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if He had been present, they would not have been in such great expectation. For this reason, He does not arrive immediately after His ascension, but after eight or nine days. So too are we most of all stirred up towards God, when we find ourselves in need. For this reason John also sends his disciples to Christ at the very time when they were about to be in need of Jesus, while he was dwelling in the prison. Moreover, it was necessary for our nature to appear in heaven, and for the reconciliation to be made complete, and then for the Spirit to come, and for the joy to be pure. For if, while He was present, the one had departed and the other had remained, the comfort would not have been so great; for indeed they were very unwilling to be parted from Him. Wherefore also He said, comforting them, "It is expedient for you that I go away." For this reason He also waits for the intervening days, so that having been a little disheartened, and having come into need, as I said, they might enjoy the joy whole and pure. But if the Spirit were less, the comfort would not have been sufficient. And how did He say, "It is expedient for you"? For this reason the greater parts of the teaching have been reserved for Him, so that they might not think Him to be less. But consider how great a necessity He laid upon them to be in Jerusalem, by promising to bestow the Spirit there. For so that they might not flee again after His ascension, He holds them all there with this expectation as with a kind of bond. And having said, "to wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard from me," He added: 60.21 "For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence." He shows, then, the difference between Himself and John, no longer obscurely as before (for indeed He greatly obscured the saying when He said, "But he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he"), but now more openly. "John," He says, "baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." He no longer uses the testimony, but only reminds them of the person, bringing to their memory the things spoken by him, and showing that they had now become greater than John, if indeed they themselves were also to baptize with the Spirit. And He did not say, "But I baptize you with the Holy Spirit," but, "You shall be baptized," teaching us to be humble. For from the testimony of John this was now clear, that it was He who baptized, since he said, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire"; wherefore also He made mention of him alone. The Gospels, therefore, are a history of what Christ did and said; but the Acts, of what the other Comforter said and did. For then also He Himself did many things, just as Christ also now works, even as then; but then through the temple, now through the apostles; and then He came into a virgin's womb, and formed a temple, but now into apostolic souls; and then in the form of a dove, now in the form of fire. Why so? There signifying gentleness, but here also the power to punish. And He opportunely reminds them of the judgment. For when it was necessary to forgive sins, there was need of great gentleness; but since we have obtained the gift, it is now also a time for judgment and examination. But how does He say, "You shall be baptized," when there was no water in the upper room? Because the more important thing is the Spirit, through which the water also has its effect; just as He Himself is said to be anointed, though He was nowhere anointed with oil, but received the Spirit; and besides, one can find them being baptized with water, and at different times. For in our case both happen at once, but then they were separated. For at the beginning they were baptized by John; and do not be surprised. For if prostitutes and tax collectors went to that baptism, much more so those who were afterwards to be baptized by the Spirit. Then, so that they might not say the matter is always in promises (for indeed much had already been said about it), nor think it to be an impersonal energy, leading them away from such a suspicion, He says, "Not many days hence." And He did not make clear when, so that they might always be vigilant, but He said that it would be near, so that they might not become weary; but when, He no longer added, so that they might always be watchful. Not by this alone did He

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παρόντος αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἂν ἐν τοσαύτῃ ἐγένοντο προσδοκίᾳ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ εὐθέως ἀνελθόντος αὐτοῦ παραγίνεται, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ὀκτὼ ἢ ἐννέα ἡμέρας. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν τότε μάλιστα διεγειρόμεθα, ὅταν ἐν χρείᾳ καταστῶμεν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἰωάννης τότε μάλιστα πέμπει τοὺς μαθητὰς πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν, ὅτε ἔμελλον ἐν χρείᾳ εἶναι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, τὸ δεσμωτήριον οἰκοῦντος ἐκείνου. Ἄλλως δὲ, ἔδει ἐν οὐρανῷ φανῆναι τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν, καὶ τὰς καταλλαγὰς γενέσθαι ἀπηρτισμένας, καὶ τότε ἐλθεῖν τὸ Πνεῦμα, καὶ καθαρὰν γενέσθαι τὴν ἡδονήν. Εἰ γὰρ παρόντος αὐτοῦ, ὁ μὲν ἀπῆλθεν, ὁ δὲ ἔμεινεν, οὐκ ἂν ἦν τοσαῦτα τὰ τῆς παραμυθίας· καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα αὐτοῦ δυσαποσπάστως εἶχον. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἔλεγε παραμυθούμενος αὐτούς· Συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐγὼ ἀπέλθω. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμέρας ἀναμένει τὰς μεταξὺ, ἵνα μικρὸν ἀθυμήσαντες, καὶ ἐν χρείᾳ, ὅπερ ἔφην, καταστάντες, ὁλόκληρον καὶ καθαρὰν καρπώσωνται τὴν ἡδονήν. Εἰ δὲ ἔλαττον ἦν τὸ Πνεῦμα, οὐκ ἦν ἀρκοῦσα ἡ παραμυθία. Πῶς δὲ καὶ ἔλεγε, Συμφέρει ὑμῖν; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τὰ μείζονα αὐτῷ τετήρηται τῆς διδασκαλίας, ἵνα μὴ ἔλαττον αὐτὸ νομίσωσι. Σκόπει δὲ ἡλίκην αὐτοῖς ἀνάγκην ἐπέθηκεν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις εἶναι, τῷ ὑποσχέσθαι ἐκεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα παρέχεσθαι. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ πάλιν μετὰ τὴν ἀνάληψιν αὐτοῦ φύγωσι, τῇ προσδοκίᾳ ταύτῃ καθάπερ τινὶ δεσμῷ κατέχει πάντας αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖσε. Εἰπὼν δὲ, Περιμένειν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἣν ἠκούσατέ μου, ἐπήγαγεν· 60.21 Ὅτι Ἰωάννης μὲν ἐβάπτισεν ὕδατι, ὑμεῖς δὲ βαπτισθήσεσθε ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ οὐ μετὰ πολλὰς ταύτας ἡμέρας. ∆είκνυσι λοιπὸν τὸ μέσον αὐτοῦ καὶ Ἰωάννου, οὐκ ἔτι ὡς πρὸ τούτου συνεσκιασμένως (καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα συνεσκίασε τὸν λόγον ὅτε ἔλεγεν· Ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν), ἀλλὰ νῦν φανερώτερον. Ἰωάννης, φησὶν, ἐβάπτισεν ὕδατι, ὑμεῖς δὲ βαπτισθήσεσθε ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. Οὐκ ἔτι κέχρηται τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ, ἀλλὰ ἀναμιμνήσκει τοῦ προσώπου μόνον, εἰς μνήμην τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ εἰρημένων ἐνάγων, καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτοὺς ἤδη μείζους λοιπὸν γεγενημένους Ἰωάννου, εἴ γε ἐν Πνεύματι ἔμελλον καὶ αὐτοὶ βαπτίζειν. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὑμᾶς δὲ ἐγὼ βαπτίζω ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἀλλὰ, Βαπτισθήσεσθε, διδάσκων ἡμᾶς ταπεινοφρονεῖν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς μαρτυρίας Ἰωάννου δῆλον λοιπὸν ἦν, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ βαπτίζων, εἰπόντος, ὅτι Αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί· διὸ καὶ μόνου αὐτοῦ ἐμνημόνευσε. Τὰ μὲν οὖν Εὐαγγέλια, ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐποίησε καὶ εἶπεν ἱστορία τίς ἐστιν· αἱ δὲ Πράξεις, ὧν ὁ ἕτερος Παράκλητος εἶπε καὶ ἐποίησε. Καὶ τότε μὲν γὰρ πολλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐποίει, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ νῦν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐνεργεῖ, καθάπερ καὶ τότε· ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν διὰ τοῦ ναοῦ, νῦν δὲ διὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων· καὶ τότε μὲν εἰς παρθενικὴν ἦλθε μήτραν, καὶ ναὸν διέπλασε, νῦν δὲ εἰς ψυχὰς ἀποστολικάς· καὶ τότε μὲν ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς, νῦν δὲ ἐν εἴδει πυρός. Τί δήποτε; Ἐκεῖ μὲν τὸ πρᾶον δηλῶν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ τὸ τιμωρητικόν. Καὶ τῆς κρίσεως δὲ εὐκαίρως ἀναμιμνήσκει. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἁμαρτήματα συγχωρῆσαι ἔδει, πολλῆς ἔδει τῆς πραότητος· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐτύχομεν τῆς δωρεᾶς, λοιπὸν καὶ κρίσεως καὶ ἐξετάσεως καιρός. Πῶς δὲ, Βαπτισθήσεσθε, λέγει, ὕδατος οὐκ ὄντος ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ; Ὅτι τὸ κυριώτερον τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι, δι' οὗ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐνεργεῖ· ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς κεχρίσθαι λέγεται, οὐδαμοῦ χρισάμενος ἐλαίῳ, ἀλλὰ Πνεῦμα δεξάμενος· ἄλλως δὲ καὶ ὕδατι βαπτιζομένους αὐτοὺς ἔστιν εὑρεῖν, καὶ ἐν διαφόροις καιροῖς. Ἐφ' ἡμῶν μὲν γὰρ ἀμφότερα γίνεται ὑφ' ἓν, τότε δὲ διεσπασμένως. Παρὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου ἐβαπτίσθησαν· καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Εἰ γὰρ πόρναι καὶ τελῶναι ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα ᾔεσαν ἐκεῖνο, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ μετὰ ταῦτα βαπτίζεσθαι μέλλοντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ λέγωσιν, ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις ἀεὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα (καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἤδη πολλὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ διελέχθη), μηδὲ νομίσωσιν αὐτὸ ἐνέργειαν εἶναι ἀνυπόστατον, ἀπάγων αὐτοὺς τῆς τοιαύτης ὑπονοίας, Οὐ μετὰ πολλὰς ταύτας ἡμέρας, φησί. Καὶ οὐκ ἐδήλωσε πότε, ἵνα ἀεὶ γρηγορῶσιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι μὲν ἐγγὺς ἔσται εἶπεν, ἵνα μὴ ἐκλυθῶσι· πότε δὲ, οὐκ ἔτι προσέθηκεν, ἵνα ἀεὶ νήφωσιν. Οὐ τούτῳ δὲ μόνον αὐτοὺς