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The Questions on the Octateuch
On Genesis and Exodus
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T H E L I B R A R Y O F E A R LY C H R I S T I A N I T Y
. ,
The Catholic University of America
The Australian Catholic University
.
The University of Notre Dame
The Catholic University of America
.
The Catholic University of America, Emeritus
Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion
.
The Catholic University of America
.
Dickinson College, Emeritus
. ,
The Catholic University of America Press
The Catholic University of America
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T H E L I B R A R Y O F E A R LY C H R I S T I A N I T Y
Theodoret of CyrusThe Questions on the Octateuch
On Genesis and Exodus
Greek text revised by .
English translation withintroduction and commentary by
† .
The Catholic University of America PressWashington, D.C.
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Copyright ©
The Catholic University of America PressAll rights reserved
The paper used in this publication meets the minimumrequirements of American National Standards for InformationScience—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
.–.∞
Designed and typeset by Kachergis Book Design;printed by Edwards Brothers
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Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus.[Quaestiones in Octateuchum. English & Greek.]
The questions on the Octateuch. On Genesis and Exodus /Theodoret of Cyrus ; Greek text revised by John F. Petruccione ;
English translation with introduction and commentary by RobertC. Hill.
p. cm. — (The library of early Christianity ; v. )Includes bibliographical references and index.
---- (cloth-vol 1 : alk. paper) — --
-- (paper-vol : alk. paper) — ----
(cloth-vol : alk. paper) — ---- (paper-vol :alk. paper) . Bible. O.T. Genesis—Criticism, interpretation, etc.. Bible. O.T. Exodus—Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Petruc-
cione, John, – II. Hill, Robert C. (Robert Charles), –
III. Title. IV. Title: On Genesis and Exodus. V. Series..
.—dc
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CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1
Acknowledgments vii
Abbreviations xi
Introduction to Theodoret’s Life and Works xix . Theodoret, xix nn . The Circumstances of Composition of the Questions
on the Octateuch, xx nn . Theodoret’s Biblical Text, xxii nn\. Theodoret’s Approach to Scripture, xxvii nn
. The Sources of Theodoret’s Exegesis, xxx nn . Theodoret’s Style of Commentary: The Genre of Questions, xxxii nn . Theodoret’s Position on the Octateuch, xxxvii nn
. Theodoret as Interpreter of the Octateuch, xli nn . Theological Issues in the Questions on the Octateuch, xlvi nn .Theodoret’s Achievement in the Questions on the Octateuch, l nn . The Identification, Translation, and Presentation of Theodoret’s
Quotations of Scripture [J.F.P.], lii mn
Introduction to the Greek Text (J.F.P.) lvii. This Edition and Its Antecedents, lvii mm. Corrigenda to the Madrid Edition, lxxviii nn
Bibliography lxxxvii
Conspectus siglorum xcvii. The Manuscripts and Their Contents, xcvii n . Signs and Abbreviations Used in the Greek Text and the
Critical Notes, ciii nn
The Questions on Genesis
The Questions on Exodus
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
John F. Petruccione, Editorial Director of the Library of Early Christianity
I am most grateful to Professor Robert C. Hill for choosing thisnascent series for his fine translation of and commentary onTheodoret’s Questions on the Octateuch . We had intended to printthis work as the first volume of the LEC, but as the manuscript ex-tended to a length greater than anticipated, Dr. McGonagle, Direc-tor of the CUA Press, and I decided to divide it between volumesone and two. We hope that we have consulted the interests of our
readers by producing, rather than one very unwieldy and expensivetome, two books of manageable size and lower price.
Both Prof. Hill and I owe debts of gratitude to those who haveadvised and assisted us in this large project. Father Natalio Fernán-dez Marcos has looked through lists of questions regarding errata,variant readings, and issues of punctuation. In addition, he has pa-tiently answered numerous queries regarding the contents and lacu-
nae of individual manuscripts. Dr. Françoise Petit has provided in-formation regarding the source of passages erroneously attributedto Theodoret by the Catena Nikephori. Though I should have beenable to locate all of these within her meticulous editions of the Cate-nae on Genesis and Exodus, she kindly replied to a request for directassistance, thus rescuing me from my own confusions and sparingme some hours of searching.
I have frequently received assistance from my colleagues at theCatholic University of America. Drs. William McCarthy and Eustra-
vii
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tios Papaioannou (now of Brown University) entertained queriesregarding Greek usage, and Dr. McCarthy also provided some usefulbibliographical suggestions. I am especially indebted to Dr. Robert
Caldwell, who devoted several evenings to discussing textual vari-ants as well as issues of translation and punctuation. I am certainthat his advice led me to better solutions on a number of points. My retired colleague, Dr. M. Scowcroft, has kindly provided informa-tion on the ms. Dublin, Trinity College, D.. .
My research assistants have performed some very large tasks es-sential to the completeness and accuracy of this volume. Mr. Daryl
Grissom has proofread the entire Greek text once and large sectionsof it a second time. Mrs. Rachel Gilbert has also assisted in theproofreading of both the Greek text and the “Introduction to theGreek Text.” Throughout Mr. Brent Gilbert has been my primary as-sistant. After helping me compile the apparatus of ancient sources,he entered all the call-out letters in both the Greek text and the Eng-lish translation. In addition, he proofread sections of the Greek textand all the textual notes, compiled the Index scripturisticus, and as-sisted in the compilation of the other indices. Indeed, his critical at-tention to myriad details has improved every aspect of this volume.
We have been particularly fortunate to have the editorial assis-tance of Susan Barnes. She has read the entire manuscript with hereagle’s eye for inconsistencies, infelicities, and lack of clarity. In ad-dition, her knowledge of both patristic literature and the Greek lan-guage has spared us the embarrassment, and the reader the con-
fusion, that would have arisen from many a misstatement or inaccu-rate translation. Her contribution is thus that of scholarly reader aswell as copy editor, functions seldom performed by the same per-son.
Finally, I wish to thank the many generous patrons who havecontributed toward the endowment of this series. I am particularly grateful to my professional colleagues, the members of the North
American Patristic Society, who have offered both moral and finan-cial support. They have waited a long time for volume one.
Acknowledgments
viii
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Robert C. Hill
I am grateful to Dr. J. Petruccione, the Editorial Director of the
Library of Early Christianity, and to Dr. D. McGonagle, Director of the CUA Press, for their decision to print this work in the first vol-umes of the LEC. It owes much to the painstaking attention of theEditorial Director.
Acknowledgments
ix
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ABBREVIATIONS
OT Old Testament
Gn Genesis
Ex Exodus
Lv Leviticus
Nm Numbers
Dt Deuteronomy
Jos Joshua
Jgs Judges
Ru Ruth
–Sm The first and second books of Samuel
–Kgs The first and second books of Kings
–Chr The first and second books of Chronicles
Ezr Ezra
Neh Nehemiah
Tb TobitEst Esther
Jdt Judith
–Mc The first and second books of Maccabees
Jb Job
Ps(s) Psalms
Prv Proverbs
Eccl EcclesiastesSong Canticle of Canticles, Song of Songs
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Abbreviations
xii
Wis Wisdom of Solomon
Sir Wisdom of Jesus ben Sirach, Ecclesiasticus
Is Isaiah
Jer JeremiahLam Lamentations
Bar Baruch
Ezek Ezekiel
Dn Daniel
Hos Hosea
Jl Joel
Am Amos
Ob Obadiah
Jon Jonah
Mi Micah
Na Nahum
Hab Habakkuk
Zep ZephaniahHag Haggai
Zec Zechariah
Mal Malachi
NT New Testament
Mt Matthew
Mk Mark
Lk LukeJn John
Acts Acts
Rom The Epistle to the Romans
–Cor The first and second Epistles to the Corinthians
Gal The Epistle to the Galatians
Eph The Epistle to the Ephesians
Phil The Epistle to the Philippians
Col The Epistle to the Colossians
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–Thes The first and second Epistles to the Thessalonians
–Tm The first and second Epistles to Timothy
Ti The Epistle to Titus
Phlm The Epistle to PhilemonHeb The Epistle to the Hebrews
Jas The Epistle of St. James
–Pt The first and second Epistles of St. Peter
–Jn The first through third Epistles of St. John
Jude The Epistle of St. Jude
Rv Apocalypse, Revelation
Ador. Cyr., De adoratione et cultu in spiritu et ueritate
Affect. Thdt., Graecarum affectionum curatio
A.I. Jos., Antiquitates iudaicae
Apoc. Areth., Commentarius in Apocalypsin
Apol. Iust., Apologiae –
Areth. Arethas Caesariensis Cappadociae
Aug. Augustine
Bas. Basilius Caesariensis Cappadociae
Bibl. Phot., Bibliotheca
Cant. cant. Thdt., Commentarius in Canticum canticorum
Cels. Or., Contra Celsum
Chrys. Johannes ChrysostomusCiv. Caesar, De bello ciuili
Clem. Clemens Alexandrinus
Col. Thdt., Commentarius in Ep. ad colossenses
Cor. Thdt., Commentarius in Epp. ad corinthios
Cyr. Cyrillus Alexandrinus
Dan. Thdt., Commentarius in Danielem
D. e. Eus., Demonstratio euangelica Dial. Dialogus
Abbreviations
xiii
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Didym. Didymus Alexandrinus
Diod. Diodorus Tarsensis
Enarr. in Ps. Aug., Enarrationes in Psalmos
ep(p). epistula(e)Epiph. Epiphanius Constantiensis
Epp. Paul. Thdt., Interpretatio in xiv epistulas sancti Pauli
Eran. Thdt., Eranistes
Et. gud. Etymologicum gudianum
Eus. Eusebius Caesariensis
Exp. in Ps. Chrys., Expositiones in Psalmos quosdam
Expl. apol. in hex. Gr. Nyss., Explicatio apolgetica in hexaemeron
Ezech. Thdt., Commentarius in Ezechielem
frag(g). fragmentum (-ta)
Gal. Thdt., Commentarius in Ep. ad galatas
Glaph. Gen.-Dt. Cyr., Glaphyra in Pentateuchum
Gr. Naz. Gregorius Nazianzenus
Gr. Nyss. Gregorius NyssenusHaer. Epiph., Panarion seu Aduersus lxxx haereses or Iren.,
Aduersus haereses
Haer. com. Thdt., Haereticarum fabularum compendium
H. e. Eus., Historia ecclesiastica
Heb. Thdt., Commentarius in Ep. ad hebraeos
Her. Herodotus
Hex. Bas., Homiliae in hexaemeron hom. homiliae, homilias
Hom. – in Gen. Chrys., Homiliae in Genesim
Hom. in Coloss. Chrys, Homiliae in epistulam ad colossenses
Hom. in Ioh. Chrys., Homiliae in Iohannem
Hom. in Ios. Or., Homiliae in Iosuam
Hom. – in Is. . Chrys., Homiliae in Isaiam (in illud, Vidi dominum)
Hom. opif. Gr. Nyss., De hominis opificio H. rel. Thdt., Historia religiosa
Abbreviations
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Ier. Thdt., Commentarius in Ieremiam
Ios. Joshua
Iren. Irenaeus Lugdunensis
Is. Thdt., Commentarius in IsaiamIud. Chrys., Aduersus Iudaeos
Iuln. Cyr., Contra Iulianum
Iust. Iustinus Martyr
Jos. Josephus
Marc. Tert., Aduersus Marcionem
Mi. Thdt., Commentarius in Michaeam
Migr. Ph., De migratione Abrahami
Or. Origenes
or. oratio
patm. Thdt., Epistulae, collectio patmensis
pf. praefatio
Ph. Philo Iudaeus
Phot. Photius ConstantinopolitanusPl. Plato
Placill. Gr. Nyss., Oratio funebris de Placilla
Princ. Or., De principiis
proem. proemium
Proph. obscurit. Chrys. De prophetiarum obscuritate hom. –
Prouid. Thdt., Orationes de prouidentia
Ps. Thdt., Commentarii in Psalmos Q. in Gen. (Ex., Thdt., Quaestiones in Genesin (Exodum,
Leu., Num., Deut., Leuiticum, Numeros, Deuteronomium,Ios., Iud., Ruth ) Iosuam, Iudices, Ruth )
Quaest. et resp. Thdt., Quaestiones et responsiones ad orthodoxos
Quaest. in oct. Thdt., Quaestiones in octateuchum
Quaest. in Reg. Diod. or Thdt., Quaestiones in Reges et Par. et Paralipomena
– Reg. libri – Regum = –Kgs
Abbreviations
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Rep. Pl., De republica
Rom. Thdt., Commentarius in Ep. ad romanos
ser. sermo, sermones
Ser. – in Gen. Chrys., Sermones in Genesimsirm. Thdt., Epistulae, collectio sirmondiana
Spec. Ph., De specialibus legibus
Str. Clem., Stromateis
Tert. Tertullianus
Thdt. Theodoretus Cyrrhensis
Ti. Pl., Timaeus
V. Mos. Gr. Nyss., De uita Mosis
Zach. Thdt., Commentarius in Zachariam
,
, ,
AncB Anchor Bible
Aug Augustinianum
BDB F. Brown, S.R. Driver, and C.A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament
BHS Biblia hebraica stuttgartensia
Bib. Biblica
CChr.SG Corpus Christianorum: Series graeca
CChr.SL Corpus Christianorum: Series latina
CHB The Cambridge History of the Bible
CPG Clavis patrum graecorum
CQ Classical Quarterly
DBS Dictionnaire de la Bible. Supplément (Paris)
Dict. J.L. McKenzie, Dictionary of the Bible
DThC Dictionnaire de théologie catholique
FOTC Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC)
GCS Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der erstendrei Jahrhunderte
Hatch and Redpath E. Hatch and H.A. Redpath, A Concordance to the Septuagint
Abbreviations
xvi
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HeyJ Heythrop Journal
IThQ Irish Theological Quarterly
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
LXX Septuagint = the predominant form of the Greek text of the OT
LSJ H.G. Liddell, R. Scott, H.S. Jones, and R. McKenzie,A Greek-English Lexicon
Month The Month
MSU Mitteilungen des Septuaginta-Unternehmens
MT Masoretic Text = the predominant form of theHebrew text of the OT
NCBC The New Century Bible Commentary NJBC R.E. Brown et al., New Jerome Biblical Commentary
NRSV New Revised Standard Version
ns new series
OBS Österreichische Biblische Studien
OCP Orientalia christiana periodica
OTL Old Testament Library
PG Patrologia graeca, ed. J.-P. Migne (Paris –)PGL G.H.W. Lampe, Patristic Greek Lexicon
PL Patrologia latina, ed. J.-P. Migne (Paris –)
Quasten J. Quasten, Patrology
RB Revue biblique
REG Revue des études grecques
SC Sources chrétiennes
SE Sacris Erudiri
Sef. Sefarad
StT Studi e Testi
StudP Studia Patristica
TDSA Testi e documenti per lo studio dell’ antichità
TECC Textos y estudios “Cardenal Cisneros"
TEG Traditio Exegetica Graeca
ThH Théologie historique
Theoph. Theophaneia: Beiträge zur Religions- undKirchengeschichte des Altertums
Abbreviations
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ThRes Theological Resources
TLG Thesaurus linguae graecae (stephanus.tlg.uci.edu)
TRE Theologische Realenzyklopädie
VSen Verba seniorum
ad loc. ad locum = on the aforementioned passage
ap. crit. apparatus criticus = the critical notes on the Greek text
ap. font. apparatus fontium = the apparatus of ancient sources
Abbreviations
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INTRODUCTION TO THEODORET’S
LIFE AND WORKS
.
Born about in Antioch, Theodoret owed his name to gratefulparents, who were responsible for his entering monastic life at anearly age. Since his famous predecessors in that school, if we may use the term,1 John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia, bothpupils of Diodore of Tarsus, had been appointed to episcopal re-sponsibilities in Constantinople in and in Mopsuestia in Ciliciain , they cannot have exercised much direct influence on Theo-
doret’s formation. In he was elected bishop of Cyrus, a city about kilometers NE of Antioch, perhaps a “little backwater”2
yet, as Theodoret tells us, a see with responsibility for eight hundredparishes.3 Caught up in the theological turmoil in the wake of thecouncil of Constantinople of , he represented the christologicalpositions of the oriental bishops against that of Cyril of Alexandriaand his party. His episcopal and civic duties did not prevent himfrom writing numerous dogmatic, apologetic, and historical works.In addition, he composed commentaries on Paul’s letters and most
xix
. J. Quasten does speak (vol. , p. ), in a local and corporate sense, of “theschool of Antioch.......founded by Lucian.......in direct opposition to the excessesand fantasies of the allegorical method of Origen,” but we prefer to use the termonly of a fellowship of like-minded scholars joined by birth, geography, and schol-arly principles, even if some members did exercise a magisterial role.
. V. F.M. Young, From Nicaea to Chalcedon, p. , but on the evidence of Ep.
, she also concedes (p.
) the extent of Theodoret’s pastoral responsibilities.All references to Theodoret’s letters follow the edition of Y. Azéma.. V. Ep. to Leo I.
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of the Old Testament. The commentary on the Song of Songs beganthe series about the time of the council of Ephesus in ; and in aletter written in shortly before being deposed at the so-called
Robber Council of Ephesus, he could make the claim to have pro-duced expositions of “all the prophets, the psalter, and the apostle.” 4
Theodoret was rapidly reinstated by Pope Leo and went on to play aleading role in the convention of the council of Chalcedon in .He died about . 5
.
In this epistolary account of his biblical commentaries Theodo-ret does not mention any work on the Gospels, the Torah, or theFormer Prophets. While he seems never to have attempted the first,in his later years, Theodoret did treat the second, and the work of the chronicler as well. He devoted two series of Quaestiones to ob-scure passages of the Octateuch (Genesis to Ruth) and of Kingdomsand Chronicles ( Samuel through Chronicles).6 In both heclaimed to be responding to a request from his coadjutor bishopHypatius.7 He admits to feeling the effects of illness, an admissionnot found elsewhere in his commentaries. As well, his remarkssometimes suggest a disillusioned veteran; he laments endemicproblems of human society such as marital squabbling (Q. onGn) and frequent homicides (ib. Q. ). In the opening of the com-
mentary on Leviticus, he gives (Q. .) an overview of his literary
Introduction to Life and Works
xx
. Ep. , written to Eusebius of Ancyra.. For a more detailed account of Theodoret’s life and works, v. J.-N. Guinot,
“Theodoret von Kyrrhos,” TRE, vol. , pp. –.. N. Fernández Marcos and A. Sáenz-Badillos, Theodoreti Cyrensis Quaestiones
in octateuchum, TECC, vol. (Madrid ); N. Fernández Marcos and J.R. BustoSaiz, Theodoreti Cyrensis Quaestiones in Reges et Paralipomena, TECC, vol.
(Madrid ). The present edition and translation are based on the former.
. It is possible, of course, that such opening remarks were more conventionalthan factual; cf. sec. of the preface to Theodoret’s commentary on the Song of Songs.
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output: “writings against the Greeks and the heretics, and.......thePersian magi, as well as.......expositions of the Old Testamentprophets and.......commentaries on the epistles of the apostle.” This
includes the last of the Christian apologies, comparing Greek andChristian philosophy, a lost work against the Persian magi, a com-pendium of heresies from Simon Magus to Nestorius and Eutyches,and all his exegetical works on the books of the Old Testament andthe epistles (kajn tai'" tw'n profhtw'n eJrmhneivai", kai; toi'" tw'najpostolikw`n ejpistolwn uJpomnhvmasin), but not the Gospels, of the New.8 The Questions , therefore, like a keystone, cap this remark-
able edifice completed less than a decade before his death.In the Questions on the Octateuch, Theodoret offers no commenton contemporary events apart from those odd melancholic remarksabout social mores. We can glean the occasional insight into con-temporary ecclesiastical life and practice from his discussions of thehistory of Israel and the institutions of Judaism. In Q. on Gene-sis, which deals with Joseph’s resuming the land of Egypt from all itscitizens with the exception of the priests, the bishop comments wry-ly, “The priests of the true God do not enjoy this privilege.” The is-sue of recompense for clerical services, dealt with in Q. on Num-bers, receives lengthy treatment by a cleric for whom it is apparently a burning issue. In Nm ., which prescribes the summoning of theassembly by a trumpet blast, but one that is to be given in such away as not to alarm the people, Theodoret sees a distinction akin tothe differing degrees of explicitness of teaching imparted to the ini-
tiated and to the uninitiated in Christian communities.Theodoret’s readers evidently belong to the former category of
the faithful.9 He imagines that, in their Christian formation, they
Circumstances of Composition of the Questions
xxi
. G. Bardy (“La littérature patristique,” RB []) finds in this statementmore precise evidence for the actual date of the Questions . He claims (p. ) thatTheodoret’s anti-heretical work (Haereticarum fabularum compendium) could nothave been written before , but J.-N. Guinot (L’Exégèse ) is less definite, placing
the date (p. ) of that work “about .”. One wonders if Theodoret envisaged women among the readers of this or
his other works. On rare occasions he makes remarks that the modern reader
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may have encountered critics of this part of the Bible or been puz-zled by apparent narrative or factual discrepancies. So he declares inhis preface that he is intent on dealing with both sorts of problems:
“Now, to begin with, you should know that not all inquirers sharethe same purpose. Some inquire irreverently, believing they findholy Scripture wanting, in some cases, not teaching right doctrine,in others, giving conflicting instructions. In contrast, others, long-ing to find an answer for their question, search because they lovelearning.” Highlighting the ill-will of carping critics, Theodoret isthinking of Marcionites among others. But it is possible that he is
also referring even to his fellow Antiochene commentators Diodoreand Theodore, who may have had reservations about the canonicity of Ruth, a book for which there is no extant patristic commentary beyond these Questions.10 As the commentator paraphrases thewhole of this book, we may infer that many of his readers were notfamiliar with the text, despite its christologically significant appen-dix.11 We shall examine below how sound an introduction to theOctateuch these readers received from Theodoret’s three hundredand sixty-nine questions.12
. ’
Theodoret read the Octateuch in his local Greek version. In anoften-quoted passage of his letter to Sunnia and Fretela, Jerome hadidentified one of the different forms of the Greek Bible he knew to
be current in his time as the “vulgate”; this recension, the one in usein Antioch-Constantinople, was also known as the “Lucianic text,”
Introduction to Life and Works
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might regard as sexist. For example, he sees (Q. . on Gn) no place for woman inany prelapsarian design, “since an immortal nature does not require the female.”She owed her place to death and the need for procreation.
. V. note to Q. on Ruth.. V. Mt. .– and Lk .–, where the genealogy of Jesus includes the line
from Boaz to David detailed in Ruth .–.. These are divided as follows : on Gn, on Ex, on Lv, on Nm, on
Dt, on Jos, on Jgs, on Ruth.
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for it was said to have been a revision of the Septuagint by Lucian of Antioch, a scholar-priest of the third century.13 The nature of Lu-cian’s work has long been a topic of debate. 14 It was precisely be-
cause Theodoret’s citations could help answer the question of whether it is possible to identify a distinctively Lucianic or Antioch-ene text throughout the Octateuch that Natalio Fernández Marcosand Angel Sáenz-Badillos decided to produce their critical edition.15
They concluded () that a typically Antiochene text does emergein the last three books, if not in the Torah,16 and in the revised edi-tion of The Septuagint in Context, Fernández Marcos restated this
conclusion some twenty years later (). There he argued that, forthe books of Joshua–Ruth, one can identify a group of manuscriptsthat agree with Theodoret’s citations in a range of peculiar featuressome of which predate Lucian while others are post-Hexaplaric. Inhis discussion of these characteristics, which are found in different
Theodoret’s Biblical Text
xxiii
. V. Ep. .: admoneo, ut sciatis aliam esse editionem, quam Origenes et Cae-sariensis Eusebius, omnesque Graeciae tractatores Koinhvn , id est, “communem” ap-
pellant, atque “Vulgatam”, et a plerisque nunc Loukiavneio~ dicitur; v. J. Labourt,Saint Jérôme, Lettres.
. P. Kahle (The Cairo Genizah ), had argued (pp. –) that there never was asingle original Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. Instead several inde-pendent translations would have been assembled independently in different con-texts as demanded by liturgical necessity, in a process parallel to the production of the Aramaic targums. One of these Greek translations would have been made atAntioch before the version that came to be known as the “Septuagint” was pro-duced in Alexandria. This Antiochene version would have been revised by Lucianwith reference to Hebrew sources. Though Fernández Marcos admits (p. ) thatthe Septuagint is itself, not a translation, but a “collection of translations,” he rejectsKahle’s theory of a number of independent Greek translations of the Hebrew Scrip-tures; v. The Septuagint in Context, pp. –. For him, therefore, the question of theLucianic recension regards Lucian’s alleged revision of the LXX rather than of an-other translation independently produced in Antioch.
. V. N. Fernández Marcos, The Septuagint in Context, p. : “To remove thisdifficulty [of determining the nature of the Lucianic recension of the Octateuch],we decided to edit critically Theodoret’s Quaestiones in octateuchum.”
. V. their edition of the Quaest. in oct., pp. LX–LXII and N. Fernández Mar-
cos, The Septuagint in Context, pp.
; also cf. p. LX of the edition, where they seem prepared to recognize at least the traces of an Antiochene recension in sometexts of the book of Dt.
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degrees in different books, he remains chary of attributing any toLucian’s intervention.17 In addition, there are distinctive, if not typi-cally Antiochene, readings in Theodoret’s text of other books; I dis-
cuss some of the more significant in notes to the translation.18
The distinctiveness of the LXX vis à vis the Masoretic, the stan-dard Hebrew text, is particularly evident in the books of Joshua andJudges. The former appears in a notably shorter form in the LXX and consequently in Theodoret’s Antiochene text. In Judges, theGreek recensions are quite divergent among themselves. In the fam-ily of manuscripts associated with the codex vaticanus of the mid-
fourth century, conventionally designated by the siglum B, this book appears in a recension in which the LXX was adapted to the form of the Hebrew text circulating in Palestine in the first century .. Inmanuscripts related to the British Library’s codex alexandrinus of the fifth century, known as A, the Greek text closely resembles thatof the LXX transcribed by the third-century scholar Origen in hisHexapla.19 The Antiochene text used by Theodoret, closer through-out to A than to B, represents a third recension, which FernándezMarcos regards as the closest of the three to the translation of Judges originally incorporated into the LXX.20 In the Antiochene re-cension as in the others, we occasionally find, as in the “Song of Deborah” (Jgs ), the most archaic passage of the Hebrew Bible,mere transliterations of Hebrew words that proved too challengingfor the translators.
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. N. Fernández Marcos, The Septuagint in Context,
pp.
–
.. The editors of the volumes dealing with the Octateuch in the Ancient Chris-tian Commentary on Scripture under the general editorship of T.C. Oden (Down-ers Grove, Ill. –) ought, therefore, to acknowledge the variety of Septuagintalforms used in their citations of the Greek fathers. They might also include refer-ence to Diodore of Tarsus in their “Biographical Sketches,” where Diodore’s influ-ential work on the Octateuch (v. note below) is not cited, and Theodore is mis-takenly listed as “founder of the Antiochene, or literalistic, school of exegesis.”
. V. K.G. O’Connell’s “Greek Versions of the Old Testament,” pp. f. for avery brief account of the Greek uncial manuscripts and ib., pp. f. for a summa-
ry discussion of Origen’s Hexapla.. V. The Septuagint in Context, pp. f. As the Göttingen Academy of Scienceshas not yet published an edition of the book of Judges, Theodoret’s citations of
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Of course, like all the fathers except Jerome, Theodoret lacks thelinguistic tools that would enable him to read the original text of theOT,21 and whenever he deals with Hebrew terms, his efforts fall
short. His text of Ex . reading, “You shall not revile gods,”prompts an obvious question () about the plural. He could havesolved the issue quite simply had he been able to comment on theHebrew ’elohim, here wrongly rendered in the plural by the LXX.Instead, he cites the more difficult case of Ps ., where God is pre-sented as presiding over the council of the gods of the nations. Onthe other hand, in his commentary on the Psalms, where Ex . is
cited as parallel to Ps ., he had insisted that in both cases “judges”are intended. Similarly, while discussing the significance of Passoverfor Jews and Christians (Q. . on Ex), he attempts to provide anaccurate rendition of the Hebrew pesach (a term of doubtful ety-mology) based on the interpretations of a range of Jewish authori-ties: Philo, Theodotion, and the historian Josephus. He finds thattheir Greek translations of this term differ considerably, and beingin no position to evaluate them, notes only that the event signifiesthe salvation of the firstborn of the Hebrews. His industry as an ex-egete is not matched by his linguistic skills.
Yet, Theodoret possesses philological resources to clarify an ob-scure text, though, in fact, he enlists their aid less frequently than inthe subsequent series of Questions on Kings and Chronicles. First,
Theodoret’s Biblical Text
xxv
that book have been checked against Rahlfs’ pocket edition of the Septuagint,which provides a transcription of both codices A and B. In my ap. font., I do notspecify which strand of the tradition offers a reading found in Theodoret’sQuaestt. The reader should compare both the Greek texts provided by Rahlfs withthat of Theodoret. For discussion of points of contact and difference betweenTheodoret’s text and that offered by the alexandrinus and the vaticanus in the book of Judges, v. note to Q. ; n. to Q. ; n. to Q. ; n. to Q. ; n. to Q. ; n. toQ. ; and nn. f. to Q. .
. Of the Antiochene fathers, only Theodore of Mopsuestia claimed someknowledge of Hebrew; on his limitations, v. my translation of Theodore of Mop-suestia: Commentary on the Twelve Prophets, p. and note . As to Origen, H.
Crouzel declares (p.
): “Certainly it would be wrong to credit Origen with aknowledge of Hebrew like Jerome’s, but he must have had enough to direct thecompilation of the Hexapla, even if the actual work was done by some assistant.”
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though unfamiliar with Hebrew, Theodoret has the advantage of being a native speaker of Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, and in some of his more formal commentaries he exploits this asset to advantage.22
In this work, on the contrary, he invokes it only once (Q. on Jgs):to throw light on the dialectal diversity in pronunciation of the He-brew term shibboleth when Jephthah (Jgs .–) detects fugitives of Ephraim by their pronunciation of the initial sibilant.
More importantly, whether directly or through the citations of others, he had some information regarding other Greek translationsof the Bible.23 Thus, in Q. on Leviticus, he is able to cite “some
translators” who offer a different term for the monetary value of sac-rificial animals stated in Lv .–. He mentions Aquila, Sym-machus, and Theodotion by name.24 When at Jgs . the Hebrew text reports that Caleb’s daughter Achsah requested “irrigated land”for her husband, the LXX confuses that term with a similar one for“redemption.” Unable to account for the confusion by reference tothe original, Theodoret shrewdly turns to Symmachus for an alterna-tive translation. At times, the commentator, always anxious to pro-vide his readers with full information, goes to excess in citing theseother versions. In Q. . on Leviticus, where the burnt offering of birds (.) figures in a long account of Jewish sacrifices, he remarks,“Now, for ‘crop’ (provlobon) Theodotion put ‘gullet’ and Aquila‘feeder.’ It receives the food and conveys it to the rest of the body;hence, the Septuagint calls it ‘crop’ (provlobon) as it takes in(proslambavnousan) the food.” We suspect his readers would have
regarded this anatomical detail, let alone the range of translations, asotiose.
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. V. P. Canivet, Histoire d’une entreprise, pp. f.. Guinot denies (pp. –, –, –) that Theodoret had access either
to Origen’s Hexapla or to a copy of the recension of the LXX included in the Hexa- pla.
. For Aquila, v. Qq. , , , , , . on Gn; on Ex; , . on Lv; on Dt; on Jos; for Symmachus, Qq. on Gn , .; f., , on Ex; . on Lv; ,. on Nm; , . on Dt; . on Jos; , on Jgs; for Theodotion, Qq. on Gn;
on Lv; v. K.G. O’Connell,“Greek Versions of the Old Testament,” for a brief intro-duction (p. ) to the versions of Aquila and Symmachus and the questions sur-rounding the identity of Theodotion.
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. ’
It is at the end of his life, of his episcopal ministry, and of two
decades of exegetical work, or at least commentary,25 that Theodoretcomes to deal with the the Torah and the Former Prophets. Here, aselsewhere, we note his fundamental understanding of the inspiredWord as a divine gesture of condescension to man, what Chrysostomhad called sugkatavbasi" and Origen sumperiforav.26 In Q. onGenesis dealing with the key notion of human beings created inGod’s “image” (.f.), before canvassing the views of his predeces-
sors, Theodoret brusquely rejects those that present any anthropo-morphic notion of God: “These simpletons fail to understand thatthe Lord God, when speaking to humans through humans, adjustshis language to the limitations of the listeners.” The principle, of course, is vital for commentary, especially on this part of the Bible, if the commentator is not to adopt a fundamentalist stance.27 Anotherprinciple basic to an Antiochene is recognition of the aim or intent(skopov") of Scripture and of individual books.28 In accordance withthis rule, he dismisses what he considers an “over-curious” question(Q. on Gn) regarding the precise time of the creation of the angels:“I shall state what I believe is in keeping with the purpose of holy Scripture.”
Theodoret’s Approach to Scripture
xxvii
. The distinction of J.N.D. Kelly (Golden Mouth, p. ), is apposite: “NeitherJohn, nor any Christian teacher for centuries to come, was properly equipped to
carry out exegesis as we have come to understand it.”. V. R.C. Hill, “On looking again at synkatabasis,”pp. – and B. Vawter, Bib-
lical Inspiration, p. .. F.M. Young (Biblical Exegesis ), attributes (pp. f.) the Antiochenes’ em-
phasis on rhetorical aspects of biblical language to their education in rhetoricalschools; John Chrysostom and probably Theodore of Mopsuestia, as well, werepupils of Libanius.
. Young (ib., pp. f.) points out that both the Alexandrians and the Anti-ochenes looked for the skopov~ of a scriptural passage. Origen and his followershad located this intent “at the level of the inspiring Spirit” so that “consistency
lay .......in the deeper spiritual realities to which the text referred,” while the Anti-ochenes regarded the aim of a scriptural passage as that of the literary author andtherefore tried to respect the consistency of wording and narrative development.
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Though at this stage of his life he lacks the strength to complete acommentary on the full text of the Genesis through Ruth, Theodo-ret remains an Antiochene and is alert to detail in the verses cited by
the questioner.29 Precision (ajkrivbeia) is a virtue not only in the sa-cred text but also in its commentator and reader, though the virtuecan become a vice. Taking his cue from a question regarding Caleb’schoice of Hebron for his inheritance (Q. on Jos .), the com-mentator launches into a digression to remove what might seem tobe a chronological discrepancy in the years of wandering: the forty-five mentioned by Caleb in Jos . and the thirty-eight years of Dt
.. This is the sort of digression the genre tolerates.Theodoret appreciates biblical imagery and is not loath to expli-cate it for his readers; he can also improve on the author’s with effec-tive imagery of his own. Responding to Q. on Numbers, Theodo-ret first mentions the simile comparing Moses’ relationship to thepeople to that of a mother nursing a babe (Nm .f.). He then pro-ceeds to the appointment of the seventy elders, who are to assist thelawgiver without diminishing his powers, and in his comment ad-duces both a striking image and a sacramental parallel (.): “Now,the sequence of events confirms that, by giving some to the seventy,God had not diminished Moses’ grace, for he continued to performthe same functions and work wonders as he had done before. Just as,from a single taper, one can light countless others and, without di-minishing it, share its light with the rest, so the God of the universeshared Moses’ grace with the seventy without lessening the grace
that had already been granted to him. We see this happening eventoday when countless people are baptized by one priest and receivethe divine gift without diminishing the priest’s grace, and greatnumbers are appointed by the high priests and receive priestly officewithout lessening the gift of the man who appointed them.” Afterexpounding the biblical metaphor of the suckling child, Theodoret
Introduction to Life and Works
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. V. R.C. Hill, “Akribeia,”pp. –, where I argue that the term, though oftenrendered “accuracy,” means rather “precision.” The Antiochenes, though generally precise, are not always accurate in their treatment of scriptural detail.
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supplies an equally effective simile of his own: the wick that lightsother lamps, which he further develops with reference to the Chris-tian rites of baptism and priestly ordination.
In this work, as ever, Theodoret shows himself “moderate” in hisassessment of previous views.30 Where no decisive factor is involved,he can leave his readers to make their own choice. After relayingfrom Diodore two explanations for Abraham’s division of the vic-tims sacrificed in the covenant rite of Gn .f., he concludes(Q. ), “I cite this view and the other for readers to take whicheverstrikes them as closer to the truth.” In a similar manner, he some-
times expresses a commendable diffidence regarding his own inter-pretations. When the questioner presses him on that sensitive issueof the creation of the angels, he explicitly indicates that he can do nomore than hazard an opinion on a question that does not admit of aconclusive answer (Q. . on Gn): “Now, I do not state this dogmat-ically, my view being that it is rash to speak dogmatically where holy Scripture does not make an explicit statement; rather, I have statedwhat I consider to be consistent with orthodox thought.”
Again, as in other works, Theodoret sometimes evinces knowl-edge of the practices and beliefs of Judaism. In Q. on Exodus heshows he is aware that the feasts of Pentecost and Tabernacles wereoriginally agricultural but came to commemorate historical events.In the course of a long discussion of the tabernacle and its furnish-ings (ib. Q. ), he speaks with understanding of the Jewish usage of the tetragrammaton (.).
Like his fellow Antiochenes, Theodoret desires principally thathis readers understand the biblical text; only on occasion does heconsider its ethical implications for daily life.31 See, for example, hiscomment on Gn . (“Everyone’s thoughts in his heart were focusedon evil his whole life long”). On this verse that, as G. von Rad de-
Theodoret’s Approach to Scripture
xxix
. It is G. Bardy who pays this compliment to Theodoret as commentator; v.
“Interprétation,” p. .. In his homilies Chrysostom evinces a more pastoral approach that consti-
tutes an exception to this general practice of the Antiochenes.
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clares, has “programmatic significance.......for the entire Yahwisticprimeval history,” a moral comment is certainly not out of order.32
In the lengthy response to Q. on the animal sacrifices described in
the opening chapters of Leviticus, he tentatively ventures into theethical and parenetic: “I do not think I am out of order in remarkingthat those who offer themselves to God resemble the various animalvictims. Those who embrace a life free of possessions and worriesdevote themselves wholly to the God of the universe and turn them-selves into holocausts and whole victims; they put aside nothing forthis life but transfer everything to the life eternal” (.). The com-
mentator proceeds to compare other sacrifices to other Christianstates of life.We have observed that Theodoret, who may not have imagined
that women would read his work, makes the occasional misogynistcomment. His argument can also tend to the detriment of thewomen when he makes every effort to uphold the reputation of pa-triarchs and other male leaders. We might refer, for instance, to hisdefense of Abraham’s conduct in the court of King Abimelech of Gerar (Q. )33 and his justification of Abraham’s treatment of Ha-gar (Q. ).
. ’
Of course, the books of the Octateuch had long been studied andcommented on by eastern Jews and Christians. Genesis had received
the widest attention; its non-Antiochene interpreters included Phi-lo, Origen, Didymus the Blind, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa,and Cyril of Alexandria. Philo had also written on Exodus; Origenon Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Joshua, and Judges; Cyril on Exo-dus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; and Gregory of Nyssa
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. Genesis, p. .. In hom. . on Gn . Chrysostom adopts the same attitude to Abraham
and Sarah.
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on Exodus and Numbers.34 Of the Antiochenes, Diodore of Tarsushad produced a series of questions on the Octateuch, and Chrysos-tom two sets of homilies on Genesis, while Theodore of Mopsuestia
had commented on at least Genesis, and perhaps Exodus, Joshua,and Judges as well.35 From the Questions on the Octateuch, J.-N.Guinot has collected forty-six cases where Theodoret apparently al-luded to such works by the general form of reference, “There arethose who say.”36 Having painstakingly sifted these allusions, he con-cludes that in the Questions on Genesis, Theodoret did make con-siderable direct use of at least Theodore’s commentary and Chrys-
ostom’s homilies. But for the subsequent references to previousexpositors and even for those to commentators on Genesis otherthan Theodore and Chrysostom, Theodoret, in the great majority of instances, drew from the questions composed by the early Antioch-ene exegete Diodore of Tarsus. Indeed, in books other than Genesis,Theodoret’s allusions to previous exegetes are far fewer. The Ques-tions on Exodus and Leviticus each contain only about half asmany.37 Very infrequent in the Questions on Numbers, Joshua, andRuth, there are none at all in the Questions on Deuteronomy andJudges. Diodore had himself drawn from Eusebius of Emesa,38 andthough Guinot admits that Theodoret made some direct use of Eu-sebius, he argues from a collation of the available evidence that sim-
Sources of Theodoret’s Exegesis
xxxi
. For Philo’s exegesis of Gn, v. R. Marcus, Philo, Questions and Answers on Genesis; for Origen’s exegesis of books of the Octateuch, v. Quasten, vol. , pp. ,
; for Didymus’ commentary on Gn, v. P. Nautin and L. Doutreleau, Didyme L’Aveugle sur la Genèse; for Basil’s Hex., v. Quasten, vol. , pp. –; for Gregory’sHom. opif., Expl. apol. in hex., and V. Mos., v. ib., pp. –; for Cyril’s Ador. andGlaph. Gn-Dt, v. ib., pp. f.
. For Diodore’s works, v. J. Deconinck, Essai sur la chaîne, etc.; for Chrysos-tom’s Hom. and Hom. in Gn., v. Quasten, vol. , p. ; for Theodore’s com-mentaries, whose extent remains unclear, v. Devreesse, Essai, pp. – and Guinot(L’Exégèse, note , p. ), who regard only the work on Genesis as sufficiently at-tested, and cf. Quasten, vol. , pp. f.
. e.g., Q. on Gn: fasiv tine~
. Guinot catalogues (L’Exégèse, pp. –) twenty allusions to earlier exegesisin the Questions on Gn, eleven in the Questions on Ex, eight in the Questions on Lv.. V. R. Devreesse, Les anciens commentateurs, etc.
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ilarities between the expositions of Theodoret and Eusebius areusually to be explained by Diodore’s mediation. Thus, Theodoretwould have received much of this information at second, and some
even at third, hand; only rarely, outside the Questions on Genesis,can he be credited with drawing from the work of any predecessorother than Diodore.39
. :
Imbued with such exegetical predispositions—some shared withother Antiochenes, others peculiar to himself—and relying on thesesources, Theodoret undertakes the task of clarifying for his readersdoubtful points (zhthvmata) of the Octateuch and rebutting criti-cisms of Scripture made by malicious adversaries. Experience hastaught him that “careless reading of holy Scripture is the cause of er-ror among ordinary people” (Q. . on Gn), and in the incident of the unauthorized offering of unholy fire by Nadab and Abihu (Lv .–.) he finds a warning to avoid novelty. “These events teachus not to quench the Spirit but to rekindle the grace we have re-ceived, not to introduce anything foreign into holy Scripture but tobe content with the teaching of the Spirit, and to abhor heretics,some of whom have combined their mythological fables with thedivine oracles, while others have preferred their own unholy notionsto the sense of Scripture” (Q. on Lv). Thus, the commentator
should aim at no more than to clarify the obscure as he promises todo in the preface to the entire work.40 With God’s help he will unveilthe meaning (diavnoia) hidden in the text (gravmma) just as Jesushad explained in more direct terms the statements expressed in rid-dling fashion (aijnigmatwdw ") in his parables.
In his wish to complete an exegetical project begun decades be-
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xxxii
. Guinot (L’Exégèse ), pp. –, esp. –.. He makes the same promise in his first commentary, that on the Song of
Songs (on .).
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fore, Theodoret has chosen for comment on the Octateuch andKingdoms and Chronicles a different genre, namely, that of Ques-tions.41 This genre would dispense the ailing scholar from com-
menting on the whole text. As we see in other examples, ancient andmodern, it allows the author to restrict his attention to challengingpassages that might puzzle the reader:42 hence the terms ta; a[poraand ta; zhtouvmena traditionally included in the two titles.43 In hispreface to the Questions on the Octateuch Theodoret claims to be joining the ranks of those who have promised to solve apparentproblems: ta; dokou'nta ei\nai zhthvmata.44 In the east, practition-
ers of this sort of exegesis included Philo, Eusebius, Theodoret, and,in the ninth century, Photius; in west, it was initiated by Jerome andAugustine and taken up by numerous medieval authors.
This was not an exclusively Christian genre. In fact, the earliestsuch works were devoted to the explication of the Homeric poems.45
Sophists and rhetors as well as Stoics interested in casuistry andmoral conundrums employed the format of question and answer.
The Genre of Questions
xxxiii
. Theodoret’s work on Jeremiah may likewise show signs of a forced effort toround off his commentary on the prophetic corpus of the Bible. Though Guinotexpresses doubt as to Theodoret’s authorship of this work (L’Exégèse, note , p.
and p. ), v. my outline of the manuscript tradition and the character of thiscommentary in the introduction to Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on Jeremiah.
. On the other hand, from the treatment of – Chr, where Theodoret simply abandons question-and-answer form and settles for simple paraphrase, one couldargue that his basic aim was commentary / paraphrase, and that he found it moretaxing to recast the text into individual questions.
. Though Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillios print no title to their edi-tion of the Quaest. in oct. (note above), titles containing the term a[pora appearin at least several of the manuscripts as well as in the editions of Picot and Schulze;v. the ap. crit. ad loc. The term zhthvmata occurs in the introduction to the Quaest.in oct, and ta; zhtouvmena in the title of the Questions on Kingdoms and Chronicles printed by Fernández Marcos and Busto Saiz (note above).
. The word “apparent” signals a necessary qualification that Jerome alsomakes in his Pf. in hom. Origenis in Ez., where he says that Origen addressed ea quae sibi videbantur obscura aut habere aliquid difficultatis; v. M. Borret, Origène,Homélies sur Ézéchiel.
. G. Bardy (“La littérature patristique,” RB
[
]) points out (p.
) thevery early use of this form by commentators on Homer, “the inexhaustible source
of puzzles.”
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This format naturally found a place in academic instruction andwould eventually provide the framework for catechisms.
The issues dealt with in the biblical treatises were chosen by the
commentator or taken over from a predecessor. The questioner wasmerely a fictional device for the selection of texts to receive com-ment or of apparent discrepancies to be resolved. Many of Theodo-ret’s questions deal with issues of detail, but others provide the im-petus for an extensive essay. For example, the apparently ingenuousQ. on Exodus, “Why did God command the construction of thetabernacle?” is the cue for a comprehensive account of the design
and furnishings of the tabernacle and of the accoutrements of thepriests described in Ex –.46
At times, the questions reproduce criticism of the sacred text thatcalls for rebuttal. Such criticism might regard apparent contradic-tions of fact within Scripture. Why is Moses’ father-in-law calledReuel in Nm . but Jethro in earlier passages (Q. on Nm; cf.Ex. .; . and . and Q. on Jgs)? At other times, the criticismbears on the goodness, justice, and omniscience of the God of theOld Testament. How could the consumption of a morsel of illicitfood merit the terrible punishment inflicted on Adam and Eve andtheir posterity (Q. on Gn)? Should not God have prevented theslaughter of Jephthah’s daughter (Q. on Jgs)? In Q. on Gn,Theodoret denies that God tested Abraham to learn whether or nothe would obey his command to sacrifice Isaac. Sometimes, the criti-cism calls into question the morality of a biblical hero. Thus (Q.
on Gn), Theodoret defends Abraham from the charge of cruelty fordriving off Hagar and the infant Ishmael, and Gideon (Q. on Jgs)against the charge of introducing idol worship. As for Samson, if hedid not observe the dietary restrictions of a nazirite, that was be-cause these had become obsolete (Q. on Jgs).
On occasion, the questions may strike a reader as trivial, as
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. Theodoret may here depend on Theodore of Mopsuestia. R. Devreesse sug-gests (Essai, p. , note ) that Theodore included similar material in his commen-tary on the Epistle to the Hebrews.
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though seeking to elicit insignificant information or posing a falseconundrum. Q. on Exodus asks how Pharaoh’s daughter knew thatbaby Moses was a Hebrew.“Through circumcision,” the commenta-
tor retorts, since he believes that the Egyptians learned this practicefrom the Hebrews (Q. on Gn). Q. on Genesis asks how Potiphar, a eunuch, had a wife.47 One may suspect that other far-fetched questions are posed to introduce variety and entertainment.In Q. on Genesis, Theodoret tries to identify the material used asmortar for the Tower of Babel. Q. on Exodus—“What kind of wood was it that sweetened the water in Marah”—evinces the same
interest in oddities of natural history. In Q. on Exodus, after skip-ping without comment over the last seven commandments of theDecalogue, he pauses to consider what must have seemed a strangeHebrew law enjoining the piercing of the ear of a bondsman whochooses to abide with his master rather than go free.
Others seem calculated to provide an opportunity for commen-tary on present-day circumstances. The question ( on Ex) “Whatis the meaning of ‘You shall not appear before the Lord your Godempty-handed?’” (Ex .), receives an answer that suggests it wasincluded for the ethical instruction of readers both in the world andin religious life: “When you go to worship the Lord God, offer giftsin accordance with your means. This verse teaches us, if we havemoney, to pray to God with the care of the needy, or, if we opt for alife of poverty, to approach God with a soul that is not empty of good things but wealthy in virtue.” By and large, however, the ques-
tions address issues of substance that the commentator reckonsamong the puzzles of Scripture (zhthvmata), often because they were the subject of debate by his predecessors.48
Of course, given his limited philological and historical skills,Theodoret is often unable to settle these issues in a way that wouldplease modern scholars. Unable to point to Hebrew usages or to the
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. In Gn
., the LXX’s eujnou' co" does not accurately render the Hebrew.. As we have seen, the work of Diodore would be Theodoret’s principal
source for these earlier debates; v. sec. above.
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redactional history of these complex documents, he often has re-course to little more than a process of rationalization. For example,when the questioner asks (Q. on Gn), “Why did the angel wrestle
with Jacob?” (.), the commentator, unaware of aetiologies lyingbehind the names Israel and Penuel, opines, “To give Jacob confi-dence when he was afraid of his brother. For the same reason he also yielded him the victory, as if to say, ‘How can you fear a mere mortalafter defeating me?’’’
Nonetheless, one of Theodoret’s great strengths is his willingnessto provide the less advanced reader with a plethora of relevant and
illuminating historical, linguistic, and cultural information. In thishe is superior to Theodore. For instance, he goes to trouble to speci-fy in his readers’ terms the sum of money required by Lv . for thecash replacement of prescribed offerings (Q. on Lv). As in his oth-er works, he identifies geographical and topographical references. Hecan tell his reader that the town mentioned in Jgs . was oncecalled Leshem and is “now called Paneas” (Q. on Jgs). This sort of information made a narrative of the distant past more meaningfulfor his readers. As we have noted, it is particularly in the Octateuchthat he can bring his extensive knowledge of Judaism to the fore.
A modern reader would naturally evaluate this genre by the de-gree to which it places the reader in touch with the key concerns of the text and its author(s). Are the items chosen of real significance?Are there regrettable omissions? Generally speaking, the questionsallow comprehensive coverage of key issues in the Octateuch. There
are only two questions on Ruth, but each receives lengthy responses.The first addresses the reasons for the composition of the work. Itcovers Ruth’s place in the genealogy of Jesus (Mt .) and thus, whatTheodoret understands as the christological character of the book.If Theodoret does not discuss the lists of kings and allotments of land that bulk so large in the book of Joshua, it is probably in orderto avoid wearying his readers.49 On the other hand, he does not
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. In Hom. . in Is. . (in illud, Vidi dominum), Chrysostom reports thatsome readers of Scripture, when reproached for skipping over chronological no-
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shirk even Moses’ blessings of the tribes of Israel (Dt ), a poemthat is obscure in the Hebrew and even more so in the LXX. It is alsonoticeable that texts that might seem sensational, such as the sun
stopping in its course in Jos .f., do not attract particular atten-tion. Modern readers might well regret his delicate omission of theharrowing tale of the abuse of the Levite’s concubine in Jgs .–.50 Regrettably, in both Exodus and Deuteronomy he omits com-ment on the last seven commandments of the Decalogue. On bal-ance, however, one would say that this genre allowed an ailingTheodoret to expound his position on the key questions facing a
reader of the Octateuch.
. ’
Though Theodoret does not employ the term, we know that “Oc-tateuch” was used in the early Church to designate the first eightbooks of the Bible.51 The grouping is evidently customary for him,whereas a pentateuchal collection is not; he moves from Deuterono-my to Joshua without comment on Dt , which records the death of Moses and the mystery surrounding his tomb, and without remark on any change of authorship. In fact, unlike that of a modern work,his preface includes no general introductory treatment of the au-thorship or of the literary and theological unity of the corpus that heis about to introduce to his readers. This is true also of his commen-tary on the Pauline epistles. In this approach he differs from the
more critical Diodore and his servile disciple Theodore. On occa-sion, he evinces exegetical concerns similar to those of Chrysostom,who viewed the Scriptures as a moralizing and hagiographical text.52
Thus, though also admitting the christological import of Ruth,
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tices or catalogues of names, would allege in self-justification, “This passage is justnames and contains nothing of value”; v. J. Dumortier, Homélies sur Ozias.
. V. P. Trible, Texts of Terror, pp. – and note to Q. on Jgs.
. V. O. Eissfeldt, The Old Testament, p. . Nor does Theodoret speak of “Pentateuch” or “Torah.”. V. R.C. Hill, “His Master’s Voice,” pp. –.
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Theodoret remarks that this book would be worthy of inclusion inthe canon solely on the basis of its ethical teaching: “[T]his narrativeis sufficient of itself to offer great benefit to those who know how to
profit by it” (Q. .).53 Likewise, he interprets in a moralizing fashionpassages where we find aetiological and doctrinal concerns, e.g. thename Gad, given to one of Jacob’s sons in Gn . (Q. ), Rachel’stheft of the household gods in Gn . (Q. ), and Tamar’s ruse tosecure a levirate marriage in Gn (Q. ).
Of course, neither Theodoret nor his contemporaries envisagedanything similar to the documentary hypothesis of the Pentateuch
given classic form by Julius Wellhausen in the late nineteenth centu-ry.54 Nonetheless, he presents Moses, the putative author of thosebooks, in various literary roles: not only as lawgiver (nomoqevth")and prophet (profhvth"), but also as historian (suggrafeuv", e.g.,Qq . , , , on Gn) or chronicler (iJstoriograv fo", Q. on Gn).Could the use of these latter terms, which can be applied to one whocollects information from various sources or even composes a nar-rative on the basis of pre-existing materials, betray some inkling of multiple authorship for sections of Gn–Dt? Probably not. While thiseastern commentator regards the distinctively anthropomorphiclanguage used in what we now call “the Yahwistic history” as a po-tential stumbling block, he limits himself to dispelling possible mis-apprehensions as they arise. He denies that Moses could have seenGod, as is claimed in Ex .– (Q. on Ex), or that the Lordand accompanying angels ate a meal in Abraham’s tent (Q. on Gn
). In his discussion of the title “Deuteronomy,” Theodoret rejects(Q. . on Dt) the notion that this could refer to a second law and, in
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. Cf. Chrys., Hom. . in Gen.: “The Holy Spirit has graciously left us a writ-ten account in holy Scripture of the biographies and way of life of all the saints sothat we may learn that men who had the same nature as ourselves succeeded inperforming virtuous deeds of every sort and not be slack in striving for virtue our-selves.”
.Wellhausen offered what became a very influential statement of this hy-
pothesis in his Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels. For a brief orientation to the dif-ferent documentary strands combined to form the Pentateuch, v., e.g., the intro-ductions to the commentaries on Gn by E.A. Speiser and G. von Rad.
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a literalistic manner, argues that the book “contains a summary of the legislation and the events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers”for those who had grown up in the wilderness. Again, there are more
curses than blessings in Dt f., not because of an interpolation orthe impact of the exile on a Deuteronomistic editor, but because“forwicked servants promises of freedom are not so beneficial as threatsof chastisement” (Q. ). Balaam’s changes of heart in Nm – arelikewise not due to any difference in authorship (Qq. –).
Therefore, it is not surprising that Theodoret evinces no aware-ness of the diverse concerns of the documentary strands subsumed
into our present text. Like Chrysostom he regards Genesis .– asa summary recapitulating the major topics of ch. rather than as,what it is now known to be, an independent narrative of much ear-lier date. So, in his discussion of .– (Q. ), Theodoret tries to ex-plain the source of the water that irrigated earth before the begin-ning of rainfall by harmonizing details of two discordant traditions:the earth was irrigated by “moisture and humidity left over from thedivision of the waters.”55 Only once does he explicitly admit thatthere is a cultic basis for the rulings in Leviticus; this is in Q. ,where citing Lv . (“‘You will make the children of Israel bewaretheir uncleanness, and they will not die because of their uncleannessby defiling my tabernacle that is among them’”) he points to the re-lationship between the state of uncleanness and exclusion frompublic worship. Elsewhere (e.g., Qq. , , , .) he interpretsthese cultic regulations in an ethical sense. Furthermore, he does
not grasp the ethical significance of the historical preface (Ex .: “Iam the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt”)to the apodictic commandments of the Decalogue.
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. Chrysostom thought that God had dictated this second narrative to under-line the major points of ch. and thus forestall the development of heresy in theChristian Church; cf. Hom. . in Gen. (on .–): “In his foreknowledge of thefuture, to prevent anyone born in subsequent generations from defying sacredScripture and captiously setting his own notions against the dogmas of the
Church, the Holy Spirit, after teaching us each step of the creation, here oncemore.......goes over each detail to stop the unbridled tongue of people spoiling todisplay their impudence.”
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On the other hand, he is astute enough to recognize that the cre-ation story is no eye-witness report but a later theological reflectionthat takes account of and refines earlier efforts from the ancient
Near East. “Since the Egyptians used to worship the visible creation,and Israel, in their long association with them, had joined in thisidolatry, he had to set out the facts of creation and explicitly teachthem that it had a beginning of existence, and that the God of theuniverse was its Creator. Not that he passed over a treatment of thetrue doctrine of God (th~ qeologiva~). The statement that heavenand earth and the other parts of the universe were created and the
revelation that the God of the universe was their Creator provided atrue doctrine of God sufficient for people of that time” (Q. onGn). When the questioner asks to whom the Creator addressedcommands like “Let there be light” (Gn .), Theodoret replies, “Hewas not commanding anyone else to create but summoning thingsnot in existence, his will constituting a command” (Q. ). This reply closely resembles that of his modern counterpart von Rad: “Theidea of creation by the word preserves first of all the most radical es-sential distinction between Creator and creature.” 56
In fact, in numerous respects Theodoret’s interpretations matchthose of modern scholars. In Q. on Dt (., ), Theodoret ex-pounds on the insistence on a central sanctuary; he has well under-stood the author’s basic message: one God, one people, one temple.Likewise, at the close of Judges, Theodoret, surveying the structureof the book, notes, as do his modern counterparts, the function of
the final five chapters as an epilogue to the presentation of the indi-vidual judges.57 In the Questions on Genesis his discussions of the“signs” of . (Q. ), the garment of skins in . (Q. ), and thefate of Enoch in . (Q. ), all cruces interpretum, are endorsed by modern scholars.58
Furthermore, in Joshua and Judges, he develops a limited docu-
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. Genesis, p. .. V. note to Q. on Jgs.. V., e.g., von Rad, Genesis, pp. , , .
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mentary hypothesis of his own. In Jos. . (Q. on Jos), whichrefers to the hero’s sovereign command to the sun, Theodoret’s An-tiochene recension of the LXX contained the question not found in
other forms of the LXX: “Is this not written in the book that wasfound?” The phrase “that was found” renders a Hebrew reference tothe book of Jashar, “the upright,” an ancient anthology, as Theodo-ret, despite his poor translation, is able to surmise. Explicitly distin-guishing between the historian (suggrafeuv") and the protagonistJoshua (profhvth"), he rightly concludes, “the author of the book of Joshua lived in a subsequent age and drew his source material
from that other book.”59
Similarly, from an apparent contradictionof fact, he infers a late date of composition for the book of Judges.At Jgs . it is said that the children of Judah took Jerusalem, where-as at Sm .– we read that David captured Jebus, later re-namedJerusalem. Having compared these passages, Theodoret concludes(Q. on Jgs), “I believe the composition of this book [Judges] is tobe dated to a later period [i.e., later than Samuel]. In support, Inote that the narrative refers to this city as ‘Jerusalem’; previously named ‘Jebus,’ it was only later that it received this name.” Only latein his exegetical career is Theodoret willing to acknowledge thecomplex processes that went into the formation of the biblical text.
.
As primary attention to the literal meaning (to; iJstorikovn) istypical of Antiochene biblical commentary even before Diodore,60
Theodoret as Interpreter of the Octateuch
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. Cf. his comment (Q. in Reg.) on the reference to the book of Jashar inSm ., where it is called “the book of Right (tou` eujqou~)”:“This is another indi-cation that the narrative of Kings was composed from many prophetic sources.” Atthe end of Q. . on Joshua (.) he may speak of “the history” ( hJ iJstoriva)rather than “the historian” (oJ suggrafeuv~) precisely to avoid a question of au-thorship.
. F.M. Young (Biblical Exegesis ) discusses (pp. f.) Eustathius’ earlier insis-tence on attending to “the coherence of narrative, both with itself and with the restof scripture”; cf. R.C. Hill, Reading the Old Testament, pp. –.
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there is nothing new in Theodoret’s insistence on searching for andadhering to the facts, especially in this part of the Bible. “[W]eshould adhere to the facts of holy Scripture (th` / th~ qeiva~ grafh~
ajlhqeiva/),”61 he says in response to Q. on Exodus (.), wherehe weighs various interpretations of the parting of the sea. And hisinterpretation of the plagues is straightforwardly literalist. Likewise,as is apparent from his response to Q. about the serpent speakingto Eve, he takes the story of the Fall in Gn as a narrative of histori-cal fact. Though accepting the long-established view that the devilhad adopted the guise of the serpent, he is not prepared to interpret
the account as a theological reflection on the relationship betweenGod and man. Yet, in Q. . on Ex, the commentator reminds hisreaders that those who attend to no more than “the face value of thetext” (gumnw/ ` ......tw/ ` gravmmati) will not arrive at the full meaningof Scripture. There he argues that the Lord’s threat to punish thechildren of idolaters to the fourth generation (Ex .) requires in-terpretation by an inter-textual approach that draws on Ezekiel .
He assures his readers that a text may contain levels of meaning.When asked (Q. on Gn) about the tree of life and the tree of theknowledge of good and evil, he insists that they are real trees, butthat they also signify something further. “According to holy Scrip-ture, they also sprouted from the ground, so they had a nature nodifferent from that of other plants. Just as the tree of the cross was atree and is called ‘saving’ because salvation is accomplished by faithin 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 sinoccurred in connection with it, ‘the tree of the knowledge of goodand evil.’ Adam was set a trial with regard to the latter, whereas thetree of life was proposed as his prize for keeping the commandment.Similarly, the patriarchs bestowed names on places and wells. They called one ‘well of vision,’ not because it granted the faculty of sight,
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. V. C. Schäublin, Untersuchungen, p. : “The appeal to ‘reality,’ ajlhvqeia,constitutes the perhaps definitive element of Antiochene ‘historical’ interpreta-tion.”
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but because the Lord of the universe was seen near it, and another‘well of broad places,’ because the people of Gerar, who had oftenfought over the other wells, did not interfere with those digging this
one. Likewise, there was a ‘well of the oath’ because people used toswear oaths nearby. And the name ‘Bethel’ or ‘House of God’ wasgiven to Luz, because that was where the Creator of the universe ap-peared to Jacob. There was a ‘hill of witness,’ not that the hill wasalive, but because that was where they made treaties with one anoth-er. Likewise baptism is called ‘living water,’ not because the water of baptism has a different nature, but because, through that water, di-
vine grace confers the gift of eternal life.” The interpretation movesfrom the literal to the eschatological, spiritual, and sacramental.62
As he addresses octateuchal material, the commentator requiresthis hermeneutical range so that he may alternately endorse, dis-allow, or re-interpret the institutions and practices of Judaism. Theprescriptions of Leviticus, in particular, call for this flexibility. InQ. Theodoret moves from the priests’ treatment of leprosy pre-scribed in .– to contemporary Church practice regarding pub-lic sinners. “Furthermore, the cup of oil signifies spiritual ointment.The application of the oil to the right ear, hand, and foot suggestsconfining one’s hearing to right words and one’s hand and foot toright actions. The application to the head suggests the dedication of one’s reason. But the person who remained leprous continued todwell outside the camp, just as the sinner who remains unrepentantis expelled from the Church.” This ready transposition sometimes
involves Theodoret in the error of finding an ethical explanation forpractices that were originally pragmatic and hygienic. For example,consider his comment (Q. ) on the law (ch. ) declaring sufferersof gonorrhea unclean: “I have already said that, through the physi-cal, it gives instruction in moral, defects and conveys through the
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. Such hermeneutical breadth is at variance with the adherence shown by,e.g., Theodore to the maxim, received through Diodore and Libanius and tradi-
tionally attributed to Aristarchus, of “clarifying Homer from Homer.” In accor-dance with this, Antiochene interpreters tended to find the full meaning of OTtexts within the OT; v. C. Schäublin (Untersuchungen ), pp. –.
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former the gravity of the latter. If a naturally occurring discharge isunclean, lust must be all the more unlawful. Furthermore, this law teaches us to avoid associating with the immoral, for it pronounces
unclean whoever approaches anyone with gonorrhea.”Both the cultic prescriptions and the heroic feats detailed in the
Octateuch readily lend themselves to typological interpretations, of which even Antiochene commentators take frequent advantage.Christian liturgical practice had doubtless already adopted this way of reading the text. When a questioner asks about the priest’s pre-scription of “two living clean birds and cedar wood and crimson
yarn and hyssop” for the cleansing of a leper (Lv .), Theodoretreplies (Q. ), “They present a type of the saving passion. As onewas sacrificed, while the other was dipped in the blood of the sacri-fice and released, so Christ the Lord was crucified for leprous hu-manity: the flesh undergoing death, the divinity appropriating thesuffering of the humanity. And as the leper emerges glowing andcleansed when sprinkled with the blood of the slain bird mixed withpure water on a branch of cedar with hyssop and crimson yarn, sowhoever believes in Christ the Savior and is purified in the water of most holy baptism casts off the stain of his sins. Now, cedar, an in-corruptible wood, is symbolic of the impassible divinity; the crim-son twine, of the humanity, composed of soul and body; and thehyssop, of the ardor and sweet fragrance of the most Holy Spirit. It isthrough these that the baptized are rid of the leprosy of the soul.”This typological approach is so convenient for a pastoral commen-
tator endeavoring to find the contemporary relevance of ancientIsraelite texts that it can be sustained to the point of allegory. Wemay infer that this could give rise to uneasiness among his readers/listeners, even when the word “allegory” was not used, since Theo-doret feels it necessary to invoke (Q. on Ex) the precedent for hisexegesis supplied by Paul in Cor ., :63 “The old was a type of the
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. In Hom. . in Is. . (in illud, Vidi dominum), Chrysostom reports thatsome in his congregation could not stomach the use of allegory. Citing Is . (“Iwill ascend above the heights of the clouds,” etc.), a passage concerning a monarch
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new, the Law of Moses a shadow, grace the body. As the Egyptianspursued the Hebrews, and, by crossing the Red Sea, the Hebrewswere freed from the harsh domination of the Egyptians, the sea rep-
resents, in typological terms, the baptismal font, the cloud the Spirit,Moses Christ the Savior, the rod the cross, Pharaoh the devil, theEgyptians the demons, the manna the divine nourishment, and thewater from the rock the saving blood.” This is not the sort of allego-ry the Antiochenes attributed to Origen, because Theodoret stillgives predominant attention to the literal sense, which is not sub-sumed into a spiritual interpretation.64 Theodoret again quotes Cor
(v. ) at the opening of his commentary on Joshua. There, pre-senting Moses and Joshua as types of Christ, he cites Gal ., wherePaul had used a participial form (ajllhgorouvmena) related to thenoun “allegory” to describe the exegetical technique by which hedrew a parallel between Hagar and the earthly, and Sarah, and theheavenly, Jerusalem. Paul, Theodoret declares, “wrote this, not todeny the historical facts, but to compare the type to the reality.” 65
He himself rejects that Alexandrian style of allegory in a pejorativereference (Q. on Gn) to the allegorists’ (ajllhgorhtaiv) interpre-tation of the clothing of skins (Gn .) as the human body.66
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hostile to Israel, to show that the devil fell by incurring the sin of pride, he con-cedes, “Those who do not gladly accept allegories will reject our reference.” In-stead, to prove his point, he must cite Tm ., a passage in which Paul explicitly speaks of the devil’s pride; v. J. Dumortier (note above). If in the Quaest. in oct.Theodoret seems to have unusually ready recourse to typology, and even allegory,
it is partly because he is following the lead of his predecessors in this genre; v.Bardy (“La littérature patristique,” RB []), pp. f.. In the prologue to his commentary on the Psalms, Diodore insists on be-
ginning with a factual reading of the text ( hJ iJstoriva) and only then attempting tofind the spiritual meaning ( hJ qewriva); bypassing the former results not in qewrivabut in allegory (ajllhgoriva); cf. R.C. Hill, Diodore of Tarsus, pp. xxiv–xxx . PaulTernant (“La qewriva d’Antioche dans le cadre des sens de l’Écriture,” Bib.
[]) comments (p. ) that by qewriva the Antiochenes understood their ownposition, and by ajllhgoriva that of their Alexandrian opponents.
. V. note to Q. on Jos.
. Theodoret may have known of the position advanced by Origen (Cels..f.) and Didymus (–) that, before its confinement in the material humanbody, the soul had made use of an immaterial, spiritual body; cf. Cor ..
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Nowhere else does he refer specifically to this style of interpretation.Doubtless because of the liturgical practice of his church,
Theodoret often finds christological significance in octateuchal
texts. As we have noted, he believes that the canonicity of Ruth canbe established by the position of this Moabite woman in the geneal-ogy of Christ set out by the Gospel of Matthew. Encouraging hesi-tant Christians to read the Jewish Torah he declares (Q. on Gn),“This race became the object of providential care, since this was thestock from which Christ the Lord, the only-begotten Son of God,was destined to be born according to the flesh.” The ritual of the
scapegoat (ajpopompai'o") and the sacrificed goat, described inLeviticus .–, receives lengthy linguistic and theological clarifi-cation simply because of its perceived christological relevance(Q. . on Lv): “These two animals are also types of Christ theLord, if they are taken, not as referring to two persons, but to twonatures. Since it was impossible for Christ the Lord’s mortality andimmortality to be foreshadowed in one goat (the goat being only mortal), he necessarily ordered that both be offered so that the onesacrificed would prefigure the passibility of the flesh, and the one setfree would manifest the impassibility of the divinity.” 67
.
Perhaps because of the nature of the material, perhaps also be-
cause Theodoret seems to draw his knowledge of his predecessors’work, even that of the Alexandrians, from Diodore, the questions donot adopt a predominantly theological focus. Readers familiar withTheodoret’s commentaries on Isaiah, Song of Songs, and Psalmswill be struck by the different accent of this late work. Nonetheless,as we have seen, Theodoret frequently highlights the figure of Jesus,especially through typology.
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. V. note to Q. on Lv.
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In this work, as in others,68 his christological expressions are notalways entirely felicitous. For example, in the questions on Joshua,Theodoret draws many typological parallels between the two per-
sonages, old and new, bearing the name jIhsou'". So he declaresthat, as after the death of Moses, Joshua had led the Israelites intothe promised land, Christ, “our Joshua,” after the end of the Law,opened the Kingdom of Heaven to his holy people ( pf. Q . on Jos).69
But when asked (Q. on Nm) why Moses called Hosea “Joshua”when he sent him out as a spy (Nm ., ), Theodoret responds ina way that gives a less than adequate expression of the Incarnation:
“Because he was a type of the true Joshua, who, to secure our salva-tion, imitated the disguise of the spies. As spies adopt the dress andlanguage of the nations on which they are spying, so God the Wordclad himself in human nature and adopted human language to se-cure our salvation.”70
In this work he makes no consistent attempt to turn the Torahinto a Christian text or to hunt for traces of Christian dogma. Rarely does he detect a suggestion of trinitarian terminology. The pluralverb in Gn . (“Let us make the human being in our image andlikeness”) though actually no more than a royal plural or reflectiveof the plural form of the Hebrew word for God (’elohim) offers thecommentator just such a suggestion (Q. . on Gn): “But in a few cases, he uses plural forms to bring out the distinction of number of the persons of the Trinity (twn th~ triavdo~ proswvpwn ejmfaivnwnto;n ajriqmovn). When he confused the languages, he did not say in
the singular, ‘I shall go down and confuse the languages,’ but ‘Come,let us go down and confuse their languages.’” 71 Similarly, Theodoretfinds (Q. on Dt) a trinitarian reference in Dt ., a text for which
Theological Issues in the Questions
xlvii
. V. R.C. Hill, Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Song, pp. f.. V. also Qq. f.. Theodoret was not aware that the Hebrew name has variants Yehoshua,
Yeshua, and Hoshea; it appears in Greek as ∆Ihsou'".
. E. Speiser (on Gn .) translates the jussive in v. with “Let me go down”;he remarks that “if it were not for the singular in vs. ,” the plural form in this verse“could also be interpreted as an allusion to Yahweh’s celestial staff.”
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the NRSV offers four possible versions, and which the LXX rendersas “Listen, Israel, our God is the Lord; the Lord is one.” 72 He de-clares, “I have often remarked that the terms ‘Lord’ and ‘God’ refer
to the divine nature, not to the distinction in persons, whereas ‘Fa-ther,’ ‘Son,’ and ‘Holy Spirit’ refer to the individual persons (to;o[noma to; Kuv rio~ kai; Qeo;~, th~ qeiva~ fuvsew~, ouj th`~ twnproswvpwn diairevsew~ dhlwtikav, o J de; pathv r, kai; oJ uiJov~, kai;to; a{gion pneu` ma twn ijdiothvtwn shmantikav). But the precisedoctrine of God could not be presented to the Jews, who, imperfectas they were, would have found it a pretext for polytheism. Hence,
in the Old Testament, the divine name is expressed in the singularbut contains obscure hints of the Trinity. The verse, ‘Your God is theLord; the Lord is one,’ as well as conveying the unity of being, alsoindicates the number of persons. Note that he used ‘God’ once and‘Lord’ twice.” While the commentator modestly concedes that thetext offers only dark hints (aijnivgmata) of trinitarian teaching, thefinal mathematical calculation will strike a modern reader as per-versely contrived.
The angels seem to constitute a particular preoccupation of Theodoret’s questioner. Three of the first four questions evince con-cerns that must have arisen among Christians due to the silence of Genesis on the creation of the angels. Theodoret has elsewhere ac-knowledged this high degree of contemporary interest and devotionwhile at the same time reporting the efforts of local Church councilsto limit its liturgical expression.73 Here, too, he moves in both direc-
tions. He seems to discourage what is of marginal importance (Q.
on Gn): “I regard this sort of question as over-curious; after all,what benefit could accrue from a knowledge of the exact moment of the creation of the angels?”Yet he also takes the issue seriously (Q.
on Gn): “I feel it is superfluous to go on at length about them; allthe inspired Scripture is full of this doctrine.” In Q. on Nm, dis-
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. [Akoue ∆Israh;l: kuvrio~ oJ Qeo;~ hJmwn kuvrio~ ei|~ ejsti. Theodoret,however, reads “your (sou) God,” rather than “our ( hJmwn) God.”
. V . Theodoret’s commentary on Colossians (on .).
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pensing with further discussion, he simply reports that “some com-mentators” had identified Balaam’s angel (.–) as Michael, butin Q. . on Dt, he goes to some length to account for the reference
to “God’s angels” (. LXX) at the close of Moses’ song.In the Questions on Genesis this Antiochene commentator always
speaks of the fall of Adam and Eve in quite positive terms. Several fo-cus on the narrative of ch. , some on details regarding the serpent(Qq. f., f.), other quite searching ones on the crime and the jus-tice of the punishment (Qq. f.), but none on the question that pre-occupies western moralists: the transmission of the sin to succeeding
generations. Was it fair of God to offer Adam his blessings if thesewere to be forfeited (Q. )? Yes, Theodoret replies: “though fore-knowing the fall, he made him share in his blessings........[H]is inten-tion was that Adam should experience the divine gifts, so that, whendeprived of them, he would hate sin for stripping him of such won-derful blessings.” Were human beings punished in anger (Q. )? Notat all. When considered within the whole of God’s providential dis-pensation, the Fall proved to be a fortunate lapse, a felix culpa, re-grettable but with positive consequences. “Thus the punishment isnot the result of anger, but part of a divine plan of the greatest wis-dom (oijkonomiva sofiva~ megivsth~). So that the human racewould hate sin as the cause of death, after the transgression of thecommandment, God, in his great wisdom, passed the sentence of death and in this way both ensured their hatred of sin and providedthe race with the remedy of salvation, which, through the Incarna-
tion of the Only-begotten, achieves the resurrection of the dead andimmortality.” With typical eastern optimism Theodoret concludes(Q. ), “Indeed, death is healing, not punishment.”
As is to be expected of one who shares the spiritual world-view of Antioch—scriptural, christological, and soteriological—Theodoretis occasionally ambiguous about the relationship between divinegrace and human effort in the process of individual salvation. Al-
though at the beginning of this commentary, after mentioning hisown effort, he piously declares his reliance on God, he sometimes
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make statements that give priority to human effort. Commentingallegorically on the priest’s offering of both the right thigh andbreast of the ram in Ex ., he explains (Q. ), “faith does not suf-
fice for salvation but requires works for perfection.” Accent fallsconstantly on free will and moral accountability. God cannot beshown overriding the former; the latter must be upheld, even in de-fiance of the biblical text. Whether it be Pharaoh opposing the Exo-dus or the nations presuming to challenge the invading Israelitesand thus meeting with extinction, the hardening of their hearts isattributed to the malice of those punished, a malice that God per-
mits but does not cause. “God is responsible for good, not for evil.He indicates what we should do, turns us away from sin, does notforce our choices but yields to our free will. Since God permits sinand, though he might, refuses to prevent it to avoid compelling any act by overwhelming force (for it is the voluntary aspect of virtuousaction that is praiseworthy), Moses spoke of God’s permission as re-sponsibility” (Q. . on Dt).
. ’
Taking on this task at the request of his coadjutor Hypatius at atime of failing health, Theodoret is conscious that he is reaching theend of his exegetical career. As he indicates in Q. . on Leviticus, hehas already completed “expositions of the Old Testament prophets
and.......commentaries on the epistles of the apostle.” One does not,however, sense grudging effort and enforced brevity, as though theQuestions were not a labor of love like his other commentaries; heseems pleased to be nearing completion of his exegesis of well-nighthe whole of Scripture. And we are doubly pleased that the text isfully extant. Although the choice of genre rules out verse-by-versecomment, Theodoret has generally avoided the concomitant risks of
omitting passages of major significance and settling for the sensa-tional. Thankfully, his fictitious questioner has an eagle eye for even
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minor discrepancies. Theodoret’s approach still evinces typically Antiochene precision, and, as ever, he tries to provide all informa-tion necessary for his reader’s understanding of the text. He always
seeks to achieve clarity and conciseness.Though we are not surprised that Theodoret’s conclusions do
not always agree with those of his modern counterparts, we findthroughout comments of great acuity. Convinced that the transla-tion produced by the Seventy enjoyed the inspiration of the Spirit,74
he is no more ready than his peers to submit it to searching criti-cism. And, like his predecessors, he is unfamiliar with Hebrew. On
the other hand, from the beginning, he acknowledges that Genesis isa theological reflection as well as a factual narrative and devotesquestions f. to the meaning of the key idea of “image and likeness”in the creation of man. He catches the significance of the sabbaticalclimax to chapter even if he fails to note the significant differencesin the second account of creation immediately following this cli-max.75 He grasps the basic message of Deuteronomy and recognizesthat the author of Joshua used an earlier source. Yet it is only inJoshua that he comes to acknowledge layers in a composite text;nowhere else does he realize that discrepancies of fact within a book or a chapter may reflect diversity of authorship. Though there aretraces of literalism in his hermeneutic, he is also ready to admit thatan adequate interpretation must sometimes go beyond the meresurface of the text; he prefers to interpret many passages eschatolog-ically, christologically, spiritually, and/or sacramentally. He fre-
quently has recourse to typology, less often to allegory. The ethical
Theodoret’s Achievement in the Questions
li
. Like his predecessors and contemporaries, Theodoret fully accepts the ac-count of the origins of the LXX contained in the Letter of Aristeas. In the preface tohis commentary on the Psalms (PG, vol. , col. ), he argues that, since thetranslators enjoyed divine inspiration, the titles of the psalms must be accordedthe same respect as the poetic text. This represents a tacit rejection of the positionof Diodore, who had argued (Comm. in ps., prol.) that the titles were composed,not by the inspired authors, but by post-exilic compilers who assembled the dis-
persed psalms into one collection and excogitated the titles from an often erro-neous conception of the meaning of the poems.. V. note above.
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tone of his work is typically Antiochene: the Fall, though real, is sus-ceptible of positive assessment, and free will cannot be supersededeven by the Almighty.
Though a work of his decline, the Questions on the Octateuch merit the praise that Photius in the ninth century conferred onTheodoret’s biblical commentaries: “On the whole, he reached thetop level of exegetes, and it would not be easy to find anyone betterat elucidating obscure points.”76 The reader will turn eagerly to hisnext and final exegetical work, The Questions on Kingdoms and Chronicles, which begin with a like promise to make clear whatever
requires elucidation.
. , ,
’
[. . .]
Our modern English versions of the Octateuch depend on therelatively late Masoretic Hebrew text.77 As Theodoret read a Greek version current in Antioch that differed from other forms of theLXX and was translated from a Hebrew original in many respectsdifferent from the MT,78 neither the NRSV nor any other Englishversion, nor even the Greek texts read by other patristic commenta-tors will correspond completely with the Bible that lay beforeTheodoret as he composed his Questions. When translating biblicalpassages, the primary concern has been to determine their meaning
to Theodoret, interpreter of the Antiochene LXX, rather than to re-produce our current understanding of the Hebrew original. Unless
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. Bibl., cod. . Photius proceeds (cod. ) to remark on the Questions: “Ihad an opportunity to read the explanation of the Octateuch by this same authorof blessed memory; bearing a title appropriate to the work, it is called ‘On ques-tions regarding Scripture’ (Eij~ ta; a [pora.......th~ Grafh~). It contains com-ments also on the books of Samuel-Chronicles. This is an extremely useful work.”
. For a brief note on the Masoretic text, v. K.G. O’Connell, “Hebrew Text of the Old Testament,” pp. f.. V. sec. above.
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otherwise acknowledged, English renditions of biblical passages inthe text and notes are those of the translator.
It is often difficult to determine whether Theodoret is quoting,
paraphrasing, or simply alluding to the sacred text. In addition to thequestions arising from the differences between his Greek Bible andmore widely circulating recensions, there are those resulting fromthe exigencies of Greek grammar, which would sometimes forceTheodoret to change the inflections of individual words in thecourse of a discussion. We define a quotation of the OT as a verbalcorrespondence with the Göttingen Septuagint, where this is avail-
able, or with Rahlfs’ edition of for those books still unpublishedby the Göttingen Academy, and a quotation of the NT as a verbalcorrespondence with the fourth edition of The Greek New Testament,edited by B. Aland et al.79 Where Theodoret’s text presents variantsthat consist of nothing more than differences of case endings, alteredword order, the substitution of a close synonym for a word found, orthe addition of a word or brief phrase not found in these editions, wehave had to decide whether we thought he was quoting his Antioch-ene text or adjusting the wording to the context of his discussion.Where the former has seemed at least likely, we have adopted the ital-ics of quotation, elsewhere, the ordinary roman font. Throughout weuse points of suspension to note the absence of material appearing inour authorities. Of course, we do not pretend to know whetherTheodoret is abbreviating his own biblical text or quoting it in full.
To the extent possible, we cite Theodoret’s biblical references ac-
cording to the chapter and verse of the NRSV. Yet in cases where hisrecension seems to have diverged markedly from () the MT and ()more widespread forms of the LXX we follow the chapter and versedivisions of the LXX, rather than those of the NRSV . The parenthet-ical abbreviation “(LXX)” indicates that a verse or a portion of thatverse is found in the Greek but not in the Hebrew,80 the abbreviation
Theodoret’s Quotations of Scripture
liii
. V. the section of the Bibliography entitled “Bible: Ancient Texts, Versions,Concordance, and Catenae.”. We do not use this abbreviation to point out substantial differences of
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“(LXX var.)” that the variation of Theodoret’s text from that of ourauthorities for the LXX is quite substantial: either his text contains asignificant word or phrase not in our standard version or presents a
wording so different as to render the quotation difficult to recog-nize.81 In the latter case, the reader may wish to consult the appara-tus criticus of the Göttingen LXX for more information on the wit-nesses with whom Theodoret’s text agrees against other recensions.We have used the abbreviation “(LXX var.)” also to mark a very few passages where Theodoret offers a form of words that more closely follows the MT than the LXX, even though the Göttingen editors
have not taken these into their apparatus criticus.82
The same princi-ples govern the very rare deployment of the abbreviation “(NTvar.),” where Theodoret presents a text substantially different fromthat of our authority.
The reader will frequently encounter in the English translationparaphrases of scriptural passages set off by quotation marks; asthese are not direct quotations, the corresponding Greek has notbeen italicized.83 This punctuation is meant to bring out an impor-tant rhetorical device, by which, to impress a word of command orexhortation more vividly on the imagination of his audience, Theo-doret restates a direct address in what he regards as a more straight-forward and forcible manner. In some cases he makes changes of
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meaning between the MT and the LXX. V., e.g., Jgs ., where the MT reports thatAchsah urged Othniel to ask Caleb for a field, and the LXX has the husband urgethe wife to put the request. As the LXX does not add material not to be found inthe MT, we do not mark this reference with “LXX.” There are, as well, in the Index scripturisticus a few cases where we use “LXX” simply to indicate that an explana-tory note quotes and discusses the Greek translation of a verse.
. In the Qq. on Jgs, we use the abbreviation (LXX B ) to mark quotationswhose wording agrees with that of the codex vaticanus in a significant departurefrom that of the codex alexandrinus; cf. sec. above.
. V. e.g., the discussion of his version of Jos . in note to Q. on Jos.. In the Greek text, italics mark () direct quotation of Scripture and
() words or phrases that Theodoret wishes to highlight, and which may or may not be drawn from Scripture. For an example of the latter usage, v. Q. . on Gn:ÔO de; provtero" oujrano;" oujk ejklhvqh sterevwma, ajllæ ouj rano;" ejx ajrch'"wjnomavsqh.
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subject (e.g., from “the Lord” to “I”) and inserts pronominal adjec-tives (e.g. “my” or “your”) to intensify the dramatic effect. For agood example, compare the quotation and the subsequent para-
phrase of Jgs .– in Q. . on Jgs.We have tried to make our documentation as full as possible. To
help the reader draw detailed comparisons between scriptural textand commentary, we have indicated numerous references in addi-tion to the direct quotations. Thus, for the Questions on Genesis alone our apparatus of ancient sources counts some more cita-tions than those noted by our most recent predecessors, and the vast
majority of these are references.We have not, however, attempted to list cross-references. Thus,where we believe that Theodoret is directing the reader to a NT pas-sage that cites a Hebrew prophet, we cite only the former. Likewise,we do not cite the parallel passages for Gospel pericopes. Thus a ref-erence to Mt .f. should not be interpreted to mean that Theodo-ret must be referring to Matthew’s, rather than Mark’s or Luke’s, ac-count of the quelling of the storm.
Finally, we have regularly adapted proper nouns to the formsused in the NRSV. This was not possible in Q. on Gn, whereTheodoret offers a Greek transliteration of Joseph’s Egyptian namethat does not correspond with the Hebrew transliteration of theMT. Otherwise, all names will appear in the form most familiar tospeakers of English.
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INTRODUCTION
TO THE GREEK TEXT
J. F. P.
.
The present edition of Theodoret’s Quaest. in oct. is only the fifthsince the invention of movable type. The editio princeps appeared in, the first more-or-less complete edition in , and the firstfully critical edition in . Our own editio minor improves uponthis last.
A. The Editio princeps The complete text of the Quaest. became available in print in
several steps. The first was the editio princeps of the French scholarJ. Picot (Ioannes Picus).1 In a note to the reader dated February ,, Picot explained that he had made use of a single very defectivemanuscript, whose purveyor he vaguely named as Asulanus Venetus (Cum huius operis vnicum.......exemplar Graecum ab Asulano Veneto
nactus essem).2 As F. Petit has shown, this manuscript must have
lvii
. Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos incorrectly refer to him (p. xxvii) asPic. F. Petit reports (Catenae, vol. , p. xli, note ) that she found a notice regard-ing Picot in J.P. Nicéron, Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire des hommes illustres dans la république des lettres. This mentions that he was a priest who employed his freetime in producing Latin and French translations of Greek patristic texts and listsnine titles, including other editions, that appeared between and , the yearof his death. I have not been able to verify this information from the volumes of Nicéron’s work dated and the single supplementary volume from that areavailable at the Library of Congress.
. Sirmond (v. sec. C below) reproduces Picot’s remarks on the fourteenth un-numbered page following the frontispiece.
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been brought to Paris by Giovanni Francesco d’Asola, the brother-in-law of the great Venetian printer of classical texts, Aldus Manu-tius. D’Asola’s manuscript, probably purchased with numerous oth-
er Greek and Latin codices by the royal library at Fontainebleau in, has not been recognized in any extant book.3 If, as seems likely,it was used as printer’s copy, it may well have been destroyed in theprocess of producing the printed edition. Nonetheless, in a piece of excellent philological detective work, Petit has been able to provethat the asulanus must have been a descendent of two other manu-scripts, both still extant. For Qq. – on Gn, it must have repro-
duced the tradition preserved in Madrid, Bibl. Nac. (th c.),and for the rest of the Qq. on Gn through Q. on Jgs, that pre-served in Vat., gr. (th c. = c ). Thus, the asulanus was a late andderivative witness to the text.4
Worse, it was incomplete in two ways. For most of its text an apo-graph of the defective c, and itself perhaps only a mangled copy of that, it lacked the general preface, Q. on Gn, part of Q. on Jgs, allof Qq. – on Jgs, and the two questions on Ruth.5 Second, thisbranch of the tradition contains a recension of the Qq. on Gn –
that is characterized by frequent abbreviation of the text.6 Picot wasable to restore the answer to the first Q. on Gn and the missing partof the twentieth on Jgs by reference to another royal manuscriptcontaining a Greek exegetical chain.7 He must have suspected that,even so, the work remained incomplete, because he noted that,
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. V. Petit, Catenae, vol. , p. xlii, note . Thus asulanus venetus was Picot’sidentification of the man who brought the manuscript to Fontainebleau, not hisdenomination of the manuscript itself, as Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillosimply (p. xxvii): [Picus] “alude al ‘asulano veneto,’ no conocido, del que saca el tex-to.” Nonetheless, I shall follow these editors and Petit (e.g., the stemma, p. li), inapplying this convenient label to Picot’s manuscript.
. Petit, Catenae, vol. , pp. xli–xlv, xlviiif., li, liii.. Ibid., pp. xxxiii–xxxvii.. v. Petit, Catenae, vol. , pp. xxxi, lviii, note , and xcviiif.
. Picot drew his supplements from the present Paris, Bibl. Nat. gr. –, inwhich Theodoret’s first question has been replaced by a citation of Gn .; v. ib., pp.xlii–xlv.
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though entitled Questions on the Octateuch, in its present form, it of-fered comment only on the first seven books of the Old Testament.
Though shorter than it should have been, Picot’s edition also con-
tained interpolated passages belonging to fathers other than Theo-doret. These, twelve in all, entered the tradition at a point earlier thanthe copying of the asulanus, whose scribe would have found them al-ready intercalated among the Questions on Gn and unprovided withany indication of authorship or provenance.8 The reader can find al-most all of these in the eighteenth-century edition of J.L. Schulze,reprinted in vol. of the PG.9
In addition to editing the Greek text, Picot produced a Latintranslation for Qq. Gn –Jgs . Petit reports that, though bound to-gether in the copy belonging to the Bibliothèque Nationale, text andtranslation each have a separate title page and pagination, an indica-tion that they were meant to be published separately. Both, however,bear the same date and issue from the same press, that of Jacques duPuys (Iacobi Puteani).10 Though Picot reported that he had seen aLatin translation of questions on later historical books (in libros Regum), his own was the earliest printed translation of the Quaest.in oct. and the sole translation available for most of that work untilthe publication of the present edition.11
B. Supplements to Picot’s Text:Gentien Hervet and David Hoeschel
The publication of those portions not printed by Picot would
not be complete for the better part of a century. Almost fourteen years after the appearance of Picot’s edition, Gentien Hervet (Gen-tianus Hervetus) published a Latin translation of the missing sec-tions of Jgs and Ruth. In a note to the reader dated December ,
Hervet and Hoeschel
lix
. Ibid., pp. xxxv, xliii.. In Schulze’s the edition, the first stands between Qq. and and the last be-
tween Qq. and on Gn.. Catenae, vol. , p. xli.. His translation was somewhat revised by Schulze; v. sec. D below.
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, Hervet, then Canon of Rheims, recounts that while in atten-dance on Cardinal Charles of Lorraine at the Council of Trent(), he was offered the opportunity to purchase a Greek manu-
script containing Anastasius Sinaita’s work on the Hexaemeron andTheodoret’s Quaestiones.12 Upon examining the volume, he realizedthat it contained questions on the Octateuch not known to Picot aswell as the Questions on Sm through Chr. In hopes of performinga service to the scholarly world, he purchased the volume from hismeager personal funds and translated the missing Q. on Jgsthrough Ruth and the Questions on Kings and Chronicles as well.13
Hervet never printed a Greek text for these materials. The editio princeps of most, though not all, of the missing Quaest. in oct. wasprovided by David Hoeschel (Hoeschelius) of Augsburg in his edi-tion of Photius’s Bibliotheca .14 There, he supplied Qq. , , andabout two thirds of Q. on Jgs., and Q. on Ruth. W. Gerhäuser, acolleague of A. Rahlfs, identified Hoeschel’s source as the sixteenth-century manuscript Munich gr. ( ) whose lacunas correspondprecisely with the limits of these partial supplements.15
Introduction to the Greek Text
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. For an account of Hervet (–), v. M. Ott, “Hervetus, Gentian,” The Catholic Encyclopedia,” vol. : Greg.–Infal. (New York ), p. . In his prefatory material, Sirmond (v. sec. C below) provides (v. the fourteenth unnumbered pagefollowing the frontispiece), as if in a complete and faithful transcript, a copy of thenote attached by Hervetus to his translation of the Questions on Kings and Chroni-cles. But this is actually a summary; a more complete and apparently accurate tran-script appears in Beati Theodoreti episcopi cyrensis theologi vetustissimi, Opera om-nia quae ad hunc diem latine versa sparsim extiterunt (Cologne ), vol. ,pp. f.
. Hervet did not retranslate the material already dealt with by Picot. Latereditions offering a Latin translation simply combine the work of Picot and Hervet.. At the Library of Congress I had access to Hoeschel’s edition only as aug-
mented with Latin translation and additional notes by Andreas Schottus of An-twerp: Photii Myriobiblon, sive Bibliotheca librorum quos Photius Patriarcha con-stantinopolitanus legit et censuit, graece edidit Dauid Hoeschelius augustanus, et notis illustrauit. Latine uero reddidit et scholiis auxit Andreas Schottus antuerpianus (Oliua Pauli Stephani ). Hoeschel’s supplements to the Greek text of Picot areon pp. – of the “Notae D. H. ad Biblioth. Photii” = Ccccr–v. His original edi-tion of Photius was published in Augsburg in ; v. Fernández Marcos and
Sáenz-Badillos, p. xxvii.. Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos are at the least misleading when they state (p. xxvii) that Hoeschel “completaría la parte que faltaba en la edición de [Pi-
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C. Jacques Sirmond’s Edition of
It was not until that a more-or-less complete edition of
Quaest. in oct. was finally published. This was the work of J. Sirmond,the Jesuit patristic scholar and confessor of Louis XIII. Sirmond hadat his disposal a manuscript he described only as a complete and“outstanding witness of great age” (exemplar .......optimum uetustissi-mumque ). This provided him with the general preface, the correctform of the question to Q. on Gn, and a full Greek text of all theQq. that Hervet and Hoeschel had brought to light.16 Thus he was
able to print the editio princeps of the beginning (the general prefaceand the question of the first Q.) and the end of the work (Qq. –
on Jgs, the last third of Q. , Q. , and Q. on Ruth). Equally im-portant, Sirmond’s witness contained the longer recension of the en-tire work rather than the shortened form characteristic of the family from which the early part of Picot’s asulanus was derived.17 Rahlfshad identified this manuscript, received in the royal library some-
Sirmond
lxi
cot] algunos años más tarde” and that his edition “recoge las Quaest. desde la in Ju hasta el final de Rut tal como se encontraban en los ff. v–v del ms. Mu-nich, Bay. Staatsbibliothek Gr. .” For Gerhäuser’s identification of Hoeschel’ssource, v. Rahlfs, Verzeichnis, pp. and , note . His conclusion is open to somedoubt. In a comparison of the readings and omissions reported for in the ap. crit.of Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos with the text printed by Hoeschel, I notedthe following discrepancies: l. , p. ejkdihthmevnw~ : ejkdiaitwmevnw~Hoesch. | l. , p. toi~ : th~ Hoesch. | l. , p. me;n ga;r Qavmar kai; hJÔRaa;b hJ dev : me;n Qavmar kai; hJ ÔRaa;b kai; hJ ∆Rou;q ajllov fuloi. canaanaiai
ga;r hJ Qavmar kai; hJ ÔRaavb: hJ dev Hoesch. The last of these is very striking, yet it isequally striking that at ll. –, p. , only and Hoeschel’s text agree in omittingkai; th;n–kai; trivth~. If the reports of the Madrid edition are entirely correct, it ispossible that Hoeschel worked from either a brother of or an apograph that car-ried the longer version of l. , p. in a marginal addition. Or perhaps he supple-mented the witness of with that of some second manuscript. At l. , p. , wherethe Spanish editors print soi, Hoeschel prints sou with the notation “al. toi.”
. As Petit points out (Catenae, vol. , p. lviii, note ), Sirmond never men-tions, and was probably unacquainted with, Hoeschel’s edition of the missingquestions on Jgs and Ruth.
. Sirmond declares that he has been able to use a manuscript that providednot only the preface and the questions missing at the end of Picot’s edition sed et alia passim multa pleniora vulgatis vel emendatiora; v. Petit, Catenae, vol. , p. lviii.
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time between and , with the present Paris, Bibl. Nat. gr.
( ).18 But, noting that differs from Sirmond’s edition in contents,readings, and the numeration of the questions, Fernández Marcos
has proven that it could not have served as his exemplar.19
In addition to filling in the lacunae of Picot’s edition, Sirmondwas able to distinguish between the text of Theodoret and the twelveadventitious quotations of other fathers that had entered the Qq. onGn through the line represented by the asulanus. He retained almostall of these twelve texts, but, with the aid of information drawn fromexegetical chains, succeeded in providing the correct attribution for
most. In a few cases, he made attributions that have seemed plausi-ble, if not provable, and which may have reposed on nothing but hishistorical and stylistic sense.20
Sirmond’s text of the Quaest. in oct. appears in the first of thefour volumes of his complete edition of the works of Theodoret.Some forty years after the publication of the complete edition, an-other Jesuit patristic scholar, Jean Garnier (Joannes Garnerius) pub-lished a volume known as the Auctarium.21 Intended as a supple-ment to Sirmond’s Theodoreti episcopi Cyri Opera omnia, it contains
Introduction to the Greek Text
lxii
. V. Rahlfs, Verzeichnis, pp. and , note .. In their edition, Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos had accepted (p. xix)
Rahlfs’ identification. For Fernández Marcos’ negative conclusion, v. “La edición,”p. , and cf. Petit, Catenae, vol. , p. lvi.
. For more information on passages drawn from fathers other thanTheodoret that Sirmond retained, dropped, or added, v. Petit, Catenae, vol. , pp.lviii–lxiv. On the general reliability of Sirmond’s judgments, she remarks (p. lxv),“Les attributions précisées par Sirmond résistent donc fort bien à la critique. Sitoutes ne sont pas également garanties, il est remarquable qu’aucune n’est con-trouvée.” Given Sirmond’s diligence in distinguishing these passages from theQuestions of Theodoret, it is surprising that Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillosaver (p. xxvii) that, as a consequence of his choice of manuscript, “durante siglos seatribuirían a Teodoreto comentarios que no son suyos”; cf. the similarly mistakencriticism in Fernández Marcos, “La edición,” p. .
. Auctarium Theodoreti cyrensis episcopi (Paris ); for the title and theplace and date of publication, v. E.-H. Vollet, “Garnier (Jean),” La Grande Ency-clopédie (Paris –), vol. : “Franco-Gonon,” pp. f. I have seen only thereprint in the PG. Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos speak (p. xxvii) inaccu-rately of “P. Garrier.”
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texts, some correctly others wrongly, attributed to Theodoret, alongwith critical essays on his works and doctrine. None of Garnier’s ad-ditions to the text of Theodoret pertain to the Quaest. in oct.
D. Johann Ludwig Schulze’s edition of
In the accuracy and completeness of the Greek text, the subse-quent edition of our work by the German Protestant scholar J.L.Schulze (–) represented only a slight improvement over thatof Sirmond.22 Indeed, in his preface to the reader, Schulze confessedthat he wished his own edition of Theodoret to be as close as possi-
ble to that of his predecessor.23
Yet to check and supplement what hefound in Sirmond’s text of the Quaest. in oct., Schulze was able todraw on a sixteenth-century manuscript, the present Munich, Bayer.Staatsbibl., Cod. gr. ( ), then part of the collection belonging tothe city of Augsburg.24 From this he excerpted variant readings,which he usually recorded at the bottom of the page, but a review of even the very limited critical notes of the present editio minor willshow that he sometimes preferred readings of this manuscript tothose adopted by Sirmond.25 Perhaps the most notable result of his
Schulze
lxiii
. Schulze’s edition of Theodoret is reprinted in PG, voll. –; vol. con-tains the Quaest. in oct.
. Ordinem librorum eumdem tenuimus, quem olim secutus est Jac. Sirmondus,cujus editioni nostram esse cupimus quam simillimam; vol. , coll. f.
. Schulze was much mistaken as to the age of this manuscript, which he de-scribed (ib., coll. f.) as chartaceus, sæculo xi, ut videtur, scriptus in fol. He cited it
as cod. augustanus or simply cod. As Petit shows (Catenae, vol.
