Homily XIX.

Rom. XI. 7

“What then?323    Field punctuates so as to give the sense “Why then hath not Israel attained to that which he seeketh after? Nay, but the election hath obtained it;” which seems to be (at all events) St. Chrysostom’s view of the passage.Israel hath not obtained that, which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded.”

He had said that God did not cast off His people; and to show in what sense He had not cast them off, he takes refuge in the Prophets again.324    The course of thought here may be thus exhibited: God in his gracious promise made simple faith the condition of salvation, but Israel sought it in the line of works and has not attained it. But the election obtained it because the avowed principle of the election was grace, to which corresponds faith. In other words: those who complied with the express principle of the election and who sought salvation by faith, receiving it as a gift of divine grace, were accepted. Those who thought to establish their own righteousness have failed, and this failure corresponds to that judicial hardening with which God through Moses and Isaiah threatens the disobedient Israelites in the Old Testament.—G.B.S. And having shown by them that the more part of the Jews were lost, that he might not seem to be again bringing forward an accusation of his own, and to make his discourse offensive, and to be attacking them as enemies, he takes refuge in David and Isaiah, and says,

Ver. 8. “According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber.” (Is. xxix. 10.)

Or rather we should go back to the beginning of his argument. Having then mentioned the state of things in Elijah’s time, and shown what grace is, he proceeds, “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for.” Now this is as much what an accuser would say, as what one who was putting a question. For the Jew, he means, is inconsistent with himself when he seeketh for righteousness, which he will not accept. Then to leave them with no excuse, he shows, from those who have accepted it, their unfeeling spirit, as he says, “But the election hath obtained it,” and they are the condemnation of the others. And this is what Christ says, “But if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Wherefore they shall be your judges.” (Luke xi. 19.) For to prevent any one from accusing the nature of the thing, and not their own temper, he points out those who had obtained it. Hence he uses the word325    Or “language.” He has before remarked on the term election as implying an approved character; see on v. 5, p. 483. with great propriety, to show at once the grace from above and the zeal of these. For it is not to deny free-will that he speaks of their having “obtained” (as by chance, Gr. ἐπέτυχε) it, but to show the greatness of the good things, and that the greater part was of grace, though not the whole.326    So on x. 21. But see on viii. 26, and xi. 22. For we too are in the habit of saying, “so and so chanced to get” (same word), “so and so met with,” when the gain has been a great one. Because it is not by man’s labors, but by God’s gift, that the greater part was brought about.

“And the rest was blinded.”

See how he has been bold enough to tell with his own voice the casting off of the rest. For he had indeed spoken of it already, but it was by bringing the prophets in as accusers. But from this point he declares it in his own person. Still even here he is not content with his own declaration, but brings Isaiah the prophet in again. For after saying, “were blinded,” he proceeds; “according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber.” Now whence came this blinding? He had indeed mentioned the causes of it before, and turned it all upon their own heads, to show that it was from their unseasonable obstinacy that they had to bear this. And now he speaks of it too. For when he says, “Eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear,” he is but finding fault with their contentious spirit. For when they had “eyes to see” the miracles, and were possessed of “ears to hear” that marvellous Teaching, they never used these as were fitting. And the “He gave,” do not imagine to mean here an agency, but a permission only. But “slumber” (καταάνυξις lit. piercing) is a name he here gives to the habit of soul inclinable to the worse, when incurably and unchangeably so. For in another passage David says, “that my glory may sing unto Thee, and I may not be put to slumber” (Ps. xxx. 12, LXX.): that is, I may not alter, may not be changed. For as a man who is hushed to slumber in a state of pious fear would not easily be made to change his side; so too he that is slumbering in wickedness would not change with facility. For to be hushed327    Accommodated to the A.V. Gr. “to feel compunction”: the word is used thus on Rom. viii. 26, p. 447. In Is. xxix. 10, it is for תרדמה a deep (often supernatural) sleep, as Gen. ii. 21, Gen. xv. 12; 1 Sam. xxvi. 12; Ps. lxxvi. 7. In Ps. xxx. (al. 29), Ps. xxx. 13, the verb is דמם which signifies stillness (from horror or amazement). We speak of being penetrated with horror; here the notion of piercing is taken, and applied to fixing. See Schleusner on κατανύσσομαι. to slumber here is nothing else but to be fixed and riveted to a thing. In pointing then to the incurable and unchangeable character of their spirit, he calls it “a spirit of slumber.” Then to show that for this unbelief they will be most severely punished, he brings the Prophet forward again, threatening the very things which in the event came to pass.

Ver. 9. “Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block.” (Ps. lxix. 22, 23.)

That is, let their comforts and all their good things change and perish, and let them be open to attack from any one. And to show that this is in punishment for sins that they suffer this, he adds, “and a recompense unto them.”

Ver. 10. “Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow Thou down their back alway.”

Do these things then still require any interpreting? Are they not plain even to those ever so senseless? And before our words, the very issue of facts has anticipated us in bearing witness to what was said. For at what time have they ever been so open to attacks? at what time such an easy prey? at what time hath He so “bowed down their backs?” At what time have they been set under such bondage? And what is more, there is not to be any unloosing from these terrors. And this the prophet hath also hinted. For he does not say only, “bow Thou down their back,” but, “forever bow Thou down.” But if thou art disposed to dispute, O Jew, about the issue, from what hath gone before learn also the present case. Thou didst go down to Egypt; and two hundred years passed, and God freed thee speedily from that bondage, and that though thou wert irreligious, and wentest a whoring with the most baneful whoredom. Thou wast freed from Egypt, and thou didst worship the calf, thou didst sacrifice thy sons to Baalpeor, thou didst defile the temple, thou didst go after every sort of vice, thou didst grow not to know nature itself. The mountains, the groves, the hills, the springs, the rivers, the gardens didst thou fill with accursed sacrifices, thou didst slay the prophets, didst overthrow the altars, didst exhibit every excess of wickedness and irreligion. Still, after giving thee up for seventy years to the Babylonians, He brought thee back again to thy former freedom, and gave thee back the temple, and thy country, and thy old form of polity328    Most mss. “prophecy,” which if right must be interpreted “theocracy.” and there were prophets again, and the gift of the Spirit. Or rather, even in the season of thy captivity thou wast not deserted, but even there were Daniel, and Ezekiel, and in Egypt Jeremiah, and in the desert Moses. After this thou didst revert to thy former vice again, and wast a reveller (ἐξεβακχεύθης2 Macc. xiv. 33), therein, and didst change thy manner of life (πολιτείαν to the Grecian in the time of Antiochus the impious Dan. viii. 14; 1 Macc. iv. 54). But even then for a three years and a little over only were ye given up to Antiochus, and then by the Maccabees ye raised those bright trophies again. But now there is nothing of the sort, for the reverse hath happened throughout. And this is ground for the greatest surprise, as the vices have ceased, and the punishment hath been increased, and is without any hope of a change. For it is not seventy years only that have passed away, nor a hundred, nor yet twice as many but three hundred, and a good deal over, and there is no finding even a shadow of a hope of the kind. And this though ye neither are idolaters, nor do the other audacious acts ye did before. What then is the cause? The reality hath succeeded to the type, and grace hath shut out the Law. And this the prophet foretelling from of old said, “And ever bow Thou down their back.” See the minuteness of prophecy, how it foretells their unbelief, and also points out their disputatiousness, and shows the judgment which should follow, and sets forth the endlessness of the punishment. For as many of the duller sort, through unbelief in what was to come to pass, wished to see things to come by the light of things present, from this point of time God gave proof of His power on either part, by lifting those of the Gentiles who believed, above the heaven, but bringing down such of the Jews as believed not to the lowest estate of desolation, and giving them up to evils not to be ended. Having then urged them severely both about their not believing, and about what they had suffered and were yet to suffer, he again allays what he had said by writing as follows:

Ver. 11. “I say then, Have they stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid.”

When he has shown that they were liable to evils without number, then he devises an allayment. And consider the judgment of Paul. The accusation he had introduced from the prophets, but the allayment he makes come from himself. For that they had sinned greatly, he would say, none will gainsay. But let us see if the fall is of such kind as to be incurable, and quite preclude their being set up again. But of such kind it is not.329    The following paraphrase of the apostle’s argument in vv. 16–24 by which he would show that the Jews’ rejection is but temporary may be serviceable in connection with the exposition of Chrysostom: granting then that the Jews have sadly stumbled, have they done so in order that (ἵνα, according to a providential intention) they may fall (completely away from God and be lost to all hope)? No. There is a providential purpose in this sad lapse. God has overruled it for the salvation of the Gentiles. When the Jews rejected Christianity, then the gospel turned from them and went to the Gentiles, so that the rejection of the Jews facilitated the conversion of the heathen. And the acceptance of the Gentiles reacted again in favor of the Jews because it provoked them to jealousy and so stimulated them to accept the blessings which the Gentiles were receiving. Thus their fall has a twofold beneficial effect, (a) on the Gentiles, (b) through them on themselves. (vv. 11–12) Now, if so much good can come out of their fall, how much more out of their restoration! If their fault, by which they come so far short of their ideal mission, could be such an (indirect) blessing to the Gentiles, how much greater a blessing will the repairing of that defect prove? (vv. 13–16.) I say the return of the Jews will be a great blessing to you, my Gentile Christian brethren, and I urge this point with you. It is all to be to your advantage. In hoping and laboring for the conversion of my own people, I am still laboring in the line of my mission as apostle to the Gentiles. If I can save any of the Jews and stimulate their jealousy so that they will be desirous of availing themselves of the blessings of the gospel, I shall be doing the greatest possible good to the Gentile world. Why? (15) Because if their rejection is the “reconciliation of the world”—the means of securing salvation to the Gentiles, their reception back again shall be a veritable “resurrection from the dead,”—from it shall flow streams of spiritual life, compared with which that indirect blessing which sprang from their rejection is as nothing (16). And such is the divine, final destination of the Jewish people. They are still holy unto the Lord, a peculiar possession, and cannot be finally and utterly cast away. (vv. 17–24) Hence you Gentiles have no ground of glorying over the Jews, either in the fact that some of them have been cut off or that you have been grafted in. Israel is still the stock. At most you are but branches and that wild-olive branches! If now you seize upon what was said (in vv. 11–12) and maintain that the Jews were rejected to make place for you (19), I reply that there is another to the matter (20). From the point of view of the divine providence this is true, but from the point of view of the Jews’ own action, unbelief explains their rejection. You have nothing to do with God’s providential purposes in the case. What you have to do is to be obedient and faithful. If you draw an assurance from the one view, I shall draw a warning from the other and that too from the side with which you have to do and for which you are responsible. “Be not high-minded but fear.” God will deal with you on the same principles upon which he has dealt with the Jews (21). These dispensations reveal the two sides of God’s nature—his severity toward disobedience and his goodness to all who continue in relation to his goodness (22). Those portions of the nation which have been cut off shall be grafted in again unless they persist in unbelief (23). And if the branches from a wild-olive tree were grafted into the genuine olive tree, contrary to their nature, how much more natural to suppose that the branches which originally belonged to the true olive stock shall be returned and grafted again into that stock to which they naturally belong (24). There is no good ground for the opinion of Chrys. (11) that the salvation of Israel is to occur at the second coming and the end of the world.—G.B.S. You see how he is attacking them again, and under the expectation of some allayment he proves them guilty of confessed sins. But let us see what even by way of allayment he does devise for them. Now what is the allayment? “When the fulness of the Gentiles,” he says, “shall have come in, then shall all Israel be saved,” at the time of his second coming, and the end of the world. Yet this he does not say at once. But since he had made a hard onset upon them, and linked accusations to accusations, bringing prophets in after prophets crying aloud against them, Isaiah, Elijah, David, Moses, Hosea, not once or twice, but several times; lest in this way he should both by driving these into despair, make a wall to bar their access to the faith, and should further make such of the Gentiles as believed unreasonably elated, and they also by being puffed up should take harm in matter of their faith, he further solaces them by saying, “But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles.” But we must not take what is here said literally, but get acquainted with the spirit and object of the speaker, and what he aimed to compass. Which thing I ever entreat of your love. For if with this in our minds we take up what is here said, we shall not find a difficulty in any part of it. For his present anxiety is to remove from those of the Gentiles the haughtiness which might spring in them from what he had said. For in this way they too were more likely to continue unshaken in the faith, when they had learnt to be reasonable, as also those of the Jews were, when quit of despair, more likely to come with readiness to grace. Having regard then to this object of his, let us so listen to all that is said on this passage. What does he say then? And whence does he show that their fall was not irremediable, nor their rejection final? He argues from the Gentiles, saying as follows:

“Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”

This language is not his own only, but in the Gospels too the parables mean this. For He who made a marriage feast for His Son, when the guests would not come, called those in the highways. (Matt. xxii. 9). And He who planted the Vineyard, when the husbandmen slew the Heir, let out His Vineyard to others. (ib. xxi. 38, etc.) And without any parable, He Himself said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” (ib. xv. 24.) And to the Syrophœnician woman, when she persevered, He said somewhat further besides. “It is not meet,” He says, “to take the children’s bread, and cast it to the dogs.” (ib. xv. 26.) And Paul to those of the Jews that raised a sedition, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you: but seeing ye judge yourselves unworthy, lo, we turn unto the Gentiles.” (Acts xiii. 46.) And throughout it is clear that the natural course of things was this, that they should be the first to come in, and then those of the Gentiles; but since they disbelieved, the order was reversed; and their unbelief and fall caused these to be brought in first. Hence it is that he says, “through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.” But if he mentions what the course of things issued in, as if the chief design of Providence, do not feel surprised. For he wishes to solace their down-stricken souls, and his meaning is about this. Jesus came to them; they did not receive Him, though He did countless miracles, but crucified Him. Hence He drew the Gentiles to Him, that the honor they had, by cutting them to the heart for their insensibility might at least out of a moroseness against others persuade them to come over. For they ought to have been first admitted, and then we. And this was why he said, “For it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.” (Rom. i. 16.) But as they had started off, we the last became first. See then how great honors he gathers for them even from this. One that he says, we were then called, when they were not willing; a second that he says, the reason of our being called was not that we only might be saved, but that they also, growing jealous at our salvation, might become better. What does he say then? that if it were not for the Jews’ sake, we should not have been called and saved at all? We should not before them, but in the regular order. Wherefore also when He was speaking to the disciples, He did not say barely, “Go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel” (Matt. x. 6), but, “Go rather to the sheep,” to show that to those parts also they must come after these. And Paul again saith not, “It was necessary that the word of God should have been spoken unto you,” but “should first have been spoken unto you” (Acts xiii. 46), to show that in the second place it must be to us also. And this was both done and said, that they might not be able, shameless though they were, to pretend that they were overlooked, and that was why they did not believe. This then was why Christ, though he knew all things before, yet came to them first.

