THEORIES AND FACTS Both Eliphaz and Bildad could not move Job’s mind one single centimeter; Would Zophar be able to do otherwise? It seems that Zophar has been the simplest of Job’s friends; he was practical, like a man of the church; but, unfortunately, being literal and with no personal relationship with God, he lacked the true church way of thinking; which is not the love for barren and foolish debates; but that of holding fast to the spirit of the truth, uprightness, and sound faith, with a spacious hart, a bowing soul in submission and humility, and a face with a perpetual smile, like that of the Savior. Job’s soars were bleeding, and the wounds of his broken hearts were increasing; with no one to pour oil, to soothe the soars or to bandage the wounds. And now came the talk of the third friend Zophar to make the inflammation of the wounds more intense, even if he sounds to be uttering the truth. Zophar listened to ‘Job’ protesting against what dwelt upon him, when he is righteous. He assumed that, if ‘Job’ encounters God face to face, he would realize that he is a great sinner; and that what dwelt upon him is far lighter than what he actually deserves (4-6). He talks with seemingly eloquent words of great divine wisdom, showing that, as God is Omnipotent (7-10), unfathomable; has full authority over the guilty; watches justly over men; and no one can hide his sin from Him (11-14); It is therefore befitting for man to repent, to cast away his sin, in order to enjoy prosperity and peace (15-20). Zophar draws a convincing portrait of Job’s misery, and of the possibility of being saved of it, if he confesses his sin and repent, by following the following steps: To look deep into his soul, and to change his way of thinking. 1- To look deep into his soul, and to change his way of thinking. 2- To look up and move on to get attached to God; and to pray to Him fervently and zealously. 3- To mend his twisted ways; and, if he happens to find in his hands something that he has got through iniquity, deceit, cheating or oppression, he must make up for it. 4- To do his best, likewise, to mend the behavior of his own household. Despite all the wisdom he presented in his talk, Zophar was arrogant and lacked humility. Although he talkes with a seemingly sound logic, yet without fellowship in the sufferings of his brother in true love. 1- Accusing ‘Job’ of pride and deceit 1 – 4 2- God’s justice would never err. 5 – 6 3- God’s perfection is unfathomable. 7 – 9 4- God’s authority is infinite 10 5- God’s knowledge is whole 11 – 12 6- There is no escape from God’s anger, except by repentance and prayer 15 – 20 1- ACCUSING ‘JOB’ OF PRIDE AND DECEIT: 403 “Then Zophar the Naaamatite replied:Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated?” (Job 11: 1, 2). Whereas Eliphaz started his talk to ‘Job’ with great reservation and dignity; and Bildad was a little more rough, Zophar came to strike at him without mercy, and with extremely harsh words. Zophar could not accept Job’s logic that God allowed for him to go through temptations despite being righteous (9: 21; 11: 4; 10: 7); as that contradicts every religious philosophy that prevailed in his age or any preceding one. He started by saying: “Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated?”. According to him, ‘Job’ is a man of many words and no deeds, and nothing in his talk is worthy of a response. According to Bildad, Job’s words are “a blustering wind” (8: 2); And here, Zophar; although seemingly presenting sound and wise views, yet he unjustly accuses ‘Job’; does not share his feelings as someone very much in pain; nor appreciates his pitiful situation. He accuses him of talking too much, despite the fact that, in his talk, he does not justify himself, but admits that he is a sinner (9: 20). Here, Zophar calls ‘Job’ to be wise and sit quietly at the feet of the elders. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1: 19). He most probably means that ‘Job’ should sit quietly at the feet of his three friends to listen to their sermons, advises, and counsels. Zophar was not wrong to say: “whoever talks too much cannot justify himself”, and would lose the virtue of silence; As it is written that “The effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever” (Isaiah 32: 17); “Like a city whose walls are broken down, is a man who lacks self-control” (Proverb 25: 28 Vulgate); “When words are many, sin is not absent” (Proverb 10” 19); “Let slanderers not be established in the land” (Psalm 140: 11); and true words lose value, when said with no discernment. True words are against the wicked, if they are intended to be of benefit to the good. The wicked, on the other hand, cannot readily listen to good counsel, disregard mending their life, and preoccupy themselves with finding the words to defend themselves. Who recalls the words of the righteous ‘Job’, would know how vain is this accusation!... As how would he call himself pure, he who says: “If I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me”? (Job 9: 20). Pope Gregory the Great Indeed, the Holy Book incites on silence, as much as possible, if it is holy; the same way it incites on edifying talk. The Psalmist prays saying: “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; Keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141: 3). The Holy Spirit instructs man to keep his whole body – from his head to his feet – in harmony: To keep his eyes seeing with purity. 404 And to keep his tongue, uttering only good words. To give weight to every word; and never to let anything unclean or defiled mix with his talk1. Flee from those who pretend to be ‘monks and virgins’, without having the true realization and the good discernment. Because if you mix with them; being themselves cold with no fire, and going after their own lusts; they would keep you from progressing, and would even quench the fire of your zeal. In case they come to talk to you about earthly things, according to their own views, do not listen to them, but heed the words of the apostle Paul, saying: “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophesies with contempt” (1 Thessalonians 5: 19). Nothing would put out the Spirit’s fire like vain talk2. St. Anthony the Great Silence for God’s sake is good; and talking for God’s sake is good as well. Father Bemen When your tongue is as pure as that of Christ; when your mouth becomes like that of the Father; And when you come to be a temple for the Holy Spirit; What kind of honor will be yours? If your mouth is made of gold and precious stones, it would never emit so much light, like when it is adorned with meekness. What would be more loving than a mouth that does not know how to revile, but is used to bless, and to utter good words3? St. John Chrysostom I often talked and regretted; but with silence, I never did4. St. Arsany, teacher of royal sons Although the righteous keeps silent, knowing that there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3: 7); yet he does not become mute – a feature of the Sadducees, and of all those who teach vanity, who are not silent, concerning the truth, but are mute. The Lord commanded the sea, and not man to become mute, rebuking it for being stormy5. The scholar Origen “Will your idle talk reduce men to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock?” (Job 11: 3). Here Zophar calls ‘Job’ a mocker, mocking God by complaining against Him; mocking men, and shamelessly deceiving those around him. He also accuses him of talking idle. Zophar uses harsh words against ‘Job’, and calls him by unbefitting names. Some believe that by his words, Zophar indirectly blames his friends Eliphaz and Bildad for keeping silent and not defending the truth, when they heard ‘Job’ haughtily utter vain lies. They should have told him to stop talking such meaningless nonsense! “You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless, and I am pure in Your sight’” (Job 11: 4). 1 Epistle 1. 2 Epistle 16. 3 In Matt. hom 78:3. 4 عن بستان الرهبان. 5 PG 13:1599. 405 By this he is accuses ‘Job’ of words he did not utter! Job’s belief was actually flawless; He indeed expressed his wish for death because of the heavy burden of temptation; yet he never thought of committing suicide! He indeed admonished God, yet he did not deny His justice and mercies! He indeed proclaimed that he is not wicked nor a hypocrite, yet he did not deny that he is a sinner, begging for forgiveness. Job’s beliefs about God were actually far better than those of his friends, who misjudged him, especially Zophar, gave his words the wrong meaning, did not appreciate his situation, and did not think that, if put in his place, they would probably do wrong against God! 2- GOD’S JUSTICE WOULD NEVER ERROR: “Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that He would open His lips against you” (Job 11: 5). Here, Zophar resorts to the testimony of God Himself, who, even if He keeps silent and does not answer ‘Job’, yet that would be for a certain time, after which He would open His lips to tell ‘Job’ that he deserves more than what so far dwelt upon him. How difficult it is for us to put ourselves, as though on the throne of God, to claim that we know what He has in mind, to judge others, and to refer our judgment to God! Zophar’s wish has actually been realized, and God eventually talked; Yet when He opened His lips, He defended ‘Job’, commanded his friends to apologize to him, and to seek his prayers and forgiveness! There is indeed a great difference between, when man open his mouth to judge his brethren and to condemn them, on pretension of defending the truth and testifying to the holy God; and when God opens His mouth and talks to man. God talks the truth, yet the truth filled with love and practical wisdom. He openly admonished Simon Peter, and even called him ‘Satan’, when he objected to the crucifixion and the death of Christ; Yet He supported and commended him when he confessed and proclaimed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. When man opens his mouth, he reflects his weakness and faults on others; Whereas God opens His mouth to grant the sinner the strength to confess, the possibility to repent, the ability to perpetually sanctify, and to continuously spiritually grow, through the work of the Holy Spirit of God. The Truth says to Peter who was still filled with earthly concepts: “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8: 33); yet, when he proclaimed well, He said to him: “This was not revealed to you by man, but by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 16: 17). So God opens His lips, frankly proclaiming His will to men. Pope Gregory the Great Being unable to take on ourselves the job of judgment, because of our sins, we should therefore refrain from doing it; as, being ourselves sinners, how could we judge and condemn others?! The law has not appointed you a judge; So taking on yourself this name and job, would bring you under the judgment of trespassing on the law. 406 We should examine ourselves before sitting on the bench of judgment, especially if we are in a position of guiding or mentoring1. St. Cyril the Great Stretch your robe over the guilty and cover him, if you are unable to carry his transgressions on yourself2! St. (Mar) Isaac the Syrian “… and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for wisdom is many-sided. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves” (Job 11: 6). According to Zophar, it was befitting for ‘Job’ to keep quiet instead of accusing God of injustice, through tempting him while being righteous. He confirms to ‘Job’ that what dwelt on him is a punishment far less than what he deserves, and he should consequently expects to get more of it. Being unable to convince ‘Job’ of his views, Zophar wishes that God would reveal to ‘Job’ the secrets of His divine wisdom, and give him a double understanding, to realize that what dwelt upon him is less than what he deserves. Pope Gregory the Great discerns between the knowledge of two kinds of the great works of the divine wisdom: The first kind: is the great works of the divine wisdom, which is rather easy to know through the nature He created for man, and through his daily gifts to him. The second kind: the secret great works of the divine wisdom, which would be difficult for man to realize; when it seems that God has forsaken man, and allowed him to go through afflictions or temptations. Man needs a divine grace to realize the hidden wisdom behind his suffering, which, if he gets, would b counted as double knowledge: realizing God’s wisdom when He gives, as well as when He takes away; When he grants man his wish, and when he abstains. “… and discloses to you the secrets of wisdom; for wisdom is many-sided” (6). The great works of divine wisdom, is that, when God controls those He has created; brings them over to the ultimate goods He started them on; and helps by His inspirations, those He enlighten by the light of His visiting; As it is obvious in the sight of all men, that those He created through His absolute generosity, He would support by His compassion; Granting them spiritual gifts, He Himself would bring to perfection those whom He generously started with compassion. As to the great secret works of divine wisdom; these are when it (seems) that God has forsaken those He has created;... when He does not consummate the good works He started when He created us, because of our sins;... When, while enlightening us with the splendor of His grace, He still allows for the temptation of our flesh;... When, while He seems not to care to keep on us the good gifts He granted us, to provoke the longings of our souls toward Him; He still applies pressure on us in a hidden way, through the helplessness of our nature. Paul was anxious to reach the secrets of this wisdom, when he said: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or .٣٣ ، 1 عظاته على إنجیل لوقا: عظة ٣٢ 2 CSEL. 407 who has been His counselor?” (Romans 11: 33, 34). Unable to reach the secrets of God, Paul has gone back to the knowledge of his own weakness. Although Zophar was a learned man, who cared to seek knowledge, yet he proved to be ignorant because of the impudence of his arrogant talk. Not realizing his own realty, he saw his weak self as a man of virtue. Pope Gregory the Great Zophar says that, proclaiming to man the secrets of His wisdom, God grants him a double understanding. That is actually enjoyed by the true and faithful believer, who keeps on praying to God to grant him wisdom to realize His secret plans, to be granted a “many-sided understanding”. What is meant by ‘many-sided understanding’? 