THEOSISGregory of Nyssa
As Moses guided the people through the territories of foreign nations, he made a pledge to prevent his followers from traversing through the fields and vineyards, committing instead to following the ‘royal way,’ neither veering to the right nor to the left.
When those under Moses' leadership were liberated from their worldly desires, they embarked on a different path. However, when they wandered astray, the law directed them back to the royal way. It is perilous for a traveler to deviate. Picture two flowing streams parting from a single path atop a steep cliff; it is unsafe for one to navigate precariously within the divide, for peril lurks on both sides.
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In similar fashion, the law instructs those following its path to remain on track, echoing the Lord's words regarding the ‘narrow and close’ way (Matthew 7:14), which does not endorse any successful maneuvering to the left or right. This notion encapsulates the teaching that true virtue lies in moderation. Every vice typically stems from either a deficiency or an excess of virtue; for instance, in the context of bravery, cowardice indicates a lack, while recklessness represents a breach of that virtue. The proper state, which is devoid of either vice, can be found in the center and is thus a virtue. This principle applies universally; all that aspires to perfection resides in the moderation between extremes. Wisdom, for example, is situated between cunning and naivety. Isolated instances of serpent-like wisdom or dove-like simplicity fall short of commendation; true virtue manifests in behavior that maintains equilibrium. A lack of chastity leads to corruption, while an overabundance can result in inner turmoil, as noted by the Apostle (1 Tim. 4:2). The one is swept away by indulgences, while the other rejects both marriage and adultery; chastity lies in the balanced mid-point between these extremes. Given that the Lord states this ‘world’ ‘lies in evil’ (1 John 5:19) and that for those adhering to the law, vice is alien, it follows that a traveler navigating through this world can complete the essential journey of virtue by steadfastly remaining on the genuine royal way, adorned with virtue, and resisting the allure of vice, which beckons from nearby paths.