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in every good work, so as to always increase, and nowhere to stand still; and metaphorically, Bearing fruit, and increasing in the knowledge of God, that so you might be strengthened according to the strength of God, as was possible for a human. Through his might. Great is the comfort. He did not say power, but Might, which is greater. Through the might, he says, of his glory; because everywhere his glory prevails. He has already comforted those who are in reproach, and again that you walk worthy of the Lord. Concerning the Son he says this, that he prevails everywhere, both in heaven and on earth, because his glory reigns everywhere. Not simply, he says, are you strengthened, but as is fitting for those serving so strong a Master. In the knowledge of God. At the same time he also touches upon the arguments of knowledge; for this is to be deceived, not to know God as one ought. Or so as to increase, he says, in the knowledge of God. For if one who does not know the Son, does not know the Father either, it is reasonable that there is need of knowledge; for there is no benefit of life without it. Unto all patience and longsuffering, he says, with joy giving thanks to God. Then, being about to exhort them, he does not mention the things laid up for them in the future, but this he hinted at in the beginning when he said, Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven; but here he mentions the things that have already been; for these are the causes of those. And in many places he does this. For the things that have already happened are more believed, and rather persuade the hearer. With joy, he says, giving thanks to God. The sequence is this: We do not cease praying for you, and giving thanks for the former things. Do you see how he brings himself into the argument concerning the Son? For if we give thanks 62.312 with much joy, great are the things being said. For it is possible to give thanks through fear only, it is possible to give thanks even while being in grief, as Job gave thanks, but was in pain; for which reason he also said, The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away. For let no one say, that the things that happened did not grieve him, nor cast him into despondency. Nor let the great praise be taken away from the just man. But when things are such, not because of fear, nor because of dominion only, but also because of the very nature of the things, We give thanks to him who has made us sufficient for the portion of the inheritance of the saints in light. He uttered a great thing. Such are the things given, he says, as not only to give, but also to make us strong to receive. Therefore, by saying "To him who has made sufficient," he showed much weight. For instance, if some lowly person also becomes a king, it is possible for him to give sufficiency to whom he wishes; and he is able to do only so much, to give the dignity, but not also to make him fit for the rule (for often honor also makes such a one ridiculous); but if he both gives the dignity, and makes him fit for the honor, and sufficient for the stewardship, then the thing is an honor. This therefore he also says here, that not only has he given us the honor, but he has also made us strong to receive it. γʹ. For this is a double honor, both to give, and to prepare them to be fit for the gift. He did not say, To him who gave, simply, but, To him who made sufficient for the portion of the inheritance of the saints in light; that is, to him who has ranked us with the saints. But he did not simply say, to him who has ranked, but, and to him who has provided that we enjoy the same things. For the portion is that which each one receives. For it is possible both to be in the same city, and not to enjoy the same things; but to have the same portion, and not to enjoy the same things, is not possible. It is possible to be in the same lot, and not have the same portion; for example, we are all in the lot, but we do not all have the same portion. But here he does not say this, but also the portion with the lot. And why does he call it a lot? Showing that no one obtains the kingdom from his own achievements; but just as the lot is rather a matter of good fortune, so also here. For no one exhibits such a manner of life as to be deemed worthy of the kingdom, but the whole is of his gift. Because of this

