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of prophecy. "But he who knows all things." For the Father alone knows the Son. "He found it." And he revealed him to us also through the wise mystery of the incarnation. "He who prepared." As to the literal meaning, that through 93.769 the incarnate Word all things were prepared. But as to the spiritual meaning, the earth is the knowledge of piety. "He filled." And the Lord called both the good and the evil to the wedding feast. And he speaks of beasts, those who before this were compared to senseless beasts. "And the stars." The apostles to whom he said, You are the light of the world. "He called them." Shining forth in the gifts given to them, they rejoiced. This is the God." Those who readily obeyed the apostolic calling, and having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, and preferring nothing to doing what was commanded. -He who for our sake became man, being the Word of the Father, and was seen on earth, and conversed with men. "And he gave it." Because every spiritual knowledge leading to his heaven is wrought [perhaps: by him]. "After this he was seen upon earth." For indeed, in order, the one and the same mystery shone forth, according to the law, according to the prophets, according to the gospel. CHAP. 4. "This is the book." The manifold knowledge of the mystery through the Gospels, which is also everlasting. "Pass through." For he himself calls, saying: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "Blessed are we." He exhorts those from Israel to seize the grace beforehand. Since it was also necessary for them first to announce the word of God. -The spiritual Israel says these things; to whom the Savior says: But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. "Take courage, my people." O Israel, remembered by me. "You were sold." For if on account of sin the devil held the bond against us, yet Christ redeemed us with his own blood. "But you have forgotten." Because having been nourished by the divine word as rational beings, we have fallen into irrationality. "Hear, you neighbors of Sion." She calls the neighbors to the sight of the mourning, that by the example she might make them more sober-minded. -The word is as to the subject cities. "Let no one rejoice over me, the widow." And he calls her a widow, as one destitute of divine care, the one left alone [made desolate], the one now alone, that is; or, if not this, as the only one to have had the divine temple; or as the only one left unconsumed by the Assyrians [perhaps: childless]. For though the Lord has chastened me sore, yet he has not given me over unto death. But the Synagogue was properly called a widow then, when having acted insolently toward her own bridegroom Christ, she was forsaken. 93.772 "Let the neighbors of Sion come." The vain opinions of the sojourning of this age. "For he brought a nation upon them." God put our iniquities far from us, but we drew them to ourselves, and through them we are punished. And he is said to bring it, because without God's permission nothing happens. "A shameless nation." First the Babylonian, and later also the Roman. And this can also be understood concerning those who teach the falsely so-called knowledge through sophistic deceit. "But what am I able to do to help you," Because without the compassions of God it is impossible for a soul to be saved. "He will deliver you." He exhorts them to the discipline that comes through the scourge. "But I was left." In the absence of God. And if the saints say these things, they say them appropriating the things of sinners; But if it is the Synagogue of the Jews, when on account of the outrage against Christ it heard: Behold, our house is left unto you desolate. But if it is the city, on account of the desolation of its inhabitants. "I have put off the robe of peace." The splendor, which she had when at peace with God. "The sackcloth of my supplication." Mourning over our sins, and beseeching God. "And there came to me." She foresees the redemption through Christ the Savior, and foretells it. "Which shall come upon." For the redemption through Christ showed our race to be more glorious than in its original formation.

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προφητείας. "Ἀλλ' ὁ εἰδὼς τὰ πάντα." Μόνος γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ γινώσκει τὸν Υἱόν. "Ἐξεῦρεν αὐτήν." Ἐφανέρωσεν δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ τοῦ σοφοῦ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως μυστηρίου. "Ὁ κατασκευάσας." Πρὸς μὲν τὸ ῥητὸν, ὅτι διὰ 93.769 τοῦ ἐνανθρωπήσαντος λόγου τὰ πάντα κατεσκευάσθη. Πρὸς δὲ διάνοιαν, γῆν τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς εὐσεβείας. "Ἐνέπλησεν." Ἀγαθοὺς δὲ καὶ πονηροὺς ἐκάλεσεν εἰς τοὺς γάμους ὁ Κύριος. Κτήνη δὲ λέγει, τοὺς πρὸ τούτου κτήνεσιν ἀνοήτοις συμβληθέντας. "Οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες." Τοὺς ἀποστόλους πρὸς οὓς εἶπεν, Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. "Ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς." Ἐν τοῖς δεδομένοις αὐτοῖς χαρίσμασι διαλάμψαντες ἐχάρησαν. Οὗτος ὁ Θεός." Οἱ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν κλῆσιν προθύμως ὑπακούσαντες, καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχοντες ἀναλῦσαι, καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι, καὶ μηδὲν προτιμῶντες τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ προσταττόμενον. -̔Ο δι' ἡμᾶς γεγονὼς ἄνθρωπος, τοῦ Πατρὸς γεγονὼς Λόγος, καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀφθεὶς, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συναναστραφείς. "Καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτήν." Ὅτι πᾶσα πνευματικὴ ἐπιστήμη ἄγουσα πρὸς οὐρανὸν αὐτοῦ [ἴσ. ὑπ' αὐτοῦ] κατεργάζεται. "Μετὰ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὤφθη." Καὶ γὰρ κατὰ τάξιν τὸ ἒν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ μυστήριον ἔλαμψε, νομικῶς, προφητικῶς, εὐαγγελικῶς. ΚΕΦ. ∆ʹ. "Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος." Ἡ διὰ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων τοῦ μυστηρίου ποικίλη γνῶσις, ἡ καὶ διαιωνίζουσα. "∆ιόδευσον." Αὐτὸς γὰρ καλεῖ λέγων· ∆εῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς. "Μακάριοί ἐσμεν." Παρορμᾷ τοὺς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ προαρπάσαι τὴν χάριν. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὐτοῖς ἦν ἀναγκαῖον πρῶτον ἀναγγεῖλαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ. -̔Ο πνευματικὸς Ἰσραὴλ ταῦτα φησίν· πρὸς οὕς φησιν ὁ Σωτήρ· Ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ, ὅτι βλέπουσι, καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἀκούουσιν. "Θαρσεῖτε, λαός μου." Ὦ παρ' ἐμοῦ μνημονευόμενε Ἰσραήλ. "Ἐπράθητε." Εἰ γὰρ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἔσχε τὸ καθ' ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον ὁ διάβολος, ἀλλ' ὁ Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς τῷ ἰδίῳ αἵματι ἐξηγοράσατο. "Ἐπελάθεσθε δέ." Ὅτι λόγῳ θείῳ τραφέντες ὡς λογικοὶ, εἰς ἀλογίαν καταπεπτώκαμεν. "Ἀκούσατε, αἱ πάροικοι Σιών." Τὰς παροίκους καλεῖ πρὸς τὴν θέαν τοῦ πένθους, τῷ παραδείγματι σωφρονεστέρας αὐτὰς ἀπεργασομένη. -̔Ως πρὸς τὰς ὑπηκόους πόλεις ὁ λόγος. "Μηδεὶς ἐπιχαιρέτω μοι τῇ χήρᾳ." Καλεῖ δὲ αὐτὴν χήραν, ὡς ἔρημον τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας, τὴν μόνην ἠρεμοῦσαν [ἐρημωθεῖσαν], τὴν νῦν μόνην δηλονότι· ἢ, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, ὡς μόνην ἐσχηκυῖαν τὸν θεῖον νεών· ἢ ὡς μόνην ὑπὸ Ἀσσυρίων περιλειφθεῖσαν ἀνάλωτον [ἴσ. ἄτεκ.] Εἰ γὰρ καὶ Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλὰ τῷ θανάτῳ οὐ παρέδωκέ με. Χήρα δὲ κυρίως ἐκλήθη ἡ Συναγωγὴ τότε, ὅτε εἰς τὸν ἑαυτῆς νυμφίον Χριστὸν ἐξυβρίσασα ἐγκατελείφθη. 93.772 "Ἐλθέτωσαν αἱ πάροικοι Σιών." Αἱ τῆς παροικίας τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου μάταιαι δόξαι. "Ἐπήγαγε γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἔθνος." Ὁ Θεὸς ἐμάκρυνε τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν ἀφ' ἡμῶν, ἡμεῖς δὲ αὐτὰς ἑαυτοῖς ἐπεσπασάμεθα, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τιμωρούμεθα. Λέγεται δὲ αὐτὸς ἐπάγειν, διὰ τὸ ἄνευ συγχωρήσεως Θεοῦ μηδὲν γίνεσθαι. "Ἔθνος ἀναιδές." Πρῶτον τὸ Βαβυλώνιον, ὕστερον καὶ τὸ Ῥωμαίων. ∆ύναται δὲ τοῦτο νοεῖσθαι καὶ περὶ τῶν τὴν ψευδώνυμον γνῶσιν διὰ σοφιστικῆς ἀπάτης διδασκόντων. "Ἐγὼ δὲ τί δυνατὴ βοηθῆσαι ὑμῖν," Ὅτι ἄνευ οἰκτιρμῶν Θεοῦ ψυχὴν σωθῆναι ἀδύνατον. "Ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς." Προτρέπεται αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν διὰ τῆς μάστιγος παιδείαν. "Ἐγὼ δὲ κατελείφθην." Ἀπουσίᾳ Θεοῦ. Καὶ εἰ μὲν οἱ ἅγιοι ταῦτα λέγουσιν, οἰκειούμενοι τὰ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν λέγουσιν· Εἰ δὲ ἡ τῶν Ἰουδαίων Συναγωγὴ, ὅτε διὰ τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν ὕβριν ἤκουσεν· Ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ἡμῶν ἔρημος. Εἰ δὲ ἡ πόλις, διὰ τὴν τῶν οἰκητόρων ἐρημίαν. "Ἐξεδυσάμην τὴν στολὴν τῆς εἰρήνης." Τὴν λαμπρότητα, ἢν εἶχεν εἰρηνεύουσα πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. "Σάκκον τῆς δεήσεώς μου." Πενθοῦσα ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμῶν ἁμαρτήμασιν, καὶ δεομένη Θεοῦ. "Καὶ ἦλθέ μοι." Τὴν διὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ προβλέπει ἀπολύτρωσιν, καὶ ταύτην προλέγει. "Ἣ ἐπελεύσεται." Ἡ γὰρ διὰ Χριστοῦ ἀπολύτρωσις λαμπρότερον, ἢ κατὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς πλάσιν τὸ γένος ἡμῶν ἀπέδειξεν.