Homily III.

Hebrews i. 6–8

“And again when He bringeth in the First-Begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him. And of the Angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.”

[1.] Our Lord Jesus Christ calls His coming in the flesh an exodus [or going out]: as when He saith, “The sower went out to sow.” ( Matt. xiii. 3.) And again, “I went out from the Father, and am come.” ( John xvi. 28.) And in many places one may see this. But Paul calls it an [eisodus or] coming in, saying, “And when again He bringeth in the First-Begotten into the world,” meaning by this Bringing in, His taking on Him flesh.

Now why has he so used the expression? The things signified [thereby] are manifest, and in what respect it is [thus] said. For Christ indeed calls it a Going out, justly; for we were out from God. For as in royal palaces, prisoners and those who have offended the king, stand without, and he who desires to reconcile them, does not bring them in, but himself going out discourses with them, until having made them meet for the king’s presence, he may bring them in, so also Christ hath done. Having gone out to us, that is, having taken flesh, and having discoursed to us of the King’s matters, so He brought us in, having purged the sins, and made reconciliation. Therefore he calls it a Going out.

But Paul names it a Coming in, from the metaphor of those who come to an inheritance and receive any portion or possession. For the saying, “and when again He bringeth in the First-Begotten into the world,” means this, “when he putteth the world into His hand.” For when He was made known, then also He obtained possession of the whole thereof, He saith not these things concerning God The Word, but concerning that which is according to the flesh. For if according to John, “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him” ( John i. 10 ): how is He “brought in,” otherwise than in the flesh?

“And,” saith he, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” Whereas he is about to say something great and lofty, he prepares it beforehand, and makes it acceptable, in that he represents the Father as “bringing in” the Son. He had said above, that “He spake to us not by prophets but by His Son”; that the Son is superior to angels; yea and he establishes this from the name [Son]. And here, in what follows, from another fact also. What then may this be? From worship. And he shows how much greater He is, as much as a Master is than a slave; just as any one introducing another into a house straightway commands those having the care thereof to do him reverence; [so] saying in regard to the Flesh, “And let all the Angels of God worship Him.”

Is it then Angels only? No; for hear what follows: “And of His Angels He saith, Which maketh His Angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire: but unto the Son, Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Behold, the greatest difference! that they are created, but He uncreated. While of His angels He saith, who “maketh”; wherefore of the Son did He not say “Who maketh”? Although he might have expressed the difference as follows: “Of His Angels He saith, Who maketh His Angels spirits, but of the Son, ‘The Lord created Me’: ‘God hath made Him Lord and Christ.’” ( Prov. viii. 22; Acts ii. 36.) But neither was the one spoken concerning the Son, nor the other concerning God The Word, but concerning the flesh. For when he desired to express the true difference, he no longer included angels only, but the whole ministering power above. Seest thou how he distinguishes, and with how great clearness, between creatures and Creator, ministers and Lord, the Heir and true Son, and slaves?

[2.] “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Behold a symbol of Kingly Office. “A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom.” Behold again another symbol of Royalty.

Then again with respect to the flesh ( ver. 9 ) “Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee.”

What is, “Thy God”? Why, after that he hath uttered a great word, he again qualifieth it. Here he hits both Jews, and the followers of Paul of Samosata, and the Arians, and Marcellus, and Sabellius, and Marcion. How? The Jews, by his indicating two Persons, both God and Man;103   δυὸ πρόσωπα δεικνὺς, καὶ Θεὸν καὶ ἄνθρωπον. That is both two distinct Persons in the Godhead, and also the Divine and human natures of the Christ. The corrector would seem to have understood it “two Persons, both God and man” ; the common texts read δυὸ τὸν αὐτὸν δεικνὺς, κ. θ. κ. ἀ “showing the same [Person] to be two, both God and man.” [The first καὶ may well be translated both. It seems to have been omitted by the corrector simply as superfluous, not as altering the sense.—F.G.] the other Jews,104   Sav. and Ben. omit ̓ Ιουδαίους. The teaching of Paul of Samosata was regarded as closely connected with Judaism, and he and his followers were called Jews. I mean the followers of Paul of Samosata, by thus discoursing concerning His eternal existence, and uncreated essence: for by way of distinction, against the word, “He made,” he put, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Against the Arians there is both this same again, and also that He is not a slave; but if a creature, He is a slave. And against Marcellus and the others, that these are two Persons, distinguished in reference to their subsistence. 105   κατὰ τὴν ὑπόστασιν, see above, pp. 370, 371, notes. And against the Marcionites, that the Godhead is not anointed, but the Manhood.

Next he saith, “Above Thy fellows.” But who are these His “fellows” other than men? that is Christ received “not the Spirit by measure.” ( John iii. 34.) Seest thou how with the doctrine concerning His uncreated nature he always joins also that of the “Economy”? what can be clearer than this? Didst thou see how what is created and what is begotten are not the same? For otherwise he would not have made the distinction, nor in contrast to the word, “He made” [&c.], have added, “But unto the Son He said, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Nor would he have called the name, “Son, a more excellent Name,” if it is a sign of the same thing. For what is the excellence? For if that which is created, and that which is begotten be the same, and they [the Angels] were made, what is there [in Him] “more excellent”? Lo! again ὁ Θεὸς, “God,” with the Article.106   The Ben. editor observes that it had been said that ὁ θεός with the article is used in Scripture only of the Father, and that St. Chrys. here as in other places argues that it is used of the Son.

[3.] And again he saith ( ver. 10–12 ): “Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thine hands. They shall perish, but Thou remainest, and they shall all wax old as a garment, and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same and Thy years shall not fail.”

Lest hearing the words, “and when He bringeth in the First-Begotten into the world”; thou shouldest think it as it were a Gift afterwards super-added to Him; above, he both corrected this beforehand, and again further corrects, saying, “in the beginning”: not now, but from the first. See again he strikes both Paul of Samosata and also Arius a mortal blow, applying to the Son the things which relate to the Father. And withal he has also intimated another thing by the way, greater even than this. For surely he hath incidentally pointed out also the transfiguration of the world, saying, “they shall wax old as a garment, and as a vesture Thou shalt fold them up, and they shall be changed.” Which also he saith in the Epistle to the Romans, that he shall transfigure the world. (See Rom. viii. 21.) And showing the facility thereof, he adds, as if a man should fold up a garment so shall He both fold up and change it. But if He with so much ease works the transfiguration and the creation to what is better and more perfect, needed He another for the inferior creation? How far doth your shamelessness go? At the same time too this is a very great consolation, to know that things will not be as they are, but they all shall receive change, and all shall be altered, but He Himself remaineth ever existing, and living without end: “and Thy years,” he saith, “shall not fail.”

[4.] Ver. 13. “But to which of the Angels said He at any time, Sit thou on My right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” Behold, again he encourages them, inasmuch as their enemies were to be worsted, and their enemies are the same also with Christ’s.

This again belongs to Sovereignty, to Equal Dignity, to Honor and not weakness, that the Father should be angry for the things done to the Son. This belongs to His great Love and honor towards the Son, as of a father towards a son. For He that is angry in His behalf how is He a stranger to Him? Which also he saith in the second Psalm, “He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.” ( Ps. ii. 4, 5.) And again He Himself saith, “Those that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither before Me, and slay them.” ( Luke xix. 27.) For that they are His own words, hear also what He saith in another place, “How often would I have gathered thy children together, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left desolate.” ( Luke xiii. 34, 35.) And again, “The kingdom shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” ( Matt. xxi. 43.) And again, “He that falleth upon that stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever It shall fall, It will grind him to powder.” ( Matt. xxi. 44.) And besides, He who is to be their Judge in that world, much more did He Himself repay them in this. So that the words “Till I make thine enemies thy footstool” are expressive of honor only towards the Son.

Ver. 14. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” What marvel (saith he) if they minister to the Son, when they minister even to our salvation? See how he lifts up their minds, and shows the great honor which God has for us, since He has assigned to Angels who are above us this ministration on our behalf. As if one should say, for this purpose (saith he) He employs them; this is the office of Angels, to minister to God for our salvation. So that it is an angelical work, to do all for the salvation of the brethren: or rather it is the work of Christ Himself, for He indeed saves as Lord, but they as servants. And we, though servants are yet Angels’ fellow-servants. Why gaze ye so earnestly on the Angels (saith he)? They are servants of the Son of God, and are sent many ways for our sakes, and minister to our salvation. And so they are partners in service with us.

Consider ye how he ascribes no great difference to the kinds of creatures. And yet the space between angels and men is great; nevertheless he brings them down near to us, all but saying, For us they labor, for our sake they run to and fro: on us, as one might say, they wait. This is their ministry, for our sake to be sent every way.

And of these examples both the Old [Testament] is full, and the New. For when Angels bring glad tidings to the shepherds, or to Mary, or to Joseph; when they sit at the sepulcher, when they are sent to say to the disciples, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” ( Acts i. 11 ), when they release Peter out of the prison, when they discourse with Philip, consider how great the honor is; when God sends His Angels for ministers as to friends; when to Cornelius [an Angel] appears, when [an Angel] brings forth all the apostles from the prison, and says, “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people the words of this life” ( Acts v. 20 ); and to Paul himself also an Angel appears. Dost thou see that they minister to us on God’s behalf, and that they minister to us in the greatest matters? wherefore Paul saith, “All things are yours, whether life or death, or the world, or things present, or things to come.” ( 1 Cor. iii. 22.)

Well then the Son also was sent, but not as a servant, nor as a minister, but as a Son, and Only-Begotten, and desiring the same things with the Father. Rather indeed, He was not “sent”: for He did not pass from place to place, but took on Him flesh: whereas these change their places, and leaving those in which they were before, so come to others in which they were not.

And by this again he incidentally encourages them, saying, What fear ye? Angels are ministering to us.

[5.] And having spoken concerning the Son, both what related to the Economy, and what related to the Creation, and to His sovereignty, and having shown His co-equal dignity, and that as absolute Master He ruleth not men only but also the powers above, he next exhorts them, having made out his argument, that we ought to give heed to the things which have been heard. ( c. ii. 1.) “Wherefore we ought to give more earnest heed” (saith he) “to the things which we have heard.” Why “more earnest”? Here he meant “more earnest” than to the Law: but he suppressed the actual expression of it, and yet makes it plain in the course of reasoning, not in the way of counsel, nor of exhortation. For so it was better.

Ver. 2, 3. “For if the word spoken by Angels” (saith he) “was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken to us by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him?”

Why ought we to “give more earnest heed to the things which we have heard”? were not those former things of God, as well as these? Either then he meaneth “more earnest” than [to] the Law, or “very earnest”; not making comparison, God forbid. For since, on account of the long space of time, they had a great opinion of the Old Covenant, but these things had been despised as yet new, he proves (more than his argument required) that we ought rather to give heed to these. How? By saying in effect, Both these and those are of God, but not in a like manner. And this he shows us afterwards: but for the present he treats it somewhat superficially, but afterwards more clearly, saying “For if that first covenant had been faultless” ( c. viii. 7 ), and many other such things: “for that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” ( c. viii. 13.) But as yet he ventures not to say any such thing in the beginning of his discourse, nor until he shall have first occupied and possessed his hearer by his fuller [arguments].

Why then ought we “to give more earnest heed”? “Lest at any time,” saith he, “we should let them slip”—that is, lest at any time we should perish, lest we should fall away. And here he shows the grievousness of this falling away, in that it is a difficult thing for that which hath fallen away to return again, inasmuch as it hath happened through wilful negligence. And he took this form of speech from the Proverbs. For, saith he, “my son [take heed] lest thou fall away” ( Prov. iii. 21 , LXX.), showing both the easiness of the fall, and the grievousness of the ruin. That is, our disobedience is not without danger. And while by his mode of reasoning he shows that the chastisement is greater, yet again he leaves it in the form of a question, and not in the conclusion. For indeed this is to make one’s discourse inoffensive, when one does not in every case of one’s self infer the judgment, but leaves it in the power of the hearer himself to give sentence: and this would render them more open to conviction. And both the prophet Nathan doth the same in the Old [Testament], and in Matthew Christ, saying, “What will He do to the husbandmen” ( Matt. xxi. 40 ) of that vineyard? so compelling them to give sentence themselves: for this is the greatest victory.

Next, when he had said, “For if the word which was spoken by Angels was steadfast”—he did not add, much more that by Christ: but letting this pass, he said what is less, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” And see how he makes the comparison. “For if the word which was spoken by Angels,” saith he. There, “by Angels,” here, “by the Lord”—and there “a word,” but here, “salvation.”

Then lest any man should say, Thy sayings, O Paul, are they Christ’s? he proves their trustworthiness both from his having heard these things of Him, and from their being now spoken by God; since not merely a voice is wafted, as in the case of Moses, but signs are done, and facts bear witness.

[6.] But what is this, “For if the word spoken by Angels was steadfast”? For in the Epistle to the Galatians also he saith to this effect, “Being ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator.” ( Gal. iii. 19.) And again, “Ye received a law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it.” ( Acts vii. 53.) And everywhere he saith it was given by angels. Some indeed say that Moses is signified; but without reason. For here he says Angels in the plural: and the Angels too which he here speaks of, are those in Heaven. What then is it? Either he means the Decalogue only (for there Moses spake, and God answered him— Ex. xix. 19 ),—or that angels were present, God disposing them in order,—or that he speaks thus in regard of all things said and done in the old Covenant, as if Angels had part in them. But how is it said in another place, “The Law was given by Moses” ( John i. 17 ), and here “by Angels”? For it is said, “And God came down in thick darkness.”107   This last clause seems unconnected as it stands here. If there were ms. authority one should be glad to transfer it a few lines lower, after the management of Angels: τὰ διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων οἰκονομηθέντα, or to place here the words “What shall we say,” down to “ thick darkness.” ( Ex. xix. 16, 20.)

“For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast.” What is “was steadfast”? True, as one may say; and faithful in its proper season; and all the things which had been spoken came to pass. Either this is his meaning, or that they prevailed, and the threatenings were coming to be accomplished. Or by “the word” he means injunctions. For apart from the Law, Angels sent from God enjoined many things: for instance at Bochim, in the Judges, in [the history of] Samson. ( Judg. ii. 1; xiii. 3.) For this is the cause why he said not “the Law” but “the word.” And he seems to me haply rather to mean this, viz., those things which are committed to the management of angels. What shall we say then? The angels who were entrusted with the charge of the nation were then present, and they themselves made the trumpets, and the other things, the fire, the thick darkness. ( Ex. xix. 16.)

“And every transgression and disobedience,” saith he. Not this one and that one, but “every” one. Nothing, he saith, remained unavenged, but “received a just recompense of reward,” instead of [saying] punishment. Why now spake he thus? Such is the manner of Paul, not to make much account of his phrases, but indifferently to put down words of evil sound, even in matters of good meaning. As also in another place he saith, “Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”108   See St. Chrys. on the passage, 2 Cor. x. 5 [p. 242, O.T.]. The expression “captivity” was the “word of evil sound.” ( 2 Cor. x. 5.) And again he hath put “the recompense” for punishment,109   Rom. i. 27 as here he calleth punishment “reward.” “If it be a righteous thing,” he saith, “with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest.” ( 2 Thess. i. 6, 7.) That is, justice was not violated, but God went forth against them, and caused the penalty to come round on the sinners, though not all their sins are made manifest, but only where the express ordinances were transgressed.

“How then shall we,” he saith, “escape if we neglect so great salvation?” Hereby he signified, that other salvation was no great thing. Well too did he add the “So great.” For not from wars (he saith) will He now rescue us, nor bestow on us the earth and the good things that are in the earth, but it will be the dissolution of death, the destruction of the devil, the kingdom of Heaven, everlasting life. For all these things he hath briefly expressed, by saying, “if we neglect so great salvation.”

[7.] Then he subjoins what makes this worthy of belief. “Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord”: that is, had its beginning from the fountain itself. It was not a man who brought it over110   lit. ferried it over: διεπόρθμευσεν, the word is specially applied to messages between earth and heaven, by Pseudo-Dionys. Areop. de Celesti Hierarchia, c. xv. 6. “The Angels are called Winds, to express their rapid power of making things, how it reaches almost to all things without time; and their motion in the manner of those who ferry over, from above downwards, and again from the lower parts up the steep, both drawing out the things of secondary order towards that loftier height, and moving those of the first order to come forth in the way of sympathy and care for their inferiors.” into the earth, nor any created power, but the Only-Begotten Himself.

“And was confirmed unto us by them that heard [Him].” What is “confirmed”? It was believed,111   ἐ πιστεύθη. Dunæus suggested ἐ πιστώθη, “it was accredited,” but there is no ms. authority for the change. or, it came to pass. For (he saith) we have the earnest;112   St. Chrys. seems to have had in view 2 Cor. i. 21, 22 , where “confirming” is connected with the earnest of “the Spirit.” [The passage is, “how he which stablishes us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” —F.G.] that is, it hath not been extinguished, it hath not ceased, but it is strong and prevaileth. And the cause is, the Divine power works therein. It means they who heard from the Lord, themselves confirmed us. This is a great thing and trustworthy: which also Luke saith in the beginning of his Gospel, “As they delivered unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word.” ( Luke i. 2.)

How then was it confirmed? What if those that heard were forgers? saith some one. This objection then he overthrows, and shows that the grace was not human. If they had gone astray, God would not have borne witness to them; for he subjoined ( ver. 4 ), “God also bearing witness with them.” Both they indeed bear witness, and God beareth witness too. How doth He bear witness? not by word or by voice, (though this also would have been worthy of belief): but how? “By signs, and wonders, and divers miracles.” (Well said he, “divers miracles,” declaring the abundance of the gifts: which was not so in the former dispensation, neither so great signs and so various.) That is, we did not believe them simply, but through signs and wonders: wherefore we believe not them, but God Himself.

“And by gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.”

What then, if wizards also do signs, and the Jews said that He “cast out devils through Beelzebub”? ( Luke xi. 15.) But they do not such kind of signs: therefore said he “divers miracles”: for those others were not miracles, [or powers,113   δυνάμεις] but weakness and fancy, and things altogether vain. Wherefore he said, “by gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will.”

[8.] Here he seems to me to intimate something further. For it is not likely there were many there who had gifts, but that these had failed, upon their becoming more slothful. In order then that even in this he might comfort them, and not leave them to fall away, he referred all to the will of God. He knows (he says) what is expedient, and for whom, and apportions His grace accordingly. Which also he [Paul] does in the Epistle to the Corinthians, saying, “God hath set every one of us, as it pleased Him.” ( 1 Cor. xii. 18.) And again, “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” ( 1 Cor. xii. 7.)

“According to His will.” He shows that the gift is according to the will of the Father. But oftentimes on account of their unclean and slothful life many have not received a gift, and sometimes also those whose life is good and pure have not received one. Why, I pray you? Lest they might be made haughty, that they might not be puffed up, that they might not grow more negligent, that they might not be more excited. For if even without a gift, the mere consciousness of a pure life be sufficient to lift a man up, much more when the grace is added also. Wherefore to the humble, to the simple, it was rather given, and especially to the simple: for it is said, “in singleness and gladness of heart.” ( Acts ii. 46.) Yea, and hereby also he rather urged them on, and if they were growing negligent gave them a spur. For the humble, and he who imagines no great things concerning himself, becomes more earnest when he has received a gift, in that he has obtained what is beyond his deserts, and thinks that he is not worthy thereof. But he who thinks he hath done well, reckoning it to be his due, is puffed up. Wherefore God dispenseth this profitably: which one may see taking place also in the Church: for one hath the word of teaching, another hath not power to open his mouth. Let not this man (he says) be grieved because of this. For “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” ( 1 Cor. xii. 7.) For if a man that is an householder knoweth to whom he should entrust anything, much more God, who understands the mind of men, “who knoweth all things or ever they come into being.”114    Hist. Sus . 42 One thing only is worthy of grief, Sin: there is nothing else.

