Second Encomium on Saint Stephen (complete)
Greek text: PG 46 (OCR by the Internet Archive; lines extracted for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 721
721PG 46:721–722
Ἐπεδήμησε Χριστὸς τῷ κόσμῳ εἰς σωτηρίαν, καὶ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐβλάστησαν οἱ καρποὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ἔλαμψεν ὁ μάρτυς τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ συνέλαμψαν οἱ μάρτυρες τῆς μεγάλης οἰκονομίας. Ἠκολούθησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Διδασκάλῳ, τοῖς Κυριακοῖς ἴχνεσιν ὁδεύοντες· μετὰ Χριστὸν οἱ Χριστοφόροι μετὰ τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης οἱ φωστῆρες τῆς οἰκουμένης· καὶ πρῶτος μὲν ἡμῖν ὁ Στέφανος ἤνθησεν, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν ἀκανθῶν πλακεὶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς εὐθηνίας πρῶτος καρπὸς τῷ Κυρίῳ προσενεχθείς. Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν γὰρ στέφανον ἐξ ἀκανθῶν πλέξαντες, τῇ κεφαλῇ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπέθηκαν, ἀξίους τῆς κακῆς γεωργίας αὐτῶν τοὺς καρποὺς ἐπιδειξάμενοι τῷ Δεσπότῃ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, ὡς διὰ τῆς προφητείας προανεφώνει, λέγων· Αμπελὼν Κυρίου Σαβαώθ, οἶκος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ ἐστι, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος Ἰούδα, νεόφυτον ἠγαπημένον. Ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. Οἱ δὲ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς ἀληθείας ἐργάται πρῶτον προοίμιον εὐσεβείας, καὶ πρώτην ἀπαρχὴν τῆς γεωργίας, Στέφανον τὸν ἅγιον ἄνδρα προσφέρουσι τῷ Δεσπότῃ, οἷα δή τινα στέφανον ἀληθῶς ἐκ πολλῶν καὶ διαφόρων ἀρετῶν συνηρμοσμένον. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ὁ θαυμάσιος οὗτος ἀνὴρ τὴν τῶν χηρῶν ἐπιμέλειαν ἐπιστεύετο, μαρτυρηθεὶς
Epedēmēse Christos tǭ kosmǭ eis sōtērian, kai met᾿ auton eblastēsan hoi karpoi tēs Ekklēsias. Elampsen ho martys tēs alētheias, kai synelampsan hoi martyres tēs megalēs oikonomias. Ēkolouthēsan hoi mathētai tǭ Didaskalǭ, tois Kyriakois ichnesin hodeuontes; meta Christon hoi Christophoroi meta ton hēlion tēs dikaiosynēs hoi phōstēres tēs oikoumenēs; kai prōtos men hēmin ho Stephanos ēnthēsen, ouk ek tōn Ioudaïkōn akanthōn plakeis, all᾽ ek tēs ekklēsiastikēs euthēnias prōtos karpos tǭ Kyriǭ prosenechtheis. Ioudaioi men gar stephanon ex akanthōn plexantes, tę̄ kephalę̄ tou Sōtēros epethēkan, axious tēs kakēs geōrgias autōn tous karpous epideixamenoi tǭ Despotę̄ tou ampelōnos, hōs dia tēs prophēteias proanephōnei, legōn; Ampelōn Kyriou Sabaōth, oikos tou Israēl esti, kai ho anthrōpos Iouda, neophyton ēgapēmenon. Emeina tou poiēsai staphylēn, epoiēse de akanthas. Hoi de tēs euangelikēs alētheias ergatai prōton prooimion eusebeias, kai prōtēn aparchēn tēs geōrgias, Stephanon ton hagion andra prospherousi tǭ Despotę̄, hoia dē tina stephanon alēthōs ek pollōn kai diaphorōn aretōn synērmosmenon. Prōton men gar ho thaumasios houtos anēr tēn tōn chērōn epimeleian episteueto, martyrētheis
Christ came to dwell in the world for salvation, and after him the fruits of the Church sprang up. The witness of the truth shone, and the witnesses of the great economy shone with him. The disciples followed the Teacher, walking in the Lord’s footsteps: after Christ the Christ-bearers, after the sun of righteousness the luminaries of the world. And first Stephen blossomed for us, not woven from Jewish thorns, but offered to the Lord as the first fruit of the Church’s plenty. For the Jews wove a crown of thorns and set it on the Saviour’s head, showing the Master of the vineyard fruits worthy of their bad husbandry, as he foretold through the prophecy, saying: “The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah a beloved young plant. I waited for it to produce grapes, but it produced thorns.” But the workers of the Gospel truth offer to the Master, as the first prelude of true religion and the first fruits of their husbandry, the holy man Stephen, truly a crown fitted together from many different virtues. For first this wonderful man was entrusted with the care of the widows, being attested
Mal 4:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Phil 2:15 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 27:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 5:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 5:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 6:1 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Gregory opens his second encomium: after Christ came the Christ-bearers, and Stephen, whose name means “crown”, was the Church’s first fruit, unlike the crown of thorns Israel offered.
- The words “Another encomium on Saint [Stephen]”, the heading of the sermon, stand misplaced inside the last word of the page in the digitized text; they are removed by a logged correction. Stephen’s name means “crown” (στέφανος), the basis of Gregory’s wordplay. “Sun of righteousness”: Mal 4:2; luminaries: Phil 2:15. The crown of thorns: Matt 27:29. “The vineyard of the Lord …”: Isa 5:7, with 5:2, 4 (LXX). The contrast with “the Jews” is Gregory’s, translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misplaced title removed; word split at the Migne page break joined (rest removed from the next page)): μαρτυἝτερον ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὸν ἅγιον → μαρτυρηθεὶς.
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 721 (PG 46:721–722; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/721). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/721
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-721) · Report an error
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 723
723PG 46:723–724
κρίσει καὶ ἐκλογῇ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀνὴρ εἶναι πιστὸς, καὶ πλήρης Πνεύματος ἁγίου, ἔπειτα δυνάμει πνευματικῆς σοφίας. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ τοσαύτην ὑπὲρ τοῦ κηρύγματος συνηγορίαν ἐπεδείκνυτο, ὡς καὶ μεγάλα τὰ θαύματα τῆς θείας ἐνεργείας συντρέχειν αὐτοῦ ταῖς διδασκαλίαις. Στέφανος γὰρ, φησὶ, πλήρης πίστεως καὶ δυνάμεως, ἐποίει σημεῖα μεγάλα. Οὐ γὰρ ἐδικαίωσεν ἐμπόδιον αὐτῷ τι γενέσθαι τῇ περὶ τὰς χήρας σπουδῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτης εἴχετο προθύμως, κἀκείνης οὐκ ἀπελιμπάνετο· καὶ ἦν ἐπ' αὐτῷ μέγα τὸ θαῦμα, καὶ φιλοπόνου διανοίας πλεονέκτημα. Χήρας ἐπιστεύετο, καὶ ψυχὰς ἐνεπορεύετο, τὰς μὲν ἄρτῳ τρέφων, τὰς δὲ λόγῳ παιδεύων, καὶ ταῖς μὲν σωματικὴν τράπεζαν προτιθεὶς, ταῖς δὲ πνευματικὴν ἑστίαν προβαλλόμενος. Ἧν γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς, καὶ πλήρης Πνεύματος ἁγίου· ἀγαθότητι μὲν τῆς γνώμης, τῶν πενήτων τὴν λειτουργίαν ὑφιστάμενος· παῤῥησίᾳ δὲ καὶ δυνάμει τοῦ Πνεύματος, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπιστομίζων. Πᾶσι γοῦν ἀντέκρουε, καὶ πάντας τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας κατηγωνίζετο, λογισμοὺς καθαιρῶν, καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τοσαύτη δὲ αὐτῷ ἰσχὺς τοῦ λόγου παρῆν, ὡς κατὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς, μηδένα δύνασθαι ἀντιστῆναι τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ᾧ ἐλάλει. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὸ συνέδριον ἤγετο τῆς ἀπιστίας, ὁ κήρυξ τῆς ἀληθείας δεῖ γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὕτω παραδραμόντας τῷ Πρωτομάρτυρι τὴν ὀφειλομένην ἀποδοῦναι, ἣν χθὲς ἀποπληρῶσαι τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ ἐπέτρεψε, καὶ σήμερον τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις τὴν οἰκείαν μνήμην ἀποπληρῶσαι. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ οὐχ ἡμέραις, οὐδὲ χρόνοις,τὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἐγκώμια περιορίζεται· Εἰς μνημόσυνον γὰρ, φησὶν, αἰώνιον ἔσται δίκαιος· ἔπειτα δὲ, οἷς οὐ διαιρεῖται τὰ τῆς γνώμης. Οὔτε τοίνυν μάρτυρες ἄνευ ἀποστόλων, οὔτε πάλιν ἀπόστολοι χωρὶς ἐκείνων. Διδάσκαλοι μὲν γὰρ μαρτύρων, ἀπόστολοι· εἰκόνες δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων, οἱ μάρτυρες. Εἰκόνα γοῦν τὴν ἐκείνων καὶ τὸν χαρακτῆρα φέρων ὁ μακάριος Στέφανος, σταυρὸν καὶ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου πρῶτος τοῦ μαρτυρίου τὸν στέφανον ἀνεδήσατο. ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου τοὺς διδασκάλους ἀπεσέμνυνε, καὶ γέγονεν ἀληθῶς στέφανος· στέφανος γὰρ τῶν καλῶν διδασκάλων οὐκ ἦν τιμὴ τῆς εὐφημίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἦν προκοπὴ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ὥσπερ γοῦν Κορινθίοις γράφων ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολός φησιν· Ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ ἐπιπόθητοί, χαρὰ καὶ στέφανός μου, οὕτω στήκετε. Ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ἐπανέλθωμεν. Εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ συνέδριον τῶν Χριστοφόνων ὁ Χριστοφόρος· εἰσεπήδησεν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν τῶν λύκων
