John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding.”

It is the duty of the teacher to build up and restore the souls of his disciples, not only by counseling and instructing them, but also by alarming them, and delivering them up to God. For when the words spoken by men as coming from fellow-servants are not sufficient to kindle the soul, it then becomes necessary to make over the case to God. This accordingly Paul does also; for having discoursed141 [Modern exegesis has made more logical analysis, and indicated more carefully and correctly the transitions from one thought or branch of the subject to another, than the ancient. Comp. Meyer, Lightfoot, Schaff, and especially the paragraphing of the Rev. Ver. On this passage Meyer says: The exhortation begun at vv. 1–3, and interrupted by the digression vv. 4–16, is here resumed by the οὖν, and the “walking worthily” of v. 1 is now followed up in the form, “that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk,” &c.—G.A.] concerning lowliness, and concerning unity, and concerning our duty not to rise up one against another, hear what he says. “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk.” He does not say, “That ye henceforth walk not as ye are now walking,” for that expression would have struck too hard. But he plainly indicates the same thing, only he brings his example from others. And so in writing to the Thessalonians, he does this very same thing, where he says, “Not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles which know not God.” (1 Thess. iv. 5.) Ye differ from them, he means to say, in doctrine, but that is wholly God’s work: what I require on your path is the life and the course of behavior that is after God. This is your own. And I call the Lord to witness what I have said, that I have not shrunk, but have told you how ye ought to walk.

“In the vanity,” saith he, “of their mind.”

What is vanity of mind? It is the being busied about vain things. And what are those vain things, but all things in the present life? Of which the Preacher saith, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Eccles. i. 2.) But a man will say, If they be vain and vanity, wherefore were they made? If they are God’s works, how are they vain? And great is the dispute concerning these things. But hearken, beloved: it is not the works of God which he calls vain; God forbid! The Heaven is not vain, the earth is not vain,—God forbid!—nor the sun, nor the moon and stars, nor our own body. No, all these are “very good.” (Gen. i. 31.) But what is vain? Let us hear the Preacher himself, what he saith; “I planted me vineyards, I gat me men singers and women singers, I made me pools of water, I had great possession of herds and flocks, I gathered me also silver and gold, and I saw that these are vanity.” (Eccles. ii. 4–8.) And again, “Vanity of vanities, all things are vanity.” (Eccles. xii. 8.) Hear also what the Prophet saith, “He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.” (Ps. xxxix. 6.) Such is “vanity of vanities,” your splendid buildings, your vast and overflowing riches, the herds of slaves that bustle along the public square, your pomp and vainglory, your high thoughts, and your ostentation.142 [“‘Vanity’ here is rather the subjective sphere in which the walk of the other Gentiles takes place, namely, in nothingness of their thinking and willing (νοῦς), and is to be understood of the whole intellectual and moral character of heathenism.”—Meyer.—G.A.] For all these are vain; they came not from the hand of God, but are of our own creating. But why then are they vain? Because they have no useful end. Riches are vain when they are spent upon luxury; but they cease to be vain when they are “dispersed and given to the needy.” (Ps. cxii. 9.) But when thou hast spent them upon luxury, let us look at the end of them, what it is;—grossness of body, flatulence, pantings, fullness of belly, heaviness of head, softness of flesh, feverishness, enervation; for as a man who shall draw into a leaking vessel labors in vain, so also does the one who lives in luxury and self-indulgence draw into a leaking vessel. But again, that is called “vain,” which is expected indeed to contain something, but contains it not;—that which men call empty, as when they speak of “empty hopes.” And generally that is called “vain,” which is bare and purposeless, which is of no use. Let us see then whether all human things are not of this sort. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Cor. xv. 32.) What then, tell me, is the end? Corruption. Let us put on clothing and raiment. And what is the result? Nothing. Such are the lives of the Greeks. They philosophized, but in vain. They made a show of a life of hardship, but of mere hardship, not looking to any beneficial end, but to vainglory, and to honor from the many. But what is the honor of the many? It is nothing, for if they themselves which render the honor perish, much more does the honor. He that renders honor to another, ought first to render it to himself; for if he gain not honor for himself, how can he ever render it to another? Whereas now we seek even honors from vile and despicable characters, themselves dishonorable, and objects of reproach. What kind of honor then is this? Perceive ye, how that all things are “vanity of vanities”? Therefore, saith he, “in the vanity of their mind.”

But further, is not their religion of this sort, wood and stone? He hath made the sun to shine for a lamp to light us. Who will worship his own lamp? The sun supplies us with light, but where he cannot, a lamp can do it. Then why not worship thy lamp? “Nay,” one will say, “I worship the fire.” Oh, how ridiculous! So great is the absurdity, and yet look again at another absurdity. Why extinguish the object of thy worship? Why destroy, why annihilate thy god? Wherefore dost thou not suffer thy house to be filled with him? For if the fire be god, let him feed upon thy body. Put not thy god under the bottom of thy kettle, or thy cauldron.143 [Compare 1 Kings xviii. 27, the locus classicus where Elijah uses his scathing irony against the priests of Baal.—G.A.] Bring him into thy inner chambers, bring him within thy silken draperies. Whereas not only dost thou not bring him in, but if by any accident he has found entrance, thou drivest him out from every place, thou callest everybody together, and, as though some wild beast had entered, thou weepest and wailest, and callest the presence of thy god an overwhelming calamity. I have a God, and I do all I can to enshrine Him in my bosom, and I deem it my true bliss, not when He visits my dwelling, but when I can draw Him even to my heart. Do thou too draw the fire to thine heart. This is folly and vanity. Fire is good for use, not for adoration; good for ministration and for service, to be my slave, not to be my master. It was made for me, not I for it. If thou art a worshiper of fire, why recline upon thy couch thyself, and order thy cook to stand before thy god? Take up the art of cookery thyself, become a baker if thou wilt, or a coppersmith, for nothing can be more honorable than these arts, since these are they that thy god visits. Why deem that art a disgrace, where thy god is all in all? Why commit it to thy slaves, and not be ambitious of it thyself? Fire is good, inasmuch as it is the work of a good Creator, but it is not God. It is the work of God, it was not called God. Seest thou not how ungovernable is its nature;—how when it lays hold on a building it stops nowhere? But if it seizes anything continuous, it destroys all; and, except the hands of workmen or others quench its fury, it knows not friends nor foes, but deals with all alike. Is this then your god, and are ye not ashamed? Well indeed does he say, “in the vanity of their mind.”

But the sun, they say, is God. Tell me, how and wherefore. Is it that he sheds abundance of light? Yet dost thou not see him overcome by clouds, and in bondage to the necessity of nature, and eclipsed, and hidden by the moon? And yet the cloud is weaker than the sun; but still it often gains the mastery of him. And this indeed is the work of God’s wisdom. God must needs be all sufficient: but the sun needs many things; and this is not like a god. For he requires air to shine in, and that, too, thin air; since the air, when it is greatly condensed, suffers not the rays to pass through it. He requires also water, and other restraining power, to prevent him from consuming. For were it not that fountains, and lakes, and rivers, and seas, formed some moisture by the emission of their vapors, there would be nothing to prevent an universal conflagration. Dost thou see then, say ye, that he is a god? What folly, what madness! A god, say ye, because he has power to do harm. Nay, rather, for this very reason is he no god, because where he does harm he needs nothing; whereas, where he does good, he requires many things besides. Now to do harm, is foreign to God’s nature; to do good, is His property. Where then the reverse is the case, how can he be God? Seest thou not that poisonous drugs injure, and need nothing; but when they are to do good, need many things? For thy sake then is he such as he is, both good, and powerless; good, that thou mayest acknowledge his Lord; and powerless, that thou mayest not say that he is lord. “But,” say they, “he nourishes the plants and the seeds.” What then, at that rate is not the very dung a god? for even that also nourishes. And why not at that rate the scythe as well, and the hands of the husbandman? Prove to me that the sun alone does the work of nourishing without needing the help of either earth, or water, or tillage; but let the seeds be sown, and let him shed forth his rays, and produce the ears of corn. But now if this work be not his alone, but that of the rains also, wherefore is not the water a god also? But of this I speak not yet. Why is not the earth too a god, and why not the dung, and the hoe? Shall we then, tell me, worship all? Alas, what trifling! And indeed rather might the ear of corn be produced without sun, than without earth and water; and so with plants and all other things. Were there no earth, none of these things could ever appear. And if any one, as children and women do, were to put some earth into a pot, and to fill up the pot with a quantity of dung, and to place it under the roof, plants, though they may be weak ones, will be produced from it. So that the contribution of the earth and of the dung is greater, and these therefore we ought to worship rather than the sun. He requires the sky, he requires the air, he requires these waters, to prevent his doing harm, to be as bridles to curb the fierceness of his power, and to restrain him from letting loose his rays over the world, like some furious horse. And now tell me, where is he at night? Whither has your god taken his departure? For this is not like a god, to be circumscribed and limited. This is in fact the property of bodies only. But, say they, there is some sort of power residing in him, and he has motion. Is this power then, I pray you, itself God? Why then is it insufficient in itself, and why does it not restrain the fire? For again, I come to the same argument. But what is that power? Is it productive of light, or does it by the sun give light, though of itself possessing none of these qualities? If so, then is the sun superior to it. How far shall we unwind this maze?

Again, what is water? is not that too, they say, a god? This again is a matter of truly absurd disputation. Is that not a god, they say, which we make use of for so many purposes? And so again, in like manner, of the earth. Truly “they walk in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding.”

But these words he is now using concerning life and conduct. The Greeks are fornicators and adulterers. Of course. They who paint to themselves such gods as these,144 [See Schaff’s History of the Christian Church, Vol. I., pp. 72–74, with Literature there noted.—G.A.] will naturally do all these things; and if they can but escape the eyes of men, there is no one to restrain them. For what will avail the argument of a resurrection, if it appear to them a mere fable? Yea, and what that of the torments of hell?—they too are but a fable. And mark the Satanic notion. When they are told of gods who are fornicators, they deny that these are fables, but believe them. Yet whenever any shall discourse to them of punishment, “these,” they say, “are poets, men who turn everything into fable, that man’s happy condition may be on all sides overturned.”

