XIX. AND BRING US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL

And bring us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil. In Luke the words but deliver us from Evil are omitted. Assuming that the Savior does not command us to pray for the impossible, it appears to me to deserve consideration in what sense we are bidden to pray not to enter into temptation when all human life on earth is a test.

In that on earth we are beset by the flesh which wars against the spirit and whose intent is emnity to God as it is by no means capable of being subject to the law of God, we are in temptation. That all human life on earth is a trial we have learned from Job in the words: Is not the life of men on earth a trial, and the same thing is made plain from the seventeenth psalm in the words: In you will I be delivered from trial. Paul, too, writing to the Corinthians says that God bestows not freedom from temptation but freedom from temptation beyond one's power.

More than human temptation has not possessed you, and God is to be trusted not to let you be tempted beyond your power but to make the temptation be accompanied by the outlet of power to endure it. Whether our wrestling is with the flesh that lusts or wars against the spirit, or with the soul of all flesh—in other words the ruling faculty, called the heart, of the body in which it resides—as is the wrestling of those who are tempted with human temptations, or, as advanced and maturer athletes, who no longer wrestle with blood and flesh nor are reviewed in the human temptations which they have already trampled down, our struggles are with the principalities and authorities and world-rulers of His darkness and the Spiritual forces of evil, we have no release from temptation.

In what sense then does the Savior bid us pray not to enter into temptation, when God in some sense tempts all men? Think you, says Judith, not only to the elders of that day but also to all readers of her writing, of all that He did with Abraham and all His temptations of Isaac and all that befell Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria while he shepherded the flocks of Laban, his mother's brother. For it is not that whereas He tested them by fire for the proving of their hearts, the Lord who, for their admonishment, scourges those who approach Him, now wreaks vengeance upon us.

And David declares as a general truth concerning all righteous men that Many are the afflictions of the righteous, while in the acts the Apostle says: because it is through many afflictions that we must enter into the kingdom of God. And if we failed to understand what escapes most men in reference to prayer that we enter not into temptation, we would at this point say that the apostles were not heard in their prayers since throughout their whole time they endured countless sufferings: in toils more abundantly, in blows more abundantly, in prisons above measure, in deaths often, while Paul in particular: five times received forty stripes save one at the hands of Jews, thrice was beaten with rods, once was stoned, thrice was shipwrecked, passed a night and a day in the deep, a man in every way afflicted, in straits, persecuted, cast down, confessing: Until the present hour we have hungered, thirsted, gone naked, been buffeted, lacked rest, toiled at work with our own hands. Reviled, we have blessed; persecuted, we have borne up; slandered, we have exhorted.

When the apostles have failed in prayer, we might ask what hope there is for any of their inferiors to obtain God's hearing when one prays? One ignorant of the true meaning of the Savior's command will have reason to suppose that the words in the twenty-fifth psalm, Test me, O Lord, and try me; assay my reins and my heart with fire, are in opposition to our Lord's teaching about prayer. And when has anyone ever believed that those of whom he had complete knowledge were free of temptations?

And what time can be conceived during which a man could be lighthearted as though he did not struggle to avoid sinning? Is a man poor? Let him beware lest one day he steal and forswear by the name of God. Again, is he rich? Let him not be lighthearted, for he may become completely false and say in exaltation, "Who sees me?" Even Paul, for all his riches, in all manner of discourse and in all manner of knowledge, is not released from the danger of sinning on their account through excessive exaltation, but needs a stake of Satan to buffet him in order that he may not be excessively exalted. Even though a man may have a comparatively good conscience and fly up in alarm from things evil, let him read what is said in the second book of the Chronicles of Hezekiah, who is said to have fallen from the elevation of his heart.

And if, because I have not dwelt on the case of the poor, someone is lighthearted—as though poverty involved no temptation—he must know that the Plotter plots to cast down the needy and the poor, especially since according to Solomon, the needy endure no threats. And what need is there to tell how many, because of their material riches which they had failed to manage rightly, have found a place in punishment along with the rich man in the Gospel? And how many, because they bore poverty ignobly, with behavior more servile and base than was seemly in Saints, have fallen away from their heavenly hope? Even they who are midway between these extremes of riches and poverty are not by any means released from sinning according to their possession, moderate though it be.

Again, one who is in bodily health and well being imagines that by virtue of his mere health and well being he is outside of all temptation. And yet, whose sin it is, apart from those in well being and in health, to corrupt the temple of God, no one will venture to say because the meaning of the passage is clear to everyone. And who in sickness has escaped the incitements to corrupt the temple of God, having leisure at such time and readily admitting thoughts of unclean things, not to speak of all the others things beside these which trouble him unless he guards his heart with all vigilance?

Many a man, overcome by troubles and incapable of bearing sickness manfully, has been shown to be suffering at the time from sickness rather of the soul than of the body, and many another, ashamed to bear the name of Christ nobly, has, through shunning disrepute, fallen into eternal shame. Again, a man may think that he has respite from temptation when he is in honor among men. Yet is not the Lord's saying, They have their reward from men, proclaimed to those who are elated over their popularity? Do not the words strike dismay: How can you have come to believe, when you have received glory from one another, and seek not the glory which is from God alone?

And what need is there for me to recount the crimes done in pride by the reputed noble, and the fawning submission of the so-called low born towards the reputed noble by reason of their ignorance, a submission which separates from God men who are devoid of genuine friendliness but feign that fairest of human possessions—love. The whole life of man on earth is therefore a trial, as has already been said. Let us for that reason pray for deliverance from trial not through being exempt from it—that is an utter impossibility for beings on earth—but through not succumbing under it.

It is when a man succumbs in the moment of tempting, I take it, that he enters into temptation, being held in its nets. Into those nets the Savior entered for the sake of those who had already been caught in them, and in the words of the Song of Songs, looking out through the meshwork makes answer to those who have been already caught by them and have entered into temptation, and says to those who form His bride: Arise, my dear one, my fair one, my dove. To bring home the fact that every time is one of temptation on earth, I will add that even he who meditates upon the law of God day and night and makes a practice of carrying out the saying, A righteous man's mouth shall meditate on wisdom, has no release from being tempted. How many in their devotion to the examination of the divine Scriptures have, through misunderstanding the messages contained in Law and Prophets, devoted themselves to godless and impious or to foolish and ridiculous opinions?

What need is there for me to answer, when there are countless examples of such mistakes among those who do not seem to be open to the charge of righteousness in their reading? The same fate has also overtaken many in their reading of the Apostles and Gospels inasmuch as, through their own lack of discernment, they fashion in imagination a Son or a Father other than the One divinely conceived and truly recognized by Holy Writ. For one who fails to have true thoughts of God or His Christ has fallen away from the true God and from His Only Begotten, and his worship of the imaginary Father and Son, fashioned by his lack of discernment, is no real worship. Such is his fate through having failed to recognize the temptation present in the reading of Holy Writ to arm himself and take a stand as for a struggle already upon him.

We ought therefore to pray, not that we be not tempted—that is impossible—but that we be not encompassed by temptation, the fate of those who are open to it and are overcome. Now since, outside of the Lord's Prayer, it is written Pray that you enter not into temptation, the force of which may perhaps be clear from what has already been said, whereas in the Lord's prayer we ought to say to God our Father, Bring us not into Temptation, it is worth seeing in what sense we ought to think of God as leading one who does not pray or is not heard into temptation. If entering into temptation means being overcome, it is manifestly out of the question to think that God leads anyone into temptation as though He delivered him to be overcome.

The same difficulty awaits one no matter in what sense one may interpret the words Pray that you enter not into temptation, for if it is an evil to fall into temptation, which we pray may not be our fate, must it not be out of place to think of the Good God, who is incapable of bearing evil fruits, as encompassing anyone with evils? It is of service to cite in this connection what Paul has said in the Epistle to Romans—thus: Claiming to be wise they became foolish and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man and of winged and four footed and creeping things. Wherefore God delivered them in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves; and shortly after:

Therefore God delivered them unto passions of dishonor: for both their females changed the natural use into the unnatural, and the males likewise setting aside the natural use of the female, were consumed . . . and so on. And again shortly after: And as they proved not to have God in full knowledge, God delivered them unto a reprobate mind to do the unseemly.

We may simply confront dividers of the Godhead with all these passages and put these questions to them since they hold that the good Father of Our Lord is distinct from the God of the law. Is it the good God who leads into temptation one who fails in prayer? Is it the Father of the Lord who delivers in the lusts of their hearts those who have already done some sin unto uncleanness to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves?

Is it He who, as they themselves say, is free from judging and punishing, who delivers unto passions of dishonor and unto a reprobate mind to do the unseemly men who would not have fallen into the lusts of their hearts had they not been delivered to them by God, who would not have succumbed to passions of dishonor had they not been delivered to them by God, and who would not have lapsed into a reprobate mind but for the fact that the so condemned had been delivered to it by God.

I am well aware that these passages will trouble such thinkers exceedingly. Indeed they have fashioned in imagination a God other than the Maker of heaven and earth, because they find many such passages in the Law and the Prophets and have been offended by the author of such utterances as not good. But I on my part, for the sake of that question, raised in connection with the words Bring us not into Temptation, which led to my citation of the apostle's words also, must now consider whether I in turn find a solution of apparent contradictions worth considering. Well, it is my belief that God rules over each rational soul, having regard to its everlasting life, in such a way that it is always in possession of free will and is itself responsible alike for being, in the better way, in progress towards the perfection of goodness, or otherwise for descending as the result of heedlessness to this or that degree of aggravation of vice.

Accordingly, since a swift and somewhat short cure gives rise in some men to a contempt for the disease into which they have fallen, with the possible result of their incurring it a second time, He will in such other cases with good reason allow the vice to increase to a certain extent, suffering it even to be aggravated in them to the verge of incurableness, in order that they may be sated through long continuance in the evil and through surfeit of the sin for which they lust, and may be brought to a sense of their injury, and, having learned to hate what formerly they welcomed, may be enabled when cured to enjoy more steadfastly the health which their cure has brought to their souls. So it was that the mixed throng among the Children of Israel, once fell into lust.

Sitting down they and the Children of Israel cried out saying, "Who will give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish we used to eat freely in Egypt, and the cucumbers and melons and leeks and onions and garlic, but now is our soul parched; our eyes are on nothing save the manna." Then, shortly after, it is said: And Moses heard them crying in their tribes; each was at his door. And again shortly after the Lord says to Moses: And you shall say to the people, "Sanctify yourselves for the morrow, and eat flesh, because you have cried before the Lord saying, 'Who will give us flesh to eat, because it was well with us in Egypt,' and the Lord shall give you flesh to eat. So eat flesh! Eat it not one nor two nor five days, not ten nor twenty days; for a month of days eat till it issue from your nostrils, and it shall make you ill, because you have disobeyed the Lord who is among you, and have cried before Him, 'Wherefore have we left Egypt?'" Let us therefore see whether the narrative I have laid before you as a parallel is of help towards a solution of the apparent contradiction in the clause Bring us not into temptation and in the words of the apostle. Having fallen into lust, the mixed throng among the Children of Israel cried and the Children of Israel with them.

Plainly so long as they were without the objects of their lust, they were not able to be sated with them or cease their passion. In fact, it was the will of the benevolent and good God, in giving them the object of their lust, not to give it in such a way that any lust should be left in them. For that reason He tells them to eat the flesh not one day—for had they partaken of the flesh a short time their passion would have remained in their soul which would have been kindled and set ablaze by it—nor does He give them the object of their lust for two days.

It being His will to make it excessive for them, He utters what is, to one who can understand, a threat rather than a promise of their apparent gratification, saying, "Neither shall you pass five days eating the flesh nor twofold those, nor yet twofold those again, but eat flesh for a whole mouth, until such time as your imagined good shall issue from your nostrils with choleric affection, and with it your culpable and base lust for it. So shall I set you free from all further lust of living, that when you have come out in such condition you may be pure from lust and may remember all the troubles through which you were set free from it.

Thus you shall be enabled either not to fall into it again, or, should that ever happen through forgetfulness during the long lapse of time of your sufferings on account of lust, if you take no heed to yourselves and not appropriate the Word that completely frees you from every passion, if you fall into evil and at a later time, through having come to lust again for creation, require a second time to obtain the objects of your lust—in hatred of that object revert again to the good and heavenly nourishment through despising that which you longed for the most."

The like fate, accordingly, will overtake those who have changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man and of winged and four-footed and creeping things, and who are forsaken of God and thereby delivered in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness to the dishonoring of their bodies as men who have brought down to soulless insensible matter the name of Him who has bestowed upon all sentient rational beings not only sense but even rational sense, and to some indeed a complete and excellent sense and intelligence. Such men are reasonably delivered to passion of dishonor by the God whom they have forsaken, being forsaken by Him in return, receiving the requital of error through which they came to love the itch for pleasure.

For it is more of a requital of their error for them to be delivered to passions of dishonor than to be cleansed by the fire of Wisdom and to have each of their debts exacted from them in prison to the last farthing. For in being delivered to passions of dishonor which are not only natural but many of the unnatural, they are debased and hardened by the flesh and become as though they had no soul or intelligence any longer but were flesh entirely, whereas in fire and prison they receive not requital of their error but benefaction for the cleansing of the evil contracted in their error, along with salutary sufferings attendant in the pleasure-loving and are thereby set free from all stain and blood in whose defilement and pollution they had to their own undoing been unable even to think of being saved.

So their God shall wash away the stain of the sons and daughters of Zion and shall cleanse away the blood from their midst with a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning: for He comes in as the fire of a furnace and as soap, washing and cleansing those who are in need of such remedies because it has not been their clear desire to have knowledge of God. After being delivered to these remedies they will of their own accord hate the reprobate mind, for it is God's will that a man acquire goodness not as under necessity but of his own accord. Some, it may well be, will have had difficulty in perceiving the baseness of evil as the result of long familiarity with it, but then turning away from it as falsely taken to be good.

Consider too, whether God's reason for hardening the heart of Pharaoh also is that he may, because hardened, be unable to say, as in fact he did, "The Lord is righteous, but I and my people are impious." Rather it is that he needs more and more to be hardened and to undergo certain sufferings, in order that he may not, as the result of a too speedy end to the hardening, despise hardening as an evil and frequently again deserve to be hardened.

If their nets are not wrongfully stretched for birds, according to the statement in the Proverbs, but God rightly leads men into the snare, as one has said, You led us into the snare, and if not even a sparrow, cheapest of birds, falls into the snare without the counsel of the Father, its fall into the snare being due to the failure to use aright its control of its wings given to it to soar, let us pray to do nothing to deserve being brought into temptation by the righteous judgment of God, as in the case with everyone who is delivered by God in the lusts of his own heart unto uncleanness, or delivered unto passions of dishonor, or as not having proved to have God in full knowledge, is delivered unto a reprobate mind to do the unseemly. The use of temptation is somewhat as follows. Through temptations the content of our soul, which is a secret to all except God, ourselves included, becomes manifest, in order that it may no longer be a secret to us what manner of men we are but that we may have fuller knowledge of ourselves and realize, if we choose, our own evils and be thankful for the blessings manifested to us through temptations. That the temptations which befall us take place for the revealing of our true nature or the discerning of what is hidden in our heart, is set forth by the Lord's saying in Job and by the scripture in Deuteronomy, which runs thus: Think you that I have uttered speech to you for any reason other than that you may be revealed as righteous?

And in Deuteronomy: He afflicted you and starved you and gave you manna to eat, and He led you about in the wilderness where biting serpents and scorpions and thirst are, that the things in your heart might be discerned. And if we desire references to plain history, it is matter of knowledge that Eve's readiness to be deceived and unsoundness of thought did not originate when in disobedience to God she hearkened to the serpent, but had already been betrayed, the reason for the serpent's having engaged her being that with its peculiar wisdom it had perceived her weakness.

Nor was it the beginning of evil in Cain where he slew his brother, for already the heart-knowing God had little regard for Cain and his sacrifices. It was simply that his wickedness became manifest when he took Abel's life. Had Noah not drunk of the wine that he cultivated and become intoxicated and uncovered himself, neither Ham's indiscretion and irreverence towards his father nor his brother's reverence and modesty towards their parent would have been revealed.

Though Esau's plot against Jacob seemed to have provided an excuse for his being deprived of the blessing, his soul even before that had roots of fornication and profanity. And we should never have known of the splendor of Joseph's self-control, prepared as he was against falling a victim to any lust, had his master's wife not fallen in love with him. Let us therefore, in the intervals between the succession of temptations, make a stand against the impending trial, and prepare ourselves for all possible contingencies—in order that, come what may, we may not be convicted of unreadiness but may be shown to have braced ourselves with the utmost care. For when we have carried out all our part, the deficiency caused by human weakness will be filled up by God who cooperates for good in all things with those who love Him, and whose future growth has been foreseen according to His unerring knowledge.

In the words Bring us not into Temptation Luke seems to me to have virtually taught Deliver us from Evil also. In any case it is natural that the Lord should have addressed the briefer form to the disciple as he had already been helped, but the more explicit to the many who were in need of clearer teaching. God delivers us from Evil, not when the enemy does not engage us at all in conflict through any of his own wiles or those of the ministers of his will, but when we make a manful stand against contingencies and are victorious.

In that sense I have also taken the words: Many are the afflictions of the righteous: and He delivers them from them all. For God delivers us from afflictions not when afflictions are no more—and surely Paul's expression in everything afflicted implies that affliction had never yet ceased—but when, by God's help, under affliction we are not straitened.

According to a usage native to Hebrews, 'affliction' denotes misfortune that happens without reference to a human will, whereas 'straitening' refers to the will overcome by affliction and surrendered to it: hence Paul well says: in everything afflicted but not impoverished. And I consider the words in Psalms In affliction you set me at large to be similar, for by 'setting at large' is meant the joyousness and cheerfulness of temper which comes to us from God in the season of misfortune through the cooperation and presence of God's encouraging and saving Word. We are accordingly to understand deliverance from evil in the same way. God delivered Job, not through the Devil's failure to receive authority to beset him with certain temptations—for he did receive it—but through his own avoidance of sin in the sight of God amidst all that befell him and through the exhibition of his righteousness.

Thus he who had said: Does Job revere God for nothing? Have you not fenced about with a circle his goods without and his goods within the house and the goods of all who are his, and blessed his work and made his flocks and herds to abound on the earth? But send forth your hand, and touch all that he has, and surely he will curse you to your face, was put to shame as having thereby spoken falsely against Job, for he, after all his suffering, did not, as the Adversary said, curse God to His face, but even when delivered to the tempter he continued steadfastly blessing God, reproving his wife for saying Speak you some word against God and die, and rebuking her in the words: As one of the senseless women have you spoken.

If we have accepted the good from the Lord's hand, shall we not endure the evil? And a second time concerning Job the Devil said to the Lord: Skin for skin; all that the man has he will pay for his soul. Nay but send forth your hand and touch his bones and his flesh, and surely he will curse you to your face. But he is overcome by the champion of virtue and shown to be a liar, for Job inspite of the severest sufferings stood firm committing no sin with his lips in the sight of God. Two falls did Job wrestle and conquer, but no third such struggle did he undergo, for the threefold wrestling had to be reserved for the Savior, as it is recorded in the three Gospels, when the Savior known in human form thrice conquered the Enemy. In order therefore to ask of God intelligently that we enter not into temptation and that we be delivered from Evil, let us consider these things and investigate them in our own minds more carefully. Through hearkening unto God let us become worthy to be heard by Him, and let our entreaty be that when tempted we may not be brought to death, and that when assailed by flaming darts of evil, we may not be set on fire by them.

All whose hearts are (as one of the Twelve Prophets says, as an ember-pan) are set on fire by them, but not so they who with the shield of faith quench all the flaming darts aimed at them by the Evil One, since they have within themselves rivers of water springing up into life eternal which do not let the fire of the Evil One prevail but readily undo it with the flood of their inspired and saving thought that is impressed by contemplation of the truth upon the soul of him whose study is to be spiritual.

