Letters 121–133
Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 121
121PG 83
ἼἜἜδειξεν ὁ τὰ πάντ᾽ ἐφορῶν καὶ πρυτανείων Δεσπότης, καὶ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν τῶν ἡμετέρων δογμάτων ἀλήθειαν, καὶ τῆς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγενημένης συκοφαντίας τὸ ψεῦδος. Τὰ γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου καὶ ἁγιωτάτου τῆς μεγάλης Ῥώμης ἀρχιεπισχόπου κυρίου Λέοντος, τὰ πρὸς τὸν τῆς ὁσίας μνήμης Φλαδιανὸν, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ σμναθροισθέντας γραφέντα, ἄγαν συμφωνεῖ κοῖς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν καὶ συγγραφεῖσι, καὶ ἐπ᾿ Ἐκκλησίας χηρυχθεῖσιν ἀεί. Οὗ δὴ χάριν εὐθὺς ἐντυχὼν ὕμνησα τὸν φιλάνθρωπον Κύριον, ὅτι οὐ τὰς σίας παντελῶς καταλέλοιπεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐφύλαξε τὸν τῇς ὀρθοδοξίας σπινθῆρα" μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ σπινθῆρα, ἀλλὰ πυρσὸν μέγιστον, ἱκανὸν ἐξάψαι καὶ φωτίσαι τὴν οἰκουμένην. ᾿Αληθῶς γὰρ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ἐν οἷς ἔγραψε διεφύλαξε χαραχτῆβρβα, καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ μακαρίων προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων, καὶ τῶν μετ᾽ ἐκείνους χηρυξάντων τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συναθροισθέντων ἁγίων Πατέρων, εὕρομεν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασι τούτοις᾽ οἷς ἐμμένειν ὁμολογοῦμεν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλο τι παρὰ ταῦτα … τοῖς γράμμασιν μίαν τῶν εἰς τὴν “Ἔφεσον παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ πεμφθεισῶν ἐπιστολῶν, ἵνα ἐντυχοῦσα ὑμῶν ἡ μεγαλοφυῖα, τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν πολλάκις ἐπ᾽ Ἔχκλησίας εἰρημένων ἀναμνησθῇ, καὶ γνῷ τῶν δογμάτων τὴν συμφωνίαν, καὶ μισήσῃ τοὺς λαλοῦντας τὸ ψεῦδος, καὶ τοὺς τὴ" καινὴν αἴρεσιν κατὰ τῶν ἀποστοδογμάτων.
IEEdeixen ho ta pant᾽ ephorōn kai prytaneiōn Despotēs, kai tēn apostolikēn tōn hēmeterōn dogmatōn alētheian, kai tēs kath᾽ hēmōn gegenēmenēs sykophantias to pseudos. Ta gar para tou theophilestatou kai hagiōtatou tēs megalēs Rhōmēs archiepischopou kyriou Leontos, ta pros ton tēs hosias mnēmēs Phladianon, kai pros tous allous tous en Ephesǭ smnathroisthentas graphenta, agan symphōnei kois par᾽ hēmōn kai syngrapheisi, kai ep᾿ Ekklēsias chērychtheisin aei. Hou dē charin euthys entychōn hymnēsa ton philanthrōpon Kyrion, hoti ou tas sias pantelōs kataleloipen, all᾽ ephylaxe ton tę̄s orthodoxias spinthēra" mallon de ou spinthēra, alla pyrson megiston, hikanon exapsai kai phōtisai tēn oikoumenēn. ᾿Alēthōs gar ton apostolikon en hois egrapse diephylaxe charachtēbrba, kai ta para tōn hagiōn kai makariōn prophētōn kai apostolōn, kai tōn met᾽ ekeinous chēryxantōn to Euangelion, kai mentoi kai tōn en Nikaią synathroisthentōn hagiōn Paterōn, heuromen en tois grammasi toutois᾽ hois emmenein homologoumen, kai tous allo ti para tauta … tois grammasin mian tōn eis tēn “Epheson par᾽ autou pemphtheisōn epistolōn, hina entychousa hymōn hē megalophuia, tōn par᾽ hēmōn pollakis ep᾽ Echklēsias eirēmenōn anamnēsthę̄, kai gnǭ tōn dogmatōn tēn symphōnian, kai misēsę̄ tous lalountas to pseudos, kai tous tē" kainēn airesin kata tōn apostodogmatōn.
The Master who oversees and governs all things has shown both the apostolic truth of our doctrines and the falsehood of the slander made against us. For what the most God-beloved and most holy archbishop of great Rome, lord Leo, wrote to Flavian of holy memory and to the others assembled at Ephesus agrees entirely with what we have written and have always preached in church. For this reason, as soon as I read it, I praised the loving Lord, that he has not entirely abandoned the churches but has kept the spark of orthodoxy; or rather not a spark but a great beacon, able to kindle and enlighten the whole world. For truly he kept the apostolic stamp in what he wrote, and what was taught by the holy and blessed prophets and apostles, and by those who preached the gospel after them, and indeed by the holy fathers assembled at Nicaea, we found in this letter. We confess that we abide by it, and those who … anything other than these … the letter one of the letters he sent to Ephesus, so that your Magnanimity, reading it, may remember what we have often said in church, may know that the doctrines agree, and may hate those who speak falsehood and … the new heresy against the apostolic doctrines.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret tells the patrician Anatolius that Leo's letters to Flavian and to the synod of Ephesus agree with his own teaching, and sends him a copy.
- Migne Letter 121, To the patrician Anatolius (450). The flag that Letters 119–120 are lost inside this passage does not hold: Letter 119 stands in the passage staged as 117 and Letter 120 in the one staged as 118.
- Leo's letter to Flavian is the Tome (449). Words are lost in the scan after 'those who … anything other than these' (probably 'teach, we anathematize; and I have attached to') and at the end; 'the churches' renders a damaged word (…σίας); marked '…'.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the Greek here is lost): «με ἰὰ ἀϊοἱ Θη τ Ὀτῷεϑραμου → … .
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 121 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/121). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/121
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 122
122PG 83
Ὅτι μὲν συνεζεύχθημεν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν οἱ τῇ διαθέσει συνεζευγμένοι, λίαν ἤσθημεν. Οὐ νενοῆκαμὲν δὰ τὸ, ὅτι Οὐκ οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι μου; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ προσρήσεως χάριν εἴρηται μόνης, οὐκ ἀνιᾷ τὸ λεσάσης, καὶ τὴν καλουμένην οἰκονομίαν, χάριν ὁμολογοῦμεν, μὴ δεξάμενοι τὴν εἰσήγησιν. Ὃ γὰρ θεῖος ρως, ἀκαίρωςξ. » Καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης αὐτῷ γε τούτῳ τῷ χήρυχι" «Λάλει, καὶ μὴ σιωπήσῃς.» Καὶ τῷ Ἡσαΐᾳ" « ᾿Αναδόησον τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου, καὶ μὴ φείσῃ.» Καὶ τῷ Καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῷ Ἱεζεχιήλ᾽ «ε Σκοπὸν δέδωκά σε τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραήλ᾽ καὶ ἔσται, ἐὰν μὴ διαστείλῃ τῷ ἀνόμῳ,» καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἀκόλουθα " περιττὸν γὰρ πρὸς εἰδότα μηκύνειν. Οὐ μόνον τοίνυν οὐκ ἀλύομεν, παῤῥησίᾳ χρησάμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ γαννύμεθα, καὶ γεγήμεθα, καὶ τὸν τούτων ἡμᾶς ἀξιώσαντα τῶν παθημάτων ὑμνοῦμεν, καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ τοὺς συνἦθεις ἐπὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἀγῶνας παρακαλοῦμεν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἴσασιν ἡμᾶς τὸν ἀποστολικὸν κανόνα τῆς πίστεως μὴ φυλάττοντας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκκλίνοντας δεξιὰ ἣ ἀριστερὰ, καὶ μισησάτωσαν, καὶ τῆς ἐναντίας γενέσθωσαν μοίρας, καὶ μετὰ τῶν πολεμούντων τετάχθωσαν. Εἰ δὲ τὴν ὀρθὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ κηρύγματος προσμαρτυροῦσιν ἡμῖν διδασκαλίαν, βοῶμεν πρὸς αὑτούς " « Στῆτε καὶ ὑμεῖς περιζωσάμενοι τὰς ὀσφύας ὑμῶν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ ὑποδησάμενοι τοὺς πόδας ἐν ἕτοιμασίᾳ τοῦ Ἐῤαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης, » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Φασὶ γὰρ τὴν ἀρετὴν, οὐ μόνον σωφροσύνην, καὶ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φρόνησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνδρίαν ἔχειν, καὶ διὰ ταύτης κατορθοῦσθαι κἀκείνας. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ δικαιοσύνη εἰς τὸν κατὰ τῆς ἀδικίας πόλεμον δεῖται τῆς ἀνδρίας συμμάχου, καὶ ἡ σωφροσύνη συνεργῷ τῇ ἀνδρίᾳ χρωμένη τὴν ἀκολασίαν νικᾷ. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς πρὸς τὸν Ιροφήτὴν ἔφη ε« Ὁ δὲ δίκαιός μου ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται, καὶ ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ. » Ὑποστολὴν δὲ τὴν δειλίαν ὠνόμασε. "Ἔχου τοίνυν, ὦ φίλη κεφαλὴ, τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων. « Ἥξει γὰρ ὅσον ὅσον ὁ ἐρχόμενος, καὶ οὐ χρονιεΐ, καὶ ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. ἄγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, » καὶ ἐμφανήσεται ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια.
Hoti men synezeuchthēmen en tois grammasin hoi tę̄ diathesei synezeugmenoi, lian ēsthēmen. Ou nenoēkamen da to, hoti Ouk houtoi hoi logoi mou? Ei men gar prosrēseōs charin eirētai monēs, ouk anią to lesasēs, kai tēn kaloumenēn oikonomian, charin homologoumen, mē dexamenoi tēn eisēgēsin. Ho gar theios rōs, akairōsx. » Kai ho Despotēs autǭ ge toutǭ tǭ chērychi" «Lalei, kai mē siōpēsę̄s.» Kai tǭ Hēsaïą" « ᾿Anadoēson tę̄ ischyï sou, kai mē pheisę̄.» Kai tǭ Kai mentoi kai tǭ Hiezechiēl᾽ «e Skopon dedōka se tǭ oikǭ Israēl᾽ kai estai, ean mē diasteilę̄ tǭ anomǭ,» kai ta toutois akoloutha " peritton gar pros eidota mēkynein. Ou monon toinyn ouk alyomen, parrhēsią chrēsamenoi, alla kai gannymetha, kai gegēmetha, kai ton toutōn hēmas axiōsanta tōn pathēmatōn hymnoumen, kai men dē kai tous synētheis epi tous autous agōnas parakaloumen. Ei men gar isasin hēmas ton apostolikon kanona tēs pisteōs mē phylattontas, all᾽ ekklinontas dexia hē aristera, kai misēsatōsan, kai tēs enantias genesthōsan moiras, kai meta tōn polemountōn tetachthōsan. Ei de tēn orthēn tou euangelikou kērygmatos prosmartyrousin hēmin didaskalian, boōmen pros hautous " « Stēte kai hymeis perizōsamenoi tas osphyas hymōn en alētheią, kai hypodēsamenoi tous podas en hetoimasią tou Erangeliou tēs eirēnēs, » kai ta hexēs. Phasi gar tēn aretēn, ou monon sōphrosynēn, kai dikaiosynēn, kai phronēsin, alla kai andrian echein, kai dia tautēs katorthousthai kakeinas. Kai gar hē dikaiosynē eis ton kata tēs adikias polemon deitai tēs andrias symmachou, kai hē sōphrosynē synergǭ tę̄ andrią chrōmenē tēn akolasian niką. Dia toi touto kai ho tōn holōn Theos pros ton Irophētēn ephē e« Ho de dikaios mou ek pisteōs zēsetai, kai ean hyposteilētai, ouk eudokei hē psychē mou en autǭ. » Hypostolēn de tēn deilian ōnomase. "Echou toinyn, ō philē kephalē, tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn. « Hēxei gar hoson hoson ho erchomenos, kai ou chronieï, kai apodōsei hekastǭ kata ta erga autou. agei gar to schēma tou kosmou toutou, » kai emphanēsetai hē tōn pragmatōn alētheia.
We were very glad that we who are joined in affection have been joined in letters too. But we did not understand the words 'Are not these my words?' If it was said only by way of greeting, it does not grieve … and the so-called 'economy', we give thanks, but we do not accept the proposal. For the divine … 'out of season.' And the Master said to this very herald: 'Speak and do not be silent.' And to Isaiah: 'Cry out with your strength and do not spare.' And to … And indeed to Ezekiel: 'I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; and it shall be, if you do not warn the lawless man …', and what follows; it is superfluous to say more to one who knows. So far from fretting at having used boldness, we rejoice and are glad, and we praise him who has counted us worthy of these sufferings, and we urge our friends to the same contests. If they know that we do not keep the apostolic rule of faith but turn aside to the right or the left, let them hate us, join the opposite side and take their place with those who fight against us. But if they bear witness that our teaching of the gospel message is right, we cry out to them: 'Stand, then, you too, having girded your loins with truth and shod your feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace', and what follows. For they say that virtue includes not only temperance, justice and prudence but also courage, and that through courage the others too are achieved. Justice needs courage as an ally in the war against injustice, and temperance, using courage as its co-worker, conquers licentiousness. That is why the God of the universe said to the prophet: 'But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.' By 'shrinking back' he meant cowardice. Hold fast, then, dear friend, to the apostolic doctrines. 'For yet a very little while, and the one who is coming will come and will not delay', and 'will repay each according to his works'. 'For the form of this world is passing away', and the truth of things will be made manifest.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
2 Tim 4:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 18:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 3:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 3:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 10:38 (quotation, high confidence) · Hab 2:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 10:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 16:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:31 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret declines Uranius of Emesa's advice to keep silent by 'economy', insisting that preachers must speak boldly for the apostolic faith.
- Migne Letter 122, To Uranius, bishop of Emesa (449/450). Uranius had evidently urged 'economy' (accommodation, keeping quiet for the sake of peace); Theodoret refuses.
- 'Are not these my words?' quotes Uranius's letter; its source, if a Scripture text, is uncertain. Lines are lost in the scan after 'it does not grieve' (evidently 'but if it recalls the advice to keep silence') and after 'For the divine' (evidently 'Apostle bids the opposite: be urgent in season and'); 'And to …' has lost a name and a quotation (NPNF² 3 has Moses, Exod 19:21); marked '…'. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3.
