Friday, November 10, 2023

Beza, Plato, and the "Shall Be" Speculative Restoration at Revelation 16:5

Beza speculatively replaced "ὅσιος" with "ἐσόμενος" in Revelation 16:5.  Sometimes advocates of the King James Version (or Scrivener's Textus Receptus, which was based on the KJV), will try to find some hint that this text existed in some now-lost copies of Scripture. To that end, I've done my best to survive the roughly 266 places in which the exact expression "ἐσόμενος" appears in any Greek writing in the Thesaurus Linguae Gracae (TLG) library of Greek Literature (as of November 10, 2023).

There is one Biblical use, namely in the Septuagint translation of Job:

Septuagint, Job 15:14 "τίς γὰρ ὢν βροτός, ὅτι ἔσται ἄμεμπτος, ἢ ὡς ἐσόμενος δίκαιος γεννητὸς γυναικός;" (NETS: For who, being mortal, can be blameless, or who can be in the right, born of woman?)

While this is an important verse for total depravity, it has no obvious connection to Revelation 16:5.

A much more interesting use is found in Plato's Timaeus.  I don't know whether Plato's Timaeus is itself included in the TLG, but beginning with Stobaeus (5th century, AD) there are multiple quotations of Plato's use (Stobaeus, Proclus, Simplicius, and especially Philoponus provide this quotation).   

In a paper (link), I found the following text and translation of Timaeus 38b 6-c 3.

χρόνος δ᾽ οὖν μετ᾽ οὐρανοῦ γέγονεν, ἵνα ἅμα γεννηθέντες ἅμα καὶ λυθῶσιν, ἄν ποτε λύσις τις αὐτῶν γίγνηται, καὶ κατὰ τὸ παράδειγμα τῆς διαιωνίας φύσεως, ἵν’ὡς ὁμοιότατος αὐτῷ κατὰ δύναμιν ᾖ· τὸ μὲν γὰρ δὴ παράδειγμα πάντα αἰῶνά ἐστιν ὄν, ὁ δ᾽ αὖ διὰ τέλους τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον γεγονώς τε καὶ ὢν καὶ ἐσόμενος.

...

Now, χρόνος has come into being with the οὐρανός (χρόνος δ᾽ οὖν μετ᾽ οὐρανοῦ γέγονεν), so that, together (ἅμα) having been engendered, together (ἅμα) they may perish, should some dissolution (λύσις) of either the one or the other ever occur, and it has come into being [sc. γέγονεν] in accordance with the paradigm which is possessed of a thoroughly everlasting nature (τὸ παράδειγμα τῆς διαιωνίας φύσεως), so that it should prove to be as similar as possible to that paradigm, relative to its capacity (ἵν’ὡς ὁμοιότατος αὐτῷ κατὰ δύναμιν ᾖ); for that paradigm ‘is’ for all Eternity, being, whereas the other (ὁ δ᾽ αὖ, that is, its ‘image’), lasting through and through (διὰ τέλους), ‘is’ [sc. ἐστιν] for all time, having come into being, and also being and going to be’.

It's easy to observe the three times (past, present, and future) mentioned in connection with the concept of Eternity.  There is no reason to think that John would have been influenced by Plato, and in context John is quoting an angel, who would have no reason to be have been influenced by Plato.  Nevertheless, it is more reasonable to suppose that Beza was influenced by Plato.

In 1513, Aldus Manutius provided the first printed edition of Plato's works in Greek, which included Timaeus (link to relevant page):


Notice the "καὶ ὢν καὶ ἐσόμενος" as the final words of the last line of the clip. It is 

Beza may not have always agreed with Plato, but he had read him, at least enough to disagree with him. For example, "Beza does not favour Plato's philosophy, and often finds him an inept philosopher," Mallinson, Jeffrey, 'Beza’s Academic Challenge', Faith, Reason, and Revelation in Theodore Beza (1519–1605), Oxford Theological Monographs (Oxford, 2003; online edn, Oxford Academic, 3 Oct. 2011).

Setting aside the people quoting or commenting on Plato himself, and setting aside the many places where the use of the word seems utterly irrelevant to the question at hand, I have found the following places of interest (some of which were already pointed out by Nick Sayers in his book on Revelation 16:5, defending Beza's reading).

