Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday in Lent

I lifted my eyes to the mountains.
        From where will my help come?
My help is from the Lᴏʀᴅ,
        who made the heaven and the earth.
Do not give your foot to surging;
        nor will the one who guards you sleep.
Behold, the One who guards Israel
        will neither slumber nor awaken from sleep.
The Lᴏʀᴅ will guard you.
        The Lᴏʀᴅ is your shelter at your right hand.
By day the sun will not burn you,
        neither the moon during the night.
The Lᴏʀᴅ will guard you from all evil;
        He will keep watch over your soul.
The Lᴏʀᴅ will guard your entering in and your going out
        from now and until forever. (Psalm 120 LXX [Psalm 121])

But in case we perhaps set our hope in the mountains mentioned, the second verse reveals the true Source of possible help to us, the Source which orders all things by a saving dispensation; thus our hope in the mountains is such that we realize that it is the Lord who lends help through them. It is from Him that the necessary benefit, the saving protection, the unshakeable blessing comes. As Paul says: Neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God gives the increase. So that you would not think that this was some other lord—for the term is ambiguous—he says: Who made heaven and earth, thus denoting the Word by which all things were made.

After earlier asking that help come to him from the Lord, he suddenly changes direction and addresses his soul, urging it to continue with unflagging strength in its saving request. The foot is the extremity of our body, which at the mind’s command transports us to different places. By comparison with this we call our thoughts our feet, for we make our way into good or evil situations through them. So it is these feet, by which the devil fell and the first man was laid low, of which the prophet speaks to his soul. He prays that they may not be subverted by the slippery nature of sins, and that he may not experience destruction within, while his body remains unharmed. Such a slip is in the nature of pride, which often drives God’s servants to sin when they have already made progress. They fall into the worst error through thinking that they are of some importance.

Cassiodorus, Explanation of the Psalms 120:2–3

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the First Sunday in Lent

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:12–19)

Therefore, it seems to me that in these matters the Apostle is describing death as if the hostile entrance of some tyrant who wanted to invade the dominions of a rightful king. First, he would seize the very passes and entrances into the kingdom by means of collusion with the guard. Then he would attempt to turn the hearts of everyone in the kingdom to himself and, for the most part, he would succeed. In this way, he would lay claim to a kingdom not his own. Therefore, while he is ruling through tyranny a commander chosen by the rightful king is sent—Moses, who must call back the people who have been taken over by the [tyrant] to the laws of civilized rule and must teach them to make use of the laws of the true king. But that tyrant, i.e., the death of sin, who had stolen his way in because of the collusion of the first guard, was ruling over all those who had fallen away by a transgression similar to that of the first man. But the commander of the lawful ruler does everything in order that he might lead at least some of the people out of the kingdom of sin and death. He succeeds at last in converting one nation and anyone else who wants to join himself to that nation. And by an order of the king, first of all, he instituted sacrifices, by means of which, when they are offered according to certain formalities, he could say, “and their sin shall be forgiven them.” And so it was only then that a certain part of mankind began to be liberated from the kingdom of sin and death. For that tyrant, who is called death, was exercising dominion from Adam, who was the first to give entrance to him by his own collusion, so that he could pass through to all men, up to Moses, the one we called a commander, who, sent by God, the king of all, began to weaken the tyrant’s kingdom and to call the people back under the law of the just ruler.… Listen now to when the Apostle says that the enemy and tyrant, whose dominions [Christ] destroyed, is going to be destroyed: He says, “The last enemy is destroyed, death.” The kingdom of death has already been destroyed, then, and the captivity which was being held under its authority has been led away. But because that enemy and tyrant is still ultimately to be destroyed at the end of the age, that is why we see him even now, I do not say reigning so much as robbing. Having been expelled from his kingdom, we see him going around through deserts and wastelands seeking to gather to himself a band of unbelievers.

Origen, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, 5.1.31, 37

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Transfiguration

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1–9)

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16–21)

After six days, Peter, James, and John were taken apart from the others and brought to the top of a mountain. As they were looking on, the Lord was transfigured and resplendent in all the brilliance of his garments. In this manner there is preserved an underlying principle, a number, and an example. It was after six days that the Lord was shown in his glory by his clothing; that is, the honor of the heavenly Kingdom is prefigured in the unfolding of six thousand years. By the three disciples who were taken apart is shown the future election of the people who were to come from a threefold origin: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. That Moses and Elijah, out of the entire company of saints, were standing by, shows Christ in his Kingdom standing among the Law and the prophets, with whom he will judge Israel, in whose testimonies he was foretold. So too, the reason that Moses was visibly standing by was to teach that the glory of the resurrection was designated for human bodies. As the Lord became brighter than snow or the sun, he was conspicuous with a splendor that exceeds even our view of the heavenly lights. But to Peter, who offered to make there three tabernacles, he did not respond at all; for it was not yet the time that the Lord should be found in his glory.

While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and they were encompassed by the spirit of divine power. A voice called out from the cloud: This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him, so that the Lord himself should be the proper author of such teachings. After the sacrifice of the world, after willingly going to the cross, after the death of the body, the Lord reaffirmed the glory of his heavenly Kingdom by the resurrection from the dead as our model to follow.

Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 17.2–3

For it is clear that the same Peter, together with his fellow apostles James and John, heard the aforesaid voice above the Lord when he was glorified on the mountain, according to the faith of the Gospels.

And we have a surer prophetic sentence, that, namely, in which he speaks in the person of the mediator between God and men, saying, The Lord said to me, You are my Son, today have I begotten you, “For if anyone at all,” he says, “does not consider our witness worthy of belief, the fact that we beheld in secret the divine glory of our Redeemer, that we heard the voice of the Father brought to him, at least no one will dare contradict the prophetic sentence, no one will dare to dispute this, which already long ago was incorporated in the divine scriptures and all bear witness is true.”

Bede the Venerable, Commentary on 2 Peter 1.18–19

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever, therefore, breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:13–20)

Salt is useful for so many purposes in human life! What need is there to speak about this? Now is the proper time to say why Jesus’ disciples are compared with salt. Salt preserves meat from decaying into stench and worms. It makes them edible for a longer period. They would not last through time and be found useful without salt. So also Christ's disciples, standing in the way of the stench that comes from the sins of idolatry and fornication, support and hold together this whole earthly realm.

Origen, Fragment 91.

In a word, what the soul is to the body, Christians are to the world. The soul is distributed in every member of the body, and Christians are scattered in every city in the world. The soul dwells in the body, and yet it is not of the body. So, Christians live in the world, but they are not of the world. The soul which is guarded in the visible body is not itself visible. And so, Christians who are in the world are known, but their worship remains unseen. The flesh hates the soul and acts like an unjust aggressor, because it is forbidden to indulge in pleasures. The world hates Christians—not that they have done it wrong, but because they oppose its pleasures. The soul loves the body and its members in spite of the hatred. So Christians love those who hate them. The soul is locked up in the body, yet it holds the body together. And so Christians are held in the world as in a prison, yet it is they who hold the world together. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle. So Christians sojourn among perishable things, but their souls are set on immortality in heaven. When the soul is ill-treated in the matter of food and drink, it is improved. So, when Christians are persecuted, their numbers daily increase. Such is the assignment to which God has called them, and they have no right to shirk it.

Letter to Diognetus 6