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no cloud will cry out, nor through a cloud will the Father bear witness to the Son, but He Himself, through Himself, without any overshadowing, and without any interpreter, by the very deed will glorify His only-begotten Son before all His saints, showing Him to be enthroned with Himself and a co-ruler, and setting Him above every authority; nor again will it be as then, when only the three disciples on the mountain, hearing the voice, fell on their faces and were afraid, but also every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth. A voice came from the cloud, saying, etc. A fatherly voice through a cloud—for thus God appears—bore witness to Christ’s sonship; for it was necessary that it should not be known from Peter alone that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God; nor that He alone had testified to Peter that he had received the knowledge concerning Him from the Father in heaven; but that the fatherly voice itself should seal the truth of the word, testifying that He is the Son of God, and commanding that they should listen to Him. If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him. Do you see how he advised to examine beforehand and not to give themselves over to all indiscriminately, but also to be the first to offer a portion of the benefit from themselves, and to be the first to give of what they possessed? This was 'peace,' a word befitting the soldiers of God, who had taken up trophies against enemies. For the name of peace 24.552 procured for the worthy the pursuit of enemies, and the overthrow of foes, and the friendly reconciliations of God. Therefore, having first lent this peace to the souls of those who received them, they were to partake of their food; wherefore it was necessarily commanded beforehand not to turn aside into every house, nor to judge every man worthy of their reception; but to ask first if there was anyone in the city or the country who was attested by good deeds and a reverent life, so as to be able to receive the royal soldiers with the hospitality of virtue. And when such a one was found, upon entering under his roof, they were to lay aside the proper weapons of their warfare; and these were the symbols of peace; wherefore they were to deem both the host himself and his whole house worthy of peaceful greetings; then to remain there, and not move on, nor change houses from house to house. For this was a sign of a careful examination; for what is easy and uncritical is not solid nor of a steadfast character. Wherefore he advised not to stay first, then to ask and inquire, and then, having insulted the host, to move on to another. And if this one should be found unworthy of the reception, to move on again from there, drawing voluntary enmity upon themselves, along with casting their peace upon unworthy ones. But first to inquire carefully for the worthy one; then, having entered, to impart the goods of peace, and to offer them abundantly not only to the one who had been attested, but also to his whole house on his account. But if, when a worthy person has been found and has received the soldier of the kingdom, it should ever happen, as often is wont to occur in the house of a God-fearing man, that parents or brothers or others related by family oppose and make war, not only upon the one who has been thrust in, but also upon the one who has honored him with reception, of necessity the Savior did not pass over the mention of these things, but adds to what was previously commanded: And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. For you, He says, for the sake of the one who is attested, who is also worthy of your entry, are to preach the gospel with greetings of peace not only to him with the blessings of peace, but also to his whole household, that is, his kinsmen and relatives, and let what is from you be spread out abundantly and richly to parents and brothers and relatives and the whole house of the one who has received you. If, then, these too should be found worthy of your blessing, let your peace come upon all as upon sons of peace; but if they should appear as enemies and foes of your peace, and in no way worthy of it, taking up, He says, the

