Book Report: The Life of Moses by Gregory of Nyssa

Backstory#

Written in the late 300s near the end of Gregory's life, this treatise is a response to the question 'What is the perfect life?' from Caesarius who is assumed to be a young monk.¹

Gregory is one of the three 'Cappadocian Fathers', named for their Roman province which is located in modern day central to eastern Turkey.² Notably, Gregory of Nyssa was highly influenced by Origen which, in part, was due to the tutoring of his grandparents and their family by one of Origen's students, Gregory Thaumaturgus.¹

Structure#

There is a brief introduction and conclusion. The main body is divided into two parts: the history of Moses and a corresponding spiritual understanding of this history. The spiritual understanding is about four times longer than the historical outline.

Introduction#

Gregory, while accepting the question from Caesarius, does not promise that he will be able to answer it. Either way, he hopes that with his reputation and age, his choice to answer the young monk's question will set a good example of "ready obedience". He goes on to emphasize that he believes the perfect life is a 'way of being' and not a destination to reach, thing to be grasped, nor feat to be achieved. He suggests that this perfect life might best be learned through the examples recorded in the Hebrew scriptures. And finally he chooses Moses as the example through which to answer the question.

Body#

Coming soon.

Conclusion#

Coming soon.

Opinion#

Coming soon.

¹ https://jesusandtheancientpaths.com/2022/07/28/an-intro-to-saint-gregory-of-nyssa-and-his-last-work-the-life-of-moses

² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_of_Nyssa