[29] ”–Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν, ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ„: τὸ δὲ „ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ–” παρὰ τῷ Λουκᾷ σεσιώπηται. εἰ μὴ ἀδύνατα προστάττει ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμᾶς εὔχεσθαι, ζητήσεώς μοι ἄξιον φαίνεται, πῶς κελευόμεθα, παντὸς τοῦ ἐπὶ γῆς ἀνθρώπων βίου πειρατηρίου ὄντος, προσεύχεσθαι μὴ εἰσελθεῖν ”–εἰς πειρασμόν–.„ ᾗ γάρ ἐσμεν ἐπὶ γῆς περικείμενοι τὴν στρατευομένην σάρκα „κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος,” ἧς ”τὸ φρόνημα„ „ἔχθρα” ἐστὶν ”εἰς θεὸν,„ μηδαμῶς δυναμένης ὑποτάσσεσθαι „τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ,” ἐν –πειρασμῷ– ἐσμεν. ὅτι δὲ ”πειρατήριον„ πᾶς „ὁ” ”ἐπὶ γῆς„ ἀνθρώπινος „βίος,” ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰὼβ μεμαθήκαμεν διὰ τούτων: ”πότερον οὐχὶ πειρατήριόν ἐστιν ὁ βίος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ γῆς;„ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑπτακαιδεκάτου ψαλμοῦ τὸ αὐτὸ δηλοῦται ἐν τῷ: „ἐν σοὶ ῥυσθήσομαι ἀπὸ πειρατηρίου.” ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος Κορινθίοις γράφων οὐχὶ τὸ μὴ πειράζεσθαι ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ παρὰ δύναμιν πειράζεσθαί φησι χαρίζεσθαι τὸν θεὸν, λέγων: ”–πειρασμὸς– ὑμᾶς οὐκ εἴληφεν εἰ μὴ ἀνθρώπινος: πιστὸς δὲ ὁ θεὸς, –ὃς– οὐκ ἐάσει ὑμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δύνασθε, ἀλλὰ ποιήσει σὺν τῷ –πειρασμῷ– καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν.„ εἴτε γὰρ „ἡ πάλη” ”ἐστὶ„ „πρὸς” τὴν ἐπιθυμοῦσαν ἢ στρατευομένην ”κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος„ „σάρκα” ἢ πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν ”πάσης σαρκὸς„ (ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁμωνύμως ᾧ ἐγκατοικεῖ σώματι τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν, ὃ καλεῖται καρδία), ὁποία ἐστὶν „ἡ πάλη” τοῖς τοὺς ἀνθρωπίνους πειραζομένοις –πειρασμοὺς–, εἴτε ὡς διαβεβηκόσι καὶ τελεωτέροις ἀθληταῖς, οὐκέτι ”πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα„ παλαίουσιν οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις –πειρασμοῖς– ἐξεταζομένοις, οὓς καταπεπατήκασιν ἤδη, „πρὸς τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας καὶ τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου καὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας” ἐστὶν ἡμῖν τὰ ἀγωνίσματα, τοῦ πειράζεσθαι οὐκ ἀπηλλάγμεθα. πῶς οὖν κελεύει ἡμᾶς ὁ σωτὴρ εὔχεσθαι μὴ εἰσελθεῖν ”–εἰς πειρασμὸν–,„ πειράζοντός πως πάντας τοῦ θεοῦ; „μνήσθητε” γὰρ, φησὶν ἡ Ἰουδαία [εἰ] οὐ πρὸς τοὺς τότε πρεσβυτέρους μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας αὐτῆς τῇ γραφῇ, ”ὅσα ἐποίησε μετὰ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὅσα ἐπείρασε τὸν Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ὅσα ἐγένετο τῷ Ἰακὼβ ἐν Μεσοποταμίᾳ τῆς Συρίας, ποιμαίνοντι Λάβαν τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ: οὐ γὰρ καθὼς ἐκείνους ἐπύρωσεν εἰς ἐτασμὸν καρδίας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκδικεῖ ὁ εἰς νουθέτησιν μαστιγῶν κύριος τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας αὐτῷ.„ καὶ ὡς καθολικὸν δὲ ἀποφαίνεται περὶ πάντων δικαίων ὁ μὲν Δαυῒδ λέγων: „πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων,” ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν: ”ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ.„ καὶ ἐὰν μὴ συνῶμεν τὸ τοὺς πολλοὺς λανθάνον περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν „–εἰς πειρασμὸν–” προσεύχεσθαι, ὥρα λέγειν ὅτι οἱ ἀπόστολοι εὐχόμενοι οὐκ ἐπηκούοντο, μυρία ὅσα ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ ἑαυτῶν πεπονθότες, ”ἐν κόποις περισσοτέρως ἐν πληγαῖς περισσοτέρως ἐν φυλακαῖς ὑπερβαλλόντως ἐν θανάτοις πολλάκις,„ ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἰδίᾳ „ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων πεντάκις τεσσαράκοντα παρὰ μίαν” εἴληφε, ”τρὶς„ ἐῤῥαβδίσθη, „ἅπαξ” ἐλιθάσθη, ”τρὶς„ ἐναυάγησε, „νυχθήμερον ἐν τῷ βυθῷ” πεποίηκεν, ἄνθρωπος ”ἐν παντὶ„ θλιβόμενος καὶ ἀπορούμενος καὶ διωκόμενος καὶ καταβαλλόμενος ὁμολογῶν τε τό: „ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν καὶ γυμνητεύομεν καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσί: λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν, διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα, βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν.” τῶν δὲ ἀποστόλων ἐν τῷ εὔχεσθαι μὴ ἐπιτετευχότων, τίς ἐλπὶς τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων τινὶ παρ' ἐκείνους εὐχομένῳ ἐπηκόου θεοῦ τυχεῖν; τὸ δὲ ἐν τῷ εἰκοστῷ πέμπτῳ ψαλμῷ: ”δοκίμασόν με, κύριε, καὶ πείρασόν με, πύρωσον τοὺς νεφρούς μου καὶ τὴν καρδίαν μου„ εὐλόγως τις ὑπολήψεται τῶν μὴ ἀκριβούντων, τί τὸ βούλημα τῆς προστάξεως τοῦ σωτῆρος, ἐναντίως γεγονέναι οἷς ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν περὶ εὐχῆς ἐδίδαξε. πότε δέ τις νενόμικεν εἶναι ἔξω –πειρασμῶν– ἀνθρώπους, ὧν ᾔδει τὸν λόγον συμπεπληρωκώς; καὶ ποῖος καιρός ἐστιν, ἐν ᾧ ὡς μὴ ἀγωνιζόμενος περὶ τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτήσεσθαι καταπεφρόνηκε; πένεταί τις; εὐλαβείσθω, μή ποτε κλέψας ὀμόσῃ „τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ”: ἀλλὰ πλουτεῖ; μὴ καταφρονείτω: δύναται γὰρ ”πλησθεὶς ψευδὴς„ γενέσθαι καὶ ἐπαρθεὶς εἰπεῖν: „τίς με ὁρᾷ;” οὐδὲ Παῦλος γοῦν πλουτῶν ”ἐν παντὶ λόγῳ καὶ πάσῃ γνώσει„ κινδύνου ἀπήλλακται τοῦ ὡς ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐν τῷ ὑπεραίρεσθαι ἁμαρτάνειν, ἀλλὰ δεῖται σκόλοπος τοῦ σατανᾶ κολαφίζοντος αὐτὸν, „ἵνα μὴ” ὑπεραίρηται. κἂν συνειδῇ τις ἑαυτῷ τὰ κρείττονα καὶ ἀναπτερωθῇ ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν, ἀναγινωσκέτω τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ τῶν Παραλειπομένων περὶ Ἐζεκίου, ὅστις πεπτωκέναι λέγεται ”ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ.„ εἰ δὲ, ἐπεὶ μὴ πλείονα περὶ τοῦ πένητος εἰρήκαμεν, καταφρονεῖ τις, ὡς μὴ –πειρασμοῦ– τοῦ περὶ τῆς πενίας, ἴστω ὅτι ὁ ἐπιβουλεύων ἐπιβουλεύει ὑπὲρ „τοῦ καταβαλεῖν πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα,” καὶ μάλιστα ἐπεὶ κατὰ τὸν Σολομῶντα. ”ὁ πτωχὸς οὐχ ὑφίσταται ἀπειλήν.