Ver. 12. “Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness?”

Here he is speaking to gratify them. For even if these had fallen a thousand times, the Gentiles would not have been saved unless they had shown faith. As the Jews likewise would not have perished unless they had been unbelieving and disputatious. But as I said, he is solacing them now they are laid low, giving them so much the more ground to be confident of their salvation if they altered. For if when they stumbled, he says, so many enjoyed salvation, and when they were cast out so many were called, just consider what will be the case when they return. But he does not put it thus, When they return. Now he does not say “how much more their” return, or their altering, or their well-doing, but “how much more their fulness,” that is, when they are all about coming in. And this he said to show that then also grace and God’s gift will do the larger part, or almost the whole.

Ver. 13, 14. “For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office; if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.”

Again he endeavors much to get himself clear of untoward suspicion. And he seems to be blaming the Gentiles, and to be humbling their conceits, yet he gives a gentle provocation to the Jew also. And indeed he goes round about seeking to veil and allay this great ruin of theirs. But he finds no means of doing it, owing to the nature of the facts. For from what he had said, they deserved but the greater condemnation, when those who were far short of them had taken the good things prepared for them. This is why then he passes from the Jews to those of the Gentiles, and puts in between his discourse the part about them, as wishing to show that he is saying all these things in order to instruct them to be reasonable. For I praise you, he means, for these two reasons; one, because I am necessitated to do so as being your commissioned minister; the other, that through you I may save others. And he does not say, my brethren, my kinsmen; but, “my flesh.” And next, when pointing out their disputatious spirit, he does not say, “if by any means I may” persuade, but, “provoke to jealousy and save;” and here again not all, but, “some of them.” So hard were they! And even amid his rebuke he shows again the Gentiles honored, for they are causes of their salvation, and not in the same way. For they became purveyors of blessings to them through unbelief, but these to the Jews by faith. Hence the estate of the Gentiles seems to be at once equal and superior. For what wilt thou say, O Jew? that if we had not been cast out, he would not have been called so soon? This the man of the Gentiles may say too, If I had not been saved, thou wouldest not have been moved to jealousy. But if thou wouldest know wherein we have the advantage, I save thee by believing, but it is by stumbling that thou hast afforded us an access before thyself. Then perceiving again that he had touched them to the quick, resuming his former argument, he says,

Ver. 15. “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?”

Yet this again condemns them, since, while others gained by their sins, they did not profit by other men’s well doings. But if he asserts that to be their doing which necessarily happened, be not surprised: since (as I have said several times) it is to humble these, and to exhort the other, that he throws his address into this form. For as I said before, if the Jews had been cast away a thousand times over, and the Gentiles had not shown faith, they would never have been saved. But he stands by the feeble party, and gives assistance to the distressed one. But see also even in his favors to them, how he solaces them in words only. “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world,” (and what is this to the Jews?) “what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?” Yet even this was no boon to them, unless they had been received. But what he means is to this effect. If in anger with them He gave other men so great gifts, when He is reconciled to them what will He not give? But as the resurrection of the dead was not by the receiving of them, so neither now is our salvation through them. But they were cast out owing to their own folly, but it is by faith that we are saved, and by grace from above. But of all this nothing can be of service to them, unless they show the requisite faith. Yet doing as he is wont, he goes on to another encomium, which is not really one, but which only seems to be, so imitating the wisest physicians, who give their patients as much consolation as the nature of the sickness allows them. And what is it that he says?

Ver. 16. “For if the first-fruits be holy, the lump also is holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches;”

So calling in this passage by the names of the first-fruit and root Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, the prophets, the patriarchs, all who were of note in the Old Testament; and the branches, those from them who believed. Then since the fact met him that many had disbelieved, observe how he undermines (ὑποτέμνεται, see p. 345) it again, and says,

Ver. 17. “And if some of the branches be broken off.”

And yet above thou didst say that the more part perished, and a few were saved only. How came it then that speaking of those that perished, thou hast used a “some,” which is indicative of fewness? It is not, he replies, in opposition to myself, but out of a desire to court and recover those that are distressed. Observe how in the whole of the passage one finds him working at this object, the wish to solace them. And if you deny it, many contradictions will follow. But let me beg you to notice his wisdom, how while he seems to be speaking for them, and devising a solace for them, he aims a secret blow at them, and shows that they are devoid of all excuse, even from the “root,” from the “first-fruit.” For consider the badness of the branches, which, when they have a sweet root, still do not imitate it; and the faultiness of the lump, when it is not altered even by the first-fruit. “And if some of the branches were broken off.” However, the greater part were broken off. Yet, as I said, he wishes to comfort them. And this is why it is not in his own person, but in theirs, that he brings in the words used, and even in this gives a secret stroke at them, and shows them to have fallen from being Abraham’s kinsmen. (Matt. iii. 9.) For what he was desirous of saying was, that they had nothing in common with them. (John viii. 39.) For if the root be holy, and these be not holy, then these are far away from the root. Then under the appearance of solacing the Jews, he again by his accusation smiteth them of the Gentiles. For after saying, “And if some of the branches were broken off,” he proceeds.

“And thou being a wild olive wert grafted in.”

For the less esteem the man of the Gentiles is of, the more the Jew is vexed at seeing him enjoy his goods. And to the other, the disgrace of the little esteem he was of, is nothing to the honor of the change. And consider his skilfulness. He does not say, “thou wert” planted “in,” but “thou wert grafted in,” by this again cutting the Jew to the heart, as showing that the Gentile man was standing in his own tree, and himself lying on the ground. Wherefore he does not stop even here, nor after he had spoken of grafting in does he leave off (and yet in this he declared the whole matter), but still he dwells over the prosperous state of the Gentile, and enlarges upon his fair fame in the words, “And with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree.” And he seems indeed to have viewed him in the light of an addition. But he shows that he was no whit the worse on that account, but in possession of everything, that the branch which had come up out of the root had. Lest then on hearing the words, “and thou wert grafted in,” thou shouldest suppose him to be lacking when compared with the natural branch, see how he makes him equal to it by saying, that “with them thou partakest of the root and fatness of the olive:” that is, hast been put into the same noble rank, the same nature. Then in rebuking him, and saying,

Ver. 18. “Boast not against the branches.” He seems indeed to be comforting the Jew, but points out his vileness and extreme dishonor. And this is why he says not, “boast not,” but, “boast not against” do not boast against them so as to sunder them. For it is into their place that ye have been set, and their goods that ye enjoy. Do you observe how he seems to be rebuking the one, while he is sharp upon the other?

“But if thou boast,” he says, “thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.”

Now what is this to the branches that are cut off? Nothing. For, as I said before, while seeming to devise a sort of weak shadow of consolation, and in the very midst of his aiming at the Gentile, he gives them a mortal blow; for by saying, “boast not against them,” and, “if thou boast, thou bearest not the root,” he has shown the Jew that the things done deserved boasting of, even if it was not right to boast, thus at once rousing him and provoking him to faith, and smiting at him, in the attitude of an advocate, and pointing out to him the punishment he was undergoing, and that other men had possession of what were their goods.

Ver. 19. “Thou wilt say then,” he goes on, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.”

Again he establishes, by way of objection, the opposite to the former position, to show that what he said before, he had not said as directly belonging to the subject, but to draw them to him. For it was no longer by their fall that salvation came to the Gentiles, nor was it their fall that was the riches of the world. Nor was it by this that we were saved, because they had fallen, but the reverse. And he shows that the providence in regard to the Gentiles was a main object, even though he seems to put what he says into another form. And the whole passage is a tissue of objections, in which he clears himself of the suspicion of hatred, and makes his language such as will be acceptable.

Ver. 20. “Well,” he praises what they said, then he alarms them again by saying, “Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou art grafted in330    So all mss. but one, but we need not suppose a various reading in the text, as there is no authority for it: rec. t. standest. by faith.”

So here another encomium, and for the other party an accusation. But he again lays their pride low by proceeding to say, “be not high-minded, but fear.” For the thing is not matter of nature, but of belief and unbelief. And he seems to be again bridling the Gentile, but he is teaching the Jew that it is not right to cling to a natural kinsmanship. Hence he goes on with, “Be not high-minded,” and he does not say, but be humble, but, fear. For haughtiness genders a contempt and listlessness. Then as he is going into all the sorrows of their calamity, in order to make the statement less offensive, he states it in the way of a rebuke given to the other as follows:

Ver. 21. “For if God spared not the natural branches,” and then he does not say, neither will He spare thee, but “take heed, lest He also spare not thee.” So paring (ὑποτεμνόμενος) away the distasteful from his statement, representing the believer as in the struggle, he at once draws the others to him, and humbles these also.

Ver. 22. “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.”

And he does not say, Behold thy well doing, behold thy labors, but, “Behold the goodness of God” toward man, to show that the whole comes of grace from above, and to make us tremble. For this reason for boasting should make thee to fear: since the Lord (δεσπότης) hath been good unto thee, do thou therefore fear. For the blessings do not abide by thee unmovable if thou turnest listless, as neither do the evils with them, if they alter; “For thou also,” he says, “unless thou continue in the faith, wilt be cut off.”

Ver. 23. “And they also, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted in.”

For it was not God that cut them off, but they have broken themselves off and fallen, and he did well to say have331    ἐξεκλάσθησαν. In earlier Greek this use of the passive belongs to the second aorist, but in later times it extends to the first. broken themselves off. For He hath never yet so (Sav. conj. ms. corr. οὗτος) cast them off, though they have sinned so much and so often. You see what a great thing a man’s free choice is, how great the efficacy of the mind is. For none of these things is immutable, neither thy good nor his evil. You see too how he raises up even him in his despondency, and humbles the other in his confidence; and do not thou be faint at hearing of severity, nor thou be confident at hearing of goodness. The reason why He cut thee332    Most mss. “cut thee not off,” which is perhaps the better reading. See on the last verse. off in severity was, that thou mightest long to come back. The reason why He showed goodness to thee was, that thou mightest continue in (he does not say the faith, but) His goodness, that is, if thou do things worthy of God’s love toward man. For there is need of something more than faith. You see how he suffers neither these to lie low, nor those to be elated, but he also provokes them to jealousy, by giving through them a power to the Jew to be set again in this one’s place, as he also had first taken the other’s ground. And the Gentile he put in fear by the Jews, and what had happened to them, lest they should feel elated over it. But the Jew he tries to encourage by what had been afforded to the Greek. For thou also, he says, wilt be cut off if thou growest listless, (for the Jew was cut off), and he will be grafted in if he be earnest, for thou also wast grafted in. But it is very judicious in him to direct all he says to the Gentile, as he is always in the habit of doing, correcting the feeble by rebuking the stronger. This he does in the end of this Epistle too, when he is speaking of the observance of meats. Then, he grounds this on what had already happened, not upon what was to come only. And this was more likely to persuade his hearer. And as he means to enter on consecutiveness of reasonings, such as could not be spoken against, he first uses a demonstration drawn from the power of God. For if they were cut off, and cast aside, and others took precedence of them in what was theirs, still even now despair not.

“For God is able,” he says, “to graft them in again,” since He doeth things beyond expectation. But if thou wishest for things to be in order, and reasons to be consecutive, you have from yourselves a demonstration which more than meets your wants.

Ver. 24. “For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted333    There is no authority for the reading of the old edd., “these, if according to nature they be grafted.” into their own olive tree.”

If then faith was able to do what was contrary to nature, much more will it that which is according to nature. For if this person, who was cut off from those by nature his fathers,334    ms. “from these that were his by nature by others.” came contrary to nature unto Abraham, much more wilt thou be able to recover thine own. For the Gentile’s evil lot is according to nature (he being by nature a wild olive), and the good contrary to nature (it being contrary to nature for him to be grafted into Abraham), but thy lot on the contrary is the good by nature. For it is not upon another root, as the Gentile, but on thine own that thou art to be fixed if thou art minded to come back. What then dost thou deserve, when after the Gentile had been able to do what was contrary to nature, thou art not able to do that which is according to nature, but hast given up even this? Then as he had said “contrary to nature,” and, “wert grafted in,” that you may not suppose the Jew to have the advantage, he again corrects this by saying that he also is grafted in. “How much more shall these,” says he, “which be the natural branches be grafted into their own olive-tree?” And again, “God is able to graft them in.” And before this he says, that if they “abide not still in unbelief, they shall be also grafted in.” And when you hear that he keeps speaking of “according to nature,” and “contrary to nature,” do not suppose that he means the nature that is unchangeable, but he tells us in these words of the probable and the consecutive, and on the other hand of the improbable. For the good things and the bad are not such as335    Ben. and several mss. φυσικὰ for φύσει. Savile’s reading would be a general position which is not so much to the purpose, such as that of St. Augustin, nullam esse naturam mali. This reading however will also bear that meaning. are by nature, but by temper and determination alone. And consider also how inoffensive he is. For after saying that thou also wilt be cut off, if thou dost not abide in the faith, and these will be grafted in, if they “abide not still in unbelief,” he leaves that of harsh aspect, and insists on that of kindlier sound, and in it he ends, putting great hopes before the Jews if they were minded not to abide so. Wherefore he goes on to say,

Ver. 25. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise your own conceits.”

