Commentarium in evangelium Matthaei (lib. 12-17)
to be shown both from earth and from heaven (true ones indeed from God, but in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood from the evil one) was
a sign to be given by him, but also that very thing. For pay attention to and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. T
To the Pharisees and Sadducees also who were seeking a sign from heaven to show them, Jesus said not only “wicked generation,” but also “adulterous.”
But since through lack of bread we are in danger of taking from their leaven, and the Savior does not wish us to relapse into their teaching, for this
he who does such things will be punished, and this, if it was not his own fault that he did not come to the wicked deed for if, in addition to having
they supposed him to be, on account of the things in the prophets that were spoken as if to them but were not fulfilled in their case. But the Jews, a
will he receive them? But if I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven is common to others also, how shall not both all the things said befo
it is reported of those who live weakly and contrary to reason. Therefore, of those seeking to enter, those who are not strong enough to enter would n
with sins and of the gates of Hades or of death. But if you would not understand they hated him who reproves in the gates in this way, either in th
he charged his disciples that they should tell no one that he is the Christ (16, [- 23]). For above it is written that these twelve Jesus sent out, s
of proclaiming him Christ, which he had previously granted. And perhaps someone will support such an argument, saying that the Jews were taught by the
when the Father had revealed to them, he preaches (instead of their believing in Jesus Christ “crucified”) to believe in Jesus Christ who is to be cru
of the scribes of the people who are occupied with letters, not those written with ink but inscribed by the Spirit of the living God, and he is ki
is a stumbling block to them.” For someone will say: if because of the steadfastness of those who have *** love and are incapable of being scandalized
Matthew and Mark and Luke, he does not carry it for himself for Simon the Cyrenian carries it. And perhaps this one refers to us, who for the sake of
to lose it for Christ's sake. 12.28 And the or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? might seem, being spoken as a question, to be able to
of man in the glory of his father, so the words in the prophets, becoming angels, come with him, preserving the proportion of their own glory. And whe
Jesus, and their stance of feet was akin to the stance about which Moses spoke in, “And I stood on the mountain forty days and forty nights,” having a
face” while we sin, the curse which says is fulfilled upon us: “and your life will be hanging before you” and what follows until “and from the sights
to see. But just as in the saying we cited, the urgent thing was for us to learn that until the end of the age he will not leave us, but will be wit
to see Jesus transfigured before *** him for the Word has *** different forms, appearing to each one as is profitable for the one seeing, and not bei
then also according to Mark, “his garments become white and glistening like the light, such as a fuller on earth is not able so to whiten.” And perhap
acting not knowing «what he says,» wishing Jesus and Moses and Elijah not to be together, but to separate them from one another, on the pretext of the
that God, in turning Peter away from making three tabernacles under which they were about, as far as his will was concerned, to dwell, shows one and a
when «he instructed the disciples that they should tell no one that he is the Christ». Therefore the things said in that passage can be useful for us
on the earth?” which we find in Matthew thus stated: “But as the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as they were in the days <
are subject to prophets and the spirit of Elijah has rested upon Elisha. But one must inquire whether the spirit of Elijah is the same as the spiri
to better things, as if propped up by them and dependent on them. «But they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but
other desires. Perhaps, then, you would not be wrong to say that such men (so to speak) are spiritually moonstruck, being cast down by the spiritual h
to succeed in them, we will say that perhaps in order to slander the creatures of God, so that injustice might be spoken on high and they might set
From there (I think) taking the starting point, he said with apostolic authority, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains for not only o
Satan, delivering him up in a more primary sense than Judas. But see, lest perhaps, when you examine the delivering up of the Son by the Father to th
that he was to be killed, as if they were dwelling on things that were somber and worthy of grief, but not paying attention to the fact that on the th
they are of a praiseworthy nature, and yet he has taken care that they not be scandalized, and yet he prevents any scandal from happening to them, so
“stater”) give to them for me and for you” on that day <or hour> the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
of Jesus in the body” carrying about, so as to have the state of a child who has not tasted sexual pleasures and has no thought of manly impulses, suc
of likeness, in as much as it falls short of the given disposition of children towards the passions. In the whole multitude of believers, therefore, t
the Father sent, the Savior and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, greater in the kingdom of heaven is the one who has humbled himself beyond all those who h
commanding him to make himself small and causing him to increase in greatness for attend to “he who is least among you all, he is great.” And we have
the law of God, and in them there is no stumbling block.” But if someone seems to be called a disciple, but is still “of the world” because he loves “
<The demons, being nourished by the blood of the sacrifices, are enraged> as their worship diminishes, the customary sacrifices not being offered to t
it is a beautiful and blessed thing for the soul to use its power for the best things but if we are about to be destroyed because of some one ***, it
Having passed through being under nurses and guardians and stewards and tutors, we proceed now to be administered by the Lord himself. 13.27 T
littleness and greatness of soul. 13.29 But another might say that the perfect one is called little in these passages, using the text For he who is
To me it seems to be such for each party the word, having placed you have gained your brother upon the one who heard you when alone, no longer plac
to be gained, being loosed through the admonition <of the one> who gained him and no longer bound by the “cords of his own sins” concerning which he w
this is by agreeing with Christ, he adds, For where two or three are gathered in my name. Therefore, the two or three gathered in the name of Christ
before us, urging to chastity and purity those who are married. For the two, whom the Word wants (he says) to be in agreement on the earth, man and wo
and forgive seven times, but from the seventy-eighth not forgive the one who wronged him, seems to me to be very foolish and unworthy both of Peter's
having departed, the one who was forgiven all the talents cast his fellow servant [into prison], and who are the fellow servants who were grieved and
they managed some funds well but have lost others, and when they give the account, as the master settles it with them, it is calculated how much each
that men shall speak” and if ever anyone has given “only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple.” 14.9 And these things will be, whenever that
one debtor of many talents, whom if you seek among men, perhaps you would find him to be the man of sin, the son of perdition, the one who opposes
to certain men) to render the things prophesied in some way, recorded by the divine Spirit. And since we have not yet received a sufficient mind capab
a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return», going, he called ten servants and «gave them ten minas, and said to them: ‘Do business
not being ignorant of the future, but so that we might learn what has happened, it is thus recorded to have been done. Each one therefore of those hav
he performed an initiation, initiating them, through which initiation the words appeared powerful, so that the gospel of Jesus might be preached in
he answers them blamelessly and wisely]. <but see how blamelessly he answered> first, by denying the putting away of a wife for every cause, second, b
synagogue) for another cause, observing what therefore God has joined together, let not man separate, or when that wife committed fornication, having
of the husband, Christ, the mother of the people, not having received the bill of divorcement. But later, when some unseemly thing was found in her
the last enemy of Christ to be destroyed is death. But whichever of these happens to the woman, whether the former or the latter, her former husband
we may find 'grace' before a husband, either Christ or the angel appointed over us for if we are not attentive, perhaps we too will receive the bill
Moses, because of your hardness of heart, permitted you to divorce your wives. For, as it were, because of our hardness of heart (on account of weakne
what she wants and to condescend to friendship with men whom she wants for often from the simplicity of men such stumblings happen among women. But w
