Our Father Among The Saints Cyril Archbishop of Alexandria On The Gospel According To John. Book Iv.

Chapter I. That in nothing is the Son inferior to God the Father, because He is of Him by Nature, although He be said by some to be subject.

38, 39 Because I have come down from heaven, not to do Mine Own Will but the Will of the Father That sent Me. And this is the Will of Him which sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose none of it, but should raise it up at the last day.

This passage will seem hard to a person who considers it superficially , and not far removed from offence regarding the faith, so that they even expect us hence to fall into difficulties hard to be overcome, which come from our opponents. But there is nothing at all hard herein, for all things are plain to them that understand, as it is written, and right to them that find knowledge, that is to those who piously study to interpret and understand the mysteries contained in the Divine Scriptures. In these words then Christ gives us a kind of proof and manifest assurance that he that cometh to Him shall not be cast out. For for this cause (saith He) I came down from Heaven, that is, I became Man according to the good pleasure of God the Father, and refused not to be employed in all but undesired works, until I should attain for them that believe on Me eternal life and the resurrection from the dead, having destroyed the power of death. What then was this that Christ both, willed and willed not ? Dishonour from the Jews, revilings, insults, contumelies, scourgings, spitings, and yet more, false witnesses, and last of all, the death of the Body. These things for our sakes Christ willingly underwent, but if He could without suffering them have accomplished His Desire for us, He would not have willed to suffer. But since the Jews were surely and inevitably going to adventure the things done against Him, He accepts the Suffering, He makes what He willed not His Will, for the value sake of His Passion, God the Father agreeing with Him, and co-approving that He should readily undergo all things for the salvation of all. Herein specially do we see the boundless goodness of the Divine Nature, in that It refuseth not to make that which is spurned, Its choice for our sakes. But that the suffering on the Cross was unwilled by our Saviour Christ, yet willed for our sakes and the Good Pleasure of God the Father, you will hence understand. For when He was about to ascend thereunto, He made His addresses to God, saying, that is, in the form of prayer, Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou. For that in that He is God the Word, Immortal and Incorruptible, and Life Itself by Nature, He could not shudder at death, I think is most clear to all: yet made in Flesh He suffers the Flesh to undergo things proper to it, and permits it to shudder at death when now at its doors, that He may be shewn to be in truth Man; therefore He says, If it be possible, let this Cup pass from Me. If it may be (He says) Father, that I, without suffering death, may gain life for them that have fallen thereinto if death may die without My dying, in the Flesh that is, let this cup (He says) pass from Me; but since it will not take place (He says) otherwise, not as I will, but as Thou. Thou seest how powerless human nature is found, even in Christ Himself, as far as it is concerned: but it is brought back through the Word united with it unto God-befitting undauntedness and is re-trained to noble purpose, so as not to commit itself to what seems good to its own will, but rather to follow the Divine Aim, and readily to run to whatever the Law of its Creator calls us. That we say these things truly, you may learn from that too which is subjoined, For the spirit indeed (He saith) is willing, but the flesh is weak. For Christ was not ignorant that it is very far beneath God-befitting Dignity, to seem to be overcome by death, and to feel the dread of it: therefore He subjoined to what He had said the strongest defence, saying that the flesh was weak, by reason of what befits it and belongs to it by nature; but that the spirit was willing, knowing that it suffered nought that could harm. Seest thou how death was unwilled by Christ, by reason of the Flesh, and the inglory of suffering: yet willed, until He should have brought unto its destined consummation for the whole world the Good Pleasure of the Father, that is, the salvation and life of all? For doth He not truly and indeed signify something of this kind, when He says that this is the Will of the Father, that of those who were brought to Him He should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day? For as we taught before, God the Father in His Love to man brings to Christ as to Life and the Saviour, him that lacketh life and salvation.

But I perceive that I am saying what pleases not the enemy of the truth. For he will by no means agree to the things which we have just said: but will cry out loudly, and will come with his shrill cry, Whither are you leading astray (you sir) our line of thought and are devising intricate inroads of ideas and drawing away the passage from the truth? You blush I suppose (says he) to confess the involuntary subjection of the Son. For is it not hereby also evident to us, that He will never command and bear rule in the management of affairs, but is subject rather to the Will of the Father? For He is conscious of so coming short of Equality with Him, that He is constrained in some sort to make what He wills not His Will, and to do not altogether as seems good to Him, but rather what pleases the Father. And do not tell me (says he) dragging the expression into the Incarnation, It is as Man that He is subject. For lo, as thou seest, He being yet God and bare Word and unentangled with Flesh, came down from Heaven, and before He was at all clothed with the form of a servant, was subject to the Father, i. e., as His Superior and Ruler.

With dread words, good sir, as you surely deem, and swift-coursing exceedingly do you overrun us, yet are they words that go not straight forward but are scared out of the Kings beaten highway; and having left (as the Greek proverb hath it) the carriage-way, you are pressing forward upon precipices and rocks. For vainly do ye maintain against us that the Son obeys the Father, ever speaking as though any of them who deem aright thought that one ought to hold the contrary, and were not rather determined to agree with you herein. For we do not conceive of the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity as ever divided against Itself, or cleft into diverse opinions, or that the Father (may be) or the Son or the Holy Ghost are severed unto what seems good to each individually, but They agree in all things, since of One Godhead, it is clear, One and the Same Will ever existeth, in the Whole Holy Trinity. Away then with a long argument with us hereon, still be the spirit that would wrangle where it least of all should, for since none is indignant thereat, it is superfluous still to press it.

But since ye, accustomed to think and to hold most perverse things, term the Son's agreement with the Will of the Father, subjection of necessity, on this matter we will discuss with you what is right. For if this statement were put forth by you in simplicity, we too would with reason hold our peace, and not too strictly test the agreement of language. But since we see that it is put forth in deep malice, we shall of necessity oppose you, trusting in the Power of the Holy Ghost, and not to our own words. For not absolutely, nor simply as His rule of conduct, nor yet for every action did. the Son affirm that He did not wholly and entirely hold by His Own Will, but He says that He kept His Father's Will in one definite act, on account of thy wresting of words (as I conceive) providing as God for our security. But He endured what He would not, and for our sakes made it His Will; I mean His Suffering upon the Cross, since so it was well-pleasing unto His Father, as we have said before. And one may see the proof straightway laid down, and the principle evidently set before us, on which (as Himself says) He left His Own Will, and fulfils the Father's. For this (He saith) is the Will of the Father that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day. And that the Suffering on the Cross was really unwilled alike and willed by the Only Begotten, hath been clearly stated before. But we shall state it again hereafter with more accurate proofs, simplifying the truth to our readers. But I will proceed first to the examination of the subjection alleged by you, it being previously laid down and unhesitatingly confessed by you, that the Wills of the Holy Trinity ever coincide into one Will and Purpose. Let those subtle disputers tell us then, whether in the name and fact of subjection the Being of the Son consists, and this is His Nature, in the same way for instance as humanity belongs to a man, or whether He, existing before in His Own Proper Mode, is subject to the Father, as one might conceive of an angel for instance, or any other reasonable power. For these things, being and existing, are recipient of the mode of subjection.

If then ye say that the Being of the Son consists in His being subject to the Father, He will be a subjection rather and not a Son. How then (tell me) will ye not be manifest triflers? for how can this subjection be conceived to exist of itself without having its being in any of the things that are? For such things are usually the accidents of the necessarily pre-existing subjects wherein they are wont to be, and not otherwise: and are viewed as belonging to substances, or befalling them, rather than having any existence in themselves. And as lust for instance, which calls and impels us to any thing, has no existence in itself, but is conceived rather in him who is recipient thereof: so subjection pointing at some sway of the will to the duty of subjection to any, will not be conceived of in its own nature, but will rather be as passion, or will, or desire, in some one of the things that are. Besides the name and fact of subjection spoken absolutely will not be conceived of as properly predicated of any one, nor will one know whether it be good or bad, unless it be added to whom the subjection is: for a man is subject to God, but also to the devil. And as the name wise is a mean term (for some are wise to do evil, and again the wise shall inherit glory, having clearly their wisdom in good things), so too subjection is a kind of mean term, and not a truth definitely expressed, for it is quite uncertain to whom the subjection is. Hence also, the Nature of the Son is left in uncertainty, if It be conceived of as (according to you) a subjection. For a subjection to what, if no one were brought forward, one could not say without falsehood. But that the subjection will not exist of itself, in its own mode of being, we bringing forward some grosser and more obvious reasoning in regard to things already made, shall see: and do thou accept a demonstration besides. For if we grant that the being of a man (for example) consists in his being subject, we shall consider that his not existing consists in his not being subject. How then was it said by the Psalmist to some one, as being indeed and existing, but not yet subjected, Submit thee to the Lord, and entreat Him? Seest thou then how utterly foolish it is to suppose that subjection has any existence in itself? One must then of necessity confess that the Son was and existed previously in His Own Nature, and so say that He was subject to the Father. What then (tell me) is there to constrain that He Who is of the Essence of His Father, the Exact Impress of His Nature, should fall from His Equality with Him, on account of His being obedient? For We who think and speak rightly, know that He is con-substantial with the Father, and give Him Equal Honour in all respects, and consider that in nought does He come short of God-befitting Divinity: but do Thou see in what manner thou canst thrust away from Equal honour with the Father on account of the alleged subjection Him who enjoys equal goods by reason of Identity of Essence.

But this very thing (says he) will make for our side of the argument, namely that the Son is obedient to the Father, and doth not overmuch consider His Own Will, but yields rather to that of the Father, as above Him and greater than He.

But this very thing according to your own word sir, which you think will aid your argument, you will find to be nothing but the fruit of your own unlearning. For if we were disputing, which was superior in dignity, and had the greater glory, your ever-repeated argument would even then scarce seem to have any seasonable ground. But since the mode of consubstantiality is being examined into, how shall ye not be caught in no slight folly attributing to God the Father superiority therein over His own offspring? For the terms 'greater' or 'less' or the like, we do not allow to be strictly essences (as we said of subjection) but they are something external, and qualities of essences. For that which already pre-existed and is, will be recipient (it may be) of 'greater ' or ' less ' by comparison with another thing: but if there is nought before it or pre-existent, in respect to which such things would happen, how will they exist by themselves, albeit conceived of and defined under the class of accidents? Hence in telling us of greater or less ye do not touch the Essence of the Only-Begotten, nor yet That of the Father, but only with external excellences or short-comings, embellish (as ye suppose) the Father and revile the Son, although ye hear Him openly crying aloud, He that honoureth not the Son neither doth he honour the Father, and that all men ought to honourthe Son even as they honour the Father. For that things which can no way be severed into foreign alieniety, but have one and the same essence must be endowed with equal glory, Christ most excellently teaches in that He accepteth not to receive testimony to Himself from men, as Himself said, but came forward as Himself unto Himself a witness credible and more worthy than all that are. And He being by Nature Truth will surely say true, as one may prove from the very quality of things. For you will probably grant that the 'greater' or 'less' belong not to the very essence of ought but to the things in respect of their essence. For instance, a man will not be greater or less than another man, in respect of his being conceived of and called a man: for neither is man less than man qua man, neither is he greater than man, qua man: for the count of nature is seen to be equal in all. And the same method of reasoning will hold, of angels too, or any thing else that is made and enrolled among creation. Therefore such things are found to be utterly without place in regard to the essences themselves, but are the accidents of the essences, or of what belongs to the essences, as we have delivered above. How then will the Father be greater than the Son, God by Nature than God by Nature? For the Son having been begotten of Him, will surely compel you, even against your own will, to grant Him Con-substantiality with Him.

It having been premised then, and unhesitatingly admitted that the Son is by Nature God, let us consider if you please, whether by paying Him equal Honour with Him of Whom He is, we shall confer honour upon the Begetter, or shall do the reverse, by insulting with less and inferior honour the Begotten, as is really and more truly the case. For it is the glory of the Father to have begotten one, such as Himself is by Nature. But the exact contrary will befall (for it is not meet to utter it), if the Son retain not the natural condition befitting Him, having inferiority either in glory or in ought else that should belong to Him, in order to be through all things manifested the All-Perfect and Very God. If then He, being thus by Nature, honour the Father, mock not thereat, O man, nor be found guilty of ignorantly finding fault, where there is least occasion for it. For it were meet (I suppose) to admire Him for this too that He honours and loves His Father: for every species of virtue has, as its source and root, the Essence that is above all; in It first good things have their rise, and flow down to us, who are made after Its Image. Wherefore us too the Lawgiver bade to honour, as was due, father and mother, yea and annexed the most noble rewards thereto (for he knew, I suppose, that it was a thing most great, and so far removed from all reproach, as to be even the giver of long-enduring life). As then We by being subject to and obeying our parents, are not rendered other in nature than they, but being as they are men of men, and having and keeping the definition of manhood perfect, we practise obedience as an excellent virtue; so conceive in respect of the Father and the Son. For He being what He is, God of God, Perfect of Perfect, Exact Impress of the Essence of His Father, thinketh nought else than He too thinketh, Whose both counsel and Word He is; and will wholly will the same as the Father, compelled by the same laws (so to say) of consubstantiality, to co-will all good things together with the Father.

Be no wise offended then, O man, when thou hearest Him say, I have come down from Heaven, not to do Mine own Will, but the Will of Him that sent Me. For what we said at the beginning, this we will say again. Christ said this of a definite and plain matter. For He saith these words, teaching that He willed to die for all because the Divine Nature had so counselled, but willed it not by reason of the Sufferings on the Cross, and as far as pertained to the flesh which deprecates death. And we have already expended many words: but it is convenient that we should see from the very nature of things that the suffering on the Cross was unwilled by Christ, in that He was Man. We say then that it was a work of Jewish folly, that Christ should be crucified at all, and this was immediately to happen from them, who were not unpractised in boldness hereunto by means of what they had already done both to the holy Prophets, and the saints who were at that time. But since no otherwise was it possible to raise again unto life that which had fallen into death, unless the Only Begotten Word of God became Man, and it was wholly needful that made Man, He should suffer ; He made what He willed not, His Will, the Divine Nature having permitted this from Love to us.

For the Artificer of all things, Wisdom, i. e., the Son, made that which was a machination of devilish perversity, I mean His Death in the Flesh;----this He made a way of salvation to us and a door of life, and the devil's hopes were overturned, and he learned at last by experience, that hard is it for him to fight against God. The Divine Psalmist too seems to agree with what I have said of these things, and to hint at something of this sort, when he says, as of Christ and the devil, in his net shall he humble him. For the devil laid death as a net for Christ, but in his own net itself has he been humbled. For in the Death of Christ was death undone, and the tyrant who thought not to fall was brought to nought. And it were not hard to add much more to these things: but what is before us, that will we say. If the Death of Christ were not really and truly the work of Jewish wills, and the fruit of their unholy daring, but the Divine Judgment were (as some deem) the sole leading spring thereto: how needed it not that that which was determined upon should of necessity be accomplished and surely by the hands of men, and not otherwise? How then (tell me) would they who subserved the irrevocable decrees of God be yet justly punished? and how would that miserable man, through whom Christ was betrayed, have been in better case, if he had not been born? For if the Passion be conceived of as willed by the Saviour, and not unwilled in any other sense, what penalty would he reasonably pay, who was set forth minister of his Lord's Will, and of things which should surely come to pass? will it not be evident to all, that the things which seem good unto the Divine and Ineffable Nature, must surely come to pass, and be done by some? From these things and many more one may see that since the Son of Man hath come down from Heaven to undergo death for all men, willing alike was He and unwilling, in order that He might raise up all at the last day, since so it pleased the Father Himself for the good of all: but He will not on these accounts that He be conceived of, as by any means of a different nature or in ought inferior to Him who begat Him.

I suppose then that our opponent will at length blush, and not gainsay our words on this point: but if he again oppose and have settled that it is fit to wrangle yet more, I say thus, If the Son hath come down from heaven not to fulfil His Own Will, as Himself says, but the Will of the Father; and our words on the just concluded consideration thereof, haply please thee not: must not one say that Their Wills are in opposition, and that Their Counsel is divided contrarily? But this is clear to all. For if there were no hindrance, the Will in Both would be perforce wholly One: but if He put forward His Will as it were diverse from the Will of the Father, and fulfil that, how is it not foolish to say that they are One, and not other in respect of other?

Let us see then wherein is the Will of the Father; for so shall we discern the other also, whereto it tends. The Will of the Father then, as the Saviour Himself hath said, is that of all which He hath given Him He should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last Day. And that it is good and loving none will gainsay: but transferring our considerations to the opposing will of the Son, we shall find it neither loving nor good at all, but savouring of what is wholly contrary to the Father, and willing neither to save us, nor yet to raise us up from death. How then is He yet the Good Shepherd, how gave He us a token of the Loving-kindness that is in Him, in giving His Life for us? For if He hath come down from heaven to accomplish this of voluntary Purpose, how doth He fulfil not His Own Will in not destroying that which, is brought to Him, but in raising it up at the last Day? But if this was not His Will, but He subserves rather the Will of the Father, both in raising up and saving, i. e., those who were lost and overmastered of death, how shall we not be true in asserting that the Son is neither Good nor in any way Loving to man? Let the Christ-opposer then have done: his doubt being convicted on all sides of blasphemy, and let him not bay at us concerning these things with his bitter words.

40 For this is the Will of My Father, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last Day.

Having now defined the good Will of the Father, He makes it clear, and sets it forth more at large for the consideration of the hearers, through repeating it yet again. For what the mode of bringing is, and what any gain from being brought, He clearly explains. The Father then giveth to the Son Who hath Power to quicken them, things lacking life, He giveth thus, through knowledge inserting in each one, the true apprehension of the Son, and power to understand purely that He is God of Very God the Father, that he thus minded, and adorned with contemplations hereto belonging, may be brought to the reward of faith, that is a lasting and endless life in bliss. The Father then bringeth to the Son by knowledge and God-befitting Contemplation, those to whom He decreed the Divine grace. The Son receiveth and quickeneth them, and engrafting His Own Good into them who are of their own nature apt to decay, and shedding upon them as a spark of fire the life-giving Power of the Spirit, re-formeth them whole wholly unto immortality. But when thou hearest, that the Father brings them, and that the Son gives the power of living anew to them that run to Him, do not go off into absurd fancies, as though Each were supposed to do Individually and severally what belongs by fitness of Nature unto Each, but rather understand that the Father is Co-worker with the Son, and likewise the Son with the Father, and that our salvation and recovery from death to life is the Work (so to say) of the Whole Holy Trinity. And know that the Father is sufficient unto all might and need, and likewise the Son, and the Holy Ghost: but through the Whole Holy Trinity come the good things to usward, and God the Father is found all things in all Entirely through the Son in the Spirit.

We must nevertheless observe this also, that great is found to be the value of belief in the Son. For it hath life as its reward. But if God the Father is known in Him Who is Son by Nature, who will endure any longer them who exclude Him from the Essence of the Father, and have a mouth unbarred to blasphemy against Him? For wherein He says He can raise again to life that which has fallen into death, in these same words, without any distinction intervening, He mounts up to Identity of Nature with the Father. For quickening is a work proper to life, and since the Father is by Nature Life, Life surely will He too be conceived Who is of Him by Nature, i. e., the Only-Begotten.

41 The Jews then began murmuring at Him, because He said, I am the Bread which came down from heaven,

Again are they angry who of those things which are spoken by Christ understand no whit: and herein may be especially seen the uninstructed mind. For not being able to grasp the ideas, whereby they might (it is like) be trans-made unto the better, they end in unseasonable littleness of soul. For shall not we find what has been said true in respect of the Jews themselves? for why are they angry? what reason called them thereto? why do they murmur? Albeit they ought rather to have applied a more diligent mind to what was said, and from the very deeds wrought to have considered the truth, and by the miraculousness of what had been accomplished, to have come to most tried knowledge, whether Christ would lie, in calling Himself Bread, and Bread Which had come downfrom heaven, or whether He was true, and it was really so. For in this way might they by judging aright be led easily unto the discovery of what was profitable for them: but without any enquiry they are angry, although, in what had already passed, Christ had shewn Himself the true and Very Bread of Life, contrasting Himself with the manna, which was given typically and in shadow, to their fathers in the wilderness. For he that cometh to Me (He says) shall never hunger: whereas they who eat of that manna, obtained some little and easily-lost fleshly enjoyment; but they who come to Him by faith will not attain unto an enjoyment like theirs, but will rather have a harvest of the lasting grace of the blessing.

The mind of the Jews therefore stumbles, looking only to earthly things: and this it was that was sung of them, Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back alway, that they never turning them to the knowledge of the Divine Mysteries, may evil evilly perish on account of their own folly, and their most unbridled unbelief. And we calling to mind what is in the writings of Moses, shall find, that murmuring against the most excellent and good was inherent in the Jews as a sort of patrimony: but bitter its end, did experience shew both of old in the case of those and now no less with these. For those did murmur in the wilderness, and make unthankful outcry against God, but were destroyed of serpents, as the wise Paul too testified: and these murmur against Christ, and insult their Lawgiver and Redeemer by their so prolonged unbelief, but command shall be given to the serpent, and he shall bite them, as it is written: and they shall be set as a banquet before the all-devouring beast: for ever doth unbelief of necessity terminate in an all-grievous end.

42 and said, Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph, Whose father and mother We know? how is it then that He saith, I have come down from heaven?

O deep unlearning, and understanding darkened with unmixed strong drink: the heart of this people is waxen fat, as it is written. For indeed they perceive not a whit of those things which they ought clearly to understand, and both think and speak things worthy of laughter. For they ought rather, exercising themselves in the writing of the all-wise Moses, and delighting themselves in the preachings of the holy Prophets to have considered, that not without flesh or bodily array was Christ expected to come to us, but in human form was it foretold that He would appear and that He should be found in this common garb of all. Therefore does the Prophet's voice tell us that the holy Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son: and the Lord is found to have sworn in truth unto blessed David, which He promised He would no wise turn from, that of the fruit of his body would He set upon His throne, as it is written: it was foretold too that there should come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse. But they rushing into so great unreason, perceive it not, supposing that since they knew the mother after the flesh of Him Who was foreannounced to come with Flesh, they ought therefore utterly to disbelieve that He had come down from heaven. For even though we do not find that this took place in regard of the Body, yet the Divine Word dwelt in His Body from the Virgin, as in His Own Temple, having come from above from the Father unto us, and for the salvation of all laid hold on the seed of Abraham that in all things He might he made like unto His brethren, and might call the nature of man unto sonship with God, being declared alike God and Man. But the Jews not understanding the economy with Flesh of our Saviour Christ, from knowing His mother and father, though he was not His father, are not ashamed of being annoyed, because Christ said He came down from heaven.

In this too ariseth to us an example of no small profit: for hence we learn in respect to ourselves, that it will do us much harm, if we do not rather with the spiritual eyes of the heart consider the virtue that dwells in the saints, and look on the glory that is hidden in them, but on account of the frequent meanness of bodily appearance hold of no value what is great before God and precious. Thus God says of the Saints in the prophets, speaking of all in the person of one, Blessed is the man that trusteth in the. Lord, and the Lord shall be his hope and he shall be as a tree vigorous by the water-side, and shall throw forth his root in moist ground, in the year of drought he shall not be afraid and shall not cease from yielding fruit. Deep is the heart above all things, and there is a man and who shall know him? I the Lord Who search the heart, who try the reins. When then We in our arrogance depreciate him that is known of God, and admirable for the above-mentioned virtues, looking only to the outward-shewing and perishable flesh, and making meanness of body an excuse for littleness of soul towards him, how shall we not be found to be contrary-minded to the King of all, and so incur no slight doom, sometimes calling what is high low, and putting light for darkness, and sweet for bitter?

We must therefore keep to the saints the honour befitting them, and must look at them rather through their inward hidden glory, than what they are in the flesh. Yet most of us cannot bear to think that which is low in the world worthy at all of honour or of any glory, even though he be renowned in virtue, but looking only to the aggrandisement of riches, and beholding the perishable and even now dying glory with no righteous eyes, make no account of right judgment. Such with great reason does the disciple of the Saviour laugh to scorn, saying, Ye hypocrites, if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, then ye tell (he saith) the rich man to sit in an honourable place, and the poor, Stand thou there or sit under my footstool, are ye not partial in yourselves? Albeit it is meet hence to observe, to how reasonable a charge they become obnoxious who admire a man for external surroundings, and not for internal goods. For riches and the glory of riches, bring in (I suppose) some foreign and factitious glory to their possessors; but the glory in the heart, and the renown of good works, will be a genuine and native riches to the holders, not abiding with the flesh and. decaying with it, but dwelling with the soul while yet abiding in this life, and removing with it on its departure, whithersoever the Ruler of all shall appoint. For many the mansions with the Father, as we heard.

We must not then honour altogether or of necessity him that is renowned for wealth, and gilt over with the petty glories of earth as in a picture, but rather them to whom the splendour of their deeds begets unfading renown from God, and their inward beauty flashes on them glorified with every form of good things.

43, 44 Jesus answered and said unto them Murmur not among yourselves; no man can come to Me, except the Father Which sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last Day.

The Jews look down upon Jesus, ignorant that His Father is in heaven, and in nowise acknowledging that He is by Nature Son of the Lord of all, but looking only to His earthly mother and Joseph. Wherefore He replies more warmly to them, and immediately to their profit hastens back to His very God-befitting Dignity, and whereby He knows as God both their secret murmuring and that which has gone up into their mind, through these very things He gives them to understand that they have fallen from the truth, and formed an exceeding mean conception of Him. For how was it not rather their duty to crown with now God-befitting Honour, Him Who throughly knows the hearts, and tries the motions that are in the mind, and is ignorant of no device that is in their souls, and to exalt Him as far above the littleness of man, as God is higher than the earth? He unveiling therefore the thought buried in yet unuttered blame, and making manifest the secretly whispered murmuring in them, for the reason already specified, says, Murmur not among yourselves: then shewing that the Mystery concerning Himself was a God-taught good in men, and the knowledge of Him a work of the grace from above, He says that they cannot attain unto Him, save drawn by the teaching of the Father. But this is the plan of one whose only aim is to persuade them to consider, that they ought, weeping and sorrowing for those things wherein they had already grieved Him, to seek to be made free, and to be drawn unto salvation through faith in Him, through the Counsel of the Father, and the aid from above which lighteneth to them the way and maketh it smooth, which when they sinned, had become exceedingly rugged. Profitably did He confirm the promise that He would raise from the dead him that believeth, and hereby again proves to the senseless ones that He is God by Nature and Very. For that which has the power of quickening, and of compelling to return to life him that is overmastered by death, will rightly appertain to the Nature of God only, and be ascribed to no one of things originate. For quickening is a property of the Living, and not of him who receives that grace from another.

45 It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.

Perceiving as God the folly existing in His hearers, He leaves not this His Word without witness, but shews already that He was of old fore-announced and fore-proclaimed by the holy Prophets, both taking away aforehand occasion from those who imagined that they ought to gainsay Him, and at the same time laying bare no less the unlearning that was in them, in that they were unable to see this, albeit instructed by the law unto the understanding of things to come. He persuades them therefore to consent even against their wills: for it was not likely that they would withstand the voices of the holy Prophets, that God the Father would instil the Mystery of Himself in those who were worthy, and would reveal His Own Son, ineffably speaking to each, and in God-befitting way implanting understanding thereof.

But having said above, No man can come to Me, except the Father Which sent Me draw him, He shews that it is not a compulsory nor forcible drawing, adding,  

Every man that hath heard of My Father and hath learned, cometh unto Me.

For where there is hearing and learning and the benefit of instruction, there is faith, to wit by persuasion and not of necessity: and the knowledge of Christ is given by the Father to them that are worthy, helpful as of love, rather than constraining. For the word of doctrine requires that free-will and free choice be preserved to the soul of man, in order that it may ask the just rewards of its good deeds, and if it have fallen from right, and from heedlessness have transgressed the Will of the Lawgiver, it may receive the doom of its transgression and that most reasonable.

But we must know that even though the Father be said to instruct any in the Mystery of Christ, yet He will not work alone to this end, but will rather effect it through His Wisdom, i. e., the Son. For it is convenient to consider, that not without Wisdom will the revelation to their understanding be given to any from the Father. But the Son is the Wisdom of the Father. By means of Wisdom therefore will the Father effect the revelation of His Own Offspring in them that are worthy. And in fact to speak the whole truth, and nothing else, one would not do wrong in saying that all the operations of God the Father toward any, or His Will toward them, are those of the Whole Holy Trinity, similarly also are those of the Son Himself, and those of the Holy Ghost. For this reason, as I suppose, when God the Father is said to reveal His Own Son, and to call to Him those who are more apt to believe, the Son Himself is found doing this, and no less the Holy Ghost. For the Saviour says to the blessed Peter, who had most courageously made confession of faith in Him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood revealed it not unto thee, but My Father Which is in heaven. But in other instances He Himself is seen, doing this. And full well doth Paul boast as to himself, crying out concerning the Mystery of Christ, For I neither received it of men, neither was I taught but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. And you will see that the Holy Ghost no less reveals Christ to us. And verily the most wise John writes, And Ye, the anointing which ye received of Him abideth in you, and. ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things: and the Saviour Himself saith of the Paraclete, that is, the Spirit, I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now: but, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you in all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, He shall speak: and He will declare you things to come. He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine and shall tell it unto you; for being the Spirit of Truth, He will enlighten them in whom He is, and will lead them unto the apprehension of the truth. And this we say, not as severing into diversity and making wholly separate, either the Father from the Son, or the Son from the Father, nor yet the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son, but since One Godhead truly Is, and is thus preached as viewed in the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, the Acts belonging to Each, and which seem to be attributed to Them severally, are defined to be the Will and Operation of the Whole Godhead. For the Divine and Unsevered Nature will work through Itself, in no divided way, so far as pertains to the one count of Godhead, although Each hath Personal Existence: for the Father is What He is, and the Son likewise, and the Holy Ghost. We must besides note this also: that things which point to ought by names, are recognised in either, and one may see the one pointed out in the other. Therefore needs is there that the Son be revealed through the Father, through the Son again the Father. For Each is surely introduced with the Other, and if any know that God is by Nature Father, he will full surely conceive of the Son That is begotten of Him; and just so the reverse. For he who confesses the Son will not deny the Father.

Therefore in that God is Father, and is so conceived of and proclaimed, He implants the knowledge of His Own Son in His hearers: in that the Son is said to be, and is in truth, of Him by Nature, He proclaims the Father: therefore He says, as to Him, I manifested Thy Name to the men. For since the Son was known by them that believed, He says that the Father's Name has been made manifest. But God the Father will be conceived of as having implanted in us the knowledge of His Own Offspring not by a voice breaking forth from above, and resounding round the earth like thunder, but by the Divine Illumination shining forth as it were in us, to the understanding of the Divinely-inspired Scripture: but unto this again you will find the Son a co-Worker in us; for it is written of the holy Disciples, Then opened He their eyes, to the understanding, that is, the holy Scriptures.

46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father.

Having foreseen as God, that they would no wise receive the revelation through the Spirit, nor would take in the Wisdom from above in its illuminations, but would reject out of much ill-advisedness the very duty of seeing the Father and (so to say) of being instructed by very Vision of God, which as they supposed was once the case with their fathers, when the glory of God came down upon the mount Sinai: He first draws them back, and turns them as with a bridle to the duty of not having a gross conception of God, and of not supposing that the Invisible Nature will ever be visible: for no one (saith He) hath seen the Father at any time. But probably He was hinting at the hierophant Moses: for the Jews, in this also thinking very foolishly, supposed on account of his entering the thick darkness, that he saw the Ineffable Nature of God, and beheld with the bodily eyes, that which is by Nature the Untaint Beauty. But lest by saying anything more openly respecting the all-wise Moses, He should seem to be urging them to their wonted state of mind, He says indefinitely of all alike, and as of him, Not that any man hath seen the Father. Do not (says He) demand what is above nature, nor be ye borne in senseless course to that which is unattainable by all things that are made. For the Divine and Incomprehensible Nature hath retired and is withdrawn not from our eyes only, but also from those of the whole creation: for in the word No one, He comprehendeth all things, and in declaring that He Alone is of God, and hath seen the Father, He putteth Himself outside of all, whereof the 'no one' may be understood declarative. But since He is apart from all, and while none hath seen the Father, He Alone misseth not the seeing Him, how shall He not henceforth be conceived of, not among all, as one of them, but external to all, as above all? And if, whereas all things are said to be of God, and none seeth the Father (for all things are of God, as Paul saith), He Alone seeth the Father because He is of God: deeming aright we shall understand the words Of God, to be of the Essence of the Father, in respect of Him Alone. For if it be not so, why, as we said before, since all things are said to be of God, doth He Alone attain unto the Sight of Him That begat Him because He is of God? Wherefore it will be less accurately said of created things (for all things are of God by creation in that they are brought into being by Him): but of the Son, in another and truer sense will His being of God, be demonstrated, as being of Him by Nature. Wherefore He, not numbered among the all, but being external to all, and above all with the Father, will not share the infirmity of all, in that He is excepted from affinity with them, but mounting up unto the Nature of Him that begat Him, will surely see Him from Whom He is.

But how or in what manner, either He beholds the Father, or is seen of the Father, it pertains not to our tongue to say: we must nevertheless conceive of it in a God-befitting manner,  

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.

Faith therefore is the door and way unto life, and return from corruption unto incorruption. But herein no less is the economy a marvel to the learners: for when He perceived that they understood nothing at all, and saw that they did not suppose they ought to give any credence even to the words of the Prophets, He cuts off, as far as possible, their weakness unto faith by human arguments, by an oath to its truth. For setting before them which believe much to be envied prizes, with their longing desire for these as with traces. He all but constrains them against their will, and persuades them to come to what is proclaimed to them. For what would be more precious than eternal life, to them to whom death and the sufferings from decay are bitter? And this too will beseem a wise teacher, to re-instruct unto the better, by every way (I say) that invites unto life, them who have chosen to think foolishly. But He, being Eternal Life, promises to give Himself to them that believe: that is, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.  

ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΚΥΡΙΛΛΟΥ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΑΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ. ΒΙΒΛΙΟΝ ΤΕΤΑΡΤΟΝ. ΚΕΦΑΛΗ Α. Ὅτι κατ' οὐδὲν ἐλάττων τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱὸς, διὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχειν, κἂν ὑποτάττεσθαι λέγηται παρὰ τινῶν.
« Ὅτι καταβέβηκα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με Πατρός. τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶν ὁ δέδωκέ μοι, μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. » ΔΟΞΕΙΕΝ μὲν ἄν τῳ κατὰ τὸ πρόχειρον σχῆμα δυσχερὴς ὁ λόγος, καὶ σκανδάλου τοῦ περὶ τὴν πίστιν οὐ λίαν ἀπηλλαγμένος, ὡς ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη προσδοκᾶν δυσκαταγωνίστοις ἡμᾶς περιπεσεῖσθαι προβλήμασι τοῖς ἐκ τῶν δι' ἐναντίας. ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ὅλως ἐν τούτῳ τὸ χαλεπὸν, “Πάντα ” γὰρ ἐνώπια τοῖς συνιοῦσι, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, καὶ ὀρθὰ “τοῖς εὑρίσκουσι γνῶσιν,” τουτέστι τοῖς εὐσεβῶς μελετήσασι διερμηνεύειν τε καὶ νοεῖν τὰ ἐν ταῖς θείαις γραφαῖς μυστήρια. ἀπόδειξιν τοίνυν ὥσπερ τινὰ καὶ πληροφορίαν ἐναργῆ τοῦ μὴ ἐκβληθήσεσθαι ἔξω τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἐν τούτοις ἡμῖν τοῖς λόγοις ποιεῖται Χριστός. ταύτης γὰρ δή τοι, φησὶν, ἕνεκα τῆς αἰτίας κατέβην ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, τουτέστιν, ἄνθρωπος γέγονα κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, μόνον δὲ οὐχὶ καὶ ἀβουλήτοις ὁμιλῆσαι πράγμασιν οὐ παρῃτησάμην, ἄχρις ἂν ἐξανύσαιμι τοῖς εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύουσι τὴν αἰώνιον ζωὴν καὶ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναβίωσιν, καταργήσας τοῦ θανάτου τὸ κράτος. τί δὲ ἦν ἄρα τὸ ἀνεθέλητόν τε καὶ θελητὸν τῷ Χριστῷ; ἡ παρὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀτιμία, λοιδορίαι καὶ ὕβρεις καὶ αἰκίαι καὶ μάστιγες καὶ ἐμπτύσματα, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἔτι συκοφαντίαι, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ἐφ' ἅπασιν, ὁ τῆς σαρκὸς θάνατος. ταῦτα μὲν γὰρ δι' ἡμᾶς ἑκὼν ὑπέμεινεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλ' εἴπερ ἐνεδέχετο μὴ παθόντα κατορθοῦν τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν σπουδαζόμενον, οὐκ ἂν ἠθέλησε παθεῖν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ πάντως τε καὶ ἀπαραιτήτως ἔμελλον Ἰουδαῖοι κατατολμᾶν τὰ ἐπ' αὐτῷ γεγονότα, καταδέχεται τὸ παθεῖν, ποιεῖται δὲ θελητὸν τὸ ἀνεθέλητον, διὰ τὰ ἐκ τοῦ πάθους χρήσιμα, συνευδοκοῦντος αὐτῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, καὶ χρῆναι πάντα προθύμως ὑπενεγκεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁπάντων σωτηρίας συγκατανεύοντος. ἐν γὰρ δὴ τούτῳ μάλιστα τὴν ἄμετρον τῆς θείας φύσεως ἀγαθότητα κατοψόμεθα, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸ δι' ἡμᾶς αἱρετὸν ποιεῖσθαι τὸ ἀπόβλητον οὐ παραιτουμένης. ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀνεθέλητον μέν πως ἐστι τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάθος, θελητὸν δὲ δι' ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, συνήσεις ἐντεῦθεν. μέλλων γὰρ ἀναβαίνειν ἐπ' αὐτὸν, τὰς πρὸς Θεὸν ἐποιεῖτο διαλέξεις, ὡς ἐν προσευχῆς δηλονότι σχήματι λέγων “Πάτερ, εἰ δυνατὸν, παρελθέτω ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο: ” πλὴν οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω, ἀλλ' ὡς σύ:“ ὅτι μὲν γὰρ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος ἀθάνατός τε καὶ ἀδιάφθορος, καὶ αὐτὸ κατὰ φύσιν ζωὴ, καταπτήσσειν οὐκ ᾔδει τὸν θάνατον, πᾶσιν οἶμαι προδηλότατον: ἐπιτρέπει γεμὴν ὡς ἐν σαρκὶ γεγονὼς ὑπομένειν τὰ ἴδια τῇ σαρκὶ, καὶ γεγονότα λοιπὸν ἐπὶ θύραις ὑποπτήσσειν τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα φαίνηται κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἄνθρωπος: διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ” Εἰ δυνατὸν, παρελθέτω ἀπ' “ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο.” εἰ ἐνδέχεται, φησὶν, ὦ Πάτερ, μὴ παθόντα τὸν θάνατον κατορθῶσαι τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν πεσοῦσι τὴν ζωὴν, εἰ ἀποθνήσκει θάνατος μὴ τεθνεῶτος ἐμοῦ, κατὰ τὴν σάρκα δὲ δηλονότι, παροιχέσθω, φησὶ, τὸ ποτήριον: πλὴν ἐπειδήπερ οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο, φησὶν, ἑτέρως, οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω, ἀλλ' ὡς σύ. ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἀτονοῦσα μὲν πάλιν ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Χριστῷ, τὸ ὅσον εἰς ἑαυτὴν, εὑρίσκεται: ἀνακομίζεται δὲ διὰ τοῦ ἑνωθέντος αὐτῇ Λόγου πρὸς εὐτολμίαν θεοπρεπῆ, καὶ εἰς φρόνημα νεανικὸν μεταπαιδεύεται, ὡς μὴ τοῖς ἰδίοις τὸ δοκοῦν ἐπιτρέψαι θελήμασιν, ἀλλὰ σκοπῷ μᾶλλον ἀκολουθεῖν τῷ θείῳ, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τρέχειν ἐπείγεσθαι, πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν ἡμᾶς ὁ τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἀνακαλῇ νόμος. ὅτι δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτά φαμεν ἀληθεύοντες, καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ μαθήσῃ τοῦ συνεζευγμένου “Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ” πνεῦμα, φησὶ, πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενής:“ οὐ γὰρ ἠγνόησε Χριστὸς, ὅτι τῆς θεοπρεποῦς ἀξίας πολὺ δὴ λίαν ἀπελιμπάνετο, τὸ δοκεῖν ἡττᾶσθαι θανάτῳ καὶ τῆς ἀπ' αὐτοῦ δειλίας αἰσθάνεσθαι: διὰ τοῦτο θερμοτάτην τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐπήνεγκε τὴν ἀπολογίαν: ἠσθενηκέναι μὲν γὰρ τὴν σάρκα διὰ τὸ αὐτῇ πρέπον καὶ φύσει προσὸν εἰπών: πρόθυμον δ' οὖν ὅμως ὑπάρχειν τὸ πνεῦμα, τὸ παθεῖν οὐδὲν τῶν ἀδικούντων εἰδός: ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἀβούλητος τῷ Χριστῷ διά τε τὴν σάρκα καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ πάθους ἀδοξίαν ὁ θάνατος ἦν: θελητὸς δ' οὖν ὅμως, ἄχρις ἂν εἰς αἴσιον διεξάγηται πέρας τῷ κόσμῳ παντὶ τὸ ἐν εὐδοκίᾳ τοῦ Πατρὸς, τουτέστιν, ἡ πάντων σωτηρία καὶ ζωή; ἢ γὰρ οὐχὶ πάντως δήπου καὶ ἀληθῶς τὸ τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν κατασημαίνων ὁρᾶται, τοῦτο λέγων εἶναι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἵνα τῶν προσαγομένων ἀπολέσῃ μηδὲν, ἀλλ' ἀναστήσῃ αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ; ὡς γὰρ ἤδη φθάσαντες προεδιδάξαμεν, ὡς ζωῇ καὶ Σωτῆρι τῷ Χριστῷ, τὸν ζωῆς καὶ σωτηρίας ἐπιδεᾶ προσκομίζει φιλάνθρωπος ὢν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατήρ. Ἀλλ' αἰσθάνομαι πάλιν ἀπᾴδοντα λέγων τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρῷ. συγκατανεύσει μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἀρτίως ἡμῖν εἰρημένοις οὐδαμῶς: ἀναβοήσει δὲ μέγα καὶ διαπρύσιόν τι κεκραγὼς ἀφίξεται Ποῖ δὴ πάλιν ἡμῖν περιπλανᾷς, ὦ οὗτος, τὰ θεωρήματα, καὶ πολυπλόκους μὲν ἐπινοεῖς νοημάτων ἐπεισφορὰς, ἐξέλκεις δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας τὸν λόγον; ἐρυθριᾷς δὲ κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ὁμολογῆσαι, φησὶ, τὴν ἀκούσιον ὑποταγὴν τοῦ Υἱοῦ. ἢ γὰρ οὐκ ἔσται καὶ διὰ τούτων ἡμῖν καταφανὲς, ὅτι κατάρξει μὲν αὐτὸς καὶ καθηγήσεται τῆς ἐν τοῖς πράγμασιν οἰκονομίας οὐδαμῶς, ὑπόκειται δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς θελήμασι τοῦ Πατρός; οἶδε γὰρ οὕτως ἑαυτὸν τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἰσότητος ἡττώμενον, ὡς καὶ ἀναγκάζεσθαι τρόπον τινὰ καὶ τὰ ἀνεθέλητα ποιεῖσθαι θελητὰ, καὶ πράττειν οὐ πάντως τὸ αὐτῷ δοκοῦν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τὸ τῷ Πατρί. καὶ μὴ λέγε μοι πάλιν, φησὶν, εἰς τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν περιέλκων τὸ εἰρημένον Ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὑποτάσσεται. ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὡς ὁρᾷς, Θεὸς ὢν ἔτι καὶ Λόγος γυμνὸς καὶ ἀσύμπλοκος τῆς σαρκὸς καταβέβηκεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ πρὶν ὅλως τὴν τοῦ δούλου περιτεθῆναι μορφὴν ὑπετάττετο προὔχοντι δηλονότι καὶ κατάρχοντι τῷ Πατρί. Δεινοῖς μὲν ἡμῶν, ὦ γενναῖε, καθάπερ οἴει δὴ πάντως, καὶ λίαν εὐτροχωτάτοις καθιππεύεις λόγοις, οὐ μὴν δι' εὐθείας ἰοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ἐκτὸς ὁδοῦ τῆς βασιλικῆς τε καὶ τετριμμένης ἐκσεσοβημένοις, ἀφεὶς δὲ, ὡς ὁ παρ' Ἕλλησιν ἔχει λόγος, τὴν ἁμαξιτὸν, ἐπὶ κρημνοὺς ἐπείγῃ καὶ πέτρας. διατείνεσθε μὲν γὰρ εἰκῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὸ πείθεσθαι τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω λέγοντες, ὡσανεὶ καί τινος τῶν ὀρθὰ φρονεῖν εἰωθότων, ὅτι χρὴ πρεσβεύειν τὸ ἐναντίον, ἐνθυμουμένου, καὶ οὐχὶ δὴ μᾶλλον καὶ συναγορεύειν ὑμῖν ἐπὶ τούτῳ διεγνωκότος. οὐ γὰρ στασιάζουσάν ποτε καθ' ἑαυτῆς τὴν ἁγίαν τε καὶ ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα νοήσομεν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ εἰς διαφόρους κατασχίζεσθαι γνώμας, ἢ καὶ καταμερίζεσθαί πως εἰς τὸ ἰδίᾳ δοκοῦν, ἢ τὸν Πατέρα τυχὸν, ἢ τὸν Υἱὸν, ἢ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ἀλλὰ συμφέρεσθαι μὲν ἐφ' ἅπασιν, ὡς ἐκ μιᾶς δὲ δῆλον ὅτι θεότητος, ἓν ἀεὶ πάντως καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ θέλημα ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ἁγίᾳ κεῖσθαι Τριάδι. ἀργείτω τοιγαροῦν ὁ μακρὸς ἡμῖν περὶ τούτων λόγος, καὶ ἡσυχαζέτω τὸ φιλονεικεῖν ἀναπεῖθον ἐφ' οἷς ἥκιστα χρή: οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἐπὶ τούτῳ χαλεπαίνοντος, περιττὸν ὑμῖν ἔτι τὸ διατείνεσθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ δυστροπώτατα φρονεῖν τε καὶ νοεῖν εἰθισμένοι, τὸ συμφέρεσθαι τοῖς θελήμασι τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν Υἱὸν, τὴν ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης ὑποταγὴν ὀνομάζετε, πρὸς τοῦτο δὴ πάλιν τὰ εἰκότα πρὸς ὑμᾶς διαλεξόμεθα. ἐν ἁπλότητι μὲν γὰρ εἰ προεκομίσθη παρ' ὑμῶν ἡ τοιαύτη φωνὴ, κἂν εἰκότως ἐφησυχάζοντες, τὸ περὶ τὴν λέξιν ἀδιάφορον οὐ πάντως ἐβασανίζομεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ μετὰ πολλῆς τινος τῆς κακοηθείας προκεκομισμένην ὁρῶμεν, ἀναγκαίως ἀντιταξώμεθα, τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, καὶ οὐ τοῖς ἐνοῦσιν ἡμῖν θαρσήσαντες λόγοις. μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἀπολύτως, οὐδὲ εἰς πᾶσαν ἁπλῶς ὑπόθεσιν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐπὶ παντὸς πράγματος, μὴ πάντη τε καὶ πάντως τῶν οἰκείων ἔχεσθαι θελημάτων ὁ Υἱὸς διισχυρίσατο, φυλάξαι γεμὴν τὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς λέγει κατὰ πράγματος ὡρισμένου, διὰ τὰς σὰς, ὥς γε μοι πρόσεστι νοεῖν, εὑρεσιλογίας, προνοήσας τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀσφαλείας, ὡς Θεός. ὑπομένει δὲ τὸ ἀβούλητον, καὶ ποιεῖται θελητὸν δι' ἡμᾶς: πάθος δέ φημι τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ, δηλονότι συναρέσαν οὕτω καὶ τῷ γεννήσαντι, καθάπερ ἡμῖν ἤδη προείρηται. καὶ γοῦν ἔξεστιν ὁρᾶν παρατεθεῖσαν εὐθὺς τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, καὶ παρακειμένην ἐναργῶς τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, ἐφ' ἣν, καθάπερ αὐτός φησι, τῶν μὲν οἰκείων ἀπέστη θελημάτων, ἀποπληροῖ δὲ τὸ τοῦ Πατρός. τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι φησὶ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρὸς ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέ μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἀλλ' ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. καὶ ὅτι μὲν ὄντως ἀνεθέλητόν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ θελητὸν τῷ Μονογενεῖ τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάθος ὁρᾶται, προείρηται μὲν ἤδη σαφῶς, διαληψόμεθα δὲ καὶ ἐσαῦθις ἀκριβεστέραις ἐρεύναις, τοῖς ἐντευξομένοις ἁπλοῦντες τὴν ἀλήθειαν. βαδιοῦμαι δὲ πρότερον ἐπὶ ζήτησιν τῆς λεγομένης παρ' ὑμῶν ὑποταγῆς, προϋποκειμένου δηλονότι καὶ ἀνενδοιάστως ὁμολογουμένου παρ' ὑμῶν, ὅτι συντρέχει τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος εἰς μίαν βουλήν τε καὶ γνώμην ἀεὶ τὰ θελήματα: λεγέτωσαν τοίνυν ἡμῖν οἱ δεινοὶ σοφισταὶ, πότερόν ποτε ἐν τῷ τῆς ὑποταγῆς ὀνόματί τε καὶ πράγματι τὸ εἶναί ἐστι τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦτο αὐτῷ φύσις, ὥσπερ ἀνθρώπῳ τυχὸν ἡ ἀνθρωπότης, ἢ ὑπάρχων πρότερον αὐτὸς ὡς ἐν ἰδίῳ λόγῳ ὑποτάττεται τῷ Πατρὶ, ὥσπερ οὖν ἂν εἴ τις νοήσαι τυχὸν ἐπ' ἀγγέλου καὶ ἑτέρας τινὸς δυνάμεως λογικῆς. ὄντα γὰρ ταῦτα καὶ ὑφεστῶτα, τὸν τῆς ὑποταγῆς δέχεται τρόπον. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐν τῷ ὑποτάττεσθαι τῷ Πατρὶ τὸ εἶναί φατε τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ὑποταγὴ μᾶλλον ἔσται καὶ οὐχ υἱός. εἶτα πῶς οὐ λίαν, εἰπέ μοι, ληροῦντες ἀναφανήσεσθε λοιπόν; ὑποταγὴ γὰρ αὐτὴ καθ' ἑαυτὴν πῶς ἂν ὑφεστάναι νοοῖτο μὴ ἐνυπάρχουσα τῶν ὄντων τινί; τὰ γὰρ τοιαῦτα προϋποκειμένων ἀναγκαίως τῶν ἐν οἷς γίνεσθαι φιλεῖ συμβαίνειν ἔθος, καὶ οὐχ ἑτέρως. θεωροῦνται δὲ μᾶλλον περὶ τὰς οὐσίας, ἤτοι ταῖς οὐσίαις συμβαίνοντα, ἤγουν ὑφεστῶτα καθ' ἑαυτά. καὶ ὥσπερ ἐπιθυμία τυχὸν, ἡ ἐπί τι τῶν ὄντων καλοῦσα καὶ φέρουσα, οὐκ ἂν ὑπάρξαι καθ' ἑαυτὴν, ἐντίκτεται δὲ μᾶλλον τῷ δέχεσθαι πεφυκότι: οὕτως ἡ ὑποταγὴ θελημάτων τινὰ ῥοπὴν ὑπεμφαίνουσα πρὸς τὸ δεῖν ὑποτάττεσθαί τισιν, οὐκ ἐν ἰδίᾳ φύσει νοηθήσεται, ἀλλ' ὡς πάθος ἢ θέλησις ἢ ἐπιθυμία τυχὸν λοιπὸν ἐνυπάρξαι μᾶλλον τῶν ὄντων τινί. ἄλλωστε τὸ τῆς ὑποταγῆς ὄνομά τε καὶ πρᾶγμα, κατ' οὐδενὸς ἂν νοοῖτο κυρίως ἀδιακρίτως ἐκφωνηθὲν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὅτι φαῦλόν ἐστιν ἢ ἀγαθόν τις διαγνώσεται, εἰ μὴ προσκείμενον ἔχοι τὸ τίνος ἐστὶν ὑποταγή: ὑποτάττεται μὲν γάρ τις τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ: καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ σοφὸς ὄνομα μέσον τι ἐστί: ” σοφοὶ γάρ εἰσι τοῦ κακοποιῆσαί“ τινες, ” σοφοὶ δὲ πάλιν κληρονομήσουσι δόξαν,“ ἔχοντες δὲ δῆλον ὅτι τὴν σοφίαν ἐπ' ἀγαθοῖς: οὕτως ἡ ὑποταγὴ μεσότητά τινα μᾶλλον ἔχει, καὶ οὐκ ἀλήθειαν ὡρισμένως. ἄδηλον γὰρ τίνος ὅλως ὑποταγὴ ἔσται. τοιγαροῦν, καὶ ἐπ' ἀδήλοις ἡμῖν ἡ τοῦ Υἱοῦ φύσις, εἰ νοοῖτο παρ' ὑμῶν ὑποταγή. τίνος γὰρ ὑποταγὴ, προσκειμένου μηδενὸς, οὐκ ἂν δύναιτό τις ἀψευδήσας εἰπεῖν. ὅτι δὲ αὐτὴ καθ' ἑαυτὴν οὐχ ὑπάρξει ποτὲ κατ' ἴδιον λόγον ἡ ὑποταγὴ, παχύτερόν πως καὶ ἐναργέστερον ἐπ' αὐτῶν ἤδη τῶν ποιημάτων καταγαγόντες τὸν λόγον, θεωρήσομεν: δέχου δέ τινα ἐπὶ τούτοις συλλογισμόν. εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ὑποτάττεσθαι τὸ εἶναι δώσομεν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τυχὸν, τὸ μὴ εἶναι πάντως αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ μὴ ὑποτάττεσθαι λογιούμεθα: πῶς οὖν ἐλέγετο πρός τινα παρὰ τοῦ μελῳδοῦ, ὡς ὄντα μὲν ἤδη καὶ ὑπάρχοντα, οὐ μὴν ἔτι καὶ ὑποτεταγμένον ” Ὑποτάγηθι τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἱκέτευσον αὐτόν;“ ὁρᾷς οὖν ὅπως ἀνόητον κομιδῇ τὸ αὐτὴν ὑφεστάναι καθ' ἑαυτὴν οἴεσθαι τὴν ὑποταγήν; οὐκοῦν ἀνάγκη καὶ συνομολογεῖν ὑπάρχειν τε καὶ εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν ἐν ἰδίᾳ φύσει πρότερον, εἶθ' οὕτως καὶ ὑποτάττεσθαι λέγειν τῷ Πατρί. τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, τὸ ἀναγκάζον ἐστὶ, τὸν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ὄντα τοῦ γεννήσαντος, τὸν ἀπαραποίητον τῆς φύσεως αὐτοῦ χαρακτῆρα, τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀποπίπτειν ἰσότητος, διὰ τὸ πειθήνιον; ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ ὀρθὰ φρονοῦντες καὶ λέγοντες, ὁμοούσιον ὄντα τῷ γεγεννηκότι γινώσκομεν, καὶ τὴν ἐφ' ἅπασιν ἰσοτιμίαν αὐτῷ περιτίθεμεν, καὶ κατ' οὐδένα τρόπον τῆς θεοπρεποῦς ἀξίας ἡττᾶσθαι λογιούμεθα: σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει κατὰ τίνα τρόπον ἐκβαλεῖς τῆς ἰσομέτρου πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα τιμῆς διὰ τὴν λεγομένην ὑποταγὴν, τὸν τοῖς ἴσοις ἐπαγλαϊζόμενον ἀγαθοῖς διὰ τὴν ταυτότητα τῆς οὐσίας. Ἀλλ' αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο, φησὶ, τοῖς παρ' ἡμῶν ἐπαγωνιεῖται λόγοις, τὸ πείθεσθαι τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ θελημάτων μὲν τῶν ἰδίων οὐ σφόδρα φροντίζειν, εἴκειν δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὡς ὑπερκειμένου δηλονότι καὶ μείζονος. Ἀλλ' αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο κατὰ τὴν σὴν, ὦ οὗτος, φωνὴν, ὅπερ οἴει τοὺς σοὺς ὠφελήσειν λόγους, πάλιν ἕτερον εὑρήσεις οὐδὲν, ἢ τῆς ἐνούσης ὑμῖν ἀμαθίας καρπόν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ τὸ τίς ἀμείνων ἐν ἀξιώματι, καὶ τὸ μεῖζον ἔχων ἐν δόξῃ, διεκρίνομεν, ἔδοξεν ἄν πως καὶ τότε δὴ μόλις εὔκαιρόν τινα λόγον ἔχειν ὑμῖν τὸ θρυλούμενον: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ τῆς ὁμοουσιότητος ἐξετάζεται τρόπος, πῶς οὐ μετρίως ἀσυνετοῦντες ἁλώσεσθε, τὸ μεῖζον ἐν αὐτῇ κατὰ τοῦ ἰδίου γεννήματος ἀπονέμοντες τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί; τὸ μὲν γὰρ μεῖζον, ἤτοι τὸ ἔλαττον, ἢ ὅπερ ἂν λέγηταί τι τοῖς τοιούτοις ὁμοειδὲς, οὐκ αὐτὰ κυρίως οὐσίας εἶναι δώσομεν: ὥσπερ οὖν ἐλέγομεν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ὑποταγῆς, ἀλλ' ἔξωθέν πως εἰσὶ καὶ τῶν περὶ τὰς οὐσίας. τὸ γὰρ ἤδη προϋφεστηκὸς καὶ ὑπάρχον, ἐπιδέξεται τυχὸν ὡς ἐν συγκρίσει τῇ πρὸς ἕτερον τὸ μεῖζον ἢ ἔλαττον: μὴ ὑποκειμένου δέ τινος καὶ προϋφεστῶτος περὶ ὃ τὰ τοιαῦτα γίνεσθαι φιλεῖ, πῶς ἂν εἶεν αὐτὰ καθ' ἑαυτὰ, καίτοι κατὰ τὴν τοῦ συμβεβηκότος τάξιν νοούμενά τε καὶ ὁριζόμενα; οὐκοῦν ὅταν τὸ ἔλαττον ἢ καὶ τὸ μεῖζον ἡμῖν ὀνομάζηται, τῆς οὐσίας μὲν οὐχ ἅψεσθε τοῦ Μονογενοῦς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς, μόναις δὲ ταῖς ἔξωθεν ὑπεροχαῖς ἤτοι μειονεκτήμασι, κατασεμνυνεῖτε μὲν ὥσπερ οὖν οἴεσθε τὸν Πατέρα, διαλοιδορηθήσεσθε δὲ τῷ Υἱῷ, καίτοι διαῤῥήδην ἀκούοντες βοῶντος αὐτοῦ ” Ὁ μὴ τιμῶν τὸν Υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν Πατέρα “τιμᾷ,” καὶ ὅτι προσήκοι πάντας τιμᾶν τὸν Υἱὸν καθὼς τιμῶσι τὸν Πατέρα: ἰσοστάθμῳ γὰρ χρῆναι περιβαλέσθαι δόξῃ τὰ μηδαμόθεν εἰς ἔκφυλον ἀλλοτριότητα μερισθῆναι δυνάμενα, λαχόντα δὲ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν οὐσίαν, καλῶς γε σφόδρα ποιῶν ἐδίδασκεν ὁ Χριστὸς, “οὐ παρ' ἀνθρώπων ” τὴν ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ μαρτυρίαν“ λαβεῖν ἐκδεξάμενος, καθάπερ ἔφασκεν αὐτὸς, ἀλλὰ τῶν ὄντων ἁπάντων ἀξιόχρεώς τε καὶ ἀξιώτερος αὐτὸς ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ μάρτυς εἰσβεβηκώς. ἐρεῖ δὲ δὴ πάντως ἀληθῆ κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχων ἀλήθεια, καθάπερ οὖν ἔξεστι καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἡμᾶς δοκιμάζειν τοῦτο τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ποιότητος. τὸ μὲν γὰρ μεῖζον, ἤτοι τὸ ἔλαττον χωρήσῃ ἂν εἰκότως, οὐ κατ' αὐτῆς τῆς τινων οὐσίας, ἀλλὰ κατά τινων τῶν περὶ τὰς οὐσίας τῶν ὄντων: οἷον δὲ δή τι φημί Ἄνθρωπος ἑτέρου τυχὸν ἀνθρώπου, καθ' ὅπερ ἂν ἄνθρωπος νοοῖτο καὶ λέγοιτο, οὐδαμόθεν ἕξει τὸ μεῖζον, ἢ ἔλαττον: οὔτε γὰρ ἐλάττων ἄνθρωπος ἀνθρώπου καθὸ ἄνθρωπος, οὔτε μείζων καθὸ πάλιν ἄνθρωπος. ἴσος γὰρ ἐφ' ἅπασιν ὁ τῆς φύσεως θεωρεῖται λόγος: ὁ αὐτὸς δ' ἂν σώζοιτο λόγος καὶ ἐπ' ἀγγέλων, ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ παντὸς τοῦ πεποιημένου καὶ ἐν τῇ κτίσει κατηριθμημένου. οὐκοῦν ἀχώρητα παντελῶς ἐπ' αὐτῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν οὐσιῶν εὑρίσκεται, συμβαίνει δὲ ταῖς οὐσίαις, ἤγουν τισὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτὰς, καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω δεδώκαμεν. πῶς οὖν ἔσται μείζων ὁ Πατὴρ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, φύσει Θεὸς ὑπάρχων τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν Θεοῦ; τὸ γὰρ ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγεννῆσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, ἀναγκάσει δὴ πάντως καὶ οὐχ ἑκόντας ὑμᾶς ἀποδοῦναι τὸ ὁμοούσιον αὐτῷ. Προϋποκειμένου τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἀναμφιλόγως εἰσβαίνοντος τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν εἶναι Θεὸν τὸν Υἱὸν, ἐπιζητῶμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ, πότερόν ποτε τὴν μὲν ἴσην αὐτῷ τιμὴν ἀπονέμοντες, ὡς πρὸς τὸν ἐξ οὗπέρ ἐστι, καὶ μὴν καὶ δόξαν περιθήσομεν τῷ γεγεννηκότι, ἢ τὸ ἐναντίον ἐξεργασόμεθα, τοῖς κατωτέρω καὶ ἐλάττοσιν ἐξυβρίζοντες τὸν γεγεννημένον, ὅπερ ὄντως ἐστὶ καὶ ἀληθέστερον: δόξα μὲν γὰρ τῷ Πατρὶ τὸ γεννῆσαι τοιοῦτον, ὁποῖός περ ἂν ὑπάρχοι κατὰ φύσιν αὐτός. συμβήσεται δὲ πάντως τὸ ἐναντίον: εὐφημεῖν γὰρ ἀκόλουθον: εἰ μὴ διασώζοι τὴν αὐτῷ πρέπουσαν εὐφυΐαν ὁ Υἱὸς, τὸ μεῖον ἔχων ἢ κατὰ τὴν δόξαν ἢ κατά τι γοῦν τῶν ὅσα προσεῖναι πάντως ἐχρῆν, ἵνα δὴ φαίνοιτο διὰ πάντων παντέλειός τε καὶ ἀληθινὸς ὑπάρχων Θεός. ἔχων δὲ οὕτω φύσεως, εἰ τιμᾷ τὸν Πατέρα, μὴ γελάσῃς ἄνθρωπε, μηδὲ ὀφλήσεις δίκην κακύνων ἀμαθῶς, ὅπερ ἥκιστα χρῆν. ἔστι γὰρ δήπου θαυμάζειν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ πρέπον, ὅτι καὶ τιμᾷ καὶ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν γεννήσαντα: πᾶν γὰρ εἶδος ἀρετῆς, πηγὴν ὥσπερ τινὰ καὶ ῥίζαν ἔχει τὴν ἀνωτάτω πασῶν οὐσίαν: ἐκφανέντα δὲ πρῶτον ἐν ἐκείνῃ τὰ ἀγαθὰ, καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς καταῤῥεῖ, τοὺς οἵπερ ἐσμὲν γεγονότες κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνης εἰκόνα. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν ὁ νομοθέτης τιμᾶν ὅτι χρὴ πατέρα καὶ μητέρα διήγγελλεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γέρα τούτοις ἐπετίθει τὰ κάλλιστα: μέγιστον οἶμαι δὴ πάντων τὸ πρᾶγμα εἰδὼς, καὶ λοιδορίας ἁπάσης τοσοῦτον ἀπηλλαγμένον, ὡς καὶ μακραίωνος βίου φαίνεσθαι πρόξενον: ὅνπερ οὖν τρόπον ἡμεῖς διὰ τὸ ὑποτάττεσθαι καὶ καταπείθεσθαι τοῖς γεννήσασιν, οὐχ ἕτεροί τινες κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ὡς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀποτελούμεθα, ἀλλ' ὄντες ὅπερ εἰσὶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἄνθρωποι, καὶ τέλειον ἔχοντές τε καὶ ἀποσώζοντες τὸν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ὅρον, ἐπιτηδεύομεν ὡς ἐν τάξει λαμπρᾶς ἀρετῆς τὸ πειθήνιον: οὕτω νοήσεις ἐπί τε Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ. ὢν γὰρ ὅ ἐστιν, ἐκ Θεοῦ Θεὸς δηλονότι, τέλειος ἐκ τελείου, χαρακτὴρ ἀπαραποίητος τῆς τοῦ γεννήσαντος οὐσίας, λογιεῖται μὲν ἕτερον οὐδὲν, ἢ ὅπερ ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς λογίσαιτο τυχὸν, οὗπέρ ἐστι καὶ βουλὴ καὶ Λόγος: ἐθελήσει δὲ πάντως τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ Πατρὶ, τοῖς αὐτοῖς, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, τῆς ὁμοουσιότητος νόμοις, εἰς τὸ πάντα συνεθέλειν τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῷ Πατρὶ συνδιακρατούμενος. Σκανδαλίζου τοιγαροῦν, ἄνθρωπε, μηδαμῶς, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς λέγοντος Καταβέβηκα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με. ὃ γὰρ ἐλέγομεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς, τοῦτο πάλιν ἐροῦμεν. κατὰ πράγματος ὡρισμένου καὶ ἐναργοῦς τὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ λόγον ἐποιήσατο ὁ Χριστός. διδάσκων γὰρ, ὅτι τὸ ὑπὲρ πάντων τεθνάναι θελητὸν μὲν ἔχει διὰ τὸ οὕτω βεβουλῆσθαι τὴν θείαν φύσιν, ἀνεθέλητον δὲ διὰ τὰ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάθη, καὶ τὸ ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς τὴν σάρκα παραιτουμένην τὸν θάνατον, τὰ τοιαῦτά φησι. καὶ μακρὸς μὲν ἡμῖν ἤδη προανήλωται λόγος: ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀνεθέλητόν πως ὁρᾶται τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ, καθόπερ ἦν ἄνθρωπος, τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάθος, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀκόλουθον ἡμᾶς τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων φύσεως κατιδεῖν. φαμὲν οὖν, ὅτι τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς ἔργον ἦν ἀπονοίας, τὸ πάντη τε καὶ πάντως σταυρωθήσεσθαι τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ τοῦτο ἀνυπερθέτως ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι παρ' αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἀμελέτητον ἐχόντων τὴν τόλμαν τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις, ἀφ' ὧν ἤδη πεπράχεσαν εἴς τε τοὺς ἁγίους