Pseudo-Athanasius — Commentary on Scripture

Ephesians 4:8

The Word was not in need and did not come into being, nor were humans able to give these gifts to themselves. But through the Word they have been given to us. For these reasons they were given to us after being given to him. For his purpose in becoming a man was that, having been given to him, they might be passed on to us.

AGAINST THE ARIANS 4.6

Exodus 3:14

As there is one Beginning and therefore one God, so one is that Essence and Subsistence which indeed and truly and really is. It is this One who said “I am that I am,” and not two, that there be not two Beginnings; and from the One, a Son in nature and truth, is its own Word, its Wisdom, its Power, and inseparable from it.

FOURTH ORATION AGAINST THE ARIANS 1

John 1:8

It follows that the Word is the Son. But if the Son is the Light that has come into the world, beyond all dispute the world was made by the Son. For in the beginning of the Gospel, the Evangelist, speaking of John the Baptist, says, “He was not that Light, but that he might bear witness concerning that Light.” For Christ himself was, as we have said before, the true Light that enlightens everyone that comes into the world. For if “he was in the world, and the world was made by him,” of necessity he is the Word of God, concerning whom also the Evangelist witnesses that all things were made by him. For either they will be compelled to speak of two worlds, that the one may have come into being by the Son and the other by the Word, or, if the world is one and the creation one, it follows that Son and Word are one and the same before all creation, for by him it came into being.

FOURTH DISCOURSE AGAINST THE ARIANS 19

John 17:7

He takes our infirmities without himself being infirm and hungers without hungering. He sends up what is ours that is may be abolished. As he does this, in the same way, the gifts that come from God instead of our infirmities he also receives so that we, being united to him, may be able to partake of them. This is how the Lord says, “All things whatever you have given me, I have given them,” and again, “I pray for them.” For he prayed for us, taking on himself what is ours and giving what he received. Since then, the Word was united to man himself and the Father purposed for us to be exalted and have power, therefore all things that we receive through him [i.e., the Son] are referred to the Word himself. For as he for our sake became man, so we for his sake are exalted. It is no absurdity then, if, as for our sake he humbled himself, so also for our sake he is said to be highly exalted. So “he gave to him” means, in essence, “[he gave] to us for his sake.” And “he highly exalted him” means essentially “[he exalted] us in him.” And the Word himself—when we are exalted and receive and…

He takes our infirmities without himself being infirm and hungers without hungering. He sends up what is ours that is may be abolished. As he does this, in the same way, the gifts that come from God instead of our infirmities he also receives so that we, being united to him, may be able to partake of them. This is how the Lord says, “All things whatever you have given me, I have given them,” and again, “I pray for them.” For he prayed for us, taking on himself what is ours and giving what he received. Since then, the Word was united to man himself and the Father purposed for us to be exalted and have power, therefore all things that we receive through him [i.e., the Son] are referred to the Word himself. For as he for our sake became man, so we for his sake are exalted. It is no absurdity then, if, as for our sake he humbled himself, so also for our sake he is said to be highly exalted. So “he gave to him” means, in essence, “[he gave] to us for his sake.” And “he highly exalted him” means essentially “[he exalted] us in him.” And the Word himself—when we are exalted and receive and are helped as if he himself were exalted and received and were helped—gives thanks to the Father, referring what is ours to himself and saying, “All things, whatever you have given me, I have given unto them.”

FOURTH DISCOURSE AGAINST THE ARIANS 7

Psalms 7:2

Cush is the one who went to Abasalom in the guise of a traitor, and brought to naught the counsel of Ahithophel and saved David from death. When David learned of these things, he knew that his Savior was not a man but God.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 7

Psalms 9:13

The Lord does not forget the cry of the poor, and especially of those who in the spirit ask of him vengeance for wrongs brought against them by demons. Those who pray that there may arise a Savior for those on earth in order to repress the second tyrannical man who waxed strong against us and to impose on us the spiritual law of the gospel, from which people who are rational may learn, no more to imitate senseless animals. They are also hastening to his coming, hoping for salvation.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 9

Psalms 13:5

In this I trust, that I shall receive forgiveness of my sin, in that I hope in your mercy through which you have worked salvation for all people.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 13

