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the salvation of men, he found nothing edible among men and says that the evangelical word is to be put forth, which is the right-hand teaching, compared to which the law and the prophets are understood as the left hand; and by the grace of him who commanded, they drew many; for the miracle in this surpasses the strength of the apostles. 637 {3Jο 21, 11}3 Peter, along with the others, drags the spiritual net, bringing the catch to Christ. The one hundred are understood as the fullness of the Gentiles, the fifty as the chosen race from Israel that was saved, and the three signify the manifestation of the Holy Trinity, to whose glory the life of the faithful who were caught in the net is understood to be joined. 638 {3Jο 21, 12}3The saying, "Come and dine," has a riddle, that after the labors, rest and food and enjoyment will succeed for the saints. 639 {3Jο 21, 13}3He did not pray now when breaking the bread, showing that the first things were of condescension. But he does human things before the passion. And if Luke said that he himself "ate," it was not as if the flesh still needed it, but for a demonstration

of the resurrection. 640 {3Jο 21, 15-17}3 Wishing to rekindle him from the despondency of his denial, he questions him and through the three questions and declarations he erases the three utterances of the denial and by words he corrects the failings that happened in words. And from this it has become a custom for three professions to be required of those about to be baptized. 641 {3Jο 21, 17}3 He asks him a third time not as one who is ignorant—for how could he who foretold his passion be?—but so that he might show that he greatly cares for the protection of his sheep and that Peter greatly loved him. 642 {3Jο 21, 19}3This signifies death by the cross, which he underwent unwillingly, even if for the things hoped for he was willingly put to death. Some have thought from this that Peter suffered unwillingly, but it is not so, rather he wanted to suffer, but he did not want to be crucified, so that he might not seem to the more simple to have been deemed worthy of the same honor as the Master. Therefore he teaches him not to be troubled; for this manner is not of his own choice, but brought on by others

being brought on.643 {3Jο 21, 22-23}3He said this wishing to cut off the untimely sympathy they had for each other; for if they had not been separated from each other, the world would have suffered the greatest loss. But he did not say, "He does not die," but "If I want him to remain," that is, "A work has been entrusted to you, do this, mind your own affairs; for what do you want, if I do not wish to send him with you, but for him to remain here?" 644 {3Jο 21, 23}3The disciples received the Lord's word as a declaration, that he would not die, which he did not say. But what he said, he said enigmatically of the long duration of his life; for in time he died without punishment. 645 {3ςο 21, 24}3 As one who has spoken without falsehood, he bears witness to the truth for himself. Therefore, having named himself indefinitely in many places, here he clearly indicates himself; for he himself is the one who wrote the gospel. One loved by God could not have lied, therefore do not doubt; for the truth would not have loved him if he were undoing the truth. 646 {3ςο 21, 25}3It is necessary to decline to speak of the things that are better than all that is written in books, which not even the world itself can contain because of the magnitude of the teachings. If all things were written, no one among men would suffice for the acquisition of the books. For this reason it was not written, so that it might not surpass the memory of the hearers. Or, if everything were written, the books would have been innumerable and no one would have been able to know them all. Or, if someone wishes to present the magnitude of the events, the world does not contain them, nor does human hearing. Some say that those living worldly lives do not have room to hear the divine signs, according to what was said in the beginning: "and the world did not know him," as also the Lord himself said, that "not all can accept this saying." 647 {3Jο 21, 25}3The divine signs are many and innumerable, and from many these were taken, being able to perfectly benefit. 648 {3Jο 21, 25}3So many are the things that have happened and

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τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίαν, οὐδὲν εὗρε παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις βρώσιμον καὶ λέγει τὸν εὐαγγελικὸν προβάλλεσθαι λόγον, ἥ ἐστιν ἡ δεξιὰ διδασκαλία, πρὸς ἣν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται παραβαλλό-μενοι ἀριστερὰ νοεῖται· καὶ τῇ χάριτι τοῦ ἐπιτάξαντος εἵλκυσαν πολλούς· ὑπερβαίνει γὰρ τὸ ἐπὶ τούτῳ θαῦμα τὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἰσχύν. 637 {3Jο 21, 11}3 Ἕλκει τὴν πνευματικὴν σαγήνην ὁ Πέτρος σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις προσάγων τῷ Χριστῷ τὴν ἄγραν. νοοῦνται δὲ οἱ ἑκατὸν τὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν πλήρωμα, οἱ δὲ πεντήκοντα τὸ κατ' ἐκλογὴν τὸ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ σωθὲν γένος, οἱ δὲ τρεῖς τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος τὴν δήλωσιν ἐπινοοῦσιν, ἧς εἰς δόξαν ἡ τῶν πιστῶν ζωὴ τῶν σαγηνευ- θέντων νοεῖται συνεζευγμένως. 638 {3Jο 21, 12}3Τὸ δεῦτε ἀριστήσατε αἴνιγμα ἔχει ὁ λόγος, ὅτι μετὰ τοὺς πόνους διαδέξεται τοὺς ἁγίους ἀνάπαυσις καὶ τροφὴ καὶ ἀπόλαυσις. 639 {3Jο 21, 13}3Οὐκ ηὔξατο νῦν κλῶν τὸν ἄρτον δεικνύς, ὅτι συγκαταβάσεως ἦν τὰ πρῶτα. τὰ ἀνθρώπινα δὲ ποιεῖ πρὸ τοῦ πάθους. εἰ δὲ ὁ Λουκᾶς εἶπεν, ὅτι καὶαὐτὸς «ἔφαγεν» οὐχ ὡς ἔτι τῆς σαρκὸς δεόμενος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν

τῆς ἀναστάσεως. 640 {3Jο 21, 15-17}3 Ἀναζωπυρῆσαι αὐτὸν βουλόμενος ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἄρνησιν ἀθυμίας ἐρωτᾷ αὐτὸν καὶ διὰ τῶν τριῶν ἐρωτήσεων καὶ καταθέσεων ἐξαλείφει τὰς τρεῖς φωνὰς τῆς ἀρνήσεως καὶ διὰ λόγων ἐπανορθοῖ τὰ ἐν λόγοις γενόμενα πταίσματα. ἔθος δὲ γέγονεν ἐκ τούτου τρεῖς ὁμολογίας ἀπαιτεῖσθαι τοὺς μέλλοντας βαπτισθῆναι. 641 {3Jο 21, 17}3 Ἐρωτᾷ αὐτὸν τρίτον οὐχ ὡς ἀγνοῶν-πῶς γὰρ καὶ ὁ προειπὼν τοῦ αὐτοῦ πάθος; -ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι πάνυ μέλει αὐτῷ τῆς προστασίας τῶν αὐτοῦ προβάτων καὶ ὅτι πάνυ αὐτὸν ἠγάπα ὁ Πέτρος. 642 {3Jο 21, 19}3Τοῦτο τὸν διὰ σταυροῦ θάνατον σημαίνει, ὃν ἄκων ὑπέστη, εἰ καὶ διὰ τὰ ἐλπιζόμενα ἑκὼν ἐθανατώθη. τινὲς ἐκ τούτου ᾠήθησαν, ὅτι ἄκων ὁ Πέτρος ἔπαθεν, τὸ δὲ οὐχ οὕτως ἔχει, ἀλλ' ἤθελε μὲν παθεῖν, οὐκ ἤθελε δὲ σταυρωθῆναι, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ παρὰ τοῖς ἁπλουστέροις τῆς αὐτῆς τῷ δεσπότῃ ἠξιῶσθαι τιμῆς. διδάσκει οὖν αὐτὸν μὴ ταράττεσθαι· οὐ γὰρ προαιρετικὸν τὸ σχῆμα τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἄλλων

ἐπαγόμενον.643 {3Jο 21, 22-23}3Τοῦτο εἶπεν ἐκκόψαι θέλων τὴν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἣν εἶχον ἄκαιρον συμ-πάθειαν· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐχωρίζοντο ἀλλήλων, τὰ μέγιστα εἶχεν ἡ οἰκουμένη ζημιωθῆναι. οὐκ εἶπεν δέ· οὐκ ἀποθνῄσκει, ἀλλὰ ἐὰν αὐτὸν θέλω μένειν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἔργον ἐνεχειρίσθης, τοῦτο ποίει, τὰ σαυτοῦ μερίμνα· τί γὰρ σὺ θέλεις, εἰ μὴ βούλομαι αὐτὸν ἀποστεῖλαι σὺν σοί, ἀλλὰ μεῖναι ὧδε; 644 {3Jο 21, 23}3Οἱ μαθηταὶ ὡς ἀπόφασιν ἐδέξαντο τὸν τοῦ κυρίου λόγον, ὅτι οὐκ ἀποθα-νεῖται, ὅπερ οὐκ εἶπεν. ἀλλ' ὃ εἶπεν, αἰνιττόμενος εἶπεν τὸ μακρόβιον τῆς αὐτοῦ ζωῆς· ἐν γὰρ τοῖς χρόνοις ἄνευ τιμωρίας ἀπέθανεν. 645 {3ςο 21, 24}3 Ὡς ἀψευδῶς λαλήσας ἑαυτῷ μαρτυρεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. διὸ ἐν πολλοῖς ἀορίστως ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάσας ὧδε φανερῶς σημαίνει ἑαυτόν· αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ γράψας τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. οὐκ ἂν ὑπὸ θεοῦ ἀγαπώμενος εἶχεν ψεύσασθαι, διὸ μὴ ἐνδοιάσητε· οὐ γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ἀλήθεια παραλύοντα τὴν ἀλήθειαν. 646 {3ςο 21, 25}3Παραιτητέον λαλεῖν τὰ κρείττονα πάσης τῆς ἐν βίβλοις γραφῆς, ἅπερ οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ὁ κόσμος δύναται χωρῆσαι διὰ μέγεθος θεωρημάτων. εἰ πάνταἐγράφετο, οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων ἤρκει πρὸς τὴν τῶν βιβλίων κτῆσιν. διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐγράφη, ἵνα μὴ ὑπερβῇ τὴν μνήμην τῶν ἀκουόντων. ἤτοι εἰ ἐγράφη πάντα, ἀναρίθμητα ἤμελλον εἶναι τὰ βιβλία καὶ οὐδεὶς ἠδύνατο πάντα γνῶναι. ἤτοι ἐὰν θέλῃ τις τὸ μέγεθος τῶν γεγονότων παραστῆσαι, οὐ χωρεῖ αὐτὰ ὁ κόσμος οὔτε ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη ἀκοή. τινὲς λέγουσιν, ὅτι οἱ κοσμικῶς ζῶντες οὐ χωροῦσι τὰς θεοσημείας ἀκοῦσαι κατὰ τὸ ἐν ἀρχῇ εἰρημένον· «καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω», ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος εἶπεν, ὅτι «οὐ πάντες χωροῦσι τὸν λόγον τοῦτον». 647 {3Jο 21, 25}3Πολλαί εἰσι καὶ ἀναρίθμητοι αἱ θεοσημεῖαι καὶ ἀπὸ πολλῶν ταῦτα ἐλήφθη δυνάμενα τελείως ὠφελῆσαι. 648 {3Jο 21, 25}3Τοσαῦτά ἐστι τὰ γενόμενά τε καὶ