Chapter XV.—Texts explained; Fifthly,Acts ii. 36. The Regula Fidei must be observed; madeapplies to our Lord’s manhood; and to His manifestation; and to His office relative to us; and is relative to the Jews. Parallel instance in Gen. xxvii.29, 37. The context contradicts the Arian interpretation.

11 (continued). The same is the meaning of the passage in the Acts which they also allege, that in which Peter says, that ‘He hath made both Lord and Christ that same Jesus whom ye have crucified.’ For here too it is not written, ‘He made for Himself a Son,’ or ‘He made Himself a Word,’ that they should have such notions. If then it has not escaped their memory, that they speak concerning the Son of God, let them make search whether it is anywhere written, ‘God made Himself a Son,’ or ‘He created for Himself a Word;’ or again, whether it is anywhere written in plain terms, ‘The Word is a work or creation;’ and then let them proceed to make their case, the insensate men, that here too they may receive their answer. But if they can produce nothing of the kind, and only catch at such stray expressions as ‘He made’ and ‘He has been made,’ I fear lest, from hearing, ‘In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth,’ and ‘He made the sun and the moon,’ and ‘He made the sea,’ they should come in time to call the Word the heaven, and the Light which took place on the first day, and the earth, and each particular thing that has been made, so as to end in resembling the Stoics, as they are called, the one drawing out their God into all things451    Brucker de Zenon. §7. n. 14., the other ranking God’s Word with each work in particular; which they have well nigh done already, saying that He is one of His works.

12. But here they must have the same answer as before, and first be told that the Word is a Son, as has been said above452    §1, note 13., and not a work, and that such terms are not to be understood of His Godhead, but the reason and manner of them investigated. To persons who so inquire, the human Economy will plainly present itself, which He undertook for our sake. For Peter, after saying, ‘He hath made Lord and Christ,’ straightway added, ‘this Jesus whom ye crucified;’ which makes it plain to any one, even, if so be, to them, provided they attend to the context, that not the Essence of the Word, but He according to His manhood is said to have been made. For what was crucified but the body? and how could be signified what was bodily in the Word, except by saying ‘He made?’ Especially has that phrase, ‘He made,’ a meaning consistent with orthodoxy; in that he has not said, as I observed before, ‘He made Him Word,’ but ‘He made Him Lord,’ nor that in general terms453    ἁπλῶς., but ‘towards’ us, and ‘in the midst of’ us, as much as to say, ‘He manifested Him.’ And this Peter himself, when he began this primary teaching, carefully454    μετὰ παρατηρήσεως. vid. infr. 44. e. 59. b. 71. e. Orat. iii. 52. b. expressed, when he said to them, ‘Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man manifested of God towards you by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves know455    Acts ii. 22..’ Consequently the term which he uses in the end, ‘made’, this He has explained in the beginning by ‘manifested,’ for by the signs and wonders which the Lord did, He was manifested to be not merely man, but God in a body and Lord also, the Christ. Such also is the passage in the Gospel according to John, ‘Therefore the more did the Jews persecute Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but said also that God was His own Father, making Himself equal with God456    John v. 16, 18..’ For the Lord did not then fashion Himself to be God, nor indeed is a made God conceivable, but He manifested it by the works, saying, ‘Though ye believe not Me, believe My works, that ye may know that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me457    John x. 38. not to the letter..’ Thus then the Father has ‘made’ Him Lord and King in the midst of us, and towards us who were once disobedient; and it is plain that He who is now displayed as Lord and King, does not then begin to be King and Lord, but begins to shew His Lordship, and to extend it even over the disobedient.

13. If then they suppose that the Saviour was not Lord and King, even before He became man and endured the Cross, but then began to be Lord, let them know that they are openly reviving the statements of the Samosatene. But if, as we have quoted and declared above, He is Lord and King everlasting, seeing that Abraham worships Him as Lord, and Moses says, ‘Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven458    Gen. xix. 24.;’ and David in the Psalms, ‘The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand459    Ps. cx. 1.;’ and, ‘Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom460    Ps. xlv. 6.;’ and, ‘Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom461    Ps. cxlv. 13.;’ it is plain that even before He became man, He was King and Lord everlasting, being Image and Word of the Father. And the Word being everlasting Lord and King, it is very plain again that Peter said not that the Essence of the Son was made, but spoke of His Lordship over us, which ‘became’ when He became man, and, redeeming all by the Cross, became Lord of all and King. But if they continue the argument on the ground of its being written, ‘He made,’ not willing that ‘He made’ should be taken in the sense of ‘He manifested,’ either from want of apprehension, or from their Christ-opposing purpose, let them attend to another sound exposition of Peter’s words. For he who becomes Lord of others, comes into the possession of beings already in existence; but if the Lord is Framer of all and everlasting King, and when He became man, then gained possession of us, here too is a way in which Peter’s language evidently does not signify that the Essence of the Word is a work, but the after-subjection of all things, and the Saviour’s Lordship which came to be over all. And this coincides with what we said before462    §62, cf. Serm. Maj. de Fid. 1.; for as we then introduced the words, ‘Become my God and defence,’ and ‘the Lord became a refuge for the oppressed463    Ps. lxxi. 3. stony rock, E. V. Ps. ix. 9. dejence.,’ and it stood to reason that these expressions do not shew that God is originate, but that His beneficence ‘becomes’ towards each individual, the same sense has the expression of Peter also.