Meaning by mystery here, that which is unknown and unutterable, and hath much of wonder and much of what one should not expect about it. As in another passage too he says, “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” (1 Cor. xv. 51.) What then is the mystery?

“That blindness in part hath happened unto Israel.” Here again he levels a blow at the Jew, while seeming to take down the Gentile. But his meaning is nearly this, and he had said it before, that the unbelief is not universal, but only “in part.” As when he says, “But if any hath caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part” (2 Cor. ii. 5): And, so here too he says what he had said above, “God hath not cast off His people whom He foreknew” (Rom. xi. 2): and again, “What then? Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid” (ib. 11): This then he says here also; that it is not the whole people that is pulled up, but many have already believed, and more are likely to believe. Then as he had promised a great thing, he adduces the prophet in evidence, speaking as follows. Now it is not for the fact of a blindness having happened that he quotes the passage (for every one could see that), but that they shall believe and be saved, he brings Isaiah to witness, who crieth aloud and saith,

Ver. 26. “There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” (Is. lix. 20.)

Then to give the mark that fixes its sense to salvation, to prevent any one from drawing it aside and attaching it to times gone by, he says,

Ver. 27. “For this is my covenant unto them,336    So LXX. except in when, etc., which the sequel implies. See Jer. xxxi. 31, 34. when I shall take away their sins.”

Not when they are circumcised, not when they sacrifice, not when they do the other deeds of the Law, but when they attain to the forgiveness of sins. If then this hath been promised, but has never yet happened in their case, nor have they ever enjoyed the remission of sins by baptism, certainly it will come to pass. Hence he proceeds,

Ver. 29. “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

And even this is not all he says to solace them, for he uses what had already come about. And what came in of consequence, that he states as chiefly intended, putting it in these words,

Ver. 28. “As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.”

That the Gentile then might not be puffed up, and say, “I am standing, do not tell me of what would have been, but what has been,” he uses this consideration to bring him down, and says, “As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes.” For when you were called they became more captious. Nevertheless God hath not even now cut short the calling of you, but He waiteth for all the Gentiles that are to believe to come in, and then they also shall come. Then he does them another kind favor, by saying, “As touching election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes.” And what is this? for wherein they are enemies, punishment is theirs: but wherein they are beloved, the virtue of their ancestors has no influence on them, if they do not believe. Nevertheless, as I said, he ceaseth not to solace them with words, that he may bring them over. Wherefore by way of fresh proof for his former assertion, he says,

Ver. 30–32. “For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they may also obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all.”

He shows here that those of the Gentiles were called first. Then, as they would not come, the Jews were elected, and the same result occurred again. For when the Jews would not believe, again the Gentiles were brought over. And he does not stop here, nor does he draw the whole to a conclusion at their rejection, but at their having mercy shown them again. See how much he gives to those of the Gentiles, as much as he did to the Jews before. For when ye, he would say, “in times past did not obey,” being of the Gentiles, then the Jews came in. Again, when these did not obey, ye have come. However, they will not perish forever. “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief,” that is, hath convinced them, hath shown them disobedient; not that they may remain in disobedience, but that He may save the one by the captiousness of the other, these by those and those by these. Now consider; ye were disobedient, and they were saved. Again, they have been disobedient, and ye have been saved. Yet ye have not been so saved as to be put away again, as the Jews were, but so as to draw them over through jealousy while ye abide.

Ver. 33. “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments!”

Here after going back to former times, and looking back to God’s original dispensation of things whereby the world hath existed up to the present time, and having considered what special provision He had made for all occurrences, he is stricken with awe, and cries aloud, so making his hearers feel confident that certainly that will come to pass which he saith. For he would not have cried aloud and been awe-struck, unless this was quite sure to come to pass. That it is a depth then, he knows: but how great, he knows not. For the language is that of a person wondering, not of one that knew the whole. But admiring and being awe-struck at the goodliness, so far forth as in him lay, he heralds it forth by two intensitive words, riches and depth, and then is awestruck at His having had both the will and the power to do all this, and by opposites effecting opposites. “How unsearchable are His judgments.” For they are not only impossible to be comprehended, but even to be searched. “And His ways past finding out;” that is, His dispensations for these also are not only impossible to be known, but even to be sought into. For even I, he means, have not found out the whole, but a little part, not all. For He alone knoweth His own clearly. Wherefore he proceeds:

Ver. 34, 35. “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”

What he means is nearly this: that though He is so wise, yet He has not His Wisdom from any other, but is Himself the Fountain of good things. And though He hath done so great things, and made us so great presents, yet it was not by borrowing from any other that He gave them, but by making them spring forth from Himself; nor as owing any a return for having received from him, but as always being Himself the first to do the benefits; for this is a chief mark of riches, to overflow abundantly, and yet need no aid. Wherefore he proceeds to say, “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things.” Himself devised, Himself created, Himself worketh together (Vulg. συγκρατεἵ, mss. συγκροτεἵ ). For He is rich, and needeth not to receive from another. And wise, and needeth no counsellor. Why speak I of a counsellor? To know the things of Him is no one able, save Himself alone, the Rich and Wise One. For it is proof of much riches that He should make them of the Gentiles thus well supplied; and of much wisdom that He should constitute the inferiors of the Jews their teachers. Then as he was awe-struck he offers up thanksgiving also in the word, “To Whom be glory forever. Amen.”

For when he tells of any great and unutterable thing of this kind, he ends in wonder with a doxology. And this he does in regard to the Son also. For in that passage also he went on to the very same thing that he does here. “Of whom is Christ according to the flesh, Who is over all God blessed forever. Amen. (Rom. ix. 5.)