- Quotations: 2 Tim 4:2; Acts 18:9; Isa 58:1; Ezek 3:17–18; Eph 6:14–15; Hab 2:4 as in Heb 10:38; Heb 10:37 (Hab 2:3); Matt 16:27 (Rom 2:6); 1 Cor 7:31. The four virtues (temperance, justice, prudence, courage) are the classical cardinal virtues ('they say').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal reference; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column): καὶ πὶ, 17. γεγήμεθα → καὶ γεγήμεθα; τῶν αὶ βάυοί Δ! ον Δρίτηι5, ἰπιο εἰ φαυάθιηυε οἱ ᾿ΙΔΠΌΓ, ἐς παθημάτων → τῶν παθημάτων.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 122 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/122). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/122
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 123
123PG 83
Καὶ μακρὰ ἡ ἐπιστολὴ, καὶ χαρίεσσα, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης θερμόν τε καὶ γνήσιον ὑποφαίνουσα, Καὶ τοσαύτης με θυμηδίας ἐνέπλησεν, ὥστε ἤκιστα μεκαγνῶναι, ὅτι δὴ ἑτέραν ἔχειν ἐτόπασα διάνοιαν τὸ τῆς προτέρας προοίμιον. Τοῦ γὰρ νοῦ τῶν γραμμάτων ἡ ἄγνοια τὸν τῆς ἀδελφιχῆς φιλοστοργίας ἀπεκάλυψε θησαυρὸν, καὶ τὸ τῆς πίστεως ἐδήλωσεν ἀκραιφνὲς, καὶ τὸν περὶ τὴν εὐσέδειαν ἐγνώρισε ζῆλον. Τοῦ μέντοι προφήτου τοὺς λόγους καὶ πειρασμοὺς διενειμάμεθα, καὶ ἡ μὲν ὁσιότης σου τοῖς λόγοις ἐχρήσατο" ἡμεῖς δὲ ταῖς κχαταιγίσι καὶ τρικυμίαις βαλλόμεθα, καὶ κατὰ τῶν τὸ σκάφος ἔρε-:καὶ ψευδῇ, ἔλεον αὑτῶν ἐγκατέλιπον. » Παρέξει δὲ" ἴσως ὁ καὶ ἡμῶν κἀκείνου Δεσπότης, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀναδῦναι, καὶ τοῦ κήτους ἀπαλλαγῆναι. ΕἸ δὲ καὶ ζέον ἐπιμείνῃ τὸ ῥόθιον, ἐλπίζομεν καὶ οὕτως τῆς θείας ἀπολαύσεσθαι προμηθείας, καὶ τῇ πείρᾳ μαθεῖν, ὡς ἢ δύναμις αὑτοῦ ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται" καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὺς τοὺς κινδύνους τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ ἡμῶν ἐμέτρησε. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ θεῖον ἐκεῖνον προφήτην ἅπαντες καθῆχαν εἷς τὸ πέλαγος οἱ συμπλέοντες" ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ τὴν τἧς σῆς ὁσιότητος παρέσχεν παραψυχὴν, καὶ μέντο; καὶ ἄλλων θεοφιλῶν ἀνδρῶν" οὗς τῆς Ὁνησιφόρου τοῦ θαυμασίου τυχεῖν εὐλογίας μετὰ τῆς σῆς φιλοθεῖας προσεύχομαι, ὅτι τὴν ἄλυσιν ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐπησχύνθητε ἀλλὰ τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῖν χεχονυγνή" … θλίψεων. Τοῦτο μέντοι εὖ ἴσθι, δέσποτα, ὡς καὶ ἑτέρων μοι πεμψάντων θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπὼν εὐλογίαν οὐκ ἐδεξάμην : οὐκ ὡς; ὑῤρίζων τοὺς πεπομφότας, μὴ Ὑένοιτο" ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τὴν, ἀναγκαίαν τροφὴν τέως ποριζόμενος παρὰ τοῦ καὶ τοῖς χόραξι ταύτην ἀφθόνως παρέχοντος. Ἐπὶ ὃὲ τῆς σῆς φιλοθεΐας οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον πεποίηκα. Τῷ, ὄντι γὰρ ἑνίκησεν ἡ τῆς ἀγάπης θερμότης τὸν ἐγγενόμενόν μηι τέως σκοπόν, τι γὰρ ἐξ οὗ τὰ τῆς συνηθείας ἡμῖν ηὐξέθη, καὶ τὸ φίλτρον σφοδρότερον ἐξήφθη. πειθέσθω ἡ θεοφιλής σου ψυχή.
Kai makra hē epistolē, kai chariessa, kai to tēs agapēs thermon te kai gnēsion hypophainousa, Kai tosautēs me thymēdias eneplēsen, hōste ēkista mekagnōnai, hoti dē heteran echein etopasa dianoian to tēs proteras prooimion. Tou gar nou tōn grammatōn hē agnoia ton tēs adelphichēs philostorgias apekalypse thēsauron, kai to tēs pisteōs edēlōsen akraiphnes, kai ton peri tēn eusedeian egnōrise zēlon. Tou mentoi prophētou tous logous kai peirasmous dieneimametha, kai hē men hosiotēs sou tois logois echrēsato" hēmeis de tais kchataigisi kai trikymiais ballometha, kai kata tōn to skaphos ere-:kai pseudę̄, eleon hautōn enkatelipon. » Parexei de" isōs ho kai hēmōn kakeinou Despotēs, kai hēmas anadynai, kai tou kētous apallagēnai. EI de kai zeon epimeinę̄ to rhothion, elpizomen kai houtōs tēs theias apolausesthai promētheias, kai tę̄ peirą mathein, hōs ē dynamis hautou en astheneią teleioutai" kai gar autous tous kindynous tę̄ astheneią hēmōn emetrēse. Ton men gar theion ekeinon prophētēn hapantes kathēchan heis to pelagos hoi sympleontes" emoi de kai tēn tēs sēs hosiotētos pareschen parapsychēn, kai mento? kai allōn theophilōn andrōn" hous tēs Honēsiphorou tou thaumasiou tychein eulogias meta tēs sēs philotheias proseuchomai, hoti tēn alysin hēmōn ouk epēschynthēte alla tōn hyper tēs pisteōs hēmin chechonygnē" … thlipseōn. Touto mentoi eu isthi, despota, hōs kai heterōn moi pempsantōn theophilestatōn episkopōn eulogian ouk edexamēn : ouk hōs? hyrrizōn tous pepomphotas, mē Hyenoito" all᾽ hōs tēn, anankaian trophēn teōs porizomenos para tou kai tois choraxi tautēn aphthonōs parechontos. Epi hoe tēs sēs philotheïas ouden toiouton pepoiēka. Tǭ, onti gar henikēsen hē tēs agapēs thermotēs ton engenomenon mēi teōs skopon, ti gar ex hou ta tēs synētheias hēmin ēuxethē, kai to philtron sphodroteron exēphthē. peithesthō hē theophilēs sou psychē.
Your letter is long and charming, and reveals the warmth and sincerity of your love; and it filled me with such delight that I do not at all regret having supposed that the opening of the earlier one had another meaning. For my failure to grasp the sense of that letter uncovered the treasure of your brotherly affection, showed the purity of your faith and made known your zeal for piety. We have divided the prophet's words and trials between us: your Holiness has used the words, while we are struck by the squalls and high waves, and against those who … 'and lies have forsaken their own mercy'. Perhaps the Master of both us and him will grant us too to come up and be freed from the sea-monster. But if the surge goes on boiling, we hope even so to enjoy the divine providence and to learn by experience that 'his power is made perfect in weakness'; for he has measured the very dangers to our weakness. That divine prophet was thrown into the sea by all who sailed with him; but to me he has granted the consolation of your Holiness, and of other God-loving men too, for whom I pray that, together with your God-loving self, they may obtain the blessing of the admirable Onesiphorus, because you were not ashamed of our chain, but … the … for the faith … afflictions. Know this well, however, master: when other most God-beloved bishops sent me a gift, I did not accept it, not to insult those who sent it, God forbid, but because I have so far been obtaining the food I need from him who supplies it abundantly even to the ravens. In the case of your God-loving self I have done nothing of the kind; for truly the warmth of your love has overcome the purpose I had formed … since our intimacy has grown and our affection has been kindled more strongly. Let your God-loving soul be persuaded …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Jonah 2:8 (2:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jonah 1:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Jonah 1:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 12:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 1:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 147:9 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret thanks Uranius of Emesa for a warm second letter, compares his own trials with Jonah's, and explains why he accepted Uranius's gift though he had refused others.
- Migne Letter 123, To the same (Uranius of Emesa).
- 'The prophet' is Jonah: 'those who observe vanities and lies have forsaken their own mercy' is Jonah 2:8 (2:9 LXX), quoted in part after a lost line ('against those who …' probably refers to those who rocked the boat); the sea-monster and the casting into the sea are Jonah 1:15–17. Other references: 2 Cor 12:9; 2 Tim 1:16 (Onesiphorus); Ps 147:9 or Luke 12:24 (ravens).
- The gift (εὐλογία, 'blessing') was presumably food or money sent to the deposed bishop. Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal references are removed by logged corrections; gaps are marked '…'.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the Greek here is lost; OCR debris: Migne's marginal references and Latin column inside ἐπησχύν-θητε; word rejoined): καθ- Ἧχαν → καθῆχαν; ἐπησχύνδι Κρ 65. υἱ, 14. δ ΉΗδθδο. ᾿, 4; Ἡδῦν. χ, 28. δὰ Αἱ 5] οἱ Ρογδηϊζίδπι, οἱ ᾿υβε ἰδ, οἱ ργυάοηί(δηι σοι ρ] δι} 18 πὶ δυἴθ πιο ροϑί πὰ δυ (οι 189. εἰτὰ πιὸ τορίουϊε, εἰ (ἢ 6880οἱ (0 γα }]5 ᾿πῖ, οἱ {18 δο οἱ β8η0 1815 τ βου ρτρρυΐ!, 1207 οἱ 4110- (συ "Δ θὈείο : ἀἰίογυπι τὲς Π60 ἀἰ 6 οἰ88ἰπιογι τ “ Θρίβοορο- Α θητε → ἐπησχύνθητε; βοᾷ «αὐ πη δ πῇ γον γᾷ το οι ἢ 1118 ἰΠΟΘ 581 6556 Υἷπὶ ΔΙΌΤΙ 8 ρα Γϑυ 01} ἴα. ᾿ οἱ οἱ οὐ δὰ ἰημοάϊοπι παι ίδιον Ῥτοὶαρϑὶ οἰ ἢ - 168, ὃἱ ἃ εἰν κατὸ → … .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 123 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/123). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/123
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 124
124PG 83
Τὰς μὲν ἐκκλησιαστικὰς ὀλοφύρομαι χἀγὼ συμφορὰς, καὶ τὸν ἐπικείμενον ὀδύρομαι κλύδωνα, καὶ γαλήνης ἀπολαύοντι τῆς ἐρασμίας μοι, Οὗς δὲ καὶ νῦν ἀδικεῖν ἡ σὴ παίδευσις εἴρηκεν, οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν τίσουσι δίκας ὧν νῦν παρανόμως τολμῶσι. Σιαθμῷ γὰρ ἅπαντα καὶ μέτρῳ πρυταγεύει τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος " καὶ ὅταν τινὲς εἰς ἀμετρίαν παραχῶς δὲ λοιπὸν ἐπιφέρει τὴν τιμωρίαν. Ταῦτα προορῶντες ἡμεῖς παύσασθαι αὐτοὺ; τῆς ἀμετρίας εὐχόμεθα!" ἵνα μὴ κολαζομένους ὁρῶντες πάλιν αὐτοὺς θρηνεῖν βιαζώμεθα. Τῆς δὲ ὑμετέρας πος διηνεκῶς μνημονεύομεν, καὶ τὸν κοινὸν Δεσπότὴν ἀντιθολοῦμεν τὴν ὑμετέραν οἰκίαν εὐλογίας … Ἔγνων τῆς ὑμετέρας πίστεως τὸ σταθερόν τε καὶ βέδαιον, καὶ θυμηδίας ἐνεπλήσθην ὅτι μάλιστα “πλείστης. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰς ἕν φῶμα τελοῦμεν οἱ τῆς ἀϊδίου Τριάδος προαχυντ ταὶ, εἰκότως δήπον οἷς ὑγιαίνουσι τῶν μελῶν τὰ λοιπὰ δυναγάλλεται μέλη. Τοῦτό φησι καὶ ἁ θεῖος ᾿Απόττολος " «Εἰ δαοξάξεται μέλος, συγκαίρει πάντα τὰ μέλη. » Συνήδομαι τοίνυν ὑμῖν τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ὑπεραθλοῦσι δογμάτων. καὶ τὸν Ναδουθὲ τὸν πολυθρύλλητον ἐκεῖνον ἐν τοῖς ἀμείνοσι μιμουμένοις. Ἔκεϊνος γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἀμπελῶνος τὴν ἀδιχωτάτην ὑπέστη σφαγὴν, τὸν πατρῷον οὗ προέμενος κλῆρον. Ὑμεῖς ὃὲ οὐκ ἀμπελώνων, ἀλλὰ θείων ὑπερμαχεῖτε δογμάτων, καὶ τὴν καινὴν ταύτὴν καὶ χίδδηλον αἵρεσιν ἀποστρέφεσθε, ὡς τὸ χαθαθὺν τῆς εὐαγγελιχῆῇς θολοῦσαν διδασκαλίας, καὶ τῆς παναγίας Τριάδος τὸν ἀριθμὸν οὔτε μειοῦν οὔτε αὖξειν ἀνέχεσθε. Μειοῦσι μὲν γὰρ οἱ τῇ θεότητι τοῦ Μονογενοῦς τὸ πάθος προαάπτοντες " αὔξουσι δὲ οἱ ἕτερον Υἱὸν ἐπεισάγειν τολμῶντες. Ὑμεῖς δὲ εἰς ἕνα Μονογενῇ πιστεύετε, καθάπερ εἰς ἕνα Πατέρα, καὶ εἰς ἕν ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Ἕν δὲ τῷ σαρκωθέντι Μονογενεῖ τὴν ληφθεῖσαν θεωρεῖτε φύσιν, ἣν ἐξ ἡμῶν λαδὼν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσενήνοχεν. Ἢ γὰρ ταύτης ἄρνησις φροῦδον τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν ποιεῖ. Εἰ γὰρ ἀπαθὴς “ἡ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ϑεότης ᾿ ἀπαθὴς γὰρ τῆς Τριάδος ἡ φύσις" τὸ δὲ πάσχειν πεφνχὸς μὴ προσομολογηθῇ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, μάτην θρυλλεῖται τὸ μὴ γενόμενον πάθος. Τοῦ γὰρ πάσχοντας οὐκ ὄντος, πῶς ἂν γένοιτο πάθος; ᾿λπαθῆ μὲν γὰρ τὴν θείαν φύσιν κηρύττομεν. Συνομηλαγαῦσι δὲ τοῦτο κἀκεῖνοι παραπλησίως ἡμῖν. Πῶς ἂν οὖν γένοιτο πάθος οὐκ ὑποκειμένου τοῦ πάσχοντος; Δόκησις γὰρ ἀντὶ τῆσ ἁληθείας, καὶ φαντασίᾳ φανήσεται τὰ μέγα, τῆς οἱ» νος, καὶ Βαρδησάνης, καὶ Μαρκίων, καὶ Μάνης ἐγέννησαν. Ἡ δὲ ἀνέκαθεν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις παραδοθεῖσα διδασκαλία ἕνα μὲν Υἱὸν καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν οἷδε Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν" καὶ τὸν αὑτὸν ὁμολογεῖ Θεὸν προαιώνιον, καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν γενόμενον" γενόμενον δὲ ἄνθρωπον τῇ προσλήψει τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, οὐ τῇ ἐροπῇ τῆς θεότητος. Εἰ γὰρ τὴν εἰς ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν ἡ θεία φύσις ὑπέστη τροπὴν, οὐκ ἔμεινεν ὅπερ ἦν" εἰ δὲ μὴ ἔστιν ὅπερ ἦν, ψευδῶς αὐτὸν καλοῦσι Θεὸν οἱ ταῦτα θρησκεύοντες. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς ἄτρεπτον ἴσμεν τὸν μονογενῆ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν, ὡς Θεὸν, καὶ τοῦ ὄντως Θεοῦ ΥἿόν. Μεμαθήκαμεν γὰρ παρὰ πῆς θείας Γραφῆς, ὡς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπἄρχων ἔλαθε τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφὴν, καὶ σπέρματος ᾿λδραὰμ ἐπελάδετο, οὐκ εἰς σπέρμα ᾿Αδραὰμ. μετεθλήθη, καὶ κεκοινώνηκε παραπλησίως ἡμῖν σαρκός τ καὶ αἵματος, καὶ ψυχῆς ἀθανάτου καὶ ἀμώμου. Ταῦτα διατηρήσας, ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων σωμάτων τὸ ἀναμάρτητον αὐτοῦ προαξνήνοχε σῶμα, ὁπὲρ δὲ τῶν ψυχῶν τὴν πάσης ἐλευθέραν κηλῖδος. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τῆς κοινῆς ἀναστάσεως ἔχομεν τὴν ἐλπίδα" τῇ γὰρ ἀπαρχὴ δήπουθεν κοινωνήσει τὸ γένος" καὶ καθάπερ τῷ ᾿Αδὰμ ἐχοινωνήσαμεν τῆς τελευτῆς, οὕτω δὴ καὶ τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ χοινωνήσομεν τῆς ζωῆς. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεῖος Απόστολος ἐξεπαίδευσε. ε« Νυνὶ γὰρ, φησὶ, Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἐγένετο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι ἀνθρώπου ὁ θάνατος, καὶ δι᾿ ἀνθρώπου ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ᾿Αδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνήτχουσιν, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ πάντες ζωοποιηθήσονται.» Ταῦτα νῦν οὐ διδάσκων, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμνήσχων γράφω, καὶ συντεμεῖν σπουδάσας τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ὑπερέδην, ὡς οἶμαι, τὸν ὄρον." Ἐπιστεῖλαι δέ με προὔτρεψεν ὁ πάντα εὐσεδέστατος καὶ … διὰ μὲν τὸν τῇς ἀγάπης νόμον ὁδὸν τοσαύτην ἐξανύσας, διδάξας δὲ ἡμᾶς τὸν τῆς ὑμετέρας θαυμασιότητος ζῆλον, καὶ αἰτήσας πυρσεῦσαι τοῦτον τοῖς γράμμασιν. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν καὶ τὴν αἴτησιν ἐδεξάμην, καὶ γέγραφα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων ἱχετεύω Δεσπότην, φρουρῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πίστει, καὶ κρείττους ἀποφῆναι τοῦ σινιάζοντος, ἐπισκόπῳ. Ἐπήνεσά σου τὴν ὁσιότητα, καταλιποῦσαν τὸν ἐπίφθονον θρόνον. Ὁ γὰρ πάλαι σεδάσμιος νῦν γέγο)ε καταγέλαστος " ὥνιον γὰρ αὐτὸν ἡμεῖς ἐποιήσαμεν. Ἐθαύμασα δὲ, μαθὼν ὡς πρὸς τοὺς ἐξελάσαντας ἕδραμες. Δρᾶσαι γὰρ τοὐναντίον ἐχρῆν " καὶ παραχαλούμενον ἔχεσθαι τῶν οἰάκων, φυγεῖν τὴν χυδέρνησιν, ὡς τῶν συμπλεόντων πολεμίων γεγενημένων. Ἢ οὐκ οἴσθα, θεοφιλέστατε, τένα μὲν ὁ Σωτὴρ ὁ ἡμέτερος διὰ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων κηρύττειν ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν, τίνα δὲ νῦν θρησκεύειν ἔνομοθέτησαν οἱ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν κληρονόμοι δογμάτων; Τίς γὰρ τῶν παλαιῶν διδασκάλων, ἐξ οὗπερ χατηγγέλη τὸ κήρυγμα μέχρι τῆς κατεχούσης νῦν σχοτομήνης, ἀχήχοε σαρκὸς καὶ θεότητος μίαν φύσιν κηρύξαντος, ἢ ἐτόλμησε πώποτε παθητὴν ὀνομάσαι τοῦ Μονογενοῦς τὴν θεότητα; Ταῦτα νῦν παρ' ἐνίων λέγεσθαι προφανῶς τολμᾶται, παρὰ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων περιορᾶται λεγόμενα, καὶ σιγῇ τοῦ μύσους μεταλαγχάνουσι. Τί οὖν χρὴ ποιεῖν, εἴποι τις ἂν, τοὺς ταῦτα μυσαττομένους; Δυοῖν θάτερον εἴποιμ᾽ ἄν" ἣ ὁμόσε χωρεῖν, καὶ διελέγχειν τῶν δογμάτων τὸ χίδδηλον, ἣ φεύγειν ὡς προφανῶς δυσσεδούντων τὴν κοινωνίαν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ τὴν κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ γεγενημένην ἀδικίαν ὡς θείαν ἐδεξάμην εὐεργεσίαν, οὐ τοῖς ἢδικηκόσι χάριν ὁμολογῶν (πῶς γὰρ τοῖς γε ἀδελφοχτόνοις, καὶ τοῖς τοῦ Κάἀϊν γεγενημένοις μερίδος), ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐμὸν Δεσπότην ὑμνῶν, ὅτι με καὶ τῶν ἣδικαὶ βλασφημούντων ἐχώρισε, καὶ τὴν ἐρασμιωτάτην ἐμοὶ ἔδωκεν ἡσυχίαν.
