Chapter Iv. That a type of Christ was the holy Tabernacle which led the people in the wilderness, and that the ark that was in it and the lamp and the altar, as well that of incense as that of sacrifice, signified Christ Himself.

68 Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go away? Thou hast the words of eternal life.

By the mouth of one the chief do all speak, preserving the knowledge that is in truth most well befitting saints, that in this too they might be found an ensample to those who should come after them, to wit of sober and admirable reasoning. For it was meet that they should speak in the ears of their Master, not all confusedly hurrying to get before the rest, and unmeetly seize on speech, but wisely to be ready to give way to those who had the first place, both in wisdom and rank. Wherefore Paul too saith, Let the prophets speak two or three, and by course. For not because they were honoured with the grace of prophecy, was it therefore decreed that they should speak in a disorderly manner; but because they were wise, therefore were they commanded to speak the more wisely to their hearers. It was then an act of wisdom befitting saints, to leave it to him alone to answer for all, who had the preeminence in place. To whom therefore shall we go away (he says) instead of, who shall instruct us in like wise? or, to whom shall we go, and find what is better? Thou hast the words of eternal life: not hard words, as those say, but words which bring us up to the chiefest of all, to unceasing, endless life, and removed from all decay. It is (I suppose) perfectly clear to us from these words that we must sit by One only Teacher, Christ, and cleave unceasingly and indissolubly to Him, and make Him our Master, who knoweth well to guide our feet into the unending life. For thus, thus shall we mount up to the Divine and heavenly courts, and hastening into the church of the first-born, shall feast on the good things that pass man's understanding. For that it is a good thing and salutary to desire to follow Christ Alone and ever to be with Him, the very nature of the thing will indubitatively prove: yet no less shall we see it from the elder Scriptures.

When therefore they of Israel having put off the tyranny of the Egyptians were pressing forward to the land of promise, God suffered them not to make disorderly marches, nor did the Law-giver let each go where he would. For there is not a doubt that having no leader they would have gone utterly astray. Wherefore it is written again for our ensample, in the book called Numbers, And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely the tent of the testimony; and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud went up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents: at the commandment of the Lord shall they set forth, and the children of Israel shall keep the charge of God and shall not rise up. By the voice of the Lord shall they pitch and by the command of the Lord shall they journey. Thou seest how they are bidden to follow, and to journey with the journeying of the cloud, and to halt again with it and with it to rest. For the being with their guide was salvation both then of them of Israel, and to us now the not departing Christ is so. For He was with them of old under the form of tabernacle and cloud and fire. But the order of the narrative shall be transferred (as far as we are able) to the spiritual interpretation, for when Wisdom, as it is written, builded her an house, and pitched the truer tabernacle, that is, the Temple of the Virgin, God the Word, Who is in the Bosom of God the Father, came down thereinto in a manner incomprehensible and God-befitting, and was made Man, that to those who are already enlightened, and walk as in the day, as Paul saith, He might be a cloud overshadowing them, and put an end to the heat of our passions from infirmity: but to those who are still ignorant, and straying, and living as it were in night and darkness, a fire to give light and transform to fervency of spirit. For we believe that those who are good are warm through the Spirit. For I think that for no other cause did the cloud appear over the tabernacle by day and the fire by night, than for that given above by us. But He enjoined those who were appointed to follow, not to set out of their own accord on their journey, but to set out with the tabernacle and with it to halt, that in type again you may understand what is said by Christ, He that ministereth to Me, let him follow Me: and where I am, there shall My minister also be. For steadfastness in following, and constancy in cleaving, is signified by his accompanying Him, uninterruptedly. And the accompanying the Saviour Christ and following Him, is not to be understood at all of the body, but is attained rather by virtue in action, in regard whereof the most wise disciples having fast fixed their mind, and having refused as leading to destruction, to go back with them that believed not, with reason cry out, Where can we go? as though they said, With Thee will we abide and will ever cleave to Thy commands, and will receive Thy words, not finding fault with ought, nor with the uninstructed ones, think that hard which Thou sayest in Thine instruction, but think rather, How sweet are Thy Words unto my throat, above honey and the honeycomb unto my mouth.

Such then is the meaning of this passage. But that the tabernacle was to them of old a type of Christ we shall know, by applying a subtle mind to the things said respecting it unto the holy Moses. Our discourse on these matters may haply seem discursive to some, but it will produce no slight advantage. For we ought (I deem) zealously to refine on these points, repudiating the censoriousness of those who unreasonably blame us. The Divine oracle then is on this wise: for we will set it forth in order, refining the shadow of the letter, as far as we can. And the Lord spake (it says) unto Moses, saying, On one day of the first month at new moon, shalt thou rear the tabernacle. What induced the Lord of all (one more diligent in learning may reasonably ask) to order the tabernacle to be set up in one day, and not in two, or three, and in the new moon, and that not simply of any month, but of the first. Such things may reasonably cause us a long investigation, since nought of the things said in the Scriptures is for nothing. Therefore (for we will follow up our own discourse on these things) the tabernacle that was reared signifies the Holy Body of Christ and (so to say) the pitching of His Precious Tabernacle, wherein it was well pleasing that all the fulness of the Godhead should dwell bodily. Moreover He commands it to be pitched in one day, and this most wisely and economically, in order that by the one day you might understand the existing life, in which alone He became Man. It is fit that we understand by the new moon, nothing else save the sojourn of our Saviour which reneweth us, by which old things are passed away, all things are become new. For a new season was manifested to us in Christ, thrusting away the oldness of the legal worship, and re-ordering us unto a new and fresh life through the Gospel teachings, yea and renewing unto the beginning of righteousness them which had waxen old from sin, and were ready to vanish away, and undoing the oldness of the corruption that had been brought in, and beautifying with the newness of incorruption those that through faith had hastened unto eternal life. For if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, as it is written.

But He commands the Divine tabernacle to be reared in the first month, when the beauty of spring-time shines forth, washing away (as it were) the dejection of winter, and the earth is softly cherished by now brighter and purer suns, and the vines bloom, and the husbandman revels in the sweet odours of the flowers, and the plains bear grass, and whole fields bristle with the ears of corn, as certain of the Greek poets say, when the winter is past, as it is written, the rain is over and gone, when the time of pruning is come on. All these you will understand spiritually, that the winter at its end and the rain passing away, are the temptations that fall on us of devilish tyranny, and his ambitious usurpations over all; for the might of the devils was brought to an end in the days of Christ, and the bright Sun rose upon us, to wit, that whereof God the Father says, And the Sun of Righteousness shall arise upon you, warming with fervency of the Spirit, those who were swooned in sin, unto righteousness. The spiritual vines again and flowers and ears of corn, you will understand to be the Saints which excel in manifold piety towards God, and shoot forth the many-hued fruit of virtue. And (we must speak briefly) the spring brings forth flowers and prepares the whole earth to bear grass, and crowns the meadows with new bloom, and brings into fresh youth the trunks long dry with the intolerable violence of the winter, and brings them to a goodlier appearance, and makes them bud around with their wonted leafage, and prepares the husbandman who owns them to glory in their natural fruits. Some such thing shall we find happen as regards ourselves too. For we who have long been withered by reason of the sin that reigneth over us, and destitute of fruit unto virtue, have revived unto righteousness through Christ, and do now yield the fresh and new fruit through faith to the Dresser of our spirits. And thus do we fitly understand that which is spoken by one of the holy Prophets as in the Person of Christ, I who speak, am at hand as the spring upon the mountains. But what the spring, i. e., the season of spring, worketh upon the mountains, we have already spoken of.

