On the Beatitudes 1255–1261
Greek text: PG 44.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1255
1255PG 44:1256a–1256d
τῶν καλῶν ἔξωθεν ἐπεισκρίνεσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν εἶʼ ναι ὅπερ βουλόμεθα, οἷον ἐκ ταμείου τινὸς προχειριζομένους τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐκ τῆς φύσεως· ἀπὸ μέρους γὰρ περὶʼ τοῦ παντὸς διδασκόμεθα, ὅτι οῦκ ἐστιν ἄλλως τινὰ τῶν κατʼ ἐπιθυμίαν τυχεῖν, μὴ αὐτὸν ἐαυτῷ τὸ ἀγαθὸν χαριζόμενον· διό φησί που πρὸς τοὺς emimτας 6 Κύριος, ὅτι Ἠ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστινʼ καὶ, ὅτι Πᾶς ό αἰτῶν λαμβάνει, καὶ ν ό ζητῶν εὑρίσκει, καὶ τῷ κρούοντι ἀνοιγήσεται· ὼς καὶ τὸ λαβεῖν τὸ ποθούμενον, καὶ τὸ εὑρεῖν τὸ ζητούμενον, καὶ τὸ ἐντὸς τῶν ἐπιθυμουμένων γενέσθαι, ἐφʼ ἡμῖν εἶναι ὅταν βουλώμεθα, καὶ τῆς ἡμετὲ- Pa; ἐξηρτῆσθαι γνώμης. τῼ κατά τὺ ἀκόλουθον σογκατασκευάζεται, καὶ τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίου νοούμενον, ὅτι καὶὴ πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον ῥοπὴ, μηδεμιᾶς ἔξωθεν βιαζομένης ἀνάγκης ἐγγίνεται, ἀλλʼ ὁμοῦ τὸ ἑλέσθαι τδ κακὸν, ὑφίσταται, τότε είς γένεσιν παραγενόμενον. ὅταν ἑλώμεθαο αὐτὸ δέ ἐφʼ ἐαυτοῦ κατʼ ἰδίαν 6:6στασιν ἔξω προαιρέσεως, οὐδαμοῦ τὸ κακὸν εὑρίσκεται κείμενον. Ἐκ δὲ τούτων ὴ αὑτοκρατής τε καὶ αὐτ· εξούσιος δύναμις, ἣν ἐνετεκτήνατο τῇ φύσει τῶν ἀνθρώπων 6 τῆς φύσεως Κύριος, σαφῶς ἐπιδείκνυται, διὰ τοῦ πάντα τῆς προαιρέσεως τῆς ἡμετέρας ὴρτῆ· σθαι, εἴτε ἀγαθὰ, εἴτε χείρονα ο τὴν δὲ θείαν κρίσιν ἀδεκάστῳ καὶ δικαίῳ ψήφῳ τῆς κατά τὴν ἡμετέραν πρόθεσιν ἑπομένην, ἐκεῖνο νέμειν ἐκάστῳ, ὅπερ ἂν ἐαυτῷ τις παρεχόμενος τύχῃ* τοῖς μὲν, καθώς φη· σιν 6 Ἀπόστολος, καθʼ ὑπομονὴν ἔργου ἀγαθοῦ δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν ζητοῦσι, ζωὴν αἰώνιον · τοῖς δὲ ἀπειθοῦσι μὲν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, πειθομένοις δὲ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, ὀργὴν καὶ θλίψιν, καὶ πάντα ὅσα τῆς σκυθρωπῆς ἀντιδόσεὼς ἐστιν ὀνόματα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὰ ἀκριβῆ τῶν κατόπτρων τοιαύτας δείκνυσι τὰς τῶν προσώπων ἐμφάσεις, οἷά περ ἂν τὰ πρόσωπα ᾗ, φαιδρὰ μὲν τῶν φαιδρυνομένων, κατηφῆ δὲ τῶν σκυθρωπαζόντωνο καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις αἰτιάσαιτο τὴν τοῦ κατόπτρου φύσιν, εί σκεθρωπὸν ἐμφανείη τὸ ἀπεικόνισμα τοῦ πρωτοτύπου διε κατηφείας συμπεπτωκότος· οὕτω καὶ ἡ δικαία τώ Θεοῦ κρίσις ταῖς ἡμετέραις διαθέσεσιν ἐξομοιοῦται, οἷάπερ ἂν τὰ παρʼ ἡμῶν ᾖ, τοιαῦτα ἡμῖν ὲκ τῶν ίδίων παρέχουσα. Δεῦτε, φησὶν, οὶ εὐλογημένοι· καὶ, Πορεύεσθε, ol κατηραμένοι. Μή τις ἀνάγκη τῶν ἔξωθεν ἐπὶ τούτων ἐστὶν, τοῖς δεξιοῖς μὲν τὴν γλυκεῖαν φωνὴν, τοῖς δὲ ἀριστεροῖς τὴν σκυθρωπὴν ἀποκληροῦσαʼ; Οῦχ οὗτοι μὲν διʼ ὧν ἐποίησαν, ἔσχον τὸν ἔλεον, οἱ δέ τῷ πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοφύλους ἀπηνῶς ἔχειν, ὰπηνές ἐαυτοῖς τὸ Θείον ἐποίησαν; Οὐκ ἠλέησε τὸν τῷ πυλῶνι προσταλαιπωροῦντα πτωχὸν, 6 ταῖς τρυφαῖς διακεχυμένος πλούσιος, διὰ τοῦτο ἐαυτῷ ἀπο· κόπτει τὸν ἔλεον, ἐλεηθῆναι δεόμενος, καὶ οὐκ ἀκουόι μενος· οὐχ ὃτι ζημίαν ἔφερε μία ῥανὶς εἰς τὴν μεγάλην τοῦ παραδείσου πηγὴν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι ἡ τῆς ἐλεη μοσύνης στα· γὼν ἀμίκτως ἔχει πρὸς τὴν ἀπήνειαν. Τις γὰρ κοινωνία φωτὶ πρὸς σκότος-ς Οἷα, φησὶν, ἂν σπείρῃ ὁ θρωπος, τοιαῦτα καί θερίσει· ὅτι 6 σπείρων εἰς τὴν σάρκαν ὲκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν* 6 δὲ cmiρων είς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος θερίσει ζωὴν
tōn kalōn exōthen epeiskrinesthai, allʼ ephʼ hēmin eiʼ nai hoper boulometha, hoion ek tameiou tinos procheirizomenous to agathon ek tēs physeōs; apo merous gar periʼ tou pantos didaskometha, hoti ouk estin allōs tina tōn katʼ epithymian tychein, mē auton eautǭ to agathon charizomenon; dio phēsi pou pros tous emimtas 6 Kyrios, hoti Ē basileia tou Theou entos hymōn estinʼ kai, hoti Pas o aitōn lambanei, kai n o zētōn heuriskei, kai tǭ krouonti anoigēsetai; ōs kai to labein to pothoumenon, kai to heurein to zētoumenon, kai to entos tōn epithymoumenōn genesthai, ephʼ hēmin einai hotan boulōmetha, kai tēs hēmete- Pa? exērtēsthai gnōmēs. tǬ kata ty akolouthon sonkataskeuazetai, kai to ex enantiou nooumenon, hoti kaiē pros to cheiron rhopē, mēdemias exōthen biazomenēs anankēs enginetai, allʼ homou to helesthai td kakon, hyphistatai, tote eis genesin paragenomenon. hotan helōmethao auto de ephʼ eautou katʼ idian 6:6stasin exō proaireseōs, oudamou to kakon heurisketai keimenon. Ek de toutōn ē hautokratēs te kai aut; exousios dynamis, hēn enetektēnato tę̄ physei tōn anthrōpōn 6 tēs physeōs Kyrios, saphōs epideiknytai, dia tou panta tēs proaireseōs tēs hēmeteras ērtē; sthai, eite agatha, eite cheirona o tēn de theian krisin adekastǭ kai dikaiǭ psēphǭ tēs kata tēn hēmeteran prothesin hepomenēn, ekeino nemein