John Chrysostom, On the First Letter to the Corinthians

Having said that “the natural was first,” and “the spiritual afterward,” he again states another difference, speaking of “the earthy” and “the heavenly.” For the first difference was between the present life and that which is to come: but this between that before grace and that after grace. And he stated it with a view to the most excellent way of life, saying,—(for to hinder men, as I said, from such confidence in the resurrection as would make them neglectful of their practice and of perfection, from this topic also again he renders them anxious and exhorts to virtue, saying,)—“The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven:” calling the whole by the name of “man323 i.e., embodying as it were the whole of the two states of being which he is describing in the personal appellation of Man: as in the phrase, Old Man and New Man: &c.,” and naming the one from the better, and the other from the worst part.

Ver. 48. “As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy:” so shall they perish and have an end. “As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly:” so shall they abide immortal and glorious.

What then? Did not This Man too die? He died indeed, but received no injury therefrom, yea rather by this He put an end to death. Seest thou how on this part of his subject also, he makes use of death to establish the doctrine of the resurrection? “For having, as I said before, the beginning and the head,” so he speaks, “doubt not of the whole body.”

Moreover also he frames hereby his advice concerning the best way of living, proposing standards of a lofty and severe life and of that which is not such, and bringing forward the principles of both these, of the one Christ, but of the other Adam. Therefore neither did he simply say, “of the earth,” but “earthy,” i.e., “gross, nailed down to things present:” and again with respect to Christ the reverse, “the Lord from heaven.”

[2.] But if any should say, “therefore the Lord hath not a body324 As the Manichees did, and before them the Gnostic sects. because He is said to be “from heaven,” although what is said before is enough to stop their mouths: yet nothing hinders our silencing them from this consideration also: viz. what is, “the Lord from heaven?” Doth he speak of His nature, or His most perfect life? It is I suppose evident to every one that he speaks of His life. Wherefore also he adds,

Ver. 49. “As we have borne the image of the earthy,” i.e., as we have done evil, “let us also bear325 φορέσωμεν. This reading is supported, according to Scholz, by the Alexandrian and six other uncial mss. It is found in several versions, and has the authority of Irenæus, Origen, Basil, Tertullian, Cyprian, and other Fathers. In favor of the reading in our text, φορέσομεν, is the Vatican mss. with others of less authority. Theodoret’s words are remarkable; “φορέσομεν, He used the expression prophetically not hortatively.” [Chrysostom’s reading is adopted by nearly all recent editors, but given only in the margin by the Rev. Ver. The external evidence is decidedly in its favor, but not the internal. C.] the image of the heavenly,” i.e., let us practise all goodness.

But besides this, I would fain ask thee, is it of nature that it is said, “he that is of the earth, earthy,” and, “the Lord from heaven?” “Yea,” saith one. What then? Was Adam only “earthy,” or had he also another kind of substance congenial with heavenly and incorporeal beings, which the Scripture calls “soul,” and “spirit?” Every one sees that he had this also. Therefore neither was the Lord from above only although He is said to be “from heaven,” but He had also assumed our flesh. But Paul’s meaning is such as this: “as we have borne the image of the earthy,” i.e., evil deeds, “let us also bear the image of the heavenly,” the manner of life which is in the heavens. Whereas if he were speaking of nature, the thing needed not exhortation nor advice. So that hence also it is evident that the expression relates to our manner of life.

Wherefore also he introduces the saying in the manner of advice and calls it an “image,” here too again showing that he is speaking of conduct, not of nature. For therefore are we become earthy, because we have done evil: not because we were originally formed “earthy,” but because we sinned. For sin came first, and then death and then the sentence, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen. iii. 19.) Then also entered in the swarm of the passions. For it is not simply the being born “of earth” that makes a man “earthy,” (since the Lord also was of this mass and lump326 μάζης καὶ φυράματος.,) but the doing earthly things, even as also he is made “heavenly” by performing things meet for heaven.

But enough: for why need I labor overmuch in the proof of this, when the apostle himself goes on to unfold the thought to us, thus saying,

Ver. 50. “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

Seest thou how he explains himself again, relieving us of the trouble? which he often doth: for by flesh he here denotes men’s evil deeds, which he hath done also elsewhere; as when he saith, “But ye are not in the flesh:” and again, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom. viii. 8, 9.) So that when he saith, “Now this I say,” he means nothing else than this: “therefore said I these things that thou mayest learn that evil deeds conduct not to a kingdom.” Thus from the resurrection he straightway introduced also the doctrine of the kingdom also; wherefore also he adds, “neither doth corruption inherit incorruption,327 κληρονομὴ rec. text.” i.e., neither shall wickedness inherit that glory and the enjoyment of the things incorruptible. For in many other places he calls wickedness by this name, saying, “He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption.” (Gal. vi. 8.) Now if he were speaking of the body and not of evil doing, he would not have said “corruption.” For he nowhere calls the body “corruption,” since neither is it corruption, but a thing corruptible: wherefore proceeding to discourse also of it, he calls it not “corruption,” but “corruptible,” saying, “for this corruptible must put on incorruption.”