„ τί δὲ δεῖ λέγειν, ὅσοι διὰ τὸν σωματικὸν πλοῦτον, μὴ καλῶς αὐτὸν οἰκονομήσαντες, τὴν μετὰ τοῦ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ πλουσίου χώραν ἐν τῇ κολάσει εἰλήφασι, καὶ ὅσοι ἀγεννῶς τὴν πενίαν φέροντες, δουλοπρεπέστερον καὶ ταπεινότερον ἢ κατὰ τὰ ἐν τοῖς „ἁγίοις” πρέποντα ἀναστρεφόμενοι, τῆς ἐπουρανίου ἐλπίδος ἀποπεπτώκασιν; οὐδὲ οἱ μεταξὺ δὲ τούτων καθ' ἑκάτερον, πλοῦτον καὶ πενίαν, τοῦ κατὰ τὴν σύμμετρον κτῆσιν ἁμαρτάνειν πάντως εἰσὶν ἀπηλλαγμένοι. ἀλλὰ ὑγιαίνων τῷ σώματι καὶ εὐεκτῶν ἔξω παντὸς –πειρασμοῦ– κατ' αὐτὸ τὸ ὑγιαίνειν καὶ εὐεκτεῖν ὑπολαμβάνει τυγχάνειν: καὶ τίνων ἄλλων ἢ τῶν εὐεκτούντων καὶ ὑγιαινόντων ἐστὶν ἁμάρτημα τὸ φθείρειν ”τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ,„ οὐ τολμήσει τις διὰ τὸ ἐκκεῖσθαι πᾶσι σαφῶς τὰ κατὰ τὸν τόπον εἰπεῖν. νοσῶν δὲ τίς τοὺς εἰς τὸ φθείρειν „τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ” [τίς] ἐρεθισμοὺς ἐκπέφευγε, σχολάζων κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ καὶ πάνυ τι δεχόμενος τοὺς περὶ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων πραγμάτων λογισμούς; ἀλλ' ὅσα παρὰ τούτους ταράττει αὐτὸν, ἐὰν μὴ ”πάσῃ φυλακῇ„ τηρῇ τὴν „καρδίαν,” τί δεῖ καὶ λέγειν; πολλοὶ γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν πόνων νικώμενοι καὶ ἀνδρείως νόσους φέρειν οὐκ ἐπιστάμενοι μᾶλλον τὴν ψυχὴν ἠλέγχθησαν τότε νενοσηκότες ἢ τὰ σώματα: πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ φεύγειν τὴν ἀδοξίαν, ἐπαισχυνόμενοι τὸ Χριστοῦ εὐγενῶς ὄνομα φέρειν, εἰς αἰσχύνην αἰώνιον καταπεπτώκασιν. ἀλλ' οἴεταί τις ἀναπαύεσθαι ὡς μὴ πειραζόμενος, ὅτε δεδόξασται παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις: καὶ πῶς οὐ χαλεπὸν τὸ ”ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν„ ἀπὸ „τῶν ἀνθρώπων,” ἀπαγγελλόμενον τοῖς ἐπαιρομένοις ὡς ἐπ' ἀγαθῷ τῇ παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς δόξῃ; πῶς δ' οὐκ ἐπιπληκτικὸν τὸ ”πῶς δύνασθε ὑμεῖς πιστεῦσαι, δόξαν παρ' ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες, καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ οὐ ζητεῖτε;„ καὶ τί με δεῖ καταλέγειν τὰ τῶν νομιζομένων εὐγενῶν ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ πταίσματα καὶ τῶν λεγομένων δυσγενῶν διὰ τὸ ἀνεπίστημον τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ὑπερέχειν νομιζομένους ὑπόπτωσιν θωπευτικὴν, ἀφιστᾶσαν θεοῦ τοὺς γνησίαν μὲν φιλίαν οὐκ ἔχοντας τὸ δὲ κάλλιστον τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις, τὴν ἀγάπην, ὑποκρινομένους; πᾶς τοίνυν „ὁ βίος,” καθὼς προείρηται, τοῦ ”ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς„ „ἐστι” ”πειρατήριον„: διόπερ εὐχώμεθα –ῥυσθῆναι– πειρατηρίου, οὐκ ἐν τῷ μὴ πειράζεσθαι (τοῦτο γὰρ ἀμήχανον, μάλιστα τοῖς „ἐπὶ γῆς”) ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ μὴ ἡττᾶσθαι πειραζομένους. τὸν δὲ ἡττώμενον ἐν τῷ πειράζεσθαι εἰσέρχεσθαι ”εἰς„ τὸν „–πειρασμὸν–,” ἐνεχόμενον τοῖς δικτύοις αὐτοῦ, ὑπολαμβάνω: εἰς ἅπερ δίκτυα διὰ τοὺς προκατειλημμένους ἐν αὐτοῖς εἰσελθὼν ὁ σωτὴρ, ”ἐκκύπτων διὰ τῶν δικτύων„ κατὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἄισματι τῶν ᾀσμάτων εἰρημένον, „ἀποκρίνεται” τοῖς προκατειλημμένοις ὑπ' αὐτῶν καὶ εἰσελθοῦσιν ”–εἰς„ τὸν „πειρασμὸν–,” ”καὶ λέγει„ οὖσι νύμφῃ αὐτοῦ: „ἀνάστα, ἐλθὲ ἡ πλησίον μου, καλή μου, περιστερά μου.” προσθήσω δὲ εἰς τὸ πειρασθῆναι πάντα καιρὸν –πειρασμοῦ– εἶναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ ταῦτα: οὐδὲ ὁ τὸν νόμον τοῦ θεοῦ μελετῶν ”ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς„ καὶ ἀσκῶν κατορθῶσαι τὸ εἰρημένον: „στόμα δικαίου μελετήσει σοφίαν” τοῦ πειράζεσθαι ἀπήλλακται. ὅσοι γοῦν παρεκδεξάμενοι ἐν τῷ ἀνατεθεικέναι αὑτοὺς τῇ ἐξετάσει τῶν θείων γραφῶν τὰ ἐν νόμῳ καὶ προφήταις ἀπηγγελμένα ἀθέοις καὶ ἀσεβέσι δόγμασιν ἑαυτοὺς ἀνατεθείκασιν –ἢ– ἠλιθίοις καὶ γελοίοις, τί δεῖ καὶ λέγειν, τῶν δοκούντων τῷ τῆς ἀμελείας τῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων ἐγκλήματι μὴ εἶναι ἐνόχων μυρίων ὅσων τὰ τοιαῦτα πταιόντων; τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν καὶ εὐαγγελικῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων πολλοὶ πεπόνθασι, διὰ τὰς ἰδίας ἀνοίας ἀναπλάττοντες ἕτερον παρὰ τὸν θεολογούμενον καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν νενοημένον τοῖς ἁγίοις υἱὸν ἢ πατέρα. ὁ γὰρ μὴ τὰ ἀληθῆ φρονῶν περὶ θεοῦ ἢ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὲν ἀληθινοῦ ἀποπέπτωκε θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς αὐτοῦ: ὃν δὲ ἀνέπλασεν ἡ ἄνοια αὐτοῦ, νομίζουσα εἶναι πατέρα καὶ υἱὸν, οὐκ ὄντως προσκυνεῖ, τοῦτο παθὼν διὰ τὸ τὸν ἐν τῷ ἀναγινώσκειν τὰ ἅγια –πειρασμὸν– μὴ νενοηκέναι μηδὲ ὡς πρὸς ἀγῶνα καὶ τότε αὐτῷ ἐνεστηκότα ὁπλισάμενος καὶ στάς. χρὴ τοίνυν εὔχεσθαι οὐχ ἵνα μὴ πειρασθῶμεν (τοῦτο γὰρ ἀδύνατον) ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ ὑπὸ τοῦ –πειρασμοῦ– περιβληθῶμεν, ὅπερ πάσχουσιν οἱ ἐνεχόμενοι αὐτῷ καὶ νενικημένοι. ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔξω μὲν τῆς εὐχῆς γέγραπται ”μὴ εἰσελθεῖν –εἰς πειρασμὸν–,„ ὅπερ ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων δύναταί πως εἶναι σαφὲς, ἐν δὲ τῇ εὐχῇ λέγειν ἡμᾶς δεῖ: „–μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν–” τῷ πατρὶ θεῷ: ἄξιον ἰδεῖν, πῶς χρὴ νοεῖν τὸν θεὸν εἰσάγειν τὸν μὴ εὐξάμενον ἢ τὸν μὴ ἐπακουόμενον ”–εἰς–„ τὸν „–πειρασμόν–.” ἀπεμφαίνει γὰρ, τοῦ νικωμένου εἰσερχομένου ”–εἰς–„ τὸν „–πειρασμὸν–”, τὸν θεὸν νομίζειν εἰσάγειν τινὰ ”–εἰς πειρασμὸν–,„ οἱονεὶ τῷ νικᾶσθαι αὐτὸν παραδόντα. ἡ δ' αὐτὴ ἀπέμφασις περιμένει καὶ τὸν ὅπως ποτὲ ἐξηγούμενον τὸ „εὔχεσθε –μὴ– εἰσελθεῖν –εἰς πειρασμόν–.” εἰ γὰρ κακὸν τὸ ἐμπεσεῖν ”–εἰς πειρασμὸν–,„ ὅπερ ἵνα μὴ πάθωμεν εὐχόμεθα, πῶς οὐκ ἄτοπον νοεῖν τὸν ἀγαθὸν θεὸν, μὴ δυνάμενον „καρποὺς” φέρειν ”πονηροὺς,„ περιβάλλειν τινὰ τοῖς κακοῖς; χρήσιμον οὖν εἰς ταῦτα παραθέσθαι τὰ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου εἰρημένα τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον: „φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν, καὶ ἤλλαξαν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου θεοῦ ἐν ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πετεινῶν καὶ τετραπόδων καὶ ἑρπετῶν. διὸ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῶν καρδιῶν αὐτῶν εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν, τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς,” καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα: ”διὰ τοῦτο παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας: αἵ τε γὰρ θήλειαι αὐτῶν μετήλλαξαν τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν: ὁμοίως καὶ οἱ ἄρσενες ἀφέντες τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν τῆς θηλείας ἐξεκαύθησαν„ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς: καὶ πάλιν μετ' ὀλίγα: „καὶ καθὼς οὐκ ἐδοκίμασαν τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει, παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα.” πλὴν ταῦτα πάντα προσεκτέον τοῖς διακόπτουσι τὴν θεότητα, καὶ λεκτέον πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ἕτερον νομίζοντας εἶναι τὸν ἀγαθὸν πατέρα τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν παρὰ τὸν τοῦ νόμου θεὸν, εἰ ὁ ἀγαθὸς θεὸς τὸν μὴ τυγχάνοντα τῆς εὐχῆς εἰσάγει ”–εἰς πειρασμὸν–,„ καὶ εἰ ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου παραδίδωσιν „ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῶν καρδιῶν” τοὺς προημαρτηκότας τι ”εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν, τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ἐν αὑτοῖς,„ καὶ εἰ, ὡς αὐτοί φασι, τοῦ κρίνειν καὶ κολάζειν ἀπηλλαγμένος παραδίδωσιν „εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας” καὶ ”εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα,„ οὐκ ἂν „ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῶν καρδιῶν ἑαυτῶν” γεγενημένων τῶν μὴ παραδοθέντων αὐταῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὐδ' ἂν πάθεσιν ”ἀτιμίας„ ὑποπεπτωκότων τῶν μὴ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ παραδοθέντων αὐτοῖς, οὐδ' ἂν „εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν” καταπιπτόντων χωρὶς τοῦ παραδίδοσθαι αὐτῷ ὑπὸ θεοῦ τοὺς οὕτω καταδικασθέντας; ἐκείνους μὲν οὖν εὖ οἶδα ὅτι σφόδρα ταράξει ταῦτα, διὰ τοῦτο ἄλλον ἀναπλάσαντας παρὰ τὸν ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς θεὸν, ἐπεὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα εὑρίσκοντες ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τοῖς προφήταις προσέκοψαν ὡς οὐκ ἀγαθῷ τῷ τοιαύτας προφερομένῳ φωνάς: ἡμῖν δὲ ἤδη διὰ τὰ ἐπαπορηθέντα περὶ τοῦ ”–μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς εἰς πειρασμὸν ἡμᾶς–,„ δι' ἅπερ καὶ τὰς ἀποστολικὰς λέξεις παρεθέμεθα, θεωρητέον εἰ καὶ ἡμεῖς εὑρίσκομεν ἀξιολόγους τῶν ἀπεμφάσεων λύσεις. ἡγοῦμαι δὴ τὸν θεὸν ἑκάστην λογικὴν οἰκονομεῖν ψυχὴν, ἀφορῶντα εἰς τὴν ἀΐδιον αὐτῆς ζωὴν, ἀεὶ ἔχουσαν τὸ αὐτεξούσιον καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἰδίαν αἰτίαν ἤτοι ἐν τοῖς κρείττοσι κατ' ἐπανάβασιν ἕως τῆς ἀκρότητος τῶν ἀγαθῶν γινομένην –ἢ– καταβαίνουσαν διαφόρως ἐξ ἀπροσεξίας ἐπὶ τὴν τοσήνδε ἢ τοσήνδε τῆς κακίας χύσιν. ἐπεὶ οὖν ἡ ταχεῖα θεραπεία καὶ συντομωτέρα καταφρόνησίν τισιν ἐμποιεῖ τῶν, εἰς ἃ ἐμπεπτώκασι, νοσημάτων ὡς εὐθεραπεύτων, ὥστε καὶ δεύτερον ἂν μετὰ τὸ ὑγιᾶσθαι τοῖς αὐτοῖς περιπεσεῖν, εὐλόγως ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων περιόψεται τὴν ἐπί τι κακίαν αὔξουσαν, καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον χεομένην ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀνίατον ὑπερορῶν, ἵνα τῷ προσδιατρῖψαι τῷ κακῷ καὶ ἐμφορηθῆναι ἧς ἐπιθυμοῦσιν ἁμαρτίας κορεσθέντες αἰσθηθῶσι τῆς βλάβης, καὶ μισήσαντες ὅπερ πρότερον ἀπεδέξαντο δυνηθῶσι θεραπευθέντες βεβαιότερον ὄνασθαι τῆς ἐν τῷ θεραπευθῆναι ὑπαρχούσης ὑγείας τῶν ψυχῶν αὐτοῖς: οἷον „ὁ ἐπίμικτός” ποτε ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ ”ἐπεθύμησαν ἐπιθυμίαν, καὶ καθίσαντες ἔκλαιον καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ εἶπαν: τίς ἡμᾶς ψωμιεῖ κρέα; ἐμνήσθημεν τοὺς ἰχθύας, οὓς ἠσθίομεν δωρεὰν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ τοὺς σικυοὺς καὶ τοὺς πέπονας καὶ τὰ πράσα καὶ τὰ κρόμμυα καὶ τὰ σκόροδα: νυνὶ δὲ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν κατάξηρος, οὐδὲν πλὴν εἰς τὸ μάννα οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν.„ εἶτα μετ' ὀλίγα λέγεται: „καὶ ἤκουσε Μωϋσῆς κλαιόντων αὐτῶν κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν: ἕκαστος ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας αὐτοῦ.” καὶ πάλιν μετ' ὀλίγα κύριός φησι τῷ Μωϋσεῖ: ”καὶ τῷ λαῷ ἐρεῖς: ἁγνίσασθε αὔριον, καὶ φάγεσθε κρέα, ὅτι ἐκλαύσατε ἐναντίον κυρίου λέγοντες: τίς ἡμᾶς ψωμιεῖ κρέα; ὅτι καλὸν ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ: καὶ δώσει ὑμῖν κύριος κρέα φαγεῖν, καὶ φάγεσθε κρέα. οὐχ ἡμέραν μίαν φάγεσθε οὐδὲ δύο οὐδὲ πέντε ἡμέρας οὐ–δὲ– δέκα ἡμέρας οὐδὲ εἴκοσιν ἡμέρας: ἕως μηνὸς ἡμερῶν φάγεσθε, ἕως ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τῶν μυκτήρων ὑμῶν: καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν εἰς χολέραν, ὅτι ἠπειθήσατε κυρίῳ, ὅς ἐστιν ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ ἐκλαύσατε ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ λέγοντες: ἵνα τί ἡμῖν ἐξελθεῖν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου;„ ἴδωμεν οὖν τὴν ἱστορίαν, εἰ χρησίμως ὑμῖν παρεβάλομεν αὐτὴν πρὸς λύσιν τοῦ ἀπεμφαίνοντος ἐν τῷ „–μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν–” καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀποστολικαῖς λέξεσιν. ἐπιθυμήσαντες ”ἐπιθυμίαν„ „ὁ ἐπίμικτος ὁ” ἐν υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ ”ἔκλαιον καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ„ σὺν αὐτοῖς. καὶ φανερὸν ὅτι ὅσον οὐκ εἶχον τὰ ἐπιθυμούμενα, κόρον οὐκ ἠδύναντο αὐτῶν λαβεῖν οὐδὲ παύσασθαι τοῦ πάθους: ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ ἀγαθὸς θεὸς, διδοὺς αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐπιθυμούμενον, οὐχ οὕτως ἐβούλετο διδόναι, ὥστε καταλιπέσθαι ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐπιθυμίαν. διόπερ φησὶ μὴ „μίαν ἡμέραν” φάγεσθαι αὐτοὺς τὰ ”κρέα„ (ἔμενε γὰρ ἂν τὸ πάθος αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ πεπυρωμένῃ καὶ φλεγομένῃ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, εἰ ἐπ' ὀλίγον τῶν κρεῶν μετειλήφεσαν), ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐπὶ „δύο” δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐπιθυμούμενον ”ἡμέρας„: βουλόμενος δὲ αὐτὸ προσκορὲς αὐτοῖς ποιῆσαι, οἱονεὶ οὐκ ἐπαγγέλλεται ἀλλὰ τῷ συνιέναι δυναμένῳ ἀπειλεῖ δι' ὧν χαρίζεσθαι αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει, λέγων: „οὐδὲ πέντε” μόνας ποιήσετε ”ἡμέρας„ ἐσθίοντες τὰ „κρέα” οὐδὲ τὰς τούτων διπλασίους οὐδὲ ἔτι τὰς ἐκείνων διπλασίους, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ”φάγεσθε,„ ἐφ' ὅλον κρεωφαγοῦντες μῆνα, „ἕως ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τῶν μυκτήρων” μετὰ χολερικοῦ πάθους τὸ νενομισμένον ὑμῖν καλὸν καὶ ἡ περὶ αὐτὸ ψεκτὴ καὶ αἰσχρὰ ἐπιθυμία: ἵν' ὑμᾶς ἀπαλλάξω τοῦ βίου μηκέτι ἐπιθυμοῦντας, καὶ τοιοῦτοι ἐξελθόντες δυνηθῆτε ὡς καθαροὶ ἀπὸ ἐπιθυμίας μεμνημένοι τε, δι' ὅσων πόνων αὐτῆς ἀπηλλάγητε, ἤτοι μηδαμῶς αὐτῇ περιπεσεῖν ἔτι ἢ, εἰ ἄρα τοῦτό ποτε γίνεται, μακραῖς χρόνων περιόδοις, ἐπιλανθανόμενοι ὧν πεπόνθατε διὰ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, ἐὰν μὴ ἑαυτοῖς προσέχητε καὶ τὸν τελείως ἀπαλλάττοντα πάθους παντὸς λόγον ἀναλάβητε, τοῖς κακοῖς περιπέσητε ὕστερόν τε τῆς γενέσεως ἐπιθυμήσαντες πάλιν δεηθῆτε τοῦ δὶς τυχεῖν ὧν ἐπιθυμεῖτε, μισήσαντες τὸ ἐπιθυμούμενον, καὶ τότε οὕτω παλινδρομεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ καλὰ καὶ τὴν οὐράνιον τροφὴν, ἧς καταφρονήσαντες τῶν χειρόνων ὠρέχθησαν. τὸ ὅμοιον οὖν τούτοις πείσονται οἱ ἀλλάξαντες ”τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀφθάρτου ἐν ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πετεινῶν καὶ τετραπόδων καὶ ἑρπετῶν,„ διὰ τοῦ ἐγκαταλείπεσθαι παραδιδόμενοι „ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῶν καρδιῶν αὐτῶν εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν, τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι τὰ σώματα” τῶν εἰς ἄψυχον σῶμα καὶ ἀναίσθητον καταβιβασάντων τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πᾶσι τοῖς αἰσθομένοις λογικοῖς οὐ μόνον τὸ αἰσθέσθαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ λογικῶς αἰσθέσθαι τισὶ δὲ καὶ τελείως καὶ ἐναρέτως αἰσθέσθαι καὶ νοεῖν χαρισαμένου. καὶ εὐλόγως οἱ τοιοῦτοι παραδίδονται ὑπὸ τοῦ καταλειφθέντος ὑπ' αὐτῶν θεοῦ, ἀντικαταλειπόμενοι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὰ τῆς ”ἀτιμίας„ „πάθη,” ”τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν„ „τῆς πλάνης” δι' ἧς ἠγάπησαν ψωρώδους ἡδονῆς ”ἀπολαμβάνοντες.