krisei kai eklogę̄ tōn apostolōn anēr einai pistos, kai plērēs Pneumatos hagiou, epeita dynamei pneumatikēs sophias. Kai gar tǭ theiǭ logǭ tosautēn hyper tou kērygmatos synēgorian epedeiknyto, hōs kai megala ta thaumata tēs theias energeias syntrechein autou tais didaskaliais. Stephanos gar, phēsi, plērēs pisteōs kai dynameōs, epoiei sēmeia megala. Ou gar edikaiōsen empodion autǭ ti genesthai tę̄ peri tas chēras spoudę̄, alla kai tautēs eicheto prothymōs, kakeinēs ouk apelimpaneto; kai ēn ep' autǭ mega to thauma, kai philoponou dianoias pleonektēma. Chēras episteueto, kai psychas eneporeueto, tas men artǭ trephōn, tas de logǭ paideuōn, kai tais men sōmatikēn trapezan protitheis, tais de pneumatikēn hestian proballomenos. Hēn gar anēr agathos, kai plērēs Pneumatos hagiou; agathotēti men tēs gnōmēs, tōn penētōn tēn leitourgian hyphistamenos; parrhēsią de kai dynamei tou Pneumatos, tous echthrous tēs alētheias epistomizōn. Pasi goun antekroue, kai pantas tǭ logǭ tēs alētheias katēgōnizeto, logismous kathairōn, kai pan hypsōma epairomenon kata tēs gnōseōs tou Theou. Tosautē de autǭ ischys tou logou parēn, hōs kata tēn martyrian tēs hagias Graphēs, mēdena dynasthai antistēnai tę̄ sophią kai tǭ pneumati, hǭ elalei. ᾿All᾽ epi to synedrion ēgeto tēs apistias, ho kēryx tēs alētheias dei gar hēmas houtō paradramontas tǭ Prōtomartyri tēn opheilomenēn apodounai, hēn chthes apoplērōsai to asthenes tou sōmatos ouk epetrepse, kai sēmeron tois hagiois apostolois tēn oikeian mnēmēn apoplērōsai. Prōton men gar ouch hēmerais, oude chronois,ta tōn hagiōn enkōmia periorizetai; Eis mnēmosynon gar, phēsin, aiōnion estai dikaios; epeita de, hois ou diaireitai ta tēs gnōmēs. Oute toinyn martyres aneu apostolōn, oute palin apostoloi chōris ekeinōn. Didaskaloi men gar martyrōn, apostoloi; eikones de tōn apostolōn, hoi martyres. Eikona goun tēn ekeinōn kai ton charaktēra pherōn ho makarios Stephanos, stauron kai dia tou thanatou prōtos tou martyriou ton stephanon anedēsato. ᾿All' homōs dia tēs hypomonēs tou martyriou tous didaskalous apesemnyne, kai gegonen alēthōs stephanos; stephanos gar tōn kalōn didaskalōn ouk ēn timē tēs euphēmias, all᾽ ēn prokopē tēs Ekklēsias, hōsper goun Korinthiois graphōn ho theios ᾿Apostolos phēsin; Adelphoi mou agapētoi kai epipothētoi, chara kai stephanos mou, houtō stēkete. All᾿ epi to prokeimenon epanelthōmen. Eisēlthen eis to synedrion tōn Christophonōn ho Christophoros; eisepēdēsen eis tēn synagōgēn tōn lykōn
by the judgment and choice of the apostles to be a faithful man and full of the Holy Spirit, and then by the power of spiritual wisdom. For he showed such advocacy of the preaching by the divine word that great wonders of the divine working also accompanied his teaching. For “Stephen,” it says, “full of faith and power, did great signs.” He did not think his zeal for the widows should be any hindrance to him, but he held to it eagerly and did not fall short in the other; and in him the wonder was great, and so was the advantage of an industrious mind. He was entrusted with widows and traded in souls, feeding the one with bread and instructing the other with the word, setting a bodily table before the one and offering the other a spiritual banquet. For he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit: by the goodness of his disposition he undertook the ministry to the poor, and by the boldness and power of the Spirit he stopped the mouths of the enemies of the truth. So he struck against all and overcame all with the word of truth, destroying arguments and every height raised up against the knowledge of God. Such strength of speech was present in him that, by the testimony of holy Scripture, no one could resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. But the herald of truth was led to the council of unbelief. For we must, running through it in this way, pay the Protomartyr the debt which bodily weakness did not allow us to pay yesterday, and today pay the holy apostles their own memorial. For, first, the praises of the saints are not bounded by days or times: “For the righteous,” it says, “will be in everlasting remembrance”; and, second, those who are not divided in mind are not divided in their memorials either. So there are neither martyrs without apostles, nor again apostles without them. For the apostles are the teachers of the martyrs, and the martyrs are images of the apostles. Bearing their image and character, then, blessed Stephen [took up] the cross and through death was the first to bind on the crown of martyrdom. Yet by the endurance of martyrdom he honoured his teachers and truly became a crown; for the crown of good teachers was not the honour of acclaim but the progress of the Church, as the divine Apostle says, writing to the Corinthians: “My beloved and longed-for brothers, my joy and crown, stand firm thus.” But let us return to our subject. The Christ-bearer entered the council of the Christ-slayers; into the assembly of wolves leapt
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Acts 6:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 6:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 11:24 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 10:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 6:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 112:6 (111:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 6:12 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Stephen combined care for the widows with preaching and miracles; Gregory explains that he is completing yesterday’s praise of Stephen and keeping today’s memorial of the apostles, whose images the martyrs are.
- The choice of the seven: Acts 6:3, 5; “full of faith and power …”: Acts 6:8 (the printed Greek has “faith”, as some manuscripts of Acts); “a good man and full of the Holy Spirit” is said of Barnabas in Acts 11:24, and is applied here to Stephen; “destroying arguments …”: 2 Cor 10:4–5; no one could resist: Acts 6:10. “The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance”: Ps 112:6 (LXX 111:6). “My beloved … joy and crown”: Phil 4:1 (Gregory says “to the Corinthians”). The sermon was preached the day after Stephen’s feast, on the feast of the apostles; Gregory’s illness prevented him from finishing the day before. The word σταυρόν (“the cross”) stands in the sentence on Stephen without a governing verb, probably because words are lost; “[took up]” is supplied by sense. The last word of the page is completed on the next page.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (end of a word split at the page break, joined to the previous page): ρηθεὶς κρίσει → κρίσει.
Topics: Martyrdom, Church office
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 723 (PG 46:723–724; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/723). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/723
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-723) · Report an error
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 725
725PG 46:725–726
τὸ πρόβατον· ἀλλ᾽ ἦν οὐχ ὡς ἁπλῶς πρόβατον θηριάλωτον, ἀλλὰ πρόβατον ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ ποιμαινόμενον, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς λύκους ἀγωνιζόμενον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐλύσσων καὶ διεπρίοντο, ταῖς κατηγορίαις καὶ ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς τὸ ποίμνιον καταδάκνοντες· ὁ δὲ μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς τοῖς ἐλέγχοις διεσπάραττεν, ἢ ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς καὶ ταῖς κατηγορίαις, ὡς ἐκεῖνοι. Μὴ ψιλῶς, μηδ᾽ ἐπιπολαίως παραδράμωμεν τὰ λεγόμενα. Οὗτος γὰρ πρὸς τοσαύτην συναγωγήν πονηρευομένων, καὶ πρὸς τοσαύτην λύκων ἔφοδον κατὰ τῆς ἀδικίας ἐθάρσησε παῤῥησιάσασθαι, καὶ εἰπεῖν μετὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἐκείνην διδασκαλίαν· Σκληροτράχηλοι, καὶ ἀπερίτμητοι τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν, ὑμεῖς ἀεὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ἀντιπίπτετε, καθὼς οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Οὕτως ὁ ἐπὶ μὲν γῆς φαινόμενος, τὰ δὲ ἐν οὐρανῷ κατόπτριζόμενος· καὶ ἀνθρώπου μὲν φύσιν ένδεδυμένος, ἀγγέλου δὲ ὄψιν καὶ σχῆμα μεταμορφωσάμενος (καὶ τούτων οὐδὲν ἀπεικός ἔπρεπε γὰρ ἀληθῶς ἐν τῷ Πρωτομάρτυρι δειχθῆναι τῶν μαρτύρων τὸ ἀξίωμα, καὶ γνῶναι λοιπὸν ἅπαντας τῆς καινῆς χάριτος τὰ ἔργα)· ὁ τοῦ μαρτυρίου πόθος οὐ μόνον ἀγγελικὴν ἀξίαν χαρίζεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὐρανῶν ἀνοίγει πύλας· οὐκέτι θανάτῳ τὰς ψυχὰς παραπέμπων, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς χεῖρας Χριστοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα παρατιθέμενος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Κυριακὸς ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Σωτῆρος τῷ ἑαυτῷ Πατρὶ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ προσεφώνει, λέγων· Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθημι τὸ πνεῦμά μου· ὁ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος Στέφανος, ἀνατείνας εἰς τὸν Δεσπότην, Κύριε, φησὶν, Ἰησοῦ, δέξαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου· ταύτῃ τῇ φωνῇ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποθέμενος. "Αγγελοι τὸν ἑαυτῶν χορευτὴν ἀπελάμβανον, μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ἄνωθεν βάλλοντες ταῖς εὐφημίαις, ἢ ἐν τοῖς λίθοις κάτωθεν Ἰουδαῖοι. ᾿Αλλ' ὁ μὲν Στέφανος οὕτω τὸν καλὸν ἀγωνισάμενος ἀγῶνα, τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς κλῆρον ἐδέξατο. Τῷ Στεφάνῳ δὲ τούτῳ πάντες ἐξαίφνης οἱ τίμιοι λίθοι συνεπλάκησαν, οἱ θειότατοι τῶν Εὐαγγελίων κήρυκες, μεθ᾽ οὓς οἱ μάρτυρες, καὶ μετ' αὐτοὺς πάλιν οἱ σωτηρίῳ ἀρετῇ διαλάμψαντες προηγουμένως δὲ οἱ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος μνημονευόμενοι, πολὺ καὶ λαμπρὸν ἀπαστράπτοντες τὸ κάλλος τῆς εὐσεβείας, λέγω δὴ Πέτρος, καὶ Ἰάκωβος, καὶ Ἰωάννης, οἱ καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἁρμονίας ἔξαρχοι, καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς εὐδοξίας στέφανοι. Οὐκ ἀφίσταμαι γὰρ τῆς τοῦ Στεφάνου προσηγορίας· ἀλλὰ πολλάκις καὶ μυριάκις λέγων, ἔτι διψῶν ἐπαναλαμβάνω· Στεφάνου γὰρ κόρος οὐκ ἔστι τοῖς τὸ μακάριον τέλος τῶν στεφάνων ἐκδεχομένοις. Οὐκοῦν, εἰ δεῖ φιλαλήθως εἰπεῖν, ἀπὸ Στεφάνου πάλιν στεφάνοις εὐωχοῦμεν, καὶ κοινωνοῦμεν αὐτῶν ταῖς μνήμαις, ἐπειδήπερ ἐλπίζομεν κοινωνεῖν, καὶ μένειν, καὶ συνδοξάσομεν βεβαιούσης
to probaton; all᾽ ēn ouch hōs haplōs probaton thērialōton, alla probaton hypo Christou poimainomenon, kai pros tous lykous agōnizomenon. Hoi men gar elyssōn kai dieprionto, tais katēgoriais kai tais apeilais to poimnion katadaknontes; ho de mallon autous tois elenchois diesparatten, ē tais apeilais kai tais katēgoriais, hōs ekeinoi. Mē psilōs, mēd᾽ epipolaiōs paradramōmen ta legomena. Houtos gar pros tosautēn synagōgēn ponēreuomenōn, kai pros tosautēn lykōn ephodon kata tēs adikias etharsēse parrhēsiasasthai, kai eipein meta tēn pollēn ekeinēn didaskalian; Sklērotrachēloi, kai aperitmētoi tę̄ kardią kai tois ōsin, hymeis aei tǭ Pneumati tǭ hagiǭ antipiptete, kathōs hoi pateres hymōn, kai ta hexēs. Houtōs ho epi men gēs phainomenos, ta de en ouranǭ katoptrizomenos; kai anthrōpou men physin endedymenos, angelou de opsin kai schēma metamorphōsamenos (kai toutōn ouden apeikos eprepe gar alēthōs en tǭ Prōtomartyri deichthēnai tōn martyrōn to axiōma, kai gnōnai loipon hapantas tēs kainēs charitos ta erga); ho tou martyriou pothos ou monon angelikēn axian charizetai, alla kai ouranōn anoigei pylas; ouketi thanatǭ tas psychas parapempōn, all᾿ eis cheiras Christou to pneuma paratithemenos. Ho men gar Kyriakos anthrōpos tou Sōtēros tǭ heautǭ Patri en tǭ staurǭ prosephōnei, legōn; Pater, eis cheiras sou paratithēmi to pneuma mou; ho de tou Christou doulos Stephanos, anateinas eis ton Despotēn, Kyrie, phēsin, Iēsou, dexai to pneuma mou; tautę̄ tę̄ phōnę̄ tēn psychēn apothemenos. "Angeloi ton heautōn choreutēn apelambanon, mallon auton anōthen ballontes tais euphēmiais, ē en tois lithois katōthen Ioudaioi. ᾿All' ho men Stephanos houtō ton kalon agōnisamenos agōna, ton en ouranois klēron edexato. Tǭ Stephanǭ de toutǭ pantes exaiphnēs hoi timioi lithoi syneplakēsan, hoi theiotatoi tōn Euangeliōn kērykes, meth᾽ hous hoi martyres, kai met' autous palin hoi sōtēriǭ aretę̄ dialampsantes proēgoumenōs de hoi epi tou parontos mnēmoneuomenoi, poly kai lampron apastraptontes to kallos tēs eusebeias, legō dē Petros, kai Iakōbos, kai Iōannēs, hoi kai tēs apostolikēs harmonias exarchoi, kai tēs ekklēsiastikēs eudoxias stephanoi. Ouk aphistamai gar tēs tou Stephanou prosēgorias; alla pollakis kai myriakis legōn, eti dipsōn epanalambanō; Stephanou gar koros ouk esti tois to makarion telos tōn stephanōn ekdechomenois. Oukoun, ei dei philalēthōs eipein, apo Stephanou palin stephanois euōchoumen, kai koinōnoumen autōn tais mnēmais, epeidēper elpizomen koinōnein, kai menein, kai syndoxasomen bebaiousēs
the sheep; yet not simply as a sheep caught by beasts, but as a sheep shepherded by Christ and contending against the wolves. For they raged and were cut to the heart, biting the flock with accusations and threats; but he tore them apart with refutations more than they did with their threats and accusations. Let us not pass over what is said barely or superficially. For against so great an assembly of evildoers and so great an assault of wolves he had the courage to speak boldly against injustice and to say, after that long instruction: “Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did,” and what follows. So, while he appeared on earth, he beheld as in a mirror the things in heaven; and while clothed in human nature, he was transformed to the look and form of an angel (and none of this is unlikely; for it was truly fitting that the dignity of the martyrs be shown in the Protomartyr, and that from then on all should know the works of the new grace): the longing for martyrdom grants not only angelic dignity but also opens the gates of the heavens, no longer sending souls off to death but committing the spirit into the hands of Christ. For the Saviour’s Lordly manhood cried to his own Father on the cross, saying: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”; but Christ’s servant Stephen, looking up to the Master, says, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” and with this word laid down his soul. Angels received their fellow dancer, pelting him from above with acclamations more than the Jews below pelted him with stones. And Stephen, having so fought the good fight, received the inheritance in the heavens. But with this Stephen, this crown, all the precious stones were suddenly woven together: the most divine heralds of the Gospels, after them the martyrs, and after them again those who shone with saving virtue; and foremost those commemorated at present, flashing out the great and bright beauty of true religion, I mean Peter and James and John, the leaders of the apostolic harmony and the crowns of the Church’s good name. For I do not leave off the name of Stephen; but saying it many, countless times, I take it up again, still thirsting; for those who await the blessed end of the crowns there is no surfeit of a crown. So, to speak truthfully, from one crown we feast again on crowns, and we share in their memorials, since we hope to share with them, to remain with them, and to be glorified with them; for since the promise
Matt 10:16 (echo, medium confidence) · Acts 7:54 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 7:51 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 6:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 23:46 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 7:59 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 4:7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Stephen faced his judges like a sheep among wolves, rebuked them, and committed his spirit to Christ; the feast of this “crown” is joined by the memorial of Peter, James, and John.
- “Stiff-necked …”: Acts 7:51; the angelic face: Acts 6:15; “Father, into your hands …”: Luke 23:46; “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”: Acts 7:59; “fought the good fight”: 2 Tim 4:7; the sheep among wolves: Matt 10:16. “The Saviour’s Lordly manhood” (ὁ Κυριακὸς ἄνθρωπος): Christ’s human nature, translated as written. The wordplay on Stephen’s name (“crown”) runs through the passage. The verb συνδοξάσομεν (“we shall glorify with”) is translated by sense as “to be glorified with them”.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word): ἐλύσ σων → ἐλύσσων.
Topics: Martyrdom, Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 725 (PG 46:725–726; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/725). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/725
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-725) · Report an error
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 727
727PG 46:727–728
γὰρ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεως πολυπλασιάζεται. Πάλιν δὲ ἡμῖν, ἀδελφοὶ, τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡ ἀπόλαυσις, τῷ τὴν Κυριακὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμέραν συλλάμψαι τῇ μνήμῃ τῶν μαρτύρων. Ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ προηγουμένως ἡμῶν τὰς διανοίας κατηύγασεν ὁ φωτισμὸς τῆς δόξης τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν ᾗ τὰς σωτηρίους ἀκτῖνας τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀνθήσας, τὸ μὲν σκότος τῆς ἀσεβείας ἠφάνισε, τὰς δὲ ψυχὰς τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τῆς ἀληθείας ἐλάμπρυνε. Καὶ ὄρα μοι τὸ θαυμαστὸν τῆς ἐυεργεσίας καὶ μέγιστον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ αἰσθητὸς οὗτος ἥλιος ἀνίσχων ἕωθεν, καὶ ταῖς προδρόμοις τῶν ἀκτίνων αὐγαῖς τὴν ἡμέραν προοιμιαζόμενος, καλύπτει μὲν καὶ περιβάλλει ταῖς μαρμαρυγαῖς τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανόν ἀποκρύπτει δὲ καὶ ἀμαυροῖ πάντας ὁμοῦ τοὺς τῶν ἀστέρων χοροὺς, ὡς μόνον αὐτὸν ὁρᾶσθαι περιπολοῦντα ταῖς οὐρανίαις ἁψίσιν. Ὁ δὲ γε Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ἀνατείλας ἡμῖν ἐξ ὕψους, κατὰ τὴν λέγουσαν περὶ αὐτοῦ προφητείαν, Ἐν οἷς ἐπεσκέψατο ἡμᾶς Ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπέκρυψε τοὺς πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας αὐτοῦ δίκην ἀστέρων ἀναλάμψαντας ἁγίους, καὶ προδρόμους αὐτοῦ γενομένους, ἀλλὰ κἀκείνους λαμπροτέρους ἐποίησε, καὶ ἑτέρους ἑαυτῷ φωστῆρας συνανέλαμψε. Προφῆται μὲν γὰρ διέλαμψαν μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου παρουσίαν· μᾶλλον δὲ ἢ πρὸ ἐκείνης. Ἀμυδρᾶς γὰρ οὔσης ἔτι τῆς προφητείας ταῖς εὐαγγελικαῖς τῶν Γραμματέων ἐκβάσεσιν ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, πάντας ἐλάμπρυνε, καὶ διεσάφησε, πλήρωμα νόμου καὶ προφητῶν γενόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ ἦλθε καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον καὶ τοὺς προφήτας, ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς νέας χάριτος περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγων ὁ Σωτὴρ,
gar tēs epangelias, hē koinōnia tēs pisteōs polyplasiazetai. Palin de hēmin, adelphoi, tōn agathōn hē apolausis, tǭ tēn Kyriakēn tēs anastaseōs hēmeran syllampsai tę̄ mnēmę̄ tōn martyrōn. En tautę̄ gar proēgoumenōs hēmōn tas dianoias katēugasen ho phōtismos tēs doxēs tou Euangeliou tou Christou, en hę̄ tas sōtērious aktinas tēs dikaiosynēs anthēsas, to men skotos tēs asebeias ēphanise, tas de psychas tę̄ epignōsei tēs alētheias elampryne. Kai ora moi to thaumaston tēs euergesias kai megiston. Ho men gar aisthētos houtos hēlios anischōn heōthen, kai tais prodromois tōn aktinōn augais tēn hēmeran prooimiazomenos, kalyptei men kai periballei tais marmarygais tēn hyp' ouranon apokryptei de kai amauroi pantas homou tous tōn asterōn chorous, hōs monon auton horasthai peripolounta tais ouraniais hapsisin. Ho de ge Kyrios hēmōn Iēsous Christos, anateilas hēmin ex hypsous, kata tēn legousan peri autou prophēteian, En hois epeskepsato hēmas Anatolē ex hypsous, ou monon ouk apekrypse tous pro tēs epidēmias autou dikēn asterōn analampsantas hagious, kai prodromous autou genomenous, alla kakeinous lamproterous epoiēse, kai heterous heautǭ phōstēras synanelampse. Prophētai men gar dielampsan meta tēn ekeinou parousian; mallon de ē pro ekeinēs. Amydras gar ousēs eti tēs prophēteias tais euangelikais tōn Grammateōn ekbasesin ho Sōtēr elthōn eis ton kosmon, pantas elampryne, kai diesaphēse, plērōma nomou kai prophētōn genomenos. Ou gar ēlthe katalysai ton nomon kai tous prophētas, alla plērōsai. Epi de tēs neas charitos peri heautou legōn ho Sōtēr,
is firm, the fellowship of the faith is multiplied. And again, brothers, we enjoy good things in that the Lord’s day of the resurrection shines together with the memorial of the martyrs. For on that day, first of all, the illumination of the glory of the Gospel of Christ shone on our minds; on it he put forth the saving rays of righteousness, did away with the darkness of ungodliness, and made souls bright with the knowledge of the truth. And see, please, how wonderful and how very great this benefit is. This perceptible sun, rising at dawn and opening the day with the forerunning gleams of its rays, covers and wraps the earth under heaven with its brilliance, but hides and dims all the choirs of the stars together, so that it alone is seen travelling round the vaults of heaven. But our Lord Jesus Christ, rising on us from on high according to the prophecy that speaks of him, “by which the Dawn from on high has visited us,” not only did not hide the saints who had shone like stars before his coming and had become his forerunners, but made them brighter and made other luminaries shine together with himself. For the prophets shone out after his coming, more than before it. For while prophecy was still dim, the Saviour, coming into the world, made them all bright and clear by the Gospel fulfilment of the writings, becoming the fulfilment of the law and the prophets; for he did not come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them. And in the new grace the Saviour, saying of himself,
2 Cor 4:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 1:78 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:17 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The feast falls on Sunday; unlike the sun, which hides the stars, Christ the Dawn from on high made the prophets and saints shine brighter.
- “The illumination of the glory of the Gospel of Christ”: 2 Cor 4:4. “The Dawn from on high has visited us”: Luke 1:78. “Not to destroy … but to fulfil”: Matt 5:17. “The Gospel fulfilment of the writings” translates τῶν Γραμματέων (“of the scribes”), probably a slip for τῶν γραμμάτων; translated by sense. A Greek footnote of the edition (citing Job 1:7, “Having gone round the earth and walked about under heaven, I am here”, in two forms) is mixed into the digitized text here and is removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word; fragment of the edition’s footnote removed; rest of the edition’s footnote removed; joined words separated; stray mark): σκό τος → σκότος; ἐπιγνώ σει → ἐπιγνώσει; Ἀμυδρᾶς γὰρ Ἡ ὑπ᾿ οὐρανόν, Περιελθὼν τὴν οὔσης → Ἀμυδρᾶς γὰρ οὔσης; ἐλθὼν᾽ → ἐλθὼν; λέγωνὁ Σωτὴρ, γῆν, καὶ ἐμπεριπατήτας τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν, πάρειμι. Διαπορευθεὶς τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσας τὴν σύμπασαν, πάρειμι. → λέγων ὁ Σωτὴρ,.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 727 (PG 46:727–728; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/727). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/727
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-727) · Report an error
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 729
729PG 46:729–730
Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, οὐκ ἀπηξίωσεν ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ἀγαθότητος ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ Πατρὸς προελθών, τοῖς αὐτῷ δουλεύουσι μεταδοῦναι τῆς ἑαυτοῦ προσηγορίας· ἀλλά φησι πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ μαθητάς Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· καὶ, Λαμψάτω τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. "Ο δὲ μεῖζον παραγαγεῖν ἔχομεν εἰς ὑπόμνησιν τῶν εἰρημένων, τοῦτο, χάριτι Θεοῦ, πάλιν ἐκθησόμεθα· Ἰωάννης Βαπτιστής, λύχνος ὀνομασθεὶς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς Ψαλμοῖς προαναπεφωνημένος, καὶ ὑπὸ Κυρίου μεμαρτυρημένος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Προφήτης, ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Πατρὸς, φησὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ διὰ τῆς ὑμνῳδίας· Ἡτοίμασα λύχνον τῷ Χριστῷ μου, τουτέστιν, Υπηρέτην καὶ πρόδρομον ἡτοίμασα τοῦ φωτός· ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὴν Πατρικὴν βεβαιῶν φωνὴν, Ἐκεῖνος ἦν, φησὶν, ὁ λύχνος ὁ καιόμενος. ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως ὁ λύχνος ὢν, τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχε τοῦ ἀμαυρωθῆναι τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίᾳ, ὃς ἦν ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης, ὥστε καὶ μᾶλλον διέλαμψε, κήρυξ ὁμοῦ καὶ θεολόγος αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ὁ Βαπτιστὴς γενόμενος. Ἰωάννης μὲν οὖν διὰ τὸ ἕνα μόνον φωτίζειν οἶκον τὸν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, λύχνος ὠνομάσθη. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀπόστολοι, οὐ λύχνοι, οὐδὲ ἀστέρες, ἀλλὰ φωστῆρες ἀνηγορεύθησαν, οὐκ ἐν ἑνὶ κλίματι, οὐδὲ μιᾷ γωνίᾳ λάμποντες, ἀλλ᾽ ἅπασαν τὴν ὑπὸ οὐρανὸν καταυγάζοντες. Ἔξαρχοι δὲ τούτων καὶ κορυφείαι ὁ Πέτρος, καὶ ὁ Ἰάκωβος, καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης, οἱ σήμερον ταῖς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ μαρτυρίαις σεμνυνόμενοι, συμφώνως μὲν πρὸς τὸ τέλος τοῦ βίου δραμόντες, διαφόροις δὲ τοῦ μαρτυρίου τρόποις ἐναθλήσαντες. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρωτοστάτης καὶ κορυφαῖος τῆς ἀποστολικῆς χορείας ἀναδειχθεὶς, οἰκείαν τῷ ἀξιώματι τὴν δόξαν ἀπηνέγκατο, τῇ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ὁμοιοπαθείᾳ τετιμημένος ὁ σταυρῷ γὰρ προσηλωθεὶς, τὴν Δεσποτικὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐξετύπωσεν (εἰκόνα δὲ λέγω βασιλικὴν τὸν σταυρόν)· οὐκ αἰσχυνόμενος ἐπὶ τῷ πάθει, ἀλλὰ σεμνυνόμενος ἐπὶ τῷ μεγάλῳ τροπαίῳ. Μήτε γὰρ αὐτοῖς, μήτε ἡμῖν, μήτε τοῖς μεθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, μήτε τινὶ ἑτέρῳ, τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν οὕτω γὰρ καὶ Πέτρος φαίνεται διὰ τιμῆς ἔχων τὴν σεβάσμιον Ἠξίου γὰρ κατὰ κεφαλῆς κρεμασθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν σταυρούντων διὰ πολλὴν εὐλάβειαν, ἵνα μὴ ἴσος εἶναι τῷ Σωτῆρι δόξῃ, τῷ ὑπὲρ πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος σταυρωθέντι, καὶ πλατείαις, ὥσπερ ταῖς διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, χερσὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην περιβαλόντι. Ἰάκωβος δὲ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀπετέμνετο, τὴν ὄντως αὐτοῦ κεφαλὴν, τὸν Χριστὸν, ἀπολαβεῖν ἐπειγόμενος. Κεφαλὴ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς ὁ Χριστὸς, κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον, καὶ πάσης ὁμοῦ κεφαλὴ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος Ἰωάννης ἐν πολλαῖς καὶ διαφόροις κατὰ τὸν βίον ἀθλήσας ἀγῶσι, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι διαπρέψας τοῖς κατορθώμασι τῆς εὐσεβείας, κενὸν μὲν εἰς ὕδωρ τοῦτο
Egō eimi to phōs tou kosmou toutou, ouk apēxiōsen hē pēgē tēs agathotētos ex agathou Patros proelthōn, tois autǭ douleuousi metadounai tēs heautou prosēgorias; alla phēsi pros tous heautou mathētas Hymeis este to phōs tou kosmou; kai, Lampsatō ta erga hymōn emprosthen tōn anthrōpōn. "O de meizon paragagein echomen eis hypomnēsin tōn eirēmenōn, touto, chariti Theou, palin ekthēsometha; Iōannēs Baptistēs, lychnos onomastheis, kai en tois Psalmois proanapephōnēmenos, kai hypo Kyriou memartyrēmenos. Ho men gar Prophētēs, ek prosōpou tou Patros, phēsi peri autou dia tēs hymnǭdias; Hētoimasa lychnon tǭ Christǭ mou, toutestin, Ypēretēn kai prodromon hētoimasa tou phōtos; ho de Kyrios tēn Patrikēn bebaiōn phōnēn, Ekeinos ēn, phēsin, ho lychnos ho kaiomenos. ᾿All' homōs ho lychnos ōn, tosouton apesche tou amaurōthēnai tę̄ tou Kyriou parousią, hos ēn hēlios dikaiosynēs, hōste kai mallon dielampse, kēryx homou kai theologos autou tou Sōtēros ho Baptistēs genomenos. Iōannēs men oun dia to hena monon phōtizein oikon ton tou Israēl, lychnos ōnomasthē. Hoi de tou Sōtēros apostoloi, ou lychnoi, oude asteres, alla phōstēres anēgoreuthēsan, ouk en heni klimati, oude mią gōnią lampontes, all᾽ hapasan tēn hypo ouranon kataugazontes. Exarchoi de toutōn kai korypheiai ho Petros, kai ho Iakōbos, kai ho Iōannēs, hoi sēmeron tais hyper Christou martyriais semnynomenoi, symphōnōs men pros to telos tou biou dramontes, diaphorois de tou martyriou tropois enathlēsantes. Ho men gar prōtostatēs kai koryphaios tēs apostolikēs choreias anadeichtheis, oikeian tǭ axiōmati tēn doxan apēnenkato, tę̄ tou Sōtēros homoiopatheią tetimēmenos ho staurǭ gar prosēlōtheis, tēn Despotikēn eikona tou basileōs exetypōsen (eikona de legō basilikēn ton stauron); ouk aischynomenos epi tǭ pathei, alla semnynomenos epi tǭ megalǭ tropaiǭ. Mēte gar autois, mēte hēmin, mēte tois meth᾽ hēmas, mēte tini heterǭ, tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, kathōs kai ho Paulos phēsin houtō gar kai Petros phainetai dia timēs echōn tēn sebasmion Ēxiou gar kata kephalēs kremasthēnai hypo tōn staurountōn dia pollēn eulabeian, hina mē isos einai tǭ Sōtēri doxę̄, tǭ hyper pasēs tēs anthrōpotētos staurōthenti, kai plateiais, hōsper tais dia tou staurou, chersi tēn oikoumenēn peribalonti. Iakōbos de tēn kephalēn apetemneto, tēn ontōs autou kephalēn, ton Christon, apolabein epeigomenos. Kephalē gar andros ho Christos, kata ton ᾿Apostolon, kai pasēs homou kephalē tēs Ekklēsias. Ho de makarios Iōannēs en pollais kai diaphorois kata ton bion athlēsas agōsi, kai en pasi diaprepsas tois katorthōmasi tēs eusebeias, kenon men eis hydōr touto
“I am the light of this world,” he, the spring of goodness who came forth from the good Father, did not disdain to share his own name with those who serve him, but says to his disciples: “You are the light of the world,” and, “Let your works shine before men.” And the greater thing we have to bring forward as a reminder of what has been said, this, by God’s grace, we shall set out again. John the Baptist was called a lamp, was foretold in the Psalms, and was attested by the Lord. For the prophet, speaking in the person of the Father, says of him in his song: “I have prepared a lamp for my Christ,” that is, I have prepared a servant and forerunner of the light; and the Lord, confirming the Father’s word, says: “He was the burning lamp.” Yet, though a lamp, he was so far from being dimmed by the coming of the Lord, who was the sun of righteousness, that he shone out the more, the Baptist becoming at once herald and theologian of the Saviour himself. John, then, because he enlightened only one house, that of Israel, was called a lamp; but the Saviour’s apostles were proclaimed not lamps, nor stars, but luminaries, shining not in one region or one corner, but illuminating all that is under heaven. And their leaders and chiefs are Peter and James and John, who are honoured today for their testimonies for Christ, having run in harmony to the end of life, but contended by different kinds of martyrdom. For he who was shown to be the first in rank and chief of the apostolic choir won the glory proper to his dignity, honoured by suffering like the Saviour; for, nailed to a cross, he imprinted on himself the royal image of the Master (by royal image I mean the cross), not ashamed of the suffering but glorying in the great trophy. For neither for them, nor for us, nor for those after us, nor for anyone else [is there boasting except in the cross] of our Lord Jesus Christ, as Paul too says; for so Peter too plainly held the venerable [cross] in honour. For out of great reverence he asked to be hung head downward by those crucifying him, so that he might not seem equal to the Saviour, who was crucified for all humanity and embraced the world with wide hands, as were those on the cross. James had his head cut off, hastening to receive his true head, Christ; for “Christ is the head of man,” according to the Apostle, and the head of the whole Church as well. And blessed John, after contending in many and various contests in his life and distinguishing himself in all the achievements of true religion, …
John 8:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 132:17 (131:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 5:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Mal 4:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 21:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 6:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 12:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:23 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ shares his name of light with his disciples; John the Baptist was a lamp for Israel, the apostles luminaries for the world; Peter was crucified head downward, James beheaded, and John contended in many trials.
- “I am the light of the world”: John 8:12; “You are the light of the world … let your works shine”: Matt 5:14, 16; “I have prepared a lamp for my Christ”: Ps 132:17 (LXX 131:17); “He was the burning lamp”: John 5:35; “sun of righteousness”: Mal 4:2. Peter’s crucifixion: John 21:18–19; that he asked to be crucified head downward is a tradition from the Acts of Peter. The sentence quoting Paul (Gal 6:14, boasting only in the cross) has lost words in the digitized text; they are supplied in brackets by sense. James beheaded: Acts 12:2. “Christ is the head of man”: 1 Cor 11:3; head of the Church: Eph 5:23. The passage on John’s death is garbled in the digitized text and breaks off here.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word; OCR split word and misreading): σε μνυνόμενοι → σεμνυνόμενοι; περιβα λόντς → περιβαλόντι..
Extrabiblical texts: Acts Pet. 37 (Acts of Peter; allusion)
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 729 (PG 46:729–730; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/729). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/729
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-729) · Report an error
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 731
731PG 46:731–732
πέρας... κεκριμένος τῷ χορῷ τῶν μαρτύρων συνηρίθμηται· παρὰ γὰρ δικάζουσιν, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκβάσεως τοῦ πάθους, ἀλλὰ παρ' αἱρέσεως τοῦ πόθου κρίνεται τὸ μαρτύριον)· Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν τοῦ θανάτου τρόπος τοιοῦτος ἦν, τοῖς διὰ θανάτου τὴν ἀθάνατον μνήμην καὶ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις χαρισαμένοις. Ἔπρεπε δὲ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τῶν προειρημένων ἀνδρῶν τὰς μνήμας ἐπιτελεῖσθαι, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸ σύμφωνον τῆς εὐσεβείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ ὁμότιμον τῆς ἀξίας. Οὗτοι γὰρ μόνοι τῷ Κυρίῳ πάντοτε συσχολάζοντες, καὶ ἐξαίρετον ὥσπερ παρὰ τοὺς λοιποὺς τῶν ἀποστόλων χώραν ἔχοντες, καὶ παῤῥησίαν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φιλίας πρόσληψιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ θεϊκὴν ἀληθείας ἐπίκρισιν. Ἔστι γοῦν εὑρεῖν ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις τῶν θαυμάτων μόνους αὐτοὺς παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου παραληφθέντας, ὡς πιστοτάτους καὶ ἀληθεστάτους τῶν γιγνομένων μάρτυρας· τοῦτο μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ ὄρει θεωρίας (μόνος γὰρ ἦν ἐκεῖ Πέτρος, καὶ Ἰάκωβος, καὶ Ἰωάννης, ὅτε τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ μεταμορφώσας ὁ Κύριος, εἰς ἔνδοξον καὶ λαμπροτέραν θεότητα μετέβαλε, Μωϋσέα καὶ Ἠλίαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ παραστησάμενος, καὶ τῇ νεφέλῃ τοῦ φωτὸς ἐπισκιάσας, τὴν μεγάλην ἐκείνην εἰκόνα τῆς βασιλείας ὑπέδειξε)· τοῦτο δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Ἰαείρου θυγατρὸς, ἣν θανοῦσαν διήγειρε καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ τούτους εἶχεν ἐπόπτας τῆς γενομένης θαυματουργίας. Ἔτι γε μὴν, ἵνα μὴ τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον λέγων διατρίβω, καὶ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἄνδρας παραλαβών, ἐθάῤῥησεν εἰπεῖν, ὡς πιστοῖς ἀνδράσι καὶ βεβαιοτάτοις· Νῦν ἡ ψυχή μου τετάρακται. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν εἴρηται, οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς μαρτύριον τῆς τῶν μνημονευομένων ἀρετῆς· εἰ δὲ δεῖ φιλαλήθως εἰπεῖν, καὶ εἰς κοινὸν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐγκώμιον· τὸ γὰρ ὑπεροχὰς καὶ ἐπιβάσεις ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις ὀρίζεσθαι, οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνης ἂν ᾗ δοκιμασίας, ἀλλ' ἐπικρίσεως καὶ ἀληθείας Θεοῦ. Ἡμᾶς δὲ μνήμαις τοιούτων καὶ τηλικούτων ἀνδρῶν κοινωνεῖν ἀξιωθέντας, εὐχαριστεῖν ἀναγκαῖον, οὐχ ὅσον ὀφείλομεν, τοῦτο γὰρ ἀδύνατον, ἀλλ᾿ ὅσον ἰσχύομεν, τοῦτο γὰρ εὐαπόδεκτον. Απαιτοῦσι δὲ ταύτας οἱ ἅγιοι παρ' ἡμῶν τὰς τιμὰς, οὐχ ἵνα τι κερδάνωσιν εὐφημούμενοι, ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα ἡμεῖς κοινωνήσωμεν εὐεργετούμενοι. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πάλιν οὐδένα τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἀγνοεῖν οἴομαι, ὡς οὐ μόνον Πέτρου, καὶ Ἰακώβου,
peras... kekrimenos tǭ chorǭ tōn martyrōn synērithmētai; para gar dikazousin, ouk apo tēs ekbaseōs tou pathous, alla par' haireseōs tou pothou krinetai to martyrion); All᾿ ho men tou thanatou tropos toioutos ēn, tois dia thanatou tēn athanaton mnēmēn kai tais Ekklēsiais charisamenois. Eprepe de hōs alēthōs epi to auto tōn proeirēmenōn andrōn tas mnēmas epiteleisthai, ou monon dia to symphōnon tēs eusebeias, alla kai dia to homotimon tēs axias. Houtoi gar monoi tǭ Kyriǭ pantote syscholazontes, kai exaireton hōsper para tous loipous tōn apostolōn chōran echontes, kai parrhēsian, ou kata tēn tēs anthrōpinēs philias proslēpsin, alla kata theïkēn alētheias epikrisin. Esti goun heurein en tois megistois tōn thaumatōn monous autous para tou Kyriou paralēphthentas, hōs pistotatous kai alēthestatous tōn gignomenōn martyras; touto men epi tēs en tǭ orei theōrias (monos gar ēn ekei Petros, kai Iakōbos, kai Iōannēs, hote to sōma to heautou metamorphōsas ho Kyrios, eis endoxon kai lamproteran theotēta metebale, Mōÿsea kai Ēlian en heautǭ parastēsamenos, kai tę̄ nephelę̄ tou phōtos episkiasas, tēn megalēn ekeinēn eikona tēs basileias hypedeixe); touto de epi tēs Iaeirou thygatros, hēn thanousan diēgeire kai gar ekei toutous eichen epoptas tēs genomenēs thaumatourgias. Eti ge mēn, hina mē ta kath' hekaston legōn diatribō, kai kat᾿ auton ton kairon tou sōtēriou pathous tous autous andras paralabōn, etharrhēsen eipein, hōs pistois andrasi kai bebaiotatois; Nyn hē psychē mou tetaraktai. Tauta de hēmin eirētai, ouk eis kathairesin tōn loipōn apostolōn, all᾽ eis martyrion tēs tōn mnēmoneuomenōn aretēs; ei de dei philalēthōs eipein, kai eis koinon tōn apostolōn enkōmion; to gar hyperochas kai epibaseis en tois hagiois orizesthai, ouk anthrōpinēs an hę̄ dokimasias, all' epikriseōs kai alētheias Theou. Hēmas de mnēmais toioutōn kai tēlikoutōn andrōn koinōnein axiōthentas, eucharistein anankaion, ouch hoson opheilomen, touto gar adynaton, all᾿ hoson ischyomen, touto gar euapodekton. Apaitousi de tautas hoi hagioi par' hēmōn tas timas, ouch hina ti kerdanōsin euphēmoumenoi, all᾿ hina hēmeis koinōnēsōmen euergetoumenoi. Ekeino de palin oudena tōn eusebōn agnoein oiomai, hōs ou monon Petrou, kai Iakōbou,
… judged, he has been numbered with the choir of the martyrs (for with those who judge [rightly], martyrdom is judged not by the outcome of the suffering but by the choice of the desire). Such, then, was the manner of death of those who by their death granted immortal memory to the churches as well. And it was truly fitting that the memorials of the men named should be kept together, not only because of the harmony of their true religion but also because of the equal honour of their rank. For these alone were always in the Lord’s company and held, as it were, a special place and freedom of speech beyond the rest of the apostles, not through the favour of human friendship but by the divine judgment of truth. Indeed one can find that at the greatest of the wonders the Lord took these alone with him, as the most trustworthy and truthful witnesses of what happened: on the one hand at the vision on the mountain (for only Peter and James and John were there when the Lord, transfiguring his own body, changed it into a glorious and brighter Godhead, setting Moses and Elijah beside himself, and, overshadowing them with the cloud of light, showed that great image of the kingdom); on the other hand at the daughter of Jairus, whom he raised when she had died, for there too he had these as eyewitnesses of the miracle. Further, not to spend time telling every instance, at the very time of the saving passion he took the same men with him and had the confidence to say to them, as faithful and most steadfast men: “Now my soul is troubled.” These things have been said by us not to lower the other apostles, but as testimony to the virtue of those commemorated; and, if we must speak truthfully, as a common praise of the apostles; for to fix preeminences and degrees among the saints would belong not to human scrutiny but to the judgment and truth of God. But we who have been counted worthy to share in the memorials of such and such great men must give thanks, not as much as we owe, for that is impossible, but as much as we can, for that is acceptable. And the saints ask these honours of us, not to gain anything by being praised, but so that we may share with them and be benefited. And again I think none of the godly is unaware of this, that we keep the commemorations not only of Peter and of James
Mark 9:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 9:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 9:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 5:37 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 14:33 (allusion, high confidence) · John 12:27 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: John counts as a martyr by his will; Peter, James, and John are honoured together as the three the Lord took to the Transfiguration, to Jairus’s daughter, and to his passion.
- John: martyrdom is judged by the will, not by the manner of death; the sentence’s opening is lost or garbled in the digitized text, which places stray fragments of it (speaking of boiling, burning, water, and the end of life) at the end of the page; they are removed by a logged correction. Gregory may allude to the tradition that John was put in boiling oil and survived (Tertullian, Prescription against Heretics 36). The Transfiguration: Mark 9:2–8; Jairus’s daughter: Mark 5:37; Gethsemane: Mark 14:33; “Now my soul is troubled”: John 12:27 (cf. Matt 26:38). “Changed it into a glorious and brighter Godhead” is translated as written. In the digitized text the last lines of the page stand in the middle of a sentence; they are restored to their place by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letters and hyphen inside a Greek word; OCR split word; displaced lines removed (restored below in their place); word split across them joined; displaced lines restored to their place; stray fragments of the passage on John removed): ἀποστό λων → ἀποστόλων; τοῦ σωfide-τηρίου → τοῦ σωτηρίου; ἐθάβρ γετούμενοι. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πάλιν οὐδένα τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἀγνοεῖν οἴομαι, ὡς οὐ μόνον Πέτρου, καὶ Ἰακώβου, Cῥησεν εἰπεῖν → ἐθάῤῥησεν εἰπεῖν; ὀφεί λομεν → ὀφείλομεν; κοινωνήσωμεν εὐερζεόμενον, νεὶ καιόμενον εἰς ὕδωρ τούτου πέρας βίου ἔχειν· λαβεῖν, κεκριμένος, οὐκ ἀποτίσει ἐκ βάσεως. → κοινωνήσωμεν εὐεργετούμενοι. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πάλιν οὐδένα τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἀγνοεῖν οἴομαι, ὡς οὐ μόνον Πέτρου, καὶ Ἰακώβου,.
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 731 (PG 46:731–732; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/731). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/731
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-731) · Report an error
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 733
733PG 46:733–734
καὶ Ἰωάννου, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσης ὁμοῦ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἁρμονίας τὰς μνείας ἐπιτελοῦμεν. Εἰ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ἀλήθειαν, μελῶν τάξιν ἐπέχοντες, ἑνὸς σώματος ἀποπληροῦσι σχῆμα, δηλονότι δοξαζομένου μου μέρους ἑνὸς, ὥς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, Συνδοξάζεται πάντα τὰ μέλη, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπ᾿ ἐκείνων τῶν μακαρίων καὶ τελειοτάτων ἀνδρῶν, οἷς πάντα συμφωνεί πρὸς ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ὁ τρόπος ὁμόγνωμος, καὶ ἡ πίστις ὁμόδοξος, καὶ ὡς κοινὰ τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας πλεονεκτήματα τούτων, κοινὰ καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῆς ἀληθείας σεμνολογήματα. Τίς δὲ οὐκ ἂν εὐλόγως ἡσθείη, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος πληρωθείη, ἀποστολικῷ χορῷ κοινωνεῖν ἠξιωμένος, τῷ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην πρὸς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας ὁδηγήσαντι, τῷ κατὰ πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπλώσαντι τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας δίκτυα, καὶ πανταχοῦ πήξαντι τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας θήρατρα, ἵνα συλλαβόμενοι πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας ἠγριωμένην προσαγάγωσι τῷ ἐξημεροῦντι καὶ σώζοντι; Εἰς πᾶσαν γοῦν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν. Οἱ θεμέλιοι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, οἱ στύλοι καὶ τὰ ἑδραιώματα τῆς ἀληθείας, οὗτοί εἰσιν αἱ ἀένναοι πηγαὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου, αἱ πολὺ, καὶ πλούσιον, καὶ θεοειδὲς νᾶμα τὸ τῆς διδασκαλίας προχέουσιν. Ἐπὶ τούτους ἡμᾶς καὶ ἡ προφητική παραπέμπει φωνή, λέγουσα· Ἀντλήσατε ὕδωρ μετ' εὐφροσύνης ἐκ τῶν πηγῶν τοῦ Σωτηρίου. Μνημονεύεται Πέτρος ἡ κεφαλὴ τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ συνδοξάζεται μὲν αὐτῷ τὰ λοιπὰ μέλη τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐπιστηρίζεται δὲ ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὗτος γάρ ἐστι κατὰ τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου δωρεὰν ἡ ἀῤῥαγὴς καὶ ὀχυρωτάτη πέτρα, ἐφ᾽ ἣν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ὁ Σωτὴρ ὠκοδόμησε. Μνημονεύεται πάλιν Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης, καὶ ὡς βροντῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος προσαγορευόμενοι, πάσας ἑαυτοῖς τὰς ὀμβροτόκους νεφέλας συνεπιφέρονται ῥηγνυμένης γὰρ τῆς βροντῆς, ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰς νεφέλας συναθροίζεσθαι. Νεφέλας μὲν οὖν τοὺς ἀποστολικοὺς καὶ προφητικοὺς λόγους ὑποληπτέον, ὧν εἰ καὶ διάφοροι τοῦ κηρύγματος οἱ χρόνοι, ἀλλὰ σύμφωνοι τῆς εὐσεβείας οἱ νόμοι· ἐξ ἑνὸς γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πνεύματος ὥρμηται τὰ χαρίσματα. Ἀλλὰ τί τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις ἐπεξιέναι τολμᾶν, καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπαξίως πειρᾶσθαι μνημονεύειν; Οὐ πρὸς Σίμωνα ἡμῖν, τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁλείας γνωριζόμενον, ἡ τῶν ἐπαίνων φιλοτιμία, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου πίστιν τὴν στερεὰν, καὶ πάσης ὁμοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸ στήριγμα. Οὐδὲ πάλιν πρὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου τὸν λόγον ἔχομεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς Βοανεργεῖς, τοὺς ἑρμηνευομένους, υἱοὺς βροντῆς. Ποῦ νῦν φανήσεται ἡ βραχυτάτη τοῦ λόγου φωνὴ, τοσαύτης καὶ τηλικαύτης βροντῆς τὰς πάντων ἀκοὰς περιηχούσης; Οὐκοῦν αὐτὸ τοῦτο μόνον τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους εὐγνωμοσύνην ἀποπληρῶσαι σπεύσαντες, ἐπὶ
kai Iōannou, alla kai pasēs homou tēs apostolikēs harmonias tas mneias epiteloumen. Ei gar kata tēn tōn dogmatōn alētheian, melōn taxin epechontes, henos sōmatos apoplērousi schēma, dēlonoti doxazomenou mou merous henos, hōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, Syndoxazetai panta ta melē, kai malista ep᾿ ekeinōn tōn makariōn kai teleiotatōn andrōn, hois panta symphōnei pros alētheian, kai ho tropos homognōmos, kai hē pistis homodoxos, kai hōs koina ta tēs eusebeias pleonektēmata toutōn, koina kai ta para tēs alētheias semnologēmata. Tis de ouk an eulogōs hēstheiē, kai autou tou hagiou Pneumatos plērōtheiē, apostolikǭ chorǭ koinōnein ēxiōmenos, tǭ pasan tēn oikoumenēn pros tēn epignōsin tēs alētheias hodēgēsanti, tǭ kata pasēs tēs oikoumenēs haplōsanti ta tēs eusebeias diktya, kai pantachou pēxanti ta tēs alētheias thēratra, hina syllabomenoi pasan homou tēn anthrōpotēta, tēn hypo tēs kakias ēgriōmenēn prosagagōsi tǭ exēmerounti kai sōzonti? Eis pasan goun tēn gēn exēlthen ho phthongos autōn. Hoi themelioi tēs Ekklēsias, hoi styloi kai ta hedraiōmata tēs alētheias, houtoi eisin hai aennaoi pēgai tou sōtēriou, hai poly, kai plousion, kai theoeides nama to tēs didaskalias procheousin. Epi toutous hēmas kai hē prophētikē parapempei phōnē, legousa; Antlēsate hydōr met' euphrosynēs ek tōn pēgōn tou Sōtēriou. Mnēmoneuetai Petros hē kephalē tōn apostolōn, kai syndoxazetai men autǭ ta loipa melē tēs Ekklēsias epistērizetai de hē Ekklēsia tou Theou. Houtos gar esti kata tēn dotheisan autǭ para tou Kyriou dōrean hē arrhagēs kai ochyrōtatē petra, eph᾽ hēn tēn Ekklēsian ho Sōtēr ōkodomēse. Mnēmoneuetai palin Iakōbos kai Iōannēs, kai hōs brontēs hypo tou Sōtēros prosagoreuomenoi, pasas heautois tas ombrotokous nephelas synepipherontai rhēgnymenēs gar tēs brontēs, anankē kai tas nephelas synathroizesthai. Nephelas men oun tous apostolikous kai prophētikous logous hypolēpteon, hōn ei kai diaphoroi tou kērygmatos hoi chronoi, alla symphōnoi tēs eusebeias hoi nomoi; ex henos gar autois kai tou autou pneumatos hōrmētai ta charismata. Alla ti tois adynatois epexienai tolman, kai tēs apostolikēs aretēs epaxiōs peirasthai mnēmoneuein? Ou pros Simōna hēmin, ton apo tēs haleias gnōrizomenon, hē tōn epainōn philotimia, alla pros tēn ekeinou pistin tēn sterean, kai pasēs homou tēs Ekklēsias to stērigma. Oude palin pros tous huious Zebedaiou ton logon echomen, alla pros tous Boanergeis, tous hermēneuomenous, huious brontēs. Pou nyn phanēsetai hē brachytatē tou logou phōnē, tosautēs kai tēlikautēs brontēs tas pantōn akoas periēchousēs? Oukoun auto touto monon tēn pros tous hagious eugnōmosynēn apoplērōsai speusantes, epi
and of John, but of the whole apostolic harmony together. For if, according to the truth of doctrine, holding the rank of members they make up the form of one body, then clearly, when one part is glorified, as the Apostle says, all the members are glorified with it; and especially in the case of those blessed and most perfect men, in whom everything agrees with the truth, whose way of life is of one mind and whose faith is of one belief; and as the advantages of their true religion are common, so too are the honours given them by the truth. Who would not reasonably be glad, and be filled with the Holy Spirit himself, being counted worthy to share with the apostolic choir, which led the whole world to the knowledge of the truth, spread the nets of true religion over the whole world, and set the snares of truth everywhere, so that, catching all humanity together, made savage by wickedness, they might bring it to him who tames and saves? Their voice, indeed, has gone out into all the earth. The foundations of the Church, the pillars and supports of the truth: these are the ever-flowing springs of salvation, which pour out the abundant, rich, and divine stream of teaching. To them the prophetic voice too sends us, saying: “Draw water with gladness from the springs of salvation.” Peter is commemorated, the head of the apostles; and with him the other members of the Church are glorified, and the Church of God is made firm. For he, according to the gift given him by the Lord, is the unbreakable and most secure rock on which the Saviour built the Church. James and John are commemorated, too, and, being called thunder by the Saviour, they bring all the rain-bearing clouds along with them; for when thunder breaks, the clouds must gather as well. By clouds we must understand the apostolic and prophetic words: though the times of their preaching differ, the laws of their true religion agree; for their gifts have come from one and the same Spirit. But why dare to attempt the impossible and try to commemorate the apostolic virtue worthily? The ambition of our praises is directed not to Simon, known for his fishing, but to his firm faith, the support of the whole Church together. Nor again is our discourse about the sons of Zebedee, but about the Boanerges, which is translated “sons of thunder”. Where will the very small voice of our word now be heard, when so great and so mighty a thunder resounds round the ears of all? So, hastening to fulfil only this one thing, our gratitude to the saints,
1 Cor 12:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 19:4 (18:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 10:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 2:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 2:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 3:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 12:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 16:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 3:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 4:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 12:4 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: In honouring the three the whole apostolic body is honoured; Peter is the rock on which the Church is built, James and John the sons of thunder.
- One body, all members glorified: 1 Cor 12:12, 26; “their voice has gone out into all the earth”: Ps 19:4 (LXX 18:5; Rom 10:18); foundations: Eph 2:20; pillars: Gal 2:9; “pillar and support of the truth”: 1 Tim 3:15; “Draw water with gladness …”: Isa 12:3; the rock: Matt 16:18; “sons of thunder”: Mark 3:17; the fisherman: Matt 4:18–19; one Spirit: 1 Cor 12:4. Peter as “the head of the apostles” and “the rock” is translated as written; Gregory also places the Church’s support in Peter’s faith.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word with stray mark; stray letter): σύμ. φωνοι → σύμφωνοι; Ἐκκλη· σίας → Ἐκκλησίας; ἀποστόλων, α καὶ → ἀποστόλων, καὶ.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 733 (PG 46:733–734; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/733). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/733
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-733) · Report an error
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 735
735PG 46:735–736
τὴν ἀκίνδυνον σιωπὴν καταφεύγομεν, ἐκεῖνο καλῶς εἰδότες, ὡς ἑνὶ τούτῳ ταῖς μνείαις τῶν ἁγίων κοινωνεῖν ἀξιούμεθα, ἐν τῷ τὰς ἐκείνων ἀρετὰς μιμεῖσθαι καὶ ζηλοῦν· οὐκ ἐν τῷ λόγῳ περιφέροντες αὐτῶν τὸν βίον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ γνώμῃ διασώζοντες αὐτῶν τὸν τρόπον. ᾿Αποδείξει γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐκείνων γνησίους μαθητὰς, οὐ συνήθεια μετὰ ἀλογίας, ἀλλ᾽ εὐσέβεια μετὰ εὐλαβείας, καὶ ὁ βίος ὁμόδοξος, καὶ ὁ τρόπος ὁμόζηλος. Τιμᾶς μαρτύρων τὴν μνήμην; τίμησαι καὶ τὴν γνώμην· κοινωνία γὰρ τῆς μνήμης ἡ συμφωνία τῆς γνώμης. Μὴ γὰρ ἐκείνοις μόνοις ἐπέλαμψεν ὁ φωτισμὸς τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τοῦ Χριστοῦ; μὴ γὰρ ἐκείνοις μόνοις ἡ χάρις ἐξαπεστάλη Αἱ ἐντολαὶ κοιναὶ, ὁ τρόπος κοινὸς, εἷς ὁ τῶν πόνων ἀγωνοθέτης, ἓν τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἀληθείας, οὗ γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀξιωθῆναι, εὐχαῖς καὶ πρεσβείαις τῶν μνημονευθέντων ἁγίων, χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Αμήν.
tēn akindynon siōpēn katapheugomen, ekeino kalōs eidotes, hōs heni toutǭ tais mneiais tōn hagiōn koinōnein axioumetha, en tǭ tas ekeinōn aretas mimeisthai kai zēloun; ouk en tǭ logǭ peripherontes autōn ton bion, all᾽ en tę̄ gnōmę̄ diasōzontes autōn ton tropon. ᾿Apodeixei gar hēmas ekeinōn gnēsious mathētas, ou synētheia meta alogias, all᾽ eusebeia meta eulabeias, kai ho bios homodoxos, kai ho tropos homozēlos. Timas martyrōn tēn mnēmēn? timēsai kai tēn gnōmēn; koinōnia gar tēs mnēmēs hē symphōnia tēs gnōmēs. Mē gar ekeinois monois epelampsen ho phōtismos tēs gnōseōs tēs doxēs tou Euangeliou tou Christou? mē gar ekeinois monois hē charis exapestalē Hai entolai koinai, ho tropos koinos, heis ho tōn ponōn agōnothetēs, hen to brabeion tēs alētheias, hou genoito pantas hēmas axiōthēnai, euchais kai presbeiais tōn mnēmoneuthentōn hagiōn, chariti tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, hǭ hē doxa kai to kratos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. Amēn.
we take refuge in a silence free of danger, knowing well that we are counted worthy to share in the commemorations of the saints in this one thing: in imitating and emulating their virtues, not carrying their life about in words, but preserving their way in our minds. For what will prove us their genuine disciples is not custom without reason but piety with reverence, a life of the same belief and a way of the same zeal. Do you honour the memory of the martyrs? Honour their mind too; for sharing in their memory is agreement with their mind. Did the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of the Gospel of Christ shine on them alone? Was grace sent out to them alone? The commandments are common, the way is common; there is one president of the contests, one prize of truth. May we all be counted worthy of it, by the prayers and intercessions of the saints commemorated, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Cor 4:6 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The saints are truly honoured by imitating their virtues, since the same commandments and the same prize are set before all.
- “The illumination of the knowledge of the glory”: 2 Cor 4:6 (cf. 4:4). The closing appeal to the saints’ prayers and intercessions is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR split word; stray letter): Εὐαγγε λίου → Εὐαγγελίου; ἀληΒθείας → ἀληθείας.
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Steph. 2 735 (PG 46:735–736; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/735). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2/735
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-stephanum-2-735) · Report an error
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.