Tas men ekklēsiastikas olophyromai chagō symphoras, kai ton epikeimenon odyromai klydōna, kai galēnēs apolauonti tēs erasmias moi, Hous de kai nyn adikein hē sē paideusis eirēken, ouk eis makron tisousi dikas hōn nyn paranomōs tolmōsi. Siathmǭ gar hapanta kai metrǭ prytageuei tōn holōn ho Kyrios " kai hotan tines eis ametrian parachōs de loipon epipherei tēn timōrian. Tauta proorōntes hēmeis pausasthai autou? tēs ametrias euchometha!" hina mē kolazomenous horōntes palin autous thrēnein biazōmetha. Tēs de hymeteras pos diēnekōs mnēmoneuomen, kai ton koinon Despotēn antitholoumen tēn hymeteran oikian eulogias … Egnōn tēs hymeteras pisteōs to statheron te kai bedaion, kai thymēdias eneplēsthēn hoti malista “pleistēs. Epeidē gar eis hen phōma teloumen hoi tēs aïdiou Triados proachynt tai, eikotōs dēpon hois hygiainousi tōn melōn ta loipa dynagalletai melē. Touto phēsi kai ha theios ᾿Apottolos " «Ei daoxaxetai melos, synkairei panta ta melē. » Synēdomai toinyn hymin tōn apostolikōn hyperathlousi dogmatōn. kai ton Nadouthe ton polythryllēton ekeinon en tois ameinosi mimoumenois. Ekeïnos gar hyper ampelōnos tēn adichōtatēn hypestē sphagēn, ton patrǭon hou proemenos klēron. Hymeis hoe ouk ampelōnōn, alla theiōn hypermacheite dogmatōn, kai tēn kainēn tautēn kai chiddēlon hairesin apostrephesthe, hōs to chathathyn tēs euangelichēę̄s tholousan didaskalias, kai tēs panagias Triados ton arithmon oute meioun oute auxein anechesthe. Meiousi men gar hoi tę̄ theotēti tou Monogenous to pathos proaaptontes " auxousi de hoi heteron Huion epeisagein tolmōntes. Hymeis de eis hena Monogenę̄ pisteuete, kathaper eis hena Patera, kai eis hen hagion Pneuma. Hen de tǭ sarkōthenti Monogenei tēn lēphtheisan theōreite physin, hēn ex hēmōn ladōn hyper hēmōn prosenēnochen. Ē gar tautēs arnēsis phroudon tēn hēmeteran sōtērian poiei. Ei gar apathēs “hē tou Monogenous ϑeotēs ᾿ apathēs gar tēs Triados hē physis" to de paschein pephnchos mē prosomologēthę̄ par᾽ hēmōn, matēn thrylleitai to mē genomenon pathos. Tou gar paschontas ouk ontos, pōs an genoito pathos? ᾿lpathē men gar tēn theian physin kēryttomen. Synomēlagausi de touto kakeinoi paraplēsiōs hēmin. Pōs an oun genoito pathos ouk hypokeimenou tou paschontos? Dokēsis gar anti tēs halētheias, kai phantasią phanēsetai ta mega, tēs hoi» nos, kai Bardēsanēs, kai Markiōn, kai Manēs egennēsan. Hē de anekathen tais Ekklēsiais paradotheisa didaskalia hena men Huion kai meta tēn enanthrōpēsin hoide Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon" kai ton hauton homologei Theon proaiōnion, kai anthrōpon ep᾽ eschatou tōn hēmerōn genomenon" genomenon de anthrōpon tę̄ proslēpsei tēs anthrōpotētos, ou tę̄ eropę̄ tēs theotētos. Ei gar tēn eis anthrōpeian physin hē theia physis hypestē tropēn, ouk emeinen hoper ēn" ei de mē estin hoper ēn, pseudōs auton kalousi Theon hoi tauta thrēskeuontes. ᾿All᾽ hēmeis atrepton ismen ton monogenē tou Theou Huion, hōs Theon, kai tou ontōs Theou HuIon. Memathēkamen gar para pēs theias Graphēs, hōs en morphę̄ Theou hyparchōn elathe tēn tou doulou morphēn, kai spermatos ᾿ldraam epeladeto, ouk eis sperma ᾿Adraam. metethlēthē, kai kekoinōnēke paraplēsiōs hēmin sarkos t kai haimatos, kai psychēs athanatou kai amōmou. Tauta diatērēsas, hyper men tōn hēmartēkotōn sōmatōn to anamartēton autou proaxnēnoche sōma, hoper de tōn psychōn tēn pasēs eleutheran kēlidos. Dia toi touto kai tēs koinēs anastaseōs echomen tēn elpida" tę̄ gar aparchē dēpouthen koinōnēsei to genos" kai kathaper tǭ ᾿Adam echoinōnēsamen tēs teleutēs, houtō dē kai tǭ Sōtēri Christǭ choinōnēsomen tēs zōēs. Kai touto saphōs hēmas ho theios Apostolos exepaideuse. e« Nyni gar, phēsi, Christos egēgertai ek nekrōn, aparchē tōn kekoimēmenōn egeneto. Epeidē gar di anthrōpou ho thanatos, kai di᾿ anthrōpou anastasis nekrōn. Hōsper gar en tǭ ᾿Adam pantes apothnētchousin, houtō kai en tǭ Christǭ pantes zōopoiēthēsontai.» Tauta nyn ou didaskōn, all᾽ anamnēschōn graphō, kai syntemein spoudasas tēs epistolēs hyperedēn, hōs oimai, ton oron." Episteilai de me proutrepsen ho panta eusedestatos kai … dia men ton tę̄s agapēs nomon hodon tosautēn exanysas, didaxas de hēmas ton tēs hymeteras thaumasiotētos zēlon, kai aitēsas pyrseusai touton tois grammasin. Egō toinyn kai tēn aitēsin edexamēn, kai gegrapha tēn epistolēn, kai ton tōn holōn hicheteuō Despotēn, phrourēsai hymas en tę̄ pistei, kai kreittous apophēnai tou siniazontos, episkopǭ. Epēnesa sou tēn hosiotēta, katalipousan ton epiphthonon thronon. Ho gar palai sedasmios nyn gego)e katagelastos " hōnion gar auton hēmeis epoiēsamen. Ethaumasa de, mathōn hōs pros tous exelasantas hedrames. Drasai gar tounantion echrēn " kai parachaloumenon echesthai tōn oiakōn, phygein tēn chydernēsin, hōs tōn sympleontōn polemiōn gegenēmenōn. Ē ouk oistha, theophilestate, tena men ho Sōtēr ho hēmeteros dia tōn hierōn apostolōn kēryttein hēmas edidaxen, tina de nyn thrēskeuein enomothetēsan hoi tōn apostolikōn klēronomoi dogmatōn? Tis gar tōn palaiōn didaskalōn, ex houper chatēngelē to kērygma mechri tēs katechousēs nyn schotomēnēs, achēchoe sarkos kai theotētos mian physin kēryxantos, ē etolmēse pōpote pathētēn onomasai tou Monogenous tēn theotēta? Tauta nyn par' eniōn legesthai prophanōs tolmatai, para de tōn allōn perioratai legomena, kai sigę̄ tou mysous metalanchanousi. Ti oun chrē poiein, eipoi tis an, tous tauta mysattomenous? Dyoin thateron eipoim᾽ an" hē homose chōrein, kai dielenchein tōn dogmatōn to chiddēlon, hē pheugein hōs prophanōs dyssedountōn tēn koinōnian. Kai gar egō tēn kat᾽ emou gegenēmenēn adikian hōs theian edexamēn euergesian, ou tois ēdikēkosi charin homologōn (pōs gar tois ge adelphochtonois, kai tois tou Kaaïn gegenēmenois meridos), alla ton emon Despotēn hymnōn, hoti me kai tōn hēdikai blasphēmountōn echōrise, kai tēn erasmiōtatēn emoi edōken hēsychian.
I too lament the calamities of the church and mourn the surge that lies upon us, and … you who enjoy the calm so dear to me. Those whom your learned self says are now doing wrong will before long pay the penalty for what they now lawlessly dare. For the Lord of the universe governs all things by weight and measure; and when some … to excess, … then he brings the punishment. Foreseeing this, we pray that they may cease from their excess, so that we may not be forced to lament them again when we see them punished. We remember your … continually, and we entreat the common Master to … your house with blessing …
[Letter 125] To Aphthonius, Theodoritus, Nonnus, Scylacius, Aphthonius and John. I have learned how steadfast and firm your faith is, and have been filled with the greatest delight. For since we who worship the eternal Trinity make up one body, it is natural that the other members rejoice with those members that are healthy. This the divine Apostle says: 'If one member is honored, all the members rejoice together.' I rejoice with you, then, as you fight for the apostolic doctrines and imitate, in better things, that famous Naboth. He suffered a most unjust slaughter for a vineyard, refusing to give up his ancestral inheritance; but you fight not for vineyards but for divine doctrines. You turn away from this new and counterfeit heresy as muddying the purity of the gospel teaching, and you do not allow the number of the all-holy Trinity to be either diminished or increased. Those diminish it who attach suffering to the Godhead of the Only-begotten; those increase it who dare to bring in another Son. But you believe in one Only-begotten, as in one Father and one Holy Spirit; and in the incarnate Only-begotten you contemplate the assumed nature, which he took from us and offered for us. For to deny this makes our salvation void. If the Godhead of the Only-begotten is impassible (for the nature of the Trinity is impassible), and what is by nature capable of suffering is not also confessed by us, then a suffering that never happened is talked of in vain. For if there is no one who suffers, how could there be suffering? We proclaim the divine nature impassible, and they too confess this just as we do. How then could there be suffering without a subject that suffers? The great … will appear as seeming instead of truth, and as phantasm, … which …nus, Bardesanes, Marcion and Mani begot. But the teaching handed down to the churches from the beginning knows one Son even after the incarnation, our Lord Jesus Christ; and it confesses the same as God before the ages and as man become at the end of the days, become man by the assumption of the manhood, not by a change of the Godhead. For if the divine nature underwent change into human nature, it did not remain what it was; and if it is not what it was, those who profess this call him God falsely. But we know the only-begotten Son of God as unchangeable, as God and the Son of the true God. For we have learned from the divine Scripture that, being in the form of God, he took the form of a servant, and took hold of the seed of Abraham without being changed into the seed of Abraham; and like us he shared in flesh and blood, and in an immortal and blameless soul. Keeping these things, he offered his sinless body for sinful bodies, and for souls the soul free of every stain. That is why we have the hope of the common resurrection; for the race will surely share in the firstfruits; and as we shared in death with Adam, so we shall share in life with Christ the Savior. This the divine Apostle clearly taught us: 'But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.' I write this now not to teach but to remind, and though I tried to be brief, I have exceeded, I think, the limit of a letter. I was urged to write by the most pious …, who for the law of love completed so long a journey, told us of the zeal of your Admirableness, and asked us to kindle it with letters. I accepted the request, I have written the letter, and I entreat the Master of the universe to guard you in the faith and make you stronger than the one who sifts.
