kaleisthai ti to einai ginetai; all᾽ hē hypokeimenē physis, hoia d' an ousa tychę̄, dia tēs prosphyous tou onomatos sēmasias gnōrizetai. Hoion ti legō; Ei dendrǭ tis ē petra prosēgorian anthrōpou charisaito, ara anthrōpos estai dia tēn klēsin, ē to phyton, ē ho lithos? Ouk esti tauta; alla chrē prōton einai anthrōpon, eith᾽ houtōs onomasthēnai tę̄ prosēgorią tēs physeōs. Oude gar epi tōn homoiōmatōn hai klēseis echousi to kyrion, hōs ei tis anthrōpon legei ton andrianta, ē hippon to mimēma; all᾽ ei melloi ti kyriōs kai apseudōs onomazesthai, alēthē deixei pantōs tēn prosēgorian hē physis. Hē de anadexamenē tēn mimēsin hylē, hoper an ousa tychę̄, touto kai onomazetai, chalkos, ē lithos, ē ti toiouton heteron, hǭ epebalen hē technē to eidos pros to dokoun schēmatisasa. Oukoun tous apo tou Christou heautous onomazontas, prōton genesthai chrē hoper to onoma bouletai, eith' houtōs heautois epharmosai tēn klēsin. Kai hōsper ei tis diakrinoi apo tou ontos anthrōpou ton homōnymōs epi tēs eikonos legomenon, ek tōn idiōmatōn poiēsetai tēn diakrisin (to men gar zōon logikon dianoētikon onomasei, to de heteron hylēn apsychon dia mimēseōs hypelthousan to eidos); houtō kai ton Christianon, ton te alēthōs onta kai ton dokounta, dia tōn epiphainomenōn tois charaktērsin idiōmatōn epignōsometha. Charaktēres de tou ontōs Christianou panta kakeina estin, hosa peri ton Christon enoēsamen. Hōn hosa men chōroumen, mimoumetha; hosa de ou chōrei hē physis pros mimēsin, sebometha te kai proskynoumen. Oukoun panta ta hermēneutika tēs tou Christou sēmasias onomata epilampein chrē tǭ Christianǭ biǭ, ta men dia mimēseōs, ta de dia proskynēseōs, ei melloi artios einai ho tou Theou anthrōpos, kathōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, mēdamou dia tēs kakias akrōtēriazōn tēn artiotēta. Hōsper gar hoi tas mythikas terateias ē dia tōn logōn ē dia tēs graphikēs plassontes technēs, boukephalous tinas, ē hippokentaurous, ē drakontopodas, ē allo ti toiouton ex heterogenōn syntithentes, ou pros to tēs physeōs archetypon tēn mimēsin agousin, alla dia tēs paralogou tautēs epinoias tēn physin emphainontes, allo ti plassousi, kai ouk anthrōpon, schēmatizontes pros to dokoun to anyparkton; kai ouk an tis anthrōpon eipoi to peplasmenon dia tēs allokotou tautēs syntheseōs, kan merei tini tou anthrōpinou sōmatos proseoikos tychę̄ to meros tou plasmatos houtōs oud᾽ an Christianos akribōs onomastheiē ho tēn kephalēn alogon echōn, toutestin, ho tēn tou pantos kephalēn, hētis ho Logos estin, en tę̄ pistei mē echōn, kan en tois allois artios ę̄, ē ho tę̄ kephalę̄ tēs pi
our good Master has given us a share in the greatest, most divine, and first of names, so that those honoured with the title of Christ are named Christians, it would be necessary that all the names that interpret such a word be seen in us too, so that the title may not be falsely applied to us but may have the witness of our life. For a thing does not come to be what it is from being called something; rather the underlying nature, whatever it happens to be, is made known by the meaning of the name that fits it. I mean something like this: if someone gave a tree or a rock the name of man, would the plant or the stone be a man because of the name? It is not so. One must first be a man, and then be named with the name of that nature. Nor do names hold properly in the case of likenesses, as when someone calls a statue a man or a copy a horse; but if anything is to be named properly and without falsehood, its nature will certainly show the name to be true. The material that has received the imitation is called whatever it happens to be: bronze or stone or something else of the kind, on which the art has put the form, shaping it as it pleased. So those who name themselves from Christ must first become what the name means, and then fit the name to themselves. And just as anyone distinguishing the real man from the one called by the same name in a picture will make the distinction from their properties (for the one he will call a rational and thinking living being, the other lifeless matter that has taken on the form by imitation), so too we will recognize the Christian, the one who truly is and the one who only seems, by the properties that appear in their characters. And the characteristics of the true Christian are all those that we have understood concerning Christ. Those of them that we can contain we imitate; those that nature cannot contain for imitation we revere and worship. So all the names that interpret the meaning of Christ must shine out in the Christian life, some through imitation, others through worship, if the man of God is to be complete, as the apostle says, nowhere mutilating his completeness by vice. For just as those who fashion mythical monsters, whether in words or by the art of painting, ox-headed creatures or horse-centaurs or serpent-footed beings, or something else of the kind composed of different kinds, do not direct their imitation to the archetype of nature, but, showing nature by this irrational invention, fashion something else and not a man, shaping at their pleasure what does not exist; and no one would call a man what is fashioned by this strange composition, even if some part of the figure happens to resemble some part of the human body; so neither would anyone strictly be called a Christian who has an irrational head, that is, who does not hold in his faith the head of all things, which is the Word, even if he is complete in other respects; or who, while having the head of faith,
2 Tim 3:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:18 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Names follow natures: just as a statue is not a man, one is truly a Christian only by becoming what the titles of Christ mean, imitating some and worshipping the rest; a Christian with wrong faith or wrong life is a monster like a centaur.
- Allusion: 2 Tim 3:17 (the man of God complete). The play “irrational head” (κεφαλὴ ἄλογος) means a head without the Logos, the Word.
- Two OCR intrusions are removed: a marginal numeral “Α΄” at the head of the page and Latin letters “Εx Η” inside the phrase “rational and thinking living being.”
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letters caught in the Greek line; OCR split word; OCR stray mark; marginal numeral caught in the text): Α΄ τοῦ μεγίστου → τοῦ μεγίστου; εἴη᾿ → εἴη; γίνε ται → γίνεται; Οὐκ· ἔστι → Οὐκ ἔστι; ὀνομάζον τας → ὀνομάζοντας; Εx Η → ; προσκυνοῦ μεν → προσκυνοῦμεν; πλάσ σοντες → πλάσσοντες.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 255 (PG 46:255–256; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/255). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/255
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-255) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 257
257PG 46:257–258
στεως μὴ κατάλληλον ἐνδεικνύμενος τῆς πολιτείας τὸ σῶμα, ἢ δρακόντων θυμοῖς συμφυόμενος, καὶ καθ' ὁμοιότητα τῶν ἑρπετῶν τούτων ἐκθηριούμενος, ἢ τὸ θηλυμανὲς τῶν ἵππων τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ χαρακτῆρι συμβάλλων, καὶ διφυής τις ἱπποκένταυρος ἐκ λογικοῦ τε καὶ ἀλόγου γινόμενος. Τοιούτους δὲ πολλοὺς ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ἐν μόσχου κεφαλῇ, τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας δόγματι, τὸν εὐσχήμονα κατορθοῦντας βίον (οἷον τὸν Μινώταυρον γράφουσιν), οἱ ἐν Χριστιανῷ προσώπῳ θηριωδῶς ὑφαρμόζοντες τῷ βίῳ τὸ σῶμα, οἴους τοὺς κενταύρους ἢ τοὺς δρακοντόποδας πλάττουσιν. Ως ἂν τοίνυν, καθάπερ ἐπὶ σώματος ἀνθρώπου, ὁ Χριστιανὸς γνωρίζοιτο, πάντων προσήκει τῶν κατὰ τὸν Χριστὸν νοουμένων ἀγαθῶν τὸν πιστὸν ἐνσημαίνεσθαι τῷ βίῳ τοὺς χαρακτῆρας. Τὸ γὰρ ἔν τινι μὲν εἶναι τοιοῦτον οἷον τὸ ὄνομα βούλεται, ἐν ἑτέροις δὲ πρὸς τὰ ἐναντία ῥέπειν, οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν, ἢ εἰς πολεμίου τάξιν αὐτὸν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν διατέμνεσθαι, δι' ἀρετῆς καὶ κακίας ἐν ἑαυτῷ στασιάζοντα, ἄσπονδον αὐτὸν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀσύμβατον τῷ βίῳ γινόμενον. Τίς γὰρ κοινωνία φωτὶ πρὸς σκότος; φησὶν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἄμικτος τῷ φωτὶ καὶ ἀμεσίτευτός ἐστιν ἡ ἐναντίωσις· ὁ ἀμφοτέρων ἐχόμενος, καὶ μὴ θάτερον αὐτῶν μεθιεὶς, τῇ τῶν ἀντιστοιχούντων ἀλλήλοις ἐναντιότητι καὶ αὐτὸς κατ᾿ ἀνάγκην συνδιασχίζεται, φῶς κατὰ ταὐτὸν καὶ σκότος ἐν τῷ συμμίκτω βίῳ, γινόμενος τῆς μὲν πίστεως τὸν φωτισμὸν ἐνιείσης, τοῦ δὲ σκοτεινοῦ βίου τὴν ἐκ τοῦ λόγου λαμπηδόνα καταμελαίνοντος. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἄμικτός ἐστι καὶ ἀσύμβατος τῷ φωτὶ πρὸς τὸ σκότος ἡ κοινωνία, ὁ ἑκατέρου τῶν ἐναντίων περιεχόμενος, αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ πολέμιος γίνεται, διχῆ μερισθεὶς πρὸς ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν, καὶ ἑαυτῷ πρὸς ἀντίπαλον τάξιν ἀντικαθιστάμενος. Ὥσπερ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν δύο πολεμίοις ἀμφοτέρους νικητὰς κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων γενέσθαι (ἡ γὰρ τοῦ ἑνὸς νίκη θάνατον τοῦ ἀντικειμένου πάντως ἐργάζεται), οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτης τῆς ἐμφυλίου μάχης, τῆς διὰ τοῦ συμμίκτου βίου συνισταμένης, οὗ πως ἔστι νικῆσαι τὴν κρείττονα παράταξιν, μὴ πανωλεθρίᾳ τῆς ἄλλης διαφθαρείσης. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ τῆς εὐσεβείας στρατὸς κρείττων τῆς κακίας γενήσεται, τῆς πονηρᾶς φάλαγγος τῶν ἐναντίων ἀντιβαινούσης; ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μέλλοι νικᾶν τὸ κρείττον, φονευθήσεται πάντως τὸ ἀντικείμενον. Καὶ οὕτως ἡ ἀρετὴ κατὰ τῆς κακίας ἕξει τὰ νικητήρια, ὅταν πᾶν τὸ πολέμιον αὐτῇ διὰ τῆς τῶν λογισμῶν συμμαχίας μεταχωρήσῃ πρὸς τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον. Καὶ τότε πληροῦται τὸ ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τῆς προφητείας λεγόμενον, ὅτι Ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ, καὶ ζῇν ποιήσω. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἄλλως τὸ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀγαθὸν ζῆσαι, μὴ τῷ θανάτῳ πολεμίου ζωοποιούμενον. Ἕως δ᾽ ἂν τῶν δύο περιεχώμεθα, ἑκατέρᾳ χειρὶ τῶν ἐναντίων ἁπτόμενοι, ἀδύνατον κατὰ ταὐτὸν τῶν ἀμφοτέρων ἔχειν τὴν μετουσίαν.
steōs mē katallēlon endeiknymenos tēs politeias to sōma, ē drakontōn thymois symphyomenos, kai kath' homoiotēta tōn herpetōn toutōn ekthērioumenos, ē to thēlymanes tōn hippōn tǭ anthrōpinǭ charaktēri symballōn, kai diphyēs tis hippokentauros ek logikou te kai alogou ginomenos. Toioutous de pollous estin idein en moschou kephalę̄, toutestin en tǭ tēs eidōlolatreias dogmati, ton euschēmona katorthountas bion (hoion ton Minōtauron graphousin), hoi en Christianǭ prosōpǭ thēriōdōs hypharmozontes tǭ biǭ to sōma, oious tous kentaurous ē tous drakontopodas plattousin. Ōs an toinyn, kathaper epi sōmatos anthrōpou, ho Christianos gnōrizoito, pantōn prosēkei tōn kata ton Christon nooumenōn agathōn ton piston ensēmainesthai tǭ biǭ tous charaktēras. To gar en tini men einai toiouton hoion to onoma bouletai, en heterois de pros ta enantia rhepein, ouden heteron estin, ē eis polemiou taxin auton pros heauton diatemnesthai, di' aretēs kai kakias en heautǭ stasiazonta, aspondon auton autǭ kai asymbaton tǭ biǭ ginomenon. Tis gar koinōnia phōti pros skotos? phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos. Epei oun amiktos tǭ phōti kai amesiteutos estin hē enantiōsis; ho amphoterōn echomenos, kai mē thateron autōn methieis, tę̄ tōn antistoichountōn allēlois enantiotēti kai autos kat᾿ anankēn syndiaschizetai, phōs kata tauton kai skotos en tǭ symmiktō biǭ, ginomenos tēs men pisteōs ton phōtismon enieisēs, tou de skoteinou biou tēn ek tou logou lampēdona katamelainontos. Epei oun amiktos esti kai asymbatos tǭ phōti pros to skotos hē koinōnia, ho hekaterou tōn enantiōn periechomenos, autos heautǭ polemios ginetai, dichē meristheis pros aretēn kai kakian, kai heautǭ pros antipalon taxin antikathistamenos. Hōsper de ouk estin en dyo polemiois amphoterous nikētas kat᾿ allēlōn genesthai (hē gar tou henos nikē thanaton tou antikeimenou pantōs ergazetai), houtō kai epi tautēs tēs emphyliou machēs, tēs dia tou symmiktou biou synistamenēs, hou pōs esti nikēsai tēn kreittona parataxin, mē panōlethrią tēs allēs diaphthareisēs. Pōs gar ho tēs eusebeias stratos kreittōn tēs kakias genēsetai, tēs ponēras phalangos tōn enantiōn antibainousēs? all᾽ ei melloi nikan to kreitton, phoneuthēsetai pantōs to antikeimenon. Kai houtōs hē aretē kata tēs kakias hexei ta nikētēria, hotan pan to polemion autę̄ dia tēs tōn logismōn symmachias metachōrēsę̄ pros to anyparkton. Kai tote plēroutai to ek prosōpou tou Theou dia tēs prophēteias legomenon, hoti Egō apoktenō, kai zę̄n poiēsō. Ou gar estin allōs to en emoi agathon zēsai, mē tǭ thanatǭ polemiou zōopoioumenon. Heōs d᾽ an tōn dyo periechōmetha, hekaterą cheiri tōn enantiōn haptomenoi, adynaton kata tauton tōn amphoterōn echein tēn metousian.
shows a body of conduct not matching it, either growing together with the rages of serpents and becoming beastly like these reptiles, or joining the lust of horses to the human character and becoming a double-natured horse-centaur, made of rational and irrational. And one can see many such who lead a decent life under the head of a calf, that is, in the doctrine of idolatry (as they paint the Minotaur), or who with a Christian face fit a beastly body to their life, like those who fashion centaurs or serpent-footed creatures. So that the Christian may be recognized, as with the body of a man, the believer must bear in his life the marks of all the good things understood concerning Christ. For to be in some respect such as the name requires, but in others to lean toward the opposite, is nothing other than to cut oneself apart into enemy ranks against oneself, quarrelling within oneself through virtue and vice, becoming irreconcilable and incompatible with oneself in one's life. “For what fellowship has light with darkness?” says the apostle. Since, then, the opposition to light is unmixed and admits no middle, whoever holds to both and does not let go of either is himself of necessity split by the contrariety of things opposed to each other, becoming at once light and darkness in a mixed life, while faith brings in illumination and the dark life blackens the brightness that comes from the word. Since, then, the fellowship of light with darkness is unmixable and incompatible, whoever is held by both of the opposites becomes his own enemy, divided in two toward virtue and vice and setting himself up in an opposing rank against himself. And just as, of two enemies, both cannot become victors over each other (for the victory of one surely brings about the death of its opponent), so also in this civil war that arises through a mixed life, there is no way for the better rank to win unless the other is destroyed in utter ruin. For how will the army of godliness become stronger than vice while the wicked phalanx of the opposite stands against it? But if the better is to win, the opposing side will surely be slain. And so virtue will have the victory over vice when everything hostile to it has passed into non-existence through the alliance of reasonings. And then is fulfilled what is said in the person of God through the prophecy: “I will kill, and I will make alive.” For the good in me cannot live otherwise than by being made alive through the death of the enemy. As long as we hold to the two, grasping each of the opposites with one hand, it is impossible to share in both at the same time.
2 Cor 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 32:39 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A Christian whose life does not match his faith is divided against himself, light and darkness at once; virtue can live only when vice is put to death, as God says, “I will kill, and I will make alive.”
