Questions on the Octateuch 1.18–1.35
Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Prologue 1
1.18PG 80 80:97
Διὰ τι τὰ θηρία, καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ πεποίηκεν ὁ Θεός; Δεῖται τὰ παιδία καὶ μορμολυκείων, καὶ ἱμάντων, καὶ ῥάβδων· καὶ τοῖς μὲν αὐτὰ δεδιττόμεθα, τοῖς δὲ καὶ παιδεύομεν· ἑκάτερα δὲ δρῶμεν, πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς εὐταξίαν πραγματευόμενοι. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν προήδει ἡμᾶς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς εἰς ῥαθυμίαν ἐκκλινοῦντας, οἷον ἱμάντας τινὰς καὶ μορμολυκεῖα προκατεσκεύασε τὰ θηρία ἵνα τούτοις ἡμᾶς δεδιττόμενος, πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἕλκῃ, καὶ καλεῖν εἰς συμμαχίαν παρασκευάζῃ. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ οἱ τέλειοι καὶ τῶν μορμολυκείων, καὶ τῶν ἱμάντων καταφρονοῦσιν, οὗτως οἱ τῆς ἀρετῆς τρόφιμοι τὰς τῶν θηρίων οὐ δειμαίνουσι προσβολάς. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ Ἀδὰμ πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας παρεστήκει τὰ θηρία τὴν δουλείαν ὁμολογοῦντα, καὶ τῷ Νῶε πάλιν εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰσιόντι, δίκην προβάτων καὶ λέων ἠκολούθει, καὶ πάρδαλις, καὶ τῶν ἑρπετῶν τὰ πικρότατα καὶ τῷ Δανιὴλ παρεστήκεισαν οἱ λέοντες, ὀρεγόμενοι μὲν τροφῆς, πελάσαι δὲ μὴ τολμῶντες. Τοὺς γὰρ θεοειδεῖς τῆς θείας εἰκόνος ἑώρων ἐν αὐτῷ χαρακτῆρας οὕτως ἔχις τῇ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου χειρὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐμβαλοῦσα, καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸ χαῦνον καὶ χαλαρὸν οὐχ εὑροῦσα, ἀπεπήδησε παραυτίκα, καὶ κατὰ τῆς πυρᾶς ἥλατο, ὥσπερ δίκας ἑαυτὴν εἰσπραττομένη, ὅτι τῷ μηδαμόθεν προσήκοντι προσεβάλετο σώματι. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὰ θηρία δεδοίκαμεν, ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν πολιτείαν οὐκ ἔχομεν. Καὶ οὕτω δὲ ῥαθυμούντων κηδόμενος ὁ Θεὸς, τοὺς ἐρημοτέρους ἐκείνοις ἀπεκλήρωσε τόπους, καὶ τὸν τῆς νυκτὸς αὐτοῖς καιρὸν ἀπένειμεν εἰς διατροφήν Ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ, φησὶ, διελεύσονται πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ δρυμοῦ. Τοῖς ἑρπετοῖς δὲ, τοὺς ἐν τῇ γῇ δέδωκε χηραμούς, ὅπως ἐν ἐκείνοις ἐγκρυπτόμενα μὴ λυμαίνωσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος. Ἵνα δὲ μὴ παντάπασιν ἀλώβητοι διαμένοντες καταφρονῶμεν αὐτῶν, ὡς βλάπτειν ἥκιστα δυναμένων· ἔστιν ὅτε συγχωρεῖ δύο τινὰς ἢ τρεῖς ἐκ πολλῶν μυριάδων, ὁ σοφῶς τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς πρυτανεύων, ἢ ὑπὸ σκορπίων κεντᾶσθαι, ἢ ὑπὸ ὄφεων δάκνεσθαι ἵν᾿ ἡμεῖς, ὡς δεδιότες μη τι παραπλήσιον πάθοιμὲν, εἰς ἐπικουρίαν καλῶμεν τὸν πεποιηκότα Θεὸν, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς παναλκοῦς ἐκείνης προμηθείας φρουρεῖσθαι παρακαλῶμεν. "Αλλως τε οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἡμῖν ἄχρηστα τὰ θηρία. Πολλά γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τούτων ἀλεξίκακα ἰατρῶν παῖδες κατασκευάζουσι φάρμακα. Μηδεὶς τοίνυν αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ τὸ θηρίον ἐξετάζων ἐπιμεμφέσθω τῷ ποιητῇ, ἀλλὰ τὴν χρείαν ἐπιζητείτω. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἀνθρώπινον πολλὴν ἔχει καὶ ὥραν, καὶ ἁρμονίαν, καὶ τῶν μορίων τὴν χρείαν· ἀλλ᾽ ἔχει καὶ κόρυζαν καὶ πτύελον, καὶ δυσώδη κόπρον ἐκκρινομένην. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδεὶς εὖ φρονῶν ἀπὸ τούτων διαβάλλει τὸ ζῶον. Δίχα γὰρ τούτων βιῶναι τῶν ἀδυνάτων - διὰ γὰρ τούτων ἀρδευόμενον τέθηλεν. Χρήζει γὰρ καὶ φλέγματος, καὶ αἵματος καὶ χολῆς ἑκατέρας. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ διὰ τούτων συνέστηκεν, οὕτως καὶ διὰ τούτων διόλλυται. Ἑνὸς γὰρ τῶν εἰρημένων ἢ πλεονασμός, ἢ ἔνδεια, διόλλυσι τὸ ζῶον. Οὕτω πάλιν εἴ τις μίαν τῶν δακτύλων ἐκτέμῃ σκυταλίδα, ὄψεται παντελῶς αὐτὴν ἄχρηστον ἀλλὰ συνημμένη πλείστην παρέχει τῷ σώματι τὴν χρείαν. Οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ ἡμᾶς προσήκει ποιεῖν· μὴ αὐτὸ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸ ἕκαστον μέρος ἐξετάζει τῆς κτίσεως· ἀλλὰ ζητεῖν εἰ τῷ παντὶ χρήσιμον. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ πῦρ καυστικόν ἐστι· καὶ οὐ μόνον σώματα διαφθείρει, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἴκους ἐμπίπρησι, καὶ πλοῖα, καὶ λήῖα. ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως ἕν ἐστι τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων, δι' ὧν τὰ πάντα συνήρμοσται καὶ δίχα τούτου τὴν θνητὴν φύσιν διαβιῶναι τῶν ἀδυνάτων. Καὶ ὕδωρ ὡσαύτως ἐπικλύζει τὴν γῆν, οἰκίας καταλύει, παμπόλλους τῶν ναυτιλλομένων διόλλυσι. Λυμαίνεται δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀκαίρως καὶ ἀμέτρως πίνειν ἀνεχομένους. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδεὶς μὴ κομιδή παραπαίων ὀλέθριον τὸ ὕδωρ ὠνόμασε. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τὴν γῆν ἄρδει, καὶ τὰ φυτὰ τρέφει, καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῶα, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν. Οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕκαστον ἐξετάζομεν, μὴ αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ βασανίζοντες, εἴ τε λυμαντικόν ἐστιν, εἴ τε ὠφέλιμον ἀλλ᾽ εἰ τῷ κοινῷ συντελεῖ τινα χρείαν. Καὶ θηρία γὰρ αἰδεῖται μὲν τὸν ἄνθρωπον διὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐξουσίαν· ὡς παραβεβηκότος δὲ τὸν θεῖον νόμον, ἔστιν ὅτε καταφρονεῖ· καὶ Η γὰρ καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ δοῦλοι διαπτύειν εἰώθασι τοὺς ὅταν ἴδωσι διὰ πλημμελήματα παῤῥησίας ἐστερη
Dia ti ta thēria, kai ta herpeta pepoiēken ho Theos? Deitai ta paidia kai mormolykeiōn, kai himantōn, kai rhabdōn; kai tois men auta dedittometha, tois de kai paideuomen; hekatera de drōmen, pasan autois eutaxian pragmateuomenoi. Epeidē toinyn proēdei hēmas ho Despotēs Theos eis rhathymian ekklinountas, hoion himantas tinas kai mormolykeia prokateskeuase ta thēria hina toutois hēmas dedittomenos, pros heauton helkę̄, kai kalein eis symmachian paraskeuazę̄. ᾿All' hōsper hoi teleioi kai tōn mormolykeiōn, kai tōn himantōn kataphronousin, houtōs hoi tēs aretēs trophimoi tas tōn thēriōn ou deimainousi prosbolas. Kai gar tǭ Adam pro tēs hamartias parestēkei ta thēria tēn douleian homologounta, kai tǭ Nōe palin eis tēn kibōton eisionti, dikēn probatōn kai leōn ēkolouthei, kai pardalis, kai tōn herpetōn ta pikrotata kai tǭ Daniēl parestēkeisan hoi leontes, oregomenoi men trophēs, pelasai de mē tolmōntes. Tous gar theoeideis tēs theias eikonos heōrōn en autǭ charaktēras houtōs echis tę̄ tou ᾿Apostolou cheiri tous odontas embalousa, kai tēs hamartias to chaunon kai chalaron ouch heurousa, apepēdēse parautika, kai kata tēs pyras hēlato, hōsper dikas heautēn eisprattomenē, hoti tǭ mēdamothen prosēkonti prosebaleto sōmati. Hēmeis de ta thēria dedoikamen, epeidē tēs aretēs tēn politeian ouk echomen. Kai houtō de rhathymountōn kēdomenos ho Theos, tous erēmoterous ekeinois apeklērōse topous, kai ton tēs nyktos autois kairon apeneimen eis diatrophēn En autę̄ gar, phēsi, dieleusontai panta ta thēria tou drymou. Tois herpetois de, tous en tę̄ gę̄ dedōke chēramous, hopōs en ekeinois enkryptomena mē lymainōsi tōn anthrōpōn to genos. Hina de mē pantapasin alōbētoi diamenontes kataphronōmen autōn, hōs blaptein hēkista dynamenōn; estin hote synchōrei dyo tinas ē treis ek pollōn myriadōn, ho sophōs ta kath' hēmas prytaneuōn, ē hypo skorpiōn kentasthai, ē hypo opheōn daknesthai hin᾿ hēmeis, hōs dediotes mē ti paraplēsion pathoimen, eis epikourian kalōmen ton pepoiēkota Theon, kai hypo tēs panalkous ekeinēs promētheias phroureisthai parakalōmen. "Allōs te oude en tois allois hēmin achrēsta ta thēria. Polla gar kai ek toutōn alexikaka iatrōn paides kataskeuazousi pharmaka. Mēdeis toinyn auto kath' heauto to thērion exetazōn epimemphesthō tǭ poiētę̄, alla tēn chreian epizēteitō. Epei kai to sōma to anthrōpinon pollēn echei kai hōran, kai harmonian, kai tōn moriōn tēn chreian; all᾽ echei kai koryzan kai ptyelon, kai dysōdē kopron ekkrinomenēn. ᾿All' oudeis eu phronōn apo toutōn diaballei to zōon. Dicha gar toutōn biōnai tōn adynatōn - dia gar toutōn ardeuomenon tethēlen. Chrēzei gar kai phlegmatos, kai haimatos kai cholēs hekateras. ᾿All' hōsper dia toutōn synestēken, houtōs kai dia toutōn diollytai. Henos gar tōn eirēmenōn ē pleonasmos, ē endeia, diollysi to zōon. Houtō palin ei tis mian tōn daktylōn ektemę̄ skytalida, opsetai pantelōs autēn achrēston alla synēmmenē pleistēn parechei tǭ sōmati tēn chreian. Houtō toinyn kai hēmas prosēkei poiein; mē auto kath᾽ heauto hekaston meros exetazei tēs ktiseōs; alla zētein ei tǭ panti chrēsimon. Epei kai to pyr kaustikon esti; kai ou monon sōmata diaphtheirei, alla kai oikous empiprēsi, kai ploia, kai lēia. ᾿All' homōs hen esti tōn tessarōn stoicheiōn, di' hōn ta panta synērmostai kai dicha toutou tēn thnētēn physin diabiōnai tōn adynatōn. Kai hydōr hōsautōs epiklyzei tēn gēn, oikias katalyei, pampollous tōn nautillomenōn diollysi. Lymainetai de kai tous akairōs kai ametrōs pinein anechomenous. ᾿All' oudeis mē komidē parapaiōn olethrion to hydōr ōnomase. Touto gar kai tēn gēn ardei, kai ta phyta trephei, kai ta aloga zōa, kai tōn anthrōpōn tēn physin. Houtō toinyn kai tōn allōn hekaston exetazomen, mē auto kath' heauto basanizontes, ei te lymantikon estin, ei te ōphelimon all᾽ ei tǭ koinǭ syntelei tina chreian. Kai thēria gar aideitai men ton anthrōpon dia tēn ex archēs dotheisan autǭ kat᾿ autōn exousian; hōs parabebēkotos de ton theion nomon, estin hote kataphronei; kai Ē gar kai hoi ponēroi douloi diaptyein eiōthasi tous hotan idōsi dia plēmmelēmata parrhēsias esterē
Why did God make wild beasts and creeping things? Children need bogeys and straps and rods; with the first we frighten them, with the others we discipline them, and we do both to secure good order in them. Since, then, God the Master foreknew that we would decline into laziness, he prepared the wild beasts beforehand as a kind of straps and bogeys, so that by frightening us with them he might draw us to himself and prepare us to call on him as our ally. But just as grown men despise both bogeys and straps, so those reared in virtue do not fear the attacks of wild beasts. For the wild beasts stood by Adam before the sin, acknowledging their servitude; and again, when Noah entered the ark, the lion and the leopard and the most deadly of the creeping things followed him like sheep; and the lions stood by Daniel, craving food but not daring to approach, for they saw in him the godlike features of the divine image. So too the viper, sinking its teeth into the Apostle's hand and not finding the slackness and looseness of sin, sprang away at once and leapt into the fire, as if exacting punishment from itself for having attacked a body in no way its own. We, however, fear the wild beasts because we do not live the life of virtue. Even so, God, caring for us in our laziness, allotted them the more deserted places and assigned them the night for feeding: “In it,” he says, “all the beasts of the forest will go about.” To the creeping things he gave the holes in the earth, so that, hiding in them, they might not harm the human race. But so that we might not, remaining entirely unharmed, despise them as quite unable to harm, he who wisely governs our affairs sometimes permits two or three out of many myriads to be stung by scorpions or bitten by snakes, so that we, fearing to suffer something similar, may call on God our maker for help and beg to be guarded by his almighty providence. Besides, wild beasts are not useless to us in other ways either; for from them too the physicians prepare many protective remedies. Let no one, then, examining a wild beast by itself, find fault with the maker; let him look for its use. For the human body too has much beauty and harmony and usefulness in its parts; but it also has mucus and spittle, and the foul-smelling excrement it discharges. Yet no one in his right mind disparages the living creature on that account. It is impossible to live without these things; watered by them, it flourishes. It needs phlegm and blood and both kinds of bile. But just as it is constituted by these, so it is also destroyed by them; for an excess or a deficiency of any one of them destroys the creature. So again, if someone cuts off one joint of a finger, he will see that it is quite useless; but joined to the rest it gives the body very great use. So we too ought to act: not to examine each part of creation by itself, but to ask whether it is useful to the whole. Fire too burns, and not only destroys bodies but also sets fire to houses and ships and crops. Yet it is one of the four elements of which all things are composed, and without it mortal nature cannot live. Water likewise floods the earth, destroys houses, and drowns very many seafarers. It also harms those who choose to drink out of season and beyond measure. Yet no one who is not completely out of his mind has called water deadly; for it waters the earth and nourishes the plants, the irrational animals, and human nature. So, then, we examine each of the other things too, not testing it by itself to see whether it is harmful or beneficial, but asking whether it contributes some use to the common good. For the wild beasts respect man because of the authority over them given him from the beginning; but since he has transgressed the divine law, they sometimes despise him. For wicked slaves too are accustomed to spurn those whom they see deprived of freedom of speech because of offences …
Gen 2:19–20 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 7:8–9 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 6:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 28:3–5 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 104:20 (103:20 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:28 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains that dangerous animals serve to correct human laziness and drive people to God, and that each creature must be judged by its use to the whole.
- The section breaks off mid-sentence in the scan. A displaced fragment of a line (“… commanded by their masters …”), which had entered the sentence about water, was removed; it probably belongs to the lost end of this section. Allusions: Gen 2:19–20; Gen 7:8–9; Dan 6:22; Acts 28:3–5; Gen 1:28. Quotation: Ps 104:20 (LXX 103:20).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced line fragment from elsewhere in the column; stray letter): Δεσπότηςὶ → Δεσπότης; γῆν, ἰδύνειν αὐτοὺς παρὰ τῶν δεσποτῶν κεκελευσμένους, μένους. οἰκίας → γῆν, οἰκίας.
Topics: Creation, Providence, Evil and its origin
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.18 (PG 80 80:97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-18
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.19PG 80 80:99
Τίνι ὁ Θεὸς εἴρηκε, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ εἰκόνα καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν ; Τινὲς μὲν τῶν δυσωνύμων αἱρετικῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτὸν εἰρηκέναι, καὶ τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονας ἔφασαν οὐ συνιέντες οἱ ἐμβρόντητοι τὸ Κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν. Θεοῦ γὰρ οὐσία καὶ ἀγγέλων οὐ μία οὔτε εἰκὼν ἡ αὐτή· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀἴδιον ἔχει τὴν φύσιν· οἱ δὲ αὐτὸν ἔχουσι ποιητὴν καὶ δημιουρ γὸν, παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ δεδεγμένοι τὸ εἶναι, οἱ δὲ δαίμονες καὶ εἰς πονηρίαν ἑκόντες ἐτράπησαν. ᾿Ανοίας τοίνυν ἐσχάτης, τὸ μίαν ὑπολαβεῖν εἰκόνα τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων, καὶ τοῦ πελάγους τῆς ἀγαθότητος. Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ εἰς ἑτέραν ἐξώκειλαν παραφροσύνην. Φασὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν εἰρηκέναι τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν τὸ Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον, κατά τινα μίμησιν τῶν τὰς μεγάλας πεπιστευμένων ἀρχάς. Καὶ γὰρ ὕπαρχοι καὶ στρατηγοὶ πληθυντικῶς εἰώθασι λέγειν τό· Κελεύομεν, καὶ γράφομεν, καὶ προστάττομεν, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα. Καὶ οὐ συνεῖδον οἱ παραπλῆγες, ὡς ἑνικῶς τὰ πλεῖστα ὁ τῶν ὅλων λέγει Θεός. Καιρὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκει ἐναντίον μου, Καὶ Ἐνεθυμήθην ὅτι ἐποίησα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ᾿Απαλείψω τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Καὶ, Οὐκ ἔσονταί, σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ, καὶ, Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ποιῶ καινὰ, ἃ νῦν ἀνατέλλει, καὶ, ᾿Ανοίξω ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων πηγὰς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν βουνῶν ποταμούς. Καὶ ἐν πάσῃ δὲ ὡς ἐπίπαν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ ἑνικῶς ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ τῶν ὅλων διαλεγομένου Θεοῦ. Ὀλιγάκις δὲ πληθυντικῶς τὴν διάλεξιν σχηματίζει, τῶν τῆς Τριάδος προσώπων ἐμφαίνων τὸν ἀριθμόν. Καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκα τὰς γλώσσας συνέχεεν, οὐχ ἐνικῶς εἶπε, Καταβήσομαι, καὶ συγχεῶ τὰς γλώσσας» ἀλλὰ, «Δεῦτε, καταβάντες συγχέωμεν αὐτῶν τὰς γλώσσας ". Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ λογικὸν διέπλαττε ζῶον, ὁ μετὰ πολλὰς ἀνακαινίζειν ἥμελλε γενεάς· ταῖς τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος ἐπικλήσεσι τελεσιουργῶν τὸ πανάγιον βάπτισμα· μέλλων δημιουργεῖν τὴν ἐκεῖνα παραληψομένην τὰ μυστήρια φύσιν αἰνιγματωδῶς καὶ τὸ ταυτὸν τῆς οὐσίας, καὶ τὸν τῶν προσώπων παρεδήλωσεν ἀριθμόν. Τῷ φάναι μὲν γὰρ, εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, τὸ κοινὸν τῆς θείας ἐδήλωσε φύσεως· ἐπαγαγὼν δὲ τὸ ποιήσωμεν, ἐνέφηνε τῶν προσώπων τὸν ἀριθμόν. Οὕτω πάλιν ἑνικῶς μὲν εἰπὼν τὴν εἰκόνα, τὸ ταυτὸν τῆς φύσεως ἔδειξεν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε κατ' εἰκόνας, ἀλλὰ Κατ' εἰκόνα. Ἡμετέραν δὲ εἰρηκὼς, τὸν τῶν ὑποστάσεων δεδήλωκεν ἀριθμόν. "Απαντα γὰρ προορῶν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἤδη γεγενημένα τὰ μήπω γενόμενα, καὶ προθεωρῶν τὴν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς σάρκωσίν τε καὶ ἐνανθρώπησιν, καὶ ὡς ταύτην τὴν φύσιν ἐκ Παρθένου λήψεται, καὶ οὕτως ἑαυτῷ συνἀψει τε καὶ ἑνώσει, ὡς ἓν πρόσωπον Θεοῦ τε καὶ ἀνθρώπου νοεῖσθαι, καὶ μίαν αὐτῷ προσκύνησιν παρὰ τῆς κτίσεως ἁπάσης προσφέρεσθαι· μάλα εἰκότως καὶ αὐτὴν τοῦ γένους τὴν κρηπίδα τιμῆς μεγίστης ἠξίωσε. Καὶ πρῶτον βουλὴν τῆς δημιουργίας προτάξας ἵνα τοῦ δημιουργουμένου τὸ λογικὸν προσημάνῃ· ἵνα τῶν προσώπων παραδηλώσας τὸν ἀριθμὸν, ἵνα τοὺς ὕμνους ὁ μέλλων προσφέρειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, λάβῃ θεολογίας αἰνίγματα· καὶ οἱονεὶ αὐτουργὸς τῆς διαπλάσεως γενόμενος, ἔδείξε τὴν πλείονα περὶ τὸ πλάσμα φιλοστοργίαν. Τοῦτο καὶ Ἰὼβ ὁ γενναῖος πρὸς αὐτὸν βοᾷ λέγων, Αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐποίησάν με, καὶ ἔπλασάν με. Τούτοις ἐχρήσατο τοῖς λόγοις καὶ ὁ θεῖος Δαβίδ, καὶ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος ἀξιούμενος γινώσκεῖ σαφῶς, ὡς ὁ πλάσας διέσωσε, καὶ ὁ σώσας διέπλασε: Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Δημιουργὸς, καὶ διὰ Ἱερεμίου, καὶ διὰ Ἡσαΐου φησὶν, «Ὅτι ἡμεῖς πηλὸς, αὐτὸς δὲ πλάστης ἡμῶν. ᾿Αλλ' οὔτε χεῖ ρας ἔχειν τὸ θεῖον οὔτε δεῖσθαι βουλῆς τινος καὶ προθεωρίας φαμὲν, ἵνα κατὰ τοὺς Πλάτωνος μύθους, πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἐνθυμήσεως ἰδέαν κατασκευάσῃ τὸ ποίημα ἀλλὰ τούτων ἕκαστον τὴν πλείονα τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τόδε τὸ ζῶον κηδεμονίαν δηλοῖ.
Tini ho Theos eirēke, Poiēsōmen anthrōpon kat eikona kai kath' homoiōsin hēmeteran ? Tines men tōn dysōnymōn hairetikōn pros tous angelous auton eirēkenai, kai tous ponērous daimonas ephasan ou synientes hoi embrontētoi to Kat' eikona hēmeteran. Theou gar ousia kai angelōn ou mia oute eikōn hē autē; ho men gar aidion echei tēn physin; hoi de auton echousi poiētēn kai dēmiour gon, par᾿ autou dedegmenoi to einai, hoi de daimones kai eis ponērian hekontes etrapēsan. ᾿Anoias toinyn eschatēs, to mian hypolabein eikona tōn ponērōn daimonōn, kai tou pelagous tēs agathotētos. Ioudaioi de eis heteran exōkeilan paraphrosynēn. Phasi gar pros heauton eirēkenai ton tōn holōn Theon to Poiēsōmen anthrōpon, kata tina mimēsin tōn tas megalas pepisteumenōn archas. Kai gar hyparchoi kai stratēgoi plēthyntikōs eiōthasi legein to; Keleuomen, kai graphomen, kai prostattomen, kai hosa toiauta. Kai ou syneidon hoi paraplēges, hōs henikōs ta pleista ho tōn holōn legei Theos. Kairos gar, phēsi, pantos anthrōpou hēkei enantion mou, Kai Enethymēthēn hoti epoiēsa ton anthrōpon, kai ᾿Apaleipsō ton anthrōpon. Kai, Ouk esontai, soi theoi heteroi plēn emou, kai, Idou egō poiō kaina, ha nyn anatellei, kai, ᾿Anoixō epi tōn oreōn pēgas, kai epi tōn bounōn potamous. Kai en pasę̄ de hōs epipan tę̄ theią Graphę̄ henikōs estin akousai tou tōn holōn dialegomenou Theou. Oligakis de plēthyntikōs tēn dialexin schēmatizei, tōn tēs Triados prosōpōn emphainōn ton arithmon. Kai gar hēnika tas glōssas synecheen, ouch enikōs eipe, Katabēsomai, kai syncheō tas glōssas» alla, «Deute, katabantes syncheōmen autōn tas glōssas ". Kai entautha toinyn, epeidē to logikon dieplatte zōon, ho meta pollas anakainizein hēmelle geneas; tais tēs hagias Triados epiklēsesi telesiourgōn to panagion baptisma; mellōn dēmiourgein tēn ekeina paralēpsomenēn ta mystēria physin ainigmatōdōs kai to tauton tēs ousias, kai ton tōn prosōpōn paredēlōsen arithmon. Tǭ phanai men gar, eipen ho Theos, to koinon tēs theias edēlōse physeōs; epagagōn de to poiēsōmen, enephēne tōn prosōpōn ton arithmon. Houtō palin henikōs men eipōn tēn eikona, to tauton tēs physeōs edeixen. Ou gar eipe kat' eikonas, alla Kat' eikona. Hēmeteran de eirēkōs, ton tōn hypostaseōn dedēlōken arithmon. "Apanta gar proorōn ho tōn holōn Theos ēdē gegenēmena ta mēpō genomena, kai protheōrōn tēn tou Monogenous sarkōsin te kai enanthrōpēsin, kai hōs tautēn tēn physin ek Parthenou lēpsetai, kai houtōs heautǭ synapsei te kai henōsei, hōs hen prosōpon Theou te kai anthrōpou noeisthai, kai mian autǭ proskynēsin para tēs ktiseōs hapasēs prospheresthai; mala eikotōs kai autēn tou genous tēn krēpida timēs megistēs ēxiōse. Kai prōton boulēn tēs dēmiourgias protaxas hina tou dēmiourgoumenou to logikon prosēmanę̄; hina tōn prosōpōn paradēlōsas ton arithmon, hina tous hymnous ho mellōn prospherein epi tēs gēs, labę̄ theologias ainigmata; kai hoionei autourgos tēs diaplaseōs genomenos, edeixe tēn pleiona peri to plasma philostorgian. Touto kai Iōb ho gennaios pros auton boą legōn, Hai cheires sou epoiēsan me, kai eplasan me. Toutois echrēsato tois logois kai ho theios Dabid, kai touto kai ho tou hagiou baptismatos axioumenos ginōskei saphōs, hōs ho plasas diesōse, kai ho sōsas dieplase: Pros de toutois, kai autos ho Dēmiourgos, kai dia Hieremiou, kai dia Hēsaïou phēsin, «Hoti hēmeis pēlos, autos de plastēs hēmōn. ᾿All' oute chei ras echein to theion oute deisthai boulēs tinos kai protheōrias phamen, hina kata tous Platōnos mythous, pros tēn tēs enthymēseōs idean kataskeuasę̄ to poiēma alla toutōn hekaston tēn pleiona tou Theou peri tode to zōon kēdemonian dēloi.
To whom did God say, “Let us make man according to our image and according to likeness”? Some of the heretics of ill-omened name said that he said this to the angels and to the wicked demons, the thunderstruck fools not understanding “according to our image.” For God and the angels do not have one substance, nor the same image: he has an eternal nature, while they have him as their maker and creator, having received their being from him; and the demons, besides, turned to wickedness of their own will. It is the height of folly, then, to suppose that the wicked demons and the ocean of goodness have one image. The Jews ran aground on another madness. They say that the God of the universe said “Let us make man” to himself, in imitation of those entrusted with high office; for prefects and generals usually say in the plural, “We order,” “we write,” “we command,” and the like. And the crazed men did not see that the God of the universe says most things in the singular: “The time of every man has come before me,” and “I have considered that I made man,” and “I will wipe out man”; and “You shall have no other gods besides me”; and “See, I am doing new things, which now spring up”; and “I will open fountains on the mountains and rivers on the hills.” Throughout the divine Scripture, generally speaking, one can hear the God of the universe speaking in the singular. Rarely does he frame his speech in the plural, indicating the number of the persons of the Trinity. For when he confused the tongues, he did not say in the singular, “I will go down and confuse the tongues,” but, “Come, let us go down and confuse their tongues.” Here too, then, since he was fashioning the rational living being, which he was going to renew after many generations, perfecting the all-holy baptism by the invocations of the Holy Trinity, when about to create the nature that would receive those mysteries he indicated in a riddle both the sameness of the substance and the number of the persons. By saying “God said” he showed what is common to the divine nature; by adding “let us make” he revealed the number of the persons. So again, by saying “image” in the singular he showed the sameness of the nature; for he did not say “according to images,” but “according to image”; and by saying “our” he indicated the number of the hypostases. For the God of the universe, foreseeing as already done all that had not yet happened, and foreseeing the enfleshment and becoming man of the Only-begotten, and how he would take this nature from a Virgin, and so join and unite it to himself that one person of God and man would be understood, and one worship would be offered to him by the whole creation, very fittingly honored with the greatest honor the very foundation of the race. First he set a deliberation before the act of creation, to indicate in advance the rational nature of what was being created, and to indicate the number of the persons, so that the one who would offer hymns on earth might receive hints of the teaching about God; and, as though becoming the craftsman of the forming with his own hands, he showed his greater affection for what he formed. This is what the noble Job cries out to him, saying, “Your hands made me and formed me.” The divine David too used these words; and the one who is counted worthy of holy baptism knows clearly that the one who formed him saved him, and the one who saved him formed him. Besides this, the Creator himself says through both Jeremiah and Isaiah, “For we are clay, and he is our potter.” But we do not say that the divine has hands, or needs any deliberation and forethought, so as to fashion its work, as in Plato's myths, according to the idea in its mind; each of these things shows God's greater care for this living being.
Gen 1:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 6:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 43:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 41:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 11:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 10:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:73 (118:73 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 64:8 (64:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 18:6 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret rejects the views that “Let us make” was addressed to angels or demons or was a royal plural, and reads it as a hint of the Trinity, connected with baptism and the incarnation.
- Quotations: Gen 1:26; Gen 6:13; Gen 6:7; Exod 20:3; Isa 43:19; Isa 41:18; Gen 11:7; Job 10:8; Ps 119:73 (LXX 118:73); Isa 64:8 (LXX 64:7; compare Jer 18:6). The heretics are not named. The view attributed to the Jews is reported as Theodoret gives it. “One person (πρόσωπον) of God and man” is Theodoret's own formula for the union in Christ. The reference to Plato's myths alludes to the Timaeus.
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Tim. 28a–29a (Plato (works); allusion)
Topics: Trinity, The image of God, Humanity, Christology, Baptism, Heresy, Jews and Judaism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.19 (PG 80 80:99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-19
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.20PG 80 80:103
Τί ἐστι τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα ; Τινὲς τὸ ἀόρατον τῆς ψυχῆς εἰκόνα Θεοῦ κεκλήκασιν· ἀλλὰ οὐκ ἀληθῶς εἰρήκασιν. Εἰ γὰρ εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ἀόρατον, μᾶλλον εἰκόνες τοῦ Θεοῦ κληθεῖεν ἄγγελοι καὶ ἀρχάγγελοι, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἀσώματοι καὶ ἅγιαι φύσεις· ὅτε δὲ παντάπασι σωμάτων ἀπηλλαγμέναι, καὶ ἀμιγὲς τὸ ἀόρατον ἔχουσαι. Τινὲς δὲ ὑπὸ πολλῆς εὐηθείας τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἀνθρώπινον κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γεγενῆσθαί φασιν· ἐπειδὴ τῆς θείας λεγούσης ἐπακούουσι φωνῆς· ῎Ανοιξον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, καὶ ἴδε, καὶ κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ ἄκουσον· καὶ, Ὠσφράνθη Κύριος ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας· καὶ, Τὸ στόμα Κυρίου ἐλάλησε ταῦτα, καὶ, Ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα. Καὶ οὐ συνεῖδον οἱ ἄγαν ἡλίθιοι, ὡς ἀνθρώποις δι' ἀνθρώπων διαλεγόμενος ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, τῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων ἀσθενείᾳ τοὺς λόγους μετρεῖ. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ δι' ὀφθαλμῶν ὀρῶμεν ἡμεῖς, τὴν ὀπτικὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν ὀφθαλμοὺς ὀνομάζει· καὶ αὐ πάλιν τὴν ἀκουστικὴν, ὦτα, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τούτων τῶν μορίων ἀκούομεν καὶ τὸ πρόσταγμα, στόμα. Ἔδει δὲ αὐτοὺς μὴ τούτων μόνον ἀκούειν τῶν λόγων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τὸ ἀπερίγραφον τοῦ Θεοῦ διδασκόντων. Ποῦ γὰρ, φησὶ, πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου ποῦ φύγω; Ἐὰν ἀναβῶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, σὺ ἐκεῖ εἶ· ἐὰν καταβῶ εἰς τὸν ἄδην, πάρει·, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ τῇ Σαμαρείτιδι ὁ Κύριος ἔφη, Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν. Εἰ δὲ πνεῦμα ὁ Θεὸς, ἁπλοῦς ἄρα, καὶ ἀσύνθετος, καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ περιττὸν τοῦτον μηκύνειν τὸν λόγον δήλη γὰρ τούτων ἡ ἄνοια. Τὸ τοίνυν, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, τινὲς τῶν διδασκάλων οὕτως ἐνόησαν· ὅτι τὴν κτίσιν τὴν αἰσθητήν τε καὶ νοητὴν πεποιηκὼς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, τὸν ἄνθρωπον διέπλασεν ἔσχατον, οἷόν τινα εἰκόνα ἑαυτοῦ ἐν μέσῳ τεθεικὼς τῶν ἀψύχων τε καὶ ἐμψύχων, καὶ αἰσθητῶν καὶ νοητῶν· ἵνα τὰ μὲν ἄψυχά τε καὶ ἔμψυχα τούτῳ προσφέρῃ, ὥσπερ τινὰ φόρον, τὴν χρείαν· αἱ δὲ νοηταὶ φύσεις, ἐν τῇ περὶ τοῦτον κηδεμονίᾳ τὴν περὶ τὸν πεποιηκότα δεικνύωσιν εὔνοιαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἔφη· «Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν; Καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, «Ορᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων. Ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὁρῶσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. Τινὲς δὲ, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ» κατὰ τὸ ἀρχικὸν γεγενῆσθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἔφασαν, σαφεστάτῳ κεχρημένοι τεκμηρίῳ, τῷ τὸν Ποιητὴν ἐπαγαγεῖν, Καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν, καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἐρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς τῶν ὅλων ἔχει τὴν δεσποτείαν οὕτω δέδωκε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων τὴν ἐξουσίαν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα εὑρεῖν ὡς ἀρχετύπου μιμήματα. Δημιουργεῖ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ πεποιηκότος Θεοῦ, καὶ οἰκίας, καὶ τείχη, καὶ πόλεις, καὶ λιμένας, καὶ ναῦς, καὶ νεώρια, καὶ ἅρματα, καὶ ἕτερα μυρία οἷον οὐρανοῦ ἐκτυπώματα, καὶ ἡλίου, καὶ σελήνης, καὶ ἀστέρων, καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἰνδάλματα, καὶ ζώων ἀλόγων εἰκόνας· ἀλλ᾽ ἄπειρον τὸ τῆς δημιουργίας διάφορον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς καὶ ἐξ ὄντων καὶ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων δημιουργεῖ, καὶ δίχα πόνου καὶ χρόνου· ἅμα γὰρ τῷ βουληθῆναι παράγει τὸ δόξαν· ἄνθρωπος δὲ δεῖται μὲν ὕλης, δεῖται δὲ καὶ ὀργάνων, καὶ βουλῆς, καὶ ἐνθυμήσεων, καὶ χρόνου, καὶ πόνου, καὶ τεχνῶν ἑτέρων εἰς τὴν τοῦ γενομένου κατασκευήν. Ὁ γὰρ οἰκοδόμος δεῖται χαλκέως, καὶ ὁ χαλκεὺς μεταλλέως καὶ ἀνθρακέως· καὶ πάντες ὁμοῦ τῶν ὑλοτόμων καὶ οἱ ὑλοτόμοι τῶν φυτουργῶν τε καὶ γεωργῶν· καὶ οὕτως ἑκάστη τέχνη παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων τεχνῶν τὴν οἰκείαν ἐρανίζεται χρείαν. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ οὕτω δημιουργῶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος μιμεῖται ἀμηγέπη τὸν Ποιητὴν, ὡς εἰκὼν τὸ ἀρχέτυπον· καὶ γὰρ ἡ εἰκὼν ἔχει τὰ τοῦ ἀρχετύπου ἰνδάλματα. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸ μὲν τῶν μορίων εἶδος ἔχει, τὰς δὲ ἐνεργείας οὐκ ἔχει ἐστέρηται γὰρ ψυχῆς, δι' ἧς κινεῖται τὸ σῶμα. Οὕτω πάλιν καὶ βασιλεύει ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ κρίνει κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν Θεὸς οὐ κατηγόρων, οὐ μαρτύρων δεῖται δικάζων· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τὸν Κάϊν κατέκρινεν, ὡς αὐτόπτης τοῦ μύσους γεγενημένος. Ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος κρίνων καὶ μαρτύρων δεῖται, καὶ κατηγόρων· ἀγνοεῖ γὰρ τὰ γεγενημένα. Οὕτω καὶ Θεὸς ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὠνομάσθη, ἐπειδὴ εἰκὼν προσηγορεύθη Θεοῦ ᾿Ανὴρ γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλὴν, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων.» ᾿Αλλὰ πάλιν ὁ μὲν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς φύσιν ἔχει θείαν, οὐ προσηγορίαν ψιλήν· ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς εἰκὼν, τοὔνομα ἔχει μόνον, ἐστερημένος τοῦ πράγματος. Οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἀπερίγραφον ἀληθῶς μὲν καὶ κυρίως ἐστὶ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Μιμεῖται δὲ οὕτω πως αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἀνθρώπινος· ἐν ἀκαρεῖ γὰρ περινοστεῖ καὶ τὰ ἑῷα, καὶ τὰ ἑσπέρια, καὶ τὰ βόρεια, καὶ τὰ νότια, καὶ τὰ ἐπουράνια, καὶ τὰ ὑποχθόνια ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῇ οὐ· σίᾳ, μόνῃ δὲ τῇ τοῦ λογισμοῦ φαντασίᾳ. Ὁ δέ γε Θεὸς καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ καὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ, καὶ τῇ δυνάμει τὸ ἀπερίγραφον ἔχει. Εὔροι δ' ἄν τις καὶ ἑτέραν μίμησιν ἀκριβεστέραν ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πάλιν ψυχῇ. Ἔχει γὰρ αὐτὴ καὶ τὸ λογικὸν, καὶ τὸ ζωτικὸν ἐν ἑαυτῇ. Καὶ γεννᾷ μὲν ὁ νοῦς τὸν λόγον, συμπρόεισι δὲ τῷ λόγῳ πνεῦμα, οὐ γεννώμενον καθάπερ ὁ λόγος· συμπαρομαρτοῦν δὲ ἀεὶ τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ συμπροῖὸν γεννωμένῳ. ᾿Αλλὰ ταῦτα ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι πρόσεστι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ· οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ ἀνυπόστατος ὁ λόγος ἐστὶ, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος τρεῖς νοοῦμεν τὰς ὑποστάσεις, καὶ ἀσυγχύτως ήνω μένας, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὰς ὑφεστώσας. Γεγέννηται μὲν γὰρ πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος: ἀχώριστος δὲ ἐστι τοῦ γεννήσαντος· καὶ ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα· νοεῖται δὲ καὶ ἐν ἰδίᾳ ὑποστάσει. Πάντα γὰρ ἐνεργεῖ, φησὶ, τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται. Ἀλλὰ περὶ τούτων μηκύνειν τὸν λόγον οὐ δεῖ· μυρίας γὰρ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ἀποδείξεις τούτου παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ.
Ti esti to kat' eikona ? Tines to aoraton tēs psychēs eikona Theou keklēkasin; alla ouk alēthōs eirēkasin. Ei gar eikōn tou Theou tēs psychēs to aoraton, mallon eikones tou Theou klētheien angeloi kai archangeloi, kai pasai hai asōmatoi kai hagiai physeis; hote de pantapasi sōmatōn apēllagmenai, kai amiges to aoraton echousai. Tines de hypo pollēs euētheias to sōma to anthrōpinon kat' eikona Theou gegenēsthai phasin; epeidē tēs theias legousēs epakouousi phōnēs; ᾿Anoixon tous ophthalmous sou, kai ide, kai klinon to ous sou, kai akouson; kai, Ōsphranthē Kyrios osmēn euōdias; kai, To stoma Kyriou elalēse tauta, kai, En tę̄ cheiri autou ta perata tēs gēs, kai hosa toiauta. Kai ou syneidon hoi agan hēlithioi, hōs anthrōpois di' anthrōpōn dialegomenos ho Despotēs Theos, tę̄ tōn akouontōn astheneią tous logous metrei. Kai epeidē di' ophthalmōn orōmen hēmeis, tēn optikēn autou dynamin ophthalmous onomazei; kai au palin tēn akoustikēn, ōta, epeidē dia toutōn tōn moriōn akouomen kai to prostagma, stoma. Edei de autous mē toutōn monon akouein tōn logōn, alla kai tōn to aperigraphon tou Theou didaskontōn. Pou gar, phēsi, poreuthō apo tou pneumatos sou, kai apo tou prosōpou sou pou phygō? Ean anabō eis ton ouranon, sy ekei ei; ean katabō eis ton adēn, parei;, kai ta hexēs. Kai tę̄ Samareitidi ho Kyrios ephē, Pneuma ho Theos, kai tous proskynountas auton en pneumati kai alētheią dei proskynein. Ei de pneuma ho Theos, haplous ara, kai asynthetos, kai aschēmatistos. Alla gar peritton touton mēkynein ton logon dēlē gar toutōn hē anoia. To toinyn, Poiēsōmen anthrōpon kat' eikona hēmeteran kai kath' homoiōsin, tines tōn didaskalōn houtōs enoēsan; hoti tēn ktisin tēn aisthētēn te kai noētēn pepoiēkōs ho tōn holōn Theos, ton anthrōpon dieplasen eschaton, hoion tina eikona heautou en mesǭ tetheikōs tōn apsychōn te kai empsychōn, kai aisthētōn kai noētōn; hina ta men apsycha te kai empsycha toutǭ prospherę̄, hōsper tina phoron, tēn chreian; hai de noētai physeis, en tę̄ peri touton kēdemonią tēn peri ton pepoiēkota deiknyōsin eunoian. Touto gar kai ho theios ᾿Apostolos ephē; «Ouchi pantes eisi leitourgika pneumata eis diakonian apostellomena dia tous mellontas klēronomein sōtērian? Kai ho Kyrios en tois Euangeliois, «Orate mē kataphronēsēte henos tōn mikrōn toutōn tōn elachistōn. Amēn gar legō hymin, hoti hoi angeloi autōn kath᾽ hēmeran horōsi to prosōpon tou Patros mou tou en ouranois. Tines de, kat' eikona Theou» kata to archikon gegenēsthai ton anthrōpon ephasan, saphestatǭ kechrēmenoi tekmēriǭ, tǭ ton Poiētēn epagagein, Kai archetōsan tōn ichthyōn tēs thalassēs, kai tōn peteinōn tou ouranou, kai tōn ktēnōn, kai pasēs tēs gēs, kai pantōn tōn herpetōn tōn erpontōn epi tēs gēs. Hōsper gar autos tōn holōn echei tēn despoteian houtō dedōke tǭ anthrōpǭ tōn alogōn zōōn tēn exousian. Esti de kai alla heurein hōs archetypou mimēmata. Dēmiourgei gar kai ho anthrōpos, kata mimēsin tou pepoiēkotos Theou, kai oikias, kai teichē, kai poleis, kai limenas, kai naus, kai neōria, kai harmata, kai hetera myria hoion ouranou ektypōmata, kai hēliou, kai selēnēs, kai asterōn, kai anthrōpōn indalmata, kai zōōn alogōn eikonas; all᾽ apeiron to tēs dēmiourgias diaphoron. Ho men gar tōn holōn Theos kai ex ontōn kai ek mē ontōn dēmiourgei, kai dicha ponou kai chronou; hama gar tǭ boulēthēnai paragei to doxan; anthrōpos de deitai men hylēs, deitai de kai organōn, kai boulēs, kai enthymēseōn, kai chronou, kai ponou, kai technōn heterōn eis tēn tou genomenou kataskeuēn. Ho gar oikodomos deitai chalkeōs, kai ho chalkeus metalleōs kai anthrakeōs; kai pantes homou tōn hylotomōn kai hoi hylotomoi tōn phytourgōn te kai geōrgōn; kai houtōs hekastē technē para tōn allōn technōn tēn oikeian eranizetai chreian. ᾿Alla kai houtō dēmiourgōn ho anthrōpos mimeitai amēgepē ton Poiētēn, hōs eikōn to archetypon; kai gar hē eikōn echei ta tou archetypou indalmata. ᾿Alla to men tōn moriōn eidos echei, tas de energeias ouk echei esterētai gar psychēs, di' hēs kineitai to sōma. Houtō palin kai basileuei ho anthrōpos, kai krinei kata mimēsin tou tōn holōn Theou. All᾿ ho men Theos ou katēgorōn, ou martyrōn deitai dikazōn; houtō gar kai ton Kaïn katekrinen, hōs autoptēs tou mysous gegenēmenos. Ho de anthrōpos krinōn kai martyrōn deitai, kai katēgorōn; agnoei gar ta gegenēmena. Houtō kai Theos ho anthrōpos ōnomasthē, epeidē eikōn prosēgoreuthē Theou ᾿Anēr gar, phēsin, ouk opheilei katakalyptesthai tēn kephalēn, eikōn kai doxa Theou hyparchōn.» ᾿Alla palin ho men tōn holōn Theos physin echei theian, ou prosēgorian psilēn; ho de anthrōpos, hōs eikōn, tounoma echei monon, esterēmenos tou pragmatos. Houtō kai to aperigraphon alēthōs men kai kyriōs esti tou tōn holōn Theou. Mimeitai de houtō pōs auto kai ho nous ho anthrōpinos; en akarei gar perinostei kai ta heǭa, kai ta hesperia, kai ta boreia, kai ta notia, kai ta epourania, kai ta hypochthonia all᾽ ou tę̄ ou; sią, monę̄ de tę̄ tou logismou phantasią. Ho de ge Theos kai tę̄ ousią kai tę̄ sophią, kai tę̄ dynamei to aperigraphon echei. Euroi d' an tis kai heteran mimēsin akribesteran en tę̄ tou anthrōpou palin psychę̄. Echei gar autē kai to logikon, kai to zōtikon en heautę̄. Kai genną men ho nous ton logon, symproeisi de tǭ logǭ pneuma, ou gennōmenon kathaper ho logos; symparomartoun de aei tǭ logǭ, kai symproion gennōmenǭ. ᾿Alla tauta hōs en eikoni prosesti tǭ anthrōpǭ; hou dē charin kai anypostatos ho logos esti, kai to pneuma. Epi de tēs hagias Triados treis nooumen tas hypostaseis, kai asynchytōs ēnō menas, kai kath' heautas hyphestōsas. Gegennētai men gar pro tōn aiōnōn ek tou Patros ho Theos Logos: achōristos de esti tou gennēsantos; kai ekporeuetai ek tou Theou kai Patros to panagion Pneuma; noeitai de kai en idią hypostasei. Panta gar energei, phēsi, to hen kai to auto Pneuma, diairoun idią hekastǭ kathōs bouletai. Alla peri toutōn mēkynein ton logon ou dei; myrias gar estin heurein apodeixeis toutou para tę̄ theią Graphę̄.
What does “according to the image” mean? Some have called the invisibility of the soul the image of God; but they have not spoken truly. For if the invisibility of the soul were the image of God, angels and archangels and all the incorporeal and holy natures would have a better claim to be called images of God, since they are entirely free of bodies and have an unmixed invisibility. Others, out of great simplicity, say that the human body came into being according to the image of God, since they hear the divine voice saying, “Open your eyes and see, and incline your ear and hear,” and “The Lord smelled a fragrant odor,” and “The mouth of the Lord has spoken these things,” and “In his hand are the ends of the earth,” and the like. And the very foolish people did not see that God the Master, speaking to human beings through human beings, measures his words to the weakness of the hearers. Since we see through eyes, he calls his power of sight eyes; and again his power of hearing ears, since we hear through these parts; and his command a mouth. They ought to have listened not only to these words, but also to those that teach that God is uncircumscribed: “Where shall I go from your Spirit,” it says, “and where shall I flee from your face? If I go up into heaven, you are there; if I go down into Hades, you are present,” and so on. And the Lord said to the Samaritan woman, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” If God is spirit, then he is simple, uncompounded, and without shape. But it is superfluous to lengthen this discussion; their folly is plain. Some of the teachers, then, have understood “Let us make man according to our image and according to likeness” in this way: that the God of the universe, having made the creation, both perceptible and intelligible, formed man last, setting him as a kind of image of himself in the midst of things lifeless and living, perceptible and intelligible, so that the lifeless and the living might bring him their usefulness as a kind of tribute, while the intelligible natures, in their care for him, might show their goodwill toward the one who made him. For this is what the divine Apostle said: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out for service, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” And the Lord in the Gospels: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, the least. For truly I tell you that their angels daily see the face of my Father in heaven.” Others have said that man came into being according to the image of God in respect of rule, using a very clear proof: that the Maker added, “And let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of heaven, and the cattle, and all the earth, and all the creeping things that creep on the earth.” For just as he himself has lordship over the universe, so he has given man authority over the irrational animals. One can find other imitations too, as of an archetype. Man too creates, in imitation of God who made him: houses and walls and cities and harbors and ships and dockyards and chariots and countless other things, copies, as it were, of heaven, and likenesses of sun and moon and stars and men, and images of irrational animals. But the difference in the creating is infinite. The God of the universe creates both from what exists and from what does not, and without toil or time; for as soon as he wills, he brings forth what he has resolved. Man needs matter, needs tools, needs deliberation and thought and time and toil, and other crafts, for making what is made. The builder needs the smith, and the smith the miner and the charcoal-burner; all of them together need the woodcutters, and the woodcutters the planters and farmers; and so each craft gathers what it needs from the other crafts. Yet even creating in this way, man imitates the Maker in some fashion, as an image does its archetype; for an image too has the likenesses of its archetype. It has the form of the parts, but not their activities; for it lacks a soul, by which the body is moved. So again, man also reigns and judges in imitation of the God of the universe. But God, when he judges, needs neither accusers nor witnesses; that is how he condemned Cain, having himself been eyewitness of the crime. Man, when he judges, needs both witnesses and accusers, for he does not know what has happened. So too man was named god, since he was called the image of God: “For a man,” it says, “ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God.” But again, the God of the universe has a divine nature, not a bare title; man, as an image, has only the name, without the reality. So too being uncircumscribed belongs truly and properly to the God of the universe; yet the human mind imitates it in a way, for in an instant it travels around the east and the west, the north and the south, the regions above the heavens and those beneath the earth, not in its substance, but only by the imagination of thought. God, however, is uncircumscribed in substance, in wisdom, and in power. One could find another, more exact imitation in the soul of man. It has in itself both the rational and the vital. The mind begets the word; and a spirit goes forth with the word, not begotten as the word is, but always accompanying the word and going forth with it as it is begotten. But these belong to man as in an image; for this reason the word and the spirit in him have no subsistence of their own. In the Holy Trinity, on the other hand, we understand three hypostases, united without confusion and each subsisting by itself. For God the Word was begotten from the Father before the ages, yet is inseparable from the one who begot him; and the all-holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father, and is also understood in its own hypostasis. “For all these,” it says, “the one and the same Spirit works, distributing to each individually as he wills.” But there is no need to lengthen the discussion about these things; one can find countless proofs of this in the divine Scripture.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Dan 9:18 (quotation, medium confidence) · Isa 37:17 (allusion, low confidence) · Gen 8:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 1:20 (quotation, medium confidence) · Ps 95:4 (94:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 139:7–8 (138:7-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 4:10–12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 82:6 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Cor 11:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:11 (quotation, high confidence) · John 15:26 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret rejects locating the image of God in the soul's invisibility or in the body, and sets out the views that man is God's image as the centerpiece of creation, as ruler, as maker and judge, and in the mind with its word and spirit, an image of the Trinity.
- Quotations: Dan 9:18 (compare Isa 37:17); Gen 8:21; Isa 1:20; Ps 95:4 (LXX 94:4); Ps 139:7–8 (LXX 138:7–8); John 4:24; Heb 1:14; Matt 18:10; Gen 1:26; 1 Cor 11:7; 1 Cor 12:11. Allusions: Gen 4:10–12 (Cain); Ps 82:6 (“named god”, probably); John 15:26. In the scan, a line of the analogy of mind, word, and spirit (“… with the word a spirit, not begotten as the word is …”) had been displaced into the quotation of 1 Cor 11:7; it was moved back to its place. After this answer Migne prints, as notes, catena extracts under the names of Diodore, Theodore, and Origen on the image of God; they had entered the scan text and were removed, since they are not part of Theodoret's work.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; catena extracts (Diodore, Theodore, Origen) printed by Migne as notes leaked into the text; displaced line removed from the quotation (moved to its place below); displaced line restored to its place; stray Latin letters; stray mark): τῇ & χειρὶ → τῇ χειρὶ; καὶbore → καὶ; Μιμεῖτα; → Μιμεῖται; Ἔχει! → Ἔχει; τὴν δὲ τῷ λόγῳ πνεῦμα, οὐ γεννώμενον καθάπερ ὁ λόγος· κεφαλὴν → τὴν κεφαλὴν; συμπρόεισι συμπαρομαρτοῦν → συμπρόεισι δὲ τῷ λόγῳ πνεῦμα, οὐ γεννώμενον καθάπερ ὁ λόγος· συμπαρομαρτοῦν; ΔΙΟΔΩΡΟΥ. Τινὲς κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐνόμισαν κατὰ τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀόρατον· καὶ οὐ συνῆκαν ὅτι καὶ ἄγγελος ἀόρατος, καὶ δαίμων ἀόρατος. Πρὸς οὓς ἀναγκαῖον εἰπεῖν τοσοῦτον, ὅτι καὶ τὸ ἄῤῥεν ἐν ἀνθρώποις, καὶ τὸ θῆλυ, κατά τε τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν, τῆς αὐτῆς εἶληχε φύσεως. Τί δήποτε οὖν ὁ Παῦλος τὸν μὲν ἄνδρα εἰκόνα Θεοῦ λέγει, οὐκέτι δὲ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα, εἴπερ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς λόγον εἰκὼν Θεοῦ ὁ ἄνθρωπος; Λέγει γὰρ, ᾿Ανὴρ μὲν γὰρ, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλήν· γυνὴ δὲ δόξα ἀνδρός ἐστιν. Εἰ τοίνυν εἰκὼν Θεοῦ ὁ μὴ ὀφείλων καλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλὴν, δῆλον, ὅτι ἡ καλυπτομένη οὐκ εἰκὼν Θεοῦ, τῆς αὐτῆς ψυχῆς μετέχουσα. Πῶς οὖν Θεοῦ εἰκὼν ὁ ἄνθρωπος; Κατὰ τὸ ἀρχικὸν, κατὰ τὸ ἐξουσιαστικόν. Καὶ μάρτυς αὐτὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ φωνὴ ἡ λέγουσα, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν, καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν. Καὶ τὸν τρόπον ἐπάγουσα, Καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τῶν θηρίων τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ωσπερ οὖν ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ὅλων, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς βασιλεύει. Τί οὖν; οὐκ ἄρχει καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τῶν προειρημένων; Ἀλλὰ κεφαλὴν ἔχει τὸν ἄνδρα, κρατοῦσα τῶν ἄλλων· ἀνὴρ δὲ οὐχ ὑποτέτακται τῇ γυναικί. Διὸ δὴ καλῶς ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος τὸν ἄνδρα μόνον εἰκόνα Θεοῦ φησι εἶναι καὶ δόξαν, τὴν δὲ γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀνδρὸς δόξαν. ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΥ. Ὥσπερ εἴ τις βασιλεὺς πόλιν τινα μεγίστην κατασκευάσας, πολλοῖς τε αὐτὴν καὶ ποικίλοις διακοσμήσας ἔργοις, μετὰ τὴν ἁπάντων ἐκπλήρωσιν, κελεύσειεν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ γενομένην μεγίστην τινὰ καὶ εὐπρεπεστάτην, ἐν μέσῳ πάσης ἱστάναι τῆς πόλεως, εἰς ἔλεγχον τοῦ τῆς πόλεως αἰτίου, ἣν ἀνάγκη καὶ ὡς εἰκόνα τοῦ πεποιηκότος τὴν πόλιν βασιλέως παρὰ τῶν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν θεραπεύεσθαι πάντων, χάριν ὁμολογούντων διὰ τοῦτο τῷ κτίστῃ τῆς πόλεως, ὅτιπερ αὐτοῖς ἐνδιαίτημα δέδωκε τοιοῦτον. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ τῆς κτίσεως Δημιουργός πεποίηκε μὲν πάντα τὸν κόσμον, διαφόροις τε καὶ ποικίλοις καλλωπίσας τοῖς ἔργοις· τελευταῖον δὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐν τάξει παρήγαγεν εἰκόνος οἰκείας· ὡς ἂν ἅπασα ἡ κτίσις τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου χρείᾳ φαίνηται συνδουμένη - εἴ γε ἐξ ἀέρος, καὶ γῆς, καὶ ὕδατος, καὶ φωστήρων, οὓς ὁ οὐρανὸς φέρει ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, ἡ τῶν καρπῶν σύστασις ἀποτελεῖται· ἡ δὲ τούτων ἀπόλαυσις πᾶσι μὲν ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις ἀναγκαία· βραχεῖα δὲ τις αὐτῶν τοῖς ἀλόγοις νενέμηται μοῖρα πρὸς ὑπηρεσίαν τεταγμένοις ἀνθρώπων. Αἵ τε ἀόρατοι δυνάμεις, ὅτι πᾶσαι τοῖς θείοις βουλήμασιν ὑπηρετοῦνται πρὸς τὸ ἡμῖν λυσιτελοῦν, Παῦλος ὁ μακάριος διδάσκει λέγων· Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν; Πρόδηλον τοίνυν, ὅτι ἕνα κόσμον ἀποτελέσαι τὸ σύμπαν βουληθεὶς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν ἐκ διαφόρων φύσεων συστᾶσαν, θνητῶν τε καὶ ἀθανάτων, λογικῶν τε καὶ ἀλόγων, ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων, εἰς ἕν τι συναγαγεῖν ἐθελήσας, σύνδεσμον ἁπάντων τὸν ἄνθρωπον κατεσκεύασεν οὕτω πάντα πρὸς αὐτὸν συναγαγὼν τῇ χρείᾳ, ὥστε συνῆφθαί τε τὴν σύμπασαν κτίσιν ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ φιλίας αὐτὸν ἐνέχυρον ἐναργὲς εἶναι τῇ πάσῃ. Δέδωκε γοῦν αὐτῷ ταύτης ἕνεκα τῆς αἰτίας καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα· τὸ μὲν ὁρατὸν, τοῖς ὁρατοῖς οἰκεῖον, ἐκ γῆς τε καὶ ἀέρος, καὶ ὕδατος, καὶ πυρὸς συνεστώς, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ τούτων ἀποτελουμένοις καρποῖς τρεφόμενον, τὴν δὲ νοεράν τε καὶ ἀθάνατον θεραπείᾳ τὴν προσήκουσαν ἀναφέρει τιμὴν τῷ Θεῷ. Οὐ γὰρ ἄδηλον, ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου χρεία φαίνεται συνδουμένη. καὶ λογικὴν, ταῖς ἀοράτοις καὶ λογικαῖς ἐοικυῖαν οἱσίαις, ἵνα μὴ τῇ χρείᾳ μόνον ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἡ κτίσις συνάπτηται, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ τῆς φύσεως οἰκειότητι· μᾶλλον δὲ, ἵνα ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν φύσιν οἰκειότητος καὶ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τὴν αὐτοῦ πάντα συνάπτηται· ἡδέως ὑπὲρ τοῦ συγγενοῦς καὶ οἰκείου πονοῦντά τε καὶ τὴν ἐκείνην εἰσφέροντα χρείαν Καὶ μεθ᾽ ἕτερα Σφόδρα δέ μοι θαυμάζειν ἐπελήλυθε τῶν ταύτῃ μὲν συνιδεῖν οὐχ οἴων τε γεγονότων, κατ᾽ εἰκόνα δὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγενῆσθαι, πῆ μὲν κατὰ τὸ ἀρχικὸν εἰπόντων, πῆ δὲ κατὰ τὸ λογικόν 3", πῆ δὲ κατὰ τὸ νοερὸν, γέλωτος μεστὰ σαφῶς ἀποφθεγγομένων, δέον αὐτοὺς ᾿συνιδεῖν, ὅτι εἰκὼν Θεοῦ μόνος ὁ ἄνθρωπος λέγεται γεγενῆσθαι. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῇ ποιήσει, φησὶ, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Νῶε, ὅτι ἐν εἰκόνι Θεοῦ ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος Παῦλος· ᾿Ανὴρ οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων. Εἰ δὲ μόνος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν τοῖς γεγονόσιν εἰκὼν, πρόδηλον, ὡς τούτου μόνου τοῦτο προσειρημένου, ἰδίαν τινὰ τῆς προσηγορίας προσῆκεν εἶναι τὴν αἰτίαν· ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε τὸ νοερὸν μόνον, οὔτε λογικόν· τοιαύτας γὰρ εἶναι καὶ τὰς ἀοράτους φαμὲν δυνάμεις. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὸ ἀρχικόν· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ταῖς ἀοράτοις προσὸν ὁρῶμεν δυνάμεσιν, ὡς ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ποτὲ μὲν λέγει, Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα, τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ, καὶ τὰ ἀσ ρατα, εἴτε Θρόνοι, εἴτε Κυριότητες, εἴτε Ἀρχαὶ, εἴτε Ἐξουσίαι· ποτὲ δὲ, Ἵνα γνωσθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. Ὅθεν καὶ τὰς ἐναντίας οὕτω καλεῖ δυνάμεις, ὡς ἂν ἐξ ἐκείνων ἐκπεπτωκυίας τῶν ταγμάτων. Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχὰς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου. Οὕτω καὶ ἄγγελοι καλοῦνται Καὶ Μιχαήλ, φησὶν, ὁ ἄρχων ὑμῶν, καὶ ἄρχων Περσίδος Εἴρηται δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν φωστήρων, Τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν μέγαν εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν ἐλάσσω εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτός. Ὅπερ Δαβὶδ ἐξουσίαν ἐκάλεσεν, εἰπών· Τὸν ἥλιον εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τὴν σελήνην καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς νυκτός. Πῶς οὖν οἷόν τε ἦν κατά τι τούτων λέγεσθαι εἰκόνα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὧν δὴ μέτεστι πολλοῖς τῶν γεγονότων, μόνου γε αὐτοῦ κατ' εἰκόνα γεγενῆσθαι λεγομένου Θεοῦ; ᾿Αφ᾽ οὗ δῆλον ἡμῖν, ὅτι καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν εισφ. χρ. πῆ δὲ κατὰ τὸ λογικόν τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγενῆσθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον. μίαν τινὰ προσῆκε τὴν αἰτίαν εἶναι, καθ᾿ ἣν οὗτος οὕτω προσηγόρευται μόνος, ἧς οὐδὲν μετέχει τῶν γεγονότων, ἅτε μηδὲ τῆς προσηγορίας μετέχον ταύτης. Ἔστι δὲ, ἣν ἔφθην εἰπών. ΩΡΙΓΕΝΟΥΣ. Προδιαληπτέον πρότερον, ποῦ συνίσταται τὸ, Κατ' εἰκόνα, ἐν σώματι, ἢ ἐν ψυχῇ; Ἴδωμεν δὲ πρότερον οἷς χρῶνται οἱ τὸ πρῶτον λέγοντες· ὧν ἐστι καὶ Μελίτων, συγγράμματα καταλελοιπὼς περὶ τοῦ ἐνσώματον εἶναι τὸν Θεόν. Μέλη γὰρ Θεοῦ ὀνομαζόμενα εὑρίσκοντες ὀφθαλμοὺς Θεοῦ ἐπιβλέποντας τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ εἶναι εἰς δέησιν δικαίων ἐπινενευκότα, καὶ, Ωσφράνθη Κύριος ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας, καὶ, Τὸ στόμα Κυρίου ἐλάλησε ταῦτα, καὶ βραχίονα Θεοῦ, καὶ χεῖρας, καὶ πόδας, καὶ δακτύλους, ἄντικρυς φάσκουσι ταῦτα οὐχ ἕτερόν τι διδάσκειν, ἢ τὴν μορφὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πῶς δὲ, φασὶ, καὶ ὤφθηἱὁ Θεὸς τῷ ᾿Αβραάμ, καὶ Μωσῇ, καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις, μὴ μεμορφωμένος; μεμορφωμένος δὲ, κατὰ ποῖον χαρακτῆρα, ἢ τὸν ἀνθρώπινον; Καὶ συνάγουσι μυρία ῥητά, μέλη ὀνομάζοντα Θεοῦ. Πρὸς οὓς ἀγωνιστέον πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῆς λέξεως· ἀντιπαρακαλοῦμεν δὲ ῥητὰ, τοῖς πλέον τοῦ γράμματος μηδὲν ἐπισταμένοις, ἐναντιούμενα αὐτῶν τῇ ὑπολήψει· ἐκx μὲν τοῦ Ζαχαρίου, ὅτι Ἑπτὰ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου οἱ ἐπιβλέποντες ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Εἰ δὲ ἑπτὰ ἔχει ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁ Θεὸς, ἡμεῖς δὲ δύο, οὐ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ γεγόναμεν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐκ ἐπτερυγώμεθα, περὶ δὲ Θεοῦ λέγει ἐν ἐννενηκοστῷ ψαλμῷ, ὅτι Ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ ἐλπιεῖς. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνος μὲν πτέρυγας ἔχει, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐσμεν ζῶον ἄπτερον, οὐ κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γέγονεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος. Πῶς δὲ ὁ σφαιροειδὴς οὐρανὸς, καὶ ἀεὶ κινούμενος, θρόνος εἶναι δύναται, ὡς ὑπολαμβάνουσι, τοῦ Θεοῦ; ᾿Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ γῆ πῶς ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ; ᾿Απαγγελλέτωσαν ἡμῖν. Ἆρα γὰρ τὸ ἀπὸ γονάτων μέχρι τῶν βάσεων σῶμα τοῦ μεταξὺ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς περιέχοντος, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ οὔσης τῆς γῆς τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου, καὶ περιεχομένης ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ὡς γραμμικαῖς ἀποδείξεσι παρίσταται, παρ' ἡμῖν εἰσιν αἱ βάσεις τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ παρὰ τοῖς ἀντίχθοσι; καὶ ὅλην τὴν οἰκουμένην ἡμῶν πεπληρώκασιν, ἢ καὶ πλέον τι ἐπιλαμβάνουσιν, ἢ ἔλαττόν τι; διεστήκασιν οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ διὰ τὰς θαλάσσας καὶ τοὺς ποταμοὺς, ἢ καὶ τοῖς ὕδασιν ἐπιβαίνουσι; πῶς δὲ οὗ ὁ τηλικοῦτος οὐρανὸς θρόνος, καὶ ἡ γῆ ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν, ἐν ) μόνῳ τῷ παραδείσῳ εὑρίσκεται περιπατῶν, ἢ ἐν τῇ κορυφῇ τοῦ Σινᾶ φαίνεται τῷ Μωσῇ; Καὶ πῶς ταῦτά τις περὶ Θεοῦ δοξάζων οὐ μωρὸς λεχθήσεται ; Εἶτα πολλὰ πρὸς ἀνατροπὴν εἰπὼν τῆς τοιαύτης δόξης ἐπάγει. Ὁ δὲ φάσκων τὸ, Κατ' εἰκόνα, μὴ ἐν σώματι εἶναι, ἐν δὲ τῇ λογικῇ ψυχῇ, παραστήσει οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητον δόγμα, καταλαβών, τίνες δυνάμεις εἰσὶν αὐτῆς. Ἡ γὰρ γνωστικὴ δύναμις ἡ ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, κριτική τε καὶ εὐποιητική, δικαιοπρακτική τε καὶ ἐῤῥώμένη, καὶ ἀπαξαπλῶς παντὸς καλοῦ ἐπιτελεστική, κατ' εἰκόνα ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγό νασιν αὐτῷ Ὅτι δὲ τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα αἱ πράξεις χαρακτηρίζουσι, καὶ οὐχὶ ἡ τοῦ σώματος μορφή, σαφῶς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους φησί· Καθὼς ἐφορέσαμεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ, οὕτως φορέσωμεν καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου. Εἰκόνα μὲν γὰρ φορεῖ χοϊκὴν ὁ κατὰ σάρκα ζῶν, καὶ ποιῶν τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός· εἰκόνα δὲ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου ὁ τῷ πνεύματι τὰς, πράξεις τῆς σαρκὸς. θανατῶν. Καὶ ἐν ἑτέρᾳ δὲ Ἐπιστολῇ διδάσκων ὡς δεῖ βιοῦν, ἐπιφέρει ταῖς ἐντολαῖς τὸ, Ἵνα γένησθε κατ᾿ εἰκόνα τοῦ Κτίσαντος Κύριος μακρόθυμος, καὶ ὁ μακρόθυμος ἄνθρωπος ἔχει τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ. Δίκαιος καὶ ὅσιος ὁ Κύριος, καὶ οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος. Οὐκοῦν ὁ ἀγαπῶν δικαιοσύνην καὶ ὁσιότητα, καὶ πράττων καὶ τηρῶν τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος, τὴν, Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες, ὡς καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστί· καὶ, Γίνεσθε τέλειοι, ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν, εἰκὼν γίνεται κατὰ πάντα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν, φησὶ, τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν, καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Τηρητέον, ὅτι σεσιώπηται, μὴ τὰ ζῶα πάντα διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον γεγονέναι· ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ὧν ἄρχειν λέγεται, ἰχθύας θαλάσσης, καὶ πετεινὰ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ κτήνη τῆς γῆς· τάχα δὲ καὶ ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς, διὰ τὰς ἀναγκαιοτάτας τῶν φαρμάκων χρείας ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν τελουμένας. Οὐ μέντοι γε διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὰ κήτη τὰ μεγάλα καὶ τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς. Ἡ γὰρ ἂν προσετέθη τῇ δεδομένῃ ἐξουσίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἡ τούτων ὀνομασία, οὐχ εὑρίσκομεν δὲ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ τὸ τῶν ὄφεων γένος ἐν ἑρπετοῖς τεταγμένον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν θηρίοις· Ὁ γὰρ ὄφις, φησὶ, ἦν φρονιμώτατος πάντων τῶν θηρίων. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι, Ἔχιδνα δακοῦσα τὸν Παῦλον ἐκρέματο κατὰ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐπιφέρει· Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ βάρβαροι κρεμάμενον τὸ θηρίον. Ἐν δὲ τῷ Λευϊτικῷ, ὅρα ἐπὶ τίνων τάσσει τὸ ἑρπετὸν, ὡς οὐδαμῶς ἐπὶ τῶν νῦν ἐν τῇ συνηθείᾳ καλουμένων. Ταῦτα φάγεσθε, φησὶ, ἀπὸ τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν πετεινῶν, ἃ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τῶν τεσσάρων, ἃ ἔχει σκέλη ἀνώτερον τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, πηδᾶν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ταῦτα φάγεσθε ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν, τὸν βροῦχον καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ· καὶ τὴν ἀκρίδα, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῇ καὶ τὸν πράξεις τοῦ σώματος. ἀττάκην καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ· καὶ τὸν ὀφιομάχην καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ. Πᾶν ἑρπετὸν ἀπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν, οἷς εἰσι τέσσαρες πόδες, βδέλυγμα ὑμῖν ἐστι· καὶ ἐν τούτοις μιανθήσεσθε. Οὐκ ἄρχει τοίνυν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὔτε τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν μεγάλων, οὔτε τῶν θηρίων, τάχα τὴν ἀρχὴν οὔτε δι' αὐτὸν γεγεννημένων. Τὸ δὲ ὅμοιον τοῖς ἐνθάδε ἀναγεγραμμένοις. ὑπὸ τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῷ ὀγδόῳ ψαλμῷ λέγεται· Πάντα ὑπέταξας ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, πρόβατα καὶ βόας ἁπάσας, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ κτήνη τοῦ πεδίου, τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τοὺς ἰχθύας τῆς θαλάσσης, τὰ διαπορευόμενα τρίβους θαλασσῶν. Κἀνταῦθα γὰρ τὰ κήτη καὶ τὰ θηρία σεσιώπηται → .
Topics: The image of God, Humanity, God, Trinity, Angels
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.20 (PG 80 80:103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-20
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.21PG 80 80:117
Τι δή ποτε διαφερόντως τὴν ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν εὐλόγησεν ὁ Θεός; Ἑκάστη τῶν ἄλλων ἡμερῶν ἰδίαν τινὰ δημιουργίαν ἐδέξατο. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν μέχρι ταύτης αύμπασαν τὴν κτίσιν ἐδημιούργησε, δέδωκεν ἀντὶ δημιουργίας τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἡμέρᾳ τὴν εὐλογίαν· ἵνα μὴ μόνη παρὰ τὰς ἄλλας ἀγέραστος διαμείνῃ. Τὸ μέντοι, Ἡγίασεν αὐτὴν,» ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀφώρισεν τέθεικε. Πολλαχοῦ γὰρ οὕτω τοῦτο νοούμενον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ. Καὶ γὰρ περὶ τῶν Μήδων φησὶν, Ἡγιασμένοι εἰσὶ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἄγω αὐτούς τουτἐστιν, εἰς τοῦτο ἀφωρισμένοι. "Αλλως τε καὶ Ἱouδαίοις ταῦτα γράφων, ἀναγκαίως τὸ, Ἡγίασεν αὐτὴν, τέθεικεν, ἵνα πλεῖον σέβας ἀπονείμωσι τῷ Σαββάτῳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νομοθετῶν ἔφη, ὅτι, Ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ' τὴν γῆν· τῇ δὲ ἑβδόμῃ ἡμέρᾳ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν.
Ti dē pote diapherontōs tēn hebdomēn hēmeran eulogēsen ho Theos? Hekastē tōn allōn hēmerōn idian tina dēmiourgian edexato. Epeidē toinyn mechri tautēs aumpasan tēn ktisin edēmiourgēse, dedōken anti dēmiourgias tę̄ hebdomę̄ hēmerą tēn eulogian; hina mē monē para tas allas agerastos diameinę̄. To mentoi, Hēgiasen autēn,» anti tou aphōrisen tetheike. Pollachou gar houtō touto nooumenon estin heurein para tę̄ theią Graphę̄. Kai gar peri tōn Mēdōn phēsin, Hēgiasmenoi eisi, kai egō agō autous toutestin, eis touto aphōrismenoi. "Allōs te kai Hioudaiois tauta graphōn, anankaiōs to, Hēgiasen autēn, tetheiken, hina pleion sebas aponeimōsi tǭ Sabbatǭ. Touto gar kai nomothetōn ephē, hoti, En hex hēmerais epoiēse Kyrios ho Theos sou ton ouranon, kai ' tēn gēn; tę̄ de hebdomę̄ hēmerą katepausen apo pantōn tōn ergōn autou hōn epoiēsen, kai hēgiasen autēn.
Why did God bless the seventh day in particular? Each of the other days received a creation of its own. Since, then, he had created the whole creation by this day, he gave the seventh day a blessing instead of a creation, so that it alone, unlike the others, might not remain without honor. But he put “He sanctified it” in the sense of “he set it apart”; for one can find it understood in this way in many places in the divine Scripture. Of the Medes, for instance, he says, “They are sanctified, and I lead them,” that is, set apart for this purpose. Besides, since he was writing these things for Jews, he necessarily put “He sanctified it,” so that they would give greater reverence to the Sabbath. For this is what he said when giving the law: “In six days the Lord your God made heaven and earth; and on the seventh day he rested from all his works that he had made, and sanctified it.”
Gen 2:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 13:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:2 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains that the seventh day received a blessing in place of a work of creation, and that “sanctified” means “set apart.”
- Quotations: Gen 2:3; Isa 13:3 (LXX); Exod 20:11 (freely, combined with Gen 2:2–3). A catena extract under the name of Theodore (of Mopsuestia), printed by Migne as a note, had entered the scan text after the answer and was removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (catena extract (Theodore) printed by Migne as a note leaked into the text): ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΥ. Καὶ συνετέλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἔκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐποίησε, καὶ κατἐπαυσεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· δεικνὺς ὅτι ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς ἔκτης συμπεπλήρωκε πάντα, ἄτε μηδὲν αὐτοῖς προστιθέναι μέλλων καινὸν, ἐπειδὴ μηδὲ' λείπειν τι αὐτοῖς ἡγεῖτο, ἐ παύσατο δὲ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ ποιεῖν· τούτου γε ἕνεκεν τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην προστέθεικεν ἄπρακτον οὖσαν, καὶ ἐν ᾗ καθάπαξ πεποίηκεν οὐδέν· ὡς ἂν τῇ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἀργίᾳ δηλώσειεν, ὅτι πάντα ἔχει πέρας αὐτῷ. Ὁ γὰρ καὶ τῇ πρώτῃ, καὶ τῇ δευτέρᾳ, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ, ) καὶ τῇ τετάρτῃ, καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ, καὶ τῇ ἕκτῃ, ἀεί τι καινὸν πεποιηκὼς, ὃ λείπειν ἡγεῖτο τῇ κτίσει εὔδηλον ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ τοῦ τὰ θηρία σεσιώπηται. ποιεῖν ἀπεπαύσατο, ὡς ἂν τῇ ἀργίᾳ τῇ ἐν αὐτῇ δείξειε τὸ πέρας εἰληφέναι τὴν κτίσιν. Ὅθεν καὶ ἐν ἑπτὰ ἡμέραις τὸν πάντα κύκλον τῶν ἡμερῶν περι έγραψε, δυνάμενος καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἓξ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, ἐν αἷς συνεπλήρωσε τὴν κτίσιν ἵνα αἱ μὲν ἓξ δήλωσις ὦσι τῶν γεγονότων, ἡ δὲ ἑβδόμη τοῦ πάντα εἰληφέναι πέρας, καὶ μηδὲν αὐτοῖς λείπειν ἔτι. Εἶτα ὡς μὴ ἄχρηστος εἶναί τις καὶ περιττὴ νομίζοιτο ἡ ἑβδόμη οὐδὲν ἔργον δεξαμένη Θεοῦ, καὶ ὡς μὴ βδελυκτή τις ὑπολαμβάνοιτο τοῖς πᾶσιν εἶναι, καὶ οὐκ ἠξιωμένη θείας τινὸς ἐργασίας, εὐκόλως ἄν τινος ὑποπτεύσαντος, ὅτι ὡς ἀνεπιτηδείᾳ τάχα ἡμέρᾳ οὐδὲ ποιῆσαί τι εἴλετο ἐν αὐτῇ, καθὼς ἔθος ἐνίοις τὰς φαυλοτέρας ἀπράκτους νομίζειν ὡς ἂν μὴ τι τοιοῦτο καὶ περὶ τῆς ἑβδόμης ὑπολαμβάνοιτο, ἐπήγαγε Καὶ εὐλόγησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην, καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν. Ἔδειξε γὰρ, ὅτι οὐκ ἄχρηστον τὴν ἡμέραν πρὸς τὸ ποιεῖν ἡγήσατο· ἀλλ᾽ ἁρμόδιον ἔθετο εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν. Εὐλόγησεν οὖν καὶ αὐτήν· ἅτε τὰς μὲν λοιπὰς τῷ τὶ ποιῆσαι ἐν αὐταῖς τιμήσας, ταύτην δὲ τῷ ἔλεγχον εἶναι τοῦ πεπληρῶσθαι τὴν κτίσιν. Διὰ τοῦτο, καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτὴν, εἶπεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἀφώρισε πρὸς τοῦτο, ὡς τῇ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς ἀργίᾳ δεικνύηται τὸ τῆς κτίσεως πέρας. → .
Topics: Creation, The Lord's day and the Sabbath
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.21 (PG 80 80:117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-21
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.22PG 80 80:119
Τι ἐστι, Πηγή δὲ ἀνέβαινεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπότιζε πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς; Ἐν κεφαλαίῳ πάλιν ὁ συγγραφεὺς τὰ περὶ τῆς κτίσεως διηγήσατο· καὶ ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι μὴ ὄντα τὰ στοιχεῖα παρήγαγεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων διεχώρισε, καὶ ὅτι ἕκαστον τούτων διεκόσμησεν ὡς ἠθέλησε, καὶ ὅτι μήτε τοῦ ἀνθρώπου γεωργοῦντος τὴν γῆν, μήτε τῶν νεφῶν τὸν ὑετὸν ὠδι - νούντων 3*, βεβλάστηκεν ὡς ὁ δημιουργήσας ἠθέλησεν, ἀρδείαν ἔχουσα τὴν μετὰ τὸν χωρισμὸν τῶν ὑδάτων ἐναπομείνασαν αὐτῇ νοτίδα τε καὶ ἰκμάδα οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ᾿Ακύλας ἡρμήνευσε, καὶ ἐπιβλυσμὸς ἀνέβη ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπότισε πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς χθονός.
Ti esti, Pēgē de anebainen ek tēs gēs, kai epotize pan to prosōpon tēs gēs? En kephalaiǭ palin ho syngrapheus ta peri tēs ktiseōs diēgēsato; kai edidaxen, hoti mē onta ta stoicheia parēgagen ho Theos, kai hoti tauta ap᾿ allēlōn diechōrise, kai hoti hekaston toutōn diekosmēsen hōs ēthelēse, kai hoti mēte tou anthrōpou geōrgountos tēn gēn, mēte tōn nephōn ton hyeton ōdi - nountōn 3*, beblastēken hōs ho dēmiourgēsas ēthelēsen, ardeian echousa tēn meta ton chōrismon tōn hydatōn enapomeinasan autę̄ notida te kai ikmada houtō gar kai ᾿Akylas hērmēneuse, kai epiblysmos anebē ek tēs gēs, kai epotise pan to prosōpon tēs chthonos.
What does “A spring went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the earth” mean? Here the writer again recounted in summary what concerns the creation. He taught that God brought forth the elements when they did not exist, that he separated them from one another, that he adorned each of them as he willed, and that, with neither man tilling the earth nor the clouds in labor with rain, the earth put forth plants as its creator willed, having as its watering the moisture and dampness left in it after the separation of the waters. For so Aquila too translated: “And a welling-up went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.”
Gen 2:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:5 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains the spring of Gen 2:6 as the moisture left in the earth after the waters were separated, citing Aquila's version.
- Quotations: Gen 2:6 (LXX and Aquila). Allusion: Gen 2:5. Aquila's Greek version of the Old Testament has no entry in the site's list of texts. A catena extract under the name of Diodore (of Tarsus), printed by Migne as a note, had entered the scan text and was removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (catena extract (Diodore) printed by Migne as a note leaked into the text): ΔΙΟΔΩΡΟΥ. Τοῦτο εἰπεῖν ἡβουλήθη, ὅτι ἀδιακόσμητος γέγονεν ἡ γῆ οὔτε γὰρ ἐκδέδοτό τι ἐξ αὐτῆς, ὧν ὕστερον διέταξε γίνεσθαι ὁ Θεός. Ἐπεὶ μήτε ἐργαζόμενος ἄνθρωπος ἦν, μήτε ὑετὸς κατενήνεκτο ἅτε μήπω τῆς διατάξεως ταύτης λαβούσης Ο ἀρχήν. Ὅθεν καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπάγων λέγει, Πηγὴ δὲ ἀνέβαινεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Λέγει μὲν ἀεὶ καὶ φυτῶν, καὶ σπερμάτων, καὶ ζώων· οὐ καινῶν δὲ, ἀλλ᾽ οἷάπερ ἦν τὰ πρότερον γεγονότα κατ᾿ ἐκεῖ νον τὸν ὅρον, καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ἀπόφασίν τε καὶ εὐλογίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, πάντων καθ' ἑκάστην ἐπιδιδόντων γὰρ ὅτι ἐκαλύπτετο πᾶσα ὑπὸ τῶν ὑδάτων· εἴρηκε δὲ αὐτὸ οὕτω πως, ὡς ἂν ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς γῆς βλύζοντά τε καὶ πηγάζοντα τὰ ὕδατα, καὶ ἐξ ἀπάσης αὐτῆς φερόμενα, οὕτω πᾶσαν αὐτὴν συνεκάλυπτόν. → .
Topics: Creation
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.22 (PG 80 80:119; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-22
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.23PG 80 80:121
Εἰ ἐκ τοῦ θείου ἐμφυσήματος γέγονεν ἡ ψυχὴ, ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἄρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή; Ασεβείας ἐσχάτης καὶ βλασφημίας ἡ τοιαύτη ἔννοια. Τῆς γὰρ δημιουργίας τὴν εὐκολίαν ἔδειξε διὰ τούτου ἡ θεία Γραφή. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ, καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν φύσιν αἰνίττεται, ὅτι πνεῦμά ἐστι κτιστὸν, ἀόρατὸν τε καὶ νοερὸν, τῆς τῶν σωμάτων ἀπηλλαγμένον παχύτητος. Κἀκεῖνο δὲ χρὴ συνιδεῖν, ὅτι δεῖ πρότερον νοῆσαι πνεύμονα, καὶ τοὺς ἀποθλίβοντας τοῦτον μῆς, καὶ συστέλλοντας, καὶ τὴν συμπεφυκυίαν ἀρτηρίαν τῷ πνεύμονι, καὶ ὑπερῴαν, καὶ στόμα, εἶθ᾿ οὕτως δέξασθαι τὸ ἐμφύσημα. Εἰ δὲ τὸ Θεῖον ἀσώ - ματον, θεοπρεπῶς ἄρα καὶ τὸ ἐμφύσημα νοη – τέον
Ei ek tou theiou emphysēmatos gegonen hē psychē, ek tēs ousias ara tou Theou estin hē psychē? Asebeias eschatēs kai blasphēmias hē toiautē ennoia. Tēs gar dēmiourgias tēn eukolian edeixe dia toutou hē theia Graphē. Pros de toutǭ, kai tēs psychēs tēn physin ainittetai, hoti pneuma esti ktiston, aoraton te kai noeron, tēs tōn sōmatōn apēllagmenon pachytētos. Kakeino de chrē synidein, hoti dei proteron noēsai pneumona, kai tous apothlibontas touton mēs, kai systellontas, kai tēn sympephykuian artērian tǭ pneumoni, kai hyperǭan, kai stoma, eith᾿ houtōs dexasthai to emphysēma. Ei de to Theion asō - maton, theoprepōs ara kai to emphysēma noē – teon
If the soul came from the divine breathing, is the soul then from the substance of God? Such a notion belongs to the height of impiety and blasphemy. By this the divine Scripture showed the ease of the creation. Besides this, it hints at the nature of the soul: that it is a created spirit, invisible and intelligent, free from the grossness of bodies. And one must see this too: one would first have to conceive of lungs, and the muscles that compress and contract them, and the windpipe joined to the lungs, and a palate and a mouth, and only then accept the breathing. But if the divine is incorporeal, then the breathing too must be understood in a manner befitting God.
Gen 2:7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret denies that God's breathing in Gen 2:7 makes the soul part of God's substance; it shows the ease of creation and the soul's spiritual, created nature.
- Allusion: Gen 2:7.
Topics: The soul, Humanity, Creation, God
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.23 (PG 80 80:121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-23
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.24PG 80 80:121
Τί δήποτε τὸν παράδεισον ἐφύτευσεν ὁ Θεὸς μέλλων ἐκεῖθεν τὸν ᾿Ἀδὰμ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν εὐθὺς ἐξορίζειν ; Πρῶτον οὐκ ἀνέχεται ἐκ προγνώσεως κατακρίναι ὁ δεσπότης Θεός. Διὸ καὶ τὴν παράβασιν προορῶν, τῶν ἀγαθῶν αὐτῷ μεταδέδωκεν. Ἔπειτα καὶ γνῶναι αὐτὸν τὰς θείας δωρεὰς ἡβουλήθη ἵνα τούτων στερηθεὶς μισήσῃ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ὡς τοσούτων αὐτὸν γυμνώσασαν ἀγαθῶν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἔδει τὸν δίκαιον ἀγωνοθέτην τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθληταῖς προθεῖναι τῆς νίκης τὰ ἄθλα. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ περὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἔφη· Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.
Ti dēpote ton paradeison ephyteusen ho Theos mellōn ekeithen ton ᾿Adam dia tēn hamartian euthys exorizein ? Prōton ouk anechetai ek prognōseōs katakrinai ho despotēs Theos. Dio kai tēn parabasin proorōn, tōn agathōn autǭ metadedōken. Epeita kai gnōnai auton tas theias dōreas hēboulēthē hina toutōn sterētheis misēsę̄ tēn hamartian, hōs tosoutōn auton gymnōsasan agathōn. Pros de toutois, edei ton dikaion agōnothetēn tois tēs aretēs athlētais protheinai tēs nikēs ta athla. Hou dē charin kai peri tēs basileias ephē; Deute, hoi eulogēmenoi tou Patros mou, klēronomēsate tēn hētoimasmenēn hymin basileian apo katabolēs kosmou.
Why did God plant paradise, when he was going to banish Adam from it at once because of sin? First, God the Master does not consent to condemn on the basis of foreknowledge. That is why, though he foresaw the transgression, he gave him a share in the good things. Then, he also wished him to know the divine gifts, so that, once deprived of them, he might hate sin for having stripped him of such great goods. Besides this, the just president of the games had to set before the athletes of virtue the prizes of victory. For this reason he said about the kingdom too: “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Gen 2:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:34 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God planted paradise though he foresaw the fall, because he does not condemn on foreknowledge, and wished Adam to know his gifts and to have a prize for virtue.
- Quotation: Matt 25:34. Allusion: Gen 2:8.
Topics: The fall, Providence, Election and predestination
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.24 (PG 80 80:121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-24
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.25PG 80 80:121
Τινὲς ἐν οὐρανῷ φασι τὸν παράδεισον εἶναι. Τῆς θείας λεγούσης Γραφῆς· Ἐξανέτειλεν ἔτι ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῆς γῆς πᾶν ξύλον ὡραῖον εἰς ὅρασιν, καὶ καλὸν εἰς βρῶσιν τολμηρὸν ἄγαν τὸ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἀκολουθεῖν λογισμοῖς, καταλιπόντας τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος.
Tines en ouranǭ phasi ton paradeison einai. Tēs theias legousēs Graphēs; Exaneteilen eti ho Theos ek tēs gēs pan xylon hōraion eis horasin, kai kalon eis brōsin tolmēron agan to tois oikeiois akolouthein logismois, katalipontas tēn didaskalian tou Pneumatos.
Some say that paradise is in heaven. Since the divine Scripture says, “God made to spring up further from the earth every tree beautiful to the sight and good for food,” it is very rash to follow one's own reasonings and abandon the teaching of the Spirit.
Gen 2:9 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret rejects the view that paradise is in heaven, since Scripture says its trees grew from the earth.
- Quotation: Gen 2:9. The question is put as a statement of the opposing view. A catena extract under the name of Diodore (on the name Eden), printed by Migne as a note, had entered the scan text and was removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (catena extract (Diodore) printed by Migne as a note leaked into the text): ΔΙΟΔΩΡΟΥ. Καὶ ἐφύτευσεν ὁ Θεὸς παράδεισον ἐν Ἐδὲμ κατὰ ἀνατολὰς Ἑδὲμ οἱ μὲν τὸν παράδεισον αὐτὸν λέγεσθαί φασιν· οἱ δὲ τὸν τόπον πάντα, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὁ παράδεισος ἦν, ὅθεν καὶ ὁ ᾿Ἀδὰμ ἐπλάσθη, καὶ Ἀδὰμ ἐκ τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἐν Ἐδὲμ γεγενῆσθαι προσηγορεύθη. Ἐδὼμ γὰρ τὸ πυῤῥὸν, ὥς που καὶ ὁ Ἡσαῦ πυῤῥᾶς φακῆς πεπρακὼς αὐτοῦ τὰ πρωτοτόκια τὴν προσηγορίαν εἴληφε· καὶ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἀληθές. → .
Topics: Creation, Interpreting Scripture
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.25 (PG 80 80:121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-25
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.26PG 80 80:123
Τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ τὸ ξύλον τοῦ εἰδέναι γνωστὸν καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ νοητὰ χρὴ λέγειν, ἢ αἰσθητά ; Ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ταῦτα βεβλαστηκέναι εἶπεν ἡ θεία Γραφή οὐ τοίνυν ἑτέραν τινὰ φύσιν ἔχει παρὰ τὰ ἄλλα φυτά. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ ξύλον ξύλον ἐστὶ, καὶ σωτήριον ὀνομάζεται, διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς περὶ αὐτὸ πίστεως σωτηρίαν προσγινομένην· οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα φυτὰ μέν ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς γῆς βεβλαστηκότα διὰ δὲ τὸν θεῖον ὅρον, θάτερον αὐτῶν ξύλον ζωῆς ὠνομάσθη· τὸ δὲ ἕτερον, διὰ τὸ περὶ αὐτὸ γενέσθαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν αἴσθησιν, ξύλον ἐκλήθη «γνωστὸν καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ. Καὶ περὶ τούτου μὲν προετέθη ὁ ἀγὼν τῷ ᾿Αδάμ· τὸ δὲ τῆς ζωῆς οἷόν τι ἔπαθλον προὔκειτο τετηρηκότι τὴν ἐντολήν. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ πατριάρχαι, καὶ χωρίοις καὶ φρέασι τὰς ἐπωνυμίας ἐπέθηκαν. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐκάλεσαν φρέαρ ὁράσεως οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ὁρατικὴν δύναμιν ἐχαρίζετο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὤφθη παρ᾿ αὐτῷ τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος. Καὶ φρέαρ εὐρυχωρίας· ἐπειδὴ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων φρεάτων πολλάκις οἱ ἀπὸ Γεράρων διαμαχεσάμενοι, οὐκ ἠνώχλησαν τοῖς τοῦτο κατεσκευακόσι τὸ φρέαρ. Οὕτω φρέαρ ὅρκου, διὰ τὸ παρ᾿ αὐτῷ γεγενῆσθαι τοὺς ὅρκους. Οὕτως ἡ Λουζὰ Βαιθήλ ὠνομάσθη, τουτέστιν οἶκος Θεοῦ· ἐπειδὴ ὤφθη τῷ Ἰακὼβ ἐν ἐκείνῳ γε τῷ χωρίῳ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Ποιητής. Ο Καὶ βουνὸς μάρτυς· οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἔμψυχος ἦν ὁ βουνὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐπεποίηντο τὰς συνθήκας· οὕτως ὕδωρ ζῶν καλεῖται τὸ βάπτισμα· οὐκ ἐπειδὴ φύσιν ἑτέραν ἔχει τοῦ βαπτίσματος ὕδωρ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι δι᾽ ἐκείνου τοῦ ὕδατος ἡ θεία χάρις τὴν αἰώνιον δωρεῖται ζωήν. Οὕτω καὶ ξύλον ζωῆς» διὰ τὸν θεῖον ὅρον ἐκλήθη καὶ ξύλον γνώσεως διὰ τὴν περὶ τοῦτο γεγενημένην αἴσθησιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Οὐδέπω γὰρ πεῖραν εἰληφότες τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἶτα τοῦ ἀπειρημένου μετειληχότες καρποῦ, ὡς παραβεβηκότες τὴν ἐντολὴν, τὰς τοῦ συνειδότος ἀκίδας ἐδέξαντο.
To xylon tēs zōēs, kai to xylon tou eidenai gnōston kalou kai ponērou noēta chrē legein, ē aisthēta ? Ek tēs gēs kai tauta beblastēkenai eipen hē theia Graphē ou toinyn heteran tina physin echei para ta alla phyta. Hōsper gar to tou staurou xylon xylon esti, kai sōtērion onomazetai, dia tēn ek tēs peri auto pisteōs sōtērian prosginomenēn; houtō kai tauta phyta men estin ek tēs gēs beblastēkota dia de ton theion horon, thateron autōn xylon zōēs ōnomasthē; to de heteron, dia to peri auto genesthai tēs hamartias tēn aisthēsin, xylon eklēthē «gnōston kalou kai ponērou. Kai peri toutou men proetethē ho agōn tǭ ᾿Adam; to de tēs zōēs hoion ti epathlon proukeito tetērēkoti tēn entolēn. Houtō kai hoi patriarchai, kai chōriois kai phreasi tas epōnymias epethēkan. Kai to men ekalesan phrear horaseōs ouk epeidē horatikēn dynamin echarizeto, all᾽ epeidē ōphthē par᾿ autǭ tōn holōn ho Kyrios. Kai phrear eurychōrias; epeidē peri tōn allōn phreatōn pollakis hoi apo Gerarōn diamachesamenoi, ouk ēnōchlēsan tois touto kateskeuakosi to phrear. Houtō phrear horkou, dia to par᾿ autǭ gegenēsthai tous horkous. Houtōs hē Louza Baithēl ōnomasthē, toutestin oikos Theou; epeidē ōphthē tǭ Iakōb en ekeinǭ ge tǭ chōriǭ ho tōn holōn Poiētēs. O Kai bounos martys; ouk epeidē empsychos ēn ho bounos, all᾽ hoti en ekeinǭ tǭ chōriǭ pros allēlous epepoiēnto tas synthēkas; houtōs hydōr zōn kaleitai to baptisma; ouk epeidē physin heteran echei tou baptismatos hydōr, all᾿ hoti di᾽ ekeinou tou hydatos hē theia charis tēn aiōnion dōreitai zōēn. Houtō kai xylon zōēs» dia ton theion horon eklēthē kai xylon gnōseōs dia tēn peri touto gegenēmenēn aisthēsin tēs hamartias. Oudepō gar peiran eilēphotes tēs hamartias eita tou apeirēmenou meteilēchotes karpou, hōs parabebēkotes tēn entolēn, tas tou syneidotos akidas edexanto.