Profitably then does He command that the tabernacle be set up in one day, holding out a type of Christ, that you may understand thereby His Death once for all in this one present time. For He will not be born again hereafter, nor yet will die, having once for all been born and died and risen from the dead. For the Resurrection, which is as it were, a pitching of the holy tabernacle, must of necessity follow His Death. But it is in the new moon, because in Christ we have a new age: for what is in Him, are a new creature. And the first month is taken, signifying the renewal of human nature from death and decay to life and incorruption, and its passing at length from barrenness to fruitfulness, and its escape from the tyranny of the devil, like the winter now passed away and come to its close. Again in another way does he shew us Immanuel in type and figure saying, And thou shalt place the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. For in the preceding the Word was limned in the complete tabernacle (for it was the House of God indwelling therein, to wit, the Holy Body of Christ) but no less is the same signified to us by the ark individually . For it was constructed of undecaying wood, that you might understand His Body incorruptible: it was overlaid with pure gold within and without, as it is written ; for all belonging to Him is Precious and royal, both the Divinity and the Humanity, and in all things He hath the preeminence as Paul saith. And the gold is taken as a type of honour and excellence above all things. The ark then was fashioned of undecaying wood, and overlaid with gold, and had the Divine law deposited therein, for a type of God the Word indwelling in, and united to, His Holy Flesh (for the Law too was the Word of God, although not the Hypostatic Word, as the Son is). And it is covered by the veil. For God the Word Incarnate was unseen of the many, having His Own Body as a covering, and lying hid within His Own Flesh as with a veil, so that thence certain not knowing His God-befitting Dignity, at one time endeavoured to stone Him, imputing it to Him, as a crime, that He being Man, said He was God, at another time, they blushed not to say, Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph, whosefather and mother We know? how doth He now say, I have come down from heaven? The veil then cast upon the ark, signifieth that Jesus will not be known by the many. The ark too was therefore a type of Him, wherefore also did it precede them of Israel in the wilderness, filling the place of God: for He was the leader of the people. And the Psalmist is a witness of this, saying, O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness, the earth shooh, the heavens also distilled. For in that the ark ever marched before and preceded, God is openly declared to have gone before. You may have a clearer proof of this, considering this. God once commanded to them of Israel by Moses to go up boldly unto mount Seir, and to besiege the Amorite, but they who were so commanded having fallen into feeble cowardice, and attributing success to their own strength, and not rather trusting to the succour from above, sat and began weeping by the mountain, as it is written, whereat the Law-giver was justly provoked, and threatened that He would not bring them into the land of promise. They cut at last by the threat, and urged to an unseasonable repentance, attempted to go up, by a second disobedience, and snatched up arms against the Amorites. But God foretold them the result by Moses: for He said unto them Ye shall not go up (it says) and ye shall not fall before your enemies for I am not among you. But they every way diseased with disobedience, forced themselves and went up unto the mountain, as it is written. Nevertheless (it says) the ark of the covenant of the Lord went not up with them, for it remained in the camp. Seest thou that upon God's saying, I am not among you, the ark goeth not up with the disobedient, shewing clearly to them of more understanding that it held the place of their leader God? Yea and it was borne around Jericho by the priests, and the lofty wall thereof fell down, not by applying engines and rams, but rather by trumpets and shouting: and this again we shall find to be true in Christ. For He it is Who is borne by saints and holy men and overturns the whole might of the devil, not by arms, but by a shout and a trumpet, that is by Apostolic and Evangelic preaching, and the assent of all the people, confessing their own Lord in uprightness of faith. This too we see accomplished in the Mystic doxologies, the priestly trumpet, that is, the voice of the minister, preceding the people, and thus falls and is shattered the power of the adversaries, for our weapons are not carnal, as Paul saith, but mighty to God. That Christ is after a sort borne and rests on His saints, both the prophet Habakkuk will declare saying, Thou wilt ride upon thine horses and Thy chariots are salvation, and the Saviour Himself no less will teach us, saying to Ananias concerning Paul, Go thy way, for this man is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My Name before all the Gentiles.

Yea and thou shalt bring in the table (it says moreover) and set in order what layeth thereonand thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and set thereon his lamps. You will understand Christ by both, for He is co-figured under the form of a table having bread set upon it, because in Him are all nourished unto life Eternal, according as He says, I am the Bread; Which came down from heaven and giveth life unto the world: if any man eat of This Bread, he shall live for ever; and the Bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world. That then, which is set forth upon the table, i. e., the loaves, signifies the Holy Body of Christ, which nourisheth all men unto Eternal Life. But since the blessed David, and they that were with him, being an hungred, as it is written, did eat the shewbread, let us see whether something mystical be not hereby too recorded. It was not lawful to taste of the shewbread, save by the Priests alone, by appointment of the Law: but David and they that were with him, being not of the priestly tribe, took of the most holy food, that hereby again might be signified the faith of the Gentiles, and in part of them of Israel. For Christ was due to them of Israel, as to them who were more holy by reason of the fathers, and the Law: but the multitude of the Gentiles although they were, by reason of their straying, profane, somehow entered in too, and did eat the Bread of life, David accompanying them and as it were filling up a type of the preserved of Israel, which the blessed Isaiah too calls a remnant. For many of them have believed on Christ.

Thus therefore will Christ be conceived of through the holy Table: but He is again the candlestick, as giving light to the whole house, that is, the world (for I am the Light of the world, He says) but it holdeth seven lamps and not one: for manifoldly doth He illumine and by diverse graces enlighten the souls of the faithful: again it is of pure gold, in that it is above all and Precious: moreover it has a solid stem (for so is written) for there is nothing empty nor yet light in Christ. It has lilies too by reason of its good savour of holiness, according to, I am a flower of the plain, a lily of the vallies. Its feeders again signify the ministrations of Divine graces. Moreover the prophet Zechariah testified that two olive branches are round about it, that you may understand that the people compassionated are two, whom he called sons also of fatness and says that they stand by the Lord of the whole earth, although in that the olive branches are seen by the lamp, he hereby gives the clearest demonstration that Christ is the candlestick, Who through obedience and faith set by Himself both the people of the Gentiles and that of the Jews.

He proceeds, manifoldly pointing Him out to us, And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark and put the hanging of the veil at the door of the tabernacle of witness, and the altar of burnt offerings thou shalt set at the door of the tabernacle of witness and shalt cover the tabernacle, and all things that are therein shalt thou hallow all round. For we must observe how Christ is represented to us in both altars. For after He had ordered the golden altar to be laid by , whereon was the incense before the ark, and had said that hangings should be put across before the doors of the tabernacle, that the interior might not be seen, He commands the altar of burnt-offerings to stand at the door of the tabernacle of testimony, not invisible, nor hidden: for it was without the veil. Behold Him then, by the altar of incense ascending up as an odour of a sweet smell to God the Father (for this the incense signifies), by the altar of burnt offering, offered up as an Offering and a Sacrifice in our behalf. But the golden altar was hidden by the veil (for hidden was the glory of Christ), the other, that of burnt offerings, whereon are the sacrifices, was visible, for manifest was the Death of Christ and known to all. Their position is not without a distinction, for the one was over against the ark, the other by the doors of the tabernacle. And the position of the golden altar in front of the ark, as it were in the Presence of God the Father, darkly hints that marvellous is the glory of the Son, as it is said, No man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father. But the position of the altar of burnt offering at the very doors of the tabernacle, holding out a type of His Death and of His Sacrifice for all, again signifies, that no otherwise can we come to God the Father, save by the Sacrifice of Christ, as He says, I am the Door, and No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. Further, He commanded the tabernacle to be pitched round about, comprehending all things that were therein, that it might be seen to be one, and not many. For One is Christ among us, even though He be manifoldly conceived of, a tabernacle by reason of the veil of Flesh, an Ark holding the Divine law as the Word of God the Father, a table again as Life and Food, a candlestick as spiritual Light, both altar of incense, as an odour of a sweet smell in sanctification, and altar of burnt offering, as a Sacrifice for the Life of the world. And all things that are therein are sanctified; for Christ is holy All of Him and howsoever He be conceived of.

Since the holy tabernacle then was their leader, they of Israel are commanded with it to set out and with it to rest: God again instructing us and teaching us to our profit, to take as our Leader and. Guide in the way unto salvation, God the Word Who for our sakes was Incarnate, and by obeying unhesitatingly His Commands, to mount up unto eternal life. And this they who had been instructed in the mysteries in many words not chusing to do, went bach and walked no more with Him. But most wisely does the blessed Peter say to the Saviour, Where can we depart? for in no way to go astray from God, but rather to strive to be with Him spiritually, is in truth most comely for saints. 

69 And We have believed and know that Thou art the Christ, the Holy One of God .

Marvellous is the faith of the holy Apostles, fervent their manner of confession, most loveable and pre-eminent their understanding. For not like certain of the more ignorant, or like them who used to call the Word of the Saviour hard, did they rightly go back and fall, nor of lightness readily caught were they called to belief, but being fully assured beforehand and persuaded of a truth that their Instructor was full of life-giving Words, the Teacher of heavenly doctrines. Exceeding stable is such faith, but that which is not so, is (as is like) easily spurned, and having no root as its assurance, is very readily worn away out of the mind of man. And verily the Saviour Himself in Parables, when He was discoursing of the sower, that which fell upon tho rock (He says) and hath no root withered away, darkly saying that the mind which is dried up and can in no wise receive the Word once cast into it, is a rock. For the wretched Jews being now in this case from their utter ignorance, were being taught by the Prophet's voice, Bend your hearts and not your garments. For as before the casting in of the seed, the custom of husbandry advises that the ground should first be cleft with the plough: so I deem ought they who approach to receive the Divine Words in some sort to open out aforehand their hearts by desires thereunto: and thus receiving it, do they render the soul travailing like fruitful soil. Therefore in full assurance of faith do the most wise disciples say that they know and are confident that He is Christ the Son of the Living God. And with great wisdom will you find their speech constructed as to this again. For they say they believe and know, joining both together. For one must both believe and understand: nor, because the more Divine things are to be received in faith, ought we therefore completely to depart from all investigation respecting them, but rather we should try to attain even so unto a moderate knowledge, as in a glass and a riddle, as Paul saith. Well again do they not say first that they know, then believe, but putting faith first, they bring in knowledge, and not before faith, as it is written, If ye will not believe, neither shall ye understand. For simple faith having been fore-laid in us, as a kind of foundation, knowledge is afterwards built up upon it by degrees, and brings us up to the measure of the mature agethat is in Christ, to a perfect and spiritual man. Wherefore God also somewhere says, Behold I will lay for the foundations of Sion a stone, choice, a corner stone, precious. For Christ is to us a Beginning and foundation unto sanctification and righteousness, through faith, that is, and not otherwise: for thus He dwelleth in us.