1. Clement of Alexandria (d. c. 215), Stromata, Book 5, Chapter 6 (translation)(Greek can be found here):

So very mystically the five loaves are broken by the Saviour, and fill the crowd of the listeners. For great is the crowd that keep to the things of sense, as if they were the only things in existence. "Cast your eyes round, and see," says Plato, "that none of the uninitiated listen." Such are they who think that nothing else exists, but what they can hold tight with their hands; but do not admit as in the department of existence, actions and processes of generation, and the whole of the unseen. For such are those who keep by the five senses. But the knowledge of God is a thing inaccessible to the ears and like organs of this kind of people. Hence the Son is said to be the Father's face, being the revealer of the Father's character to the five senses by clothing Himself with flesh. "But if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." "For we walk by faith, not by sight," the noble apostle says. Within the veil, then, is concealed the sacerdotal service; and it keeps those engaged in it far from those without.

Again, there is the veil of the entrance into the holy of holies. Four pillars there are, the sign of the sacred tetrad of the ancient covenants. Further, the mystic name of four letters which was affixed to those alone to whom the adytum was accessible, is called Jave, which is interpreted, "Who is and shall be." The name of God, too, among the Greeks contains four letters.

ταύτῃ τοι μυστικώτατα πέντε ἄρτοι πρὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος κατακλῶνται καὶ πληθύνουσι τῷ ὄχλῳ τῶν ἀκροωμένων. πολὺς γὰρ ὁ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ὡς μόνοις οὖσι προσανέχων. «ἄθρει δὴ περισκοπῶν,» φησὶν ὁ Πλάτων, «μή τις τῶν ἀμυήτων ἐπακούῃ. εἰσὶ δὲ οὗτοι οἱ οὐδὲν ἄλλο οἰόμενοι εἶναι ἢ οὗ ἂν ἀπρὶξ τοῖν χειροῖν λαβέσθαι δύναιντο, πράξεις δὲ καὶ γενέσεις καὶ πᾶν τὸ ἀόρατον οὐκ ἀποδεχόμενοι ὡς ἐν οὐσίας μέρει·» τοιοῦτοι γὰρ οἱ τῇ πεντάδι τῶν αἰσθήσεων προσανέχοντες μόνῃ. ἄβατον δὲ ἀκοαῖς καὶ τοῖς ὁμογενέσιν ἡ νόησις τοῦ θεοῦ. ἐντεῦθεν πρόσωπον εἴρηται τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ υἱός, αἰσθήσεων πεντάδι σαρκοφόρος γενόμενος, ὁ λόγος ὁ τοῦ πατρῴου μηνυτὴς ἰδιώματος. «εἰ δὲ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν.» «διὰ πίστεως περιπατοῦμεν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους,» ὁ καλὸς ἀπόστολος λέγει. ἔνδον μὲν οὖν τοῦ καλύμματος ἱερατικὴ κέκρυπται διακονία καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ πονουμένους πολὺ τῶν ἔξω εἴργει. 

πάλιν τὸ παραπέτασμα τῆς εἰς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων παρόδου, κίονες τέτταρες αὐτόθι, ἁγίας μήνυμα τετράδος διαθηκῶν παλαιῶν, ἀτὰρ καὶ τὸ τετράγραμμον ὄνομα τὸ μυστικόν, ὃ περιέκειντο οἷς μόνοις τὸ ἄδυτον βάσιμον ἦν· λέγεται δὲ Ἰαουε, ὃ μεθερμηνεύεται ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐσόμενος. καὶ μὴν καὶ καθ’ Ἕλληνας θεὸς τὸ ὄνομα τετράδα περιέχει γραμμάτων. 

It is interesting to see the earliest Christian writer who is defining the tetragrammaton as "who is and shall be" has clearly been influenced by Plato. This is an example of a "possible allusion" but considering that the phrase wording doesn't align with the phrase wording of Beza's Revelation 16:5, it seems unreasonable to put much weight on it.