1- Pope Gregory the Great believes that realizing the secrets of God’s wisdom, is not a mere rational realization, but is the knowledge of experience and life, where wisdom is connected to love. The wise would get many-sided understanding, when he practices double love; namely, the love for God, and the love for man. He would get double and unlimited love toward God, and double love toward his brethren, intending by his whole being to put his brethren ahead of him in everything, and wishing to deal with them as he likes them to deal with him. The law of love is “many-sided”, in which we are committed to love both God and our neighbor. Concerning our love for God, it should be a many-sided love; loving Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind; leaving nothing in ourselves that we do not offer God. And concerning our love for our neighbor, it is also many-sided; being, on one aspect, commanded Not to despise him through greed, to revile him by tongue, or to betray him through the selfishness of carnal lusts; And on another aspect, to deal with him, the way we like him to deal with us. “Its law is many-sided” (6). What is meant by “the law of God” but “love”? By it, we read in a hidden way, how to support the commandments of life by outer works. The voice of the Truth says about this law: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15: 12); and Paul says: “Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13: 10); and “Carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6: 2). How could the law of Christ be understood, by something other than love, which we indeed consummate, when we lovingly carry each other’s burdens. That law is called ‘multi-sided’; as love, filled with zealously exalted care, extends to all the works of virtue. Although it was set with only two commandments, yet it goes on to reach an unlimited number of them; the law starts with the love of God and the love of our neighbor (Matthew 22: 39-40). But the love of God is divided into three categories: We are commanded to love our creator with all our heart, with all our soul, and with our entire mind (see Matthew 22: 37). We should notice here, that the holy word that commits us to love God, not only tells us ‘how’, but also tells us ‘to what extent’, adding the words “with all’ three times. It is fitting for whoever intends to please God, to leave nothing in himself to himself. As to loving our neighbor, it came in two commandments. On one aspect, it was said by the righteous ‘Tobit’: “Do not ever hate anyone”; And on another aspect, it was 408 said by the Truth Himself: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7: 12). By these two commandments, we are committed to good behavior. The law of God is truly called ‘multi-sided’; because, though having a single principle – love; once it reigns over the mind, it flares it in limitless ways, as expressed by the apostle Paul: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13: 4- 6). Pope Gregory the Great 2- A multi-sided concept means that, as long as we are in the body, we should keep on seeking more and consistent growth in wisdom and knowledge and love. Some fathers believe that this growth would not even cease in the eternal life. The more the believer looks at God, and the deeper union he achieves with Him, he will grow more and more in wisdom, knowledge, and love. He would keep on singing: “He is making everything new” (Revelation 21: 5). Although everyone perpetually seeks more knowledge, Yet it remains an incomplete knowledge, compared to its true perfection, until the time for what is perfect comes, and for what is partial to disappear1. St. Basil the Great He encourages her and provokes her not to sit idle, but to come out to Him, and to try to see Him, not through the windows, nor in a mirror, but to go to Him and see Him face to face; Now, being unable to see Him, He stand behind and not before her, He stands behind her wall (Song 2: 9) 2. The scholar Origen Zophar did not know his limits; Although he provoked ‘Job’ to seek the manysided knowledge, which is a good and holy counsel, yet, with his non-commitment to limits, he foolishly proclaimed that what dwelt on ‘Job’ was less than what he actually deserves, and that he should expect more strikes. Here, Pope Gregory the Great likens Zophar to a friend who accompanies someone to a forest to help him cut wood; and in his foolishness and lack of wisdom, he strikes with his ax, its head gets loose and flies off to cut off his friend’s head. It is befitting for us, in order to avoid destroying our brethren, to realize the limits of rebuke and of chastisement. And as the apostle Paul says, concerning the chastisement of the young man who had a relationship with his father’s wife; He started by commanding the congregation to isolate him; then got back to say: “Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you therefore to reaffirm your love for him” (2 Corinthians 2: 7, 8).Having got what is enough, his chastisement process was complete, and the situation became too critical; If the repentant would not find the compassionate bosom of the church, he would be overwhelmed by despair, and his soul would consequently perish. As they were committed to isolate him, they are now equally committed to reaffirm and renew their love for him, to let his soul rejoice in salvation. 1 Concerning Faith. 2 The Song of Songs, Comm., Book 3:13. (ACW). 409 “Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves” (6)... Here, it is befitting for us to know that Zophar rebukes the righteous man for a great iniquity, and in a wrong way… Yet the word of insult intended could be wiped out, if we take into consideration the root from where it grew. That is why the Lord’s command through Moses, says: “A man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. Otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought” (Deuteronomy 19: 5-6). We go into the forest with our neighbor, when we go to see our iniquities; and we cut wood, when we cut the evil deeds of sinners with a deity goal; but the ax flies off our hands, when the reform is extremely difficult, and we strike our neighbor and kill him, when we rebuke him in a way that kills him by the spirit of love; as the rebuke often turns into hate, if it goes out of its proper limits! Pope Gregory the Great Rebuke should be preceded by mercy and not anger. St. Augustine It is unfitting for physicians to feel frustrated against their patients, but against their maladies, to be able to heal them. St. Basil the Great Shepherd the flock, not with boredom and despite; as though you have authority over them; But as a good shepherd, gather the sheep into your bosom, and comfort the weak and pregnant among them! The laws of the apostles – Section 4 3- GOD’S PERFECTION IS UNFATHOMABLE: “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11: 7). Comparing God’s greatness and glory, to man’s foolishness and ignorance; Zophar reaches the conclusion that we should consequently submit to God, and seek His mercy and care. If man cannot fathom His wisdom, how could he hold Him wrong?! However strong your longing for God may be, however strong your attachment to Him, and your recognition of His Person; Yet your knowledge about Him will remain utterly incomplete. Do not ever imagine that you can manage to search His essence, or realize the truth of His existence! Because, then, You shall be like the eye which can see the ocean, but cannot reach its end! St. Cyril of Jerusalem translates the word “limits” as (the least) of God’s work; and comments on that, saying: ‘If the least of God’s works are unfathomable, how could be their Creator be fathomable1?!’ 1 Catech. Lect. 6:9. 410 If, as I said before, you cannot find a trace of a ship that sailed on the sea, or of an eagle that flew in the air, how can you find a trace of God’s ordinances or divine care?! It's good of Zophar to say such things about God, yet he did not say them with a pure intention; because while he glorifies God, he utters evil about the righteous man. Father Hesychius of Jerusalem No one has ever, or will, discover the nature or essence of God; that could be done in the future. I wish those who have such thought or intention, search and think about what would happen in the future. I am told by my mind, which is created according to the likeness of God, that this could happen, when that divines part; namely, the brain and mind, mixes with whom it is like; when the portrait goes back to its origin, to which it longs. That is, I assume the meaning of the great phrase, saying, that we, in the future, will know as we are supposed to know1. St. Gregory the Nezenzian Who can realize the depth of God’s secrets and plans? Who can understand His works; or who can follow His footsteps? Man will remain continuously enjoying that knowledge; and the more he progresses, the more he realizes his inability to understand the depths of the secret of God. The fathers present to us, through the evangelic thought, the way to enter into the secret of the knowledge of God; namely ‘love’. The more our hearts flare with His love, the more our insight is cleansed, to recognize new depths. And the deeper we go in the knowledge of God, the more we will love Him; then, we will no more care for the temporal things, but will be more preoccupied with the eternals. What are the “footsteps” of God” but the compassions of His visit? We would be enticed to progress toward the high things, when we react with the breaths of His Spirit. As the spiritual love of God flares the heart, it would be given knowledge of the way to follow the footsteps of God; it would be as though God walks and leave His footsteps on the heart! The psalmist was clever in following the footsteps of our Creator when he said: “My soul follows close behind You” (Psalm 63: 8); And intending to acquire a high insight, he said: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with god?” (Psalm 42: 2). The Almighty God is there, with an obvious concept, when we tread with our feet over the corruption of our death; Then, He would be seen, by those who rise to heaven, in the splendor of His divine nature. However, in the present time, the grace of the spirit pouring into our hearts, lifts up our soul, from the carnal goals, and exalts it through not caring for the temporal things, when the mind does not look to everything coveted downwards, and flares with longing toward the high things. Pope Gregory the Great 1 Oration 28:17. 411 No tongue has the authority to utter the ways of the divine secrets, Their existence could only be seen, enjoyed, and rejoiced, by the pure mind. In God, it would be swallowed and captivated by seeing His beauty; and united with His glory. No one who has entered there would ever look with lust to what is seen here. No one who has enjoyed these secrets would ever appreciate the sweetness of anything on earth. No one who has seen its beauty would ever consider anything in our world as beautiful. No one who got fulfilled with its existence, would not see everything else as trash. No one who has enjoyed its company, and got drunk with its praise, would not despise the pleasure of the company of people. No one in whose soul and bones, the love of Christ, has set forth, would ever stand the uncleanness of lust. No one who has enjoyed the company and secrets of angels, would not despise the company of the world. No one, whose mind is captivated by the beauty of the Lord of lords, would ever be captivated by anything in this world with all its pleasures. No one, whose mind is preoccupied with God and with caring for Him, would ever be preoccupied with anything else1. The spiritual elder, John El-Deliaty “They are higher than the heavens – what can you do? Deeper than Sheol – what can you know? Their measures is longer than the earth and wider than the sea” (Job 11: 8, 9). If we cannot measure the height of the heaven, the depth of Sheol, the length of the earth, or the width of the sea, how can we measure the Creator of all these? The Psalmist says: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain” (Psalm 139: 6); and: “Your judgments are like the great deep” (Psalm 36: 6). When we lift our eyes up toward heaven, we see God higher than it is, our souls would then, desire to get liberated from the bondage of our love for the world, through the work of the Holy Spirit of God, that carries us, as though on the wings of a dove. When we look down into the depths of ‘Sheol’, we see, how God in His love, breaks down its strongholds, to bring us forth to the divine bosoms. When we wander in the vast reaches of the earth, we find it very narrow, compared with the spacious heart of God that embraces with infinite love all mankind from Adam to the end of ages. And when we look in admiration to the oceans, we despise them before the exalted swell of God’s love. “(He) is higher than the heavens,... deeper than ‘Sheol’,... longer than the earth,... wider than the sea” (8, 9). It is befitting for us to understand that in a spiritual sense, and not in a carnal one. (He) is higher than the heavens; being exalted above everything, as it is not possible to realize His spiritual nature;... (He) is deeper than ‘Sheol’; as, by His exaltation, He helps us in our lowliness;... (He) is longer than the 1 میمر على الصلاة وعلى قوات الطبائع الروحانیة وعلى معرفة الله. 412 earth; surpassing the measurements of creation, through the infinite perpetuity of His eternity;... and (He) is wider than the sea; controlling by His power, the waves of temporal things. Pope Gregory the Great All these attributes could refer to man as well: He can be ‘a heaven’, when he intends to connect himself to the high things. He can be ‘a Sheol’, when he lowers himself to lowly things, and gets confused by temptations....; He can be ‘a land’, when he achieves more good works, through the fertility of the steadfast hope;... And He can be ‘a sea’, when he get disturbed by some circumstances, and get confused through his own weakness. God is higher than the heavens; as we submit to His authority; even when we exalt above ourselves! He is deeper than “sheol’, in His judgment of the human mind itself, watching it amid the temptations;... He is longer than the earth, by the fruits of our life which he ultimately grants us; as our hope in the present time realizes nothing;... He is wider than the sea; when the human mind goes here and there, and confronts many issues that concern the coming things. Putting his heart up there, the Psalmist, feeling that he did not reach God yet, says: “Your knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain” (Psalm 139: 6). Paul knew Him who is deeper than ‘Sheol’, when he searched his heart; but fearing the more searching judgment of God., he says: “My conscience is clear; but that does not make me innocent; It is the Lord who judges me” (1 Corinthians 4: 4). Pope Gregory the Great 4- GOD’S AUTHORITY IS INFINITE: “If He comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose Him?” (Job 10: 10). By this, Zophar reaches the same conviction embraced by ‘Job’, concerning the absolute wisdom of God, “If He snatches away, who can stop Him? Who can say to Him: ‘What are You doing?” (Job 9: 12); and “… though You know that I am not guilty, and that no one can rescue me from Your hand” (Job 10: 7). If He (snatches) by death, confines in prison, or entangles in a net, who can oppose Him? Who can stand before His judgment? ‘If He overturns everything, who can oppose Him, or say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’ God overturns the heaven, when He devastates the soaring ambitions of man by His terrifying secret command; ... Overturns ‘Sheol’, when He allows someone’s soul to get terrified and fall under its temptations;... Overturns the earth when He takes away the fruits of good works through pouring tribulations over them. And overturns the sea, when He nullifies the hesitating waves of our spirit through a sudden terror. Father Hesychius of Jerusalem Mercion of the second century B.C., together with his followers, stumbled by what came in the old Testament concerning the divine wrath. I have previously dedicated a 413 section in my work entitled “The brotherly love” – Chapter 8 – to deal with the (Concept of God’s anger). I said that God doe not devastate nor confine any body; and that what came in the Holy Book concerning God’s anger, present certain divine issues in human language that could be understood. God does not bear human emotions; As He is “Love”. When we read about God’s anger, we should not understand this expression according to human concept, but in a meaning befitting to God, who is above all emotions; We should look at Him as the Almighty fearful Judge, who avenges all the unjust things done by us in this world; As the human nature is used to fear furious men, and to avoid offending them, like some judges, known to be harsh and extremely strict. Yet those who fear anger are those whose consciences are torture them. Although Judges are committed to justice in their judgments, always respect the laws they apply, and the principles they vowed to follow; Yet, however gentle and compassionate they may be; those who are justly condemned will always accuse them of being unfair1. St. John Cassian 5- GOD’S KNOWLEDGE IS WHOLE: “Surely He recognizes deceitful men; and when He sees evil, does he not take note?” (Job 11: 11). While what we know about God is the littlest of little, He knows all our secrets, even those hidden from us. He recognizes the wicked, even those counted by us or by themselves as righteous. He sees the iniquity done in secret; and He would not negatively stand before evil, even if He seems as though He temporarily did not take note of it! “He recognizes (the vanity of men); and when He sees evil, does he not take note?” (11). Here we notice a good order: He first states that He recognizes vanity, then he takes note of evil. Every evil is vain; although not every vanity is evil. We practice vain things, as long as we do what is perishable; according to the words of the Psalmist: “Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro” (Psalm 39; 6). Pope Gregory the Great “But a witless man can no more become wise, than a wild donkey’s colt can be born a man” (Job 11: 12). Zophar says that man, himself, after his fall, became witless, having deprived himself of the wisdom of God. He became “like beasts that perish” (Psalm 49: 20); witless like a wild donkey’s colt in the wilderness, which assumes that it is wise, knows the truth and justice, and foolishly refuses to submit to the authority of God. What Zophar says here is a fact in which man has generally fallen; Yet, by it, he refers to no one else but ‘Job’; counting him to be at the level of dumb useless beasts, while counting himself, wise, and capable of offering true and active counsel! Zophar equals ‘Job’ to a wild donkey’s colt, with which he compared himself, according to his own words: “The arrows of the Almighty are in me,... Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass?” (Job 6: 4, 5). By such vain words, he accuses ‘Job’ of witlessly and incessantly, howling like a hungry beast, and not talking like man! Father Hesychius of Jerusalem 1 Cassian: De institutis caenoboum, 8:2-4. 414 A witless vain man is usually puffed with pride; which is the ultimate end of vanity. Pride corrupts the heart with sin; And let it arrogantly boast iniquity. Disregarding its iniquity, the soul no more grieves for losing its innocence, and becomes blind as a just punishment. And disregarding the yoke of the fear of God, the heart licentiously often remembers its past evil lusts, and wrestles to bring evil down to the possibility of action. Pope Gregory the Great Whereas man has foolishly descended to the level of irrational beasts, and even insects, through the pride of his heart, and his haughtiness before God, the source of wisdom; The Wisdom of God became man, to lift man up to the heavenly wisdom, to enjoy uniting with him by the divine incarnation. We, particularly by the ascension of the Lord Christ, have been lifted up from the low level of beasts, to the heavenly wisdom. Notice how our nature went down, then climbed up. There is nowhere lower than the level to which man has descended; and there is nowhere higher than that to which the Lord Christ has ascended... Paul clarifies this, saying: “When it says “He ascended’, what does it mean, but that He had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same One who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things” (Ephesians 4: 9-10). I contemplate in the unworthiness of our race; We, who are nothing but ashes and dust, to reach such honors, through the mercies and compassion of the Lord! The beasts are irrational by their own nature; whereas we, the creation supposed to be rational, have become more foolish than the irrational beasts through our own will. Thus, when you hear that man has become like irrational beasts, do not assume that he became equal to them, but he actually descended to a lower level. That is what Isaiah clearly teaches, when he says: “The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand” (Isaiah 1: 3). But I wish we would not be disturbed because of our old transgressions; as “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5: 20). You have seen how we became more foolish than the beasts, Do you want to see how we became more irrational than the birds?! Jeremiah says: ”the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But my people do not know the judgment of the Lord” (Jeremiah 8: 7). Now you see how we became more foolish than the donkey, the ox, the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow; Do you want to see to what further extent our foolishness went?! We are asked by the wise Solomon to go to the ant to learn wisdom: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways, and be wise” (Proverbs 6: 6). We ended up learning from the ants; we, who were created according to the image and likeness of God. Yet it is our responsibility, not God’s; as we decline to stay that way! We even became harder than rocks, hear this: “Hear you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you everlasting foundations of the earth, for the Lord has a controversy with His people”(Micah 6: 2). 415 He judges man, calling the foundations of the earth to testify that men became harder than them! To what extent of foolishness do they still intend to reach?! Having become more dumb than the donkey, less sensitive than the ox, more listless than the turtledove and the swift; less wise than the ant, harder than the rocks; and even became like the serpents (see Psalm 58: 5)?! And why should I talk about the irrational creatures? We (with our evil) are called by the Lord Himself: ‘the children of the devil’, saying: “You belong to your father, the devil” (John 8; 44). Yet, despite our unworthiness, and the fact that we are senseless, ungrateful, foolish, and harder than rocks, Yet today, our nature has been raised above all creation. St. John Chrysostom “Yet if you devote your heart to Him, and stretch out your hands to Him...” (Job 11: 13). If on the one side, God is the One with authority, who knows everything; And on the other side, man cannot realize the perfection of His knowledge; and not even the riches of the secrets concerning the human nature; Therefore, it is more befitting for man, instead of criticizing God’s actions, to resort to Him in prayers; and to take away everything foreign from God of iniquity and oppression; God would then lift up his face, and grant him infinite blessings. “If you put away the sin that is in your hand, and allow no wickedness to dwell in your tent…” (Job 11: 14). Zophar asks ‘Job’, as his two other friends did before him, to resort to God, by his heart, as well as by his practical behavior; and to take away from himself every hypocrisy and deceit, so that God would respond to his prayers! His advice to ‘Job’ to repent seems true enough; Yet we do not know his real intention: Is he truly seeking his repentance, or intending to confirm his evil and hypocrisy?! He asks him to devote his heart with purity, and to stretch out his hands persistently in prayer, as though intending to hold fast to God, and never to let Him go until He blesses him, as our father Jacob once did?! Zophar is asking ‘Job’ to stop doing sin, and to put wickedness away from his tent! A strange thing to ask of someone dwelling on a heap of trash, whom the worms clothe him like a robe, and the soars cover him from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. What sin could he do with hands incessantly bleeding?! And from what tent could he put wickedness away, when he is living on a heap of trash?! Sin is either committed by thought alone, or by thought together with work. That is why, “the sin that in the hands” is the sin by work; whereas the “wickedness in the tent” is that in the heart. Our heart is truly called ‘a tent’, inside which we are buried, when we do not reveal ourselves outside through work. Zophar was a friend of a righteous man who knows what to say; Yet he himself, like the heretics, in rebuking such a man, does not really know how to say even what he knows. He asks his friend to put away the sin from his hands; then the wickedness from his tent. Whoever puts away from himself all the outer wicked works, is committed by necessity to go back to himself, and wisely test his heart; lest the sin which is no 416 longer practiced, would remain lingering in his mind. That is why Solomon says: “Finish your outdoor work and get your field ready; after that build your house” (Proverb 24: 27). What he means by finishing the outdoor work, and getting the field ready, is to uproot the thistles and thorns of evil, to be worthy of bearing the fruits of the reward. Then after plowing our field, we can get back to build our house, having learned from the good works, the complete purity of life, that we are committed to build in our thoughts. Pope Gregory the Great Repentance is given to mankind as a grace above grace. Repentance is a second birth from God, whose advance payment we get in baptism, and get as a gift through repentance. Repentance is the entrance of mercy, open to all those who seek it. Through that entrance, we enter to the divine mercy; and without it, no one can find mercy. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; and are justified freely by His grace” (Romans 3: 23, 24). ‘Repentance’ is the second grace, born in the heart as fruits of faith and fear. ‘Fear’ is the fatherly rod, that herds us to the spiritual Eden; Yet, once we are there, it leaves us and return. ‘Eden’ is found in the divine love, in which are all the blessings. That was the place where Paul got a supernatural kind of nourishment; Having tasted the fruit of the tree of life, he marveled, saying: ”No eyes has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2: 9) 1. St. (Mar) Isaac the Syrian No ailment that may come over man, for which the word of God has no proper medication. And like the medication prepared and mixed by physicians to treat physical ailments, there are medications prepared and mixed by the Spirit of the Lord, to deal and to confront the lusts of sins. Whoever feels the ailment, would find the medication close by, and is healed. All ailments are treated by medications that are contradictory to them: Ailments caused by cold, are treated by hot or warm herbs; whereas those caused by fever, are treated by cooling herbs. Now, learn from this, O wise man, who wishes to be healed from the ailments of your soul. Do to your soul what medicine does to the ailments of the body; As all things on the outer level, have been put before our eyes as examples to be followed as far as concerning the inner level; so that our souls can be healed by the same ways our bodies are healed. Therefore, let us prepare the proper medication to confront every kind of lust: Against doubt: faith. Against doing wrong: doing right. Against apprehension: surety. Against craftiness: simplicity Against telling lies: telling the truth. 1 A. J. Wensinck: Mystic Treatises by Isaac of Nineveh, 1923, p 210. Dana Miller: The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian, 1984, p.223. 417 Against deceit: honesty. Against confusion: clarity. Against cruelty: compassion. Against ferocity: mercy. Against carnal lust: spiritual lust. Against enjoyment of pleasure: suffering pain. Against the worldly joy: that of Christ. Against the worldly songs: spiritual praises. Against grief: rejoice. Against self-admiration and boasting; true hope in God. Against carnal desires: spiritual desires. Against carnal look: spiritual look. Against looking at seen things: thinking of unseen ones. Against binding to relationships with physical family (for a monk): binding to the heavenly family. Against dwelling in an earthly home: living and dwelling in the higher Jerusalem. Each of these ailments could be healed by what are opposite and contradictory to them. Whoever desires the heavenly life, is committed to do without the material earthly things; as craving for the one inside us, would not be possible unless the other is dead. The spiritual lust would never be born in our thoughts, unless the carnal lust is dead. The death of one leads to the life of the other. When the body lives in us with all its lusts and desires, the soul would then be dead with all its desires1. St. (Mar) Filoksinus 6- THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM GOD’S ANGER, EXCEPT BY REPENTANCE AND PRAYER: “Then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear” (Job 11: 15). Here, Zophar, opens the door of hope, like his two friends: Eliphaz (5: 8, etc), and Bildad (20: 7-22); contrary to ‘Job’, on whom, because of the ferocity of temptation, the pessimistic attitude often prevailed, that his early life would never return. What Zophar said, although it does not suit ‘Job’ in his present situation, yet constitutes a sound principle for any true repentant. No one can lift his face up before the holy One, unless he puts shame and disgrace away from himself through the purity of his heart and the holiness of his tent; by which he can stand before God, firm in his hope and can lean leaning on Him, with his love with no fear. If you present your prayer with a pure heart (13), with no blame concerning any unfitting work, with sighs over yourself, You will have a confrontation with God; and instead of grief, you will have joy, instead of tribulations, you will get blessings, and the features of your face would be shining like pure water (15). You would not fear any further ailments; as God would put them all away from you, would grant you 1 Homily 1:21-24. 418 forgiveness, would bring tranquility over you, and you would be like a boat that found protection from waves and gales in a secure harbor. Father Hesychius of Jerusalem Now, having put away those two (the sin of the hand and the wickedness in the tent), we may blamelessly lift our faces up before God; As the soul is man’s inner face, by which he can behold and recognize his Creator by love. Now, lifting up that face is lifting the soul up to God in prayer. Yet, the hidden intention of work may become a hindrance to that lifting up. Through remembering, while being preoccupied with prayer, the sin under which it was once submitted, the soul would lose every confidence, as well as hope in getting what it longs for; and would always have in mind, that continuous rejection of practicing what it hears from God. That is why St. John says: “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God, and receive from Him anything we ask” (1 John 3: 21-23); and Solomon says: “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable” (Proverbs 28: 9).. Our hearts, while praying, would rebuke us when we remember how we stood against His commandments. Pope Gregory the Great God would never help anyone, unless he himself contributes something; He would be helped if he prays1. The perfect reward of faith will be: When we ask, it will be given to us; when we seek, we will find; when we knock, the door, it will be opened to us (Matthew 7: 7). He who argues, would close the door of mercy before himself2. There is no way by which the congregation can reach absolute perfection; or any man can achieve any progress toward the true pietistic righteousness, except through the help of our Savior crucified Christ, and the gift of His Spirit. Whoever denies that, as I believe, could never be counted as a Christian3. St. Augustine “You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by” (Job 11: 16). Once the one who suffers enjoys the comforts of God, he would forget his sufferings, like when a mother forgets the painful pangs of labor, once she sees her newborn child; her pains would become like waters gone by. God alone can lift those who suffer above their sufferings, and would even turn them into blessings beyond count. “Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning” (Job 11: 17). If ‘Job’ felt that his light was completely been turned off, and his life has become pitch dark; God’s light, according to Zophar, would shine on him again, with his repentance, to make his life brighter than noonday, and would turn the darkness of the night for him into a cheerful morning. 1 On Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 20:43. 2 On Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 20:40. 3 On Nature and Grace, 71. 