Homily XLIII.

John vi. 16–18

“And when even was now come, His disciples went down unto1206   ἐ πὶ [εἰς, G. T.].the sea and entered1207   ἀ ναβάντες [ἐ μβ. G. T.].into a ship, and went over1208   πέραν [εἰς τὸ π. G. T.].the sea toward Capernaum. And it was1209   ἐ γένετο [ἐ γεγόνει, G. T.].now dark, and Jesus was not come unto them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.”

[1.] Christ provideth for the good of his disciples not only when He is present in the body, but also when far away; for having abundance of means and of skill, He effecteth one and the same end by contrary actions. Observe, for instance, what He hath done here. He leaveth His disciples, and goeth up into a mountain; and they,1210   Ben. “they having been left behind by their Master, when,” &c. when even was come, went down unto the sea. They waited for Him until evening, expecting that He would come unto them; but when even was come, they could no longer endure not to seek their Master;1211   Ben. “not to go to seek Him.” so great a love possessed them. They said not, “It is now evening, and night hath overtaken us, whither shall we depart? the place is dangerous, the time unsafe”; but, goaded1212   al. “inflamed.” by their longing, they entered into the ship. For it is not without a cause that the Evangelist hath declared1213   al. “signifies.” the time also, but by it to show the warmth of their love.

Wherefore then doth Christ let them go, and not show Himself?1214   al. “and retire.” And again,1215   al. “but rather.” wherefore doth He show Himself walking alone upon the sea? By the first He teacheth them how great (an evil) it is to be forsaken by Him, and maketh their longing greater; by the second, again, He showeth forth His power. For as in His teaching they heard not all in common with the multitude, so in the case of the miracles they saw them not all with the mass of people, since it was needful that they who were about to receive in charge the presidency 1216   προστασίαν of the world, should have somewhat more than the rest. “And what sort of miracles,” saith some one, “saw they by themselves?” The Transfiguration on the mount; this on the sea, and those after the Resurrection, which are many and important. And from these I conjecture that there were others also. They came to Capernaum without any certain information, but expecting to find Him there, or even in mid passage; this the Evangelist implies by saying that “it was now dark, and Jesus was not yet come to them.”

“And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.” What did they? They were troubled, for there were many and various causes which forced them to be so. They were afraid by reason of the time for it was dark, of the storm for the sea had risen, of the place for they were not near land; but,

Ver. 19. “Had rowed about five and twenty1217   “five and twenty or thirty,” N.T. furlongs.”

And, lastly, by reason of the strangeness of the thing, for,

“They see Him1218   “they see Jesus,” N.T. walking upon the sea.” And when they were greatly troubled,

Ver. 20. “He saith unto them, It is I, be not afraid.”

Wherefore then appeareth He? To show that it was He who would make the storm cease. For this the Evangelist hath shown, saying,1219   al. “is shown (or It shows by the Evangelist, saying,” &c.).

Ver. 21. “They were willing to receive Him,1220   [into the ship,] N.T. and immediately the ship was near the land.”1221   “at the land whither they went,” N.T.

He not only gave them a safe passage, but also one with a fair wind.

To the multitude He showeth not Himself walking upon the sea, for the miracle was too great to suit their infirmity. Indeed, even by the disciples He was not seen long doing this, but He appeared, and at once retired.1222   al. “withdrew from them.” Now this seems to me to be a different miracle from that found in Matthew xiv.; and that it is different is clear from many reasons. For He worketh often the same miracles, in order to cause the beholders not merely to count them very strange,1223   al. “so that the beholders might both marvel, and not count them very strange.” but also to receive them with great faith.

“It is I, be not afraid.” As He spake the word, He cast out fear from their souls. But at another time not so; wherefore Peter said, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me to come unto Thee.” ( Matt. xiv. 28.) Whence then was it that at that time they did not straightway admit this,1224   i.e. that it was really Christ. but now were persuaded? It was because then the storm continued to toss the bark, but now at His voice the calm had come. Or if the reason be not this, it is that other which I have before mentioned, that oftentimes working the same miracles, He made the second to be readily received by means of the first. But wherefore went He not up into the ship? Because He would make the marvel greater, would more openly1225   lit. “more nakedly,” al. “more clearly.” reveal to them His Godhead, and would show them, that when He before gave thanks, He did not so as needing aid, but in condescension to them. He allowed the storm to arise, that they might ever seek Him; He stilled the storm, that He might make known to them His power; He went not up into the ship, that He might make the marvel greater.

Ver. 22. “And the people that were there saw that there was none other boat there save the one into which the disciples had entered, and that Jesus went not into the boat, but His disciples.”1226   N.T. ver. 22–24. “The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there save that one whereinto His disciples were entered and that Jesus went not with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples were gone away alone; (howbeit there came other little boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks;) when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither His disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus.” The readings here vary, without variety of meaning.

And why is John so exact? Why said he not that the multitudes having passed over on the next day departed?1227   al. “came.” He desires to teach us something else, namely, that Jesus allowed the multitudes if not openly, at least in a secret manner, to suspect what had taken place. For, “They saw,” saith he, “that there was none other boat there but one, and that Jesus went not into it with His disciples.”

Ver. 24. And embarking in boats from Tiberias, they “came to Capernaum seeking Jesus.”

What else then could they suspect, save that He had arrived there crossing the sea on foot? for it was not possible to say that He had passed over in another ship. For “there was one,” saith the Evangelist, “into which His disciples entered.” Still when they came to Him after so great a wonder, they asked Him not how He crossed over, how He arrived there, nor sought to understand so great a sign. But what say they?

Ver. 25. “Master, when camest Thou hither?”

[2.] Unless any one affirm that the “when” is here used by them in the sense of “how.” But it is1228   al. “hence.” worth while also to notice here the fickleness of their impulses1229   εὔθραυστον ὁρμὴν, al. εὔκολον γνώμην For they who said, “This is that Prophet”; they who were anxious to “take Him and make Him a king,” now when they have found Him take no such counsel, but having cast out their astonishment, they no longer admire Him for His former deeds. They sought Him, desiring again to enjoy a table like the first.

The Jews under the guidance of Moses passed over the Red Sea, but that case is widely different from this. He did all with prayer and as a servant, but Christ with absolute1230   lit. “all.” power. There when the south wind1231   a strong east wind. blew, the water yielded so as to make them pass over on dry land, but here the miracle was greater. ( Ex. xiv. 21.) For the sea retaining its proper nature so bare its Lord upon its surface,1232   lit. “back.” thus testifying to the Scripture which saith, “Who walketh upon the sea as upon a pavement.” ( Job ix. 8.)

And with reason, when He was about to enter into stubborn and disobedient Capernaum, did He work the miracle of the loaves, as desiring not only by what took place within, but also by the miracles which were wrought without the city, to soften its disobedience. For was it not enough to soften even any stone, that such multitudes should come with great eagerness to that city? Yet they had no such feeling, but again desired food for the body; for which also they are reproached by Jesus.