14. For the Son of God indeed, being Himself the Word, is Lord of all; but we once were subject from the first to the slavery of corruption and the curse of the Law, then by degrees fashioning for ourselves things that were not, we served, as says the blessed Apostle, ‘them which by nature are no Gods464    Gal. iv. 8.,’ and, ignorant of the true God, we preferred things that were not to the truth; but afterwards, as the ancient people when oppressed in Egypt groaned, so, when we too had the Law ‘engrafted465    James i. 21.’ in us, and according to the unutterable sighings466    Rom. viii. 26. of the Spirit made our intercession, ‘O Lord our God, take possession of us467    Is. xxvi. 13. LXX.,’ then, as ‘He became for a house of refuge’ and a ‘God and defence,’ so also He became our Lord. Nor did He then begin to be, but we began to have Him for our Lord. For upon this, God being good and Father of the Lord, in pity, and desiring to be known by all, makes His own Son put on Him a human body and become man, and be called Jesus, that in this body offering Himself for all, He might deliver all from false worship and corruption, and might Himself become of all Lord and King. His becoming therefore in this way Lord and King, this it is that Peter means by, ‘He hath made Him Lord,’ and ‘hath sent Christ;’ as much as to say, that the Father in making Him man (for to be made belongs to man), did not simply make Him man, but has made Him in order to His being Lord of all men, and to His hallowing all through the Anointing. For though the Word existing in the form of God took a servant’s form, yet the assumption of the flesh did not make a servant468    οὐκ ἐδούλον τὸν λόγον· though, as he said supr. §10, the Word became a servant, as far as He was man. He says the same thing Ep. Æg 17. So say Naz. Orat. 32. 18. Nyssen. ad Simpl. (t. 2. p. 471.) Cyril. Alex. adv. Theodor. p. 223. Hilar. de Trin. xi. Ambros. 1. Epp. 46, 3. of the Word, who was by nature Lord; but rather, not only was it that emancipation of all humanity which takes place by the Word, but that very Word who was by nature Lord, and was then made man, hath by means of a servant’s form been made Lord of all and Christ, that is, in order to hallow all by the Spirit. And as God, when ‘becoming a God and defence,’ and saying, ‘I will be a God to them,’ does not then become God more than before, nor then begins to become God, but, what He ever is, that He then becomes to those who need Him, when it pleaseth Him, so Christ also being by nature Lord and King everlasting, does not become Lord more than He was at the time He is sent forth, nor then begins to be Lord and King, but what He is ever, that He then is made according to the flesh; and, having redeemed all, He becomes thereby again Lord of quick and dead. For Him henceforth do all things serve, and this is David’s meaning in the Psalm, ‘The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool469    Ps. cx. 1..’ For it was fitting that the redemption should take place through none other than Him who is the Lord by nature, lest, though created by the Son, we should name another Lord, and fall into the Arian and Greek folly, serving the creature beyond the all-creating God470    Vid. Rom. i. 25. and so both text and application very frequently, e.g. Ep. Æg. 4. e. 13. c. Vid. supr. i. 8, note 8, infr. iii. 16. note.

15. This, at least according to my nothingness, is the meaning of this passage; moreover, a true and a good meaning have these words of Peter as regards the Jews. For Jews, astray from the truth, expect indeed the Christ as coming, but do not reckon that He undergoes a passion, saying what they understand not; ‘We know that, when the Christ cometh, He abideth for ever, and how sayest Thou, that He must be lifted up471    John xii. 34, not to the letter.?’ Next they suppose Him, not the Word coming in flesh, but a mere man, as were all the kings. The Lord then, admonishing Cleopas and the other, taught them that the Christ must first suffer; and the rest of the Jews that God was come among them, saying, ‘If He called them gods to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken, say ye of Him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God472    John x. 36.?’

16. Peter then, having learned this from the Saviour, in both points set the Jews right, saying, “O Jews, the divine Scriptures announce that Christ cometh, and you consider Him a mere man as one of David’s descendants, whereas what is written of Him shews Him to be not such as you say, but rather announces Him as Lord and God, and immortal, and dispenser of life. For Moses has said, ‘Ye shall see your Life hanging before your eyes473    Deut. xxviii. 66. Vid. [de Incar. 35. The text is frequently thus explained by the Fathers]..’ And David in the hundred and ninth Psalm, ‘The Lord said unto My Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool474    Ps. cx. 1.;’ and in the fifteenth, ‘Thou shalt not leave my soul in hades, neither shalt Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption475    Ps. xvi. 10..’ Now that these passages have not David for their scope he himself witnesses, avowing that He who was coming was His own Lord. Nay you yourselves know that He is dead, and His remains are with you. That the Christ then must be such as the Scriptures say, you will plainly confess yourselves. For those announcements come from God, and in them falsehood cannot be. If then ye can state that such a one has come before, and can prove him God from the signs and wonders which he did, ye have reason for maintaining the contest, but if ye are not able to prove His coming, but are expecting such an one still, recognise the true season from Daniel, for his words relate to the present time. But if this present season be that which was of old, afore-announced, and ye have seen what has taken place among us, be sure that this Jesus, whom ye crucified, this is the expected Christ. For David and all the Prophets died, and the sepulchres of all are with you, but that Resurrection which has now taken place, has shewn that the scope of these passages is Jesus. For the crucifixion is denoted by ‘Ye shall see your Life hanging,’ and the wound in the side by the spear answers to ‘He was led as a sheep to the slaughter476    Is. liii. 7.,’ and the resurrection, nay more, the rising of the ancient dead from out their sepulchres (for these most of you have seen), this is, ‘Thou shalt not leave My soul in hades,’ and ‘He swallowed up death in strength477    Is. xxv. 8.,’ and again, ‘God will wipe away.’ For the signs which actually took place shew that He who was in a body was God, and also the Life and Lord of death. For it became the Christ, when giving life to others, Himself not to be detained by death; but this could not have happened, had He, as you suppose, been a mere man. But in truth He is the Son of God, for men are all subject to death. Let no one therefore doubt, but the whole house of Israel know assuredly that this Jesus, whom ye saw in shape a man, doing signs and such works, as no one ever yet had done, is Himself the Christ and Lord of all. For though made man, and called Jesus, as we said before, He received no loss by that human passion, but rather, in being made man, He is manifested as Lord of quick and dead. For since, as the Apostle said, ‘in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe478    1 Cor. i. 21..’ And so, since we men would not acknowledge God through His Word, nor serve the Word of God our natural Master, it pleased God to shew in man His own Lordship, and so to draw all men to Himself. But to do this by a mere man beseemed not479    In the text the Mediatorial Lordship is made an office of God the Word; still, not as God, but as man. Cf. Augustine, Trin. i. 27. 28. In like manner the Priesthood is the office of God in the form of man, supr. 8, note 4. And so again none but the Eternal Son could be πρωτότοκος, yet He is so called when sent as Creator and as incarnate. infr. 64.; lest, having man for our Lord, we should become worshippers of man480    Infr. iii. 32 fin.. Therefore the Word Himself became flesh, and the Father called His Name Jesus, and so ‘made’ Him Lord and Christ, as much as to say, ‘He made Him to rule and to reign;’ that while in the Name of Jesus, whom ye crucified, every knee bows, we may acknowledge as Lord and King both the Son and through Him the Father.”

17. The Jews then, most of them481    οἱ πλεῖστοι. [An exaggeration, cf. Rom. xi. 7, &c.], hearing this, came to themselves and forthwith acknowledged the Christ, as it is written in the Acts. But, the Ario-maniacs on the contrary choose to remain Jews, and to contend with Peter; so let us proceed to place before them some parallel phrases; perhaps it may have some effect upon them, to find what the usage is of divine Scripture. Now that Christ is everlasting Lord and King, has become plain by what has gone before, nor is there a man to doubt about it; for being Son of God, He must be like Him482    §22, note., and being like, He is certainly both Lord and King, for He says Himself, ‘He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father.’ On the other hand, that Peter’s mere words, ‘He hath made Him both Lord and Christ,’ do not imply the Son to be a creature, may be seen from Isaac’s blessing, though this illustration is but a faint one for our subject. Now he said to Jacob, ‘Become thou lord over thy brother;’ and to Esau, ‘Behold, I have made him thy lord483    Gen. xxvii. 29, 37..’ Now though the word ‘made’ had implied Jacob’s essence and the coming into being, even then it would not be right in them as much as to imagine the same of the Word of God, for the Son of God is no creature as Jacob was; besides, they might inquire and so rid themselves of that extravagance. But if they do not understand it of his essence nor of his coming into being, though Jacob was by nature creature and work, is not their madness worse than the Devil’s484    Alluding to the temptation., if what they dare not ascribe in consequence of a like phrase even to things by nature originate, that they attach to the Son of God, saying that He is a creature? For Isaac said ‘Become’ and ‘I have made,’ signifying neither the coming into being nor the essence of Jacob (for after thirty years and more from his birth he said this); but his authority over his brother, which came to pass subsequently.

18. Much more then did Peter say this without meaning that the Essence of the Word was a work; for he knew Him to be God’s Son, confessing, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God485    Matt. xvi. 16.;’ but he meant His Kingdom and Lordship which was formed and came to be according to grace, and was relatively to us. For while saying this, he was not silent about the Son of God’s everlasting Godhead which is the Father’s; but He had said already, that He had poured the Spirit on us; now to give the Spirit with authority, is not in the power of creature or work, but the Spirit is God’s Gift486    θεοῦ δῶρον. And so more distinctly S. Basil, δῶρον τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα. de Sp. S. 57, and more frequently the later Latins, as in the Hymn, ‘Altissimi Donum Dei;’ and the earlier, e.g. Hil. de Trin. ii. 29. and August. Trin. xv. 29. v. 15, Petav. Trin. vii. 13, §20.. For the creatures are hallowed by the Holy Spirit; but the Son, in that He is not hallowed by the Spirit, but on the contrary Himself the Giver of it to all487    Supr. ch. xii., is therefore no creature, but true Son of the Father. And yet He who gives the Spirit, the same is said also to be made; that is, to be made among us Lord because of His manhood, while giving the Spirit because He is God’s Word. For He ever was and is, as Son, so also Lord and Sovereign of all, being like in all things488    ὅμοιος κατὰ παντα. vid. infr. §22, note 4. to the Father, and having all that is the Father’s489    Vid. infr. note on Orat. iii. 1. as He Himself has said490    Vid. John xvi. 15.

