Commentary on the Psalms 23 part 1/2

The Lord said to my Lord.

Let us rouse ourselves, I beg you, and brace ourselves.

For this psalm discourses to us of exceedingly great subjects of contemplation, standing arrayed not against one form of heresy, but against many and diverse ones.

For it is drawn up in battle-line against the Jews, and against Paul of Samosata, and against those who hold the views of Arius, and against those who hold the views of Marcion, and against the Manichaeans, and against all those who disbelieve in the resurrection.

Since, then, the battle-array is against so many, we too have need of many eyes, so as to observe the wrestling-bouts with exactness.

For in the contests held out of doors, even if some one of the holds in them be overlooked, it did the spectator no harm;

for that theatre was gathered together not for the sake of instruction, but of amusement.

But here, if you do not know with exactness from what quarter he draws up his line, and from what quarter we strike him, you will sustain no ordinary loss.

In order, then, that you may not suffer this, rouse up your mind, make your hearing alert.

We strike the Jews first, and against them we draw up our line, taking the Prophet from his very words as our ally against them.

For when we say that these things were plainly spoken concerning Christ, these interpretations they will not accept, but they fabricate certain others.

Let us therefore first refute their argument, and then demonstrate our own.

And meanwhile let us now ask them: who is the lord of this righteous man? For it says, The Lord said to my Lord.

For he does not here make mention of one person only, but of one conversing with another.

Whom, then, do they say is the one speaking? God.

And the one hearing? Abraham.

But others say Zerubbabel, and others yet another;

just like men who are drunk and utter nothing consistent, or rather like men walking in the dark and colliding with one another.

What then, tell me, is Zerubbabel lord of David? And how could that have any reason, seeing that he too, as a mark of great honour, was called David? And what follows also makes it plain that nothing here is said concerning Zerubbabel, nor concerning David;

for none of them was honoured with the priesthood;

but here the words are spoken concerning one who possesses a priesthood strange and marvellous.

For it says, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

But for the present let us unfold what lies before us.

For they say also certain other things staler than these, alleging that these words were spoken concerning the people;

but neither did the people become a priest, nor could the other things spoken ever be fitted to it.

Wherefore, passing this too by as stale, and needing no elaborate construction for its refutation, let us bring into the midst another thing which they say.

For what again do others say? That the servant of Abraham speaks these things concerning his own lord.

And what could again be staler than this? For what has Abraham's servant to do here? And where did his lord become a priest, seeing that he himself made use of Melchizedek as priest, and sought the blessings that came from him? And how could it stand to reason that concerning Abraham should be said, From the womb, before the morning star, I begot you? And how could these things be fitted either to David, or to Zerubbabel, or to the people? For what is said is above human nature.

And the words, Sit at my right hand, what interpretation could they bear, if those persons were the subjects intended? Not a single one.

And how did He say to Abraham, Sit at my right hand, seeing that Abraham deems even to stand beside the angels to be worthy of the greatest honour? But what is their wise argument? And how, he says, do you bring in another Lord, when the Scripture expressly says:

The Lord your God is one Lord, and Him alone shall you serve;

and besides Him there is no God? To whom, then, tell me, is that word spoken? Chiefly indeed those words were spoken against your ingratitude, O Jew.

For why was nothing of the sort said to Abraham, nor to Isaac, nor to Jacob, nor to Moses, but to you alone, when, having come out of Egypt, you made yourself a calf? For what reason, tell me? But if you yourself are at a loss, learn the cause from me.

For since, having gone out, you made a calf for yourself, and were initiated into Baal-Peor, and were driven in your frenzy toward a throng of gods, bringing in that lawless polytheism, it was to curb your disease that, in contradistinction to the gods which are not, He set down the word 'One'—not for the setting aside of the Only-begotten.

For otherwise, on what account was it said at the very outset, straightway:

«Let us make man according to our image and after our likeness»? And again, «Come, and let us go down and confound their tongues.»

And again David says, «Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.»

But if Moses says, «The Lord thy God is one Lord,»—

it was your own weakness that became the cause of these things.

And why do you marvel if this took place in the matter of doctrines, when even in the matter of practices God led His discourse down from the more perfect to the lesser things, condescending to our weakness? Wherefore also He permitted a man to put away one wife and to bring in another, though He had not so legislated from the beginning.

And concerning foods He made much distinction, and yet at the beginning He had said the very opposite, that «As the green herb have I given you all things.»

And concerning place He laid down many laws, not permitting prayers to be performed everywhere, and yet neither had He legislated this from the beginning.

But He appeared to Abraham even in the land of the Persians, and in Palestine, and everywhere;

and to Moses afterward in the wilderness.

What then? Does Scripture, one asks, contend with itself? God forbid!

but according to the season it dispenses each thing toward what is profitable, correcting the weakness of each generation.

For this very reason it was said to you:

«The Lord thy God is one Lord.»

But that He has also a Son, the prophets laid up beforehand in their books, and they neither spoke it too plainly, so as not to injure your weakness;

nor did they hide it, so as to give you afterward to come to your senses, and to gather out of your own books the doctrines of the truth.

Thus most of all shall we be able to show that the prophets are indeed prophets, when we hold discourse with the Greeks, and we shall demonstrate the Old Testament to be exceedingly worthy of credit.

For if you take this away, how will you sew up the mouth of the Greek? For what will you say? The exodus out of Egypt, and the things prophesied concerning you? But he will not readily accept them.

But if you expound the things spoken concerning Christ in the Old Testament, and show the truth of the events bearing witness to the fulfillment of the prophecy, he will not even be able to withstand you.

But if you lay hold of our writings, O Jew, how will you make your defense on behalf of the Old Testament? And should someone say to you, «Whence are the things of Moses true?»—what will you say? That we believed them.

Then much rather our writings as well;

for indeed we too believed;

and you are but one nation, whereas we are the whole inhabited world; and Moses did not so persuade you as Christ persuaded us;

and your things have ceased, whereas ours stand fast.

But will you appeal to the predictions? Nay, the predictions among us are more.

So then, if you take away our things, you cast your own into shadow as well.

But will you appeal to the signs? Nay, you have no sign of Moses to show;

whereas we have many and diverse signs of Christ still coming to pass even now, and predictions shining brighter than the sun.

But will you appeal to the laws? Nay, these of ours are more philosophic.

But what then? You came out while the Egyptians hindered you? Nay, it is not an equal thing to prevail while the whole inhabited world makes war, and to gain the mastery over the Egyptians alone.

And I say these things, not as bringing the Old Testament into conflict with the [New],

but wishing to muzzle the perverseness of the Jews.

For both those things and these have been given and brought about by the same God;

but this is what I wish to establish: that the Jew, in taking away the prophecies concerning Christ, does injury to the greater part of the prophecies, and would not be able clearly to show the nobility of the Old Testament, unless he accepted the New.

And that the things spoken are not concerning a mere man is plain to those who have understanding: from His being told «Sit thou at my right hand»; from His being named Lord in like manner with the Lord who speaks; from His having been begotten out of the womb before the morning star; from His being a priest according to the order of Melchizedek; and from its being said, «With thee is thy dominion.»

But if yet another Jew rises up against us, one carrying about the mask of a Christian—I mean Paul of Samosata—it is possible to speak against this man too even from the New Testament.

Nevertheless, lest we should seem to abandon the matters before us and to go off to another quarter of the battle-line, let us strike this man too from here.

What then does this man also say? That He was, he says, a mere man, and that from the time He came into being from Mary, from that time only does He have His existence.

What then, tell me, will you say to that saying which declares:

'From the womb before the morning star I have begotten thee.' But the other things that have been spoken against the Jews must be said against those who spring from them as well.

And of this we are not the cause, but these very men themselves, who hold so great a kinship of doctrines with them;

wherefore we shall use the very same weapons against them.

For those who wage war in like manner must be struck with the same darts.

What then does the sharing of the throne signify? For here equality of honour is shown, which is sufficient to silence those who think the things of Arius.

For this reason Christ also, to the Jews who said that He is the Son of David, added, saying:

'How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying:'

'The Lord said unto my Lord,'

'Sit thou at my right hand.' And going on, Paul also raises the discourse concerning the dispensation, interpreting it more clearly, and to Marcion and Mani, and to all who are sick with such notions, he deals a mortal blow, saying:

for he interprets, with the understanding that befits him, how He became a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

But let us return again to the matter before us.

'The Lord said unto my Lord,'

Do you see the equality of honour? For where there is a throne, there is the symbol of kingship;

where there is one throne, there is equal honour of the same kingdom.

'Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.'

'Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.'

So also Daniel sees all creation standing by, both angels and archangels, and the Son of Man coming upon the clouds, and reaching even unto the Ancient of Days.

But if to speak thus offends some, let them hear that He sits at the right hand, and let them be freed from the offence.

For just as we do not say that He is greater than the Father, because He has the most honoured seat at the right hand,

so neither do you say He is less and inferior, but of equal honour and equal.

For this is what the sharing of the seat makes plain.

'Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.'

