Chapter V.—All Who Walk According to Truth are Children of God.

That, then, Pædagogy is the training of children (παίδων ἀγωγή), is clear from the word itself. It remains for us to consider the children whom Scripture points to; then to give the pædagogue charge of them. We are the children. In many ways Scripture celebrates us, and describes us in manifold figures of speech, giving variety to the simplicity of the faith by diverse names. Accordingly, in the Gospel, “the Lord, standing on the shore, says to the disciples”—they happened to be fishing—“and called aloud, Children, have ye any meat?”16    John xxi. 4, 5.—addressing those that were already in the position of disciples as children. “And they brought to Him,” it is said, “children, that He might put His hands on them and bless them; and when His disciples hindered them, Jesus said, Suffer the children, and forbid them not to come to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”17    Matt. xix. 14. What the expression means the Lord Himself shall declare, saying, “Except ye be converted, and become as little chidren, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven;”18    Matt. xviii. 3. not in that place speaking figuratively of regeneration, but setting before us, for our imitation, the simplicity that is in children.19    [The dignity ascribed to Christian childhood in this chapter is something noteworthy. The Gospel glorifying children, sanctifies marriage, and creates the home.]

The prophetic spirit also distinguishes us as children. “Plucking,” it is said, “branches of olives or palms, the children went forth to meet the Lord, and cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord;”20    Matt. xxi. 9. light, and glory, and praise, with supplication to the Lord: for this is the meaning of the expression Hosanna when rendered in Greek. And the Scripture appears to me, in allusion to the prophecy just mentioned, reproachfully to upbraid the thoughtless: “Have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?”21    Matt. xxi. 16; Ps. viii. 2. In this way the Lord in the Gospels spurs on His disciples, urging them to attend to Him, hastening as He was to the Father; rendering His hearers more eager by the intimation that after a little He was to depart, and showing them that it was requisite that they should take more unsparing advantage of the truth than ever before, as the Word was to ascend to heaven. Again, therefore, He calls them children; for He says, “Children, a little while I am with you.”22    John xiii. 33. And, again, He likens the kingdom of heaven to children sitting in the market-places and saying, “We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned, and ye have not lamented;”23    Matt. xi. 16, 17. [In the Peshitoi-Syraic version, where are probably found the very words our Saviour thus quotes from children in Nazareth, this saying is seen to be metrical and alliterative.] and whatever else He added agreeably thereto. And it is not alone the Gospel that holds these sentiments. Prophecy also agrees with it. David accordingly says, “Praise, O children, theLord; praise the name of the Lord.”24    Ps. cxiii. 1. It says also by Esaias, “Here am I, and the children that God hath given me.”25    Isa. viii. 18. Are you amazed, then, to hear that men who belong to the nations are sons in the Lord’s sight? You do not in that case appear to give ear to the Attic dialect, from which you may learn that beautiful, comely, and freeborn young maidens are still called παιδίσκαι, and servant-girls παιδισκάρια; and that those last also are, on account of the bloom of youth, called by the flattering name of young maidens.

And when He says, “Let my lambs stand on my right,”26    Matt. xxv. 33. He alludes to the simple children, as if they were sheep and lambs in nature, not men; and the lambs He counts worthy of preference, from the superior regard He has to that tenderness and simplicity of disposition in men which constitutes innocence. Again, when He says, “as suckling calves,” He again alludes figuratively to us; and “as an innocent and gentle dove,”27    Matt. x. 16. the reference is again to us. Again, by Moses, He commands “two young pigeons or a pair of turtles to be offered for sin;”28    Lev. xv. 29, xii. 8; Luke ii. 24. thus saying, that the harmlessness and innocence and placable nature of these tender young birds are acceptable to God, and explaining that like is an expiation for like. Further, the timorousness of the turtle-doves typifies fear in reference to sin.

And that He calls us chickens the Scripture testifies: “As a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.”29    Matt. xxiii. 37. Thus are we the Lord’s chickens; the Word thus marvellously and mystically describing the simplicity of childhood. For sometimes He calls us children, sometimes chickens, sometimes infants, and at other times sons, and “a new people,” and “a recent people.” “And my servants shall be called by a new name”30    Isa. lxv. 15, 16. (a new name, He says, fresh and eternal, pure and simple, and childlike and true), which shall be blessed on the earth. And again, He figuratively calls us colts unyoked to vice, not broken in by wickedness; but simple, and bounding joyously to the Father alone; not such horses “as neigh after their neighbours’ wives, that are under the yoke, and are female-mad;”31    Jer. v. 8. but free and new-born, jubilant by means of faith, ready to run to the truth, swift to speed to salvation, that tread and stamp under foot the things of the world.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; tell aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh, just, meek, and bringing salvation; meek truly is He, and riding on a beast of burden, and a young colt.”32    Zech. ix. 9; Gen. xlix. 11. It was not enough to have said colt alone, but He added to it also young, to show the youth of humanity in Christ, and the eternity of simplicity, which shall know no old age. And we who are little ones being such colts, are reared up by our divine colt-tamer. But if the new man in Scripture is represented by the ass, this ass is also a colt. “And he bound,” it is said, “the colt to the vine,” having bound this simple and childlike people to the word, whom He figuratively represents as a vine. For the vine produces wine, as the Word produces blood, and both drink for health to men—wine for the body, blood for the spirit.

And that He also calls us lambs, the Spirit by the mouth of Isaiah is an unimpeachable witness: “He will feed His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs with His arm,”33    Isa. xl. 11.—using the figurative appellation of lambs, which are still more tender than sheep, to express simplicity. And we also in truth, honouring the fairest and most perfect objects in life with an appellation derived from the word child, have named training παιδεία, and discipline παιδαγωγία. Discipline (παιδαγωγία) we declare to be right guiding from childhood to virtue. Accordingly, our Lord revealed more distinctly to us what is signified by the appellation of children. On the question arising among the apostles, “which of them should be the greater,” Jesus placed a little child in the midst, saying, “Whosoever, shall humble himself as this little child, the same shall be the greater in the kingdom of heaven.”34    Matt. xviii. 4. He does not then use the appellation of children on account of their very limited amount of understanding from their age, as some have thought. Nor, if He says, “Except ye become as these children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God,” are His words to be understood as meaning “without learning.” We, then, who are infants, no longer roll on the ground, nor creep on the earth like serpents as before, crawling with the whole body about senseless lusts; but, stretching upwards in soul, loosed from the world and our sins, touching the earth on tiptoe so as to appear to be in the world, we pursue holy wisdom, although this seems folly to those whose wits are whetted for wickedness. Rightly, then, are those called children who know Him who is God alone as their Father, who are simple, and infants, and guileless, who are lovers of the horns of the unicorns.35    Theodoret explains this to mean that, as the animal referred to has only one horn, so those brought up in the practice of piety worship only one God. [It might mean lovers of those promises which are introduced by these words in the marvellous twenty-second Psalm.]

To those, therefore, that have made progress in the word, He has proclaimed this utterance, bidding them dismiss anxious care of the things of this world, and exhorting them to adhere to the Father alone, in imitation of children. Wherefore also in what follows He says: “Take no anxious thought for the morrow; sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”36    Matt. vi. 34. Thus He enjoins them to lay aside the cares of this life, and depend on the Father alone. And he who fulfils this commandment is in reality a child and a son to God and to the world,—to the one as deceived, to the other as beloved. And if we have one Master in heaven, as the Scripture says, then by common consent those on the earth will be rightly called disciples. For so is the truth, that perfection is with the Lord, who is always teaching, and infancy and childishness with us, who are always learning. Thus prophecy hath honoured perfection, by applying to it the appellation man. For instance, by David, He says of the devil: “The Lord abhors the man of blood;”37    Ps. v. 6. he calls him man, as perfect in wickedness. And the Lord is called man, because He is perfect in righteousness. Directly in point is the instance of the apostle, who says, writing the Corinthians: “For I have espoused you to one man, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ,”38    2 Cor. xi. 2. whether as children or saints, but to the Lord alone. And writing to the Ephesians, he has unfolded in the clearest manner the point in question, speaking to the following effect: “Till we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we be no longer children, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the craft of men, by their cunning in stratagems of deceit; but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up to Him in all things,”39    Eph. iv. 13–15.—saying these things in order to the edification of the body of Christ, who is the head and man, the only one perfect in righteousness; and we who are children guarding against the blasts of heresies, which blow to our inflation; and not putting our trust in fathers who teach us otherwise, are then made perfect when we are the church, having received Christ the head. Then it is right to notice, with respect to the appellation of infant (νήπιος), that τὸ νήπιον is not predicated of the silly: for the silly man is called νηπύτιος: and νήπιος is νεήπιος (since he that is tender-hearted is called ἤπιος), as being one that has newly become gentle and meek in conduct. This the blessed Paul most clearly pointed out when he said, “When we might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ, we were gentle (ἤπιοι) among you, as a nurse cherisheth her children.”40    1 Thess. ii. 6, 7. The child (νήπιος) is therefore gentle (ἤπιος), and therefore more tender, delicate, and simple, guileless, and destitute of hypocrisy, straightforward and upright in mind, which is the basis of simplicity and truth. For He says, “Upon whom shall I look, but upon him who is gentle and quiet?”41    Isa. lxvi. 2. For such is the virgin speech, tender, and free of fraud; whence also a virgin is wont to be called “a tender bride,” and a child “tender-hearted.” And we are tender who are pliant to the power of persuasion, and are easily drawn to goodness, and are mild, and free of the stain of malice and perverseness, for the ancient race was perverse and hard-hearted; but the band of infants, the new people which we are, is delicate as a child. On account of the hearts of the innocent, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, owns that he rejoices, and furnishes a kind of definition of children, so to speak, when he says, “I would have you wise toward good, but simple towards evil.”42    Rom. xvi. 19. For the name of child, νήπιος, is not understood by us privatively, though the sons of the grammarians make the νη a privative particle. For if they call us who follow after childhood foolish, see how they utter blasphemy against the Lord, in regarding those as foolish who have betaken themselves to God. But if, which is rather the true sense, they themselves understand the designation children of simple ones, we glory in the name. For the new minds, which have newly become wise, which have sprung into being according to the new covenant, are infantile in the old folly. Of late, then, God was known by the coming of Christ: “For no man knoweth God but the Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal Him.”43    Matt. xi. 27; Luke x. 22.

