Hesychius of Jerusalem — Commentary on Scripture

John 20:1

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Hidden first in a womb of flesh, he sanctified human birth by his own birth. Hidden afterward in the womb of the earth, he gave life to the dead by his resurrection. Suffering, pain and sighs have now fled away. For who has known the mind of God, or who has been his counselor if not the Word made flesh who was nailed to the cross, who rose from the dead and who was taken up into heaven? This day brings a message of joy: it is the day of the Lord’s resurrection when, with himself, he raised up the race of Adam. Born for the sake of human beings, he rose from the dead with them. On this day paradise is opened by the risen one, Adam is restored to life and Eve is consoled. On this day the divine call is heard, the kingdom is prepared, we are saved and Christ is adored. On this day, when he had trampled death under foot, made the tyrant a prisoner and despoiled the underworld, Christ ascended into heaven as a king in victory, as a ruler in glory, as an invincible charioteer. He said to the Father, “Here am I, O God, with the children you have given me.” And he heard the Father’s reply, “…

Hidden first in a womb of flesh, he sanctified human birth by his own birth. Hidden afterward in the womb of the earth, he gave life to the dead by his resurrection. Suffering, pain and sighs have now fled away. For who has known the mind of God, or who has been his counselor if not the Word made flesh who was nailed to the cross, who rose from the dead and who was taken up into heaven? This day brings a message of joy: it is the day of the Lord’s resurrection when, with himself, he raised up the race of Adam. Born for the sake of human beings, he rose from the dead with them. On this day paradise is opened by the risen one, Adam is restored to life and Eve is consoled. On this day the divine call is heard, the kingdom is prepared, we are saved and Christ is adored. On this day, when he had trampled death under foot, made the tyrant a prisoner and despoiled the underworld, Christ ascended into heaven as a king in victory, as a ruler in glory, as an invincible charioteer. He said to the Father, “Here am I, O God, with the children you have given me.” And he heard the Father’s reply, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” To him be glory, now and for ever, through endless ages. Amen.

Jude 1:6

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Who can understand God’s love for his people or figure out the truth just by his own reasoning? For because of the truth he did not spare the angels who sinned, but on account of his kindness toward us he has allowed harlots and publicans into his kingdom.

Psalms 6:2

Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

According to the spiritual meaning, the bones are the companion virtues of a reasonable spirit that will draw one to discernment. There are steadfastness, discretion and the temperance that is strength according to God, justice, and, in short, absolutely every type of excellence, which, when they are not found in us (that is, properly provided and in order), it is inevitable that the spirit, since it does not have fitting strength, is thoroughly stirred up with those inordinate passions that are in it.

Psalms 8:1

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

The church says, “O Lord, our Lord.” For after the recognition of Christ when one is freed from the slavery of idolatry, one begins to call on God and the Lord. Always the whole earth truly is full of the marvelous creations, the works of God. And even more marvelous the name of that One, namely, Christ, has been made wonderful among all the nations and foreign peoples through faith in him.

Psalms 13:1

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

The forgetfulness of God [would be] a very serious thing, even temporarily. It would mean death, the loss of immortality.

Psalms 16:8

I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Do you see the equal worth of the Son with the Father? Sometimes the Son is said to stand or to sit on the right; now they grant the right to the Father, so that you may say that there is one power, that of the Father (the begetter) and that of the begotten (the Son), even if now he is humbled on account of the flesh.

Psalms 17:12

Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

The demons surround our mind and try to entangle it like a wild beast, … and the richest baits are sinners who themselves have been allured by desires.

Psalms 17:14

From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

Here the psalmist is not criticizing the children’s food, as some would think (for those things that enter the mouth do not make a person unclean), but he regards those to whom God has given many offspring unwise when they leave behind them not excellence but their evils as an inheritance.

Psalms 33:5

He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

He places kindness before judgment because God uses kindness, then judgment against those who continue in sin.

Psalms 33:16

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

The king is not saved through much strength. In vain we care for the strength of the body, and we rashly judge our power from the ones near us, friends and money: for nothing except help sent from heaven is able to save us. Take the example from Goliath or Pharaoh. He, a giant, although he was the strongest, was overcome easily by the simple boy David. The other [Pharaoh] pursued Israel with large chariots and a multitude of horses; he has the sea for a grave.

Psalms 35:16

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

Certain ones say the power of the teeth is the evil of speech. He wanted his Father to be a witness against those who blasphemed him.

Psalms 39:2

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

When he was silent he ceased from good, that is, from the meditation of the Law, which is the teacher of good. When the grief of the sin renewed, the wound from sin became more serious, as when we lead others from meditation on the Law. It becomes a festering sore, having applied no medicine from divine precepts. And so he has not stood in silence, but when he had returned to his senses, he cast out that very thing bringing such harm to his spirit. He shows this by “my heart grew hot.”

Psalms 41:3

The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

May the Lord help him. That even in the present time the truth of these prophetic promises may be found. Many, laboring in sickness and disease, when they leave behind their own poor and needy works, are changed for the better. For if even on a future day judgment triumphs over mercy, what a marvel it would be, if also he would turn away by his rich mercy the death which we await, and he would restore strength? Surely this is the frailty of spirit, which is received in the inner man, wherein he has determined hands or the strength to do things. Even crippled knees are healed that were not strong before to walk on the way to life. Then the mercy bequeathed to the poor heals and revives the spirit held back by its grave disease of folly and brought to death from its sin. He, therefore, immediately added: “I said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, because I have sinned against you.”

Psalms 45:3

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

By “sword” he means the cross, using it just like a sword. He hangs amid two enemies, namely, the devil and death. By “thigh” he means the flesh, using the part for the whole.… He says the cross girds itself with the flesh, being powerful in appearance and beauty, so that by this (i.e., his humanity) he takes up our suffering; and by that (i.e., his divinity) he overcomes suffering, as if to have no part in it. We may be able to understand appearance and beauty as mercy. For there is nothing so fitting of God than to deliver his special creation. And “bend the bow” against the enemies, and “prosper” the faithful, and “rule” everywhere, so you may subdue the enemies; you may crown the faithful, because this is fitting of a judge and king.

Psalms 50:9

I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.

The Jews, hearing these things, did not believe, and they doubted they were able to happen. Now the word is proven. They no longer have the place of their sacrifice, since the temple has been destroyed, the altar collapsed and all their administration carried away, even the city overturned, in which it was necessary to sacrifice according to law.

Psalms 50:14

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

Be as companions of angels. Imitate the seraphim in glory. Tell the glory of God to the heavens; offer the burnt offering while one praises God continuously. Perhaps “sacrifice of praise” means “virtues” through which God is praised, that is, blessed and glorified, especially when he said to the apostles, “Let your light shine before all people.”