Quote by St. Barsanuphius the Great ~ do everything with discernment

It is needful to do everything with discernment, and to take your own measure, so that you will not be confused later. To perform alms, fasting, or anything else at the highest degree (beyond one's limits or personal measure) lacks discernment, since later it will lead the one who performs them into confusion, despondency, and grumbling. Even God requires that which is according to the strength of man.
(St. Barsanuphius the Great, Instructions, 627)



Source:
http://orthodox.cn/patristics/300sayings_en.htm

Proverbs 8:22-31 LXX Septuagint Versions

NETS-LXX(E): "...The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways, for the sake of his works. 23. Before the present age he founded me in the beginning. 24. Before he made the earth and before he made the depths, 25. before he brought forth the springs of the waters, before the mountains were established, and before all the hills, he begets me. 26. The Lord made countries and uninhabbited spaces and the habbitable heights of that beneath the skys. 27. When he prepared the sky, I was present with him, and when he marked out his own throne on the winds. 28. When he made strong the clouds above and when he made secure the springs beneath the sky 29. when he made strong the foundations of the earth, 30. I was beside him, fitting together, it is I who was the one in whom he took delight. And each day I was glad in his presence at every moment, 31. when he rejoiced when he had completed the world and rejoiced among the sons of men..." A New English Translation of the Septuagint 2007

Greek Wisdom in Prov 8:22-31 LXX (italics added - Brenton LXX in English): “The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works. 23 He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth: 24 even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth: 25 before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me. 26 The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world. 27 When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds: 28 and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth: 29 and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth: 30 I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually. 31 For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.” - C.L.Brenton, Lancelot. The Septuagint with Apocrypha: Greek and English (Hendrickson, 6th printing, 1997) 795. "The Lord made" in vv. 22 and 26, whereas the subject "Lord" is explicit only once in Hebrew. At the outset, God "creates" Wisdom, and any hint of God's acquiring a pre-existing entity is avoided. For similar reasons, there is in Greek a switch from active verbs to passive verbs in v. 25. "I was brought forth" in Hebrew becomes in Greek "he begets me", and the prior mention of "I (Wisdom) was brought forth" in v. 25 Hebrew is altogether omitted in Greek. In Hebrew, we read that Wisdom was the first of God's works (v. 22). In Greek, Wisdom was made "for his works" … As regards the Greek reading, d'Hamonville suggests that the term harmozousa may be understood in two ways. In the active sense, Wisdom establishes harmony in the universe, and this sense is expressed in "master-worker". In the passive sense of the term, Wisdom is in full accord, which is understood in "suiting myself [to him]" in the Brenton translation above...” [Footnote: 15] D'Hamonville, Bible d'Alexandrie, 210. On the grounds of the grammatical and metaphorical context, this author argues for the passive sense ("étant bien accordé") rather than the active sense ("mettant en accord"). He also cites the contexts of musical instruments the term has in the Greek bible.” - SOURCE: “AUSTRALIAN EJOURNAL OF THEOLOGY INAUGURAL ISSUE – By Alan Moss, AUGUST 2003.”

Source:

http://matt13weedhacker.blogspot.com/2010/04/part-1-proverbs-822-31-lxx-septuagint.html

Quote by St. John Chrysostom ~ Conscience cannot be deceived

:...In the beginning, the Master created man and placed the conscience in him, as an inexorable accuser, which cannot be deceived or flattered ..."


Source:

http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/old_new_testament_e.htm

Quote by St. John Chrysostom ~ Genesis: let us not stumble over words

"Let us not, beloved, inattentively pass over what is said by Divine Scripture, and let us not stumble over the words, but reflect that such simple words are used because of our infirmity, and everything is accomplished fittingly for our salvation. Indeed, tell me, if we wish to accept the words in their literal meaning, and will not understand what we are told at the very beginning of the present reading. And they heard, it is said, the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the afternoon. What are you saying? God walks? Surely we are not ascribing feet to Him? And shall we not understand anything higher by this? No, God does not walk — quite the contrary! How, in fact, can He Who is everywhere and fills all things, Whose throne is heaven and the earth His footstool, really walk in paradise? What foolish man will say this? What then does it mean, They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the afternoon? He wanted to awaken in them such a feeling (of His nearness), that it would cast them into anxiety, which is what actually happened: they felt this, trying to hide themselves from God Who was approaching them. Sin happened — and the crime — and shame fell upon them. The impartial judge, the conscience, rose up, cried out with a loud voice, reproached them, exposed them and, as it were, exhibited before their eyes, the seriousness of the crimes. In the beginning, the Master created man and placed the conscience in him, as an inexorable accuser, which cannot be deceived or flattered ..."


Source :

http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/old_new_testament_e.htm

Quote by St. Mark the Ascetic ~ Virtue: not an end in itself

When the mind forgets the purpose of Christian life, then even the clear fulfillment of virtue becomes profitless.


(St. Mark the Ascetic, Homilies, 2:51)



Source:

http://orthodox.cn/patristics/300sayings_en.htm

Quote by P. Evdokimov ~ Divine authorship and human intervention on the scriptures

How then is divine authorship related with the human intervention of the Old Testament's compilation?


"God is the principal cause, while man is the instrumental cause".


P. Evdokimov


source:

http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/old_testament.html

Quote by St. Gregory the Dialogist ~ Unclean Intention

If the intention is unclean, the deed that follows from it will also be evil, even if it seems good.


(St. Gregory the Dialogist, Conversations, 1.10)


thanks to source:

http://orthodox.cn/patristics/300sayings_en.htm