„ μᾶλλον γὰρ ἡ ἀντιμισθία „τῆς πλάνης” αὐτοῖς ἐγγίνεται, παραδιδομένοις ”εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας,„ ἤπερ τῷ φρονίμῳ πυρὶ καθαιρομένοις καὶ ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ ἐκπρασσομένοις μέχρι τοῦ ἐσχάτου κοδράντου ἕκαστον τῶν ὀφλημάτων. ἐν γὰρ τῷ πάθεσιν „ἀτιμίας” οὐ μόνον τοῖς κατὰ φύσιν ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοῖς τῶν παρὰ φύσιν παραδίδοσθαι μολύνονται καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς σαρκὸς παχύνονται, οἱονεὶ οὐκέτι ἔχοντες τότε ψυχὴν οὐδὲ νοῦν ἀλλ' ὅλοι γινόμενοι σάρκες: ἐν δὲ τῷ πυρὶ καὶ τῇ φυλακῇ οὐκ ”ἀντιμισθίαν„ „τῆς πλάνης” ἀλλ' εὐεργεσίαν ἐπὶ καθάρσει τῶν ἐν τῇ πλάνῃ κακῶν μετὰ σωτηρίων λαμβάνοντες πόνων, ἑπομένων τοῖς φιληδόνοις, ἀπαλλάττονται παντὸς ῥύπου καὶ αἵματος, ἐν οἷς ἐῤῥυπωμένοι καὶ πεφυρμένοι οὐδὲ τὸ ἐννοῆσαι περὶ τοῦ σῴζεσθαι ἐδύναντο τῇ σφῶν ἀπωλείᾳ. ”ἐκπλυνεῖ„ τοιγαροῦν ὁ θεὸς „τὸν ῥύπον τῶν υἱῶν καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων Σιὼν, καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐκκαθαριεῖ ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν πνεύματι κρίσεως καὶ πνεύματι καύσεως”: ”εἰσπορεύεται„ γὰρ „ὡς πῦρ χωνευτηρίου καὶ ὡς πόα πλυνόντων,” ἀποπλύνων καὶ καθαίρων τοὺς τοιούτων φαρμάκων δεδεημένους διὰ τὸ μὴ δεδοκιμασμένως θέλειν ”ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει„ „τὸν θεόν”: οἷς παραδοθέντες ἑκόντες μισήσουσι τὸν ”ἀδόκιμον νοῦν„: οὐ γὰρ βούλεται ὁ θεός τινι τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην γενέσθαι ἀλλὰ ἑκουσίως, τάχα τινῶν ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ὡμιληκέναι τῇ κακίᾳ μόγις τὸ αἶσχος αὐτῆς κατανενοηκότων καὶ ἀποστρεφομένων αὐτὴν ὡς ψευδῶς ὑποληφθεῖσαν εἶναι καλήν. ἐπίστησον δὲ εἰ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ σκληρύνει τὴν τοῦ Φαραὼ καρδίαν ὁ θεὸς, ἵν' ὅπερ εἶπε μὴ σκληρυνθεὶς δυνηθῇ εἰπεῖν: „ὁ κύριος δίκαιος, ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ὁ λαός μου ἀσεβής.” ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πλεῖον δέεται τοῦ σκληρύνεσθαι καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον πάσχειν τινὰ, ἵνα μὴ ἐκ τοῦ τάχιον τοῦ σκληρύνεσθαι παύεσθαι καταφρονῶν ὡς κακοῦ τοῦ σκληρύνεσθαι ἔτι πλεονάκις ἄξιος τοῦ σκληρύνεσθαι γίνηται. εἰ τοίνυν ”οὐκ ἀδίκως ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς„ κατὰ τὰ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις εἰρημένα, ἀλλὰ εὐλόγως εἰσάγει ὁ θεὸς „εἰς τὴν παγίδα” κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα: ”εἰσήγαγες ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν παγίδα,„ καὶ „ἄνευ” τῆς βουλῆς ”τοῦ πατρὸς„ οὐδὲ τὸ εὐτελέστερον τῶν ἐπτερωμένων στρουθίον ἐμπίπτει „εἰς τὴν παγίδα” (τοῦ ἐμπίπτοντος ”εἰς τὴν παγίδα„ διὰ τοῦτο ἐμπίπτοντος, ἐπεὶ μὴ καλῶς τῇ τῶν πτερῶν ἐχρήσατο δεδομένων ἐπὶ τὸ ὑψοῦσθαι ἐξουσίᾳ), εὐχώμεθα μηδὲν ἄξιον ποιῆσαι τοῦ ὑπὸ τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως τοῦ θεοῦ –εἰσενεχθῆναι „εἰς–” τὸν ”–πειρασμὸν–,„ εἰσφερομένου παντός τε τοῦ παραδιδομένου ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ „ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις” τῆς καρδίας ἑαυτοῦ ”εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν„ καὶ παντὸς τοῦ παραδιδομένου „εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας” καὶ παντὸς τοῦ, ”καθὼς οὐκ ἐδοκίμασε τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν„ ἑαυτῷ, παραδιδομένου „εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα.” ἡ δὲ χρεία τοῦ πειράζεσθαι τοιαύτη τις ἐστίν. ἅπερ ἐδέξατο ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ, λανθάνοντα πάντας πλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς, φανερὰ διὰ τῶν –πειρασμῶν– γίνεται: ἵνα μηκέτι λανθάνωμεν, ὁποῖοί ποτε ἐσμὲν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐπιγινώσκοντες συναισθώμεθα, ἐὰν βουλώμεθα, τῶν ἰδίων κακῶν καὶ εὐχαριστῶμεν ἐπὶ τοῖς φανερουμένοις ἡμῖν διὰ τῶν –πειρασμῶν– ἀγαθοῖς. ὅτι δὲ οἱ γενόμενοι –πειρασμοὶ– ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀναφανῆναι ἡμᾶς, οἵτινές ποτε ἐσμὲν, ἢ διαγνωσθῆναι τὰ ἐγκεκρυμμένα τῇ καρδίᾳ ἡμῶν γίνονται, παρίστησι τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ λεγόμενον καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ γεγραμμένον, οὕτως ἔχοντα: ”οἴει δέ με ἄλλως σοι κεχρηματικέναι ἢ ἵνα ἀναφανῇς δίκαιος;„ καὶ ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ οὕτως: „ἐκάκωσέ σε καὶ ἐλιμαγχόνησέ σε καὶ ἐψώμισέ σε τὸ μάννα” ”καὶ διήγαγέ σε„ „ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ,” ”οὗ ὄφις δάκνων καὶ σκορπίος καὶ δίψα,„ „ὅπως” ”διαγνωσθῇ τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου.„ εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας ἀναμνησθῆναι βουλόμεθα, ἰστέον ὅτι τὸ –τῆς Εὔας– εὐεξαπάτητον καὶ τὸ σαθρὸν τοῦ λογισμοῦ αὐτῆς οὐχ, ὅτε παρακούσασα τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὄφεως ἤκουσεν, ὑπέστη ἀλλὰ καὶ πρότερον ὂν ἠλέγχθη, τοῦ ὄφεως διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῇ προσεληλυθότος, ἐπεὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ φρονιμότητι ἀντελάβετο τῆς ἀσθενείας αὐτῆς. ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ Κάϊν πονηρία ἤρξατο γίνεσθαι, ὅτε „ἀπέκτεινε” ”τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ„ (καὶ πρότερον γὰρ „ἐπὶ τῷ Κάϊν καὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν” ”ὁ καρδιογνώστης θεὸς„), εἰς φανερὸν δὲ ἦλθεν ἡ κακία αὐτοῦ, ὅτε ἀνεῖλε τὸν Ἄβελ. ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰ μὴ πιὼν οὗ ἐγεώργησεν „οἴνου” ”ἐμεθύσθη„ ὁ Νῶε καὶ ἐ–γε–γύμνωτο, οὐκ ἂν ἀνεφάνη οὔτε ἡ τοῦ Χὰμ προπέτεια καὶ εἰς τὸν πατέρα ἀσέβεια οὔτε ἡ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ σεμνότης καὶ αἰδὼς πρὸς τὸν γεγεννηκότα. καὶ ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ τοῦ Ἠσαῦ ἐπιβουλὴ πρόφασιν ἔδοξεν ἐσχηκέναι τὴν „τῆς εὐλογίας” ἀφαίρεσιν, καὶ πρότερον δὲ τούτου ῥίζας τοῦ ”πόρνος„ καὶ „βέβηλος” εἶναι εἶχεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ψυχή: τήν τε λαμπρότητα τῆς τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ σωφροσύνης, παρεσκευασμένου πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἁλῶναι ὑπό τινος ἐπιθυμίας, οὐκ ἂν ἐγνώκειμεν, μὴ ἐρασθείσης αὐτοῦ τῆς δεσποίνης. διὰ τοῦτο ἐν τοῖς μεταξὺ καιροῖς τῆς τῶν –πειρασμῶν– διαδοχῆς ἱστάμενοι πρὸς τὰ ἐνεστηκότα, παρασκευαζώμεθα πρὸς τὰ δυνατὰ πάντα συμβῆναι, ἵν' ὅ τι ποτ' ἂν γένηται, μὴ ἐλεγχθῶμεν ὡς ἀνέτοιμοι ἀλλὰ φανερωθῶμεν ὡς ἐπιμελέστατα ἑαυτοὺς συγκροτήσαντες: τὸ γὰρ ἐλλεῖπον διὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν, ἐπὰν πάντα τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιτελέσωμεν, πληρώσει ὁ θεὸς, ὁ ”τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν„ αὐτὸν „πάντα” συνεργῶν ”εἰς ἀγαθὸν, τοῖς κατὰ„ τὴν ἀψευδῆ πρόγνωσιν αὐτοῦ, ὅ τι ποτὲ ἔσονται παρ' αὑτοὺς, προεωραμένοις.