In contradistinction, therefore, to the older people, the new people are called young, having learned the new blessings; and we have the exuberance of life’s morning prime in this youth which knows no old age, in which we are always growing to maturity in intelligence, are always young, always mild, always new: for those must necessarily be new, who have become partakers of the new Word. And that which participates in eternity is wont to be assimilated to the incorruptible: so that to us appertains the designation of the age of childhood, a lifelong spring-time, because the truth that is in us, and our habits saturated with the truth, cannot be touched by old age; but Wisdom is ever blooming, ever remains consistent and the same, and never changes. “Their children,” it is said, “shall be borne upon their shoulders, and fondled on their knees; as one whom his mother comforteth, so also shall I comfort you.”44    Isa. lxvi. 12, 13. The mother draws the children to herself; and we seek our mother the Church. Whatever is feeble and tender, as needing help on account of its feebleness, is kindly looked on, and is sweet and pleasant, anger changing into help in the case of such: for thus horses’ colts, and the little calves of cows, and the lion’s whelp, and the stag’s fawn, and the child of man, are looked upon with pleasure by their fathers and mothers. Thus also the Father of the universe cherishes affection towards those who have fled to Him; and having begotten them again by His Spirit to the adoption of children, knows them as gentle, and loves those alone, and aids and fights for them; and therefore He bestows on them the name of child. The word Isaac I also connect with child. Isaac means laughter. He was seen sporting with his wife and helpmeet Rebecca by the prying king.45    Gen. xxvi. 8. The king, whose name was Abimelech, appears to me to represent a supramundane wisdom contemplating the mystery of sport. They interpret Rebecca to mean endurance. O wise sport, laughter also assisted by endurance, and the king as spectator! The spirit of those that are children in Christ, whose lives are ordered in endurance, rejoice. And this is the divine sport. “Such a sport, of his own, Jove sports,” says Heraclitus. For what other employment is seemly for a wise and perfect man, than to sport and be glad in the endurance of what is good—and, in the administration of what is good, holding festival with God? That which is signified by the prophet may be interpreted differently,—namely, of our rejoicing for salvation, as Isaac. He also, delivered from death, laughed, sporting and rejoicing with his spouse, who was the type of the Helper of our salvation, the Church, to whom the stable name of endurance is given; for this cause surely, because she alone remains to all generations, rejoicing ever, subsisting as she does by the endurance of us believers, who are the members of Christ. And the witness of those that have endured to the end, and the rejoicing on their account, is the mystic sport, and the salvation accompanied with decorous solace which brings us aid.

The King, then, who is Christ, beholds from above our laughter, and looking through the window, as the Scripture says, views the thanksgiving, and the blessing, and the rejoicing, and the gladness, and furthermore the endurance which works together with them and their embrace: views His Church, showing only His face, which was wanting to the Church, which is made perfect by her royal Head. And where, then, was the door by which the Lord showed Himself? The flesh by which He was manifested. He is Isaac (for the narrative may be interpreted otherwise), who is a type of the Lord, a child as a son; for he was the son of Abraham, as Christ the Son of God, and a sacrifice as the Lord, but he was not immolated as the Lord. Isaac only bore the wood of the sacrifice, as the Lord the wood of the cross. And he laughed mystically, prophesying that the Lord should fill us with joy, who have been redeemed from corruption by the blood of the Lord. Isaac did everything but suffer, as was right, yielding the precedence in suffering to the Word. Furthermore, there is an intimation of the divinity of the Lord in His not being slain. For Jesus rose again after His burial, having suffered no harm, like Isaac released from sacrifice. And in defence of the point to be established, I shall adduce another consideration of the greatest weight. The Spirit calls the Lord Himself a child, thus prophesying by Esaias: “Lo, to us a child has been born, to us a son has been given, on whose own shoulder the government shall be; and His name has been called the Angel of great Counsel.” Who, then, is this infant child? He according to whose image we are made little children. By the same prophet is declared His greatness: “Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; that He might fulfil His discipline: and of His peace there shall be no end.”46    Isa. ix. 6. O the great God! O the perfect child! The Son in the Father, and the Father in the Son. And how shall not the discipline of this child be perfect, which extends to all, leading as a schoolmaster us as children who are His little ones? He has stretched forth to us those hands of His that are conspicuously worthy of trust. To this child additional testimony is borne by John, “the greatest prophet among those born of women:”47    Luke vii. 28. Behold the Lamb of God!”48    John i. 29, 36. For since Scripture calls the infant children lambs, it has also called Him—God the Word—who became man for our sakes, and who wished in all points to be made like to us—“the Lamb of God”—Him, namely, that is the Son of God, the child of the Father.