Say not, Wherefore have I not riches? or, If I had, I would give to the poor. Thou knowest not, if thou hadst them, whether thou wouldest not the rather be covetous. For now indeed thou sayest these things, but being put to the trial thou wouldest be different. Since also when we are satisfied, we think that we are able to fast; but when we have gone without a little space, other thoughts come into us. Again, when we are out of the way of strong drink, we think ourselves able to master our appetite, but no longer so, when we are caught by it.

Say not, Wherefore had I not the gift of teaching? or, If I had it, I should have edified innumerable souls. Thou knowest not, if thou hadst it, whether it would not be to thy condemnation,—whether envy, whether sloth, would not have disposed thee to hide thy talent. Now, indeed, thou art now free from all these, and though thou give not “the portion of meat” ( Luke xii. 42 ), thou art not called to account: but then, thou wouldest have been responsible for many.

[9.] And besides, neither now art thou without the gift. Show in the little, what thou wouldst have been, if thou hadst had the other. “For if” (he says) “ye are not faithful in that which is little, how shall any one give you that which is great?” ( Luke xvi. 11.) Give such proof as did the widow; she had two farthings,115   ὀ βολοὺς and she cast in all, whatsoever she possessed.

Dost thou seek riches? Prove that thou thinkest lightly of the few things, that I may trust thee also concerning the many things. But if thou dost not think lightly even of these, much less wilt thou do so of the other.

Again, in speech, prove that thou canst use fitly exhortation and counsel. Hast thou not external eloquence? hast thou not store of thoughts? But nevertheless thou knowest these common things. Thou hast a child, thou hast a neighbor, thou hast a friend, thou hast a brother, thou hast kinsmen. And though publicly before the Church, thou art not able to draw out a long discourse, these thou canst exhort in private. Here, there is no need of rhetoric, nor of elaborate discourse: prove in these, that if thou hadst skill of speech, thou wouldest not have neglected it. But if in the small matter thou art not in earnest, how shall I trust thee concerning the great?

For, that every man can do this, hear what Paul saith, how he charged even lay people; “Edify,” he says, “one another, as also ye do.” ( 1 Thess. v. 11.) And, “Comfort one another with these words.” ( 1 Thess. iv. 18.) God knoweth how He should distribute to every man. Art thou better than Moses? hear how he shrinks from the hardship. “Am I,” saith he, “able to bear them? for Thou saidst to me, Bear them up, as a nursing-father would bear up the sucking-child.” ( Num. xi. 12.) What then did God? He took of his spirit and gave unto the others, showing that neither when he bare them was the gift his own, but of the Spirit. If thou hadst had the gift, thou wouldst perchance116   πολλάκις, see Mr. Field’s note. have been lifted up, perchance wouldst thou have been turned out of the way. Thou knowest not thyself as God knoweth thee. Let us not say, To what end is that? on what account is this? When God dispenseth, let us not demand an account of Him: for this [is] of the uttermost impiety and folly. We are slaves, and slaves far apart from our Master, knowing not even the things which are before us.

[10.] Let us not then busy ourselves about the counsel of God, but whatsoever He hath given, this let us guard, though it be small, though it be the lowest, and we shall be altogether approved. Or rather, none of the gifts of God is small: art thou grieved because thou hast not the gift of teaching? Then tell me, which seems to you the greater, to have the gift of teaching, or the gift of driving away diseases? Doubtless the latter. But what? Tell me; doth it not seem to thee greater to give eyes to the blind than even to drive away diseases? But what? Tell me; doth it not seem to thee greater to raise the dead than to give eyes to the blind? What again, tell me; doth it not seem to thee greater to do this by shadows and napkins, than by a word? Tell me then, which wouldst thou? Raise the dead with shadows and napkins, or have the gift of teaching? Doubtless thou wilt say the former, to raise the dead with shadows and napkins. If then I should show to thee, that there is another gift far greater than this, and that thou dost not receive it when it is in thy power to receive it, art not thou justly deprived of those others? And this gift not one or two, but all may have. I know that ye open wide your mouths and are amazed, at being to hear that it is in your power to have a greater gift than raising the dead, and giving eyes to the blind, doing the same things which were done in the time of the Apostles. And it seems to you past belief.

What then is this gift? charity. Nay, believe me; for the word is not mine, but Christ’s speaking by Paul. For what saith he? “Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.” ( 1 Cor. xii. 31.) What is this, “yet more excellent”? What he means is this. The Corinthians were proud over their gifts, and those having tongues, the least gift, were puffed up against the rest. He saith therefore, Do ye by all means desire gifts? I show unto you a way of gifts not merely excelling but far more excellent. Then he saith, “Though I speak with the tongues of Angels, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I have faith so as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” ( 1 Cor. xiii. 1, 2.)

Hast thou seen the gift? Covet earnestly this gift. This is greater than raising the dead. This is far better than all the rest. And that it is so, hear what Christ Himself saith, discoursing with His disciples, “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples.” ( John xiii. 35.) And showing how, He mentioned not the miracles, but what? “If ye have love one with another.” And again He saith to the Father, “Hereby shall they know that Thou hast sent Me, if they be one.” ( John xvii. 21.) And He said to His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another.” ( John xiii. 34.) Such an one therefore is more venerable and glorious than those who raise the dead; with reason. For that indeed is wholly of God’s grace, but this, of thine own earnestness also. This is of one who is a Christian indeed: this shows the disciple of Christ, the crucified, the man that hath nothing common with earth. Without this, not even martyrdom can profit.

And as a proof, see this plainly. The blessed Paul took two of the highest virtues, or rather three; namely, those which consist in miracles, in knowledge, in life. And without this the others, he said, are nothing. And I will say how these are nothing. “Though I give my goods to feed the poor,” he says, “and have not charity, I am nothing.” ( 1 Cor. xiii. 3.) For it is possible not to be charitable even when one feeds the poor and exhausts one’s means.

[11.] And indeed these things have been sufficiently declared by us, in the place concerning Charity:117   His Homily on 1 Cor. xiii. 3 [pp. 444 sqq. O.T.] is referred to. and thither we refer the readers. Meanwhile, as I was saying, let us covet earnestly the Gift, let us love one another; and we shall need nothing else for the perfect acquisition of virtue, but all will be easy to us without toils and we shall do all perfectly with much diligence.

But see, even now, it is said, we love one another. For one man hath two friends, and another three. But this is not to love for God’s sake, but for the sake of being beloved. But to love for God’s sake hath not this as its principle of Love; but such an one will be disposed towards all men as towards brethren; loving those that are of the same faith as being true brothers; heretics and Heathen and Jews, brothers indeed by nature, but vile and unprofitable,—pitying and wearing himself out and weeping for them. Herein we shall be like God if we love all men, even our enemies; not, if we work miracles. For we regard even God with admiration when He worketh wonders, yet much more, when He showeth love towards man, when He is long-suffering. If then even in God this is worthy of much admiration, much more in men is it evident that this rendereth us admirable.

