Opuscula 6.1–6.28
Greek text: PG 65 (Greek text: Migne, Patrologia Graeca vol. 65 (1864), OCR of the Bavarian State Library copy).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 6
6.1PG 65:1053
Ὁ κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον μόνον πιστὸς, τὸ ὄρος τῆς κακίας ἑαυτοῦ διὰ πίστεως μετατίθησιν, ἀπωθούμενος ἑαυτοῦ τῇ ἀστάτῳ περιφορᾷ τὴν ὑπὸ αἴσθησιν τῆν ἐπ' αὐτῆς προτέραν διάθεσιν. Ὁ δὲ μαθητὴς εἶναι δυνάμενος, ἐκ τοῦ Λόγου δεχόμενος χερσὶ τῶν γνωστικῶν ἄρτων τὰ κλάσματα, διατρέφει χιλιάδας, πράξει δεικνὺς πληθυνομένην τοῦ Λόγου τὴν δύναμιν. ῾Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος ἰσχύσας εἶναι, πᾶσαν ἰατρεύει νόσον, καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν, ἐκβάλλων δαιμόνια, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τὴν τῶν παθῶν φυγαδεύων ἐνέργειαν, νοσοῦντας ἰώμενος, πρὸς ἕξιν εὐσεβείας τοὺς στερηθέντας αὐτῆς δι' ἐλπίδος ἐπανάγων, καὶ τοὺς δι᾿ ὄκνων μαλακισθέντας ἐπιστύφων τῷ λόγῳ τῆς πίστεως. Πατεῖν γὰρ ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων κελευσθεὶς ἀρχὴν, τέλος τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐξαφανίζει.
Ho kata to Euangelion monon pistos, to oros tēs kakias heautou dia pisteōs metatithēsin, apōthoumenos heautou tę̄ astatǭ periphorą tēn hypo aisthēsin tēn ep' autēs proteran diathesin. Ho de mathētēs einai dynamenos, ek tou Logou dechomenos chersi tōn gnōstikōn artōn ta klasmata, diatrephei chiliadas, praxei deiknys plēthynomenēn tou Logou tēn dynamin. ῾Ho de apostolos ischysas einai, pasan iatreuei noson, kai pasan malakian, ekballōn daimonia, tout᾽ esti tēn tōn pathōn phygadeuōn energeian, nosountas iōmenos, pros hexin eusebeias tous sterēthentas autēs di' elpidos epanagōn, kai tous di᾿ oknōn malakisthentas epistyphōn tǭ logǭ tēs pisteōs. Patein gar epanō opheōn kai skorpiōn keleustheis archēn, telos tēs hamartias exaphanizei.
One who is only a believer according to the Gospel moves the mountain of his own wickedness by faith, thrusting away from himself, by its unstable revolving, his former disposition toward it in sense. One who is able to be a disciple, receiving from the Word in his hands the fragments of the loaves of knowledge, feeds thousands, showing in practice the power of the Word multiplied. And one who has become strong enough to be an apostle heals every disease and every sickness, casting out demons, that is, putting to flight the working of the passions; healing the sick, bringing back through hope to a habit of godliness those deprived of it, and bracing with the word of faith those made weak by sloth. For, commanded to tread on serpents and scorpions, he makes the beginning and the end of sin vanish.
Matt 17:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 14:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 10:19 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The believer, the disciple, and the apostle mark three stages of spiritual progress.
- Matt 17:20; 14:19–20; 10:1; Luke 10:19. Tractate 6 is a set of chapters on contemplation; several of them (6.1–6.15 at least) are also known as chapters of Maximus the Confessor (Chapters on Theology and the Economy), and their attribution to Mark is uncertain.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.1 (PG 65:1053; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.2PG 65:1053
Σάββατα σαββάτων ἐστὶν ἠρεμία ψυχική ψυχῆς λογικῆς, καὶ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν πάντων ἐν τοῖς οὖσι θειοτέρων λόγων τὸν νοῦν συστειλάσης, καὶ μόνον τὸν Θεὸν κατ᾿ ἐρωτικὴν ἔκστασιν ὁλικῶς ἐνδυσάσης, καὶ παντελῶς ἀκίνητον αὐτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τῆς μυστικῆς θεολογίας ποιησάσης.
Sabbata sabbatōn estin ēremia psychikē psychēs logikēs, kai ap᾿ autōn pantōn en tois ousi theioterōn logōn ton noun systeilasēs, kai monon ton Theon kat᾿ erōtikēn ekstasin holikōs endysasēs, kai pantelōs akinēton auton tou Theou dia tēs mystikēs theologias poiēsasēs.
The sabbath of sabbaths is the spiritual rest of the rational soul, which has withdrawn the mind even from all the more divine principles in beings, has clothed itself wholly with God alone in loving ecstasy, and has made itself altogether unmoved from God through mystical theology.
Lev 16:31 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The sabbath of sabbaths is the soul's rest wholly in God.
- “Sabbath of sabbaths”: Lev 16:31.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.2 (PG 65:1053; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.3PG 65:1053
Θέρους θέρος ἐστὶν ἡ πᾶσα ἄβατος, καὶ κατὰ τὴν τῶν νοητῶν μυστικὴν θεωρίαν, περὶ νοῦν ἀγνώστως συνισταμένη τοῦ Θεοῦ κατανόησις, ἣν προσφέρει δεόντως ὁ ἐκ τῶν ὁρατῶν καὶ τῶν ἀοράτων κτισμάτων ἀξίως γεραίρων τὸν κτίσαντα.
Therous theros estin hē pasa abatos, kai kata tēn tōn noētōn mystikēn theōrian, peri noun agnōstōs synistamenē tou Theou katanoēsis, hēn prospherei deontōs ho ek tōn horatōn kai tōn aoratōn ktismatōn axiōs gerairōn ton ktisanta.
The harvest of harvests is the understanding of God, wholly inaccessible, formed unknowably in the mind according to the mystical contemplation of spiritual things; it is fittingly offered by one who worthily honours the Creator from creatures visible and invisible.
Notes and citation
Summary: The harvest of harvests is the mystical understanding of God.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by a margin letter in the OCR): ἀγνώΑ τως → ἀγνώστως.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.3 (PG 65:1053; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.4PG 65:1055
Ὁ τὴν ἕκτην εὐαγγελικῶς ἄγων ἡμέραν, ἀποκτείνας πρότερον τὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πρῶτα κινήματα, τὴν πάσης κακίας ἔρημον διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν καταλαμβάνει τῆς ἀπαθείας κατάστασιν, σαββατίζων κατὰ νοῦν καὶ αὐτῆς ψιλῆς τῆς τῶν παθῶν φαντασίας. ῾Ο δὲ τὸν Ἰορδάνην διαπεράσας, εἰς τὴν τῆς γνώσεως μετατίθεται χώραν, καθ' ἣν ὁ νοῦς μυστικῶς ὑπὸ τῆς εἰρήνης οἰκοδομούμενος, Θεοῦ γίνεται κατοικητήριον ἐν πνεύματι.
Ho tēn hektēn euangelikōs agōn hēmeran, apokteinas proteron ta tēs hamartias prōta kinēmata, tēn pasēs kakias erēmon dia tōn aretōn katalambanei tēs apatheias katastasin, sabbatizōn kata noun kai autēs psilēs tēs tōn pathōn phantasias. ῾O de ton Iordanēn diaperasas, eis tēn tēs gnōseōs metatithetai chōran, kath' hēn ho nous mystikōs hypo tēs eirēnēs oikodomoumenos, Theou ginetai katoikētērion en pneumati.
Whoever keeps the sixth day in the way of the Gospel, having first killed the first movements of sin, reaches through the virtues the state of dispassion empty of all evil, keeping sabbath in mind even from the bare imagination of the passions. And whoever has crossed the Jordan is transferred into the land of knowledge, in which the mind, built up mystically by peace, becomes a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Gen 2:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Josh 3:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 2:22 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Keeping the sixth day leads to dispassion; crossing the Jordan leads to knowledge.
- Gen 2:2; Josh 3:17; Eph 2:22.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.4 (PG 65:1055; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.5PG 65:1055
῾Ο τὴν ἕκτην θεϊκῶς μετὰ τῶν προσφόρων ἔργων καὶ ἐννοιῶν ἑαυτῷ συμπληρώσας ἡμέραν, καὶ αὐτὸς μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καλῶς τὰ ἑαυτοῦ συντελέσας ἔργα, διέβη τῇ κατανοήσει πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπὸ φύσιν καὶ χρόνον ὑπόστασιν, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν αἰώνων καὶ αἰωνίων μετετάξατο μυστικὴν θεωρίαν, σαββατίζων ἀγνώστως κατὰ νοῦν τὴν ὁλικὴν τῶν ὄντων ἀπόλειψίν τε καὶ ὑπέρβασιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τῆς ὀγδόης ἀξιωθεὶς, ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἀνέστη [τῶν μετὰ Θεὸν λέγω πάντων αἰσθητῶν τε καὶ νοητῶν, καὶ λόγων] καὶ νοημάτων, καὶ ἔζησε τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μακαρίαν ζωὴν [τοῦ μόνου κατὰ ἀλήθειαν κυρίως ζωῆς καὶ λεγομένου καὶ ὄντος], οἷα καὶ αὐτὸς γενόμενος τῇ θεώσει Θεός.
῾O tēn hektēn theïkōs meta tōn prosphorōn ergōn kai ennoiōn heautǭ symplērōsas hēmeran, kai autos meta tou Theou kalōs ta heautou syntelesas erga, diebē tę̄ katanoēsei pasan tēn hypo physin kai chronon hypostasin, kai eis tēn tōn aiōnōn kai aiōniōn metetaxato mystikēn theōrian, sabbatizōn agnōstōs kata noun tēn holikēn tōn ontōn apoleipsin te kai hyperbasin. Ei de kai tēs ogdoēs axiōtheis, ek tōn nekrōn anestē [tōn meta Theon legō pantōn aisthētōn te kai noētōn, kai logōn] kai noēmatōn, kai ezēse tēn tou Theou makarian zōēn [tou monou kata alētheian kyriōs zōēs kai legomenou kai ontos], hoia kai autos genomenos tę̄ theōsei Theos.
Whoever has completed the sixth day for himself in a godly way with fitting works and thoughts, and has himself, with God, finished his own works well, has passed in understanding through all existence subject to nature and time, and has been transferred to the mystical contemplation of the ages and eternal things, keeping sabbath unknowably in mind, by leaving and transcending all beings entirely. And if he is also counted worthy of the eighth day, he has risen from the dead (I mean from all things after God, sensible and intelligible, and from words) and from thoughts, and has lived the blessed life of God (who alone in truth is properly both called and is life), as one who has himself become God by deification.
Gen 2:2 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The seventh day is contemplation beyond creation; the eighth is resurrection into God's life by deification.
- Gen 2:2–3. The words in parentheses are in square brackets in Migne; they are kept because the sentence needs them. The printed τοῦ νόμου is read τοῦ μόνου (“who alone”), the sense required. The language of deification is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter slip; word split by a margin letter in the OCR): ἔρΒ γα → ἔργα; τοῦ νόμου κατὰ ἀλήθειαν → τοῦ μόνου κατὰ ἀλήθειαν.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.5 (PG 65:1055; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.6PG 65:1055
Τὰ φαινόμενα πάντα δεῖται σταυροῦ, τῆς τῶν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ κατ' αἴσθησιν ἐνεργουμένων ἐπεχούσης τὴν σχέσιν ἕξεως· τὰ δὲ νοούμενα πάντα χρήζει ταφῆς, τῆς τῶν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς κατὰ νοῦν ἐνεργουμένων ὁλικῆς ἀκινησίας Τῇ γὰρ σχέσει συναναιρουμένης τῆς περὶ πάντα˙ φυσικῆς ἐνεργείας τε καὶ κινήσεως, ὁ λόγος μόνον ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ὑπάρχων ὥσπερ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγηγερμένος, προσαναφαίνεται πάντα περιγραφήν ἔχοντα ἐξ αὐτοῦ, μηδενὸς φυσικῇ σχέσει τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκειότητα τὸ σύνολον ἔχοντος· κατὰ χάριν γὰρ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν σωζομένων σωτηρία.