Should the tree of life and the tree of knowing what is known of good and evil be called intelligible or perceptible? The divine Scripture said that these too sprang from the earth; so they do not have a nature different from the other plants. Just as the wood of the cross is wood, and is called saving because of the salvation that comes through faith in it, so these too are plants that sprang from the earth; but because of the divine decree one of them was named the tree of life, while the other, because the awareness of sin came about in connection with it, was called the tree “of knowing good and evil.” The contest set before Adam concerned this one; the tree of life lay ready as a kind of prize for him if he kept the commandment. So too the patriarchs gave names to places and wells. They called one the well of vision, not because it bestowed the power of sight, but because the Lord of the universe appeared beside it; and the well of broad room, because the men of Gerar, who had often fought over the other wells, did not trouble those who dug this one. So too the well of the oath, because the oaths were sworn beside it. So Luz was named Bethel, that is, house of God, because the maker of the universe appeared to Jacob in that very place. And the hill of witness, not because the hill was alive, but because they made their agreements with one another in that place. So baptism is called living water, not because the water of baptism has a different nature, but because through that water the divine grace grants eternal life. So too the one was called “tree of life” because of the divine decree, and the other tree of knowledge because of the awareness of sin that arose in connection with it. For they had not yet had experience of sin; then, having partaken of the forbidden fruit, as transgressors of the commandment they felt the stings of conscience.
Gen 2:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 2:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 16:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 24:62 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 26:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 21:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 26:33 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 28:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 31:47–48 (allusion, high confidence) · John 4:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret holds that the two trees of paradise were ordinary plants named for what God decreed and what happened in connection with them, like the wells and places named by the patriarchs.
- Allusions: Gen 2:9, 17; Gen 16:14 and 24:62 (well of vision); Gen 26:22 (Rehoboth, “broad room”); Gen 21:31; 26:33 (well of the oath); Gen 28:19 (Luz, Bethel); Gen 31:47–48 (hill of witness); John 4:10 (living water).
Topics: The fall, Sin, Conscience
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.26 (PG 80 80:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-26
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.27PG 80 80:123
Οὐκ οὖν εἶχον τὴν γνωσιν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ τοῦ κακοῦ, πρὸ τῆς τοῦ ἀπειρημένου καρποῦ μεΚαὶ πῶς οἷόν τε ἦν, τοὺς λόγῳ τετιμημένους, καὶ κατ' εἰκόνα θείαν γεγενημένους, οὐκ ἔχειν διάκρισιν ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ; Πῶς δ᾽ ἂν αὐτοῖς ἐτεθείκει νόμον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡ ἄβυσσος, ταύτην οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἐν τῇ φύσει τὴν γνῶσιν· μηδὲ γινώσκουσιν ὡς ἀγαθὸν μὲν τὸ φυλάξαι τὴν ἐντολὴν, ὀλέθριον δὲ τὸ παραβῆναι; Εἶχον οὖν ἄρα τὴν γνῶσιν· τὴν δὲ πεῖραν προσέλαβον ὕστερον.
Ouk oun eichon tēn gnōsin tou agathou kai tou kakou, pro tēs tou apeirēmenou karpou meKai pōs hoion te ēn, tous logǭ tetimēmenous, kai kat' eikona theian gegenēmenous, ouk echein diakrisin agathou kai kakou? Pōs d᾽ an autois etetheikei nomon tēs dikaiosynēs hē abyssos, tautēn ouk echousin en tę̄ physei tēn gnōsin; mēde ginōskousin hōs agathon men to phylaxai tēn entolēn, olethrion de to parabēnai? Eichon oun ara tēn gnōsin; tēn de peiran proselabon hysteron.
Did they not, then, have knowledge of good and evil before partaking of the forbidden fruit? And how could those honored with reason and made according to the divine image not have had discernment of good and evil? How would the abyss of righteousness have laid down a law for them, if they did not have this knowledge in their nature, nor knew that keeping the commandment was good and transgressing it ruinous? They had the knowledge, then; the experience they acquired later.
Gen 2:17 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Adam and Eve already knew good from evil before the fall; what they gained afterwards was experience of evil.
- The word “partaking” is cut off in the scan (με…), but the sense is clear.
Topics: The fall, The image of God, Conscience
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.27 (PG 80 80:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-27
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.28PG 80 80:125
Πῶς οὖν μετὰ τὴν βρῶσιν ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν· πρὸ γὰρ τῆς βρώσεως ταύτην οὐκ εἶχον τὴν αἴσθησιν; Οὐδὲ τὰ κομιδῆ νέα παιδία ἐρυθριᾷν πέφυκε τῆς ἐσθῆτος γεγυμνωμένα κατὰ βραχὺ δὲ τοῦ σώματος αὐξανομένου, καὶ τοῦ νοῦ λοιπὸν ἀρχομένου τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν ἐπιδεικνύναι, οὐκέτι λοιπὸν φορητή τοῖς μειρακίοις ἡ γύμνωσις, ἀλλ' ἐρυθριῶσι, καὶ περιβάλλονται, κἄν τις ἀφέληται τὴν ἐσθῆτα, ταῖς χερσὶ τὰ παιδογόνα καλύπτουσι μόρια. Πολλῶν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἔθος ἀφαιρεῖται ταύτην τὴν αἰσχύνην. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ναῦται γυμνοὶ πλέοντες, καὶ οἱ λουόμενοι γυμνοὶ ὑπ' ἀλλήλων δρώμενοι, ταύτην ἐνταῦθα τὴν αἰσχύνην οὐκ ἔχουσιν. Ἐὰν δὲ τις ἔξω τῶν βαλανείων γυμνὸς ᾖ, λίαν ἐρυθριᾷ· οὕτω καὶ οἱ περὶ τὸν ᾿Αδάμ, εὐθὺς μὲν διαπλασθέντες, οἷα δὴ νήπιοι, καὶ εὐθυγενεῖς καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀμύητοι, οὐκ ἠσχύνοντο δίχα περιβολαίων διάγοντες. Μετά δὲ τὴν πεῖραν, τοῖς φύλλοις ἔνια τοῦ σώματος συνεκάλυψαν μόρια.
Pōs oun meta tēn brōsin egnōsan hoti gymnoi ēsan; pro gar tēs brōseōs tautēn ouk eichon tēn aisthēsin? Oude ta komidē nea paidia erythriąn pephyke tēs esthētos gegymnōmena kata brachy de tou sōmatos auxanomenou, kai tou nou loipon archomenou tēn oikeian physin epideiknynai, ouketi loipon phorētē tois meirakiois hē gymnōsis, all' erythriōsi, kai periballontai, kan tis aphelētai tēn esthēta, tais chersi ta paidogona kalyptousi moria. Pollōn de kai to ethos aphaireitai tautēn tēn aischynēn. Kai gar hoi nautai gymnoi pleontes, kai hoi louomenoi gymnoi hyp' allēlōn drōmenoi, tautēn entautha tēn aischynēn ouk echousin. Ean de tis exō tōn balaneiōn gymnos ę̄, lian erythrią; houtō kai hoi peri ton ᾿Adam, euthys men diaplasthentes, hoia dē nēpioi, kai euthygeneis kai tēs hamartias amyētoi, ouk ēschynonto dicha peribolaiōn diagontes. Meta de tēn peiran, tois phyllois enia tou sōmatos synekalypsan moria.
How then did they know after eating that they were naked? Before eating they did not have this awareness. Very young children are not naturally ashamed when stripped of their clothing; but as the body gradually grows and the mind begins to show its own nature, nakedness is no longer bearable to the young; they blush and cover themselves, and if someone takes their clothing away, they cover their private parts with their hands. In many people, habit removes this shame. Sailors who sail naked, and bathers who are seen naked by one another, do not feel this shame there; but if someone is naked outside the baths, he blushes deeply. So too Adam and his wife, as soon as they were formed, being like infants, newly made and uninitiated in sin, were not ashamed to live without clothing; but after the experience they covered some parts of the body with leaves.
Gen 3:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 2:25 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret compares Adam and Eve's discovery of their nakedness to children who grow into a sense of shame.
- Allusions: Gen 3:7; 2:25. A catena extract under the name of Theodore (identifying the forbidden tree as a fig), printed by Migne as a note, had entered the scan text and was removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (catena extract (Theodore) printed by Migne as a note leaked into the text): ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΥ. Ἐπειδὴ ῥάπτοντες ἔτι τὰ φύλλα, ἤκουσαν τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ περιπατοῦντος, ὑπὸ τὸ ξύλον ἐκρύβησαν· οὐκ ἄλλο δηλονότι, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ οὗπερ ἔῤῥαπτον τὰ φύλλα. Τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τὴν ἐντολὴν εἰλήφεισαν. Ὡς ὁ προφήτης γάρ φησιν, Ἐκρύβησαν ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου. ᾿Απ' αὐτοῦ δὲ καὶ βεβρωκότες, τὰ φύλλα ἔῤῥαπτον, διὰ τὴν γενομένην αὐτοῖς αἰσχύνην ἐπὶ τῇ γυμνώσει. Ταῦτα δὲ ἦν φύλλα συκῆς. Ἀναντιῤῥήτως ἄρα συκῆ τὸ δένδρον ἦν, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ παρειλήφεισαν τὴν ἐντολήν. ᾿Αλλ' οὐ προσίενται τοῦτό τινες, διὰ πολλὴν εὐήθειαν, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, οἰόμενοι χρῆναι καινόν τι εἶναι τὸ ξύλον· καὶ οὐ λογιζόμενοι, ὅτι μὴ τῇ ποιότητι τοῦ ξύλου, μηδὲ τῇ καινότητι τῆς βρώσεως τὰ ἁμαρτήματα κρίνεται· ἀλλὰ τῇ δόσει τῆς ἐντολῆς, ἣν ἐφ᾿ ὅτου δήποτε παραβῆναι ἴσην ἔχει τὴν μέμψιν. → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.28 (PG 80 80:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-28
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.29PG 80 80:125
Πῶς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου φησὶν ὁ Μωϋσῆς τὸν Τίγρην ἐξιέναι, καὶ τὸν Εὐφράτην, οὔς φασί τινες ἐκ τῶν ὀρῶν ἀναβλύζειν τῆς ᾿Αρμενίας; Ἔστιν ἰδεῖν καὶ ἄλλους ποταμοὺς ἑτέρωθεν μὲν ἐξιόντας· ἔπειτα δὲ εἰς τὴν γῆν διά τινων καταδύσεων χωροῦντας, καὶ πάλιν ἄνωθεν ἀναβλύζοντας. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων γεγένηται τῶν ποταμῶν. Ἐξίασι μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖθεν, ὥς φησιν ἡ θεία Γραφή εἶτα διά τίνων ὑπογείων διιόντες πόρων, ἑτέρας ἀρχὰς ἐνταῦθα λαμβάνουσι. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ μάτην οὕτως ψκονόμησεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ τὴν περιττὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πολυπραγμοσύνην ἐκκόπτων Εἰ γὰρ δῆλος ἦν αὐτῶν ἅπας ὁ πόρος ἐπειράθησαν μὲν ἄν τινες, παρὰ τὰς τούτων ὄχθας ὁδεύοντες, τὸ τοῦ παραδείσου κατοπτεῦσαι χωρίον. Διημάρτανον δὲ τοῦ ποθουμένου καὶ τῷ μήκει τῆς ὁδοιπορίας κοπτόμενοι, καὶ τῇ σπάνει τῶν ἀναγκαίων διαφθειρόμενοι· καὶ νῦν μὲν εἰς δυσχωρίας, νῦν δὲ εἰς ἐρημίας ἐμπίπτοντες· ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ ἀπηνέσι· καὶ βαρβάροις ἀνθρώποις περιπίπτοντες. Καὶ τούτων τοίνυν προμηθούμενος ὁ φιλοικτίρμων Θεὸς, ἀδήλους αὐτῶν τοὺς πόρους ἀπέφηνεν.
Pōs ek tou paradeisou phēsin ho Mōÿsēs ton Tigrēn exienai, kai ton Euphratēn, ous phasi tines ek tōn orōn anablyzein tēs ᾿Armenias? Estin idein kai allous potamous heterōthen men exiontas; epeita de eis tēn gēn dia tinōn katadyseōn chōrountas, kai palin anōthen anablyzontas. Touto kai epi toutōn gegenētai tōn potamōn. Exiasi men gar ekeithen, hōs phēsin hē theia Graphē eita dia tinōn hypogeiōn diiontes porōn, heteras archas entautha lambanousi. Touto de ou matēn houtōs pskonomēsen ho tōn holōn Theos, alla tēn perittēn tōn anthrōpōn polypragmosynēn ekkoptōn Ei gar dēlos ēn autōn hapas ho poros epeirathēsan men an tines, para tas toutōn ochthas hodeuontes, to tou paradeisou katopteusai chōrion. Diēmartanon de tou pothoumenou kai tǭ mēkei tēs hodoiporias koptomenoi, kai tę̄ spanei tōn anankaiōn diaphtheiromenoi; kai nyn men eis dyschōrias, nyn de eis erēmias empiptontes; esti de hote kai apēnesi; kai barbarois anthrōpois peripiptontes. Kai toutōn toinyn promēthoumenos ho philoiktirmōn Theos, adēlous autōn tous porous apephēnen.
How does Moses say that the Tigris and the Euphrates go out of paradise, when some say that they gush up from the mountains of Armenia? One can see other rivers too that come out in one place, then pass into the earth through certain sinkholes and gush up again further on. This has happened with these rivers too. They go out from there, as the divine Scripture says; then, passing through underground channels, they take other sources here. The God of the universe did not arrange this without purpose; he did it to cut off the superfluous curiosity of human beings. If their whole course were visible, some would have tried, travelling along their banks, to spy out the place of paradise. They would have failed in what they longed for, worn out by the length of the journey and perishing for lack of necessities, falling now into rough country, now into deserts, and at times even falling among cruel and barbarous men. Taking forethought for them, then, the compassionate God made the courses of these rivers hidden.
Gen 2:10–14 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains that the rivers of paradise flow underground before rising in Armenia, which God arranged to keep people from seeking paradise.
- Allusion: Gen 2:10–14. The opening words of the next question (“Why …”), which stand at the end of this section in the scan, were moved to the next section.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (opening words of the next question moved to 1.30): Τί δή ποτε → .
Topics: Creation, Providence
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.29 (PG 80 80:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-29
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.30PG 80 80:127
Τί δή ποτε ἀπὸ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ ᾿Αδάμ τὴν γυναῖκα διέπλασεν; Εἰς ὁμόνοιαν ἡβουλήθη τὰ γένη συναγαγεῖν ὁ τῆς φύσεως Ποιητής. Τούτου χάριν τὸν μὲν ᾿Ἀδὰμ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς διέπλασεν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ᾿Ἀδὰμ τὴν γυναϊκά ἵνα καὶ τὸ ταυτὸν ἐπιδείξῃ τῆς φύσεως· καὶ φυσικήν τινα φιλοστοργίαν αὐτοῖς περὶ ἀλλήλους ἐμφύσῃ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τούτων οὕτω γεγενημένων, καὶ ἄνδρες γυναιξὶ διαμάχονται, καὶ γυναῖκες ἀνδράσιν, τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασαν, εἰ ἑτέρωθέν ποθεν τὴν γυναῖκα διἐπλασε; Σοφῶς οὖν ἄρα καὶ διεῖλε, καὶ πάλιν συνήρμοσεν. Ὁ γὰρ γάμος εἰς ἓν συνάγει τὰ γένη Ἔσονται γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἀληθὲς, μαρτυρεῖ τὸ γενόμενον. Διὰ γὰρ τῆς γαμικῆς ὁμιλίας εἷς ἐξ ἀμφοῖν βλαστάνει καρπὸς, ἐκ μὲν τούτου σπειρόμενος, ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τρέφόμενος, τελεσιουργούμενος δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς φύσεως Δημιουργοῦ.
Ti dē pote apo tēs pleuras tou ᾿Adam tēn gynaika dieplasen? Eis homonoian hēboulēthē ta genē synagagein ho tēs physeōs Poiētēs. Toutou charin ton men ᾿Adam apo tēs gēs dieplasen, ek de tou ᾿Adam tēn gynaïka hina kai to tauton epideixę̄ tēs physeōs; kai physikēn tina philostorgian autois peri allēlous emphysę̄. Ei gar kai toutōn houtō gegenēmenōn, kai andres gynaixi diamachontai, kai gynaikes andrasin, ti ouk an edrasan, ei heterōthen pothen tēn gynaika dieplase? Sophōs oun ara kai dieile, kai palin synērmosen. Ho gar gamos eis hen synagei ta genē Esontai gar, phēsin, hoi dyo eis sarka mian. Kai hoti touto alēthes, martyrei to genomenon. Dia gar tēs gamikēs homilias heis ex amphoin blastanei karpos, ek men toutou speiromenos, ek de tautēs trephomenos, telesiourgoumenos de hypo tou tēs physeōs Dēmiourgou.
Why did he form the woman from Adam's side? The maker of nature wished to bring the sexes together in concord. For this reason he formed Adam from the earth, and the woman from Adam, in order both to show the sameness of their nature and to implant in them a natural affection for each other. If, even though they came into being in this way, men quarrel with women and women with men, what would they not have done if he had formed the woman from some other source? Wisely, then, he both divided and joined together again. For marriage brings the sexes into one: “For the two,” it says, “shall become one flesh.” That this is true, what happens bears witness: through marital union one fruit springs from both, sown by him, nourished by her, and brought to completion by the creator of nature.
Gen 2:21–22 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 2:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 19:5 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God formed the woman from Adam to show their common nature and bind man and woman in affection, which marriage makes one flesh.
- Quotation: Gen 2:24 (compare Matt 19:5). Allusion: Gen 2:21–22.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (opening words of the question stand at the end of the previous section in the scan): ἀπὸ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ → Τί δή ποτε ἀπὸ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ.
Topics: Marriage, Women, Humanity
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.30 (PG 80 80:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-30
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.31PG 80 80:127
φρόνιμος ὁ ὄφις, καὶ ἐπαινούμενος· μόριον γὰρ ἡ φρόνησις ἀρετῆς. Πολλὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων ὁμωνύμως προφέρεται καὶ γὰρ τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν ἐθνῶν θεοὺς ὠνομάκασι. Τοῦτο δέ γε ἀκριβέστερον περὶ τοῦ ἐν ἐκείνῳ ἐνεργήσαντος εἴρηται δαίμονος. Ἀμαθῶς δὲ οἱ ἀνόητοι καὶ τοὺς περὶ τοὺς μύθους ἐσχολακότας, σοφοὺς προσηγόρευσαν. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ θεία Γραφή λέγει, Ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεὸς τὰ μωρὰ τοῦ κόσμου, ἵνα καταισχύνῃ τοὺς σοφούς. Καὶ πάλιν· Ποῦ σοφός; καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· Σοφοί εἰσι τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι. Τοιγάρτοι κἀνταῦθα φρόνιμον τὸν ὄφιν ὠνόμασεν, ὡς πανοῦργον. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ ᾿Ακύλας ἡρμήνευσεν Καὶ ὁ ὄφις ἦν πανοῦργος ἀπὸ παντὸς ζώου τῆς χώρας, οὗ ἐποίησεν Κύριος ὁ Θεός.,
phronimos ho ophis, kai epainoumenos; morion gar hē phronēsis aretēs. Polla tōn onomatōn homōnymōs propheretai kai gar ta eidōla tōn ethnōn theous ōnomakasi. Touto de ge akribesteron peri tou en ekeinǭ energēsantos eirētai daimonos. Amathōs de hoi anoētoi kai tous peri tous mythous escholakotas, sophous prosēgoreusan. Houtō kai hē theia Graphē legei, Exelexato ho Theos ta mōra tou kosmou, hina kataischynę̄ tous sophous. Kai palin; Pou sophos? kai dia tou prophētou; Sophoi eisi tou kakopoiēsai. Toigartoi kantautha phronimon ton ophin ōnomasen, hōs panourgon. Houtō gar kai ho ᾿Akylas hērmēneusen Kai ho ophis ēn panourgos apo pantos zōou tēs chōras, hou epoiēsen Kyrios ho Theos.,
… the serpent prudent, and is it praised? For prudence is a part of virtue. Many names are used equivocally: they have named the idols of the nations gods. This was said, more precisely, about the demon who worked in that serpent. And the foolish have ignorantly called those who occupy themselves with myths wise. So too the divine Scripture says, “God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise to shame”; and again, “Where is the wise man?”; and through the prophet, “They are wise in doing evil.” So here too it called the serpent “prudent” in the sense of crafty. For so Aquila too translated: “And the serpent was crafty beyond every living thing of the field that the Lord God had made.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gen 3:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 4:22 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains that the serpent is called “prudent” in a bad sense, meaning crafty, as Aquila's version shows.
- The opening words of the question are lost in the scan; it asks how the serpent can be called “prudent” (φρόνιμος, Gen 3:1 LXX). Quotations: Gen 3:1 (Aquila); 1 Cor 1:27; 1 Cor 1:20; Jer 4:22.
Topics: The devil and demons, Interpreting Scripture
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.31 (PG 80 80:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-31
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.32PG 80 80:129
Ἄλογος ὢν ὁ ὄφις πῶς διελέχθη τῇ Εὔᾳ; ῎Οργανον ἦν αὐτὸς τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροῦ. Καὶ τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς θείοις Εὐαγγελίοις. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις· Ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὲ, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἦν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς.» Οὗτος τοίνυν διὰ τοῦ ὄφεως διελέχθη τῇ Εὔᾳ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῶν ἀλόγων ἁπάντων παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν ἡγεμονίαν εἰλήφεισαν, δι᾽ ἑνὸς αὐτῇ τῶν ὑπηκόων τὴν παγίδα προσήνεγκε, πιθανωτέραν οὕτω τὴν ἀπάτην κατασκευάζων. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν διὰ τοῦ ὄφεως ἐνεργήσαντα, ὄφιν ἡ θεία προσαγορεύει Γραφή, μάρτυς Ἡσαΐας. ὁ προφήτης βοῶν, Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔπάξει ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἁγίαν, τὴν μεγάλην, καὶ τὴν ἰσχυρὰν, ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα τὸν ὄφιν, τὸν σκολιὸν καὶ ἰσχυρόν· ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα τὸν ὄφιν τὸν φεύγοντα, τὸν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δὲ τοῖς ἱεροῖς εἴρηκε : μαθηταῖς· Ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων, καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ.
Alogos ōn ho ophis pōs dielechthē tę̄ Euą? ᾿Organon ēn autos tou tēs alētheias echthrou. Kai touto dedēlōken ho Kyrios en tois theiois Euangeliois. Eirēkōs gar tois Ioudaiois; Hymeis ek tou patros hymōn tou diabolou este, epēgagen; Ekeinos anthrōpoktonos ēn ap᾿ archēs.» Houtos toinyn dia tou opheōs dielechthē tę̄ Euą. Epeidē gar tōn alogōn hapantōn para tou Theou tōn holōn tēn hēgemonian eilēpheisan, di᾽ henos autę̄ tōn hypēkoōn tēn pagida prosēnenke, pithanōteran houtō tēn apatēn kataskeuazōn. Hoti de kai auton ton dia tou opheōs energēsanta, ophin hē theia prosagoreuei Graphē, martys Hēsaïas. ho prophētēs boōn, Tę̄ hēmerą ekeinę̄ epaxei ho Theos tēn machairan autou tēn hagian, tēn megalēn, kai tēn ischyran, epi ton drakonta ton ophin, ton skolion kai ischyron; epi ton drakonta ton ophin ton pheugonta, ton en tę̄ thalassę̄ Kai ho Kyrios de tois hierois eirēke : mathētais; Idou dedōka hymin tēn exousian tou patein epanō opheōn, kai skorpiōn, kai epi pasan tēn dynamin tou echthrou.
How did the serpent, being irrational, converse with Eve? It was the instrument of the enemy of the truth. The Lord made this plain in the divine Gospels; for having said to the Jews, “You are of your father the devil,” he added, “He was a murderer from the beginning.” It was he, then, who conversed with Eve through the serpent. Since they had received from the God of the universe the rule over all the irrational animals, he brought the snare to her through one of their subjects, so making the deceit more persuasive. That the divine Scripture also calls the one who worked through the serpent a serpent, the prophet Isaiah is witness, crying out: “On that day God will bring his holy sword, the great and strong, upon the dragon, the serpent, the crooked and strong; upon the dragon, the fleeing serpent, the one in the sea.” And the Lord said to the holy disciples, “See, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.”
Gen 3:1 (allusion, high confidence) · John 8:44 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 27:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 10:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:28 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains that the devil spoke to Eve through the serpent, and that Scripture also calls the devil a serpent.
- Quotations: John 8:44; Isa 27:1 (LXX); Luke 10:19. Allusion: Gen 1:28.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): Ἄλονος → Ἄλογος.
Topics: The devil and demons, The fall
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.32 (PG 80 80:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-32
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.33PG 80 80:129
Τί ἐστι - Διηνοίχθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν δύο;» Ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς βρώσεως οὐ μεμυκότας εἶχον τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, δῆλον τοῖς προσέχειν ἐθέλουσι. Πῶς γὰρ εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ τὸ ξύλον, ὅτι καλὸν εἰς βρῶσιν, καὶ ἀρεστὸν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδεῖν, καὶ ὡραῖόν ἐστι τοῦ κατανοῆσαι, εἰ μὴ ἀνεῳγότας εἶχον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς; Οὐκοῦν τὴν μετὰ ἁμαρτίαν αἴσθησιν οὕτω κέκληκεν ἡ θεία Γραφή. Εὐθὺς γὰρ μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν κεντᾶται τὸ συνειδός.
Ti esti - Diēnoichthēsan hoi ophthalmoi tōn dyo?» Hoti kai pro tēs brōseōs ou memykotas eichon tous ophthalmous, dēlon tois prosechein ethelousi. Pōs gar eiden hē gynē to xylon, hoti kalon eis brōsin, kai areston tois ophthalmois idein, kai hōraion esti tou katanoēsai, ei mē aneǭgotas eichon tous ophthalmous? Oukoun tēn meta hamartian aisthēsin houtō keklēken hē theia Graphē. Euthys gar meta tēn hamartian kentatai to syneidos.
What does “The eyes of the two were opened” mean? That even before eating they did not have their eyes shut is plain to those willing to pay attention. How did the woman see that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes to look at, and beautiful to contemplate, unless they had their eyes open? So it is the awareness that came after the sin that the divine Scripture called by this name; for immediately after sin the conscience is stung.
Gen 3:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:6 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The opening of their eyes means the awareness of sin, since their bodily eyes were already open.
- Quotations: Gen 3:7; Gen 3:6 (LXX).
Topics: The fall, Sin, Conscience
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.33 (PG 80 80:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-33
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.34PG 80 80:129
Τι δή ποτε τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν ἀπάτην προσενεγκόντος ὁ ὄφις κολάζεται; Κυρίως μὲν τὴν ἀρὰν τῷ ἐνεργήσαντι προσενήνοχεν ὁ Θεός. Όφις γὰρ κἀκεῖνος ὠνόμασται· οὐ ταύτην παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν φύσιν δεξάμενος· ἀγαθὸς γὰρ ἐκτίσθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀσωμάτοις συνεδημιουργήθη δυνάμεσιν ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἑκὼν εἰς πονηρίαν ἀπέκλινε, καὶ τῆς τιμῆς ἧς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλαχεν ἐστερήθη, καὶ εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀπεῤῥίφη. Καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ ζῶον εἰς ὅνησιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐδέξατο τὴν ἀράν. Ὁρῶντες γὰρ τὸν ὄφιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς συρόμενόν τε καὶ ἰλυσσώμενον, τῆς ἀρχαίας ἀρᾶς ἀναμιμνησκόμεθα· καὶ μανθάνομεν ὡς ἡλίκων πρόξε νος ἡ ἁμαρτία κακῶν, οὐ μόνον τοῖς ταύτην ἐνεργοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὑπουργοῦσι. Καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ὁ ὄφις οὐδεμίαν ἐντεῦθεν δέχεται βλάβην, οὕτω βαδίζειν πεφυκώς· ἐν τῇ φύσει γὰρ ἔχει τὸ τοιόνδε τῆς κινήσεως εἶδος· οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν φυσικῶν φορτικὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ. Ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος πολλὴν ἐντεῦθεν ὠφέλειαν καρποῦται.
Ti dē pote tou diabolou tēn apatēn prosenenkontos ho ophis kolazetai? Kyriōs men tēn aran tǭ energēsanti prosenēnochen ho Theos. Ophis gar kakeinos ōnomastai; ou tautēn para tou Theou tōn holōn tēn physin dexamenos; agathos gar ektisthē, kai tois asōmatois synedēmiourgēthē dynamesin epeidē de hekōn eis ponērian apekline, kai tēs timēs hēs ex archēs elachen esterēthē, kai eis tēn gēn aperrhiphē. Kai auto de to zōon eis honēsin tōn anthrōpōn edexato tēn aran. Horōntes gar ton ophin epi tēs gēs syromenon te kai ilyssōmenon, tēs archaias aras anamimnēskometha; kai manthanomen hōs hēlikōn proxe nos hē hamartia kakōn, ou monon tois tautēn energousin, alla kai tois hypourgousi. Kai autos men ho ophis oudemian enteuthen dechetai blabēn, houtō badizein pephykōs; en tę̄ physei gar echei to toionde tēs kinēseōs eidos; ouden de tōn physikōn phortikon einai dokei. Ho de anthrōpos pollēn enteuthen ōpheleian karpoutai.
Why is the serpent punished, when it was the devil who brought about the deceit? Properly speaking, God brought the curse upon the one who worked through it. For he too has been named serpent; not that he received this nature from the God of the universe, for he was created good and was created together with the incorporeal powers; but since he turned to wickedness of his own will, he was deprived of the honor he had received from the beginning and was cast down to the earth. And the animal itself received the curse for the benefit of human beings. For when we see the serpent dragging itself along the ground and writhing, we are reminded of the ancient curse, and we learn what great evils sin brings, not only to those who commit it but also to those who assist in it. The serpent itself receives no harm from this, since it is naturally made to move in this way; it has this kind of motion in its nature, and nothing natural seems burdensome. But man reaps much benefit from it.
Gen 3:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 10:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 14:12 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains that the curse falls properly on the devil, and on the serpent as a reminder to humans of the effects of sin.
- Allusions: Gen 3:14; Luke 10:18; Isa 14:12. Lines from a note or another passage (on Adam's duty to lead his wife, and on the deceived perceiving the evil only afterwards) had been inserted into the middle of a word in the scan and were removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; lines from elsewhere inserted mid-word; stray letters): ἀμᾶς → ἀρᾶς; κολάζεται; τος? → κολάζεται;; συρόἡγῆται τῶν πρακτέων. Σὲ τοίνυν ἡγεῖσθαι προσῆκον ἦν, ἔπεσθαι δὲ ἐκείνην. Καὶ μετ᾿ ὀλίγα. Ἔθος τοῖς ἀπατωμένοις μετὰ τὴν ἔκβασιν ἐπαισθάνεσθαι τοῦ κακοῦ. Κατὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν, τῆς ἡδονῆς ἐπικρυπτούσης τὴν αἴσθησιν, οὐ γίνεται ἐπίγνωσις. → συρό.
Topics: The devil and demons, The fall, Sin
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.34 (PG 80 80:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-34
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.35PG 80 80:131
Διὰ τί δὲ τὸν ὄφιν ἐδημιούργησεν ὁ Θεὸς, ὅργανον αὐτὸν προειδὼς τῆς πονηρίας ἐσόμενον; Τοῦτο ἄν τις εἴποι καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου προᾔδει γὰρ ὡς καὶ οὗτος τὴν ἐντολὴν παραβήσεται. "Αλλως τε ῥάδιον ἦν τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ δι᾽ ἑτέρου θηρίου τὴν ἀπάτην προσενεγκεῖν.
Dia ti de ton ophin edēmiourgēsen ho Theos, horganon auton proeidōs tēs ponērias esomenon? Touto an tis eipoi kai peri tou anthrōpou proę̄dei gar hōs kai houtos tēn entolēn parabēsetai. "Allōs te rhadion ēn tǭ diabolǭ, kai di᾽ heterou thēriou tēn apatēn prosenenkein.
Why did God create the serpent, foreseeing that it would be the instrument of wickedness? One could say this about man too; for he foreknew that man also would transgress the commandment. Besides, it would have been easy for the devil to bring about the deceit through another beast as well.
Gen 3:1 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God's foreknowledge that the serpent would be misused is no reason against creating it, any more than in the case of man.
Topics: The devil and demons, Providence, The fall
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 1.35 (PG 80 80:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-35
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.