ekastǭ, hoper an eautǭ tis parechomenos tychę̄* tois men, kathōs phē; sin 6 Apostolos, kathʼ hypomonēn ergou agathou doxan kai timēn zētousi, zōēn aiōnion ; tois de apeithousi men tę̄ alētheią, peithomenois de tę̄ adikią, orgēn kai thlipsin, kai panta hosa tēs skythrōpēs antidoseōs estin onomata. Hōsper gar ta akribē tōn katoptrōn toiautas deiknysi tas tōn prosōpōn emphaseis, hoia per an ta prosōpa hę̄, phaidra men tōn phaidrynomenōn, katēphē de tōn skythrōpazontōno kai ouk an tis aitiasaito tēn tou katoptrou physin, ei skethrōpon emphaneiē to apeikonisma tou prōtotypou die katēpheias sympeptōkotos; houtō kai hē dikaia tō Theou krisis tais hēmeterais diathesesin exomoioutai, hoiaper an ta parʼ hēmōn ę̄, toiauta hēmin ek tōn idiōn parechousa. Deute, phēsin, oi eulogēmenoi; kai, Poreuesthe, ol katēramenoi. Mē tis anankē tōn exōthen epi toutōn estin, tois dexiois men tēn glykeian phōnēn, tois de aristerois tēn skythrōpēn apoklērousaʼ? Ouch houtoi men diʼ hōn epoiēsan, eschon ton eleon, hoi de tǭ pros tous homophylous apēnōs echein, apēnes eautois to Theion epoiēsan? Ouk ēleēse ton tǭ pylōni prostalaipōrounta ptōchon, 6 tais tryphais diakechymenos plousios, dia touto eautǭ apo; koptei ton eleon, eleēthēnai deomenos, kai ouk akouoi menos; ouch hoti zēmian ephere mia rhanis eis tēn megalēn tou paradeisou pēgēn, allʼ hoti hē tēs eleē mosynēs sta; gōn amiktōs echei pros tēn apēneian. Tis gar koinōnia phōti pros skotos-s Hoia, phēsin, an speirę̄ ho thrōpos, toiauta kai therisei; hoti 6 speirōn eis tēn sarkan ek tēs sarkos therisei phthoran* 6 de cmirōn eis to pneuma ek tou pneumatos therisei zōēn
… that good things are not inserted into us from outside, but that it lies in our power to be what we wish, bringing out the good from our nature as from a storeroom. From a part we are taught about the whole: that no one can obtain anything he desires except by granting the good to himself. That is why the Lord says somewhere to his hearers, “The kingdom of God is within you,” and “Everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” So receiving what is longed for, finding what is sought, and coming to be within what is desired lie in our power whenever we wish, and depend on our own will. By consequence the opposite is established as well: the inclination toward the worse arises with no necessity forcing it from outside; evil comes into existence the moment we choose it, coming into being only when we choose; but in itself, with a subsistence of its own apart from choice, evil is found lying nowhere. From this the self-ruling and self-determining power that the Lord of nature built into human nature is clearly shown, since everything, whether good or worse, depends on our choice; and the divine judgment, following our intention with an impartial and just verdict, assigns to each what each has provided for himself: to those who, as the Apostle says, by patience in good work seek glory and honour, eternal life; to those who disobey the truth and obey injustice, wrath and affliction, and all the names of gloomy requital. Exact mirrors show the reflections of faces as the faces are — bright for those who are bright, downcast for those who are gloomy — and no one would blame the nature of the mirror if the image appeared gloomy because the original had fallen into dejection. So too God’s just judgment is made like our dispositions, giving us from its own resources such things as ours are. “Come,” he says, “you who are blessed,” and “Depart, you who are cursed.” Is there any outside necessity in this, allotting the sweet voice to those on the right and the gloomy one to those on the left? Did not the first obtain mercy by what they did, while the others, by being harsh to their own kind, made the Divine harsh toward themselves? The rich man, sunk in luxuries, had no mercy on the poor man suffering at his gate; therefore he cut himself off from mercy, asking to be pitied and not being heard — not because one drop would have been a loss to the great spring of paradise, but because a drop of mercy cannot mix with harshness. “For what fellowship has light with darkness?” “Whatever a person sows,” he says, “that he will also reap; for the one who sows to his flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 17:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 2:7–9 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:41 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:19–26 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 6:7–8 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Good and evil depend on our own choice, for evil has no existence apart from choice; God’s judgment, like a mirror, returns to each what he has chosen, as the sheep and the goats and the rich man and Lazarus show.
- The opening continues after a gap in the scan (marked …). “The kingdom of God is within you”: Luke 17:21. “Everyone who asks receives …”: Matt 7:8. Glory and eternal life, wrath and affliction: Rom 2:7–9. “Come, you who are blessed … Depart, you who are cursed”: Matt 25:34, 41. The rich man and Lazarus: Luke 16:19–26. “What fellowship has light with darkness?”: 2 Cor 6:14. “Whatever a person sows …”: Gal 6:7–8.
- Gregory’s statement that evil has no subsistence of its own apart from choice is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Latin letters) for κοινωνία; OCR debris (Latin letters) for ἐντὸς): mag ὑμῶν → ἐντὸς ὑμῶν; κρικωicta φωτὶ → κοινωνία φωτὶ.
Topics: Ethics, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1255 (PG 44:1256a–1256d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1255/#p-1255). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1257
1257PG 44:1257a–1257d
αἰώνιον. Σπράν οἶμαι τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην εἶναι προαἰρεσιν· θέρος δὲ τὴν ὲπὶ τῇ προαιρέσει ἀντίδοσιν. Πολύχους 6 τῶν ἀγαθῶν στάχυς. τοῖς τοιαύτην ἑλομένοις σποράν· ἐπίπονος ἡ ἀκανθολογία τοῖς ἀκανθὼδη σπέρματα καταβαλλομένοις τῷ βίῳ. Χρὴ γὰρ πάντως,αὐτὸ θερίσαι τινὰ, ὅπερ ἔσπειρεν, καὶ οὐκ ἐστιν ἄλλως. Μακάριοι οι ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται. Τίς ἂν διεξέλθοι λόγος ἀνθρώπινος τὺ βάθος τῶν ἐγκειμένων νοημάτων τῷ λόγῳς Τὸ γὰρ ἀπόλυτόν τε καὶ ἀόριστον τῆς φωνῆς δίδωσί τι καὶ πλέον τῶν εἰρημένων περιεργάζεσθαι, τὸ μὴ προσθεῖναι τίνες εἰσιν εἰς οὓς ἐνεργὸν εἶναι προσήκει τὸν ἐλεοψ ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν ὃτι Μακάριοι ὀὶ ἐλεήμονες. Τάχα γὰρ ἡμῖν τοιοῦτόν τι διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων 6 λόγος αἰνίττεται, ὡς ἀκολουθεῖν τῷ μακαρίῳ πένθει τὴν τοῦ ἐλέους διάνοιαν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ μακαριστὸς ἦν, 6 τὸν τῇδε βίον ὲν πένθει ποιούμενος, καὶ ἔνθα μοι δοκεῖ τὴν ἴσην 6 λόγος ὑποσημαίνειν διδασκαλίαν. Ὠς γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων διατιθέμεθα συμφορῶν, ὅταν τινὲς τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἡμῖν ἀβουλήτοις τισί συνενεχθῶσι λύπαις,ἢ πατρῴας οἰκίας ἐκπεπτωκότες, ἢ ναυαο γίου περισωθέντες γυμνοὶ, ἢ πειραταῖς, ἢ λῃσταῖς ύποχείριοι γεγονότες,“ἥ δοῦλοι ’ἐξ ἐλευθέρῷν, ἧς αἰχμάλωτοι ἐξ εὐδαιμόνων, ἢ ἀλλο τι τοιοῦτον ἀντιλαβόντες κακὸν, ot τέως ὲν εὐκληρίᾳ τινὶ τὸν βίον ἐξεταζόμενοι. Ὠς τοίνυν ἐπὶ τούτων ἀλγεινή τις γίνεται ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἡ συνδιάθεσις ο τάχα πολὺ μᾶλλον ἐφʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν εὔκαιρον ἂν εἴη τὴν τοιαύτην ἀνακεῖσθαι διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τῇ παρʼ ἀξίαν τοῦ βίου βολῇ. Ὅταν γὰρ λογισώμεθα, τίς ἡ λαμπρὰ ἡμῶν οίκία ἧς ἐκπεπτώκαμεν ’ πῶς ὑπὸ τοῖς λῃσταῖς γεγόναμεν· πῶς τῷ βυθῷ τοῦ τῇδε βίου καταὸυθισθέντες ἀπεγυ- “ μνώθημεν · οἴους κᾶι ὅσους δεσπότας ἀντὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας τε καὶ αὐτονόμου διαγωγῆς ὲπεσπασάμεθα · πῶς τὸ μακαριστὸν τῆς ζωῆς θανάτῳ καὶ φθορᾷ διεκόψαμεν ἆρα δυνατὸν, εἰ ταύτας λάβοι μεν ἐννοίας, ἀλλοτρίαις συμφοραῖς προσασχολεῖσθαι τὸν ἔλεον, καὶ οὐκ αὐτὴν ἐλεεινῶς τὴν ψυχὴν διατίθεσθαι, λογιζομένηνᾶτε εἶχεν, ὧν τε ὲκπέπτωκενς Τί γὰρ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ταύτης ἐλεεινότερον; Ἀντὶ τῆς ὲν τῷ παραδείσῳ τρυφῆς, τὸ νοσῶδες τοῦτο καὶ ἐπίπονον χωρίον ὲν τῇ ζωῇ κεκληρώμεθα· ἀντὶ τῆς ἀπαθείας ἐκείνης, τὰς μυρίας τῶν παθημάτων ἀντειλήφαμεν κῆραςο ἀντὶ τῆς ὑψηλῆς ἐκείνης διαγωγῆς, καὶ τῆς μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων ζωῆς, τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς συνοικεῖν. κατεκρίθημεν· τοῦ ἀγγελικοῦ τε καὶ ἀπαθοῦς τὸν κτηνώδη βίον ἀνταλλαξάμενοι, τοὺς πικροὺς τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν τυράννους, τοὺς λυσσῶντας καὶ ἀγριαίνον- ’ τας δεσπότας, τίς ἂν ῥαδίως ἀριθμῷ περιλάβοι; Πικρὸς δεσπότης ὁ θυμός τοιοῦτος ἄλλος 6 φθόνος ’ τὸ· μῖσος, τὸ καθʼ ὑπερηφανίαν πάθος, λυσσώδης τις καὶ
aiōnion. Spran oimai tēn anthrōpinēn einai proairesin; theros de tēn epi tę̄ proairesei antidosin. Polychous 6 tōn agathōn stachys. tois toiautēn helomenois sporan; epiponos hē akanthologia tois akanthōdē spermata kataballomenois tǭ biǭ. Chrē gar pantōs,auto therisai tina, hoper espeiren, kai ouk estin allōs. Makarioi oi eleēmones, hoti autoi eleēthēsontai. Tis an diexelthoi logos anthrōpinos ty bathos tōn enkeimenōn noēmatōn tǭ logǭs To gar apolyton te kai aoriston tēs phōnēs didōsi ti kai pleon tōn eirēmenōn periergazesthai, to mē prostheinai tines eisin eis hous energon einai prosēkei ton eleops allʼ haplōs eipein hoti Makarioi oi eleēmones. Tacha gar hēmin toiouton ti dia tōn eirēmenōn 6 logos ainittetai, hōs akolouthein tǭ makariǭ penthei tēn tou eleous dianoian. Kai gar ekei makaristos ēn, 6 ton tę̄de bion en penthei poioumenos, kai entha moi dokei tēn isēn 6 logos hyposēmainein didaskalian. Ōs gar epi tōn allotriōn diatithemetha symphorōn, hotan tines tōn epitēdeiōn hēmin aboulētois tisi synenechthōsi lypais,ē patrǭas oikias ekpeptōkotes, ē nauao giou perisōthentes gymnoi, ē peiratais, ē lę̄stais ypocheirioi gegonotes,“hē douloi ’ex eleutherǭn, hēs aichmalōtoi ex eudaimonōn, ē allo ti toiouton antilabontes kakon, ot teōs en euklērią tini ton bion exetazomenoi. Ōs toinyn epi toutōn algeinē tis ginetai tais psychais hēmōn hē syndiathesis o tacha poly mallon ephʼ hēmōn autōn eukairon an eiē tēn toiautēn anakeisthai dianoian epi tę̄ parʼ axian tou biou bolę̄. Hotan gar logisōmetha, tis hē lampra hēmōn oikia hēs ekpeptōkamen ’ pōs hypo tois lę̄stais gegonamen; pōs tǭ bythǭ tou tę̄de biou kataouthisthentes apegy- “ mnōthēmen ; oious kai hosous despotas anti tēs eleutherias te kai autonomou diagōgēs epespasametha ; pōs to makariston tēs zōēs thanatǭ kai phthorą diekopsamen ara dynaton, ei tautas laboi men ennoias, allotriais symphorais prosascholeisthai ton eleon, kai ouk autēn eleeinōs tēn psychēn diatithesthai, logizomenēnate eichen, hōn te ekpeptōkens Ti gar tēs aichmalōsias tautēs eleeinoteron? Anti tēs en tǭ paradeisǭ tryphēs, to nosōdes touto kai epiponon chōrion en tę̄ zōę̄ keklērōmetha; anti tēs apatheias ekeinēs, tas myrias tōn pathēmatōn anteilēphamen kēraso anti tēs hypsēlēs ekeinēs diagōgēs, kai tēs meta tōn angelōn zōēs, tois thēriois tēs gēs synoikein. katekrithēmen; tou angelikou te kai apathous ton ktēnōdē bion antallaxamenoi, tous pikrous tēs zōēs hēmōn tyrannous, tous lyssōntas kai agriainon- ’ tas despotas, tis an rhadiōs arithmǭ perilaboi? Pikros despotēs ho thymos toioutos allos 6 phthonos ’ to; misos, to kathʼ hyperēphanian pathos, lyssōdēs tis kai
life.” I take the sowing to be human choice, and the harvest the requital for that choice. Rich is the ear of good things for those who have chosen such sowing; toilsome is the gathering of thorns for those who cast thorny seeds into their life. For each must certainly reap what he has sown, and it cannot be otherwise. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” What human word could go through the depth of the meanings that lie in the saying? The unqualified and unlimited form of the expression allows us to explore something more than what has been said, since he did not add toward whom mercy should be active, but said simply, “Blessed are the merciful.” Perhaps the Word hints through these words at something like this: that the meaning of mercy follows on the blessed mourning. For there, the one who passes his life here in mourning was blessed; and here the Word seems to me to point to the same teaching. Think how we are disposed toward the misfortunes of others, when some of our friends have met with unwanted griefs: driven out of their father’s house, or saved naked from a shipwreck, or fallen into the hands of pirates or robbers, or become slaves after being free, or captives after prosperity, or met with some other such evil, though until then they had passed their lives in good fortune. As in such cases a painful sympathy arises in our souls, perhaps it would be much more timely for us to direct such a mind toward ourselves, at the undeserved turn our own life has taken. For when we reckon what our splendid house was from which we were driven out; how we fell among robbers; how we were plunged into the deep of this life and stripped naked; what and how many masters we brought upon ourselves instead of freedom and a self-governing life; how we cut off the blessedness of life by death and corruption — is it possible, if we take these thoughts to heart, to spend our mercy on the misfortunes of others and not to dispose the soul itself to pity, as it reckons what it had and what it has fallen from? What is more pitiable than this captivity? Instead of the delight of paradise, we have been allotted this sickly and toilsome place for our life; instead of that freedom from passion, we have received in exchange the countless dooms of the passions; instead of that lofty way of life and life with the angels, we have been condemned to dwell with the beasts of the earth, exchanging the angelic and passionless life for the life of cattle. Who could easily count the bitter tyrants of our life, the raging and savage masters? Anger is a bitter master; envy is another such; hatred; the passion of arrogance, a raging and
Gal 6:7–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 10:30 (allusion, low confidence) · Gen 3:23–24 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Since the beatitude does not say toward whom mercy is to be shown, it includes mercy toward oneself: as we pity friends who have lost home and freedom, we should pity our own soul, fallen from paradise into captivity to death and the passions.