Psalms 16:1

The words in [this psalm] are sung as if by the person of Christ, who although he is noble as Lord by nature and has under his feet creation as a handmaid, yet he asks to be preserved by the Father as the head of the body of the church.… He made those sanctified by the Spirit a marvel in the land—in his church—teaching them the will of the Father as an angel of mighty counsel. They hastened to hear the preaching, not through blood [sacrifices] or practices of the law to please God, but through praise and bloodless sacrifice. Nor with names that befit their former works did he say, I shall call them, that is, idolaters and polytheists and atheists; but called and holy and pious, and who have a share in the Lord. Because the latter was obedient to the Father to death—which he calls a cup—for this reason he gave him as a portion and inheritance to the Gentiles. And he binds it to him with cords—fetters of spiritual life.… He is on [the Father’s] right hand in that we gain through his hands his heavenly Father as helper, and like a rod of power he has supported our weakness. Therefore he…

The words in [this psalm] are sung as if by the person of Christ, who although he is noble as Lord by nature and has under his feet creation as a handmaid, yet he asks to be preserved by the Father as the head of the body of the church.… He made those sanctified by the Spirit a marvel in the land—in his church—teaching them the will of the Father as an angel of mighty counsel. They hastened to hear the preaching, not through blood [sacrifices] or practices of the law to please God, but through praise and bloodless sacrifice. Nor with names that befit their former works did he say, I shall call them, that is, idolaters and polytheists and atheists; but called and holy and pious, and who have a share in the Lord. Because the latter was obedient to the Father to death—which he calls a cup—for this reason he gave him as a portion and inheritance to the Gentiles. And he binds it to him with cords—fetters of spiritual life.… He is on [the Father’s] right hand in that we gain through his hands his heavenly Father as helper, and like a rod of power he has supported our weakness. Therefore he also says to him: My flesh will reside in hope. The hope, then, is that his flesh will again assume the soul that was constituted. For his soul was not left in Sheol, nor did his body see the corruption of the grave.… For these things are granted us in him as the head and firstborn of the resurrection and because we have grown rich with his poverty. And again we shall be in unfading delights, which the saints will receive on the day of his manifestation from him who is the Father’s right hand.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 16

Psalms 17:7

He teaches us that even if we are virtuous, we should trust not in ourselves but in God, and that we should pray to him that like the pupil of the eye he protect the mind—our soul’s eye—from evil of the opposing powers.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 17

Psalms 17:13

The soul of each of the righteous—clearly of those who pull sinners from impiety to piety—is as a sharpened sword against the spirits of evil. This sword, O our Lord, which you sharpened against your enemies, save from the enemies of your hand.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 17

Psalms 18:8

In this and the following verses, he posits as a sign the smoke, which in his descent from heaven he made as darkness under his feet; it indicates the incomprehensibility of his dispensation. And in his ascension, he flew on the wings of the Spirit, as on cherubim, that is, the cloud that received him. And because in his church, which is his tabernacle, he mysteriously dwells and operates, he says, “He set darkness as his hiding place.” Again, because the remarks about him are made obscurely in the holy prophets, he writes, “Dark waters in the clouds of the airs,” which he showed to be clear and obvious when he openly came to earth.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 18

Psalms 21:1

Friends of David also delivered this psalm, as if he were now pleased for the salvation that was born from his seed for the world; this was a glorious crown for him, and length of days and glory and magnificence, and delight and joy and hope and unshakeable grace.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 21

Psalms 24:1

This verse teaches about God’s kingdom to come, in which he will reign over all. And in order to make known that as maker and natural Lord he will reign over it, he said [in the next verse], “He is its foundations.”

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 24

Psalms 25:13

The person who fears the Lord, his seed—which is good works—will cause him to inherit the spiritual land, which he will acquire by humility and labor with the forgiveness of sins.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 25

Psalms 28:9

He aids and saves the people that were anointed for inheritance and the priestly kingdom, and he tends and exalts them forever, showing us to be raised up and glorified in future infinite ages.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 28

Psalms 29:2

He commands us to worship the Lord in his holy court, teaching that it is not allowed to worship outside the church which holds the orthodox faith.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 29

Psalms 29:10

God dwells in the flood, that is, in the multitude of those who believed in Christ, who [as it says in the next verse] gives power to his people and blesses it in peace. For we are strengthened in Christ, who also gave us his peace.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 29

Psalms 30:5

In God’s wrath is anger, but in his will is life, because his will is life.… He is led to anger because of our sin. And although mourning will continue all night, in the morning he makes for us a rejoicing, when through repentance we strip off the burden of evil.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 30

Psalms 30:7

Without your power I cannot rise from my fall. Bring it to pass that the grace of my soul shine out again, not averting your face as previously.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 30

Psalms 31:16

In this I trust, that I shall be saved if you make your face to shine on me, hiding your back from me.

EXPOSITION ON PSALM 31