has ascended far above the earthen vessels. Below are the earthen vessels, and the nature that administers the earthen vessels, condescending to the things being administered, is below; for this reason the word spoken to Jeremiah from the Lord says to him: "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there you will hear my words." To Moses it is said: "Go up to the mountain and hear," to Jeremiah it is said: "Go down to the potter's house and hear"; for each of those who hear a word is either taught about the things above or learns about the things below. <If I am taught> the lower things, I descend in the word, that I may see the lower things; but if I learn the higher things, I ascend in the word to the higher things, that I may behold the things there. And so that you may all follow what is being said as much as is possible for you, I will use an example also from scripture, and in addition to the example I will also present a clarification that leads to the given interpretation. "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." And there is a certain wisdom concerning each of these: wisdom concerning the heavenly things, how the heavenly things are arranged; wisdom concerning the things under the earth, since there is also a wisdom of God concerning the arrangement of the things under the earth, and likewise also concerning the things on earth. If I am to comprehend the wisdom concerning the heavenly things, I ascend to the heavenly things, as Moses ascended to the top of the mountain, so that the voice <the one> from heaven might be audible to him according to what is written. For he was about to be taught heavenly worship; for there is a shadow and a pattern of heavenly mysteries in the laws that have been written down, as the apostle taught, saying: "who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things." Just as, therefore, when I am about to be taught concerning the heavenly things I ascend, so if I have need to learn concerning the things under the earth, even if I become a prophet, I descend. And perhaps for this reason Samuel, when he was taught the things under the earth, descended below and was in Hades, not being judged so that he might be in Hades, but so that he might become a scout and a beholder of the mysteries of the things under the earth. Such also can be the things said by the apostle concerning wisdom, being distinguished by knowing "what is the breadth and length and depth and height." You are about to know <the> height, you ascend in the word to the height; you are about to know the things between the height and the depth, you know the breadth and the length. The mind that is able to follow the Son of God, being guided by the word that teaches about all things, reaches everywhere. But it follows by renouncing the world and taking up the cross; for this one is able to follow Jesus who is able to say: "the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." It was necessary to explain the "go down to the potter's house, and there you will hear my words." For it was necessary to compare it with the "go up and you will hear my words." For of those who hear, some ascend that they may be taught, but they do not ascend in every case physically; <but others> descend and have their soul above, in order to see the highest word concerning the lowest things. My Lord Jesus Christ himself has ascended and descended; "for he who ascended is the same one who also descended above all the heavens." If, therefore, you too are to understand the one who ascended to the highest as the word concerning the highest things, and to comprehend the one who descended to the lowest things as the one who teaches concerning the lowest things, "do not say: 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down); or: 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ [up. or: Who will descend into the abyss? that is, Christ] up from the dead). But what does the scripture say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart'," through which you ascend into heaven. And concerning the ascent, "the word is near you," and concerning the lowest things, "the word is near you"; for what else but the word that is everywhere can the holy one have in himself? For "the kingdom of heaven is within you." 18.3 The prophet therefore goes down
ὑπεραναβέβηκε τὰ πήλινα σκεύη. κάτω ἐστὶ τὰ πήλινα σκεύη, καὶ ἡ διοικοῦσα φύσις τὰ πήλινα σκεύη συγκαταβαίνουσα τοῖς διοικου μένοις κάτω ἐστί· διὰ τοῦτο ὁ λεγόμενος λόγος πρὸς Ἱερεμίαν παρὰ κυρίου φησὶν αὐτῷ· «ἀνάστηθι καὶ κατάβηθι εἰς οἶκον τοῦ κεραμέως, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἀκούσῃ τοὺς λόγους μου». Μωσεῖ λέγεται· «ἀνάβηθι εἰς τὸ ὄρος καὶ ἄκουσον», Ἱερεμίᾳ λέγεται· «κατάβηθι εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κεραμέως καὶ ἄκουσον»· ἕκαστος γὰρ τῶν ἀκουόντων λόγον ἤτοι περὶ τῶν ἀνωτέρω διδάσκεται ἢ μανθάνει περὶ τῶν κατωτέρω. <εἰ μὲν τὰ κατώτερα> διδάσκομαι, καταβαίνω τῷ λόγῳ, ἵνα ἴδω τὰ κατώτερα· εἰ δὲ τὰ ἀνώτερα μανθάνω, ἀναβαίνω τῷ λόγῳ ἐπὶ τὰ ἀνώτερα, ἵνα θεάσωμαι τὰ ἐκεῖ. Ἵνα δὲ πάντες κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἑαυτοῖς παρακολουθήσητε τῷ λεγομένῳ, χρήσομαι παραδείγματι καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς γραφῆς, καὶ πρὸς τῷ παραδείγματι καὶ σαφήνειαν προσάγουσαν τῇ δεδομένῃ ἑρμηνείᾳ παρα στήσω. «ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψει ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων, καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσεται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός». ἔστι δέ τις σοφία περὶ ἑκάστου τούτων· σοφία περὶ τῶν οὐρανίων, πῶς διατέτακται τὰ οὐράνια· σοφία περὶ τῶν καταχθονίων, ἐπεὶ σοφία θεοῦ ἐστι καὶ περὶ τῆς διατάξεως τῶν καταχθονίων, ὁμοίως καὶ περὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων. ἐὰν μέλλω χωρεῖν τὴν σοφίαν τὴν περὶ τῶν ἐπουρανίων, ἀναβαίνω ἐπὶ τὰ οὐράνια, ὡς Μωσῆς ἀναβέβηκεν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους, ἵνα ἀκουστὴ γένηται αὐτῷ ἡ φωνὴ <ἡ> ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμ μένον. ἔμελλε γὰρ διδάσκεσθαι λατρείας ἐπουρανίους· σκιὰ γὰρ καὶ ὑπόδειγμα ἐπουρανίων μυστηρίων ἐν τοῖς νόμοις τοῖς ἀναγεγραμμένοις, ὡς ἐδίδασκεν ὁ ἀπόστολος εἰπών· «οἵτινες ὑποδείγματι καὶ σκιᾷ λατρεύουσι τῶν ἐπουρανίων». ὥσπερ οὖν μέλλων διδάσκεσθαι περὶ τῶν ἐπουρανίων ἀναβαίνω, οὕτως ἐὰν χρεία μοι ᾖ μανθάνειν περὶ τῶν καταχθονίων, κἂν προφήτης γένωμαι, καταβαίνω. καὶ τάχα διὰ τοῦτο Σαμουήλ, ἡνίκα ἐδιδάχθη τὰ καταχθόνια, καταβέβηκε κάτω καὶ γέγονεν ἐν ᾅδου, οὐ δικαζόμενος ἵνα ἐν ᾅδου γένηται, ἀλλ' ἵνα γένηται κατάσκοπος καὶ θεωρητὴς τῶν μυστηρίων τῶν καταχθονίων. δύναται τοιαῦτα εἶναι καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῷ ἀποστόλῳ περὶ τῆς σοφίας λεγόμενα, διαστελλόμενα τῷ γνῶναι «τί τὸ πλάτος καὶ μῆκος καὶ βάθος καὶ ὕψος». μέλλεις γινώσκειν <τὸ> ὕψος, ἀναβαίνεις τῷ λόγῳ ἐπὶ τὸ ὕψος· μέλλεις γινώσκειν τὰ μεταξὺ τοῦ ὕψους καὶ τοῦ βάθους, γινώσκεις τὸ πλάτος καὶ τὸ μῆκος. πανταχοῦ φθάνει ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου ὁδηγού μενος τοῦ διδάσκοντος περὶ πάντων ὁ δυνάμενος ἀκολουθεῖν νοῦς τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ. ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ ἀποταξάμενος τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ αἴρων τὸν σταυρόν· οὗτος γὰρ δύναται ἀκολουθεῖν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ὁ δυνάμενος εἰπεῖν· «ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται, κἀγὼ κόσμῳ». Ἔδει παραμυθήσασθαι τὸ «κατάβηθι εἰς οἶκον τοῦ κεραμέως, κἀκεῖ ἀκούσεις τοὺς λόγους μου». ἔδει γὰρ αὐτὸ συγκρῖναι τῷ «ἀνάβηθι καὶ ἀκούσεις τοὺς λόγους μου». τῶν γὰρ ἀκουόντων οἱ μὲν ἀναβαί νουσιν ἵνα διδαχθῶσιν, ἀναβαίνουσιν <δὲ> οὐ πάντως σωματικῶς· <οἱ δὲ> καταβαίνουσι καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἔχουσιν ἄνω, ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὸν λόγον τὸν ἀνωτάτω περὶ τῶν κατωτάτω. αὐτὸς ὁ κύριός μου Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἀναβέβηκε καὶ καταβέβηκεν· «ὁ γὰρ ἀναβὰς αὐτός ἐστι καὶ ὁ καταβὰς αὐτός ἐστιν ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν». ἐάνπερ οὖν καὶ σὺ μέλλῃς τὸν ἀναβάντα ἀνωτάτω νοεῖν τὸν λόγον τὸν περὶ τῶν ἀνωτάτω, τὸν καταβάντα εἰς τὰ κατώτατα συνιέναι τὸν περὶ τῶν κατωτάτω διδάσκοντα, «μὴ εἴπῃς· τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν; τουτέστι Χριστὸν καταγαγεῖν· ἤ· τίς καταβήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον; τουτέστι Χριστὸν [ἀναγαγεῖν. ἢ τίς καταβήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον; τουτέστι Χριστὸν] ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναγαγεῖν. ἀλλὰ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή; ἐγγύς σου τὸ ῥῆμα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου», δι' οὗ ἀναβαίνεις εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀνόδου «ἐγγύς σού ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα», καὶ περὶ τῶν κατωτάτω «ἐγγύς σού ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα»· καὶ τί γὰρ ἀλλ' ἢ τὸν λόγον τὸν πανταχοῦ ὁ ἅγιος δύναται ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ; «ἡ» γὰρ «βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστι». 18.3 Καταβαίνει οὖν ὁ προφήτης