Severian of Gabala — Commentary on Scripture

Hebrews 4:12-13

He says, “division of soul and spirit.” The soul has a special feeling for the body, but the grace of the Holy Spirit draws against the body to the heavenly things.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.12

Hebrews 6:1-3

The beginning of Christ was from within Judaism—for he lived as a Jew according to the law. He says because of this, “Leaving this behind, let us be borne to that maturity,” knowing that the one about to be a high priest apart from the law must be a priest “according to the order of Melchizedek.”“Dead works and faith in God, ritual washing.” For Christians the earthly things are dead. Therefore he says that it is out of place that they neglect the way of life based on faith and the mortification of all things and return to ablutions according to the law. When the Lord came, he preached repentance, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of God has drawn near,” but it was “a repentance from dead works.” … This, then, is what he says: it is not necessary to run back to the law, leaving behind the repentance from dead works and faith in God and baptism25—which he named in the plural because of the multitude of those deemed worthy. And he spoke of baptisms and the teaching and the laying on of hands through which are the elections, and the hope of the resurrection and the rest. And he has prepa…

The beginning of Christ was from within Judaism—for he lived as a Jew according to the law. He says because of this, “Leaving this behind, let us be borne to that maturity,” knowing that the one about to be a high priest apart from the law must be a priest “according to the order of Melchizedek.”“Dead works and faith in God, ritual washing.” For Christians the earthly things are dead. Therefore he says that it is out of place that they neglect the way of life based on faith and the mortification of all things and return to ablutions according to the law. When the Lord came, he preached repentance, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of God has drawn near,” but it was “a repentance from dead works.” … This, then, is what he says: it is not necessary to run back to the law, leaving behind the repentance from dead works and faith in God and baptism25—which he named in the plural because of the multitude of those deemed worthy. And he spoke of baptisms and the teaching and the laying on of hands through which are the elections, and the hope of the resurrection and the rest. And he has prepared this beforehand, since the priests in the law uphold the law with a vengeance, but Melchizedek was outside the law. Not coming from the levitical priesthood, he followed “the order of Melchizedek.” He says that it was not necessary to leave behind the priest in the order of Melchizedek to pursue those who are priests under the law, so that the things written in the law might stand. But he called those things in the law a “foundation,” since it has become a preamble of godliness for men.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.1-2

Hebrews 6:4-6

The apostles raised the dead. And this was the power of the resurrection. He said, “hold him up to contempt,” because if baptism is a mystery, it suffices once and for all. And if the matter happens a second time, it is an act of despising and ridicule.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.6

Hebrews 6:13-20

When he said above, “the full assurance of the hope,” he made clear that God furnished to Abraham “full assurance,” not that which belonged to his conduct through works but that which belonged to him through God’s redemptive plan.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 6.17

Hebrews 7:1

It is for a reason that we are reminded how Melchizedek met with Abraham after his victory over the Assyrians and gave him one-tenth of all the spoils. This indicates that Melchizedek, the priest, was a forefather of the tribe of the Levites. However, the priesthood without the law is greater than that under the law.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 7.1-2

Hebrews 7:3

Without father, without mother, without genealogy, according to the Scripture. Later, among the Levites it is always clear who were the parents of a priest. They also had allotted times and periods of service, and the total length of their service and of their life is known. All these data exist for each priest under the law, even if not for every year. However, it is said that Melchizedek is without father, without mother, without genealogy, having no beginning and no end of life according to the word of Scripture. He does not belong to a priestly family; we do not know when he started his priesthood or what kind of a priest he was, or whether he was a priest all his life. We do not know any information that is available for those priests under the law. It is said that, likened to the Son of God, he continues his priesthood forever. And how does Melchizedek remain a priest? Here is a solution to that question. As Moses sometimes signifies the law, so Melchizedek, a human being, signifies the priesthood. Now, if he is likened [to the Son of God] through the priesthood in Christ, he r…

Without father, without mother, without genealogy, according to the Scripture. Later, among the Levites it is always clear who were the parents of a priest. They also had allotted times and periods of service, and the total length of their service and of their life is known. All these data exist for each priest under the law, even if not for every year. However, it is said that Melchizedek is without father, without mother, without genealogy, having no beginning and no end of life according to the word of Scripture. He does not belong to a priestly family; we do not know when he started his priesthood or what kind of a priest he was, or whether he was a priest all his life. We do not know any information that is available for those priests under the law. It is said that, likened to the Son of God, he continues his priesthood forever. And how does Melchizedek remain a priest? Here is a solution to that question. As Moses sometimes signifies the law, so Melchizedek, a human being, signifies the priesthood. Now, if he is likened [to the Son of God] through the priesthood in Christ, he remains forever, not as a mortal man but as a pattern of the priesthood.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 7.3

Hebrews 9:11

The tent built under Moses was to signify servitude [to the law]. Therefore, the more perfect tent is the dwelling of grace, the body of Christ whose head is Christ himself.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 9.11

Hebrews 11:20-22

“By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.” First he gave it to Jacob, then to Esau, not according to the sequence of their birth but according to the order of spiritual blessing.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 11.2

Hebrews 11:32-40

“Of whom the world was not worthy.” … He does not say this about everyone but about the latter ones whom he sees as martyrs, witnesses of faith. He reminds us that these put foreign armies to flight and through their service to their people received grace.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 11.38

Hebrews 12:1

Let us lay aside every weight. “Weight” is a sin of the enjoyment of the flesh, a form in which the “sin which clings so closely” is born. It clings closely to us as it surrounds us with pleasure and subdues us to its own will.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 12.1

Hebrews 12:25-27

That is why Paul says elsewhere, “For the form of this world is passing away.” So that the temporary may pass away and the eternal may come.

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 12.27

James 2:25

Listen to the testimony of Scripture. In the midst of prostitution there was a pearl, in the mire there was burnished gold, in the mud there was a flower blooming with godliness. A godly soul was concealed in a land of impiety.

CATENA

James 4:5

What this means is that the Spirit in us tends toward fellowship with God. He turns us away from the love of the world and gives us ever more grace.

CATENA

John 13:4

The whole visible world proclaims the goodness of God, but nothing proclaims it so clearly as his coming among us, by which he whose state was divine assumed the condition of a slave. This was not a lowering of his dignity, but rather a manifestation of his love for us. The awesome mystery that takes place today brings us to the consequence of his action. For what is it that takes place today? The Savior washes the feet of his disciples.… Although he took upon himself everything pertaining to our condition as slaves, he took a slave’s position in a way specially suited to our own arrangements when he rose from the table.He who feeds everything beneath the heavens was reclining among the apostles, the master among slaves, the fountain of wisdom among the ignorant, the Word among those untrained in the use of words, the source of wisdom among the unlettered. He who nourishes all was reclining and eating with his disciples. He who sustains the whole world was himself receiving sustenance. Moreover, he was not satisfied with the great favor he showed his servants by sharing a meal with t…

The whole visible world proclaims the goodness of God, but nothing proclaims it so clearly as his coming among us, by which he whose state was divine assumed the condition of a slave. This was not a lowering of his dignity, but rather a manifestation of his love for us. The awesome mystery that takes place today brings us to the consequence of his action. For what is it that takes place today? The Savior washes the feet of his disciples.… Although he took upon himself everything pertaining to our condition as slaves, he took a slave’s position in a way specially suited to our own arrangements when he rose from the table.He who feeds everything beneath the heavens was reclining among the apostles, the master among slaves, the fountain of wisdom among the ignorant, the Word among those untrained in the use of words, the source of wisdom among the unlettered. He who nourishes all was reclining and eating with his disciples. He who sustains the whole world was himself receiving sustenance.
Moreover, he was not satisfied with the great favor he showed his servants by sharing a meal with them. Peter, Matthew and Philip, men of the earth, reclined with him, while Michael, Gabriel and the whole army of angels stood by. Oh, the wonder of it! The angels stood by in dread, while the disciples reclined with him with the utmost familiarity!
And even this marvel did not content him. “He rose from the table,” as Scripture says. He who is “clothed in light as in a robe” was clad in a cloak. He who wraps the heavens in clouds wrapped round himself a towel. He who pours the water into the rivers and pools tipped some water into a basin. And he before whom every knee bends in heaven and on earth and under the earth knelt to wash the feet of his disciples.

HOMILY ON THE WASHING OF THE FEET

John 13:6

The Lord of all creation washed his disciples’ feet! This was not an affront to his dignity but a demonstration of his boundless love for us. Yet however great his love was, Peter was well aware of his majesty. Always impetuous and quick to profess his faith, he was quick also to recognize the truth. The other disciples had let the Lord wash their feet, not with indifference but with fear and trembling. They dared not oppose the Master. Out of reverence, however, Peter would not permit it. He said, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet? You shall never wash my feet!”Peter was adamant. He had the right feelings, but not understanding the full meaning of the incarnation, he first refused in a spirit of faith and afterward gratefully obeyed. This is how religious people ought to behave. They should not be obdurate in their decisions but should surrender to the will of God. For although Peter reasoned in human fashion, he changed his mind out of love for God.

HOMILY ON THE WASHING OF THE FEET

Romans 1:1

Paul here preaches the divinity of Christ to a world which was ignorant of it. Many people saw the Lord, and others believed in him without seeing, but Paul was called from heaven: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He was more highly favored than the other apostles, for the Lord called Peter and James and John and made them his disciples; he did not immediately make or call them apostles. But he made Paul an apostle as soon as he called him. Thus the gospel is preached according to the plan of God.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 1:2

Paul says “his prophets” because there are also prophets of idols, and by the word his he distinguishes one type of prophet from another and one gospel from another. For there are many gospels, but they are moral and temporary, whereas that of Christ proclaims in the holy Scriptures the enjoyment of eternal blessedness. These prophets are his because they are not of another god but of the Father of Christ.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 1:7

Paul does not say “to the saints” lightly—for “many are called but few are chosen” and not all have remained in their calling—but so that he would not be throwing holy things to dogs. … According to the heretics, if Christ is the Lord and God is our Father, then the Father will be a servant of Christ, for as the son is, so is the father. But it is not like that at all. Paul said that God is our Father, in order to show his grace, and that Christ is Lord, in order that the Romans should not become proud and think that because they too were sons of God they could despise the glory of the Son or raise themselves up beyond what was natural. Paul called God “the Father” because he judges no one, but the Son he called “Lord,” because he is the judge. He calls God “the Father” so as to point out his guardianship over us. He calls the Son “Lord” so that we might understand that we are called sons by the goodness of God but that Jesus is the true God by nature and our Lord.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.136

Romans 1:13

There were many who sped to Rome for human reasons. Paul reveals his own chaste desire to go there and that his motive was a godly one. It appears that he longed after the Romans, perhaps because their faith had become an encouragement to all their subject peoples.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 1:27

Paul did not say this lightly, but because he had heard that there was a homosexual community at Rome. .