, pp. xxxviif.,xlviii–liii) this manuscript draws its text of Qq. – on Gn from the still extantMadrid, Bibl. Nac. (th c.) and that of the remainder of the Qq. on Gnthrough Q. on Jgs from the still extant Vat. gr. (th c.). As is both the fa-ther (for Qq. – on Gn) and brother (for the remainder of the Qq. on Gnthrough Q. on Jgs) of Picot’s asulanus (v. Petit, Catenae, vol. , pp. xliif., li–liii),Schulze must have noted that it sometimes agreed with Picot’s edition against thatof Sirmond. If he ever paused to consider the relationship of his codex augustanus to Picot’s asulanus, his mistaken notion as to the age of the former may have en-couraged him to regard the two as independent witnesses.
. V., e.g., my critical notes for Gn and ; Lv ; Dt (hJ mw` n .......uJ ma` ~ ) and; and Jos . In Qq. , , and on Gn he also corrected Sirmond’s nonsensicalka/ [n to kajn; v. note below. Furthermore, Schulze implies (PG, vol. , coll. f.)
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consultation of was the admission of a brief question not includ-ed by either Picot or Sirmond.26 Thus, in his edition of the Quaest.in oct., Schulze did not, as has been repeatedly stated, merely re-
print the Greek text of Sirmond.27
Schulze retained in his text, and with Sirmond’s attributions, theadventitious passages derived from the tradition of Picot’s asulanus.Indeed, following manuscript , Schulze reinstated a couple of ex-cerpts ejected by the Jesuit editor. As he also retained another addedby Sirmond, his edition provides convenient access to a goodly stock of comments by patristic exegetes prior to Theodoret on some im-
portant passages of Genesis.28
In addition, Schulze combed the recently published Catena Nike- phori (–) for passages of Theodoret unknown to his predeces-sors. This very rare work was then and remains today the only com-plete Greek chain on the Octateuch available in a printed text.29 For
Introduction to the Greek Text
lxiv
that he compared the readings of Hoeschel’s and Sirmond’s texts in Jgs f. and ,and Ruth .
. This is # on Gn in the edition of Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos.V. PG, vol. , col. and note . Schulze was able to correct the very inaccuratetext of this question offered in by reference to the Catena Nikephori, which weshall discuss below.
. For the identification of Schulze’s text with that of Sirmond, v. e.g., De-vreesse (Chaînes, col. ): “le texte est celui de l’édition de Sirmond parue en, auquel on a ajouté des notes et des variantes”; Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos (p. xxvii): “Schulze reproduce el texto de Sirmond, recogiendo a pie depágina variantes”; P. Nautin (in his review of the edition of Fernández Marcos andSáenz-Badillos REG [], p. ): “l’édition de Schulze.......reprend simple-
ment le texte de Sirmond.”. V. Petit, Catenae, vol. , p. lviii, notes – and p. lxi. The passages of Gnfor which Schulze presents comments of authors other than Theodoret include: .(“darkness covered the face of the deep”); . (“Let us make humankind in ourimage”); . (“and let them have dominion”); . (“and he rested on the seventhday”); .– (“no plant of the field was yet in the earth.......and there was no one totill the ground”); . (“the Lord God planted a garden in Eden”); .f. (“they sewedfig leaves together ........They heard the sound of the Lord God walking”); .f.(the tunics of skin); . (the Cherubim guarding Paradise with flaming sword);. (“Ham was the father of Canaan”).
. Petit (Catenae, vol. , p. xxx.) describes this work (CPG #C) as “La seulechaîne grecque imprimée”; v. also “La Chaîne,” vol. , pp. xxxivf. As it was pub-lished in Leipzig, Schulze refers to it as the catena lipsiensis.
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the first two books, it relies solely on the eleventh-century Athens,∆Eqn. Bibl. , which Petit describes as one of the worse representa-tives of a later interpolated strand of the catena for Gn and Ex and
“particulièrement défectueux en ce qui regarde les lemmes.” Sheconcludes that the Catena Nikephori is of no value for the scientificstudy of the chains.30 From this source, Schulze excerpted nine siz-able passages, eight relative to Gn and one to Ex, which he printed innotes that have been reproduced at the bottom of the pages of vol. of the PG.31 In her editions of the chains on Genesis and Exodus,Petit has now published all this material with attributions to
Theodoret’s Antiochene predecessors.32
Clearly, Schulze was too
Schulze
lxv
. Catenae graecae, vol. , pp. xxxf.. As the Catena Nikephori was published after the appearance of his first
volume containing the Quaest. in oct., Schulze included his excerpts in an appendix to the fifth volume, published in . In his reissue of Schulze’s edition, Migneinserted these as notes below the relevant section of text; v. PG, vol. , note a tocoll. f. The first two (∆Allæ oujk ejpi; touto....... e{pesqai de; ejkeivnhn and [Eqo~toi~ ajpatwmevnoi~.......givnetai ejpivgnwsi~) appeared in the Catena Nikephori between Qq. and on Gn; the third (Poiav eijsi ta; eJpta....... ejn pavsh/ th/ ` gh/ )
between Qq.
and
; the fourth (Kai; e[zhse QarjrJa
....... eij~ th;n CavrjrJan
ejxh/ v esan) between Qq. and ; the fifth and sixth (∆Edhlounto me;n....... uJposcevsei~ and Peri; de; hJlivou.......legomevnwn ajkrovasin) at the end of Q.
(Schulze) = (Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos); the seventh and eighth( Diativ ouj c....... eujlogiva~ e[ti and ÔO Suvro~....... eujwdestavtwn) between Qq.
and (Schulze) = and (Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos); and the ninth(∆Epeidh; i[ cnh....... ei[ h a]n ajmpwtismov~) at the end of the answer to Q. on Ex.
. Schulze’s first excerpt = La chaîne sur la Genèse, vol. , frag. (probably Theodore of Mopsuestia); Schulze’s second = La chaîne sur la Genèse, vol. , frag. (Didymus the Blind); Schulze’s third excerpt = Catenae, vol. , frag. (prob-
ably Diodore); Schulze’s fourth excerpt = Catenae, vol. , frag. (Diodore orTheodore of Mopsuestia); Schulze’s fifth and sixth excerpts = Catenae, vol. , frag. (perhaps Theodore of Mopsuestia); Schulze’s seventh excerpt = Catenae, vol. ,frag. (probably Diodore); Schulze’s eighth excerpt = Catenae, vol. , frag.
(Diodore); and Schulze’s ninth excerpt = La chaîne sur l’Exode, vol. : Coll. cois.,frag. (Diodore). Aware of Petit’s work on the Collectio coisliniana and the chains,Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos decided not to offer a text of the passagesassigned to Theodoret by the Catena Nikephori and inserted by Schulze into hisnotes. Despite their rejection of this material, the editors did not regard their edi-tion as incomplete. I point this out only because English readers of Fernández
Marcos’ The Septuagint in Context may have been puzzled by the statement (p.): “we decided to edit critically Theodoret’s Quaestiones in octateuchum, an edi-tion with many chapters missing.” The last phrase of the translation misrepresents
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sanguine in his hope of reaping a bountiful harvest of supplementsfrom the Catena Nikephori.33
In addition to checking and supplementing the Greek text of Sir-
mond, Schulze tried to improve both the annotation and the trans-lation. In his identifications of scriptural passages, he provided, forthe first time, not just the number of the chapter but also the verse.He made an effort, as well, to point out where Theodoret’s biblicaltext departed from the more widely known LXX readings. Thoughhe took over the translations of Picot and Hervet that he found inSirmond, he added to and reworked these as he thought necessary.34
For scholars who understand its limitations, Schulze’s editionwill long retain a certain usefulness. Here, alongside of Theodoret’sQq., one can read, albeit in a less than entirely satisfactory edition,the comments of other exegetes on a number of biblical passagesthat occasioned much debate in antiquity. In addition, Schulze pro-vides both excerpts and variant readings from the Catena Nikephori,to which few will have direct access.35 The Abbé Migne performedgood service to the study of Theodoret by choosing this edition by aProtestant scholar for inclusion in his collection.
E. The First Critical Edition
The first truly critical edition of the Quaest. in oct., that of N.Fernández Marcos and A. Sáenz-Badillos, was published only in
Introduction to the Greek Text
lxvi
the words,“edición que por muchos capítulos se echaba de menos,” where “capítu-los” would be well rendered as “reasons,” i.e., “an edition that, for many reasons,was regarded as desirable”; v. Introducción a las versiones griegas de la Biblia (Madrid), p. .
. V. PG, vol. , coll. f.: Largam enim esse hanc messem, intelligent omnes ex illis quae .......attulimus.
. Cum [Sirmondus ] his .......antiquioribus versionibus textum Græcum adjecer-it, factum est ut hic illis non ubique responderet. Nunc enim plura, nunc pauciora,nunc vero longe alia in textu quam in versione erant expressa. Schulze seems to referprimarily to such changes in the translation as were necessitated by the introduc-tion of words to, or their elimination from, the Greek text.
. A search of the listings in OCLC turned up only four copies in the UnitedStates, none in the Washington metropolitan area. I found no listing in the Nation-
al Union Catalog.
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, more than four hundred years after Picot’s editio princeps.Drawing widely both on manuscripts that contain only Theodoret’sQuestions and those in which the Questions are embedded in a
wealth of other patristic commentary, they undertook the massivetask of collating completely thirty-one manuscripts, includingtwenty-six dating from the ninth through the fourteenth centuries,and inspecting for selected passages another fifteen, all recentiores from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries.36 This edition isindispensable for any reader who wishes to see the full variety of manuscript readings and to form an idea of the relationships
among the ancient witnesses.Though they do not construct a complete stemma, the editors re-gard nineteen of the thirty-one fully collated manuscripts as some-times or always representative of one of three classes: “A,” “B ,” “C .”The first two consist of manuscripts that contain only the text of Theodoret, the last of chain and chain-like texts.37 All three groupsare represented throughout the work but with more or fewer wit-nesses as one progresses from book to book.38 There remain twelvemanuscripts that they do not attempt to fit into any of these threeclasses.
Dividing the A group into several subgroups, a, a 1, and a
2 , they
seem almost unsure whether these are sufficiently similar to be re-garded as a family. “A, más que un grupo homogéneo no es sino lafusión o coincidencia de estos tres subgrupos bien caracterizados.”Nonetheless, they aver that, as a whole, A presents a text of good
Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos
lxvii
. Of course, these thirty-one contain very various amounts of text: rangingfrom a single question () to just a few questions ( , , ), to the great majority of the text (c, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ) to complete ().
. V. p. xxii. Though other manuscripts contain some interpolated commentsfrom other patristic writers, the C group presents the text of Theodoret embeddedin a wealth of extrinsic material. The editors describe the entire C group as thatcontaining “los mss. propiamente catenáceos,” but a further distinction is neces-sary; v. below.
. For more information on the members of each group and the contentsof each manuscript, v. the description of the manuscripts in the Conspectus siglo-rum.
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quality, which merits primary attention in the establishment of thetext.39
The B group is, in general, less ancient than the A or C but not
derived from either. It is characterized by numerous errors typical of later texts. The editors declare that they have seldom adopted any readings peculiar to this class.40
Finally, the C group, is further subdivided into c and c 1. The first,
including Paris, Bibl. Nat., Coislinianus of the ninth century, an-other codex of the tenth, and a third of the eleventh century, is themost ancient of all the subgroups. Here, Theodoret’s Questions are
presented in sequence, each followed by excerpts from other patris-tic authors, mostly representatives of the Antiochene school. Petitargues that the c codices should be regarded as sources, not of achain, but of a dossier (the Collectio coisliniana ) that was intendedto present the Questions of Theodoret in the context of his sources.41
This subgroup is characterized by a tendency to abbreviation, espe-cially at the end of questions and answers. As we have seen, for morethan half of the Qq. on Genesis (–) Picot’s asulanus must have
Introduction to the Greek Text
lxviii
. V. p. xxiii: “Su calidad textual es por lo general elevada, y merece atenciónespecialísima en la fijación del texto.
. V. p. xxiv. In their “Siglas” one finds the following listing for this group:“B = , (, desde Le ).” Yet, as the description of (Florence, Bibl. Medic.Laurent., Plut. VI, ) states (p. xviii) that this ms. contains only some of the Qq. onGn, the parenthetical qualification must refer only to (Oxford, Bodl. Libr.,Barocci. ). In their discussion of B (p. xxiii) they strangely remark that they ex-
clude
from this group despite its close affiliation with
and
in that portionof the work it contains. The listing in the “Siglas” is, thus, contradicted, in differentways, by both the description and the discussion, and the latter is, itself, incoher-ent. If offers a text closely similar to that of and , it ought to be reckoned apart of the B group for the Qq. on Gn.
. Catenae, vol. , p. xix; cf. also Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos, p. xxv.Petit’s edition of the Collectio coisliniana, published seven years after the Madridedition of Theodoret’s Quaest. in oct., is based upon many of the same manu-scripts, which she describes and classifies with great care. Though her discussion isa model of philological precision and leads to clear and significant conclusions,
her choice to adopt sigla different from those of her predecessors inevitably entailsmuch confusion for the reader who tries to compare her treatment of the medievaltradition with that of Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos.
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been a late descendant of this tradition. In contrast, the manuscriptsof c
1, are true chains. In these, it is the biblical text, rather than the
Questions of Theodoret, that constitutes the organizing principle of
the collected material. The editors refer vaguely to numerous andrecurrent agreements of c
1 with c .42 Due to the antiquity of some of
the representatives of the C group, Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos suggest that its peculiar readings may, on occasion, repre-sent the original words of Theodoret corrupted or revised in theother branches. Clearly, they regard as most likely correct thosevariants supported by an agreement of A and C or of components of
each.The twelve manuscripts that do not fall within any one of thesethree families are regarded as of mixed character: as a group, morelike A and C than B, and closer to A than C. Nonetheless, the largely complete Rome, Bibl. Angel., Gr. () and Munich, Bayer. Staats-bibl., Cod. gr. ( ), perhaps Hoeschel’s exemplar, are said to offer atext very similar to that of family B, and Paris, Bibl. Nat. Gr. ( ),once wrongly regarded as Sirmond’s exemplar, a form of text ratherlike that of subgroup c.
Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos also remark on the affilia-tions of some of the recentiores that they consulted only at selectpassages.43 Yet, as they do not indicate for what sections these werecollated, the reader cannot know where the recentiores carried thereading of the text and can track their use only at the places where
Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos
lxix
. V. Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos, p. xxv. Petit, though editing thepassages representing the sources of Theodoret’s Questions, rather than the Ques-tions themselves, remarks (Catenae, vol. , pp. cxvif.) that the chains present amore complete text but one more frequently altered by deliberate scribal attemptsat correction. On p. cxvi, she presents a stemma for the manuscripts of the Collec-tio coisliniana, in which one can see the c manuscripts (her , , = FernándezMarcos and Sáenz-Badillos’ , , ) contrasted with the c
1 manuscripts (her , ,
= Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos’ , , ).. V. p. xxiii on Rome, Bibl. Apost. Vat., Pii II gr. (); Rome, Bibl. Apost.
Vat., Ottob. gr. (); Paris, Bibl. Nat., Coisl. ( ); Naples, Bibl. Naz., II B.
( ); p. xxiv on Florence, Bibl. Medic. Laurent., Plut. V. (); Rome, Bibl. Apost.Vat., Ottob. gr. (); Oxford, Bodl. Libr., Barocci. ( ).
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they are cited for a reading not adopted. It is, thus, impossible for areader not in possession of the editors’ collations to assess the valueof any of these.
Indeed, the most serious defects of this critical edition are dueprecisely to such failures of transparency of method. It is of theessence of a scientific edition that other scholars be provided withinformation sufficient to reconstruct for each reading the rationalefor the editor’s preference. Given the large number of manuscripts,their very various contents, their many lacunas, and reprises, it wasnecessary to set at the head of each question or segment of text the
list of available witnesses. Instead, the editors have provided fourdifferent sorts of indications in four different places to delimit thecontents of their witnesses: the descriptions in the introduction; anelenchus at the beginning of each book, which apparently lists thosemanuscripts that contain at least the first question;44 marginal signsin the body of the work to mark points where manuscripts end, fail,begin, or begin anew; and notices in the apparatus to the first line of questions that are omitted by one or more codices. As a result, thereader may have to consult several points of reference to identify thesources for any particular question.45 And to assure himself that heis not missing any marginal signs of lacuna or reprise, he must con-stantly flip through many pages of text.
Furthermore, these scattered indications are incomplete. Thus, weare repeatedly told in the descriptions that a manuscript containsonly a part of a question. Yet there is sometimes neither marginal
sign nor note in the apparatus to indicate precisely where the textbreaks off or begins.46 At times, the various sources of information
Introduction to the Greek Text
lxx
. This is my own surmise, based on the observation that only some of themanuscripts cited in the ap. crit. of any given book appear in the introductory elenchus of that book. The editors provide no explanation of the criteria for inclu-sion in or omission from these introductory lists.
. In some cases, there will be only one sure indication that a ms. is availablefor a given question: a citation in the ap. crit . Of course, the absence of a ms. from
the apparatus of a given question or from the list at any one reading is no indica-tion that it does not carry the portion of text in question; v. pp. xxviiif.. We are told in the description (p. xv) that Patmos, ∆Iwavnnou tou` Qeolovgou,
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are inconsistent47 or even contradictory.48 The result is that no readernot prepared to dedicate hours of checking and cross-checking cancompile a list of those manuscripts actually available for each section
of text.The usefulness of this edition is further impaired by other omis-
Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos
lxxi
() begins toward the end of Q. on Gn, but there is no marginal indication ornote in the ap. crit. to indicate just where. The same problem arises also in connec-tion with Patmos, ∆Iwavnnou tou` Qeolovgou, (: Which lines of Qq. and onGn does this contain?); Paris, Bibl. Nat., Gr. (: Which lines of Qq. , ,and onDt does this contain?); Oxford, Bodl. Libr., Barocci. ( b: Which lines of Qq. f.on Gn does this contain?); Dublin, Trinity Coll., D.. (: Which lines of Q. on
Gn does this contain?); Rome, Bibl. Apost. Vat., Vat. gr. ( : Which lines of Q. on Dt does this contain?).. It sometimes happens that a marginal sign of a lacuna is followed at some
distance by another without any indication (e.g., marginal sign, notice in the de-scription, or note in the ap. crit.) of the intervening point of reprise. Thus, forRome, Bibl. Apost. Vat., Vat. gr. ( ) a marginal sign of lacuna appears at theend of Q. on Lv and another at the end of Q. on Nm. As this ms. is not listedin the introductory elenchus for Nm, the reader will wonder if it contains any of Qq. – on Lv and how much of Qq. – on Nm. In other cases, a marginalsign of reprise is followed at some distance by another without any indication
(marginal sign, notice in the description, or note in the ap. crit.) of the interven-ing lacuna. For Rome, Bibl. Vallicell., E ( ), a marginal indication of reprise inthe middle of Q. on Gn is followed by another toward the end of the first third of Q. . The reader will wonder which Qq. between and this manuscript con-tains. As Fr. Fernández Marcos has pointed out to me, some of these confusionsare due to the disordered presentation of the questions or even the dislocation of folios within a manuscript. For Florence, Bibl. Med. Laur., Plut. VI. ( ) the suc-cessive indications of a beginning at Q. on Gn and a reprise at Q. , thoughthere is no intervening indication of lacuna, are due to the dislocation of folios– after folio ; as it is now bound, this manuscript presents Qq. – before
–.. According to the description (p. xiii), Florence, Bibl. Laur., Plut. VI. ()
should contain Qq. – on Nm, but there is a marginal sign indicating the be-ginning of the text at the head of the answer to Q. . Likewise, we are told (p.xviii) that Vienna, Österreich. Nat. Bibl., Theol. Gr. ( ) presents Qq. f. onGn before passing on to the answer of Q. , yet a marginal note at the end of Q. ,would indicate that this ms. contains also Qq. and , a conclusion confirmed by repeated citations of in the ap. crit. Again, the description of Patmos, ∆Iwavnnoutou Qeolovgou, () omits mention of Q. on Gn, yet a marginal noteat the head of Q. and references to in the ap. crit. indicate that it does con-
tain this question. Contrast also the description (p. xviii) of Patmos, ∆Iwavnnoutou` Qeolovgou, () with the marginal sign of lacuna at the end of Q. onGn.
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sions and questionable choices. First, when family alliances are dis-solved by discordant readings, the editors cite the witnesses for thecompeting variants in the order of their numerical sigla rather than
in that of their families.49 The reader who wishes to check their con-clusions regarding the affiliations of the manuscripts must mentally reassemble them in the order of their groups a, a
1, a
2 , B, c, c
1, and the
mixed class.50 Second, in a handful of cases, the editors pay such def-erence to the majoritarian reading as to print nonsense51 or Greek that, while meaningful, is so odd morphologically or stylistically, asto raise suspicion.52 Third, their edition is rife with misprints. My
list of errata, though restricted to the text of the Quaest., will suggestthe scope of the problem.53
Since the publication of this edition, F. Petit has advanced thestudy of both the most ancient and the most recent branches of themanuscript tradition. In the “Enquête philologique” introducing heredition of the Collectio coisliniana, where she discusses many of themanuscripts upon which the Madrid edition of the Quaest. in oct. isbased, she demonstrates that two of the manuscripts used by Fer-nández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos are apographs of still extantcodices and thus of no value for constituting the text. That portionof Rome, Bibl. Apost. Vat., gr. containing Qq. – on Gn (b )was copied from Madrid, Bibl. Nac., . This latter was also thesource for Qq. – on Gn for Munich, Bayer. Staatsbibl., gr. ( ),which drew the rest of its text from the early portion (tenth-eleventhcenturies) of the Vatican’s gr. .54 In consequence, b must be eject-
Introduction to the Greek Text
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. Thus, to pick an example at random, at line , p. for the reading fhsivn h[ they list B . But according to their own division (pp. xxiii, xxvf.),
represents class a 2 , class c
1, and , , , and are mixed and not to be assigned
to any of the three families.. Cf. also note above on their incoherent discussion of the B group.. V. my critical notes to Qq. and on Gn; and (th;n kov clon) on Ex;
(aujtoi....... hjxivwsan) on Dt; on Jos (mh; prosdokhvshte.......ajpolauvsesqai); and on Jgs; and on Ruth (to; de.......ajoivdimon, etc.).
. V ., e.g., my critical notes to Qq. , , (kreofagein), and on Gn, and
Q. on Dt.. V. “Introduction to the Greek Text: Corrigenda to the Madrid Edition.”. V. notes and above.
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ed from class c and from a . Though these conclusions entailchanges in the evidence presented for many individual readings,they hardly shake the edifice of a text solidly constructed on such a
broad foundation of medieval witnesses.In conclusion, the edition of is the only fully critical edition
of Theodoret’s Quaest. in oct. It represents a major advance in ourknowledge of the text and will long remain indispensable. Nonethe-less, given its flaws of construction and presentation, it remains farfrom definitive.
F. This Edition
Though the largest contributions of our own edition will cer-tainly consist in its interpretive apparatus—the introduction, theexplanatory notes, and, above all, the translation—we believe thatit also makes an advance on both the quality of the Greek text andthe presentation of the ancient evidence. Indeed, I hope that thiswill be judged a competent editio minor to the editio maior of ourprede-cessors. It does not offer a thoroughgoing revision. I haveconsulted only a few manuscripts and mostly just to determine theirprecise contents. Nor have I studied the entirety of the apparatus criticus of the Madrid edition. My goals have been () to avoid print-ing any Greek for which I can find no plausible translation orwhich, in comparison to the rest of Theodoret’s corpus, displaysanomalies so gross as to defy acceptance; () to rid the text of obvi-ous errors; and () to set before the reader a conspectus siglorum and
textual notes that list the ancient witnesses and the evidence for thevariety of readings in a straightforward and easily comprehensiblemanner.
Given the length of this work, the total of textual notes, fewerthan ninety, is very restricted. A careful reconsideration of all thereadings adopted in the Madrid edition would probably raise nu-merous issues I have not considered. While some notes simply pres-
ent variants that, though significant for one reason or another, havenot been taken into the text, others offer some justification for a
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change I have thought necessary.55 In fifty places, I have preferred amanuscript reading rejected by Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badil-los56 and in eleven more I have ventured to insert a conjecture.57
Where the various possibilities would result in meanings substan-tially different, I have offered alternative translations that I hope willindicate what is at stake even to the Greekless reader. I have not,however, offered translations where I have made a change to what Iregard as more plausible Greek usage or where I could make nosense of the rejected reading.
It goes without saying that I have eliminated the numerous mis-
prints listed in the next section. Nevertheless, in the process of emending and repunctuating the Greek, I will have inadvertently in-troduced new errors of my own. I can only echo Schulze in begginglearned readers to collect these and bring them to my attention sothat we may eliminate them in a future reprinting.58
Introduction to the Greek Text
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. In my textual notes I can only repeat attributions explicitly stated by Fer-nández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos, who, of course, excluded (v. the Madrid ed.,
pp. xxviiif.) from their apparatus phonetic variants such as etacisms and the addi-tion of the epenthetic nu, sparsely attested errors obviously due to the misreadingof an exemplar, and clearly wrong singular readings. Thus, the reader of eithertheir edition or this edition cannot assume that the reading they adopted had thebacking of all the manuscripts not listed as carrying something different. I arrangethe variants in the order in which they decline from the truth, either because thesense of the reading becomes less appropriate or less clear or because something ischanged or omitted that, in my opinion, points to the true reading.
. V. the notes for the title, Qq. , , –, , , , , (tai~ oijkodomivai~), (oJ peravth~), , , , and (to;n tw'n sikhmitw'n a[dikon o[leqron,
deivknusi, and fhsin) on Gn; ( e{tera de;), , (katapevtasma, katapetavs-mato~, and th;n kov clon), ( ejn ejmoi; and toi~ uiJoi~), and on Ex; (ajposto-likwn ejpistolwn, mh;, and fasin), (ajphvlause), , and on Lv; and onNm; (aujtoi....... hjxivwsan and filikwn) and (first note) on Dt; (perivteme and ejpaggelivan), ( ejxevtinen) and on Jos; (to;.......peira` sai, etc. andajskhsai ga;r, etc. ), , , and (qerafivn and qerafivn) on Jgs; and (kai;e[stai o[noma, etc. and to; de.......ajoivdimon, etc.) on Ruth.
. V. the notes for Qq. (kreofagein) and (w/ jkodomhsqaiv) on Gn;, (touvtw/ de;), , and on Ex; and on Lv; on Dt; (mh;prosdokhvshte.......ajpolauvsesqai) on Jos; and on Jgs. Schulze, without a note,
prints w/ jkodomhsqaiv in Q. on Gn.; the others are my own suggestions, thoughsome or all of them, straightforward as they are, may well be attested in the mss.. In an appeal to his peritis lectoribus, Schulze begs (PG, vol. , coll. f.) ut
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Throughout I have tried to ensure that the reader can always as-sess the distribution of the manuscript evidence. For each question Iprovide the list of available manuscripts, which is itself based on the
description of the manuscripts provided at the end of this essay.Both depend primarily on the information supplied in the editionof and on further clarifications graciously supplied by FatherNatalio Fernández Marcos. Armed with the lists provided in thiseditio minor, the reader will now be able to read with much fullercomprehension the apparatus criticus of the editio maior.59
So that the reader may test for himself the consistency of the fam-
ily alliances established by Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos, Ihave cited the manuscripts in the order of their classes, followed by the mixed manuscripts undivided by commas in the order of theirnumerical sigla, followed by the editors. Thus, if a single numberedmanuscript set off by a comma appears anywhere before the mixedcodices, that manuscript is the sole representative of its group to car-ry the reading in question.
I have reconfigured my predecessors’ Conspectus siglorum to makeit simpler and clearer. First, I restrict the use of class sigla to designatethe agreement of at least two manuscripts. Thus, I have ejected thesiglum a from the Quaest. on Gn, where a and c are the sole inde-pendent witnesses in sections that do not overlap. In Ex–Jgs a signi-fies the agreement of c and , but it is not used in Ruth, which is car-ried only by . I have eliminated altogether the group a
1, since its
membership, indicated as “ and its congeners,” seemed indeter-
minable.60 Since all the congeners figure among recentiores consultedonly for selected passages, no reader not in possession of the editors’
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in rei litterariæ publicamque adeo utilitatem sua conferant consilia, si quid vel emen-dandum vel rectius disponendum esse videatur.
. The introductory list contains all manuscripts that carry at least a part of the question. Readers studying the evidence for any given variant must check theleft-hand margin for possible indications of points where the text breaks off or be-
gins in any of those manuscripts. Despite my best efforts, some of these lists may need emendation; I shall be very grateful for all corrections or clarifications.. V. “Siglas”: “ (y sus afines).”
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collations can know which manuscripts are involved at any onepoint. I have, therefore replaced a
1 with , the only manuscript whose
readings can be certainly deduced from the editors’ a 1. Consequently,
in the listing of manuscripts in the apparatus, will often stand be-tween a and a
2 , and the siglum A will mean the agreement of a (c
and ), , and a 2 . Second, drawing the logical consequence from the
close relationship of with and , I employ the siglum B to referto the agreement of , , and in the Quaest. on Gn.61 Third, tak-ing stock of Petit’s conclusions regarding and b, I have eliminatedthe former from class a, yet, in consideration of its importance for
understanding the choices made by Schulze, I list it in parenthesesamong the mixed manuscripts for Qq. – on Gn and, from thenon, after the a manuscripts. I have eliminated b not only from class c but from the entire edition.
I have also intervened in the text to facilitate the understandingof both individual sentences and the development of discussions orarguments. I have repunctuated throughout with a system that,while observing the structure of the Greek periods, also takes intoaccount norms generally accepted in modern English. This has re-sulted in hundreds of changes.62 Most, though presupposing an un-
Introduction to the Greek Text
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. Cf. note above.. My basic procedure has been: () to eliminate punctuation before conjunc-
tions coördinating clauses unless these introduce a clause whose subject is differentfrom that of the preceding coördinate clause, or the subject, though identical to thatof the former clause, is repeated or restated in the second clause, or the clauses
stand in a series of three or more; (
) to eliminate commas before subordinatingconjunctions unless (a) the conjunction introduces a clause nestled within themain clause; (b) the conjunction introduces a clause that is resumptive or explana-tory of a pronoun or phrase in the preceding main clause; (c) the conjunction in-troduces a causal clause or a clause with a causal nuance; (d) the conjunction intro-duces a non-restrictive relative clause; () to eliminate commas between verbs andclauses that play noun roles (subject, direct object, or predicate noun) in relation tothose verbs; () to eliminate commas between two members of a pair of words,phrases, or clauses, but to introduce them to mark words, phrases, and clausesarranged in a series of three or more; () to introduce commas (a) between coördi-
nate clauses in asyndeton or connected by particles rather than conjunctions, (b)after introductory adverbial clauses, (c) before and after subordinate clauses nestledwithin the main or another subordinate clause, and (d) before participial clauses
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derstanding of Theodoret’s periods that is the same or very similarto that of my predecessors, will, I hope, result in greater clarity.Many, however, reflect a substantially different understanding.63 I
have observed the same system for both Theodoret’s words and hisquotations of Scripture, since the two form a literary unity, andTheodoret has often adapted, abbreviated, or combined the latterfor the purposes of his argument. Thus, though I have often adopt-ed their punctuation, I have not tried to reproduce in any systemat-ic way what I have found in either the Göttingen Septuagint or themost recent edition of The Greek New Testament.
The better to mark the argumentative stages in Theodoret’s dis-cussions, I have introduced paragraph divisions. As his replies ofteninclude brief notes on matters not germane to the questions, theparagraphing will help to isolate one topic from another and to sig-nal the commentator’s movement from one to another segment of the biblical text.64 In addition, to facilitate scholarly reference and
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that follow the main clause with no introductory conjunction; () to replace colonswith commas to introduce direct quotations, unless () the quotation is epexegeticor explanatory of a previous statement (e.g., the verb introducing the quotationgoverns a demonstrative pronoun or adverb, such as touto or ou{tw~, or the quota-tion itself is interrupted by gavr fhsi), in which case colons replace commas; () toset off parenthetical remarks and additions within pairs of colons, rather than, asoften in the Madrid edition, between a colon and a comma. In accord with rulesone through four, I have eliminated many commas before and after conjunctionssuch as o{ti, i{na, o{pw~, w{ste, and kaiv, while, in accord with rules four and five, Ihave added many after kaiv or in places where there is no conjunction. In a partialexception to rule , I have retained or inserted commas before o{ti when it serves asthe equivalent of a mark of punctuation introducing a direct quotation.
. Cf., e.g., our very different punctuations in Qq. . on Gn (dia; th;n a[krandiespavrh timh;n.......wJrismevno~ phv cewn ajriqmov~); . on Gn (kai; to; me;nswma.......th;n peribolh;n aujtou` ); on Ex (pro;~ de; touvtoi~.......oujde;n twntoiouvtwn ajkavqarton); on Ex (wJ" ejkeivnhn ijdei'n th;n oujsivan ajduvnaton—end); . on Lv (toi'" mevntoi oJlokautwvmasin ejpetivqeto.......ta;" hJmetevra"prosfevromen proseucav"); on Lv (o{ti gavr, ouj to; iJmavtion—end); on Lv ( ejn h| /, fhsivn,.......to; th~ aj fevsew~ e[to~); . on Dt (aijnivttetai de; .......th~poliorkiva~ ta;~ sumforav~); . on Dt ( ej fæ u{dato~ ajntilogiva~—end); . onJos (oJ eJbraivwn Qeov~........tw/ ` lovgw/ sou touvtw /); on Jgs ( ejpeidh; de; ojrgisqei;~oJ Qeo;~-end).
. As Schulze points out (PG vol. , coll. f.), many of the questions seem to
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quotation, I have introduced numerical subdivisions into every question that exceeds forty lines in the edition of Fernández Marcosand Sáenz-Badillos. Since I thought the beginnings of sections
should always correspond with the paragraphing, the subdivisionsoccur at somewhat irregular intervals, usually equivalent to twenty-five to forty lines in their edition.
.
I hope that this list may be of use in the preparation of a revision
of the Madrid edition. In cases where errors have persisted from cen-tury to century, or an error in that can be traced to a careless use of an earlier edition, I list the editors: Sir. = Sirmond; Sch. = Schulze;F.M. = Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos. The line and pagenumbers refer only to the edition of F.M. I omit Picot’s readings, towhich I had only occasional access through Schulze’s citations. As Ihave been able to consult Schulze’s edition only as reprinted in thePatrologia latina, I may attribute to him errors due rather to the neg-ligence of Migne.
Quaest. in Gen.: Pf. tou'to (l. , p. ) : tou'tov Q. Qeovn (l. ,p. ) : -o;n Q. gavr, fhsi;, Sch. : gavr, fhsiv, (l. , p. ) F.M. : gavr
fhsi, | paraggeilai tisi; (l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. : -geilaiv tisi |katafronhvsete (l. f., p. ) : -hte | ei{rhke (l. , p. ) : ei[- |e{sthsen (l. , p. ) : e[s- | ou[k (l. , p. ) : oujk Q. h[nesan (l. ,
p. ) : h/ [nesavn | perhvgagen (l. , p. ) : par- | touta (l. , p. ) :tau- | tolmero;n (l. , p. ) : -mhro;n | o{nta (l. , p. ) : o[n-Q. prosiv eitai (l. , p. ) : -iv etai Q. suggrafeuv~ (l. ,p. ) : -u;~ Q. genhqhvto (l. , p. ) : -tw | dhvloi (l. , p. ) :
Introduction to the Greek Text
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represent the later conflation of originally independent remarks on different vers-es; v. the preface to vol. , where, discussing the distribution of the Quaest. in oct. inthe Catena Nikephori, he remarks, intelleget Lector Quaestionum earum unam al-teramve subinde ad plura capita et commata pertinere, multisque constare partibus,quae in Catena non sine improbo labore quæri et colligi potuerunt.
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-loi` | qeiva (l. , p. ) : hJ qeiva Q. sunav cqh (l. , p. ) : -hv cqhQ. ejnteuvqen (l. , p. ) : -euqen | hJmevrwn (l. , p. ) : -wn | ejnteuvqen (l. , p. ) : -euqen Q. summacia;n (l. , p. ) : -ivan |
mwrivwn (l. , p. ) : mo- Q. ejstin (l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. : e[- | th;n(l. , p. ) : th~ Q. prosegoreuvqh (l. , p. ) : prosh- Q.
eJbdovmh (l. , p. ) : -h/ Q. geravrwn (ll. f., p. ) : G-Q. Tigrhvta (l. , p. ) : Tiv- Q. pagida (l. , p. ) : -ivdaQ. guvnh (l. , p. ) : -nh; Q. surovmenon (l. , p. ) : surov-menovn Q. ta` (l. , p. ) : ta; | palaiva/ (l. , p. ) : -a` / | ejkeivnon (l. , p. ) : -einon | dexamevnon (l. , p. ) : -avmenon |
ejxwkeilavntwn (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : ejxo- | ajqavnato (l. , p. ): -to~ | ajnqrw`pwn (l. , p. ) : ajnqrwv- Q. ponhro;n, (l. , p. )Sir. Sch. F.M. : -ovn, Q. epi; (l. , p. ) : ej- | hJrmeneukevnai(l. , p. ) : hJrmh- Q. dumiourghsai (l. , p. ) : dhmi- |tuv fon (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : tu`- Q. fuvlh (l. , p. ) : -lhvQ. eJautovn (l. , p. ) : -tovn, Q. ∆Upedevxato (l. , p. ) :ÔUp- Q. pantw` n (l. , p. ) : pavn- Q. povrrw/ (l. , p. ) :-rw Q. prosevkei (l. , p. ) : - hvkei Q. kthvsi~ (l. , p. ) :kth- Q. ∆Alla; (l. , p. ) : ∆Allav | ej mpai` zein (l. , p. ) :-paivzein Q. grafhv o{ti (l. , p. ) : - fh; o{ti | dikaiwsuvnh/
(l. , p. ) : dikaio- Q. Melcisede; c (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. :-de;k Q. poiei` esqai (l. , p. ) : poieis- Q. paidopoi> va~(l. , p. ) : -iiva~ Q. tessavrakonta (l. , p. ) : -aravkontaQ. ejpemevmyaito (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : ejpi- Q. aujtovn(l. , p. ) : -to;n Q. parpovn (l. , p. ) : k- Q. eJrmeneiva
(l. , p. ) : eJrmh- | tou'twÛ (l. , p. ) : Touv- | eJkravtune (l. , p.) : ej- | dw/ ` h (l. , p. ) : dwv /- Q. eJlaivw/ (l. , p. ) : ej- Q.
toujnantivo (l. , p. ) : -tivon | ajfei` le (l. , p. ) : ajfei` lev |prosqhvtw (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -evtw | ka] /n Sir. : ka]n (l. , p.) F.M. : kajn Q. dia; toi (l. , p. ) : diav toi | frinh/ ` (l. , p.) : fron- Q. sofrwnounta (l. , p. ) : swfro- Q. o[ti(l. , p. ) : o{- Q. poiei` (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -h/ ` Q. tov
y- (l. , p. ) : to; Y- Q. ejsti (l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. : e[-Q. oi|on (l. , p. ) : oi|oiv Q. ∆Iwshv f (l. , p. ) : -h; f
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Q. hjsqei;~ (l. , p. ) : hJs- | ∆Efai; >m (l. , p. ) : ∆Efr- Q.
ejmnhvsqe (l. , p. ) : -qh | ∆Iouvda (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -da/ |ka] /n Sir. : ka]n (l. , p. ) F.M. : kajn | carapoioi ; (l. , p. ) :
caro- Quaest. in Ex.: Q. batou` (l. , p. ) : bav- | Qeov~ (l. ,p. ) : -o;~ | w[sper dev (l. , p. ) : w{sper de; | ej faivnwn (l. , p.) : ejmf- Q. parqhnikh;n (l. , p. ) : -qenikh;n Q. ajlieva~(l. , p. ) : aJ- Q. farmakoi~ (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. :-mavkoi~ | farmakoi; (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : fav r- | xeraivnei(l. , p. ) : xh- Q. braduvglwso" (l. , p. ) : -sso" Q.
dev (l. , p. ) : dev, | khlivda~ (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : khli- |
eJbraivoi (l. , p. ) : -aioi Q. euJreian (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch.F.M. : euj- Q. ∆Iwvshppo" (l. , p. ) : -hpo" Q. e[sesqe
(l. , p. ) : -qev Q. gavr (l. , p. ) : ga;r Q. hj mwdivasan
(l. , p. ) : h/ J- | aij mwdiavsousin (l. , p. ) : aiJ- | ka]n (l. , p.) : kajn Q. memwrfwmevnon (l. , p. ) : memor- Q.
hJ mev rwn (l. , p. ) : -w` n Q. {W~ (l. , p. ) : ÔW~ Q. eu|ro~(l. , p. ) : eu\- | hJmevrwn (l. , p. ) : -wn | ejkdiafovrwn (l. ,p. ) : ejk d- Q. sfragivde~ (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -gide~Q. dievglufen (l. , p. ) : -yen (I suppose the impf. to be an error, rather than a conscious choice among variants; Sir. and Sch.both have the aor.) Q. Qeo;~, (l. , p. ) : Qeo;~ Q.
sklhrovthta (ll. f., p. ) : -rovthtav | h[ /tese (l. , p. ) : h[ /th-Q. o{ ti (l. , p. ) Sch. F.M. : o{ti Q. noumeniva/ (l. , p.) : -mhniva Quaest. in Leu.: Q. ei[retai (l. , p. ) : ei[rh- |profetwn (l. , p. ) : profh- | eJrmeneivai~ (l. , p. ) : eJrmh- |
gegenemevna (ll. f., p. ) : -hmevna | qusivwn (l. , p. ) : -wn |gonorruv ei (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -uei` | oJlokauvtwma te (l. ,p. ) : -kauvtwmav te | bomw` / (l. , p. ) : bw- | eJrmeneuta;~(l. , p. ) : eJrmh- Q. ajlla; (l. , p. ) : a[lla | tou;~ o[fei~
(l. , p. ) : tou;~ de; o[fei~ Q. klibavno~ (l. , p. ) : -ou~ | ejmpevsonto~ (l. , p. ) : -sovnto~ Q. qnhsimaivon (l. , p.) : -maion Q. kalh/ (l. , p. ) : -h/ ` | medh;n (l. , p. ) :
mhde;n Q. povte.......povte (l. , p. ) : pote;.......pote; | povte(l. , p. ) : pote; Q. khlivda~ (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. :
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khli- Q. toiauvtoi~ (l. , p. ) : -tai~ Q. thvn (l. ,p. ) : th;n | eijseleluvqasi (l. , p. ) : -lhluvqasi | tou; (l. ,p. ) : -ou` | plemmelhmavtwn (l. , p. ) : plh- | skhvnh/ (l. ,
p. ) : -nh/ ` Q. ecei (l. , p. ) : e[- Q. movloc (l. ,p. ) : M- | movloc (l. , p. ) : M- Q. aj mpevlwna v (l. ,p. ) : -pelw` nav Q. ou\la~ (l. , p. ) Sch. F.M. : ou[- Q.
aj feivresin (l. , p. ) : aj faiv- Q. h{nika (l. , p. ) : -ivka | fasiv (l. , p. ) : -si; Q. sunh` fen (l. , p. –l. , p. ) :-yen Q. lekeuv ei (l. , p. ) : keleuv- Q. {W" (l. , p. ) :ÔW" Q. pa` sa~ (l. , p. ) : pav- Q. 38 ∆Ismah;l, (l. , p.
) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -hvl, | divdracmon tine;" (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch.F.M. : divdracmovn tine" Quaest. in Num.: Q. ajnatolh; (l. ,p. ) Sir. F.M. : ∆A- | ajrcousan (l. , p. ) : -kousan Q.
∆Israh;l. (l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. : -hvl. | leui> vtai (l. , p. ) Sir.F.M. : -itai Q. ijlasmou` (ll. f., p. ) : iJ- Q dw` /h (l. , p.) : dwv /h Q. ouj (l. , p. ) : su; | hJmevrwn (l. , p. ) : -wn |khlivda (ll. f., p. ) : khli- | to;, (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : to;Q. ghvra~ (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : gh- Q. 16 Diwvnumw~(l. , p. ) : -o~ Q. h[thse (l. , p. ) : h/ [- | ejpiqei` nai moi;
(l. , p. ) : -qei` naiv moi | skhnhvn (l. , p. ) : -h;n Q.
pa` sa~ (l. , p. ) : pav- Q. demiourgein (l. , p. ) :dhmi- Q. tov (l. , p. ) : to; Q. oJ miwv mati (l. , p. ) :oJ moi- | khlivda (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : khli- Q. me;n, (l. ,p. ) Sch. F.M. : mevn, Q. hJ Gw;g (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. :h] Gw;g Q. lao;n; (l. , p. ) : -ovn; Q. tiniv (l. , p. ) :
-ni; Q. tiv (l. , p. ) : ti Q. ÔOti (l. , p. ) : { OtiQuaest. in Dt.: Q. ejriqmhqhnai (l. , p. ) : aj- | ka (l. , p. ) :kai; | fili;oneikouvntwn (l. , p. ) : v. critical note, ad loc. |ejsti;n (l. , p. ) : -tin | tauta fhsivn (l. , p. ) : tauta, fhsivn Q. aJgion (l. , p. ) : a{- | a{pa~ (l. , p. ) : -ax Q.
kai;paida~ (l. , p. ) : kai; p- Q. tuv fon (ll. f., p. ) Sir.Sch. F.M. : tu`- | kaiv rw / (l. , p. ) : -rw' Û Q. ejni; (l. , p. ) :
eJ- Q. farmakoi; (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : favr- | ejk (l. ,p. ) : ejx | didavskei (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -h/ Q. foibon
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(l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. : F- | sivkera/ (l. , p. ) Sch. F.M. : -a |panti; w/ | ejpiqumei` Sir. Sch. : panto;~ ou| a]n ejpiqumei` (l. , p.) F.M. : -h/ ` | fagh` / (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : fav- | ∆Iwvshppo"
(l. , p. ) Sch. F.M. : -hpo" Q. ejpta; (l. , p. ) : eJ- |ajpocrwvnto~ (l. , p. ) : -w~ Q. ∆Ea;n fhsi; Sch. : ∆Ea;n fhsiv (l. , p. ) F.M. : ∆Eavn, fhsiv Q. alhqev~ (l. , p. )F.M. : aj- Q. aj feina (l. , p. ) : -nai Q. pevswn (l. ,p. ) : -w;n Q. dedhmiouvrgetai (l. , p. ) : -ghtaiQ. Mariam (l. , p. ) : -a; m Q. ÔRoubei;n Sch. : ÔRoubi;n(l. , p. ) F.M. : - h;n | aujth;n: (l. , p. ) : -hvn: Q.
promeqouvmeno~ (l. , p. ) : promh- Q. ouranev (l. ,p. ) : ouj- Q. ejk Sina/ ` Sir. : ejn Sina/ ` Sch. : ejk Sina/ ` (l. ,p. ) F.M. : ejk -na` | ∆Iouvda (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : -da/ | o[ti
(l. , p. ) : o{- | Peiv ra / (l. , p. ) : p- | ∆Antilogiva~ (l. ,p. ) : aj- | lovgia (l. , p. ) : lovgia v | de; fhsivn (l. , p. ) :dev fhsin Quaest. in Ios.: intro. hJmevrwn (l. , p. ) : -wn Q.
Mwu>sh/ ` (l. , p. ) : -sh` Q. pepistekuian (ll. f., p. ) :pepisteu- | povte (l. , p. ) : po- Q. Mwu>sh/ ` (l. , p. ) :-sh' Q. a{te de; (l. , p. ) : a{te dh; Q. mevno~ (l. , p. ) :mevso~ | ajpolefqeiv~ (ll. f., p. ) : -lhfqeiv~ Q. e{th (l. ,p. ) : e[- Q. eja;n (l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. : ejavn Quaest. in Iud.:
Q. katorqwmevnwn (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch. F.M. : katw- | h{tth~(l. , p. ) : th~ h{tth~ Q. povte (l. , p. ) : pote; Q.
touto (l. , p. ) : -ton Q. klauqmw` na (l. , p. ) Sir. Sch.F.M. : K- | eijsakouvsate (l. , p. ) : eijsh- | lao;n (l. , p. )
Sir. Sch. F.M. : -ovn | sunocav~: Sch. : sunocav~ (l. , p. ) F.M. :-av~, | mou fhsiv (l. , p. ) : mou, fhsiv Q. uiJo;~ h]n Sir. Sch. : uiJo;~ (l. , p. ) F.M. : -ov~ Q. guvnh (l. , p. ) : -nh; Q.
katecouvswn (l. , p. ) : -wn | qei'an (l. , p. ) : -ivan Q.
sikhmivtai" (l. , p. ) : -mivta" Q. crhvzw (l. , p. )Sch. F.M. : crhv /- | timh;n (l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. : -hvn Q.
ejkdedihthmevnw" (l. , p. ) : -h/thmevnw" Q. de; (l. ,
p. ) : dev | ujperfuei~ (ll. f., p. ) : uJp- Q. toioutotrovpon (l. , p. ) : toioutovtropovn Q. ajnamnh/sqhtw (l. ,
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p. ) : -hsqhvtw | skhvnhn (l. , p. ) : -h;n Q. leuivtai Sir. :leui> vtai (l. , p. ) Sch. F.M. : -itai Quaest. in Ruth: Q.
suggrav ywn (l. , p. ) : -fwn (I suppose the fut. part. to be an
error, rather than a conscious choice among variants; Sir. and Sch.both have the pres.) Q. ghvnh/ (l. , p. ) : -mh/ | thvn (l. , p. ) :th;n | ga;r, fhsi;, Sch. : gavr, fhsiv, (l. , p. ) F.M. : gavr fhsi,| spoudavxwn (l. , p. ) : -zwn | gunai' ka (l. , p. ) Sir. F.M. :-nai' kav | ∆Israh;l (l. , p. ) : -hvl | ∆Efravqa (l. , p. ) : -qav |∆Efravqa (l. , p. ) : -qav ( This name is always accented oxytone,though previous editors differ in regarding it as invariable or as sus-
ceptible of inflection. ) .
In a number of details, where editors have differed in their choic-es, Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos fail to observe consistency.In eight of ten occurrences they spell the name ÔIeremiva~ withrough breathing, but in two (l. , p. and l. , p. ) with smooth, asin the listing of proper nouns provided at the end of the second vol.of Hatch and Redpath’s concordance. In six of eight occurrences they accent Farev~ oxytone but in two (l. , p. and l. , p. ) printthe paroxytone form preferred by Wevers (v. Gn .). In seven of nine occurrences they accent Canaavn oxytone, but in two (ll. and, p. ) paroxytone as does Wevers (v. Gn .). In each case I haveregularized according to the predominant practice of the Madridedition.
Their spelling of forms of the verb givnomai / givgn- is also in-
consistent. In forty-three cases they adopt the former and in ten thelatter. As in fifty-one of these fifty-three occurrences they simply re-produce Schulze’s spelling, their variation cannot reflect the usageof the mss. The question of whether to retain or drop the gammaarises in only one of the two places (l. , p. ) where they differfrom Schulze’s reading (gignovmena F.M. : gin- Sch.), and here they provide no note. As in hellenistic koine, the pronunciation -n- had
replaced the earlier Attic -gn- (v., e.g., Mandilaris, sec. ,pp. f.),Ihave adopted givn- throughout.
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Their treatment of the forms of qavlatta is also problematic.They print forms in -ss- wherever the noun appears in Theodoret’squotations of Scripture (twenty-four examples). Where Theodoret
is speaking his own words, they print forms in -tt- in sixteen places(variant readings in -ss- are recorded at p. , l. and , l. ) andforms in -ss- in seven others. See e.g., ll. –, p. , where one formin -tt- (for which they list a variant in -ss-) stands between two in-ss-. Among recent editors, G.H. Ettlinger and Y. Azéma also allow forms of qavlassa to jostle those of qavlatta in Theodoret’s directspeech; for the former v. Eran. p. , ll. f. and p. , ll. f., and for
the latter, ep. (Collectio patmensis ), ll. and . As Theodoret isunlikely to have intended such a variation of orthography in hisown words, and the manuscript evidence, on the whole, suggeststhat he used qavlatta when not quoting Scripture, I have changedthese seven forms in -ss- to the corresponding form in -tt-. I findthe same consistent division (qavlassa in biblical quotations,qavlatta in direct speech) in P. Canivet’s edition of Affect.
In eight places Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos aspirateforms of the pronoun aujtov~ used in a reflexive manner (l. , p. ; l., p. ;ll. and , p. ; l. , p. ; l. , p. twice; l. , p. ). Yetthe aspirated pronunciation auJ- had gone out of general usage be-fore Theodoret’s time, and later Greek relied on the reflexive formswith the prefixed eJ-; v. F.T. Gignac, pp. f. As in three of these pas-sages (l. , p. ; , p. ; and , p. ) forms of eJau- do havesome attestation in the mss., the editors should have adopted these,
not the simple forms. Indeed, their choice of just these eight placesseems arbitrary, as they did not aspirate forms of aujtov~ in suchclosely similar passages as [oJ Faraw;] oujk a]n aujtou' th;n gnwvmhn ejnhvllaxe (l. , p. ) or ej bav rune .......th;n kardivan aujtou' (l. ,p. ). Furthermore, the unaspirated forms were not uncommonly used for the reflexive possessive even in Homeric and classical Greek;v. Kühner-Gerth, part , vol. , pp. f. Thus, given the obsolesence
of the aspirated simple forms and the sparse representation of formsin eJau-, I have thought best to change all eight pronouns to the
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unaspirated auj-. But see my critical notes for Qq. on Ex and onNm, where the ms. evidence for a form with the prefixed eJ- is sub-stantial enough to raise doubts.
Finally, in some places they follow older conventions of word di-vision observed by Sirmond and Schulze, yet in others the practicenow current. In all appearances of the suffix -per except that at l. ,p. (o{te per), -per is attached to the preceding syllable. Cf. also a{te dh; at l. , p. with a{te dh; in all other occurrences; diavtoitouto at ll. f., p. with diav toi tou`to in all other occurrences;h{ ti" at l. , p. with h{ti" at both other occurences. Following
both Sirmond and Schulze, they combine katakravto~ once (l. ,p. ) and divide kata; kravto~ once (ll. f., p. ); as a glance atthe TLG indicates, the latter is the form preferred by modern editorseven in texts of authors contemporary to and later than Theodoret.The combination gavrtoi appears only at l. , p. ; for the divi-sion observed by modern editors, v. the examples assembled by Denniston, pp. f., esp. Her. ..: ouj gavr toi prokathmevnou~tosouto pro; th~ a[llh~ ÔEllavdo~ mouvnou~ pro; uJmevwn dei`ajpolevsqai. On the other hand, while it is their usual practice toprint o{tan and dhvpote, in several places they follow Sirmond andSchulze in printing o {tæ a]n (l. , p. ; l. , p. ; l. , p. ), andin two places more modern usage in dividing dhv pote (l. , p. andl. , p. ). In all these questions of word division, I have adopted thecurrent practice.
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Bib. (), pp. –, –, –
Trible, P., Texts of Terror: Literary-Feminist Readings of Biblical Narratives,Overtures to Biblical Theology, vol. (Philadelphia )Groningen, B.A. van, Short Manual of Greek Palaeography, nd ed. (Leiden
)Vaux, R. de, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions, trans. J. McHugh (Lon-
don )Vawter, B., Biblical Inspiration , ThRes (London/Philadelphia )Weitzman, M.P., The Syriac Version of the Old Testament (Cambridge )Wellhausen, J., Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels, th ed. (Berlin )Yadin, Y., Hazor: The Rediscovery of a Great Citadel of the Bible (New York
)Yarnold, E., The Awe-Inspiring Rites of Initiation: Baptismal Homilies of the
Fourth Century (Slough )Young, F.M., Biblical Exegesis and the Formation of Christian Culture (Cam-
bridge )
———, From Nicaea to Chalcedon: A Guide to the Literature and Its Back-ground (Philadelphia )
Zorell, F., Lexicon hebraicum et aramaicum ueteris testamenti (Rome )
: , ,,
I. Ancient Texts and Versions
Masoretic Text (MT)
Kittel, R., K. Elliger, W. Rudolph, et al., Biblia hebraica stuttgartensia (Stuttgart –)
Septuagint (LXX)
Brenton, L.C.L., The Septuagint with Apocrypha: Greek and English (Lon-don ; rpt. Peabody, Mass. )
Bibliography
lxxxix
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Rahlfs, A., Septuaginta: Id est Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX inter- pretes (Stuttgart )
Wevers, J.W., Genesis, Septuaginta, vol. (Göttingen )Wevers, J.W., and U. Quast, Exodus, Septuaginta, vol. . (Göttingen )
Wevers, J.W., and U. Quast, Leviticus, Septuaginta, vol. . (Göttingen )Wevers, J.W., and U. Quast, Numeri, Septuaginta, vol. . (Göttingen )Wevers, J.W., and U. Quast, Deuteronomium, Septuaginta, vol. . (Göttin-
gen )
New Testament
Aland, B., et al., The Greek New Testament, th ed. (Stuttgart )
Vulgate
Weber, R., and R. Gryson, Biblia sacra iuxta vulgatam versionem, th ed.(Stuttgart )
II. Concordance
Hatch, E., and H.A. Redpath, A Concordance to the Septuagint and the Oth-er Greek Versions of the Old Testament, voll. (Oxford )
III. Catenae
Nikephoros Hieromonachos Theotokes, Seira; eJno;~ kai; penthvkonta uJpomnhmatistwn eij~ th;n ojktavteucon kai; ta; twn basileiwn,
voll. (Leipzig –)Petit, F., Catenae graecae in Genesim et in Exodum, vol. : Catena sinaitica,
CChr.SG, vol. (Brepols/Turnhout )
———, Catenae graecae in Genesim et in Exodum, vol. : Collectio Coislini-ana in Genesim, CChr.SG, vol. (Brepols/Turnhout )
———, La chaîne sur la Genèse: Édition intégrale, TEG, voll. – (Louvain–)
———, La chaîne sur l’Exode: Édition intégrale, voll. : Collectio coisliniana and : Fonds caténique ancien (Exode ,– ,), TEG, vol. (Louvain,
etc. )
:
I. Translation
Metzger, B.M., and R.E. Murphy, The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical Books (New York )
Bibliography
xc
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II. Commentaries
Entire Bible
Brown, R.E., et al., New Jerome Biblical Commentary (Englewood Cliffs, NJ) = NJBC
Genesis
Clifford, R.J. and R.E. Murphy,“Genesis,” NJBC, pp. –
Rad, G. von, Genesis , trans. J.H. Marks, rev. ed., OTL (London )Speiser, E.A., Genesis, AncB, vol. (Garden City, N.Y. )
Exodus
Clifford, R.J., “Exodus,” NJBC, pp. –
LeviticusFaley, R.J.,“Leviticus,” NJBC, pp. –
Numbers
L’Heureux, C.E., “Numbers,” NJBC, pp. –
Deuteronomy
Blenkinsopp, J., “Deuteronomy,” NJBC, pp. –
Rad, G. von, Deuteronomy, A Commentary, trans. D. Barton (Philadelphia
)Joshua, Judges, Ruth
Coogan, M.D., “Joshua,” NJBC, pp. –
Gray, J., Joshua, Judges and Ruth, NCBC (London )Laffey, A., “Ruth,” NJBC, pp. –
O’Connor, M., “Judges,” NJBC, pp. –
– Samuel
Hertzberg, H.W., I & II Samuel: A Commentary, trans. J.S. Bowden
(Philadelphia )
Daniel
Hartman, L.F., and A.A. Di Lella, “Daniel,” NJBC, pp. –
Tobit
Nowell, I., “Tobit,” NJBC, pp. –
Psalms
Dahood, M., Psalms, voll., AncB, voll. –A (Garden City, N.Y. –)
Bibliography
xci
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Amos
Barré, M.L., “Amos,” NJBC, pp. –
Zechariah
Cody, A., “Haggai, Zecariah, Malachi,” NJBC, pp. –
Matthew
Albright, W.F., and C.S. Mann, Matthew, AncB, vol. (Garden City, N.Y.)
Viviano, B.T., “The Gospel According to St. Matthew,” NJBC, pp. –
Mark
Harrington, D.J., “Mark,” NJBC, pp. –
Luke
Fitzmyer, J., The Gospel According to Luke I-IX, AncB, vol. (Garden City,N.Y. )
John
Brown, R.E., The Gospel According to John I-XII, AncB, vol. (GardenCity, N.Y. )
Perkins, P., “The Gospel According to John,” NJBC, pp. –
GalatiansFitzmyer, J.A.,“The Letter to the Galatians,” NJBC, pp. –
:, ,
Augustine
Dekkers, E., and J. Fraipont, Sancti Aurelii Augustini Enarrationes in Psalmos, Aurelii Augustini Opera, part , vol. : I-L, CChr.SL, vol.
(Turnhout )
Basil of Caesarea
Homilia in diuites
Courtonne, Y., Saint Basile, Homélies sur la richesse (Paris )
Homiliae in hexaemeron
Giet, S., Basile de Césarée, Homélies sur l’hexaéméron, SC, vol. bis (Paris)
Bibliography
xcii
8/9/2019 Theodoret of Cyrus (Questions on the Octateuch. Volume 1, On Genesis and Exodus)
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Clement of Alexandria
Le Boulluec, A., Clément D’Alexandrie, Les Stromates, Stromate VII, SC, vol. (Paris )
Didymus the BlindNautin, P., and L. Doutreleau, Didyme L’Aveugle sur la Genèse, SC, voll.
and (Paris –)
Diodore of Tarsus
Quaestiones in octateuchum
Deconinck, J., Essai sur la chaîne de l'Octateuch avec une édition des com-mentaires de Diodore de Tarse qui s’y trouvent contenus (Paris )
In Psalmos Hill, R.C., Diodore of Tarsus, Commentary on Psalms – , Writings of the
Greco-Roman World, vol. (Atlanta )Olivier, J.-M., Diodori tarsensis Commentarii in psalmos, vol. : Commen-
tarii in psalmos I-L, CChr.SG, vol. (Brepols/Turnhout )
Eusebius of Caesarea
Heikel, I.A., Eusebius Werke, vol. : Demonstratio euangelica, GCS, vol.
(Leipzig )
Gregory of Nyssa
Oratio funebris in Placillam imperatricem
Spira, A., Gregorii Nysseni Opera, vol. . (Leiden )
Herodotus
Hude, C., Herodoti Historiae, vol. , rd ed. (Oxford )
Hippolytus
Bonwetsch, G.N., and H. Achelis, Hippolytus Werke, vol. , pt. : Hippolyt’s kleinere exegetische und homiletische schriften, GCS, vol. . (Leipzig)
Jerome
Labourt, J., Saint Jérôme, Lettres, vol. : Sancti Hieronymi Epistulae XCVI-CIX (Paris )
John Chrysostom
Opera omnia Montfaucon, B. de, Tou` ejn aJgivoi~ patro;~ hJ mw` n j Iwavnnou aj rciep.
Kwnstantivnou povlew~ tou` Crusostov mou ta; euJ riskov mena pavnta.
Bibliography
xciii
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Sancti patris nostri Joannis Chrysostomi archiepiscopi Constantinopoli-tani opera omnia, voll. (Paris –) = PG, voll. –
Homiliae in Isaiam (in illud, Vidi dominum )
Dumortier, J., Jean Chysostome, Homélies sur Ozias, SC, vol. (Paris )
Josephus
Naber, S.A., Flauii Iosephi Opera omnia, voll. –: Antiquitates iudaeorum(Leipzig –)
Origen
De Principiis
Crouzel, H., and M. Simonetti, Origène, Traité des Principes, vol. : (Livres
III et IV ) Commentaire et fragments, SC, vol. (Paris )
Homiliae in Ezechielem
Borret, M., Origène, Homélies sur Ézéchiel, SC, vol. (Paris )
Philo
Quaestiones et solutiones in Genesin
Marcus, R., Philo, Questions and Answers on Genesis (London/Cambridge,Mass. )
De migratione Abrahami
Wendland, P., Philonis alexandrini Opera quae supersunt, vol. (Berlin)
The Suda
Adler, A., Suidae Lexicon, voll. (Leipzig –) = Lexicographi graeci,vol.
Tertullian
Braun, R., Tertullien, Contre Marcion, vol. : Livre II, SC, vol. (Paris)
Theodore of Mopsuestia
Fragmenta in Genesin et Exodum
Devreesse, R., Essai sur Théodore de Mopsueste, StT, (Vatican City )V. above (under Catenae ) Nikephoros Hieromonachos Theotokes, Seira;
eJno;~, etc.; excerpted fragg. reprinted in PG, vol. , coll. –
Bibliography
xciv
8/9/2019 Theodoret of Cyrus (Questions on the Octateuch. Volume 1, On Genesis and Exodus)
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Commentarii in XII prophetas
Hill, R.C., Theodore of Mopsuestia, Commentary on the Twelve Prophets,FOTC, vol. (Washington )
Commentarii in Epistolas S. Pauli Swete, H.B., Theodori episcopi mopsuesteni in epistolas S. Pauli Commen-
tarii, vol. (Cambridge )
Theodoret
Opera omnia
Schulze, J.L., Qeodwrhvtou ejpiskovpou Kuv rou { Apanta. Theodoreti cyren-sis episocopi opera omnia (Halle ff.) = PG, voll. –
Sirmond, J., Theodoreti episcopi Cyri Opera omnia in quatuor tomos distri-
buta (Paris )
Quaestiones in octateuchum
Fernández Marcos, N., and A. Sáenz-Badillos, Theodoreti Cyrensis Quaes-tiones in octateuchum, TECC, vol. (Madrid )
Siquans, A., Der Deuteronomiumkommentar des Theodorets von Kyros, OBS,vol. (Frankfurt am Main, etc. )
Quaestiones in Reges et Paralipomena
Fernández Marcos, N., and J.R. Busto Saiz, Theodoreti Cyrensis Quaestiones in Reges et Paralipomena, TECC, vol. (Madrid )
Commentarii in Psalmos
Hill, R.C., Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Psalms, FOTC, voll. f.(Washington –)
Commentarii in Canticum canticorum
Hill, R.C., Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Early Christian Studies, vol. (Brisbane )
[Commentarii in Jeremiam ]1
Hill, R.C., Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on Jeremiah (Boston )
Commentarii in Epistolas S. Pauli
Hill, R.C., Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters of St Paul (Brook-line, Mass. )
Bibliography
xcv
. This work is of dubious attribution.
8/9/2019 Theodoret of Cyrus (Questions on the Octateuch. Volume 1, On Genesis and Exodus)
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Epistulae
Azéma, Y., Théodoret de Cyr, Correspondance, vol. : Collectio patmensis,Epp. – , SC, vol. (Paris )
———, Théodoret de Cyr, Correspondance, vol. : Collectio sirmondiana,
Epp. – , SC, vol. (Paris )———, Théodoret de Cyr, Correspondance, vol. : Collectio sirmondiana,
Epp. – , SC, vol. (Paris )
Eranistes
Ettlinger, G.H., Theodoret of Cyrus, Eranistes (Oxford )
Graecarum affectionum curatio
Canivet, P., Théodoret de Cyr, Thérapeutique des maladies helléniques, SC,
voll. , . (Paris )Historia religiosa
Canivet, P., and A. Leroy-Molinghen, Théodoret de Cyr: Histoire des moines de Syrie, SC, voll. and (Paris , )
Quaestiones et responsiones ad orthodoxos
Papadopoulos-Kerameus, A., Qeodwrhvtou ejpiskovpou povlew~ Kuv rrou pro;~ ta;~ ejpenecqeivsa~ aujtw/ ` ejperwthvsei~ parav tino~ tw` n ejx Aijguvptou ejpiskovpwn ajpokrivsei~ (St. Petersburg )
Bibliography
xcvi
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CONSPECTUS SIGLORUM
J. F. P.
. 1
Abbreviations. Numbers accompanying abbreviated names of books of the Bible refer
to the Quaest. in oct. Thus, “Gn –” would indicate that a manuscriptcontains Theodoret’s Qq. – on Gn, not chapters – of the biblicalbook.
. An annotation of the form “ (first line)” = the ms. contains thequestion of question and the first line of the answer (v., e.g., on a )
. An annotation of the form “Ex – (except question)” = the ms. con-tains the questions and answers of Ex –, but only the answer of Ex (v.,
e.g., on )Class a
: Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. (th c.)2
A composite of three different manuscripts united by one binding. Only the first contains the Quaest. in oct., but, as this is in itself composite,each section is given its own siglum:
a: Gn (second half), –, (except last few lines of answer), (exceptquestion, . and first third of .), (first line)
c: Gn (except question and first third of answer), –; Ex; Lv; Nm;Dt; Jos; Jgs –, (first third)
These two, now separated from each other by the interposition of b (v.
xcvii
. This list is based on information drawn from the introduction (pp. xi–xxvi), the marginal notes, and the ap. crit. of the edition of N. Fernández Marcosand A. Sáenz-Badillos, and further clarifications generously and patiently providedby Fr. Fernández Marcos in correspondence. It represents an attempt to specify
which questions are available in a given manuscript, not the order in which they are actually found.. Ibid., p. xiii and F. Petit, Catenae, vol. , pp. xxxiii–xxxvi.
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class c below), are parts of the same book and were copied by the samehand.
: Venice, Biblioteca Marciana, Ms. gr. I. = (th c.)
Ex (except question and first line of answer), –; Lv; Nm –, (except last couple of lines), (except question and first third of an-swer), –; Dt (first third of . and last third of answer), –; Jos;Jgs; Ruth
: Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. gr. (th c.)3
Gn –; Ex; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos; Jgs (except question), –, (firstthird)
As the sections of this manuscript that contain the Quaest. in oct. are
copied from other extant manuscripts, it has no value as a witness to thetext; nonetheless it will be cited in this edition to illustrate its influenceon Schulze’s selection of readings.4 It becomes representative of thisgroup from Gn on.
Class a1
: Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. VI. (th–th c.)
Gn –, . (first quarter), (except question and first half of answer),–, –, –; Ex; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
Class a2
: Patmos, ∆Iwavnnou tou` Qeolovgou, (th c.)
Gn (except question and first third of answer), –; Ex; Lv; Nm;Dt; Jos; Jgs (question only), (except first half of .), –
: Patmos, ∆Iwavnnou tou` Qeolovgou, (th–th c.)
Gn –; Ex; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
Class B
: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Ancien fonds grec (th–th c.)
Pf.; Gn –; Ex –, (except question), –; Lv; Nm –, (firsthalf), (last quarter), –, (twice), –; Dt . (last few lines)–end,–, (last two lines), , (except question, ., and first third of .), –; Jos; Jgs –, (except last few lines), (last fifth of .), –;Ruth
Conspectus siglorum
xcviii
. For the date, a century later than that indicated by Fernández Marcos and
Sáenz-Badillos, v. F. Petit, Catenae, vol. , p. xxxiii, note .. V. F. Petit, Catenae, vol. , pp. xxxviif., li–liii. For the edition of J.L. Schulze, v.
sec. .D of the “Introduction to the Greek Text.”
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: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Baroccianus (th c.)
Gn (except question and first line and a half of answer), –; Ex –, (except question), –; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos (last third of an-swer), –; Jgs –, (last third of answer), (last couple of lines),–; RuthThis ms. will be cited with this group only from Lv on.
a: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Baroccianus (th–th c.)
Jgs (last third), –, (except last couple of lines of answer)
This is a leaf of (f. ) that has been bound with another portion of the Quaest. in oct. taken from a different book; v. the remarks on ms. b listed among the unaffiliated mss.5 As and a constitute just onesource, I have not noted the spot in Q. on Jgs, where breaks off and a begins nor that in Q. , where a breaks off and recommences.None of the text has been lost in the division of the codex.
: Patmos, ∆Iwavnnou tou` Qeolovgou, (th c.)
Pf.; Gn –; Ex –, (except question), –; Lv –, (exceptquestion), –; Nm –, –; Dt; Jos pf.–, (except question),–; Jgs –, (first two thirds)
: Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. VI. (th c.)
Gn (last few lines), –, f. (both only partially legible), (exceptquestion), –, (first third)
Class c: Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut. VI. (th c.)
Nm (last quarter), –, –, –; Dt f.; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
b: Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr.
Pf. Gn – (question only), –, (question and first quarter of an-
swer)This section of the manuscript (v. on a and c in class a above) containstwo texts both copied from Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional . The first, atranscription of Gn – was intercalated between a and c to supply the lacuna in the Quaest. in Gn in c .6 The second completed this sup-plement with the preface and Q. . As both sections are apographs of asurviving manuscript, b will not be cited in this edition.7
The Manuscripts and Their Contents
xcix
. N. Fernández Marcos and A. Sáenz-Badillos, p. xviii.. F. Petit, Catenae, vol. , p. xxxiv, note .
. Ibid., pp. xlviiif., lif., liv.
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: Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, S. Marco (th c.)8
Pf.; Gn –, (first few lines), –, (first sixth), –; Ex –,–; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
: Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. gr. (th c.)Pf.; Gn; Ex –, –; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Coislinianus (th–th c.)9
Pf.; Gn; Ex –, –; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
Class c1
: Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. gr. (th c.)
Pf.; Gn –, (except question), –, (except question), –, –,–, –, –, –, –; Ex –, (except question)
: Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. (th-th c.)
Pf.; Gn (except question), –, (first half), (except first half of .), –, –, –, (except question), –, –, –; Ex f., , –, –, –, , –, , –, , , –; Lv , –, –,–, , f., –, –; Nm f., f., , , –, –; Dt –, –,–; Jos; Jgs –, –; Ruth
: Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. (th c.)Pf.; Gn , (except question), (except question), (except question),–, –, –, –, (except question), –, –, –; Ex –, –, –, –, –, –, –, –, –; Lv , –;Nm –; Dt –, . (first third), –; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
: Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Palat. gr. (th c.)
Pf.; Gn –, –, –, –, –; Ex –, –, –, –
Unaffiliated manuscripts: Rome, Biblioteca Angelica, Gr. (late th c.)
Pf.; Gn –, (except last few lines of answer); Ex (last fifth), –;Lv; Nm; Dt –, (except last few lines of answer)
: Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Theol. gr. (th c.)
Pf.; Gn – (except question), –; Ex; Lv; Nm; Dt –, (except lastcouple of lines of answer); Jos; Jgs
Conspectus siglorum
c
. For this date, which is different from that given by Fernández Marcos andSáenz-Badillos, v. F. Petit, Catenae, vol. , p. xxiii, note .
. Ibid., p. xxi.
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: Rome, Biblioteca Vallicelliana, B . (th or th c.)
Complete
: Rome, Biblioteca Vallicelliana, E (th c. with later supplements)
In this ms., which has suffered the loss of the first two quaternios and of individual folios throughout, a hand of the th c. has replaced missingportions of the first fifteen questions on Gn.10 Though the Madrid edi-tion cites both the earlier and later portions by the same siglum ( ), Ihave introduced the following distinction:
(th c.): Gn. , (question and first few lines of answer), .–, (ques-tion only), (last third), –, –, . (first sixth), . (last threefifths)–end; Ex; Lv –, (first half), (except question and first
percent of answer), –; Nm –, (except last couple of lines of an-
swer), (except question and first couple of lines of answer), –(twice), –; Dt; Jos pf.–, (first half), (except question and firsthalf of answer), –; Jgs; Ruth
a (th c.): Gn. f., (except the question and first few lines of answer),f., (question and first two lines of .), (answer only), –,
(question and first two thirds of answer)
: Patmos, ∆Iwavnnou tou` Qeolovgou, (th c.)
Pf.; Gn , (except the question and first few lines and last third of an-
swer), , –, –, –, , , (incomplete),11 –, (firsthalf), (except question and first third of answer), –,
: V. the description of this ms. in class B above.
: Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Theol. gr. (th c.)
Pf.; Gn –
: Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Theol. gr. (th c.)
Gn –,12 (except question), –
: Venice, Biblioteca Marciana, Ms. gr. I. = (th c.?)
Pf.; Gn –, –, , –, , , (except last few lines of answer)
The Manuscripts and Their Contents
ci
. E. Martini (#) tentatively identifies the later hand as that of Andreas Dar-marius.
. Fr. Fernández Marcos informs me that this ms. recommences in the midst of Q . , somewhere in the area corresponding to PG, vol. , col. B, thus some-where between ou|to~ ejk tw' n rJafai; >n and ajlazoneivan, its alternative spelling of
which is noted in the Madrid edition (l. , p. ).. I assume that the references to ms. in the notes on l. , p. (Q . on Gn)of the Madrid edition must be mistakes, perhaps for “.”
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b: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Baroccianus (th–th c.)
Pf.; Gn , (first few lines), (last few lines), , (first couple of lines),
(second half), f., (first couple of lines), (except question and lasttwo thirds of .)13
Though these pages are bound with others containing questions on Jgs,the two portions of this ms. are drawn from different books; v. the re-marks on a in class B above.
: Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. gr. (th c.)
Ex (except question), f., (last few lines), –, (except question),
(through first half of . + one line in .), f., (except question),–, (except question), –, f., (except question), f., –,
(except question), –, (except question), f., (except ques-
tion); Lv –, (except question), ,14 , (except question), –,–, (except question), f.; Nm –, –, –, (except ques-tion), –; Dt –, (except question), f., (except question),–, , , (except question), (except question), , (exceptquestion), (except question), (except question), , (except ques-tion), –; Jos pf.–, (except question and one fifth of .), –,–, –, ; Jgs , –, (except question), , , f., –, (firstthree quarters); Ruth
: V. the description of this ms. in class a above.
: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Ancien fonds grec (th c.)
Gn (except question), –; Ex; Lv; Nm –, (first few lines),
(last percent), –; Dt; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Ancien fonds grec (th c.)
Gn –, (first third of .), (except question and first line of an-swer), –; Ex –, –, (except part of question and first coupleof lines of answer), –; Lv; Nm; Dt; Jos; Jgs; Ruth
: Dublin, Trinity College, D.. (th–th c.)Gn (except last five lines of answer)
Conspectus siglorum
cii
. This manuscript does not carry any of Qq . f. In the Madrid edition, themarginal sign of a lacuna in the middle of the second sentence of Q . (p. ) is amistake. The lacuna at that point occurs in a, not b .
. I assume that the references to ms. in the notes on ll. and , p. (Qq .f. on Lv) of the Madrid edition must be mistakes.
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.
Manuscript Classes
a in Qq on Gn not used
in Qq. on Ex–Jgs = the agreement of c and
in Qq. on Ruth not used
a 1
in Qq. on Gn–Ruth replaced by “ ”
a 2
in Qq. on Gn–Jgs = the agreement of and
in Qq. on Ruth not used
A in Qq on Gn = the agreement of c, , and a 2 in Qq. on Ex–Jgs = the agreement of a, , and a
2
in Qq. on Ruth not used
B in Qq. on Gn = the agreement of , ,
in Qq. on Ex = the agreement of and
in Qq. on Lv–Jgs. = the agreement of , (or a ),
and
in Qq. on Ruth = the agreement of and
c in Qq. on Gn–Lv = the agreement of , , and in Qq. on Nm–Ruth = the agreement of , , , and
c 1
in Qq. on Gn–Ex = the agreement of , , , and
in Qq. on Lv–Ruth = the agreement of and
C in Qq. on Gn–Ruth = the agreement of c and c 1
Other Signs and Abbreviations
cod. A codex alexandrinus (V. note to Q. on Jgs.)
cod. B codex vaticanus (V. note to Q. on Jgs.)
codd. codices = the reading of all the manuscripts
F.M. N. Fernández Marcos and A. Sáenz-Badillos
F.P. Françoise Petit
inc. Marks manuscripts that are lacking something other than
or more than just the initial query of a Q.
J.P. conjectured by John Petruccione
om. omit
Signs and Abbreviations
ciii
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Pic. J. Picot
Q. Quaestio, i.e. both the initial query and Theodoret’s response
Sch. J.L. Schulze15
Sir. J. Sirmond[ ] Citation within brackets indicates that a manuscript has no
value as an independent witness.
|| where a manuscript breaks off
| where a manuscript begins after a lacuna
= in the body of a textual note, introduces the translation of a
rejected variant
* marks manuscripts lacking the query that introduces the Q.
(Sch.) An abbreviated name enclosed in parentheses indicates thescholar, other than Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-
Badillos, who attests to a reading of a manuscript or an
edition.16
Conspectus siglorum
civ
. N.B. in reff. to Schulze’s edition, there are two different forms of citation:() “n. to col. ” indicates that the call-out number appears next to theword or phrase of col. that is illustrated or supplemented by reference to the
Catena Nikephori; () “n. , col. ” directs the reader to note , which standsbelow the excerpts from the Catena Nikephori in col. .
. These parentheses are used repeatedly to attribute to Schulze reports of readings adopted by Picot. As I am informed by Mr. P. Goodman, a cataloguer atthe Library of Congress, the national databases list only two copies of Picot’sedition in the United States: one at Harvard and the other at the University of Chicago.
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The Questions on the Octateuch
On Genesis and Exodus
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QEODWRHTOU EIS TA APORA THS
QEIAS GRAFHS KAT ' EKLOGHN
Praefatio in Quaestiones in octateuchum
Kai; a[lloi me; n filomaqei'" a[ ndre" ejphggeivlanto dialu'sai
th'" qeiva" grafh'" ta; dokou' nta ei\ nai zhthvmata, kai; tw' n me; n
aj naptuvxai to; n nou' n, tw' n de; ta;" aijtiva" dhlw'sai, kai;
aJpaxaplw'" ajpofh' nai safh' ta; toi'" polloi'" ouj toiau'ta
fainovmena. su; de; diaferov ntw", fivltate paivdwn ÔUpavtie, tou'tov
me pra'xai parwvtruna", polloi'" wj fevlimon e[sesqai kai; tovde to;
suvggramma livan ijscurisavmeno". ou | dh; e{ neka kaivtoi tou'
swvmato" oujk eu\ moi diakeimev nou, tov nde proeilovmhn to; n pov non,
oujk ejmautw' / ge qarrw' n, ajlla; tw' / tau'qæ ou{tw suggrafh' nai
prostetacovti. aujtou' gavr ejstin ejpidei'xai th; n ej n tw' / gravmmati
kekrummev nhn diav noian: aujto;" ga;r kaj n toi'" iJ eroi'" eujaggelivoi"
, C, b = mss.
Title Qeodwrhvtou eij~ ta; a[pora th~ qeiva~ grafh~ katæ ejkloghv n
( F.P. ) : Qeodwrhvtou eij~ ta; a[pora th~ qeiva~ grafh~ (F.P.) (-rivtou J.P.); cf. Photius, Bibl. cod. (Eij~ ta; a[pora.......th` ~ grafh` ~) = “Theodoret on Questions regarding Holy Scripture” : Tou` makarivou Qeodwrhvtou eij~ ta;a[pora th~ qeiva~ grafh~ katæ ejkloghv n (Qeodorivtou, F.P.) [ ] (Sch.) =“St. Theodoret on Selected Questions regarding Holy Scripture” : Tou` makarivouQeodwrhvtou ejpiskovpou Kuvrou, eij~ ta; a[pora th~ qeiva~ grafh~ katæ
ejkloghv n Sir. (Qeodorivtou) Sch. = “St. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyr, on Selected Questions regarding Holy Scripture” : Qeodwrivtou ejpiskovpou Kuvrou, eij~ ta;zhtouvmena kai; ajporouvmena th~ palaia~ kai; qeiva~ grafh~ (J.P.) =“Theodoret, Bishop of Cyr, on Issues and Questions of the Old Testament of Holy
Scripture” : Qeodwrhvtou tou` ejpiskovpou Kuvrou, eij~ ta; zhtouvmena a[porath~ palaia~ diaqhvkh~ (J.P.) = “Theodoret, Bishop of Cyr, on Disputed Questions of the Old Testament” : om. F.M.
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THEODORET ON SELECTED QUESTIONS
REGARDING HOLY SCRIPTURE
Preface
Previous scholars have promised to resolve apparent problems in
holy Scripture by explicating the sense of some, indicating the back-
ground of others, and, in a word, clarifying whatever remains un-
clear to ordinary people.1 And you, my dearest son, Hypatius,2 above
others have pressed me to undertake this task and insisted that the
present work would be widely useful. Hence, although I am not in
good health, I have undertaken this project, trusting not in myself, of
course, but in the one who dictated this manner of composition for
the Scriptures, as it belongs to him to bring to the fore the meaning
concealed in the text.3 He it was, after all, who in the sacred Gospels
presented his teaching in parables and then provided the interpreta-
. Theodoret refuses to concede that Scripture contains real problems. There isonly a certain difficulty in dealing with these questions, which better informedpeople ( filomaqei'") should be able to resolve.
. In his Dissertatio on Theodoret’s life and works, Schulze describes (PG,vol. , col. ) Hypatius as an associate and assistant, perhaps a coadjutor, of The-odoret in his latter years.
. For other places where Theodoret concedes his dependence on divine grace
in his exegetical task; v. Thdt., Ps. – proem. and Epp. Paul. proem. Unearthingthe sense hidden in the words (th; n ej n tw/ ` gravmmati diav noian) is the commen-tator’s job, for which he depends on the Spirit.
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kai; parabolikw'" th; n didaskalivan prosev fere kai; tw' n
aij nigmatwdw'" eijrhmev nwn ejpoiei'to th; n eJrmhneivan.a paræ aujtou'
toiv nun th'" noera'" ajkti' no" aj ntibolhvsa" tucei' n, tw' n tou'
panagivou pneuvmato" ajduvtwn katatolmh'sai peiravsomai. jIstevon de; pro; tw' n a[llwn aJpav ntwn wJ" ouj c a{pante"
suvmfwnon e[ cousi th'" ejrwthvsew" to; n skopov n, ajllæ oiJ me; n
dussebw'" ejrwtw'si, dielevgcein oijovmenoi th; n qeivan grafhv n: nu' n
mev n, wJ" oujk ojrqa; paideuvousan, nu' n dev, wJ" ej nantiva
didavskousan: oiJ de; filomaqw'" zhtou'si kai; poqou'sin euJrei' n to;
zhtouvmenon. kajkeiv nwn toiv nun ejmfravxomen, su; n qew' / fav nai, ta;
blavsfhma stovmata, th'" qeiva" ejpideiknuv nte" grafh'" kai; th; nsumfwnivan kai; th; n ajrivsthn didaskalivan, kai; touvtoi", wJ" oi |ov n
te, tw' n ejpaporoumev nwn th; n luvsin prosoivsomen. ajrch; n de;
touvtwn poihvsomai th'" ktivsew" th; n ajrchv n: au{th ga;r ajrch; kai;
prooivmion th'" qeopneuvstou grafh'".
Theodoret on Selected Questions
a. Mt .–
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tion of what he had said in riddles.4a My appeal, therefore, shall be
to gain illumination of the mind from him, so I may endeavor to
penetrate the innermost sanctuary of the most Holy Spirit.5
Now, to begin with, you should know that not all inquirers share
the same purpose. Some inquire irreverently, believing they find
holy Scripture wanting: in some cases, not teaching right doctrine,
in others, giving conflicting instructions. In contrast, others, long-
ing to find an answer for their question, search because they love
learning. Accordingly, it is my intention to stop the blasphemous
mouths of the former, please God, by demonstrating the consisten-cy of holy Scripture and the excellence of its teaching, and also, to
the extent possible, provide the latter with solutions to their difficul-
ties. I shall begin with the beginning of creation, which is the begin-
ning and introduction of the inspired Scripture.
Preface
. Though finding riddles primarily in the Old Testament, eastern commenta-tors also regarded the Gospel parables (parabolikw`~) as an oblique form of com-munication (aij nigmatwdw~); cf. Chrysostom’s Proph. obscurit. (CPG #).
. For Theodoret the task of scriptural commentary is an exalted, in fact, in-spired, role. In the preface to his commentary on Song of Songs he speaks in very
similar terms: “Exegesis of holy Scripture.......requires a mind with wings that canbehold the divine and will dare to enter the innermost sanctuary of the Spirit(katatolmwvsh~ tw` n ajduvtwn tou` Pneuvmato~).
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QUAESTIONES IN GENESIN
Tiv dhv pote mh; protevtace th'" tw' n o{lwn dhmiourgiva"
qeologivan oJ suggrafeuv";
Metrei' n ei[wqe toi'" paideuomev noi" hJ qeiva grafh; maqhvmata
kai; toi'" me; n teleivoi" prosfevrein ta; tevleia, toi'" ajtelevsi de;
ta; stoiceiwvdh kai; th' / sfw' n dunavmei sumbaiv nonta.a ejpeidh;
toiv nun aijguvptioi th; n oJrwmev nhn ktivsin ejqeopoivoun, touvtoi" de;
sundiavgwn ejpi; plei'ston, oJ ∆Israh;l tauvth" th'" dussebeiva"
metevlacen, aj nagkaivw" ta; peri; th'" ktivsew" aujtoi'" prosfevrei
maqhvmata kai; didavskei diarrhvdhn o{ti kai; ajrch; n e[sce tou' ei\ nai kai; o{ti poihth; n e[ cei to; n tw' n o{lwn Qeov n.b ouj mh; n oujde;
to; n th'" qeologiva" paralevloipe lovgon. to; ga;r fav nai to; n
oujranov n, kai; th; n gh' n, kai; ta; a[lla o{sa th'" ktivsew" movria
genhta; kai; dei'xai touvtwn dhmiourgo; n to; n tw' n o{lwn Qeo; n
ajrkou'san toi'" tovte qeologivan proshv negke: tw' n me; n ga;r
ejdhvlwse th; n ajrchv n, tou' de; euJrei' n oujk i[scuse th; n ajrchv n. kai;
ajiv >dion toiv nun ejgnwkw;" to; n Qeo; n kai; poihth; n tou' panto;"oj nomavsa" kai; ajgaqo; n poihthv n,c tw' / fusiologikw' / to; qeologiko; n
mavla sofw'" sunhvrmosen.
[Allw" te kai; promemaqhvkesan oiJ tau'ta didaskovmenoi tou'
Qeou' to; ajiv >dion: ajpostalei;" ga;r eij" Ai[gupton para; tou' Qeou'
tw' n o{lwn, oJ qespevsio" Mwu>sh'" prosetav cqh toi'" oJmofuvloi"
, , c, * , a b = mss.
a. Cor .f.mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn ., , , , , , , mm
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eijpei' n, oJ w]n ajpevstalkev me pro;" uJ ma' ":d to; de; oJ w]n tou' aji>divou
dhlwtikov n. dh'lon de; toi'" filomaqevsin wJ" ejkei' na pro; touvtwn
ejrrevqh: ejkeiv nhn ga;r aujtoi'" th; n didaskalivan e[ti th; n
Ai[gupton oijkou'si proshv negke, tau'ta de; ej n th' / ejrhvmw/sunevgrafe.
Tiv dhv pote th'" tw' n ajggevlwn oujk ejmnhvsqh dhmiourgiva";
Oujde; n sterro; n ei\ con bevbaion oiJ nomoaqetouvmenoi: aujtivkagou' n, meta; polla; kai; a[ frasta qauvmata, th; n eijkov na tou'
movscou qeo; n aj nhgovreusan.a oiJ de; ta; tw' n kthnw' n ij ndavlmata
rJa/divw" ou{tw qeopoihvsante",|| tiv oujk a] n e[drasan eij tw' n
The Questions on Genesis
||26b
d. Ex .
, , c, * , a (inc.) b(inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Ex .mm
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sent me to you.”3d Now, “He Who Is” conveys eternity, and it will be
obvious to the attentive that that statement was made before the
teaching in this chapter. He taught them the former while they were
still living in Egypt but composed this chapter in the wilderness.
Why did he not mention the creation of the angels?1
The people who were receiving the Law had no firm and stablebasis; after all, immediately after many ineffable marvels, they hailed
the image of the calf as a god.2a So if those people could so easily re-
gard the likenesses of cattle as gods, what would they not have done,
Question
scension in accommodating scriptural expression to the limitations of humanreaders/listeners. On the use of this term in his homilies on ch. of Gn, v. R.C. Hill,“On looking again at synkatabasis .”
. Theodoret does not realize that the terms used to refer to God differ in thevarious Hebrew traditions that have been combined to create the present text of Gn and Ex; v. sec. of the “Introduction to Theodoret’ s Life and Works.” Accord-ing to Ex ., a verse belonging to the Elohist tradition (from Hebrew ‘elohim,“God”), God first revealed his name “Yahweh” to Moses, for “‘I am who I am’ is thename Yahweh transposed into the first person.” In contrast, according to the Yah-wist tradition in Gn ., God had been invoked by the name “Yahweh” from thetime of Adam. While Theodoret understands the use of the verb “to be” inthe name of Ex . as a statement of God’s eternal existence, R.J. Clifford regardsthe Hebrew as “probably the causative form, ‘cause to be, create’”; v. “Exodus,” onEx .–.
. This is the first of several questions regarding angels, which testify to theo-logical debate about, and the interest in, angels in Theodoret’s church. Chrysos-tom had raised the same point at the opening of the first of his eight early sermonson Genesis (ser. . in Gen.), to which Theodoret may have referred as he com-posed this question. In his commentary on Colossians (on .), Theodoret showssome concern about the proliferation in Phrygia and Pisidia of the cult of the an-gels, especially Michael. In his belief that Scripture is “full of this doctrine” (i.e. re-garding the angels), the commentator here has recourse to an ingenious rationali-zation; in fact, while angels appear throughout the Bible, there is little in the way of speculative angelology.
. Chrysostom had adduced the same line of argument in hom. . in Gen.
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ajoravtwn fuvsewn th; n gnw'sin ejdevxanto; ou | cavrin, mev cri th'" tou'
∆Abraa;m teleiovthto", oujdeni; tw' n pavlai aj nqrwvpwn diæ ajggevlou
oJ tw' n o{lwn dielev cqh Qeov".
|∆Epi; de; th'" [Agar prw'ton ajggevlou mnhvmhn oJ qespevsio"
ejpoihvsato Mwu>sh'",b kai; mavla eijkovtw": tuvpo" ga;r hJ [Agar th'"
palaia'" diaqhvkh" kata; to; n qei'on ajpovstolon. to; ga;r [ Agar,
fhsiv, Sina' o[ ro" ejsti;n ejn th' / ∆Arabiva/, sustoicei' de; th' / nu' n
∆Ierousalhv m.c ejpeidh; toiv nun diæ ajggevlwn oJ novmo" ejdovqh:
diatageiv", gavr fhsi, diæ ajggevlwn ejn ceiri; mesivtou:d kai; pavlin,
eij ga; r oJ diæ ajggevlwn lalhqei;" lovgo" ejgevneto bev baio":e
kai; mavlaprosfovrw" oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" diæ ajggevlou kai; th'" douleiva"
aj nevmnhse kai; ta; peri; tou' tecqhsomev nou paido;" prohgovreusen.f
{ Oti de; ktisth; n e[ cousi fuvsin kai; a[ggeloi, kai; ajrcavggeloi,
kai; ei[ ti e{terov n ejstin ajswvmaton, plh; n th'" aJgiva" triavdo", hJ
qeiva safw'" hJma'" didavskei grafhv. uJmnei' n ga;r kai; touvtoi"
Dabi;d parakeleuv etai oJ profhvth": aijnei' te ga;r aujtovn, fhsiv,
pavnte" oiJ a[ggeloi aujtou' , aijnei' te aujtovn, pa' sai aiJ dunav mei"
aujtou' :g kai; th; n aijtivan didavskwn, ejphvgagen, o{ti aujto;" ei\ pe,
kai; ejgenhvqhsan,|| aujto;" ejneteivlato, kai; ejktivsqhsan:h kai;
pavlin, ej n eJtevrw/ yalmw' /, oJ poiw' n tou;" ajggevlou" aujtou'
pneuv mata kai; tou;" leitourgou;" aujtou' puro;" flovga.i kai; oiJ
trei'" makavrioi pai'de" ej n th' / kamiv nw/ to; n qei'on u{mnon
uJ faiv nonte" kai; to; panavriston ejkei' no kai; livan aJrmovdion
eijrhkovte" prooivmion, eujlogei' te, pavnta ta; e[ rga Kurivou, to;n
Kuv rion, eujqu;" ejphvgagon, eujlogei' te, a[ggeloi Kurivou, to;n Kuv rion, j pa' sai aiJ dunav mei" Kurivou, to;n Kuv rion.k ajlla; ga;r
parevlkon oi\mai peri; touvtwn makrhgorei' n: pa'sa ga;r hJ
qeovpneusto" grafh; th'sde th'" didaskaliva" aj navplew".
The Questions on Genesis
b. Gn .mmc. Gal .mmd. Gal .mme. Heb .mmf. Gn .–mmg. Ps .mmh. Ps .mmi. Ps . mm j. Dn .f. (LXX)mmk. Dn . (LXX)
||13
|13
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if they had acquired knowledge of powers of an invisible nature?
This is why, up to the time of Abraham, a fully mature man, the God
of the universe never communicated with the people of olden times
by means of an angel.The divinely inspired Moses first made mention of an angel in
the case of Hagar,b and rightly so; Hagar was a type of the old
covenant. According to the holy apostle, “Hagar is Mount Sinai in
Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem.”c So, as the Law
was given through angels—“It was ordained through angels by a
mediator”;d and again, “If the message declared through angels was
valid”e
—it was also entirely appropriate for the God of the universeto employ an angel to speak of her slavery and to foretell the fate of
the child that was to be born.f
Now, holy Scripture clearly teaches us that angels and archangels
and anything else incorporeal—the Holy Trinity excepted—have a
created nature. Thus, the prophet David commands them also to
sing God’s praise: “All you his angels, sing his praise; sing his praise,
all you his powers.”g And to convey the reason, he adds, “Because he
spoke, and they were made; he gave orders, and they were created.”h
And again in another psalm: “He who makes his angels winds and
his ministers a flaming fire.”i Furthermore, the three blessed young
men in the furnace composed their divinely inspired hymn and, be-
ginning with a very fitting introduction, sang that excellent verse:
“Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,” and then, “Bless the
Lord, angels of the Lord; j bless the Lord, all you powers of the
Lord.”3k In fact, I feel it is superfluous to go on at length about them;all the inspired Scripture is full of this doctrine.
Question
. For the Greek version of this passage of Dn, v. L.F. Hartman and A.A. Di Lel-la, “Daniel,” on .– and K.G. O’Connell, “Greek Versions of the Old Testa-ment,” p. , and cf. the allusion to the same hymn at the end of Q. .
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Prou>pavrcousin oujranou' kai; gh'" a[ggeloi, h] su; n touvtoi" ejgev nonto;
Peritta;" me; n ejgw; ta;" toiauvta" zhthvsei" uJpeivlhfa: tiv"
ga;r o[ nhsi" prosgenhvsetai toi'" ejgnwkovsi to; n th'" tw' n
ajggevlwn dhmiourgiva" kairov n; oi\da de; kai; to; n qei'on ajpovstolon
tw' / qaumasivw/ Timoqevw/ paregguw' nta, paraggei'laiv tisi mh;
eJterodidaskalei' n mhde; prosev cein muvqoi" kai; genealogivai"
ajperavntoi".a
ejrw' de; o{mw" o{per sumbaiv nein uJpeivlhfa tw' / skopw' /th'" qeiva" grafh'": ajperivgrafon mov nhn ejdidav cqhmen ei\ nai th; n
qeivan fuvsin, a{te dh; a[ktiston ou\san kai; a[ narcon kai; ajiv >dion,
ta; dev ge ajrxavmena tou' ei\ nai perigegrammev non e[ cei dhlonovti
to; ei\ nai. oujkou' n, kai; ajswvmaton levgonte" ei\ nai tw' n ajggevlwn
th; n fuvsin, perigegrav fqai fame; n aujtw' n th; n uJpovstasin. pw'"
ga;r a[ n ti" nohvsai ciliva" ciliavda" kai; muriva" muriavda", kata;
to; n qei'on Danihvl,b mh; e{kaston logizovmeno" ej n ijdiva/ ei\ nai
perigrafh' /;
jAllæ o{ti me; n perigegrammev nhn e[ cousin oiJ a[ggeloi th; n
oujsivan oujdev na aj nterei' n oi\mai. kai; ga;r tw' n aj nqrwvpwn e{kaston
uJ fæ eJ no;" e[ fh tetav cqai khdemonivan oJ despovth" Cristov":
oJ ra' te, gavr fhsi, mh; katafronhvshte eJno;" tw' n ejlacivstwn tw' n
pisteuov ntwn eij" ejmev, o{ti oiJ a[ggeloi aujtw' n .......dia; panto;"
oJ rw' si to; provswpon tou' patrov" mou tou' ejn ouj ranoi' ".c kai; eJkavstw/ de; e[qnei a[ggelon ej festav nai fhsi; n hJ qeiva grafhv: oJ
The Questions on Genesis
, , c , * , * b(inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Tm .f.mmb. Dn .mmc. Mt . (NT var.)mm
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Did the angels come into being before heaven and earth, or werethey made along with them?
I regard this sort of question as over-curious; after all, what ben-
efit could accrue from a knowledge of the exact moment of the cre-
ation of the angels? I am also aware that the holy apostle urges the
admirable Timothy “to instruct certain people not to teach any dif-
ferent doctrine or give heed to mythological fables and endless ge-
nealogies.”1a
Yet I shall state what I believe is in keeping with thepurpose of holy Scripture.2 We were taught that the divine nature
alone is uncircumscribed in that it is uncreated, without beginning,
and eternal, whereas things that have had a beginning of existence
clearly have limits to their existence. Therefore, even though we de-
clare that the angels possess an incorporeal nature, we say that their
substance is circumscribed. Indeed, how could anyone, in the words
of the divinely inspired Daniel, form the notion of “thousands of
thousands and myriads of myriads”b without understanding each
one to exist within its own limits?
I believe, however, that no one contests that the angels have a be-
ing that is circumscribed. Christ the Lord said that each human be-
ing has been placed in the care of a single angel: “Be careful not to
despise one of the least of those who believe in me, because their an-
gels gaze constantly on the face of my Father in heaven.”c Holy
Scripture also says that an angel presides over each nation. The an-gel that conversed with the prophet Daniel mentioned a ruler of the
Question
. Though he wishes to convey the impression that such issues are trivial, The-odoret is aware that Origen (Princ. ..; v. H. Crouzel and M. Simonetti, vol. ,note , pp. f.), Basil (Hex. .), and Gregory Nazianzen (Or. .f.) had placedthe creation of the angels before that of heaven and earth, and that Theodore of Mopsuestia (in his commentary on Genesis; v. Devreesse, Essai, p. and note )
had rejected this view. Theodoret’s argumentation follows closely the logic and thescriptural citations marshalled by Theodore; v. Guinot, L’Exégèse , pp. f.. Though qualifying this question as frivolous, Theodoret wishes to provide
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ga;r tw' / profhvth/ Danih;l prosdialegovmeno" a[ggelo" kai;
a[rconta persw' n ei[rhke,d kai; a[rconta eJllhv nwn,e kai; Micah;l
to; n a[rconta tw' n ijoudaivwn.f kai; Mwu>sh'" de; oJ mevga" ej n th' /
wj /dh' / fhsin, o{te diemev rizen oJ {Uyisto" e[qnh, wJ" dievspeiren uiJou;" ∆Adav m, e[sthsen o{ ria ejqnw' n kata; aj riqmo;n ajggevlwn Qeou' .g
eij toiv nun oJ me; n touvtwn, oJ de; ejkeiv nwn a[rcein ejtav cqh, e{kasto"
de; tw' n aj nqrwvpwn uJpo; th; n eJ no;" frontivda telei', eu[dhlon wJ"
perigegrammev nhn e[ cousi th; n oujsivan.
