Commentary on Ezekiel 1.1–1.26
Greek text: PG 81.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1.1PG 81
α΄. Καὶ ἐγέγετο ἐν τῷ τριωκοστῷ ἔτει, ἐν τῷ τετάρτῳ μηνὶ, πέμπτῃ τοῦ μηγός. ἔδοξε τὸ τριακοστὸν ἔτος τοῦ Ἰωδηλαίου εἶναι" ᾿Ἰωδηλαῖζον δὲ καλοῦσιν Ἰουδαῖοι. τὸν τῶν πεντήκοντὰ ἐτῶν ἀριθμόν, Καθάπερ γὰρ κατὰ πέντε καὶ δέκα ἔτη τὴν ἀναχύχλωσιν ἀριθμοῦσι τοῦ χρόνου, οὕτως Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ πεντή κοντα. Τούτων τῶν πεντήκοντα ἑτῶν τριακχοστὺν ἐνιαυτὸν ἔφασάν τινες εἶναι τῆς προφητείας τὸν χρόνον. Ἐγὼ ὃὲ πρῶτον μὲν ἐν τοῖ; χρονικοῖς ἐπιζητήσας τὸν χρόνον, εὗρον δ" τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας Ἶεχονίου τὸν πέμπτον ἐνιαυτὸν, οὐ τῷ τριακοστῷ τοῦ Ἰωδηλαίου, ἀλλὰ τῷ πέμπτῳ ἔτει καὶ εἰκοστῷ σύγχρονον. Ἔπειτα σκοπήσας, ὡς οὐδεὶς τῶν ἁγίων ὦ προφητῶν τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον παρεδήλωσε πώποτε, οἱ ἰφ ἐρευνήσας εὗρον τῆς αἰχμαλωτίας τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος τριακοστόν. Μετ᾿ ὀλίγα γὰρ αὐτὸς οὗτος ὁ προφήτῃ: ἀνακλιθῆναι κατὰ τοῦ πλευροῦ τοῦ δεξιοῦ προστάττεται, καὶ λαδεῖν τοῦ Ἰούδα τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμέρας τεσσαράχοντα, τῆς ἡμέρας εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν λογιζομένης. Σκοπήσας οὖν, ὡς ἔτεσιν ἑδδομήχοντα τὴ" αἰχμαλωσίαν Ἰούδα περιώρισεν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Δεσπότης, καὶ ὅτι τεσσαράχοντα τοῖς ἑδδομήχοντα ὑπολέλειπται ἔτη, συνεῖδον ὅτι τὸ τριακοστὸν ἕτος ὁ προφήτης τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας εἶναί φησιν. ᾿λναποδίξζων δὲ, καὶ τὸν χρόνον ἀναζητῶν, εὑρίσκω τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν οὐ πρὸ πριάχοντα γεγενημένην ἐτῶν, ἀλλὰ πρὸ τριῶν καὶ δέκα ἐτῶν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἀγαθὸς ὧν καὶ φιλάνθρωπος ὁ Θεὸς, ἂκ τῆς οἰκείας ἀποφάσεως, οὐκ ἐκ τῆς τῶν πρα- Ὑμάτων ἐκδάσεως, τὸν τῆς παιδείας χρόνον εἴωθεν ἀριθμεῖν. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου πεποίηκεν ᾿Αδραάμ. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ, ὅτι ε« Πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα αου ἐν γῇ οὐκ ἰδίᾳ, καὶ δουλώσουσιν αὐτὸ δ΄, καὶ χαχώσουσιν αὐτὸ ἕτη "δ τετρακόσια, οὐκ εἴασεν παρ᾽ Αἰγυπτίοις τοῦτον ἅπαντα διατελέσαι τὸν χρόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς ἀποφάσεως; ἀριθμεῖ τὸν τῶν τετρακοσίων ἐτῶν ἀριθμόν καὶ 57 ἐπὶ τοῦ Νῶς δὲ εἴκοσι καὶ ἑκατὸν ἐνιαυτῶν προθεσμίαν εἰς μεταμέλειαν δεδωκὼς, τῆς παρανομίας τὴν ἐπίξηοσιν θεασάμενος, οὖκχ ἀνέμεινε τὸ τῆς ἀποφάσεως τέλος, ἵνα παύσῃ «ἧς ἁμαρτίας τὸν δρόμον. Οὔτω τοίνυν κἀνταῦθα τῶν τριάκοντα ἑτῶν τὸν ἀριθμὸν εὑρήσομεν, ἀρχὴν τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τὴν ἀπόφασιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ποιησάμενοι. Κατεψηφίσατο δὲ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰουδαίων αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ δουλείαν ἐν τῷ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ ἕτει τῆς Ἰωσίου βασιλείας. Χελκίου γὰρ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως συγχεχωσμένον "5 τὸν Μωσαϊχὸν εὑρηχότος νόμον (τοσαύτη γὰρ Ἶουδαίας 5" ἐκράτει παρανομία, ὡς καὶ λήθῃ παντελεῖ τὰ θεῖα παραδοθῆναι), εἶτα τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦτον ἀναγνόντος, καὶ σχοπήσαντος, ὡς ἄντικρυς ἐναντία τῷ γόμῳ τὰ παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ τολμώμενα, καὶ τούτου χάριν λίαν ἐχδειματωθέντος “5, καὶ τὸν νεῖτα: μὲν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς πρὸς Ὀλδᾶν τὴν προφῆτιν, εὐσεδῇ γυναῖκα καὶ τῶν θείων φύλακα νόμων " ἡ δὲ ἔνθους γενομένη, καὶ τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος πλήρης, εἶπε δ' πρὸς αὐτόν" ε Τάδε λέγει Κύριος δ᾽ Θεὸς Ἰσραήλ" Εἴπατε τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ἀποστείλαντι ὑμᾶς πρός με’ Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπάγω κακὰ ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦτον, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν αὐτῷ, πάντας τοὺς λόγους τοῦ βιθλίου οὗ ἀνέγνω ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰούδα" ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐγχχτέλιπόν με, καὶ ἐθυμίασαν θεοῖς ἑτέροις, ἵνα παροργίσωσί με ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν χειρῶν αὑτῶν’ καὶ ἐχχαυθήσεται ὁ θυμός μου ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, καὶ οὐ σθεσθήσεται" πρὸς δὲ τὸν βασιλέα Ἰούδα, τὸν καὶ ἀποστείλαντα ὑμᾶς τοῦ ἐκξητῆσαν τὸν Κύρων, οὕτως δ' ἐρεῖτε πρὸς αὐτόν Τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ἰσραήλ΄ ᾿Ανῦ᾽ ὧν ἤκουσας τοὺς λόγους 5 μου, καὶ μετεμελήθη δ" ἡ καρδία σου. καὶ ἐνετράπης ὀπὸ προσώπου μου, ὡς ἤκουσας ὅσα ἐλάλησα ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦτον, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς χατοιχοῦντας ἐν αὐτῷ, τοῦ γενέσθαι εἰς ἀφανισμὸν, καὶ διέῤῥηξας τὰ ἱμάτιά σου, καὶ ἔχλαυτας ἐνώπιόν μον, καὶ ἐγὼ ἤκουσα, φησὶ Κύριος " οὐκ οὕτως δ᾽; Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ προστίθημί σε πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας σον, καὶ ἐπαχθήσῃ “7 εἰς τὸν τάφον σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ὄψονται οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου πάντα τὰ κακὰ ἃ ἐγὼ "5 ἐπάγω ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον 55 τοῦτον, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας αὐτόν. ν Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ἣ τῶν Παραλειπομένων βίδλος διδάσκει. Ἐπράχθη δὲ ταῦτα καὶ ἐῤῥέθη ἐν τῷ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας Ἰωσίου " ἕν δὲ καὶ τριάκοντα ἐθασίλευσεν ἔτη. ᾿Απὸ τοίνυν τοῦ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτου ἕως τοῦ τριακοστοῦ πρώτου γίνονται ἔτη τεσσαρακαίδεχα" μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον Ἰωάχας 79 τρεῖ; μῆνας ἐδασίλευσεν, οὗς δεῖ τούτοις αὐτοὺς συνάψαι τοῖς ἔτεσι, διὰ τὸ τῷ ὀγδόῳ μηνὶ τοῦ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτου Β ἔτους γεγενῆσθαι τὴν προφητείαν" εἶτα τοῦ Ἰωακεὶμ ἕνδεκα τοῖς προτέροις συνάψαντες ἔτεσιν, εὑρήσομεν πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι. Τοὺς δὲ τρεῖς μῆνας τοῦ καὶ τὰς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας, πάλιν ἀντὶ τῶν ὑπολοίπων μηνῶν τοῦ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτου ἕτους ἀντεισάξομεν. Τοῖς δὲ πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι τὰ πέντε τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τοῦ Ἵεχονίου προστεθειχότες τὸν τῶν τριάκοντα ἐτῶν εὑρήσομεν ἀριθμόν " οὕτω καὶ τῶν ἑδδομέκοντα τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐτῶν τὸ ἀψευδὲς χαταλαδεῖν μεθα. ᾿Απὸ γὰρ τοῦ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτου τῆς Ἰωσίου βασιλείας μέχρι πρώτου Κύρου τῶν Περσῶν βασίλέως, ἐφ᾽ οὗ ἡ πρώτη ἀνάχλησις γέγονεν, ὁ ἑδδομηχοντούτης συμπληροῦται χρόνος. Τῆς δὲ τοῦ ναοῦ ἐρημίας τὰ ἑθδομήχοντα ἔτη ὁ βουλόμενος ἀριθμῆσαι, ἀρξάσθω μὲν ἀπὸ ἑνδεκάτου ἔτους Σεδεχίον, " καῦτα γὰρ ὁ θεῖος ἐνεπρήσθη νεώς " χαταλήξῃ δὲ εἰς τὸ δεύτερον ἕτος Δαρείου τοῦ Ὑστάσπου, ἐφ᾽ οὗ μετὰ σπουδῆς ἁπάσης τὸν θεῖον ἀνεδείμαντο νεὼν, καὶ τέλους τὸ ἔργον τετύχηκεν" λέγει τοίνυν ὁ προφέτης, ὅτι. ἃ Τῷ τριωκοστῷ ἔτει, ἐν τῷ τετάρτῳ μηνὶ, πέμπτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς, ἐγὼ ἤμην ἐν μέσῳ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ Χοδὰρ 1", καὶ ἠνοίχθησαν οἱ οὐρανοὶ, καὶ ἴδον ὅρασιν 13 Θεοῦ. Πέμπτῃ τοῦ μηνός " τοῦτο πέμπτον 13 ἔτος τῆς αἰχμαϊωσίας ᾿Ιωακεὶμ τοῦ βασιλέως. Σαφῶς δὲ καὶ 7" ἡμᾶς αὐτὸς ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι οὐ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἁπλῶς 75 πέμπτον ἔτος, ἀλλὰ τῆς Ἰωακεὶμ τοῦ σιλέως αἰχμαλωσίας" οὗτος δὲ, ὡς ἔφην, Ἰεχονίας ἦν τρεῖς μῆνας βασιλεύσας, καὶ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας" ὁ γὰρ τούτου πατὴρ Ἰωακεὶμ ἑνδεκάτῳ 16 ἔτει τῖς αὑτοῦ βασιλείας ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐσφάγη. θῆναι δὲ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἔφη, οὐκ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ πράγματι, ἀλλὰ πνευματικῇ θεωρίᾳ" ε Καὶ ἴδον, φησὶν, ὅρασιν θεοῦ.» Οὐκ οὐσίαν Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ « ὅρασιν " » ἀποκάλυψίν τινα, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἀνατύπωσιν, τὴν ἐφικτὴν ἀνθρωπείᾳ φύσει. ε« Καὶ ἤμην ἐν μέσῳ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας. ν» Ὁ εὐσεθὴς μετὰ τῶν δυσσεδῶν, μετὰ τῶν παρανόμων ὁ δίκάιος. Τοταύτη γὰρ ἡ τοῦ Δεσπότου φιλανθρωπία, ὡς τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἕνεκεν ἀνιαροῖς ἐκδιδόναι καὶ συμφοραῖς τοὺς οἰκείους θεράποντας.
