--[OECUMENIUS] He who was justified in spirit. And by what
justification is he justified who is righteousness itself and redemption, the
Sun of righteousness according to Malachi? Which indicates the most pure and perfect
righteousness, the fulfillment evidently of the legal rights; concerning which
John said: “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness.” (Matt. 3:15) For since the law also commanded concerning
baptisms, He came to the Jordan to fulfill this as well, just as He fulfilled
circumcision and the offerings for the firstborn. But what does He mean by “In
spirit”? Israel was bound in the spirit of slavery through the punishing
law. For it did not have the spirit of adoption; this has been granted to Christians,
as Paul also says: “What is above is Jerusalem the free, which is the mother of
us all.” (Gal. 4:26) He says therefore, Even if he fulfilled the legal
righteous requirements, but not with the spirit of slavery (for how, he who
also frees others?), but with the Holy Spirit of adoption, which the genuine
Son received according to the human nature, bestowing the gift upon us, and
consubstantial with the Spirit and not for Himself. Just as He cared for and
prayed, making our prayers acceptable, and called His own body a temple,
causing us to become temples of God. [end of the excerpt by Oecumenius]—
. . .
--[PHOTIUS] Instead of being justified legally, he was justified
spiritually. For he fulfilled the legal commandments not legally, but
spiritually. The fact that he was not considered justified by the fleshly and
hard-hearted (For they said, “Glutton and drunkard”) but was justified by those
who are established in the Spirit of God. “For we have seen his glory, glory as
the only begotten,” and so on. (Jn 1:14) [end of the excerpt by Photius]–
(Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles and Philemon by Oecumenius, also known
as the Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on the Pastoral Epistles and the Epistle to Philemon
[trans. John Litteral; 2025], 34-35)
