Gregory of Nyssa quotes - page 2

Gregory of Nyssa was a prominent early Christian theologian and bishop, known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers. His writings greatly influenced the development of Christian doctrine, especially regarding the Trinity and mystical theology. He is remembered as a profound thinker whose work shaped Eastern Orthodox and Western Christianity. Here are 37 of his quotes:

People who look down from some high peak on a vast sea below, probably feel what my mind has felt, looking out from the sublime words of the Lord as from a mountain-top at the inexhaustible depth of their meaning.

Gregory of Nyssa

The premature deaths of infants have nothing in them to suggest the thought that one who so terminates his life is subject to some grievous misfortune, any more than they are to be put on a level with the deaths of those who have purified themselves in this life by every kind of virtue.

Gregory of Nyssa

The climbing soul, leaving all that she has grasped already as too narrow for her needs, will thus grasp the idea of that magnificence which is exalted far above the heavens. But how can any one reach to this, whose ambitions creep below? ... He therefore who keeps away from all bitterness and all the noisome effluvia of the flesh, and raises himself on the aforesaid wings above all low earthly ambitions, or, more than that, above the whole universe itself, will be the man to find that which is alone worth loving, and to become himself as beautiful as the Beauty which he has touched and entered.

Gregory of Nyssa

When it comes to the insightful reading of such passages that comes via the elevated sense, we shall not beg to differ at all about its name-whether one wishes to call it tropologia, allegoria, or anything else-but only about whether it contains meanings that are beneficial.

Gregory of Nyssa

Slaves who have been freed and cease to serve their former masters, the very moment they become their own masters, direct all their thoughts towards themselves so, I take it, the soul which has been freed from ministering to the body becomes at once cognizant of its own inherent energy.

Gregory of Nyssa

My hope is that by the right process of inquiry and discernment, once the text has been cleansed of its obvious literal sense by undefiled thoughts, the philosophy hidden in the words may be brought to light.

Gregory of Nyssa

Since some ecclesiastics deem it right to stand always by the literal meaning of the holy scripture and do not agree that anything in it was said through enigmas and allegories for our benefit, I consider it necessary first to speak in defense of these things to those who bring such accusation against us, because in our view there is nothing unreasonable in our seriously studying all possible means of tracking down the benefit to be had from the divinely inspired scripture.

Gregory of Nyssa

If indeed the literal meaning, understood as it is spoken, should offer some benefit, we will have readily at hand what we need to make the object of our attention. But if something that is said in a hidden fashion, with certain allegories and enigmas, should yield nothing of benefit according to the readily apparent sense, we will turn such words as these over and over in our mind.

Gregory of Nyssa

Now there have been delivered to us in the Gospel three Persons and names through whom the generation or birth of believers takes place, and he who is begotten by this Trinity is equally begotten of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost -for thus does the Gospel speak of the Spirit, that "that which is born of Spirit is spirit,” and it is "in Christ "that Paul begets, and the Father is the "Father of all”.

Gregory of Nyssa

When we have torn off the coatings of this life's perishable leaves, we must stand again in the sight of our Creator; and repelling all the illusion of taste and sight, take for our guide God's commandment only, instead of the venom-spitting serpent. That commandment was, to touch nothing but what was Good, and to leave what was evil untasted; because impatience to remain any longer in ignorance of evil would be but the beginning of the long train of actual evil. For this reason it was forbidden to our first parents to grasp the knowledge of the opposite to the good, as well as that of the good itself; they were to keep themselves from "the knowledge of good and evil,” and to enjoy the Good in its purity, unmixed with one particle of evil.

Gregory of Nyssa