- Quotations: 2 Cor 6:14; Deut 32:39.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 257 (PG 46:257–258; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/257). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/257
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-257) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 259
259PG 46:259–260
Τοῦ γὰρ περιδραξαμένου τῆς κακίας, ἡ ἀρετὴ τῆς λαβῆς ἐξωλίσθησεν. Οὐκοῦν πάλιν τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀναλάβωμεν λόγον, ὅτι μία πρὸς τὴν καθαράν τε καὶ θείαν ζωήν ἐστι τοῖς φιλαρέτοις ὁδὸς, γνῶναι τί σημαίνει τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ ὄνομα, ᾧ χρὴ καὶ τὸν ἡμέτερον συμμορφωθῆναι βίον, διὰ τῆς τῶν λοιπῶν ὀνομάτων ἐμφάσεως εἰς ἀρετὴν ῥυθμιζόμενον. Ὅσα τοίνυν ἐν τοῖς προοιμίοις τοῦ λόγου ῥήματά τε καὶ ὀνόματα παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας τοῦ Παύλου φωνῆς ἑρμηνευτικὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ σημασίας συνελεξάμεθα, ταῦτα προθέντες εἰς τὴν προκειμένην ἡμῖν σπουδὴν, ἀσφαλεστάτην ὁδηγίαν εἰς τὸν βίον τὸν κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν ποιησόμεθα, τὰ μὲν μιμούμενοι, καθὼς ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν εἴρηται, τὰ δὲ προσκυνοῦντες καὶ σεβαζόμενοι. Γενέσθω δὲ ἡμῖν τάξις τῶν εἰρημένων ἡ ἀπαρίθμησις. Οὐκοῦν ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων ἀρξόμεθα· Χριστὸς, φησὶ, Θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ Θεοῦ σοφία. Διὰ τούτων πρῶτον μὲν τὰς θεοπρεπεῖς ἐννοίας διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσηγορίας μανθάνομεν, δι' ὧν σεβάσμιον ἡμῖν τὸ ὄνομα γίνεται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις, ὅση τε τῇ αἰσθήσει γινώσκεται, καὶ ἡ τῆς αἰσθητικῆς ὑπερκειμένη κατανοήσεως, δι' αὐτοῦ γέγονε, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν, ἀναγκαίως πρὸς τὸν ὁρισμὸν τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας τοῦ τὰ πάντα ποιήσαντος, ἡ σοφία τῇ δυνάμει συμπλέκεται. Τοῦτο νοούντων ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς τῶν δύο τούτων φωνῶν συζυγίας, τῆς δυνάμεώς τε λέγω καὶ τῆς σοφίας, ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἦν τὰ μεγάλα ταῦτα καὶ ἄφραστα τῆς κτίσεως θαύματα, μὴ σοφίας μὲν τὴν γένεσιν αὐτῶν ἐπινοούσης, δυνάμεως δὲ τῇ σοφίᾳ παρομαρτούσης πρὸς τὴν τῶν νοηθέντων τελείωσιν, δι' ἧς ἔργα τὰ νοήματα γίνεται. Μερίζεται τοίνυν καταλλήλως εἰς διπλῆν ἔμφασιν τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σημαινόμενον, εἰς τὴν σοφίαν τε καὶ τὴν δύναμιν, ἵν᾿ ὅταν μὲν πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος τῆς τῶν ὄντων συστάσεως ἀποβλέψωμεν, τὴν ἄφραστον αὐτοῦ δύναμιν διὰ τῶν καταλαμβανομένων νοήσωμεν. Ὅταν δὲ λογιζώμεθα ὅτι τὰ μὴ ὄντα παρῆλθεν εἰς γένεσιν, τῆς πολυειδοῦς ἐν τοῖς οὖσι φύσεως διὰ θείου νεύματος οὐσιωθείσης, τότε τὴν ἀκατάληπτον σοφίαν τὸν Χριστὸν πιστεύειν. "Ο γάρ τις ἐπικαλεῖται προσευχόμενος, καὶ πρὸς ὅ βλέπει τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμῷ, τοῦτο πρὸς ἑαυτὸν διὰ τῆς εὐχῆς ἐπισπᾶται· καὶ οὕτω δυνάμει τε κραταιοῦται πρὸς τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, καθώς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, ὁ πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν βλέπων (Χριστὸς δὲ ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις), καὶ σοφὸς γίνεται, καθὼς ἡ Παροιμία φησὶν, ὁ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπικαλούμενος, ἥτις πάλιν νοεῖται ὁ Κύριος. Οὐκοῦν ὁ τῷ Χριστῷ συνονομαζόμενος, ὅς ἐστι δύναμίς τε καὶ σοφία, καὶ τῇ δυνάμει συνονομάζεται, δυναμωθεὶς κατὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ τὴν σοφίαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ δείξει, τῇ ἐκλογῇ τοῦ βελτίονος. Σοφίας δὲ καὶ δυνάμεως ἐν ἡμῖν δεικνυμένων, τῆς μὲν τὸ καλὸν αἱρουμένης, τῆς δὲ δυνάμεως τὸ νοηθὲν βεβαιούσης, κατορθοῦται τοῦ βίου τὸ τέλειον δι' ἀμφοῖν συμπλεκόμενον. Οὕτω καὶ εἰρήνην τὸν Χριστὸν νοήσαντες, ἀληθῆ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν κλῆσιν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἐπιδείξομεν, ἐὰν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν εἰρήνης τὸν Χριστὸν τῷ βίῳ ἐπιδειξώμεθα. Ἐκεῖνος τὴν ἔχθραν ἀπέκτεινε,
Tou gar peridraxamenou tēs kakias, hē aretē tēs labēs exōlisthēsen. Oukoun palin ton ex archēs analabōmen logon, hoti mia pros tēn katharan te kai theian zōēn esti tois philaretois hodos, gnōnai ti sēmainei tou Christou to onoma, hǭ chrē kai ton hēmeteron symmorphōthēnai bion, dia tēs tōn loipōn onomatōn emphaseōs eis aretēn rhythmizomenon. Hosa toinyn en tois prooimiois tou logou rhēmata te kai onomata para tēs hagias tou Paulou phōnēs hermēneutika tēs tou Christou sēmasias synelexametha, tauta prothentes eis tēn prokeimenēn hēmin spoudēn, asphalestatēn hodēgian eis ton bion ton kat᾿ aretēn poiēsometha, ta men mimoumenoi, kathōs en tois phthasasin eirētai, ta de proskynountes kai sebazomenoi. Genesthō de hēmin taxis tōn eirēmenōn hē aparithmēsis. Oukoun apo tōn prōtōn arxometha; Christos, phēsi, Theou dynamis kai Theou sophia. Dia toutōn prōton men tas theoprepeis ennoias dia tēs tou Christou prosēgorias manthanomen, di' hōn sebasmion hēmin to onoma ginetai. Epeidē gar pasa hē ktisis, hosē te tę̄ aisthēsei ginōsketai, kai hē tēs aisthētikēs hyperkeimenē katanoēseōs, di' autou gegone, kai en autǭ synestēken, anankaiōs pros ton horismon tēs tou Christou parousias tou ta panta poiēsantos, hē sophia tę̄ dynamei sympleketai. Touto noountōn hēmōn dia tēs tōn dyo toutōn phōnōn syzygias, tēs dynameōs te legō kai tēs sophias, hoti ouk an ēn ta megala tauta kai aphrasta tēs ktiseōs thaumata, mē sophias men tēn genesin autōn epinoousēs, dynameōs de tę̄ sophią paromartousēs pros tēn tōn noēthentōn teleiōsin, di' hēs erga ta noēmata ginetai. Merizetai toinyn katallēlōs eis diplēn emphasin to tou Christou sēmainomenon, eis tēn sophian te kai tēn dynamin, hin᾿ hotan men pros to megethos tēs tōn ontōn systaseōs apoblepsōmen, tēn aphraston autou dynamin dia tōn katalambanomenōn noēsōmen. Hotan de logizōmetha hoti ta mē onta parēlthen eis genesin, tēs polyeidous en tois ousi physeōs dia theiou neumatos ousiōtheisēs, tote tēn akatalēpton sophian ton Christon pisteuein. "O gar tis epikaleitai proseuchomenos, kai pros ho blepei tǭ tēs psychēs ophthalmǭ, touto pros heauton dia tēs euchēs epispatai; kai houtō dynamei te krataioutai pros ton esō anthrōpon, kathōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, ho pros tēn dynamin blepōn (Christos de estin hē dynamis), kai sophos ginetai, kathōs hē Paroimia phēsin, ho tēn sophian epikaloumenos, hētis palin noeitai ho Kyrios. Oukoun ho tǭ Christǭ synonomazomenos, hos esti dynamis te kai sophia, kai tę̄ dynamei synonomazetai, dynamōtheis kata tēs hamartias, kai tēn sophian en heautǭ deixei, tę̄ eklogę̄ tou beltionos. Sophias de kai dynameōs en hēmin deiknymenōn, tēs men to kalon hairoumenēs, tēs de dynameōs to noēthen bebaiousēs, katorthoutai tou biou to teleion di' amphoin symplekomenon. Houtō kai eirēnēn ton Christon noēsantes, alēthē tou Christou tēn klēsin eph᾽ heautōn epideixomen, ean dia tēs en hēmin eirēnēs ton Christon tǭ biǭ epideixōmetha. Ekeinos tēn echthran apekteine,
For when one has grasped vice, virtue has slipped from one's grip. So let us take up again the argument from the beginning: that there is one road to the pure and divine life for lovers of virtue, to know what the name of Christ signifies, to which our life too must be conformed, shaped toward virtue by the meaning of the other names. So, setting before our present task the words and names that we collected at the beginning of the discourse from the holy voice of Paul as interpreting the meaning of Christ, we will make for ourselves the surest guidance to the life of virtue, imitating some, as has been said before, and worshipping and revering others. Let the order of what was said be the order of our count. We begin, then, from the first: “Christ,” he says, “the power of God and the wisdom of God.” Through these we first learn the ideas befitting God in the title of Christ, through which the name becomes venerable to us. For since the whole creation, both that known by sense and that which lies beyond perception by sense, came into being through him and holds together in him, of necessity, in defining the presence of Christ who made all things, wisdom is joined with power. We understand this through the pairing of these two words, power and wisdom, I mean: that these great and ineffable wonders of creation would not exist unless wisdom had conceived their coming into being, and power had accompanied wisdom to bring what was conceived to completion, the power through which thoughts become works. The meaning of Christ is therefore fittingly divided into a twofold sense, into wisdom and power, so that when we look at the greatness of the constitution of the things that are, we may understand his ineffable power through what we grasp; and when we reckon that the things that were not came into being, the manifold nature in the things that are having been given substance by a divine nod, then we believe Christ to be incomprehensible wisdom. For what one calls upon in prayer, and what one looks to with the eye of the soul, one draws to oneself through prayer; and so the one who looks to power (and Christ is the power) is strengthened with power in the inner man, as the apostle says; and the one who calls upon wisdom becomes wise, as the Proverb says, wisdom which again is understood to be the Lord. So the one who is named with Christ, who is power and wisdom, is also named with power, empowered against sin, and he will show wisdom in himself by choosing the better. When wisdom and power are shown in us, wisdom choosing the good and power making firm what was conceived, the perfection of life is achieved, woven of both. So too, understanding Christ as peace, we will show the title of Christ to be true of ourselves if we show Christ in our life through the peace in us. He killed the enmity,
1 Cor 1:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 1:16–17 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 3:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 2:3–6 (allusion, low confidence) · Eph 2:16 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Taking Paul's titles in order, Gregory explains that Christ as power and wisdom, the creator of all, is both worshipped and imitated: those who look to him grow strong against sin and wise in choosing the good.