- Gregory links the beatitude of mercy to that of mourning (Homily 3). The fall from paradise: Gen 3:23–24. Falling among robbers: compare Luke 10:30.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Latin letters) for Πικρὸς): Πιatpr δεσπότης → Πικρὸς δεσπότης.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1257 (PG 44:1257a–1257d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1255/#p-1257). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1259
1259PG 44:1260a–1260d
ἄγριος τύραννος ὡς ἀργυρωνήτων κατατρυφῶνά ἀκόλαστός ἐστι λογισμὸς, 6 πρὸς τὰς ἐμπτοεξ Lc καὶ ἀκαθάρτους ὑπηρεσίας ἐξανδραποδίζων τὴν ςεσιν · ἡ δέ τῆς πλεονεξίας τυραννὶς, τίνα οὑ παρέρχεο ται πικρίας ὑπερβολήν ; Ἡ τὴν ἀθλίαν δουλωσιμέπ ψυχὴν, ἀεὶ τὰς ἀπλήστους αὐτῆς ἐπιθυμίας πληροῐν ἀναγκάζει, πάντοτε δεχομένη καλ οὐδέποτε πλην»μένη · οἷόν τι πολυκέφαλον θηρίον, μυρίοις στόμια τῇ ἀπληρὼτῳ γαστρὶ τὴν τροφὴν παραπέμπει-ιιῇ οὑδείς ποτε τοῦ κερδαίνειν γίνεται κόρος· ἀλλά tl ἀεὶ λαμβανόμενον, ὑλη καὶ ὑπέκκαυμα τῆς τοῦ πλείονος ἐπιθυμίας καθίσταται. Τίς τοίνυν τὸν δύστηνον τοῦτον βίον κατανοήσας ἀνηλεῶς καὶ ἀπηνῶς πρὸς τὰς τοιαύτας συμφορὰς διατίθεται; Ἀλλʼ αἴτιον τὴ μὴ ἐλεεῖν ἡμᾶς αὑτοὺς ἐν ἀναισθησίᾳ τῶν κακῶν, Β εἶναι · οἷόν τι πάσχουσιν oi ἐκ μανίας παράφοροι, ὅτι ή ὑπερβολὴ τοῦ κακοῦ, καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν ὧν πάσχουσι προσαφῄρηται. Εἰ τοίνυν τις ἑαυτὸν ἐπιγνοεη, οἷός τε πρότερον ἦν, καὶ οἷος ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἐστίνʼ φησὶ δέ που καὶ 6 Σολομῶν, ὅτι οι ἑαυτῶν ἐπιγνώμονες σοφοί· οὐδέποτε ἐλεῶν 6 τοιοῦτος παύσεται, τῇ δὲ τοιαύτῃ τῆς ψυχῆς διαθέσει καὶ 6 θεῖος ἕλεος κατά τὸ εἰκὸς ἀκολουθήσει. Διό ερησιν · Μακάριοι (ιε ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται. Αὑτοὶ οὑχὶ ἕτεροι· ἐν τούτῳ γάρ σαφηνίζει τὸ ὄνομα, ὡς ἂν εῐ τις λέγει, Μακάριόν ἐστι τὸ μελεῖσθαι τῆς σωματικῆς ὑγιείας. Ὀ γὰρ ἐπιμελούμενος, αὐτὸς ὲν ὑγιείᾳ βιώσεται ’ οὑτως ὁ ἐλεήμων ἐστὶ μακαριστὸς, ὅτι ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ ἐλέου ῐδιον κτῆμα τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος γίνεται· εἴτε κατὰ τὸν νῦν ἡμῖν εὕρεο θέντα λόγονʼ εἴτε κατὰ τὸν προεξητασμένον, τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων λέγω συμφορῶν δεικνύντα τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν συμπάθειαν ἀγαθὸν γὰρ ὁμοίως ἑκάτερον, τό τε ἐαυτὸν ἐλεεῖν κατὰ τὸν εἰρημένον τρόπον, καὶ τὸ ωμ· πάσχειν ταῖς δυσπραγίαις τῶν πέλαςʼ διότι τὸ δίκαιοιν τῆς θείας κρίσεως, τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν καταδεεστέρων τοῦ ἀνθρώπου προαίρεσιν, ἐπὶ τῆς ὑπερεχούσης δείκνυ· ται ἐξουσίας· ὥστε τρόπον τινὰ ἑαυτοῦ δικαστὴν εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐαυτῷ τὴν ψῆφον ἐν τῇ τῶν ὑπηκόωγ φέροντα κρίσει. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν πεπίστευται, καὶ άληθῶς πεπίστευται, πᾶσαν παραστήσασθαι τὴν ἀνʼ 0 ρωπίνην φύσιν τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χ ριστοῦ, ἵνα κοξιλσηῗιι ἕκαστος τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος, πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθὸν, εἴτε φαὺλονο τάχα καὶ τολμηρὸν είπεῖν · εξ δυνατόνʼ ἐστι τὰ ἀπόρρητα καὶ ἀθέατα λογισμῷ λαβεῖν. καὶ ήδη τὸ μακάριον τῆς ἀντιδόσεως τῶν ὲλεουμένων κατανοῆσαι· Ἦ γὰρ ἐγγινομένη ταῖς ψυχαῖς εὔνοιαι πρὸς τοὺς τὸν έλεον ἐπιδεικνυμένους, παρὰ τὸν βίον ἐν τῇ ζωῇ εἰσαεὶ κατά τὸ εἰκὸς παραμένει adipi-1' εσχηκόσι τῆς χάριτος. Τί οὖν εἰκὸς ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἐξετάσεως, εἰ ἐπιγνωσθείη παρὰ τῶν εὖ πεπινοὸτων 6 εὐεργέτης, ὅπως διατεθήσεται τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπὶ ταῖς εὑχαρίστοις φωναῖς ἐπὶ Θεοῦ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως ειν
agrios tyrannos hōs argyrōnētōn katatryphōna akolastos esti logismos, 6 pros tas emptoex Lc kai akathartous hypēresias exandrapodizōn tēn sesin ; hē de tēs pleonexias tyrannis, tina hou parercheo tai pikrias hyperbolēn ? Hē tēn athlian doulōsimep psychēn, aei tas aplēstous autēs epithymias plēroin anankazei, pantote dechomenē kal oudepote plēn»menē ; hoion ti polykephalon thērion, myriois stomia tę̄ aplērōtǭ gastri tēn trophēn parapempei-iię̄ houdeis pote tou kerdainein ginetai koros; alla tl aei lambanomenon, hylē kai hypekkauma tēs tou pleionos epithymias kathistatai. Tis toinyn ton dystēnon touton bion katanoēsas anēleōs kai apēnōs pros tas toiautas symphoras diatithetai? Allʼ aition tē mē eleein hēmas hautous en anaisthēsią tōn kakōn, B einai ; hoion ti paschousin oi ek manias paraphoroi, hoti ē hyperbolē tou kakou, kai tēn aisthēsin hōn paschousi prosaphę̄rētai. Ei toinyn tis heauton epignoeē, hoios te proteron ēn, kai hoios epi tou parontos estinʼ phēsi de pou kai 6 Solomōn, hoti oi heautōn epignōmones sophoi; oudepote eleōn 6 toioutos pausetai, tę̄ de toiautę̄ tēs psychēs