Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

In how many ways “Through whom” is used; and in what sense “with whom” is…
Scripture designates Him by innumerable other titles, calling Him Shepherd, 843 King, 844
Physician, 845 Bridegroom, 846 Way, 847 Door, 848 Fountain, 849 Bread, 850 Axe, 851 and Rock. 852
And these titles do not set forth His nature, but, as I have remarked, the variety of the effectual
working which, out of His tender-heartedness to His own creation, according to the
peculiar necessity of each, He bestows upon them that need. Them that have fled for refuge
to His ruling care, and through patient endurance have mended their wayward ways, 853 He
calls “sheep,” and confesses Himself to be, to them that hear His voice and refuse to give
heed to strange teaching, a “shepherd.” For “my sheep,” He says, “hear my voice.” To them
that have now reached a higher stage and stand in need of righteous royalty, 854 He is a King.
And in that, through the straight way of His commandments, He leads men to good actions,
and again because He safely shuts in all who through faith in Him betake themselves for
shelter to the blessing of the higher wisdom, 855 He is a Door.
843 e.g., John x. 12.
844 e.g., Matt. xxi. 5.
845 e.g., Matt. ix. 12.
846 e.g., Matt. ix. 15.
847 e.g., John xiv. 6.
848 e.g., John x. 9.
849 cf. Rev. xxi. 6.
850 e.g., John vi. 21.
851 cf. Matt. iii. 10.
852 e.g., 1 Cor. x. 4.
853 I translate here the reading of the Parisian Codex called by the Benedictine Editors Regius Secundus, τὸ
εὐμετάβολον κατωρθωκότας. The harder reading, τὸ εὐμετάδοτον, which may be rendered “have perfected
their readiness to distribute,” has the best manuscript authority, but it is barely intelligible; and the Benedictine
Editors are quite right in calling attention to the fact that the point in question here is not the readiness of the
flock to distribute (cf. 1 Tim. vi. 18), but their patient following of their Master. The Benedictine Editors boldly
propose to introduce a word of no authority τὸ ἀμετάβολον, rendering qui per patientiam animam immutabilem
præbuerunt. The reading adopted above is supported by a passage in Ep. 244, where St. Basil is speaking of the
waywardness of Eustathius, and seems to fit in best with the application of the passage to the words of our Lord,
“have fled for refuge to his ruling care,” corresponding with “the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (St.
John x. 4), and “have mended their wayward ways,” with “a stranger will they not follow,” v. 5. Mr. Johnston,
in his valuable note, compares Origen’s teaching on the Names of our Lord.
854 So three mss. Others repeat ἐπιστασία, translated “ruling care” above. ἔννομος is used by Plato for
“lawful” and “law-abiding.” (Legg. 921 C. and Rep. 424 E.) In 1 Cor. ix. 21, A.V. renders “under the law.”
855 Τὸ τῆς γνώσεως ἀγαθόν: possibly “the good of knowledge of him.”
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