[3.] Next, having completed his advice concerning our manner of life, according to his constant custom blending closely subject with subject, he passes again to the doctrine of the resurrection of the body: as follows:

Ver. 51. “Behold, I tell you a mystery.”

It is something awful and ineffable and which all know not, which he is about to speak of: which also indicates the greatness of the honor he confers on them; I mean, his speaking mysteries to them. But what is this?

“We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” He means as follows: “we shall not all die, ‘but we shall all be changed,’” even those who die not. For they too are mortal. “Do not thou therefore because thou diest, on this account fear,” saith he, “as if thou shouldest not rise again: for there are, there are some who shall even escape this, and yet this suffices them not for that resurrection, but even those bodies which die not must be changed and be transformed into incorruption.”

Ver. 52. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.”

After he had discoursed much of the resurrection, then opportunely he points out also its very marvellous character. As thus: “not this only,” saith he, “is wonderful that our bodies first turn to corruption, and then are raised; nor that the bodies which rise again after their corruption are better than these present ones; nor that they pass on to a much better state, nor that each receives back his own and none that of another; but that things so many and so great, and surpassing all man’s reason and conception, are done “in a moment,” i.e., in an instant of time: and to show this more clearly, “in the twinkling of an eye,” saith he, “while one can wink an eyelid.” Further, because he had said a great thing and full of astonishment; that so many and so great results should take place so quickly; he alleges, to prove it, the credibility of Him who performs it; as follows, “For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” The expression, “we,” he uses not of himself, but of them that are then found alive.

Ver. 53. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption.”

Thus lest any, hearing that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” should suppose that our bodies do not rise again; he adds, “this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” Now the body is “corruptible,” the body is “mortal:” so that the body indeed remains, for it is the body which is put on; but its mortality and corruption vanish away, when immortality and incorruption come upon it. Do not thou therefore question hereafter how it shall live an endless life, now that thou hast heard of its becoming incorruptible.

[4.] Ver. 54. “But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this moral shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Thus, since he was speaking of great and secret things, he again takes prophecy (Hosea xiii. 14.) to confirm his word. “Death is swallowed up in victory:328 εἰς νίκος; i.e. εἰς τέλος.” i.e., utterly; not so much as a fragment of it remains nor a hope of returning, incorruption having consumed corruption.

Ver. 55. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

Seest thou his noble soul? how even as one who is offering sacrifices for victory, having become inspired and seeing already things future as things past, he leaps and tramples upon death fallen at his feet, and shouts a cry of triumph over its head where it lies, exclaiming mightily and saying, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” It is clean gone, it is perished, it is utterly vanished away, and in vain hast thou done all those former things. For He not only disarmed death and vanquished it, but even destroyed it, and made it quite cease from being.

Ver. 56. “Now the sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law.”

Seest thou how the discourse is of the death of the body? therefore also of the resurrection of the body. For if these bodies do not rise again, how is death “swallowed up?” And not this only, but how is “the law the power of sin?” For that “sin” indeed is “the sting of death,” and more bitter than it, and by it hath its power, is evident; but how is “the law also the power” thereof? Because without the law sin was weak, being practised indeed, but not able so entirely to condemn: since although the evil took place, it was not so clearly pointed out. So that it was no small change which the law brought in, first causing us to know sin better, and then enhancing the punishment. And if meaning to check sin it did but develop it more fearfully, this is no charge against the physician, but against the abuse of the remedy. Since even the presence of Christ made the Jews’ burden heavier, yet must we not therefore blame it, but while we the more admire it, we must hate them the more, for having been injured by things which ought to have profited them? Yea, to show that it was not the law of itself which gives strength to sin, Christ Himself fulfilled it all and was without sin.

But I would have thee consider how from this topic also he confirms the resurrection. For if this were the cause of death, viz. our committing sin, and if Christ came and took away sin, and delivered us from it through baptism, and together with sin put an end also to the law in the transgression of which sin consists, why doubtest thou any more of the resurrection? For whence, after all this, is death to prevail? Through the law? Nay, it is done away. Through sin? Nay, it is clean destroyed.

Ver. 57. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

For the trophy He Himself erected, but the crowns He hath caused us also to partake of. And this not of debt, but of mere mercy.

[5.] Ver. 58. “Wherefore329 μου ἀγαπητοὶ, omitted., brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable.”

Just and seasonable is this exhortation after all that had gone before. For nothing so disquiets as the thought that we are buffeted without cause or profit.