- Quotation: 1 Cor 1:24. Allusions: Col 1:16–17; Eph 3:16 (strengthened in the inner man); Prov 2:3–6 (calling on wisdom; the exact proverb is not identified); Eph 2:16 (killing the enmity).
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 259 (PG 46:259–260; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/259). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/259
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-259) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 261
261PG 46:261–262
καθώς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος. Οὐκοῦν μηδὲ ἡμεῖς ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ταύτην ζωοποιήσωμεν, ἀλλὰ νεκρὰν αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ δείξωμεν βίῳ. Μήποτε τὴν καλῶς ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ ἡμῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ νεκρωθεῖσαν, ἡμεῖς ἐπ᾿ ὀλέθρῳ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν, δι᾽ ὀργῆς καὶ μνησικακίας καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἀναστήσωμεν, πονηρὰν ἀνάστασιν τῆς καλῶς ἀποθανούσης κατεργασάμενοι. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ τὸν Χριστὸν ἔχομεν, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἔχθραν νεκροποιήσωμεν, ἵν᾿ ὅπερ ἐν ἐκείνῳ πιστεύομεν, τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ κατορθώσωμεν βίῳ. Ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τοὺς δύο ἔκτισεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς καταλλαγὰς ἀγάγωμεν οὐ μόνον τοὺς ἔξωθεν ἡμῖν προσμαχομένους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς στασιάζοντας, ἵνα μηκέτι ἡ σὰρξ ἐπιθυμῇ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα κατὰ τῆς σαρκός· ἀλλ' ὑποταγέντος τοῦ σαρκώδους φρονήματος τῷ θείῳ νόμῳ, εἰρηνεύωμεν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, εἰς ἕνα τὸν καινόν τε καὶ εἰρηνικὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀναστοιχειωθέντες, καὶ εἰς οἱ δύο γενόμενοι. Εἰρήνης γὰρ ὅρος, ἡ τῶν διεστηκότων ἐστὶν ὁμοφωνία. Ὅταν οὖν ἐξαιρεθῇ τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν ὁ ἐμφύλιος πόλεμος, τότε καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐν ἑαυτοῖς εἰρηνεύσαντες, εἰρήνη γινόμεθα, ἀληθῆ καὶ κυρίαν ἐφ᾿ ἡμῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἐπιδεικνύοντες. Φῶς δὲ ἀληθινὸν καὶ τῷ ψεύδει ἀπρόσιτον νοήσαντες τὸν Χριστὸν, τοῦτο μανθάνομεν, ὅτι χρὴ καὶ τὸν ἡμέτερον βίον ταῖς τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Πατρὸς ἀκτῖσι καταφωτίζεσθαι. ᾿Αρεταὶ δὲ εἰσιν αἱ ἀκτῖνες τοῦ ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης, εἰς φωτισμὸν ἡμῶν ἀποῤῥέουσαι, δι' ὧν γίνεται τὸ ἀποθέσθαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, καὶ ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ περιπατεῖν εὐσχημόνως, καὶ ἀπειπάμενον τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης, καὶ πάντα ἐν φωτὶ ποιοῦντα, καὶ αὐτὸν φῶς γενέσθαι, ὥστε καὶ ἄλλοις λάμπειν διὰ τῶν ἔργων, ὅπερ φωτός ἐστιν ἴδιον. ἁγιασμὸν τὸν Χριστὸν εἶναι νοήσωμεν, τῷ πάσης βεβήλου καὶ ἀκαθάρτου πράξεως καὶ ἐννοίας, οὐχὶ ῥήματι τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ τὴν δύναμιν ὁμολογοῦντες, ἀλλὰ τῷ βίῳ. ᾿Απολύτρωσιν δὲ εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν μαθόντες, τὸν ἑαυτὸν δόντα λύτρον ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τοῦτο διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης φωνῆς παιδευόμεθα, τὸ μαθεῖν ὅτι καθάπερ τιμήν τινα τῆς ἑκάστου ψυχῆς παρασχόμενος ἡμῖν τὴν ἀθανασίαν, κτῆμα ἴδιον τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου παρ' αὐτοῦ διὰ τῆς ζωῆς ἐξαγορασθέντας ἐποίησεν. Εἰ τοίνυν δοῦλοι τοῦ λυτρωσαμένου γεγόναμεν, πρὸς τὸν κυριεύοντα πάντως ὀψώμεθα, ὡς μηκέτι ἡμᾶς ἑαυτοῖς ζῇν, ἀλλὰ τῷ κτησαμένῳ ἡμᾶς διὰ τοῦ τῆς ζωῆς ἀνταλλάγματος. Οὐκέτι γὰρ ἑαυτῶν ἐσμεν κύριοι, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ὠνησάμενός ἐστι Κύριος, ἡμεῖς δὲ αὐτοῦ τὰ κτήματα. Οὐκοῦν νόμος ἔσται τῆς ἡμετέρας ζωῆς, τὸ τοῦ κυριεύοντος θέλημα. Ωσπερ γὰρ τοῦ θανάτου κρατοῦντος ἡμῶν, ὁ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐν ἡμῖν νόμος ἐπολιτεύετο· οὕτως ἐπειδὴ τῆς ζωῆς κτῆμα γεγό-
kathōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos. Oukoun mēde hēmeis en heautois tautēn zōopoiēsōmen, alla nekran autēn en tǭ hēmeterǭ deixōmen biǭ. Mēpote tēn kalōs epi sōtērią hēmōn para tou Theou nekrōtheisan, hēmeis ep᾿ olethrǭ tōn psychōn hēmōn, di᾽ orgēs kai mnēsikakias kath' heautōn anastēsōmen, ponēran anastasin tēs kalōs apothanousēs katergasamenoi. ᾿All' ei ton Christon echomen, hos estin hē eirēnē, kai hēmeis en heautois tēn echthran nekropoiēsōmen, hin᾿ hoper en ekeinǭ pisteuomen, touto kai en tǭ hēmeterǭ katorthōsōmen biǭ. Hōs gar ekeinos to mesotoichon tou phragmou lysas, tous dyo ektisen en heautǭ eis hena kainon anthrōpon, poiōn eirēnēn houtō kai hēmeis eis katallagas agagōmen ou monon tous exōthen hēmin prosmachomenous, alla kai tous en hēmin autois stasiazontas, hina mēketi hē sarx epithymę̄ kata tou pneumatos, to de pneuma kata tēs sarkos; all' hypotagentos tou sarkōdous phronēmatos tǭ theiǭ nomǭ, eirēneuōmen en heautois, eis hena ton kainon te kai eirēnikon anthrōpon anastoicheiōthentes, kai eis hoi dyo genomenoi. Eirēnēs gar horos, hē tōn diestēkotōn estin homophōnia. Hotan oun exairethę̄ tēs physeōs hēmōn ho emphylios polemos, tote kai hēmeis, en heautois eirēneusantes, eirēnē ginometha, alēthē kai kyrian eph᾿ hēmōn tou Christou tēn epōnymian epideiknyontes. Phōs de alēthinon kai tǭ pseudei aprositon noēsantes ton Christon, touto manthanomen, hoti chrē kai ton hēmeteron bion tais tou alēthinou Patros aktisi kataphōtizesthai. ᾿Aretai de eisin hai aktines tou hēliou tēs dikaiosynēs, eis phōtismon hēmōn aporrheousai, di' hōn ginetai to apothesthai ta erga tou skotous, kai hōs en hēmerą peripatein euschēmonōs, kai apeipamenon ta krypta tēs aischynēs, kai panta en phōti poiounta, kai auton phōs genesthai, hōste kai allois lampein dia tōn ergōn, hoper phōtos estin idion. hagiasmon ton Christon einai noēsōmen, tǭ pasēs bebēlou kai akathartou praxeōs kai ennoias, ouchi rhēmati tou hagiasmou tēn dynamin homologountes, alla tǭ biǭ. ᾿Apolytrōsin de einai ton Christon mathontes, ton heauton donta lytron hyper hēmōn, touto dia tēs toiautēs phōnēs paideuometha, to mathein hoti kathaper timēn tina tēs hekastou psychēs paraschomenos hēmin tēn athanasian, ktēma idion tous ek tou thanatou par' autou dia tēs zōēs exagorasthentas epoiēsen. Ei toinyn douloi tou lytrōsamenou gegonamen, pros ton kyrieuonta pantōs opsōmetha, hōs mēketi hēmas heautois zę̄n, alla tǭ ktēsamenǭ hēmas dia tou tēs zōēs antallagmatos. Ouketi gar heautōn esmen kyrioi, all᾽ ho ōnēsamenos esti Kyrios, hēmeis de autou ta ktēmata. Oukoun nomos estai tēs hēmeteras zōēs, to tou kyrieuontos thelēma. Ōsper gar tou thanatou kratountos hēmōn, ho tēs hamartias en hēmin nomos epoliteueto; houtōs epeidē tēs zōēs ktēma gego-
as the apostle says. So let us not bring it to life again in ourselves, but show it dead in our life. Let us never, by anger and remembering wrongs, raise up against ourselves, to the destruction of our souls, the enmity that God rightly put to death for our salvation, bringing about a wicked resurrection of what had rightly died. But if we have Christ, who is peace, let us too put enmity to death in ourselves, so that what we believe of him we may also achieve in our own life. For as he, having broken down the dividing wall of the fence, created in himself the two into one new man, making peace, so let us bring to reconciliation not only those who fight against us from outside but also those in revolt within ourselves, so that the flesh no longer desires against the spirit nor the spirit against the flesh; but, the mind of the flesh being subjected to the divine law, let us be at peace within ourselves, refashioned into the one new and peaceful man, the two becoming one. For the definition of peace is the harmony of what was divided. So when the civil war is removed from our nature, then we too, having made peace within ourselves, become peace, showing the title of Christ true and proper in us. And understanding Christ as true light, unapproachable to falsehood, we learn this: that our life too must be lit by the rays of the true Father. And the virtues are the rays of the sun of righteousness, streaming out for our illumination, through which come the putting away of the works of darkness, walking decently as in the day, renouncing the hidden things of shame, doing everything in the light, and becoming light oneself, so as to shine for others too by one's works, which is the property of light. If we understand Christ to be sanctification, let us show by being strangers to every profane and impure act and thought that we confess the power of sanctification not by word but by life. Having learned that Christ is redemption, who gave himself as a ransom for us, we are taught by such a word to learn that, having paid us immortality as a price, as it were, for each one's soul, he made those he bought back from death through life his own possession. If, then, we have become the slaves of the one who redeemed us, we will surely look to our Lord, so as no longer to live for ourselves but for the one who acquired us through the exchange of life. For we are no longer our own masters; the one who bought us is Lord, and we are his possessions. So the will of our Lord will be the law of our life. For just as, when death ruled us, the law of sin governed in us, so, since we have become the possession of life,
Eph 2:14–16 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 8:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 13:12–13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 1:30 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 6:19–20 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 8:2 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: As Christ is peace, killing enmity and uniting what was divided, Christians must make peace with others and within themselves; as he is light, sanctification, and redemption, they must live in light and holiness as the property of the one who bought them.
- The sentence on sanctification is incomplete in the scan text (“τῷ πάσης βεβήλου καὶ ἀκαθάρτου πράξεως καὶ ἐννοίας”, without a participle such as “being strangers to”); it is translated by sense.
- Allusions: Eph 2:14–16; Gal 5:17; Rom 8:7; Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX, sun of righteousness); Rom 13:12–13; 2 Cor 4:2; Matt 5:14–16; 1 Cor 1:30; 1 Tim 2:6; 2 Cor 5:15; 1 Cor 6:19–20; Rom 8:2.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR doubled letter; OCR stray letter; OCR stray mark splitting a word): στα· σιάζοντας → στασιάζοντας; δι' ὧν α γίνεται → δι' ὧν γίνεται; ἐἑκάστου → ἑκάστου.
Topics: Christology, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 261 (PG 46:261–262; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/261). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/261
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-261) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 263
263PG 46:263–264
ναμεν, ἀναγκαῖον ἂν εἴη, πρὸς τὴν κρατοῦσαν μεθαρμοσθῆναι ἡμῶν τὴν πολιτείαν, μή ποτε τῆς ζωῆς παρατραπέντες θελήματος, πάλιν πρὸς τὸν πονηρὸν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν τύραννον, τὸν θάνατον λέγω, διὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτομολήσωμεν. Ἡ δὲ αὐτὴ διάνοια προσοικειώσει ἡμᾶς τῷ Χριστῷ, κἂν Πάσχα αὐτὸν εἶναι, κἂν ἀρχιερέα, παρὰ τοῦ Παύλου ἀκούσωμεν. Ἐτύθη γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὸ Πάσχα Χριστός· ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ἱερεὺς, προσάγων τῷ Θεῷ τὴν θυσίαν, οὐκ ἄλλος τίς ἐστι παρ᾿ αὐτὸν τὸν Χριστόν. Ἑαυτὸν γὰρ, φησὶ, «ἀνήνεγκε προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.» Οὐκοῦν τοῦτο διὰ τούτων μανθάνομεν, ὅτι πρὸς ἐκεῖνον βλέπων, τὸν ἑαυτὸν προσαγαγόντα προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν, Πάσχα γενόμενον, καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν παραστήσει τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν ζῶσαν, ἁγίαν, εὐάρεστον, λογικὴ λατρεία γενόμενος· ὁ δὲ τρόπος τῆς ἱερουργίας ἐστὶ, τὸ μὴ συσχηματίζεσθαι τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ μεταμορφοῦσθαι τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοὸς αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ δοκιμάζειν, τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, καὶ εὐάρεστον, καὶ τέλειον. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστι ζώσης τῆς σαρκὸς, καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὸν πνευματικὸν ἱερουργηθείσης νόμον, τὸ ἀγαθὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλημα ἐν αὐτῇ δειχθῆναι· διότι τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς, ἔχθρα εἰς Θεὸν, καὶ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται, ἕως ἂν ζῇ ἡ σὰρξ, ἧς διὰ τῆς ζωοποιοῦ θυσίας ἱερουργηθείσης, διὰ τοῦ νεκρῶσαι τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς μέλη, δι' ὧν ἐνεργεῖται τὰ πάθη, ἀνεμποδίστως τὸ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῷ πεπιστευκότων κατορθωθήσεται. Οὕτως καὶ ἱλαστήριον ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ αἴματι ὁ Χριστὸς νοούμενος διδάσκει τὸν ταῦτα νοήσαντα, αὐτὸν ἕκαστον γενέσθαι ἑαυτῷ ἱλαστήριον, διὰ τῆς τῶν μελῶν νεκρώσεως τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφαγνίζοντα. Ὅταν δὲ δόξης ἀπαύγασμα, καὶ χαρακτήρ ὑποστάσεως ὁ Χριστὸς λέγηται τῆς προσκυνουμένης αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνης διὰ τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων τὰς ἐννοίας ἀναλαμβάνομεν. Ὁ γὰρ θεόπνευστος ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ θεοδίδακτος Παῦλος, ὁ ἐν τῷ βάθει τοῦ πλούτου τῆς σοφίας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῶν θείων μυστηρίων διερευνώμενος, τὰς γινομένας αὐτῷ θεώθεν ἐλλάμψεις περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀνεξερευνήτων τε καὶ ἀνεξιχνιάστων κατανοήσεως, ἀτονωτέραν ἔχων τῆς διανοίας τὴν γλῶτταν, καθὼς ἐχώρει ἡ ἀκοὴ τῶν δεχομένων τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ, δι' αἰνιγμάτων τινῶν ὑπέδειξεν· ὅσον ὑπουργεῖν τῇ διανοίᾳ δυνατῶς εἶχεν ὁ λόγος, τοσοῦτον φθεγγόμενος. Πάντα γὰρ ὅσα χωρεῖ ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη δύναμις, κατανοήσας, ἀνέφικτόν τε καὶ ἀνεπίληπτον ἀνθρωπίνοις λογισμοῖς τὸν τῆς ὑπερκειμένης οὐσίας προσφέρεται λόγον. Διὸ τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν θεωρούμενα λέγων, εἰρήνην, καὶ δύναμιν, καὶ ζωὴν, καὶ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φῶς, καὶ ἀλήθειαν, καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα· τὸν περὶ αὐτῆς ἐκείνης λόγον, ἄληπτον εἶναι παντελῶς διωρίσατο, εἰπὼν μήτε ἑωρᾶσθαί ποτε τὸν Θεὸν, μήτε ὀφθήσεσθαι. Ὃν εἶδε, ὁ γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐδεὶς, οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν δύνα-
namen, anankaion an eiē, pros tēn kratousan metharmosthēnai hēmōn tēn politeian, mē pote tēs zōēs paratrapentes thelēmatos, palin pros ton ponēron tōn psychōn hēmōn tyrannon, ton thanaton legō, dia tēs hamartias automolēsōmen. Hē de autē dianoia prosoikeiōsei hēmas tǭ Christǭ, kan Pascha auton einai, kan archierea, para tou Paulou akousōmen. Etythē gar hōs alēthōs hyper hēmōn to Pascha Christos; all᾿ ho hiereus, prosagōn tǭ Theǭ tēn thysian, ouk allos tis esti par᾿ auton ton Christon. Heauton gar, phēsi, «anēnenke prosphoran kai thysian hyper hēmōn.» Oukoun touto dia toutōn manthanomen, hoti pros ekeinon blepōn, ton heauton prosagagonta prosphoran kai thysian, Pascha genomenon, kai autos heauton parastēsei tǭ Theǭ thysian zōsan, hagian, euareston, logikē latreia genomenos; ho de tropos tēs hierourgias esti, to mē syschēmatizesthai tǭ aiōni toutǭ, alla metamorphousthai tę̄ anakainōsei tou noos autou, en tǭ dokimazein, ti to thelēma tou Theou to agathon, kai euareston, kai teleion. Ou gar esti zōsēs tēs sarkos, kai mē kata ton pneumatikon hierourgētheisēs nomon, to agathon tou Theou thelēma en autę̄ deichthēnai; dioti to phronēma tēs sarkos, echthra eis Theon, kai tǭ nomǭ tou Theou ouch hypotassetai. Oude gar dynatai, heōs an zę̄ hē sarx, hēs dia tēs zōopoiou thysias hierourgētheisēs, dia tou nekrōsai ta epi gēs melē, di' hōn energeitai ta pathē, anempodistōs to euareston kai teleion thelēma tou Theou en tę̄ zōę̄ autǭ pepisteukotōn katorthōthēsetai. Houtōs kai hilastērion en tǭ idiǭ aimati ho Christos nooumenos didaskei ton tauta noēsanta, auton hekaston genesthai heautǭ hilastērion, dia tēs tōn melōn nekrōseōs tēn psychēn aphagnizonta. Hotan de doxēs apaugasma, kai charaktēr hypostaseōs ho Christos legētai tēs proskynoumenēs autou megalōsynēs dia tōn rhēmatōn toutōn tas ennoias analambanomen. Ho gar theopneustos hōs alēthōs kai theodidaktos Paulos, ho en tǭ bathei tou ploutou tēs sophias kai tēs gnōseōs tou Theou, ta adēla kai ta kryphia tōn theiōn mystēriōn diereunōmenos, tas ginomenas autǭ theōthen ellampseis peri tēs tōn anexereunētōn te kai anexichniastōn katanoēseōs, atonōteran echōn tēs dianoias tēn glōttan, kathōs echōrei hē akoē tōn dechomenōn tēn synesin autou, tēn en tǭ mystēriǭ, di' ainigmatōn tinōn hypedeixen; hoson hypourgein tę̄ dianoią dynatōs eichen ho logos, tosouton phthengomenos. Panta gar hosa chōrei hē anthrōpinē dynamis, katanoēsas, anephikton te kai anepilēpton anthrōpinois logismois ton tēs hyperkeimenēs ousias prospheretai logon. Dio ta peri autōn theōroumena legōn, eirēnēn, kai dynamin, kai zōēn, kai dikaiosynēn, kai phōs, kai alētheian, kai ta toiauta; ton peri autēs ekeinēs logon, alēpton einai pantelōs diōrisato, eipōn mēte heōrasthai pote ton Theon, mēte ophthēsesthai. Hon eide, ho gar, phēsin, oudeis, oude idein dyna-
it would be necessary for our conduct to be adapted to the life that rules us, lest, turning aside from the will of life, we desert again through sin to the wicked tyrant of our souls, death I mean. The same thought will bring us close to Christ also when we hear from Paul that he is Passover and high priest. For Christ our Passover was truly sacrificed for us; but the priest who offers the sacrifice to God is no other than Christ himself. For “he offered himself,” he says, “as an offering and sacrifice for us.” So we learn this from these words: that whoever looks to him who brought himself as an offering and sacrifice and became the Passover will himself present himself to God as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, becoming reasonable worship. And the manner of the sacrifice is not to be conformed to this age, but to be transformed by the renewal of one's mind, in proving what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. For while the flesh lives and has not been sacrificed according to the spiritual law, the good will of God cannot be shown in it, because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God and does not submit to the law of God. Nor can it, as long as the flesh lives; but when it has been sacrificed through the life-giving sacrifice, by putting to death the members on earth through which the passions work, the acceptable and perfect will of God will be achieved without hindrance in the life of those who have believed in him. So too Christ, understood as the propitiation in his own blood, teaches the one who has understood these things that each should become a propitiation for himself, purifying his soul by putting the members to death. When Christ is called the radiance of glory and the impress of substance, we take up through these words the ideas of his worshipped majesty. For Paul, truly inspired and taught by God, who searched out in the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God the obscure and hidden things of the divine mysteries, showed through certain riddles the illuminations that came to him from God about the understanding of what cannot be searched or traced, having a tongue weaker than his thought, as the hearing of those receiving his insight into the mystery could contain it, uttering as much as speech was able to serve thought. For having understood all that human power can contain, he presents the account of the transcendent substance as unreachable and ungraspable by human reasonings. Hence, in naming the things contemplated around it, peace, and power, and life, and righteousness, and light, and truth, and the like, he declared that the account of that substance itself is wholly ungraspable, saying that God has never been seen and never will be seen. For he says, “whom no one has seen or can see.”
1 Cor 5:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:1–2 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 3:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 1:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 11:33 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: As Passover and high priest Christ offered himself; Christians must likewise offer themselves as living sacrifices by putting the flesh to death. The titles “radiance of glory” and “impress of substance” point to his divine majesty, whose essence Paul says is beyond human grasp.
- A displaced OCR line (“ἱλαστήριον ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ αἴματι ὁ Χριστὸς νοούμενος”) split the word μεθαρμοσθῆναι; it is restored to its place before “διδάσκει” by logged corrections.
- Quotations and allusions: 1 Cor 5:7; Eph 5:2; Rom 12:1–2; Rom 8:7; Col 3:5; Rom 3:25; Heb 1:3; Rom 11:33; 1 Cor 2:7; 1 Tim 6:16.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word; displaced OCR line removed from inside a word (restored below in its place); displaced OCR line restored to its place): μεθἱλαστήριον ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ αἴματι ὁ Χριστὸς νοούμενος, αρμοσθῆναι → μεθαρμοσθῆναι; Οὕτως καὶ διδάσκει → Οὕτως καὶ ἱλαστήριον ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ αἴματι ὁ Χριστὸς νοούμενος διδάσκει; δειχθῆ ναι → δειχθῆναι; νεκρώ σεως → νεκρώσεως; ἀπαύ γασμα → ἀπαύγασμα; ἐκεί νης → ἐκείνης.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 263 (PG 46:263–264; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/263). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/263
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-263) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 265
265PG 46:265–266
ται. Διὰ τοῦτο ζητῶν, πῶς ὀνομάσει τὸ μὴ δυνάμενον λογισμοῖς ληφθῆναι, ὡς οὐχ εὖρεν ἐμφαντικὸν ὄνομὰ τῆς τῶν ἀκαταλήπτων ἑρμηνείας, δόξαν καὶ ὑπόστασιν ὠνόμασε τὸ ὑπερκείμενον πάντὸς ἀγαθοῦ, τὸ μήτε νοούμενον ἀξίως, μήτε φραζόμενον. Τὴν μὲν οὖν ὑπερκειμένην τῶν ὄντων οὐσίὰν ἀφῆκεν ἀκατονόμαστον τὸ δὲ συναφές τε καὶ ἀδιάστατον τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα διερμηνεύων, καὶ τὸ τῷ ἀορίστῳ τε καὶ ἀϊδίῳ Πατρὶ ἀορίστως τε καὶ ἀἴδίως συνθεωρούμενον, ἀπαύγασμα δόξης καὶ χαρακτῆρα ὑποστάσεως προσαγορεύει· τῷ μὲν ἀπαυγάσματι, τὸ συμφυὲς ἐνδεικνύμενος· τῷ δὲ χαρακτῆρι, τὸ ἰσοστάσιον. Οὔτε γὰρ αὐτῆς πρὸς τὴν ἀπαυγάζουσαν φύσιν ἐπινοεῖταί τι μέσον, οὔτε τις τοῦ χαρακτῆρος ἐλάττωσις πρὸς τὴν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ χαρακτηριζομένην ὑπόστασιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ τὴν ἀπαυγάζουσαν φύσιν νοήσας, καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ταύτης πάντως κατενόησε. Καὶ ὁ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ὑποστάσεως ἐν νῷ λαβὼν, τῷ ἐπιφαινομένῳ χαρακτῆρι πάντως ἐμμετρεῖ τὴν ὑπόστασιν. Διὸ καὶ μορφὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγει τὸν Κύριον, οὐ κατασμικρύνων τῇ τῆς μορφῆς ἐννοίᾳ τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλα τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ Υἱοῦ διὰ τῆς μορφῆς ἐνδεικνύμενος, ᾗ ἐνθεωρεῖται τοῦ Πατρὸς ἡ μεγάλειότης, οὐδαμοῦ τῆς ἰδίας μορφῆς ὑπερπίπτουσα, οὐδὲ ἔξω τοῦ περὶ αὐτὴν χαρακτῆρος εὑρισκομένη. ῎Αμορφον γὰρ καὶ ἀκαλλὲς περὶ τὸν Πατέρα οὐδὲν, ὁ μὴ τῇ ὡραιότητι τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἐπαγάλλεται· διό φησιν ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ, ἑώρακε καὶ τὸν Πατέρα, σημαίνων διὰ τούτου, μήτε ἔλλειψίν τινα εἶναι, μήτε ὑπέρπτωσιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ φέρειν αὐτὸν λέγων τὰ πάντα τῷ τῆς δυνάμεως ῥήματι, λύει τῶν τὰ ἀνεξερεύνητα πολυπραγμονούντων τὴν ἀμηχανίαν, οἱ τὸν περὶ τῆς ὕλης ἀναζητοῦντες λόγον, οὐδαμοῦ τῆς πολυπραγμοσύνης ἴστάνται, Πῶς, λέγοντες, τῷ ἀΰλῳ ἡ ὕλη; καὶ πῶς τὸ ποσὸν ἐκ τοῦ ἀπόσου, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἀσχηματίστου τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἀοράτου τὸ χρῶμα, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἀορίστου τὸ τοῖς ἰδίοις μέτρους ἐμπερατούμενον; Καὶ εἰ μηδεμία ποιότης περὶ τὸ ἁπλοῦν καὶ ἀσύνθετον, πόθεν ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς περὶ αὐτὴν ποιότησιν ἡ ὕλη; Πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν ζητουμένων λύει ὁ εἰπὼν, ὅτι τὰ σύμπαντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ φέρει ὁ Λόγος ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς γένεσιν. Πάντα γὰρ, ὅσα τὴν ἄῦλον είληχε φύσιν, μίαν αἰτίαν ἔχει τῆς ὑποστάσεως, τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς ἀφράστου δυνάμεως. Ἐκ δὲ τούτων παιδευόμεθα τὸ πρὸς αὐτὸ βλέπειν, ἀφ᾿ οὗ τῶν ὄντων ἐστὶν ἡ γένεσις. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρἠχθημεν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ συνεστήκαμεν, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα, μηδὲν ἔξω τῆς γνώσεως πιστεύειν εἶναι τοῦ ἐν ᾧ ἐσμεν, καὶ ἀφ' οὗ γεγόναμεν, καὶ εἰς ὃν ἀναλύομεν. Ταύτῃ δὲ τῇ διανοίᾳ συγκατορθοῦται, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς, τὸ κατὰ τὴν ζωὴν ἀναμάρτητον. Τίς γὰρ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ζῇν πιστεύων, μάρτυρα τῆς ἀπεμφαινούσης ζωῆς τολμήσαι ποιήσασθαι τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ τὴν ἑκάστου ζωὴν περιέχοντα; Βρῶμα δὲ καὶ πόμα πνευματικὸν ὀνομάζων τὸν Κύριον ὁ θεῖος
tai. Dia touto zētōn, pōs onomasei to mē dynamenon logismois lēphthēnai, hōs ouch euren emphantikon onoma tēs tōn akatalēptōn hermēneias, doxan kai hypostasin ōnomase to hyperkeimenon pantos agathou, to mēte nooumenon axiōs, mēte phrazomenon. Tēn men oun hyperkeimenēn tōn ontōn ousian aphēken akatonomaston to de synaphes te kai adiastaton tou Huiou pros ton Patera diermēneuōn, kai to tǭ aoristǭ te kai aïdiǭ Patri aoristōs te kai aidiōs syntheōroumenon, apaugasma doxēs kai charaktēra hypostaseōs prosagoreuei; tǭ men apaugasmati, to symphyes endeiknymenos; tǭ de charaktēri, to isostasion. Oute gar autēs pros tēn apaugazousan physin epinoeitai ti meson, oute tis tou charaktēros elattōsis pros tēn hyp᾿ autou charaktērizomenēn hypostasin. Alla kai ho tēn apaugazousan physin noēsas, kai to apaugasma tautēs pantōs katenoēse. Kai ho to megethos tēs hypostaseōs en nǭ labōn, tǭ epiphainomenǭ charaktēri pantōs emmetrei tēn hypostasin. Dio kai morphēn tou Theou legei ton Kyrion, ou katasmikrynōn tę̄ tēs morphēs ennoią ton Kyrion, alla to megethos tou Huiou dia tēs morphēs endeiknymenos, hę̄ entheōreitai tou Patros hē megaleiotēs, oudamou tēs idias morphēs hyperpiptousa, oude exō tou peri autēn charaktēros heuriskomenē. ᾿Amorphon gar kai akalles peri ton Patera ouden, ho mē tę̄ hōraiotēti tou Monogenous epagalletai; dio phēsin ho Kyrios, hoti Ho heōrakōs eme, heōrake kai ton Patera, sēmainōn dia toutou, mēte elleipsin tina einai, mēte hyperptōsin. Alla kai pherein auton legōn ta panta tǭ tēs dynameōs rhēmati, lyei tōn ta anexereunēta polypragmonountōn tēn amēchanian, hoi ton peri tēs hylēs anazētountes logon, oudamou tēs polypragmosynēs istantai, Pōs, legontes, tǭ aÿlǭ hē hylē? kai pōs to poson ek tou aposou, kai ek tou aschēmatistou to schēma, kai ek tou aoratou to chrōma, kai ek tou aoristou to tois idiois metrous emperatoumenon? Kai ei mēdemia poiotēs peri to haploun kai asyntheton, pothen empleketai tais peri autēn poiotēsin hē hylē? Panta gar tauta kai ta toiauta tōn zētoumenōn lyei ho eipōn, hoti ta sympanta tǭ rhēmati tēs dynameōs autou pherei ho Logos ek tou mē ontos eis genesin. Panta gar, hosa tēn aulon eilēche physin, mian aitian echei tēs hypostaseōs, to rhēma tēs aphrastou dynameōs. Ek de toutōn paideuometha to pros auto blepein, aph᾿ hou tōn ontōn estin hē genesis. Ei gar ekeithen eis to einai parēchthēmen, kai en autǭ synestēkamen, anankē pasa, mēden exō tēs gnōseōs pisteuein einai tou en hǭ esmen, kai aph' hou gegonamen, kai eis hon analyomen. Tautę̄ de tę̄ dianoią synkatorthoutai, kata to eikos, to kata tēn zōēn anamartēton. Tis gar ex autou kai di' autou kai en autǭ zę̄n pisteuōn, martyra tēs apemphainousēs zōēs tolmēsai poiēsasthai ton en autǭ tēn hekastou zōēn periechonta? Brōma de kai poma pneumatikon onomazōn ton Kyrion ho theios
For this reason, seeking how to name what cannot be grasped by reasonings, since he found no name expressive enough to interpret the incomprehensible, he named what is beyond every good, what can be neither worthily thought nor spoken, “glory” and “substance.” So he left unnamed the substance that is beyond all things that are; but interpreting the conjunction of the Son with the Father and his inseparability from him, and that he is contemplated together with the boundless and eternal Father boundlessly and eternally, he calls him radiance of glory and impress of substance: by “radiance” showing that they are of one nature, by “impress” that they are equal. For no interval is conceived between the radiance and the nature that sends it forth, nor any falling short of the impress in relation to the substance it expresses. But whoever has understood the radiating nature has surely understood its radiance too; and whoever has taken the greatness of the substance into his mind surely measures the substance by the impress that appears. Hence he also calls the Lord the form of God, not belittling the Lord by the notion of form, but showing the greatness of the Son through the form, in which the majesty of the Father is contemplated, nowhere exceeding its own form nor found outside the impress that belongs to it. For there is nothing formless or unbeautiful in the Father that does not glory in the beauty of the Only-begotten. That is why the Lord says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” signifying by this that there is neither any deficiency nor any excess. And by saying that he upholds all things by the word of his power, Paul resolves the perplexity of those who busy themselves with what cannot be searched out, who, seeking an account of matter, never stop their meddling, saying: “How does matter come from the immaterial? How does quantity come from what has no quantity, shape from the shapeless, colour from the invisible, and what is bounded by its own measures from the boundless? And if there is no quality in the simple and uncompounded, from where is matter interwoven with the qualities around it?” For all these and similar questions are resolved by the one who said that the Word bears all things by the word of his power from non-being into being. For all things, even those that have received the immaterial nature, have one cause of their existence, the word of the ineffable power. From these things we are taught to look to that from which the things that are have their origin. For if we were brought into being from there and hold together in him, it is entirely necessary to believe that nothing is outside the knowledge of the one in whom we are, from whom we came to be, and into whom we are dissolved. And by this thought, in all likelihood, a sinless life is achieved together with it. For who, believing that he lives from him and through him and in him, would dare to make the one who holds each person's life in himself the witness of an unseemly life? Calling the Lord spiritual food and drink, the divine
Heb 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:6 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 11:36 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 17:28 (allusion, medium confidence) · Col 1:17 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: “Radiance of glory” shows the Son one in nature with the Father and “impress of substance” shows him equal; he upholds all things by his word, answering questions about how matter comes from God, and since we live in him we dare not sin before him.
- The phrase “τὴν ἄϋλον εἴληχε φύσιν” (“have received the immaterial nature”) is translated as printed; the argument about matter suggests that words naming material things as well may have dropped out of the scan text.
- Quotations and allusions: Heb 1:3; Phil 2:6; John 14:9; Rom 11:36; Acts 17:28; Col 1:17.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR Latin l for ι): καl ἐκ → καὶ ἐκ.