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οὐ νεφέλη βοήσει, οὐδὲ διὰ νεφέλης ὁ Πατὴρ μαρτυρήσει τῷ Υἱῷ, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς δι' ἑαυτοῦ δίχα παντὸς ἐπισκιάσματος, καὶ δίχα παντὸς ἑρμηνέως, αὐτῷ τῷ ἔργῳ τὸν μονογενῆ αὑτοῦ Υἱὸν ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων αὑτοῦ δοξάσει, σύνθρονον αὐτὸν ἑαυτῷ καὶ συμβασιλέα ἀποδείξας, καὶ ὑπεράνω πάσης ἀρχῆς καταστήσας αὐτόν· οὔτε οὐκέτι ὥσπερ τότε οἱ τρεῖς μαθηταὶ μόνοι ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους ἀκούσαντες τῆς φωνῆς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἔπεσον, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψει ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων. Φωνὴ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης λέγουσα, κ. τ. λ. Φωνὴ πατρικὴ διὰ νεφέλης, οὕτως γὰρ φαίνεται ὁ Θεὸς, ἐμαρτύρει Χριστῷ τὴν υἱότητα· ἔδει γὰρ μὴ παρὰ Πέτρου μόνου γνωσθῆναι, ὅτι αὐτὸς εἴη ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος· μηδ' αὐτὸν μόνον τῷ Πέτρῳ μεμαρτυρηκέναι ὡς παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ γνῶσιν εἰληφὼς εἴη· ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν πατρικὴν φωνὴν ἐπισφραγίσασθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ λόγου, μαρτυροῦσαν αὐτὸν εἶναι Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, δεῖν τε ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ παρακελευομένην. Ἐὰν μὲν ᾖ ἐκεῖ ὁ υἱὸς εἰρήνης, ἐπαναπαύσεται ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν. Ὁρᾷς ὅπως προεξετάζειν καὶ μὴ πᾶσιν ἀνέδην ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδιδόναι παρῄνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρώτους τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐεργεσίας ἀπάρχεσθαι, καὶ πρώτους διδόναι τῶν αὐτοῖς ὑπαρχόντων; Εἰρήνη δὲ ἦν αὕτη, πρέπουσα Θεοῦ στρατιώταις φωνὴ, νικητήρια κατ' ἐχθρῶν ἀραμένοις. ∆ίωξιν γοῦν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ καθαίρεσιν πολεμίων, Θεοῦ τε φιλικὰς διαλλαγὰς τὸ τῆς εἰρή 24.552 νης ὄνομα τοῖς ἀξίοις προὐξένει. Ταύτην τοιγαροῦν προδανείσαντας τὴν εἰρήνην ταῖς τῶν ὑποδεξαμένων αὐτοὺς ψυχαῖς, τῆς παρ' αὐτῶν τροφῆς μεταλαμβάνειν· διὸ ἀναγκαίως προδιεστέλλετο μὴ εἰς πάντα παραβάλλειν οἶκον, μηδὲ πάντα ἄνδρα τῆς ὑποδοχῆς αὐτῶν ἄξιον εἶναι κρίνειν· προερωτᾷν δὲ εἴ τις εἴη τῶν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ἢ τὴν χώραν ἀγαθαῖς πράξεσι καὶ βίῳ σεμνῷ μεμαρτυρημένος, ὡς τοὺς βασιλικοὺς στρατιώτας δύνασθαι ξενίοις ἀρετῆς ὑποδέξασθαι. Ἐπειδὰν δέ τις εὑρεθείη τοιοῦτος, εἰσιόντας ὑπὸ τὴν τούτου στέγην, προαποτίθεσθαι τὰ οἰκεῖα τῆς στρατείας ὅπλα· ταῦτα δ' ἦν τὰ τῆς εἰρήνης σύμβολα· διὸ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν ὑποδοχέα, καὶ πάντα τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰρηνικῶν ἀσπασμῶν καταξιοῦν· εἶτ' αὐτοῦ μένειν, καὶ μὴ μεθίστασθαι, μηδ' οἴκους ἐξ οἴκων ἀμείβειν. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶναι σημεῖον ἀπηκριβωμένης ἐξετάσεως· τὸ γὰρ εὐχερὲς καὶ ἄκριτον, οὐ στεῤῥὸν οὐδὲ βεβαίου τρόπου. ∆ιὸ παρῄνει μὴ πρῶτον καταμένειν, ἔπειτα ἐρωτᾷν καὶ πυνθάνεσθαι, εἶτ' ἐνυβρίσαντας τῷ ξένῳ μεταβαίνειν ἐφ' ἕτερον. Κἂν οὗτος ἀνάξιος τῆς ὑποδοχῆς εὑρεθῇ, πάλιν ἐνθένδε μετανίστασθαι, ἔχθραν ἑκούσιον ἐπισπωμένους, μετὰ καὶ τοῦ τὴν αὐτῶν εἰρήνην εἰς ἀναξίους ῥίπτειν. Ἀλλ' ἀκριβῶς πρότερον τὸν ἄξιον πολυπραγμονεῖν· ἔπειθ' οὕτω παρελθόντας, τῶν τῆς εἰρήνης ἀγαθῶν μεταδιδόναι, καὶ παρέχειν ἀφθόνως τῷ μεμαρτυρημένῳ οὐ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντὶ τῷ οἴκῳ δι' αὐτόν. Εἰ δ', εὑρεθέντος ἀξίου τινὸς καὶ ὑποδεξαμένου τὸν τῆς βασιλείας στρατιώτην, συμβαίη ποτὲ οἷα πολλάκις ἐν ἀνδρὸς οἴκῳ θεοσεβοῦς εἴωθε γίνεσθαι, γονέας ἢ ἀδελφοὺς ἢ ἑτέρους τῷ γένει προσήκοντας ἐναντιοῦσθαι καὶ πολεμεῖν, οὐ μόνον τὸν ἐπεξωσμένον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τῇ ὑποδοχῇ τετιμηκότα, ἀναγκαίως καὶ τούτων ὁ Σωτὴρ οὐ παρῆλθε τὴν μνήμην, ἀλλ' ἐπιλέγει τοῖς προτεταγμένοις· κἂν μὲν ᾖ ἡ οἰκία ἀξία, ἐλθέτω ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν ἐπ' αὐτήν· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ ἀξία, ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἐπιστρεψάτω. Ὑμεῖς μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ μεμαρτυρημένου χάριν, τοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐπιβάσεως τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀξίου, μὴ μόνον αὐτὸν ταῖς τῆς εἰρήνης εὐλογίαις, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντα τὸν οἶκον, δηλαδὴ τοὺς αὐτοῦ οἰκείους καὶ συγγενεῖς, εἰρήνης ἀσπασμοῖς εὐαγγελίζεσθε, καὶ τὰ παρ' ὑμῶν ἀφθόνως καὶ πλουσίως ἁπλούσθω εἰς γονέας καὶ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ συγγενεῖς πάντα τε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ὑποδεδεγμένου. Εἰ μὲν οὖν εὑρεθεῖεν καὶ οὗτοι τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐλογίας ἄξιοι, ἐλθέτω ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν ἐπὶ πάντας ὡς ἐπὶ υἱοὺς εἰρήνης· εἰ δ' ἐχθροὶ καὶ πολέμιοι τῆς ὑμετέρας ὀφθεῖεν εἰρήνης, καὶ οὐδαμῶς αὐτῆς ἄξιοι, ἄραντες, φησὶ, τὰ