But the philosophers, it is said, discovered something truly grand, and far better than these. How? They who introduced fate, and who tell us that nothing is providential, and that there is no one to care for anything, but that all things consist of atoms?145 [On Democritus and Leucippus, founders of the Atomistic philosophy, see Ueberweg’s Hist. of Philosophy (Amer. ed.), Vol. I., pp. 67–71; on Epicurus, Vol. I., pp. 205–207.—G.A.] Or, others again who say that God is a body? Or who, tell me, are they? Are they those who would turn the souls of men into the souls of dogs, and would pervade mankind that one was once a dog, and a lion, and a fish? How long will ye go on and never cease trifling, “being darkened in the understanding”? for they say and do all things as though they were indeed in the dark, both in those things which concern doctrine, and those which concern life and conduct; for the man who is in darkness sees none of the things which lie before him, but oftentimes when he sees a rope, he will take it for a live serpent;146 This was the instance in the Schools. Vid. Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrh. Hypot. I. 33. or again, if he is caught by a hedge, he will think that a man or an evil spirit has hold of him, and great is the alarm, and great the perturbation. Such as these are the things they fear. “There were they in great fear,” it saith, “where no fear was” (Ps. liii. 5.); but the things which they ought to fear, these they fear not. But just as children in their nurses’ arms thrust their hands incautiously into the fire, and boldly into the candle also, and yet are scared at a man clothed in sackcloth; just so these Greeks, as if they were really always children, (as some one also amongst themselves has said,147 The Egyptian priest to Solon. Plat. Tim. p. 22, B. the Greeks are always children,) fear those things that are no sins, such as filthiness of the body, the pollution of a funeral,148 Vid. Theophr. Charact. xvi. περὶ δεισιδαιμονίας; Guther de Jure Manium in Græv. Thes. 12, 1175; Hes. Opp. et D. 765, sqq. a bed, or the keeping of days, and the like: whereas those which are really sins, unnatural lust, adultery, fornication, of these they make no account at all. No, you may see a man washing himself from the pollution of a dead body, but from dead works, never; and, again, spending much zeal in the pursuit of riches, and yet supposing the whole is undone by the crowing of a single cock. “So darkened are they in their understanding.” Their soul is filled with all sorts of terrors. For instance: “Such a person,” one will say, “was the first who met me, as I was going out of the house”; of course ten thousand evils must certainly ensue. At another time, “the wretch of a servant in giving me my shoes,149 Vid. Plin. N. H. 2, 7; Juv. Sat. 6, 579. These and like superstitions are condemned also by Clem. Alex. Strom. vii. 4, pp. 842–844; St. Cyril of Jerus. iv. 37, and St. Aust. de Doctr. Christ. ii. 20, 21. This series, Vol. II., p. 545. See also St. Chrys. ad Illum Catech. ii. 5. This series, Vol. IX., p. 170.—G.A. held out the left shoe first,”—terrible mishaps and mischiefs! “I myself in coming out set forth with the left foot foremost”; and this too is a token of misfortune. And these are the evils that occur about the house. Then, as I go out, my right eye shoots up from beneath. This is a sure sign of tears. Again the women, when the reeds strike against the standards, and ring, or when they themselves are scratched by the shuttle, turn this also into a sign. And again, when they strike the web with the shuttle, and do it with some vehemence, and then the reeds on the top from the intensity of the blow strike against the standards and ring, this again they make a sign, and ten thousand things besides, deserving of ridicule. And so if an ass should bray, or a cock should crow, or a man should sneeze, or whatever else may happen, like men bound with ten thousand chains, or, as I was saying, like men confined in the dark, they suspect everything, and are more slavish than all the slaves in the world.150 [Compare Chrysostom’s Commentary on Gal. i. 7.—G.A.]

But let it not be so with us. But scorning all these things, as men living in the light, and having our citizenship in Heaven, and having nothing in common with earth, let us regard but one thing as terrible, that is, sin, and offending against God. And if there be not this, let us scorn all the rest, and him that brought them in, the Devil. For these things let us give thanks to God. Let us be diligent, not only that we ourselves be never caught by this slavery, but if any of those who are dear to us have been caught, let us break his bonds asunder, let us release him from this most bitter and contemptible captivity, let us make him free and unshackled for his course toward Heaven, let us raise up his flagging wings, and teach him to be wise for life and doctrine’s sake. Let us give thanks to God for all things. Let us beseech Him that He will not declare us unworthy of the gifts offered to us, and let us ourselves withal endeavor to contribute our own part, that we may teach not only by speaking, but by acting also. For thus shall we be able to attain His unnumbered blessings, of which God grant we may all be counted worthy, in Christ Jesus our Lord with whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost together, be glory, might, and honor, now, henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΒʹ. Τοῦτο οὖν λέγω καὶ μαρτύρομαι ἐν Κυρίῳ, μηκέτι ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν, καθὼς καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη περιπατεῖ, ἐν ματαιότητι τοῦ νοὸς αὑτῶν, ἐσκο τισμένοι τῇ διανοίᾳ. αʹ. Τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὐ μόνον συμβουλεύοντα καὶ διδάσκοντα δεῖ καταρτίζειν καὶ ὀρθοῦν τὰς τῶν μαθητευομένων ψυχὰς, ἀλλὰ καὶ φοβοῦντα καὶ τῷ Θεῷ παραδιδόντα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων λεγόμενα, ὡς παρὰ ὁμοδούλων, οὐχ ἱκανὰ καθάψασθαι ψυχῆς, ἀναγκαῖον τῷ Κυρίῳ παραδιδόναι λοιπόν. Τοῦτο οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ποιεῖ. Περὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης γὰρ καὶ ἑνώσεως διαλεχθεὶς, καὶ τοῦ μὴ δεῖν ἕτερον κατεξανίστασθαι τοῦ ἑτέρου, ἄκουσον τί φησι: Τοῦτο οὖν λέγω καὶ μαρτύρομαι ἐν Κυρίῳ, μηκέτι ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν, καθὼς καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη περιπατεῖ. Οὐκ εἶπε, Μηκέτι ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν, καθὼς περιπατεῖτε: πληκτικώτερος γὰρ ὁ λόγος: ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτὸ μὲν ἐδήλωσεν, ἀπὸ δὲ ἑτέρων τὸ παράδειγμα ἤγαγε. Καὶ πρὸς Θεσσαλονικέας δὲ γράφων, τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιεῖ λέγων: Μὴ ἐν πάθει ἐπιθυμίας, καθὼς καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη. Διεστήκατε, φησὶ, τοῖς δόγμασιν αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὅλον γέγονε τοῦ Θεοῦ: ἐγὼ δὲ ζητῶ τὰ παρ' ὑμῶν, τὸν βίον καὶ τὸν περίπατον τὸν κατὰ τὸν Θεόν: τοῦτο ὑμέτερόν ἐστι. Μάρτυρα δὲ τὸν Κύριον καλῶ τῶν εἰρημένων ἐμοὶ, ὅτι οὐχ ὑπεστειλάμην, ἀλλ' εἶπον πῶς δεῖ περιπατεῖν. Ἐν ματαιότητι, φησὶ, τοῦ νοὸς αὑτῶν. Τί ἐστι νοῦ ματαιότης; Τὸ περὶ τὰ μάταια ἠσχολῆσθαι. Τίνα δέ ἐστι μάταια, ἀλλ' ἢ τὰ παρόντα ἅπαντα; περὶ ὧν φησιν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής: Ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης. Ἀλλ' ἐρεῖ τις: Εἰ μάταια καὶ ματαιότης, τίνος ἕνεκεν γέγονεν; εἰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔργα, πῶς μάταια; καὶ πολὺς περὶ τούτων ὁ λόγος. Ἀλλ' ἄκουε, ἀγαπητέ: Οὐ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔργα εἶπε μάταια, μὴ γένοιτο: οὐκ οὐρανὸς μάταιος, οὐδὲ γῆ ματαία, μὴ γένοιτο: οὐχ ἥλιος, οὐδὲ σελήνη καὶ ἄστρα, οὐδὲ τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἡμέτερον: πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα καλὰ λίαν: ἀλλὰ τί μάταιον; Ἀκούσωμεν αὐτοῦ λέγοντος τοῦ Ἐκκλησιαστοῦ: Ἐφύτευσά μοι ἀμπελῶνας, ἐποίησά μοι ᾄδοντας καὶ ᾀδούσας, ἐποίησά μοι κολυμβήθρας ὑδάτων, ἐγένετό μοι ποίμνια καὶ βουκόλια, συνήγαγον χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον: καὶ εἶδον ὅτι πάντα ματαιότης: καὶ πάλιν, Ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης. Ἄκουε καὶ τοῦ Προφήτου λέγοντος: Θησαυρίζει, καὶ οὐ γινώσκει τίνι συνάξει αὐτά. Κατὰ τοῦτο ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, αἱ λαμπραὶ οἰκοδομαὶ, ὁ πολὺς καὶ περιῤῥέων χρυσὸς, τῶν ἀνδραπόδων αἱ ἀγέλαι κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν σοβοῦσαι, ὁ τῦφος καὶ ἡ κενοδοξία, τὰ φρονήματα καὶ ὁ κόμπος. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα μάταια: οὐ γὰρ παρὰ Θεοῦ γεγένηται, ἀλλὰ παρ' ἡμῶν δεδημιούργηται. Τί δήποτε δὲ μάταια; Ὅτι οὐδὲν ἔχει τέλος χρηστόν. Τὰ χρήματα μάταια, ὅταν εἰς τρυφὴν ἀναλίσκηται: οὐ μάταια δὲ γίνεται, ὅταν εἰς πένητας σκορπίζηται. Ὅταν δὲ εἰς τρυφὴν ἀναλώσῃς, ἴδωμεν αὐτῶν τὸ τέλος τί ποτέ ἐστι: λιπασμὸς σώματος, ἐρυγαὶ, πνεύματα, κόπρου πλῆθος, καρηβαρία, μαλακία σαρκὸς, καὶ θερμότης καὶ ἔκλυσις. Ὡς γὰρ ἂν εἴ τις τετρημένον πίθον ἐπαντλῶν ματαιοπονεῖ, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τρυφῶν εἰς πίθον τετρημένον ἀντλεῖ. Ἄλλως δὲ, μάταιον λέγεται τὸ προσδοκηθὲν μὲν ἔχειν τιμὴν, μὴ ἐσχηκὸς δέ: ὅπερ καὶ κενὸν λέγουσι, καὶ κενὰς ἐλπίδας, καὶ τὸ εἰκῆ. Καὶ ἁπλῶς δὲ μάταιον λέγεται τὸ πρὸς μηδὲν χρήσιμον. Ἴδωμεν οὖν, εἰ μὴ τοιαῦτα τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν: αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνήσκομεν. Τί οὖν τὸ τέλος, εἰπέ μοι; Φθορά. Ἐνδυσώμεθα καὶ περιβαλώμεθα, καὶ τί τὸ πέρας; Οὐδέν. Τοιαῦτά τινες τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐφιλοσόφησαν, ἀλλὰ μάτην: τὸν σκληρὸν βίον ἐπεδείξαντο, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς, οὐ πρός τι τέλος χρήσιμον ὁρῶντες, ἀλλὰ πρὸς κενοδοξίαν καὶ τὴν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν τιμήν. Τί δὲ ἡ παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν τιμή; Οὐδέν. Εἰ γὰρ αὐτοὶ οἱ τὴν τιμὴν παρεχόμενοι ἀπόλλυνται, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡ τιμή. Ὁ τιμὴν παρέχων ἑτέρῳ, ἑαυτῷ πρότερον ὀφείλει παρασχεῖν: εἰ δὲ μὴ παρέχοι ἑαυτῷ, πῶς ἂν ἑτέρῳ παρέξοι; Νῦν δὲ καὶ τὰς τιμὰς ζητοῦμεν ἐξ εὐτελῶν καὶ εὐκαταφρονήτων ἀνδρῶν, ἀτίμων ὄντων καὶ ἐπονειδίστων. Ποία οὖν αὕτη τιμή; βʹ. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων τὰ πάντα; Διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν: Ἐν ματαιότητι τοῦ νοὸς αὐτῶν. Ἀλλ' ἡ θρησκεία αὐτῶν οὐ τοιαύτη; Τί δαί; ἆρα οὐ ξύλα καὶ λίθοι τὰ προσκυνούμενα; Ἥλιον φαίνειν ἡμῖν ἐποίησεν ἀντὶ λύχνου: τίς τὸν λύχνον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ προσκυνεῖ; Ἥλιος παρέχει τὸ φῶς: ἀλλ' ὅταν ἐκεῖνος μὴ δύνηται, λύχνος δύναται: τί τοίνυν οὐ προσκυνεῖς τὸν λύχνον; Ναὶ, φησὶ, προσκυνῶ τὸ πῦρ. Ὢ τοῦ γέλωτος! τοσαύτη ἡ ὕβρις, καὶ οὐκ αἰσχύνῃ; Ὅρα δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν πάλιν: Τὸ προσκυνούμενον τί σβεννύεις; τί ἀπολλύεις; τί ἀναιρεῖς σου τὸν θεόν; διὰ τί μὴ συγχωρεῖς τὴν οἰκίαν ἐμπεπλῆσθαι αὐτοῦ; Εἰ γὰρ θεός ἐστι τὸ πῦρ, ἐπινεμέσθω σου τὸ σῶμα, μὴ τῷ πυθμένι τῆς χύτρας καὶ τοῦ λέβητος τὸν θεὸν ὑποβάλῃς: εἴσαγε εἰς τὰ ταμεῖα, εἴσαγε εἰς τὰ σηρικὰ ἱμάτια. Σὺ δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐκ εἰσάγεις, ἀλλὰ κἂν διὰ περιπέτειάν τινος ἐπεισέλθῃ, πάντοθεν ἐλαύνεις, πάντας συγκαλεῖς, καὶ ὥσπερ θηρίου τινὸς ἐπεισελθόντος, ὀδύρῃ καὶ στένεις, καὶ συμφορὰν τὸ πρᾶγμα καλεῖς ὑπερβάλλουσαν τὸ τὸν θεόν σου παρεῖναι. Ἔχω ἐγὼ Θεὸν, καὶ πάντα ποιῶ, ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐνστερνίσασθαι, καὶ μακαριότητα ἐμαυτοῦ ἡγοῦμαι, οὐχ ὅταν τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπισκέπτηται τὴν ἐμὴν, ἀλλ' ἂν εἰς τὴν καρδίαν αὐτὸν ἑλκύσω τὴν ἐμήν. Ἕλκυσον καὶ σὺ τὸ πῦρ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν τὴν σήν. Γέλως ταῦτα, καὶ ματαιότης. Καλὸν τὸ πῦρ εἰς χρῆσιν, οὐκ εἰς προσκύνησιν: εἰς διακονίαν, εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν, εἰς τὸ δουλεύειν ἐμοὶ, οὐκ εἰς τὸ κρατεῖν ἐμοῦ: ἐκεῖνο δι' ἐμὲ γέγονεν, οὐκ ἐγὼ δι' αὐτό. Εἰ προσκυνεῖς τὸ πῦρ, τί αὐτὸς μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης κατάκεισαι, μαγείρῳ δὲ κελεύεις παρεστάναι σου τῷ θεῷ; Αὐτὸς ἀνάδεξαι τὴν μαγειρικὴν, καὶ ἀρτοκόπος γενοῦ, εἰ βούλει, καὶ χαλκεύς. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τούτων τῶν τεχνῶν τιμιώτερον, ἐπειδὴ ταῦτα ὁ σὸς ἐπισκέπτεται θεός. Τί ὕβριν ἡγῇ τὴν τέχνην, ἔνθα σου πολὺς ὁ θεός; τί τοῖς δούλοις ἐπιτάττεις, αὐτὸς δὲ οὐ καταξιοῖς; Καλὸν τὸ πῦρ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ καλοῦ δημιουργοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐ θεός: ἔργον γὰρ Θεοῦ, οὐ θεὸς ἐκλήθη. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς αὐτοῦ τὸ ἄτακτον; πῶς ὅταν ἐπιλάβηται οἰκίας, οὐδαμοῦ ἵσταται; ἀλλ' ἐὰν σχῇ συνεχῆ τινα, πάντα καθαιρεῖ, κἂν μὴ τεκτόνων χεῖρες ἢ καὶ ἄλλων τινῶν σβέσωσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν μανίαν, οὐ φίλους οἶδεν, οὐ πολεμίους, ἀλλ' ὁμοίως πᾶσι κέχρηται. Τοῦτο οὖν θεὸς, καὶ οὐκ αἰσχύνεσθε; Ὄντως καλῶς εἶπεν: Ἐν ματαιότητι τοῦ νοὸς αὑτῶν. Ἀλλ' ὁ ἥλιος, φησὶ, θεός. Τοῦτο γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, πόθεν, καὶ διὰ τί; ὅτι φῶς ἀφίησι πολύ; Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁρᾷς αὐτὸν νικώμενον ὑπὸ τῶν νεφῶν, καὶ ἀνάγκῃ δουλεύοντα φύσεως, καὶ ἐκλείποντα καὶ ὑπὸ σελήνης καὶ νέφους κρυπτόμενον; Καίτοι γε νέφος ἀσθενέστερον ἡλίου, ἀλλ' ὅμως πολλαχοῦ κρατεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίας ἔργον ἐστίν. Ὁ Θεὸς παναρκὴς εἶναι ὀφείλει, οὗτος δὲ πολλῶν ἐστιν ἐνδεής: τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἔστι Θεοῦ. Δεῖται γὰρ ἀέρος πρὸς τὸ φᾶναι, καὶ ἀέρος λεπτοῦ: ὡς ὅ γε σφόδρα πυκνωθεὶς οὐκ ἀφίησι τὴν ἀκτῖνα διαδῦναι: δεῖται καὶ ὕδατος, καὶ ἑτέρου τοῦ ἐπέχοντος, ὥστε μὴ καταφλέξαι. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ πηγαὶ καὶ λίμναι καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ θάλασσαι τινὰ ὑγρότητα διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀτμῶν συνέστησαν ἀναδόσεως, οὐδὲν ἂν ἐκώλυσεν ἐκπυρωθῆναι τὰ πάντα. Ὁρᾷς οὖν, φησὶν, ὅτι θεός; Ὢ τῆς μανίας! ὢ τοῦ γέλωτος! ἐπειδὴ, φησὶ, βλάψαι δύναται, θεός, Καὶ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο οὐ θεὸς, ὅτι ἐν οἷς μὲν βλάπτει, οὐδενὸς δεῖται, ἐν οἷς δὲ ὠφελεῖ, πολλῶν ἑτέρων χρῄζει: Θεοῦ δὲ τὸ μὲν βλάπτειν, πόῤῥω, τὸ δὲ ὠφελεῖν, οἰκεῖον. Ὅταν οὖν τὸ ἐναντίον ᾖ, πῶς θεός; Οὐχ ὁρᾷς, ὅτι τὰ δηλητήρια φάρμακα καταβλάπτει, καὶ οὐδενὸς δεῖται, ὅταν δὲ ὠφελῇ, πολλῶν; Διὰ σὲ τοίνυν ἐστὶ τοιοῦτος, καὶ καλὸς καὶ ἀσθενής: καλὸς μὲν, ἵνα ἐπιγινώσκῃς τὸν Δεσπότην: ἀσθενὴς δὲ, ἵνα μὴ Δεσπότην αὐτὸν εἶναι λέγῃς. Ἀλλὰ τρέφει, φησὶ, τὰ φυτὰ καὶ τὰ σπέρματα. Τί οὖν μὴ παρὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡ κόπρος θεός; καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκείνη τρέφει. Τί μὴ παρὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ δρέπανον, καὶ αἱ τοῦ γεωργοῦ χεῖρες; Δεῖξόν μοι μόνον τρέφοντα τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ μηδενὸς δεόμενον, μήτε γῆς, μήτε ὕδατος, μήτε γεωργίας: ἀλλὰ βαλλέσθω τὰ σπέρματα, καὶ τὴν ἀκτῖνα ἀφεὶς δεικνύτω τοὺς ἀστάχυας. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ αὐτοῦ μόνου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ὑετῶν ἐστι, διὰ τί μὴ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ θεός; Ἀλλὰ μήπω περὶ τούτου. Διὰ τί μὴ καὶ ἡ γῆ θεός; διὰ τί μὴ καὶ ἡ κόπρος, καὶ ἡ δίκελλα; Πάντα οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, προσκυνήσομεν; Ὢ τῆς ληρωδίας! Καίτοι μᾶλλον ἄνευ ἡλίου γένοιτο ἄσταχυς, ἢ ἄνευ γῆς καὶ ὕδατος, καὶ φυτὰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἅπαντα. Γῆς μὲν οὖν οὐκ οὔσης, οὐκ ἄν ποτε τούτων τι φανείη: εἰ δέ τις ἐν κεραμίῳ, οἷα τὰ παιδία ποιοῦσι καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες, γῆν ἐναποθέμενος, ὑπὸ τὸν ὄροφον κατάθοιτο, κέραμον ἐμπλήσας κόπρου πολλῆς, ἀσθενῆ μὲν, ἀναδίδοται δὲ ὅμως τὰ φυτά. Ὥστε πλείων ἡ παρὰ τῆς γῆς καὶ τῆς κόπρου συντέλεια, καὶ ταῦτα μᾶλλον ἐκείνου χρὴ προσκυνεῖν. Οὐρανοῦ δεῖται, ἀέρος δεῖται, ὑδάτων δεῖται τούτων, ὥστε μὴ βλάπτειν καθάπερ χαλινῶν κατεχόντων αὐτοῦ τὴν τῆς δυνάμεως ἀγριότητα, καὶ οὐκ ἐώντων ἐπαφεῖναι πανταχοῦ τὴν ἀκτῖνα, ὥσπερ τινὰ ἵππον ἄγριον. Εἰπὲ δή μοι, ποῦ ἡμῖν ἐστιν οὗτος κατὰ τὴν νύκτα; ποῦ ὁ θεὸς ἀποδεδήμηκεν; οὐ γὰρ θεοῦ τοῦτο τὸ περικλείεσθαι καὶ περατοῦσθαι: σωμάτων γὰρ ὄντως τοῦτο μόνον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ δύναμίς τίς ἐστιν ἐν αὐτῷ, φησὶ, καὶ κινεῖται. Αὕτη οὖν ἡ δύναμις, εἰπέ μοι, θεός; τί οὖν αὕτη δεῖται, καὶ μὴ κατέχει τὸ πῦρ; πάλιν γὰρ ὁ αὐτός μοι λόγος. Τί δὲ ἡ δύναμις ἐκείνη; φωτιστική τί[ς] ἐστιν, ἢ διὰ τούτου φωτίζει, αὐτὴ μετέχουσα τούτων μηδενός; Οὐκοῦν μείζων αὐτῆς ὁ ἥλιος. Μέχρι τίνος ἀνελίττομεν λαβύρινθον; γʹ. Τί δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ; οὐχὶ καὶ αὐτὸ θεὸς, φασί; Τοῦτο ὄντως γέλωτος πάλιν φιλονείκου. Οὐχὶ θεὸς, φησὶν, ᾧ πρὸς τοσαῦτα κεχρήμεθα; Καὶ περὶ τῆς γῆς πάλιν ὁμοίως. Ὄντως, Ἐν ματαιότητι τοῦ νοὸς αὐτῶν, ἐσκοτισμένοι τὴν διάνοιαν. Ἀλλὰ περὶ βίου ταῦτά φησι νῦν: Πορνεύουσι καὶ μοιχεύουσιν Ἕλληνες. Εἰκότως: οἱ γὰρ τοιούτους ὑπογράφοντες ἑαυτοῖς θεοὺς, πάντα ἀκολούθως ἐργάζονται: κἂν τοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων δυνηθῶσι λαθεῖν ὀφθαλμοὺς, οὐδεὶς ὁ καθέξων αὐτούς. Τί γὰρ δυνήσεται ὁ περὶ ἀναστάσεως λόγος, μῦθος αὐτοῖς εἶναι δοκῶν; Ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ἐν ᾅδου; Ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦτα μῦθοι: καὶ θέα τὴν σατανικὴν ἔννοιαν. Ὅταν μὲν λέγωσιν αὐτοῖς θεοὺς πόρνους, οὔ φασιν εἶναι μύθους, ἀλλὰ πείθονται: ὅταν δὲ περὶ κολάσεως διαλέγωνται, Ποιηταὶ, φασὶν, εἰσὶ, καὶ πάντα μυθεύουσιν, ἵνα πάντοθεν ἀνατρέπηται τῆς εὐζωΐας ἡ κατάστασις. Ἀλλ' οἱ φιλόσοφοι, φησὶν, ἐφεῦρόν τι σεμνὸν πάντως, καὶ τούτων κρεῖττον. Πῶς; οἱ τὴν εἱμαρμένην ἐπεισάγοντες, καὶ ἀπρονόητα εἶναι λέγοντες τὰ πάντα, καὶ μηδενὶ μέλειν μηδενὸς, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἀτόμων συνεστάναι; ἀλλ' ἕτεροι οἱ σῶμα τὸν Θεὸν εἰπόντες; Ἀλλὰ τίνες, εἰπέ μοι; οἱ τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας ψυχὰς κυνείας ποιοῦντες, καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πείθοντες, ὅτι καὶ κύων ἐγένετό ποτέ τις, καὶ λέων καὶ ἰχθύς; Μέχρι τίνος οὐ παύεσθε ληροῦντες, ἐσκοτισμένοι τῇ διανοίᾳ; καθάπερ γὰρ ὄντες ἐν σκότῳ πάντα καὶ λέγουσι καὶ πράττουσι, καὶ τὰ περὶ δογμάτων καὶ τὰ περὶ βίου. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ὁρᾷ τῶν ἐν μέσῳ κειμένων, ὅς ἐστιν ἐσκοτισμένος, ἀλλὰ σχοινίον πολλάκις ἰδὼν, ὄφιν ἐνόμισεν αὐτόματον: ὑπὸ φραγμοῦ πάλιν κατασχεθεὶς, ἐνόμισεν ἄνθρωπόν τινα ἢ δαίμονα κατέχειν αὐτόν: καὶ πολὺς ὁ θόρυβος, πολλὴ ἡ ταραχή. Τοιαῦτά τινα φοβοῦνται: Φοβηθήσονται, φησὶ, φόβον, οὗ οὐκ ἦν φόβος: τὰ δὲ ἄξια φόβου οὐ δεδοίκασιν. Ἀλλὰ καθάπερ τὰ παιδία τῷ μὲν πυρὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀπρονοήτως, καὶ τῷ λύχνῳ τολμηρῶς ἐπαφιᾶσιν ὑπὸ τῶν τιτθῶν βασταζόμενα, σάκκον δὲ ἄνδρα ἐνδεδυμένον φοβοῦνται: οὕτω δὴ καὶ οὗτοι οἱ Ἕλληνες, καθάπερ ὄντως ἀεὶ παιδία (ὡς καί τις τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς εἶπεν: Ἕλληνες ἀεὶ παῖδες), τὰ μὲν οὐκ ὄντα ἁμαρτήματα δεδοίκασιν, οἷον ῥύπον σώματος, κῆδος, λέχος, καὶ ἡμερῶν παρατηρήσεις, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα: ἃ δέ ἐστιν ὄντως ἁμαρτήματα, παιδεραστία, μοιχεία, πορνεία, τούτων οὐδὲ λόγον ἔχουσιν. Ἀλλ' ἴδοις ἂν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ μὲν νεκροῦ λουόμενον, ἀπὸ δὲ νεκρῶν ἔργων, οὐκέτι: καὶ χρημάτων μὲν ἕνεκεν πολλὴν ποιούμενον σπουδὴν, ἑνὶ δὲ ἀλεκτρυόνι τὸ πᾶν διαλελύσθαι νομίζοντα: οὕτως ἐσκοτισμένοι εἰσὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ. Πολλῶν δειμάτων αὐτοῖς ἡ ψυχὴ μεστή, οἷον, Ὁ δεῖνά μοι πρῶτος ἐνέτυχε, φησὶν, ἐξιόντι τῆς οἰκίας: πάντως μυρία δεῖ κακὰ συμπεσεῖν. Νῦν ὁ οἰκέτης ὁ μιαρὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα ἐπιδιδοὺς, πρῶτον ὤρεξε τὸ ἀριστερόν: συμφοραὶ δειναὶ, καὶ ὕβρεις. Ἐγὼ αὐτὸς ἐξιὼν, τῷ ἀριστερῷ προτέρῳ προὔβην ποδί: καὶ τοῦτο συμφορῶν σημεῖον. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν περὶ τὴν οἰκίαν τὰ κακά: ἔξω δὲ ἐξελθόντι ὁ ὀφθαλμός μοι ὁ δεξιὸς κάτωθεν ἀναπηδᾷ: δακρύων τοῦτο τεκμήριον. Καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες δὲ, ὅταν τῷ ἱστόποδι προσαρασσόμενοι κροτῶσιν οἱ κάλαμοι, ἢ ὅταν αὐταὶ τῷ κτενὶ σπαθῶσι, σημεῖον καὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦνται. Πάλιν ὅταν τὴν κρόκην τῷ κτενὶ κατακρούωσι, καὶ σφοδρότερον τοῦτο ἐργάζωνται, εἶτα οἱ ἄνωθεν κάλαμοι ὑπὸ τῆς ἐντόνου πληγῆς κροτῶσι προσαρασσόμενοι τῷ ἱστόποδι, σημεῖον καὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦνται: καὶ μυρία ἕτερα γέλωτος ἄξια. Κἂν ὄνος ἀνακράξῃ, κἂν ἀλεκτρυὼν, κἂν πτάρῃ τις, κἂν ὁτιοῦν συμβῇ, καθάπερ μυρίοις δεδεμένοι δεσμοῖς, ὅπερ ἔφην, καθάπερ ἐν σκότῳ κατεχόμενοι, πάντα ὑποπτεύουσι, καὶ μυρίων εἰσὶν ἀνδραπόδων δουλικώτεροι. Ἀλλὰ μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς: ἀλλὰ πάντων τούτων καταγελάσαντες, ἅτε ἐν φωτὶ ζῶντες, καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ πολιτευόμενοι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν γῆν οὐδὲν ἔχοντες κοινὸν, ἓν μόνον ἡγώμεθα εἶναι φοβερὸν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ τὸ προσκροῦσαι Θεῷ. Τούτου δὲ οὐκ ὄντος, πάντων καταγελάσωμεν τῶν ἄλλων, καὶ τοῦ ταῦτα εἰσενεγκόντος διαβόλου. Ὑπὲρ δὴ τούτων εὐχαριστῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ: σπουδάσωμεν, μηδέποτε μήτε αὐτοὶ ταύτῃ ἁλῶναι τῇ δουλείᾳ, καὶ εἴ τις ἡμῖν τῶν φίλων ἑάλωκε, διαῤῥήξωμεν αὐτοῦ τὰ δεσμὰ, ἀποδύσωμεν αὐτὸν τῆς χαλεπωτάτης καὶ καταγελάστου ταύτης εἱρκτῆς, εὔλυτον αὐτὸν ἐργασώμεθα πρὸς τὸν δρόμον τὸν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, τὰ πτερὰ βαρούμενα ἀνορθώσωμεν, καὶ βίου καὶ δόγματος ἕνεκεν διδάσκωμεν φιλοσοφεῖν. Εὐχαριστῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ πάντων ἕνεκεν: παρακαλῶμεν αὐτὸν, μὴ ἀναξίους ἡμᾶς ἀποφανῆναι τῆς παρασχεθείσης δωρεᾶς: καὶ αὐτοὶ μετὰ τούτων σπουδάζωμεν τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν εἰσενεγκεῖν, ἵνα μὴ μόνον λέγοντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ποιοῦντες διδάσκωμεν. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα τῶν μυρίων ἀγαθῶν ἐπιτυχεῖν: 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.