[Letter 126] To Sabinianus, bishop. I praised your Holiness for leaving the envied throne. For what was once venerable has now become ridiculous, since we have made it a thing for sale. But I was surprised to learn that you hastened to those who drove you out. You should have done the opposite: even if you were urged to keep hold of the tiller, you should have fled from steering, since your fellow-sailors have become enemies. Or do you not know, most God-beloved, what our Savior taught us through the holy apostles to preach, and what the heirs of the apostolic doctrines have now laid down as law to be professed? Which of the old teachers, from the time the message was proclaimed until the moonless night that now prevails, has heard anyone preach one nature of flesh and Godhead, or ever dared to call the Godhead of the Only-begotten passible? These things are now openly dared to be said by some, while others overlook them when they are said, and by their silence share in the defilement. What, then, someone might ask, must those do who abhor these things? I would say one of two things: either to come to grips and expose the counterfeit doctrines, or to flee communion with those who are openly impious. For my part I received the injustice done to me as a divine benefit, not giving thanks to those who wronged me (how could one thank fratricides and those of Cain's portion?), but praising my Master that he separated me from those who did wrong and blaspheme, and gave me the quiet so dear to me.
1 Cor 12:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:1–16 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 2:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 2:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 22:31 (echo, low confidence) · 1 John 3:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A short letter to Maranas on God's measured judgment; a letter to six laymen praising their stand against the 'new heresy' and setting out Christ's two natures and the hope of resurrection; and a letter to the deposed bishop Sabinianus warning him not to seek communion with those who teach one nature.
- The scan's heading is that of Maranas, scholasticus (advocate), Migne Letter 124. This passage also holds Letter 125 (heading lost; it begins at 'I have learned how steadfast'; the addressees are named from NPNF² 3) and Letter 126, To Sabinianus, bishop (the scan keeps only the word 'bishop' of its heading; it begins at 'I praised your Holiness'). Each is marked '[Letter N]'.
- Letter 124: 'by weight and measure' recalls Wis 11:20. Several words are lost (after 'and', probably 'I envy'; after 'when some', the verb; after 'We remember your'); marked '…'.
- Letter 125 cites 1 Cor 12:26; 1 Kgs 21 (Naboth); Phil 2:6–7; Heb 2:16, 14; 1 Cor 15:20–22. 'The great …' has lost words (probably 'mystery of the dispensation'), and '…nus' is the end of a name (probably Valentinus); marked '…'. 'Those who attach suffering to the Godhead' and 'those who bring in another Son' are the two errors Theodoret rejects; his charge that the 'new heresy' revives Docetism is his own polemic, translated as written. 'The one who sifts' recalls Luke 22:31.
- Letter 126: Sabinianus, bishop of Perrha, was deposed at Ephesus (449) and replaced; 'we have made it a thing for sale' and 'fratricides … of Cain's portion' (1 John 3:12; Gen 4:8) are Theodoret's own polemic against the bishops who deposed him, translated as written. 'One nature of flesh and Godhead' is the formula he rejects.
- Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal references are removed by logged corrections.
- Letter 125's addressees are named in NPNF² 3 as magistrates of Zeugma. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside ἐξελά-σαντας; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside ἐπι-στεῖλαι; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the Greek here (a name) is lost; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal references; the end of Letter 124 is lost; OCR slip; word rejoined; marginal column letter; stray marks; word rejoined): εὐλογίας ἐμοἱ δηϊμὶ ᾿ εἰ εἶ αυΐ Βα πιρὶ ἐδ τπαπὶ Τα 8ποπος ἀυ δῖ. ἴῃ πἀηυπ Ῥδίγοιῃ, οἱ 'ἰπ πῆυτὴ ϑρὶ Γι υπ βϑδπεοίαπι. [πῃ {π᾿ δὶ ἱπηρδι}}}}}8 δὲ πὶ οηϊὶ ἀἰϊν! δα (πὴ ὃν [(οτ, χι!, 36, “6 1Π ες. κσι, 1 βοᾳ. Ἔγνων → εὐλογίας … Ἔγνων; ἀπαθὴς γὰρ Α τῆς → ἀπαθὴς γὰρ τῆς; μετὰ τὴν ὄναν. ϑρώπησιν → μετὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν; ἄνθρωπον οἱ Αἱ ἐπ᾽ → ἄνθρωπον ἐπ᾽; γενόμενον δὲ Βὶ (λιίοηθ ἀεἰ(αιἰ5. Θ' Θηΐαι ΠυϊηλΠΑΠῚ ἴῃ ἄνθρωπον → γενόμενον δὲ ἄνθρωπον; ᾿Ἐπιθ ]6 τὴ δοἰ πη υπὶζοηίαπ θεοὶ ΕἸ] πη, αἱ Ῥουπι, οἱ νονὶ ΑὈτα δ τυ δι} δὶ: : συοάχυο ρατγιϊοὶ ραν γί, διοαὶ δὶ υἱὲ ἃ 1910 νἱ- {5 οὐ ἰδ Αἀδιῃο οἵηηθδ πο απ, [Δ οἱ ἰὼ Θου τοηἀϊββίπηι5 οἱ γοὶ χ᾽ οϑἰ ϑϑί μι} 8 δὴν στεῖλαι → Ἐπιστεῖλαι; καὶ ἢ ἸΙοπφυπὶ ἰοῦ οοπίοοϊ!, οἱ, δἀ παῖ γα 8118 γοϑέζω ΖΘ θεν μας, → καὶ … ; τοῖς οἱ ορ βίο πὶ βογι ρϑὶ, οἱ ὑπ γράμμασιν → τοῖς γράμμασιν; ἐποιή-. 4 ᾿ ὃ.“- δ ᾿ Εξ “, Ἔ Α σαμεν → ἐποιήσαμεν; ἐξελά δά 608 8 ᾳυὶ ἰπ Ρτοπι σαί πὶ 681 ΕΥ̓ΔΠΘΟΙ πὶ, 5416 84 σα] σἰη6 πὶ ἀν τ Π8 τ ἢ Αἰφυΐ ἢ ἤμης ἃ ἴῃ 126 80 ἱπίᾳυϊβ οἱ Ὀ]ΔΒΡ ἢ Θιμΐ8, οἱ Δ} }} 185 πιδηὶ τὰ μὶ Ἐξο 406 υἱ 80 πὶ σαντας → ἐξελάσαντας.
Extrabiblical texts: Wis 11:20 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; echo)
Topics: Christology, Trinity, Heresy, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 124 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/124). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/124
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 127
127PG 83
᾿Αδρὰμ ὁ πατριάρχης καὶ μετὰ γῆρας ἡρίστευσε" ς καὶ Μωῦσῆς ὁ μέγας πρεσδύτης ἤδη γενόμενος, εἰς προσευχὴν τὰς χεῖρας ἐκτείνων, τὸν ᾿Αμαλὴκ χατηχόντισε᾽ καὶ Σαμουὴλ ὁ θεσπέσιος μετὰ πολιὰν τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους ἐτρέπετο. Τούτους τὸ σεδάσμιόν σου Υἦρας ζηλοῖ, κἀν τοῖς ὑπὲρ εὐσεθείας πολέμοις ἀνδραγαθίζεται, καὶ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων ὑπερμαχεῖ, καὶ τοὺς νέους ἀποχρύπτει τῇ προθυμίᾳ τῆς γνώμης. Ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούων γάννυμαι, καὶ εὐφραίνομαι, καὶ περιπτύξασθαι μὲν ποθῶ τὴν σεπτοε τάτην σου πολιάν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τούτου διαμαρτάνω (τὴν μὲν γὰρ σὴν θεοσέθειαν οἴκοι γῆρας ἐπέχει, ἐμὲ δὲ νόμος ἐνθάδε χαθείργει βασιλικὸς), διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων σοφίζομαι τὸ ποθούμενον, καὶ προσφέρω σον τῇ φιλοθεῖᾳ τὸν ἐμοὶ πανεπέραστον ἀσπασμὸν, καὶ παρακαλῶ εὐχαῖς ἐπαμῦναι ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις ζάλης καὶ μέντοι κἀμοὶ τὴν θείαν προξενῆσαι ῥοπὴν, ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν ἀποστολικῶν πηλεμουμένῳ δογμάτων, δεομένῳ δὲ τῆς ἄνκυθεν ἀντιλή -
᾿Adram ho patriarchēs kai meta gēras hēristeuse" s kai Mōysēs ho megas presdytēs ēdē genomenos, eis proseuchēn tas cheiras ekteinōn, ton ᾿Amalēk chatēchontise᾽ kai Samouēl ho thespesios meta polian tous allophylous etrepeto. Toutous to sedasmion sou Yēras zēloi, kan tois hyper eusetheias polemois andragathizetai, kai tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn hypermachei, kai tous neous apochryptei tę̄ prothymią tēs gnōmēs. Egō de tauta akouōn gannymai, kai euphrainomai, kai periptyxasthai men pothō tēn septoe tatēn sou polian. Epeidē de toutou diamartanō (tēn men gar sēn theosetheian oikoi gēras epechei, eme de nomos enthade chatheirgei basilikos), dia tōn grammatōn sophizomai to pothoumenon, kai prospherō son tę̄ philotheią ton emoi paneperaston aspasmon, kai parakalō euchais epamynai tais Ekklēsiais zalēs kai mentoi kamoi tēn theian proxenēsai rhopēn, hyper men tōn apostolikōn pēlemoumenǭ dogmatōn, deomenǭ de tēs ankythen antilē -
Abraham the patriarch won his victory even in old age; Moses the great, already an old man, stretching out his hands in prayer, struck down Amalek; and the inspired Samuel routed the foreigners when his hair was grey. Your venerable old age emulates these men: it acts valiantly in the wars for piety, fights for the gospel doctrines, and outshines the young by the eagerness of its resolve. Hearing this I rejoice and am glad, and I long to embrace your most venerable grey hairs. But since I am deprived of this (old age keeps your Godliness at home, and an imperial law shuts me in here), I contrive by letter what I long for, and I offer your God-loving self my embrace, which I so much desire; and I ask you to help the churches by your prayers against the storm, and to procure the divine favor for me too, attacked as I am for the apostolic doctrines and in need of help from above …
Gen 14:13–16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 17:11–13 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 7:10–13 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret praises the aged archimandrite Jobius for fighting for the faith like Abraham, Moses and Samuel, and asks his prayers.
- Migne Letter 127, To Jobius, presbyter and archimandrite (449/450). The flag that Letters 125–126 are lost inside this passage does not hold: they stand in the passage staged as 124. The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- Allusions: Gen 14:13–16 (Abraham); Exod 17:11–13 (Moses and Amalek); 1 Sam 7:10–13 (Samuel and the Philistines).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside προξε-νῆσαι): προξεμα Οὐ οἱ οἷ πὴ νῆσαι → προξενῆσαι.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 127 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/127). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/127
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 128
128PG 83
Ἐνίκησεν, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ γῆρας τῆς θεοφιλοῦς σου Ψυχῆς τὴν προθυμίαν, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας οὐκ ἔχεις συνἦθως ἐχτεταμένας" διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ φιλονειχεῖ νικᾷν ὁ ᾿Αμαλήκ. Γενέσϑωσαν τοίνυν τινὲς ἐπέχουροι τῆς ἀσθενείας, καθάπερ πάλαι ποτὲ Ὧρ καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν ὑπεστήριζον τοῦ νομοθέτου τὰς χεῖρας, ἵνα καὶ τὸν γὰρ μάλιστα σπουδαιοτέρων δεῖ προσευχῶν, Ἐλλήνων μὲν καὶ Ἰουδαίων, καὶ πάσης εἰρηνευούσης αἱρέσεως, μόνης δὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας χειμαζομένης, Καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ διαφερόντως τῆς τῶν ὑμετέρων προσευχῶν δεόμεθα βοηθείας, καὶ τῶν νομισθέντων συναγωνιστῶν ἀνταγωνιζομένων.
Enikēsen, hōs eoike, to gēras tēs theophilous sou Psychēs tēn prothymian, kai tas cheiras ouk echeis synēthōs echtetamenas" dia toi touto kai philoneichei nikąn ho ᾿Amalēk. Genesϑōsan toinyn tines epechouroi tēs astheneias, kathaper palai pote Hōr kai ᾿Aarōn hypestērizon tou nomothetou tas cheiras, hina kai ton gar malista spoudaioterōn dei proseuchōn, Ellēnōn men kai Ioudaiōn, kai pasēs eirēneuousēs haireseōs, monēs de tēs Ekklēsias cheimazomenēs, Kai hēmeis de diapherontōs tēs tōn hymeterōn proseuchōn deometha boētheias, kai tōn nomisthentōn synagōnistōn antagōnizomenōn.
Old age, it seems, has overcome the eagerness of your God-loving soul, and you no longer hold your hands stretched out as usual; that is why Amalek is striving to win. Let some, then, become helpers of your weakness, as Hur and Aaron once held up the lawgiver's hands, so that … For now above all more earnest prayers are needed, since pagans and Jews and every heresy are at peace and only the church is storm-tossed. And we especially need the help of your prayers, since those who were thought to be our fellow-combatants have become our opponents.
Exod 17:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 17:12 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret urges the aged archimandrite Candidus to keep praying for the church, comparing him to Moses with his hands held up against Amalek.
- Migne Letter 128, To Candidus, presbyter and archimandrite (449/450). Allusion: Exod 17:11–12. Words are lost after 'so that' (probably 'Amalek may be routed'); marked '…'. 'Pagans and Jews and every heresy are at peace' is Theodoret's complaint, translated as written. Lines of Migne's Latin column are removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column): εἰρηνευούσης Α (γυδηιθυ5, 5014 δυίθη ἘςΟΙ βία ἐδ ρεδίδιθῃ) αἱρέσεως → εἰρηνευούσης αἱρέσεως.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 128 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/128). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/128
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 129
129PG 83
Τοὺς μὲν νύκτωρ πλέοντας οἱ τῶν λιμένων Ψψυχδυνεύοντας πίστεως, τῶν ἁμοπίστων ὁ ζῆλος. ᾿Ικανὴν τοίνυν ἔχομεν παραψυχὴν τῆς ὑμετέρας φιλοθεῖας τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν θείων δογμάτων ἀγῶνας ἀκούοντες. Καὶ γὰρ ταύτην ὑμῖν τὴν γνώμην ὁ Μεγαλόδωρος ἐδωρήσατο, καὶ τῆς τούτων ἕνεκα φυλακὴς πάντα πόνον εἰσφέρετε. Ἐγὼ δὲ διὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας ψυχτῶν ἀγώνων ὑμᾶς τῶν θείων ἔχεσθαι παρακαλῶν, καὶ τῶν ἀντιπάλων ὡς εὐαλώτων κχαταφρονεῖν (τί γὰρ ἀσθενέστερον τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐστερημένων), πεποιθέναι δὲ τῷ εἰπόντι ε« Οὐ μὴ σε ἀνῶ, οὐδὲ μὴ σε ἐγχαταλίπω" » καί" ε« Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἶμι πάσα; τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος. » Ἐπαμύνατε δὲ κἁμοὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς, ἵνα θαῤῥῶν ἐπιλέγω’ « Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθὸς, καὶ οὐ φοδηθήασομαι, τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος. »
Tous men nyktōr pleontas hoi tōn limenōn Pspsychdyneuontas pisteōs, tōn hamopistōn ho zēlos. ᾿Ikanēn toinyn echomen parapsychēn tēs hymeteras philotheias tous hyper tōn theiōn dogmatōn agōnas akouontes. Kai gar tautēn hymin tēn gnōmēn ho Megalodōros edōrēsato, kai tēs toutōn heneka phylakēs panta ponon eispherete. Egō de dia tēs hymeteras psychtōn agōnōn hymas tōn theiōn echesthai parakalōn, kai tōn antipalōn hōs eualōtōn kchataphronein (ti gar asthenesteron tōn tēs alētheias esterēmenōn), pepoithenai de tǭ eiponti e« Ou mē se anō, oude mē se enchatalipō" » kai" e« Idou egō meth᾽ hymōn eimi pasa? tas hēmeras heōs tēs synteleias tou aiōnos. » Epamynate de kamoi tais proseuchais, hina tharrhōn epilegō’ « Kyrios emoi boēthos, kai ou phodēthēasomai, ti poiēsei moi anthrōpos. »
Those who sail by night … the harbors … those in danger … of the faith, the zeal of those of the same faith. We have, then, comfort enough in hearing of the contests of your God-loving self for the divine doctrines. For the Bountiful One has given you this resolve, and you bring every toil to guarding them. I, through your … of the contests, urge you to hold fast to the divine doctrines and to despise the opponents as easy to overcome (for what is weaker than those deprived of the truth?), and to trust in him who said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you', and, 'Behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age.' Help me too with your prayers, so that I may say with confidence: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what will man do to me?'
