ACC ~ 1 Timothy 3 v16c

TO THE ANGELS ALSO. ORIGEN: Behold the Savior’s greatness. It extends to all the world. … Go up to the heavens. See how he fills the celestial regions, “He appeared to the angels.” Go down in your mind to the nether world. See that he went down there, too. … Ponder the Lord’s power, how it has filled the world—that is, the heavens, the earth and the nether regions. HOMILIES ON LUKE, 6.9-10.

SEEN AS ANGELS SEE. CHRYSOSTOM: “If you knew my essence and dignity, you would also know that of the Father. And henceforth you will know him, and you have seen him” (the former in future, the latter at present), that is, “through me.”Moreover by “sight” he meant knowledge by means of the understanding. For we can both see and fail to know persons whom we actually see, but we cannot both know and fail to know at the same time persons whom we know. That is why he declared, “And you have seen him,” just as Scripture says, “as he has been seen by angels also.” Even though his very essence was not, of course, seen, it said that he “has been seen,” clearly meaning “seen” in such a way as it was possible for the angels to see. HOMILIES ON JOHN 73.2.

FALSE TEACHING 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-5

OVERVIEW: The Spirit gives authoritative guidance to the church (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, NICETAS). The exact span of time to the end is not for us to know (AUGUSTINE). Meanwhile false prophets and heresies with perverse intentions abound in history (JUSTIN MARTYR, TERTULLIAN, ALEXANDER OF ALEXANDRIA, AMBROSE, ATHANASIUS, AUGUSTINE). One living with a divided, seared, dead conscience is not ready for the coming of the Lord (CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORE, THEODORET, AMBROSIASTER).

It is the Gnostic heretics who reject marriage and foods and other things that belong to God’s creation. These things are meant to be good and available to humankind, as long as we cleanse our hearts first (CHRYSOSTOM). Heretical denial of the incarnation leads to false asceticism of the type practiced by the Marcionites, Manichaeans and Valentinians (THEODORE). Not only do they reject things that God has created, but also by compelling ascetic practice, which may in itself be good, they rob such discipline of the freedom of choice that is its real value (THEODORET). We are not to despise marriage (GREGORY OF NYSSA) or wholesome foods (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM). Food laws may run contrary to sound doctrine (AUGUSTINE). While all things are of God, continency will reasonably seek out plainer foods and those necessary to sustain life, avoiding foods lacking nutritional value, whose sole purpose is to give delight (BASIL). Christian ethics does not block access to pleasure in God’s creation, but allows it in a chaste way so that the will is not subject to countless misgivings (TERTULLIAN, JEROME, CHRYSOSTOM). What God creates is good as created (BASIL). Nothing is unclean by nature, but it becomes so through willful disobedience (CHRYSOSTOM, AUGUSTINE, LEO). The intelligible and the sensible are blended in all creation. Nothing that exists is altogether deprived of some share in the divine fellowship (GREGORY OF NYSSA).

1 Tim