Let us then, beloved, knowing these things, give thanks to God for things of sense, but much more for things spiritual; for such is His will, and it is on account of the latter that He giveth the former, leading in, as it were, by these the more imperfect sort, and giving them previous teaching, because they are yet gaping upon the world. But when such persons having received these worldly things, rest in them, then are they upbraided and rebuked. For in the case of him that had the palsy, Christ wished first to give that which was spiritual, but they that were present endured it not; for when He said, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” they exclaimed, “This man blasphemeth.” ( Matt. ix. 2.) Let us not, I entreat you, be so affected, but let us make more1233   al. “much.” account of those (spiritual) things. Wherefore? Because when spiritual things are present with us, no harm ariseth from the absence1234   al. “lack.” of fleshly things; but when they are not, what hope, what comfort, shall then remain to us? wherefore it is for these we ought always to call upon God, and entreat Him for them. And for such hath Christ also taught us to pray; for if we unfold that Prayer, we shall find that there is nothing carnal in it, but all spiritual, and that even the small portion which seemeth to relate to sense, becometh by the manner spiritual. For to bid us ask no more than our “successive,”1235   ἐ πιουσίον, i.e. εἰς τὴν ἐπίουσαν ἡμ that is, our “daily,” bread, would mark a mind spiritual and truly wise. And consider what goeth before that, “Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done as in heaven so on earth”; then, after naming that temporal (need), He quickly leaveth it, and bringeth1236   al. “came.” us again to the spiritual doctrine, saying, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Nowhere hath He put in the Prayer riches or glory or dominion, but all things contributing to the benefit of the soul; nothing earthly, but all things heavenly. If then we are bidden to refrain from the things of this present life, how could we help being wretched and miserable, asking from God those things which even having He biddeth us cast away, to free us from care about them, and for which He biddeth us take no pains.1237   al. “no pains, but rather neither to have nor to desire them.” This is the “using vain repetition”; and this is why we effect nothing by our prayers. “How then,” saith some one, “do the wicked grow rich, how the unjust and impure, plunderers and covetous?” Not by God’s giving; (away with the thought!) but by plundering, and taking more than their due.1238   Ben. omits “but by plundering, and taking more than their due.” “And how doth God allow them?” As He allowed that rich man, reserving him for greater punishment. ( Luke xvi. 25.) Hear what (Abraham) saith to him; “Son, thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Therefore that we also come not to hear that voice, by living softly and idly, and gathering together for ourselves many sins, let us choose the true riches and right wisdom, that we may obtain the promised good things; to which may we all arrive, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, now and ever and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΓʹ. Ὡς δὲ ὀψία ἐγένετο, κατέβησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐ τοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν. Καὶ ἀναβάντες εἰς τὸ πλοῖον, ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς Καπερναούμ. Καὶ σκοτία ἤδη ἐγένετο, καὶ οὐκ ἐληλύθει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Ἥ τε θάλασ σα, ἀνέμου μεγάλου πνέοντος, διηγείρετο. αʹ. Οὐχὶ παρὼν τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὁ Χριστὸς σωματικῶς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μακρὰν γενόμενος τὸ συμφέρον οἰκονομεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ εὔπορος ὢν καὶ εὐμήχανος, διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων πραγμάτων ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατασκευάζει. Ὅρα γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τί ποιεῖ. Ἀφίησι τοὺς μαθητὰς, καὶ ἀνέρχεται εἰς τὸ ὄρος. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ διδασκάλου ἀπολειφθέντες, ὡς ὀψία ἐγένετο, κατέβησαν εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν: καὶ μέχρι μὲν τῆς ἑσπέρας περιέμενον αὐτὸν, ἥξειν προσδοκῶντες πρὸς αὐτούς. Γενομένης δὲ ἑσπέρας, οὐκ ἔτι ἀνέχονται μὴ ἐπιζήτησιν αὐτοῦ ἐλθεῖν: τοσοῦτος αὐτοὺς κατεῖχεν ἔρως. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπον: Ἑσπέρα νῦν ἐστι, καὶ νὺξ κατέλαβε, ποῦ νῦν ἀπελευσόμεθα; ἐπικίνδυνος ὁ τόπος, ἐπισφαλὴς ὁ καιρός: ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τοῦ πόθου πυρούμενοι, ἐνέβησαν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον. Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἐπισημαίνεται, ἀλλ' ὥστε διὰ τούτου τὴν θερμὴν αὐτῶν ἀγάπην ἐμφῆναι. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ἀφίησιν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀναχωρεῖ; μᾶλλον δὲ, τίνος ἕνεκεν φαίνεται πάλιν μόνος ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης βαδίζων; Ἐκείνῳ μὲν διδάσκων αὐτοὺς πόσον ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπόλειψις, καὶ τὸν πόθον ἐργαζόμενος μείζονα: τούτῳ δὲ πάλιν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἐνδεικνύμενος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ οὐ μετὰ τοῦ ὄχλου πάντα ἤκουον, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν σημείων οὐ μετὰ τοῦ πλήθους πάντα ἑώρων. Ἐχρῆν γὰρ αὐτοὺς μέλλοντας ἐγχειρίζεσθαι τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν προστασίαν, ἔχειν τι τῶν λοιπῶν πλέον. Καὶ ποῖα σημεῖα καθ' ἑαυτοὺς εἶδον; φησί. Τὴν μεταμόρφωσιν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους, τοῦτο τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα ὄντα. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἕτερα στοχάζομαι ἀπὸ τούτων. Ἤρχοντο δὲ εἰς Καπερναοὺμ, τὸ μὲν σαφὲς οὐκ εἰδότες, ἐκεῖ δὲ προσδοκῶντες, εὑρήσειν αὐτὸν, ἢ καὶ κατὰ μέσον τὸν πλοῦν. Τοῦτο γοῦν ὁ Ἰωάννης ᾐνίξατο εἰπὼν, ὅτι σκοτία ἤδη ἐγεγόνει, καὶ οὐκ ἐληλύθει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἥ τε θάλασσα μεγάλου ἀνέμου πνέοντος διηγείρετο. Τί οὖν ἐκεῖνοι; Ταράσσονται: πολλὰ δὲ ἦν τὰ τοῦτο ποιεῖν αὐτοὺς ἀναγκάζοντα, καὶ πολλαχόθεν: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ: σκοτία γὰρ ἦν: καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος: ἡ γὰρ θάλασσα διηγείρετο: καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου: οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν ἐγγὺς τῆς γῆς, ἀλλ' Ἐληλακότες ὡς σταδίους εἰκοσιπέντε: καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ παραδόξου τὸ τελευταῖον: Θεωροῦσι γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης περιπατοῦντα: οἷς καὶ ταραχθεῖσι σφόδρα λέγει: Ἐγώ εἰμι, μὴ φοβεῖσθε. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ἐφάνη; Δεικνὺς ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν χειμῶνα λύσων. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐνέφηνεν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς εἰπὼν, ὅτι Ἤθελον λαβεῖν αὐτόν: καὶ εὐθέως τὸ πλοῖον ἐγγὺς τῆς γῆς ἐγένετο. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἀσφαλῆ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ οὐρίων αὐτοῖς παρέσχε τὸν πλοῦν. Τῷ ὄχλῳ δὲ οὐκ ἐπέδειξεν ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης περιπατοῦντα: μεῖζον γὰρ ἢ κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσθένειαν τὸ σημεῖον ἦν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὤφθη ἐπὶ πολὺ τοῦτο ποιῶν, ἀλλὰ ἅμα τε ὤφθη, καὶ ἀπέστη ἀπ' αὐτῶν. Ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο δοκεῖ τὸ σημεῖον ἕτερον εἶναι τοῦ παρὰ τῷ Ματθαίῳ κειμένου Καὶ ὅτι ἕτερον, πολλαχόθεν δῆλον. Πολλάκις γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ ποιεῖ σημεῖα, ὥστε παρασκευάσαι μὴ μόνον σφόδρα ξενίζεσθαι τοὺς ὁρῶντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς αὐτὰ δέχεσθαι πίστεως. Ἐγώ εἰμι, μὴ φοβεῖσθε. Μετὰ τοῦ ῥήματος καὶ τὴν δειλίαν ἐξέβαλεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκείνων ψυχῆς. Ἀλλαχοῦ δὲ οὐχ οὕτω ποιεῖ. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἔλεγε: Κύριε, εἰ σὺ εἶ, κέλευσόν με πρὸς σὲ ἐλθεῖν. Πόθεν οὖν τότε μὲν οὐκ εὐθέως τοῦτο ἐδέξαντο, νῦν δὲ ἐπείσθησαν; Ὅτι τότε μὲν ἔτι ὁ χειμὼν ἐπέμενε σαλεύων τὸ πλοῖον: νῦν δὲ μετὰ τῆς φωνῆς ἡ γαλήνη παρεγένετο: ἢ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, τὸ πρότερον ἐκεῖνό ἐστιν ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, ὅτι πολλάκις τὰ αὐτὰ ποιῶν σημεῖα, εὐπαράδεκτα τῷ χρόνῳ τὰ δεύτερα ἀπὸ τῶν προτέρων εἰργάζετο. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ πλοῖον; Τὸ θαῦμα μεῖζον ἐργάσασθαι βουλόμενος, καὶ ἅμα τὴν θεότητα αὐτοῖς ἐκκαλύψαι τρανότερον, καὶ δεῖξαι ὅτι τότε εὐχαριστήσας, οὐχὶ δεόμενος βοηθείας τοῦτο ἐποίησεν, ἀλλ' ἐκείνοις συγκαταβαίνων. Καὶ εἴασε μὲν γενέσθαι τὸν χειμῶνα, ἵνα ἀεὶ αὐτὸν ἐπιζητῶσιν: ἔπαυσε δὲ πάλιν εὐθέως, ἵνα τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ γνωρίσῃ: οὐκ ἐνέβη δὲ εἰς τὸ πλοῖον, ἵνα τὸ θαῦμα μεῖζον ἐργάσηται. Τῇ ἐπαύριον ὁ ὄχλος ὁ ἑστηκὼς ἰδὼν ὅτι ἄλλο πλοιάριον οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖ, εἰ μὴ ἓν εἰς ὃ ἀνέβησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅτι ὁ Ἰησοῦς οὐ συνεισῆλθεν: ἐνέβησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ εἰς ἕτερα πλοιάρια, ἐλθόντα ἀπὸ Τιβεριάδος. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀκριβολογεῖται ὁ Ἰωάννης; διατί γὰρ οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι τῇ ἑξῆς περάσαντες ἀπῆλθον; Ἕτερόν τι ἡμᾶς βούλεται διδάξαι. Ποῖον τοῦτο; Ὅτι καὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις, εἰ καὶ μὴ οὕτω φανερῶς, ἔδωκε γοῦν ὅμως λανθανόντως ὑπονοῆσαι τὸ γεγενημένον. Εἶδον γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι πλοιάριον ἄλλο οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖ, εἰ μὴ ἓν, καὶ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐ συνεισῆλθε, καὶ ἐμβάντες εἰς τὰ ἐκ Τιβεριάδος πλοιάρια, Ἦλθον ζητοῦντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν εἰς Καπερναούμ. Τί γὰρ ἦν ἕτερον ὑποπτεῦσαι, ἀλλ' ἢ ὅτι τὴν θάλασσαν πεζεύων παρεγένετο; Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔνι εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἑτέρῳ πλοίῳ διέβη. Ἓν γὰρ ἦν, φησὶν, εἰς ὃ ἐνέβησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. Ἀλλ' ὅμως μετὰ θαῦμα τηλικοῦτον ἐλθόντες, οὐκ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν πῶς διέβη, πῶς παρεγένετο, οὐδὲ ἐζήτησαν τὸ τοσοῦτον σημεῖον μαθεῖν: ἀλλὰ τί φασι; Ῥαββὶ, πότε ὧδε γέγονας; Πλὴν εἰ μὴ τὸ Πότε τις ἐνταῦθα λέγοι ἀντὶ τοῦ Πῶς εἰρῆσθαι παρ' αὐτῶν. βʹ. Ἄξιον δὲ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν συνιδεῖν τὴν εὔκολον αὐτῶν γνώμην, Οἱ γὰρ λέγοντες, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ προφήτης, οἱ σπουδάζοντες ἁρπάσαι καὶ ποιῆσαι βασιλέα, εὑρόντες αὐτὸν, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον βουλεύονται, ἀλλὰ τὸ θαῦμα ἐκβαλόντες, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, οὐκ ἔτι λοιπὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν προτέρων θαυμάζουσι. Διὰ τοῦτο ἄρα ἐπεζήτουν, βουλόμενοι πάλιν τραπέζης ἀπολαύειν, οἵας καὶ πρότερον. Διέβησαν μὲν οὖν τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, Μωϋσέως ἡγουμένου, ἀλλὰ πολὺ τὸ μέσον ἐνταῦθα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ εὐχόμενος καὶ ὡς δοῦλος πάντα εἰργάζετο: οὗτος δὲ, μετὰ ἐξουσίας ἁπάσης. Κἀκεῖ μὲν, νότου τότε πνέοντος, εἶξε τὸ ὕδωρ, ὥστε ἐπὶ ξηρᾶς ποιῆσαι παρελθεῖν: ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὸ θαῦμα μεῖζον ἐγίνετο. Μένουσα γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκείας φύσεως ἡ θάλασσα, οὕτως ἔφερε τὸν Δεσπότην ἐπὶ τῶν νώτων, μαρτυροῦσα ἐκείνῃ τῇ ῥήσει τῇ λεγούσῃ: Ὁ περιπατῶν ἐπὶ θαλάσσης ὡς ἐπὶ ἐδάφους. Εἰκότως δὲ μέλλων εἰς Καπερναοὺμ ἐμβαλεῖν τὴν σκληρὰν καὶ ἀπειθῆ, τὸ σημεῖον τῶν ἄρτων εἰργάσατο: οὐ μόνον τοῖς ἐν αὐτῇ γινομένοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἔξω τῆς πόλεως θαυματουργουμένοις, μαλάξαι βουλόμενος τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν ἀπείθειαν. Τὸ γὰρ ὄχλους παραγενέσθαι τοσούτους εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην, πολλὴν τεθειμένους σπουδὴν, ποῖον οὐκ ἦν ἱκανὸν μαλάξαι λίθον; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐκεῖνοι τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν ἔπαθον, ἀλλὰ πάλιν τροφῆς ἐπεθύμουν σωματικῆς: διὸ καὶ ὀνειδίζονται παρὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες, ἀγαπητοὶ, εὐχαριστῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν μὲν ἕνεκεν, πολλῷ δὲ μᾶλλον τῶν πνευματικῶν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς βούλεται, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκεῖνα δίδωσι, τοὺς ἀτελεστέρους ἐνάγων τούτοις καὶ προπαιδεύων, ἐπειδὴ πρὸς τὸν κόσμον ἔτι κεχήνασιν. Ἀλλ' ὅταν αὐτὰ λαβόντες, ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐναπομείνωσιν, ἐγκαλοῦνται καὶ ἐπιτιμῶνται. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ παραλυτικοῦ πρῶτον ἐκεῖνο ἐβούλετο δοῦναι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠνείχοντο οἱ παρόντες. Εἰπόντος γὰρ, ὅτι Ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἔλεγον: Οὗτος βλασφημεῖ. Μὴ δὴ, παρακαλῶ, τοιοῦτον πάθωμέν τι ἡμεῖς, ἀλλ' ἐκείνων ἡμῖν πλείων ἔστω λόγος. Διατί; Ὅτι τῶν πνευματικῶν παρόντων, οὐδεμία ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν σαρκικῶν ἀπουσίας γίνεται βλάβη: ἐκείνων δὲ οὐκ ὄντων, τίς ἔσται ἡμῖν λοιπὸν ἐλπίς; τίς δὲ παραμυθία; Διὸ χρὴ περὶ τούτων ἀεὶ τὸν Θεὸν παρακαλεῖν, καὶ ταῦτα αἰτεῖν. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς εὔχεσθαι ἐδίδαξεν. Κἂν ἀναπτύξωμεν τὴν εὐχὴν ἐκείνην, οὐδὲν εὑρήσομεν ἐν αὐτῇ σαρκικὸν, ἀλλὰ πάντα πνευματικά. Καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ μικρὸν, ἐκεῖνο τὸ αἰσθητὸν, τῷ τρόπῳ γινόμενον πνευματικόν. Τὸ γὰρ παραινεῖν μηδὲν πλέον ἐπιζητεῖν τοῦ ἄρτου τοῦ ἐπιουσίου, τουτέστι, τοῦ καθημερινοῦ, πνευματικῆς ἂν εἴη καὶ φιλοσόφου διανοίας. Τὰ δὲ πρὸ τούτου ὅρα: Ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου: ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου: γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Εἶτα εἰπὼν τὸ αἰσθητὸν ἐκεῖνο, ταχέως ἀπηλλάγη αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν ἦλθε διδασκαλίαν, Ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, λέγων, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν. Οὐδαμοῦ ἀρχὴν, οὐδαμοῦ πλοῦτον, οὐδαμοῦ δόξαν, οὐδαμοῦ δυναστείαν, ἀλλὰ πάντα εἰς ψυχῆς ὠφέλειαν συντελοῦντα ἐνέθηκε τῇ εὐχῇ: οὐδὲν γήϊνον, ἀλλὰ πάντα οὐράνια. Εἰ τοίνυν κελευόμεθα ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν βιωτικῶν καὶ παρόντων, πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴημεν ἄθλιοι καὶ ταλαίπωροι ταῦτα αἰτοῦντες παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἃ ἐκέλευσε καὶ ἔχοντας ἐκβάλλειν, φροντίδος ἀπαλλάττων ἡμᾶς, ὑπὲρ ὧν δὲ ἐπέταξε, μηδεμίαν τίθεσθαι σπουδήν: μᾶλλον δὲ μήτε ἔχειν μήτε ἐπιθυμεῖν; Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ βαττολογεῖν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ εὐχόμενοι οὐκ ἀνύομεν. Πῶς οὖν οἱ πονηροὶ, φησὶ, πλουτοῦσι; πῶς οἱ ἄδικοι καὶ μιαροὶ, ἁρπάζοντες, πλεονεκτοῦντες; Οὐ τοῦ Θεοῦ παρέχοντες, ἄπαγε. Καὶ πῶς ὁ Θεὸς συγχωρεῖ; Ὅτι καὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ τότε συνεχώρησε, μείζονι τηρῶν αὐτὸν κολάσει. Ἄκουσον οὖν καὶ τί φησι πρὸς αὐτόν: Τέκνον, ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου, καὶ Λάζαρος τὰ κακά: καὶ νῦν οὗτος παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς ταύτης ἀκούσωμεν τῆς φωνῆς, τρυφῶντες εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην, καὶ πολλὰ συνάγοντες ἑαυτοῖς ἁμαρτήματα, τὸν ἀληθῆ πλοῦτον ἑλώμεθα καὶ τὴν ἀκριβῆ φιλοσοφίαν, ὥστε τυχεῖν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς μετασχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.