Questions on the Octateuch 2.60–2.72
Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Prologue 2
2.60PG 80 80:279
Τὴν σκηνὴν τί δήποτε προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς Αὐτὸς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τὴν αἰτίαν δεδήλωκεν ἔφη δὲ οὕτω «Καὶ ποιήσεις μοι ἁγίασμα, καὶ ὀφθήσο μαι ἐν ὑμῖν. Καὶ ποιήσεις κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ δείκνυμί σοι ἐν τῷ ὄρει, τὸ παράδειγμα τῆς σκηνῆς, καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα πάντων 3ι τῶν σκευῶν αὐτῆς.» Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Σινᾶ ὄρει τὸν νόμον ἐδεδώκει, εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν τινας ὑποτοπῆσαι περιγεγράφθαι τὸ Θεῖον, ἐκέλευσε γενέσθαι σκηνήν· ἵν᾽ ἐκεῖθεν τὴν οἰκείαν ποιούμενος ἐπιφάνειαν, ἐκπαιδεύῃ τὸν λαὸν τὴν εὐσέβειαν Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην αὐτῶν ἀπειληφότων γῆν, τὸν νεὼν γενέσθαι προσέταξε, καὶ τὰς θείας ἐκεῖ γίνεσθαι λειτουργίας ἐνομοθέτησεν· ἵνα μὴ ἀδεῶς τοῦτο δρῶντες, τῇ τῶν ἀλιτηρίων δαιμόνων περιπέσωσι πλάνῃ· οὕτως ὁδοιποροῦσι, και τὴν ἔρημον διαβαίνουσι, σκηνὴν ποιῆσαι προσέταξε, μεταβῆναι καὶ αὐτὴν δυναμένην· ἵνα καὶ τὰς προσευχὰς, καὶ τὰς ἱερουργίας ἐν ταύτῃ προσφέρωσι. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τῆς αὐτῶν ἕνεκα γεγένηται χρείας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τοῦ μεγάλου Μω σέως πλείους διατρίψαντος ἡμέρας, πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ααρὼν ἔφασαν· Ποίησον ἡμῖν θεοὺς, οἱ προπορεύσονται ἡμῶν· καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ μόσχου κατασκευάσαντες, ἐβόων χορεύοντες· Οὗτοι οἱ θεοί σου Ἰσραὴλ, οἱ ἐξαγαγόντες σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου. Τὴν σκηνὴν ταύτην γενέσθαι προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀπαιρόντων ἡγεῖσθαι νενομοθέτηκε, καὶ αὐλιζομένων ἴστασθαι· ὥστε καὶ τοὺς ἱερέας ἐν αὐτῇ τὰς θυσίας ἐπιτελεῖν· εἶχε δὲ αὐτὴ τῆς κτίσεως τὴν εἰκόνα. Ωσπερ γὰρ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ὁ Δεσπότης δημιουργήσας Θεὸς, μέσον πάλιν ἐξέτεινε τὸ στερέωμα, καὶ διώρισε τὰ ὑπερῷα τῶν κάτω· οὕτω μίαν μὲν προσέταξε γενέσθαι τὴν σκηνὴν, τριάκοντα μὲν πήχεων τὸ μῆκος, δέκα δὲ τὸ εὗρος ἔχουσαν· ἐν μέσῳ δὲ τὸ καταπέτασμα διατείνας, ἐν τύπῳ τοῦ στερεώματος, διχῇ διεῖλεν αὐτὴν, καὶ τὸ μὲν παρὰ τὴν θύραν μέρος ἐκάλεσεν ἅγια, τὸ δὲ τοῦ καταπετάσματος ἔνδον, ῞Αγια ἁγίων ὠνόμασε. Καὶ ὥσπερ λέγει Δαβίδ· «Ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ, τὴν δὲ γῆν ἔδωκε τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· οὕτως ἔξω μὲν τοῦ καταπετάσματος εἰσιτητὸς ἦν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι· τὸ δὲ ἔνδον ἄψαυστα ἦν, καὶ ἄδυτα, καὶ ἀνάκτορα. Τὸν ἀρχιερέα γὰρ μόνον ἅπαξ τοῦ ἔτους νόμος ἦν εἰσιέναι. Ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ τὰ τῶν Χερουβίμ εἰκάσματα, τύπον τῶν ἀσωμάτων δυνάμεων ἔχοντα· ἐν μέσῳ δὲ τούτων ἡ κιβωτὸς ἔκειτο, τὰς πλάκας ἔχουσα τοῦ νόμου, καὶ τὴν στάμνον τοῦ μάννα, καὶ τὴν ῥάβδον Ααρὼν τὴν βλαστήσασαν. Ἐπέκειτο δὲ ταύτῃ τὸ ἱλαστήριον, ταῖς πτέρυξι τῶν Χερουβίμ σκιαζόμενον ἐν τούτῳ δὲ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιφάνειαν ἐποιεῖτο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ θεία φύσις ἀνείδεός τε καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος, ἀόρατός τε καὶ ἀπερίληπτος, καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης οὐσίας εἰκόνα τεκτήνασθαι παντάπασι τῶν ἀδυνάτων, τὰ σύμβολα τῶν μεγίστων αὐτοῦ δωρεῶν ἔνδον κεῖσθαι προσἐταξεν. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ πλάκες τὴν νομοθεσίαν ἐδήλουν, τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἡ ῥάβδος, τὸ δὲ μάννα τὴν ἐν ἐρήμῳ τροφὴν καὶ τὸν ἀχειροποίητον ἄρτον· τὸ δέ γε ίλαστήριον τῆς προφητείας σύμβολον ἦν· ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ αἱ προῤῥήσεις ἐγίνοντο. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐκ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργός αὐτῶν θεωρεῖται, οὕτω διὰ τούτων ὁ μεγαλόδωρος ἐγνωρίζετο. Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἔνδον τῆς σκηνῆς τῶν ἐπουρανίων εἶχε τὸν τύπον 3*, διὸ καὶ ῞Αγια τῶν ἁγίων ὠνόμαστο. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἀληθὲς, μάρτυς ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος οὐτωσὶ λέγων· Οὐ γὰρ εἰς χειροποίητα ῞Αγια εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀντίτυπα τῶν ἀληθινῶν· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν, νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Καὶ πάλιν, περὶ τῆς θείας ἐλπίδος διαλεγόμενος καὶ ταῦτα προστέθεικεν· Ἡν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ και ταπετάσματος, ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, γενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. Οὐκοῦν τὰ μὲν ἔνδον τοῦ καταπετάσματος τὴν τῶν ἐπουρανίων εἶχεν εἰκόνα· τὰ δὲ ρον τοῦ καταπετάσματος τὴν τῶν ν ἐκτὸς, των επίγειων· οιο καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι διηνεκως ἦν βατά. Εἶχε δὲ ταῦτα λυχνίαν μὲν ἐν τῷ νοτίῳ μέρει κειμένην ἑπτάκαυλον, ἰσαρίθμους ἔχουσα λύχνους ἐπικειμένους. Ἐδήλουν δὲ οὗτοι τῶν ἡμερῶν τῆς ἑβδομάδος τὸν ἀριθμόν. Τράπεζαν δὲ ἐν τῷ βορείῳ χρυσῆν, ἐφ᾿ ἧς ἄρτους προκεῖσθαι προσέταξε δυοκαίδεκα, καὶ φιάλας χρυσᾶς, πλήρεις λιβανωτοῦ καὶ ἁλῶν. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μέσῳ τῆς τε λυχνίας καὶ τῆς τραπέζης, χρυσοῦν ἔκειτο θυμιατήριον. Ταῦτα δὲ ἦν αἰνίγματα τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δεδωρημένων καρπῶν. Πρὸ δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἔξω τὸ χαλκοῦν ἦν θυσιαστήριον, τὸ τὰ προσφερόμενα δεχόμενον θύματα. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο, περιττὰ εἶναι ταῦτα, καὶ μὴ ἀρεστὰ τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. Ὅθεν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι αὐτὰ συνεχώρησε, διὰ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀσθένειαν· ἔξω δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἱερουργεῖσθαι προσέταξεν, ὡς τοῖς ἔνδον οὐκ ἀναγκαῖα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν τοῖς ἔνδον ἀπονεμηθεῖσαν λειτουργίαν ἐπιτελοῦμεν. Θυμίαμα γὰρ καὶ λυχνιαῖον φῶς προσφέρομεν τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τὴν μυστικὴν τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης ἱερουργίαν. Ὅτι δὲ τριάκοντα πήχεων ἦν τὸ μῆκος τῆς σκηνῆς, καὶ δέκα τὸ εὗρος, καταμαθεῖν εὐπετές. Εἴκοσι γὰρ σανίδας εἶχε τὸ νότιον μέρος, καὶ τοσαύτας τὸ βόρειον. Σανίδας γὰρ τοὺς στύλους ὠνόμασαν οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταί. Ἑκάστης δὲ σανίδος πῆχυν ἐχούσης καὶ ἥμισυ πήχεως, τριάκοντα πήχεις αἱ εἴκοσι σανίδες ἐπλήρουν. Οὕτω πάλιν τὸ πρὸς δυσμὰς ἀποβλέπον ἕξ εἶχε σανίδας τὸ αὐτὸ μέτρον ἐχούσας, καὶ δύο ἐν ταῖς γωνίαις Δώδεκα. οὖν πήχεις οἱ ἐκ τούτων συναγόμενοι, οἱ μὲν δέκα τὸ ἔνδον εὗρος ἐπλήρουν, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι δύο, τῶν ἑκατέρωθεν πλευρῶν τὰς ἁρμονίας ἐδέχοντο. Ἐκ μέντοι τοῦ ἑῴου μέρους τὴν θύραν γενέσθαι προσέταξεν, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνίσχων ὁ ἥλιος οἷόν τινα προσκύνησιν προσφέροι τοῖς προπυλαίοις εὐθὺς ἐκεῖσε τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐκπέμπων· καὶ οἱ τῷ Θεῷ μόνῳ λατρεύειν προστεταγμένοι ὅπισθεν τὸν ἥλιον ἔχωσι πρὸς τὴν σκηνὴν τετραμμένοι, καὶ μὴ τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τὸν τούτου ποιητὴν προσκυνῶσι. Δρυφάκτῳ τοίνυν ἡ σκηνὴ προσεῴκει, σανίδας ἔχουσα πάντοθεν συνηρμοσμένας ἀλλήλαις. Εἶχον δὲ καὶ τὰς βάσεις ἀργυρᾶς, καὶ τὰς κεφαλίδας ὡσαύτως· καὶ αὐταὶ δὲ καὶ ἔνδοθεν καὶ ἔξωθεν ἦσαν ἠλειμμέναι χρυσῷ· τὸν δὲ ὄροφον εἶχον ἐξ ὑφασμάτων ποικίλων, ἐκ διαφόρων κατεσκευασμένων χρωμάτων. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἀλουργικὸν, τὸ δὲ ῥοδοειδὲς, ἢ κοκκοβαφὲς, τὸ δὲ ὑακίνθῳ προσεοικός· ἡ δὲ βύσσος τὴν λευκὴν εἶχε χροιάν. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων ἦν αἰνίγματα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὑάκινθος τῷ ἀἐρι προσέοικε τὸ δὲ ῥοδοειδὲς ἢ κοκκοβαφὲς τῷ πυρί· τὸ δὲ ἀλουργικὸν μηνύει τὴν θάλατταν· ἐκείνη γὰρ τρέφει τὸν κόχλον, ἐξ οὗ τὸ τοιοῦτον γίνεται χρῶμα· ἡ δὲ βύσσος, τὴν γῆν· ἐκ ταύτης γὰρ φύεσθαι λέγεται. Καὶ δέῤῥεις δὲ εἶχε τριχίνας ἐπικειμένας, καὶ μέντοι καὶ διφθέρας ποικίλας, ὥστε καὶ τὸν ὑετὸν ἀπείργειν, καὶ τὸν φλογμόν. Καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι δὲ παντοδαπὸν περιτέθεικε κόσμον· τὸν μὲν λαὸν καταπλήττοντα τῷ διαφόρῳ τοῦ σχήματος, αὐτοὺς δὲ τοὺς ἱερέας διδάσκοντα ὅπως χρὴ τὴν ψυχὴν ὡραῖζειν, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς αὐτῇ κόσμον περιτιθέναι. Ὑποδύτην δὲ καλεῖ τὸν ἐνδότερον χιτωνίσκον· ἐπενδύτην δὲ, τὸν χιτῶνα τὸν ἔξωθεν, ὑακίνθινον δὲ τοῦτον γενέσθαι προσέταξε, καὶ ποδήρη προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς μέχρις ἄκρων διήκοντα τῶν πο δῶν. ᾿Απήρτησε δὲ τούτου καὶ κώδωνας χρυσοῦς, καὶ ῥοΐσκους ἵνα εἰς τὸ ἄδυτον καὶ ἀνάκτορον τῆς σκηνῆς εἰσιὼν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τούτων ἀποτελουμένην ἠχὴν εἰσδεχόμενος μετὰ δέους τὴν λειτουργίαν ἐπιτελῇ εἰς μνήμην λαμβάνων τὸν ταῦτα προστεταχότα, καὶ τὴν προσφερομένην ἱερουργίαν δεχόμενον. Διά τοι τοῦτο γὰρ τοῦ ἀέρος ὁ ποδήρης εἶχε τὸ χρῶμα· ὑάκινθος δὲ ἦν, ὡς ἂν καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἀφορῶν μετάρσιος γένηται. Ἐπέκειτο δὲ τῇ κεφαλῇ κίδαρις τὸν οὐρανὸν μιμουμένη. Ἐκάλυπτε δὲ καὶ ταινία τὸ μέτωπον, ἣν μίτραν εἶπον οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα. Εἶχε δὲ ἐν μέσῳ πέταλον αὕτη χρυσοῦν, ἐγγεγραμμένον ἔχον τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἄφραστον ὄνομα, ὃ καλοῦσιν Ἑβραῖοι τετράγραμμον Εὐλάβειαν δὲ τὸν λαὸν ἐκπαιδεύων ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, δι' αἰνίγματος τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν· Ἑπιγράψεις αὐτὸ φησὶν, ἁγίασμα Κυρίου. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἐφεστρίδα γενέσθαι, ἣν οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα ἐπωμίδα ἐκάλεσαν· ἐν δὲ ταῖς Βασιλείαις εὑρίσκομεν ἐφοὐδ αὐτὴν κατὰ τὴν τῶν Ἑβραίων γλῶτταν ὠνομασμένην. Αὕτη εἶχεν ἐφ᾽ ἐκατέρου μὲν ὤμου δύο λίθους πολυτελεῖς, ἔχοντας τῶν φυλῶν τὰς προσηγορίας ἐγγεγραμμένας. Ἐπὶ τῷ στήθει τὸ καλούμενον λόγιον τὴν λογικὴν συγκαλύπτον καρδίαν. Εἶχε δὲ καὶ τοῦτο δυοκαίδεκα λίθους προσηρμοσμένους διάφορον ἔχοντας χροιὰν διὰ δὲ τούτων ἐδηλοῦτο πολέμου συγκροτηθέντος ἢ νίκη, ἢ ἧττα· καὶ τοῦτο τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἡ ἱστορία διδασκει. Ἐπιστρατευσάντων γὰρ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, οὐ πρότερον ἐτόλμησεν ὁ Σαούλ παρατάξασθαι ἕως εἶδε τὰ τῆς νίκῃς μηνύματα. Προσάγαγε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ Ἐφούδ. Εἶτα τὴν νίκην μαθὼν, ἐπήγαγε· Συνάγαγε τὸ Ἐφούδ· καὶ οὕτως ἐξώπλισε τὸν - λαόν. Διὰ τοῦτο εἰρηκὼς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός· Καὶ ἐπιθήσεις τὸ λόγιον τῆς κρίσεως ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος ᾿Ααρὼν, καὶ συνάψεις αὐτὸ πρὸς τὴν ἐπωμίδα, ἐπήγαγε· καὶ ἐπιθήσεις αὐτῷ τὴν δήλωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Καὶ δήλωσιν μὲν ἐκάλεσε τὰ ἐκεῖθεν μηνύματα· ἀλήθειαν δὲ τῶν μηνυμάτων τὸ ἀψευδές. Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς παχυτέροις οὖσι τοῖς τηνικαῦτα, καὶ τῶν νοητῶν ἐφικέσθαι μὴ δυναμένοις, διὰ τῶν σωματικῶν συμβόλων τὴν ὠφέλειαν ὁ πάνσοφος Δεσπότης ἐπραγματεύετο, Ἡμεῖς δὲ νοοῦμεν διὰ μὲν τοῦ λογίου, τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν νοητῶν· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἐπωμίδος, τὴν ἐργασίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τὴν τοῦ λογίου καὶ τῆς ἐπωμίδος ἁρμονίαν τε καὶ συνάφειαν εἰς τὴν τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἀγαθῆς πράξεως λαμβάνομεν συμφωνίαν. Τὸ δὲ πρώτην ἐπιτίθεσθαι τὴν ἐπωμίδα, εἶθ' οὕτω ταύτῃ τὸ λόγιον συνάπτεσθαι, τὸ τὴν ἀγαθὴν πρᾶξιν ὑποβάθραν εἶναι τῆς θεωρίας.
Tēn skēnēn ti dēpote prosetaxen ho Theos Autos ho Despotēs Theos tēn aitian dedēlōken ephē de houtō «Kai poiēseis moi hagiasma, kai ophthēso mai en hymin. Kai poiēseis kata panta hosa egō deiknymi soi en tǭ orei, to paradeigma tēs skēnēs, kai to paradeigma pantōn 3i tōn skeuōn autēs.» Epeidē gar en tǭ Sina orei ton nomon ededōkei, eikos de ēn tinas hypotopēsai perigegraphthai to Theion, ekeleuse genesthai skēnēn; hin᾽ ekeithen tēn oikeian poioumenos epiphaneian, ekpaideuę̄ ton laon tēn eusebeian Hōsper gar tēn epēngelmenēn autōn apeilēphotōn gēn, ton neōn genesthai prosetaxe, kai tas theias ekei ginesthai leitourgias enomothetēsen; hina mē adeōs touto drōntes, tę̄ tōn alitēriōn daimonōn peripesōsi planę̄; houtōs hodoiporousi, kai tēn erēmon diabainousi, skēnēn poiēsai prosetaxe, metabēnai kai autēn dynamenēn; hina kai tas proseuchas, kai tas hierourgias en tautę̄ prospherōsi. Kai tauta de tēs autōn heneka gegenētai chreias. Epeidē gar en tǭ orei tou megalou Mō seōs pleious diatripsantos hēmeras, pros ton ᾿Aarōn ephasan; Poiēson hēmin theous, hoi proporeusontai hēmōn; kai tēn eikona tou moschou kataskeuasantes, eboōn choreuontes; Houtoi hoi theoi sou Israēl, hoi exagagontes se ek gēs Aigyptou. Tēn skēnēn tautēn genesthai prosetaxen ho Theos, kai apairontōn hēgeisthai nenomothetēke, kai aulizomenōn istasthai; hōste kai tous hiereas en autę̄ tas thysias epitelein; eiche de autē tēs ktiseōs tēn eikona. Ōsper gar ton ouranon kai tēn gēn ho Despotēs dēmiourgēsas Theos, meson palin exeteine to stereōma, kai diōrise ta hyperǭa tōn katō; houtō mian men prosetaxe genesthai tēn skēnēn, triakonta men pēcheōn to mēkos, deka de to heuros echousan; en mesǭ de to katapetasma diateinas, en typǭ tou stereōmatos, dichę̄ dieilen autēn, kai to men para tēn thyran meros ekalesen hagia, to de tou katapetasmatos endon, ῾Agia hagiōn ōnomase. Kai hōsper legei Dabid; «Ho ouranos tou ouranou tǭ Kyriǭ, tēn de gēn edōke tois huiois tōn anthrōpōn; houtōs exō men tou katapetasmatos eisitētos ēn tois hiereusi; to de endon apsausta ēn, kai adyta, kai anaktora. Ton archierea gar monon hapax tou etous nomos ēn eisienai. Ēn de ekei ta tōn Cheroubim eikasmata, typon tōn asōmatōn dynameōn echonta; en mesǭ de toutōn hē kibōtos ekeito, tas plakas echousa tou nomou, kai tēn stamnon tou manna, kai tēn rhabdon Aarōn tēn