But observe how they say throughout in the singular number, and with the article prefixed, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God, removing from the many who are called in grace unto sonship, as One and Special, Him who is truly Son, in Whoso likeness We too are sons. Again they call Him the Christ as One: but we must know that He is not called Christ on His own account, or as being so Essentially just as He is Son, yet is He One in truth and specially (for none among anointed ones is as He is) yet in respect of His likeness to us is He called Christ. For His Own Proper and specially distinct Name and Reality in truth, is Son; but that which is common with us is Christ. For since He was anointed in that He was made Man, therefore is He Christ. If then we attribute the being anointed to the need of human nature, He will be conceived of as Christ in respect of His likeness to us, and not in the same way as He is Son, nevertheless One Only by Nature and Specially, both before Flesh and with Flesh, and not two, as some suppose, who (it seems) understand not the depth of the Mystery. For not into a man hath the Word of God the Father come down, as the grace of the Spirit upon one (for example) of the holy Prophets, but Himself was made Flesh, as it is written, to wit Man. Indivisible therefore is He after the Union, and is not severed into two Persons, even though we conceive of the Word of God as something other than the Flesh wherein He hath dwelt. And since the whole choir of the holy Apostles confirms to us the faith herein, in that they say they know (and that peculiarly) that He is the Christ the Son of God, we shall not, if we deem aright, admit those who shrink not of their folly from making innovations on these things.

70, 71  Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon, for he it was that should betray Him, being one of the twelve.

He continues His reproach, and clenches them with severer words, cutting off that which is slack and fallen into negligence in their desire to be wise. For He almost seems to say somewhat of this sort, "O My disciples, this is the time for heed and wit and a mind braced unto the desire of salvation. For most slippery is the way of perdition, which drags downwards not only the feeble mind, but also that which already thinketh it standeth fast. Very perilous and of many forms is sin, which bewitches the mind of man by its manifold pleasures and most smooth lusts, dragging it to what it ought not. Your own case (He saith) shall be an example of what I say. For I will tell you; none of those who from lightness have now fallen back, did I choose as I have done you who were good (for as God, I knew what was in you) yet did Satan get hold of one of you through greed of gain, and My Judgment was surely not deceived. For in man is free-will and choice to go to both, either to the right hand, or to the left, i. e., to virtue or vice." Therefore at once by His severer chiding, does He both rouse unto becoming watchfulness, and render each one more steadfast regarding himself, for He does not yet say clearly who shall betray Him, but laying the burden of iniquity upon one alone and indefinitely, He was bringing them all to the contest, and inviting them to more careful circumspection, each one dreading the loss of his own soul, and at the same time was He working another thing for the benefit of His disciples' faith. For when they confessed that they knew, and firmly believed, that He is the Son of God, He shews that He fore-knows things to come, by this too shewing as it were that their confession regarding Him was sure. For the knowledge of things to come befitteth none save One Alone, Him That is by Nature God, of Whom it is also written, Who knoweth all things before they be. But He called the worker of the Devil's will a devil, and not untruly. For as he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit, so is the reverse also true.  

