ConcerninghisOwnOrdination:

ToEuagrius,ConcerningtheDivinity(1)
by
GregoryofNyssa

[M.543&J.331]Thecelebrationofaspiritualfeasthascomeuponusinorderthatwepartakeofbenefitsotherthanthose
whichpleaseourselves.Icertainlyhaveconsideredmyselfimperfectinsuchtributesbecauseofmyinabilitytospeak,afact
whichisinaccordwiththecustomofdrinkingsongs.Iamawareofthosepersonswholivedaintilywhenevertheyenjoy
goodcheerfromsharingacommonmeal,custommaintainsthatthemealisincompleteifthereisaneedypersonamongthe
guestlist.AndsoIhavedesiredtohaveabundantfood.Butsincethenoble,wealthylordofthebanquetsparesnothingon
ourbehalf,hebidsustoserveandIsaytohim,"Friend,lendmesomeofyourbread"[Lk11.5].Icallbreadthatassistance
whichcomesfromprayer.Howcanyourvoicesrelishthesespiritualhoneycombsandacceptthemwithimpoverishedand
miserablespeech?Perhapsweneedhereasinthecaseofgymnasticcontests(thestadiumisonlyforthosewhoarestrong)a
spiritual[J.332]stadiumforthoseendowedwithacapacitytospeakandwhostripdownforthecontestifIwithmygrey
hairhappentobeoneofthemandwhosestrengthhasfadedwithtimeandmyspeechhasbeguntotrembleandhalt,thisisa
delightforthecontestantsintheirtournaments.
Brethren,letusnotprolongourintroductorywordsbecauseyourwonderfulremarkswhichhadbeensaidearlierhad
absorbedmyattention.Youarealreadycontentandsatiatedwithwealthafterourearlierremarkshadprovidednourishment.
Perhapsaworthlesssatietyisaddedtoyetanotherone,havingbroughttomemorysuchgoldenwordsalongwithleaden
coinsexceptinthosecaseswhenbeautyisacontributingfactorandinferiormaterialismixedwithsomethingbetter.Hereis
theexplanationwithoutdelay:Doyouseethelovelysightofa[M.545]roofoverourheadswheregoldsubtletyappears
withgravenwork?Suchgoldisoutstandinginthatitiscompletelyvisibletooursightwithmanyfacetsindarkblue.What,
then,isthedarkbluewhichtheartisanhasincorporated?Itseemstomethatthegoldismoreradiantwhenoffsetbyother
colors.Thusifthedarkbluecombineswithgold,itsbrightnessisenhancedandso,itisnotunseemlythatourdarknessis
addedtothebrightnessofthewordsalreadyproclaimed.Althoughourintroductorywordsmayseemasidlechatter,Iask
thatyoupayattention.
[J.333]IunderstandthatwhenthegreatMoseserectedatentfortheIsraelites,Bezalel[cf.Ex35.303],whomthedivine
Spiritendowedwitharchitecturalwisdomwhichhehadtaughthimself,madehisworkavailabletoboththewealthyand
poor.Hechoosethegoldofopulence,purpleandpreciousstonesyetdidnotrejectthelesservalueofwoodandgoatskins.
Recollectionofthisaccountisnotuntimely,forathoughtcomestomindwhichIwishtomakeknown.Bezalelwhowas
unskilledbecamewisebythedivineSpirit.ThereforelethimwhofightsagainsttheSpirit[pneumatomachos]payattention:
SincethepersonclaimingthattheHolySpiritisdivine,whosetraceinthesoulsignifiesthegraceofwisdom,cansucha
persondishonortheSpirit'ssanctitybyapplyingthetermdivine?CantheSpirit'sdivinitybeconceivedassomethingnewly
acquired?Isnotacertaindoublingandcompositionperceivedherewithregardtothatwhichissimpleanduncomposite?
SuchnotionsareinadmissibleyettheyconfessestheSpiritistrulydivinebynature.Doyouseehownaturallythetruthis
revealedtoyou?TheChristianmessageadmitsofnopluralitywithregardtothedivinenaturebecausethiswouldresultin
manufacturingmanygods.Wecannotconsidermanygodsunlessthemultitude[J.334]ofgodsweattributetoitbelongto
anothernature.Ifeveryonebelievesinonedivinenature,theHolySpiritisdivinebynaturewhy,then,doyoudividewhat
isjoinedbynature?Whowillgivemethepowerofthatwordwhoseobjectissalvationforitshearers[cf.Rom1.16]?Peter
sendonevoicetotheinhabitantsofJerusalem,andthisfishermancapturedathousandmeninhisnetwithjustonecasting
oftheword[cf.Acts2.41].Numerousteachersbroughtustheirmessage,andwhofromamongthesavedisadded?"That
whichfalls,letitfall,andthatwhichistoperish,letitperish"[Zach11.9]saystheprophet.Whathasbeenledastraycannot
return[cf.Ezk34.4]thebondofloveisloosenedandpeace[M.548]iswrenchedfromourtreasurehouses[cf.Col2.3].
Suchacalamityforcesmetoemitadeepgroan.Ourpossessionwasoncelove,andtheLordtoldusthroughthedisciplesto
treasureupthispatrimonywhenhesaid,"Igiveyouanewcommandment,loveoneanother"[Jn13.34].Althoughthose
sonswhocameaftertheirfathershadreceivedthisinheritanceandpassedonittoourfathers,thisgenerationhasnot
safeguardedit.Howhasthewealthoflovebeenseizedfromourhandsandsuffereddestruction?Wearepoorwithregardto
thisloveandenemiesareconceitedoverourgoodpossessions."Ihavebeenzealouswithregardtotheiniquitous"saysthe
psalmist[Ps72.3]Imodify[J.335]thestatementasfollows:IhavebeenimpassionedwithregardtotheiniquitousIhave
beenzealousuponseeingthepeaceofsinners,thoseenjoyingunionwitheachotherwhileweareseparatedtheyare
comradeswhileweallowourfellowshiptodisintegrate.Thethiefofsoulsaccostsourpossessionandbringittotheenemies
oftruthandnotfortheirbenefit.Letnoonethinkthisastrue(fortheinventorofevilcannotbeabenefactor)rather,"what
haveIwithjudgingoutsiders"[1Cor5.12]?HowdoIbearthealienationofbrotherswithouttears?Howisthisyoung
brotherleftdeprivedofhispaternalsubstance[cf.Lk15.1132]?Ifgrey[hair]concealsthesoul'syouth,thenhowdidthat

other[brother]whoisrevealedintheGospelcometodwellinadistantregionasafugitivefromthefaith?Hehashe
departed,thefather'ssubstanceisdivided,theloftinessofteachingsiscastdowntohumble,sulliedopinionsandheretical
prostituteshavedissipatedhiswealth.Aprostituteisheresybeguiledbydeceptivepleasures.Ifapersoncomestohissenses
likethatman,hehasagaindesiredfoodfromhisfather,hasruntothefulltablewhichcontainsanabundanceof
supersubstantial[epiousios]breadwhichtheLordprovidesforhishirelings[cf.Mt20.115](allhirelingsarethosewho
workGod'svineyardsonaccountofthehopewhichhadbeenpromised),andhis[J.336]returndoesnotbelongtojustone
fatherbutthosefatherswhoranouttogreet,embraceandwelcomehimwithakiss.
Herewehaveanexampleofthefirstgarmentoffaithwhichthethirtyhundredandeighteensoulshavewoveninthe
Church.Wealsohavethefingerinahandwhichhasexpressedthesealoffaith,choruses,thecalf,harmonyandeverything
elsewhichtheGospelnotesexceptthebrother'sjealousy.Butwhyinvaindoweformdreamsforourselves?Theheartsof
brothersareobdurateandbelligerenttheyspurntheircommonfathersanddonotaccepttheirinheritance.Theylayclaimto
a[M.549]commonnobilityandarealienatedfromourkinship,setthemselvesagainstusasenemiestohavepoweroverus
asthoughwesomekindofborder,havebecomeenemies,areonourflanks,donotsubscribetoorthodoxpreachingand
denythattheyareheretics.Whatanunheardofsituation!Theyhavemadewaragainstbothtruthandfalsehood,resemblea
treelackingrootsandareeasilyinclinedto[J.337]contradictoryopinions.IhaveheardJohntheEvangelistinthe
ApocalypsespeakinginmysteriousfashionthatsuchpersonseitherseethorarecoldindeedoneseethesbytheSpiritandis
coldbysin.Wouldthatyouwereeithercoldorhot"[cf.Apoc3.15]!Theyareneitherbutfastenuponboth,therebyactingin
anauseatingfashionbygoingaftertheirownvomit.Whenthediscipleswerealive,whatbroughtamultitudetotheChurch
alongtimeagothroughtheLord,whereaswenowhavelengthy,ornatewordsfromteacherswhichhavenoeffect?
SomeonemayaskthatthemiracleswroughtbytheApostleswereinestimableandthatdivinegiftshavecontributedto
trustworthinessbytheirpreaching.Isaythattheforceoftheirdeedsisjustasgreatastheirpersuasivewords.Whatneeddo
wehavetoconsiderwhathasbeendone?Doyounotseesimilarwondersoffaith?Imeanourfellowservants'gooddeeds
whichareinaccordwiththesamespiritsuchastheabilitytoeffecthealing.Menfromabroadwhohavepayedattention
bearwitnesstothetruthincludecitizensofourfatherAbrahamfromMesopotamiaandthosesharingthesameregionhave
flockedfromeverylocationthroughouttheentireworldtheyalllooktoheaven,areinacertainsenseexilesfromhuman
life,arenotcaptivatedbypassionsandrealizethistypeoflifeasfaraspossible.Theyarepracticedwithregardtoahigher
value[J.338]inincorporealvirtues,havetheappearanceofoldage,seemvenerable,aresplendidingreyhair,sealtheir
mouthswithsilence,donotknowcontroversyandareunfamiliarwithdisputes.Theyhavepoweragainstspirits[cf.Mt
10.1],effectresultssolelybytheirdeedsandresistdemonsnotbysyllogismsbutbythepoweroffaiththeydothisnot
throughcontortedrefutationsbutbyexpellingwhatisexteriorintodarkness.ThustheChristianknowshowtoemploy
syllogismswhicharehelpfulforourfaith.Whydowenotbelieveifthegraceofhealingaboundsandifteachingflourishes?
"AlltheseareeffectedbyoneandthesameSpiritwhoapportionstoeachoneindividuallyashewills"[1Cor12.11].Why
donotthosewhoaresavedmultiply?NooneshouldthinkthatIconsiderthepresentgraceasinsignificant.
IseeluxuriantvineaboundingandflourishingwithbranchesandfruitIseeaswellingfieldwithmuchcornitisdeepwith
crops,wellgrownsheafsandanenormousharvest.ButwhyamIinpain?Suchobservationsleavemeunfulfilledbecause
theycausesufferingthroughmuchavarice.[M.552]Desireforabundancehasnoboundsitalwayscontinuestoinflameus
andisfuelforgreaterdesire.Sightsdelightme[J.339]yettheycausegriefIrejoiceatwhatispresentandamgrievedat
whatisabsent.Anynewsufferingcombinedfromcontradictoryelementsembracesthesoulwhen,forexample,pleasure
mixeswithanguish.IfIdirectmyeyestoyou,IgreatlydesireyouifIconsiderwhatIdonothave,Igroanoverthis
calamity.PeopledonotfindjoyintheLordandrelishtheChurch'speacetheyprefertoengageinevaluatingmagnitude,
measuringtheSonwiththeFatheranddelightinwhatexceedstheFather'smeasure.Whosaysthatwhatlacksquantity
cannotbemeasured,theeternalcannotbepondered,theincorporealcannotbemeasured,theunboundedcannotbe
comparedandthatwhichcannotbecomparedisimmunefromgreaterorless?Wewillrecognizewhatisgreaterwhen
comparingthesamethingswhichareboundedwhereas[God]isincomprehensibleanyconceptofquantitycannotbe
appliedtohim.IhaveheardthePsalmwhicheveryonejoinsinsinging,"GreatisourLordandhisstrength,andhiswisdom
cannotbenumbered"[Ps146.5].Whatdoesthismean?Thesewordscanbenumbered,andyouunderstandthemystery.