Ta phainomena panta deitai staurou, tēs tōn ep᾿ autou kat' aisthēsin energoumenōn epechousēs tēn schesin hexeōs; ta de nooumena panta chrēzei taphēs, tēs tōn ep᾿ autēs kata noun energoumenōn holikēs akinēsias Tę̄ gar schesei synanairoumenēs tēs peri panta˙ physikēs energeias te kai kinēseōs, ho logos monon eph᾽ heauton hyparchōn hōsper ek nekrōn egēgermenos, prosanaphainetai panta perigraphēn echonta ex autou, mēdenos physikę̄ schesei tēn pros auton oikeiotēta to synolon echontos; kata charin gar, all᾽ ou kata physin estin hē tōn sōzomenōn sōtēria.
All visible things need a cross, the habit that checks the attachment of those who act upon them by sense; all intelligible things need a burial, the complete stillness of those who act upon them by the mind. For when, together with the attachment, all natural activity and movement toward all things is taken away, the Word, existing alone by himself as though risen from the dead, appears beyond all things that have their bound from him, nothing at all having kinship with him by natural relation; for the salvation of those who are saved is by grace and not by nature.
Notes and citation
Summary: Visible things need a cross, intelligible things a burial; salvation is by grace, not nature.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (doubled letter from the OCR): τῶῶν → τῶν.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.6 (PG 65:1055; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-6
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.7PG 65:1055
Ἕως τῆς ἡμῶν τε καὶ πάντων τῶν μετὰ Θεὸν οὐσίας κατὰ διάνοιαν καθαρῶς οὐκ ἐμβεβήκαμεν τὴν ἕξιν, οὔπω τὴν κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν ἀτρεψίαν ἐλάβομεν. Ὁπηνίκα δὲ τοῦτο δι' ἀγάπης ἡμῖν κατορθωθῇ τὸ ἀξίωμα, τότε γνωσόμεθα τῆς θείας ἐπαγγελίας τὴν δύναμιν· ἐκεῖ γὰρ εἶναι χρὴ πιστεύειν καθίδρυσιν ἀμετάθετον τοὺς ἀξίους, ἔνθα προλαβὼν ὁ νοῦς δι᾿ ἀγάπης τὴν σφετέραν ἐῤῥίζωσε δύναμιν. Ὁ γὰρ μὴ ἐκβὰς ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ πάντων τῶν ὁπωσοῦν νοεῖσθαι δυναμένων, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπὲρ νόησιν σιγὴν καταστὰς, οὐ δύναται τροπῆς εἶναι πάντων ἐλεύθερος.
Heōs tēs hēmōn te kai pantōn tōn meta Theon ousias kata dianoian katharōs ouk embebēkamen tēn hexin, oupō tēn kat᾿ aretēn atrepsian elabomen. Hopēnika de touto di' agapēs hēmin katorthōthę̄ to axiōma, tote gnōsometha tēs theias epangelias tēn dynamin; ekei gar einai chrē pisteuein kathidrysin ametatheton tous axious, entha prolabōn ho nous di᾿ agapēs tēn spheteran errhizōse dynamin. Ho gar mē ekbas heautou, kai pantōn tōn hopōsoun noeisthai dynamenōn, kai eis tēn hyper noēsin sigēn katastas, ou dynatai tropēs einai pantōn eleutheros.
Until we have passed purely in thought beyond the habit of our own being and that of all things after God, we have not yet received unchangeableness in virtue. But when this dignity is achieved by us through love, then we shall know the power of the divine promise. For we must believe that the worthy are established immovably there where the mind has first rooted its own power through love. For whoever has not gone out of himself and of all that can in any way be thought, and come to rest in the silence beyond thought, cannot be free of all change.
Notes and citation
Summary: Unchangeableness comes only by passing beyond oneself in love into silence beyond thought.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.7 (PG 65:1055; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.8PG 65:1055
Πᾶσα νόησις, πλήθους, ἢ τὸ ἐλάχιστον δυάδος, πάντως ἔμφασιν ἔχει. Μέση γάρ τινων ἐστὶν ἀκροτήτων σχέσις ἀλλήλοις συνάπτουσα Το τε [νο]οῦν καὶ τὸ νοούμενον· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδέτερον δι᾿ ὅλου τὴν ἁπλότητα πέφυκε σώζειν· τὸ τε γὰρ νοοῦν, ὑποκείμενόν τί ἐστι, πάντως συνεπινοουμένην αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ νοεῖσθαι ἔχον δύναμιν, ἢ πρὸς ὑποκειμένην τὴν οὗ ἐστι δύναμις οὐσίαν. Οὐ γάρ τι τῶν ὄντων τὸ σύνολον, αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ, ἁπλῆ τις οὐσία ἢ νόησις ἐστιν, ἵνα καὶ μονὰς ἀδιαίρετος. Τὸν δὲ Θεὸν εἶτα οὐσίαν εἴπομεν, οὐκ ἔχει φυσικῶς συνεπινοουμένην αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ νοεῖσθαι δύναμιν, ἵνα μὴ καὶ σύνθετος· εἴτε νόησις, οὐκ ἔχει φυσικῶς δεκτικὴν τὴν τῆς νοήσεως ὑποκειμένην οὐσίαν. Αλλ' αὐτὸς κατ' οὐσίαν, νόησίς ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ὅλος νόησις, καὶ μόνον, καὶ ὑπὲρ οὐσίαν ὅλος, καὶ ὑπὲρ νόησιν ὅλος · διότι μονὰς ἀδιαίρετος, καὶ ἀμερὴς, καὶ ἁπλῆ. Ὁ τοίνυν καθοτιοῦν νόησιν ἔχων, οὔπω τῆς δυάδος ἐξῆλθεν· ὁ δὲ ταύτην πάμπαν ἀπολιπὼν, γέγονε ποσῶς ἐν τῇ μονάδι, τὴν τοῦ νοεῖν ὑπεροχικῶς ἀποθέμενος δύναμιν.
Pasa noēsis, plēthous, ē to elachiston dyados, pantōs emphasin echei. Mesē gar tinōn estin akrotētōn schesis allēlois synaptousa To te [no]oun kai to nooumenon; oude gar oudeteron di᾿ holou tēn haplotēta pephyke sōzein; to te gar nooun, hypokeimenon ti esti, pantōs synepinooumenēn autǭ tēn tou noeisthai echon dynamin, ē pros hypokeimenēn tēn hou esti dynamis ousian. Ou gar ti tōn ontōn to synolon, auto kath' heauto, haplē tis ousia ē noēsis estin, hina kai monas adiairetos. Ton de Theon eita ousian eipomen, ouk echei physikōs synepinooumenēn autǭ tēn tou noeisthai dynamin, hina mē kai synthetos; eite noēsis, ouk echei physikōs dektikēn tēn tēs noēseōs hypokeimenēn ousian. All' autos kat' ousian, noēsis estin ho Theos, kai holos noēsis, kai monon, kai hyper ousian holos, kai hyper noēsin holos ; dioti monas adiairetos, kai amerēs, kai haplē. Ho toinyn kathotioun noēsin echōn, oupō tēs dyados exēlthen; ho de tautēn pampan apolipōn, gegone posōs en tę̄ monadi, tēn tou noein hyperochikōs apothemenos dynamin.
Every act of thought certainly shows a plurality, or at least a duality. For it is a relation between certain extremes, joining them to each other: what thinks and what is thought. Neither of them can by nature keep simplicity throughout. For what thinks is a subject, having with it the power of thinking; or it is related to the substance of which it is the power. For none of the beings at all, by itself, is a simple substance or thought, so as to be an indivisible unity. But God, whether we call him substance, does not have by nature the power of thinking conceived together with him, lest he be composite; or whether thought, he does not have by nature a substance underlying and receptive of thought. But God himself is in substance thought, and wholly thought, and only thought, and wholly beyond substance, and wholly beyond thought; because he is an indivisible, partless, and simple unity. So whoever has thought in any way has not yet left duality; but whoever has wholly abandoned it has come in some measure into the unity, having laid aside, in a surpassing way, the power of thinking.
Notes and citation
Summary: All thought implies duality; God is simple unity beyond substance and thought.
- A cue to an editor's note (“Ὁ τὴν ἕκτ.”) printed in the line is removed; Migne's bracketed letters in [νο]οῦν are kept as the sense requires.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (editor's footnote cue printed in the line removed): εἶτα Ὁ τὴν ἕκτ. οὐσίαν → εἶτα οὐσίαν.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.8 (PG 65:1055; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-8
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.9PG 65:1057
Ἐν μὲν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἑτερότης καὶ ἀνομοιότης ἐστὶ καὶ διαφορά· ἐν δὲ τῷ Θεῷ κυρίως ἑνὶ καὶ μόνῳ τυγχάνοντι, ταύτης καὶ ἔξω γενέσθαι, τῶν πολλῶν ἐπιβάλλειν ταῖς περὶ Θεοῦ θεωρίαις. Καὶ δηλοῖ τοῦτο Μωϋσῆς ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς πηγνύμενος τὴν σκηνὴν τῆς διανοίας, καὶ τότε προσομιλῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Τὸ γὰρ μετὰ λόγου τοῦ κατὰ προφορὰν πειρᾶσθαι φάναι τὸν ἄῤῥητον, ἐπικίνδυνον, ὅτι δυὰς καὶ πλέον ἐστὶν ὁ κατὰ προφορὰν λόγος. Τὸ δὲ ἄνευ φωνῆς μόνῃ ψυχῇ τὸ ὂν θεωρεῖν, ἰσχυρότερον, ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ἀδιαίρετον ἵσταται μονάδα, καὶ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πολλοῖς. Ὁ γὰρ ἀρχιερεὺς ἅπαξ τοῦ ἔτους εἰς τὰ ῞Αγια τῶν ἁγίων ἔσω τοῦ καταπετάσματος εἰσιέναι μόλις προστεταγμένος, διδάσκει, μόνον δεῖν ἐκεῖνον τὸν τὴν αὐτὴν καὶ τὰ ἅγια διαβάντα, καὶ εἰς τὰ ῞Αγια τῶν ἁγίων ἔσω γενόμενον, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τὴν ἅπασαν τῶν αἰσθητῶν τε καὶ νοητῶν παρελθόντα φύσιν, καὶ πάσης τῆς κατὰ τὴν γένεσιν ἰδιότητος γενόμενον καθαρὸν, ἀνείμονι καὶ γυμνῇ τῇ διανοίᾳ προσβάλλειν ταῖς περὶ Θεοῦ φαντασίαις.
En men tois pollois heterotēs kai anomoiotēs esti kai diaphora; en de tǭ Theǭ kyriōs heni kai monǭ tynchanonti, tautēs kai exō genesthai, tōn pollōn epiballein tais peri Theou theōriais. Kai dēloi touto Mōÿsēs exō tēs parembolēs pēgnymenos tēn skēnēn tēs dianoias, kai tote prosomilōn tǭ Theǭ. To gar meta logou tou kata prophoran peirasthai phanai ton arrhēton, epikindynon, hoti dyas kai pleon estin ho kata prophoran logos. To de aneu phōnēs monę̄ psychę̄ to on theōrein, ischyroteron, hoti kata tēn adiaireton histatai monada, kai ouk en tois pollois. Ho gar archiereus hapax tou etous eis ta ῾Agia tōn hagiōn esō tou katapetasmatos eisienai molis prostetagmenos, didaskei, monon dein ekeinon ton tēn autēn kai ta hagia diabanta, kai eis ta ῾Agia tōn hagiōn esō genomenon, tout᾽ esti tēn hapasan tōn aisthētōn te kai noētōn parelthonta physin, kai pasēs tēs kata tēn genesin idiotētos genomenon katharon, aneimoni kai gymnę̄ tę̄ dianoią prosballein tais peri Theou phantasiais.
In the many there is otherness, unlikeness, and difference; but in God, who is properly one and alone, one must also be outside these, and outside the many, to approach the contemplations of God. Moses shows this, pitching the tent of his thought outside the camp, and then conversing with God. For to try to speak of the unspeakable with spoken word is dangerous, because spoken word is a duality and more; but to contemplate Being with the soul alone, without voice, is stronger, because it stands in the indivisible unity and not among the many. For the high priest, commanded to enter the holy of holies within the veil scarcely once a year, teaches that only he who has passed through the court and the holy place and come within the holy of holies, that is, has passed beyond the whole nature of sensible and intelligible things and become pure of every property of becoming, may approach the appearances of God with a mind unclothed and naked.
Exod 33:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 16:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 9:7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Contemplation of God requires going beyond multiplicity, as Moses outside the camp and the high priest within the veil.
- Exod 33:7; Lev 16:2; Heb 9:7. “The court” renders the printed τὴν αὐτὴν, probably for τὴν αὐλὴν.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray bracket and OCR slip): νοημα]τῶν → νοητῶν.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.9 (PG 65:1057; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.10PG 65:1057
Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς πηξάμενος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σκηνὴν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τὴν γνώμην καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν ἱδρυσάμενος ἔξω τῶν ὀρωμένων, προσκυνεῖν τὸν Θεὸν ἄρχεται, καὶ εἰς τὸν γνόφον εἰσελθὼν τὸν ἀηδῆ καὶ ἄϋλον τῆς γνώσεως τόπον, ἐκεῖ μένει τελούμενος τὰς ἱερωτάτας τελετάς.
Mōsēs ho megas exō tēs parembolēs pēxamenos tēn heautou skēnēn, tout᾽ esti tēn gnōmēn kai tēn dianoian hidrysamenos exō tōn orōmenōn, proskynein ton Theon archetai, kai eis ton gnophon eiselthōn ton aēdē kai aÿlon tēs gnōseōs topon, ekei menei teloumenos tas hierōtatas teletas.
The great Moses, pitching his own tent outside the camp, that is, setting his will and thought outside visible things, begins to worship God; and entering the darkness, the formless and immaterial place of knowledge, he remains there, being initiated into the most sacred rites.
Exod 33:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 20:21 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses outside the camp and in the darkness figures the soul's entry into the knowledge of God.
- Exod 33:7; 20:21. The printed ἀηδῆ (“unpleasant”) is probably for ἀειδῆ (“formless”); translated so.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.10 (PG 65:1057; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-10
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.11PG 65:1057
Ὁ τὸν νόμον διὰ βίου καὶ πολιτείας ἐπιτελῶν, μόνων τῶν τῆς κακίας ἀργεῖ συμπερασμάτων, καταθύων τῷ Θεῷ τὴν ἄλογον τῶν παθῶν ἐνέργειαν, καὶ τούτῳ πρὸς σωτηρίαν ἀρκεῖται τῷ τρόπῳ, διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ πνευματικὴν νηπιότητα.
Ho ton nomon dia biou kai politeias epitelōn, monōn tōn tēs kakias argei symperasmatōn, katathyōn tǭ Theǭ tēn alogon tōn pathōn energeian, kai toutǭ pros sōtērian arkeitai tǭ tropǭ, dia tēn en autǭ pneumatikēn nēpiotēta.
Whoever fulfils the law through his life and conduct rests only from the outcomes of evil, sacrificing to God the irrational working of the passions; and he is content with this way for salvation, because of his spiritual childhood.
Notes and citation
Summary: Keeping the law restrains evil deeds, sufficient for the spiritually immature.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.11 (PG 65:1057; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.12PG 65:1057
Ὁ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν ζωὴν γνησίως ἀσπαζόμενος, καὶ ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος ἑαυτοῦ τῆς κακίας ἐξέτεμε, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἔργῳ τε καὶ λόγῳ μετέρχεται, θύων θυσίαν αἰνέσεως, καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως, πάσης τῆς κατ' ἐνεργείας τῶν παθῶν ἀπηλλαγμένος ὀχλήσεως, καὶ τῆς κατὰ νοῦν πρὸς αὐτὴν μάχης ὑπάρχων ἐλεύθερος, καὶ μόνον ἔχων τὴν ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν τὴν ψυχὴν διατρέφουσαν ἀκόρεστον ἡδονήν.
Ho tēn euangelikēn zōēn gnēsiōs aspazomenos, kai archēn kai telos heautou tēs kakias exeteme, kai pasan aretēn ergǭ te kai logǭ meterchetai, thyōn thysian aineseōs, kai exomologēseōs, pasēs tēs kat' energeias tōn pathōn apēllagmenos ochlēseōs, kai tēs kata noun pros autēn machēs hyparchōn eleutheros, kai monon echōn tēn ep᾿ elpidi tōn mellontōn agathōn tēn psychēn diatrephousan akoreston hēdonēn.
Whoever genuinely embraces the evangelical life has cut off from himself both the beginning and the end of evil, and pursues every virtue in deed and word, offering a sacrifice of praise and confession, freed from all the trouble of the passions' workings, free of the mind's battle against it, and having only the insatiable pleasure that nourishes the soul in hope of the good things to come.
Ps 50:14 (49:14 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 13:15 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The evangelical life cuts off evil at its root and offers praise in hope.
- Ps 50:14 (LXX 49:14); Heb 13:15.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.12 (PG 65:1057; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-12
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.13PG 65:1057
Ὁ τῆς γεέννης φόβος, κακίαν φεύγειν παρασκευάζει τοὺς εἰσαγομένους· ὁ δὲ πόθος τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀντιδόσεως, τοῖς προκόπτουσι τὴν ἐπ᾿ ἐνεργείᾳ τῶν ἀγαθῶν χαρίζεται προθυμίαν. Τὸ δὲ τῆς ἀγάπης μυστήριον, πάντων ὑπεραίρει τῶν γεγονότων τὸν νοῦν, πρὸς πάντα τὰ μετὰ Θεὸν τυφλόν ἀπεργαζόμενον. Μόνους γὰρ τοὺς τυφλοὺς πρὸς πάντα τὰ μετὰ Θεὸν γεγενημένους ὁ Κύριος σοφίζει, δεικνὺς τὰ θειότερα.
Ho tēs geennēs phobos, kakian pheugein paraskeuazei tous eisagomenous; ho de pothos tēs tōn agathōn antidoseōs, tois prokoptousi tēn ep᾿ energeią tōn agathōn charizetai prothymian. To de tēs agapēs mystērion, pantōn hyperairei tōn gegonotōn ton noun, pros panta ta meta Theon typhlon apergazomenon. Monous gar tous typhlous pros panta ta meta Theon gegenēmenous ho Kyrios sophizei, deiknys ta theiotera.
The fear of hell prepares beginners to flee evil; longing for the reward of good things gives those advancing eagerness to do good; but the mystery of love lifts the mind above all created things, making it blind to all things after God. For the Lord makes wise only those who have become blind to all things after God, showing them more divine things.
Notes and citation
Summary: Fear, hope of reward, and love mark three stages; love makes the mind blind to all but God.
- A cue to an editor's note (“Ὁ τὸν νόμον”) and a margin letter printed inside a word are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (editor's footnote cue and margin letter printed inside the word removed): γεγονό Ὁ τὸν νόμον, Α των → γεγονότων.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.13 (PG 65:1057; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-13
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.14PG 65:1059
Ὁ γνώσεως ἐφιέμενος, ἀμετακινήτως τὰς βάσεις τῆς ψυχῆς ἐρεισάτω παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ καθά φησιν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Μωσεῖ· Σὺ δὲ αὐτοῦ στῆθι μετ' ἐμοῦ. Ἰστέον δὲ, ὅτι καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἱσταμένοις παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐστὶ διαφορά, εἴπερ ἐκεῖνο μὴ παρέργως ἀναγινώσκεται τοῖς φιλομαθέσι, τὸ, Καὶ εἰσὶ τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστηκότων, οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου, ἕως ἂν ἴδωσι τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει. Οὐ γὰρ πᾶσιν ἀεὶ μετὰ δόξης ὁ Κύριος ἐπιφαίνεται παρ' αὐτῷ ἱσταμένοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν εἰσαγομένοις, ἐν δούλου μορφῇ παραγίνεται· τοῖς δὲ δυναμένοις ἀκολουθῆσαι αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὸ ὑψηλὸν ἀναβαίνοντι τῆς αὐτοῦ μεταμορφώσεως ὄρος, ἐπὶ Θεοῦ μορφῇ ἐπιφαίνεται, ἐν ᾗ ὑπῆρχε πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι. Δυνατὸν οὖν ἐστι κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ τὸν αὐτὸν πᾶσι τοῖς παρ᾿ αὐτὸν τυγχάνουσιν ἐπιφαίνεσθαι Κύριον· ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν οὕτω, τοῖς δὲ ἑτέρως, κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς ἐν ἑκάστῳ πίστεως, δηλονότι ποικίλων τὴν θεωρίαν.
Ho gnōseōs ephiemenos, ametakinētōs tas baseis tēs psychēs ereisatō para tǭ Kyriǭ katha phēsin ho Theos tǭ Mōsei; Sy de autou stēthi met' emou. Isteon de, hoti kai en autois tois histamenois para tǭ Kyriǭ esti diaphora, eiper ekeino mē parergōs anaginōsketai tois philomathesi, to, Kai eisi tines tōn hōde hestēkotōn, hoitines ou mē geusōntai thanatou, heōs an idōsi tēn basileian tou Theou elēlythuian en dynamei. Ou gar pasin aei meta doxēs ho Kyrios epiphainetai par' autǭ histamenois, alla tois men eisagomenois, en doulou morphę̄ paraginetai; tois de dynamenois akolouthēsai autǭ epi to hypsēlon anabainonti tēs autou metamorphōseōs oros, epi Theou morphę̄ epiphainetai, en hę̄ hypērche pro tou ton kosmon einai. Dynaton oun esti kata to auto ton auton pasi tois par᾿ auton tynchanousin epiphainesthai Kyrion; alla tois men houtō, tois de heterōs, kata to metron tēs en hekastǭ pisteōs, dēlonoti poikilōn tēn theōrian.
Whoever desires knowledge should fix the foundations of his soul immovably beside the Lord, as God says to Moses, “But you, stand here with me.” We must know that among those who stand beside the Lord there is also a difference, if that saying is read with care by lovers of learning: “There are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power.” For the Lord does not always appear in glory to all who stand beside him; to beginners he comes in the form of a servant, but to those able to follow him as he goes up the high mountain of his transfiguration he appears in the form of God, in which he existed before the world was. So it is possible for the same Lord to appear at the same time to all who are near him, but to some in one way and to others in another, according to the measure of faith in each, clearly varying the vision.
Deut 5:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 9:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 17:1 (allusion, high confidence) · John 17:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 12:3 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ appears to beginners as servant and to the advanced in the glory of the transfiguration.
- Deut 5:31; Mark 9:1; Phil 2:6–7; Matt 17:1–2; John 17:5; Rom 12:3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne margin letter removed): μορφῇ Β παραγίνεται → μορφῇ παραγίνεται.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.14 (PG 65:1059; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-14
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.15PG 65:1059
Ἀνατέλλει ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ δύνει ὁ ἥλιος, φησὶν ἡ Γραφή. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ὁ λόγος, ποτὲ μὲν νομίζεται ἄνω, ποτὲ δὲ κάτω, κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν δηλονότι, καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν λόγον, ἢ τὸν τρόπον τῶν μετερχομένων τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ περὶ τὴν θείαν κινουμένων γνῶσιν. Μακάριος δὲ ὁ κρατῶν ἄδυτον ἐν ἑαυτῷ, κατὰ τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ Ἰησοῦν τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιον, ὅλον τὸ μέτρον τῆς κατὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ζωὴν ἡμέρας κακίας, ἑσπέρας καὶ ἀγνωσίας μὴ περιγραφόμενον, ἵνα δυνηθῇ νομίμως τροπώσασθαι τοὺς ἐπανισταμένους αὐτοῦ πονηροὺς δαίμονας. ῾Ο τὴν κατ' εὐσέβειαν μετιών φιλοσοφίαν, καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἀοράτους παρατασσόμενος δυνάμεις, εὐχέσθω τήν τε φυσικὴν αὐτῷ διάκρισιν παραμεῖναι φῶς ἔχουσαν σύμμετρον καὶ τὴν φωτιστικὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ παιδαγωγεῖ τὴν σάρκα πρὸς ἀρετὴν διὰ πράξεως· ἡ δὲ, φωταγεῖ τὸν νοῦν τὴν τῆς σοφίας πάντων προκρίναι συμβίωσιν, καθ᾽ ἣν τῶν τε τῆς κακίας ὀχυρωμάτων, καὶ παντὸς ὑψώματος ἐπαιρομένου κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποιεῖται τὴν καθαίρεσιν. Καὶ δηλοῖ δι᾽ εὐχῆς αἰτῶν ὁ Ναυῆ Ἰησοῦς στῆναι τὸν ἥλιον κατὰ Γαβαῶ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἄδυτον αὐτὸν τὸ φῶς τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὸ ὅρος τῆς κατὰ νοῦν θεωρίας φυλαχθῆναι· καὶ τὴν σελήνην κατὰ φάραγγα, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὴν φυσικὴν διάκρισιν, ἐπὶ τῆς σαρκικῆς ἀσθενείας κειμένην, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀναλλοίωτον διαμεῖναι.