2. Gregory of Nyssa (d. 395), On the Baptism of Christ, A Sermon for the Day of the Lights. (link to translation

Διὰ δὴ ταῦτα πάντα τὸν τῆς χαρᾶς ὕμνον ἄσωμεν τῷ θεῷ, ὃν στόμα τῷ πνεύματι κάτοχον πάλαι προφητικῶς ἐξεβόησεν· Ἀγαλλιάσθω ἡ ψυχή μου ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ· ἐνέδυσε γάρ με ἱμάτιον σωτηρίου καὶ χιτῶνα εὐφροσύνης περιέβαλέ μοι, ὡς νυμφίῳ περιέθηκέ μοι μίτραν καὶ ὡς νύμφην κατεκόσμησέ με κόσμῳ. κοσμήτωρ δὲ πάντως τῆς νύμφης ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ ὢν καὶ πρόων καὶ ἐσόμενος, εὐλογητὸς νῦν καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν. 

For all these things then let us sing to God that hymn of joy, which lips touched by the Spirit long ago sang loudly: Let my soul be joyful in the Lord: for He has clothed me with a garment of salvation, and has put upon me a robe of gladness: as on a bridegroom He has set a mitre upon me, and as a bride has He adorned me with fair array.  And verily the Adorner of the bride is Christ, Who is, and was, and shall be, blessed now and for evermore. Amen.

The reference to the Adorner of the bride is probably a reference to Septuagint Isaiah 61:10: "... Let my soul be glad in the Lord, for he has clothed me with a garment of salvation and with a tunic of joy; he has put on me a headdress as on a bridegroom and adorned me with ornaments like a bride." (NETS) ("... ἀγαλλιάσθω ἡ ψυχή μου ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ ἐνέδυσεν γάρ με ἱμάτιον σωτηρίου καὶ χιτῶνα εὐφροσύνης ὡς νυμφίῳ περιέθηκέν μοι μίτραν καὶ ὡς νύμφην κατεκόσμησέν με κόσμῳ")  The reference to the lips touched by the Spirit is undoubtedly a reference to the account of the purification of Isaiah's lips (Isaiah 6:5-6)

Gregory's doxological conclusion is an explanation of Jesus as the Adorner together with praise of Jesus, calling him blessed and eternal.  This is an example of a "possible allusion" but considering that the phrase wording doesn't align with the phrase wording of Beza's Revelation 16:5, it seems unreasonable to put much weight on it.


3. Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444), Commentary on Isaiah, Book 4, Oration II, at Isaiah 44:6-7 (Greek at 924 D)

Thus says the Lord, the God, the King of Israel, the God of hosts who saved him: I am the first, and I am after these; besides me there is no God. Who is like me? Let him stand up, call, and prepare for me, since I made man into the world. And let them declare to you the things that are to come before they happen. Do not be deceived, and I have announced to you.

Making a remembrance of the knowledge in Christ through the readings now given to us, he shifts the discourse to another of the necessary things. For at that time, when the divine prophet Isaiah was composing such words for us, reigning among them was the hater of God, and he was in unbearable errors. For each had his own so-called god and reverence; God made it necessary for them to have advice, interwoven with the most ingenious reproaches; moving them away from polytheism and its infirmities; and inviting them through recognition to the knowledge of truth, and of His own glory and incomparable power, bringing it to memory. In this regard, he says: Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, the God of hosts who saved him. For He wants it to be known that He is God and the Lord of powers, and to be lifted up as if from drunkenness to see that they have been delivered from the greed of the Egyptians, performing wonders, and showing the greatness of His power and superiority. For what has not been done of the things wondered at? What plague has not been inflicted on those who oppressed them? Or how could there not be a clear demonstration of His indescribable power, with the sea standing apart, the waters freezing and forming like a wall, and the fleeing ones walking through the middle? And what about the miracles in the wilderness after this? Did He not give them bread from heaven? Did He not break open a rock in the wilderness, and water them as in a great abyss; and brought down waters like rivers? Did He not, by placing a sort of bridle on the waters of the Jordan, make a way to pass with a foot? Therefore, He rightly calls Himself not simply Lord and God in these things; but He added, And having saved him, bringing to memory, as I said, the paradoxically accomplished things through Him. Know then, he says, that I am God first, and I am after these, and besides me there was no God.

For God is the beginning of everything, being Himself without beginning, and everything was brought forth by Him into being; He then became under no one, but is, was, and will be. For this is His name, and an eternal memorial for generations of generations. Therefore, neither was there another God before Him, nor will there be one after Him. For there is one God by nature, and no other besides Him. This advice is very useful for those who have denied Him, and who have slipped into great folly in thinking that there are many gods. That no one else or different one can be counted upon Him, He demonstrates by saying: Who is like me? Who among the gods you have thought of, or named senselessly, will be according to my glory and power? From what great deeds have you believed them to be gods? Let someone stand, if there is one like me. Let someone prepare who has a nature equal in strength or glory. Let them call whoever they choose of the falsely-named gods, since I made man into the world. For I, he says, have created the heavens and the things in them, having flocks of countless holy spirits worshiping and serving me, but since I made man upon the earth, and in the following, that is, into the world, let someone show me one like me. But again saying, Since I made man, he shows himself to be the creator, and the falsely-named gods to be completely non-existent. For what of those worshiping them have they brought into being? But I, being a creator, am known, and the creator of everything, and having knowledge of all. Investigate this with the gods spoken of among you, let them declare to you the things that are to come before they happen. For it would be fitting for a god by nature to have all knowledge of both what has already happened and what will be. But if none among the falsely-named gods is found to have this, it is evident that those who do not have the knowledge of God could not be gods. Do not be deceived, instead of, Do not be silent, nor pretend.

 Οὕτω λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ὁ ῥυσάμενος αὐτὸν Θεὸς Σαβαώθ· Ἐγὼ πρῶτος, καὶ ἐγὼ μετὰ ταῦτα· πλὴν ἐμοῦ οὐκ ἔστι Θεός. Τίς ὥσπερ ἐγώ; Στήτω, καὶ καλεσάτω, καὶ ἑτοιμασάτω μοι, ἀφ’ οὗ ἐποίησα ἄνθρωπον εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Καὶ τὰ ἐπερχόμενα πρὸ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἀναγγειλάτωσαν ὑμῖν. Μὴ παρακαλύπτεσθε, καὶ ἀπήγγειλα ὑμῖν.

  Τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ γνώσεως διὰ τῶν ἀρτίως ἡμῖν ἀναγνώσεων ποιησάμενος μνήμην, μεθίστησι τὸν λόγον ἐφ’ ἕτερόν τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κατ’ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ, καθ’ ὃν ὁ θεσπέσιος προφήτης Ἡσαΐας τοὺς περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἡμῖν συνετίθει λόγους, βασιλεύοντος παρ’ αὐτοῖς θεομισοῦς, καὶ ἐν ἀφορήτοις γέγονεν ὀλισθήμασιν. Ἦν γὰρ ἑκάστῳ τὸ δοκοῦν θεὸς καὶ σέβας· ἀναγκαίαν αὐτοῖς τὴν παραίνεσιν εὐφυεστάτοις ἐλέγχοις ἐγκεκλωσμένην ποιεῖται Θεός· μεθιστὰς μὲν αὐτοὺς τῆς πολυθεΐας, καὶ τῶν ἐν τούτοις ἀῤῥωστημάτων· προσκαλούμενος δὲ διὰ μεταγνώσεως εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ δόξης, καὶ ἀσυγκρίτου δυνάμεως ἀνακομίζων εἰς ἀνάμνησιν. Ταύτῃ τοι φησίν· Οὕτω λέγει Κύριος ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ὁ ῥυσάμενος αὐτὸν Θεὸς Σαβαώθ. Ὅτι γὰρ Θεός ἐστι καὶ τῶν δυνάμεων Κύριος, εἰδέναι βούλεται, καὶ καθάπερ ἐκ μέθης ἀνενεγκόντας ἰδεῖν, ὅτι καὶ τῆς Αἰγυπτίων πλεονεξίας ἐξῄρηνται, θαυματουργοῦντος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτῷ δυνάμεως, καὶ ὑπεροχῆς τὸ μέγεθος ἐμφανίζοντος. Τί γὰρ οὐ πέπρακται τῶν τεθαυμασμένων; Ποία δὲ τοῖς πλεονεκτοῦσιν αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐπηνέχθη πληγή; Ἢ πῶς τῆς ἀφράστου δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο σαφὴς ἀπόδειξις, τὸ διαστῆναι μὲν θάλασσαν, παγῆναι δὲ καὶ ὡσεὶ τεῖχος τὰ ὕδατα, καὶ διὰ μέσων ἰέναι τοὺς φεύγοντας; Τί δὲ δὴ τὰ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ μετὰ τοῦτο θαυματουργήματα; Οὐκ ἄρτον αὐτοῖς ἔδωκε τὸν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ; Οὐ διέῤῥηξε πέτραν ἐν ἐρήμῳ, καὶ ἐπότισεν αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐν ἀβύσσῳ πολλῇ; καὶ κατήγαγεν ὡς ποταμοὺς ὕδατα; οὐ τοῖς Ἰορδάνου νάμασιν οἷά τινα χαλινὸν ἐπιθεὶς, ποδὶ παρεσκεύασε παρελθεῖν; Ἀναγκαίως τοίνυν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς Κύριόν τε καὶ Θεὸν ἐν τούτοις ἑαυτὸν ἀποκαλεῖ· προσεπήγαγε δὲ, ὅτι Καὶ ῥυσάμενος αὐτὸν, εἰς ἀνάμνησιν ἀνακομίζων, ὡς ἔφην, τῶν δι’ αὐτὸν παραδόξως τετελεσμένων. Ἴσθι δὴ οὖν, φησὶν, ὅτι Ἐγὼ Θεὸς πρῶτος, καὶ ἐγὼ μετὰ ταῦτα, καὶ πλὴν ἐμοῦ οὐκ ἦν Θεός. 