Him then let us also imitate, and let us glorify God in all things, by a heedful way of life, and let us not feel confidence in the virtues of our ancestry, knowing the example that has been made of the Jews. For this is not, certainly it is not, the relationship of Christians, for theirs is the kinsmanship of the Spirit. So the Scythian becometh Abraham’s son: and his son on the other hand more of an alien to him than the Scythian. Let us not then feel confidence in the well-doings of our fathers (most mss. “of others”), but if you have a parent who is a marvel even, fancy not that this will be enough to save you, or to get you honor and glory, unless you have the relationship of character to him. So too if you have a bad one, do not think that you will be condemned on this account, or be put to shame if at least you order your own doings aright. For what can be less honorable than the Gentiles? still in faith they soon became related to the Saints. Or what more nearly connected than the Jews? Yet still by unbelief they were made aliens. For that relationship is of nature and necessity, after which we are all relations. For of Adam we all sprung, and none can be more a relation than another, both as regards Adam and as regards Noah, and as regards the earth, the common mother of all. But the relationship worthy of honors, is that which does distinguish us from the wicked. For it is not possible for all to be relations in this way, but those of the same character only. Nor do we call them brothers who come of the same labor with ourselves, but those who display the same zeal. In this way Christ giveth men the name of children of God, and so on the other hand children of the devil, and so too children of disobedience, of hell, and of perdition likewise. So Timothy was Paul’s son from goodness and was called “mine own son”337    Field reads, So also Timothy was called Paul’s son from goodness. (1 Tim. i. 2): but of his sister’s son we do not know even the name. And yet the one was by nature related to him, and still that availed him not. But the other being both by nature and country far removed from him (as being a native of Lystra), still became most nearly related. Let us then also become the sons of the Saints, or rather let us become even God’s sons. For that it is possible to become sons of God, hear what he says, “Be ye therefore perfect, as your father which is in Heaven.” (Matt. v. 48.) This is why we call Him Father in prayer, and that not only to remind ourselves of the grace, but also of virtue, that we may not do aught unworthy of such a relationship. And how it may be said is it possible to be a son of God? by being free from all passions, and showing gentleness to them that affront and wrong us. For thy Father is so to them that blaspheme Him. Wherefore, though He says various things at various times, yet in no case does He say that ye may be like your Father, but when He says, “Pray for them that despitefully use you, do good to them that hate you” (ib. v. 44), then He brings in this as the reward. For there is nothing that brings us so near to God, and makes us so like Him, as this well-doing. Therefore Paul also, when he says, “Be ye followers of God” (Eph. v. 1), means them to be so in this respect. For we have need of all good deeds, chiefly however of love to man and gentleness, since we need so much of His love to man ourselves. For we commit many transgressions every day. Wherefore also we have need to show much mercy. But much and little is not measured by the quantity of things given, but by the amount of the givers’ means. Let not then the rich be high-minded, nor the poor dejected as giving so little, for the latter often gives more than the former. We must not then make ourselves miserable because we are poor, since it makes alms-giving the easier for us. For he that has got much together is seized with haughtiness, as well as a greater affection to that (or “lust beyond that”) he has. But he that hath but a little is quit of either of these domineering passions: hence he finds more occasions for doing well. For this man will go cheerfully into a prison-house, and will visit the sick, and will give a cup of cold water. But the other will not take upon him any office of this sort, as pampered up (φλεγμαίνων) by his riches. Be not then out of heart at thy poverty. For thy poverty makes thy traffic for heaven the easier to thee. And if thou have nothing, but have a compassionating soul, even this will be laid up as a reward for thee. Hence too Paul bade us “weep with them that weep” (Rom. xii. 15), and exhorted us to be to prisoners as though bound with them. (Heb. xiii. 3.) For it is not to them that weep only that it yieldeth some solace that there be many that compassionate them, but to them who are in other afflicting circumstances. For there are cases where conversation has as much power to recover him that is cast down as money. For this then God exhorts us to give money to them that ask, not merely with a view to relieve their poverty, but that He may teach us to compassionate the misfortunes of our neighbors. For this also the covetous man is odious, in that he not only disregards men in a beggared state, but because he gets himself trained (ἀλείφεται) for cruelty and great inhumanity. And so he that, for their sakes, thinks little of money, is even on this account an object of love, that he is merciful and kind to man. And Christ, when He blesseth the merciful, blesseth and praiseth not those only that give the alms of money, but those also who have the will to do so. Let us then be so inclinable to mercy, and all other blessings will follow, for he that hath a spirit of love and mercy, if he have money, will give it away, or if he see any in distress, will weep and bewail it; if he fall in with a person wronged, will stand up for him; if he sees one spitefully entreated, will reach out his hand to him. For as he has that treasure-house of blessings, a loving and merciful soul, he will make it a fountain for all his brethren’s needs, and will enjoy all the rewards that are laid up with God (Field with 4 mss. τᾥ θεᾥ). That we then may attain to these, let us of all things frame our souls accordingly. For so, while in this world, we shall do good deeds without number, and shall enjoy the crowns to come. To which may we all attain by the grace and love toward man, etc.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΘʹ. Τί οὖν; ὃ ἐπιζητεῖ Ἰσραὴλ, τούτου οὐκ ἐπέτυχεν, ἡ δὲ ἐκλογὴ ἐπέτυχεν: οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐπωρώθησαν. αʹ. Εἶπεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπώσατο ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὑτοῦ, καὶ δεικνὺς πῶς οὐκ ἀπώσατο, πάλιν ἐπὶ τοὺς προφήτας κατέφυγε: καὶ δι' αὐτῶν δηλώσας, ὅτι τὸ πλέον μέρος τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπόλωλεν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ πάλιν οἴκοθεν ἐκφέρειν τὴν κατηγορίαν, καὶ ἐπαχθῆ τὸν λόγον ποιεῖν, καὶ ὡς ἐχθρὸς αὐτῶν καθάπτεσθαι, ἐπὶ τὸν Δαυῒδ καὶ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν καταφεύγει, λέγων: Καθὼς γέγραπται: Ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς πνεῦμα κατανύξεως. Μᾶλλον δὲ ἄνωθεν ἡμῖν ἀρκτέον τοῦ λόγου. Καὶ γὰρ εἰπὼν τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἠλίαν, καὶ δείξας τί ποτέ ἐστι χάρις, ἐπήγαγε: Τί οὖν; ὃ ἐπιζητεῖ Ἰσραὴλ, τούτου οὐκ ἐπέτυχε. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἐρωτῶντος μᾶλλόν ἐστιν, ἢ ἐγκαλοῦντος. Ἑαυτῷ γὰρ μάχεται, φησὶν, ὁ Ἰουδαῖος, ζητῶν δικαιοσύνην, ἣν οὐ βούλεται λαβεῖν. Εἶτα ἀποστερῶν αὐτοὺς πάλιν συγγνώμης, ἀπὸ τῶν εἰληφότων δείκνυσιν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀγνωμοσύνην, οὕτω λέγων: Ἡ γὰρ ἐκλογὴ ἐπέτυχε. Κἀκεῖνοι τούτους κατακρινοῦσι. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν: Εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσι; Διὰ τοῦτο αὐτοὶ κριταὶ ὑμῶν ἔσονται. Ἵνα γὰρ μηδεὶς τῇ τοῦ πράγματος φύσει ἐγκαλῇ, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐκείνων γνώμῃ, δείκνυσι καὶ τοὺς ἐπιτυχόντας. Διὸ καὶ σφόδρα ἐμφαντικῶς τῇ λέξει κέχρηται, καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν χάριν καὶ τὴν αὐτῶν σπουδὴν ἐνδεικνύμενος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἵνα ἀνέλῃ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐπέτυχον, ἀλλ' ἵνα δηλώσῃ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὸ μέγεθος, καὶ ὅτι τὸ πλέον τῆς χάριτος ἦν, οὐ τὸ πᾶν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμῖν ἔθος λέγειν, Ὁ δεῖνα ἐπέτυχεν, ὁ δεῖνα εὗρεν, ὅταν πολὺ τὸ κέρδος ᾖ τὸ γινόμενον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνοις πόνοις, ἀλλὰ θείᾳ δωρεᾷ τὸ πλέον γέγονεν. Οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐπωρώθησαν. Ὅρα πότε ἐθάῤῥησεν εἰπεῖν οἰκείᾳ φωνῇ τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν ἐκβολήν. Εἶπε μὲν γὰρ αὐτὴν καὶ ἤδη, ἀλλὰ τοὺς προφήτας εἰσάγων κατηγοροῦντας: ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς λοιπὸν ἀποφαίνεται. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἀρκεῖται τῇ οἰκείᾳ ἀποφάσει, ἀλλὰ πάλιν τὸν Ἡσαΐαν εἰσάγει τὸν προφήτην: εἰπὼν γὰρ, Ἐπωρώθησαν, ἐπήγαγε: Καθὼς γέγραπται: Ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς πνεῦμα κατανύξεως. Καὶ πόθεν μὲν ἡ πώρωσις αὕτη; Εἶπε μὲν καὶ ἔμπροσθεν τὰς αἰτίας, καὶ τὸ πᾶν εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν περιέστρεψε κεφαλὴν, δεικνὺς ὅτι ἐξ ἀκαίρου φιλονεικίας τοῦτο ὑπέμειναν. Λέγει δὲ καὶ νῦν. Ὅταν γὰρ εἴπῃ, Ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ ὦτα τοῦ μὴ ἀκούειν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ τὴν γνώμην αὐτῶν τὴν φιλόνεικον διαβάλλει. Καὶ γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες ὥστε ἰδεῖν τὰ θαύματα, καὶ ὦτα κεκτημένοι ὥστε ἀκοῦσαι τῆς θαυμαστῆς διδασκαλίας ἐκείνης, οὐδενὶ τούτων ἐχρήσαντο εἰς δέον. Τὸ δὲ, Ἔδωκεν, ἐνταῦθα μὴ ἐνέργειαν νόμιζε εἶναι, ἀλλὰ συγχώρησιν. Κατάνυξιν δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὴν περὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἕξιν τῆς ψυχῆς φησι, τὴν ἀνιάτως ἔχουσαν καὶ ἀμεταθέτως: ἐπεὶ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν ὁ Δαυΐδ: Ὅπως ἂν ψάλλῃ σοι ἡ δόξα μου, καὶ οὐ μὴ κατανυγῶ: τουτέστιν, οὐ μὴ μεταβληθῶ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ ἐν εὐλαβείᾳ κατανενυγμένος οὐκ ἂν εὐκόλως μετασταίη: οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἐν πονηρίᾳ κατανυγεὶς πάλιν οὐκ ἂν ῥᾳδίως μεταβάλοιτο: κατανυγῆναι γὰρ οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἢ τὸ ἐμπαγῆναί που καὶ προσηλῶσθαι. Τὸ τοίνυν ἀνίατον τῆς γνώμης αὐτῶν καὶ δυσμετάθετον δηλῶν, Πνεῦμα κατανύξεως, εἶπεν. Εἶτα δεικνὺς, ὅτι τῆς ἀπιστίας ταύτης τὴν ἐσχάτην δώσουσι δίκην, πάλιν ἐπάγει τὸν προφήτην τὰ αὐτὰ ἀπειλοῦντα, ἅπερ ἐξέβη καὶ τέλος ἔλαβε. Γενηθήτω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα, καὶ εἰς θήραν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον: τουτέστιν, Ἡ τρυφὴ, τὰ ἀγαθὰ πάντα μεταβαλλέσθω καὶ ἀπολλύσθω, καὶ γενέσθωσαν εὐχείρωτοι πᾶσι. Καὶ δηλῶν, ὅτι ἁμαρτημάτων τίνουσι δίκην ταῦτα πάσχοντες, ἐπήγαγε: Καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδομα αὐτοῖς. Σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διαπαντὸς σύγκαμψον. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἔτι ἑρμηνείας δεῖταί τινος; οὐχὶ καὶ τοῖς σφόδρα ἀνοήτοις δῆλα ἦν; Καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων ῥημάτων αὐτὴ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡ ἔκβασις προλαβοῦσα μαρτυρεῖ τοῖς εἰρημένοις. Πότε γὰρ οὕτως εὐχείρωτοι γεγόνασι; πότε εὐάλωτοι; πότε οὕτω τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν συνέκαμψε; πότε τοιαύτην δουλείαν ὑπέστησαν; Καὶ τὸ δὴ μεῖζον, ὅτι οὐδὲ λύσις ἔσται τῶν δεινῶν τούτων: ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ ὁ προφήτης ᾐνίξατο. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν σύγκαμψον, ἀλλὰ καὶ, Διαπαντός. Εἰ δὲ φιλονεικεῖς, ὦ Ἰουδαῖε, περὶ τοῦ τέλους, ἀπὸ τῶν φθασάντων μάνθανε καὶ τὰ παρόντα. Κατέβης εἰς Αἴγυπτον: ἀλλ' ἐγένετο διακόσια ἔτη, καὶ ταχέως τῆς δουλείας ἐκείνης σε ἀπήλλαξεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ταῦτα ἀσεβοῦντα καὶ πορνεύοντα τὴν χαλεπωτάτην πορνείαν: ἀπηλλάγης Αἰγύπτου, καὶ προσεκύνησας τὸν μόσχον, ἔθυσας τοὺς υἱούς σου τῷ Βεελφεγὼρ, τὸν ναὸν ἐμόλυνας, πᾶν εἶδος ἐπῆλθες κακίας, τὴν φύσιν αὐτὴν ἠγνόησας, τὰ ὄρη, τὰς νάπας, τοὺς βουνοὺς, τὰς πηγὰς, τοὺς ποταμοὺς, τοὺς κήπους τῶν θυσιῶν ἐνέπλησας τῶν ἐναγῶν, προφήτας ἔσφαξας, θυσιαστήρια κατέστρεψας, πᾶσαν ὑπερβολὴν ἐπεδείξω πονηρίας καὶ ἀσεβείας: ἀλλ' ὅμως ἑβδομήκοντά σε ἔτη παραδοὺς Βαβυλωνίοις, πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν προτέραν ἐπανήγαγεν ἐλευθερίαν, καὶ τὸν ναὸν καὶ τὴν πατρίδα ἀπέδωκε, καὶ τὸ παλαιὸν τῆς προφητείας σχῆμα, καὶ προφῆται πάλιν καὶ Πνεύματος χάρις: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐγκατελείφθης, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκεῖ Δανιὴλ καὶ Ἰεζεκιὴλ, καὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ Ἱερεμίας, καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ Μωϋσῆς. βʹ. Μετ' ἐκεῖνα πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν προτέραν ἐπανῆλθες κακίαν, καὶ ἐξεβακχεύθης, καὶ πρὸς τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν μετετάξω πολιτείαν ἐπὶ Ἀντιόχου τοῦ ἀσεβοῦς: ἀλλὰ καὶ τότε ἔτη τρία μόνον καὶ μικρόν τι πρὸς, Ἀντιόχῳ παραδοθέντες, διὰ τῶν Μακκαβαίων τὰ λαμπρὰ πάλιν ἐστήσατε τρόπαια. Ἀλλὰ νῦν τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ἅπαν γέγονεν: ὃ καὶ μάλιστα ἔστι θαυμάσαι, ὅτι τὰ μὲν τῆς κακίας ἔληξε, τὰ δὲ τῆς τιμωρίας ἐπιτέταται, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐλπίδα τινὰ ἔχει μεταβολῆς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη παρῆλθε μόνον, οὐδὲ ἑκατὸν, οὐδὲ δὶς τοσαῦτα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τριακόσια καὶ πολλῷ πλέον, καὶ οὔτε σκιὰν ἐλπίδος τοιαύτης ἔστιν εὑρεῖν, καὶ ταῦτα οὔτε εἰδωλολατρούντων ὑμῶν, οὔτε τὰ ἄλλα ποιούντων, ἅπερ ἔμπροσθεν ἐτολμᾶτε. Τί ποτ' οὖν ἐστι τὸ αἴτιον; Διεδέξατο τὸν τύπον ἡ ἀλήθεια, καὶ τὸν νόμον ἐξέκλεισεν ἡ χάρις: ἅπερ οὖν ἄνωθεν προαναφωνῶν ὁ προφήτης ἔλεγε: Καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διαπαντὸς σύγκαμψον. Εἶδες προφητείας ἀκρίβειαν, πῶς καὶ τὴν ἀπιστίαν προανεφώνησε, καὶ τὴν φιλονεικίαν ἔδειξε, καὶ τὴν ἑψομένην δίκην ἐδήλωσε, καὶ τὸ ἀπέραντον τῆς κολάσεως ἐνεδείξατο; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν παχυτέρων τοῖς μέλλουσι διαπιστοῦντες, ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων τὰ μέλλοντα ἐβούλοντο ἰδεῖν, ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη ἐφ' ἑκάτερα τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεως τὴν ἀπόδειξιν παρέσχετο ὁ Χριστὸς, τοὺς μὲν ἐξ ἐθνῶν πιστεύσαντας ἐπάρας ὑπὲρ τὸν οὐρανὸν, τοὺς δὲ ἐξ Ἰουδαίων ἀπιστήσαντας εἰς ἔσχατον ἐρημίας κατενεγκὼν, καὶ ἀλύτοις κακοῖς παραδούς. Καθαψάμενος τοίνυν αὐτῶν σφοδρῶς, καὶ ἀφ' ὧν ἠπίστησαν, καὶ ἀφ' ὧν ἔπαθόν τε καὶ ἔμελλον πείσεσθαι, πάλιν παραμυθεῖται τὰ εἰρημένα, γράφων οὕτω: Λέγω οὖν, Μὴ ἔπταισαν ἵνα πέσωσι; Μὴ γένοιτο. Ὅτε ἔδειξε μυρίων ὄντας κακῶν ὑπευθύνους, τότε παραμυθίαν ἐπινοεῖ. Καὶ σκόπει τὴν σύνεσιν τὴν Παύλου: τὴν μὲν κατηγορίαν ἀπὸ τῶν προφητῶν εἰσήγαγε, τὴν δὲ παραμυθίαν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ τίθησιν. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἡμάρτηται μεγάλα, φησὶν, οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ: ἴδωμεν δὲ, εἰ τοιοῦτον τὸ πτῶμα, ὡς καὶ ἀνίατον εἶναι, καὶ μηδεμίαν ἔχειν διόρθωσιν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστι τοιοῦτον. Εἶδες πῶς αὐτῶν πάλιν καθάπτεται, καὶ ἐν προσδοκίᾳ παραμυθίας ὑπευθύνους ποιεῖ ἁμαρτημάτων ὡμολογημένων; Ἴδωμεν δὲ τίνα αὐτοῖς καὶ παραμυθίαν ἐπινοεῖ. Τίς οὖν ἡ παραμυθία; Ὅταν δὲ τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰσέλθῃ, φησὶ, τότε πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ σωθήσεται, κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς παρουσίας τῆς δευτέρας καὶ τῆς συντελείας. Ἀλλ' εὐθέως μὲν τοῦτο οὐ λέγει: ἐπειδὴ δὲ σφοδρῶς αὐτῶν κατέδραμε, καὶ κατηγορίαις συνῆψε κατηγορίας, προφήτας ἐπὶ προφήταις εἰσάγων καταβοῶντας αὐτῶν, τὸν Ἡσαΐαν, τὸν Ἠλίαν, τὸν Δαυῒδ, τὸν Μωϋσέα, τὸν Ὠσηὲ, καὶ ἅπαξ, καὶ δὶς, καὶ πολλάκις: ἵνα μὴ ταύτῃ καὶ τούτους εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμβαλὼν, ἀποτειχίσῃ τὴν πρὸς τὴν πίστιν ἐπάνοδον, καὶ τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν πάλιν πιστεύσαντας εἰς ἀπόνοιαν ἐπάρῃ, καὶ φυσηθέντες καὶ αὐτοὶ βλαβῶσιν εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως λόγον, παραμυθεῖται πάλιν αὐτοὺς, λέγων: Ἀλλὰ τῷ αὐτῶν παραπτώματι ἡ σωτηρία τοῖς ἔθνεσι. Δεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἀκούειν τῶν λεγομένων, ἀλλὰ τὴν γνώμην εἰδέναι καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ λέγοντος, καὶ τί κατορθῶσαι ἐσπούδακεν: ὅπερ ἀεὶ παρακαλῶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην. Ἂν γὰρ μετὰ τῆς διανοίας ταύτης δεξώμεθα τὰ εἰρημένα, ἐν οὐδενὶ τούτων ὀψόμεθα δυσκολίαν οὖσαν. Τὸ γὰρ σπουδαζόμενον αὐτῷ νῦν, τὴν ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ἐγγινομένην ἀπόνοιαν τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν καθελεῖν: οὕτω γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι ἀσφαλέστερον μένειν ἔμελλον ἐν τῇ πίστει, μετριάζειν μαθόντες, καὶ οἱ ἐξ Ἰουδαίων τῆς ἀπογνώσεως ἀπαλλαγέντες, τῇ χάριτι προθυμότερον προσιέναι. Πρὸς τοῦτον τοίνυν τὸν σκοπὸν ὁρῶντες, πάντων ἀκούωμεν τῶν ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ τούτῳ λεγομένων. Τί οὖν φησι; καὶ πόθεν δείκνυσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀνίατα ἔπεσον, οὐδὲ εἰς τέλος ἐξεβλήθησαν; Ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν, οὕτω λέγων: Τῷ αὐτῶν παραπτώματι ἡ σωτηρία ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, εἰς τὸ παραζηλῶσαι αὐτούς. Οὗτος δὲ οὐκ αὐτοῦ μόνον ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις τοῦτο βούλονται αἱ παραβολαί. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ τοὺς γάμους ποιήσας τῷ υἱῷ, ἐπειδὴ οἱ κεκλημένοι οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ἐλθεῖν, τότε τοὺς ἐν ταῖς τριόδοις ἐκάλεσε. Καὶ ὁ τὸν ἀμπελῶνα δὲ καταφυτεύσας, ἐπειδὴ ἔσφαξαν οἱ γεωργοὶ τὸν κληρονόμον, τότε ἐξέδωκεν ἑτέροις τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. Καὶ χωρὶς δὲ παραβολῆς αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν: Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην, εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ τῇ Συροφοινικίσσῃ δὲ ἐπιμενούσῃ πλέον τι πάλιν ἔλεγεν: Οὐ γάρ ἐστι καλὸν, φησὶ, λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων, καὶ δοῦναι τοῖς κυναρίοις. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δὲ πρὸς τοὺς στασιάζοντας τῶν Ἰουδαίων, Ὑμῖν νῦν πρῶτον, φησὶν, ἀναγκαῖον ἦν λαληθῆναι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀναξίους ἐκρίνατε ἑαυτοὺς, ἰδοὺ στρεφόμεθα εἰς τὰ ἔθνη. γʹ. Καὶ διὰ πάντων δηλοῦται, ὅτι ἡ μὲν ἀκολουθία τῶν πραγμάτων αὕτη ἦν, ἐκείνους προσελθεῖν πρώτους, καὶ τότε τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἠπίστησαν, ἀντεστράφη ἡ τάξις, καὶ ἡ ἀπιστία αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ παράπτωμα τούτους ἐποίησεν εἰσενεχθῆναι προτέρους. Διό φησι, Τῷ αὐτῶν παραπτώματι ἡ σωτηρία τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, εἰς τὸ παραζηλῶσαι αὐτούς. Εἰ δὲ τὸ ἐξ ἀκολουθίας ἐκβὰν ὡς προηγουμένως γεγενημένον λέγει, μὴ θαυμάσῃς: βούλεται γὰρ αὐτῶν παραμυθήσασθαι πεπληγυίας τὰς ψυχάς. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: Ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ἰησοῦς: οὐκ ἐδέξαντο αὐτὸν μυρία θαυματουργοῦντα, ἀλλ' ἐσταύρωσαν: ἐπεσπάσατο λοιπὸν τὰ ἔθνη, ἵνα ἡ ἐκείνων τιμὴ δάκνουσα αὐτῶν τὴν ἀναισθησίαν, κἂν ἐκ τῆς πρὸς ἑτέρους φιλονεικίας αὐτοὺς πείσῃ προσελθεῖν. Ἔδει μὲν γὰρ δεχθῆναι ἐκείνους πρῶτον, καὶ τότε ἡμᾶς: διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε: Δύναμις γὰρ Θεοῦ ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπεσκίρτησαν, οἱ δεύτεροι πρῶτοι γεγόναμεν. Εἶδες τοίνυν πόσην αὐτοῖς συνάγει κἀντεῦθεν τιμήν: μίαν μὲν, ὅτι τότε φησὶν ἡμᾶς κληθῆναι, ὅτε αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν: δευτέραν δὲ, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτό φησι κληθῆναι, οὐχ ἵνα ἡμεῖς σωθῶμεν μόνον, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ ἐκεῖνοι διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας σωτηρίας ζηλώσαντες, βελτίους γένωνται. Τί οὖν, φησίν; εἰ μὴ διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, οὐκ ἂν ἐκλήθημεν καὶ ἐσώθημεν; Οὐκ ἂν πρὸ ἐκείνων, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ προσηκούσῃ τάξει. Διὸ καὶ ὅτε τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἔλεγεν, οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς, Πορεύεσθε πρὸς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραὴλ, ἀλλὰ, Πορεύεσθε, μᾶλλον, δεικνὺς ὅτι καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνα δεῖ μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπελθεῖν. Καὶ Παῦλος πάλιν οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἀναγκαῖον ὑμῖν λαληθῆναι τὸν λόγον, ἀλλ' Ὑμῖν ἦν ἀναγκαῖον πρῶτον λαληθῆναι, δεικνὺς ὅτι καὶ ἐκ δευτέρου καὶ ἡμῖν. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ἐγίνετο καὶ ἐλέγετο, ἵνα μηδὲ ἀναίσχυντον ἔχωσιν ἐκεῖνοι πρόφασιν ὡς παροφθέντες, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μὴ πιστεύσαντες. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ πάντα προειδὼς ὁ Χριστὸς, ὅμως πρὸς αὐτοὺς παρεγένετο πρώτους. Εἰ δὲ τὸ παράπτωμα αὐτῶν πλοῦτος κόσμου, καὶ τὸ ἥττημα αὐτῶν πλοῦτος ἐθνῶν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῶν; Ἐνταῦθα πρὸς χάριν αὐτοῖς διαλέγεται. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ μυριάκις παρέπεσον οὗτοι, οὐκ ἂν ἐσώθη τὰ ἔθνη, εἰ μὴ πίστιν ἐπεδείξατο: ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδ' ἂν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀπώλοντο, εἰ μὴ ἠπίστησαν καὶ ἐφιλονείκησαν. Ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἔφην, παραμυθεῖται αὐτοὺς κειμένους, ἐκ περιουσίας παρασκευάζων θαῤῥεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν, εἰ μετάθοιντο Εἰ γὰρ ὅτε, φησὶ, προσέκρουσαν, τοσοῦτοι σωτηρίας ἀπήλαυσαν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐκβληθῆναι ἐκείνους, τοσοῦτοι ἐκλήθησαν, ἐννόησον, τί ἔσται, ὅταν ἐπιστρέψωσιν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἡ ἐπιστροφὴ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ ἡ μεταβολὴ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ τὸ κατόρθωμα αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ, Πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῶν, τουτέστιν, ὅτε πάντες εἰσιέναι μέλλουσι. Τοῦτο δὲ εἶπε, δεικνὺς καὶ τότε τὸ πλέον τῆς χάριτος ἐσόμενον, καὶ τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ σχεδὸν τὸ πᾶν. Ὑμῖν γὰρ λέγω τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἐφ' ὅσον μέν εἰμι ἐγὼ ἐθνῶν ἀπόστολος, τὴν διακονίαν μου δοξάζω, εἴ πως παραζηλώσω μου τὴν σάρκα, καὶ σώσω τινὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν. Πάλιν ὑποψίας πονηρᾶς ἑαυτὸν ἀπαλλάξαι ἐσπούδακε: καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν ἐπιπλήττειν τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν, καὶ ταπεινοῦν αὐτῶν τὰ φρονήματα, ἠρέμα δὲ παρακνίζει τὸν Ἰουδαῖον: καὶ περιέρχεται μὲν ζητῶν περιστεῖλαι καὶ παραμυθήσασθαι τὴν τοσαύτην αὐτῶν ἀπώλειαν, οὐδὲν δὲ εὑρίσκει διὰ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων φύσιν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐξ ὧν εἴρηκε, μείζονος ἦσαν κατηγορίας ἄξιοι, ὅταν τὰ αὐτοῖς εὐτρεπισμένα ἕτεροι σφόδρα αὐτῶν ἀποδέοντες εἰληφότες ὦσι. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο ἀπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν μεταβαίνει, καὶ μέσον παρεντίθησι τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον, ἐνδείξασθαι βουλόμενος, ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα λέγει, ἵνα αὐτοὺς μετριάζειν παιδεύσῃ. Ἐπαινῶ γὰρ ὑμᾶς, φησὶ, διὰ δύο ταῦτα: δι' ἓν μὲν, ὅτι ἀνάγκην ἔχω τὴν διακονίαν ὑμῶν ἐγκεχειρισμένος: δι' ἕτερον δὲ, ἵνα δι' ὑμῶν ἑτέρους σώσω. Καὶ οὐ λέγει, τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου, τοὺς συγγενεῖς μου, ἀλλὰ, Τὴν σάρκα. Εἶτα τὴν φιλονεικίαν αὐτῶν ἐνδεικνύμενος, οὐ λέγει, εἴ πως πείσω, ἀλλὰ, Παραζηλώσω καὶ σώσω, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἅπαντας, ἀλλὰ, Τινὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν: οὕτως ἦσαν σκληροί. Καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἐπιτιμήσει δὲ λαμπρὰ δείκνυσι πάλιν τὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν: εἴ γε καὶ αἴτιοι γίνονται σωτηρίας αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν: ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ τούτοις ἐξ ἀπιστίας, οὗτοι δὲ ἐκείνοις ἀπὸ πίστεως πρόξενοι γίνονται τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Ὅθεν δοκεῖ καὶ ἰσάζειν, καὶ πλεονεκτεῖν τὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν. δʹ. Τί γὰρ ἂν εἴποις, ὦ Ἰουδαῖε; Εἰ μὴ ἐξεβλήθημεν ἡμεῖς, οὐκ ἂν ἐκλήθητε εὐθέως ὑμεῖς; Τοῦτο δὲ λέγει καὶ ὁ ἐξ ἐθνῶν: Εἰ μὴ ἐσώθην ἐγὼ, οὐκ ἂν ἐζήλωσας σύ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὃ πλεονεκτοῦμεν βούλει μαθεῖν, ἐγὼ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ πιστεῦσαι, σὲ σώζω: σὺ δὲ προσκεκρουκὼς, πάροδον ἡμῖν δέδωκάς σου προτέραν. Εἶτα πάλιν αἰσθόμενος, ὅτι καθήψατο αὐτῶν, τὸ πρότερον ἀναλαμβάνει καί φησιν: Εἰ γὰρ ἡ ἀποβολὴ αὐτῶν καταλλαγὴ κόσμου, τίς ἡ πρόσληψις, εἰ μὴ ζωὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν; Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο αὐτοὺς καταδικάζει πάλιν, εἴ γε ἄλλοι μὲν ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων αὐτῶν ἐκέρδανον, οὗτοι δὲ οὐδὲ ἐκ τῶν ἑτέρων κατορθωμάτων ὠφελήθησαν. Εἰ δὲ τὸ ἐξ ἀνάγκης συμβὰν, τοῦτο ἐκείνων εἶναί φησι, μὴ θαυμάσῃς: ἵνα γὰρ καὶ τούτους, ὃ πολλάκις εἶπον, καταστείλῃ κἀκείνους προτρέψῃ, οὕτω σχηματίζει τὸν λόγον. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, κἂν μυριάκις ἀπεβλήθησαν Ἰουδαῖοι, πίστιν δὲ μὴ ἐπεδείξαντο τὰ ἔθνη, οὐκ ἂν ἐσώθησάν ποτε. Ἀλλὰ τῷ ἠσθενηκότι παρίσταται μέρει, καὶ βοηθεῖ τῷ πεπονηκότι. Ὅρα δὲ καὶ ἐν οἷς χαρίζεται διὰ ῥημάτων αὐτοὺς παραμυθούμενος μόνον. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ ἀποβολὴ αὐτῶν, φησὶ, καταλλαγὴ κόσμου. Καὶ τί τοῦτο πρὸς Ἰουδαίους; Τίς ἡ πρόσληψις, εἰ μὴ ζωὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτό τι πρὸς ἐκείνους, εἰ μὴ προσελήφθησαν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: Εἰ ὀργιζόμενος αὐτοῖς, τοσαῦτα ἐχαρίσατο ἑτέροις, ὅταν αὐτοῖς καταλλαγῇ, τί οὐ χαριεῖται; Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν νεκρῶν οὐ διὰ τὴν πρόσληψιν αὐτῶν, οὕτως οὐδὲ νῦν ἡ σωτηρία ἡ ἡμετέρα δι' αὐτούς: ἀλλ' ἐξεβλήθησαν μὲν ἐκ τῆς ἀνοίας αὐτῶν, ἐσώθημεν δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως ἡμεῖς καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος. Τούτων δὲ οὐδὲν ἐκείνους ὠφελῆσαι δυνήσεται, εἰ μὴ τὴν προσήκουσαν ἐπιδείξαιντο πίστιν. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ τὰ αὐτῷ συνήθη ποιῶν, προάγει τὸν λόγον εἰς ἕτερον ἐγκώμιον, οὐκ ὂν ἐγκώμιον, ἀλλὰ δοκοῦν εἶναι μόνον, τοὺς ἀρίστους τῶν ἰατρῶν μιμούμενος, οἳ τοσαῦτα παραμυθοῦνται τοὺς κάμνοντας, ὅσα ἡ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας ἐνδίδωσι φύσις. Τί γάρ φησιν; Εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀπαρχὴ ἁγία, καὶ τὸ φύραμα: καὶ εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία, καὶ οἱ κλάδοι: ἀπαρχὴν ἐνταῦθα καὶ ῥίζαν καλῶν, τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ, τοὺς προφήτας, τοὺς πατριάρχας, τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς Παλαιᾶς εὐδοκιμηκότας ἅπαντας: κλάδους δὲ τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν πιστεύσαντας. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ ἀντέπιπτεν αὐτῷ τὸ πολλοὺς ἠπιστηκέναι, ὅρα πῶς αὐτὸ πάλιν ὑποτέμνεται, καί φησιν: Εἰ δέ τινες τῶν κλάδων ἐξεκλάσθησαν. Καὶ μὴν ἄνω ἔλεγες, ὅτι οἱ πλείους ἀπώλοντο, καὶ ὀλίγοι διεσώθησαν: πῶς οὖν ἐνταῦθα ἐπὶ τῶν ἀπολλυμένων τὸ, Τινὲς, τέθεικας, ὅπερ ὀλιγότητός ἐστιν ἐμφαντικόν; Οὐκ ἐμαυτῷ, φησὶ, περιπίπτων, ἀλλὰ θεραπεῦσαι σπεύδων καὶ ἀνακτήσασθαι τοὺς πεπονηκότας. Εἶδες πῶς διὰ παντὸς τοῦ χωρίου δείκνυται τοῦτο κατασκευάζων, τὸ βούλεσθαι παραμυθήσασθαι αὐτούς; κἂν ἀνέλῃς αὐτὸ, πολλὰ ἕψεται τὰ ἐναντιώματα. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει αὐτοῦ τὴν σοφίαν, πῶς δοκῶν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν λέγειν, καὶ παραμυθίαν αὐτοῖς ἐπινοεῖν, καὶ πλήττει λανθανόντως, καὶ πάσης ἀπολογίας δείκνυσιν ἐστερημένους, ἀπὸ τῆς ῥίζης, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς. Ἐννόησον γὰρ πονηρίαν τῶν κλάδων, ὅτε μηδὲ ῥίζαν ἔχοντες γλυκεῖαν, μιμοῦνται αὐτήν: καὶ τὴν κακίαν τοῦ φυράματος, ὅταν μηδὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς μεταβάλληται. Εἰ δέ τινες τῶν κλάδων ἐξεκλάσθησαν. Καὶ μὴν τὸ πλέον ἐξεκλάσθη: ἀλλ', ὅπερ ἔφην, βούλεται αὐτοὺς παραμυθεῖσθαι. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ παρ' ἐκείνων εἰσάγει τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ λανθανόντως αὐτῶν καθικνούμενος, καὶ δεικνὺς τῆς τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ συγγενείας ἐκπεπτωκότας: τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν, ὃ ἔσπευδεν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι οὐδὲν κοινὸν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἔχουσιν. Εἰ γὰρ ἁγία ἡ ῥίζα, οὗτοι δὲ οὐχ ἅγιοι, ἄρα πόῤῥω τῆς ῥίζης οὗτοι. Εἶτα δοκῶν παραμυθήσασθαι τὸν Ἰουδαῖον, πάλιν πλήττει διὰ τῆς κατηγορίας τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν: εἰπὼν γὰρ, Εἰ δέ τινες τῶν κλάδων ἐξεκλάσθησαν, ἐπήγαγε: Σὺ δὲ ἀγριέλαιος ὢν, ἐνεκεντρίσθης. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἂν εὐτελὴς ᾖ ὁ ἐξ ἐθνῶν, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ὁ Ἰουδαῖος ἀλγεῖ τοῖς αὐτοῦ τοῦτον ἐντρυφῶντα ὁρῶν: κἀκείνῳ δὲ οὐ τοσαύτη ἀπὸ τῆς εὐτελείας ἡ αἰσχύνη, ὅση ἀπὸ τῆς μεταβολῆς ἡ τιμή. Καὶ σκόπει σοφίαν: οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐνεφυτεύθης, ἀλλ', Ἐνεκεντρίσθης, ἐν τούτῳ πάλιν δάκνων τὸν Ἰουδαῖον, καὶ δεικνὺς ἐν τῷ δένδρῳ τῷ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἑστηκότα, καὶ τοῦτον κείμενον χαμαί. Διόπερ οὐδὲ μέχρι τούτου ἔστη, οὐδὲ εἰπὼν, Ἐνεκεντρίσθης, ἀπηλλάγη, καίτοι τὸ πᾶν ἐδήλωσε τούτῳ: ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐνδιατρίβει τῇ εὐημερίᾳ τούτου, καὶ εὐρύνει τὴν εὐδοκίμησιν, λέγων: Καὶ συγκοινωνὸς τῆς ῥίζης καὶ τῆς πιότητος τῆς ἐλαίας ἐγένου. Καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν αὐτὸν ἐν τάξει προσθήκης τεθεικέναι: δείκνυσι δὲ οὐδὲν αὐτὸν ταύτῃ παραβλαπτόμενον, ἀλλὰ τὸ πᾶν ἔχοντα, ὅσον εἶπεν ὁ κλάδος ὁ ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης ἀναβάς. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἀκούσας, Σὺ δὲ ἐνεκεντρίσθης, ἠλαττῶσθαι αὐτὸν νομίσῃς πρὸς τὸν ἔμφυτον κλάδον συγκρίνων, ὅρα πῶς αὐτὸν ἐξισοῖ λέγων: Καὶ συγκοινωνὸς τῆς ῥίζης καὶ τῆς πιότητος τῆς ἐλαίας ἐγένου: τουτέστιν, εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν κατέστης εὐγένειαν, εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν φύσιν. Εἶτα ἐπιπλήξας, καὶ εἰπὼν, Μὴ κατακαυχῶ τῶν κλάδων, δοκεῖ μὲν παραμυθεῖσθαι τὸν Ἰουδαῖον, δείκνυσι δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ εὐτελὲς καὶ τὴν πολλὴν ἀτιμίαν. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ εἶπε, Μὴ καυχῶ, ἀλλὰ, Μὴ κατακαυχῶ, μὴ κατ' ἐκείνων καυχῶ ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἀποῤῥῆξαι: καὶ γὰρ εἰς τὰ ἐκείνων ἕστηκας, τῶν ἐκείνων ἀπολαύεις. εʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς δοκεῖ μὲν ἐπιπλήττειν τούτοις, δάκνει δὲ ἐκείνους; Εἰ δὲ κατακαυχᾶσαι, φησὶν, οὐ σὺ τὴν ῥίζαν βαστάζεις, ἀλλ' ἡ ῥίζα σέ. Τί οὖν πρὸς τοὺς κλάδους τοῦτο τοὺς ἐκκοπέντας; Οὐδέν. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, σκιάν τινα παραμυθίας ἀσθενῆ δοκῶν ἐπινοεῖν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ πρὸς τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἀποτείνεσθαι, καιρίαν αὐτοῖς δίδωσι πληγήν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Μὴ κατακαυχῶ, καὶ ὅτι Εἰ κατακαυχᾶσαι, οὐ σὺ τὴν ῥίζαν βαστάζεις, ἔδειξε τῷ Ἰουδαίῳ, ὅτι καυχήσεως ἄξια τὰ γεγενημένα, εἰ καὶ μὴ κατακαυχᾶσθαι δεῖ: καὶ διεγείρων αὐτὸν καὶ παροξύνων εἰς πίστιν, καὶ ἐν τάξει συνηγόρου βάλλων, καὶ δεικνὺς αὐτῷ τὴν ζημίαν, ἣν ὑπέμεινε, καὶ ὅτι τὰ ἐκείνων κατέχουσιν ἕτεροι. Ἐρεῖς οὖν, φησὶ, Ἐξεκλάσθησαν κλάδοι, ἵνα ἐγὼ ἐγκεντρισθῶ. Πάλιν ἐν τάξει ἀντιθέσεως τὸ ἐναντίον τῷ προτέρῳ κατασκευάζει, δεικνὺς ὅτι καὶ τὰ μικρῷ ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένα οὐχὶ προηγουμένως ἔλεγεν, ἀλλὰ ἐφελκόμενος αὐτούς. Οὐκέτι γὰρ τῷ αὐτῶν παραπτώματι ἡ σωτηρία τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὐδὲ τὸ παράπτωμα αὐτῶν πλοῦτος κόσμου, οὐδὲ διὰ τοῦτο ἐσώθημεν ἐπειδὴ ἔπεσον, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον. Καὶ δείκνυσι προηγουμένην καὶ τὴν εἰς τὰ ἔθνη πρόνοιαν, εἰ καὶ δοκεῖ ἑτέρως σχηματίζειν τὰ εἰρημένα: καὶ ὅλον τὸ χωρίον δι' ἀντιθέσεως ὑφαίνει, ἑαυτὸν ἀπαλλάττων τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀπέχθειαν ὑπονοίας, καὶ εὐπαράδεκτον ποιῶν τὸν λόγον. Καλῶς. Ἐπῄνεσε τὸ εἰρημένον: εἶτα καὶ φοβεῖ πάλιν λέγων: Τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἐξεκλάσθησαν, σὺ δὲ τῇ πίστει ἐνεκεντρίσθης. Ἰδοὺ πάλιν ἕτερον αὐτῶν ἐγκώμιον, καὶ ἐκείνων κατηγορία. Ἀλλὰ πάλιν αὐτῶν καταστέλλει τὸ φύσημα, ἐπάγων καὶ λέγων: Μὴ ὑψηλοφρόνει, ἀλλὰ φοβοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ φύσεως τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀπιστίας. Καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν πάλιν ἐπιστομίζειν τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν, διδάσκει δὲ τὸν Ἰουδαῖον, ὅτι οὐ δεῖ τῇ τῆς φύσεως συγγενείᾳ προσέχειν: διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει: Μὴ ὑψηλοφρόνει. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Ταπεινοῦ, ἀλλὰ, Φοβοῦ: ἡ γὰρ ἀπόνοια καταφρόνησιν ἐμποιεῖ καὶ ῥᾳθυμίαν. Εἶτα μέλλων ἐκτραγῳδεῖν αὐτῶν τὴν συμφορὰν, ὥστε ἀνεπαχθέστερον ποιῆσαι τὸν λόγον, ἐν τάξει τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐπιτιμήσεως αὐτὸ τίθησιν οὕτω λέγων: Εἰ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν κατὰ φύσιν κλάδων οὐκ ἐφείσατο: καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Οὐδὲ σοῦ φείσεται, ἀλλὰ, Μή πως οὐδὲ σοῦ φείσηται: ὑποτεμνόμενος τοῦ λόγου τὸ φορτικὸν, καὶ ποιῶν ἐναγώνιον τὸν πιστὸν εἶναι, κἀκείνους ἐφελκόμενος, καὶ τούτους καταστέλλων. Ἴδε οὖν χρηστότητα καὶ ἀποτομίαν Θεοῦ. Ἐπὶ μὲν τοὺς πεσόντας, ἀποτομίαν: ἐπὶ δὲ σὲ, χρηστότητα, ἐὰν ἐπιμείνῃς τῇ χρηστότητι, ἐπεὶ καὶ σὺ ἐκκοπήσῃ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἴδε οὖν κατόρθωμα σὸν, ἴδε οὖν πόνους σοὺς, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, δεικνὺς ὅτι τὸ πᾶν τῆς χάριτος τῆς ἄνωθεν γέγονε, καὶ παρασκευάζων τρέμειν. Ἡ γὰρ ὑπόθεσις τῆς καυχήσεως, αὕτη σε ποιεῖ δεδοικέναι. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ χρηστὸς περὶ σὲ γέγονεν ὁ Δεσπότης, διὰ τοῦτο φοβοῦ: οὐ γὰρ ἀκινητά σοι μένει τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ἐὰν ῥᾳθυμῇς: ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις τὰ κακὰ, ἐὰν μεταβάλωνται. Καὶ γὰρ σὺ, φησὶν, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμείνῃς τῇ πίστει, ἐκκοπήσῃ. Καὶ ἐκεῖνοι δὲ, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμείνωσι τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἐγκεντρισθήσονται. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοὺς ἐξέκοψεν, ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ ἐξεκλάσθησαν, καὶ ἔπεσον. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπεν, Ἐξεκλάσθησαν: οὐδέποτε γὰρ οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἐξέβαλε, καίτοι πολλὰ πολλάκις ἡμαρτηκότας. Εἶδες ὅσον τῆς προαιρέσεως τὸ κῦρος; πόση τῆς γνώμης ἡ ἐξουσία; Οὐδὲν γὰρ τούτων ἀκίνητον, οὔτε τὸ σὸν καλὸν, οὔτε τὸ ἐκείνου κακόν. Εἶδες πῶς καὶ ἐκεῖνον ἀπογινώσκοντα ἀνέστησε, καὶ τοῦτον θαῤῥοῦντα κατέστειλε; Μήτε γὰρ σὺ ἀποτομίαν ἀκούων, ἀπαγορεύσῃς, μήτε σὺ χρηστότητα, θαῤῥήσῃς. Διὰ τοῦτό σε ἀποτόμως ἐξέκοψεν, ἵνα ποθήσῃς ἐπανελθεῖν: διὰ τοῦτο περὶ σὲ χρηστότητα ἐνεδείξατο, ἵνα ἐπιμείνῃς. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Τῇ πίστει, ἀλλὰ, Τῇ χρηστότητι, τουτέστιν, ἂν ἄξια τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας πράττῃς: οὐ γὰρ πίστεως δεῖ μόνον. Ὁρᾷς πῶς οὔτε ἐκείνους ἀφῆκε κεῖσθαι, οὔτε τούτους μέγα φρονεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρεζήλωσε τούτους, πάλιν δι' ἐκείνων δοὺς τῷ Ἰουδαίῳ στῆναι εἰς τὸν τούτου τόπον, καθάπερ ἐκεῖνος προκατέλαβε τὸ τούτου χωρίον; Καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἀπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων φοβεῖ καὶ τῶν ἐκείνοις συμβεβηκότων, ἵνα μὴ ἐπαίρωνται κατ' αὐτῶν: τὸν δὲ Ἰουδαῖον ἀπὸ τῶν τῷ Ἕλληνι παρασχεθέντων θαῤῥεῖν παρασκευάζει. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ σὺ ἐκκοπήσῃ, φησὶν, ἐὰν ῥᾳθυμῇς: καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἰουδαῖος ἐξεκόπη: καὶ ἐκεῖνος ἐγκεντρισθήσεται, ἐὰν σπουδάζῃ: καὶ γὰρ καὶ σὺ ἐνεκεντρίσθης. Πάνυ δὲ συνετῶς ὅλον τὸν λόγον πρὸς τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν τρέπει, ἅπερ ἀεὶ ποιεῖν εἴωθεν, ἐν τῇ τῶν ἰσχυροτέρων ἐπιπλήξει τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς διορθούμενος. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τῷ τέλει τῆς Ἐπιστολῆς ἐργάζεται, περὶ τῆς τῶν σιτίων διαλεγόμενος παρατηρήσεως. Εἶτα καὶ ἐκ τῶν παρελθόντων αὐτὸ κατασκευάζει, καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν μελλόντων μόνον: ὅπερ μᾶλλον ἔπειθε τὸν ἀκροατήν. Καὶ μέλλων λογισμῶν ἀκολουθίαν τηρεῖν ἀναντίῤῥητον, πρότερον ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τίθησιν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀπεκόπησαν καὶ ἀπεῤῥίφθησαν, καὶ ἄλλοι τὰ αὐτῶν προκατέλαβον, μηδὲ οὕτως ἀπογνῷς: Δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστι, φησὶ, πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς ἐγκεντρίσαι αὐτοὺς, ὁ καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἐλπίδα ποιῶν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πραγμάτων τάξιν ζητεῖς καὶ λογισμῶν ἀκολουθίαν, ἔχεις οἴκοθεν τὸ ὑπόδειγμα μετὰ πλείονος τῆς περιουσίας. Εἰ γὰρ σὺ, φησὶν, ἐκ τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ἐξεκόπης ἀγριελαίου, καὶ παρὰ φύσιν ἐνεκεντρίσθης εἰς καλλιέλαιον, πόσῳ μᾶλλον οὗτοι, οἳ κατὰ φύσιν ἐγκεντρισθήσονται τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐλαίᾳ; Εἰ γὰρ τὸ παρὰ φύσιν ἴσχυσεν ἡ πίστις, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ κατὰ φύσιν. Εἰ γὰρ οὗτος τῶν κατὰ φύσιν αὐτοῦ πατέρων ἐκκοπεὶς, ἦλθε παρὰ φύσιν πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον σὺ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀπολαβεῖν δυνήσῃ, Τοῦ μὲν γὰρ ἐθνικοῦ τὸ μὲν κακὸν κατὰ φύσιν: ἀγριέλαιος γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν ἦν: τὸ δὲ καλὸν, παρὰ φύσιν: παρὰ φύσιν γὰρ ἐνεκεντρίσθη τῷ Ἀβραάμ: σοῦ δὲ τοὐναντίον τὸ καλὸν κατὰ φύσιν: οὐ γὰρ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ ῥίζῃ, ὥσπερ ὁ ἐθνικὸς, ἀλλ' ἐν οἰκείᾳ παγήσῃ, ἐὰν βουληθῇς ἐπανελθεῖν. Τίνος οὖν ἂν εἴης ἄξιος συγγνώμης, ὅταν τοῦ ἐθνικοῦ τὸ παρὰ φύσιν δυνηθέντος, σὺ τὸ κατὰ φύσιν μὴ ἰσχύσῃς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο προδῷς; Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ εἶπε, Παρὰ φύσιν, καὶ, Ἐνεκεντρίσθης, ἵνα μὴ πλέον τι τὸν Ἰουδαῖον ἔχειν νομίζῃς, πάλιν αὐτὸ διορθοῦται, λέγων καὶ αὐτὸν ἐγκεντρίζεσθαι: Πόσῳ μᾶλλον οὗτοι, φησὶν, οἱ κατὰ φύσιν ἐγκεντρισθήσονται τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐλαίᾳ; Καὶ πάλιν, Δυνατὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐγκεντρίσαι αὐτούς. Καὶ πρὸ τούτου δέ φησιν, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμείνωσι τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἐγκεντρισθήσονται. Παρὰ φύσιν δὲ καὶ κατὰ φύσιν ὅταν ἀκούσῃς αὐτοῦ συνεχῶς λέγοντος, μὴ τὴν ἀκίνητον ταύτην φύσιν νόμιζε λέγειν αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ εἰκὸς καὶ τὸ ἀκόλουθον, καὶ τὸ ἀπεικὸς πάλιν τούτοις δηλοῦν τοῖς ὀνόμασιν. Οὐ γὰρ φυσικὰ τὰ καλὰ καὶ τὰ μὴ τοιαῦτα, ἀλλὰ γνώμης καὶ προαιρέσεως μόνης. Σκόπει δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἀνεπαχθές. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Καὶ σὺ ἐκκοπήσῃ, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμείνῃς τῇ πίστει, καὶ οὗτοι ἐγκεντρισθήσονται, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμείνωσι τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, τὸ σκυθρωπότερον ἀφεὶς, τὸ χρηστότερον κατασκευάζει, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ τελευτᾷ, μεγάλας τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὑφαίνων ἐλπίδας, εἰ βουληθεῖεν. Διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει λέγων: Οὐ γὰρ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοὶ, τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο, ἵνα μὴ ἦτε παρ' ἑαυτοῖς φρόνιμοι: μυστήριον ἐνταῦθα, τὸ ἀγνοούμενον καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον λέγων, καὶ πολὺ μὲν τὸ θαῦμα, πολὺ δὲ τὸ παράδοξον ἔχον: ὥσπερ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν: Ἰδοὺ μυστήριον ὑμῖν λέγω, πάντες μὲν οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα. Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ μυστήριον; Ὅτι πώρωσις τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ μέρους γέγονεν. Ἐνταῦθα πάλιν πλήττει τὸν Ἰουδαῖον, δοκῶν καταστέλλειν τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, ὅπερ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἔλεγεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐξ ὁλοκλήρου ἡ ἀπιστία, ἀλλὰ ἐκ μέρους, ὥσπερ ὅταν λέγῃ: Εἰ δέ τις λελύπηκεν, οὐκ ἐμὲ λελύπηκεν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ μέρους, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιβαρῶ πάντας ὑμᾶς: καὶ, Ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπὸ μέρους ἐμπλησθῶ. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησι τοῦτο, ὅπερ ἀνωτέρω ἔλεγεν: Οὐκ ἀπώσατο ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὑτοῦ, ὃν προέγνω; καὶ πάλιν, Τί οὖν; ἔπταισαν ἵνα πέσωσι; Μὴ γένοιτο. Τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα λέγει: ὅτι οὐχ ὁλόκληρον ἀνασπᾶται τὸ ἔθνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἤδη πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν, καὶ μέλλουσι πάλιν πιστεύειν. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ μέγα ἐπηγγείλατο, φέρει μάρτυρα τὸν προφήτην οὕτω λέγοντα. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ πώρωσις γέγονεν, οὐ παράγει μαρτυρίαν: καὶ γὰρ δῆλον ἅπασιν ἦν: ὅτι δὲ πιστεύσουσι καὶ σωθήσονται, τὸν Ἡσαΐαν πάλιν εἰσάγει βοῶντα, καὶ λέγοντα: Ἥξει ἐκ Σιὼν ὁ ῥυόμενος, καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ. Εἶτα τὸ παράσημον τῆς σωτηρίας τιθεὶς, ἵνα μή τις εἰς τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτὸ χρόνους ἑλκύσῃ καὶ συζεύξῃ, φησί: Καὶ αὕτη αὐτοῖς ἡ παρ' ἐμοῦ διαθήκη, ὅταν ἀφέλωμαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν: οὐχ ὅταν περιτμηθῶσιν, οὐχ ὅταν θύσωσιν, οὐχ ὅταν τὰ ἄλλα νόμιμα ποιῶσιν, ἀλλ' ὅταν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀφέσεως τύχωσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν τοῦτο ἐπήγγελται, γέγονε δὲ ἐπ' αὐτῶν οὐδέπω, οὐδὲ ἀπήλαυσαν τῆς διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀφέσεως, πάντως ἔσται: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν: Ἀμεταμέλητα γὰρ τὰ χαρίσματα καὶ ἡ κλῆσις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ οὐδὲ τούτῳ μόνον αὐτοὺς παραμυθεῖται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἤδη συμβεβηκότι: καὶ ὅπερ ἐξ ἀκολουθίας συνέβη, τοῦτο ὡς προηγούμενον τίθησιν, οὕτω λέγων: Κατὰ μὲν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐχθροὶ δι' ὑμᾶς, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκλογὴν ἀγαπητοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ φυσᾶται ὁ ἐξ ἐθνῶν, λέγων, Ἐγὼ ἕστηκα, μή μοι λέγε, τί ἂν ἐγένετο, ἀλλὰ τί γέγονε, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτὸν καταστέλλει λέγων, Κατὰ μὲν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐχθροὶ δι' ὑμᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑμεῖς ἐκλήθητε, φιλονεικότεροι γεγόνασιν ἐκεῖνοι. ζʹ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ὁ Θεὸς οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀνέκοψεν ὑμῶν τὴν κλῆσιν, ἀλλ' ἀναμένει πάντας τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν μέλλοντας πιστεύειν εἰσελθεῖν, καὶ τότε κἀκεῖνοι ἥξουσιν. Εἶτα χαρίζεται καὶ ἑτέραν τινὰ χάριν αὐτοῖς λέγων: Κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκλογὴν ἀγαπητοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας. Καὶ τί τοῦτο; Ἔνθα μὲν γὰρ ἐχθροὶ, ἡ κόλασις αὐτῶν: ἔνθα δὲ ἀγαπητοὶ, οὐδὲν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἡ τῶν προγόνων ἀρετὴ, ἐὰν μὴ πιστεύσωσιν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως, ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, οὐ παύεται ῥήμασιν αὐτοὺς παραμυθούμενος, ἵνα ἐφελκύσηται Διὸ καὶ ἑτέρωθεν κατασκευάζων τὸ ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένον, φησίν: Ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ ὑμεῖς ποτε ἠπειθήσατε τῷ Θεῷ, νυνὶ δὲ ἠλεήθητε τῇ τούτων ἀπειθείᾳ: οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι νῦν ἠπείθησαν τῷ ὑμετέρῳ ἐλέει, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθῶσι. Συνέκλεισε γὰρ τοὺς πάντας ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἀπείθειαν, ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ. Δείκνυσιν ἐνταῦθα τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν πρότερον κεκλημένους, εἶτα ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν, τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐκλεγέντας, καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πάλιν συμβὰν μετὰ ταῦτα: ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι πιστεῦσαι, πάλιν προσήχθη τὰ ἔθνη. Ἀλλ' οὐ μέχρι τούτου ἵσταται, οὐδὲ εἰς τὴν ἐκβολὴν αὐτῶν καταστρέφει τὸ πᾶν, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐλεηθῆναι πάλιν. Ὅρα πόσον δίδωσι τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν: ὅσον ἔμπροσθεν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑμεῖς ἠπειθήσατε, φησὶν, οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ποτε, προσῆλθον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι: πάλιν ἐπειδὴ οὗτοι ἠπείθησαν, προσήλθετε ὑμεῖς. Οὐ μὴν εἰς τέλος ἀπολοῦνται: Συνέκλεισε γὰρ τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν ὁ Θεός: τουτέστιν, ἤλεγξεν, ἀπέδειξεν ἀπειθοῦντας, οὐχ ἵνα μείνωσιν ἀπειθοῦντες, ἀλλ' ἵνα τοὺς ἑτέρους διὰ τῆς ἑτέρων σώσῃ φιλονεικίας, τούτους δι' ἐκείνων, κἀκείνους διὰ τούτων. Σκόπει δέ: ἠπειθήσατε ὑμεῖς, καὶ οὗτοι ἐσώθησαν: πάλιν οὗτοι ἠπείθησαν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐσώθητε: οὐ μὴν οὕτως ἐσώθητε, ὡς πάλιν ἐξελθεῖν, καθάπερ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ἀλλ' ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἐπισπάσασθαι τῷ ζήλῳ μένοντες. Ὦ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ! ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ! Ἐνταῦθα ἐπὶ τοὺς προτέρους χρόνους ἐπανελθὼν, καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν τοῦ Θεοῦ κατανοήσας οἰκονομίαν τὴν ἐξ οὗπερ ὁ κόσμος ἐγένετο μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος, καὶ λογισάμενος πῶς ποικίλως πάντα ᾠκονόμησε, ἐξεπλάγη καὶ ἀνεβόησε, πιστούμενος τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ὅτι ἔσται πάντως ἅπερ εἶπεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἀνεβόησε καὶ ἐξεπλάγη, εἰ μὴ πάντως ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι τοῦτο. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν βάθος ἐστὶν, οἶδε: πόσον δὲ, οὐκ οἶδε: θαυμάζοντος γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ῥῆσις, οὐκ εἰδότος τὸ πᾶν. Θαυμάσας δὲ καὶ ἐκπλαγεὶς τὴν χρηστότητα, καὶ κατὰ τὸ ἐγχωροῦν αὐτῷ διὰ δύο τῶν ἐπιτατικῶν ὀνομάτων αὐτὴν ἀνεκήρυξε, τοῦ πλούτου καὶ τοῦ βάθους, καὶ ἐξεπλάγη, ὅτι καὶ ἠθέλησε καὶ ἴσχυσε ταῦτα, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων τὰ ἐναντία κατεσκεύασεν. Ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ! Οὐ γὰρ μόνον καταληφθῆναι αὐτὰ ἀδύνατον, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐρευνηθῆναι. Καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ. Τουτέστιν αἱ οἰκονομίαι: καὶ γὰρ αὗται οὐ μόνον γνωσθῆναι, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ζητηθῆναι δύνανται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ, φησὶν, εὗρον ἅπαντα, ἀλλὰ μέρος μικρὸν, οὐ τὸ πᾶν: μόνος γὰρ αὐτὸς οἶδε τὰ αὑτοῦ σαφῶς. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε: Τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου; ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο; ἢ τίς προέδωκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ; Ὃ δὲ λέγει. τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: ὅτι οὕτω σοφὸς ὢν, οὐδὲ παρ' ἑτέρου σοφός ἐστιν, ἀλλ' αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ πηγὴ τῶν ἀγαθῶν: καὶ τοσαῦτα ἐργασάμενος καὶ χαρισάμενος ἡμῖν, οὐ παρ' ἑτέρου δανεισάμενος ταῦτα ἔδωκεν, ἀλλ' οἴκοθεν ἀναβλύσας, οὐδὲ ἀμοιβὴν ὀφείλων τινὶ, ὡς παρ' αὐτοῦ εἰληφώς τι, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς κατάρχων ἀεὶ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστά ἐστι πλούτου, τὸ καὶ ὑπερχεῖσθαι καὶ μὴ δεῖσθαι ἑτέρου. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν: Ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα. Αὐτὸς εὗρεν, αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν, αὐτὸς συγκροτεῖ: καὶ γὰρ καὶ πλούσιός ἐστι, καὶ οὐ δεῖται παρ' ἑτέρου λαβεῖν: καὶ σοφός ἐστι, καὶ οὐ δεῖται συμβούλου. Τί λέγω συμβούλου; Οὐδὲ εἰδέναι τις δύναται τὰ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἢ μόνος αὐτὸς ὁ πλούσιος καὶ σοφός. Καὶ γὰρ πολλοῦ πλούτου, τὸ τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν εὐπόρους οὕτω ποιῆσαι, καὶ πολλῆς σοφίας, τὸ τοὺς Ἰουδαίων καταδεεστέρους Ἰουδαίων διδασκάλους κατασκευάσαι. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ ἐξεπλάγη, καὶ εὐχαριστίαν ἀναφέρει λέγων: Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Ὅταν γάρ τι τοιοῦτον λέγῃ μέγα καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον, θαυμάζων εἰς δόξαν καταλήγει. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ποιεῖ: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖ θαυμάσας, αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο ὅπερ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐπήγαγεν: Ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὁ ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων Θεὸς εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. ηʹ. Τοῦτον δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς μιμώμεθα, καὶ πανταχοῦ τὸν Θεὸν δοξάζωμεν διὰ τῆς κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐπιμελείας, μηδὲ προγόνων ἀρεταῖς θαῤῥῶμεν, τὸ κατὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἰδότες παράδειγμα. Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς ἡ συγγένεια, ἀλλ' ἡ κατὰ Πνεῦμα ἀγχιστεία. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Σκύθης τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ γίνεται παῖς, καὶ ὁ ἐκείνου παῖς τοῦ Σκύθου πάλιν ἀλλοτριώτερος καθίσταται. Μὴ τοίνυν κατορθώμασι πατέρων θαῤῥῶμεν, ἀλλὰ, κἂν θαυμαστὸν ἔχῃς τὸν γεγεννηκότα, μὴ νομίσῃς ἀρκεῖν σοι τοῦτο εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἢ εἰς τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν, ἐὰν μὴ συγγενὴς αὐτῷ γένῃ κατὰ τοὺς τρόπους: ὥσπερ οὖν κἂν φαῦλον ἔχῃς, μὴ νόμιζε καταδικάζεσθαι ἐντεῦθεν καὶ αἰσχύνεσθαι, εἴ γε τὰ κατὰ σαυτὸν διαθῇς καλῶς. Τί γὰρ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀτιμότερον; ἀλλ' ὅμως τῇ πίστει ταχέως τῶν ἁγίων γεγόνασι συγγενεῖς. Τί δὲ Ἰουδαίων οἰκειότερον; ἀλλ' ὅμως διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν ἠλλοτριώθησαν. Ἐκείνη μὲν γὰρ ἡ συγγένεια φύσεώς ἐστι καὶ ἀνάγκης, καθ' ἣν πάντες ἐσμὲν συγγενεῖς: ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ γὰρ πάντες γεγόναμεν, καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴη μᾶλλον ἕτερος ἑτέρου συγγενὴς, καὶ κατὰ τὸν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τοῦ Νῶε λόγον καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς γῆς τῆς κοινῆς ἁπάντων μητέρος: ἡ δὲ τῶν στεφάνων ἀξία συγγένεια, ἡ διαιροῦσα ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν φαύλων ἐστίν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστι πάντας εἶναι συγγενεῖς ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὁμοτρόπους: οὐδὲ ἀδελφοὺς καλοῦμεν τοὺς τὰς αὐτὰς λύσαντας ὠδῖνας ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τὸν αὐτὸν ζῆλον ἐπιδεικνυμένους. Οὕτω καὶ τέκνα Θεοῦ καλεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς, οὕτω καὶ υἱοὺς διαβόλου πάλιν ἐξ ἐναντίας, οὕτω καὶ ἀπειθείας, οὕτω καὶ γεέννης, οὕτω καὶ ἀπωλείας. Οὕτω καὶ Παύλου Τιμόθεος παῖς ἦν ἐξ ἀρετῆς, καὶ γνήσιον τέκνον ἐκαλεῖτο, τοῦ δὲ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ ὄνομα ἴσμεν: καίτοι γε ὁ μὲν κατὰ φύσιν ἦν αὐτῷ προσήκων: ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ὄφελος: ὁ δὲ καὶ φύσει καὶ τόπῳ διεστηκώς (καὶ γὰρ Λύστρων πολίτης ἦν): ἀλλ' ὅμως πάντων ἐγγύτερος γέγονε. Γενώμεθα τοίνυν καὶ ἡμεῖς τῶν ἁγίων παῖδες, μᾶλλον δὲ γενώμεθα καὶ Θεοῦ παῖδες. Ὅτι γὰρ ἔστι καὶ Θεοῦ γενέσθαι παῖδας, ἄκουσον τί φησι: Γίνεσθε οὖν τέλειοι, ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Πατέρα καλοῦμεν εὐχόμενοι, καὶ οὐχὶ τῆς χάριτος μόνον ἀναμιμνήσκοντες ἑαυτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἵνα μηδὲν ἀνάξιον τῆς τοιαύτης συγγενείας ποιῶμεν. Καὶ πῶς ἔστι, φησὶν, υἱὸν εἶναι Θεοῦ; Πάντων ἀπηλλαγμένον τῶν παθῶν, ἐπιείκειαν ἐπιδεικνύμενον περὶ τοὺς ὑβρίζοντας καὶ ἀδικοῦντας: καὶ γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ ὁ σὸς τοιοῦτος περὶ τοὺς βλασφημοῦντάς ἐστι. Διὰ τοῦτο πολλὰ πολλάκις εἰπὼν, οὐδαμοῦ φησιν, Ὅπως γένησθε ὅμοιοι τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν: ἀλλ' ὅτε εἶπεν, Εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς, καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς, τότε τοῦτο τὸ ἔπαθλον ἐπήγαγεν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἡμᾶς προσάγει Θεῷ καὶ ὁμοίους ποιεῖ, ὡς τουτὶ τὸ κατόρθωμα. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος ὅταν λέγῃ, Γίνεσθε μιμηταὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατὰ τοῦτο γίνεσθε, λέγει. Πάντων μὲν γὰρ χρείαν ἔχομεν τῶν κατορθωμάτων, μάλιστα δὲ φιλανθρωπίας καὶ ἡμερότητος, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτοὶ πολλῆς δεόμεθα φιλανθρωπίας. Καὶ γὰρ πολλὰ καθ' ἑκάστην πλημμελοῦμεν τὴν ἡμέραν: διὸ καὶ πολλοῦ ἡμῖν δεῖ τοῦ ἐλέους. Τὸ δὲ πολὺ καὶ ἔλαττον οὐ τῷ μέτρῳ τῶν διδομένων κρίνεται, ἀλλὰ τῇ δυνάμει τῆς οὐσίας τῶν παρεχόντων. Μὴ τοίνυν μήτε ὁ πλουτῶν μέγα φρονείτω, μήτε ὁ πένης καταπιπτέτω ὡς ὀλίγα παρέχων: πολλάκις γὰρ οὗτος ἐκείνου πλείονα δέδωκεν. Οὐ τοίνυν ταλανίζειν ἑαυτοὺς χρὴ διὰ τὴν πενίαν: καὶ γὰρ εὐκολωτέραν ἡμῖν ποιεῖ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πολλὰ κεκτημένος, καὶ ἀπονοίᾳ καὶ ἐπιθυμίᾳ πλείονι κατέχεται τῶν ὄντων: ὁ δὲ ὀλίγα ἔχων, ἑκατέρας ταύτης ἀπήλλακται τῆς τυραννίδος: διὸ καὶ πλείονας ἀφορμὰς εὑρίσκει τοῦ εὖ ποιεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ εἰς δεσμωτήριον οὗτος βαδιεῖται εὐκόλως, καὶ ἀῤῥωστοῦντας ἐπισκέψεται, καὶ ποτήριον ψυχροῦ δώσει: ἐκεῖνος δὲ οὐδὲν τούτων καταδέξεται, ἅτε ὑπὸ τοῦ πλούτου φλεγμαίνων. Μὴ οὖν ἀθύμει διὰ τὴν πενίαν: καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἐμπορίαν τῶν οὐρανῶν εὐκολωτέραν σοι ποιεῖ ἡ πενία. Κἂν μηδὲν δὲ ἔχῃς, συναλγοῦσαν δὲ ἔχῃς ψυχὴν, καὶ τούτου σοι μισθὸς ἀποκείσεται. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος ἐπέταξε κλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων, καὶ τοῖς δεσμίοις ὡς συνδεδεμένους εἶναι ἐκέλευσεν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῖς κλαίουσι μόνον φέρει τινὰ παραμυθίαν τὸ πολλοὺς εἶναι τοὺς συναλγοῦντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐν ἄλλαις περιστάσεσιν οὖσι: καὶ γὰρ ἔστιν ὅπου χρημάτων οὐκ ἔλαττον λόγος ἀνακτήσασθαι δύναται τὸν πεπονηκότα. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ χρήματα διδόναι ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς δεομένοις, οὐχ ἵνα τὴν ἐκείνων πενίαν διορθώσῃ μόνον, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ ἡμᾶς διδάξῃ συναλγεῖν τοῖς τοῦ πλησίον κακοῖς. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ φιλάργυρος μισητὸς, οὐχ ὅτι περιορᾷ τοὺς ἐν πτωχείᾳ μόνον, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς ὠμότητα ἀλείφεται καὶ ἀπανθρωπίαν πολλήν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ χρημάτων ὑπερορῶν δι' ἐκείνους, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ποθεινὸς, ὅτι ἐλεήμων γίνεται καὶ φιλάνθρωπος. Καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς δὲ ὅταν μακαρίζῃ τοὺς ἐλεήμονας, οὐ τοὺς διὰ χρημάτων ἐλεοῦντας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς διὰ προαιρέσεως τοῦτο ποιοῦντας μακαρίζει καὶ ἐπαινεῖ. Ταύτην τοίνυν παρέχωμεν ἐπιτηδείαν πρὸς ἔλεον, καὶ πάντα ἕψεται τὰ ἀγαθά. Ὁ γὰρ φιλάνθρωπον γνώμην ἔχων καὶ ἐλεήμονα, κἂν χρήματα ἔχῃ, προήσεται, κἂν ἐν συμφοραῖς ἴδῃ τινὰ, κλαύσεται καὶ θρηνήσει, κἂν ἀδικουμένῳ περιτύχῃ, προστήσεται, κἂν ἐπηρεαζόμενον θεάσηται, χεῖρα ὀρέξει. Τὸν γὰρ θησαυρὸν ἔχων τῶν ἀγαθῶν, τὴν φιλάνθρωπον καὶ ἐλεήμονα ψυχὴν, πάντα ἐκεῖθεν ἀναβλύσει τὰ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, καὶ πάντων ἀπολαύσεται τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ κειμένων μισθῶν. Ἵνα οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς τούτων ἐπιτύχωμεν, πρὸ πάντων τὴν ψυχὴν ἥμερον κατασκευάσωμεν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὄντες μυρία ἐργασόμεθα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀπολαυσόμεθα στεφάνων: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.