This then let us zealously seek after: and we shall be no way inferior to Paul and Peter and those who have raised innumerable dead, though we may not be able to drive away a fever. But without this [Love]; though we should work greater miracles even than the Apostles themselves, though we should expose ourselves to innumerable dangers for the faith: there will be to us no profit from any. And these things it is not I that say, but he, the very nourisher of Charity, knoweth these things. To him then let us be obedient; for thus we shall be able to attain to the good things promised, of which may we all be made partakers, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Ghost, be the glory, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Γʹ. Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, λέγει: Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ: Καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους λέγει: Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὑτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὑτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα: πρὸς δὲ τὸν Υἱόν: Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. αʹ. Ὁ μὲν Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τὴν παρουσίαν αὑτοῦ τὴν ἔνσαρκον ἔξοδον καλεῖ: οἷον ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ: Ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπεῖραι: καὶ πάλιν, Ἐγὼ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός μου ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἥκω: καὶ πολλαχοῦ τοῦτο ἴδοι τις ἄν. Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος εἴσοδον αὐτὴν καλεῖ λέγων: Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην: εἰσαγωγὴν ταύτην λέγων τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀνάληψιν. Τί δήποτε δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ διαφόρως τῷ λόγῳ κέχρηνται, καὶ κατὰ τί οὕτως εἴρηται; Δῆλόν ἐστι καὶ ἀπ' αὐτῶν τῶν σημαινομένων. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Χριστὸς ἔξοδον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρουσίαν εἰκότως καλεῖ: ἔξω γὰρ ἦμεν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις οἱ δεσμῶται καὶ προσκεκρουκότες τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἔξω ἑστήκασιν: ὁ δὲ βουλόμενος αὐτοὺς καταλλάξαι, οὐκ ἔνδον τούτους εἰσάγων, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ἐξιὼν ἔξω τούτοις διαλέγεται, ἕως ἂν αὐτοὺς καταστήσας ἀξίους τῆς ὄψεως τοῦ βασιλέως εἰσαγάγῃ: οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐποίησεν. Ἐξελθὼν γὰρ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, τουτέστι, σάρκα ἀναλαβὼν, καὶ διαλεχθεὶς τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, οὕτως ἡμᾶς εἰσήγαγε, καὶ καθαρίσας τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ καταλλάξας. Διὰ τοῦτο ἔξοδον αὐτὴν καλεῖ. Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος εἴσοδον αὐτὴν ὀνομάζει, ἀπὸ μεταφορᾶς τῶν κληρονομούντων, καὶ νομὴν παραλαμβανόντων καὶ κτῆσίν τινα: τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, τοῦτό ἐστι δηλοῦντος, ὅταν ἐγχειρίσῃ αὐτῷ τὴν οἰκουμένην: τότε γὰρ αὐτὴν ἐκτήσατο πᾶσαν, ὅτε καὶ ἐγνώσθη. Οὐ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ δὲ Λόγου φησὶ ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα Χριστοῦ: εἰκότως. Εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, κατὰ τὸν Ἰωάννην, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, πῶς ἑτέρως ἂν εἰσήχθη, ἀλλ' ἢ ἐν σαρκί; Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ, φησὶ, πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ. Ἐπειδὰν μέγα τι καὶ ὑψηλὸν λέγειν μέλλῃ, προκατασκευάζει αὐτὸ καὶ ποιεῖ εὐπαράδεκτον τῷ τὸν Πατέρα ποιῆσαι εἰσαγαγόντα τὸν Υἱόν. Σκόπει δέ: εἶπεν ἀνωτέρω, ὅτι οὐ διὰ προφητῶν ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ: ἔδειξεν ὅτι κρείττων ἀγγέλων ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀνόματος δὲ τοῦτο κατασκευάσας, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τὸν Πατέρα ποιῆσαι εἰσαγαγόντα τὸν Υἱόν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ ἀφ' ἑτέρου κατασκευάζει. Ποίου δὴ τούτου; Ἀπὸ τῆς προσκυνήσεως: τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὅσῳ κρείττων ἐστὶ δείκνυσιν: ὅσῳ γὰρ Δεσπότης δούλου. Διὸ καὶ ὡς ἂν εἴ τις εἰσαγαγών τινα εἰς οἰκίαν βασιλέως, τοὺς προεστῶτας αὐτῆς εὐθέως κελεύει προσκυνεῖν αὐτῷ: οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ποιεῖ, περὶ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα λέγων τὴν ἐν κόσμῳ εἰσαγωγὴν, καὶ τὸ, Προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ, διὰ τοῦτο ἐπάγων. Ἆρα οὖν ἄγγελοι μόνον, οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλαι δυνάμεις; Ἄπαγε: ἄκουσον γὰρ τῶν ἑξῆς: Καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ φησιν, Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὑτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα: πρὸς δὲ τὸν Υἱὸν, Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἰδοὺ ἡ μεγίστη διαφορά: ὅτι οἱ μὲν κτιστοὶ, ὁ δὲ ἄκτιστος. Καὶ διὰ τί πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ φησιν, Ὁ ποιῶν: πρὸς δὲ τὸν Υἱὸν διὰ τί οὐκ εἶπεν, ὁ ποιῶν; καίτοι ἐνῆν τὴν διαφορὰν οὕτως εἰπεῖν: πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ λέγει, Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὑτοῦ πνεύματα: πρὸς δὲ τὸν Υἱὸν, Κύριος ἔκτισέ με: καὶ πάλιν, Κύριον αὐτὸν καὶ Χριστὸν ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησεν. Ἀλλ' οὔτε ἐκεῖνο περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Κυρίου Υἱοῦ εἴρηται, οὔτε τοῦτο περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα. Ἔνθα γὰρ τὴν ἀληθῆ διαφορὰν ἠβούλετο δηλοῦν, οὐκέτι ἀγγέλους περιέλαβε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἄνω δύναμιν τὴν λειτουργικήν. Ὁρᾷς πῶς διαιρεῖ καὶ μεθ' ὅσης τῆς σαφηνείας κτίσματα καὶ κτιστὴν, λειτουργοὺς καὶ δεσπότην, καὶ κληρονόμον καὶ γνήσιον Υἱὸν καὶ δούλους; Πρὸς δὲ τὸν Υἱόν φησιν: Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἰδοὺ βασιλείας σύμβολον. Ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου. Ἰδοὺ πάλιν καὶ ἄλλο βασιλείας σύμβολον. Εἶτα πάλιν εἰς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα: Ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν: διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεός σου. Τί ἐστι, Θεός σου; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μέγα ἐφθέγξατο, πάλιν αὐτὸ παραμυθεῖται. Ἐνταῦθα καὶ Ἰουδαίους, καὶ τοὺς Παύλου τοῦ Σαμοσατέως, καὶ Ἀρειανοὺς, καὶ Μάρκελλον καὶ Σαβέλλιον ἔβαλε καὶ Μαρκίωνα. Πῶς; Ἰουδαίους μὲν, δύο τὸν αὐτὸν δεικνὺς, καὶ Θεὸν, καὶ ἄνθρωπον: τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους, τοὺς Παύλου λέγω τοῦ Σαμοσατέως, τῷ περὶ τῆς αἰωνίου ὑπάρξεως ταῦτα διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ τῆς ἀκτίστου οὐσίας: πρὸς γὰρ ἀντιδιαστολὴν τοῦ, Ἐποίησε, τὸ, Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, τέθεικε. Πρός τε Ἀρειανοὺς τοῦτό τε αὐτὸ πάλιν, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δοῦλος: εἰ δὲ κτίσμα, δοῦλος. Πρὸς δὲ Μάρκελλον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, ὅτι δύο ἐστὶ ταῦτα πρόσωπα διῃρημένα κατὰ τὴν ὑπόστασιν: πρὸς δὲ Μαρκιωνιστὰς, ὅτι ἡ θεότης οὐ χρίεται, ἀλλ' ἡ ἀνθρωπότης. Εἶτα, Παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου, φησί. Τίνες δέ εἰσιν οἱ μέτοχοι, ἀλλ' ἢ οἱ ἄνθρωποι; Τουτέστι, τὸ Πνεῦμα οὐκ ἐκ μέτρου ἔλαβεν ὁ Χριστός. βʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς συνάπτει ἀεὶ τῷ περὶ τῆς ἀκτίστου φύσεως καὶ τὸν περὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας λόγον; Τί τούτου σαφέστερον; Εἶδες πῶς οὐκ ἔστι τὸ αὐτὸ, κτίσμα καὶ γέννημα; οὐ γὰρ ἂν διεῖλε, καὶ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τοῦ, Ἐποίησεν, ἐπήγαγε τὸ, Πρὸς δὲ τὸν Υἱὸν εἶπεν: Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος: οὐδ' ἂν διαφορώτερον ὄνομα ἐκάλει τὸ Υἱὸς ὄνομα, εἰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἦν σημεῖον. Ποῖον γὰρ τὸ διάφορον; εἰ γὰρ τὸ κτίσμα καὶ γέννημα ταὐτὸν, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐποιήθησαν, τί τὸ διαφορώτερον; Ἰδοὺ πάλιν τὸ, ὁ Θεὸς, μετὰ τοῦ ἄρθρου. Καὶ πάλιν φησί: Κατ' ἀρχὰς σὺ, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί. Αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις: καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται: σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσιν. Ἵνα μὴ ἀκούσας: Ὅταν δὲ εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν Πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, ὡς δῶρον νομίσῃς εἶναι ὕστερον αὐτῷ προσδοθὲν, τοῦτο καὶ ἄνω προδιωρθώσατο, καὶ πάλιν ἐπιδιορθοῦται λέγων: Κατ' ἀρχάς: οὐχὶ νῦν, ἀλλ' ἄνωθεν. Ἰδοὺ πάλιν καὶ τὸν Σαμοσατέα Παῦλον καιρίᾳ πλήττει πληγῇ καὶ Ἄρειον, ἃ περὶ τοῦ Πατρός ἐστι, ταῦτα ἁρμόσας τῷ Υἱῷ. Μετὰ δὲ τούτου καί τι ἄλλο πάρεργον ᾐνίξατο, καὶ μεῖζον τούτου: καὶ γὰρ τὴν μετασχημάτισιν τοῦ κόσμου παρεδήλωσε λέγων: Ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται. Ὃ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους φησὶν, ὅτι μετασχηματίσει τὸν κόσμον. Καὶ τὸ εὔκολον δηλῶν, ἐπήγαγεν: Ἑλίξεις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἂν εἴ τις περιβόλαιον ἑλίξῃ, οὕτως αὐτὸς τὸν κόσμον καὶ ἑλίξει καὶ ἀλλάξει. Εἰ δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον καὶ τὸ κρεῖττον μετασχημάτισιν καὶ δημιουργίαν οὕτως εὐκόλως ἐργάζεται, ἐπὶ τῆς ἐλάττονος δημιουργίας ἑτέρου ἐδεῖτο; Μέχρι τίνος οὐκ αἰσχύνεσθε; Ἅμα δὲ καὶ παραμυθία μεγίστη τοῦτό ἐστι, τὸ γνῶναι ὅτι οὐκ ἔσται οὕτω τὰ πράγματα, ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα μεταβολὴν λήψεται, καὶ πάντα ἐναλλαγήσεται, αὐτὸς δὲ μένει διαπαντὸς ζῶν, καὶ ἀπείρως ζῶν: Καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου, φησὶν, οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι. Τίνι δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἴρηκέ ποτε: Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου; Ἰδοὺ πάλιν αὐτοὺς παραθαῤῥύνει, εἴ γε μέλλοιεν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν ἡττηθήσεσθαι, καὶ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν οἱ αὐτοί εἰσιν, οἳ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Τοῦτο πάλιν βασιλείας, τοῦτο ὁμοτιμίας, τοῦτο τιμῆς, οὐκ ἀδυναμίας, τὸ τὸν Πατέρα ὀργίζεσθαι ὑπὲρ τῶν εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν γεγενημένων: τοῦτο πολλῆς ἀγάπης δεῖγμα καὶ γνησιότητος τῆς ὡς ἀπὸ πατρὸς πρὸς υἱόν. Ὁ γὰρ ὀργιζόμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, πῶς ἀλλότριος αὐτοῦ ἐστιν; Ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου. Ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ ψαλμῷ φησιν: Ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐκγελάσεται αὐτοὺς, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐκμυκτηριεῖ αὐτούς. Τότε λαλήσει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ ταράξει αὐτούς. Καὶ πάλιν αὐτός φησι: Τοὺς μὴ θελήσαντάς με βασιλεῦσαι ἐπ' αὐτοὺς, ἀγάγετε ὧδε ἐνώπιόν μου, καὶ κατασφάξατε αὐτούς. Ὅτι γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐστι τὰ ῥήματα, ἄκουσον τί φησι καὶ ἑτέρωθι: Ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε; Ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος. Καὶ πάλιν, Ἀρθήσεται ἀφ' ὑμῶν ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ δοθήσεται ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς: καὶ πάλιν, Ὁ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὸν λίθον τοῦτον, συνθλασθήσεται: ἐφ' ὃν δ' ἂν πέσῃ, λικμήσει αὐτόν. Ἄλλως δὲ, ὁ μέλλων ἐκεῖ κρίνειν αὐτοὺς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς δίκην ἐνταῦθα τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν παροινίας ἀπῄτησεν. Ὥστε τιμῆς μόνης ἐστὶ τῆς εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν, τὸ, Ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα, εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν; Τί θαυμαστὸν, φησὶν, εἰ τῷ Υἱῷ λειτουργοῦσιν, ὅταν καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν λειτουργῶσιν; Ὅρα πῶς ἐπαίρει αὐτῶν τὰ φρονήματα, καὶ πολλὴν δείκνυσι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς τιμὴν, εἴπερ ἀγγέλους τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς ταύτην ἔταξεν ἔχειν διακονίαν, τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, Εἰς τοῦτο κέχρηται αὐτοῖς, φησὶ, τοῦτο ἀγγέλων λειτουργία, τὸ διακονεῖν τῷ Θεῷ εἰς σωτηρίαν ἡμετέραν. Ὥστε ἀγγελικὸν ἔργον τοῦτό ἐστι, τὸ πάντα ποιεῖν εἰς σωτηρίαν τῶν ἀδελφῶν: μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ ἔργον ἐστίν: αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ὡς Δεσπότης σώζει, οὗτοι δὲ ὡς δοῦλοι. Καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰ καὶ δοῦλοι, ἀλλὰ σύνδουλοι ἀγγέλων. Τί κεχήνατε πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους, φησί; Δοῦλοί εἰσι τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πολλαχοῦ δι' ἡμᾶς πέμπονται, καὶ πρὸς σωτηρίαν τὴν ἡμετέραν λειτουργοῦσιν: ὥστε ὁμόδουλοι ἡμῶν εἰσιν. Ἐννοήσατε πῶς οὐ πολλὴν δίδωσι τοῖς κτίσμασι διαφοράν: καίτοι πολὺ τὸ μέσον ἀγγέλων καὶ ἀνθρώπων: ἀλλ' ὅμως πλησίον ἡμῶν αὐτοὺς κατάγει, μονονουχὶ λέγων: Ἡμῖν κάμνουσι, δι' ἡμᾶς περιτρέχουσιν, ἡμῖν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ὑπηρετοῦσιν. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ διακονία αὐτῶν, τὸ δι' ἡμᾶς πανταχοῦ πέμπεσθαι. γʹ. Καὶ τούτων τῶν ὑποδειγμάτων μεστὴ μὲν ἡ Παλαιὰ, μεστὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ Καινή. Ὅταν γὰρ ἄγγελοι ποιμένας εὐαγγελίζωνται, ὅταν τὴν Μαριὰμ, ὅταν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, ὅταν ἐπὶ τοῦ μνήματος καθέζωνται, ὅταν πέμπωνται εἰπεῖν τοῖς μαθηταῖς: Ἄνδρες Γαλιλαῖοι, τί ἑστήκατε βλέποντες εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν; ὅταν Πέτρον ἀπολύωσι τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, ὅταν Φιλίππῳ διαλέγωνται, πῶς ἡμῖν οὐχ ὑπουργοῦσιν; Ἐννόησον τοίνυν τὴν τιμὴν, ὅση τυγχάνει, ὅταν ὡς πρὸς φίλους πέμπῃ διακόνους τοὺς ἀγγέλους ὁ Θεὸς, ὅταν Κορνηλίῳ ἄγγελος φαίνηται, ὅταν πάντας τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου ἄγγελος ἐκβάλλῃ, καὶ λέγῃ: Πορευθέντες στῆτε, καὶ λαλεῖτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τῷ λαῷ τὰ ῥήματα τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης. Τί τὰ ἄλλα λέγω; καὶ αὐτῷ Παύλῳ ἄγγελος φαίνεται. Ὁρᾷς αὐτοὺς διακονοῦντας ἡμῖν διὰ τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ εἰς τὰ μέγιστα διακονοῦντας; Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ Παῦλος: Πάντα ὑμῶν, εἴτε ζωὴ, εἴτε θάνατος, εἴτε κόσμος, εἴτε ἐνεστῶτα, εἴτε μέλλοντα. Ἐπέμφθη μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς διάκονος, οὐδὲ ὡς λειτουργὸς, ἀλλ' ὡς Υἱὸς καὶ μονογενὴς, καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ Πατρὶ βουλόμενος. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἐπέμφθη: οὐ γὰρ ἐκ τόπου εἰς τόπον μετέβη, ἀλλὰ σάρκα ἀνέλαβεν: οὗτοι δὲ τόπους ἀμείβουσι, καὶ τοὺς προτέρους ἀφέντες ἐν οἷς εἰσιν, οὕτως εἰς ἑτέρους ἔρχονται ἐν οἷς οὐκ ἦσαν. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν παραθαῤῥύνων αὐτοὺς λέγει: Τί δεδοίκατε; ἄγγελοι διακονοῦσιν ἡμῖν. Καὶ εἰπὼν περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν, καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν δημιουργίαν, καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ τὸ ὁμότιμον δείξας, καὶ ὅτι ὡς Δεσπότης κρατεῖ, οὐχὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων, λοιπὸν παρακαλεῖ αὐτοὺς, κατασκευάσας τὸν λόγον, ὥστε προσέχειν ἡμᾶς τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσι, καί φησι: Διὸ χρὴ περισσοτέρως ἡμᾶς προσέχειν τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσιν. Ἐνταῦθα βουλόμενος εἰπεῖν, ὅτι δεῖ περισσοτέρως τοῦ νόμου προσέχειν, ἐσιώπησεν αὐτὸ, δῆλον δὲ ὅμως τοῦτο ποιεῖ ἐν τῇ κατασκευῇ, οὐκ ἐν συμβουλῇ οὐδὲ ἐν παρακλήσει: οὕτω γὰρ ἄμεινον ἦν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ δι' ἀγγέλων λαληθεὶς λόγος, φησὶν, ἐγένετο βέβαιος, καὶ πᾶσα παράβασις καὶ παρακοὴ ἔλαβεν ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν: πῶς ἡμεῖς ἐκφευξόμεθα, τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας; ἥτις ἀρχὴν λαβοῦσα λαλεῖσθαι διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, εἰς ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων ἐβεβαιώθη. Διὰ τί περισσοτέρως ἡμᾶς δεῖ προσέχειν τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσιν; οὐχὶ κἀκεῖνα Θεοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα; Ἢ τοίνυν περισσοτέρως τοῦ νόμου φησὶν, ἢ ὅτι μεγάλως: οὐχὶ συγκρίνων, μὴ γένοιτο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ χρόνου τοῦ πολλοῦ μεγάλην εἶχον περὶ τῆς Παλαιᾶς ὑπόληψιν, ταῦτα δὲ ὡς νέα ἔτι καταπεφρόνητο, δείκνυσιν ἐκ περιουσίας, ὅτι τούτοις δεῖ μᾶλλον προσέχειν. Πῶς; Μονονουχὶ λέγων, ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ μὲν καὶ ταῦτα κἀκεῖνα, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοίως. Καὶ τοῦτο ἡμῖν ὕστερον δείκνυσι: τέως δὲ ἐπιπολαιότερον αὐτὸ κατασκευάζει, ὕστερον δὲ φανερώτερον, λέγων: Εἰ γὰρ ἡ πρώτη ἐκείνη ἦν ἄμεμπτος: καὶ πάλιν, Τὸ γὰρ παλαιούμενον καὶ γηράσκον ἐγγὺς ἀφανισμοῦ: καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα τοιαῦτα. Ἀλλ' οὔπω τολμᾷ τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν εἰπεῖν ἐν προοιμίοις, ἕως ἂν προκαταλάβῃ καὶ κατάσχῃ ταῖς πλείοσι προκατασκευαῖς τὸν ἀκροατήν. Διὰ τί τοίνυν δεῖ περισσοτέρως ἡμᾶς προσέχειν, εἰπέ, Μήποτε, φησὶ, παραῤῥυῶμεν. Τουτέστι, μὴ ἀπολώμεθα, μὴ ἐκπέσωμεν. Καὶ δείκνυσιν ἐνταῦθα τὸ χαλεπὸν τῆς ἐκπτώσεως, ὅτι δύσκολον τὸ παραῤῥυὲν πάλιν ἐπανελθεῖν, καθότι ἐκ ῥᾳθυμίας τοῦτο συνέβη. Ἔλαβε δὲ τὴν λέξιν ἀπὸ τῶν Παροιμιῶν: Υἱὲ γὰρ, φησὶ, μὴ παραῤῥυῇς: καὶ τὸ εὔκολον τοῦ ὀλίσθου δεικνὺς, καὶ τὸ χαλεπὸν τῆς ἀπωλείας: τουτέστιν, οὐκ ἀκίνδυνος ἡμῖν ἡ παρακοή. Καὶ δι' ὧν μὲν κατασκευάζει δείκνυσιν ὅτι μείζων ἡ κόλασις. Ἀφίησι δὲ πάλιν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ περιζητήσει, καὶ οὐκ ἐν τῷ συμπεράσματι. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀνεπαχθῆ τὸν λόγον ποιεῖν, μὴ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ πανταχοῦ τὴν κρίσιν ἐπάγοντα ἀποφαίνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ κύριον ἀφιέναι τὸν ἀκροατὴν, ἵνα αὐτὸς ἐνέγκῃ τὴν ψῆφον: ὅπερ καὶ εὐγνωμονεστέρους ἐποίει γενέσθαι. Ποιεῖ δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ ὁ προφήτης Νάθαν, καὶ ἐν τῷ Ματθαίῳ ὁ Χριστὸς λέγων: Τί ποιήσει τοῖς γεωργοῖς τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος ἐκείνου; καὶ αὐτοὺς ἀναγκάζων τὴν ψῆφον ἐξενεγκεῖν: τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ μεγίστη νίκη. Εἶτα εἰπών: Εἰ γὰρ ὁ δι' ἀγγέλων λαληθεὶς λόγος ἐγένετο βέβαιος, οὐκ ἐπήγαγε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ: ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν εἴασεν, εἶπε δὲ τὸ ἔλαττον, Πῶς ἡμεῖς ἐκφευξόμεθα, τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας; Καὶ ὅρα πῶς ποιεῖται τὴν σύγκρισιν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ δι' ἀγγέλων λόγος λαληθεὶς, φησίν. Ἐκεῖ, Δι' ἀγγέλων, ἐνταῦθα δὲ, Διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου: κἀκεῖ μὲν λόγος, ἐνταῦθα δὲ σωτηρία. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ εἴπῃ τις, τί δαί; ἃ σὺ λέγεις, ὦ Παῦλε, ταῦτα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐστι; προλαμβάνει, καὶ ἀποδείκνυσι τὸ ἀξιόπιστον ἔχοντα. Τῷ τε παρ' ἐκείνου γὰρ ἀκηκοέναι αὐτὰ τὸ ἀξιόπιστον δείκνυσι, καὶ τῷ νῦν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτὰ λέγεσθαι, οὐχ ἁπλῶς φωνῆς φερομένης, καθάπερ ἐπὶ Μωϋσέως, ἀλλὰ σημείων γινομένων, καὶ πραγμάτων μαρτυρούντων. δʹ. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Εἰ γὰρ ὁ δι' ἀγγέλων λαληθεὶς λόγος ἐγένετο βέβαιος; Καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας οὕτω πως φησί: Διαταγεὶς δι' ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου: καὶ πάλιν, Ἐλάβετε τὸν νόμον εἰς διαταγὰς ἀγγέλων, καὶ οὐκ ἐφυλάξατε: καὶ πανταχοῦ δι' ἀγγέλων αὐτόν φησι δίδοσθαι. Τινὲς μὲν οὖν τὸν Μωϋσέα φασὶν αἰνίττεσθαι: ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔχει λόγον: ἀγγέλους γὰρ ἐνταῦθα πολλούς φησι. Καὶ ἀγγέλους δὲ ἐνταῦθα τούτους φησὶ τοὺς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Τί οὖν ἐστιν εἰπεῖν; Ἤτοι τὴν δεκάλογόν φησι μόνον: ἐκεῖ γὰρ Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλει, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἀπεκρίνετο: ἢ ὅτι παρῆσαν ἄγγελοι, τοῦ Θεοῦ διαταττομένου: ἢ ὅτι περὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ λεγομένων καὶ πραττομένων ἁπάντων, ὡς ἀγγέλων κοινωνησάντων ἐν τούτοις ταῦτά φησι. Πῶς δὲ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν, ὅτι Ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἐνταῦθα δὲ δι' ἀγγέλων; φησὶ γὰρ, Καὶ κατέβη ὁ Θεὸς ἐν γνόφῳ. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ δι' ἀγγέλων λαληθεὶς λόγος ἐγένετο βέβαιος. Τί ἐστι, Βέβαιος; Ἀληθὴς, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, καὶ πιστός: διότι ἐν τῷ προσήκοντι καιρῷ πάντα ἐξέβη τὰ λεχθέντα: ἢ τοίνυν τοῦτό φησιν, ἢ ὅτι ἐκράτησε, καὶ αἱ ἀπειλαὶ εἰς ἔργον ἤρχοντο: ἢ λόγον φησὶ τὰ προστάγματα. Πολλὰ γὰρ χωρὶς νόμου προσέταξαν ἄγγελοι παρὰ Θεοῦ πεμπόμενοι: οἷον ἐπὶ τοῦ κλαυθμῶνος, ἐπὶ τῶν Κριτῶν, ἐπὶ τοῦ Σαμψών. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὐκ εἶπε: Νόμος, ἀλλὰ, Λόγος. Καὶ τάχα μοι δοκεῖ τοῦτο λέγειν δηλῶν διὰ τούτου μᾶλλον τὰ διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων οἰκονομηθέντα. Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; Ὅτι παρῆσαν οἱ ἄγγελοι τότε οἱ τὸ ἔθνος ἐμπεπιστευμένοι, καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰς σάλπιγγας ἐποίουν, καὶ τὰ ἕτερα, τὸ πῦρ, τὸν γνόφον. Καὶ πᾶσα παράβασις, φησὶ, καὶ παρακοὴ ἔλαβεν ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν. Οὐχ ἡ μὲν, ἡ δὲ οὒ, ἀλλὰ πᾶσα. Οὐδὲν ἀνεκδίκητον ἔμεινε, φησὶν, ἀλλ' Ἔλαβεν ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν: ἀντὶ τοῦ, κόλασιν. Καὶ τί δήποτε οὕτως εἶπεν; Οὕτως ἔθος τῷ Παύλῳ μὴ πολὺν τῶν λέξεων ποιεῖσθαι λόγον, ἀλλ' ἀδιαφόρως καὶ ἐπὶ εὐφήμων τιθέναι κακέμφατα: οἷον καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν: Αἰχμαλωτίζοντες πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν τέθεικεν ἀντὶ κολάσεως, καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὴν κόλασιν μισθὸν καλεῖ. Εἰ δίκαιον, φησὶ, παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἀνταποδοῦναι τοῖς θλίβουσιν ὑμᾶς θλῖψιν, καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς θλιβομένοις ἄνεσιν. Τουτέστιν, οὐ παρεφθάρη τὸ δίκαιον, ἀλλ' ἐπεξῆλθεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τὴν δίκην περιέτρεψεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας: καίτοι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων οὐ πάντων εἰς φανερὸν γινομένων, εἰ μὴ παραβαθείη τὰ διατεταγμένα. Πῶς οὖν ἡμεῖς, φησὶν, ἐκφευξόμεθα, τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας; Διὰ τούτου ἐδήλωσεν, ὅτι οὐ πολλή τις ἦν ἐκείνη ἡ σωτηρία. Καλῶς δὲ καὶ τὸ, Τηλικαύτης, προσέθηκεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκ πολέμων, φησὶν, ἡμᾶς διασώσει νῦν, οὐδὲ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ ἀγαθὰ παρέξει, ἀλλὰ θανάτου κατάλυσις ἔσται, ἀλλὰ διαβόλου ἀπώλεια, ἀλλ' οὐρανῶν βασιλεία, ἀλλὰ ζωὴ αἰώνιος. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα ἐν συντόμῳ ἐνέφηνεν εἰπὼν, Τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας. Εἶτα καὶ τὸ ἀξιόπιστον ἐπάγει: Ἥτις ἀρχὴν λαβοῦσα λαλεῖσθαι διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου: τουτέστι, παρ' αὐτῆς τῆς πηγῆς ἔσχε τὴν ἀρχήν: οὐκ ἄνθρωπος αὐτὴν διεπόρθμευσεν εἰς τὴν γῆν, οὐ κτιστὴ δύναμις, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ Μονογενής. Ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐβεβαιώθη. Τί ἐστιν, Ἐβεβαιώθη; Ἐπιστεύθη, ἢ ἐξέβη: τὸν γὰρ ἀῤῥαβῶνα, φησὶν, ἔχομεν: τουτέστιν, οὐκ ἐσβέσθη, οὐκ ἔληξεν, ἀλλὰ κρατεῖ καὶ περιγίνεται. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, ἡ θεία δύναμις ἐνεργεῖ. Τί ἐστιν, Ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων; Τουτέστιν, οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀκούσαντες αὐτοὶ ἡμᾶς ἐβεβαίωσαν. Μέγα τοῦτο καὶ ἀξιόπιστον. Ὅπερ καὶ Λουκᾶς φησιν ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου: Καθὼς παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου. Πῶς οὖν ἐβεβαιώθη; τί οὖν, εἰ οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἔπλασαν, φησί; Τοῦτο τοίνυν ἀναιρῶν, καὶ δεικνὺς οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνην τὴν χάριν, ἐπήγαγε, Συνεπιμαρτυροῦντος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐκ ἂν γὰρ, εἰ ἔπλασαν, ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῖς ἐμαρτύρησε. Μαρτυροῦσι μὲν κἀκεῖνοι, μαρτυρεῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ Θεός. Πῶς μαρτυρεῖ; Οὐ λόγῳ, οὐδὲ φωνῇ: ἦν μὲν γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο πιστόν: ἀλλὰ πῶς; Σημείοις καὶ τέρασι καὶ ποικίλαις δυνάμεσι. Καλῶς τὸ, Ποικίλαις δυνάμεσι, τέθεικε, τὴν ἀφθονίαν τῶν χαρισμάτων δηλῶν: ὅπερ οὐ γεγένηται ἐπὶ τῶν προτέρων, οὐδὲ τοσαῦτα σημεῖα, καὶ οὕτω διάφορα. Τουτέστιν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐπιστεύσαμεν ἐκείνοις, ἀλλὰ διὰ σημείων καὶ τεράτων. Ὥστε οὐκ ἐκείνοις πιστεύομεν, ἀλλ' αὐτῷ τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου μερισμοῖς, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ θέλησιν. Τί οὖν, ὅτι καὶ γόητες σημεῖα ποιοῦσι, καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἔλεγον αὐτὸν ἐκβάλλειν τὰ δαιμόνια; Ἀλλ' οὐ τοιαῦτα ποιοῦσι σημεῖα: διὰ τοῦτο εἶπε, Ποικίλαις δυνάμεσιν. Ἐκεῖνα γὰρ οὐ δύναμις, ἀλλ' ἀσθένεια καὶ φαντασία καὶ διάκενα πράγματα. Διὰ τοῦτο εἶπε, Πνεύματος ἁγίου μερισμοῖς κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ θέλησιν. εʹ. Ἐνταῦθα καί τι ἄλλο αἰνίττεσθαί μοι δοκεῖ: εἰκὸς γὰρ μὴ εἶναι πολλοὺς ἐκεῖ χαρίσματα ἔχοντας, ἐκλελοιπέναι δὲ ταῦτα, ἅτε νωθροτέρων αὐτῶν γενομένων. Ἵν' οὖν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐν τούτῳ παραμυθήσηται, καὶ μὴ ἀφῇ καταπεσεῖν, τὸ πᾶν ἀνέθηκε τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλῇ: αὐτὸς οἶδε τίνι τί συμφέρει, φησὶ, καὶ οὕτω καταμερίζει τὴν χάριν: ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους ποιεῖ λέγων: Ὁ Θεὸς ἔθετο ἕνα ἕκαστον ἡμῶν, καθὼς ἠθέλησε: καὶ πάλιν, Ἑκάστῳ δὲ ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ θέλησιν. Δείκνυσιν ὅτι τὸ χάρισμα κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Πατρός ἐστι θέλησιν. Πολλάκις δὲ καὶ δι' ἀκάθαρτον βίον καὶ νωθῆ οὐκ ἔλαβον πολλοὶ χάρισμα: ἐνίοτε δὲ καὶ καλὸν βίον ἔχοντες καὶ καθαρὸν οὐκ ἔλαβον: τί δήποτε; Ὥστε μὴ ἐκτραχηλισθῆναι, ὥστε μὴ φυσιωθῆναι, ὥστε μὴ ῥᾳθυμοτέρους γενέσθαι, ὥστε μὴ πλέον ἐπαρθῆναι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χωρὶς χαρίσματος αὐτὴ τοῦ καθαροῦ βίου ἡ συνείδησις ἱκανὴ ἐπᾶραι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον, ὅταν καὶ ἡ χάρις προσῇ. Ὥστε τοῖς ταπεινοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἀφελέσι μᾶλλον ἐδίδοτο: καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς ἀφελέσιν: Ἐν ἀφελότητι γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει καρδίας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ταύτῃ προέτρεψεν αὐτοὺς μᾶλλον: καὶ εἰ ῥᾳθυμότεροι ἦσαν, κατένυξεν. Ὁ γὰρ ταπεινὸς καὶ μὴ μεγάλα περὶ ἑαυτοῦ φανταζόμενος, σπουδαιότερος γίνεται, ὅταν λάβῃ χάρισμα, ἅτε παρ' ἀξίαν εἰληφὼς, καὶ οὐκ ἄξιον ἑαυτὸν εἶναι κρίνων: ὁ δέ τι κατωρθωκέναι νομίζων, ὀφειλὴν εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἡγούμενος καὶ πεφυσίωται. Ὥστε ὁ Θεὸς συμφερόντως τὸ πρᾶγμα οἰκονομεῖ τοῦτο. Ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ συμβαῖνον ἴδοι τις ἄν: ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔχει λόγον διδασκαλικὸν, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲ διᾶραι τὸ στόμα δύναται. Μηδεὶς τοίνυν λυπείσθω διὰ τοῦτο: Ἑκάστῳ γὰρ ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον. Εἰ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος οἰκοδεσπότης οἶδε τίνι τί ἐγχειρίσει, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐπιστάμενος τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁ τὰ πάντα εἰδὼς πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν. Ἕν ἐστι μόνον τὸ λύπης ἄξιον, τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν, ἄλλο δὲ οὐδέν. Μὴ εἴπῃς, Διὰ τί οὐκ ἔχω χρήματα; ἢ, Εἰ εἶχον, παρέσχον ἂν τοῖς πένησιν. Οὐκ οἶδας, εἰ εἶχες, εἰ μὴ μᾶλλον καὶ πλεονέκτης ἦς: νῦν μὲν γὰρ ταῦτα λέγεις, ἐν δὲ τῇ πείρᾳ γενόμενος, ἕτερος ἂν ἧς. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὅταν ὦμεν κεκορεσμένοι, νομίζομεν ὅτι δυνάμεθα νηστεύειν: ὅταν δὲ μικρὸν διαλείπωμεν, ἕτερος ἡμᾶς ἐπεισέρχεται λογισμός. Πάλιν, ὅταν ὦμεν ἐκτὸς τῆς μέθης, νομίζομεν δύνασθαι περιγενέσθαι τοῦ πάθους: ὅταν δὲ ἁλῶμεν ὑπ' αὐτῆς, οὐκέτι. Μὴ εἴπῃς, Εἰς τί οὐκ ἔσχον χάρισμα διδασκαλικόν; ἢ, Εἰ εἶχον, μυρίους ἂν ᾠκοδόμησα. Οὐκ οἶδας, εἰ εἶχες, μὴ εἰς κρίμα σοι ἐγένετο, μὴ βασκανία, μὴ ὄκνος παρεσκεύαζε τὸ τάλαντον κρύπτειν. Νῦν μὲν οὖν ἁπάντων τούτων ἀπήλλαξαι, καὶ τὸ σιτομέτριον ἐὰν μὴ δῷς, οὐκ ἐγκαλῇ: τότε δὲ μυρίοις ἂν ὑπεύθυνος ἦς. Ἄλλως δὲ, οὐδὲ νῦν ἐκτὸς εἶ τοῦ χαρίσματος. Δεῖξον ἐν τῷ μικρῷ, οἷος ἦς, εἰ ἐκεῖνο εἶχες: Εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῷ μικρῷ οὐ γίνεσθε, φησὶ, πιστοὶ, πῶς τὸ μέγα ὑμῖν τις δώσει; Δεῖξον ὡς ἡ χήρα: δύο γὰρ ὀβολοὺς εἶχεν ἐκείνη, καὶ ὅλα κατέλαβεν, ὅσα ἐκέκτητο. Χρήματα ζητεῖς; δεῖξον ὅτι τῶν ὀλίγων καταφρονεῖς, ἵνα σοι πιστεύσω καὶ περὶ τῶν πολλῶν: εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τούτων καταφρονεῖς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οὐδὲ ἐκείνων. Πάλιν, ἐν τῷ λόγῳ δεῖξον ὅτι κέχρησαι δεόντως τῇ παραινέσει καὶ τῇ συμβουλῇ. Οὐκ ἔχεις εὐγλωττίαν τὴν ἔξωθεν; οὐκ ἔχεις νοημάτων ἀφθονίαν; ἀλλ' ὅμως ταῦτα τὰ κοινὰ οἶδας. Παῖδα ἔχεις, γείτονα ἔχεις, φίλον ἔχεις, ἀδελφὸν ἔχεις, οἰκείους ἔχεις: κἂν δημοσίᾳ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας μὴ δύνῃ λόγον ἀποτεῖναι μακρὸν, τούτοις ἰδίᾳ δύνασαι παραινεῖν: ἐνταῦθα οὐ ῥητορείας χρεία, οὐδὲ μακρᾶς ἀποτάσεως: δεῖξον ἐπὶ τούτων, ὅτι εἰ καὶ λόγον εἶχες, οὐκ ἂν ἠμέλησας. Εἰ δὲ ἐν τῷ μικρῷ οὐ σπουδάζεις, πῶς σοι πιστεύσω περὶ τοῦ μεγάλου; Ὅτι γὰρ τοῦτο ἕκαστος δύναται, ἄκουσον πῶς καὶ λαϊκοῖς τοῦτο ἐπέτρεψεν ὁ Παῦλος: Ἕκαστος, φησὶν, οἰκοδομεῖτε εἷς τὸν ἕνα, καθὼς καὶ ποιεῖτε: καὶ, Παρακαλεῖτε ἀλλήλους ἐν τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις. Οἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς πῶς ἑκάστῳ διανείμῃ. Μὴ σὺ τοῦ Μωϋσέως εἶ βελτίων; Ἄκουσον πῶς ἀποδυσπετεῖ. Μὴ ἐγὼ δύναμαι, φησὶ, βαστάζειν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι εἶπές μοι, Ἆρον αὐτοὺς, ὡσεὶ ἄραι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα; Τί οὖν ὁ Θεός; Ἐξεῖλεν ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκε τοῖς ἄλλοις, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐδὲ ὅτε ἐβάσταζεν αὐτοὺς, αὐτοῦ τοῦτο τὸ χάρισμα ἦν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος. Εἰ τὸ χάρισμα εἶχες, πολλάκις ἂν ἐπήρθης, πολλάκις ἂν ἐξετράπης: οὐκ οἶδας σὺ σαυτὸν, ὡς ὁ Θεός σε οἶδε. Μὴ λέγωμεν: Εἰς τί τοῦτο, καὶ διὰ τί τοῦτο; ὅταν οἰκονομῇ ὁ Θεὸς, μὴ ἀπαιτῶμεν αὐτὸν εὐθύνας: τοῦτο γὰρ ἐσχάτης ἀσεβείας καὶ ἀπονοίας ἐστί. Δοῦλοί ἐσμεν, καὶ δοῦλοι πολὺ τοῦ Δεσπότου διεστηκότες, οὐδὲ τὰ ἐν ποσὶν ἐπιστάμενοι. Μὴ δὴ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ περιεργαζώμεθα, ἀλλ' ὅπερ δέδωκε, τοῦτο φυλάττωμεν, κἂν μικρὸν ᾖ, κἂν ἔσχατον, καὶ πάντως εὐδοκιμήσομεν: μᾶλλον δὲ, οὐδὲν μικρὸν τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρεῶν ἐστιν: ἀλγεῖς ὅτι οὐκ ἔχεις χάρισμα διδασκαλίας; εἰπὲ δή μοι, τί σοι δοκεῖ μεῖζον εἶναι, χάρισμα διδασκαλίας, ἢ χάρισμα ἰαμάτων; Πάντως τοῦτο. Τί δὲ, τοῦ νόσους ἀπελαύνειν οὐ δοκεῖ σοι μεῖζον εἶναι τὸ τυφλοὺς ὀμματοῦν; οὐ δοκεῖ σοι μεῖζον εἶναι τὸ νεκροὺς ἀνιστᾷν; Τί δὲ, εἰπέ μοι; τοῦ λόγῳ τοῦτο ποιεῖν οὐ δοκεῖ σοι μεῖζον εἶναι τὸ σκιαῖς καὶ σουδαρίοις τοῦτο ἐργάζεσθαι; Τί οὖν θέλεις, εἰπέ μοι, σκιαῖς καὶ σουδαρίοις νεκροὺς ἀνιστᾷν, ἢ τὸ χάρισμα τῆς διδασκαλίας ἔχειν; Πάντως ἐκεῖνο, ἐρεῖς, τὸ σκιαῖς καὶ σουδαρίοις νεκροὺς ἀνιστᾷν. Ϛʹ. Ἂν οὖν σοι δείξω, ὅτι πολλῷ τούτου μεῖζόν ἐστιν ἕτερον χάρισμα, καὶ ἐξόν σοι λαβεῖν, οὐ λαμβάνων, δικαίως καὶ τούτων ἀπεστέρησαι, τί ἐρεῖς; Πλὴν τοῦτο τὸ χάρισμα οὐχ ἑνὶ, οὐδὲ δευτέρῳ, ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν ἔξεστιν ἔχειν. Οἶδα ὅτι κεχήνατε καὶ ἐξεπλάγητε, εἴ γε μέλλοιτε ἀκούσεσθαι, ὅτι ἔξεστιν ὑμῖν μεῖζον χάρισμα ἔχειν τοῦ νεκροὺς ἀνιστᾷν, καὶ τυφλοὺς ὀμματοῦν, καὶ ἐκεῖνα ποιεῖν ἃ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων: καὶ τάχα καὶ ἄπιστον ὑμῖν εἶναι δοκεῖ. Τί οὖν τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ χάρισμα; Ἡ ἀγάπη. Ἀλλὰ πιστεύσατέ μοι: οὐκ ἐμὸς γὰρ οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ Παύλου φθεγγομένου. Τί γάρ φησι; Ζηλοῦτε τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ κρείττονα, καὶ ἔτι καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῖν δείκνυμι. Τί ἐστιν, Ἔτι καθ' ὑπερβολήν; Ὃ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστι: Κορίνθιοι μέγα ἐφρόνουν ἐπὶ τοῖς χαρίσμασι τότε, καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γλώσσας, τὸ ἐλάχιστον χάρισμα, ἐφυσιοῦντο κατὰ τῶν λοιπῶν. Λέγει οὖν: Ὅλως θέλετε χαρίσματα; ἐγὼ δείκνυμι ὑμῖν ὁδὸν χαρισμάτων, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ὑπερέχουσαν, ἀλλὰ καθ' ὑπερβολήν. Εἶτά φησιν, Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀγγέλων λαλῶ, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδέν εἰμι: καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πίστιν, ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάνειν, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδέν εἰμι. Εἶδες χάρισμα; Οὐκοῦν ζήλωσον τοῦτο τὸ χάρισμα. Τοῦτο τοῦ νεκροὺς ἐγείρειν μεῖζον: τοῦτο τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων πολλῷ βέλτιον. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχει, ἄκουσον τί φησιν ὁ Χριστὸς τοῖς μαθηταῖς διαλεγόμενος: Ἐν τούτῳ γνώσονται πάντες, ὅτι ἐμοὶ μαθηταί ἐστε, ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους. Εἶτα δεικνὺς ἐν ποίῳ, οὐκ εἶπε τὰ θαύματα, ἀλλὰ τί; Ἐὰν ἀγάπην ἔχητε ἐν ἀλλήλοις. Καὶ πάλιν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα φησίν: Ἐν τούτῳ γνώσονται, ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας, ἐὰν ὦσιν ἕν. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔλεγε πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς: Ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους. Τῶν τοίνυν τοὺς νεκροὺς ἀνιστώντων σεμνότερος ὁ τοιοῦτος καὶ λαμπρότερος: εἰκότως. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ ὅλον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτός ἐστι, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τῆς σῆς σπουδῆς. Τοῦτο ὄντως Χριστιανοῦ: τοῦτο δείκνυσι τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθητὴν, τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, τὸν οὐδὲν ἔχοντα κοινὸν ἐν τῇ γῇ: τούτου χωρὶς οὐδὲ μαρτύριον ὠφελῆσαί τι δύναται. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅρα τοῦτο σαφῶς: ἔλαβε δύο κορυφὰς ἀρετῶν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, μᾶλλον δὲ τρεῖς, τὰς ἐν τοῖς σημείοις, τὰς ἐν τῇ γνώσει, τὰς ἐν τῷ βίῳ: καὶ ταύτης ἄνευ οὐδὲν ἔφησεν εἶναι ταῦτα. Πῶς δὲ οὐδέν ἐστι ταῦτα, ἐγὼ λέγω: Ἐὰν ψωμίσω μου, φησὶ, τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδέν εἰμι. Ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ψωμίζοντα μὴ εἶναι ἀγαπητικὸν, καὶ χρήματα κενοῦντα. Καὶ εἴρηται μὲν ἡμῖν ταῦτα ἀρκούντως ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τῷ περὶ τῆς ἀγάπης, κἀκεῖ παραπέμπομεν τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας: τέως δὲ, ὅπερ ἔφην, ζηλώσωμεν τὸ χάρισμα, ἀγαπήσωμεν ἀλλήλους, καὶ οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου δεηθησόμεθα πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς κατόρθωσιν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἡμῖν ἔσται εὔκολα χωρὶς ἱδρώτων, καὶ ἅπαντα κατορθώσομεν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σπουδῆς. Ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ καὶ νῦν, φησὶν, ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους: ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔχει φίλους δύο, ἢ τρεῖς, ὁ δὲ τέτταρας. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἀγαπᾷν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ φιλεῖσθαι: τὸ δὲ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἀγαπᾷν, οὐ ταύτην ἔχει τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἀγάπης, ἀλλὰ πρὸς πάντας, ὡς πρὸς ἀδελφοὺς, ὁ τοιοῦτος διακείσεται, τοὺς μὲν ὁμοπίστους, ἅτε γνησίους ὄντας ἀδελφοὺς, φιλῶν, τοὺς δὲ αἱρετικοὺς καὶ Ἕλληνας καὶ Ἰουδαίους, ὡς ἀδελφοὺς μὲν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν, φαύλους δὲ τυγχάνοντας καὶ ἀχρήστους, ἐλεῶν, καὶ τηκόμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν καὶ δακρύων. Ἐν τούτῳ ὅμοιοι ἐσόμεθα τῷ Θεῷ, ἐὰν πάντας ἀγαπῶμεν, καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, οὐκ ἐὰν σημεῖα ποιῶμεν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν θαυμάζομεν μὲν καὶ ὅταν θαύματα ἐργάζηται, πολλῷ δὲ πλέον, ὅταν φιλανθρωπεύηται, ὅταν ἀνεξικακῇ. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκεῖνο πολλοῦ θαύματος ἄξιον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων εὔδηλον ὅτι τοῦτο ἡμᾶς θαυμαστοὺς ἀπεργάζεται. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ζηλώσωμεν: καὶ Παύλου καὶ Πέτρου καὶ τῶν μυρίους ἀναστησάντων νεκροὺς οὐδὲν ἔλαττον ἕξομεν, κἂν πυρετὸν ἀπελάσαι μὴ δυνώμεθα: ἐκείνης δὲ χωρὶς, κἂν αὐτῶν τῶν ἀποστόλων μείζονα ἐργασώμεθα σημεῖα, κἂν μυρίοις κινδύνοις ἑαυτοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως παραβάλωμεν, οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἔσται ὄφελος. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐγὼ λέγω, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ τῆς ἀγάπης τρόφιμος ταῦτα ἐπίσταται: ἐκείνῳ τοίνυν πειθώμεθα. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα ἐπιτυχεῖν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς μετασχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.