POLYCHRONIUS

1.1 (α):

//[In a comment by Theodoret on 1.1, saying that "some thought" the 30th year here mentioned was the 30th of a Jubilee period, the compiler of the catena has added:] …among whom are Apollinarius and Polychronius.//

1.1 (β):

He did not indicate the place simply, but rather he is pointing out the condition of those who were in exile. For on the one hand, like locals, they did not mingle with the Hebrews, since indeed they deemed it unworthy to be with them, as though they were slaves.

1.1 (δ):

As was the [vision] of Daniel, where he saw the wild beasts—not that his bodily nature received this, but his sight showed it all as true —in the same way here too in the vision, he sees the heavens opened and the cloud coming down, and beginning again from the northerly region.

1.3 (ζ):

He delineated [Ezekiel's] character on the basis of the patronymic and his rank of priest. But the phrase, "and the word of the Lord came," means that the book contains not only visions but also the prophet's criticisms, which he delivered, not on his own initiative but on the basis of a divine command.

[Continues with material attested as Theodoret's.]

1.4 (ιγ):

Showing to the prophet through the vision [God's] providence in all things, and that he is not circumscribed by the temple. The "cloud," then, appears as a kind of image of the divine nature; the "wind / spirit" presents, as it were, the arrangement of bodyguards; the "radiance round about" teaches about God's presence; and the repeated "flashing fire" was shown and spoken of for the purpose of producing amazement.

1.4 (ιδ):

So as to reveal the trustworthiness of [his] nature, since a certain unapproachable light encircles God, and so that we may understand that he is light.

1.4 (ις):

Here too, the fire and the radiance reveal God's presence. And the electrum is as it were his activity. And a little later: Showing that God both encompasses everything and is within everything, not by virtue of any [literal] circumscription, but by virtue of [his] incorporeal power.

1.4 (ιζ):

But the Hebrew, more clearly, says: For (he says) "in the midst of it as it were the appearance of a rainbow [Gk. iris]; and this was transparent in the midst of them"—in place of "electrum," signifying "rainbow." That is to say that God, being light, enclosed the cloud, in which he was being made known and **** in it.

[Ziegler emends "he says" to "light," i.e., adding it to the quotation from "the Hebrew."]

1.5 (ιθ):

As God says clearly, "I have multiplied visions, and I have been likened in the hands of prophets" [Hos. 12.11], even so also in the present vision it is not strange that a certain (physical) nature, compounded of all the living creatures on earth, is perceived—rather, [this represents] the divine activity geared toward the education of the foolish.

[Quotation of Hos. 12.11 serves a number of interpreters (e.g., Irenaeus, John Chrysostom, Theodoret) to justify the use of (diverse) images to give some sense of the divine nature while preserving divine incomprehensibility. Especially note Theodoret's discussion ad loc. (without the quotation), and on Isaiah 6.1 and Daniel 7.9-10 (with the quotation).]

1.9 (κς):

That is, they possessed a mind-set for service that was unchangeable, as they completed what was ordered with all [their] power.

1.9 (κζ):

That is, they were completing everything with a harmonious mindset.

1.14 (??) (μγ):

For the powers of God are great and exalted and frightful.

[1.19] (μζ):

Just as he revealed the circuit of time, and the cycles of the years—so that we would not ascribe to the authority of the angels the administration of things visible, having explained the foregoing matters with accuracy he made the universe dependent upon the purpose of the one who was sitting—so that we might learn that the angels [94] obediently carry out his commands, just like bodyguards do for a king.

1.19 (μη):

So as to say that all things are activated upon the earth in accordance with the angels' superintendence.

[1.20-21 (?)] (να):

For he wishes to demonstrate here the well-orderedness in the creation.

1.23 (νγ [νβ O]) ?

[See Theodoret.]

1.24 (νη) ?

[See Theodoret.]

1.25 (ξ) Theodoret [probably Polychronius]:

This means, "And they were doing these things in accordance with the command of the one who was sitting on [the throne]."

[The content and form of this and a number of subsequent comments attributed to Theodoret in O but not extant in Theodoret's commentary indicate that they should probably be attributed to Polychronius.]

1.26 (ξα) τοῦ αὐτοῦ (Theodoret) [probably Polychronius]:

Such that it appears manifest that he is God, and above all the [visible and invisible] phenomena; for the invisible powers, since they have come to exist in time, are in a place—and are within the "heavens and the earth"—and God rests on them since they are holy and fulfill their service with goodwill.

1.26 (ξβ) τοῦ αὐτοῦ (Theodoret) [probably Polychronius]:

In order to represent [God's] trustworthiness by means of the costliness of the material.

[Cf. "allos."]

1.26 (ξγ) τοῦ αὐτοῦ (Theodoret) [probably Polychronius]:

He did not say simply that he saw a throne, but [that he saw it] above the firmament; and not simply did he see him, but [he saw him] upon a throne, so as to indicate his kingly status.

[Cf. "allos."]

1.27 (ξε) τοῦ αὐτοῦ (Theodoret) [probably Polychronius]:

That is, "of the throne"; for when he saw him sitting, he wishes to say, "Looking intently at / by the divine grace, I saw the one sitting on [the throne], whom I seemed to behold in a certain way as either electrum or as fire." For he appears to be at a loss in describing [him]. So then, he is pointing out the excellence / difference of the materials and the strangeness of the vision, such that we perceive the incomprehensibility of [God's] nature. For it is not possible for electrum and fire to come together in the same place, but rather he used the one [word (i.e., fire)] for the sake of the fear of those who see [it], and the other [(i.e., electrum)] for the sake of the trustworthiness what is appearing.

[Cf. "allos"; also the 2nd ξδ comment attributed to Theodoret.]