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and that not simply, but also with abundance. Wherefore also making this very thing plain, he adds what follows. For henceforth boldly after the gift of the Spirit, he discourses also concerning the assumption into the heavens; and not simply, but again bringing forward the witness, and reminding them of him of whom Christ spoke. For David, he says, is not ascended into the heavens. 3. Here he no longer speaks to the people with reserve, having boldness from what had been said, nor does he say. It is lawful to say, nor such things; but he says openly, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. But if He is David’s Lord, much more is He theirs. Sit on My right hand. Here he has put the whole matter. Until I make Your enemies Your footstool. Here he also brought on them a great fear, as he showed in the beginning what things He does for His friends, what things for His enemies. And again, that it might not be disbelieved, he ascribes the power to the Father. Since therefore he had uttered great things, again he brings down his speech to humbler matters. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, he says; that is, Do not dispute, nor doubt. Then also authoritatively henceforth; That God has made Him both Lord and Christ. This he recalled from David and from the Psalm. For when he should have said, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that He sits at the right hand, which was a great thing, leaving this, he brings forward another thing, saying what is much humbler, He made, that is, He appointed. So that here there is nothing about essence, but all he says is concerning this. This Jesus, whom you crucified. Well did he end here, 60.60 shaking their mind. For since he showed how great He is, then at last, he also laid bare their audacious deed, so as to show it greater and to take them with fear. For men are not so much drawn on by benefits, as they are chastened by fear. But the admirable and great and friends to God, need none of these things; such was Paul. For he made no account either of kingdom or of hell. This is to love Christ, this is not to be a hireling, nor to think it a business and a trade, but to be truly virtuous, and to do all things for the love of God. Of how many tears then are we worthy, when owing so great a measure, we do not even pursue the kingdom of heaven as hucksters? He promises us so great things, and not even so do we listen? What could be equal to this enmity? And yet those who are mad for money, even if they find enemies, even if slaves, even if most hostile, even if evil in all respects, but only expect that through them they will be able to receive money, do everything, and flatter, and serve, and become slaves, and consider them to be more venerable than all, that they may receive something from them; for the hope of money does not allow them to think of any of these things. But a kingdom has not had as much power as money, or rather, not even the smallest part; and yet it is not any chance person who promises it, but He who is incomparably greater even than the kingdom itself. And when that which is promised is a kingdom, and it is God who gives it, it is a great thing in itself to receive from such a one. But now the same thing happens, as if a king, wishing to make men his heirs and joint-heirs with his son after countless other benefits, were to be despised; while a robber-chief, having inflicted countless evils on both us and our parents, and being full of countless evils, and having put to shame both our glory and our salvation, showing a single obol, should be worshipped by us. God promises a kingdom, and is despised; the devil procures hell, and is honored. This one is God, that one the devil. But let us see the difference of the commands. For if none of these things were so, neither this one God, and that one the devil; nor this one procuring a kingdom, and that one hell; would not the very nature of the commands be sufficient to persuade us to assent to this one? What then does each command? That one things that bring shame, this one things that make men glorious; that one things that involve us in countless calamities and disgraces, this one things that have great relaxation. For see; This one says, Learn of Me, that