a΄. Kai egegeto en tǭ triōkostǭ etei, en tǭ tetartǭ mēni, pemptę̄ tou mēgos. edoxe to triakoston etos tou Iōdēlaiou einai" ᾿Iōdēlaizon de kalousin Ioudaioi. ton tōn pentēkonta etōn arithmon, Kathaper gar kata pente kai deka etē tēn anachychlōsin arithmousi tou chronou, houtōs Ioudaioi kata pentē konta. Toutōn tōn pentēkonta hetōn triakchostyn eniauton ephasan tines einai tēs prophēteias ton chronon. Egō hoe prōton men en toi? chronikois epizētēsas ton chronon, heuron d" tēs aichmalōsias Iechoniou ton pempton eniauton, ou tǭ triakostǭ tou Iōdēlaiou, alla tǭ pemptǭ etei kai eikostǭ synchronon. Epeita skopēsas, hōs oudeis tōn hagiōn ō prophētōn touton ton chronon paredēlōse pōpote, hoi iph ereunēsas heuron tēs aichmalōtias touto to etos triakoston. Met᾿ oliga gar autos houtos ho prophētę̄: anaklithēnai kata tou pleurou tou dexiou prostattetai, kai ladein tou Iouda tas hamartias hēmeras tessarachonta, tēs hēmeras eis eniauton logizomenēs. Skopēsas oun, hōs etesin heddomēchonta tē" aichmalōsian Iouda periōrisen ho philanthrōpos Despotēs, kai hoti tessarachonta tois heddomēchonta hypoleleiptai etē, syneidon hoti to triakoston hetos ho prophētēs tēs aichmalōsias einai phēsin. ᾿lnapodixzōn de, kai ton chronon anazētōn, heuriskō tēn aichmalōsian ou pro priachonta gegenēmenēn etōn, alla pro triōn kai deka etōn. ᾿All᾽ agathos hōn kai philanthrōpos ho Theos, ak tēs oikeias apophaseōs, ouk ek tēs tōn pra- Hymatōn ekdaseōs, ton tēs paideias chronon eiōthen arithmein. Houtō kai epi tou patriarchou pepoiēken ᾿Adraam. Eirēkōs gar, hoti e« Paroikon estai to sperma aou en gę̄ ouk idią, kai doulōsousin auto d΄, kai chachōsousin auto hetē "d tetrakosia, ouk eiasen par᾽ Aigyptiois touton hapanta diatelesai ton chronon, all᾽ ek tēs apophaseōs? arithmei ton tōn tetrakosiōn etōn arithmon kai 57 epi tou Nōs de eikosi kai hekaton eniautōn prothesmian eis metameleian dedōkōs, tēs paranomias tēn epixēosin theasamenos, oukch anemeine to tēs apophaseōs telos, hina pausę̄ «hēs hamartias ton dromon. Outō toinyn kantautha tōn triakonta hetōn ton arithmon heurēsomen, archēn tou arithmou tēn apophasin tou Theou poiēsamenoi. Katepsēphisato de ho Theos Ioudaiōn aichmalōsian kai douleian en tǭ oktōkaidekatǭ hetei tēs Iōsiou basileias. Chelkiou gar tou archiereōs synchechōsmenon "5 ton Mōsaïchon heurēchotos nomon (tosautē gar Ioudaias 5" ekratei paranomia, hōs kai lēthę̄ pantelei ta theia paradothēnai), eita tou basileōs touton anagnontos, kai schopēsantos, hōs antikrys enantia tǭ gomǭ ta para tou laou tolmōmena, kai toutou charin lian echdeimatōthentos “5, kai ton neita: men ho archiereus pros Oldan tēn prophētin, eusedę̄ gynaika kai tōn theiōn phylaka nomōn " hē de enthous genomenē, kai tou theiou Pneumatos plērēs, eipe d' pros auton" e Tade legei Kyrios d᾽ Theos Israēl" Eipate tǭ andri tǭ aposteilanti hymas pros me’ Idou egō epagō kaka epi ton topon touton, kai epi tous katoikountas en autǭ, pantas tous logous tou bithliou hou anegnō ho basileus Iouda" anth᾽ hōn enchchtelipon me, kai ethymiasan theois heterois, hina parorgisōsi me en pasi tois ergois tōn cheirōn hautōn’ kai echchauthēsetai ho thymos mou en tǭ topǭ toutǭ, kai ou sthesthēsetai" pros de ton basilea Iouda, ton kai aposteilanta hymas tou ekxētēsan ton Kyrōn, houtōs d' ereite pros auton Tade legei Kyrios ho theos Israēl΄ ᾿Any᾽ hōn ēkousas tous logous 5 mou, kai metemelēthē d" hē kardia sou. kai enetrapēs opo prosōpou mou, hōs ēkousas hosa elalēsa epi ton topon touton, kai epi tous chatoichountas en autǭ, tou genesthai eis aphanismon, kai dierrhēxas ta himatia sou, kai echlautas enōpion mon, kai egō ēkousa, phēsi Kyrios " ouk houtōs d᾽? Idou egō prostithēmi se pros tous pateras son, kai epachthēsę̄ “7 eis ton taphon sou en eirēnę̄, kai ouk opsontai hoi ophthalmoi sou panta ta kaka ha egō "5 epagō epi ton topon 55 touton, kai epi tous katoikountas auton. n Tauta de kai hē tōn Paraleipomenōn bidlos didaskei. Eprachthē de tauta kai errhethē en tǭ oktōkaidekatǭ etei tēs basileias Iōsiou " hen de kai triakonta ethasileusen etē. ᾿Apo toinyn tou oktōkaidekatou heōs tou triakostou prōtou ginontai etē tessarakaidecha" meta de touton Iōachas 79 trei? mēnas edasileusen, hous dei toutois autous synapsai tois etesi, dia to tǭ ogdoǭ mēni tou oktōkaidekatou B etous gegenēsthai tēn prophēteian" eita tou Iōakeim hendeka tois proterois synapsantes etesin, heurēsomen pente kai eikosi. Tous de treis mēnas tou kai tas oligas hēmeras, palin anti tōn hypoloipōn mēnōn tou oktōkaidekatou hetous anteisaxomen. Tois de pente kai eikosi ta pente tēs aichmalōsias tou Hiechoniou prostetheichotes ton tōn triakonta etōn heurēsomen arithmon " houtō kai tōn heddomekonta tēs aichmalōsias etōn to apseudes chataladein metha. ᾿Apo gar tou oktōkaidekatou tēs Iōsiou basileias mechri prōtou Kyrou tōn Persōn basileōs, eph᾽ hou hē prōtē anachlēsis gegonen, ho heddomēchontoutēs symplēroutai chronos. Tēs de tou naou erēmias ta hethdomēchonta etē ho boulomenos arithmēsai, arxasthō men apo hendekatou etous Sedechion, " kauta gar ho theios eneprēsthē neōs " chatalēxę̄ de eis to deuteron hetos Dareiou tou Hystaspou, eph᾽ hou meta spoudēs hapasēs ton theion anedeimanto neōn, kai telous to ergon tetychēken" legei toinyn ho prophetēs, hoti. ha Tǭ triōkostǭ etei, en tǭ tetartǭ mēni, pemptę̄ tou mēnos, egō ēmēn en mesǭ tēs aichmalōsias epi tou potamou tou Chodar 1", kai ēnoichthēsan hoi ouranoi, kai idon horasin 13 Theou. Pemptę̄ tou mēnos " touto pempton 13 etos tēs aichmaïōsias ᾿Iōakeim tou basileōs. Saphōs de kai 7" hēmas autos edidaxen, hoti ou tēs aichmalōsias haplōs 75 pempton etos, alla tēs Iōakeim tou sileōs aichmalōsias" houtos de, hōs ephēn, Iechonias ēn treis mēnas basileusas, kai oligas hēmeras" ho gar toutou patēr Iōakeim hendekatǭ 16 etei tis hautou basileias en Hierosolymois esphagē. thēnai de tous ouranous ephē, ouk alētheią kai pragmati, alla pneumatikę̄ theōrią" e Kai idon, phēsin, horasin theou.» Ouk ousian Theou, all᾽ « horasin " » apokalypsin tina, kai hoionei anatypōsin, tēn ephiktēn anthrōpeią physei. e« Kai ēmēn en mesǭ tēs aichmalōsias. n» Ho eusethēs meta tōn dyssedōn, meta tōn paranomōn ho dikaios. Totautē gar hē tou Despotou philanthrōpia, hōs tōn hamartōlōn heneken aniarois ekdidonai kai symphorais tous oikeious therapontas.
"And it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month." [To some] the thirtieth year seemed to be that of the jubilee; the Jews call "jubilee" the number of fifty years. For just as [we] count the cycle of time by fifteen years, so the Jews count by fifty; and some said that the time of the prophecy was the thirtieth year of these fifty years. But I first searched for the date in the chronicles, and I found that the fifth year of Jechoniah's captivity coincided not with the thirtieth year of the jubilee but with the twenty-fifth. Then, considering that none of the holy prophets ever indicated this kind of date, I searched further and found that this year was the thirtieth of the captivity. For shortly afterward this same prophet is commanded to lie on his right side and to bear the sins of Judah forty days, each day counted as a year. Considering, then, that the loving Master limited the captivity of Judah to seventy years, and that forty years of the seventy remain, I perceived that the prophet calls this the thirtieth year of the captivity. Yet going back and searching out the date, I find that the captivity did not take place thirty years earlier, but thirteen years earlier. But God, being good and loving, is accustomed to count the time of chastisement from his own sentence, not from the outcome of events. So he did also in the case of the patriarch Abraham. Having said, "Your seed shall be a sojourner in a land not its own, and they shall enslave it and afflict it four hundred years," he did not let them spend all this time among the Egyptians, but counts the number of four hundred years from the sentence. And in the case of Noah, having given a term of one hundred and twenty years for repentance, when he saw lawlessness increasing he did not wait for the end of the term he had set, so as to stop the course of sin. So here too we shall find the number of thirty years if we make God's sentence the starting point of the count. God condemned the Jews to captivity and slavery in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah. For Hilkiah the high priest found the law of Moses buried (so much lawlessness prevailed in Judea that the divine things had been handed over to complete forgetfulness); then the king read it and saw that what the people dared to do was directly contrary to the law, and he was greatly terrified because of it; and the high priest [was sent] to Huldah the prophetess, a pious woman and guardian of the divine laws. She, becoming inspired and full of the divine Spirit, said to him: "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Say to the man who sent you to me: Behold, I bring evils on this place and on those who dwell in it, all the words of the book which the king of Judah read; because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods, to provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; and my wrath shall be kindled in this place and shall not be quenched. And to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus you shall say to him: Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Because you heard my words, and your heart repented, and you were ashamed before me when you heard what I spoke against this place and against those who dwell in it, that it should become a desolation, and … you tore your garments and wept before me, I too have heard, says the Lord. Not so: behold, I am adding you to your fathers, and you shall be brought to your tomb in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the evils that I am bringing on this place and on those who dwell in it." The book of Chronicles also teaches these things. These things were done and spoken in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah; and he reigned thirty-one years. From the eighteenth to the thirty-first, then, there are fourteen years. After him Joahaz reigned three months, which we must join to these years, because the prophecy was given in the eighth month of the eighteenth year. Then, adding the eleven years of Joakim to the earlier years, we shall find twenty-five. The three months and the few days of [Jechoniah] we shall set in turn against the remaining months of the eighteenth year. Adding to the twenty-five the five years of Jechoniah's captivity, we shall find the number of thirty years. In this way we can also grasp the truth of the seventy years of the captivity. For from the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign to the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, under whom the first recall took place, the period of seventy years is completed. Whoever wishes to count the seventy years of the temple's desolation, let him begin from the eleventh year of Zedekiah, for then the divine temple was burned, and end at the second year of Darius son of Hystaspes, under whom they rebuilt the divine temple with all zeal and the work reached completion. The prophet says, then: "In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, I was in the midst of the captivity by the river Chobar, and the heavens were opened, and I saw a vision of God. On the fifth of the month: this was the fifth year of the captivity of king Joakim." He himself taught us clearly that it was not simply the fifth year of the captivity but of the captivity of king Joakim; and this, as I said, was Jechoniah, who reigned three months and a few days; for his father Joakim was slain in Jerusalem in the eleventh year of his reign. He said that the heavens were opened, not in reality and in fact, but in spiritual vision: "And I saw," he says, "a vision of God": not the being of God, but a "vision," a kind of revelation and, as it were, an impression, such as human nature can attain. "And I was in the midst of the captivity": the pious man with the impious, the righteous with the lawless. For so great is the Master's love for humankind that for the sake of sinners he gives over even his own servants to troubles and misfortunes.
Ezek 1:1–2 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 4:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 25:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 15:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 6:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 22:8–14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 22:15–20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 34:14–28 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 23:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezra 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezra 4:24 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ezra 6:15 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:1–2 Theodoret rejects reckoning the 'thirtieth year' by the jubilee and counts it from God's sentence of captivity in Josiah's eighteenth year, then explains that the opened heavens and the 'vision of God' mean a spiritual vision, not a sight of God's being.
- The section opens with Latin debris and the lemma (Ezek 1:1); "[To some]" supplies a lost word. The fifteen-year cycle is the indiction of Theodoret's own time; the subject of "count" is lost and is supplied as "[we]". "Thirteen years earlier" is translated as printed. Theodoret's chronology counts Josiah's 18th to 31st year as fourteen years (inclusive). The quotation of Huldah's oracle (2 Kgs 22:15–20; 2 Chr 34:23–28) is interrupted twice by long Latin debris from Migne's facing column, removed by logged corrections; after "desolation" some words (probably "and a curse") are lost (marked …). Other references: Ezek 4:6; Jer 25:11; Gen 15:13; Gen 6:3; Joahaz, 2 Kgs 23:31; Cyrus, Ezra 1:1; the temple rebuilt under Darius, Ezra 4:24; 6:15 (the temple was finished in Darius's sixth year; Theodoret counts to the second, when the rebuilding began, Hag 1:1). The last lemmas are Ezek 1:1–2. Stray footnote markers are ignored.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris; Latin debris (some Greek words are lost with it); Latin debris and Migne's footnotes inside a word; Latin debris and marginal letter inside a hyphenated word; Latin debris from Migne's facing column; Latin debris inside a word; Migne's marginal letter): δὶ πὶ τη. δ᾽ο δπίιη Ἀομηληὶ αὐ! πα → ; αἰχμαλω- Α βἰπίδ αίαν → αἰχμαλωσίαν; ἃ υἱδεαγοίυν → ; οἱ ᾿οοὐ βοπίθη πὰ πὶ ἴἢ ἰαγτα ΠΟ 808, οἵ 80} ἰδ 605 δά (τὶ σία ἃ. - ΒΟΥ ἢ) ΠῸΠΙΘΓΙΗ), δ] ἃ οὶ βαοηίθεἶα πυ πη γδηάϊ (ἰλ}εἱ «ὦ αἱ δὰ δι : «Ηκε ἶα το ἰπ ἰοοο ἰιος, οἱ → ; Ὁ πιθ6ᾶ, ἢ → ; (μη. κν, 10. ᾿πιοτίι, οἱ 80.151} γϑϑιπηθηία ἔτ, οἱ Παν σι] Νοη πὸ δὲ] ρϑίτεβ (08, οἱ δά ει οογ5 δὰ βαρυϊοῦαπὶ μα η ἰῃ ρᾷ66, οἱ πο υἱάδυιηι "9 αὐτό. ὅιιργΆ, ίοπι. ἔ, ρα. 78, αὐτούς, ἰιχίη τας, ἸοοιΙοπ πὶ ἰ060 εἷϊ. πὰ φυοαυο ἀοί πάν, ροϑὶ χαχώσουσιν. δ᾽ 51 καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ. "1 Β ῥτο' τῷ, υἱὲ 8 Β, βεὰ οὐ. ρυΐογ "3. ἐνδειματωθέντος. 5' εἶπε. Β ἔφη. Β οὕτω καί. 45 βυργα, ἴοι, [, ρᾷφ. τ οαὰ. ἰβέιμῃ, οἵ δι ροῦ ΠΔΠ Δ Π105. δῖη 5.» Αἴ Α τὰς δ΄ → ας ; μας δἰ, αΐ ἀνα πὶ δὲ ἀγρία τοσηαν ἡ ἀππο9. Δ ἀδεὶ- ΤΟΙ] ησ 6 δι ηΐ, Ποῖ 46 οί γ. (υἱ Γὸ → ; πέμθεοὶ. Γ Θαρ Εν 4118. Δ πα πὶ Πα] τα), 5641 (αι αἰχὶ) Το Ομ 48. [εἰτ, φαΐ πα. « Εἰ οἱ πτῃ → πέμπτῃ; Δεσπότου Α φ → Δεσπότου φ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.1 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3PG 81
γ΄. Καὶ ἐγένετο «16γος Κυρίου πρὸς ᾿Ιεζεκιὴλ υἱὸν Βουζεὶ τὸν ἱερέα, ἐγν' γῇ Χαλδαίων, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἱερωσύνῃ 77, καὶ προφητείᾳ ᾿ ἀμφότερα δὲ δῶρα τοῦ Πνεύματος - λέγει δὲ καὶ τὴν χώραν, καὶ τὸν τόπον, ἔνθα τῆς θείας ἀποκαλύψεως ἠξιώθη, πολλὰ διὰ τούτῶν παραδηλῶν- πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι τὸ Θεῖον ἀπερί» γράφον, οὐκ ἐν μόνοις ᾿Ιεροσολύμοις ἔχον τὴν ἐξουσἰαν οὐδὲ μόνων Ἰουδαίων δεσπόζον, ἀλλὰ πάντων ὑπάρχον καὶ ποιητὴς, καὶ πρύτανις " δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τὴν ἄῤῥητον ἀγαθότητα, ὅτι καὶ αἰχμαλωσίᾳ παραδοὺς ἀτημελήτους οὐκ ἐᾷ, ἀλλὰ προμηθείας ἀπάσης καὶ τῆς προσηκούσης ἀξιοῖ κηδεμονίας. Παρ᾽ ὕδατα δὲ τῆς θεωρίας αὐτὸν ἀξιοῖ, προσημαίνων ἀπάντων ἀνθρώπων τὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ τὴν διὰ τῆς τοῦ ὕδατος “παλιγγενεσίας ἐσομένην τοῖς εὐσεθέσι θεογνωσίαν προδηλῶν 18, Οὕτω καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Δανιὴλ παρ᾽ ὕδατα τὰς θείας ἐκείνας ἐθεώρησεν ὁπτασίας, καὶ ὁ νομοθέτης Μωσῆς παρὰ τὴν ὄχθην ῥ'φεὶς δι᾽ ὑδάτων τῆς σωτηρίας τετύχηκεν οὕτω πάλιν αὐτὸ τὸ φρέαρ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸν γάμον προὐξένησεν " τοῦ το δὲ καὶ τοῖς πρὸ αὐτοῦ πατριάρχαις, οὐ τῷ Ἰαχὼθ᾽ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ Ἰσαὰκ συνέθη 1". ᾿Αλλ ἐπὶ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν ἐπανέλθωμεν " οὔτε γὰρ ἐπὶ ταῦτα τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ὁ λόγος ἔχει. ε Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ χεὶρ Κυρίου. » Τὴν τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος ἐνέργειαν οὕτως ἐκάλεσε. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἐπιφέρων, οὕτως ἔφη" «ε Ἰδοὺ χεὶρ Κυρίου ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ ἔσῃ τυφλὸς, μὴ βλέπων τὸν ἥλιον ἄκρι καιροῦ. » Τοῦ δὲ θείου Πνεύματος ἣν ἐνέργεια, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ Παῦλός φησιν, ἐν δυνάμει σημείων καὶ τεράτων, ἐν δυνάμει Πνεύματος Θεοῦ. ε« Ἐγένετο ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ, φησὶ, χεὶρ τοῦ δ᾽ Κυρίου. »
g΄. Kai egeneto «16gos Kyriou pros ᾿Iezekiēl huion Bouzei ton hierea, egn' gę̄ Chaldaiōn, epi tou hierōsynę̄ 77, kai prophēteią ᾿ amphotera de dōra tou Pneumatos - legei de kai tēn chōran, kai ton topon, entha tēs theias apokalypseōs ēxiōthē, polla dia toutōn paradēlōn- prōton men, hoti to Theion aperi» graphon, ouk en monois ᾿Ierosolymois echon tēn exousian oude monōn Ioudaiōn despozon, alla pantōn hyparchon kai poiētēs, kai prytanis " dēloi de touto kai tēn arrhēton agathotēta, hoti kai aichmalōsią paradous atēmelētous ouk eą, alla promētheias apasēs kai tēs prosēkousēs axioi kēdemonias. Par᾽ hydata de tēs theōrias auton axioi, prosēmainōn apantōn anthrōpōn tēn sōtērian, kai tēn dia tēs tou hydatos “palingenesias esomenēn tois eusethesi theognōsian prodēlōn 18, Houtō kai ho thespesios Daniēl par᾽ hydata tas theias ekeinas etheōrēsen hoptasias, kai ho nomothetēs Mōsēs para tēn ochthēn rh'pheis di᾽ hydatōn tēs sōtērias tetychēken houtō palin auto to phrear kai to hydōr ton gamon prouxenēsen " tou to de kai tois pro autou patriarchais, ou tǭ Iachōth᾽ monon, alla kai tǭ Isaak synethē 1". ᾿All epi tēn hermēneian epanelthōmen " oute gar epi tauta tēn hormēn epi tou parontos ho logos echei. e Kai egeneto ep᾽ eme cheir Kyriou. » Tēn tou theiou Pneumatos energeian houtōs ekalese. Kai gar ho epipherōn, houtōs ephē" «e Idou cheir Kyriou epi se, kai esę̄ typhlos, mē blepōn ton hēlion akri kairou. » Tou de theiou Pneumatos hēn energeia, hōs autos ho Paulos phēsin, en dynamei sēmeiōn kai teratōn, en dynamei Pneumatos Theou. e« Egeneto ep᾽ eme, phēsi, cheir tou d᾽ Kyriou. »
"And the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans, [by the river Chobar.]" … [He mentions his] priesthood and his prophecy; both are gifts of the Spirit. He also names the country and the place where he was counted worthy of the divine revelation, indicating many things by these: first, that the Divine is uncircumscribed, not holding authority in Jerusalem alone nor ruling the Jews only, but being the maker and ruler of all. This also shows his ineffable goodness: even when he has given them over to captivity he does not leave them uncared for, but counts them worthy of all providence and of fitting care. He counts the prophet worthy of the vision beside waters, signifying in advance the salvation of all human beings and foreshowing the knowledge of God that would come to the godly through the regeneration of water. So too the inspired Daniel saw those divine visions beside waters, and Moses the lawgiver, cast out on the bank, obtained salvation through waters; so again the well itself and the water brought about [his] marriage; and this happened also to the patriarchs before him, not to Jacob only but also to Isaac. But let us return to the interpretation; for at present the discourse is not set on these matters. "And the hand of the Lord came upon me." So he called the activity of the divine Spirit. For the one who inflicted [blindness] spoke thus: "Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And the activity was that of the divine Spirit, as Paul himself says: "in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God." "The hand of the Lord," he says, "came upon me."
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ezek 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Dan 8:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Dan 10:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 2:3–6 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 2:15–21 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 29:1–12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 24:11–27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Titus 3:5 (echo, low confidence) · Acts 13:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:19 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:3 Theodoret says that God's revealing himself in Babylon shows he rules all peoples and cares for the exiles, that the vision beside water foreshadows baptism, and that 'the hand of the Lord' means the working of the Spirit.
- The lemma is Ezek 1:3; its end and the first words of the comment are lost in the scan (marked …; the river supplied in brackets). Visions by water: Dan 8:2; 10:4; Moses: Exod 2:3–6; marriage at a well: Exod 2:15–21 (Moses), Gen 29:1–12 (Jacob), Gen 24:11–27 (Isaac's bride). "The one who inflicted [blindness]" is Paul, Acts 13:11; then Rom 15:19. "Regeneration of water" alludes to baptism (Titus 3:5).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.3 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.4PG 81
δ΄, Καὶ εἴδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ πνεῦμα ἐξαῖρον ἤρχετο ἀπὸ βοῤῥᾶ, καὶ γεφέιη μεγάλη ἐν αὐτῷ 5", καὶ 3" φέγγος κύκιλῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πῦρ ἐξαστράπτον "5. ᾿Αναγκαῖον πρότερον τὴν τῆς ἀποκαλύψεως αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν, εἶθ᾽ οὕτω κατὰ μέρος τὴν ἑρμηνείαν ἐπαγαγεῖν. Πολλοὶ κατὰ τὸν χαιϊρὸν τοῦτον ψευδοπροφῆται τοῖ; προφήταις ἀντέλεγον " καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα ἡμᾶς ὁ μακάριος Ἱερεμίας διδάσκει. Τοῦ γὰρ Θεοῦ χλοιοφορεῖν αὐτὸν κελεύσαντος, καὶ προλέγειν τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν, τοῦ τε βασιλέως, καὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, ᾿Ανανίας τις ψευδοπροφήτης ταῦτα συντρίψας, ἀντέλεγεν τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου λεγομένοις, ἄντικρυς ψευδόϑενος, καὶ βοῶν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἣ πόλις ἀνάστατος οὐ γενήσεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἤδη πρότερον αἰχμάλωτοι γεγονότες, οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ἐπανήξουσι. Διὸ πλέον ὁ Δεσπότης ἀγανακτήσας Θεὸς σιδηρᾷ δεσμὰ ἐπιθῆναι ἑαυτῷ ἀντὶ τῶν ξυλίνων παρακελεύεται, καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίχ τὴν πολιορκίαν καὶ τὸν ἀνδραδορυαλώτοις, καὶ οἰκίας οἰκοδομῆσαι, καὶ ἀμπελῶνας φυτεῦσαι" ὡς τῆς τῶν ἑδδομήχοντα ἐτῶν ἀποφάσεως ἀψευδοῦς ὑπαρχούσης. Ἔδει τοίνυν μὴ μόνον ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ τὸν Ἱερεμίαν ταῦτα λέγειν καὶ γράφειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ αἰχμαλωσίᾳ διὰ τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς προφητῶν ταῦτα μανθάνειν" ὁρᾷ μέντοι δ" ὁ προφίτῆς τῶν δ᾽ Ἱεροσολύμων γενησομένην τὴν πανωλεθρίαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ, « Πνεῦμα ἐξαΐρον ἤρχετο ἀπὸ βοῤῥᾶ,ν ἣ, ὡς Σύμμαχος " ἔφη, « χαταιγίζον "» σημαίνει δὲ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος σφοδρότης τοῦ Βαθυλωνίου τὴν ἔφοδον - ἡ δὲ ε μεγίστη νεφέλτ,, ν τῶν δοράτων, καὶ τῶν ἀχοντίων, καὶ τῶν παντοδαπῶν βελῶν τὸν κατακλυσμόν " τὸ δὲ « ἐξαστράπτον πῦρ,» οὐ μόνον τὸ ἐπαγόμενον δέος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς γενόμενον τῆς πόλεως ἀφανισμόν" τὸ δὲ «φέγγος τὸ κύκλῳ, » τὴν ἐπιφαινομένην διὰ τῆς τιμὼρίας τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν οὐκ ἀπώναντο, οὐδὲ συνιδεῖν ἐξ ἐκείνων τὸν εὐεργέτὴν ἠθέλησαν, διὰ τῆς τιμωρίας εἰσδέχονται τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν " διὸ καὶ βοῶσιν " «Ὕστερον αἰχμαλωσίας μου μετενόησα "1.»---- Καὶ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ αὐτοῦ, ὡς δρασις ἠλέκτρου ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ πυρὸς, καὶ "5 φέγγος ἐν αὐτῷ. » Μέχρι μὲν οὖν τούτου τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ἡμῖν ὁμοῦ πᾶσαν ἐδήλωσεν " ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν κχατὰ μέρος ἐξήγησιν ἔρχεται.
d΄, Kai eidon, kai idou pneuma exairon ērcheto apo borrha, kai gepheiē megalē en autǭ 5", kai 3" phengos kykilǭ autou, kai pyr exastrapton "5. ᾿Anankaion proteron tēn tēs apokalypseōs aitian eipein, eith᾽ houtō kata meros tēn hermēneian epagagein. Polloi kata ton chaiïron touton pseudoprophētai toi? prophētais antelegon " kai touto malista hēmas ho makarios Hieremias didaskei. Tou gar Theou chloiophorein auton keleusantos, kai prolegein tēn aichmalōsian, tou te basileōs, kai pantos tou laou, ᾿Ananias tis pseudoprophētēs tauta syntripsas, antelegen tois hypo tou prophētou legomenois, antikrys pseudoϑenos, kai boōn, hoti ou monon hē polis anastatos ou genēsetai, alla kai hoi ēdē proteron aichmalōtoi gegonotes, ouk eis makran epanēxousi. Dio pleon ho Despotēs aganaktēsas Theos sidērą desma epithēnai heautǭ anti tōn xylinōn parakeleuetai, kai tois men en tę̄ Ioudaich tēn poliorkian kai ton andradoryalōtois, kai oikias oikodomēsai, kai ampelōnas phyteusai" hōs tēs tōn heddomēchonta etōn apophaseōs apseudous hyparchousēs. Edei toinyn mē monon en tę̄ Ioudaią ton Hieremian tauta legein kai graphein, alla kai tous en tę̄ aichmalōsią dia tōn par᾽ autois prophētōn tauta manthanein" horą mentoi d" ho prophitēs tōn d᾽ Hierosolymōn genēsomenēn tēn panōlethrian. Touto gar sēmainei to, « Pneuma exaïron ērcheto apo borrha,n hē, hōs Symmachos " ephē, « chataigizon "» sēmainei de hē tou pneumatos sphodrotēs tou Bathylōniou tēn ephodon - hē de e megistē nephelt,, n tōn doratōn, kai tōn achontiōn, kai tōn pantodapōn belōn ton kataklysmon " to de « exastrapton pyr,» ou monon to epagomenon deos, alla kai ton dia tou pyros genomenon tēs poleōs aphanismon" to de «phengos to kyklǭ, » tēn epiphainomenēn dia tēs timōrias tou Theou doxan. Epeidē gar tōn euergesiōn ouk apōnanto, oude synidein ex ekeinōn ton euergetēn ēthelēsan, dia tēs timōrias eisdechontai tēn epignōsin " dio kai boōsin " «Hysteron aichmalōsias mou metenoēsa "1.»---- Kai en tǭ mesǭ autou, hōs drasis ēlektrou en mesǭ tou pyros, kai "5 phengos en autǭ. » Mechri men oun toutou tēn apokalypsin hēmin homou pasan edēlōsen " enteuthen de epi tēn kchata meros exēgēsin erchetai.
