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the foods are various, so that if the sick person does not wish to partake of this one, he may take the other; and if he does not accept that one, he may receive another; and if he pushes this one away, he may lay hold of the other, and by the variety of the foods we may overcome his difficulty, and by the manifold nature of the table we may heal the displeasure of his mind; so often it is necessary to do also in the case of the spiritual feast. When we are weak, it is necessary to prepare a discourse that is long and varied, having parables and examples, arguments, and periods, and many other such things, so that from all of them the choice of what is profitable may become easy for us. But although the discourse is long and hard to interpret, he did not deprive them of the teaching of Melchizedek; for by saying, "long and hard to interpret," he aroused their earnestness, so that they might become more eager for the hearing; and by providing the table, he gratified their desire. 2. And let us do this as well; though the sea of the prophets is boundless, and its depths are many, 56.166 let us dare to enter the sea according to our ability; or rather, not according to our ability, but according to the grace given to us from above, not through our own boldness, but for your benefit let us dare to enter the sea, in this also imitating Paul. For that he did not deprive them of the discourse concerning Melchizedek, hear what follows. So having said, "Of whom we have much to say, and hard to be uttered," he added: For this Melchizedek, king of righteousness; and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace, without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Did not Paul disturb your hearing when speaking about a man and saying, "without father, without mother"? And why do I say, about a man? For if this were said about Christ, would it not even so provide us with much inquiry? For if he is without father, how is he a Son? If without father, how is he Only-begotten? For a son ought to have a father, since he would not be a son. But the Son of God is both without father and without mother. How? Without father as to his generation below, without mother as to his generation above; for he had neither a father on earth, nor a mother in heaven. Without descent. Let those who meddle with his substance hear; and yet some think that this "without descent" is said concerning the generation above. For the heretics do not even want this; for they meddle with and are overly curious about that generation as well; but the more reasonable of them concede that, but no longer think that "without descent" was said concerning this generation below. Let us show, therefore, that Paul said this concerning both generations, both the one above and the one below; for that one is dreadful, and this one most mystical. For this reason Isaiah also says, "Who shall declare his generation?" But concerning that one above, he says, he spoke. What then shall we say to Paul, who mentioned both generations, and then added "without descent"? For having first said, "without father, without mother," he then added "without descent," so that you might believe him to be without descent not only according to that generation in which he is without mother, but also according to this one in which he was without father, I mean the one below. For this reason, having set down both, he then said "without descent"; for this one below is also incomprehensible, so that we should not even dare to peer into that one. For if the gateways of the temple are so fearful and unapproachable, how will anyone attempt to enter into the inner sanctuary? For that he was begotten of the Father, I know; but how, I do not know. That he was born of the virgin, I understand; but the manner I do not comprehend here either. For the generation of each nature is confessed, and the manner of each is kept silent. And just as here in the case of the virgin, though I do not know how he was born of a virgin, I confess that he was born, and I do not deny the fact because of my ignorance of the manner; so also you do in the case of the

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τὰ σιτία διάφορα, ἵνα ἂν τοῦτο ὁ κάμνων μὴ βουληθῇ μεταλαβεῖν, τὸ ἕτερον λάβῃ· κἂν ἐκεῖνο μὴ προσίηται, τὸ ἄλλο δέξηται· κἂν τοῦτο διακρούσηται, ἐπιλάβηται θατέρου, καὶ τῇ ποικιλίᾳ τῶν βρωμάτων τὴν δυσκολίαν νικήσωμεν, καὶ τῷ πολυτρόπῳ τῆς τραπέζης τὸ δυσάρεστον τῆς γνώμης θεραπεύσωμεν· οὕτω πολλάκις καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς πνευματικῆς ἑστιάσεως χρὴ ποιεῖν. Ὅταν ἀσθενεῖς ὦμεν, πολὺν παρασκευάσασθαι χρὴ τὸν λόγον καὶ ποικίλον, παραβολὰς καὶ παραδείγματα ἔχοντα, κατασκευὰς, καὶ περιόδους, καὶ ἕτερα πολλὰ τοιαῦτα, ἵνα ἐκ πάντων ῥᾳδία γένηται ἡμῖν τῶν συμφερόντων ἡ αἵρεσις. Πλὴν ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ πολὺς ὁ λόγος καὶ δυσερμήνευτος, οὐκ ἀπεστέρησεν αὐτοὺς τῆς διδασκαλίας τοῦ Μελχισεδέκ· τῷ μὲν γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Πολὺς καὶ ∆υσερμήνευτος, ἀναστήσας αὐτῶν τὴν σπουδὴν, ἵνα προθυμότεροι γένωνται περὶ τὴν ἀκρόασιν· τῷ δὲ παρασχεῖν τὴν τράπεζαν, χαρισάμενος αὐτῶν τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ. βʹ. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιήσωμεν· εἰ καὶ ἄπειρον τὸ πέλαγος τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ πολλὰ ἐκεῖ τὰ βάθη, 56.166 κατατολμήσωμεν τῆς θαλάττης κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν δύναμιν· μᾶλλον δὲ μὴ κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἄνωθεν δεδομένην ἡμῖν χάριν, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν παῤῥησίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ὠφέλειαν κατατολμήσωμεν τῆς θαλάττης, κἀν τούτῳ Παῦλον μιμούμενοι. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐκ ἀπεστέρησεν αὐτοὺς τοῦ λόγου τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Μελχισεδὲκ, ἄκουσον τῶν ἑξῆς. Εἰπὼν γοῦν, Περὶ οὗ πολὺς ὁ λόγος καὶ δυσερμήνευτος, ἐπήγαγεν· Οὗτος γὰρ ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ, βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ βασιλεὺς Σαλὴμ, ὅ ἐστι βασιλεὺς εἰρήνης, ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ, ἀγενεαλόγητος, μήτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν, μήτε ζωῆς τέλος ἔχων· ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές. Ἆρα οὐκ ἐτάραξεν ὑμῶν τὰς ἀκοὰς περὶ ἀνθρώπου διαλεγόμενος ὁ Παῦλος καὶ λέγων, Ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ; Καὶ τί λέγω, περὶ ἀνθρώπου; Εἰ γὰρ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοιτο τοῦτο, οὐκ ἂν πολλὴν καὶ οὕτως ἡμῖν παρέχοι ζήτησιν; Εἰ γὰρ ἀπάτωρ, πῶς Υἱός; εἰ ἀπάτωρ, πῶς Μονογενής; Ὁ γὰρ υἱὸς ὀφείλει πατέρα ἔχειν, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴη υἱός. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπάτωρ ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀμήτωρ. Πῶς; Ἀπάτωρ τὴν κάτω γέννησιν, ἀμήτωρ τὴν ἄνω· οὔτε γὰρ ἐπὶ γῆς ἔσχε πατέρα, οὔτε ἐν οὐρανῷ μητέρα. Ἀγενεαλόγητος. Ἀκουέτωσαν οἱ τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ πολυπραγμονοῦντες· καίτοι τινὲς νομίζουσιν, ὅτι τὸ Ἀγενεαλόγητος τοῦτο περὶ τῆς ἄνω γεννήσεως εἴρηται. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ αἱρετικοὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο βούλονται· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκείνην πολυπραγμονοῦσι καὶ περιεργάζονται· οἱ δὲ ἐπιεικέστεροι τούτων ἐκείνῃ μὲν παραχωροῦσιν, οὐκέτι δὲ καὶ περὶ ταύτης τῆς κάτω νομίζουσιν εἰρῆσθαι τὸ, Ἀγενεαλόγητος. ∆είξωμεν οὖν ὅτι περὶ ἑκατέρας γεννήσεως τοῦτο ὁ Παῦλος εἶπε, καὶ περὶ τῆς ἄνω, καὶ περὶ τῆς κάτω· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκείνη φρικτὴ, καὶ αὕτη μυστικωτάτη. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἡσαΐας φησὶ, Τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; Ἀλλὰ περὶ ἐκείνης, φησὶν, εἶπε τῆς ἄνω. Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν Παύλῳ, ἀμφοτέρας εἰπόντι τὰς γεννήσεις, καὶ τότε ἐπαγαγόντι τὸ, Ἀγενεαλόγητος; Πρότερον γὰρ εἰπὼν, Ἀπάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ, τότε ἐπήγαγε τὸ, Ἀγενεαλόγητος, ἵνα μὴ μόνον κατ' ἐκείνην τὴν γέννησιν, καθ' ἣν ἀμήτωρ ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ ταύτην, καθ' ἣν ἀπάτωρ ἦν, τὴν κάτω λέγω, ἀγενεαλόγητον εἶναι πιστεύσῃς. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἀμφοτέρας θεὶς, τότε εἶπε τὸ, Ἀγενεαλόγητος· καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὕτη ἡ κάτω ἀκατάληπτος, ἵνα πρὸς ἐκείνην μηδὲ παρακύψαι τολμήσωμεν. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ προπύλαια τοῦ ναοῦ οὕτω φοβερὰ καὶ ἀπρόσιτα, πῶς εἰς τὰ ἄδυτά τις εἰσελθεῖν ἐπιχειρήσει; Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἐγεννήθη ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς, οἶδα· τὸ δὲ πῶς, οὐκ οἶδα. Ὅτι ἐτέχθη ἐκ τῆς παρθένου, ἐπίσταμαι· τὸν δὲ τρόπον οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα καταλαμβάνω. Ἑκατέρας γὰρ φύσεως ἡ γέννησις ὁμολογεῖται, καὶ ἑκατέρας ὁ τρόπος σεσίγηται. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐνταῦθα ἐπὶ τῆς παρθένου, οὐκ εἰδὼς ἐγὼ πῶς ἐκ παρθένου ἐγεννήθη, ὁμολογῶ ὅτι ἐγεννήθη, καὶ οὐκ ἀναιρῶ τὸ πρᾶγμα διὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν τοῦ τρόπου· οὕτω καὶ σὺ ποίησον ἐπὶ τοῦ