Ὅτι πάντες οἱ περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καταγινόμενοι παῖδες παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἡ παιδαγωγία παίδων ἐστὶν ἀγωγή, σαφὲς ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος· λοιπὸν δέ ἐστι τοὺς παῖδας ἐπιθεωρῆσαι, οὓς αἰνίττεται ἡ γραφή, εἶτα τὸν παιδαγωγὸν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστῆσαι. Οἱ παῖδες ἡμεῖς· πολλαχῶς δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐξυμνεῖ πολυτρόπως τε ἀλληγορεῖ ὀνόμασι ποικίλοις τὸ ἀφελὲς τῆς πίστεως ἐξαλλάτ τουσα ἡ γραφή. Ἐν γοῦν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ· σταθείς, φησίν, ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῷ αἰγιαλῷ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς–ἁλιεύοντες δὲ ἔτυχον–ἐνεφώνησέν τε, παιδία, μή τι ὄψον ἔχετε; τοὺς ἤδη ἐν ἕξει τῶν γνωρίμων παῖδας προσειπών. Προσήνεγκάν τε αὐτῷ, φησί, παιδία εἰς χειροθεσίαν εὐλογίας, κωλυόντων δὲ τῶν γνωρίμων, εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἄφετε τὰ παιδία καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτὰ ἐλθεῖν πρός με· τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. Τί βούλεται τὸ λεχθέν, αὐτὸς διασαφήσει ὁ κύριος λέγων ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε καὶ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία ταῦτα, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, οὐ τὴν ἀναγέννησιν ἐνταῦθα ἀλληγορῶν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐν παισὶν ἁπλότητα εἰς ἐξομοίωσιν παρακατατιθέμενος ἡμῖν. Τοὺς παῖδας ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸ προφητικὸν ἐκδέχεται πνεῦμα· δρεψάμενοι, φησί, κλάδους ἐλαίας ἢ φοινίκων οἱ παῖδες ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν κυρίῳ καὶ ἐκέκραγον λέγοντες, ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ ∆αβίδ, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου, φῶς καὶ δόξα καὶ αἶνος μεθ' ἱκετηρίας τῷ κυρίῳ· τουτὶ γὰρ ἐμφαίνει ἑρμηνευόμενον Ἑλλάδι φωνῇ τὸ ὡσαννά. Καί μοι δοκεῖ ἡ γραφὴ ταύτην αἰνιττομένη τὴν προφητείαν τὴν προειρημένην ἐν ὀνείδους μέρει τοῖς ῥᾳθύμοις ἐγκαλεῖν· Οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε ὅτι ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων κατηρτίσω αἶνον. Τοῦτό τοι καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ μυωπίζει τοὺς γνωρίμους, προσέχειν αὐτῷ παρορμῶν ὡς ἤδη σπεύδων πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ὀρεκτικωτέρους παρασκευάζων τοὺς ἀκροατὰς μετ' ὀλίγον ἀπεῖναι προμηνύων, ὡς δέον αὐτοῖς ἀποκαρπίζεσθαι τῆς ἀληθείας ἀφειδέστερον δηλῶν ὅσον οὐδέπω ἀπαίροντος εἰς οὐρανὸν τοῦ λόγου. Πάλιν οὖν αὐτοὺς παιδία καλεῖ· φησὶ γὰρ παιδία, ἔτι μικρὸν μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμι. Αὖθίς τε παιδίοις ὁμοιοῖ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐν ἀγοραῖς καθημένοις καὶ λέγουσιν· ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε, ἐθρηνήσαμεν καὶ οὐκ ἐκόψασθε, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα τούτοις οἰκείως ἐπήγαγεν. Καὶ οὔτί γε μόνον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ταύτῃ φρονεῖ, ὁμοδοξεῖ δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἡ προφητεία. Λέγει γοῦν ∆αβὶδ αἰνεῖτε, παῖδες, κύριον, αἰνεῖτε τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου. Λέγει δὲ καὶ διὰ Ἡσαΐου ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία, ἅ μοι ἔδω κεν ὁ θεός. Θαυμάζεις ἀκούειν τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς ἐν ἔθνεσι παῖδας παρὰ κυρίῳ; Οὔ μοι δοκεῖς Ἀττικῆς ἐπαΐειν φωνῆς, παρ' ἧς ἔστιν ἐκμαθεῖν τὰς καλὰς καὶ ὡραίας, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐλευθέρας νεάνιδας παιδίσκας καλουμένας, παιδισκάρια δὲ τὰς δούλας, καὶ νεάνιδας δὲ καὶ αὐτάς, πρὸς τὸ εὐθαλὲς τῆς παιδικῆς ἡλικίας ὑποκοριστικῶς τιμωμένας. Καὶ τὰ ἀρνία δέ μου, ὅταν λέγῃ, στήτω ἐκ δεξιῶν, τοὺς ἀφελεῖς αἰνίττεται, παῖδας ὡς ἄρνας, οὐκ ἄνδρας ὡς πρόβατα ὄντας κατὰ γένος, τὰ δὲ ἀρνία