"And I saw, and behold, a lifting wind was coming from the north, and a great cloud in it, and brightness around it, and fire flashing like lightning." It is necessary first to state the cause of the revelation, and then to bring on the interpretation in detail. At that time many false prophets contradicted the prophets; the blessed Jeremiah teaches us this above all. For when God commanded him to wear a yoke and to foretell the captivity of the king and of all the people, a certain false prophet Hananiah broke it and contradicted what the prophet said, lying outright and crying out that not only would the city not be laid waste, but those already taken captive earlier would also return before long. Therefore the Master God, all the more indignant, commands him to put iron bonds on himself in place of the wooden ones, and to those … the siege in Judea and the … the captives, and to build houses and to plant vineyards, since the sentence of seventy years was not false. Not only, then, did Jeremiah have to say and write these things in Judea, but those in the captivity also had to learn them through the prophets among them. So the prophet sees the utter ruin that would come upon Jerusalem. For this is what "a lifting wind was coming from the north" means, or, as Symmachus said, "a storming one." The violence of the wind signifies the onslaught of the Babylonian; the "very great cloud," the deluge of spears and javelins and missiles of every kind; the "fire flashing like lightning," not only the fear that is brought on but also the destruction of the city by fire; and the "brightness around," the glory of God that shines forth through the punishment. For since they did not profit from his benefits and would not perceive the Benefactor from them, they receive knowledge of him through punishment; therefore they also cry out: "After my captivity I repented." "And in the midst of it, as the appearance of electrum in the midst of the fire, and brightness in it." Up to this point he has shown us the whole revelation together; from here he comes to the explanation in detail.
Ezek 1:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 27:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 28:10–14 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 29:4–10 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 31:19 (38:19 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:4 Theodoret explains that the vision answered the false prophets who promised a quick return, and reads the storm wind, cloud, fire and brightness as the Babylonian assault, the burning of Jerusalem, and God's glory revealed through punishment.
- Lemmas: Ezek 1:4. Jeremiah's yoke and Hananiah: Jer 27:2; 28:10–14; the letter to the exiles, Jer 29:4–10. Long Latin debris and Migne's footnotes interrupt the account of God's command; with them some Greek words are lost (marked …). "After my captivity I repented" is Jer 31:19 (LXX 38:19). Symmachus's rendering is cited by Theodoret from the Hexapla.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris (some Greek words are lost with it); Latin debris and Migne's footnotes; Latin debris from Migne's facing column; Migne's marginal letter): ἃ Δεῖ, χα, 11. τ οι. κν, 19. χ δοόγοιη. ἴῃ 5018 παν 50115 δὰαϊ!, 608. ᾿ναι πὸβου ΐαν. Αἀ οἱ οἷ 8 ο δἷι Ὁ, Τ οἰ δι θη ρα αἱ [ον Γοὰ 501 νἱπου]α οἰγοαιη οί, οἱ 115 αὶ ἰῃ δυά αλλ. οἂδ κι Ἧ ἔξρωσι Β ρσυπι. καί, 75. Β παραδηλῶν. 71 συνέδη. Π65. ἰπ Β, (010 δὶ Ἰσαάκ ἃ Ροβίιο. δ τοῦ, ἤθε, ἰὼ 8. 51 ἐν αὐτῷ. Αἰνοδί 4} Ποῦν. 54 Α → ; τ πθ. 50 ᾽πὶ ἴῃ δινος Αἰῖ, « ἰιὰβίαγιι) δἱ ᾿δοι γα π), αἰ ποδὶ γοϑιρυΐ τ. ν» -- εὰὶ ἴῃ ποἀϊο → ; παντοδαπῶν Β → παντοδαπῶν ; Υεμβ. ὅ. Εἰ ἐπ β᾽ ἢ} }μθπὶ Πυδίι οὐ Δη Δ] τη: ν 4. οὐ ρογβρί σα 51}, ΟἴΟΓυΠ ἃ 56 Δη ΔΙ 1 πὶ ἢ συ εἰ δε κι ὡς [μἰφιταηδ, εἰ ἰουὸς αἰ δογιι. → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.4 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.5PG 81
ε΄, Καὶ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ὡς ὁμοίωμα τεσσάρων ζώων. Ζῶον καλεῖται λογικὸν, καὶ ὁ ἄνθριυπος, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος" ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν λογικὸν θνητὸν, ὁ δὲ λογικὸν ἀθάνατον. Τίς δ᾽ ἂν δυνηθείη σαφῶς ἑρμηνεῦσαι τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν, αὐτοῦ τοῦ προφήτου περὶ τὴν διήγησιν ἀτονήσαντος; Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς ἔφη τέσσαρα τεθεᾶσθε: ζῶα, οὔτε μὴν ὁμοίωμα ζώων, ἀλλ᾽ «ε ὡς ὁμοίωμα τεσσάρων ζώων » ὡς εἶναι δῆλον, ὅτι οὐκ αὐτὰς ἐθεώρουν τῶν ἀοράτων τὰς φύσεις οἱ θεσπέτιο: προφῆται, ἀλλ᾽ εἰχάτματά τινα καὶ ἐκτυπώματα εἰς χρείαν ἑκάστην ὑπὸ τοῦ μεγαλοδώρου δεικνύμενα᾽ λέγει: τοίνυν ἡμῖν καὶ τῶν ὀφθέντων αὐτῷ ζώων τὰ σχήματα. Αὕτη γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ὅρασις αὐτῶν, ὁμοίωμα ἀγθρώπου ἐν" αὑτοῖς. (ς".) Καὶ τέσσαρα πρόσωπατῷ ἑγὶ, καὶ τέσσαρες πτέρυγες τῷ ἑνί. Καὶ" τὰ σχέη αὐτῶν» ὀρθὰ, καὶ πτερωτοὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν, καὶ "' αἱ πτέρυγες αὐτῶν. Καὶ χεὶρ ἀνθρώπου ὑποκάτωθεν τῶν πτερύγων αὑτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη αὑτῶν "". Τὸ μὲν οὖν εἶδος τῶν ὀφθέντων ὄρθιον εἶναί φηδ.»γ καὶ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐοικός " τετραπρόσωπον δὲ ἔκαστον, καὶ τετραπτέρυγον, ἰσαρίθμους δὲ ταῖς πτέρυξι καὶ χεῖρας ἔχειν ἔφη, πλήρεις δὲ πτερῶν καὶ τοὺς πόδας εἶναι. Παραδηλοῖ δὲ διὰ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τῶν τε προσώπων, καὶ τῶν πτερύγων, τῶν τὸ θεῖον σχῆμα φερουσῶν δυνάμεων, τοῦ παμέασιλέως Θεοῦ τὴν πάντοτε διήκουσαν ἐποψίαν. Τὸ δὲ ὑπόπτερον σημαίνει τῆς φύσεως αὐτῶν τὴν ὀξύτητα " οἱ δὲ τῷ λαμπροτάτῳ χαλκῷ ἐοικότες σπινθῆρες, τὴν φαιδρότῆτα καὶ τὴν τοῦ φρονήματος σημαίνουσι καθαρότῆτα᾽ αἱ δὲ ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας χεχρυμμέναι χεῖρες, τὴν ἀόρατον καὶ ποικίλην ἐνέργειαν. Τούτοις ἐπάγει" Κ. Οὐκ ἐπεστρέφοντο ἐν τῷ βαδίζειν αὐτὰ, ἕχαστον κατέγαγτι τοῦ προσώπου αὑτῶν ἐπορεύετο. “Ανθρωπὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ βόρειον μέρος ἐδεύων, εἶτα ἐθέλων ἐπὶ τὸ νότιον μεταδῆναι, ἀναγχκαίως ἐπιστρέφεται ἕν πρόσωπον ἔχειν Ἰαχών " οἷς 5 δὲ τὰ πρόσιυπα τῶν τεσσάρων τῆς οἰκουμένης κλιμάτων"" ἰσάριθμα, οὐκ ἔστι νότιον οὐδὲν, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ πρόσωπον πάντα ἐφορᾷ "', καὶ οὗ ἂν ἐθέλει βαδίζον, καὶ μεταθέσεως οὐ δεόμενον. ἡ. Καὶ" ὁμοίωσις, φησὶ, τῶν προσώπων αὖτῶν, πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου, καὶ πρόσωπον τος, ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῖς τέσσαρσι, καὶ πρόσωπον ἀετοῦ τοῖς τέσσαρσι, καὶ πρόσωπον μόσχου ἐξ ἀριστερῶν τοῖς τέσσαρσι" ταῦτα "" τὰ πρόσωπα αὑτῶν, ᾿Αλλὰ μηδεὶς οἰέσθω θηρίων καὶ ζώων ἀλόγων εἰκόνας ἔχειν τὰς ἀοράτους δυνάμει:" ἕτερα γὰρ διὰ τούτων αἰνίττεται " διὰ μὲν τοῦ «λέοντος, βϑασιλείαν; βασιλικὸν γὰρ τὸ ζῶον " διὰ δὲ τοῦ μόσχου, τὴν ἱερωσύνην " ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως εἷς προσεφέρετο μόσχος" διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἀετοῦ, τὴν προφητείαν " ὑψιπετὲς γὰρ τὸ ζῶον, καὶ λίαν ὀξυδερχές " τοιαύτη δὲ ἡ προφητεία, ὑψηλὴν ἔχουσα τὴν θεωρίαν, καὶ πόῤῥωθεν τὰ ἐσύόμενα προηρῶσα. Διδάσκει τοίνυν διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων, ὅτι πᾶσα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις, μετὰ τῶν οἰκείων ἣγε μόνων, τῷ παμδασιλεῖ τῶν ὅλων ὑπόχεικαι, καὶ ὅτι τοσούτοις χαρίσμασι τὸ ἀνθρώπινον "ἢ κατεκόσμησε γένος.
e΄, Kai en tǭ mesǭ hōs homoiōma tessarōn zōōn. Zōon kaleitai logikon, kai ho anthriypos, kai ho angelos" all᾽ ho men logikon thnēton, ho de logikon athanaton. Tis d᾽ an dynētheiē saphōs hermēneusai tēn apokalypsin, autou tou prophētou peri tēn diēgēsin atonēsantos? Ou gar haplōs ephē tessara tetheasthe: zōa, oute mēn homoiōma zōōn, all᾽ «e hōs homoiōma tessarōn zōōn » hōs einai dēlon, hoti ouk autas etheōroun tōn aoratōn tas physeis hoi thespetio: prophētai, all᾽ eichatmata tina kai ektypōmata eis chreian hekastēn hypo tou megalodōrou deiknymena᾽ legei: toinyn hēmin kai tōn ophthentōn autǭ zōōn ta schēmata. Hautē gar, phēsin, hē horasis autōn, homoiōma agthrōpou en" hautois. (s".) Kai tessara prosōpatǭ hegi, kai tessares pteryges tǭ heni. Kai" ta scheē autōn» ortha, kai pterōtoi hoi podes autōn, kai "' hai pteryges autōn. Kai cheir anthrōpou hypokatōthen tōn pterygōn hautōn epi ta tessara merē hautōn "". To men oun eidos tōn ophthentōn orthion einai phēd.»g kai anthrōpǭ eoikos " tetraprosōpon de ekaston, kai tetrapterygon, isarithmous de tais pteryxi kai cheiras echein ephē, plēreis de pterōn kai tous podas einai. Paradēloi de dia tou arithmou tōn te prosōpōn, kai tōn pterygōn, tōn to theion schēma pherousōn dynameōn, tou pameasileōs Theou tēn pantote diēkousan epopsian. To de hypopteron sēmainei tēs physeōs autōn tēn oxytēta " hoi de tǭ lamprotatǭ chalkǭ eoikotes spinthēres, tēn phaidrotēta kai tēn tou phronēmatos sēmainousi katharotēta᾽ hai de hypo tas pterygas chechrymmenai cheires, tēn aoraton kai poikilēn energeian. Toutois epagei" K. Ouk epestrephonto en tǭ badizein auta, hechaston kategagti tou prosōpou hautōn eporeueto. “Anthrōpos men gar epi to boreion meros edeuōn, eita ethelōn epi to notion metadēnai, ananchkaiōs epistrephetai hen prosōpon echein Iachōn " hois 5 de ta prosiypa tōn tessarōn tēs oikoumenēs klimatōn"" isarithma, ouk esti notion ouden, alla pantachou prosōpon panta ephorą "', kai hou an ethelei badizon, kai metatheseōs ou deomenon. hē. Kai" homoiōsis, phēsi, tōn prosōpōn autōn, prosōpon anthrōpou, kai prosōpon tos, ek dexiōn tois tessarsi, kai prosōpon aetou tois tessarsi, kai prosōpon moschou ex aristerōn tois tessarsi" tauta "" ta prosōpa hautōn, ᾿Alla mēdeis oiesthō thēriōn kai zōōn alogōn eikonas echein tas aoratous dynamei:" hetera gar dia toutōn ainittetai " dia men tou «leontos, bϑasileian? basilikon gar to zōon " dia de tou moschou, tēn hierōsynēn " hyper gar tou archiereōs heis prosephereto moschos" dia de tou aetou, tēn prophēteian " hypsipetes gar to zōon, kai lian oxyderches " toiautē de hē prophēteia, hypsēlēn echousa tēn theōrian, kai porrhōthen ta esyomena proērōsa. Didaskei toinyn dia tōn eirēmenōn, hoti pasa tōn anthrōpōn hē physis, meta tōn oikeiōn hēge monōn, tǭ pamdasilei tōn holōn hypocheikai, kai hoti tosoutois charismasi to anthrōpinon "ē katekosmēse genos.
"And in the midst as the likeness of four living creatures." Both a human being and an angel are called a rational living creature; but the one is rational and mortal, the other rational and immortal. Who could interpret the revelation clearly, when the prophet himself faltered in describing it? For he did not simply say that he had seen four living creatures, nor even the likeness of living creatures, but "as the likeness of four living creatures," so that it is plain that the inspired prophets did not see the very natures of invisible beings, but certain images and impressions shown by the bountiful Giver for each need. He tells us, then, also the shapes of the living creatures that appeared to him: "This," he says, "was their appearance: the likeness of a man in them. And each had four faces, and each had four wings. And their legs were straight, and their feet winged, and … their wings. And a man's hand under their wings on their four sides." The form of what he saw, then, he says was upright and resembling a man; each one four-faced and four-winged; he said they had hands equal in number to the wings, and that their feet too were full of feathers. By the number of the faces and wings of the powers that bear the divine form he indicates the oversight of God, the King of all, which reaches everywhere at all times. Their being winged signifies the swiftness of their nature; the sparks like most gleaming bronze signify the radiance and purity of their mind; and the hands hidden under the wings, their invisible and varied activity. To these he adds: "They did not turn as they went; each went straight before its face." For a man walking toward the north who then wishes to cross to the south must turn, since he has one face; but those whose faces are equal in number to the four regions of the world have no back; everywhere a face looks on everything, going wherever it will and needing no change of direction. "And the likeness of their faces," he says, "a man's face, and a lion's face on the right for the four, and an eagle's face for the four, and a calf's face on the left for the four: these were their faces." But let no one think that the invisible powers bear the images of wild beasts and irrational animals; for something else is hinted at through these: through the lion, kingship, for the animal is royal; through the calf, the priesthood, for a calf was offered for the high priest; through the eagle, prophecy, for the animal flies high and is very sharp-sighted, and such is prophecy, with its lofty contemplation, seeing future things from afar. Through what has been said, then, he teaches that the whole nature of human beings, together with its own rulers, is subject to the King of all, and that he has adorned the human race with so many gifts.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ezek 1:5–10 (quotation, high confidence) · Lev 4:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Lev 16:3 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:5–10 Theodoret stresses that the prophet saw only likenesses of the heavenly powers, and reads their faces, wings and hands as God's all-seeing oversight, and the lion, calf and eagle as kingship, priesthood and prophecy, all subject to God.
