The Life of Moses by Saint Gregory of Nyssa

The Life of Moses by Saint Gregory of Nyssa St Gregory of Nyssa is one of the Cappadocian Fathers and is regarded as one of the most profound mystical teachers of our faith. In he goes beyond a literal and historical interpretation of scripture to reveal the mystical teachings hidden within the text. In answering a question on how to live a virtuous life, St Gregory elaborately parallels the Exodus narrative with the Christian spiritual journey, which begins with the sensual worldliness of Egypt and progresses to the mystical contemplation of God. The main theme of this book is eternal spiritual progress. St Gregory argues that only God is perfect and infinite, and that for us finite humans the state of perfection is impossible. Nevertheless, as we were made with a desire and the capacity to participate in the divine nature, which is unlimited, then our desire also stretches out to the limitlessness of God. As we move towards the perfect God, we approach perfection. The closer we get, the more we desire to see Him. We never arrive, we simply continue along this path of sanctification, or theosis, for eternity.

This idea is very reassuring in that God is not asking the impossible and also gives a wide perspective into an eternal life that will never become mundane. It is also encouraging because every step we take today puts us further along our eternal path towards perfection. Drawing on the Alexandrian allegory approach to biblical exegesis, the book reflects St Gregory’s spiritual sense of the scriptures. He shows that the ultimate value of the Bible is not in its historical teachings but in its ability to elevate the soul to God. Nearly every event in Moses’ life is shown to point to something deeper and more profound. For instance, when Moses asks God to reveal Himself and is granted only to see His back parts, St Gregory explains that in our spiritual progress, which is eternal, we follow behind God looking forward but never overtake Him. Building on the theme of spiritual progress, he classifies three stages of spiritual ascent corresponding to the authentic spiritual experiences Moses had with God: first in light; then in the cloud; and, finally in the darkness. Moses’ experience on Mt Sinai is used to explain the deep spiritual meaning of God’s invisible incomprehensibility by using apophatic or ‘negative’ theology. St Gregory notes that what is divine is beyond all knowledge and comprehension and thus any understanding we obtain of God is in ‘the seeing that consists in not seeing’ which Moses experiences as he passes into the ‘luminous darkness.’ The author encourages the reader to persist in their spiritual progress by transferring in their own life the things contemplated spiritually from the literal events in Moses’ life. Not out of fear of punishment or for the hope of a reward, but rather for the purpose of becoming God’s friend, which is the only thing worthy of honour and desire. ORTHODOX MISSION BOOKSTORE www.orthodoxbookstore.org.au 217 Bexley Rd, Kingsgrove, Sydney NSW Phone: (02) 9787 9779