προνομίας ἠξίωσεν, τὴν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἁπαλότητα καὶ ἁπλότητα τῆς διανοίας, τὴν ἀκακίαν, προτιμῶν. Αὖθίς τε ὅταν φῇ ὡς μοσχάρια γαλαθηνά, ἡμᾶς πάλιν ἀλληγορεῖ, καὶ ὡς περιστερὰν ἄκακον καὶ ἄχολον, πάλιν ἡμᾶς. Νεοττούς τε ἔτι δύο περιστερῶν ἢ τρυγόνων ζεῦγος ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας κελεύει διὰ Μωσέως προσφέρεσθαι, τὸ ἀναμάρτητον τῶν ἁπαλῶν καὶ ἄκακον καὶ ἀμνησίκακον τῶν νεοττῶν εὐπρόσδεκτον εἶναι λέγων τῷ θεῷ καὶ τὸ ὅμοιον τοῦ ὁμοίου καθάρσιον ὑφηγούμενος· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ δειλὸν τῶν τρυγόνων τὴν πρὸς τὰς ἁμαρτίας εὐλάβειαν ὑποτυποῦται. Ὅτι δὲ ἡμᾶς τοὺς νεοττοὺς λέγει, μάρτυς ἡ γραφή· Ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις συνάγει τὰ νοσσία ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτῆς, οὕτως ἐσμὲν νεοττοὶ κυρίου, θαυ μαστῶς πάνυ καὶ μυστικῶς τοῦ λόγου τὴν ἁπλότητα τῆς ψυχῆς εἰς ἡλικίαν ὑπογραφομένου παιδικήν. Πῇ μὲν γὰρ παῖδας ἡμᾶς καλεῖ, πῇ δὲ νεοττούς, ἔσθ' ὅτε δὲ νηπίους, υἱοὺς δὲ ἀλλαχόθι καὶ τέκνα πολλάκις καὶ λαὸν νέον καὶ λαὸν καινόν· τοῖς δὲ δούλοις μου, φησί, κληθήσεται ὄνομα καινόν, νέον ὄνομα λέγει τὸ καινὸν καὶ ἀίδιον, ἄχραντον καὶ ἁπλοῦν καὶ νήπιον καὶ ἀληθινόν, ὃ εὐλογηθήσεται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ἀλληγορῶν δὲ αὖθις ἡμᾶς πώλους καλεῖ, τοὺς ἀζυγεῖς κακίᾳ, τοὺς ἀδαμάστους πονηρίᾳ, ἀφελεῖς δὲ καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν μόνον τὸν πατέρα σκιρτητικούς, οὐχὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς τῶν πλησίον γυναιξὶν χρεμετίζοντας ἵππους, τοὺς ὑποζυγίους καὶ θηλυμανεῖς, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐλευθέρους καὶ νεογνούς, τοὺς γαύρους διὰ τὴν πίστιν, τοὺς εἰς ἀλήθειαν εὐδρόμους, τοὺς ταχεῖς πρὸς σωτηρίαν, τοὺς καταπατοῦντας καὶ κροαίνοντας τὰ κοσμικά. Χαῖρε σφόδρα, θύγατερ Σιών· κήρυσσε, θύγατερ Ἱερουσαλήμ· ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι δίκαιος καὶ σῴζων, καὶ αὐτὸς πρᾶος καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὑποζύγιον καὶ πῶλον νέον. Οὐκ ἤρκει τὸ πῶλον εἰρηκέναι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ νέον προσέθηκεν αὐτῷ, τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ νεολαίαν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος καὶ ἀγήρω μετὰ ἁπλότητος ἀιδιότητα ἐμφαίνων. Τοιούτους δὲ ἡμᾶς νέους πώλους τοὺς νηπίους ὁ θεῖος ἡμῶν πωλοδάμνης ἀνατρέφει. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὄνος εἴη ὁ νέος ἐν τῇ γραφῇ, πλὴν ἀλλὰ πῶλος ὄνος καὶ οὗτος. Καὶ τὸν πῶλον, φησί, προσέδησεν ἀμπέλῳ, τὸν ἁπλοῦν τοῦτον καὶ νήπιον λαὸν τῷ λόγῳ προσδήσας, ὃν ἄμπελον ἀλληγορεῖ· φέρει γὰρ οἶνον ἡ ἄμπελος, ὡς αἷμα ὁ λόγος, ἄμφω δὲ ἀνθρώποις ποτὸν εἰς σωτηρίαν, ὁ μὲν οἶνος τῷ σώματι, τὸ δὲ αἷμα τῷ πνεύματι. Ὡς δὲ καὶ ἄρνας ἡμᾶς λέγει, ἐχέγγυος μάρτυς διὰ Ἡσαΐου τὸ πνεῦμα· ὡς ποιμὴν ποιμανεῖ τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ βραχίονι αὐτοῦ συλλέξει ἄρνας, τὸ ἔτι ἁπαλώτερον τῶν προβάτων εἰς ἀφέλειαν ἄρνας ἀλληγορῶν. Ἀμέλει καὶ ἡμεῖς τὰ κάλλιστα καὶ τελεώτατα τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ κτημάτων παιδικῇ προσηγορίᾳ τιμήσαντες παιδείαν καὶ παιδαγωγίαν κεκλήκαμεν. Παιδαγωγίαν δὲ ὁμολογοῦμεν εἶναι ἀγωγὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐκ παίδων πρὸς ἀρετήν. Ἐμφαντικώτερον δ' οὖν ἡμῖν ἀποκαλύπτων ὁ κύριος τὸ σημαινόμενον ἐκ τῆς παιδίον προσηγορίας γενομένης ζητήσεως ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, ὅστις αὐτῶν εἴη μείζων, ἔστησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν μέσῳ παιδίον εἰπών· ὃς ἐὰν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινώσῃ ὡς τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο, οὗτος μείζων ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Οὐκ ἄρα κατακέχρηται τῇ τῶν παιδίων προσηγορίᾳ ὡς ἀλογίστων ἡλικίᾳ, ᾗ τισιν ἔδοξεν, οὐδ' ἂν εἴπῃ ἢν μὴ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία ταῦτα, οὐκ εἰσελεύσεσθε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀμαθῶς ἐκδεκτέον. Οὐκ ἄρ' ἔτι κυλιόμεθα οἱ νήπιοι χαμαὶ οὐδὲ ἕρπομεν ὡς τὸ πρόσθεν ἐπὶ γῆς ὄφεων δίκην, ὅλῳ τῷ σώματι περὶ τὰς ἀνοήτους ἐπιθυμίας ἰλυσπώμενοι, ἀνατεινόμενοι δὲ ἄνω τῇ ἐννοίᾳ, κόσμῳ καὶ ἁμαρτίαις ἀποτεταγμένοι, ὀλίγῳ ποδὶ ἐφαπτόμενοι τῆς γῆς, ὅσον ἐν κόσμῳ εἶναι δοκεῖν, σοφίαν μεταδιώκομεν ἁγίαν· μωρία δὲ αὕτη τοῖς εἰς πανουργίαν ἠκο νημένοις δοκεῖ. Παῖδες οὖν εἰκότως οἱ θεὸν μόνον πατέρα ἀφελεῖς καὶ νήπιοι καὶ ἀκέραιοι, οἱ κεράτων μονοκερώτων ἐρασταί. Τοῖς γοῦν προβεβηκόσιν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ ταύτην ἐπεκήρυξεν τὴν φωνήν, ἀφροντιστεῖν κελεύων τῶν τῇδε πραγμάτων καὶ μόνῳ προσέχειν τῷ πατρὶ παραινῶν μιμουμένους τὰ παιδία. ∆ιὸ κἀν τοῖς ἐχομένοις λέγει μὴ μεριμνᾶτε περὶ τῆς αὔριον· ἀρκετὸν γὰρ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ κακία αὐτῆς. Οὕτως ἀποθεμένους τὰς τοῦ βίου φροντίδας ἐξέχεσθαι μόνου τοῦ πατρὸς παραγγέλλει. Καὶ ὁ πληρῶν τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην τῷ ὄντι νήπιός τέ ἐστι καὶ παῖς θεῷ τε καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ, τῷ μὲν ὡς πεπλανημέ νος, τῷ δὲ ὡς ἠγαπημένος. Εἰ δὲ εἷς διδάσκαλος ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ὥς φησιν ἡ γραφή, ὁμολογουμένως οἱ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰκότως ἂν πάντες κεκλήσονται μαθηταί. Ἔχει γὰρ οὕτως τὸ ἀληθές, τὸ μὲν τέλειον εἶναι παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ τῷ διδάσκοντι ἀεί, τὸ δὲ παιδικὸν καὶ νήπιον παρ' ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀεὶ μανθάνουσιν. Ταύτῃ τοι ἡ προφητεία τὸ τέλειον τῇ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τετίμηκεν προσηγορίᾳ καὶ διά γε τοῦ ∆αβὶδ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ διαβόλου ἄνδρα αἱμάτων φησὶ βδελύσσεται κύριος, ἄνδρα αὐτὸν ὡς τέλειον ἐν κακίᾳ καλεῖ· λέγεται δὲ καὶ ὁ κύριος ἀνὴρ διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν τέλειον ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐπιστέλλων πρὸς Κορινθίους φησίν· ἡρμοσάμην γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ παρθένον ἁγνὴν παραστῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ, εἴτε ὡς νηπίους καὶ ἁγίους πλὴν ἀλλὰ τῷ μόνῳ κυρίῳ. Σαφέστατα δὲ Ἐφεσίοις γράφων ἀπεκάλυψεν τὸ ζητούμενον ὧδέ πως λέγων μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα μηκέτι ὦμεν νήπιοι, κλυδωνιζόμενοι καὶ περιφερόμενοι παντὶ ἀνέμῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἐν τῇ κυβείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐν πανουργίᾳ πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης, ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα· ταῦτα λέγων εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος Χριστοῦ, ὅς ἐστι κεφαλή καὶ ἀνὴρ ὁ μόνος ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τέλειος. Ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ νήπιοι τοὺς παραφυσῶντας εἰς φυσίωσιν φυλαξάμενοι τῶν αἱρέσεων ἀνέμους καὶ μὴ καταπιστεύοντες τοῖς ἄλλους ἡμῖν νομοθετοῦσι πατέρας. τελειούμεθα τότε, ὅτε ἐσμὲν ἐκκλησία, τὴν κεφαλὴν τὸν Χριστὸν ἀπειληφότες. Ἐνταῦθα ἐπιστῆσαι δίκαιον τῇ προσηγορίᾳ τοῦ νηπίου, ὅτι οὐκ ἐπὶ ἀφρόνων τάττεται τὸ νήπιον· νηπύτιος μὲν γὰρ οὗτος, νήπιος δὲ ὁ νεήπιος, ὡς ἤπιος ὁ ἁπαλόφρων, οἷον ἤπιος νεωστὶ καὶ πρᾶος τῷ τρόπῳ γενόμενος. Τοῦτό τοι σαφέστατα ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ὑπεσημήνατο εἰπὼν δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι ἐγενήθημεν ἤπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, ὡς ἂν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα. Ἤπιος οὖν ὁ νήπιος καὶ ταύτῃ μᾶλλον ἀταλός, ἁπαλὸς καὶ ἁπλοῦς καὶ ἄδολος καὶ ἀνυπόκριτος, ἰθὺς τὴν γνώμην καὶ ὀρθός· τὸ δέ ἐστιν ἁπλότητος καὶ ἀληθείας ὑπόστασις. Ἐπὶ τίνα γάρ, φησίν, ἐπιβλέψω ἢ ἐπὶ τὸν πρᾶον καὶ ἡσύχιον; Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ὁ παρθένιος λόγος, ἁπαλὸς καὶ ἄπλαστος· διὸ καὶ τὴν παρθένον ἀταλὴν νύμφην καὶ τὸν παῖδα ἀταλάφρονα κεκλῆσθαι ἔθος, ἀταλοὶ δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ ἁπαλοὶ πρὸς πειθὼ καὶ εὐέργαστοι πρὸς ἀγαθωσύνην ἄχολοί τε καὶ ἀνεπίμικτοι κακοφροσύνῃ καὶ σκολιότητι· ἡ μὲν γὰρ γενεὰ ἡ παλαιὰ σκολιὰ καὶ σκληροκάρδιος, χορὸς δὲ νηπίων, ὁ καινὸς ἡμεῖς λαός, τρυφερὸς ὡς παῖς. Ἐπὶ δὲ ταῖς καρδίαις τῶν ἀκάκων ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ χαίρειν ὁ ἀπόστολος ὁμολογεῖ, καὶ δὴ ὅρον τινὰ νηπίων, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ἀποδίδωσιν εἰπών· Θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς σοφοὺς μὲν εἶναι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἀκεραίους δὲ εἰς τὸ κακόν. Καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἔστιν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ νηπίου κατὰ στέρησιν ἡμῖν νοούμενον, ἐπεὶ τὸ νη στερητικὸν γραμματικῶν νομοθετοῦσιν παῖδες. Εἰ γὰρ ἄφρονας ἡμᾶς οἱ τῆς νηπιότητος κατατρέχοντες καλοῦσιν, ὁρᾶτε πῶς βλασφημοῦσιν ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον τοὺς εἰς θεὸν καταπεφευγότας ἄφρονας ὑπολαμβάνοντες· εἰ δέ, ὅπερ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐξακουστέον, τοὺς νηπίους καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁπλῶν ἐκδέξονται, χαίρωμεν τῇ προσηγορίᾳ· νήπιαι γὰρ αἱ νέαι φρένες εἰσίν, ἐν παλαιᾷ τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ αἱ νεωστὶ συνεταί, αἱ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην τὴν καινὴν ἀνατείλασαι. Ἔναγχος γοῦν ἔγνωσται ὁ θεὸς κατὰ τὴν Χριστοῦ παρουσίαν. Θεὸν γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἔγνω, εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ᾧ ἂν ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψῃ. Νέοι τοίνυν ὁ λαὸς ὁ καινὸς πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου λαοῦ, τὰ νέα μαθόντες ἀγαθά. Καὶ ἔστιν ἡμῖν τὸ οὖθαρ τῆς ἡλικίας ἡ ἀγήρως αὕτη νεότης, ἐν ᾗ πρὸς νόησιν ἀεὶ ἀκμάζομεν, ἀεὶ νέοι καὶ ἀεὶ ἤπιοι καὶ ἀεὶ καινοί· χρὴ γὰρ εἶναι καινοὺς τοὺς λόγου καινοῦ μετειληφότας. Τὸ δὲ ἀιδιότητος μετειληφὸς ἐξομοιοῦσθαι φιλεῖ τῷ ἀφθάρτῳ, ὡς εἶναι ἡμῖν τῆς παιδικῆς ἡλικίας τὴν προσηγορίαν ἔαρ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν διὰ τὸ ἀγήρω εἶναι τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἀνακεχυμένον ἡμῶν τὸν τρόπον. Σοφία δὲ ἀειθαλής, ἀεὶ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχουσα καὶ οὔποτε μεταβάλλουσα. Τὰ παιδία, φησίν, αὐτῶν ἐπ' ὤμων ἀρθήσονται καὶ ἐπὶ γονάτων παρακληθήσονται· ὡς εἴ τινα μήτηρ παρακαλέσει, οὕτως κἀγὼ ὑμᾶς παρακαλέσω. Ἡ μήτηρ προσάγεται τὰ παιδία καὶ ἡμεῖς ζητοῦμεν τὴν μητέρα, τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. Τὸ μὲν τοίνυν καὶ ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἁπαλὸν ἅπαν, ἅτε δι' ἀσθένειαν ᾗ βοηθείας δεόμενον, κεχαρισμένον τέ ἐστι καὶ ἡδὺ καὶ τερπνόν, τοῦ θεοῦ μὴ περιισταμένου τῷ τηλικῷδε τὴν βοήθειαν· ὡς γὰρ οἱ πατέρες καὶ αἱ μητέρες ἥδιον ὁρῶσιν τῶν μὲν ἵππων τοὺς πώλους, τῶν δὲ βοῶν τὰ μικρὰ μοσχάρια καὶ λέοντος σκύμνον καὶ ἐλάφου νεβρὸν καὶ ἀνθρώπου παιδίον, οὕτως καὶ τῶν ὅλων ὁ πατὴρ τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν καταπεφευγότας προσίεται καὶ ἀναγεννήσας πνεύματι εἰς υἱοθεσίαν ἠπίους οἶδεν καὶ φιλεῖ τούτους μόνους καὶ βοηθεῖ καὶ ὑπερμαχεῖ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὀνομάζει παιδίον. Ἐγὼ καὶ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ εἰς παῖδα ἀναφέρω· γέλως ἑρμηνεύεται ὁ Ἰσαάκ. Τοῦτον ἑώρακεν παίζοντα μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ βοηθοῦ, τῆς Ῥεβέκκας, ὁ περίεργος βασιλεύς. Βασιλεύς μοι δοκεῖ, Ἀβιμέλεχ ὄνομα αὐτῷ, σοφία τις εἶναι ὑπερκόσμιος, κατασκοποῦσα τῆς παιδιᾶς τὸ μυστήριον· Ῥεβέκκαν δὲ ἑρμη νεύουσιν ὑπομονήν. Ὢ τῆς φρονίμου παιδιᾶς, γέλως καὶ δι' ὑπομονῆς βοηθούμενος καὶ ἔφορος ὁ βασιλεύς. Ἀγαλλιᾶται τὸ πνεῦμα τῶν ἐν Χριστῷ παιδίων ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολιτευομένων καὶ αὕτη ἡ θεία παιδιά. Τοιαύτην τινὰ παίζειν παιδιὰν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ∆ία Ἡράκλειτος λέγει. Τί γὰρ ἄλλο εὐπρεπὲς ἔργον σοφῷ καὶ τελείῳ ἢ παίζειν καὶ συνευφραίνεσθαι τῇ τῶν καλῶν ὑπομονῇ καὶ τῇ διοικήσει τῶν καλῶν, συμπανηγυρίζοντα τῷ θεῷ; Ἔστι καὶ ἄλλως ὑπολαβεῖν τὸ ὑπὸ τῆς προφητείας μηνυόμενον χαίροντας ἡμᾶς καὶ γελῶντας ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ ὡς τὸν Ἰσαάκ. Ἐγέλα δὲ κἀκεῖνος τοῦ θανάτου λελυμένος, παίζων καὶ ἀγαλλιώμενος σὺν τῇ νύμφῃ τῇ εἰς σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν βοηθῷ, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ᾗ ὑπομονὴ ὄνομα πάγιον τέθειται, ἤτοι ἐπεὶ μόνη αὕτη εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας μένει χαίρουσα ἀεὶ ἢ ἐξ ὑπομονῆς τῶν πιστευόντων συνέστηκεν, οἵ ἐσμεν μέλη Χριστοῦ· καὶ ἡ τῶν εἰς τέλος ὑπομεινάντων μαρτυρία καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ τούτοις εὐχαριστία, αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ μυστικὴ παιδιὰ καὶ ἡ σὺν τῇ σεμνῇ θυμηδίᾳ βοηθοῦσα σωτηρία. Ὁ γοῦν βασιλεὺς ὁ Χριστὸς ἄνωθεν ἡμῶν ἐπισκοπεῖ τὸν γέλωτα καὶ διακύψας τῆς θυρίδος, ὥς φησιν ἡ γραφή, τὴν εὐχαριστίαν καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἀγαλλίασίν τε καὶ εὐφροσύνην, ἔτι τε ὑπομονὴν συνεργοῦσαν, καὶ τὴν τούτων συμπλοκήν, τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἐποπτεύει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, μόνον ἐπιδεικνὺς τὸ πρόσωπον τὸ αὑτοῦ τὸ λεῖπον τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, βασιλείῳ τελειουμένῃ κεφαλῇ. Καὶ ποῦ ἄρα ἦν ἡ θυρίς, δι' ἧς ὁ κύριος ἐδείκνυτο; ἡ σάρξ, δι' ἧς πεφανέρωται. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰσαάκ, καὶ γὰρ ἔστιν ἑτέρως ἐκλαβεῖν, τύπος ὅς ἐστὶ τοῦ κυρίου, παῖς μὲν ὡς υἱός, καὶ γὰρ υἱὸς ἦν Ἀβραὰμ ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἱερεῖον δὲ ὡς ὁ κύριος. Ἀλλ' οὐ κεκάρπωται ὡς ὁ κύριος, μόνον ἐβάστασε τὰ ξύλα τῆς ἱερουρ γίας ὁ Ἰσαάκ, ὡς ὁ κύριος τὸ ξύλον. Ἐγέλα δὲ μυστικῶς, ἐμπλῆσαι ἡμᾶς προφητεύων χαρᾶς τὸν κύριον τοὺς αἵματι κυρίου ἐκ φθορᾶς λελυτρωμένους. Οὐκ ἔπαθεν δέ, οὐ μόνον εἰκότως ἄρα ὁ Ἰσαὰκ τὰ πρωτεῖα τοῦ πάθους παραχωρῶν τῷ λόγῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ κυρίου τὴν θειότητα αἰνίττεται μὴ σφαγείς· ἀνέστη γὰρ μετὰ τὴν κηδείαν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ** μὴ παθών, καθάπερ ἱερουργίας ἀφειμένος ὁ Ἰσαάκ. Μέγιστον δὲ εἰς συνηγορίαν καὶ ἄλλο παραθήσομαι τοῦ προκειμένου. Τὸν κύριον αὐτὸν ὀνομάζει παιδίον, τοῦτο διὰ Ἡσαΐου θεσπίζον, τὸ πνεῦμα· ἰδοὺ παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν, υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν, οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκλήθη τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος. Τί οὖν τὸ παιδίον τὸ νήπιον, οὗ κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμεῖς οἱ νήπιοι; ∆ιὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ προφήτου διηγεῖται τὸ μέγεθος αὐτοῦ· θαυμαστὸς σύμβουλος, θεὸς δυνάστης, πατὴρ αἰώνιος, ἄρχων εἰρήνης τῷ πληθύνειν τὴν παιδείαν· καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστι πέρας. Ὢ τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ, ὢ τοῦ τελείου παιδίου· υἱὸς ἐν πατρί, καὶ πατὴρ ἐν υἱῷ· καὶ πῶς οὐ τέλειος ἡ παιδεία τοῦ παιδίου ἐκείνου, ἣ ἐπὶ πάντας διήκει τοὺς παῖδας ἡμᾶς παιδαγωγοῦσα τοὺς νηπίους αὐτοῦ; Οὗτος εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐξεπέτασε τὰς χεῖρας τὰς ἐναργῶς πεπιστευμένας. Τούτῳ προσμαρτυρεῖ τῷ παιδίῳ καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν προφήτης· ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἄρνας ὀνομάζει ἡ γραφὴ τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς νηπίους, τὸν θεὸν τὸν λόγον τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπον γενόμενον, κατὰ πάντα ἡμῖν ἀπεικάζεσθαι βουλόμενον, ἀμνὸν κέκληκεν τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸν νήπιον τοῦ πατρός.