Ἀρχὴ γὰρ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἄναρχος ὢν αὐτὸς, καὶ παρ’ αὐτοῦ πάντα παρήχθη πρὸς γένεσιν· αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν γέγονεν ὑπ’ οὐδενὸς, ἀλλ’ ἔστιν ὤν τε καὶ ἐσόμενος. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ, καὶ μνημόσυνον αἰώνιον γενεῶν γενεαῖς. Οὔτε τοίνυν πρὸ αὐτοῦ Θεὸς ἕτερος ἦν, οὔτε τις ἔσται μετ’ αὐτόν. Εἷς γὰρ φύσει Θεὸς, καὶ ἕτερος παρ’ αὐτὸν οὐδείς. Χρησιμωτάτη δὲ λίαν ἡ παραίνεσις τοῖς ἀρνησαμένοις αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκ πολλῆς ἄγαν ἀσυνεσίας ὠλισθηκόσιν εἴς γε τὸ οἴεσθαι θεοὺς εἶναι πολλούς. Ὅτι δὲ κατ’ αὐτὸν οὐδεὶς ἤγουν ἕτερος ἐπ’ αὐτῷ καταλογισθῆναι, διαδείκνυσι λέγων· Τίς ὥσπερ ἐγώ; Ποῖος ἄρα τοῖς παρ’ ὑμῶν ὑπονοηθεῖσι θεοῖς, ἤγουν ἀσυνέτως ὠνομασμένοις, κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἔσται δόξαν τε καὶ δύναμιν; Ἐκ ποίας ἄρα μεγαλουργίας θεοὺς αὐτοὺς εἶναι πεπιστεύκατε; Στήτω τις, εἴπερ ἐστὶ κατ’ ἐμέ. Ἑτοιμασάτω τις τὸν ἰσόῤῥοπον ἔχοντα φύσιν, ἢ κατ’ ἰσχὺν ἢ δόξαν. Καλεσάτωσαν οὓς ἂν ἕλοιντο τῶν ψευδωνύμων θεῶν, ἀφ’ οὗ ἐποίησα ἄνθρωπον εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἐκτισάμην γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐρανοὺς, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς, ἀναριθμήτων ἁγίων πνευμάτων ἀγέλας προσκυνούσας ἔχων καὶ λατρευούσας ἐμοὶ, πλὴν ἀφ’ οὗ πεποίηκα τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐφεξῆς, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, δειξάτω μοί τις τὸν κατ’ ἐμέ. Λέγων δὲ πάλιν τὸ, Ἀφ’ οὗ ἐποίησα ἄνθρωπον, ἑαυτὸν μὲν δείκνυσιν ὄντα δημιουργὸν, τοὺς δὲ ψευδωνύμους θεοὺς οὐδὲν ὄντας παντελῶς. Τίνα γὰρ τῶν προσκυνούντων αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρήνεγκαν; πλὴν δημιουργὸς ἐγὼ ὑπάρχων γνωρίζομαι, καὶ κτίστης τῶν ὅλων, καὶ ἁπάντων ἔχων τὴν γνῶσιν. Ἐρευνήσατε τοῦτο παρὰ τοῖς παρ’ ὑμῶν ῥηθεῖσι θεοῖς, τὰ ἐπερχόμενα πρὸ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἀναγγειλάτωσαν ὑμῖν. Θεῷ γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν πρέποι ἂν τὸ πᾶσαν ἔχειν τὴν γνῶσιν τῶν τε ἤδη παρῳχηκότων, καὶ τῶν ἐσομένων. Εἰ δὲ οὐδεὶς ἐν τοῖς ψευδωνύμοις θεοῖς τοῦτο λαχὼν εὑρίσκεται, ἀσυμφανὲς, ὅτι οἱ τὴν Θεοῦ γνῶσιν οὐκ ἔχοντες, οὐκ ἂν εἶεν θεοί. Μὴ παρακαλύπτεσθε, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Μὴ σιωπᾶτε, μηδὲ ἀποπροσποιεῖσθε.

