What is the meaning of "The Lord smelled a pleasing ordor"? This indicates God's kindliness toward Noah - not that he was pleased with the smell. Nothing smells worse than burning bones but God commended the attitude of the offerer. God has no body divided into parts that we should imagine him with a nose, for smell comes through the nose. So he rewarded Noah with blessing, and since he was the seed of the human race, the root of human nature, and a second Adam, God gave him the blessing which the first Adam had received immediately after his creation: "Increase, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Fear of you and dread of you will be upon all the beasts of the earth, upon all the birds of the heaven, upon everything that moves on the earth, and upon all the fish of the sea; I have put them under your control." The word took effect. All things were in dread even of man's shadow: those that swim, those on land, those that fly. Then delivering the law about the eating of flesh, he commanded Noah to consume flesh as well as vegetables.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 53 on Genesis, p. 113 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Theodoret of Cyrus: God Does Not Have Second Thoughts
Why was the bulk of the human race wiped out by the flood? ... He did this, not, as some commentators claim, out of anger or on second thoughts, as these are, of course, human states, from which the divine nature is free. Second thoughts are typical of those who learn how things really stand only after experience; they make their plans in ignorance of the future, but later, in the light of experience, realizing that their decision was wrong, have second thoughts. By contrast, God sees what will happen many generations in the future as if it had already happened; it is with foresight and foreknowledge that he governs the universe. Why, then, would he have second thoughts when he plans everything in accord with his own foreknowledge? In God's case, therefore, a second thought is a change in the plan of salvation: "I have second thoughts about anointing Saul king" is equivalent to "I have decided to depose him and appoint someone else." Similarly, in this case: "I regret making the human being," means "I have decided to destroy humanity." But being merciful he preserved Noah as seed for the race.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 50 on Genesis, p. 107 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 50 on Genesis, p. 107 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Theodoret of Cyrus: Careless Reading of Scripture is the Cause of Error Among Ordinary Folks
Yet careless reading of holy Scripture is the cause of error among ordinary people. For after saying that Seth was born of Adam, and Enosh of Seth, the historian added, "He hoped to be called the name of the Lord God." Now, Aquila renders this: "That was the time when a beginning was made of calling on the name of the Lord," but this verse expresses in riddling form the idea that, thanks to his virtue, this man was the first to hit upon the divine name and was called "God" by his kindred. Hence, his offspring were styled "sons of God," just as we are called "Christians" from Lord's title "Christ."
If you do not accept this interpretation on account of Aquila's version, listen to God speaking through the prophet David: "I said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High;" and "God has taken his place in an assembly of gods; in their midst, he will judge goods." This is the title he gives to rulers, as indicated by what follows: "How long will you deliver unjust judgments and take the part of sinners? Judge in favor of orphan and poor, give justice to the lowly and needy" and so on; and again, "The Lord God of gods spoke and summoned the earth," that is the Lord God fo those who had been accorded this title. Hence, the lawgiver said, "You shall not revile gods or malign rulers of your people."
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 47 on Genesis, pp. 100-01 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
If you do not accept this interpretation on account of Aquila's version, listen to God speaking through the prophet David: "I said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High;" and "God has taken his place in an assembly of gods; in their midst, he will judge goods." This is the title he gives to rulers, as indicated by what follows: "How long will you deliver unjust judgments and take the part of sinners? Judge in favor of orphan and poor, give justice to the lowly and needy" and so on; and again, "The Lord God of gods spoke and summoned the earth," that is the Lord God fo those who had been accorded this title. Hence, the lawgiver said, "You shall not revile gods or malign rulers of your people."
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 47 on Genesis, pp. 100-01 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Theodoret of Cyrus: Adam Received Sin's Penalty for Race
Therefore, Adam also had to pay the penalty for his sin for the benefit of the race. He had received the first law, and a very light one at that. While he was regaled with an abundance of fruits of all kinds, the eating of one alone was forbidden. But if an ill-tempered creator inflicted the punishment of death for just a little food, as the ill-omened Marcion claims, how is it that, with all humanity rushing headlong into the worst wickedness and sin, he did not inflict universal ruin but gave his Son and bestowed the gift of salvation through cross and passion?
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 37 on Genesis, p. 81 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 37 on Genesis, p. 81 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Theodoret of Cyrus: Imagine if Woman Had Been from Some Less Romantic Part of Adam
Why did he form the woman from the side of Adam?
It was the will of the Creator of the order of nature to bring the sexes together in harmony. Therefore, he formed Adam from the earth, and the woman from Adam, to demonstrate the identity of nature and to instill in them a natural affection for each other. If even after this, husbands fight with wives, and wives with husbands, what would they not have done if he had formed the woman from some other source?
He showed his wisdom not only in dividing, but also in reuniting, them, for marriage combines the sexes into one. Scripture says, remember, "The two will become one flesh." The truth of this is confirmed by experience. Through marital intercourse one fruit sprouts up from both, its seed coming from him, its nourishment from her, with the Creator of nature bringing it to full term.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 30 on Genesis, p. 69 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
It was the will of the Creator of the order of nature to bring the sexes together in harmony. Therefore, he formed Adam from the earth, and the woman from Adam, to demonstrate the identity of nature and to instill in them a natural affection for each other. If even after this, husbands fight with wives, and wives with husbands, what would they not have done if he had formed the woman from some other source?
He showed his wisdom not only in dividing, but also in reuniting, them, for marriage combines the sexes into one. Scripture says, remember, "The two will become one flesh." The truth of this is confirmed by experience. Through marital intercourse one fruit sprouts up from both, its seed coming from him, its nourishment from her, with the Creator of nature bringing it to full term.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 30 on Genesis, p. 69 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Theodoret of Cyrus: Tree Provided Experience of Evil
How could those endowed with reason and made in the divine image be unable to distinguish good and evil? How could the Depths of Righteousness impose a law on those who were naturally unprovided with this knowledge and unaware that it was good to keep the commandment and fatal to break it? So it follows that they had the knowledge, and what they gained later was experience.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 27 on Genesis, p. 65 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 27 on Genesis, p. 65 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Theodoret of Cyrus: Name of the Tree is Metonymic, Like the "Living Water" for Baptism
Should the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil be taken as spiritual or material?
According to holy Scripture, they also sprouted from the ground, so they had a nature no different from that of other plants. Just as the tree of the cross was a tree and is called "saving" because salvation is accompanied by faith in it, so these trees were products of the soil. By divine decree the one was called the "tree of life," the other, since the perception of sin occurred in connection with it, "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Adam was set a trial with regard to the latter, whereas the tree of life was proposed as his prize for keeping the commandments. Similarly, the patriarchs bestowed names on places and wells. They called one "well of vision," not because it granted faculty of sight, but because the Lord of the universe was seen near it, and another "well of broad places," because the people of Gerar, who had often fought over the other wells, did not interfere with those digging this one. Likewise, there was a "well of the other" because the people used to swear oaths nearby. And the name "Bethel" or "House of God" was given to Luz, because that was where the Creator of the universe appeared to Jacob. There was a "hill of witness," not that the hill was alive, but because that was where they made treaties with one another. Likewise baptism is called "living water," not because the water of baptism has a different nature, but because, through that water, divine grace confers the gift of eternal life. Thus, the "tree of life" received its name from the divine decree and the "tree of knowledge" from the sense of sin gained in connection with it. To that point, they had no experience of sin, but afterwards, when they had partaken of the forbidden fruit, they suffered the pangs of conscience for breaking the commandment.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 26 on Genesis, pp. 63-65 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
According to holy Scripture, they also sprouted from the ground, so they had a nature no different from that of other plants. Just as the tree of the cross was a tree and is called "saving" because salvation is accompanied by faith in it, so these trees were products of the soil. By divine decree the one was called the "tree of life," the other, since the perception of sin occurred in connection with it, "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Adam was set a trial with regard to the latter, whereas the tree of life was proposed as his prize for keeping the commandments. Similarly, the patriarchs bestowed names on places and wells. They called one "well of vision," not because it granted faculty of sight, but because the Lord of the universe was seen near it, and another "well of broad places," because the people of Gerar, who had often fought over the other wells, did not interfere with those digging this one. Likewise, there was a "well of the other" because the people used to swear oaths nearby. And the name "Bethel" or "House of God" was given to Luz, because that was where the Creator of the universe appeared to Jacob. There was a "hill of witness," not that the hill was alive, but because that was where they made treaties with one another. Likewise baptism is called "living water," not because the water of baptism has a different nature, but because, through that water, divine grace confers the gift of eternal life. Thus, the "tree of life" received its name from the divine decree and the "tree of knowledge" from the sense of sin gained in connection with it. To that point, they had no experience of sin, but afterwards, when they had partaken of the forbidden fruit, they suffered the pangs of conscience for breaking the commandment.
- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 26 on Genesis, pp. 63-65 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.
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