Anatellei ho hēlios, kai dynei ho hēlios, phēsin hē Graphē. Oukoun kai ho logos, pote men nomizetai anō, pote de katō, kata tēn axian dēlonoti, kai auton ton logon, ē ton tropon tōn meterchomenōn tēn aretēn, kai peri tēn theian kinoumenōn gnōsin. Makarios de ho kratōn adyton en heautǭ, kata ton tou Nauē Iēsoun ton tēs dikaiosynēs hēlion, holon to metron tēs kata tēn parousan zōēn hēmeras kakias, hesperas kai agnōsias mē perigraphomenon, hina dynēthę̄ nomimōs tropōsasthai tous epanistamenous autou ponērous daimonas. ῾O tēn kat' eusebeian metiōn philosophian, kai pros tas aoratous paratassomenos dynameis, euchesthō tēn te physikēn autǭ diakrisin parameinai phōs echousan symmetron kai tēn phōtistikēn tou Pneumatos charin. Hē men gar paidagōgei tēn sarka pros aretēn dia praxeōs; hē de, phōtagei ton noun tēn tēs sophias pantōn prokrinai symbiōsin, kath᾽ hēn tōn te tēs kakias ochyrōmatōn, kai pantos hypsōmatos epairomenou kata tēs gnōseōs tou Theou, poieitai tēn kathairesin. Kai dēloi di᾽ euchēs aitōn ho Nauē Iēsous stēnai ton hēlion kata Gabaō, tout᾽ estin, adyton auton to phōs tēs gnōseōs tou Theou, kata to horos tēs kata noun theōrias phylachthēnai; kai tēn selēnēn kata pharanga, tout᾽ esti, tēn physikēn diakrisin, epi tēs sarkikēs astheneias keimenēn, apo tēs aretēs analloiōton diameinai.
“The sun rises, and the sun sets,” says Scripture. So also the Word is thought sometimes above and sometimes below, clearly according to the worth, and the very principle or manner, of those who pursue virtue and are moved toward divine knowledge. Blessed is he who, like Joshua son of Nun, keeps within himself the Sun of righteousness unsetting through the whole measure of the day of this present life, not bounded by the evening of evil and ignorance, so that he may lawfully rout the evil demons who rise against him. [16] Whoever pursues the philosophy of godliness and is drawn up against the invisible powers should pray that his natural discernment may remain with him, having proportionate light, and the enlightening grace of the Spirit. For the first trains the flesh toward virtue through practice; the second enlightens the mind to prefer above all things living with wisdom, by which it pulls down the strongholds of evil and every high thing raised up against the knowledge of God. Joshua son of Nun shows this when he asks in prayer that the sun stand still over Gibeon, that is, that the light of the knowledge of God be kept unsetting over the mountain of contemplation in the mind; and the moon over the valley, that is, that natural discernment, set over the weakness of the flesh, may remain unchanged from virtue.
Eccl 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Josh 10:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 10:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 10:5 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The unsetting Sun of righteousness and Joshua's sun and moon figure the light of knowledge and natural discernment.
- Eccl 1:5; Mal 4:2 (LXX 3:20); Josh 10:12; 2 Cor 10:4–5. Chapter 16 is printed inside this section with a garbled numeral and is marked [16].
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled chapter numeral removed): 19΄. → .
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.15 (PG 65:1059; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-15
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.17PG 65:1059
Οἱ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων κατὰ τὴν Γαλιλαίαν ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ κλείσαντες τὰς θύρας καθἡμενοι, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν οἱ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν πνευμάτων τῆς πονηρίας κατὰ τὴν χώραν τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων ἐν τῷ ὕψει τῶν θείων θεωρημάτων ἀσφαλῶς βεβηκότες, θυρῶν δίκην μύσαντες τὰς αἰσθήσεις, παραγινόμενον ἀγνώστως δέχονται τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, ἄνευ τῆς κατ' αἴσθησιν ἐνεργείας αὐτοῖς ἐπιφαινόμενον, ἀπάθειάν τε διὰ τῆς εἰρήνης, καὶ μερισμοὺς Πνεύματος ἁγίου διὰ τῆς ἐμπνεύσεως δωρούμενον, καὶ τὴν κατὰ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν ἐξουσίαν παρέχοντα, καὶ δεικνύοντα τῶν αὐτοῦ μυστηρίων τὰ σύμβολα.
Hoi dia ton phobon tōn Ioudaiōn kata tēn Galilaian en tǭ hyperǭǭ kleisantes tas thyras kathēmenoi, tout᾽ estin hoi dia ton phobon tōn pneumatōn tēs ponērias kata tēn chōran tōn apokalypseōn en tǭ hypsei tōn theiōn theōrēmatōn asphalōs bebēkotes, thyrōn dikēn mysantes tas aisthēseis, paraginomenon agnōstōs dechontai ton tou Theou Logon, aneu tēs kat' aisthēsin energeias autois epiphainomenon, apatheian te dia tēs eirēnēs, kai merismous Pneumatos hagiou dia tēs empneuseōs dōroumenon, kai tēn kata pneumatōn ponērōn exousian parechonta, kai deiknyonta tōn autou mystēriōn ta symbola.
Those who, for fear of the Jews, sat in Galilee in the upper room with the doors shut, that is, those who, for fear of the spirits of wickedness, have set themselves securely in the land of revelations, on the height of divine contemplations, closing their senses like doors, receive the Word of God coming to them unknowably, appearing to them without the working of the senses, giving dispassion through peace and distributions of the Holy Spirit through his breathing on them, granting authority against evil spirits, and showing the symbols of his mysteries.
John 20:19 (allusion, high confidence) · John 20:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 1:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Heb 2:4 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The disciples behind shut doors figure contemplatives who receive the Word with senses closed.
- John 20:19–22; Acts 1:13; Heb 2:4. “The Jews” is the Gospel's phrase, read figuratively.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split and misread by the OCR; word split by the OCR): παραγινόμε νον → παραγινόμενον; ἀπάν θειάν → ἀπάθειάν.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.17 (PG 65:1059; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-17
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.18PG 65:1061
Ἡ γῆ τῶν Χαλδαίων, ἐστὶν ὁ ἐμπαθὴς βίος, ἐν ᾧ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων δημιουργεῖται καὶ προσκυνεῖται τὰ εἴδωλα· ἡ δὲ μέση τῶν ποταμῶν, ἐστὶν ὁ ἐπαμφοτερίζων τοῖς ἐναντίοις τρόποις· ἡ δὲ γῆ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἐστὶν ἡ παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ πεπληρωμένη κατάστασις. Πᾶς οὖν ὁ ταύτης, κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν Ἰσραὴλ, τῆς ἔξεως, πρὸς δουλείαν πάλιν κατασύρεται παθῶν, τῆς δοθείσης ἐλευθερίας στερούμενος.
Hē gē tōn Chaldaiōn, estin ho empathēs bios, en hǭ tōn hamartēmatōn dēmiourgeitai kai proskyneitai ta eidōla; hē de mesē tōn potamōn, estin ho epamphoterizōn tois enantiois tropois; hē de gē tēs epangelias, estin hē pantos agathou peplērōmenē katastasis. Pas oun ho tautēs, kata ton palaion Israēl, tēs exeōs, pros douleian palin katasyretai pathōn, tēs dotheisēs eleutherias steroumenos.
The land of the Chaldeans is the life of passion, in which the idols of sins are made and worshipped; the land between the rivers is the life that wavers between opposite ways; the land of promise is the state filled with every good. Everyone, then, who falls from this habit, like Israel of old, is dragged down again to slavery to the passions, deprived of the freedom given him.
Gen 11:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 7:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 5:1 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chaldea, Mesopotamia, and the promised land figure passion, wavering, and perfection.
- Gen 11:31; Acts 7:2–4; Gal 5:1. The verb for falling from the state is missing in the text; supplied by sense.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.18 (PG 65:1061; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-18
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.19PG 65:1061
Σημειωτέον, ὡς οὐδεὶς τῶν ἁγίων φαίνεται κατελθὼν εἰς τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν· οὐ γὰρ θέμις, οὔτε συνέσεώς ἐστι λογικῆς, τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνθαιρεῖσθαι τὰ χείρονα τοὺς τὸν Θεὸν ἀγαπῶντας. Εἰ δὲ τινες αὐτῶν κατὰ βίαν ἐκεῖ τῷ λαῷ συναπήχθησαν, νοοῦμεν διὰ τούτων τοὺς μὴ προηγουμένως, ἀλλὰ κατὰ περίστασιν σωτηρίας, ἕνεκεν τῶν χρηζόντων χειραγωγίας, ἀφέντας τὸν ὑψηλότερον τῆς γνώσεως λόγον, καὶ τὴν περὶ παθῶν μετερχομένους διδασκαλίαν. Καθ᾿ ἣν καὶ ὁ μέγας Ἀπόστολος ἐν σαρκὶ λυσιτελέστερον ἔκρινεν εἶναι, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τῇ ἡθικῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, διὰ τοὺς μαθητὰς, ὅλον ἔχων τὸν πόθον ἀναλῦσαι τῆς ἠθικῆς διδασκαλίας, καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ γενέσθαι διὰ τῆς κατὰ νοῦν ὑπερκοσμίου καὶ ἁπλῆς θεωρίας.
Sēmeiōteon, hōs oudeis tōn hagiōn phainetai katelthōn eis tēn Babylōnian; ou gar themis, oute syneseōs esti logikēs, tōn agathōn anthaireisthai ta cheirona tous ton Theon agapōntas. Ei de tines autōn kata bian ekei tǭ laǭ synapēchthēsan, nooumen dia toutōn tous mē proēgoumenōs, alla kata peristasin sōtērias, heneken tōn chrēzontōn cheiragōgias, aphentas ton hypsēloteron tēs gnōseōs logon, kai tēn peri pathōn meterchomenous didaskalian. Kath᾿ hēn kai ho megas Apostolos en sarki lysitelesteron ekrinen einai, tout᾽ esti tę̄ hēthikę̄ didaskalią, dia tous mathētas, holon echōn ton pothon analysai tēs ēthikēs didaskalias, kai syn Christǭ genesthai dia tēs kata noun hyperkosmiou kai haplēs theōrias.
Note that none of the saints is seen to have gone down into Babylonia of his own accord; for it is not right, nor of rational understanding, for those who love God to choose the worse instead of the good. And if some of them were carried off there by force with the people, we understand by them those who, not by preference but by circumstance of salvation, for the sake of those needing guidance, left the higher word of knowledge and took up teaching about the passions. In this sense the great apostle too judged it more profitable to remain in the flesh, that is, in moral teaching, for his disciples' sake, while having his whole longing to depart from moral teaching and be with Christ through simple contemplation in the mind beyond the world.
Phil 1:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 1:24 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Saints in Babylon figure teachers who leave contemplation to guide others, as Paul remained in the flesh.
- Phil 1:23–24.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.19 (PG 65:1061; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-19
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.20PG 65:1061
Ἀποδημεῖ σαρκὸς, ὁ πρὸς τὴν γνωστικὴν ἕξιν μεταβὰς ἀπὸ τῆς πρακτικῆς, ἀρπαζόμενος, ὡς αἱ νεφέλαι, τοῖς ὑψηλοτέροις νοήμασιν εἰς τὸν διαφανή τῆς μυστικῆς θεωρίας ἀέρα, καθὸ σὺν Κυρίῳ εἶναι δυνήσεται. Πάντοτε ἐκδημεῖ ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, ὁ μήπω δίχα τῶν κατ' αἴσθησιν ἐνεργειῶν καθαρῷ νοὶ θεωρῆσαι κατὰ τὸ ἐφικτὸν τὰ νοήματα δυνάμενος, καὶ τὸν περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου λόγον ἁπλοῦν χωρὶς αἰνιγμάτων μὴ χωρῶν.
Apodēmei sarkos, ho pros tēn gnōstikēn hexin metabas apo tēs praktikēs, arpazomenos, hōs hai nephelai, tois hypsēloterois noēmasin eis ton diaphanē tēs mystikēs theōrias aera, katho syn Kyriǭ einai dynēsetai. Pantote ekdēmei apo tou Kyriou, ho mēpō dicha tōn kat' aisthēsin energeiōn katharǭ noi theōrēsai kata to ephikton ta noēmata dynamenos, kai ton peri tou Kyriou logon haploun chōris ainigmatōn mē chōrōn.
He is away from the flesh who has passed from the practical to the contemplative habit, caught up like the clouds by higher thoughts into the transparent air of mystical contemplation, so that he can be with the Lord. He is always away from the Lord who cannot yet behold thoughts with a pure mind, as far as is possible, without the workings of sense, and who does not grasp the simple word about the Lord without riddles.
2 Cor 5:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Contemplation is being away from the flesh and with the Lord.
- 2 Cor 5:6–8; 1 Thess 4:17.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.20 (PG 65:1061; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-20
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.21PG 65:1061
Πῶς τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τῷ τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς ποικίλως διὰ τῶν αἰνιγμάτων σεσωματωμένον ὁρῶμεν τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, οὔπω τὸν ἀσώματον καὶ ἁπλοῦν καὶ ἑνιαῖον, καὶ μόνον, ὡς ἐν ἀσωμάτῳ καὶ ἑνιαίῳ καὶ μόνῳ Υἱῷ, νοητῶς τεθεάμεθα Πατέρα· κατὰ τὸ, Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ, ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα· κἀγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί; Πολλοῖς οὖν χρεία τῆς ἐπιστήμης, ὥστε διαδύντας πρότερον τὰ περὶ τὸν Λόγον τῶν ῥημάτων καλύμματα, οὕτω γυμνὸν τῷ νοὶ καθαρὸν αὐτὸν ἑστῶτα θεάσασθαι τὸν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δεικνύντα. Διόπερ ἀνάγκη τὸν εὐσεβῶς τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιζητοῦντα, μηδενὶ κρατεῖσθαι ῥητῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἀντὶ Θεοῦ τὰ περι Θεοῦ λάθῃ λαβὼν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀντὶ τοῦ λόγου τὰ ῥητὰ στέργων ἐπισφαλῶς τῆς Γραφῆς, τοῦ λόγου διαφυγόντος τὸν νοῦν, τὸν ἐκ τῶν περιβλημάτων κρατεῖν δοκοῦντα τὸν ἀσώματον λόγον, κατά γε τὴν Αἰγυπτίαν, τὴν μὴ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, ἀλλὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ ἐπιλαμβανομένην ἱματίων· καὶ τοὺς παλαιους ἀνθρώπους, οἱ μόνῃ τῇ εὐπρεπείᾳ τῶν ὁρωμένων ἐναπομείναντες, ἕλαθον τῇ κτίσει λατρεύοντες παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα.
Pōs ton Theon en tǭ tēs hagias Graphēs poikilōs dia tōn ainigmatōn sesōmatōmenon horōmen ton tou Theou Logon, oupō ton asōmaton kai haploun kai heniaion, kai monon, hōs en asōmatǭ kai heniaiǭ kai monǭ Huiǭ, noētōs tetheametha Patera; kata to, Ho heōrakōs eme, heōrake ton Patera; kagō en tǭ Patri, kai ho Patēr en emoi? Pollois oun chreia tēs epistēmēs, hōste diadyntas proteron ta peri ton Logon tōn rhēmatōn kalymmata, houtō gymnon tǭ noi katharon auton hestōta theasasthai ton tois anthrōpois deiknynta. Dioper anankē ton eusebōs ton Theon epizētounta, mēdeni krateisthai rhētǭ, hina mē anti Theou ta peri Theou lathę̄ labōn, tout᾽ estin anti tou logou ta rhēta stergōn episphalōs tēs Graphēs, tou logou diaphygontos ton noun, ton ek tōn periblēmatōn kratein dokounta ton asōmaton logon, kata ge tēn Aigyptian, tēn mē tou Iōsēph, alla tōn autou epilambanomenēn himatiōn; kai tous palaious anthrōpous, hoi monę̄ tę̄ euprepeią tōn horōmenōn enapomeinantes, helathon tę̄ ktisei latreuontes para ton ktisanta.
How, while we see the Word of God variously embodied through riddles in holy Scripture, have we not yet spiritually beheld the bodiless, simple, unitary, and only Father, as in the bodiless, unitary, and only Son, according to the saying, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father; I am in the Father and the Father in me”? Many therefore need knowledge, so that, first passing through the veils of words around the Word, they may behold him standing naked to the pure mind, who shows the Father to people. Therefore one who seeks God piously must not be held by any letter, lest he unknowingly take the things about God instead of God, that is, loving the words of Scripture dangerously instead of the Word, while the Word escapes the mind that thinks it holds the bodiless Word by his garments; like the Egyptian woman who laid hold not of Joseph but of his clothes; and like the people of old, who, remaining in the mere beauty of visible things, unknowingly worshipped the creation instead of the Creator.
John 14:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 39:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 1:25 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Beyond Scripture's verbal veils one must seek the Word himself, not his garments.
- John 14:9–10; Gen 39:12; Rom 1:25.
Topics: Scripture and canon, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.21 (PG 65:1061; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-21
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.22PG 65:1061
Ὅταν ὁ νοῦς τὰς ἐπικειμένας αὐτῷ πολλὰς περὶ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας λόγων ὠθῆται δόξας, τότε σαφὴς αὐτῷ τῆς ἀληθείας ὁ λόγος ἀναφαίνεται, διδοὺς αὐτῷ τῆς ὄντως γνώσεως τὰς ὑποθήκας, καὶ τὰς πρώην ἐπ' αὐτῷ προλήψεις, ὡσεὶ λεπίδας τῶν ὀπτικῶν δυνάμεων ἀπωθούμενος, κατὰ τὸν θεσπέσιον καὶ μέγαν ἀπόστολον Παῦλον· λεπίδες γάρ εἰσιν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐπικείμεναι τῷ διορατικῷ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ ἀπείργουσαι τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἀκραιφνῆ τῆς ἀληθείας λόγον διαβάσεως, αἵ τε πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν μόνον τῆς Γραφῆς ὑπολήψεις, καὶ τῶν ὁρωμένων αἱ κατ' αἴσθησιν προσπαθεῖς θεωρίαι.
Hotan ho nous tas epikeimenas autǭ pollas peri tōn tēs alētheias logōn ōthētai doxas, tote saphēs autǭ tēs alētheias ho logos anaphainetai, didous autǭ tēs ontōs gnōseōs tas hypothēkas, kai tas prōēn ep' autǭ prolēpseis, hōsei lepidas tōn optikōn dynameōn apōthoumenos, kata ton thespesion kai megan apostolon Paulon; lepides gar eisin hōs alēthōs epikeimenai tǭ dioratikǭ tēs psychēs, kai apeirgousai tēs pros ton akraiphnē tēs alētheias logon diabaseōs, hai te pros to rhēton monon tēs Graphēs hypolēpseis, kai tōn horōmenōn hai kat' aisthēsin prospatheis theōriai.
When the mind thrusts away the many opinions about the principles of truth that lie upon it, then the principle of truth appears clear to it, giving it the counsels of true knowledge and thrusting away its former prepossessions like scales from the powers of sight, as with the divine and great apostle Paul. For truly scales lie upon the soul's power of insight and prevent its passage to the pure principle of truth: assumptions about the letter of Scripture alone and passionate sense-perceptions of visible things.
Acts 9:18 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Fixation on Scripture's letter and passionate perception are scales on the soul's eyes.
- Acts 9:18.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne margin letter removed): πολλὰς Α περὶ → πολλὰς περὶ.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.22 (PG 65:1061; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-22
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.23PG 65:1063
Ὁ γενναίως καταπαλαίσας τὰ πάθη τοῦ σώματος, καὶ τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις πνεύμασιν ἱκανῶς πολεμήσας, καὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κατὰ ψυχὴν χώρας ἐξελάσας αὐτῶν τὰ νοήματα, καρδίαν εὐχέσθω καθαρὰν αὐτῷ δοθῆναι, καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις ἐγκαινισθῆναι· τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τελείως, τῶν μὲν φαύλων κενωθῆναι λογισμῶν, τῶν δὲ θείων ἐννοιῶν πληρωθῆναι διὰ τῆς χάριτος, ἵνα γένηται κόσμος Θεοῦ νοητὸς, λαμπρός τε καὶ μέγας ἐξ ἠθικῶν, καὶ φυσικῶν, καὶ θεολογικῶν συνεστὼς θεωρημάτων.
Ho gennaiōs katapalaisas ta pathē tou sōmatos, kai tois akathartois pneumasin hikanōs polemēsas, kai tēs heautou kata psychēn chōras exelasas autōn ta noēmata, kardian euchesthō katharan autǭ dothēnai, kai pneuma euthes en tois enkatois enkainisthēnai; tout᾽ esti, teleiōs, tōn men phaulōn kenōthēnai logismōn, tōn de theiōn ennoiōn plērōthēnai dia tēs charitos, hina genētai kosmos Theou noētos, lampros te kai megas ex ēthikōn, kai physikōn, kai theologikōn synestōs theōrēmatōn.
Whoever has nobly wrestled down the passions of the body, fought sufficiently against the unclean spirits, and driven their thoughts out of the land of his soul, should pray that a clean heart may be given him and a right spirit renewed within him; that is, that he may be completely emptied of base thoughts and filled with divine thoughts through grace, so that he may become a spiritual world of God, bright and great, made up of moral, natural, and theological contemplations.
Ps 51:10 (50:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: After defeating the passions, pray for a clean heart filled with divine thoughts.
- Ps 51:10 (LXX 50:12).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne margin letter removed): αὐτῷ Β δοθῆναι → αὐτῷ δοθῆναι.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.23 (PG 65:1063; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-23
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.24PG 65:1063
Καρδία ἐστὶ καθαρὰ, ἡ παντάπασιν ἀνείδεον τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἀδιαμόρφωτον παραστήσασα τὴν μνήμην, καὶ μόνοις τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἑτοίμη ἐνσημανθῆναι τύποις, δι' ὧν ἐμφανὴς πέφυκε γενέσθαι.
Kardia esti kathara, hē pantapasin aneideon tǭ theǭ kai adiamorphōton parastēsasa tēn mnēmēn, kai monois tois autou hetoimē ensēmanthēnai typois, di' hōn emphanēs pephyke genesthai.
A clean heart is one that has presented its memory to God wholly without form or shape, ready to be stamped only by his impressions, through which he is by nature made manifest.
Matt 5:8 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A pure heart is a formless memory ready for God's impress.
- Matt 5:8.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter slip): ἐνσημανθῆνας → ἐνσημανθῆναι.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.24 (PG 65:1063; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-24
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.25PG 65:1063
Ζητοῦσί τινες τῶν φιλομαθῶν, κατὰ ποῖον ἔσται τρόπον ἡ τῶν αἰωνίων μονῶν τε καὶ ἐπαγγελιῶν διαφορὰ, πότερον καθ' ὑπόστασιν τοπικὴν, ἢ κατ᾿ ἐπίνοιαν τῆς ἰδιαζούσης καθ' ἑκάστην μονὴν πνευματικῆς ποιότητά τε καὶ ποσότητα. Καὶ τοῖς μὲν, δοκεῖ τὸ πρῶτον· τοῖς δὲ, τὸ δεύτερον. Ὁ δὲ γνοὺς, τί τὸ, Ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντὸς ἡμῶν ἐστι· καὶ τί τὸ, Μοναὶ πολλαὶ παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ, τοῦ δευτέρου πάλιν γενήσεται.
Zētousi tines tōn philomathōn, kata poion estai tropon hē tōn aiōniōn monōn te kai epangeliōn diaphora, poteron kath' hypostasin topikēn, ē kat᾿ epinoian tēs idiazousēs kath' hekastēn monēn pneumatikēs poiotēta te kai posotēta. Kai tois men, dokei to prōton; tois de, to deuteron. Ho de gnous, ti to, Hē basileia tou Theou entos hēmōn esti; kai ti to, Monai pollai para tǭ Patri, tou deuterou palin genēsetai.
Some lovers of learning ask in what way the difference of the eternal dwellings and promises will be: whether by local situation, or by conception of the spiritual quality and quantity proper to each dwelling. Some think the first, others the second. But whoever knows what “the kingdom of God is within us” means, and what “there are many dwellings with the Father” means, will side with the second.
Luke 17:21 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:2 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The many dwellings differ in spiritual quality, not place.
- Luke 17:21; John 14:2.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.25 (PG 65:1063; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-25
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-mark-hermit-opuscula-6-25) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.26PG 65:1063
Ὁ τῷ θείῳ πόθῳ νικήσας τὴν πρὸς τὸ σῶμα τῆς ψυχῆς διάθεσιν, ἀπερίγραφος γέγονε, κἄν ἐστι ἐν σώματι. Ὁ γὰρ ἔλκων τὴν τοῦ ποθοῦντος ἔφεσιν, Θεὸς πάντων ἀσυγκρίτως ἐστὶν ὑψηλότερος, οὐκ ἐῶν τὸν ποθοῦντά τινι τῶν μετὰ Θεὸν προσηλῶσαι τὴν ἔφεσιν. Ποθήσωμεν οὖν τὸν Θεὸν καθ' ὅλην ἡμῶν τὴν τῆς ἐφέσεως ἰσχὺν, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς σωματικοῖς τὴν προαίρεσιν ἀκράτητον ποιησώμεθα, καὶ πάντων τῶν ὄντως αἰσθητῶν καὶ νοητῶν ὑπεράνω τῇ διαθέσει γενώμεθα, καὶ οὐδὲν κατὰ γνώμην, πρὸς τὸ συνεῖναι Θεῷ τῷ κατὰ φύσιν ἀπεριγράφῳ, παντελῶς ὑπὸ τῆς φυσικῆς ζωῆς ζημιωθησόμεθα. Ερώτησις. Εἰ πάντοτε εἰσέρχεται ἄνθρωπος εἰς ἐκεῖνα τὰ πράγματα; ᾿Απόκρισις. Ἡ μὲν χάρις ἀδιαλείπτως σύνεστι, καὶ ἐῤῥίζωται καὶ ἐζύμωται ἐκ νέας ἡλικίας, καὶ ὡς φυσικὸν καὶ πηκτὸν ἐγένετο αὐτῷ συνὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ὡς μία οὖσα ἡ χάρις. Πολυτρόπως δὲ ὡς θέλει πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκονομεῖ· ποτὲ πλέον ἐκκαίεται καὶ ἅπτεται τὸ πῦρ· ποτὲ δὲ ὡς πραΰτερον καὶ μαλακώτερον. Αὐτὸ τὸ φῶς κατὰ καιροὺς πλέον ἐξάπτεται καὶ λάμπει· ποτὲ ὑποστέλλον καὶ στυγνάζει. Καίτοι ἡ λαμπὰς πάντοτε καιομένη καὶ λάμπουσα· ὅταν δὲ φαιδρυνθῇ, πλέον ἐν μεθέξει ἐξετάζεται τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ φῶς ἐνδιδοῦσα· καίτοι συνὸν τὸ φῶς ἀμβλύτερόν ἐστι. Πλὴν ἐπεφάνη τισὶ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ διὰ φωτὸς, καὶ προσεπάγη τῷ ἔσω ἀνθρώπῳ. "Αλλοτε πάλιν ἐν τῇ εὐχῇ, ὡς ἐν ἐκστάσει γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ εὑρέθη εἰς θυσιαστήριον ἑστὼς ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ προσηνέχθησαν τῷ τοιούτῳ ἄρτοι τρεῖς, ὡς δι᾽ ἑλαίου ἐζυμωμένοι· καὶ ὅσῳ ἥσθιεν ἐκεῖνος πλέον ηὔξανε καὶ ἐμηκύνετο. ῎Αλλοτε πάλιν ὥσπερ ἔνδυμά τι φωτεινὸν οἷον οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον, οὔτε ἀπὸ ἀνθρωπίνων χειρῶν δυνατὸν κατασκευασθῆναι. Ὃν τρόπον εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἀνελθὼν ὁ Κύριος μετὰ Ἰωάννου καὶ Πέτρου μετεμορφώθη, καὶ τὰ αὐτοῦ ἱμάτια ἐξἡστραψεν· οὕτως ἦν τὸ ἔνδυμα ἐκεῖνο· καὶ ἐθαμβεῖτο ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐνδεδυμένος. Ἐν ἄλλῳ καιρῷ, ἀδιαλείπτως φαίνων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, ἤνοιγε τὸ ἐνδότερον, καὶ βαθύτερον, καὶ ἀπόκρυφον φῶς· ὁ καινὸς κόσμος ὁ φωτεινὸς σὺν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ αἰνῶν καὶ δοξολογῶν, ὥστε ὅλον τὸν ἄνθρωπον καταποθέντα εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν γλυκύτητα καὶ θεωρίαν, μηκέτι ἔχειν ἑαυτὸν, ἀλλ' εἶναι ὡς μωρὸν καὶ βάρβαρον τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ, διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν ἀγάπην καὶ ἰδιότητα, καὶ διὰ τὰ ἀπόκρυφα μυστήρια· ὥστε τὸν ἄνθρωπον κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἐλευθερωθέντα φθάσαι εἰς τὰ τέλεια μέτρα, καὶ εἶναι καθαρὸν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Ἀλλὰ μετὰ ταῦτα ὑπέστειλεν ἡ χάρις, καὶ ἦλθε τὸ κάλυμμα τῆς ἐναντίας δυνάμεως. Φαίνεται δέ πως μερικῶς, καὶ ἔστη εἰς ἕνα βαθμὸν τὸ κατώτερον τῆς τελειότητος. Ὡς, ἵνα εἴπωμεν, δεῖ δώδεκα παρελθεῖν τινας βαθμοὺς, καὶ φθάσαι εἰς τὴν τελειότητα · καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τινι ἔφθασε καταλαβεῖν ἐκεῖνο τὸ μέτρον, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν τελειότητα. Πάλιν ἐκδίδωσιν ἡ χάρις, καὶ κατέρχεται παρὰ ἕνα βαθμὸν, καὶ στήκει εἰς τὰ ἕνδεκα. Εἰ δὲ τις πλούσιος ἐν τῇ χάριτι, πάντοτε νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, εἰς τὰ τέλεια μέτρα ἕστηκεν, ὧν ἐλεύθερος καὶ καθαρὸς, πάντοτε αἰχμάλωτος καὶ μετέωρος. Καὶ νῦν, ὡς ἐδείχθη, ἐκεῖνα τὰ θαυμάσια, καὶ ὧν πεῖραν ἔλαβεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, εἰ συνεῖναι αὐτῷ πάντοτε, οὐκ ἠδύνατο τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ λόγου, ἢ τὸ βάρος ὑποδέξασθαι· οὔτε ἡνείχετο ἀκούειν τι, ἢ μεριμνᾶν κἂν εἰς τὸ τυχὸν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, οὔτε περὶ τῆς αὔριον, εἰ μὴ μόνον κεῖσθαι ἐν μιᾷ γωνίᾳ μετέωρον καὶ μεμεθυσμένον. Ὥστε τὸ τέλειον μέτρον οὐκ ἐδόθη, ἵνα δυνηθῇ σχολάσαι εἰς τὴν μέριμναν τῶν ἀδελφῶν εἰς τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ λόγου. Πάλιν τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ διαλέλυται. Τὰ δὲ πράγματα οὕτως ἐστίν. Ὡς γνοφώδης τις δύναμις ἐπίκειται· σκεπάζει ὡς ἀὴρ ἐλαφρὸς, λεπτὸς, καίτοι πάντοτε τῆς λαμπάδος καιομένης καὶ φαινούσης· ὥσπερ ἐπίκειται ἐκείνῳ τῷ φωτὶ κάλυμμα. Ὅθεν ὁμολογεῖ τοιοῦτος ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τέλειος, οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος τὸ ὅλον ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας· ὥστε εἰπεῖν καὶ ἐλεύθερος καὶ οὐκ ἐλεύθερος, καὶ διαλέλυται καὶ τέθραυσται τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ, καὶ πάλιν ἔν τινι οὐ διαλέλυται τὸ ὅλον · οὔτε δὲ πάντοτε ἴση ἡ εὐχὴ ἦν. Ἔστι καιρὸς ὅτε πλέον ἐξάπτει καὶ παρακαλεῖ καὶ ἀναπαύει· ἔστι καιρὸς ὅτε ὑποστέλλει, καὶ στυγνάζει, ὡς αὐτὴ ἡ χάρις οἰκονομεῖ πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ. Ὅμως εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸ μέτρον, τὸ τέλειον, ἐν καιροῖς καὶ γευσάμενος, καὶ πεῖραν ἔχων ἐκείνου τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἀκμὴν δὲ οὐδένα εἶδον Χριστιανὸν τέλειον ἢ ἐλεύθερον. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἀναπαύεται τις ἐν τῇ χάριτι, καὶ εἰσέρχεται εἰς μυστήρια καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις καὶ εἰς ἡδύτητα πολλὴν τῆς χάριτος. Καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἔσω σύνεστιν. Οὗτοι δὲ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν χάριν, καὶ τὸ ἐν αὐτοῖς φῶς, νομίζουσιν ἐλεύθεροι καὶ τέλειοι εἶναι παρὰ ἀπειρίαν σφαλλόμενοι, ἐπειδὴ ἔχουσιν ἐνέργειαν τῆς χάριτος. ᾿Ακμὴν δὲ οὐδένα εἶδον ἐλεύθερον, ἐπειδὴ κἀγὼ μερικῶς ἐν καιροῖς τισιν εἰσῆλθον ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ μέτρῳ, καὶ οἶδα καταμαθεῖν πῶς ἐστι τέλειος. Ερώτησις. Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν· Ἐν ποίοις εἶ μέτροις; ᾿Απόκρισις.
Ho tǭ theiǭ pothǭ nikēsas tēn pros to sōma tēs psychēs diathesin, aperigraphos gegone, kan esti en sōmati. Ho gar elkōn tēn tou pothountos ephesin, Theos pantōn asynkritōs estin hypsēloteros, ouk eōn ton pothounta tini tōn meta Theon prosēlōsai tēn ephesin. Pothēsōmen oun ton Theon kath' holēn hēmōn tēn tēs epheseōs ischyn, kai pasi tois sōmatikois tēn proairesin akratēton poiēsōmetha, kai pantōn tōn ontōs aisthētōn kai noētōn hyperanō tę̄ diathesei genōmetha, kai ouden kata gnōmēn, pros to syneinai Theǭ tǭ kata physin aperigraphǭ, pantelōs hypo tēs physikēs zōēs zēmiōthēsometha. Erōtēsis. Ei pantote eiserchetai anthrōpos eis ekeina ta pragmata? ᾿Apokrisis. Hē men charis adialeiptōs synesti, kai errhizōtai kai ezymōtai ek neas hēlikias, kai hōs physikon kai pēkton egeneto autǭ synon tǭ anthrōpǭ, hōs mia ousa hē charis. Polytropōs de hōs thelei pros to sympheron tǭ anthrōpǭ oikonomei; pote pleon ekkaietai kai haptetai to pyr; pote de hōs praÿteron kai malakōteron. Auto to phōs kata kairous pleon exaptetai kai lampei; pote hypostellon kai stygnazei. Kaitoi hē lampas pantote kaiomenē kai lampousa; hotan de phaidrynthę̄, pleon en methexei exetazetai tēs agapēs tou Theou, to phōs endidousa; kaitoi synon to phōs amblyteron esti. Plēn epephanē tisi to sēmeion tou staurou dia phōtos, kai prosepagē tǭ esō anthrōpǭ. "Allote palin en tę̄ euchę̄, hōs en ekstasei gegonen anthrōpos, kai heurethē eis thysiastērion hestōs en ekklēsią, kai prosēnechthēsan tǭ toioutǭ artoi treis, hōs di᾽ helaiou ezymōmenoi; kai hosǭ hēsthien ekeinos pleon ēuxane kai emēkyneto. ᾿Allote palin hōsper endyma ti phōteinon hoion ouk estin epi tēs gēs eis ton aiōna touton, oute apo anthrōpinōn cheirōn dynaton kataskeuasthēnai. Hon tropon eis to oros anelthōn ho Kyrios meta Iōannou kai Petrou metemorphōthē, kai ta autou himatia exēstrapsen; houtōs ēn to endyma ekeino; kai ethambeito ho anthrōpos endedymenos. En allǭ kairǭ, adialeiptōs phainōn en tę̄ kardią, ēnoige to endoteron, kai bathyteron, kai apokryphon phōs; ho kainos kosmos ho phōteinos syn tǭ Kyriǭ kai ainōn kai doxologōn, hōste holon ton anthrōpon katapothenta eis ekeinēn tēn glykytēta kai theōrian, mēketi echein heauton, all' einai hōs mōron kai barbaron tǭ kosmǭ toutǭ, dia tēn hyperballousan agapēn kai idiotēta, kai dia ta apokrypha mystēria; hōste ton anthrōpon kat' ekeinon ton kairon eleutherōthenta phthasai eis ta teleia metra, kai einai katharon ek tēs hamartias. Alla meta tauta hypesteilen hē charis, kai ēlthe to kalymma tēs enantias dynameōs. Phainetai de pōs merikōs, kai estē eis hena bathmon to katōteron tēs teleiotētos. Hōs, hina eipōmen, dei dōdeka parelthein tinas bathmous, kai phthasai eis tēn teleiotēta ; kai en kairǭ tini ephthase katalabein ekeino to metron, kai eisēlthen eis tēn teleiotēta. Palin ekdidōsin hē charis, kai katerchetai para hena bathmon, kai stēkei eis ta hendeka. Ei de tis plousios en tę̄ chariti, pantote nyktos kai hēmeras, eis ta teleia metra hestēken, hōn eleutheros kai katharos, pantote aichmalōtos kai meteōros. Kai nyn, hōs edeichthē, ekeina ta thaumasia, kai hōn peiran elaben ho anthrōpos, ei syneinai autǭ pantote, ouk ēdynato tēn oikonomian tou logou, ē to baros hypodexasthai; oute hēneicheto akouein ti, ē merimnan kan eis to tychon peri heautou, oute peri tēs aurion, ei mē monon keisthai en mią gōnią meteōron kai memethysmenon. Hōste to teleion metron ouk edothē, hina dynēthę̄ scholasai eis tēn merimnan tōn adelphōn eis tēn diakonian tou logou. Palin to mesotoichon tou phragmou dialelytai. Ta de pragmata houtōs estin. Hōs gnophōdēs tis dynamis epikeitai; skepazei hōs aēr elaphros, leptos, kaitoi pantote tēs lampados kaiomenēs kai phainousēs; hōsper epikeitai ekeinǭ tǭ phōti kalymma. Hothen homologei toioutos hoti ouk esti teleios, oude eleutheros to holon ek tēs hamartias; hōste eipein kai eleutheros kai ouk eleutheros, kai dialelytai kai tethraustai to mesotoichon tou phragmou, kai palin en tini ou dialelytai to holon ; oute de pantote isē hē euchē ēn. Esti kairos hote pleon exaptei kai parakalei kai anapauei; esti kairos hote hypostellei, kai stygnazei, hōs autē hē charis oikonomei pros to sympheron tǭ anthrōpǭ. Homōs eiselthōn eis to metron, to teleion, en kairois kai geusamenos, kai peiran echōn ekeinou tou aiōnos. Akmēn de oudena eidon Christianon teleion ē eleutheron. ᾿Alla kai anapauetai tis en tę̄ chariti, kai eiserchetai eis mystēria kai apokalypseis kai eis hēdytēta pollēn tēs charitos. Kai hē hamartia esō synestin. Houtoi de dia tēn hyperballousan charin, kai to en autois phōs, nomizousin eleutheroi kai teleioi einai para apeirian sphallomenoi, epeidē echousin energeian tēs charitos. ᾿Akmēn de oudena eidon eleutheron, epeidē kagō merikōs en kairois tisin eisēlthon en ekeinǭ tǭ metrǭ, kai oida katamathein pōs esti teleios. Erōtēsis. Eipe hēmin; En poiois ei metrois? ᾿Apokrisis.
Whoever has conquered by divine longing the soul's attachment to the body has become unbounded, even though he is in the body. For God, who draws the desire of the one who longs, is incomparably higher than all, not allowing the one who longs to fix his desire on anything after God. Let us then long for God with all the strength of our desire, make our choice unmastered by all bodily things, become in disposition above all things sensible and intelligible, and we shall suffer no loss at all from natural life in our resolve to be with God, who is by nature unbounded. Question. Does a person always enter into those states? Answer. Grace is unceasingly present, rooted and leavened in him from youth, and has become as something natural and fixed, dwelling with the person, grace being one. But it governs in many ways, as it wills, for the person's good: sometimes the fire burns more and is kindled, sometimes more gently and softly. The light itself at times is kindled more and shines; at times it draws back and grows dim. Yet the lamp is always burning and shining; when it is made bright, it is found more in participation in the love of God, giving light; yet when the light is present it is dimmer. Moreover, the sign of the cross appeared to some through light and was fixed in the inner man. At another time, in prayer, a man was as if in ecstasy, and found himself standing at the altar in a church, and three loaves were offered to him, as though leavened with oil; and the more he ate, the more they grew and increased. At another time it was like a garment of light, such as is not on earth in this age, nor can be made by human hands. As when the Lord went up the mountain with John and Peter and was transfigured, and his garments flashed like lightning, so was that garment; and the man clothed in it was amazed. At another time, shining unceasingly in the heart, it opened the inner, deeper, and hidden light: the new world of light with the Lord, praising and glorifying, so that the whole man, swallowed up in that sweetness and contemplation, no longer had himself, but was as a fool and a barbarian to this world, because of the surpassing love and its character and the hidden mysteries; so that at that time the man, set free, reached the perfect measures and was pure from sin. But afterward grace drew back, and the veil of the opposing power came. It appears in part, and he stood at one step below perfection. As if, to put it so, one must pass twelve steps to reach perfection; and at some time he succeeded in reaching that measure and entered perfection. Again grace gives way, and he comes down one step and stands at the eleventh. But if someone is rich in grace, he always, night and day, stands in the perfect measures, free and pure, always captivated and raised up. And now, as was shown, if those wonders that the man experienced were always present to him, he could not take up the ministry of the word or its burden, nor bear to hear anything or to take the least thought for himself or for tomorrow, but only lie in a corner, raised up and intoxicated. So the perfect measure was not given, so that he might be free for the care of the brothers in the ministry of the word. Again the dividing wall of the fence has been broken down. Things are like this: a dark power lies upon him; it covers like a light, thin air, although the lamp is always burning and shining; as if a veil lay over that light. Hence such a person confesses that he is not perfect, nor wholly free from sin; so that one may say he is both free and not free; the dividing wall of the fence has been broken and shattered, and again in something it has not been wholly broken. Nor was prayer always equal. There is a time when it kindles more, consoles, and gives rest; there is a time when it draws back and grows dim, as grace itself arranges for the person's good. Yet he has entered the perfect measure, tasting it at times and having experience of that age. But I have not yet seen any Christian perfect or free. Rather, one rests in grace and enters into mysteries and revelations and into much sweetness of grace, and sin is still present within. These, because of the surpassing grace and the light in them, think they are free and perfect, mistaken through inexperience, because they have the working of grace. But I have not yet seen anyone free, since I too have at times entered partly into that measure, and know how to learn what the perfect man is like. Question. Tell us, in what measures are you? Answer.
Matt 17:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:10 (echo, medium confidence) · Eph 2:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:34 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Grace is always present but varies in intensity; no Christian is yet wholly perfect or free from sin.
- Matt 17:1–2 (the text names John and Peter); 1 Cor 4:10; Eph 2:14; Matt 6:34. The question-and-answer part of 6.26–6.28 is closely related to the Pseudo-Macarian homilies; its attribution to Mark is uncertain. The visions are told in the third person as in the Greek. A running head (“TEMPERANTIA”) printed in the line is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter slip; running head printed in the line removed; stray letter from the OCR; stray letters and margin letter inside the word removed; word split by the OCR): παοαίρεσιν → προαίρεσιν; ἐκκαίεται TEMPERANTΙΑ. καὶ → ἐκκαίεται καὶ; ἀδιαλεί πτως → ἀδιαλείπτως; ἁμαρτίας. Ο Ἀλλὰ → ἁμαρτίας. Ἀλλὰ; μεσό τοιχον → μεσότοιχον; ἐλεύAι- Β θερον → ἐλεύθερον.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.26 (PG 65:1063; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-26
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.27PG 65:1067
Μετὰ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ νῦν ἡ χάρις οὕτως ἐνεργεῖ· εἰρηνεύει ὅλα τὰ μέλη, ὥστε τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκ τῆς πολλῆς χαρᾶς, ὡς παιδίον ἄκακον ἀφελὲς φαίνεσθαι, καὶ οὐκέτι κατακρίνει ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἢ Ἕλληνα, ἢ Ἰουδαῖον, ἢ ἁμαρτωλὸν, ἀλλὰ ὁ ἔσω ἄνθρωπος καθαρῷ ὀφθαλμῷ πάντας ὡς ἕνα ὁρᾷ, καὶ χαίρει ὁμοίως ἐφ᾿ ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ πάντας θέλει προσκυνεῖν, Ἕλληνας, Ἰουδαίους. Ἄλλῃ ὥρᾳ υἱὸς βασιλέως, οὕτω θαῤῥεῖ τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς Πατρὶ, καὶ ἀνοίγονται αὐτῷ θύραι, καὶ εἰσέρχεται ἔνδον εἰς πολλὰς μονὰς, καὶ ὅσῳ εἰσέρχεται, πάλιν ἀνοίγεται αὐτῷ πρὸς λόγον, ἀφ' ἑκατὸν μονῶν εἰς ἄλλας ἑκατὸν μονὰς, καὶ πλουτεῖ. Πάλιν ἄλλῳ ἄλλα καινότερα καὶ θαυμάσια δείκνυται αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἐμπιστεύεται ὡς υἱῷ καὶ κληρονόμῳ, πράγματα μὴ δυνάμενα ῥηθῆναι ὑπὸ φύσεως ἀνθρωπίνης, ἢ στόματι καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ ταύτῃ. ῎Αλλῃ ὥρᾳ λοιπὸν ὡς πρέσβυς Θεοῦ, ἐκ τῆς πολλῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀγάπης, ἄρχεται δεῖσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ κόσμου, ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ὁ ᾿Αδάμ· ἐκκαιόμενος ἐκ τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ θέλων πάντας σωθῆναι, διδάσκει λόγον ζωῆς καὶ τὰ τῆς βασιλείας, πρεσβεύων ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἐξηγούμενος ὅσον δυνατὸν ἀκοῦσαι, μυστήρια ἐπουράνια καὶ θεῖα τοῦ ἀπείρου αἰῶνος τοῦ ἀκαταλήπτου. "Αλλῃ ὥρᾳ ὁπλίζεται ὅλος ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνδεδυμένος, καὶ λαμβάνει στρατείαν ἐπουράνιον, καὶ ἄρχεται κατακόπτειν τὰς παρεμβολὰς τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ ποιεῖν ἐκεῖ σφαγὰς πολλὰς πτωμάτων πολλῶν. "Αλλῃ ὥρᾳ ἐνεργεῖ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ εὐφραίνονται μετ' ἀλλήλων ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν ἐν πολλῷ φωτὶ καὶ χαρᾷ, πρός τε τὸν Κύριον καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς. Ὅμως δὲ ἡ λαμπὰς καὶ τὸ φῶς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας καίεται, τὸ δὲ ὅλον κατ' οἰκονομίαν οὐκ ἀλλοιοῦται, καὶ ὅλος αὐτὸν ἐστὶ καθαρὸς ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ σχεδὸν οὐκ ἔστιν ὡς δεῖ, ὅμως διακέκοπται καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον, καὶ νενίκηται ὁ θάνατος. Ποτὲ δὲ ἡ λαμπὰς πλέον ἐκκαίεται, καὶ φαιδρύνεται, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὴν λαμπηδόνα ἐκείνην, καὶ τὴν στιλβότητα φέρειν, ἀλλ᾽ εἶναι ὡς ἐκλελυμένον. Πάλιν ἔτι ἀπτόμενον τὸ φῶς, ὥσπερ στυγνάζει, καὶ ἐπίκειται ὥσπερ ἀήρ τις λεπτὸς, γνοφώδης, ὡς ἐπὶ δέρματος τῆς ἐναντίας δυνάμεως. Διὰ τοῦτο λέγει ὁ τοιοῦτος ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ τὸ ὅλον ἐλεύθερος. Εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας δόξα τῷ Κυρίῳ. Αμήν.