And who are the enemies? Hear Paul saying:

'then they that are Christ's at His coming, then the end.'

'For He must reign, till He has put all His enemies under His feet.'

Do you see the harmony of the prophetic and apostolic words? For there indeed he says, 'Until I make thine enemies thy footstool';

and here, 'Till He has put all His enemies.'

But neither the 'Until' there, nor the 'Till' here, are limits of time.

Since how would that prophetic saying stand, which declares:

'an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom, a kingdom which shall not be destroyed, and of His kingdom there shall be no end'—if indeed He is to reign only up to this point? Do you see that we must not attend simply to the words, but ascend to the meanings? And when you hear the Prophet saying that the Father puts them under His feet, be not at all troubled here.

For these things are not said as though the Son were powerless.

For Paul says that He Himself puts the enemies under His feet;

'For He must reign, till He has put the enemies under His feet.'

And again he ascribes the whole to Him, saying:

'When He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when He shall have abolished all rule and authority.'

That is to say, when He shall have set the kingdom aright, He will bring to an end all rule.

For this is what 'He shall abolish' means.

But in saying that the whole is His, he does not separate the Father from Him, just as neither does he divide the Son from the Father.

For indeed the things of the One are the other's;

'All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine.'

When, therefore, you hear that the Father subdued, do not suppose that the Son stands outside the achievement;

and when you learn that the Son subdued, do not say that the Father is a stranger to these things.

For the achievements are held in common, just as all the works also are common.

The Lord shall send forth the rod of Thy power out of Sion.

By 'the rod of power' he means power itself.

He makes mention of Sion because it was from there that the achievements took their beginning.

For there He gave the Law, there He wrought the wonders;

and it was from there that the preaching, once begun, was stretched out to every part of the inhabited world.

But if you wish to take what is said in a higher, spiritual sense, hear Paul when he says:

But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the Church of the firstborn.

The Lord shall send forth the rod of Thy power out of Sion.

The rod is at one time chastening and beneficent, and at another time consoling, and a symbol of kingship.

And that it is both of these, hear the Prophet when he says:

Thy rod and Thy staff, they have comforted me.

Thou shalt shepherd them with a rod of iron;

as a potter's vessels shalt thou dash them in pieces.

What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness? You see how it belongs to correction.

There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall spring up out of its root;

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever;

a rod of uprightness is the rod of Thy kingdom.

Here he has called the power a rod, that power with which the disciples ran throughout the inhabited world, setting characters aright, and leading the nature of men from a certain irrational wickedness to that which is rational.

For, He says, Go ye and make disciples of all the nations.

Moses too had a rod, but he received an operation of God, through which he worked in all things.

And that rod divided rivers, but this one shattered the ungodliness of the inhabited world.

Nor would anyone err in calling the Cross also a rod of power.

For this rod turned about both land and sea, and filled them with much power.

With this rod the apostles went forth into every part of the inhabited world, and accomplished all those things.

Carrying this, they brought all things to pass, taking their beginning from Jerusalem.

And rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.

Behold a prophecy shining brighter than the sun.

And what is the meaning of, Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies? It is as much as to say, in the midst of the Greeks, in the midst of the Jews.

For thus the Churches were planted in the midst of the cities;

thus they prevailed and gained the upper hand.

This is a proof of the splendid victory: to have raised up the altars in the very midst of the foe, to be as sheep in the midst of wild beasts, and as lambs among wolves.

For this too He said when He sent them forth:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves;

which was no less than the former wonder.

For to prevail while shut in among enemies is no less a thing than, being in the position of sheep, to prevail over wolves;

nay, it is even far greater, and that being but twelve in number they drew the inhabited world to themselves.

And rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.

He did not say, 'Conquer in the midst of your enemies,' but 'Have dominion,' in order to show that the trophy did not come from a pitched battle, but that His lordship was exercised by simple command.

For thus did the apostles prevail, having Christ within themselves, and doing all things as if by a command.

Hence every house lay open to them, and those who believed obeyed more readily than any slave, giving over their possessions and laying the proceeds at the apostles' feet, not daring to take anything even for their own need;

and so they magnified them, that they did not even dare to cling too closely to them.

And they had such power not only over believers, but also over unbelievers.

For tell me, what is the mark of a slave? Is it not to do whatever his master commands him? And what is the sign of a master? Is it not to accomplish among his slaves whatever he himself wills? Who then were they that accomplished whatever they wished in the days of the kings and rulers of that time? Was it not the apostles? It is quite evident.

For the kings and rulers wished to hold the whole world fast in impiety, and commanded men to serve demons;

but the apostles willed the contrary, and it was their will that came to pass.