Eij de; tou'to ajlhqev", w{sper ou\ n ajlhqev", tovpou a[ra
prosdevontai: |mov non ga;r to; qei'on, wJ" ajperivgrafon, oujk ej n
tovpw/. eij de; to; perigegrammev non ej n tovpw/, pw'" oi |ov n teprou>pavrcein oujranou' kai; gh'" tou;" ajggevlou"; ouj ga;r o[ nto"
tou' fevronto", pw'" e[ nesti to; ferovmenon ei\ nai;
jAllav fasiv tine" crh' nai levgein prou>pavrcein oujranou' kai;
gh'" tou;" ajggevlou": ajggevlwn, gavr fasi, oujk o[ ntwn, pw'" oJ tw' n
o{lwn uJmnei'to Qeov";a
() jAllæ oiJ tau'ta levgonte" ajgnoou'sin wJ" kai; aj navrcou"
aujtou;" kai; aji>divou" ou |to" oJ lovgo" poiei': eij ga;r ejdei'to tw' n
uJmnouv ntwn oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov", aj ei; de; touvtou" ei\ cen uJmnou' nta",
The Questions on Genesis
|26b
d. Dn ., mme. Dn .mmf. Dn .mmg. Dt .
a(inc.) , , c , * , (+ a) b [ ] = mss.
l. fasi , , b, Sir. Sch. ( -in) : om.? J.P. : fhsiv F.M. = “he asks, ‘how was .......?’” Cf. fasiv tine~ in the preceding clause. The verb might well be agloss, for the transposed order of and (oujk o[ ntwn fasiv) suggests that its
place in the text was uncertain.
a. Jb .mm
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Persians,d a ruler of the Greeks,e and Michael the ruler of the Jews.3f
And in his song, the mighty Moses declares, “When the Most High
divided the nations, when he dispersed the children of Adam, he set
boundaries for nations according to the number of God’s angels.” g
If, then, one was appointed to rule this group and another that, and
each human being lives in the care of an angel, they clearly have a
being that is circumscribed.
Now, if this is in fact true, and, of course it is, it follows that they
require a place; only the divinity, uncircumscribed in being, does
not occupy a place. But if what is circumscribed occupies a place,how could the angels have come into being before heaven and earth?
If there was nothing to offer support, how could anything exist that
needed to be supported?
Yet, some commentators claim that the angels preëxisted heaven
and earth, for “if there were no angels,” they ask, “how was the God
of the universe praised in song?”a
() Those who make this claim do not realize that it presents the
angels as without beginning and without end. If the God of the
universe needed singers of his praises and always had them singing
his praises, it follows that the angels would be co-eternal with
Question
an answer that will be in accord with the Antiochene exegetical practice of at-tempting to discern the general purport (oJ skopov~) of each passage of Scripture;thus he promises to provide what he takes to be the general sense of biblical pas-sages dealing with angels (o{per sumbaiv nein uJpeivlhfa tw/ ` skopw/ ` th~ qeiva~grafh~); v. sec. of the “Introduction to Theodoret’ s Life and Works.”
. Theodoret’s argument recalls a passage in his commentary on Daniel (on.), written some twenty-five years earlier; there Theodoret had cited together Dt. and Mt . to show that each individual enjoys the protection of a guardianangel while each nation lives under the guidance of a specially delegated archangel.
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sunaiv >dioi a[ra oiJ a[ggeloi tw' / tw' n o{lwn Qew' /. eij de; oujk aj eiv,
ajllæ, o{teper hjboulhvqh, touvtou" ejdhmiouvrghsen, h\ n a[ra ti"
aijw; n ej n w | /per tou;" uJmnou' nta" oujk ei\ cen oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov".
oujkou' n ouj dei'tai tw' n uJmnouv ntwn oJ despovth" Qeov":|| |aj nendeh'ga;r e[ cei th; n fuvsin. diæ ajgaqovthta de; mov nhn kai; ajggevloi", kai;
ajrcaggevloi", kai; pavsh/ th' / ktivsei to; ei\ nai dedwvrhtai.
Poivan de; kai; leitourgivan ei\ con pro; th'" ktivsew" o[ nte",
oujdeno;" o[ nto" tou' th'" touvtwn wj feleiva" prosdeomev nou; o{ti
ga;r eij" th; n tw' n aj nqrwvpwn khdemonivan uJpourgou'si tw' / tw' n
o{lwn Qew' / mavrtu" oJ qei'o" ajpovstolo" bow' n, ouj ci; pavnte" eijsi;leitourgika; pneuv mata, eij" diakonivan ajpostellov mena dia; tou;"
mevllonta" klhronomei' n swthrivan ; b oujkou' n eu[dhlon wJ" hJmei'"
me; n th'" ejkeiv nwn ejpikouriva" deovmeqa. oJ de; Qeo;" h{kista mev n
tino" ej ndehv", a[busso" de; w] n ajgaqovthto", hjboulhvqh kai; toi'"
mhdamh' mhdamw'" ou\si metadou' nai tou' ei\ nai.
() |∆Alla; ga;r oiJ prou>pavrcein oujranou' kai; gh'" tou;"
ajggevlou" ijscurizovmenoi wJ" ijscuro; n hJmi' n kai; a[macon
probavllontai ejkei' no to; para; tou' Qeou' tw' n o{lwn pro;" to; n
∆Iw;b eijrhmev non: o{te ejpoivoun a[stra, h[ /nesavn me .......pavnte"
a[ggeloiv mou.c kai; ouj sunorw'sin wJ" th' / tetavrth/ hJmevra/ su; n tw' /
hJlivw/ kai; th' / selhv nh/ ta; a[stra parhvgagen oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov".d
eijko;" de; tou;" ajggevlou" su; n oujranw' / dhmiourghqh' nai kai; gh' /
i{ na, kai; to; fw'" oJrw' nte" ejx oujdeno;" uJpokeimev nou
dhmiourgouvmenon,e kai; to; sterevwma ej n mevsw/ tou' u{dato"
sumphgnuvmenon,f kai; th; n uJgra; n oujsivan cwrizomev nhn th'" gh'",kai; th; n gh' n a{ma tw' / qeivw/ lovgw/ pantodapw'" diakosmoumev nhn
blasthvmasi, kai; tæ a[lla pav nta pro;" to; qei'on ginovmena
bouvlhma,g gnw'si, diæ w | n oJrw'sin, wJ" kai; aujtoi; ktisth; n e[ cousi
th; n fuvsin, paræ aujtou' to; ei\ nai dexavmenoi. kai; ga;r oJ qei'o"
ajpovstolo" tw' / kovsmw/ aujtou;" suzeuvgnusi, levgwn, qevatron
ejgenhvqhmen tw' / kovsmw/, kai; ajggevloi", kai; ajnqrwvpoi".h
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|2a
b. Heb .mmc. Jb .mmd. Gn .–mme. Gn .mmf. Gn .mmg. Gn .–mmh. Cor .mm
||10 |10a
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God.1 If, on the other hand, they did not always exist, and he
created them only when he wished, it follows that there was a time
when the God of the universe did not have anyone singing his
praises. The Lord God, therefore, does not need anyone to sing hispraises, for he is by nature free of need. Instead, it was only out of
his goodness that he conferred existence on angels, and archangels,
and all of creation.
Furthermore, what service would they have rendered if they had
existed before creation when there was no one in existence who
needed their assistance? In fact, the holy apostle cries out that they
minister to God by caring for human beings: “Are they not all min-istering spirits sent on a mission of service for the sake of those who
are due to inherit salvation?”b Thus, it is obvious that, whereas we
need their assistance, God has no need of anyone, yet, being an
abyss of goodness, he wanted to give a share of existence to those
who did not exist at all.
() Nevertheless, those who insist that the angels preëxisted
heaven and earth quote to us as a convincing and irrefutable proof
text the statement that the God of the universe made to Job: “As I
made the stars, all my angels sang my praises.”c But this is to miss
the fact that it was on the fourth day that God brought the stars
into being along with the sun and the moon.d Now, the angels
were probably created along with heaven and earth so that on
seeing the light created from no preëxistent material,e the
firmament fixed in the midst of the waters,f the water separated
from the land, the earth beautified with all kinds of plants as soonas God spoke, and everything else made at God’s discretion,g they
might realize, through what they saw, that they also have a created
nature and receive existence from him. The holy apostle, in fact,
links them to the world in saying, “We have become a spectacle to
the world, to angels, and to human beings.”h
Question
. Epiphanius of Salamis (haer. ..–.) may have provided Theodoret withthis further objection; v. Guinot, p. .
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jEgw; de; tau'ta oujk ajpofainovmeno" levgw: tolmhro; n ga;r
ajpofantikw'" oi\mai levgein peri; w | n hJ qeiva diarrhvdhn ouj levgei
grafhv: ajllæ o{per toi'" eujsebevsi logismoi'" aJrmovttein uJpevlabon
ei[rhka. ejkei' no mev ntoi aj nagkai'on eijdev nai, wJ" a{panta ta; o[ nta,plh; n th'" aJgiva" triavdo", ktisth; n e[ cei th; n fuvsin.
sunomologoumev nou de; touvtou, tw' / th'" eujsebeiva" ouj lumaiv netai
lovgw/ to; pro; oujranou' kai; gh'" gegenh'sqai levgein tw' n ajggevlwn
tou;" dhvmou". to; de; logomacei' n eij" oujde;n crhvsimon, ejpi;
katastrofh' / tw' n ajkouovntwn i ajpagoreuv ei diarrhvdhn oJ qei'o"
ajpovstolo".
Eij h\ n hJ gh', pw'" ejgev neto; levgei ga;r oJ suggrafeuv", hJ de; gh'
h\ n.a
jHlivqion kai; a[gan aj nov hton to; ejrwvthma. oJ ga;r eijpwv n, ejn
aj rch' / ejpoivhsen oJ Qeo;" to;n ouj rano;n kai; th;n gh' n,b|| oujk ajiv >dion
e[ fh th; n gh' n, ajlla; meta; to; n oujranov n, h] su; n tw' / oujranw' /
dexamev nhn to; ei\ nai. a[llw" te, oujde; ajpoluvtw" ei\pen oJ
suggrafeuv", hJ de; gh' h\ n, ajlla; to; eJxh'" sunarmovsa", hJ de; gh'
h\ n ajov rato" kai; ajkataskeuvasto",c tou'tæ e[stin, ejgev neto me; n
uJpo; tou' tw' n o{lwn Qeou', e[ti de; ajovrato" h\ n, ejpikeimev nou tou'
u{dato", kai; ajkataskeuvasto", mhdevpw kosmhqei'sa th' / blavsth/
mhde; aj nqhvsasa leimw' na", kai; a[lsh, kai; lhvi>a.
The Questions on Genesis
||26b
i. Tm .
a, , , C, a b(inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .
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Now, I do not state this dogmatically, my view being that it is
rash to speak dogmatically where holy Scripture does not make an
explicit statement; rather, I have stated what I consider to be consis-
tent with orthodox thought. Of course, we should all realize thisfact: that everything in existence, with the exception of the Holy
Trinity, has a created nature. If this is granted, the claim that the
masses of angels were created before heaven and earth does not un-
dermine the orthodox position. Yet the holy apostle clearly prohibits
“disputation which does no good but only ruins those who are lis-
tening.”i
If the earth was in existence, how did it come to be, since the his-
torian says, “The earth was in existence”?a
This is a silly, foolish question. He who said, “In the beginning
God made heaven and earth,”b did not say that the earth was eternal,
but that it received its existence after, or along with, heaven. Fur-
thermore, the historian did not simply say, “The earth was in exis-
tence,” but connected it with what follows: “The earth was invisible
and formless.”c That is, though made by the God of the universe, it
was invisible, because still covered by the water, and formless, be-
cause not yet arrayed with growth or sprouting meadows, groves,
and crops.
Question
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Oujk ejdivdaxen hJma'" oJ Mwu>sh'" o{ti kai; ta; u{data ejdhmiouvrghsen oJ Qeov";
Kai; mh; n eijrhkwv", hJ de; gh' h\ n ajov rato" kai; ajkataskeuvasto",
kai; skovto" ejpavnw th' " aj buvssou,a e[deixe meta; th'" gh'"
dhmiourghqei'san tw' n uJdavtwn th; n fuvsin. kai; peri; tou'
sabbavtou de; nomoqetw' n, oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" ou{tw" e[ fh: e}x
hJ mev ra" ej rga' /,.......th' / de; eJ bdov mh/ sav bbaton, ajnavpausi" Kurivw/ tw' /
Qew' / sou:.......ejn ga; r e}x hJ mev rai" ejpoivhse Kuv rio" oJ Qeo;" to;n ouj ranovn, kai; th;n gh' n, kai; th;n qavlassan, kai; pavnta ta; ejn
aujtoi' ",b wJ" ei\ nai dh'lon o{ti pa' n oJtiou' n ej n touvtoi" o[ n, h]
oJrato; n h] ajovraton, h] aijsqhto; n h] nohtov n, plh; n th'" qeiva"
oujsiva", ktisth; n e[ cei th; n fuvsin. kai; oJ qeiovtato" de; Dabi;d
eijrhkwv", makav rio" ou | oJ Qeo;" ∆Iakw; b bohqo;" aujtou' , hJ ejlpi;"
aujtou' ejpi; Kuv rion to;n Qeo;n aujtou' , to;n poihvsanta to;n ouj ranovn,
kai; th;n gh' n, ejphvgage, th;n qavlassan, kai; pavnta ta; ejn aujtoi' ".c
Eij to; fw'" oJ Qeo;" ejdhmiouvrghse, pw'" aujto;" to; skovto"
ejpoiv hsen; ej nantiva ga;r tau'ta ajllhvloi".
() ∆Enantiva me; n ajllhvloi", ajllæ aj nagkai'a toi'" aj nqrwvpoi"
ajmfovtera. to; me; n ga;r pro;" ejrgasivan te kai; filoponivansunergei' toi'" aj nqrwvpoi",|| kai; uJpodeivknusi ta; oJrwvmena, kai;
to; n touvtwn poihth; n uJmnei'sqai paraskeuavzei: to; de;
dianapauv ei, kai; neourgei' tou;" aj nqrwvpou", kai; to; n ejk th'"
ejrgasiva" ejgginovmenon dialuv ei pov non, kai; tou;" aj nqrwvpou" me; n
The Questions on Genesis
||10a
a, , , c, * , a [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Ex .– (LXX var.)mmc. Ps .f.
a, , , C, a(+ inc.) [ ] = mss.
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Did Moses fail to teach us that God created the waters as well?
In fact, after saying, “The earth was invisible and formless, and
darkness was over the deep,”a he showed that the waters, like the
earth, have a nature that is created. The God of the universe spoke in
similar terms also when legislating about the Sabbath: “Work on six
days, but on the seventh there is to be a Sabbath, a rest, for the Lord
your God; in six days the Lord God made heaven and earth, the sea,and all that is in them.”1b So it is clear that, with the exception of the
divine essence, whatever is in them, visible or invisible, material or
spiritual, has a created nature. Indeed, after declaring, “Blessed is the
one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his
God, who made heaven and earth,” the divinely inspired David pro-
ceeded to mention, “the sea, and all that is in them.”c
If God created the light, how could he have made the darkness, as
these are opposed to each other?
() While they are opposed, they are both still necessary to hu-
man beings. One assists men with work and industry, brings visible
things to their attention, and prompts them to sing the praises of their maker. The other gives rest and renewal and relieves the weari-
ness caused by labor; it gathers people to their homes, and gives an-
imals security in foraging. The holy David teaches us this quite ex-
Question
. While the more widely attested LXX form of this verse merely transliteratesthe Hebrew “Sabbath,” (savbbata), Theodoret’s Antiochene text glosses thetransliteration with the term aj navpausi~ (“rest”); this textual peculiarity appearsalso in the quotations of Ex .f. in Cyr., Ador. (ad loc.; PG, vol. , col. C)and (on Lv ; ib., col. B); v. J.W. Wevers and U. Quast on Ex ..
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plicitly: “You put darkness in place, and night fell. All the beasts of
the forest travel about in it: lion cubs roaring to hunt and to search
for their food from God. The sun rose, and they gathered and will
sleep in their lairs. Man will go to his work and his business untilevening.”a After saying this, he expressed admiration for the Cre-
ator’s magnificence: “How magnificent are your works, O Lord! You
made everything with your wisdom.”b
Thus, we have precise knowledge of the necessity of darkness.And it is simple to grasp the truth that it is not a substance of some
kind but only an accident, being a shadow cast by heaven and earth.
This is why it vanishes when the light appears. Light, on the other
hand, is and subsists as a substance; after setting, it rises, and after
departing, it returns. In other words, just as our body is a substance,
but the shadow created by the body is an accident, not a substance,
so heaven and earth, the largest bodies, are substances of different
kinds, but the shadow caused by them in the absence of light is
called “darkness,” and once the light enters, the darkness disappears.
() Other considerations lead to the same conclusion. A house
with no windows is full of darkness, but when a lamp is brought in,
it lights up—not that darkness has moved off elsewhere, for, being
insubstantial, it does not subsist. Rather, it is completely dissolved
with the coming of the light. After all, a shadow is caused by theroof, the floor, and the walls, and is dissipated by the beams of light.
We see this occurring every day. When the light recedes, the shadow
cast by heaven and earth brings darkness, and when the light rises
again, the darkness is dissipated.
Question
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Ouj toiv nun ajgev nhto" oujsiva to; skovto", ou[te mh; n genhthv ti"
uJpovstasi", ajllæ ejk tw' n genhtw' n sunistamev nh, crh'si"
aj nagkaiva kai; tou' Qeou' th; n sofivan khruvttousa. aujtivka gou' n oJ
profhvth" to; n tw' n o{lwn Qeo; n kai; ej nteu'qen uJmnei': oJ poihvsa",gavr fhsi, fw' " kai; kataskeuavsa" skovto".c aJrmodivw" de; a[gan
eJkavtera tevqeiken: to; me; n poihvsa" ejpi; tou' fwtov", to; de;
kataskeuavsa" ejpi; tou' skovtou": sumbebhko;" gavr ejsti,
sunistavmenon kai; dialuovmenon. kai; oiJ trismakavrioi de; pai'de",
pa'san th; n ktivsin eij" uJmnw/divan kalevsante", th' / hJmevra/ th; n
nuvkta sunevzeuxan kai; fwti; to; skovto" sunhvrmosan,d ejpeidh;
tai'" touvtwn diadocai'" kai; oJ crov no" metrei'tai, kai; oJ tw' naj nqrwvpwn sunivstatai bivo".
Poi'on pneu' ma.......ejpefev reto ejpavnw tou' u{dato" ; a
Tisi; dokei' to; panavgion pneu'ma zwogonou' n tw' n uJdavtwn th; n
fuvsin kai; prodiagrav fon th; n tou' baptivsmato" cavrin.
ajlhqevsteron mev ntoi ejkei' non oi\mai to; n lovgon o{ti pneu' ma
ej ntau'qa to; n aj evra kalei'. eijpw; n ga;r o{ti to; n oujrano; n kai; th; n
gh' n ejpoiv hse kai; tw' n uJdavtwn dia; th'" ajbuvssou mnhsqeiv",
aj nagkaivw" kai; tou' aj evro" ejmnhvsqh, ejk th'" tou' u{dato"
ejpifaneiva" mev cri tou' oujranou' dihvkonto": aj evro" ga;r fuvsi" to;
toi'" kavtw keimev noi" ejpifevresqai swvmasi. mavla de; aJrmodivw"
to; ejpefev reto kai; oujk ejpevkeito ei[rhke: to; ga;r ejpefev reto th; nkinhtikh; n tou' aj evro" oujsivan paredhvlou.
Eij dev ti" tou'ton ouj prosiv etai to; n lovgon, ejpeidh;
gevgraptai, pneu' ma Qeou' ejpefev reto ejpavnw tou' u{dato",
ajkousavtw tou' makarivou Dabi;d levgonto" peri; tou' Qeou' tw' n
The Questions on Genesis
c. Is .mmd. Dn .f. (LXX)
a, , , C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mm
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Darkness, then, is neither an uncreated nor a created substance.
Caused by created things, it is necessary and useful and proclaims
God’s wisdom. Indeed, the prophet regards this as yet another rea-
son to praise the God of the universe: “I am he who created lightand caused darkness.”c He has mentioned each in a very appropriate
way: “created” in the case of the light and “caused” in the case of the
darkness, which is an accident that is brought about and dissipated.
The three blessed young men also, in summoning creation to sing
praise, linked night to day and joined the darkness to the light,d for
in their mutual succession they allow the measurement of time and
provide the composite elements of human life.
Which spirit “moved over the water”?a
Some commentators believe it was the most Holy Spirit vivifying
the nature of the waters and foreshadowing the grace of baptism.
But I think it more likely that by “spirit” he is here referring to the
air. After declaring that God made heaven and earth and mention-
ing the waters by reference to “the deep,” he logically goes on to
mention as well the air, which extends from the water’s surface to
heaven, for air naturally moves over bodies lying under it.1 Now, it
was very apposite for him to say “moved over” and not “lying on”:
“moved” implying the kinetic character of the air.
Should you reject this view because Scripture says, “A spirit of
God moved over the water,” listen to blessed David speaking of the
Question
. Guinot lists (pp. f.) earlier allegorical interpretations of Gn . that equat-ed the Spirit moving over the waters with the Holy Spirit. Diodore, Theodoret’smodel throughout the Quaest. in oct., had been prepared to admit (Deconinck,
frag. ) that the spirit might be either the Holy Spirit or a wind. Given this andother differences between the interpretations of Theodoret and Diodore, Guinotsuggests that our commentator may here have drawn from the lost work of
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o{lwn, pneuvsei to; pneu' ma aujtou' , kai; rJuhvsetai u{data.b o{ti de;
to; n a[ nemon ou{tw" ejkavlese dh'lov n ejsti ka] n mh; levgw: Eu[rou ga;r
h] Novtou pnevonto", to; pephgo;" u{dwr dialuv esqai pev fuken.
Tiv ni levgei oJ Qeov", genhqhvtw fw' ",a kai; genhqhvtw sterevwma;b
Oujk a[llw/ tini; keleuv ei dhmiourgei' n, ajlla; ta; mh; o[ nta kalei'. ej ntau'qa de; provstagma to; bouvlhma: pavnta, gavr fhsin, o{sa
hjqevlhsen oJ Qeov", ejpoivhsen.c eij de; kai; fwnh' / tini dhmiourgw' n
ej crhvsato, dh'lon wJ", ouj tw' n aj yuv cwn e{ neka stoiceivwn, ajlla;
tw' n ajoravtwn cavrin dunavmewn, i{ na gnw'sin wJ", aujtou'
keleuvonto", ta; mh; o[ nta sunivstatai.
Dia; tiv tevqeiken oJ suggrafeu;" to; ei\ den oJ Qeo;" ..... o{ti
kalovn ;a
{Ina peivsh/ tou;" aj carivstou" mh; yevgein a{per hJ qeiva yh' fo"
oj nomavzei kalav.
The Questions on Genesis
b. Ps .
a , , , C , [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc.Ps .
a, , , C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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God of the universe: “He will breathe his spirit, and waters will
flow.”b The fact that this constitutes a reference to the wind is obvi-
ous and needs no comment of mine. In the natural course of events,
frozen water melts when the east or south wind blows.
To whom does God say, “Let there be light”a and “Let there be a
firmament”?b
He was not commanding anyone else to create but summoningthings not in existence, his will constituting a command. Scripture
says, “God made everything he wished.”c If, however, he also used
speech in the act of creation, it was clearly not for the benefit of the
lifeless elements but for the invisible powers, so that they might
learn that, at his bidding, the non-existent comes into existence.
Why did the historian set down the statement: “God saw that it
was good”?a
To persuade ungrateful people not to find fault with what God
esteems good.1
Question
Theodore of Mopsuestia, who might also have disputed the assertion that Gn .contains a prefiguration of baptism. No extant patristic commentary of this versemakes explicit reference to baptism.
. Here and later (e.g., Q. ), Theodoret strangely passes up the opportunity tocombat dualistic tendencies by highlighting the biblical author’s insistence on thegoodness of creation.
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Ei |" oujranov", h] duvo eijsiv n;||
() |Th'" qeiva" didaskouvsh" grafh'" wJ" ejn aj rch' / ejpoivhsen oJ
Qeo;" to;n ouj rano;n kai; th;n gh' n a ei\ta, meta; th; n tou' fwto;"
dhmiourgivan, ej n th' / deutevra/ legouvsh" hJmevra/ to; sterevwma
gegenh'sqai,|| pollh; n hJ ejrwvthsi" tw' n punqanomev nwn ejmfaiv nei
th; n a[ noian. e[dei ga;r kai; ejk tou' kairou' kai; mev ntoi kai; ejk tou'
trovpou th'" dhmiourgiva" to; diav foron gnw' nai: oJ me; n ga;r pro;
tou' fwtov", oJ de; meta; to; fw'": kai; oJ me; n oujk e[k tino": oJ de; ejx uJdavtwn: genhqhvtw, gavr fhsi, sterevwma ejn mevsw/ tou' u{dato"
kai; e[stw diacwrivzon ajna; mevson u{dato" kai; u{dato".b ei\ta
eijpw; n wJ" oJ lovgo" e[rgon ejgev neto: tou'to ga;r dhloi` to; kai;
ejgevneto ou{tw": didavskei kai; pw'" ejgev neto: ejpoivhse, gavr
fhsin, oJ Qeo;" to; sterevwma, kai; diecwv risen oJ Qeo;" ajna; mevson
tou' u{dato" o{ h\ n uJpokavtw tou' sterewv mato" kai; ajna; mevson tou'
u{dato" tou' ejpavnw tou' sterewv mato", kai; ejkavlesen oJ Qeo;" to;sterevwma ouj ranovn.c
J O de; provtero" oujrano;" oujk ejklhvqh sterevwma, ajllæ ouj rano;"
ejx ajrch'" wj nomavsqh: ou |to" ga;r ejx aujtou' tou' pravgmato" th; n
proshgorivan ejdevxato. ejpeidh; ga;r ejk th'" rJowvdou" tw' n uJdavtwn
oujsiva" sunevsth, kai; hJ rJ uth; fuvsi" steganwtavth gevgone kai;
sterevmnio", proshgoreuvqh sterevwma. ei\ta wJ" a[ nwqen
ejpikeivmeno" kai; tou' protevrou oujranou' th; n creivan hJmi' nplhrw' n, ouj rano;" proswnomavsqh. dich' de; diei'le tw' n uJdavtwn
th; n fuvsin oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov", kai; ta; me; n a[ nwqen | ejpitevqeike tw' /
sterewvmati, ta; de; kavtw katalevloipen i{ na ta; me; n a[ nwqen
ejpikeivmena th' / te uJgrovthti kai; yucrovthti mh; sugcwrh' / tw' /
puri; tw' n fwsthvrwn lwba'sqai to; sterevwma, ta; de; kavtw
The Questions on Genesis
|26b
a , , , (inc.) , , (+ a) b(inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .f.mm
||10
|10a
||3
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Is there one heaven or two?
() Since holy Scripture teaches, “In the beginning God made
heaven and earth,”a and then says that the firmament was made on
the second day after the creation of light, the question betrays the
foolishness of those who raise it. After all, from both the time and,
indeed, the manner of creation one should grasp the difference. One
heaven was created before the light, the other after; one from noth-
ing else, the other from water. Scripture says, “Let a firmament bemade in the midst of the water, and let it divide water from water.”b
Then, after saying that the word took effect, which is the meaning
of, “And so it was,” he conveys also how it came to be: “God made
the firmament, and God separated the water that was under the fir-
mament from the water that was above the firmament. And God
called the firmament heaven.”c
Now, from the very beginning, the first heaven was not called
“firmament,” but “heaven.” The second got its name from the act of
creation itself. Since it was composed of the fluid substance of the
waters, and this liquid nature became quite firm and dense, it was
called “firmament.” Then, positioned on high, and meeting our
need for the first heaven, it was given also the name “heaven.” TheGod of the universe made a twofold division in the nature of the
waters: some he placed above the firmament, and some he left be-
low, the purpose being that what was placed above with its moisture
and coolness would not permit the firmament to be damaged by the
fire of the luminous bodies, while what remained below would sus-
Question
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memenhkovta diatrev fh/ toi'" ajtmoi'" to; n aj evra diauainovmenon kai;
xhrainovmenon uJpo; tou' a[ nwqen ejpikeimev nou purov".
() Toigarou' n kai; oJ tw' / deutevrw/ diapistw' n oujranw' / e[xw
baiv nei th'" eujqeiva" oJdou', kai; oJ pleivou" peirwvmeno" ajriqmei' nmuvqoi" e{petai, th'" tou' qeivou pneuvmato" didaskaliva"
katafronw' n. plhquntikw'" de; hJ qeiva grafh; tou;" oujranou;"
oj nomavzei, levgousa oiJ ouj ranoi; tw' n ouj ranw' n,d ejpeidh; tw' n
eJbraivwn hJ glw'tta ou[te to; n oujrano; n ou[te to; u{dwr oi\den eJ nikw'"
oj nomavsai. eu{roi dæ a[ n ti" toiau'ta polla; kai; para; th' / eJllavdi
fwnh' /: ∆Aqhvnan ga;r th; n povlin oujdei;" eJ nikw'" oj nomavzei, ajllæ
∆Aqhvna" plhquntikw'", kai; Delfw' n pavlin th; n povlin oujdei;" Delfovn, ajlla; Delfou;" plhquntikw'". ouj toiv nun wJ" pollw' n
o[ ntwn oujranw' n, ouj ranou;" ouj ranw' n hJ qeiva ei\pe grafhv, ajlla; to;
ijdivwma fulavxasa th'" eJbraiv >do" fwnh'", ejpei; ej n eJtevrw/ yalmw' /
safevsteron hJma'" tou'to didavskousa kai; paralipou'sa to; th'"
glwvtth" ejkeiv nh" ijdivwma, ou{tw" e[ fh: oJ ouj rano;" tou' ouj ranou' tw' /
Kurivw/,e wJ" ei\ nai dh'lon o{ti, kaqavper ou |to" oJ oujrano;" hJmi' n
ejstin o[rofo", hJ de; gh' e[dafo", ou{tw" oJ oJrwvmeno" oujrano;"
o[rofon e[ cei to; n uJperkeivmenon oujranov n.
Tiv dhv pote mivan eijpw; n th; n tw' n uJdavtwn sunagwghvn, polla;"
meta; tau'ta dhloi'; sunhv cqh, gavr fhsi, to; u{dwr to; uJpokavtw
tou' ouj ranou' eij" ta;" sunagwga;" aujtw' n.a
Miva mev n ejsti tw' n uJdavtwn sunagwghv: ta; pelavgh ga;r
ajllhvloi" sunhvrmostai: ta; me; n kavtwqen diav tinwn uJpogeivwn
The Questions on Genesis
d. Ps .mme. Ps .
a, , , C, a b [ ] = mss.
a. Gn . (LXX)
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tain with its mist the air parched and dried by the fire overhead.
() Consequently, those who refuse to accept the existence of the
second heaven stray from the right path, while those who venture toenumerate more follow mythological fables and spurn the teaching
of the Holy Spirit. Now, holy Scripture does speak in the plural of
“the heavens”: “The heavens of the heavens.”d This is because the
Hebrew language cannot speak in the singular of heaven or water.
Greek provides many similar examples: no one calls the city “Athen”
in the singular, but “Athens” in the plural; similarly, no one calls the
city of the Delphians “Delphos,” but “Delphi” in the plural. 1
Notthat holy Scripture said “heavens of the heavens” as if there were
many; it only observes the idiom of the Hebrew language. It teaches
us this more clearly in another psalm, where, laying aside the idiom
of that language, it declares: “The heaven of the heaven is the
Lord’s.”e Thus we deduce that, just as this heaven is our roof, and the
earth our floor, so that higher heaven provides the roof for the heav-
en we can see. 2
Why, after mentioning one gathering together of the waters, does
he later indicate many by saying,“The water under heaven was gath-
ered together in its gatherings”?a
There is one gathering of waters, since the oceans mingle with
Question
. Theodoret had already dealt with this issue in his commentary on Ps .;there, as here, he explains the plural form of the Hebrew term for “heaven” andcites the parallel example of plural forms of Greek place names; cf. Chrys., hom. .
in Gen (on Gn .).
. Similarly, in his commentary on Ps . (. LXX = . MT) Theodo-ret remarks: “[The Lord] dwells in heaven, not this visible one, but the one aboveit, which provides the roof for that lower heaven, which provides a roof for us.”
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povrwn, ta; de; kai; katæ aujth; n th; n ejpifav neian. plhquntikw'" de;
pavlin ta;" sunagwga;" wj novmasen, ejpeidh; a[llo me; n to; ∆Indiko; n
pevlago", a[llo de; to; Pontikov n, kai; to; Turrhniko; n e{teron, kai;
a[llh me; n hJ Propontiv", a[llo" de; oJ ÔEllhvsponto", kai; oJAijgai'o" e{tero", kai; a[llo" pavlin oJ ∆Iwv nio" kovlpo". e[xwqen de;
pavlin ejpivkeitai to; mevgiston pevlago", o{ tine" me; n
∆Atlantikovn, tine;" de; ∆Wkeanovn, oj nomavzousi. touvtou cavrin, wJ"
me; n sunhmmev nhn sunagwgh;n mivan wj novmasen, wJ" de; dih/rhmev na",
sunagwgav".
Tiv dhv pote ta;" oujk ejdwdivmou" botav na" blasth'sai
prosevtaxen oJ Qeov";a
Polla; tw' n ajlovgwn zwv /wn ta; gev nh: ta; me; n qhriva, ta; de;
kthvnh prosagoreuovmena, kai; ta; me; n eJ rpetav, ta; de; peteinav.
touvtoi" a{pasi trofh; n prohutrevpisen oJ Qeo;" kai; tau'ta de;
th'" tw' n aj nqrwvpwn e{ neka pepoiv hke creiva". aujtivka gou' n kai; diæ
hJma'" aujtav fhsi diatrev fesqai: tw' / ejxanatevllonti, gavr fhsi,
cov rton toi' " kthvnesi kai; clovhn th' / douleiva/ tw' n ajnqrwvpwn.b to;
toiv nun touvtw/ a[ crhston ejkeiv nw/ crhvsimon, kai; ta; toi'"
aj nqrwvpoi" oujk aj nagkai'a toi'" diæ aujtou' gegenhmev noi" aJrmovdia.
Pro;" de; touvtoi" proorw' n oJ Qeo;" o{ti kai; pavqh
prosgenhvsetai toi'" aj nqrwvpoi", a{te dh; dia; th; n aJmartivan
dexamev noi" tou' qanavtou to; n o{ron, ouj mov non ejdwdivmou", ajlla;kai; ajlexikavkou" tw' n paqhmavtwn botav na" blasth'sai th' / gh' /
prosevtaxe. kai; tou'to mavqoi ti" a] n |ajkribevsteron para; tw' n
th; n ijatrikh; n hjskhmev nwn tev cnhn, o{ti kai; ta; dokou' nta ei\ nai
The Questions on Genesis
|30
a, , (inc.), C, a b [ ] * = mss.
a. Gn .f.mmb. Ps .
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one another: some below the surface through subterranean chan-
nels, and others right on the surface. But he also spoke of “gather-
ings” in the plural, since the Indian Sea differs from the Black Sea,
and the Adriatic. Likewise, the Propontis is different from the Helle-spont, which is different from the Aegean, which is different from
the Ionian. Furthermore, the largest sea, which some people call the
“Atlantic,” others the “Ocean,” lies on the rim of the world. For this
reason, he used the phrase “one gathering” for the connected body,
and “gatherings” for the separated bodies.1
Why did God ordain the growth of inedible plants?1a
There are many kinds of irrational animals divided into the cate-
gories of “wild beasts,” “cattle,” “the reptiles,” and “the birds.” God
made provision for the nourishment of all of these and created them
to meet the needs of human beings. Indeed, Scripture says that they
also receive nourishment for our sake: “He makes grass grow for the
cattle, and crops for the service of man.”2b So what is useless to the
latter is useful for the former, and what is unnecessary for human
beings fits the needs of creatures that were made for their use.
In addition, God foresaw the development of disease in the hu-
man race which, as a result of its sins, was to receive the sentence of
death. So he ordered the earth to produce not only edible plants butalso those that would repel sickness. Those versed in medical science
could give you more detailed information about plants that, while
Question
. Antiochene congregations/readers, with their attention to detail (ajkrivbeia),require an explanation of such apparent discrepancies. Theodoret, here, as else-where (cf. Qq. , on Jgs), delights in providing geographical information.
. V. Gn .f., which do not actually speak of inedible plants.. In his comment on Ps . Theodoret declares: “Cattle also enjoy this prov-idence because of their usefulness to man.”
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dhlhthvria paqw' n ejstin ijathvria: kerannuvmena ga;r eJtevrai"
botav nai", ajlexivkaka giv netai kai; uJgeiva" parektikav.
Tw' n fwsthvrwn dhmiourghqev ntwn, tiv gevgone to; provteron
fw'";a
J O despovth" Qeo;" kai; ejk mh; o[ ntwn poiei' kai; ejx o[ ntwn
dhmiourgei': to; n me; n ga;r provteron oujrano; n ejk mh; o[ ntwn
ejdhmiouvrghse, to; n|| de; deuvteron ejx uJdavtwn ejpoiv hsen.b
ou{twth; n gh' n mh; ou\san parhvgagen, ta; gev nh de; tw' n dev ndrwn kai;
tw' n spermavtwn aujth' / blasth'sai prosevtaxen.c kai; to; fw'"
toiv nun ejdhmiouvrghsen wJ" hjqevlhsen. w{sper de; tw' / sterewvmati
diei'le tw' n uJdavtwn th; n fuvsin, kai; ta; me; n ejpitevqeiken a[ nwqen,
ta; de; kavtw katalevloipen, ou{tw" ejkei' no to; fw'" dielw; n wJ"
hjqevlhsen, tou;" fwsth'ra" tou;" megavlou" kai; tou;" mikrou;"
kateskeuvasen.d
Tiv ejsti to; eij" shmei' a, kai; eij" kairouv", kai; eij" ejniautouv",
kai; eij" hJ mev ra" ; a
J O h{lio", aj nivscwn me; n kai; duovmeno", ta;" hJmevra" poiei', eij"
de; ta; novtia kai; ta; bovreia mevrh diatrev cwn, to; n ej niauvsionkuvklon ajpotelei'. ou |to" kai; ta;" tropa;" ejrgavzetai, a}" kairou;"
wj novmasen hJ qeiva grafhv: ajpo; ga;r tou' ijshmerinou' tovpou pro;"
ta; bovreia metabaiv nwn, to; e[ar poiei': ei\ta ejkei'qen ejpaniw; n
The Questions on Genesis
||26b
a, , B, C, a b(inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Gn ., mmb. Gn ., mmc. Gn .–mmd. Gn .,
a, , B, (inc.) , (inc.) , a(+ ) [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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seeming harmful, actually cure disease. When mixed with others,
they have curative properties and promote good health.
What happened to the original light when the lights of heaven
were created?a
The Lord God creates from what does not yet exist and also fash-
ions from what already exists. He created the first heaven from what
did not exist and made the second from the waters.b
Likewise, heproduced the earth when it did not exist and ordered it to grow the
different sorts of trees and seeds.c And so he created the light as he
wished. Then, as he had divided the waters with the firmament and
put some above and left others below, he divided that light as he
wished in the fashioning of the greater and the lesser lights. d
What is the meaning of the verse “For signs, and for times, for
years, and for days”?a
In its rising and setting the sun makes the days and in covering
its course to the south and the north completes the cycle of the year.It also produces the solstices, which holy Scripture calls “times.”
Crossing from the equator to the north, it causes the spring. Then,
Question
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mev cri touvtwn tw' n o{rwn, th; n qerinh; n|| kataskeuavzei trophv n:
proi>ov nto" de; aujtou' ej nteu'qen ejpi; ta; novtia, to; metovpwron
giv netai: ejpaniw; n de; au\qi", to; n ceimw' na poiei'. ejk de; tou'
drovmou th'" selhv nh" to; n tw' n mhnw' n manqav nomen ajriqmov n: dia;triavkonta ga;r hJmerw n, e}x wJrw' n deousw' n, to; n oijkei'on drovmon
plhroi'. ou | dh; cavrin to; n tw' n tosouvtwn hJmerw' n ajriqmo; n|| mh' na
prosagoreuvomen, ejpeidh; kai; th; n selhv nhn oj nomavzousi mhvnhn.
To; de; eij" shmei' a ouj kata; tou;" aj nohvtou" noou'men hJmei'":
th; n ga;r th'" geneqlialogiva" mataiologivan oujde; Puqagovra",
oujde; Swkravth", oujde; Plavtwn, oujde; oiJ stwi>koi; prosedevxanto.
eij de; oiJ toi'" muvqoi" ej nteqrammev noi tou'de tou' muvqou to;dussebe;" ejbdeluvxanto, tiv" a] n toi'" qeivoi" pisteuvwn lovgoi"
tw' n, ouj dussebw' n mov non, ajlla; kai; livan aj nohvtwn aj navscoito
lovgwn; shmei' a toiv nun hJ qeiva kalei' grafh; to; eijdev nai spovrou
kairov n, tou' futeu'sai, tou' kaqavrai, tou' xuvla temei' n eij"
nauphgivan kai; oijkodomivan ejpithvdeia. ej nteu'qen kai; oiJ nautiliva/
crwvmenoi memaqhvkasi povte me; n|| |ajpa'rai povte de; kaqormivsai
proshvkei to; skav fo", kai; povte me; n petavsai dei' to; iJstivon
povte de; kaqelei' n: hJ pei'ra ga;r aujtou;" ejxepaivdeuse ta;" tw' n
ajstevrwn ejpitolav" te kai; duvsei". pollavki" de; kai; hJmei'"
komhvthn, h] pwgwnivthn, h] dokivdhn ijdov nte", h] polemivwn e[gnwmen
prosbolhv n, h] ajkrivdo" ejmbolhv n, h] kthnw' n h] aj nqrwvpwn fqorav n.
tau'ta toiv nun shmei' a ejkavlesen, oujk ejkei' na ta; pavsh" aj noiva"
kai; dussebeiva" mestav.
Tiv dhv pote ta; me; n futa;a pro; tw' n fwsthvrwnb ejpoiv hse, ta;
de; zw' /a meta; touvtou";c
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||3
||51
||10a |10
a, , B, C –51, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .f.mmb. Gn .f.mmc. Gn .–
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proceeding thence to these regions, it produces the summer solstice.
Then as it proceeds to the south, autumn begins, and, as it returns
to its point of departure, it causes the winter. We learn the number
of the months from the course of the moon. It completes its coursein twenty-nine days and eighteen hours. Hence, we give the name
“month” to this number of days, since the moon is also called mhv nh(mene).1
In our interpretation of the phrase “for signs,” we do not follow
the fools, whose idle astrological notions found no acceptance with
Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, or the Stoics. Now, if those raised on
mythological fables abhorred this irreligious myth, what believer inthe divine word could tolerate ideas that are not only irreligious but
downright foolish? “Signs,” then, is the term which holy Scripture
uses for indications of the time for sowing, planting, winnowing,
and cutting down trees for building ships and houses. From these,
sailors have learned when to lift and when to cast anchor, when to
unfurl and furl the sail, for experience has taught them the risings
and settings of the stars. Furthermore, the observance of a comet,
shooting star, or meteor has often informed us of an enemy attack,
an invasion of locusts, or a plague on cattle or people. So this was
the kind of “signs” meant by Scripture, not those figments of rank
folly and irreligion.2
Why did God create the plants before,a and the animals after,c the
heavenly lights?b
Question
. That is, the moon (selhv nh) is also called mhv nh, a word similar in form and
sound to mhv n, the word for “month.”. Theodoret recognizes that “signs” is the odd item in the series “signs, sea-
sons, days, and years.” His interpretation closely resembles that of von Rad (on
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j Ofqalmou;" e[ cei ta; zw' /a kai; tou' fwto;" th; n uJperbolh; n oujk
a] n h[ negke. tou'to dev, dianemhqe; n eij" tou;" mikrou;" kai;
megavlou" fwsth'ra", suvmmetron th' / o[ yei tw' n zwv /wn aj fiv hsin
ai[glhn. tw' n de; futw' n hJ fuvsi" aijsqhvsew" a[moiro".
Tiv no" cavrin ta; me; n futa; oujk hujlovghse,a toi'" de; zwv /oi" e[ fh,
aujxavnesqe, kai; ta; eJxh'";b
Tw' n leimwv nwn, kai; tw' n lhiv >wn, kai; tw' n pantodapw' n botanw' n,kai; dev ndrwn, eujqu;" ejqelhvsa", th; n gh' n ejplhvrwsen a{pasan, ta;
dev ge a[loga zw' /a aj na; duvo parhvgagen. eijkovtw" toiv nun aujtoi'"
th; n eujlogivan proshv negken i{ na, dia; th'" polugoniva", ta; me; n
pelavgh, kai; livmna", kai; potamouv", ta; de; to; n aj evra, ta; de;
plhrwvsh/ th; n gh' n.
Dia; tiv ta; qhriva kai; ta; eJrpeta; pepoiv hken oJ Qeov";a
() Dei'tai ta; paidiva kai; mormolukeivwn, kai; iJmav ntwn, kai;
rJavbdwn: kai; toi'" me; n aujta; dedittovmeqa, toi'" de; kai;
paideuvomen: eJkavtera de; drw'men, pa'san aujtoi'" eujtaxivan
pragmateuovmenoi. ejpeidh; toiv nun prohv /dei hJma'" oJ despovth"
Qeo;" eij" rJaqumivan ejkkliv nonta", oi |on iJmav nta" tina;" kai;
The Questions on Genesis
a, , B, C –51, [ ] = mss.
l. kai; dev ndrwn a, c, , [ ], Sir. Sch. : kaiv te dev ndrwn F.M. For therarity and restricted usage of the collocation kaiv te (epicism), v. Denniston,pp. f. The TLG cites no other examples of kaiv te in the works of Thdt.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .
a(inc.),
, B, c,
(inc.)
,
b(inc.) [
]
(inc.) =
mss.
a. Gn .f.mm
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Animals have eyes and could not have tolerated the excessively
bright light. But when this was apportioned among the lesser and
the greater lights, it emitted a brightness commensurate with the vi-
sion of the animals. Plants, in contrast, have no senses.
Why did he confer no blessing on the plantsa yet say to the living
beings, “Increase,” and so on?b
He filled the whole earth with meadows, crops, and all kinds of plants and trees in a single act of will but brought forth the irra-
tional animals in pairs. Accordingly, he bestowed a blessing on
them, so that through their numerous offspring some might fill the
oceans, lakes, and rivers, others the air, and others the land.
Why did God make the wild beasts and the reptiles?a
() Children require bogey-men, straps, and sticks. We use the
former to frighten, the latter to chastise, them, and in each case our
goal is to instill orderly behavior. Now, foreseeing our inclination to
indifference, the Lord God made provision for wild beasts so he
could use them like straps and bogey-men to frighten us, draw us to
Question
.–): “‘Signs’ in Gn . are perhaps the sights in the heavenly vault which werenot normal, as eclipses of the sun; in any case they were fixed astral points for reg-ulating cult and work.”
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mormolukei'a prokateskeuvase ta; qhriva i{ na, touvtoi" hJma'"
dedittovmeno", pro;" eJauto; n e{lkh/ kai; kalei' n eij" summacivan
paraskeuavzh/. ajllæ w{sper oiJ tevleioi kai; tw' n mormolukeivwn kai;
iJmav ntwn katafronou'sin, ou{tw" oiJ th'" ajreth'" trov fimoi ta;"tw' n qhrivwn ouj deimaiv nousi prosbolav". kai; ga;r tw' / ∆Ada;m pro;
th'" aJmartiva" paresthvkei ta; qhriva, th; n douleivan
oJmologou' nta,b kai; tw' / Nw' e pavlin eij" th; n kibwto; n eijsiov nti
divkhn probavtwn kai; levwn hjko||louvqei, kai; pavrdali", kai; tw' n
eJrpetw' n ta; pikrovtata,c kai; tw' / Danih;l paresthvkeisan oiJ
levonte", ojregovmenoi me; n trofh'", pelavsai de; mh; tolmw' nte":d
tou;" ga;r qeoeidei'" th'" qeiva" eijkov no" eJwvrwn ej n aujtw' / carakth'ra". ou{tw" e[ ci" th' / tou' ajpostovlou ceiri; tou;" ojdov nta"
ejmbalou'sa kai; th'" aJmartiva" to; cau' non kai; calaro; n ouj c
euJrou'sa, ajpephvdhse parautivka kai; kata; th'" |pura'" h{lato
w{sper divka" eJauth; n eijsprattomev nh, o{ti tw' / mhdamovqen
proshvkonti prosevbale swvmati.e hJmei'" de; ta; qhriva dedoivkamen,
ejpeidh; th'" ajreth'" th; n politeivan oujk e[ comen. kai; ou{tw de;
rJaqumouv ntwn khdovmeno", oJ Qeo;" tou;" ejrhmotevrou" ejkeiv noi"
ajpeklhvrwse tovpou" kai; to; n th'" nukto;" aujtoi'" kairo; n
ajpev neimen eij" diatrofhv n: ejn aujth' /, gavr fhsi, dieleuvsetai
pavnta ta; qhriva tou' drumou' :f toi'" eJrpetoi'" de; tou;" ej n th' / gh' /
devdwke chramou;" o{pw", ej n ejkeiv noi" kruptovmena, mh; lumaiv nwsi
tw' n aj nqrwvpwn to; gev no". i{ na de; mhv, pantavpasin ajlwvbhtoi
diamev nonte", katafronw'men aujtw' n wJ" blavptein h{kista
dunamev nwn, e[stin o{te sugcwrei' duvo tina;" h] trei'" ejk pollw' n
muriavdwn oJ sofw'" ta; kaqæ hJma'" prutaneuvwn h] uJpo; skorpivwnkentei'sqai h] uJpo; o[ fewn davknesqai i{ næ hJmei'", wJ" dediovte" mhv
ti paraplhvsion pavqoimen, eij" ejpikourivan kalw'men to; n
pepoihkovta Qeo; n kai; uJpo; th'" panalkou'" ejkeiv nh" promhqeiva"
frourei'sqai parakalw'men. a[llw" te oujde; ej n toi'" a[lloi" hJmi' n
a[ crhsta ta; qhriva: polla; ga;r kai; ejk touvtwn ajlexivkaka ijatrw' n
pai'de" kataskeuavzousi favrmaka.
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|51
b. Gn .f.mmc. Gn .–mmd. Dn .mme. Acts .–mmf. Ps .
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himself, and cause us to invoke his assistance.1 But as adults feel
scorn for bogey-men and straps, so Virtue’s pupils have no fear of
attack by wild beasts. Indeed, in acknowledgment of their sub-
servient state, the wild animals waited on Adam before his sin.b
Likewise, when Noah was boarding the ark, the lion, the leopard,
and the most vicious of the reptiles followed him like sheep.c Lions
attended on Daniel; though lunging for food, they dared not get too
close,d since they recognized in him the godly stamp of the divine
image. Though a viper fixed its fangs in the apostle’s hand, not find-
ing the loose and spongy consistency of sin, it immediately leapt
away and threw itself into the fire as though punishing itself for as-saulting a body it had no right to attack.e In contrast, our fear of the
wild beasts is due to our failure to live virtuous lives. In his care for
indifferent people, God set the wild beasts in deserted places and al-
lotted them the night for foraging. Scripture says, “At night all the
wild beasts of the forest will travel about.”f He gave the reptiles hol-
lows so they would hide away and not harm the human race. But to
prevent us from going on free from injury and coming to scorn the
creeping things as though they had no power to cause harm, every
once in a while God, in his wise governance of our affairs, allows
two or three people out of countless thousands to be stung by scor-
pions or bitten by snakes so we will dread suffering something simi-
lar, call on God the Creator for assistance, and entreat the protection
of his all-powerful providence. Furthermore, the wild beasts are
very useful in other ways as well, for they are the source of materials
which the medical profession uses to prepare many a remedy against disease.2
Question
. Chrysostom’s comment on Gn .f. (hom. . in Gen.) confirms that the cre-
ation of wild animals and reptiles seemed to some to provide grounds for ques-tioning God’s goodness.. Chrysostom (ib.) had also made this point.
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() Mhdei;" toiv nun, aujto; kaqæ eJauto; to; qhrivon ejxetavzwn,
ejpimemfevsqw tw' / poihth' / ajlla; th; n creivan ejpizhteivtw. ejpei; kai;
to; sw'ma to; aj nqrwvpinon pollh; n e[ cei kai; w{ran, kai; aJrmonivan,
kai; tw' n morivwn th; n creivan: ajllæ e[ cei kai; kovruzan, kai;ptuv elon, kai; duswvdh kovpron ejkkrinomev nhn. ajllæ oujdei;" eu\
fronw' n ajpo; touvtwn diabavllei to; zw' /on: div ca ga;r touvtwn
biw' nai tw' n ajdunavtwn. dia; ga;r touvtwn ajrdeuovmenon tevqhlen:
crhv /zei ga;r kai; flevgmato", kai; ai{mato", kai; colh'" eJkatevra".
ajllæ w{sper dia; touvtwn sunevsthken, ou{tw" kai; dia; touvtwn
diovllutai: eJ no;" ga;r tw' n eijrhmev nwn h] pleonasmo;" h] e[ ndeia
dialuv ei to; zw' /on. ou{tw pavlin ei[ ti" mivan tw' n daktuvlwn ejktevmh/skutalivda, o[ yetai pantelw'" aujth; n a[ crhston, ajlla; sunhmmev nh
pleivsthn parev cei tw' /|| swvmati creivan.
Ou{tw toiv nun kai; hJma'" proshvkei poiei' n, mh; aujto; kaqæ eJauto;
e{kaston mevro" ejxetavzein th'" ktivsew", ajlla; zhtei' n eij tw' /
panti; crhvsimon. ejpei; kai; to; pu'r kaustikov n ejsti kaiv, ouj
mov non swvmata diafqeivrei, ajlla; kai; oi[kou" ejmpivprhsi, kai;
ploi'a, kai; lhvi>a: ajllæ o{mw" e{ n ejsti tw' n tessavrwn stoiceivwn
diæ w | n ta; pav nta sunhvrmostai, kai; div ca touvtou th; n qnhth; n
fuvsin diabiw' nai tw' n ajdunavtwn. kai; u{dwr wJsauvtw" ejpikluvzei
th; n gh' n, oijkiva" kataluv ei, pampovllou" tw' n nautillomev nwn
diovllusi, lumaiv netai de; kai; tou;" ajkaivrw" kai; ajmevtrw" piv nein
aj necomev nou". ajllæ oujdeiv", mh; komidh' / parapaivwn, ojlevqrion to;
u{dwr wj novmase: tou'to ga;r kai; th; n gh' n a[rdei kai; ta; futa;
trev fei, kai; ta; a[loga zw' /a, kai; tw' n aj nqrwvpwn th; n fuvsin. ou{tw
toiv nun kai; tw' n a[llwn e{kaston ejxetavzomen, mh; aujto; kaqæ eJauto;basanivzonte" ei[ te lumantikov n ejstin ei[ te wj fevlimon, ajllæ eij
tw' / koinw' / suntelei' tina creivan.
Kai; qhriva ga;r aijdei'tai me; n to; n a[ nqrwpon dia; th; n ejx ajrch'"
doqei'san aujtw' / katæ aujtw' n ejxousivan: wJ" parabe||bhkovto" de;
to; n qei'on novmon e[stin o{te katafronei'. kai; ga;r oiJ ponhroi;
dou'loi diaptuv ein eijwvqasi tou;" ijquv nein aujtou;" para; tw' n
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||26b
l. ejxetavzein a, B –14 , , , Sir. : ejxetavzei Sch. F.M.
||2a
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() So then, let no one find fault with its maker when examining
a given wild beast in itself; instead, he should consider what use it
might serve. Indeed, the human body, though possessing limbs en-
dowed with great beauty, coördination, and utility, also has mucous,spittle, and malodorous excrement. But no one in his right mind
criticizes the animal on this basis. Life would be impossible without
these fluids, and by these the body is watered and flourishes, requir-
ing, as it does, gall, blood, and both kinds of bile. As it needs these to
grow, it is through them that it also deteriorates; excess or deficiency
in any one of the aforementioned causes the dissolution of the liv-
ing creature. Similarly, if you were to cut off a single joint of yourfingers, you would find it completely useless, but when left in place,
it does the body great service.
This is how we should judge: not focusing on each item of cre-
ation in isolation, but examining its usefulness to the whole. Fire,
for example, can scorch, not only destroying bodies but also burn-
ing houses, ships, and crops, yet it is one of the four basic elements
of which everything is composed, and mortal nature cannot survive
without it. Similarly, water inundates the land, destroys houses, and
is responsible for the death of great numbers of sailors. It also harms
people who drink it at the wrong time or in excessive quantities, but
no one who was not entirely mad ever categorized water as deadly. It
irrigates the land and nourishes plants, brute beasts, and human be-
ings. So, this is how we examine each of the other creatures; we do
not look at it in isolation to see whether it is harmful or beneficial
but consider whether it contributes somehow to the common good.
Indeed, even wild animals respect man because of the authority
he was given over them at the beginning, though they occasionally
scorn him for breaking God’s law. It is a general rule that wicked
slaves despise the supervisors to whom their masters have subjected
Question
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despotw' n kekeleusmev nou" o{tan i[dwsi dia; plhmmelhvmata
parrhsiva" ejsterhmev nou".
Tiv ni oJ Qeo;" ei[rhke, poihvswmen a[nqrwpon katæ eijkovna
hJ metev ran kai; kaqæ oJ moivwsin ; a
() Tine;" me; n tw' n duswnuvmwn aiJretikw' n pro;" tou;" ajggevlou"
aujto; n eijrhkev nai |kai; tou;" ponhrou;" daivmona" e[ fasan, ouj
suniev nte" oiJ ejmbrov nthtoi to; katæ eijkovna hJ metev ran. Qeou' dev,kai; ajggevlwn, kai; daimov nwn ou[te hJ oujsiva ou[te eijkw; n hJ aujthv: oJ
me; n ga;r ajiv >dion e[ cei th; n fuvsin, oiJ de; aujto; n e[ cousi poihth; n
kai; dhmiourgov n, paræ aujtou' dedegmev noi to; ei\ nai. oiJ de;
daivmone" kai; eij" ponhrivan eJkov nte" ejtravphsan: aj noiva" toiv nun
ejscavth" to; mivan uJpo||labei' n eijkov na tw' n ponhrw' n daimov nwn kai;
tou' pelavgou" th'" ajgaqovthto~.
jIoudai'oi de; eij" eJtevran ejxwvkeilan parafrosuv nhn: fasi;
ga;r pro;" eJauto; n eijrhkev nai to; n tw' n o{lwn Qeo; n to;
poihvswmen a[nqrwpon katav tina mivmhsin tw' n ta;" megavla"
pepisteumev nwn ajrcav". kai; ga;r u{parcoi kai; strathgoi;
plhquntikw'" eijwvqasi levgein to; keleuvomen, kai; gravfomen, kai;
prostavttomen, kai; o{sa toiau'ta. kai; ouj sunei'don oiJ
paraplh'ge" wJ" eJ nikw'" ta; plei'sta oJ tw' n o{lwn levgei Qeov":
kairov", gavr fhsi, panto;" ajnqrwvpou h{kei ejnantivon mou:b kaiv,
ejnequmhvqhn o{ti ejpoivhsa to;n a[nqrwpon:c kaiv, ajpaleivyw to;n a[nqrwpon:d kaiv, oujk e[sontaiv soi qeoi; e{teroi plh;n ej mou' :e kaiv,
ijdou; ejgw; poiw' kaina; a} nu' n ajnatevllei:f kaiv, ajnoivxw ejpi; tw' n
oj revwn phga;" kai; ejpi; tw' n bounw' n potamouv",g kai; ej n pavsh/ dev,
wJ" ejpivpan, th' / qeiva/ grafh' / eJ nikw'" e[stin ajkou'sai tou' tw' n o{lwn
The Questions on Genesis
|37
||5
(inc.), , B, C, * [ ] (inc.) = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn . (LXX)mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn .mme. Ex .mmf. Is .mmg. Is . (LXX var.)
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them whenever they realize that, because of their failings, their su-
pervisors can no longer exercise a free hand.
To whom did God say, “Let us make the human being in our im-
age and likeness”?a
() Some ill-omened heretics have claimed that he was speaking
to the angels and the wicked demons, but these madmen failed to
understand the phrase “in our image.”1
God, the angels, and thedemons do not share the same essence or image. His nature is eter-
nal, whereas the others receive their existence from him, their Mak-
er and Creator. The demons are those who, of their own accord,
turned to evil. So, it is the height of folly to suppose that the wicked
demons and the ocean of goodness have one and the same image.
Now, the Jews rushed headlong into a different delusion. They
claim that, in imitation of those entrusted with important responsi-
bilities, the God of the universe addresses himself in “Let us make
the human being.” After all, it is conventional for governors and gen-
erals to use the plural: “We order,”“we write,” “we command,” and so
forth.2 Crazed, as they are, the Jews do not understand that the God
of the universe generally speaks in the singular: “The time for all has
come before my sight”;b “I am angry that I created man”;c “I shall
blot out man”;d “You shall have no other gods beside me”;e “Lo, I amdoing new things that are already taking effect”;f and “I shall make
springs gush forth on the mountains, and rivers on the hills.”g In
Question
.Theodoret may be referring to the Gnostics who attributed the creation of the visible world to a subordinate power, the demiurge; cf. Iren., Haer. ..–..
. The first person plural verb form presents a crux interpretum. Seeing a refer-
ence to the Trinity, Theodoret rejects the Jewish notion of a simple royal plural. Incontrast, Speiser, regarding (on .) the question as “one of grammar alone, with-out a direct bearing on the meaning,” takes the plural as due to the form of the
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dialegomev nou Qeou'. ojligavki" de; plhquntikw'" th; n diavlexin
schmativzei, tw' n th'" triavdo" proswvpwn ejmfaiv nwn to; n ajriqmov n:
kai; ga;r hJ nivka ta;" glwvssa" sunev ceen ouj c eJ nikw'" ei\pe,
katabhvsomai kai; sugcew' ta;" glwvssa", ajlla;deu' te,.......katabavnte" sugcevwmen .......aujtw' n ta;" glwvssa".h
() Kai; ej ntau'qa toiv nun, ejpeidh; to; logiko; n dievplatte zw' /on,
o} meta; polla;" aj nakainivzein h[melle geneav", tai'" th'" aJgiva"
triavdo" ejpiklhvsesi telesiourgw' n to; panavgion bavptisma,
mevllwn dhmiourgei' n th; n ejkei' na paralhyomev nhn ta; musthvria
fuvsin, aij nigmatwdw'" kai; to; taujto; n th'" oujsiva" kai; to; n tw' nproswvpwn paredhvlwsen ajriqmov n. tw' / fav nai me; n gavr, ei\ pen oJ
Qeov", to; koino; n th'" qeiva" dedhvlwke fuvsew": ejpagagw; n de; to;
poihvswmen, ej nev fhne tw' n proswvpwn to; n ajriqmov n. ou{tw pavlin
eJ nikw'" me; n eijpwv n, th;n eijkovna, to; taujto; n th'" fuvsew" e[deixen:
ouj ga;r ei\pe, katæ eijkov na", ajlla; katæ eijkovna: hJ metev ran de;
eijrhkwv", to; n tw' n uJpostavsewn dedhvlwken ajriqmov n. a{panta ga;r
proorw' n oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" wJ" h[dh gegenhmev na ta; mhvpw
genovmena kai; proqewrw' n th; n tou' monogenou'" savrkwsiv n, te kai;
ej nanqrwvphsin, kai; wJ" tauvthn th; n fuvsin ejk parqev nou lhv yetai,
kai; ou{tw" eJautw' / sunav yei, te kai; eJ nwvsei wJ" e} n provswpon Qeou'
te kai; aj nqrwvpou noei'sqai, kai; mivan aujtw' / proskuv nhsin para;
th~ ktivsew" aJpavsh" prosfevresqai, mavla eijkovtw" kai; aujth; n
tou' gev nou" th; n krhpi'da timh'" megivsth" hjxivwse. kai; prw'ton
boulh; n th'" dhmiourgiva" protavxa" i{ na tou' dhmiourgoumev nou to;
logiko; n proshmav nh/, ei\ta tw' n proswvpwn paradhlwvsa" to; najriqmo; n i{ na tou;" u{mnou" oJ mevllwn prosfevrein ejpi; th'" gh'"
lavbh/ qeologiva" aij nivgmata, kai; oiJonei; aujtourgo;" th'"
The Questions on Genesis
l. dialegomev nou , , Sir. Sch. : dialegovmenon [ ] :dialegoumev nou F.M. While the TLG lists attestations for dialegom- andprosdialegom- in other passages of the works of Theodoret, it offers only three for the stem in -goum- for the entirety of Greek literature. In the Quaest.in oct. alone there are seven other uses of the stem in -gom- for none of which
does F.M. record a variant in -goum-. Cf. dialegovmeno~ in Q. (l. , p. of the Madrid ed.).
h. Gn .mm
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short, throughout the whole of holy Scripture, one can hear God
speaking in the singular. But in a few cases, he uses plural forms to
bring out the distinction of number of the persons of the Trinity.
When he confused the languages, he did not say in the singular, “Ishall go down and confuse the languages,” but “Come, let us go
down and confuse their languages.”h
() Here too, then, as he was forming the rational being, whom
he would renew many generations later through the institution of
most holy baptism with the invocation of the Holy Trinity—when
he was on the point of creating the nature that would inherit that
sacrament—he gave a riddling indication of both the identity of substance and the numerical distinction of persons. With “God
said,” he indicated the divine nature held in common, and adding,
“Let us make,” he revealed the numerical distinction of persons.
Likewise, by saying “image” in the singular, he brought out the iden-
tity of nature. He did not say “images,” but “image.” Yet, when he
said “our” he indicated the numerical distinction of the hypostases.
Foreseeing what is not yet as already in existence and discerning in
advance the enfleshment and Incarnation of the Only-begotten, his
taking human nature from a virgin and joining and uniting it to
himself, so that one person, both God and man would be acknowl-
edged, to whom one adoration would be offered by all creation, it
was entirely reasonable for the God of the universe to deem the
foundation of the race worthy of the highest honor. First, taking
previous counsel about his creation so as to signal in advance the ra-
tional character of the creature, then indicating the numerical dis-tinction of the persons, so that he who was to offer hymns of praise
on earth might grasp clues to the true doctrine of God, and then be-
coming, as it were, himself the very artisan of this moulding, he dis-
Question
subject, God (’elohim). Unlike Speiser and like Theodoret, von Rad regards (on.–) the form as theologically meaningful, but his interpretation is closest to
the first that Theodoret rejects: “The extraordinary .......prevents one from referringGod’s image too directly to God the Lord. God includes himself among the heav-enly beings and thereby conceals himself in this multiplicity.”
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diaplavsew" genovmeno", e[deixe th; n pleivona peri; tovde to;
plavsma filostorgivan. tou'to kai; ∆Iw;b oJ gennai'o" pro;" aujto; n
boa' /, levgwn, aiJ cei' rev" sou ejpoivhsavn me kai; e[plasavn me:i
touvtoi" ej crhvsato toi'" lovgoi" kai; oJ qei'o" Dabivd: j tou'to kai; oJtou' aJgivou baptivsmato" ajxiouvmeno" ginwvskei safw'", wJ" oJ
plavsa" dievswse, kai; oJ swvsa" dievplase: pro;" de; touvtoi", kai;
aujto;" oJ dhmiourgo;" kai; dia; ÔIeremivou kai; dia; ∆Hsaiv >ou fhsiv n
o{ti, hJ mei' " .......phlov", aujto;" de; plavsth" hJ mw' n.k ajllæ ou[te cei'ra"
e[ cein to; qei'on ou[te dei'sqai boulh'" tino" kai; proqewriva"
fame; n i{ na, kata; tou;" Plavtwno" muvqou", pro;" th; n th'"
ej nqumhvsew" ijdevan kataskeuavsh/ to; poiv hma.l
ajlla; touvtwn e{kaston th; n pleivona tou' Qeou' peri; tovde to; zw' /on khdemonivan
dhloi'.
Tiv ejsti to; katæ eijkovna;a
() Tine;" to; ajovraton th'" yuch'" eijkovna Qeou' keklhvkasin.
ajllæ oujk ajlhqw'" eijrhvkasin: eij ga;r eijkw; n tou' Qeou' th'" yuch'"
to; ajovraton, ma'llon a] n eijkov ne" tou' Qeou' klhqei' en a[ggeloi,
kai; ajrcavggeloi, kai; pa'sai aiJ ajswvmatoi kai; a{giai fuvsei", a{te
dh ; pantavpasi swmavtwn ajphllagmev nai kai; ajmige;" to; ajovraton
e[ cousai.
Tine;" de; uJpo; pollh'" euj hqeiva" to; sw'ma to; aj nqrwvpinon katæ
eijkovna Qeou' gegenh'sqaiv fasin, ejpeidh; th'" qeiva" legouvsh" ejpakouvousi grafh'", a[noixon .......tou;" ojfqalmouv" sou' kai; i[de:
The Questions on Genesis
i. Jb .mm j. Ps .mmk. Is . (LXX var.)mml. Pl., Ti. a-b
(inc.), , B, c, * , [ ] = mss.
ll. f a{te dh; , , , Sir. : a{te de; Sch. F.M. In the Quaest. in oct. thereare fourteen more examples of a{te dh;, but (with the exception of the apparentmisprint at l. , p. of the Madrid ed.) no other example of a{te de;.
a. Gn .f.mm
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played his extraordinary affection for what he had formed. The no-
ble Job cried to him in a loud voice, “Your hands made me and
formed me.”i And the divinely inspired David used the very same
words, j and all who are accorded holy baptism know clearly that hewho formed saved, and he who saved formed. In addition, the Cre-
ator himself declared through both Jeremiah and Isaiah, “We are
clay, and he our potter.”k Yet, we declare that the divinity had no
hands nor any need of counsel or foresight in order, as Plato’s stories
would have it, to make his artifact match the plan of his design. l In-
stead, each of these details illustrates God’s extraordinary care for
this being.
What is the meaning of “in the image”?1a
() Some commentators have referred the phrase “the image of
God” to the invisibility of the soul;2 but they are mistaken. If the in-
visibility of the soul constituted God’s image, angels and archangels,
along with all the incorporeal and holy natures, would with greater
reason be called God’s images. After all, they are completely free of
bodies and possess an invisibility that is quite uncompromised.
Other superficial commentators claim that the human body was
made in God’s image, since they hear holy Scripture saying, “Open
Question
. In this question Theodoret painstakingly assembles a broad range of viewsfrom many predecessors. The phrase “in the image and likeness” continues to posea challenge for modern commentators. For an interpretation based on materialsdiscovered at the site of ancient Ebla (Tell Mardikh) in NW Syria in the mid-twentieth century, v. M. Dahood, “Ebla, Ugarit and the Old Testament” and cf.
note below.. As Guinot points out (p. ), the first interpretation is that of the Alexandri-
an tradition generally; v. Or., hom. . in Gen. and Didym., in Gen. .
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kaiv, kli' non .......to; ou\ " sou kai; a[kouson:b kaiv, wjsfravnqh Kuv rio" .
......ojsmh;n eujwdiva":c kaiv, to;.......stov ma Kurivou ejlavlhse tau' ta:d
kaiv, ejn th' / ceiri; aujtou' ta; pev rata th' " gh' ",e kai; o{sa toiau'ta,
kai; ouj sunei'don oiJ a[gan hjlivqioi wJ" aj nqrwvpoi" diæ aj nqrwvpwndialegovmeno", oJ despovth" Qeo;" th' / tw' n ajkouov ntwn ajsqeneiva/
tou;" lovgou" metrei' kaiv, ejpeidh; diæ oj fqalmw' n oJrw'men hJmei'",
th; n ojptikh; n aujtou' duv namin ojfqalmou;" oj nomavzei, kai; au\ pavlin
th; n ajkoustikh; n w\ ta, ejpeidh; dia; touvtwn tw' n morivwn ajkouvomen,
kai; to; provstagma stov ma. e[dei de; aujtouv", mh; touvtwn mov non
ajkouv ein tw' n lovgwn, ajlla; kai; tw' n to; ajperivgrafon tou' Qeou'
didaskov ntwn: pou' , gavr fhsi, poreuqw' ajpo; tou' pneuv matov" sou kai; ajpo; tou' proswvpou sou pou' fuvgw; eja;n ajnabw' eij" to;n
ouj ranovn, su; ejkei' ei\ : eja;n katabw' eij" to;n a{ /dhn, pav rei, kai; ta;
eJxh'":f kai; th' / samareivtidi oJ Kuvrio" e[ fh, pneu' ma oJ Qeov", kai;
tou;" proskunou' nta" aujto;n ejn pneuv mati kai; ajlhqeiva/ dei'
proskunei' n.g eij de; pneu'ma oJ Qeov", aJplou'" a[ra, kai; ajsuv nqeto",
kai; ajschmavtisto". ajlla; ga;r peritto; n tou'ton mhkuv nein to; n
lovgon: dhvlh ga;r touvtwn hJ a[ noia.
() To; toiv nun poihvswmen a[nqrwpon katæ eijkovna hJ metev ran
kai; kaqæ oJ moivwsin h tine;" tw' n didaskavlwn ou{tw" ej nov hsan: o{ti
th; n ktivsin th; n aijsqhthv n te kai; nohth; n pepoihkwv", oJ tw' n
o{lwn Qeo;" to; n a[ nqrwpon dievplasen e[scaton, oi |ov n tina eijkov na
eJautou' ej n mevsw/ teqeikw;" tw' n aj yuv cwn te kai; ejmyuv cwn kai;
aijsqhtw' n kai; nohtw' n i{ na ta; me; n a[ yucav te kai; e[myuca touvtw/
prosfevrh/, w{sper tina; fovron, th; n creivan, aiJ de; nohtai; fuvsei"
ej n th' / peri; tou'ton khdemoniva/ th; n peri; to; n pepoihkovtadeiknuvwsin eu[ noian. tou'to ga;r kai; oJ qei'o" ajpovstolo" e[ fh:
ouj ci; pavnte" eijsi; leitourgika; pneuv mata, eij" diakonivan
ajpostellov mena dia; tou;" mevllonta" klhronomei' n swthrivan ; i kai;
oJ Kuvrio" ej n toi'" eujaggelivoi", oJ ra' te mh; katafronhvshte eJno;"
tw' n mikrw' n touvtwn tw' n ejlacivstwn: aj mh;n ga; r levgw uJ mi' n o{ti oiJ
The Questions on Genesis
b. Kgs .mmc. Gn .mmd. Is .mme. Ps .mmf. Ps .f.mmg. Jn .mmh. Gn .mmi. Heb .
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your eyes and see, incline your ears and hear”;b “The Lord smelt a
sweet fragrance”;c “The mouth of the Lord said this”;d “In his hands
are the ends of the earth,”e and similar statements. These simpletons
fail to understand that the Lord God, when speaking to humansthrough humans, adjusts his language to the limitations of the lis-
teners. Since we see with our eyes, he refers to his power of vision as
“eyes.” He refers to his power of hearing as “ears,” since it is through
these organs that we hear, and to his command as a “mouth.”3 But
they should have paid attention not only to these words but also to
those that teach of God’s uncircumscribed nature: “Where am I to
go from your Spirit, and where am I to flee from your face? If I as-cend to heaven, you are there; if I descend to Hell, you are present”
and so on.f Furthermore, the Lord said to the Samaritan woman,
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit
and in truth.”g Now, if God is spirit, surely he is simple, without
composition, and beyond representation. There is no point, howev-
er, in prolonging this argument, for their folly is obvious.
() Some commentators understand the verse, “Let us make the
human being in our image and likeness,”h in the following manner:
after completing the material and spiritual creation, the God of the
universe formed man last and set him like an image of himself in
the midst of the inanimate and the animate, the material and the
spiritual, so that the inanimate and the animate might offer him
their service as a kind of tribute, and the spiritual beings, by caring
for him, might manifest their love for the Creator.4 In fact, the holy apostle says,“Are they not all ministering spirits sent on a mission of
service for the sake of those who are due to inherit salvation?”i And
Question
. The citations support the second interpretation, which as Guinot remarks(p. ) was opposed by all Christian exegetes, Antiochene (v. Chrys. hom. .f in Gen.) as well as Alexandrian (Or., hom. . in Gen. and Didym., in Gen. ). It canbe refuted, Theodoret proceeds to say, by a simple acknowledgment of the princi-
ple of sugkatavbasi", i.e., God’s gracious condescension to the limits of humanunderstanding and language.. For the third interpretation, Guinot refers (p. ) to Gr. Nyss., Hom. opif. .
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a[ggeloi aujtw' n .......kaqæ hJ mev ran oJ rw' si to; provswpon tou' patrov"
mou tou' ejn ouj ranoi' ". j
Tine;" de; katæ eijkovna Qeou' kata; to; ajrciko; n gegenh'sqai to; na[ nqrwpon e[ fasan, tekmhrivw/ kecrhmev noi safestavtw/ tw' / to; n
poihth; n ejpagagei' n, kai; aj rcevtwsan tw' n ij cquvwn th' " qalavssh",
kai; tw' n peteinw' n tou' ouj ranou' , kai; tw' n kthnw' n, kai; pavsh" th' "
gh' ", kai; pavntwn tw' n eJ rpetw' n, tw' n eJ rpovntwn ejpi; th' " gh' ":k
w{sper ga;r aujto;" tw' n o{lwn e[ cei th; n despoteivan, ou{tw devdwke
tw' / aj nqrwvpw/ tw' n ajlovgwn zwv /wn th; n ejxousivan.
[Esti de; kai; a[lla euJrei' n wJ" ajrcetuvpou mimhvmata.dhmiourgei' ga;r kai; a[ nqrwpo" kata; mivmhsin tou' pepoihkovto"
Qeou' kai; oijkiva", kai; teiv ch, kai; povlei", kai; limev na", kai; nau'",
kai; newvria, kai; a{rmata, kai; e{tera muriva oi |on oujranou'
ejktupwvmata kai; hJlivou, kai; selhv nh", kai; ajstevrwn ij ndavlmata,
|kai; aj nqrwvpwn kai; zwv /wn ajlovgwn eijkov na". ajllæ a[peiron to; th'"
dhmiourgiva" diav foron. oJ me; n ga;r tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" kai; ejx o[ ntwn
kai; ejk mh; o[ ntwn dhmiourgei' kai; div ca pov nou kai; crov nou: a{ma
ga;r tw' / boulhqh' nai paravgei to; dovxan. a[ nqrwpo" de; dei'tai me; n
u{lh", dei'tai de; kai; ojrgav nwn, kai; boulh'", kai; ej nqumhvsewn, kai;
crov nou, kai; pov nou, kai; tecnw' n eJtevrwn eij" th; n tou' genomev nou
kataskeuhv n: oJ ga;r oijkodovmo" dei'tai calkevw", kai; oJ calkeu;"
metallevw" kai; aj nqrakevw", kai; pav nte" oJmou' tw' n uJlotovmwn, kai;
oiJ uJlotovmoi tw' n futourgw' n te kai; gewrgw' n, kai; ou{tw" eJkavsth
tev cnh para; tw' n a[llwn tecnw' n th; n oijkeivan ejranivzetai creivan.
ajlla; kai; ou{tw dhmiourgw' n, oJ a[ nqrwpo" mimei'tai aJmh' gev ph/to; n poihth; n wJ" eijkw; n to; ajrcevtupon. kai; ga;r hJ eijkw; n e[ cei ta;
tou' ajrcetuvpou ij ndavlmata, ajlla; to; me; n tw' n morivwn ei\do" e[ cei,
ta;" de; ej nergeiva" oujk e[ cei: ejstevrhtai ga;r yuch'", diæ h |"
kinei'tai to; sw'ma.
The Questions on Genesis
|5
j. Mt . (NT var.)mmk. Gn .mm
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the Lord in the sacred Gospels warns, “Be careful not to despise one
of the least of these little ones. Amen, I say to you, their angels day in
and day out gaze on the face of my Father in heaven.” j
Other commentators have claimed that humanity was made “inGod’s image” in the sense that it possesses the ability to rule. Their
clearest proof text is the command subsequent to the act of cre-
ation: “and let them rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven,
the cattle, the whole earth, and all the reptiles crawling on the
earth.”k God, who enjoys lordship of all things, gave the human be-
ing authority over all irrational beings.5
In addition, one can discover other ways in which man imitateshis archetype.6 In imitation of the Creator, man also creates houses,
walls, cities, harbors, ships, dockyards, chariots, and countless other
things, including likenesses of heaven, representations of the sun,
moon, and stars, and images of people and brute beasts. Nonethe-
less, the difference in creating is infinite. The God of the universe
creates from both the existent and the non-existent, and, without ef-
fort or lapse of time, puts his intention into effect as soon he wills it.
But a human being who sets out to make an object requires materi-
al, as well as tools, planning, consideration, time, effort, and the as-
sistance of other trades. The builder requires a bronze smith, and
the bronze smith a metallurgist and a charcoal maker, and all of
these require woodcutters, while woodcutters require planters and
farmers; every trade borrows what it needs from the others. Yet cre-
ating even in this fashion, the human being to some extent imitates
the Creator as an image its archetype; the image has the external ap-pearance of its archetype, but not its capacity for action, since it
lacks the soul, which moves the body.
Question
. The fourth interpretation had been previously suggested by Didymus (in Gen. ), Diodore (Deconinck, frag. ), and Chrysostom (hom. ., .–, ., .in Gen.), but it is likely that Theodoret derived it from Diodore alone; cf. Guinot,p. . The Ebla tablets (cf . note above) lend support to the notion of the human
being acting as a deputy deity, for the word dimutu, occurring in their lists of deities, is akin to the Hebrew demuth = “likeness.” Of course, Theodoret wouldnot have known of this etymology.
. For the next four suggestions regarding the meaning of “image,” the human
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Ou{tw pavlin kai; basileuv ei oJ a[ nqrwpo" kai; kriv nei kata;
mivmhsin tou' tw' n o{lwn Qeou'. ajllæ oJ me; n Qeo;" ouj kathgovrwn, ouj
martuvrwn dei'tai dikavzwn: ou{tw ga;r kai; to; n Kavi> n katevkrinen
wJ" aujtovpth" tou' muvsou" gegenhmev no":l oJ de; a[ nqrwpo" kriv nwnkai; martuvrwn dei'tai kai; kathgovrwn: ajgnoei' ga;r ta;
gegenhmev na.
Ou{tw kai; Qeo;" oJ a[ nqrwpo" wj nomavsqh, ejpeidh; eijkw;n
proshgoreuvqh Qeou' : ajnh; r.......gavr fhsin, oujk ojfeivlei
katakaluvptesqai th;n kefalhvn, eijkw;n kai; dovxa Qeou'
uJpav rcwn.m ajlla; pavlin oJ me; n tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" fuvsin e[ cei qeivan,
ouj proshgorivan yilhv n: oJ de; a[ nqrwpo", wJ" eijkwv n, tou[ noma e[ ceimov non, ejsterhmev no" tou' pravgmato".
() Ou{tw to; ajperivgrafon ajlhqw'" me; n kai; kurivw" ejsti; tou'
tw' n o{lwn Qeou': mimei'tai de; ou{tw pw" aujto; kai; oJ nou'" oJ
aj nqrwvpino". ej n ajkarei' ga;r perinostei' kai; ta; eJw' /a, kai; ta;
eJspevria, kai; ta; bovreia, kai; ta; novtia, kai; ta; ejpourav nia, kai;
ta; uJpocqov nia, ajllæ ouj th' / oujsiva/, mov nh/ de; th' / tou' logismou'
fantasiva/. oJ dev ge Qeo;" kai; th' / oujsiva/, kai; th' / sofiva/, kai; th' /
dunavmei to; ajperivgrafon e[ cei.
Eu{roi dæ a[ n ti" kai; eJtevran mivmhsin ajkribestevran ej n th' / tou'
aj nqrwvpou pavlin yuch' /. e[ cei ga;r aujth; kai; to; logiko; n kai; to;
zwtiko; n ej n eJauth' /, kai; genna' / me; n oJ nou'" to; n lovgon,
sumprov eisi de; tw' / lovgw/ pneu'ma, ouj gennwvmenon kaqavper oJ
lovgo", sumparomartou' n de; aj ei; tw' / lovgw/, kai; sumproi>o; n
gennwmev nw/. ajlla; tau'ta wJ" eijkov ni provsesti tw' / aj nqrwvpw/, ou | dh;
cavrin kai; aj nupovstato" oJ lovgo" ejsti; kai; to; pneu'ma. ejpi; de;th'" aJgiva" triavdo" trei'" noou'men ta;" uJpostavsei" kai;
ajsugcuvtw" hJ nwmev na" kai; kaqæ eJauta;" uJ festwvsa". gegev nnhtai
me; n ga;r pro; tw' n aijwv nwn ejk tou' patro;" oJ Qeo;" lovgo":
aj cwvristo" dev ejsti tou' gennhvsanto": kai; ejkporeuv etai ejk tou'
Qeou' kai; patro;" to; panavgion pneu'ma, noei'tai de; kai; ej n ijdiva/
The Questions on Genesis
l. Gn .mmm. Cor .mm
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Likewise, humans reign and judge in imitation of the God of the
universe. Yet, in judging, God has no need of witnesses for prosecu-
tion or defense, for it was as an eyewitness to the abominable crime
that he condemned Cain.l In contrast, given his ignorance of thefacts, when man sits in judgment, he needs witnesses for defense
and prosecution.
Again, man has been called “God” inasmuch as he has been
styled “image of God.” Scripture declares, “A male does not need to
cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God;”m but the
God of the universe has the nature, not merely the title of divinity,
while man, as an image, possesses only the name and lacks the reali-ty.7
() Similarly, the property of being uncircumscribed belongs re-
ally and truly to the God of the universe, though the human mind
imitates this to some extent. In a moment it surveys east and west,
north and south, high and low—but not in actual presence, only
through its mental powers of imagination. God, on the other hand,
is uncircumscribed in his being, his wisdom, and his power.
Now, one might discover a further, more precise, resemblance in
the human soul. This is both rational and vital. The mind begets the
word, and with the word proceeds a breath, not begotten like the
word, but always accompanying the word and proceeding with it
when the word is begotten. But this is characteristic of the human
being as a mere image. Hence, the word is without substance, as is
the breath. In the Holy Trinity, by contrast, we understand threesubstances, united without confusion, and subsisting of themselves.
God the Word has been begotten of the Father before the ages but is
inseparable from the one who begat him, and the most Holy Spirit
proceeds from the God and Father, and is also understood as an in-
Question
being as builder, as judge, as possessor of wide-ranging vision, and as rational and
vital being, Theodoret follows Theodore of Mopsuestia (Devreesse, Essai, pp.–).
. Like all writers of ancient Greek, Theodoret often uses the nouns “man” =“human being” (a[ nqrwpo") and “man” = “male” (aj nhvr) interchangeably. None-
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uJpostavsei: pavnta, gavr fhsi,.......ejnergei' to; e}n kai; to; aujto;
pneu' ma diairou' n ijdiva/ eJkavstw/ kaqw;" bouvletai.n ajlla; peri;
touvtou mhkuv nein to; n lovgon ouj dei': muriva" ga;r e[stin euJrei' n
ajpodeivxei" touvtou para; th' / qeiva/ grafh' /.
Tiv dhv pote diaferov ntw" th; n eJbdovmhn hJmevran eujlovghsen oJ
Qeov";a
JEkavsth tw' n a[llwn hJmerw' n ijdivan tina; dhmiourgivan ejdevxato: ejpeidh; toiv nun mev cri tauvth" suvmpasan th; n ktivsin
ejdhmiouvrghse, devdwken, aj nti; dhmiourgiva", th' / eJbdovmh/ hJmevra/
th; n eujlogivan i{ na mh; mov nh para; ta;" a[lla" ajgevrasto"
diameiv nh/. to; mev ntoi hJgivasen aujth;n aj nti; tou' ajfwv risen
tevqeike. pollacou' ga;r ou{tw tou'to noouvmenon e[stin euJrei' n
para; th' / qeiva/ grafh' /: kai; ga;r peri; tw' n mhvdwn fhsiv n,
hJgiasmevnoi eijsiv, kai; ejgw; a[gw aujtouv",b toutevstin, eij" tou'to
aj fwrismev noi. a[llw" te kai; ijoudaivoi" tau'ta suggrav fwn,
aj nagkaivw" to; hJgivasen aujth;n tevqeiken i{ na plei'on sevba"
ajponeivmwsi tw' / sabbavtw/: tou'to ga;r kai; nomoqetw' n e[ fh: o{ti
ejn .......e}x hJ mev rai" ejpoivhse Kuv rio" oJ Qeov" sou to;n ouj rano;n kai;
th;n gh' n:c th' / de; eJ bdov mh/ hJ mev ra/ katevpausen ajpo; pavntwn tw' n
e[ rgwn aujtou' , w |n ejpoivhsen .......kai; hJgivasen aujthvn.d
The Questions on Genesis
n. Cor .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Is . (LXX var.)mmc. Ex . (LXX var.)mmd. Gn .f.
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dividual substance: “The one and same Spirit activates everything
and allots to each one individually as he wishes.”8n There is no need,
however, to go on at length; one can find innumerable proofs of this
doctrine in holy Scripture.
Why did God give the seventh day a special blessing?a
Each of the other days received its own act of creation. Therefore,
since by this time he had finished making the whole of creation, heassigned the seventh day the blessing in place of an act of creation,
so that it would have no less honor than the other days. He used the
phrase “hallowed it” in the sense of “set it apart,” a sense you can of-
ten find in holy Scripture. For example, it says of the Medes, “They
are hallowed, and I lead them”;b that is, “they are set aside for this
purpose.” As Moses was writing for the Jews, he made the essential
addition, “He hallowed it,” so they would accord the Sabbath a
greater reverence. As you will recall, in his legislation for the Sab-
bath he declared, “In six days the Lord your God made heaven and
earth,c but on the seventh day he rested from all the labors of his
works and hallowed it.”1d
Question
theless, v. his comment on Ps . where he assures any women among his readersthat the initial blessing of the “happy man” (makavrio~ aj nhvr) should not be un-derstood as excluding women from the attainment of virtue.
. In this comparison between the human production of word and breath andthe begetting of “God the Word” by the Father and the procession of the Spiritfrom the Father alone, Theodoret applies to Trinitarian relationships terms thathad been sanctioned at Chalcedon to describe the subsistence in the one personof Christ of both the divine and human natures: cf. his ejpi; de; th'" aJgiva"triavdo" trei'" noou'men ta;" uJpostavsei", kai; ajsugcuvtw" hJ nwmev na" kai;kaqæ eJauta;" uJ festwvsa". gegev nnhtai me; n ga;r pro; tw' n aijwv nwn ejk tou'patro;" oJ Qeo;" lovgo": aj cwv risto" dev ejsti tou' gennhvsanto" with the Chal-cedonian e{ na kai; to; n aujto; n [oJmologoumen] UiJo; n, Kuvrion monogenh, ej n duvo
fuvsesin ajsugcuvtw~, ajtrevptw~, ajdiairevtw~, aj cwrivstw~ gnwrizovmenon;
v. T.H. Bindley and F.W. Green, p. .
. Relating the seventh day to the previous six, Theodoret offers an accurate
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Tiv ejsti phgh; de; ajnev bainen ejk th' " gh' " kai; ejpovtize pa' n to;
provswpon th' " gh' " ; a
jEn kefalaivw/ pavlin oJ suggrafeu;" ta; peri; th'" ktivsew"
dihghvsato kai; ejdivdaxen o{ti mh; o[ nta ta; stoicei'a parhvgagen oJ
Qeov", kai; o{ti tau'ta ajpæ ajllhvlwn diecwvrise, kai; o{ti e{kaston
touvtwn diekovsmhsen wJ" hjqevlhse, kai; o{ti, mhvte tou' aj nqrwvpou
gewrgou' nto" th; n gh' n, mhvte tw' n nefw' n to; n uJ eto; n wjdinov ntwn,
beblavsthken wJ" oJ dhmiourghvsa" hjqevlhsen, ajrdeivan e[ cousath; n meta; to; n cwrismo; n tw' n uJdavtwn ej napomeiv nasan aujth' /
notivda te kai; ijkmavda.b ou{tw ga;r kai; ∆Akuvla" hJrmhv neuse: kai;
ejpiblusmo;" ajnev bh ejk th' " gh' " kai; ejpovtise pa' n to; provswpon
th' " cqonov".
Eij ejk tou' qeivou ejmfushvmato" gevgonen hJ yuchv,a ejk th'"
oujsiva" a[ra tou' Qeou' ejstin hJ yuchv;
jAsebeiva" ejscavth" kai; blasfhmiva" hJ toiauvth e[ nnoia: th'"
ga;r dhmiourgiva" th; n eujkolivan e[deixe dia; tou'to hJ qeiva grafhv.
pro;" de; touvtw/ kai; th'" yuch'" th; n fuvsin aij nivttetai: o{ti
pneu'mav ejstin ktistov n, ajovratov n te kai; noerov n, th'" tw' nswmavtwn ajphllagmev non pacuvthto". kajkei' no de; crh; sunidei' n:
o{ti dei' provteron noh'sai pneuvmona, kai; tou;" ajpoqlivbonta"
tou'ton mu'" kai; sustevllonta", kai; th; n sumpefukui'an ajrthrivan
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .–mm
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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What is the meaning of “But a spring rose from the earth and
watered all the face of the earth”?a
The historian has related the story of creation once again, this
time in summary fashion, and taught that God produced the previ-
ously non-existent elements, that he separated them from one an-
other, that he arrayed each of them as he wished, and that the earth
produced plants in accordance with the will of the Creator, for it
drew irrigation from the moisture and humidity left over from thedivision of the waters.b Aquila, in fact, gave this rendering: “A gush-
ing water rose from the earth and watered the whole face of the
land.”1
If the soul is derived from the breath of God,a must it not be a
part of God’s being?
Such an idea is a piece of the worst irreligion and blasphemy.
Holy Scripture used this expression to bring out the ease of the cre-
ation. Moreover, it darkly suggests the nature of the soul: that it is a
created spirit, invisible and spiritual, free of the materiality of bod-ies. You should also understand that this idea would require us first
to imagine lungs, muscles to squeeze and contract them, a windpipe
attached to the lungs, a palate, and last of all a mouth to breathe in
Question
. Chrysostom, emphasizing the dependence of life on God’s command ratherthan on natural causes, had commented (hom. . in Gen.) on the apparentanomaly of crops growing without sun, rain, or human cultivation. He had ac-counted for the insertion of this second account of creation by explaining that the
Spirit deliberately chose to emphasize important facts already mentioned in ch. in order to forestall the later development of heresy; v. note to the “Introductionto Theodoret’ s Life and Works.”
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tw' / pneuvmoni, kai; uJperwv /an, kai; stovma ei\qæ ou{tw" devxasqai to;
ejmfuvshma. eij de; to; qei'on ajswvmaton, qeoprepw'" a[ra kai; to;
ejmfuvshma nohtevon.
Tiv dhv pote to; n paravdeison ej fuvteusen oJ Qeov", mevllwn
eujqu;" to; n ∆Ada;m dia; th; n aJmartivan ejxorivzein ejkei'qen;a
Prw'ton oujk aj nev cetai ejk prognwvsew" katakri' nai oJ
despovth" Qeov": diov, kai; th; n paravbasin proorw' n, tw' n ajgaqw' naujtw' / metadevdwken. e[peita kai; gnw' nai aujto; n ta;" qeiva" dwrea;"
hjboulhvqh i{ na, touvtwn sterhqeiv", mishvsh/ th; n aJmartivan, wJ"
tosouvtwn aujto; n gumnwvsasan ajgaqw' n. pro;" de; touvtoi", e[dei
to; n divkaion ajgwnoqevthn toi'" th'" ajreth'" ajqlhtai'" proqei' nai
th'" nivkh" ta; a\qla: ou | dh; cavrin kai; peri; th'" tw' n oujranw' n
basileiva" e[ fh, deu' te, oiJ eujloghmevnoi tou' patrov" mou,
klhronomhvsate th;n hJtoimasmevnhn uJ mi' n basileivan ajpo;
katabolh' " kovsmou.b
Tine;" ej n oujranw' / fasi to; n paravdeison ei\ nai.
Th'" qeiva" legouvsh" grafh'", ejxanevteilen e[ti oJ Qeo;" ejk th' "
gh' " pa' n xuvlon wJ rai' on eij" o{ rasin kai; kalo;n eij" brw' sin,a
tolmhro; n a[gan to; toi'" oijkeivoi" ajkolouqei' n logismoi'"
katalipov nta" th; n didaskalivan tou' pneuvmato".
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .; .mmb. Mt .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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air.1 But, if the divinity is incorporeal, surely his breath should also
be thought of in a manner befitting God.
Why did God plant the Garden of Paradise from which he would
soon exclude Adam as a result of his sin?a
First, the Lord God does not countenance condemnation on the
basis of foreknowledge. Hence, though foreknowing the fall, hemade him share in his blessings. Next, his intention was that Adam
should experience the divine gifts, so that, when deprived of them,
he would hate sin for stripping him of such wonderful blessings.
Also, the Righteous Arbiter had to set the prize of victory before the
athletes of virtue. Thus, he said of the Kingdom of Heaven, “Come,
you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world.”1b
Some commentators locate Paradise in heaven.
Since holy Scripture says, “God caused to grow up from the
ground every tree that is beautiful to behold and good to eat,”a it isquite rash to abandon the teaching of the Spirit and follow one’s
own reasoning.1
Question
. Theodoret evinces an interest in anatomy also in his comment on the term“crop” = “gullet” in Q. . on Lv (on .).
. Theodoret presents the fall in largely positive terms; v. sec. of the “Intro-
duction to Theodoret’ s Life and Works.”
. Theodoret concisely disposes of the Alexandrian view (v. Or., Sel. in Gen.
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To; xuvlon th' " zwh' " .......kai; to; xuvlon tou' eijdevnai gnwsto;n
kalou' kai; ponhrou' a nohta; crh; levgein h] aijsqhtav;
jEk th'" gh'" beblasthkev nai kai; tau'ta ei\pen hJ qeiva grafhv:
ouj toiv nun eJtevran tina; fuvsin e[ cei para; ta; a[lla futav. w{sper
ga;r to; tou' staurou' xuvlon xuvlon ejsti; kai; swthv rion
oj nomavzetai dia; th; n ejk th'" peri; aujto; pivstew" swthrivan
prosginomev nhn, ou{tw kai; tau'ta futa; mev n ejstin ejk th'" gh'"
beblasthkovta, dia; de; to; n qei'on o{ron qavteron aujtw' n xuvlon zwh' " wj nomavsqh, to; de; e{teron, dia; to; peri; aujto; genevsqai th'"
aJmartiva" th; n ai[sqhsin, xuvlon ejklhvqh gnwsto;n kalou' kai;
ponhrou' . kai; peri; tou'to me; n oJ ajgw; n tw' / ∆Ada;m proetevqh, to; de;
th'" zwh'" oi |ov n ti e[paqlon prou[keito tethrhkovti th; n ej ntolhv n.
ou{tw kai; oiJ patriavrcai kai; cwrivoi" kai; frevasi ta;" ejpwnumiva"
ejpevqhkan. kai; to; me; n ejkavlesan frevar oJ ravsew",b oujk ejpeidh;
oJratikh; n duv namin ej carivzeto, ajllæ ejpeidh; w[ fqh paræ aujtw' / tw' no{lwn oJ Kuvrio": kai; frevar euj rucwriva",c ejpeidhv, peri; tw' n a[llwn
freavtwn pollavki" oiJ ajpo; Geravrwn diamacesavmenoi, oujk
hj nwv clhsan toi'" tou'to kateskeuakovsi to; frevar: ou{tw frevar
o{ rkou d dia; to; paræ aujtw' / gegenh'sqai tou;" o{rkou". ou{tw" hJ
Louza; Baiqh;l wj nomavsqh, toutevstin oi\ ko" Qeou' ,e ejpeidh; w[ fqh
tw' / ∆Iakw;b ej n ejkeiv nw/ ge tw' / cwrivw/ tw' n o{lwn oJ poihthv": kai;
bouno;" mav rtu",
f
oujk ejpeidh; e[myuco" h\ n oJ bounov", ajllæ o{ti ej n ejkeiv nw/ tw' / cwrivw/ pro;" ajllhvlou" ejpepoiv hnto ta;" sunqhvka".
ou{tw" u{dwr zw' n g kalei'tai to; bavptisma, oujk ejpeidh; fuvsin
eJtevran e[ cei to; tou' baptivsmato" u{dwr, ajllæ o{ti diæ ejkeiv nou
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn ., mme. Gn .mmf. Gn .mmg. Jn .
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Should the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and
evila 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 salva-
tion is accomplished 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.”1 Adam was set a trial
with regard to the latter, whereas the tree of life was proposed as his
prize for keeping the commandment. Similarly, the patriarchs be-
stowed names on places and wells. They called one “well of vision,”b
not because it granted the faculty of sight, but because the Lord of
the universe was seen near it, and another “well of broad places,”c
because the people of Gerar, who had often fought over the otherwells, did not interfere with those digging this one. Likewise, there
was a “well of the oath”d because people used to swear oaths nearby.
And the name “Bethel” or “House of God” was given to Luz,e be-
cause that was where the Creator of the universe appeared to Jacob.
There was a “hill of witness,”f not that the hill was alive, but because
that was where they made treaties with one another. Likewise bap-
tism is called “living water,”
g
not because the water of baptism has adifferent nature, but because, through that water, divine grace con-
Question
and Didym., in Gen. ; cf. Guinot p. ). Perhaps he was aware that Chrysostomhad already condemned (hom. . in Gen.) this position as a product of philo-sophical arrogance. In his commentary on Genesis ( fragg. in Gen. .) Theodore of Mopsuestia had emphasised the physical reality of Paradise by discussing its loca-tion within the larger geographical unit of Eden, and in his comment on Gal .
he had criticized those who, giving an allegorical interpretation of the garden, de-
nied the historicity of the account of the Fall.
. Theodoret evinces a balanced Antiochene recognition of levels of meaning:
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tou' u{dato" hJ qeiva cavri" th; n aijwv nion dwrei'tai zwhv n. ou{tw
xuvlon zwh' " dia; to; n qei'on o{ron ejklhvqh, kai; xuvlon gnwvsew", dia;
th; n peri; tou'to gegenhmev nhn ai[sqhsin th'" aJmartiva". oujdevpw
ga;r pei'ran eijlhfovte" th'" aJmartiva", ei\ta, tou' ajpeirhmev noumeteilhcovte" karpou', wJ" parabebhkovte" th; n ej ntolhv n, ta;"
tou' suneidovto" ajkivda" ejdevxanto.