if we grasp the meaning of the passage, we shall live better, let us thus come to the matter at hand. For some, thinking that the third was also physi
constructing those in it. And having taken this as the cause, one who salutes no one on the road would suffer death on the pretext of the letter, th
to accept (along with saying the Savior said these things) that the believer dares to give himself over to suffer such things, or that one who would n
aforementioned and to those who taught this through their writings. But we did not wish to set them forth, lest by setting forth the arguments and the
to the savior the little children or the infants this they did, so that through the laying on of his hands and the prayer for the little children and
“Arise, take the child and his mother.” Therefore Jesus, not only in the historical sense, but also in the anagogical sense, humbled “himself as a chi
in order, until but many who are first will be last, and the last first (19, 16-30). In the Psalms it is written, as though man is able to do good,
understood by those who, as far as it is up to them, slander the God of the law and accuse him of things which it is perhaps not easy to say even abou
The observance of the lesser and more obscure commandments brings us to life. 15.13 But he who heard 'keep the commandments' says, 'Which ones?' so th
to this rich man (who said, All these things I have kept from my youth) loved him, he seems to have agreed with the one <who promised> to have don
in common” and what follows, until “praising God and having favor with all the people.” And a little later again it is written in the same book that “
spoken covertly in the scriptures? But see that the difficulty is general, that is, noble and not easily solved. For if we say that someone has become
that one is understood to lay aside wickedness and to sell the existence from wickedness and give to the poor. But I will speak as being preoccupied i
being grieved because of his possessions, when he ought to rejoice, because instead of those things he was about to have a treasure in heaven, and fol
we have followed you what then shall we have? And some will keep these things according to the letter, while another, refuting the literal sense as n
is something <great, nor has it> been spoken worthily of so great a disciple, to whom 'flesh and blood did not reveal' that Jesus was 'the Christ, the
in the Holy Spirit and fire». Therefore, in the regeneration through the washing, we were buried with Christ «for we were buried with him (according
will be judged as one who has lived an apostolic life. 15.25 If, then, anyone has left all things and followed Jesus, he will obtain the things spoken
of <Christians> who, having been brought up in Christianity, are proud, and especially when they happen to boast of fathers and ancestors who were dee
dwelling, they differed much from men and were the first of them, of which men their soul was humbled to the dust, having come to be in the body of
hidden from the foundation.” For it is necessary for the one who is going to understand the parable to see the day signified in it and the hours in it
to examine <and> why the householder did not answer all those who came first and thought they would receive more and murmured against the householder,
will fall upon thoughts and imagining the other feasts on such days and the whole sabbatical year, in which God grants to the poor and to proselytes a
more honored at the advent of Christ—when they saw Christ with their blessed eyes. Let these things also be said, whether for the sake of logical exer
are the souls of the laborers who, having departed from the body, were received into the field of the master. For even Samuel worked outside the body
they will receive the denarius. 15.36 After dictating these things on the proposed <this> parable, these things also occurred to us concerning it, whi
On the Gospel according to Matthew, Exegetical Works, Book 10. 16.1 And when Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve aside privately
Peter began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid, Lord! This shall not happen to you. But here, the disciples are not recorded as having said or done a
the act of seeing appears. For now, “Who is blind (as Isaiah says from the person of God) <but> my children, and who are deaf but those who rule over
it is written that “Micaiah said”: “I saw the God of Israel sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven was standing around him at his right and
on the left hand” of God the host “of heaven” stands bodily, or again to suppose that those who are saved and praised are in the bodily right hands of
For martyrdom one will not only use the Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, as being drunk with difficulty by the one who undertak
He says, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work, so a cup is analogous to that food. which is a bold thing to distingu
He adds But he said to them: The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with y
us, and again neither understanding nor imagining the equality toward those under their authority, that it is fitting for Christians especially to co
Jesus' soul, to him who was deceived that is, and who imagined that he was able to be its master and who did not see that it does not bear the torment
and that he deemed those who had believed worthy that their eyes should be opened, having touched their eyes <and> injecting a healing power into the
he was the son of David. But if I speak of two blind men, Israel and Judah, before the coming of Jesus into their soul, lead yourself back to the <two
they see Jesus. These things according to Matthew. 16.12 But since Mark and Luke, according to some, set forth the same story, but according to others
of David. but even though many rebuked him, much more he cried out, believing in Jesus but believing in a more human way, and having cried out, he s
he learned from those who told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. Next, observe in addition to these things that to the blind man who cried o
to you, just and saving, he is meek and mounted upon a beast of burden and a young colt.” But if you wish to learn from the prophet how the things pro
but to us there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, to whom <that> none of those saying, Why are you untying the colt? was goi
leading back her fallen children. How was it not to be worthy of great joy for the just king, who is also a savior and meek, to come thus to Jerusalem
we preach that the Lord has need of them who were previously bound. And he has need of them by riding upon them, having been loosed from their sins an
presence of those who follow the Word and accompany him, whether righteous men or also apostles of Christ. However, those who went before did not say
of things to be done follows him and says what has been written. And concerning these things, we indeed have seen so much but let the one who is supe
mystery? so that one might say that Jesus, concerning the sins committed in the living temple which he built, says what is from the Psalms, as follows
they will be feasted upon. But Jesus says to those being cast out as selling and buying and to the money-changers and to those selling the doves, sham
in the second of Chronicles and in the third of Kings) having been seen after the building of the temple in it. This very thing which is by nature the
longing for and sucking it, being given milk to drink, and still hymning God in faith and in life, see that in them is fulfilled the, Out of the mouth
ships pass through, small creatures with great ones, this dragon which you formed to play in it.” And in another Psalm: there “you crushed the heads o
he is commanded, so that he might not make the earth useless. Then the disciples, when they see someone withered who had a vital appearance, marvel,
but it will be said that the fruits of the Spirit listed by the apostle, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-
considering the matters of the passage for they will say that knowing two general <ἐξου σίας>, the one of God being better, and the one of the devil
the chief priests and the elders of the people, concerning more authorities <and of the orders of the mysteries in heaven> whether from traditions [wh
He answered, saying: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. But I am investigating in this passage, whether each of those who have
it is directed towards the one who said, “I will not,” and later repented and went, the “Amen I say to you, that the tax collectors and the prostitute
fruits to the householder. Then, after the parable, when those who asked above, By what authority do you do these things?, had spoken, the Savior an
Secondly, according to those who answered concerning the vineyard being let out to other husbandmen, who will give its fruits in their seasons, accord
In Jeremiah, consistent with, “For the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah his beloved plant,” it is said to
beginning from each one. 17.8 And let the word be understood in each soul as a vine planted by the householder, and a vineyard the resources for all <
the spirit of the Lord which spoke in you?” one they killed, like Zechariah “between the temple and the altar,” and another they stoned, like Azariah
to have slain him less. For they thought that by killing Christ and not understanding his resurrection (for if they had known it, they would not have
it will be given to a nation producing its fruits. The matter concerning the passage would have been insoluble if, just as it was written was concerni
For Jesus is also a prophet, as is clear to one who has understood the saying, The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from your brothers,
of God as his high priests and the divine scripture as scribes and the ancient tradition as [the] elders of the people, <and> seek to destroy Jesus an
of God but since you judge yourselves unworthy, behold we turn to the Gentiles.” The highways of the roads therefore are the things outside Israel, b
his business, and others <also> seizing the slaves mistreated and killed them. Also belonging to the kingdom are the king's army, and those gathered f
who are capable of being ordered by God, who remains God in every way both in speaking through the prophets and in ordering men. And then the kingdom
his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding. And you will notice whether, just as according to bodily things the bride being married is
one rests in his own field, another at his business. But let us see who the rest are, besides these. It seems to me then that these have fallen away t
to do good and to deliver God from there, and he may gnash his teeth, those who because of wickedness ate the unripe grape and for this reason their t
that the Pharisees had not sent their disciples alone to inquire about the tribute, but with the Herodians. For it is likely that among the people at
But our savior, «the Word of God,» clearly separating the reasonable debts to the body from the <spiritual> debts of the soul says: Render to Caesar t
Then after these things he speaks the parable about the vineyard and the farmers who killed the servants and the son, and following these another para
a resurrection, however, the one (as we have explained) according to them, and they questioned our Lord, saying: Moses said: If someone dies having no
of the one who has died. And after these things you will seek who it is that is not willing «to take the wife of his brother» and for this reason «bef
spiritual brother a soul, a woman, is established “from the name” of his brother “who has died,” and becomes not from the former, but eponymous with t
of one sinning, but now also of one not building the house of his brother. Therefore, let everyone who sees this man having his sandal removed by a
“the one sandal”. And we have received a third such interpretation of the passage, which we will briefly state. Wisdom is called a woman because of th
blessed. But just as, as the argument has shown, it followed from there being woman and man that there would also be children of parents and brothers
heavens». Therefore, let each one of those who have attended to our inquiry seek from the scriptures the things spoken by the Savior concerning those
he will take refuge in secret <sayings>, he will not come to an acknowledged matter among those who have believed. Therefore it seems to me that you
he granted to his genuine disciples that he himself be not only their God but also their father. For having risen from the dead, he says to Mary: “Do
is a stumbling block to them.” For someone will say: if because of the steadfastness of those who have *** love and are incapable of being scandalized (for love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; love never fails”) this was said in the prophet, how did the Lord himself, supporting “all who fall” and raising up “all who are bowed down,” say to Peter: You are a stumbling block to me? But it must be said that not only the savior is incapable of being scandalized but also <every> one who has been perfected in love, but as much as is in him, he who says or does such things is a stumbling block even to one who will not be scandalized; unless indeed Jesus calls every sinning disciple a stumbling block to himself as well, as if he, much more than Paul, because of love, would say: “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not aflame?” beyond which it is possible to make it: Who is scandalized, and I am not scandalized? But if Peter at that time (because of his ‘God forbid, Lord, this shall not happen to you’) was called a stumbling block by Jesus, as one not setting his mind on the things of God in what he said, but on the things of men, what is to be said about all those who profess to be disciples of Jesus, but do not set their minds on the things of God and do not look at the things that are not seen and are eternal, but set their minds on the things of men and look at the things that are seen and are temporary, except that such people would be called even more a stumbling block to him by Jesus, both for being a stumbling block to him and to the brothers? To whom, just as he says “I was hungry and you gave me no food” and so forth, so he might also say “as I was running you scandalized me.” Let us not suppose, therefore, that setting one's mind on the things of men is an ordinary sin, when it is necessary in all things to set one's mind on the things of God. It would be fitting to say this also to everyone who has fallen away from the doctrines of God and ecclesiastical words and true thought, but thinks (for example) that the things of Basilides or Valentinus or Marcion or any of those who teach human things as divine are true. 12.24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If anyone wishes to follow after me and so forth (16, 24-27). Through these things it is shown that the will to come after Jesus and to follow him does not come from an ordinary good deed, and no one would come after Jesus without having denied himself. He denies himself who, through a worthy change, erases his former life lived in wickedness, for example (as an example) he who was formerly licentious denies himself as licentious by having become temperate, and so on. But it is likely that someone will object, if just as he denied himself, so he also confesses himself, having denied himself as unjust, but confessing himself as just. But if Christ is righteousness, he who has received righteousness confesses not himself but Christ. So also he who has found wisdom, by the very fact of having wisdom, confesses Christ. And such a person, believing “with the heart unto righteousness,” and confessing “with the mouth unto salvation” and by his works bearing witness to Christ ***, as one who through all these things confessed Christ “before men,” will be confessed by him “before the Father who is in heaven.” So also he who has not denied himself <confesses himself, but denies Christ, and as one> who has denied Christ will suffer “I also will deny him.” For this reason let every thought of ours and conception and every word and every deed breathe our denial of ourselves, but a witness <and confession> of Christ and in Christ. For I am persuaded that every deed of the perfect man is a witness to Christ Jesus, and that abstinence from all sin is a denial of self that brings one after Jesus. Such a one has been crucified with Christ, and having taken up his own cross follows him who for our sake bore his own cross according to what is said thus by John: “So they took him and laid upon him” and so forth until “where they crucified him.” But the Jesus (that I may so name him) according to John bears “the cross for himself” and “bearing it he went out,” but the one according to
ἔστιν αὐτοῖς σκάν δαλον». φήσει γάρ τις· εἰ διὰ τὸ βέ βαιον τῶν τὴν *** ἀγάπην ἐχόντων καὶ ἀνεπιδέκτων ὄντων τοῦ σκανδαλί
ζεσθαι (ἡ ἀγάπη γὰρ «πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάν τα ὑπομένει· ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε ἐκ πίπτει») εἴρηται τοῦτο
ἐν τῷ προφή τῃ, πῶς αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος, ὑποστηρί ζων «πάντας τοὺς καταπίπτοντας» καὶ ἀνορθῶν «πάντας τοὺς κατερ ραγμένους», εἶπε
τῷ Πέτρῳ· σκάνδαλόν μου εἶ; λεκτέον δὲ ὅτι ἀνεπίδεκτος μέν ἐστι τοῦ σκαν δαλίζεσθαι οὐ μόνον ὁ σωτὴρ ἀλλὰ καὶ <πᾶς> ὁ ἐν ἀγάπῃ
τετελειωμένος, τὸ ὅσον δὲ ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ ὁ τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγων ἢ πράττων, σκάνδαλόν ἐστι καὶ τοῦ μὴ σκανδαλισθησομένου· εἰ μὴ ἄρα
πάντα τὸν μαθητὴν Ἰησοῦς ἁμαρτά νοντα σκάνδαλον καὶ ἑαυτοῦ ἀποκα λεῖ, ὡς πολλῷ μᾶλλον παρὰ Παῦλον διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην λέξων ἄν·
«τίς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενῶ; τίς σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι;» παρ' ὃ δυνατὸν ποιῆσαι· τίς σκανδα λίζεται, καὶ οὐκ
ἐγὼ σκανδαλίζομαι; εἰ δὲ Πέτρος τότε (διὰ τὸ ἵλεώς σοι, κύριε, οὐ μὴ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο) σκάνδαλον εἴρηται ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὡς
οὐ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν οἷς εἶπε φρονῶν, ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τί λεκτέον περὶ πάν των τῶν ἐπαγγελλομένων μαθητεύ εσθαι τῷ Ἰησοῦ,
μὴ φρονούντων δὲ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μὴ σκοπούντων τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα καὶ αἰώνια, φρο νούντων δὲ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ σκοπούντων τὰ
βλεπόμενα καὶ πρόσκαιρα, ἢ ὅτι οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἔτι μᾶλλον ἂν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἀποκα λοῖντο σκάνδαλον αὐτοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸ σκάνδαλα αὐτοῦ
εἶναι καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν; ἐφ' οἷς ὡς λέγει τὸ «ἐπεί νων καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, οὕτως εἴποι ἂν καὶ τὸ τρέχοντα
ἐσκανδαλίσατέ με. μὴ νομίσωμεν τοίνυν τὸ τυχὸν εἶναι ἁμάρτημα τὸ φρονεῖν τὰ τῶν ἀν θρώπων, δέον ἐν πᾶσι φρονεῖν τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ.
ἁρμόσει δὲ λέγειν τοῦτο καὶ παντὶ τῷ ἀποπεπτωκότι μὲν δογ μάτων θεοῦ καὶ λόγων ἐκκλησιαστι κῶν καὶ φρονήματος ἀληθοῦς, φρο
νοῦντι δ' ὡς ἀληθῆ (φέρε εἰπεῖν) τὰ Βασιλίδου ἢ Οὐαλεντίνου ἢ Μαρ κίωνος ἤ τινος τῶν διδασκόντων τὰ ἀνθρώπινα ὡς θεῖα. 12.24
Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἀκολουθεῖν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς (16, 24-27). ∆ιὰ τούτων δείκνυται, ὅτι
τὸ θέλειν ὀπίσω τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐλθεῖν καὶ ἀκολουθεῖν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ τυχόντος ἀνδραγαθήματος γίνε ται, καὶ οὐδεὶς μὴ ἀρνησάμενος
ἑαυτὸν ἥκοι ἂν ὀπίσω τοῦ Ἰη σοῦ. ἀρνεῖται δὲ ἑαυτὸν ὁ τὸν ἑαυ τοῦ πρότερον κατὰ κακίαν βίον γεγε νημένον τῇ ἀξιολόγῳ μεταβολῇ
ἀπα λείφων, οἷον (ὡς ἐπὶ παραδείγματος) ὁ πάλαι ἀκόλαστος ἀρνεῖται αὑτὸν ἀκόλαστον σωφρονήσας καὶ καθεξῆς. ἀλλ' εἰκὸς ἀντιπίπτειν
τινά, εἰ ὥσπερ ἑαυτὸν ἠρνήσατο, οὕτως καὶ αὑτὸν ὁμολογεῖ, ἀρνησάμενος μὲν ἑαυτὸν τὸν ἄδικον, ὁμολογῶν δὲ ἑαυτὸν τὸν δίκαιον.
ἀλλ' εἴπερ Χριστός ἐστιν ἡ δικαιοσύνη, ὁ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἀνειληφὼς οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἀλλὰ Χριστὸν ὁμολογεῖ. οὕτως καὶ ὁ τὴν σοφίαν
εὑρὼν δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἔχειν σοφίαν Χριστὸν ὁμολογεῖ. καὶ ὁ τοιοῦτός γε, «καρδίᾳ» πιστεύων «εἰς δικαιοσύνην», καὶ «στόματι» ὁμολογῶν
«εἰς σωτη ρίαν» καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις Χριστῷ μαρ τυρῶν ***, ὡς ὁμολογήσας διὰ πάντων τούτων τὸν Χριστὸν «ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων»,
ὁμολογηθήσεται ὑπ' αὐ τοῦ «ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς πατρός». οὕτω δὲ καὶ ὁ μὴ ἀρνησά μενος ἑαυτὸν <ὁμολογεῖ μὲν ἑαυτόν,
ἀρνεῖται δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ ὡς> ἀρνη σάμενος τὸν Χριστὸν πείσεται τὸ «κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρνήσομαι». διὰ τοῦτο πᾶς διαλογισμὸς ἡμῶν
καὶ νόημα καὶ πᾶς λόγος καὶ πᾶσα πρᾶξις πνεέσθω τῆς ἡμῶν περὶ ἑαυτῶν μὲν ἀρνήσεως, περὶ δὲ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ μαρτυ ρίας
<καὶ ὁμολογίας>. πείθομαι γὰρ πᾶσαν τὴν τοῦ τελείου πρᾶξιν μαρ τύριον εἶναι Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ τὴν πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἀποχὴν ἄρνησιν
εἶναι ἑαυτοῦ φέρουσαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. ὁ δὲ τοιοῦτος Χριστῷ συνε σταύρωται, καὶ ἄρας τὸν σταυρὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἀκολουθεῖ τῷ δι' ἡμᾶς
βα στάζοντι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ σταυρὸν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον οὕτω παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ «παραλαβόντες οὖν αὐτὸν ἐπέθηκαν αὐτῷ» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἕως
τοῦ «ὅπου αὐτὸν ἐσταύρω σαν». ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν (ἵν' οὕτως ὀνο μάσω) κατὰ τὸν Ἰωάννην Ἰησοῦς «ἑαυτῷ» βαστάζει «τὸν σταυρὸν» καὶ «βαστάζων
αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθεν», ὁ δὲ κα τὰ
