THEOSISGregory the Great
He turns and emerges from his sheath, glimmering in his malice. This unrighteous individual excels in the craft of defrauding others. While he conceives malevolent thoughts in his heart, it might appear as if ‘the sword remains sheathed,’ yet when he maliciously carries out the harm he has planned, it results in that sword being unsheathed, for he transforms his concealed intentions into blatant wickedness. His actions reveal what he has kept hidden in his mind. Notice that it is stated he first ‘turns’ and then ‘comes out’; this implies he ‘turns’ due to the instigation of the adversary yet ‘comes out’ through his own volition. The term ‘turns’ indicates an outside influence, while the one who ‘comes out’ acts according to his own consent.
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This man who yields to the temptations of our ancient foe and then willingly binds himself to evil deeds is characterized as one who exposes himself, departing from his sheath by progressing from a sinful thought to a more grievous act. He is tethered simultaneously to the unclean spirit that influences him and to the actions he performs by his own choice.
The revelation of this power is immediately accompanied by the phrase, glimmering in its malice. Just as lightning suddenly flashes from the heavens, illuminating and terrifying, so is it with the wicked man who seeks the accolades of this fleeting life; it is this very pursuit that brightens the appearance of his authority in this world, ultimately leading to his demise. To the wicked, it seems as if ‘lightning’ shines in honor of their existence, but as the splendor of this glory fades into eternal torment, it has been rightly said here, yes, shining in his malice. For, while delighting in his own murderous radiance, he subsequently faces unending punishment. It has been noted regarding a certain affluent man that he ‘lived in luxury’ every day. We must discern that to live ‘luxuriously’ is different from living ‘radiantly’, as sometimes a beautiful allure is granted without struggle, while the brilliance acquired through contest is termed ‘shining’ or ‘lightning’. Moreover, the individual who attains the power to wrong others might fittingly be referred to as ‘lightning’, because through the same means by which he elevates himself against the righteous, the lives of the virtuous become agonizing.
Then it continues, Those dreadful ones shall come and pass through him. Who are these ‘dreadful ones’ if not the malevolent spirits that pious souls ought to fear and flee from? When these evil spirits, along with particular vices, attach themselves to a wicked person, even if he seemingly abandons one set of malicious behaviors temporarily, he quickly succumbs to others. Hence, ‘Dreadful ones shall come and pass through him,’ for though a sinful soul may relinquish one vice, another ensnares it. We often observe a wicked person, enthroned in worldly might, consumed by fervent passions as he acts upon every impulse his anger dictates; and once that anger subsides, lust begins to ravage his spirit. When lust takes a respite, self-exaltation fills the void, compelling him to display a terrible nature to others. Yet, under circumstances requiring duplicity, he casts aside his disdainful pride, easily complimenting those he needs to appease, and without concern for his own arrogance, he resorts to hypocrisy. Thus, it is aptly stated about him whose vices continuously alternate: Dreadful ones will come and pass through him, for his soul becomes a battleground, besieged by numerous evil spirits that enter and exit in ceaseless cycle. It is through these actions, which manifest in fragments, that his soul becomes a repository of all these evils, intertwined and simultaneous.