- Lemmas: Ezek 1:5–10. In 1:7 a few words are lost in the scan with Latin debris (marked …); the LXX has "and sparks like flashing bronze, and light were their wings," which Theodoret's comment presupposes. Migne's apparatus (giving the fuller wording of 1:8–9) is removed. The clause on the hands ("their invisible and varied activity. To these he adds:") was displaced by the OCR into the comment on the calf and is restored to its place by logged corrections. The calf offered for the high priest: Lev 4:3; 16:3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris; Latin debris (some Greek words are lost with it); Latin debris and Migne's apparatus; Latin debris, and a displaced line (moved to its place before the lemma of 1:9); line displaced by the OCR restored to its place; marginal letter and Latin debris): δἰ πη !οπι, οἱ ὑπυιμαιοάφαι → ; τ δοΐομ). Χχχι, νοὶ δὲ μέντοι, Π τοίνυν. δ5 τῶν --πανωλ. Β τὴν χαταληψομένην τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα πανωλεθρίαν. βοσύμμ,. Β ργέπι. ὁ. 51 Β μετενόησαν. δ᾽ καὶ --- αὐτῷ, ἰ)65. 1 δὺ ἐν Βοο. ἸρΟΙΪῸ ὁδὶ ἐπ΄. 59 καὶ πτερ. οἱ πόδες αὐτ. ἐξαστράπτων. 95. καὶ --- αὐτῶν. )68. ἴῃ Ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη αὐτῶν " καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ “πτέρυγες αὐτῆν τῶν τεσσάρων, Ἐχόμεναι ἑτέρα τῆς ἑτέρας, καὶ τὰ πρότωπα αὐτῶν οὐκ, χ. τ. δ. → ; Α (οὐἱἀοιη → ; τὴν αι ἀϊαὐὸ τὶ, οἷ! : τὴν ἀόρατον καὶ ποικίλην ἐνέργειαν. Τούτοις ἐπ» ἐθεϑεἀ οὐ ἐοἱ Υκκβ. 10. Εὶ εἰπε πο, ἰπ αν, [αεΐογιπι ιιἱὶ α Αἱ → τὴν ; χεῖρες, ἀγει → χεῖρες, τὴν ἀόρατον καὶ ποικίλην ἐνέργειαν. Τούτοις ἐπάγει; ὶ δδεογιοἴυπι ν᾽ → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.5 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.11PG 81
ια΄, Καὶ αἱ πτέρυγες", φησὶν, ἐχκτεταμέγαι τοῖς τέσσαρσιν, ἑκάστῳ" δύο συνεζευγμέναι πρὸς ἁλιήϊας, καὶ δύο ἐπεκάϊλυπτον ἐπάνω τοῦ σώματὸς αὐτῶν. Δηλοῖ δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὡς οὐδὲ ταῖς θείαις δυνάμεσι πάντα καταληπτὰ, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν δῆλα, τὰ δὲ χιχρυμμένα " καὶ ὅτι τοὺς κειμένους οὐκ ὑπερδαίνουσιν ὄρους " ἀλλὰ τὰς μὲν δύ πτέρυγας ἐχτείνουσι, τῇ δεδωρη μένῃ ἐντρυφῶντες θεωρίᾳ “ ταῖς δὲ δύο τὸ σῶμα συγχαλύπτουσι, στέργοντες τῶν κεκρυμμένων τὴν ἄγνοιαν, καὶ οὐ φιλονεικοῦντες μαθεῖν, ἃ μὴ θέμις μαθεῖν. β΄. Καὶ ἕκαστον ὃ κατὰ πρόσωπον αὑτῶν " ἐπορεύετο" οὗ ἂν ἦν τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπορεύοντο", καὶ οὐκ ἐπέστρεφον. Τὴν ἐν ἅπασιν εὐπείθειαν τῶν ἀοράτων δυνάμεων σημαίνει, καὶ ὅτι τὴν τεταγμένὴν ὁδὸν οὐ χατελέμπανον. Ταυτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεῖος Δαδὶδ διδάσκει, λέγων " « Εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Κύριον, πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ, δυνατοὶ ἰσχύϊ, ποιοῦντες τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς τῶν λόγων αὑτοῦ. » »":
ia΄, Kai hai pteryges", phēsin, echktetamegai tois tessarsin, hekastǭ" dyo synezeugmenai pros haliēïas, kai dyo epekaïlypton epanō tou sōmatos autōn. Dēloi de dia toutōn, hōs oude tais theiais dynamesi panta katalēpta, alla ta men dēla, ta de chichrymmena " kai hoti tous keimenous ouk hyperdainousin orous " alla tas men dy pterygas echteinousi, tę̄ dedōrē menę̄ entryphōntes theōrią “ tais de dyo to sōma synchalyptousi, stergontes tōn kekrymmenōn tēn agnoian, kai ou philoneikountes mathein, ha mē themis mathein. b΄. Kai hekaston ho kata prosōpon hautōn " eporeueto" hou an ēn to pneuma eporeuonto", kai ouk epestrephon. Tēn en hapasin eupeitheian tōn aoratōn dynameōn sēmainei, kai hoti tēn tetagmenēn hodon ou chatelempanon. Tauto de touto kai ho theios Dadid didaskei, legōn " « Eulogeite ton Kyrion, pantes hoi angeloi autou, dynatoi ischyï, poiountes ton logon autou, tou akousai tēs phōnēs tōn logōn hautou. » »":
"And their wings," he says, "were spread out for the four; each had two joined to one another, and two covered over their body." By this he shows that not everything is comprehensible even to the divine powers, but some things are plain and others hidden, and that they do not overstep the boundaries set for them: they spread two wings, delighting in the contemplation that has been granted them, and with two they cover the body, content not to know what is hidden and not striving to learn what it is not lawful to learn. "And each went straight before its face; wherever the spirit was [going], they went, and did not turn." He signifies the obedience of the invisible powers in all things, and that they did not leave the appointed road. The divine David teaches this same thing, saying: "Bless the Lord, all his angels, mighty in strength, who do his word, to hear the voice of his words."
Ezek 1:11–12 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 103:20 (102:20 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:11–12 Theodoret says that the angels' covering wings show that even they do not know everything and are content not to pry, and that their straight course shows their obedience to God.
- Lemmas: Ezek 1:11–12; Latin debris inside the second lemma is removed (a word, probably "to go," is lost). Ps 103:20 (LXX 102:20).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris and Migne's footnote references): Παποῖα σοπίοιη ρ] 815 Ιου 55 πιὸ ἀτ:πὸ «ἃ ἀν! εἰς δ᾽ τα αι σευ! ἃ γοίϑ ἰῃ γοίϑ. εκ. 17, 18. 1" ϑαμ!, δῖος ἃ → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.11 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.13PG 81
ιγ΄, ιδ΄, Καὶ" ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ζώων, ὡς 1 ὅρασις ἀνθράκων πυρὸς καιομένων, ὡς ὄψις λαμπάδων συστρεφομένων ἀγαμέσον τῶν ζώων, καὶ φέγγος τοῦ πυρὸς, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς ἐξεπορεύετο ἀστρα. πή. Καὶ" τὰ ζῶα ἔτρεχον, καὶ ἀγέκαμπτον, ὡς" εἶδος τοῦ βεζέκ. Τοῦτο δὲ ὁ Σύμμαχος ἡρμήνευσεν, «ὡς εἶδος ἀκτῖνος ἀστραπῆς. ») Φοδερὰ ἡ θεωρία, καὶ φρίκης μεστὴ, καὶ τιμωρίας ἀπειλὴν προσημαίνουσα" οἱ γὰρ τοῦ πυρὸς ἄνθρακες, καὶ αἱ συστρεφόμεναι λαμπάδες, καὶ ἡ ἐκεῖθεν ἀφιεμένη ἀστραπὴ, καὶ ὁ τῇδε κἀκεῖσε τῶν ζώων δρόμος, καὶ ἐκ τῶν δρόμων" ἐχπεμπομένη αἴγλη, τῶν ἐσομένων κακῶν ὑπάρχει δηλωτικά " ἐν γὰρ τιμωρίαις τοῦτο ᾽; καὶ ὁ μακάριος τάττει." Δαδὶδ, νῦν μὲν λέγων, «ε Χάλαζα καὶ ἄνθρακες πυρός» νῦν δὲ, ε Πεσοῦνται ἐπ᾽ αὑτοὺς ἄν. θρακες πυρός 132.» ἑτέρωθι δὲ, ε᾿Αστραπὰς ἐπλήθυνε, καὶ συνετάραξεν αὐτούς" »καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ, ε ᾿Αστραψον ἀστραπὴν σου 1", καὶ σχορπιεῖς αὑτούς " ἑξαπόστειλὺν τὰ βέλη σου, καὶ συνταράξεις αὐτούς. »
ig΄, id΄, Kai" en mesǭ tōn zōōn, hōs 1 horasis anthrakōn pyros kaiomenōn, hōs opsis lampadōn systrephomenōn agameson tōn zōōn, kai phengos tou pyros, kai ek tou pyros exeporeueto astra. pē. Kai" ta zōa etrechon, kai agekampton, hōs" eidos tou bezek. Touto de ho Symmachos hērmēneusen, «hōs eidos aktinos astrapēs. ») Phodera hē theōria, kai phrikēs mestē, kai timōrias apeilēn prosēmainousa" hoi gar tou pyros anthrakes, kai hai systrephomenai lampades, kai hē ekeithen aphiemenē astrapē, kai ho tę̄de kakeise tōn zōōn dromos, kai ek tōn dromōn" echpempomenē aiglē, tōn esomenōn kakōn hyparchei dēlōtika " en gar timōriais touto ᾽? kai ho makarios tattei." Dadid, nyn men legōn, «e Chalaza kai anthrakes pyros» nyn de, e Pesountai ep᾽ hautous an. thrakes pyros 132.» heterōthi de, e᾿Astrapas eplēthyne, kai synetaraxen autous" »kai allachou, e ᾿Astrapson astrapēn sou 1", kai schorpieis hautous " hexaposteilyn ta belē sou, kai syntaraxeis autous. »
"And in the midst of the living creatures, as the appearance of burning coals of fire, as the look of lamps turning about between the living creatures, and brightness of the fire, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned, as the appearance of the bezek." Symmachus rendered this "as the appearance of a flash of lightning." The vision is fearful and full of dread, and foretells a threat of punishment. For the coals of fire, the lamps turning about, the lightning sent forth from there, the running of the creatures this way and that, and the gleam sent out from their running, all indicate the evils to come. For the blessed David also ranks these among punishments, saying now, "Hail and coals of fire," now, "Coals of fire shall fall upon them," elsewhere, "He multiplied lightnings and threw them into confusion," and in another place, "Flash forth your lightning and you will scatter them; send out your arrows and you will throw them into confusion."
Ezek 1:13–14 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:12 (17:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 140:10 (139:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:14 (17:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 144:6 (143:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:13–14 Theodoret reads the coals, lamps and lightning among the living creatures as signs of coming punishment, citing the Psalms' use of the same images.
- Lemmas: Ezek 1:13–14; "bezek" is the LXX's transliteration of a Hebrew word. Psalms: 18:12 (LXX 17:13); 140:10 (LXX 139:11); 18:14 (LXX 17:15); 144:6 (LXX 143:6).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.13 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-13
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.15PG 81
ιε΄, τς΄. Καὶ εἶδον"5, καὶ ἰδοὺ τροχὸς εἷς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐχόμενος "" τῶν ζώων τοῖς τέσσαρσι. Καὶ τὸ εἶδος. τῶν τροχῶν, καὶ " ἡ ποίησις αὐτῶν, ὡς εἶδος Θαρσεῖς δ. Κατὰ δὲ τὸν Σύμμαχον, « ὡς ὅρασις ὑακίνθου. » --- ει Καὶ ὁμοίωμα ἐν "" τοῖς τέσσαρσι, καὶ 3 ἡ ὄρασις αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν ἕν. ν Ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ζώων ἕνα τροχὸν ἑπόμενον ἐθεώρει εἶδος ὑακίνθου ἔχοντα " οὐδε μίαν δὲ διαφορὰν ἔφη ἐν αὐτοῖς τεθεᾶσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀχριδῶς ἀλλήλοις ἐο:κέναι τοὺς τέσσαρας. Ἢ ὅρασις γὰρ αὐτῶν, φησὶ, καὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν ἕν, καθὼς ἂν εἴη τροχὸς ἐν τροχῷ.
ie΄, ts΄. Kai eidon"5, kai idou trochos heis epi tēs gēs echomenos "" tōn zōōn tois tessarsi. Kai to eidos. tōn trochōn, kai " hē poiēsis autōn, hōs eidos Tharseis d. Kata de ton Symmachon, « hōs horasis hyakinthou. » --- ei Kai homoiōma en "" tois tessarsi, kai 3 hē orasis autōn, kai to ergon autōn hen. n En hekastǭ tōn zōōn hena trochon hepomenon etheōrei eidos hyakinthou echonta " oude mian de diaphoran ephē en autois tetheasthai, all᾽ achridōs allēlois eo:kenai tous tessaras. Ē horasis gar autōn, phēsi, kai to ergon autōn hen, kathōs an eiē trochos en trochǭ.
"And I saw, and behold, one wheel on the ground beside the four living creatures. And the appearance of the wheels and their workmanship was as the appearance of Tharsis"; according to Symmachus, "as the appearance of hyacinth." "And there was one likeness for the four, and their appearance and their work was one." Beside each of the living creatures he saw one wheel following, with the appearance of hyacinth; and he said he saw no difference among them, but the four were exactly alike. "For their appearance," he says, "and their work was one, as if a wheel were within a wheel."
Ezek 1:15–16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:15–16 Theodoret explains that a wheel the colour of hyacinth accompanied each living creature and that the four wheels were exactly alike.
