From Dionysius’ commentary on Ecclesiastes: “And my heart directed me in wisdom, and to overcome in mirth, until I should know what is that good thing to the sons of men which they shall do under the sun for the number of the days of their life.” – Ecclesiastes Being directed, he says, by wisdom, I overcame pleasures in mirth. Moreover, for me the aim of knowledge was to occupy myself with nothing vain, BUT TO FIND THE GOOD; for if a person finds that, he does not miss the discernment also of the profitable. The sufficient is also the … Continue reading The aim of knowledge

Chance in the gaps! 😆 Yea, Democritus himself, as it is reported, averred that he would prefer the discovery of one true cause to being put in possession of the kingdom of Persia. And that was the declaration of a man who had only a vain and groundless conception of the causes of things, inasmuch as he started with an unfounded principle, and an erroneous hypothesis, and did not discern the real root and the common law of necessity in the constitution of natural things, and held as the greatest wisdom the apprehension of things that come about simply in … Continue reading An image as a cover

Her heart ensnares those who pass her; and if she but join hand to hand, she holds one as securely as though she dragged him on bound with chains. And from her you can secure your deliverance only by finding a propitious and watchful superintendent in God; for he who is enslaved by sin cannot (otherwise) escape its grasp. Moreover, among all women I sought for the chastity proper to them, and I found it in none. Gregory Thaumaturgus. 1886. “A Metaphrase of the Book of Ecclesiastes.” In Fathers of the Third Century: Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius the Great, Julius Africanus, … Continue reading Enslaved by sin

It is the greatest of all good to take hold of God, and by abiding in Him to sin in nothing. Gregory Thaumaturgus. 1886. “A Metaphrase of the Book of Ecclesiastes.” In Fathers of the Third Century: Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius the Great, Julius Africanus, Anatolius and Minor Writers, Methodius, Arnobius, edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, translated by S. D. F. Salmond, 6:14. The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Continue reading The greatest of all good

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Jesus Matthew 5:10 Continue reading The evil man

From Gregory’s paraphrased translation of Ecclesiastes for a Greco-Roman audience in 250AD. Continue reading Two different endings

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made…..And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:1-3, 14 Inspired by Novatians break down on Jesus according to Scripture… Continue reading Man of Man God of God

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