Meta to sēmeion tou staurou nyn hē charis houtōs energei; eirēneuei hola ta melē, hōste tēn psychēn ek tēs pollēs charas, hōs paidion akakon apheles phainesthai, kai ouketi katakrinei ho anthrōpos ē Hellēna, ē Ioudaion, ē hamartōlon, alla ho esō anthrōpos katharǭ ophthalmǭ pantas hōs hena horą, kai chairei homoiōs eph᾿ holǭ tǭ kosmǭ, kai pantas thelei proskynein, Hellēnas, Ioudaious. Allę̄ hōrą huios basileōs, houtō tharrhei tǭ Huiǭ tou Theou hōs Patri, kai anoigontai autǭ thyrai, kai eiserchetai endon eis pollas monas, kai hosǭ eiserchetai, palin anoigetai autǭ pros logon, aph' hekaton monōn eis allas hekaton monas, kai ploutei. Palin allǭ alla kainotera kai thaumasia deiknytai autǭ. Kai empisteuetai hōs huiǭ kai klēronomǭ, pragmata mē dynamena rhēthēnai hypo physeōs anthrōpinēs, ē stomati kai tę̄ glōssę̄ tautę̄. ᾿Allę̄ hōrą loipon hōs presbys Theou, ek tēs pollēs pros auton agapēs, archetai deisthai hyper tou kosmou, hina sōthę̄ ho kosmos holos ho ᾿Adam; ekkaiomenos ek tēs agapēs, kai thelōn pantas sōthēnai, didaskei logon zōēs kai ta tēs basileias, presbeuōn hyper Christou, kai exēgoumenos hoson dynaton akousai, mystēria epourania kai theia tou apeirou aiōnos tou akatalēptou. "Allę̄ hōrą hoplizetai holos ho anthrōpos tēn panoplian tou Theou endedymenos, kai lambanei strateian epouranion, kai archetai katakoptein tas parembolas tōn echthrōn, kai poiein ekei sphagas pollas ptōmatōn pollōn. "Allę̄ hōrą energei tēn psychēn, kai euphrainontai met' allēlōn hē psychē kai ho Kyrios, kai ho anthrōpos estin en pollǭ phōti kai charą, pros te ton Kyrion kai tous adelphous. Homōs de hē lampas kai to phōs nyktos kai hēmeras kaietai, to de holon kat' oikonomian ouk alloioutai, kai holos auton esti katharos ho anthrōpos, kai schedon ouk estin hōs dei, homōs diakekoptai kai to mesotoichon, kai nenikētai ho thanatos. Pote de hē lampas pleon ekkaietai, kai phaidrynetai, hōste mē dynasthai ton anthrōpon tēn lampēdona ekeinēn, kai tēn stilbotēta pherein, all᾽ einai hōs eklelymenon. Palin eti aptomenon to phōs, hōsper stygnazei, kai epikeitai hōsper aēr tis leptos, gnophōdēs, hōs epi dermatos tēs enantias dynameōs. Dia touto legei ho toioutos anthrōpos, hoti Ouk eimi to holon eleutheros. Eis tous aiōnas doxa tǭ Kyriǭ. Amēn.
Since the sign of the cross, grace now works in this way: it brings peace to all the members, so that from much joy the soul seems like an innocent, simple child, and the person no longer condemns Greek or Jew or sinner, but the inner man sees all with a pure eye as one, rejoices alike over the whole world, and wishes to honour all, Greeks and Jews. At another hour, as a king's son, he is as confident toward the Son of God as toward a father; doors are opened to him, and he enters within into many dwellings; and the more he enters, again doors are opened to him in proportion, from a hundred dwellings into another hundred dwellings, and he grows rich. Again, other newer and more wonderful things are shown to him, and as to a son and heir things are entrusted to him that cannot be spoken by human nature, or by this mouth and tongue. At another hour, as an ambassador of God, from his great love toward him, he begins to pray for the world, that the whole world, the whole of Adam, may be saved; burning with love and wishing all to be saved, he teaches the word of life and the things of the kingdom, acting as ambassador for Christ and explaining, as far as can be heard, heavenly and divine mysteries of the infinite and incomprehensible age. At another hour the whole man is armed, clothed with the whole armour of God, takes up a heavenly campaign, and begins to cut down the camps of the enemies and make great slaughter there. At another hour it works in the soul, and the soul and the Lord rejoice with each other, and the person is in much light and joy, toward both the Lord and the brothers. Yet the lamp and the light burn night and day, and the whole is not changed, by God's ordering; the person is wholly pure, and yet almost not as he should be; yet the dividing wall has been broken through and death has been conquered. Sometimes the lamp burns more and is made brighter, so that the person cannot bear that brilliance and radiance, but is as one undone. Again, while the light is still kindled, it grows dim, as it were, and a thin, dark air lies upon it, as on the skin of the opposing power. That is why such a person says, “I am not wholly free.” To the Lord be glory for ever. Amen.
Col 3:11 (echo, medium confidence) · Rom 8:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 12:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 2:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 5:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 6:11 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 2:14 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Grace works in turns: childlike love for all, entry into heavenly dwellings, prayer for the world, spiritual warfare, and joy.
- The answer to the question at the end of 6.26. Col 3:11; Rom 8:17; 2 Cor 12:4; 1 Tim 2:4; 2 Cor 5:20; Eph 6:11; John 14:2; Eph 2:14. The words “toward the Son of God as toward a father” are printed twice in the scan, once after “Greeks and Jews”, where they make no sense; the repetition is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by the OCR; words repeated from the next sentence removed): Ἰουδαίους, τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς Πατρί. Αλλῃ → Ἰουδαίους. Ἄλλῃ; πλου τεῖ → πλουτεῖ; δεί κνυται → δείκνυται.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.27 (PG 65:1067; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-27
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
6.28PG 65:1069
Καλόν ἐστιν ἡ νηστεία, ἡ ἀγρυπνία, ἡ ξενιτεία, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ἀκμὴν πολιτείας ἐστὶν ἀγαθῆς. Πλὴν ἡ τάξις τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐσωτέρα ἐστὶ τούτων· καὶ οὐκ ὀφείλει τις ἐπὶ τούτοις τὴν πεποίθησιν ἔχειν. Συμβαίνει δὲ ὅτι εἰσί τινες χάριτος μέτοχοι, καὶ ἡ κακία ἔτι ἔσω οὖσα, τεχνάζεται καὶ παραχωρεῖ ἑκοῦσα, καὶ οὐκ ἐνεργεῖ, ἀλλὰ ποιεῖ νομίσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὅτι ἐκαθαρίσθη ὁ νοῦς αὐτοῦ· καὶ λοιπὸν φέρει τὸν ἄνθρωπον εἰς οἴησιν ὅτι Χριστιανός ἐστι τέλειος. Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὅταν νομίσῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι Ἐλεύθερός εἰμι, καὶ ἀμεριμνεῖ, τότε λῃστρικῷ τρόπῳ ἐπέρχεται αὐτῷ ἡ κακία ἔγκρυμμα ποιοῦσα, καὶ πειράζει αὐτὸν, καὶ καταφέρει αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ κατώτατα τῆς γῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι εἴκοσι ἐτῶν ὄντες, ἢ λῃσταὶ, ἢ στρατιῶται, κατὰ πολεμίων οἴδασι τεχνάζεσθαι, καὶ ὑποκαθέζονται καὶ ποιοῦσιν ἔγκρυμμα, καὶ λαμβάνουσι τὰ νῶτα τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ περικυκλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς ἀθρόως, καὶ ἀποκτείνουσι· πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἡ κακία οὖσα τοσούτων χιλιάδων, τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον ἔχουσα, πῶς ἀπολέσει ψυχάς; Οἶδεν ἔγκρυμμα ποιεῖν ἐν καρδίᾳ, κατὰ καιροὺς μὴ ἐνεργεῖν, ἵνα ἐνέγκῃ τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς οἴησιν τελειότητος. Ὁ θεμέλιος τοῦ Χριστιανοῦ οὗτός ἐστιν. Ὅσας ἂν ποιήσῃ ἄνθρωπος δικαιοσύνας, ἵνα μὴ ἐπαναπαῇ ἐν αὐταῖς, καὶ ἔχῃ ἑαυτὸν μέγα, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ᾗ πτωχὸς τῷ πνεύματι· καὶ ἐὰν γένηται μέτοχος χάριτος, μὴ νομίσῃ ἑαυτὸν κατειληφέναι τι, καὶ οἰηθῇ εἶναί τὶς, καὶ ἄρξηται διδάσκειν. Ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα ὢν καλῆς πολιτείας, νηστεύων πολὺ, ξενιτεύων, εὐχόμενος, μέτοχος χάριτος, μὴ ἡγήσαιτο τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τιμίαν. Ἀλλὰ τότε μάλιστα ὄντως ἀρχὴ χάριτος γεγένηται, ἵνα ἔχῃ τὸν πόνον, τὴν πεῖναν, καὶ τὴν δίψαν, ἵνα μὴ ᾖ κεκορεσμένος, ἵνα μὴ ἔχῃ ἑαυτὸν δίκαιον, ἢ πλούσιον ἐν χάριτι · ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ᾗ πενθῶν καὶ δακρύων, ὃν τρόπον ἵνα ᾗ μήτηρ, καὶ ἔχῃ υἱὸν μονογενῆ καὶ παιδεύσῃ αὐτὸν, καὶ ὅταν γένηται ἀνὴρ, συμβαίνει αὐτὸν ἀποθανεῖν· καὶ λοιπόν... Λείπει.
Kalon estin hē nēsteia, hē agrypnia, hē xeniteia, alla tauta akmēn politeias estin agathēs. Plēn hē taxis tōn Christianōn esōtera esti toutōn; kai ouk opheilei tis epi toutois tēn pepoithēsin echein. Symbainei de hoti eisi tines charitos metochoi, kai hē kakia eti esō ousa, technazetai kai parachōrei hekousa, kai ouk energei, alla poiei nomisai ton anthrōpon, hoti ekatharisthē ho nous autou; kai loipon pherei ton anthrōpon eis oiēsin hoti Christianos esti teleios. Kai meta tauta hotan nomisę̄ ho anthrōpos, hoti Eleutheros eimi, kai amerimnei, tote lę̄strikǭ tropǭ eperchetai autǭ hē kakia enkrymma poiousa, kai peirazei auton, kai katapherei auton eis ta katōtata tēs gēs. Ei gar anthrōpoi eikosi etōn ontes, ē lę̄stai, ē stratiōtai, kata polemiōn oidasi technazesthai, kai hypokathezontai kai poiousin enkrymma, kai lambanousi ta nōta tōn echthrōn, kai perikyklousin autous athroōs, kai apokteinousi; posǭ mallon hē kakia ousa tosoutōn chiliadōn, touto to ergon echousa, pōs apolesei psychas? Oiden enkrymma poiein en kardią, kata kairous mē energein, hina enenkę̄ tēn psychēn eis oiēsin teleiotētos. Ho themelios tou Christianou houtos estin. Hosas an poiēsę̄ anthrōpos dikaiosynas, hina mē epanapaę̄ en autais, kai echę̄ heauton mega, all᾽ hina hę̄ ptōchos tǭ pneumati; kai ean genētai metochos charitos, mē nomisę̄ heauton kateilēphenai ti, kai oiēthę̄ einai tis, kai arxētai didaskein. All᾿ hina ōn kalēs politeias, nēsteuōn poly, xeniteuōn, euchomenos, metochos charitos, mē hēgēsaito tēn psychēn autou timian. Alla tote malista ontōs archē charitos gegenētai, hina echę̄ ton ponon, tēn peinan, kai tēn dipsan, hina mē ę̄ kekoresmenos, hina mē echę̄ heauton dikaion, ē plousion en chariti ; all᾽ hina hę̄ penthōn kai dakryōn, hon tropon hina hę̄ mētēr, kai echę̄ huion monogenē kai paideusę̄ auton, kai hotan genētai anēr, symbainei auton apothanein; kai loipon... Leipei.
Fasting, vigil, and living as a stranger are good, but these are still part of a good way of life. The order of Christians is more inward than these, and one should not put one's confidence in them. It happens that some share in grace while evil is still within; it schemes and withdraws willingly, and does not work, but makes the person think that his mind has been cleansed; and then it brings him to the conceit that he is a perfect Christian. And afterward, when the person thinks, “I am free,” and is careless, then evil comes upon him like a robber, laying an ambush, tempts him, and brings him down to the lowest parts of the earth. For if men twenty years old, robbers or soldiers, know how to use stratagems against enemies, lie in wait, set ambushes, take the enemy from behind, surround them suddenly and kill them, how much more will evil, which is so many thousands of years old and has this as its work, know how to destroy souls? It knows how to lay an ambush in the heart, not working for a time, so as to bring the soul to the conceit of perfection. This is the foundation of the Christian: however many righteous deeds a person does, not to rest in them and think himself great, but to be poor in spirit; and if he becomes a sharer in grace, not to think he has attained anything, or suppose himself to be someone, and begin to teach. Rather, though he lives well, fasting much, living as a stranger, praying, sharing in grace, let him not consider his soul precious. Then above all is truly the beginning of grace: that he have the labour, the hunger and the thirst, that he not be sated, that he not consider himself righteous or rich in grace; but that he mourn and weep, as a mother who has an only son, brings him up, and when he becomes a man, he happens to die; and then… (The rest is missing.)
Matt 5:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 4:9 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Ascetic practices are good but not the core; evil feigns retreat to breed conceit, so the Christian stays poor in spirit.
- Matt 5:3, 6, 4; Eph 4:9. “Many thousands” is literally “of so many thousands”, probably of years. Migne ends with Λείπει (“something is missing”).
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 6.28 (PG 65:1069; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/6-28
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-mark-hermit-opuscula-6-28) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.