Exodus 31
Commentary from 3 fathers
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
ΚΑΙ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων·
И҆ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь къ мѡѷсе́ю, гл҃ѧ:
Behold, I have called by name Beseleel the son of Urias the son of Or, of the tribe of Juda.
ἰδοὺ ἀνακέκλημαι ἐξ ὀνόματος τὸν Βεσελεὴλ τὸν τοῦ Οὐρείου τὸν ῎Ωρ, ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς ᾿Ιούδα,
сѐ, нареко́хъ и҆́менемъ веселеи́ла сы́на ᲂу҆рі́и, сы́на ѡ҆́рова, ѿ пле́мене і҆ꙋ́дина,
And I have filled him [with] a divine spirit of wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge, to invent in every work,
καὶ ἐνέπλησα αὐτὸν πνεῦμα θεῖον σοφίας καὶ συνέσεως καὶ ἐπιστήμης ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ διανοεῖσθαι
и҆ напо́лнихъ є҆го̀ дх҃омъ бж҃їимъ премⷣрости и҆ смышле́нїѧ и҆ вѣ́дѣнїѧ, во всѧ́комъ дѣ́лѣ разꙋмѣ́ти
and to frame works, to labour in gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and spun scarlet,
καὶ ἀρχιτεκτονῆσαι, ἐργάζεσθαι τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὸν χαλκὸν καὶ τὴν ὑάκινθον καὶ τὴν πορφύραν καὶ τὸ κόκκινον τὸ νηστὸν
и҆ а҆рхїте́ктонствовати, дѣ́лати зла́то и҆ сребро̀ и҆ мѣ́дь, и҆ синетꙋ̀ и҆ багрѧни́цꙋ, и҆ червлени́цꙋ прѧ́денꙋ и҆ вѷссо́нъ ска́ный,
and works in stone, and for artificers’ work in wood, to work at all works.
καὶ τὰ λιθουργικὰ καὶ εἰς τὰ ἔργα τὰ τεκτονικὰ τῶν ξύλων, ἐργάζεσθαι κατὰ πάντα τὰ ἔργα.
и҆ ка́менное дѣ́ло, и҆ разли̑чнаѧ древодѣ̑льства дѣ́лати во всѣ́хъ дѣ́лѣхъ:
And I have appointed him and Eliab the [son] of Achisamach of the tribe of Dan, and to every one understanding in heart I have given understanding; and they shall make all things as many as I have appointed thee,--
καὶ ἐγὼ ἔδωκα αὐτὸν καὶ τὸν ᾿Ελιὰβ τὸν τοῦ ᾿Αχισαμὰχ ἐκ φυλῆς Δὰν καὶ παντὶ συνετῷ καρδίᾳ δέδωκα σύνεσιν, καὶ ποιήσουσι πάντα ὅσα συνέταξά σοι,
и҆ а҆́зъ да́хъ є҆го̀ и҆ є҆лїа́ва сы́на а҆хїсама́хова ѿ пле́мене да́нова, и҆ всѧ́комꙋ смы́сленномꙋ се́рдцемъ да́хъ смы́слъ, и҆ потрꙋдѧ́тсѧ, и҆ сотворѧ́тъ всѧ̑, є҆ли̑ка заповѣ́дахъ тебѣ̀:
the tabernacle of witness, and the ark of the covenant, and the propitiatory that is upon it, and the furniture of the tabernacle,
τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης καὶ τὸ ἱλαστήριον τὸ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν διασκευὴν τῆς σκηνῆς
ски́нїю свидѣ́нїѧ и҆ кївѡ́тъ завѣ́та, и҆ ѡ҆чисти́лище є҆́же верхꙋ̀ є҆гѡ̀, и҆ ᲂу҆́тварь ски́нїи,
and the altars, and the table and all its furniture,
καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τὴν καθαρὰν καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς
и҆ же́ртвенники, и҆ трапе́зꙋ и҆ всѧ̑ сосꙋ́ды є҆ѧ̀, и҆ свѣти́льникъ чи́стый и҆ всѧ̑ сосꙋ́ды є҆гѡ̀,
and the pure candlestick and all its furniture, and the laver and its base,
καὶ τὸν λουτῆρα καὶ τὴν βάσιν αὐτοῦ
и҆ ᲂу҆мыва́льницꙋ и҆ стоѧ́ло є҆ѧ̀,
and Aaron’s robes of ministry, and the robes of his sons to minister to me as priests,
καὶ τὰς στολάς τὰς λειτουργικὰς ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ τὰς στολὰς τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ἱερατεύειν μοι
и҆ ри̑зы слꙋжє́бныѧ а҆арѡ́нѡвы и҆ ри̑зы сынѡ́въ є҆гѡ̀, є҆́же свѧщеннодѣ́йствовати мнѣ̀,
and the anointing oil and the compound incense of the sanctuary; according to all that I have commanded thee shall they make them.
καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον τῆς χρίσεως καὶ τὸ θυμίαμα τῆς συνθέσεως τοῦ ἁγίου· κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐνετειλάμην σοι, ποιήσουσι.
и҆ є҆ле́й пома́занїѧ, и҆ ѳѷмїа́мъ сложе́нїѧ ст҃а́гѡ: по всѣ̑мъ, є҆ли̑ка заповѣ́дахъ тебѣ̀, сотворѧ́тъ.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Καὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων·
И҆ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь къ мѡѷсе́ю, гл҃ѧ:
Do thou also charge the children of Israel, saying, Take heed and keep my sabbaths; [for] they are a sign with me and among you throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the Lord that sanctifies you.