Τοιαύτην ἔχει διάνοιαν καὶ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι παρ' αὐτῶν πάλιν προφερόμενον ῥητὸν τοῦ Πέτρου λέγοντος· Ὅτι Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν ἐποίησε τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα γέγραπται, Ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Υἱὸν, ἢ, Ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Λόγον, ἵνα καὶ τοιαῦτα φαντα σθῶσιν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν μὴ ἐπελάθοντο, ὅτι περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλοῦσιν, ἐρευνάτωσαν εἴ που γέγρα πται, Ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Υἱὸν ὁ Θεὸς, ἢ Ἔκτισεν ἑαυτῷ Λόγον· ἢ πάλιν, εἴ που γέγραπται φανερῶς, ποίημά ἐστιν ἢ κτίσμα ὁ Λόγος· καὶ τότε προφασι ζέσθωσαν, ἵνα καὶ οὕτως ἐλεγχθῶσιν οἱ ἀνόητοι. Εἰ δὲ μηδέν τι τοιοῦτον εὑρίσκουσι· μόνον δὲ εἴ που γέγραπται, ἐποίησε, καὶ, πεποίηται, θηρεύουσι· φοβοῦμαι μὴ κατ' ὀλίγον ἀκούοντες, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποί ησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ Ἐποίησε τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ, Ἐποίησε τὴν θάλασσαν, εἴπωσιν αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸ τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ γενόμενον φῶς, καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ποιηθέντων, ἵνα λοιπὸν ὁμοιωθῶσι καὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις Στωϊκοῖς. Ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μὲν αὐτὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἐξαπλοῦσιν εἰς τὰ πάντα· οὗτοι δὲ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον εἰς ἕκαστον τῶν ποιημά των συντάττουσιν· εἰ καὶ φθάσαντες εἰρήκασι τὰ ὅμοια, λέγοντες ἕνα τῶν ποιημάτων αὐτὸν εἶναι. Ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἀκουέτωσαν τὰ αὐτὰ, καὶ μανθα νέτωσαν πρῶτον, ὅτι Υἱός ἐστιν, ὡς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται, καὶ οὐ ποίημα ὁ Λόγος, καὶ οὐ δεῖ τὰς τοιαύτας λέξεις εἰς τὴν θεότητα αὐτοῦ λαμ βάνειν, ἀλλ' ἐρευνᾷν διὰ τί καὶ πῶς ταῦτα γέ γραπται, καὶ πάντως ἀπαντήσει τοῖς ζητοῦσιν ἡ ἀν θρωπίνη οἰκονομία, ἣν δι' ἡμᾶς ἀνεδέξατο. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Πέτρος εἰρηκὼς, Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν αὐτὸν ἐποίησεν, εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγε, τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε· καὶ πᾶσι γέγονε φανερόν· γένοιτο δ' ἂν καὶ τούτοις, ἐὰν τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τηρήσωσιν, ὅτι οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ, κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, αὐτὸν πεποιῆσθαι ἔλεγε. Τί γάρ ἐστι τὸ σταυρούμενον ἢ τὸ σῶμα; τὸ δὲ σωματικὸν τοῦ Λόγου πῶς εἶχε σημᾶναι ἢ διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, ἐποίησεν; ἄλλως τε καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον ἐνταῦθα, ἐποίησεν, ὀρ θὴν ἔχει τὴν διάνοιαν. Οὐ γὰρ εἴρηκε, καθὰ προεῖπον, Ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν Λόγον, ἀλλὰ, Κύριον αὐτόν· καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' εἰς ὑμᾶς, καὶ, ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν ἐποίησεν, ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ἀπέδειξε. Καὶ τοῦτο αὐ τὸ ὁ Πέτρος, ἀρχόμενος τῆς τοιαύτης ἀρχιδιδα σκαλίας, μετὰ παρατηρήσεως ἐσήμανεν, ἡνίκα πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔλεγεν· Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τούτους· Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον ἄν δρα ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποδεδειγμένον εἰς ὑμᾶς δυνάμεσι, καὶ τέρασι, καὶ σημείοις, οἷς ἐποίησε δι' αὐτοῦ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, καθὼς αὐτοὶ οἴδατε. Τὸ ἄρα πρὸς τῷ τέλει λεγόμενον, ἐποίησε, τοῦτο ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ εἴρηκεν, ἀπέδειξεν· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν σημείων καὶ ὧν ἐποίει θαυμασίων ὁ Κύριος, ἀπεδείχθη οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλὰ Θεὸς ὢν ἐν σώματι, καὶ Κύριος αὐτὸς ὢν ὁ Χριστός. Τοι οῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις λεγόμενον παρὰ τοῦ Ἰωάννου· ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὖν μᾶλλον ἐδίωκον αὐ τὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἔλυε τὸ Σάββατον, ἀλλὰ καὶ Πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγε τὸν Θεὸν, ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Οὐ γὰρ ἔπλαττεν ἑαυτὸν ὁ Κύριος τότε Θεόν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὅλως ἔνι ποιούμενος Θεός· ἀλλὰ ἀπεδείκνυε διὰ τῶν ἔργων, λέγων· Κἂν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύητε, τοῖς ἔργοις μου πιστεύετε, ἵνα γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί. Οὕτως τοίνυν Κύριον καὶ Βασιλέα αὐτὸν πεποίηκεν ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν μέσῳ ἡμῶν, καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς τοὺς πρότερον ἀπειθοῦντας. Καὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὡς ὁ νῦν Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεὺς ἀναδεικνύμενος, οὐκ ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ γενέσθαι τότε Βασιλεὺς καὶ Κύριος, ἀλλ' ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ τὴν κυριότητα ἑαυτοῦ δεικνύειν, καὶ ἐκτείνειν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀπειθήσαντας. Εἰ μὲν οὖν νομίζουσιν, ὅτι, καὶ πρὶν γένη ται ἄνθρωπος καὶ σταυρὸν ὑπομείνῃ, οὐκ ἦν Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεὺς ὁ Σωτὴρ, ἀλλὰ τότε ἀρχὴν ἔσχε τοῦ εἶναι Κύριος· γνώτωσαν, ὅτι τὰ τοῦ Σαμοσατέως ἐκ φανεροῦ πάλιν φθέγγοντα ῥήματα· εἰ δὲ, ὥσπερ ἀνέγνωμεν καὶ προείπομεν ἐν τοῖς προ τέροις, Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεύς ἐστιν ἀΐδιος, τοῦ μὲν Ἀβραὰμ Κύριον αὐτὸν προσκυνοῦντος, τοῦ δὲ Μωσέως λέγοντος· Καὶ Κύριος ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ Σό δομα καὶ Γόμοῤῥα θεῖον καὶ πῦρ παρὰ Κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ· καὶ τοῦ ∆αβὶδ ψάλλοντος· Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου· καὶ, Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος· ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασι λείας σου· καὶ, Ἡ βασιλεία σου βασιλεία πάν των τῶν αἰώνων· δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὡς, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι ἄνθρωπος, Βασιλεὺς καὶ Κύριος ἦν ἀΐδιος, εἰκὼν καὶ Λόγος τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑπάρχων. Ἀϊδίου δὲ ὄν τος τοῦ Λόγου Κυρίου καὶ Βασιλέως, πρόδηλον πάλιν, ὅτι οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ πεποιῆσθαι ἔλεγεν ὁ Πέ τρος, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ κυριότητα γενομένην, ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάντας λυτρω σάμενος, πάντων γέγονε Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεύς. Ἐὰν δὲ διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι, ἐποίησε, φιλονεικῶσι, μὴ θέ λοντες ἴσον εἰρῆσθαι τὸ, ἐποίησε, τῷ, ἀπέδειξεν, ἢ μὴ νοοῦντες, ἢ διὰ τὴν χριστομάχον αὐτῶν προ αίρεσιν· ἀκουέτωσαν, ὅτι καὶ οὕτως ὀρθὴν ἔχει διά νοιαν τὰ τοῦ Πέτρου ῥήματα. Ὁ γὰρ γινόμενός τινων κύριος τοὺς ἤδη ὄντας κτᾶται ὑφ' ἑαυτόν· εἰ δὲ ὁ Κύριος δημιουργός ἐστι πάντων καὶ βασιλεὺς ἀΐδιος, ὅτε δὲ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τότε καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκτή σατο· δῆλον ἂν εἴη καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο, ὡς τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Πέτρου λεγόμενον οὐδ' οὕτω ποίημα σημαίνει τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν πάντων ὑποταγὴν, καὶ τὴν εἰς πάντας γενομένην τοῦ Σωτῆ ρος κυριότητα· καὶ ἔστιν ὅμοιον τοῦτο τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ παρετιθέμεθα τὰ ῥητὰ τὸ, Γενοῦ μοι εἰς Θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν, καὶ τὸ, Ἐγέ νετο Κύριος καταφυγὴ τῷ πένητι· καὶ ἐδείκνυεν ὁ λόγος, ὅτι μὴ ταῦτα γενητὸν δείκνυσι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς ἕκαστον γινομένην εὐεργεσίαν παρ' αὐ τοῦ· οὕτω καὶ τὸ τοῦ Πέτρου ῥητὸν τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν. Λόγος μὲν γὰρ ὢν αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, Κύ ριός ἐστι τοῦ παντός· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ πρὶν ἦμεν ὑπεύθυ νοι ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν τῇ δουλείᾳ τῆς φθορᾶς καὶ τῇ κα τάρᾳ τοῦ νόμου, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ κατ' ὀλίγον ἑαυ τοῖς ἀναπλάσαντες τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ἐδουλεύομεν, ὡς εἶ πεν ὁ μακάριος Ἀπόστολος, τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσι θεοῖς· καὶ τὸν μὲν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν ἠγνοοῦμεν, τὰ δὲ μὴ ὄντα προετιμῶμεν τῆς ἀληθείας. Ἀλλ' ὕστερον ὥσπερ ὁ πάλαι λαὸς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ βαρούμενος ἐστέναξεν, οὕτω καὶ ἡμῶν ἐχόντων τὸν ἔμφυτον νόμον καὶ κατὰ τοὺς ἀλαλήτους στεναγμοὺς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν τυγχανόντων καὶ λεγόντων· Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, κτῆσαι ἡμᾶς· γέγονεν ὥσπερ εἰς οἶκον καταφυ γῆς καὶ εἰς Θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν, οὕτω καὶ Κύριος ἡμῶν γέγονε. Καὶ οὐκ ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸς ἔσχε τότε· ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς ἀρχὴν ἔσχομεν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν. Λοιπὸν γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ὢν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ Πατὴρ ὢν τοῦ Κυρίου, ἐλεήσας καὶ θέλων πᾶσι γνω σθῆναι, ποιεῖ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν ἐνδύσασθαι σῶμα ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ γενέσθαι ἄνθρωπον, κληθῆναί τε αὐτὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἵν', ἐν τούτῳ ἑαυτὸν προσενέγκας ὑπὲρ πάντων, τοὺς πάντας ἐλευθερώσῃ ἀπὸ τῆς θεοπλανησίας καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς, καὶ πάντων γένηται Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεὺς αὐτός. Τὸ δὴ οὖν γενέσθαι αὐτὸν οὕτω Κύριον καὶ Βασιλέα, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ὃ ἔλεγεν ὁ Πέτρος· Ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν Κύριον, καὶ Χριστὸν ἀπέστειλεν· ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι καὶ ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν ποιήσας ὁ Πατήρ· ἴδιον γὰρ ἀνθρώ πων τὸ ποιεῖσθαι. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ ἐποίησεν ἄνθρω πον, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ κυριεῦσαι πάντων αὐτὸν, καὶ ἁγιά ζειν πάντας διὰ τοῦ χρίσματος πεποίηκεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ δούλου μορφὴν ἔλαβεν ὁ ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων Λόγος, ἀλλ' ἡ πρόσληψις τῆς σαρκὸς οὐκ ἐδούλου τὸν Λόγον φύσει Κύριον ὄντα· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐλευθέ ρωσις μὲν ἦν ἡ γινομένη παρὰ τοῦ Λόγου πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος· αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ φύσει Κύριος Λόγος, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ποιηθεὶς, διὰ τῆς τοῦ δούλου μορφῆς Κύ ριος πάντων καὶ Χριστὸς, τουτέστιν, εἰς τὸ ἁγιάζειν τῷ Πνεύματι πάντας, πεποίηται. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ Θεὸς γινόμενος εἰς Θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν, καὶ λέγων· Ἔσο μαι αὐτοῖς Θεός· οὐ μᾶλλον τότε γίνεται Θεὸς, οὐ δὲ τότε ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ γίνεσθαι Θεός· ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀεὶ, τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις γίνεται, ὅταν αὐτῷ. δοκῇ· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς φύσει Κύριος καὶ Βα σιλεὺς ἀΐδιος ὢν, οὐχ ὅτε ἀποστέλλεται, μᾶλλον γίνε ται Κύριος, οὐδὲ τότε ἀρχὴν λαμβάνει τοῦ εἶναι Κύ ριος καὶ Βασιλεύς· ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀεὶ, τοῦτο καὶ τότε κατὰ σάρκα πεποίηται, καὶ λυτρωσάμενος πάντας γίνεται καὶ οὕτω ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν Κύ ριος· αὐτῷ γὰρ λοιπὸν τὰ πάντα δουλεύει· καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅπερ ψάλλει καὶ ὁ ∆αβίδ· Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. Οὐ γὰρ ἔπρεπε δι' ἑτέρου τὴν λύτρωσιν γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ φύσει Κυρίου, ἵνα μὴ διὰ Υἱοῦ μὲν κτιζώμεθα, ἄλλον δὲ Κύριον ὀνομάζωμεν, καὶ πέσω μεν εἰς τὴν Ἀρειανὴν καὶ τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν ἀφροσύνην, κτίσει δουλεύοντες παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα τὰ πάντα Θεόν. Αὕτη τοῦ ῥητοῦ κατά γε τὴν ἐμὴν οὐθένειαν ἡ διάνοια. Καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῆ καὶ χρηστὴν ἔχει τὴν αἰτίαν τὰ πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοιαῦτα ῥήματα τοῦ Πέτρου. Ἰουδαῖοι γὰρ πλανηθέντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας, προσδοκῶσι μὲν ἐρχόμενον τὸν Χριστόν· οὐχ ἡγοῦνται δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ πάθος ἀναδέχεσθαι, λέγοντες ὅπερ οὐ νοοῦσιν· Ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ Χριστὸς, μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ πῶς σὺ λέγεις, ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑψωθῆναι; ἔπειτα οὐ Λόγον γινόμενον ἐν σαρκὶ, ἀλλὰ ψιλὸν αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον γίνεσθαι, ὡς πάντες γεγόνασιν οἱ βασιλεῖς ὑπολαμβάνουσιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος, τοὺς περὶ Κλεόπαν ἐντρέπων, ἐδίδασκεν, ὅτι τὸν Χριστὸν δεῖ πρῶτον παθεῖν· καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους δὲ Ἰουδαίους, ὅτι Θεὸν ἐπιδημῆσαι, λέ γων· Εἰ ἐκείνους εἶπε θεοὺς, πρὸς οὓς ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ οὐ δύναται λυθῆναι ἡ Γραφή· ὃν ὁ Πατὴρ ἡγίασε, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι, Βλασφημεῖς· ὅτι εἶπον, Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰμι. Ὁ τοίνυν Πέτρος, μαθὼν ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ Σω τῆρος, κατ' ἀμφότερα διορθούμενος τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, φησίν· Ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι, τὸν Χριστὸν καταγγέλλουσιν ἔρχεσθαι αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαὶ, καὶ ὑμεῖς μὲν ψιλὸν ἄνθρω πον αὐτὸν, ὡς ἕνα τῶν ἐκ τοῦ ∆αβὶδ, νομίζετε· τὰ δὲ γεγραμμένα περὶ αὐτοῦ οὐ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν, οἷον ὑμεῖς λέγετε, σημαίνουσιν· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον Κύριον καὶ Θεὸν, καὶ ἀθάνατον, καὶ χορηγὸν ζωῆς καταγγέλ λουσιν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Μωσῆς εἴρηκεν· Ὄψεσθε τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῶν κρεμαμένην ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλ μῶν ὑμῶν· ὁ δὲ ∆αβὶδ ἐν μὲν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ ἐν νάτῳ ψαλμῷ· Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κά θου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου· ἐν δὲ τῷ πεντεκαιδε κάτῳ· Οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην, οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθο ράν. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὐκ εἰς τὸν ∆αβὶδ φθάνει τὰ τοι αῦτα ῥητὰ, αὐτὸς μὲν μαρτυρεῖ, Κύριον ἑαυ τοῦ φάσκων εἶναι τὸν ἐρχόμενον· συνορᾶτε δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὅτι ἀπέθανε, καὶ τὰ λείψανα αὐτοῦ παρ' ὑμῖν ἐστιν. Ὅτι δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν τοιοῦτον εἶναι δεῖ, οἷον αὐτὸν λέγουσιν εἶναι αἱ Γραφαὶ, πάντως καὶ ὑμεῖς συνομολογήσετε· παρὰ Θεοῦ γὰρ εἴρηνται οἱ λόγοι, καὶ οὐ δύναται ψεῦδος ἐν αὐτοῖς εἶναι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν δύνασθε εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἐλθόντος πρότερον τοιούτου, καὶ δύνασθε δεῖξαι Θεὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι, ἀφ' ὧν ἐποίησε σημείων καὶ τεράτων· εἰκότως ἡμῖν διαμάχεσθε· εἰ δὲ δεῖξαι μὲν οὐ δύνασθε ὡς ἐλθόντα, προσδοκᾶτε δὲ ἀκμὴν τοιοῦτον· ἐπίγνωτε τὸν καιρὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ∆ανιήλ· εἰς τὸν παρόντα γὰρ χρόνον τὰ λεχθέντα παρ' αὐτοῦ φθάνει. Εἰ δὲ ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς οὗτός ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος ὁ πάλαι προκαταγγελλόμενος, καὶ τὰ γενόμενα δὲ νῦν ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἑωράκατε, γνῶτε, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ προσδοκώμενος· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ∆α βὶδ καὶ πάντες οἱ προφῆται ἀπέθανον, καὶ τὰ μνή ματα πάντων παρ' ὑμῖν ἐστιν· ἡ δὲ γενομένη νῦν ἀνάστασις ἔδειξεν εἰς τοῦτον φθάνειν τὰ γεγραμμένα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ σταυρωθῆναι, δείκνυσι τὸ, Ὄψεσθε τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῶν κρεμαμένην· καὶ τὸ τῇ λόγχῃ δὲ τρωθῆναι τὴν πλευρὰν, πληροῖ τὸ, Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη· τὸ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἐξαναστῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ παλαιοὺς νεκροὺς ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἐγεῖραι (τούτους γὰρ ἑωράκασιν ὑμῶν οἱ πλεῖστοι), τουτέ στι τὸ, Οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην· καὶ τὸ, Κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας· καὶ πάλιν· Ἀφεῖλεν ὁ Θεός. Τὸ δὲ καὶ τοιαῦτα ση μεῖα ποιῆσαι αὐτὸν, οἷα γέγονε, δείκνυσι Θεὸν εἶναι τὸν ἐν σώματι, καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὴν ζωὴν καὶ Κύριον τοῦ θανάτου. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ τὸν Χριστὸν, τὸν ἄλλοις ζωὴν διδόντα, αὐτὸν μὴ κρατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ θανά του· τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἂν ἐγεγόνει εἰ, ὡς ὑμεῖς νομί ζετε, ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος ἦν ὁ Χριστός. Ἀλλὰ μὴν αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἄνθρωποι γὰρ πάντες ὑπεύθυνοι θανάτου εἰσί. Μηκέτι τοιγαροῦν ἀμφιβαλ λέτω τις, ἀλλ' ἀσφαλῶς γινωσκέτω πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὃν ἐθεωρήσατε σχήματι ἄνθρωπον, ποιοῦντα σημεῖα καὶ τοιαῦτα ἔργα, ἃ μη δεὶς πώποτε πεποίηκεν, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ Κύριος πάντων. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἄνθρωπος γενόμε νος, καὶ κληθεὶς Ἰησοῦς, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς προτέροις εἴπομεν, οὐκ ἠλαττώθη τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ πάθει, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον καὶ ἐν τῷ ποιηθῆναι ἄνθρωπος, ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν ἀποδείκνυται Κύριος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, ἐν τῇ Σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεὸν, ηὐ δόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κη ρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἠθελήσαμεν διὰ τοῦ Λόγου αὐτοῦ ἐπιγνῶναι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ δουλεῦσαι τῷ φύσει δεσπότῃ ἡμῶν τῷ Λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ δεῖξαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κυριότητα, καὶ πάντας ἑλκῦσαι πρὸς ἑαυτόν. ∆ι' ἀνθρώπου δὲ ψιλοῦ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι ἀπρεπὲς ἦν· ἵνα μὴ, ἄνθρωπον Κύριον ἔχοντες, ἀνθρωπολάτραι γενώμεθα· διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν, καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν ὁ Πατήρ· ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, Εἰς τὸ κυ ριεύειν αὐτὸν καὶ βασιλεύειν ἐποίησεν, ἵν' ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε, ὥσπερ πᾶν γόνυ κάμπτει, οὕτω καὶ Κύριον καὶ Βασιλέα αὐτόν τε τὸν Υἱὸν ἐπιγινώσκωμεν, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα. Ἰουδαίων μὲν οὖν οἱ πλεῖστοι, ταῦτα ἀκούοντες, ἐνετράπησαν, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπέγνωσαν τὸν Χριστὸν, ὡς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι γέγραπται· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οἱ Ἀρειομανῖται αἱροῦνται ἀπομένειν Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ μάχεσθαι τῷ Πέτρῳ, φέρε, τὰς ὁμοίας λέξεις αὐτοῖς παραθώμεθα· ἴσως κἂν οὕτως ἐντραπῶσι, μαθόντες τὴν συνήθειαν τῆς θείας Γραφῆς. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἀΐ διος Κύριός ἐστι καὶ Βασιλεὺς ὁ Χριστὸς, δῆλον γέγονεν ἐκ τῶν προειρημένων, καὶ οὐδείς ἐστιν, ὃς ἀμφιβάλλει περὶ τούτου. Υἱὸς γὰρ ὢν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅμοιος αὐτοῦ ἂν εἴη· ὅμοιος δὲ ὢν, πάντως ἐστὶ καὶ Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεύς· αὐτὸς γάρ φησιν· Ὁ ἐμὲ ἑωρακὼς ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸ μό νον τὸ λεγόμενον παρὰ τοῦ Πέτρου, Κύριον αὐ τὸν ἐποίησε καὶ Χριστὸν, οὐ ποίημα εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν σημαίνει, ἔξεστιν ἰδεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς εὐλογίας τοῦ Ἰσαάκ· κἂν ἀμυδρά πως ἡ εἰκὼν αὕτη πρὸς τὸ προκείμενον ᾖ. Ἔφη τοίνυν τῷ μὲν Ἰακὼβ, Γίνου κύριος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου· τῷ δὲ Ἠσαῦ, Ἰδοὺ Κύριον αὐτὸν ἐποίησά σου. Εἰ μὲν οὖν τὸ, ἐποίησε, τὴν οὐσίαν καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἐσήμαινεν, οὐδ' οὕτω μὲν ἐχρῆν αὐτοὺς τοιαῦτα περὶ τοῦ Λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ κἂν ἐνθυμεῖσθαι· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ποίημα, ὡς ὁ Ἰακώβ· πλὴν ἐδύναντό πως πυθόμενοι, μηκέτι παραφρονεῖν· εἰ δὲ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς οὐσίας, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς γενέσεως λαμβά νουσι, καίτοι κατὰ φύσιν ὄντος τοῦ Ἰακὼβ κτίσματος καὶ ποιήματος· πῶς οὐ πλέον τοῦ διαβόλου μαίνονται, εἰ ἄρα ἃ μηδὲ τοῖς φύσει γεννητοῖς τολμῶσιν ἐκ τῶν ὁμοίων λέξεων συνάπτειν, ταῦτα τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ προσπλέκουσι, λέγοντες αὐτὸν ποίημα εἶναι; Ἔλεγε γὰρ ὁ Ἰσαὰκ, γίνου, καὶ, ἐποίησα, οὔτε τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, οὔτε τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ σημαίνων· μετὰ γὰρ τριάκοντα καὶ πλεῖον ἔτη τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ ταῦτα ἔλεγεν· ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐξουσίαν αὐτοῦ, τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα γενομένην. Οὐκοῦν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Πέτρος οὐ ποίημα τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Λόγου σημαίνων ταῦτ' ἔλεγεν· ᾔδει γὰρ αὐτὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁμολογήσας· Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ζῶντος· ἀλλὰ τὴν κατὰ χάριν ποιηθεῖσαν καὶ γενομένην καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ κυριότητα. Καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα λέγων, οὐκ ἐσιώπησε περὶ τῆς ἀϊδίου καὶ πατρικῆς θεότητος τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀλλὰ καὶ προειρηκὼς ἦν, ὅτι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐξέχεεν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. Τὸ δὲ μετ' ἐξουσίας δι δόναι τὸ Πνεῦμα οὐ κτίσματος οὐδὲ ποιήματός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ δῶρον. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ κτίσματα ἁγιάζεται παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς οὐχ ἁγιαζόμε νος παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς διδοὺς αὐτὸ τοῖς πᾶσι, δείκνυται μὴ κτίσμα, ἀλλὰ Υἱὸς ἀληθινὸς τοῦ Πατρὸς ὤν. Πλὴν ὅτι ὁ διδοὺς τὸ Πνεῦμα, ὁ αὐτὸς λέγεται καὶ πεποιῆσθαι· πεποιῆσθαι μὲν ἐν ἡμῖν Κύριος διὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, διδοὺς δὲ, ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐστίν. Ἦν γὰρ ἀεὶ καὶ ἔστιν, ὥσπερ Υἱὸς, οὕτω καὶ Κύριος καὶ παμβασιλεὺς τῶν πάντων, ὅμοιος ὢν κατὰ πάντα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοῦ Πα τρὸς ἔχων, ὡς εἴρηκεν αὐτός.