blastēsasan. Epekeito de tautę̄ to hilastērion, tais pteryxi tōn Cheroubim skiazomenon en toutǭ de ho tōn holōn Theos tēn oikeian epiphaneian epoieito. Epeidē gar hē theia physis aneideos te kai aschēmatistos, aoratos te kai aperilēptos, kai tēs toiautēs ousias eikona tektēnasthai pantapasi tōn adynatōn, ta symbola tōn megistōn autou dōreōn endon keisthai prosetaxen. Hai men gar plakes tēn nomothesian edēloun, tēn hierōsynēn hē rhabdos, to de manna tēn en erēmǭ trophēn kai ton acheiropoiēton arton; to de ge ilastērion tēs prophēteias symbolon ēn; ekeithen gar hai prorrhēseis eginonto. Ōsper gar ek megethous kai kallonēs ktismatōn analogōs ho genesiourgos autōn theōreitai, houtō dia toutōn ho megalodōros egnōrizeto. Ta men oun endon tēs skēnēs tōn epouraniōn eiche ton typon 3*, dio kai ῾Agia tōn hagiōn ōnomasto. Kai hoti touto alēthes, martys ho theios ᾿Apostolos outōsi legōn; Ou gar eis cheiropoiēta ῾Agia eisēlthen ho Christos, antitypa tōn alēthinōn; all᾽ eis auton ton ouranon, nyn emphanisthēnai tǭ prosōpǭ tou Theou hyper hēmōn. Kai palin, peri tēs theias elpidos dialegomenos kai tauta prostetheiken; Hēn hōs ankyran echomen asphalē te kai bebaian, kai eiserchomenēn eis to esōteron tou kai tapetasmatos, hopou prodromos hyper hēmōn eisēlthen Iēsous, genomenos archiereus kata tēn taxin Melchisedek. Oukoun ta men endon tou katapetasmatos tēn tōn epouraniōn eichen eikona; ta de ron tou katapetasmatos tēn tōn n ektos, tōn epigeiōn; oio kai tois hiereusi diēnekōs ēn bata. Eiche de tauta lychnian men en tǭ notiǭ merei keimenēn heptakaulon, isarithmous echousa lychnous epikeimenous. Edēloun de houtoi tōn hēmerōn tēs hebdomados ton arithmon. Trapezan de en tǭ boreiǭ chrysēn, eph᾿ hēs artous prokeisthai prosetaxe dyokaideka, kai phialas chrysas, plēreis libanōtou kai halōn. En de tǭ mesǭ tēs te lychnias kai tēs trapezēs, chrysoun ekeito thymiatērion. Tauta de ēn ainigmata tōn apo gēs tois anthrōpois dedōrēmenōn karpōn. Pro de tēs skēnēs exō to chalkoun ēn thysiastērion, to ta prospheromena dechomenon thymata. Dēloi de touto, peritta einai tauta, kai mē aresta tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ. Hothen epiteleisthai auta synechōrēse, dia tēn tōn Ioudaiōn astheneian; exō de tēs skēnēs hierourgeisthai prosetaxen, hōs tois endon ouk anankaia. Hēmeis de tēn tois endon aponemētheisan leitourgian epiteloumen. Thymiama gar kai lychniaion phōs prospheromen tǭ Theǭ, kai tēn mystikēn tēs hagias trapezēs hierourgian. Hoti de triakonta pēcheōn ēn to mēkos tēs skēnēs, kai deka to heuros, katamathein eupetes. Eikosi gar sanidas eiche to notion meros, kai tosautas to boreion. Sanidas gar tous stylous ōnomasan hoi alloi hermēneutai. Hekastēs de sanidos pēchyn echousēs kai hēmisy pēcheōs, triakonta pēcheis hai eikosi sanides eplēroun. Houtō palin to pros dysmas apoblepon hex eiche sanidas to auto metron echousas, kai dyo en tais gōniais Dōdeka. oun pēcheis hoi ek toutōn synagomenoi, hoi men deka to endon heuros eplēroun, hoi de alloi dyo, tōn hekaterōthen pleurōn tas harmonias edechonto. Ek mentoi tou heǭou merous tēn thyran genesthai prosetaxen, hina kai autos anischōn ho hēlios hoion tina proskynēsin prospheroi tois propylaiois euthys ekeise tas aktinas ekpempōn; kai hoi tǭ Theǭ monǭ latreuein prostetagmenoi hopisthen ton hēlion echōsi pros tēn skēnēn tetrammenoi, kai mē touton, alla ton toutou poiētēn proskynōsi. Dryphaktǭ toinyn hē skēnē proseǭkei, sanidas echousa pantothen synērmosmenas allēlais. Eichon de kai tas baseis argyras, kai tas kephalidas hōsautōs; kai autai de kai endothen kai exōthen ēsan ēleimmenai chrysǭ; ton de orophon eichon ex hyphasmatōn poikilōn, ek diaphorōn kateskeuasmenōn chrōmatōn. To men gar ēn alourgikon, to de rhodoeides, ē kokkobaphes, to de hyakinthǭ proseoikos; hē de byssos tēn leukēn eiche chroian. Kai tauta de tōn tessarōn stoicheiōn ēn ainigmata. Ho men gar hyakinthos tǭ aeri proseoike to de rhodoeides ē kokkobaphes tǭ pyri; to de alourgikon mēnyei tēn thalattan; ekeinē gar trephei ton kochlon, ex hou to toiouton ginetai chrōma; hē de byssos, tēn gēn; ek tautēs gar phyesthai legetai. Kai derrheis de eiche trichinas epikeimenas, kai mentoi kai diphtheras poikilas, hōste kai ton hyeton apeirgein, kai ton phlogmon. Kai tois hiereusi de pantodapon peritetheike kosmon; ton men laon kataplēttonta tǭ diaphorǭ tou schēmatos, autous de tous hiereas didaskonta hopōs chrē tēn psychēn hōraizein, kai ton tēs aretēs autę̄ kosmon peritithenai. Hypodytēn de kalei ton endoteron chitōniskon; ependytēn de, ton chitōna ton exōthen, hyakinthinon de touton genesthai prosetaxe, kai podērē prosēgoreusen, hōs mechris akrōn diēkonta tōn po dōn. ᾿Apērtēse de toutou kai kōdōnas chrysous, kai rhoïskous hina eis to adyton kai anaktoron tēs skēnēs eisiōn, kai tēn ek toutōn apoteloumenēn ēchēn eisdechomenos meta deous tēn leitourgian epitelę̄ eis mnēmēn lambanōn ton tauta prostetachota, kai tēn prospheromenēn hierourgian dechomenon. Dia toi touto gar tou aeros ho podērēs eiche to chrōma; hyakinthos de ēn, hōs an kai eis touto aphorōn metarsios genētai. Epekeito de tę̄ kephalę̄ kidaris ton ouranon mimoumenē. Ekalypte de kai tainia to metōpon, hēn mitran eipon hoi Hebdomēkonta. Eiche de en mesǭ petalon hautē chrysoun, engegrammenon echon tou Theou to aphraston onoma, ho kalousin Hebraioi tetragrammon Eulabeian de ton laon ekpaideuōn ho Despotēs Theos, di' ainigmatos touto dedēlōken; Hepigrapseis auto phēsin, hagiasma Kyriou. Ekeleuse de autǭ kai ephestrida genesthai, hēn hoi Hebdomēkonta epōmida ekalesan; en de tais Basileiais heuriskomen ephoud autēn kata tēn tōn Hebraiōn glōttan ōnomasmenēn. Hautē eichen eph᾽ ekaterou men ōmou dyo lithous polyteleis, echontas tōn phylōn tas prosēgorias engegrammenas. Epi tǭ stēthei to kaloumenon logion tēn logikēn synkalypton kardian. Eiche de kai touto dyokaideka lithous prosērmosmenous diaphoron echontas chroian dia de toutōn edēlouto polemou synkrotēthentos ē nikē, ē hētta; kai touto tōn Basileiōn hē historia didaskei. Epistrateusantōn gar tōn allophylōn tǭ Israēl, ou proteron etolmēsen ho Saoul parataxasthai heōs eide ta tēs nikę̄s mēnymata. Prosagage gar, phēsi, to Ephoud. Eita tēn nikēn mathōn, epēgage; Synagage to Ephoud; kai houtōs exōplise ton - laon. Dia touto eirēkōs ho tōn holōn Theos; Kai epithēseis to logion tēs kriseōs epi to stēthos ᾿Aarōn, kai synapseis auto pros tēn epōmida, epēgage; kai epithēseis autǭ tēn dēlōsin kai tēn alētheian. Kai dēlōsin men ekalese ta ekeithen mēnymata; alētheian de tōn mēnymatōn to apseudes. Isteon mentoi, hōs pachyterois ousi tois tēnikauta, kai tōn noētōn ephikesthai mē dynamenois, dia tōn sōmatikōn symbolōn tēn ōpheleian ho pansophos Despotēs epragmateueto, Hēmeis de nooumen dia men tou logiou, tēn theōrian tōn noētōn; dia de tēs epōmidos, tēn ergasian tēs aretēs, kai tēn tou logiou kai tēs epōmidos harmonian te kai synapheian eis tēn tēs pisteōs kai tēs agathēs praxeōs lambanomen symphōnian. To de prōtēn epitithesthai tēn epōmida, eith' houtō tautę̄ to logion synaptesthai, to tēn agathēn praxin hypobathran einai tēs theōrias.
Why did God command the tabernacle to be made? God the Master himself showed the reason; he said: “And you shall make me a sanctuary, and I will be seen among you. And you shall make it according to all that I show you on the mountain, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its vessels.” Since he had given the Law on Mount Sinai, and some were likely to suppose that the divine was circumscribed, he ordered a tabernacle to be made, so that, making his appearing from there, he might train the people in piety. For just as, when they had taken the promised land, he ordered the temple to be built and legislated that the divine liturgies should take place there, so that they would not do this freely and fall into the error of the accursed demons, so, while they were travelling and crossing the desert, he ordered a tabernacle to be made that could itself move, so that they might offer their prayers and sacred rites in it. These things too were done because of their need. For when the great Moses spent several days on the mountain, they said to Aaron, “Make us gods who will go before us”; and having fashioned the image of the calf, they cried out as they danced, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” God ordered this tabernacle to be made, and legislated that it should lead them when they set out and stand when they encamped, so that the priests might perform the sacrifices in it. It bore the image of creation. For just as God the Master, having created heaven and earth, stretched out the firmament in the middle and divided the upper regions from the lower, so he commanded the tabernacle to be one, thirty cubits long and ten wide; and stretching the veil in the middle, as a type of the firmament, he divided it in two, and called the part by the door the holy place, and named the part within the veil the holy of holies. And as David says, “The heaven of heaven is the Lord's, but the earth he has given to the sons of men,” so the part outside the veil was accessible to the priests, while the part within was untouchable, inaccessible, a sanctuary; for the law was that only the high priest entered, once a year. There were the images of the cherubim, bearing the type of the incorporeal powers; between them lay the ark, holding the tablets of the Law, the jar of manna, and Aaron's rod that had budded. On the ark lay the mercy seat, shaded by the wings of the cherubim; in it the God of the universe made his appearing. Since the divine nature is without form and shape, invisible and incomprehensible, and it is wholly impossible to fashion an image of such a substance, he ordered the symbols of his greatest gifts to lie within. The tablets indicated the legislation; the rod, the priesthood; the manna, the food in the desert and the bread not made by hands; and the mercy seat was the symbol of prophecy, for the prophecies came from there. For just as from the greatness and beauty of created things their creator is perceived by analogy, so through these the generous giver was made known. The things within the tabernacle, then, bore the type of heavenly things; that is why it was named the holy of holies. That this is true, the divine Apostle is witness, saying: “For Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us.” And again, discussing the divine hope, he added this: “which we have as an anchor, sure and steadfast, entering into the inner place behind the veil, where Jesus has entered as forerunner for us, having become a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” So the things within the veil bore the image of the heavenly things, and those outside the veil that of the earthly; that is why they were continually accessible to the priests. These included a lampstand placed on the south side, with seven branches and as many lamps set on them; these indicated the number of the days of the week. On the north side was a golden table, on which he ordered twelve loaves to be set out, and golden bowls full of frankincense and salt. Between the lampstand and the table lay a golden altar of incense. These were riddles of the fruits given to human beings from the earth. Before the tabernacle, outside, was the bronze altar, which received the victims that were offered. This shows that these were superfluous and not pleasing to the God of the universe. Hence he allowed them to be performed because of the weakness of the Jews, but ordered them to be offered outside the tabernacle, as not necessary to those within. We, however, perform the liturgy assigned to those within; for we offer God incense and lamplight, and the mystical sacred rite of the holy table. That the tabernacle was thirty cubits long and ten wide is easy to learn. The south side had twenty boards, and the north side as many (the other translators called the boards pillars). Since each board was a cubit and a half, the twenty boards made up thirty cubits. So again the side facing west had six boards of the same measure, and two at the corners. Of the twelve cubits made up by these, ten made up the inner width, and the other two received the joints of the sides on each side. He commanded the door to be made on the east side, so that the rising sun itself might offer a kind of obeisance to the entrance, sending its rays straight there; and so that those who were commanded to serve God alone would have the sun behind them as they turned toward the tabernacle, and would worship not the sun but its maker. The tabernacle, then, was like an enclosure, with boards fitted to one another on all sides. They had silver bases, and capitals likewise; and the boards themselves were overlaid with gold inside and out. The roof was of embroidered fabrics made in various colors: one was purple, another rose or scarlet, another like hyacinth; and the fine linen had a white color. These too were riddles of the four elements: the hyacinth resembles the air; the rose or scarlet, fire; the purple signifies the sea, since it nourishes the shellfish from which this color comes; and the linen signifies the earth, from which it is said to grow. It also had skins of hair-cloth laid over it, and colored hides, to keep off both rain and heat. On the priests too he put adornment of every kind, both to amaze the people by the variety of the dress and to teach the priests themselves how they must beautify the soul and clothe it with the adornment of virtue. He calls the inner tunic hypodytēs and the outer tunic ependytēs; he ordered the latter to be hyacinth-colored and called it podērēs, since it reached to the tips of the feet. From it he hung golden bells and pomegranates, so that when the high priest entered the inaccessible sanctuary of the tabernacle and heard the sound they made, he might perform the liturgy with fear, bringing to mind the one who had commanded these things and who received the sacred rite that was offered. For this reason the long robe had the color of the air; it was hyacinth, so that by looking at it he might be lifted up. On his head lay a turban imitating heaven. A band, which the Seventy called mitra, covered his forehead; it had in its middle a golden plate bearing inscribed the unutterable name of God, which the Hebrews call the tetragram. God the Master, training the people in reverence, showed this in a riddle: “You shall engrave on it,” he says, “Holiness of the Lord.” He also ordered an over-garment to be made for him, which the Seventy called epōmis; in the books of Kingdoms we find it named ephod, according to the Hebrew language. It had on each shoulder two precious stones with the names of the tribes engraved on them. On the breast was the so-called logion, covering the rational heart. It too had twelve stones fitted to it, of different colors; through these, when a war was joined, either victory or defeat was shown, as the history of Kingdoms teaches. For when the foreigners marched against Israel, Saul did not dare to draw up for battle until he saw the signs of victory: “Bring the ephod,” he says. Then, learning of the victory, he added, “Draw in the ephod,” and so he armed the people. For this reason the God of the universe, having said, “And you shall put the oracle of judgment on Aaron's breast, and join it to the shoulder-piece,” added: “and you shall put on it the Manifestation and the Truth.” He called the signs given from it “Manifestation,” and the infallibility of the signs “Truth.” One must know, however, that since the people of that time were rather gross and unable to reach intelligible things, the all-wise Master procured their benefit through bodily symbols. We understand by the oracle the contemplation of intelligible things, and by the shoulder-piece the practice of virtue; and in the fitting together and joining of the oracle and the shoulder-piece we take the harmony of faith and good action. And the shoulder-piece's being put on first, and the oracle then joined to it, means that good action is the foundation of contemplation.
Exod 25:8–9 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 26:31–33 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 115:16 (113:24 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Lev 16:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 9:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 25:18–22 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 9:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 9:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 6:19–20 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 25:23–40 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 30:1–6 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 27:1–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 26:1–25 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 28:4–38 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 28:36 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 14:18–19 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 28:29–30 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains the tabernacle as a portable sanctuary given to wean Israel from idolatry, an image of creation divided between heaven and earth, and he interprets its furnishings and the priestly vestments, ending with the breastpiece and ephod as figures of contemplation and action.
- Quotations: Exod 25:8–9 (LXX); Exod 32:1, 4; Ps 115:16 (LXX 113:24); Heb 9:24; Heb 6:19–20; Exod 28:36 (LXX); 1 Sam 14:18–19 (LXX); Exod 28:29–30 (LXX “the Manifestation and the Truth”). Allusions: Exod 26:31–33; Lev 16:2, 34; Heb 9:4, 7; Exod 25:18–22, 23–40; Exod 30:1–6; Exod 27:1–8; Exod 26:1–25; Exod 28:4–38. Compare Wis 13:5 (“from the greatness and beauty of created things”). The statement that sacrifices were allowed “because of the weakness of the Jews” is translated as written; “the mystical sacred rite of the holy table” is the Eucharist. In the scan a passage on the ephod and breastpiece as action and contemplation had been displaced into the middle of the account of Saul; it was moved back to the end, and a stray word was removed. A sentence on the parts outside the veil is garbled and is translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced passage removed (restored at the end); displaced passage restored to its place; stray word inserted inside a word): ἀλουρἔχουσαν. γικὸν → ἀλουργικὸν; Ἐπιστρατευ τοῦ λογίου, τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν νοητῶν· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἐπωμίδος, τὴν ἐργασίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τὴν τοῦ λογίου καὶ τῆς ἐπωμίδος ἁρμονίαν τε καὶ συνάφειαν εἰς τὴν τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἀγαθῆς πράξεως λαμβάνομεν συμφωνίαν. Τὸ δὲ πρώτην ἐπιτίθεσθαι τὴν ἐπωμίδα, εἶθ' οὕτω ταύτῃ τὸ λόγιον συνάπτεσθαι, τὸ τὴν ἀγαθὴν πρᾶξιν ὑποβάθραν εἶναι τῆς θεωρίας. σάντων → Ἐπιστρατευσάντων; Ἡμεῖς δὲ νοοῦμεν διὰ μὲν → Ἡμεῖς δὲ νοοῦμεν διὰ μὲν τοῦ λογίου, τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν νοητῶν· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἐπωμίδος, τὴν ἐργασίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τὴν τοῦ λογίου καὶ τῆς ἐπωμίδος ἁρμονίαν τε καὶ συνάφειαν εἰς τὴν τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἀγαθῆς πράξεως λαμβάνομεν συμφωνίαν. Τὸ δὲ πρώτην ἐπιτίθεσθαι τὴν ἐπωμίδα, εἶθ' οὕτω ταύτῃ τὸ λόγιον συνάπτεσθαι, τὸ τὴν ἀγαθὴν πρᾶξιν ὑποβάθραν εἶναι τῆς θεωρίας..
Extrabiblical texts: Wis 13:5 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: Worship, Church office, Interpreting Scripture, Idolatry, The Christian life
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.60 (PG 80 80:279; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-60). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-60
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-60) · Report an error
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.
2.61PG 80 80:287
Διατί οἱ ἱερεῖς τοῖς ἱερείοις τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιτιθέντες οὕτως ἱέρευον ; Οὐ πᾶσι τοῖς ἱερείοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προσφερομένοις, καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας. Τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις αὐτοὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἐπετίθεσαν οἱ προσφέροντες. ὧν δὲ τοῦτο σύμβολον τοῦ τὸ ἱερεῖον τὸν τόπον πληροῦν τοῦ προσφέροντος τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δεχόμενον σφαγήν. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ προσήκει, ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως προσεφέρετο μόσχος· ὑπὲρ δὲ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ πάλιν μόσχος· ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ ἄρ χοντος χίμαρος ὑπὲρ ἑκάστου δὲ ἀνδρὸς χίμαιρα. Πρόσφορον γὰρ τῷ μὲν ἄρχοντι τὸ ἄῤῥεν, τῷ δὲ ἀρχομένῳ τὸ θῆλυ. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ᾿Ἀδὰμ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑπέταξεν ὁ Θεός. Ὁ δὲ μόσχος ὁ περὶ ἁμαρτίας θυόμενος ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς κατεκαίετο. Τούτου χάριν καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, ᾗ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, ἔξω τῆς πύλης ἔπαθε, καὶ τῷ τύπῳ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπιτέθεικε. Τῷ δὲ θυσιαστηρίῳ προσεφέρετο τὸ ἐπίπλουν Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει, Τὸ στέαρ τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς κοιλίας, καὶ οἱ δύο νεφροὶ, καὶ στέαρ τὸ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἤπατος λοβός·, ὅπερ οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ περιττὸν προσΗ ηγόρευσαν. Αἰνίγματα δὲ ταῦτα τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν παθημάτων. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ στέαρ τὸ τὴν κοιλίαν καλύπτον, σημαίνει τῆς γαστριμαργίας τὴν νόσον· οἱ δὲ νεφροὶ τὰς ὑπογαστρίους ἡδονάς· ὁ δὲ λοβὸς τοῦ ἤπατος τὸ θυμοειδές. Ἐκείνῳ γὰρ συνῆπται τὸ χοληδόχον ἀγγεῖον. Ταῦτα δὲ καθιεροῦν κελεύει, καὶ οἱονεὶ νεκρὰς αὐτῶν ἀποφαίνειν τὰς πονηρὰς ἐνεργείας. Τοῦ δὲ τῆς τελειώσεως κριοῦ τὸν βραχίονα τὸν δεξιὸν προσενεγκεῖν διηγόρευσε, τὴν πρακτικὴν ἀρετὴν δεξιὰν οὖσαν, καὶ ἀρεστὴν τῷ Θεῷ. προσφέρειν κελεύων. Ὁ δὲ ἄρτος, καὶ τὸ λάγανον, καὶ ἡ τοῦ οἴνου σπονδὴ, τοὺς ἀπὸ γῆς φυομένους δηλοῦσι καρποὺς, ὧν τὰς ἀπαο ὰς προσφέρειν ὅσιον τῷ Θεῷ.
Diati hoi hiereis tois hiereiois tas cheiras epitithentes houtōs hiereuon ? Ou pasi tois hiereiois, alla tois hyper autōn prospheromenois, kai malista tois hyper hamartias. Tois de allois autoi tas cheiras epetithesan hoi prospherontes. hōn de touto symbolon tou to hiereion ton topon plēroun tou prospherontos tēn hyper autou dechomenon sphagēn. Episēmēnasthai de prosēkei, hōs hyper tou archiereōs prosephereto moschos; hyper de pantos tou laou palin moschos; hyper de tou ar chontos chimaros hyper hekastou de andros chimaira. Prosphoron gar tǭ men archonti to arrhen, tǭ de archomenǭ to thēly. Epeidē kai tēn gynaika tǭ ᾿Adam ex archēs hypetaxen ho Theos. Ho de moschos ho peri hamartias thyomenos exō tēs parembolēs katekaieto. Toutou charin kai ho Despotēs Christos, hę̄ phēsin ho theios ᾿Apostolos, exō tēs pylēs epathe, kai tǭ typǭ tēn alētheian epitetheike. Tǭ de thysiastēriǭ prosephereto to epiploun Touto gar legei, To stear to epi tēs koilias, kai hoi dyo nephroi, kai stear to ep᾿ autōn, kai ho tou ēpatos lobos;, hoper hoi alloi hermēneutai peritton prosĒ ēgoreusan. Ainigmata de tauta tōn en hēmin pathēmatōn. To men gar stear to tēn koilian kalypton, sēmainei tēs gastrimargias tēn noson; hoi de nephroi tas hypogastrious hēdonas; ho de lobos tou ēpatos to thymoeides. Ekeinǭ gar synēptai to cholēdochon angeion. Tauta de kathieroun keleuei, kai hoionei nekras autōn apophainein tas ponēras energeias. Tou de tēs teleiōseōs kriou ton brachiona ton dexion prosenenkein diēgoreuse, tēn praktikēn aretēn dexian ousan, kai arestēn tǭ Theǭ. prospherein keleuōn. Ho de artos, kai to laganon, kai hē tou oinou spondē, tous apo gēs phyomenous dēlousi karpous, hōn tas apao as prospherein hosion tǭ Theǭ.
Why did the priests lay their hands on the victims before sacrificing them? Not on all the victims, but on those offered for themselves, and especially those offered for sin. On the others the offerers themselves laid their hands. This is a symbol of the victim's filling the place of the offerer, receiving slaughter on his behalf. One must note that for the high priest a calf was offered, and again a calf for the whole people; for a ruler a he-goat, and for each individual a she-goat. For the male suits the ruler, and the female the one who is ruled, since from the beginning God subjected the woman to Adam. The calf sacrificed for sin was burned outside the camp; for this reason Christ the Master too, as the divine Apostle says, suffered outside the gate, and set the truth upon the type. To the altar was offered the omentum; this is what it means by “the fat on the belly, and the two kidneys, and the fat on them, and the lobe of the liver,” which the other translators called the “appendage.” These are riddles of the passions within us. The fat covering the belly signifies the disease of gluttony; the kidneys, the pleasures below the belly; and the lobe of the liver, the spirited part, for the gall bladder is joined to it. He commands these to be consecrated, and their wicked activities to be made, as it were, dead. Of the ram of consecration he ordered the right shoulder to be offered, commanding them to offer practical virtue, which is right and pleasing to God. The bread, the cake, and the libation of wine indicate the fruits growing from the earth, whose firstfruits it is holy to offer to God.
Lev 1:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 4:3–4 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 4:13–15 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 4:22–24 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 4:27–29 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Lev 4:11–12 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 13:11–12 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 3:3–4 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 29:22–23 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains the laying on of hands as substitution, the sin offerings for ruler and people, the burning outside the camp as a type of Christ's death outside the gate, and the fat and organs as figures of passions to be put to death.
- Quotation: Lev 3:3–4 (compare Exod 29:13). Allusions: Lev 1:4; Lev 4:3–4, 13–15, 22–24, 27–29; Lev 4:11–12, 21; Heb 13:11–12; Gen 3:16; Exod 29:22–23. The remark on male and female is translated as written.
Topics: Atonement, Passion and death of Christ, The law of Moses, Self-control in food and drink
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.61 (PG 80 80:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-61). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-61
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-61) · Report an error
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.
2.62PG 80 80:289
Τι ἐστιν, «εἰς᾿ ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας κάρπωμά ἐστι τῷ Κυρίῳ ; Διὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων τὰ θεῖα διδάσκει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ταῖς εὐοσμίαις τερπόμεθα, τὴν κατὰ νόμον γενομένην ἱερουργίαν ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας ὠνόμασεν. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ δεῖ γυμνῷ προσέχειν τῷ γράμματι, καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φύσις διδάσκει· ἀσώματος γάρ· καὶ ἡ δυσοσμία τῶν καιομένων ὀστῶν. Τί γὰρ ἐκείνων ἐστὶ δυσωδέστερον; Οἱ μέντοι ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ εὐαρεστήσεως ἀντὶ εὐωδίας τεθείκασιν.
Ti estin, «eis᾿ osmēn euōdias karpōma esti tǭ Kyriǭ ? Dia tōn anthrōpinōn ta theia didaskei. Epeidē gar hēmeis tais euosmiais terpometha, tēn kata nomon genomenēn hierourgian osmēn euōdias ōnomasen. Hoti gar ou dei gymnǭ prosechein tǭ grammati, kai hē tou Theou physis didaskei; asōmatos gar; kai hē dysosmia tōn kaiomenōn ostōn. Ti gar ekeinōn esti dysōdesteron? Hoi mentoi alloi hermēneutai euarestēseōs anti euōdias tetheikasin.
What does “it is a burnt offering for a fragrant odor to the Lord” mean? He teaches divine things through human ones. Since we delight in fragrances, he named the sacred rite performed according to the law a fragrant odor. That one must not attend to the bare letter is taught both by the nature of God, for it is incorporeal, and by the foul smell of burning bones; for what smells worse than they? The other translators, however, put “of good pleasure” instead of “of fragrance.”
Exod 29:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Lev 1:9 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The “fragrant odor” of sacrifices is a human figure for God's acceptance.
- Quotation: Exod 29:18 (compare Lev 1:9).
Topics: Worship, Interpreting Scripture
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.62 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-62). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-62
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-62) · Report an error
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.
2.63PG 80 80:289
Τίνος χάριν ἐξ ἑκάστης θυσίας ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας προσφερομένης τὸν ἱερέα λαμβάνειν τὸν βραχίονα τὸν δεξιὸν, καὶ τὸ στηθύνιον προσέταξε Διὰ τοῦ στηθυνίου τὸ λογικὸν καὶ τὸ θεωρητικὸν ἀπαιτεῖ τὸν ἱερέα· κάλυμμα γὰρ τὸ στηθύνιον τῆς καρδίας. Διὰ δὲ τοῦ δεξιοῦ βραχίονος, τὴν πρᾶξιν τὴν δεξιάν. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ γὰρ ἡ πίστις εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ δεῖται τῶν ἔργων εἰς τελειότητα
Tinos charin ex hekastēs thysias hyper sōtērias prospheromenēs ton hierea lambanein ton brachiona ton dexion, kai to stēthynion prosetaxe Dia tou stēthyniou to logikon kai to theōrētikon apaitei ton hierea; kalymma gar to stēthynion tēs kardias. Dia de tou dexiou brachionos, tēn praxin tēn dexian. Ouk arkei gar hē pistis eis sōtērian, alla deitai tōn ergōn eis teleiotēta
Why did he command the priest to take the right shoulder and the breast from each sacrifice of salvation that was offered? By the breast he requires of the priest the rational and the contemplative; for the breast is the covering of the heart. By the right shoulder he requires right action. For faith is not enough for salvation; it needs works for perfection.
Lev 7:31–34 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The priest's portions signify contemplation and right action, since faith needs works for perfection.
- Allusion: Lev 7:31–34. The “sacrifice of salvation” is the peace offering.
Topics: Faith, Good works and merit, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.63 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-63). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-63
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-63) · Report an error
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.
2.64PG 80 80:289
Τί ἐστι τὸ εἶν Μέτρον Ἑβραϊκὸν οἶνου καὶ ἐλαίου. Δέχεται δὲ, ὣς φησιν Ἰώσηπος, δύο χοᾶς Ἀττικούς. Πιστευτέον δὲ ἐν τούτοις αὐτῷ, ἀκριβῶς τοῦ ἔθνους τὰ μέτρα ἐπισταμένῳ.
Ti esti to ein Metron Hebraïkon oinou kai elaiou. Dechetai de, hōs phēsin Iōsēpos, dyo choas Attikous. Pisteuteon de en toutois autǭ, akribōs tou ethnous ta metra epistamenǭ.
What is the hin? A Hebrew measure of wine and oil. It holds, as Josephus says, two Attic choes. In these matters one must believe him, since he knew the measures of the nation precisely.
Exod 29:40 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The hin was a Hebrew measure of about two Attic choes.
- Allusion: Exod 29:40. Compare Josephus, Ant. 3.197.
Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 3.197 (Josephus (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.64 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-64). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-64
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-64) · Report an error
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.
2.65PG 80 80:289
Περὶ τῶν Σαββάτων νομοθετῶν ἔφη· ῎Εστι γάρ σημεῖον ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν· πῶς οὖν τοῦτο νοήσομεν ; Ὥσπερ τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τὴν περιτομὴν διδοὺς ἔφη Καὶ ἔσται εἰς σημεῖον ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν· οὕτω καὶ περὶ Σαββάτου νομοθετῶν ἔφη· Ἔστι γὰρ σημεῖον ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν. Τὸ γὰρ καινὸν τῆς πολιτείας ἀεὶ τοῦ νομοθέτου τὴν μνήμην ἀνθεῖν παρεσκεύαζε, καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν ἄλλων ἐχώριζε Καθάπερ γὰρ τὰς ποίμνας καὶ τὰς ἀγέλας αἱ σφραγίδες δηλοῦσι· οὕτω τὰ τῆς τῶν Ἑβραίων πολιτείας ἐξαίρετα, καὶ τῶν λλων αὐτοὺς διεῖργε, καὶ τὸν νομοθέτην προσδρεύειν ἐδίδασκεν.
Peri tōn Sabbatōn nomothetōn ephē; ᾿Esti gar sēmeion emoi kai tois huiois Israēl eis tas geneas hymōn; pōs oun touto noēsomen ? Hōsper tǭ ᾿Abraam tēn peritomēn didous ephē Kai estai eis sēmeion ana meson emou kai hymōn; houtō kai peri Sabbatou nomothetōn ephē; Esti gar sēmeion emoi kai tois huiois Israēl eis tas geneas hymōn. To gar kainon tēs politeias aei tou nomothetou tēn mnēmēn anthein pareskeuaze, kai tōn ethnōn tōn allōn echōrize Kathaper gar tas poimnas kai tas agelas hai sphragides dēlousi; houtō ta tēs tōn Hebraiōn politeias exaireta, kai tōn llōn autous dieirge, kai ton nomothetēn prosdreuein edidasken.
Legislating about the Sabbaths he said, “For it is a sign between me and the sons of Israel throughout your generations.” How then shall we understand this? Just as, when giving circumcision to Abraham, he said, “And it shall be a sign between me and you,” so too, legislating about the Sabbath, he said, “For it is a sign between me and the sons of Israel throughout your generations.” The newness of their way of life always kept the memory of the lawgiver flourishing, and separated them from the other nations. For just as seals mark out flocks and herds, so the distinctive features of the Hebrews' way of life both separated them from the others and taught them to wait upon the lawgiver.
Exod 31:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 17:11 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Like circumcision, the Sabbath was a sign that kept Israel mindful of God and distinct from the nations.
- Quotations: Exod 31:13; Gen 17:11.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray words from another line): καὶ τῶν καὶ τῶν υἱῶν. ἐθνῶν → καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν.
Topics: The Lord's day and the Sabbath, Circumcision, The law of Moses
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.65 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-65). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-65
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-65) · Report an error
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.
2.66PG 80 80:291
Τί δήποτε ὁ Ἀαρὼν τῷ λαῷ τὸν μοσχον διέγλυψεν; Τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ γινομένου προσήκει ζητεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐξετάζοντες, εὑρήσομεν αὐτὸν οὐ παντάπασι συγγνώμης ἐστερημένον. Τοῦ γὰρ ἀδελφοῦ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας διατρίψαντος ἐν τῇ τοῦ ὄρους ἀκρονυχίᾳ, καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ λυττήσαντος, καὶ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἀναστρέψαι ὁρμήσαντος. Πρῶτον μὲν ἐπειράθη λόγοις αὐτῶν τὴν ὀρμὴν χαλινῶσαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπειθοῦντας εἶδεν, ᾔτησε τῶν γυναικῶν τὰ χρυσία, πάθει πάθος ἀντιστρατεύσας, τὸ φιλόκοσμον καὶ φιλοχρήματον τῇ τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας μανίᾳ. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο τὸ μηχάνημα τὴν ἐκείνων ἔσβεσε λύτταν. Ὅθεν ήναγκάσθη διαγλύψαι τὸν μόσχον. Καὶ τοιούτῳ δὲ σκοπῷ χρησάμενος, τῆς θείας ἐδεήθη φιλανθρωπίας, ὥστε τὴν τιμωρίαν διαφυγεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο Μωσῆς ὁ θειότατος ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ δεδήλωκεν· Ἐδεήθην γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ *3 μου περὶ ᾿Ααοὼν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέθανεν.
Ti dēpote ho Aarōn tǭ laǭ ton moschon dieglypsen? Ton skopon tou ginomenou prosēkei zētein. Houtō gar exetazontes, heurēsomen auton ou pantapasi syngnōmēs esterēmenon. Tou gar adelphou tessarakonta hēmeras diatripsantos en tę̄ tou orous akronychią, kai tou laou lyttēsantos, kai eis tēn Aigypton anastrepsai hormēsantos. Prōton men epeirathē logois autōn tēn ormēn chalinōsai. Epeidē de apeithountas eiden, ę̄tēse tōn gynaikōn ta chrysia, pathei pathos antistrateusas, to philokosmon kai philochrēmaton tę̄ tēs deisidaimonias manią. ᾿All' oude touto to mēchanēma tēn ekeinōn esbese lyttan. Hothen ēnankasthē diaglypsai ton moschon. Kai toioutǭ de skopǭ chrēsamenos, tēs theias edeēthē philanthrōpias, hōste tēn timōrian diaphygein. Kai touto Mōsēs ho theiotatos en tǭ Deuteronomiǭ dedēlōken; Edeēthēn gar, phēsi, tou Kyriou tou Theou *3 mou peri ᾿Aaoōn tou adelphou mou, kai ouk apethanen.
Why did Aaron carve the calf for the people? One must look for the aim of what was done. Examining it in this way, we shall find him not wholly without excuse. When his brother had spent forty days on the summit of the mountain, and the people went mad and set out to return to Egypt, he first tried to bridle their impulse with words. When he saw them disobedient, he asked for the women's gold ornaments, setting passion against passion, the love of adornment and of money against the madness of superstition. But not even this device quenched their frenzy; hence he was forced to carve the calf. And though he had such an aim, he needed the divine love for humankind to escape punishment. The most divine Moses showed this in Deuteronomy: “For I prayed,” he says, “to the Lord my God for Aaron my brother, and he did not die.”
Exod 24:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 32:1–4 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 9:20 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret partly excuses Aaron's making of the calf as a failed attempt to restrain the people, though Aaron still needed Moses' intercession to escape death.
- Quotation: Deut 9:20 (as Theodoret gives it). Allusions: Exod 24:18; Exod 32:1–4. Theodoret's partial defense of Aaron is translated as written.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.66 (PG 80 80:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-66). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-66
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-66) · Report an error
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.
2.67PG 80 80:291
Πῶς νοητέον τό· Καὶ νῦν ἔασόν με, καὶ θυμω θεὶς ὀργῇ εἰς αὐτοὺς, ἐκτρίψω αὐτοὺς, καὶ ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα;, Καὶ τὸ ἀπαθὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον ὁλόγος δηλοῖ. Ὁ γὰρ θυμῷ τι πράττων, καὶ τοὺς παρακαλοῦντας δυσχεραίνει· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἔφη· Ἔασόν με, καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὀργῇ εἰς αὐτοὺς, ἐκτρίψω αὐτούς. Οὐδεὶς δὲ ἀναμένει τοὺς παρακαλοῦντας, ἵνα ὀργισθῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα παρακληθῇ. Τὸ οὖν· Ἔασόν με, ἀντὶ τοῦ, κώλυσόν με, εἴρηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡγνόει Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ παρανομίαν, καὶ ταύτην αὐτῷ δεδήλωκεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ εἰς πρεσβείαν διήγειρε· τὸ δὲ· Ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα, τὰ ἡμέτερα προσημαίνει. Ὅπερ γὰρ τότε οὐ γέγονε, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιφάνειαν γέγονεν. Ὁ μέντοι νομοθέτης, καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀρκεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ πρεσβείαν εἰρηκότος, οὐχ ὑπέλαβεν ἱκανὸς εἶναι παῦσαι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ὀργὴν· ὅθεν τῶν πατρι αρχῶν τὰς προσηγορίας ἀνθ' ἱκετηρίας προσήγαγε καὶ τῶν πρὸς ἐκείνους ὄρχων ὑπέμνητῇ τῶν πατριαρχῶν προσηγορίᾳ καὶ ἱκετηρίας προσσε καὶ τὰς γεγενημένας συνθήκας ἐμπεδωθῆναι ἱκέτευσεν.
Pōs noēteon to; Kai nyn eason me, kai thymō theis orgę̄ eis autous, ektripsō autous, kai poiēsō se eis ethnos mega?, Kai to apathes tou Theou, kai to philanthrōpon hologos dēloi. Ho gar thymǭ ti prattōn, kai tous parakalountas dyscherainei; ho de Theos ephē; Eason me, kai thymōtheis orgę̄ eis autous, ektripsō autous. Oudeis de anamenei tous parakalountas, hina orgisthę̄, all᾽ hina paraklēthę̄. To oun; Eason me, anti tou, kōlyson me, eirēken. Epeidē gar hēgnoei Mōsēs ho megas tēn tou laou paranomian, kai tautēn autǭ dedēlōken ho Theos, kai eis presbeian diēgeire; to de; Poiēsō se eis ethnos mega, ta hēmetera prosēmainei. Hoper gar tote ou gegone, meta tēn tou Sōtēros hēmōn epiphaneian gegonen. Ho mentoi nomothetēs, kai tauta tou Theou arkein auton eis tēn hyper tou laou presbeian eirēkotos, ouch hypelaben hikanos einai pausai tou Theou tēn orgēn; hothen tōn patri archōn tas prosēgorias anth' hiketērias prosēgage kai tōn pros ekeinous orchōn hypemnētę̄ tōn patriarchōn prosēgorią kai hiketērias prosse kai tas gegenēmenas synthēkas empedōthēnai hiketeusen.
How should “And now let me alone, and, being angered with wrath against them, I will destroy them, and I will make you a great nation” be understood? The word shows both God's impassibility and his love for humankind. One who acts in anger is annoyed even with those who intercede; but God said, “Let me alone, and, being angered with wrath against them, I will destroy them.” No one waits for intercessors in order to be angry, but in order to be appeased. So he said “Let me alone” in the sense of “Stop me.” For since the great Moses did not know of the people's lawlessness, God both made it known to him and roused him to intercede. “I will make you a great nation” foreshadows what concerns us; for what did not happen then has happened after the appearing of our Savior. The lawgiver, even though God had said that he was sufficient to intercede for the people, did not think himself able to stop God's wrath; hence he brought forward the names of the patriarchs as a suppliant's branch, reminded God of the oaths made to them, and begged that the covenants made with them be confirmed.
Exod 32:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:7–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 32:11–13 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God's “let me alone” was really an invitation to Moses to intercede, and Moses appealed to the promises made to the patriarchs.
- Quotation: Exod 32:10. Allusions: Exod 32:7–8, 11–13. The last sentence is partly repeated and garbled in the scan and is translated by sense.
Topics: God, Prayer, Intercession of the saints
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.67 (PG 80 80:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-67). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-67
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-67) · Report an error
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.
2.68PG 80 80:293
Διατί τὰς πλάκας συνέτριψεν; Ανάξιον κρίνας τὸν λαὸν τῆς θείας νομοθεσίας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ προικῴων γραμματείων τύπον εἶχον αἱ πλάκες, ἡ δὲ νύμφη πρὸ τῆς παστάδος εἰς μοιχείαν ἀπέκλινε, μάλα εἰκότως τὸ προικῷον διέῤῥηξε γραμματεῖον. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ προσήκει, ὡς τότε μὲν δεξάμενος τὴν ἱκετείαν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀνεβάλετο τὴν τιμωρίαν. Προστέθεικε δὲ, Ἧ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπισκέπτωμαι, ἐπάξω ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς πᾶσαν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτῶν. Ἔοικε δὲ τοῦτο τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰρημένοις ᾿Αγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει· κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου, καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν, θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς, καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Ὁ μέντοι νομοθέτης ἀκούσας, ὡς οὐκ ἀνέξεται συνεἶναι αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς διὰ τὸ σκληρὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀντίτυπον, ἀλλ᾽ ἄγγελον αὐτοῖς ἐπιστήσει· ᾔτησε μὲν γνῶναι, τίς ὁ τὴν κηδεμονίαν αὐτῶν πιστευθείς· ἠντιβόλησε δὲ μὴ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς ὁμόδουλον ἡγεμόνα, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸν αὐτῶν ἡγήσασθαι τὸν Δεσπότην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ταύτην ὑπέσχετο δώσειν αὐτῷ ἐς τὴν χάριν ὁ ἀγαθὸς Θεὸς, ἔρωτι μεθύων ἐπαινουμένῳ, τῶν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἠράσθη, καὶ τὴν ἀθέατον φύσιν ἰδεῖν ἐπεθύμησεν· ἀλλὰ μεμάθηκεν, ὡς ἐκείνην ἰδεῖν τὴν οὐσίαν ἀδύνατον. Τὸν Θεὸν γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνήν τὰς δὲ θείας οἰκονομίας τε καὶ ἐνεργείας· οὕτω γὰρ προσἡκει νοεῖν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ ὀπίσθια· θεωρῆσαι δυνατὸν τοῖς κατὰ Μωσέα τελείοις τὴν ἀρετήν· καὶ οὐδὲ τούτοις ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν πέτραν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τεθειμένοις Σημαίνει δὲ αὕτη τῆς πίστεως τὸ στεῤῥὸν καὶ ἀκράδαντον· καὶ διὰ τῆς ὀπῆς τῆς πέτρας· δηλοῖ δὲ αὕτη τὸν τῆς πίστεως ὀφθαλμὸν θεωροῦντα τὰ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀνέφικτα καὶ ἀθέατα.
Diati tas plakas synetripsen? Anaxion krinas ton laon tēs theias nomothesias. Epeidē gar proikǭōn grammateiōn typon eichon hai plakes, hē de nymphē pro tēs pastados eis moicheian apekline, mala eikotōs to proikǭon dierrhēxe grammateion. Episēmēnasthai de prosēkei, hōs tote men dexamenos tēn hiketeian ho tōn holōn Theos, anebaleto tēn timōrian. Prostetheike de, Hē d' an hēmerą episkeptōmai, epaxō ep᾿ autous pasan tēn hamartian autōn. Eoike de touto tois hypo tou Apostolou eirēmenois ᾿Agnoōn hoti to chrēston tou Theou eis metanoian se agei; kata de tēn sklērotēta sou, kai ametanoēton kardian, thēsaurizeis seautǭ orgēn en hēmerą orgēs, kai apokalypseōs, kai dikaiokrisias tou Theou, hos apodōsei hekastǭ kata ta erga autou. Ho mentoi nomothetēs akousas, hōs ouk anexetai syneinai autois ho tōn holōn Theos dia to sklēron autōn kai antitypon, all᾽ angelon autois epistēsei; ę̄tēse men gnōnai, tis ho tēn kēdemonian autōn pisteutheis; ēntibolēse de mē dounai autois homodoulon hēgemona, all᾿ auton autōn hēgēsasthai ton Despotēn. Epeidē de kai tautēn hypescheto dōsein autǭ es tēn charin ho agathos Theos, erōti methyōn epainoumenǭ, tōn hyper anthrōpon ērasthē, kai tēn atheaton physin idein epethymēsen; alla memathēken, hōs ekeinēn idein tēn ousian adynaton. Ton Theon gar oudeis heōrake pōpote, kata tēn tou Kyriou phōnēn tas de theias oikonomias te kai energeias; houtō gar prosēkei noein tou Theou ta opisthia; theōrēsai dynaton tois kata Mōsea teleiois tēn aretēn; kai oude toutois hōs etychen, all᾽ eis tēn petran hyp᾿ autou tou Theou tetheimenois Sēmainei de hautē tēs pisteōs to sterrhon kai akradanton; kai dia tēs opēs tēs petras; dēloi de hautē ton tēs pisteōs ophthalmon theōrounta ta tois aisthētois ophthalmois anephikta kai atheata.
Why did he break the tablets? He judged the people unworthy of the divine legislation. Since the tablets had the form of a dowry contract, and the bride had turned aside to adultery before the bridal chamber, he very fittingly tore up the dowry contract. One must note that on that occasion the God of the universe, accepting the supplication, postponed the punishment; but he added, “On whatever day I visit, I will bring upon them all their sin.” This resembles what the Apostle said: “Not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But by your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each according to his works.” The lawgiver, hearing that the God of the universe would not consent to be with them because of their hardness and resistance, but would set an angel over them, asked to know who had been entrusted with their care, and begged not to be given a fellow-servant as leader, but that the Master himself would lead them. When the good God promised to grant him this favor too, he, drunk with a praiseworthy love, longed for things beyond human reach and desired to see the invisible nature; but he learned that it is impossible to see that substance. “For no one has ever seen God,” according to the Lord's word. But the divine dispensations and operations (for this is how one should understand God's “back parts”) can be contemplated by those who, like Moses, are perfect in virtue; and not even by them at random, but by those placed on the rock by God himself. The rock signifies the firmness and steadfastness of faith; and so too does the cleft of the rock, which indicates the eye of faith, contemplating what is inaccessible and invisible to the eyes of sense.
Exod 32:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 32:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 2:4–6 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 33:2–3 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 33:12–15 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 33:18–23 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:18 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses broke the tablets as a dowry contract voided by the bride's adultery; his wish to see God was answered with a sight of God's “back,” that is, his works, seen by faith.
- Quotations: Exod 32:34 (LXX); Rom 2:4–6; John 1:18. Allusions: Exod 32:19; Exod 33:2–3, 12–15, 18–23. The marriage figure for the covenant is Theodoret's.
Topics: God, Faith, Repentance, The last judgment
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.68 (PG 80 80:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-68). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-68
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-68) · Report an error
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.
2.69PG 80 80:293
Τι σημαίνει τὸ κάλυμμα τὸ ἐπιτεθὲν τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ νομοθέτου; Ἔχομεν τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου τὴν ἑρμηνείαν Μέχρι γὰρ, φησὶ, τῆς σήμερον, ἡνίκα ἀναγινώσκηται Μωσῆς, κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν κεῖται μὴ ἀνα καλυπτόμενον, ὅ τι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται Ἡνίκα δ᾽ ἂν ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς Κύριον, περιαιρεῖται Παῦλος· Ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσται, ὁ δὲ ἐν ἡλίῳ, ἡλιοειδὴς καὶ φωτοειδής· οὕτως ρας. τὸ κάλυμμα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τότε θείας ἐνεπλήσθη δόξης τοῦ νομοθέτου τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ τὸ σέλας ἐκεῖθεν *" ὑπὲρ ἀστραπὴν ἐκπεμπόμενον, ἀντιβλέπειν οὐκ εἴα τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας, ἀλλ' ἢ ἑτέρωσε τὰ πρόσωπα τρέπειν, ἢ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς μύειν ἡνάγκαζε. Καὶ τούτου χάριν ἀεὶ ἐχρῆτο τῷ προκαλύμματι τῷ λαῷ διαλεγόμενος πρὸς δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιστρέφων, γυμνὸν εἶχε τὸ πρόσωπον· οὕτως Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ τοῦ νόμου προσέχοντες γράμματι, τὴν μὲν δόξαν οὐχ ὁρῶσι, μόνον δὲ τὸ κάλυμμα βλέπουσι. Τῇ δὲ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος χάριτι προσιόντες, ἀπαλλάσσον ται μὲν τοῦ προκαλύμματος, θεωροῦσι δὲ τὴν δόξαν, ἧς Μωσῆς ἐνεπλήσθη. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος λέγει ώπῳ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου κατοπτριζόμενοι, εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν **, καθάπερ ἀπὸ Κυρίου Πνεύματος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὰ διειδῆ κάτοπτρα τῶν εἰσορώντων τοὺς τύπους ἐκμάττεται, οὕτως αἱ καθαραὶ καρδίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δόξαν εἰσδέχονται. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἔφη «Μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται. Καὶ ὥσπερ Ἰούδας τὸν διάβολον εἰσ· δεξάμενος, τὴν ἐκείνου πονηρίαν ἐνετύπωσεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ· οὕτως ὁ τῇ θείᾳ χάριτι προσιὼν, ταῖς ἐκεῖθεν φερομέναις μαρμαρυγαῖς καταυγάζεται. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ ἐν σκότει καθήμενος σκοτοειδὴς γίνεὁ τῷ Θεῷ προσεδρεύων θεοειδεῖς δέχεται χαρακτῆ.
Ti sēmainei to kalymma to epitethen tǭ prosōpǭ tou nomothetou? Echomen tou ᾿Apostolou tēn hermēneian Mechri gar, phēsi, tēs sēmeron, hēnika anaginōskētai Mōsēs, kalymma epi tēn kardian autōn keitai mē ana kalyptomenon, ho ti en Christǭ katargeitai Hēnika d᾽ an epistrepsę̄ pros Kyrion, periaireitai Paulos; Hēmeis de pantes anakekalymmenǭ prostai, ho de en hēliǭ, hēlioeidēs kai phōtoeidēs; houtōs ras. to kalymma. Hōsper gar tote theias eneplēsthē doxēs tou nomothetou to prosōpon, kai to selas ekeithen *" hyper astrapēn ekpempomenon, antiblepein ouk eia tous entynchanontas, all' ē heterōse ta prosōpa trepein, ē tous ophthalmous myein hēnankaze. Kai toutou charin aei echrēto tǭ prokalymmati tǭ laǭ dialegomenos pros de ton Theon epistrephōn, gymnon eiche to prosōpon; houtōs Ioudaioi tǭ tou nomou prosechontes grammati, tēn men doxan ouch horōsi, monon de to kalymma blepousi. Tę̄ de tou panagiou Pneumatos chariti prosiontes, apallasson tai men tou prokalymmatos, theōrousi de tēn doxan, hēs Mōsēs eneplēsthē. Touto kai ho makarios legei ōpǭ tēn doxan Kyriou katoptrizomenoi, eis tēn autēn eikona metamorphoumetha apo doxēs eis doxan **, kathaper apo Kyriou Pneumatos. Hōsper gar ta dieidē katoptra tōn eisorōntōn tous typous ekmattetai, houtōs hai katharai kardiai tou Theou tēn doxan eisdechontai. Dio dē kai ho Kyrios ephē «Makarioi hoi katharoi tę̄ kardią, hoti autoi ton Theon opsontai. Kai hōsper Ioudas ton diabolon eis; dexamenos, tēn ekeinou ponērian enetypōsen en heautǭ; houtōs ho tę̄ theią chariti prosiōn, tais ekeithen pheromenais marmarygais kataugazetai. Kai hōsper ho en skotei kathēmenos skotoeidēs gineo tǭ Theǭ prosedreuōn theoeideis dechetai charaktē.
What does the veil placed on the lawgiver's face signify? We have the Apostle's interpretation: “For to this day,” he says, “whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart, not being lifted, because it is abolished in Christ; but whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” For just as the lawgiver's face was then filled with divine glory, and the radiance sent out from it, brighter than lightning, did not allow those who met him to look at him, but forced them either to turn their faces elsewhere or to shut their eyes, and for this reason he always used the veil when speaking to the people but had his face bare when he turned to God; so the Jews, attending to the letter of the law, do not see the glory but see only the veil. But when they come to the grace of the all-holy Spirit, they are freed from the veil and behold the glory with which Moses was filled. The blessed Paul says this too: “And we all, with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord, the Spirit.” For just as clear mirrors take the impression of those who look into them, so pure hearts receive the glory of God. That is why the Lord said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” And just as Judas, having received the devil, imprinted his wickedness in himself, so the one who approaches divine grace is illumined by the rays that come from it. And just as one who sits in darkness becomes dark, while one in the sun becomes like the sun and full of light, so the one who waits upon God receives godlike features.
Exod 34:29–35 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:14–16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:8 (quotation, high confidence) · John 13:27 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Following Paul, Theodoret reads Moses' veil as the veil over the reading of the Law, removed by turning to Christ and the Spirit, who transform pure hearts into God's likeness.
- Quotations: 2 Cor 3:14–16, 18; Matt 5:8. Allusions: Exod 34:29–35; John 13:27. The remarks about the Jews are translated as written. Several lines are interleaved in the scan and are translated in their evident order; a fragment of a note on God's “back parts” (“… calls his goodness, by which, though inseparable by nature, he is as far as possible accessible to the worthy”) had been inserted into a word and was removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (fragment of a note inserted inside a word): πον, τὴν ἀγαθότητα καλεῖ, δι᾿ ἣν ἀχώριστος ὢν τῇ φύσει, ὡς δυνατὸν τοῖς ἀξίοις χωρητός. → .
Topics: Interpreting Scripture, The Holy Spirit, The church and Israel, Deification
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.69 (PG 80 80:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-69). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-69
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-69) · Report an error
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.
2.70PG 80 80:295
Πόθεν εἶχον τὰ ξύλα τὰ ἄσηπτα, Σανίδες ἦσαν δεκαπήχεις· εἰκὸς τοίνυν ταύτας ἐσχηκέναι τοὺς εὐπορωτέρους ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετενεγκόντας, ἡνίκα ἐκεῖθεν ἐξῆλθον. Τοὺς δὲ πολυτιμήτους λίθους, καὶ τὸν χρυσὸν, καὶ τὸν ἄργυρον, καὶ τὸν χαλκόν, παρ' Αἰγυπτίων λαβόντες, ἀπῆραν· κατὰ γὰρ τὴν θείαν ἐντολὴν «Ἤτησε γυνὴ παρὰ γείτονος καὶ συσκήνου αὐτῆς σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χρυσᾶ, καὶ ἱματισμὸν, καὶ ἐσκύλευσαν τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους. Διὸ δὴ καὶ τὰ προσφερόμενα ἀπαρχὰς προσηγόρευσεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ὡς ἀκροθίνια σκύλων.
Pothen eichon ta xyla ta asēpta, Sanides ēsan dekapēcheis; eikos toinyn tautas eschēkenai tous euporōterous ex Aigyptou metenenkontas, hēnika ekeithen exēlthon. Tous de polytimētous lithous, kai ton chryson, kai ton argyron, kai ton chalkon, par' Aigyptiōn labontes, apēran; kata gar tēn theian entolēn «Ētēse gynē para geitonos kai syskēnou autēs skeuē argyra kai chrysa, kai himatismon, kai eskyleusan tous Aigyptious. Dio dē kai ta prospheromena aparchas prosēgoreusen ho tōn holōn Theos, hōs akrothinia skylōn.
Where did they get the incorruptible wood? The boards were ten cubits long; it is likely, then, that the wealthier among them had brought them from Egypt when they came out. The precious stones, the gold, the silver, and the bronze they took from the Egyptians when they departed; for according to the divine command, “a woman asked of her neighbor and of her fellow-lodger vessels of silver and gold, and clothing, and they despoiled the Egyptians.” That is why the God of the universe called what was offered firstfruits, as the choicest portion of the spoils.
Exod 26:15–16 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 25:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 3:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:35–36 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 25:2–3 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The materials of the tabernacle came from Egypt, the wood probably carried by the wealthy and the precious metals taken from the Egyptians.
- Quotation: Exod 3:22 (combined with 12:35–36). Allusions: Exod 25:2–3, 5; Exod 26:15–16.
Topics: Worship
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.70 (PG 80 80:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-70). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-70
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-70) · Report an error
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.
2.71PG 80 80:295
Ποίου χαρίσματος οἱ περὶ τὸν Βεσελεήλ ἔτυχον, Σοφίας ἀρχιτεκτονικῆς. Ἔστι γὰρ σοφία ὑφαντική, καὶ σοφία γεωργικὴ, καὶ σοφία ἰατρική. Ἔκαστον δὲ τούτων δῶρον Θεοῦ, εἰς χρῆσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δεδωρημένον.
Poiou charismatos hoi peri ton Beseleēl etychon, Sophias architektonikēs. Esti gar sophia hyphantikē, kai sophia geōrgikē, kai sophia iatrikē. Ekaston de toutōn dōron Theou, eis chrēsin tois anthrōpois dedōrēmenon.
What gift did Bezalel and his companions receive? Wisdom in master-building. For there is a wisdom of weaving, a wisdom of farming, and a wisdom of medicine; and each of these is a gift of God, given to human beings for their use.
Exod 31:2–6 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 35:30–35 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The craftsmen's skill was a gift of God, as are all useful arts.
- Allusions: Exod 31:2–6; Exod 35:30–35.
Topics: Work and idleness, Spiritual gifts and visions
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.71 (PG 80 80:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-71). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-71
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-71) · Report an error
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.
2.72PG 80 80:297
Διατὶ τῇ νουμηνίᾳ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς στῆσαι τὴν σκηνὴν προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Μωσῇ Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν τὴν κτίσιν ἐδημιούργησε. Καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ τῶν δένδρων ἡ βλάστησις Βλαστησάτω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατά γένος καὶ καθ' ὁμοιότητα, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπὸν, οὗ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ὁμοιότητα σε κατὰ γένος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Αρχομένου δὲ τοῦ ἔαρος καὶ οἱ λειμῶνες ἀνθοῦσι, καὶ κυμαίνει τὰ λήῖα, καὶ τὰ δένδρα φύει καρπόν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ τουτονὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἠλευθέρωσε τῆς Αἰγυπτίων δουλείας· καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ Παρθένῳ Γαβριὴλ ὁ ἀρχάγγελος ἐκόμισε τῶν παραδόξων ὠδίνων τὰ εὐαγγέλια. Κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς τὸ σωτήριον ὑπέμεινε πάθος. Μάλα τοίνυν εἰκότως τῇ μιᾷ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς στῆναι τὴν σκηνὴν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότης δε Θεὸς προσέταξε· καὶ ὅτι τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς ἐκτύπωμα ἦν· καὶ ἵνα εὐτρεπίσῃ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Πάσχα ἑορτὴν ἔδ, ἣν πρώτην ἐπιτελεῖν νόμος ἦν Ἰουδαίοις. Τότε δὲ καὶ πρῶτον ταύτην ἔμελλον ἑορτάζειν τὴν ἑορτὴν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Δεύτερον γὰρ ἦν ἔτος μετὰ τὴν τῆς δουλείας ἀπαλλαγήν.
Diati tę̄ noumēnią tou prōtou mēnos stēsai tēn skēnēn prosetaxen ho Theos tǭ Mōsę̄ Epeidē kata touton ton kairon tēn ktisin edēmiourgēse. Kai martyrei tǭde tǭ logǭ tōn dendrōn hē blastēsis Blastēsatō gar, phēsin, hē gē botanēn chortou, speiron sperma kata genos kai kath' homoiotēta, kai xylon karpimon poioun karpon, hou to sperma autou en autǭ eis homoiotēta se kata genos epi tēs gēs. Archomenou de tou earos kai hoi leimōnes anthousi, kai kymainei ta lēia, kai ta dendra phyei karpon. Dia toi touto kai ton Israēl kata toutoni ton kairon ēleutherōse tēs Aigyptiōn douleias; kai tę̄ hagią Parthenǭ Gabriēl ho archangelos ekomise tōn paradoxōn ōdinōn ta euangelia. Kata touton ton kairon kai ho Despotēs Christos to sōtērion hypemeine pathos. Mala toinyn eikotōs tę̄ mią tou prōtou mēnos stēnai tēn skēnēn ho tōn holōn Despotēs de Theos prosetaxe; kai hoti tou kosmou pantos ektypōma ēn; kai hina eutrepisę̄ pros tēn tou Pascha heortēn ed, hēn prōtēn epitelein nomos ēn Ioudaiois. Tote de kai prōton tautēn emellon heortazein tēn heortēn en tę̄ erēmǭ. Deuteron gar ēn etos meta tēn tēs douleias apallagēn.
Why did God command Moses to set up the tabernacle on the new moon of the first month? Because it was at this season that he created the creation. The sprouting of the trees bears witness to this account: “Let the earth sprout,” he says, “the green plant, sowing seed according to kind and according to likeness, and the fruit tree bearing fruit, whose seed is in it according to likeness, according to kind, on the earth.” At the beginning of spring the meadows bloom, the crops wave, and the trees put forth fruit. For this reason too he freed Israel from slavery to the Egyptians at this season; and Gabriel the archangel brought the holy Virgin the good news of the extraordinary birth. At this season too Christ the Master underwent the saving passion. Very fittingly, then, God the Master of the universe commanded the tabernacle to be set up on the first of the first month: both because it was an image of the whole world, and so as to prepare for the feast of the Passover, which the law required the Jews to celebrate first. Then too they were going to celebrate this feast in the desert for the first time; for it was the second year after their release from slavery.
Exod 40:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 40:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 1:11–12 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 1:26–38 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 9:1–5 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The tabernacle was set up in spring, the season of creation, of the exodus, of the annunciation, and of Christ's passion, and in time for the Passover.
- Quotation: Gen 1:11–12 (LXX). Allusions: Exod 40:2, 17; Exod 12:2; Luke 1:26–38; Num 9:1–5.
Topics: Creation, Incarnation, Passion and death of Christ, Easter and the church year
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 2.72 (PG 80 80:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-72). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-72
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-2-72) · Report an error
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.