Homily X.

2 Cor. v. 1

For we know, that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.

Again he arouses their zeal because many trials drew on296    ἐπάγεσθαι.. For it was likely that they, in consequence of his absence, were weaker in respect to this [need]. What then saith he? One ought not to wonder that we suffer affliction; nor to be confounded, for we even reap many gains thereby. And some of these he mentioned before; for instance, that we “bear about the dying of Jesus,” and present the greatest proof of His power: for he says, “that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God:” and we exhibit a clear proof of the Resurrection, for, says he, “that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” But since along with these things he said that our inward man is thus made better also; for “though our outward man is decaying,” saith he, “yet the inward man is renewed day by day;” showing again that this being scourged and persecuted is proportionately useful, he adds, that when this is done thoroughly, then the countless good things will spring up for those who have endured these things. For lest when thou hearest that thy outward man perishes, thou shouldest grieve; he says, that when this is completely effected, then most of all shalt thou rejoice and shalt come unto a better inheritance297    λῆξιν.. So that not only ought not one to grieve at its perishing now in part, but even earnestly to seek for the completion of that destruction, for this most conducts thee to immortality. Wherefore also he added, “For we know, that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved: we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” For since he is urging298    γυμνάζει. again the doctrine of the Resurrection in respect to which they were particularly unsound; he calls in aid the judgment of his hearers also, and so establishes it; not however in the same way as before, but, as it were, arriving at it out of another subject: (for they had been already corrected:)  and says, “We know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Some indeed say that the ‘earthly house’ is this world; But I should maintain that he alludes rather to the body.299    [In this view that the building from God is the resurrection body, Chrysostom has the support of nearly all the recent expositors—Hodge indeed contends stoutly and ably that the house not made with hands is heaven itself, yet not with success. For if the earthly house is a body, the heavenly house must be one also, else the comparison fails much in force and point; moreover, a body which is said to be now in heaven and afterwards to come from heaven can hardly be identical with heaven. C.]  But observe, I pray, how by the terms [he uses,] he shows the superiority of the future things to the present. For having said “earthly” he hath opposed to it “the heavenly;” having said, “house of tabernacle,” thereby declaring both that it is easily taken to pieces and is temporary, he hath opposed to it the “eternal,” for the name “tabernacle” often times denotes temporariness. Wherefore He saith, “In My Father’s house are many abiding places.” (John xiv. 2.) But if He anywhere also calls the resting places of the saints tabernacles; He calls them not tabernacles simply, but adds an epithet; for he said not, that “they may receive you” into their tabernacles, but “into the eternal tabernacles.” (Luke xvi. 9.) Moreover also in that he said, “not made with hands,” he alluded to that which was made with hands. What then? Is the body made with hands?  By no means; but he either alludes to the houses here that are made with hands, or if not this, then he called the body which is not made with hands, ’a house of tabernacle.’ For he has not used the term in antithesis and contradistinction300    πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολήν ἀντέθηκεν. to this, but to heighten those eulogies and swell those commendations.

[2.] Ver. 2. “For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven.”

What habitation? tell me. The incorruptible body. And why do we groan now? Because that is far better. And “from heaven” he calls it because of its incorruptibleness. For it is not surely that a body will come down to us from above: but by this expression he signifies the grace which is sent from thence. So far then ought we to be from grieving at these trials which are in part that we ought to seek even for their fulness301    το καθολικὸν., as if he had said: Groanest thou, that thou art persecuted, that this thy man is decaying? Groan that this is not done unto excess and that it perishes not entirely. Seest thou how he hath turned round what was said unto the contrary; having proved that they ought to groan that those things were not done fully; for which because they were done partially; they groaned. Therefore he henceforth calls it not a tabernacle, but a house, and with great reason. For a tabernacle indeed is easily taken to pieces; but a house abideth continually.

Ver. 3. “If so be that being unclothed302    ἐκδυσάμενοι. This doubtless was what St. Chrysostom wrote, as appears from what follows; but the mss. all agree in reading ἐνδυσάμενοι, as the Rec. text of the N.T. reads in the Epistle. we shall not be found naked.”

That is, even if we have put off the body, we shall not be presented there without a body, but even with the same one made incorruptible. But some read, and it deserves very much to be adopted, “If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.” For lest all should be confident because of the Resurrection, he says, “If so be that being clothed,” that is, having obtained incorruption and an incorruptible body, “we shall not be found naked” of glory and safety. As he also said in the former Epistle; “We shall all be raised; but each in his own order.” And, “There are celestial bodies, and bodies terrestial.” (1 Cor. xv. 22, 23.) (ib. 40.) For the Resurrection indeed is common to all, but the glory is not common; but some shall rise in honor and others in dishonor, and some to a kingdom but others to punishment. This surely he signified here also, when he said; “If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.”

[3.] Ver. 4. “For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan303    “Being burdened,” Rec. text, which St. Chrysostom omits., not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon.” Here again he hath utterly and manifestly stopped the mouths of the heretics, showing that he is not speaking absolutely of a body differing in identity304    ἅλλου και ἅλλου., but of corruption and incorruption: ‘For we do not therefore groan,’ saith he, ‘that we may be delivered from the body: for of this we do not wish to be unclothed; but we hasten to be delivered from the corruption that is in it.’ Wherefore he saith, ‘we wish not to be unclothed of the body, but that it should be clothed upon with incorruption.’ Then he also interprets it [thus,] “That what is mortal may be swallowed up of life.” For since putting off the body appeared to many a grievous thing; and he was contradicting the judgments of all, when he said, “we groan,” not wishing to be set free from it; (‘for if,’ says one, ‘the soul in being separated from it so suffers and laments, how sayest thou that we groan because we are not separated from it?’) lest then this should be urged against him, he says, ‘Neither do I assert that we therefore groan, that we may put it off; (for no one putteth it off without pain, seeing that Christ says even of Peter, ‘They shall “carry thee,” and lead thee “whither thou wouldest not;”—John xxi. 18.) but that we may have it clothed upon with incorruption.’ For it is in this respect that we are burdened by the body; not because it is a body, but because we are encompassed with a corruptible body and liable to suffering305    παθητὸν., for it is this that also causes us pain. But the life when it arriveth destroyeth and useth up the corruption; the corruption, I say, not the body. ‘And how cometh this to pass?’ saith one. Inquire not; God doeth it; be not too curious. Wherefore also he added,

Ver. 5. “Now he that hath wrought us for this very thing is God.”

Hereby he shows that these things were prefigured from the first. For not now was this decreed: but when at the first He fashioned us from earth and created Adam; for not for this created He him, that he should die, but that He might make him even immortal. Then as showing the credibility of this and furnishing the proof of it, he added,

“Who also gave the earnest of the Spirit.” For even then He fashioned us for this; and now He hath wrought unto this by baptism, and hath furnished us with no light security thereof, the Holy Spirit. And he continually calls It an earnest, wishing to prove God to be a debtor of the306    ὁφειλέτην τοῦ παντὸς. whole, and thereby also to make what he says more credible unto the grosser sort.307    [The argument of these verses is thus presented by Beet, in lo. “By Christians now death is looked upon without terrible recoil, as being the only entrance into Life. We bow to the inevitable. But in the early Christians the possibility of surviving the coming of Christ woke up with new intensity man’s natural love of life, and made death seem very dark.  They therefore longed eagerly for Christ’s return, hoping thus to clothe themselves with immortal raiment without laying aside their mortal bodies. This yearning for an immortal body, Paul felt to be divinely implanted, and therefore not doomed to disappointment. But the possibility of death was to Paul too real to be ignored. Therefore, in view of it, his yearning for an immortal body assured him that if his present body be removed by death a heavenly body awaits him. For otherwise, he will stand before Christ as a naked spirit, in utter contradiction to yearnings which he felt to be divine and of whose realization he had a divine pledge. In other words his instinctive clinging to his present body was to him a divine intimation that when Christ comes we shall not be naked spirits, but spirits clothed in bodies; and was therefore a proof that if our present body be removed by death a heavenly and eternal body awaits us. Thus a purely human instinct, not weakened but intensified by Christianity, and sanctified by the felt presence of the Holy Spirit, is seen to be a prophecy of God’s purpose concerning us. Similar argument in Romans viii. 23.” C]

[4.] Ver. 6. “Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing.”

The word “of good courage” is used with reference to the persecutions, the plottings, and the continual deaths: as if he had said, ‘Doth any vex and persecute and slay thee? Be not cast down, for thy good all is done. Be not afraid: but of good courage. For that which thou groanest and grievest for, that thou art in bondage to corruption, he removes from henceforward out of the way, and frees thee the sooner from this bondage.’ Wherefore also he saith, “Being therefore always of good courage,” not in the seasons of rest only, but also in those of tribulation; “and knowing,”

Ver. 7, 8. “That whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight); we are of good courage, I say, and are willing to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.”

That which is greater than all he has put last, for to be with Christ is better, than receiving an incorruptible [body.] But what he means is this: ‘He quencheth not our life that warreth against and killeth us; be not afraid; be of good courage even when hewn in pieces. For not only doth he set thee free from corruption and a burden, but he also sendeth thee quickly to the Lord.’ Wherefore neither did he say, “whilst we ‘are’ in the body:” as of those who are in a foreign and strange land. “Knowing therefore that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: we are of good courage, I say, and willing to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.” Seest thou how keeping back what was painful, the names of death and the end, he has employed instead of them such as excite great longing308    τά σφόδρα ποθεινά., calling them presence with God; and passing over those things which are accounted to be sweet, the things of life, he hath expressed them by painful names, calling the life here an absence from the Lord? Now this he did, both that no one might fondly linger amongst present things, but rather be aweary of them; and that none when about to die might be disquieted309    ἀλύῃ., but might even rejoice as departing unto greater goods. Then that none might say on hearing that we are absent from the Lord, ‘Why speakest thou thus? Are we then estranged from Him whilst we are here?’ he in anticipation corrected310    προδιώρθωσε. such a thought, saying, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Even here indeed we know Him, but not so clearly. As he says also elsewhere, (1 Cor. xiii. 12.) “in a mirror,” and “darkly.”

“We are of good courage, I say, and willing.” Wonderful! to what hath he brought round the discourse? To an extreme desire of death, having shown the grievous to be pleasurable, and the pleasurable grievous. For by the term, “we are willing” he means, ‘we are desirous.’ Of what are we desirous? Of being “absent from the body, and at home with the Lord.” And thus he does perpetually, (as I showed also before) turning round the objection of his opponents unto the very contrary.

Ver. 9. “Wherefore also we make it our aim whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing unto him.”

‘For what we seek for is this,’ saith he, ‘whether we be there or here, to live according to His will; for this is the principal thing. So that by this thou hast the kingdom already in possession without a probation.’ For lest when they had arrived at so great a desire of being there, they should again be disquieted at its being so long first, in this he gives them already the chief311    τὸ κεφὰλαιον. of those good things. And what is this? To be well “pleasing.” For as to depart is not absolutely good, but to do so in [God’s] favor, which is what makes departing also become a good; so to remain here is not absolutely grievous, but to remain offending Him. Deem not then that departure from the body is enough; for virtue is always necessary. For as when he spoke of a Resurrection, he allowed [them] not by it alone to be of good courage, saying, “If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked;” so also having showed a departure, lest thou shouldest think that this is enough to save thee, he added that it is needful that we be well pleasing.

[5.] Seeing then he has persuaded them by many good things, henceforth he alarms them also by those of gloomier aspect312    σκυθρωποτέρων.. For our interest consists both in the attainment of the good things and the avoidance of the evil things, in other words, hell and the kingdom. But since this, the avoiding of punishment, is the more forcible motive; for where penalty reaches only to the not receiving good things, the most will bear this contentedly; but if it also extend to the suffering of evil, do so no longer: (for they ought, indeed, to consider the former intolerable, but from the weakness and grovelling nature of the many, the latter appears to them more hard to bear:)  since then (I say) the giving of the good things doth not so arouse the general hearer as the threat of the punishments, he is obliged to conclude with this, saying,

Ver. 10. “For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat.”

Then having alarmed and shaken313    κατασείσας. the hearer by the mention of that judgment-seat, he hath not even here set down the woful without the good things, but hath mingled something of pleasure, saying,

“That each one may receive the things done in the body,” as many314    So Chrysostom here, but below with the Received text, “according to that,” &c. as “he hath done, whether” it be “good or bad.”

By saying these words, he both reviveth315    ἀνιστᾷ. those who have done virtuously and are persecuted with those hopes, and maketh those who have fallen back more earnest by that fear. And he thus confirmed his words touching the resurrection of the body. ‘For surely,’ sayeth he, ‘that which hath ministered to the one and to the other shall not stand excluded from the recompenses: but along with the soul shall in the one case be punished, in the other crowned.’ But some of the heretics say, that it is another body that is raised. How so? tell me. Did one sin, and is another punished? Did one do virtuously, and is another crowned? And what will ye answer to Paul, saying, “We would not be unclothed, but clothed upon?” And how is that which is mortal “swallowed up of life?” For he said not, that the mortal or corruptible body should be swallowed up of the incorruptible body; but that corruption [should be swallowed up] “of life.” For then this happeneth when the same body is raised; but if, giving up that body, He should prepare another, no longer is corruption swallowed up but continueth dominant. Therefore this is not so; but “this corruptible,” that is to say the body, “must put on incorruption.” For the body is in a middle state316    μέσον., being at present in this and hereafter to be in that; and for this reason in this first, because it is impossible for the incorruption to be dissolved. “For neither doth corruption inherit incorruption,” saith he, (for, how is it [then] incorruption?) but on the contrary, “corruption is swallowed up of life:” for this indeed survives the other, but not the other this. For as wax is melted by fire but itself doth not melt the fire: so also doth corruption melt and vanish away under incorruption, but is never able itself to get the better of incorruption.