419 Life becoming brighter than noonday refers to the renewal of virtue at the time of temptation; as it is written: “Those who fear the Lord will have a happy end” (Sirach 1: 13). The more outer crosses he confronts, the more, the light of his inner virtues would shine; as testified by St. Paul who says: “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4: 16). Pope Gregory the Great O, the unseen Light! O, the Splendor that is not to be compared with any other splendor! You are the Light, before which all created lights would vanish! You are the Splendor, before which every outer splendor would be quenched! You are the Light, the source of all lights; and the Splendor the fountain of all splendors! You are the Light and the Splendor, before whom all lights would become like darkness! You are the splendor by whom the darkness would twinkle with brightness! You are the exalted Light, not covered by any cloud, nor hidden by any vapor; over whom the darkness of the night cannot come; could not be hindered by any barrier; and could not be covered by any shadow! Finally, You are the Light that perpetually enlighten the inner creation. Let me be swallowed by Your majesty!; to be able to recognize all Your depths, by the very splendor of Your deity, and by the splendor reflected on me from You. Never forsake me, lest my ignorance would increase, and my wickedness would become more intense. Without You, I would become void and miserable! Without You, no one would have any good; As You are alone the Truth and the true goodness! That is what I confess, and that is what I know, O my Lord God. Wherever I am, without You, I would have nothing but misery, inside and outside, because any riches that are not divine, are for me, utter poverty! St. Augustine “You will be secure, because there is hope; you would dig about you and take your rest in safety” (Job 11: 18). God’s comfort takes away anxiety from man, gives him a sense of peace and security, and opens before him the doors of hope instead of despair. He would dig about him, like when soldiers dig trenches in which they rest in safety, under the wings of God. Hope would lift itself up in God, more securely, concerning serious matters that man suffers for the sake of God. No reward of joy in eternity, could be gathered, unless it is sowed here, in the first place, in pietistic grief; according to the words of the Psalmist, saying: “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Psalm 126: 6); and those of Paul, saying: “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him” (2 Timothy 2: 11); and as Paul warns his disciples 420 saying: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14: 22). Pope Gregory the Great To hope for God, from God, is to love God, the Giver of grace1. How miserable I am?! My Lord... When will this corrupt nature ever depart from me; and when will Your complete power work in me?! My Lord... How pleasant are solitude, tranquility, truth, and purity; which are all Yours! And how detestable are loud noise, vanity, and wickedness that are all mine! What more can I say?! You are the true goodness; the merciful, the holy, and the just...; whereas I am the wicked, the selfish, and the oppressive! You are the Light, whereas I am the darkness! You are the life, whereas I am the death! You are the Physician, whereas I am the sick! You are the Joy, whereas I am the grief! You are the real Truth, whereas I am the real vanity, like any other man on earth! With which language, may I speak with You?! I pray, listen to me. I am the work of Your hands; My perdition is fearful to think about! I am your making; and here I am dying! I am the work of Your hands; and here I am, going down to nothingness! If I am existing, You are the One who made me exist; “You hands made me and formed me” (Psalm 119: 73); Let Your hands that were nailed on the cross, give me peace; Would You despise the work of Your hands?! I contemplate in Your deep wounds; You engraved my name on Your hands. Read my name and save me! My soul that moans before You, is the work of Your hands; Create out of me a new creation. As that is Your work, my soul keeps on crying out: “O, Life, Grant me a new life”! Being the work of Your hands, my soul supplicates to you to give her back its early beauty! O Lord, Having allowed me to talk to You,… Forgive me,... As, who is man, to dare talk to his Creator?! Yes, forgive me! Forgive my daring! Forgive Your servant who dared to raise his voice before his Lord! As necessity knows no law, It is pain that makes me talk to You! And it is the calamity that dwelt on me, that made me call the Physician, for I am sick! I seek the light, for I am blind! I seek life, for I am dead! Who is that Physician, that light, and that life, but You, O my Lord?! O Jesus of Nazareth, Have mercy on me! St. Augustine 1 Sermon 304:3. 421 “You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor” (Job 11: 19). It is not befitting of man to get disturbed; he should lie down comfortably and not be afraid; being in the bosom of God, surrounded by His divine care. Man would become, not only secure, with no enemies to fear, and no calamities to suffer; But many would court his favor; when they find peace and comfort in mere looking at his face; on which they would see printed, the portrait of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, testifying to His dwelling in his heart. Whoever courts the favor of God’s face, would bear the face of God, and his favor would be courted by many. Whoever seeks the worldly glory, would fear despise. And whoever perpetually opens his mouth wide seeking profit would definitely fear loss... Whereas he, who only longs for eternity, would become haughty, and would never be shaken by calamities; Having nothing in the world to covet, he would consequently have nothing to fear. Hadn’t Paul (lie down), with peace in his heart, when he said: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 38, 39). The power of this love is commended by the voice of the holy church, proclaimed in the Song of songs, saying: “Love is as strong as death” (8: 6); Comparing love to the power of death; namely, when the soul holds fast to love, it utterly dies to the pleasures of this world. Pope Gregory the Great “But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; and their hope is to breathe their last” (Job 11: 20). After presenting such a wonderful portrait of the complete repentance and its joyful fruit, he warns against evil and its consequences. The eyes of the wicked will fail; namely, the eyes that do not look up at God, the source of goodness, will get corrupted. By the “eyes” he means the (intention); according to the testimony of the Truth in the gospel, saying: “If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6: 22). If our action is preceded by good intention, whatever it may seem to men, it will, in the eyes of our inner judge, be counted as pure action. The eyes of the wicked are their intentions concerning their carnal lusts inside them. These will (fail), because they do not care for their eternal interests, concentrating all the time on the temporal benefits alone. “Their hope is to breathe their last”; as “When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes” (Proverb 11: 7). What would be the hope of the sinner here in all his thoughts, except to surpass the others in authority; to have his storehouses full; to break down his competitors in business; and to fulfill all his carnal lusts?! Now, we could have considered Zophar right in what he said, if the righteous ‘Job’ has not already proclaimed all that, more perfectly through his whole life! Pope Gregory the Great 422 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF JOB 11 GRANT ME THE LIVING DIVINE TRUTH My soul praises You, because You created her according to Your image In her depths, she longs to recognize Your divine Truth. Like a bride, she anticipates the day of her eternal wedding. She wishes to be adorned with the thoughts of her Groom, and to recognize His secrets. I confess to You, O the amazing Truth; I often had a haughty thought; I thought of myself as Your advocate, O Truth! Together with Peter, I held a sword to strike the adversary servant! I foolishly, cut off his spiritual ear! And deprived him of the ability to hear Your word. I counted myself as a man of the church. And foolishly, I defended her with a foreign spirit, unfitting to a son! Grant me the Spirit of truth and knowledge, by the Spirit of love and compassion. What truth am I defending, with no true love for all mankind? To our wicked world, You came, O Truth. In bitterness we presented to You the cross, O Lover of all mankind. While defending the Truth, we foolishly persecuted it. Grant me to enjoy You, and Your Holy Spirit. As You are the Truth, the Love, and the Way. Let Your Holy Spirit work in me. The Spirit which rebukes on sin, and grants divine comforts. Grant me the pomade of compassion, and contrition, in true humility. By Your love, Your compassion, and Your knowledge, I would draw many into the net of Your church. Put Your holy word in my mouth. To sanctify my tongue, to utter the truth full of love. Speak in me, through my tongue, as well as through my silence. Let me testify, by my talk, as well as by my silence. Open up Your mouth and speak to me. Your words, like light, would expose and scatter my darkness. Would grant me enlightenment to save and glorify me. Teach me how to talk to my brethren, my fellows in weakness. Instead of judgment, let me be compassionate to them, so that You will be compassionate to me. Let me be weak, as they are weak, that my heart flares with the fire of Your love. Let me count myself chained, as they are chained. Then You would set us all free, O Grantor of freedom. With the light of Your divine wisdom, shine on me. To make me enjoy double understanding. To make me realize Your love through the works of Your exalted love. 423 To discover the secrets of Your care for me; even in the midst of Your chastisements. I praise You for Your generous gifts. Whether You give or You take away, I see You God, amazing in Your care. Grant me a double wisdom, to realize both Your seen and hidden plans. And beside Your wisdom, I would understand the fellowship in the feature of Your love. By the double wisdom, I would bear a double love. I would love You, and I would love my brethren, the subject of Your love. I would love You a double love. I would love You with my heart, my soul, and my mind! I would know no limit for my love for You! I would also love my brethren a double love. I would offer them the spirit of love through generous giving and long suffering. I would not know how to hate, to envy, or to judge. I would deal with them the same way I wish them to deal with me. Grant me, O Lord, double wisdom, double understanding, and double love. Let me every morning enjoy Your new mercies. To increase in wisdom, understanding, and love. I shall never be content with what You grant me, until I become Your icon! Your gifts flare my longing for You. And provoke me to have a fellowship with You, and to follow Your example. O You, the divine Wisdom and Love. Grant me to be compassionate, even when I rebuke my beloved brethren. Anoint my words with Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter. When I confront You, O Almighty, My heart flares, longing to confront You more and more. My soul within me, moans, longing to recognize You more and more. Tell me, O Lord: If I am not able to know the secrets of Your seen creation, How can I dare to claim to know its unseen Creator?! If I can not see the trace that a boat leaves after it passes by, Nor that of an eagle after it flies along, How can I follow Your steps to recognize Your plans?! Grant me Your love, that in it, I can recognize You and Your plans. Lift up my heart above every vain love. To let it perpetually soar in Your heavens, to recognize You. To let me know You, that my love for You would increase. And that I would despise every earthly love. Tell me, where should I look, when the heavens and earth are not wide enough to accommodate You? Shall I look to heavens, and desire that Your Holy Spirit would carry me up there? That He would bring me up from glory to glory, until I settle down in Your bosom? 424 Shall I look down into the depths of ‘Sheol’, to find out that I have no place in it? After You have descended into it, and broke up its locks And carried me on Your arms, and brought me over to the glories. When I look at the earth with all its width, I would feel its extreme narrowness, compared with Your spacious heart toward me and my brethren! I may be so impressed before the extent of the ocean; Yet I will realize that it counts as nothing, compared to the extent of Your exalted love. Indeed, what is the height, the depth, the length, or the width of Your infinite love?! In Your absolute authority, we rejoice, O divine Love! You are the undisputable authority! Nobody can ever stand to debate before You! Your authority is that of love and compassionate fatherhood, O the Beneficent! You wish that all would be saved, and come to know the truth. Your authority is always for edification and glory. As long as we put our life in Your hands; And as long as we respond to the grace of Your exalted goodness. I confess to You, O Lord, the lowly level to which I have descended. I have lost the true understanding, and my heart became void. Who can fill it up but You, O the wisdom of God? To dwell in me, and to carry me in You. To enjoy You, and to walk along the amazing way of wisdom. By You, I climb up from the abyss of ignorance. And soar up together with You to the heavens of wisdom and knowledge. By Your Spirit, You perpetually take away from me the works of the old man. You destroy my ignorance and foolishness. And renew in me the works of the new man. To become indeed, an icon of You, O the whole Wisdom. Grant me the life of true repentance. Make me give my back to ignorance. Make me give my face toward You, O the divine wisdom. Make me proclaim my repentance, by forsaking all wickedness. Make me walk in the truth through the riches of Your grace. Make me lift my heart up to You. To get more than what I seek, and more than what I need. 425 AN ANNEX TO CHAPTER 11 KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE BY FATHERS OF THE EARLY CHURCH Having reached the talk by Job’s third friend, I found myself committed to deal with the connection between Knowledge and love; between the divine Truth and the divine love; or between the divine wisdom and the divine love. Job’s three friends thought of themselves as having a true divine knowledge; and as advocates of the truth; they were wise in their own eyes. They have indeed often uttered the truth; yet they lacked the true love. That is what terrifies me as a Christian who, while knowing much about heavenly facts, fears that he may lack the love for all mankind, even for his adversaries. As a priest, I feel this fear more than anybody else. There is nothing that deprives man of his fellowship with God – who is Love – like holding Peter’s sword to defend the truth, by cutting off the ear of someone around us, even though he is an adversary to the truth. By love we hold the sword of the Spirit that strikes in our depths, as well as in the depths of those around us; to cut off the ear of the old man, to replace it with the ear of the Spirit, that finds sweetness in hearing the voice of the truth, submits to it, and responds to it. How great is knowledge! A paradise, filled with joy, is a soul that does everything possible to find knowledge1. O Lord Jesus Christ; Let Your servants be knowledgeable about the temptations of the mighty demons; Grant them the knowledge of Your godly wisdom; Clothe them with Your holy power; by which they can humiliate the pride of the devils, and overcome them in their war against them. Amen2.T he spiritual elder - John El-Deliaty Gnosticism or (The true Knowledge): We have previously dealt with the Gnostics, who have put in their hearts, to replace faith with knowledge or Gnosis, as a way to salvation; that the word ‘Gnostics’ came to refer to groups of heretics. But St. Clement of Alexandria gave this term a new Christian concept; to refer to ‘Christians who live in the knowledge of God’. And, in order to avoid any misunderstanding, some use the term ‘A true Gnostic’; namely, ‘A Christian Gnostic’, to differentiate him from ‘A heretic Gnostic’. Who is a Gnostic? In his second work of ‘Stromata’, St. Clement stated that ‘A true Gnostic’ has to possess three criteria3: Practicing meditation, keeping the commandments, and having the good teachings. In case he lacks one of them, his gnosis is handicapped4. It is as though the Gnostic should possess the divine Gnostic knowledge, which he called ‘Meditation’; .( 1 رسالة 51 (ملحق 15 2 میمر عن شیطان الزنا. 3 Stromata, 2:10. 4 Louis Bouyer: The Spirituality of the N.T. & The Fathers, 1960, P 265f. 426 should live according to it; namely, to keep the commandments; and to walk according to the Spirit of the church; namely, to have the good teachings. Waltham Volker clarified well, that Clements's Gnosticism, if it flourishes by controlling oneself; Yet it is above anything else, a knowledge of the holy books through the enlightenment by the work of Christ, in the light of the church’s tradition1. The Gnostic is divine; became holy; carries God, and is carried by God 2. St. Clement of Alexandria The goal of Gnosticism: The goal of our Teacher is to proclaim the truth to us; The Lord Christ, as a Teacher, instructs man to discover the ‘Truth’3, which is in Christ Jesus. A teacher’s task does not end at revealing the Truth, but extends to developing in the soul a longing to know the Truth; saying: [Teaching – or Paideia – develops a love for knowledge4]. Finally, the truth proclaimed in Christ, is not just a theoretically philosophical mental knowledge, but it embraces the strength of work: [Its goal is to mend the soul, not just to teach it; and to lift it up to virtuous life, not just to provide it with mental knowledge5]. St. Clement of Alexandria Sources of Gnostic knowledge: St. Clement clarified in several works, that God is the Source of everything good and of benefit; That is why he believes that all the partial points of truth, found by the philosophers, are divine gifts. Whereas the Gnosticism in its perfection; namely, the perfect truth, is the gift of God through the Son; the gift of Christ Himself to us. Someone may say that the Greeks have discovered philosophy through human understanding; But I see the Holy book says that understanding is from God; That is why the Psalmist cries out: “I am Your servant; give me discernment...” (Psalm 119: 125)6. Gnosticism; namely, the knowledge, and the realization of the present, the future, and the past, as sure and confirmed things, are all granted and proclaimed by the Son of God, who is the Wisdom7. St. Clement clarified that the lord Christ grants Gnosticism through reading the Holy Book8 by the Spirit of the church, lest we misunderstand it like the heretics; By which we bear perfection through our perfect evangelic behavior; Saying: [By receiving the gospel, man becomes perfect, after having walked according to the law9]. He also confirms that Baptism makes Gnosticism possible for us, by the enlightenment of our inner insight10. 