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Heb 13:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 28:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 13:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 118:6 (117:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret encourages the presbyter and archimandrite Magnus Antoninus in his contests for the faith and asks his prayers.
- Migne Letter 129, To Magnus Antoninus, presbyter and archimandrite (449/450). The scan's heading matches Migne's Letter 129; the brief's warning that this passage carries the heading of Letter 139 does not apply to the staged text checked here.
- Lines are lost in the scan in the first sentence (a comparison: as harbor lights guide those who sail by night, so the zeal of fellow believers encourages those in danger for the faith) and after 'through your'; marked '…'.
- Quotations: Heb 13:5 (Deut 31:6; Josh 1:5); Matt 28:20; Heb 13:6 (Ps 118:6, 117:6 LXX).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 129 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/129). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/129
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 130
130PG 83
Οὐ μάτην ἄρα τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κυδερνήτης συγχωρεῖ τοῖς πνεύμασι τοῖς ἐναντίοις διεγεῖραι τῆς ἀσεδείας τὰ κύματα'" ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τῶν πλεόντων βασανίσῃ τὰς Ὑνώμας, καὶ τῶν μὲν τὴν ἀνδρίαν γυμνώσῃ, τῶν δὲ «ἣν δειλίαν ἐλέγξῃ καὶ τοὺς μὲν τῆς εὐσεδείας ἕξωθεν περικειμένους μορφὴν γυμνοὺς δείξῃ τῶν προῦωὠπείων, τοὺς δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀναχηρύξῃ χους. Τοῦτο καὶ νῦν γεγενημένον ἐθεασάμεθα. Τοῦ κεκρυμμένην ἀσέδειαν, οἱ δὲ προῦδυσαν ἣν εἶχον ἀλέθειαν, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἐγένοντο φάλαγγος, καὶ μετὰ ἐχείνων βάλλουσιν οὗς ἀριστέας ὠνόμαζον. Οἱ δὲ ταῦτα ὁρῶντες, τοὺς μὲν πολεμίους μισοῦσι, τοὺς δὲ αὐτομόλους θρηνοῦσι, τοῖς δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀποδοῦσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ βιαιότερον αὐτοῖς οἱ προδεδωχότες ἐπίθοιντο, τάχα δὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ τῶν τοξευόντων γενήσονται, γκαὶ τῶν ὁμοπίστων οὐ φείδονται, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τούτων τοὺς χαλάμους μετὰ τῶν ὑπὸ σφῶν κατηγορουμένων ὠθήσουσι" καὶ ταῦτα παρὰ τῆς θείας δεδιδαγμένοι Γραφῆς, ὡς τὸ μὲν ἀδικῆσαι τὸν πέλας τιμωρίας ὑπεύθυνον, τὸ δέ γε ἀδιχηθῆναι τῶν μεσὴς θεοσεδείας, καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ζῆλον, καὶ τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς εὔνοιαν οὗτος ὁ κλύδων ἐπέδειξεν, Καὶ γὰρ δὶς ἡμῖν ἐπέστειλας, τῶν δεδιττομένων χακαφρονήσας, καὶ τὴν ἀδελοιχὴν φιλοστοργίαν διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων ἐδήλωσας, καὶ οὖ; ἔχεις ἀγῶνας ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων ἐμήνυσας. Γράψαι γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐπέστειλας ἅπερ χρὴ περὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους καὶ φρονεῖν καὶ κηρύττειν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν αἴτησιν ἀσπαστῶς ἐδεξάμην, καὶ ἃ παρὰ τῆς θείας ἐδιδάχθην Γραφῆς, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ταύτην ἑρμηνευχότων Πατέρων, προθύμως ἐρῶ, οὐκ ἵνα διδάξω, ἀλλ' ἵνα τὴν τῷ Θεῷ φίλην ὑπομνήσω κεφαλήν. Ἴσθι τοίνυν, θεοφιλέστατε, ὡς χρὴ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων εἰδέναι τὴν τῶν ὀνομάτων διαφορὰν, καὶ πρὸς τούτῳ τῆς θείας ἐνανθρωπήσεως τὴν αἰτίαν. Τούτων γὰρ εὐχρινῶν γενομένων, οὐδεμία περὶ τοῦ πάθους ἀμφιδολία καταλειφθήσεται. Οὐκοῦν τοὺς ἀντιλέγειν πειρωμένους ἐρωτήσομεν πρότερον, τῖνα μὲν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως πρεσθύτερα τῶν ὀνομάτων τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τίνα δὲ αὖ νεώτερα, μᾶλλον δὲ τῷ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἔργῳ συνεζευγμένα. Ἐροῦσι δὲ πάντως, ὡς τὸ Θεὸς Λόγος, καὶ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς, καὶ Παντοχράτωρ, καὶ Κύριος τῆς κτίσεως ἁπάσης, ἐστὶ πρεσθύτερα" τὸ δὲ ᾿]Ιησοῦς Χριστὸς, τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως ἴδια. Ἐνανθρωπήσας γὰρ ὃ θεὰς Λόγος, ὃ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὠνομάσθη" «ε Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶ, τίκτεται ὑμῖν σήμεβὸν Χριστὸς Κύριος. ν Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ χριστοὶ καὶ ἄλλοι προστ,γορεύθησαν, καὶ ἱερεῖς, καὶ βασιλεῖς, καὶ προ φῆται, ἵνα μή τις αὐτὸν ὑπολάδοι ἐκείνοις προσὅμοιον, συνέζευξαν οἱ ἄγγελοι τὸ Κύριος ὄνομα τῷ. Χριστῷ, τὸ Δεσποτικὸν ἀξίωμα τοῦ τιχτομένου δει χνύντες. Καὶ τῇ πανενφήμῳ δὲ Παρθένῳ πάλιν ὁ Γαδριήλ᾽ ε Ἰδοὺ σὺ ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξεις, καὶ τέξῃ υἱὰν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν, δνι αὑτὸς σώει σες τὸν λαὸν αὑτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. αὑτῶν. » Πρὸ δέ γε τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως, οὗτε Χριστὸς, οὔτε Ὧασοὺς ὠνομάζετο. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ θεῖοι προφῆται τὰ ἐσόμενα προθεσπίζοντες ἐχρήσαντο ταῖς φωναῖς, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς γεννήσεως, καὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ, καὶ ποὔ πάθους προηγόρενσαν, μηδέπω τῶν πραγμάτων τεγενημένων. Καλεῖται δὲ ὅμως καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν καὶ Θεὸς Λόγος, καὶ Κύριος, καὶ Παντοχράτωρ, καὶ μονηγενὴς Υἱὸς, καὶ Ποιητὴς, καὶ Δημιουργός. Οὐ γὰρ τραπεὶς γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλὰ μένων ὅπερ ἣν ἔλαδεν ὅπερ. ἐσμέν. « Ἐν μορφῇ γὰρ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον, ἔλαδε. τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφήν. » Τούτον δὴ χάριν, καὶ μετὰ. τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν, καὶ ταῖς πρὸ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως ἀναλλοίωτον ἔχει … τὴν φύσιν καὶ ἄτρεπτον. Τὸ μέντοι πάθος ἡ θεία διηγουμένη. Γραφὴ, οὐδαμοῦ τὸ Θεός τέθεικεν ὄνομα, ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἁπλῆς ἐστι φύσεως ὄνομα. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούσας᾽ ε« Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ἃ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ἣν ὁ Λόγα;, » καὶ ὅσα τούτοῖς προσόμοια, τὴν σάρκα φαίη ἂν πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ὑπάρχειν, ἣ ὁμοουσίαν εἶναι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, ἣ δημιουργὸν γεγονέναι τῆς κτίσεως" ἀλλ᾽ αἷδεν ὅτι ταῦτα τῆς θεάτητος ἴδια, Οὔτε μὴν τοῦ Ματθαίου τις ᾿γενεαλογοῦντος ἀκούσας, “ὃν Δαδὶδ καὶ τὸν ᾿Αὐραὰμ κατὰ φύσιν ἂν ὑπολάδοι τοῦ Θεοῦ προγόνους᾽ ἡ γὰρ προσληφθεῖσα φύσις ἐξ ἐχείνων χατδ᾽ … Ὥσπερ τοίνυν εὐχρινῆ ταῦτα καὶ ἀναμφῆεχτά Α καὶ τοῖς ἄγαν αἱρετικοῖς, καὶ ἴσμεν τὴν μὲν προαιύνίον, τὴν δὲ πρόσφατον φύσιν" οὕτως εἰδέναι χρὴ τό τε τῆς σαρκὸς παθητὸν, καὶ τὸ τῆς θεότητος ἀπαθὲς, οὐ διαιροῦντας τὴν ἕνωσιν, οὐδὲ εἰς δύο μερίζοντας πρόσωπα τὸν Μονογενῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ θεωροῦντας Υἱῷ τὰ τῶν φύσεων ἴδια. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος, τῶν ὁμοχρόνων φύσεων καὶ φυσικῶς ἧνωμένων, τοῦτο ποιεῖν εἰώθαμεν, καὶ τὴν μὲν Ψυχὴν ναλοῦμεν ἀπλῆν, καὶ λογικὴν, καὶ ἀθάνατον, τὸ δὲ κῶμα ούνθετον ὀνομάζομεν, καὶ παθητὸν, καὶ θνηφὸν, καὶ τὴν ἕνωσιν οὐ διαιροῦμεν, οὐδὲ διχῇ ἕνα τέμνομεν ἄνθρωπον’ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τῆς πρὸ αἰώνων ἂκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθείσης θεότητος, καὶ τῆς ληφθείσης: ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ Δαδὶδ ἀνθρωπότητος τοῦτο προσήκει ποιεῖν, καὶ σαφῶς εἰδέναι τῆς μὲν τὸ αἰώνιον καὶ ἀΐδιον, ἀπλοῦν τε καὶ ἀπερίγραφον, ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀναλλοίωτον, τῆς δὲ τὸ πρόσφατόν τε καὶ σύνθετον, καὶ περιγεγραμμένον, καὶ ῥευστὸὺν, καὶ θνητόν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὴν σάρκα νῦν ἀθάνατον ἴεμεν, καὶ ἄφθαρτυν, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν πρὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως κοὶ θανάτου καὶ κάθους ἣν δεκτική΄ πῶς γὰρ ἄλλως προσηλώθη τῷ ξύλῳ, καὶ παρεξδόθῃ τῷ τάφῳ; Εἰδότὰς δὲ ὅμως τῶν φύσεων τὸ διάφορον, τὸν ἕνα χρὴ πρησκυνεῖν Υἱὸν, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν εἰδέναι Υἱὸν Θεοῦ καὶ Υἱὸν ἀνθρώπον, μορφὴν Θεοῦ καὶ μορφὴν δούλον, υἱὸν Δαδὶδ καὶ Κύριον τοῦ Δαδὶδ, σπέρμα ᾿λδραὰμ καὶ ποιητὴν ᾿Αδραάμ. Ἡ γὰρ ἕνωσις κοινὰ ποιεῖ τχὀνόματα, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ συγχεῖ ταύτας τὸ τῶν ὀνομάτων χσινόν. Δῆλον γὰρ τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσιν, ὅτι τὰ μὲν ὡς Θεῷ, τὰ δὲ ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ προσήκει. Οὕτω καὶ τὸ καθητὸν καὶ τὸ ἀπαθὲς ἁρμόττει τῷ Δεσπότῃ Χριστῷ. Πέπονθε μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπειον, ἀπαθὴ:; δὲ μεμένηκεν ὡς Θεός. Εἰ ὃὲ κατὰ τὸν τῶν δυσσεδῶν λόγον κατὰ τὴν θεότητα πέπονθε, περιττὴ δήπουθεν τῆς σαρκὸς ἡ ἀνάληψις. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχρῃζε τῆς παθητῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ᾿τῆς θείας φύσεως δέξασθαι δυναμένης τὸ πάθος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸν αὐτῶν λόγον ἀκαθὴς ἡ θεότης, καὶ ἀληϑὲς τὸ πάθος, μὴ ἀρνείσθωσαν τὸ πεκονθὸς, ἵνα μὴ ἀρνηθῶσι καὶ τὴν τοῦ πάθους ἀλήθειαν ψευδὲς γὰρ τὸ πάθος οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ πάσχοντος. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἡ θεία Γραφὴ προφανῶς τοῦ σώματος κηρύττει τὸ πάθος, ῥάδιον τῷ βουλομένῳ τῶν ἱερῶν Εὐαγγελάυν ἀναπτύξαι τὴν τετρακτὺν, καὶ μαθεῖν ἐκεῖθεν, ὅπως Ἰωσὴφ ὁ ἀπὸ ᾿Αριμαθίας προσῆλθε τῷ Πιλάτῳ, καὶ ἤτησε τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ" καὶ ὡς ὁ Πιλάτος προσέταξε δοθῆναι τὸ σῶμα ᾿ ποῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ὡς ὁ ᾿Ιωσὴφ καθεῖλεν ἀπὸ ξύλον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ὡς ἐνεέλῃσε τῇ σινδόνι τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ὡς τοῦτο κατέθηκεν ἐν τῷ καινῷ μνημείῳ. Ταῦτα οἱ τέσσαρες εὐαγγελισταὶ συνέγρα- Ψψαν, πολλάκις τοῦ σώματος μνημονεύσαντες. Εἰ δὲ τὰ παρὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου πρὸς τὰς περὶ Μαρίαν εἰρημένα προφέρουσι" ε« Δεῦτε ὅπου ἔκειτο ὁ Κύριος, » ἀκουσάτωσαν τῆς τῶν ΙΙράξεων ἱστορίας λεγούσης, ὅτι « Συνεχκόμισαν τὸν Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαδεῖς, » καὶ σκοπείτωσαν, ὡς οὐ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ νικηφόρου Στεφάνου, ἀλλὸ τὸ σῶμα τῶν νομιζομένων ἠξίωσαν. Καὶ μέχρι δὲ τοῦ παρόντος, ἐν τοῖς τῶν χαλλινίχων μαρτύρων εἰσιόντες σηχοῖς, ἐρωτᾷν εἰώθαμεν τίς ὁ ἐν τῇ θήχῃ καλεῖται" οἱ δὲ τ᾽ ἀληθὲς εἰδότες ἀποκρίνονται, ἣ Ἰουλιανὸν τυχὸν τὸν μάρτυρα, ἣ Ῥωμανὸν, ἣ Τιμόθεον" καίτοι πολλάκις οὐδὲ τελείων τῶν σωμάτων κειμένων, ἀλλὰ σμιχροτάτων λειψάνων" ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως τῷ κοινῷ ὀνόματι καὶ τὸ σῶμα προσαγορεύομεν. Οὕτως ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ σῶμα Κύριον προσηγόρευσεν, ἐπειδὴ σῶμα ἣν τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Κυρίου. Καὶ αὐτὸς ὃΣ ὁ Κύριος, οὐ τὴν ἀόρατον φύσιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ σῶμα δώσειν ὑπέσχετο ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆῇς " « Ὁ γὰρ ἄρτος, φησὶν, ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω, ἣ σάρξ μου ἐστὶν, ἣν ἐγὼ δώσω ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμον ζωῆς. » ἀν τῇ τῶν θείων μνστηρίων παραδόσει λαδὼν τὸ σύμθολον ἔφη’ ε Τοῦτό ἑατι τὸ σῶμά μον, τοῦδ πὲρ ὑμῶν διδόμενον, » ἣ χλώμενον, κατὰ τὸ ᾿Απόστολον. Καὶ οὐδαμοῦ περὶ πάθους διαλεχθεὶς, τῆς ἀπαθοῦς ἐμνήσθη θεότητος. Χρὴ ὃὲ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων τοὺς ἀντιλέγειν ἐπιχειροῦντας ἐρωτᾶσθαι, εἰ συνομολογοῦσι τελείαν. ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου προσειλῆφθαι τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν, καὶ εἰ τὴν ἕνωσιν ἀσύγχυτον γεγενῆσθαί φασιν. Εἰ γὰρ ταῦτα συνομολογηθείη, καὶ τἄλλα κατὰ τάξιν προδήσεται, καὶ τὸ πάθος τῇ παθητῇ προσαρμοσθήσεται φύσει. Ταῦτα ἐν κεφαλαίῳ νῦν ὑπηγόρευσα, καὶ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ὑπερέδην τὸ μέτρον. ἐστειλα δὲ καὶ ἣν πρώην ἔγραψα, προτραπεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου καὶ ἁγιωτάτου ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ χυρίον..... σύντομον διδασκαλίαν, ἱκανὴν οὖσαν καὶ αὐτὴν διδάξαι τὴν τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων ἀλήθειαν. Εἰ δὲ εὕροιμι χαλλιγράφον, πέμψω σου τῇ ὁσιότητι καὶ ἃ διαλογιχῶς συνέγραψα, τουτἐστι κατὰ ἔρώτησιν καὶ ἀπόκρισιν, καὶ τὸν λόγον εὐρύνας, καὶ ὀχυρώσας τὰ ἡμέτερα ταῖς τῶν Πατέρων διδασκαλίαις. ᾿Απέστειλα δὲ νῦν καὶ ὀλίγας τῶν ἀρκαίων διδασκάλων χρήσεις, ἱκανὰς οὔσας δεῖξαι τὸν τῆς ἐχείνων διδασκαλίας σκοπόν. ᾿Αντιδοῦναι τοίνυν ἡμῖν, θεοφιλέστατε, καταξίωσον τὴν ἐπικουρίαν τῶν προσευχῶν, ἵνα τὸν χαλεπὸν διαπεράσωμεν κλύδωνα, καὶ τῶν εὐστόμων τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπιτύχωμεν λιμένων.
