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You have well received the preceding progress and that which follows. Jesus himself, therefore, says he is "beginning and end"; "I", he says, "am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end", "the first and the last, the living one, and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore". See how he says he himself is these things that seem opposite, both the former and the latter 329. He says, for instance, that "I am the first and I am the last", or first "I am the Alpha and I am the Omega". There are letters, which the Holy Spirit inscribes on the heart of those so prepared. For he says: "not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh I write"; and he says these are written by the holy "Spirit", by the "living Spirit". He himself, therefore, is also the divine letters; in which is written the "book of the living", in which are inscribed "the names" of the apostles "in the heavens", there they are enrolled as citizens. He says, therefore, "I am the Alpha and I am the Omega". Through the others he has shown that he is also the other things. "Beginning", therefore, and "end" is he himself. It is possible, therefore, to partake of him "at the same time", insofar as he is "beginning" and "end"; in one respect "beginning", in another "end". And just as we call the same one "lamb" and "shepherd" and these do not conflict, so we also say "way" and "door" and these are not opposed. Thus he himself is called "beginning" and "end". He is "beginning" as a "foundation" being laid for the "divine building"; "for no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid". He himself is the "cornerstone"; he, the "foundation that was laid", "has become the cornerstone", joining; the "corner" is the joining of two walls. As, therefore, the two covenants and the two peoples were brought together and the church became one, using Christ as "head", he has also become "end". Behold, "beginning and end", "first and last". Take "first" here with respect to honor; there are those "in the church" who hold the first places, such as "apostles, prophets"; there are also those having the other things, such as "gifts of healing, helping, administrating, tongues". He himself, therefore, is all things. For by imitating him they become these things. And thus he is called both "first" in honor and "last" in honor. But if you also wish to hear a deeper word; Jesus, "passing through the heavens", not only in the ascent but also in the descent imitated all rational beings, as is stated in the anabatic Isaiah, so that he might benefit every order; for in descending he did not pass through a place where he did not produce a benefit. He is able, therefore, to be also the being which has ascended above, while "last" is perhaps "man" or the "one under the earth". He imitated all, therefore, so that he might benefit every order. For if the apostle himself "became all things to all people, that he might win all"—and he "became all things" to them, even to those who are "last", "he became lawless to the lawless, that he might win the lawless, to the 330 Jews a Jew", to the "wise" wise—if therefore his imitator did these things, how much more he himself. Then, having spoken, he says: "the living one, and I was dead". "I, the living one", not "the one who became living"; for he "is living", for he "is life", but he "became dead"; but the intervening state is resolved; for he added: "and behold, I am alive for evermore". For even if, while being "living", "I became dead", I did not "become dead for evermore", since that "life" which I had before death shines forth again. 11,7a And the light is sweet and good for the eyes. In both ways the "light is sweet" "to the eyes and good". It benefits the "eyes". And if you take it with respect to perceptible things, it shows him the visible things. But if concerning the divine "light", the eternal, about which it is said "it was the true light, which enlightens every man", "enlightening the eyes of the heart", it is "sweet" to them. In both ways one must take the "light" and the "eyes", and likewise also the "sweetness". Similarly, if he speaks concerning visible things shown by perceptible "light", the "sweet" is instead of pleasant. But if you take the inner "eyes" and the "true light", thus it is "sweet", as it is said, "taste and see that the Lord is good" and "how sweet are your words, more than honey and

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προλαβοῦσαν προκοπὴν καὶ τὴν διαδεχομένην κα λῶς παρε´̣λ̣α̣βες. αὐτὸς οὖν Ἰησοῦς λέγει εἶναι "ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος"· "ἐγώ", φησίν, "εἰμι τὸ ἄλφα καὶ τὸ ὦ, ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέ λος", "ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ὁ ζῶν καὶ ἐγενάμην νε κρὸς καὶ ἰδοὺ ζῶν εἰμι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας". ὅρα πῶς αὐτὰ τα`̣ δοκοῦντα ἀντικείμεν̣α κ̣αὶ πρότερα κατ̣' ὕστε 329 ρα αὐτὸς εἶναι λέγει. λέγει γοῦν ὅτι "ἐγὼ ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ἐγὼ ὁ ἔσχατος", ἢ πρῶτον "ἐγὼ τὸ ἄλφα καὶ ἐγὼ τὸ ὦ". ἔστιν γράμματα, ἃ χαράττει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῶν οὕτω παρεσκευασμένων. λέγει γάρ· "οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν λιθίναις, ἀλλ' ἐν πλαξὶν σαρκίναις ἐπιγράφω"· καὶ λέγει ταύτας γράφεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου "πνεύματος", ὑπὸ τοῦ "ζῶντος πνεύματος". αὐτὸς οὖν ἐστιν καὶ τὰ γράμματα τὰ θεῖα· ἐν ᾗ γράφεται ἡ "βίβλος τῶν ζώντων", ἐν ᾗ χαράττονται "τὰ ὀνόματα" τῶν ἀποστόλων "ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς", ἐκεῖ ἐνπολιτογραφοῦσιν. λέγει οὖν "ἐγὼ τὸ ἄλφα καὶ ἐγὼ τὸ ὦ". διὰ τ̣ῶν ἄλλων ἐδήλωσεν ὅτι κ̣α̣ι`̣ τ̣ὰ ἄλλα ἐστίν. "ἀρχὴ" οὖν καὶ "τέλος" αὐτός ἐστιν. ἐξὸν οὖν αὐτοῦ μετέχειν "ἅμα", καθ' ὃ "ἀρχή" ἐστιν καὶ "τέ λος"· κατὰ ἄλλο μὲν "ἀρχή", κατὰ ἕτερον δὲ "τέλος". καὶ ὥσπερ τὸν αὐτὸν λέγομεν "ἀμνὸν" καὶ "ποιμένα" καὶ οὐ μάχεται ταῦτα, οὕτω λέγομεν καὶ "ὁδὸν" καὶ "θύ ραν" καὶ οὐκ ἀντίκειται ταῦτα. οὕτως αὐτὸς λέγεται "ἀρχὴ" καὶ "τέλος". "ἀρχή" ἐστιν ὡς "θεμέλιος" τῆς "θείας οἰκοδομῆς" καταβαλλόμενος· "θεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλ λον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ τὸν κείμενον". αὐτὸς δέ ἐστιν ἡ "κεφαλὴ τῆς γωνίας"· αὐτὸς ὁ "τεθει`̣ς̣ θεμέλιος" "γέγονεν κεφαλὴ τῆς γωνία̣ς̣" συνάπτων· ἡ "γωνία" δὲ δύο τοίχων συναφή ἐστιν. ὡς οὖν συνήχθη σαν αἱ δύο διαθῆκαι καὶ οἱ δύο λαοὶ καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησία μία γέγονεν "κεφαλῇ" τῷ Χριστῷ χρωμένη, γέγονεν καὶ "τέλος". ἰδοὺ "ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος", "πρῶτος καὶ ἔσχατος". τὸ "πρῶτον" ὧδε κατὰ τιμὴν λάβε· εἰσὶν "ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ" τὰ πρωτεῖα φερόμενοι οἷον "ἀπόστολοι, προφῆται"· εἰσὶν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἔχοντες οἷον "χάρισμα ἰαμάτων, ἀντίλημψιν, κυβέρνησιν, γλῶτταν". πάντα οὖν αὐτός ἐστιν. αὐτὸν γ̣ὰρ μιμούμενοι γίνονται ταῦτα. καὶ οὕτω λέγεται καὶ "πρῶτος" κατὰ τιμὴν καὶ "ἔσχατος" κατὰ τιμ̣ήν. εἰ δὲ θέλεις καὶ βαθύτερον λόγον ἀκοῦσαι· Ἰη σοῦς "διερχόμενος τοὺς οὐρανοὺς" οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ ἀν όδῳ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ καθόδῳ πάντας ἐμιμήσατο τοὺς λογι κο̣ύς, ὡς ἐν Ἰσαΐᾳ φέρεται τῷ ἀναβατικῷ, ἵν' ὠφε λήσει πᾶν τάγμα· οὐ διέβη γὰρ τόπον κ̣ατιω´̣ν, ἔνθα̣ οὐ πεποίηται ὠφέλειαν. δύναται οὖν καὶ τὸ ὑπεραναβε βηκὸς ζῷον ε̣ἰ῀̣ναι, "ἔσχατον" δὲ τ̣άχα ὁ "ἄνθρωπος ἢ ὁ κα̣ταχθόνιος. πάντας̣ οὖν ἐμιμήσατο, ἵνα πᾶν̣ τ̣άγ μα ω᾿̣φελήσει. ε̣ι᾿̣ γὰρ ὁ ἀπόστολος αὐτο`̣ς "τοῖς πᾶσιν πάντα γέγονεν, ἵνα πάντας κερ̣δήσῃ"-ἐκ̣είν̣οις δὲ "πάντα γέγονεν" καὶ ᾡ῀̣ "ἔσχατοί" εἰσιν, "γέγονεν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἄνομος, ἵνα τοὺς ἀνόμ̣ους κερδήσῃ, τοῖς 330 Ἰο̣υδ̣αίοις̣ Ἰουδαίοις Ἰουδαῖος", τοῖς "σοφοῖς"σοφός-, εἰ οὖν ὁ μιμητὴς αὐτοῦ ταῦτ' ἐποίει, πολλῷ πλέον αὐτός. εἶτα λοιπὸν εἰρηκὼς λέγει· "ὁ ζῶν καὶ ἐγενάμην νε κρός". "ἐγὼ ὁ ζῶν", οὐχ̣ ὁ "γενάμενος ζῶν"· "ζῶν" γάρ ἐστιν, "ζωὴ" γάρ ἐστιν, "ἐγένετο" δὲ "νεκρός"· ἀλ λὰ τὸ μεσολαβῆσαι λύεται· ἐπήγαγεν γάρ· "καὶ ἰδοὺ ζῶν εἰμι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας". εἰ γὰρ καὶ "ζῶν" τυγχάνων "νεκρὸς γέγονα", οὐ "γέγονα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας νεκρὸς" ἀναλαμπούσης ἐκείνης τῆς "ζωῆς", ἧς εἶχον πρὸ τῆς νεκρώσεως. 11,7a καὶ γλυκὺ τὸ φῶς καὶ ἀγαθὸν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς. ἑκατέρως τὸ "φῶς γλυκύ" ἐστιν "τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ ἀ γαθόν". ὠφελεῖ τοὺς "ὀφθαλμούς". καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν λαμβάνεις, δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ τὰ ὁρατά. εἰ δὲ περὶ του῀̣ θείου "φωτὸς" τοῦ ἀϊδίου, περὶ οὗ λέγεται "ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον" "τοὺς ὀ φθαλμοὺς τῆς καρδίας̣ φωτίζον", "γλυκύ" ἐστιν αὐτοῖς. ἑκατέρως δὲ λημπτέον τὸ "φῶς" καὶ τοὺς "ὀφθαλ μούς", ω῾̣σ̣αύτως καὶ τὴν "γλυκύτητα". ὁμοίως ἐὰν πε ρὶ τῶν ὁρατῶν λέγῃ τῶν δεικνυμένων ὑπὸ τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ "φωτός", τὸ "γλυκ̣υ`̣" α᾿̣ν̣τὶ του῀̣ ἡδύ ἐστιν̣. ἐὰν δὲ λά β̣ῃς̣ τοὺς ἔσω "ὀφθαλμοὺς" καὶ τὸ "φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν", οὕτω "γλυκύ" ἐστιν, ὡς εἴρηται "γ̣ε̣υ´̣σασθε̣ καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι χρηστὸς ὁ κύριος" καὶ "ὡς γ̣λ̣υκ̣ε´̣α̣ τ̣α`̣ λόγ̣ι̣α´̣ σου ὑπὲρ μέλι καὶ