Σολομῶντος-- Ἀρετῆς μέν σημεῖον οὐδέν ἔχομεν δεῖξαι· ἐν δέ τῇ κακίᾳ ἡμῶν κατεδαπανήθημεν.

By Solomon (Wis 5:13), “ we possess nothing to proffer a proof of virtue, but in our vice we are consumed.”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.- Μή σε πλανήσωσιν ἄνδρες ἀσεβεῖς, μηδέ πορευθῇς ἐν ὁδῷ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν· ἔκκλινον δέ τόν πόδα σου ἀπό τῶν τρίβων αὐτῶν· οἱ γάρ πόδες αὐτῶν εἰς κακίαν τρέχουσιν.

From the same(Prov.1:10), “Do not let irreverent men deceive you, neither go in the way with them. Turn your feet from their paths, for their feet run to vice (mischief)”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ- Ὅς καταφρονεῖ πράγματος, καταφρονηθήσεται ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

From the same (Prov.13:13),”He that despises the word shall be despised”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.-- Ὥσπερ ὄμφαξ ὁδοῦσι βλαβερόν καί καπνός ὄμμασιν, οὕτω παρανομία τοῖς χρωμένοις αὐτῇ. 

From the same (Prov.10:26),”As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.”

Σιράχ. -- Ὁ ποιῶν πανηρά, εἰς αὐτόν κυλισθήσεται, καί οὐ μή ἐπιγνῷ πόθεν ἤκει αὐτῷ.

Sirach (27:30),” A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it comes to him.”

Βασιλείου.- Μόνη κτημάτων ἡ ἀρετή ἀναφαίρετον.

Ἀρετῆς ἄσκησις, τίμιον μέν κτῆμα τῷ ἔχοντι· ἤδιστον δέ θέαμα τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν.

Ὥσπερ γάρ τῷ πυρί αὐτομάτως ἕπεται τό φωτίζειν, καί τῷ μύρῳ τό εὐωδεῖν·  οὕτω καί ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς πράξεσιν ἀναγκαίως ἀκολουθεῖ τό ὠφέλιμον

Basil the Great, “Virtue is the only inalienable possession. The labor of virtue, indeed for one not having precious possessions, is a pleasant sight for those who happen to see it.

For just like fire automatically follows starting a light, and the smell from  perfuming,  even so of necessity profit  follows good works.”

Ἀρχή πρός τήν ἀνάληψιν τῶν καλῶν ἡ ἀναχώρησις τῶν κακῶν. Ἔκκλινον γάρ, φησίν, ἀπό κακοῦ, καί ποίησον ἀγαθόν.

“withdrawing from vices  is the beginning toward the ascent toward the good. For incline, they  say, from  evil and do good.”

Θεολόγου. -- Φύσει πρόχειρον ἡ κακία, καί πολύς ἐπί τό χεῖρον ὁ δρόμος, ἤ ῥοῦς κατά πρανοῦς ῥέων, ἤ καλάμη τις πρός σπινθῆρα καί ἄνεμον ῥαδίως ἐξαπτομένη καί γινομένη φλόξ, καί συνδαπανωμένη τῷ οἰκείῳ γεννήματι. Οὐ πάνυ τι ῥάδιόν ἐστι τῶν ἀρετῶν τήν νικῶσαν εὑρεῖν, καί ταύτῃ δοῦναι τά πρεσβεῖα καί τά νικητήρια·  ὥσπερ οὐδέν ἐν λειμῶνι πολυανθεῖ καί εὐώδει τῶν ἀνθέων τό κάλλιστον καί εὐωδέστατον, ἄλλοτε ἄλλου τήν ὄσφρησιν καί τήν ὄψιν πρός ἑαυτό μεθέλκοντος, καί πρῶτον δρέπεσθαι πείθοντος.

 Gregory the Theologian,” Vice is naturally easy, and the road very easily trod, running against the flow it runs, or as a reed with a spark and wind easily ignited  becomes a flame, and are consumed together in the common nature.

For it is not something very easy, to have found victory  in the virtues, and so also to give the honor and victory trophies.  It is just like none of the most beautiful and aromatic flowers in a well flowered and pleasantly smelling meadow at anytime, except at this time, draws us to itself to it’s pleasant smell and appearance, except it first is plucked up.”