And if you point me to the prison, the scourges, and the tortures, you are telling me of even greater instances of their lordship.

How so, and in what way? Because even when these things happened, it was still their will that came to pass.

For it was not by the law of the many masters, but by virtue, that they won for themselves this lordship—a lordship that needs none of the outward supports, but shines the brighter precisely when it is plotted against by all.

For those other masters have often been destroyed by slaves who plotted against them, because their mastery was imperfect and utterly weak;

but this lordship they could not quench; rather, by plotting against it they only made it shine forth the more.

Who then would be the more illustrious master—the one who needs ten thousand aids in order to rule his servants, or the one who is freed from all those, and who leads and carries off his subjects with authority? It is quite evident that it is the latter.

For those masters, unless they have the laws to aid them and dwell in cities, have often lost their very life along with their lordship;

but Paul displayed his lordship even in the deserts and everywhere.

Do you wish to see him more illustrious even than kings? He introduced laws throughout the whole world, and men, forsaking the laws of kings, obeyed his writings.

Moreover, the one held sway over bodies, but the other over souls.

Who then, as a slave to his master, or as a subject obeying his king with goodwill, ever gave such obedience as the faithful did to Paul at his mere written word? What could one say of their longing, of their zeal on his behalf, seeing that they were ready even to pluck out their own eyes for him? Who ever possessed such slaves? Considering all these things—how they subdued the faithful, how they were terrible to the unbelievers, driving them back by main force, and how through them Christ prevailed—the Prophet did not say simply, 'Have dominion in the midst of your enemies,' but 'Rule mightily,' signifying the intensified lordship.

And though the enemies saw these things, they were able to do nothing, even though they had the laws on their side, and executioners, and every kind of authority.

But these men were the mightier, because of Him who dwelt within them.

He it was who exercised dominion through them;

He did not merely rule, but ruled mightily;

and so, because of Him who was in them, they braved fire and sword, and wild beasts, and all the rest.

For Christ was with them in all things—men who, as though contending in bodies not their own, and being set free from all the sorrows of this life, so rejoiced and so leapt for joy, held fast by the lordship of Christ, sparing neither money, nor bodies, nor their present life.

Such things did those who once were enemies and adversaries do;

but the invincible power of Christ not only freed them from their enmity, but also brought them into servitude and into so great a familiarity with Him.

So that even if the Father is said to put the enemies under His feet, it is not said, as I have remarked, as though the Son wrought nothing;

for the whole achievement has been the Only-Begotten's;

but it is so said in order that, as I said before, you may understand the Father and the Son to be one God, while the distinct property of each is preserved, and that you may not conceive of two unbegotten beings.

For that the whole achievement is His, consider from the things already accomplished;

and do not take what is said merely in a human sense,

for much absurdity will follow.

But that you too may learn, listen to what I am about to say:

Some, who were formerly enemies, became friends, while others still remain enemies.

But that He Himself made the enemies into friends, Paul also makes clear when he says:

'When He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father;'

and the Saviour also makes it clear, when He says to the Father Himself:

'I have glorified You on the earth; I have finished the work which You gave Me to do.'

But the subjecting of the enemies has been the Father's work.

And yet this is greater than that.

For it is not the same thing to punish enemies who remain enemies, as to make friends of those who were enemies.

But neither is the Son on this account less than the Father, nor the Father on this account less than the Son.

And that you may learn that those things too belong to the Son, just as these belong to the Father, listen:

"Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels."

And He who sends the angels to gather the tares is the Only-Begotten, and everywhere we see Him punishing the devil.

And this the demons themselves confess, saying:

"Have You come here before the time to torment us?" So that it is He Himself who is about to torment them.

Do you see that even though the things that come to pass are said to be brought about by the Father, they are the achievements of the Son? And that the things of the Son are also the Father's, listen again to Him saying:

"No one comes to Me unless the Father draws him."

"No one can come to the Father except through Me."

One must not therefore interpret such things in a human fashion.

Since "Your enemies" too must be understood in this way, not as enemies of Him alone.

For "He who does not honor the Son," He says, "does not honor the Father."

So that the Jews were enemies not of Him alone, but also of the Father.

Wherefore He also brought utter destruction upon them, and casting their city to the ground made it a ruin—though not immediately after the cross, and He granted them a long time for repentance, if only they were willing, and He left them the apostles, so that learning His power through them they might at last, however late, turn back.

But when they were sick past all cure, He brought upon them the crowning point of their calamities, thereby again calling them to repentance, so that having fallen from their ancient polity, they might, by the very necessity of circumstances, be led by the hand to the truth—seeing everywhere adored the One whom they had outraged, and all their own things dissolved.

But when even so they do not become better, then at last, being deprived of all pardon, they will fall into the immortal punishment.

And when you hear "footstool," do not suppose that anything perceptible is meant, but rather subjection.

And that He subjects them to Him is clear from what is added:

for since the throne is one, and the footstool is one.

"With You is the dominion in the day of Your power."

"Until I make Your enemies the footstool of Your feet"—that no one may suppose the Son to be weak and in need of aid, like one of the apostles, listen how He adds the correction of that very suspicion, saying:

"With You is the dominion in the day of Your power."

What does "With You is the dominion" mean? "In You," He says, "is the dominion"—not something that came about later, but existing in You perpetually.

Which Isaiah also, making it plain, said likewise:

"Whose government is upon His shoulder;"

that is, in Himself, in His essence, in His nature—which is not the case with earthly kings.

For their dominion lies in the multitude of their armies;

which was not the case with the apostles.

For their dominion too came about from a power introduced to them from outside;

but He held the dominion in His nature, in His essence, not having acquired it later after being begotten, nor having gained it as something brought in from without, but being begotten thus.

Wherefore also, when questioned concerning His kingship, He said:

"For this I was born, and for this I have come."

"With You is the dominion in the day of Your power."

But the words "With You is the dominion" declare not only these things that have been said, but others as well—namely, that His dominion is not in another, but is both perpetual and immortal.

For men it often fails, even while they are living;

and if not while living, yet altogether when they die;

or rather, even while they are living, it is not really with them;

but, as I said before, it lies in armies and bodyguards, and in abundance of wealth, and in the encircling of walls, and in all the rest.

But in the case of God not only is this not so, but in Him it exists, and exists perpetually.

And just as it is impossible for His essence not to be, so also it is with His kingdom.

'In the day of Thy power.'

By 'day of power' one might understand both the day that has already come to pass and the day that is yet to be.

For each of them is a demonstration of the greatest power.

Or does it not seem to you the greatest proof of power, when through death, death is abolished; when brazen gates are shattered; when sin is done away; when the curse is loosed; when all the old evils are overthrown, and other new good things are brought in? For what is equal to this power, whether you examine the miracles or the mighty deeds? The dead were raised, lepers were cleansed, demons were driven out, the sea was bridled, sins were loosed, the paralyzed were made firm, paradise was opened, rocks were rent, the veil was torn, the rays of the sun were turned away and darkness overtook the whole world, the bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, the robber returned to his ancient homeland, the vaults of heaven were flung open, and our nature, which had been trodden underfoot, was led up above the heaven of heavens to the heights; and—what is greater than all this—it was seated upon a royal throne, with angels and the powers standing beside it.

all wickedness was driven out, virtue was restored, the grace of the Spirit was given; fishermen, tax-collectors, and tent-makers stitched up the mouths of philosophers, turned back the tongues of orators, and destroyed the tyranny of demons.

the altars, the temples, the feasts, and the pagan festivals of the Greeks were broken up.

the savour of burnt fat and the smoke and all the accursed sacrifices were driven out with full force; soothsayers and begging priests of the Mother-goddess and augurs and the whole workshop of the devil ran away as fugitives; Churches sprang up everywhere throughout the world, choirs of virgins were formed, orders of monks, and together with the cities the desert too was filled with piety; and choirs of righteous and holy men, taking their stand, sang back in melody to the powers of angels above; and multitudes of martyrs and throngs of confessors were planted everywhere throughout the world; virtue was accomplished with much ease; nations of barbarians were taught to pursue wisdom, and those fiercer than wild beasts displayed their rivalry toward the commonwealth of the angels; and over all the land that the sun looks upon, so far did the word run after the Cross and the Resurrection.

Pondering all these things, the Prophet said:

'With Thee is the dominion in the day of Thy power.'

But if you wish also to behold the day that is to come, and to learn how that day too is a day of His power, consider how great a thing it is to see the heaven rolled up, and all the nature that had been corrupted rising again, and at His

beck all standing forth—the devil put to shame, the demons cast down and bowing low, the righteous being crowned, each one giving account of his transgressions, receiving the prizes of his good deeds, while a new order of another life comes into being—how great a thing this is!

For there will no longer be death, and disease, and old age; no longer poverty, and injuries, and plots; no longer dwellings, and cities, and crafts, and voyages; no longer the wearing of garments, and food, and drink, and roofs, and beds, and tables, and lamps; no longer plots, and battles, and law-courts; no longer marriages, and birth-pangs, and childbearing.