[6.] Let us then hear the voice of Paul, saying, that “we must stand at the judgment-seat of Christ;” and let us picture to ourselves that court of justice, and imagine it to be present now and the reckoning to be required317    εὐθύνας ἀπαιτεῖσθαι.. For I will speak of it more at large. For Paul, seeing that he was discoursing on affliction, and he had no mind to afflict them again, did not dwell on the subject; but having in brief expressed its austerity318    τὸ στῦφον., “Each one shall receive according to what he hath done,” he quickly passed on. Let us then imagine it to be present now, and reckon each one of us with his own conscience, and account the Judge to be already present, and everything to be revealed and brought forth. For we must not merely stand, but also be manifested. Do ye not blush?  Are ye not astonied? But if now, when the reality is not yet present, but is granted in supposition merely and imaged in thought; if now [I say] we perish conscience-struck; what shall we do when [it] shall arrive, when the whole world shall be present, when angels and archangels, when ranks upon ranks, and all hurrying at once, and some caught up319    ἁρπαγαι. on the clouds, and an array full of trembling; when there shall be the trumpets, one upon another, [when] those unceasing voices?

For suppose there were no hell, yet in the midst of so great brightness to be rejected and to go away dishonored;—how great the punishment!  For if even now, when the Emperor rideth in and his train with him, we contemplating each one of us our own poverty, derive not so much pleasure from the spectacle, as we endure dejection at having no share in what is going on about the Emperor, nor being near the Sovereign; what will it be then? Or thinkest thou it is a light punishment, not to be ranked in that company, not to be counted worthy of that unutterable glory, from that assemblage and those untold good things, to be cast forth some-wither far and distant? But when there is also darkness, and gnashing of teeth, and chains indissoluble, and an undying worm, and fire unquenchable, and affliction, and straitness, and tongues scorching like the rich man’s; and we wail, and none heareth; and we groan and gnash our teeth for anguish, and none regardeth; and we look all round, and no where is there any to comfort us; where shall we rank those that are in this condition? what is there more miserable than are those souls? what more pitiable? For if, when we enter a prison and see its inmates, some squalid, some chained and famishing, some again shut up in darkness, we are moved with compassion, we shudder, we use all diligence that we may never be cast into that place; how will it be with us, when we are led and dragged away into the torture-dungeons320    βασανιστηρία. themselves of hell? For not of iron are those chains, but of fire that is never quenched; nor are they that are set over us our fellows whom it is often possible even to mollify; but angels whom one may not so much as look in the face, exceedingly enraged at our insults to their Master. Nor is it given, as here, to see some bringing in money, some food, some words of comfort, and to meet with consolation; but all is irremissible there: and though it should be Noah, or Job, or Daniel, and he should see his own kindred punished, he dares not succor. For even natural sympathy too comes then to be done away. For since it happeneth that there are righteous fathers of wicked children, and [righteous] children of [wicked] fathers; that so their pleasure may be unalloyed, and those who enjoy the good things may not be moved with sorrow through the constraining force of sympathy, even this sympathy, I affirm, is extinguished, and themselves are indignant together with the Master against their own bowels. For if the common run of men, when they see their own children vicious, disown321    αποκηρύττουσιν. and cut them off from that relationship; much rather will the righteous then. Therefore let no one hope for good things, if he have not wrought any good thing, even though he have ten thousand righteous ancestors. “For each one shall receive the things done in the body according to what he hath done.” Here he seems to me to be alluding also to them that commit fornication: and to raise up as a wall322    ἐπιτειχίζων. unto them the fear of that world, not however to them alone; but also to all that in any wise transgress.

[7.] Let us hear then, us also. And if thou have the fire of lust, set against it that other fire, and this will presently be quenched and gone. And if thou purposest to utter some harsh sounding323    ἀπηχὲς. [speech], think of the gnashing of teeth, and the fear will be a bridle to thee. And if thou purposest to plunder, hear the Judge commanding, and saying, “Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness,” (Matt. xxii. 13.) and thou wilt cast out this lust also. And if thou art drunken, and surfeitest continually, hear the rich man saying, ‘Send Lazarus, that with the tip of his finger he may cool this scorching tongue;’ (Luke xvi. 24.) yet not obtaining this; and thou wilt hold thyself aloof from that distemper324    πάθους.. But if thou lovest luxury, think of the affliction and the straitness there, and thou wilt not think at all of this. If again thou art harsh and cruel, bethink thee of those virgins who when their lamps had gone out missed so of the bridal chamber, and thou wilt quickly become humane. Or sluggish art thou, and remiss? Consider him that hid the talent, and thou wilt be more vehement than fire. Or doth desire of thy neighbor’s substance devour thee? Think of the worm that dieth not, and thou wilt easily both put away from thee this disease, and in all other things wilt do virtuously. For He hath enjoined nothing irksome or oppressive. Whence then do His injunctions appear irksome to us? From our own slothfulness. For as if we labor diligently, even what appears intolerable will be light and easy; so if we are slothful, even things tolerable will seem to us difficult.325    [Chrysostom appears distinctly to accept the common faith of the church that the things done in the body (literally, “through the body,” as the channel by which purposes pass into actions) furnish the basis upon which the last assize proceeds. He makes no reference to any post mortem probation, but (on pages 331, 332) asserts the contrary, “Here the opportunities of salvation exist, but there are found no longer.” Nor is his view of the retributions of the judgment inconsistent with his repeated assertions of salvation as wholly gratuitous. Entrance into eternal life is God’s free gift to all who believe. But the degree of glory will be measured by the faithfulness of service, just as the degree of the punishment of the lost will be by the number and aggravation of their sins. Hence it follows that although the salvation of any is due to God’s undeserved favor, still each one that stands at the bar will receive an exact recompense for his entire conduct in the days of his flesh. “A remembrance of this exact recompense,” it has well been said, “will make us comparatively indifferent about life or death, and emulous so to act as to please our Judge.” C.]

Considering then all these things, let us think not of the luxurious, but what is their end; here indeed filth and obesity, there the worm and fire: not of the rapacious, but what is their end; cares here, and fears, and anxieties; there chains indissoluble: not of the lovers of glory, but what these things bring forth; here slavery and dissemblings, and there both loss intolerable and perpetual burnings. For if we thus discourse with ourselves, and if with these and such like things we charm perpetually our evil lusts, quickly shall we both cast out the love of the present things, and kindle that of the things to come. Let us therefore kindle it and make it blaze. For if the conception of them, although a faint sort of one, affords so great pleasure; think how great the gladness, the manifest experience itself shall bring us. Blessed, and thrice blessed, yea, thrice blessed many times, are they who enjoy those good things; just as, consequently, pitiable and thrice wretched are they Who endure the opposite of these. That then we may be not of these but those, let us choose virtue. For so shall we attain unto the good things to come as well; which may all we attain, through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ; by Whom, and with Whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ιʹ. Οἴδαμεν γὰρ, ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ ἐπίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σκήνους καταλυθῇ, οἰκοδομὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἔχο μεν, οἰκείαν ἀχειροποίητον, αἰώνιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. αʹ. Πάλιν τὴν προθυμίαν αὐτῶν διεγείρει διὰ τὸ πολλοὺς ἐπάγεσθαι πειρασμούς. Καὶ γὰρ εἰκὸς αὐτοὺς διὰ τὴν ἀπουσίαν τὴν αὐτοῦ, πρὸς τοῦτο ἀσθενεστέρους γεγενῆσθαι. Τί οὖν φησιν; Οὐ δεῖ θαυμάζειν, ὅτι κακῶς πάσχομεν, οὐδὲ θορυβεῖσθαι: καὶ γὰρ πολλὰ κέρδη ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμεθα. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἔμπροσθεν εἶπεν, οἷον, ὅτι καὶ νέκρωσιν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ περιφέρομεν, καὶ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ ἀπόδειξιν παρεχόμεθα μεγίστην. Ἵνα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ Θεοῦ: καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τεκμήριον ἐκφέρομεν σαφές: Ἵνα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ θνητῇ σαρκὶ ἡμῶν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μετὰ τούτων εἶπεν, ὅτι καὶ ὁ ἔσω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος βελτίων γίνεται οὕτως. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος διαφθείρεται, φησὶν, ἀλλ' ὁ ἔσω ἀνακαινοῦται ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ: δεικνὺς πάλιν, ὅτι τοσούτῳ χρήσιμον τοῦτο τὸ μαστίζεσθαι καὶ ἐλαύνεσθαι, ἐπάγει λέγων, ὅτι ὅταν ὁλοσχερῶς τοῦτο γένηται, τότε τὰ μυρία ἀγαθὰ ἀναβλαστήσει τοῖς ταῦτα ὑπομεμενηκόσιν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἀκούων, ὅτι φθείρεται ὁ ἄνθρωπός σου ὁ ἔξω, ἀλγῇς, λέγει ὅτι, ὅταν παντελῶς τοῦτο γένηται, τότε μάλιστα χαρήσῃ, καὶ ἥξεις ἐπὶ βελτίονα λῆξιν. Ὥστε οὐ μόνον ἀλγεῖν οὐ δεῖ, ἐκ μέρους αὐτοῦ φθειρομένου νῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὅλον τῆς φθορᾶς ταύτης ἐπιζητεῖν: αὕτη γάρ σε μάλιστα εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ἄγει: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν, Οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι, ἐὰν ἡ ἐπίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σκήνους καταλυθῇ, οἰκοδομὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἔχομεν, οἰκίαν ἀχειροποίητον, αἰώνιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸν περὶ ἀναστάσεως γυμνάζει λόγον πάλιν, εἰς ἣν μάλιστα ἐνόσουν, προσλαμβάνει καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀκουόντων κρίσιν, καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸν κατασκευάζει: ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοίως ὡς ἔμπροσθεν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποθέσεως εἰς τοῦτο ἐλθών: καὶ γὰρ ἦσαν διορθωθέντες ἤδη: καί φησιν, Οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ ἐπίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σκήνους καταλυθῇ, ὅτι οἰκοδομὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἔχομεν, οἰκίαν ἀχειροποίητον, αἰώνιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Τινὲς μὲν τὴν οἰκίαν τὴν ἐπίγειον τὸν κόσμον τοῦτόν φασιν: ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ σῶμα μᾶλλον ἂν φαίην αὐτὸν αἰνίττεσθαι. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει, πῶς διὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων δείκνυσι τὴν ὑπεροχὴν τῶν μελλόντων πρὸς τὰ παρόντα. Εἰπὼν γὰρ ἐπίγειον, ἀντέθηκε τὴν οὐρανίαν: εἰπὼν οἰκίαν σκήνους, καὶ τὸ εὐδιάλυτον καὶ πρόσκαιρον δείξας ἐντεῦθεν, ἀντέθηκε τὴν αἰωνίαν: τὸ γὰρ τῆς σκηνῆς ὄνομα, τὸ πρόσκαιρον πολλάκις δείκνυσι. Διό φησιν, Ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Πατρός μου μοναὶ πολλαί εἰσιν. Εἰ δέ που καὶ σκηνὰς καλοίη τῶν ἁγίων τὰς ἀναπαύσεις, οὐχ ἁπλῶς σκηνὰς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ προσθήκης: οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἵνα δέξωνται εἰς τὰς σκηνὰς αὐτῶν, ἀλλ', Εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους σκηνάς. Εἰπὼν δὲ καὶ Ἀχειροποίητον, ᾐνίξατο τὴν χειροποίητον. Τί οὖν; τὸ σῶμα χειροποίητον; Οὐδαμῶς: ἀλλ' ἢ τὰς οἰκίας ἐνταῦθα αἰνίττεται τὰς χειροποιήτους: ἢ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, ἀλλ' οἰκίαν σκήνους τὸ σῶμα ἐκάλεσε τὸ ἀχειροποίητον. Οὐ γὰρ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τούτου ἀντέθηκεν, ἀλλ' αὔξων τὰ ἐγκώμια, καὶ προστιθεὶς τοὺς ἐπαίνους. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ στενάζομεν, τὸ οἰκητήριον ἡμῶν τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπενδύσασθαι ἐπιποθοῦντες. Ποῖον οἰκητήριον; εἰπέ μοι. Τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἄφθαρτον. Καὶ διὰ τί στενάζομεν νῦν; Ἐπειδὴ πολλῷ βέλτιον ἐκεῖνο. Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ δὲ αὐτό φησι διὰ τὸ ἄφθαρτον. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἄνωθεν ἡμῖν κάτεισι σῶμα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν πεμπομένην χάριν δηλοῖ τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ. Τοσοῦτον οὖν οὐ δεῖ ἀλγεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς κατὰ μέρος πειρασμοῖς, ὅτι καὶ τὸ καθολικὸν δεῖ ζητεῖν: ὡσανεὶ ἔλεγε, Στένεις ὅτι διώκῃ, ὅτι φθείρεταί σου ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἔξω; στέναξον ὅτι οὐ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς τοῦτο γίνεται, μηδὲ ὁλοκλήρως φθείρεται. Εἶδες πῶς εἰς τοὐναντίον περιέτρεψε τὸν λόγον, ἀποδείξας, ὅτι ὑπὲρ τούτων δεῖ στενάζειν μὴ γινομένων ὁλοκλήρως, ὑπὲρ ὧν μερικῶς γινομένων ἐστέναζον; Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ σκῆνος αὐτὸ καλεῖ λοιπὸν, ἀλλ' οἰκητήριον: καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ σκηνὴ καταλύεται ῥᾳδίως, ἐκεῖνο δὲ μένει διηνεκῶς. Εἴ γε καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι, οὐ γυμνοὶ εὑρεθησόμεθα. Τουτέστι, κἂν ἀποθώμεθα τὸ σῶμα, οὐ χωρὶς σώματος, ἐκεῖ παραστησόμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀφθάρτου γενομένου. Τινὲς δέ φασιν, ὃ καὶ μάλιστα ἐγκριτέον: Εἴπερ καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι, οὐ γυμνοὶ εὑρεθησόμεθα. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως πάντες θαῤῥῶσι, φησίν: Εἴ γε καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι: τουτέστιν, ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ σῶμα ἄφθαρτον λαβόντες: οὐ γυμνοὶ εὑρεθησόμεθα, δόξης καὶ ἀσφαλείας. Ὃ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης πρὸς Κορινθίους ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Πάντες μὲν ἀναστησόμεθα, ἕκαστος δὲ ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ τάγματι: καὶ, Ἔστι σώματα ἐπουράνια, καὶ σώματα ἐπίγεια. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀνάστασις κοινὴ πάντων, ἡ δὲ δόξα οὐκέτι κοινὴ, ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν ἐν τιμῇ, οἱ δὲ ἐν ἀτιμίᾳ, καὶ οἱ μὲν εἰς βασιλείαν, οἱ δὲ εἰς κόλασιν ἀναστήσονται. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐδήλωσεν εἰπὼν, Εἴ γε ἐνδυσάμενοι, οὐ γυμνοὶ εὑρεθησόμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ὄντες ἐν τῷ σκήνει τούτῳ, στενάζομεν, ἐφ' ᾧ οὐ θέλομεν ἐκδύσασθαι, ἀλλ' ἐπενδύσασθαι. βʹ. Ἐνταῦθα πάλιν ὁλοσχερῶς καὶ σαφῶς ἀπέφραξε τὰ στόματα τῶν αἱρετικῶν, δείξας ὅτι οὐ περὶ σώματος ἁπλῶς διαλέγεται ἄλλου καὶ ἄλλου, ἀλλὰ περὶ φθορᾶς καὶ ἀφθαρσίας. Οὐ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο στενάζομεν, φησὶν, ἵνα τοῦ σώματος ἀπαλλαγῶμεν (τοῦτο γὰρ οὐδὲ ἐκδύσασθαι βουλόμεθα), ἀλλὰ τῆς φθορᾶς τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ σπεύδομεν ἐλευθερωθῆναι. Διό φησιν, Οὐ θέλομεν ἐκδύσασθαι τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλ' ἐπενδύσασθαι αὐτῷ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν. Εἶτα καὶ ἑρμηνεύει αὐτό: Ἵνα καταποθῇ τὸ φθαρτὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοῖς φορτικὸν εἶναι ἐδόκει τὸ ἀποθέσθαι τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ταῖς ψήφοις ταῖς ἁπάντων ἠναντιοῦτο λέγων, ὅτι Στενάζομεν, οὐ βουλόμενοι αὐτοῦ ἀπαλλαγῆναι; (εἰ γὰρ τοιαῦτα πάσχει, καὶ ὀδύρεται αὐτοῦ ἡ ψυχὴ χωριζομένη, πῶς σὺ λέγεις, φησὶν, ὅτι στενάζομεν, ἐπειδὴ οὐ χωριζόμεθα αὐτοῦ;) ἵν' οὖν μὴ ταῦτα αὐτῷ ἀνθυποφέρηται, οὐδὲ ἐγὼ τοῦτο λέγω, φησὶν, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο στενάζομεν, ἵνα αὐτὸ ἀποθώμεθα (οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀλύπως αὐτὸ ἀποτίθεται: ὅπου γε καὶ περὶ Πέτρου φησὶν ὁ Χριστὸς, ὅτι Οἴσουσί σε, καὶ ἄξουσιν ὅπου οὐ θέλεις), ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐπενδυσώμεθα αὐτῷ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ᾧ τὸ σῶμα βαρυνόμεθα: οὐχ ὅτι σῶμα, ἀλλ' ὅτι φθαρτὸν περικείμεθα σῶμα καὶ παθητόν: τοῦτο γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν λύπην παρέχει: ἀλλὰ ἀναλίσκει καὶ δαπανᾷ τὴν φθορὰν ἡ ζωὴ παραγινομένη, τὴν φθορὰν, οὐ τὸ σῶμα. Καὶ πῶς γίνεται τοῦτο; φησί. Μὴ ζήτει, ὁ Θεὸς ποιεῖ: μὴ περιεργάζου. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν, Ὁ δὲ κατεργασάμενος ἡμᾶς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, Θεός. Ἐντεῦθεν δείκνυσι ταῦτα ἄνωθεν προτυπωθέντα. Οὐ γὰρ νῦν τοῦτο ἔδοξεν, ἀλλ' ὅτε ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔπλαττεν ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ γῆς, καὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἐδημιούργει: οὐκ εἰς τοῦτο δὲ ἐδημιούργει, ἵνα ἀποθάνῃ, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ ἀθάνατον ἐργάσηται. Εἶτα τὸ ἀξιόπιστον δεικνὺς, καὶ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν παρέχων, ἐπήγαγεν, Ὁ καὶ δοὺς τὸν ἀῤῥαβῶνα τοῦ Πνεύματος. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τότε ἐπὶ τούτῳ διέπλασε, καὶ νῦν εἰς τοῦτο κατειργάσατο διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, καὶ τούτου παρέσχεν ἡμῖν ἐνέχυρον οὐ μικρὸν, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Συνεχῶς δὲ ἀῤῥαβῶνα καλεῖ, ὀφειλέτην αὐτὸν ἀποδεῖξαι βουλόμενος τοῦ παντὸς, καὶ ἀξιοπιστότερον καὶ ἐντεῦθεν τοῖς παχυτέροις καταστῆσαι τὸν λόγον. Θαῤῥοῦντες οὖν πάντοτε, καὶ εἰδότες. Τὸ θαῤῥοῦντες, πρὸς τοὺς διωγμοὺς, πρὸς τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς, πρὸς τοὺς θανάτους τοὺς συνεχεῖς εἴρηται: ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγεν, Ἐλαύνει σέ τις καὶ διώκει καὶ ἀναιρεῖ; μὴ καταπέσῃς: ὑπὲρ σοῦ τὸ πᾶν γίνεται: μὴ φοβηθῇς, ἀλλὰ θάῤῥει. Καὶ γὰρ δι' ὃ στενάζεις καὶ ἀλγεῖς, ὅτι φθορᾷ δουλεύεις, τοῦτο ἀναιρεῖ λοιπὸν ἐκ τοῦ μέσου, καὶ ταχύτερόν σε ταύτης ἀπαλλάττει τῆς δουλείας. Διὸ καὶ λέγει, Θαῤῥοῦντες οὖν πάντοτε, οὐχὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀνέσεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι, καὶ εἰδότες ὅτι ἐνδημοῦντες ἐν τῷ σώματι, ἀποδημοῦμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου: διὰ πίστεως γὰρ περιπατοῦμεν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους: θαῤῥοῦμεν δὲ καὶ εὐδοκοῦμεν ἀποδημῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἐνδημῆσαι πρὸς τὸν Κύριον. Τὸ μεῖζον πάντων ὕστερον τέθεικε: τοῦ γὰρ ἄφθαρτον λαβεῖν τὸ μετὰ Χριστοῦ εἶναι βέλτιον. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοῦτό ἐστιν: Οὐ σβέννυσιν ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν ὁ πολεμῶν καὶ ἀναιρῶν: μὴ φοβηθῇς: θάῤῥει κατακοπτόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον φθορᾶς σε ἀπαλλάττει καὶ βάρους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ Κυρίῳ σε παραπέμπει ταχέως. Διὸ οὐδὲ εἶπεν, Ὄντες ἐν τῷ σώματι, ὡς ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ ὄντων καὶ ξένῃ. Εἰδότες οὖν ὅτι ἐνδημοῦντες ἐν τῷ σώματι, ἐκδημοῦμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου: θαῤῥοῦμεν δὲ καὶ εὐδοκοῦμεν ἐκδημῆσαι ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἐνδημῆσαι πρὸς τὸν Κύριον. Εἶδες πῶς τὰ λυπηρὰ ἀποκρυψάμενος, τὰ ὀνόματα τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τῆς τελευτῆς, τὰ σφόδρα ποθεινὰ ἀντ' αὐτῶν τέθεικεν, ἐνδημίαν αὐτὰ καλῶν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν: καὶ τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι γλυκέα ἀφεὶς, τὰ τῆς ζωῆς, ἀπὸ τῶν λυπηρῶν αὐτὰ ὠνόμασεν, ἐκδημίαν ἀπὸ Κυρίου τὴν ἐνταῦθα καλέσας ζωήν; Τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίησεν, ἵνα μηδεὶς μήτε τοῖς παροῦσιν ἐμφιλοχωρῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ βαρύνηται, μήτε μέλλων τελευτᾷν ἀλύῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαίρῃ, ὡς ἐπὶ μείζονα ἀπιὼν ἀγαθά. Εἶτα ἵνα μηδεὶς εἴπῃ, ἀκούων, ὅτι Ἐκδημοῦμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, Τί ταῦτα λέγεις, ἀλλοτριούμεθα οὖν αὐτοῦ ἐνταῦθα ὄντες; προδιώρθωσε τοῦτο εἰπὼν, Διὰ πίστεως γὰρ περιπατοῦμεν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους: καὶ ἐνταῦθα μὲν αὐτὸν ἴσμεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτω σαφῶς. Ὃ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ λέγει, Ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ, καὶ, Ἐν αἰνίγματι. Θαῤῥοῦμεν δὲ καὶ εὐδοκοῦμεν. Βαβαὶ, ποῦ τὸν λόγον περιήγαγεν; εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν ἄκραν τελευτῆς, τὸ φορτικὸν ἡδὺ δείξας, καὶ τὸ ἡδὺ φορτικόν: τὸ γὰρ, Εὐδοκοῦμεν, ἐπιθυμοῦμεν, φησί. Τί ἐπιθυμοῦμεν; Ἐκδημῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἐνδημῆσαι πρὸς Κύριον. Τοῦτο δὲ ἀεὶ ποιεῖ, ὃ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἔδειξα, εἰς τἀναντία περιτρέπων τὸν λόγον τῶν ἀντιλεγόντων αὐτῷ. Διὸ καὶ φιλοτιμούμεθα, εἴτε ἐνδημοῦντες, εἴτε ἐκδημοῦντες, εὐάρεστοι αὐτῷ εἶναι. Τὸ γὰρ ζητούμενον τοῦτό ἐστι, φησὶν, ἄν τε ἐκεῖ ὦμεν, ἄν τε ἐνταῦθα, κατὰ γνώμην αὐτοῦ ζῇν: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ προηγούμενον. Ὥστε ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη τὴν βασιλείαν ἔχεις ἄνευ δοκιμῆς. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ πάλιν εἰς τοσαύτην ἐλθόντες ἐπιθυμίαν ἀλύωσι πρὸς τὴν μέλλησιν τῆς ἐπιδημίας, ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι; Τὸ εὐαρέστους εἶναι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ ἀπελθεῖν ἁπλῶς καλὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ εὐδοκιμοῦντα, δι' ὃ γίνεται καλὸν κἀκεῖνο: οὐδὲ τὸ ἁπλῶς ἐνταῦθα εἶναι βαρὺ, ἀλλὰ τὸ προσκρούοντα. γʹ. Μὴ τοίνυν νόμιζε τὴν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ἀποδημίαν ἀρκεῖν: ἀρετῆς γὰρ πανταχοῦ χρεία. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰπὼν ἀνάστασιν, οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτῇ θαῤῥεῖν μόνον, λέγων, Εἴ γε καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι, οὐ γυμνοὶ εὑρεθησόμεθα: οὕτω καὶ ἀποδημίαν δείξας, ἵνα μὴ νομίσῃς αὐτὴν ἀρκεῖν σοι πρὸς σωτηρίαν, τὸ, Εὐαρέστους δεῖ εἶναι, προσέθηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν προὔτρεψεν ἀπὸ πολλῶν χρηστῶν, λοιπὸν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν σκυθρωποτέρων φοβεῖ. Τὸ γὰρ συμφέρον καὶ ἐν τῇ κτήσει τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἐν τῇ φυγῇ τῶν κακῶν συνίσταται, ὅπερ ἐστὶ γέεννα καὶ βασιλεία. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο μείζονα ἔχει τὴν ἰσχὺν, τὸ φυγεῖν κόλασιν (ἔνθα μὲν γὰρ μέχρι τοῦ μὴ λαβεῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἡ ζημία, εὐκόλως οἱ πολλοὶ τοῦτο οἴσουσιν: ἂν δὲ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ κακῶς παθεῖν, οὐκέτι: ἔδει μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνην ἀφόρητον νομίζειν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῶν πολλῶν καὶ τὸ χαμαίζηλον, τοῦτο φαίνεται αὐτοῖς χαλεπώτερον): ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐχ οὕτω διεγείρει τὸν ἀκροατὴν τὸν πολὺν ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν δόσις, ὡς ἡ τῶν κολάσεων ἀπειλὴ, ἀναγκαίως ἐνταῦθα καταλύει, λέγων: Τοὺς γὰρ πάντας ἡμᾶς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἶτα φοβήσας καὶ κατασείσας τῇ μνήμῃ τοῦ βήματος ἐκείνου τὸν ἀκούοντα, οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα χωρὶς τῶν χρηστῶν τέθεικε τὰ λυπηρὰ, ἀλλὰ ἀνέμιξέ τινα ἡδονὴν, εἰπών: Ἵνα ἕκαστος κομίσηται τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος, ὅσα ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθὸν, εἴτε κακόν. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγων, τούς τε κατωρθωκότας καὶ ἐλαυνομένους ἀνιστᾷ ταῖς ἐλπίσι, τούς τε ἀναπεπτωκότας σπουδαιοτέρους ποιεῖ τῷ φόβῳ. Καὶ τὸν περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως δὲ τῶν σωμάτων ἐβεβαίου λόγον. Οὐ γὰρ δήπου τὸ διακονησάμενον εἰς τοῦτο κἀκεῖνο, τῶν ἀμοιβῶν ἔξω στήσεται, φησίν: ἀλλὰ μετὰ τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ μὲν κολάζεται, τὰ δὲ στεφανοῦται. Ἀλλά τινες τῶν αἱρετικῶν φασιν, ὅτι ἕτερον ἐγείρεται σῶμα. Πόθεν; εἰπέ μοι: ἄλλο ἥμαρτε, καὶ ἄλλο κολάζεται; ἄλλο κατώρθωσε, καὶ ἄλλο στεφανοῦται; Τί δὲ ἐρεῖτε λέγοντι Παύλῳ, Οὐ θέλομεν ἐκδύσασθαι, ἀλλ' ἐπενδύσασθαι; πῶς δὲ τὸ φθαρτὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς καταπίνεται; Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἵνα καταποθῇ τὸ θνητὸν ἢ τὸ φθαρτὸν σῶμα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀφθάρτου σώματος: ἀλλ', Ἵνα ἡ φθορὰ ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς. Τότε γὰρ τοῦτο γίνεται, ὅταν τὸ αὐτὸ ἐγείρηται σῶμα: ἐὰν δὲ ἐκεῖνο ἀφεὶς, ἄλλο κατασκευάσῃ, οὐκέτι καταπίνεται, ἀλλὰ μένει ἡ φθορὰ κρατήσασα. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐ γίνεται τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ δεῖ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο, τουτέστι, τὸ σῶμα, ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν. Τὸ γὰρ σῶμα μέσον ἐστὶ, νῦν μὲν ἐν τούτῳ γενόμενον, ὕστερον δὲ ἐσόμενον ἐν ἐκείνῳ: καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐν τούτῳ πρώτῳ, ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν λυθῆναι οὐκ ἔνι. Οὐ γὰρ ἡ φθορὰ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν κληρονομεῖ, φησίν: ἐπεὶ πῶς ἔνι ἀφθαρσία; ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον, καταπίνεται ἡ φθορὰ ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς: τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνου περιγίνεται, ἐκεῖνο δὲ τούτου οὐκέτι. Ὥσπερ γὰρ κηρὸς, λύεται μὲν ὑπὸ πυρὸς, αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκέτι λύει τὸ πῦρ: οὕτω καὶ ἡ φθορὰ τήκεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας καὶ ἀφανίζεται, αὕτη δὲ ἐκείνης κρατῆσαι οὐδέποτε δύναται. Ἀκούσωμεν τοίνυν τῆς Παύλου φωνῆς λεγούσης, ὅτι Δεῖ ἡμᾶς παρασταθῆναι τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ὑπογράψωμεν ἐκεῖνο τὸ δικαστήριον, καὶ νομίσωμεν αὐτὸ παρεῖναι νῦν, καὶ τὰς εὐθύνας ἀπαιτεῖσθαι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτὸ πλατύτερον ἐρῶ. Παῦλος γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ περὶ θλίψεως ἦν ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο πάλιν θλῖψαι αὐτοὺς, οὐκ ἐνδιέτριψε τῷ λόγῳ, ἀλλ' ἐν βραχεῖ τὸ στῦφον εἰπὼν, Ἕκαστος κομίσεται πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξε, ταχέως παρέδραμε. Νομίσωμεν οὖν αὐτὸ παρεῖναι νῦν, καὶ ἕκαστος τὸ ἑαυτοῦ συνειδὸς ἀναλογιζέσθω, καὶ ἤδη λογιζέσθω παρεῖναι τὸν Δικαστὴν, καὶ πάντα ἀνακαλύπτεσθαι καὶ εἰς μέσον ἄγεσθαι: οὐ γὰρ παραστῆναι ἡμᾶς ἁπλῶς δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ φανερωθῆναι. Ἆρα οὐκ ἠρυθριάσατε; ἆρα οὐκ ἐξέστητε; Εἰ δὲ νῦν οὔπω τοῦ πράγματος παρόντος, ἀλλὰ ἁπλῶς καθ' ὑπόθεσιν δοθέντος καὶ λογισμῷ τυπωθέντος, ἀπωλόμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος: τί ποιήσομεν, ὅταν παραγένηται, ὅταν ἡ οἰκουμένη πᾶσα παρῇ, ὅταν ἄγγελοι καὶ ἀρχάγγελοι, ὅταν ἐπάλληλοι τάξεις, καὶ δρόμος ἁπάντων, καὶ ἁρπαγαὶ ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν, καὶ παράταξις τρόμου γέμουσα; ὅταν αἱ σάλπιγγες αἱ ἐπάλληλοι, αἱ συνεχεῖς ἐκεῖναι φωναί; Εἰ γὰρ μὴ γέεννα ἦν, τὸ ἐν τοσαύτῃ λαμπρότητι ἀπωσθῆναι, καὶ ἄτιμον ἀναχωρῆσαι, πόση κόλασις; Καὶ γὰρ εἰ νῦν, βασιλέως εἰσελαύνοντος καὶ τῶν μετ' αὐτοῦ, θεωροῦντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πενίαν, οὐ τοσαύτην ἀπὸ τῆς θέας λαμβάνομεν ἡδονὴν, ὅσην ἀπὸ τοῦ μηδενὸς μετέχειν τῶν περὶ τὸν βασιλέα, μηδὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι τοῦ κρατοῦντος, ἀθυμίαν ὑπομένομεν: τί τότε ἔσται; ἢ μικρὰν εἶναι νομίζεις κόλασιν τὸ μὴ κατατάττεσθαι ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χορῷ, τὸ μὴ καταξιοῦσθαι τῆς ἀποῤῥήτου δόξης, τὸ τῆς πανηγύρεως ἐκείνης καὶ τῶν ἀφράστων ἀγαθῶν πόῤῥω που καὶ μακρὰν ἀπεῤῥῖφθαι; Ὅταν δὲ καὶ σκότος ᾖ, καὶ βρυγμὸς ὀδόντων, καὶ δεσμὰ ἄλυτα, καὶ σκώληξ ἀτελεύτητος, καὶ πῦρ ἄσβεστον, καὶ θλῖψις καὶ στενοχωρία, καὶ γλῶσσαι τηγανιζόμεναι, καθάπερ ἡ τοῦ πλουσίου, καὶ ὀλοφυρώμεθα, καὶ μηδεὶς ἀκούῃ, καὶ στένωμεν καὶ βρύχωμεν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλγηδόνων, καὶ μηδεὶς προσέχῃ, καὶ πανταχοῦ βλέπωμεν, καὶ μηδαμοῦ μηδεὶς ὁ παραμυθούμενος ᾖ: ποῦ τάξομεν τοὺς ἐν τούτοις ὄντας; τί δὲ ἐκείνων ἀθλιώτερον τῶν ψυχῶν; τί δὲ ἐλεεινότερον; δʹ. Εἰ γὰρ εἰς δεσμωτήριον εἰσιόντες, καὶ τοὺς μὲν αὐχμῶντας ὁρῶντες, τοὺς δὲ δεδεμένους καὶ πεινῶντας, τοὺς δὲ ἐν σκότῳ κατακεκλεισμένους, κατακλώμεθα, φρίττομεν, πάντα ὑπὲρ τοῦ μήποτε ἐμπεσεῖν ἐκεῖσε πράττομεν: ὅταν ἀπαγώμεθα συρόμενοι εἰς αὐτὰ τῆς γεέννης τὰ βασανιστήρια, τίνες ἐσόμεθα; Οὐ γὰρ ἐκ σιδήρου τὰ δεσμὰ ἐκεῖνα, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ πυρὸς οὐδέποτε σβεννυμένου: οὐδὲ ὁμότιμοι οἱ ἐφεστῶτες ἡμῖν, οὓς καὶ ἐκμειλίξασθαι πολλάκις ἔνι, ἀλλ' ἄγγελοι, οἷς οὐδὲ προσβλέψαι θέμις, σφοδρῶς ὑπὲρ ὧν τὸν Δεσπότην ὑβρίκαμεν ὀργιζόμενοι. Οὐκ ἔστι, καθάπερ ἐνταῦθα, τοὺς μὲν ἀργύριον, τοὺς δὲ τροφὰς, τοὺς δὲ λόγους εἰσάγοντας παρακλητικοὺς ἰδεῖν, καὶ παραμυθίας τυχεῖν: ἀλλὰ πάντα ἀσύγγνωστα ἐκεῖ: κἂν Νῶε ᾖ, κἂν Ἰὼβ, κἂν Δανιὴλ, καὶ τοὺς οἰκείους ἴδῃ κολαζομένους, οὐ τολμᾷ παραστῆναι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς φύσεως συμπάθειαν τότε ἀναιρεῖσθαι συμβαίνει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ συμβαίνει δικαίους εἶναι παίδων πατέρας πονηρῶν, καὶ παῖδας πατέρων: ὥστε καθαρὰν εἶναι τὴν ἡδονὴν καὶ μὴ τῇ τῆς συμπαθείας ἀνάγκῃ κατακλᾶσθαι τοὺς ἀπολαύοντας τῶν ἀγαθῶν, καὶ ταύτην σβέννυσθαι τὴν συμπάθειάν φημι, καὶ αὐτοὺς συναγανακτεῖν τῷ Δεσπότῃ κατὰ τῶν οἰκείων σπλάγχνων. Εἰ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι οἱ τυχόντες, ὅταν ἴδωσι φαύλους τοὺς αὐτῶν παῖδας, ἀποκηρύττουσι καὶ τῆς συγγενείας ἐκτέμνουσι: πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ δίκαιοι τότε. Τοιγαροῦν μηδεὶς ἐλπιζέτω χρηστὰ, μὴ ἐργασάμενός τι χρηστὸν, κἂν μυρίους ἔχῃ προγόνους δικαίους: Ἕκαστος γὰρ κομίσεται πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξε τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος. Ἐνταῦθά μοι δοκεῖ καὶ τοὺς πορνεύοντας αἰνίττεσθαι, καὶ τὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἐπιτειχίζων φόβον αὐτοῖς: οὐκ ἐκείνοις δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὁτιοῦν πλημμελοῦσι. Ἀκούωμεν τοίνυν καὶ ἡμεῖς: κἂν πῦρ ἔχῃς ἐπιθυμίας, ἀντίστησον ἐκεῖνο τὸ πῦρ, καὶ τοῦτο εὐθέως κατασβεσθὲν οἰχήσεται: κἂν βουληθῇς τι φθέγξασθαι ἀπηχὲς, ἐννόησον τὸν βρυγμὸν τῶν ὀδόντων, καὶ χαλινὸς ἔσται σοι ὁ φόβος: κἂν ἁρπάσαι βουληθῇς, ἄκουσον τοῦ δικαστοῦ κελεύοντος καὶ λέγοντος, Δήσατε αὐτοῦ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας, καὶ ἐκβάλετε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον: καὶ ἐκβαλεῖς καὶ ταύτην οὕτω τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν. Κἂν μεθύῃς καὶ κραιπαλῶν διατελῇς, ἄκουσον τοῦ πλουσίου λέγοντος, Πέμψον Λάζαρον, ἵνα ἄκρῳ τῷ δακτύλῳ καταψύξῃ τὴν τηγανιζομένην γλῶσσαν, καὶ οὐ τυγχάνοντος: καὶ ἀποστήσῃ τοῦ πάθους. Εἰ δὲ τρυφῆς ἐρᾷς, ἐννόησον τὴν ἐκεῖ θλῖψιν καὶ τὴν στενοχωρίαν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐννοήσεις ταύτην: εἰ δὲ ἀπηνὴς εἶ καὶ ὠμὸς, ἀναμνήσθητι τῶν παρθένων ἐκείνων, αἳ, τῶν λαμπάδων αὐταῖς σβεσθεισῶν, οὕτω τοῦ νυμφῶνος ἐξέπεσον, καὶ ταχέως ἔσῃ φιλάνθρωπος. Ἀλλὰ νωθρὸς εἶ καὶ παρειμένος; Λογίζου τὸν τὸ τάλαντον κατακρύψαντα, καὶ ἔσῃ πυρὸς σφοδρότερος. Ἀλλὰ κατεσθίει σε ἡ τῆς τοῦ πλησίον οὐσίας ἐπιθυμία; Λογίζου τὸν σκώληκα τὸν ἀτελεύτητον, καὶ εὐκόλως καὶ τοῦτο ἀποθήσῃ τὸ νόσημα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα κατορθώσεις: οὐδὲν γὰρ φορτικὸν οὐδὲ ἐπαχθὲς ἐπέταξε. Πόθεν οὖν ἡμῖν φορτικὰ φαίνεται τὰ ἐπιτάγματα; Ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας ῥᾳθυμίας. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐὰν σπουδάζωμεν, καὶ τὰ δοκοῦντα ἀφόρητα εἶναι, κοῦφα ἔσται καὶ ῥᾴδια: οὕτως ἐὰν ῥᾳθυμῶμεν, καὶ τὰ φορητὰ δύσκολα ἡμῖν φανεῖται. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα λογισάμενοι, μὴ τρυφῶντας ἐννοῶμεν, ἀλλὰ τί τὸ τέλος αὐτῶν: ἐνταῦθα μὲν κόπρος καὶ πολυσαρκία, ἐκεῖ δὲ σκώληξ καὶ πῦρ: μὴ τοὺς ἁρπάζοντας, ἀλλὰ τί τὸ τέλος αὐτῶν: φροντίδες ἐνταῦθα καὶ φόβοι καὶ ἀγωνίαι, ἐκεῖ δὲ δεσμὰ ἄλυτα: μὴ τοὺς δόξης ἐρῶντας, ἀλλὰ τί τὸ ἐκ τούτων τικτόμενον: δουλεῖαι ἐνταῦθα καὶ εἰρωνεῖαι, ἐκεῖ δὲ καὶ ζημία ἀφόρητος καὶ τὸ ἐμπυρίζεσθαι διηνεκῶς. Ἂν γὰρ οὕτως ἑαυτοῖς διαλεγώμεθα, καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπᾴδωμεν συνεχῶς ταῖς πονηραῖς ἡμῶν ἐπιθυμίαις, ταχέως καὶ τὸν τῶν παρόντων ἐκβαλοῦμεν ἔρωτα, καὶ τὸν τῶν μελλόντων ἀνάψομεν. Ἀνάψωμεν τοίνυν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκκαύσωμεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ ἔννοια αὐτῶν, καίτοι γε ἀμυδρά τις οὖσα, τοσαύτην παρέχει τὴν ἡδονήν: ἐννόησον ὅσην αὕτη ἡ πεῖρα ἡ σαφὴς οἴσει τὴν εὐφροσύνην ἡμῖν. Μακάριοι καὶ τρισμακάριοι καὶ πολλάκις τοῦτο οἱ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύοντες ἐκείνων: ὥσπερ οὖν ἐλεεινοὶ καὶ τρισάθλιοι οἱ τἀναντία τούτων ὑπομένοντες. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ τούτων, ἀλλ' ἐκείνων γενώμεθα, ἑλώμεθα τὴν ἀρετήν: οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτευξόμεθα ἀγαθῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.