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καὶ ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ δαψιλείας. ∆ιὸ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δῆλον ποιῶν, ἐπάγει τὰ ἑξῆς. Λοιπὸν γὰρ θαῤῥούντως μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος δόσιν, καὶ περὶ τῆς εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀναλήψεως διαλέγεται· καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ πάλιν τὸν μάρτυρα παράγων, καὶ ἐκείνου ἀναμιμνήσκων περὶ οὗ ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπεν. Οὐ γὰρ ∆αυῒδ ἀνέβη, φησὶν, εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς. γʹ. Ἐνταῦθα οὐκ ἔτι μεθ' ὑποστολῆς δημηγορεῖ, ἔχων τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων θάρσος, οὐδὲ λέγει. Ἐξὸν εἰπεῖν, οὐδὲ ὅσα τοιαῦτα· λέγει δὲ φανερῶς, Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. Εἰ δὲ τοῦ ∆αυῒδ Κύριος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αὐτῶν. Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου. Τὸ πᾶν ἐνταῦθα τέθεικεν. Ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. Ἐνταῦθα καὶ φόβον ἐπέστησε μέγαν, καθάπερ ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ ἔδειξεν, οἷα τοὺς φίλους ἐργάζεται, οἷα τοὺς ἐχθρούς. Καὶ πάλιν τὴν κράτησιν, ἵνα μὴ ἀπιστῆται, τῷ Πατρὶ ἀνατίθησιν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν μεγάλα ἐφθέγξατο, πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ τὸν λόγον κατάγει. Ἀσφαλῶς οὖν γινωσκέτω, φησὶ, πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραήλ· τουτέστι, Μὴ ἀμφισβητεῖτε, μηδὲ ἀμφιβάλλετε. Εἶτα καὶ ἐπιτακτικῶς λοιπόν· Ὅτι καὶ Κύριον αὐτὸν καὶ Χριστὸν ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησε. Τοῦτο ἀπὸ τοῦ ∆αυῒδ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ψαλμοῦ ἐμνημόνευσε. ∆έον γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Ἀσφαλῶς οὖν γινωσκέτω πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν κάθηται, ὅπερ ἦν μέγα, τοῦτο ἀφεὶς, ἕτερον ἐπάγει τὸ πολὺ ταπεινότερον εἰπὼν, Ἐποίησε, τουτέστι, Κατέστησεν. Ὥστε οὐδὲν περὶ οὐσιώσεως ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλὰ πᾶν φησι περὶ τούτου. Τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε. Καλῶς ἐνταῦθα 60.60 ἔληξε, διασείων αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔδειξεν ἡλίκον ἐστὶ, τότε λοιπὸν, καὶ τὸ τόλμημα ἐγύμνωσεν, ὥστε μεῖζον δεῖξαι καὶ τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοὺς ἑλεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως οἱ ἄνθρωποι ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις ἐπάγονται, ὡς τῷ φόβῳ σωφρονίζονται. Οἱ δὲ θαυμαστοὶ καὶ μεγάλοι καὶ Θεῷ φίλοι, οὐδενὸς τούτων δέονται· οἷος ὁ Παῦλος ἦν. Οὐ γὰρ βασιλείας, οὐ γεέννης λόγον ἐποιεῖτο. Τοῦτό ἐστι φιλεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν, τοῦτο μὴ μισθωτὸν εἶναι, μηδὲ πραγματείαν καὶ καπηλείαν ἡγεῖσθαι, ἀλλ' ὄντως ἐνάρετον εἶναι, καὶ διὰ τὸ τῷ Θεῷ φίλον πάντα ποιεῖν. Πόσων οὖν δακρύων ἄξιοι, ὅταν τοσοῦτον ὀφείλοντες μέτρον, μηδὲ ὡς κάπηλοι μετίωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν; Τοσαῦτα ἡμῖν ὑπισχνεῖται, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀκούομεν; Τί ταύτης τῆς ἔχθρας ἴσον γένοιτο ἄν; Καίτοι γε οἱ περὶ χρήματα μαινόμενοι, κἂν ἐχθροὺς, κἂν δούλους, κἂν πολεμιωτάτους εὕρωσι, κἂν πάντα κακοὺς, μόνον δὲ προσδοκήσωσιν, ὅτι χρήματα δι' αὐτῶν δυνήσονται λαβεῖν, πάντα ποιοῦσι, καὶ κολακεύουσι, καὶ θεραπεύουσι, καὶ δοῦλοι γίνονται, καὶ πάντων ἡγοῦνται αὐτοὺς σεμνοτέρους εἶναι, ἵνα τι λάβωσι παρ' αὐτῶν· ἡ γὰρ τῶν χρημάτων ἐλπὶς οὐδὲν τούτων αὐτοὺς ἀφίησιν ἐννοῆσαι. Βασιλεία δὲ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ὅσα χρήματα, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστόν· καίτοι οὐδὲ ὁ τυχών ἐστιν ὁ ἐπαγγελλόμενος αὐτὴν, ἀλλ' ὁ ἀσυγκρίτως καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτῆς μείζων. Ὅταν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐπαγγελλόμενον βασιλεία, καὶ Θεὸς ὁ ταύτην διδοὺς, μέγα καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ παρὰ τοιούτου λαμβάνειν. Νῦν δὲ ταὐτὸν γίνεται, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ βασιλεὺς μὲν κληρονόμους αὐτοῦ καὶ συγκληρονόμους τῷ υἱῷ βουλόμενος ποιῆσαι μετὰ μυρίας καὶ ἑτέρας εὐεργεσίας, καταφρονοῖτο· λῄσταρχος δὲ μυρία καὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ τοὺς γονεῖς τοὺς ἡμετέρους διαθεὶς, καὶ μυρίων γέμων κακῶν, καὶ καταισχύνας ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν, ἕνα μόνον ὀβολὸν δείξας προσκυνοῖτο παρ' ἡμῶν. Βασιλείαν ἐπαγγέλλεται ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ καταφρονεῖται· γέενναν προξενεῖ ὁ διάβολος, καὶ τιμᾶται. Οὗτος Θεὸς, ἐκεῖνος διάβολος. Ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν τῶν ἐπιταγμάτων τὸ διάφορον. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν τούτων ἦν, μηδὲ οὗτος μὲν Θεὸς, ἐκεῖνος δὲ διάβολος· μηδὲ οὗτος μὲν βασιλείαν, ἐκεῖνος δὲ γέενναν προεξένει· αὐτὴ τῶν ἐπιταγμάτων ἡ φύσις οὐχ ἱκανὴ πεῖσαι τούτῳ προσθέσθαι; Τί δαὶ καὶ ἑκάτερος ἐπιτάττει; Ἐκεῖνος τὰ καταισχύνοντα, οὗτος τὰ ἐνδόξους ποιοῦντα· ἐκεῖνος τὰ μυρίαις περιβάλλοντα συμφοραῖς καὶ ἀσχημοσύναις, οὗτος τὰ πολλὴν τὴν ἄνεσιν ἔχοντα. Ὅρα γάρ· Οὗτος λέγει, Μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὅτι