Chapter V. That not inferior in Might and Wisdom to God the Father is the Son, yea rather His very Wisdom and Might.

And of Myself I do nothing, but as the Father taught Me, I speak these words.

He speaketh in more human wise, in that the Jews could not otherwise understand, nor endure to hear from Him unvailed things God-befitting. For on these matters are they found hurling stones at Him, and setting it down as blasphemy, that being Man, He made Himself God. Withdrawing therefore the surpassingness of God-befitting glory and having much bereft His language of its splendour, He condescends most excellently to the infirmities of the hearers, and since searching into their mind within He finds that they know Him not to be God, He fashions His Discourse in human wise, that their dispositions may not be again kindled unto anger and they foolishly dart away from cleaving to Him even a little. Ye shall know therefore (He says) when ye have lifted up the Son of Man, that I am, ye shall know again in like manner that of Myself I do nothing, but as My Father taught Me, so I speak.

And what need of these words (tell me) may some one haply say, and what does Christ teach us herein? Therefore we will say, piously and with fair distinction expanding each of the things said; Ye have never ceased (He saith) falling upon My Deeds, as though wrought madly and un-holily, ye condemned Me oft as not refusing to transgress, as wont to act contrary to the Lawgiver. For I loosed the paralytic from his so great infirmity, I compassionated a man on the sabbath. But seeing (He saith) you who ought to have wondered at it, finding fault thereat and missing much of what befit Me, yea even just now I explaining to you what belongs to salvation was persuading you to advance to the desire of sharing in light. Then did I shew you the Very Light, for declaring to you Mine own Nature, I said, I am the light of the world, and Ye acting and counselling most unadvisedly, rose up against My words and dared unrestrainedly to say, Thy record is not true. When then ye have lifted up the Son of man, that is, when ye compass Him about with death and behold Him superior to the bonds of death (for I shall rise from the dead, since I am God by Nature) then ye shall know (He says) that I do nothing of Myself but as My Father taught Me so I speak. For ye will learn when ye see that the Son too is God by Nature, that I am by no means self-opiniate, but ever of one Will with God the Father, and whatsoever He doth, these things I too do not shrink from doing and whatever I know that He speaks, I again speak. For I am of the Same Essence as He That begat Me. For I healed the palsied on the sabbath day, Ye again were bitterly disposed thereat, yet shewed I you My Father working on the sabbath also: for I said, My Father worketh hitherto and I work: therefore of Myself I do nothing. Again I said, I am the Light of the world, but ye imagined that I was saying something discordant from the Father and in this too did I again shame you, shewing that He said of Me, Behold I have set Thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the nations. In vain therefore (He saith) do ye accuse Him Who ever hath One Will with the Father and doth nought dissonant to Him nor endureth to say ought which is not His. For this is the meaning I think that we should fit on to the words.

But the bitter wild beast will haply leap upon us, the fighter against Christ, I mean Arius, and will cry out upon us (as is likely) and will come and say, "When the discourse, sir, was proceeding all right, what made you pressing forward thrust it aside to your own mere pleasure and do you not blush at secretly stealing away the force of the truth? Lo clearly the Son affirms that He does nought of Himself, but that what He learns of God the Father, this He also speaks, and so is conscious that His Father is in superior position to Himself."  

What then, most excellent sir (will such an one hear in return), is the Son supplied with might and understanding from the Father, that He may be able to do and to speak without blame? how then is He any longer God by Nature, who borrows from another power and wisdom, just as the nature of the creature too has it? for to those who from not being obtain being, every thing that accrues to them is also surely God-given. But not so is it in the Son; for Him the Divine Scripture knows and proclaims as Very God and I think that to Him Who is by Nature God do all good things in perfect degree belong, and that which possesses not perfection in every single thing that ought to be admired, how will it be by Nature God? For as incorruption and immortality must surely belong to it naturally and not from without or imported, so too the all-perfection and lacking nought in all good things. But if according, sir, to thy unhallowed and unlearned argument the Son be imperfect in regard of being able to do things God-befitting and to speak what is right, and yet He is the Power and Wisdom of the Father according to the Divine Scripture, to the Father rather and not to Him will so great an accusal belong. For thus defining these things you will say that in potential no longer is God the Father Perfect, nor yet is He wholly Wise. You see then whither the daring of thine unlearning sinks down. And I marvel how this too has escaped thy acumen.: how (tell me) will God the Father supply might to His own Might, or how will He render His own Wisdom wiser? For either one must needs say that it ever advances to something greater and goes forward by little and little to being capable of somewhat more than its existing strength (which is both foolish and utterly impossible), or must impiously suppose that He is strengthened by another. How then will the Son be any more called Lord of Hosts or how will He be any longer conceived of as Wisdom and Might, strengthened (according to you) and made wise by another? Away with the blasphemy and absurdity of reasoning. For either grant outright that the Son is a creature that ye may have the whole of Divinely-inspired Scripture crying out against you, or if ye believe that He is by Nature God, grant, grant that the Properties of Godhead pertain to Him in Perfect degree. For it is the property of the Natural Being [of God ] neither to be impotent about anything, nor to come short of supreme Wisdom, yea rather to be Wisdom and Power's very self; but in wisdom nought is through teaching, nor yet in the Chief and truly conceived-of Power do we see imported power.

But that by examining also the very nature of things, we may more accurately test what are said by Christ, we will add this too to what has been said. What so great deed hath the Only-Begotten made Man wrought, that will surpass His inherent Power? For it was like I suppose that some would say that it then resulted that He should fitly say, as having borrowed the Power from God the Father, Of Myself I do nothing, because He drove out the evil spirit, let go the palsied from his infirmity, freed the leper from his suffering, gave the blind to see, sated a no easily reckoned multitude of men with five loaves, appeased the raging sea with a word, raised Lazarus from the dead: shall we say that the manifestation herein is superior to His innate Power? Then how (tell me) did He stablish the so great Heaven and spread it out as a tent to dwell in, how founded He the earth, how became He Artificer of sun and moon and what pertains to the firmament? how created He angels and Archangels Thrones and Lordships and yet besides, the Seraphim? He Who was in so vast and supernatural position, lacking neither Might nor Wisdom from another, how could He be powerless in matters so small, or how should He Who by the holy Prophets is glorified as Wisdom need one who must teach Him what to say to the Jews? For I hear a certain one say, The Lord who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His Wisdom, and stretched out the heavens in His discretion, and besides, the Divine Daniel too says. Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, for wisdom and understanding and might are His. But if His, according to the Prophet's voice, are both might and wisdom, who will any more endure the wordiness of the heterodox, saying that the Wisdom and Power of the Father is supplied with both power and wisdom from another?

"But if we said (says he) that there were some other to supply to the Son what He lacked of power, or to teach Him, reasonably could ye attack us with words, knowing that ye were on the side of Him as insulted: but since we say that God the Father gives this, what plea for aggrievance any longer appears to you from thence?"

Therefore if ye think that ye will in nothing wrong the Son, in respect of His being by Nature unlike Him Who begat Him, even though He be said to be supplied by Him, remember, man, your late words, and be taught thereby not to be offended: grant Him to be in all things Equal to His Progenitor, and in no way or respect whatever inferior to Him. But if it draw thee aside from the reasonings of orthodoxy, and persuade thee to deem of Him what is not lawful, why dost thou vainly attempt to beguile us with so rotten words? for it will make no difference at all, whether God the Father Himself, or any other than He, be said to give ought to the Son. For having once fallen under the charge of receiving ought, what gain will He derive, though the Person of the Giver were exceeding illustrious? For what difference (tell me) will it make to a person who refuses a blow to be struck with a wooden rod or a gilt one? for it is not the suffering in this way that is good but the not suffering at all. The Son therefore being proved to be lacking in both power and wisdom, if He be shewn to receive ought from Him, and having herein complete accusal, how is it not utterly foolish that we should smite our hearers with stale words, and by inventions of deceit smear over the charge by deeming that no one else but the Father Alone is admitted as supplying Him? But I marvel how though they think they are wise, and in no slight degree practised in the art of making subtle distinctions with words foreign to the subject, that this escaped them, viz., that by disparaging the Impress of God the Father, i. e., the Son, ye do not so much accuse Himself as Him Whose Impress He is, since He must of necessity so be as He is seen to be in the Son.

"But," says he, "the Son's own voice will compel thee even against thy will to consent to what He did not disdain to utter: for Himself hath confessed that He doth nothing of Himself but that whatever He was taught of God the Father these things He speaks."

Well then to thee, good sir, let the things even that are well said seem to be not well, seeing that thou deniedst the light of truth: but We again will go our own way, and will deem of the Only-Begotten as is customary and wonted, with becoming piety comparing them with what is before us. For if the Only-Begotten had said, I do nothing of Myself but receiving power from God the Father, I both work wonders and am marvelled at, it would be even thus a speech shewing that He nowise ought to be accused therefore, yet would our opponent have seemed to oppose us with greater shew of reason. But since He says simply and absolutely without any addition, Ido nothing of Myself, we will not surely say that He is blaming His own Nature as infirm for ought, but that He means something else that is true and incapable of being found fault with. In order that transforming the force of the expression to man, we may see accurately what He says, let there be two men having the same nature, equal in strength and likeminded one with another, and let one of them say, Of myself I do nothing, will he say this as powerless and able to do nothing at all of himself, or as having the other co-approver and co-minded and co-joined with him? thus conceive I pray of the Son too, yea rather much more than this. For since the Jews were foolishly springing upon Him as He was working marvels, even accusing the breach of the sabbath, and imputing to Him transgression of the law, He at length shewed God the Father in all things Co-minded and Co-approver, skillfully shaming the unbridled mind of them who believe Him not. For it was like that some would now shrink from any inclination to blame Him when He said that He did all things according to the Will of the Father and pointed out His own Will in His. For that the Son does all things according to the Will of the Father will shew that He is not less and an under-worker, but of Him and in Him and Consubstantial. For since He is the Very Wisdom of the Father and His Living Counsel, He confesses that He does not do ought else than what the Father wills, Whose both Wisdom and Counsel He is, seeing that the understanding too that is in us does not ought of itself, but accomplishes all that seems good to us. And little is the example to the verity, but it hath an image not obscure of the truth. And as the understanding that is in us is accounted nought else than we ourselves, in the same way I deem the Wisdom of God the Father, i. e., the Son, is nought other than He in regard to sameness of Essence and exact Likeness of Nature: for the Father is Father and the Son Son in Their own Person.

But because to this He adds, As the Father taught Me, I speak these things, let no one think that the Son is in need of teaching for any thing whatsoever (for great is the absurdity of reasoning herein): but the force of what is said has this meaning. For the Jews who were not able to understand ought that was good, were not only offended at what were marvellously wrought, but also when ought God-befitting was uttered one may see them in the same case, and specially when He truly says, I am the Light of the world, they were both cut to the heart and counselled all-daring deeds. But the Lord Jesus Christ that He might convict them of vainly raging about this says that His own Words are God the Father's, saying Taught in more human wise. Yet we shall find the force of the speech not without a subtle inner-thought, and if the enemy of the truth will not admit what is human, he very greatly wrongs the plan of the economy with Flesh (for the Only-Begotten humbled Himself being made Man, and for this reason ofttimes He speaketh as Man): but let him know again that the saying, As the Father taught Me, so I speak, will no way injure the Son in respect of God-befitting Dignity, for we will show that this saying of His too is on all sides sound and right. But let yon accuser of the doctrines of piety answer us who ask, Who (tell me) teaches the new-born babe to use human voice? why does he not roar as a lion or imitate some other of the irrational creation? But nature its teacher fashioning after the property of the sower that which is of him must needs surely and will proceed to that common sound used by all. It is then possible without being taught to learn of nature which infuseth so to say the whole property of the sower into tho offspring. Thus therefore does tho Only-Begotten Himself here too affirm that He learned of the Father. For what nature is to us, that full surely may God the Father be reasonably conceived of to Him; and as We since we are men and of men, learning untaught from nature speak as befits men, so He too, since He is God of God by Nature, learnt as of His Own Nature to speak as God and to say things befitting God, as is I am the Light of the world. For what He knows that He is because of the Father from Whom He is (for He is Light of Light), this He said that He learnt of Him, having a sort of untaught learning of God-befitting works and words from the own Nature of Him Who begat Him, mounting up as by necessary laws to sameness in all things of will and of word with God the Father. For how must not sameness of Will and Equality and Likeness in Words needs be without contradiction inexistent in Those Who have the Same Nature? Of God altogether are we speaking, not of us; for us divergences of manners and differences of wills and tyrannies of passions drag aside from the limits of what befits: but the Divine and Inconceivable Nature being the Same always and fixed immoveably in Its own Goods, what divergences unto ought else can It have? or how will It not altogether advance the straight course of Its own Purpose and both speak and accomplish what belongs to It? The Only-Begotten then being of the Same Essence with Him Who begat Him and pre-eminent in the Dignities of the One Godhead, will (I suppose) surely and of necessity work whatever the Father Himself too works (for this is the meaning of doing nothing of Himself); and will surely speak what belongs to Him Who begat Him, not as a minister or bidden or as a disciple, but possessing as the fruit of His Own Nature, to use the words also of God the Father. For herein shines forth clearly and apart from all railing this, viz. that nothing is said by Him [as from Himself].

29 And He That sent Me is with Me, and hath not left Me alone.

Herein He shews clearly that He interprets the Counsel of God the Father, Himself having none other than is in Him (how could He? for He is Himself the Living and Hypostatic Counsel and Will of Him Who begat Him, as is said in the Book of the Psalms by one of the Saints, In Thy Counsel Thou guidedst me, and again, Lord by Thy Will Thou gavest might to my beauty : for in Christ are all good things to them that love Him) but as bringing forth unto our knowledge the things that are in God the Father. For as this word of ours uttered externally and poured forth through the tongue makes known what is in the deep of our understanding, both receiving, as some learning, the will that is in our mind in respect of anything, and impelled by it to utter it in such manner: so again we will piously conceive that the Son (surpassing the force of the example in that He is Himself both Word and Wisdom of God the Father) uttered what exists in Him. And since He is not impersonal as is man's, but inbeing and Living as having His own Being in the Father and with the Father, He says here that He is not Alone, but that with Him is Him also That sent Him. But when He says, With Me, He indicates again something God-befitting and Mystic. For we do not think that He saith thus, viz. that as God may be (for instance) with a Prophet, guarding him, that is, with His own Might and aiding him by His favour or by the enlightenment through the Spirit stirring him up to prophecy:----that so is He That begat Him with Him. But here too He puts with Me in another sense: for He That sent Me (He says) i. e., God the Father, is in the same Nature as I.

After this sort will you understand that too which is in Isaiah the Prophet about Christ, Know ye people and he ye worsted for with us is God. For our discourse hereon will befit those who have set on Him their hope of being saved. And these too say With us is God, not as though any should imagine that God will be our co-worker and co-assistant, but that He will be with us, that is, of us. For the Word of God hath become Man, and in Him we all have been saved and burst the bonds of death, and put off the corruption of sin, since God the Word being in the Form of God hath come down to us and become with us. As then we here understand With us is God, for, The Word of God the Father hath become of the same nature with us: so here too preserving the same analogy in our thoughts, when Christ says, He that sent Me is with Me and hath not left Me alone, we shall clearly understand Him to indicate mystically that (as we said before) God the Father is of the Same Nature as I and hath not left Me alone : for it were altogether impossible not to have wholly with Me God the Father of Whom I am begotten.

And perhaps some one will say and will ask more thoughtfully, Why does the Saviour say such things or what was it induced Him to come to this explanation ?

To this We will reply, shewing that profitably and of necessity did He add this too to what He had already said. For since He said that as the Father taught Me, I speak these things, needs does He shew that the Father is now co-with Him and consubstantial with Him, that He may be believed to speak what is His, as God the things of God, and urged on by the Natural Property of Him That begat Him to say what is God-befitting, just as the children of men having of their nature some untaught learning, as we said above, know truly the properties of human nature. We must not therefore be offended, when the Son says that He learnt ought from the Father; for not for this reason will He be found less than He nor yet alien according to  them. And let us consider the matter thus. Not in knowing any thing or in not knowing it, is the matter of essence tested, but in what each by nature is. As for example suppose Paul and Silvanus; and let Paul know and be instructed perfectly in the mystery as to Christ, Silvanus somewhat less than Paul. Are they then not alike in nature or will Paul surpass Silvanus in respect of essence, because he knows the depth of the mystery more than the other? But I suppose that no one will be foolish to such an extent as ever to suppose that their nature is severed by reason of superiority or inferiority in knowledge. When then the condition of essence is (as we have said) accurately proved not to lie in learning or teaching ought, it will no wise injure the Son in regard of His being by Nature God, if He say that He learns ought of His own Father. For not on this account will He go forth from Consubstantiality with Him, but abideth wholly what He is, God of God, Light of Light.

But you will perhaps say, How then? the Father is greater in knowledge, for therefore doth He teach the Son. But we again will say that we have entirely shewn through many words that the Wisdom of the Father is without any need of learning and instruction and having joined together many arguments thereto, we proved that their speech has its exit in boundless blasphemy. Next, it is necessary to tell thee besides that the Son's aim and special care is ever to abate His own Dignity and not to speak much in God-befitting manner, because of the Form of the servant and of the abasement thence for our sakes undertaken. For whither hath He descended, and whence unto what removed, if He say nothing inferior and not wholly worthy of God-befitting glory? For for these reasons He often takes the form of not knowing as Man what as God He knows. You will see this clearly in the history of Lazarus of Bethany, whom when now of four days and stinking, He with wonder-working might and most God-befitting voice caused to return to life. Look at the economy fashioned herein. For knowing that Lazarus was dead and having fore-announced this, as God, to His disciples, in human wise Ho asked, saying, Where have ye laid him? O wondrous deed! He Who was living far away from Bethany and was not ignorant as God, that Lazarus is dead, how sought He to learn where the tomb was? But you will say (thinking most rightly) that He made feint of the question, arranging something profitable. Receive therefore in this case too that He economically says that what He knows as God, this He learnt of the Father; not permitting the mad folly of the Jews to be further excited, and punishing the wrath of the more unlearned, He does not introduce God-befitting language to them unsoftened, although it rather befitted Him so to do.

But since they were surmising that He is yet mere man, He mingling as it were the Dignity of Godhead with man-befitting words speaks economically more lowly than Ho is, For I do always the things that please Him. Receive (I pray) herein too the solution of what seem hard and observe clearly that He rightly interprets. Of Myself I do nothing. For for this reason (He says) testified I that I do nothing of Myself, when I but now addressed you, because it is My habit and practice to do nothing discordant to God the Father, nor to be able to do anything save what pleaseth My Progenitor. It is then very clear that in this alone will it be understood that the Son doth nothing of Himself, viz. in His ever doing what pleases God the Father, so that except He had thus wrought, He would have done somewhat of Himself, i.e., contrary to the Will of Him That begat Him. It is not then because He comes short of the Paternal Goodness, nor because of being able to achieve nought of His own Strength, that He here affirms that He does nothing of Himself, but because He is Co-minded and Co-willer ever with His Progenitor in every thing, and has no thought of ever accomplishing any thing as it were separately. And we do not, going off into extravagant notions, think that the Son is here displaying in Himself any virtue proceeding of choice and habit, but rather the Fruit of Nature That knows no turning, Which needs not the Divine [help] in counselling to do anything. For as to the creatures, inasmuch as they are capable of turning to the worse, and of giving way to changes from better to worse, good will be fruit of the pious and virtuous disposition: but as to the Divine and All-Surpassing Nature it is not so. For since all change and turn is removed and has no place, good will be the fruit of the unalterable Nature, just as heat in fire or cold in snow. For fire has obviously its proper action, not of voluntary notion, but natural and essential, without the power of being otherwise except it be driven away from its action by the will of its Maker. Therefore not as We, or ought other of the rational creation, mastered by our free will to press forward to do what pleases God the Father; not so does the Only-Begotten say thus, but as following the laws of His own Nature and able to think and do nought save according to the Will of Him Who begat Him. For how could the Consubstantial and One Godhead ever be at variance with Itself? or how could It do what liketh It not, as though any had power to turn it aside unto ought else? For though God the Father exist properly and by Himself, likewise both the Son and the Spirit, yet is the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity not riven asunder unto complete severance, but the whole Fulness thereof mounteth up unto One Nature of Godhead.

We must besides consider this too, that no argument can reasonably pull down the Son from His sameness of Nature with the Father, seeing that He affirmed that He always doth what pleaseth Him, but rather being Consubstantial with Him will He be thereby acknowledged to be God of God by Nature and Very. For who (tell me) will savour the things of God after a God-befitting and exact manner, except Himself too be by Nature God? or who will perform always what is pleasing to Him, if he have not a nature beyond the reach of the worse, and have for his share the choice Dignity of the Divine Nature, I mean being unable to sin? For of the creature it has been said, Who will boast that he has his heart clean, or who will be confident thathe is pure from sins, and elsewhere the Divine Scripture extending its utterance even to the very utmost bound says, The stars are not pure in His Sight. For angels, albeit far removed from our condition, and having a firmer status as to virtue, have not kept their own princedom. For by reason of some being altogether torn thence and falling into sin, the whole nature of the rational creation lies under the charge of being recipient of sin, and powerless to be imparticipate of change for the worse: and the reasonable and godlike living creature upon the earth hath fallen, not after any long period, but in the first man Adam. Wholly therefore refused to the creature is unchangeability and un-turning and being able to be of nature the same ; to God Alone That is in truth will it belong. But this shines forth full well in the Son, for He did no sin, as Paul saith, neither was guile found in His Mouth. God therefore is the Son, and by Nature of God who cannot sin, nor over overstep what befits His Nature. When then He confesses that He does always those things that please the Father, let no one be offended, nor deem that in lesser rank than the Father is He who is of Him, but let him rather think piously that as God of God by Nature He ascendeth unto the sameness of counsel and (so to speak) sameness of work with Him Who begat Him.

30 As He spake these words, many believed on Him.

The wise Evangelist ofttimes marvels at Christ practising depreciation in His Words because of the infirmity of the hearers, and wont to achieve something great thereby. For whereas it was in His Power as God to speak all things, and to fashion His Discourse free and with royal Authority over all, keeping measure in His Speech economically, He encloses many unto obedience, many again He persuades to give heed more zealously unto Him. Therefore not empty is the Saviour's purpose, I mean His speaking to the multitudes in more human wise: for some of the more unlearned were used to rage against Him not a little and readily to desert Him, beholding a man and hearing God-befitting words. But since He was God and Man in one, having unblamed the authority that pertains to each, and able to speak without fault in whatever way He please, He doing exceeding well fashioned it in view of the levity of His hearers, diversely declaring of Himself (and that often) the things that belong to a man, such (I mean) as Of Myself I do nothing and things akin to this: for they understanding nothing whatever, but attacking without any investigation what was said, went to this common and offhand mode of understanding it, and thought that He said, Receiving power of God I work miracles, and He is with Me, since I do always what is pleasing to Him.

Likeminded then with the unholy Jews are the accursed enemies of the Truth, who contradicting the dogmas of piety and loving to wrangle, think meanly of the Lord, and seizing on what is economically and rightly said, to overturn therewith His inbeing Glory and Authority, they steal away the Beauty of the Truth. For they have not (it seems) remembered Paul who saith that one ought to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and to bring into captivity every thought to Christ and to His obedience: they have not known what was uttered concerning the Divine Oracles by one of the Prophets, Who is wise and he shall understand these things? prudent and he shall know them? For unless some exceeding great obscurity hovered upon them, and a deep darksome veil floated over, what were the need for a wise and prudent man being sought after who might find out the knowledge of them?

And this is abundance for the present matter, we will speak rather on what is before us, choosing something profitable. Upon Christ when saying these things, there believed on Him, as saith the Evangelist, not all but many. Yet albeit He is Very God, and hath nought that is not wholly naked unto His Eyes and knows and that with all accuracy that He will not take hold of all unto belief, He yet perseveres, expending long discourse on them who come to Him, giving us an Example most fair in this too, and offering Himself a Pattern to the Teachers of the Church. For even though all be haply not profited because of their own depravity, yet since it was likely that some would reap good thereby, we must not be sluggish to lead to what is profitable. For if we bury so to say in unfruitful silence the talent given us, that is, the grace through the Spirit, we shall be like that wicked servant who said without any restraint to his Master, I knew Thee that Thou art an hard man reaping where Thou didst not sow and gathering whence Thou didst not straw and I was afraid and hid Thy talent in the earth, lo, Thou hast Thine own. But to what end that so wretched man came, and what penalty He exacted of him, the studious man well knows having met with it not once only in the Gospel books. Therefore let us lay this to heart and consider aright that it is his duty to be free from all indolence in teaching, his I mean who is set forth for this work, and in no wise to turn aside to despise it, even though all be not persuaded by his words, but rather shalt thou rejoice at what thou gainest by thy toil. It is meet too to consider with all sobriety that which has been spoken by our Saviour, The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord: enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord. For if the Lord persuade not all on account of the crookedness and hardness of heart of the hearers, who will blame our feeble speech, though it demand understanding of free-choice not of necessity?

31 Jesus said therefore to the Jews which believed on Him, If Ye abide in My word, ye are My disciples indeed.

He demandeth of those who believe a disposition established and fixed and prepared for the abode of that good which they had once chosen. And this is faith in Him. For wavering shews utter senselessness and unprofit, seeing that A double minded man is unstable in all his ways, as it is written: but to press forward firmly to have hold of what is profitable, is indeed wise and most useful. As far then as belongs to the more obvious meaning, He says this, that if they shall desire to obey His Words, then shall they be surely called His disciples also. But as regards some hidden meaning, He signifies this: for in saying If Ye abide in My Word, He is clearly withdrawing them by degrees and gently from the Mosaic teachings, and removing them from adherence to the letter and bidding them no longer cleave to what were uttered and done in type, but rather to His own Word which is clearly the Gospel and Divine preaching. For He it was Who ever of old was speaking to us through the holy Prophets, but they were the mediators, through whom (that is) He spake to us. But the Gospel preaching will be conceived of as properly His Word (for not through another do we find that it came to us but through Himself) wherefore when Incarnate He says, I That speak am present. And Paul too will testify saying in the Epistle to the Hebrews, God Who in many ways and modes of old spake unto the fathers by the prophets in these last times spake unto us by the Son. Himself therefore a worker unto teaching hath the Son come to us at the last periods of the world: therefore will the Gospel teaching be rightly called His Word. It were meet then more nakedly and openly to say, Ye who have accepted the faith in Me, and though late have yet acknowledged Him Who of old is preached unto you by the law and prophets, no longer be ye attached to the types through Moses, nor be persuaded to cleave to the shadows of the law, nor lay it down that the power of salvation consists wholly in them, but in the spiritual teachings, and in the Gospel preachings that are through Me. But it was not unlikely, yea rather it was undoubted, that receiving but now and hardly the faith, and having their understanding shaken and ready for unsettling, they would not endure such words, nor would at all hold out, in that they are ever prone to anger, but as though the all-wise Moses were hereby insulted, and put to nought because the things appointed to them of old through him were despised:----they would have turned readily to their proper daring and, ever set upon agreeing with him, thought nothing of any longer believing on Christ. Economically therefore and veiledly as yet arranging the things of Moses in contrast with His own words, i. e., putting the Gospel preaching over against the law, and setting the new teachings in very superior place to the elder ones. He says, If Ye continue in My Word, verily ye are My disciples, for they who are pre-eminent in perfect faith and unhesitatingly receive into their mind the Gospel teaching, not unduly regarding the shadow of the law, are in truth disciples of Christ, while they who act not thus, mock themselves, not able to be in truth disciples, and therefore falling away from salvation. And verily the blessed Paul to those who after the faith foolishly desire to be justified by the law, openly writes, Ye were set freefrom Christ, whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye fell from grace. Wondrous then and precious is single faith and the desire closely to follow Christ, drawing the shadows of the law unto the knowledge of Him, and transfashioning the things darkly spoken unto spiritual instruction. For through the law and the prophets is preached the Mystery of Him.

32 And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.

Obscure as yet and not wholly clear is the word, none the less it is replete with force akin to those before it, and though after other fashion wrought will go through the same reflections. For it too persuades those who have once believed gladly to depart and remove from the worship according to the law, instructing that the shadow is our guide to the knowledge of Him, and that leaving the types and figures, we should go resolutely forward to the Truth Itself, i. e., Christ the Giver of true freedom and the Redeemer. Ye shall know therefore (He says) the Truth, if ye abide in My Words, and from knowing the Truth ye shall find the profit that is therefrom. Take then our Lord as saying some such thing as this to the Jews (for we ought I think to enlarge our meditation on what is now before us, for the profit's sake of the readers): A bitter bondage in Egypt, (He says) ye endured, and lengthened toil consumed you who had come into bitter serfdom under Pharaoh, but ye cried then to God, and ye have moved Him to mercy towards you, bewailing the misfortunes which were upon you ye were seeking a Redeemer from Heaven: forthwith I visited you even then, and brought you forth from a strange land, liberating you from most savage oppression I was inviting you unto freedom. But that ye might learn who is your aider and Redeemer, I was limning for you the mystery of Myself in the sacrifice of the sheep, and bidding it then to pre-figure the salvation through blood: for ye were saved by anointing both yourselves and the doorposts with the blood of the lamb. Hence by advancing a little forth from the types, when ye learn the Truth, ye shall be wholly and truly free. And let none (He says) doubt about this. For if the type was then to you the bestower of so great goods, how does not the Truth rather give you richer grace?

Nothing forbids us to suppose that such were what Jesus says to the Jews, if His Discourse run out to a wide range of thought: but it is probable that some other meaning also beams forth from what is before us. The Law through Moses typified washings and sprinklings, and moreover whosoever it befell to be caught and to fall into the pit of sin, him it bade to sacrifice a bullock or sheep and thus to abate the blame for each one's transgressions. But nought avail these things for the washing away of sin; for they will never liberate the condemned from blame, nor shew free from obligation of punishment those by whom the Divine Law has been trampled. For what will sacrifice of oxen profit a transgressor, what gain will any one find in sacrificing of sheep? For what will be pleasing from these, as far as pertains to transgression of the Law, to God who has been insulted? for hear Him saying, Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? and yet besides openly to the Jews, Gather your whole burnt offerings unto your sacrifices and eat flesh, for I spake not unto your fathers concerning whole burnt offerings orsacrifices, but this thing commanded I them saying, Judge righteous judgment. Wholly profitless therefore is the approach through blood nor can it wash away the spot stained into the man through sin. You will have another proof when you see Him say to Jerusalem the mother of the Jews through the voice of Jeremiah, Why wrought My beloved abominations in Mine House? shall prayers and holy flesh take away from thee thine evil or shall thou escape in these? For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should talte away sins, as Paul saith. But that they concerned about a fruitless worship, and zealous to perform the offerings through blood, or their gifts, to no useful end, were with reason sent away from the Divine court, He will teach again saying by the mouth of Isaiah, Tread My courts no more: if ye offer fine flour, it is vain, incense is an abomination unto Me. Not in these therefore (I mean the ordinances of the Law) is true salvation, nor yet will any one win hence the thrice-longed for freedom, I mean from sin. But bounding a little above the types, and surveying the beauty of the worship in Spirit and acknowledging the Truth, that is Christ, we are justified through faith in Him, and justified we pass over unto the true liberty, ranked no more among slaves as heretofore, but among the sons of God. And John will testify this, saying of Christ and of them that believe on Him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become children of God. Profitably then doth our Lord and Christ not suffer them who believe on Him to marvel any more at the shadows of the law (for there is nought in them that profits or that bestows the true freedom) but bids them rather know the Truth; for through this does He say that they shall be entirely freed, according to the mind of the words.

33 We be Abraham's seed and have never been in bondage to any man, how sayest Thou, Ye shall be made free?

They laugh at the promise of our Saviour, rather they even take it ill, as though they were insulted. For that which has no share at all of bondage, how will it need (he says) of One Who calls us unto freedom, and Who gives us a something over and above what is in us already. But they know not, though wont to have a conceit of being wise, that their forefather Abraham was of no notable father after the world, nor yet of highest repute among those who are admired in this life, but was ennobled by faith only in God: Abraham believed God, it says, and faith was imputed to him for righteousness and he was called the Friend of God. Thou seest then very clearly the cause of his illustriousness. For since he was called the friend of God who ruleth over all, he hath become on this account great and famed, and his faith was imputed to him for righteousness, and the righteousness which is of faith hath become to him the cause of freedom towards God , Therefore when he by believing was justified, that is, when he shook off the low birth that is from sin, then did he appear illustrious and of noble birth and free. Foolishly then do the Jews spurning the grace which freed the very founder of their race advance only to him who was freed thereby, but considering neither whence is or whither looks what is illustrious in him, they dishonour the Giver of what is most excellent in him, and forsaking the Fount of all nobility they think greatly of him who is participate thereof; but they will be caught vainly boasting of being never in bondage to any man and what they say about this will be no less proved to be false. For they were in bondage to the Egyptians for 430 years and through the grace that is from above were hardly delivered from the house of bondage and from the iron furnace, as it is written, to wit the tyranny of the Egyptians. And they were in bondage both to the Babylonians and Assyrians, when they removing the whole country of Judaea and Jerusalem itself transferred all Israel to their own land. In no respect then was the speech of the Jews sane: for besides being ignorant of their truer bondage, that in sin, they utterly deny the other ignoble one and have an understanding accustomed to think highly about a mere nothing.

34 The Saviour answered them Verily verily I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

He lifts out of their innate unlearning these who were carnal and looking only to things corporal, He transfers them to the more spiritual and removes them to a mode of teaching wholly unpractised and unwonted, shewing them their hidden and through long ages unknown bondage; and that they falsely say, To no man have we ever been: in bondage He wisely passes by, neither does He say that to no purpose do they boast of the nobility of their forefather, in order that He may not appear to be inciting to what was not right them who were already prone and much inclined to anger, but advances to this needful matter and one which they needed verily to learn, that he is sin's bondman who doth it, as though He said thus: A compound animal, sirs, is man upon the earth, of soul that is and body, and bondage as to the flesh pertains to the flesh, but that of the soul and which takes place upon the soul, has for its mother, the barbarian, sin. The freedom then of man from bondage after the flesh the authority of the rulers will effect, but that which sets free from sin, is meet to be spoken of God Alone and will belong to none other save He. Therefore He persuades them to think reasonably and to desire real and true freedom, and thus to seek at length not the illustriousness of ancestors which nothing profits them thereto, but rather God Alone authoritative over His own Laws, the transgression whereof creates sin the foster mother of bondage to the soul. But our Lord Jesus Christ seems to be privily as yet and full veiledly convicting them of vainly thinking great things of a man and imagining that the blessed Abraham was altogether free. For His shewing generally that he who doeth sin is the bondman of sin, makes Abraham himself to have been once the bondman of sin and within its toils. For he was justified not as being himself righteous, but when he believed God then called to the freedom of being justified. And not at all as quarrelling with the fame of the righteous man do we say this, but since none among men is without trial of the darts of sin, he too who is reputed great was surely brought under the yoke of sin as it is written, There is none righteous, for all sinned and have come short of the glory of God. But the glory of God besides other things is the being utterly incapable of falling into sin, which has been reserved for Christ Alone, for He Alone has been free among the dead: for He did no sin albeit being among the dead, that is reckoned among men over whom the death of sin once had mastery.

Therefore (for I will sum up the aim of what has been said) the Lord was hinting that the blessed Abraham himself too having been once in bondage to sin, and through faith alone to Christ-ward set free, availed not to pass on to others the spiritual nobility, since neither is he master of the power of freeing others who put away the bondage of sin not by himself nor was himself on himself the bestower of freedom, but received it from Another, Christ Himself Who justifieth.

35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever, the Son abideth ever.

Having shewn that unfree and in bitter bondage is he who is subject to sin, He adds profitably both what will happen to him who hath loved bondage, and what again shall be their lot from God who have chosen to live after the Law and have therefore been ranked among the sons of God. For the bondman, He says, abideth not in the house for ever (for indeed and verily he shall go forth into the utter darkness there to pay the penalty of his enslaved life) but the Son abideth ever. For they who have once enjoyed the honour of adoption, shall abide in the presence of God, in no time thrust forth from the court of the firstborn, but rather passing a long and lasting season therein. And you will understand accurately what is said, if you bring forward and read the Gospel parable wherein Christ (it says) shall set the goats on the left, the sheep on the right, and that He shall send away the goats saying, Depart ye cursed into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: and shall gather the sheep to Himself and receive them graciously, crying out, Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For by the goats is meant the unfruitful multitude of them who love sin, by the sheep, the choir of the pious, laden with the fruit of righteousness, as though wool. Therefore he who beareth the disgrace of bondage shall be thrust forth of the kingdom of heaven like some useless and basest vessel: every one who loveth to live aright shall be received and shall abide therein, and be ranked therefore among the sons of God. And it seems likely that the Lord in saying these things hints also to them, that if they admit not the freedom that comes through faith, they shall surely depart forth of the holy and Divine court, that is, the Church, as is said by one of the Prophets, I will drive them out of Mine House. For that that which was afore spoken has reached its fulfilment, the very nature of things attests: for the daughter of Zion was left as a tent in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as it is written: wholly fallen and destroyed is the temple, and themselves have gone forth not abiding therein for ever and in their place hath arisen and been raised up for Christ's sake the Church of the Gentiles, and they abide in it ever who have been called to Divine sonship through faith. For the boast of the Church will never cease nor ever fail, for the souls of the righteous depart from things of earth and are safely moored at the city that is above, the heavenly Jerusalem the church of the firstborn, which is our mother, according to the voice of Paul.

But since examining into what was said about bondage, and desiring every way to track out the truth, we have said that Abraham himself was numbered among bondmen, and not even him did we put outside the boundary of our contemplations, because of its being said more generally by Christ, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin: come now let us following out our own words make clear the force of what has been said. The Jews were thinking great and excessive things, putting forward Abraham as a sort of head and fount of their nobility: but that it needed to seek to be freed through the grace that is from above, they admitted not even in bare thought, fools and blind according to the Saviour's voice.

Needs therefore does Christ design to shew that what is by nature bond, sufficeth not for the freedom of others nor yet one whit for its own, for how can that which lacks freedom as to its own nature, give freedom to itself, and that which borrows its own grace from another, how will it suffice for the supply of another? To Him Alone Who is by Nature God of God will befit and rightly be ascribed the power of freeing. Clear proof therefore gives He that all must needs be and be acknowledged bond that abides not for ever, i. e. to which belongs not being always the same. For every thing created will surely be also subject to corruption, and that which is so will be bondservant of God Who called it into being. For respecting the creatures it was said to Him, For all things are Thy servants. And this which is said is general, and one portion of the whole is the blessed Abraham, or again the whole human nature. But the abiding for ever gives a clear sign that the Only-Begotten God Who shines forth from God is King and Lord of all. For to whom will pertain the being always the same and being established in firm tenure of the everlasting good things, save to Him Who is by Nature God? in this way doth the Divine Psalmist too shew us that the creature is bond, God the Word which beamed of God the Father King and Lord. For extending the mental view from a portion to the whole of creation, he says of the heavens and of Him Who is by Nature Son, They shall perish but Thou abidest, and they all shall wax old like a garment and as a covering shalt Thou change them and they shall be changed, but Thou art the Same and Thy years shall not fail. Seest thou how by this too exceeding well and true confessedly it is that the bond abideth not for ever but the Son abideth and that the non-abiding is a proof that that is bond of which it is predicated? And by analogy the other, i. e., the abiding for ever will be a clear token of His being Lord and God of whom such a word may be properly and truly said. Sufficient then were the Psalmist to testify to what we say, but since (as it is written), In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established, come let us besides him shew the blessed Jeremiah too thinking and saying consonantly. For he shewing that every thing that is made from its being corruptible is therefore bond, and shewing that the Son because He abides and is Unchangeable is by Nature God and manifestly therefore also Lord, says thus to Him, For Thou endurestfor ever and we perish for ever. For at every time will the originate be corruptible by reason of its having been made, even though by the Power of God it decay not, and God will ever sit, what is here called sitting indicating the stability and unchanged fixedness of His Essence together with Its concentration and Its illustriousness in Royal Appearance and Reality, for sitting has an image of these.

Therefore (for I will go back to what I said at the beginning) from his not abiding for ever He shews that the blessed Abraham is corruptible and originate, for he has died and passed in a way out of the Lord's house, i. e. this world. By the same reasoning He would have us conceive of him as bond also and so not competent to bestow freedom upon others, and from the Son abiding ever, He says that He is clearly God of God by Nature, whereon will surely follow the being King and Lord. And what is the economy from the above mentioned distinction, shall be shewn in the next that in order follows.

36 If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed.

To Him Alone (He says) Who is by Nature Son of a Truth free and remote from all bondage is found to pertain the power of freeing and to none other whatever save He. For as He because He is by Nature Wisdom and Light and Power, makes wise the things recipient of wisdom, enlightens those that lack light and strengthens those that want strength; so because He is God of God, and the Genuine and Free Fruit of the Essence That reigns over all, He bestows freedom on whomsoever He will. For no one can become truly free at his hands who has it not of nature. But when the Son Himself wills to free any, infusing His own Good, they are called free indeed, receiving the Dignity from Him who hath the Authority and not from any of those who have been lent it from Another and been ennobled with so to say foreign graces.

Most needful therefore is the preceding explanation, and great the profit which arises from that distinction to those who are zealous to hear it more diligently. For it was right to understand why it should be needful to seek for nobility towards God and to learn that the Son can make us free. Let them then who rejoice in the dignities of the world use themselves not to be swollen with lofty conceits nor let them run down the glory and grace of the saints, even though they should be little and spring of little after the flesh: for not the seeming to be illustrious among men suffices to nobility before God, but splendour in life and virtuous ways render a man free indeed and noble. Joseph was sold for a bond-slave, as it is written, but even so was he free, all radiant in the nobility of soul: Esau was born of a free father and was really free, but by the baseness of his ways he shewed a slave-befitting mind. Noble therefore before God, as we have just said, are not they who have riches and are flooded with superfluity of substance, and rejoice in the bright honours that are in the world, but they who are radiant with holy life and an ordered conversation.

37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye are seeking to kill Me because My word hath no place in you.

Having manifoldly shewn them that the boast and conceit from their being of kin to Abraham is utterly empty and devoid of any good. He says this, that they may seek the nobility that is true and dear to God. For God looks not on the flesh according to what is said by our Saviour Christ Himself, The flesh profiteth nothing, but rather accepts and accounts worthy of all praise nobility of soul and knows that they have true kinship, whom likeness of work or sameness of manners gathering unto one virtue, causes to be ennobled with equal forms of good and similarly the contrary. Since how are We who are of earth and compacted of clay, as it is written, called kin of the Lord of all, as Paul saith, Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God? For confessedly have we been made kin to Him, because of the Flesh That pertains to the Mystery of Christ. But it is possible in another way also to see this truly existing. For by thinking His Thoughts and resolving in no cursory manner to live piously, we are called sons of God who is over all, and forming our own mind after His Will so far as we can, thus are we to likeness with Him and most exact similitude truly kin.

But that God does take likeness and accurate similitude of works or of ways to have the force of kinship, we shall clearly know, if we look closely into the holy words, and explore the Holy Scripture. In the times therefore of Jeremiah the prophet, there was a certain false prophet, Shemaiah the Nehelamite by name, belching things forth of his own heart as it is written and not out of the Mouth of the Lord. And since there was some other great multitude of lying witnesses and false prophets going about among the people, and drawing them away to what was not meet, God the Lord of all was at last rightly indignant. Then after having expended many words upon Shemaiah, and declared more in detail what penalties he should pay for his deed of daring, at last He adds, and I will visit upon Shemaiah and his seed, who do like deeds with him . Hearest thou how He sees kindred in like attempts? for how could He who judgeth right punish along with Shemaiah his seed after the flesh, not like-mannered with himself as regards baseness, albeit He says clearly by the Prophet Ezekiel, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. In order then that one may not imagine anything of this sort respecting him, having said, his seed, He immediately added, Who do like deeds with him, defining kindred to be in sameness of action. But that we may see that what is said is true of the very Jews, let us call to mind the words of John (I mean the holy Baptist), for shewing that rotten was their boast of kindred with Abraham, he says, And say not within yourselves, We have Abraham for a father, for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up seed unto Abraham. For since it had been said unto him by God, Multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, the people of the Jews resting upon the Promiser being surely and of necessity unlying, were thinking big, and expecting that in no wise could they fall from the kinship to their ancestor, that the Divine Promise may be kept. But the blessed Baptist annihilating this their hope, very clearly says, God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham: And with these falls in the blessed Paul too thus saying, For not all they of Israel are these Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children. It being shewn therefore on all sides to be true that God acknowledges kindred in manners and habits, clearly vain is it to boast of holy and good ancestors, and be left behind and depart far away from their virtue.

With reason therefore does the Lord say to the Jews, I know that ye are Abraham's seed yet do ye seek to kill Me because My Word hath no place in you. Yea (He says) when I look to the flesh alone and consider whence the people of the Jews sprang, then I see that ye are of the seed of Abraham, but when I look at the beauty of his conversation and disposition, I see that ye are aliens and no longer kin. For ye are seeking to kill Me, albeit your forefather, of whom ye now think great things, was no murderer, and worst and most lawless of all, on no just pretexts am I persecuted by you, but ye desire to kill Me in utter injustice: for for this reason alone did ye devise to destroy Me, because My Word hath no place in you, albeit calling you to salvation and life. It hath no place in you, because of the sin that indwelleth in you, and which suffereth not advice and counsel for good to have any room in you. Murderers therefore alike and most unrighteous judges are the Jews, determining that they ought to award to death Him who nothing wronged them but rather was engaged in doing them good and zealous to save them. How then are they any longer kin to the righteous and good Abraham, who are so far behind the good that was in him, and have strayed so far from like conduct with him, as one would admit were distant and say were parted vice from virtue?

38 I speak that which I have seen with My Father, do Ye then do that which ye heardfrom theFather.

Uncontained by the Jews did He say that His word was, and having said that this was the only reason why they were incited against Him, yea rather convicting them of desiring even to kill Him, needs does He add these things also, and why, I will set forth. He was not ignorant, it appears, that some of the Jews would rise up and dispute His words and belching forth from their innate madness, say again, Not for nothing (as Thou sayest) do some desire to slay Thee, for reasonable causes are they stimulated thereto, pious is their motion and their zeal free from all just accusal: for without place in them is Thy word seeing Thou madest it dissonant from God. Thou teachest us (he says) another error and drawest us off from the way of the Law, and removest us to that which pleases Thyself Alone. The Jews then whispering these things privately or imagining them in their hearts, the Lord again meets them, knowing the motions of their imaginations within (for He is Very God) and therefore says, I speak that which I have seen with My Father, I beheld close the Nature of Father, I saw ofttimes of Myself and in Myself Him Who begat Me, and am a Beholder of the Will That is in Him. I saw, by innate knowledge that is, of what works He is the Lover, and these I speak to you, I shall not be found to say ought dissonant to Him, nor have I appointed any thing other than pleases Him. To that was I earnest in calling My hearers, not departing from what is Mine (for in Me are His, and Mine again in Him) but if I Who am thus by Nature and am in all things Co-willer with God the Father, appear to you to be not true and I am adjudged to be leading you astray from the Divine Teachings, let the charge be dismissed, cast away suspicion; do that which ye heard from the Father, He hath spoken to you by Moses, accomplish the command, ye heard Him say, The innocent and righteous slay thou not, how then are ye seeking to kill Me and breaking the Father's commandment?

But in another way again will we take the words, Do Ye then do that which ye heard from the Father. He has spoken to you (He says) through the Prophets, ye heard Him say, Rejoice greatly o daughter of Zion, shout o daughter of Jerusalem, behold thy King cometh unto thee, He is just and having salvation and mounted upon a colt the foal of an ass, and again through the voice of Isaiah, O Zion that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain, o Jerusalem that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength, lift ye up, be not afraid, behold your God, behold the Lord cometh with strength and His Arm with rule, behold His Reward with Him and His work before Him: like a shepherd shall He feed His flock, He shall gather the lambs with His Arm and shall comfort those that are with young. Obeying therefore the commands of the Father, receive Him Who is fore-announced to you; honour with faith Him Who has been fore-preached. Give at least to the words of the Father to prevail in you.

But we must know that He saya that the Law is God the Father's, albeit spoken by Him through Angels , not putting Himself outside of the law-giving, but He yielding to the surmises of the Jews who believed that it was so, and economically, does not oppose Himself to their surmise, for ofttimes doth He shame them, since they receive Him not, for He brings before them the Father's Name.

39 They answered and said unto Him, Our father is Abraham.

O great unlearning and mind withered unto unbelief and looking to only wrangling! For while our Saviour Christ consenteth and saith openly, I know that ye are Abraham's seed, they persist in the same, and as though one were holding out and contradicting and saying that they were not of Abraham's seed after the flesh, they again say, Our father is Abraham, and blush not going oft through the same words, who think that they ought not to yield even to Battus ⁱ, but are but most excellent emulators of that man's babbling. But perchance they had some most unreasoning plea for this, and what, we will tell. For when the Lord says, I speak that which I have seen with My Father, they did not imagine that He hereby intended God the Father, but thought that He spoke of either the righteous Joseph, or some other of those on the earth, ridiculing and deeming and thinking exceeding little things of Him. For the holy Virgin conceived in her womb the Divine Babe, not of marriage but of the Holy Ghost, as it is written. And the blessed Joseph knowing not at first the mode of the economy was minded to put her away privily, as Matthew saith. But it was not by any means unknown by the Jews that the holy Virgin conceived in her womb before marriage and coming together, yet they understood not that it was of the Holy Ghost, but thought that she had been corrupted by one of the nation, whence they had no right conceptions of Christ. For they deemed that He was a child begotten of some other father who had corrupted (according to their madness) the holy Virgin, and that He was attributed only to Joseph, being a bastard and not son in truth. When then He says, I speak that which I have seen of My Father, they took in no thought at all of God, but that He meant some one of earthly fathers and fancied that He was trying to move them from their honour to their ancestor, and suspecting that He was apportioning to His own kin the honour due to another, and that most ancient glory of the Patriarchate, they meet Him in a more contentious and vehement manner saying, Our father is Abraham. For just as though they were saying, Albeit, sir, you drench us with clever words, and din around us with portentous marvels, and strike us hard with mighty deeds beyond speech, you will not remove us from our pristine boast, we will not register Thy father as the head of our race, we will not attribute such a glory to another, nor will we take new ancestors in exchange for the elder ones. It is no marvel, nor hard to believe, that the Jews should fall into such folly, when they imagined that He is even a bare man and in manifold wise holding Him cheap would call Him the carpenter's son and rank as though nought the King and Lord of all.

But that they had no right opinion as to the holy Virgin also, as though she had been denied, we shall know full well by what follows.

40 Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham; but now ye seek to kill Me, a Man That have told you the truth which I heard of God, this did not Abraham.

Soothing, so to say, by every way and word the boldness of the Jews, Christ speaks to them veiledly, not applying open conviction but mingled with gentle speech, and in lowly wise and manifoldly charming their wrath. For since He sees that they are most exceeding silly and understand nought of what is said, He makes His Discourse free at length from any veil and bared of all covering. For it needed (He says) it needed, if ye believed that being classed among Abraham's children was the highest honour, that ye should be zealous to imitate his manners: it needed that ye should track the lovely virtue of your ancestor, it needed that ye should be zealous of and love his obedience. For he heard God say, Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and come into the land that I will shew thee. And nought delaying in the fulfilment of what was bidden him, he hastens forthwith from his country, and relying on the mercy of Him who bade him, arrives in a foreign land. And being at the very goal so to speak of life and passing his hundredth year, he heard, Thou shalt have a seed, and nothing doubting, he gave fervent faith to Him That spake, heeding not the weakness of his flesh, but looking at the Strength of Him That spoke to him. He heard that he was to offer to God his beloved for a sacrifice and forthwith he strove against the longings of nature, and made his love for the youth second to the Divine Command. In you I find all contrary to these, for ye are seeking, He says, to kill Me because I have told you things from God, this did not Abraham. For he insulted not by his unbelief Him who spake to him, he sought not to do any thing that grieved Him. How then are ye any more Abraham's children being as far distant from his piety as the difference of your actions shews?

But observe how He arranges His speech: for He said not that they heard the truth from the Father but from God, since, as we just now said, from their innate unbounded folly they were dragged down to untrue conceptions of Him, thinking that He was speaking of some one of earthly fathers. And exceeding well does He making His Discourse about dying call Himself Man, in every way retaining to Himself incorruptibility as God by Nature yet not severing from Himself His own Temple, but as being One Son, even when He became Man, yet says that He spake the Truth. For not in types any more and figures does the Saviour's word teach us to practise piety, but persuades us to love the spiritual and true worship.

But when He says, Which I heard from the Father, we must by no means be offended. For since He says that He is Man, He speaks this too as befits man: for as He is said as Man to die, let Him be said as Man to hear also. But it seems likely that in the word, heard, He puts the inherent knowledge which He has of the will of His own Progenitor, for so is the wont of the Divinely inspired Scripture oftentimes to say of God. For when it says And the Lord heard, we do not by any means attribute to Him a separate and distinct sense of hearing, like as there is in us, for the Divine Nature is simple and remote from all compound, but we take rather hearing as knowledge and knowledge as hearing; for in the simple there is nought compound as we have said.

And to these meanings we will add a third, not departing from fit aim. God the Father said somewhere of Christ to the most holy Moses, A Prophet will I raise them up (i. e. to them of Israel) from among their brethren like unto thee and I will put My words in His Mouth and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. For this reason therefore did our Lord Jesus Christ say that He heard from the Father the Truth and spake it to the Jews, at once convicting them of fighting against God the Father and shewing clearly that Himself is He whom the Lawgiver promised before to raise up to them.

41 Ye do the deeds of your father.

Having shewn that the Jews are utterly of other manner than their ancestor, and far removed from his piety, He with good reason strips them of their empty fleshly boast. And saying openly that they ought not any longer to be enrolled among his children, He allots them to another father like unto them, and affixed similitude of deeds as a sort of bond of kindred, teaching that the good ought to be joined to the good, and deciding that it is meet that they who live ill should have as fathers those who have been condemned for the like. For like as they who have chosen to live excellently, and are therefore even now called saints, may without hazard call God their Father, so to the wicked is the wicked one rightly ascribed as father, seeing that they form the image of his wickedness and perversity in their characters. For not altogether is he who begot of himself conceived of as father by the Divine Scripture, but he too who has any conformed to his own character, of whom he is said to be therefore father. Thus does the Divine Paul too write to certain, for in Christ Jesus through the Gospel did I beget you. As then (as we said) some are conformed both to God and to the holy fathers through likeness in manners and holiness; so to the devil too and to those like in conduct to him are some rendered like-minded, suffering this through their own depravity. Therefore to the saints the saints are fathers, but to the wicked the wicked who betake themselves to them, most befittingly. And the one, who in holiness take the impression (so to say) of the Divine Form on their own souls, and have the confidence that befits own sons, will with reason say Our Father which art in heaven: the bad again will be ascribed to their own father, begotten as it were through likeness unto him unto equal depravity with him. To the Jews therefore Christ allots and names another father than the holy Abraham, and who, He does not as yet clearly say.

They said therefore to Him, We have not been born of fornication, we have one Father, God.

Already now have I said that the all-daring Jews were easily sick with bitter and unholy conceptions of our Saviour Christ. For they thought that the holy Virgin had been corrupted, I mean the Lord's Mother, and that she was taken with child, not of the Holy Ghost or of operation from above but of one of those on the earth. For being wholly disbelieving and without understanding, they either made no account of the prophetic writings, albeit openly hearing, Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, or looking only to the flesh and following the order of events usual with us, and not thinking of the Nature which works beyond speech, to which nought is hard to perform, every thing that seems good to Him easy; they deem that no otherwise could a woman conceive in her womb, save by coming together with her husband and cohabitation. Sick of such a suspicion, the wretched ones dared to accuse the Birth through the Spirit of the Divine and wondrous Offspring. But when putting them forth from kindred with Abraham He allots them to another father, very angry are they, and unrestrainedly foaming up their inherent anger, they reviling say, We have not been born of fornication, we have one Father, God. For they say darkly somewhat of this sort, Two fathers hast Thou, neither wert Thou born of honourable marriage, We One, God.

But let a man see and consider clearly how great their disease of madness in this too. For they who by reason of the naughtiness and depravity that was in them are by the Righteous Judge put not even among the children of Abraham, advance to such a measure of madness, as to call even God their Father, perhaps because of what is said in the books of Moses, Israel is My son, My first-born, not admitting into their mind what is said through the voice of Isaiah, Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord.

And one may reasonably enquire what it was that induced the Jews at present to say no longer, Our father is Abraham, or, We have one father Abraham, but to go straight up to One God. To me they seem to have had some thought of this kind. For when they, smiting with their railing the Lord, as though His mother had been dishonoured before marriage, were ascribing to Him two fathers, needs did they seek to take the title of one as an ally of their own ill-will. For whereby they affirm that they have One Father God, by the same they indirectly reproach the Lord of having two, setting the One over against two. For they imagined that if they said, We have one father Abraham, they would be altogether denying the rest, I mean Isaac and Jacob, and the twelve who were from him, which if they should do, they would seem to be arming themselves against themselves and to fight with their own choice and boast, estranging Israel from the nobility of the fathers, and thereby to go along with the Lord's own saying. Escaping then the damage that thence seemed to accrue to them, they no longer say, We have one father Abraham, but rather ascribe to themselves One Father God, spell-subdued by only the most unsure pleasures of railing, that they might fall into yet greater blame, craftsmen of all impiety, yet daring to take as their father the Enemy of all impiety.

42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth from God and am come.

The Lord does not hereby take away the power of any to be ranked among the sons of God, but shews rather to whom will pertain the boast of it, and that it will be found rather in the saints, and convicts the insulting Jew of being mad. For I (saith He) am sprung the One and True Son by Nature, from God the Father that is; and all are adopted, formed after Me and mounting up unto My Glory, for images are always after their archetypes. How can ye then (He says) at all be numbered among the children of God, who are minded not only not to love Him Who beamed forth from God and transfashions unto His own Form those who believe on Him, but do even dishonour Him, not in one way but in many? and they who receive not the Image of God the Father, how will they be at all formed after Him? Besides it is lawful (He says) not to any chance persons without blame to call God their Father, but those in whom the beauty of piety towards Him shall flash forth,----those I deem and none other will it befit. I have come from Heaven to counsel you things most excellent, and My Word invites you to the being formed after God. But if it be verily your aim and longing to have God as your Father, surely ye would have loved Me your Guide and Teacher on such a path, Who give you the opportunity of likeness to the One and True Son, Who through the Holy Ghost render conformed to Himself those who receive Him. For he (He says) who altogether boasteth of ownness toward God, how would he not love Him That is of God? how (tell me) will he honour the tree who foolishly loatheth the fruit that is its offspring? Either therefore, He saith, make the tree good and his fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt. If therefore the Tree (i. e. God the Father) be Noble and ye know how to draw the Splendour thereof on your own heads, why loved ye not the Fruit that is of Him, believing It to be such as He is? The verse before us therefore hath at once a bitter reproof of the Jews (for it shews them to be liars, for when they essay to call God their Father, they are far away from the virtue that pertains to those who are called to this, because they love not Him Who is of God by Nature) and at the same time it profitably brings in the mention of His own Ineffable Generation, that they might be caught in impiety in this too, calling Him ill-born and bastard. For if the saying, I proceeded forth from God, signifies His Ineffable and Eternal Generation from the Father ; adding I am come, [He shews] His appearance in this world with Flesh. And surely one will not say that God the Word then first beamed forth from God the Father, when He became Man (for so it seemed to some of the unholy heretics) but he will rather take it as is meet and will conceive of it piously. For not because He joined the words, (I mean I proceeded forth and I am come) will the Word of the Father be co-eval in time with the Birth of the Flesh, but to each of the things indicated will we keep its proper meaning. For we believe the first Generation of the Word conceived of as from God to be without beginning and above mind; wherefore it hath been set forth first in the words, I proceeded forth from God; the second, i. e., that after the Flesh, for neither have I come of Myself but He sent Me. I was Incarnate as you, that is, I became Man, in the Good Pleasure of God the Father came I in this world to declare to you the things of God and to tell to those who know not, what it is that pleases Him. But ye loved not (He says) Him Who from the Divine counsel was revealed to you as Saviour and Guide. How then will ye any more be called children of God, or how will ye gain the grace of ownness with Him, if ye honour not Him That is of Him? It is likely that the Lord again means something by this and aims by such words also to silence the people of the Jews who are vainly yelping at Him. And what it is that is intended we will briefly say.  

Many among the Jews esteeming no whit the Divine Fear, but admiring and accepting only honours from men, and overcome by base lucre, dared to prophesy, speaking out of their own heart and not out of the Mouth of the Lord, as it is written. And verily the Lord of all Himself chid them saying, I sent not the prophets, I spake not to them yet they prophesied; yea, He threatened to do dread things to them crying out, Woe unto them that prophesy out of their their own heart and see nothing at all. Such an one was that Shemaiah who to the words of Jeremiah opposed his own lie and having taken the yokes of wood and shattered them, said, Thus saith the Lord, I will shatter the yoke of the king of Babylon. Since then when our Saviour Christ says, But now ye seek to kill Me a man who have told you the truth which I heard of God, the Jews began to murmur, and not knowing Who He is in truth, to imagine that He is some false prophet and to be therefore hardened, so as to even dare to revile Him, and so angrily desire to kill Him as even to press on to do it:----profitably does He again terrify them, saying that He came not of Himself as was the wont of them who prophesy falsely, but was sent by God, that by the same He both putting aside the reputation of being a false prophet and teaching that they will incur no slight doom, who not only dishonour Him that has been sent by God the Father, but also dare to devise murder against Him, might cut short their unbridled daring.

This then for what is before us. But it is probable that the heretic will make what has been said the food of his innate impiety. He will haply accuse the Essence of the Only-Begotten and will deem that it is in lower case than the Father's because of His saying that He had been sent by Him. But let such an one consider the mode of the economy but now spoken, and remember Paul crying aloud of the Son, Who being in the Form of God thought it not robbery to be Equal with God, but emptied Himself taking servant's form, made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself made obedient unto death. But if He hath of His own will humbled Himself, the Father, that is, consenting and Co-willing it, what accusal will He have, going through the whole mode of the Economy unto its consummation, in any reasonable way? But if because of His saying that He has been sent, you deem that the Son lies in lower case than the Father, how (tell me) doth He That is in lower case, according to thy unlearning, work in all exactitude the things of God? For where does the lesser shew itself in Him who possesses perfectly all that belongs to His own Progenitor and the fullest God-befitting Authority? Therefore He will not be conceived of as less on account of being sent, but being God of God by Nature and verily, since Himself is the Wisdom and Power of the Father, He is sent to us as from the sun the light which is spread abroad from it, in order that He might make wise that which lacks wisdom, and that thus at length that which was weak might be lifted up through Him and strengthened unto the knowledge of God the Father and recovered unto all virtue. For all things most fair beamed on the human race through only Christ. There is therefore nothing at all of servile kind in Christ, but it belongs only to the form of the flesh: but God-befitting is His Authority and Power even all, even though the language meetly conformed to the measure of lowliness take human fashion.

43 Why do ye not understand My speech? because ye cannot hear My word.

What we have oftentimes said we say again for profit to the readers: for there is no harm in our discourse going very frequently through what may profit. It is the custom then of our Saviour Christ not altogether to accept from those who disbelieve Him, the word that boiled up from their tongue, but to look rather on the hearts and reins, and to make His replies to the thoughts that were yet revolving in the depth of their hearts. For man who knows not the thoughts that are in another, will needs admit the uttered word, but God not so; for He knowing all things, takes the thought for the voice. When then the Lord said to the Jews that He had come not of Himself, like them who of their own mind and not of the Divine Spirit advance to prophesy, but that He was sent by God, they again imagine, or reason among themselves, or secretly whispering one to another said, Many Prophets have spoken the things of God and brought words from the Spirit unto us, but we find nought among them of such sort as is in this man's words. For He bears us wholly away from the worship after the Law and removes us to some other polity and introduces to us a strange transition of life. Dissonant therefore manifestly and irreconcileable is His Discourse with that of those of old. Since He beheld them thinking (as is likely) these things, shewing that He is by Nature God and knoweth the counsels of the hearts, He takes hold of it and says, Why do ye not understand My Speech? because ye cannot hear My Word. I am not ignorant (He says) that ye cannot comprehend My Speech, or doctrine; but I will tell you the reason and will clearly set before you what is the hindrance. Ye cannot hear My Word. He says, ye cannot, convicting them of impotence unto perfect good, because of their being fore-mastered by their passions. For the love of pleasure unnerves the mind, and the unbridled tendency towards evil yet weakening the sinew of the heart, renders it feeble and most spiritless to the power of performing any virtue. Being therefore fore-weakened by tendencies to vice and tyrannized by your own passions ye cannot, He says, hear My Word. For right are the ways of the Lord, as it is written, and the just shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall become impotent in them. Akin to this will you find that too which was in another place said to the Pharisees, How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that, cometh from the only God? for verily in this their not being able to believe shews the voluntary weakness of their understanding or that their mind has been before overcome of vainglory. And we find again that that is true of the Jews which has been spoken by the voice of Paul, But the naturalman receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,for they are foolishness to him. Since therefore they were natural, they deemed that He was foolishness Who was inviting them to be saved, and was teaching them the path of an excellent conversation, and directing them full well unto the power of pleasing God who delighteth in virtue, to whom be all honour, glory, might, for ever and ever. Amen.

ΚΕΦΑΛΗ Ε. Ὅτι οὐκ ἐλάττων ἐν δυνάμει καὶ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱὸς, μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸς σοφία καὶ δύναμις αὐτοῦ.
« Καὶ ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶ οὐδὲν, ἀλλὰ καθὼς ἐδίδαξέ με ὁ Πατὴρ, ταῦτα λαλῶ. » ΛΑΛΕΙ μὲν ἀνθρωπινώτερον, οὐχ ἑτέρως συνιέναι δυναμένων τῶν Ἰουδαίων, οὔτε μὴν ἀκρατῶς ἐπαΐειν ἀνεχομένων παρ' αὐτοῦ τὰ θεοπρεπῆ. ἐπὶ γὰρ τοιούτων καὶ λίθοις αὐτὸν κατασφενδονῶντες ἁλίσκονται, βλασφημίαν αὐτοῦ καθορίζοντες, ὅτιπερ ἄνθρωπος ὢν, ἑαυτὸν ἐποίει Θεόν. ὑπεξελὼν τοιγαροῦν τῆς θεοπρεποῦς ἀξίας τὸ πλεῖον, καὶ πολὺ τῆς ἐπὶ τούτῳ λαμπρότητος ἀπαμφιέσας τὸν λόγον, ταῖς τῶν ἀκροωμένων ἀσθενείαις εὖ μάλα συμπλάττεται καὶ, ἐπείπερ τὴν ἐνοῦσαν αὐτοῖς διάνοιαν ἐρευνῶν εὑρίσκει Θεὸν οὐκ εἰδότας αὐτὸν, ἀνθρωποπρεπῆ ποιεῖται τὸν λόγον, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν αὐτοῖς εἰς ὀργὴν ἀνακαίοιτο τὰ φρονήματα, καὶ τοῦ προσεδρεύειν κἂν γοῦν ἐκ μέρους αὐτῷ παραλόγως ἀποπηδήσειαν. γνώσεσθε τοίνυν φησίν “ὅταν ὑψώσητε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀν” θρώπου ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι:“ γνώσεσθε πάλιν ὁμοίως, ὅτι ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶ οὐδὲν, ἀλλὰ καθὼς ἐδίδαξέ με ὁ Πατὴρ οὕτω λαλῶ. Καὶ τίς ἡ χρεία τῶν τοιούτων ῥημάτων εἰπέ μοι, ἐρεῖ τις τυχόν: τί δὲ πάλιν ἐν τούτοις διδάσκει ἡμᾶς Χριστός; οὐκοῦν ἐροῦμεν εὐδιαστόλως ἕκαστα τῶν εἰρημένων εὐσεβῶς ἀπολεπτύνοντες: οὐ διαλελοίπατε, φησὶ, τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἐπισκήπτοντες ἔργοις, ὡς ἐκτόπως τε καὶ ἀνοσίως γεγενημένοις, κατεκρίνατε πολλάκις ὡς παρανομεῖν οὐ παραιτούμενον, ὡς τὰ ἀπᾴδοντα τῷ νομοθέτῃ δρᾶν εἰθισμένον. ἀπέλυον μὲν γὰρ τῆς οὕτω μακρᾶς ἀῤῥωστίας τὸν πάρετον, ἠλέουν ἄνθρωπον ἐν σαββάτῳ. ἀλλ' ἰδὼν, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τούτῳ φιλεγκλήμονας, τοὺς θαυμάζειν ὀφείλοντας, καὶ πολύ τι τῶν ἐμοὶ πρεπόντων ἀπεσφαλμένους, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔναγχος ὑμῖν τὰ πρὸς σωτηρίαν εἰσηγούμενος, καὶ βαδίζειν ἀνέπειθον ἐπὶ τὸ βούλεσθαι μετασχεῖν φωτός. εἶτα τὸ φῶς ὑμῖν τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἐπεδείκνυον: τὴν γὰρ ἐμαυτοῦ φύσιν ἐξηγούμενος, ἔφασκον ” Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου,“ ὑμεῖς δὲ πάλιν ἀβουλότατα δρῶντες καὶ βουλόμενοι, τῶν ἐμῶν κατεξανέστητε λόγων, ἀνέδην εἰπεῖν τετολμήκατε ” Ἡ μαρτυρία σου οὐκ ἔστιν “ἀληθής.” ὅταν οὖν ὑψώσητε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, τουτέστιν, ὅταν αὐτὸν περιβαλεῖσθε θανάτῳ, καὶ τῶν τοῦ θανάτου δεσμῶν κρείττονα βλέπητε: ἀναστήσομαι γὰρ ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐπείπερ εἰμὶ κατὰ φύσιν Θεός: τότε γνώσεσθέ φησιν ὅτι οὐδὲν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶ ἀλλὰ καθὼς ἐδίδαξέ με ὁ Πατὴρ, οὕτω λαλῶ. μαθήσεσθε γὰρ ὅταν ἴδητε κατὰ φύσιν ὄντα Θεὸν καὶ Υἱὸν, ὡς εἰμὶ μὲν ἰδιογνώμων οὐδαμῶς, συνεθελητὴς δὲ ἀεὶ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὅσαπερ ἂν ἐργάζοιτο ταῦτα καὶ αὐτὸς ποιεῖν οὐκ ὀκνῶν, λαλῶν δὲ πάλιν ὅσα καὶ αὐτὸν οἶδα λέγοντα. τῆς γὰρ αὐτῆς οὐσίας εἰμι τῷ γεννήσαντι. ἐθεράπευον μὲν γὰρ τῷ σαββάτῳ τὸν πάρετον, ὑμεῖς δὲ πάλιν ἐπὶ τούτῳ διέκεισθε πικρῶς, ἀλλ' ἐνεργὸν ὑμῖν ὑπέδειξα τὸν Πατέρα καὶ ἐν σαββάτῳ: ἔλεγον γάρ “Ὁ Πατήρ ” μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι.“ οὐκοῦν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶ οὐδέν. πάλιν ἔλεγον Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου, ἀλλ' ᾠήθητέ τι λέγειν τῶν ἀπᾳδόντων αὐτῷ, κἀν τούτῳ πάλιν ὑμᾶς ἐδυσώπουν ὑποδεικνὺς λέγοντα περὶ ἐμοῦ ” Ἰδοὺ τέθεικά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν.“ μάτην οὖν ἄρα καταιτιᾶσθε, φησὶ, τὸν ἀεὶ τῷ Πατρὶ συνεθέλοντα, καὶ ποιοῦντα μηδὲν τῶν ἀπᾳδόντων αὐτῷ, μήτε μήν τι λαλεῖν ἀνεχόμενον, ὃ μή ἐστι παρ' αὐτοῦ. τουτονὶ τοῖς προκειμένοις οἶμαι δεῖν ἐφαρμόσαι τὸν νοῦν. Ἀλλὰ τὸ πικρὸν ἡμῖν ἴσως ἐφαλεῖται θηρίον, τὸν χριστομάχον δὲ δηλονότι, φημὶ Ἀρειανόν: καταβοήσει δὲ ὡς εἰκὸς, καὶ λέγων ἀφίξεται „Ἐξ οὐρίας, ὦ οὗτος, ἰόντα τὸν λόγον, ” τί βιάζῃ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ σοὶ μόνῳ δοκοῦν ἀντωθεῖν ἐπειγό„μενος, καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας παρακλέπτων δύναμιν οὐκ ” ἐρυθριᾷς; ἰδοὺ σαφῶς ὁ Υἱὸς οὐδὲν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ διισχυρί„ζεται δρᾶν, ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἂν μάθοι παρὰ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, ” τοῦτο καὶ λαλεῖν, οὕτως οἶδεν ἐν ἀμείνοσιν ὄντα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ „Πατέρα ἢ ἐν οἷς ἐστιν αὐτός.” Τί οὖν ὦ βέλτιστε; πάλιν ὁ τοιοῦτος ἀντακούσεται, ἰσχὺν ἆρα καὶ σύνεσιν χορηγεῖται παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱὸς ἵνα καὶ δύνηταί τι δρᾶν καὶ λαλεῖν ἀνεγκλήτως; πῶς οὖν ἔτι Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν, ὁ παρ' ἑτέρου τὸ δύνασθαι καὶ φρονεῖν δανειζόμενος, καθάπερ οὖν ἔχει καὶ τῶν κτισμάτων ἡ φύσις; τοῖς γὰρ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων λαχοῦσι τὴν γένεσιν, πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν γένοιτο προσὸν, τοῦτο δὴ πάντως ἐστὶ καὶ θεόσδοτον. ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως ἐν Υἱῷ: Θεὸν γὰρ ἀληθινὸν ἡ θεία τε οἶδε καὶ κηρύττει γραφή. δεῖν γε οἶμαι τῷ γε ὄντι κατὰ φύσιν Θεῷ πάντα τελείως προσεῖναι τὰ ἀγαθά: τὸ δὲ τελείως οὐκ ἔχον κατά τι γοῦν ὅλως τῶν ὀφειλόντων θαυμάζεσθαι, πῶς ἂν εἴη κατὰ φύσιν Θεός; ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον τὸ ἄφθαρτον καὶ ἀθάνατον προσεῖναι δεῖ πάντως αὐτῷ φυσικῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔξωθεν, οὐδὲ ἐπακτῶς, οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἐφ' ἅπασι τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς παντέλειον καὶ ἀπροσδεές. εἰ δὲ κατὰ τὸν σὸν, ὦ οὗτος, ἀνόσιόν τε καὶ ἀμαθῆ λογισμὸν ἀτελής ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς κατά τε τὸ δύνασθαι δρᾶν τὰ θεοπρεπῆ καὶ τὸ δεόντως λαλεῖν, ἔστι δὲ δύναμις καὶ σοφία τοῦ Πατρὸς, κατὰ τὴν θείαν γραφὴν, τῷ Πατρὶ μᾶλλον ἁρμόσει καὶ οὐκ αὐτῷ τοσοῦτον τὸ κατηγόρημα. οὕτω γὰρ ταῦτα διαλαβὼν, οὐκ ἔτι τέλειον ὑπάρχειν ἐρεῖς ἐν δυνάμει τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τελείως σοφόν. ὁρᾷς οὖν ὅποι κατολισθαίνει πάλιν τῆς σῆς ἀμαθίας τὸ θράσος. θαυμάζω δὲ ὅπως κἀκεῖνο τὴν σὴν παρατρέχει διάνοιαν. κατὰ τίνα τρόπον, λέγε μοι, πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ τῇ ἰδίᾳ δυνάμει χορηγήσει τὸ δύνασθαι, ἢ πῶς ἂν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σοφίαν σοφωτέραν ἐργάσαιτο; ἢ γὰρ ἀνάγκη λέγειν ὡς ἐπί τι μεῖζον ἄνεισιν ἀεὶ, καὶ προκόπτει κατὰ βραχὺ πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαί τι καὶ πλέον τῆς ἐνούσης ἰσχύος αὐτῷ: ὅπερ ἐστὶν εὔηθές τε καὶ ἀδύνατον παντελῶς: ἢ δυσσεβοῦντας ὑπολαμβάνειν παρ' ἑτέρου νευροῦσθαι μᾶλλον αὐτόν. πῶς ἂν ἔτι καὶ τῶν δυνάμεων ὀνομάζοιτο Κύριος ὁ Υἱὸς, ἢ πῶς ἂν ἔτι νοοῖτο σοφία καὶ δύναμις, δυναμούμενος καθ' ὑμᾶς καὶ σοφούμενος παρ' ἑτέρου; ἄπαγε τῆς δυσφημίας, καὶ τῆς τῶν λογισμῶν ἀτοπίας. ἢ γὰρ δότε σαφῶς ὑπάρχειν ποίημα τὸν Υἱὸν, ἵνα πᾶσαν ἔχητε καταβοῶσαν ὑμῶν τὴν θεόπνευστον γραφὴν, ἤγουν εἰ πιστεύετε κατὰ φύσιν εἶναι Θεὸν, δότε δὴ δότε τελείως ἔχειν αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς θεότητος ἴδια. ἴδιον δὲ τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ἰδιότητος τὸ μήτε περὶ μηδὲν ἀσθενεῖν, μήτε μὴν τῆς ἀνωτάτω σοφίας ἀπολιμπάνεσθαι, μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸ κατὰ φύσιν εἶναι σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν: ἐν δὲ τῇ σοφίᾳ διδακτῶς οὐδέν: ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἂν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ τε καὶ ἀληθῶς νοουμένῃ δυνάμει τὸ δύνασθαί ποτε θεωρήσαιμεν ἐπακτόν. Ἵνα δὲ καὶ αὐτὴν ἐξετάζοντες τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν φύσιν, τὰ εἰρημένα παρὰ Χριστοῦ βασανίσωμεν ἀκριβέστερον, καὶ τόδε τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐποίσομεν. τί τοσοῦτον εἴργασται γεγονὼς ἄνθρωπος ὁ Μονογενὴς, ὃ τὴν ἐνοῦσαν αὐτῷ πλεονεκτήσει δύναμιν; εἰκὸς γὰρ δήπου φάναι τινὰς τότε γὰρ ἠνύσθαι πρεπόντως εἰπεῖν, ἅτε δὴ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι δανεισάμενον Ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶ οὐδὲν, ὅτι δαιμόνιον ἤλασεν, ὅτι τῶν ἀῤῥωστημάτων ἀφῆκε τὸν παράλυτον, ὅτι λεπρὸν τοῦ πάθους ἀπήλλαξεν, ὅτι τυφλοῖς δέδωκεν ὁρᾶν, ὅτι πληθὺν ἀνθρώπων οὐκ εὐαρίθμητον πέντε κατεκόρεσεν ἄρτοις, ὅτι θάλασσαν ἀγριαίνουσαν κατεκοίμισε λόγῳ, ὅτι τὸν Λάζαρον ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν: ἆρα καὶ ἀμείνω τῆς ἐνούσης ἰσχύος αὐτῷ τὴν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐροῦμεν ἐπίδειξιν; εἶτα πῶς εἰπέ μοι τὸν οὕτω μέγαν ἔστησεν οὐρανὸν, καὶ διατείνας ὡς σκηνὴν κατοικεῖν, πῶς ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν, πῶς δὲ ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ στερεώματι γέγονεν ἐργάτης; πῶς δὲ ἔκτισεν ἀγγέλους καὶ ἀρχαγγέλους, θρόνους καὶ κυριότητας, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἔτι τὰ Σεραφίμ; ὁ δὲ ἐν τοῖς οὕτω μεγάλοις καὶ ὑπερφυέσιν, οὔτε δυνάμεως οὔτε μὴν σοφίας τῆς παρ' ἑτέρου δεηθεὶς, πῶς ἂν ἠτόνησεν ἐν τοῖς οὕτω μικροῖς, ἢ πῶς ἂν ἐδεήθη τοῦ διδάσκειν ὀφείλοντος, ἃ χρῆν λαλῆσαι πρὸς Ἰουδαίους, ὁ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν ὡς σοφία δοξολογούμενος; ἀκούω γάρ τινος λέγοντος ” Κύριος ὁ ποιήσας τὴν γῆν ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ “αὐτοῦ, ὁ ἀνορθώσας τὴν οἰκουμένην τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ” ἐν τῇ φρονήσει αὐτοῦ ἐξέτεινε τὸν οὐρανὸν,“ πρὸς δέ γε τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Δανιήλ φησιν ” Εἴη τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ “Κυρίου εὐλογημένον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ὅτι ἡ σοφία καὶ ἡ ” σύνεσις καὶ ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.“ εἰ δὲ αὐτοῦ, κατὰ τὸν τοῦ προφήτου λόγον, καὶ ἡ ἰσχὺς καὶ ἡ σοφία ἐστὶ, τίς ἔτι λοιπὸν τῆς τῶν ἑτεροδόξων ἀνέξεται γλωσσαργίας, παρ' ἑτέρου καὶ δύναμιν καὶ σοφίαν χορηγεῖσθαι λεγόντων τὴν σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν εἶναι τοῦ Πατρός; ” Ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν τινά, φησιν, ἐλέγομεν ἕτερον ᾖ τὸ λεῖπον „εἰς δύναμιν ἐπιχορηγεῖν τῷ Υἱῷ, ἤγουν διδάσκειν αὐτὸν, ” εὐλόγως ἂν τοῖς παρ' ἡμῶν ἐπεσκήψατε λόγοις, ὡς ὑβρι„ζομένῳ συνηγορεῖν ἐγνωκότες αὐτῷ: ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ” καὶ Πατέρα ταῦτα διδόναι φαμὲν, ποία λοιπὸν ἐντεῦθεν „ὑμῖν ἡ τῆς λύπης ἀναφανεῖσα πρόφασις;” Οὐκοῦν εἰ μηδὲν ἀδικήσειν οἴεσθε τὸν Υἱὸν εἰς τὸ εἶναι κατὰ φύσιν ἀνόμοιον τῷ γεννήσαντι, κἂν χορηγεῖσθαί τι λέγεται παρ' αὐτοῦ, τῶν νέων, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, διαμέμνησο λόγων, καὶ ἀναπείθου διὰ τούτου μὴ σκανδαλίζεσθαι: δίδου δὲ αὐτῷ τὸ ἐν ἴσοις ὑπάρχειν κατὰ πάντα τῷ ἰδίῳ γεννήτορι, καὶ κατὰ μηδένα παντελῶς ἡττᾶσθαι τρόπον ἢ λόγον. εἰ δέ σε τοῦτο τῶν τῆς ὀρθότητος ἐξέλκει λογισμῶν, καὶ φρονεῖν ἃ μὴ θέμις ἀναπείθει περὶ αὐτοῦ, τί μάτην ἡμᾶς τοῖς οὕτω σαθροῖς κατασοφίζεσθαι λόγοις ἐπιχειρεῖς; διοίσει γὰρ ὅλως οὐδὲν κἂν αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, κἂν ἕτερός τις παρ' ἐκεῖνον διδόναι τι λέγεται τῷ Υἱῷ. ἐπὶ γὰρ τῷ τι λαβεῖν ἅπαξ κατηγορούμενος, ποίαν ἂν ἔχῃ τὴν ὄνησιν, κἂν λίαν ὑπάρχοι περιφανὲς τοῦ διδόντος τὸ πρόσωπον; τί γὰρ εἰπέ μοι διοίσει τῷ τὸ πλήττεσθαι παραιτουμένῳ τὸ ξυλίνῃ τυχὸν ἤγουν διαχρύσῳ παίεσθαι ῥάβδῳ; οὐ γὰρ τὸ τοιῶσδε παθεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μηδαμῶς παθεῖν ἀγαθόν. ἐλεγχομένου τοιγαροῦν τοῦ Υἱοῦ, δυνάμεώς τε καὶ σοφίας ἐπιδεοῦς, ὅταν φαίνηταί τι παρ' αὐτοῦ λαβὼν, καὶ ἐν τούτοις σύμπαν ἔχοντος ἤδη τὸ κατηγόρημα, πῶς οὐκ εὔηθες κομιδῇ λόγοις ἡμᾶς ἑώλοις κατακροτεῖν τοὺς ἀκροωμένους, καὶ τοῖς ἐξ ἀπάτης εὑρήμασι περιπλάττειν τὸ ἔγκλημα διὰ τοῦ δεῖν οἴεσθαι τῶν μὲν ἄλλων οὐδένα, μόνον δὲ τὸν Πατέρα καταδέχεσθαι χορηγόν; θαυμάζω δὲ ὅπως, καίτοι δοκοῦντας εἶναι σοφοὺς, καὶ λόγοις τοῖς ἔξωθεν οὐ μετρίως ἐξησκημένους πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι διενθυμεῖσθαι πικρὰ, κἀκεῖνο διέλαθεν, ὅτι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς κατασμικρύνοντες χαρακτῆρα, τουτέστι, τὸν Υἱὸν, οὐκ αὐτοῦ τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἐκείνου κατηγορεῖν ἐγνώκατε, οὗ καὶ ἔστι χαρακτὴρ, οὕτως ἔχειν ἐξ ἀνάγκης ὀφείλοντος ὡς ἂν ἐν Υἱῷ διαφαίνηται. ” Ἀλλ' ἐκβιάσεταί σε, φησὶν, ἡ τοῦ Υἱοῦ φωνὴ, πρὸς τὸ „καὶ οὐχ ἑκόντα συναινεῖν οἷς εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἀπηξίωσεν. αὐτὸς ” γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖν ὡμολόγηκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἅπερ ἂν „διδάσκοιτο παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, ταῦτα λαλεῖν.„ Ἀλλὰ σοὶ μὲν, ὦ γενναῖε, καὶ τὰ καλῶς εἰρημένα δοκούντων ἔχειν οὐκ ὀρθῶς, ἐπείπερ ἠρνήσω τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ φῶς: ἡμεῖς δὲ πάλιν τὴν ἑαυτῶν βαδιούμεθα ὁδὸν, καὶ τὰ συνήθη καὶ φιλὰ φρονήσομεν περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς μετὰ τῆς πρεπούσης ἡμῖν εὐσεβείας τοῖς προκειμένοις προσβάλλοντες. εἰ μὲν γὰρ εἴρηκεν ὁ Μονογενής Οὐδὲν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶ, λαμβάνων δὲ τὸ δύνασθαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, καὶ τερατουργῶ καὶ θαυμάζομαι, ἦν μέν τις καὶ οὕτω λόγος οὐδὲν ὅλως ὀφείλοντα διὰ τοῦτο κατηγορεῖσθαι δεικνύων αὐτὸν, πλὴν ἔδοξέ πως ἂν εὐπροσωπότερον ἡμῖν ἀντιπράττειν ὁ δι' ἐναντίας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀπολύτως ἐπενεχθέντος οὐδενός Οὐδὲν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιῶ φησιν, οὐ πάντως ἐροῦμεν αὐτὸν ὡς κατά τι γοῦν ἀσθενῆ τὴν ἰδίαν καταιτιᾶσθαι φύσιν, ἀλλ' ἕτερόν τι σημαίνειν ἀληθὲς καὶ ἀκατηγόρητον. ἵνα γὰρ ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον μετασχηματίζοντες τοῦ λόγου τὴν δύναμιν, ἴδωμεν ἀκριβῶς, ὅ φησιν: ἔστωσαν δύο τινὲς ἄνδρες τυχὸν τὴν αὐτὴν δηλονότι λαχόντες φύσιν, ἰσοσθενεῖς τε ἀλλήλοις καὶ ὁμογνώμονες, εἶτα λεγέτω ὁ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν Ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ οὐδὲν ποιῶ: ἆρα ὡς ἀσθενὴς, ἢ καὶ δρᾶν ὅλως οὐδὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμενος τὸ τοιοῦτον φήσειεν ἂν, ἢ ὡς ἔχων ἐφ' ἅπασι συνευδοκητὴν καὶ ὁμογνώμονα τὸν ἕτερον καὶ συνεζευγμένον αὐτῷ; οὕτω μοι νόει καὶ ἐφ' Υἱοῦ, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦτο πολύ. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐργαζομένῳ τὰ παράδοξα παραλόγως ἐπεπήδων Ἰουδαῖοι, ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω τὴν τοῦ σαββάτου λύσιν ἐπαιτιώμενοι, καὶ παρανομίαν ἐγκαλοῦντες αὐτῷ, λοιπὸν ἐφ' ἅπασιν ὁμογνωμονοῦντα καὶ συνευδοκητὴν ἐπεδείκνυε τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα, τέχνῃ δυσωπῶν τὸν ἀχάλινον τῶν ἀπειθούντων θυμόν. ἦν γὰρ δὴ καὶ εἰκὸς ἀποφρίξαι μὲν ἤδη τινὰς τὸ ἐγκαλεῖν ἐθέλειν αὐτῷ πάντα δρᾶν λέγοντι κατὰ βούλησιν τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἐν τῷ ἐκείνου δεικνύοντι θελήματι. τὸ δὲ πάντα κατὰ θέλησιν τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐργάζεσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, οὐκ ἐλάττονα δείξει καὶ ὑπουργὸν, ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ὁμοούσιον. ἐπειδὴ γάρ ἐστιν αὐτὸς ἡ σοφία τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ἡ ζῶσα βουλὴ, οὐχ ἕτερόν τι ποιεῖν ὁμολογεῖ παρ' ὅπερ ἂν βούληται τυχὸν ὁ Πατὴρ, οὗ καὶ ἔστι καὶ σοφία καὶ βουλὴ, ἐπεὶ καὶ σύνεσις ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀφ' ἑαυτῆς τι ποιεῖ, σύμπαν δὲ τὸ ἡμῖν δοκοῦν ἀποπληροῖ. καὶ μικρὸν μὲν ὡς πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τὸ παράδειγμα, πλὴν ἔχον εἰκόνα τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἀμυδράν. καὶ ὥσπερ ἡ σύνεσις ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν οὐχ ἕτερον εἶναι παρ' ἡμᾶς τι λελόγισται: τὸν αὐτὸν οἶμαι τρόπον καὶ ἡ σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, τουτέστιν ὁ Υἱὸς, οὐχ ἕτερόν τι παρ' αὐτόν ἐστιν ὅσον εἰς οὐσίας ταυτότητα λέγω, καὶ φύσεως ἀπαράλλακτον ὁμοιότητα: Πατὴρ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ Υἱὸς ὁ Υἱὸς ἰδιοσυστάτως. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πρὸς τοῦτό φησιν ὅτι Καθὼς ἐδίδαξέ με ὁ Πατὴρ ταῦτα λαλῶ, νομιζέτω μηδεὶς μαθήσεως ὅλως τῆς κατά τι γοῦν ἐπιδεᾶ καθεστάναι τὸν Υἱόν: πολλὴ γὰρ ἐν τούτοις ἡ τῶν λογισμῶν ἀτοπία: σημαίνει δέ τι τοιοῦτον ἡ τοῦ λόγου δύναμις. Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν γὰρ οἱ συνιέναι τῶν ἀγαθῶν τι οὐκ ἰσχύοντες, οὐ μόνον ἐφ' οἷς εἰργάζετο παραδόξως ἐσκανδαλίζοντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτε τι τῶν θεοπρεπῶν ῥημάτων ἐφθέγγετο τοῦτο παθόντας ἴδοι τις ἄν: καὶ γοῦν λέγοντός τε καὶ ἀληθεύοντος Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου, διεπρίοντό τε καὶ τὰ πάνδεινα χρῆναι τολμᾶν διεσκέπτοντο. ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ἵνα μάτην αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τούτῳ λελυττηκότας ἐλέγξῃ, τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ λόγους τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς εἶναί φησιν, ἀνθρωπινώτερον μὲν τό Ἐδίδαξεν εἰπών. πλὴν οὐκ ἔξω θεωρίας λεπτῆς τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς λέξεως εὑρήσομεν δύναμιν: καὶ εἰ μὴ δέχοιτο τυχὸν ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρὸς τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, μάλιστα μὲν ἀδικεῖ τῆς μετὰ σαρκὸς οἰκονομίας τὸν λόγον. ἐταπείνωσε γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ὁ Μονογενὴς ἄνθρωπος γεγονὼς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πολλάκις λαλῶν ὡς ἄνθρωπος. πλὴν ἴστω πάλιν ὡς οὐδὲν ἀδικήσει τὸν Υἱὸν εἰς ἀξίωμα τὸ θεοπρεπὲς τὸ εἰπεῖν Καθὼς ἐδίδαξέ με ὁ Πατὴρ οὕτω λαλῶ: πανταχόθεν γὰρ ὑγιῶς ἔχοντα καὶ καλῶς καὶ τοῦτον αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον ἐπιδείξομεν. ἀποκρινάσθω δὲ ἡμῖν διερωτῶσιν ἐκεῖνος τῶν τῆς εὐσεβείας δογμάτων ὁ κατήγορος Τίς εἰπέ μοι τὸ βρέφος τὸ ἀρτιγενὲς τῇ ἀνθρωπείᾳ διδάσκει κεχρῆσθαι φωνῇ; διὰ τί μὴ βρυχᾶται κατὰ τὸν λέοντα, ἤγουν ἕτερόν τι τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων ἀπομιμεῖταί ποτε; ἀλλ' ἔδει δήπου πάντως, καὶ ἐπ' ἐκεῖνο δραμεῖται τὸ κοινὸν καὶ πᾶσι κατειθισμένον: ἡ φύσις διδάσκαλος πρὸς τὴν τοῦ σπείροντος ἰδιότητα τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ διαπλάττουσα. ἔστιν οὖν ἄρα μαθεῖν ἀδιδάκτως παρὰ τῆς φύσεως, ὅλης, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, τῆς τοῦ σπείροντος ἰδιότητος ἐντεθείσης τῷ γεννήματι. οὕτω τοιγαροῦν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Μονογενὴς μαθεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ ἐν τούτοις διισχυρίσατο. ὅπερ γάρ ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἡ φύσις, τοῦτο δὴ πάντως αὐτῷ νοοῖτ' ἂν εἰκότως ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, καὶ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς, ἐπείπερ ἄνθρωποι καὶ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἐσμὲν, ἀδιδάκτως μανθάνοντες παρὰ τῆς φύσεως λαλοῦμεν ἀνθρωποπρεπῶς, οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς, ἐπείπερ Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶν, ἔμαθεν ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας φύσεως λαλεῖν, ὡς Θεὸς, καὶ τὰ πρέποντα Θεῷ διαλέγεσθαι, ὅπερ ἐστίν Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου: ὃ γὰρ οἶδεν ἑαυτὸν ὄντα διὰ τὸ ἐξ οὗπέρ ἐστι Πατήρ: φῶς ἐστι γὰρ ἐκ φωτός: τοῦτο μαθεῖν ἔφη παρ' αὐτοῦ, ἀδίδακτόν τινα μάθησιν τῶν θεοπρεπῶν ἔργων τε καὶ λόγων ἐκ τῆς τοῦ γεννήσαντος ἰδιότητος ἔχων καὶ φύσεως, ὥσπερ ἀναγκαίοις θεσμοῖς εἰς ταυτοβουλίαν τὴν ἐφ' ἅπασι καὶ ταυτολογίαν ἀναβαίνων τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔδει τὸ ἐν θελήσει ταὐτὸν, καὶ τὸ ἐν λόγοις ἴσον τε καὶ ὅμοιον ἀναμφιλόγως ἐνυπάρχειν τοῖς, οἵ γε μίαν ἔχουσι τὴν φύσιν; ἐπὶ Θεοῦ δὲ πάντως ὁ λόγος, οὐκ ἐφ' ἡμῶν: ἡμᾶς μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἠθῶν παρατροπαὶ, καὶ θελημάτων διαφοραὶ, καὶ παθῶν πλεονεξίαι τῶν τοῦ πρέποντος ἐξέλκουσιν ὅρων: ἡ δὲ θεία τε καὶ ἀπερινόητος φύσις, ὡσαύτως ἔχουσα διὰ παντὸς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀγαθοῖς ἀκλονήτως ἐρηρεισμένη, ποίαν ἔχοι τὴν ἐφ' ἕτερόν τι παρατροπήν: ἢ πῶς οὐχὶ πάντως δραμεῖται κατ' εὐθὺ τοῦ ἰδίου σκοποῦ, καὶ τὰ ἑαυτῇ πρέποντα καὶ λαλήσει καὶ ἐξεργάσεται; τῆς αὐτῆς οὖν οὐσίας ὑπάρχων ὁ Μονογενὴς πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ γεννήτορα, καὶ τοῖς τῆς μιᾶς θεότητος ἀξιώμασι διαπρέπων, πάντως δήπου καὶ ἀναγκαίως ἐργάσεται μὲν ἅπερ ἂν ἐργάσαιτο καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Πατήρ: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδέν: λαλήσει δὲ πάντως τὰ τοῦ γεννήσαντος, οὐχ ὡς ὑπουργὸς ἢ κεκελευσμένος ἢ ὡς μαθητὴς, ἀλλ' ὡς φύσεως ἰδίας ἔχων καρπὸν, τὸ καὶ τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς χρῆσθαι λόγοις. ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ διαφαίνεται σαφῶς καὶ λοιδορίας ἁπάσης ἀμοιροῦν τὸ μὴ λέγεσθαί τι παρ' αὐτοῦ.
« Καὶ ὁ πέμψας με μετ' ἐμοῦ ἐστι: καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκέ με μόνον. » Ἐν τούτῳ δείκνυσιν ἐναργῶς ὅτι τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς διερμηνεύει βουλὴν, οὐκ αὐτὸς ἔχων ἑτέραν παρὰ τὴν ἐν ἐκείνῳ: πόθεν; αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ζῶσα καὶ ἐνυπόστατος βουλή τε καὶ θέλησις τοῦ γεννήσαντος αὐτὸν, κατὰ τὸ ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν εἰρημένον ὑπό τινος τῶν ἁγίων “Ἐν ” τῇ βουλῇ σου ὡδήγησάς με,“ καὶ πάλιν ” Κύριε, ἐν τῷ “θελήματί σου παράσχου τῷ κάλλει μου δύναμιν,” πάντα γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ τὰ ἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν: ἀλλ' ὡς εἰς γνῶσιν ἐκφέρων τὴν ἡμετέραν τὰ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον τὰ ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς ἡμετέρας διανοίας ὁ προφορικὸς ἡμῶν οὗτος καὶ διὰ γλώσσης προχεόμενος σαφηνίζει λόγος, καὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ νῷ θέλησιν τὴν ἐπί τισι δηλονότι φημὶ, καθάπερ τι μάθημα λαβὼν, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τὸ τοιῶσδε τυχὸν λαλεῖν ὁρμώμενος: οὕτω πάλιν εὐσεβοῦντες ὑποτοπήσωμεν τὴν τοῦ παραδείγματος δύναμιν ἀναβαίνοντα τὸν Υἱὸν, ἐπείπερ ἐστὶν αὐτὸς καὶ Λόγος καὶ σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ διαλέγεσθαι. καὶ ἐπείπερ ἐστὶν οὐκ ἀνυπόστατος ὥσπερ ὁ ἀνθρώπινος, ἀλλ' ἐνούσιός τε καὶ ζῶν ὡς ἰδίαν ἔχων ἐν Πατρὶ καὶ μετὰ Πατρὸς τὴν ὕπαρξιν, οὐκ εἶναι μόνος ἐνθάδε φησὶν, εἶναι δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν πέμψαντα αὐτόν. ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ τό Μετ' ἐμοῦ, σημαίνει τι πάλιν θεοπρεπές τε καὶ μυστικόν: οὐ γὰρ δήπου νομιοῦμεν ἐκεῖνο λέγειν αὐτὸν, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἂν εἴη τυχὸν μετὰ προφήτου Θεὸς, συνασπίζων δηλονότι τῇ οἰκείᾳ δυνάμει, καὶ ταῖς εὐμενείαις ἐπικουρῶν ἤτοι ταῖς διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐλλάμψεσιν εἰς προφητείαν ἐγείρων, οὕτω καὶ μετ' αὐτοῦ τὸν γεννήσαντα: ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τούτοις τίθησι τό Μετ' ἐμοῦ καθ' ἕτερον τρόπον: εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν γάρ μοι φύσιν ἐστὶν ὁ πέμψας μέ φησι, Θεὸς δηλονότι καὶ Πατήρ. Κατὰ τόδε νοήσεις τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ κείμενον Ἡσαΐᾳ περὶ Χριστοῦ “Γνῶτε ἔθνη καὶ ἡττᾶσθε, ” ὅτι μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς,“ ἁρμόσει μὲν γὰρ ὁ ἐπὶ τούτῳ λόγος καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ σώζεσθαι πεποιημένοις ἐλπίδα: φασὶ δὲ ὅμως καὶ οὗτοι τό Μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς, οὐχ ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ὑπονοήσαι τυχὸν, ὅτι συνεργὸς μὲν γὰρ καὶ συμπαραστάτης ἔσται Θεὸς, ἀλλ' ὅτι μεθ' ἡμῶν, τουτέστιν, ἐξ ἡμῶν. ἄνθρωπος μὲν γὰρ γέγονεν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πάντες διασεσώσμεθα, καὶ διεῤῥήξαμεν τὰ τοῦ θανάτου δεσμὰ, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπεδυσάμεθα φθορὰν, ἐπείπερ καταβέβηκεν εἰς ἡμᾶς, καὶ μεθ' ἡμῶν γέγονεν ὁ ἐν μορφῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων Θεὸς Λόγος. ὥσπερ οὖν ἐν τούτῳ νοοῦμεν τὸ μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀντὶ τοῦ εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ἡμῖν γέγονε φύσιν ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς Λόγος, οὕτω κἀνθάδε τὴν ἴσην τοῖς θεωρήμασιν ἀναλογίαν ἀποσώζοντες ὅταν λέγῃ Χριστός Ὁ πέμψας με μετ' ἐμοῦ ἐστι καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκέ με μόνον, ἐκδεξόμεθα σαφῶς ἐκεῖνο σημαίνοντα μυστικῶς, ὅτι, καθάπερ ἤδη προείπομεν, εἰς τὴν αὐτήν μοι φύσιν ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκέ με μόνον. καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὄντως ἀμήχανον, μὴ οὐχὶ πάντως ἔχειν μετ' ἐμαυτοῦ τὸν ἐξ οὗ γεγέννημαι Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα. Καὶ ἴσως ἐρεῖ τις καὶ διερωτήσει φιλομαθέστερον Διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν αὐτὸς τὰ τοιαῦτά φησιν ὁ Σωτὴρ, ἢ τί τὸ πεπεικὸς ἐπὶ ταύτην αὐτὸν ἰέναι τὴν ἐξήγησιν; Πρὸς δὴ τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπολογησόμεθα, χρησίμως καὶ ἀναγκαίως ἐπιδεικνύντες αὐτὸν τοῖς ἤδη προειρημένοις ἐπιτιθέντα καὶ τοῦτο. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἴρηκεν ὅτι ” καθὼς ἐδί“δαξέ με ὁ Πατὴρ ταῦτα λαλῶ,” ἀναγκαίως ἤδη συνόντα τε καὶ ὁμοούσιον ἑαυτῷ δεικνύει τὸν Πατέρα, ἵνα πιστεύηται λοιπὸν τὰ ἐκείνου λαλῶν ὡς Θεὸς τὰ ἐκ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς φυσικῆς τοῦ γεννήσαντος ἰδιότητος ἐπὶ τὸ λέγειν τὰ θεοπρεπῆ παρορμώμενος, καθαπεροῦν τὰ ἀνθρώπων τέκνα μάθησίν τινα παρὰ τῆς φύσεως ἀδίδακτον ἔχοντα, καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω προειρήκαμεν, οἶδεν ἀληθῶς τὰ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἴδια. οὐ σκανδαλιστέον τοιγαροῦν, ὅταν τι λέγῃ μαθεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱός: οὐ γὰρ διὰ ταύτην ἔσται τὴν αἰτίαν ἐλάττων αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἔκφυλός τις κατ' ἐκείνους εὑρεθήσεται: καὶ λογισμῷ τοιῷδε τὸ πρᾶγμα κατασκεψώμεθα. οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῷ εἰδέναι τι τυχὸν, ἢ μὴ εἰδέναι ὁ τῆς οὐσίας δοκιμάζεται λόγος, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ τί ἕκαστον κατὰ φύσιν ἐστίν: οἷον φέρε εἰπεῖν Παῦλος ὑποκείσθω καὶ Σιλουανός: καὶ ὁ μὲν Παῦλος ἴστω καὶ πεπαιδεύσθω τελείως τὸ ἐπὶ Χριστῷ μυστήριον: ἔλαττον δέ πως ἢ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον ὁ Σιλουανός. ἆρ' οὖν οὐχ ὅμοιοι κατὰ τὴν φύσιν, ἢ ὑπερέξει κατὰ τὸν οὐσίας λόγον ὁ Παῦλος τὸν Σιλουανὸν, ἐπείπερ ἔγνω μειζόνως ἢ κατ' ἐκεῖνον τοῦ μυστηρίου τὸ βάθος; ἀλλ' οὐδένα ληρεῖν εἰς τοσοῦτον ὑπολαμβάνω, ὡς νομίσαι ποτὲ διηλλάχθαι τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῖς διὰ τὸ ἐν γνώσει μεῖζον ἢ ἔλαττον. ὅτε τοίνυν οὐκ ἐν τῷ τι μαθεῖν ἢ διδάξαι, τὰ τῆς οὐσίας ἀκριβῶς δοκιμάζεται, καθάπερ εἰρήκαμεν, οὐδὲν ἀδικήσει τὸν Υἱὸν εἰς τὸ εἶναι κατὰ φύσιν Θεὸν, ὅταν τι λέγῃ καὶ μαθεῖν παρὰ τοῦ ἰδίου Πατρός. οὐ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοουσιότητος ἐξοιχήσεται, μένει δὲ πάντως ὅπερ ἐστὶ, τουτέστι, Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτός. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἐρεῖς Πῶς οὖν; ἐν γνώσει μείζων ὁ Πατήρ: διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο διδάσκει τὸν Υἱόν. ἐροῦμεν δὲ πάλιν ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν ἤδη διὰ πολλῶν ἀπεδείξαμεν λόγων ὅτι μαθήσεως καὶ διδασκαλίας ἀπροσδεὴς ἡ σοφία τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ πολλοὺς ἐπὶ τούτῳ συνείροντες λογισμοὺς, εἰς ἄμετρον δυσφημίαν καταστρέφοντα τὸν λόγον ἐξηλέγχομεν. εἶτά σοι κἀκεῖνο πρὸς τούτοις εἰπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον ἤδη φαίνεται, ὅτι σπουδὴ τῷ Υἱῷ καὶ πολλὴ λίαν ἡ ἐπιτήρησις πρὸς τὸ κολοβοῦν ἀεὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἀξίωμα, καὶ οὐ σφόδρα θεοπρεπῶς διαλέγεσθαι διὰ τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφὴν, καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν δι' ἡμᾶς ἀναληφθεῖσαν ταπείνωσιν. ποῦ γὰρ καταβέβηκεν, ἢ ἐκ ποίων εἰς οἷα μετέστη λοιπὸν, εἰ μὴ λαλεῖ τι καὶ ὑποβεβηκότως καὶ τῆς θεοπρεποῦς δόξης οὐ λίαν ἐπαξίως; διὰ γάρ τοι τούτων πολλάκις, καὶ ἅπερ οἶδεν ὡς Θεὸς, ἀγνοεῖν ὡς ἄνθρωπος σχηματίζεται. ὄψει δὲ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἐν ἱστορίᾳ τῇ κατὰ τὸν Λάζαρον τὸν ἐκ Βηθανίας φημὶ, ὃν καὶ παραδόξῳ δυνάμει καὶ θεοπρεπεστάτῃ φωνῇ τεθρήμερον ὄντα καὶ ὀδωδότα, λοιπὸν παλινδρομῆσαι πρὸς ζωὴν παρεσκεύασεν: ἀλλ' ὅρα μοι τὴν ἐν τῷ πράγματι πεπλασμένην οἰκονομίαν. εἰδὼς γὰρ ὅτι τέθνηκε Λάζαρος, καὶ τοῦτο προειρηκὼς τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς, ὡς Θεὸς, ἀνθρωπίνως ἀντεπύθετο “Ποῦ τεθείκατε,” λέγων, αὐτόν. ὦ παραδόξου πράγματος. ὁ μακράν που τῆς Βηθανίας διαιτώμενος, καὶ οὐκ ἀγνοήσας ὡς Θεὸς, ὅτι τέθνηκε Λάζαρος, πῶς ἐζήτει μαθεῖν τὸ μνημεῖον; ἀλλ' ἐρεῖς ἄριστά γε φρονῶν, ὡς ὑπεπλάττετο τὴν ἐρώτησιν οἰκονομῶν τι χρήσιμον. δέχου τοίνυν κἀν τούτῳ πάλιν οἰκονομικῶς, ἅπερ οἶδεν ὡς Θεὸς, ταῦτα λέγοντα μαθεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός: παροτρύνεσθαι δὲ οὐκ ἐπιτρέπων μειζόνως τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπόνοιαν, καὶ τὸν τῶν ἀμαθεστέρων κολάζων θυμὸν, οὐκ ἄκρατον εἰς αὐτοὺς τὸν θεοπρεπῆ λόγον εἰσφέρει, καίτοι πρέπον οὕτω μᾶλλον αὐτῷ διαλέγεσθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἄνθρωπον ἔτι καὶ ψιλὸν ὑπάρχειν αὐτὸν ὑπενόουν, τοῖς ἀνθρωποπρεπέσι λόγοις κεράσας ὥσπερ τὸ τῆς θεότητος ἀξίωμα, μετριώτερόν πως ἢ καθ' ἑαυτὸν οἰκονομικῶς προσλαλεῖ Ὅτι ἐγὼ τὰ ἀρεστὰ αὐτοῦ ποιῶ πάντοτε: δέχου μοι πάλιν κἀν τούτῳ τὴν λύσιν τοῦ δοκοῦντος εἶναι δυσχεροῦς, καὶ περιάθρει σαφῶς διερμηνευόμενον ὀρθῶς τό “Ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ οὐδὲν ποιῶ.” διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο, φησὶ, μηδὲν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ποιεῖν διεμαρτυράμην ὑμῖν ἔναγχος προσλαλῶν, ἐπείπερ ἔθος ἐμοὶ καὶ τριβὴ μηδὲν ἀπᾷδον ἐργάζεσθαι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, μηδὲ εἰδέναι τι δρᾶν, εἰ μὴ ὅπερ ἀρέσκει τῷ φύσαντι. πρόδηλον οὖν ἄρα λοιπὸν ὡς ἐν τούτῳ καὶ μόνον τὸ μηδὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖν τὸν Υἱὸν νοηθήσεται, ἐν τῷ τὰ ἀρεστὰ πράττειν ἀεὶ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, ὡς εἴπερ εἰ μὴ τῶν τοιούτων εἰργάζετο τυχὸν, ἔδρασεν ἄν τι καὶ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, τουτέστι, τὸ παρὰ βούλησιν τοῦ γεννήσαντος. οὐκ ἄρα διὰ τὸ ἡττῆσθαι τῆς πατρῴας ἀρετῆς, οὐδὲ διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαί τι κατορθοῦν ἐξ ἰδίας ἰσχύος, οὐδὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖν ἐν τούτοις διισχυρίσατο, ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ ἰσογνώμων ἐστὶ καὶ συνεθελητὴς ἀεὶ τῷ γεννήσαντι πρὸς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν, καὶ οὐδὲν μελετήσας κατὰ μόνας ὥσπερ καὶ διῃρημένως ἐπιτελεῖν. καὶ οὐ δήπου νομιοῦμεν εἰς ἐκτόπους ἐννοίας κατολισθαίνοντες προαιρετικήν τινα καὶ ἑκτικὴν ἀρετὴν ἐνδείκνυσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν ἐν τούτοις, φύσεως δὲ μᾶλλον ἀτρέπτου καρπὸν, οὐκ ἀξιούσης τὸ θεοπρεπὲς ἐν τῷ τι βουλεύεσθαι δρᾶν. ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν κτισμάτων ἅτε δὴ καὶ τρέπεσθαι δυναμένων ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω, καὶ μεταβολαῖς ὑπείκειν ταῖς ἐξ ἀμεινόνων ἐπὶ τὰ αἰσχίονα, καρπὸς ἂν εἴη θεοσεβοῦς τε καὶ φιλαρέτου γνώμης τὸ ἀγαθόν. ἐπὶ δέ γε τῆς θείας καὶ τὰ πάντα ὑπερκειμένης οὐσίας οὐχ οὕτως. ἀλλοιώσεως γὰρ καὶ τροπῆς ἁπάσης ἐξῃρημένης, καὶ τόπον οὐκ ἐχούσης οὐδένα, καρπὸς ἔσται λοιπὸν οὐσίας ἀπαραποιήτου τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀμέλει καὶ ἐν πυρὶ τὸ θερμὸν, ἢ ἐν χιόνι τὸ ψυχρόν: οὐ γὰρ ἐν θελήσει τὸ πῦρ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐνέργειαν ἔχον ὁρᾶται, φυσικὴν δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ οὐσιώδη, ἑτέρως ἔχειν οὐ δυνάμενον, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ποιεῖν τοῖς τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἐκβιάζηται νεύμασιν. οὐκοῦν οὐ καθάπερ ἡμεῖς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἕτερόν τι τῶν λογικῶν κτισμάτων, ἐκ προαιρέσεως τῆς ἐξαιρέτου διακρατούμενος εἰς τὸ δρᾶν ἐπείγεσθαι τὸ ἀρέσκον τι Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ τὰ τοιαῦτά φησιν ὁ Μονογενὴς, ἀλλ' ὡς φύσεως ἰδίας θεσμοῖς ἀκολουθῶν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἕτερον εἰδὼς φρονεῖν τε καὶ πράττειν, εἰ μὴ τὰ ἐν θελήσει τοῦ γεννήσαντος αὐτόν. πῶς γὰρ ἂν ὅλως ἡ ὁμοούσιός τε καὶ μία θεότης αὕτη καθ' ἑαυτῆς διχονοήσαι ποτέ; ἢ πῶς ἂν τὸ μὴ αὐτῇ φίλον ἐργάσαιτο, τινὸς αὐτὴν ἐφ' ἕτερόν τι παρατρέπειν ἰσχύοντος; εἰ γὰρ ὑφέστηκεν ἰδίᾳ καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα, ἀλλ' οὖν εἰς ὁλοτελῆ μερισμὸν ἡ ἁγία καὶ ὁμοούσιος οὐ διασπασθήσεται Τριὰς, εἰς μίαν δὲ μᾶλλον θεότητος φύσιν σύμπαν αὐτῆς ἀναβαίνει τὸ πλήρωμα. πρὸς δέ γε τούτοις κἀκεῖνο περισκεπτέον, ὡς οὐδεὶς ἂν εἰκότως καθέλοι λόγος τῆς πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα φυσικῆς ταυτότητος τὸν Υἱόν: ἐπείπερ ποιεῖν τὰ ἀρεστὰ αὐτῷ πάντοτε διισχυρίσατο, ὁμοούσιος δὲ μᾶλλον ὑπάρχων αὐτῷ, καὶ διὰ τούτου γνωσθήσεται καὶ Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ ἀληθινός. τίς γὰρ ἂν εἰπέ μοι φρονήσει τὰ Θεοῦ θεοπρεπῶς τε καὶ ἀπαραλλάκτως, εἰ μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπάρχοι κατὰ φύσιν Θεός; ἢ τίς ἂν ἐπιτελέσαι πάντοτε τὸ ἀρέσκον αὐτῷ, μὴ οὐχὶ τὴν φύσιν ἄβατον ἔχων τοῖς χείροσι, καὶ τὸ ἐξαίρετον τῆς θείας φύσεως ἀξίωμα λαχὼν, τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι φημὶ τὸ ἁμαρτεῖν; περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν κτισμάτων εἴρηται “Τίς καυχήσεται ἁγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν, ἢ τίς παῤῥησιά” σεται καθαρὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτιῶν;“ ὅτε καὶ εἰς ἀκροτάτην ὑπερβολὴν ἀνατείνουσα τὸ εἰρημένον ἡ θεία γραφή ” Ἄστρα δὲ, φησὶν, οὐ καθαρὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.“ ἄγγελοι μὲν γὰρ καίτοι κατὰ πολὺ τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς διαλλάττοντες, καὶ στάσιν ἔχοντες ἑδραιοτέραν τὴν εἰς ἀρετὴν, οὐ τετηρήκασι ” τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχήν:“ διὰ γὰρ τὸ κατεσπᾶσθαί τινας ὅλως ἐκεῖθεν καὶ πεσεῖν εἰς ἁμαρτίαν, ὅλη κατηγορεῖται τῶν λογικῶν κτισμάτων ἡ φύσις ὡς ἁμαρτίας δεκτικὴ, καὶ τροπῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἀμοιρεῖν οὐκ ἰσχύουσα: ζῷον δὲ τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς λογικόν τε [καὶ] θεοείκελον, οὐδὲ ἐν μακροῖς ἐξώλισθε χρόνοις, ἀλλ' ἐν πρώτῳ πέπτωκε τῷ Ἀδάμ. οὐκοῦν ἀπείρηται παντελῶς τῇ κτίσει τὸ ἀμετάφορον καὶ ἄτρεπτον, καὶ τὸ ὡσαύτως ἔχειν δύνασθαι φυσικῶς: μόνῳ γὰρ ἁρμόσει τῷ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ὄντι Θεῷ. τοῦτο δὲ ἐν Υἱῷ διαφαίνεται καλῶς: ” ἁμαρτίαν γὰρ οὐκ ἐποίησεν, ὡς ὁ Παῦλός φησιν, “οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ:” Θεὸς οὖν ἄρα καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν καὶ τρέπεσθαι μὴ εἰδότος, καὶ τὸ πρέπον τῇ ἰδίᾳ φύσει μὴ ἐκτρέχοντός ποτε. ὅταν οὖν τὰ ἀρεστὰ τῷ Πατρὶ ποιεῖν ὁμολογῇ πάντοτε, σκανδαλιζέσθω μηδεὶς, μηδὲ ἐν ἐλάττοσιν ἢ ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ, ὑπάρχειν οἰέσθω τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ, φρονείτω δὲ μᾶλλον εὐσεβῶς, ὡς δὲ Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν εἰς ταυτοβουλίαν καὶ, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ταυτοεργίαν ἀναβαίνει τῷ φύσαντι.
« Ταῦτα αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν. » Τὸ σμικροπρεπὲς ἐν τῷ λόγῳ πολλάκις ἐπιτηδεύοντα τὸν Χριστὸν, διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀκροωμένων ἀσθένειαν, καὶ μέγα τι τὸ ἐντεῦθεν κατορθοῦν εἰωθότα θαυμάζει πάλιν ἐντεῦθεν ὁ σοφὸς Εὐαγγελιστής: παρὸν γὰρ ὡς Θεῷ τὰ πάντα λαλεῖν, ἐλευθέραν τε καὶ βασιλικὴν ἔχουσαν τὴν ἐφ' ἅπασιν ἐξουσίαν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν διάλεξιν, συμμετριάσας οἰκονομικῶς ἕξει τὸν λόγον, σαγηνεύει μὲν εἰς εὐπείθειαν πολλοὺς, προσεδρεύειν τε λοιπὸν πολλοὺς ὑποπείθει σπουδαιότερον αὐτῷ. οὐκοῦν οὐκ εἰκαῖον τῷ Σωτῆρι τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα, φημὶ δὲ τὸ λαλεῖν τοῖς ὄχλοις ἀνθρωποπρεπέστερον: ἀπεθρασύνοντο γὰρ οὐ μικρῶς, καὶ ἀπεφοίτων εὐκόλως αὐτοῦ τῶν ἀμαθεστέρων τινὲς, ἄνθρωπον βλέποντες, καὶ θεοπρεπῶν ἀκούοντες λόγων. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἦν ἐν ταὐτῷ Θεὸς καὶ ἄνθρωπος, ἀκατηγόρητον ἔχων ἐπ' ἄμφω τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἀνεγκλήτως καθ' ὅνπερ ἂν βούλοιτο τρόπον διαλέγεσθαι δυνάμενος, ταῖς τῶν ἀκροωμένων ἐλαφρίαις εὖ μάλα ποιῶν συνεπλάττετο, τὰ ἀνθρώπῳ πρέποντα πολλάκις περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ποικίλως ἐξηγούμενος, οἷον δέ τι φημὶ τό Ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ οὐδὲν ποιῶ, καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἀδελφά: συνιέντες γὰρ ὅλως οὐδὲν, ἀβασανίστως δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς λεγομένοις προσβάλλοντες, ἐπὶ τὸν κοινὸν δὴ τοῦτον καὶ πρόχειρον τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐβάδιζον νοῦν: ᾤοντο δὲ λέγειν αὐτὸν ὅτι Καὶ λαβὼν παρὰ Θεοῦ τὸ δύνασθαι θαυματουργῶ, καὶ ὅτι μετ' ἐμοῦ ἐστιν, ἐπείπερ “αὐτῷ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ” ποιῶ πάντοτε.“ Συμφρονοῦσιν οὖν ἄρα τοῖς ἀνοσίοις Ἰουδαίοις οἱ ἐπάρατοι τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροὶ καὶ, τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀντιπράττοντες δόγμασι, μικρὰ περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου φιλονεικοῦντες βουλεύονται, καὶ τὰ οἰκονομικῶς τε καὶ καλῶς εἰρημένα, πρὸς καθαίρεσιν τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτῷ δόξης τε καὶ ἐξουσίας ἁρπάζοντες, τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας παρακλέπτουσι κάλλος. οὐ γὰρ διαμέμνηνται κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς Παύλου μὲν λέγοντος, ὅτι χρὴ λογισμοὺς καθαιρεῖν ” καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ “τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, αἰχμαλωτίζειν τε πᾶν νόημα εἰς” Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν αὐτοῦ: ἠγνοήκασι δὲ πάλιν τὸ περὶ τῶν θείων εἰρημένον λογίων δι' ἑνός που τῶν προφητῶν “Τίς σοφὸς καὶ συνήσει ταῦτα; ἢ συνετὸς καὶ ” ἐπιγνώσεται ταῦτα;“ εἰ μὴ γάρ τις αὐτοῖς πολλὴ λίαν ἐπεπόλαζεν ἀσάφεια, καὶ βαθύ τι καὶ σκοτεινὸν ἐπενήχετο κάλυμμα, τίς ἡ χρεία τοῦ ζητεῖσθαι σοφὸν καὶ συνετὸν, ὃς ἂν εὑρεῖν δύναιτο τὴν τούτων ἐπίγνωσιν; Ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν ἅλις πρὸς τὸ παρὸν, ἐροῦμεν δὲ μᾶλλον ἀπὸ τῶν προκειμένων ἑλόντες τι χρήσιμον. ἐπίστευον τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγοντι τῷ Χριστῷ, καθά φησιν ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς, οὐ πάντες, ἀλλὰ πολλοί: ἀλλὰ καίτοι Θεὸς ὑπάρχων ἀληθινὸς, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔχων ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς, ὃ μὴ πάντως ἐστὶ γυμνὸν, εἰδώς τε καὶ λίαν ἀκριβῶς, ὡς οὐχ ἅπαντας ἁρπάσει πρὸς εὐπείθειαν, διεκαρτέρει μακροὺς ἀναλίσκων λόγους τοῖς προσιοῦσιν αὐτῷ, κάλλιστον ἡμῖν ὑπογραμμὸν καὶ διὰ τούτων διδοὺς, καὶ τύπον ἑαυτὸν τοῖς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας διδασκάλοις ἀνατιθείς. εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ πάντες ὠφελοῖντο τυχὸν ἕνεκά γε τῆς σφῶν αὐτῶν μοχθηρίας, ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ εἰκὸς ἀπόνασθαί τινας τῆς ἐντεῦθεν σπουδῆς, οὐκ ὀκνητέον περὶ τὴν τῶν συμφερόντων ὑφήγησιν. καταχωννῦντες γὰρ ὥσπερ εἰς ἄκαρπον σιωπὴν τὸ δοθὲν ἡμῖν τάλαντον, τουτέστι, τὴν διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριν, κατ' ἐκεῖνον ἐσόμεθα τὸν πονηρὸν οἰκέτην τὸν ἀνέδην λέγοντα τῷ οἰκείῳ δεσπότῃ ” Ἤιδειν ὅτι σκληρὸς ἄνθρωπος εἶ, “θερίζων ὅπου οὐκ ἔσπειρας, καὶ συνάγων ὅθεν οὐ διεσκόρ” πισας, καὶ φοβηθεὶς κατέχωσα τὸ τάλαντόν σου. ἴδε “ἔχεις τὸ σόν.” ἀλλ' εἰς οἷον ὁ οὕτω δειλὸς κατέστρεψε τέλος, καὶ ποίαν ἐξῄτησε δίκην, ἔγνω που πάντως ὁ φιλομαθὴς τοῖς εὐαγγελικοῖς οὐχ ἅπαξ περιτυχὼν συγγράμμασιν. οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνο διενθυμούμεθα, καὶ σκοπῶμεν ὀρθῶς, ὡς ὄκνου μὲν ἀπηλλάχθαι προσήκει παντὸς, τοῦ πρὸς τὸ χρῆναι διδάσκειν φημὶ, τὸν εἰς τοῦτο προκεχειρισμένον, τρέπεσθαι δὲ πρὸς ὀλιγωρίας οὐδαμῶς, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάντες τοῖς παρ' αὐτοῦ καταπείθωνται λόγοις, χαίροις δὲ μᾶλλον ἐφ' οἷσπερ ἂν ὅλως ἀποκερδαίνοι πονῶν, ἐννοεῖν δὲ καὶ μάλα σωφρόνως ἀκόλουθον τὸ διὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν εἰρημένον “Οὐκ ἔστι μαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὐδὲ ” δοῦλος ὑπὲρ τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ. ἀρκετὸν τῷ μαθητῇ ἵνα “γένηται ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ δούλῳ ὡς ὁ ” κύριος αὐτοῦ.“ εἰ γὰρ οὐ πάντας ὁ Κύριος πείθει διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀκροωμένων σκαιότητα καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, τίς ἀσθενοῦντα τὸν παρ' ἡμῶν αἰτιάσεται λόγον, καίτοι προαιρετικὴν ἀπαιτοῦντα καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὴν σύνεσιν; Ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τοὺς πεπιστευκότας αὐτῷ Ἰουδαίους Ἐὰν ὑμεῖς μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, ἀληθῶς μαθηταί μου ἐστέ. Τρόπον ἀπαιτεῖ τοὺς πιστεύσαντας τὸν ἐρηρεισμένον καὶ πεπήγοτα καὶ ἑτοίμως ἔχοντα πρὸς διαμονὴν τοῦ καθάπαξ αἱρεθέντος αὐτοῖς ἀγαθοῦ. τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἡ πίστις ἡ εἰς αὐτόν. τὸ γὰρ ἐπαμφοτερίζειν ἀνόητόν τε καὶ ἀκερδὲς ἀποφαίνει παντελῶς, ἐπεὶ καὶ ” Ἀνὴρ δίψυχος, ἀκατάστατος ἐν πάσαις “ταῖς ὁδοῖς ἑαυτοῦ,” καθὰ γέγραπται. τὸ δὲ ἀπρὶξ ἅπτεσθαι τῶν λυσιτελούντων ἐπείγεσθαι, σοφὸν ὄντως ἐστὶ καὶ ἐπωφελέστατον. ὅσον μὲν οὖν ἧκεν εἰς τὸ νοῆσαι προχείρως, ἐκεῖνό φησιν, ὡς εἴπερ ἂν βούλοιντο τοῖς παρ' αὐτοῦ καταπείθεσθαι λόγοις, τότε δὴ πάντως καὶ αὐτοῦ χρηματιοῦσι μαθηταί. ὅσον δὲ εἰς τὸ συνιέναι τι κεκρυμμένον, ἐκεῖνο δηλοῖ: λέγων γὰρ ὅτι Ἐὰν ὑμεῖς μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, φαίνεταί πως αὐτοὺς ἀγωγῶς τε καὶ πράως διδαγμάτων ἐξέλκων τῶν Μωυσαϊκῶν, καὶ τῆς μὲν τοῦ γράμματος προσεδρείας ἀφιστὰς, οὐκέτι τε τοῖς ἐν τύπῳ λαληθεῖσί τε καὶ πεπραγμένοις προσκεῖσθαι κελεύων, μᾶλλον δὲ τῷ λόγῳ τῷ παρ' αὐτοῦ, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐναργῶς τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν καὶ θεσπέσιον κήρυγμα. ἐλάλει γὰρ καὶ πάλιν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διὰ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν, ἀλλ' ἦσαν οἱ μεσιτεύοντες, οἱ δι' ὧν δηλονότι τοὺς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐποιεῖτο λόγους. λόγος δὲ κυρίως αὐτοῦ τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν νοηθήσεται κήρυγμα: οὐ γὰρ δι' ἑτέρου πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτοῦ γεγονὸς εὑρίσκομεν: διὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσας φησίν “Αὐτὸς ὁ λαλῶν πάρειμι.” ἐπιμαρτυρήσει δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος λέγων ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους ἐπιστολῇ “Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ Θεὸς ” λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις ἐπ' ἐσχάτου τῶν “ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν Υἱῷ.” οὐκοῦν αὐτουργὸς ἡμῖν εἰς διδασκαλίαν ἐσχάτοις τοῦ αἰῶνος καιροῖς γέγονεν ὁ Υἱός. διά τοι τοῦτο λόγος αὐτοῦ κυρίως ὀνομασθήσεται μάθημα τὸ εὐαγγελικόν. ἦν μὲν γὰρ ἀκόλουθον γυμνότερόν πως καὶ ἀπημφιεσμένως εἰπεῖν Οἱ τὴν πίστιν τὴν εἰς ἐμὲ παραδεδεγμένοι, καὶ ὀψὲ μὲν, ὅμως δ' οὖν ἐπεγνωκότες τὸν ἄνωθεν ὑμῖν διὰ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν κηρυττόμενον, μηκέτι τοῖς διὰ Μωυσέως προσπέπηχθε τύποις, μηδὲ ταῖς κατὰ τὸν νόμον προσεδρεύειν σκιαῖς ἀναπείθεσθε, μηδὲ ἐν ἐκείνοις ὅλως τὴν τῆς σωτηρίας ὁρίζεσθε δύναμιν, ἀλλ' ἐν μαθήμασιν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελικοῖς καὶ δι' ἐμοῦ κηρύγμασιν: ἀλλ' ἦν οὐκ ἀπεικὸς, μᾶλλον δὲ ἤδη καὶ ἀνενδοιάστως ἔχον, ὡς ἄρτι καὶ μόλις τὴν πίστιν παραδεξάμενοι, σαλευομένην τε καὶ εὐανάτρεπτον εἰς μετάστασιν ἔχοντες τὴν διάνοιαν, οὐκ ἂν τῶν τοιούτων ἀνέσχοντο λόγων, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν διεκαρτέρησαν ὅλως ἑτοίμως ἀεὶ πίπτοντες εἰς ὀργὴν, ὡς ὑβριζομένου δὲ διὰ τούτων τοῦ πανσόφου Μωυσέως, καὶ πεμπομένου πρὸς τὸ μηδὲν διὰ τοῦ καταφρονεῖσθαι δι' αὐτοῦ τὰ τοῖς ἀρχαιοτέροις διωρισμένα, πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν εὐκόλως ἐτράποντο τόλμαν, καὶ τὸ συναγορεύειν ἐκείνῳ μελετῶντες ἀεὶ, παρ' οὐδὲν ἂν ἐποιήσαντο τὸ πιστεύειν ἔτι βούλεσθαι τῷ Χριστῷ. οἰκονομικῶς τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἐπεσκιασμένως ἔτι τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ λόγοις ἀντιδιαστέλλων τὰ Μωυσέως, τουτέστιν, ἀντιπαρεξάγων τῷ νόμῳ τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν, καὶ πολὺ λίαν ἐν ἀμείνοσι τῶν ἀρχαιοτέρων τὰ νέα τιθεὶς παιδεύματα Ἐὰν ὑμεῖς φησι μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, ὄντως μαθηταί μου ἐστέ: οἱ γὰρ ὁλοκλήρῳ διαλάμποντες πίστει, καὶ ἀνενδοιάστως εἰς νοῦν τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν παραδεξάμενοι μάθημα, σκιᾶς τε τῆς κατὰ νόμον οὐ σφόδρα φροντίζοντες, μαθηταὶ κατὰ ἀλήθειάν εἰσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ: οἱ δὲ μὴ τοῦτον αὐτὸν προσιόντες τὸν τρόπον ἑαυτοὺς διαπαίζουσι, τὸ εἶναι μαθηταὶ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ἔχοντες, διά τε τοῦτο τῆς σωτηρίας ἐκπεπτωκότες. καὶ γοῦν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος τοῖς ἐκ νόμου δικαιοῦσθαι μετὰ τὴν πίστιν ἀνοήτως ἐθέλουσι, διαῤῥήδην ἐπιστέλλει “Κατηργήθητε ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ οἵ ” τινες ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦσθε, τῆς χάριτος ἐξεπέσατε.“ θαυμαστὸν οὖν ἄρα καὶ τίμιον ἡ μονότροπος πίστις, καὶ τὸ ἀκολουθεῖν ἀραρότως βούλεσθαι τῷ Χριστῷ τὰς ἐκ νόμου σκιὰς εἰς τὴν ἐπ' αὐτῷ περιέλκοντας γνῶσιν, καὶ τὰ αἰνιγματωδῶς εἰρημένα πρὸς τὴν πνευματικὴν μεταπλάττοντας παίδευσιν. κηρύττεται γὰρ διὰ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν τὸ ἐπ' αὐτῷ μυστήριον.
« Καὶ γνώσεσθε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς. » Ἀμυδρὸς μὲν ἔτι, καὶ οὐ σφόδρα διαφανὴς ὁ λόγος: ὠδίνει δ' οὖν ὅμως ἀδελφὴν τοῖς πρὸ αὐτοῦ τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἡμῖν εἶσι θεωρημάτων ἑτεροτρόπως ἐξυφασμένος. ἀποδημεῖν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀναπείθει καὶ λοιπὸν ἀπανίστασθαι φιλεῖν τῆς κατὰ νόμον λατρείας τοὺς ἅπαξ πεπιστευκότας: παιδαγωγῶν δὲ ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν σκιὰν εἰς τὴν ἐπ' αὐτῷ γνῶσιν, καὶ τὰ ἐν τύποις ἀφέντας καὶ αἰνίγμασιν, ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἰέναι γοργῶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τουτέστι, Χριστὸν τὸν τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἐλευθερίας δοτῆρα καὶ λυτρωτήν. γνώσεσθε τοίνυν φησὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἐμμένοντες λόγοις, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ γνῶναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν τὴν παρ' αὐτῆς ὠφέλειαν εὑρήσετε. καὶ δέχου μοι πάλιν τοιοῦτόν τι λέγοντα πρὸς Ἰουδαίους τὸν Κύριον: ἐκπλατῦναι γὰρ οἶμαι δεῖν καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ προκειμένῳ θεώρημα, διὰ τὸ τοῖς ἐντευξομένοις λυσιτελοῦν: πικρὰν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, φησὶν, ὑπεμείνατε τὴν δουλείαν, καὶ μακρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀνήλωσε πόνος τὴν ὑπὸ τῷ Φαραῷ θητείαν εἰσδεδυκότας, ἀλλ' ἐβοήσατε τὸ τηνικάδε πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ πρὸς ἔλεον τὸν ἐφ' ὑμῖν κεκινήκατε, ταῖς ἐνούσαις ὑμῖν ἐποιμώζοντες συμφοραῖς ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἐζητεῖτε τὸν λυτρωτήν: ἐπεφοίτων δὲ ὑμῖν παραχρῆμα καὶ τότε, καὶ γῆς μὲν ὑμᾶς τῆς ἀλλοτρίας ἐξέπεμπον, ὠμοτάτης δὲ σφόδρα τυραννίδος ἐξελὼν πρὸς ἐλευθερίαν ἐκάλουν. ἀλλ' ἵνα μανθάνητε τὸν ἐπίκουρον καὶ λυτρωτὴν, κατέγραφον ὑμῖν ἐν προβάτου σφαγῇ τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ μυστήριον, καὶ τὴν δι' αἵματος σωτηρίαν προανατυποῦν ἐκέλευον τότε: διεσώζεσθε γὰρ καταχρίοντες ἑαυτούς τε καὶ τὰς φλιὰς τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἀμνοῦ. οὐκοῦν ἀπὸ τῶν τύπων ἔξω τὸ βραχὺ πηδήσαντες, ὅταν μανθάνητε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἔσεσθε δὴ πάντως καὶ ἀληθῶς ἐλεύθεροι. καὶ ἀμφιβαλέτω, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τούτῳ μηδείς. εἰ γὰρ τοσούτων ὑμῖν ἀγαθῶν ὁ τύπος τότε γέγονε πρόξενος, πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἡ ἀλήθεια πλουσιωτέραν ἐπιδίδωσι τὴν χάριν; Τοιαῦτα μὲν δὴ τὸ κωλύον οὐδὲν πρὸς Ἰουδαίους ὑποτοπῆσαι λέγειν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, εἰς πλατεῖαν ἐκτρέχοντος θεωρίαν τοῦ λόγου: εἰκὸς δέ τινα καὶ ἑτέραν ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν προκειμένων ἀναλάμψαι τὴν διάνοιαν. ὁ νόμος ὁ διὰ Μωυσέως βαπτισμοὺς ἐτύπου καὶ περιῤῥαντήρια, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτῳ τυχὸν ἁλῶναι συμβέβηκε καὶ τῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας βόθρῳ περιολισθεῖν, θύειν ἐκέλευε μόσχον ἢ πρόβατον, οὕτω τε τὰ ἐφ' οἷς ἂν ἕκαστος πλημμελῇ περικόπτειν ἐγκλήματα. ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἐκεῖνα πρὸς ἀπόνιψιν ἁμαρτίας. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐξέλοι ποτὲ τῆς αἰτίας τοὺς κατεγνωσμένους, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦ κολάζεσθαι δεῖν ἐλευθέρους ἀποφαίνει, τοὺς οἷς ὁ θεῖος πεπάτηται νόμος. τί γὰρ ἂν ὀνήσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸ βουθυτεῖν πλημμελήσαντα, ἐν δὲ τῷ μηλοσφαγεῖν ποῖον ἂν εὕρῃ τις τὸ κέρδος; τί γὰρ χαριεῖται διὰ τούτων οἱονεὶ, ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς τὴν τοῦ νόμου παράβασιν, ὑβρισμένῳ τῷ Θεῷ; αὐτοῦ γὰρ λέγοντος ἄκουσον ” Μὴ φάγωμαι κρέα ταύρων, ἢ αἷμα τράγων “πίωμαι;” πρὸς τούτοις ἔτι πρὸς Ἰουδαίους ἐναργῶς “Τὰ ” ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν κατὰ τῶν θυσιῶν ὑμῶν συναγάγετε “καὶ φάγετε κρέα, ὅτι οὐκ ἐλάλησα πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ” ὑμῶν περὶ ὁλοκαυτωμάτων καὶ θυσιῶν, ἀλλ' ἢ τὸ ῥῆμα “τοῦτο ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς λέγων Κρῖμα δίκαιον κρίνατε.” οὐκοῦν ἀνόνητος παντελῶς ἡ δι' αἱμάτων προσαγωγὴ, καὶ ἀποπλύνειν οὐκ οἶδε τὴν ἐξ ἁμαρτίας προστετριμμένην ἀνθρώπῳ κηλίδα. πληροφορήσει δὲ πάλιν, ὅταν ἴδῃς αὐτὸν λέγοντα πρὸς τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων μητέρα τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ διὰ φωνῆς Ἱερεμίου “Τί ἡ ἠγαπημένη ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου ” ἐποίησε βδελύγματα; μὴ εὐχαὶ καὶ κρέα ἅγια ἀφελοῦσιν “ἀπὸ σοῦ τὰς κακίας σου, ἢ τούτοις διαφεύξῃ;” “Ἀδύνατον ” γὰρ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων ἀφαιρεῖν ἁμαρτίας,“ ὡς ὁ Παῦλός φησιν. ὅτι δὲ ὡς εἰκαίαν μελετῶντες λατρείαν, καὶ τὰς δι' αἱμάτων προσαγωγὰς ἤτοι δωροφορίας ἐπ' οὐδενὶ τῶν χρησίμων ἐπιτελεῖν σπουδάζοντες, τῆς θείας εἰκότως αὐλῆς ἐξεπέμποντο, διδάξει σαφῶς καὶ διὰ φωνῆς Ἡσαΐου λέγων ” Πατεῖν τὴν αὐλήν μου οὐ προσθήσεσθε: ἐὰν “φέρητε σεμίδαλιν, μάταιον: θυμίαμα, βδέλυγμά μοι ἐστίν.” οὐκοῦν οὐκ ἐν ἐκείνοις: τοῖς ἐν νόμῳ διατεταγμένοις φημί: ἡ ἀληθὴς σωτηρία, ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἂν ἕλοιτό τις ἐκεῖθεν τὴν τριπόθητον ἐλευθερίαν, τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας φημί: ὀλίγον δὲ τῶν τύπων ἀναπηδήσαντες, καὶ τῆς ἐν πνεύματι λατρείας περιαθροῦντες ἤδη τὸ κάλλος, ἐπεγνωκότες τε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τουτέστι, τὸν Χριστὸν, διὰ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν πίστεως δικαιούμεθα: δικαιούμενοι δὲ πρὸς ἐλευθερίαν τὴν ἀληθῆ διαβαίνομεν, καταταττόμενοι λοιπὸν οὐκ ἐν δούλοις ἔτι καθάπερ καὶ πρότερον, ἀλλ' ἐν υἱοῖς δηλονότι Θεοῦ. καὶ μαρτυρήσει λέγων ὁ Ἰωάννης περί τε Χριστοῦ καὶ τῶν πιστευόντων εἰς αὐτόν “Ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτὸν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν ” τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι.“ χρησίμως τοιγαροῦν ὁ Κύριος καὶ Χριστὸς ἡμῶν, τὸ μὲν θαυμάζειν ἔτι τὰς ἐν νόμῳ σκιὰς οὐκ ἐᾷ τοὺς πιστεύοντας εἰς αὐτόν: οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐν ἐκείναις τὸ ὠφελοῦν, ἤτοι τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἐλευθερίας πρόξενον: ἐπιγνῶναι δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπιτάττει τὴν ἀλήθειαν. διὰ ταύτης γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀραρότως ἐλευθερωθήσεσθαι λέγει, κατὰ τὴν ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις δύναμιν.
« Σπέρμα Ἁβραάμ ἐσμεν, καὶ οὐδενὶ δεδουλεύκαμεν πώποτε: πῶς σὺ λέγεις ὅτι ἐλεύθεροι γενήσεσθε; » Διαγελῶσι πάλιν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἤδη καὶ δυσφοροῦσιν ὡς ὑβρισμένοι. τὸ γὰρ ᾧ δουλείας μετέστιν οὐδὲν, πῶς ἂν δέοιτο, φησὶ, τοῦ πρὸς ἐλευθερίαν καλοῦντος ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὡς ἐν προσθήκης μέρει τὸ ἐνυπάρχον ἤδη διδόντος: ἀγνοοῦσι δὲ, καίτοι δοκησισοφεῖν εἰωθότες, ὅτι γέγονε μὲν ὁ προπάτωρ Ἁβραὰμ οὐ πατρὸς ἐπισήμου κατὰ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῖς ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ θαυμαζομένοις περιφανέστατος, κατελαμπρύνθη δὲ διὰ μόνης τῆς πίστεως τῆς εἰς Θεόν: ” Ἐπίστευσε δὲ Ἁβραάμ φησιν, “τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην ἡ πίστις, καὶ ” φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη.“ ὁρᾷς δὴ οὖν καὶ μάλα σαφῶς τῆς ἐν ἐκείνῳ λαμπρότητος τὴν αἰτίαν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κεχρημάτικε φίλος τοῦ πάντων κρατοῦντος Θεοῦ, γέγονε διὰ τοῦτο μέγας καὶ ἀοίδιμος, ἐλογίσθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ πρόφασις αὐτῷ γέγονεν ἐλευθερίας τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν ἡ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοσύνη. οὐκοῦν ὅτε πιστεύσας ἐδικαιώθη, τουτέστιν, ὅτε τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας δυσγένειαν ἀπεσείσατο, τότε πέφηνε λαμπρὸς καὶ εὐγενὴς καὶ ἐλεύθερος. ἀνοήτως τοιγαροῦν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν καὶ αὐτὸν ἐλευθερώσασαν τοῦ γένους τὸν ἀρχηγέτην περιπτύοντες χάριν, ἐπὶ μόνον τὸν δι' αὐτῆς ἐλευθερωθέντα βαδίζουσιν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὅθεν ἐστὶν, ἢ ὅποι ποτὲ βλέποι, τὸ ἐν ἐκείνῳ λαμπρὸν περισκεψάμενοι, τὸν τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ καλλίστων ἀτιμάζουσι χορηγὸν, καὶ τὴν ἁπάσης εὐγενείας ἀφέντες πηγὴν, ἐπὶ τῷ ταύτης μετεσχηκότι φρονοῦσι μέγα: ἁλώσονται δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ μηδενὶ δουλεῦσαι πώποτε μάτην ἐπικομπάζοντες, καὶ διεψευσμένος αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁ περὶ τούτου λόγος οὐδὲν ἧττον διελεγχθήσεται. δεδουλεύκασι μὲν γὰρ Αἰγυπτίοις ἔτη τὸν ἀριθμὸν τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος μόλις ἐξεκομίσθησαν ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας, καὶ ἐκ καμίνου σιδηρᾶς, καθὰ γέγραπται, τῆς Αἰγυπτίων πλεονεξίας δηλαδή. δεδουλεύκασι δὲ καὶ Βαβυλωνίοις καὶ Ἀσσυρίοις, ὅτε πᾶσαν τὴν Ἰουδαίων ἀναστήσαντες χώραν, καὶ αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὅλον μετέθεσαν τὸν Ἰσραήλ. οὐδαμόθεν τοιγαροῦν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὑγιὴς ὁ λόγος: πρὸς τῷ γὰρ τὴν ἀληθεστέραν ἀγνοῆσαι δουλείαν τὴν ἐν ἁμαρτίαις φημὶ, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν ἀρνοῦνται δυσγενῆ παντελῶς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ μηδενὶ πολλάκις μέγα φρονεῖν εἰθισμένην ἔχοντες τὴν διάνοιαν.
« Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Σωτήρ Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δοῦλός ἐστι τῆς ἁμαρτίας. » Ψυχικοὺς ὄντας αὐτοὺς, καὶ εἰς μόνα βλέποντας τὰ σωματικὰ, τῆς μὲν ἐνούσης ἀμαθίας ἐξίστησι, μεταβιβάζει δέ πως ἐπὶ τὰ πνευματικώτερα, καὶ ὥσπερ εἰς ἀτριβῆ τε καὶ ἀήθη παντελῶς μετακομίζει παίδευσιν, τὴν κεκρυμμένην αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐν πολλοῖς ἀγνοηθεῖσαν καιροῖς δουλείαν ὑποδεικνὺς, καὶ ὅτι μὲν ψευδόμενοι λέγουσι, τό ” Οὐδενὶ δεδου“λεύκαμεν πώποτε,” παρίησι σοφῶς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ μάτην ἐπικομπάζειν αὐτοὺς τῇ τοῦ προπάτορος εὐγενείᾳ φησὶν, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἐφ' ἃ μὴ προσῆκε παροτρύνειν δοκῇ κεκλιμένους ἤδη καὶ πολὺ ῥέποντας εἰς ὀργήν: ἐπ' αὐτὸ δὲ ὥσπερ χωρήσας τὸ ἀναγκαῖον, καὶ ὅπερ ὄντως ἔδει μαθεῖν, δοῦλον εἶναί φησι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν ποιοῦντα αὐτὴν, μόνον δὲ οὐχὶ τοῦτο λέγει Σύνθετόν τι ζῷον, ὦ οὗτοι, κατὰ τὴν γῆν ἄνθρωπος, ἐκ ψυχῆς δηλονότι καὶ σώματος, καὶ ἡ μὲν κατὰ σάρκα δουλεία περὶ τὴν σάρκα ἐστὶν, ἡ δὲ ἐν ψυχῇ καὶ περὶ ψυχὴν τελουμένη, βάρβαρον ἔχει μητέρα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. τὸ μὲν οὖν κατὰ σάρκα τῆς δουλείας ἀφεῖναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἡ τῶν κρατούντων ἐξουσία κεκτήσεται, τὸ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐλευθεροῦν, μόνῳ μὲν ἂν πρέποι κατειρῆσθαι Θεῷ, ἁρμόσει δὲ τῶν ἄλλων οὐδενί. οὐκοῦν ἀναπείθει τὰ εἰκότα φρονεῖν, καὶ τῆς ὄντως τε καὶ ἀληθοῦς ἐλευθερίας ἐφίεσθαι, ζητεῖν δὲ οὕτω λοιπὸν οὐ τὴν τῶν προγόνων λαμπρότητα πρὸς οὐδὲν οὖσαν αὐτοῖς εἰς τοῦτο λυσιτελῆ, μόνον δὲ τὸν τῶν ἰδίων νόμων κατεξουσιάζοντα Θεὸν, ὧν ἡ παράβασις τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δημιουργεῖ τῆς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ δουλείας τὴν τροφόν. ἔοικε δέ πως ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς λεληθότως ἔτι καὶ πολὺ κατεσκιασμένως ἐλέγχειν αὐτοὺς, ὡσανεὶ μάτην ἐπ' ἀνθρώπῳ φρονοῦντας μέγα, ἐλεύθερόν τε ὑπάρχειν παντελῶς οἰομένους τὸν μακάριον Ἁβραάμ. τῷ γὰρ γενικώτερον ἀποφήνασθαι πάντα τὸν ποιοῦντα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δοῦλον εἶναι τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ αὐτὸν εἴσω βρόχων ποιεῖται τὸν Ἁβραὰμ δοῦλον ὄντα τῆς ἁμαρτίας ποτέ: δεδικαίωται γὰρ οὐ δίκαιος ὢν, ἀλλ' ὅτε πεπίστευκε τῷ Θεῷ πρὸς τὴν ἐκ τοῦ δεδικαιῶσθαι κεκλημένος ἐλευθερίαν. καὶ οὐχὶ πάντως τῇ τοῦ δικαίου φιλονεικοῦντες δόξῃ τὰ τοιαῦτά φαμεν, ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ οὐδεὶς ἐν ἀνθρώποις τῶν τῆς ἁμαρτίας βελῶν ἀπείρατος, ὑπηνέχθη δὲ πάντως καὶ ὁ δοκῶν εἶναι μέγας τῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ζυγῷ, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον “Οὐκ ” ἔστι δίκαιος οὐδεὶς, πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται “τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ.” δόξα δὲ Θεοῦ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις, καὶ τὸ μηδαμόθεν δύνασθαι περιπεσεῖν ἁμαρτίᾳ, ὃ δὴ καὶ μόνῳ τετήρηται τῷ Χριστῷ: μόνος γὰρ γέγονεν “ἐν νεκροῖς ” ἐλεύθερος,“ οὐ γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἁμαρτίαν, καίτοι γεγονὼς ἐν νεκροῖς, τουτέστιν ἐν ἀνθρώποις κατατεταγμένος, ὧν ὁ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ποτὲ κατεκράτει θάνατος. Οὐκοῦν: ἀνακεφαλαιώσομαι γὰρ τὸν ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις σκοπόν: ὑπῃνίττετό πως ὁ Κύριος ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ μακάριος Ἁβραὰμ δεδουλευκὼς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ποτὲ, καὶ διὰ μόνης τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ἐλευθερωθεὶς οὐχ ἱκανὸς εἰς ἑτέρους παραπέμψαι τὴν πνευματικὴν εὐγένειαν, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ τοῦ δύνασθαί τινας ἐλευθεροῦν ὑπάρχει κύριος ὁ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας δουλείαν οὐ δι' ἑαυτὸν ἀποπεμψάμενος, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἑαυτῷ χορηγὸς ἀναδεικνύμενος, παρ' ἑτέρου δὲ ταύτην λαβὼν, αὐτοῦ δηλονότι τοῦ δικαιοῦντος Χριστοῦ.
« Ὁ δοῦλος οὐ μένει ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα: ὁ Υἱὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. » Ἀνελεύθερον ἀποφήνας καὶ ὑπὸ δουλείαν ὄντα πικρὰν τὸν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἔνοχον, ἐπιλέγει χρησίμως, καὶ τίνα μὲν ἔσται τῷ τὴν δουλείαν ἠγαπηκότι, τί δ' αὖ πάλιν ὑπάρξει παρὰ Θεοῦ τοῖς βιοῦν ἑλομένοις ἐννόμως, καὶ ἐν υἱοῖς Θεοῦ διὰ τοῦτο κατατεταγμένοις. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ δοῦλός φησιν οὐ μένει ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα: καὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ ὄντως εἰς τὸ σκότος δραμεῖται τὸ ἐξώτερον, ἐκεῖ δίκας ἀποτίσων τῆς ἀνελευθέρου ζωῆς, μένει δὲ ὁ Υἱὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. οἱ γὰρ ἅπαξ τῇ τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἀπολαύσαντες δόξῃ, μενοῦσιν ἐν προσώπῳ Θεοῦ, τῆς ἱερᾶς τῶν πρωτοτόκων αὐλῆς κατ' οὐδένα καιρὸν ἐξωθούμενοι, μακρὸν δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ἀμήρυτον αἰῶνα τρίβοντες ἐν αὐτῇ. συνήσεις δὲ τὸ λεγόμενον ἀκριβῶς ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις παραβολὴν προτιθεὶς εἰς ἀνάγνωσιν, ἐν ᾗ στήσει μὲν τοὺς ἐρίφους ἐξ εὐωνύμων, ἐκ δεξιῶν δὲ τὰ πρόβατα, φησὶν, ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ὅτι τοὺς μὲν ἐρίφους ἀποπέμψεται ” Πορεύεσθε λέγων οἱ κατηραμένοι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον “τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ:” συνάξει δὲ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ἀσμένως εἰσδέξεται “Δεῦτε πάλιν ἀναβοῶν οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, ” κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ “καταβολῆς κόσμου.” διὰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἐρίφων, ἡ ἄκαρπος τῶν φιλαμαρτημόνων δηλοῦται πληθύς: διὰ δὲ τῶν προβάτων, ὁ τῶν εὐσεβούντων χορὸς, καθάπερ ἐρίῳ τινὶ τῷ τῆς δικαιοσύνης καρπῷ καταβριθόμενος. οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν τὸ τῆς δουλείας αἶσχος ἀράμενος, τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας ὡς ἄχρηστόν τε καὶ ἀτιμώτατον σκεῦος ἐξωσθήσεται: εἰσδεχθήσεται δὲ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ διαμενεῖ πᾶς ὁ βιοῦν ὀρθῶς ἀγαπήσας, ἐν υἱοῖς τε διὰ τοῦτο κατατεταγμένος Θεοῦ. εἰκὸς δὲ ὅτι τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγων ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὑπαινίττεταί πως αὐτοῖς, ὅτι τὴν διὰ πίστεως ἐλευθερίαν οὐ προσηκάμενοι, πάντως δήπου καὶ τῆς ἱερᾶς τε καὶ θείας αὐλῆς ἐξοιχήσονται, τουτέστι, τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, κατὰ τὸ δι' ἑνός που τῶν προφητῶν εἰρημένον “Ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου μου ἐκβαλῶ αὐτούς.” ὅτι γὰρ εἰς πέρας αὐτοῖς τὸ προαναφωνηθὲν ἐκβέβηκεν, αὐτὴ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡ φύσις διαμαρτύρεται: “Ἐγκατελίπη μὲν γὰρ ἡ θυγάτηρ ” Σιὼν ὡς σκηνὴ ἐν ἀμπελῶνι, καὶ ὡς ὀπωροφυλάκιον ἐν “σικυηράτῳ,” καθὰ γέγραπται: πέπτωκε δὲ καὶ καθῃρέθη παντελῶς ὁ ναὸς, καὶ αὐτοὶ μὲν ἔξω γεγόνασιν οὐ μείναντες ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀντανέβη δὲ ὥσπερ καὶ ἀντεγήγερται διὰ Χριστὸν ἡ ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησία, ἐν αὐτῇ τε μένουσι διὰ παντὸς οἱ πρὸς τὴν θείαν υἱοθεσίαν κεκλημένοι διὰ τῆς πίστεως: πεπαύσεται γὰρ οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ καταλήξει ποτὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸ καύχημα: αἱ γὰρ τῶν δικαίων ψυχαὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων ἀπαίρουσαι, πρὸς τὴν ἄνω μεθορμίζονται πόλιν τὴν ἐπουράνιον Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν τῶν πρωτοτόκων ἐκκλησίαν, “ἥ τις ἐστὶ μήτηρ ἡμῶν” κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου φωνήν. Ἐπειδὴ δέ πως καὶ τὸν περὶ τῆς δουλείας βασανίζοντες λόγον, καὶ διὰ παντὸς τρόπου τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἰχνηλατεῖν γλιχόμενοι, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐν δούλοις κατωνομάσθαι τὸν Ἁβραὰμ εἰρήκαμεν, οὐδὲ τὸ αὐτοῦ πρόσωπον ἔξω τιθέντες τῆς ἐν τοῖς θεωρήμασι περιβολῆς, διὰ τὸ γενικώτερον εἰρῆσθαι παρὰ Χριστοῦ “Πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δοῦλός ἐστι τῆς ” ἁμαρτίας:“ φέρε δὴ πάλιν τοῖς ἑαυτῶν ἑπόμενοι λόγοις τὴν τῶν εἰρημένων δύναμιν σαφηνίζωμεν. ἐφρόνουν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι μεγάλα καὶ ὑπέρογκα τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτοῖς εὐγενείας ἀρχηγέτην ὥσπερ τινὰ καὶ πηγὴν προϊσχόμενοι τὸν Ἁβραὰμ, τὸ δὲ ὅτι προσήκει ζητεῖν τὸ διὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐλευθεροῦσθαι χάριτος, οὐδ' ὅσον ἐν ψιλοῖς ἐδέχοντο λογισμοῖς, ” μωροὶ “καὶ τυφλοὶ,” κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ὑπάρχοντες φωνήν. ἀναγκαίως τοιγαροῦν ἐπιδεῖξαι βούλεται Χριστὸς, ὅτι τὸ τῇ φύσει δοῦλον, εἰς ἐλευθερίαν οὐχ ἱκανὸν τὴν ἑτέρων, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὅλως εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ: κατὰ τίνα γοῦν τρόπον ἑαυτῷ χαριεῖται τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τὸ ταύτης ἐπιδεὲς, ὅσον εἰς τὴν φύσιν, τὸ δὲ παρ' ἑτέρου τὴν ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ χάριν δανειζόμενον, πῶς ἂν ἀρκέσαι πρὸς τὴν ἑτέρων; ἁρμόσει δὲ μόνῳ καὶ ἀνακείσεται πρεπόντως τὸ ἐλευθεροῦν δύνασθαι τῷ ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν Θεῷ. ἀπόδειξιν τοιγαροῦν ποιεῖται σαφῆ τοῦ δεῖν ἀναγκαίως ὑπάρχειν καὶ ὁμολογεῖσθαι δοῦλον, πᾶν, ὃ μὴ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, τουτέστιν, ᾧ μὴ πρόσεστι τὸ ὡσαύτως ἔχειν ἀεί. σύμπαν μὲν γὰρ τὸ ἐν γενέσει, πάντως δήπου καὶ ὑποκείσεται τῇ φθορᾷ: τὸ δὲ οὕτως ἔχον, δοῦλον ἔσται δηλαδὴ τοῦ πρὸς τὸ εἶναι κεκληκότος Θεοῦ. περὶ γὰρ τῶν κτισμάτων ἐλέγετο πρὸς αὐτόν “Ὅτι τὰ σύμπαντα δοῦλα ” σά.“ γέγονε μὲν ἐπὶ τούτῳ γενικὸς ὁ λόγος: ἓν γεμὴν τὸ μέρος τῷ παντὶ, τουτέστιν, ὁ μακάριος Ἁβραὰμ, ἤτοι καθόλου πάλιν ἡ ἀνθρωπότης. σημεῖον δὲ δίδωσιν ἐναργὲς τοῦ εἶναι βασιλέα καὶ δεσπότην τῶν ὅλων τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ πεφηνότα Θεὸν Μονογενῆ, τὸ μένειν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα: τίνι γὰρ ἂν πρέποι τὸ ὡσαύτως ἔχειν ἀεὶ, καὶ ἐν βεβαίῳ τῶν ἀϊδίων ἱδρύσθαι καλῶν, εἰ μὴ τῷ γε ὄντι κατὰ φύσιν Θεῷ; κατὰ τοῦτον ἡμῖν τὸν λόγον καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος μελῳδὸς τὴν μὲν κτίσιν ἀπέδειξε δούλην, τὸν δὲ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς πεφηνότα Θεὸν Λόγον βασιλέα καὶ Κύριον. ἀπὸ γὰρ μέρους ἐπὶ τὸ σύμπαν τὸ ἐν γενέσει φημὶ τὴν θεωρίαν ἐξαπλῶν, περί τε τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν Υἱοῦ φησιν ” Αὐτοὶ “ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις: καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον ” παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς καὶ “ἀλλαγήσονται: σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ” ἐκλείψουσιν.“ ὁρᾷς ὅπως εὖ μάλα καὶ διὰ τούτων ἀληθὲς ὑπάρχον ὁμολογουμένως, ὅτι τὸ μὲν δοῦλον οὐ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, μένει δὲ ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ τὸ μὴ μένειν, ἀπόδειξις τοῦ εἶναι δοῦλον τὸ καθ' οὗπερ ἂν κατηγοροῖτό ἐστιν; ἀναλόγως δὲ τούτῳ τὸ ἕτερον, τουτέστι, τὸ μένειν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, σημεῖον ἂν γένοιτο σαφὲς τοῦ δεσπότην εἶναι καὶ Θεὸν καθ' οὗπερ ἂν λέγοιτο κυρίως τε καὶ ἀληθῶς ἡ τοιαύτη φωνή. ἐξήρκει μὲν οὖν εἰς τὸ τοῖς παρ' ἡμῶν ἐπιμαρτυρῆσαι λόγοις ὁ ψαλμῳδός: ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον ” ἐπὶ στόματος “δύο καὶ τριῶν μαρτύρων σταθήσεται πᾶν ῥῆμα,” φέρε πάλιν πρὸς ἐκείνῳ καὶ τὸν μακάριον Ἱερεμίαν συνῳδὰ καὶ φρονοῦντα καὶ λέγοντα δεικνύωμεν. ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ καταφθείρεσθαι πᾶν τὸ ποιηθὲν, καὶ δοῦλον αὐτὸ διὰ τοῦτο δεικνὺς, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ μένειν τε καὶ ἀμεταποιήτως ἔχειν Θεὸν ἀποφαίνων κατὰ φύσιν τὸν Υἱὸν, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Κύριον, οὕτω που φησὶ πρὸς αὐτόν “Ὅτι σὺ καθήμενος τὸν ” αἰῶνα, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπολλύμενοι τὸν αἰῶνα.“ ἐν παντὶ γὰρ χρόνῳ τὸ γενητὸν ἔσται φθαρτὸν κατά γε τὸν τοῦ πεποιῆσθαι λόγον, καὶ εἰ μὴ φθείροιτο δυνάμει Θεοῦ, ἔσται δὲ ἀεὶ καθήμενος ὁ Θεὸς, τῆς ἐνθάδε λεγομένης καθίσεως τὸ ἱδρυμένον καὶ ἐν ταυτότητι πεπηγὸς ὑποδηλούσης τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ μετὰ τοῦ συνάγεσθαι, καὶ τὸ ἐν βασιλικῷ σχήματί τε καὶ πράγματι διαπρέπειν αὐτόν: εἰκόνα γάρ πως ἔχει καὶ τούτων ἡ κάθισις. Οὐκοῦν: ἀναδραμοῦμαι γὰρ αὖθις εἰς τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς: ἀπὸ μὲν τοῦ μὴ μένειν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα φθαρτόν τε καὶ γενητὸν ἐπιδείκνυσι τὸν μακάριον Ἁβραάμ: τετελεύτηκε γὰρ καὶ μετέστη τρόπον τινὰ τῆς οἰκίας τῆς δεσποτικῆς, τουτέστι, τοῦδε τοῦ κόσμου: ἀναλόγως δὲ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ δοῦλον αὐτὸν νοεῖσθαι βούλεται οὐχ ἱκανῶς ἔχοντα πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι καὶ ἑτέροις τὴν ἐλευθερίαν χαρίζεσθαι: ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ μένειν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸν Υἱὸν, ἑαυτὸν ἤδη σαφῶς Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν εἶναί φησιν, ᾧ δὴ πάντως ἕποιτο ἂν τὸ εἶναι βασιλέα καὶ Κύριον. καὶ τί τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἀρτίως εἰρημένης ἡμῖν διαφορᾶς οἰκονομούμενον, ἐν τῷ γείτονι καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐφεξῆς προκειμένῳ δειχθήσεται σαφῶς.
« Ἐὰν ὁ Υἱὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃ, ὄντως ἐλεύθεροι ἔσεσθε. » Μόνῳ, φησὶ, τῷ κατὰ φύσιν Υἱῷ τῷ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἐλευθέρῳ καὶ δουλείας ἁπάσης ἐξῃρημένῳ τὸ ἐλευθεροῦν δύνασθαι προσὸν εὑρίσκεται, ἑτέρῳ δὲ παρ' αὐτὸν τὸ παράπαν οὐδενί. ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον ἐπείπερ ἐστὶ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ σοφία καὶ φῶς καὶ δύναμις, σοφοῖ μὲν τὰ σοφίας δεκτικὰ, φωτίζει δὲ τὰ φωτὸς δεδεημένα, καὶ δυναμοῖ τὰ δυνάμεως χρῄζοντα: οὕτως ἐπείπερ ἐστὶ Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἁπάντων βασιλευούσης οὐσίας γνήσιός τε καὶ ἐλεύθερος καρπὸς, οἷσπερ ἂν ἐθελήσαι χορηγεῖ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν. ἀπὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν οὐκ ἔχοντος αὐτὴν οὐκ ἂν γένοιτό τις ἐλεύθερος ἀληθῶς: ὅταν δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς ἐλευθεροῦν ἐθελήσῃ τινὰς, τὸ ἴδιον αὐτοῦ ἐντιθεὶς ἀγαθὸν, χρηματιοῦσιν ὄντως ἐλεύθεροι παρὰ τοῦ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχοντος κομισάμενοι τὸ ἀξίωμα, καὶ οὐχὶ παρά τινος τῶν παρ' ἑτέρου δεδανεισμένων καὶ ὀθνείοις ὥσπερ λελαμπρυσμένου χαρίσμασιν. Ἀναγκαιοτάτη τοιγαροῦν ἡ ἐν τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἐξήγησις, καὶ πολὺ τὸ χρήσιμον τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἐκεῖσε διαφορᾶς ἀνατελεῖ τοῖς ἐκμαθέστερον ἐπαΐειν ἐσπουδακόσιν. ἔδει γὰρ συνιέναι πόθεν ἡμᾶς ἀναγκαῖον ἐπιζητεῖν τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν εὐγένειαν, καὶ τὸν ἐλευθεροῦν ἰσχύοντα μανθάνειν Υἱόν. μελετάτωσαν τοίνυν μὴ ὑψηλοῖς ἐξογκοῦσθαι φρονήμασιν οἱ τοῖς ἐν κόσμῳ χαίροντες ἀξιώμασι, μηδὲ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων κατατρεχέτωσαν δόξης τε καὶ χάριτος, εἰ καὶ μικροί τινες ἐκ μικρῶν γεγόνασι κατὰ σάρκα: οὐ γὰρ τὸ ἐν ἀνθρώποις λαμπρὸν εἶναι δοκοῦν ἀρκεῖ πρὸς εὐγένειαν τὴν παρὰ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν βίῳ καὶ τρόποις τοῖς ἐν ἀρετῇ διαφανὲς ἐλεύθερον ὄντως καὶ εὐγενῆ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπεργάζεται. ” ἐπράθη “μὲν εἰς δοῦλον Ἰωσὴφ,” καθὰ γέγραπται, ἀλλ' ἦν καὶ οὕτως ἐλεύθερος τῇ κατὰ ψυχὴν εὐγενείᾳ διαλάμπων: πατρὸς δὲ ἐξέφυ μὲν ἐλευθέρου καὶ ἦν ὄντως Ἡσαῦ, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν τρόπων αἰσχρότητι τὸ δουλοπρεπὲς ἐπεδείκνυ φρόνημα. εὐγενεῖς οὖν ἄρα παρὰ Θεῷ, καθάπερ οὖν ἀρτίως εἰρήκαμεν, οὐχ οἱ πλοῦτον ἔχοντες, καὶ χρημάτων περιουσίαις περιχεόμενοι, καὶ λαμπραῖς ἐπιχαίροντες ταῖς ἐν κόσμῳ τιμαῖς, ἀλλ' οἱ βίῳ σεμνῷ καὶ πολιτείᾳ συννόμῳ διαφανεῖς.
« Οἶδα ὅτι σπέρμα Ἁβραάμ ἐστε: ἀλλὰ ζητεῖτέ με ἀποκτεῖναι, ὅτι ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. » Πολυτρόπως αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας τῆς πρὸς Ἁβραὰμ καύχημά τε καὶ φρόνημα παντελῶς εἰκαῖον καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔχον τὴν ὄνησιν ἐπιδεικνὺς, τὰ τοιαῦτά φησιν, ἵνα ζητῶσι τὴν ἀληθῆ καὶ Θεῷ φίλην εὐγένειαν. ὁρᾷ γὰρ οὐκ εἰς σάρκα Θεὸς, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ “Ἡ σὰρξ οὐκ ὠφελεῖ οὐδὲν,” ἀποδέχεται μᾶλλον καὶ ἐπαίνου παντὸς ἀξιοῖ τὸ ἐν ψυχαῖς εὐγενὲς, καὶ συγγένειαν οἶδεν ἔχοντας ἀληθῆ, οὕσπερ ἂν ἡ τῶν ἔργων ὁμοιότης ἤτοι τῶν ἐθῶν ἡ ταυτότης εἰς μίαν ὥσπερ ἀρετὴν συναγείρουσα, ταῖς ἴσαις τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἰδέαις ἐπισεμνύνεσθαι ποιεῖ, ἀναλόγως δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὸ ἐναντίον. ἐπεὶ κατὰ τίνα τρόπον ἀπὸ γῆς ὄντες ἡμεῖς, καὶ ἐκ πηλοῦ διηρτισμένοι, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, χρηματιοῦμεν τοῦ πάντων Δεσπότου, καθάπερ οὖν ὁ Παῦλός φησι “Γένος οὖν ὑπάρχοντες τοῦ ” Θεοῦ;“ ὁμολογουμένως μὲν γὰρ συγγενεῖς γεγόναμεν αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν σάρκα τὴν ἐν τῷ κατὰ Χριστὸν μυστηρίῳ: ἀλλ' ἔστι πως καὶ καθ' ἕτερον τρόπον τοῦτο συνυπάρχον ἰδεῖν ἀληθές. φρονοῦντες γὰρ τὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὅτι προσῆκεν εὐσεβεῖν οὐ παρέργως διενθυμούμενοι, χρηματιοῦμεν υἱοὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας Θεοῦ, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ θέλησιν κατὰ τὸ ἐγχωροῦν τὸν οἰκεῖον διαπλάττοντες νοῦν, οὕτω τε τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοιότητα καὶ ἀκριβεστάτην ἐμφέρειαν συγγενεῖς ὄντως ἐσμέν. Ὅτι δὲ τὴν ἐξ ἔργων ἤτοι τῶν τρόπων ὁμοιότητα καὶ ἀκριβεστάτην ἐμφέρειαν εἰς συγγενείας δύναμιν λαμβάνει Θεὸς, διαγνωσόμεθα σαφῶς τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἐγκύπτοντες λόγοις, καὶ τὴν θείαν περινοστοῦντες γραφήν. οὐκοῦν ἐν καιροῖς Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου, γέγονέ τις ἐλαμίτης Σαμείας τοὔνομα ψευδομάντις, τὰ ἀπὸ καρδίας ἐρευγόμενος τῆς ἑαυτοῦ, καθὰ γέγραπται, καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ στόματος Κυρίου. ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλή τις ἦν καὶ ἑτέρα πληθὺς ψευδομαρτύρων καὶ ψευδοπροφητῶν, περιπλανῶσα τοὺς ὄχλους καὶ ἐφ' ἃ μὴ προσῆκεν ἐξέλκουσα, ἠγανάκτει λοιπὸν εἰκότως ὁ πάντων δεσπότης Θεός. εἶτα πολλοὺς ἐπὶ τῷ Σαμείᾳ δαπανήσας λόγους, καὶ ποίας ὑφέξει τὰς τούτου τοῦ τολμήματος δίκας λεπτότερον διειπὼν, ἐν τελευταίοις ἐπάγει, καὶ ἐκδικήσω ” ἐπὶ Σαμείαν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ γένος αὐτοῦ, “τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ:” ἀκούεις ὅπως ἐν τοῖς ὁμοίοις ἐπιχειρήμασι τὴν συγγένειαν ὁρᾷ; πῶς γὰρ ἂν ὁ τὰ δίκαια κρίνειν εἰδὼς συνεκόλασε τῷ Σαμείᾳ τὸ κατὰ σάρκα γένος οὐκ ἰσοτροποῦν αὐτῷ κατά γε τὸν ἐν φαυλότητι λόγον, καίτοι σαφῶς διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγων Ἰεζεκιήλ “Ψυχὴ ἡ ” ἁμαρτάνουσα, αὕτη ἀποθανεῖται.“ οὐκοῦν ἵνα μή τι τοιοῦτο νοῆται περὶ αὐτοῦ, τὸ γένος εἰπὼν ἐπήνεγκεν εὐθύς Τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ, ἐν τῇ τῶν δρωμένων ταυτότητι τὴν συγγένειαν ὁριζόμενος. ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῶν ἴδωμεν τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸ εἰρημένον ἀληθὲς, ἀναμιμνησκώμεθα τῶν Ἰωάννου λόγων, τοῦ ἁγίου φημὶ Βαπτιστοῦ: ἕωλον γὰρ ἀποφαίνων αὐτοῖς τῆς πρὸς Ἁβραὰμ συγγενείας τὸ καύχημα ” Καὶ μὴ λέγετε, φησὶν, ἐν ἑαυτοῖς Πατέρα “ἔχομεν τὸν Ἁβραάμ: δυνατὸς γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων ” τούτων ἐγεῖραι σπέρμα τῷ Ἁβραάμ.“ ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἴρητο πρὸς αὐτὸν παρὰ Θεοῦ ” Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα “σου ὡς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,” τῷ χρῆναι πάντως ἀψευδεῖν τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον ἐπερειδόμενος τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὁ δῆμος, ἐφρόνει μὲν μέγα, προσεδόκα δὲ οὐδαμῶς τῆς τοῦ προγόνου συγγενείας ἀποπεσεῖσθαί ποτε, ἵνα τὸ θεῖον ἐπάγγελμα σώζηται, φησίν. ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτην αὐτοῖς ἀφανίζων τὴν ἐλπίδα, σαφῶς δὴ μάλα φησὶν ὁ μακάριος Βαπτιστὴς, δυνατὸς “ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ ” Ἁβραάμ.“ συνδραμεῖται δὲ τούτοις καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ὡδὶ λέγων ” Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραὴλ, “οὐδ' ὅτι εἰσὶ σπέρμα Ἁβραὰμ, πάντες τέκνα.” δεικνυμένου τοιγαροῦν πανταχόθεν ἀληθοῦς, ὅτι τὴν ἐν ἤθει καὶ τρόποις συγγένειαν οἶδε Θεὸς, μάταιον ἤδη φαίνεται τὸ προγόνοις μὲν ἐπαυχεῖν ἁγίοις καὶ ἀγαθοῖς, ἀπολιμπάνεσθαι δὲ καὶ ἀφεστάναι μακρὰν τῆς ἐκείνων ἀρετῆς. Διά τοι τοῦτό φησιν εὐλόγως πρὸς Ἰουδαίους ὁ Κύριος Οἶδα ὅτι σπέρμα Ἁβραὰμ ἐστὲ ἀλλὰ ζητεῖτέ με ἀποκτεῖναι ὅτι ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. ναὶ γάρ, φησιν, ὅταν εἰς μόνην ἴδω τὴν σάρκα, καὶ ὅθεν ἐξέφυ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὁ δῆμος περισκέψωμαι, τότε καὶ ἐκ σπέρματος Ἁβραὰμ γεγονότας ὁρῶ: ἐπὰν δὲ τῆς ἐκείνου πολιτείας τε καὶ γνώμης περιαθρήσω τὸ κάλλος, ἀλλοτρίους ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐκέτι συγγενεῖς καταθεῶμαι, φησί. ζητεῖτέ με γὰρ ἀποκτεῖναι, καίτοι τοῦ προπάτορος, ἐφ' ᾧ νῦν φρονεῖτε μέγα, μὴ ὄντος φονευτοῦ: καὶ τό γε χείριστόν τε καὶ παρανομώτατον, οὐδὲ ἐπ' εὐλόγοις παρ' ὑμῶν διώκομαι ταῖς αἰτίαις, φονᾶτε δὴ λίαν ἀδίκως: διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ μόνον ἀναιρεῖν ἐβουλεύσασθε, ὅτι ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν, καίτοι καλῶν ὑμᾶς εἰς σωτηρίαν καὶ ζωήν. οὐ χωρεῖ δὲ ἐν ὑμῖν, διὰ τὴν ἐνοικήσασαν ἐν ὑμῖν ἁμαρτίαν δηλαδὴ, καὶ τόπον ὥσπερ οὐκ ἐῶσαν ἔχειν τινὰ τὴν ἐπ' ἀγαθοῖς συμβουλήν τε καὶ παραίνεσιν. οὐκοῦν φονευταὶ κατὰ ταὐτὸν Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ἀδικώτατοι κριταὶ, θανάτῳ χρῆναι τιμᾶσθαι διοριζόμενοι τὸν οὐδὲν ἀδικήσαντα, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸν ὠφελεῖν ἐγνωκότα, καὶ διασώζειν αὐτοὺς σπουδάζοντα. πῶς οὖν ἔτι συγγενεῖς Ἁβραὰμ τῷ δικαίῳ καὶ ἀγαθῷ, οἱ τοσοῦτον τῶν ἐν ἐκείνῳ καλῶν λειπόμενοι, καὶ τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοηθείας ἐκδεδραμηκότες, ὅσον ἀφεστάναι δοίη τις ἂν καὶ διωρίσθαι λέγοι τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν φαυλότητα;
« Ἐγὼ ἃ ἑώρακα παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ λαλῶ: καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ποιεῖτε. » Ἀχώρητον ἔφη παρὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τὸν ἑαυτοῦ γενέσθαι λόγον, ταύτης τε καὶ μόνης ἕνεκα τῆς αἰτίας ἐπ' αὐτῷ παροτρύνεσθαι διειπὼν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ φονῶντας ἐλέγχων, ἀναγκαίως ἐπάγει καὶ ταῦτα, καὶ διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν, ἐκθήσομαι πάλιν. οὐ γὰρ ἠγνόησεν, ὡς εἰκὸς, ὡς ἀνταναστήσονται τῶν Ἰουδαίων τινὲς τοῖς παρ' αὐτοῦ διαμαχόμενοι λόγοις, καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτοῖς φρενοβλαβείας ἐρευγόμενοι, πάλιν ἐροῦσιν Οὐ μάτην, ὡς φῂς, ἐπὶ σοὶ φονῶσί τινες, ἐπ' εὐλόγοις εἰς τοῦτο παρώρμηνται ταῖς αἰτίαις, θεοφιλὲς ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸ κίνημα, καὶ ζῆλος οὐκ ἔχων τὸ κατηγορεῖσθαι δικαίως: ἀχώρητος γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ σός ἐστι λόγος, ἐπείπερ αὐτὸν ἀπῳδὸν ἐποιήσω τῷ Θεῷ, φησὶν, ἑτέραν ἡμᾶς διδάσκεις πλάνησιν, καὶ τῆς μὲν κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἐξέλκεις ὁδοῦ, μεταβιβάζεις δέ πως ἐπὶ τό σοι καὶ μόνῳ δοκοῦν. ταῦτα δήπου πάντως διαψιθυριζόντων κατὰ τὸ λεληθὸς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἢ καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς διενθυμουμένων προσυπαντᾷ πάλιν ὁ Κύριος, εἰδὼς τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς τῶν διαλογισμῶν κινήματα: Θεὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἀληθινός: καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λέγει Ἐγὼ ἃ ἑώρακα παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ λαλῶ, κατεσκεψάμην τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς τοῦ ἐμοῦ φύσιν, εἶδον ἐξ ἐμαυτοῦ πολλάκις καὶ ἐν ἐμαυτῷ τὸν γεννήσαντα, καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ θελημάτων γέγονα θεωρός. εἶδον δι' ἐμφύτου δηλονότι γνώσεως, ποίων ἔργων ἐστὶν ἐραστὴς, ταῦτά τε λαλῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, οὐδὲν δὲ ὅλως ἀπᾷδον εἰρηκὼς ἁλώσομαι, οὐδὲ διατέταχά τι παρὰ τὸ ἐκείνῳ δοκοῦν. ἐπ' ἐκεῖνα καλεῖν ἐσπούδακα τοὺς ἀκροωμένους, οὐ τῶν ἐμῶν ἀφιστάς: ἐν ἐμοὶ γὰρ τὰ ἐκείνου, καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ πάλιν αὖ ἐν αὐτῷ: ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ οὕτως ἔχων τῇ φύσει, καὶ συνεθελητὴς ἐν ἅπασιν ὑπάρχων τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, δοκῶ τις εἶναι παρ' ὑμῶν οὐκ ἀληθὴς, καὶ νενόμισμαι τῶν θείων ὑμᾶς ἀποπλανᾶν παιδευμάτων, λελύσθω τὸ ἔγκλημα, ῥίψατε τὴν ὑπόνοιαν: ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ποιεῖτε, λελάληκεν ὑμῖν διὰ Μωυσέως, περάσατε τὴν ἐντολὴν, ἠκούσατε λέγοντος “Ἀθῷον καὶ δίκαιον οὐκ ἀποκτενεῖς.” πῶς οὖν ζητεῖτέ με ἀποκτεῖναι, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς παραλύοντες ἐντολήν; Ἀλλὰ καὶ καθ' ἕτερον πάλιν ἐκδεξόμεθα τρόπον Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ποιεῖτε: λελάληκε μὲν, φησὶ, διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὑμῖν, ἠκούσατε λέγοντος “Χαῖρε ” σφόδρα θύγατερ Σιὼν, κήρυσσε θύγατερ Ἱερουσαλήμ: “ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι δίκαιος καὶ σώζων, καὶ ” ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ πῶλον ὄνου υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου,“ ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ φωνῆς Ἡσαΐου πάλιν ” Ἐπ' ὄρος ὑψηλὸν ἀνάβηθι ὁ εὐαγ“γελιζόμενος Σιὼν, ὕψωσον τῇ ἰσχύϊ τὴν φωνήν σου ὁ ” εὐαγγελιζόμενος Ἱερουσαλήμ: ὑψώσατε, μὴ φοβεῖσθε: “ἰδοὺ ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, ἰδοὺ Κύριος μετὰ ἰσχύος ἔρχεται, καὶ ” ὁ βραχίων αὐτοῦ μετὰ κυρείας: ἰδοὺ ὁ μισθὸς αὐτοῦ μετ' “αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ: ὡς ποιμὴν ποιμανεῖ τὸ ” ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ βραχίονι αὐτοῦ συνάξει ἄρνας, καὶ “ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσας παρακαλέσει.” καταπειθόμενοι τοίνυν ταῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐντολαῖς, παραδέξασθε τὸν προαναφωνούμενον: τιμήσατε τῇ πίστει τὸν προκεκηρυγμένον. δότε κἂν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς λόγοις τὸ κρατεῖν ἐν ὑμῖν. Ἰστέον δὲ ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὸν νόμον εἶναί φησι, καίτοι λαληθέντα παρ' αὐτοῦ δι' ἀγγέλων, οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἔξω τοῦ νομοθετῆσαι τιθεὶς, ἀλλὰ ταῖς Ἰουδαίων συγχωρῶν ὑπονοίαις οὕτως ἔχειν πεπιστευκότων, καὶ οὐ διαμάχεται πρὸς τὴν ὑπόνοιαν οἰκονομικῶς: ἐδυσώπει γὰρ πολλάκις αὐτοὺς, ἐπείπερ αὐτὸν οὐ παραδέχονται: τὸ γὰρ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὄνομα παράγων εἰς μέσον:
« Ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ καὶ εἶπον Ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἁβραάμ ἐστιν. » Ὦ πολλῆς ἀμαθίας, καὶ νοῦ κατεσκληκότος εἰς ἀπείθειαν, καὶ εἰς μόνην ὁρῶντος φιλονεικίαν. συγκατανεύοντος γὰρ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ, καὶ φάσκοντος ἐναργῶς “Οἶδα ” ὅτι σπέρμα Ἁβραάμ ἐστε,“ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιμένουσι, καὶ καθάπερ τινὸς διατεινομένου καὶ ἀντιπράττοντος, οὐκ εἶναί τε λέγοντος αὐτοὺς ἐκ σπέρματος Ἁβραὰμ κατὰ σάρκα, πάλιν φασὶν ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἁβραάμ ἐστι, καὶ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν πολλάκις ἰόντες λόγων οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν, οἱ μηδὲ Βάττῳ τάχα που παραχωρεῖν οἰόμενοι δεῖν, μόνης δὲ τῆς ἐκείνου γλωσσαλγίας ἄριστοι ζηλωταί. ἀλλ' ἴσως γέγονέ τις αὐτοῖς ἀλογωτάτη τοῦ πράγματος ἀφορμὴ, καὶ ποία πάλιν ἐροῦμεν. τοῦ γὰρ Κυρίου λέγοντος ” Ἐγὼ ἃ ἑώρακα “παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ταῦτα λαλῶ,” τὸ μὲν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα διὰ τούτων σημαίνειν οὐχ ὑπελάμβανον, ᾤοντο δὲ λέγειν αὐτὸν, ἢ τὸν δίκαιον Ἰωσὴφ, ἢ καὶ ἕτερόν τινα τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, μικρὰ κομιδῇ περὶ αὐτοῦ κωμῳδοῦντες καὶ φρονοῦντες καὶ διεσκεμμένοι. ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἁγία παρθένος τὸ θεῖον ἐκυοφόρησε βρέφος, οὐχ ὁμιλήσασα γάμοις, ἀλλ' “ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου,” καθὰ γέγραπται. καὶ ἀγνοήσας μὲν τῆς οἰκονομίας τὸν τρόπον ἐν ἀρχαῖς ὁ μακάριος Ἰωσὴφ, “ἐβουλήθη δὲ λάθρα ” ἀπολῦσαι αὐτὴν,“ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ματθαίου φωνήν. πλὴν οὐκ ἠγνοήθη παντελῶς παρὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὅτι πρὸ γάμου καὶ μίξεως ἐκυοφόρησεν ἡ ἁγία παρθένος, οὐ μὴν συνῆκαν ὅτι καὶ ἐξ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ᾤοντο δὲ μᾶλλον ὑπό του διεφθάρθαι τῶν ἐκ τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτὴν, ὅθεν οὐκ ὀρθὰς διαλήψεις εἶχον ἐπὶ Χριστῷ. ἑτέρου μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν γεγεννῆσθαι πατρὸς ἐνόμιζον παῖδα τοῦ τὴν ἁγίαν διεφθαρκότος παρθένον κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀποπληξίαν, ἐπιγεγράφθαι δὲ μόνον τῷ Ἰωσὴφ νόθον ὄντα, καὶ οὐχ υἱὸν ἀληθῶς. λέγοντος τοίνυν ” Ἐγὼ ἃ ἑώρακα παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ λαλῶ,“ οὐδεμίαν μὲν ὅλως ἐδέχοντο περὶ Θεοῦ τὴν ἔννοιαν, κατασημῆναι γεμὴν αὐτὸν ἕνα τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς πατέρων, καὶ μετασκευάζειν αὐτοὺς ἐπιχειρεῖν τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ προγόνῳ φιλοτιμίας ὑπώπτευον, αἵματι δὲ τῷ οἰκείῳ προσνέμειν τὴν ἑτέρῳ χρεωστουμένην τιμὴν, καὶ τῆς πατριαρχείας τὴν ἀρχαιοτάτην δόξαν ὑποτοπήσαντες, φιλονεικότερόν τε καὶ εὐτονώτερον ὑπαντιάζουσι λέγοντες Ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἁβραάμ ἐστιν. ἴσον γὰρ ὡς εἰ καὶ ἔφασκον Κἂν σοφοῖς ἡμᾶς, ὦ οὗτος, περιαντλήσῃς λόγοις, κἂν τοῖς ἐξαισίοις περικτυπήσῃς θαύμασι καὶ ταῖς ὑπὲρ λόγον κατακροτήσῃς μεγαλουργίαις, οὐκ ἀποστήσεις τοῦ ἀρχαίου καυχήματος, οὐκ ἐπιγραψόμεθα τοῦ γένους ἀρχηγέτην πατέρα τὸν σὸν, ἑτέρῳ τὴν τοιαύτην οὐκ ἀναθήσομεν δόξαν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ νέους γενάρχας τῶν ἀρχαιοτέρων ἀνταλλαξόμεθα. θαυμαστὸν δὲ οὐδὲν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦ πιστεύεσθαι μακρὰν, τὸ τοιαύταις ἀμαθίαις περιπίπτειν Ἰουδαίους, ὅπου καὶ ψιλὸν ὑπάρχειν αὐτὸν ὑπελάμβανον ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τοῦ τέκτονος ἀπεκάλουν υἱὸν πολυτρόπως ἐξευτελίζοντες, καὶ ἐν τῷ μηδενὶ κατατάττοντες τὸν ἁπάντων βασιλέα καὶ Κύριον. ὅτι δὲ καὶ περὶ τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου διετέθησαν οὐκ ὀρθῶς, ὡς ὑπό του κατεφθαρμένης, διὰ τῶν ἐφεξῆς σαφῶς δὴ λίαν εἰσόμεθα.
« Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἁβραὰμ ἦτε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἁβραὰμ ἐποιεῖτε ἄν: νῦν δὲ ζητεῖτέ με ἀποκτεῖναι, ἄνθρωπον ὃς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑμῖν λελάληκα, ἣν ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ: τοῦτο Ἁβραὰμ οὐκ ἐποίησε. » Διὰ παντὸς, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, τρόπου τε καὶ λόγου τὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τιθασεύων θράσος ἐπεσκιασμένως αὐτοῖς προσλαλεῖ Χριστὸς, οὐ γυμνὸν προσάγων τὸν ἔλεγχον, ἀλλ' ἠπίῳ μὲν λόγῳ κεκραμένον, ὑφειμένως δέ πως καὶ ποικίλως αὐτῶν καταγοητεύων τι τὸν θυμόν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολὺ λίαν ἀνοηταίνοντας βλέπει, καὶ συνιέντας τῶν εἰρημένων οὐδὲν, ἐλεύθερον ἤδη καταπετάσματος, καὶ γυμνὸν ἁπάσης περιβολῆς ποιεῖται τὸν λόγον. ἔδει γὰρ ἔδει, φησὶν, εἰ τὸ ἐν τέκνοις Ἁβραὰμ κατατετάχθαι, τιμὴν εἶναι τὴν ἀνωτάτω πεπιστεύκατε, τοὺς ἐκείνου σπουδάζειν ἀπομιμήσασθαι τρόπους: ἔδει τοῦ προγόνου τὴν ἀξιέραστον ἰχνηλατεῖν ἀρετὴν, ἔδει πρὸς τούτοις τὴν εὐπείθειαν ζηλοῦν καὶ ἀγαπᾶν. ἤκουσε τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος ” Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐκ τῆς “συγγενείας σου, καὶ δεῦρο εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ἄν σοι δείξω.” καὶ μελλήσας οὐδὲν περὶ τὴν τῶν χρηματισθέντων ἐκπλήρωσιν, παραχρῆμα μὲν τῆς ἐνεγκούσης ἐξέθει, τὴν δὲ ἀλλοτρίαν οὐκ εἰδὼς καταλαμβάνεται τοῦ προστάξαντος ἐπιθαρσήσας φειδοῖ. ἐπὶ νύσσῃ δὲ ὥσπερ αὐτῇ γεγονὼς τοῦ βίου, καὶ ἑκατοστόν που τρίβων ἐνιαυτὸν, ἤκουσεν ὅτι ἔσται σοι σπέρμα: καὶ κατ' οὐδὲν ἐνδοιάσας, θερμὴν ἐδίδου τῷ λαλοῦντι τὴν πίστιν, οὐ τῇ τῆς σαρκὸς ἀσθενείᾳ προσεσχηκὼς, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ χρηματίσαντος ἐννοήσας ἰσχύν. ἤκουσεν εἰς θυσίαν ἀναθεῖναι τῷ Θεῷ τὸν ἀγαπητὸν, καὶ τῶν τῆς φύσεως εὐθὺς κατηγωνίζετο πόθων, δευτέραν ἐποιεῖτο τῆς θείας ἐντολῆς τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ νεανίσκῳ φιλοστοργίαν. πᾶν δὲ τούτοις ἐν ὑμῖν εὑρίσκω τὸ ἐναντίον: ἀποκτεῖναι γάρ με ζητεῖτέ φησιν, ὅτι λελάληκα ὑμῖν τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ: τοῦτο Ἁβραὰμ οὐκ ἐποίησεν. οὐ γὰρ ἐξύβρισε ταῖς ἀπειθείαις τὸν λαλήσαντα πρὸς αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἐζήτησέ τι δράσαι τῶν λυπούντων αὐτόν. πῶς οὖν ἔτι τέκνα τοῦ Ἁβραὰμ ἐστὲ, τοσοῦτον τῆς ἐκείνου φιλοθεΐας ἀποφοιτήσαντες, ὅσον ἡ τῶν τρόπων δεικνύει διαφορά; ἐπιτήρει δὲ ὅπως οἰκονομεῖ τὸν λόγον: οὐ γὰρ εἴρηκεν ἐν τούτοις ἀκοῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐπείπερ, ὡς ἀρτίως εἰρήκαμεν, ἐκ τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτοῖς ἀμέτρου μωρίας κατεσύροντό πως ἐπ' αὐτῷ πρὸς ἐννοίας οὐκ ἀληθεῖς, πατέρα τινὰ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς οἰόμενοι λέγειν αὐτόν. εὖ δὲ δὴ λίαν τοὺς ἐπὶ τῷ τεθνάναι ποιούμενος λόγους, ἄνθρωπον ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάζει, πανταχῆ μὲν ἑαυτῷ φυλάττων τὸ ἀδιάφθορον ὡς Θεῷ κατὰ φύσιν, πλὴν οὐ διορίσας ἑαυτοῦ τὸν ἴδιον ναὸν, ἀλλ' ὡς εἷς ὑπάρχων Υἱὸς, καὶ ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος: ἀλήθειαν γεμὴν λαλῆσαί φησιν. οὐ γὰρ ἐν τύποις ἔτι καὶ σχήμασι τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐπιτηδεύειν ἡμᾶς ὁ τοῦ Σωτῆρος διδάσκει λόγος, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθινὴν λατρείαν ἀναπείθει ἀγαπᾶν. Ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ ὅτι Ἃ ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, σκανδαλιστέον οὐδαμῶς. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ἄνθρωπον εἶναί φησιν, ἀνθρωποπρεπῶς καὶ τοῦτο λαλεῖ. ὡς γὰρ ἀποθνήσκειν ὡς ἄνθρωπος λέγεται, λεγέσθω καὶ ἀκούειν ὡς ἄνθρωπος. εἰκὸς δὲ ὅτι τὴν ἔμφυτον γνῶσιν, ἣν ἔχει περὶ τῶν θελημάτων τοῦ ἰδίου Γεννήτορος, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἀκοῦσαι τίθησιν: οὕτω γὰρ ἔθος καὶ αὐτῇ λέγειν πολλάκις τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ γραφῇ περὶ Θεοῦ: ὅταν γὰρ εἴπῃ Καὶ ἤκουσε Κύριος, οὐχὶ δὴ πάντως ἰδικὴν καὶ ἀφωρισμένην τὴν ἀκουστικὴν αὐτῷ περιθήσομεν αἴσθησιν, καθάπερ οὖν ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν. ἁπλῆ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ θεία φύσις, καὶ συνθέσεως ἁπάσης ἀπηλλαγμένη: παραδεξόμεθα δὲ μᾶλλον ὡς ἀκοὴν τὴν γνῶσιν, καὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ὡς ἀκοήν: σύνθετον δὲ οὐδὲν ἐν ἁπλῷ, καθάπερ εἰρήκαμεν. τρίτον δὲ τούτοις ἐποίσομεν λόγον, οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ πρέποντος ἰόντες σκοποῦ. ἔφη που περὶ Χριστοῦ πρὸς Μωυσέα τὸν ἱερώτατον ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ὅτι “Προφήτην ἀναστήσω αὐτοῖς:” δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραήλ: “ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν ” ὥσπερ σὲ, καὶ θήσω τοὺς λόγους μου εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, “καὶ λαλήσει αὐτοῖς κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἂν ἐντείλωμαι αὐτῷ.” διὰ ταύτην οὖν οἶμαι τὴν αἰτίαν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ἀκοῦσαί φησι παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ταύτην τε λαλῆσαι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ὁμοῦ καὶ αὐτῷ μαχομένους ἐλέγχων αὐτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἐναργῶς ἐκεῖνον ὄντα δεικνὺς, ὃν ἀναστήσειν αὐτοῖς ὁ νομοθέτης προεπηγγείλατο.
« Ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν. » Ἐξετεροτροποῦντας ἀποδείξας τῷ προγόνῳ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ πολὺ τῆς ἐκείνου φιλοθεΐας ἐξῳκισμένους, ἀπογυμνοῖ μὲν εἰκότως τοῦ εἰκαίου σαρκικοῦ καυχήματος: τὸ δὲ μὴ χρῆναι λοιπὸν ἐν τοῖς ἐκείνου κατατετάχθαι τέκνοις διαῤῥήδην εἰπὼν, ἑτέρῳ τῷ κατ' αὐτοὺς προσνέμει πατρὶ, καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἔργων ὁμοιότητα δεσμὸν ὥσπερ τινὰ συγγενείας ὡρίσατο, τοὺς μὲν ἀγαθοὺς τὴν ἕξιν ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς συνδεῖσθαι πρέπει διδάσκων, τοὺς γεμὴν τῷ φαύλῳ συμβιοτεύοντας τρόπῳ τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἴσοις κατεγνωσμένους ἐν τάξει ποιεῖσθαι πατέρων ἀκόλουθον εἶναι διοριζόμενος. ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον τοῖς ἄριστα βιοῦν ἑλομένοις, καὶ ἁγίοις ἤδη διὰ τοῦτο κεχρηματικόσιν, ἀκινδύνως ἐξέσται πατέρα καλεῖν τὸν Θεὸν, ἐπείπερ αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ ἐγχωροῦν ἀνθρώποις ἀπομιμεῖσθαι σπουδάζουσιν, οὕτω καὶ τοῖς πονηροῖς δικαίως ἂν ἐπιγράφοιτο γεννήτωρ ὁ πονηρὸς, ἐπείπερ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς πονηρίας καὶ δυστροπίας ἐν ἤθεσι τοῖς ἰδίοις διαπλάττουσι τὴν εἰκόνα. πατὴρ γὰρ οὐ πάντως ὁ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ γεννήσας νοεῖται παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ μάλιστα γραφῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ τοῖς ἰδίοις ἤθεσι συμμόρφους ἔχων τινὰς, ὧν καὶ εἶναι λέγεται διὰ τοῦτο πατήρ. οὕτω καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος ἐπιστέλλει πρός τινας “Ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ” ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα.“ ὥσπερ οὖν, καθάπερ ἐλέγομεν, καὶ Θεῷ, καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις πατράσι σύμμορφοί τινες ἀποτελοῦνται διὰ τῆς ἐν τρόποις ὁμοιότητος καὶ ἁγιασμοῦ: οὕτω καὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ τοῖς κατ' αὐτὸν ὁμοήθεσι, καὶ ὁμογνώμονες ἀποτελοῦνταί τινες ἐξ ἰδίας τοῦτο πάσχοντες μοχθηρίας. οὐκοῦν ἁγίοις μὲν πατέρες οἱ ἅγιοι, πονηροῖς δὲ αὖ πάλιν οἱ πονηροὶ τρεπόμενοι, πρεπωδέστατοι. καὶ οἱ μὲν τὴν θείαν μορφὴν ὅσον ἧκεν εἰπεῖν ἐν ἁγιασμῷ ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἀναματτόμενοι ψυχαῖς, καὶ τὴν οἰκείοις υἱοῖς πρέπουσαν ἔχοντες παῤῥησίαν, εἰκότως ἐροῦσι ” Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.“ φαῦλοι δὲ πάλιν τῷ κατ' αὐτοὺς ἀνακείσονται πατρὶ, γεννηθέντες ὥσπερ διὰ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ὁμοιώσεως εἰς τὴν ἴσην μοχθηρίαν αὐτῶν. πατέρα τοιγαροῦν Ἰουδαίοις ἕτερον παρὰ τὸν ἅγιον Ἁβραὰμ ὁρίζει τε καὶ ὀνομάζει Χριστός: τίς δὲ οὗτος, οὔπω λέγει σαφῶς.
« Εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ Ἡμεῖς ἐκ πορνείας οὐ γεγεννήμεθα: ἕνα πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Θεόν. » Φθάσας ἤδη προεῖπον ὅτι πικρὰς καὶ ἀνοσίους ἐπὶ τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ τὰς διαλήψεις ἐνόσουν οἱ πάντα τολμῶντες Ἰουδαῖοι εὐκόλως. ᾤοντο γὰρ διεφθάρθαι μὲν τὴν ἁγίαν παρθένον, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου μήτερα φημὶ, ἔχουσαν δὲ ἁλῶναι κατὰ γαστρὸς οὐκ ἐξ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἢ ἐξ ἐνεργείας τῆς ἄνωθεν, ἀλλ' ὑπό του τυχὸν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ἀπειθεῖς γὰρ ὄντες καὶ ἀσύνετοι παντελῶς, ἢ λόγον οὐδένα τῶν προφητικῶν ἐποιοῦντο γραμμάτων, καίτοι διαῤῥήδην ἀκούοντες ” Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱὸν,“ ἢ εἰς μόνην ὁρῶντες τὴν σάρκα, καὶ ταῖς καθ' ἡμᾶς ἀκολουθίαις ἑπόμενοι, τὴν δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ λόγον ἐργάτιν οὐκ ἐννοήσαντες φύσιν, ᾗ δυσήνυτον μὲν οὐδὲν, ἅπαν δὲ τὸ δοκοῦν ἱππήλατον, μὴ ἑτέρως δύνασθαι κυοφορεῖν γυναῖκα νομίζουσιν, εἰ μὴ ἐκ συνόδου τῆς πρὸς ἄνδρα καὶ μίξεως. τοιαύτην νοσοῦντες τὴν ὑποψίαν οἱ δείλαιοι, συκοφαντεῖν ἀπετόλμων τὴν διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος γέννησιν τοῦ θείου τε καὶ οὐκ ἀθαυμάστου γεννήματος. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς πρὸς Ἁβραὰμ αὐτοὺς συγγενείας ἔξω τιθεὶς ἑτέρῳ προσνέμει δὲ πατρὶ, χαλεπαίνουσι σφόδρα, καὶ τὴν ἐνοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ὀργὴν ἀχαλίνως ἐπαφρίζοντες, διαλοιδορούμενοι λέγουσιν Ἡμεῖς ἐκ πορνείας οὐ γεγεννήμεθα, ἕνα πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Θεόν. τοιοῦτόν τι γάρ φασιν αἰνιγματωδῶς Δύο μὲν πατέρας ἔχεις αὐτὸς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐξ εὐγενῶν ἐγεννήθης γάμων, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἕνα τὸν Θεόν. ἀλλ' ὁράτω τις πάλιν καὶ διασκεπτέσθω σαφῶς ὅσην κἀν τούτῳ νοσοῦσι μωρίαν. οἱ γὰρ διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς φαυλότητά τε καὶ μοχθηρίαν οὐδὲ ἐν τέκνοις Ἁβραὰμ τεθειμένοι παρὰ τῷ δικαίῳ Κριτῇ, πρὸς τοσοῦτον ἀποπληξίας οἴχονται μέτρον, ὡς καὶ Θεὸν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιφημίζειν πατέρα, τάχα που διὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν βιβλίοις Μωυσαϊκοῖς ” Υἱὸς πρωτότοκός μου “Ἰσραὴλ,” τὸ δὲ διὰ τῆς Ἡσαΐου φωνῆς εἰς νοῦν οὐ δεχόμενοι “Οὐαὶ τέκνα ἀποστάται, τάδε λέγει Κύριος.” ζητήσειε δ' ἄν τις εἰκότως, τί τὸ πεπεικὸς ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τοὺς Ἰουδαίους οὐκέτι λέγειν Ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἁβραάμ ἐστιν, ἢ ἕνα πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἁβραὰμ, ἀλλ' εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τὸν ἕνα Θεὸν ἀναδραμεῖν. καί μοι δοκοῦσι τοιοῦτόν τι διεσκέφθαι καθ' ἑαυτούς. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑποπλήττοντες τῇ λοιδορίᾳ τὸν Κύριον ὡς νενοθευμένης πρὸ γάμου τῆς μητρὸς, δύο πατέρας ἐπέγραφον αὐτῷ, ἀναγκαίως συνεργὸν ὥσπερ τινὰ τῆς ἐπὶ τούτῳ κακονοίας τὴν τοῦ ἑνὸς κλῆσιν ἐζήτουν λαβεῖν. δι' ὧν γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἕνα πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν ἔχειν διισχυρίζονται, διὰ τούτων αὐτῶν δύο τῷ Κυρίῳ πλαγίως ἐπονειδίζουσιν ἀντιπαριστάντες ὥσπερ τὸν ἕνα δυσίν. ἐνενόουν γὰρ ὅτι λέγοντες ἕνα πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἁβραὰμ, πάντως ἂν ἠρνήσαντο τοὺς ἑτέρους, τὸν Ἰσαὰκ δὴ λέγω καὶ τὸν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ τοὺς ἐξ ἐκείνου δυοκαίδεκα, ὅπερ εἰ δρῷεν, ἐδόκουν ἤδη καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐξοπλίζεσθαι, μάχεσθαί τε τῷ ἰδίῳ θελήματι καὶ καυχήματι, τῆς τῶν πατέρων εὐγενείας τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἀλλοτριοῦντες, συντρέχειν τε διὰ τούτου λοιπὸν ταῖς τοῦ Κυρίου φωναῖς. βλάβος τοιγαροῦν ἐκτρέχοντες τὸ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοῖς ἀναφύεσθαι δοκοῦν, οὐκέτι μὲν λέγουσιν Ἕνα πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἁβραὰμ, ἐπιγράφουσι δὲ μᾶλλον ἑαυτοῖς ἕνα πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν, ταῖς εἰς λοιδορίας σφαλερωτάταις ἡδοναῖς καταθελγόμενοι μόναις, ἵνα καὶ μείζοσι περιπταίωσι ταῖς αἰτίαις, δυσσεβείας μὲν ἁπάσης ὄντες ἐργάται, ἐν πατρὸς δὲ τάξει λαβεῖν θαρσήσαντες τὸν ἁπάσης δυσσεβείας ἐχθρόν.
« Εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Εἰ ὁ Θεὸς πατὴρ ὑμῶν εἴη, ἠγαπᾶτε ἂν ἐμέ: ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἥκω. » Οὐκ ἀναιρεῖ δὲ διὰ τούτων ὁ Κύριος τὸ ἐξεῖναί τισι καὶ ἐν υἱοῖς κατατάττεσθαι Θεοῦ, δεικνύει δὲ μᾶλλον τίσιν ἂν πρέποι τὸ καύχημα, καὶ ὅτι μᾶλλον ἁγίοις ἐνυπάρχον εὑρεθήσεται. διελέγχει δὲ μᾶλλον ἀφραίνοντα τὸν ὑβριστὴν Ἰουδαῖον. εἷς μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἀληθὴς ἐγὼ πέφυκα κατὰ φύσιν Υἱὸς, ἐκ Θεοῦ δὲ δηλονότι Πατρός: τέθεινται δὲ πάντες ὡς πρὸς ἐμὲ μορφούμενοι, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναβαίνοντες δόξαν: αἱ γὰρ εἰκόνες ἀεὶ πρὸς τὰ ἀρχέτυπα. πῶς οὖν ὅλως δύνασθέ φησιν ἐναριθμεῖσθαι ἐν τέκνοις Θεοῦ, τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ πεφηνότα καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν μεταπλάττοντα μόρφωσιν τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύοντας, οὐχ ὅπως οὐκ ἀγαπᾶν ἐγνωκότες, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ ἀτιμάζοντες, οὐ καθ' ἕνα τρόπον, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πολλούς; καὶ οἱ τὸν χαρακτῆρα μὴ δεξάμενοι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, πῶς ἂν ὅλως μορφωθεῖεν ὡς πρὸς αὐτόν; ἄλλως τε καὶ οὐ τοῖς τυχοῦσιν ἀνεγκλήτως ἐξέσται, φησὶ, πατέρα καλεῖσθαι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ' οἷς ἂν τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν εὐσεβείας ἐναστράπτοι τὸ κάλλος, ἐκείνοις οἶμαι, καὶ οὐχ ἑτέροις, ἁρμόσει. ἐγὼ τὰ κάλλιστα συμβουλεύσων ἐξ οὐρανοῦ παραγέγονα, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μόρφωσιν καλῶν ὑμᾶς ὁ ἐμὸς εὑρίσκεται λόγος. ἀλλ' εἴπερ ἦν ὄντως ὑμῖν ἐν σπουδῇ καὶ πόθῳ τὸ ἔχειν πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν, πάντως ὅτι καὶ ἠγαπήσατέ με, τὸν τῆς τοιαύτης ὁδοῦ καὶ καθηγητὴν καὶ διδάσκαλον, τὸν διδόντα τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἕνα καὶ ἀληθῶς Υἱὸν ὁμοιότητος τὰς ἀφορμὰς, τὸν ἀποτελοῦντα συμμόρφους ἑαυτῷ διὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος τοὺς δεχομένους αὐτόν. ὁ δὲ ὅλως, φησὶν, οἰκειότητι τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν ἐπαυχῶν, πῶς οὐκ ἂν ἠγάπησε τὸν παρὰ Θεοῦ; πῶς γὰρ εἰπέ μοι τιμήσει τὸ δένδρον ὁ τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννηθέντα καρπὸν ἀνοήτως ἐκμυσαττόμενος; “Ἢ τοίνυν, φησὶ, ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον ” καλὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ καλὸν, ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον “σαπρὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ σαπρόν.” οὐκοῦν εἰ τὸ δένδρον εὐγενὲς, τουτέστιν, ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, καὶ τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ λαμπρότητα ταῖς ἑαυτῶν κεφαλαῖς ἐπαντλεῖν ἐγνώκατε, διὰ τί μὴ καὶ τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ καρπὸν τοιοῦτον εἶναι πιστεύσαντες ἠγαπήσατε; ὁμοῦ τοιγαροῦν τὸ προκείμενον καὶ πικρὸν ἔχει πρὸς Ἰουδαίους τὸν ἔλεγχον: δεικνύει γὰρ ψευδομένους. ὅτε γὰρ πατέρα καλεῖν Θεὸν ἐπιχειροῦσι, πολύ τι τῆς ἀρετῆς τῶν εἰς τοῦτο κεκλημένων ἀφεστηκότες διὰ τοῦ μὴ ἀγαπᾶν τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν: ὁμοῦ δὲ χρησίμως καὶ τῆς ἀῤῥήτου γεννήσεως εἰσφέρει τὴν μνήμην, ἵνα πάλιν κἀν τούτῳ δυσσεβοῦντες ἁλίσκωνται, δυσγενῆ καὶ νόθον ἀποκαλοῦντες αὐτόν. εἰ μὲν οὖν τὸ λέγειν Ἐγὼ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθον, τὴν ἐκ Πατρὸς ἄῤῥητόν τε καὶ ἄναρχον γέννησιν ἑαυτοῦ σημαίνει: τὸ δέ Ἥκω προστιθεὶς, τὴν ἐν τῷδε τῷ κόσμῳ πάροδον τὴν μετὰ σαρκός. καὶ οὐ δήπου φησὶν ἔναντι καὶ πρῶτον τότε ἐκ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἀναλάμψαι τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον, ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος: τοῦτο γὰρ ἔν τισιν ἔδοξε τῶν ἀνοσίων αἱρετικῶν: ἐκλήψεται δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ἀκολούθως τὸ εἰρημένον, καὶ νοήσει πάλιν εὐσεβῶς. οὐ γὰρ ἐπεὶ συνῆψε τὰς λέξεις, τό τε Ἐξῆλθον καὶ τό Ἥκω φημὶ, ὁμόχρονος ἔσται πάντως τῇ γενέσει τῆς σαρκὸς ὁ ἐκ Πατρὸς Λόγος, ἀλλ' ἑκάστῳ τῶν σημαινομένων τὸ πρέπον διατηρήσομεν. πρώτην μὲν γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Λόγου γέννησιν τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ νοουμένην ἀνάρχως εἶναι καὶ ὑπὲρ νοῦν πιστεύοντες: διὸ καὶ προτέθειται ἐν τῷ Ἐγὼ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθον: ἡ δὲ δευτέρα, τουτέστιν ἡ κατὰ σάρκα Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ ἐλήλυθα, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνός με ἀπέστειλεν. ἐσαρκώθην καθ' ὑμᾶς, τουτέστι, γέγονα ἄνθρωπος, ἐν εὐδοκίᾳ τε τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἀφικόμην ἐν τῷδε τῷ κόσμῳ διαλεξόμενος ὑμῖν τὰ παρὰ Θεοῦ, καὶ γνωρίσων οὐκ εἰδόσι τὰ ὅσαπερ αὐτῷ κατὰ γνώμην ἐστίν. ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠγαπήσατε, φησὶ, τὸν ἐκ θείας ὑμῖν ἀναδειχθέντα βουλήσεως Σωτῆρα καὶ ποδηγόν. πῶς οὖν ἔτι χρηματιεῖτε τέκνα Θεοῦ, ἢ κατὰ τίνα τρόπον τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκειότητος ἀποκερδανεῖτε τὴν χάριν, τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ μὴ τιμήσαντες; εἰκὸς δὲ δή τι πάλιν ὑπαινίττεσθαι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ καθυλακτοῦντα μάτην αὐτοῦ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸν δῆμον κατασιγάζειν ἐπείγεσθαι καὶ διὰ τῶν τοιούτων ῥημάτων. τί δὲ ἄρα τὸ ὑποδηλούμενόν ἐστι, δι' ὀλίγων ἐροῦμεν. Πολλοὶ παρὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τὸν μὲν θεῖον παρ' οὐδὲν ἡγούμενοι φόβον, θαυμάζοντες δὲ καὶ ἀποδεχόμενοι μόνας τὰς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων τιμὰς, καὶ αἰσχρῶν λημμάτων ἡττώμενοι, προφητεύειν ἀπετόλμων τὰ “ἀπὸ καρδίας ἑαυτῶν λαλοῦντες, ” καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ στόματος Κυρίου,“ καθὰ γέγραπται. καὶ γοῦν αὐτὸς ὁ πάντων Δεσπότης ἐπῃτιᾶτο λέγων ” Οὐκ ἀπέστελον “τοὺς προφήτας, οὐκ ἐλάλησα πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ αὐτοὶ προε” φήτευον:“ ἀλλὰ καὶ δράσειν αὐτοὺς τὰ δεινὰ ἐπηπείλει λοιπὸν βοῶν ” Οὐαὶ τοῖς προφητεύουσιν ἀπὸ καρδίας αὐτῶν, “καὶ τὸ καθόλου μὴ βλέπουσι.” τοιοῦτός τις ἦν ὁ Σαμέας ὁ τοῖς Ἱερεμίου λόγοις τὸ οἰκεῖον ψεῦδος ἀντιτιθεὶς, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ξυλίνους ἁρπάσας κλοιοὺς, συντρίψας δὲ καὶ εἰπών “Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Συντρίψω τὸν ζυγὸν Βαβυλῶνος ” βασιλέως.“ ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν λέγοντος τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ ” Νῦν δέ με ζητεῖτε ἀποκτεῖναι, ἄνθρωπον ὃς τὴν “ἀλήθειαν ὑμῖν λελάληκα, ἣν ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ,” διεγόγγυζον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ἀληθῶς οὐκ εἰδότες αὐτὸν, ψευδοπροφήτην ὑπάρχειν ἐνόμιζον, ἐσκληρύνοντό τε ταύτης ἕνεκα τῆς αἰτίας, ὡς ἤδη μὲν αὐτῷ καὶ διαλοιδορεῖσθαι τολμᾶν, φονᾶν δὲ οὕτως ἀγρίως, ὡς ἤδη τοῦτο καὶ ἐπείγεσθαι δρᾶν, χρησίμως αὐτοὺς καταπτοεῖ πάλιν, οὐκ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ μὲν ἐλθεῖν καθάπερ ἦν ἔθος αὐτοῖς ψευδοπροφητεύουσιν, ἀπεστάλθαι δὲ παρὰ Θεοῦ λέγων, ἵνα ἐν ταὐτῷ καὶ τὴν τοῦ ψευδοπροφήτου δόξαν ἀποκρουόμενος, καὶ διδάσκων ὡς οὐ μετρίαν ὑφέξουσι δίκην, οὐχ ὅπως ἀτιμάζοντες μόνον τὸν ἀπεσταλμένον παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ φονᾶν ἐπ' αὐτῷ τολμήσαντες, τὸ ἀχάλινον αὐτῶν ἀνακόψειε θράσος. Ὁ μὲν οὖν τοῦ προκειμένου λόγος ἐν τούτοις: εἰκὸς δὴ πάλιν τροφὴν ὥσπερ τινὰ ποιεῖσθαι τὸν αἱρετικὸν τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτῷ δυσσεβείας τὸ εἰρημένον. κατηγορήσει γὰρ ἴσως τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Μονογενοῦς, εἶναί τε αὐτὴν ἐν ἐλάττοσιν ἢ ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ νομίσει, διὰ τὸ ἀπεστάλθαι λέγειν παρ' αὐτοῦ. ἀλλ' ἐννοείτω πάλιν ὁ τοιοῦτος καὶ τῆς ἀρτίως ἡμῖν εἰρημένης οἰκονομίας τὸν τρόπον, καὶ μεμνήσθω βοῶντος τοῦ Παύλου περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ “Ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ” ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ, ἀλλ' “ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε μορφὴν δούλου λαβὼν, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ” ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος, καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος “ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν, ὑπήκοος γενόμενος μέχρι θανάτου.” εἰ δὲ τεταπείνωκεν ἑαυτὸν ἑκὼν, δηλονότι συγκατανεύοντος ὥσπερ καὶ συνεθέλοντος αὐτῷ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ποῖον ἕξει τὸ κατηγόρημα διεξάγων εἰς τέλος τῆς οἰκονομίας τὸν τρόπον, καθ' ὃν ἔδει λόγον; εἰ δὲ διὰ τὸ λέγειν ἀπεστάλθαι, καὶ ἐν ἐλάττοσιν ἢ ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ οἴει κεῖσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, πῶς εἰπὲ γάρ μοι πάλιν ὁ ἐν ἐλάττοσιν ὢν κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἀμαθίαν, ἀπαραλλάκτως ἐνεργεῖ τὰ Θεοῦ; ποῦ γὰρ τὸ ἔλαττον ἐν αὐτῷ διαφαίνεται πάντα τελείως ἔχοντος τὰ τοῦ ἰδίου γεννήτορος, καὶ πληρεστάτην ἐξουσίαν τὴν θεοπρεπῆ; οὐκοῦν οὐκ ἐλάττων διὰ τὴν ἀποστολὴν νοηθήσεται, ἀλλὰ Θεὸς ὑπάρχων ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ ἀληθινῶς, ἐπείπερ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Πατρὸς, πέμπεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς καθάπερ ἐξ ἡλίου τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ σκεδαννύμενον φῶς, ἵνα σοφοῖ τὸ σοφίας ἐπιδεὲς, οὕτω τε λοιπὸν ἀναβιβάζοιτο δι' αὐτοῦ, καὶ πρὸς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς δυναμωθείη τὸ ἠσθενηκὸς, καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἀναγάγοιτο. πάντα γὰρ τῇ ἀνθρώπου φύσει τὰ κάλλιστα διὰ μόνου πέφηνε τοῦ Χριστοῦ. οἰκετικὸν οὖν ἄρα τὸ παράπαν οὐδὲν ἐν Χριστῷ, πλὴν ἄρα μόνης τῆς κατὰ σάρκα μορφῆς, θεοπρεπὴς δὲ μᾶλλον ἡ ἐφ' ἅπασιν ἐξουσία καὶ δύναμις, κἂν ὁ λόγος ἡμῖν σχηματίζηται τὸ ἀνθρώπινον τῷ τῆς ταπεινώσεως μέτρῳ καλῶς συμμορφούμενος.
« Διὰ τί τὴν λαλιὰν τὴν ἐμὴν οὐ γινώσκετε; ὅτι οὐ δύνασθε ἀκούειν τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐμόν. » Τὸ καὶ πολλάκις εἰρημένον ἡμῖν ἐροῦμεν πάλιν, διὰ τὸ τοῖς ἐντευξομένοις λυσιτελές: ἰέναι γὰρ καὶ μάλα συχνῶς τὸν λόγον διὰ τοῦ πεφυκότος ὠφελεῖν τὸ ἀδικοῦν οὐδέν. ἔθος τοιγαροῦν τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ τὸν μὲν ἀπὸ γλώσσης ἀναβρασθέντα λόγον οὐ πάντως ἐκδέχεσθαι τῶν ἀπειθούντων αὐτῷ, ἐνορᾶν δὲ μᾶλλον εἰς καρδίας καὶ νεφροὺς, καὶ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ποιεῖσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν στρεφομένους ἔτι διαλογισμούς. ἄνθρωπος μὲν γὰρ οὐκ εἰδὼς τὰ ἐν ἑτέρῳ διανοήματα, τὸν προφορικὸν ἀναγκαίως ἐκδέξεται λόγον, Θεὸς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως: πάντα γὰρ εἰδὼς, ἀντὶ φωνῆς ἔχει τὸ ἐνθύμιον. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἔφη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὁ Κύριος ἐληλυθέναι μὲν οὐκ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, καθάπερ ἦν ἔθος τοῖς ἐξ οἰκείας γνώμης, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ θείου Πνεύματος ἐπὶ τὸ προφητεύειν βαδίζουσι, πεπέμφθαι γεμὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, διενθυμοῦνται πάλιν, ἤτοι διαλογίζονται καθ' ἑαυτοὺς, ἢ καὶ λεληθότως ἀλλήλοις ἐμψιθυρίζοντες ἔφασκον Πολλοὶ λελαλήκασι προφῆται τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος εἰς ἡμᾶς εἰσεκόμισαν λόγους, ἀλλ' εὑρίσκομεν οὐδὲν παρ' ἐκείνοις τοιοῦτον, ὁποῖον ἐν τοῖς τούτου ῥήμασιν. ἀποφέρει γὰρ παντελῶς τῆς κατὰ νόμον λατρείας, καὶ εἰς ἑτέραν τινὰ μεθίστησι πολιτείαν, καὶ ξένην ἡμῖν εἰσηγεῖται βίου διαγωγήν. οὐκοῦν ἀσύμφωνος ἐναργῶς, ἀσύμβατος δὲ τοῖς πάλαι γέγονεν ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ. ταῦτα κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἐπείπερ ἐθεᾶτο διενθυμουμένους αὐτοὺς, δεικνὺς ὅτι Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶ, καὶ τὰ ἐν καρδίαις εἰδὼς βουλεύματα προσλαμβάνει καί φησι Διὰ τί τὴν λαλιὰν τὴν ἐμὴν οὐ γινώσκετε; ὅτι οὐ δύνασθε ἀκούειν τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐμόν. οὐκ ἠγνόηκα, φησὶν, ὡς τὴν ἐμὴν οὐ δύνασθε συνιέναι λαλιὰν, ἤτοι διδασκαλίαν, ἀλλ' ἐρῶ τὴν αἰτίαν ὑμῖν τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ τί τὸ ἐμποδὼν, καταστήσω σαφές. οὐ δύνασθε τὸν ἐμὸν ἀκοῦσαι λόγον: τὸ δέ Οὐ δύνασθέ φησιν, ἀτονοῦντας ἐλέγχων περὶ τὸ τελείως ἀγαθὸν, διὰ τὸ ἰδίοις προκεκρατῆσθαι πάθεσιν. ἀπονευροῖ μὲν γὰρ ἡ φιληδονία τὸν νοῦν, καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὸ φαῦλον ἀχαλίνως ἔχουσα ῥοπὴ προσεκλύουσα τῆς καρδίας τὸν τόνον, ἀδρανῆ καὶ ἀτολμοτάτην αὐτὴν ἀπεργάζεται πρός γε τὸ δύνασθαι κατορθοῦν ἀρετήν. προησθενηκότες τοιγαροῦν ταῖς εἰς φαυλότητα ῥοπαῖς, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδίων παθῶν τυραννούμενοι, φησὶ, τὸν ἐμὸν ἀκούειν οὐ δύνασθε λόγον: “Εὐθεῖαι μὲν γὰρ αἱ ὁδοὶ Κυρίου,” κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, “καὶ δίκαιοι πορεύσονται ἐν αὐταῖς, οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ” ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν αὐταῖς.“ συγγενὲς εὑρήσεις τούτοις, καὶ τὸ ἐν ἑτέροις πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους εἰρημένον ” Πῶς δύνασθε “πιστεύειν, δόξαν παρ' ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες, καὶ τὴν ” δόξαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου Θεοῦ οὐ ζητεῖτε;“ κἀν τούτῳ γὰρ δὴ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι πιστεύειν αὐτοὺς, τὴν ἑκούσιον τῆς διανοίας ἀσθένειαν, ἤτοι τὸ προκεχειρῶσθαι ταῖς φιλοδοξίαις τὸν νοῦν σημαίνει. ἀληθὲς δὲ πάλιν ὑπάρχον ἐπὶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις εὑρίσκομεν τὸ διὰ τῆς τοῦ Παύλου φωνῆς εἰρημένον ” Ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος “τοῦ Θεοῦ, μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστιν.” οὐκοῦν ἐπειδήπερ ἦσαν ψυχικοὶ, μωρίαν ἡγοῦντο τὸν ἐπὶ τὸ σώζεσθαι καλοῦντα λοιπὸν, καὶ τῆς ἐξαιρέτου πολιτείας διδάσκοντα τὴν ὁδὸν, ἀπευθύνοντά τε καλῶς εἰς τὸ ἀρέσκειν δύνασθαι τῷ φιλαρέτῳ Θεῷ, ᾧ πᾶσα τιμὴ, δόξα, κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.