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This expression (τό σκότος το αιώνιον) naturally indicates hell. Wed. in Origen, who in the "Homilia on the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah", interpreting the words of the Lord in Jn. 9:4, remarks that He calls this world "day," and "darkness" and "night" the final destruction [of sinners] through [eternal] punishments (τ^ν συντέλειαν δια τας κολάσεις). After the end of the world, this "darkness" or "gloomy" (τό σχυ^ρωπόν) will envelop sinners, and none of them will be able to glorify God (see PG, Vol. 13, Col. 392).

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The word σχυ^ρωπότης has semantic shades of both "despondency, gloom, melancholy" and "sorrow, grief". The latter meaning, which is connected with the concept of "contrition" and acquires a positive meaning, is sometimes found in church writing. For example, Patriarch St. Photius in one of his epistles addressed to a certain nun Eusebia says that she, having clung to God from infancy, renouncing her parents, brothers and relatives and uniting herself with the incorruptible and immortal Bridegroom – Christ, devoted her entire life to Him alone, without disgraceing her confession with lamentations (μή χατυβριζε τοΓς όδυρμοΓς τ^ν ομολογίαν), not darkening the heavenly grace with contrition (μηδε τω πεν^ει τ^ν χάριν εχείνην αμαυρώσης), but with this sorrow (τ^ νυν σχυ^ρωποτητι), not replacing the joy of the angels there. See: Photii Patriarchae Constantinopolitani Epistulae et Amphilochia. Vol. II. Recensuerunt B. Laourdas et L. G. Westerink. Leipzig, 1984. S. 176.

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St. Ammon quotes freely. In the Life of Euthychius, Patriarch of Constantinople (sixth century), it is narrated how, as a monk, he was distinguished by extreme humility and became "the first of all" to fulfill this commandment of the Lord (cf. Mk. 9:35) (see: Eustratii Presbyteri Vita Eutychii Patriarchae Constantinopolitani / Edidit Carl Laga, Corpus Christianorum. Series Graeca. Vol. 25. Turnhout; Leuven, 1992. P. 19). Prep. St. Symeon the New Theologian, in one of his hymns, addressing the "lovers of God," calls upon them to heed the sayings of the Lord: "If you do not lay aside glory, if you do not renounce riches, if you do not completely put off empty self-conceit (ματαίαν ο<ησ<ν), if you do not become the last of all in deeds and in thoughts themselves, but rather in ideas ("thoughts" — ταΓς εννο<α<ς), considering yourselves to be the last of all, then you do not acquire either the fountains of tears or the purification of the flesh" (Divine Hymns of St. Symeon the New Theologian / Translated from Greek by Hieromonk Panteleimon (Uspensky), pp. 239–240. Greek text: Symeow /e NoMoeaM TAeo/ogiew. Hymnes. T. II / Ed. par J. Koder et L. Neyrand // Sources chretiennes. № 174. Paris, 1971. P. 406).

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In this phrase, the term μελέτη (lit.; exercise, occupation) attracts attention; in Christian writing, it had, among other things, the meaning of "the study of the Holy Scriptures." Such "study" was at the same time "meditation," but reflection not on the level of rational (discursive) thinking, but on the spiritual level, that is, in the process of acquiring the Holy Spirit, and therefore inconceivable without prayer and good deeds (the further development of St. Ammon's thoughts clearly shows this). Such semantic nuances of the word are already outlined in early Christian writing. For example, in the Epistle of Barnabas the following interpretation of an Old Testament commandment is given (Lev. 11:3: the precept is "everything that has cloven hoofs and belches the cud"). This commandment of Moses means, according to the author of the Epistle, that one should "cling to those who fear the Lord, meditate (των μελετώντων) in their hearts about the commandment they have received, converse about the commandments of the Lord and keep them, knowing that meditation is a joyful deed (ή μελέτη έστ<ν έργον ευφροσύνης)." (Epitre de Barnabe / Ed. par P. Prigent // Sources chretiennes. № 172. Paris, 1971. P. 156–158). A similar interpretation of this commandment is found in St. Irenaeus of Lyons, who says that clean animals that regurgitate the cud mean people "day and night thinking about the words of God, in order to adorn themselves with good deeds" (Лрмнем Лмонскм, се. Five Books Against Heresies, Moscow, 1868, p. 596). Also noteworthy in this respect is Origen's commentary on Jer. 4, 3 (take the margins, m not semte on turnmm); Origen understands this commandment in two ways: as a call from God addressed to Christian teachers ("cateches"), who must "plow" the virgin soil of the souls of catechumens, and then "sow" them with "holy seeds", that is, the teaching about the Holy Trinity, about resurrection, about [eternal] punishment, etc.; However, the commandment can also be understood as a call to every Christian, who must become "the farmer of himself" (γεωργός γενοΰσεαυτοΰ). Moreover, the "thorns" that grow in the human soul are "worldly cares and lust for wealth" (μερ<μνα< βίωτίχα< χα< πλούτου φίληδονία). In order to destroy them, a Christian must acquire a "spiritual plough" (τό λογίχόν αροτρον – cf. Luke 9:62). When he finds it, he should gather from the Scriptures oxen — "pure laborers" — and plough the earth [of the soul], making it new, that is, put off the old man and put on the new man. After this, the land of the soul will become a "new field" (τό νέωμα), and it must be planted, by means of memory and reflection (δίά τ% μνήμης χαίτες μελέτης), with seeds taken from [Christian] teachers (άπό των δίδασχόντων), from the Law, from the Prophets, from the Gospel Scriptures, and from the apostolic sayings (see PG. Vol. 13, Col. 312-313).

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