[30] Δοκεῖ δέ μοι ὁ Λουκᾶς διὰ τοῦ „–μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν–” δυνάμει δεδιδαχέναι καὶ τὸ ”–ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ–.„ καὶ εἰκός γε πρὸς μὲν τὸν μαθητὴν, ἅτε δὴ ὠφελημένον, εἰρηκέναι τὸν κύριον τὸ ἐπιτομώτερον, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς πλείονας, δεομένους τρανοτέρας διδασκαλίας, τὸ σαφέστερον. –ῥύεται δ' „ἡμᾶς–” ὁ θεὸς ”–ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ–„ οὐχὶ, ὅτε οὐδαμῶς –ἡμῖν– πρόσεισιν ἀντιπαλαίων ὁ ἐχθρὸς δι' οἵων δή ποτε μεθοδειῶν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ὑπηρετῶν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ὅτε νικῶμεν ἀνδρείως ἱστάμενοι πρὸς τὰ συμβαίνοντα. οὕτως δὲ ἐξειλήφαμεν καὶ τὸ „πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὐτῶν –ῥύεται– αὐτούς.” ”–ῥύεται–„ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν θλίψεων ὁ θεὸς, οὐχὶ μὴ γινομένων ἔτι θλίψεων (εἴ γε καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησι τό: „ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι” ὡς μηδὲ πώποτε οὐ ”θλιβόμενοι„), ἀλλ' ὅτε „θλιβόμενοι” βοηθείᾳ θεοῦ –οὐ– μὴ στενοχωρούμεθα, τοῦ μὲν θλίβεσθαι κατά τι πάτριον παρ' Ἑβραίοις οὕτω σημαινομένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀπροαιρέτως συμβαίνοντος περιστατικοῦ, τοῦ δὲ στενοχωρεῖσθαι ἐπὶ τοῦ προαιρετικοῦ, ὑπὸ τῆς θλίψεως νενικημένου καὶ ἐνδεδωκότος αὐτῇ. ὅθεν καλῶς ὁ Παῦλός φησιν: ”ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι ἀλλ' οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι.„ ὅμοιον δὲ τούτῳ εἶναι νομίζω καὶ τὸ ἐν ψαλμοῖς: „ἐν θλίψει ἐπλάτυνάς με.” συνεργίᾳ γὰρ καὶ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ παραμυθουμένου καὶ σῴζοντος –ἡμᾶς– λόγου θεοῦ τὸ τῆς διανοίας ἡμῶν ἱλαρὸν καὶ εὔθυμον ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν περιστατικῶν ἀπὸ θεοῦ γινόμενον πλατυσμὸς ὠνόμασται. ὁμοίως οὖν νοητέον καὶ τὸ –ῥυσθῆναί– τινα ”–ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ.„ ἐῤῥύσατο– ὁ θεὸς –τὸν Ἰὼβ– οὐχὶ τῷ μὴ εἰληφέναι –τὸν διάβολον– ἐξουσίαν τοῖσδέ τισι τοῖς –πειρασμοῖς– αὐτὸν περιβαλεῖν (εἴληφε γὰρ), ἀλλὰ –τῷ– „ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς συμβεβηκόσι” μηδὲν ἁμαρτεῖν αὐτὸν ἐνώπιον ”τοῦ κυρίου„ ἀλλὰ ἀναφανῆναι δίκαιον: τοῦ εἰπόντος: „μὴ δωρεὰν σέβεται Ἰὼβ τὸν κύριον; οὐ σὺ περιέφραξας τὰ ἔξω αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔσω τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔξω πάντων τῶν ὄντων αὐτῷ κύκλῳ, –τὰ δὲ– ἔργα αὐτοῦ εὐλόγησας καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ πολλὰ ἐποίησας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς; ἀλλὰ ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ ἅψαι πάντων ὧν ἔχει, ἦ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει” καταισχυνθέντος, ὡς καὶ τότε καταψευσαμένου κατὰ τοῦ Ἰώβ: ὅστις τοσαῦτα παθὼν οὐχ, ὡς ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀντικείμενος, ”εἰς πρόσωπον„ εὐλογεῖ τὸν θεὸν ἀλλὰ καὶ παραδοθεὶς τῷ πειράζοντι ἐπιμένει εὐλογῶν τὸν κύριον, ἐπιτιμῶν τῇ γυναικὶ λεγούσῃ: „εἰπόν τι ῥῆμα πρὸς κύριον, καὶ τελεύτα” καὶ ἐπιπλήσσων ἐν τῷ φάσκειν: ”ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν ἐλάλησας: εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς κυρίου, τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποίσομεν;„ καὶ δεύτερον δὲ περὶ τοῦ Ἰὼβ „ὁ διάβολος εἶπε τῷ κυρίῳ: δέρμα ὑπὲρ δέρματος, ὅσα ὑπάρχει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκτίσει. οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ ἅψαι τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ, ἦ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει.” νενικημένος δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθλητοῦ ψευδὴς ἀποδείκνυται: καίτοι γὰρ τὰ χαλεπώτατα πεπονθὼς ἐπέμεινε, μηδὲν ἁμαρτῶν ”τοῖς χείλεσιν„ ἐνώπιον „τοῦ θεοῦ.” δύο δὲ παλαίσματα παλαίσας ὁ Ἰὼβ καὶ νικήσας τρίτον οὐκ ἀγωνίζεται τηλικοῦτον ἀγῶνα: ἔδει γὰρ τὴν περὶ τῶν τριῶν πάλην τηρηθῆναι τῷ σωτῆρι, ἥτις ἐν τοῖς τρισὶν εὐαγγελίοις ἀναγέγραπται, τὰ τρία νικήσαντος τοῦ κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον σωτῆρος ἡμῶν νοουμένου τὸν ἐχθρόν. ἵν' οὖν νοοῦντες αἰτῶμεν τὸν θεὸν τὸ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν ”–εἰς πειρασμὸν–„ καὶ τὸ –ῥυσθῆναι „ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ–,” ἐπιμελέστερον ταῦτα ἐξετάσαντες καὶ παρ' ἑαυτοῖς ἐρευνήσαντες, ἄξιοι διὰ τοῦ ἀκούειν θεοῦ τοῦ ἀκούσεσθαι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γινόμενοι, παρακαλῶμεν πειραζόμενοι μὴ θανατοῦσθαι καὶ βαλλόμενοι ὑπὸ τῶν ”–τοῦ πονηροῦ–„ πεπυρωμένων βελῶν μὴ ἀνάπτεσθαι ὑπ' αὐτῶν. ἀνάπτονται δὲ ὑπ' αὐτῶν πάντες, ὧν κατά τινα τῶν δώδεκα „αἱ καρδίαι” ”ὡς κλίβανος„ ἐγενήθησαν: οὐκ ἀνάπτονται δὲ οἱ τῷ θυρεῷ „τῆς πίστεως” πάντα σβεννύντες τὰ ἐπιπεμπόμενα αὐτοῖς ”πεπυρωμένα„ ὑπὸ „–τοῦ πονηροῦ–” ”βέλη„: ἐπὰν ἔχωσιν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ποταμοὺς „ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον,” τοὺς μὴ ἐῶντας ἰσχῦσαι τὸ ”–τοῦ πονηροῦ–„ ἀλλὰ εὐχερῶς αὐτὸ λύοντας τῷ κατακλυσμῷ τῶν ἐνθέων καὶ σωτηρίων λογισμῶν, ἐντυπουμένων ἀπὸ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας θεωρημάτων τῇ τοῦ ἀσκοῦντος εἶναι πνευματικοῦ ψυχῇ.