ΚΕΦΑΛΗ Δ. Ὅτι τύπος ἦν τοῦ Χριστοῦ προηγουμένη τοῦ λαοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον ἡ ἁγία σκηνὴ, καὶ ἡ κιβωτὸς δὲ ἡ ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ἡ λυχνία καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια δὲ, τό τε τοῦ θυμιάματος καὶ τὸ τῶν καρπωμάτων, αὐτὸν ἐσήμαινε τὸν Χριστόν.
« Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος Κύριε, πρὸς τίνα ἀπελευσόμεθα; ῥήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις. » ΔΙ' ἑνὸς οἱ πάντες λαλοῦσι τοῦ προὔχοντος, τὴν ἁγίοις ὄντως πρεπωδεστάτην ἀποσώζοντες ἐπιστήμην, ἵνα δὴ τύπος τοῖς μετ' αὐτοὺς κἀν τούτῳ πάλιν εὑρίσκοιντο σώφρονός τε καὶ ἀξιαγάστου λογισμοῦ: χρῆν γὰρ εἰς διδασκάλου λαλεῖν ἀκοὰς, οὐχὶ πάντας ἀδιακρίτως προπηδῶντας τῶν ἄλλων προαλέστερον, καὶ τὸ ἀγορεύειν οὐκ αὐτοῖς πρεπόντως ἁρπάζοντας, παραχωρεῖν δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπείγεσθαι σοφῶς τοῖς οἵπερ ἂν εἶεν καὶ βουλῇ καὶ τάξει προτεταγμένοι. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ” Προφῆται, φησὶ, δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν, καὶ ἀνὰ “μέρος.” οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδήπερ τῇ τῆς προφητείας τετίμηνται χάριτι, διὰ τοῦτο χρῆναι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀτάκτως ποιεῖσθαι τὸν λόγον ἐπεψηφίζετο: ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ ἦσαν ἅγιοι, διὰ τοῦτο δὴ μᾶλλον ἐπιστημόνως τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις προσλαλεῖν διεκελεύετο. οὐκοῦν ἐπιστήμης ἦν ἔργον ἁγιοπρεποῦς τὸ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπολογεῖσθαι μόνον ἐᾶν τὸν ᾧπερ ὑπῆρχε τὸ μεῖζον ἐν τάξει. Πρὸς τίνα τοιγαροῦν ἀπελευσόμεθα, φησὶν, ἀντὶ τοῦ Τίς ἡμᾶς μυσταγωγήσει τὰ παραπλήσια; ἢ καὶ τίνι προσελθόντες τὸ κρεῖττον εὑρήσομεν; ῥήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις: οὐ σκληρὰ, καθάπερ ἐκεῖνοί φασιν, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ πάντων ἐξαίρετον ἀναφέροντα, τουτέστιν, εἰς ἀκατάληκτον καὶ μακραίωνα βίον, καὶ φθορᾶς ἁπάσης ἐξῳκισμένην ζωήν. δῆλον δὲ δήπου πάντως ἡμῖν καὶ διὰ τούτων ἔσται τῶν λόγων, ὡς ἑνὶ καὶ μόνῳ διδασκάλῳ δεῖ προσκαθέζεσθαι τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ προσεδρεύειν ἀδιαλείπτως τε καὶ ἀπερισπάστως αὐτῷ, καὶ αὐτὸν ποιεῖσθαι καθηγητὴν, ποδηγεῖν εἰδότα καλῶς εἰς ζωὴν τὴν ἀπέραντον. οὕτω γὰρ οὕτω καὶ εἰς τὴν οὐράνιόν τε καὶ θείαν αὐλὴν ἀναβησόμεθα, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν πρωτοτόκων ἐκκλησίαν εἰσελαύνοντες, τοῖς ὑπὲρ νοῦν τὸν ἀνθρώπινον ἐντρυφήσομεν ἀγαθοῖς. ὅτι γάρ ἐστιν ἀγαθόν τε καὶ σωτήριον χρῆμα τὸ μόνῳ βούλεσθαι κατακολουθεῖν τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ αὐτῷ συνεῖναι διὰ παντὸς, καὶ αὐτὴ μὲν ἀναμφιλόγως ἡ τοῦ πράγματος πληροφορήσει φύσις. οὐδὲν δὲ ἧττον καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχαιοτέρων γραμμάτων εἰσόμεθα. Οὐκοῦν ὅτε τὰς Αἰγυπτίων πλεονεξίας ἀποδυσάμενοι πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας γῆν οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ ἠπείγοντο, οὐκ ἀτάκτους ποιεῖσθαι τὰς πορείας αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευε Θεὸς, οὐδὲ ὅποιπερ ἄν τις ἐθελήσαι βαδίζειν ὁ νομοθέτης ἠφίει: πλανηθήσεσθαι γὰρ πάντως οὐκ ἔχοντας τὸν ἡγούμενον οὐκ ἀμφίβολον ἦν. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ γέγραπται πάλιν πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν ἡμετέραν ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῷ καλουμένῳ τῶν ἀριθμῶν “Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ ἐστάθη ἡ σκηνὴ, ἐκάλυψεν ἡ νεφέλη τὴν ” σκηνὴν, τὸν οἶκον τοῦ μαρτυρίου: καὶ τὸ ἑσπέρας ἦν ἐπὶ “τῆς σκηνῆς ὡς εἶδος πυρὸς ἕως πρωΐ. οὕτως ἐγίγνετο διὰ ” παντὸς, ἡ νεφέλη ἐκάλυπτεν αὐτὴν ἡμέρας καὶ εἶδος πυρὸς “τὴν νύκτα. καὶ ἡνίκα ἀνέβη ἡ νεφέλη ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς, ” καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπῆραν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ: καὶ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ “οὗ ἂν ἔστη ἡ νεφέλη, ἐκεῖ παρενέβαλον οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ: ” διὰ προστάγματος Κυρίου ἀπαροῦσι. καὶ φυλάξονται οἱ “υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν φυλακὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξάρωσι. ” διὰ φωνῆς Κυρίου παρεμβαλοῦσι καὶ διὰ προστάγματος “Κυρίου ἀπαροῦσιν.” ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἀκολουθεῖν ἐπιτάττονται, καὶ συναπαίρειν μὲν ἀπαιρούσῃ τῇ νεφέλῃ, συγκαταλύειν δὲ πάλιν αὐτῇ καὶ συγκατευνάζεσθαι; τὸ γὰρ συνεῖναι τῷ ποδηγοῦντι σωτήριον καὶ τότε μὲν ἦν τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἡμῖν δὲ νυνὶ τὸ μὴ χωρίζεσθαι Χριστοῦ. αὐτὸς γὰρ ἦν τοῖς ἀρχαιοτέροις καὶ ὡς σκηνὴ καὶ νεφέλη, καὶ ὡς πῦρ μορφούμενος: μετοισθήσεται δὲ πάλιν, ὡς ἐφικτὸν, τῆς ἱστορίας ὁ λόγος ἐπὶ τὸ πνευματικόν. ὅτε γὰρ “ἡ σοφία,” κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, “ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον,” καὶ τὴν ἀληθεστέραν ἔστησε σκηνὴν, τουτέστι, τὸν ἐκ παρθένου ναὸν, καταβέβηκεν εἰς αὐτὴν ἀπερινοήτως τε καὶ θεοπρεπῶς ὁ ἐν κόλποις ὢν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς Θεὸς Λόγος, καὶ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, ἵνα τοῖς μὲν ἤδη πεφωτισμένοις, καὶ “ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ” περιπατοῦσι, κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον, νεφέλη γένηται συσκιάζουσα, καὶ τῶν ἐξ ἀσθενείας παθῶν τὸν καύσωνα παραλύουσα: τοῖς δὲ ἀγνοοῦσιν ἔτι καὶ πλανωμένοις, καὶ καθάπερ ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ σκότῳ διαιτωμένοις, πῦρ καταφωτίζον, καὶ εἰς τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος ζέσιν μεταποιοῦν. θερμοὺς γὰρ εἶναι τῷ πνεύματι τοὺς οἵπερ εἰσὶν ἀγαθοὶ πιστεύομεν: οἶμαι γὰρ οὐχ ἑτέρου τινὸς ἕνεκα φαίνεσθαι μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς τὴν νεφέλην ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, τὸ πῦρ δὲ τὴν νύκτα, ἢ τῆς ἤδη προαποδεδομένης ἡμῖν θεωρίας. τοῖσδε ἕπεσθαι τοῖς προστεταγμένοις μὴ αὐτομολεῖν εἰς ὁδοιπορίαν ἐπετάττετο, συναπαίρειν δὲ τῇ σκηνῇ καὶ συγκαταλύειν αὐτῇ, διὰ τύπου πάλιν ἵνα νοῇς ἐκεῖνο τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ Χριστοῦ “Ὁ ἐμοὶ διακονῶν ” ἀκολουθείτω μοι: καὶ ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ διάκονος “ὁ ἐμὸς ἔσται.” τὸ γὰρ πεπηγὸς περὶ τὴν ἀκολούθησιν, καὶ τὸ τῆς προσεδρείας ἐκτενὲς, διὰ τοῦ συμβαδίζειν ἀπερισπάστως αὐτῷ σημαίνεται: τὸ δὲ συμβαδίζειν τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ, καὶ ἀκολουθεῖν, οὐχὶ πάντως κατὰ σῶμα νοεῖται, πληροῦται δὲ μᾶλλον διὰ τῆς ἐν ἔργοις ἀρετῆς, ἐφ' ᾗ τὸν οἰκεῖον καταπήξαντες νοῦν οἱ σοφώτατοι μαθηταὶ, καὶ τὸ ἀπελθεῖν ὀπίσω μετὰ τῶν ἀπειθούντων ὡς ὀλέθριον παραιτούμενοι, τό Ποῦ ἔχομεν ἀπελθεῖν ἀναβοῶσιν εἰκότως: ἀντὶ τοῦ Σοὶ πάντοτε συνεσόμεθα, καὶ τῶν σῶν ἀνθεξόμεθα προσταγμάτων, καὶ τοὺς σοὺς παραδεξόμεθα λόγους, οὐ κατά τι γοῦν ἐπαιτιώμενοι, καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀπαιδεύτων σκληρὸν εἶναι νομίζοντες, ὅπερ ἂν λέγῃς μυσταγωγῶν, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο μᾶλλον “Ὡς γλυκέα τῷ λάρυγγί μου τὰ λόγιά σου, ” ὑπὲρ μέλι καὶ κηρίον τῷ στόματί μου.“ Τῶν μὲν οὖν προκειμένων τοιοῦτος ὁ νοῦς: ὅτι δὲ ἡ σκηνὴ τοῖς ἀρχαιοτέροις εἰς τύπον ἦν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γνωσόμεθα πάλιν, τοῖς περὶ αὐτῆς εἰρημένοις πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον Μωυσέα λεπτὴν ἐπιστήσαντες τὴν διάνοιαν. παρεκβατικὸς μὲν οὖν δόξειεν ἂν εἶναί τῳ τυχὸν ὁ περὶ τούτων λόγος, ἀλλ' ὀνήσειεν οὐ μικρῶς: δεῖ γὰρ οἶμαι περὶ τούτων προθύμως δὴ μάλα στενολεσχεῖν τὰς τῶν οὐκ εὐλόγως ἐπαιτιωμένων φιλοψογίας παραιτουμένους. ἔχει τοιγαροῦν τὸ θεῖον λόγιον οὕτως: ἐκθησόμεθα γὰρ οὕτως ἀνὰ μέρος τὴν ἐκ τοῦ γράμματος σκιὰν ὡς ἔνι καταλεπτύνοντες. ” Καὶ ἐλάλησε,“ φησὶ, ” Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ τοῦ “μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου νουμηνίᾳ στήσεις τὴν σκηνήν.” τί τὸ πεπεικὸς τὸν ἁπάντων Κύριον, ἐρεῖ τις εὐλόγως τῶν φιλομαθεστέρων, ἐν μιᾷ μὲν ἵστασθαι τὴν σκηνὴν ἡμέρᾳ προστάξαι, καὶ μὴ ἐν δυσὶν, ἢ τρισὶν, ἐν δὲ τῇ νουμηνίᾳ, καὶ οὐ μηνὸς ἁπλῶς τοῦ τυχόντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πρώτου; πολλὴν γὰρ ὄντως ἡμῖν τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ μάλα εἰκότως ἐμποιήσαι τὴν ζήτησιν, ἐπειδὴ τῶν εἰρημένων ταῖς θείαις γραφαῖς τῶν εἰκαίων οὐδέν. οὐκοῦν: ἑψόμεθα γὰρ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν περὶ τούτων λόγοις: ἡ ἀνισταμένη σκηνὴ τὸ ἅγιον σῶμα σημαίνει Χριστοῦ καὶ, ἵνα οὕτως εἴπω, τὴν σύμπηξιν τοῦ τιμίου σκήνους αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησε κατοικῆσαι πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς: ἀνίστασθαι γεμὴν αὐτὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κελεύει μιᾷ, καὶ τοῦτο δὴ μάλιστα σοφῶς τε καὶ οἰκονομικῶς, ἵνα διὰ τῆς μιᾶς ἡμέρας τὸν αἰῶνα νοῇς τὸν ἐνεστηκότα, καθ' ὃν καὶ μόνον γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος. νουμηνίαν γεμὴν οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἡμᾶς ἀκόλουθον ἐννοεῖν, ἢ τὴν ἀνακαινίζουσαν ἡμᾶς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπιδημίαν, καθ' ἣν “τὰ μὲν ” ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθε, γέγονε δὲ τὰ πάντα καινά.“ νέος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀνεδείχθη καιρὸς ἐν Χριστῷ, τὴν μὲν παλαιότητα τῆς νομικῆς λατρείας ἐξωθούμενος, εἰς νέαν δὲ καὶ καινὴν ἀναῤῥυθμίζων ζωὴν διὰ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν παιδευμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς πεπαλαιωμένους ἐξ ἁμαρτίας καὶ ἀφανισμοῦ γεγονότας ἐγγὺς ἀνακαινίζων εἰς δικαιοσύνης ἀρχὴν, καὶ τὴν μὲν παλαιότητα καταλύων τῆς ἐπεισάκτου φθορᾶς, τῇ δὲ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας καινότητι καταφαιδρύνων τοὺς διὰ πίστεως εἰς ζωὴν ἀναδραμόντας τὴν αἰώνιον: ” εἴ τις γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ “κτίσις,” κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Μηνὶ δὲ τῷ πρώτῳ, τὴν θείαν ἐγείρεσθαι διατάττει σκηνὴν, ὅτε τῆς τροπῆς τῆς ἐαρινῆς ἀναλάμπει τὸ κάλλος, ἀπονιψάμενον ὥσπερ τοῦ χειμῶνος τὴν κατήφειαν, ὑποθάλπεται δὲ μαλακῶς λαμπροτέροις ἤδη καὶ καθαρωτέροις ἡ γῆ ἡλίοις, καὶ κυπρίζουσι μὲν ἀμπελῶνες, ταῖς δὲ τῶν ἀνθέων εὐοσμίαις ὁ γηπόνος ἐντρυφᾷ, καὶ ποηφορεῖ μὲν πεδία, τοῖς δὲ τῶν ἀσταχύων ὀχμοῖς ὅλαι φρίττουσιν ἄρουραι, κατά τινας τῶν παρ' Ἕλλησι ποιητῶν: ὅτε παρῆλθεν ὁ χειμὼν, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἐπορεύθη δὲ καὶ ὁ ὑετὸς ἑαυτῷ, ὅτε τῆς τομῆς ἔφθασεν ὁ καιρός. ταῦτα δὲ πάντα νοήσεις πνευματικῶς, καὶ χειμῶνα μὲν ἐκλείψει καὶ ὑετὸν παρελάσαντα, τοὺς ἐκ διαβολικῆς τυραννίδος ἐπισκήπτοντας πειρασμοὺς, καὶ τὴν κατὰ πάντων πλεονεξίαν: λέλυται γὰρ ἡ τῶν δαιμόνων ἰσχὺς ἐν ἡμέραις Χριστοῦ. ἥλιος δὲ ἡμῖν ἀνέτειλεν ὁ λαμπρὸς, αὐτὸς δηλονότι περὶ οὗ φησιν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατήρ “Καὶ ἀνατελεῖ ὑμῖν ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης,” τοὺς ἀπεψυγμένους εἰς ἁμαρτίαν, τῇ τοῦ Πνεύματος ζέσει καταθάλπων εἰς δικαιοσύνην: ἀμπέλους δὲ πάλιν τὰς νοητὰς, καὶ ἄνθη τὰ πνευματικὰ, καὶ ἀστάχυας ἐπὶ τούτοις, τοὺς ἁγίους νοήσεις, πολυτρόπῳ τῇ εἰς Θεὸν εὐσεβείᾳ διαπρέποντας, καὶ πολυειδῆ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀναβρύοντας τὸν καρπόν: εἰπεῖν δὲ ὡς ἐν συντόμῳ λοιπὸν ἀναγκαῖον: ἀνθοκομεῖ τὸ ἔαρ, καὶ χλοηφορεῖν μὲν ἅπασαν παρασκευάζει τὴν γῆν, καταστέφει δὲ νέῳ τοὺς λειμῶνας βλάστῳ, καὶ πρέμνα τὰ πάλαι ξηρὰ διὰ τὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος ἀφόρητον ὕβριν ἀνηβᾶν ἀναπείθει, καὶ πρὸς ὄψιν ἄγει τὴν ἀμείνονα, καὶ φύλλῳ μὲν τῷ συνήθει περιανθίζεσθαι ποιεῖ, καρποῖς δὲ τοῖς κατὰ φύσιν φιλοτιμεῖσθαι παρασκευάζει τὸν ἐφεστῶτα γηπόνον. τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν γεγενημένον εὑρήσομεν: οἱ γὰρ πάλαι ξηροὶ διὰ τὴν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς βασιλεύουσαν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ καρπῶν ἔρημοι τῶν εἰς ἀρετὴν, ἀνεθάλομεν εἰς δικαιοσύνην διὰ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τὸν διὰ πίστεως ἤδη καρπὸν ἀρτιφανῆ τε καὶ νέον τῷ τῶν πνευμάτων γηπόνῳ προσκομίζομεν: οὕτω τε νοοῦμεν εἰκότως τὸ δι' ἑνὸς τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν εἰρημένον, ὡς ἐκ προσώπου Χριστοῦ “Αὐτὸς ὁ λαλῶν, πάρειμι ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ ” τῶν ὀρέων.“ τί γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν ἡ ὥρα, τουτέστιν, ὁ ἐαρινὸς ἐργάζεται καιρὸς, προλαβόντες ἤδη σαφῶς εἰρήκαμεν. Οὐκοῦν ἐν μιᾷ μὲν ἵστασθαι τὴν σκηνὴν ἡμέρᾳ προστάττει χρησίμως, τύπον ἐπέχουσαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα νοῇς ἐπ' αὐτῷ, τὸ ἅπαξ ἀποθανεῖν ἐν ἑνὶ τούτῳ τῷ παρόντι καιρῷ: γεννηθήσεται γὰρ εἰσαῦθις οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τεθνήξεται, γεγεννημένος ἅπαξ καὶ ἀποθανὼν καὶ διαναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν: ἀκολουθεῖν γὰρ ἀνάγκη τῷ θανάτῳ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, σύμπηξίν τινα τοῦ ἁγίου σκήνους ὑπάρχουσαν. ἐν νουμηνίᾳ δὲ, ὅτι νέος ἡμῖν αἰὼν ἐν Χριστῷ: καινὴ γὰρ κτίσις τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ. καὶ ὁ μὴν δὲ ὁ πρῶτος παραλαμβάνεται, τὴν ἐκ θανάτου καὶ φθορᾶς εἰς ζωὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν ἐπανανέωσιν τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως ὑποδηλῶν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀκαρπίας εἰς εὐκαρπίαν ἤδη μετάστασιν, καὶ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου τυραννίδος τὴν παραδρομὴν, καταλήξαντος ἤδη χειμῶνος δίκην καὶ συνεσταλμένου. εἶτα πάλιν ἑτέρως ἡμῖν ὡς ἐν τύπῳ καὶ σχήματι τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ ἐπιδεικνύει λέγων ” Καὶ θήσεις τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ σκεπάσεις τὴν “κιβωτὸν τῷ καταπετάσματι.” ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ὁ Λόγος ἡμῖν ὡς ἐν ὁλοκλήρῳ κατεγράφετο τῇ σκηνῇ: ἦν γὰρ οἶκος Θεοῦ τοῦ ἐνοικήσαντος ἐν αὐτῷ, δηλονότι τὸ ἅγιον σῶμα Χριστοῦ: ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἧττον ἡμῖν καὶ διὰ τῆς κιβωτοῦ κατὰ μέρος ὁ αὐτὸς σημαίνεται. κατεσκεύαστο μὲν γὰρ ἐκ ξύλων ἀσήπτων, ἵνα τὸ σῶμα νοῇς τὸ ἀδιάφθορον αὐτοῦ: κατακεχρύσωτο δὲ ὅλη χρυσίῳ καθαρῷ, καθὰ γέγραπται, ἔσωθέν τε καὶ ἔξωθεν. πάντα γὰρ τίμια καὶ βασιλικὰ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ τὸ θεῖον καὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύει, κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον: εἰς τιμῆς δὲ τύπον καὶ ὑπεροχῆς τῆς κατὰ πάντων τὸ χρυσίον λαμβάνεται. κατεσκευασμένη τοιγαροῦν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐκ ξύλων ἀσήπτων καὶ κεχρυσωμένη, καὶ τὸν θεῖον εἶχεν ἐναποτεθέντα νόμον, εἰς τύπον τοῦ ἐνοικήσαντος καὶ ἑνωθέντος τῇ ἁγίᾳ σαρκὶ Θεοῦ Λόγου: ῥῆμα γὰρ Θεοῦ καὶ ὁ νόμος ἦν, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐνυπόστατον, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός. καλύπτεται δὲ τῷ καταπετάσματι. καὶ γὰρ ἦν πως καὶ ἀσυμφανὴς τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐνανθρωπήσας ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, καὶ περιβολὴν ἔχων τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν καταπετάσματι διαλανθάνων τῇ ἰδίᾳ σαρκὶ, ὡς ἐντεῦθεν οὐδὲ ἐγνωκότας τινὰς αὐτοῦ τὸ θεοπρεπὲς ἀξίωμα, ποτὲ μὲν καταλιθοῦν ἐπιχειρεῖν, ἔγκλημα ποιουμένους, ὅτι περ ἄνθρωπος ὢν, ἑαυτὸν εἶναι λέγοι Θεόν: ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν, οὐδὲν ὅλως ὑπερυθριῶντας εἰπεῖν “Οὐχ ” οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωσὴφ, οὗ ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν τὸν “πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα; πῶς νῦν λέγει ὅτι ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ” καταβέβηκα;“ οὐκοῦν τὸ ἐπεῤῥίφθαι τῇ κιβωτῷ τὸ καταπέτασμα, τὸ ἀγνοηθήσεσθαι παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς ὑποσημαίνει τὸν Ἰησοῦν. ἦν οὖν ἄρα καὶ ἡ κιβωτὸς εἰς τύπον αὐτοῦ. διὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο καὶ προεβάδιζε τῶν ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ τάξιν ἀποπληροῦσα τότε: αὐτὸς γὰρ ἦν ὁ τοῦ λαοῦ καθηγούμενος. καὶ μάρτυς ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς λέγων ” Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῷ προπορεύεσθαί σε ἐνώπιον τοῦ λαοῦ “σου, ἐν τῷ διαβαίνειν σε τὴν ἔρημον, γῆ ἐσείσθη, καὶ γὰρ ” οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἔσταξαν.“ προελαυνούσης γὰρ καὶ προβαδιζούσης ἀεὶ τῆς κιβωτοῦ, Θεὸς διαῤῥήδην προπορεύεσθαι λέγεται. σαφεστέραν δ' ἂν ἔχοις τὴν ἐπὶ τούτῳ πάλιν ἀπόδειξιν, ἐκεῖνο διενθυμούμενος. ἐκέλευέ ποτε τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ διὰ Μωυσέως ὁ Θεὸς, ἀναβαίνειν μὲν τεθαρσηκότως ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σηεὶρ, ἐκπολιορκεῖν δὲ τὸν Ἀμοῤῥαῖον: ἀλλ' εἰς ἀδρανῆ πεσόντες δειλίαν οἱ κεκελευσμένοι, καὶ ῥώμαις ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἀναθέντες τὸ κατορθοῦν, καὶ οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ταῖς ἄνωθεν ἐπικουρίαις ἐπιθαρσήσαντες, καθίσαντες ἔκλαιον παρὰ τὸ ὄρος, καθὰ γέγραπται: ἐπὶ τούτοις εἰκότως ὁ νομοθέτης ἐξεπικραίνετο, καὶ ἠπείλει λοιπὸν οὐδὲ ἀποίσειν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας αὐτούς. καταδηχθέντες δὲ μόλις τῆς ἀπειλῆς, καὶ εἰς μετάγνωσιν ἐνεχθέντες οὐκ εὔκαιρον, ἀναβαίνειν ἐπεχείρουν, ἐκ παρακοῆς δευτέρας, ὅπλα κατὰ τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων ἁρπάσαντες. ἀλλὰ προηγόρευε Θεὸς τὰ ἐσόμενα διὰ Μωυσέως: εἶπε γὰρ ” αὐτοῖς Οὐκ ἀναβήσεσθε,“ φησὶ, ” καὶ οὐ μὴ πεσεῖσθε πρὸ προσώπου τῶν ἐχθρῶν “ὑμῶν, οὐ γάρ εἰμι μεθ' ὑμῶν.” πανταχῆ δὲ νοσοῦντες τὸ δυσήκοον, καὶ παραβιασάμενοι ἀνέβαινον εἰς τὸ ὄρος, καθὰ γέγραπται. ἀλλ' ἡ κιβωτὸς, φησὶ, τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἀνέβη μετ' αὐτῶν: ἔμεινε γὰρ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ. ὁρᾷς ὅτι Θεοῦ λέγοντος Οὐκ εἰμὶ μεθ' ὑμῶν, οὐ συναναβαίνει τοῖς ἀπειθοῦσιν ἡ κιβωτὸς, αὐτὸ σαφῶς τοῖς εὐμαθεστέροις ἐπιδεικνύουσα, τὸ τάξιν ἐπέχειν τοῦ καθηγεμόνος Θεοῦ; ἀλλὰ καὶ κύκλῳ τῆς Ἱεριχοῦς διὰ τῶν ἱερέων ἐβαστάζετο, καὶ τὸ ὑψηλὸν αὐτῆς κατέπεσε τεῖχος, οὐχ ἑλεπόλεις ἐπιστήσασα καὶ κριοὺς, διὰ σαλπίγγων δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ φωνῆς: ὅπερ ὂν ἀληθὲς ἐν Χριστῷ πάλιν εὑρήσομεν. αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ τοῖς ἱεροῖς καὶ ἁγίοις ἀνδράσιν ἐποχούμενος, καὶ πᾶσαν τοῦ διαβόλου καταστρέφων ἰσχὺν, οὐχ ὅπλοις, ἀλλὰ κραυγῇ καὶ σάλπιγγι, τουτέστιν, ἀποστολικοῖς τε καὶ εὐαγγελικοῖς κηρύγμασι, καὶ συναινέσει τῇ παρὰ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, ἐν ὀρθότητι πίστεως τὸν ἴδιον ὁμολογοῦντος Δεσπότην. ὃ καὶ ἐν ταῖς μυστικαῖς δοξολογίαις ὁρῶμεν ἀποπληρούμενον, προαναφωνούσης τοῦ λαοῦ σάλπιγγος ἱερατικῆς, ἣ καὶ ἐν τῇ τοῦ λειτουργοῦντος νοεῖται φωνῇ, πίπτει δὲ οὕτω καὶ συντρίβεται τῶν ἐναντίων ἡ δύναμις: “Τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα ἡμῶν οὐ ” σαρκικὰ, κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον, ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ.“ ὅτι δὲ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐποχεῖται τρόπον τινὰ καὶ ἐπίκειται Χριστὸς, σαφηνιεῖ μὲν λέγων καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἀμβακούμ ” Ὅτι ἐπι“βήσῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἵππους σου, καὶ ἡ ἱππασία σου σωτηρία:” διδάξει δὲ οὐδὲν ἧττον καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Σωτῆρ πρὸς τὸν Ἀνανίαν περὶ τοῦ Παύλου λέγων “Πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μου ” ἐστὶν οὗτος τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐνώπιον πάντων “τῶν ἐθνῶν.” Ἀλλὰ “καὶ εἰσοίσεις τὴν τράπεζαν, ἐπὶ τούτοις φησὶ, καὶ ” προθήσεις τὴν πρόθεσιν αὐτῆς, καὶ εἰσοίσεις τὴν λυχνίαν “καὶ ἐπιθήσεις τοὺς λύχνους αὐτῆς.” νοήσεις δὲ δι' ἀμφοῖν τὸν Χριστόν: συσχηματίζεται γὰρ ἐν τραπέζης τρόπῳ προκειμένους ἐχούσης τοὺς ἄρτους, διὰ τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ πάντας εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἀποτρέφεσθαι, μετασχόντας δηλονότι τῆς ἁγίας αὐτοῦ σαρκὸς, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον παρ' αὐτοῦ “Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ” ἄρτος ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβὰς, καὶ ζωὴν διδοὺς τῷ “κόσμῳ. ἐάν τις φάγῃ ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου τούτου, ζήσεται εἰς ” τὸν αἰῶνα: καὶ ὁ ἄρτος δὲ ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω ἡ σάρξ μου ἐστὶν “ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς.” οὐκοῦν τῆς τραπέζης ἡ πρόθεσις, τουτέστιν οἱ ἄρτοι, τὸ ἅγιον σημαίνουσι σῶμα Χριστοῦ, τὸ πάντας εἰς ζωὴν ἀποτρέφον τὴν αἰώνιον. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ μακάριος Δαυεὶδ καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ πεινάσαντες, καθὰ γέγραπται, τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον, ἴδωμεν εἰ μή τι καὶ διὰ τούτου μυστικὸν ἀνεγράφετο. οὐκ ἐξῆν ἀπογεύσασθαι τῶν τῆς προθέσεως ἄρτων, εἰ μὴ μόνοις τοῖς ἱερεῦσι, κατὰ διάταξιν νομικήν: ἀλλ' οὐκ ὄντες ἐκ φυλῆς ἱερατικῆς Δαυείδ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, τῆς ἱερωτάτης ἥπτοντο τροφῆς: ἵνα διὰ τούτου πάλιν ἡ τῶν ἐθνῶν πίστις καὶ ἀπὸ μέρους τῶν ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ σημαίνηται. ὠφείλετο μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ ὁ Χριστὸς, ὡς ἱερωτέροις “διὰ τοὺς πατέρας” καὶ τὸν νόμον, ἀλλ' ἐπεισδραμοῦσα τρόπον τινὰ, καίτοι διὰ τὴν πλάνην ἀνίερος οὖσα τῶν ἀλλογενῶν ἡ πληθὺς, ἔφαγε τὸν ἄρτον τῆς ζωῆς, συμπαρόντος αὐτῇ τοῦ Δαυεὶδ, καὶ ὥσπερ τινὰ τύπον ἀποπληροῦντος τῶν ἀνασεσωσμένων ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, ὅπερ καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ἡσαΐας ὀνομάζει κατάλειμμα. πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐξ αὐτῶν πεπιστεύκασι τῷ Χριστῷ. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν διὰ τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης νοηθήσεται Χριστός. λυχνία δὲ πάλιν, ὡς ὅλῃ φαίνων τῇ οἰκίᾳ, τουτέστι τῷ κόσμῳ: “Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου,” φησίν: ἑπτὰ δὲ τοὺς λύχνους καὶ οὐχ ἕνα λαμβάνει: φωτίζει γὰρ πολυτρόπως καὶ διαφόροις καταλαμπρύνει χαρίσμασι τὰς τῶν πιστευόντων ψυχάς: γίγνεται δὲ πάλιν ἐκ χρυσίου καθαροῦ, διὰ τὸ ὑπὲρ πάντας καὶ τίμιον. ἀλλὰ καὶ στερεὸν ἔχει τὸν καυλόν: γέγραπται γὰρ οὕτω: διάκενον γὰρ, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ κοῦφον, οὐδὲν ἐν Χριστῷ. ἔχει δὲ καὶ κρίνα διὰ τὴν εὐωδίαν τὴν ἐν ἁγιασμῷ, κατὰ τό “Ἐγὼ ἄνθος τοῦ πεδίου, ” κρίνον τῶν κοιλάδων.“ καὶ αὗται δὲ πάλιν αἱ ἐπαρυστρίδες τὰς τῶν θείων χαρισμάτων χορηγίας σημαίνουσι. δύο γεμὴν κλάδους ἐλαιῶν ὁρᾶσθαι περὶ αὐτὴν ὁ προφήτης Ζαχαρίας διισχυρίσατο, ἵνα δύο νοῇς τοὺς ἠλεημένους λαοὺς, οὓς καὶ τῆς πιότητος ἀπεκάλεσεν υἱοὺς, παρεστάναι τε λέγει τῷ Κυρίῳ πάσης τῆς γῆς, καίτοι περὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τεθεωρημένων τῶν κλάδων, ἐναργεστάτην ἀπόδειξιν διὰ τούτου ποιούμενος, ὅτιπερ ἡ λυχνία Χριστὸς, δι' ὑπακοῆς καὶ πίστεως ἑαυτῷ παραστήσας τόν τε ἐξ ἐθνῶν καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων λαόν. Εἶτα τούτοις ἐπιλέγει πολυτρόπως ἡμῖν κατασημαίνων αὐτόν ” Καὶ θήσεις τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ χρυσοῦν εἰς τὸ “θυμιᾶν ἐναντίον τῆς κιβωτοῦ, καὶ ἐπιθήσεις κάλυμμα κατα” πετάσματος ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ “τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῶν καρπωμάτων θήσεις παρὰ τὴν θύραν ” τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ περιθήσεις τὴν σκηνὴν, καὶ “πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἁγιάσεις κύκλῳ.” ἐπιτηρητέον γὰρ, ὅπως καὶ δι' ἀμφοῖν ἡμῖν τοῖν θυσιαστηρίοιν ὁ Χριστὸς καταγράφεται. ἀποτεθῆναι γὰρ διατεταχὼς τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ χρυσοῦν, ἐν ᾧ τὸ θυμίαμα κατέναντι τῆς κιβωτοῦ, καλύμματα δὲ διὰ μέσου ταῖς τῆς σκηνῆς περιτείνεσθαι θύραις εἰπὼν, ὡς ἂν μὴ τὰ ἔνδον ὁρῷτο, καὶ τὸ τῶν καρπωμάτων θυσιαστήριον παρὰ τὰς θύρας τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου κεῖσθαι κελεύει, οὐκ ἀσυμφανὲς ἢ διαλανθάνον: ἔξω γὰρ ἦν τοῦ καταπετάσματος. ὅρα τοίνυν αὐτὸν, διὰ μὲν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ θυμιάματος εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας ἀναβαίνοντα τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί: τοῦτο γὰρ ὑποδηλοῖ τὸ θυμίαμα: διὰ δὲ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τῶν καρπωμάτων, ὡς θῦμα καὶ σφάγιον ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσαγόμενον. ἐκρύπτετο δὲ διὰ τοῦ καταπετάσματος τὸ χρυσοῦν θυσιαστήριον: κεκρυμμένη γὰρ ἦν ἡ δόξα Χριστοῦ: ἐμφανὲς δὲ τὸ ἕτερον τὸ τῶν καρπωμάτων, ἐν ᾧ τὰ σφάγια: φανερὸς γὰρ ὁ Χριστοῦ θάνατος καὶ πᾶσι γνώριμος. κεῖται γεμὴν οὐκ ἀδιακρίτως: τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀπέναντι τῆς κιβωτοῦ, τὸ δὲ παρὰ τὰς θύρας τῆς σκηνῆς. καὶ τὸ μὲν ἀπέναντι τῆς κιβωτοῦ τὸ χρυσοῦν κεῖσθαι θυσιαστήριον, οἱονεὶ τὸ ἐν ὄψει τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, θαυμαστὴν εἶναι τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ δι' αἰνίγματος ὑποδηλοῖ, κατὰ τό “Οὐδεὶς γινώσκει τίς ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς εἰ μὴ ὁ Πατήρ.” τὸ δὲ πρὸς αὐταῖς κεῖσθαι ταῖς θύραις τῆς σκηνῆς τὸ τῶν καρπωμάτων θυσιαστήριον, τύπον ἐπέχον τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ πάντων σφαγῆς, σημαίνει πάλιν μὴ ἑτέρως δύνασθαι προσελθεῖν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ ἡμᾶς, εἰ μὴ διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ θυσίας, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον παρ' αὐτοῦ “Ἐγώ εἰμι ” ἡ θύρα,“ καί ” Οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, εἰ μὴ δι' “ἐμοῦ.” ἐν κύκλῳ γεμὴν περιτείνεσθαι τὴν σκηνὴν διατάττει τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ πάντων περιεκτικὴν, ὡς μίαν ὁρᾶσθαι, καὶ μὴ πολλάς. εἷς γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν ὁ Χριστὸς, κἂν πολυτρόπως νοῆται, σκηνὴ μὲν διὰ τὸ καταπέτασμα τῆς σαρκὸς, κιβωτὸς δὲ τὸν θεῖον ἔχουσα νόμον, ὡς Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός: τράπεζα δὲ πάλιν, ὡς τροφὴ καὶ ζωή: λυχνία δὲ, ὡς φῶς νοητὸν καὶ πνευματικόν: καὶ θυσιαστήριον θυμιάματος, ὡς εὐωδίας ὀσμὴ τῆς ἐν ἁγιασμῷ: καὶ θυσιαστήριον καρπωμάτων, ὡς σφάγιον ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς. ἁγιάζεται δὲ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ: ἅγιος γὰρ ὅλος, καὶ ὅπως ἂν νοῆται Χριστός. Καθηγουμένης τοιγαροῦν τῆς ἁγίας σκηνῆς, συναπαίρειν τε αὐτῇ καὶ συγκαταλύειν οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπετάττοντο, παιδεύοντος πάλιν ἡμᾶς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διδάσκοντος χρησίμως, ἡγεμόνα ποιεῖσθαι καὶ καθηγητὴν τῆς εἰς σωτηρίαν ὁδοῦ, τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς σαρκωθέντα Θεὸν Λόγον, καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ διατάγμασιν ἀμελλητὶ συννεύοντας, εἰς ζωὴν ἀναβαίνειν τὴν αἰώνιον: ὃ καὶ δρᾶν οὐ θελήσαντες οἱ διὰ πολλῶν μυσταγωγηθέντες λόγων, “ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ οὐκέτι μετ' ” αὐτοῦ περιεπάτουν.“ σοφώτατα γεμὴν ὁ μακάριος Πέτρος τό Ποῦ ἔχομεν ἀπελθεῖν πρὸς τὸν Σωτῆρά φησι: τὸ γὰρ κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον ἀποφοιτᾶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, συνεῖναι δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπείγεσθαι πνευματικῶς, ἁγίοις ὄντως πρεπωδέστατον.
« Καὶ ἡμεῖς πεπιστεύκαμεν, καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ. » Θαυμαστὴ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων ἡ πίστις, θερμὸς τῆς ὁμολογίας ὁ τρόπος, ἀξιεραστοτάτη καὶ ὑπερφερὴς ἡ σύνεσις. οὐ γὰρ δὴ κατά τινας τῶν ἀμαθεστέρων, ἢ καὶ κατ' ἐκείνους τοὺς οἵπερ ἀπηνῆ τὸν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀπεκάλουν λόγον, ὀπίσω δικαίως ἀπῴχοντο καὶ πεπτώκασιν, οὔτε μὴν ἐξ ἐλαφρίας εὐσυναρπάστως ἐπὶ τὸ πιστεύειν ἐκλήθησαν, πληροφορηθέντες δὲ πρότερον, καὶ διακείμενοι κατὰ τὸ ἀληθὲς, ὅτι ῥημάτων μὲν ζωοποιῶν ἀνάμεστος ἦν ὁ μυσταγωγῶν, οὐρανίων δὲ παιδευμάτων εἰσηγητής. ἀσφαλὴς δὲ λίαν ἡ τοιαύτη πίστις: ἡ δὲ οὐχ οὕτως ἔχουσα, ῥᾳδίως ἂν εἰκότως καὶ ἀποπτύοιτο, καὶ ῥίζαν οὐκ ἔχουσα τὴν πληροφορίαν, ἑτοιμότατα τῆς ἀνθρώπου διανοίας ἐκτρίβεται. καὶ γοῦν αὐτὸς ἐν παραβολαῖς ὁ Σωτὴρ, ὅτε τοὺς περὶ τοῦ σπείροντος ἐποιεῖτο λόγους, ὃ δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν, φησὶ, καὶ μὴ ἔχον ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη, πέτραν εἶναι λέγων αἰνιγματωδῶς, νοῦν τὸν ἀπεσκληκότα καὶ τὸν ἅπαξ ἐγκαταβληθέντα λόγον οὐδαμόθεν ἔχοντα παραδέξασθαι. τοῦτο γὰρ δὴ καὶ πεπονθότες ἐκ πολλῆς ἄγαν τῆς ἀμαθίας οἱ τάλανες Ἰουδαῖοι ” Διαῤῥήξατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν καὶ μὴ “τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν,” διὰ τῆς τοῦ προφήτου φωνῆς ἐδιδάσκοντο. ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον πρὸ τῆς τῶν σπερμάτων καταβολῆς, ἀρότρῳ χρῆναι προανατέμνεσθαι τὴν γῆν ὁ τῆς γηπονίας συμβουλεύει νόμος: οὕτως οἶμαι δεῖν τοὺς πρὸς ἀνάληψιν θείων ἰόντας λόγων προαναπτύσσειν τρόπον τινὰ ταῖς εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐπιθυμίαις τὴν καρδίαν: παραδεχθέντες γὰρ οὕτω, γῆν ὥσπερ τινὰ καρποφόρον ἀποτελοῦσι ψυχὴν τὴν ὠδίνουσαν. οὐκοῦν ἐν πληροφορίᾳ πίστεως ἐγνωκέναι φασὶν οἱ σοφώτατοι μαθηταὶ, καὶ πρός γε τούτῳ θαρσεῖν, ὡς αὐτὸς εἴη Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. σοφῶς δὲ λίαν, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ πάλιν ἐξυφασμένον εὑρήσεις λόγον: καὶ πιστεύειν γὰρ καὶ ἐγνωκέναι φασὶ, συνενεγκόντες ἄμφω κατὰ ταὐτόν. ἔδει γὰρ καὶ πιστεύειν καὶ νοεῖν: καὶ οὐκ ἐπείπερ ἐστὶ πίστει παραδεκτὰ τὰ θειότερα, διὰ τοῦτο χρὴ πάντως τῆς ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ἐρεύνης ὁλοκλήρως ἀποφοιτᾶν, πειρᾶσθαι δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ γοῦν εἰς μετρίαν ἀναβαίνειν γνῶσιν, τὴν ὡς ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ καὶ αἰνίγματι, καθάπερ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν. εὖ δὲ δὴ πάλιν οὐ πρότερον ἐγνωκέναι φασὶν, εἶτα πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ προθέντες τὴν πίστιν, δευτέραν τὴν γνῶσιν ἐπάγουσι. μετὰ γὰρ τὴν πίστιν ἡ γνῶσις, καὶ οὐ πρὸ τῆς πίστεως, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον “Ἐὰν μὴ πιστεύσητε, οὐδ' οὐ μὴ ” συνῆτε.“ προκατατεθείσης γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν κρηπῖδός τινος δίκην τῆς ἀπεριεργάστου πίστεως, ἐποικοδομεῖται λοιπὸν ἡ γνῶσις κατὰ βραχὺ, καὶ ” εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας“ ἡμᾶς ἀναφέρουσα τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ, καὶ ” εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον“ καὶ πνευματικόν. διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Θεός που φησίν ” Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ “ἐμβαλῶ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια Σιὼν λίθον ἐκλεκτὸν ἀκρογωνι” αῖον ἔντιμον.“ ἀρχὴ γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ θεμέλιος εἰς ἁγιασμὸν καὶ δικαιοσύνην ὁ Χριστὸς, διὰ πίστεως δὲ δηλονότι, καὶ οὐχ ἑτέρως: οὕτω γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνοικίζεται. Ἐπιτήρει δὲ ὅπως πανταχῆ μοναδικῶς καὶ προτεταγμένου τοῦ ἄρθρου φασί Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, τῶν μὲν ἐν χάριτι κεκλημένων εἰς υἱοθεσίαν ὡς ἕνα καὶ ἐξαίρετον ὑπεξάγοντες τὸν ἀληθῶς Υἱὸν, οὗ καθ' ὁμοιότητα καὶ ἡμεῖς υἱοί. καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν δὲ πάλιν ἀποκαλοῦσιν αὐτὸν ὡς ἕνα: πλὴν ἰστέον ὅτι Χριστὸς οὐκέτι καλεῖται δι' ἑαυτὸν, ἢ ὡς τοῦτο ὑπάρχων οὐσιωδῶς, ὥσπερ οὖν ἔσται καὶ Υἱὸς, ἀλλ' εἷς μὲν ὄντως καὶ ἐξαιρέτως: οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἐν χριστοῖς ὡς αὐτὸς, πλὴν καθ' ὁμοιότητα τὴν ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὀνομάζεται Χριστός: κύριον μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀφωρισμένον ἰδικῶς ὄνομά τε καὶ πρᾶγμα κατ' ἀλήθειαν, τό Υἱὸς, κοινὸν δὲ ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς τό Χριστός. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐχρίσθη καθὸ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, διὰ τοῦτο Χριστός. οὐκοῦν εἰ τὸ χρίεσθαι τῇ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος περιθήσομεν χρείᾳ, Χριστὸς ἂν νοοῖτο καθ' ὁμοίωσιν τὴν ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ οὐχ οὕτως ὥσπερ ἐστὶ καὶ Υἱὸς, πλὴν εἷς καὶ μόνος φυσικῶς τε καὶ ἐξαιρέτως, καὶ πρὸ σαρκὸς καὶ μετὰ σαρκὸς, καὶ οὐ δύο, καθάπερ οἴονταί τινες, οὐ νοοῦντες, ὡς ἔοικε, τοῦ μυστηρίου τὸ βάθος. οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἄνθρωπον ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς καταπεφοίτηκε Λόγος, ὥσπερ ἐφ' ἕνα τυχὸν τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν ἡ διὰ Πνεύματος χάρις, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς κατ' ἀλήθειαν ἐγένετο σὰρξ, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἄνθρωπος δηλαδή. ἀδιαίρετος τοιγαροῦν μετὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν, καὶ οὐκ εἰς δύο πρόσωπα κατασχίζεται, κἂν ἕτερόν τι νοῶμεν τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγον, καὶ τὴν ἐν ᾗ κατῴκηκε σάρκα: ὅλου δὲ τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἡμῖν διαβεβαιοῦντος πίστιν, δι' ὧν ἐγνωκέναι φασὶ μοναδικῶς, ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοὺς ἕτερόν τι πρὸς τούτοις ἐπικαινοτομεῖν ἐξ ἀνοίας οὐ παραιτουμένους, εἰ φρονοίημεν ὀρθῶς, οὐ παραδεξόμεθα.
« Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Οὐκ ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς τοὺς δώδεκα ἐξελε ξάμην, καὶ ἐξ ὑμῶν εἷς διάβολός ἐστιν; ἔλεγε δὲ τὸν Ἰούδαν Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτην: οὗτος γὰρ ἔμελλεν αὐτὸν παραδιδόναι, εἷς ὢν ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα. » Ἐπιτείνει τὸν ἔλεγχον, καὶ δριμυτέροις αὐτοὺς κατασφίγγει λόγοις, τὸ χαῦνον καὶ ἀνειμένον εἰς ῥᾳθυμίας τὰς ἐπὶ τῷ σοφοῦσθαι θέλειν ὑποτεμνόμενος: τοιοῦτόν τι γὰρ μονονουχὶ λέγων ὁρᾶται Νήψεως, ὦ μαθηταὶ, καὶ φρενῶν ὁ καιρὸς καὶ συντόνου διανοίας εἰς τὸ διασώζεσθαι θέλειν. ὀλισθηροτάτη γὰρ λίαν ἡ τῆς ἀπωλείας ὁδὸς, οὐ τὸν ἀσθενῆ μόνον ὑποσύρουσα νοῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἤδη δοκοῦντα βεβαίως ἑστάναι: δεινὸν δ' ὅτι χρῆμα καὶ πολύμορφον ἁμαρτία, πολυτρόποις ἡδοναῖς τὸν ἀνθρώπινον καταγοητεύουσα νοῦν, καὶ λειοτάταις ὥσπερ ἐπιθυμίαις εἰς ἃ μὴ προσῆκεν ἐξέλκουσα: ὑπόδειγμα δέ μοι τοῦ λόγου, φησὶν, ἔσται τὸ καθ' ὑμᾶς. ἐρῶ γὰρ τέως: οὐδένα ἐκείνων τῶν ἐξ ἐλαφρίας ὀπίσω πεσόντων, ὡς ἀγαθοὺς ὑμᾶς ἐπελεξάμην: ᾔδειν γὰρ ὡς Θεὸς τὰ ἐν ὑμῖν: ἀλλ' ἥρπασεν ἐν ἀδείᾳ φιλοκερδίας ὁ σατανᾶς, καὶ οὐ διέψευσται πάντως ψῆφος ἡ ἐμή. προαιρετικὸν γὰρ ἐν ἀνθρώποις καὶ αὐθαίρετον τὸ ἐπ' ἄμφω βαδίζειν, εἴτε εἰς δεξιὸν εἴτ' οὖν εἰς ἀριστερὸν, ἀρετὴν δὲ δηλονότι καὶ κακίαν φημί. ὁμοῦ τοιγαροῦν διὰ τοῦ καὶ μειζόνως ἐπισκήπτειν αὐτοῖς, καὶ εἰς νῆψιν ἐγείρει τὴν πρέπουσαν, καὶ ἐν τοῖς καθ' ἑαυτὸν, ἕκαστον ἀσφαλέστερον ἀπεργάζεται: τὸ μὲν γὰρ τίς ὁ παραδώσων αὐτὸν, οὔπω λέγει σαφῶς: ἑνὶ δὲ ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀδιορίστως τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐπιθεὶς τὸ φορτίον, εἰς ἀγῶνα καθίστη τοὺς πάντας, καὶ πρὸς νῆψιν ἀκριβεστέραν ἐκάλει, καταφρίττοντος ἑκάστου τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς τὴν ζημίαν. ὁμοῦ δέ τι τούτοις καὶ ἕτερον ἀπετέλει τῇ τῶν μαθητῶν εὐπιστίᾳ λυσιτελές. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰδέναι καθωμολογήκασι, πεπιστευκέναι τε ἀραρότως, ὅτιπερ αὐτός ἐστιν ” ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ “Θεοῦ,” φαίνεται προειδὼς τὰ ἐσόμενα, βεβαίαν ὥσπερ καὶ διὰ τούτου τὴν ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ δεικνὺς ὁμολογίαν. πρέπει γὰρ τῶν ὄντων οὐδενὶ τὸ γινώσκειν τὰ μέλλοντα, πλὴν ἑνὶ τῷ μόνῳ κατὰ φύσιν Θεῷ, περὶ οὗ καὶ γέγραπται “Ὁ εἰδὼς τὰ ” πάντα πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν.“ διάβολον δὲ, τὸν τῶν διαβολικῶν θελημάτων ἀπεκάλεσεν ὑπουργὸν, οὐ διεψευσμένως. ὥσπερ γὰρ ” ὁ κολλώμενος τῷ Κυρίῳ ἓν πνεῦμά ἐστιν,“ οὕτω δηλονότι καὶ τὸ ἐναντίον.