Isaac of Nineveh on ‘compunction’

Isaac of Nineveh on ‘compunction’

The following quotes from the First Part and Third Part of discourses of Isaac of Nineveh, when not otherwise specified, are my own translation from the Italian translation of Sabino Chialà[1]. So, I take responsibility of errors in the English rendering of the quotes.

In the seventh discourse of the Third Part, Isaac of Nineveh (fl. 7th century) writes:

“My Lord, you didn’t mould me like a vase of a ceramist, which once is broken cannot be restored anymore and cannot regain anymore the smoothness that it had once new. But, in your wisdom, you moulded like an object of gold or silver, which once it is blackened, it regains the colour of the Sun and becomes again shining thanks to that refiner which compunction is, and, by means of that crucible which is conversion[2], it is brought back to the condition of its former condition. In you there is the artisan that purifies and renews our nature. I defiled the beauty of the baptism and I am dirty, but in you I’ll receive a better beauty; in you there is the beauty of the creation which you brought back to that beauty which was stolen in the [terrestrial] paradise.” (Isaac of Nineveh, Third Part, discourse 7)[3]

We can see that here Isaac describes compunction and conversion as means to restore the condition of a person to one’s former purity. The language of restoration, purification and healing is apparent and the process is compared to that of a refinement and a crucible.  

Interestingly enough, the pangs of Gehenna (‘Hell’) are also described as due to ‘compunction’ in a famous passage of the First Part, discourse 27:

“I say that, indeed, even those who will be punished in Gehenna will be tormented by the wounds of love. The wounds that come from love, that is, those of those who feel they have failed in love, are harsh and bitter! More than the torments that come from fear! The pain that hisses in the heart because one has failed in love is more acute than all the torments that can be.

It is absurd to think that sinners in Gehenna will be deprived of love for the Creator. Love, in fact, is the child of the knowledge of the truth, which we confess will be granted to the whole universe. But love, with its power, acts in a twofold way: it torments those who have failed, as also happens here below between friends; but love also gladdens those who have kept what is fitting for it. So it is also in Gehenna: the harshness of the torment, I say, is the compunction [caused] by love. The delight that it [caused] intoxicates the souls of the children of above.””[4]

Here, the torments of Gehenna are said to be due to the compunction by love. Furthermore, Isaac seems to say here that not even sinners in Gehenna are deprived of love for the Creator[5]. Isaac seems to say that once the ‘knowledge of the truth’ is given to all, even sinners will love the Creator and suffer from the realization that they failed in love. Given that compunction is said in the quote from the Third Part to be a way to restore the former purity, it is not surprising that Isaac also in other works also explicitly endorsed that the role of Gehenna is purgative[6].

 

 

 

 


[1] The Italian translation of the First Part is: “Discorsi ascetici, Prima Collezione”  (https://www.amazon.it/Discorsi-ascetici-Isacco-Ninive/dp/8882275833 ). The Italian translation of the Third Part is: “Discorsi ascetici, Terza Collezione”  (https://www.amazon.it/Discorsi-ascetici-collezione-Isacco-Ninive/dp/8882271544 )

[2] Compare with how John of Dalyatha (fl. 8th century) describes conversion: “"[Conversion] is a sea that washes away all that is impure, it is a fiery furnace that cleans all that is covered by rust; it is a fire that burn up all weeds, water that grows the sacred seeds.” My own translation from the Italian translation of Paolo Raffaele Pugliese: “La [conversione] è un mare che lava tutto quel che è impuro, è una fornace ardente che monda tutto quello che si è coperto di ruggine; è un fuoco che brucia ogni zizzania, acqua che fa crescere semi santi.” (Lettere di Giovanni di Dalyatha, 43.12, trad. Pugliese, “La Bellezza nascosta in Te”, p. 207). Considering that John might have been influenced by Isaac of Nineveh, it wouldn’t be surprising if he also thought ‘Gehenna’s torments’ as due to compunction like Isaac.

[3] “Mio Signore, tu non mi hai plasmato come un vaso di ceramista, che una volta rotto non può più essere restaurato e una volta ammaccato non può più ottenere la levigatura di quando era nuovo. Ma, nella tua sapienza, mi hai plasmato come un oggetto di oro e di argento, che quando si annerisce, grazie a quel raffinatore che è la passione della compunzione, riacquista il colore del sole e ridiventa splendente, e, per mezzo del crogiolo della conversione, è ricondotto alla sua condizione di un tempo. In te è l’artigiano che monda la nostra natura e la rinnova. Io ho insozzato la bellezza del battesimo e sono sporco, ma in te riceverò una bellezza migliore; in te è la bellezza della creazione che tu hai ricondotto a quella bellezza che le era stata rubata nel paradiso [terrestre].” (Isacco di Ninive, Discorsi ascetici Terza Collezione, 7, traduzione Sabino Chialà, pp. 115-6)

[4]  “Io dico, infatti, che anche quanti saranno castigati nella geenna, saranno tormentati dalle piaghe dell’amore. Le piaghe che provengono dall’amore, cioè quelle di quanti sentono di aver mancato nell’amore, sono dure e amare! Più dei tormenti che vengono dal timore! La sofferenza che sibila nel cuore perché si è mancato all’amore è più acuta di tutti i tormenti che vi possono essere.

È assurdo pensare che i peccatori nella geenna saranno privati dell’amore per il Creatore. L’amore, infatti, è figlio della conoscenza della verità, che noi confessiamo che sarà concessa all’universo intero. Ma l’amore, con la sua forza, agisce in modo duplice: tormenta coloro che hanno mancato, come accade anche quaggiù tra amici; l’amore però anche allieta coloro che hanno custodito ciò che gli si addice. Così è anche nella geenna: la durezza del tormento io dico che è la compunzione [provocata] dall’amore. La delizia invece che esso [provoca] inebria l’anima dei figli di lassù.” (Isacco di Ninive, Discorsi ascetici Prima Collezione, 27, traduzione Sabino Chialà pag. 279).

Compare the English translation made by A.J. Weinsack: “Also I say that even those who are scourged in Hell are tormented with the scourgings of love. Scourgings for love's sake, namely of those who perceive that they have sinned against love, are more hard and bitter than tortures through fear. The suffering which takes hold of the heart through the sinning against love is more acute than any other torture. It is evil for a man to think that the sinners in Hell are destitute of love for the Creator. For love is a child of true knowledge such as is professed to be given to all people. Love works with its force in a double way. It tortures those who have  sinned, as happens also in the world between friends. And it gives delight to those who have kept its decrees. Thus it is also in Hell. I say that the hard tortures are grief for love. The inhabitants of heaven, however, make drunk their soul with the delight of love.” (Isaac of Nineveh, Mystic Treatises, p. 136)

[5] Significantly, it seems that the Eastern Orthodox theologian Sergey Bulgakov (1871-1944) interpreted Isaac of Nineveh’s views about the torments of Gehenna in the same way: https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2016/09/28/hell-as-universal-purgatory/ .

Comments

  1. boundless93April 4, 2026 at 12:34 PM

    Sergius Bulgakov's interpretation of Isaac of Nineveh's view about hell is also interesting:

    "St. Isaac the Syrian says that the torments of hell are the burning of love for God, the burning fire of this love (we will encounter this idea again when we consider the burning in hell). This idea is also applicable to man’s relation to his divine proto-image: being aware of how distant he is from his proto-image in his given state or likeness, a human being nevertheless recognizes himself in this image as he could and should be according to God’s thought. He loves this image of himself, judges himself by it, compares himself to it, does not and cannot retreat from it inwardly. This proto-image is Christ. Every human being sees himself in Christ and measures the extent of his difference from this proto-image. A human being cannot fail to love the Christ who is revealed in him, and he cannot fail to love himself revealed in Christ. The two things are the same. Such is human ontology. Love is the Holy Spirit, who sets the heart afire with this love. But this love, this blazing up of the Spirit, is also the judgment of the individual upon himself, his vision of himself outside himself, in conflict with himself, that is, outside Christ and far from Christ. And the measure and knowledge of this separation are determined by Love, that is, by the Holy Spirit. The same fire, the same love gladdens and burns, torments and gives joy. The judgment of love is the most terrible judgment, more terrible than that of justice and wrath, than that of the law, for it includes all this but also transcends it. The judgment of love consists of a revolution in people’s hearts, in which, by the action of the Holy Spirit in the resurrection, the eternal source of love for Christ is revealed together with the torment caused by the failure to actualize this love in the life that has passed. It is impossible to appear before Christ and to see Him without loving Him. In the resurrection, there is no longer any place for anti-Christianity, for enmity toward Christ, for satanic hatred of Him, just as there is no place for fear of Him as the Judge terrible in His omnipotence and the fury of His wrath. The Lord will come as He was on earth: meek and humble in heart, though now in glory. But this meekness and humility will burn hearts by their love and their judgment. God-Love judges with love the sins against love." (Sergius Bulgakov. The Bride of the Lamb (English Edition) (p.459). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)

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