identity, and their mutual indwelling. In this sense we can say of Christ: This our God was seen upon the earth, and dwelt among men; and, This man is uncreated and impassible and uncircumscribed.
CHAPTER 28.
Therefore the Son and Word of God became man, that through Himself and in Himself He might renew that which is according to the image and likeness; and might teach us the virtuous way of life, having made this easy for us to follow through Himself; and by the communion of life might free the corrupted nature of man from corruption, becoming the first-fruits of our resurrection, and might ransom us from the tyranny of the devil, having called us to the knowledge of God. For the worship of demons has ceased, creation has been sanctified by the divine blood, altars and temples of idols have been destroyed, the knowledge of God has been planted, the consubstantial Trinity, the one true God is believed in and worshipped, virtues are practiced, the sure hope of the resurrection has been given through the resurrection of Christ, the demons shudder at the men who were once subject to them; and what is wonderful, is that all these things have been accomplished through the cross, and sufferings, and death; into all the earth the Gospel of the knowledge of God has been preached, not by routing its adversaries with war and weapons and armies, but a few naked, poor, and unlettered men, being persecuted, tortured, and put to death, preaching Him who was crucified in the flesh and died, have overcome the many and the powerful and the rich and the wise; for the almighty power of the Crucified strengthened them. Death, once most terrible, is defeated, and is now preferred to the sweetest life. These are the achievements of Christ's presence, these are the tokens of His power. For not as through Moses did He save one people out of Egypt and the bondage of Pharaoh by parting the sea; but rather all of humanity has He rescued from the corruption of death and the bitter tyrant of sin; not leading to virtue and piety by force, not burying in the earth, not burning with fire, and commanding sinners to be stoned; but with gentleness and long-suffering persuading men to choose these things. But, O Word of God, and Wisdom, and Power, what in return for all these things can we, who are poor and weak, give You? For all things are Yours and You ask nothing from us, except that we be saved. For You Yourself give this, and are grateful to those who receive it through your ineffable goodness. Thanks be to You, who have given being, and have graciously given well-being; and when we had fallen away from this, who again brought us back to it through Your ineffable condescension. To You therefore is due all glory, honor, and worship, with Your beginningless Father, and Your all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
ταυτότητα, καὶ τὴν εἰς ἄλληλα αὐτῶν περιχώρησιν. Κατὰ τοῦτο δυνάμεθα εἰπεῖν περὶ Χριστοῦ· Οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὤφθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη· καὶ, Ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ἄκτιστός ἐστι καὶ ἀπαθὴς καὶ ἀπερίγραπτος.
ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΗʹ.
Ἐνηνθρώπησε τοίνυν ὁ Υἱὸς καὶ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα δι' αὑτοῦ καὶ ἐν αὑτῷ ἀνακαινίσῃ μὲν τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν· διδάξῃ δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς τὴν ἐνάρετον πολιτείαν, ταύτην δι' ἑαυτοῦ ποιήσας ἡμῖν εὐεπίβατον· καὶ τῇ τῆς ζωῆς κοινωνίᾳ ἐλευθερώσῃ τῆς φθορᾶς τὴν καταφθαρεῖσαν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν, ἀπαρχὴ γενόμενος τῆς ἡμῶν ἀναστάσεως, καὶ τῆς τυραννίδος τοῦ διαβόλου λυτρώσηται, πρὸς θεογνωσίαν ἡμᾶς καλέσας. Πέπαυται γοῦν ἡ τῶν δαιμόνων θρησκεία, ἡ κτίσις τῷ θείῳ ἡγίασται αἵματι, βωμοὶ καὶ ναοὶ εἰδώλων καθῄρηνται, θεογνωσία πεφύτευται, Τριὰς ἡ ὁμοούσιος, ὁ εἷς Θεὸς ἀληθινὸς πιστεύεται καὶ λατρεύεται, ἀρεταὶ πολιτεύονται, ἀναστάσεως βεβαία ἐλπὶς διὰ τῆς Χριστοῦ δέδοται ἀναστάσεως, φρίττουσι τοὺς πάλαι ὑποχειρίους ἀνθρώπους οἱ δαίμονες· καὶ τό γε θαυμαστὸν, ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα διὰ σταυροῦ, καὶ παθῶν, καὶ θανάτου κατώρθωται· εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τῆς θεογνωσίας κεκήρυκται, οὐ πολέμῳ καὶ ὅπλοις καὶ στρατοπέδοις τοὺς ἐναντίους τροπούμενον, ἀλλ' ὀλίγοι γυμνοὶ, πτωχοὶ καὶ ἀγράμματοι διωκόμενοι, αἰκιζόμενοι, θανατούμενοι, σταυρωθέντα σαρκὶ καὶ θανόντα κηρύττοντες, τῶν πολλῶν καὶ δυνατῶν καὶ πλουσίων καὶ σοφῶν κατεκράτησαν· ἐνίσχυε γὰρ αὐτοὺς τοῦ σταυρωθέντος ἡ παντοδύναμος δύναμις. Ὁ πάλαι φοβερώτατος θάνατος ἥττηται, καὶ τῆς ἡδίστης ζωῆς νῦν προκρίνεται. Ταῦτα τῆς Χριστοῦ παρουσίας τὰ κατορθώματα, ταῦτα τῆς αὐτοῦ δυνάμεως τὰ γνωρίσματα. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς διὰ Μωσέως ἕνα λαὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ τῆς δουλείας Φαραὼ θάλασσαν διαστήσας διέσωσε· πᾶσαν δὲ μᾶλλον τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα ἐκ φθορᾶς θανάτου καὶ τοῦ πικροῦ τυράννου τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐῤῥύσατο· οὐ βίᾳ ἄγων πρὸς ἀρετὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν, οὐχὶ γῇ καταχωννὺς, οὐ πυρὶ καταφλέγων, καὶ λιθοβολεῖσθαι προστάσσων τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας· ἀλλὰ πραότητι καὶ μακροθυμίᾳ αἱρεῖσθαι ταῦτα πείθων τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Ἀλλ', ὦ Θεοῦ Λόγε, καὶ σοφία, καὶ δύναμις, τί σοι ἀντὶ τούτων ἁπάντων οἱ ἄποροι καὶ ἀσθενεῖς ἡμεῖς ἀντιδοίημεν; Σὰ γὰρ ἅπαντα καὶ αἰτεῖς παρ' ἡμῶν οὐδὲν, ἢ τὸ σώζεσθαι. Αὐτὸς γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο διδοὺς, καὶ λαμβάνουσι χάριν εἰδὼς δι' ἄφατον ἀγαθότητα. Σοὶ χάρις, τῷ τὸ εἶναι δεδωκότι, καὶ τὸ εὖ εἶναι χαρισαμένῳ· κἀκ τούτου παραπεσόντας αὖθις ἐπαναγαγόντι πρὸς τοῦτο διὰ τῆς ἀῤῥήτου σου συγκαταβάσεως. Σοὶ τοίνυν πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμὴ καὶ προσκύνησις, σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ σου Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ἀγαθῷ καὶ ζωοποιῷ σου Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.