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the deliverer from Zion, he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” Contrary to nature, and according to nature, when you hear this, do not think he means nature itself, which is unchangeable, but what is likely, and what is consequent, and again what is unlikely, are denoted by these names; for good and evil are not by nature, but from judgment and choice alone. “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake; but as concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes; for the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance.” Since you were called, they have become more contentious. But God did not on this account cut off their calling, but awaits for all from the Gentiles who are to believe to enter in, and then they too shall come. “For as you in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief, even so have these also now not believed, through your mercy, that they also may obtain mercy. For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” He shows that those from the Gentiles were called first, as also the parable of the Gospel concerning the two children, to whom the father said: Go into the field. For just as Scripture attributes to God “He gave them over to shameful passions,” and “He blinded the minds of the unbelievers,” because He permits each to act as he wishes and does not hinder them on account of free will; so also here might “He concluded” be understood, and in terms of holding fast under an inescapable curse; for which reason he established the conviction of disobedience. “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments.” For not only is it impossible to comprehend them, but not even to search them out. “And his ways past finding out.” That is, the promises. “For who has known the mind of the Lord?” Not even I, he says, the teacher, have found all things, but a small part; for only He Himself knows His own things clearly. “Or who has been his counselor?” What he says is this: that being so wise, He is not wise from another, but He Himself is the fount of good things. “Or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” 95.537 Having graced us, he says, He did not give these things, having borrowed from another, but causing them to spring forth from His own home; nor owing a return to anyone, as having received something from him; but He Himself is the first cause of all benefactions. “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things.” He Himself found, He Himself made, He Himself sustains. For He is rich, and does not need to receive from another. And He is wise, and does not need a counselor. And why do I say counselor? no one can even know His things, but He alone; He Himself, the rich and wise. “To him be glory for ever. Amen.” When he says something great and new and paradoxical, he marvels and concludes with a doxology; this he also did concerning the Son; for there too, marveling, he added the very same thing he added here, Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

CHAPTER 12. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God.”

Having discoursed at length on the philanthropy of God, and having shown His unspeakable care, in moving to exhortation, he brings forward the mercies of God, by which they were saved; just as one wishing to put to shame someone who has received great benefits, might bring forward the benefactor himself as a suppliant. “to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” Lest anyone should think he means to slaughter the bodies, he quickly added 'living.' And how could it become a living sacrifice? If the body does nothing amiss, if the eye does not see evil, the tongue does not speak what is shameful, nor the hand touch lawlessness. Thus it becomes a whole burnt offering. He did not say, to make, but to present, as if he were saying: Have nothing more to do with them; you have given them over to another. Having presented your members to the war against the devil, he says, and to the battle line the