Topics: Trinity, Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 265 (PG 46:265–266; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/265). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/265
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-265) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 267
267PG 46:267–268
᾿Απόστολος, ταῦτα διὰ τῶν λεγομένων νοεῖν ὑποτίθεται, ὅτι οὐ μονοειδής ἐστιν ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις, ἀλλὰ τοῦ νοητοῦ πρὸς τὸ αἰσθητὸν συγκεκραμένου, ἰδιάζουσα καθ᾿ ἕτερον τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν θεωρουμένων ἐστὶν ἡ τροφή· τῆς μὲν αἰσθητῆς βρώσεως τὸ σῶμα διακρατούσης, τῆς δὲ πνευματικῆς τροφῆς τὴν ψυχικὴν ἐμποιούσης ἡμῖν εὐεξίαν. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος, τὸ στερεόν τε καὶ ὑγρὸν τῆς τροφῆς, μετ' ἄλλων μιγνύμενα, συντηρητικὰ τῆς φύσεως γίνεται, διὰ τῆς καταλλήλου πέψεως ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν στοιχειωδῶς συγκεκραμένων καταμιγνύμενα κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἀναλογικῶς ὁ Παῦλος καὶ τὴν νοητὴν καταμερίζει τροφὴν, βρῶσιν ὀνομάζων καὶ πόσιν τὸ αὐτὸ πρᾶγμα, πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τῶν προσφερομένων οἰκείως μεθαρμοζόμενον. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἀτονοῦσι καὶ ἐκλελυμένοις ἄρτος γίνεται, στηρίζων καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου· τοῖς δὲ κεκμηκόσι διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν βίον τοῦτον ταλαιπωρίαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο γενομένοις διψώδεσιν, οἶνος γίνεται, τὴν καρδίαν εἰς εὐφροσύνην ἄγων. Νοεῖν δὲ χρὴ διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων τοῦ λόγου τὴν δύναμιν, δι' οὗ τρέφεται ἡ ψυχὴ καταλλήλως τῇ χρείᾳ, τὴν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ χάριν προσδεχομένη, κατὰ τὸ αἴνιγμα τοῦ προφήτου, ὃς τόπῳ χλόης καὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως τὴν ἐκ τοῦ λόγου γινομένην τοῖς κεκμηκόσι παραμυθίαν διασημαίνει. Εἰ δὲ πρὸς τὸ μυστήριόν τις βλέπων, βρῶμα καὶ πόμα κυρίως ὀνομάζεσθαι λέγοι τὸν Κύριον, οὐδὲ τοῦτο τῆς κυρίας ἐμφάσεως ἀπεξένωται· ἀληθῶς γὰρ ἡ σάρξ αὐτοῦ βρῶσίς ἐστι, καὶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἀληθῶς ἐστι πόσις. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπὶ τῆς προῤῥηθείσης μὲν διανοίας, πᾶσι κατ' ἐξουσίαν ἐστὶν ἡ μετουσία τοῦ Λόγου, ὃς γίνεται βρῶμα καὶ πόμα προσφερόμενον ἀδιακρίτως, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπιζητούντων αὐτὸν λαμβανόμενος. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ἑτέρας ἐννοίας, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνεξέταστος καὶ ἀδιάκριτος ἡ τῆς τοιαύτης τροφῆς τε καὶ πόσεως μετουσία, οὕτως τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου προσδιορίσαντος, ὅτι Δοκιμαζέτω δὲ ἕκαστος ἑαυτὸν, καὶ οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου ἐσθιέτω, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου πινέτω. Ὁ δὲ ἀναξίως ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων, εἰς κρῖμα ἑαυτῷ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει. Πρὸς ὅ μοι δοκεῖ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς βλέπων, ἠσφαλισμένως τὸ τοιοῦτο παρασημήνασθαι, ὅτι ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ μυστικοῦ πάθους ὁ εὐσχήμων ἐκεῖνος βουλευτής, ἀσπίλῳ καὶ καθαρᾷ τῇ σινδόνι τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου διαλαβών, καινῷ τε καὶ καθαρῷ μνήματι ἐναπέθετο· ὥστε νόμον πᾶσιν ἡμῖν τὸ τε τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου παράγγελμα γενέσθαι, καὶ τὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ παρατήρημα, τοῦ καθαρᾷ τῇ συνειδήσει τὸ ἅγιον ὑποδέχεσθαι σῶμα· εἴ ποὺ τις ἐξ ἁμαρτίας εἴη κηλὶς, τῷ ὕδατι τῶν δακρύων ἀποῤῥύψαντας. Ἀλλὰ πέτρα λεγόμενος ὁ Χριστὸς, ὠφελήσει διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου ἡμᾶς, ἐν τῷ παγίῳ τε καὶ ἀμεταθέτῳ τῆς κατ' ἀρετὴν ζωῆς, καὶ ἐν τῷ στεῤῥῶς ἔχειν πρὸς τὴν τῶν παθημάτων ὑπομονὴν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ πρὸς πᾶσαν προσβολὴν ἁμαρτίας ἀντίτυπον καὶ ἀνένδοτον τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι· διὰ τούτων γὰρ καὶ τῶν τοιού
᾿Apostolos, tauta dia tōn legomenōn noein hypotithetai, hoti ou monoeidēs estin hē anthrōpinē physis, alla tou noētou pros to aisthēton synkekramenou, idiazousa kath᾿ heteron tōn en hēmin theōroumenōn estin hē trophē; tēs men aisthētēs brōseōs to sōma diakratousēs, tēs de pneumatikēs trophēs tēn psychikēn empoiousēs hēmin euexian. ᾿All' hōsper epi tou sōmatos, to stereon te kai hygron tēs trophēs, met' allōn mignymena, syntērētika tēs physeōs ginetai, dia tēs katallēlou pepseōs hekastǭ tōn en hēmin stoicheiōdōs synkekramenōn katamignymena kata ton auton tropon analogikōs ho Paulos kai tēn noētēn katamerizei trophēn, brōsin onomazōn kai posin to auto pragma, pros tēn chreian tōn prospheromenōn oikeiōs metharmozomenon. Tois men gar atonousi kai eklelymenois artos ginetai, stērizōn kardian anthrōpou; tois de kekmēkosi dia tēn pros ton bion touton talaipōrian, kai dia touto genomenois dipsōdesin, oinos ginetai, tēn kardian eis euphrosynēn agōn. Noein de chrē dia tōn eirēmenōn tou logou tēn dynamin, di' hou trephetai hē psychē katallēlōs tę̄ chreią, tēn ap᾿ autou charin prosdechomenē, kata to ainigma tou prophētou, hos topǭ chloēs kai hydatos anapauseōs tēn ek tou logou ginomenēn tois kekmēkosi paramythian diasēmainei. Ei de pros to mystērion tis blepōn, brōma kai poma kyriōs onomazesthai legoi ton Kyrion, oude touto tēs kyrias emphaseōs apexenōtai; alēthōs gar hē sarx autou brōsis esti, kai to haima autou alēthōs esti posis. ᾿All' epi tēs prorrhētheisēs men dianoias, pasi kat' exousian estin hē metousia tou Logou, hos ginetai brōma kai poma prospheromenon adiakritōs, hypo tōn epizētountōn auton lambanomenos. Epi de tēs heteras ennoias, ouk estin anexetastos kai adiakritos hē tēs toiautēs trophēs te kai poseōs metousia, houtōs tou ᾿Apostolou prosdiorisantos, hoti Dokimazetō de hekastos heauton, kai houtōs ek tou artou esthietō, kai ek tou potēriou pinetō. Ho de anaxiōs esthiōn kai pinōn, eis krima heautǭ esthiei kai pinei. Pros ho moi dokei ho euangelistēs blepōn, ēsphalismenōs to toiouto parasēmēnasthai, hoti en tǭ kairǭ tou mystikou pathous ho euschēmōn ekeinos bouleutēs, aspilǭ kai katharą tę̄ sindoni to sōma tou Kyriou dialabōn, kainǭ te kai katharǭ mnēmati enapetheto; hōste nomon pasin hēmin to te tou ᾿Apostolou parangelma genesthai, kai to tou euangelistou paratērēma, tou katharą tę̄ syneidēsei to hagion hypodechesthai sōma; ei pou tis ex hamartias eiē kēlis, tǭ hydati tōn dakryōn aporrhypsantas. Alla petra legomenos ho Christos, ōphelēsei dia tou onomatos toutou hēmas, en tǭ pagiǭ te kai ametathetǭ tēs kat' aretēn zōēs, kai en tǭ sterrhōs echein pros tēn tōn pathēmatōn hypomonēn, kai dia tou pros pasan prosbolēn hamartias antitypon kai anendoton tēn psychēn epideiknysthai; dia toutōn gar kai tōn toiou
apostle suggests that we understand this from what is said: that human nature is not of one kind, but, the intelligible being mixed with the perceptible, there is a food proper to each of the parts seen in us; perceptible food sustains the body, while spiritual food produces in us the soul's good condition. And just as in the body solid and liquid food, mixed with other things, preserve our nature, being mixed by suitable digestion with each of the elements blended in us, so in the same way Paul by analogy also divides the intelligible food, calling the same thing food and drink, suitably adapted to the need of those who take it. For to the weak and exhausted it becomes bread, strengthening the heart of man; to those worn out by the hardship of this life, and therefore become thirsty, it becomes wine, bringing the heart to gladness. Through what has been said we must understand the power of the Word, by which the soul is nourished in a way suited to its need, receiving the grace from him, according to the riddle of the prophet, who signifies by a place of green grass and water of rest the comfort that comes from the Word to the weary. If anyone, looking to the mystery, says that the Lord is properly called food and drink, this too is not foreign to the proper sense; for his flesh is truly food and his blood is truly drink. But in the earlier sense, sharing in the Word is open to all at will; he becomes food and drink offered without distinction, taken by those who seek him. In the other sense, sharing in such food and drink is not without examination and discernment, since the apostle has laid down: “Let each one examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment on himself.” Looking to this, it seems to me, the evangelist carefully noted that at the time of the mystical passion that honourable councillor wrapped the Lord's body in a spotless and clean linen cloth and laid it in a new and clean tomb; so that the apostle's command and the evangelist's observation become a law for all of us, to receive the holy body with a clean conscience, washing away with the water of tears any stain there may be from sin. Christ, called the rock, will benefit us through this name in the firmness and steadfastness of a life of virtue, in holding firm in the endurance of sufferings, and in showing the soul resistant and unyielding to every attack of sin; for through these and such
1 Cor 10:3–4 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 104:15 (103:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 23:2 (22:2 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · John 6:55 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:28–29 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 27:59–60 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 15:43–46 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ as spiritual food and drink nourishes the soul according to its need; in the sacrament his flesh and blood are truly food and drink, to be received only after self-examination and with a clean conscience; as the rock he teaches steadfastness.
- Gregory distinguishes the Word as food open to all from the Eucharist, which requires examination (1 Cor 11:28–29); he reads Joseph of Arimathea's clean linen and new tomb as a figure of receiving Christ's body with a clean conscience. Translated as written.
- Quotations and allusions: 1 Cor 10:3–4; Ps 104:15 (103:15 LXX); Ps 23:2 (22:2 LXX); John 6:55; 1 Cor 11:28–29; Matt 27:59–60 and Mark 15:43–46.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word; OCR stray dash): –διαλαβών → διαλαβών; λε γόμενος → λεγόμενος.
Topics: Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Perf. 267 (PG 46:267–268; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/267). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-perfectione/267
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-perfectione-267) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.