Oujkou' n ei\ con th; n gnw'sin tou' ajgaqou' kai; tou' kakou' pro;th'" tou' ajpeirhmev nou karpou' metalhv yew";
Kai; pw'" oiJov n te h\ n tou;" lovgw/ tetimhmev nou" kai; katæ
eijkov na qeivan gegenhmev nou" oujk e[ cein diavkrisin ajgaqou' kai;
kakou'; pw'" dæ a] n aujtoi'" ejteqeivkei novmon th'" dikaiosuv nh" hJ
a[busso", tauvthn oujk e[ cousin ej n th' / fuvsei th; n gnw'sin, mhde;
ginwvskousin wJ" ajgaqo; n me; n to; fulavxai th; n ej ntolhv n, ojlevqrion
de; to; parabh' nai; ei\ con ou\ n a[ra th; n gnw'sin: th; n de; pei'ran
prosevlabon u{steron.
Pw'" ou\ n meta; th; n brw'sin e[gnwsan o{ti gumnoi; h\san; pro;
ga;r th'" brwvsew" tauvthn oujk ei\ con th; n ai[sqhsin.a
Oujde; ta; komidh' / neva paidiva ejruqria' n pev fuke th'" ejsqh'to"gegumnwmev na. kata; bracu; dev, tou' swvmato" aujxanomev nou, kai;
tou' nou' loipo; n ajrcomev nou th; n oijkeivan fuvsin ejpideiknuv nai,
oujkevti loipo; n forhth; toi'" meirakivoi" hJ guvmnwsi", ajllæ
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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fers 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 expe-
rience of sin, but afterwards, when they had partaken of the forbid-den fruit, they suffered the pangs of conscience for breaking the
commandment.
So they did possess the knowledge of good and evil before par-taking of the forbidden fruit?
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.1
So how was it that, after eating, they knew they were naked? After
all, they had no such knowledge before eating.a
Nor do infants possess any natural shame of their nakedness.Soon, however, as the body develops, and the mind begins to reveal
its natural properties, youngsters can no longer tolerate nakedness.
Question
the trees are real trees, but they signify something further. Not surprisingly, thebishop illustrates his exegesis with a sacramental analogy: the water of baptism,though real water, has become as well the vehicle of salvation; v. sec. of the “In-troduction to Theodoret’ s Life and Works.”
. Chrysostom had responded (hom. . in Gen.) equally vigorously—and atcharacteristically greater length—to this questioning of divine justice.
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ejruqriw'si kai; peribavllontai, ka[ n ti" aj fevlhtai th; n ejsqh'ta,
tai'" cersi; ta; paidogov na kaluvptousi movria. pollw' n de; kai; to;
e[qo" aj fairei'tai tauvthn th; n aijscuv nhn. kai; ga;r oiJ nau'tai,
gumnoi; plevonte", kai; oiJ louovmenoi, gumnoi; uJpæ ajllhvlwnoJrwvmenoi, tauvthn ej ntau'qa th; n aijscuv nhn oujk e[ cousin: eja; n dev
ti" e[xw tw' n balaneivwn gumno;" h\ /, livan ejruqria' /. ou{tw kai; oiJ
peri; to; n ∆Adavm, eujqu;" me; n diaplasqev nte", oi |a dh; nhvpioi, kai;
eujqugenei'", kai; th'" aJmartiva" ajmuv htoi, oujk hj /scuv nonto div ca
peribolaivwn diavgonte": meta; de; th; n pei'ran, toi'" fuvlloi" e[ nia
tou' swvmato" sunekavluyan movria.
Pw'" ejk tou' paradeivsou fhsi; n oJ Mwu>sh'" to; n Tivgrhta
ejxiev nai kai; to; n Euj fravthn, ou}" fasiv tine" ejk tw' n ojrw' n
aj nabluvzein th'" ∆Armeniva";a
[Estin ijdei' n kai; a[llou" potamou;" eJtevrwqen me; n ejxiov nta",
e[peita de; eij" th; n gh' n diav tinwn kataduvsewn cwrou' nta", kai;
pavlin a[ nwqen aj nabluvzonta". tou'to kai; ejpi; touvtwn gegev nhtai
tw' n potamw' n: ejxivasi me; n ga;r ejkei'qen w{" fhsin hJ qeiva grafhv,
ei\ta, diav tinwn uJpogeivwn dii>ov nte" povrwn, eJtevra" ajrca;"
ej ntau'qa lambav nousi.
Tou'to de; ouj mavthn ou{tw" wj /konovmhsen oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov",
ajlla; th; n peritth; n tw' n aj nqrwvpwn polupragmosuv nhn ejkkovptwn:
eij ga;r dh'lo" h\ n aujtw' n a{pa" oJ povro", ejpeiravqhsan me; n a[ ntine", para; ta;" touvtwn o[ cqa" oJdeuvonte", to; tou' paradeivsou
katopteu'sai cwrivon: dihmavrtanon de; tou' poqoumev nou kai; tw' /
mhvkei th'" oJdoiporiva" koptovmenoi, kai; th' / spav nei tw' n
aj nagkaivwn diafqeirovmenoi, kai; nu' n me; n eij" duscwriva", nu' n de;
eij" ejrhmiva" ejmpivptonte", e[sti de; o{te kai; ajphnevsi kai;
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .,
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They feel shame and put on clothes, and even if someone removes
their clothing, they cover their genitalia with their hands. Nonethe-
less, many people lose this shame through force of habit. Mariners
go naked while sailing, and bathers feel no shame when exposed toone another’s view. But if someone emerges naked from the baths,
he is quite embarrassed. Just so, soon after being created, Adam and
his partner, like newborn babes and innocent of sin, were not
ashamed to go about without clothing, but after experiencing sin,
they covered some parts of their bodies with leaves.1
How is it that Moses says the Tigris and the Euphrates flow out of
Paradise though some commentators claim they rise in the moun-
tains of Armenia?a
We can observe other rivers emerging at one point, then going
into the earth through channels, and once more coming to the sur-
face. This is the case with these rivers as well. Rising at that point in-
dicated by holy Scripture, they then travel though underground
passages and there take a different outlet.
Now, it was not without purpose that the God of the universe
arranged this; he wanted to put a stop to man’s pointless prying. Af-
ter all, if the whole course of these rivers had been visible, some peo-ple would have tried to follow their banks and spy out the site of
Paradise. But they would have been disappointed in this wish: tired
out by the length of the journey and wasted with hunger and some-
Question
. Theodoret here develops a point he may have felt Chrysostom treated (hom.. in Gen.) too briefly.
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barbavroi" aj nqrwvpoi" peripivptonte". kai; touvtwn toiv nun
promhqouvmeno", oJ filoiktivrmwn Qeo;" ajdhvlou" aujtw' n tou;"
povrou" ajpev fhnen.
Tiv dhv pote ajpo; th'" pleura'" tou' ∆Ada;m th; n gunai'ka
dievplasen;a
Eij" oJmov noian hjboulhvqh ta; gev nh sunagagei' n oJ th'" fuvsew"
poihthv". touvtou cavrin to; n me; n ∆Ada;m ajpo; th'" gh'" dievplasen, ejk de; tou' ∆Ada;m th; n gunai'ka i{ na kai; to; taujto; n ejpideivxh/ th'"
fuvsew" kai; fusikhv n tina filostorgivan aujtoi'" peri; ajllhvlou"
ejmfuvsh/. eij gavr, kai; touvtwn ou{tw gegenhmev nwn, kai; a[ ndre"
gunaixi; diamav contai, kai; gunai'ke" aj ndravsin, tiv oujk a] n
e[drasan eij eJtevrwqev n poqen th; n gunai'ka dievplase;
Sofw'" ou\ n a[ra kai; diei'le kai; pavlin sunhvrmosen: oJ ga;r
gavmo" eij" e} n sunavgei ta; gev nh: e[sontai gavr, fhsin, oiJ duvo eij"
sav rka mivan.b kai; o{ti tou'to ajlhqe;" marturei' to; genovmenon:
dia; ga;r th'" gamikh'" oJmiliva" ei |" ejx ajmfoi' n blastav nei karpov",
ejk me; n touvtou speirovmeno", ejk de; tauvth" trefovmeno",
telesiourgouvmeno" de; uJpo; tou' th'" fuvsew" dhmiourgou'.
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .f.mmb. Gn .
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times ending up in impassable places, in the wilderness, or even
falling victim to fierce savages. Accordingly, in his care for man, the
compassionate God hid the course of these rivers.1
Why did he form the woman from the side of Adam?a
It was the will of the Creator of the order of nature to bring the
sexes together in harmony. Therefore, he formed Adam from theearth, 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 reunit-
ing, them, for marriage combines the sexes into one. Scripture says,
remember, “The two will become one flesh.”1b 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.
Question
. Here again, Theodoret follows his Antiochene predecessors in insisting thatthe biblical narrative describes a real garden that could be located in the materialworld; cf. Q. and note .
. Theodoret here reveals some disillusionment with what he observes of therelations between the sexes. Unlike Theodore of Mopsuestia (Devreesse, Essai, pp.f. and note ), he does not take occasion from the creation of woman (.–)to highlight the biblical author’s understanding of the essential identity of the hu-
man nature bestowed upon both man and woman. Failing to derive any theologi-cally significant doctrine from vv. f., he concludes that procreation, even in theabsence of harmonious coëxistence, fulfils the Creator’s plan.
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Eij frov nimo" oJ o[ fi",a kai; ejpainouvmeno": movrion ga;r hJ
frov nhsi" ajreth'".
Polla; tw' n oj nomavtwn oJmwnuvmw" profevretai: kai; ga;r ta;
ei[dwla tw' n ejqnw' n qeou;" wj nomavkasi, tou'to dev ge ajkribevsteron
peri; tou' ej n ejkeiv nw/ ej nerghvsanto" ei[rhtai daivmono". ajmaqw'" de;
oiJ aj nov htoi kai; tou;" peri; tou;" muvqou" ejscolakovta" sofou;"
proshgovreusan: ou{tw kai; hJ qeiva levgei grafhv: ejxelevxato oJ
Qeo;" ta; mwra; tou' kovsmou i{na kataiscuvnh/ tou;" sofouv":b kai;pavlin, pou' sofov":c kai; dia; tou' profhvtou, sofoiv eijsi tou'
kakopoih' sai.d toigavrtoi kaj ntau'qa frovnimon to; n o[ fin wJ"
panou'rgon wj novmasen. ou{tw ga;r kai; oJ ∆Akuvla" hJrmhv neusen: kai;
oJ o[fi" h\ n panou' rgo" ajpo; panto;" zwv /ou th' " cwv ra", ou | ejpoivhsen
Kuv rio" oJ Qeov".e
[Alogo" w] n oJ o[ fi", pw'" dielev cqh th' / Eu[a/;a
[ Organon h\ n aujto;" tou' th'" ajlhqeiva" ej cqrou'. kai; tou'to
dedhvlwken oJ Kuvrio" ej n toi'" qeivoi" eujaggelivoi": eijrhkw;" ga;r
toi'" ijoudaivoi", uJ mei' " ejk tou' patro;" uJ mw' n tou' diabovlou ejstev, ejphvgagen, ejkei' no" ajnqrwpoktovno" h\ n ajpæ aj rch' ".b ou |to" toiv nun
dia; tou' o[ few" dielev cqh th' / Eu[a/. ejpeidh; ga;r tw' n ajlovgwn
aJpav ntwn para; tou' Qeou' tw' n o{lwn th; n hJgemonivan eijlhv feisan,
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb.Cor .mmc. Cor .mmd. Jer .mme. Gn .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Jn .
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If the serpent was described as “prudent,”a that was a title of
commendation, for prudence is one of the virtues.1
Many terms have an ambiguous connotation. People call the im-
ages of the nations “gods,” whereas this word is more precisely ap-
plied to the demon active in the image. And in their ignorance, fools
refer to those versed in mythological fables as “wise.” Thus holy
Scripture says, “God chose the foolish things of the world to con-
found the wise”;b and again, “Where is the wise man?”;c and,through the prophet, “They are wise in wrongdoing.”d Thus, in this
case, it called the serpent “prudent” because he is crafty. Indeed,
Aquila rendered: “The serpent was craftier than any other land ani-
mal created by the Lord God.”e
How was it that the serpent, though lacking reason, talked to
Eve?a
He was an instrument of the enemy of truth. The Lord also indi-
cated this in the holy Gospels when he declared to the Jews, “You are
from your father the devil” and added, “He was a murderer from thebeginning.”1b So it was he who spoke to Eve through the serpent.
You see, since the God of the universe had given them control of all
the irrational creatures, the devil set a trap for her through one of
Question
. While the NRSV uses the adjective “crafty” to describe the serpent, the LXX offers the superlative of the more positive epithet “prudent” or “sagacious” ( fro-
nimwvtato~).
. Chrysostom (hom. .: touvtw/ w{sper ojrgav nw/ tini; crwvmeno~) andTheodore of Mopsuestia (Devreesse, Essai, p. and note ) had also explained
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diæ eJ no;" aujth' / tw' n uJphkovwn th; n pagivda proshv negke,
piqanwtevran ou{tw th; n ajpavthn kataskeuavzwn. o{ti de; kai;
aujtov n, to; n dia; tou' o[ few" ej nerghvsanta, o[fin hJ qeiva
prosagoreuv ei grafh; mavrtu" ∆Hsaiv >a" oJ profhvth" bow' n, th' /hJ mev ra/ ejkeivnh/ ejpavxei oJ Qeo;" th;n mav cairan aujtou' th;n
aJgivan ......., th;n megavlhn, kai; th;n ijscura;n ejpi; to;n dravkonta
to;n o[fin, to;n skolio;n kai; ijscurovn, ejpi; to;n dravkonta to;n o[fin,
to;n feuvgonta, to;n ejn th' / qalavssh/.c kai; oJ Kuvrio" de; toi'"
iJ eroi'" ei[rhke maqhtai'", ijdou; devdwka uJ mi' n th;n ejxousivan tou'
patei' n ejpavnw o[fewn, kai; skorpivwn, kai; ejpi; pa' san th;n
duvnamin tou' ej cqrou' .d
Tiv ejsti dihnoiv cqhsan oiJ ojfqalmoi; tw' n duvo; a
{ Oti kai; pro; th'" brwvsew" ouj memukovta" ei\ con tou;"
oj fqalmou;" dh'lon toi'" prosev cein ejqevlousi: pw'" ga;r ei\den hJ
gunh; to; xuvlon, o{ti kalo; n eij" brw'sin, kai; ajresto; n toi'"
oj fqalmoi'" ijdei' n, kai; wJrai'ov n ejsti tou' katanoh'sai eij mh;
aj new/govta" ei\ con tou;" oj fqalmouv"; oujkou' n th; n meta; th; n
aJmartivan ai[sqhsin ou{tw kevklhken hJ qeiva grafhv: eujqu;" ga;r
meta; th; n aJmartivan kenta'tai to; suneidov".
The Questions on Genesis
c. Is . (LXX var.)mmd. Lk .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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their subjects and thus presented a more plausible deception. The
prophet Isaiah who cries out, “On that day God will strike with his
holy, mighty, strong sword the dragon, the serpent twisted and
strong, the dragon, the serpent fleeing in the sea,”c confirms thatholy Scripture calls “serpent” the one who was at work in the ser-
pent.2 Moreover, the Lord declared to the sacred disciples, “Lo, I
have given you power to walk on serpents and scorpions and on all
the might of the foe.”d
What is the meaning of “The eyes of both were opened”?a
Anyone who is paying attention can see that, even before eating,
their eyes were not closed. After all, unless her eyes were open, how
did the woman see that “the tree was good for eating, pleasant to be-
hold, and attractive to contemplate”? Thus, we conclude that holy
Scripture was referring to a sensation that followed the sin; immedi-
ately after the sin, they felt the pang of conscience.
Question
that the devil employed the body of the serpent to communicate with Eve. No An-tiochene commentator was prepared to regard any aspect of this narrative as lessthan entirely historical.
. Theodoret’s Antiochene recension of Isaiah differs significantly from theseptuagintal form that is more widely attested: Th' / hJmevra/ ejkeiv nh/ ejpavxei oJ Qeo;"
th; n mav cairan th; n aJgivan kai; th; n megavlhn kai; th; n ijscura; n ejpi; to; ndravkonta o[ fin feuvgonta, ejpi; to; n dravkonta o[ fin skoliov n, kai; aj nelei` to; ndravkonta.
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Tiv dhv pote, tou' diabovlou th; n ajpavthn prosenegkov nto", oJ
o[ fi" kolavzetai;a
Kurivw" me; n th; n ajra; n tw' / ej nerghvsanti prosenhv nocen oJ
Qeov". o[ fi" ga;r kajkei' no" wj novmastai, ouj tauvthn para; tou'
Qeou' tw' n o{lwn th; n fuvsin dexavmeno": ajgaqo;" ga;r ejktivsqh kai;
tai'" ajswmavtoi" sunedhmiourghvqh dunavmesin. ejpeidh; de; eJkw; n
eij" ponhrivan ajpevkline, kai; th'" timh'", h |" ejx ajrch'" e[lacen,
ejsterhvqh kai; eij" th; n gh' n ajperriv fh.Kai; aujto; de; to; zw' /on eij" o[ nhsin tw' n aj nqrwvpwn ejdevxato th; n
ajrav n. oJrw' nte" ga;r to; n o[ fin ejpi; th'" gh'" surovmenov n te kai;
ijluspwvmenon, th'" ajrcaiva" ajra'" aj namimnhskovmeqa kai;
manqav nomen wJ" hJlivkwn provxeno" hJ aJmartiva kakw' n, ouj mov non
toi'" tauvthn ej nergou'sin, ajlla; kai; toi'" uJpourgou'si. kai; aujto;"
me; n oJ o[ fi" oujdemivan ej nteu'qen dev cetai blavbhn, ou{tw badivzein
pefukwv": ej n th' / fuvsei ga;r e[ cei to; toiov nde th'" kinhvsew" ei\do": oujde; n de; tw' n fusikw' n fortiko; n ei\ nai dokei'. oJ de;
a[ nqrwpo" pollh; n ej nteu'qen wj fevleian karpou'tai.
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, c, , [ ] = mss.
l. ijluspwvmenon (J.P.), (J.P.) (J.P.) (J.P.), Sir. : hlispomenonB –24 , : ijlusswvmenon Sch. F.M. Cf. Q . on Lv (ta; ejpi; th'" koiliva"ijluspwvmena). The minuscule ligatures for sp and ss are easily confused; cf.van Groningen, p. . The reading with -sp- is certainly carried by , , , and . The TLG offers no other attestation for forms of ijlussavomai, and the PGL only one (Areth. Apoc. = PG, vol. , col. B). But this, the participleiJluttwvmena, is actually written with rough breathing. I suspect it is no morethan an error for ijluspwvmena.
a. Gn .f.
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Why was the serpent punished when it was the devil who was re-
sponsible for the deception?a
Properly speaking, God inflicted the curse on the one who
brought about the action, who was also called “serpent,” though that
was not the nature he had received from the God of the universe.
For he was created good and made along with the incorporeal pow-
ers. But since he willingly took the path of evil, he forfeited the dig-
nity accorded him in the beginning and was cast down to earth.1
The animal itself also became the object of the curse for the ben-
efit of humanity. When we see the serpent crawling and slithering
on the ground, we remember the original curse and understand the
extent of the evil caused by sin, not only to those who commit it but
also to those who assist them. As it was born to move in this fashion,
the serpent has received no harm from the curse. This is its natural
kind of movement, and there is no burden in a natural characteris-tic. Furthermore, man draws from this a great benefit of his own.
Question
. In his comment on Gn . (hom. . in Gen.), Chrysostom poses the samequestion and responds in similar terms.
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Dia; tiv de; to; n o[ fin ejdhmiouvrghsen oJ Qeov", o[rganon aujto; n
proeidw;" th'" ponhriva" ejsovmenon;
Tou'to a[ n ti" ei[poi kai; peri; tou' aj nqrwvpou: prohv /dei ga;r wJ"
kai; aujto;" th; n ej ntolh; n parabhvsetai. a[llw" te rJav /dion h\ n tw' /
diabovlw/ kai; diæ eJtevrou qhrivou th; n ajpavthn prosenegkei' n.
Dia; tiv de; to; n diavbolon ejpoiv hsen, eijdw;" toiou'ton ejsovmenon;
J O Qeo;" pa'san tw' n ajswmavtwn th; n fuvsin ejdhmiouvrghse,
logikh; n aujth; n kai; ajqav naton ajpofhv na": tou' logikou' de; to;
aujtexouvsion i[dion: touvtwn de; oiJ me; n th; n peri; to; n poihth; n ej fuvlaxan eu[ noian, oiJ de; eij" ponhrivan ajpevklinan. tou'to de; kai;
ejpi; tw' n aj nqrwvpwn e[stin euJrei' n: oiJ me; n gavr eijsi th'" ajreth'"
ejrastaiv, oiJ de; th'" kakiva" ejrgavtai.
Eij toiv nun mevmfetaiv ti" th' / tw' n ponhrw' n dhmiourgiva/,
ajposterei' a[ra tw' n th'" nivkh" brabeivwn tou;" th'" ajreth'"
ajqlhtav": eij gavr, mh; ej n th' / aiJrevsei th'" gnwvmh" ei\ con to; n
povqon th'" ajreth'", ajlla; ejmpefuko;" to; a[trepton, e[laqon a] n oiJajxiov nikoi th'" eujsebeiva" ajgwnistaiv. ejpeidh; de; th; n ai{resin tw' n
ajgaqw' n kai; tw' n ej nantivwn e[ cei hJ gnwvmh, dikaivw" kai; ou |toi
tugcav nousi tw' n nikhfovrwn stefav nwn, kajkei' noi divka"
tinnuvousin uJpe;r w | n kata; gnwvmhn ejxhvmarton.
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, c, , [ ] = mss.
, , B, c, , [ ] = mss.
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Why did God create the serpent when he knew in advance that it
would become an instrument of wickedness?
You could raise the same question about human beings. He knew
in advance that they too would break the commandment. Anyway, it
would have been easy for the devil to accomplish the deception
through some other animal.
Why did God create the devil when he knew what he would be
like?
God created the entirety of incorporeal existence, which he made
rational and immortal. Now, free will is proper to the rational being.
While some maintained their loyalty to the Creator, others fell away into evil. The same is true of human beings: some are lovers of
virtue, others, workers of wickedness.
If you find fault in the creation of the wicked, you also rob the
athletes of virtue of their prize of victory. For had they been natu-
rally changeless, with no passion for virtue when engaged in the ex-
ercise of free will, the victorious champions of goodness would havegone unsung. But since free will exercises a choice between good
and evil, they were rightly awarded the victors’ crowns, while the
others pay the penalty for the sins they committed through their
free will.1
Question
. This question evokes a response, based not on a reference to Scripture, buton a favorite moral principle of the Antiochenes: the necessity of free will for hu-man beings and other rational creatures; cf. Q. . on Dt and note .
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jAgaqo; n to; n Qeo; n oj nomavzonte", pw'" aujtw' / periavptete
tosauvthn ajpotomivan; wjmovthto" ga;r kai; ajphniva" to; dia;
brw'sin ojlivghn tosauvthn ejpenegkei' n timwrivan, ouj toi'"
hJmarthkovsi mov non, ajlla; kai; toi'" ejx ejkeiv nwn beblasthkovsi.a
() Prw'ton pepei'sqai proshvkei tou;" eujsebei' n
proairoumev nou" wJ" pa' n oJtiou' n uJpo; tou' Qeou' tw' n o{lwn
ginovmenon h] keleuovmenon kai; o{sion, kai; divkaion, kai; ajgaqov n,
kai; filav nqrwpon: eij ga;r tau'ta pav nta e[ cein aujto; noJmologou'men, kai; ta; uJpæ aujtou' oijkonomouvmenav te kai;
prostattovmena crh; toiau'ta ei\ nai nomivzein. e[peita eijdev nai
dei' wJ" pa'" novmo", ka] n peri; smikrw' n tinwn diagoreuv h/, th; n
i[shn e[ cei duv namin tw' / ta; mevgista keleuvonti poiei' n h]
ajpagoreuvonti dra' n, kai; diaferov ntw" pa'" qei'o" novmo". aujtivka
gou' n oJ peritevmnesqai keleuvwn—oujdemivan parabainovmeno" tw' /
pevla" ejrgavzetai blavbhn, ajllæ o{mw" oJ nomoqevth" fhsi; n o{ti,pa' " ajperivtmhto" a[ rshn, o}" ouj peritmhqhvsetai.......th' / hJ mev ra/ th' /
ojgdovh/, ejxoloqreuqhvsetaib kaiv, h} n w{rise toi'" aj ndrofov noi" kai;
toi'" moicoi'" timwrivan, tauvthn kai; touvtw/ ejklhvrwsen.
∆Epeidh; de; eijko;" tou;" duswnuvmou" aiJretikou;" a[ ntikru" th' /
palaia` / polemou' nta" grafh' / kai; tou'de kathgorh'sai tou' novmou,
ejk th'" eujaggelikh'" nomoqesiva" ta;" ajpodeivxei" poihvsomai:
euJrivskomen ga;r ej n ejkeiv noi" toi'" novmoi" to; n lavgnw" oJrw' ntaguv naion moiceiva" krinovmenon:c kai; to; n eijkh' / ojrgizovmenon,
e[ nocon o[ nta th' / krivsei: to; n de; rJaka; to; n ajdelfo; n oj nomavzonta,
grafh'" pavlin uJpeuvqunon: to; n de; mwro;n ajpokalou' nta, th'"
geev nnh" a[xion:d kai; to; n ojmnuv nta, ka] n ajlhqeuvwn ojmnuv h/, th'"
diabolikh'" o[ nta summoriva".e Tiv dhv pote toiv nun tou'ton me; n
The Questions on Genesis
a(inc.), , , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Mt .mmd. Mt .mme. Mt .mm
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How can you call God good and yet attribute so much severity to
him? Only someone harsh and cruel would inflict, for just a little
food, such an awful penalty on both the sinners and their descen-
dants as well.a
() First, those who choose virtue must be convinced that every
single act or command of the God of the universe is holy, just, kind,
and loving. If we confess that he is all these things, we must also be-
lieve that his designs and commands are of the same character.Next, we must acknowledge that every law, even one prescribing
minutiae, has force equal to one requiring performance of, or absti-
nence from, the most important things. This is especially true of
every divine law. For example, in the case of the law prescribing cir-
cumcision, the transgressor does no harm to his neighbor, yet the
Lawgiver says, “Every uncircumcised male who has not been cir-
cumcised on the eighth day will be destroyed.”b
Thus, he assigns thisperson the punishment allotted to murderers and adulterers.
Yet, since the ill-omened heretics who openly dispute the Old
Testament are likely to criticize this law, I shall make my point from
the Gospel legislation. In these laws we find that the man who mere-
ly looks at a woman lustfully is condemned for adultery,
c
the onewho becomes angry without provocation is regarded as guilty of a
crime, the one who speaks contemptuously of his brother is said to
be liable to prosecution, while the one who calls him a fool is con-
demned to hell,d and he who swears, even if swearing the truth, is
relegated to the devil.1e So why do they call this Lawgiver good, but
Question
. Throughout this response Theodoret counters pejorative attitudes toward
the ethical teaching of the Old Testament; this is a task he had foreseen in the pref-ace. He argues that both OT and NT teachings are from God, though the latter aremore developed.
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ajgaqo; n oj nomavzousin, ajphnh' de; to; n th'" palaia'" nomoqevthn;
tau'ta ga;r ejkeiv nwn kata; to; n touvtwn o{ron wjmovtera. ajlla; th'"
ejkeiv nwn tau'ta blasfhmiva" tolma' n: hJmei'" de; kajkeiv nou" kai;
touvtou" tou;" novmou" eJ no;" i[smen Qeou'. to; de; diav foron hJ tw' n nomoqetoumev nwn poiovth" eijrgavsato: oi |a ga;r sofo;"
didavskalo", toi'" me; n ajtelevsi ta; ajtelh', toi'" de; teleivoi" ta;
tevleia prosenhv noce.f
() Pro;" de; touvtoi" skophtevon kai; tou'to, wJ" toi'" prwvtoi"
parabaiv nousi tou;" novmou" ejpifevrontai div ca suggnwvmh"
timwrivai w{ste tou;" a[llou", oJrw' nta" th; n kovlasin, mh; tolma' n
th; n paravbasin. tou'to kai; ejpi; th'" tou' sabbavtou nomoqesiva" ejgev neto: to; n ga;r ej n sabbavtw/ ta; xuvla sullevxai tetolmhkovta
kai; prw'ton to; n peri; touvtou parabebhkovta novmon a{pa"
katevleusen oJ laov", tou' Qeou' tou'to prostetacovto", i{ na,
aujtourgoi; th'" timwriva" genovmenoi, frivttwsi th; n paranomivan,
wJ" th; n timwrivan ejpavgousan.g crov nw/ de; u{steron, pollw' n to; n
peri; tou' sabbavtou parabebhkovtwn novmon, makroquvmw" oJ
nomoqevth" h[ negke th; n paravbasin. ou{tw to; n Kavi> n prw'ton
pefoneukovta tai'" aj nhkevstoi" uJpevbale timwrivai" i{ na tou;" ejpæ
ejkeiv nou kai; metæ ejkei' non gegenhmev nou" dedivxhtai ta;
paraplhvsia mh; tolma' n.h pollw' n de; u{steron aj ndrofov nwn
gegenhmev nwn, ouj parautivka ta;" timwriva" ejphvgagen.
[Edei toiv nun kai; to; n ∆Ada;m prw'ton dexavmenon novmon kai;
novmon koufovtaton: tw' n pantodapw' n ga;r aujtw' / karpw' n
ejdedwvkei th; n aj fqonivan, eJ no;" de; mov nou th; n ejdwdh; n
ajphgoreuvkei:i dou' nai divkhn tou' plhmmelhvmato" eij" wj fevleiantou' gev nou". | eij de; dusovrghto" w[ n, wJ" oJ duswv numo" e[ fh
Markivwn, dia; brw'sin ojlivghn th; n tou' qanavtou timwrivan
ejphv negke, pw'" aJpav ntwn aj nqrwvpwn eij" ajsevbeian kai;
paranomivan ejscavthn ejxokeilav ntwn, ouj panwleqrivan ejphv negken,
ajlla; to; n uiJo; n e[dwken kai; th; n dia; staurou' kai; pavqou"
ejdwrhvsato swthrivan;
The Questions on Genesis
|2a
f. Cor .f.mmg. Nm .–mmh. Gn .–mmi. Gn .f.mm
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the giver of the old law harsh, when the penalties of the new law, by
their own reckoning, are more severe than those of the old? Their
temerity is a form of blasphemy. But we are aware that both the old
law and the new come from the one God. The difference lies in thecharacter of those who receive the law. A wise teacher, after all, pro-
poses less developed teaching to immature people and more devel-
oped to the mature.f
() Furthermore, we should consider that punishment is inflicted
without mitigation on those who are the first to transgress, so that,
on seeing the punishment, others will not dare the same. This hap-
pened in the case of the Sabbath. The people as a whole stoned theman who was the first to break the law by presuming to collect
wood on the Sabbath. God gave this command so that, after them-
selves exacting the punishment, they would fear transgression for
the punishment it entailed.g Later, however, when many people had
broken the law about the Sabbath, the Lawgiver in his long-suffering
put up with the transgression. Similarly, he inflicted an irremediable
punishment on Cain, the first murderer, so as to render his contem-
poraries and descendants fearful of committing similar crimes.h But
later, after the commission of many other murders, he did not inflict
an immediate punishment.
Therefore, Adam also had to pay the penalty for his sin for the
benefit of the race.2 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. i But if an ill-temperedcreator inflicted the punishment of death for just a little food, as the
ill-omened Marcion claims, how is it that, with all humanity rush-
ing 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?
Question
. Theodoret never speaks of original sin or the transmission to posterity of the
guilt for Adam’s sin (cf. also Q. ). He deplores the Fall as an event that resulted indeath for the human race but rejoices in the divine plan (oijkonomiva~ musthvrion),which, through the sacrifice of Christ, reverses death through resurrection.
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Furthermore, to those who, in their ignorance of the mystery of
the divine plan, hold that the God of the universe acted in a burst of
anger, I submit the following. I believe it is clear to anyone versed in
religion that God does nothing on the basis of second thoughts.This weakness is typical of those with a changeable nature, opting at
one time for this, at another for that, and completely ignorant of the
future. The God of the universe, by contrast, is unchangeable by na-
ture and knows what has yet to happen as though it had already
happened. For example, because he foresaw Adam’s behavior and
foreknew that he would break the commandment and become li-
able to death, he prepared in advance this physical constitution; thatis, he arranged their bodily make-up as male and female. j Their
bodies were so constituted in view of their being mortal and requir-
ing procreation for the continuance of the race, since an immortal
nature does not require the female. Thus, the Creator produced all
at once the complete number of the beings that have no body but
made each race of mortal beings in couples, male and female, and
bestowed on them the blessing of increase: “Increase and multiply.”k
Thus he created humanity both male and female and gave them the
blessing: “Increase, multiply, fill the earth and dominate it.”l The
God of the universe exhibited his foresight not only in the creation
of humanity as male and female, but also in giving them the law
about their food: “Lo, I have given you every plant upon all the earth
bearing seed fit for sowing and every tree containing fruit with seed
fit for sowing; these will be your food and the food of all the beasts
of the earth, all the birds of heaven, and every reptile creeping onthe earth, which has the spirit of life in it. I have given you every
green plant for food.”3m Now, the God of the universe said this to
Question
. It is difficult to know just how Theodoret would have divided the clauses of this quotation. The appearance here of the phrase uJmi` n devdwka (I have given you)seems to necessitate the introduction of a stop after zwh~ and the beginning of anew sentence with kai;. Yet, as the critical note indicates, several manuscripts omit
the pronoun uJmi` n. Furthermore, when Theodoret once more quotes this passagein Q. , both pronoun and verb are omitted, and we must regard everything frombrwsin to zwh~ as a parenthesis and construe kai; pav nta covrton as direct object
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to; n ∆Ada;m oJ tw' n o{lwn e[ fh Qeov": qnhtw' n de; hJ brw'si":
ajqav nato" ga;r fuvsi" ouj dei'tai trofh'". kai; tou'to didavskwn, oJ
Kuvrio" e[ fh o{ti, meta; th; n aj navstasin ou[te gamou' sin, ou[te
gamivskontai, ajllæ eijsi;n wJ" a[ggeloi ejn toi' " ouj ranoi' ".n
() Ouj toiv nun ojrgh'" hJ timwriva, ajllæ oijkonomiva sofiva"
megivsth". i{ na ga;r mish' / th; n aJmartivan tw' n aj nqrwvpwn to; gev no",
wJ" aijtivan qanavtou gegenhmev nhn, meta; th; n paravbasin th'"
ej ntolh'" ejpifevrei tou' qanavtou th; n yh' fon oJ pav nsofo": touvtw/
me; n to; peri; th; n aJmartivan mhcanwvmeno" mi'so", proeutrepivzwn
de; tw' / gev nei th'" swthriva" to; favrmakon, to; dia; th'" tou'monogenou'" ej nanqrwphvsew" th; n ejk nekrw' n aj navstasin kai; th; n
ajqanasivan pragmateusavmenon. tiv de; ajphne;" hJ ajpov fasi" e[ cei,
gh' ei\ kai; eij" gh' n ajpeleuvsh/;o ajpo; gh'" se, fhsiv n, e[plasa kai;
eij" ajmeiv nw pollw' / meteskeuvasa fuvsin: ejpeidh; de; fulavxai mou
th; n ej ntolh; n oujk ejqevlhsa", pro;" th; n protevran ejpav nelqe
fuvsin.
jAnqæ o{tou de; smikro; n ei\ nai dokei' to; aJmavrthma; pav ntwn
aujtw' / tw' n futw' n ejdedwvkei th; n ejxousivan, eJ no;" de; mov nou th; n
ejdwdh; n ajphgoreuvkei. oJ dev, ta; a[lla pav nta katalipwv n, tou'ton
kai; prw'ton kai; mov non ejtruvghse to; n karpov n: tou'to ga;r aujtw' /
kai; oJ despovth" Qeo;" ejmevmyato: tiv", gavr fhsin, ajnhvggeilev
soi o{ti gumno;" ei\ eij mh; ajpo; tou' xuvlou, ou | ejneteilav mhn soi
touvtou movnou mh; fagei' n, ajpæ aujtou' e[fage" ; p dedhvlwke de;
tou'to kai; oJ diavbolo" diæ w | n e[ fh th' / Eu[a/: tiv o{ti ei\ pen oJ Qeov",
ouj mh; favghte ajpo; panto;" xuvlou, tou' ejn tw' / paradeivsw/; q eij de; ei\den ejdhdokovta", oujk a] n wj / hvqh peri; pav ntwn aujtou;" tw' n
dev ndrwn eijlhfev nai th; n ej ntolhv n. ouj smikra; toigarou' n hJ
paravbasi": prwvtou ga;r metevlabon ou | mov nou mh; metascei' n
ejkeleuvsqhsan.
The Questions on Genesis
n. Mt .mmo. Gn .mmp. Gn .mmq. Gn .
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Adam before the commandment, and food is for mortals; beings
naturally immortal have no need of food. The Lord also taught this
when he said, “After the resurrection they neither marry nor are giv-
en in marriage but are like angels in heaven.”n
() Thus the punishment is not the result of anger, but part of a
divine plan of the greatest wisdom. So that the human race would
hate sin as the cause of death, after the transgression of the com-
mandment, God, in his great wisdom, passed the sentence of death
and in this way both ensured their hatred of sin and provided the
race with the remedy of salvation, which, through the Incarnationof the Only-begotten, achieves the resurrection of the dead and im-
mortality. What is the harshness in the sentence, “Earth you are, and
to earth you will return”?o He is saying, “I formed you out of earth
and transformed you to a far better condition, but since you were
not prepared to keep my commandment, return to your former
condition.”
Surely the sin does not seem slight? He gave him authority over
all the plants and forbade him to eat just one. But Adam, passing
over all the others, sank his teeth into this fruit first and into this
one alone. The Lord God held him accountable for this: “Who told
you that you were naked, unless you have eaten from the only tree I
commanded you not to eat?”p This is clear also from what the devil
said to Eve: “Why did God tell you not to eat from every tree in the
garden?”q Had he known that they had already eaten, he would not
have imagined that the commandment enjoined on them applied toall the trees. Thus, the transgression was not slight; they ate first of
that one thing of which they were forbidden to partake.
Question
of devdwka, the second word of the quotation. In either case, man and animals aregrouped together. Here, if we should omit the difficult pronoun, the passage wouldfirst devote two independent clauses to man’s nourishment and then a third to thatof the beasts: “Lo, I have given you every plant upon all the earth bearing seed fitfor sowing and every tree containing fruit with seed fit for sowing; these will be
your food. And to all the beasts of the earth, all the birds of heaven, and every rep-tile creeping on the earth, which has the spirit of life in it, I have given every greenplant for food.”
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Tiv no" e{ neka tou' Qeou' eijrhkovto", h | / dæ a]n hJ mev ra/ favgh/ ajpo;
tou' xuvlou, qanavtw/ ajpoqanh' /,a oujk eujqu;" ajpevqane, th; n ej ntolh; n
parabav";
jEnantiva au{th kathgoriva: pro; bracevo" ga;r ajphnh' to; n
Qeo; n|| ajpokalou' nte", nu' n aujtou' filanqrwpivan kathgorei'te.
uJmnei' n de; ma'llon ej crh' n ajllæ ouj kathgorei' n th'" ajgaqovthto"
tou' Qeou': ei[wqe ga;r meivzona me; n ajpeilei' n, ejlavttou" de; tw' n
ajpeilw' n ta;" timwriva" ejpavgein, kai; tou'to pollach' / e[stin euJrei' n para; th' / qeiva/ grafh' /. ej ntau'qa mev ntoi to; n th'"
qnhtovthto" o{ron wj novmase qavnaton: ou{tw ga;r kai; oJ Suvmmaco"
hJrmhv neusen: h | / dæ a]n hJ mev ra/ favgh/ ajpo; tou' xuvlou, qnhto;" e[sh/:
meta; ga;r dh; th; n qeivan ajpov fasin kaqæ eJkavsthn, wJ" e[po"
eijpei' n, hJmevran to; n qav naton prosedev ceto. ou{tw" oiJ
pepisteukovte" tw' / despovth/ Cristw' /, kai; sfattovmenoi, zw'si,
prosmev nonte" th; n aj navstasin kai; th; n tw' n oujranw' n basileivan:th' / ga; r ejlpivdi ejswvqhmen.b
Tou;" citw' na" tou;" dermativ nou" tiv nohtevon;a
OiJ me; n ajllhgorhtai; th; n qnhth; n savrka fasi; ta; devrmata,
a[lloi dev tine" ajpo; floiw' n dev ndrwn touvtou" kateskeua'sqai
eijrhvkasin. ejgw; dev ge oujdevteron touvtwn prosiv emai: to; me; n ga;r
periv ergon, to; de; a[gan muqw'de": th'" ga;r qeiva" grafh'" kai;
The Questions on Genesis
||2a
a(inc.), , , B, C –50 , [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Rom .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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Why was it that though God had said, “The day you eat from the
tree you will certainly die,”a Adam did not immediately die on
breaking the commandment?
This charge is the exact opposite of the former. Just a moment
ago you accused God of harshness, now you charge him with mercy.
Instead of criticizing God’s goodness, you should sing his praises. It
is usually the case that his threats are more severe than the punish-
ments he actually inflicts, as you can find in many places in holy Scripture. In this case, however, by “death” he referred to the sen-
tence of mortality. Hence, Symmachus translated, “On the day you
eat from the tree you will be mortal.”1 After the divine sentence, they
had, so to speak, death to look forward to each day. Similarly, those
who believe in Christ the Lord, even if put to death, live in the ex-
pectation of the resurrection and the Kingdom of Heaven, “for we
were saved in hope.”b
How are we to understand the clothing of skins?a
Allegorizing commentators have claimed that the skins were
mortal flesh, others that they were made from the bark of trees.1 But
I adopt neither of these views; the latter is merely inquisitive, the
Question
. In this work, perhaps because of the question and answer format, Theodoretmakes relatively few references to Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, the threewho were traditionally credited with editing Greek versions substantially differentfrom that attributed to the seventy; v. sec. of the “Introduction to Theodoret’ sLife and Works.”
. This detail (Gn .) has excited the interest of both ancients and moderns.As Guinot points out (pp. f.), Theodoret rejects first the Alexandrian allegorical
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pro; th'" yuch'" to; sw'ma diapepla'sqai fhsavsh", pw'" ouj
muqw'de" to; levgein meta; th; n paravbasin th'" ej ntolh'" savrka
aujtou;" eijlhfev nai qnhthv n; to; dev ge polupragmonei' n povqen tw' /
Qew' / devrmata kai; dia; tou'to kaino; n ei\do" peribolaivwn ejpinoei' nperitto; n ei\ naiv moi dokei'. crh; toiv nun stevrgein ta; gegrammev na,
kai; eijdev nai wJ" oujde; n a[poron tw' / tw' n o{lwn dhmiourgw' /, kai;
qaumavzein aujtou' th; n a[peiron ajgaqovthta, o{ti kai;
parabebhkovtwn ejpimelei'tai kai; dehqev ntwn peribolaivwn ouj
periei'de gumnouv".
Tiv ejsti to; ijdou; gevgonen ∆Ada; m wJ" ei |" ejx hJ mw' n ; a
jEpeidh; oJ diavbolo" ei\pen, e[sesqe wJ" qeoi; ginwvskonte"
kalo;n kai; ponhrovn,b ejdevxato de; tou' qanavtou to; n o{ron, th; n
ej ntolh; n parabav", eijrwnikw'" tou'to ei[rhken oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov",
deiknu;" th'" diabolikh'" ejpaggeliva" to; yeu'do". metalabei' n de;
aujto; n tou' karpou' tou' xuvlou th'" zwh'" diekwvlusen, ouj fqonw' n
aujtw' / th'" ajqanavtou zwh'", ajlla; th'" aJmartiva" ejpev cwn to; n
drovmon. ijatreiva toiv nun oJ qav nato", ouj timwriva: ejpev cei ga;r th'"
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mm
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former too much of a mythological fable. Since holy Scripture says
that the body was formed even before the soul, how can this claim
that the man and woman took mortal flesh only after the transgres-
sion of the commandment amount to anything but a fable? And itstrikes me as futile to pry into the way God came by skins and to
imagine a novel form of clothing. We should be content with the
text, acknowledge that there is no task beyond the Creator of the
universe, and admire the unlimited goodness of God who, taking
care for sinners, did not overlook their need for clothing when they
were naked.2
What is the meaning of the verse “Lo, Adam has become like one
of us?”a
Though the devil had declared, “You will be like gods, knowing
good and evil,”b Adam incurred the sentence of death for breaking
the commandment. So the God of the universe said this ironically to
bring out the lie in the devil’s promise.1 Now, God had forbidden
Adam to partake of the fruit of the tree of life, not because he be-
grudged him eternal life, but to check the course of sin. Indeed,
death is healing, not punishment, for it checks the onset of sin: “He
Question
interpretation (v. Or., Sel. in Gen. ; Didym., In Gen. ) and then the ingenioussuggestion of Theodore of Mopsuestia ( fragg. in Gen. on . LXX = . MT).
. In his expression of admiration for the kindliness of providence Theodoretagrees with Diodore (Deconinck, frag. ). Similarly, von Rad remarks (on .):“[I]t is an act of marked significance. For the first time we see the Creator as thepreserver!”
. Theodoret’s questioner rightly notes that Gn . seems to affirm the devil’spromise in v. . The modern commentator Speiser suggests (pp. f.) that the bib-lical author may have derived, either directly or indirectly, the notion of wisdom
rivalling that of the gods from a passage of the Gilgamesh Epic but concludes thatwe have no “way of knowing how the [Hebrew] author himself interpreted thesenotions.”
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aJmartiva" th; n oJrmhv n: oJ ga; r ajpoqanwvn, fhsiv, dedikaivwtai ajpo;
th' " aJ martiva".c katantikru; de; aujto; n tou' paradeivsou diavgein
prosevtaxen i{ na, th'" ajluvpou bioth'" eij" mnhvmhn ejrcovmeno",
mish' / th; n aJmartivan wJ" provxenon th'" ejpipov nou zwh'".
Eij ejluphvqh oJ Kavi> n, mh; decqev ntwn tw' n paræ aujtou'
prosenecqev ntwn, dh'lon o{ti metemelhvqh: tw' n ga;r
metameloumev nwn hJ luvph.a
jHnivasen aujtov n, ouj c hJ aujtou' plhmmevleia, ajllæ hJ tou'
ajdelfou' eujpraxiva. tou'to ga;r kai; oJ ∆Akuvla" hj / nivxato: e[ fh de;
ou{tw": kai; oj rgivlon tw' / Kavi>n sfovdra, kai; e[pese to; provswpon
aujtou' . kai; ei\ pe Kuv rio" pro;" Kavi>n, eij" tiv oj rgivlon soi; b
Poi'on shmei'on e[qeto tw' / Kavi> n oJ Qeov";a
Aujto;" oJ tou' Qeou' o{ro" shmei'on h\ n, kwluvwn aujto; n
aj naireqh' nai. kai; aujto;" de; tw' n melw' n oJ klov no" ejpivshmon aujto; n
kai; dh'lon eijrgavzeto.
The Questions on Genesis
c. Rom .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .f. (LXX var.)m
, , B, C –52 , [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
m
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ajpevkteina eij" trau' ma ej moi; kai; neanivskon eij" mwvlwpa ej moiv,b
toutevstin, a[ ndra nevan a[gonta th; n hJlikivan. diev fuge mev ntoi
th; n timwrivan dia; th; n th'" aJmartiva" oJmologivan kaiv, kaqæ
eJautou' th; n yh' fon ejxenegkwv n, th; n qeivan diekwvluse yh' fon.
Pou' metatevqeike to; n ∆Enw; c oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov";a
Ouj dei' zhtei' n ta; sesighmev na, stevrgein de; proshvkei ta;
gegrammev na. ejgw; de; oi\mai tou'to pepoihkev nai to; n tw' n o{lwnQeo; n eij" yucagwgivan tw' n th'" ajreth'" ajqlhtw' n. ejpeidh; ga;r o
[Abel, prw'to" gegonw;" th'" dikaiosuv nh" karpov", provwrov" te
kai; provrrizo" ejxekovph,b ejlpi;" de; th'" aj nastavsew" oujdevpw
tou;" aj nqrwvpou" ej yucagwvgei, metevqhken eujaresthvsanta to; n
∆Enw; c oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;"c kai; th'" tw' n qnhtw' n ej cwvrise bioth'"
i{ na e{kasto" tw' n eujsebei' n proairoumev nwn logivzhtai, oi |a dh;
The Questions on Genesis
b. Gn .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .,
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lovgw/ tetimhmev no", wJ" oJ tou'ton tetimhkw;" ajgevraston oujk
ejavsei to; n [Abel, a{te dh; divkaio" w] n kai; dikaivw" ijquv nwn ta;
suvmpanta. touvtou dh; cavrin, to; n me; n parei'den aj nairouvmenon,
to; n de; metatevqeiken i{ na th' / aj narrhvsei th' / touvtou mhnuvsh/ th; n ejsomev nhn aj navstasin: oJ ga;r kata; tov nde to; n bivon tw' n th'"
ajreth'" mh; tetuchkw;" aj ntidovsewn, dh'lon wJ" ej n eJtevrw/ touvtwn
ajpolauvsetai bivw/.
Tiv dhv pote, tou' ∆Ada;m hJmarthkovto", [Abel oJ divkaio"
ejteleuvthse prw'to";a
Saqro; n hjboulhvqh genevsqai to; n tou' qanavtou qemevlion. eij
ga;r ∆Ada;m provtero" ejteleuvthsen, e[scen a] n ejkei' no" ijscura; n
th; n krhpi'da, prw'ton nekro; n to; n hJmarthkovta dexavmeno".
ejpeidh; de; to; n ajdivkw" aj nh/rhmev non ejdevxato prw'ton, sfalero; n
to; qemevlion e[ cei.
Tiv na" uiJou;" tou' Qeou' kevklhken oJ Mwu>sh'";a
() ∆Embrov nthtoiv tine" kai; a[gan hjlivqioi ajggevlou" touvtou"
uJpevlabon, th'" oijkeiva" i[sw" ajkolasiva" ajpologivan schvsein hJgouvmenoi eij tw' n ajggevlwn toiau'ta kathgoroi' en. e[dei de;
aujtou;" ajkou'sai tou' Qeou' tw' n o{lwn levgonto", ouj mh;
katameivnh/ to; pneu' mav mou ejn toi' " ajnqrwvpoi" touvtoi" eij" to;n
The Questions on Genesis
, B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mm
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virtue might be able to use his inborn reason to deduce that after
honoring this man, God, both righteous and governing everything
righteously, would not let Abel go without a reward. Therefore,
though he had permitted the murder of Abel, he took Enoch to an-other place so that, by the message proclaimed regarding the latter,
he might suggest the resurrection that was to come. For it is obvious
that anyone who fails to receive a reward for virtue in this life will
enjoy it in the next.
Why was it that, though Adam sinned, the righteous Abel was the
first to die?a
God wanted Death’s foundation to be unsound. If Adam had
been the first to die, Death would have established a strong base by
taking the sinner as his first victim. But since he first took the man
unjustly slain, his foundation is insecure.
Whom did Moses call the “sons of God”?a
() Some mad fools have assumed they were angels, perhaps in
the belief that they might have some excuse for their own intemper-ate behavior if they could level such charges against angels. But, they
should have given due attention to the words of the God of the uni-
verse—“My spirit shall not abide in these men forever, for they are
Question
tion. Von Rad (on .–) agrees with Theodoret in seeing a hint here at “other-worldly spheres of existence.”
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flesh; their life-span will be one hundred and twenty years”b—and
reflected that incorporeal beings have no flesh, and that, as they
were created immortal, their lives are not limited to a set span. The
following words also prove this: “The Lord God saw that the evildeeds of men were multiplied on earth, and everyone’s thoughts in
his heart were focused on evil his whole life long, and God regretted
that he had made man on earth. God said, I shall wipe out the man
that I made from the face of the earth, and cattle as well as men, and
serpents, and birds of heaven as well, because I regret that I made
them.”c And to Noah he said, “The time of every man has come be-
fore me, because it is their fault that the land is filled with iniquity.Lo, I am destroying them and the earth as well.”1d
Now, all this points to human beings and to those who were fond
of a lawless life. If the angels had had relations with the daughters of
man, humans would have been wronged by the angels, since, of
course, the angels would have raped their daughters. Furthermore,
they would have been wronged by God the Creator who punished
them for the lascivious behavior of the angels. I do not believe that
even the father of falsehood would dare to make any such claim.e
After all, it is the consistent teaching of Scripture that men are sin-
ners and men the recipients of the divine condemnation.
() Yet careless reading of holy Scripture is the cause of error
among ordinary people. For after saying that Seth was born of Adam,f and Enosh of Seth, the historian added, “He hoped to be
called the name of the Lord God.”g 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,
Question
. Like Chrysostom, Theodoret rejects the Alexandrian interpretation equating“the sons of God” with angels; v. Didym., in Gen. f. and cf. Guinot, p. . In
fact, he seems to build his own interpretation on the foundation of the strong an-tithesis that Chrysostom had drawn (hom. .) between the family of Cain (=“the sons of man”) and that of Seth (= “the sons of God”).
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touvtou fuv nte" uiJoi; Qeou' ej crhmavtizon w{sper dh; kai; hJmei'" ejk
th'" tou' despovtou Cristou' proshgoriva" cristianoi;
kalouvmeqa.
Eij dev ti" tauvthn ouj dev cetai th; n diav noian dia; to; to; n
∆Akuvlan ou{tw" hJrmhneukev nai, ajkousavtw tou' Qeou' dia; Dabi;d
tou' profhvtou levgonto", ejgw; ei\ pa, qeoiv ejste, kai; uiJoi;
ÔUyivstou pavnte":h kaiv, oJ Qeo;" e[sth ejn sunagwgh' / qew' n, ejn
mevsw/ de; qeou;" diakrinei' .i ou{tw de; oj nomavzei tou;" a[rconta", wJ"
dhloi' ta; eJxh'": e{w" povte krivnete ajdikivan kai; provswpa
aJ martwlw' n lambavnete ;.......krivnate oj rfanw' / kai; ptwcw' /,tapeino;n kai; pevnhta dikaiwvsate, kai; ta; eJxh'": j kai; au\qi",
Qeo;" qew' n Kuv rio" ejlavlhse kai; ejkavlese th;n gh' n,k touvtwn
aujtw' n, dhlonovti, tw' n cavriti th'" proshgoriva" tauvth"
hjxiwmev nwn: ou{tw kai; oJ nomoqevth" e[ fh, qeou;" ouj kakologhvsei"
kai; a[ rconta" tou' laou' sou oujk ej rei' " kakw' ".l
() Kajkei' noi toiv nun, wJ" eujsebei'", wj nomavsqhsan uiJoi; tou'
Qeou' : kecwvristo ga;r tou' Sh;q to; gev no" kai; oujk ejpemivgnuto
toi'" ejk tou' Kavi> n dia; th; n ejpenecqei'san aujtw' / para; tou' Qeou'
tw' n o{lwn ajrav n. ajlla; crov nou sucnou' dielqov nto": meta; pleivona
ga;r h] discivlia e[th to; n kataklusmo; n ejphvgagen oJ Qeov":m
euj eidei'" qeasavmenoi th'" tou' Kavi> n suggeneiva" ta;" qugatevra"
kai; kataqelcqev nte", wJ" eijkov", toi'" paræ aujtw' n ejpinohqei'si
mousikoi'" ojrgav noi": oJ ga;r ∆Iouba;l ejx aujtw' n aj nqhvsa"
yalthvrion kai; kiqavran katevdeixen:n ejpemivghsan aujtai'" kai;
diev fqeiran th; n oijkeivan eujgev neian. kai; ta; aujta; toi'"ijsrahlivtai" uJpevmeinan, oi{, tai'" tw' n madianitw' n qugatravsi
migev nte", kai; th'" ejkeiv nwn dussebeiva" metevscon kai; qehvlaton
The Questions on Genesis
h. Ps .mmi. Ps .mm j. Ps .f.mmk. Ps .mml. Ex .mmm. Gn .mmn. Gn .mm
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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 the
Lord’s title “Christ”.2
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”;h and “God has
taken his place in an assembly of gods; in their midst, he will judge
gods.”i This is the title he gives to rulers, as indicated by what fol-
lows: “How long will you deliver unjust judgments and take the part
of sinners? Judge in favor of orphan and poor, give justice to thelowly and needy” and so on; j and again, “The Lord God of gods
spoke and summoned the earth,”k that is, the Lord God of those
who had been accorded this title. Hence, the lawgiver said, “You
shall not revile gods or malign rulers of your people.”l
() Thus, those ancient men were called “sons of God” because of
their virtue. Indeed, the family of Seth lived apart and did not min-
gle with Cain’s family because of the curse laid on him by the God of
the universe. But after the passage of a long period of time (it was
more than two thousand years later that God brought on the
flood),m they found the daughters of Cain’s line comely, and, per-
haps attracted by the musical instruments they had invented (Jubal,
one of their race, introduced the harp and lyre),3n the descendants of
Seth intermarried with them and contaminated their own lineage.
Thus, they suffered the same fate as the Israelites who had relationswith the daughters of the Midianites, participated in their idolatry,
Question
. Theodoret’s identification of the sons of God rests on two errors: a mistrans-lation presented by his Bible and his own mistaken understanding of the LXX. In. the LXX, confusing two similar Hebrew forms, wrongly renders as “hoped”( h[lpisen) a verb actually meaning “to begin.” Theodoret compounds the confu-sion by interpreting the following ejpikalei`sqai as a passive meaning “to be
called” or “to be surnamed” rather than a middle meaning “to call upon” or “in-voke.”. Theodoret regards the separate genealogies of chh. and as indicating the
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timwrivan ejdevxanto.o peri; touvtwn kai; oJ qei'o" e[ fh Dabivd, kai;
ej mivghsan ejn toi' " e[qnesi, kai; e[ maqon ta; e[ rga aujtw' n, kai;
ejdouvleusan toi' " gluptoi' " aujtw' n.p ou{tw" oiJ ejk tou' Sh;q to;
gev no" katavgonte" pavlai mev n, wJ" ajreth'" ejpimelouvmenoi, uiJoi;Qeou' ej crhmavtizon: uJpo; de; th'" w{ra" tw' n aj nosivwn gunaikw' n
deleasqev nte", sunev cean me; n diakekrimev na ta; gev nh, karpo; n de;
klhronomiva" th; n panwleqrivan ejdevxanto.
jEkei' no mev ntoi ejpishmhv nasqai crhv, wJ", ouj c aJplw'" aujtw' n
aJmartivan oJ qei'o" lovgo" kathgorei', ajlla; th; n metæ ejpimeleiva"
kai; spoudh'" paranomivan. tou'to ga;r dhloi' to; pa' " ti"
dianoei' tai ejn th' / kardiva/ aujtou' ejpimelw' " ejpi; ta; ponhra; pavsa" ta;" hJ mev ra".q oiJ me; n ga;r dusceraiv nonte" th'" aJmartiva" th; n
prosbolhv n, hJttwvmenoi de; dia; th; n tou' nou' rJaqumivan th' /
ponhriva/, ei\qæ u{steron ajlgou' nte" kai; stev nonte", e[ cousiv tina
metrivan aJmh' gev ph/ paraivthsin: oiJ de; eij" ajkolasivan kai;
ponhrivan pantavpasin ajpokliv nonte" kai; dou'lon tw' n paqw' n to; n
logismo; n ajpofaiv nonte" w{ste kai; prosepinoei' n eJtevra" kakiva"
ijdeva" kai; tou'to, ouj c a{pax h] div", ajlla; para; pav nta to; n bivon,
poiva" a[xioi suggnwvmh"; poiva de; kovlasi" ouj smikra; toi'" ou{tw
sfa'" aujtou;" ejkdedwkovsin eij" o[leqron;
Tiv na" kalei' givganta" hJ qeiva grafhv;a
Tinev" fasi tou;" e[th polla; bebiwkovta", tine;" de; tou;"qeomisei'" kai; aj ntiqevou" aj nqrwvpou". oiJ de; tau'ta ou{tw
nenohkovte" ou[ fasi touvtou" meivzona tw' n a[llwn aj nqrwvpwn
swvmata ejschkev nai. ejgw; de; o{tan ajkouvsw th'" qeiva" grafh'"
The Questions on Genesis
o. Nm .–mmp. Ps .f.mmq. Gn .mm
, , B, C, (inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .m
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and received retribution from heaven.o The divinely inspired David
said of them: “They mingled with the nations, learned their prac-
tices, and served their idols.”p Likewise the descendants of Seth,
though formerly attentive to virtue and styled “sons of God,” wereseduced by the charm of the unholy women, mingled races once
kept apart, and thus inherited utter ruin.
Of course, we should observe that the divine word blames not
simply their sin but the wholehearted zeal of their lawlessness. That
is the meaning of “Everyone’s thoughts in his heart were focused on
evil his whole life long.”q
Some people, though disgusted at the firstattack of sin, make no serious effort to oppose it and are overcome
by wickedness but later evince profound grief. These have some
slight excuse. But others, who are wholeheartedly inclined to intem-
perance and vice, and whose mind is so enslaved to passion as to ex-
cogitate new forms of wickedness, not once or twice, but all their
life—what pardon do they deserve? What punishment could possi-
bly be severe enough for people who have surrendered themselves
to ruination?
Whom does holy Scripture call “giants”?a
Some commentators have claimed that the giants were peoplewho lived to a great age; others that they were people who hated and
opposed God. Those who hold these opinions deny that they were
bigger than other people. But I am persuaded that there were men
Question
separation of the races of Seth and Cain. In fact, as R.J. Clifford and R.E. Murphy point out (p. ) the two lists, deriving from different strands of tradition, actually contain the same names or variants of the same name:“Cain/Kenan; Enoch/ Enoch;
Irad/Jared; Mehuyael/Mahalalel; Methushael/Methusalah; Lamech/ Lamech.” Thereader will note that in .– the LXX’s calculations of the ages of the patriarchs areoften at variance with those of the MT.
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legouvsh" peri; tou' ∆Enavk, o{ti ajpovgono" h\ n tw' n gigav ntwn:b kai;
peri; tou' ]Wg o{ti, hJ klivnh aujtou' h\ n sidhra' .......ejnneva phv cewn
to; mh' ko" ......., kai; tessav rwn phv cewn to; eu\ ro" kai; o{ti ou |to" ejk
tw' n rJafai; >n uJpeleivfqh:c kai; tw' n kataskovpwn dihgoumev nwn o{ti,h\ men ejnwvpion aujtw' n wJsei; ajkrivde":d kai; tou' Qeou' bebaiou' nto"
tou;" lovgou" kai; levgonto" o{ti, paradevdwkav soi to; n ajmorrai'on,
ou | to; u{ yo" h\ n wJ" kevdrou, kai; ijscuro;" h\ n wJ" dru' ":e kai; peri;
tou' Golia;d o{ti, tessav rwn phv cewn kai; spiqamh' " to; mh'ko"
ei\ cen,f hJgou'mai gegenh'sqai tina;" pammegevqei" aj nqrwvpou", tou'
Qeou' kai; tou'to sofw'" prutaneuvsanto" i{ na gnw'sin wJ", oujk
ajsqenw' n, oJ dhmiourgo;" tosou'ton toi'" aj nqrwvpoi" ajpev neimemevtron: rJav /dion ga;r h\ n aujtw' / kai; meivzou" dhmiourgh'sai: ajlla;
to; n tu` fon ejkkovptwn kai; th; n ajlazoneivan kwluvwn, mevgista toi'"
aj nqrwvpoi" oujk e[dwke swvmata. eij ga;r ej n smikroi'" swvmasin,
ou j katæ ajllhvlwn mov non, ajlla; kai; katæ aujtou' megalaucou'si tou'
poihtou', tiv oujk a] n e[drasan eij megivstwn swmavtwn metevlacon;
Dia; tiv polu; n crov non e[zwn oiJ palaioiv;a
{Wste aujxhqh' nai to; gev no" tw' / pleivoni crov nw/. dia; tou'to kai;
pollai'" sunhvptonto gunaixiv n. aujtivka gou' n kai; meta; to; n
kataklusmo; n mev cri tw' n patriarcw' n, makrovbioi h\san. ejpeidh;
de; th; n oijkoumev nhn ejplhvrwsan, hjlattwvqh loipo; n oJ tw' n ejtw' n
ajriqmov".b
The Questions on Genesis
l. ouj.......mov non.......ajlla; kai; B –30 , : ouj j.......mov non.......ajlla; ,
: ouj j.......ajlla; kai; , , : ouj.......ajlla; Sir. Sch. F.M. = “they do not develop self-importance toward one another but toward the Creator himself .” In the Quaest.in oct. there are forty-nine other examples of ouj.......mov non.......ajlla; kai;, butnone of either ouj j.......mov non.......ajlla; or ouj j.......ajlla; kai;. The obvious sense of the alternative preferred by previous editors is quite inappropriate to the context.
b. Dt ., ; .mmc. Dt .mmd. Nm .mme.Am .mmf. Sm .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn mmb. Gn .
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Tiv dhv pote tw' / kataklusmw' / ta; tw' n aj nqrwvpwn plhvqh
diev fqeiren;a
() jExalei' yai tou' Kavi> n to; gev no" hjqevlhsen: aj nemivgh de; aujtw' /
kai; tw' n eujsebw' n hJ fulhv: dio; kai; th'" timwriva" metevschken.
ajrch; n dev tina kainou' bivou poihvsasqai boulhqeiv", to; n Nw' e kai;
tou;" ejkeiv nou pai'da" su; n tai'" gunaixi; diethvrhsen,b eujsebh' te
o[ nta kai; divkaion, ejk th'" tw' n eujsebw' n suggeneiva" blasthvsanta,
kai; th; n th'" paranomiva" ejpimixivan mishvsanta.c
Ouj mhv n, w{" tinev" fasin, ojrgh' / tini tau'ta kai; metameleiva/
pepoiv hke: tau'ta gavr toi aj nqrwvpina pavqh, hJ de; qeiva fuvsi"
ejleuqevra paqw' n. a[llw" te hJ metamevleia toi'" meta; th; n pei'ran
manqav nousi tw' n pragmavtwn th; n fuvsin katavllhlo":
ajgnoou' nte" ga;r to; ejsovmenon, probouleuvontai: ei\ta th' / peivra/
manqav nonte" wJ" oujk ojrqw'" ejbouleuvsanto, metamevlontai. oJ de;
Qeo;" ou{tw" oJra' / ta; meta; polla;" ejsovmena genea;" wJ" h[dhgegenhmev na: wJ" proorw' n toiv nun kai; proginwvskwn, ou{tw"
a{panta prutaneuv ei. tiv dhv pote toiv nun metamelei'tai, a{panta
pro;" th; n provgnwsin th; n oijkeivan oijkonomw' n; oujkou' n, ejpi; Qeou',
metamevleia oijkonomiva" metabolhv: metamemevlhmai, fhsi; n o{ti,
kev crika to;n Saou;l eij" basileva,d aj nti; tou': ejdokivmasa me; n
pau'sai tou'ton, e{teron de; ceirotonh'sai. ou{tw kaj ntau'qa,
ejnequmhvqhn o{ti ejpoivhsa to;n a[nqrwpon,e ejdokivmasa diolevsai
tw' n aj nqrwvpwn to; gev no". ajlla; filav nqrwpo" w[ n, spevrma to; n
Nw' e th' / fuvsei tethvrhken.
() jEpeidh; de; kai; tw' n ajlovgwn ta; gev nh th'" tw' n aj nqrwvpwn
e{ neka dedhmiouvrghtai creiva", kai; tau'ta toi'" aj nqrwvpoi"
sundiefqavrh, plh; n tw' n ej n th' / kibwtw' / su; n tw' / Nw' e diaswqev ntwn:
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .mmd. Sm . (LXX var.)mme. Gn .mm
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Why was the bulk of the human race wiped out by the flood?a
() His intention was to annihilate Cain’s line, but since the tribe
of the virtuous had intermarried with Cain’s line, it was also in-
volved in the punishment. Wanting to make a beginning of a new
way of life, he preserved Noah and his sons along with their wives,b
for Noah was good and righteous, one who had come from the line
of the virtuous men and shunned intercourse with lawlessness.c
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 futureas 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 fore-
knowledge? In God’s case, therefore, a second thought is a change in
the plan of salvation: “I have second thoughts about anointing Saul
king”d is equivalent to “I have decided to depose him and appoint
someone else.” Similarly, in this case: “I regret making the humanbeing,”e means “I have decided to destroy humanity.” But being mer-
ciful, he preserved Noah as seed for the race.
() And since the species of irrational animals had been created
for man’s use, they were destroyed along with the human race ex-
Question
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ejkevleuse ga;r oJ despovth" Qeo;" aj na; duvo me; n ejx eJkavstou
gev nou" tw' n dokouv ntwn ajkaqavrtwn diaswqh' nai, aj na; eJpta; de;
tw' n kaqarw' n.f ejpeidh; ga;r h[melle sugcwrei' n toi'" aj nqrwvpoi"
metalambav nein krew' n,g h[mellon de; kai; qusiva" aujtw' / prosfevreinth'" eujsebeiva" oiJ trov fimoi, pleivona ta; kaqara; fulacqh' nai
prosevtaxe: ta;" me; n trei'" suzugiva" eij" th; n au[xhsin tou'
gev nou", to; de; e} n to; peritto; n eij" qusivan. eujqu;" ga;r oJ Nw' e,
meta; th; n pau'lan th'" timwriva", qusivan tw' / Qew' / caristhvrion
prosenhv nocen: ajpo; pavntwn, fhsiv, tw' n kthnw' n tw' n kaqarw' n kai;
ajpo; pavntwn tw' n peteinw' n tw' n kaqarw' n,h wJ" ei\ nai dh'lon o{ti
touvtouge cavrin aj na; eJpta; prosevtaxen ejx eJkavstou gev nou" tw' nkaqarw' n eij" th; n kibwto; n eijsacqh' nai, i{ na, to; e} n zw' /on ejx eJkavstou
gev nou" oJ Nw' e prosfevrwn, mh; diafqeivrh/ ta;" suzugiva".
Tiv h[sqien ej n th' / kibwtw' / ta; qhriva;
Dh'lon o{ti cilov n te kai; spevrmata. e[ fh ga;r pro;" aujto; n oJ
Qeov", su; de; lhvyh/ seautw' / ajpo; pavntwn tw' n brwmavtwn, w |n
e[desqe, kai; sunavxei" pro;" eJautovn, kai; e[stai soi; kai; ejkeivnoi"
fagei' n.a ejx ajrch'" de; oJ Qeo;" ouj kreofagei' n ej nomoqevthse toi'"
aj nqrwvpoi": ijdouv, ga;r e[ fh, devdwka uJ mi' n pavnta cov rton spov rimon
The Questions on Genesis
f. Gn .f.mmg. Gn .f.mmh. Gn .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
ll. f. ejx ajrch'".......aj nqrwvpoi" F.M. : taujto; de kai; toi~ aj nqrwvpoi~ ejsqiv ein ej nomoqevthsen C, [ ] , Sir. Sch. = “The divine law enjoined that the animals should have the same food as human beings .”
l. kreofagei` n J.P. : krevon fagei` n F.M. : touto fagei` n . While theTLG lists ten attestations of kreofagei` n, the form krevon is elsewhere attestedonly in the Suda (Adler ) and the Et. gud. (ad kreion), in each case only toprovide a term intermediary between kreva~ = meat and kreion = meat tray.
a. Gn .mm
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cept for those kept alive on the ark along with Noah. The Lord God,
remember, ordered that there be preserved two of each species of
animals considered unclean and seven of the clean.f Since he meant
to permit humanity to consume meat,g and the virtuous were to of-fer him sacrifices, he gave orders for the preservation of more clean
animals: namely, three pairs for natural increase and the one left
over for sacrificing. Immediately after the cessation of the punish-
ment, Noah made an offering of thanksgiving to God “from all the
clean animals and all the clean birds.”1h This shows that he ordered
seven of each of the clean animals to be taken aboard the ark, so that
in offering a single animal from each species, Noah would not de-stroy the pairs.
What did the animals eat while aboard the ark?
Fodder and seeds, of course. God said to him, “You will take for
yourself of all the foods you eat and store it up for yourself, and it
will serve as food for you and them.”a In the beginning, God’s law
did not countenance the human consumption of flesh: “Lo, I have
given you every plant upon all the earth bearing seed fit for sowing
Question
. As Theodoret had not adverted to difference in authorship in creation storiesand genealogies, so he does not highlight the discrepancies in the numbers of ani-mals taken aboard the ark in .f. and .f.
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spei' ron spev rma, o{ ejstin ejpavnw pavsh" th' " gh' ", kai; pa' n xuvlon,
o} e[ cei ejn eJautw' / karpo;n spev rmato" spov rimon: uJ mi' n e[stai eij"
brw' sin kai; pa' si toi' " qhrivoi" th' " gh' ", kai; pa' si toi' " peteinoi' "
tou' ouj ranou' , kai; panti; eJ rpetw' / e{ rponti ejpi; th' " gh' ", o} e[ cei ejn eJautw' / yuch;n zwh' ": kai; pavnta cov rton clwro;n eij" brw' sin,b wJ"
ei\ nai dh'lon o{ti kai; oiJ a[ nqrwpoi kai; ta; zw' /a krewfagiva"
ajpeiv conto, trofh; n de; ei\ con tou;" ajpo; gh'" fuomev nou" karpouv".
to; de; spei' ron spev rma, spermai' non spev rma oJ ∆Akuvla"
hJrmhv neusen.
Pw'" nohtevon to; ej mnhvsqh Kuv rio" tou' Nw' e ; a
Prosfovrw" toi'" aj nqrwvpoi" hJ qeiva grafh; dialevgetai kaiv,
wJ" ajkouv ein duv nantai, metaschmativzei tou;" lovgou". w{sper
toiv nun ejpi; Qeou' hJ metamevleia oijkonomiva" ejsti; diaforav:
metamemevlhmai ga; r o{ti kev crika to;n Saou;l eij" basilevab aj nti;
tou': ejdokivmasa a[llon aj ntæ aujtou' katasth'sai. ou{tw kai;
ej ntau'qa nohtevon ejnequmhvqhn o{ti ejpoivhsa to;n a[nqrwpon c aj nti;
tou': ejdokivmasa aujtoi" panwleqrivan ejpagagei' n. kai; tou'to
toiv nun to; ej mnhvsqh oJ Qeo;" tou' Nw' e, ouj protevran lhvqhn
aij nivttetai, ajlla; th; n a[rrhton aujtou' filanqrwpivan dhloi', o{ti
dia; th; n peri; ejkei' non filostorgivan prosevtaxen wJ" tav cista
katapoqh' nai to; a[peiron ejkei' no kai; ajmevtrhton u{dwr. dhvlhn de;
The Questions on Genesis
b. Gn .f.
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
l. aujtoi" panwleqrivan ejpagagei' n B –24 , c 1, : eij~ aujtou;~panwleqrivan ejpagagei' n , , , Sir. Sch. : aujtou;" panwleqrivan
ejpagagei' n F.M. Theodoret regularly combines ejpavgein + direct object withthe dative. In the Quaest. in oct. there is no other example of either ejpavgein +direct object + eij~ + accusative or of ejpavgein + double accusative.
a. Gn .mmb. Sm . (LXX var.)mmc. Gn .mm
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and every tree containing fruit with seed fit for sowing; these will be
your food. And to all the beasts of the earth, all the birds of heaven,
and every reptile creeping on the earth, which has the spirit of life in
it, I have given every green plant for food.”1b So we may infer thathumans as well as animals abstained from eating meat and got their
nourishment from the produce of the earth. Aquila renders “bearing
seed” as “procreating seed.”
How should we understand the verse “The Lord remembered
Noah”?a
Holy Scripture speaks in a manner suited to human beings and
frames its expressions so we may receive them. So just as in God’s
case second thoughts represent a change in the plan of salvation—“I
have second thoughts about anointing Saul king”b in the sense, “I
have decided to put someone else in his place”—so here “I regret
making humanity,”c is to be taken to mean “I have decided to wipe
them out.” Accordingly, the verse, “God remembered Noah,” does
not imply previous forgetfulness but indicates his ineffable loving-
kindness in giving instructions, out of his affection for Noah, for
that vast, immeasurable quantity of water to be swallowed up as
quickly as possible. Indicating his unspeakable goodness, Moses
Question
. Cf. note to Q. .
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aujtou' poiw' n th; n a[ fraston ajgaqovthta, prostevqeiken o{ti, kai;
pavntwn tw' n kthnw' n, kai; pavntwn tw' n peteinw' n, kai; pavntwn
tw' n eJ rpetw' n, o{sa h\ n metæ aujtou' ejn th' / kibwtw' /.d hJmw' n de; cavrin
kai; tau'ta promhqeiva" hjxivwsen: tou'to ga;r kai; oJ mevga" Dabi;dboa' /: oJ ejxanatevllwn cov rton toi' " kthvnesi kai; clovhn th' / douleiva/
tw' n ajnqrwvpwn:e kai; pavlin, ajnqrwvpou" kai; kthvnh swvsei", Kuv rie:f
diæ hJma'" ga;r kai; tw' n hJmetevrwn ejpimelei'tai.
Tiv ejstin wjsfravnqh Kuv rio" .......ojsmh;n eujwdiva" ; a
JUpedevxato tou' Nw' e to; eu[gnwmon, ouj th' / knivssh/ terfqeiv":
ojstw' n ga;r kaiomev nwn oujde; n duswdevsteron: ajlla; tou'
prosenhnocovto" ejpainevsa" th; n gnwvmhn. ouj ga;r swmatika; e[ cei
movria i{ na kai; rJi' na" aujtw' / periqw'men: dia; rJinw' n ga;r hJ
o[sfrhsi". ajmeivbetai ou\ n aujto; n th' / eujlogiva/, kaiv, ejpeidh;
spevrma tou' gev nou" h\ n, kai; rJivza th'" fuvsew", kai; deuvtero"
∆Adavm, divdwsin aujtw' / th; n eujlogivan, h |" ejkei' no" eujqu;"
diaplasqei;" ajpolelauvkei: aujxavnesqe, kai; plhquvnesqe, kai;
plhrwvsate th;n gh' n, kai; katakurieuvsate aujth' ": kai; oJ fov bo"
uJ mw' n kai; oJ trov mo" uJ mw' n e[stai ejpi; pa' si toi' " qhrivoi" th' " gh' ",
kai; ejpi; pavnta ta; peteina; tou' ouj ranou' , kai; ejpi; pavnta ta;
kinouv mena ejpi; th' " gh' ", kai; ejpi; pavnta" tou;" ij cquva" th' "
qalavssh", a} uJpo; cei' ra uJ mi' n devdwka.b kai; oJ lovgo" e[rgon
gevgone: devdie ga;r a{panta kai; aujth; n th; n tou' aj nqrwvpou skia; nkai; ta; nhktav, kai; ta; cersai'a, kai; ta; pthnav. ei\ta to; n peri;
th'" krewfagiva" aujtw' / devdwke novmon, wJ" lacav nwn tw' n krew' n
ajpolauv ein keleuvsa".c
The Questions on Genesis
d. Gn .mme. Ps .mmf. Ps .
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .f.mmc. Gn .
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adds, “and God remembered all the cattle, all the birds, and all the
reptiles that were with him in the ark.”d It was for our sake that he
regarded them worthy of his providence. Thus, the mighty David
also proclaims: “He makes grass grow for the cattle and crops for theservice of man”;e and again, “Lord, you will save men and cattle.”f
For our sake, he cares also for our possessions.
What is the meaning of “The Lord smelled a pleasing odor”?1a
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 the blessing,
and since he was the seed of the 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 heaven, upon every-
thing that moves on the earth, and upon all the fish of the sea; I have
put them under your control.”b 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, hecommanded Noah to consume flesh as well as vegetables.2c
Question
. An Antiochene commentator could not pass over this “striking and daringstatement, even for Old Testament anthropomorphism” (von Rad, on .f.).
. Since this remark serves as a link to the next question, it looks likely that thecommentator is here selecting the questions to raise issues on which he wishes tocomment; often the questioner seems no more than a mere fiction.
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Tiv no" cavrin ajpagoreuv ei tou' ai{mato" th; n metavlhyin;a
Safevsteron ejdivdaxen ej n tw' / novmw/: o{per gavr ejsti, fhsiv n,
aj nqrwvpw/ yuchv, tou'to toi'" ajlovgoi" to; ai |ma.b div ca toiv nun tou'
ai{mato" tw' n krew' n metalambav nwn, wJ" lacav nwn dhvpouqen
metalhv yh/: a[ yucon ga;r to; lav canon: eij de; meta; tou' ai{mato"
metalavboi", yuch; n ejsqiv ei". dio; dh; kai; ej ntau'qa e[ fh, plh;n kreva"
ejn ai{ mati yuch' " oujk e[desqe: kai; ga; r to; uJ mevteron ai | ma tw' n
yucw' n uJ mw' n ejkzhthvsw, ejk ceiro;" pavntwn tw' n qhrivwn ejkzhthvswaujtov,.......ejk ceiro;" ajnqrwvpou, ajdelfou' aujtou' , ejkzhthvsw th;n
yuch;n aujtou' .c ej ntau'qa aij nivttetai th; n aj navstasin, ouj c wJ" ta;
qhriva paravxwn eij" to; krithvrion kai; divka" th'" aj nqrwpofagiva"
eijspraxovmeno", ajllæ wJ" ta; uJpo; touvtwn katanalwqev nta swvmata
sunavxwn te kai; aj nasthvswn. ejn ga;r th' / ceiri; aujtou' ta; pev rata
th' " gh' ",d kai; rJav /dion aujtw' / pav ntoqen sunagagei' n to; hJmevteron
sw'ma. ej ntau'qa me; n ou\ n aij nigmatwdw'" tou'to dedhvlwke, dia; de;∆Iezekih;l safevsteron ejkhvruxe th; n aj navstasin.e
Dia; tiv de; o{lw" th; n krewfagivan ej nomoqevthsen;a
Eujqu;" dhmiourghvsa" to; n a[ nqrwpon, th'" gh'" aujtw' / tou;"
karpou;" ejdwrhvsato, ajpo; spermavtwn kai; dev ndrwn bioteuv ein
keleuvsa".b meta; de; to; n kataklusmov n, pleivona filotimei'tai
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
l. eijspraxovmeno~ B, , c 1, : praxovmeno~ : eijspraxavmeno~Sir. Sch. F.M. The future, more widely attested than the aorist, seems clearly required by the context: cf. paravxwn . . . sunavxwn . . . a j nasthvswn.
a. Gn .mmb. Lv .mmc. Gn .f.mmd. Ps .mme. Ezek .–
, , B, C –50 , [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .m
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Why did he forbid the consumption of the blood?a
His teaching was clearer in the Law: “As is the life for man, so is
blood for the brute beasts.”b When you eat meat without blood, you
eat it like vegetables, as vegetables are lifeless. Whereas if you were to
eat it with the blood, you would eat the life. Hence, he said here, too,
“Only, you shall not eat flesh with the blood of life. I shall require an
account of the blood of your lives; from the hand of all the beasts I
shall require it, and from the hand of a man’s brother I shall requirean account of his life.”c Here he hints at the resurrection—not that
he intends to bring wild animals to judgment and call them to ac-
count for killing people. Rather he will assemble the bodies they
have consumed and raise them up. After all, “In his hand are the
ends of the earth,”d and he can easily assemble our body from all
quarters. This passage has only obscure hints of the resurrection,
which he proclaimed quite clearly through Ezekiel.1e
Why did he legislate at all about the eating of meat?a
Immediately after creating man, he made him a gift of the fruitsof the earth and commanded him to live off seeds and trees.b After
the flood, however, he regaled him with a wider provision and com-
Question
. Such eschatological interpretations are rare in this, largely literalist, com-mentary.
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trofhv n, kai; peteinav, kai; nhktav, kai; cersai'a zw' /a quv ein te kai;
ejsqiv ein keleuvsa", pavqei pavqo" ejxelauv nwn kai; tw' / ejlavttoni
qerapeuvwn to; mei'zon: proorw' n ga;r oJ Qeo;" o{ti tau'ta pav nta
qeopoihvsousin oiJ eij" ejscavthn ajlogivan ejkpeptwkovte",sugcwrei' th; n brw'sin i{ na th; n ajsevbeian pauvsh/: ajbelthriva" ga;r
ejscavth" to; ejsqiovmenon proskunei' n. diav toi tou'to ta; me; n
ajkavqarta tw' n zwv /wn levgei, ta; de; kaqarav, i{ na, ta; me; n wJ"
ajkavqarta bdeluttovmenoi, mh; qeopoiw'si, ta; de; mh; proskunw'sin
ejsqiovmena.
Tiv no" e{ neka mh; ejmevmfqh Nw' e, mevqh/ peripeswv n;a
jApeiriva" h\ n, oujk ajkrasiva", to; pavqo": prw'to" ga;r
aj nqrwvpwn ajpoqliv ya" to; n th'" ajmpevlou karpo; n kai; ajgnow' n, ouj
mov non to; povson th'" povsew", ajlla; kai; to; n trovpon th'"
metalhv yew", o{ti dei' keravsai provteron, ei\qæ ou{tw piei' n, to; n
kavron uJpevmeine. kaino; n de; oujde; n pevponqe gumnwqeiv": kai; ga;r
nu' n tine" gumnou' ntai kaqeuvdonte", aj fairoumev nou tou' u{pnou
th; n ai[sqhsin. tw' / u{pnw/ de; hJ mevqh prosginomev nh, piqanwtevran
th'" gumnwvsew" th; n ajpologivan poiei'.
Tou' novmou mhdevpw teqev nto" o}" diagoreuv ei tima' n to; n
patevra kai; th; n mhtevra,a pw'" oJ Ca;m wJ" patraloiva" kriv netai;b
Th' / fuvsei tou;" aj nagkaivou" ej ntevqeike novmou" oJ poihthv":
The Questions on Genesis
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .f.
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Gn .–m
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manded him to slaughter and eat animals that fly, swim, and live on
land. In this way, he purposed to drive out one passion with another
and cure a greater ailment with a lesser. That is to say, as God fore-
saw that people would succumb to the worst folly and make gods of all these things, he allowed them to eat animals to put a stop to idol-
atry, since only the worst fools will worship what they eat. Indeed,
he spoke of some animals as unclean and others as clean, so that
men would not make gods of the unclean, which they loathed, nor
worship the clean, which they ate.
Why did Noah incur no blame for succumbing to drunkenness?a
What happened to Noah was the result of inexperience, not in-
temperance. He was the first to crush the fruit of the vine and was
unaware of both the amount to drink and of the way to imbibe—
that is, that one must dilute the wine before drinking it—so he fell
into torpor. His nakedness was hardly odd. Today as well people go
to sleep naked, as sleep robs them of awareness. And when sleep is
accompanied by intoxication, there is an even more plausible excuse
for nakedness.1
If the law requiring honor of father and mother had not yet been
promulgated,a why was Ham condemned as a parricide?b
The Creator placed the necessary laws in human nature itself.
Question
. As Speiser remarks (p. ), the story of Noah’s drunkenness (Gn .–) is“actually aimed at Canaan and, by extension, at the Canaanites,” rather than at
Noah himself; Theodoret, who does not recognize this aetiological issue, is con-cerned to defend the patriarch from the charge of immorality. He does not addressthe curse of Canaan until Q. .
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ou{tw to; n Kavi> n katevkrinen, ejpeidhvper aujto; n hJ fuvsi"
ejdivdasken wJ" oJ fov no" parav nomo". aujtivka gou' n dovlw/
crhsavmeno" sunergw' /, povrrw tw' n gegennhkovtwn ajpagagwv n,
aj nei'le to; n ajdelfo; n kaiv, tou' Qeou' punqanomev nou, pou' ....... [ Abel oJ ajdelfov" sou ; hjrnhvqh:c dh'lon de; wJ" ejpistavmeno" o{ti
kako; n to; gegenhmev non hjrnhvqh to; tolmhqev n. ejlegcqei;" de; uJpo;
tou' dikaivou kritou', wJmolovghsen uJpe;r suggnwvmhn hJmarthkev nai:
meivzwn, gavr fhsin, hJ aJ martiva mou tou' ajfeqh' naiv me.d kai;
mev ntoi kai; oJ ∆Adavm, th'" qeiva" ejpifaneiva" aijsqovmeno",
ejpeiravqh laqei' n, wJ" eijdw;" o{ti dh; to; klevptein kakov n.e
Ou{tw kai; oJ Ca;m th; n tou' patraloivou kathgorivan ejdevxato,wJ" paraba;" to; n th'" fuvsew" novmon. o{ti ga;r kai; to; geraivrein
tou;" gegennhkovta" hJ fuvsi" ejdivdaske marturou'sin oiJ tou' Ca;m
ajdelfoiv, oi{, tou' patro;" to; pavqo" paræ ejkeiv nou memaqhkovte",
meta; pollh'" aijdou'" sunekavluyan to; n patevra, eij" toujpivsw
badivzonte" wJ" a] n h{kista i[doien o{qen sparev nte" ejblavsthsan.f
toigavrtoi mavla eijkovtw" kai; tou' patro;" th; n eujlogivan
ejdrev yanto.
Tiv dhv pote tou' Ca;m ejptaikovto", oJ ejkeiv nou pai'" ejdevxato
th; n ajrav n;a
Koinh' / pav nte" meta; th; n tou' kataklusmou' pau'lan th'" qeiva"
metevlacon eujlogiva": tolmhro; n toiv nun uJ|pevlaben oJ Nw' e ejpagagei' n ajra; n tw' / th'" qeiva" eujlogiva" meteilhcovti: touvtou
cavrin tw' / ejkeiv nou paidi; peritevqeike th; n ajrav n. e[ cei de; kai; hJ
timwriva to; divkaion: ejpeidh; gavr, uiJo;" w] n, ejxhvmarten eij"
patevra, dia; th'" tou' paido;" ajra'" dev cetai timwrivan. pro;" de;
The Questions on Genesis
|17
c. Gn .mmd. Gn .mme. Gn .mmf. Gn .f.
, , B, C, (inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .–mm
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Thus, he condemned Cain, since nature had taught him that mur-
der was unlawful. Indeed, employing a ruse, Cain led his brother far
away from his parents and killed him. When God asked, “Where is
your brother Abel?” he denied what he had done.c So, we concludethat he denied committing the deed because he understood he had
done wrong. When censured by the righteous judge, he confessed he
had committed a sin too great for pardon: “My sin is too grave for
forgiveness.”d Adam is another example; sensing the divine pres-
ence, he tried to hide, for he knew that stealing was wrong.e
Thus, Ham was charged with parricide for transgressing the nat-ural law. The behavior of Ham’s brothers confirms that nature her-
self had inculcated respect for parents; after learning from Ham of
their father’s condition, they displayed great respect in going in
backwards to cover their father so there would be no chance of see-
ing the organ of their own sowing and generation.f Thus, it was
right and proper that they should receive their father’s blessing.
As the fault was Ham’s, why was his son the object of the curse?a
After the flood, everyone shared alike in the divine blessing.
Therefore, Noah, judging it rash to heap curses on one who was arecipient of divine blessing, imposed the curse on that man’s son.
And the punishment was justified; since as son Ham had sinned
against his father, he received retribution through the curse on his
own son. A further point to take into consideration is that if Ham
personally had been the object of the curse, the punishment would
Question
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touvtoi" skophtevon kajkei' no, wJ" eij aujto;" oJ Ca;m ejdevxato th; n
ajrav n, eij" o{lon a] n dievbh to; gev no" hJ timwriva: eij" de; to; n
newvtaton uiJo; n th; n paideivan parevpemye.
Kai; tou'to de; eijdev nai proshvkei, wJ" provrrhsiv" ejstin, oujkajrav, tou' dikaivou ta; rJ hvmata. ejpeidh; ga;r e[mellen oJ ∆Israhvl, ejk
tou' Sh;m katavgwn to; gev no", th'" Palaistiv nh" paralambav nein
th; n despoteivan: tauvthn de; pavlai w[ /koun oiJ ejk tou' Canaa; n
beblasthkovte": eij" ajra; n schmativzei th; n provrrhsin,
proagoreuvwn me; n ta; ejsovmena, dedittovmeno" de; tou;" u{steron
ejsomev nou" mh; plhmmelei' n eij" goneva". kai; tou'to safw'" hJma'"
hJ tou' Sh;m eujlogiva didavskei: eujloghtov", gavr fhsi, Kuv rio" oJQeo;" tou' Shv m, kai; e[stai Canaa;n pai' " aujtou' :b ouj ga;r toi'" duvo
tou'ton uJpevtaxen, ajlla; mov nw/ tw' / Shvm. kai; tou' me; n ∆Iav feq th; n
polugonivan proeivrhke, tou' de; Sh;m th; n eujsevbeian: to; n ga;r
Qeo; n ej n toi'" skhnwvmasi tou' Sh;m katoikhvsein proeivrhke.
Katwv /khse de; ej n toi'" ejk tou' Sh;m patriavrcai" kai; ej n toi'"
ejk touvtwn beblasthkovsi profhvtai", kai; ej n th' / skhnh' /
provteron kai; ej n ÔIerosoluvmoi" u{steron. ajkribe;" de; tevlo"
e[schken hJ profhteiva to; th'" oijkonomiva" musthvrion o{te aujto;"
oJ Qeo;" lovgo", oJ tou' Qeou' kai; patro;" monogenh;" uiJov",
ejsarkwvqh, kai; ej nhnqrwvphse, kai; nao; n eJautou' proshgovreusenc
h} n ejk spevrmato" Dabi;d kai; ∆Abraa;m e[labe savrka:d ejk tou' Sh;m
ga;r kai; ou |toi kath'gon to; gev no". hJ de; tou' Canaa; n douleiva ej n
toi'" gabawnivtai" to; tevlo" ejdevxato.e
Th; n a[sfaltov n tine" tw' n didaskavlwn a[sbeston e[ fasan
ei\ nai.a
The Questions on Genesis
b. Gn .mmc. Jn .–mmd. Mt .mme. Jos .–
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .
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jAgnoou' nte", wJ" eijkov", ta;" ej n th' / ∆Assuriva/ phgav", wj / hvqhsan
ajsbevstw/ to; n puvrgon wj /kodomh'sqai. ajkribw'" de; para; tw' n
ejkei'qen aj fikomev nwn memavqhka wJ" eijsi; phgai; tauvthn
aj nabluvzousai th; n u{lhn meqæ u{dato", kai; o{ti, tai'" oijkodomivai"sunufaiv nonte", ejpi; tauvth" th; n wjpthmev nhn sunetivqesan
pliv nqon. ou{tw to; n puvrgon ejkei' non wj /kodomh'sqaiv fasi, kai; oiJ
aujtovptai touvtou kai; dioruvxai ti mevro" ijscurivsanto kai;
ajkribw'" diagnw' nai wJ" a[sfalto" tai'" wjpthmev nai" uJpevstrwtai
pliv nqoi". a[llw" te kai; livqwn ei\ nai spav nin ej n th' / ∆Assuriva/
fasiv, kai; dia; tou'to tai'" pliv nqoi" aj nti; livqwn kecrh'sqai. livqwn
de; div ca pw'" a] n gev noito a[sbesto";
Poiva glw'ssa ajrcaiotevra;a
Dhloi' ta; oj novmata: ∆Ada;m gavr, kai; Kavi> n, kai [Abel, kai; Nw' e
th'" Suvrwn i[dia glwvtth": ajdamqa ; ga;r th; n ejruqra; n gh' n e[qo"
toi'" suvroi" kalei' n. ∆Ada;m toiv nun h] oJ ghvi>no" h] oJ coi>ko;"
eJrmhneuv etai,b kai; Kavi>n kth si": tou'to de; uJmnw' n oJ ∆Ada;m
The Questions on Genesis
l. w/ jkodomhsqai Sch. : oijkodomeisqai B, , : w/ jkodomeisqai Sir.F.M. For the perfect infinitive governed by an aorist, cf. Eus., D. e. .. (ou |toime; n tessaravkonta kai; e}x e[tesin w/ jkodomhsqai to; n nao; n e[ fasan). Whilethe TLG provides eighteen attestations of the form w/ jkodomhsqai,w/ jkodomeisqai, clearly an error of etacism, is listed only for this passage.
l. tai~ oijkodomivai~ , c 1, Sir. Sch. : tai~ ej n u{dasi oijkodomivai~ F.M. =“the people apply this to each layer of the buildings they construct on the water and then lay the baked brick on top” : ta;~ ej n u{dasi oijkodomiva~ , = “as they construct their buildings on the water, the people lay the baked brick on top of it (i.e.,the bitumen).” Construction with brick, i.e., baked mud, in or over water, seemsquite implausible; cf., e.g., Caesar, Civ. . on the use of water to destroy brick.
, , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mm
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They probably thought the tower was built with unslaked lime
because they did not know about the springs in Assyria. But from
travelers who have been there I have gathered circumstantial infor-
mation to the effect that there are springs, which, along with theirwater, pour forth bitumen, and that the people apply this to each
layer of their constructions and then lay the baked brick on top.
This, so they claim, is how the tower was built, and eyewitnesses,
who have managed to break off a piece, have come to the definite
conclusion that bitumen was laid on the baked bricks. Indeed, as my
informants indicate that there is a shortage of stone in Assyria—
hence, people there build with bricks rather than stone—it is hardto see how there could be any unslaked lime without stone.1
Which is the most ancient language?a
The names give the clue; Adam, Cain, Abel, and Noah belong to
Syriac. Speakers of Syriac normally refer to red earth as “adamtha,”
so Adam means “earthly” or “made of dust”;b Cain “acquisition,” for
when he sang God’s praises, Adam said, “Thanks to God I have ac-
Question
. Though the story of the Tower was “the keystone to the Yahwistic primevalhistory” (von Rad, p. ), Theodoret selects for comment no more than this detail,
which testifies to his interest in natural history. He may be contradicting an opin-ion of Eusebius of Emesa repeated by Diodore, v. Petit, La chaîne, vol. , frag.
and cf. Petit, Catenae, vol. , frag. .
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ei[rhken, ejkthsav mhn a[nqrwpon dia; tou' Qeou' :c kai; [Abel
pevnqo": prw'to" ga;r ou |to" w[ fqh nekro;" kai; prw'to" toi'"
gegennhkovsi proujxev nhse pev nqo":d kai; Nw' e ajnavpausi".e
JH ou\ n eJbraiva povqen h[rxato;
Oi\mai aujth; n iJ era; n ei\ nai fwnhv n: w{sper ga;r ej n toi'"
eJllhnikoi'" naoi'" i[dioiv tine" h\san carakth're" grammavtwn, ou}"
iJeratikou;" proshgovreuon, ou{tw dia; tou' Mwu>sevw" oJ tw' n o{lwnQeo;" tauvthn e[dwke th; n glw'ttan, didakth; n ou\san, ouj fusikhv n.
toigavrtoi tw' n a[llwn aJpav ntwn kata; th; n tw' n ejqnw' n ej n oi |" a] n
gennhqw'si fqeggomev nwn fwnhv n, kai; tw' n me; n ej n ∆Italiva/
tiktomev nwn th' / ijtalw' n kecrhmev nwn, tw' n de; ej n th' / ÔEllavdi th' /
eJllhv nwn, kai; tw' n ej n Persivdi th' / persw' n, kai; tw' n ej n Aijguvptw/
th' / aijguptivwn, ta; eJbraivwn paidiva ouj th' / eJbraiva/ e[stin euJrei' n
eujqu;" kecrhmev na fwnh' /, ajlla; th' / ejkeiv nwn paræ oi |" ejgennhvqhsan.
ei\ta, meiravkia genovmena, didavsketai tw' n grammavtwn tou;"
carakth'ra", manqav nei de; dia; tw' n grammavtwn th; n qeivan
grafhv n, th' / eJbraiv >di gegrammev nhn fwnh' /. oi\mai de; tou'to
aij nivttesqai kai; to; n makavrion Dabi;d ej n tw' / ojgdohkostw' / yalmw' /:
glw' ssan h}n oujk e[gnw h[kousen.a
The Questions on Genesis
c. Gn .mmd. Gn .mme. Gn .
, , *, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Ps .
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quired a man”;c Abel “grief,” since his was the first death ever seen
and he was the first to cause his parents pain;d and Noah “rest.”1e
So what was the origin of Hebrew?
I believe that Hebrew is a sacred tongue. As in the pagan temples
there were special signs called “hieratic,” so, through Moses, the God
of the universe imparted this language, which comes, not from na-ture, but from instruction. Indeed, other peoples speak the language
of the nations in which they have been born, those raised in Italy us-
ing that of the Italians, those in Greece that of the Greeks, those in
Persia that of the Persians, and those in Egypt that of the Egyptians.
Likewise, we observe the children of the Hebrews using initially, not
Hebrew, but the language of the people among whom they have
been born. Then in their teens they are taught the alphabet of the
written language, and, through the written word, gain knowledge of
holy Scripture, which is written in Hebrew. I believe blessed David
also hints at this in the eighty-first psalm: “He heard a language
which he did not know.”1a
Question
. When Theodoret, a native speaker of Syriac, relies on his knowledge of thisdialect of Aramaic to make direct use of the Hebrew text, he sometimes misinter-prets the etymologies of the biblical authors. Here his grasp of Syriac does not pre-vent his confusing similar Hebrew terms for “red,” “man,” and “earth” and accept-ing unreliable etymologies for the names Cain, Abel, and Noah.
. Theodoret seems to be referring to Jews of his acquaintance who had learnedHebrew in preparation for a Bar Mitzvah. In his earlier commentary on the
Psalms, he had explained the “language” or “tongue” of . LXX (. MT) as re-ferring to the divine voice, which Israel had never heard until God conferred theLaw during their trek through the wilderness.
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jAllav tinev" fasin ajpo; tou' {Eber eJ braivan keklh'sqai th; n
glw'ssan: ejkei' non ga;r mov non ej n th' / protevra/ mei' nai fwnh' /, kai;
ejkei'qen eJ braivou " oj nomasqh' nai.a
jEgw; de; oi\mai eJbraivou" oj nomasqh' nai ejk tou' to; n patriavrchn
∆Abraa;m ajpo; th'" caldaivwn cwvra" eij" th; n Palaistiv nhn ejlqei' n,
to; n Euj fravthn potamo; n diabav nta: eJ bra ga;r th' / suvrwn fwnh' /
oJ peravth~ oj nomavzetai. ou{tw de; kai; aujto;" ejkalei'to, kai;
mavrtu" hJ qeiva grafhv: meta; ga;r th; n tou' Lw;t aij cmalwsivan ejlqwv n ti", fhsiv n, ajphvggeilen ∆ Abraa; m tw' / peravth/.b tou'to de;
para; tw' / eJbraivw/ keivmenon eu |ron eJ brei: |to; de; eJ brei
ejxellhnizovmenon eJ brai' o" giv netai: kai; ga;r ej n ejkeiv nw/ tw' / cwrivw/,
e[ nqa hJ aijguptiva peri; tou' ∆Iwsh; f e[ fh, eijshvgage" hJ mi' n pai' da
eJ brai' on ej mpaivzein hJ mi' n,c para; tw' / eJbraivw/ eJbrei kei'tai.
Eij de; ejk tou' {Eber eJbrai'oi kalou' ntai, ouj mov nou" ej crh' n
touvtou" ou{tw prosagoreuv esqai: polla; ga;r e[qnh ejk tou' {Eber katavgei to; gev no", kaiv, i{ na tou;" a[llou" pav nta" parw',
ejk touvtou eijsi; n ijsmahli'tai, kai; oiJ ajpo; th'" Cettouvra", kai;
ijdoumai'oi, kai; ajmalhki'tai, kai; mwabi'tai, kai; ajmmani'tai, kai;
oiJ ta;" Kavrra" oijkou' nte": ejk tou' ga;r Nacw;r kai; tou' Lavban
The Questions on Genesis
|11
, (inc.) , B, C –50 , [ ] = mss.
l. oJ peravth~ C –50 , [ ] , Sir. Sch. : diavbasi~ F.M. = “for ‘hebra’ in Syriac means ‘crossing’” : hJ diavbasi~ , , : om. . N.B. thefollowing ou{tw de;.......ga;r, which look forward to the term peravth/ in thefollowing quotation of Gn ., and cf. Ph., Migr. (peravth~ ga;r oJÔEbraio~ eJrmhneuv etai) and F. Petit, La chaîne, vol. , frag. .
l. ∆Abraa; m Sir. Sch. F.M. : ∆Abra; m (?) J.P. It is difficult to believe that sucha precise scholar as Thdt. would not have adverted to the premature use of thisform of the name, not conferred by God until .. Nonetheless, as F.M. reportsno variants in the spelling either here or in the quotation of . in the nextquestion, and as Wevers cites more than isolated support for ∆Abraa; m at ., Ihave left it unchanged; cf. the critical note on Q. .
a. Gn ., f.;.–mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .
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1
But some commentators have claimed that the language is called
“Hebrew” after Heber, because he alone continued to use the origi-
nal language, and that the “Hebrews” were named from him.a
I rather think that the Hebrews received their name from the fact
that the patriarch Abraham came from the land of the Chaldeans
into Palestine by crossing the Euphrates, for “hebra” is the Syriac
term for an emigrant. Holy Scripture witnesses that he was called by
this name. For after Lot was captured, someone came and “reportedto Abraham the emigrant (peravth/).”b I find the word “perates” ex-
pressed in the Hebrew as “hebrei,” which, when translated into
Greek, becomes “Hebraios.”2 Indeed, in the passage where the
Egyptian woman says of Joseph, “You brought us a Hebrew slave to
insult us,”c “hebrei” occurs in the Hebrew.
If, on the other hand, they are called Hebrews after Heber, they
should not be the only ones to have this name, for many nations aredescended from Heber. I shall not try to produce a complete list, but
the Israelites come from him, as well as those born of Keturah, the
Idumeans, the Amalekites, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the
people who live in Haran, the descendants of Nahor and Laban.
Question
. In the editions of J. Sirmond and J.L. Schulze, this question forms part of theprevious; thus, in their numeration, all questions from – bear a number lowerby one; cf. note on Q. . My numeration here and to the end of the work followsthat of Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos.
. The Greek terms diabav nta and diavbasi~, the first a participle, the seconda noun, both derive from the verb diabaiv nein “to cross”; peravth~ or “emigrant”derives from peraiv nw, another verb meaning “to cross.” Theodoret correctly de-tects the semantic similarity of the Syriac hebra, the Hebrew hebri, and the Greek
peravth~. Somewhat similarly, Chrysostom had seen (hom.
.
in Gen ) in the useof peravth~ in Gn . an etymological pun on the name “Abraham,” which hewrongly understood to be derived from ‘br “to cross,” the root of hebri.
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to; gev no" katavgousin. ajllæ oujdei;" touvtwn th' / eJbraiv >di crh'tai
fwnh' /. ajlla; peri; touvtou zugomacei' n perittov n: oujde; n ga;r tw' /
lovgw/ th'" eujsebeiva" lumaiv netai, ka[ n te tou'to, ka[ n te ejkei' no
dexwvmeqa.
Tinev" fasi th' / Savrra/ migh' nai to; n Farawv.a
Poiva" ou\ n khdemoniva" ajphvlausen ∆Abraa;m para; tou' tw' no{lwn Qeou', eij periei'den aujtou' moiceuomev nhn th; n gamethv n; tiv
dhv pote de; kai; h[tasen ejtasmoi'" megavloi" kai; ponhroi'" to; n
Faraw; kai; a{panta to; n oi\kon aujtou`b eij mh; kwlu'sai th; n
parav nomon hjbouvleto sunafhv n; kai; aujto;" de; oJ Faraw; th; n
a[gnoian eij" ajpologivan probavlletai, kai; mevmfetai tw' / ∆Abraa;m
ajdelfh; n keklhkovti th; n gamethv n, kai; didavskei wJ", ouj c uJbrivsai
aujthv n, ajlla; gh'mai boulovmeno" e[labe: tiv tou' to, gavr fhsin,
ejpoivhsav" moi.......o{ti gunhv souv ejstin ; i{na tiv ei\ pa" .......ajdelfhv
mouv ejsti; kai; e[labon aujth;n ej mautw' / eij" gunai' ka. kai; nu' n ijdou;
hJ gunhv sou ejnantivon sou: labw;n ajpovtrece.c kai; ouj mov non
ei\pen, ajlla; kai; e[praxe, kai; pantodaph'" khdemoniva" hjxivwsen:
ejneteivlato, gavr fhsi, Faraw; ajndravsi peri; tou' ∆Abraa; m
sumpropev myai aujtovn, kai; th;n gunai' ka aujtou' , kai; pavnta o{sa
h\ n aujtw' /.d dh'lon toiv nun wJ", eujqu;" aJrpasqeivsh" th'" Savrra",
ejpevdhse th' / novsw/ to; n Faraw; tw' n o{lwn oJ pruvtani", hJ de; novso"th; n o[rexin h[mblunen, kaiv, tw' n diktuvwn ei[sw th; n qhvran e[ cwn, oJ
qhreuth;" oujk ajphvlause th'" a[gra": hJ ga;r novso" ejkwvluse.
The Questions on Genesis
, a 2 , B, C, [ ] = mss.
l. ∆Abraa; m v. the critical note to l. of the previous question.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .f.mmd. Gn .
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None of these uses the Hebrew language. No point, however, in
squabbling over this: no harm is done to religion, whichever opin-
ion we adopt.3
Some commentators have claimed that Pharaoh had relations
with Sarah.a
What kind of care would Abraham have received from the Godof the universe if God had allowed his spouse to be defiled in an
adulterous relationship? Why would he have put Pharaoh and all his
household to the test with severe and painful trialsb unless his inten-
tion was to prevent the unlawful union? Pharaoh himself alleged ig-
norance as an excuse and blamed Abraham for saying his spouse
was his sister, and this shows that he took Sarah, not to violate, but
to marry, her: “Why did you do this to me, as she is your wife? Why
did you say, ‘She is my sister?’ And so I took her for my wife! Now,
lo, here is your wife before you; take her and be off.”c He not only
spoke but acted on his words and then honored him with every
mark of respect: “Pharaoh gave his men instructions regarding
Abraham, to accompany him, his wife, and all his possessions.”1d We
can, therefore, conclude that, as soon as Sarah was snatched away, he
who governs the world restrained Pharaoh with an ailment, and this
blunted his desire; though the prey was already in his toils, thehunter, prevented by the ailment, could not enjoy his catch.
Question
. Exhibiting the moderation for which Bardy has praised him (“Interpréta-tion,” p. ), Theodoret finally concedes that such details are not vital to what is,after all, a pastoral commentary; cf. note to the “Introduction to Theodoret’ sLife and Works” and the last two sentences of Q. .
. Guinot (p. ) is unable to identify the source of the contrary and under-standable view cited in the question. Chrysostom (hom. . in Gen.), like Theodo-ret, emphasises the role of God’s providence in protecting Sarah.
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Kai; tiv no" e{ neken ej ntau'qa me; n ejsivghsen hJ grafh; to;
fulacqh' nai th; n Savrran ajlwvbhton,a ej n de; tw' / kata; to; n
∆Abimevlec dihghvmati safw'" tou'to dedhvlwke;b
[Emellen hJ Savrra thnikau'ta tivktein to; n ∆Isaavk.c i{ na toiv nun
mh; u{popton gev nhtai to; spevrma tou' ∆Abraavm, safw'" ejkei'
dedhvlwken hJ qeiva grafh; o{ti ouj c h{ yato aujth'" oJ ∆Abimevlec.
Kai; ej nteu'qen mev ntoi kajkei'qen ijstevon wJ" kai; tou;"
barbavrou" hJ fuvsi" ejdivdaxen o{ti ponhro; n hJ moiceiva kai;timwriva" a[xion. kai; ga;r oJ Faraw; tou'to dedhvlwken,
ejpimemyavmeno" tw' / ∆Abraavm,d kai; oJ ∆Abimevlec pro;" to; n tw' n
o{lwn e[ fh Qeov n, Kuv rie, e[qno" ajgnoou' n kai; divkaion ajpoktenei' " ;
oujk aujtov" moi ei\ pen o{ti ajdelfhv mouv ejsti, kai; aujthv moi ei\ pen,
ajdelfov" mouv ejstin ; ejn kardiva/ kaqara' / kai; ejn dikaiosuvnh/
ceirw' n ejpoivhsa tou' to.e tevqeike de; oJ suggrafeu;" kai; tou' Qeou'
th; n ajpovkrisin: ei\ pe ......., gavr fhsin, oJ Qeo;" tw' / ∆Abimevlec kaqæ u{pnon, kajgw; e[gnwn o{ti ejn kaqara' / kardiva/ ejpoivhsa" tou' to kai;
ejfeisav mhn .......sou tou' mh; a{ yasqai aujth'", tou' mh;
aJ martei' n .......eij" ej mev: e{neken touvtou oujk ajfh' kav se a{yasqai
aujth' ". nu' n ou\ n ajpovdo" th;n gunai' ka tw' / ajnqrwvpw/, o{ti profhvth"
ejsti; kai; proseuvxetai peri; sou' , kai; swqhvsh/ su; kai; pa'" oJ
oi\kov" sou. eij de; mh; ajpodivdw", gnw' qi o{ti ajpoqanh' / suv.f
Didavskei de; hJma'" oJ qei'o" lovgo" o{ti th'" dikaiosuv nh" tou;"
ejrasta;" plhmmelei' n ejx ajgnoiva" mevllonta" oujk eja' /: dh'lon
toiv nun wJ" kai; to; n Faraw; kekwvluken aJmartei' n, wJ" ajdelfh; n tou'
∆Abraa;m novmw/ gavmou th; n Savrran eijlhfovta. ejpeidh; de; kreivttwn
h\ n, wJ" eijkov", oJ ∆Abimevlec tou' Farawv, ejkei' non me; n dia;
paideiva" th; n paranomivan ejdivdaxen, touvtw/ de; kai; th'" aijkiva"
kai; tou' plhmmelhvmato" oujk e[dwken aujto;" th; n sugcwvrhsin
The Questions on Genesis
, a 2 , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .–mmd. Gn .f.mme. Gn .f.mmf. Gn .f.
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Why, then, does Scripture here make no mention of Sarah’s pro-
tection from harma while it states this explicitly in the passage re-
garding Abimelech?b
Sarah was then on the point of giving birth to Isaac.c To forestall
any doubt of Abraham’s paternity of the child, in that passage, holy
Scripture explicitly stated that Abimelech did not lay a hand on her.
From this incident and the other we should realize that nature
teaches even savages that adultery is wicked and deserving of pun-ishment. After all, Pharaoh indicated this when he reproached Abra-
ham.d And Abimelech said to the God of the universe, “Lord, will
you slaughter an ignorant and righteous people? Did he not say to
me, ‘She is my sister,’ and did she not say to me, ‘He is my brother’? I
did this with a clear conscience and with unstained hands.”e The
historian also cited God’s reply: “God said to Abimelech in a dream,
I too am aware that you did this with a clear conscience, and I pre-vented you from touching her so you would not sin against me; that
is why I did not allow you to touch her. So now give his wife back to
her husband, because he is a prophet and will pray for you, and you
will be saved, you and all your household. But if you do not give her
back, know that you will die.”f
The divine word teaches us that he restrains the lovers of virtuewhen they are about to sin through ignorance. Thus, we may con-
clude that he also prevented Pharaoh from sinning after he had tak-
en Sarah for lawful marriage under the impression she was Abra-
ham’s sister. Abimelech was evidently a better man than Pharaoh.
God taught Pharaoh about his transgression by punishing him. In
the case of Abimelech, though not himself pardoning the outrage
Question
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ajlla; to; n hjdikhmev non aijth'sai tauvthn aj nevmeinen, ejpifaneiva"
te hJmevrw" hjxivwse, kai; lovgoi" hjpivoi" ejpevdeixe th; n
tetolmhmev nhn paranomivan.
J O Melcisede;k povqen kath'ge to; gev no";a
Tou' qespesivou levgonto" Pauvlou, ajpavtwr, aj mhvtwr,
ajgenealovghto",b tiv" a] n gnoiv h to; ajlhqev"; eijko;" de; aujto; n ejk
tw' n ejqnw' n ejkeiv nwn ei\ nai, tw' n th; n Palaistiv nhn oijkouv ntwn: ejkeiv nwn ga;r kai; basileu;" kai; iJ ereu;" ejtuvgcanen w[ n, iJ ereu;" de;
tou' tw' n o{lwn Qeou': h\ n ......., gavr fhsin, iJereu;" tou' qeou' tou'
uJyivstou.c o{qen aujtw' / kai; ∆Abraa;m oJ patriavrch" prosenhv noce
ta;" tw' n lafuvrwn dekavta" kaiv, divkaio" w] n kai; tou' Qeou' fivlo",
paræ ejkeiv nou th; n eujlogivan karpou'tai.d th'" ga;r despotikh'"
ei\ cen iJ erwsuv nh" to; n tuvpon:e dio; dh; kai; a[rtou" tw' / ∆Abraa;m kai;
oi\ non aj ntevdwken, wJ" toiau'ta tuco; n prosfevrein eijwqw;" tw' / tw' n
o{lwn Qew' /:f e[dei ga;r kaj n touvtw / deicqh' nai to; n tuvpon.
The Questions on Genesis
l. paranomivan. Sir. F.M. : paranomivan. ei\ pe de; ∆Abimevlec tw` / ∆Abrav m:tiv ejnidw;n ejpoivhsa~ to; rJh` ma tou` to; ei\ pe de; ∆Abrav m: ei\ pon gav r, mhvpote oujk e[stin qeosev beia ejn tw/ ` tovpw/ touvtw/, ej mev te ajpoktenou` sin e{neken th` ~ gunaikov~ mou. kai; ga; r ajlhqw` ~ ajdelfhv mouv ejstin ejk patro;~ ajllæ oujk ejk mhtrov~: kai; ga; r ajlhqw` ~ ajdelfhv mou: qugavthr patrov~ mouv ejstin,plh;n ouj qugavthr mhtrov~ mou (Gn . – LXX var.) added at end of quest. in C, [ ] (with some variants), Sch. ( ajllæ oujk ejk mhtrov~: kai; ga; r ajlhqw` ~ ouj
qugavthr mhtrov~ mou ) = “the transgression he had committed. ‘Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What was your purpose in doing this?” And Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘Most likely there is no fear of God in this place and they will kill me for my wife.’ In fact, she really is my sister from the same father but not from the same mother. In fact, she is my sister, daughter of my father, but not of my mother .”’”
a 2 , B, C, [ ] = mss.
1. kaj n touvtwÛ , , Sch. : ka} n touvtwÛ Sir. : ka/ ] n touto F.M. Forkaj n touvtw/, cf. Q. (i{ na th; n ajlhvqeian kaj n touvtw/ skiagrafhvsh/) and for thesame confusion of kaj n and ka] n, cf. F.M., l. , p. and l. , p. .
a. Gn .mmb. Heb .mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn .f.mme. Heb. .mmf. Gn .
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and the sin and though leaving it to the wronged man to beg pardon
on Abimelech’s behalf, God kindly accorded him a vision and point-
ed out in mild words the transgression he had committed.1
What was Melchizedek’s ancestry?a
Since the divinely inspired Paul says, “Without father, without
mother, without a family tree,”b who could know for sure? He prob-
ably belonged to those nations that inhabited Palestine, and whiletheir king and priest both, he was also a priest of the God of the uni-
verse. Scripture says, “He was a priest of God the Most High.”c
Hence, the patriarch offered him a tenth of the spoils and, being a
righteous man, a friend of God’s, Abraham gained his blessing.d In
fact, Melchizedek provided a type of the kingly priesthood.e Thus,
he gave Abraham in return both bread and wine, things he was per-
haps in the habit of offering to the God of the universe,f for the type
had to be made manifest in this as well.1
Question
. Theodoret apparently compares the cases of Abimelech (Gn ) andPharaoh (Gn .–) in order to engage in further reflection on the idea of natu-ral law; cf. Q. .
. Guided by Heb .f., Theodoret sees Melchizedek as a type of Christ as wellas a priest of “God Most High.” He is, of course, unaware of the Canaanite originsof this latter term and the unique character of this chapter, whose internationalsetting and unusual style and vocabulary set it apart from all the “establishedsources of Genesis”; v. Speiser, p. . Though Theodoret commends Abraham as
“righteous,” he does not follow Chrysostom (hom. . in Gen.) in pointing outthat the noun “righteousness” (zedek) constitutes the second half of Melchizedek’sname.
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Pw'" ∆Abraa;m pisto;" oj nomavzetai,a eijrhkw;" tw' / Qew' /, kata; tiv
gnwvsomai tou' to, o{ti klhronomhvsw aujthvn ;b
To; kata; tiv gnwvsomai tou' to, oujk ajpistou' ntov" ejstin, ajlla;
maqei' n poqou' nto" th'" klhronomiva" to; n trovpon. ejpeidh; ga;r
eJwvra plhvqh muriva th; n Palaistiv nhn oijkou' nta, maqei' n hjboulhvqh
tiv ni trovpw/ paralhv yetai th'" gh'" ejkeiv nh" th; n despoteivan:
polevmou novmw/, div ca polevmou, zwv ntwn ejkeiv nwn, aj nairoumev nwn,
ejxelaunomev nwn. touvtou cavrin meta; th; n qusivan oJ tw' n o{lwn e[ fhQeov", ginwvskwn gnwvsh/ o{ti pav roikon e[stai to; spev rma sou ejn
gh' / oujk ijdiva/, kai; doulwvsousin aujtouv", kai; kakwvsousin aujtouv",
kai; tapeinwvsousin .......e[th tetrakovsia. to; de; e[qno" w | / eja;n
douleuvswsi krinw' ejgwv: meta; de; tau' ta ejxeleuvsontai w |de meta;
ajposkeuh' " pollh' ". su; de; ajpeleuvsei pro;" tou;" patev ra" sou ejn
eij rhvnh/, trafei;" ejn ghv rei kalw' /. tetav rth/ de; genea' /
ajpostrafhvsontai w |de: ou[pw ga; r ajnapeplhv rwntai aiJ aJ martivaitw' n aj morraivwn e{w" tou' nu' n.c
jEk th'" qeiva" ajpokrivsew" e[sti gnw' nai to; n trovpon th'"
ejrwthvsew". ejpeidh; ga;r ei\pe, kata; tiv gnwvsomai o{ti
klhronomhvsw aujthvn, ejdidav cqh o{son me; n paroikhvsousi crov non,
kai; o{pw" talaipwrhvsousin, o{sh" te ajxiwqhvsontai promhqeiva":
tw' n me; n polemhvsein ejqelov ntwn aujtoi'" kolasqhsomev nwn,
touvtwn de; ta; ejkeiv nwn karpwsamev nwn: kai; o{ti, touvtwn aujto;"oujdemivan pei'ran labwv n, ej n eijrhv nh/ kataluvsei to; n bivon.
jEdivdaxe de; kai; th'" aj nabolh'" th; n aijtivan i{ na mhv ti"
topavsh/ dia; to; plh'qo" tw' n ej noikouv ntwn mh; dunhqh' nai to; n
despovthn Qeo; n th'" gh'" aujtoi'" ejkeiv nh" paradou' nai th; n
The Questions on Genesis
A –2c , B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Cf. Rom .–.mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .–mm
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How can Abraham be called “faithful”a when he asked God,
“How am I to know that I shall inherit the land?”b
The question, “How am I to know?” comes not from one who
lacks belief but from one anxious to learn the manner of inheri-
tance. Since he saw the countless hordes occupying Palestine, he
wanted to know how he was to take possession of that land: by
fighting or without fighting, leaving them alive, killing them, or
driving them out. Therefore, after the sacrifice, the God of the uni-verse declared,“You will know this for certain: Your offspring will be
aliens in a land that is not theirs. They will enslave, afflict, and op-
press them for four hundred years. But I shall bring judgment on
the nation to whom they are enslaved, and afterwards they will es-
cape to this place with many possessions. But you will go to your fa-
thers in peace, nourished to a fine old age. 1 They will return here in
the fourth generation; at present, the sins of the Amorites are not yet complete.”c
We can determine the manner of the enquiry from God’s reply.
After asking, “How am I to know that I shall inherit it?” he was in-
formed of the duration of their time as aliens; the way they would
suffer; the degree of providential assistance they would receive when
those bent on warring against them would be punished, and they
would enter into the enjoyment of their property; and, last of all,that he himself would experience none of this but end his life in
peace.
He also informed him of the reason for the delay, in case anyone
should think that the Lord God could not give them control of the
land because it was so thickly populated. He declared, “At present,
Question
. For “nourished,” trafeiv", the reading of Theodoret’s text of Genesis, otherforms of the LXX read “buried,” tafeiv"; this is the meaning of the Hebrew.
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a{per oJ patriavrch" ejk tw' n iJ ereivwn ejxhvlaune, th; n fonikh; n tw' n
aijguptivwn proh/ nivtteto gnwvmhn,e h} n a[prakton ajpev fhnen oJ
despovth" Qeov", ta;" pro;" to; n ∆Abraa;m ejmpedw' n uJposcevsei":
w{sper ga;r ej n tw' / tuvpw/ tou;" sarkobovrou" o[rnei" ejxhvlaunen∆Abraavm, ou{tw" hJ timh; tou' ∆Abraa;m tou;" aijguptivou" ejkovlase.
to; de; peri; hJlivou dusma;" oj fqh' nai to; n kapnizovmenon klivbanon
kai; ta;" tou' puro;" lampavda" ejdhvlou me; n kai; to; decqh' nai ta;
quvmata,f proeshvmaine de; kai; th; n para; to; tevlo" tou'
prorrhqev nto" crov nou ejsomev nhn ejpifav neian tou' tw' n o{lwn
Qeou': dia; puro;" ga;r ejpefav nh kai; Mwu>sh' / tw' / nomoqevth/g kai;
meta; tau'ta panti; tw' / law' /.h
|| ejdivdaske de; pro;" touvtoi" kai; o{titau'ta u{steron nomoqethvsei ta; zw' /a prosfevresqai.i
Tine;" dev fasin o{ti bebaivan dei'xai boulovmeno" th; n
uJpovscesin, oJ Qeo;" kata; to; kratou' n e[qo" ejpoihvsato ta;"
sunqhvka": eijwvqasi gavr, w{" fasi, dich' ta; iJ erei'a diairou' nte",
ou{tw poiei'sqai tou;" o{rkou". ejgw; de; kai; tau'ta kajkei' na
tevqeika i{ na to; dokou' n ajlhqevsteron oiJ ej ntugcav nonte"
devxwntai.
Polloi; tw' n ajkolavstwn aj formh; n eij" lagneivan lambav nousi
to; n patriavrchn ∆Abraa;m pallakh; n ejschkev nai.a
{Ekaston tw' n prattomev nwn ejk tou' skopou' kriv netai tw' n
diaprattomev nwn. ou{tw toiv nun kai; ta; kata; th; n [Agarskophvswmen, ka] n ejpiqumiva/ dedouleukovta to; n patriavrchn
i[dwmen, nemeshto; n to; pra'gma kalevswmen. eij de; th'" oJmozuvgou
th'" fuvsew" ejpideixavsh" to; pavqo", kai; to; n poihth; n a[gonon
The Questions on Genesis
e. Gn .mmf. Gn .mmg. Ex .–mmh. Ex .–mmi. V., e.g., Lv .–; Nm .–.
A, B, C, [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .–mm
||41
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The birds that flew onto the divided carcasses, and which the patri-
arch drove off from the offerings, presaged the murderous intention
of the Egyptians,e which the Lord God brought to naught in his
guarantee of the promises to Abraham. As Abraham drove off thescavengers in the type, so it was God’s regard for Abraham that led
to the punishment of the Egyptians. The vision at sunset of the
smoking pan and the fiery torches showed the acceptance of the of-
feringsf and foreshadowed the appearance of the God of the uni-
verse that would occur at the end of the prophesied time, for he ap-
peared in fire to Moses the lawgiverg and later to all the people.h In
addition, it taught that, at some later date, God would prescribe theoffering of these animals.i
Now, some commentators have held that, in his wish to bring out
the reliability of the promise, he made the treaty according to the
prevailing practice, since people normally divided victims in two (so
they claim) to take an oath. I cite this view and the other for readers
to take whichever strikes them as closer to the truth.
As an excuse for their own lust many licentious people adduce
the example of the patriarch Abraham, who kept a concubine.a
Every act is to be judged according to the intention of those who
perform it. Therefore, let us consider the case of Hagar, and if weshould see the patriarch in thrall to lust, we shall brand his conduct
as reprehensible. But if his wife pointed out her natural infirmity,
admitted that the Creator had made her barren, revealed her own
Question
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dedhmiourghkev nai th; n mhvtran eijrhkuiva", kai; th'" paidopoiiva"
dhlwsavsh" to; n povqon, kai; touvtou cavrin iJketeusavsh" oJmilh'sai
th' Û [Agar, i{ na aujth' / paidivon ejkei'qen ejpinohvsh/, tiv ejxhvmarten
∆Abraavm, ou[te th'" fuvsew" ou[te novmou tino;" ejggrav fouthnikau'ta th; n polugamivan kwluvonto", th'" de; oJmozuvgou
steriv fh" me; n ou[sh", liparhsavsh" de; to; n a[ ndra th' / paidivskh/
migh' nai, ouj c i{ na hJdupaqeiva/ douleuvsh/, ajllæ o{pw" aujto;" me; n
fuvsei, aujth; de; qevsei, paivdwn klhqw'si gennhvtore";
{ Oti ga;r kreivttwn h\ n aijscra'" hJdonh'" oJ qei'o" ejkei' no"
aj nhvr, ouj mov non tau'ta, ajlla; kai; ta; eJxh'" marturei'. ejpeidh; ga;r
ejgkuvmwn hJ [Agar genomev nh megalauciva" prov fasin e[sce th; nkuv hsin kai; kata; th'" despoiv nh" ejluvtthsen, ejduscevraine me; n hJ
Savrra kai; tou' patriavrcou katebov hsen oujk ojrqw'".b oJ de; mavla
hjpivw" th; n paroinivan dexavmeno", ejxevdwken aujth' / th; n paidivskhn
eij" timwrivan, oujde; tecqh' nai prosmeiv na" to; kuoforouvmenon
brev fo": ijdouv, gavr fhsin, hJ paidivskh sou ejn tai' " cersiv sou:
crw' aujth' / wJ" ejavn soi aj resto;n h\ /.c
Tiv dhv pote peritmhqh' nai aujto; n prosevtaxen oJ Qeov";a
Proeipw; n th; n paroikivan,b fulakhv n tina mhcana'tai th' /
eujsebeiva/ i{ na, toi'" dussebevsin aj nqrwvpoi" aj namigev nte", mh;
diafqeivrwsi th; n eujgev neian, ajllæ eij" to; shmei'on oJrw' nte",
a[sbeston tou' dedwkovto" tou'to th; n mnhvmhn fulavttwsi. kai;o{ti tou'tov ejstin ajlhqe;" hJ e[rhmo" mavrtu": tessaravkonta ga;r
crov nou" ej n aujth' / diatriv yante", peritth; n ej novmizon th; n
peritomhv n, tw' n ejqnw' n kecwrismev noi kai; kaqæ eJautou;"
politeuovmenoi. hJ nivka de; loipo; n eij" th; n ejphggelmev nhn
The Questions on Genesis
b. Gn .f.mmc. Gn .
A, B, C, (inc.) (inc.) [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mm
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desire for a child, and implored him to have relations with Hagar so
that she might reckon that woman’s child as her own, what sin did
Abraham commit? Neither nature nor any law promulgated at that
time forbade polygamy, and his wife was barren and importunedher husband to have intercourse with the servant girl, not so that he
would become a slave to lust, but so they could be called parents, he
naturally, and she by adoption.
Moreover, what happens next confirms that that holy man was
proof against dishonorable pleasure. As you recall, when Hagar con-
ceived, she made her pregnancy a ground for boasting and behavedinsolently towards her mistress Sarah, who became upset and un-
justly complained against the patriarch.b But he took her unreason-
able behavior very patiently and handed the servant girl over to her
for punishment without even waiting for the birth of the child in
her womb: “See,” he said, “the servant girl is in your hands. Treat her
as you please.”1c
Why did God order Abraham to be circumcised?a
When he foretold the exile,b he devised a protection for their reli-
gion so that, when mingling with pagans, they would not contami-
nate their noble descent, but rather, looking to the sign, keep an
undying memory of the one who had conferred it. The account of their wanderings confirms this. They spent forty years in the wilder-
ness and thought circumcision pointless, since they were cut off
from the nations and living a life apart. But when they later entered
the promised land, the God of the universe ordered Joshua son of
Question
. Theodoret, taking the line of interpretation already suggested by Chrysostom(hom. . in Gen.), regards the central issue in .– as the morality of Abraham’s
conduct. As he points out, the attack against Abraham is anachronistic, because thepatriarchs lived in a society that countenanced polygamy. While his behavior wasentirely reasonable, that of his wife and maidservant was flawed by outbursts of
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eijshvgonto gh' n, thnikau'ta pavlin oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" ∆Ihsou' tw' /
tou' Nauh' |prosevtaxe peritemei' n a{panta" kai; ou{tw th'" gh'"
paradou' nai th; n despoteivan:c e[mellon ga;r e[qnesin ajllofuvloi"
pelavzein, ou | dh; cavrin aj nagkaivw" th'" sfragi'do" ejdevonto, th'"ajpo; tw' n ajllogenw' n aujtou;" cwrizouvsh" ejqnw' n.
Eij de; mevga fronou'sin ejpi; th' / peritomh' / ijoudai'oi, maqevtwsan
wJ" ouj mov no" oJ patriavrch" perietmhvqh, ajlla; kai; ∆Ismah;l oJ
hJmivdoulo", kai; oiJ oijkogenei'" oijkevtai, kai; oiJ ajrgurwv nhtoi,d kai;
oiJ ijdoumai'oi,e kai; oiJ ajpo; th'" Cettouvra":f e[maqon de; ejk tw' n
ijsrahlitw' n kai; aijguvptioi peritevmnesqai.g ouj toiv nun hJ
peritomh; dikaivou" ejrgavzetai: ou |toi ga;r a{pante" wJ"dussebei'" uJpo; th'" qeiva" kathgorou' ntai grafh'". oujkou' n oujde;
to; n|| ∆Abraa;m hJ peritomh; ejdikaivwsen, ajllæ hJ me; n pivsti"
ajpev fhne divkaion,h lamprovteron de; hJ ajreth; kateskeuvasen. hJ
de; peritomh; shmei'on ejdovqh th'" pivstew".
The Questions on Genesis
|13
||4
c. Jos .–mmd. Gn .–mme. Jer .f.mmf. Gn .–mmg. Jer .f.mmh. Gn .
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Nun to circumcise all the men before handing over ownership of
the land.1c They were destined to come into close proximity with the
gentiles and hence were in need of a seal that would distinguish
them from peoples of foreign lineage.
Now, if Jews make so much of their circumcision, they should
learn that it was not only the patriarch who was circumcised but
also Ishmael, a half-slave, as well as the homeborn slaves, the pur-
chased slaves,d the Idumeans,e and the offspring of Keturah.f Even
the Egyptians learned circumcision from the Israelites.g And cir-
cumcision did not have the effect of making them righteous, sinceholy Scripture condemns all these peoples as godless. Therefore, it
was not circumcision that justified Abraham; faith made him right-
eous,h and virtue rendered him still more illustrious. Circumcision
was given as a sign of faith.2
Question
selfish emotion. Yet this defense of Abraham is equally anachronistic, as it is con-cerned to make Abraham’s conduct conform, as much as possible, to a Christianideal of a much later era. Speiser (p. ) highlights rather the skill of the Hebrew storyteller who, after concentrating on the broader issue of the successor to Abra-ham in ch. , in this episode focuses on the individuals with their conflictingrights, desires, and emotions. He adduces (pp. –) parallels from Mesopotami-an legal documents for the provision of a concubine for the purpose of producing
children in cases where the wife should prove barren.
. Theodoret rightly notes that, according to the biblical narrative, circumci-sion was overlooked in the wilderness years and reinstituted by Joshua. Neverthe-less, he does not see that the account of God’s original decree in Gn .–, whichseems to emphasize the value of circumcision as a sign in the days of Abraham,was actually informed by the concerns of priestly authors writing during the Exilewhen national symbols of identity were lacking; v. von Rad, ad loc.
. Though always ready to concede Jewish privileges in the era of the old dis-pensation, Theodoret follows Paul’s argument in Rom f. and promotes faith over
circumcision as the key factor in achieving righteousness. In a way typical of theAntiochenes, he also emphasises virtuous behavior. The issue of circumcision willbe raised again in Q. on Ex.
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JH qeiva levgei grafh; o{ti e[ fagon oiJ a[ggeloi ej n th' / skhnh' /
tou' ∆Abraavm.a
Kai; hJ aujth; levgei grafh; o{ti a[ ndra" ei\den ∆Abraavm.b eij
toiv nun gumnw' / prosektevon tw' / gravmmati, a[ ndre", oujk a[ggeloi,
e[ fagon. eij de; to; n nou' n aj naptuvsswmen, wJ" w[ fqhsan, e[ fagon:
w{sper gavr, ajswvmaton e[ conte" fuvsin kai; aujtoi; kai; oJ touvtwn
despovth", swvmata e[ cein e[doxan: ou{tw" ga;r eJwravqhsan: ou{tw"
ejsqivonte" w[ fqhsan, ouj stovmati kai; gastri; th; n trofh; nprosenegkov nte": ou[te ga;r ei\ con swvmata: aj nalwvsante" de;
aujth; n wJ" hjqevlhsan. aj noiva" ga;r ejscavth" to; polupragmonh'sai
tw' n ajrrhvtwn to; n trovpon.
Dia; tiv oJ Lw;t oujk ej neklhvqh, tai'" qugatravsi migeiv";a
jEpeidh; toi'" ejx ajgnoiva" plhmmeloumev noi" kai; oiJ a[ nqrwpoi
sugginwvskein eijwvqasin. ouj toiv nun oujde; tw' / Lw;t ejpimevmyaito
a[ n ti" dikaivw" th'" mivxew" e{ neka: hjgnov ei ga;r to; prattovmenon.
to; de; th'" mevqh" e[ cei tina; mevmyin kekramev nhn suggnwvmh/:
ajdhmonw' n ga;r komidh' / kai; ajluvwn, wJ" pav ntwn oJmou' tw' n o[ ntwn
gegumnwmev no" kai; pro;" toi'" a[lloi" a{pasi kai; aujth'" th'"
oJmozuvgou,b hj nevsceto tw' n qugatevrwn to; n oi\ non prosferousw' n
The Questions on Genesis
A, B, C –50 , [ ] = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .
A [ ], B, C, (inc.) = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mm
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Holy Scripture declares that angels ate in Abraham’s tent.a
The same passage of Scripture says that Abraham had a vision of
men.b If we must attend to the mere letter of the text, it was men,
not angels, who ate. But if we are to unfold the meaning, they ate in
the same form in which they had appeared. In other words, as they
were incorporeal beings—they and their Lord—and yet seemed to
have bodies (for that is how they appeared), so they seemed to eat.Not that they put food into their mouths and stomachs, for they
were incorporeal. Rather, they consumed it as they wished. Only the
worst fool would try to pry further into the ways and means of a
holy mystery.1
Why did Lot incur no censure for having relations with his
daughters?a
Because people normally make allowances for those who trans-
gress in ignorance. So you would not be right to blame Lot for this
intercourse, as he was unaware of what he was doing. The fact of in-
toxication involves some blame tempered with pardon. Severely dis-tressed and beside himself after losing everything all at once, espe-
cially his wife,b he did not resist when his daughters brought him
Question
. Theodoret employs this question to resolve two difficulties. First, there is theidentity of Abraham’s guests. In Gn .f., the LXX recounts that God appeared toAbraham and then mentions three men (a[ ndre"); two of these become angels(a[ggeloi) in .. Second, these naturally incorporeal beings are seen to take food.Theodoret’s treatment of the second issue is very similar to Theodore of Mopsues-tia’s explanation of how the angelic visitants partook of Lot’s hospitality in .
(Fragg. in Gen., ad loc.); the question had exercised the ingenuity of Jewish as wellas Christian expositors (v. von Rad, on .–) and Theodoret will take it up againin Q. . on Jgs.
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peraitevrw th'" creiva", a{te dh; to; me; n kataskeuazovmenon
ajgnow' n, yucagwgivan de; kai; paramuqivan to; drwvmenon
uJpopteuvwn.
jEkei' nai de; pantavpasiv n eijsin kathgoriva" ajqw' /oi:qeasavmenai ga;r ta;" me; n tevssara" povlei" kai; ta;" kwvma"
aJpavsa" ejmprhsqeivsa" tw' / uJ etw' / tou' purov", tou;" de; th; n Shgw;r
oijkou' nta" katapoqev nta":c tou'to ga;r shmaiv nei kai; tou[ noma:
katavposi" ga;r hJ Shgw;r eJrmhneuv etai: ej novmisan a[rdhn
ajpolwlev nai tw' n aj nqrwvpwn th; n fuvsin.d kai; th; n katev cousan
ejrhmivan oJrw'sai kai; tou' ghvrw" proqewrhvsasai th; n ajsqev neian,
hjboulhvqhsan ejpinoh'sai kai; spevrma tw' / gev nei kai; eJautai'" yugagwgivan tinav.|| touvtw/ crhsavmenai tw' / logismw' / kai; oujk
ejpiqumiva/ douleuvsasai, to; n me; n oi\ non e[labon sunergov n,
e[kleyan de; th' / pleivoni povsei tou' gegennhkovto" th; n ai[sqhsin,
ajpev fhnan de; to; n patevra sporeva.
Tiv dhv pote oJ Qeo;" oujk ejkwvluse th; n parav nomon mivxin;a
Proewvra th; n tou' gev nou" ajsevbeian: mwabi'tai me; n ga;r
ejdouvleuon tw' / Camw'", tw' / de; Melcw;m ajmmani'tai.b i{ na ou\ n mhv,
wJ" suggenevsin ejpimignuvmenoi touvtoi", oiJ ijsrahli'tai
metavscwsi th'" ajsebeiva", oujk ejkwvluse to; n parav nomon gavmon
o{pw" tauvth/ gou' n aujtou;" musarou;" ajpofhv nh/ kai; bdeluktou;"
ijoudaivoi". dhloi' de; tou'to kai; oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov", dia; Mwu>sevw"tou' nomoqevtou diagoreuvwn, aj mmanivth" kai; mwabivth" oujk
eijseleuvsetai eij" ejkklhsivan Kurivou e{w" dekavth" genea' " kai;
e{w" eij" to;n aijw' na.c
The Questions on Genesis
||20
c. Gn .f.mmd. Gn .
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .f.; v., e.g., Nm .; Kgs .mmc. Dt .
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more wine than necessary. He was ignorant of their scheme and
presumed they were trying to comfort and console him.1
They, as well, were entirely beyond accusation. Having seen thefour cities and all the towns incinerated by the rain of fire, and all
the inhabitants of Segor swallowed upc (this is the import of the
name, for “Segor” means “swallowing up.”),2 they presumed that the
whole human race had perished.d Seeing the desolation everywhere
and observing the old man’s debility, they formed the intention of
continuing the race and giving themselves some comfort. With this
plan in mind, and not because they were enthralled to lust, they en-listed the help of the wine to beguile their parent’s senses with exces-
sive drink and thus brought their father to beget children.
Why did God not intervene to prevent the unlawful intercourse?a
He foresaw the idolatry of their offspring, for the Moabites served
Chemosh and the Ammonites Moloch.b Thus, he did not prevent
the unlawful union to make them defiled and abominable in the
eyes of the Jews, so the Israelites would not intermarry with these
kindred peoples and participate in their idolatry. The God of the
universe revealed his intention when he declared through Moses thelawgiver, “Neither Ammonite nor Moabite shall enter the assembly
of the Lord to the tenth generation and forever.”c
Question
. An incident (Gn .–) originally intended to provide a discreditable aeti-ology for the Moabites and Ammonites is for Theodoret primarily a moral conun-drum. Here, as in his commentary on the Song of Songs, he deals with sexual is-sues in a manner free of prudery. To his credit, he explains this passage in such a
way that, in the words of his modern counterpart Speiser (p.
), “All of this addsup to praise rather than blame.”. The Hebrew name of the town is Zoar, which in . is explained by popular
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jWmo; n a[gan ei\ nai dokei' to; nevon o[ nta to; n ∆Ismah;l
ejxelaqh' nai th'" patrikh'" oijkiva" meta; mov nh" th'" mhtro;" kai;
tou' ajskou' tou' u{dato".a
Kai; tou'to a[ ntikru" deivknusi th; n tou' ∆Abraa;m ajrethv n. th'"
me; n ga;r Savrra" eijrhkuiva", e[kbale th;n paidivskhn .......kai; to;n
uiJo;n aujth' ",b ouj c uJphvkouse: tou' de; Qeou' keleuvsanto", eujqu;"
tw' / lovgw/ to; e[rgon ejpevqhke, kai; tau'ta filostovrgw" peri; to; n
∆Ismah;l diakeivmeno". kai; ga;r hJ nivka th; n ejk th'" Savrra"paidopoiivan oJ Qeo;" ejphggeivlato, aujto;" e[ fh, ∆Ismah;l ou |to"
zhvtw ejnantivon sou c ajllæ o{mw", kai; stevrgwn komidh' / to;
paidivon, pepoiv hken o{per oJ despovth" prosevtaxen. ou{tw de;
tai'" qeivai" ejpaggelivai" pepivsteuken o{ti, ouj pai'da", ouj
paidivska", ouj crusov n, oujk a[rguron dedwkwv", ajpevluse th'"
oijkiva" to; paidivon, ajllæ a[rtou" ojlivgou", kai; ajsko; n u{dato", kai;
th; n mhtevra: h[ /dei ga;r wJ" aj yeudh;" hJ tou' prostetacovto" uJpovscesi".
JUpevsceto de; aujtw' / oJ Qeo;" eij" e[qno" mevga poihvsein aujtov n,
a{te dh; th'" aujtou' gewrgiva" hjxiwmev non.d o} dh; kai; peplhvrwken:
a{ma ga;r e[klause to; paidivon, povmato" ej fievmenon, kai; a[ggelo"
qeovqen ajpostalei;" frevar uJpevdeixe potivmou u{dato" plh're".e
o{ti de; kai; th'" paidopoiiva" to; plh'qo" devdwken, wJ" uJpevsceto,
marturei' ta; oJrwvmena: ajpo; ga;r tw' n o{rwn Aijguvptou mev cri
Babulw' no" tou'de tou' gev nou" hJ e[rhmo" plhvrh".
J O mev ntoi ∆Abraa;m kai; toi'" tovpoi" ejk th'" eujsebeiva"
ejpitevqeike ta; oj novmata: futeuvsa" ga;r a[rouran ejpi; tw' / frevati
tou' o{rkou, ejpekalevsato to; o[ noma tou' tovpou ejkeiv nou Qeo;"
aijwvnio".f
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], B, C , = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn .mme. Gn .–mmf. Gn .
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The expulsion of Ishmael as a child from his father’s home with
just his mother and a flask of water seems very harsh.a
On the contrary, it brings out Abraham’s virtue. He did not obey
Sarah when she told him to “throw out the servant girl and her
son.”b But when God gave the order, he immediately put that word
into effect, despite his fondness for Ishmael. Indeed, when God
promised that Sarah would have a child, he said, “May Ishmael herelive in your sight.”c Yet, though he loved the child, he did what the
Lord commanded. Now, this was how he expressed his trust in the
divine promises: he sent the child away without servants, maidser-
vants, gold, or silver, but with just a few loaves, a flask of water, and
his mother, for he knew he could trust the promise of the one who
had laid this order upon him.
God had promised to make a mighty nation of Ishmael, one
whom he deemed worthy of his care.d And he did just that. As soon
as the child, in his longing to drink, burst into tears, an angel sent by
God showed him a well full of drinking water.e Now, the evidence
confirms that he also gave him a vast number of offspring; the
desert is full of this race from the borders of Egypt to Babylon.
Note how Abraham’s toponyms reflected his piety. After planting
a field at the well of the oath, he named the place “God Eternal.”f
Question
etymology as “the little” town. The septuagintal rendition Shgwvr is the translitera-tion of a Hebrew stem meaning “to close up” or “to close in on”; it is at . that the
LXX offer the alternative name Bavlak, a transliteration of the Hebrew stem “toswallow up.” Theodoret is not in a position to critique the Hebrew etymologies of his sources.
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Eij pav nta oJ Qeo;" proginwvskei, tiv no" cavrin to; n ∆Abraa;m
ejpeivrase;a
Ouj c i{ na aujto;" a{per hjpivstato mavqh/, ajllæ i{ na tou;"
ajgnoou' nta" didavxh/ wJ" mavla dikaivw" to; n patriavrchn hjgavphse.
touvtou cavrin ej n trisi; n hJmevrai" kai; tosauvtai" nuxi; to; n qei'on
ejbasav nize povqon:b mevso" ga;r w] n oJ patriavrch" fuvsewv" te kai;
pivstew" kai; nuttovmeno" eJkatevrwqen, e[dwke th' / pivstei ta;
nikhthvria. oJ de; Qeov~, deivxa" aujtou' th; n eujsevbeian, th; n qusivan ejkwvlusen.c
J O ga;r kai; ta;" tw' n ajlovgwn ajpagoreuvwn qusiva", pw'" a] n
toiauvth" iJ erourgiva" hj nevsceto; tou'to ga;r ijoudaivwn kathgorw' n
dietevlese kai; dia; me; n Dabi;d tou' profhvtou boa' /, e[qusan tou;"
uiJou;" aujtw' n kai; ta;" qugatev ra" aujtw' n toi' " daimonivoi" kai;
ejxev cean ai | ma ajqw' /on, ai | ma uiJw' n aujtw' n kai; qugatev rwn, w |n
e[qusan toi' " gluptoi' " Canaavn:d
dia; de; tou' ∆Iezekihvl, kai;e[labe" tou;" uiJouv" sou kai; ta;" qugatev ra" sou, ou}" ejgevnnhsav"
moi,e kai; proshv negka" aujtou;" toi'" ejrastai'" sou: ei\ta
deiknu;" th; n th'" ajtopiva" uJperbolhv n, ejphvgage tou'to: para;
pa' san th;n porneivan sou.f oJ toiv nun tw' n tau'ta tolmwv ntwn
kathgorw' n pw'" a] n aujto;" hj nevsceto devxasqai pai'da monogenh',
para; patro;" prosferovmenon;
jAlla; ga;r tau'ta skia; h\ n th'" uJpe;r hJmw' n gegenhmev nh"
oijkonomiva". uJpe;r ga;r th'" oijkoumev nh" to; n ajgaphto; n uiJo; n oJ
path;r prosenhv noce:g tuvpo" ga;r th'" me; n qeovthto" oJ ∆Isaavk,
th'" de; aj nqrwpovthto" oJ kriov". kai; aujto;" de; oJ crov no" ijsavriq-
mo": trei'" ga;r hJmevrai kai; trei'" nuvkte" kai; ej ntau'qa kajkei'.
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .–mmd. Ps .f.mme. Ezek .mmf. Ezek .mmg. Cf. Mt ..
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If God knows everything in advance, why did he put Abraham to
the test?a
Not to learn what he already knew, but to teach the ignorant that
he had good reason to love the patriarch. That was why he tested his
love of God for three days and nights.b The patriarch, torn between
nature and faith and pulled both ways, decided in favor of faith.
Having brought out his devotion, God stopped the sacrifice.c
After all, how could he who forbade sacrifices of brute beasts
have tolerated such a rite? In fact, this is a charge he often laid
against the Jews, as, for example, when he proclaimed through the
prophet David, “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to
the demons and poured out innocent blood, blood of their sons and
daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan”;d
and alsothrough Ezekiel, “You took your sons and your daughters, whom
you bore me,e and offered them to your lovers.” Then to bring out
the depth of their wickedness, he added, “This is worse than all your
licentiousness.”f If he laid charges against people who committed
this crime, how could he have accepted a father’s offering of his
only-begotten son?
No, this was a shadow of the divine plan implemented for ourbenefit; for the sake of the world, the Father offered his beloved
Son.g Isaac was a type of the divinity, the ram of the humanity. The
actual time was also of equal length: three days and three nights in
both cases.
Question
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Tiv ejsti qe;" th;n cei' rav sou ejpi; to;n mhrovn mou ; a
() ∆Epi; gavmon ajpevstellen tw' n oijketw' n to; n hJgouvmenon,
ejpavraton me; n ejpistavmeno" tou' Canaa; n to; gev no",b eujlogiva"
de; hjxiwmev nhn th; n oijkeivan suggev neian.c ejpeidh; toiv nun ej n tw' /
spevrmati kai; th; n eujlogivan kai; th; n tw' n ajgaqw' n ejpaggelivan
ejdevxato, ejkei' qei' nai to; n pai'da th; n cei'ra prosevtaxen, e[ nqa
kai; th'" pivstew" to; shmei'on ejdevxato: pisteuvsa" ga;r tai'"
qeivai" ejpaggelivai", e[labe th'" peritomh'" th; n sfragi'da.d ejkei'de; qei' nai th; n cei'ra prosevtaxen i{ na, kai; th'" qeiva"
ejpaggeliva" kai; th'" peritomh'" memnhmev no", ajllofuvlw/ gavmw/
th; n despotikh; n eujgev neian mh; lwbhvshtai. ijstevon de; wJ" hJ me; n
cei;r uJpo; to; n mhro; n ejtevqh, oJ de; o{rko" kata; tou' Qeou' tw' n
o{lwn ejgev neto: ejxorkivzw se, ga;r e[ fh, Kuv rion to;n Qeo;n tou'
ouj ranou' .......kai; th' " gh' " i{na mh; lav bh/" gunai' ka tw' / uiJw' / mou
∆Isaa;k ajpo; tw' n qugatev rwn tw' n cananaivwn, meqæ w |n ejgw; oijkw' ejn aujtoi' ", kai; ta; eJxh'".e
Sofwtavth de; a[gan kai; tou' paido;" hJ ejrwvthsi". deivsa" ga;r
to; n o{rkon, dhvlou" aujtw' / genevsqai parekavlei tou' gavmou tou;"
o{rou"∑ eij, gavr fhsi, mh; e{loito ej ntau'qa ejlqei' n hJ mnhsteuomev nh
kovrh ajlla; pro;" aujth; n ajpelqei' n to; n mnhsth'ra keleuv ei,
prostavttei" to; n uiJo; n eij" ejkei' no to; e[qno" ejpanelqei' n; ajllæ oJ
patriavrch" ∆Abraavm, eijdw;" wJ" ejkei'qen me; n aujto; n hJ qeiva klh'si"
ejxhvgage,f peri; de; tou' gavmou novmon oujk ejdevxato qei'on: aujto;"
dev, wJ" eujsebeiva/ sunteqrammev no", hjqevlhsen ejk th'" suggenikh'"
oijkiva" tw' / paidi; kategguh'sai gunai'ka: ejkei' no me; n ajpagoreuv ei
genevsqai, a{te dh; qeivw/ novmw/ kekwlumev non, tou'to de; th' / qeiva/
ejgceirivzei khdemoniva/. tauvth/ qarrhvsa", oJ pai'" ejxedhvmhsen.
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], B, c, * * , = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .f.mmd. Gn .–mme. Gn .mmf. Gn .mm
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What is the meaning of “Put your hand on my thigh”?a
() He sent his head servant to arrange a marriage, as he knew
that the race of Canaan was under a curse,b and his own kindred
had been granted a blessing.c So, since in his seed he had received
both the blessing and the promise of good things, he ordered the
servant to put his hand in the place where he had also received the
sign of faith. Remember that when he had believed in the divine
promise, he was given the seal of circumcision.d He ordered him toplace his hand there so that, mindful of the divine promise and cir-
cumcision, he would not besmirch his master’s nobility with a for-
eign marriage. Now, you should understand that he placed his hand
under the thigh, but he was made to swear by the God of the uni-
verse: “I adjure you by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, not to
get a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites
among whom I live” and so on.e
The servant’s question was a very wise one. In awe of his oath, he
required a clear statement of the conditions of the marriage: “If the
betrothed maiden should not choose to come here but ask the suitor
to come to her, is it your instruction that your son go back to that
nation?” The patriarch Abraham knew that the divine summons had
brought him out from there,f yet he had not received a divine direc-
tive regarding the marriage. Nevertheless, as one who had been
nourished in right religion, he wanted to betroth to his son a woman
from his family line. So he forbade Isaac’s return as something pro-
hibited by God’s law, but entrusted his betrothal to divine provi-
dence.1 And with trust in providence the servant took his leave.
Question
. Abraham forbade the marriage of Isaac to a Canaanite woman but entrustedto the guidance of God the ways and means of Isaac’s marriage to a bride from hisown family line.
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() ∆Ekeiv nhn de; th; n euj ch; n ouj sumbolikw'" prosenhv nocen, w{"
tine" tw' n a[gan hjliqivwn uJpevlabon, ajllæ, ejpeidh; to; n Qeo; n
sunergo; n e[labe th'" mnhsteiva", shmei'av tina aujtw' / deicqh' nai
parekavlei, diæ w | n hjbouvleto gnw' nai eij ajrevskousa tw' / Qew' / hJmnhsteiva. to; de; shmei'on h\ n, ouj c w{ra swvmato", oujde;
perifav neia gev nou", oujde; a[llo ti tw' n dokouv ntwn lamprw' n,
ajlla; filoxeniva, kai; filofrosuv nh, kai; hjpiovth" fronhvmato":
e[stai, gavr fhsin, hJ parqevno" h | / a]n ejgw; ei[pw, ejpivklinovn moi
th;n uJdrivan sou i{na pivw, kai; ei[ph/ moi, pive, kuv rie, kai; ta;"
kamhvlou" sou potiw' e{w" a]n pauvswntai pivnousai, tauvthn
hJtoiv masa" tw' / paidiv sou ∆Isaavk, kai; ejn touvtw/ gnwvsomai o{tiejpoivhsa" e[leon meta; tou' kurivou mou ∆Abraav m.g ejpeidh; ga;r
touvtoi" ejkosmei'to toi'" pleonekthvmasi diaferov ntw" oJ
patriavrch", hjboulhvqh kai; th; n nuvmfhn sumbaiv nein tw' / trovpw/
tou' khdestou' i{ na mh; e[rin tina; kai; filoneikivan oJ skopo;" oJ
ej nantivo" ejrgavshtai.
{ Oti de; ouj sumbolika; tau'ta h\ n ajlla; pivstew" kai; eujsebeiva"
dhlwtikav, prw'ton didavskei to; spoudai'on th'" proseuch'",
e[peita to; prosmev nein aujto; n th; n boulh; n tou' Qeou'. tou'to ga;r
hJ qeiva didavskei grafhv: oJ de; a[nqrwpo" katemavnqanen aujth;n
kai; paresiwvpa tou' gnw' nai eij eujwvdwke Kuv rio" th;n oJdo;n aujtou'
h] ou[:h ejkeiv nh" ga;r to; u{dwr ajruomev nh" kai; tai'" kamhvloi"
prosferouvsh" to; na'ma, aj nevmenen ou |to" ijdei' n eij pavsai"
parev cei th; n creivan kata; th; n ai[thsin. piousw' n de; tw' n
kamhvlwn, eujqu;" prosenhv noce th'" mnhsteiva" ta; suvmbola.
gnou;" de; to; gev no" kai; th; n despotikh; n suggev neian,i
eujdokhvsa", fhsiv n, oJ a[ nqrwpo" prosekuv nhse tw' / Kurivw/ kai;
ei\pen, eujloghto;" Kuv rio" oJ Qeo;" tou' kurivou mou ∆Abraav m, o}"
oujk ejgkatevlipe th;n dikaiosuvnhn aujtou' kai; to;n e[leon aujtou'
ajpo; tou' kurivou mou, kaj me; ejn oJdw' / h[gage Kuv rio" eij" to;n oi\ kon
tou' ajdelfou' tou' kurivou mou. j kai; pa'sa de; aujtou' hJ diavlexi" to;
eujsebe;" khruvttei th'" gnwvmh" kai; mev ntoi kaiv, meta; th; n
The Questions on Genesis
g. Gn .mmh. Gn .mmi. Gn .–mm j. Gn .mm
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() Now, it was not in any figurative sense, as some commentators
have quite foolishly imagined, that the servant offered his prayer.
Since he had chosen God to help him in the betrothal, he requested
that he be shown signs by which he might know if the betrothal waspleasing to God.2 The sign was not bodily charm or famous lineage
or anything betokening superficial notoriety, but hospitality, friend-
liness, and a kindly manner: “She will be the maiden to whom I say,
‘Lower your water jar for me to drink,’ and who says, ‘Drink, sir, and
I shall water your camels until they stop drinking’; this is the one
you have prepared for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that
you have had mercy on my master Abraham.”g
You see, knowing thepatriarch was particularly gifted with these qualities, he wanted the
bride to be suited to the ways of her father-in-law so that no differ-
ence of values would give rise to strife and contention.
The fact that these events were not an allegory but indicative of
faith and devotion emerges first from the earnestness of the prayer
and then from his patient attendance upon the will of God. Holy
Scripture tells us that “the fellow watched her in silence to learn if
the Lord had prospered his journey or not.”h When she was drawing
the water and bringing drink for the camels, he waited to see if she
would provide for all of them as requested. Once the camels had
drunk, he proffered the tokens of betrothal. When he discovered her
family and her relationship to his master’s family,i the fellow was
grateful, as the text says, and, bowing down to the Lord, declared,“Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not
forsaken his righteousness and his mercy to my master. The Lord has
led me as well on my way to the house of my master’s brother.” j The
whole of his speech proclaimed his piety, and after that speech, he
Question
. Origen (hom. . in Gen.) had regarded the servant as a representative of
prophecy and his prayer as a revelation of the need of the soul for spiritual refresh-ment from the teaching of Scripture; v. Guinot, p. and cf. Philo, Quaest. in Gen..
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diavlexin, to; n aujto; n shmaiv nei skopov n: sunqemev nwn ga;r tw' n th; n
kovrhn gegennhkovtwn tw' / gavmw/, eujqu;" aujto;" prosekuvnhse tw' /
Kurivw/.k kai; ta; eJxh'" de; th'" aujth'" e[ cetai dianoiva": mh;
katev cete gavr me, fhsiv, kai; Kuv rio" eujwvdwse th;n oJdovn mou.l
Dia; tiv tw' n patriarcw' n aiJ gunai'ke" stei'rai; kai; ga;r Savrra
stei'ra,a kai; ÔRebevkka wJsauvtw",b kai; hJ ÔRachvl,c kai; mev ntoi kai;
hJ Leiva: ijdwvn ......., gavr fhsi, Kuv rio" o{ti misei' tai hJ Leiva,ajnevw/xe th;n mhvtran aujth' ".d
To; ijsrahlitiko; n susth'sai gev no" boulhqeiv", oJ Qeo;"
deivknusin, ouj kata; fuvsew" ajkolouqivan, ajlla; kata; th; n th'"
cavrito" filotimivan th; n polugonivan dexavmenon. tauvth" de; th'"
khdemoniva" ejkei' no to; gev no" tetuv chken, ejpeidhvper oJ despovth"
Cristov", oJ monogenh;" tou' Qeou' uiJov", ejkei'qen e[melle kata;
savrka blasthvsein.
Dia; tiv no" maqei' n hjqevlhsen hJ ÔRebevkka ta; peri; tw' n
kuoforoumev nwn paidivwn;a
Tinev" fasi pro;" to; n Melcisede;k aujth; n ajpelhluqev nai, a{te
dh; kai; ajrciereva o[ nta tou' Qeou' tou' uJ yivstou, kai; ejpivshmon ej n eujsebeiva/, kai; livan perifanh'. ejpeidh; de; eijwvqeisan oiJ
The Questions on Genesis
k. Gn .mml. Gn .
A [ ], B, c, , = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .f.
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revealed the same mindset. Once the maiden’s parents had agreed to
the marriage, he immediately “worshiped the Lord.” k And his subse-
quent words evinced the same spirit: “Do not delay me, for the Lord
has prospered my journey.”l
Why were the wives of the patriarchs barren? Sarah was barren,a
as were Rebekah,b and Rachel,c and Leah as well. Indeed, Scripture
says, “When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened herwomb.”d
As he willed the development of the Israelite race, God highlights,
not natural increase, but the growth in numbers resulting from grace
liberally bestowed. This race became the object of providential care,
since this was the stock from which Christ the Lord, the only-begot-
ten Son of God, was destined to be born according to the flesh.1
From whom did Rebekah intend to learn about the children in
her womb?a
Some commentators have claimed that she went to Melchizedek,
since he was high priest of God the Most High, conspicuous forpiety, and very famous.1 But given that the patriarchs normally
Question
. In his review of the patriarchal history, Theodoret’s choice of questions oftenreflects moral concerns while he passes without comment over issues of theologi-cal significance, such as Abraham’s calling to a foreign land. In this question, how-ever, Theodoret offers a christological interpretation of the barrenness of the pa-triarchs’ wives.
. Without trying to identify him any further, Chrysostom says (hom. . in Gen.) only that Rebekah went to “the priest, the servant of God” ( to; n iJ ereva to; ntou` qeou` qerapeuvthn).
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patriavrcai kai; qusiasthvria tw' / Qew' / kataskeuavzein ej n oi |"
ejskhv noun cwrivoi", eijko;" paræ e} n touvtwn aujth; n ajpelqou'san
iJketeu'sai to; n o{lwn Qeo; n kai; gnwrivsai ta; sumbhsovmena.
Dia; tiv kwluv ei to; n ∆Isaa;k oJ Qeo;" eij" th; n Ai[gupton
ejkdhmh'sai, tou' limou' tou'to pra'xai katanagkavzonto";a
Th; n oijkeivan sofivan te kai; khdemonivan dia; pav ntwn dhloi' oJ
despovth" Qeov". kai; ga;r to; n patriavrchn ∆Abraavm, ouj c wJ"ajporw' n ej n th' / Palaistiv nh/ diaqrev yai, sunecwvrhsen eij" th; n
Ai[gupton ajpelqei' nb ajllæ i{ na toi'" aijguptivoi" ejpideivxh/ tou'
aj ndro;" th; n eujsevbeian kai; zhlw'sai protrev yh/ tou' patriavrcou
th; n ajrethv n. to; n de; ∆Isaa;k aujtou' mei' nai prosevtaxe kai; th' / tw' n
aj nagkaivwn aujto; n perievklusen aj fqoniva/, deiknu;" wJ" kai; tw' /
patri; tau'ta parascei' n oi |ov" te h\ n a} kai; aujtw' / e[dwke
filotivmw": pav ntwn ga;r ej n ej ndeiva/ o[ ntwn kai; spav nei tw' n
aj nagkaivwn, kai; th'" gh'" ajgov nou gegenhmev nh", aujto;" speivra"
poluv coun e[labe to; n karpov n.c
Tiv no" e{ neken oJ ∆Isaa;k tw' / ÔHsau' dou' nai th; n eujlogivan
hjbouvleto;a
Kata; to; n novmon th~ fuvsew~: prwtovtoko~ ga;r h\ n,b oiJ de;
prwtovtokoi kai; prwtoi kai; diplh` n ejlavmbanon moiran.c hu[xhse
de; kai; hJ qerapeiva to; fivltron: hJ ga;r qhv ra aujtou` brw` si~
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .f.mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Dt .m
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erected altars to God wherever they encamped, it was probably at
one of those altars that she prayed to the God of the universe and
gained her knowledge of the future.
Why did God prevent Isaac from departing for Egypt when he
was being driven to this by famine?a
In everything the Lord God reveals his wise providence. He had
allowed the patriarch Abraham to leave for Egypt,b
not because hehad no way to feed him in Palestine, but to show the Egyptians
Abraham’s devotion and to encourage them to imitate the patri-
arch’s virtue. But he ordered Isaac to stay put and showered him
with an abundance of food to show that he could have provided also
to his father the things he gave so generously to him. When every-
one was in need because of the famine and the infertility of the
land, Isaac sowed and gathered a plentiful harvest.c
Why did Isaac intend to give his blessing to Esau?a
This was according to the law of nature. Esau was the firstborn,b
and the firstborn had first place and received a double portion.c
Esau’s attendance on his father also increased his affection: “For the
Question
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aujtw` /.d iJkanh; de; hJ qerapeiva kai; tou;~ wJmotavtou~ meiliv cesqai,
mhv tiv ge dh ; patevra kai; patevra filovstorgon. eu{roi dæ a[ n ti~
kai; to; n qeion ajpovstolon pleivstai~ o{sai~ eujlogivai~ tou;~
teqerapeukovta~ aujto; n ajmeiyavmenon.e
Povqen hJ ÔRebevkka teqavrrhken o{ti dh; teuvxetai th~ eujlogiva~
oJ ∆Iakw;b kai; ou{tw teqavrrhken wJ~ eijpei` n, ejpæ ej me; hJ katav ra
sou, tevknon: movnon ejpavkouson th` ~ fwnh` ~ mou ;a
Proegnwvkei para; tou` qeou` tw` n o{lwn o{ti oJ meivzwn douleuvsei
tw/ ` ejlavssoni.b ejkeiv nh/ th/ ` prorrhvsei pisteuvousa, pav nta
ejkiv nhsen povron w{ste to; n ∆Iakw;b th; n patrikh; n eujlogivan labei` n.
Tiv dhv pote tw/ ` ∆Isaa;k to; bouvlhma to; oijkeion oujk
ajpekavluyen oJ qeov~;
{Ina ej nargh;~ gev nhtai hJ tou` qeou` peri; to; n ∆Iakw;b khdemoniva.
The Questions on Genesis
l. mhv tiv ge dh; , c 1, Sir. ( mhvti) Sch. ( mhvti) : mhv pouv ge dh; : ei[ pouge dh; Pic. ( ei[pou, Sch.) F.M. = “if a parent, especially a doting parent .” For therather common collocation mhv tiv ge dh;, cf. Thdt., H. rel. vita . (ou}~ kai;ajriqmhsai mov non oujk eujpetev~, mhv tiv ge dh; to; n eJkavstou bivon
suggrav yai). The reading of is also possible; cf. Ps. . (Pasai ga;r tw` naj nqrwvpwn aiJ dikaiosuv nai, oujde; n pro;~ ta;~ h[dh dedomev na~ uJpo; tou` Qeou`dwrea;~ ajpocrwsi, mhvpou ge dh; pro;~ ta;~ ejsomev na~). In contrast, thedoubt expressed by the ei[ in ei[ pouv ge dh; is quite inappropriate to thecontext. Furthermore, this collocation is unexampled elsewhere among all theworks now comprised within the TLG.
d. Gn .mme. V., e.g., Phil .–.
A [ ], , c, = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
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game he caught was his food.”d Such attendance can soften very cru-
el people, not to mention a parent, especially a doting parent. One
might also cite the example of the holy apostle who showered his
blessings on those who had taken care of him.e
How could Rebekah be so confident that Jacob would be given
the blessing, in fact, so confident as to say, “On me your curse, son,
only hearken to my voice”?a
Thanks to the God of the universe, she knew in advance that “the
elder would serve the younger.”b Trusting in that prediction, she took
every step to ensure that Jacob would receive his father’s blessing.
Why did God not reveal his wishes to Isaac?
To make God’s care for Jacob entirely clear. Isaac’s insistence on
Question
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deivknusi de; touto to; me; n ∆Isaa;k ejspoudakev nai to; n ÔHsau
eujloghsai, th; n de; qeivan cavrin, kai; para; gnwvmhn tou` ∆Isaavk,
ejpi; to; n ∆Iakw;b eJlkusai th; n eujlogivan. touto de; kai; aujto;~
sunhken oJ ∆Isaavk, wJ~ ga;r pav nta povron ejkiv nhse, kai; ajpevsteileto; n ÔHsau ejpi th; n qhvran,a kaiv, tou` ∆Iakw;b th; n trofh; n
prosenhnocovto~,b pollavki~ h[reto eij aujto;~ ei[ h ÔHsau` oJ
prwtovtoko~,c kaiv, ouj mov non h[reto, ajlla; kai; ta;~ ceira~ tw/ `
swvmati prosenhv nocen.d ei\ta, tou` ÔHsau` eijselhluqovto~, to;
gegenhmev non kataplageiv~, oujk ej calevphnen wJ~ para; paido;~
ejxapathqeiv~, ajlla; to; qeion e[gnw skopov n, kai; h} n e[dwken
ejbebaivwsen eujlogivan.e
Ei\ta ouj dokei` ej yeusqai oJ ∆Iakw;b eijpwv n, ejgwv eijmi ÔHsau` oJ
prwtovtokov~ sou ; a
Priavmeno~ h\ n ta; tw` n prototokivwn presbeia: ajlhqeuvwn
toigarou` n eJauto; n ajpekavlei prwtovtokon.b
Tiv~ de; th'" eujlogiva~ hJ eJrmhneiva;a
[Emellen ejx aujtou` kata; savrka blasthvsein oJ despovth~
Cristov~,b hJ tw` n ejqnw n prosdokiva, oJ th~ oijkoumev nh~ aJpavsh~kai; swth;r kai; despovth~. tauta proorw` n, oJ patriavrch~ fhsiv n,
The Questions on Genesis
a. Gn .f.mmb. Gn .f.mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn .mme. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .–
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Mt .mm
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blessing Esau brings this out, for the divine grace drew the blessing
onto Jacob against Isaac’s wishes. Even Isaac himself realized this,
for he knew how he had done everything possible: he had sent Esau
huntinga and then asked repeatedly,c when Jacob offered him thefood,b if he was Esau his firstborn. Indeed, he not only questioned,
but even put his hands on, Jacob,d and then, when Esau came in and
expressed his astonishment at what had happened, Isaac was not an-
gry at the deceit perpetrated by his son, but, recognizing the divine
purpose, confirmed the blessing he had just imparted.1e
Does it not seem that Jacob lied in saying, “I am Esau your first-
born”?a
He had paid for the privileges of the firstborn, so he could truth-
fully call himself the firstborn.b
What is the meaning of the blessing?a
Christ the Lord, the expectation of the nations, the Savior and
Lord of the whole world, was to draw his bodily descent from Jacob.b
Foreseeing this, the patriarch declared, “Lo, the smell of my son is
Question
. Here Theodoret abandons the ethical viewpoint to which we have just point-ed (note to Q. ) and almost seems to endorse Speiser’s position (p. ): “[I]tgoes without saying that the task of the interpreter is not to justify or sit in judg-ment, to condone or condemn, but only to inquire what the given source means interms of its own context and background.” Like Chrysostom (hom. . in Gen.; cf.B. De Montfaucon’s note , col. , PG, vol. ), he saw the transference of the
blessing to Jacob as a mystery. It was part of the divine plan he discerned also in thebarrenness of the patriarch’s wives. But as the following question reveals, Theodo-ret feels compelled to address the moral dimension.
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ijdou; ojsmh; tou` uiJou` mou wJ~ ojsmh; ajgrou` plhv rou~, o}n eujlovghse
Kuv rio~.c o{ti de; pollavki~ ajgro;n to; n kovsmon hJ qeiva kalei`
grafh; mavrtu~ oJ Kuvrio~ ej n toi~ iJ eroi~ eujaggelivoi~, th; n
parabolh; n eJrmhneuvwn: ajgrov~, gavr fhsin, e[stin oJ kovsmo~: oJ de;speiv rwn to; kalo;n spev rma ejsti;n oJ uiJo;~ tou` ajnqrwvpou.d o{ra
toigarou` n ej n tw/ ` ∆Iakw;b th~ oijkoumev nh~ aJpavsh~ th; n swthrivan.
Dio; ejpeuv cetai aujtw/ ` tou` oujranou` th; n drovson kai; th~ gh~
th; n piovthta,e a{, kata; me; n to; prov ceiron kai; ejpipovlaion tou`
gravmmato~ nov hma, dhloi` th; n a[ nwqen cavrin kai; tw` n ajpo; gh~
ajgaqw n th; n aj fqonivan, kata; de; th; n tou` ajgrou` eJrmhneivan,
aij nivttetai tou` despovtou Cristou, dia; th~ drovsou me; n th; nqeovthta, dia; de; th~ piovthto~ th~ gh~ th; n ejx hJmw` n
aj nqrwpovthta. kai; gar; oJ makavrio~ Dabi;d tauta proagoreuvwn
e[ fh, katabhvsetai wJ~ uJeto;~ ejpi; povkon kai; wJsei; stagovne~
stavzousai ejpi; th;n gh` n:f w{sper gar; hJ drovso~ ajoravtw~ me; n
kavteisi, kavtw de; sunistamev nh giv netai dhvlh, ou{tw~, ajovrato~
w] n oJ Qeo;~ lovgo~, dia; th~ sarko;~ ejpi; gh~ w[ fqh, kai; toi~
aj nqrwvpoi~ sunanestrav fh, kai; ejfanerwvqh ejn sarkiv,g kata; to; n
qeion ajpovstolon. kai; oJ sito~ de; kai; oJ oi\ no~ tw` n qeivwn ejsti;
musthrivwn ai[ nigma.
Touvtw/ sumfwnei` tw/ ` lovgw kai; ta; ejxh~: kai; douleusavtwsavn
soi e[qnh:h pavnta, gavr fhsin, ta; e[qnh douleuvsousin aujtw/ ` , h/ |
fhsin oJ qeio~ Dabivd, kai; proskunhvsousin oiJ a[rconte~:
basilei` ~, gavr fhsi, Qarsei;~ kai;.......nh` soi dw` ra prosoivsousi:
basilei` ~ aj rav bwn kai; Saba; dw` ra prosavxousi, kai;
proskunhvsousin aujtw/ ` pavnte~ oiJ basilei` ~ th~ gh~.i tauvthn ejkravtune th; n eujlogivan kai; hJ nivka aujto; n eij~ th; n
Mesopotamivan ejxevpemyen: e[sh/, gavr fhsin, eij~ sunagwga;~
ejqnw` n, kai; dw/ vh soi Kuv rio~ th;n eujlogivan ∆Abraa; m tou` patrov~
sou. j tiv~ de; hJ eujlogiva rJav /dion tw' / boulomev nw/ katamaqei' n: tw' /
ga;r ∆Abraa;m oJ tw' n o{lwn e[ fh Qeov", ejn tw' / spev rmativ sou
eujloghqhvsetai pavnta ta; e[qnh th' " gh' ".k
The Questions on Genesis
c. Gn .mmd. Mt .f.mme. Gn .mmf. Ps .mmg. Tm .mmh. Gn .mmi. Ps .f.mm j. Gn .f.mmk. Gn .
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like the smell of an abundant field, which the Lord has blessed.”c
Now, as we can see from his interpretation of the Gospel parable, the
Lord himself is a witness that holy Scripture often refers to the world
as a “field”: “The field is the world, and the sower of the good seed isthe Son of Man.”d In Jacob, therefore, we should recognize the salva-
tion of the whole world.
Hence, he prays for him to enjoy the dew of heaven and the fat-
ness of the earth.e While, in the obvious and superficial understand-
ing, this means grace from on high and abundance of good things
from earth, in our interpretation of the field it hints at Christ the
Lord: the dew referring to his divinity and the richness of the earthto his humanity, which comes from us. In fact, foretelling this, the
blessed David declared, “He will come down like rain upon a fleece
and like drops falling on the earth.”f Just as dew descends invisibly,
and gathers, and becomes visible on the ground, so God the Word,
though invisible, was seen on earth through the flesh, held converse
with human beings, and in the words of the holy apostle “was re-
vealed in flesh.”g “The grain and the wine” constitute an oblique ref-
erence to the sacred Eucharist.1
What follows is also consistent with this interpretation: “Let na-
tions serve you.”h Now, the divinely inspired David says, “All the na-
tions will serve him, and their rulers will bow down. The kings of
Tarshish and the isles will offer gifts. Kings of Arabia and Seba will
bring gifts, and all the kings of the earth will bow down to him.”i
Furthermore, Isaac enhanced this blessing when he saw Jacob off toMesopotamia: “You will become gatherings of nations, and may the
Lord give you the blessing of Abraham your father.” j Whoever de-
sires may easily learn the content of that blessing: the God of the
universe said to Abraham, “In your offspring all the nations of the
earth will be blessed.”k
Question
. Theodoret employs a comprehensively intertextual interpretation of the pa-triarchal blessing, in which he interweaves Ps ., the dominical saying fromthe Gospel, and the hymn of Tm . to develop levels of meaning referring tochristological and even eucharistic mysteries that go “beyond the obvious and
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Tiv dhv pote tosauvta" eujlogiva" labwv n, oJ ∆Iakw;b
ajpodidravskei to; n ajdelfo; n kai; mov no" ajpodhmei', tw' n aj nagkaivwn
ejsterhmev no";a
jEnargevsteron ej n tai'" dokouvsai" kakopragivai" hJ tou' Qeou'
khdemoniva dhlou'tai: oiJ ga;r ej n eujklhriva/ o[ nte" ouj c ou{tw"
i[sasin o{swn ajgaqw' n ajpolauvousi. touvtou cavrin ajpodidravskei
kai; mov no" ajpodhmei', i{ na, meta; pollh'" periousiva" ejpanelqwv n,
kai; aujto;" gnw' / o{sh tou' Qeou' tw' n o{lwn hJ promhvqeia kai; tou;"a[llou" didavxh/.
Tauvthn aujtw' / th; n khdemonivan parautivka dia; th'"
ejpifaneiva" ejdhvlwsen. ejpevdeixe me; n ga;r aujtw' / klivmaka mev cri"
aujtou' dii>knoumev nhn tou' oujranou', tou;" de; aJgivou" ajggevlou"
aj niov nta" kai; katiov nta": aujto;" dev, a[ nwqen ej festwv",
pareqavrrunev te kai; to; devo" ejxhvlasen.b ejdhvloun de; oiJ a[ggeloi
th; n qeivan diakonivan: peri; touvtwn ga;r kai; oJ makavrio" e[ fhPau'lo", ouj ci; pavnte" eijsi; leitourgika; pneuv mata, eij"
diakonivan ajpostellov mena dia; tou;" mevllonta" klhronomei' n
swthrivan ; c touvtwn de; e{kaston iJkano; n h\ n qavrso" ej nqei' nai tw' /
patriavrch/: didavsketai ga;r wJ" oujde; n ajthmevlhton oujde;
ajkhdemov neuton para; tw' / tw' n o{lwn Qew' /, ajllæ aujto;" a{panta
prutaneuv ei, diakov noi" crwvmeno" toi'" aJgivoi" ajggevloi".
[Edwke de; aujtw' / kai; th; n eujlogivan h} n kai; tw' / patri; kai; tw' /
propavtori ejdedwvkei periv te th'" tou' spevrmato" polugoniva"
kai; peri; tou' th'" oijkoumev nh" despovtou: ejneuloghqhvsontai, gavr
fhsin, ejn tw' / spev rmativ sou pa' sai aiJ fulai; th' " gh' ".d ei\ta
uJpiscnei'tai aujtw' / kai; th; n ej n toi'" prokeimev noi" khdemonivan:
ijdouv, gavr fhsi, meta; sou' eij mi diafulavsswn se ejn th' / oJdw' /,.......ou |
eja;n poreuqh' /", kai; ajpostrevyw se eij" th;n gh' n tauvthn, o{ti ouj
mhv se ejgkatalivpw e{w" tou' poih' saiv me pavnta o{sa ejlavlhsa.e
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .–.nnb. Gn .f.nnc. Heb .nnd. Gn .nne. Gn . (LXX var.)
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After receiving such great blessings, why did Jacob flee his broth-
er and go off by himself, completely unprovided for?a
Divine providence manifests itself all the more strikingly in
seeming misfortunes; in prosperity people are not aware of all the
good things they enjoy. Therefore, he took to his heels and went off
by himself so that, on returning in affluence, he might realize the
greatness of the providence of the God of the universe and teachthis to others.
God immediately manifested this care by appearing to him. He
showed him a ladder reaching as far as heaven and the holy angels
ascending and descending, while God himself, standing on high, en-
couraged him and drove away his fear.b Now, the angels were clearly
performing service to God, for as St. Paul said, “Are they not all
ministering spirits sent on a mission of service for the sake of thosewho are due to inherit salvation?”c Every detail of this vision was
sufficient to instill confidence in the patriarch, for it taught him that
God does not leave anyone outside his care and providence but gov-
erns the universe with the holy angels as his ministers.
Then God conferred on Jacob as well the blessing he had given to
his father and grandfather regarding both numerous offspring and
the Lord of the world: “In your offspring all the tribes of the earth
will be blessed.”d Then, he promised him his care even for the fu-
ture: “See, I am with you to protect you in whatever path you travel
and shall bring you back to this land, because I shall not abandon
you before bringing all my promises to accomplishment.”e
Question
surface meaning of the text.” In the sentence beginning “What follows,” etc.(Touvtw/.......ta; eJxh~), he apparently means that the rest of the blessing (Gn .)follows logically on the prophecy of the Incarnation that he has discerned in boththe blessing and the Psalm.
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Why did Jacob pour oil on the stone?a
This was how he made a return to the munificent Lord from his
own possessions. Setting up the stone, which he had put under his
head, he poured oil on it.
Even today you can observe a very similar practice among many
Christian women. In God’s chapels they often anoint with oil both
the latticed gates of the shrines and the tombs of the holy martyrs,
and this is an indication of their nobility of soul. Appreciating theintention behind the act, the loving Lord welcomes even insignifi-
cant gifts.1
As a pretext for their own lust, many people allege the example of Jacob who had four wives.a
We should examine the purpose of every act. If we judge by this
standard, we shall find that the patriarch Jacob, though betrothed
only to Rachel, was joined to Leah against his will. Indeed, as soon as
he recognized the deception, he became angry and expostulated
with his father-in-law.b He had intercourse with Bilhah, not for plea-
sure’s sake, but with a view to comforting his spouse. Rachel was dis-
tressed at her childlessness and unreasonably demanded, “Give me
children; otherwise, I shall die.”c The patriarch piously rebuked her
and explained who is nature’s Creator, and that, not marriage, but
Question
. Theodoret does not grasp the biblical author’s interest in providing aetiolo-gies for sacred sites such as Bethel. It is perhaps the similarity of Jacob’s action tothe devotional practice of his church that prompts the question.
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poihth; n kai; o{ti, ouj gavmo" ejsti; paivdwn dhmiourgov", ajllæ oJ tou'
gavmou nomoqevth" Qeov": e[ fh ga;r pro;" aujthv n, mh; ajnti; Qeou'
soiv eij mi ejgwv, o}" ejstev rhsev se karpo;n koiliva":d yucagwgw' n de;
o{mw" aujthv n, hj nevsceto th'" aijthvsew". h[ /thse aujto; n th' /paidivskh/ migh' nai i{ na to; ejx aujth'" fuovmenon oijkei'on
ajpokalevsh/ paidivon.e tou'to kai; ejpi; th'" Zevlfa" ejgev neto: pavlin
ga;r hJ Leiva, pausamev nh tou' tivktein, hj ntibovlhsen aujto; n eij"
ejkeiv nhn spei'rai th; n a[rouran.f tau'ta filhdonivan me; n oujdemivan
aij nivttetai, th; n de; tou' aj ndro;" ejpieivkeian deivknusi kai; o{pw"
ta;" gunai'ka" qerapeuv ein ejspouvdaze.
Pro;" de; touvtw/ kajkei' no skophtevon, o{ti novmo" oujdei;"thnikau'ta h\ n th; n polugamivan kwluvwn kai; wJ" trisolbivou"
uJpelavmbanon tovte tou;" pollw' n paivdwn ginomev nou" patevra".
kai; o{ti tou'tov ejstin ajlhqe;" aiJ qei'ai marturou'sin ejpaggelivai:
tw' / ga;r ∆Abraa;m oJ tw' n o{lwn e[ fh Qeov", ajnav bleyon eij" to;n
ouj rano;n kai; i[de tou;" ajstev ra" eij dunhvsh/ ejxariqmh' sai aujtouv":
kai; ejphvgagen, ou{tw" e[stai to; spev rma sou:g kaiv, wJ" hJ a[mmo" hJ
para; to; cei' lo" th' " qalavssh",h h{ti" oujk ejxariqmhqhvsetai ajpo;
tou' plhvqou".i oujk a] n de; aujtw' / tauvthn e[dwke th; n uJpovscesin eij
mh; th; n polugonivan mevgiston ej novmizen ajgaqov n.
Tiv no" de; cavrin aiJ gunai'ke" ejzhlotuvpoun ajllhvla";a
jAtelei'" h\san kai; dussebou'" aj ndro;" qugatevre", ta; xovanaqeou;" oj nomavzonto". touvtou e{ neken nomoqetw' n, oJ Qeo;" to; n
toiou'ton ajpagoreuv ei gavmon: ouj lhvyh/, gavr fhsi, gunai' ka ejpæ
ajdelfh' / aujth' " ajntivzhlon aujth'".b
The Questions on Genesis
d. Gn .mme. Gn .mmf. Gn .mmg. Gn .mmh. Gn .mmi. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Lv .
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Dia; tiv hJ grafh; mevmnhtai tuv ch";
[Idia th'" grafh'" ta; tou' pneuvmato" lovgia, aiJ qei'ai
diatavxei", tw' n eujsebw' n aj nqrwvpwn ta; rJ hvmata: ta; de; a[lla
iJstorikw'" levgei. crh; toiv nun, mh; mov non prosev cein tw' / lovgw/,
ajlla; kai; tw' / proswvpw/ tou' levgonto": to; toiv nun eujtuv chka,a ouj
tou' ∆Iakwvb ejsti rJ h'ma, ajlla; th'" Leiva" gunaikov", wJ" e[ fhn, ej n
dussebeiva/ trafeivsh" kai; kata; bracu; ta; qei'a paideuomev nh".
ou{tw kai; oJ tauvth" path;r e[ fh to; oijwnisav mhn,b ajllæ oJ qei'o"ajpagoreuv ei novmo" toi'" oijwnoi'" kecrh'sqai. mhdei;" toiv nun tou;"
toiouvtou" lovgou" th'" qeiva" ei\ nai nomizevtw grafh'": ta; ga;r
para; tw' n oujk eujsebw' n eijrhmev na tivqhsin oJ suggrafeuv", a{te dh;
iJstorivan suggrav fwn. ou{tw tevqeiken oJ qeiovtato" Mwu>sh'" kai;
tou' Faraw; to; n blavsfhmon lovgon: oujk oi\ da to;n Kuv rion kai; to;n
∆Israh;l oujk ejxapostevllw:c ajllæ ouj tou' qeivou pneuvmato" ou |to"
oJ lovgo" ajlla; tou' dussebou'" basilevw". ou{tw pavlin ajkouvomentou' Senachrei;m levgonto", mhv se ajpatavtw oJ Qeov" sou, ejfæ w | /
su; pevpoiqa" ejpæ aujtw' /, levgwn o{ti rJ uvsetai Kuvrio" th; n
∆Ierousalh;m ejk ceirov" mou,d ajllæ, ouj blasfhmei' n ej nteu'qen
manqav nomen, ajlla; blasfhmiva" kathgorei' n.
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], , C, = mss.
l. eujtuv chka F.M. : eujtuv chma a 2
, , Sir. Sch. = “‘A piece of luck!’” Cf. Q .
( huj-) and Wevers, ap. crit. on Gn ..
a. Gn . (LXX var.)mmb. Gn .mmc. Ex .mmd. Is .; Kgs .
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Why does Scripture mention good luck?
The distinctive features of Scripture are the oracles of the Spirit,
God’s laws, and the teachings of the devout; the rest is historical
narration. So one must take into account not only what is said but
also who says it. Now, the expression “I’m in luck!"1a was not Jacob’s
but Leah’s, a woman, as I remarked, raised in idolatry and only
briefly schooled in religion. Similarly, her father declared, “I would
take omens,”b whereas God’s Law forbids recourse to omens. So noone should imagine that such words are those of holy Scripture; the
author sets down the words of pagans, because he is writing history.
Moses, though a holy man, recorded the blasphemous remark of
Pharaoh: “I do not know the Lord, and I do not intend to release Is-
rael,”c a statement that comes not from the divine Spirit but from
the impious king. Again, we hear Sennacherib saying, “Do not let
your God in whom you trust deceive you when he says that the Lordwill rescue Jerusalem from my hand.”d From this we learn, not to
blaspheme, but to condemn blasphemy.
Question
ently refers to the rivalry mentioned in the question rather than to the previousstatement regarding the religious ignorance of Rachel and Leah.
. Theodoret, who has missed the etymologies connected with the names of Ja-cob’s other sons, here fails to grasp the relationship between the name “Asher” and
the Hebrew adjective “happy” and that between the verb eujtuv chka (“I am inluck”) and “Gad.” Developing an ethical interpretation, he condemns Leah’s happy exclamation in . as also Laban’s reference to divination in v. , apparently forcalling into question the reliability of Providence. Though Leah and her father didnot deliberately oppose God, their remarks seem to him as reprehensible as thosemade by God’s avowed enemies, the Pharaoh of the Exodus (Ex .) and Sen-nacherib (Kgs .). To empty all references to luck or fortune of theologicalcontent, Theodoret emphasizes that they are recorded, not as divine revelation, butonly as the thoughts of the human personages. Thus, in this question, he refers tothe author of Genesis not as “blessed Moses” (cf. Q. ), or “prophet” (profhvth~;
cf. Q.. on Exodus), but as “historian” suggrafeuv~; cf. also Q. , which dealswith another mention of good luck, and where Theodoret again describes the bib-lical author as an historian (iJstoriograv fo~).
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jAlla; kai; aujto;" oJ ∆Iakw;b e[ fh tw' / Lavban, eujlovghsev se
Kuv rio" ejpi; tw' / podiv mou.a
Dhvlh tou' rJ htou' diav noia: povda ga;r th; n parousivan ejkavlesen
aj nti; tou': dia; th'" ejmh'" parousiva" kai; th'" ejmh'" khdemoniva",
tw' n qeosdovtwn ajphvlausa" ajgaqw' n. eij" ga;r th; n ejmh; n
eujsevbeian aj forw' n, oJ Qeo;" ta; ejgceirisqev nta moi para; sou'
pavsh" eujlogiva" hjxivwsen.
Tiv no" e{ neken ta;" rJavbdou" lepivsa", piv nousin parevqhke toi'"
probavtoi";a
{Wsper hjgavgeto me; n paidopoih'sai poqw' n, oujk ej n tw' / gavmw/
de; ei\ ce th; n ejlpivda th'" paidopoiiva", ajllæ ej n tw' / tou' gavmou nomoqevth/ qew' /, ou{tw kai; ta;" rJavbdou" ejlevpisen, ouj tauvtai"
qarrw' n, ajlla; th; n qeivan ejpikourivan prosmev nwn. o{qen kai; th'"
qeiva" ejpifaneiva" tetuv chke kai; levgonto" h[kousen, ajnav bleyon
toi' " ojfqalmoi' " sou kai; i[de tou;" travgou" kai; tou;" kriou;"
ajnabaivnonta" ejpi;.......ta;" ai\ ga": dialeuvkou", kai; poikivlou", kai;
spodoeidei' " rJantouv": eJwv raka ga; r o{sa soi Lav ban poiei' . ejgwv
eij mi oJ Qeov", oJ ojfqeiv" soi ejn tovpw/ Qeou' , ou | h[leiyav" moi ejkei'
sthvlhn, kai; hu[xw moi ejkei' euj chvn.b ejpeidh; ga;r ta; faia; kai; ta;
poikivla toi'" uiJ evsi tou' Lavban ej neceirivsqh, kai; triw' n hJmerw' n
oJdo; n aj festhvkesan ejkei' nai touvtwn aiJ poivmnai,c deivknusin aujtw' /
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .f.mmc. Gn .f.mm
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But Jacob himself declared to Laban, “The Lord has blessed you
at my foot.”1a
The sense of the expression is clear: by “foot” he meant his com-
ing. In other words, “through my coming and my care you have en-
joyed God-given bounty. Observing my devotion, God deemed what
you had assigned me worthy of his blessing.”
Why did he peel the rods and place them in front of the sheep at
the water troughs?a
When he desired children, he married while resting his hope of
children, not in marriage, but in God, who had established marriage.So too he peeled the rods, not relying on them, but awaiting God’s
assistance. Hence, he was accorded the vision of God and heard him
say, “Lift up your eyes and see that the goats and rams mounting the
she-goats are white and speckled, ashen and mottled. For I have seen
all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God who appeared to you in
the place of God, where you anointed a pillar to me and made a vow
to me.”
b
Since the grey and speckled ones had been turned over toLaban’s sons, and their flocks were separated by a distance of three
days,c the champion of the wronged gave him this vision of speckled
Question
. At Gn . the LXX offers a literal rendition of the Hebrew, which Theodo-
ret correctly interprets for his questioner, who is imagined to have understood theexpression as blasphemous or at least indelicate; cf. Is ., where the same Hebrew word is a euphemism for genitalia, and note on Q. on Ex.
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tw' n ajdikoumev nwn oJ provmaco" poikivlou" kriou;" kai; travgou"
oj ceuvonta" i{ na th' / peivra/ mavqh/ povsh" ajpolauvousi promhqeiva"
oiJ teqarrhkovte" tw' / tw' n o{lwn Qew' /.
jEpishmhv nasqai de; proshvkei wJ", a[ggelon eijrhkw;" to; n a[ nwoj fqev nta, e[deixen to; n aujto; n kai; Qeov n: ejgw; gav r eij mi, fhsiv n, oJ
Qeo;" oJ ojfqeiv" soi ejn th' / oJdw' /. ei\de de; ajggevlou" me; n aj niov nta"
kai; katiov nta" dia; th'" klivmako", to; n de; Kuvrion a[ nw
ejsthrigmev non. tou'ton ej ntau'qa kai; a[ggelon wj novmase kai; Qeovn:
Qeo;n me; n wJ" tou'to th; n fuvsin o[ nta, a[ggelon de; i{ na gnw'men
wJ", ouj c oJ pathvr ejstin oJ oj fqeiv", ajllæ oJ monogenh;" uiJov". tiv no"
ga;r a[ggelo" oJ pathvr; oJ de; uiJo;" kai; Qeo;" kai; megavlh" boulh' " a[ggelo" :d aujto;" ga;r hJmi' n ajphvggeile tou' patro;" ta; musthvria:
a} ga;r h[kousa, fhsiv, para; tou' patrov" mou ejgnwv risa uJ mi' n.e
ou{tw to; n keklhkovta to; n ∆Abraa;m kai; a[ggelon f wj novmase kai;
Qeovn.g
Tiv" oJ skopo;" th'" tw' n eijdwvlwn kloph'";a
Tine;" e[ fasan e[ti diakeimev nhn peri; aujtav, th; n ÔRach;l
keklofev nai aujtav: ejgw; de; touj nantivon uJpolambav nw, o{ti, kai; to; n
patevra th'" deisidaimoniva" ejleuqerw'sai boulomev nh, sesuvlhken
aujtav. to; ga;r eujsebe;" aujth'" hJ qeiva didavskei grafhv:
ej mnhvsqh......., gavr fhsin, oJ Qeo;" .......ÔRachvl, kai; ejphvkousen
aujth' " oJ Qeov", kai; ajnevw/xen aujth' " th;n mhvtran:b ajkouvsasa ga;rpara; tou' ∆Iakwvb, mh; ajnti; Qeou' soi ejgwv eij mi, o}" ejstev rhsevn se
karpo;n koiliva" ;c dh'lon o{ti spoudaiotevran tw' / Qew' /
prosenhv noce proseuch; n kai; ejtetuchvkei th'" aijthvsew". kai;
mev ntoi kai; tekou'sa, dedhvlwke th; n eujsevbeian: ei\ pe ......., gavr
The Questions on Genesis
d. Is .mme. Jn .mmf. Gn .mmg. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .m
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rams and goats mounting, so that Jacob would learn from his own
experience the degree of providence enjoyed by those who trust in
the God of the universe.
Now, note that after reporting that an angel had appeared fromabove, Jacob indicated that this was none other than God himself: “I
am God, who appeared to you on the way.” He had seen angels as-
cending and descending the ladder and God set firm at the top,
whom he here called both “angel” and “God”: “God” as to his na-
ture, and “angel” so we would know that it was not the Father who
appeared to him but the only-begotten Son. While the Father does
not serve as anyone’s messenger,1
the Son is both God and “angel of great counsel.”d It was he who announced to us the mysteries of the
Father: “All I have heard from my Father I have revealed to you.”e
Likewise, the one who called out to Abraham is referred to as both
“angel”f and “God.”g
What was the point of stealing the images?a
Some commentators have claimed that Rachel stole the images
because she was still attached to them. My impression is the oppo-
site: that she carried them off because she wanted to free her father of
superstition. Indeed, holy Scripture informs us of her piety: “God re-
membered Rachel; God hearkened to her and opened her womb.”1b
So she must have listened to Jacob’s words—“Certainly, you do notregard me as in the position of God, the one who deprived you of the
fruit of the womb?”c—and offered a more ardent prayer to God, who
granted her request. Then, on giving birth, she displayed her piety
Question
. The Greek word a[ggelo~ means both “angel” and “messenger”; cf. Q. onEx.
. Both Chrysostom (hom. . in Gen.) and Theodoret display ethical concernsin their interpretation of this event. It is Chrysostom’s position that Theodoret re-
jects at the beginning of his response.
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once more: “Rachel declared, ‘God has taken away my reproach,’ and
she called him ‘Joseph,’ saying,‘May God grant me yet another son.’”d
Now, if she had this disposition towards God, how could she have
tolerated slavery to false gods?In my view, however, there is also something more foreshadowed
in this event. Jacob was a type of the God of the universe, for God
had two peoples: the elder with a veil over its heart,2e the younger
clad in the beauty of faith. And Jacob had two wives: Leah with weak
eyes and Rachel shapely and very fair to behold,f the elder having
many children and the younger barren. Now, the Church of the na-
tions was once barren but later had many children: “Rejoice, youwho are barren and have no children; cry out, you who have no
birth pangs, because she who is without a husband has more chil-
dren than she who is married.”g Thus, as the Church, believing in
God the Savior, has uprooted the ancestral error, and Rachel was a
type of the Church, she stole her father’s images to foreshadow the
reality in this as well.
What is the meaning of “Jacob swore by the fear of his father
Isaac”?a
By “Fear of Isaac” he referred to his piety; that is, “Fear of Isaac”signifies God, fear of whom was lodged in his soul.
Question
. Theodoret now looks beyond the interpretation of his fellow AntiocheneChrysostom to an allegory developed by the Alexandrian Cyril (Glaph. Gen. ).Building upon the septuagintal description (Gn. .) of Leah’s eyes as “weak”(ajsqenei~) rather than “tender” or “lovely” (other possible translations of the He-brew adjective racoth ), which is itself due to a popular etymology connecting thename “Leah” to a Hebrew stem meaning “to be weary,” Cyril had taken the unat-
tractive Leah as prefiguring the Jewish people, and the lovely Rachel as prefiguringthe Christian (gentile) Church. In Theodoret’s terminology Rachel is a foreshad-owing (skiagrafhvsh/) of the Church, the reality (ajlhvqeian); cf. Guinot, p. .
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Why did the angel wrestle with Jacob?a
To give Jacob confidence when he was afraid of his brother. For
the same reason he also yielded him the victory, as if to say, “How
can you fear a mere mortal after defeating me?” But to prevent Jacob
from becoming conceited at thinking he had defeated God, he
touched his thigh to indicate that he allowed himself to be bested,
for at his touch, the thigh became numb. Then Jacob recognized the
power of the one who had appeared to him and requested his bless-ing. The angel granted his requestb and gave him a new name: “You
will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel, because you
have prevailed against God and will be powerful against men.”c He
also brought out the reason for the victory: “Do not fear, man, now
that I have yielded you the victory.” Even after he awoke, the thigh
remained numb and lame so that he would not think he had only
imagined the vision but recognize with complete clarity the reality of the dream. Thus, he not only failed to get an answer but received a
rebuke for exceeding the limits of nature when he asked the angel his
name: “Why do you ask my name? It inspires awe.”1d
Now, we should note that, here as well, the same being is called
both “man” and “God”: “You prevailed against God”; “and he named
that place ‘Face of God,’ ‘for I saw God face to face, and my life was
preserved’”;e and again,“The sun rose upon him as he passed Face of
God.”f Hence, we conclude that the only-begotten Son and God ap-
peared to Jacob here as well.2
Question
. Theodoret’s, but not Chrysostom’s text of . (hom. . in Gen.), con-tained the sparsely attested clause, kai; tou`to qaumastov n (“It inspires awe”); v.J.W. Wevers, Genesis, ad loc. J.L. Schulze’s suggestion (note to Q. ) that the ad-ditional clause might be a gloss is inconsistent with the appearance of the fuller
version of . also in Theodoret’s comment on Ps . LXX (. MT). BothChrysostom and Theodoret agree that the angel warns Jacob against trespassingon forbidden territory.
. Again (cf. note to Q. ), Theodoret misses the aetiologies of central impor-
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Tiv ejstin ou |tov" ejstin oJ ∆Ai>na;n o}" eu | ren to;n ∆Iamh;n ejn th' /
ej rhv mw/ o{te e[nemen ta; uJpozuvgia Sebegwvn, tou' patro;" aujtou' ; a
J O Suvro" levgei phgh; n aujto; n euJrhkev nai: hJ ga;r phgh; aijna;
kalei'tai th' / Suvrwn fwnh' /.
