Chapter LXXXII
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
when a question concerning celestial things is discussed, where a question concerning profound things is deliberated, on a peak of such sublimity I do not accept Christ without a witness nor can any probable showing be confirmed without the witness of Moses and Elijah, without the authority of Scripture.
Therefore let Christ summon two witnesses to Himself in His transfiguration if He wishes that the light of His splendor, which is so great and so unusual, not be suspect to me.
So that His testimony may be confirmed on the word of two or three, according to the evidence of this. He must present the authority of Scripture not only figuratively but also openly to confirm the truth of His showing.
It is a beautiful and very joyful spectacle in a showing of truth when manifest reason goes forth on one side, and on the other an expression as open as it is figurative appears for confirmation of the showing. Otherwise I will fear at the height of the day, being afraid lest perhaps I be seduced by the mid-day demon. For whence come so many heresies, whence come so many errors, except that the spirit of error transfigures himself into an angel of light? Certainly you see that each transfigures himself, viz., Christ and the devil, but Christ confirms the truth of His light by two witnesses. And so Moses and Elijah appear with the Lord on this mountain. They appear, however, in majesty, not in the obscurity of the letter but in the splendor of spiritual understanding.
Chapter LXXXII Hoiv there are incomprehensible things that the mind sees by ecstasy from a divine showing Behold how great those things are which are done on this mountain. But greater yet than all these are those which follow. For the disciples see all this while they are standing; they do not yet fall on their faces. The voice of the Father is not yet heard; the hearer is not yet thrown down. Rachel is not yet dead; Benjamin is not yet born. For later, when the voice of the Father thundered forth, it threw down the disciples. And so the hearer falls down at the thunder of the divine voice because the capacity of human sense
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succumbs to that which is divinely inspired, and unless it abandons the limitations of human reasoning it does not expand the bosom of the understanding in order to hold the secret of divine inspiration.
And so there the hearer falls, where human reason fails. There Rachel dies, that Benjamin may be born. And so, unless I am mistaken, by the death of Rachel and by the fall of the disciples the same thing is indicated figuratively, except that in the three disciples the threefold failure of sense, memory and reason is shown.
For then bodily sense, then memory of external things, and then human reason are interrupted, when the mind is raised above itself, being snatched up into supernal things. Let us notice how incomprehensible that is which the voice of the Father uttered, and we shall understand how rightly the hearer succumbed: "This is my beloved son in whom I am pleasing to myself (Matt. 3:17). It is one thing to say "I am pleasing" and another to say "he is pleasing." Yet nevertheless, one Evangelist has the one; another Evangelist, the other. It follows that if in one it has been said truly, "I am pleased," the sense that is placed by the other Evangelist can be accurately understood, but it cannot be interchanged. We may say truly and without contradiction, "He is pleasing to me in himself, in whom I myself am pleasing to myself," but never, "In whomsoever he is pleasing to me, in that one I myself am pleasing to myself." Therefore, if "I am pleasing" had not been said there, the Evangelist would in no way dare to say this: "This is my Son in whom I am pleasing to myself." Certainly if the Son were other than the Father it would be possible for the Father to be pleased in the Son, but the Father Himself would not be able to be pleasing to Himself in the Son. What does it mean to say "I am pleasing," except as "I am pleasing to myself in myself and so, "I am pleasing to myself in the Son." Or perhaps does what He says in that place— "I am pleasing to myself—show that He has a companion in His good pleasure?
Because as the Father is pleased in the Son, so is He pleased in the Son and the Holy Spirit. Or perhaps "I am pleasing" is said so that it might be permitted to be understood from this that as the Father is pleasing to Himself in the Son, so certainly He is pleasing to Himself in the Holy Spirit. Which of these is said more rightly? Or rather is this to be understood as a whole rather than one or the other of them separately? Yet these words can be distinguished
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
from each other, even if they do not suffice for making known the depth of the mystery.
It is certain, however, that whichever of these is chosen, it declares unity of substance in diversity of persons if it is understood rightly. For that which is said, "This is my Son," shows a diversity of persons; for one and the same person cannot be both Father and Son to Himself. But who grasps the meaning, how one is in relation to the other: different in person, the same in essence? If you seek an example you can discover nothing among creatures that can satisfy you; if you consult reason all human reason cries out. For this assertion is above all human assessment and against all human reason to such an extent that reason would never have given assent to it unless faith had lifted it up to the certitude of these things. Therefore the hearer deservedly falls down in the showing of this mystery; sense fails; human reason succumbs.
Chapter LXXXIII That the mind that is accustomed to remain in the innermost parts perceives divine showings Such a showing deservedly is not made except on the mountain, nor should such profound sublimity and such sublime profundity of this mystery be manifested in the valley. For those who by life and thought still are in the lowest land show that they are unworthy of the honor of this gift.
Therefore let a person ascend to a high heart, let him ascend this mountain if he wishes to receive those things, if he wishes to know those things which are above human sense. Let him ascend above himself through himself; to knowledge of God, through knowledge of himself. Let a person first learn in the image of God, let him learn in His similitude what he ought to think about God. The ascent of the mountain, as has been said, pertains to knowledge of self. The things that happen upon the mountain lead on to the knowledge of God. The former pertains without doubt to Joseph; the latter, to Benjamin.
It is necessary that Joseph be born before Benjamin. When can the mind that does not raise itself up to consideration of itself fly up on the
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wings of contemplation to those things that are above it? The Lx)rd descends on this mountain; Moses ascends. On this mountain the Lord taught and Moses learned about the construction of the tabernacle. What is understood by the tabernacle of the covenant except the state of perfection? Therefore he who ascends the mountain, who gives heed diligently, who seeks for a very long time, who discovers at last what sort he is— it remains that he learn from divine showing what sort he ought to be, what sort of edifice of the mind he ought to prepare for God, and by what obediences he ought to appease God. Therefore, when do you think a mind that still is spread out through various desires, that is dragged this way and that by various thoughts, will be worthy to receive this grace?
If it is unable to gather itself into a unity, if it does not know how to enter into itself, when will it be able to ascend by contemplation to those things that are above itself?
Chapter LXXXIV How the mind that eagerly strivesfor contemplation ofcelestial things ought to gather itself within Let one who eagerly strives for contemplation of celestial things, who sighs for knowledge of divine things, learn to assemble the dispersed Israelites; let him endeavor to restrain the wanderings of the mind; let him be accustomed to remain in the innermost part of himself and to forget everything exterior.
Let him make a church, not only of desires but also of thoughts, in order that he may learn to love only true good and to think unceasingly of it alone: "In the churches bless God" (Ps. 67:27). For in this twofold church, namely of thoughts and of desires, in this twofold concord of efforts and wills, Benjamin is carried away into the height, and the divinely inspired mind is raised to supernal things: "There is Benjamin a youth in ecstasy of mind" (Ps. 67:28). Where, do you think, except in the churches? "In the churches bless God, the Lord of the fountains of Israel. There is Benjamin a youth in ecstasy of mind" (Ps. 67:27-28). Nevertheless each one must first make of his thoughts and desires a synagogue rather than a church. You know