John Chrysostom, Sermon on the Captive Eutropius

God slumbers, not sleeping, but being long-suffering. Select the 52.403 words. Thus also when you hear that God begets, do not think of it as a division, but as the consubstantial. For God has borrowed many of these words from us, and we from him, that we might be honored. 8. Did you understand what I said? Pay close attention, beloved. There are divine names, and human names. He has taken from me, and he himself has given to me. Give me what is yours, and take what is mine, he says. You have need of what is mine; I have no need, but you do; for since my essence is pure, and you are a human being, intertwined with a body, seeking also bodily words, so that you, intertwined with a body, by taking from words familiar to you, might understand the concepts that transcend you. What names did he take from me, and what did he give to me? He is God, and he called me god; there the nature of the thing, here the honor of the name; I said: You are gods, and all sons of the Most High. Here there are words, but there the nature of things. He called me god, for I was honored. He himself was called man, he himself was called Son of man, he himself was called the way, he himself was called the door, he himself was called the rock. These he took from me, those words he gave to me from himself. Why was he called the way? So that you might learn that through him we ascend to the Father. Why was he called the rock? So that you might learn the fitness and unshakable nature of the faith. Why was he called the foundation? So that you might learn that he carries all things. Why was he called the root? So that you might learn that in him we flourish. Why was he called the shepherd? Because he pastures us. Why was he called the sheep? Because he was sacrificed for us and became an atonement. Why was he called the life? Because he raised us when we were dead. Why was he called the light? Because he delivered us from darkness. Why was he called the arm? Because he is consubstantial with the Father. Why was he called the Word? Because he was begotten of the Father. For just as my word is born from my soul, so also was the Son begotten of the Father. Why was he called a garment? Because I put him on when I was baptized. Why was he called a table? Because I eat him when I partake of the mysteries. Why was he called a house? Because I dwell in him. Why an inhabitant? Because we become his temple. Why was he called the head? Because I became a member of him. Why was he called the bridegroom? Because he betrothed me as a bride. Why was he called pure? Because he took me as a virgin. Why was he called Master? Because I am his female slave. 9. For see the Church, as I was saying, that she is at one time a bride, at another a daughter, at another a virgin, at another a female slave, at another a queen, at another barren, at another a mountain, at another a paradise, at another fruitful, at another a lily, at another a spring; she is all things. For this reason, when you hear these things, do not think them to be corporeal, I beseech you; but stretch your mind; for corporeal things cannot be such. For instance: the mountain is not a virgin; the virgin is not a bride; the queen is not a female slave; the Church is all things. Why? Because these things are not in the body, but in the soul. For in the body these things are confined; but in the soul it has a great sea. The queen stood at your right hand. A queen? The one who was trodden upon, the poor one, how did she become a queen? and where did she ascend? On high this queen stood. How? Because the King became a slave; he was not, but he became. Learn therefore the things of the divinity, and understand the things of the economy; learn who he was, and who he became for your sake, and do not confuse the matters, nor make the 52.404 ground of his love for mankind an occasion for blasphemy. He was high, and she was lowly; high not in place, but in nature. He was pure, his essence was indestructible, his nature was incorruptible, inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, ever-being, being in the same way, transcending angels, higher than the powers above, conquering reason, surpassing thought, unable to be seen, but only to be believed. Angels looked and trembled, the Cherubim covered themselves with their wings, all things in fear. He looked upon the earth, and made it tremble; he threatened the sea, and

Ὑπνοῖ Θεὸς, οὐ καθεύδων, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμῶν. Ἔκλεγε τὰς 52.403 λέξεις. Οὕτω καὶ ὅταν ἀκούσῃς, ὅτι γεννᾷ Θεὸς, μὴ τμῆσιν νόμιζε, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὁμοούσιον. Τὰ γὰρ ῥήματα ταῦτα πολλὰ παρ' ἡμῶν ἐχρήσατο ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἡμεῖς παρ' αὐτοῦ, ἵνα τιμηθῶμεν. ηʹ. Συνῆκας τί εἶπον; Πρόσεχε μετὰ ἀκριβείας, ἀγαπητέ. Ὀνόματά ἐστι θεῖα, καὶ ὀνόματα ἀνθρώπινα. Ἔλαβε παρ' ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκέ μοι αὐτός. ∆ός μοι τὰ σὰ, καὶ λάβε τὰ ἐμὰ, λέγει. Τῶν ἐμῶν χρείαν ἔχεις· οὐκ ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω, ἀλλὰ σύ· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ οὐσία μου ἀκήρατός ἐστι, σὺ δὲ ἄνθρωπος εἶ, σώματι συμπεπλεγμένος, σωματικὰς ζητῶν καὶ λέξεις, ἵνα σὺ, ὁ σώματι συμπεπλεγμένος, λαβὼν ἀπὸ τῶν παρὰ σοὶ γνωρίμων ῥημάτων, νοήσῃς τὰ ὑπερβαίνοντά σε νοήματα. Ποῖα ἔλαβε παρ' ἐμοῦ, ποῖα δὲ ἔδωκέ μοι ὀνόματα; Αὐτὸς Θεός ἐστι, καὶ ἐμὲ θεὸν ἐκάλεσεν· ἐκεῖ φύσις πράγματος, ἐνταῦθα τιμὴ ὀνόματος· Ἐγὼ εἶπα· Θεοί ἐστε, καὶ υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου πάντες. Ῥήματά ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα, ἐκεῖ δὲ πραγμάτων φύσις. Ἐκάλεσέ με θεὸν, ἐτιμήθην γάρ. Ἐκλήθη αὐτὸς ἄνθρωπος, ἐκλήθη αὐτὸς Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, ἐκλήθη αὐτὸς ὁδὸς, ἐκλήθη αὐτὸς θύρα, ἐκλήθη αὐτὸς πέτρα. Ταῦτα παρ' ἐμοῦ ἔλαβεν, ἐκεῖνα παρ' ἑαυτοῦ τὰ ῥήματά μοι ἔδωκε. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη ὁδός; Ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι δι' αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἀνερχόμεθα. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη πέτρα; Ἵνα μάθῃς τὸ ἐπιτήδειον καὶ ἀσάλευτον τῆς πίστεως. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη θεμέλιος; Ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι πάντα βαστάζει. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη ῥίζα; Ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἀνθοῦμεν. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη ποιμήν; Ὅτι ἡμᾶς νέμει. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη πρόβατον; Ὅτι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐτύθη, καὶ ἱλασμὸς ἐγένετο. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη ζωή; Ὅτι νεκροὺς ὄντας ἡμᾶς ἀνέστησε. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη φῶς; Ὅτι σκότους ἡμᾶς ἀπήλλαξε. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη βραχίων; Ὅτι ὁμοούσιός ἐστι τῷ Πατρί. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη Λόγος; Ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐτέχθη. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς μου γεννᾶται, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐτέχθη. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη ἱμάτιον; Ὅτι ἐνδέδυμαι αὐτὸν βαπτισθείς. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη τράπεζα; Ὅτι ἐσθίω αὐτὸν ἀπολαύσας τῶν μυστηρίων. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη οἶκος; Ὅτι οἰκῶ ἐν αὐτῷ. ∆ιὰ τί ἔνοικος; Ὅτι ναὸς αὐτοῦ γινόμεθα. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη κεφαλή; Ὅτι μέλος αὐτοῦ κατέστην. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη νυμφίος; Ὅτι νύμφην με ἡρμόσατο. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη ἁγνός; Ὅτι παρθένον με ἔλαβε. ∆ιὰ τί ἐκλήθη ∆εσπότης; Ὅτι δούλη αὐτοῦ εἰμι. θʹ. Ὅρα γὰρ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ὅπερ ἔλεγον, ὅτι ποτὲ νύμφη ἐστὶ, ποτὲ θυγάτηρ ἐστὶ, ποτὲ παρθένος ἐστὶ, ποτὲ δούλη ἐστὶ, ποτὲ βασίλισσά ἐστι, ποτὲ στεῖρά ἐστι, ποτὲ ὄρος ἐστὶ, ποτὲ παράδεισός ἐστι, ποτὲ πολυτόκος ἐστὶ, ποτὲ κρίνον ἐστὶ, ποτὲ πηγή ἐστι· πάντα ἐστί. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἀκούσας ταῦτα, μὴ νόμιζε σωματικὰ εἶναι, παρακαλῶ· ἀλλὰ σύντεινόν σου τὴν διάνοιαν· τὰ γὰρ σωματικὰ τοιαῦτα εἶναι οὐ δύνανται. Οἷόν τι λέγω· τὸ ὄρος παρθένος οὐκ ἔστιν· ἡ παρθένος νύμφη οὐκ ἔστιν· ἡ βασίλισσα δούλη οὐκ ἔστιν· ἡ Ἐκκλησία πάντα ἐστί. ∆ιὰ τί; Ὅτι οὐκ ἐν σώματι ταῦτα, ἀλλ' ἐν ψυχῇ. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ σώματι ταῦτα ἐστενοχώρηται· ἐν δὲ ψυχῇ πολὺ ἔχει τὸ πέλαγος. Παρέστη ἡ βασίλισσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου. Βασίλισσα; Ἡ πεπατημένη, ἡ πτωχὴ, πῶς βασίλισσα ἐγένετο; καὶ ποῦ ἀνέβη; Ἄνω παρέστη ἡ βασίλισσα αὐτή. Πῶς; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἐγένετο δοῦλος· οὐκ ἦν, ἀλλ' ἐγένετο. Μάθε οὖν τὰ τῆς θεότητος, καὶ σοφίζου τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας· μάθε τίς ἦν, καὶ τίς ἐγένετο διὰ σὲ, καὶ μὴ σύγχεε τὰ πράγματα, μηδὲ τὴν 52.404 ὑπόθεσιν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ἀφορμὴν ποιοῦ βλασφημίας. Ὑψηλὸς ἦν, καὶ αὕτη ταπεινή· ὑψηλὸς οὐ τόπῳ, ἀλλὰ φύσει. Ἀκήρατος ἦν, ἀνώλεθρος ἡ οὐσία, ἄφθαρτος ἦν ἡ φύσις, ἀπερινόητος, ἀόρατος, ἀκατάληπτος, ἀεὶ ὢν, ὡσαύτως ὢν, ὑπερβαίνων ἀγγέλους, ἀνώτερος τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων, νικῶν λογισμὸν, ὑπερβαίνων διάνοιαν, ὀφθῆναι μὴ δυνάμενος, πιστευθῆναι δὲ μόνον. Ἄγγελοι ἔβλεπον καὶ ἔτρεμον, τὰ Χερουβὶμ τὰς πτέρυγας ἐπέβαλλον, πάντα ἐν φόβῳ. Ἐπέβλεπεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἐποίει αὐτὴν τρέμειν· ἠπείλει τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