J O ∆Iw;b povqen katavgei to; gev no";
∆Apo; tou' ÔHsau'. tou'to ga;r kai; hJ katæ aujto; n iJstoriva
didavskei: a[nqrwpo" .......ga;r h\ n, fhsiv n, ejn cwv ra/ th' / Aujsivtidi.a
dedhvlwke de; tou'to kai; oJ makavrio" Mwu>sh'": tw' n ga;r ejk tou'
ÔHsau' bebasileukovtwn ta;" diadoca;" suggrav fwn, ou{tw" e[ fh:
ajpevqane de; Balavk, kai; ej basivleusen ajntæ aujtou' ∆Iwba; b uiJo;"
Zara; ejk Bosov ra".b
sumfwnei' de; tau'ta th' / tou' ∆Iw;b iJstoriva/.
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], , C, = mss.
This question was not printed by Sir. : It was transcribed from cod. and placed, without number, between Qq. and by Sch., who remarks (n. , col.), “Dubitatur autem, sintne haec Theodoreti, an potius Diodori” (“It is unclear whether this should be attributed to Theodoret or Diodore”).
a. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Jb .mmb. Gn .
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1
What is the meaning of “He is the Anah who found the Iamin in
the wilderness when he pastured the cattle of his father Zibeon”?a
The Syriac says he found a spring, for “Anah” is the Syriac for
“spring.”2
What was Job’s ancestry?
From Esau, as indicated in the book of Job: “There was a man in
the land of Uz.”a The blessed Moses also explained this. Listing the
kings who succeeded Esau, he declared,“Bela died, and Jobab son of
Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place.”1b This notice is quite consis-
tent with the story of Job.
Question
tance to the ancient Hebrew narrator: the origin of the names Israel and Penuel andof the dietary taboo on the sciatic muscle; v. R.J. Clifford and R.E. Murphy, p. . Incontrast, Theodoret is concerned primarily with what he regards as a Trinitarian is-sue: i.e., the relationship to God of Jacob’s mysterious opponent. Here, as in Q. ,he follows the long-established tradition of attributing to the Son the theophaniesof the OT; cf. J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, pp. f and note to Q. on Jos.
. In the editions of Sirmond and Schulze, all questions from through
bear a number lower by two; v. the critical note to this question and note 1 on
Q. .. In Gn . the LXX’s Iamin ( jIamh; n) is merely a transliteration of the He-
brew. Theodoret’s explanation is unsatisfactory, for as an unknown scholiast point-ed out, Anah ( jAi> na; n) should not mean “spring,” because it is Anah who discoversIamin, not Iamin who discovers Anah. Theodoret may have misunderstood a re-mark of Diodore’s to the effect that Iamin is a Hebrew noun meaning “water” andthat the verse would thus mean that Anah had discovered a spring in the desert; v.Deconinck, frag. .. As Speiser (ad loc.) indicates, the Hebrew term is itself ob-scure and gave rise to the most various interpretations in the ancient versions. Hetakes it to be a corruption of the common noun for “water”: “The discovery of wa-
ter in the desert would be sufficient cause for astonishment.”
. In his earlier commentary on Ezekiel, Theodoret had not made this connec-
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Dia; tiv ej fqov nhsan tw' / ∆Iwsh; f oiJ ajdelfoi; aujtou';a
jHgapa'to para; tou' patro;" kai; wJ" oj yivgono", kai; wJ" th'"
ÔRach;l uiJov", kai; wJ" ajreth' / diaprevpwn: ejbavskainon toiv nun,
oJrw' nte" aujto; n protimwvmenon. kai; prw'ton me; n ejpeiravqhsan
kakw'" aujto; n para; tw' / patri; diaqei' nai, pollai'" katæ aujtou'
loidorivai" crhsavmenoi: tou' skopou' de; diamartov nte", aj nelei' n
hjboulhvqhsan: ei\ta, sumbouleuqev nte", ajpevdonto.b to; de; tw' n
dragmavtwn o[ narc proshmaiv nei th; n dia; tw' n purw' n gegenhmev nhnproskuv nhsin: sitodociva" ga;r cavrin eij" th; n Ai[gupton
eijselqov nte",d kata; th; n provrrhsin prosekuv nhsan.e
Tiv dhv pote hJ Qavmar, eJtairiko; n sch'ma periqemev nh, to; nkhdesth; n ejxhpavthsen;a
Perifane;" a[gan ejgegov nei tou' ∆Abraa;m to; gev no" diæ h} n
ei\ cen eujsevbeian. tou'to hJ Qavmar eijdui'a, spoudh; n e[scen ejx
ejkeiv nou paidopoih'sai tou' gev nou". ejpeidh; toiv nun aujth; n oJ
khdesth;" ouj kathgguv hse tw' / newtavtw/ paidiv, deivsa" mh; toi'"
ajdelfoi'" paraplhsivw" kai; aujto;" teleuthvsh/, hj nagkavsqh
klev yai th'" paidopoiiva" ta;" aj formav", ejpeidh; profanw'"
labei' n aujta;" ejkwluv eto.b pro;" de; touvtw/ kai; ejlevgcei to; n
khdesthv n, wJ", aujto; n me; n ouj swfronou' nta, aujth; n de; swfronei' n
aj nagkavzonta.c tou'to de; kajkei' no" kriv nwn ejdhvlwse: kuvousan me; n
ga;r aujth; n memaqhkwv", kateyhfivsato qav naton, gnou;" de; o{qen
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn ., mmb. Gn .–mmc. Gn .f.mmd. Gn .–mme. Gn .
A [ ], , C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .–mmc. Gn .mm
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Why did his brothers envy Joseph?a
His father loved him because he was a son of his old age, Rachel’s
son, and outstanding in virtue. So, seeing him given pride of place,
his brothers became jealous. At first, in their effort to set their father
against Joseph, they had recourse to frequent slander, but when they
failed to achieve their purpose, they decided to do away with him
and then agreed to sell him.b The dream of the sheavesc foreshad-
owed the obeisance they made to him for the wheat, since it was forgrain supplies that they went to Egyptd and bowed down to Joseph
just as he had foretold.e
Why did Tamar disguise herself as a prostitute to deceive herfather-in-law?a
Abraham’s descendants had become very famous for their virtue.
Aware of this, Tamar was eager to bear children from this stock.
Since her father-in-law did not betroth her to his youngest son for
fear he might die as had his brothers, she was forced to snatch an
opportunity of conceiving a child when prevented from doing this
openly.
b
Moreover, she upbraided her father-in-law for obliging herto continence when he was not continent himself.c He, too, indicat-
ed as much in his verdict. For when he learned that she was preg-
Question
tion between the Jobab of Gn . and the protagonist of the book of Job; v. in Ezech. on ., .
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ejkuv hse, th; n me; n ajqw' /on ajpev fhnen, eJauto; n de; katevkrine:
dedikaivwtai, ga;r e[ fh, Qav mar h] ejgwv, ou | ei{neken ouj devdwka
aujth;n Shlw; m tw' / uiJw' / mou.d o{ti de; paidopoiiva" cavrin, kai; ouj
filhdoniva", tou'to hJ Qavmar ejmhcanhvsato ta; meta; tau'tadhloi': oujk e[ti gavr, ou[te tw' / ∆Iouvda/ ou[te a[llw/ sunhv fqh tini∑
hjrkevsqh de; mhvthr klhqh' nai tw' n ejx ejkeiv nou beblasthkovtwn tou'
spevrmato".e
Tiv no" h\ n mhv numa ta; kata; to; n Zara; kai; to; n Farev";a
Tw' n duvo law' n: oJ Fare;" tw' n ijoudaivwn, kai; oJ Zara; tw' n ejx
ejqnw' n pepisteukovtwn. kai; ga;r pro; tou' novmou h\san polloi; th'"
eujsebeiva" trov fimoi kata; pivstin, ouj kata; novmon,
politeuovmenoi: dia; tou'to oJ Zara; proexhv negke th; n cei'ra, th; n
pro; tou' novmou politeivan deiknuv". to; de; kovkkinon spartivon
mhv numa h\ n tw' n palaiw' n qusiw' n: kai; ga;r ejkei' noi qusivai" to; n
Qeo; n iJleuvonto: kai [Abel,b kai; ∆Enwv c,c kai; Nw' e,d kai;
Melcisedevk,e kai; ∆Abraavm,f || kai; ∆Isaavk,g kai; ∆Iakwvb.h ei\ta,
ejkeiv nou th; n cei'ra susteivlanto", ejxh'lqen oJ Farev": mevso" ga;r
oJ novmo" tw' n pro; novmou kai; meta; novmon. dio; kai; oJ makavrio"
levgei Pau'lo", nov mo" de; pareish' lqe,i didavskwn o{ti kai; pro; tou'
novmou kata; pivstin ejdikaiou' nto, kai; meta; to; n novmon hJ cavri"
dievlamye.
Kai; oJ Kuvrio" de; kata; savrka ejk tou' Fare;" ejblavsthsen: w |n,gavr fhsin, oiJ patev re" kai; ejx w |n oJ Cristov", to; kata; sav rka, oJ
w]n ejpi; pavntwn Qeov" : j kai; ej n th' / pro;" eJbraivou", provdhlon ga; r
The Questions on Genesis
||30
d. Gn .mme. Gn .
A [ ], (inc.), C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Cf. Gn ..mmd. Gn .mme. Gn .mmf. Gn .–mmg. Gn .mmh. Gn .mmi. Rom .mm j. Rom .mm
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nant, he sentenced her to death, but, on realizing how she became
pregnant, declared her innocent and condemned himself: “Tamar is
more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.”d
Now, the sequel indicates that Tamar resorted to this ruse to con-ceive a child and not for pleasure. Indeed, she had no further rela-
tions with Judah or anyone else and was content to be known as the
mother of the children sprung from his line. 1e
What is the symbolical point of the story about Zerah and Perez?a
It has to do with two peoples: Perez referring to the believers de-
scended from the Jews, and Zerah to those descended from the gen-
tiles. Before the Law, there were many virtuous men who lived by
faith rather than the Law. Thus, Zerah thrust his hand out first to
point to the way of life before the Law. The crimson thread referred
to the sacrifices of old, for the ancients Abel,b Enoch,c Noah,d
Melchizedek,e Abraham,f Isaac,g and Jacobh all appeased God with
sacrifices. Then, when he withdrew his hand, Perez came out, for the
Law came between those before the Law and those after the Law.
Hence, St. Paul says, “But the Law slipped in,”i to teach us that, even
before the Law, there was justification by faith, and, after the Law,
grace shone forth.
Now, the Lord was descended from Perez according to the flesh:“To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the
flesh, came the Christ, who is God over all”; j and in the Epistle to the
Question
. Theodoret, neglecting the bearing of this story on the institution of leviratemarriage, focuses entirely on its moral import. Von Rad (on .–) agrees with
Theodoret in concluding that Tamar receives the approbation of the biblical au-thor: “Tamar, in spite of her action which borders on a crime, is the one justifiedin the end. Judah states it at the climax of the story.”
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o{ti ejx ∆Iouvda ajnatevtalken oJ Kuv rio" hJ mw' n ∆Ihsou'" Cristov".k
tou'to kai; oJ makavrio" Matqai'o", th; n genealogivan suggrav fwn,
ejdivdaxe.l tou'to mev ntoi to; dihvghma tevqeiken oJ makavrio"
Mwu>sh'", didavskwn ijoudaivou" wJ" tou' Dabi;d to; poluqruvllhtongev no" ejk gunaikw' n ajllofuvlwn sunevsth i{ na mh; kata; tw' n ejx
ejqnw' n pepisteukovtwn ajlazoneuvwntai, wJ" ajkhvraton fulavxante"
th; n eujgev neian.
Qw'men th; n Leivan, wJ" ajtelh' kata; th; n eujsevbeian, eijrhkev nai
to; hujtuv chka,a pw'" oJ iJstoriograv fo", ta; kata; to; n ∆Iwsh; f
suggrav fwn, ei\pe to; h\ n ajnh; r ejpitugcavnwn ;b
jAnavgnwqi to; protetagmev non rJ hto; n kai; euJrhvsei" th; n luvsin.
eijpw; n gavr, h\ n Kuv rio" meta; ∆Iwshvf, ejphvgage, kai; h\ n ajnh; r
ejpitugcavnwn, kai; prostevqeike, kai; ejgevneto ejn tw' / oi[kw/ para;
tw' / kurivw/ tw' / aijguptivw/. h[ /dei de; oJ kuv rio" aujtou' o{ti Kuv rio" metæ
aujtou' kai; o{sa a]n poih/ ` , Kuv rio" eujodoi` .c oujkou' n eij" a{panta
ejpetuvgcanen, ejpeidh; Kuvrio" h\ n metæ aujtou': aujto;" ga;r eujwvdou
ta; paræ aujtou' ginovmena. tou'to, kai; ta; kata; to; desmwthvrion
dihgouvmeno", e[ fh: pavnta ga; r h\ n, fhsiv, dia; ceiro;" ∆Iwshvf, dia;
to; to;n Kuv rion metæ aujtou' ei\ nai, kai; o{sa aujto;" ejpoivei, Kuv rio"
eujwvdou ejn tai' " cersi;n aujtou' .d
The Questions on Genesis
k. Heb .mml. Mt .
A [ ], C, = mss.
l. ta; kata; to; desmwthvrion a 2 , c –3, , : ta; kata;desmwthvrion Sir. Sch. F.M. The TLG offers no other example of the phrase ta;kata; desmwthvrion among the works it now contains; cf. Chrys., hom. . in Acta ap. ( e[ nqa ta; kata; to; desmwthvrion ejgev neto), which supports thewidely attested reading here adopted.
a. Gn . (LXX var.)mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .f. mmd. Gn .
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Hebrews:“For it is evident that our Lord Jesus Christ was descended
from Judah.”k St. Matthew taught the same thing in his genealogy.l
Indeed, blessed Moses composed this account to teach the Jews that
the celebrated line of David was derived from foreign women, sothey could not lord it over the believers from the nations and claim
they had kept their own noble line uncontaminated.
Granted that Leah said, “I am in luck,”a because she was ignorant
of religion, what did the historian mean when he remarked of
Joseph: “He was a fortunate man”?b
Read the preceding sentence, and you will find the solution. Hav-
ing said, “The Lord was with Joseph,” he went on, “and he was a for-
tunate man,” and proceeded, “He was in the house of his Egyptian
master, and his master realized that the Lord was with him, and the
Lord caused all he did to prosper.”c So he was fortunate in every-
thing because the Lord was with him; the Lord caused everything he
did to prosper. And, describing what happened in the prison, Moses
said “Everything was done by the hand of Joseph, since the Lord was
with him, and everything he did the Lord caused to prosper in his
hands.”d
Question
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Pw'", euj nou' co" w[ n, oJ ajrcimavgeiro" gunai'ka ei\ cen;a
Mavlista me; n ou\ n kai; tou;" euj nouv cou" kai; tou;" ejktomiva"
oJmwnuvmw" kalou'sin. oujde; n de; h\ n ajpeikov", kai; euj nou' con o[ nta,
gunai'ka e[ cein ej n th' / oijkiva/, tw' n e[ ndon ejpimeloumev nhn
pragmavtwn.
Tiv no" e{ neken, crov nou tosouvtou parelhluqovto", ou[te ∆Iwsh; f
tw' / patri; th; n douleivan ejgnwvrisen, ou[te oJ Qeo;" diæ
ajpokaluv yew" ejdhvlwse tou'to tw' / ∆Iakwvb;
[Edei kata; th; n provrrhsin, th; n pro;" to; n ∆Abraa;m
gegenhmev nhn, to; n ∆Iakw;b meta; tw' n paivdwn kai; tw' n ejkgov nwn
eij" th; n Ai[gupton katelqei' n.a
eij de; ta; kata; to; n ∆Iwsh; f ejgnwvkei, pav ntw" a] n aujtov n, luvtra pepomfwv", ejpanhvgage.
touvtou cavrin aujto; n ajqumou' nta parei'denb i{ na kai; th; n
oijkonomivan plhrwvsh/ kai; qumhrestevran aujtw' / meta; tau'ta th; n
zwh; n katasthvsh/. kai; aujto;" de; oJ ∆Iwsh; f tou' Qeou' th; n
oijkonomivan didavskei tou;" ajdelfouv": eij" ga; r zwhvn, fhsiv n,
ajpevstalkev me oJ Qeo;" e[ mprosqen uJ mw' n c tou' diaqrev yai lao; n
poluv n.d kai; oJ Dabi;d tau'tav fhsi: kai; ejkavlese limo;n ejpi; th;n
gh' n, pa' n sthv rigma a[ rtou sunevtriyen. ajpevsteilen e[ mprosqen
aujtw' n a[nqrwpon: eij" dou' lon ejpravqh ∆Iwshvf, kai; ta; eJxh'".e
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], C, = mss.
a. Gn .mm
A [ ], C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .f.mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn .mme. Ps .f.mm
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Eij de; oJ patriavrch" tou' paido;" th; n douleivan ejgnwvkei,
pav ntw" a] n aujto; n ejlutrwvsato: lutrwqei;" dev, oujk a] n
desmwthvrion w[ /khsen:f eij de; mh; tou'to ejgegov nei, oujk a] n tou;"
oj neivrou" toi'" oijkevtai" ejkeiv noi" hJrmhv neusen:g mh; eJrmhneuvsa"dev, gnwvrimo" oujk a] n ejgegov nei tw' / Farawv: gnwvrimo" de; mh;
genovmeno", oujk a] n th; n dia; tw' n oj neivrwn ejsafhv nise provrrhsin:
tou'to de; mh; dedrakwv", oujk a] n ejpisteuvqh th'" Aijguvptou ta;"
hJ niva":h th'" Aijguvptou de; mh; paralabw; n th; n ajrchv n, oujk a] n to; n
patriavrchn meta; tou' gev nou" h[gagen eij" th; n Ai[gupton.i ejk
tou' tevlou" ou\ n giv netai dh'lo" th'" qeiva" oijkonomiva" oJ skopov".
Oujkou' n oujk ejxhvmarton oiJ ajdelfoiv, oijkonomiva/
uJpourghvsante" qeiva/;
To; me; n ejkeiv nwn e[rgon baskaniva" kai; fqov nou:a sofo;" de; w] n,
oJ Qeo;" th' / ponhriva/ th' / ejkeiv nwn eij" touj nantivon ej crhvsato: diæ
w | n ga;r ejpeiravqhsan kwlu'sai tw' n oj neivrwn th; n e[kbasin, dia;
touvtwn ejpitevqeike toi'" oj neivroi" to; tevlo".b
Tiv no" cavrin eujqu;" oj fqei'si toi'" ajdelfoi'" wjmovteron
proshnev cqh;a
The Questions on Genesis
f. Gn .mmg. Gn .–mmh. Gn .–mmi. Gn .–
A [ ], C –50 , = mss.
a. Gn ., mmb. Gn .–
A [ ], c, , = mss.
a. Gn .mm
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If the patriarch had known of his son’s enslavement, he would
definitely have ransomed him. If he had ransomed him, Joseph
would not have been imprisoned.f And if that had not happened, he
would not have interpreted their dreams to the servants.g And if Joseph had not interpreted their dreams, he would not have become
known to Pharaoh. And if he had not become known to Pharaoh,
he would not have explained the prophecy contained in his dreams.
And if he had not done that, he would not have been entrusted with
the reins of the government of Egypt.h And if Joseph had not been
given control of Egypt, he would not have brought the patriarch
down to Egypt with his family.i
Thus, it is from the outcome that thepurpose of the divine plan becomes clear.
Are we to conclude that the brothers committed no sin, since
they were serving the divine plan?
Though they acted out of malice and envy,a God in his wisdom
used their wickedness to the opposite effect; he employed their very
efforts to obstruct the outcome of the dreams to bring them to ful-
fillment.b
Why did Joseph deal so severely with his brothers when he first
saw them?a
Question
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Memnhmev no" tw' n eij" aujto; n gegenhmev nwn kai; to; n Beniami; n
oujk ijdwv n,b uJpetovpase kajkei' non taujta; paræ aujtw' n peponqev nai.
ejpeidh; de; zw' nta to; n ajdelfo; n ei\de,c kai; suggnwvmh" kai;
pantodapou'" khdemoniva" hjxivwse.d
Tiv na eJrmhneivan e[ cei to; Yomiqo; m fanev c; a
Tw' n ajporrhvtwn eJ rmhneuth;n aujto; n kevklhken, wJ" tou;"
oj neivrou" diasafhvsanta.
Tiv no" e{ neken to; n deuvteron, kai; ouj to; n prw'ton, tw' n
ajdelfw' n kaqeircqh' nai prosevtaxen;a
jEgnwvkei tou' ÔRoubh; n to; n skopo; n kai; h[ /dei safw'" oJpovsou"
uJpe;r aujtou' pro;" tou;" ajdelfou;" ejpoihvsato lovgou" kai; o{shn
uJpe;r th'" aujtou' swthriva" eijsenhnov cei spoudhv n.b ejpeidh; toiv nun
ouj sunhvrghsen oJ Sumew; n tw' / ÔRoubhv n, mavla dikaivw" aujto; n
kaqeircqh' nai prosevtaxen ajllæ, ejkdedhmhkovtwn tw' n ajdelfw' n,
pavsh" aujto; n qerapeiva" hjxivwse.
Touvtwn mev ntoi ginomev nwn, hJsucivan a[gein to; suneido;" oujk
hj neiv ceto, ajlla; th'" gegenhmev nh" eij" to; n ajdelfo; n paranomiva"
aj nevmnhsen: ei\ pe, gavr fhsin, e{kasto" pro;" to;n ajdelfo;n aujtou' ,naiv: ejn aJ martivai" gav r ejsmen peri; tou' ajdelfou' hJ mw' n, o{ti
uJpereivdomen th;n qli' yin th' " yuch' " aujtou' , o{te katedeveto
The Questions on Genesis
b. Gn .mmc. Gn .mmd. Gn .–
A [ ], C –53, = mss.
a. Gn .
A [ ], C, = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .f.mm
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Remembering his own experience and not seeing Benjamin,b he
suspected that he had suffered the same fate at their hands. But
when he saw his brother alive,c he decided they deserved pardon and
his every consideration.d
What is the meaning of Psomithom Phanech?a
He called him “explainer of mysteries” since he had elucidated
the meaning of the dreams.1
Why did he order the imprisonment of the second, rather than
the eldest, of the brothers?a
He knew Reuben’s intentions and was well aware of the plea he
had made to his brothers on his behalf and of the great effort he had
made to save him.b So since Simeon had not supported Reuben,
Joseph was quite justified in ordering him to be imprisoned; yet
when his brothers departed, he accorded him every attention.
After this, however, their conscience refused to rest and remind-
ed them of the crime they had committed against their brother:
“Each said to his brother, ‘To be sure, we are guilty of sin towardsour brother, for we disregarded his distress of soul when he pled
with us and we did not hearken to him.’ Therefore, all this distress
Question
. “Psomithom Phanech” is a transliteration of the form of the name ( Yomiqo;m fanev c) offered by Theodoret; the more widely attested LXX form is Yonqomfan- hv c (Psonthomphanech); v. J.W. Wevers ad Gn .. In contrast, the MT offers aform transliterated as Zaphenath-paneah, which, according to Speiser, probably
represents the Egyptian for “God speaks: he lives”; v. note e, p. and on ..Jerome had offered, “Savior of the world” (Salvatorem mundi ). Theodoret’s readerswould not be in a position to gainsay his version, which lacks linguistic foundation.
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hJ mw' n, kai; oujk eijshkouvsamen aujtou' . e{neken touvtou ejph' lqen ejfæ
hJ ma' " hJ qli' yi" au{th.c kai; oJ ÔRoubh; n de; eij" kairo; n ejpavgei to; n
e[legcon: ei\ pe, gavr fhsin, aujtoi' ", oujk ejlavlhsa uJ mi' n, levgwn,
mh; ajdikhvshte to; paidav rion ; kai; oujk eijshkouvsatev mou. kai;ijdou; to; ai | ma aujtou' ejkzhtei' tai.d ej nteu'qen e[sti gnw' nai safw'"
to; ajkline;" tou' suneidovto" krithvrion: th'" ga;r pro; duvo kai;
ei[kosi ejtw' n gegenhmev nh" aj namimnhv /skei paranomiva".
Dia; tiv tw' / ÔRoubh; n oujk ejqavrrhse dou' nai to; n Beniami; n oJ
pathvr;a
{Upopto" h\ n aujtw' / dia; th; n parav nomon sunousivan kai; th'"
euj nh'" paroinivan,b hjgnov ei de; kai; o{shn uJpe;r tou' ∆Iwsh; f
eijsenhnov cei spoudhv n.c
Tiv ejstin oijwnismw' / oijwnivzetai ejn aujtw/ ' ; a
Aujxh'sai th'" dokouvsh" kloph'" to; e[gklhma boulhqev nte",
manteiva" o[rganon to; pothvrion oj nomavzousi. tou'to de; kai;
aujto;" e[ fh ∆Iwshv f: oujk oi[date o{ti oijwnismw' / oijwniei' tai
a[nqrwpo" oi |o" ejgwv;b tau'ta de; e[legen, ouj manteiva/ kai; oijwnoi'"
The Questions on Genesis
c. Gn .mmd. Gn .
A [ ], C, = mss.
a. Gn .–mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .f.
A [ ], C, = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .
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has come upon us.”c And Reuben brought a timely charge against
them: “He said to them, ‘Did I not tell you, “Do no wrong to the
child,” and did you hearken to me? Lo, an account is required of his
blood.’”d From this we can form a clear idea of the unswerving judg-ment of conscience, which reminded them of the crime they had
committed twenty-two years before.1
Why was his father afraid to hand Benjamin over to Reuben?a
Jacob was suspicious of Reuben after his drunken violation of his
bed.b Furthermore, he was unaware of all the effort Reuben had
made on behalf of Joseph.c
What is the meaning of “he practices augury with it”?a
To add to the seriousness of the accusation for the alleged theft,
they called the cup an instrument of divination. In fact, Joseph him-
self declared: “Are you unaware that a man of my station will prac-
tice augury?”1b Now, he said this, not because he was practicing div-
Question
. This passage exemplifies Theodoret’s concern with precise chronology. Heprobably arrived at this calculation through a comparison of the data in .
(Joseph was seventeen when sold into slavery.); . (He was thirty when raisedto power.); . (The seven years of plenty had passed.); and . (It was then thesecond year of the famine.); thus + + = . Of course, such a precise reckon-ing is possible only for a reader who ignores the different strands of tradition com-bined to form this narrative. Speiser attributes the chronological notice of . tothe Yahwistic (p. ), that of . to the Priestly (p. and ad loc.), that of .
to the Elohistic (p. ), and that of . to the Yahwistic source (p. ); v. also hisintroduction to the narrative, pp. –.
. Theodoret, who avoids the obvious sense of Joseph’s remark, is trying to
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ination and augury, but to adapt his words to the role he had as-
sumed. We must admire his precise choice of words. Even when
putting on this act for his brothers, he was unwilling to attribute
divination to himself and applied the attribution to another man inthe same position. Note, he did not say, “I practice augury,” but “a
man of my position will practice augury.”
Why did he stage the incident of the cup?a
He wanted to test his brothers’ intentions and find out whether
they would take Benjamin’s side when he was unjustly accused;
therefore, he hid the cup in his sack. But when he saw them not sim-
ply pleading for, but even championing, him,b he cast off his mask
and revealed the face of a brother.c As they cowered, all but wishing
the earth would swallow them up, he spoke words of comfort: “Do
not be afraid now, nor think it was cruel to sell me here. God has
sent me before you on a mission of life.”d He sent them on their way
quite graciously with the recommendation, “Do not quarrel on the
way,”e that is, “Do not commit any crime like the one you commit-
ted against me.”
Why did he acquire the Egyptians’ land and cattle for the king?a
Question
acquit the patriarch of any imputation of pagan belief or practice; cf. his defense of Moses, whom he takes to be author of Genesis, in Qq. and and of Gideon inQ. on Jgs.
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Ou[te ta; kthv nh qrev yai oi |oiv te h\san ej n sitodeiva/ kai;
spanositiva/ ou[te spei'rai th; n gh' n. tau'ta toiv nun labw; n ej n tw' /
kairw' / tou' limou', u{steron ajpodevdwke, th'" prosovdou to;
pevmpton eijsfevrein nomoqethvsa" i{ na ej n tai'" ej ndeivai"ajpokeimev na" e[ cwsi ta;" th'" zwh'" aj formav". eij" qerapeivan de;
tou' basilevw" th; n iJ eratikh; n gh' n ajtelh' katalevloipe mov nhn.b
tauvth" de; th'" timh'" oiJ tou' Qeou' tou' o[ nto" oujk ajpolauvousin
iJ erei'": tosou'ton oiJ dussebei'" toi'" oujk ou\si qeoi'" ajpev nemon
sevba".
Dia; tiv oJ ∆Iakw;b eij" th; n Cebrw; n to; sw'ma aujtou' tafh' nai
keleuv ei;a
Ouj tav fou frontivzwn, w{" tine" uJpeilhv fasin, ajlla; to; gev no"
yucagwgw' n kai; didavskwn wJ" a{panta" aujtou;" oJ despovth"
Qeo;" metasthvsei th'" Aijguvptou kai; th; n ejphggelmev nhn aujtoi'"
ajpodwvsei gh' n. tou'ton de; safevsteron oJ ∆Iwsh; f to; n lovgon
ajpev fhne: teleutw' n ga;r ou{tw" e[ fh: ejgw; ajpoqnhv /skw. ejpiskoph' /
de; ejpiskevyetai uJ ma' " oJ Qeo;" kai; ajnavxei uJ ma' " ejk th' " gh' "
tauvth" eij" th;n gh' n h}n w[ mosen oJ Qeo;" toi' " patravsin hJ mw' n, tw' /
∆Abraav m, kai; ∆Isaavk, kai; ∆Iakwv b. kai; w{ rkisen ∆Iwsh;f tou;" uiJou;"
∆Israhvl, levgwn, ejn th' / ejpiskoph' / h | / ejpiskevyetai uJ ma' " oJ Qeo;"
kai; sunanoivsete ta; ojsta' mou ejnteu' qen meqæ uJ mw' n:b wJ" ei\ nai
dh'lon o{ti kajkei' no" kai; ou |to", th; n ejpav nodon proagoreuvonte",ta; peri; th'" tafh'" ej neteivlanto.
The Questions on Genesis
b. Gn .
A [ ], C, = mss.
a. Gn .f.mmb. Gn .f.
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Due to the famine and dearth of grain, they were unable to feed
their cattle or sow the soil. So he took them over during the famine
and later returned them after legislating a tax of a fifth of their in-
come to provide stockpiles of supplies for times of shortage. Out of respect for the king, he exempted only the priests’ land.b The priests
of the true God do not enjoy this privilege—such being the venera-
tion that pagans accorded their false gods.1
Why did Jacob give directions for the burial of his body in He-
bron?a
Despite the opinions of some commentators, he was concerned,
not with his own burial, but with persuading and teaching his fami-
ly that the Lord God would set them free from Egypt and give them
the promised land. And in his own last moments, Joseph indicated
this more explicitly when he said, “‘I am dying, but God will surely
visit you and bring you up from this land into the land that God
swore to our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ And Joseph adjured
the sons of Israel in the words, ‘When God visits you, as he surely
will, you will take my bones away with you.’”b Thus, we conclude
that both Jacob and Joseph gave instructions for their burial as a
way of foretelling the return.1
Question
. In ch. Joseph implements the economic plan he had outlined when inter-preting Pharaoh’s dream (.–). The result was the enslavement of the Egypt-ian people, not, as Theodoret maintains, the eventual restoration of cattle andland. Despite some modern commentators “who have found in this report of theenslavement of the Egyptian peasant shocking proof of Joseph’s inhumanity,”Speiser argues (p. ) that, given the socio-economic conditions of the New King-dom, it is likely that, at the time, such changes would have seemed “constructive.”
. Theodoret uses Joseph’s instructions in Gn .f. to clarify Jacob’s arrange-ments for burial in Hebron (.f.), where Abraham had purchased land and acave as a family tomb (.f.). Theodoret’s argument seems implicitly to criticize
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Tiv ejsti prosekuvnhsen ∆Israh;l ejpi; to; a[kron th' " rJav bdou
aujtou` ;a
Kai; presbuvth" w] n kai; ajsqenw'" diakeivmeno", ejpi; th'"
kliv nh" katevkeito, gnou;" de; tou' paido;" th; n parousivan,
ejxanasta;" ejkaqevsqh, bakthriva/ de; kecrhmev no" ejpesthrivzeto
aujth' /, tou' me; n a[krou tauvth" ejpeilhmmev no" th' / dexia' /,
ejpikeivmenon de; to; provswpon e[ cwn: hJsqei;" toiv nun ejpæ aujtw' / kai;
th' / th'" tafh'" ejpaggeliva/, prosekuv nhsen, ejpikliv na" th' / rJavbdw/th; n kefalhv n. kai; prw'ton me; n to; tou' ∆Iwsh; f ej nuvpnion to;
pevra" ejdevxato: ei\de ga;r to; n h{lion, kai; th; n selhv nhn, kai;
e{ ndeka ajstevra" proskunou' nta" aujtw' /.b
Pro;" de; touvtoi" proagoreuv ei kai; th'" ∆Efrai; >m fulh'" th; n
basileivan kai; tw' n devka fulw' n th; n uJpotaghv n. tau'ta ga;r kai; oJ
qei'o" ajpovstolo" e[ fh: pivstei ∆Iakw; b .......e{kaston tw' n uiJw' n
∆Iwsh;f eujlovghse kai; prosekuvnhsen ejpi; to; a[kron th' " rJav bdou aujtou` .c devdwke de; aujtw' / kai; klh'ron diplou' n: ∆ Efraiv > m, gavr
fhsi, kai; Manassh' " wJ" ÔRoubh;n kai; Sumew;n e[sontaiv moi.d
profhtikw'" de; protevtace tou' Manassh' to; n ∆Efraiv >m: kai; ga;r
tou' ∆Iwsh; f wJ" prwtotovkw/ tw' / Manassh' / ta; presbei'a
fulavxanto" kai; kata; tavxin eJkavteron sthvsanto", ej nallavxa" oJ
patriavrch" ta;" cei'ra", ejpitevqeike tw' / newtevrw/ th; n dexiav n,
th; n eujwv numon de; tw' / presbutevrw/. ei\ta nomivsa" oJ ∆Iwsh; f ejx
ajgnoiva" dedrakev nai tou'to to; n ∆Iakwvb, kai; topavsa" tou'
pavqou" ei\ nai tw' n oj fqalmw' n th; n aijtivan, kai; eijrhkwv", ouj c
ou{tw", pavter: ou |to" gav r ejstin oJ presbuvtero",e h[kousen, oi\ da,
tevknon, oi\ da: kai; ou |to" e[stai eij" laovn, kai; ou |to" uJywqhvsetai,
ajllæ oJ ajdelfo;" aujtou' oJ newvtero" meivzwn aujtou' e[stai.f
The Questions on Genesis
A [ ], C, = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Heb .mmd. Gn .mme. Gn .mmf. Gn .mm
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What is the meaning of “Israel bowed down on the tip of his
rod”?a
An old man and infirm, he was lying in bed. Aware of his son’s
arrival, he sat up; he used a staff to support himself, taking its tip in
his right hand and resting his head on it. Pleased with Joseph and
the promise of burial, Jacob bowed down, bending his head to the
rod.1 Consequently, Joseph’s dream was fulfilled, in which he saw
the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him.b
In addition, Jacob foretold the reign of the tribe of Ephraim and
the subjection of the ten tribes. As the holy apostle said, “By faith Ja-
cob blessed each of the sons of Joseph and bowed down on the tip of
his rod.”c
Now, he gave him a double inheritance: “Ephraim andManasseh, like Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.”d In his prophetic
speech Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. Though Joseph kept
the privileges of the elder for Manasseh his firstborn and put each in
order, the patriarch crossed his arms and placed his right hand on
the younger and his left on the elder. Then, Joseph thinking that Ja-
cob, due to his poor eyesight, had committed an inadvertent mis-
take, said, “Not that way, father; this one is the elder,”e and heard the
reply, “I know, son, I know; he will also become a people, and he will
also be elevated, but his younger brother will be greater than him.”f
Question
an undue concern for the place of burial; cf. Chrysostom’s criticism of Christianswho desired prominent tombs in sec. of his Exp. in Ps. . LXX (. MT).
. In Gn . the consonantal text of the Hebrew contains mt .t .h, which couldbe pointed to mean either “bed” or “staff.” The LXX chose the latter alternative, theMasoretes, Aquila, and Symmachus the former.
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jEpishmantevon de; o{ti pantacou' tw' n prwtotovkwn oiJ metæ
aujtou;" protimw' ntai: kai; ga;r tou' Kavi> n proekrivqh oJ [Abel,g
kai; tou' ∆Iav feq oJ Shvm, deuvtero" w[ n: ajdelfov", gavr fhsin, ∆Iavfeq
tou' meivzono":h kai; tou' ∆Ismah;l oJ ∆Isaavk,i kai; tou' ÔHsau' oJ∆Iakwvb, j kai; tou' ÔRoubh; n kai; ∆Iouvda oJ ∆Iwshv f,k kai; tou'
Manassh' oJ ∆Efraiv >m.l tou'to kai; ej n toi'" meta; tau'ta eu{roi ti"
a[ n: kai; ga;r tou' ∆Aarw; n oJ Mwu>sh'" proetav cqh,m kai; Dabivd,
newvtato" w[ n, tw' n eJpta; ajdelfw' n.n
J O mev ntoi patriavrch" ∆Iakw;b ejdivdaxe dia; th'" prorrhvsew"
th'" tafh'" th; n aijtivan: ijdouv, gavr fhsin, ejgw; ajpoqnhv /skw, kai;
e[stai oJ Qeo;" meqæ uJ mw' n kai; ajpostrevyei uJ ma' " .......eij" th;n gh' n tw' n patev rwn hJ mw' n.o
Pw'" eujlogh'sai levgetai tou;" pai'da" oJ ∆Iakwvb, ej nivoi"
ejparasavmeno";
() Ou[te ajraiv eijsin, ou[te eujlogivai, ajlla; prorrhvsei" oiJ
teleutai'oi tou' patriavrcou lovgoi: sunav cqhte, gavr fhsin, i{na
ajpaggeivlw uJ mi' n tiv ajpanthvsetai uJ mi' n ejpæ ejscavtwn tw' n
hJ merw' n.a ejmnhvsqh de; kai; tw' n paræ ej nivwn gegenhmev nwn, oujk
ejpeidh; divka" oiJ pai'de" eijsepravttonto tw' n patrikw' n
aJmarthmavtwn, ajlla; schmativzwn eij" ajra; n kai; eujlogivan tou;"
lovgou" eij" koinh; n tw' n ej nteuxomev nwn wj fevleian. kai; tw' / me; n
ÔRoubh; n aujqavdeian|| ejpimevmfetai, kai; qrasuvthta, kai; th; n eij"th; n patrwv /an euj nh; n paroinivan.b ou | dh; cavrin ojlivgou" aujtou'
gegenh'sqai tou;" ajpogov nou" prolevgei: tou'to ga;r dhloi' to; wJ"
u{dwr mh; ejkzevsh/" c aj nti; tou'∑ mh; qermanqeiv h" eij" polugonivan.
The Questions on Genesis
||10
g. Gn .–mmh. Gn .mmi. Gn .mm j. Gn .mmk. Gn .mml. Gn .mmm. Chr .mmn. Sm .–mmo. Gn .
A [ ], C, (inc.) = mss.
a. Gn .mmb. Gn .mmc. Gn .mm
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Note that throughout Scripture the later born are ranked ahead
of the firstborn: Abel was given preference to Cain,g and Shem,
though second, to Japheth—“brother of Japheth, the elder,”h as
Scripture says2—Isaac to Ishmael,i Jacob to Esau, j Joseph to Reubenand Judah,k and Ephraim to Manasseh.l And there are more exam-
ples in subsequent generations: Moses was ranked ahead of Aaron,m
and David, though the youngest, ahead of his seven brothers.n
Now, the patriarch Jacob conveyed the reason for his burial in the
following prophecy: “Lo, I am dying; God will be with you and will
bring you back to the land of your fathers.”o
Why is Jacob said to have blessed his sons though he actually
cursed some of them?1
() The dying words of the patriarch are neither curses nor bless-
ings, but prophecies: “Gather round and I shall tell you what will
happen to you in the last days.”a He also mentions some of the
things they did, not because the children were to pay the penalty for
their fathers’ sins, but to present his words in the form of curse and
blessing with a view to the general benefit of future readers. Up-
braiding Reuben for willful audacity and his drunken defilement of
his father’s bed,b he predicted that his offspring would be few. Thisis the meaning of “May you not bubble up like water”;c that is,“May
Question
. At Gn . both the Hebrew and the LXX present the order Shem, Ham,Japheth, but in ., where the Hebrew speaks of “Shem.......the elder brother of Japheth,” the LXX reverses the order: tw/ ` Sh;m.......ajdelfw/ ` jIav feq tou` meivzono~.
. On the pretext of a single question, Theodoret now begins to comment on a
passage generally known as “The Testament of Jacob” (v. R.J. Clifford and R.E.Murphy on Gn .–); he rightly insists that these are prophecies, even if mod-ern scholarship would date them to a period later than the patriarchs.
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nemesa' / de; kai; tw' / Sumew; n kai; tw' / Leuiv, to; n tw' n sikhmitw' n
a[dikon o[leqron ojdurovmeno",d kai; eu[ cetai mhdemivan koinwnivan
eij" th; n paranomivan e[ cein ejkeiv nhn. ejpara'tai mev ntoi, oujk
aujtoi'", ajlla; toi'" ponhroi'" aujtw' n pavqesi: th' / ojrgh' /, th' / mhv nidi.ejpiqumivan de; th; n ojrgh; n ejkavlesen: ejk tauvth" ga;r kai; hJ oj rgh ;
th; n ejtumologivan e[ cei: ojrevgetai ga;r oJ ojrgizovmeno" ajmuv nasqai
to; n ej cqrov n. kai; au{th de; hJ timwriva provrrhsi" h\ n: diameriw`
ga;r aujtouv", fhsiv n, ejn ∆Iakw; b kai; diasperw' aujtou;" ejn ∆Israhvl.e
ajllæ hJ tou' Leui; fulh; dia; th; n a[kran diespavrh timhv n: w{ste
ga;r eJkavsth/ fulh' / sunei' nai leuivta" kai; iJ ereva", kai; th; n paræ
aujtw' n wj fevleian karpou'sqai, oujk e[labon i[dion klh'ron, ajllæ ej n eJkavsth/ fulh' / tine" aujtoi'" ajpenemhvqhsan povlei" kai; th'"
proasteivou gh'" wJrismev no" phv cewn ajriqmov".f kai; hJ tou' Sumew; n
de; fulh; oujk ei\ ce klh'ron kecwrismev non ajllav, kata; th; n tou'
patriavrcou provrrhsin, metaxu; tw' n a[llwn diespavrh fulw' n.g
Tou' de; ∆Iouvda pollou;" ejpaiv nou" dievxeisin: ∆ Iouvda, se;
aijnevsaisan oiJ ajdelfoiv sou: aiJ cei' rev" sou ejpi; nwvtou tw' n
ej cqrw' n sou: proskunhvsousiv soi oiJ uiJoi; tou' patrov" sou.
skuv mno" levonto" ∆Iouvda: ejk blastou' , uiJev mou, ajnev bh":
ajnapesw;n ejkoimhvqh" wJ" levwn kai; wJ" skuv mno". tiv" ejgerei'
aujtovn ; h ajlla; touvtwn oujde; n tw' / ∆Iouvda/ aJrmovttei ajllæ h] th' / ejk
touvtou blasthsavsh/ fulh' /: basilikh; ga;r h\ n au{th, prwvtou me; n
tou' Dabi;d basileuvsanto", ei\ta tw' n ejx ejkeiv nou. kai; pasw' n de;
tw' n a[llwn fulw' n h\ n dunatwtavth: kai; ga;r hJ nivka Dabi;d oJ
basileu;" ajriqmhqh' nai prosevtaxe to; n laov n,i tetrakosiva" tou'∆Iouvda ciliavda" eu |re, tw' n de; a[llwn fulw' n ej nnakosiva", j kai;
mev ntoi kaj n th' / ejrhvmw/ diariqmhqev nte", pleivou" w[ fqhsan tw' n
a[llwn fulw' n.k
The Questions on Genesis
ll. f. to; n tw' n sikhmitw' n a[dikon o[leqron a 2 , c –3, : tw` n tw' nsikhmitw' n a[dikon o[leqron c [ ], : tw' n sikhmitw' n a[dikon to; n o[leqron : tw' n sikhmitw' n a[dikon o[leqron Sir. Sch. F.M .
d. Gn .–mme. Gn .mmf. Nm .–mmg. Jos .mmh. Gn .f. mmi. Sm .f.mm j. Sm .mm
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you not grow warm to produce numerous children.” He expressed
his anger against Simeon and Levi as well, and, distressed at their
unlawful slaughter of the Shechemites,d prayed to have no share in
their transgression. Nonetheless, he cursed, not them, but theirwicked passions: their wrath, their frenzy. He referred to their wrath
as “desire,” since the word “wrath” is derived from desire, for an an-
gry man desires to take vengeance on his foe.2 And this punishment
of theirs was also a prophecy: “I shall divide them in Jacob and scat-
ter them in Israel.”e Yet it was on account of its exalted position that
the tribe of Levi was scattered, the result being that Levites and
priests were associated with every tribe and received support fromthem. Though they received no inheritance of their own, some cities
and a fixed amount of land in the suburbs were allotted to them in
every tribe.f The tribe of Simeon also received no separate allot-
ment. Instead, according to the patriarch’s prophecy, it was scattered
among the other tribes.g
Then he related the many commendations of Judah: “Judah, may
your brothers praise you! Your hands will be on the back of your
foes. Your father’s sons will bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s cub;
from a shoot you have risen up, my son; you have lain down and
rested like a lion and like a cub. Who will rouse him?”h None of this,
however, is applicable to Judah—only to the tribe descended from
him. It was a royal tribe—David was the first king and was succeed-
ed by his descendants—and of all the tribes it was the most power-
ful. For example, when King David ordered a census of the nation,i
he found Judah to number , and the other tribes ,,3j
and even in the census conducted in the desert they were found to
be more numerous than the other tribes.k
Question
. Theodoret derives ojrghv (wrath) from ojrevgomai, ” stretch out for” or “yearn
for.” This etymology is not linguistically sound.. These, the numbers in Theodoret’s Antiochene text, differ from those in oth-
er forms of the LXX and the MT, where the figures are , and ,.
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() ∆Alla; to; ajkribe;" th'" prorrhvsew" th; n e[kbasin e[laben
ejpi; tou' despovtou Cristou', o}" ejk blastou' aj nevteile kata; to; n
patriavrchn ∆Iakw;b kai; kata; to; n profhvthn ∆Hsaiv >an: ejxh'lqe
rJav bdo" ejk th' " rJivzh" ∆Iessaiv, kai; a[nqo" ejk th' " rJivzh" aj nevbh.l
aujtw' / de; kai; to; ajnapesw;n ejkoimhvqh wJ" levwn aJrmovttei kai; wJ"
skuv mno" levonto":m w{sper ga;r oJ levwn, kai; kaqeuvdwn, ejsti
foberov", ou{tw" oJ despotiko;" qav nato" fobero;" kai; tw' / qanavtw/
kai; diabovlw/ gegev nhtai. levonta de; aujto; n kai; skuv mnon kevklhke
levonto" wJ" basileva kai; basilevw" uiJo; n kai; Qeo; n kai; Qeou'
uiJov n: kaiv, kata; to; aj nqrwvpinon gavr, ejk tou' Dabi;d ejblavsthse
kaiv, wJ" Qeov", pro; tw' n aijwv nwn ejk tou' patro;" ejgennhvqh. kai; to;tiv" ejgerei' aujtovn ; th; n a[ faton aujtou' deivknusi duv namin: aujto;"
ga;r eJauto; n aj nevsthse kata; th; n aujtou' provrrhsin: luvsate to;n
nao;n tou' ton, kai; ejn trisi;n hJ mev rai" ejgerw' aujtovn.n
() Proagoreuv ei kai; th'" ejpifaneiva" aujtou' to; n kairov n: oujk
ejkleivyei a[ rcwn ejx ∆Iouvda, kai; hJgouv meno" ejk tw' n mhrw' n aujtou'
e{w" a]n e[lqh/ w | / ajpovkeitai, kai; aujto;" prosdokiva ejqnw' n.o tou'to
th'" tou' Kurivou parousiva" shmei'on safevstaton: ejxevlipon ga;r
tw' n ijoudaivwn, ouj c oiJ basilei'" mov non, ajlla; kai; oiJ ajrcierei'"
kai; oiJ profh'tai w{ste deicqh' nai to; th'" prorrhvsew" tevlo":
tou' ga;r swth'ro" hJmw' n tivktesqai mevllonto", ajllov fuloi aujtw' n
ejkravthsan basilei'"p i{ na oJ aijwv nio" deicqh' / basileuv", hJ tw' n
ejqnw' n prosdokiva, kata; th; n doqei'san para; tou' Qeou' tw' n o{lwn
toi'" patriavrcai" ejpaggelivan: kai; ga;r kai; tw' / ∆Abraavm, kai; tw' /
∆Isaavk, kai; tw' / ∆Iakw;b uJpevsceto oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" ej n tw' /
spevrmati aujtw' n eujloghvsein pav nta ta; e[qnh th'" gh'".q tou'to ej ntau'qa paredhvlwse, to; n ∆Iouvdan eujlogw' n, oJ ∆Iakw;b oJ
patriavrch": oujk ejkleivyei a[ rcwn ejx ∆Iouvda, kai; hJgouv meno" ejk
tw' n mhrw' n aujtou' e{w" a]n e[lqh/ w | / ajpovkeitai, kai; aujto;"
prosdokiva ejqnw' n.r
The Questions on Genesis
k. Nm .f.; .mml. Is .mmm. Gn .mmn. Jn .mmo. Gn .mmp. Cf. Lk .f.mm
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() Yet the precise sense of this prophecy received its fulfillment
in Christ the Lord, who sprang up from a shoot of Judah according
to the words of the patriarch Jacob and the prophet Isaiah: “A rod
came out of the root of Jesse, and a flower rose up from its root.” l
The verse, “He lay down and rested like a lion and like a lion’s cub,”m
also refers to Christ. As the lion is fearsome even while asleep, so the
Lord’s death proved fearsome both to Death and to the devil. Now,
he referred to him as “a lion” and as “a lion’s cub” since he is a king
and a king’s son, God and Son of God. According to his humanity,
he was descended from David, and as God, he was born of the Fa-
ther before the ages. The verse, “Who will rouse him?” reveals his in-effable power, for he raised himself in fulfillment of his own
prophecy: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I shall raise it
up.”n
() Jacob also foretold the time of his coming: “There will not fail
a ruler from Judah, nor a leader from his thighs until he comes for
whom it is laid up, he the expectation of nations.”o This was the
clearest sign of the Lord’s coming. Not only the kings of the Jews,
but also their chief priests and prophets had come to an end, as the
fulfillment of the prophecy demanded. In fact, at the time of our
Savior’s birth, they were ruled by foreign kings,p so the eternal king,
the “expectation of the nations,” might be revealed according to the
promise given to the patriarchs by the God of the universe. Indeed
God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would bless all the
nations of the earth in their offspring.q The patriarch Jacob hinted
at the same idea in his blessing of Judah: “There will not fail a rulerfrom Judah, nor a leader from his thighs until he comes for whom it
is laid up, he the expectation of nations.”r
Question
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Ei\ta deivknusi to; n ejx ejqnw' n kai; ijoudaivwn sustav nta laov n:
desmeuvwn pro;" a[ mpelon to;n pw' lon aujtou' kai; th' / e{liki th' "
aj mpevlou to;n pw' lon th' " o[nou aujtou' .s o{ti de; a[ mpelo" oJ ∆Israh;l
wj nomavzeto a{pante" oiJ profh'tai didavskousi: kai; ga;r Dabivd fhsin, a[ mpelon ejx Aijguvptou meth' ra", kai; ta; eJxh'":t kai; oJ
∆Hsaiv >a", aj mpelw;n ejgenhvqh tw' / hjgaphmevnw/ ejn kev rati, ejn tovpw/
|pivoni:u kai; dia; tou' ÔIeremivou oJ tw' n o{lwn e[ fh Qeov", ejgw; de;
ejfuvteusav se a[ mpelon karpofov ron, pa' san ajlhqinhvn:v kai; dia;
tou' nomoqevtou, ejk ga; r aj mpevlou Sodov mwn hJ a[ mpelo" aujtw' n:w
kai; oJ Kuvrio" ej n toi'" iJ eroi'" eujaggelivoi", a[nqrwpov" ti"
ejfuvteusen aj mpelw' na, kai; ejxevdoto aujto;n gewrgoi' ", kai;ajpedhv mhsen.x pw' lon de; to; n ejx ejqnw' n oj nomavzei lao; n wJ"
ajdavmaston o[ nta kai; pwlodavmnhn oujk ejschkovta: tou'to ga;r kai;
oJ Kuvrio" hj / nivxato toi'" ajpostovloi" prostetacw;" eij" th;n
katevnanti kwv mhn y ajpelqei' n kai; lu'sai th; n o[ non th; n dedemev nhn
kai; to; n tauvth" pw'lon,z ej fæ o{ n, fhsiv n, oujdei;" .......ajnqrwvpwn
ejkavqisen:aa ou[te ga;r patriavrch", ou[te nomoqevth", ou[te
profhvth" th'" tw' n ejqnw' n ej frov ntise swthriva". oiJ de; qei'oi
ajpovstoloi, prostacqev nte" maqhteu'sai pav nta ta; e[qnh kai;
baptivsai eij" to; o[ noma tou' Patrov", kai; tou' UiJou', kai; tou'
aJgivou Pneuvmato",bb e[lusan me; n th; n o[ non: toutevsti tw' n
aj nqrwvpwn th; n fuvsin, th; n dedemev nhn tai'" th'" aJmartiva"
seirai'": e[lusan de; kai; to; n pw'lon, to; n ejk tauvth"
The Questions on Genesis
|10
q. Gn .; .; .mmr. Gn .mm
l. deivknusi , c 1 , : deiknu;~ Sir. Sch. F.M. = “Next, revealing that there would be a people formed from both the gentiles and the Jews,......” Unless weshould read fhsiv after desmeuvwn (v. next note), a finite verb here seems morelikely than a participle; cf. . (Ei\ta deivknusi th; n ajpo; tou' pavqou"genhsomev nhn eujqumivan).
l. desmeuvwn Sir. Sch. F.M. : desmeuvwn, fhsiv, = “Next, he revealed that there would be a people formed from both the gentiles and the Jews,saying,......” Cf. Q. on Gn (ei\ta deiknu;" th; n th'" ajtopiva" uJperbolhv n,
ejphvgage tou'to) and Q. on Jgs (ei\ta, tetaragmev nou" tou;" polemivou"ijdw; n kai; th; n nivkhn dedhlwmev nhn, sunavgage, fhsiv, to; ej fouvd).
s. Gn .mmt. Ps .mmu. Is .mmv. Jer .mmw. Dt .mmx. Lk .mm y. Lk .mmz. Mt .mmaa. Mk .; Lk .mmbb. Mt .mm
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Next, he revealed that there would be a people formed from both
the gentiles and the Jews: “Binding his foal to the vine and his ass’s
foal to the tendril of the vine.”s We learn from all the prophets that
Israel is called a “vine.” David says, “You transplanted a vine fromEgypt” and so on,t and Isaiah, “My beloved had a vineyard on a hill
in a fertile spot.”u Through Jeremiah the God of the universe says, “I
planted you as a fruitful vine, entirely right,”v and through the law-
giver, “Their vine is from the vine of Sodom.”w And the Lord in the
sacred Gospels says, “A man planted a vineyard, let it out to tenant
farmers, and went away.”x He called the gentiles a “foal” since they
were untamed and had no one to tame them. The Lord alluded tothe same idea in his command to the apostles: “Go into the town
opposite, y untie the tethered ass and its foal,z which no one has rid-
den.”aa Now, no patriarch, lawgiver, or prophet had shown an inter-
est in the salvation of the nations. It was the holy apostles who re-
ceived the order to teach all the nations and baptize them in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.bb They untied the
ass (that is, human nature shackled with the cords of sin) as well as
the foal (the people descended from it) and, placing their garments
Question
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beblasthkovta laov n, kaiv, ejpiqev nte" aujtw' / ta; eJautw' n iJmavtia:cc
toutevsti th; n cavrin h |" e[tucon: o{soi ga; r eij" Cristo;n
ejbaptivsqhsan, Cristo;n ej neduvsanto:dd kai; euj hv nion ajpev fhnan
to; n ajdavmaston pw'lon, kai; ejpekavqisan aujtw' / to; n despovthn, kai;prosevdhsan aujto; n th' / ajmpevlw/, toutevstin eJautoi'". ejx ijoudaivwn
ga;r oiJ ajpovstoloi kaiv, ouj mov non aujtoiv, ajlla; kai; oiJ
eJbdomhvkonta maqhtaiv,ee kai; oiJ triscivlioi ou}" kata; taujto; n
ejsaghv neuse tw' n ajpostovlwn oJ prw'to",ff kai; oiJ pentakiscivlioi,gg
kai; aiJ pollai; muriavde" peri; w | n oJ trismakavrio" ∆Iavkwbo" tw' /
qeiotavtw/ dielev cqh Pauvlw/.h h ouj mov non toiv nun toi'" ajpostovloi"
sunhv fqhsan oiJ pepisteukovte", ajlla; kai; toi'" tw' n ajpostovlwnmaqhtai'": kaiv, tou'to proorw' n, oJ patriavrch" e[ fh, desmeuvwn
pro;" a[ mpelon to;n pw' lon aujtou' kai; th' / e{liki th' " aj mpevlou to;n
pw' lon th' " o[nou aujtou' .ii
() Ei\ta kai; to; pavqo" prolevgei: plunei' ejn oi[nw/ th;n stolh;n
aujtou' kai; ejn ai{ mati stafulh' " th;n peribolh;n aujtou' :
caropoioi; oiJ ojfqalmoi; aujtou' ajpo; oi[nou, kai; leukoi; oiJ ojdovnte"
aujtou' h] gavla. j j kai; to; me; n sw'ma aujtou' stolh;n oj nomavzei, to;
de; ai |ma oi\ non . ejpeidh; kai; to; n mustiko; n oi\ non ai | ma kevklhken oJ
despovth", ajkouvomen de; kai; tou' eujaggelistou' ∆Iwav nnou
didavskonto" wJ", tou' stratiwvtou nuvxanto" aujtou' th; n pleurav n,
ejxh'lqen ai |ma kai; u{dwr:kk ou |toi de; oiJ krounoi; dia; tou' swvmato"
katerruv hsan: dia; tou'tov fhsin oJ patriavrch", plunei' ejn oi[nw/
th;n stolh;n aujtou' kai; ejn ai{ mati stafulh' " th;n peribolh;n
aujtou' .l l
Ei\ta deivknusi th; n ajpo; tou' pavqou" genhsomev nhn eujqumivan: caropoioi; oiJ ojfqalmoi; aujtou' ajpo; oi[nou: m m euj frosuv nh ga;r
th'" oijkoumev nh" to; swthvrion pavqo". o{ti de; ou{tw to; pavqo"
ejkavlese mavrtu" aujto;" oJ Kuvrio" levgwn, pavter......., eij
dunatovn ......., parelqevtw to; pothv rion tou' to ajpæ ej mou' :nn ou{tw
kai; toi'" uiJoi'" e[ fh Zebedaivou, duvnasqe piei' n to; pothv rion o}
The Questions on Genesis
cc. Mt .f.mmdd. Gal .mmee. Lk .mmff. Acts .mmgg. Acts .mmhh. Acts .mmii. Gn .mm jj. Gn .f.mmkk. Jn .mmll. Gn .mmmm. Gn .mmnn. Mt .mmmm
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on itcc (the grace they had received, for “All who have been baptized
in Christ have put on Christ”dd), they made the untamed foal obedi-
ent to the rein, set the Lord on it, and secured it to the vine, that is,
to themselves. As you recall, the apostles were Jews by birth, and notonly they but also the seventy disciples,ee the three thousand, whom
the first of the apostles netted on a single occasion,ff the five thou-
sand,gg and the countless others of whom James, the thrice blessed,
spoke to St. Paul.hh Thus, the believers were joined not only to the
apostles but also to the disciples of the apostles. Foreseeing this,
the patriarch said, “Binding his ass to the vine, and his ass’s foal to
the tendril of the vine.”ii
() Next, he foretold the passion: “He will wash his clothing in
wine and his attire in the blood of the grape. His eyes are more
sparkling than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.” jj He called his body
“clothing” and his blood “wine.” Since the Lord also used the term
“blood” of the eucharistic wine, and we hear the evangelist John re-
late that when the soldier pierced his side, there flowed forth blood
and waterkk (these springs streamed through his body), the patri-
arch said, “He will wash his clothing in wine and his attire in the
blood of the grape.”4ll
Next he revealed the joy that would result from the passion: “Hiseyes are more sparkling than wine.”mm The saving passion means joy
for the world. The Lord confirmed that Jacob was here referring to
his passion when he said, “Father, if possible, let this cup pass me
by.”nn Likewise, he had said to the sons of Zebedee, “Are you able to
Question
. Even Theodore of Mopsuestia had taken .f. in a messianic sense; v. Fragg.in Gen. (on vv. f.) and Devreesse, StT vol. , p. ).
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ejgw; mevllw pivnein ; oo to; toiv nun caropoio; n tw' n oj fqalmw' n th; n
meta; to; pavqo" euj frosuv nhn dhloi': meta; ga;r to; pavqo" kai; th; n
aj navstasin eij" pa'san ajpestavlhsan th; n oijkoumev nhn oiJ
maqhtaiv, th; n swthrivan prosfevronte" toi'" pisteuvousi. th'" devge didaskaliva" to; dieide;" kai; to; diafane;" leukotavtoi"
ojdou'sin ajpeivkasen: leukoiv, gavr fhsin, oiJ ojdovnte" aujtou' h]
gavla.pp tosau'ta proeivrhken oJ patriavrch", eujlogw' n to; n
∆Iouvdan.
Tou' de; Zaboulw; n proei'pe th; n paravlion oi[khsin,qq tou' de;
∆Issav car th; n ghponivan,rr tou' de; Da' n, kata; mev n tina", ta; uJpo;
tou' Samyw; n gegenhmev na: ejk tauvth" ga;r h\ n th'" fulh'",ss
sunhriqmhvqh de; kai; toi'" kritai'",tt kai; dia; tou'tov fhsin, Da;n
krinei' to;n eJautou' lao;n wJsei; kai; miva fulh; ejn ∆Israhvl.uu e[ nioi
dev fasi ta; kata; th; n Lavi>san, th; n nu' n Paneavda kaloumev nhn,
proagoreu'sai: ejxapiv nh" gavr tine" ajpo; tauvth" oJrmwvmenoi th'"
fulh'", tauvth/ prosbalov nte" th' / povlei, ei\lov n te kata; kravto",
kai; w[ /khsan, kai; th; n oijkeivan aujth' / proshgorivan ejpevqhkan: Da;n
ga;r aujth; n ejkavlesan.vv
() ∆Egw; de; oi\mai to; qei'on Pneu'ma, ta; kata; to; n swth'ra
to; n hJmevteron dia; tou' patriavrcou proqespivsan, kai; ta; kata;
to; n aj ntiv criston dia; tauvth" eijpei' n th'" prorrhvsew". sfovdra
de; aujtw' / kai; ta; gegrammev na aJrmovttei: Davn, gavr fhsi, krinei'
to;n eJautou' lao;n wJsei; kai; miva fulh; ejn ∆Israhvl.ww w{sper, gavr
fhsin, ejk th'" ∆Iouvda fulh'" oJ Swth;r kai; Kuvrio" hJmw' n
blasthvsa", diaswvsei th; n oijkoumev nhn, ou{tw" ejk th'" tou' Da' n
fulh'" o[ fi" ojlevqrio" ejxeleuvsetai: tou'to ga;r levgei: kai;genhqhvtw Da;n o[fi" ejfæ oJdou' , ejgkaqhv meno" ejpi; triv bou, davknwn
ptev rnan i{ppou, kai; pesei' tai oJ iJppeu;" eij" ta; ojpivsw, th;n
swthrivan perimevnwn Kurivou.xx ejpeidh; gavr, ajpavtai"
The Questions on Genesis
l. fhsin , , Sir. Sch. : fhsin e[ fh F.M. = “Hence the statement, he said,......”
oo. Mt .mmpp. Gn .mmqq. Gn .mmrr. Gn .f.mmss. Jgs .mmtt. Jgs .mmuu. Gn .mmvv. Jos .f.mmww. Gn .mmxx. Gn .f.mm
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drink the cup that I am about to drink?”oo So the sparkling of the
eyes suggests the joy after the passion. After the passion and the res-
urrection, the disciples were sent into the whole world to bring sal-
vation to believers. He likened the perfect clarity of their teaching togleaming white teeth: “His teeth are whiter than milk.”pp These were
the prophecies pronounced by the patriarch in the blessing of Ju-
dah.
He also foretold a coastal settlement for Zebulun,qq farming for
Issachar,rr and for Dan, according to some commentators, the deeds
of Samson, who was from this tribess
and was numbered among the judges.tt Hence the statement, “Dan will judge his people as one
tribe in Israel.”uu On the other hand, several commentators have
maintained that this was a prediction of the fate of Leshem, now
called Paneas. Some men from that tribe made a sudden advance on
this city, attacked it, took it by force, occupied it, and gave it their
own name, calling it “Dan.” 5vv
() My own view is that the divine Spirit, who had prophesied
through the patriarch regarding our Savior, spoke in this prophecy
about the Antichrist. This passage fits him quite well: “Dan will
judge his people as one tribe in Israel.”ww That is, just as our Savior
and Lord, descended from the tribe of Judah, will save the world, so
the deadly serpent will emerge from the tribe of Dan. This is the
meaning of “Let Dan become a serpent in the way, lying on the path
to bite a horse’s heel, and the rider will fall backwards, awaiting theLord’s salvation.”xx Since, with every possible means of deception, he
tries to decoy people and hunt them to the death, he is likened to a
Question
. Theodoret probably drew from Diodore the first two interpretations, bothhistorically based, of the oracle regarding Dan. As Guinot notes (p. ), a frag-
ment containing the second (Deconinck, frag. ) is still extant.
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pantodapai'" kecrhmev no", peira'tai tou;" fenakizomev nou"
ajgreuv ein eij" o[leqron, o[ fei tini; aujto; n ajpeikavzei parav tina
trivbon fwleuvonti kai; toi'" pariou'si lumainomev nw/. i{ppon de;
oi\mai kalei' n aujto; n to; sw'ma, ejpibavthn de; th; n yuchv n: to; de; eij" toujpivsw pesei' n, toutevstin u{ption kei'sqai, to; n qav naton
paradhloi': toiou'to ga;r tw' n teqnewvtwn to; sch'ma. dia; de; th'"
ptevrnh" th; n ajpavthn hj / nivxato. ejpeidh; ga;r tou;" me; n ejxapata' /,
toi'" de; pagcalevpa" ejpifevrei kolavsei", dia; tou' i{ppou to;
sw'ma dedhvlwken, ou | daknomev nou kai; diafqeiromev nou, oJ
qav nato" giv netai, tou;" th'" ejlpivdo" toi'" uJpomev nousi komivzwn
karpouv": karpo;" de; th'" toiauvth" ejlpivdo" hJ swthriva.Prolevgei kai; tw' / Ga;d ta;" ejsomev na" aujtw' / para; tw' n
lh/strikw' n ej fovdwn ejpiboulav": tou'to ga;r levgei: peirathv rion
peirateuvsei aujtovn: proagoreuv ei de; kai; th; n ejsomev nhn aujtou'
nivkhn: kai; aujtov" ......., gavr fhsi, peirateuvsei aujto;n kata;
povda": yy wJsauvtw" de; kai; tou' ∆Ash;r th; n sitofovron cwvran kai;
tou' Nefqalei;m th; n eij" plh'qo" ejpivdosin: tou'to ga;r e[ fh:
stevleco" ajneimevnon ejpididou;" ejn tw' / gennhv mati kavllo".zz
() Ei\ta tou' ∆Iwsh; f to; n fqov non kai; ta;" pantodapa;"
ejpideivxa" ejpiboulav", th; n qeivan uJmnei' khdemonivan, diæ h |" tou;"
pepolemhkovta" nenivkhke: sunetriv bh, gavr fhsi, meta; kravtou"
ta; tovxa aujtw' n, kai; ejxeluvqh neu' ra braciovnwn ceirw' n aujtw' n dia;
cei' ra dunatou' ∆Iakwv b. ejkei' qen oJ katiscuvsa" ∆Israh;l para;
Qeou' tou' patrov" sou: kai; ej bohvqhsev soi oJ Qeo;" oJ ej mo;" kai;
eujlovghsev se eujlogivan ouj ranou' a[nwqen kai; eujlogivan gh' "
ej couvsh" pavnta. e{neken eujlogiva" masqw' n kai; mhvtra", eujlogiva" patrov" sou kai; mhtrov" sou, uJperivscusa" uJpe; r eujlogiva" oj revwn
moniv mwn kai; ejpiqumiva" qinw' n aijwnivwn. e[sontai ejpi; kefalh' "
∆Iwsh;f kai; ejpi; korufh' " w |n hJghvsato ajdelfw' n.aaa dia; pav ntwn de;
touvtwn u{mnhse to; n oijkei'on Qeov n, o}" kai; aujto; n kreivttona tou'
The Questions on Genesis
yy. Gn .mmzz. Gn .mmaaa. Gn .–mm
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serpent lurking by the path and attacking the passers-by. In my
view, the “horse” signifies the body, the “rider” the soul, and “falling
backwards”—that is, lying on one’s back—death, since this is the
posture of death. The mention of the “heel” hints at deception.Since the Antichrist deceives some and afflicts others with inhuman
chastisements, the “horse” suggests the body, because bitten and dis-
abled, it dies, though death brings the fruit of hope to those who
persevere, the fruit of this hope being salvation.
Jacob also told Gad that he would one day suffer the inroads of raiders. This is the meaning of “A nest of pirates will plunder him.”
He also foretold his future victory: “He will plunder him in close
pursuit.” yy Likewise, he prophesied the grain-rich country of Asher
and Naphtali’s growth in numbers; this is the meaning of “A branch
coming forth yields beauty in its bud.”6zz
() Then he referred to the malicious schemes against Joseph and
sang the praises of God’s providence by which he vanquished those
who quarreled with him: “Mightily were their shafts smashed, and
the sinews of their arms undone by the hand of the Strength of Ja-
cob. Thence comes the one who gave strength to Israel from the
God of your father. My God helped you and blessed you with a
blessing of heaven above and a blessing of the earth that contains all
things. Because of a blessing of breasts and womb, a blessing of your
father and your mother, you surpassed the blessings of immovablemountains and the desires of eternal mounds. They will be upon
the head of Joseph and on the brow of the brothers he led.” 7aaa In all
this he sang the God of his family, who made him stronger than the
Question
. Verse . is obscure. Speiser renders (p. ) the MT: “Naphtali is a hind letloose / That brings forth lovely fawns.” The LXX, relying on a pointing of the con-sonantal text different from that of the MT, reads “branch” (stevleco~) rather
than “hind,” and “bud” (gennhvmati) rather than “fawns.”. Verse . exhibits textual difficulties in both the Hebrew and the LXX; v.
Speiser on .a.
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pepolemhkovto" ajpev fhnen ajdelfou' kai; to; n uiJo; n a[macon
e[deixen, para; tosouvtwn ajdelfw' n ejpibouleuqev nta. tauvth" dev,
fhsiv, th'" khdemoniva" tetuv chka", th'" eij" tou;" gegennhkovta"
qerapeiva" misqo; n komisavmeno". tou'to ga;r levgei: e{neken eujlogiva" masqw' n kai; mhvtra", eujlogiva" patrov" sou kai; mhtrov"
sou: ghrokovmo" ga;r spoudai'o" tou' patro;" ejgegov nei.bbb ta; de;
eij" aujto; n gegenhmev na koina; aujtou' te kai; th'" mhtro;" ei\ naiv
fhsin: th'" ga;r aujth'" a] n kajkeiv nh th'" khdemoniva" ajphvlausen
eij mh; qa'tton uJpexh'lqe to; n bivon.ccc ei\ta ejpeuv cetai aujtw' /
perifav neian w{ste genevsqai aujto; n para; pa'sin ejpivshmon:
uJperivscusa", gavr fhsin, uJpe; r eujlogiva" oj revwn moniv mwn kai;ejpiqumiva" qinw' n aijwnivwn. e[sontai ejpi; kefalh' " ∆Iwsh;f kai; ejpi;
korufh' " w |n hJghvsato ajdelfw' n. tou;" dh; qi' na" oJ ∆Akuvla"
bounou;" hJrmhv neusen. ejpeidh; toiv nun povrrwqen oJrw' ntai kai; oiJ
bounoi; kai; ta; o[rh, touvtoi" paraplhsivw" eu[ cetai gnwvrimon
aujto; n genevsqai kai; pav ntwn perifanevstaton.
() To; n de; Beniami; n luvkon a{ rpaga kevklhke dia; to;
sumbebhko;" pavqo" th' / touvtou fulh' /. dio; ejphvgage: to; prwi>no;n
e[detai.......kai; eij" to; eJspev ra" diadwvsei trofhvn.ddd ej n ga;r th' /
prwvth/ kai; th' / deutevra/ sumplokh' / nenikhkovte",eee u{steron
a[rdhn ajpwvlonto, plh; n ojlivgwn tinw' n a[gan eujariqmhvtwn,fff ou}"
oiJ nenikhkovte" oijktivrante", dou' nai me; n aujtoi'" gunai'ka" dia;
to; n o{rkon uJpeivdonto,ggg eJtevrw" de; aujtoi'" to; n gavmon
ejmhcanhvsanto.hhh eijdev nai de; crh; w{" tine" eij" to; n qespevsion
Pau'lon thv nde th; n provrrhsin ei{lkusan. luvkou ga;r divkhn
ejlumaiv neto th; n ejkklhsivan, kata; tou;" oi[kou" eijsporeuovmeno",iii
u{steron de; th; n pneumatikh; n trofh; n th' / oijkoumev nh/ dievdwke.
Tau'ta tou' ∆Iakw;b eijrhkovto" kai; th; n oijkeivan teleuth; n
memhnukovto", oJ suggrafeu;" e[ fh, kaiv, ejxav ra" tou;" povda" ejpi;
The Questions on Genesis
bbb. Cf. Gn .–mmccc. Gn .–mmddd. Gn .mmeee. Jgs .–mmfff. Jgs .–mmggg. Jgs .mmhhh. Jgs .–mmiii. Acts .mmmm
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brother who quarreled with him, and showed his son to be invinci-
ble when so many of his brothers conspired against him. He de-
clared, “You received this care as the recompense for your care of
your parents”—this is the meaning of “Because of a blessing of breasts and womb, a blessing of your father and your mother”—for
he was conscientious in caring for his elderly father.bbb He declared
that what Joseph did for him he did also for his mother, as she
would have enjoyed the same care if she had not previously depart-
ed this life.ccc He then prayed for fame for Joseph, that he become
renowned throughout the whole world: “You surpassed the bless-
ings of immovable mountains and the desires of eternal mounds.They will be upon the head of Joseph and on the brow of the broth-
ers he led.” Instead of “mounds” Aquila rendered “hills.”8 Since hills
and mountains are visible from afar, Jacob prayed that Joseph would
be well-known like them and more conspicuous than everyone else.
() He called Benjamin “a ravenous wolf” because of what hap-
pened to this tribe. Hence, he added, “He will eat in the morning
and distribute his food for the evening.”ddd Though victorious in the
first and second engagements,eee they were subsequently wiped out,
except for very few survivors.fff Though they took pity on the surviv-
ing Benjaminites, the victors were reluctant to give them wives on
account of the ban,ggg and so they contrived a novel way for them to
marry.hhh Now, you should know that some commentators have ap-
plied this prophecy to the divinely inspired Paul; he damaged the
Church like a wolf, going from house to house,iii but later distrib-uted spiritual nourishment to the whole world.9
According to the historian, after Jacob had made this speech and
predicted his own death, “He lifted his feet onto the bed, expired,
Question
. Aquila substituted bounov~ (hill) for qiv~, a word that normally refers to amound of sand or to the seashore.
. This interpretation is first attested in Hippolytus (H. Achelis, Hippolyt’s
Kleinere, etc., “Griechische Fragmente zur Genesis,” #). It was adopted by Cyrilof Alexandria (Glaph. Gen. ) and rejected by Diodore (Deconinck, frag. ), whowas probably Theodoret’s source; v. Guinot, p. .
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th;n klivnhn, ejxevlipe kai; prosetevqh pro;" to;n lao;n aujtou' . jjj dia;
de; touvtwn tw' n lovgwn hj / nivxato th; n ejlpivda th'" aj nastavsew": eij
ga;r pantavpasi diefqeivronto kai; mh; eij" e{teron metevbainon
bivon, oujk a] n ei\pe, prosetevqh pro;" to;n lao;n aujtou' . tou'to de;kai; pro;" to; n ∆Abraa;m aujto;" oJ tw' n o{lwn e[ fh Qeov": su; de;
ajpeleuvsh/ pro;" tou;" patev ra" sou ejn eij rhvnh/, trafei;" ejn ghv rei
kalw' /.k k k ej nteu'qen kai; oJ Kuvrio" th; n tw' n saddoukaivwn
ajpistivan dihvlegxen, eijrhkwv", o{ti de; ejgeiv rontai oiJ nekroiv— l l l
oujk ajnevgnwte,.......ejgw; oJ Qeo;" ∆Abraav m, kai;.......∆Isaavk,
kai;.......∆Iakwv b ; oujk e[stin oJ Qeo;" Qeo;" nekrw' n, ajlla; zwvntwn.mmm
The Questions on Genesis
jjj. Gn .mmkkk. Gn .mmlll. Lk .mmmmm. Mk .
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and was gathered to his people.” jjj With this last clause he hinted at
the hope of resurrection. After all, if they had disappeared without
trace and not gone to another life, he would not have said, “He was
gathered to his people.” The God of the universe himself made thesame statement to Abraham: “You will depart to your ancestors in
peace, nourished to a fine old age.”kkk Thus, refuting the unbelief of
the Sadducees, the Lord said, “As to the resurrection of the dead,lll
have you not read, ‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’?
God is not God of the dead, but of the living.”mmm
Question
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QUAESTIONES IN EXODUM
Pw'" nohtevon to; cudai' oi ejgevnonto; a
Ouj c, w{" tine" nenohvkasin, uJbristikw'" aujto; tevqeiken, ajlla;to; plh'qo" dedhvlwken: ou{tw", gavr fhsin, hujxhvqhsan wJ" kata;
pavsh" ejkeiv nh" ejkceqh' nai th'" gh'". ou{tw kai; oiJ peri; to; n
∆Akuvlan hJrmhv neusan. tou'to de; kai; ta; eJxh'" dhloi':
ejplhvqune ......., gavr fhsin, hJ gh' aujtouv":b kai; metæ ojlivga, kaqovti
de; aujtou;" ejtapeivnoun, tosou' ton pleivou" ejgivnonto kai; i[scuon
sfovdra sfovdra.c
Tiv ejstin ejpeidh; ejfobou' nto aiJ mai' ai to;n Qeovn, ejpoivhsan
eJautai' " oijkiva" ; a
A–6 [ ], C, * = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mm
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ON EXODUS 1
How are we to understand “They proved prolific”?2a
He did not employ the term as an insult, as some commentatorshave understood it, but rather to indicate their vast numbers. His
meaning is that they grew so much that they spread throughout all
that land. This is how Aquila and his school rendered it. The sequel
also indicates this: “The land multiplied them”;b and a little later,
“The more they oppressed them, the more numerous they became
and grew very greatly in strength.”c
What is the meaning of “Because the midwives feared God, they
built themselves households”?a
. Of Theodoret’s Antiochene predecessors, Chrysostom has no commentary
on books subsequent to Genesis. For Theodore of Mopsuestia, though the Nestori-an Ebedjesu (“early fourteenth century”) mentions a three-volume commentary on Genesis, the Syriac Chronicle of Seert (“perhaps of the first half of the thirteenthcentury”) speaks of a three-volume commentary on the Pentateuch; v. Devreesse,Essai, notes f., pp. f. Devreesse apparently takes (p. ) the notice in the Chronicle as referring only to the work on Genesis. He has culled (pp. –) from the Cate-na Nikephori (CPG #C) three excerpts bearing on Ex , which he believes actual-ly derive from a commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews; cf. notes , to the“Introduction to Theodoret’ s Life and Works.” For French translations and discus-sions of the catalogues of Ebedjesu and the Chronicle of Seert, v. J.M. Vosté, “La
chronologie de l’activité littéraire de Théodore de Mopsueste,” RB (), pp.–, esp. pp. –.
. The adjective cudai'o~, used in Ex . to mean “prolific,” may also mean
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Although Pharaoh ordered them to destroy the male children,
their piety would not permit them to collaborate with the law of in-
fanticide.b Hence, as a reward, God granted them many a blessing.
How did Pharaoh’s daughter know that the child was a Hebrew?a
This was clear from his circumcision. Thus, we can deduce that,at that time, the Egyptians were not yet circumcised, although later,
in emulation of the Hebrews, they embraced the law of circumci-
sion. Hence, the God of the universe said through Jeremiah, “I shall
call to account all those circumcised in their foreskin: Egypt and the
sons of Edom” and so on.1b
Why did Moses marry a foreign wife?a
He was a type of Christ the Lord, who, though a Jew by bodily
descent, called the gentile Church his “bride.”
Question
“ordinary,” “vulgar”; v. LSJ sub uoce II.. As Guinot notes (p. ), Theodoret re- jects the interpretation of Clement of Alexandria, who, taking the term in this neg-ative sense, had understood it to refer to the spiritual blindness of the Jews. V.Strom. ... for his derisive rhyme jIoudaivwn tw` n cudaivwn and cf. Strom.....
. Theodoret declares also in Q. on Gn that the Egyptians learned circumci-sion from the Jews. This practice was, however, widespread in the ancient NearEast, excluding Mesopotamia; v. Speiser, pp. f.
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Tinev" fasin a[ggelon oj fqh' nai tw' / Mwu>sh' / ej n tw' / bavtw/.
JH aj navgnwsi" tou' cwrivou to; n oj fqev nta dhloi': w[fqh.......,
gavr fhsin, aujtw' / a[ggelo" Kurivou ejn flogi; puro;" ....... bavtou:a kai;
metæ ojlivga, wJ" de; ei\ de Kuv rio" o{ti prosavgei ijdei' n, ejkavlesen
aujto;n Kuv rio" ejk tou' bavtou:b kai; pavlin meta; braceva, kai; ei\ pen
aujtw' /, ejgwv eij mi oJ Qeo;" .......∆Abraav m, kai; oJ Qeo;" ∆Isaavk, kai; oJ
Qeo;" ∆Iakwv b:c kai; eujqu;" ejphvgagen, ajpevstreye de; Mwu>sh' " to;provswpon aujtou' : hujlabei' to ga; r katablevyai ejnwvpion tou'
Qeou` : d kai; ejpisunh' yen, ijdw;n ei\ don th;n kavkwsin tou' laou' mou,
tou' ejn Aijguvptw/, kai; th' " kraugh' " aujtw' n h[kousa, kai; ta; eJxh'":e
kai; au\qi", ejgwv eij mi oJ w[n:.......tavde ej rei' " toi' " uiJoi' " ∆Israhvl: oJ
w]n ajpevstalkev me pro;" uJ ma' ".f kai; o{lon de; to; cwrivon deivknusi
Qeo; n o[ nta to; n oj fqev nta.
Kevklhke de; aujto; n kai; a[ggelon i{ na gnw'men wJ" oJ oj fqei;" oujk e[stin oJ Qeo;" kai; pathvr: tiv no" ga;r a[ggelo" oJ pathvr; ajllæ oJ
monogenh;" uiJov", oJ megavlh" boulh' " a[ggelo",g oJ toi'" iJ eroi'"
maqhtai'" eijrhkwv", pavnta o{sa h[kousa para; tou' patrov" mou
dedhvlwka uJ mi' n.h w{sper de; to; a[ggelo" o[ noma tevqeiken, ouj c
uJpourgivan tina; shmaiv nwn, ajlla; tou' monogenou'" ejmfaiv nwn to;
provswpon, ou{tw pavlin aujtou' kai; th; n fuvsin kai; th; n ejxousivan
khruvttei, levgwn aujto; n eijrhkev nai, ejgwv eij mi oJ w[n, |kai; ejgw; oJ
Qeo;" .......∆Abraav m, kai; oJ Qeo;" ∆Isaavk, kai; oJ Qeo;"
∆Iakwv b:.......tou' tov moi.......o[noma aijwvnion kai; mnhmovsunon genew' n
geneai' ".i tau'ta de; kai; th; n qeivan oujsivan dhloi' kai; to; aijwv nion
kai; to; ajiv >dion deivknusin.
The Questions on Exodus
|31
A –6 [ ], B, , (inc.) = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .mme. Ex .mmf. Ex .mmg. Is .mmh. Jn .mmi. Ex .f.
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Tiv dhloi' to; to; n bavton kaiv esqai kai; mh; katakaiv esqai;a
Th; n tou' Qeou' duv namin kai; filanqrwpivan khruvttei, o{ti dhv,
fruganwvdh o[ nta, to; a[sbeston oujk aj nhvliske pu'r. oi\mai de; kai;
e{tera dia; touvtou paradhlou'sqai: kai; o{ti oJ ∆Israhvl, uJpo; tw' n
aijguptivwn ejpibouleuovmeno", oujk aj nalwqhvsetai, ajlla; kreivttwn
e[stai tw' n polemouv ntwn, kai; wJ" oJ monogenhv", ej nanqrwphvsa"
kai; parqenikh; n oijkhvsa" nhduv n, fulavxei th; n parqenivanajkhvraton. fasi; dev tine" ej n bavtw/ fanh' nai to; n Qeov n, kai; oujk
ej n a[llw/ futw' /, dia; to; mh; duv nasqaiv tina ejk bavtou gluv yai Qeov n:
eijko;" ga;r h\ n ijoudaivou" kai; tou'to tolmh'sai ei[per ej n a[llw/
w[ fqh futw' /.
Dia; tiv prosetav cqh oJ Mwu>sh'" to; uJpovdhma lu'sai;a
Tinev" fasin i{ na ta;" biwtika;" ajporriv yh/ merivmna", ta;" tw' /
qnhtw' / bivw/ sunezeugmev na": nekra; ga;r tw' n uJpodhmavtwn ta;
devrmata: tine;" de; i{ na gumnoi'" toi'" posi; n aJgiavsh / th; n gh' n.
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .
A – 6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
l. . i{ na gumnoi~ toi~ posi; n aJgiavsh/ J.P. : i{ na gumnoi~ fasi; toi`~posi; n aJgiavsh/ Sir. Sch. : i{ na gumnoi~, fhsiv, toi~ posi; n aJgiavsh/ F.M. I takethe verb indicating attribution ( fhsi) as an inept gloss. If F.M.’s note ad loc. isreliable, the plural lacks all ms. support. The singular, of course, disagrees innumber with the preceding plural pronoun (tine; ;~). Whether singular or plural,it is oddly placed, and the transposed order of C, (i{ na gumnoi~ toi~
posi; n aJgiavsh/, fhsiv) suggests that its claim to a place in the text wasuncertain. Cf. the critical note for Q. on Gn.
a. Ex .mm
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What is the meaning of the verse “the bush was burning but not
consumed?”a
The fact that the inextinguishable fire did not consume the dry
wood proclaims God’s power and loving-kindness. In my view, how-
ever, this suggests a number of other points as well: that Israel would
not be consumed when subject to the schemes of the Egyptians but
would prevail over its enemies, and that, when the Only-begotten be-
came man and occupied the virgin’s womb, he would preserve hermaidenhood from defilement. Some commentators have claimed
that God appeared in the bush rather than any other plant since no
one can carve an image of God out of a bush. Indeed, the Jews prob-
ably would have attempted this if he had appeared in any other plant.
Why was Moses ordered to take off his sandals? a
Some commentators have claimed he was to cast aside earthly
cares linked to this mortal life, since the leather of sandals is dead.
Others say he was to sanctify the ground with his bare feet. But I ac-
Question
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ejgw; de; oujdevteron touvtwn prosiv emai: prw'ton me; n gavr, oujdevpw
ou[te ajrciereu;" ou[te profhvth" ejkeceirotov nhto: e[peita dev, tou'
Qeou' to; n tovpon kaqierwvsanto" kai; touvtou cavrin a{gion
oj nomavsanto", peritto; n oi\mai levgein Mwu>seva toi'" posi; naJgiavsai to; n tovpon.
Duvo toiv nun hJgou'mai dia; touvtou dhlou'sqai: prw'ton me; n ga;r
eujlabevsteron aujto; n tw' /de tw' / lovgw/ kaqivsthsin w{ste meta;
devou" tw' n prostattomev nwn ajkou'sai: e[peita propaideuv etai
pw'" crh; tou;" iJ ereva" ej n th' / skhnh' / leitourgei' n: gumnoi'" ga;r
kajkei' noi posi; ta;" leitourgiva" ejpetevloun kai; ta;" qusiva".b
Proeidw;" oJ Qeo;" tou' Faraw; to; duspeiqev", tiv dhv pote mh;
ejx ajrch'" aujto; n ejkovlasen;
{ Oti prohv /dei dedhvlwken: oi\ da, gavr fhsin, o{ti ouj prohvsetai
uJ ma' " Faraw; basileu;" Aijguvptou .......eij mh; meta; ceiro;"
krataia' ". kai; ejkteivna" th;n cei' ra, patavxw tou;" aijguptivou" .a
ajllæ o{mw", ajgaqo;" w] n kai; filav nqrwpo", kolavzein ejk mov nh"
prognwvsew" oujk aj nev cetai, ajllæ aj namev nei tw' n pragmavtwn to;
tevlo", kai; deivknusin a{pasi th'" timwriva" to; divkaion. a[llw" te
kai; pollw' / dikaiovteron to; th; n ejkeiv nou gumnwqh' nai ponhrivan
tou' to; n Qeo; n ajphnh' nomisqh' nai: eij ga;r pro; tw' n ejlevgcwn
ejkovlasen, e[doxen a] n kai; wjmo;" ei\ nai kai; a[diko". nu' n de; kai; tou'
Qeou' to; makrovqumon devdektai, kajkeiv nou to; dussebe;" kai;qhriw'de" ejlhvlegktai.
The Questions on Exodus
b. Cf. Ex .–.
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .f.
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cept neither of these views. To begin with, no high priest or prophet
had yet been appointed. Also, as God had consecrated the place and
hence called it holy, I think it idle to claim that Moses sanctified the
place with his feet.
In my view, this event indicates two things. First, God put him
into a more reverent frame of mind, and Moses heeded his com-
mands in fear. Next, he received prior instruction in how the priests
ought to conduct worship in the tabernacle, as they also used to
conduct rituals and sacrifices barefoot.b
Since God foresaw Pharaoh’s disobedience, why did he not pun-
ish him from the outset?
That he knew in advance is indicated by “I know that Pharaoh
king of Egypt will not let you go except with a mighty hand. I shall
stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians.”a Yet, in his goodness
and loving-kindness, he would not punish him solely on the basis of
foreknowledge; instead he awaited the outcome of events and
showed everyone the justice of his retribution. Above all, justice re-
quired that the Pharaoh’s wickedness be laid bare rather than that
God be thought harsh. If he had punished him before conviction, he
would have seemed both cruel and unjust, while, this way, God’s
long-suffering was demonstrated and Pharaoh’s impious ferocity exposed.
Question
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Dia; tiv prw'ton shmei'on devdwke th'" rJavbdou th; n eij" o[ fin
metabolhv n;a
jEpeidhv, logikh'" oJ Faraw; fuvsew" w[ n, wjmovthti kata; tw' n
eJbraivwn ej crhvsato kai; to; qeoeide;" qhriw'de" ajpev fhne, th; n
rJavbdon, diæ h |" aujto; n ejmastivgwsen, eij" o[ fin metablhqh' nai
prosevtaxen: eij" e[legcon me; n th'" ejkeiv nou qhriwdiva", e[mfasin
de; th'" dusmeneiva". kai; ga;r th' / tou' o[ few" ajra' / kai; tou'to
prostevqeiken: e[ cqran qhvsw ajna; mevson sou kai; ajna; mevson th' " gunaikov", kai; ta; eJxh'".b
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .–mmb. Gn .
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Why did God give as his first sign the transformation of the rod
into a serpent?a
Pharaoh, though endowed with human rationality, turned a
God-given faculty into ferocity and behaved with savage cruelty to-
wards the Hebrews. Therefore, God commanded that the rod, with
which he scourged him, be turned into a serpent to reprove
Pharaoh’s ferocity and reveal his hostility. In fact, he had added to
the curse of the serpent, “I shall put enmity between you and thewoman” and so on.b
Question
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JH levprwsi" th'" ceiro;" tiv dhloi';a
jEn eujsebeiva/ trafev n, to; gev no" tou' ∆Iakw;b eij" th; n Ai[gupton
eijselhvluqen ajllæ ejkei' tw' n aijguptivwn metevmaqe th; n ajsevbeian,
th'" ejkeiv nwn de; douleiva" ajpallageiv", to; n tw' n o{lwn ejpevgnw
Qeov n. dedhvlwke toiv nun dia; th'" ajlloiwvsew" th'" ceiro;" th; n
levprwsin aujtw' n kai; th; n kavqarsin.
Pro;" de; touvtoi" kai; e{teron oJ despovth" wj /konovmei Qeov".
ejpeidh; ga;r h[melle to; n peri; tw' n leprw' n tiqev nai novmon kai;ajkaqav rtou" touvtou" prosagoreuv ein,b oujde; n de; tw' n ajkousivwn
ajkavqarton, e{tera de ; dia; touvtwn oijkonomw' n, touvtoi" ej crhvsato
toi'" novmoi", a{per, ej n ejkeiv noi" genovmenoi toi'" cwrivoi", su; n
Qew' / fav nai dhlwvsomen, ejlevprwse tou' nomoqevtou th; n cei'ra,
tou;" ta; tevleia pepaideumev nou" didavskwn wJ" oujde; n tw' n
toiouvtwn ajkavqarton: hJ ga;r ta; qauvmata ejkei' na ejrgasamev nh
dexiav, lepra; provteron genomev nh, tai'" qeoshmeivai" uJpouvrghsekai; ta; stoicei'a metevbalen. touvtw/ de; kai; to; n nomoqevthn
ejpaivdeusen mh; mevga fronei' n ajllæ eijdev nai th; n fuvsin, th'"
leprwqeivsh" aj namimnhskovmenon dexia'".
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
l. e{tera de; a [ ], , B, , , Pic. (Sch.) : e{tera Sir. Sch. F.M. = “As he was planning to establish a law about lepers and declare them ‘unclean,’ but there is nothing unclean where there is no act of will, he made use of these laws to effect other purposes of his own, as, with God’s help, we shall indicate when we come to those passages. He made the lawgiver’s hand leprous to teach the perfectly instructed that no such thing is unclean .” The connective particle de; is needed tobind e{tera.......toi~ novmoi~ to the conjunction ejpeidh; and divide it from thefollowing main verb ejlevprwse. The reading preferred by Sir., Sch., and F.M.separates e{tera, etc. from the conjunction ejpeidh;; requiring the initiation of anew sentence at ejlevprwse, it creates a very unlikely asyndeton.
l. touvtw/ de; J.P. : touto de; c [ ], B, : dia; touto de; = “On account of this, God also instructed the lawgiver” : dia; touvtou de; = “By means of this, God also instructed the lawgiver” : ejk touvtou de; , C, , Sir. Sch. = “From this point on,God also instructed the lawgiver” : touvtou de; F.M. Only the dative gives the appro-priate sense; cf. Thdt., Dan. . (Touvtw/ de; kataplhvxa~, etc.) and Q. . on Gn(touvtwÛ me; n.......mhcanwvmeno~).
a. Ex .f.mmb. Lv .–
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What was the significance of the leprous hand?a
Jacob’s family, raised in right religion, entered Egypt, where they
learned the idolatry of the Egyptians, but when freed from slavery to
the Egyptians, they acknowledged the God of the universe. Thus,
through the change in his hand, he revealed their leprosy and their
cleansing.
In addition, the Lord God had something else in mind. As he was
planning to establish a law about lepers and declare them “un-clean,”b but there is nothing unclean where there is no act of will,
and he made use of these laws to effect other purposes of his own
(as, with God’s help, we shall indicate when we come to those pas-
sages), he made the lawgiver’s hand leprous to teach the perfectly in-
structed that no such thing is unclean. Indeed, the right hand that
worked those marvels ministered to the divine signs and wrought
changes in the elements only after it had previously been leprous. Inthis way God also instructed the lawgiver not to become presump-
tuous, but to acknowledge his nature whenever he recalled that
right hand covered in leprosy.
Question
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JUpourgw' / kecrhmev no" tw' / Mwu>sh' / tw' n o{lwn oJ Kuvrio", tiv dhv
pote ijscnov fwnon aujto; n dievplase kai; braduvglwsson;a
jEpeidh; tou'to ma'llon th; n duv namin ejdeivknu th; n qeivan:
w{sper ga;r aJlieva",b kai; telwv na",c kai; skutotovmou"d khvruka"
ajlhqeiva" kai; didaskavlou" eujsebeiva" ej ceirotov nhsen, ou{tw dia;
fwnh'" ajsqenou'" kai; glwvssh" bradeiva" kathv /scune tou;"
aijguptivwn sofouv".e
Pw'" nohtevon to; ejgw;.......sklhrunw' th;n kardivan Farawv; a
() Mavla rJav /dion h\ n tw' / Qew' / meta; th; n prwvthn ajpeivqeian
panwleqrivan ejpagagei' n ajllæ, aj fravstw/ kecrhmev no" makroqumiva/,
metriva" aujtw' / paideiva" ejphvgage. tau'ta de; aj ntivtupon ejpoiv eith; n ejkeiv nou kardivan: oijovmeno" ga;r mh; duv nasqai to; n Qeo; n
meivzosi crhvsasqai timwrivai", tw' n metrivwn katefrov nei
mastivgwn. kai; o{ti tau'qæ ou{tw" e[ cei hJ iJstoriva didavskei:
prw'ton me; n ga;r tw' n qeivwn ejkeiv nwn ajkouvsa" rJ hmavtwn,
ejxapovsteilon to;n laovn mou i{na moi latreuvswsin ejn th' / ej rhv mw/,b
uJpolabw; n e[ fh, tiv" ejsti Kuv rio" ; oujk eijsakouvsomai th' " fwnh' "
aujtou' :.......oujk oi\ da to;n Kuv rion kai; to;n ∆Israh;l oujk
ejxapostelw` .c e[peita dev, th'" rJavbdou metablhqeivsh" eij" o[ fin,
fhsi; n hJ qeiva grafhv, kai; kativscusen hJ kardiva Farawv, kai; oujk
eijshvkousen aujtw' n kaqavper ejlavlhsen aujtoi' " Kuv rio":d kai; eujqu;"
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, * = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Mt .f.; Mk .–mmc. Mt .; Mk .; Lk .f.mmd. Acts .mme. Ex .
A –6 [ ], B, C, (inc.) = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .
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Why did the Lord of the universe make Moses, his minister,
stammering and slow of speech?a
Because this showed forth God’s power all the more. Just as he
appointed fishermen,b tax collectors,c and cobblersd heralds of truth
and teachers of religion, so he confounded the Egyptian sages with a
weak voice and a slow tongue.e
How should we understand, “I shall harden Pharaoh’s heart”?1a
() It would have been an easy matter for God to destroy him
after his first act of disobedience. Instead, in his ineffable long-
suffering, God punished Pharaoh with but a moderate chastise-ment. Yet, this only made his heart obstinate. Thinking God could
not apply heavier punishments, he scorned the moderate scourge.
The sequence of events proves this. First, on hearing the divine
words, “Let my people go so that they may worship me in the
wilderness,”b he retorted, “Who is the Lord? I shall not heed his
voice. I do not know the Lord and will not let Israel go.”c Next, when
the rod was changed into a serpent, holy Scripture says, “The heart
of Pharaoh grew in strength, and he did not listen to them as the
Lord had said to them”;d and it continues, “The Lord said to Moses,
Question x
. Schulze (PG, vol. , col. , note ) complains of the length of this reply (satis prolixa quidem est quaestio ), but Theodoret wishes to examine the implica-tions for free will entailed by the scriptural statements deriving Pharaoh’s obdura-cy from divine causation. This is an important moral principle, especially for an
Antiochene; v. sec. of the “Introduction to Theodoret’ s Life and Works” and cf.J.N.D. Kelly, who attributes (Early Christian Doctrines, p. ) to the Antiochenes“an intensified emphasis on individualism.”
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ejpavgei, ei\ pe de; Kuv rio" pro;" Mwu>sh' n, bebav rhtai hJ kardiva
Faraw; tou' mh; ejxapostei' lai to;n laovn.e
() ∆Amfovtera de; shmaiv nei to; th'" gnwvmh" aujqaivreton: kai;
to; kativscusen hJ kardiva Faraw; kai; to; bebav rhtai hJ kardivaFarawv. baruv netai me; n ga;r kardiva uJpo; ponhriva" kaqelkomev nh.
kai; tou'to safw'" hJma'" didavskei oJ makavrio" Dabivd: aiJ ajnomivai
mou, gavr fhsin, uJperh` ran th;n kefalhvn mou, wJsei; fortivon
baru; ej baruvnqhsan ejpæ ej mev.f kai; oJ Zakcariva" th; n aj nomivan
ejqeavsato, molivbdou tavlanton ej n tw' / stovmati fevrousan.g hJ dev
ge, ajponoiva/ crwmev nh, katiscuv ein levgetai wJ" aj nqistamev nh tw' /
despovth/ Qew' / kai; nika' n aujtou' neanieuomev nh th; n duv namin: hJga;r eujsebh;" uJpotavttetai kata; th; n profhtikh; n paraiv nesin,
th; n levgousan, uJpotavghqi tw' / Kurivw/ kai; iJkevteuson aujtovn.h hJ dev
ge aj ntivtupo" kai; oiJonei; liqiv nh sklhruv netai: o{qen oJ tw' n o{lwn
Qeo;" dia; tou' profhvtou ∆Iezekih;l peri; tw' n ijoudaivwn|| e[ fh, kai;
ejkspavsw th;n kardivan th;n liqivnhn ejx aujtw' n.i diav toi tou'to kai;
oJ makavrio" Mwu>sh'", th; n ejpinivkion a[ /dwn wj /dh; n peri; tou' Faraw;
kai; tw' n aijguptivwn, ei[rhke, katevdusan eij" buqo;n wJsei; livqo": j
kai; pavlin, e[dusan wJsei; movlibdo" ejn u{dati sfodrw' /.k ejpeidh; ga;r
ejbavrunan aujtw' n th; n kardivan, e[dusan wJsei; movlibdo": ejpeidh; de;
kai; ejsklhvrunan, katevdusan eij" buqo;n wJsei; livqo". o{ti de; hJ
aj ntitupiva th'" kardiva" kai; hJ sklhrovth" uJ fæ hJmw' n aujtw' n
giv netai mavrtu" oJ qei'o" ajpovstolo" levgwn, ajgnow' n o{ti to;
crhsto;n tou' Qeou' eij" metavnoiavn se a[gei; kata; de; th;n
sklhrovthtav sou kai; aj metanovhton kardivan qhsaurivzei" seautw' /
oj rgh;n ejn hJ mev ra/ oj rgh' ", kai; ajpokaluvyew", kai; dikaiokrisiva" tou' Qeou' , o}" ajpodwvsei eJkavstw/ kata; ta; e[ rga aujtou` .l
() Pro;" de; touvtoi" kajkei' no skophtevon, wJ" eij fuvsei
ponhro;" h\ n oJ Farawv, oujk a] n aujtou' th; n gnwvmhn ej nhvllaxe. nu' n
de; oJrw'men uJpo; me; n th'" paideiva" aujto; n malattovmenon, uJpo; de;
th'" makroqumiva" sklhrunovmenon: paideuovmeno" ga;r hj ntibovlei
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l. aujtw` n J.P. : eJautw` n , c 1, , Sir. Sch. : auJtw` n F.M.
e. Ex .mmf. Ps .mmg. Zec .mmh. Ps .mmi. Ezek .mm j. Ex .mmk. Ex .mml. Rom .–mm
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‘Pharaoh’s heart has been weighed down so that he will not let the
people go.’”e
() Both expressions, “The heart of Pharaoh grew in strength”
and “Pharaoh’s heart has been weighed down,” point to his free will.First, hearts that are weighed down are pulled down by wickedness,
as the blessed David informs us in unequivocal terms: “My sins rose
above my head; they bore down upon me like a heavy load.” f And
Zechariah had a vision of Iniquity bearing a talent of lead in her
mouth.g Second, when the heart is in the grip of madness, it is said
to grow in strength, as it sets itself in opposition to the Lord God
and rebelliously seeks to prevail against him. While the devout heartsubjects itself according to the prophet’s exhortation, “Be subject to
the Lord, and implore him,”h the resistant is hardened like stone.
Hence, through the prophet Ezekiel, the God of the universe said of
the Jews, “I shall pluck out their heart of stone.”i For the same rea-
son, the blessed Moses, in his victory song about Pharaoh and the
Egyptians, declared, “They went down into the depths like a stone”; j
and again, “They sank like lead in churning water.”k Since their
hearts were weighed down,“they sank like lead,” and since they were
also hardened, “they went down into the depths like a stone.” Now,
the holy apostle offers confirmation that the resistance and hardness
of heart originate in ourselves when he says, “Are you unaware that
God’s kindness leads you to repentance? In your hardness and im-
penitence of heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day
of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who
will repay each according to his deeds.”l
() In addition, we should consider that if Pharaoh’s evil had
been rooted in his very constitution, he would not have changed his
mind. In fact, we see him softened by correction but hardened by
forbearance. When corrected, he appealed to the lawgiver and said,
Question
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to; n nomoqevthn, proseuvxasqe peri; ej mou' m levgwn: kai; pavlin, oJ
Kuv rio" divkaio", ejgw; de; kai; oJ laov" mou ajsebei' ":n th'" de;
timwriva" pauomev nh", ejbaruv neto, kai; ejsklhruv neto, kai; toi'"
prostavgmasi toi'" qeivoi" aj ntevlege. kai; th'" me; n kunomuiva" ejpenecqeivsh", ej n Aijguvptw/ qu'sai prosevtaxe tw' / Qew' /.o tou'
qeiotavtou de; Mwu>sevw" eijrhkovto" mh; duv nasqai tou'to dra'sai
dia; tou;" aijguptivou": ta; ga;r uJpæ ejkeiv nwn, fhsiv, qeopoiouvmena
quvsomen, kai; kataleuvonte" hJma'" ajpoktenou'sin:p ejpevtreyen
eij" th; n e[rhmon ajpelqei' n kai; ta;" qusiva" ejpitelevsai.q ejpi;
touvtoi" tou' profhvtou proseuxamev nou kai; th; n kunovmuian
ajpofhv nanto" frou'don, ej bav rune, fhsiv,.......th;n kardivan aujtou' kai; ejpi; touvtou tou' kairou' kai; oujk hjqevlhsen ejxapostei' lai to;n
laovn.r tou'to kai; ejpi; tou' loimou' gegev nhtai tw' n kthnw' n: ei\de,
fhsiv, Faraw; o{ti oujk ejteleuvthsen ajpo; pavntwn tw' n kthnw' n
tw' n uiJw' n ∆Israh;l oujde; e{n, kai; ej baruvnqh hJ kardiva Farawv, kai;
oujk ejxapevsteile to;n laovn:s ej n touvtoi" a{pasi deivxa" to; th'"
gnwvmh" aujqaivreton. kai; didavxa" o{pw" aujtoi'" ejphnev cqh tw' n
fluktainw' n to; pavqo",t kai; o{ti toi'" farmavkoi" hJ novso"
ejpevskhye, kai; oujk hjduvnanto oiJ fav rmakoi sth' nai ejnantivon
Mwu>sh' dia; ta; e{lkh:u hj /scuv nonto ga;r kaqhlkwmev noi kai; sfivsin
aujtoi'" ejpamu' nai mh; dunavmenoi: ejphvgage, kai;
ejsklhv rune ....... Kuv rio" th;n kardivan Farawv, kai; oujk eijshvkousen
aujtw' n kaqa; sunevtaxen aujtoi' " Kuv rio".v kai; metæ ojlivga pro;"
aujto; n e[ fh to; n Farawv, e{neken touvtou diethrhvqh", i{na
ejndeivxwmai ejn soi; th;n ijscuvn mou, kai; o{pw" diaggelh' / to; o[nomav
mou ejn pavsh/ th' / gh` /.w kai; au\qi" metæ ojlivga kai; tau'ta e[ fh:ijdwvn ......., gavr fhsi, Faraw; o{ti pevpautai oJ uJetov", kai; hJ
cavlaza, kai; aiJ fwnaiv, kai; prosevqeto Faraw; tou' aJ martavnein:
kai; ej bav rune th;n kardivan aujtou' kai; tw' n qerapovntwn aujtou' , kai;
ejsklhruvnqh hJ kardiva Farawv, kai; oujk ejxapevsteile tou;" uiJou;"
∆Israh;l kaqavper ejlavlhse Kuv rio" tw' / Mwu>sh' /.x to; de; kaqavper
The Questions on Exodus
m. Ex .mmn. Ex .mmo. Ex .f.mmp. Ex .mmq. Ex .mmr. Ex .mms. Ex .mmt. Ex .–mmu. Ex .–mmv. Ex .mmw. Ex .mmx. Ex .f.mm
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“Pray for me”;m and again, “The Lord is righteous, and I and my
people impious.”n But when the punishment ceased, he was weighed
down and hardened and resisted the commands of God. Then, when
the plague of dog flies was sent upon him, he ordered that sacrificesbe offered to God within Egypt.o When the divinely inspired Moses
replied that he could not offer these because of the Egyptians—“If
we sacrifice creatures they regard as gods, they will stone us to
death”p—he permitted them to withdraw into the desert and per-
form the sacrifices there.q Later, when, on these terms, the prophet
prayed and brought an end to the plague of dog flies, as Scripture
says, “he weighed down his heart this time as well and refused to letthe people go.”r This happened also in the pestilence of the cattle:
“Pharaoh saw that none of all the cattle of the children of Israel had
died, and the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the
people go.”s In all these cases he demonstrated his own freedom of
will. Then relating how the scourge of boils was brought upon them
and fell upon the sorcerers,t “and the sorcerers were unable to stand
before Moses because of their sores”u—ashamed as they were of
their ulcers and their inability to help themselves—Scripture adds,
“The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not hearken to
them as the Lord had ordained for them.”v And shortly after, God
said to Pharaoh, “This is why you have been spared: for me to
demonstrate my power in you, and for my name to be proclaimed in
all the earth.”w Again, shortly after this, the text says, “Pharaoh saw
that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, and Pharaoh went fur-
ther in sinning; he weighed down his heart and that of his atten-dants. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not let the children
of Israel go as the Lord had said to Moses.”x The clause “as the Lord
Question
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ejlavlhse th; n provgnwsin tou' Qeou' dhloi' aj nti; tou': oujde; n
touvtwn hjgnov hsen oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" ajllæ ejx ajrch'" proeivrhke.
() Tau'ta de; pav nta diexh'lqon dei'xai boulovmeno" wJ" ou[te fuvsew" h\ n oJ Faraw; ponhra'", ou[te oJ despovth" Qeo;" sklhra; n
aujtou' kai; aj ntivtupon th; n gnwvmhn eijrgavsato: oJ ga;r nu' n me; n
eij" tou'to rJ evpwn, nu' n de; eij" ejkei' no, deivknusi to; th'" gnwvmh"
aujqaivreton. i{ na de; kai; e[k tino" eijkov no" to; ajmfiballovmenon
dialuvsw: oJ h{lio" th' / th'" qevrmh" ej nergeiva/ to; n me; n khro; n
uJgraiv nei, to; n de; phlo; n xhraiv nei kai; to; n me; n malavttei, to; n de;
sklhruv nei. w{sper toiv nun ou |to" th' / ej nergeiva/ th' / mia' / ta; ej nantivapoiei', ou{tw th' / tou' Qeou' tw' n o{lwn makroqumiva/ |oiJ me; n
wj fevleian, oiJ de; blavbhn karpou' ntai: kai; oiJ me; n malavttontai,
oiJ de; sklhruv nontai.||
Tou'to kai; oJ Kuvrio" ej n toi'" iJ eroi'" eujaggelivoi" dedhvlwken:
eij" kri' ma, gavr fhsin, ejgw; eij" to;n kovsmon tou' ton h\ lqon, i{na
oiJ mh; blevponte" blevpwsi, kai; oiJ blevponte" tufloi; gevnwntai. y
tou'to de; ouj tou' despovtou dhloi' to; n skopov n: oujde; ga;r touvtou
cavrin ejlhvluqen, i{ na tuflou;" ajpofhv nh/ tou;" blevponta": ajlla;
to; gegenhmev non dedhvlwken. aujto;" me; n ga;r bouvletai pavnta"
ajnqrwvpou" .......swqh' nai kai; eij" ejpivgnwsin ajlhqeiva" ejlqei' n.z
ejpeidh; de; to; aujqaivreton e[ cei tw' n aj nqrwvpwn hJ fuvsi", oiJ
me; n pepisteukovte" th'" swthriva" ajphvlausan, oiJ de;
ajpisthvsante" provxenoi eJautoi'" th'" geev nnh" gegev nhntai.
ou{tw" oJ ∆Iouvda" blevpwn: ajpovstolo" ga;r h\ n: u{steron
ejtuflwvqh, oJ de; qespevsio" Pau'lo", tuflo;" w] n provteron,aj nevbleyen u{steron.aa ou{tw dia; th'" tou' swth'ro" ejpifaneiva"
ejtuflwvqhsan me; n tw' n ijoudaivwn oiJ plei'stoi, aj nevbleyan de; ta;
e[qnh. ouj mhv n, ejpeidhv tine" e[mellon ajpisthvsein, ej crh' n mh;
genevsqai th; n kata; savrka tou' swth'ro" hJmw' n oijkonomivan:
tou'to ga;r ajpestevrei th; n oijkoumev nhn th'" swthriva". ou{tw kai;
oJ qeiovtato" e[ fh Sumewv n, ijdou; ou |to" kei' tai eij" ptw' sin kai;
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y. Jn .mmz. Tm .mmaa. Acts .mm
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had said” reveals God’s foreknowledge. It amounts to saying that the
God of the universe had not been ignorant of any of this but had
foretold it from the outset.
() The purpose of my narrative recital has been to bring outthat Pharaoh was not constitutionally evil, and that it was not the
Lord God who caused his will to be hardened and resistant. His
moving first in this direction then in that highlights his freedom of
will. Let me clarify the issue with a simile. The sun with its heat
melts wax but dries mud: softening one and hardening the other.
As the same heat produces opposite effects, so from God’s loving-
kindness some reap benefit, others harm; some are softened, othershardened.
The Lord himself revealed this in the sacred Gospels: “I have
come into this world for judgment, so that those who do not may
see, and those who see may become blind.” y Now, this does not sug-
gest the Lord’s intention—he did not come with the purpose of
blinding those with sight—but reveals what actually happened.2 For
“it is his wish that everyone be saved and come to the knowledge of
the truth.”z But since human beings are naturally endowed with free
will, the believers enjoyed salvation while the unbelievers bore the
responsibility for bringing Hell upon themselves. Thus, Judas, who
had sight as an apostle, was later blinded, whereas Paul, the
divinely inspired, though originally blind, later opened his eyes.aa
With the coming of the Savior, most of the Jews were blinded, butthe gentiles opened their eyes. The fact that some would not believe
did not mean that the Incarnation of our Savior should not have
taken place. That would have deprived the world of salvation. Thus,
Simeon, the most holy, said, “Lo, this one is destined for the fall
Question
. One may debate the appositeness of the dominical saying, which itself quotes Is .. As R.E. Brown observes (p. ), “the line of distinction between
the result of Jesus’ ministry and its purpose is not drawn sharply because of theoversimplified outlook which attributes everything that happens to God’s pur-pose.” This, of course, is precisely Theodoret’s concern.
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ajnavstasin pollw' n ejn tw' / ∆Israh;l kai; eij" shmei' on
ajntilegov menon.bb
Kajkei' no mev ntoi eijdev nai crhv, wJ" to; n parov nta bivon oJ tw' n
o{lwn Qeo;" stavdion toi'" aj nqrwvpoi" ajpev fhnen i{ næ, ej n touvtw/ajgwnizovmenoi, dhlwvswsi to; n oijkei'on skopov n. ej n dev ge tw' /
mevllonti, th; n dikaivan poiouvmeno" krivsin, tou;" me; n wJ"
nikhfovrou" ajgwnista;" stefanwvsei,cc tou;" de; kolavsei wJ" th'"
kakiva" ejrgavta" gegenhmev nou".dd ejpeidh; de; ouj c a{pante" tw' /
mevllonti pisteuvousi bivw/, mavla sofw'" oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" kai;
kolavzei tina;" ej n tw' /de tw' / bivw/ ponhriva/ sunezhkovta" kai; au\
pavlin a[llou" aj nakhruvttei eujsebeiva" pefrontikovta" wJ"mavlista. touvtou cavrin oJ qei'o" ajpovstolo" tina;" me; n skeuvh
oj rgh' ", tina;" de; skeuvh ejlevou" wj novmasen,ee ejpeidh; diæ ejkeiv nwn
me; n dh'lo" giv netai kolavzwn ej ndivkw" oJ despovth" Qeov", dia; de;
touvtwn ejpimeleiva" pantodaph'" ajxiw' n kai; promhqeiva" tou;"
th'" ajreth'" ajqlhtav".
() “Idoi dæ a[ n ti" kai; tw' n swmavtwn tou;" ijatrou;" tomai'"
kai; kauth'rsi crwmev nou", kai; tou;" kekrummev nou" cumou;" kai;
caleph; n th; n novson ejrgazomev nou" aj namocleuvonta" kai;
ejxavgonta", kai; ta; lanqav nonta pavqh dh'la poiou' nta". ou{tw"
kai; oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" tw' n logismw' n th; n ponhrivan tai'"
paideivai" gumnoi': tou'to ga;r kai; ej n tw' / Deuteronomivw/ pro;" to; n
∆Israh;l e[ fh: kai; mnhsqhvsh/ pa' san th;n oJdovn, h}n h[gagev se
Kuv rio" oJ Qeov" sou tessarakosto;n e[to" ejn th' / ej rhv mw/,
o{pw" .......kakwvsh/ se, kai; peiravsh/ se, kai; diagnwsqh' / ta; ejn th' /
kardiva/ sou: eij fulavxh/ ta;" ejntola;" aujtou' , h] ou[. kai; ejkavkwsevse kai; ejlimagcovnhsev se, kai; ta; eJxh'".ff
Kaqavper de; pavlin oiJ ijatroi; tou;" aj nhkevstw" diakeimev nou",
pollw' n parov ntwn, tevmnousin, oujk ejkeiv noi" tosou'ton
ejpikourou' nte": i[sasi ga;r aujtw' n th; n novson aj nivaton: ajlla;
tou;" foithta;" to; n th'" ijatreiva" didavskonte" trovpon, ou{tw
The Questions on Exodus
bb. Lk .mmcc. Cf. Cor .; Tm .f.mmdd. Lk .mmee. Rom .f.mmff. Dt .f.mm
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and rise of many in Israel and for a sign that will be contradicted.”bb
Of course, we should also realize that the God of the universe
constituted the present life as a race for human beings so that eachmight reveal his goal in the course of the contest. In the future life
he will render righteous judgment and crown some as victorious
athletescc and punish others as workers of iniquity.dd Now, since
there are those who do not believe in the life to come, even in the
course of this present life, the God of the universe, in his great wis-
dom, punishes some for their wickedness and celebrates others for
their great devotion to religion. Thus, the holy apostle calls somepeople “vessels of wrath” and others “vessels of mercy,”3ee since, in
the case of the former, the Lord God is seen to punish justly and, in
the latter, to accord the athletes of virtue every sort of providential
care.
() We have all observed bodily surgeons using surgery and
cautery to draw up and let out the hidden humors that cause severe
illness and to bring to light concealed ailments. So the God of the
universe by his chastisements lays bare the wickedness of our
thoughts. In the book of Deuteronomy he declared to Israel, “You
shall remember all the way the Lord your God led you for forty years
in the wilderness so as to afflict and test you and discover what was
in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
He afflicted you and exposed you to hunger” and so on.ff
Indeed, as surgeons will conduct operations on the incurably ill
before a large audience, not so much to help the sick—for they know
that the illness is incurable—as to teach their pupils the doctor’s
craft, so too God inflicted every sort of punishment on Pharaoh as
Question
. In Rom .f. Paul cites Pharaoh to illustrate his thesis of the gratuity of di-vine mercy. Again, this is at odds with Theodoret’s argument; cf. R.C. Hill, “Theo-doret Wrestling with Romans.”
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kai; to; n Farawv, wjmotavth/ kai; qhriwvdei crhsavmenon gnwvmh/,
tai'" pantodapai'" timwrivai" uJpevbalen oJ Qeov", pav nta" wJ"
ejpivpan didavskwn aj nqrwvpou" wJ" aujto;" ijquv nei th; n ktivsin: kai;
toi'" me; n ajdikoumev noi" ejpamuv nei dikaivw", kolavzei de; tou;"ajdikou' nta" ej n divkh/: tou'to ga;r kai; pro;" aujto; n e[ fh to; n
Farawv: e{neken touvtou diethrhvqh", i{na ejndeivxwmai ejn soi; th;n
ijscuvn mou, kai; o{pw" diaggelh' / to; o[nomav mou ejn pavsh/ th' / gh' /.gg
o{ti de; pav ntose dievdrame tw' n pepragmev nwn hJ mnhvmh marturei'
me; n ÔRaa;b hJ povrnh levgousa toi'" kataskovpoi" o{ti, oJ fovbo"
uJmw' n kai; oJ trovmo" uJmw' n ejpevpesen ejfæ hJ ma' ": hjkouvsamen ga; r
o{pw" katexhv rane Kuv rio" oJ Qeo;" uJ mw' n th;n ej ruqra;n qavlassan pro; proswvpou uJ mw' n:hh marturou'si de; kai; oiJ ajllov fuloi
povrrwqen th; n kibwto; n qeasavmenoi kai; bohvsante", oujai; hJ mi' n,
ajllovfuloi,.......ou |to" oJ Qeov", oJ patavxa" th;n Ai[gupton.ii
Dia; tiv de; sunecwvrhsen tau'ta paqei' n to; n lao; n oJ Qeov";
{Ina, mh; mov non tou;" aijguptivou", ajlla; kai; tou;" ejkeiv nwn
mishvswsi qeouv", wJ" toiau'ta paræ aujtw' n peponqovte", kai; i{ na
suntovmw" uJpakouvswsin, ejxelqei' n keleuovmenoi. eij gavr, kai;
touvtwn ou{tw gegenhmev nwn, aj nemimnhv /skonto th'" ej n Aijguvptw/
trufh'" kai; pollavki" ejpeiravqhsan aj nastrev yai, tiv" a] n aujtou;"
e[peise katalipei' n th; n Ai[gupton, mhde; n paræ aujtw' n
peponqovta" deinov n;
The Questions on Exodus
gg. Ex .mmhh. Jos .f.mmii. Sm .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
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he pursued his cruel and savage will in order to teach people every-
where that it is he who governs creation, who justly assists the
wronged and takes righteous vengeance on those who do wrong. As
he said to Pharaoh, “This is why you have been spared: for me todemonstrate my power in you, and for my name to be proclaimed in
all the earth.”gg Evidence that a report of these events circulated
everywhere is provided by Rahab the prostitute, who told the spies,
“Fear of you and dread of you has fallen on us, for we have heard
how the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before you.” hh The
Philistines also confirmed this, when, upon seeing the ark from afar,
they cried out, “Woe is us, Philistines, this is the God who smoteEgypt.”ii
Why did God allow the people to endure these sufferings?
So they would hate the Egyptians and their gods for inflicting
such sufferings upon them, and so they would not delay in obeying
the command to leave. After all, if even despite their sufferings, they
remembered the luxury of Egypt and often tried to turn back, who
could have convinced them to leave if they had endured no harsh
treatment from the Egyptians?
Question
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Dia; tiv hjboulhvqh oJ a[ggelo" aj nelei' n to; n Mwu>sh' n;a
JH gunh; me; n ejtovpase dia; to; qavteron tw' n paidivwn mh;
peritmhqh' nai kata; to; n tw' n eJbraivwn novmon: parautivka gou' n
aujtw' / th; n peritomh; n prosenhv noce: tine;" dev fasin, ejpeidhv,
pemfqei;" ejpæ ejleuqeriva/ tw' n oJmofuvlwn, koinwno; n ei\ ce th'" oJdou'
th; n oJmovzuga. ou}" ej crh' n sunidei' n o{ti, pei'sai to; n khdesth; n
boulovmeno" wJ" ouj katafronhvsei th'" gunaiko;" oujde; eJtevran
aujth'" protimhvsei, labei' n aujth; n hj nagkavsqh, ajllæ oujkatafronhtikw'" diakonw' n tw' / qeivw/ prostavgmati. aujtivka gou' n
labw; n th; n aj formh; n tou' ajggevlou, th; n gunai'ka pro;" tou;"
oijkeivou" aj nastrev yai prosevtaxe. kai; o{ti tou'tov ejstin ajlhqe;" hJ
iJstoriva didavskei. meta; ga;r th; n e[xodon, th; n ejx Aijguvptou,
diabav ntwn aujtw' n th; n qavlattan kai; eij" to; Siv naion
paragenomev nwn o[ro", aj fivketo su; n th' / gunaiki; pro;" aujto; n oJ
khdesthv". levgei de; ou{tw" hJ iJstoriva: e[labe de; ∆Ioqw; r oJgambro;" Mwu>sh' Sepfwv ran th;n gunai' ka Mwu>sh' meta; th;n
a[fesin aujth' " kai; tou;" duvo uiJou;" aujtou' .......kai; h\ lqe .......pro;"
Mwu>sh' n eij" th;n e[ rhmon.b
Toigavrtoi a[llo ti kataskeuavzwn, oJ a[ggelo" e[deixe th; n
rJomfaivan gumnhv n. ejpeidh; ga;r oJ mevga" Mwu>sh'" ejdediv ei to; n
Faraw; kai; pollavki" tou'to to; devo" ejdhvlwse, nu' n me; n levgwn,
tiv" eij mi ejgw; o{ti poreuvsomai pro;" Faraw; basileva Aijguvptou ; c
nu' n dev, proceiv risai a[llon dunav menon o}n ejxapostelei' ":d kai;
pavlin, ijscnovfwno" kai; braduvglwsso" ejgwv eij mi,e ajpeilei' aujtw' /
timwrivan oJ a[ggelo", fovbw/ fovbon ejxelauv nwn, tw' / meivzoni to; n
ejlavttona, mononouci; levgwn dia; th'" gegumnwmev nh" rJomfaiva",
eij to; n Faraw; devdoika", ma'llon dei'son ejmev, to; n kai; ajoravtw"
soi th; n plhgh; n ejpenegkei' n dunavmenon.
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .–mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .mme. Ex .
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Why did the angel want to kill Moses?a
His wife supposed it was because one of their two sons had not
been circumcised according to the law of the Hebrews, for she cir-
cumcised him then and there. But some commentators have claimed
that it was because Moses, who was sent on the mission of liberating
his kinsmen, had his wife accompany him on the way. But they
should have seen that, in his wish to convince his father-in-law that
he would not despise his wife or prefer someone else to her, he wasobliged to take her along and that this was no indication of con-
tempt for the divine command. In any case, he immediately took oc-
casion from the angel’s visit to order his wife to return to her own
people. The truth of this inference is proven by subsequent events.
After the exodus from Egypt, when they had crossed the Red Sea and
reached Mount Sinai, his father-in-law came to him with his wife.
The sacred history reads as follows: “Moses’ father-in-law Jethrobrought Moses’ wife Zipporah after her dismissal and his two sons
and came to Moses in the wilderness.”1b
The angel had a further purpose in unsheathing his sword. The
great Moses was afraid of Pharaoh and often betrayed that fear as
when he asked, “Who am I to go to Pharaoh king of Egypt?”c and
when he said, “Appoint someone competent whom you will send”;
d
and again, “I have a weak voice and a slow tongue.”e So by threaten-
ing him with punishment, the angel drove out one fear with anoth-
er, the lesser with the greater. Baring his sword, he seemed to say, “If
you are afraid of Pharaoh, you should fear me all the more, because
I can strike you even when you cannot see me.”
Question
. As R.J. Clifford suggests, Ex .– may derive from “an old story of a night
demon fooled by the blood from someone other than the intended victim.” In theMT, it is the Lord himself who attacks Moses, and Zipporah saves her husband by anointing his penis—euphemistically referred to as “his feet”—with the blood of
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Tiv ejsti to; o[nomav mou Kuv rio" oujk ejdhvlwsa aujtoi' " ;a
Didavskei povsh" aujto; n kai; timh'" kai; eujmeneiva" hjxivwsen: o}
ga;r toi'" patriavrcai" oujk ejdhvlwsen o[ noma, tou'to aujtw' / dh'lon
ejpoiv hsen: e[ fh ga;r pro;" aujtov n, ejgwv eij mi oJ w[n.b tou'to de; paræ
eJbraivoi" a[ fraston oj nomavzetai: ajpeivrhtai ga;r aujtoi'" tou'to
dia; th'" glwvtth" profevrein. grav fetai de; dia; tw' n tessavrwn
stoiceivwn: dio; kai; tetravgrammon aujto; levgousi. tou'to kai; tw' /petavlw/ ejpegevgrapto tw' / crusw' /, o} tw' / metwvpw/ tou' ajrcierevw"
ejpetivqeto, th' / tainiva/ th'" kefalh'" prosdesmouvmenon.c kalou'si
de; aujto; samarei'tai me; n ∆Iabev, ijoudai'oi de; ∆Iav.
Tiv dhv pote th'" tou' ∆Aarw; n gunaikov", ouj to; n patevra mov non,
ajlla; kai; to; n ajdelfo; n dh'lon hJmi' n pepoiv hken;a
Th'" basilikh'" kai; th'" iJ eratikh'" fulh'" th; n ejpimixivan
didavskei: oJ ga;r Naassw' n uiJo;" tou' ∆Aminadavb, oJ de; ∆Aminada;b
tou' ∆Aravm, oJ de; ∆Ara;m tou' ∆Esrwv n, oJ de; ∆Esrw; n tou' Farev", oJ
de; Fare;" tou' ∆Iouvda.b aujto;" de; oJ Naassw' n fuvlarco" h\ n tou'
∆Iouvda:c ejk th'" touvtwn suggeneiva" oJ Kuvrio" kata; savrka
gegev nnhtai. ouj mavthn toiv nun th'" basilikh'" kai; th'" iJ eratikh'"
fulh'" th; n ejpimixivan ejdivdaxen, ajlla; deiknu;" wJ" oJ despovth"
Cristo;" ejx ajmfotevrwn ejblavsthsen, oJ basileu;" kai; iJ ereu;"
kata; to; aj nqrwvpinon crhmativsa".
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, * = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .–
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ru .–mmc. Nm .
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What is the meaning of “My name ‘Lord’ I did not make known
to them”?a
This conveys the great honor and kindness with which God treat-
ed Moses. Declaring, “I am who am,”b he disclosed to Moses the
name he had never revealed to the patriarchs. Among the Hebrews
this is known as the unspoken name; they are forbidden to utter it
aloud. It is written in four consonants, and so they speak of it as the
“Tetragrammaton.” This name was also inscribed on a plate of goldworn on the forehead of the high priest and bound to his head with a
fillet.c The Samaritans call it “Iabe,” the Jews “Ia.”
Why are we told the name of not only the father, but also the
brother, of Aaron’s wife?a
This informs us of the intermarriage of the royal and priestly
tribes: Nahshon was the son of Amminadab, Amminadab of Ram,
Ram of Hezron, Hezron of Perez, and Perez of Judah.b Thus, this
Nahshon was the head of the family of Judah.c It was from their clan
that the Lord drew his bodily descent. So there was good reason topoint out the intermarriage of the royal and the priestly tribes; he
wanted to bring out that Christ the Lord, styled king and priest ac-
cording to his humanity, was descended from both.1
Question
their son’s foreskin. In the LXX, the Lord is replaced by an angel, and the story concentrates on the circumcision of Moses’ son.
. Theodoret here combines information drawn from Ex . and Ru .–.
The first informs us that Elisheba, the wife of Aaron, the original high priest, wasdaughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon; the second traces the line fromPerez to David.
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Pw'" ejgev neto tou' ∆Aarw; n qeo;" oJ Mwu>sh'";a
{Wsper oJ Qeo;" prosevtatte tw' / Mwu>sh' /, ou{tw" pavlin oJ
Mwu>sh'" tw' / ∆Aarwv n: dio; dh; kai; profhvth" oJ ∆Aarw; n
proshgoreuvqh tou' Mwu>sevw".
Tiv dhv pote sunecwvrhsen oJ Qeo;" toi'" farmavkoi" taujta;
dra'sai tw' / Mwu>sh' /;
Eijsiv tine" kai; nu' n tw' n dussebeiva/ suzwv ntwn, oi{ fasi
gohteiva/ teqaumatourghkev nai to; n qespevsion Mwu>sh' n. touvtou
cavrin ej ndevdwke oJ Qeo;" toi'" farmavkoi" e[ nia dra'sai, i{ na
deicqh' / to; diav foron: metevbalon me; n ga;r aujtoi; ta;" rJavbdou" eij"
o[ fei", ajllæ hJ Mwu>sevw" rJavbdo" ta;" ejkeiv nwn katevpien:a
kai;metevbalon eij" ai |ma to; u{dwr kajkei' noib ajllæ eij" th; n protevran
ejpanagagei' n to; u{dwr oujk i[scusan fuvsin: kai; tou;" batrav cou"
ejxhvgagon:c ouj mh; n kai; ajpallavxai aujtw' n ta;" tw' n aijguptivwn
hjdunhvqhsan oijkiva".
Kai; eij" me; n to; paideuv ein tou;" aijguptivou" kai; toi'"
farmavkoi" ej nergei' n ej nedivdou, eij" de; to; pauv ein th; n timwrivan
oujkevti. ejpeidh; gavr, uJpo; tou' Qeou' kolazovmeno", tw' n aijguptivwn
oJ basileu;" oujk hjrkei'to tai'" qehlavtoi" plhgai'" ajlla; kai; toi'"
farmavkoi" au[xein th; n timwrivan ejkevleusen, kai; dia; touvtwn
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
l. ∆Aarw; n Sir. Sch. F.M. : Faraw; c, , B, C, = “In what sense did Moses become God to Pharaoh?”
a. Ex .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .f.mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .m
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In what sense did Moses become God to Aaron?1a
God gave orders to Moses, and Moses to Aaron. Hence, Aaron
was even called Moses’ “prophet.”
Why did God permit the sorcerers to work the same miracles as
Moses?
Even today, there are pagans who claim that Moses, the divinely
inspired, performed miracles by magic. But God allowed the sorcer-
ers to work some miracles, precisely so that he might demonstrate
the difference. While they also changed their rods into serpents,
Moses’ rod swallowed theirs.a
While they also changed the waterinto blood,b they were unable to restore it to its original state. They
brought forth the frogsc but could not rid the Egyptians’ houses of
them.
Furthermore, in order to chastise the Egyptians, he allowed the
sorcerers to perform wonders but not to stop the punishment. Since
the king of the Egyptians, when punished by God, was not contentwith the plagues sent from heaven but ordered his sorcerers to in-
crease the punishment, God punished him through their actions as
Question
. Ex . speaks rather of Moses having been God to Pharaoh and of Aaron asMoses’ prophet. In fact, the majority of the manuscripts of the Quaest. in oct.
read “Pharaoh” for “Aaron”; v. the critical note. As Schulze points out (note ,col. ), Theodoret himself certainly reads the correct “Pharaoh” in his commen-tary on Ps. .f. (LXX) = .f. (MT).
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aujto; n ejkovlazen oJ Qeov", mononouci; levgwn, ejpeidh; tevrph/
kolazovmeno", kai; dia; tw' n ejmw' n qerapov ntwn paideuvw kai; dia;
tw' n sw' n se kolavzw.
jIdw; n de; aujto; n plevon sklhrunovmenon,d ejkwvluse th; n ejkeiv nwn ej nevrgeian, kai; oiJ to; mei'zon zw' /on ejxagagov nte", to; n bavtracon,
to; n skni'pa to; n smikrovtaton ejxagagei' n oujk i[scusane ajlla;
davktulon Qeou' th; n plhgh; n proshgovreusan.f ta;" mev ntoi
fluktaiv na" kai; toi'" ejkeiv nwn ejphv negke swvmasing i{ na kai; aujtoi;
mavqwsi kai; oJ aj nov hto" aujtw' n basileu;" wJ", ouj mov non ejpev cein
ouj duv nantai ta;" qehlavtou" plhgav", ajlla; kai; aujtoi;
suntimwrou' ntai toi'" a[lloi". aj naideiva" toiv nun to; levgeinmagganeiva/ tini; teqaumatourghkev nai to; n Mwu>sh' n, tw' n mavgwn
bowv ntwn o{ti qeiva" h\ n dunavmew" ta; shmei'a. eij ga;r fantasiva
h\ n to; paræ aujtou' drwvmenon, e[dei kajkeiv nou" fantavsai kai; to; n
oJmovtecnon dielevgxai. nu' n de; diarrhvdhn bow'si, davktulo" Qeou'
ejsti tou' to.h
Tiv dhv pote prwvthn aujtoi'" th; n tou' u{dato" ejpavgei plhghv n;a
Prw'ton ejpeidh; mevga ej frov noun ejpi; tw' / potamw' / kai; qeo; n
tou'ton ej novmizon, th; n tw' n nefw' n aujtoi'" parev conta creivan.
e[peita kai; dia; ta; brev fh tw' n ijoudaivwn, ta; touvtw/
parapemfqev nta:b metablhqei;" ga;r eij" ai |ma, th'" gegenhmev nh"
kathgorei' paidoktoniva". touvtou cavrin kai; tou;" batrav cou"aj nevbluse ta; u{datac aj nti; tw' n ej n ejkeiv noi" ajpopnigev ntwn
aj nadoqev nta" paidivwn: mimei'tai gavr pw" ta; brev fh tou;"
batrav cou" badivzonta. mhdevpw ga;r toi'" posi; mov noi"
kecrh'sqai dunavmena, tai'" cersi; n ejpamuv nei th' / tw' n podw' n
The Questions on Exodus
d. Ex .mme. Ex .mmf. Ex .mmg. Ex .mmh. Ex .
A –6 [ ], B, c, , = mss.
a. Ex .f.mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .mm
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well. It was as if he said, “Since you enjoy being punished, I chastise
you through my attendants and punish you through your own.”
But when God saw that Pharaoh was hardened all the more,d hecalled a halt to their activity, and those who had brought forth the
larger creature, the frog, were now unable to bring forth the small-
est, the gnat,e but called the plague “the finger of God.”f He also in-
flicted sores on their bodiesg to teach them and their foolish king
that they were unable to check the plagues sent from heaven and
were condemned to share the punishment with everyone else.
Therefore, only a shameless audacity could maintain that Mosesworked wonders by magical trickery when the magicians themselves
cried out that the signs were produced by divine power. If his deeds
had amounted to no more than an illusion, they would have created
the same illusion and unmasked their fellow practitioner. Instead,
they cried out, “This is the finger of God.”1h
Why did he strike them first with the plague of the water?a
First, because they gloried in the river and thought it a god, since
it made up for their lack of rainfall. Next, because of the Jews’ in-
fants who had been thrown into it,b for when it turned into blood, it
accused them of the crime of infanticide. For the same reason, the
waters gushed forth frogs in place of the children,c who had beendrowned in them. In their movements, infants to some extent re-
semble frogs, since, unable to rely solely on their feet, they use
their hands to aid the weakness of their feet. The land stank of the
Question
. Perhaps Theodoret devotes this long discussion to the competition betweenMoses and the Egyptian sorcerers to exploit a sensational story. Guinot, however,suggests (p. ) that Theodoret may be implicitly warning his flock against mag-
ic, either by defending Moses against pagan accusations of sorcery or by denyingthat Moses might supply an example for those who would wish to justify theirown interest in magic.
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ajsqeneiva/. proswvzese de; ejk tw' n batrav cwn hJ gh',d ejpeidh;
proswvzesan kai; ejsavphsan tw' n aijguptivwn oiJ mwvlwpe" ejk th'"
pampovllh" ponhriva".e
Eij o{lon to; u{dwr eij" ai |ma meteblhvqh, pw'" ejpoiv hsan oiJ
ejpaoidoi; tw' n aijguptivwn tai'" farmakeivai" aujtw' n wJsauvtw";a
jEpevlazen aujtoi'" kai; hJ qavlatta, to; de; povtimon u{dwr eij"
ai |ma meteblhvqh mov non. hjduv nanto toiv nun metakomivsaiqalavttion u{dwr eij" ta; basivleia kai; metabalei' n eij" th; n tou'
ai{mato" croiav n, tou' Qeou' dhlonovti sugcwrou' nto" aujtoi'"
ej nergei' n diæ a}" eijrhvkamen aijtiva".
∆Epishmhv nasqai mev ntoi kai; tou'to dei', wJ" tou;" me; n
batrav cou" ejk tw' n uJdavtwn ejxhvgage,b tou;" de; skni'pa" ejk tou'
cwvmato",c th; n de; kunovmuian o{qen hjqevlhsend i{ na mavqwsin wJ"
rJav /dion tw' / Qew' /, kai; div ca gh'" kai; div ca uJdavtwn, paravgein a}
bouvletai. touvtou cavrin kai; prolevgei ta;" timwriva",e i{ na mh;
ajpo; taujtomavtou tau'ta sumbaiv nein topavswsin, ajlla; gnw'sin
qehlavtou" ei\ nai plhgav".
Tiv dhv pote, mevllwn ejpifevrein th; n cavlazan, parhgguv hsenaujtoi'" eij" tou;" oi[kou" ta; kthv nh sunagagei' n;a
Filav nqrwpo" w[ n, oJ despovth" ejlevw/ ta;" timwriva"
The Questions on Exodus
d. Ex .mme. Ps .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .mme. Ex. .; .–, –
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .m
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frogs,d because the Egyptians’ “welts stank and festered” from their
numerous iniquities.e
If all the water was changed into blood, how did the Egyptian wiz-
ards produce the same effect with their charms?a
They were near the sea, and only the fresh water had been
changed into blood. So, with God allowing them to act for the rea-sons already mentioned, they must have been able to bring seawater
into the palace and change it to the color of blood.
We should also point out that while he produced the frogs from
the waters,b and the gnats from the dust,c he produced the dog fly
from wherever he chose,d so the Egyptians might learn how easy it
was for God to bring forth whatever he wanted, even without land
or water. He also foretold each punishmente so they would not
imagine these things were happening of themselves but realize they
were plagues sent from heaven.
Why did he urge them to round up their cattle into their houseswhen he was about to send down the hail?a
As the Lord is benevolent, he tempered retribution with mercy,
Question
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kerav nnusin. a[llw" te kai; h[ /dei tina;" ajxivou" feidou'": tou'to
ga;r kai; hJ qeiva didavskei grafhv: oJ fobouv meno", gavr fhsi, to;
rJh' ma Kurivou tw' n qerapovntwn Faraw; sunhvgage ta; kthvnh
aujtou' eij" tou;" oi[kou": o}" de; ouj prosevsce th' / dianoiva/ eij" to; rJh' ma Kurivou ajfh' ke ta; kthvnh ejn toi' " pedivoi".b
Th; n de; cavlazan kai; tou;" skhptou;" aujtoi'" ejpenhv noce,c
deiknu;" wJ" aujtov" ejsti tw' n stoiceivwn aJpav ntwn despovth".
ejpeidh; ga;r kai; aijguvptioi kai; e{llhne" ej novmizon tou;" me; n
oujranivou", tou;" de; ejpigeivou", tou;" de; uJpocqonivou" ei\ nai
qeouv", kai; tou;" me; n th'" gh'", tou;" de; th'" qalavtth"
despovzein, kai; tou;" me; n tw' n ojrevwn, tou;" de; tw' n pedivwn e[ ceinth; n ejxousivan: dio; kai; oiJ suvroi e[legon, Qeo;" oj revwn oJ Qeo;"
∆Israh;l kai; ouj Qeo;" koilavdwn:d aj nagkaivw" a[gan oJ tw' n o{lwn
Qeov", ouj mov non aujtou;" dia; tou' potamou' kai; th'" gh'", ajlla;
kai; dia; tou' aj evro" kai; th'" qalavtth" ejpaivdeuse kai; oujranovqen
aujtoi'" keraunou;" ejpafh'ke, didavskwn wJ" aujtov" ejsti tw' n o{lwn
poihth;" kai; despovth". tou'to ga;r kai; oJ makavrio" ei[rhke
Mwu>sh'" pro;" aujtov n: i{na gnw' /" o{ti tou' Kurivou hJ gh' , kai; suv,
kai; oiJ qeravpontev" sou.e
Dia; tiv ta; tw' n aijguptivwn aj nei'le prwtovtoka;a
jEpeidh; prwtovgonon o[ nta tou' Qeou' to; n ∆Israh;l a[gan
sklhrw'" ejkei' no" ejdoulagwvgei: tou'to ga;r kai; aujto;" ei[rhken oJdespovth" Qeov": uiJo;" prwtovgonov" mou ∆Israhvl:b mavla dikaivw"
ta; tw' n aijguptivwn prwtovtoka qanavtw/ parevpemyen.
jIstevon mev ntoi wJ" oJ prwtovgono" kai; ajdelfou;" e[ cei: oJ ga;r
prwtovgono" h] prwtovtoko" pollw' n ejsti prw'to". ginwskevtw
The Questions on Exodus
b. Ex .f.mmc. Ex .f.mmd. Kgs .mme. Ex .f.
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mm
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especially since he knew that some people were deserving of com-
passion. Indeed, holy Scripture informs us that “Pharaoh’s atten-
dants who feared the word of the Lord rounded up their cattle into
their houses, but whoever paid no heed to the word of the Lord lefthis cattle in the fields.”b
He brought down on them hail and thunderboltsc to show that
he is the Lord of all the elements. Since both the Egyptians and the
Greeks divided their gods into those of heaven, earth, and the un-
derworld and believed that some had charge of the earth and others
of the sea, that some had power over the mountains and others over
the plains—hence, the Syrians said “The god of Israel is a god of themountains, not a god of the valleys”d—it was absolutely necessary
for the God of the universe to instruct them not only through the
river and the earth, but also the sky and the sea. He cast on them
thunderbolts from heaven to teach them that he is the Creator and
Lord of all things. This is precisely what the blessed Moses said to
Pharaoh: “So you may know that the earth, you, and your atten-
dants all belong to the Lord.”e
Why did he kill the firstborn of the Egyptians?a
Since Pharaoh was subjecting Israel, God’s firstborn, to such
harsh slavery—as you recall, the Lord God himself had said, “Israelis my firstborn son”b—God quite justly gave the firstborn of the
Egyptians over to death.
Of course, you should understand that the first in line has broth-
ers, as the first in line, or firstborn, is the first of many. So Israel
Question
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toiv nun oJ ∆Israh;l wJ" prw'to" me; n tou' Qeou' lao;" ej crhmavtise,
pepisteukovta de; ta; e[qnh, ouj mov non th'" swthriva" tetuv chken,
ajlla; kai; tw' n prwtotokivwn ajphvlause: laov", gavr fhsi, laou'
uJperevxei, kai; oJ meivzwn douleuvsei tw' / ejlavssoni.c
Aijtiw' ntaiv tine" to; prostetacev nai to; n Qeo; n toi'" eJbraivoi"
aijth'sai tou;" aijguptivou" skeuv h crusa' kai; ajrgura' kai; ejsqh'ta
kai; skuleu'sai tou;" aijguptivou": ou{tw ga;r oJ Suvmmaco" to;skeuavsasqai hJrmhv neusen.a
Polu; n ej n Aijguvptw/ crov non uJpevmeinen oJ lao;" plinqourgw' n,
kai; teicopoiw' n, kai; povlei" oijkodomw' n. hjboulhvqh toiv nun misqo; n
aujtou;" tw' n pov nwn labei' n oJ despovth" Qeov": dio; dh; kai; tau'ta
dra'sai prosevtaxe. kai; mhdei;" a[dikon nomizevtw, tou' Faraw;
to; n lao; n hjdikhkovto", tou;" aijguptivou" to; n misqo; n
eijspracqh' nai: ejkoinwv noun ga;r kajkei' noi th'" ajdikiva",
mimouvmenoi th; n tou' basilevw" wjmovthta.
Dia; tiv feuvgousin ejpitelevsai prosevtaxe th; n tou' Pavsca
eJorthv n;a
The Questions on Exodus
c. Gn .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
l. skeuavsasqai Sir. Sch. F.M. : suskeuavsasqai = “Symmachus who rendered ‘plunder’ rather than ‘pack up’” : skuleuvsasqai = “Symmachus who rendered ‘plunder’ rather than ‘plunder’”
a. Ex .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .–mm
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should recognize that it was styled God’s first people, but that the
gentiles not only gained salvation through faith but also succeeded
to the rights of the firstborn. As Scripture says, “A people will sur-
pass a people, and the elder will serve the younger.”c
There are those who find fault with God’s command that the He-
brews ask the Egyptians for gold and silver vessels and clothing and
plunder the Egyptians. That is the translation of Symmachus, whorendered “plunder” rather than “prepare.”1a
The people spent a long time in Egypt making bricks, erecting
walls, and building cities. Since the Lord God wanted them to receive
some recompense for their labors, he ordered them to do this. No
one should think it unfair that, though it was Pharaoh who wronged
the people, payment was required of the Egyptians. They had also
participated in this injustice by imitating the cruelty of their king.2
Why did he command them to celebrate the paschal feast as they
were fleeing from Egypt?a
Question
. According to Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos, Theodoret readskeuavsasqai (to prepare) in Ex .. If so, this would have been a corruption of suskeuavzw (to pack up), which appears in some manuscripts of the LXX at ., averse echoed by .; v. J.W. Wevers and U. Quast, ad loc . This latter verb, a form of which appears in two manuscripts of our text, was itself a false reading forskuleuvw (to despoil, to plunder). Though a form of skuleuvw does appear in onems. of the Quaest., it seems most likely that Theodoret, puzzled by the inappropri-ate skeuavsasqai, found the obviously meaningful skuleusai in the translation
of Symmachus; cf. the critical note.. The gnostics and Marcion had raised this objection against the justice of the
God of the Old Testament. Theodoret’s response follows those previously offered
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() ∆Aeivmnhston hjboulhvqh fulacqh' nai th'" swthriva" th; n
mnhvmhn. diav toi tou'to kai; nomoqetw' n e[legen, eja; n ej rwthvsh/ se
oJ uiJov" sou ......., levgwn, tiv ejstin to; Pavsca; ej rei' " o{ti, ej n th' /
shvmeron hJmevra/ ejxhvgage tou;" patevra" hJmw' n Kuv rio" oJ Qeo;" ejkgh'" Aijguvptou kai; ejrruvsato ta; prwtovtoka hJmw' n hJ nivka oJ
ojloqreuvwn ejpavtaxe ta; prwtovtoka tw' n aijguptivwn.b touvtou
cavrin parakeleuv etai tauvthn ejpitelou' nta" th; n eJorth; n th'"
oJdoiporiva" perikei'sqai to; sch'ma: e[stwsan, gavr fhsin, aiJ
ojsfuve" uJ mw' n periezwsmevnai, kai; ta; uJpodhv mata uJ mw' n ejn toi' "
posi;n uJ mw' n, kai; aiJ bakthrivai uJ mw' n ejn tai' " cersi;n uJ mw' n, kai;
e[desqe aujto; meta; spoudh' ". Pavsca ejsti; Kurivou.c
To; de; Pavsca oJ me; n Fivlwn hJrmhv neuse diabathv ria,d oJ de;
∆Iwvshpo" uJperbasiva,e oJ de; Suvmmaco" uJperbavsei", oJ de;
Qeodotivwn fasev c, aujth; n th; n eJbraivan fwnh; n teqeikwv".
shmaiv nei de; to; o[ noma tw' n eJbraivwn prwtotovkwn th; n swthrivan:
parekeleuvsato ga;r devsmhn uJsswvpou labei' n kaiv, tw' / ai{mati
tou' quomev nou probavtou ejmbav yanta", tou;" staqmou;" ejpicrivsai
kai; th; n flia; n i{ næ, o{tan eijsevlqh/ oJ ojloqreuvwn patavxai ta;
prwtovtoka tw' n aijguptivwn, ijdw; n to; ai |ma, uJperbh' / tw' n eJbraivwn
ta;" oijkiva"—f oujk ejpeidh; toiouvtwn ejdei'to shmeivwn hJ ajswvmato"
fuvsi", ajllæ o{ti dia; tou' sumbovlou kajkeiv nou" e[dei maqei' n th; n
tou' Qeou' khdemonivan, kai; hJma'", tou;" to; n a[mwmon ajmno; n
quvonta", gnw' nai prodiagrafev nta to; n tuvpon.
() Keleuv ei toiv nun aujtoi'" labei' n, ouj mov non ejk tw' n probavtwn
a[rna" ej niausivou", ajlla; kai; ejk tw' n aijgw' n ejriv fou", ouj c i{ na
kata; taujto; n tou'ton kajkei' non quvswsin, ajllæ i{ na oJ me; n provbaton e[ cwn tou'to quvsh/, oJ de; spanivzwn probavtou to; n e[rifon.g
pareggua' / de; tou'to labei' n th' / dekavth/ tou' prwvtou mhnov",h i{ næ
The Questions on Exodus
b. Dt .–mmc. Ex .mmd. Ph., Spec. .mme. Ios., A.I. .mmf. Ex .f.mmg. Ex .mmh. Ex .mmm
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() He wanted the memory of their salvation to be preserved for-
ever. Therefore, as he delivered the law, he commanded, “When your
son asks you, ‘What is the Pasch?’ you shall say, ‘On this day the Lord
God brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt and rescued ourfirstborn when the destroyer struck the firstborn of the Egyptians.’”b
This is why he commands those celebrating this feast to dress as if
they were going on a journey: “Have your loins girt, your sandals on
your feet, your staffs in your hands, and eat it in haste, for it is the
Lord’s Pasch.”c
Philo rendered the term “Pasch” as “offerings made at a border-
crossing,”d Josephus as “going beyond,”e Symmachus as “goings be-
yond,” while Theodotion, simply transliterated the Hebrew word as
“Phasech.” The term signifies the salvation of the Hebrews’ first-
born.1 God commanded them to take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the
blood of a sheep that was being slaughtered, and smear the door-
posts and lintel, so that when the destroyer came to strike the first-
born of the Egyptians, he would see the blood and pass by the hous-
es of the Hebrews.f Not that an incorporeal being had need of signs.
Rather, through this symbol they were to learn of God’s providence,
and we, who offer in sacrifice the blameless lamb, were to learn the
type in which he is foreshadowed.
() Now, he commanded them to take not only yearling lambs
from the sheep but also kids from the goats—not that they were to
slaughter both together. Rather, those who had a sheep were toslaughter a sheep and those who had no sheep were to slaughter a
kid.g He commanded them to take the animal on the tenth day of
the first monthh so as to have it ready before the feast and to slaugh-
Question
by Irenaeus (Haer. ..f.), Clement of Alexandria (Str. ...–), Tertullian(Marc. ..–), and Chrysostom (Iud. .). All these Christian exegetes follow aline of apologetic laid out by Philo (De uita Mosis ..); v. Guinot, p. and
R. Braun, pp. –.
. To explain the significance of the Passover for Jews and Christians, Theodo-
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eujtrepivsh/ pro; th'" eJorth'", th' / de; tessareskaidekavth/ pro;"
eJspevran tuqh' nai:i kata; tauvthn ga;r th; n eJspevran kai; oJ
despovth" Cristo;" paredovqh toi'" ijoudaivoi". j meta; pikrivdwn de;
aujto; brwqh' nai prosevtaxen eij" aj navmnhsin th'" ej n Aijguvptw/pikrotavth" zwh'" kai; th'" calepwtavth" douleiva".k dia; de; tw' n
ajzuvmwn ejmfaiv nei, ouj mov non th'" oJdoiporiva" to; suv ntonon kai; to;
th'" trofh'" aujtoscevdion, ajlla; kai; o{ti proshvkei mhde; i[ cno"
th'" aijguptiakh'" ejpifevresqai politeiva": ou{tw ga;r kai; oJ
Kuvrio" ej n toi'" eujaggelivoi" hJrmhv neuse, prosev cete, levgwn, ajpo;
th' " zuv mh" tw' n grammatevwn kai; farisaivwn.l ejkevleuse de; kai;
tou;" ajrkou' nta" eij" ejdwdh; n probavtou kata; taujto; n qu'sai to;Pavsca, filadelfivan aujtou;" ejkpaideuvwn kai; to; n eij" tou;"
pev nhta" e[leon.m dia; tou'to parakeleuv etai kai; ta; peritteuvonta
tw' n krew' n katakaiv esqai kai; eij" th; n uJsteraivan mh;
fulavttesqai, tauvth/ katanagkavzwn aujtou;" kalei' n tou;"
deomev nou" eij" koinwnivan th'" eJorth'".n
Tau'ta de; pav nta tw' n hJmetevrwn ejsti; musthrivwn aij nivgmata:
crivomen ga;r kai; hJmei'" tw' / ai{mati tou' hJmetevrou ajmnou', ouj
mov non th; n fliav n, ajlla; kai; tou;" duvo staqmouv": kata; me; n to;
oJrwvmenon th; n glw'ttan kai; ta; ceivlh kaqaivrontev" te kai;
aJgiavzonte", kata; de; to; noouvmenon, aj nti; me; n flia'" to;
logikov n, aj nti; de; tw' n duvo staqmw' n to; qumoeide;" kai; to;
ejpiqumhtikov n.o
() ÔArmovttei de; hJmi' n kai; to; mhvte wjma; mhvte eJ yhmev na
The Questions on Exodus
i. Ex .mm j. Mt .; Mk .mmk. Ex .mml. Mt .mmm. Ex .mmn. Ex .mmo. Cf. Pl., Rep. c-b.mm
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ter it on the fourteenth day towards evening,i as that was the evening
on which Christ the Lord was handed over to the Jews.2j He bade it
be eaten with bitter herbs in memory of their bitter life and harsh
slavery in Egypt.k By the unleavened bread he indicated not only thehaste of their departure and their rough and ready fare but also that
they were not to take away with them even a trace of Egyptian ways.
In the Gospels, the Lord himself interpreted this command when he
said, “Be on guard against the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees.”3l
He also enjoined that a number sufficient for consumption of a
sheep slaughter the paschal victim together, the intention being to
teach them brotherly love and pity for the poor.m
For the same rea-son he commanded that any leftover meat be burned, not kept for
the day after, thus obliging them to invite the needy to share the
feast.n
Now, all these requirements are obscure types of our Eucharist.
We also anoint with the blood of our lamb, not only the lintel but
also the two posts. At the visible level, we purify and sanctify our
tongue and lips, and at the spiritual level, the rational faculty, repre-
sented by the lintel, and the principle of high spirit and the appeti-
tive faculty,o represented by the two posts.
() The requirement to eat it, not raw or boiled, but roasted in
Question
ret tries to uncover the etymology of the Hebrew word Pesach by referring to arange of Jewish authorities, who, as he discovers, differ considerably. He does notseem aware of the popular and unscientific Hebrew etymology deriving the namefrom the verb psh “to jump” or “pass by,” which appears in Ex ., , , where itis said that the Lord “passes over” the houses of the Hebrews on the night when heslays the firstborn of the Egyptians. For a brief discussion of modern attempts toderive the name from Akkadian and Egyptian stems, v. J.J. Castelot and A. Cody,“Religious Institutions of Israel,” sec. ..
. In the synoptic Gospels, the Last Supper occurs on Passover. In the Gospel of
John, however, the death of “the lamb of God” occurs on Passover, the Supper onthe evening before (.); v. D.J. Harrington, “Mark,” on .–.. Theodoret offers a version of this dominical saying, which differs from both
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ejsqiv ein ajlla; ojpta; puriv:p ou[te ga;r mov nw/ tw' / gravmmati
prosblevpomen ajlla; th; n diav noian ejreunw'men. ou[te mh; n
aj nqrwpiv nou" logismou;" toi'" qeivoi" ejpeisavgomen logivoi":
tou'to ga;r kai; ∆Hsaiv >a" tinw' n kathgovrhsen, wJ" aj namignuv ntwn u{dati to; n oi\ non:q ajlla; mov nw/ crwvmeqa tw' / qeivw/ puriv, th' / tou'
aJgivou pneuvmato" cavriti. to; de; mh; katalipei' n tw' n krew' n eij"
th; n uJsteraivan ou{tw noou'men, o{ti oJ mevllwn bivo" tw' n sumbovlwn
ouj dei'tai: aujta; ga;r oJrw'men ej n ejkeiv nw/ ta; pravgmata. ta; de;
ojsta' tou' probavtou suntrivbousin oiJ kakw'" ta; qei'a noou' nte"
lovgiar kai; eij" th; n oijkeivan aujta; peirwvmenoi metafevrein
ajsevbeian.To; dev, mh; mov non ejk probavtwn, ajlla; kai; ejx ejriv fwn
lambav nein th; n qeivan pavlin khruvttei filanqrwpivan: ouj ga;r
mov non uJpe;r dikaivwn, ajlla; kai; uJpe;r aJmartwlw' n, oJ despovth"
Cristo;" to; swthvrion uJpomemev nhke pavqo".s ou{tw de; noei' n
aujto;" hJma'" ejxepaivdeusen: ajmnoi'" me; n ga;r to; n tw' n aJgivwn
ajpeivkase suvllogon, to; n de; tw' n ouj toiouvtwn ejriv foi":t e[rifon
ga;r uJpe;r aJmartiva" oJ novmo" prosfevrein ejkevleuse.u kai; tw' n
qeivwn de; musthrivwn oiJ metalambav nonte", oiJ me; n wJ" probavtou
metalambav nousin, a{te dh; teleivan th; n ajreth; n kekthmev noi, oiJ
de; wJ" ejriv fou, dia; metanoiva" ejxaleiv fonte" ta;" tw' n
aJmarthmavtwn khlida". ou{tw kai; oJ swth;r hJmw' n, oujk ejk sitiv nwn
mov non, ajlla; kai; ejk kriqiv nwn a[rtwn tou;" sunelhluqovta"
dievqreye.v
Kai; hJmi' n de; oJ despovth" ejkevleusen e[ cein ta;" ojsfuva"
periezwsmev na", kai; tou;" povda" uJpodedemev nou", kai; tou;"luv cnou" kaiomev nou" wJ" oijkevta" despovthn prosmev nonta".w ajllæ
eJbraioi me; n wJ" aijguptivwn ajpallattovmenoi kai; eij" th; n
cananaivan gh' n eijsagovmenoi tou'to ei\ con to; sch'ma, hJmei'" de
wJ" ej nteu'qen eij" e{teron meqistavmenoi bivon. dia; tou'to kai; hJmi' n
oJ qei'o" parakeleuv etai Pau'lo", bow' n, ejkkaqav rate th;n palaia;n
zuv mhn i{na h\ te nevon fuv rama kaqwv" ejste a[zumoi: kai; ejphvgage,
The Questions on Exodus
p. Ex .mmq. Is .mmr. Ex .mms. Cf. Lk ..mmt. Mt .mmu. V., e.g., Lv ., ; .; ., ; .–.mmv. Jn .mmw. Lk .f.mm
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fire also applies to us.p After all, we do not limit our attention to the
bare letter of Scripture but also scrutinize the sense. Nor do we add
human arguments to the divine prophecies, for which Isaiah
blamed some people, as though “mixing wine with water.”q Instead,we apply only the divine fire, the grace of the Spirit. We understand
the requirement not to leave any meat for the next day in the sense
that the life to come has no need of symbols; there we shall see
things as they are. Those who break the bones of the sheep are those
who misinterpret the divine propheciesr in an attempt to accommo-
date them to their own heretical notions.
Furthermore, the requirement to choose a victim not only from
the sheep but also from the kids proclaims God’s loving-kindness.
Christ the Lord underwent his saving passion not only for the right-
eous but also for sinners, as he taught us to understand.s He com-
pared the company of saints to the lambs and that of sinners to the
kids,t since the Law ordained the offering of a kid for sin.u And those
who participate in the sacred Eucharist are of two classes: those who
may be said to partake of a lamb, since they possess perfect virtue,
and those who may be said to partake of a kid, since they wipe away
the stain of sin through repentance. Thus, our Savior nourished the
crowd with barley, as well as wheaten, loaves.v
The Lord also ordered us to have our loins girt, our feet shod,
and lamps lit, like servants awaiting their master.w This is how theHebrews were dressed when they were being freed from Egypt and
led into the land of Canaan, but we are traveling from this to the
other life. Hence, St. Paul cries out instructing us, “Clean out the old
leaven so you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened”;
and he went on, “for Christ our paschal lamb has been sacrificed”;
and he added, “so that we may celebrate, not with old leaven nor
Question
those found in the NT: Mt ., which mentions the Pharisees and the Sadducees,and Lk ., which names only the former; cf. note to Q. on Ex.
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kai; ga; r to; Pavsca hJ mw' n uJpe; r hJ mw' n ejtuvqh Cristov": kai;
prostevqeiken, w{ste eJortavzwmen, mh; ejn zuv mh/ palaia' / mhde; ejn
zuv mh/ kakiva" kai; ponhriva", ajllæ ejn ajzuv moi" eijlikrineiva" kai;
ajlhqeiva".x
() [Anwqen de; promemhv nuke th; n tw' n ejqnw' n swthrivan oJ tw' n
o{lwn Qeov": kai; ga;r tou;" proshluvtou" metalagcav nein tou'
Pavsca prosevtaxe. geiwv ran ga;r to; n proshvluton proshgovreuse
kai; ijsonomiva" aujtw' / metevdwken: e[stai, gavr fhsin, wJ" .......oJ
aujtov cqwn th' " gh' ". y kai; to; ejn oijkiva/ mia' / brwqhvsetaiz
fulavttousin oiJ pistoiv, ej n mov nh/ th' / tou' Qeou' ejkklhsiva/ tw' n
qeivwn metalambav nonte" musthrivwn, ta;" de; tw' n aiJretikw' nsunagwga;" bdeluttovmenoi.
Ta; mev ntoi prwtovtoka kai; tw' n bow' n kai; tw' n probavtwn
prosfevresqai nenomoqevthken oJ despovth" Qeov", th'" tw' n
prwtotovkwn aujtw' n swthriva" aj namimnhvskwn: oujde; ga;r aujto;"
tw' n qumavtwn ejdei'to ajlla; th; n ejkeiv nwn wj fevleian
ejpragmateuv eto: tou'to ga;r kai; aujto;" oJ novmo" dhloi':
eja;n .......ej rwthvsh/ se oJ uiJov" sou ......., levgwn, tiv ejsti tou' to; kai;
ej rei' " pro;" aujtovn o{ti, ejn ceiri; krataia' / ejxhvgagen hJ ma' " Kuv rio"
ejk gh' " Aijguvptou, ejx oi[kou douleiva". hJnivka de; ejsklhv rune
Faraw; ejxapostei' lai hJ ma' ", ajpevkteine Kuv rio" pa' n prwtovtokon
ejn gh' / Aijguvptw/ ajpo; prwtotovkou ajnqrwvpou e{w" prwtotovkwn
kthnw' n. dia; tou' to ejgw; quvw tw' / Kurivw/ pa' n dianoi' gon mhvtran,
ta; aj rsenikav, kai; pa' n prwtovtokon tw' n uiJw' n mou lutrwvsomai.
kai; e[stai eij" shmei' on ejpi; th' " ceirov" sou kai; ajsavleuton pro;
ojfqalmw' n sou: ejn ga; r ceiri; krataia' / ejxhvgagev se Kuv rio" ejx Aijguvptou.aa toigavrtoi touvtwn e{kaston, ouj th'" tou' Qeou'
creiva" e{ neken, ajlla; th'" tou' laou' ejgiv neto wj feleiva".
The Questions on Exodus
x. Cor .f.mm y. Ex .mmz. Ex .mmaa. Ex .–
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with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened
bread of sincerity and truth.”x
() Long ago, the God of the universe foretold the salvation of the
nations, when he directed that proselytes participate in the Pasch.
He designated the proselyte by the name “sojourner” and gave him
equality of rights: “He will be like one born in the land.” y As to the
requirement, “It will be eaten in one house,”z this is observed by the
faithful, who partake of the sacred Eucharist only in God’s Church
and abhor the assemblies of heretics.4
When the Lord God legislated for the offering of the firstborn of
oxen and sheep, he called to mind the salvation of the firstborn of
the Hebrews. In no need of sacrificial victims himself, he was work-
ing their salvation, as the Law itself indicates: “If your son asks you,
‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘With a mighty hand
the Lord brought us out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord
killed every firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the
firstborn of cattle. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord every male that
opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I shall redeem. It
will serve as a sign on your hand and a lasting reminder before your
eyes, for with a mighty hand the Lord led you out of Egypt.’”aa In
conclusion, every facet of this rite was meant to serve, not any need
of God’s, but the salvation of his people.5
Question
. Theodoret has developed an elaborate parallel between the original Passoverand the liturgy of the Eucharist as a Passover meal; for him the former offers only “obscure figures” (aij nivgmata), the latter, the reality foreshadowed by the figures.
. Here Theodoret returns to the original point of the question, the reason for
the Passover celebration, which he has answered at the two levels of literal and alle-gorical exegesis. The question-answer genre allows him to address his own theo-logical and exegetical concerns.
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Tinev" fasin eij" dwvdeka diairevsei" diaireqh' nai th; n
qavlattan kai; eJkavsthn fulh; n kaqæ eJauth; n diabh' nai kai; tou'to
nomivzousi to; n makavrion eijrhkev nai Dabivd: tw' / katadielovnti th;n
ej ruqra;n qavlassan eij" diairevsei".a
jEgw; de; dich' nomivzw tmhqh' nai to; pevlago": tou'to ga;r kai; hJ
qeiva didavskei grafhv: to; de; u{dwr aujtoi' " tei' co" ejk dexiw' n kai;
tei' co" ejx eujwnuv mwn:b th; n de; oJdo; n eujrei'an genevsqai,
suvmmetron tw' / plhvqei tw' n pariov ntwn: wJdhvghse, gavr fhsin,aujtou;" ejn aj buvssw/ wJ" ejn ej rhv mw/.c tou'to de; th'" oJdou' th; n
eujrucwrivan dhloi'. oujde; ejkei' no" mev ntoi oJ lovgo" tw' / th'"
eujsebeiva" lumaiv netai lovgw/: kai; tou'to ga;r kajkei' no th'" qeiva"
e[rgon qaumatourgiva". crh; mev ntoi ajkolouqei' n th' / th'" qeiva"
grafh'" ajlhqeiva/. th' / de; diæ u{dato" panwleqriva/ to; n Faraw;
panstratia' / paradevdwken oJ dikaiovtato" dikasthv", ejpeidhvper
diæ u{dato" aj nei'le tw' n eJbraivwn ta; brev fh.d
J Opoi'on h\ n to; xuvlon to; gluka' nan ej n th' / Merra' / to; u{dwr;a
Peritto; n kai; aj nov hton to; ta; sesighmev na zhtei' n. ajrkei' de;
hJmi' n maqei' n wJ" dia; tou' xuvlou to; pikro; n u{dwr eij" glukei'an
meteblhvqh poiovthta: kai; tou'to ga;r th; n hJmetevran prodhloi'
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ps .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ps .mmd. Ex .; .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .–
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Some commentators have claimed that the sea was divided into
twelve parts, and each tribe took its own path, and they believe that
this is the meaning of David’s: “[Give thanks to him] who divided
the Red Sea into parts.”a
My position is that the sea was divided in half. As holy Scripture
teaches us: “The water formed a wall to the right of them and a wall
to the left.”b And I believe the way was made wide enough to accom-
modate the vast number of people making the crossing. Indicatingthe breadth of the path, Scripture says, “He guided them in the deep,
as in the wilderness.”c The other explanation, however, does not un-
dermine orthodoxy; both the one and the other would be a divine
miracle. Nevertheless, we should adhere to the facts of holy Scrip-
ture.1 It was with perfect justice, that the judge consigned Pharaoh
and all his host to destruction by water, because Pharaoh had used
water to kill the babies of the Hebrews.d
What kind of wood sweetened the water of Marah?a
It is pointless and foolish to inquire into unspoken secrets. It is
sufficient for us to learn that, through the wood, the bitter quality of
the water was transformed into sweetness. This was an early revela-
Question
. In his commentary on Ps . (= . MT), where he had rejected the pos-sibility of multiple crossings as a “tale invented by Jews” ( jIoudai>koi~.......muvqoi~),Theodoret had based his understanding of the event, as here, on Ex .. ThatJewish tradition arose because of the plural form of the Hebrew noun “parts,”which Dahood (on Ps .) regards as a corruption of an original dual meaning“in half”; in support of this view, he cites the phrase “through the middle” in the
following verse. In his hom. in Ex. (.), Origen had treated this ancient tradition asworthy of consideration, and Chrysostom, who may have been Theodoret’ssource, endorsed it in sec. of his Exp. in Ps. .
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swthrivan: to; ga;r swthvrion tou' staurou' xuvlon th; n pikra; n tw' n
ejqnw' n ejgluvkane qavlattan.
Pw'" nohtevon to; uJpo; tou' ajpostovlou eijrhmev non: pavnte" eij"
to;n Mwu>sh' n ej baptivsqhsan ejn th' / nefevlh/ kai; ejn th' /
qalavssh/.......kai; pavnte" to; aujto; pov ma pneumatiko;n e[pion:
e[pinon ga; r ejk pneumatikh' " ajkolouqouvsh" pevtra". hJ de; pevtra
h\ n oJ Cristov" ;a
Tuvpo" h\ n tw' n nevwn ta; palaiav: kai; skia; me; n oJ novmo"
Mwu>sevw", sw'ma de; hJ cavri". ejpeidh; toiv nun ejdivwkon tou;"
eJbraivou" aijguvptioi, diabav nte" de; th; n ejruqra; n qavlattan, oiJ
eJbrai'oi th'" pikra'" tw' n aijguptivwn ajphllavghsan despoteiva",b
tuvpon e[ cei th'" kolumbhvqra" hJ qavlatta, hJ de; nefevlh tou'
pneuvmato",c oJ de; Mwu>sh'" tou' swth'ro" Cristou', tou' staurou'
de; hJ rJavbdo",d tou' diabovlou oJ Farawv, tw' n daimov nwn oiJ
aijguvptioi,e to; de; mav nna th'" qeiva" trofh'",f to; de; th'" pevtra"
u{dwr tou' swthrivou ai{mato".g w{sper ga;r ejkei' noi, meta; to;
diabh' nai th; n ejruqra; n qavlassan, kai; th'" xev nh" trofh'" kai;
tou' paradovxou ajphvlausan navmato", ou{tw" hJmei'", meta; to;
swthvrion bavptisma, tw' n qeivwn metalambav nomen musthrivwn.
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C –52 , * = mss.
a. Cor ., mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .f.mmd. Ex .mme. Ex .–mmf. Ex .f.mmg. Ex .
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tion of our salvation, of the saving wood of the cross that sweetened
the bitter sea of the nations.1
How should we understand the apostle’s statement: “All were
baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; all drank the same
spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed
them, and the rock was Christ”?a
The old was a type of the new, the Law of Moses a shadow, grace
the body. As the Egyptians pursued the Hebrews, and, by crossing
the Red Sea, the Hebrews were freed from the harsh domination of
the Egyptians,b the sea represents, in typological terms, the bap-
tismal font, the cloud the Spirit,c Moses Christ the Savior, the rod
the cross,d Pharaoh the devil, the Egyptians the demons,e the manna
the divine nourishment,f and the water from the rock the saving
blood.g After the crossing of the Red Sea, the ancients enjoyed the
novel food and miraculous spring; just so, after saving baptism, we
partake of the sacred Eucharist.1
Question
. In a commentary of Ex .–, the reader might hope to find an expositionof the name “Marah” (= “bitter” in Hebrew) or a discussion of the murmuring of the people. Instead Theodoret focuses only on the wood, for which he offers an al-legorical interpretation. Again, his exegetical choice is governed by his christology.
. In Cor .–, Paul provides Theodoret with justification for seeing in the
OT types of NT, especially sacramental, realities. Neither in his commentary onPaul nor in the Quaest. in oct. does Theodoret discuss the later Jewish notion of themoving, rock-shaped well, for which v. E.E. Ellis, “A Note,” pp. –.
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Dia; tiv hJ pevtra Cristo;" wj nomavsqh;a
ÔW" tuvpo" genomev nh tou' despovtou Cristou'. ou{tw kai; hJ
qavlatta bavptisma proshgoreuvqh kaivtoi oujdeno;" ej n aujth' /
baptisqev nto": kekoniamev no" ga;r ma'llon aujth; n h] diavbroco"
dih'lqen oJ ∆Israhvl.
Dia; tiv a[ rton ajggevlwn to; mav nna proshgovreusen|| oJ
profhvth" Dabivd;a
JW" ajggevlwn th' / touvtou dwrea' / diakekonhkovtwn: hJ ga;r
ajswvmato" fuvsi" ouj dei'tai trofh'". ou{tw" a[ rto" ouj ranou'
proshgoreuvqh, | ejpeidh; a[ nwqen kathnev cqh, oujk ejx aujtou' tou'
oujranou', ajllæ ejk tou' aj evro". ou{tw kai; peteina; ouj ranou' proshgovreutai ta; to; n aj evra diaperw' nta.
Dia; tiv mavnna ejklhvqh;a
Eujqu;" aujto; qeasavmenoi, ajllhvlou" hjrwvtwn, tiv tou' to;
ejpevqesan toiv nun aujtw' / proshgorivan tiv tou' to: tou'to ga;r
The Questions on Exodus
||37
|37
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Cor .
A –6 [ ], B, C, (inc.) = mss.
a. Ps .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mm
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Why was the rock called “Christ”?a
Because it proved a type of Christ the Lord. Likewise, the sea was
given the name “baptism,” though no one was baptized in it, for in
the crossing, Israel was covered in dust, not water.1
Why did the prophet David call the manna “the bread of an-
gels”?a
Because the gift of manna was conferred through the ministry of
angels. Incorporeal beings, of course, have no need of food. Like-
wise, it was called “the bread of heaven,”1 since it was brought down
from on high—not from heaven itself but from the sky. Similarly,the creatures that fly across the sky are called “birds of heaven.”
Why was it called “manna”?a
As soon as they saw it, they asked each other, “What is it?” So they
named it “What is it?” the meaning of manna . As we learn from sa-
Question
. Theodoret combines a typological approach with a literalistic reading of thetext.
. Surprisingly, Theodoret’s replies to this and the next question contain no ref-erence to the Eucharist.
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eJrmhneuv ei to; mavnna. tou'to de; kai; hJ iJstoriva didavskei:
ijdovnte" ......., gavr fhsin, oiJ uiJoi; ∆Israhvl, ei\ pon e{tero" tw' /
eJtev rw/, tiv ejsti tou' to; ouj ga; r h[ /desan tiv h\ n:b ejgev neto toiv nun hJ
ejrwvthsi" o[ noma. to; de; wJ" ejgkri;" ejn mevlitic oJ Suvmmaco" ou{tw" hJrmhv neusen: wJ" a[ mulo" ejn mevliti.
To; de; govmor mevtron h\ n eJbrai>kov n.d didavskei de; oJ nomoqevth"
o{ti to; devkaton h\ n tw' n triw' n mevtrwn:e wJ" de; ∆Iwvshpo" e[ fh,
trei' " h{ misu kotuvla" ajttika;" e[ cei.f
Dia; tiv to; kataleifqe; n eij" th; n uJsteraivan tou' mav nna
diefqavrh;a
jEpeidh; novmou paravbasi" h\ n. didavskwn ga;r aujtou;" tw' n
frontivdwn ejleuvqeron bivon, uJpevsceto kaqæ eJkavsthn aujtoi'"
hJmevran parev cein th; n aj nagkaivan trofhv n.b ejkei' noi de;
ajpisthvsante", mevro" ti tou' sullegev nto" eij" th; n uJsteraivan
ej fuvlaxan. dia; tou'to ejpwvzesen. o{ti ga;r ouj th'" tou' mav nna
fuvsew" h\ n to; pavqo" marturei' to; savbbaton, ej n w | / ajlwvbhton
diethrhvqh to; th' / paraskeuh' / sullegev n:c marturei' de; kai; to; ej n
th' / kibwtw' / ejpi; pollai'" diafulacqe; n geneai'".d
Dia; tiv ej n toi'" savbbasin ouj parevsce to; mav nna;a
jEpeidh; mov noi" aujtoi'" tou' sabbavtou th; n ajrgivan
The Questions on Exodus
b. Ex .mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .mme. Ex .mmf. Ios., A.I. .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .–mmd. Ex .f.
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mm
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cred history, “When the children of Israel saw it, one said to the oth-
er, ‘What is it?’ since they did not know what it was.”1b So the ques-
tion became the name. Symmachus rendered the phrase “like pastry
made with honey”c as “like a cake of fine meal made with honey.”
The homer was a Hebrew measure.d As the lawgiver explains, “It
was the tenth part of three measures,”e whereas, according to Jose-
phus, “it contained three and a half Attic cups.”f
Why did any manna left over for the next day spoil?a
Because this was a transgression of the law. You see, to teach them
about a life free from daily concerns, he promised to provide them
with the food necessary for each day.b But, in their lack of faith, they
kept part of what they had gathered for the next day, and as a result
it went bad. The Sabbath provides proof that the trouble was not in-
herent in the nature of the manna, because, on that day, manna
gathered the day before remained fresh.c And this is confirmed by
the manna that was preserved in the ark for many generations.d
Why did he provide no manna on the Sabbaths?a
Since he established the law of inactivity on the Sabbath for them
Question
. This popular etymology, attested also in Jos., A.J. ., is not, in fact, accurate,
since the correct Hebrew would be mâ hû. The term is actually derived from thename of a tamarisk indigenous to Palestine and the Sinai; v. R.J. Clifford, on Ex .–.
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ej nomoqevthsen, e[rgw/ aujtou;" ejdivdaxe fulavttein th; n ej ntolhv n.b
to; n de; th'" fuvsew" oujk ejkwvluse drovmon: aj nivscei ga;r h{lio" kai;
selhv nh wJsauvtw" kai; ta; nev fh to; n uJ eto; n wjdiv nei, kai; a[ nemoi
pnevousi, kai; gunai'ke" tivktousi kai; tw' n ajlovgwn ta; gev nh.
Poivoi" o{ploi" ej crw' nto, tw' / ∆Amalh;k polemou' nte";a
Tw' n aijguptivwn uJpobrucivwn gegenhmev nwn, ejxebravsqh aujtw' n
eij" th; n hji>ov na meta; tw' n o{plwn ta; swvmata.b
tau'taskuleuvsante", ej crw' nto touvtoi" ej n toi'" polevmoi".
Dia; tiv, tw' n Mwu>sevw" ceirw' n ejktetamev nwn, ej nivka ∆Israhvl,
kaqiemev nwn dev, hJtta'to;a
Tou' staurwqev nto" uJpe;r hJmw' n ejplhvrou to; n tuvpon, ejkteiv nwn
ta;" cei'ra". ejdeiv cqh toiv nun kai; ej n tw' / tuvpw/ th'" ajlhqeiva" hJ
duv nami": w{sper ga;r tou' qeravponto" ta;" cei'ra" ejkteiv nonto",
e[pesen ∆Amalhvk, ou{tw" tou' despovtou ta;" cei'ra" ejkteiv nanto",
kateluvqh tou' diabovlou to; sti' fo". kai; ej n ejkeiv nw/ de; tw' / polevmw/
oJ tou' swth'ro" hJmw' n oJmwv numo" to; trovpaion e[sthse, tovte
tauvthn th; n proshgorivan labw; n kai; toi'" logavsi crhsavmeno"
sunergoi'"b wJ" oJ despovth" Cristo;" uJpourgoi'" toi'" iJ eroi'"ajpostovloi".
The Questions on Exodus
b. Ex .–
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .– mmb. Ex .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .–
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alone, this was a way to instruct them to observe his command.b On
the other hand, he did not halt the course of nature: the sun and
moon rise, the clouds bring forth rain, the winds blow, and women
and the different species of animals give birth on the Sabbath.
What weapons did they use to fight against Amalek?1a
When the Egyptians were drowned, their bodies were cast up on
the shore with their weapons.b
They plundered these and used themin warfare.
Why was Israel victorious when Moses stretched out his hands,
but defeated when he let them drop?a
When Moses stretched out his hands, he represented a type of
him who was crucified for us; the power of the reality was demon-
strated even in the type. As Amalek fell when the servant stretched
out his hands, so the devil’s column was routed when the Lord
stretched out his. And, in that battle, he who bore our Savior’s name
first took that name when he set up the trophy and employed some
picked men as his helpers,b as Christ the Lord employed the sacred
apostles as his lieutenants.1
Question
. Here is another merely inquisitive question possessing none of the typologi-cal interest of the next item. Theodoret delays comment on the provocation of God and the miracle of water flowing from the rock (Ex .–) until he comes tothe doublet at Nm .– (Q. on Nm); cf Q. on Dt.
. In Ex .– Joshua and his chosen men rout Amalek. “Joshua” is the samename as “Jesus”; in the LXX and the NT both are spelled jIhsou'". The term trov-paion (trophy) is very frequently applied to the cross and death of Christ; v. PGL,sub. uoc. . For similar uses of this noun as the direct object of the verb i{sthmi (toset up): cf. Chrys., hom. . (al. .) in Ioh.: [some say that Christ] e[ nqa oJ qav na-to~ ejbasivleusen, ejkei` kai; to; trovpaion sthsai (i.e., on Calvary).
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Tiv ejstin e[sesqev moi lao;" periouvsio" ajpo; pavntwn tw' n
ejqnw' n: ej mh; gav r ejsti pa' sa hJ gh' ; a
Pav ntwn eijmiv, fhsiv, poihth;" kai; despovth" kai; pav ntwn wJ"
poihth;" promhqou'mai, uJma'" de; oi |ov n tina lao; n ejxaivreton
ejmautw' / aj fievrwsa. tou'to ga;r ejphvgagen: uJ mei' " de; e[sesqev moi
eij" basivleion iJeravteuma......., e[qno" a{gion.b w{sper ga;r tou;"
leuivta", ijsrahlivta" o[ nta", tw' n a[llwn fulw' n protetivmhke kai;
eij" th; n qeivan aj fwvrise leitourgivan,c ouj tw' n a[llwn ajmelw' n,ajlla; dia; touvtwn th; n ejkeiv nwn poiouvmeno" ejpimevleian, ou{tw to;
tou' ∆Abraavm, kai; ∆Isaavk, kai; ∆Iakw;b ejxelevxato spevrma: prw'ton
ejpeidh; ejx aujtw' n h[melle kata; savrka blastav nein oJ despovth"
Cristov": e[peita dia; tw' n eij" touvtou" ginomev nwn th; n oijkeivan
ejpideiknu;" duv namin kai; pav nta" didavskwn aj nqrwvpou" th; n th'"
qeognwsiva" oJdov n. touvtwn mev ntoi eijrhmev nwn, ajpekrivqh.......pa' " oJ
lao;" .......kai; ei\ pe, pavnta o{sa ei\ pen oJ Qeo;" poihvsomen kai;ajkousov meqa.d au{th de; hJ tou' laou' sunqhvkh uJpografh' / tini e[oike
grammativou. o{qen th; n oijkeivan parabav nte" oJmologivan, tai'"
th'" nomoqesiva" ajrai'" uJpeblhvqhsan,e w | n tou;" eij" aujto; n
pepisteukovta" oJ despovth" Cristo;" hjleuqevrwse: Cristov", gavr
fhsin, ejxhgov rasen hJ ma' " ejk th' " katav ra" tou' nov mou, genov meno"
uJpe; r hJ mw' n katav ra.f to; mev ntoi periouvsio", ejxaiv reto" oJ
Suvmmaco" hJrmhv neusen.
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C–51, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Nm .–mmd. Ex .mme. Dt .–mmf. Gal .
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What is the meaning of “You will be my special people out of all
the nations, for all the earth is mine”?a
He means, “I am Creator and Lord of the universe, and, as Cre-
ator, I care for everything, but you I have consecrated to myself as a
chosen people.” In fact, he went on, “You will be my royal priest-
hood, my holy nation.”1b In other words, as he honored the Levites
—though they were Israelites like the rest—over the other tribes,
and consecrated them to the divine worshipc without neglecting,but actually showing care for, the others through the Levites, so he
chose the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. First, because
Christ the Lord would draw his descent from them according to the
flesh. Next, to give evidence of his power through the acts he per-
formed for them and to teach all men the way of the knowledge of
God. Indeed, when God had made this promise, “All the people
replied and declared, ‘We shall do and heed everything God hassaid.’”d Now, this agreement of the people resembled a signature to a
contract. Hence, when they broke their own agreement, they be-
came liable to the curses prescribed by the Law,e from which Christ
the Lord freed those who believe in him: “Christ redeemed us from
the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us.”f Instead of “spe-
cial” Symmachus rendered “chosen.”
Question
. In this interpretation of Ex .f. Theodoret anticipates the conclusions of modern scholarship. Noting the problematic movement of thought from choice of
the people to mention of priesthood, he concludes the text must imply that thechoice of the line of Abraham from all other peoples resembled the privileged po-sition of the Levites among the other tribes; cf. R.J. Clifford ad loc.
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Tiv dhv pote, ouj mov non aJgnisqh' nai, ajlla; kai; plu' nai ta;
iJmavtia prosetav cqhsan hJ nivka to; n novmon ejdev conto;a
Dia; tw' n swmatikw' n aujtou;" ejpi; ta; pneumatika; podhgei', kai;
devo" ej ntivqhsi, kai; eujlabestevrou" poiei': ejlogivzonto ga;r ejk
touvtwn wJ" pollw' / ma'llon th; n diav noian kaqareuv ein proshvkei.
diav toi tou'to kai; salpivggwn fwnaiv, kai; ktuvpoi brontw' n, kai;
gnov fo", kai; quv ella, kai; pu'r ej n th' / tou' o[rou" ajkrwreiva/, kai;
kavpno" a[ frasto" ejkpempovmeno"b i{ na dia; touvtwn aJpav ntwn th;n liqivnhn aujtw' n katamalavxh/ kardivan.c ejpeidh; ga;r ta;" me; n toi'"
aijguptivoi" ejpenecqeivsa" ejqeavsanto timwriva", aujtoi; de; pei'ran
th'" paideiva" oujk e[labon, dia; touvtwn dedivttetai oi |a dh;
pai'da", w{ste, mh; mov non ajgapa' n dia; ta;" ajrrhvtou" euj ergesiva",
ajlla; kai; dediev nai dia; ta;" timwriva". touvtou cavrin kai; peri;
tw' n iJ erevwn e[ fh, oiJ iJerei' ", oiJ ejggivzonte" Kurivw/ tw' / Qew' /,
aJgiasqhvtwsan mhv pote ajpallavxh/ ajpæ aujtw' n Kuv rio".d
ejpeidh;ga;r eijko;" h\ n aujtou;" qarrei' n, a{te dh; th; n qeivan leitourgivan
pepisteumev nou", didavskei wJ" diaferov ntw" tou;" leitourgei' n
tw' / Qew' / protetagmev nou" uJpertevrou" ei\ nai tw' n ghiv > nwn
proshvkei.
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C–51, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .f.mmc. Ezek .mmd. Ex .
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Why were they ordered, not just to sanctify themselves, but also
to wash their garments when they were about to receive the Law?a
Through the bodily, he guided them to the spiritual, realities. He
also instilled fear and put them into a more reverent frame of mind.
In fact, they deduced from these instructions the much greater im-
portance of purity of mind. The trumpet blasts, thunder claps, dark-
ness, hurricane, the fire on the top of the mountain, and the mar-
velous cloud of smokeb were surely all means of softening their“stony heart.”c Since they had observed the punishments inflicted on
the Egyptians without themselves undergoing the experience of cor-
rection, he used these portents to terrify them like children, the re-
sult being that they not only loved him for his ineffable favors but
also feared him for his punishments. Therefore, he also said in re-
gard to the priests,“Let the priests approaching the Lord God sancti-
fy themselves lest the Lord destroy any of them.”d
In other words,since their commission to perform the divine service was probably
encouraging an attitude of overconfidence, he taught those appoint-
ed to conduct the worship of God that they should stand out by
their superiority to earthly concerns.
Question
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Pw'" nohtevon to; oujk e[sontaiv soi qeoi; e{teroi plh;n ej mou' ; a
OiJ mivan oujsivan th'" triavdo" oJmologou' nte" fulavttousi to; n
novmon th'" qeiva" fwnh'": a[llo gavr ti para; th; n qeivan fuvsin
qeopoiei' n oujk aj nev contai. oiJ de; th; n ∆Areivou kai; Euj nomivou
perikeivmenoi lwvbhn to; n qei'on novmon a[ ntikru" parabaiv nousin,
Qeo; n me; n to; n uiJo; n oJmologou' nte", ktisto; n de; ajpokalou' nte"
kai; th'" qeiva" oujsiva" ajllovtrion. tou' ga;r Qeou' levgonto", oujk e[sontaiv soi qeoi; e{teroi plh;n ej mou' , ou |toi e{teron Qeo; n
ejpeisavgousin.
Ei[dwlon kai; oJ moivwmaa
poivan e[ cei diaforav n;To; ei[dwlon oujdemivan uJpovstasin e[ cei, to; de; oJmoivwma tinov"
ejstin i[ ndalma kai; ajpeivkasma. ejpeidh; toiv nun e{llhne"
aj naplavttousi ta;" ouj c uJ festwvsa" morfav": sfivgga", kai;
trivtwna", kai; kentauvrou": kai; aijguvptioi kunoproswvpou" kai;
boukefavlou", ei[dwla kalei' ta; tw' n ouj c uJ festwvtwn mimhvmata,
oJmoiwvmata de; ta; tw' n uJ festwvtwn eijkavsmata oi |on hJlivou kai;
selhv nh", ajstevrwn, aj nqrwvpwn, qhrivwn, eJrpetw' n, kai; tw' n
touvtoi" paraplhsivwn. touvtoi" keleuv ei mhvte proskunei' n mhvte
latreuv ein.b ouj c aJplw'" de; ajpagoreuv ei ajmfovtera ajllæ, ejpeidh;
sumbaiv nei tina;" proskunh'sai me; n dia; fovbon aj nqrwvpinon ouj
mh; n kai; latreu'sai kata; yuchv n, ejdivdaxen wJ" eJkavteron ajsebev".
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C, * = mss.
a. Ex .
A –6 [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .
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How are we to understand the verse “You shall have no other
gods but me”?a
Those who confess the oneness of being of the Trinity observe
this law of God’s utterance. They refuse to make a god of anything
but divinity. By contrast, those infected with the ailment of Arius
and Eunomius blatantly transgress the Law of God when they con-
fess the Son to be God, but degrade him by calling him a creature
and divorced from the divine being. Though God says, “You shallhave no other gods but me,” they introduce a second God.1
What is the difference between “an idol” and “a likeness”?a
An idol has no reality behind it, while a likeness is an image and
representation of someone or something. So since the Greeks mold
forms of non-existent beings, such as sphinxes, tritons, and cen-
taurs, and the Egyptians dog-faced and bull-headed beings, he re-
ferred by “idols” to representations of the non-existent. By “like-
nesses” he meant images of things that do exist, like the sun and
moon, the stars, human beings, animals, reptiles, and the like. He
forbade them to bow down to or worship these,b each prohibition
being based on good reason. Since people sometimes bow down out
of human respect without actually offering worship in their heart,
he taught that both actions are idolatrous.1
Question
. Theodoret pays no attention to the opening statement of antecedent divinebeneficence in ., which provides the basis for the commands that follow; cf.Clifford on .–. He sees the first commandment (.) as infringed rather by Arians and Eunomians than by Jews.
. With typical Antiochene precision (ajkrivbeia), Theodoret notes the occur-
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To; Qeo;" zhlwth;" tiv ejstin;a
J O novmo" tavxin ejpev cei aj ndrov", oJ de; lao;" gunaikov", kai;
tou'to hJma'" ejdivdaxen oJ despovth" Qeov", dia; me; n ∆Hsaiv >ou
levgwn, poi' on tou' to to; biblivon tou' ajpostasivou th' " mhtro;"
uJ mw' n:b dia; de; ÔIeremivou, kaqw;" ajqetei' gunh; eij" to;n sunovnta
aujth' /, ou{tw" hjqevthsen eij" ej me; oJ oi\ ko" ∆Israh;l kai; oJ oi\ ko"
∆Iouvda, levgei Kuv rio":c kai; pavlin, eja;n ajposteivlh/ ajnh; r th;n
gunai' ka aujtou' , kai; poreuqei' sa.......gevnhtai ajndri; eJtev rw/, mh;ajnakav mptousa ajnakav myei pro;" aujto;n e[ti; ouj miainomevnh
mianqhvsetai hJ gunh; ejkeivnh; su; de; ejxepov rneusa" eij" poimevna"
pollouv", kai; ajnevkampte" prov" me ; levgei Kuv rio":d kai; oJ
ajpovstolo" dev fhsin, o{ti oJ nov mo" kurieuvei tou` ajnqrwvpou ejfæ
o{son crovnon zh' /: hJ ga; r u{pandro" gunh; tw' / zw' nti ajndri; devdetai
nov mw/: eja;n de; ajpoqavnh/ oJ ajnhv r, kathv rghtai ajpo; tou' nov mou tou'
ajndro;" .......tou' mh; ei\ nai aujth;n moicalivda, genomevnhn ajndri;eJtev rw/. ou{tw" kai; uJ mei' " ejqanatwvqhte tw' / nov mw/ dia; tou' swv mato"
tou' Cristou' eij" to; genevsqai uJ ma' " eJtev rw/, tw' / ejk nekrw' n
ejgerqevnti.e touvtou cavrin Qeo; n zhlwth; n eJauto; n oj nomavzei, toi'"
aj nqrwpiv noi" me; n kecrhmev no" oj novmasi, dedittovmeno" de; aujtou;"
kai; swfronei' n aj nagkavzwn: w{sper ga;r aj nh;r rJavqumon e[ cwn
gunai'ka parainw' n aujth' / levgei, zhlovtupov" eijmi, ouj duv namai
blevpein se a[llw/ prosdialegomev nhn aj ndriv, ou{tw" oJ despovth"
Qeov", th'" deisidaimoniva" aujtou;" ajpallavxai boulovmeno", ouj
mov non zhlwth;n eJautov n, ajlla; kai; pu' r katanalivskon f ejkavlesen.
{ Oti de; filostorgiva" oJ toiou'to" zh'lo", aujto;" tou'to
dedhvlwken oJ Qeo;" dia; tou' ∆Iezekih;l eijpwv n, dia; tou' to
ajposthvsetai oJ zh' lov" mou ajpo; sou` ,g toutevstin, o{te hjgavpwn,
The Questions on Exodus
A –6 [ ], B, C –52 , = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Is .mmc. Jer . (LXX var.)mmd. Jer . (LXX)mme. Rom .–mmf. Dt .mmg. Ezek .mm
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What does “a jealous God” mean?a
The Law has the role of husband, and the people that of wife, as
the Lord God taught us when he said through Isaiah, “What is this
bill of divorce of your mother?”;b and through Jeremiah, “As a wife
breaks faith with her partner, so the house of Israel and the house of
Judah have broken faith with me, says the Lord”;c and again, “If a
husband sends his wife away, and she goes off to another husband,
will she really return to him again? Will not that wife be defiled forgood? But you have prostituted yourself with many shepherds, and
you now return to me? says the Lord.”d And the apostle says, “The
Law is binding on a person only so long as he lives; for example, the
wife is bound by law to her husband as long as he live, but if her
husband die, she is discharged from the law concerning her hus-
band, so that she is not an adulteress if she marry another husband.
Likewise you, too, have died to the Law through the body of Christso as to belong to another, who has risen from the dead.”e God calls
himself “a jealous God,” using a human expression to put fear into
them and compel them to live chastely. As a husband with a frivo-
lous wife puts her on notice saying, “I am jealous and cannot bear to
see you talking to another man,” so the Lord God, wanting to rid
them of superstition, called himself “jealous” and even “a consum-
ing fire.”f
Now, God himself indicated that jealousy arises from affection
when he declared through Ezekiel, “Therefore, my jealousy will turn
away from you.”g That is, “When I loved you, I showed my jealousy,
Question
rence of pairs of terms and shows that each member of the apparent duplicationpossesses a meaning of its own; v. sec. of the “Introduction to Theodoret’ s Lifeand Works.”
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ej crwvmhn tw' / zhvlw/: ajpwsavmeno" dev se, kai; to; n zh'lon e[sbesa.
tou'to kai; diæ eJtevrou profhvtou dedhvlwken: oujk ejpiskevyomai
ejpi; ta;" qugatev ra" uJ mw' n o{tan porneuvswsi kai; ejpi; ta;" nuv mfa"
uJ mw' n o{tan moiceuvswsin.h ajgavph" toiv nun oJ zh'lo" dhlwtikov".
Pw'" to; divkaion swvzetai, tw' n paivdwn uJpe;r tw' n patevrwn
kolazomev nwn;a
() Meivzou" aiJ ajpeilai; tw' n kolavsewn para; tw' / despovth/Qew' /. kai; tou'to rJav /dion maqei' n para; th'" qeiva" grafh'": pa'",
gavr fhsin, ajperivtmhto" a[ rshn, o}" ouj peritmhqhvsetai.......th' /
hJ mev ra/ th' / ojgdovh/, ejxoloqreuqhvsetai.b ajllæ e[stin euJrei' n tou;"
me; n peritetmhmev nou" ej n th' / ejrhvmw/ diafovrw" aj naireqev nta",
tou;" de; ajperitmhvtou" memenhkovta" th'" tw' n progov nwn
ejpaggeliva" tetuchkovta": touvtou" ga;r ej n Galgavloi" ∆Ihsou'"
perievtemen.c ou{tw tai'" ej couvsai" zuvmhn oijkivai" panwleqrivan
hjpeivlhsend ajllæ oujk ejphvgage th; n timwrivan kata; th; n ajpeilhv n.
Kai; ej ntau'qa toiv nun, wJ" filovpaida" kai; filopaidiva"
pefrontikovta" dedivttetai tai'" ajpeilai'" kaiv fhsin, ajpodidou;"
aJ martiva" patev rwn ejpi; tevkna ejpi; trivthn kai; tetav rthn genea;n
toi' " misou' siv me.e o{ti ga;r gumnw' / prosev cein tw' / gravmmati
dussebe;" aujto;" oJ Qeo;" didavskei, taj nantiva nomoqetw' n: oujk
ajpoqanou' ntai, gavr fhsi, pai' de" uJpe; r patev rwn, oujde; patev re"
uJpe; r paivdwn, ajllæ e{kasto" ejn th' / aJ martiva/ aujtou' ajpoqanei' tai:f
kai; dia; tou' profhvtou ∆Iezekihvl fhsi, tiv" uJ mi' n hJ parabolh;
au{th.......legovntwn, oiJ patev re" e[fagon o[ mfaka, kai; oiJ ojdovnte"
tw' n tevknwn hJ / mwdivasan ; zw' ejgwv, levgei Kuv rio", eij e[stai.......hJ
The Questions on Exodus
h. Hos .mm
A –6 [ ], B, C, (inc.) = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Gn .mmc. Jos .–mmd. Ex ., mme. Ex .mmf. Dt .mmmm
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but when I rejected you, I quenched my jealousy.”1 He conveyed the
same idea through another prophet as well: “I shall not call your
daughters to account for their prostitution, or your daughters-in-
law for their adultery.”h Jealousy, then, is indicative of love.
How is justice preserved if children are punished for their par-
ents?a
() With the Lord God, threats exceed punishments. It is an easy matter to prove this from holy Scripture: “Every uncircumcised
male not circumcised on the eighth day will be destroyed,”b it says,
yet note that in the wilderness it was the circumcised who were sin-
gled out for destruction while the uncircumcised received the fulfil-
ment of the promise made to their ancestors. It was these that
Joshua circumcised at Gilgal.c Similarly, he threatened destruction
on any household that had leavend but never proceeded to impose
the punishment according to his threat.
In this case, he uses threats to put fear into people who loved
children and large families, when he says, “I bring the sins of the
parents upon the children to the third and fourth generation of
those who hate me.”e God himself teaches us that it is irreligious to
focus on the face value of the text when he requires the opposite:
“Children will not die for parents, nor parents for children; rather,
each will die for his own sin.” f And through the prophet Ezekiel hesays, “What do you mean by the proverb, “The parents ate sour
grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, says the
Question
. Theodoret had offered the same interpretation of Ezek . in his commen-tary on Ezekiel, composed some twenty-five years earlier.
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parabolh; au{th:g ajlla; tw' n fagovntwn to;n o[ mfaka
aiJ mwdiavsousin oiJ ojdovnte",h o{ti pa' sai aiJ yucai; ej maiv eijsi:i kai;
ta; eJxh'" de; th; n aujth; n e[ cei diav noian.