- Lemmas: Ezek 1:15–16. "Tharsis" is the LXX's transliteration of the name of a precious stone; Symmachus has "hyacinth."
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.15 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-15
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.17PG 81
ιζ΄, τη, Ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη αὑτῶν ἑπορεύοντο, καὶ οὐκ ἐπέστρεφον ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὖτοὺς ", οὐδὲ "" οἱ γῶτοι αὐτῶν. Καὶ ὕψος ἣν αὖτοῖς, καὶ φοδεροὶ ἦσαν "". “Ὥσπερ τὰ ζῶα τετραπρόσωπα λέγει, τὴν πάντοσε διήκουσαν ἐποψίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τούτων τοῦ λόγου παραδηλοῦντος " οὕτως καὶ Ὦ τῶν τροχῶν ἑρμηνεύει τὸ εἶδος, ὡς ἂν εἴη, φησὶ, τροχὸς ἐν τροχῷ " τοῦτο δ᾽ ἄν τις κατιδεῖν δυνηθείη, δύο κύκλους τῷ λόγῳ παραλαδὼν, καὶ τὸν ἕτερον τῷ ἑτέρῳ σταυροειδῶς ἐνείρας " τὸ γὰρ τοιοῦτον σχῆμα, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς κείμενον ἕδρας, τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη κίνησιν ἐπιδέχεται, ἑῷον, φημὶ, καὶ τὸ ἑσπέριον, τό τε βόρειφν καὶ τὸ νότιον. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ὁ μακάριος προφήτης φησὶ, Καθὼς ἂν εἴη τροχὸς ἐν τροχῷ, ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη αὐτῶν ἐπορεύοντο, καὶ οὐκ ἐπέστρεφον ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτούς" τὸ γὰρ ποιοῦτον σχῆμα οὐ δεῖται μεταστροφῆς " εἰς ἔκαστον γὰρ τῶν κλιμάτων ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς ἕδρα: κινούμενον ἐᾳδίως ὁρμᾷ. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὡσαύτως τὴν πανταχοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ παρουσίαν σημαίνει, παχύτερον καὶ σωματικώτερον διὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν τούτων θεωρηϑέντων " «Καὶ ἴδον αὐτοὺς "", καὶ ἰδοὺ οἱ νῶτοι αὐτῶν πλήρεις ὀφθαλμῶν κυκλόθεν τοῖς τέσσαρσι. » ιθ’-κα΄. Καὶ ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι τὰ ζῶα, ἐπορεύοντο οἱ τροχοὶ ἐχόμενοι αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐξαίρειν' τὰ ζῶα ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἑξήροντο οἱ τροχοί. Οὗ ἂν ἦν ἡ νεφέλη, ἐκεῖ ὥρμα" τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ πορεύεσθαι" ἐπορεύοντο τὰ "ὁ ζῶα, καὶ οἱ τρυχοὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς, διότι πγεῦμα ζωῆς ἦν ἐν τοῖς τροχοῖς. Ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτὰ ἐπορεύοντο, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἑστάναι αὑτὰ εἱστήκεισαν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐξαίρειν αὐτὰ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐξήροντο σὺν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι πνεῦμα ζωῆς ἦν ἐν τοῖς τροχοῖς. Τοῦτο σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ὁ μακάριος διδάσκει Παῦλος, τῶν ἀοράτων φύσεων καταλέγων τὰ τάγματα καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις δυνάμεσι καὶ Θρόγους τινὰς συγχατατάττων ". « Ἐ"» αὐτῷ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα - τουτέστι, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ " εἴτε ᾽" ὁρατὰ, εἴτε ἀόρατα, εἴτε Θρόνοι, ς εἴτε Ἕξουσίαι, εἴτε Γλγγελοι, εἴτε Δυνάμεις" πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται. » Οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ Θρόγοι λογικόν ἐστι καὶ ἀσώματον σύστημα " διὸ καὶ ὁ προφήτης λέγει, ὅτι πνεῦμα ζωῆς ἦν ἐν τοῖς τροχοῖς, ὅθεν καὶ αὐτόματος ἣν κίνησις", καὶ ἐθελούσιος " οὔτε γὰρ ῥυμός τις καὶ ζυγὺς τοῖς ζώοις ἐπέκειτο " ἀλλ᾽ ἡγεῖτο μὲν ἡ νεφέλη, τὸ δὲ βίαιον ἐκεῖνο καὶ σφοδρὸν ἠκολούθει πνεῦμα. Τὸ θεῖον ὄχημα αὐτόματον ἔθει, τῶν μὲν ζώων προηγουμένων, τῶν δὲ τροχῶν αὐτομάτως κινουμένων, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη ἀμεταστρεπτὶ φερομένων. Οἱ γὰρ νῶτοι αὐτῶν, φησὶ, πλήρεις ὑπῆρχον ὀφθαλμῶν, τουτέστι, γνώσεως ἧσαν ἀνάπλεοι “ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν Χερουδὶμ ἑρμηνεία δηλοῖ" εἰς γὰρ τὴν Ἑλλάδα φωνὴν μεταφερόμενον πλῆθος γνώσεως ἑρμηνεύει τὸ ὄνομα. κβ΄-κε΄, Καὶ ὁμοίωμα, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς αὖτῶν τῶν ζώων ὡσεὶ στερέωμα, ὡς ὄρασις κρυαὐτῶν ὑπεράγωθεν. Καὶ ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώματος αἱ πτέρυγες αὐτῶν ἐκχτεταμέγαι, - σόμεγαι δ ἑκατέρα 3 πρὸς τὴν ἑκατέραν " ἑκάστῳ δύο ἐπικαιύπτουσαι τὰ σώματα αὑτῶν. Καὶ ἤκουον τὴν φωνὴν τῶν πτερύγων αὑτῶν ἐν" τῷ πτερύσσεσθαι αὐτὰ, ὡς φωνὴν ὑδάτων" ποὶ- «Ἰῶν, ὡς φωνὴν Θεοῦ Σαδιειῖ33" καὶ ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτὰ, φωνὴν τοῦ «1όγου, ὡς φωνὴν παρεμδο.ῆς, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἑστάναι αὐτὰ κατέπαυον αἱ πτέρυγες αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ φωγὴ ὑπεράνωθεν τοῦ στερεώματος τοῦ ὄντος "" ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς αὐτῶν" ἐν τῷ ἑστάναι αὐτὰ ἀνγίεγτο"" αἱ πτέρυγες αὐτῶν. Πανταχοῦ ὁ θεῖος προφήτης τὸ ὁμοίωμα τίθησι, διδάσκων ἡμᾶς: σχιαγραφίον τινὰ τῶν θείων τεθεᾶσθαι, καὶ οὐκ αὐτὴν τῶν ἀοράτων τὴν φύσιν " εἰρηκὼς γὰρ ἄνω τεθεωργηχέναι διανοιχθέντας τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, νῦν ἐπάνω τῶν ζώων ὡς ὁμοίωμα στερεώματος θεωρεῖ, καὶ τὰ ζῶα ὑποκείμενα, καὶ κινοῦντα τὰς πτέρυγας, οὐκ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἄνωθεν φεροιϊκένην φωνῆν" ἐκείνῃ γὰρ πειθόμενα "᾽, καὶ ἐκίνουν ταύτας, καὶ πάλιν ἀκινήτους ἐφύλαττον. Διδάσκει δὲ ἡ μᾶς καὶ τὸ» ἐκεῖθεν φερόμενον κτύπον, νῦν μὲν πλήθει ὑδάτων ἀπειχάξων, νῦν δὲ φωνῇ παρεμθολῆς καὶ τὸ τελευἐπήγαγεν, ὡς φωνὴν «Θεοῦ Σαδαῖ,» ὅπερ ᾿Ακύλας καὶ Σύμμαχος ἱκαγοῦ" ἡρμήνευσαν. Τί γὰρ, φησὶ, κάμνω ζητῶν εἰκόνας τοῦ πράγματος ἀξίας, καὶ μηδαμῶς εὑρίσκων; ᾿Αρχεῖ δεῖξαι τὸν ἐνεργοῦντα, καὶ δι᾽ ἐχείνου παραδηλῶσαι τοῦ κτύπου τὸ μέγεθος “ ἱκανὸς γὰρ ὧν καὶ δύναμος ποιεῖ πάντα ῥᾳδίως, ὡς βούλεται.
iz΄, tē, Epi ta tessara merē hautōn heporeuonto, kai ouk epestrephon en tǭ poreuesthai autous ", oude "" hoi gōtoi autōn. Kai hypsos hēn autois, kai phoderoi ēsan "". “Hōsper ta zōa tetraprosōpa legei, tēn pantose diēkousan epopsian tou Theou dia toutōn tou logou paradēlountos " houtōs kai Ō tōn trochōn hermēneuei to eidos, hōs an eiē, phēsi, trochos en trochǭ " touto d᾽ an tis katidein dynētheiē, dyo kyklous tǭ logǭ paraladōn, kai ton heteron tǭ heterǭ stauroeidōs eneiras " to gar toiouton schēma, kai epi tēs autēs keimenon hedras, tēn epi ta tessara merē kinēsin epidechetai, heǭon, phēmi, kai to hesperion, to te boreiphn kai to notion. Touto toinyn ho makarios prophētēs phēsi, Kathōs an eiē trochos en trochǭ, epi ta tessara merē autōn eporeuonto, kai ouk epestrephon en tǭ poreuesthai autous" to gar poiouton schēma ou deitai metastrophēs " eis ekaston gar tōn klimatōn apo tēs autēs hedra: kinoumenon eądiōs hormą. Kai touto de hōsautōs tēn pantachou tou Theou parousian sēmainei, pachyteron kai sōmatikōteron dia tēn anthrōpinēn astheneian toutōn theōrēϑentōn " «Kai idon autous "", kai idou hoi nōtoi autōn plēreis ophthalmōn kyklothen tois tessarsi. » ith’-ka΄. Kai en tǭ poreuesthai ta zōa, eporeuonto hoi trochoi echomenoi autōn, kai en tǭ exairein' ta zōa apo tēs gēs, hexēronto hoi trochoi. Hou an ēn hē nephelē, ekei hōrma" to pneuma tou poreuesthai" eporeuonto ta "ho zōa, kai hoi trychoi syn autois, dioti pgeuma zōēs ēn en tois trochois. En tǭ poreuesthai auta eporeuonto, kai en tǭ hestanai hauta heistēkeisan, kai en tǭ exairein auta apo tēs gēs exēronto syn autois, hoti pneuma zōēs ēn en tois trochois. Touto saphōs hēmas ho makarios didaskei Paulos, tōn aoratōn physeōn katalegōn ta tagmata kai tais allais dynamesi kai Throgous tinas synchatatattōn ". « E"» autǭ gar, phēsin, ektisthē ta panta - toutesti, en tǭ Christǭ " eite ᾽" horata, eite aorata, eite Thronoi, s eite Hexousiai, eite Glngeloi, eite Dynameis" panta en autǭ kai eis auton ektistai. » Oukoun kai hoi Throgoi logikon esti kai asōmaton systēma " dio kai ho prophētēs legei, hoti pneuma zōēs ēn en tois trochois, hothen kai automatos hēn kinēsis", kai ethelousios " oute gar rhymos tis kai zygys tois zōois epekeito " all᾽ hēgeito men hē nephelē, to de biaion ekeino kai sphodron ēkolouthei pneuma. To theion ochēma automaton ethei, tōn men zōōn proēgoumenōn, tōn de trochōn automatōs kinoumenōn, kai epi ta tessara merē ametastrepti pheromenōn. Hoi gar nōtoi autōn, phēsi, plēreis hypērchon ophthalmōn, toutesti, gnōseōs hēsan anapleoi “ touto de kai hē tōn Cheroudim hermēneia dēloi" eis gar tēn Hellada phōnēn metapheromenon plēthos gnōseōs hermēneuei to onoma. kb΄-ke΄, Kai homoiōma, phēsin, hyper kephalēs autōn tōn zōōn hōsei stereōma, hōs orasis kryautōn hyperagōthen. Kai hypokatō tou stereōmatos hai pteryges autōn ekchtetamegai, - somegai d hekatera 3 pros tēn hekateran " hekastǭ dyo epikaiyptousai ta sōmata hautōn. Kai ēkouon tēn phōnēn tōn pterygōn hautōn en" tǭ pteryssesthai auta, hōs phōnēn hydatōn" poi- «Iōn, hōs phōnēn Theou Sadieii33" kai en tǭ poreuesthai auta, phōnēn tou «1ogou, hōs phōnēn paremdo.ēs, kai en tǭ hestanai auta katepauon hai pteryges autōn. Kai idou phōgē hyperanōthen tou stereōmatos tou ontos "" hyper kephalēs autōn" en tǭ hestanai auta angiegto"" hai pteryges autōn. Pantachou ho theios prophētēs to homoiōma tithēsi, didaskōn hēmas: schiagraphion tina tōn theiōn tetheasthai, kai ouk autēn tōn aoratōn tēn physin " eirēkōs gar anō tetheōrgēchenai dianoichthentas tous ouranous, nyn epanō tōn zōōn hōs homoiōma stereōmatos theōrei, kai ta zōa hypokeimena, kai kinounta tas pterygas, ouk haplōs, alla pros tēn anōthen pheroiïkenēn phōnēn" ekeinę̄ gar peithomena "᾽, kai ekinoun tautas, kai palin akinētous ephylatton. Didaskei de hē mas kai to» ekeithen pheromenon ktypon, nyn men plēthei hydatōn apeichaxōn, nyn de phōnę̄ paremtholēs kai to teleuepēgagen, hōs phōnēn «Theou Sadai,» hoper ᾿Akylas kai Symmachos hikagou" hērmēneusan. Ti gar, phēsi, kamnō zētōn eikonas tou pragmatos axias, kai mēdamōs heuriskōn? ᾿Archei deixai ton energounta, kai di᾽ echeinou paradēlōsai tou ktypou to megethos “ hikanos gar hōn kai dynamos poiei panta rhądiōs, hōs bouletai.
