Evagrius Ponticus

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500

114 passages across 8 books of the Bible · Who was this?

Commentary

20 of 114
  1. Mark 12:44
    It is better to begin from one’s feeble state and end up strong, to progress from small things to larger, than to set your heart from the very first on the perfect way of life, then only to abandon it later—or keep to it solely out of habit, because of what others will think—in which case all this labor will be in vain. It is the same with people who travel: if they tire themselves out on the very first day by rushing along, they will end up wasting many days as a result of sickness. But if they start out walking at a gentle pace until they have gotten accustomed to walking, in the end they will not get tired, even though they walk great distances. Likewise anyone who wishes to embark on the labors of the virtuous life should train himself gently, until he gradually reaches the full extent of his abilities. Do not be perplexed by the many paths walked by our fathers of old, each different from the other. Do not overzealously try to imitate them all—this would only upset your way of life. Rather, choose a way of life that suits your feeble state; travel on that, and you will live, for…
    It is better to begin from one’s feeble state and end up strong, to progress from small things to larger, than to set your heart from the very first on the perfect way of life, then only to abandon it later—or keep to it solely out of habit, because of what others will think—in which case all this labor will be in vain. It is the same with people who travel: if they tire themselves out on the very first day by rushing along, they will end up wasting many days as a result of sickness. But if they start out walking at a gentle pace until they have gotten accustomed to walking, in the end they will not get tired, even though they walk great distances. Likewise anyone who wishes to embark on the labors of the virtuous life should train himself gently, until he gradually reaches the full extent of his abilities. Do not be perplexed by the many paths walked by our fathers of old, each different from the other. Do not overzealously try to imitate them all—this would only upset your way of life. Rather, choose a way of life that suits your feeble state; travel on that, and you will live, for your Lord is merciful and he will receive you, not because of your achievements, but because of your intention, just as he received the destitute woman’s gift.

    ADMONITION ON PRAYER

  2. Proverbs 1:1-2
    A proverb is a saying that, under the guise of physical things, signifies intelligible things.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 1:1.1

  3. Proverbs 2:5
    Wisdom and understanding must precede, in order for the fear of God to coexist along with them.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 20:2.5

  4. Proverbs 3:1
    Those who forget the law are the ones who violate it; yet those who remember the law are the ones who live in accordance with the law. Likewise, those who observe the sayings of God are those who keep them, and those who destroy them are those who do not want to follow them. “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be justified.”

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 27:3.1

  5. Proverbs 6:8
    By “ant” Solomon seems to indicate the practical way, while the “bee” designates contemplation of creation and of the Creator. Both the pure and the impure, the wise and the foolish apply [this saying] for the benefit of their souls. It seems to me that the wax corresponds to the realities of creation, while the honey symbolizes the contemplation thereof. And while wax perishes, as it is written, “Heaven and earth will pass away,” the honey does not perish. By the same token, the words of Christ our Savior do not pass away, about which Solomon says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, their sweetness is health to the soul.” Also, David says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 72:6.8

  6. Proverbs 10:1-3
    If the life of the wicked is malicious and the Lord will overturn it, then it is clear that at some point the wicked will no longer be wicked. For, after that “reversal,” “the Lord will pass the kingdom over to God the Father,” so that God may be “all in all.”

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 118:10.3

  7. Proverbs 18:16
    “A man’s gift” is called an upright life. It is that gift that “makes room for him” and makes him worthy of the fullness of God. It is that very thing which is called the “throne” of the holy powers. Indeed, the “throne” of the mind is that excellent state which they maintain who are seated in a position that is fixed or immovable.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 184:18.16

  8. Proverbs 19:4
    “Richness” of knowledge and wisdom “brings us many angels,” but an impure person is even separated from the angel given to him at birth. Spiritual friendship is virtue and knowledge of God, through which we bind ourselves to friendship with the holy powers. Thus it is said that human beings who repent give cause for joy to the angels. Thus also the Savior calls his servants “friends,” since they are ready to receive greater wisdom. So also Abraham, rich in knowledge, offered that mystical table to the friends who appeared to him in the middle of the day.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 189:19.4

  9. Proverbs 21:26
    It belongs to angels never to have evil desires; it is human sometimes to have evil desires and other times not to have them; it belongs to demons always to have evil desires. The expression “all the day” signifies the entire life. So also, “continue in the fear of the Lord all the day” applies to the whole life.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 231:21.26

  10. Proverbs 22:20
    He who has opened his heart through purity, contemplates the words of God in their practical, physical and theological sense. Accordingly, the whole corpus of Scripture may be divided into three parts: ethical, physical and theological. Consequently, Proverbs corresponds to the first part, Ecclesiastes to the second, and Song of Songs to the third.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 247:22.20

  11. Proverbs 22:28
    The one who moves the boundaries of piety demonstrates either superstition or impiety. And the one who moves the boundaries of courage changes it into either audacity or cowardice. In the same manner, this applies to other virtues as well as to dogmas and other matters of faith. This especially pertains to the doctrine of the holy Trinity. Thus, whoever rejects the divinity of the Holy Spirit rejects baptism; and whoever names some others as gods introduces a whole pantheon of gods.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 249:22.28

  12. Proverbs 23:1
    The divine Scripture should be understood in an intellectual and spiritual sense, because the knowledge of sense perception, literally understood, is not the truth.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 251:23.1

  13. Proverbs 23:22
    As the ancient saying goes, soul is the mother of the mind, because it is the soul which leads the mind to enlightenment by means of practical virtues.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 258:23.22

  14. Proverbs 25:8-10
    Solomon frequently mentions “friend” and “friendship.” Therefore, it is fitting now to look into what he means by friendship. He says [in effect] that grace and friendship liberate. Also, the Savior in the gospels says to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Again, Paul writes, “Christ freed us from the curse of the law.” Hence, if “friendship sets free” and “truth sets free” and the Savior sets free, then Christ is both truth and friendship. Therefore, all who possess the knowledge of Christ are friends to each other. Therefore, the Savior calls his disciples “friends,” and John the Baptist is a friend of the bridegroom, and so are Moses and all the saints. And it is in virtue of that friendship alone, that his friends are also friends to each other.

    SCHOLIA ON PROVERBS 304:25.10

  15. Psalms 2:10-12
    If you remember the Judge only when you are in difficulties as one who inspires fear and who is incorruptibly honest, then you have not as yet learned to “serve the Lord in fear and to rejoice in him with trembling.” For understand this point well: one is to worship him even in spiritual relaxations and in times of good cheer with even more piety and reverence.

    CHAPTERS ON PRAYER 143

  16. Psalms 3:7
    The teeth of sinners are thoughts foreign to reason coming to us on account of our nature by which our enemies approach us, just like using their teeth time after time again to devour our flesh. That is, those [are] things that spring forth from the flesh: “Manifest are the works of the flesh,” as the apostle says.

    NOTES ON THE PSALMS 3:8

  17. Psalms 4:1
    Whenever we realize the reasons why we suffer and are tested, then our minds are greatly opened.

    NOTES ON THE PSALMS 4.2

  18. Psalms 5:7
    The holy temple of God is Christ, concerning which “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.” In the fear of God each one turns away from evil; in fear he worships in the temple of the Lord that is Christ.

    NOTES ON THE PSALMS 5:8

  19. Psalms 7:12-13
    The ones who are burning are those who have received the flaming arrows of the devil.

    NOTES ON THE PSALMS 7:14

  20. Psalms 10:7-10
    [By contrast] the righteous person praises God at all times.

    NOTES ON THE PSALMS 9[10].28-29

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