"GreatistheLord"hedidnotsaythathisquantityisgreat(itisimpossibletospeakofquantity),butheleadsthemindto
unboundednessbythatwhichisunbounded.Similarly[thepsalmist]says,"Greatishisstrength"understandstrengthas
power."ChrististhepowerandwisdomofGod"[1Cor1.24].Buthisunderstandinghasnoboundary.Isaiahwiselyexplains
thiswhenhesays"thespiritofwisdomandofunderstanding"[Is11.2].
IhaveheardthatamongthosecountedblessedarepersonswhothirstaftertheLord[cf.Mt5.6].Thereforedesiremaynot
existoutsidetimeshowme,then,whetherthepresentappearsasaseparateentity.Ifthehotsun'sraysboiloverone'shead
atmiddayanddryupbodilyfluids(forexample,considerlettheharsh,unyieldingaridearth),afountainwhosestreamis
lovelyandlucidbringsforthabundantrefreshment.Onethensitsdownbythewaterandphilosophizesaboutitsnature,
source,causeandsimilarinquiries.Personsaccustomedtosuchvainquestioningenjoythisactivity.Anymoisturedispersed
intheearth'sabyssbecomeswaterwhichleapsupandisunderpressurebecauseveinsarediffuseintheearth'sdepthsand
gushforthwateruponopeningitsmouth.Ontheotherhand,ifthewaterisdeflectedintostreams,itbringsrelieftothirsty

lips,refreshesthetongue,[M.553]givesresttopassionandbestowsitsgifttowhoreceivesit.Thereforeimitatethisthirst
sinceitwillbesaidofyouas[theLordsays],"Blessedarethosewhothirst"[Mt5.6].
OnceyouhavelearnedaboutthevariousbenefitswhichtheHolySpiritcausestospringup,obeytheprophetwhosays"I
haveopenedyourmouthandhavedrawn[J.341]breath"[Ps118.131]and"Openwideyourmouthandfillit"[Ps80.1]
whenyouhavepowertoreceivesuchgifts.DoyouwishtolearnthosebenefitscomingfromtheSpirit'sfountain?Imean
immortalityforthesoul,eternallife,thekingdomofheaven,unceasingjoyandhappinesswithoutend.Butuponseeingthat
whichispresent,IcountaslittlethelossofwhatIhaveleftbehind.Thehouseisfilledwithallsortsofgoodthingsforme,
thetreasuresofArabiangoldarefull[cf.Ps71.15]andambassadorshaverushedfromEgypt.Theyanticipateraisingtheir
handstoGodalongwiththeearth'skingswhowithusandwhowillsingatriumphalhymnincludingallwhohavebeen
calledtohiskingdom[cf.Ps67.325],towhombegloryforeverandever.Amen.
+theend+
1.ThecriticaltextpreparedbyErnestGebhardtmaybefoundinGregoriiNysseniOpera,volumeix(Leiden,1967),
pp.33141.Thistextisreferredtowithinthetranslationbytheletter"J"followedbytheappropriatepagenumber.Thetext
preparedbyJ.P.Migne,PatrologiaGraeca,#46(Paris,1858),columns55453,isindicatedbytheletter"M"followedby
theappropriatecolumnnumber.