1 Walther Volker: Der Waher Crostiker nach Clemens Alexandrinus, Berlin - Lepzig, 1952. 2 Stromata, 7:13. 3 Strom 4:6. 4 Strom 4:15. 5 Paed 1:1:1. 6 Strom. 6:8. 7 Ibid. 6:7. 8 Ibid 6:7. 9 Strom 4:21. 10 Paed. 1:28:1. 427 St. Clement paid much attention to ‘love’ as a source Gnosticism; being based on it: God is love, known by those who love Him... That is why we are committed to enter into knowledge through the divine love; to meditate into the thing through its like1... and to know the God of love through practicing love; namely, practicing the heavenly life. St. John Chrysostom says: [How amazing is such a friendship?! Telling us His secrets “the secret of His will”; the things that are in His heart... It is truly the secret full of amazing wisdom and understanding?!... Those who were worth nothing, in an instant He lifted them up to riches and abundance; He, who has been a detested enemy, was instantly lifted high up...; and in the designated time. It is the work of wisdom, realized through the cross]. Only when one has love, he could be said to know as he should2! Paul says that knowledge is great and extremely useful for those who acquire it, when it is sweetened with love3. Ambroseaster This could be only understood by the concept that, without love, knowledge presents no goodness, but would rather puff man up, and would make him boast by a vain wind. Those who have knowledge without love are haughty; They long for the divine honors through practicing religious rites, which they know, hide the true God; and yet they do their best to provoke those under their influence to follow their lead. Contrary to the pride, which is a character of the devil; because of which, the human race has submitted to a well-deserved punishment; the Almighty appeared in the form of a servant…; Yet men failed to recognize Him, because they became like the devils in pride and haughtiness, and not in knowledge4. Knowledge is good as long as it goes hand in hand with love; and if not, it puffs man up with vain pride5. The proud is indeed called haughty; namely, puffed up with wind; according to the words of the apostle, saying: “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8: 1) 6. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies”. That is why; I wish knowledge comes to be, like a novel set upon the notion of love that would last forever, when knowledge fails7. fails7. Knowledge of a good kind is in the service of love; as knowledge without love puffs up; whereas when love edifies, it so fills the heart, that knowledge would find no void, in which it puffs up8. St. Augustine 1 Strom. 5. 2 CSEL. 3 CSEL. 4 City of God 9:20. 5 City of God 9:20. 6 Sermon on the Amount 1:1:3. 7 Ep. 55:39. 8 Ep. 167:11. 428 The Psalmist believes that the higher man ascends, level above level, in the exalted knowledge of God; he will find that God is higher and higher, The more exalted in the knowledge of God you reach, and the more intense the fire of His love flares in your heart, Yet there would still be innumerable levels beyond the knowledge and the love you have already reached. Cyprian, the martyr Knowledge is a divine gift: “God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1: 27). , and granted him the most valuable gift; namely, the free will: he has the choice between good and evil; to connect to his Creator, or even to oppose Him, and to rebel against Him. God has not created man a tool He moves with no choice on man’s part; but granted him a mind and ability to think; as well as a true and real knowledge. God gave him that gift free, and gave him as well the ability to build it up, or to destroy it at will. The features of this gift are: 1- It is both a personal and a collective gift: It is a gift given to man on a personal level, to support him in his relationship with his Creator; as well as in dealing with his human brethren and the heavenly creatures. This personal gift could grow in the collective atmosphere, and it could also be destroyed through it. While the holy friendships, the spiritual and the knowledgeable collective works, may support man in the continuous growth of his knowledge; Evil friendships, on the other hand, may corrupt and destroy that knowledge. In a commentary by St. Gregory of Nyssa on the Song of songs 1: 8, he demonstrates that the secret of beauty of the inner man, is to “follow the tracks of the (holy) sheep”; to herd his depths to enjoy the beauty of true knowledge, and its continuous growth; receiving, in his fellowship with the saints, the true Light – Jesus, the Lord of glory – as the secret of his enlightenment and his enjoyment of the exalted pure and holy knowledge. Man would become an icon of Christ, the divine Wisdom, and the divine Light, to enjoy the knowledge of the holy heavenly secrets in his daily life. “If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the sheep, and graze your young goats by the tents of the shepherds” (Song of songs 1: 8). It is the sure way to protect you; to realize that God has created us at a level much higher than that of other creatures; He did not make the heaven, the moon, the sun, the beautiful stars, or anything else, in His image. You alone, He created in that nature, which is far beyond any comprehension; in the image and likeness of the eternal beauty. You received as well, the true divine blessings, and the seal of the true light; You will become like Him when you look at Him, and follow His lead -- “the light which shines in your heart” (2 Corinthians 4: 6), that is reflected through your purity1. St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa Who, among the earthly creatures, was created in the image of God, except man? And to whom was given the authority over nature and all its creatures, as his own? 1 Commentary on Song of Songs, Homily 2. 429 It is a true honor that crowns his forehead, and exalts him to heaven, above the stars, and higher than the sun...; although he is in a lower level than the angels, because he is bound by a material body, he was granted the grace to comprehend and to know His Lord and Creator1. St. Basil the Great We need to learn from God, how to think about God; we have no source other than Him. You can elaborately learn, according to the world philosophy; and you may probably lead a righteous life; that all could help to achieve a mental fulfillment, yet it would not help you to know God. The daughter of Pharaoh adopted Moses, and taught him the wisdom of the Egyptians; Besides, in loyalty to his own race, he avenged the murder of a Hebrew by killing the Egyptian, Yet he did not recognize God who blessed his fathers2. St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitier 2- A knowledge connected to the holy pietistic life: The devil’s mental knowledge of God surpasses ours; he knows much more of the divine and heavenly secrets; Yet he is considered ignorant and foolishly unknowledgeable. On the last day, God will say to the wicked: “I do not know you, or where you come from” (Luke 13: 25). Although God knows everything, yet His recognition of the wicked is not that of uniting with, and connecting to them. And as said by St. Augustine: They are not worthy of being the object of His knowledge. “And you know the truth”. Truth is unchangeable. Truth is good, flourishes our brains, and never fails; Changes whoever eats it, and would never be changed in him; Truth is the Word of God... the only-begotten Son, who took up a body for our sake, and was born by a virgin, to realize the prophecy that said: “Truth shall spring forth from the earth” (Psalm 85: 11). That Truth, when talking to the Jews, hid in the body; not to be denied, but to postpone proclamation, to suffer in the body, in order to save the body from sin. In that way, he wholly appeared in the weakness of the body; while hidden, as far as the majesty of the Godhead is concerned3. St. Augustine Man is not just him, who has man’s hands and feet; nor him, who is rational; but him, who courageously practices piety and virtue4. St. John Chrysostom You are all one in Jesus Christ; not that some are enlightened and knowledgeable, while others are spiritually less perfect. Let everyone put aside all the carnal lusts, to become spiritually equal before God5. He who knows also does the works fitting for virtue. But there may be someone who practices work, without necessarily being a person of knowledge; as he may be able to discern between what is right and what is wrong; and yet he lacks the knowledge of heavenly secrets. Moreover, some people may do well for fear of punishment, or 1 Hom. In Ps 48, 8, PG 29:450 b. 2 On the Trinity, 5:21. 3 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 41: 1. 4 Second Instruction, 1. 5 Paedagogus 1:5:31. 430 hoping for a reward. That is why John Cassian teaches us that a man with a perfect knowledge practices these works out of love. St. Clement of Alexandria It is impossible for an impure soul, however longing for reading, to get spiritual knowledge; as one can not pour good perfume, honey, or any precious matter, in a dirty container with repulsive smell; because such a container would corrupt what is poured in it, more than would be affected by it. A pure thing is more easily affected by an impure one1! In case you are longing to get the light of spiritual knowledge, not for the sake of vain pride, You ought first to be flared with longing to get that blessing uttered by the Savior: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5: 8); by which you can get what the angel said to Daniel: “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12: 3)... So, we should strive consistently on reading, beside first, seeking earnestly to gain the practical, experimental knowledge; namely the ethical knowledge. Having given so much effort and labor, we can earn the spiritual knowledge as a reward. And as we acquire such knowledge, not merely by meditating in the law, but as a fruit of our labor; we can sing and praise, saying: “I gain understanding from Your percepts” (Psalm 119: 104) 2. Father Nestor 3- Knowledge is acquiring Christ Himself: The Wisdom of God descended incarnate for us to acquire; Wisdom to us then, does not stop at the limits of experiences that we, or those who preceded us enjoyed; Nor at mere study and research; But it is befitting for us to acquire the wisdom of God Himself. Notice that even He Himself, who is the Truth and the Word; by whom everything was created; Who became a body to dwell among us; Yet, about Him the apostle says: “Even if we have known Christ according to the body; yet we do not know Him still”. As Christ never intended just to grant reward to those who consummate the way; but to become He the way for those who intend to walk3. St. Augustine 4- Our present knowledge is partial: Whatever the extent of our knowledge; As long as we are still in the earthly body, our knowledge would be counted as partial and incomplete. God does not keep us from attaining a complete knowledge; But He gives us what is partial, in order to flare our hearts to seek the complete knowledge with a spirit of humility, to keep us from falling into pride because of our knowledge. “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13: 12). مناظ ا رت یوحنا كاسیان، مناظرة 1 .14:14 مناظ ا رت یوحنا كاسیان: 7، ا رجع مناظرة: المعرفة الروحیّة. 2 3 On Christian Doctrine, 1:34 (38). 431 Although everyone always seeks more knowledge; Yet it will remain an imperfect knowledge in every respect, compared to its true perfection; until it is time for what is perfect to come, and what is partial to go away1. St. Basil the Great “Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, just as I also am known”. Do you see how, in two ways, He takes pride away from them? He gives them partial knowledge; and even that, is not their own. He say: “For I do not know Him, but He let Himself be known to me”. So far, He started by making Himself known; He hastens to come to me, so that I would hasten to come to Him, more so than I do now2. St. John Chrysostom In the voice of the turtledove, heard in the promised land, it is befitting for us to see Christ Himself preaching; to see Him face to face, and not anymore dimly in a mirror3. If knowledge is proclaimed now to those worthy of it, seeing it dimly in a mirror; and will later on be fully proclaimed; it would be foolish, not to assume that it would be likewise proclaimed as far as the other virtues are concerned4. He encourages her, and provokes her not to sit idly, but to come to him outside and try to see Him, not through windows, or in a mirror dimly, but face to face; as now, she cannot see Him, because He stands behind and not in front of her, behind her back, and behind the wall5. The scholar Origen When we all become unified, and believe the same way; and become that would be what he calls “the perfect man”; Even though we are fully grown, yet he calls us in another place ‘children’ (1 Corinthians 13: 11),; when he compares our present knowledge with our future one; saying: “knowing in part” , and adding “in a mirror, dimly”. And in another comparison in his epistle to the Hebrews he says: “But solid food is for the mature” (Hebrews 5: 14) 6. This is what he means by the expression “as I also am known”: Not that we shall know Him as He really is; but, as He hastens to us now, we shall connect to Him, shall know many things that are so far are secret, and shall enjoy the more blessed and wise society7. As an example for this, we now know that God is everywhere; yet we do not know how! We know that He created everything from nothing; yet we have no idea how that was realized! We also do not know how Christ was born by a virgin; and so on8. St. John Chrysostom 1 Concerning Faith. 2 In 1 Corinth., hom. 34:2. 3 The Song of Songs, Comm., Book 4:14. (ACW). 4 On Prayer 11 :2. 5 The Song of Songs, Comm., Book 3:13. (ACW). 6 In Ephes., hom. 11. 7 In 1 Corinth., hom. 34:2. 8 In 1 Cor., hom., 36:2. 432 That means that we believe in the things which we know now through the Holy Books. But after resurrection, we shall see them by our own eyes, and recognize them as actual facts, when knowledge is no more in part. As knowledge based on hearing or faith, is considered ‘in part’, compared to that based on testimony by eye and actual experience1. St. Dedymus the blind So far, no one has discovered the nature and essence of God; this may happen in the future. As my mind, which is in the image of God, tells me – When that divine; namely, the mind, unites with its like;... when the image joins its origin, to whom it longs. This, as I think, is the meaning of that great phrase: “Then, I shall know fully, as I also am known”2. St. Gregory of Nyssa Now we know and understand in part; But then, we shall fully know; when, not the shadow, but the true greatness and eternity of God, start to shine and proclaim itself with no veil before our faces3. St. Ambrose 5- To enjoy knowledge, It is fitting for us, not to stop at reading and research, but to seek from God the “knowledge as one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit”; according to the words of the apostle: “To one there is given through the spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12: 8). Paul did not learn faith just through words; but he enjoyed the riches of the Spirit, for the proclamation to enlighten all his soul, and for Christ to talk through him4. St. John Chrysostom Knowledge is not given through learning from a book, but through the enlightenment by the Holy Spirit5. Ambrosiaster In a talk to young people, St. Basil the Great did not dismiss the benefit of reading the works of poetry and history, etc.; saying: [We should start by reading the thoughts of the world, then rise up to the secrets of faith... In case there is conformity between the former and our dogmas, their benefit would be of great value; and if not, the comparison would still make our sound beliefs hold more fast6]. Yet, as far as the monks are concerned, he says, that they should read, not what they choose, but what is of benefit to their spiritual life, and in the proper times, according to the counsel of their guide7. Knowledge and senses: 1 On the Trinity 103:2. 2 Oration 28:17. 3 On His Brother Satyrus, 2:103. 4 In Gal. hom1:16. 5 CSEL 81:134. 6 Durkheim E.: Education et sociologie, P.U.F. Paris 1966, Introd. P. 1-2. 7 Reg. Brev. Question 96, 180, 307. 433 Senses are divine gifts; through them knowledge enter, to let us enjoy the growth in wisdom; if they are used as is befitting for us, as rational creation of God. Although our knowledge would always be incomplete in this life, yet it would be dependable within limits. Believers trust in the testimony of their senses, which are in the service of their minds; and though they are probably sometimes deceived, yet, that would be better than having no trust in senses at all, as is believed by some1. St. Augustine How to acquire the divine knowledge: We find the philosophical look of St. Clement on the knowledge of God, particularly demonstrated in the fifth book of his ‘Stromata’; in which he gives faith and hope in the comprehension by the mind of the unseen things, that the senses could not realize. The way to knowledge passes through three stages: a- The stage of purification from sin: It is befitting for man, in order to enjoy the divine knowledge, to rid himself of his wrong ideas concerning God, which are the fruit of his servitude to his carnal lusts; through which, man used to find a goal for himself, to become farthest from God. Having clothed themselves with mortal issues, as though in bivalve shells, centered on their lusts like porcupines; the majority of humans used to think about the blessed and immortal God, by the same terms by which they think about themselves2. Thus it is befitting for men to rid themselves of such sufferings of the soul, and earthly influences, in order to realize God. b- The logic analysis, or thinking about God in a material carnal way: The words of the bible should not be literally understood. When saying “the right side of God”, we should not assume that God has right or left side; for He is above place and time, beyond the world of names, and earthly concepts. c- The vision stage: Knowledge of God as a divine gift, not reached without His grace. Philosophy may Indeed support us; telling us what is not God, which in itself is important, to take away the wrong thoughts in our minds, and the minds of others. But realizing God could not be achieved except by divine grace alone, beyond the limits of logic thinking. Knowledge and faith: This, according to St. Clement of Alexandria, is the goal of the Gnostic; to recognize God (the Truth), and to see Him face to face3; namely, to cross over to the perfect knowledge through faith, the experience of pure life, and the perpetual meditation. If we have crossed over from atheism to faith, it would be fitting for us to cross over from faith to knowledge4; to see and recognize God. This knowledge is a divine gift we get through the Son, by receiving Him and following His lead; namely through the purity of heart, by which we can see God and realize what would be unrealizable to others5. 1 City of God, 19:18. 2 Strom. 5:68. 3 Strom. 2:10. 4 Strom. 7:10. 5 Strom. 6:8. 434 They claim that they believe and know, and connect the two of them together; as man should both believe and understand. To accept the divine issues by faith does not imply to refrain utterly from searching them. We should rather try to reach a reasonable knowledge; according to the apostle Paul “in a mirror, dimly” (1 Corinthians 12: 12). They did well by not saying that they knew first then believed; but have put faith ahead of knowledge; according to the Scripture, saying: “If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established” (Isaiah 7: 9 LXX). St. Cyril the Great It is not that we knew and believed, but “we believed and knew”. We believed to know; because if we intend to know first then to believe, we shall neither know nor believe. What did we believe and know? “You are the Christ the Son of the living God”; namely, ‘You are the eternal life itself; that You only grant in Your body and blood, that are You’1. Haven’t they reached that knowledge when the Lord was with them? If they did not have the knowledge, how did they believe? They believed, not because they knew, but in order to know. We believe in order to know, and not the other way round. As what we are to know, “no eye have seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived” (Isaiah 64: 14; 1 Corinthian 2: 9); As what is faith but to believe in what we have not yet seen2? When the Lord spoke to them about His Father, they asked Him; ”Where is Your father?” By that they meant His biological father, because they understood the words of Christ according to the body. The One who spoke was apparently the body; Yet the hidden was the Word; The seen man and the unseen God.... They despised Him because they did not know Him; They did not know Him because they did not see Him; They did not see Him because they were blind; and They were blind because they did not believe3. We see You alone, and we do not see Your Father with You; So how can You say that You are not alone, but with Your Father? Let us then see that Your Father is with You4! Now, as well, He is in us, and we are in Him. This is what we believe now; whereas then, we shall also know it; what we now believe is by faith, while what we are going to know will be by actual vision5. St. Augustine Knowledge and the inner freedom: Our lord Jesus presents Himself to us to acquire; being the Truth, who alone can carry us over to the knowledge of our salvation, by and in Him. The goal of knowledge is 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 27:9. 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 40: 9. 3 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 37:1. 4 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 37:2. 5 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 75: 4. 435 to acquire the Truth, the Grantor of freedom, where the believer enjoys the fellowship of eternal glories. “You will know the Truth”; namely, “You will know Me”, as I am the Truth. All the Jewish things were symbols; but in me, you will know the Truth, who will set you free from your sins.... He did not say: “I will free you from servitude”, He let them deduce that by themselves1. St. John Chrysostom Knowledge and the fellowship with God: The goal of knowledge is to unite with the beloved one or ones, and to have fellowship with him or with them. We should not marvel to hear that Adam knew his wife Eve when he united to her, and had fellowship with her. We are counted with divine knowledge when we enjoy union, and have a living practical fellowship with God as His children. The verb, ‘to know’ in the holy books, most probably, does not imply (to comprehend) a certain thing, but (to have a personal relationship) with it. Jesus knew no sin, not because He had no idea about sin, but because He never committed one Himself.. Although He was like us in every other respect, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4: 15). With this meaning of the word “knows”, it becomes obvious that, to know God, man is committed to keep His commandments; as both of them go together. St. Dedymus, the blind The Lord knows His own; in the sense that, through their good works (in Christ), He accepts them in a deep fellowship with Him2. St. Basil the Great Those who perish do not know God; And He, in turn, will deny that He knows them; saying: “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7: 23) 3. Hilary, Bishop of Arl The Holy Book says somewhere else, that those who united with a certain person, and became one with him; know him and are preoccupied with him. But before this union and fellowship, even if they have got information about that person, they cannot claim that they knew him. As an example, When Adam said about Eve: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2: 23), he still did not know his wife; But once he got united, and became one with her, it was said: “The man knew his wife Eve” (Genesis 4: 1). He, who gets offended, because of our use of this phrase, “Adam knew his wife Eve”, as an example of knowing God, let him take into consideration, first that “This is a profound mystery” (Ephesians 5: 32); Then let him compare it with what the apostle says about the male and the female, where he used the same language concerning man, with the Lord; saying: “Do you know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body?… But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6: 16, 17). That is why, he who unites with a prostitute, knows the prostitute; 1 Homilies on St. John 54: 1. 2 Ep. 235:3. 3 Introductory Commentary on 1 John. 436 while he, who unites with his wife, knows his wife; and much more, he, who unites with the Lord, knows the Lord; yet in a holy way. In this case, we can say that the Pharisees knew neither the Father nor the Son1. If someone is able to give a full account of the things concerning God, and learned from his fathers that only to Him, men should worship; If he does not walk upright, he, according to the Holy Book, does not bear the knowledge of God. There was no one who truly knew the things concerning the Creator and His priestly service, more than the sons of Eli the priest; having been dwelling in the very place of worship. Yet, having done wrong, it was written about them in the first book of kings: “The sons of Eli were the sons of perdition; they did not know the Lord” (see also 1 Samuel 2: 12). The same applies to certain wicked rulers of Israel and Judah, and to the Pharisees who did not know the Father, having not lived according to the will of the Creator2. The Scholar Origen Knowledge and the Holy Trinity: “Everything was given to me by My Father; No one knows who the Son is but the Father; and no one knows who the Father is but the Son, and to whom He is pleased to give it” (Luke 10: 22) The phrase: “You know me, and you know where I am from” (John 7: 28), concerns His Person as Man; whereas the phrase: “You know neither Me nor My Father”, concerns His Godhead…. It is obvious that the words of those people of Jerusalem, saying: “We know where this man is from” (John 7: 27), refer to the fact that “He was born in Bethlehem” (Matthew 2: 1); and they knew that His mother is called Mary, and His brothers (the aunt’s sons) are James, John, Simon, and Judah (Matthew 13: 55). That is why, to them He testified, saying: “You know who I am, and where I came from”; Whereas, to the Pharisees He said: “Even if I testify on My own behalf, My testimony is valid, for I know where I came from, and where I am going” (John 8: 14); speaking about His divine nature, on the basis by which He is the Firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1: 15) 3. The scholar Origen Whoever denies that the Son is from the Father, does not know the Father from whom the Son is; And likewise he does not know the Son, because he does not know the Father4. St. Ambrose Because Philip’s eyes were still not sound enough to see the Father (John 14: 8); and consequently to see the Son, who is equal to the Father; the Lord Jesus Christ healed him with the medications and ointments of faith, to make the weak eyes of his mind stronger, to be able to see such great light, saying to him: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” (John 14: 10) 1 Commentary on John, Book 19:22 – 24. 2 Commentary on John, Book 19:13, 15. 3 Commentary on John, Book 19:7, 10. 4 On the Christian Faith, Book 1:19:127. 437 I wish that he, who is unable to see what the Lord will eventually reveal to him one day, would not seek to see, but to believe. Let him first believe, that his eyes would be healed, by which he could see1. The Lord rightly rebuked the disciple, having been aware of what is in his heart (John 14: 9). If, by seeking to know the Father, Philip meant that the Father is, in some way, better than the Son; he, likewise, did not know the Son. So, in order to correct such concept, the Lord told him: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’” (John 14: 9)... Why do you intend to discover a difference between two identical entities? Why do you seek a separate knowledge between two, who are not separate? What he said after that was not addressed to Philip alone, but to all of them, to help us interpret things more carefully2. St. Augustine Here He talks about a certain kind of knowledge (a knowledge through the unity of essence), which is only His3. St. John Chrysostom Why is it that God asked Satan: “Where have you come from?” (Job 1: 7); if it is not to judge his ways, as though they are not known to Him? As the Light of Truth knows nothing about the darkness which He rebukes, and about the ways of Satan which He condemns, It is fitting for Him to enquire about them as though they are unknown to Him. That is why it was said to Adam in his sin, by the voice of his Creator: “Adam, where are you?” (Genesis 3: 9). The divine Power was not ignorant of where His disobedient servant hid, but He intended to show that the one fallen in sin, is hidden from the eyes of the Truth, by his sin. Because He condemns Satan, He enquired about his ways; whereas there is no need to enquire where the elect angels came from; Representing God’s ways; and submitting only to His will, they could never be unknown to Him. Pope Gregory the Great God’s knowledge of us and of His creation: God knows His children and His holy ministers; and does not know the wicked evildoers. That is why, when Adam fell in sin, He asked him: “Where are you?”. And according to St. Jerome, [God knew that Adam was in paradise, and knew about everything he has done; Yet once Adam sinned, God did not know him, and asked where he is4, as though He did not see him; because Adam forsook the divine light and righteousness, and became under the shadows of sin and the darkness of death]. St. Augustine, commenting on the words of the Savior: “I do not know you”, says: [I do not see you in my light, or in the righteousness I know5]. God does not see us in His light, 1 Sermon on N.T. Lessons, 38:4. 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 70: 3. 3 In Ioan hom. 60:1. 4 On Ps. hom 1. 5 In Ioan 49:20. 438 when we extend our prayers in vain, preach, or perform powers in His name, But sees us when we live with, and by Him, and walk along His ways. To have our names written in heaven is a proof of our virtuous life; whereas driving demons away is a gift from the Savior. That is why He says to those who boast in doing powers without practicing the virtuous life: “I do not know you”; As God does not know the way of the wicked1! St. Athanasius the apostolic God does not know the sinner, but knows the righteous2. St. Jerome How amazing, that He, who came to raise him from the dead, seems as though He does not know the location of his grave; and asks: “Where have you laid him?” (John 11: 34). As many fathers say, God who knows everything, seems not to know the place of darkness, nor the evil or evildoers. That is why, when Adam sinned in paradise, God asked him: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3: 9). And on the day of judgment, He will say to the wicked: “I do not know you” (Matthew 7: 23). “I do not see You in My light; in the righteousness that I know”3. Probably because “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2: 19; Numbers 16: 5), He does not know those who are not; And as He says about some: “I never knew you” (Matthew 7: 23); He also says about Judas who is not His: “I never knew you”; Because if Judas was Christ’s and then fell, it would be possible to say to him: “I do not know where you are from” (See Luke 13: 27)... And because of this, he did not say: “I know all of you”, but: “I know those I have chosen” 4. The scholar Origen He called her name, He whom she thought dead, and asked where they have laid Him; He called her name, as though to say to her: “know Him, who knows you”. Once she was called by her by name, she recognized Creator, whom she seeks outside her; while He teaches her to seek Him inside her5. Pope Gregory the Great Growth in knowledge: In case someone moves zealously forth, God, on His part will give him everything; whereas, if he does not preoccupy himself with these things, and contributes nothing on his part, he will be denied God’s gifts6. St. John Chrysostom Let their souls be blessed by partaking of the understanding, the knowledge, and the secrets; Let them altogether be blessed through the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ7. 1 Vita S. Antonii 38. 2 In Ps. Hom 1. 3 St. Augustine:On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 49:20. 4 Commentary on John, Book 32: 154 – 155. 5 Hom 25. Forty Gospel Homilies, 193. 6 In Matt. hom 45:1. 7 صلاة تبریك للشعب. 439 Liturgy of Bishop Serapion The following are quotations from a commentary by St. Ambrose on this situation: [We may consider the testimony of the multitude to Him, of no value; As some of them thought of Him as being Elijah who rose up; having believed in his coming; While others thought of Him as being John the Baptist, knowing that he was decapitated, and believing that he would rise; And still others thought of Him to be one of the early prophets. Research in Him; (namely, in the Person of Christ) is something beyond our ability; but corresponds to the mind and wisdom of someone like Paul, for whom it is enough to know Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2); For what more does he long for, than to know that He is Christ? In this name, the Godhead transfigures, and the incarnations, as well as the passion are proclaimed. All the rest of the disciples knew Him, but Peter alone said: “You are the Christ of God” (Luke 9; 20); as this Name includes everything, expresses His nature, and embraces all virtues. Will you raise questions around how the Lord was born, When Paul says that he knows nothing except Christ and Him crucified; and when Peter confesses that He is the Christ of God? We, with the eyes of human weakness, do research around: when, how, and what is His greatness. Whereas Paul sees in all these enquiries no edification; he wishes to know nothing but Jesus Christ; and Him crucified! Peter knew that, in “the Son of God” there is everything; As the Father has placed everything in His hands (John 3: 35)..., He is as everlasting and as great as the Father. If I accept the faith that He is Christ the Son of God (Matthew 16: 16), although I should not enquire how He was born; I should not be ignorant as well of this fact. Let us believe then, the way peter did, to be blessed like him, and be worthy of hearing the words: “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you); but My Father in heaven” (Matthew 16: 17); As flesh and blood only receive the earthly things; whereas he, who utters the secrets of the Spirit, does not depend on the teachings of the flesh and blood, but on the divine proclamation. If you depend on the flesh and blood for instructions, you would become, yourself, flesh and blood; whereas if you unite to the lord, you would become one Spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6: 17), who says: “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal (flesh and blood)” (Genesis 6: 3). God forbids that my listeners would be flesh and blood, but would be foreigners to their lusts, and each one of them would say: “I will not be afraid what can mortal man (namely flesh and blood) do to me” (Psalm 56: 4). Whoever overcomes the body would become one of the pillars of the church; and if he does not reach up to Peter’s level, he would, like him, enjoy the many gifts of God, who does not give us back what we forsook, but what are actually His. We should wonder why did the multitudes think of Him as Elijah, Jeremiah, or John the Baptist?! They might have thought of Him as Elijah on account that the latter was taken up to heaven. But Christ was not taken up to heaven, like Elijah, but came from there; Elijah 440 avenged his enemies by the fire he requested from heaven (1 kings 18: 38); whereas Christ wished for the salvation of those who did Him wrong, and not their perdition. They might have thought of Him as Jeremiah, who was consecrated from the womb (Jeremiah 1: 4); Yet Christ was not consecrated like Jeremiah, but He consecrates; Jeremiah started by his birth; while Christ is the Holiest of the holies. They might have thought of Him as John the Baptist, on account that John knew and worshipped the Lord while he was still in his mother’s womb; But Christ is the One worshipped; John baptized with water; while Christ baptized with the Spirit; John called for repentance; while Christ forgave sins1]. Science and faith: I believe that any rational person would see in science a main thing among everything good within the reach of our minds. I would not say that it is not only our sciences that are high and noble, because they despise beauty on the outside, to admire that of the mind; But also that science from the outside, despised by many unappreciative. Christians, who consider it so deceitful and dangerous, to alienate us from God… From that we should keep only what may help us meditate in the Truth, and avoid anything that may lead to evil, error and perdition2. We should not ignorantly concentrate our interest on science as a whole, but we should recognize what is useful of it… And for fear of getting so involved in it, that we forget the knowledge of God, and plunge in vain research, it is necessary to have discernment in education, by which we can choose of it, the kind of knowledge, that is useful and avoid what is harmful3. St. Basil the Great Knowledge and philosophy: In his work, ’Stromata’, St. Clement of Alexandria, dealt with two main subjects: The relationship between Christianity and the Greek Philosophy, and that between faith and knowledge (the Gnostic). In more than one situation, and in some detail, the saint responded to the question that long preoccupied the minds of many Christian scholars of his time; namely: [How does Christianity look at the Greek (Helinistic) philosophy? Does it consider it a danger on the Christian faith, or a help to it? To establish a true, authentic, and practical Christian Gnosticism, St. Clement of Alexandria, continuously uses the name “Gnostic”, meaning (a spiritual believer); not separating between knowledge (Gnosis) and spirituality. He believed that there is no contradiction or animosity between the constitution of the church, and the holy books, on the one hand, and philosophy, on the other. His view of philosophy is summarized in the following points: 1- Philosophy is not a work of darkness; but, on every one of its aspect, the ‘Logos’ shines a ray of light4… In the beginning of his work ‘Stromata’, he criticized 1 In Luc 9. . 2 الأب الیاس كویتر المخلصي: القدیس باسیلیوس الكبیر، منشو ا رت المكتبة البولسیة، بیروت، 1989 ، ص 136 . 3 الأب الیاس كویتر المخلصي: القدیس باسیلیوس الكبیر، منشو ا رت المكتبة البولسیة، بیروت، 1989 ، ص 136 4 Stromata, 1:13. 441 those who claim that philosophy is evil; and promised to clarify through his work, that on a certain aspect, it is ‘a work of the divine ordinance’1. According to him, the goal of every philosopher in all philosophical schools is the same as of Christianity namely, the exalted life; Yet the difference is that philosophers enjoyed only some glimpses of the truth, whereas Christianity proclaimed the whole Truth in Christ2 According to him, philosophy is of less value3, but is not without value4. He considers philosophers as kids, who remained as such, until the Lord Christ made men out of them. 2- Through this view, intending to introduce his own aspect of an identification of philosophy, he says: By philosophy, I do not mean, the , the Plotonic, the Epicurean, or the Aristotlic principles, but the truth said in each of them; in which righteousness is taught beside the pietistic knowledge; A free choice, which I call ‘philosophy’; Whereas the human rationalism fabricated and counterfeited by men; this is not philosophy5. It is as though, according to him, philosophy bears two aspects: The divine aspect, which is a gift of God, carrying a portion of the truth; and the human aspect, set by human mind, that counterfeits and corrupts the truth; against which the apostle Paul warned in his epistle to the (Colossians 2:8). He saw in the books of philosophy many contradictions6, contrary to the Holy Book. As to the reason behind the existence of these two aspects of philosophy, is based on the principle that everything good comes from God7, that He introduced to us, not as a goal in itself, but as a seed thrown on the soil by the Logos, to produce either a good or a bad fruition, according to the kind of soil, whether it is good or stony8. Through this view, we see him, sometimes defending philosophy on its true side, or attacking it on the impurities that came into it. He sometimes sees that philosophy bears an aspect of truth; some other time he sees it bearing a preliminary teaching for reaching it; and a third time, he sees it as neither right or wrong; and a fourth time, that it is required to discover the counterfeit truth; like a cashier who can spot the counterfeit currency, to designate the authentic one. 3- St. Clement believes that God’s care never disregarded philosophy. According to him, as God provided the Hebrews with the law to guide them to the Lord Christ, so He used philosophy to lead the Greeks to the same goal. The St. used the words of the apostle Paul, he addressed to the Ahenians, to draw them to faith through their poets (see Acts 17: 22-28), as a living example to confirm his theory. Through this view, some authors saw in St. Clement, a Platonic, a modern Platonic, or at least a defender of the Hellenistic philosophy. Fillinton says: [Whoever gives interest to Clement of Alexandria, defends, in direct or an indirect way, the secret of Hellenism in Christianity9]. 1 Stromata, 1:4. 2 W. Fairweather: Origen & Greek Patristic Theology, Edinburgh 1901, p. 15. 3 Stromata, 1:98. 4 Stromata, 1:15. 5 Stromata 1:7. 6 Stromata, 1:7.3. 7 Stromata, 1:5:28. 8 Stromata, 1:7:37. 9 Tollinton, Clement of Alexandria, London 1914, P IX. 442 4- St. Clement confirmed by several examples, that the Greeks have borrowed much from the Old Testament1. He said that Plato has adopted the view of Moses and other prophets; although he did not present them in a true way; and he also likened the Greek philosophy to the Mosaic Law. Yet he often confirmed that faith is the basis of, and greater than all knowledge2; and defended3 faith against the philosophers4. 5- Having been aware of the world with its two sides: the atheistic and the Christian; aware of both the classic Greek works, and the Christian theology; he believed that it is not the duty of the church to discourage the enthusiasm of the catechumens to continue their philosophic studies; Yet the church can give the philosophy a Christian touch, by its culture and teaching. He made it clear5 that the Gnostic or the ideal Christian, uses all kinds of knowledge, and does not fear philosophy but makes use of it. Although the multitude fear philosophy like kids, lest it would lead them astray, but the Christian by faith can recognize the truth; can discern between the unchangeable truth and the vain views; and can be like the cashier, who through experience, can separate the authentic currency from the counterfeit one... A Gnostic therefore, would not be deceived by false words, and can say together with David, saying: “A righteous man will never be shaken” (Psalm 112 : 6), neither by the false words, nor by the wrong pleasures; will never be shaken from his inheritance, “will have no fear or bad news” (psalm 112: 6); will never be terrified by false claims; and will never be shaken by vain views spread around him. In the same chapter, St. Clement clarifies that the Gnostic uses philosophy in a good way to recognize the truth partially appearing in it; while heretics use it in an evil way to lead people astray. And according to him, philosophy can also expose the deviated views of the sophisticated. God, the only and the true One, is the source of every beauty; whether the Hellenistic, or our own6. It is as though the Greek philosophy purifies the soul, and prepares it to receive faith, on which the Truth (Christ) builds the great establishment of knowledge7. Before the coming of the Lord, philosophy was necessary for the Greeks for righteousness; but now it became a way to godliness, being a kind of preparatory training for those seeking faith through proof... The Greek philosophy was given to them, directly and in a primitive way, until they were called by the Lord. And as the law led the Hebrews to Christ (Galatians 3: 24); so was philosophy, a preparation of the way for those talking about Christ8. 1 Stromata, 2:5. 2 Stromata, 2:4. 3 Stromata, 2:4:5. 4 Stromata, 2:2:8. 5 Stromata, 6:10. 6 Hans von Campenhausen, P 30, Stromata 1:28. 7 Stromata 7:3. ANF, vol 2, p. 528. 8 Stromata 1:5 (A.N. Frs, vol 2, P 305). 443 After that, he condemns philosophy, not in a general way, but the Epicurean philosophy mentioned by the apostle Paul in the Book of Acts (17: 18), which denies the Almighty God, and deifies pleasure1. St. Clement of Alexandria Beware, lest someone may corrupt you away from faith in Christ, by vain philosophy and faith, which disregards the ordinance of the divine care “according to the people’s tradition”; As the philosophy, according to the divine tradition, conforms to, and follows the ordinance of the divine care; which, if it disregards the appearance of the Savior and the ordinance of His salvation in time, we would be misled according to “the corners of the world, and not according to Christ” 2. St. Paul, as well, in his epistles, does not attack philosophy, but sees it as bringing man down to a level, to reach and achieve the worldly knowledge. According to him, man should not get down to the Hellenistic philosophy, which he symbolically calls: “Corners of the present world”; being still incomplete, and are mere preliminary principles to the Truth3. In case someone says that the philosophy discovered by the Greeks has come as a result of human understanding, I say that the Holy Book confirms that understanding is from God Himself. According to the Psalmist, Understanding is a free gift, and he provokes believers, saying that David, with all his abundant experience and knowledge: prays to God, saying: “Teach me gentility, wisdom, and knowledge, as I believe in Your commandments” 4. The apostle, stating that it is, “according to the corners of the world, and not according to Christ”, confirms that the Hellenistic teaching is a preliminary teaching; whereas that of Christ is a comprehensive one5. St. Clement of Alexandria The scholar Tertullian gave a clear and decisive answer, although extremely violent6, violent6, saying: [What fellowship is there between the philosopher and the Christian; between the vain-ally disciple of Greece, and the heaven -ally, enemy of vanity? Even the wisdom of Socrates has not reached anything of value, as there is no one who can claim to have true knowledge of God without Christ; or to know Christ without the Holy Spirit; Socrates himself admits, that a certain spirit of the underworld used to guide him and to cry out in his heart; Whereas Plato says: [While it is difficult for man to find the Maker of the universe together with His Father, any simple Christian knows it7]. Tertullian believes that the heretics have found their weapons in philosophy: Valentinus took his heresy after Plato; and Mercion took it after the, the Epicureans, and other philosophers. That is why, Tertullian often quotes the warning by the apostle Paul, 1 Stromata 1 :11. 2 Stromata 1:11. 3 Stromata, 6:8. 4 Stromata, 6:8. 5 Stromata, 6:15. 6 Lebreton, History of the Primitive Church, London 1946, vol. 3, p. 745. 7 Apology 46. 444 saying: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy” (Colossians 2: 8). So Tertullian firmly rejects any philosophic study, saying: [What fellowship is there between Athens and Jerusalem, between the Academy and the Church, or between the heretics and the Christians? Our teachings come from the court of Solomon, who instructed us to seek God with a complete simplicity of heart. It is bad for someone to set a, Platonic, or an argumentative Christianity. We, on the other hand, having known Jesus Christ, have no more curiosity, and would not seek anything other than the gospel. Having believed; what would be our need for anything else? The first and main factor in our faith is not to believe in anything but what we believe in1. St. Hypolete, although of a wider knowledge than Tertullian, yet he was not an admirer of the Hellenism or its philosophy, which he believed was a source of heresies. The scholar Origen never used the expression “spirituality”, to mean (Christianity); But he used the expression ‘teleios’ (Pauline), after the apostle Paul; to mean (perfect); or ‘pneumatikos’, to mean (spiritual); He used the word ‘gnostikos’, only once to mean (spiritual) in a worn-out document, and in a mocking way against those holding fast to the so-called Gnosticism. I spent a long time in vanity; and wasted most of my youth searching for a certain kind of wisdom which is ignorance in the sight of God. And all of a sudden, like someone awakening from a deep sleep, I opened my eyes on the amazing truth of the Bible; Then, I came to realize the futility of the wisdom of this age and the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing (1 Corinthians 2: 6). I shed many tears over my miserable life, and prayed to get united to the teaching of the true knowledge. St. Basil the Great The mind that forgets the true knowledge would make war against people for the sake of things that are harmful to him, which he assumes to be of benefit. St. Mark the hermit Lest it is led astray, and falls into the deception of the pagan philosophy, the soul receives the better teaching, embracing the more perfect loyalty to the holy faith, taught by the apostle in well-recommended words2. St. Hilary, bishop of Poitier We should be particularly careful; lest, while striving to seek wisdom, which is only found in Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are stored – We should be careful, lest, in the name of Christ Himself, the heretics, or any other people with corrupt mind and love of this world, would deceive us3. St. Augustine Knowledge and pride: No one should boast that he knows, and that he has wide human knowledge; as it is well written: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in 1 Tertullian: De Prescriptione 7:9.13. 2 On the Trinity, 1:13. 3 Stromata 1:11. 445 this, that he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth” (Jeremiah 9: 23, 24); so as not to lean upon ourselves, but upon the Lord who raises the dead. The apostle says: “Who saved from a death with such weight, so as not to lean upon the wisdom of men, but upon the power of God; because the spiritual judges everything, and is not judged by anything”. And also listen to his words, saying: “I say this, lest someone would deceive you by slimy words, or would creep to corrupt you” 1. St. Clement of Alexandria It is well called by the apostle as “opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6: 20); as where there is no faith, there is no true knowledge2. No arrogance will come from knowledge, but rather from ignorance; as he, who is aware of the godly teachings, would tend to be more modest; he, who knows the upright words, would always be upright; and he, [who knows what is useless to know, is unknowledgeable; and pride comes from lack of knowledge3]. St. John Chrysostom Grant me always to keep with (the angels) in the country to amaze and wonder inknowledge beyond all knowledge, and all holders of knowledge4 The spiritual Elder – John El-Deliaty Knowledge and judgment: It is only just, that he, who enjoys an abundant portion of knowledge, gets a harsher punishment, if he breaks the law; consequently, our punishment would be more, the wiser we are, and the higher authority we have. If you are richer, you would be asked to give more; and if you are wiser, or have more authority, you are committed to give more splendid works5. St. John Chrysostom Knowledge and meditation in the divine secrets: No tongue has the authority to utter anything about the nature of the divine secrets; It is only seen by the pure mind; which enjoys, and marvels at their existence; get pleased by their proclamation to him; and is taken away deep into them. In God, it is swallowed, captivated by beholding His beauty; and united to His glory. No one who entered into this, would lustily look to anything here! No one who finds pleasure in these secrets, would enjoy the sweetness of anything on earth! No one who enjoys looking at their beauty, would admire anything in the world! No one who has done without them, would not consider wealth as trash! 1 Sermon on the Mount, 25. 2 In 1Tim. hom 20. 3 In 1 Tim. hom 17. 4 .( 4 رسالة 51 (ملحق- صلاة 3 5 In Rom. hom 5. 446 No one who enjoyed their company, would not hate and detest that of other people! No one, in whose soul and bones, the love of Christ has set forth, could bear any more the filth of lust! No one who enjoyed the company and secrets of angels, would not detest the company and troubles of the world! No one, whose mind is captivated by the beauty of the Lord of all, would be also captivated by anything or any lust in this world! No one, whose mind got connected to God and cares for Him, would also care for, or fear any other thing1! Blessed are you, who, in the waves of light, fly with the wings of the Holy Spirit; while your mind is confined within its unfathomable depth2! The spiritual Elder – John El-Deliaty Knowledge of God who dwells in the heart: It is indeed upright for man to behold the infinite God; That will take away fro him all ungodly thoughts, drive away the demons, illuminate the mind, and cleanse the heart. Yet, to seek God’s dwelling in him, would be much better. If everything around him is teaming with life, and he is devoid of it, what benefit would come to him from outside? And if he is full of life, how would death, which is outside of him, harm him3? Behold God within yourself; and notice how He is Light! His nature is a glorified light, of infinite splendor; He reveals the light of His nature to everyone who loves Him; I mean His glory and not His nature; and transform the image of those who behold Him into that of His glory. Look and behold Him within yourself; united to you, like fire with iron in a furnace; and like humidity in your body. When you behold Him, united to you as such, Your self would be captivated out of your mind, that would only behold Him4. Those who insolently tend to fathom the essence of His nature, that is of no beginning, would acquire perdition, woe, bitterness, and sighs, for themselves5! Do not separate yourself from life! Do not fall into the sea, lest you perish! Correct your path; and acquire from Him the eternal life! If you cannot know yourself, how could you fathom the essence of the nature of your Creator?! O you hypocrite searcher! Bow down your pride, lest you fall into the deep, into which you have no right to go6! 1 میمر على الصلاة وعلى قوات الطبائع الروحانیة وعلى معرفة الله. 2 میمر على الصلاة وعلى قوات الطبائع الروحانیة وعلى معرفة الله. . 3 رسالة 4:50 . 4 رسالة 6 ،5:50 . 5 رسالة 7:50 . 6 رسالة 16:50 447 He, who persistently looks into himself, will shortly acquire the purity to behold God. He, who beholds God within himself, would cleanse himself of filth; the devil would not be able to sow the seeds of lusts in his heart; and in case he does, they would soon be corrupt and would not take root! As God and lusts would never dwell in one and the same place1! The mind, that seeks God, would become a mirror in which God could be seen! To someone with a mind flaring with the desire to behold Him; He would not just show himself, but would hide Himself in him. And once He finds him striving and laboring to seek Him, and perpetually having Him in His mind, thirsty to behold Him; He would shine on him with His glorified beauty, hidden in him, and would comfort him. That is him, who finds the kingdom that was already hidden in him! That is the treasure hidden in the field; instantly found by him, who sells everything he posses to acquire it (Matthew 13: 44)2. Blessed is he, who keeps looking at You, O my Paradise who exists in me! O the Tree of life that ignites my heart longing for Him; and changes my countenance by the strength of His love! Blessed is he, who perpetually seek Him in Himself; As from Him, streams of living water will flow (John 7: 38). Blessed is he, who perpetually thinks about You; As his soul will always be drunk with Your sweetness! Blessed is he, who perpetually looks at You within himself; As his heart will be illuminated to see the hidden things! Blessed is he, who seeks You within himself; As his heart, body, and bones always kindle by Your purifying fire3! You comfort him always by your vision. He sees you in what he eats; and sees you radiating in what he drinks! When he cries, You shine in his tears! Wherever he looks he sees you; and everywhere You flow on him more blessings4! Because Your vision could not be realized amid Your glittering light; they claim that You are cloud and mist, that “an illuminated cloud surrounds You” ,and that You make it difficult for Your loving subjects to look at Your hidden nature, more than they should5! You, O Goodness, are in all Your beloved; as they find You in the indescribable glory and splendor of Your beauty; in the power of Your nature; and in Your most exalted knowledge! . 1 رسالة 18:50 . 2 رسالة 19:50 . 3 رسالة 2:51 . 4 رسالة 5:51 . 5 رسالة 8:51 448 You are there with Your wholeness in all Your beloved; with everything in You; and in everyone of them! You are with Your wholeness in everyone of them with no decrease; although no one can wholly possess you1! Glory be to Him, who granted His own, His wisdom; revealing His beauty to please His beloved2! Meditate a little within yourself, to have that joyful ray shine on your face; especially when you prostrate yourself on your face; as there would never be time like this to behold Him, He, who beholds everyone; He, who makes Himself visible to His beloved; and flood on them His goodness3! Reveal what is yours to Him; to let Him reveal to you what is His4! Blessed is he, who can see that city from here; sets forth to the city of joy; to the city whose sun never sets5! Blessed is he, who listens and hears the secrets of the hidden Spirit, and keeps them to himself6! O my Lord and my life! My mind is captivated by talking to You; As I have no one else to talk to, but You! What would I do? “My soul thirsts for You, and my body longs for You” (Psalm 63: 2). By talking to You, I can ascend to You; and by thinking of You, I am granted the vision of Your face7. If you grieve, laboring to seek Him, You will rejoice by His presence! If you suffer, with tears and affliction to see Him; You will forget your grief when He reveals His beauty within you! Do not seek Him outside yourself, He who dwells inside you!. Who has ever seen a wise man, seek his paradise outside himself?! How can you enjoy life outside yourself?! To Whom do you minister? To whom do you pray? Before whom do you cry out? To whom do you call: “O Father, hasten to help me”? Before whom do you shed your tears? Is it not Before Him; by whom you live and move?! What keeps you from feeling your paradise within yourself? Is it not because you have not mixed your works with Him? As you sit, Behold His ray unite with you. . 1 رسالة 10:51 . 2 رسالة 1:27 . 3 رسالة 3:31 . 4 رسالة 11:39 . 5 رسالة 4:40 . 6 رسالة 3:45 . 7 رسالة 6:51 449 And as you stand, Be purified by the cloud of His glory. And as you walk, Lift your eyes up from the earth; And walk along the pure light of the lord. And as you sleep, be covered by the waves of his light. And as you drink, Mix your drink with the face of the Lover of all. With the bird, Fly in the purity of its air; and with the fish, Swim in the greatness of its depth; From the iron in the furnace, learn the secret of its union with the fire; And with the breath of your mouth, let your soul smell its Lover; And with the spirituals, Sanctify in heaven your inside, and there, Behold His dwelling place. Oh, how marvelous are Your secrets! And how great is he, who believes in them. I forgot myself in the praises of those saints, among whom I am not one! I strive with no avail to take hold of the holy God! And to imagine how He looks like! Thinking that I am full, I realize I am empty! That I have taken hold of Him, I realize I have not!...That I dwell in Him; I find Him dwelling in me!... That He is hidden from me, I realize that I am hidden in Him! When I intend to seek Him, I behold Him within myself! From whichever place..., and wherever I go, He never forsakes me. Whenever I listen to Him, He talks to me. And whenever I seek Him, He would never move away. Praise is to You; While You are hidden from all, You incessantly shine on Your beloved! Praise be to You; and Your mercy be on us, forever, Amen. +My Lord and my God; If my right hand is incapable of painting Your secrets in portraits; Like a wise man, I intend to do it in writing! I approach You and enjoy ascending Your holy mountain, to behold Your glorified beauty! To behold Your exalted shining light, that amazes the beholders! They call You a ‘Sea’, and ‘the fountain of the whole world’; while Your greatness eclipses every other deep! They call You ‘Fire’, because You give and never decrease; You purify and never get defiled! I was told by someone that, at the beginning and end of his prayer, he forgets everything about himself, to marvel, and to enjoy the beauty of his Creator! Let him who can understand, understand; And who does not, the Lord to grant him the comprehension! How sweet You are! I adore You, O infant Jesus! Your beauty captivates the souls! My soul came after you; as in You, it meditates, and to her, Your beauty shines! You are good; as beloved as Your Father! Your sweetness is only known to those who tasted it! I smelled Your sweet aroma; and my heart was pleased; something that no one can interpret! Blessed is he, who sees You mixed with his drink; and his heart rejoices with Your love! 450 Blessed is he, who entered into You, beheld Your amazing face; and marveled at Your splendid beauty that springs within himself! I got mad with my pen, and intended to break it, because of its inability to portray the amazing scene which I behold; and the streams of life that flow from the fountain of blessings! Every talkative mind; once it enters into this city, it is committed to stop talking and moving, in amazement of Your secrets! Because here, God reveals His beauty to His beloved! Here, the soul sees herself, and beholds Christ who shines in her, and in whose face she rejoices! Here, the Holy Trinity is secretly revealed! The pen got consumed by the heat of Your fire, O Jesus; My right hand stopped writing, when the ray of Your beauty shone in my eyes; and the earth and everything on it vanished from my sight! My mind was amazed,... Flames of fire flared in my bones! And fountains of water flowed to cool down my flesh, lest it gets consumed! Praise be to You; The way You are amazing, so are Your secrets. Blessed are Your beloved, who bask all the time in Your beauty! Before I leave this body of mine, Grant me O Lord, Your beauty to eat; and the secrets hidden in the bosom of Your essence to drink in joy! Blessed are they, who got drunk with Your love, O Lord; as by that they enjoyed Your beauty. Taste, O brother, behold and taste the sweetness of our good Father! Those who have not experienced the pleasure of enjoying getting drunk with God, are actually poor and miserable! God has granted them His love to get drunk with it, and pleasure in it; In Himself, And in them, He also rejoices. When they behold Him shining within them selves, they get amazed by His beauty! Love is fire that flares in the heart, by Him who ministers with joy! I often hear about someone, who, getting drunk with the love of Christ; and being unable to hold him Before the divine fire flaring in his heart and before the joy filling it by praising God; could not help crying out: [O Lord, my life got consumed by the fire of Your love; and I have no more patience!] He also often cries out saying: [Blessed are they, who are drunk with Your love, O Lord; with Your unutterable beauty, O Father, my Father!] Persist on praising the Lord, and mix all your works with the mention of Him; By that you can behold His face; And that is the wage, got by everyone who secretly prays 451 to God. Enter into Your secret place, and pray to Your hidden God; His proclaimed wage will be His shining in your soul1! The spiritual elder – John El-Deliaty
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