Χρυσοστ.-- Σπάνιον ἡ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ κτῆσις καί πρόσαντες, κἄν εἰ πολύ τό μεθέλκον εἴη καί προκαλούμενον. 

Chrysostom, “The acquisition of the good is rare even for those who  progress although  it may be very enticing and provocative.”

Ἄμισθος ἡ ἀρετή, ἵνα καί ἀρετή μείνῃ, πρός τό καλόν μόνον βλέπουσα.

Virtue is unrewarded, in order that virtue might stay, with it’s view towards the only good.

Ποιεῖ περιβοήτους οὐ δεξιά πρᾶξις μόνον, ἀλλά κακία νικῶσα πονηράν εὐδοκίμησιν.

Right  action not only does not make noisey show, but having conquered perverse vice, rests complacent in itself.

Οὐκ ἔστι τόν ἀρετῆς ἐπιμελούμενον, μή πολλούς ἔχειν ἐχθρούς·  ἀλλ᾿ οὐδέν τοῦτο πρός τόν ἐνάρετον· διά γάρ τῶν τοιούτων λαμπρότερος ἔστι μειζόνως. 

The pursuit of virtue is not so that we don’t have enemies, for this is not anything virtuous, but rather virtue shines more brightly through such things

Πολλοί πολλάκις αὐτάς τάς ἀρετάς διά τούς (=725=) πόνους φεύγοντες, διά τήν ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐφημίαν αἱροῦνται ποιεῖν. 

Many have many times flee from  virtues because of the toils, or because of the praise from them they prefer to toil.

Ὥσπερ τό τῆς ζωῆς τέλος ἀρχή θανάτου ἐστίν, οὕτως καί τοῦ κατ' ἀρετήν δρόμου ἡ στάσις, ἀρχή τοῦ κατά κακίαν γίνεται δρόμου

Just like the end of life is the beginning of death, so also the firm start on the way  to virtue, the beginning of the end happens for the vicious way of life.

Δυσεπίτευκτον μέν εἶναι τήν ἀρετήν, μυρίοις ἱδρῶσι καί πόνοις σπουδῇ καί καμάτῳ μόγις κατορθουμένην, παρά τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἐδιδάχθημεν. 

We have been taught from the Holy Scriptures that virtue is hard to accomplish, by doing our best in many tears and toils, and being corrected by hard labor.

Χρυσοστ.- Εἰ γάρ τῶν ἐπί γῆς ἀνθρώπων ὁ παραβαίνων τούς νόμους, ἀπαραίτητον ὑφίσταται τήν κόλασιν·  πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἀφορήτοις ἐκδοθήσεται βασάνοις, ὁ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου Δεσπότου ἀθετῶν τά προστάγματα; 

Chrysostom, If one  transgressing the laws of this world  is subject to  intractable punishment,  how much  rather he that despises the decrees of the Heavenly king shall be meted out unbearable  punishments?

Ὥσπερ ἐπί τῆς κιθάρας οὐκ ἀρκεῖ μόνον ἐπί μιᾶς νευρᾶς τήν μελωδίαν ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀλλά πάσας ἐπιέναι δεῖ μετά ῥυθμοῦ τοῦ προσηκόντος, οὕτω καί ἐπί τῆς κατά τήν ψυχήν ἀρετῆς, οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν νόμος εἰς σωτηρίαν εἷς, ἀλλά δεῖ πάντας αὐτούς μετά ἀκριβείας φυλάττειν. 

Just like on a harp, it is not enough to practice the melody on one of the strings, but we need  to  use them all to make the appropriate rhythm, even so with the virtues of the soul, one law does not suffice us for salvation, but we need to keep them all with exactness.

  Μή τοίνυν λέγωμεν, ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα φύσει κακός, καί ὁ δεῖνα φύσει καλός. Εἰ γάρ φύσει ἀγαθός, οὐδέποτε δυνήσεται γενέσθαι κακός·  καί εἰ φύσει κακός, οὐδέποτε γενήσεται ἀγαθός.

Let us not then say, that so and so is naturally evil, or that  so and so by nature is good. For if  by nature one is good,  never at at any time is he able to become evil. And if by nature he is evil, he never at anytime shall become good. 

Οὐχ ὑπομένει τό σκότος τήν τοῦ φωτός παρουσίαν·  οὐ νόσος ὑγείας ἐπιλαβούσης ἵσταται·  οὐκ ἐνεργεῖ τά πάθη τῆς ἀπαθείας παρούσης. 

The darkness does not tolerate the presence of the light, neither can sickness, taking it’s health, continue: when dispassion is present the passions do not act.

Ἐλευθέραν εἶναι προσήκει παντός φόβου τήν ἀρετήν. Ἀδέσποτον γάρ ἀρετή καί ἑκούσιον, παντός φόβου καί ἀνάγκης ἐλεύθερον. 

  Virtue is properly free of all fear. For virtue is it’s own master and freely willing, free from all fear and necessity.

Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλην κακίας γέννησιν ἐννοῆσαι, ἤ ἀρετῆς ἀπουσίαν. 

We are not to think that there is another birth or reason for vice than the absence of virtue.

Κλήμεντος. -- Ἡ τῶν κακῶν ἀπαλλαγή σωτηρίας ἐστίν ἀρχή. 

Clement, The transformation of vices is the beginning of salvation.

Ὡς ἔοικεν, ἡ δικαιοσύνη τετράγωνός ἐστιν, ἴση καί ὁμοία ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἔργῳ, ἐν ἀποχῇ κακῶν, ἐν εὐποιίᾳ, ἐν τελειότητι γνωστικῇ·  οὐδαμῆ οὐδαμῶς χωλεύουσα, ἵνα μή ἄδικος καί ἄνισος φανῇ.

It would seem, righteousness is fourfold, equal and the same in word,work,in restraint from evil, in beneficence, in intellectual perfection,  in no way at all imperfect,  lest it seem unrighteous and not impartial.

St. Maximus's cross references on virtue and vice Περί βίου ἀρετῆς καί κακίας.

Σολομῶντος-- Ἀρετῆς μέν σημεῖον οὐδέν ἔχομεν δεῖξαι· ἐν δέ τῇ κακίᾳ ἡμῶν κατεδαπανήθημεν.

By Solomon (Wis 5:13), “ we possess nothing to proffer a proof of virtue, but in our vice we are consumed.”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.- Μή σε πλανήσωσιν ἄνδρες ἀσεβεῖς, μηδέ πορευθῇς ἐν ὁδῷ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν· ἔκκλινον δέ τόν πόδα σου ἀπό τῶν τρίβων αὐτῶν· οἱ γάρ πόδες αὐτῶν εἰς κακίαν τρέχουσιν.

From the same(Prov.1:10), “Do not let irreverent men deceive you, neither go in the way with them. Turn your feet from their paths, for their feet run to vice (mischief)”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ- Ὅς καταφρονεῖ πράγματος, καταφρονηθήσεται ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

From the same (Prov.13:13),”He that despises the word shall be despised”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.-- Ὥσπερ ὄμφαξ ὁδοῦσι βλαβερόν καί καπνός ὄμμασιν, οὕτω παρανομία τοῖς χρωμένοις αὐτῇ. 

From the same (Prov.10:26),”As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.”

Σιράχ. -- Ὁ ποιῶν πανηρά, εἰς αὐτόν κυλισθήσεται, καί οὐ μή ἐπιγνῷ πόθεν ἤκει αὐτῷ.

Sirach (27:30),” A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it comes to him.”

Βασιλείου.- Μόνη κτημάτων ἡ ἀρετή ἀναφαίρετον.

Ἀρετῆς ἄσκησις, τίμιον μέν κτῆμα τῷ ἔχοντι· ἤδιστον δέ θέαμα τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν.

Ὥσπερ γάρ τῷ πυρί αὐτομάτως ἕπεται τό φωτίζειν, καί τῷ μύρῳ τό εὐωδεῖν·  οὕτω καί ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς πράξεσιν ἀναγκαίως ἀκολουθεῖ τό ὠφέλιμον.

Basil the Great, “Virtue is the only inalienable possession. The labor of virtue, indeed for one not having precious possessions, is a pleasant sight for those who happen to see it.

For just like fire automatically follows starting a light, and the smell from  perfuming,  even so of necessity profit  follows good works.”

Ἀρχή πρός τήν ἀνάληψιν τῶν καλῶν ἡ ἀναχώρησις τῶν κακῶν. Ἔκκλινον γάρ, φησίν, ἀπό κακοῦ, καί ποίησον ἀγαθόν.

“withdrawing from vices  is the beginning toward the ascent toward the good. For incline, they  say, from  evil and do good.”

Θεολόγου. -- Φύσει πρόχειρον ἡ κακία, καί πολύς ἐπί τό χεῖρον ὁ δρόμος, ἤ ῥοῦς κατά πρανοῦς ῥέων, ἤ καλάμη τις πρός σπινθῆρα καί ἄνεμον ῥαδίως ἐξαπτομένη καί γινομένη φλόξ, καί συνδαπανωμένη τῷ οἰκείῳ γεννήματι. Οὐ πάνυ τι ῥάδιόν ἐστι τῶν ἀρετῶν τήν νικῶσαν εὑρεῖν, καί ταύτῃ δοῦναι τά πρεσβεῖα καί τά νικητήρια·  ὥσπερ οὐδέν ἐν λειμῶνι πολυανθεῖ καί εὐώδει τῶν ἀνθέων τό κάλλιστον καί εὐωδέστατον, ἄλλοτε ἄλλου τήν ὄσφρησιν καί τήν ὄψιν πρός ἑαυτό μεθέλκοντος, καί πρῶτον δρέπεσθαι πείθοντος.

 Gregory the Theologian,” Vice is naturally easy, and the road very easily trod, running against the flow it runs, or as a reed with a spark and wind easily ignited  becomes a flame, and are consumed together in the common nature.

For it is not something very easy, to have found victory  in the virtues, and so also to give the honor and victory trophies.  It is just like none of the most beautiful and aromatic flowers in a well flowered and pleasantly smelling meadow at anytime, except at this time, draws us to itself to it’s pleasant smell and appearance, except it first is plucked up.”

Χρυσοστ.-- Σπάνιον ἡ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ κτῆσις καί πρόσαντες, κἄν εἰ πολύ τό μεθέλκον εἴη καί προκαλούμενον. 

Chrysostom, “The acquisition of the good is rare even for those who  progress although  it may be very enticing and provocative.”

Ἄμισθος ἡ ἀρετή, ἵνα καί ἀρετή μείνῃ, πρός τό καλόν μόνον βλέπουσα.

Virtue is unrewarded, in order that virtue might stay, with it’s view towards the only good.

Ποιεῖ περιβοήτους οὐ δεξιά πρᾶξις μόνον, ἀλλά κακία νικῶσα πονηράν εὐδοκίμησιν.

Right  action not only does not make noisey show, but having conquered perverse vice, rests complacent in itself.

Οὐκ ἔστι τόν ἀρετῆς ἐπιμελούμενον, μή πολλούς ἔχειν ἐχθρούς·  ἀλλ᾿ οὐδέν τοῦτο πρός τόν ἐνάρετον· διά γάρ τῶν τοιούτων λαμπρότερος ἔστι μειζόνως. 

The pursuit of virtue is not so that we don’t have enemies, for this is not anything virtuous, but rather virtue shines more brightly through such things

Πολλοί πολλάκις αὐτάς τάς ἀρετάς διά τούς (=725=) πόνους φεύγοντες, διά τήν ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐφημίαν αἱροῦνται ποιεῖν. 

Many have many times flee from  virtues because of the toils, or because of the praise from them they prefer to toil.

Ὥσπερ τό τῆς ζωῆς τέλος ἀρχή θανάτου ἐστίν, οὕτως καί τοῦ κατ' ἀρετήν δρόμου ἡ στάσις, ἀρχή τοῦ κατά κακίαν γίνεται δρόμου

Just like the end of life is the beginning of death, so also the firm start on the way  to virtue, the beginning of the end happens for the vicious way of life.

Δυσεπίτευκτον μέν εἶναι τήν ἀρετήν, μυρίοις ἱδρῶσι καί πόνοις σπουδῇ καί καμάτῳ μόγις κατορθουμένην, παρά τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἐδιδάχθημεν. 

We have been taught from the Holy Scriptures that virtue is hard to accomplish, by doing our best in many tears and toils, and being corrected by hard labor.

Χρυσοστ.- Εἰ γάρ τῶν ἐπί γῆς ἀνθρώπων ὁ παραβαίνων τούς νόμους, ἀπαραίτητον ὑφίσταται τήν κόλασιν·  πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἀφορήτοις ἐκδοθήσεται βασάνοις, ὁ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου Δεσπότου ἀθετῶν τά προστάγματα; 

Chrysostom, If one  transgressing the laws of this world  is subject to  intractable punishment,  how much  rather he that despises the decrees of the Heavenly king shall be meted out unbearable  punishments?

Ὥσπερ ἐπί τῆς κιθάρας οὐκ ἀρκεῖ μόνον ἐπί μιᾶς νευρᾶς τήν μελωδίαν ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀλλά πάσας ἐπιέναι δεῖ μετά ῥυθμοῦ τοῦ προσηκόντος, οὕτω καί ἐπί τῆς κατά τήν ψυχήν ἀρετῆς, οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν νόμος εἰς σωτηρίαν εἷς, ἀλλά δεῖ πάντας αὐτούς μετά ἀκριβείας φυλάττειν. 

Just like on a harp, it is not enough to practice the melody on one of the strings, but we need  to  use them all to make the appropriate rhythm, even so with the virtues of the soul, one law does not suffice us for salvation, but we need to keep them all with exactness.

  Μή τοίνυν λέγωμεν, ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα φύσει κακός, καί ὁ δεῖνα φύσει καλός. Εἰ γάρ φύσει ἀγαθός, οὐδέποτε δυνήσεται γενέσθαι κακός·  καί εἰ φύσει κακός, οὐδέποτε γενήσεται ἀγαθός.

Let us not then say, that so and so is naturally evil, or that  so and so by nature is good. For if  by nature one is good,  never at at any time is he able to become evil. And if by nature he is evil, he never at anytime shall become good. 

Οὐχ ὑπομένει τό σκότος τήν τοῦ φωτός παρουσίαν·  οὐ νόσος ὑγείας ἐπιλαβούσης ἵσταται·  οὐκ ἐνεργεῖ τά πάθη τῆς ἀπαθείας παρούσης. 

The darkness does not tolerate the presence of the light, neither can sickness, taking it’s health, continue: when dispassion is present the passions do not act.

Ἐλευθέραν εἶναι προσήκει παντός φόβου τήν ἀρετήν. Ἀδέσποτον γάρ ἀρετή καί ἑκούσιον, παντός φόβου καί ἀνάγκης ἐλεύθερον. 

  Virtue is properly free of all fear. For virtue is it’s own master and freely willing, free from all fear and necessity.

Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλην κακίας γέννησιν ἐννοῆσαι, ἤ ἀρετῆς ἀπουσίαν. 

We are not to think that there is another birth or reason for vice than the absence of virtue.

Κλήμεντος. -- Ἡ τῶν κακῶν ἀπαλλαγή σωτηρίας ἐστίν ἀρχή. 

Clement, The transformation of vices is the beginning of salvation.

Ὡς ἔοικεν, ἡ δικαιοσύνη τετράγωνός ἐστιν, ἴση καί ὁμοία ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἔργῳ, ἐν ἀποχῇ κακῶν, ἐν εὐποιίᾳ, ἐν τελειότητι γνωστικῇ·  οὐδαμῆ οὐδαμῶς χωλεύουσα, ἵνα μή ἄδικος καί ἄνισος φανῇ.

It would seem, righteousness is fourfold, equal and the same in word,work,in restraint from evil, in beneficence, in intellectual perfection,  in no way at all imperfect,  lest it seem unrighteous and not impartial.

How to Read the Scriptures (St. Ephraim) text and translation

From  sayings St.  Maximus collected of the saints (91 PGM).

ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΕΦΡΑΙΜ

Of St Ephraim,

Πῶς χρή ἀναγινώσκειν, ἤ ἀναγινώσκοντι προσέχειν.  

How (we) need to read, or pay attention to someone reading.

Ὅταν ταῖς θείαις Βίβλοις προσομιλεῖς, μή ἁπλῶς ἔσο κατεσπουδασμένος ἐπιτρέχων ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς καί διών παρέργως τά γεγραμμένα· 

Whenever you  familiarize yourself with the divine books,  do not simply hastily run  through them curiously  hunting out the things that have been written,

 ἀλλά κἄν δέοι πολλάκις, καί δίς καί τρίς τά αὐτό ἐπελθεῖν εἰς ἀκρίβειαν, μή παραιτήσῃ. 

 Even if it would be necessary many times, even  two or three to go over the same things, don’t stop  intreating.

Πλήν ἀλλά καί μέλλων ἀναγινώσκειν, ἤ ἀναγινώσκοντι προσέχειν ἑτέρῳ, δεήθητι πρότερον τοῦ Θεοῦ, «Κύριε, λέγων Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, διάνοιξον τά ὦτα καί τούς ὀφθαλμούς τῆς καρδίας μου, τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῶν λόγων σου καί συνεῖναι, καί τό θέλημά σου ποιῆσαι.

But to go further, and when you are about to read, or to  give heed to another reading,  you need first to entreat God, saying  Lord Jesus Christ, open   the ears and eyes of my heart, to hear your words and to understand and to do  your will. 

Πάροικος ἐγώ εἰμι ἐν τῇ γῇ, μή ἀποκρύψῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τάς ἐντολάς σου. Ἀποκάλυψον τούς ὀφθαλμούς μου, καί κατανοήσω τά θαυμάσια ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σου».

I am a stranger in the earth,  hide not thy commandments from  me. Open  thou  mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Second Peter.1:1-2 Salutations, The Faith of Jesus Christ  saves. Transcription of an informal study

Saint  Peter, prior to his departure from this world,  penned his last pastoral address to his struggling Christian communities in Asia.

He was fulfilling the pointed charge given to him by Christ, “feed my sheep.”  Indeed ,as a good shepherd,  he would soon be laying down his life for his sheep,  being crucified,  tradition  says,  for his belief in Christ.

What particularly occupied him  was that  after his departure wolves would enter into the Christian  community and disrupt them by bringing in  heresy, that is false teaching,  encouraging loose living, thereby causing Christians to fall  from grace,  denying Christ and therefore bringing judgment upon themselves and a multitude of many other errors which we will look at.  In a short letter of three chapters of 61 verses  he attempts then  to establish  his flock  one more time before his departure.

And so, the Apostle  begins following the standard epistle greeting desiring  God’s blessing  upon the readers.

“Simon Peter  a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ,  to them that have obtained like precious faith  with  us by the righteousness of God and Jesus our Savior.  According as his divine power has given unto us  all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.”

His readers  have  been  given the gift of faith , a faith he notes which is given  by  God’s righteousness. 

  “En dikaiosune  tou Theou”  Faith  finds it’s source in  God’s righteousness.  Righteousness is a term misunderstood.  Dikaiosune is the greek  word usually translated as righteousness.  In  the Septuagint,  the Greek version of the OT,  it’s the equivalent of God’s steadfastness to fulfill His promises. For instance. David cries in Ps. 142:11 En th  dikaiosunh  sou  eisakouson mou.  In your righteousness hear me.

The Hebrew text  says in your  steadfastness,  b-amunah(the same root  for the word amen), hear me.

God’s  righteousness is His steadfast faithfulness.

Peter is saying then that we have  faith,  we trust God,  because  God   has been faithful  in  manifesting His love to  us.  We love Him because He first loved us (I Jn).  We believe because  He is faithful  to us,  and desires us to enter into  covenant with Him,  to enter into communion.  

Now st Paul  mentions this several times in his epistles. The famous verse on justification.

“Now the just shall live by  faith”  quoted in Romans 1:17.  This is a quote from  Habbakuk  2:4.  I want you  to notice the precise septuagint rendering.

“O de dikaios ek pistews  mou  zhsetai”

The righteous  are delivered,  they  live  from  God’s faith.  Ek  pistews  mou.

We are saved by God’s faith, more accurately, His faithfulness.  I am saved because God  faithfully intervenes and grants  deliverance.  Not because I in myself (note  the key phrase in myself) perform  anything.  What is from  flesh  is flesh,  what is born  of Spirit is Spirit.

This  was Paul’s argument in the epistle to the Romans. 3:3-5

God’s promise was that Israel  would be saved. Yet the ethnic  Jews did not believe. They were blinded.  So how is God faithful then?  Notice this quip.

“What then?  If  some did not believe,  shall their  unbelief  make the faith  of God without  effect? God forbid let God but true and every man a liar.”

We are saved by God’s faithfulness not our own. Although, I will address synergy in another post seeing Peter does abundantly here as well.

This underscores a truth  Peter is making  which  he will state later in this opening.    The idea that this faith  comes from  God’s energy or activity.  

Notice Peter says, “God has given  unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through  the knowledge of Him that called us  through  glory and virtue.”

Faith  is a manifestation (phanerosis) of His divine energy.

Paul  argues it this way  in his letter to the Corinthians.12:5-10

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9To another faith by the same Spirit;...11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will”  After all, faith is a fruit of the Spirit.

Faith  is specifically  said to be an  energy of God, a manifestation of His presence and work  within us. 

But while  faith  is a manifestation  of God’s Spirit this gift, like all others,  is dependent upon our  synergy,  our cooperation  with God (Which  we will address later).

Faith is a fruit of God’s Sprit.  It is something  uncreated. We must reach  out and take of the tree of life, of Jesus Christ, and taste this grace.

We may object and say  reaching out is the act of faith.

Did the Master say  in vain to seek gifts?  And yet faith is a one of the three main  gifts given (and told to be sought after)-  faith , hope and love being preeminent.  When  we touch  Christ we can  share in His faith  love and hope  and go beyond ourselves.  Men  in this world  have a belief-  devils  even believe and tremble.  But they do not have the faith of Christ.  That is proper to the Lord Himself  and He will  grant it when  we seek  Him.

Is our  faith weak?  There  is a remedy.  There is a balm in Gilead to  assuage us. 

Christ has promised, “ask and you will receive.”  Let us  remember that St.  Paul  tells us,”Covet the best gifts.”  We can  desire the gift of faith,  we can  by grace take the kingdom  of heaven  by violence and beg the Master for the crumbs from His table.

Is our faith  wavering? Let us not abandon  our first hope. And let us fear of not entering His kingdom.  For  “with many of them -the Jews who did not believe-  God was not well pleased, but overthrew them in the wilderness.”

Above all, let us fear of not pleasing the Master.

“For without faith  it is impossible to please Him.”  There is not greater loss than  the grace of His glance,  His satisfaction  expressed to  us.

May the Lord God strengthen the holy and pure faith of devout Orthodox Christians, and of His Holy Church, this city and parish, from all ages to all ages. Amen.

If only I could change! Looking at Jesus, the Key to Metamorphosis

The good news of  the Christian  message  is Christ came to set us free  from  bondage to our desires. We don’t set ourselves free.  It  is Christ who sets  us free,  it is the Physician who heals , not the patients. As Christ said, “whoever  practices  sin is a slave to sin.  If the Son  shall set you  free,  you will be free indeed.”  By the power of the Holy Spirit,  we can be free from  our desires.  The church calls this  apaqeia, dispassion.

Transformation, or metamorphosis,  starts by  having  a renewed mind  or spirit  yielded to God’s Spirit.  Paul writing to the Romans  said,  “metamorfousqai  th anakainwsei tou nooj umwn.”  Be metamorphasized  by the renewal  of your mind, nous.

But  how  is our mind  renewed?  How are  we changed,  metamorphed?

We see transformation  typified in the mount of Transfiguration.

“17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. (Mt.17:1-8)

Besides  falling asleep  on their watch,  the disciples did two things here.  First,  they were told  to  listen to the Son.  Secondly,  they  looked at the Son.

To  be transformed- transfigured to His image-  we must listen  to the Son.  God  speaks to us every day. “Today  if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts,”  Is the warning we hear.  He  asks us to  yield  our hearts to Him  every moment and thereby enter into communion with Him.

He also  exhorts us to  look at Him.  We are to “look unto  Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith.”

And, as we stare into  His face  we are filled with the warmth of His love,  of His grace.

For, “we all with unveiled faces beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are metamorphed  into the same image from  glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor.3:18)

  Nature teaches this!  Just like  looking at the Sun  brings warmth,  and can  burn,  so  looking at Christ,  casting  the eye of our soul to Him,  affords us a glance of the rays of His mercy  and love.  For He is the Sun  of righteousness (Malachi 4:2)

Our hearts are restless till we find the Face of God  and are filled with His grace.  Let us listen to the Son  of God, get up into the mountain alone,  away from the world’s desires and look for the Face of God, until  He have mercy on us.  In this way,  we celebrate  the Feast of Transfiguration this August.  Let us be transfigured,  radiant from  God’s glory.  So much  so that as the people had to hide from  Moses’ face when  he came down  from  Mount Sinai after seeing God’s glory,  people might also pause  because they see we are not the same, but changed by the shining of God’s glory.

When God  tells us  to go into the desert.  When  we  don’t have a wilderness  tabernacle endowment.

The miracle of the five thousand , familiar to all, has a very practical import.  Besides attesting to the dynamic power and divinity of Christ,  it shows us  how God transforms our fatigue and faithlessness.

Grief and fatigue are facets of life few avoid.  As the prophet Job  said, ” man is born  into  trouble as the sparks  fly upward.”  Indeed,  the sorrows of life only multiply in old  age,  Moses  testifying, “the days of our years are threescore years  and ten;  and if by reason of strength  they  are eighty,  yet is their strength labor and sorrow;  For it is soon  cut off, and we fly away.” Ps.90:10

Consider the events prior to this  miracle and we can  see how  the disciples became worn down.

1. Few faithful. Every one rejected the preaching of Jesus, and was unbelieving.  (Mt.13:58)  This Galilean  ministry  was a low point in the ministry, and the disciples, no doubt, started to feel some discouragement.
2. A friend’s death. The greatest prophet among  men  was just slain, leaving  the disciples forlorn.
3. False disciples.The people wanted to follow Him, Jn.6:2, only to see a miracle.  False disciples
4. Empty coffers.  They  just had a preaching tour  and there were no  contributions.  They  were left with  bread and fish.  Of course, there is probably another story going on here with Judas.

The disciples  were at a low point.  How does Christ  raise them  up and reveal Himself  to them? How does He grow their faith and refresh them?

1.They got alone with God,  away  from  the crowds.  

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  Mk.6:30-31

Nothing beats a retreat.  It is like  charging  the phone.  If it is on  all day ,  at the end it is dead.  Are we any different?  Even Christ  had to  go into the desert to  spiritually recharge (Mk.1:35)  When  He was touched power- dunamis  left His body( Lk.8:46).  The same happens to us.  We are depleted of God’s sustaining and strengthening grace as we walk in this world.

2. God  forced them to look on the needs of others. 

 As soon as the retreat started, they were interrupted by people needing help.  When  we spend  time with Christ,  and His virtue is with us,  people will reach out.

The disciples  learned to  look on the needs of others, not on their own  needs.  Christ  was moved with compassion here,  the disciples were moved by fatigue.  They  asked Him  to send the people away.  Instead,  He says, “Feed them!”

3. God forced them  to look to Him  and allow others to be involved in the ministry. 
 God put them  in a position  of faith.  They had no money.  They  had to trust God to provide.  They  had no  tabernacle wilderness endowment,  not even two  pennies.  They had no food.  In fact,  the food they  got was from  some little boy.  God used a lad to  feed the disciples and 5 thousand.  

The disciples grew by this experience. They saw God’s provision, being transformed from  grief  into  faith. The next pericope, that is of Peter walking on water, shows they  were transformed,  although  but to a degree.  Having seen the miracle  He takes a step of faith. 

We will be brought into the wilderness of life,  of temptation.  Sometimes all alone,  after having lost  loved ones,  wealth,  family, jobs.  Let us not  turn  back,  but wait for the blessing  and God’s provision.  Then, having seen the hand of the Lord, we will dare by God’s grace to step  out  like Peter and follow Christ miraculously.