The Life of Moses by Gregory of Nyssa

Author:Gregory of Nyssa [Gregory of Nyssa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The First Site in the Desert

May we again go on to the next matter in the text. Because the one who has crossed through the sea and observes these Egyptian dead, as we understand it, no longer regards Moses only as the bearer of virtue by his staff, but rather by abiding in his trust in God, as Scripture states, he becomes obedient to his servant Moses. We observe this thing occurring even now with those who genuinely cross over the water and then give themselves over to God, being obedient, as the Apostle states, to those in the holy priesthood.

Once they crossed the sea, they had to endure a three day march, at which point they encamped at a site where the water was so bitter that it was undrinkable. However a stick of wood is cast in the water which made it drinkable for the thirsty ones.

The chronicles now agree with what happens. Because to the one who has abandon the pleasures of Egypt which he was enslaved to before crossing the sea life seems unpleasant and hard at first. However if the wood, that is the cross, with the mystery of the resurrection, is cast into the water, then the life of virtue, which becomes sweetened by the hope of the things to come, becomes sweet and pleasant, even more so than the life of sensual pleasure.

The subsequent place of repose on their travels is full of palm trees and springs of water which were able to refresh the group. There were a total of twelve springs of pure and sweet water and seventy large date palms which had matured to a considerable height. What do we learn from these facts as we follow the chronicle? We learn that the mystery of the wood through which the waters of virtue became sweet to the thirsty guide us to the twelve springs and the seventy date palms, which are the Gospel teachings.

The Twelve Apostles are the springs which the Lord elected for his ministry and who well up His word. One of the Prophets foresaw grace welling up from the Apostles when he stated, "Bless God the Lord in the congregations, from the springs of Israel." The seventy date palms are those other apostles beyond the twelve disciples, which bear the same number the palm trees in the chronicles.

But I believe that it is proper to hasten our travels through the text, making the meditation on the rest of the sties easier for those wish to examine them closely but supplying a few points. The sites whereupon one who is following the column cloud is refreshed as he moves forward, are the virtues.

Moving beyond the resting sites with a short account, I will bring to mind the wonder at the rock, whose stiff and hard form became water for the thirsty when its rigidity was softened into water.

It is not hard to fit the sequence of the chronicle with spiritual meditation. The one who has abandon Egypt which

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