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Σιὼν ὁ ῥυόμενος, ἀποστρέψει τὰς ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ· καὶ αὕτη αὐτοῖς ἡ παρ' ἐμοῦ διαθήκη· ὅταν ἀφελῶμαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.» Παρὰ φύσιν, καὶ κατὰ φύσιν, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς, μὴ τὴν ἀκίνητον αὐτὴν φύσιν νόμιζε λέγειν αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἰκὸς, καὶ τὸ ἀκόλουθον, καὶ τὸ ἀπεικὸς πάλιν, τούτοις δηλοῦνται τοῖς ὀνόμασιν· οὐ γὰρ φύσει τὰ καλὰ καὶ τὰ κακὰ, ἀλλὰ ἐκ γνώμης καὶ προαιρέσεως μόνης. «Κατὰ μὲν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, ἐχθροὶ δι' ἡμᾶς· κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκλογὴν, ἀγαπητοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας· ἀμεταμέλητα γὰρ τὰ χαρίσματα καὶ ἡ κλῆσις τοῦ Θεοῦ.» Ἐπειδὴ ὑμεῖς ἐκλήθητε, φιλονεικότεροι γεγόνασιν ἐκεῖνοι. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀνέκοψεν αὐτῶν τὴν κλῆσιν, ἀλλὰ ἀναμένει πάντας τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν μέλλοντας πιστεύειν, εἰσελθεῖν, καὶ τότε κἀκεῖνοι ἥξουσιν. «Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὑμεῖς ποτε ἠπειθήσατε τῷ Θεῷ, νῦν δὲ ἐλεήθητε τῇ τούτων ἀπειθείᾳ, οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι νῦν ἠπείθησαν τῷ ὑμετέρῳ ἐλέει, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ νῦν ἐλεηθῶσι. Συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν, ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ.» ∆είκνυσι τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν πρότερον κεκλημένους, ὡς καὶ ἡ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου παραβολὴ ἡ ἐπὶ τῶν δύο παίδων, οἷς ὁ πατὴρ εἶπεν· Πορεύου εἰς τὸν ἀγρόν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ, Παρέδωκεν εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας, καὶ τὸ, Ἐτύφλωσε τὰ νοήματα τῶν ἀπίστων, εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἀναφέρει ἡ Γραφὴ, διὰ τὴν συγχώρησιν αὐτοῦ ἑκάστῳ ὡς βούλεται πράττειν, καὶ μὴ κωλύειν διὰ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον· οὕτως καὶ ἐνταῦθα νοηθείη δ' ἂν τὸ, συνέκλεισεν, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ συνεῖχεν ἄφυκτος ἀρᾷ· διὸ τὸν τῆς ἀπειθείας κατέστησεν ἔλεγχον. «Ὢ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ· ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ.» Οὐ γὰρ μόνον καταληφθῆναι αὐτὰ ἀδύνατον, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐξερευνηθῆναι. «Καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ.» Τουτέστιν, αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι. «Τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου;» Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ, φησὶν, ὁ διδάσκαλος, ηὗρον ἅπαντα, ἀλλὰ μέρος τι μικρόν· μόνος γὰρ αὐτὸς οἶδεν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ σαφῶς. «Ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο;» Ὃ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ὅτι οὕτω σοφὸς ὢν, οὐδὲ παρ' ἑτέρου σοφός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ πηγὴ τῶν ἀγαθῶν. «Ἢ τίς προέδωκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ;» 95.537 Χαρισάμενος ἡμῖν, φησὶν, οὐ παρ' ἑτέρου δανεισάμενος, ταῦτα ἔδωκεν, ἀλλ' οἴκοθεν ἀναβλύσας· οὐδὲ ἀμοιβὴν ὀφείλων τινὶ, ὡς εἰληφώς τι παρ' αὐτοῦ· ἀλλὰ αὐτὸς κατάρχων ἐν παντὶ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν. «Ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα.» Αὐτὸς ηὗρεν, αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν, αὐτὸς συγκρατεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ πλούσιός ἐστι, καὶ οὐ δεῖται παρ' ἑτέρου λαβεῖν. Καὶ σοφός ἐστι, καὶ οὐ δεῖται συμβούλου. Καὶ τί λέγω συμβούλου; οὐδὲ εἰδέναι τις δύναται τὰ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸς μόνος· αὐτὸς ὁ πλούσιος καὶ σοφός. «Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.» Ὅταν μέγα τι λέγει καὶ καινὸν καὶ παράδοξον, θαυμάζων εἰς δόξαν καταλήγει· τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐποίησεν· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ θαυμάσας, αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο, ὅπερ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐπήγαγεν, Ἐξ ὧν Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων Θεὸς εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΒʹ. «Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ, διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ.» Πολλὰ περὶ

τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας διαλεχθεὶς, καὶ δείξας αὐτοῦ τὴν ἄφατον κηδεμονίαν, ἐπὶ τὴν παραίνεσιν μεταβαίνων, τοὺς οἰκτιρμοὺς προβάλλει τοῦ Θεοῦ, δι' ὧν ἐσώθησαν· ὥσπερ ἄν τις τὸν μεγάλα εὐεργηθέντα ἐντρέψαι βουλόμενος, αὐτὸν τὸν εὐεργετήσαντα ἱκέτην ἀγάγοι. «Παραστῆναι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν, ἁγίαν, τῷ Θεῷ εὐάρεστον.» Ἵνα μή τις νομίσῃ λέγειν κατασφάξαι σώματα, ταχέως ἐπήγαγεν τὸ ζῶσαν. Πῶς δὲ γένοιτο θυσία ζῶσα; Ἐὰν μηδὲν ἄτοπον πράττῃ τὸ σῶμα, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς βλέπῃ πονηρὸν, μὴ γλῶττα λαλήσῃ αἰσχρὸν, μηδὲ χεὶρ ἅψηται παρανομίας. Οὕτω γίνεται ὁλοκαύτωμα. Οὐκ εἶπε, ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ παραστῆσαι, ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγεν· Μηδὲν ἔχετε λοιπὸν κοινὸν πρὸς αὐτά· ἑτέρῳ αὐτὰ ἐξεδώκατε. Παραστήσας τῷ πολέμῳ τῷ κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου τὰ μέλη, φησὶ, καὶ τῇ παρατάξει τῇ