Ou matēn ara tōn holōn ho Kydernētēs synchōrei tois pneumasi tois enantiois diegeirai tēs asedeias ta kymata'" all᾽ hina tōn pleontōn basanisę̄ tas Hynōmas, kai tōn men tēn andrian gymnōsę̄, tōn de «hēn deilian elenxę̄ kai tous men tēs eusedeias hexōthen perikeimenous morphēn gymnous deixę̄ tōn prouōōpeiōn, tous de tēs alētheias anachēryxę̄ chous. Touto kai nyn gegenēmenon etheasametha. Tou kekrymmenēn asedeian, hoi de proudysan hēn eichon aletheian, kai tēs tōn antipalōn egenonto phalangos, kai meta echeinōn ballousin hous aristeas ōnomazon. Hoi de tauta horōntes, tous men polemious misousi, tous de automolous thrēnousi, tois de hyper tōn apodousin. Ei de kai biaioteron autois hoi prodedōchotes epithointo, tacha dē kai autoi tōn toxeuontōn genēsontai, nkai tōn homopistōn ou pheidontai, alla kata toutōn tous chalamous meta tōn hypo sphōn katēgoroumenōn ōthēsousi" kai tauta para tēs theias dedidagmenoi Graphēs, hōs to men adikēsai ton pelas timōrias hypeuthynon, to de ge adichēthēnai tōn mesēs theosedeias, kai ton hyper tēs pisteōs zēlon, kai tēn peri hēmas eunoian houtos ho klydōn epedeixen, Kai gar dis hēmin epesteilas, tōn dedittomenōn chakaphronēsas, kai tēn adeloichēn philostorgian dia tōn grammatōn edēlōsas, kai ou? echeis agōnas hyper tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn emēnysas. Grapsai gar hēmas epesteilas haper chrē peri tou sōtēriou pathous kai phronein kai kēryttein. Egō de tēn aitēsin aspastōs edexamēn, kai ha para tēs theias edidachthēn Graphēs, kai para tōn tautēn hermēneuchotōn Paterōn, prothymōs erō, ouk hina didaxō, all' hina tēn tǭ Theǭ philēn hypomnēsō kephalēn. Isthi toinyn, theophilestate, hōs chrē pro tōn allōn hapantōn eidenai tēn tōn onomatōn diaphoran, kai pros toutǭ tēs theias enanthrōpēseōs tēn aitian. Toutōn gar euchrinōn genomenōn, oudemia peri tou pathous amphidolia kataleiphthēsetai. Oukoun tous antilegein peirōmenous erōtēsomen proteron, tina men tēs enanthrōpēseōs presthytera tōn onomatōn tou monogenous Huiou tou Theou, tina de au neōtera, mallon de tǭ tēs oikonomias ergǭ synezeugmena. Erousi de pantōs, hōs to Theos Logos, kai monogenēs Huios, kai Pantochratōr, kai Kyrios tēs ktiseōs hapasēs, esti presthytera" to de ᾿]Iēsous Christos, tēs enanthrōpēseōs idia. Enanthrōpēsas gar ho theas Logos, ho monogenēs Huios tou Theou, Iēsous Christos ōnomasthē" «e Idou gar, phēsi, tiktetai hymin sēmebon Christos Kyrios. n Epeidē gar christoi kai alloi prost,goreuthēsan, kai hiereis, kai basileis, kai pro phētai, hina mē tis auton hypoladoi ekeinois prosomoion, synezeuxan hoi angeloi to Kyrios onoma tǭ. Christǭ, to Despotikon axiōma tou tichtomenou dei chnyntes. Kai tę̄ panenphēmǭ de Parthenǭ palin ho Gadriēl᾽ e Idou sy en gastri hexeis, kai texę̄ huian, kai kaleseis to onoma autou Iēsoun, dni hautos sōei ses ton laon hautou apo tōn hamartiōn. hautōn. » Pro de ge tēs enanthrōpēseōs, houte Christos, oute Hōasous ōnomazeto. Kai gar hoi theioi prophētai ta esomena prothespizontes echrēsanto tais phōnais, hōsper kai ta peri tēs gennēseōs, kai tou staurou, kai pou pathous proēgorensan, mēdepō tōn pragmatōn tegenēmenōn. Kaleitai de homōs kai meta tēn enanthrōpēsin kai Theos Logos, kai Kyrios, kai Pantochratōr, kai monēgenēs Huios, kai Poiētēs, kai Dēmiourgos. Ou gar trapeis gegonen anthrōpos, alla menōn hoper hēn eladen hoper. esmen. « En morphę̄ gar Theou hyparchōn, kata ton theion ᾿Apostolon, elade. tēn tou doulou morphēn. » Touton dē charin, kai meta. tēn enanthrōpēsin, kai tais pro tēs enanthrōpēseōs analloiōton echei … tēn physin kai atrepton. To mentoi pathos hē theia diēgoumenē. Graphē, oudamou to Theos tetheiken onoma, epeidē tēs haplēs esti physeōs onoma. Oudeis gar akousas᾽ e« En archę̄ ēn ho Logos, kai ha Logos ēn pros ton theon, kai Theos hēn ho Loga?, » kai hosa toutois prosomoia, tēn sarka phaiē an pro tōn aiōnōn hyparchein, hē homoousian einai tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ, hē dēmiourgon gegonenai tēs ktiseōs" all᾽ haiden hoti tauta tēs theatētos idia, Oute mēn tou Matthaiou tis ᾿genealogountos akousas, “hon Dadid kai ton ᾿Auraam kata physin an hypoladoi tou Theou progonous᾽ hē gar proslēphtheisa physis ex echeinōn chatd᾽ … Hōsper toinyn euchrinē tauta kai anamphēechta A kai tois agan hairetikois, kai ismen tēn men proaiynion, tēn de prosphaton physin" houtōs eidenai chrē to te tēs sarkos pathēton, kai to tēs theotētos apathes, ou diairountas tēn henōsin, oude eis dyo merizontas prosōpa ton Monogenę̄, all᾽ en tǭ heni theōrountas Huiǭ ta tōn physeōn idia. Ei gar epi psychēs kai sōmatos, tōn homochronōn physeōn kai physikōs hēnōmenōn, touto poiein eiōthamen, kai tēn men Psychēn naloumen aplēn, kai logikēn, kai athanaton, to de kōma ountheton onomazomen, kai pathēton, kai thnēphon, kai tēn henōsin ou diairoumen, oude dichę̄ hena temnomen anthrōpon’ pollǭ mallon epi tēs pro aiōnōn ak tou Patros gennētheisēs theotētos, kai tēs lēphtheisēs: ek spermatos tou Dadid anthrōpotētos touto prosēkei poiein, kai saphōs eidenai tēs men to aiōnion kai aïdion, aploun te kai aperigraphon, athanaton kai analloiōton, tēs de to prosphaton te kai syntheton, kai perigegrammenon, kai rheustoun, kai thnēton. Ei gar kai tēn sarka nyn athanaton iemen, kai aphthartyn, all᾽ oun pro tēs anastaseōs koi thanatou kai kathous hēn dektikē΄ pōs gar allōs prosēlōthē tǭ xylǭ, kai parexdothę̄ tǭ taphǭ? Eidotas de homōs tōn physeōn to diaphoron, ton hena chrē prēskynein Huion, kai ton auton eidenai Huion Theou kai Huion anthrōpon, morphēn Theou kai morphēn doulon, huion Dadid kai Kyrion tou Dadid, sperma ᾿ldraam kai poiētēn ᾿Adraam. Hē gar henōsis koina poiei tchonomata, all᾽ ou synchei tautas to tōn onomatōn chsinon. Dēlon gar tois eu phronousin, hoti ta men hōs Theǭ, ta de hōs anthrōpǭ prosēkei. Houtō kai to kathēton kai to apathes harmottei tǭ Despotę̄ Christǭ. Peponthe men gar kata to anthrōpeion, apathē:? de memenēken hōs Theos. Ei hoe kata ton tōn dyssedōn logon kata tēn theotēta peponthe, perittē dēpouthen tēs sarkos hē analēpsis. Ou gar echrę̄ze tēs pathētēs anthrōpotētos, ᾿tēs theias physeōs dexasthai dynamenēs to pathos. Ei de kai kata ton autōn logon akathēs hē theotēs, kai alēϑes to pathos, mē arneisthōsan to pekonthos, hina mē arnēthōsi kai tēn tou pathous alētheian pseudes gar to pathos ouk ontos tou paschontos. Hoti de kai hē theia Graphē prophanōs tou sōmatos kēryttei to pathos, rhadion tǭ boulomenǭ tōn hierōn Euangelaun anaptyxai tēn tetraktyn, kai mathein ekeithen, hopōs Iōsēph ho apo ᾿Arimathias prosēlthe tǭ Pilatǭ, kai ētēse to sōma tou Iēsou" kai hōs ho Pilatos prosetaxe dothēnai to sōma ᾿ pou Iēsou, kai hōs ho ᾿Iōsēph katheilen apo xylon to sōma tou Iēsou, kai hōs eneelę̄se tę̄ sindoni to sōma tou Iēsou, kai hōs touto katethēken en tǭ kainǭ mnēmeiǭ. Tauta hoi tessares euangelistai synegra- Pspsan, pollakis tou sōmatos mnēmoneusantes. Ei de ta para tou angelou pros tas peri Marian eirēmena propherousi" e« Deute hopou ekeito ho Kyrios, » akousatōsan tēs tōn IIraxeōn historias legousēs, hoti « Synechkomisan ton Stephanon andres euladeis, » kai skopeitōsan, hōs ou tēn psychēn tou nikēphorou Stephanou, allo to sōma tōn nomizomenōn ēxiōsan. Kai mechri de tou parontos, en tois tōn challinichōn martyrōn eisiontes sēchois, erōtąn eiōthamen tis ho en tę̄ thēchę̄ kaleitai" hoi de t᾽ alēthes eidotes apokrinontai, hē Ioulianon tychon ton martyra, hē Rhōmanon, hē Timotheon" kaitoi pollakis oude teleiōn tōn sōmatōn keimenōn, alla smichrotatōn leipsanōn" all᾽ homōs tǭ koinǭ onomati kai to sōma prosagoreuomen. Houtōs ho angelos tou Kyriou to sōma Kyrion prosēgoreusen, epeidē sōma hēn tou tōn holōn Kyriou. Kai autos hoS ho Kyrios, ou tēn aoraton physin, alla to sōma dōsein hypescheto hyper tēs tou kosmou zōēę̄s " « Ho gar artos, phēsin, hon egō dōsō, hē sarx mou estin, hēn egō dōsō hyper tēs tou kosmon zōēs. » an tę̄ tōn theiōn mnstēriōn paradosei ladōn to symtholon ephē’ e Touto heati to sōma mon, toud per hymōn didomenon, » hē chlōmenon, kata to ᾿Apostolon. Kai oudamou peri pathous dialechtheis, tēs apathous emnēsthē theotētos. Chrē hoe pro tōn allōn hapantōn tous antilegein epicheirountas erōtasthai, ei synomologousi teleian. hypo tou Theou Logou proseilēphthai tēn anthrōpeian physin, kai ei tēn henōsin asynchyton gegenēsthai phasin. Ei gar tauta synomologētheiē, kai talla kata taxin prodēsetai, kai to pathos tę̄ pathētę̄ prosarmosthēsetai physei. Tauta en kephalaiǭ nyn hypēgoreusa, kai tēs epistolēs hyperedēn to metron. esteila de kai hēn prōēn egrapsa, protrapeis hypo tou theophilestatou kai hagiōtatou anthrōpou tou Theou tou chyrion..... syntomon didaskalian, hikanēn ousan kai autēn didaxai tēn tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn alētheian. Ei de heuroimi challigraphon, pempsō sou tę̄ hosiotēti kai ha dialogichōs synegrapsa, toutesti kata erōtēsin kai apokrisin, kai ton logon eurynas, kai ochyrōsas ta hēmetera tais tōn Paterōn didaskaliais. ᾿Apesteila de nyn kai oligas tōn arkaiōn didaskalōn chrēseis, hikanas ousas deixai ton tēs echeinōn didaskalias skopon. ᾿Antidounai toinyn hēmin, theophilestate, kataxiōson tēn epikourian tōn proseuchōn, hina ton chalepon diaperasōmen klydōna, kai tōn eustomōn tou Sōtēros epitychōmen limenōn.
To Timotheus, bishop.
It is not for nothing, then, that the Pilot of the universe permits the contrary winds to raise the waves of impiety: he does it to test the resolve of those who sail, to lay bare the courage of some and to expose the cowardice of others, to show stripped of their masks those who wore the outward form of piety, and to proclaim others as champions of the truth. This we have now seen happen. For … some revealed their hidden impiety, while others betrayed the truth they held, joined the phalanx of the adversaries, and with them shoot at those whom they used to call champions. Those who see this hate the enemies and lament the deserters, and to those who … for … give … If the betrayers attack them more violently, perhaps they too will join the archers; they do not spare even those of the same faith, but will shoot their arrows at them together with those they accuse; and this although they have been taught by the divine Scripture that to wrong one's neighbour makes one liable to punishment, while to be wronged … of godliness. And this storm has shown your zeal for the faith and your goodwill toward us. For you wrote to us twice, despising those who try to frighten, and showed your brotherly affection by your letters, and told us of the contests you are waging for the apostolic doctrines. You asked us to write what one must think and preach about the saving passion. I received the request gladly, and what I have been taught by the divine Scripture and by the Fathers who have interpreted it I will readily say, not in order to teach but to remind your God-beloved head.