“Always abounding in the work of the Lord:” i.e., in the pure life. And he said not, “working that which is good,” but “abounding;” that we might do it abundantly330 μετὰ περιουσίας., and might overpass the lists.

“Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

What sayest thou? Labor again? But followed by crowns, and those above the heavens. For that former labor on man’s expulsion from paradise, was the punishment of his transgressions; but this is the ground of the rewards to come. So that it cannot in fact be labor, both on this account and by reason of the great help which it receives from above: which is the cause of his adding also, “in the Lord.” For the purpose of the former was that we might suffer punishment; but of this, that we might obtain the good things to come.

Let us not therefore sleep, my beloved. For it cannot, it cannot be that any one by sloth should attain to the kingdom of heaven, nor they that live luxuriously and softly. Yea it is a great thing, if straining ourselves and “keeping under331 ὑποπιεζοντας. the body” and enduring innumerable labors, we are able to reach those blessings. See ye not how vast this distance between heaven and earth? And how great a conflict is at hand? And how prone a thing to evil man is? And how easily sin “besets us?” And how many snares are in the way?

Why then do we draw upon ourselves so great cares over and above those of nature, and give ourselves more trouble, and make our burden greater? Is it not enough, our having to care for our food and clothing and houses? Is it not enough to take thought for things necessary? Although even from these Christ withdraws us, saying, “Be not anxious for your life what ye shall eat, neither for your body what ye shall put on.” (Matt. vi. 25.) But if one ought not to be anxious for necessary food and clothing, nor for to-morrow; they who bring on so great a mass of rubbish and bury themselves under it, when shall they shall have power to emerge? Hast thou not heard Paul saying, “No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life?” (2 Tim. ii. 4.) But we even live luxuriously and eat and drink to excess and endure buffeting for external things, but in the things of heaven behave ourselves unmanly. Know ye not that the promise is too high for man? It cannot be that one walking on the ground should ascend the arches of heaven. But we do not even study to live like men, but are become worse than the brutes.

Know ye not before what a tribunal we are to stand? Do ye not consider that both for our words and thoughts an account is demanded of us, and we take no heed even to our actions. “For whosoever looketh on a woman,” saith He, “to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her.” (Matt. v. 28.) And yet they who must be accountable for a mere idle look, refuse not even to lie rotting in the sin itself. “Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be cast into hell fire.” (Matt. v. 22.) But we even dishonor them with ten thousand reproaches and plot against them craftily. “He that loveth one that loveth him is no better than the heathen:” (Matt. v. 46, 47.) but we even envy them. What indulgence then shall we have, when commanded as we are to pass over the old lines, we weave ourselves a thread of life by a yet more scanty measure than theirs? What plea shall deliver us? Who will stand up and help us when we are punished? There is no one; but it must needs be that wailing and weeping and gnashing our teeth, we shall be led away tortured into that rayless gloom, the pangs which no prayer can avert, the punishments which cannot be assuaged.

Wherefore I entreat and beseech, and lay hold of your very knees, that whilst we have this scant viaticum of life, you would be pricked in your hearts by what has been said, that you would be converted, that you would become better men; that we may not, like that rich man, lament to no purpose in that world after our departure, and continue thenceforth in incurable wailings. For though thou shouldest have father or son or friend or any soever who hath confidence towards God, none of these shall ever deliver thee, thine own works having destroyed thee. For such is that tribunal: it judges by our actions alone, and in no other way is it possible there to be saved.