() ∆Egw; de; oi\mai ma'llon th; n qeivan filanqrwpivan ejmfaiv neinth; n ajpeilhv n. provskeitai ga;r toi' " misou' siv me: toutevsti,
makroqumw' toi'" patravsin hJmarthkovsi, makroqumw' kai; paisiv n:
eij de; oiJ e[kgonoi kai; oiJ ajpovgonoi th; n tw' n patevrwn kai;
progov nwn zhlwvsaien ponhrivan, ejpavxw th; n timwrivan. hJ de; tw' n
progov nwn eujsevbeia mev cri pollou' tw' / gev nei proxenhvsei th; n
swthrivan: poiw' n, gavr fhsin, e[leon eij" ciliavda" kai; muriavda"
toi' " ajgapw' siv me kai; toi' " fulavttousi ta; prostavgmatav mou. j
Eu{roi dæ a[ n ti" kaj n th' / iJstoriva/ th; n tw' n qeivwn logivwn
ajlhvqeian: pev mpth/.......ga;r genea' /, fhsiv n, ajnev bhsan oiJ uiJoi;
∆Israh;l ejx ....... Aijguvptou.k ajlla; toi'" tw' n aijguptivwn ej n Aijguvptw/
dedouleukovte" qeoi'", ouj|k e[tisan divka" ou[te oiJ patevre"
aujtw' n, ou[te oiJ propavtore" aujtw' n. aujtoi; dev, zhlwvsante" th; n
ejkeiv nwn ajsevbeian, ejkolavsqhsan, wJ" meta; tosauvthn euj ergesivan
kai; ta; muriva qauvmata th; n ajsevbeian oujk ejkptuvsante". oiJ de;
touvtwn pai'de", to; n swth'ra Qeo; n hjgaphkovte", th'" progonikh'"
ajphvlausan uJposcevsew". kai; oJrw'men to; aj yeude;" th'" pro;"
tou;" patriavrca" gegenhmev nh" ejpaggeliva": ta; ga;r e[qnh dia;
tou' spevrmato" ∆Abraa;m th'" eujlogiva" tetuv chken.l
jEpeidh; toiv nun to; n movscon h[mellon proskunei' n, th; n
timwrivan prosapeilei'.
The Questions on Exodus
|4
g. Ezek .f.mmh. Jer . (LXX)mmi. Ezek .mm j. Ex . (LXX var.)mmk. Ex .mml. Gn .
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Lord, this proverb will no more apply;g rather those who eat the
sour grapes will have their teeth set on edge,h because all souls are
mine”;i the rest has the same sense.1
() In my view the threat actually has the effect of highlightingdivine loving-kindness. Indeed, following this threat we find the
phrase: “of those who hate me.” That is, “I show long-suffering to
parents who sin, and I show loving-kindness also to their children,
but if their offspring and their descendants emulate the wickedness
of their parents and forebears, I shall inflict punishment.” In con-
trast, the piety of forebears will bring about salvation for many a
generation, for God says, “I show mercy to thousands and tens of thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”2j
The events of sacred history prove the dependability of the divine
prophecy. “In the fifth generation,” it says, “the children of Israel
went up from Egypt.” k While they were in Egypt, neither their fathers
nor their forefathers paid the penalty for their slavish subjection to
the Egyptian gods, but this generation was punished for emulating
their idolatry, since even after they had experienced so much kind-
ness and countless marvels, they did not reject the idolatry of their
forbears. But their children, who loved God their Savior, came into
the enjoyment of the promise made to their ancestors. And we wit-
ness the reliability of the promise made to the patriarchs, for the na-
tions have attained the blessing through the offspring of Abraham.l
And a further point—he also threatened them, since they were
just about to adore the calf.
Question
. Always anxious to resolve an apparent contradiction in the Bible, Theodoretcites Dt . and a form of Ezek .– much influenced by Jer. . to claim thatthe literal sense (gumno; n gravmma) is not a sure guide to the real meaning of Scrip-ture.
. In the Göttingen edition of the Septuagint, J.W. Wevers and U. Quast rele-gate the reading kai; muriavda~ (“tens of thousands,” Ex .) to the apparatus criticus; it is attested only here by Theodoret and in the thirty-fifth of the Interro-gationes et Responsiones (Questions and Answers ) attributed to Anastasius Sinaita,the seventh-century theologian and abbot of the monastery of St. Catherine onMt. Sinai; v. PG, vol. , col. .
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Tiv ejstin ouj lhvyh/ to; o[noma Kurivou tou' Qeou' sou ejpi;
mataivw/; a
Tinev" fasin ajpagoreuv ein to; ejpiqei' nai toi'" mataivoi",
toutevsti toi'" eijdwvloi", th; n tou' Qeou' |proshgorivan, tine;" de;
to; ojmwmokovta yeuvsasqai. ejgw; de; oi\mai to; n qei'on
parakeleuv esqai novmon div ca didaskaliva", h] proseuch'", h]
aj nagkaiva" tino;" creiva", th; n qeivan mh; profevrein proshgorivan:
kai; ga;r eijwvqasiv tine", kai; paivzonte" kai; gelw' nte", profevreinwJ" e[tuce dia; th'" glwvtth" to; sebavsmion o[ noma. tou'to oi\mai
to; n qei'on novmon ajpagoreuv ein. eij ga;r th; n polutelestevran
ejsqh'ta tai'" eJortai'" fulavttein eijwvqasin oiJ polloiv, pollw' /
ma'llon to; qei'on o[ noma proseucai'" kai; didaskalivai" aj fierou' n
divkaion.
Dia; tiv to; savbbaton th' / ajrgiva/ tetivmhken; a
Filanqrwpivan to; n lao; n ejxepaivdeusen. ejphvgage ga;r i{na
ajnapauvshtai oJ pai' " sou, kai; hJ paidivskh sou,b oJ bou' " sou, kai;
to; uJpozuvgiovn sou, kai; pa' n kth' nov" sou, kai; oJ proshvluto", oJ
paroikw' n ejn soiv.c
The Questions on Exodus
|6
c (inc.) [ ], , a 2, B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .–mmb. Dt .mmc. Ex .
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What is the meaning of “You shall not take the name of the Lord
your God in vain”?a
Some commentators have claimed that the prohibition concerns
giving empty objects—namely, idols—the name of God; others, the
swearing of false oaths.1 My own view is that the Law of God forbids
invoking the divine name outside of teaching or prayer or apart
from some urgent need. There are those, in fact, who are in the habit
of uttering the august name quite casually, even when joking and jesting. I think this is what God’s Law forbids. After all, if it is a gen-
eral custom to keep one’s finer attire for festivals, it is far more im-
portant to reserve the divine name for prayer and teaching.
Why did he dignify the Sabbath with rest?a
To teach the people a lesson in loving-kindness. As he went on to
say, “so that your servant and maidservant,b your ox, your beast of
burden, and all your cattle, and the alien dwelling among you may
take their rest.”c
Question
. The latter view is endorsed by R.J. Clifford (on .): “The prohibition seems
to be against the false use of an oath in legal proceedings rather than a general lack of reverence for the name.” A bishop is naturally concerned with profanity in ordi-nary discourse.
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Kai; dia; tiv mh; ej n a[llh/ hJmevra/ tou'to genevsqai prosevtaxen;
Tou'to a[ n ti" ei[poi kai; peri; a[llh" hJmevra": tiv dhv pote
tauvthn ejxelevxato kai; ouj c eJtevran; ei\ ce de; o{mw" au{th lovgon
tina; pei'sai dunavmenon th; n ijoudaivwn wjmovthta: tw' / to; n tw' n
o{lwn Qeo; n ej n e}x hJmevrai" ta; pav nta dhmiourgh'sai, ej n de; th' /
eJbdovmh/ mhde; n me; n poih'sai, eujlogiva/ de; tauvthn timh'sai. tou'to
ga;r kai; ejphvgagen o{ti, ejn .......e}x hJ mev rai" ejpoivhse Kuv rio" oJ
Qeov" sou to;n ouj ranovn, kai; th;n gh' n, kai; th;n qavlassan, kai;pavnta ta; ejn aujtoi' ": kai; katevpause th' / hJ mev ra/ th' /
eJ bdov mh/.......kai; hJgivasen aujthvn.a
Tiv ejstin eja;n de; qusiasthv rion ejk livqwn poih' /" moi, oujk oijkodomhvsei" aujtou;" tmhtouv": to; ga; r ejgceirivdiovn sou
ejpibev blhka" ejpæ aujtov, kai; memivantai; a
{ Oti sidhvrw/ ej crw' nto kai; oiJ ta; xuvla th'" skhnh'"
tekthnavmenoi kai; oiJ to; n crusov n, kai; to; n a[rguron, kai; to; n
calko; n ejrgasavmenoi oujdev na aj nterei' n oi\mai. o{ti de; kai; oiJ
iJ erei'" tai'" macaivrai" iJ evreuon ta;" qusiva", kai; ajpevderon, kai;
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C –52 , = mss.
l. ei[poi B, : ei\pe Sir. Sch. F.M. = “You would have raised the same question about any other day .” Thdt. is here expressing, not a contrary-to-factnotion, but one of conditioned futurity; cf. the precisely similar construction inQ. on Gn (Tou'to a[ n ti" ei[poi kai; peri; tou' aj nqrwvpou). The aoristindicative is merely an error of etacism (cf. the critical note on w/ jkodomhsqai inQ. on Gn).
a. Ex . (LXX var.)
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mm
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Why not require this for some other day?
You could raise the same question about any other day: why he
chose that day and not another. Nevertheless, this day did offer a
reason sufficient to overcome the harshness of the Jews: the fact that
the God of the universe created everything in six days but did noth-
ing on the seventh, which he dignified with a blessing. As he went
on to say, “In six days the Lord your God made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day andhallowed it.”a
What is the meaning of “If you make me an altar of stones, youshall not build it of hewn stones, for if you put a tool to it, they are
defiled”?a
I believe no one will deny that the carpenters of the tabernacle
and the gold-, silver-, and bronze-smiths used iron. And I believe it
is also beyond question that the priests used knives to slaughter,
skin, and divide the sacrificial victims. Therefore, the question is, if
Question
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e[temnon, aj namfivlekton ei\ nai oi\mai kai; tou'to. zhthtevon
toiv nun pw'" tau'ta me; n oJ sivdhro" oujk ejmivaine, tou;" de; tmhtou;"
ejmivaine livqou". toigavrtoi dh'lov n ejstin wJ" a[lla diæ a[llwn
kataskeuavzei. ejpeidh; ga;r ej n th' / ejrhvmw/ tessaravkontadietevlesan e[th, sunecw'" ajpaivronte" kai; tou;" tovpou"
ajmeivbonte", ajpagoreuv ei ejk livqwn eijrgasmev nwn oijkodomei'sqai
qusiasthvria i{ na mhv, touvtwn th; n gh' n th; n ejphggelmev nhn
ajpeilhfovtwn, ej n toi'" qusiasthrivoi" touvtoi" oiJ plhsiov cwroi
ta;" tw' n daimov nwn qusiva" ejpitelevswsi. dia; tou'to prosevtaxen
h] ejk gh'" h] ejx aujtofuw' n livqwn tau'ta kataskeuavzesqai,
ejpeidhvper eJkavteron eujdiavluton. o{ti dev, meta; th; n tou' naou'kataskeuhv n, oujk ejxh' n ej n eJtevrw/ quv ein aujto;" oJ novmo" didavskei.
eij de; quv ein e[xw tou' naou' oJ novmo" ajpei'rge,b kai; to;
qusiasthvrion oijkodomei' n wJsauvtw" ejkwvlusen. aujtivka gou' n eij"
e[legcon tw' n ajsebouv ntwn ∆Hliva", oJ pav nu, prosenegkei' n ej n tw' /
Karmhvlw/ qusivan aj nagkasqeiv", ijsarivqmou" tw' n fulw' n
aujtofuei'" sunevqhke livqou" kai; ejpi; touvtwn th; n qusivan
proshv negken w{ste th; n oijkodomivan eujqu;" dialuqh' nai, kai;
mhdev na e{teron ej n ejkeiv nw/ tw' / cwrivw/ qusivan prosenegkei' n.c
Dia; tiv tou' eJbraivou, tou' th; n ejleuqerivan devxasqai mh;
boulomev nou, diatrhqh' nai to; wjtivon prosevtaxen;a
Pav ntwn aujtou'" protima' n th; n ejleuqerivan didavskei. to; ntoiv nun, tauvth" oujk aj ntecovmenon, ajlla; th; n douleivan
ajspazovmenon eij" aijscuv nhn tou'to labei' n to; shmei'on
The Questions on Exodus
b. Dt .f.mmc. Kgs .f.
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .f.
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iron did not defile these things, how did it defile the hewn stones?
We conclude that God has different things built with different in-
struments. Since they spent forty years in the wilderness, constantly
breaking camp and moving on, he forbade them to construct altarsof worked stone, so that when they had received the promised land,
the neighboring peoples would not use those altars to perform sac-
rifices to demons. Therefore, he commanded the altars be built of
earth or natural stone, since these are both easily taken down. Now,
the Law itself relates that, after the building of the Temple, they were
not allowed to sacrifice anywhere else. As the Law forbade sacrifice
outside the Temple,b
it likewise prohibited the construction of an al-tar.1 At any rate, it was in criticism of idolaters that, when con-
strained to offer sacrifice on Carmel, the great Elijah brought to-
gether as many natural stones as there were tribes and offered his
sacrifice on those stones so that immediately afterward the structure
could be taken down, and no one else would be able to offer sacri-
fice there.c
Why did he enjoin the piercing of the ear of the Hebrew who did
not want freedom?1a
To teach them to esteem freedom above everything else. He pre-scribed this sign of shame for those who did not cling to freedom
but embraced slavery. Further, the sign indicated obedience through
Question
. Believing that Moses had composed the Pentateuch, Theodoret proceeds toexplain what he takes to be a usage of the wilderness period in the light of the law of Dt .f., prescribing one central place of worship. Likewise, he apparently findsin the story of Elijah and the priests of Baal a confirmation of his conclusion thatHebrew worship had been centralized since the days of the Exodus.
. Though he has passed over the last seven commandments of the Decalogue,Theodoret pauses to discuss this intriguing passage.
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parakeleuv etai. pro;" de; touvtw/ kai; uJpakoh; n dia; th'" ajkoh'" to;
shmei'on ejmfaiv nei, kai; to; para; th; n quvran to; mh; ejxei' nai
probaiv nein, oujk ejpitrevponto" tou' despovtou.
Dia; tiv provskeitai kai; douleuvsei aujtw' / eij" to;n aijw' na,a
dhvlh" ou[sh" th'" aj nqrwpiv nh" zwh'";
jEnteu'qen dh'lon wJ" ouj pantacou' oJ aijw;n tou' ajpeivrou
dhlwtiko;" ajllæ e[stin o{te kai; wJrismev nou crov nou shmantikov".ou{tw kai; oJ makavrio" levgei Dabivd, oJ aijw;n hJ mw' n eij" fwtismo;n
tou' proswvpou sou:b to; n de; aj nqrwvpinon ou{tw" wj novmase bivon.
To; n ajkousivw" pefoneukovta dia; tiv feuvgein parakeleuv etai;a
Th; n fonikh; n aujtw' n ijatreuvwn gnwvmhn kai; didavskwn wJ", eij
to; para; gnwvmhn aj nelei' n e[ nocon th' / timwriva/ poiei', pollw' /
ma'llon to; gnwvmh/ foneuv ein kolavsew" a[xion. pro;" de; touvtw/ kai;
tou;" tevmnonta" xuvla kai; tou;" ajkontivzonta" livqou"
promhqestevrou" ejrgavzetai kai; mev ntoi kai; tou;" a[llo ti
toiou'to drw' nta" paraskeuavzei dediev nai kai; trevmein i{ na mh;para; gnwvmhn tina; tw' n pelazov ntwn h] povrrwqen o[ ntwn
phmaiv nwsi. calinoi' de; kai; to; n tw' n suggenw' n tou'
pefoneumev nou qumo; n th' / tou' pefoneukovto" fugh' /.
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex
.
mmb. Ps
.
(LXX)
A [ ], B, c, , = mss.
a. Ex .
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the organ of hearing, while the provision “at the door” referred to
the prohibition against stepping outside without the master’s per-
mission.
What is the reason for the addition, “He will serve him forever,”a
when it clearly means just the length of a human life?
From this passage we may conclude that the term “ever,” “age,”
does not always indicate eternity but sometimes signifies a limitedamount of time. Likewise, when the blessed David says, “Our age in
the light of your countenance,”b he uses “age” to denote the span of a
human life.1
Why did he enjoin flight for those who had committed involun-
tary manslaughter?a
To cure their homicidal inclinations and to convey the lesson that
if he punished even involuntary manslaughter, deliberate killing
would be much more deserving of punishment.1 Furthermore, he
put those hewing wood and casting stones on their guard and made
those engaged in similar occupations tremble in fear that they might
involuntarily injure someone close by or far away. Then, with theflight of the killer, he put a check on the anger of the relatives of the
man who was slain.
Question
. Theodoret tries to explain the meaning of the term aijwv n (“age”) in Ex . by citing what he here seems to regard as a parallel usage in Ps . (LXX): oJ aijw; n
hJmw` n eij~ fwtismo; n proswvpou sou. Yet when expounding that verse in his com-mentary on the Psalms, he had tacitly acknowledged that it is very hard to elicitreal sense from the LXX version and had cited Symmachus’ rendition, which,
though it much better represents the Hebrew, does not contain the word aijwv n.
. Theodoret’s answer to this question takes no notice of Ex .–, whereMoses “looked this way and that” (NRSV ) before deliberately killing the Egyptian.
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Tiv ejstin ejxeikonismevnon ; a
Fasiv, tou' swvmato" ej n th' / mhvtra/ teleivou diaplasqev nto",
tovte yucou'sqai to; e[mbruon: kai; ga;r tou' ∆Ada;m to; sw'ma
provteron oJ poihth;" diaplavsa", ou{tw" ej nefuvshse th; n yuchv n.b
keleuv ei toiv nun oJ nomoqevth", gunaiko;" ejgkuvmono" ajmblwsavsh"
ej n mav ch/, eij me; n ejxeikonismev non ejxevlqoi to; brev fo", toutevsti
memorfwmev non, fovnon to; pravgma kalei'sqai kai; th; n i[shn
uJpev cein timwrivan to; n dedrakovta: eij de; mh; ejxevlqoimemorfwmev non, mh; logivzesqai fov non, ejpeidhvper oujdevpw
yucwqe; n ejxhmblwvqh, ajlla; zhmivan tiv nein to; n ai[tion.
Dia; tiv to; n keratisth; n tau'ron aj nairei'sqai keleuv ei;a
Kai; dia; tw' n ajlovgwn paideuvwn tou;" logikou;" hJlivkon oJ
fov no" kakov n.
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C –5 1, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Gn .
A [ ], B, C –51, = mss.a. Ex .
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What is the meaning of “with human features”?a
It is the general opinion that life is communicated to the fetus
when its body is fully formed in the womb. Thus, right after form-
ing Adam’s body, the Creator breathed life into him.b So, in the case
of a pregnant woman who suffers miscarriage in the course of a
fight, the lawgiver ordains that if the infant comes out with human
features—that is, fully formed—the case is to be considered murder,
and the guilty party must pay with his own life. But if it comes outbefore it is fully formed, the case is not to be considered murder,
since the miscarriage occurred before the animation of the child.
Nonetheless, the party responsible is to make recompense.
Why does he command the killing of a bull that gores?a
To use the brute beasts to teach rational people the enormity of
homicide.
Question
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Dia; tiv oJ movscon keklofw;" pentaplavsia ejktiv nein
ejkeleuvsqh, oJ de; provbaton tetraplavsia;a
{ Oti ta; meivzona tw' n aJmarthmavtwn meizov nwn a[xia
timhmavtwn. ou{tw kai; oJ Kuvrio" ejdivdaxen: w | / mev n, gavr fhsi,
polu; doqhvsetai, polu; kai; ajpaithvsousi paræ aujtou'.b
Pw'" nohtevon to; qeou;" ouj kakologhvsei" ; a
Tou;" krita;" oj nomavzei qeouv", wJ" kata; mivmhsin tou' tw' n o{lwn
Qeou' kriv nein pepisteumev nou". tou'to safevsteron ejdivdaxen oJ
profhvth" Dabivd: eijpw; n gavr, oJ Qeo;" e[sth ejn sunagwgh' / qew' n,
ejn mevsw/ de; qeou;" diakrivnei, ejphvgagen, e{w" povte krivnete
ajdikivan kai; provswpa aJ martwlw' n lambavnete ;.......krivnate oj rfanw' / kai; ptwcw' /, tapeino;n kai; pevnhta dikaiwvsate. ejxevlesqe
pevnhta kai; ptwcovn, ejk ceiro;" aJ martwlou' rJuvsasqe aujtovn: ei\ta
kathgorw' n prostevqeiken, oujk e[gnwsan oujde; sunh' kan, ejn
skovtei diaporeuvontai:b ejpideivknusi de; kai; th; n oijkeivan
filotimivan: ejgwv, gavr fhsin, ei\ pon, qeoiv ejste kai; uiJoi; uJyivstou
pavnte". uJ mei' " de; wJ" a[nqrwpoi ajpoqnhv /skete kai; wJ" ei |" tw' n
aj rcovntwn pivptete:c ou{tw kai; ej ntau'qa, qeou;" ouj kakologhvsei"
kai; a[ rconta tou' laou' sou oujk ej rei' " kakw' ".
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Lk .
A [ ], B, c, , = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ps .–mmc. Ps .f.
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Why is the thief of a calf commanded to repay fivefold, but the
thief of a sheep fourfold?a
Because greater sins deserve greater penalties. The Lord himself
gave similar instructions: “Of the person to whom much will be giv-
en much will also be required.”b
How are we to understand the verse “You shall not revile gods”?a
By “gods” he meant judges, since they are commissioned to judge
in imitation of the God of the universe. The prophet David taught
the same thing more explicitly. After declaring, “God has taken his
place in an assembly of gods,” he went on, “How long will you deliv-
er unjust judgments and take the part of sinners? Judge in favor of orphan and poor; give justice to the lowly and needy. Rescue the
needy and poor; deliver him from the hands of the sinner.” Then by
way of accusation he added, “They did not know, nor did they un-
derstand; they walk in darkness.”b God also showed his own gen-
erosity with “I said, you are gods, and all of you children of the Most
High. But as men you die, and as one of the rulers you fall.”c Like-
wise here, too, “You shall not revile gods or malign a leader of your
people.”1
Question
. Had Theodoret been able to read the Hebrew, he would have seen that in Ex . the term ‘elohim (God) had been wrongly rendered in the plural by the LXX.Lacking this linguistic expertise, he sought clarification of the plural qeouv~ (gods)by reference to what he mistakenly imagined to be a parallel usage in Ps. , where
God is presented as presiding over the council of the gods of the nations. In hiscommentary on Ps. ., Theodoret had cited Ex . to show that both passagesdeal with judges.
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Tiv no" e{ neken qhriavlwta kreva ejsqiv ein ajpagoreuv ei;a
Logikwtevran aujtou;" didavskei zwh; n kai; mhde; n e[ cein
qhriw'de" pareggua' /. ta; ga;r qhriva ouj quv ei provteron, ei\qæ ou{tw"
ejsqiv ei. dia; tou'to metæ ojlivga kai; tw' n ej cqrw' n ejpimelei'sqai
keleuv ei, kai; tou' dusmenw'" diakeimev nou to; n bou' n planwvmenon
mh; parora' n, ajllæ ejpistrev fein eij" th; n tou' dusmenou'" oijkivan,
kai; to; uJpozuvgion peptwko;" aj nista' n, kai; tai'" toiauvtai" euj ergesivai" ta;" katallaga;" mhcana'sqai.b didavskei de; dia;
touvtwn wJ" ei |" palaia'" kai; kainh'" diaqhvkh" nomoqevth", kai; oJ
tou'ton dedwkw;" to; n novmon kai; to; n eujaggeliko; n ejdwrhvsato.
Tiv ejstin oujk ojfqhvsh/ ejnwvpion Kurivou tou' Qeou' sou kenov" ; a
jApiw; n proskunh'sai tw' / despovth/ Qew' /, ta; dunatav soi
provsfere dw'ra. hJma'" de; oJ lovgo" didavskei eij me; n crhvmata
e[ coimen, meta; th'" tw' n penhvtwn qerapeiva" proseuv cesqai tw' /
Qew' /: eij de; to; n ajkthvmona proairouvmeqa bivon, mh; kenh; n e[ cein
tw' n ajgaqw' n th; n yuchv n, ajllæ e[ cousan to; n plou'ton th'" ajreth'".
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .f.
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex . (LXX var.)
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Why did he forbid them to eat the meat of beasts killed by wild
animals?a
To teach them a more rational life and urge them to eschew the
savagery of animals. Wild animals do not wait to offer their prey in
sacrifice before they eat it. Hence, a little later, he also commands
them to exert themselves on behalf of their enemies: not to ignore
their adversary’s ox when it is straying but to lead it back to the ad-
versary’s house, to raise up the ass that has fallen, and to effectreconciliation with this kind of good deeds.1b Now, in all these regu-
lations, he teaches that there is one Lawgiver of Old and New Testa-
ments, that he who gave the Law bestowed also the law of the
Gospels.
What is the meaning of “You shall not appear before the Lord
your God empty-handed”?a
When you go to worship the Lord God, offer gifts in accordance
with your means. This verse teaches us, if we have money, to pray to
God with the care of the needy, or, if we opt for a life of poverty, to
approach God with a soul that is not empty of good things but
wealthy in virtue.
Question
. Theodoret does not refer to the parallel passage Lv .–, which indicatesthe central concern of Ex ., i.e., that the life blood of the animal be offered toGod; v. R.J. Faley, on Lv .–. Instead, he applies a spiritual exegesis that permitshim to discover in this verse a general prescription of the civilized behavior de-
scribed in .f., which command considerate treatment of livestock belonging toone’s enemy. Thus, he can claim that the prohibition of Ex . evinces the mercy of the gospel law and is, therefore, indicative of the unity of the two Testaments.
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Poiva ejsti; n eJorth; hJ tou' qerismou' tw' n prwtogenhmavtwn, kai;
poiva eJorth; th' " sunteleiva" ejpæ ejxovdw/ tou' ejniautou` ; a
ÔEorth;n tw' n prwtogenhmavtwn th; n Penthkosth; n kalei',
eJorth;n de; sunteleiva" ejpæ ejxovdw/ tou' ejniautou' th; n th'"
Skhnophgiva". kai; tou'to didavskwn, ejphvgage, trei' " kairou;" tou'
ejniautou' ojfqhvsetai pa' n aj rsenikovn sou ejnwvpion Kurivou tou'
Qeou' sou,b toutevsti th' / eJorth' / tou' Pavsca, kai; th' /
Penthkosth' /, kai; th' / Skhnophgiva/. aj namimnhvskei de; to; me; nPavsca th'" ejxovdou th'" ejx Aijguvptou kai; th'" parasceqeivsh"
ejleuqeriva", hJ de; Penthkosth; th'" eij" th; n gh' n th'" ejpaggeliva"
eijsovdou: ejkei' ga;r speivronte", ta;" ajparca;" tw' n genhmavtwn
prosev feron: ej n ga;r th' / ejrhvmw/ to; n a[sporon kai; aj nhvroton
h[sqion a[rton.c hJ de; Skhnophgiva th; n ej n ejrhvmw/ diagwgh; n
uJpograv fei: ej n skhnai'" ga;r oijkou' nte" tessaravkonta
dietevlesan e[th.d
ej n tauvtai" tai'" eJortai'" suntrev cein eij" to; nqei'on new; paregguv hsen i{ na kai; tw' n qeivwn aj namimnhvskwntai
dwrew' n, kai; eij" oJmov noian kai; filivan sunavptwntai, kaiv,
fileortastai; o[ nte", mh; peri; ta; temev nh tw' n daimov nwn
trufw'sin, ajllæ ej n tw' / naw' / tou' pepoihkovto" kai; ta; ajgaqa;
corhgou' nto" th'" eJortastikh'" ajpolauvwsin eujwciva".
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B*, C, * = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .–mmd. Cf. Nm ..
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What were “the festival of the harvest of first-fruits” and “the fes-
tival of completion at the end of the year”?a
By “festival of the first-fruits” he referred to Pentecost and by
“festival of completion at the end of the year” to Tabernacles. In the
same provision, he added: “Three times in the year, all your males
shall appear before the Lord your God,”b namely, Passover, Pente-
cost, and Tabernacles. Passover recalls the exodus from Egypt and
the granting of freedom, Pentecost the entrance into the promisedland, where they sowed crops and made offerings of their first-
fruits, for, in the wilderness, they ate food that came without sowing
or tilling.c Tabernacles represents their time in the wilderness, where
they spent forty years living in tents.d He commanded them to re-
pair to the temple of God on these festivals so they would remember
the gifts they had received from him and unite in harmony and
friendship. Thus, being great lovers of festivals, they would not revelin the demons’ shrines but celebrate their holiday feasts in the tem-
ple of the God who had created them and blessed them with these
good things.
Question
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Tiv ejstin ouj quvsei" ejpi; zuv mh/ ai | ma qusiavsmatov" mou ; a
jAzuvmou" a[rtou" tw' / qusiasthrivw/ prosev feron:b zumivta" de;
ajpagoreuv ei prosfevrein, dia; tw' n aijsqhtw' n didavskwn ta; nohtav.
ejpeidh; ga;r oJ a[zumo" a[rto" aujtoscevdiov" ejstin, oJ de; zumivth"
e[ cei ti th'" zuvmh" th'" palaia'",c ajpagoreuv ei oJ novmo" mhde; n
toi'" qeivoi" th'" aijguptiakh'" aj namignuv nai didaskaliva". ou{tw
kai; oJ Kuvrio" toi'" iJ eroi'" e[lege maqhtai'", prosev cete ajpo; th' " zuv mh" tw' n grammatevwn kai; farisaivwn.d
Pw'" nohtevon to; ouj c eJyhvsei" a[ rna ejn gavlakti mhtro;"
aujtou' ;a
Pollavki" e[ fhn o{ti dia; pav ntwn aujtou;" filanqrwpivan
didavskei. tine;" ou\ n fasin ajpagoreuv ein to; n novmon to;
eujqugene;" ejsqiv ein, tine;" de; tw' / mhtrwv /w/ gavlakti mh; suneyei' n:
trovpon gavr tina kai; th; n mhtevra suneyei': ajpagoreuv ei de; kai;
tw' / Qew' / prosfevrein kata; taujto; n mhtevra kai; to; tecqe; n ejx
aujth'". kai; aujtoi'" de; parekeleuvsato strouqw' n euJrhkovsi
neottivan mh; sunqhreuv ein toi'" neottoi'" th; n mhtevra: tou'to
gavr ejstin ejxalei' yai tw' n ojrnevwn to; gev no".b
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, c, , = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Lv .f.mmc. Cor .mmd. Mt .
A [ ], B, c, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Dt .f.
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What is the meaning of “You shall not offer the blood of my sac-
rifice with leaven”?a
It was their practice to offer unleavened loaves on the altar,b and
he forbade the offering of leavened, thus conveying spiritual, by
means of material, realities. Since the unleavened is natural while
leavened bread contains some of the old leaven,c the Law forbade
the adulteration of the sacrificial offerings with anything derived
from Egyptian religion. Thus, the Lord himself warned his holy dis-
ciples: “Be on guard against the leaven of the scribes and Phar-
isees.”1d
How are we to understand the verse “You shall not boil a lamb in
its mother’s milk”?a
As I have often remarked, he employed every means to teach
them benevolence. Some commentators have claimed that this law
forbids the eating of a newborn creature, others the boiling of the
newborn in its mother’s milk, since this is, in a sense, to boil the
mother along with her lamb, and he thus forbade them to offer God
a mother and her offspring at the same time. He also enjoined that,
on finding a swallow’s nest, they were not to take the mother with
the chicks, since this would wipe out the whole stock of birds. 1b
Question
. On Theodoret’s version of this dominical saying v. note to Q. on Ex.
. The prohibition of Ex . is found also at . and Dt .. In all thesepassages the LXX offers “lamb” rather than the “kid” of the MT.
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Pw'" nohtevon to;n aj riqmo;n tw' n hJ merw` n sou ajnaplhrwvsw; a
Th; n wJrismev nhn fhsi; toi'" aj nqrwvpoi" zwhv n, toutevstin eij"
gh'ra" makro; n ejlqei' n se paraskeuavsw.
Tiv ejstin ajpostelw' ta;" sfhkiva" protev ra" sou ; a
ÔW" toi'" aijguptivoi" batrav cou"b kai; skni'pa"c kai;
kunovmuiand e[pemyen, ou{tw toi'" cananaivoi" kai; toi'" a[lloi"
e[qnesi ta;" sfhkiva". tou'to de; dhloi' th; n uJperbavllousan
duv namin tou' Qeou': o{ti, kai; dia; tw' n smikrw' n zw/ ufivwn, kai; toi'"
oijkeivoi" ejpikourei' kai; toi'" ej nantivoi" ejpavgei to; n o[leqron.
tou'to kai; dia; tou' makarivou levgei Dabivd, ∆ Israh;l tai' " oJdoi' " mou eij ejporeuvqh, ejn tw' / mhdeni; a]n tou;" ej cqrou;" aujtw' n
ejtapeivnwsae aj nti; tou'∑ eujpetw'" a] n mavla kai; rJa/divw" tou;"
polemou' nta" aujtoi" ejxwlovqreusa.
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C –51, = mss.
a. Ex .
A [ ], B, C –51, = mss.
l. polemou` nta~ aujtoi~ J.P. : polemou` nta~ aujtou;~ Sir. Sch. F.M. = “I would have made short work of those who were making war .” In this context, onewould expect the pronoun to refer to those fought against, not those fighting;cf. Thdt., Ps. . (tou;~ polemou` nta~ aujtw/ ) and Ezech. .f. (∆Assurivwn kai;
Caldaivwn polemouv ntwn aujtoi~). It is just possible that Thdt. here joinspolemevw to an accusative direct object rather than a dative complement, andSir. and Sch. print aujtou;~ polemou` nta~ (= fighting against them) in hiscomment on Mi .– (PG, vol. , col. A). Yet this seems dubious, since
elsewhere Thdt. restricts polemevw + acc. pronouns to forms of ejgwv and suv.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .mme. Ps .f.
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How are we to understand, “I shall fill out the number of your
days”?a
He means the span of life set for human beings, in other words:
“I shall cause you to live to a great old age.”
What is the meaning of “I shall send wasps before you”? 1a
As he had sent frogs,b gnats,c and dog fliesd on the Egyptians, so
he sent wasps on the Canaanites and the other nations. This indi-
cates the surpassing power of God: that even with such tiny crea-
tures he lends assistance to his own and brings ruin on their adver-
saries. As he declared through the blessed David, “If Israel had
travelled in my ways, I would have brought their foes down with amere nothing,”e that is: “I would have made short work of those
who warred against them.”
Question
. It is, in fact, the LXX that offers “wasp” (sfhkiva) for the obscure Hebrew term rendered as “pestilence” or “hornets” in the NRSV.
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Pw'" ejpaggeilavmeno" oJ Qeo;" mev cri tou' ∆Eufravtou potamou'
paradwvsein aujtoi'" th; n gh' n,a oujk ejplhvrwse th; n uJpovscesin;
Dia; ÔIeremivou tou' profhvtou tou'to safevsteron pepoiv hken oJ
Qeov": pev ra", gavr fhsi, lalhvsw ejpi; e[qno" kai;....... basileivan
tou' oijkodomei' n kai;.......katafuteuvein:b kai; e[stai ejavn, strafe;n
to; e[qno" ejkei' no poihvsh/ ponhrav, ouj mh; ejpagavgw ejpæ aujtw' /
pavnta ta; ajgaqa; o{sa ejlavlhsa, kai; ta; eJxh'".c eijshvgage toiv nun
aujtou;" oJ Qeo;" eij" h} n ejphggeivlato gh' n. ejpeidh; de; fulavxaito; n qei'on oujk hjboulhvqhsan novmon, ouj pa'san aujtoi'" parevdwken
ajllæ ei[asev tina" dihnekw'" aujtoi'" polemou' nta" i{ na
polemouvmenoi th; n qeivan aijtw'si bohvqeian, kai; tou'to
diaferov ntw" hJ tw' n kritw' n iJstoriva didavskei. Dabi;d mev ntoi tw' /
basilei' kai; touvtou" uJpevtaxe: kai; ga;r oiJ ajllov fuloi fovrou"
ejdivdosan,d kai; Suriva Damaskou', kai; Suriva Souba'.e kai; Solomw' n
dev, e{w" hujsevbei, tauvthn ei\ ce th; n dunasteivan: ajpokliv na" de; eij" ajsevbeian, th'" ejxousiva" ejxevpese.f kai; touvtoi" de; dwvsein
ejphggeivlato ta;" ej ntola;" kai; to; n novmon fulavttousin.
Th; n skhnh; n tiv dhv pote prosevtaxen oJ Qeo;" genevsqai;
() Aujto;" oJ despovth" Qeo;" th; n aijtivan dedhvlwken: e[ fh de;
ou{tw: kai; poihvsei" moi aJgivasma, kai; ojqfhvsomai ejn uJ mi' n. kai;
poihvsei" kata; pavnta o{sa ejgw; deivknumiv soi ejn tw' / o[ rei, to;
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C –51, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Jer .mmc. Cf. Jer ..mmd. Sm .mme. Sm .mmf. Kgs .–
A [ ], B, C –51, = mss.
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How is it that, after promising to give them the land as far as the
Euphrates River,a God failed to fulfil his promise?
God made this clearer through the prophet Jeremiah: “I shall de-
clare a decision for a nation or kingdom, to build and plant;b and if
that nation turn to do evil, I shall not bring upon it all the good
things I said,” and so on.1c So God brought them into the promised
land, but, since they refused to keep his Law, he did not give them all
the land but permitted other peoples to wage constant war on them,so that, when under attack, they would beg for his help. It is particu-
larly the biblical book of Judges that teaches us this. Nonetheless, he
subjected these peoples to King David. The Philistines paid tributed
along with Syria of Damascus and Syria of Zobah,e and Solomon
held this empire as long as he lived a pious life. But when he slipped
into idolatry, he lost his power.f God’s promise of this gift was con-
tingent upon their observance of the commandments and the Law.
Why did God command the construction of the tabernacle? 1
() The Lord God explained the reason himself when he de-
clared: “You shall make me a sanctuary, and I shall appear among
you. You shall make it according to all the details I show you on the
mountain, according to the model of the tabernacle and the model
Question
. The word pevra~, here rendered “decision,” very frequently means “limit” or
“boundary”; v. LSJ, sub uoce, I.
. Theodoret has so much to say on the tabernacle, its design and furnishings,
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paravdeigma th' " skhnh' " kai; to; paravdeigma tw' n skeuw' n aujth' ".a
ejpeidh; ga;r ej n tw' / Sina' o[rei to; n novmon ejdedwvkei, eijko;" de; h\ n
tina" uJpotoph'sai perigegrav fqai to; qei'on, ejkevleuse genevsqai
skhnh; n i{ næ, ejkei'qen th; n oijkeivan poiouvmeno" ejpifav neian, ejkpaideuv h/ to; n lao; n th; n eujsevbeian. w{sper gavr, th; n
ejphggelmev nhn aujtw' n ajpeilhfovtwn gh' n, new; n genevsqai
prosevtaxeb kai; ta;" qeiva" ejkei' giv nesqai leitourgiva"
ej nomoqevthsen i{ na mhv, ajdew'" tou'to drw' nte", th' / tw' n ajlithrivwn
daimov nwn peripevswsi plav nh/, ou{tw" oJdoiporou'si kai; th; n
e[rhmon diabaiv nousi skhnh; n poih'sai prosevtaxe, metabh' nai kai;
aujth; n dunamev nhn, i{ na kai; ta;" proseuca;" kai; ta;" iJ erourgiva" ej n tauvth/ prosfevrwsi. kai; tau'ta de; th'" aujtw' n e{ neka
gegev nhtai creiva". ejpeidh; gavr, ej n tw' / o[rei tou' megavlou
Mwu>sevw" pleivou" diatriv yanto" hJmevra",c pro;" to; n ∆Aarw; n
e[ fasan, poivhson hJ mi' n qeouv", oi} proporeuvsontai hJ mw' n,d kaiv,
th; n eijkov na tou' movscou kataskeuavsante", ejbovwn coreuvonte",
ou |toi oiJ qeoiv sou, ∆Israhvl, oiJ ejxagagovnte" se ejk gh' "
Aijguvptou,e th; n skhnh; n tauvthn genevsqai prosevtaxen oJ Qeo;"
kai; ajpairov ntwn hJgei'sqai nenomoqevthke kai; aujlizomev nwn
i{stasqai w{ste kai; tou;" iJ ereva" ej n aujth' / ta;" qusiva" ejpitelei' n.
() Ei\ ce de; aujth; th'" ktivsew" th; n eijkov na. w{sper ga;r to; n
oujrano; n kai; th; n gh' n dhmiourghvsa", oJ despovth" Qeo;" mevson
pavlin ejxevteine to; sterevwma kai; diwvrise ta; uJperw' /a tw' n kavtw,f
ou{tw mivan me; n genevsqai prosevtaxe th; n skhnhv n, triavkonta me; n
phv cewn to; mh'ko" devka de; to; eu\ro" e[ cousan, ej n mevsw/ de; to;
The Questions on Exodus
a. Ex .f.mmb. Sm .; Kgs .mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .mme. Ex .mmf. Gn .mm
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of all its furnishings.”a You see, since he had given the Law on Mount
Sinai, and there were probably those who had come to imagine that
the divine nature was circumscribed, he ordered the construction of
the tabernacle in which to reveal himself and instruct his people inright religion. When they had taken possession of the promised
land, he commanded the building of the templeb and prescribed the
performance of the divine service there so that they would not fall
victim to the deception of sinful demons by failing to worship with
due reverence. Likewise, he bade them construct a tabernacle that
could be moved when they were travelling across the desert so that
they could offer prayers and worship in it. This was meant to meettheir needs: After Moses, that great man, had spent many days on
the mountain,c they said to Aaron, “Make us gods to go before us,”d
and they made an image of the calf, danced, and cried out, “These
are your gods, Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,” e so
God commanded the construction of this tabernacle and prescribed
that it go before them when they were on the move and stop when
they made camp so that the priests might perform the sacrifices in
it.
() The tabernacle was a representation of creation.2 When he
created heaven and earth, the Lord God stretched a firmament in
the midst and separated things above from things below.f Just so, he
ordered the building of one tabernacle, thirty cubits long and ten
Question
and the accoutrements of the priests, that it looks as if he used this question as anopportunity to produce an essay on the religious institutions of the Jews. It is puz-zling that he should devote so much attention to Ex –, since he makes so littleeffort to find in the various elements of the description reference to Christ orChristian liturgy. While he makes two quick allusions to their use in Hebrews
and , and two further typological comments meant to highlight the superiority of Christian to Jewish worship, he does not touch on the christological significance of the mercy seat, to which he had devoted a beautiful development in his commenton Rom .; cf. his treatment of the manna in Qq. –, where he never once
mentions Christ or the Eucharist.. In his discussion of chh. –, Theodoret may have drawn on Theodore of
Mopsuestia’s treatment of the topic, fragments of which have been preserved in
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katapevtasma diateiv na", ej n tuvpw/ tou' sterewvmato" dich' /
diei'len aujthv n, kai; to; me; n para; th; n quvran mevro" ejkavlesen
a{gia, to; de; tou' katapetavsmato" e[ ndon a{gia aJgivwn wj novmase.g
kai; w{sper levgei Dabivd, oJ ouj rano;" tou' ouj ranou' tw' / Kurivw/, th;n de; gh' n e[dwke toi' " uiJoi' " tw' n ajnqrwvpwn,h ou{tw" e[xw me; n tou'
katapetavsmato" eijsithto;" h\ n toi'" iJ ereu'si, ta; de; e[ ndon
a[ yausta h\ n kai; a[duta kai; aj navktora: to; n ajrciereva ga;r mov non
a{pax tou' e[tou" novmo" h\ n eijsiev nai.i h\ n de; ejkei' ta; tw' n
ceroubi;m eijkavsmata, j tuvpon tw' n ajswmavtwn dunavmewn e[ conta:
ej n mevsw/ de; touvtwn hJ kibwto;" e[keito, ta;" plavka" e[ cousa tou'
novmou,k
kai; th; n stavmnon tou' mav nna, kai; th; n rJavbdon ∆Aarw; nth; n blasthvsasan.l ejpevkeito de; tauvth/ to; iJlasthvrion, tai'"
ptevruxi tw' n ceroubi;m skiazovmenon:m ej n touvtw/ de; oJ tw' n o{lwn
Qeo;" th; n oijkeivan ejpifav neian ejpoiei'to. ejpeidh; ga;r hJ qeiva
fuvsi" aj neivdeov" te kai; ajschmavtisto" ajovratov" te kai;
ajperivlhpto", kai; th'" toiauvth" oujsiva" eijkov na tekthv nasqai
pantavpasi tw' n ajdunavtwn, ta; suvmbola tw' n megivstwn aujtou'
dwrew' n e[ ndon kei'sqai prosevtaxen. aiJ me; n ga;r plavke" th; n
nomoqesivan ejdhvloun, th; n de; iJ erwsuv nhn hJ rJavbdo", to; de; mav nna
th; n ej n ejrhvmw/ trofh; n kai; to; n aj ceiropoiv hton a[rton: to; dev ge
iJlasthvrion th'" profhteiva" suvmbolon h\ n: ejkei'qen ga;r aiJ
prorrhvsei" ejgiv nonto.n w{sper ga;r ejk megevqou" kai; kallonh' "
ktismavtwn ajnalovgw" oJ genesiourgo;" aujtw' n qewrei' tai,o ou{tw
dia; touvtwn oJ megalovdwro" ejgnwrivzeto.
() Ta; me; n ou\ n e[ ndon th'" skhnh'" tw' n ejpouranivwn ei\ ce to; n
tuvpon: dio; kai; a{gia tw' n aJgivwn wj novmasto. kai; o{ti tou'to
The Questions on Exodus
l. katapevtasma , C –51, , Sir. Sch. : parapevtasma Pic. (Sch.) F.M.In the twenty-nine other places where Thdt. uses katapevtasma, it always refersto the veil of the temple. In the nine other places where Thdt. usesparapevtasma, it is associated with the katapevtasma of the temple only inone passage of the Eran. (Dial. , p. ).
l. katapetavsmato~ a [ ] , C –51, , Sir. Sch. : parapetavsmato~ F.M.
g. Ex
.
mmh. Ps
.
mmi. Lv
.
mm j. Ex
.
–
mmk. Ex
.
;
Kgs
.
l. Ex .–; Nm .f.; Heb .mmm. Ex .mmn. V., e.g., Jgs .–mmo. Wis .mm
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cubits wide, and in the middle he stretched the veil, which, as an im-
age of the firmament, divided the tent in two. He called the part by
the door “the holy place” and named the part behind the veil “the
Holy of Holies.”g As David declares, “The heaven of heaven is theLord’s, but the earth he has given to the sons of men.”h Thus, the
priests were permitted to enter the area outside the veil, but the area
inside was inviolable, inaccessible, and sacred. By law the high priest
alone entered just once a year.i Inside were the likenesses of the
cherubim j presenting an image of incorporeal powers; between the
cherubim was placed the ark containing the tablets of the Law,k the
jar of manna, and Aaron’s sprouting rod.l
The mercy seat was placedon top of the ark, overshadowed by the wings of the cherubim,m and
on it the God of the universe revealed himself. Since the divine na-
ture is without form or shape, invisible, and incomprehensible, and
it is utterly impossible to devise an image of such a being, he com-
manded symbols of his greatest gifts be placed there: the tablets rep-
resenting the giving of the Law, the rod the priesthood, the manna
the nourishment in the wilderness and the bread not made by hu-
man hands. The mercy seat was a symbol of prophecy, since predic-
tions were made there.n Just as “the Creator is to some extent dis-
cerned from the magnitude and beauty of the creation,”o so the
generous giver was made known in these gifts.3
() The area inside the tabernacle presented an image of heaven
and hence was called the “Holy of Holies.” The inspired apostle tes-
Question
the catena Nikephori; v. note to Q. . Theodore, for example, had argued that thetabernacle represented creation; v. Devreesse, pp. f.
. Theodoret rarely cites the Wisdom of Solomon; cf. his comment on Ps .f.LXX (.f. MT).
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ajlhqe;" mavrtu" oJ qei'o" ajpovstolo", ouJtwsi; levgwn: ouj ga; r eij"
ceiropoivhta a{gia eijsh' lqen oJ Cristov", ajntivtupa tw' n ajlhqinw' n,
ajllæ eij" aujto;n to;n ouj rano;n nu' n ej mfanisqh' nai tw' / proswvpw/ tou'
Qeou' uJpe; r hJ mw' n:p kai; pavlin peri; th'" qeiva" ejlpivdo"dialegovmeno", kai; tau'ta prostevqeiken: h}n wJ" a[gkuran
e[ comen .......ajsfalh' , te kai; bebaivan, kai; eijsercomevnhn eij" to;
ejswvteron tou' katapetavsmato", o{pou provdromo" uJpe; r hJ mw' n
eijsh' lqen ∆Ihsou' ", genov meno" aj rciereu;" kata; th;n tavxin
Melcisedevk.q
Oujkou' n ta; me; n e[ ndon tou' katapetavsmato" th; n tw' n
ejpouranivwn ei\ cen eijkov na, ta; de; ejkto;" tw' n ejpigeivwn: dio; kai;toi'" iJ ereu'si dihnekw'" h\ n batav. ei\ ce de; tau'ta lucnivan me; n ej n
tw' / notivw/ mevrei keimev nhn eJptavkaulon,r ijsarivqmou" e[ cousan
luv cnou" ejpikeimev nou":s ejdhvloun de; ou |toi tw' n hJmerw n th'"
eJbdomavdo" to; n ajriqmov n: travpezan de; ej n tw' / boreivw/ crush' n,t ej fæ
h |" a[rtou" prokei'sqai prosevtaxe duokaivdeka kai; fiavla"
crusa'" plhvrei" libanwtou' kai; aJlw' n.u ej n de; tw' / mevsw/ th'" te
lucniva" kai; th'" trapevzh" crusou' n e[keito qumiathvrion.v tau'ta
de; h\ n aij nivgmata tw' n ajpo; gh'" toi'" aj nqrwvpoi" dedwrhmev nwn
karpw' n. pro; de; th'" skhnh'" e[xw to; calkou' n h\ n qusiasthvrion,
to; ta; prosferovmena decovmenon quvmata.w dhloi' de; tou'to
peritta; ei\ nai tau'ta kai; mh; ajresta; tw' / tw' n o{lwn Qew' /. o{qen
ejpitelei'sqai me; n aujta; sunecwvrhse dia; th; n ijoudaivwn
ajsqev neian, e[xw de; th'" skhnh'" iJ erourgei'sqai prosevtaxen, wJ"
toi'" e[ ndon oujk aj nagkai'a. hJmei'" de; th; n toi'" e[ ndon
ajponemhqei'san leitourgivan ejpitelou'men: qumivama gavr, kai;lucniai'on fw'" prosfevromen tw' / Qew' /, kai; th; n mustikh; n th'"
aJgiva" trapevzh" iJ erourgivan.
() { Oti de; triavkonta phv cewn h\ n to; mh'ko" th'" skhnh'", kai;
devka to; eu\ro" katamaqei' n eujpetev": ei[kosi ga;r sanivda" ei\ ce
to; novtion mevro",x kai; tosauvta" to; bovreion: y sanivda" ga;r tou;"
stuvlou" wj novmasan oiJ a[lloi eJrmhneutaiv: eJkavsth" de; sanivdo"
The Questions on Exodus
p. Heb .mmq. Heb .f. mmr. Ex .mms. Ex .mmt. Ex .mmu. Ex .f.mmv. Ex .mmw. Ex .–mmx. Ex .mm y. Ex .mm
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tifies to the truth of this when he says, “Christ did not enter a sanc-
tuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into
heaven itself, and so he has now appeared in the presence of God on
our behalf”;p and again in speaking of hope in God he added, “Wehave this sure and steadfast anchor, a hope that enters behind the
curtain, where, on our behalf, entered the forerunner, Jesus, who be-
came a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”q
So, what was inside the curtain presented an image of heavenly
realities and what was outside of earthly, and hence the latter wasconstantly accessible to the priests. The area outside the curtain
contained a seven-stemmed lampstand.r Situated on the south side,
it bore seven lampss indicative of the number of days of the week.4
On the north side there was a golden table,t on which he command-
ed to be set out twelve loaves as well as golden bowls full of incense
and salt.u In between the lampstand and the table was a golden in-
cense altar.v These things were suggestive of the produce of the earth
granted to mankind. Outside, in front of the tabernacle, there was
an altar of bronze for the offering of sacrifice.w This suggests that
these sacrifices were futile, not acceptable to the God of the uni-
verse; he allowed the performance of these rites as a concession to
the limitations of the Jews but ordered them to be celebrated out-
side the tabernacle, as they were not essential for what was within.
We, on the other hand, celebrate a liturgy corresponding to what is
within, when we offer God incense, the light of lamps, and the eu-charistic liturgy of the holy table.5
() Now, we can easily reckon the length of the tabernacle as thir-
ty cubits and the width as ten. The south side had twenty planks, x
and the north likewise. y “Planks” is the term the other translators
Question
. Neither here nor in his comment on Zec
.
does Theodoret explain that thenumber seven symbolizes completeness; v. J.L. McKenzie, “Seven,” p. .. Here is a rare remark of a sacramental nature. Contrasting the offerings of
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ph' cun ej couvsh" kai; h{misu phv cew", triavkonta phv cei" aiJ ei[kosi
sanivde" ejplhvroun.z ou{tw pavlin to; pro;" dusma;" ajpoblevpon e}x
ei\ ce sanivda" to; aujto; mevtron ej couvsa", kai; duvo gwnivai".
dwvdeka ou\ n phv cei" ejk touvtwn sunagovmenoi, oiJ me; n devka to; e[ ndon eu\ro" ejplhvroun, oiJ de; a[lloi duvo tw' n eJkatevrwqen
pleurw' n ta;" aJrmoniva" ejdev conto.aa ejk mev ntoi tou' eJwv /ou mevrou"
th; n quvran genevsqai prosevtaxen i{ na, kai; aujto;" aj nivscwn, oJ
h{lio" oi |ov n tina proskuv nhsin prosfevrh/ toi'" propulaivoi",
eujqu;" ejkei'se ta;" ajkti' na" ejkpevmpwn, kai; oiJ tw' / qew' / mov nw/
latreuv ein prostetagmev noibb o[pisqen to; n h{lion e[ cwsi, pro;"
th; n skhnh; n tetrammev noi kaiv, mh; tou'ton, ajlla; to; n touvtoupoihth; n proskunw'si. drufavktw/ toiv nun hJ skhnh; prosewv /kei,
sanivda" e[ cousa pav ntoqen sunhrmosmev na" ajllhvlai". ei\ con de;
kai; ta;" bavsei" ajrgura'" kai; ta;" kefalivda" wJsauvtw",cc kai;
aujtai; de; kai; e[ ndoqen kai; e[xwqen h\san hjleimmev nai crusw' /.dd to; n
de; o[rofon ei\ cen ejx uJ fasmavtwn poikivlwn ejk diafovrwn
kateskeuasmev nwn crwmavtwn. to; me; n ga;r h\ n aJlourgov n, to; de;
rJodoeide;" h] kokkobafev", to; de; uJakiv nqw/ proseoikov":ee hJ de;
buvsso" th; n leukh; n ei\ ce croiav n. kai; tau'ta de; tw' n tessavrwn
h\ n stoiceivwn aij nivgmata: oJ me; n ga;r uJavkinqo" tw' / aj evri
prosevoike, to; de; rJodoeide;" h] kokkobafe;" tw' / puriv, to; de;
aJlourgo; n mhnuv ei th; n qavlattan: ejkeiv nh ga;r trev fei th; n kov clon,
ejx h|" to; toiou'ton giv netai crw'ma: hJ de; buvsso" th; n gh' n: ejk
tauvth" ga;r fuv esqai levgetai. kai; devrrei" de; ei\ ce triciv na"
ejpikeimev na" kai; mev ntoi kai; difqevra" poikivla" w{ste kai; to; n
uJ eto; n ajpeivrgein kai; to; n flogmov n.ff
The Questions on Exodus
ll. f. th; n kov clon ejx h |~ a [ ], , c –15 , : to; n kov clon ejx ou | , ,Sir. Sch. : to; n kov clon ejx h |~ F.M. The feminine article is required by thefollowing relative pronoun; for the use of kov clo~ in the feminine gender, cf.Bas., Hex. .; Hom. in diuites , and Gr. Nyss., Placill., p. , l. . While to; nkov clon ejx ou |, though grammatically correct, would be the easier reading, thecombination of the masculine antecedent with the feminine relative pronounwould be a solecism difficult to attribute to Thdt.
z. Ex .mmaa. Ex .f.mmbb. Ex .–mmcc. Ex .mmdd. Ex .mmee. Ex .mmff. Ex ., mm
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used in place of “pillars.” 6 Given that each plank was a cubit and a
half wide, the twenty planks made up thirty cubits.z Similarly, the
side facing west had six planks of the same dimensions and two on
the corners, so of the twelve cubits that these amount to, ten was thebreadth inside, and the remaining two were devoted to the joins
from either side.aa He commanded the door be set on the eastern
side so that the sun might, so to speak, itself offer adoration by di-
recting its rays to the vestibule at the moment of its rising, while
those ordered to serve God alonebb would be turned towards the
tabernacle and have the sun at their backs and thus adore, not the
sun, but its maker. So the tabernacle was like a railing, with plankson all sides fitted to one another. These also had silver bases and sil-
ver capitalscc and were gilded on both sides.dd They had a ceiling
made of various woven fabrics of a number of colors: purple,
roseate or scarlet, and a bluish color.ee The linen was white. These
were suggestive of the four elements. The blue resembled sky, the
roseate or scarlet fire; the purple recalled the sea, which nourishes
the shellfish from which that color is produced, and the linen earth,
from which it is said to grow. In addition, it was covered by hairy
skins as well as tanned skins of various colors that kept off the rain
and intense heat.ff
Question
the lampstand, showbread, and incense, which were made inside the tabernacle, tothe animal sacrifices that took place outside, Theodoret draws a typological con-nection between the former and the Christian liturgy in order to highlight the su-periority of the Christian Eucharist to the bloody sacrifices of the ancient He-brews. Note that, earlier in his reply, he had spoken carelessly of the priests offeringsacrifices within the tabernacle (w{ste kai; tou;~ iJ ereva~ ej n aujth/ ` ta;~ qusiva~
ejpitelei n).. The apparatus criticus to Ex . in the Göttingen Septuagint (v. J.W. Weversand U. Quast) confirms Theodoret’s report.
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() Kai; toi'" iJ ereu'si de; pantodapo; n peritevqeike kovsmon,
to; n me; n lao; n kataplhvttonta tw' / diafovrw/ tou' schvmato",
aujtou;" de; tou;" iJ ereva" didavskonta o{pw" crh; th; n yuch; n
wJraiv >zein kai; to; n th'" ajreth'" aujth' / kovsmon peritiqev nai.uJpoduvthn de; kalei' to; n ej ndovteron citwnivskon, ejpenduvthn de;
to; n citw' na to; n e[xwqen. uJakiv nqinon de; tou'ton genevsqai
prosevtaxe kai; podhv rh proshgovreusen, wJ" mev cri" a[krwn
dihvkonta tw' n podw' n.gg ajphvrthse de; touvtou kai; kwvdwna"
crusou'" kai; rJoiv >skou" i{ na, eij" to; a[duton kai; aj navktoron th'"
skhnh'" eijsiw; n kai; th; n ejk touvtwn ajpoteloumev nhn hj ch; n
eijsdecovmeno", meta; devou" th; n leitourgivan ejpitelh' /, eij"mnhvmhn lambav nwn to; n tau'ta prostetacovta kai; th; n
prosferomev nhn iJ erourgivan decovmenon.hh diav toi tou'to kai; tou'
aj evro" oJ podhvrh" ei\ ce to; crw'ma: uJakiv nqino" ga;r h\ n wJ" a[ n, kai;
eij" tou'ton aj forw' n, metavrsio" gev nhtai. ejpevkeito de; th' /
kefalh' / kivdari", to; n oujrano; n mimoumev nh.ii ejkavlupte de; kai;
tainiva to; mevtwpon, h} n mivtran ei\pon oiJ eJbdomhvkonta. ei\ ce de;
ej n mevsw/ pevtalon au{th crusou' n, ejggegrammev non e[ con tou'
Qeou' to; a[ fraston o[ noma, o} kalou'sin eJbrai'oi tetravgrammon. jj
eujlavbeian de; to; n lao; n ejkpaideuvwn, oJ despovth" Qeo;" diæ
aij nivgmato" tou'to dedhvlwken: ejpigrav yei" ga;r aujtw' /, fhsiv n,
aJgivasma Kurivou.kk ejkevleuse de; aujtw' / kai; ej festrivda genevsqai,
h} n oiJ eJbdomhvkonta ejpwmivda ejkavlesan,ll ej n de; tai'" basileivai"
euJrivskomen ejfou;d aujth; n kata; th; n tw' n eJbraivwn glw'ttan
wj nomasmev nhn.mm au{th ei\ cen ej fæ eJkatevrou me; n w[mou duvo livqou"
polutelei'" e[ conta" tw' n fulw' n ta;" proshgoriva" ejggegrammev na",nn ej n de; tw' / sthvqei to; kalouvmenon lovgion th; n
logikh; n sugkaluvpton kardivan. ei\ ce de; kai; tou'to duokaivdeka
livqou" proshrmosmev nou" diav foron e[ conta" croiav n:oo dia; de;
touvtwn ejdhlou'to, polevmou sugkrothqev nto", h] nivkh h] h |tta. kai;
tou'to tw' n basileiw' n hJ iJstoriva didavskei: ejpistrateusav ntwn
The Questions on Exodus
gg. Ex ., mmhh. Ex .–mmii. Ex ., mm jj. Ex .–mmkk. Ex .mmll. Ex .–mmmm. Sm .; .; .mmnn. Ex .–mmoo. Ex .–mm
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() He also clad the priests in the most comely attire to impress
the people with their extraordinary appearance and teach the priests
how to beautify the soul and bedeck it with the adornment of
virtue. By “undergarment” he referred to the inner, and by “outergarment” to the outer, tunic. He commanded the latter be blue in
color and called it “full length,” because it reached to the top of the
feet.gg To this he attached golden bells and pomegranates so that, on
entering the unapproachable precincts and hearing the sound issu-
ing from these, Aaron might celebrate the rite with reverence and
call to mind him who had commanded these things and who was to
receive the worship being offered.hh
The outer garment had the col-or of the sky, blue, so that when he looked upon it, he might be ele-
vated above this world. On his head was a turban in imitation of the
sky.ii His forehead was covered by a headband, which the Seventy
called a “head-dress”; in the middle it had a golden plate inscribed
with the name of God that is not pronounced, which the Hebrews
call “the Tetragrammaton.” 7jj This was to teach the people reverence
as the Lord God revealed in riddling manner: “You shall inscribe on
it ‘the holiness of the Lord.’”kk He also commanded there be made
for Aaron an upper garment, which the Seventy called “the shoulder
cape”ll though in First Samuel8 we find it given the Hebrew name
“ephod.”9mm It had two precious stones, one on each shoulder, in-
scribed with the names of the tribesnn and on the breast, what was
called the “declaration” covering the heart, the seat of reason. This
had fitted to it twelve stones of different colors,oo by means of
which, as we learn from First Samuel, the issue of victory or defeat
Question
. Cf. Q. .. In the LXX, the books of Samuel and Kings are enumerated as the four
books of “The Reigns” (aiJ basileiai).
. The ephod, a close-fitting waistcoat with shoulder straps, is referred to by theLXX as ejpwmiv" in Ex, but as ej fouvd / ej fwvd in Sm; v. the apparatus of ancientsources.
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ga;r tw' n ajllofuvlwn tw' / ∆Israhvl, ouj provteron ejtovlmhsen oJ
Saou;l paratavxasqai e{w" ei\de ta; th'" nivkh" mhnuvmata:
prosavgage, gavr fhsi, to; ejfouvd:pp ei\ta th; n nivkhn maqwv n,
ejphvgage, sunavgage to; ejfou;d qq kai; ou{tw" ejxwvplise to; n laov n.dia; tou'to eijrhkw;" oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeov", kai; ejpiqhvsei" to; lovgion
th'" krivsew" ejpi; to; sth'qo" ∆Aarw; n kai; sunavyei" aujto;.......pro;"
th;n ejpwmivda,rr ejphvgage, kai; ejpiqhvsei" aujtw' Û.......th;n dhvlwsin
kai; th;n ajlhvqeian.ss kai; dhvlwsin me; n ejkavlese ta; ejkei'qen
mhnuvmata, ajlhvqeian de; tw' n mhnumavtwn to; aj yeudev".
() ∆Istevon mev ntoi, wJ" pacutevroi" ou\si toi'" thnikau'ta kai;tw' n nohtw' n ej fivkesqai mh; dunamev noi", dia; tw' n swmatikw' n
sumbovlwn th; n wj fevleian oJ pav nsofo" despovth" ejpragmateuv eto.
hJmei'" de; noou'men dia; me; n tou' logivou th; n qewrivan tw' n nohtw' n,
dia; de; th'" ejpwmivdo" th; n ejrgasivan th'" ajreth'", kai; th; n tou'
logivou kai; th'" ejpwmivdo" aJrmonivan te kai; sunav feian eij" th; n
th'" pivstew" kai; th'" ajgaqh'" pravxew" lambav nomen sumfwnivan:
to; de; prwvthn ejpitivqesqai th; n ejpwmivda, ei\qæ ou{tw tauvth/ to;
lovgion sunavptesqai to; th; n ajgaqh; n pra'xin uJpobavqran ei\ nai
th'" qewriva".
The Questions on Exodus
pp. Sm . mmqq. Sm . (LXX var.)mmrr. Ex . (LXX var.)mmss. Ex .mm
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was revealed in the waging of war. When the Philistines were attack-
ing Israel, Saul did not dare engage them until he saw the tokens of
victory: “Bring forward the ephod,”pp he said. On learning that he
would be victorious, he proceeded, “Withdraw the ephod”qq andthen called the people to arms. Hence, after saying, “You shall put
the declaration of judgment on the breast of Aaron and attach it to
the shoulder cape,”rr the God of the universe proceeded, “and you
shall put on it ‘the demonstration’ and ‘the truth,’”ss by “demonstra-
tion” meaning the tokens it contained, and by “truth” the reliability
of those tokens.10
() Now, you should realize that, since the people of that timewere quite materialistic and incapable of attaining to spiritual reali-
ties, the Lord, in his great wisdom, devised a way of helping them
through physical symbols.11 We, on the contrary, understand by the
declaration contemplation of the intelligible, and by the shoulder
cape the practice of virtue. We take the close fit of the declaration
and the shoulder cape as the harmony of faith and virtuous behav-
ior and understand the prior donning of the shoulder cape and the
subsequent clasping to it of the declaration to signify that virtuous
behavior is the foundation of contemplation.
Question
. Theodoret tries to clarify the description of the ephod in Ex by referenceto Sm .f., where the LXX twice reads “ephod” but the MT “ark.” He under-stands those verses to indicate that Saul employed the ephod as an oracle to deter-mine whether the ensuing encounter with the Philistines would lead to his victory or defeat. This is also the interpretation of the Greek offered by H.W. Hertzberg(on Sm .–), who, however, warns against too easy acceptance of the widely held belief that the LXX here offers a text closer to the original Hebrew than theMT. For the breastpiece of judgment worn by Aaron, with its Urim and Thummim(rendered in Greek as dhvlwsin = demonstration and ajlhvqeian = truth; v. Ex . LXX), and displayed at important moments of judgment, the LXX uses theterm logei'on, represented in the text of Theodoret by the closely related form lov-gion. Due to the stem it shares with lovgo~, “reason” or “word,” logei'on is ren-dered rationale in the Vulgate, but the context of Exodus indicates that the “decla-ration” was actually an oracle, which is the meaning ordinarily borne by Theodoret’s lovgion; v. LSJ, ad voc.
. In his “Quotations of Theodoret’s De sancta et vivifica Trinitate ,” part of hisproject of detecting Theodoret’s influence in the work of later authors, I. Pásztori-Kupán points out (pp. f.) that this sentence appears in the Catena on Luke com-posed by Nicetas of Heracleia.
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Dia; tiv oiJ iJ erei'", toi'" iJ ereivoi" ta;" cei'ra" ejpitiqev nte",
ou{tw" iJ evreuon;a
Ouj pa'si toi'" iJ ereivoi", ajlla; toi'" uJpe;r aujtw' n
prosferomev noi" kai; mavlista toi'" uJpe;r aJmartiva". toi'" de;
a[lloi" aujtoi; ta;" cei'ra" ejpetivqesan oiJ prosfevronte". h\ n de;
tou'to suvmbolon tou' to; iJ erei'on to; n tovpon plhrou' n tou'
prosfevronto", th; n uJpe;r aujtou' decovmenon sfaghv n.
jEpishmhv nasqai de; proshvkei wJ" uJpe;r tou' ajrcierevw"prosefevreto movsco",b uJpe;r de; panto;" tou' laou' pavlin
movsco",c uJpe;r de; tou' a[rconto" civmaro",d uJpe;r eJkavstou de;
aj ndro;" civmaira:e provsforon ga;r tw' / me; n a[rconti to; a[rren, tw' /
de; ajrcomev nw/ to; qh'lu, ejpeidh; kai; th; n gunai'ka tw' / ∆Ada;m ejx
ajrch'" uJpevtaxen oJ Qeov".f
J O de; movsco", oJ peri; aJmartiva" quovmeno", e[xw th'"
parembolh'" katekaiv eto.g
touvtou cavrin kai; oJ despovth" Cristov", h | / fhsin oJ qei'o" ajpovstolo", e[xw th' " puvlh" e[paqen h
kai; tw' / tuvpw/ th; n ajlhvqeian ejpitevqeike.
Tw' / de; qusiasthrivw/ prosefevreto to; ejpivploun. tou'to ga;r
levgei to; stevar to; ejpi.......koiliva", kai; oiJ duvo nefroiv, kai; to;
stevar to; ejpæ aujtw' n, kai; oJ tou' h{pato" lobov",i o{per oiJ a[lloi
eJrmhneutai; peritto;n proshgovreusan. aij nivgmata de; tau'ta tw' n
ej n hJmi' n paqhmavtwn: to; me; n ga;r stevar, to; th; n koilivan
kaluvpton, shmaiv nei th'" gastrimargiva" th; n novson, oiJ de;
nefroi; ta;" uJpogastrivou" hJdonav", oJ de; lobo;" tou' h{pato" to;
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
l. o{per Sir. Sch. F.M. : o{ nper = “The membrane enclosing the entrails was offered on the altar, for this is the meaning of ‘the fat on the belly, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the lobe of the liver,’ which the other translators called ‘the remainder.’” Cf. Wevers and Quast, ap. crit. on Ex ..
a. Ex ., , mmb. Lv .–mmc. Lv .–mmd. Lv .–mme. Lv .–mmf. Gn .mmg. Ex .mmh. Heb .mmi. Ex .mm
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Why did the priests lay their hands on the victims before sacrific-
ing them?a
The priests did not lay their hands on all the victims, but only on
those they offered for themselves, especially the sin offerings. In
other cases, the person offering the sacrifice put his hands on the
victim. This was a sign that the victim took the place of the offerer
by undergoing death for him.
We should note that a calf was offered for the high priest,b a calf likewise for all the people,c a he-goat for the ruler,d and a she-goat
for each man.e It was appropriate, you see, that a male be offered for
the ruler, but a female for the ruled, since God at the outset subject-
ed the woman to Adam.1f
Now, the calf sacrificed for sin was burned outside the camp.g
Therefore, as the holy apostle says, Christ the Lord also “sufferedoutside the gate.”2h He, thus, provided the fulfilment of the type.
The membrane enclosing the entrails, which the other transla-
tors called “the remainder,” was offered on the altar, for this is the
meaning of “the fat on the belly, the two kidneys and the fat on
them, and the lobe of the liver.”i These details are obscure references
to our passions.3 The fat covering the belly signifies the vice of glut-
tony, the kidneys sexual pleasures, the lobe of the liver anger, be-
cause the liver is linked to the gall bladder, containing the bile. He
Question
. Theodoret supplements his exposition of the offerings made by the priestswith reference to Lv .–, where different sin offerings are prescribed for rulersand common people, and refers to Gn f. for proof that woman is subject to man;cf. note to Q. on Gn.
. Again, the christological interpretation is brief; Theodoret’s interest is in the
OT ritual itself.. The respondent now goes beyond the limits of the question to offer a moral
interpretation of the sacrifice of consecration.
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qumoeidev": ejkeiv nw/ ga;r sunh'ptai to; colhdov con ajggei'on. tau'ta
de; kaqierou' n keleuv ei kai; oiJonei; nekra;" aujtw' n ajpofaiv nein ta;"
ponhra;" ej nergeiva".
Tou' de; th'" teleiwvsew" kriou' to; n bracivona to; n dexio; nprosenegkei' n dihgovreuse, j th; n praktikh; n ajreth; n dexia; n ou\san
kai; ajrivsthn tw' / Qew' / prosfevrein keleuvwn. oJ de; a[rto", kai; to;
lavganon,k kai; hJ tou' oi[ nou spondh;l tou;" ajpo; gh'" fuomev nou"
dhlou'si karpouv", w | n ta;" ajparca;" prosfevrein o{sion tw' / Qew' /.
Tiv ejstin eij" ojsmh;n eujwdiva" .......kav rpwmav ejsti Kurivw/; a
Dia; tw' n aj nqrwpiv nwn ta; qei'a didavskei. ejpeidh; ga;r hJmei'"
tai'" eujosmivai" terpovmeqa, th; n kata; novmon genomev nhn
iJ erourgivan ojsmh;n eujwdiva" wj novmasen. o{ti ga;r ouj dei' gumnw' /
prosev cein tw' / gravmmati kai; hJ tou' Qeou' fuvsi" didavskei:
ajswvmato" gavr: kai; hJ dusosmiva tw' n kaiomev nwn ojstw' n: tiv ga;r
ejkeiv nwn ejsti; duswdevsteron; oiJ mev ntoi a[lloi eJrmhneutai;
eujaresthvsew" aj nti; eujwdiva" teqeivkasin.
Tiv no" cavrin ejx eJkavsth" qusiva" uJpe;r swthriva"prosferomev nh" to; n iJ ereva lambav nein to; n bracivona to; n dexio; n
kai; to; sthquv nion dihgovreusen;a
The Questions on Exodus
j. Ex .–mmk. Ex .mml. Ex .
A [ ], B, C –50 , = mss.
a. Ex .
A [ ], B, C, * = mss.
a. Ex .–
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commanded them to sacrifice these things and, as it were, put their
wicked inclinations to death.
In prescribing the offering of the right shoulder of the ram of consecration, j he commanded us to bring to God virtue active in
deed, a virtue right and proper, the best kind of virtue. The bread,
cake,k and libation of winel represent the crops that grow from the
earth; it is a religious act to offer the first-fruits of these to God.
What is the meaning of “It is an offering to the Lord for a sweet
odor”?1a
Through things human he gives instruction in things divine.
Since we like sweet fragrances, he called worship according to the
Law “a sweet odor.” Yet we learn that one should not heed the bare
letter if we consider God’s nature, which is incorporeal, and the foul
smell of burning bones. After all, what could be more malodorous?
For “sweet,” in fact, the other translators put “acceptable.”
Why did he order the priest to take the right shoulder and breastof each victim offered for salvation?a
Question
. This translation represents the truncated version of the second half of Ex . that Theodoret read in his Bible, and which appears also in the SamaritanPentateuch. In the more widely attested LXX form of this verse e[ nanti kurivou(before the Lord) follows eujwdiva~ (a sweet odor) and is understood as the end of one clause, while kavrpwma (an offering) is taken as the beginning of another:
“[you will offer them upon the altar of burnt offering] as a sweet odor before theLord; it is an offering to the Lord.” One could introduce a stop before kavrpwmavalso in Theodoret’s text, but, given his habit of citing single sense units in the
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Dia; tou' sthqunivou to; logiko; n kai; to; qewrhtiko; n ajpaitei'
to; n iJ ereva: kavlumma ga;r to; sthquv nion th'" kardiva": dia; de; tou'
dexiou' bracivono", th; n pra'xin th; n dexiav n: oujk ajrkei' ga;r hJ
pivsti" eij" swthrivan ajlla; dei'tai tw' n e[rgwn eij" teleiovthta.
Tiv ejsti to; ei{n ; a
Mevtron eJbrai>ko; n oi[ nou kai; ejlaivou. dev cetai dev, w{" fhsin
∆Iwvshpo", duvo cova" ajttikouv".b
pisteutevon de; ej n touvtoi" aujtw' /,ajkribw'" tou' e[qnou" ta; mevtra ejpistamev nw/.
Peri; tw' n sabbavtwn nomoqetw' n, e[ fh, e[sti ga; r shmei' on ejn
ej moi; kai; toi' " uiJoi' " ∆Israh;l eij" ta;" genea;" uJ mw' n.a pw'" ou\ n
tou'to nohvsomen;
{Wsper, tw' / ∆Abraa;m th; n peritomh; n didouv", e[ fh, kai; e[stai
eij" shmei' on .......ajna; mevson ej mou' kai; uJ mw' n,b ou{tw, kai; peri; tou'
sabbavtou nomoqetw' n, e[ fh, e[sti ga; r shmei' on ejn ej moi ; kai;
toi' " uiJoi' " ∆Israh;l eij" ta;" genea;" uJ mw' n.c to; ga;r kaino; n th'"
politeiva" aj ei; tou' nomoqevtou th; n mnhvmhn aj nqei' n pareskeuvaze
kai; tw' n ejqnw' n tw' n a[llwn ej cwvrize. kaqavper ga;r ta;" poivmna"
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C –51, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ios., A.I. .
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
ll. f. ejn ej moi; c –8 , , : ej moi; Sir. Sch. F.M. Cf. Wevers and Quast, ap.crit. on Ex ..
l. ejn ej moi; F.M. : ej moi; [ ], , , , Sir. Sch.l. toi~ uiJoi~ A [ ], c 1, , Sir. Sch. : ej n toi~ uiJoi~ F.M.
a. Ex . (LXX var.)mmb. Gn .mmc. Ex . (LXX var.)
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By mention of the breast, he required of the priest the exercise of
reason and contemplation—the breast enclosing the heart—and by
mention of the right shoulder, right actions, for faith does not suf-
fice for salvation but requires works for perfection.1
What is a hin?a
A Hebrew measure of wine and oil. According to Josephus, it
holds “two Attic pints.”b
He is to be trusted in these matters, as hehad precise knowledge of the measures used by his people.1
Laying down the law regarding the Sabbath, he said, “It is a sign
between me and the children of Israel for your generations.”a How is
this to be understood?
When he gave circumcision to Abraham, he said,“It will be a sign
between me and you”;b so also, in laying down the law regarding the
Sabbath, he said, “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel
for your generations.”c This novelty in their way of life had the effect
of keeping the memory of the Lawgiver always before them and
marked them off from the other nations. The special features of the
Question
questions, it looks more likely that he regarded all six words as constituting onesentence, as Sirmond, Schulze, and Fernández Marcos and Sáenz-Badillos have allpunctuated; v. J.W. Wevers and U. Quast, ap. crit. ad loc.
. Cf. sec. of the “Introduction to Theodoret’s Life and Works” and note toQ. .
. Theodoret carefully explains these details regarding the daily life of the an-
cient Hebrews. Here, as in Q. , he consults Josephus; in his earlier commentary on Ezekiel (on .), he had consulted the Syriac version for a modern measure-ment equivalent to the hin.
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kai; ta;" ajgevla" aiJ sfragide" dhlou'si, ou{tw ta; th'" tw' n
eJbraivwn politeiva" ejxaivreta kai; tw' n a[llwn aujtou;" diei'rge kai;
tw' / nomoqevth/ prosedreuv ein ejdivdasken.
Tiv dhv pote oJ ∆Aarw; n tw' / law' / to; n movscon dievgluyen;a
To; n skopo; n tou' ginomev nou proshvkei zhtei' n: ou{tw ga;r
ejxetavzonte", euJrhvsomen aujto; n ouj pantavpasi suggnwvmh"
ejsterhmev non. tou' ga;r ajdelfou' tessaravkonta hJmevra"diatriv yanto" ej n th' / tou' o[rou" ajkronuciva/,b kai; tou' laou'
lutthvsanto" kai; eij" th; n Ai[gupton aj nastrev yai oJrmhvsanto",c
prw'ton me; n ejpeiravqh lovgoi" aujtw' n th; n oJrmh; n calinw'sai.
ejpeidh; de; ajpeiqou' nta" ei\den, h[ /thse tw' n gunaikw' n ta; crusiva,d
pavqei pavqo" aj ntistrateuvsa", to; filovkosmon kai;
filocrhvmaton th' / th'" deisidaimoniva" maniva/, ajllæ oujde; tou'to
to; mhcav nhma th; n ejkeiv nwn e[sbese luvttan. o{qen hj nagkavsqh
diagluv yai to; n movscon kaiv, toiouvtw/ skopw' / crhsavmeno", th'"
qeiva" ejdehvqh filanqrwpiva" w{ste th; n timwrivan diafugei' n. kai;
tou'to Mwu>sh'" oJ qeiovtato" ej n tw' / Deuteronomivw/ dedhvlwken:
ejdehvqhn, gavr fhsi, tou' Kurivou peri; ∆Aarw; n tou' ajdelfou' mou,
kai; oujk ajpevqanen.e
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C –51, = mss.
l. toiouvtw/ skopw/ ` B, , : toiouvtw/ de; skopw/ ` Sir. Sch. F.M. = “and then, acting with this sort of intention, he was in need of God’s loving kindness to escape retribution .” The consecutive de; would undermine the concessive force theparticiple evidently bears in the context; cf., e.g., Thdt., H. rel. pf., sec. (∆Allæo{mw~ kai; toiouvtou~ e[ cousa tou;~ aj ntipavlou~ hJ tw` n aJgivwn touvtwnsummoriva.......ou{tw lampra; n aj nedhvsanto nivkhn).
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. V., e.g., Ex .mmd. Ex .mme. Dt .
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Hebrews’ way of life set them aside from others and taught them to
serve their Lawgiver much as branding identifies the owners of
flocks and herds.
Why did Aaron fashion the calf for the people?a
We should inquire into the purpose of his action. If we examine
this carefully, we shall find it was not completely without excuse. His
brother had spent forty days in the darkness of the mountain,b
andthe people were raving and bent on returning to Egypt.c First, he
tried to curb their impulse with words. Then, when he saw they con-
tinued to rebel, he asked for the women’s golden jewellery,d so as to
set one passion against another, namely, their love for adornments
and possessions against their crazed superstition. But not even this
ruse quenched their frenzy. Hence, he was forced to make an image
of the calf, and though he had acted with this sort of intention, he
was in need of God’s loving-kindness to escape retribution. That is
what the divinely inspired Moses indicated in Deuteronomy: “I in-
terceded with the Lord for my brother Aaron, and he did not die.” e
Question
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Pw'" nohtevon to; kai; nu' n e[asovn me kaiv, qumwqei;" oj rgh' / eij"
aujtouv", ejktrivyw aujtou;" kai; poihvsw se eij" e[qno" mevga; a
Kai; to; ajpaqe;" tou' Qeou' kai; to; filav nqrwpon oJ lovgo"
dhloi: oJ ga;r qumw' / ti pravttwn kai; tou;" parakalou' nta"
dusceraiv nei. oJ de; Qeo;" e[ fh, e[asovn me kaiv, qumwqei;" oj rgh' / eij"
aujtouv", ejktrivyw aujtouv". oujdei;" de; aj namev nei tou;"
parakalou' nta", i{ na ojrgisqh' /, ajllæ i{ na paraklhqh' /: to; ou\ ne[asovn me aj nti; tou' kwvlusovn me ei[rhken. ejpeidh; ga;r hjgnov ei
Mwu>sh'" oJ mevga" th; n tou' laou' paranomivan, kai; tauvthn aujtw' /
dedhvlwken oJ Qeo;" kai; eij" presbeivan dihvgeire. to; de; poihvsw
se eij" e[qno" mevga ta; hJmevtera proshmaiv nei: o{per ga;r tovte ouj
gevgone meta; th; n tou' swth'ro" hJmw' n ejpifav neian gevgonen. oJ
mev ntoi nomoqevth", kai; tau'ta tou' Qeou' ajrkei' n aujto; n eij" th; n
uJpe;r tou' laou' presbeivan eijrhkovto", ouj c uJpevlaben iJkano;" ei\ nai pau'sai tou' Qeou' th; n ojrghv n. o{qen tw' n patriarcw' n ta;"
proshgoriva" aj nqæ iJkethriva" proshv negken, kai; tw' n pro;"
ejkeiv nou" o{rkwn aj nevmnhse, kai; ta;" gegenhmev na" sunqhvka"
ejmpedwqh' nai iJkevteusen.b
Dia; tiv ta;" plavka" sunevtriyen;a
jAnavxion kriv na" to; n lao; n th'" qeiva" nomoqesiva". ejpeidh; ga;r
proikwv /wn grammateivwn tuvpon ei\ con aiJ plavke", hJ de; nuvmfh
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .
A [ ], B, c, , = mss.
a. Ex .mm
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How are we to understand the verse “Now let me be, and in my
burning anger, I shall consume them and make of you a great na-
tion”?a
This verse reveals both God’s impassibility and his loving-
kindness. Anyone who acts in anger also turns on those who try to
calm him, whereas God said, “Let me be, and in my burning anger, I
shall consume them.”1 Now, nobody waits for someone to rouse him
to anger, but to be calmed. So his words “Let me be” meant, “Stopme.” Since the mighty Moses was ignorant of the people’s transgres-
sion, God communicated this to him and prompted him to inter-
cession. But the statement “I shall make of you a great nation” fore-
shadows our situation; that is, what at that time did not occur took
place after the coming of our Savior. Despite God’s assurance that
he was capable of interceding for the people, the lawgiver did not
believe he was up to the task of quelling God’s wrath. Hence, he cit-ed the names of the patriarchs as an olive branch, reminded God of
the oaths he had sworn to them, and begged him to confirm the
covenants he had already made.b
Why did he smash the tablets?a
Because he judged the people unworthy of the God-given laws.
As the tablets represented a kind of dowry agreement, and the bride
Question
. As in Q. . on Gn, Theodoret is concerned to explain the anthropomorphiclanguage of the OT in a way that safeguards the divine transcendence; v. also The-odoret’s explanation of the expression “God’s back” (Ex .) in Q. and cf. Q. on Gn.
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pro; th'" pastavdo" eij" moiceivan ajpevkline, mavla eijkovtw" to;
proikw' /on dievrrhxe grammatei'on.
jEpishmhv nasqai de; proshvkei wJ", tovte me; n dexavmeno" th; n
iJketeivan, oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" aj nebavleto th; n timwrivan:prostevqeike dev, h | / dæ a]n hJ mev ra/ ejpiskevptwmai, ejpavxw ejpæ
aujtou;" pa' san th;n aJ martivan aujtw' n.b e[oike de; tou'to toi'" uJpo;
tou' ajpostovlou eijrhmev noi": ajgnow' n o{ti to; crhsto;n tou' Qeou'
eij" metavnoiavn se a[gei; kata; de; th;n sklhrovthtav sou kai;
aj metanovhton kardivan qhsaurivzei" seautw' / oj rgh;n ejn hJ mev ra/
oj rgh' ", kai; ajpokaluvyew", kai; dikaiokrisiva" tou' Qeou' , o}"
ajpodwvsei eJkavstw/ kata; ta; e[ rga aujtou' .c
J O mev ntoi nomoqevth" ajkouvsa" wJ" oujk aj nevxetai sunei' nai
aujtoi'" oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" dia; to; sklhro; n aujtw' n kai; aj ntivtupon
ajllæ a[ggelon aujtoi'" ejpisthvsei,d h[ /thse me; n gnw' nai tiv" oJ th; n
khdemonivan aujtw' n pisteuqeiv", hj ntibovlhse dev, mh; dou' nai
aujtoi'" oJmovdoulon hJgemov na, ajllæ aujto; n aujtw' n hJghvsasqai to; n
despovthn.e ejpeidh; de; kai; tauvthn uJpevsceto dwvsein aujtw' / th; n
cavrin oJ ajgaqo;" Qeov", e[rwti mequvwn ejpainoumev nw/, tw' n uJpe;r
a[ nqrwpon hjravsqh kai; th; n ajqevaton fuvsin ijdei' n ejpequvmhsen.
ajlla; memavqhken wJ" ejkeiv nhn ijdei' n th; n oujsivan ajduv naton:f Qeo;n
ga;r oujdei;" eJwv rake pwvpote,g kata; th; n tou' Kurivou fwnhv n. ta;"
de; qeiva" oijkonomiva" te kai; ej nergeiva": ou{tw ga;r proshvkei
noei' n tou' Qeou' ta; ojpivsqia:h qewrh'sai dunato; n toi'" kata;
Mwu>seva teleivoi" th; n ajrethv n, kai; oujde; touvtoi" wJ" e[tucen,
ajllæ eij" th; n pevtran uJpæ aujtou' tou' Qeou' teqeimev noi":i
shmaiv nei de; au{th th'" pivstew" to; sterro; n kai; ajkravdanton:kai; dia; th'" ojph'" th'" pevtra": dhloi' de; au{th to; n th'" pivstew"
oj fqalmo; n qewrou' nta ta; toi'" aijsqhtoi'" oj fqalmoi'" aj nev fikta
kai; ajqevata.
The Questions on Exodus
b. Ex .mmc. Rom .–mmd. Ex .f.mme. Ex .–mmf. Ex .–mmg. Jn .mmh. Ex .mmi. Ex .f.
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had lapsed into adultery right on the threshold of the bridal cham-
ber, he was entirely justified in tearing up the agreement.1
Now, we should also note that, when he accepted Moses’ petition,
the God of the universe postponed retribution but went on to say,“On the day I call them to account, I shall punish them for all their
sin.”b This is similar to the words of the apostle: “Are you unaware
that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? In your hardness and
impenitence of heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the
day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
who will repay each according to his deeds.”c
But when he heard that, on account of their obstinate hard-
heartedness, God refused to consort with them but would send
them an angel,d the lawgiver asked to be told who was to be entrust-
ed with their care and begged that they be given no fellow slave as a
leader, but that the Lord himself lead them.e Since the good Lord
promised to grant him this favor as well, Moses became intoxicated
with a commendable love, and, conceiving a desire for what is be-
yond a human being, longed to see him who is by nature invisible.
He learned, however, that it is impossible to see that being f —“No
one has ever seen God,”g as the Lord said—whereas to see the divine
dispensations and actions (the true meaning of “God’s back”)h is
possible for those perfect in virtue like Moses. But, even for them,
this is not possible just anyhow, but only when they have been
placed by God himself “on the rock” i (that is, in stability and con-
stancy of faith), and only through “a cleft of the rock” (that is, withthe eye of faith, which can discern things inaccessible and invisible
to bodily eyes).
Question
. The analogy is Theodoret's own and serves to acquit Moses of the imputa-tion of rash behavior. For Theodoret's ability to imitate biblical imagery, v. note
to Q. on Gn.
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Tiv shmaiv nei to; kavlumma to; ejpiteqe; n tw' / proswvpw/ tou'
nomoqevtou;a
[Ecomen tou' ajpostovlou th; n eJrmhneivan: mev cri, gavr fhsi,
th'" shv meron, hJnivka ajnaginwvsketai Mwu>sh' ", kavlumma ejpi; th;n
kardivan aujtw' n kei' taib mh; ajnakaluptov menon, o{ti ejn Cristw' /
katargei' tai:c hJnivka dæ a]n ejpistrevyh/ pro;" Kuv rion,
periairei' tai to; kavlumma.d w{sper ga;r tovte qeiva" ej neplhvsqh
dovxh" tou' nomoqevtou to; provswpon, kai; sevla" ejkei'qen uJpe;rajstraph; n ejkpempovmenon aj ntiblevpein oujk ei[a tou;"
ej ntugcav nonta" ajllæ h] eJtevrwse ta; provswpa trevpein h] tou;"
oj fqalmou;" muv ein hj navgkaze: kai; touvtou cavrin ej crh'to tw' /
prokaluvmmati, tw' / law' / dialegovmeno", pro;" de; to; n Qeo; n
ejpistrev fwn, gumno; n ei\ ce to; provswpon: ou{tw" ijoudai'oi, tw' / tou'
novmou prosev conte" gravmmati, th; n me; n dovxan ouj c oJrw'si,
mov non de; to; kavlumma blevpousi: th' / de; tou' panagivoupneuvmato" cavriti prosiov nte", ajpallavssontai me; n tou'
prokaluvmmato", qewrou'si de; th; n dovxan, h |" Mwu>sh'"
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C, * = mss.
l. aj naginwvsketai J.P. : aj naginwvskhtai Sir. Sch. F.M. Sir. and Sch.attribute to Thdt. one more citation of Cor . (Epp. Paul. ad loc.) in which
hJ nivka is followed by the subjunctive without a[ n, and both print hJ nivka.
...... e[lqwsin in his comment on Ez . (Ezech. ad loc.). Nonetheless, given therarity of this anomalous construction (only two other cases among the
appearances of hJ nivka in the works of our author; v. the TLG ) and the evidenceof the mss. which agree, apparently without exception, in offering the indicativein the two other quotations of this verse in the Quaest. in oct. (v. Q. on Dtand pf. Qq. on Jos ), it seems likely that the indicative should be read here aswell; the subjunctive in this passage and in the comment on Cor . may bedue to a careless attempt at regularization or mere etacism. Yet the subjunctivewith a[ n is read by Sir. and Sch. in Thdt.’s quotation of Cor . in hiscomment on Rom ., and the omission of a[ n both in Q. on Ex and in the
comment on Cor . may be nothing more than an error of haplography.a. Ex .–mmb. Cor .mmc. Cor .mmd. Cor .mm
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What is the meaning of the veil placed on the face of the law-
giver?a
We have the apostle’s interpretation: “To this day, as Moses is
read out, there lies over their heart a veilb that is not lifted, but which
is set aside by Christ.c When one turns to the Lord, the veil is lifted.”d
At that time, the lawgiver’s face was filled with divine glory, and the
ray issuing from it, brighter than lightning, would not permit any-
one who conversed with Moses to look at him but forced them toturn away their faces or close their eyes. Hence, his having recourse
to a veil when talking to the people, whereas, when turning to God,
he kept his face uncovered. Just so, by focusing on the letter of the
Law, the Jews see not the glory but look only upon the veil. Those,
on the other hand, who have access to the grace of the most Holy
Spirit are rid of the veil and gaze upon the glory with which Moses
was filled. As St. Paul says,“All of us with face unveiled reflect, as in amirror, the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the
same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes
Question
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ej neplhvsqh. tou'to ga;r kai; oJ makavrio" levgei Pau'lo": hJ mei' " de;
pavnte" ajnakekalummevnw/ proswvpw/ th;n dovxan Kurivou
katoptrizov menoi, th;n aujth;n eijkovna metamorfouv meqa ajpo;
dovxh" eij" dovxan, kaqavper ajpo; Kurivou pneuv mato".e w{sper ga;rta; dieidh' kavtoptra tw' n eijsorwv ntwn tou;" tuvpou" ejkmavttetai,
ou{tw" aiJ kaqarai; kardivai tou' Qeou' th; n dovxan eijsdev contai:
dio; dh; kai; oJ Kuvrio" e[ fh, makav rioi oiJ kaqaroi; th' / kardiva/, o{ti
aujtoi; to;n Qeo;n o[yontai.f kai; w{sper oJ ∆Iouvda", to; n diavbolon
eijsdexavmeno", th; n ejkeiv nou ponhrivan ejtuvpwsen ej n eJautw' /,
ou{tw" oJ th' / qeiva/ cavriti prosiw; n tai'" ejkei'qen feromev nai"
marmarugai'" kataugavzetai. ou{tw" oJ ej n skovtw/ kaqhvmeno"skotoeidh;" giv netai, oJ de; ej n hJlivw/ hJlioeidh;" kai; fwtoeidhv".
ou{tw" oJ tw' / Qew' / prosedreuvwn qeoeidei'" dev cetai carakth'ra".
Povqen ei\ con ta; xuvla ta; a[shpta; a
Sanivde" h\san dekaphv cei":b eijko;" toiv nun tauvta" ejschkev nai
tou;" eujporwtevrou" ejx Aijguvptou metenegkov nta" hJ nivka ejkei'qen
ejxh'lqon. tou;" de; polutimhvtou" livqou", kai; to; n crusov n, kai;
to; n a[rguron, kai; to; n calkov n paræ aijguptivwn labov nte",
ajph'ran: kata; ga;r th; n qeivan ej ntolhv n, h[ /thse gunh; para;
geivtono" kai; suskhvnou aujth' " skeuvh aj rgura' kai; crusa' kai;
iJ matismo;n .......kai; ejskuvleusan tou;" aijguptivou".c dio; dh; kai; ta;
prosferovmena ajparca;" proshgovreusen oJ tw' n o{lwn Qeo;" wJ"ajkroqiv nia skuvlwn.d
The Questions on Exodus
e. Cor .mmf. Mt .
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .mmb. Ex .mmc. Ex .mmd. Ex .
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from the Lord, the Spirit.”e Just as a clear mirror reproduces the im-
age of one who looks into it, so a pure heart takes into itself the glo-
ry of God. Hence, the Lord said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they will see God.”f As Judas received the devil into himself and gaveshape to the wickedness of the devil in his own person, so he who
approaches divine grace reflects its splendor. As the face of a man
sitting in darkness becomes dark, while the face of a man sitting in
sunlight becomes beaming and bright, so he who sits next to God
acquires the features of God.
How were they in possession of incorruptible wood?1a
The planks were ten cubits long,b so it is likely that the more af-
fluent people took them along when they were departing from
Egypt. When they left, they took from the Egyptians precious
stones, gold, silver, and bronze as they were commanded by God: “A
woman asked her neighbor and her housemate for silver and gold
vessels and clothing, and they despoiled the Egyptians.”c Hence, the
God of the universe referred to these offerings as “first-fruits,” since
they were the first pickings of booty.d
Question
. The Greek a[shpta, representing the Hebrew word for “acacia,” may also
mean “incorruptible,” the sense in which Theodoret here understands the term. Itis unclear whether the question regards the marvelous incorruptibility of thewood or the availability, in the wilderness, of any wood at all.
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Poivou carivsmato" oiJ peri; to; n Beseleh;l e[tucon;a
Sofiva" ajrcitektonikh'". e[sti ga;r sofiva uJ fantikhv, kai;
sofiva gewrgikhv, kai; sofiva ijatrikhv. e{kaston de; touvtwn dw'ron
Qeou', eij" crh'sin toi'" aj nqrwvpoi" dedwrhmev non.
Dia; tiv th' / noumhniva/ tou' prwvtou mhno;" sth'sai th; n skhnh; n
prosevtaxen oJ Qeov";a
jEpeidh; kata; tou'ton to; n kairo; n th; n ktivsin ejdhmiouvrghse.
kai; marturei' tw' /de tw' / lovgw/ tw' n dev ndrwn hJ blavsthsi":
blasthsavtw, gav r fhsin, hJ gh' botavnhn cov rtou, spei' ron
spev rma kata; gevno" kai; kaqæ oJ moiovthta kai; xuvlon kav rpimon,poiou' n karpovn, ou | to; spev rma aujtou' ejn aujtw' / eij" oJ moiovthta
kata; gevno" ejpi; th' " gh' ":b ajrcomev nou de; tou' e[aro", kai; oiJ
leimw' ne" aj nqou'si, kai; kumaiv nei ta; lhvi>a, kai; ta; dev ndra fuv ei
karpov n. diav toi tou'to kai; to; n ∆Israh;l kata; toutoni; to; n
kairo; n hjleuqevrwse th'" aijguptivwn douleiva",c kai; th' / aJgiva/
parqev nw/ Gabrih;l oJ ajrcavggelo" ejkovmise tw' n paradovxwn wjdiv nwn
ta; eujaggevlia.d kata; tou'ton to; n kairo; n kai; oJ despovth"
Cristo;" to; swthvrion uJpevmeine pavqo".e mavla toiv nun eijkovtw" th' /
miva/ tou' prwvtou mhno;" sth' nai th; n skhnh; n oJ tw' n o{lwn
despovth" Qeo;" prosevtaxe kai; o{ti tou' kovsmou panto;"
ejktuvpwma h\ n, kai; i{ na eujtrepivsh/ pro;" th; n tou' Pavsca eJorthv n,
The Questions on Exodus
A [ ], B, C, = mss.
a. Ex .–.
A [ ], B, c, * , * = mss.
a Ex .f.mmb Gn . (LXX var.)mmc Ex .f.mmd Lk .mme Mk .mm
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What gift were Bezalel and his men given?a
Skill in construction. There is a skill of weaving, a skill of agricul-
ture, and a skill of medicine—each a gift of God bestowed for the
use of humanity.
Why did God command Moses to erect the tabernacle on the
first day of the first month?a
Because that was when he created the world. The sprouting of
the trees confirms my statement: “Let the earth produce green vege-
tation, scattering seed according to its kind and likeness, and fruit-
bearing trees producing fruit that contains its seed in it for a likenessaccording to each kind on the earth.”b At the beginning of spring,
the meadows blossom, the wheat waves in the breeze, and the trees
bear fruit. Therefore, it was at this time that he freed Israel from
slavery to the Egyptians,c and the archangel Gabriel brought to the
holy Virgin the good news of a miraculous birth.d At this time also,
Christ the Lord underwent the saving passion.e It was entirely ap-
propriate for the Lord God of the universe to order the erection of
the tabernacle on the first day of the first month, because it was
both a representation of the whole world and a reminder for the
Question
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h} n prwvthn ejpitelei' n novmo" h\ n ijoudaivoi".f tovte de; kai; prw'ton
tauvthn e[mellon eJortavzein th; n eJorth; n ej n th' / ejrhvmw/: deuvteron
ga;r h\ n e[to" meta; th; n th'" douleiva" ajpallaghv n.g
The Questions on Exodus
f Ex .–mmg Ex .
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people to prepare for the feast of the Passover, the first feast whose
celebration was enjoined upon the Jews by the Law.1f At that time
they were due to have the first celebration of this feast in the wilder-
ness, for a year had passed since their liberation from slavery.g
Question
. Theodoret finds four justifications for the date prescribed in Ex .: () theindication he discovers in Gn . that creation occurred in the spring of the first
year; () the observance of Passover in the month of Nisan, the first month of theIsraelite calendar, which fell during our March and April (v. J.L. McKenzie,“Nisan,” p. ); () the spring-time date of the Annunciation, which he probably deduces from the liturgical celebration of the birth of Christ nine months later,though Lk . explicitly dates the Annunciation to the sixth, rather than the first,
month; () the coincidence of the Passion with the Passover.
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