Know, then, most God-beloved, that before everything else one must know the difference between the names, and besides this the cause of the divine incarnation. When these are made clear, no doubt about the passion will be left. Let us first ask those who try to contradict which names of the only-begotten Son of God are older than the incarnation, and which are newer, or rather joined to the work of the dispensation. They will certainly say that 'God the Word', 'only-begotten Son', 'Almighty', and 'Lord of all creation' are older, while 'Jesus Christ' belongs to the incarnation. For when God the Word, the only-begotten Son of God, became man, he was named Jesus Christ: 'For behold,' it says, 'there is born to you today Christ the Lord.' Since others too had been called christs, priests and kings and prophets, the angels joined the name 'Lord' to 'Christ', so that no one should suppose him like them, showing the lordly dignity of the one being born. And again Gabriel says to the all-praised Virgin: 'Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.' Before the incarnation he was named neither Christ nor Jesus. The divine prophets, foretelling what was to come, did use these words, just as they also foretold what concerned the birth, the cross, and the passion, when the events had not yet taken place. Yet even after the incarnation he is called God the Word, and Lord, and Almighty, and only-begotten Son, and Maker, and Creator. For he did not become man by being changed; remaining what he was, he took what we are. 'For being in the form of God,' according to the divine Apostle, 'he took the form of a servant.' For this reason, even after the incarnation, he is also … by the names from before the incarnation, … he keeps his nature unaltered and unchangeable.
But the divine Scripture, in narrating the passion, nowhere used the name 'God', since it is the name of the simple nature. No one who hears 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God', and texts like these, would say that the flesh existed before the ages, or is of one substance with the God of the universe, or became the creator of creation; he knows that these things are proper to the Godhead. Nor would anyone who hears Matthew giving the genealogy suppose that David and Abraham are by nature ancestors of God; for the nature that was assumed came from them according to … As these things, then, are clear and beyond dispute even to the worst heretics, and we know the one nature as before the ages and the other as recent, so one must know both that the flesh is passible and that the Godhead is impassible, not dividing the union nor parting the Only-begotten into two persons, but beholding in the one Son what is proper to the natures. For if in the case of soul and body, natures that came into being together and are united by nature, we are accustomed to do this, calling the soul simple, rational, and immortal, and naming the body composite, passible, and mortal, and yet we do not divide the union nor cut the one man in two, much more is it fitting to do this in the case of the Godhead begotten of the Father before the ages and the manhood taken from the seed of David: to know clearly that to the one belongs what is eternal and everlasting, simple and uncircumscribed, immortal and unchangeable, and to the other what is recent and composite, circumscribed, transient, and mortal. For even if we know the flesh to be now immortal and incorruptible, yet before the resurrection it was capable of death and suffering; how else was it nailed to the wood and committed to the tomb? Knowing, however, the difference of the natures, we must worship the one Son, and know the same as Son of God and Son of Man, form of God and form of a servant, son of David and Lord of David, seed of Abraham and maker of Abraham. For the union makes the names common, but the commonness of the names does not confuse the natures. It is plain to the right-minded that some things befit him as God and others as man. So both the passible and the impassible fit the Lord Christ: he suffered in his humanity, and remained impassible as God. If, as the impious say, he suffered in the Godhead, the taking of the flesh was surely superfluous; he had no need of a passible humanity if the divine nature could receive the passion. And if, even on their own account, the Godhead is impassible and the passion is true, let them not deny what suffered, lest they deny also the truth of the passion; for the passion is false if there is nothing that suffered.
That the divine Scripture plainly proclaims the passion of the body anyone who wishes can easily learn by opening the fourfold collection of the holy Gospels, and learning from it how Joseph of Arimathea came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; and how Pilate ordered the body of Jesus to be given; and how Joseph took down the body of Jesus from the wood, and wrapped the body of Jesus in the linen cloth, and laid it in the new tomb. This the four evangelists wrote, mentioning the body many times. If they bring forward what the angel said to the women with Mary, 'Come, see where the Lord lay', let them hear the history of the Acts saying that 'devout men buried Stephen', and observe that it was not the soul of the victorious Stephen but his body that they thought worthy of burial. And to this day, when we enter the shrines of the triumphant martyrs, we usually ask who is the one called in the coffin; and those who know the truth answer: Julian the martyr, perhaps, or Romanus, or Timothy; and yet often not even whole bodies lie there, but the smallest relics. Still, we call the body by the common name. So the angel of the Lord called the body 'Lord', since it was the body of the Lord of the universe. And the Lord himself promised to give not the invisible nature but the body for the life of the world: 'For the bread,' he says, 'which I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.' And in the handing on of the divine mysteries, taking the symbol, he said: 'This is my body, which is given for you', or 'broken', according to the Apostle. And nowhere, when he spoke of the passion, did he mention the impassible Godhead.
Before everything else those who try to contradict should be asked whether they agree that the human nature assumed by God the Word was complete, and whether they say that the union took place without confusion. If this is agreed, the rest will follow in order, and the passion will be fitted to the passible nature. This I have now dictated in summary, and I have gone beyond the measure of a letter. I have also sent what I wrote some time ago at the urging of the most God-beloved and most holy man of God, the lord …, a concise teaching, itself sufficient to teach the truth of the apostolic doctrines. If I find a good copyist, I will also send your holiness what I wrote in the form of a dialogue, that is, by question and answer, enlarging the argument and strengthening our case with the teachings of the Fathers. I have also now sent a few passages from the ancient teachers, enough to show the aim of their teaching. Deign, then, most God-beloved, to give us in return the help of your prayers, that we may cross the harsh storm and reach the safe harbours of the Saviour.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 2:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 1:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 1:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:6–7 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 1:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 22:42–45 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 27:57–60 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 15:43–46 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 23:50–53 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 19:38–41 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 28:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 8:2 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:51 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 22:19 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:24 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret thanks Bishop Timotheus for his support and, at his request, explains the names of Christ and why the passion is to be ascribed to the passible flesh, not to the impassible Godhead, without dividing the one Son.
- Migne Letter 130. The scan heading reads 'To Timotheus, bishop'; NPNF² 3 identifies him as bishop of Doliche.
- The archive.org OCR has lost several lines in the opening paragraph (after 'proclaim', 'For', 'and to those who … give', and 'while to be wronged'); the gaps are marked '…' and nothing is supplied. Near the end of the christological paragraph a word after 'the names he had before the incarnation' is lost, and the end of the clause on the genealogy is garbled (probably 'according to the flesh').
- The names 'Jesus' and 'Christ' are argued to belong to the incarnation, while 'God the Word' and the like precede it: Theodoret's standard argument against ascribing suffering to the Godhead; translated as written.
- 'Joined to the work of the dispensation': οἰκονομία, the incarnation.
- The angel's words to the women ('Come, see where the Lord lay') are Matt 28:6; the burial of Stephen is Acts 8:2; 'given for you' is Luke 22:19, 'broken' the reading of 1 Cor 11:24 known to Theodoret.
- The 'concise teaching' sent earlier at another bishop's urging is not identified (the name is omitted in the printed text, marked with dots). The dialogue 'by question and answer' is probably the Eranistes (uncertain).
- 'Contrary winds' renders πνεύμασι τοῖς ἐναντίοις, which can also mean 'hostile spirits'. 'Champions' (πρόμαχοι) is partly lost in the OCR and read from its surviving end. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3 (Blomfield Jackson, 1892).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Migne's Latin column and margin); OCR debris from Migne's Latin column and a column letter; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside Στε-φάνου; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; a word of the Greek is lost here; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column read as Greek letters; column letter inside a hyphenated word; marginal reference (Matt 1:1) read into the text; the end of the clause is lost): ὠνόμαζον. ῥ γῆ. (βίου εἰ α Οἱ → ὠνόμαζον. Οἱ; παι 8 Νοη [6 τὸς, αυὶ [οτί8886 οἱ ἰρϑὶ δά βαρ 35 ἐπ 1108 οὐ [15 τη ἰδ πὶ 4105 ἰρδίπιοὶ δοουβδηί : ἃς εἰς " ροῖτὸ τυ οἱ εἰ 15 δὰ ἀδ αἱ το δ. ἀϊδι ϑ οπο εἴδη 40} πα βϑ! → ; 51 }}}018 δία γα γί Ὑογθαπ ν᾽,» οἵ αι δ μη6. πῷ 12. δ θὰ. 21, Δ Ρ ρΡ. ἡ, ὅ. → … ; ολη. 1, ἴ. → … ; οἱ ηι, οἱ ἱπηπηογί] 6 πὶ, οἱ ἰμν δὶ Ι]6 πη, τίδτη αν! αἰ πη : τη} 10 τηλρὶϑ ἰῃ αἰνίηἰδί6, 4188 → ; Β εκ Ῥαίτο φεοηίία 65 πὸ → τὸ; Εἰ απ, ουπιάδπιαις " ἰρβαπὶ οἱ ΕἸϊ πὶ θ᾽ ΐ ἤώδδα, οἱ ἀπ θαυ 18 οἱ ϑιὶς οἱ Ρ4551: ]] τὴ 6886 οἱ πὶ οἱ τοῦτα [υἱὰ δὶ → ; Ὁ Ρϑέδηθ᾽ Ὡὸνν 8}. Θαορά γεγο ΘΟΥΡΟΥΪ5 858] → ; Στετοὶ, αὖ Αὐὶ πηδ ἢ ἃ οἱ εἱ 70γὸ- Α φάνου → Στεφάνου; ἱρϑὶ δυὶ Ἀοπηδηῖπι, δυὶ Τί ποι γα ἴην 5. Ὁ] πὶ, 568 « Πος 681 ἃ 60 Πἃγα Δι{{]οοσοηϑβογὶρϑὶ, Οὐδ πο πὶ Ἰοηρὶυ5 ρτοάυοθηϑ, οἱ ἢδ- Μὶϑὶ δυ θη) ποδί, 60 ἀϊ οι} 55]ροῦ- → ; παραδό- Β σει → παραδόσει.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 130 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/130). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/130
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 131
131PG 83
… Καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεδείας ζῆλον, καὶ τὴν περὶ τὸν πέλας ἀγάπην ἔδειξεν ὑμῶν ἡ θεοσέδεια. ᾿Αμφότερα γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος συνέζευκται. Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν πολεμούμεθα δογμάτων, ἑπειδὴ τὸν πατρῷον οὐ προϊέμεθα κλῆρον, ἀλλὰ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν παθεῖν αἱρούμεθα μᾶλλον, ἢ μίαν κεραίαν ἐκ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς πίστεως παριδεῖν συλουμένην. νωνήχατε τοίνυν ἡμῖν τῶν παθημάτων, καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων ψυχαγωγήσαντες, καὶ πέμψαντες πρὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς τιμιωτάτους καὶ εὐλαδεστάτους Ματθαῖον καὶ Ἰσαάκχην τοὺς διακόνους " καὶ, εὖ οἶδα, ἀκούσεσθε παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου Κριτοῦ" « Ἐν φυλαχῇ ἔμην, καὶ ἤλθετε πρός με. » Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐτελεῖς δὲ καὶ σμιχροῖ, καὶ πολὺν ἁμαρτημάτων φόρτον περικείμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Δεσπότης φιλότιμός τε καὶ μεγαλόδωρος. Διά τοι τοῦτο οὗ τῶν μεγάλων, ἀλλὰ τῶν σμικρῶν μέμνηται, καί φησιν" «ε Ἐφ᾽ ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τῶν σμικρῶν τῶν ἐλαχίστων τῶν πιστευόντων εἰς ἐμὲ, ἐμοὶ ἑποιῆσατε.» Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὀρθοῖς διαπρέπετε δόγματι, καὶ τῷ ἀξιεπαίνῳ λάμπετε βίῳ, καὶ πολλὴν ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἔχετε παῤῥησίαν, ἐπαμύνατέ μοι ταῖς προσευχαῖς, ἵνα ἀντιαχεῖν δυνηθῶ, κατὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν φωνὴν, πρὸς τὰ: μεθοδείας τῆς πλάνης, καὶ διαφύγω τὰς τοῦ ἀλάστορος πάγας, καὶ μετὰ σμικρᾶς παῤῥησίας ἐν τῇ τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἡμέρᾳ παραστῶ τῷ δικαίῳ Κριτῇ.
… Kai ton hyper tēs eusedeias zēlon, kai tēn peri ton pelas agapēn edeixen hymōn hē theosedeia. ᾿Amphotera gar epi tou parontos synezeuktai. Hyper gar tōn apostolikōn polemoumetha dogmatōn, hepeidē ton patrǭon ou proïemetha klēron, alla pan hotioun pathein hairoumetha mallon, ē mian keraian ek tēs euangelikēs pisteōs paridein syloumenēn. nōnēchate toinyn hēmin tōn pathēmatōn, kai dia grammatōn psychagōgēsantes, kai pempsantes pros hēmas tous timiōtatous kai euladestatous Matthaion kai Isaakchēn tous diakonous " kai, eu oida, akousesthe para tou dikaiou Kritou" « En phylachę̄ emēn, kai ēlthete pros me. » Ei gar kai hēmeis euteleis de kai smichroi, kai polyn hamartēmatōn phorton perikeimenoi, all᾽ ho Despotēs philotimos te kai megalodōros. Dia toi touto hou tōn megalōn, alla tōn smikrōn memnētai, kai phēsin" «e Eph᾽ hoson epoiēsate heni tōn smikrōn tōn elachistōn tōn pisteuontōn eis eme, emoi hepoiēsate.» Epeidē toinyn kai en tois orthois diaprepete dogmati, kai tǭ axiepainǭ lampete biǭ, kai pollēn enteuthen pros ton Theon echete parrhēsian, epamynate moi tais proseuchais, hina antiachein dynēthō, kata tēn apostolikēn phōnēn, pros ta: methodeias tēs planēs, kai diaphygō tas tou alastoros pagas, kai meta smikras parrhēsias en tę̄ tēs epiphaneias hēmerą parastō tǭ dikaiǭ Kritę̄.
To Longinus, archimandrite of Doliche.
… Your godliness has shown both your zeal for piety and your love for your neighbour; for at present the two are joined together. We are being warred upon for the apostolic doctrines, because we do not give up our ancestral inheritance but choose to suffer anything whatever rather than look on while a single stroke of the gospel faith is stolen. You have shared our sufferings, then, both cheering us by letter and sending to us the most honourable and reverent deacons Matthew and Isaac; and, I know well, you will hear from the just Judge: 'I was in prison and you came to me.' For even if we are poor and small and carry a heavy load of sins, still the Master is generous and bountiful. That is why he mentions not the great but the small, and says: 'Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of the small ones who believe in me, you did it to me.' Since, then, you excel in right doctrine and shine with a praiseworthy life, and therefore have great boldness before God, help me with your prayers, that I may be able to stand, in the Apostle's words, against the wiles of error, escape the snares of the avenger, and with a little boldness stand before the just Judge on the day of his appearing.
Matt 25:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:40 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 6:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:18 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret thanks the archimandrite Longinus for sending deacons and letters to support him in his trouble for the faith, and asks his prayers.
- Migne Letter 131. The opening words are lost in the OCR (marked '…').