And these things I say, not to grieve you nor to throw you into despair, but lest nourished by vain and cold hopes, and placing confidence in this person or that, we should neglect our own proper goodness. For if we be slothful, there will be neither righteous man nor prophet nor apostle nor any one to stand by us; but if we have been earnest, having in sufficiency the plea which comes from each man’s own works332 τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων συνηγορίαν., we shall depart with confidence, and shall obtain the good things that are laid up for them that love God; to which may we all attain, &c. &c.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΒʹ. Ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκὸς, ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ὁ Κύριος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ. αʹ. Ἐπειδὴ ψυχικὸν εἶπε πρῶτον καὶ πνευματικὸν δεύτερον, πάλιν ἄλλην τίθησι διαφορὰν, χοϊκὸν λέγων καὶ ἐπουράνιον. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ πρώτη τοῦ παρόντος ἦν βίου καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος: αὕτη δὲ τοῦ πρὸ τῆς χάριτος καὶ τοῦ μετὰ τὴν χάριν. Τέθεικε δὲ αὐτὴν εἰς πολιτείαν ἀρίστην λέγων. Ἵνα γὰρ, ὅπερ ἔφην, μὴ τῇ ἀναστάσει θαῤῥοῦντες ἀμελῶσι βίου καὶ ἀκριβείας, πάλιν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς ἐναγωνίους ποιεῖ, καὶ παρακαλεῖ εἰς ἀρετὴν, λέγων: Ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκὸς, ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ὁ Κύριος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ: τὸ πᾶν ἄνθρωπον καλῶν, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος, τὸν δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ χείρονος ὀνομάζων. Οἷος ὁ χοϊκὸς, τοιοῦτοι καὶ οἱ χοϊκοί. Οὕτως ἀπολοῦνται καὶ τελευτήσουσιν. Οἷος ὁ ἐπουράνιος, τοιοῦτοι καὶ οἱ ἐπουράνιοι. Οὕτω μενοῦσιν ἀθάνατοι καὶ λάμποντες. Τί οὖν; οὐχὶ καὶ οὗτος ἀπέθανεν; Ἀπέθανε μὲν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἐντεῦθεν παρεβλάβη, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτῃ τὸν θάνατον κατέλυσεν. Εἶδες πῶς κἀντεῦθεν τῷ θανάτῳ τὸ περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως συνέστησε δόγμα; Ἔχων γὰρ, ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν, φησὶ, μὴ ἀμφίβαλλε περὶ τοῦ σώματος παντός. Πλὴν καὶ τὴν περὶ πολιτείας ἀρίστην ἐντεῦθεν γυμνάζει παραίνεσιν, ὑποδείγματα ὑψηλοῦ καὶ φιλοσόφου βίου, καὶ οὐ τοιούτου τιθεὶς, καὶ τούτων ἀμφοτέρων παράγων τὰς ἀρχὰς, τοῦ μὲν τὸν Χριστὸν, τοῦ δὲ τὸν Ἀδάμ. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς εἶπεν, Ἐκ γῆς, ἀλλὰ, Χοϊκὸς, τουτέστι, παχὺς, τοῖς παροῦσι προσηλωμένος: καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοὐναντίον, Ὁ Κύριος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ. Εἰ δὲ λέγοιέν τινες διὰ τοῦτο μὴ ἔχειν τὸν Κύριον σῶμα, διὰ τὸ, Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, εἰρῆσθαι, ἱκανὰ μὲν καὶ τὰ εἰρημένα πάλαι ἐμφράξαι αὐτῶν τὰ στόματα, οὐδὲν δὲ κωλύει καὶ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς ἐπιστομίσαι. Τί γάρ ἐστιν, Ὁ Κύριος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ; τὴν φύσιν λέγει, ἢ τὴν ἀρίστην πολιτείαν; Παντί που δῆλον, ὅτι τὴν πολιτείαν: διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει: Καθὼς ἐφορέσαμεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ (τουτέστι, Καθὼς φαῦλα ἐπράξαμεν), φορέσωμεν καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου: τουτέστιν, Ἄριστα πράξωμεν. Χωρὶς δὲ τούτων, κἀκεῖνό σε ἡδέως ἂν ἐροίμην: Περὶ φύσεως εἴρηται: Ὁ ἐκ γῆς χοϊκὸς, καὶ, Ὁ Κύριος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ; Ναὶ, φησί. Τί οὖν; χοϊκὸς μόνον ἦν ὁ Ἀδὰμ, ἢ καὶ ἄλλην τινὰ εἶχεν οὐσίαν συγγενῆ τοῖς ἄνω καὶ ἀσωμάτοις, ἣν ψυχὴν καλεῖ ἡ Γραφὴ καὶ πνεῦμα; Παντί που δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ ταύτην. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ ὁ Κύριος ἦν ἄνωθεν μόνον, εἰ καὶ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ λέγοιτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ σάρκα ἀνειλήφει. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι: Καθὼς ἐφορέσαμεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ, τὰς πονηρὰς πράξεις, φορέσωμεν καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου, τὴν πολιτείαν τὴν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Εἰ δὲ περὶ φύσεως ἦν ὁ λόγος, οὐ παρακλήσεως ἐδεῖτο τὸ πρᾶγμα οὐδὲ συμβουλῆς: ὥστε κἀντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὅτι περὶ πολιτείας τὸ λεγόμενον. Διὸ καὶ συμβουλευτικῶς εἰσάγει τὸν λόγον, καὶ εἰκόνα καλεῖ, καὶ ταύτῃ πάλιν δηλῶν ὅτι περὶ πράξεως, οὐ περὶ φύσεως λέγει. Καὶ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐγενόμεθα χοϊκοὶ, ἐπειδὴ πονηρὰ ἐπράξαμεν: οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἐξ ἀρχῆς χοϊκοὶ διεπλάσθημεν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἡμάρτομεν. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτία πρῶτον, καὶ τότε ὁ θάνατος, καὶ τὸ, Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ: τότε καὶ ὁ τῶν παθῶν εἰσῆλθεν ἐσμός. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ, ἐκ γῆς γεγενῆσθαι, ποιεῖ χοϊκὸν ἁπλῶς, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἀπὸ τῆς μάζης καὶ τοῦ φυράματος τούτου ἦν, ἀλλὰ τὸ γήϊνα πράττειν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἐπουράνιον τὸ ἄξια τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐπιδείξασθαι. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ τί χρὴ περιττὰ πονεῖν τοῦτο κατασκευάζοντα; προϊὼν γὰρ ἡμῖν αὐτὸς ἐκκαλύπτει τὸ νόημα, οὕτω λέγων: Τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν. Εἶδες πῶς ἑαυτὸν ἑρμηνεύει πάλιν, ἀπαλλάττων ἡμᾶς πραγμάτων; ὃ πολλαχοῦ ποιεῖ. Σάρκα γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τὰς πονηρὰς πράξεις καλεῖ, ὃ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ πεποίηκεν, οἷον ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ: Ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκί: καὶ πάλιν, Οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες, Θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται. Ὥστε ὅταν λέγῃ, Τοῦτο δέ φημι, οὐδὲν ἄλλο λέγει, ἢ ὅτι Διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα εἶπον, ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι πονηραὶ πράξεις εἰς βασιλείαν οὐκ εἰσάγουσιν. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς ἀναστάσεως εὐθέως καὶ τὸν τῆς βασιλείας εἰσήγαγε λόγον: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν: Οὐδὲ ἡ φθορὰ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν κληρονομεῖ: τουτέστιν, ἡ κακία τὴν δόξαν ἐκείνην καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀφθάρτων πραγμάτων ἀπόλαυσιν. Καὶ γὰρ πολλαχοῦ πάλιν τῇ προσηγορίᾳ ταύτῃ τὴν κακίαν ἐκάλεσεν εἰπών: Ὁ σπείρων εἰς τὴν σάρκα, ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν. Εἰ δὲ περὶ σώματος ἔλεγεν, ἀλλ' οὐ περὶ πονηρᾶς πράξεως, οὐκ ἂν εἶπε φθοράν: οὐδαμοῦ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα φθορὰν καλεῖ: οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστι φθορὰ, ἀλλὰ φθαρτόν. Διὸ προϊὼν καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ διαλεγόμενος, οὐκ εἶπεν αὐτὸ φθορὰν, ἀλλὰ φθαρτὸν, λέγων: Δεῖ γὰρ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν. Εἶτα τὴν περὶ πολιτείας πληρώσας παραίνεσιν, ὅπερ ἀεὶ ποιεῖ, ὑπόθεσιν ὑποθέσει συνεχῶς ἀναμιγνὺς, εἰς τὸν περὶ ἀναστάσεως πάλιν τῶν σωμάτων ἐκβαίνει λόγον, οὕτω λέγων: Ἰδοὺ μυστήριον ὑμῖν λέγω. βʹ. Φρικτόν τι καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον, καὶ ὃ μὴ πάντες ἴσασι, μέλλει λέγειν: ὃ καὶ πολλὴν ἐνδείκνυται τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς τιμὴν, τὸ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα λέγειν αὐτοῖς. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι; Πάντες μὲν οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα. Ὃ δὲ λέγει τοῦτό ἐστιν: Οὐ πάντες μὲν ἀποθανούμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα, καὶ οἱ μὴ ἀποθνήσκοντες: θνητοὶ γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι. Μὴ τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ ἀποθνήσκεις, διὰ τοῦτο δείσῃς, φησὶν, ὡς οὐκ ἀναστησόμενος: εἰσὶ γάρ τινες, εἰσὶν, οἳ καὶ τοῦτο διαφεύξονται: καὶ ὅμως οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐκείνην, ἀλλὰ δεῖ καὶ ἐκεῖνα τὰ σώματα τὰ μὴ ἀποθνήσκοντα ἀλλαγῆναι, καὶ εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν μεταπεσεῖν. Ἐν ἀτόμῳ, ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ σάλπιγγι. Ὅτε πολλὰ περὶ ἀναστάσεως διελέχθη, τότε εὐκαίρως καὶ τὸ πολὺ παράδοξον αὐτῆς δείκνυσιν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτο θαυμαστὸν μόνον, ὅτι σήπεται πρῶτον τὰ σώματα, καὶ τότε ἀνίσταται, φησὶν, οὐδ' ὅτι βελτίονα τῶν νῦν τὰ ἐκ τῶν σηπομένων ἀνιστάμενα, οὐδ' ὅτι ἐπὶ πολλῷ μείζονα λῆξιν μεταβαίνει, οὐδ' ὅτι ἕκαστος τὸ ἴδιον ἀπολαμβάνει καὶ οὐδεὶς τὸ ἑτέρου, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα καὶ πάντων λογισμὸν καὶ νοῦν ὑπερβαίνοντα ἐν ἀτόμῳ γίνεται, τουτέστιν, ἐν ἀκαριαίῳ χρόνῳ. Καὶ δηλῶν σαφέστερον τοῦτο, Ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ, φησίν: ὅσον μύσαι βλέφαρον. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ μέγα εἶπε καὶ ἐκστάσεως γέμον, εἰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα πράγματα οὕτω γίνηται ταχέως: ἐπάγει εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τὸ ἀξιόπιστον τοῦ ἐργαζομένου, λέγων: Σαλπίσει γὰρ, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐγερθήσονται ἄφθαρτοι, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλλαγησόμεθα. Τὸ, Ἡμεῖς, οὐ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ζώντων τῶν τότε εὑρισκομένων. Δεῖ γὰρ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἀκούσας τις, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ οὐ κληρονομήσει, νομίσῃ τὰ σώματα μὴ ἀνίστασθαι, ἐπήγαγεν, ὅτι Δεῖ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν, καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀθανασίαν. Φθαρτὸν δὲ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ θνητὸν τὸ σῶμα. Ὥστε τὸ σῶμα μένει: αὐτὸ γάρ ἐστι τὸ ἐνδυόμενον: ἡ δὲ θνητότης καὶ ἡ φθορὰ ἀφανίζεται, ἀθανασίας καὶ ἀφθαρσίας ἐπιούσης αὐτῷ. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀμφίβαλλε λοιπὸν πῶς ἄπειρον ζήσεται ζωὴν, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς, ὅτι ἄφθαρτον γίνεται. Ὅταν δὲ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀφθαρσίαν, καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀθανασίαν, τότε γενήσεται ὁ λόγος ὁ γεγραμμένος: Κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μεγάλα καὶ ἀπόῤῥητα εἶπε, πάλιν ἀπὸ προφητείας πιστοῦται τὸν λόγον: Κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος, τουτέστιν, εἰς τέλος, οὐδὲ λείψανον αὐτοῦ μένει, οὐδὲ ὑποστροφῆς ἐλπὶς, τῆς ἀφθαρσίας τὴν φθορὰν ἀναλωσάσης. Ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; ποῦ σου, ᾅδη, τὸ νῖκος; Εἶδες ψυχὴν γενναίαν; Καὶ γὰρ ὡς νικητήρια θύων, καὶ ἔνθους γενόμενος, καὶ ὁρῶν ἤδη ὡς γεγενημένα τὰ μέλλοντα, ἐνάλλεται καὶ ἐπεμβαίνει τῷ θανάτῳ κειμένῳ, καὶ τὴν ἐπινίκιον ἀλαλάζει φωνὴν κατὰ τῆς τούτου κεφαλῆς κειμένης, μεγάλα βοῶν καὶ λέγων: Ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; ποῦ σου, ᾅδη, τὸ νῖκος; Οἴχεται καὶ ἀπόλωλε καὶ ἠφάνισται παντελῶς, καὶ εἰκῆ πάντα ἐκεῖνα ἐποίησας. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀφώπλισε μόνον αὐτὸν οὐδ' ἐνίκησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπώλεσε, καὶ εἰς τὸ μηδὲ ὅλως εἶναι κατέστησε. Τὸ δὲ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου, ἡ ἁμαρτία: ἡ δὲ δύναμις τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὁ νόμος. Ὁρᾷς πῶς περὶ θανάτου σωματικοῦ ὁ λόγος; Οὐκοῦν καὶ περὶ ἀναστάσεως σωματικῆς. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἀνίσταται ταῦτα, πῶς κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος; Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ πῶς δύναμις τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁ νόμος; Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ἁμαρτία, καὶ χαλεπωτέρα ἐκείνου, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν ἰσχὺν οὗτος ἔχει, δῆλον: πῶς δὲ ταύτης καὶ δύναμις ὁ νόμος; Ὅτι χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἀσθενὴς ἦν, πραττομένη μὲν, οὐ δυναμένη δὲ οὕτω καταδικάσαι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κακὸν ἐγίνετο, σαφῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐδείκνυτο οὕτως. Ὥστε οὐ μικρὸν εἰσήνεγκεν ὁ νόμος τὸ καὶ γνωρίσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μᾶλλον καὶ ἐπιτεῖναι τὴν κόλασιν. Εἰ δὲ βουλόμενος κωλῦσαι χαλεπωτέραν ἀπέφηνεν, οὐ παρὰ τὸν ἰατρὸν τὸ ἔγκλημα, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὸν κακῶς τῷ φαρμάκῳ χρησάμενον: ἐπεὶ καὶ ἡ παρουσία τοῦ Χριστοῦ μᾶλλον ἐβάρησε τοὺς Ἰουδαίους: ἀλλ' οὐ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῇ ἐγκαλέσομεν, ἀλλὰ ταύτην μὲν καὶ θαυμασόμεθα, ἐκείνους δὲ μειζόνως μισήσομεν βλαβέντας δι' ὧν ὠφελεῖσθαι ἔδει. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐκ αὐτὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐδυνάμωσεν, ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτὸς ἐπλήρωσεν ἅπαντα, καὶ ἁμαρτίας ἐκτὸς ἦν. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει, πῶς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν τὴν ἀνάστασιν πιστοῦται. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο θανάτου αἴτιον τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν, ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐλθὼν ἔλυσε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτῆς διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀπήλλαξε, καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τὸν νόμον ἔπαυσεν, οὗ παραβαινομένου αὕτη συνίσταται, τί λοιπὸν ἀμφιβάλλεις περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως; πόθεν γὰρ λοιπὸν ὁ θάνατος κρατήσει; Ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου; Ἀλλ' ἐλύθη οὗτος. Ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας; Ἀλλ' ἀνῃρέθη αὕτη. Τῷ δὲ Θεῷ χάρις τῷ δόντι ἡμῖν τὸ νῖκος διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. γʹ. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τρόπαιον αὐτὸς ἔστησε, τῶν δὲ στεφάνων καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι ἐποίησε, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὀφειλῆς, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ φιλανθρωπίας μόνης. Ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοὶ, ἑδραῖοι γίνεσθε, ἀμετακίνητοι. Δικαία λοιπὸν καὶ εὔκαιρος ἡ παραίνεσις: οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω σαλεύει, ὡς τὸ εἰκῆ νομίζειν κόπτεσθαι καὶ μάτην. Περισσεύοντες ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τοῦ Κυρίου πάντοτε: τουτέστιν, ἐν τῷ βίῳ τῷ καθαρῷ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐργαζόμενοι τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἀλλὰ, Περισσεύοντες, ἵνα μετὰ περιουσίας αὐτὸ ποιῶμεν, καὶ τὰ σκάμματα ὑπερβαίνωμεν. Εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ κόπος ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔστι κενὸς ἐν Κυρίῳ. Τί λέγεις; πάλιν κόπος; Ἀλλὰ στεφάνους ἔχων, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρότερος ὁ μετὰ τὸν παράδεισον, κόλασις τῶν ἁμαρτηθέντων: οὗτος δὲ ὑπόθεσις τῶν μελλόντων βραβείων. Ὥστε οὐδ' ἂν εἴη κόπος ταύτῃ τε καὶ τῷ πολλῆς τῆς ἄνωθεν ἀπολαύειν βοηθείας: διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν. Ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρότερος, ἵνα δίκην δῶμεν: οὗτος δὲ, ἵνα τῶν μελλόντων τύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν. Μὴ τοίνυν καθεύδωμεν, ἀγαπητοί: οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι ῥᾳθυμοῦντα τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐπιτυχεῖν, οὐδὲ τρυφῶντας καὶ μαλακιζομένους. Ἀγαπητὸν γὰρ κατατεινομένους καὶ ὑπωπιάζοντας τὸ σῶμα, καὶ μυρία ὑπομένοντας ἐπίπονα, δυνηθῆναι τυχεῖν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων. Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾶτε τουτὶ τὸ μέσον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πρὸς τὴν γῆν ὅσον ἐστὶ, καὶ ἡλίκος ὁ πόλεμος ἐφέστηκε, καὶ πῶς ὀξύῤῥοπον ἄνθρωπος πρὸς τὴν κακίαν, καὶ πῶς εὐπερίστατον ἡ ἁμαρτία, καὶ ὅσαι ἐν μέσῳ παγίδες; Τί τοίνυν τοσαύτας ἐπισυρόμεθα φροντίδας ἐκτὸς τῶν φυσικῶν, καὶ πλείονα παρέχομεν ἑαυτοῖς πράγματα, καὶ μείζονα ποιοῦμεν τὰ φορτία; οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τὸ ὑπὲρ γαστρὸς φροντίζειν καὶ ἱματίων καὶ οἰκίας; οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡ μέριμνα τῶν ἀναγκαίων; Καίτοι γε καὶ τούτων ἀπήγαγεν ὁ Χριστὸς, λέγων: Μὴ μεριμνήσητε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε. Εἰ δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀναγκαίας τροφῆς καὶ περιβολῆς μεριμνᾷν οὐ χρὴ, οὐδὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐπιούσης ἡμέρας, οἱ τὸν τοσοῦτον φορυτὸν ἐπεισάγοντες, καὶ καταχωννύντες ἑαυτοὺς, πότε δυνήσονται ἀνανεῦσαι; Οὐκ ἤκουσας Παύλου λέγοντος, Οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου μερίμναις; Ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ τρυφῶμεν καὶ γαστριζόμεθα καὶ μεθύομεν, καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν ἔξω κοπτόμεθα πραγμάτων, ἐν δὲ τοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μαλακιζόμεθα. Οὐκ ἴστε ὅτι ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἡ ἐπαγγελία; Οὐκ ἔστι χαμαὶ βαδίζοντα τῶν οὐρανίων ἁψίδων ἐπιβῆναι: ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον σπουδάζομεν ζῇν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀλόγων ἐγενόμεθα χείρους. Οὐκ ἴστε ποίῳ παραστησόμεθα βήματι; οὐκ ἐννοεῖτε ὅτι καὶ ῥημάτων καὶ ἐνθυμημάτων ἀπαιτούμεθα δίκας, καὶ οὐδὲ πραγμάτων φροντίζομεν; Ὁ γὰρ ἐμβλέψας γυναικὶ, φησὶ, πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτῆς, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτήν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οἱ καὶ ὄψεως περιέργου λόγον ὑπέχοντες, οὐ παραιτοῦνται καὶ αὐτῇ ἐνσήπεσθαι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. Ὁ λέγων τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὑτοῦ, Μωρὲ, εἰς τὴν γέενναν ἐμπεσεῖται: ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦ μυρίοις αὐτοὺς καταισχύνειν ὀνείδεσι καὶ ποικίλως ἐπιβουλεύειν ἀφιστάμεθα. Ὁ τὸν φιλοῦντα φιλῶν, οὐδὲν ἔχει τοῦ ἐθνικοῦ πλέον: ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ τούτοις βασκαίνομεν. Τίνα οὖν ἕξομεν συγγνώμην, ὅταν, ὑπερβῆναι τὰ παλαιὰ κελευόμενοι σκάμματα, καὶ ἐλάττονα ἐκείνου τοῦ μέτρου τὴν ἑαυτῶν πολιτείαν ὑφαίνωμεν; τίς ἡμᾶς ἐξαιρήσεται λόγος; τίς παραστήσεται καὶ βοηθήσει κολαζομένοις; Οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεὶς, ἀλλ' ἀνάγκη πᾶσα οἰμώζοντας, ὀδυρομένους, βρύχοντας τοὺς ὀδόντας, στρεβλουμένους εἰς τὸ σκότος ἀπάγεσθαι τὸ ἀφεγγὲς ἐκεῖνο, εἰς τὰς ἀπαραιτήτους ὀδύνας, εἰς τὰς ἀνηκέστους τιμωρίας. Διὸ δέομαι καὶ παρακαλῶ, καὶ αὐτῶν ἅπτομαι τῶν γονάτων, ἕως ἂν ἔχωμεν τὸ μικρὸν τοῦτο τῆς ζωῆς ἐφόδιον, κατανυγῆναι τοῖς εἰρημένοις, ἐπιστραφῆναι, βελτίους γενέσθαι, ἵνα μὴ κατὰ τὸν πλούσιον ἐκεῖνον ἀνήνυτα ἐκεῖ θρηνῶμεν ἀπελθόντες, καὶ ἀνίατα λοιπὸν ὀδυρώμεθα. Κἂν γὰρ πατέρα ἔχῃς, κἂν υἱὸν, κἂν φίλον, κἂν ὁντιναοῦν παῤῥησίαν ἔχοντα πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, οὐδείς σέ ποτε ἐξαιρήσεται τούτων ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκείων ἔργων προδιδόμενον. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἐκεῖνο τὸ δικαστήριον: ἀπὸ τῶν πράξεων δικάζει μόνων, καὶ ἄλλως ἐκεῖ σωθῆναι οὐκ ἔνι. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγω, οὐχ ἵνα λυπήσω, οὐδ' ἵνα εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμβάλω, ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ ματαίαις μηδὲ ψυχραῖς ἐλπίσι τρεφόμενοι, καὶ εἰς τὸν δεῖνα θαῤῥοῦντες, τῆς καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἀμελήσωμεν ἀρετῆς. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ ῥᾳθυμήσωμεν, οὐ δίκαιος, οὐ προφήτης, οὐκ ἀπόστολος, οὐδεὶς ἡμῖν παραστήσεται: ἂν δὲ σπουδάσωμεν, ἀρκοῦσαν τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων συνηγορίαν ἔχοντες, μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἀπολαυσόμεθα καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν ἀποκειμένων τοῖς τὸν Θεὸν ἀγαπῶσιν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.