"They went on their four sides, and did not turn as they went, nor did their backs. And they had height, and they were fearful." Just as he says the living creatures were four-faced, the word indicating through them God's oversight, which reaches everywhere, so he also explains the form of the wheels: "as if a wheel were within a wheel." One could picture this by taking two circles in thought and setting one into the other crosswise; for such a figure, while resting on the same base, admits of movement toward the four sides, east, I mean, and west, north and south. This, then, is what the blessed prophet says: "As if a wheel were within a wheel, they went on their four sides and did not turn as they went"; for such a figure needs no turning, since, moving from the same base, it sets off easily toward each of the regions. And this likewise signifies the presence of God everywhere, these things being seen in a grosser and more bodily way because of human weakness. "And I saw them, and behold, their backs were full of eyes all around for the four." "And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them, and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the cloud was, there the spirit set out to go; the living creatures went, and the wheels with them, because a spirit of life was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, these rose with them, because a spirit of life was in the wheels." The blessed Paul teaches us this clearly when he lists the orders of the invisible natures and ranks certain Thrones together with the other powers. "For in him," he says, that is, in Christ, "all things were created, whether visible or invisible, whether Thrones or Authorities or Angels or Powers: all things were created in him and for him." The Thrones, then, are also a rational and incorporeal company; and therefore the prophet says that a spirit of life was in the wheels, which is why their movement was self-moved and voluntary. No pole or yoke was laid on the living creatures; the cloud led, and that forceful and violent spirit followed. The divine chariot ran of its own accord, the living creatures going ahead and the wheels moving of themselves, carried toward the four sides without turning. For their backs, he says, were full of eyes, that is, they were filled with knowledge; and the meaning of "cherubim" shows this as well, for when the name is rendered into the Greek tongue it means "fullness of knowledge." "And a likeness," he says, "over the heads of the living creatures, as a firmament, as the appearance of crystal … over them above. And under the firmament their wings were spread out, [reaching] each toward the other; each had two covering their bodies. And I heard the sound of their wings as they flew, as the sound of much water, as the voice of God Saddai; and as they went, the sound of a word, as the sound of an army camp; and when they stood, their wings were at rest. And behold, a voice from above the firmament that was over their heads; when they stood, their wings were let down." Everywhere the divine prophet puts "likeness," teaching us that he saw a kind of outline sketch of the divine things and not the very nature of the invisible beings. Having said above that he saw the heavens opened, he now sees above the living creatures as it were the likeness of a firmament, and the living creatures beneath it, moving their wings, not at random, but in response to the voice borne from above; for, obeying it, they both moved them and again kept them still. He also tells us of the din that came from there, likening it now to a multitude of waters, now to the noise of an army camp; and last of all he added, "as the voice of God Saddai," which Aquila and Symmachus rendered "the Sufficient." For why, he means, do I toil seeking images worthy of the thing and never finding them? It is enough to point to the one who acts, and through him to indicate the greatness of the din; for, being sufficient and powerful, he does all things easily, as he wills.
Ezek 1:17–25 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 1:16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:17–25 Theodoret explains the 'wheel within a wheel' as a figure that moves in all four directions without turning, signifying God's presence everywhere; identifies the wheels with Paul's 'Thrones'; and reads the cherubim's eyes as fullness of knowledge.
- Lemmas: Ezek 1:17–18, 19–21, 22–25. In 1:22 the scan has lost words ("crystal, spread out over their wings"; marked …). Long Latin debris in the lemmas of 1:23–24 is removed by logged corrections. Paul: Col 1:16 (Theodoret's order and wording). "Cherubim" = "fullness of knowledge" is a traditional Greek etymology (e.g. Philo, Mos. 2.97). "Saddai" is the LXX transliteration of Shaddai; Aquila and Symmachus rendered it ἱκανός, "the Sufficient."
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris from Migne's facing column; Latin debris inside a word; marginal letter and Latin debris; marginal letters; stray footnote number): τῷ α θ. → τῷ ; Α ἤηφαι, ΔἰἜΥαπιηδα ἰα → ; τϑι. ἴῃ ἃς Δ υΪαθαηΐ, οἱ ποῦ γουθυίυδηίυ οὐ Δ θυ] Γοπὶ βοὴ ἐμ Ϊδὲ τοῖα. ἐπὶ εἰ ἐδ, φιῖΐα ερὶ τίς υἱα ογαὶ ἱπ γοίΐβ. ρου ποῦ θα, βἶνο ἰῃν βιὰ, οἱ ἴῃ γί υἷα ἰμ οἱ ἴῃ αι ἰπαδρθοίιια οὐψβίαἰἰΐ (οττὶ δ 15, δα ἐπὶ γῆι ἀθϑιρογ. Εἰ δῦ βτγπιαπιθπίο αἰα ἵρδοτιιηι ἐσ ἀπάται Δ → ; ἤκουτου ἀν! πάτα πὶ οὔ σ᾽ πὶ 86 σΟηΞροχίββθ, πη Δηϊπγα]α (τα 8] 5 πα ο πὶ (ἰγιδμθ πεῖ σοπίθιη-. τἴὰ οἱ 685 Ἰῃηουθθδηΐ, οἱ [γα Γ, δι οἰ οη 8. ἢ 5 εἰμὶ ο ἀϊαπι οἱ ἰμν 51 016 πὶ αἰ να πὶ ἰπα ἶσαὶ [ὉΠ] πὶ δύ πὶ ἃ, ν σα «υώ Ῥογοίριε (γαοίαπι: αὐ πο δνθηίζαγιπιὶ οἱ οχ βι πΠ πά τ πὶ οδί, 41} οοπίγα ἀϊνί τι π οἱ ἢ σα → ἤκουον ; ὡς 8. → ὡς .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.17 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-17
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.26PG 81
κς΄. Καὶ ὑπεράνω, φησὶ, τοῦ στερεώματος τοῦ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς αὐτῶν, ὡς ὅρασις ἀἰθου ῥου, ὁμοίωμα θρόνου ἐπ' αὐτῷ. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τὸ εἶδος, τὸ βαθὺ καὶ ἀόρατον τῆς θείας αἰνίττεται φύσεως. « Νεφέλη γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ γνόφος κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ.» Καὶ πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς πρυφήτης, « Ἔθετο, φησὶ, σκότος ἀποκρυφὴν αὑτοῦ. ν Τὸ δὲ σκότος, καὶ ἡ νεφέλη, καὶ ὁ γνόφος, τῆς θείας ἀορασίας ὑπάρχε! δηλωτικά ᾿ τὸ γὰρ ἄκρατον ἐκεῖνο καὶ ἀπρότιτον φῶς; ἡμῖν ἐστι σκότος, ἐνατενίζειν "δ οὐ δυναμένοις διὰ τὴν τῆς φύσεως ἀσθένειαν. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦ ἡλίου τὸν δίσκον τις ἀχριθῶς ἰδεῖν ἐθελήσας, ἐρείσειεν ἐκεῖ τὸ ὅμμα πλέον ἣ δεῖ, καὶ τὴν μετρίαν ἀπόλλυσι θεωρίαν, καὶ δρέπεται σκότος ἀπὸ φωτὸς, τί οὐκ ἄν τις πάθο: τοῦ θείου, καὶ ἀπροσίτου χατατολμήσας φωτός; Καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὁμοιώματος, φησὶ, τοῦ θρόνου, ὁμοίωμα ὡς εἶδος ἀνθρώπου ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ " ἐπάνωθεν. (κζ΄, χη.) Καὶ ἴδον ὡς ὅρασιν" ἠλέκτρου, ὡς "5 ὅρασιν πυρὸς ἔσωθεν αὑτοῦ κύκχιϊῳ, ἀπὸ ὁρώσδως ὀσφύος, καὶ ἕως " ἐπάνω" καὶ ἴδον, καὶ ἀπὸ ὁὀὁράσεως ὀσφύος, καὶ ἕως κάτω " εἶδον " ὡς ὅρασιν πυρὸς, καὶ τὸ φέγγος αὐτοῦ χύχιῳ. Ὡς ὅρασις τόξου, ὅτ᾽ ἂν δ ἦ ἐν τῇ νερέλῃ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὑετοῦ, οὕτως ἡ ὄρασιες δ᾽ τοῦ φέγγους κυκλόϑεν. Ἰχνταχοῦ καὶ τὸ ὁμοίωμα, καὶ τὸ ὡς προστίθησι, διδάσκων ἡμᾶς μὴ μέχρι τούτου ἑστάναι, ἀλλ᾽ εἰδέναι ὡς τῶν ὀπτάτεων ἐκάστη πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἁρμόζεται. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ πατριάρχῃ ᾽᾿λόραὰμ, ὡς ἄνθρωπο; ἐπεφάνη τῶν ὅλων ὁ Δεσπότης, καὶ οὐδὲν αὑτῷ φοδερὸν ἔδειξεν, ἀγαθὰς μέλλων παρέχειν ἐπαγγελίας, καὶ αὐτῷ, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ πάσῃ τῇ οἶκουμένῃ. Ἦ γὰρ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ ὑπόσχεσις, καὶ τὴν κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περιέχει γέννησιν " διὸ καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐλογία τῇ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ ἐπαγγελίᾳ συνήφθη. ε Ἐν τῷ σπέρματι γάρ σου, φησὶν, εὐλογηθήσεται πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς.» Ἡνίχα δὲ αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ γένους δουλείαν προύλεγεν, οὐκ οὕτω χρηπτὸς ἐπεφάνη, ἀλλὰ καὶ χλίῥανον ἔδειξε καπνιζόμενον, καὶ λαμπάδας πυρὸς ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐπεφάνη. Τῷ δὲ Μωσῇ " κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς μὲν ἔδειξε τὰ φρικώδη, τὸ πῦρ ἐν" τῇ βάτῳ, καὶ τὴν βάτον καιομένην, καὶ μὴ καταχαιομένην " μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἡμέρως προσδιαλέγεται, οὐδὲν ὑποδεικνὺς τῶν φρίκην ἐμποιεῖν δυναμένων. Καὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ δὲ φοδῆσαι θελήσας, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν δύναμιν γνωρίσαι, τὸ ὄρος ἅπαν ὑποδείκνυσι καπνιζόμενον, καὶ βροντὰς χτυπούσας, καὶ σάλπιγγας ἠκούσας, καὶ γνόφον πολὺν, καὶ ἀπαξαπλῶς οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἐξεδειμάτωσεν, ὡς ἱκετείαν τῷ προφήτῃ προσενεγκεῖν, μὴ τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῖς προσδιαλέγεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸν τὰ θεῖα διαπορἐμεύειν. Ταύτην τῶν ὀπτασιῶν τὴν διαφορὰν καὶ τῷ μεγάλῳ ἩἩλίᾳ ὑπέδειξε πρῶτον μὲν συσσεισμὸν, εἶτα πῦρν εἶτα πνεῦμα συντρίθδον ὄρη, καὶ λεπτύνον πέτρης, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πνοὴν αὔρας λεπτῆς, καὶ ἐν αἰτῇ Κύριον καίρει γὰρ αὐτὸς ἀγαθότητι, καὶ μακροθύμως καὶ ἠπίως βούλεται τὰ κατὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώποὺς οἰκονομεῖν " ἡ δὲ πολλὴ ἀσέδεια καὶ παρανομία εὖχ ἔφη εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ αὔρᾳ τῇ λεπτῇ " ἐπειδὴ οὐ τῆς αὐτοῦ γνώμης, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρείας ἐκεῖνα - ἀγαθότης δὲ καὶ φιλανθρωπία τῆς αὐτοῦ φύσεως ἴδια. Ὅταν τοίνυν διαφόρους ὀπτασίας ἀκούσῃς θεοῦ, μὴ πολύμορφον ὑπολάδῃς τὸ Θεῖον " ἀσώμᾶτον γὰρ καὶ ἀνείδεον παντελῶς, ἁπλοῦν τε καὶ ἀσύνθετον, καὶ ἀσχημάτιστον, ἀόρατόν τε καὶ ἀθέατον, καὶ οὐδενὶ περιγραφόμενον ὅρῳ " δείκνυσι ὃὲ τὰς ὄψεις, πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ταύτας ἀνατυπῶν " καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν ἔδειξε μὲν ἐκεῖνα τὰ φοδερά' ἔδειξε δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐσομένην πάντων ἀνθρώπων εὐεργεσίαν͵ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φημι καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἔνσαρκον οἰχονομέαν. Διὰ τοῦτο τὸ μὲν εἶδος ἀνθρώπινον λέγει, τὰς δὲ φύσεις δύο" τὴν μὲν ἢλέκτρου, τὴν δὲ πυρὸς, καὶ τὴν μὲν φέρουσαν, τὴν δὲ φερομένην ἡ θεία φύσις τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν περιέκειτο " διὸ τὸ μὲν ἄνω λέγει τεθεᾶσθαι ὡς εἶδος ἡλέκτρου " τὸ δὲ ἀπ᾿ ὀσφύος καὶ κάτω, ὡς εἶδος πυρός " τοῦ μὲν πυρὸς πῦρ χαταναλέσχον ν)" τοῦ δὲ ἢλέκτρου τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν, Τοιοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ἤλεκτρον, οἱονεὶ μικτὸν τὸ εἶδος ἔχον, καὶ οὔτε χρυσῷ οὔτε ἀργύρῳ παρεοιχὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ὥστε ὁπ ἐκατέρου κρᾶμα τυγχάνον. Τοιοῦτο δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀνθρώὅδ σῶμα " οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐστὶ γῆ, οὐδὲ ὕδωρ αὐτὸ χαϑ' αὐτὸ, οὔτε πῦρ, οὔτε ἀὴρ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων συγχέχραται " μᾶλλον δὲ τοιαύτη τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἡ φύσις "6, οὔτε ψυχὴ λογικὴ μόνον, οὔτε σῶμα θνητὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφότερα κατ᾽ αὐτόν", δὰ τοῦτο ὁ προφήτης ὁρᾷ ἀπὸ ὀσφύος καὶ ἄνω, ὡς εἶδος ἤλέκτρου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ὅρασιν πυρὸς ἔσωθεν αὐτῷ φαιδρὸν, καὶ λαμπρὸν, καὶ ἔνδοξον, ἀθάνατόν τε καὶ ἄφθαρτον ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνοικούσης ἐγένετο φύσεως" δ ἁρμοδίως ἔφη" ε Καὶ ἴδον ὡς ὅρασιν ἡλέκτρου, ὅρασιν πυρὸς ἔσωθεν αὐτοῦ κύκλῳ,, ἀπὸ ὁράσεως ὀσφύος, καὶ ἕως κάτω", ὡς " ὅρασιν "' πυρός.» Ἡ γὰρ θεία φύσις τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἔφερεν. « Καὶ τὸ φέγγος αὐτοῦ κύκλῳ. Ὡς ὄρασις τόξου, ὅταν ἢ ἐντῇ νεφέλῃ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὑετοῦ, οὕτως ἡ ὄρασις τοῦ φέγγω, “ κυκλόθεν, » Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τῶν θείων δωρεῶν ὑπάρχει σημαντικά" δίκην γὰρ αἴγλης ἐκεῖθεν ἐξιοῦται τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. εὐεργετοῦσι γένος, τὸν ἐκεῖθεν τε καὶ ἐπιφέρουσαι. Οὕτως ἅπαντα διηγησάμενος ὁ προφήτης ἐπήγαγεν" οἷς είὰ
ks΄. Kai hyperanō, phēsi, tou stereōmatos tou hyper kephalēs autōn, hōs horasis aithou rhou, homoiōma thronou ep' autǭ. Kai touto de to eidos, to bathy kai aoraton tēs theias ainittetai physeōs. « Nephelē gar, phēsi, kai gnophos kyklǭ autou.» Kai palin ho autos pryphētēs, « Etheto, phēsi, skotos apokryphēn hautou. n To de skotos, kai hē nephelē, kai ho gnophos, tēs theias aorasias hyparche! dēlōtika ᾿ to gar akraton ekeino kai aprotiton phōs? hēmin esti skotos, enatenizein "d ou dynamenois dia tēn tēs physeōs astheneian. Ei gar tou hēliou ton diskon tis achrithōs idein ethelēsas, ereiseien ekei to homma pleon hē dei, kai tēn metrian apollysi theōrian, kai drepetai skotos apo phōtos, ti ouk an tis patho: tou theiou, kai aprositou chatatolmēsas phōtos? Kai epi tou homoiōmatos, phēsi, tou thronou, homoiōma hōs eidos anthrōpou ep᾽ autou " epanōthen. (kz΄, chē.) Kai idon hōs horasin" ēlektrou, hōs "5 horasin pyros esōthen hautou kykchiïǭ, apo horōsdōs osphyos, kai heōs " epanō" kai idon, kai apo hoooraseōs osphyos, kai heōs katō " eidon " hōs horasin pyros, kai to phengos autou chychiǭ. Hōs horasis toxou, hot᾽ an d ē en tę̄ nerelę̄ en hēmerą hyetou, houtōs hē orasies d᾽ tou phengous kykloϑen. Ichntachou kai to homoiōma, kai to hōs prostithēsi, didaskōn hēmas mē mechri toutou hestanai, all᾽ eidenai hōs tōn optateōn ekastē pros tēn chreian harmozetai. Tǭ men gar patriarchę̄ ᾽᾿loraam, hōs anthrōpo? epephanē tōn holōn ho Despotēs, kai ouden hautǭ phoderon edeixen, agathas mellōn parechein epangelias, kai autǭ, kai di᾽ autou pasę̄ tę̄ oikoumenę̄. Ē gar tou Isaak hyposchesis, kai tēn kata sarka tou Kyriou hēmōn kai Sōtēros Iēsou Christou periechei gennēsin " dio kai hē tōn ethnōn eulogia tę̄ tou Isaak epangelią synēphthē. e En tǭ spermati gar sou, phēsin, eulogēthēsetai panta ta ethnē tēs gēs.» Hēnicha de autǭ tēn tou genous douleian proulegen, ouk houtō chrēptos epephanē, alla kai chlirhanon edeixe kapnizomenon, kai lampadas pyros hōs anthrōpos epephanē. Tǭ de Mōsę̄ " kat᾽ archas men edeixe ta phrikōdē, to pyr en" tę̄ batǭ, kai tēn baton kaiomenēn, kai mē katachaiomenēn " meta de tauta hēmerōs prosdialegetai, ouden hypodeiknys tōn phrikēn empoiein dynamenōn. Kai ton Israēl de phodēsai thelēsas, kai tēn oikeian dynamin gnōrisai, to oros hapan hypodeiknysi kapnizomenon, kai brontas chtypousas, kai salpingas ēkousas, kai gnophon polyn, kai apaxaplōs houtōs autous exedeimatōsen, hōs hiketeian tǭ prophētę̄ prosenenkein, mē ton Theon autois prosdialegesthai, all᾽ auton ta theia diaporemeuein. Tautēn tōn optasiōn tēn diaphoran kai tǭ megalǭ HēĒlią hypedeixe prōton men sysseismon, eita pyrn eita pneuma syntrithdon orē, kai leptynon petrēs, kai meta tauta pnoēn auras leptēs, kai en aitę̄ Kyrion kairei gar autos agathotēti, kai makrothymōs kai ēpiōs bouletai ta kata tous anthrōpous oikonomein " hē de pollē asedeia kai paranomia euch ephē einai, all᾽ en tę̄ aurą tę̄ leptę̄ " epeidē ou tēs autou gnōmēs, alla tēs tōn anthrōpōn chreias ekeina - agathotēs de kai philanthrōpia tēs autou physeōs idia. Hotan toinyn diaphorous optasias akousę̄s theou, mē polymorphon hypoladę̄s to Theion " asōmaton gar kai aneideon pantelōs, haploun te kai asyntheton, kai aschēmatiston, aoraton te kai atheaton, kai oudeni perigraphomenon horǭ " deiknysi hoe tas opseis, pros tēn chreian tautas anatypōn " kai entautha toinyn edeixe men ekeina ta phodera' edeixe de kai tēn esomenēn pantōn anthrōpōn euergesian͵ tēn tou Theou phēmi kai Sōtēros hēmōn ensarkon oichonomean. Dia touto to men eidos anthrōpinon legei, tas de physeis dyo" tēn men ēlektrou, tēn de pyros, kai tēn men pherousan, tēn de pheromenēn hē theia physis tēn anthrōpeian periekeito " dio to men anō legei tetheasthai hōs eidos hēlektrou " to de ap᾿ osphyos kai katō, hōs eidos pyros " tou men pyros pyr chatanaleschon n)" tou de ēlektrou tēn anthrōpeian, Toiouto gar to ēlektron, hoionei mikton to eidos echon, kai oute chrysǭ oute argyrǭ pareoichos, all᾽ hōste hop ekaterou krama tynchanon. Toiouto de kai to anthrōod sōma " ou gar monon esti gē, oude hydōr auto chaϑ' auto, oute pyr, oute aēr, all᾽ ek tōn tessarōn stoicheiōn synchechratai " mallon de toiautē tou anthrōpou hē physis "6, oute psychē logikē monon, oute sōma thnēton, all᾽ amphotera kat᾽ auton", da touto ho prophētēs horą apo osphyos kai anō, hōs eidos ēlektrou, alla kai hōs horasin pyros esōthen autǭ phaidron, kai lampron, kai endoxon, athanaton te kai aphtharton hypo tēs enoikousēs egeneto physeōs" d harmodiōs ephē" e Kai idon hōs horasin hēlektrou, horasin pyros esōthen autou kyklǭ,, apo horaseōs osphyos, kai heōs katō", hōs " horasin "' pyros.» Hē gar theia physis tēn anthrōpeian epheren. « Kai to phengos autou kyklǭ. Hōs orasis toxou, hotan ē entę̄ nephelę̄ en hēmerą hyetou, houtōs hē orasis tou phengō, “ kyklothen, » Kai tauta de tōn theiōn dōreōn hyparchei sēmantika" dikēn gar aiglēs ekeithen exioutai to tōn anthrōpōn. euergetousi genos, ton ekeithen te kai epipherousai. Houtōs hapanta diēgēsamenos ho prophētēs epēgagen" hois eia
"And above the firmament," he says, "that was over their heads, as the appearance of sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne upon it." This form too hints at the depth and invisibility of the divine nature. "For cloud and thick darkness," he says, "are around him." And again the same prophet says: "He made darkness his hiding place." The darkness, the cloud, and the thick darkness indicate the invisibility of God; for that pure and unapproachable light is darkness to us, who cannot gaze at it because of the weakness of our nature. For if someone wishing to see the disk of the sun exactly fixes his eye on it longer than he should, he loses even his ordinary sight and reaps darkness from light; what would one not suffer who dared to gaze at the divine and unapproachable light? "And on the likeness of the throne," he says, "a likeness as the form of a man upon it above. And I saw as the appearance of electrum, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of the loins and upward; and from the appearance of the loins and downward I saw as the appearance of fire, and its brightness all around. As the appearance of a bow when it is in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around." Everywhere he adds both "likeness" and "as," teaching us not to stop there but to know that each of the visions is fitted to the need. To the patriarch Abraham the Master of all appeared as a man and showed him nothing fearful, since he was about to give good promises to him and through him to the whole world. For the promise of Isaac also contains the birth according to the flesh of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; that is why the blessing of the nations was joined to the promise of Isaac: "For in your seed," he says, "all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." But when he foretold to him the slavery of his descendants, he did not appear so kindly, but showed him a smoking furnace and lamps of fire. To Moses at first he showed fearful things, the fire in the bush, and the bush burning and not consumed; but afterward he converses with him gently, showing nothing that could cause dread. And wishing to make Israel afraid and to make known his own power, he showed the whole mountain smoking, thunders crashing, trumpets sounding, and much thick darkness, and in a word so terrified them that they begged the prophet that God should not speak with them, but that he himself should convey the divine words. This difference of visions he showed also to the great Elijah: first an earthquake, then fire, then a wind breaking mountains and shattering rocks, and after these the breath of a light breeze, and in it the Lord. For he himself rejoices in goodness and wishes to order human affairs patiently and gently; [the other sights came because of] the great impiety and lawlessness, and he said [the Lord] was not [in them] but in the light breeze, since those belonged not to his own will but to the need of human beings, whereas goodness and love for humankind are proper to his nature. When, then, you hear of different visions of God, do not suppose that the Divine has many forms; for it is altogether incorporeal and formless, simple and uncompounded, without shape, invisible and not to be seen, and circumscribed by no boundary; but he shows the sights, shaping them to the need. And here, then, he showed those fearful things; but he showed also the benefaction that was to come to all human beings, I mean the dispensation in the flesh of our God and Savior. For this reason he says that the form was human, but the natures two, the one of electrum and the other of fire, the one bearing and the other borne; for the divine nature was clothed with the human. That is why he says he saw the upper part as the form of electrum, and the part from the loins downward as the form of fire: by the fire [he signifies the divine nature, for our God is] a consuming fire; by the electrum, the human. For electrum is like this: it has, as it were, a mixed appearance, resembling neither gold nor silver but being a blend of both. And such too is the human body: it is not earth alone, nor water by itself, nor fire, nor air, but is blended from the four elements; or rather, such is human nature: neither a rational soul only, nor a mortal body, but both together. Therefore the prophet sees from the loins upward as the form of electrum, but also as the appearance of fire within it; for [the human nature] became radiant and bright and glorious, immortal and incorruptible, through the nature that dwelt in it. So he said fittingly: "And I saw as the appearance of electrum, … the appearance of fire within it all around, … from the appearance of the loins and downward, as the appearance of fire." For the divine nature bore the human. "And its brightness all around. As the appearance of a bow when it is in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around." These too signify the divine gifts; for like a gleam they go forth from there and benefit the human race, bringing … from there. Having described all this, the prophet added: …
Ezek 1:26–28 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 97:2 (96:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:11 (17:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 18:1–2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 22:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 15:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 15:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 3:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 19:16–19 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 20:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:11–12 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 12:29 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Ezek 1:26–28 Theodoret says God appears in different forms to suit each need while being formless in himself, and reads the human figure of electrum and fire as a foreshadowing of the incarnation: one form, two natures, the divine bearing the human.
- Lemmas: Ezek 1:26–28 ("sapphire" is damaged in the scan). Quotations and allusions: Ps 97:2 (LXX 96:2); Ps 18:11 (LXX 17:12); unapproachable light, 1 Tim 6:16; Abraham, Gen 18:1–2; Gen 22:18; Gen 15:13, 17; Exod 3:2; Exod 19:16–19; 20:19; Elijah, 1 Kgs 19:11–12; "a consuming fire," Deut 4:24 / Heb 12:29. Long Latin debris and Migne's footnotes, which fall inside the christological passage and the repeated lemmas, are removed by logged corrections; some Greek words are lost with them (marked … or supplied in brackets, e.g. in the sentence on fire and electrum and on Elijah's vision). After "lamps of fire" the text repeats "appeared as a man," apparently a misplaced phrase; not translated. Theodoret's christological reading (two natures, the divine bearing the human) is translated as written. The section ends in garbled text before the next lemma (marked …).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris; Latin debris (some Greek words are lost with it); Latin debris and marginal letter; Migne's footnotes and Latin debris): Εἰ φιιρον δἰμεϊ ἐπι θ, ᾿παυΐ!, {γοπὶ,, δι 0 Ὁ → ; Εἰ οἱ → ; ᾿ὶ διγειῆς τϑγεῖι; οἱ υἱάϊ, εἰ α υἱεῖοπο {πηιδὶ ει → ; ἱ ὅρη. χαι!, 18. 1 ἄδῃ. κν, 17. κιτ, 11 5644. δι ἑπ υἱ ἀοπὶ Μὴ] οϑβίοπαϊ!, εἰιπὶ δὲ ἱρϑὶ οἱ ρον ἰρϑυπὶ οποῖο [6 Γ- Ομ γι δεῖ Β πεῖ ἰ, 692 πὸ ἦϊἃ οἱ "86οἱ μίας οἷ υἱ πὸ υἱ ἢ 693 80 εἶδον. [)68. ἴῃ ὑ, οἷο ποπ 241 κάτω, 5864. δὰ πυρός ροϑβίϊο. δ ὄρ. ὅν ἔγ-χαταχ, Β ἐν τῷ βάτῳ, καὶ τὸν βάτον χαιόῤενον καὶ μὴ χαταπῶ Ὁ οἱ Αἰ. βοή βδοψτγ τοὶ, δ Α → ; οι Ϊ δγαηΐ, → ; ἢπ Θά πο ἀἰβροηθα- → ; γὰρ τη. θεία → θεία; οἱ ἴη- → ; ρα, απᾶϑὶ Βρθοῖ θη θη }5.: ἰξης ἀϊνίηαπι ἱπηυθηῖθ → ; το] Β → ; χεὶ δοι → καὶ ; ὑ; Ειδηΐ πὶ Βυπη η 15 Υ ΡθΪ οὶ οἰαγὰ οἱ ΒρΙοπάϊα, → ; Θὲ δ᾽ογίοβϑ, [πὶ πον ἐ}Π|5406, οἱ ἃ οογγαριίοηο ΠΡ6- → ; Ἱ δι, Ποῖτοο → Ἡ ; ΟἸθοινί, νοῖας. ἀδρθοιαν ᾿φηΐβ, ἐμ ΓΙ Πβθ οι 5. ρον οἷτ- → ; τ πὶ οἱ ἀδθόγβαμι → ; νἴω, ἤτὰ νἱβίο βρίθηορὶβ πη οἰγουΐα. ν» ΕΓ ἴὸ → .
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 1.26 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/1-26
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.