Chapter LIV
Other Explanations Concerning Maggenanutha
Although we have already spoken on this subject in another context in the foregoing disquisitions 2), when an opportunity offered itself, yet we do not object to elucidating the subject further here.
Maggenanutha denotes help and guardianship and also the receiving of the heavenly gift. As for instance: The Holy Ghost shall come and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee 3). And: Thy right hand shall save me 4), which is a prayer for help. And: I will defend this city to save it 5).
So we understand two kinds of action in the maggenanutha granted by God unto mankind: one is symbolical and intelligible; the other practical. The former is connected with the holiness which is received through divine grace; this means: by the influence of the Holy Ghost a man is made holy in body and soul, as is the case of Elisha and John and Mary the blessed among women. But because this is incomparable
1) Inspiration, revelation, incarnation a. s. o. 2) Syriac text, pp. 107, 160. 3) Luke 1, 35; naggen , to overshadow, is only a faint rendering. The original means rather to envelop and to overpower. 4) Ps. 138, 7. 5) Ps. 37, 35.
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and above that which happens to the rank-and-file of creatures we have to come to that partial [holiness] which is granted unto the other saints, in the relation between the limbs and the body. The mysterious kind of maggenanutha - as the [gifts] 3 9 I imparted unto each of the saints - is a kind of influence
which possesses the mind. And when man is deemed worthy of this maggenanutha, the mind is snatched away in ecstasy and expanded by some divine revelation. And as long as the influence possesses the mind, man is exalted above the emotions of psychic deliberations, on account of his communion with the Holy Ghost. And this is what was said by the Apostle in the form of a prayer unto the Ephesians, when he desired to explain to them this mystery: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your hearts being enlightened 1). What is the result of this? That ye may know what is the hope of His calling and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe 2). This is one symbolical kind of maggenanutha, that when this power overshadows a man, he is deemed worthy of the glory of the new world, by revelation. And this is the part that has fallen to the lot of the saints by light; concerning which the blessed Paul says, that those are deemed worthy of it who have received sanctification of the mind from the Spirit, on account of their holy and excellent behaviour 3). Another kind of maggenanutha is that whose action manifests itself practically. It is the intelligible power which constantly covers a man and broods over him, removing from him any injury or accident that threatens to approach his body or soul, something not to be perceived visibly by the mind, but 392 clear and evident to the eye of faith, such as was frequently experienced by the saints; as is written: The angels of the Lord encamp round about them that fear Him and deliver them 4). And: Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers them out of them all 5).
I) Ephesians I1 I 7 sq. 2) ib. I 01 IS sq. 3) cf. 2 Thess. 21 I 3 4) Ps. 34 1 7 5) Ps. 34, I 9
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