THEOSISGregory of Nyssa
He who provides ‘unadorned nourishment’ to those still in spiritual infancy becomes a sustainer of the ‘newly born’ in the community of believers, as the Apostle articulates (1 Pet. 2:2). He preserves the bread of wisdom for those perfect in the inner self, proclaiming, ‘But we speak wisdom among those who are mature’ (1 Cor. 2:6). These individuals, by practicing sound teaching and training “the senses of their spirit” (Heb. 5:14), become capable of digesting the wisdom bread, requiring the aid of the palate, which chews the food with the teeth of intellect.
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Consequently, there must also exist a palate within the body of Christ for those who have outgrown the basics of the Word and now crave more substantial nourishment; this is reflected in the bride's proclamation, ‘His palate is like a fragrant violet, an overflow of incense.’
In regard to what is visible, a discussion about the eyes calls for a mention of the ‘lianth,’ which becomes evident to any attentive listener. This is precisely why the eye, continually immersed in the abundance of spiritual waters, should be refreshed with consistent and straightforward sweetness, akin to the innocent dove, enabling all members of the Church to partake in its divine riches. Thus, the prophet Isaiah, who ascended to lofty heights through his life, commands with a loud voice, allowing those who listen to recognize the Lord, who approaches ‘with power,’ sustaining creation with His might, shepherding His flock, gathering the lambs, and comforting ‘those who are with child’ with beautiful and hopeful promises, embracing the heavens beneath His foot and holding the earth within His palm. All that prophecy conveys must be shared by him who has reached the heights (Isa. 40:9-12).
If the strength conveyed by the waters and milk aids the eyes in grasping the truth, then, in accordance with order, the hands are likewise honored for their role in masticating the nourishment needed to maintain life and strength within the body. Let us thus explore the commendation of the hands, hearing what the bride professes about them: ‘His hands are as vessels of fragrance, as the aroma of incense.’ If the term ‘vessel’ suggests a container that broadens at the sides, crafted to conceal its emptiness, appearing not too deep or perfectly flat, then the bride's use of ‘vessel’ implies a type of repository where the praise of the hands finds its basis. Some may argue that this term alludes to the simplicity, abundance, and delicacy of the teaching, wherein the deep concealment decried by the Prophet finds no place, as he exclaimed, ‘Let them that hate me be removed from those deep waters’ (Psalms 68:15). Therefore, we assert that truth, appearing in its simplicity, devoid of deceit, is symbolized by this term, the essence being fragrance and the intent being the infusion of incense. ‘His hands are as vessels of fragrance,’ crafted not from silver, gold, glass, or any earthly substance, but from the fragrance itself, made of that very essence from which creation originates.
From the aforementioned, the intent of these statements is clearly discerned: the pure eyes of the Church are to prepare nourishment for the body through the gentle power of the hands, ensuring no hidden complexity or obscurity can be found in what is spoken; rather, everything is transparent, accessible, and devoid of misleading depth, evident even to the spiritually young. As the Psalmist asserts: ‘The testimony of the Lord is true, making wise the simple. The commandment of the Lord is radiant, enlightening the eyes’ (Psalm 18:8, 9). If such are the vessels of the Word, it is clear they do not possess earthly qualities, but their essence is fragrance, that very fragrance of which the bride states at the outset of the song that He is ‘more fragrant than all fragrance. Paul embodied such a vessel, ‘not employing flattering speech with deceit, but manifesting the truth’ (2 Cor. 4:2). In him, the nature shed its earthly garments after the scales had fallen from his eyes through baptism (Acts 9:18), being transformed into a fragrant essence, becoming a child of the Holy Spirit.
Having been skillfully fashioned as a chosen vessel, he became a container for the influence of the Word's spirit, requiring no human assistance for the administration of the mysteries within him. Hence, ‘he did not consult flesh and blood’ (Galatians 1:16), but produced within himself and radiated the divine beverage through the fragrance of Christ, drawing upon various virtues to prepare myrrh for the listeners, adapting to the distinctions and needs of those who received the message—Jews and Greeks, husbands and wives, masters and servants, parents and children, those without the law, and those governed by it. Indeed, the grace of his teaching, enriched with virtue, was manifold, for this vessel readying those who heard the Word became an ointment of various teachings suited to individual needs.
Such are the hands the bride extols while depicting the beauty of the Bridegroom's form. It is evident from the immediate following discourse that the praise of the hands refers to His beauty, as she then extols His mouth, from which flows forth the fragrant message: ‘His mouth is filled with lilies, dripping with myrrh.’ The bride affirms the dual virtues of the Word through a twofold metaphor; one symbolizes truth, which shines brilliantly through speech, representing the essence of the lily, whose whiteness mysteriously symbolizes purity and veracity in proclamation; whilst the second indicates the spiritual and immaterial life, signifying a lifeless state of the fleshly existence that operates in mere corporeality. The myrrh emitting from the mouth and fulfilling the soul of the recipient clearly represents the relinquishment of the mortal body. Such a terminology is repeatedly observed in the sacred Scriptures, with the term ‘myrrh’ denoting death. Thus, the perceptive and pure eye, which transforms the hand into a vessel, wilts and emanates incense, causing the words to blossom in the mouth adorned with divine purity. Hence, the Word calls forth those who are pure and fragrant with virtue, producing a drop of myrrh that fills the minds of those who receive it. This signifies a disdain for material existence, wherein every desire of this life turns void and lifeless in pursuit of superior goods.
Such myrrh, mingled with the pure essence of chastity, once flowed from Paul’s mouth into the ear of a holy virgin. This maiden was Thekla, who, having beautifully received the drops emanating from the soul, put to death the outward man, extinguishing all carnal thoughts and desires. Upon embracing good doctrine, her youth ceased, visible allure withered, and all bodily senses died; yet one doctrine lived within her, wherein the entire world faded from her perception, and the virgin succumbed to the world. Similarly, Cornelius, through the grand preaching of Peter, filled the hearts of his listeners with humility, who instantly received the Word and were baptized into Christ, becoming dead to this life. Countless examples exist, illustrating how the saints, embodying the voice of the Church, engendered humility within their audiences, thus slaying passions, flourishing with the lilies of the Word while those mighty champions of faith demonstrated overflowing humility in their deeds during times of martyrdom. Is it necessary to provide further instances when it is evident from what has been articulated, why the mouth of the Church is likened to a lily, why myrrh flows from this lily, and why the souls of those who receive it are filled with such an offering?