diathesei kai 6 theios heleos kata to eikos akolouthēsei. Dio erēsin ; Makarioi (ie eleēmones, hoti autoi eleēthēsontai. Hautoi houchi heteroi; en toutǭ gar saphēnizei to onoma, hōs an ei tis legei, Makarion esti to meleisthai tēs sōmatikēs hygieias. O gar epimeloumenos, autos en hygieią biōsetai ’ houtōs ho eleēmōn esti makaristos, hoti ho karpos tou eleou idion ktēma tou eleountos ginetai; eite kata ton nyn hēmin heureo thenta logonʼ eite kata ton proexētasmenon, ton epi tōn allotriōn legō symphorōn deiknynta tēs psychēs tēn sympatheian agathon gar homoiōs hekateron, to te eauton eleein kata ton eirēmenon tropon, kai to ōm; paschein tais dyspragiais tōn pelasʼ dioti to dikaioin tēs theias kriseōs, tēn epi tōn katadeesterōn tou anthrōpou proairesin, epi tēs hyperechousēs deikny; tai exousias; hōste tropon tina heautou dikastēn einai ton anthrōpon, eautǭ tēn psēphon en tę̄ tōn hypēkoōg pheronta krisei. Epeidē toinyn pepisteutai, kai alēthōs pepisteutai, pasan parastēsasthai tēn anʼ 0 rōpinēn physin tǭ bēmati tou Ch ristou, hina koxilsēïii hekastos ta dia tou sōmatos, pros ha epraxen, eite agathon, eite phaulono tacha kai tolmēron eipein ; ex dynatonʼ esti ta aporrēta kai atheata logismǭ labein. kai ēdē to makarion tēs antidoseōs tōn eleoumenōn katanoēsai; Ē gar enginomenē tais psychais eunoiai pros tous ton eleon epideiknymenous, para ton bion en tę̄ zōę̄ eisaei kata to eikos paramenei adipi-1' eschēkosi tēs charitos. Ti oun eikos en tǭ kairǭ tēs exetaseōs, ei epignōstheiē para tōn eu pepinootōn 6 euergetēs, hopōs diatethēsetai tēn psychēn epi tais heucharistois phōnais epi Theou pasēs tēs ktiseōs ein
savage tyrant; licentious reasoning, which revels in us as in slaves bought with silver and enslaves our nature to passionate and unclean services; and the tyranny of greed — what extreme of bitterness does it not surpass? It compels the wretched soul it has enslaved always to satisfy its insatiable desires; it is always receiving and never filled. Like a many-headed beast it sends food through countless mouths to a belly that can never be filled; there is never any satiety of gain, but what is taken always becomes fuel and kindling for the desire for more. Who, then, having understood this wretched life, remains pitiless and harsh toward such misfortunes? The cause of our not pitying ourselves is that we are insensible of our evils, as happens to those deranged by madness: the very excess of the evil has taken away even the sense of what they suffer. If, then, someone comes to know himself — what he was before and what he is at present (and Solomon says somewhere that those who know themselves are wise) — such a one will never cease to pity, and divine mercy will fittingly follow such a disposition of soul. Therefore he says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” — they themselves, not others. In this he makes the name plain, as if one were to say, “It is a blessed thing to care for bodily health,” for whoever takes care of it will himself live in health. So the merciful man is blessed, because the fruit of mercy becomes his own possession — whether according to the account we have now found, or according to the one examined before, I mean the one that shows the soul’s sympathy with the misfortunes of others. Each is equally good: to pity oneself in the way described, and to suffer with the misfortunes of one’s neighbours. For the justice of the divine judgment displays, on the part of the higher authority, the choice a person has shown toward those beneath him, so that in a way a person is his own judge, casting the vote on himself as he judges his subjects. Since, then, it is believed — and truly believed — that all human nature will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive according to what he has done through the body, whether good or bad, it is perhaps bold to say, if one may grasp by reasoning what is secret and unseen, that we can already perceive the blessedness of the requital of those who show mercy. For the goodwill that arises in the souls of those who have experienced the kindness toward those who showed them mercy fittingly remains with them for ever. What, then, is likely to happen at the time of the examination, if the benefactor is recognized by those who received his kindness? How will he be disposed in soul when, at their thankful voices, he is praised before God and all creation
Prov 13:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:2 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Insensibility keeps us from pitying ourselves, enslaved as we are to lust and greed; one who knows himself will pity himself and others, and God will judge each as he judged those beneath him; at Christ’s judgment the merciful will be praised by those they helped.
- “Those who know themselves are wise”: Prov 13:10 (LXX). The judgment seat of Christ: 2 Cor 5:10. Judged as one judges: compare Matt 7:2.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1259 (PG 44:1260a–1260d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1255/#p-1259). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-beatitudines-1259) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1261
1261PG 44:1261a–1261d
ηδι : φημούμενος; τΑρά τινος ἄλλου μακαρισμοῦ προσδεηη- : θήσεται, ό ἐν τοσούτῳ θεάτρῳ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀρίστοις ἀναι κηρυττόμενος; Τὸ γάρ παρεῖναι τοὺς εὖ πεπονθότας, τ ἠ τοῦ Εὑαγγελίου διδάσκει φωνὴ, ἐν τῇ πρὸς τοὺς ί δικαίους καὶ τῇ πρὸς τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως ; κρίσει. Πρὸς ἀμφοτέρους γὰρ τῷ δεικτικῷ χρῆται, τ οἱονεὶ δακτύλῳ τὸ ὑπερκείμενον γνωρίσας Ἐφʼ ι ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἐνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου σιῶν τ ἐλαχίστων. Τὸ γάρ Τούτων εἰπεῖν, τὴν τῶν εὐπετ πονθότων παρουσίαν ἐνδείκνυται. Νῦν μοι λεγέτω ὀ τὴν ἄψυχον ὑλην τῶν χρημάτων : προτιμῶν τῆς μελλούσης μακαριότητος Ποία χρυσίου ; λαμπρότης τοιαύτης Τίνες τῶν πολυτιμήτων λίθων αὐγαί; Τίς ἐξ ἐνδυ μάτων κόσμος τοιοῦτος, οἷον ἐκεῖνο ι τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἡ ἐλπὶς ὑποτίθεται ; Ὅταν ὁ βασιλεύων τῆς ῖ κτίσεως ἐαυτὸν ἀνακαλύψῃ τῇ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσει, ἐπὶ η τοῦ ὑψηλοῦ θρόνου μεγαλοπρεπῶς προκαθήμενος, ὅταν ὀφθῶσι περὶ αὑτὸν αἱ ἀναρίθμητοι μυριάδες ς τῶν ἀγγέλων, καὶ δὴ ὅταν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς γένηται πάν- , των ἀπόρρητος τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλεία, καὶ ἀναδειχθῇ πάλιν ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου τά φοβερά κολαστήρια · ἐν μέσῳ δὲ τούτων πᾶσαή ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις, τῶν ἀπὸ πρώτης κτίσεως καὶ μέχρι τῆς τοῦ παντὸς συμς πληρώσεως γεγονότων, φόβῳ τε καὶ ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων ἑστήκῃ μετέωρος, τῇ ἐφʼ ἑκάτερα τῶν προσδοκωμένων ἐκβάσει κραδαινομένη πολλάκις · καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῇ συνειδήσει συνεζηκότων ἀπιστούντων τῷ μὲλλοντι, ὅταν ἐτέρους ίδωσιν, ὑπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ συνειδότος, είς τὸ σκυθρωπὸν ἐκεῖνο σκότος, ὥσπερ ὑπό τινος δημίου καθελκομένους; Ἐὰν οὗτος ἐν εὐφήμοις τε καὶ εὑχαρίστοις ταῖς παρά τῶν εὑπεπονθότων φωιαῖς, λαμπρὸς τῇ παρρησίᾳ τῷ κριτῇ παρὰ τῶν ἔργων προσαγάγηται ο ἆρα κατά τὸν ὑλώδη πλοῦτον εὐκληρίαν ἐκείνην εἶναι λογίσεται; Ἀρα δέξεται ἀντὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων ὅρη πάντα καὶ πεδία, καὶ νάπας, καὶ θάλασσαν, είς χρυσὸν αὑτῷ μεταποιηθέντα γενέσθαι; ’0 δὲ ἀκριβῶς σφραγίσι καὶ κλείθροις, καὶ σιδηροδέτοις πύλαις, καὶ ὀχυροῖς κρυπτηρίοις τὸν μαμωνάν κατακρύψας, καὶ πάσης ἐντολῆς τὸ ἀποκεῖσθαι αὐτῷ συγκεχωσμένην ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ τὴν ὓλην προτιμότερον κρίνας, ἐὰν ἐπὶ τὸ σκοτεινὸν πῦρ ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν κατασύρηται ’ πάντων αὑτῷ τὸ ἀπεινές καὶ ἀνήμερον προφερόντων, τῶν κατὰ τὴν ζωὴν ταύτην πεπειραμένων, καὶ λεγόντων· Μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σουʼ συναπέκλεισας ἐν τοῖς ὀχυρώμασι τοῦ πλούτου τὸν ἔλεον, καὶ κατ· ἔλιπες ὑπὲρ γῆς τὴν εὑσπλαγχνίανο οὑκ ἐκομίσω πρὸς τὸν τῇδε βίον τήν φιλανθρωπίαν · οὑκ ἐχεις δ μὴ ἔσχες· οὑχ εὑρίσκεις ὃ μή ἀπέθουο οὑ συνάγεις ὃ μή ἐσκόρπισας· οὐ θεριεῖς ὧν οὑ κατεβάλου τὰ σπέρματαο ἄξιόν σοι τῆς σπορᾶς τὸ θέρος ο πικρίαν ἔσπειρας, δρέπου τά δράγματαυ τὸ ἀνηλεές ἐτίμησας, ἔχε ὅπερ ἠγάπησας ο οὑκ εἶδες συμπαθῶς ο οὐκ ὀφθήσῃ ἐλεεινῶς. Περιεῖδες θλιβόμενον, περιοφθήσῃ
ēdi : phēmoumenos? tAra tinos allou makarismou prosdeēē- : thēsetai, o en tosoutǭ theatrǭ epi tois aristois anai kēryttomenos? To gar pareinai tous eu peponthotas, t ē tou Heuangeliou didaskei phōnē, en tę̄ pros tous i dikaious kai tę̄ pros tous hamartōlous tou basileōs ? krisei. Pros amphoterous gar tǭ deiktikǭ chrētai, t hoionei daktylǭ to hyperkeimenon gnōrisas Ephʼ i hoson epoiēsate eni toutōn tōn adelphōn mou siōn t elachistōn. To gar Toutōn eipein, tēn tōn eupet ponthotōn parousian endeiknytai. Nyn moi legetō o tēn apsychon hylēn tōn chrēmatōn : protimōn tēs mellousēs makariotētos Poia chrysiou ? lamprotēs toiautēs Tines tōn polytimētōn lithōn augai? Tis ex endy matōn kosmos toioutos, hoion ekeino i to agathon hē elpis hypotithetai ? Hotan ho basileuōn tēs i ktiseōs eauton anakalypsę̄ tę̄ anthrōpinē physei, epi ē tou hypsēlou thronou megaloprepōs prokathēmenos, hotan ophthōsi peri hauton hai anarithmētoi myriades s tōn angelōn, kai dē hotan en ophthalmois genētai pan- , tōn aporrētos tōn ouranōn basileia, kai anadeichthę̄ palin ek tou enantiou ta phobera kolastēria ; en mesǭ de toutōn pasaē anthrōpinē physis, tōn apo prōtēs ktiseōs kai mechri tēs tou pantos syms plērōseōs gegonotōn, phobǭ te kai elpidi tōn mellontōn hestēkę̄ meteōros, tę̄ ephʼ hekatera tōn prosdokōmenōn ekbasei kradainomenē pollakis ; kai tōn agathę̄ syneidēsei synezēkotōn apistountōn tǭ mellonti, hotan eterous idōsin, hypo tou ponērou syneidotos, eis to skythrōpon ekeino skotos, hōsper hypo tinos dēmiou kathelkomenous? Ean houtos en euphēmois te kai heucharistois tais para tōn heupeponthotōn phōiais, lampros tę̄ parrēsią tǭ kritę̄ para tōn ergōn prosagagētai o ara kata ton hylōdē plouton euklērian ekeinēn einai logisetai? Ara dexetai anti tōn agathōn ekeinōn horē panta kai pedia, kai napas, kai thalassan, eis chryson hautǭ metapoiēthenta genesthai? ’0 de akribōs sphragisi kai kleithrois, kai sidērodetois pylais, kai ochyrois kryptēriois ton mamōnan katakrypsas, kai pasēs entolēs to apokeisthai autǭ synkechōsmenēn en tǭ kryptǭ tēn hylēn protimoteron krinas, ean epi to skoteinon pyr epi kephalēn katasyrētai ’ pantōn hautǭ to apeines kai anēmeron propherontōn, tōn kata tēn zōēn tautēn pepeiramenōn, kai legontōn; Mnēsthēti hoti apelabes agatha sou en tę̄ zōę̄ souʼ synapekleisas en tois ochyrōmasi tou ploutou ton eleon, kai kat; elipes hyper gēs tēn heusplanchniano houk ekomisō pros ton tę̄de bion tēn philanthrōpian ; houk echeis d mē esches; houch heuriskeis ho mē apethouo hou synageis ho mē eskorpisas; ou therieis hōn hou katebalou ta spermatao axion soi tēs sporas to theros o pikrian espeiras, drepou ta dragmatau to anēlees etimēsas, eche hoper ēgapēsas o houk eides sympathōs o ouk ophthēsę̄ eleeinōs. Perieides thlibomenon, periophthēsę̄
? Will he need any other blessing, who is proclaimed for his noblest deeds in so great a theatre? That those who received kindness will be present, the voice of the Gospel teaches in the King’s judgment of the righteous and of the sinners. To both he uses a demonstrative word, pointing out what is before him as with a finger: “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers.” By saying “these” he shows that those who received kindness are present. Now let the one who prefers the lifeless matter of money to the blessedness to come tell me: what brightness of gold is like it? What gleam of precious stones? What adornment of clothing is like that good which hope sets before us? When the King of creation reveals himself to human nature, seated in majesty on his lofty throne; when the countless myriads of angels are seen around him; when the ineffable kingdom of heaven comes before the eyes of all, and on the other side the fearful places of punishment are displayed; and in the midst of these the whole of human nature, all who have been born from the first creation to the consummation of the universe, stands in suspense between fear and hope of what is to come, often shaken toward one or the other of the outcomes it awaits; when even those who have lived with a good conscience are uncertain of the future as they see others dragged by an evil conscience into that gloomy darkness, as if by an executioner — if this man, amid the praising and thankful voices of those he helped, is brought before the Judge by his works, shining with confidence, will he reckon that good fortune to be like material wealth? Would he accept, in exchange for those goods, all the mountains and plains and glens, and the sea, turned into gold for him? But the one who carefully hid away his mammon with seals and bolts, with iron-bound gates and strong hiding places, and judged it better than any commandment that his wealth should lie buried in secret for him — if he is dragged headlong into the dark fire, while all who experienced his harshness and savagery in this life reproach him and say: “Remember that you received your good things in your life. You locked up mercy along with your wealth in your strongholds, and left compassion behind above the ground. You did not bring love of humankind with you to the life here: you do not have what you did not have; you do not find what you did not store up; you do not gather what you did not scatter; you will not reap what you did not sow. The harvest is worthy of your sowing: you sowed bitterness, gather its sheaves; you honoured mercilessness, have what you loved; you did not look with sympathy, you will not be looked upon with pity; you overlooked the afflicted, you will be overlooked
Matt 25:40 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:31–46 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:30 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: At the last judgment, before the throne and the angels, the merciful man will be praised by those he helped, a reward worth more than all gold; the miser who buried his wealth will be dragged to the dark fire and reproached by those he neglected.
- “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers”: Matt 25:40. The throne of glory and the angels: Matt 25:31. “Remember that you received your good things in your life”: Luke 16:25. Outer darkness: Matt 25:30.
- The scan text of the work breaks off here, in the middle of Homily 5; the rest of Homily 5 and Homilies 6–8 are not in the staged text.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1261 (PG 44:1261a–1261d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1255/#p-1261). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.