προφήτας, καὶ τοὺς οἵπερ ἂν ἦσαν κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ γεγονότες ἅγιοι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ἑτέρως ἦν τὸ πεπτωκὸς εἰς θάνατον, ἐξαναστῆσαι πάλιν εἰς ζωὴν, εἰ μὴ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος ὁ Μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ἔδει δὲ πάντως γεγονότα παθεῖν: τὸ ἀνεθέλητον ἐποιήσατο θελητὸν, καὶ τοῦτο τῆς θείας φύσεως διὰ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς καταδεξαμένης ἀγάπην. Ἡ γὰρ πάντων τεχνῖτις σοφία, τουτέστιν ὁ Υἱὸς, τὸ ἐκ διαβολικῆς δυστροπίας σκευωρηθὲν, φημὶ δὲ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ κατὰ σάρκα θάνατον, ὁδὸν ἡμῖν σωτηρίας καὶ θύραν ἀνέδειξε ζωῆς, καὶ ἀντέστραπται τῷ διαβόλῳ τὰ ἐν ἐλπίσι, καὶ μόλις ἔγνω παθὼν, ὅτι σκληρὸν αὐτῷ τὸ θεομαχεῖν. δοκεῖ δέ μοι καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος μελῳδὸς τοῖς περὶ τούτων συμφέρεσθαι λόγοις, καί τι τοιοῦτον ὑποδηλοῦν, ὅτε φησὶν, ὡς περὶ Χριστοῦ καὶ τοῦ διαβόλου ” Ἐν τῇ παγίδι αὐτοῦ ταπεινώσει “αὐτόν:” παγίδα μὲν γὰρ συνεπήξατο τῷ Χριστῷ τὸν θάνατον ὁ διάβολος, ἀλλ' ἐν αὐτῇ τεταπείνωται τῇ οἰκείᾳ παγίδι. λέλυται γὰρ ὁ θάνατος ἐν θανάτῳ Χριστοῦ, καὶ κατηργήθη τύραννος ὁ πεσεῖσθαι μὴ προσδοκῶν. καὶ μακρὸν μὲν ἦν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπιθεῖναι λόγον οὐ χαλεπὸν, ὃ δὲ ἦν ἐν χερσὶν, αὐτὸ δὴ πάλιν ἐροῦμεν. εἰ μὴ κυρίως τε καὶ ἀληθῶς θελημάτων ἦν ἔργον Ἰουδαϊκῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις ἀνοσίων τολμημάτων καρπὸς ὁ θάνατος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, κρῖμα δὲ ἦν τὸ θεῖον, ὥσπερ οἴονταί τινες, τὸ πάντως ἄγον εἰς τοῦτο: πῶς οὐκ ἔδει λοιπὸν καὶ ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἤδη πληροῦσθαι τὸ δόξαν δι' ἀνθρώπων δὴ πάντως, καὶ οὐχ ἑτέρως; εἶτα πῶς ἂν, εἰπέ μοι, δικαίως ἔτι κολάζοιντο ταῖς ἀπαραιτήτοις τοῦ Θεοῦ ψήφοις ὑπηρετοῦντές τινες; πῶς δὲ δείλαιος καὶ ἐν ἀμείνοσιν “εἰ μὴ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος” δι' οὗ παρεδόθη ὁ Χριστός; εἰ γὰρ θελητὸν τῷ Σωτῆρι τὸ πάθος, καὶ ἀνεθέλητον οὐδαμῶς καθ' ἕτερόν τινα τρόπον νοοῖτο, ποίαν ἂν εὐλόγως εἰσπράττοιτο δίκην, ὁ θελημάτων δεσποτικῶν καὶ τῶν ἐσομένων ἀπαραιτήτως ὑπηρέτης ἀναδεδειγμένος; ἢ γὰρ οὐχ ἅπασιν ἔσται διαφανὲς, ὅτι πάντως ἔδει γενέσθαι τὰ τῇ θείᾳ τε καὶ ἀῤῥήτῳ δόξαντα φύσει, γενέσθαι δὲ πάντως διά τινων; ἀλλ' ἔστι καὶ διὰ τούτων καὶ διὰ πλειόνων ἑτέρων συνιδεῖν, ὡς ἐπείπερ ἐξ οὐρανῶν καταβέβηκεν ὁ Υἱὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ὑπομεῖναι θάνατον, ἑκών τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἄκων, ἵνα πάντας ἀναστήσῃ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, δόξαν οὕτω καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ Πατρὶ διὰ τὸ πᾶσι συμφέρον: ἑτεροφυᾶ δὲ οὐδαμῶς, ἢ κατά τι γοῦν ἡττώμενον τοῦ γεγεννηκότος ἑαυτὸν νοεῖσθαι διὰ τούτων βούλεται. Τὸν μὲν οὖν δι' ἐναντίας ὑπερυθριάσειν ἤδη, καὶ τοῖς περὶ τούτων ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀντιτάξεσθαι λόγοις ὑπολαμβάνω: ἐνισταμένῳ δὲ πάλιν καὶ φιλονεικεῖν ὅτι πρέποι διεγνωκότι μακρότερον ἐκεῖνό φημι. Εἰ καταβέβηκεν ἐξ οὐρανῶν ὁ Υἱὸς οὐ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀποπληρώσων θέλημα, καθάπερ αὐτός φησιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καί σοι τῆς ἀρτίως ἡμῖν εἰρημένης ἐπὶ τούτῳ θεωρίας οὐχ ἡδεῖς οἱ λόγοι φανοῦνται τυχόν: ἆρ' οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον εἰπεῖν ἀντιτετάχθαι πως αὐτοῖς τὰ θελήματα, καὶ διωρίσθαι κατὰ τὸ ἐναντίον τὴν βούλησιν; ἀλλ' ἔστι δὴ πᾶσιν ὁμολογούμενον. εἰ μὲν γὰρ τὸ διεῖργον οὐδὲν, μία δήπου πάντως ἐν ἀμφοῖν ἡ θέλησις: εἰ δὲ ὡς ἑτέραν τινὰ παρὰ τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑπάρχουσαν παρελαύνει μὲν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, πληροῖ δὲ ἐκείνην, πῶς οὐκ ἀσυνέτως ἐροῦμεν μίαν εἶναι, καὶ οὐχ ἑτέραν ὡς πρὸς ἑτέραν; Ἴδωμεν τοίνυν ἐν τίσιν ἐστὶν ἡ θέλησις τοῦ Πατρός: οὕτω γὰρ δὴ καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν, ὅποι ποτὲ βλέποι, διαγνωσόμεθα. οὐκοῦν ἡ μὲν βούλησις τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὡς αὐτὸς εἴρηκεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκεν αὐτῷ μὴ ἀπολέσῃ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἀλλ' ἀναστήσῃ αὐτὸ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. καὶ ἀγαθὴ μὲν ὅτι καὶ φιλάνθρωπος οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ: μεθιστάντες δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἐναντίως ἔχουσαν βούλησιν τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὰς ἐννοίας, οὔτε φιλάνθρωπον, οὔτε μὴν ὅλως εὑρήσομεν ἀγαθὸν, φρονοῦντα δὴ πάντως τἀναντία τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ οὔτε διασώζειν ἡμᾶς, οὔτε μὴν ἐκ θανάτου διανιστᾶν ἐθέλοντα. πῶς οὖν ἔτι ποιμὴν ἀγαθὸς, πῶς δὲ σημεῖον ἡμῖν τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτῷ φιλανθρωπίας ἐτίθει, τὸ διδόναι τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν; εἰ μὲν γὰρ καταβέβηκεν ἐξ οὐρανῶν, ἵνα τοῦτο πληρώσῃ καθ' ἑκούσιον βούλησιν, πῶς οὐ τὸ ἴδιον θέλημα πληροῖ, μήτε ἀπολλύων τὸ προσαγόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διανιστὰς κατὰ τὴν ἐσχάτην ἡμέραν; εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν θελήσει τοῦτο αὐτῷ, ὑπηρετεῖ δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς θελήμασι τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ διανιστὰς καὶ διασώζων, τοὺς ἀπολωλότας δηλονότι καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ κεκρατημένους, πῶς οὐκ ἀληθεύσομεν, οὔτε ἀγαθὸν, οὔτε μὴν ἑτέρως φιλάνθρωπον εἶναι διαβεβαιούμενοι τὸν Υἱόν; παυέσθω τοίνυν ὁ χριστομάχος, πανταχόθεν αὐτῷ πρὸς δυσφημίαν κατηγορουμένου τοῦ προβλήματος, καὶ πικροῖς ἡμᾶς περὶ τούτων μὴ καθυλακτείτω λόγοις.
« Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐγὼ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. » Ὁρισάμενος ἤδη τὸ ἀγαθὸν θέλημα τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀπολευκαίνει πάλιν αὐτὸ, καὶ πλατύτερον εἰς ἐπίσκεψιν τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις προτίθησι, διὰ τοῦ καὶ ἐσαῦθις ἀναλαβεῖν. τίς γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο τῆς προσαγωγῆς ὁ τρόπος, καὶ τί τὸ ἐκ τοῦ προσῆχθαι κερδανοῦσί τινες, ἐξηγεῖται λαμπρῶς. δίδωσι τοίνυν ὁ Πατὴρ τῷ Υἱῷ ζωοποιεῖν ἰσχύοντι τὰ ζωῆς ἐπιδεᾶ: δίδωσι δὲ οὕτως, ὡς διὰ γνώσεως ἐντιθεὶς ἑκάστῳ δηλονότι τὴν ἐφ' Υἱῷ κατάληψιν ἀληθῆ, καὶ τὸ δύνασθαι συνιέναι καθαρῶς ὅτιπερ εἴη Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἀληθινοῦ, ἵν' οὕτως διατεθεὶς, καὶ ταῖς ἐπ' αὐτῷ θεωρίαις κατηγλαϊσμένος, ἐπὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς πίστεως ἀναφέροιτο γέρας, τουτέστι τὴν μακραίωνα ζωὴν, καὶ τὸν ἀμήρυτον ἐν μακαριότητι βίον. προσάγει μὲν οὖν ὁ Πατὴρ διὰ γνώσεως καὶ θεοπρεποῦς θεωρίας τῷ Υἱῷ, τοὺς οἷς ἂν τὴν θείαν ἐπιψηφίσαιτο χάριν. ζωοποιεῖ δὲ λαβὼν ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἀγαθὸν τοῖς ἐξ οἰκείας φύσεως καταφθείρεσθαι πεφυκόσιν ἐντιθεὶς, καὶ καθάπερ σπινθῆρα πυρὸς ἐγκαταχώσας αὐτοῖς τὴν ζωοποιὸν τοῦ Πνεύματος δύναμιν, ὅλους δι' ὅλου μεταπλάττει εἰς ἀθανασίαν. ἀκούων δὲ πάλιν, ὅτι προσκομίζει μὲν ὁ Πατὴρ, τὸ δὲ ἀναβιοῦν δύνασθαι χορηγεῖ τοῖς προστρέχουσιν ὁ Υἱὸς, μὴ πρὸς ἐκτόπους ἀποδημήσεις ἐννοίας, ὡς ἰδίᾳ καὶ μεμερισμένως οἴεσθαί τι ποιεῖν ἑκάτερον, πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν ἔχοι φύσεως ἐπιτηδείως, δέχου δὲ μᾶλλον εἰς νοῦν ὅτι συνεργάτης μέν ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ τῷ Υἱῷ καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς αὖ πάλιν τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὅλης, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος ἔργον ἐστὶν ἡ καθ' ἡμᾶς σωτηρία καὶ ἡ ἐκ θανάτου πάλιν εἰς ζωὴν ἐπάνοδος, ἀρκούντως δὲ ἴσθι καὶ τὸν Πατέρα πρὸς πᾶσαν ἔχειν ἰσχύν τε καὶ χρείαν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ προσέτι τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα: ἔρχεται δὲ διὰ πάσης τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος τὰ εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ὁλοκλήρως εὑρίσκεται δι' Υἱοῦ ἐν Πνεύματι. Ἐπιτηρητέον δ' οὖν ὅμως κἀκεῖνο, ὡς πολύ τι τὸ ἀξιόλογον ἐν τῷ πιστεύειν εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν εὑρίσκεται. ζωὴν γὰρ ἔχει τὸ γέρας: εἰ δὲ ἐν Υἱῷ κατὰ φύσιν ἐπιγινώσκεται ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ Θεὸς, τίς ἂν ἀνάσχοιτο λοιπὸν τῶν ἔξω φερόντων αὐτὸν τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ἀπύλωτον ἐχόντων εἰς τὴν ἐπὶ τούτῳ δυσφημίαν τὸ στόμα; δι' ὧνδε δύνασθαι διανιστᾶν εἰς ζωὴν τὸ πεπτωκὸς εἰς θάνατον ἐπαγγέλλεται, διὰ τούτων αὐτῶν, οὐδεμιᾶς ἤδη μεσολαβούσης ἐξαλλαγῆς, εἰς ταυτότητα φυσικὴν ἀναβαίνει τῷ γεγεννηκότι: ζωῆς γὰρ ἔργον ἴδιον τὸ ζωοποιεῖν, καὶ ἐπείπερ ζωὴ κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶν ὁ Πατὴρ, ζωὴ πάντως καὶ ὁ κατὰ φύσιν ἐξ αὐτοῦ νοηθήσεται, τουτέστι ὁ Μονογενής.
« Ἐγόγγυζον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι εἶπεν Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος ὁ καταβὰς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. » Ἀγανακτοῦσι πάλιν οἱ τῶν εἰρημένων παρὰ Χριστοῦ συνιέντες οὐδέν: πέφυκε δέ πως ἐν τούτοις ὁρᾶσθαι κατὰ τὸ πλεῖστον ὁ ἀπαίδευτος νοῦς: οὐ γὰρ ἔχοντες περιδράττεσθαι τῶν ἐννοιῶν, δι' ὧν ἦν εἰκὸς μεταποιηθήσεσθαί πως ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον, εἰς ἀκαίρους ὀλιγοψυχίας ἐκτελευτᾷ. ἢ γὰρ οὐχὶ καὶ ἀληθὲς ἐπ' αὐτοῖς δὴ πάλιν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τὸ εἰρημένον εὑρήσομεν; χαλεπαίνουσι γὰρ διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν; τίς δὲ αὐτοὺς εἰς τοῦτο κέκληκε λόγος; γογγύζουσι δὲ διατί; καίτοι μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν φιλομαθέστερον τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐπιστῆσαι τὸν νοῦν, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἤδη κατασκέπτεσθαι τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ἀλήθειαν, διά τε τῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀποτελεσθεῖσι μεγαλουργίας, εἰς δοκιμωτάτην ἰέναι σύνεσιν, πότερόν ποτε διαψεύδοιτο Χριστὸς, ἄρτον ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τοῦτο ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβεβηκότα καλῶν, ἤγουν ἀληθεύει, καὶ τοῦτον ἔχων αὐτοῖς τὸν τρόπον ἁλίσκοιτο. οὕτω γὰρ ἦν κρίνοντας ὀρθῶς παιδαγωγεῖσθαι καλῶς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ συμφέροντος εὕρεσιν: ἀλλὰ ζητοῦντες οὐδὲν χαλεπαίνουσι, καίτοι διὰ τῶν ἤδη παρῳχηκότων, ἄρτον ὄντως ζωῆς καὶ ἀληθινὸν ἐπιδείξαντος ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀντιδιαστέλλοντός τε τῷ ἐν τύπῳ καὶ σκιᾷ χορηγηθέντι μάννα κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν. “Ὁ γὰρ ἐρχόμενος πρὸς μὲ, φησὶν, οὐ ” μὴ πεινάσῃ πώποτε:“ ὡς τῶν ἐκεῖνο φαγόντων τὸ μάννα, βραχεῖάν τινα καὶ εὐαπόβλητον κομιδῆ τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν ἐσχηκότων περὶ τὴν σάρκα: τῶν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἰόντων διὰ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκ εἰς ὁμοίαν τοῖς τότε τὴν ὄνησιν ἀναβησομένων, καρπωσομένων δὲ μᾶλλον διηνεκῆ τῆς εὐλογίας τὴν χάριν. Σφάλλεται τοίνυν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὁ νοῦς, μόνα βλέπων τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς: καὶ τοῦτο ἦν ἄρα τὸ ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ᾀδόμενον ” Σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ “τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς σύγκαμψον,” ἵνα μηδαμόθεν πρὸς τὴν τῶν θείων μυστηρίων ἀνανεύοντες γνῶσιν, κακοὶ κακῶς ἀπόλοιντο διὰ τὰς σφῶν αὐτῶν ἀπονοίας, καὶ τὸ λίαν ἀκρατὲς εἰς ἀπείθειαν. ἀναμιμνησκόμενοι δέ πως τὰ ἐν τοῖς Μωυσαϊκοῖς συγγράμμασι, πατρῷον ὥσπερ τινὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις κλῆρον ἐνόντα τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀρίστοις τε καὶ ἀγαθοῖς γογγυσμὸν εὑρήσομεν: ἀλλ' εἰς πικρὸν καταλῆγον τὸ πρᾶγμα τέλος, καὶ πάλαι μὲν ἐν ἐκείνοις ἡ πεῖρα, καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τούτοις οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐπέδειξεν. ἐγόγγυζον ἐκεῖνοι κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ ἀχάριστον ἐποιοῦντο κατὰ Θεοῦ τὴν καταβοὴν, ἀλλ' “ὑπὸ τῶν ὄφεων ἀπώλλυντο,” καθάπερ που καὶ ὁ σοφὸς διεμαρτύρατο Παῦλος: γογγύζουσι καὶ οὗτοι κατὰ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τὸν νομοθέτην καὶ λυτρωτὴν ταῖς οὕτω μακραῖς ἀπειθείαις ὑβρίζουσιν: ἀλλ' ἐντελεῖται “τῷ δράκοντι ” καὶ δήξεται αὐτοὺς,“ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον: προκείσονται δὲ θοίνη τῷ παμφάγῳ θηρὶ, καταλήγει γὰρ ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἀεὶ πρὸς τέλος ἡ ἀπείθεια τὸ παγχάλεπον.