καὶ σὺ σύνταξον τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ λέγων· ὁρᾶτε, καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου φυλάξεσθε· σημεῖόν ἐστι παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν, ἵνα γνῶτε ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ ἁγιάζων ὑμᾶς.
и҆ ты̀ заповѣ́ждь сынѡ́мъ і҆и҃лєвымъ, глаго́лѧ: смотри́те и҆ сꙋббѡ̑ты моѧ̑ сохрани́те: є҆́сть бо зна́менїе междꙋ̀ мно́ю и҆ ва́ми въ ро́ды ва́шѧ, да ᲂу҆вѣ́сте, ꙗ҆́кѡ а҆́зъ гдⷭ҇ь ѡ҆сщ҃а́ѧй ва́съ:
And ye shall keep the sabbaths, because this is holy to the Lord for you; he that profanes it shall surely be put to death: every one who shall do a work on it, that soul shall be destroyed from the midst of his people.
καὶ φυλάξεσθε τὰ σάββατα, ὅτι ἅγιον τοῦτό ἐστι Κυρίῳ ὑμῖν· ὁ βεβηλῶν αὐτὸ θανάτῳ θανατωθήσεται· πᾶς ὃς ποιήσει ἐν αὐτῷ ἔργον, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ μέσου τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ.
и҆ сохрани́те сꙋббѡ́тꙋ, ꙗ҆́кѡ ст҃а̀ сїѧ̀ є҆́сть гдⷭ҇ꙋ и҆ ва́мъ: ѡ҆скверни́вый ю҆̀ сме́ртїю ᲂу҆́мретъ: всѧ́къ, и҆́же сотвори́тъ въ ню̀ дѣ́ло, потреби́тсѧ дꙋша̀ та̀ ѿ среды̀ люді́й свои́хъ:
And the children of Israel shall keep the sabbaths, to observe them throughout their generations.
καὶ φυλάξουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τὰ σάββατα ποιεῖν αὐτὰ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν· διαθήκη αἰώνιος.
и҆ да сохранѧ́тъ сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы сꙋббѡ̑ты держа́ти ѧ҆̀ въ ро́ды и҆́хъ:
It is a perpetual covenant with me and the children of Israel, it is a perpetual sign with me; for in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and on the seventh day he ceased, and rested.
ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ σημεῖόν ἐστιν ἐν ἐμοὶ αἰώνιον· ὅτι ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησε Κύριος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἐπαύσατο καὶ κατέπαυσε.
завѣ́тъ вѣ́ченъ во мнѣ̀ и҆ въ сынѣ́хъ і҆и҃левыхъ, зна́менїе є҆́сть во мнѣ̀ вѣ́чное: ꙗ҆́кѡ въ шестѝ дне́хъ сотворѝ гдⷭ҇ь не́бо и҆ зе́млю, въ седмы́й же де́нь преста̀, и҆ почѝ.
And he gave to Moses when he left off speaking to him in mount Sina the two tables of testimony, tables of stone written [upon] with the finger of God.
Καὶ ἔδωκε Μωυσῇ, ἡνίκα κατέπαυσε λαλῶν αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Σινά, τὰς δύο πλάκας τοῦ μαρτυρίου, πλάκας λιθίνας γεγραμμένας τῷ δακτύλῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
И҆ дадѐ (бг҃ъ) мѡѷсе́ю, є҆гда̀ преста̀ гл҃ѧ є҆мꙋ̀ на горѣ̀ сїна́йстѣй, двѣ̀ скрижа̑ли свидѣ́нїѧ, скрижа̑ли ка́мєнны напи̑саны пе́рстомъ бж҃їимъ.
This law was “written with the finger of God,” and this finger of God the New Testament explicitly identifies with the Holy Spirit. For when one Evangelist has “By the finger of God, I cast out devils,” another says this same thing thus: “By the spirit of God, I cast out devils.” Who would not have this joy in the divine mysteries, when the redemptive doctrine shines with so clear a light, rather than all the powers of this world though they be infused with unwonted peace and happiness?
Letter 55
Let us look at the Decalogue itself. Undoubtedly Moses received on the mount a law to be ministered to the people, written on tables of stone by the finger of God. It is comprised in ten commandments, among which there is no charge of circumcision or of the animal sacrifices which by Christians are no longer offered. In these ten commandments, apart from the observance of the sabbath, I would ask what the Christian is not bound to observe. Of the commands, not to make or worship idols or any other gods but the one true God, not to take God’s name in vain, to honor parents, to avoid fornication, murder, theft, false witness, adultery, and the coveting of that which is another’s—which among these commands can be said not to bind the Christian? What the apostle calls “the letter that kills” is not this law, written on the two tables, but that of circumcision and the other ancient ordinances now done away. For in the law of the tables comes “You shall not covet,” the command by which (says Paul), “though it is holy and righteous and good, sin deceived me and thereby slew me”8—which can only be “the letter killing.”
On the Spirit and the Letter 14.23
Six days thou shalt do works, but the seventh day is the sabbath, a holy rest to the Lord; every one who shall do a work on the seventh day shall be put to death.
ἓξ ἡμέρας ποιήσεις ἔργα, τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ σάββατα, ἀνάπαυσις ἁγία τῷ Κυρίῳ· πᾶς ὃς ποιήσει ἔργον τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ, θανατωθήσεται.
ше́сть дні́й да сотвори́ши дѣла̀, въ де́нь же седмы́й сꙋббѡ́та, поко́й ст҃ъ гдⷭ҇ꙋ: всѧ́къ, и҆́же сотвори́тъ дѣ́ло въ седмы́й де́нь, сме́ртїю ᲂу҆́мретъ: