Екклезиастик (Книга Премудрости Иисуса, сына Сирахова), Глава 24, стих 3. Толкования стиха

THE NATURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. VICTOR OF VITA: From the books of the Old Testament and then also from those of the New, we are taught that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are of a single substance. Indeed, the book of Genesis begins, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was invisible and shapeless, and darkness was over the abyss, and the Spirit of God moved over the waters.” He was the beginning, he who spoke to the Jews who had asked him who he was, saying, “The beginning, who speaks to you.” The Spirit of God, then, moved over the waters as creator, sustaining the creation by the virtue of his power, so that, producing from them all the living species, he gave the heat of his own fire to the crude elements, and the nature of water (suggesting even then the mystery of baptism) received sanctifying power and for the first time brought forth animated bodies to life. David, inspired by God, testifies, “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were fixed, and by the Spirit of his mouth all of their power.” See how rich his brief words are, and how he clearly returns to the mystery of unity: by “Lord” indicating the Father, indicating the Son with the term “Word” and designating the Holy Spirit with the expression “from the mouth of the Most High.” And so the term “Word” would not be understood as the emanation of the voice, he says that the heavens were fixed through him. And so the term “Spirit” would not be understood as breath, he showed in him the fullness of the power of heaven. In fact, where there is power, there must be a person. By saying “all” he means not a power taken from the Father or from the Son but a power perfect in the Holy Spirit, not in such a way that he alone would have that which is in the Father and in the Son, but that he would have it fully, together with them both. BOOK OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH 77-78.

TESTIMONIES TO THE SON’S DIVINITY. ILDEFONSUS OF TOLEDO: Malachi says, “The Lord whom you seek will come to his holy temple, and the angel of the covenant whom you desire.” Similarly in Exodus, the Father says to the lawgiver, “See, I send my angel who goes before you, who guards you on your way and who brings you to the place I have prepared. Honor him, and listen to his voice, and do not disregard him, because he will not forgive you when you sin. My name is on him.” Perhaps because you hear “angel” you do not believe it is God the creator but some created angel? Impossible! You are confused by a tremendous folly if you believe that God would have given his power and his very name to some angel, and therefore (contrary to your word and mine) that it was not the only God who did everything. Why do you say the angel is equal to him when this cannot be so? Indeed, who above the clouds is equal to the Lord? Or who among the children of God is like God? That is, among the good angels and among the holy people whom, in adoptive love, the divine mercy calls children. From where did Christ come? Well, from where did he come? Clearly, he came from nowhere else than from God. Listen to Christ speak by the mouth of Solomon: “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High.” And to what the Father says of him in the Psalms: “From the womb before the dawn I begot you.” Here and elsewhere, Christ says through Solomon, “Before the hills I was brought into the world.” And Zechariah, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: after the glory he sent me to the peoples, to those who plundered you. Whoever strikes you strikes the apple of my eye, because, look, I will raise my hand over you, and they will be plunder for those who served them. And you will know that the Lord of hosts sent me.” ON MARY’S PERPETUAL VIRGINITY 5.

Для большаго убеждения в справедливости и важности своих советов, премудрый заставляет говорить самое премудрость. Подобно тому, как в кн. Притчей (8. 12—31), премудрость начинает здесь восхвалять себя, или лучше, описывать свое божѳственное происхождение и свои божественныя свойства, указывая на особенное свое присутствие в избранном народе (24. 1 — 13). Здесь она произрасла, как лучшия деревья, и распространила свое благоухание, как самыя благовонныя вещества (слав. аспалаф - гвоздика, халвани - благовонная смола Сирии. оникс — пахучая раковина, стакти - сок миртовых кустов), и приглашает людей наслаждаться ею (14—24)  Отожествляя себя с книгою завета, даннаго Моисеем, премудрость сравнивает свои действия с действиями 4-х рек райских и Иордана, и обещает быть неизсякаемым источником и морем света и учспия (25—37). Она считает для себя украшением единомыслие братьев, любовь ближних и согласие супругов; напротив, ненавидит гордаго бедняка, лживаго богача и прелюбодея старика: потому что каждому возрасту и каждому состоянию приличны особенныя действия и страсти (25, 1—5).