- 'I was in prison and you came to me' is Matt 25:36; the second saying combines Matt 25:40 with 'little ones who believe in me' (Matt 18:6). 'The wiles of error' adapts Eph 6:11. 'Avenger' (ἀλάστωρ) is the devil.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Migne's Latin column) at the start of the letter; the opening words are lost; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside περι-κείμενοι; OCR debris inside ἀλά-στορος; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal references; marginal references read into the text): ἰῃ ργοχὶ- Ὁ κκαὶ → … Καὶ; ἴθ ἢ Πα 6 [68 Μαί μου οἱ Φυάΐοα : « ἴῃ ΘΆΤΟΘΓΟ ἐγ, οἵ υϑη 818 δὰ τὴς ὅδ. » δδ 1 τς. κτι, 19, → ; Τ(ογ. χι, 24. δ᾽ Μαι ἢ). χχυ, 50. → ; περι- Α Βοιηΐπιι5. Ῥγορίοτοα 1: ΦΦῸ πο ἸΩΔΡΏΟΣΙ, κού κείμενοι → περικείμενοι; ἀλάοἱ χὰ οἵ οἱ τὸ] στα στορος → ἀλάστορος.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 131 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/131). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/131
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 132
132PG 83
Τοὺς ἀδικουμένους οὐκ ἀθυμεῖν, ἀλλὰ καίρειν ὁ Δεσπότης προσέταξεν, καὶ ἐκ τῶν παλαιῶν ἕλκειν παραδειγμάτων τῆς ψυχαγωγίας τὰς ἀφορμάς. Ἐκ ᾿ γὰρ τῶν πρῶτον φύντων ἀνθρώπων μέχρι τοῦ παρὄντος καιροῦ, τοὺς τὸν ὅλων ἐἑσπουδαχότας Θεὸν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν παρὰ τῶν συμθεδιωχότων πὼν ἠδικημένους, καὶ πλείστοις ἄγαν περιπεπτωκότας ἀνιαροῖς. Καὶ τούτων ἂν τὸν κατάλογον ἅπαντα διεξήλθον, εἴπερ ἐπέστελλον ἀνδρὶ τὴν θεέαν οὐκ ἐπισταμένῳ Γραφήν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ παιδόθεν τοῖς οἶμαι τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Εἰς ἐκείνους δὲ μόνον ἀφορᾷν ἀξιῶ, καὶ τῶν φιλανθρωποτάτων ἱερέων τοὺς μὲν ἠδικηκότας θρηνεῖν, τοὺς δὲ παρορῶντας ἐλεεῖν, καὶ τὸν μὲν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὀδύρεσθαι κλύδωνα " ὅτι δὲ τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεδείας παθημάτων μετέσχομεν, καίρειν καὶ γάννυσθαι, καὶ τὸν ταύτης ἡμᾶς τῆς μερίδος πεποιηκότα διηνεκῶς ἀνυμνεῖν. Παραχωρήσωμεν τοῖς ἀπεχτονόσι καὶ τιμῆς, καὶ τρυφῆς, καὶ προεδρίας, καὶ τῆς δυστήνου δόξης. Μόνον δὲ ἡμεῖς τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων ἐχώμεθα, καὶ μετ᾽ ἐχείνων ἂν δέῃ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἀλγεινὸν ὑπομένωμεν, καὶ τὴν πλούτου. Ταῦτα δὲ γράφω, οὐ παραίνεσιν εἰσφέρων (ἔγνων γάρ σου τῆς ὁσιότητος τὴν ἐν τοῖς ἀλγεινοῖς. παῤῥησίαν), ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐμαντοῦ γνώμην δήλην τῇ σῇ φιλοθεῖα ποιῶν, καὶ διδάσκων ὡς ἔχεις, δέτποτα, τας. Τοῦτο πάλαι βουληθεὶς ἐπιστεῖλαι, οὐκ εὗρον τὸν χομιοῦντα τὰ γράμματα. Ἐπιτυχὼν δὲ νῦν τοῦ σὴς ἐξηρτημένου εὐσεδείας, καὶ γράφω, καὶ περιπτύσδομαί σου τὴν ὁσιότητα, καὶ παρακαλῶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς ἡμᾶς ὑπερείδειν, καὶ στηρίξειν τοῖς
Tous adikoumenous ouk athymein, alla kairein ho Despotēs prosetaxen, kai ek tōn palaiōn helkein paradeigmatōn tēs psychagōgias tas aphormas. Ek ᾿ gar tōn prōton phyntōn anthrōpōn mechri tou parontos kairou, tous ton holōn heespoudachotas Theon estin heurein para tōn symthediōchotōn pōn ēdikēmenous, kai pleistois agan peripeptōkotas aniarois. Kai toutōn an ton katalogon hapanta diexēlthon, eiper epestellon andri tēn theean ouk epistamenǭ Graphēn. Epeidē de paidothen tois oimai touto poiein. Eis ekeinous de monon aphorąn axiō, kai tōn philanthrōpotatōn hiereōn tous men ēdikēkotas thrēnein, tous de parorōntas eleein, kai ton men tēs Ekklēsias odyresthai klydōna " hoti de tōn hyper tēs eusedeias pathēmatōn meteschomen, kairein kai gannysthai, kai ton tautēs hēmas tēs meridos pepoiēkota diēnekōs anymnein. Parachōrēsōmen tois apechtonosi kai timēs, kai tryphēs, kai proedrias, kai tēs dystēnou doxēs. Monon de hēmeis tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn echōmetha, kai met᾽ echeinōn an deę̄ pan hotioun algeinon hypomenōmen, kai tēn ploutou. Tauta de graphō, ou parainesin eispherōn (egnōn gar sou tēs hosiotētos tēn en tois algeinois. parrhēsian), alla tēn emantou gnōmēn dēlēn tę̄ sę̄ philotheia poiōn, kai didaskōn hōs echeis, detpota, tas. Touto palai boulētheis episteilai, ouk heuron ton chomiounta ta grammata. Epitychōn de nyn tou sēs exērtēmenou eusedeias, kai graphō, kai periptysdomai sou tēn hosiotēta, kai parakalō tais proseuchais hēmas hypereidein, kai stērixein tois
To Ibas, bishop of Edessa.
The Master commanded those who are wronged not to lose heart but to rejoice, and to draw the grounds of comfort from the examples of old. For from the first human beings down to the present time one can find that those who were zealous for the God of the universe were wronged by those who lived with them, and fell into very many afflictions. I would have gone through the whole list of them if I were writing to a man who did not know the divine Scripture. But since from childhood … I think to do this. I ask you only to look to them, and, among those most humane priests, to lament the ones who have done wrong and pity the ones who look on, and to mourn the storm of the church; but to rejoice and be glad that we have shared in the sufferings for piety, and to praise continually the one who has given us this portion. Let us yield to … honour and luxury and precedence and wretched glory. Only let us hold to the gospel doctrines, and with them, if need be, endure any pain whatever, and … wealth. I write this not to offer exhortation (for I know your holiness's boldness in times of pain), but to make my own mind plain to your God-loving self, and to show how you stand, master, … Having long wished to write this, I found no one to carry the letter. Now that I have found one attached to your piety, I both write and embrace your holiness, and beg you to support us with your prayers and to strengthen …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 5:11–12 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Tim 3:15 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret consoles Ibas of Edessa, wronged like the saints of old, urging him to rejoice in suffering for the faith and to hold to the gospel doctrines whatever the cost.
- Migne Letter 132. The scan heading is garbled ('…as, bishop of Edessa'); the addressee is Ibas.
- Several lines are lost in the OCR (after 'since from childhood', where the sense is that Ibas has known the Scriptures from childhood and Theodoret does not think it necessary to list the examples; after 'yield to', where the word printed means 'those who have killed' and is probably garbled; after 'endure any pain whatever, and'; after 'master'; and at the end). They are marked '…' and nothing is supplied.
- 'Not to lose heart but to rejoice' recalls Matt 5:11–12.
- 'Most humane' is probably ironic. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3, which has words lost here (e.g. the bearer, the presbyter Ozeas); the gaps are left as gaps.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 132 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/132). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/132
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 133
133PG 83
Ὅτι μὲν οὐκ ἀμνημονεῖς, δέσποτα, τῆς ἡμετέρας φιλίας, καὶ ἤἥδειν, καὶ οἶδα σαφῶς. Ἑδουλόμην δὲ ὅμως καὶ ηὐχόμην, τὴν μὲν σὴν θεοσέδειαν τῆς … φροντίσαι, καὶ φυγεῖν τῶν τὴν εὐσέθδειαν προδεδωχότων τὴν κοινωνίαν, ἀναθεῖναι δὲ τῷ Κηδεμόνι τῶν ὅλων τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν φροντίδα. Καὶ γὰρ σιγώντων ἡμῶν καὶ ἡσυχίαν ἀγόντων, τάς τε πιχροτάτας καὶ ὠμοτάτας διέλυσεν τιμωρίας, καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ χαλεποῦ κλύδωνος τὴν λευκὴν ταύτην παρἐσχεν γαλήνην. Καὶ ταύτης δὲ ἡμῖν παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου παρασχεθείσης Δεσπότου, τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἀξἱεραστοτάτην νομίζομεν. Πεῖσαι μὲν γὰρ τοὺς ταῖς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὑπαχθέντας συκοφαντίαις ἀναγκαῖον ὕπολαμδάνομεν, καὶ δεῖξαι μὲν τὴν τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων ἀλήθειαν, διελέγξαι δὲ τὸ κατ᾿ αὐτῶν στρατευσάμενον ψεῦδος. Μετὰ μέντοι τοὺς ἐλέγχους, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ κράτος, φυγεῖν ἡμῖν πρόκειται τὴν τῶν κοινῶν ἐπιμέλειαν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τριπόθητον Β ἡμῖν ἡσυχίαν παλινδρομῆσαι. Περὶ δέ γε τῶν τῆς ἁληθείας ἐχθρῶν μετὰ τοῦ Προφήτον «᾿Απώλετο τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν μετ᾽ Ἦχον, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μένει. » Περὶ δέ γε ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐκεῖνο ψάλλομεν᾽" « Ἐξαπέστειλεν ἐξ ὕψους, καὶ ἐλαδέ με΄ προσελάδετό με ἐξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν, καὶ ἐῤῥύσατό με ἐξ ἐχθρῶν μου δυνατῶν., Ταῦτα δὲ νῦν γράφω δύο τῆς σῆς θεοσεδείας δεξάμενος ἐπιστολάς " τὴν μὰν δι᾽ ᾿Αναστασίου τοῦ Βεροιαίον τὴν δὲ διὰ Θεοδότου τοῦ δραχωναρίου. Τὴν γὰρ ἄλλτν οὐδεὶς ἡμῖν ἀπέδωκε, περὶ ἧς ἐν τοῖς τελενταίοις δεδήλωχας γράμμασι. Περὶ δὲ τῆς αὐτόσε πορείας οὐδὲν γράψαι δύναμαι, πρὶν ἂν γνῶ τί περὶ ἡμῶν προσέταξεν ὁ εὐσεδέστατος βασιλεύς. Οὐδέπω γὰρ ἦλθε ταῦτα τὰ γράμματα.
Hoti men ouk amnēmoneis, despota, tēs hēmeteras philias, kai hēēdein, kai oida saphōs. Hedoulomēn de homōs kai ēuchomēn, tēn men sēn theosedeian tēs … phrontisai, kai phygein tōn tēn eusethdeian prodedōchotōn tēn koinōnian, anatheinai de tǭ Kēdemoni tōn holōn tēn hyper hēmōn phrontida. Kai gar sigōntōn hēmōn kai hēsychian agontōn, tas te pichrotatas kai ōmotatas dielysen timōrias, kai anti tou chalepou klydōnos tēn leukēn tautēn pareschen galēnēn. Kai tautēs de hēmin para tou philanthrōpou paraschetheisēs Despotou, tēn hēsychian axierastotatēn nomizomen. Peisai men gar tous tais kath᾽ hēmōn hypachthentas sykophantiais anankaion hypolamdanomen, kai deixai men tēn tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn alētheian, dielenxai de to kat᾿ autōn strateusamenon pseudos. Meta mentoi tous elenchous, kai tēs alētheias to kratos, phygein hēmin prokeitai tēn tōn koinōn epimeleian, kai pros tēn tripothēton B hēmin hēsychian palindromēsai. Peri de ge tōn tēs halētheias echthrōn meta tou Prophēton «᾿Apōleto to mnēmosynon autōn met᾽ Ēchon, kai ho Kyrios eis ton aiōna menei. » Peri de ge hēmōn autōn ekeino psallomen᾽" « Exapesteilen ex hypsous, kai elade me΄ proseladeto me ex hydatōn pollōn, kai errhysato me ex echthrōn mou dynatōn., Tauta de nyn graphō dyo tēs sēs theosedeias dexamenos epistolas " tēn man di᾽ ᾿Anastasiou tou Beroiaion tēn de dia Theodotou tou drachōnariou. Tēn gar alltn oudeis hēmin apedōke, peri hēs en tois telentaiois dedēlōchas grammasi. Peri de tēs autose poreias ouden grapsai dynamai, prin an gnō ti peri hēmōn prosetaxen ho eusedestatos basileus. Oudepō gar ēlthe tauta ta grammata.
To John, bishop of Germanicia.
That you do not forget our friendship, master, I both knew and know clearly. Yet I wished and prayed that your godliness … would take care, and flee communion with those who have betrayed piety, and leave to the Guardian of the universe the care for us. For while we were silent and kept quiet, he undid the most bitter and cruel punishments, and in place of the harsh storm gave us this bright calm. And now that the humane Master has given us this, we hold quiet to be most lovable. We do think it necessary to persuade those who were led astray by the slanders against us, to show the truth of the gospel doctrines and to refute the lie that took the field against them. But after the refutations and the victory of the truth, our purpose is to flee the care of public affairs and run back to the quiet we long for so much. Of the enemies of the truth we say with the Prophet: 'Their memory perished with a crash, and the Lord abides forever.' Of ourselves we sing: 'He sent from on high and took me; he drew me out of many waters, and delivered me from my mighty enemies.' I write this having received two letters from your godliness, one by Anastasius of Beroea and the other by Theodotus the standard-bearer. The other, of which you spoke in your last letter, no one delivered to us. About the journey there I can write nothing until I know what the most pious emperor has ordered concerning us; for those letters have not yet come.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 9:6–7 (9:7-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:16–17 (17:17-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret tells John of Germanicia that God has ended the persecution, that he means to return to quiet after the truth is vindicated, and that he cannot plan a journey until the emperor's orders come.
- Migne Letter 133 (the scan's numeral reads 104; the sequence and NPNF² 3 give 133).
- Several lines are lost in the OCR after 'your godliness' (marked '…').
- Ps 9:6–7 is quoted from the Greek Psalter (LXX 9:7–8); Ps 18:16–17 (LXX 17:17–18).
- 'Standard-bearer' renders δρακωνάριος (draconarius), the bearer of a military dragon standard.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's footnote number; Migne's footnote number and stray mark; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal references; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column read as Greek letters; some Greek is lost here): μὲν (θ4) σὴν → μὲν σὴν; ᾽ν, 14. ἐδ] οὶ, δ ἴθ ἰπμὰν οἱ 1}- Ἰη18, ἰδ Δ }] θυ ραυραγίλίοπι Ρ] 618. υἱ ἰὰς ἴη ἴα, ἀοπὶ (ὕλη, οἱ ογὸ ἱ οἵ 6856 866 θη δαυϊάσῃι, οἱ ᾿ἰαφιίάο που]. ϑεὰ γα] → … ; αὶ ρμἱοιδίοπι ρτγοὐϊάεευπι, οἱ ὑπ ᾽ν γβοσι πὶ οἱ οἱ ἐπ ὯῸ8 Οδ απ] γα ποδί θυ πὶ Κδ..) τὶ το] ἰοπΐ8 ἐυ οἱ [μος 8140 γέ, οἱ ἴα. Εἰ οἱ Ὀη 565 ργοχίηυπι ἰᾳυπὶ βίου τοί ρϑυσι δ᾽; » οἱ ἃς 1516 ἀλῖα. υἱ νοῦ τη συγαηι Ρἰ υὐἱηνὶ (δοὶ!, ΠΕ Ὸ ἴῃ ἰΔταὶ, βοά ἱῃ ἰΐϊβ οἰΐ8πὶ 4125 δάνουβος νυ ἀθη Ὁ Δη}]δίΐ,.Χχῖι, 57. → ; γράμματα (9θ). ᾿ → γράμματα..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 133 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/133). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/133
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).