This is an example of a "possible allusion" but considering that the phrase wording doesn't align with the phrase wording of Beza's Revelation 16:5, it seems unreasonable to put much weight on it.


4. Olympiodorus the Deacon (of Alexandria?)(Sixth Century?), Commentary on Jeremiah (taken from catena fragments):

 «Ἰωσεδέκ.» Ἰωσεδὲκ ἑρμηνεύεται, Ἰωὰ δίκαιος, τουτέστι δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν· ἢ Ἰωὰ, ὢν καὶ ἐσόμενος, Ἰωσεδέκ· καὶ διὰ τὴν ὁμωνυμίαν υἱοῦ τοῦ Ἰωσεδὲκ, τοῦ ἡγησαμένου τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας. Πολλάκις γὰρ ἡ Γραφὴ καὶ ἀπὸ ὀνομάτων τὰ πράγματα κρίνει· ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Μελχισεδὲκ, ὃς ἑρμηνεύεται βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης. Ἐν τοῖς προφήταις ἐπειδὴ καὶ προφήτης ἠξίωσε κληθῆναι, καθὸ γέγονεν ἅνθρωπος, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, ὁ τῶν προφητῶν Δεσπότης, κατὰ τὸν διὰ Μωσέως χρησμὸν λέγοντα, Προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν ὡς ἐμέ· κατὰ πάντα αὐτοῦ ἀκούσεσθε.

"Ἰωσεδέκ." Ἰωσεδέκ is interpreted as "Ἰωὰ the righteous," which means our righteousness. Or "Ἰωὰ," meaning "being and becoming," Josedek. And because of the similarity in name, it refers to the son of Josedek, who led the sons of Israel out of captivity. For often, Scripture judges things based on names, as in the case of Melchizedek, who is interpreted as the "king of peace." In the prophets, since even a prophet was deemed worthy to be called, just as it happened, a man, the Son of God, the Lord, the Master of the prophets, according to the prophecy through Moses, saying, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me; you shall listen to Him in everything."

As to the substance of this commentary, the author is clearly working from Septuagint Jeremiah, which has the text as: "ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ σωθήσεται Ιουδας καὶ Ισραηλ κατασκηνώσει πεποιθώς καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ὃ καλέσει αὐτὸν κύριος Ιωσεδεκ."  The KJV provides "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS," as the translation of "יְהוָה צִדְקֵֽנוּ" (YHWH tzidkenu).

What's interesting about this is the underlying idea that the Greek name Ἰωσεδέκ (Josedek) means "Ἰωὰ the righteous," with Ἰωὰ being a name of God.

Please note that this passage does not align with the text of the commentary on Jeremiah (per TA Virginia, Jr.), nor does it align with the text of the commentary on Baruch (per M Smensgård). So, perhaps the attribution is wrong, either perhaps it is in the Lamentations commentary, or perhaps it's spuriously attributed. 

5. Euthymius Protasecretis (10th century?)  "For me, to live is Christ, who is all in all, both now and forever; and to die is eternal, undying gain." ("Ἐμοὶ γοῦν τὸ ζῆν Χριστός, ὁ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσι καὶ ὢν καὶ ἐσόμενος· τὸ δὲ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος αἰωνίως ἀθάνατον.")(context and translation here)

This is best seen as an expansion of Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ( ἐμοὶ γὰρ τὸ ζῆν Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος) (compare: Ἐμοὶ γοῦν τὸ ζῆν Χριστός, ὁ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσι καὶ ὢν καὶ ἐσόμενος· τὸ δὲ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος αἰωνίως ἀθάνατον.)   The expansion "all in all" seems potentially to be taken from Ephesians 1:23 ("all in all" "τοῦ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν") or perhaps 1 Corinthians 15:28 ("all in all" "τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν").  The concept of "now and always" ("καὶ ὢν καὶ ἐσόμενος") is similar conceptually with 2 Peter 3:18 and Jude 25, while "eternal undying" has broad conceptual support in terms of "eternal life" and similar New Testament concepts.

This is an example of a "possible allusion" but considering that the phrase wording doesn't align with the phrase wording of Beza's Revelation 16:5, it seems unreasonable to put much weight on it.


The following were some results that were interesting (at least to me, but not particularly relevant):

6. John Climacus (d. 649), Ladder to Paradise (Scaala Paradisi), Step (Chapter) 29, section 10: "I am wholly united with God, and always will be" (ἡνωμένος ὅλος ὢν, καὶ ἀεὶ ἐσόμενος Θεῷ) (link to translation).

I don't see this as having any real likelihood of being seen as an allusion to Revelation 16:5, since it is about the person himself, and speaks more to something like eternal security through unity with Christ.  Nevertheless, it is beautiful, and I include it for completeness.


7. Manuel Chrysoloras (d. 1415), Questions of the Art of Grammar, Section 63 (with English interspersed):

Μετοχή· (participle) ὁ ὤν ὄντος (the being, of the being [masculine]), ἡ οὖσα οὔσης (the being, of the being [feminine]), τὸ ὄν ὄντος (the being, of the being [neuter]).

Μέλλων· (future) ὁ ἐσόμενος τοῦ –μένου (the one who will be, of the -ing [masculine]), ἡ ἐσομένη τῆς –μένης (the one who will be, of the -ing [feminine]), τὸ ἐσόμενον τοῦ –μένου (the one who will be, of the -ing [neuter]). 

Obviously not an allusion to any particular text, just an interesting Greek grammar in Greek.


8. Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444), Exposition on the Psalms (Greek available here) at LXX Psalm 40 (Psalm 41:10 in our Bibles)

"But you, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up, and I will repay them."

"These things are fitting for Christ because of the measure of humanity. For again, consider for me the Word of God, who exists in the form of God and equal with God the Father, revealed from His essence, co-throned and co-ruling over all, as being in a state of submission and diminishment due to His likeness to us, and more humanly due to His self-emptying, or rather divinely, the words He makes towards His own Father: 'Have mercy on me, he says, and raise me up.' And yet, how is it not clear to all that He Himself is naturally the mercy of God the Father? And likewise, He is the resurrection and the life, according to His own voice. But it was necessary for Him to fulfill all righteousness; and since He became a man, not to reject the humility of humanity, nor to disdain the words befitting it, due to the skill of His dispensation. We say, then, that He asks for mercy and, in conjunction with it, resurrection, not so much for Himself, but for us who are in need of mercy and resurrection. For as sin entered the world, and death through and because of it, so, with the expulsion of sin from the world, death is expelled. For we are justified in Christ by the merciful God the Father. Therefore, death has its solution in the resurrection of Christ, through whom and in whom human nature sprouted towards incorruptibility and life. 'When you raise me up, Father,' he says, 'then I will repay them,' clearly meaning those who have wronged Him. But still, he returns again from our human humility to the divine propriety. For He did not say to the Father in heaven, 'When you raise me, then you will repay them,' but as Himself being the judge of all and understood as God, 'I will repay them,' he says. As He Himself again says, 'The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.' And that our Lord Jesus being raised by the Father from the dead is accomplished through Him, how could one doubt? For He is, as I said, the resurrection and the life. And so He also said to the Jews about His own body, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it.' And that the Jews have exacted retribution for their impiety towards Him, it would not take long words to demonstrate, they themselves having proclaimed what happened to them. For He repaid them, having delivered them to the Romans. Then again He humanly says..."

Σὺ δὲ, Κύριε, ἐλέησόν με, καὶ ἀνάστησόν με, καὶ ἀνταποδώσω αὐτοῖς.

Ταῦτα ἁρμόττει τῷ Χριστῷ διὰ τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος μέτρον. Ἄθρει γάρ μοι πάλιν τὸν ὑπάρχοντα μὲν ἐν μορφῇ καὶ ἰσότητι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς Θεὸν Λόγον, τὸν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ πεφηνότα, σύνθρονόν τε αὐτοῦ καὶ συγκατάρχοντα τῶν ὅλων, ὡς ἐν ὑφέσει τε ὄντα καὶ ἐν μείοσιν διά τοι τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁμοίωσιν, καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως μᾶλλον διὰ τὴν κένωσιν, ἤγουν θεοπρεπῶς, τοὺς πρός γε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα ποιούμενον λόγους· «Ἐλέησόν με γὰρ, φησὶν, καὶ ἀνάστησόν με.» Καίτοι πῶς οὐχ ἅπασιν ἐναργὲς ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν κατὰ φύσιν τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός; αὐτὸς δὲ ὁμοίως ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωὴ, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ φωνήν. Ἀλλ’ ἦν ἀναγκαῖον πᾶσαν αὐτὸν πληρῶσαι δικαιοσύνην· καὶ ἐπειδὴ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος μὴ παραιτεῖσθαι σμικροπρεπὲς, μήτε μὴν τοὺς αὐτῇ πρέποντας ἀπαξιῶσαι λόγους, διὰ τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας εὐτεχνές. Φαμὲν δὲ ὅτι τὸν ἔλεον, καὶ συνεζευγμένως αὐτῷ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, οὐχ ἑαυτῷ μᾶλλον, ἀλλ’ ἡμῖν αἰτεῖ τοῖς ἐν χρείᾳ καθεστηκόσιν ἐλέου καὶ ἀναστάσεως. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰσελθούσης εἰς τὸν κόσμον τῆς ἁμαρτίας, συνεισήλατο καθάπερ ἰδίᾳ μητρὶ, καὶ ὁ δι’ αὐτήν τε καὶ δι’ αὐτῆς ἀναφὺς θάνατος· οὕτως ἐξωσθείσης ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας, συνεξήλατο καὶ ὁ θάνατος. Δικαιούμεθα γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ κατοικτείροντος ἡμᾶς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός. Λύσιν οὖν ὁ θάνατος ἔχει τὴν ἀνάστασιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι’ οὗ καὶ ἐν ᾧ πρὸς ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ ζωὴν ἀνέθαλεν ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις. Ὅταν τοίνυν ἀναστήσῃς με, φησὶν, ὦ Πάτερ, τότε καὶ ἀνταποδώσω αὐτοῖς, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπαρῳνηκόσιν. Ἐπιτήρει δ’ ὅμως, ὡς ἐκ τῆς καθ’ ἡμᾶς σμικροπρεπείας ἀναφοιτᾷ πάλιν .. [εἰς τὸ] θεοπρεπές. Οὐ γὰρ ἔφη πρὸς τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς Πατέρα, ὅτι Ὅταν ἀναστήσῃς με, τότε καὶ ἀνταποδώσεις αὐτοῖς, ἀλλ’ ὡς αὐτὸς ἐσόμενος τῶν ὅλων κριτὴς καὶ ἔστι καὶ νοεῖται Θεὸς, «Ἀνταποδώσω, φησὶν, αὐτοῖς.» Ὡς γὰρ αὐτός που πάλιν φησὶν, «Ὁ Πατὴρ κρίνει οὐδένα, ἀλλὰ τὴν πᾶσαν κρίσιν δέδωκεν τῷ Υἱῷ, ἵνα πάντες τιμῶσι τὸν Υἱὸν, καθὼς τιμῶσι τὸν Πατέρα.» Ὅτι δὲ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀναστῆσαι λεγομένου τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν ἐκ νεκρῶν, δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦτο κατώρθωται, πῶς ἂν ἐνδοιάσειέ τις; Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν, ὡς ἔφην, ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή· Τοιγάρτοι καὶ ἔφη πρὸς Ἰουδαίους περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος· «Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν.» Ὅτι δὲ δίκας ἐκτετίκασιν Ἰουδαῖοι τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν γενομένης δυσσεβείας, οὐ μακρῶν ἂν γένοιτο χρεία λόγων, αὐτῶν τοῦτο κεκραγότων τῶν συμβεβηκότων αὐτοῖς. Ἀνταπέδωκε γὰρ, Ῥωμαίοις αὐτοὺς παραδούς. Εἶτα πάλιν ἀνθρωπίνως φησίν·

I don't think this is even a possible allusion, but still interesting.


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