Книга Премудрости Соломона, Глава 9, стих 16. Толкования стиха

THE PRESENT LIFE IS FULL OF HARDSHIP. AUGUSTINE: Precisely by the name of sweat the sacred Scripture has called suffering in general, from which no one is exempt, because, whereas some suffer from difficult operations, others do so from excruciating cures. The studies of all those wishing to learn partake of these same sufferings. And what earth gives birth to thorns if not this one, which was not made burdensome by its maker when he created the first man? Now, however, according to what was written, “a corruptible body weighs down the soul, and the tent of clay burdens the mind with many thoughts. We barely grasp earthly things and laboriously discover what is at hand.” Whether or not, then, the doctrines that a person studies are useful, it is necessary that he suffer, since a corruptible body weighs down the soul. For him too, this earth gives birth to thorns. Nor can one say that the rich are exempt from these thorns, especially since in the Gospel the thorns that suffocate the seeds that were sown, so they do not reach fruitfulness, were explained by the teacher-God as the cares of this life and anxiety over riches. UNFINISHED TRACTATE AGAINST JULIAN 6.29.

WE SHOULD NOT PRY. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Is it not perhaps superfluous and extremely dangerous to have to inquire into what is beyond our logical capacities and exceeds our intelligence? How can what God works, mysteriously, be clear to us? Moreover, what eye of the heart can be so acute as to be able to gaze on God? And, indeed, who could understand things that are far superior to us, even if someone were to speak about and explain them? In fact, our Lord Jesus Christ once spoke to Nicodemus of spiritual rebirth, saying, “Truly, truly I say to you, if a person is not born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,” etc. But because he understood nothing, in the end Christ, revealing the coarseness of human intelligence and how far it is below the subtlety of certain concepts, says, “If you do not believe when I spoke to you of earthly things, how will you believe if I speak to you of heavenly things?” Then he adds, “Truly, truly I say to you: we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, but no one accepts our testimony.” As you can see, what is above us remains inscrutable. If it is true, as it is written, that “only with difficulty do we know the things at hand,” should we not think, without making further inquiries or vain research, that faith is indispensable for everything that surpasses our logical capacities? In this area, the most splendid ornament is prudence. COMMENTARY ON ROMANS 10.

 Надеясь вместе с мудростью получить ведение, славу, безсмертие и уменье управлять народом, а зная также, что она подается Богом, он обратился к Нему с следующею молитвой (8—21): Боже отцев воздавший все мудростью, избравший меня в правителя Твоему народу и повелевший создать храм Тебе, посли мне Твою вечную мудрость, чтобы я мог своими делами угодить Тебе (9,1—12), потому что слабый человек едва может понимать происходящее на земле, а волю Божию, без божественной премудрости, никто не может постигнуть, как это показывают исторические примеры (13—19).