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having taken him, you crucified and slew him by the hands of lawless men. As if saying the very same words as Joseph, which indeed he also said to his brothers: Fear not, for it was not you that sold me, but God sent me here. Then, having said that it was the counsel of God, lest they should say, "Then we did this well," he checks them by what he added, By the hands of lawless men, you crucified and slew him. Here he alludes to Judas; and at the same time shows them, that it was not of their own strength, unless he himself had permitted it and God had delivered him up. For this is what "delivered up" means. Thus he placed the whole crime of the betrayal on the head of Judas; for he delivered him up with the kiss. Therefore he says, "By the hands of lawless men," speaking either of this one, or of the soldiers, indicating, "You did not simply slay him," but, "By lawless men." And observe, how everywhere they are eager for the passion to be confessed first. But the matter of the resurrection, since it was a great thing, he for the time being overshadows, and somehow places it in the middle. For those things were confessed, such as the cross and the death, but the resurrection not yet; wherefore he also speaks of this later, adding: Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Here he hinted at something great and lofty. For the phrase, "It was not possible," shows him also giving himself to be held; and that death itself, holding him, was in pangs and suffered terrible things. For Scripture is everywhere accustomed to call peril "pains of death"; and that he so rose, as to die no more again. Or by saying, "Because it was not possible for him to be held by it," he means this, that his resurrection was not like that of others. Then before their mind could think anything, he brought David before them, destroying all human reasoning. For David, he says, speaks concerning him. And see how again the testimony is lowly; for this reason he also took it up from the very beginning from the lowlier things, that he might show that the death was not one of those things that cause grief. I foresaw the Lord, he says, always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: for you will not leave my soul in hell. Then having completed the prophetic testimony, he adds: Men and brethren. Whenever he is about to say something great, he uses this preface, rousing them and winning them over thereby. Let me, he says, freely speak to you of the patriarch David. Great is the humility; where it did no harm, he condescends. For this very reason he did not say that these things were spoken of Christ, not of David; very wisely, shaming them by the great honor for the blessed David, and concerning what was confessed and seemed to have been spoken daringly, making his appeal to them by the things with which he gently praises him. Wherefore he does not say simply, "Of David," but, "Of the patriarch David," that he both died and was buried. He no longer says, "And he did not rise," but in another way, straightforwardly, presenting the same thing and saying: And his tomb is with us to this day. Then having established what he wished, not even so did he come to Christ, but again with praises of David: Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him. 60.58 B'. And he says these things, so that at least through the honor for him and his lineage they might receive the word about the resurrection; since both the prophecy would be harmed if this were not so, and the honor shown to them. And knowing, he says, that God had sworn with an oath to him. He did not say, "He simply promised," but what was more, "He swore with an oath," Of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, to raise up the Christ, to sit on his throne. See how again he hinted at the lofty thing. For since he had soothed them with his words, taking courage he inserted this from the prophet, and discourses about the resurrection. That his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption. This again is wonderful; for it shows that the resurrection is not like that of others. For it held him, but death did not then work its own will on him. And he spoke of their sin, veiling it, but did not bring on the punishment; but that they had slain him, he declared; but for the rest

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λαβόντες, διὰ χειρῶν ἀνόμων προσπήξαντες ἀνείλετε. Μονονουχὶ τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ λέγων ῥήματα, ἅπερ δὴ κἀκεῖνος ἔλεγε πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς· Μὴ φοβεῖσθε, ὅτι ἀπέδοσθέ με οὐχ ὑμεῖς, ἀλλ' ὁ Θεός με ὧδε ἀπέστειλεν. Εἶτα εἰπὼν, ὅτι βουλὴ Θεοῦ, ἵνα μὴ εἴπωσιν, ἄρα καλῶς τοῦτο ἐποιήσαμεν, συλλογίζεται αὐτοὺς δι' οὗ προσέθηκε, ∆ιὰ χειρῶν ἀνόμων προσπήξαντες ἀνείλετε, Ἐνταῦθα τὸν Ἰούδαν αἰνίττεται· ἅμα δὲ αὐτοῖς δείκνυσιν, ὅτι οὐ τῆς αὐτῶν ἰσχύος ἦν, εἰ μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς συνεχώρησε καὶ ἐξέδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτόν. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ Ἔκδοτον. Οὕτως ὅλον ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ Ἰούδα περιέστησε τὸ ἔγκλημα τοῦ παραδεδωκότος· αὐτὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν παρέδωκε τῷ φιλήματι. Ἢ τοίνυν περὶ τούτου τὸ, ∆ιὰ χειρῶν ἀνόμων, ἢ τῶν στρατιωτῶν λέγει, δηλῶν, ὅτι Οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ἀνείλετε, ἀλλὰ, ∆ιὰ τῶν ἀνόμων ἀνδρῶν. Καὶ θέα, πῶς πανταχοῦ σπουδάζουσι τὸ πάθος ὁμολογηθῆναι πρότερον. Τὰ δὲ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐπεὶ μέγα ἦν, τέως συσκιάζει, καὶ οὕτω πως μέσον αὐτὸ τίθησιν. Ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ ὡμολόγητο, οἷον ὁ σταυρὸς καὶ ὁ θάνατος, ἡ δὲ ἀνάστασις οὔπω· διὸ καὶ ὕστερον περὶ ταύτης φησὶν ἐπάγων· Ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνέστησε λύσας τὰς ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου, καθότι οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν κρατεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. Ἐνταῦθά τι μέγα καὶ ὑψηλὸν ᾐνίξατο. Τὸ γὰρ, Οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν, καὶ αὐτὸν διδόντα ἐμφαίνει κατασχεῖν· καὶ ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς ὤδινε κατέχων αὐτὸν ὁ θάνατος, καὶ τὰ δεινὰ ἔπασχεν. Ὠδῖνα γὰρ θανάτου ἡ Γραφὴ τὸν κίνδυνον πανταχοῦ οἶδε καλεῖν· καὶ ὅτι οὕτως ἀνέστη, ὡς μηκέτι πάλιν ἀποθανεῖν. Ἢ τῷ εἰπεῖν, Καθότι οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν κρατεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, τοῦτο δηλοῦντός ἐστιν, ὅτι οὐ κοινὴ τοῖς ἄλλοις γέγονεν ἡ ἀνάστασις. Εἶτα πρὶν ἤ τι τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ἐννοῆσαι, ἐπέστησεν αὐτοῖς τὸν ∆αυῒδ πάντα λογισμὸν ἀνθρώπινον ἀναιροῦντα. ∆αυῒδ γὰρ, φησὶ, λέγει εἰς αὐτόν. Καὶ ὅρα, πῶς πάλιν ἡ μαρτυρία ταπεινή· διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ ἄνωθεν αὐτὴν ἀνέλαβεν ἀπὸ τῶν ταπεινοτέρων, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι οὐ τῶν λυπούντων ἦν ὁ θάνατος. Προωρώμην, φησὶ, τὸν Κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντὸς, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ· ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾄδου. Εἶτα πληρώσας τὴν μαρτυρίαν τὴν προφητικὴν, ἐπάγει· Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί. Ὅταν μέλλῃ τι λέγειν μέγα, τούτῳ κέχρηται τῷ προοιμίῳ, διεγείρων αὐτοὺς καὶ οἰκειούμενος ἐντεῦθεν. Ἐξὸν εἰπεῖν, φησὶ, μετὰ παῤῥησίας πρὸς ὑμᾶς περὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου ∆αυΐδ. Πολλὴ ἡ ταπεινοφροσύνη· ἔνθα οὐδὲν ἔβλαπτε, συγκαταβαίνει. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἴρηται, οὐ περὶ τοῦ ∆αυΐδ· σφόδρα συνετῶς, τῇ πολλῇ περὶ τὸν μακάριον ∆αυῒδ τιμῇ ἐντρέπων αὐτοὺς, καὶ περὶ τοῦ ὡμολογημένου καὶ ὡς τολμηροῦ δοκοῦντος εἰρῆσθαι, παραιτούμενος αὐτοὺς οἷς ἐγκωμιάζει ἠρέμα. ∆ιὸ καὶ οὐ, Περὶ τοῦ ∆αυῒδ, φησὶν ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ, Περὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου ∆αυῒδ, ὅτι καὶ ἐτελεύτησε καὶ ἐτάφη. Οὐκέτι λέγει, Καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστη, ἀλλ' ἑτέρως ἐξ εὐθείας τὸ αὐτὸ παριστῶν καὶ λέγων· Καὶ τὸ μνῆμα αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν ἄχρι τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης. Εἶτα ὃ ἐβούλετο κατασκευάσας, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν Χριστὸν, ἀλλὰ πάλιν μετ' ἐγκωμίων τῶν τοῦ ∆αυΐδ· Προφήτης οὖν ὑπάρχων, καὶ εἰδὼς, ὅτι ὅρκῳ ὤμωσεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός. 60.58 βʹ. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει, ἵνα κἂν διὰ τὴν εἰς ἐκεῖνον τιμὴν καὶ τὸ γένος δέξωνται τὸν περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως λόγον· ὡς καὶ τῆς προφητείας βλαπτομένης εἰ μὴ τοῦτο εἴη, καὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτοὺς τιμῆς. Καὶ εἰδὼς, φησὶν, ὅτι ὅρκῳ ὤμωσεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐπηγγείλατο ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ὃ πλέον ἦν, Ὅρκῳ ὤμοσε, Ἐκ καρποῦ τῆς ὀσφύος αὐτοῦ τὸ κατὰ σάρκα ἀναστήσειν τὸν Χριστὸν, καθίσαι ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ. Ὅρα τὸ ὑψηλὸν πῶς πάλιν ᾐνίξατο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτοὺς κατεπράϋνε τοῖς λόγοις, θαῤῥῶν τοῦτο παρενέθηκεν τοῦ προφήτου, καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως διαλέγεται. Ὅτι οὔτε ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐγκατελείφθη εἰς ᾅδου, οὔτε ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ εἶδε διαφθοράν. Τοῦτο πάλιν θαυμαστόν· δείκνυσι γὰρ, ὅτι οὐχ ὁμοία τοῖς ἄλλοις ἡ ἀνάστασις. Κατέσχε μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν, οὐκ εἰργάσατο δὲ τὸ αὐτοῦ τότε ὁ θάνατος. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ἁμάρτημα εἶπε συσκιάσας, τὴν δὲ τιμωρίαν οὐκ ἐπήγαγεν· ἀλλ' ὅτι μὲν ἀνεῖλον, ἐδήλωσε· λοιπὸν δὲ