« Καὶ ἔλεγον Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωσὴφ, οὗ ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα; πῶς οὖν λέγει ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβέβηκα; » Ὦ πολλῆς ἀμαθίας, καὶ ἀκράτῳ μέθῃ κατεσκοτισμένης διανοίας: ” ἐπαχύνθη, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἡ καρδία τοῦ “λαοῦ τούτου.” θεωρεῖ γὰρ ὄντως οὐδὲν, ὧν ἔδει συνιέναι λαμπρῶς, καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια καὶ φρονεῖ καὶ φθέγγεται: χρῆν γὰρ δήπου μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς τὴν τοῦ πανσόφου Μωυσέως ἐκμελετῶντας συγγραφὴν, τοῖς τε τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν ἐντρυφῶντας κηρύγμασιν ἐκεῖνο νοεῖν, ὡς οὐ δίχα σαρκὸς, οὐδὲ τῶν διὰ σώματος περιβλημάτων, ὡς ἡμᾶς ἀφίξεσθαι προσεδοκᾶτο Χριστὸς, ἀλλ' ἐν ἀνθρωπείᾳ μορφῇ φανήσεσθαι προεκηρύττετο, καὶ ἐν τῷ κοινῷ δὴ τούτῳ πάντων εὑρεθήσεσθαι σχήματι: διάτοι τοῦτο τὴν μὲν ἁγίαν παρθένον ἕξειν ἐν γαστρὶ, τέξεσθαι δὲ καὶ υἱὸν, προφητικὸς ἡμῖν ἀναφωνεῖ λόγος: ὀμόσας δὲ τῷ μακαρίῳ Δαυεὶδ ἀλήθειαν εὑρίσκεται Κύριος, ἣν δὴ καὶ ἀθετήσειν οὐδαμῶς ἐπηγγέλλετο, ὅτι θήσει τὸν ἐκ καρποῦ τῆς ὀσφύος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, καθὰ γέγραπται: ἐξελεύσεσθαι δὲ καὶ “ῥάβδον ” ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσσαὶ“ προαπήγγελτο. οἱ δὲ εἰς τοσαύτην ἀλογίαν ἐκτρεχόντες οὐκ αἰσθάνονται, ὡς εἴπερ εἰδεῖεν τὴν κατὰ σάρκα μητέρα τοῦ μετὰ σαρκὸς ἀφίξεσθαι προκεκηρυγμένου, διὰ τοῦτο χρῆναι δὴ πάντως ἀπειθεῖν οἰομένων, ὅτι καταβέβηκεν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν: εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ κατὰ σῶμα τοῦτο γεγονὸς εὑρήσομεν, ἀλλ' ἦν ὡς ἐν οἰκείῳ ναῷ τῷ ἐκ παρθένου σώματι Λόγος ὁ θεῖος, ἄνωθεν ἐκ Πατρὸς ὡς ἡμᾶς ἀφιγμένος, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἁπάντων σωτηρίαν σπέρματος Ἁβραὰμ ἐπιδραξάμενος, ἵνα ” κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς“ ὁμοιωθῇ, καὶ καλέσῃ πρὸς υἱοθεσίαν τὴν ὡς πρὸς Θεὸν τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν, Θεὸς ἅμα καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἀναδεδειγμένος. ἀλλ' οὐ συνέντες τὴν μετὰ σαρκὸς οἰκονομίαν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰουδαῖοι, ἀπὸ τοῦ τὴν μητέρα γινώσκειν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν πατέρα, καίτοι μὴ ὄντα πατέρα, οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν ἀσχάλλοντες, ὅτι καταβῆναι λέγοι Χριστὸς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ. Τύπος δὲ πάλιν ἡμῖν ὠφελείας ἀνατέλλει κἀν τούτῳ πολλῆς: παιδευόμεθα γὰρ διὰ τούτων ἐν τοῖς καθ' ἡμᾶς, ὅτι πολλὴν ἂν ἡμῖν προσοίσῃ ζημίαν τὸ μὴ μᾶλλον τοῖς νοητοῖς τῆς καρδίας ὄμμασι τὴν ἐνοῦσαν τοῖς ἁγίοις περιαθρεῖν ἀρετὴν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐγκεκρυμμένην αὐτοῖς δόξαν ἀφορᾶν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς περὶ τὸ σῶμα σμικροπρεπείας πολλάκις οὐδενὸς ἐν τάξει τιθέναι τὸ μέγα παρὰ Θεῷ καὶ τίμιον. οὕτω περὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἐν προφήταις ὁ Θεός που φησὶν, ὡς ἐν ἑνὶ κατὰ πάντων ἁπλώσας τὸν λόγον ” Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὃς πέποιθεν “ἐπὶ τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἔσται Κύριος ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσται ὡς ” ξύλον εὐθηνοῦν παρ' ὕδατι, καὶ ἐπὶ ἰκμάδα βαλεῖ ῥίζαν “αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἐνιαυτῷ ἀβροχίας οὐ φοβηθήσεται, καὶ οὐ δια” λείψει ποιῶν καρπόν. βαθεῖα καρδία παρὰ πάντα, καὶ “ἄνθρωπός ἐστι, καὶ τίς γνώσεται αὐτόν; ἐγὼ Κύριος ” ἐτάζων καρδίας, δοκιμάζων νεφρούς.“ ὅταν τοίνυν ἡμεῖς τὸν ἐγνωσμένον παρὰ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀρτίως εἰρημέναις τεθαυμασμένον ἀρεταῖς, ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις κατασμικρύνωμεν, εἰς μόνην αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξωφανῆ καὶ ἐπίκηρον ἀποβλέποντες σάρκα, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ἀδοξίαν πρόφασιν τῆς ἐπ' αὐτῷ σμικροψυχίας ποιησάμενοι, πῶς οὐχὶ τἀναντία φρονοῦντες τῷ πάντων ἁλωσόμεθα βασιλεῖ, δίκην τε οὕτως ὑφέξομεν οὐ μετρίαν, ἔσθ' ὅτε τὸ ὑψηλὸν λέγοντες ταπεινὸν, καὶ τὸ φῶς τιθέμενοι σκότος, καὶ τὸ γλυκὺ πικρὸν ὁριζόμενοι; Φυλακτέον τοιγαροῦν τοῖς ἁγίοις τὰς αὐτοῖς πρεπούσας τιμὰς, καὶ θεωρητέον μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς διὰ τῆς ἔσωθεν καὶ κεκρυμμένης εὐκλείας, ἢ ἐν οἷς ἂν εἶεν διὰ τὴν σάρκα. ἀλλὰ γὰρ οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν, τὸ μὲν ἐν κόσμῳ ταπεινὸν τιμῆς μὲν ὅλως ἢ καί τινος δόξης ἀξιοῦν οὐκ ἀνέχονται, κἂν ὑπάρχοι διαπρεπὴς ἐν ἀρεταῖς, εἰς δὲ μόνην ἀποβλέποντες τὴν ἐκ πλούτου πλεονεξίαν, καὶ τὴν εὐδιάφθορόν τε καὶ ὅσον οὐδέπω τεθνηξομένην εὔκλειαν ἐνορῶντες οὐ σφόδρα δικαίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς, παρ' οὐδὲν ποιοῦνται τὸ κρίνειν ὀρθῶς. τοὺς γὰρ δὴ τοιούτους καὶ λίαν εἰκότως διαγελᾷ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ὁ μαθητὴς, λέγων ” Ὑποκριταὶ, ἐὰν γάρ τις εἰσέλθῃ “εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν ὑμῶν ἀνὴρ χρυσοδακτύλιος ἐν ἐσθῆτι ” λαμπρᾷ, εἰσέλθῃ δὲ καὶ πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι,“ εἶτα λέγητε, φησὶ, τῷ μὲν πλουσίῳ πρὸς τῷ δεξιῷ καθέζεσθαι τόπῳ, τῷ δὲ ” πτωχῷ Στῆθι ἐκεῖ ἢ κάθου ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπόδιόν “μου, οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς;” καίτοι σκοπεῖν ἐντεῦθεν ἀκόλουθον, πόσης ἂν εἶεν εὐλόγου μομφῆς ὑπαίτιοι γεγονότες, οἱ τοῖς ἔξωθεν περιβλήμασι, καὶ οὐχὶ τοῖς ἔσωθεν ἀγαθοῖς τὸν ἄνδρα θαυμάζοντες. καὶ πλοῦτος μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἐκ πλούτου λαμπρὸν, ἀλλοτρίαν τινὰ καὶ νόθην τοῖς κεκτημένοις προσοίσειεν ἂν εἰκότως τὴν δόξαν: ἡ δὲ ἐν καρδίᾳ λαμπρότης, καὶ τὸ ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς διαφανὲς, γνήσιος ἂν εἶεν καὶ ἐμπεφυκὼς τοῖς ἔχουσι πλοῦτος, οὐ συναπομένων τῇ σαρκὶ, καὶ σὺν αὐτῇ κατασηπόμενος, ἀλλ' ἐνδημούσῃ μὲν ἔτι τῇ ψυχῇ κατὰ τόνδε τὸν βίον συνῳκισμένος, ἐκδημούσῃ δὲ πάλιν συναφιπτάμενος, ὅποι περ ἂν ὁ τοῦ παντὸς νεύσειεν ἡγεμών. πολλαὶ γὰρ μοναὶ παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ, καθάπερ ἠκούσαμεν. Τιμητέον τοιγαροῦν οὐχὶ πάντως ἢ ἀναγκαίως τὸν ἐν πλούτῳ διαφανῆ, καὶ τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς δοξαρίοις καθάπερ ἐν πίνακι κατακεχρωσμένον, ἐκείνους δὲ μᾶλλον, οἷς ἡ τῶν ἔργων φαιδρότης ἀμάραντον ἀποτίκτει διὰ Θεοῦ τὴν εὔκλειαν, καὶ τὸ ἔσωθεν ἐναστράπτει κάλλος διὰ πάσης ἰδέας ἀγαθῶν ἐκλελαμπρυσμένους.
« Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Μὴ γογγύζετε μετ' ἀλλήλων. οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρὸς μὲ, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ Πατὴρ ὁ πέμψας με ἑλκύσῃ αὐτὸν, κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. » Κατασμικρύνουσιν Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν Ἰησοῦν, τὸν μὲν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀγνοοῦντες Πατέρα, καὶ ὅτι περ εἴη κατὰ φύσιν Υἱὸς τοῦ πάντων δεσπόζοντος, οὐδαμόθεν ἐπιγινώσκοντες, εἰς δὲ μόνην ἀποβλέποντες τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μητέρα καὶ τὸν Ἰωσήφ. διὰ τοῦτο θερμότερόν πως αὐτοῖς ὑπαντᾷ, καὶ παραχρῆμα πάλιν ἐπ' αὐτὸ τὸ θεοπρεπὲς ἀξίωμα χρησίμως ἀναπηδᾷ: δι' ὧν οἶδεν, ὡς Θεὸς, καὶ τὸ λάθρα ψιθυρισθὲν καὶ εἰς νοῦν αὐτοῖς ἀναβεβηκὸς, διὰ τούτων αὐτῶν ἐπιτρέπων ἐννοεῖν, ὅτι τῆς ἀληθείας ἐκπίπτουσι, καὶ μικρὰν κομιδῆ τὴν ἐπ' αὐτῷ διάληψιν ἐποιήσαντο. τὸν γὰρ ὅλως εἰδότα καρδίας, ἐξετάζοντά τε τὰ ἐν νῷ κινήματα, καὶ οὐδὲν ἠγνοηκότα τῶν ἐν ψυχαῖς βουλευμάτων, πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν δόξῃ μὲν ἤδη καταστέφειν τῇ θεοπρεπεῖ, καὶ ἀνακομίζειν δὲ εἰς τοσοῦτον τῆς ἐν ἀνθρώποις σμικροπρεπείας, ὅσον δὴ ὑπερκέοιτο τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ὁ Θεός; ἀνακαλύπτων τοίνυν τὸν ἐν ἀφθόγγοις ἔτι μομφαῖς κατακεχωσμένον λογισμὸν, καὶ τὸν λάθρα διαψιθυρισθέντα γογγυσμὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς φανερὸν καθιστὰς δι' αἰτίαν ἤδη τὴν εἰρημένην Μὴ γογγύζετέ φησι μετ' ἀλλήλων: εἶτα δεικνὺς, ὅτι θεοδίδακτον ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀγαθὸν τὸ περὶ αὐτοῦ μυστήριον, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος ἔργον ἐστὶν ἡ περὶ αὐτοῦ γνῶσις, μηδὲ δύνασθαί φησιν ὡς αὐτὸν ἀφικέσθαι, μὴ οὐχὶ ταῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς νουθεσίαις καθειλκυσμένον: ἦν δὲ τοῦτο πάλιν ἕτερον ποιοῦντος οὐδὲν ἢ σκοπεῖν ἀναπείθοντος, ὅτι δεήσοι μὲν αὐτοὺς κλάοντας καὶ πικραινομένους, ἐφ' οἷς μὲν ἤδη λελυπήκεσαν ἐλευθεροῦσθαι ζητεῖν, ἀνέλκεσθαι δέ πως καὶ εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν, διὰ βουλῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐπικουρίας κατευμαριζούσης αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐν τούτοις ὁδὸν, καὶ λείαν ὥσπερ ἀποτελούσης, τὴν ἐπείπερ ἡμάρτανον ἀφειδῶς ἐκτετραχυμένην: ἀναστήσειν γεμὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν τὸν πιστεύοντα χρησίμως διεβεβαιοῦτο, καὶ διὰ τούτου πάλιν Θεὸν ὄντα κατὰ φύσιν καὶ ἀληθινὸν τοῖς ἀνοήτοις ἑαυτὸν παριστάς: τὸ γὰρ ὅλως δύνασθαι ζωοποιεῖν, καὶ παλινδρομῆσαι πρὸς ἀναβίωσιν ἀναγκάσαι τῷ θανάτῳ κεκρατημένον, μόνῃ μὲν ἂν πρέποι δικαίως τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ φύσει, προσγράφοιτο δὲ τῶν γενητῶν οὐδενί. τοῦ γὰρ ζῶντός ἐστι τὸ ζωοποιεῖν, καὶ οὐχὶ τοῦ παρ' ἑτέρου δανειζομένου τὴν χάριν.
« Ἔστι γεγραμμένον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις Καὶ ἔσονται πάντες διδακτοὶ Θεοῦ. » Τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσαν τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις ἀπόνοιαν ἐννοήσας ὡς Θεὸς, οὐκ ἀμαρτύρητον ἐᾷ τὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ λόγον, ἄνωθεν δὲ διὰ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν προκεκηρυγμένον ἤδη καὶ προαναφωνηθέντα δεικνύει, καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀντερεῖν ὅτι πρέποι πάλιν αὐτῷ διενθυμουμένων προαναιρῶν ἀφορμὰς, καὶ τὴν ἐνοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἀμαθίαν οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀπογυμνῶν, διὰ τοῦ καὶ τοῦτο δὴ πάλιν ἀγνοοῦντας ὁρᾶσθαι, καίτοι νόμῳ παιδαγωγουμένους πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐσομένων κατάληψιν. ἀναπείθει τοίνυν καὶ οὐχ ἑκόντας ἤδη συννεύειν: οὐ γὰρ ἦν εἰκὸς καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν ἀντιστατήσειν φωναῖς, ὅτι τοῖς ἀξίοις ἐνηχήσει ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ τὸ περὶ αὐτοῦ μυστήριον, καὶ ἀποκαλύψει τὸν ἴδιον Υἱὸν, ἀποῤῥήτως ἑκάστῳ προσλαλῶν, καὶ θεοπρεπῶς τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις σύνεσιν ἐντιθείς. Ἀνωτέρω δὲ λέγων “Οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρὸς μὲ, ” ἐὰν μὴ ὁ Πατὴρ ὁ πέμψας με ἑλκύσῃ αὐτὸν,“ οὐκ ἀναγκαστικὴν, οὐδὲ βιαιοτάτην οὖσαν ἐπιδεικνύει τὴν ἕλξιν προστιθείς:
« Πᾶς ὁ ἀκούσας παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός μου καὶ μαθὼν ἔρχεται πρὸς μέ. » Ὅπου γὰρ ἀκοὴ καὶ μάθησις καὶ τὸ ἐκ παιδεύσεως ἀγαθὸν, διὰ πειθοῦς δηλονότι καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἡ πίστις: ἀντιληπτικὴ δὲ μᾶλλον, ὡς ἐξ ἀγάπης τοῖς ἀξίοις ἡ ἐπὶ Χριστῷ σύνεσις χορηγεῖται παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἤπερ ἀναγκαστική: περισώζεσθαι γὰρ ὁ δογματικὸς ἀναγκάζει λόγος τὸ αὐτεξούσιον καὶ αὐτοπροαίρετον τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ψυχῇ, ἵνα δικαίους μὲν ἐπ' ἀγαθοῖς ἀπαιτῇ τοὺς μισθοὺς, σφαλλομένη δὲ τοῦ πρέποντος, καὶ τὸ τῷ νομοθέτῃ δοκοῦν ἐκ ῥᾳθυμίας ἐκβαίνουσα, τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ κολάζεσθαι δίκην καὶ εὐλογωτάτην ἀποκομίζοιτο. Ἰστέον δὲ ὅτι κἂν λέγοιτό τινας ἐκπαιδεύειν ὁ Πατὴρ τὸ ἐπὶ Χριστῷ μυστήριον, ἀλλ' οὐ μόνος ἐνεργήσει περὶ τοῦτο, ἐπιτελέσει δὲ μᾶλλον ὡς διὰ σοφίας ἰδίας αὐτὸ τοῦ Υἱοῦ. ἐννοεῖν γὰρ ἀκόλουθον, ὡς οὐ δίχα σοφίας ἡ κατὰ σύνεσιν ἔν τισιν ἀποκάλυψις ἔσται παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός. σοφία δὲ τοῦ Πατρός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός. οὐκοῦν ὡς διὰ σοφίας ἐνεργήσει τοῦ ἰδίου γεννήματος τὴν ἐν τοῖς ἀξίοις ἀποκάλυψιν ὁ Πατήρ. καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς εἰπεῖν, ἀληθῶς δὲ δὴ πάντως, καὶ οὐχ ἑτέρως, οὐκ ἄν τις ἁμάρτοι, πάνθ' ὅσα πέρ ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἐνεργήματα τὰ ἐπί τισιν, ἤτοι θελήματα, πάσης εἶναι λέγων τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὰ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος. διὰ γάρτοι ταύτην, ὡς ἐγῷμαι, τὴν αἰτίαν, τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἀποκαλύπτειν λεγομένου τὸν ἴδιον Υἱὸν, καὶ καλεῖν ἐπ' αὐτῷ τοὺς εἰς τὸ πιστεύειν ἑτοιμοτέρους, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦτο ποιῶν εὑρίσκεται, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα δὲ οὐδὲν ἧττον τὸ Ἅγιον. Πέτρῳ μὲν γὰρ τῷ μακαρίῳ φησὶν ὁ Σωτὴρ, τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πίστιν εὐθαρσέστατα διωμολογηκότι ” Μακάριος εἶ Σίμων Βὰρ “Ἰωνᾶ, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψέ σοι, ἀλλ' ὁ ” Πατήρ μου ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.“ αὐτὸς δὲ τοῦτο ποιῶν ἐν ἑτέροις ὁρᾶται. καὶ γοῦν ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ καλῶς δὴ λίαν ὁ Παῦλος ἀποσεμνύνεται, περὶ τοῦ κατὰ Χριστὸν μυστηρίου βοῶν ” Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ παρ' ἀνθρώπου παρέλαβον αὐτὸ, ἢ ἐδιδά“χθην, ἀλλὰ δι' ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.” ἴδοις δὲ ἂν ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον οὐδὲν ἧττον ἡμῖν ἀποκαλύπτει Χριστόν. ἐπιστέλλει γοῦν ὁ σοφώτατος Ἰωάννης “Καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸ χρίσμα ὃ ἐλάβετε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ μένει ἐν ” ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ἵνα τις διδάσκῃ ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ' ὡς “τὸ αὐτοῦ χρίσμα διδάσκει ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων.” καὶ αὐτὸς δέ που φησὶν ὁ Σωτὴρ, ὡς περὶ τοῦ παρακλήτου, τουτέστι τοῦ Πνεύματος “Ἔτι πολλὰ ἔχω λέγειν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ' οὐ ” δύνασθε βαστάζειν ἄρτι: ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, τὸ πνεῦμα “τῆς ἀληθείας, ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πάσῃ: οὐ γὰρ ” λαλήσει ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ' ὅσα ἀκούει λαλήσει, καὶ τὰ “ἐρχόμενα ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν. ἐκεῖνος ἐμὲ δοξάσει, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ” ἐμοῦ λήψεται, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν.“ πνεῦμα γὰρ ἀληθείας ὑπάρχον, φωταγωγήσει τοὺς ἐν οἷς ἂν γένοιτο, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας χειραγωγήσει κατάληψιν. καὶ ταῦτά φαμεν, οὐχ ὡς κατασχίζοντες εἰς ἀλλοτριότητα, καὶ εἰς τὸ διῃρημένως κατὰ τὸ πᾶν ἢ τὸν Πατέρα τιθέντες τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ἤγουν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ἀλλ' εἴπερ μία θεότης ἐστί τε ὄντως καὶ οὕτω κηρύττεται ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ καὶ ὁμοουσίῳ θεωρουμένη Τριάδι, τὰ ἑκάστῳ προσαπτόμενα καὶ ἰδίως ἀνατεθεῖσθαι δοκοῦντα, πάσης εἶναι διοριζόμενοι τῆς θεότητος βουλάς τε καὶ ἐνεργείας. ἐνεργήσει γὰρ δι' ἑαυτῆς οὐ μεμερισμένως ἡ θεία τε καὶ ἀδιαίρετος φύσις, ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς τὸν ἕνα τῆς θεότητος λόγον, εἰ καὶ ὑφέστηκε τῶν νοουμένων ἕκαστον ἰδιοσυστάτως: ἔστι γὰρ ὅ ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. πρὸς δέ γε τοῖς εἰρημένοις περιαθρητέον κἀκεῖνο: τὰ πρός τι πως ἔχοντα τῶν ὀνομάτων, αὐτὰ δι' ἀμφοῖν γνωρίζεται, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἑνὸς δήλωσιν ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἑτέρου κατίδοι τις ἄν. οὐκοῦν ἀνάγκη μὲν πᾶσα διὰ Πατρὸς ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, δι' Υἱοῦ δ' αὖ πάλιν τὸν Πατέρα: συνεισάγεται γὰρ πάντως θατέρῳ τὸ ἕτερον, καὶ εἴ τις εἰδείη Πατέρα τῇ φύσει τὸν Θεὸν, ἐννοήσει δὴ πάντως τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννηθέντα Υἱὸν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀμέλει καὶ τὸ ἕτερον. ὁ γὰρ Υἱὸν ὁμολογῶν οὐκ ἀγνοήσει τὸν γεγεννηκότα. Οὐκοῦν ᾗ μέν ἐστι Πατὴρ ὁ Θεὸς, οὕτω τε νοεῖται καὶ κηρύττεται, τὴν περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου γεννήματος τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις ἐντίθησι γνῶσιν: ᾗ δὲ Υἱὸς ὁ ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ὀνομάζεται καὶ ἔστιν ἀληθῶς, διαγγέλλει τὸν Πατέρα: διάτοι τοῦτό φησιν ὡς πρὸς αὐτόν ” Ἐφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα “τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.” ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐγνώσθη παρὰ τοῖς πεπιστευκόσιν ὁ Υἱὸς, πεφανερῶσθαί φησι τὸ τοῦ γεννήσαντος ὄνομα: νοηθείη δ' ἂν τὴν περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου γεννήματος γνῶσιν ἐντιθεὶς ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, οὐ φωνῆς ἄνωθεν καταῤῥηγνυμένης, καὶ βροντῆς τινος δίκην περικτυπούσης τὴν οἰκουμένην, ἀλλὰ θείας δηλονότι φωταγωγίας ἀναλαμπούσης ἐν ἡμῖν πρὸς κατανόησιν τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς: εὑρήσεις δὲ πάλιν καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργὸν τὸν Υἱόν: γέγραπται γάρ που περὶ τῶν ἁγίων μαθητῶν ὅτι “Τότε διήνοιξεν ” αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς,“ εἰς τὸ νοεῖν δηλονότι τὰς ἁγίας γραφάς.
« Οὐχ ὅτι τὸν Πατέρα ἑώρακέ τις, εἰ μὴ ὁ ὢν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ: οὗτος ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα. » Προανασκοπήσας πάλιν, ὡς Θεὸς, ὅτι παραδέξονται μὲν οὐδαμῶς τὴν διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἀποκάλυψιν, οὐδὲ τὴν ἄνωθεν μὲν ἐν φωταγωγίαις ἐννοήσουσι σύνεσιν, ἀπαιτήσουσι δὲ διὰ πολλὴν δυσβουλίαν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ χρῆναι θεωρεῖν τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ, ἵνα οὕτως εἴπωμεν, δι' αὐτοπροσώπου παιδεύεσθαι θέας, ὅπερ ὡς ᾤοντο τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ὑπήρχθη ποτὲ, καταφοιτώσης ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινᾶ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ: προανασειράζει πάλιν, καὶ ὥσπερ τινὶ χαλινῷ περιτρέπει πρὸς τὸ χρῆναι μὴ παχεῖαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὴν διάληψιν, μηδὲ ὁρατὴν ἔσεσθαί ποτε τὴν ἀόρατον οἴεσθαι φύσιν: οὐδεὶς γὰρ πώποτε, φησὶ, τεθέαται τὸν Πατέρα. ἔοικε δὲ πάλιν καὶ αὐτὸν ὑπαινίττεσθαι τὸν ἱεροφάντην Μωυσέα. ᾤοντο μὲν γὰρ ἀνοήτως δὴ σφόδρα καὶ τοῦτο φρονοῦντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, διὰ τὸ εἰσελθεῖν ” εἰς τὸν γνόφον“ αὐτὸν, τεθεᾶσθαι τὴν ἄῤῥητον τοῦ Θεοῦ φύσιν, καὶ τοῖς τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς κατιδεῖν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ κατὰ φύσιν τὸ ἀκήρατον κάλλος. ἀλλ' ἵνα μή τι γυμνότερον λέγων ἐπὶ τῷ πανσόφῳ Μωυσεῖ, δοκῇ πως αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ σύνηθες παροτρύνειν θράσος, ἀδιορίστως τε ἅμα κατὰ πάντων καὶ ὡς ἐπ' ἐκείνῳ φησίν Οὐχ ὅτι τὸν Πατέρα ἑώρακέ τις. μὴ γὰρ δὴ τὰ ὑπὲρ τὴν φύσιν ἀπαιτεῖτε, φησὶ, μηδὲ εἰς τὸ πᾶσι τοῖς γεγονόσιν ἀνέμβατον παραλόγοις φέρεσθε ταῖς ὁρμαῖς. ἀπέδρα τε γὰρ καὶ διαλέληθεν ἡ θεία καὶ ἀπερινόητος φύσις, οὐχ ὅπως τοὺς ἐν ἡμῖν ὀφθαλμοὺς ὄντας μόνους, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ τοὺς ἁπάσης τῆς κτίσεως: ἐν γὰρ τῷ Οὐδεὶς, τὰ πάντα περισχοινίζεται, ἑαυτὸν δὲ καὶ μόνον εἶναί τε ἐκ Θεοῦ καὶ τεθεᾶσθαι τὸν Πατέρα διοριζόμενος, ἔξω τίθησι δηλονότι τῶν πάντων, καθ' ὧν ἂν νοοῖτο τό Οὐδεὶς ἀποφαντικῶς: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔξω πάντων ἐστὶ, καὶ οὐδενὸς ὁρῶντος τὸν Πατέρα, μόνος αὐτὸς τοῦ βλέπειν οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει, πῶς οὐκ ἂν νοοῖτο λοιπὸν οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν ὑπάρχων, ὡς εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἔξω τῶν πάντων, ὡς ὑπὲρ πάντα; καὶ εἰ πάντων εἶναι λεγομένων παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μηδενὸς ὁρῶντος τὸν Πατέρα: ” τὰ γὰρ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ“ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου φωνήν: μόνος αὐτὸς θεωρεῖ τὸν Πατέρα διὰ τὸ ὑπάρχειν παρὰ Θεοῦ: τό παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ληψόμεθα νοοῦντες ὀρθῶς, ἐπ' αὐτοῦ δὴ καὶ μόνου τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Πατρός. εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, ὅτου δὴ χάριν, καθάπερ ἤδη προείπομεν, πάντων εἶναι λεγομένων παρὰ Θεοῦ, μόνος αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ γεννήσαντος ἀναβαίνει θέαν, διὰ τὸ εἶναι παρὰ Θεοῦ; οὐκοῦν εἰρήσεται μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν ποιημάτων καταχρηστικώτερον: παρὰ Θεοῦ γὰρ τὰ πάντα δημιουργητῶς διὰ τὸ παρῆχθαι δι' αὐτοῦ πρὸς γένεσιν: ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καθ' ἕτερόν τε καὶ ἀληθέστερον τρόπον τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατὰ φύσιν, δεδέξεται. διὸ τοῖς πᾶσιν οὐ συναριθμούμενος, ἀλλ' ἔξω πάντων ὑπάρχων καὶ ἐπάνω πάντων μετὰ Πατρὸς, οὐ συνασθενήσει τοῖς πᾶσιν, ἅτε δὴ τῆς ἐκείνων ὁμοφυΐας ἐξῃρημένος, ὡς δὲ εἰς τὴν τοῦ γεννήσαντος ἀνατρέχων φύσιν, κατόψεται πάντως τὸν ἐξ οὗπέρ ἐστι. Τὸ δὲ ὅπως ἢ κατὰ τίνα τρόπον, ἢ αὐτὸς θεωρήσει τὸν Πατέρα, ἢ αὖ πάλιν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὀφθήσεται, τῆς μὲν ἡμετέρας γλώττης οὐκ ἔργον εἰπεῖν: νοητέον δ' οὖν ὅμως θεοπρεπῶς.
« Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον. » Θύρα τοιγαροῦν καὶ ὁδὸς εἰς ζωὴν ἡ πίστις, καὶ ἀπὸ φθορᾶς εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ἀναδρομή. θαυμάσαι γεμὴν οὐδὲν ἧττον παρέσται τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις καὶ τὴν ἐν τούτοις οἰκονομίαν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐδὲν τὸ παράπαν συνέντας αἰσθάνεται, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὅτι προσήκοι τοῖς ἐκ προφητῶν ὑποπείθεσθαι λόγοις οἰομένους ὁρᾷ, τὸ μὲν ὅσον ἦν ἀσθενοῦν εἰς πίστιν ὡς ἐκ λογισμῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, ὅρκῳ τῷ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ὑποτέμνεται. γέρα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύουσι προτιθεὶς τὰ ἀξιοζήλωτα, καθάπερ τισὶν ὁλκοῖς, ἐπιθυμίαις δηλονότι ταῖς εἰς αὐτὰ, μονονουχὶ καὶ οὐχ ἑκόντας ἐκβιάζεται καὶ ἀναπείθει βαδίζειν ἐπὶ τὸ κηρυττόμενον. τί γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς προτιμότερον, τοῖς οἷς γε πικρὸς ὁ θάνατος καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῆς φθορᾶς ἀναφαίνεται πάθη; πρέποι δ' ἂν καὶ τοῦτο σοφῷ διδασκάλῳ, τὸ διὰ πάσης φημὶ τῆς εἰς ζωὴν καλούσης ὁδοῦ, τοὺς ἀσύνετόν τι φρονεῖν ἑλομένους μεταπαιδεύειν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον: αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπάρχων ἡ αἰώνιος ζωὴ, ἑαυτὸν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπιδώσειν ἐπαγγέλλεται, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τὸ ” κατοι“κῆσαι Χριστὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς πίστεως.”