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of the Old Testament remains, he says, its obscurity; but when he says, ‘it not being revealed that it is abolished in Christ,’ the law has shown us the part that is obscure. For that part of the law which contributed to our life and conduct was not obscure; since it would have been given in vain; but only those parts were overshadowed through which we could learn that it is abolished through Christ. For this too is a work of God's wisdom, to introduce the law itself saying concerning itself that Christ, having come, will abolish it, and that in him it will cease. Therefore, this very part of the law which says that the law is abolished in Christ, this alone was obscure. And declaring this very thing, the great Paul added: ‘it not being revealed that it is abolished in Christ.’ For lest, having heard that ‘a veil remains over the reading of the Old Testament,’ 56.175 you should think the whole of it is obscure and overshadowed, he corrected this suspicion by this addition. For having said, ‘a veil remains over the reading of the Old Testament,’ he added, ‘it not being revealed that it is abolished in Christ.’ This very thing, he says, was not revealed, that it is destined to be abolished in Christ; but it was not revealed to those not approaching by faith; whereas he who has approached and enjoyed the grace of the Holy Spirit no longer sees the law with a veil, but beholds its glory unveiled. And the glory of the law is to have been able to teach that it is abolished in Christ, that you might learn this too. Have you seen the glory of the law? And its true glory is when it has been able to lead you as a tutor to Christ; and it leads as a tutor when it shows itself being abolished. So from this also a timely blow has been dealt to the heretics. For if the law were contrary and hostile to Christ, and not given by him, Paul ought not to have called it his glory, for being able to instruct those who approach it that it is abolished through Christ. If the law were evil, again, its veil ought not to have been taken away, but it ought to have remained overshadowed even after grace. But if this is the work of grace, to make those who approach more discerning for the comprehension of the law, so that from there they may receive all the principles and starting points for faith in Christ; what greater proof than this could one mention of the law's kinship with grace, than when Christ opens the eyes of those who approach him, so that they can perceive the guidance of the law, and it, having been revealed and made manifest, will be able to escort with much ease those who understand the things of Christ? For these things show neither Christ fighting against the law, nor the law warring against Jesus, but all the contrary, the one preparing the way for this great philosophy, and the other receiving them from there and leading them to the highest peak. But for all these things let us give thanks to the man-loving God, who orders each thing at its proper time, and in many ways works out our salvation, and let us show forth, according to our ability, a way of life worthy of his love for mankind and of such great providence, so that we may also attain the good things to come; of which may it be that we all attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, honor, power, for ever and ever. Amen.

Further on the obscurity of the Old Testament, and on the loving-kindness of God, and concerning not accusing one another.

1. A herdsman rejoices, when he sees for him a healthy and thriving [herd] of

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Παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθήκης μένει, τὴν ἀσάφειαν αὐτοῦ φησιν· ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ, Μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον, ὅτι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται, τὸ μέρος, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀσαφὲς, ὁ νόμος ἡμῖν ἐπέδειξεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο ἀσαφὲς ἦν τοῦ νόμου τὸ μέρος, ὅπερ εἰς βίον ἡμῖν συνετέλει καὶ πολιτείαν· ἐπεὶ περιττῶς ἂν ἐδόθη· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνα μόνα συνεσκίαστο τὰ μέρη, δι' ὧν ἐδυνάμεθα μαθεῖν, ὅτι διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καταργεῖται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίας ἔργον, τὸ τὸν νόμον αὐτὸν εἰσαγαγεῖν λέγοντα περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι Χριστὸς ἐλθὼν αὐτὸν καταργήσει, καὶ ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ παυθήσεται. Αὐτὸ οὖν τοῦτο τὸ μέρος τοῦ νόμου τὸ λέγον, ὅτι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται ὁ νόμος, τοῦτο ἀσαφὲς μόνον ἦν. Καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ δηλῶν ὁ μέγας Παῦλος, ἐπήγαγε· Μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον, ὅτι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἀκούσας, ὅτι Κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῆς Παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθήκης 56.175 μένει, ὅλην αὐτὴν ἀσαφῆ καὶ συνεσκιασμένην εἶναι νομίσῃς, τῇ ἐπαγωγῇ ταύτην διώρθωσε τὴν ὑπόνοιαν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῆς Παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθήκης μένει, ἐπήγαγε, Μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον, ὅτι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται. Τοῦτο αὐτὸ, φησὶν, οὐκ ἀνεκαλύφθη, ὅτι μέλλει ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖσθαι· οὐκ ἀνεκαλύφθη δὲ τοῖς μὴ προσελθοῦσι τῇ πίστει· ὡς ὅ γε προσελθὼν, καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος χάριτος ἀπολαύσας, οὐκέτι μετὰ παραπετάσματος βλέπει τὸν νόμον, ἀλλὰ γυμνὴν αὐτοῦ καθορᾷ τὴν δόξαν. ∆όξα δὲ νόμου, τὸ δυνηθῆναι διδάξαι, ὅτι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται, ἵνα καὶ τοῦτο μάθῃς. Εἶδες τοῦ νόμου τὴν δόξαν; ∆όξα δέ ἐστιν ἀληθὴς ἐκείνου, ὅταν σε πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν παιδαγωγῆσαι δυνηθῇ· παιδαγωγεῖ δὲ, ἐπειδὰν δείξῃ αὐτὸν καταργούμενον. Ὥστε καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καιρία τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς ἡ πληγὴ γέγονεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐναντίος ἦν ὁ νόμος καὶ πολέμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ μὴ παρ' ἐκείνου δοθεὶς, οὐκ ἔδει Παῦλον δόξαν αὐτοῦ καλέσαι, τῷ δυνηθῆναι παιδεῦσαι τοὺς προσιόντας αὐτῷ, ὅτι διὰ Χριστοῦ καταρκεῖται. Εἰ πονηρὸς ἦν ὁ νόμος πάλιν, οὐκ ἔδει τὸ κάλυμμα αὐτοῦ ἀφαιρεθῆναι, ἀλλὰ μένειν αὐτὸν καὶ μετὰ τὴν χάριν συνεσκιασμένον. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο τῆς χάριτος ἔργον, τὸ διορατικωτέρους ποιεῖν τοὺς προσιόντας πρὸς τὴν τοῦ νόμου κατάληψιν, ὥστε ἐκεῖθεν τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἀφορμὰς πάσας λαμβάνειν τῆς πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν πίστεως· τί μεῖζον τούτου τεκμήριον τῆς τοῦ νόμου συγγενείας τῆς πρὸς τὴν χάριν εἴποι τις ἂν, ἀλλ' ἢ ὅταν μὲν Χριστὸς ἀνοίγῃ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν αὐτῷ προσιόντων, ὥστε δυνηθῆναι κατιδεῖν τοῦ νόμου τὴν ἀγωγὴν, ἐκείνη δὲ φανεῖσα καὶ γενομένη δήλη, παραπέμψαι μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς εὐκολίας δυνήσεται τοὺς συνιέντας τὰ Χριστοῦ; Ταῦτα γὰρ οὔτε τὸν Χριστὸν τῷ νόμῳ μαχόμενον δείκνυσιν, οὔτε τὸν νόμον πολεμοῦντα τῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ἅπαν, τὸν μὲν προοδοποιοῦντα τῇ μεγάλῃ ταύτῃ φιλοσοφίᾳ, τὸν δὲ ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοὺς παραλαμβάνοντα καὶ πρὸς ἄκραν ἄγοντα κορυφήν. Ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτων ἁπάντων εὐχαριστήσωμεν τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ Θεῷ, τῷ κατὰ τὸν προσήκοντα καιρὸν ἕκαστα οἰκονομοῦντι, καὶ πολυτρόπως τὴν ἡμετέραν πραγματευομένῳ σωτηρίαν, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας καὶ τῆς τοσαύτης προνοίας ἀξίαν κατὰ δύναμιν ἐπιδειξώμεθα πολιτείαν, ἵνα καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν· ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα, τιμὴ, κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Ἔτι εἰς τὴν ἀσάφειαν τῆς Παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθήκης, καὶ εἰς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, καὶ περὶ τοῦ μὴ κατηγορεῖν ἀλλήλων.

αʹ. Χαίρει μὲν βουκόλος, ἐπειδὰν εὐπαθοῦσαν αὐτῷ καὶ σφριγῶσαν ἴδῃ τῶν