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a life-giving rock, the holy tomb, the source of our resurrection? Or is not the ink and the all-holy book of the gospels matter? Or is not the life-giving table that supplies us with the bread of life matter? Or are not the gold and the silver, from which crosses and plates and bowls are made, matter? Or is not the body and blood of my Lord, before all these things, matter? Either take away the reverence and veneration for all these things, or concede to the ecclesiastical tradition the veneration of images also, which are sanctified in the name of God and God's friends and for this reason are overshadowed by the grace of the divine Spirit. Do not revile matter; for it is not without honor. For nothing that has come from God is without honor; this is the mindset of the Manichaeans. Only that is without honor which did not have its cause from God, but is our own invention by the autonomous deviation and inclination of the will from what is according to nature to what is contrary to nature, that is, sin. If because of the Law you dishonor and forbid images as being constructed from matter, see what the scripture says: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with a divine spirit of wisdom and understanding and knowledge in every work, to devise and to build, and to work gold and silver and bronze, and blue and purple and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, and for stonework in the works and for carpentry in wood, to work in all kinds of work; and I have given him also Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and to every wise-hearted man I have given understanding, and they shall make all that I have commanded you.’” and again, “Moses said to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘You have heard this word which the Lord commanded, saying: “Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Everyone whose heart is willing, let them bring the firstfruits to the Lord: gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple, scarlet double-spun and fine twined linen, and goats’ hair and rams’ skins dyed red and blue-dyed skins and acacia wood and oil for anointing and incense for the composition and sardius stones and stones for engraving and for the ephod and for the breastpiece. And let every wise-hearted person among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded, the tabernacle,”’ and what follows, and after other things, “and he made both the emerald stones clasped and set in gold and engraved with the carving of a seal,” and again, “the stones were from the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, from their names, engraved as seals, each one from its own name, for the twelve tribes,” and again, “and they made the veil of the tabernacle of testimony of blue and purple and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, a work of woven cherubim,” and again, “and they made the mercy seat above the ark of pure gold and the two cherubim.” Behold, matter is honored and, according to you, dishonored. For what is cheaper than goats' hair and colors? And are not scarlet and purple and blue colors? Behold also a likeness of cherubim. How then do you say you forbid because of the Law that which the Law commanded to be made? If you forbid images because of the Law, it is time for you also to keep the Sabbath and to be circumcised; for the Law commands these things uncompromisingly. But know, “that, if you keep the Law, Christ will be of no benefit to you. You who are justified by the Law have fallen away from grace.” The Israel of old did not see God, “but we with unveiled face reflect the glory of the Lord.” And we set forth everywhere in a sensory way the image of the incarnate God the Word, I say, and we sanctify the first of the senses (for sight is the first of the senses) just as we do hearing by words; for the image is a reminder. And what to those who know letters

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πέτρα καὶ ζωηφόρος, ὁ τάφος ὁ ἅγιος, ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ἡμῶν ἀναστάσεως; Ἢ οὐχ ὕλη τὸ μέλαν καὶ ἡ τῶν εὐαγγελίων παναγία βίβλος; Ἢ οὐχ ὕλη ἡ ζωηφόρος τράπεζα ἡ τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῖν τῆς ζωῆς χορηγοῦσα; Ἢ οὐχ ὕλη ὁ χρυσός τε καὶ ὁ ἄργυρος, ἐξ ὧν σταυροὶ καὶ πίνακες καὶ κρατῆρες κατασκευάζονται; Ἢ οὐχ ὕλη πρὸ τούτων ἁπάντων τὸ τοῦ κυρίου μου σῶμα καὶ αἷμα; Ἢ πάντων τούτων ἄνελε τὸ σέβας καὶ τὴν προσκύνησιν ἢ παραχώρει τῇ ἐκκλησιαστικῇ παραδόσει καὶ τὴν τῶν εἰκόνων προσκύνησιν θεοῦ καὶ φίλων θεοῦ ὀνόματι ἁγιαζομένων καὶ διὰ τοῦτο θείου πνεύματος ἐπισκιαζομένων χάριτι. Μὴ κάκιζε τὴν ὕλην· οὐ γὰρ ἄτιμος. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄτιμον, ὃ παρὰ θεοῦ γεγένηται· τῶν Μανιχαίων τοῦτο τὸ φρόνημα. Μόνον δὲ ἄτιμον, ὃ μὴ τὴν αἰτίαν ἔσχεν ἐκ θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ἡμέτερόν ἐστιν εὕρεμα τῇ ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν εἰς τὸ παρὰ φύσιν αὐτεξουσίῳ ἐκκλίσει τε καὶ ῥοπῇ τοῦ θελήματος, τουτέστιν ἡ ἁμαρτία. Εἰ διὰ τὸν νόμον τὰς εἰκόνας ἀτιμάζεις καὶ ἀπαγορεύεις ὡς ἐξ ὕλης κατ εσκευασμένας, ὅρα, τί φησιν ἡ γραφή· «Καὶ ἐλάλησε κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν λέγων· Ἰδοὺ ἀνακέκληκα τὸ ὄνομα Βεσελεὴλ τὸν τοῦ Ὀρεὶ τὸν τοῦ Ὣρ ἐκ φυλῆς Ἰούδα. Καὶ ἐνέπλησα αὐτὸν πνεῦμα θεῖον σοφίας καὶ συνέσεως καὶ ἐπιστήμης ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ διανοεῖσθαι καὶ ἀρχιτεκτονεῖν καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ τὸν χαλκὸν καὶ τὴν ὑάκινθον καὶ τὴν πορφύραν καὶ τὸ κόκκινον νηστὸν καὶ τὴν βύσσον τὴν κεκλωσμένην καὶ τὰ λιθουργικὰ εἰς τὰ ἔργα καὶ τεκτονικῆς εἰς τὰ ξύλα, ἐργάζεσθαι κατὰ πάντα τὰ ἔργα· καὶ ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτὸν καὶ τὸν Ἐλιὰβ τὸν τοῦ Ἀχισαμὰχ ἐκ φυλῆς ∆άν· καὶ παντὶ συνετῷ καρδίᾳ ἐγὼ δέδωκα σύνεσιν, καὶ ποιήσουσι πάντα, ὅσα σοι συνέταξα.» καὶ πάλιν «εἶπε Μωσῆς πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ· Ἠκούσατε τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα, ὃ συνέταξε κύριος λέγων· Λάβετε παρ' ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἀφαίρεμα τῷ κυρίῳ. Πᾶς καταδεχόμενος τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ οἴσουσι τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῷ κυρίῳ, χρυσίον, ἀργύριον, χαλκόν, ὑάκινθον, πορφύραν, κόκκινον διπλοῦν διανενησμένον καὶ βύσσον κεκλωσμένην καὶ τρίχας αἰγείας καὶ δέρματα κριῶν ἠρυθροδανωμένα καὶ δέρματα ὑακίνθινα καὶ ξύλα ἄσηπτα καὶ ἔλαιον τῆς χρίσεως καὶ τὸ θυμίαμα τῆς συνθέσεως καὶ λίθους σαρδίους καὶ λίθους εἰς τὴν γλυφὴν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐπωμίδα καὶ τὸν ποδήρη. Καὶ πᾶς σοφὸς καρδίᾳ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐλθὼν ἐργαζέσθω πάντα, ὅσα συνέταξε κύριος, τὴν σκηνήν», καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα «καὶ ἐποίησεν ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς λίθους τῆς σμαράγδου συμπεπορπημένους καὶ περισεσιαλωμένους χρυσίῳ καὶ γεγλυμμένους ἐκκόλαμμα σφραγῖδος», καὶ πάλιν «οἱ λίθοι ἦσαν ἐξ ὀνομάτων τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ δώδεκα ἐκ τῶν ὀνομάτων αὐτῶν ἐγγεγλυμμέναι σφραγῖδες, ἕκαστος ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ὀνόματος εἰς τὰς δώδεκα φυλάς», καὶ αὖθις «καὶ ἐποίησαν τὸ καταπέτασμα τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἐξ ὑακίνθου καὶ πορφύρας καὶ κοκκίνου νενησμένου καὶ βύσσου κεκλωσμένης, ἔργον ὑφαντὸν χερουβίμ», καὶ πάλιν «καὶ ἐποίησαν τὸ ἱλαστήριον ἄνωθεν τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἐκ χρυσίου καθαροῦ καὶ τοὺς δύο χερουβίμ.» Ἰδοὺ δὴ ὕλη τιμία καὶ καθ' ὑμᾶς ἄτιμος. Τί γὰρ τριχῶν αἰγείων εὐτελέστερον καὶ χρωμάτων; Καὶ οὐ χρώματα τὸ κόκκινον καὶ ἡ πορφύρα καὶ ἡ ὑάκινθος; Ἰδοὺ δὴ καὶ ὁμοίωμα χερουβίμ. Πῶς οὖν διὰ τὸν νόμον ἀπαγορεύειν φής, ὃ ποιεῖν ὁ νόμος προσέταξεν; Εἰ διὰ τὸν νόμον τὰς εἰκόνας ἀπαγορεύεις, ὥρα σοι καὶ σαββατίζειν καὶ περιτέμνεσθαι· ταῦτα γὰρ ἀπαραχωρήτως ὁ νόμος κελεύει. Ἀλλ' ἴστε, «ὡς, ἐὰν τὸν νόμον τηρῆτε, Χριστὸς ὑμᾶς οὐδὲν ὠφελήσει. Οἵτινες ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦσθε, τῆς χάριτος ἐξεπέσετε.» Οὐχ ἑώρα θεὸν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ὁ πάλαι, «ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν κυρίου κατοπτριζόμεθα.» Καὶ αἰσθητῶς τὸν αὐτοῦ χαρακτῆρα τοῦ σαρκωθέντος φημὶ θεοῦ λόγου προτίθεμεν ἁπανταχῆ καὶ τὴν πρώτην ἁγιαζόμεθα τῶν αἰσθήσεων (πρώτη γὰρ αἰσθήσεων ὅρασις) ὥσπερ καὶ τοῖς λόγοις τὴν ἀκοήν· ὑπόμνημα γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰκών. Καὶ ὅπερ τοῖς γράμματα