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παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ, ὥστε ἀεὶ ἐπιδιδόναι, καὶ μηδαμοῦ ἵστασθαι· καὶ μεταφορικῶς, Καρποφοροῦντες, καὶ αὐξανόμενοι ἐν τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα οὕτω δυναμωθῆτε κατὰ τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ δυνατὸν ἦν. ∆ιὰ τοῦ κράτους αὐτοῦ. Πολλὴ ἡ παραμυθία. Οὐκ εἶπε δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ Κράτος, ὅπερ μεῖζόν ἐστι. ∆ιὰ τοῦ κράτους, φησὶ, τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ· ὅτι πανταχοῦ ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ κρατεῖ. Ἤδη παρεμυθήσατο τοὺς ἐν ὀνείδει ὄντας, καὶ πάλιν περιπατῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ Κυρίου. Περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦτό φησι, τὸ πανταχοῦ κρατεῖν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐν γῇ, ὅτι ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ πανταχοῦ βασιλεύει. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς, φησὶ, δυναμοῦσθε, ἀλλ' ὡς εἰκὸς τοὺς οὕτως ἰσχυρῷ ∆εσπότῃ δουλεύοντας. Ἐν τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἅμα καὶ παράπτεται τῶν τῆς γνώσεως λόγων· τοῦτο γὰρ πεπλανῆσθαί ἐστι, τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι, ὡς δεῖ, τὸν Θεόν. Ἢ ὥστε ἐπιδοῦναι, φησὶν, ἐν τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ τὸν Υἱὸν οὐκ εἰδὼς, οὐδὲ τὸν Πατέρα ἐπίσταται, εἰκότως δεῖ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὄφελος βίου ταύτης ἄνευ. Εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν, φησὶ, μετὰ χαρᾶς εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Θεῷ. Εἶτα μέλλων αὐτοὺς παρακαλεῖν, οὐ μέμνηται τῶν μελλόντων αὐτοῖς ἀποκεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν ᾐνίξατο ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ εἰπὼν, ∆ιὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· ἐνταῦθα δὲ τῶν ἤδη ὑπαρξάντων μέμνηται· ταῦτα γὰρ ἐκείνων αἴτια. Καὶ πολλαχοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖ. Τὰ γὰρ ἤδη γεγονότα πλέον πιστοῦται, καὶ μᾶλλον αἱρεῖ τὸν ἀκροατήν. Μετὰ χαρᾶς, φησὶν, εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Θεῷ. Ἡ ἀκολουθία αὕτη ἐστίν· Οὐ παυόμεθα εὐχόμενοι ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς προτέροις. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἑαυτὸν ἐμβιβάζει εἰς τὸν περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ λόγον; Εἰ γὰρ εὐχαρισ 62.312 τοῦμεν μετὰ χαρᾶς πολλῆς, μεγάλα τὰ λεγόμενα. Ἔστι γὰρ εὐχαριστεῖν διὰ φόβον μόνον, ἔστιν εὐχαριστεῖν καὶ ἐν λύπῃ ὄντα, οἷον ὁ Ἰὼβ ηὐχαρίστει μὲν, ὀδυνώμενος δέ· διὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν, Ὁ Κύριος ἔδωκεν, ὁ Κύριος ἀφείλετο. Μὴ γάρ τις λεγέτω, ὅτι οὐκ ἐλύπει αὐτὸν τὰ γενόμενα, οὐδὲ ἀθυμίᾳ περιέβαλλε. Μηδὲ τὸ μέγα ἐγκώμιον ἀφαιρείσθω τοῦ δικαίου. Ὅταν δὲ τοιαῦτα ᾖ, οὐ διὰ τὸν φόβον, οὐδὲ διὰ δεσποτείαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' αὐτὴν τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων φύσιν, Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί. Μέγα ἐφθέγξατο. Τοιαῦτά ἐστι τὰ δεδομένα, φησὶν, ὡς μὴ δοῦναι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰσχυροὺς ποιῆσαι πρὸς τὸ λαβεῖν. Τῷ οὖν εἰπεῖν Τῷ ἱκανώσαντι, πολὺ τὸ βάρος ἔδειξεν. Οἷον ἐάν τις εὐτελὴς καὶ βασιλεὺς γένηται, δυνατὸν αὐτῷ ἐπαρκότητα δοῦναι ᾧ βούλεται· καὶ τοσοῦτον δύναται μόνον, τὸ ἀξίωμα δοῦναι, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ ἐπιτήδειον ποιῆσαι πρὸς τὴν ἀρχήν (πολλάκις δὲ τὸν τοιοῦτον καὶ καταγέλαστον ἡ τιμὴ ποιεῖ)· ἐὰν μέντοι καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα δῷ, καὶ ἐπιτήδειον ποιήσῃ πρὸς τὴν τιμὴν, καὶ ἱκανὸν πρὸς τὴν οἰκονομίαν, τότε τιμὴ τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστι. Τοῦτο οὖν καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησιν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἡμῖν ἔδωκε τὴν τιμὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰσχυροὺς πρὸς τὸ λαβεῖν ἐποίησε. γʹ. ∆ιπλῆ γὰρ αὕτη τιμὴ τὸ καὶ δοῦναι, καὶ ἐπιτηδείους κατασκευάσαι τῆς δωρεᾶς. Οὐκ εἶπε, ∆όντι, ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ', Ἱκανώσαντι εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί· τουτέστι τῷ κατατάξαντι ἡμᾶς μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, κατατάξαντι, ἀλλὰ, καὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαῦσαι παρεσχηκότι. Ἡ γὰρ μερὶς ἐκεῖνό ἐστιν ὅπερ ἕκαστος λαμβάνει. Ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ εἶναι πόλει, καὶ μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαύειν· τὴν δὲ αὐτὴν μερίδα ἔχειν, καὶ μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαύειν, οὐκ ἔστιν. Ἔστιν ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κλήρῳ εἶναι, καὶ μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχειν μερίδα· οἷον ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ πάντες ἐσμὲν, ἀλλ' οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχομεν πάντες μερίδα. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐ τοῦτό φησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν μερίδα μετὰ τοῦ κλήρου. ∆ιὰ τί δὲ κλῆρον καλεῖ; ∆εικνὺς ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἀπὸ κατορθωμάτων οἰκείων βασιλείας τυγχάνει· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ὁ κλῆρος ἐπιτυχίας μᾶλλόν ἐστιν, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ τοιαύτην ἐπιδείκνυται πολιτείαν ὥστε βασιλείας ἀξιωθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ δωρεᾶς ἐστι τὸ πᾶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό