§ 116. Сочинения историко-догматические и относящиеся к изъяснению Свящ. Писания.

II. In many of his writings, St. Athanasius described the unrest and deeds of the Arians, accompanying the description with apologetic remarks in favor of the truth of Christ. His apologetic-historical works are very important for history 190. A high example of pastoral apology is the letter of St. Afanasy to Imp. Constantius: it is the best work in style, but it is especially important because in the person of Athanasius it presents us with a majestic picture of a righteous shepherd, calm among the waves raised by the slander of the world, and truly understanding his ministry. III. Among the works related to the explanation of Scripture, the Easter letter of St. first of all attracts attention. Athanasius, which has not come down to us in its entirety, and has long been included in the church. rules 191. This letter is one of those which, according to Jerome 192, St. Athanasius wrote from the desert to console his orphaned flock and whose collection was preserved in the Syriac translation 193. It is quite important in that it lists the books of the Old and New Testaments. Having named all the canonical books and precisely the same ones that are now known, St. Athanasius adds: “These are the sources of salvation, capable of quenching the thirsty with their words; in them alone the doctrine of piety is preached. No one should add to them, and no one should take anything away from them.” Then he writes that “there are still books that were not included in the Canon, but were appointed by the fathers for reading by newcomers and those who wish to be recited in the word of piety.” Between such books, in addition to the wisdom of Solomon, the son of Sirach, Esther and Tobias, he places the so-called teaching of the Apostles" and "Shepherd" 194 58). As for Afanasiev's Synopsis, the subject of which is the same as the subject of the Easter letter: it is difficult to be sure that it belongs to St. Afanasy. The reasons for doubting the authenticity are important: a) the silence of the blj. Jerome on the Synopsis where he speaks of similar ancient writings; b) the silence of other ancient writers, even Ecumenius, who, as proof of the authenticity of the Apocalypse, points to the Easter letter of St. Athanasius does not even talk about the Synopsis of St. Afanasia; c) the Synopsis does not place between the useful books the book of Hermas mentioned in the letter; at the end of the Synopsis several books are listed that are subject to censure, about which there is not a word in the letter; Between the apocrypha of the New Testament are Clement's conversations - a later composition. d) Some ideas in the Synopsis are incorrect, e.g. the marriage of relatives is spoken of differently than in Moses; e) finally, the difference in the Synopsis according to the lists extends to the point that it is hardly possible to find out the true form in which the work came out of the hands of the author, which, of course, could not be the case with the work of a great teacher respected by all 195. The Epistle to Marcellinus on the Psalms contains a vivid depiction of the dignity of the Psalms, their division, their relationship to states of the soul, and finally instructions on how to sing the Psalms. A brief but excellent overview of the psalm talks about the composition and writer of the book of psalms, according to the leadership of the exaplos. The respect the ancients held for the first of these works is evident from the fact that it was written before the book of Psalms in the ancient Alexandrian copy of the Bible (4th century) and is found in almost all ancient copies of the Psalter. The Psalms were St.'s favorite reading. Athanasius: all his pious contemporaries had them in the same respect. St. Athanasius wrote an explanation of them in two works. The commentary on the Psalms contains a more or less detailed explanation of each verse of the Psalms; whereby most often there are applications to Christian subjects. Extracts from this explanation are found in Alex's chronicle. at St. Herman Patriarch and others. Another work is called an interpretation of the inscriptions of the psalms and was already known to Jerome. Here we offer the shortest paraphrase of the original words, often allegorically; What is most remarkable here is the reading of Hebrew names and words 196. Photius spoke about St. Athanasius: he wrote “Explanation on Ecclesiastes, on the Song of Songs, as well as on the Psalter and many other things.” Brief excerpts of his interpretations of Job, Song of Songs, Matthew and Luke are now known. Works of this kind are indicated in the history of Athanasius. See note. 13. 14. 16. 22; and namely: a) Historia arianorum ad monachos; b) Epistola encyclica; c) Apologia contra arianos; d) Apologia ad Constantium; e) Apologia de fuga sua; e) Epist. ad Afros; g) De synodis; h) de morte Arii; i) de sententia Dionysii Alex.; j) Tomus ad Antiochenos; j) Ep. ad Rufinianum. Book of Rules p. 337. 339. S. Athanasii Op. T. 1. p. 958. Extracts from the Greek text by Afanasiev in Cosmas of the Indian Navigator, published by Montfaucon in his Coll. nes. Patrum Graec. T. 2. 316. Latin translation of the Syriac text, with extracts from Kozma, published by Mayom in VI t. Nov. Bibl. Romae 1853 and Minya іn 26 vol. Patr. In the synodal manuscript. No. 20, containing a translation of 4 words of Athanasius against the Arians, made during the reign of Ts. Simeone (Kalaidovich John Exarch p. 98. 40), a message from St. Athanasius “On the Feast of Easter” and it is in Chet. Min. at metro May No. 180. l. 303. Its Greek original is known with the name of Chrysostom (ed. Montf T. 8. p. 964). But this message, or word, does not belong to St. Chrysostom, nor St. Afanasy. The Easter readings found here for four years date back to 672–675 (Ideler Handbuch 4. Chronologie 1, 424. Synopsis of Athanasius in Greek. at Montfaucon; Russian translation in Christ. Readings of 1844. On the differences between the Synopsis according to the lists, after Montfaucon, who placed the Synopsis of Athanasius between dubious works, see Lambecii comm. 3, 32. Cum. notis Kollarii, Bandini in Catalogo cod. Bibl. Medic. Lavren. 1, 87. According to the Slavic RKP. XI and subsequent centuries there is an interpretation of St. Athanasius on the Psalms. According to the Greek RKP. it is known by the name of St. Kirill Alex., although it also comes across with the name of St. Afanasia. Patrolog. T. 27, 605–608. You might be interested in: