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they call. Such was always the word, perhaps, for the people, if they wished. For the one clothed in God would not have perceived mourning, or old age; for there, through use, wearing out happens. We, therefore, use things in such a way as to wear them out even if they are new; but God uses things in such a way as to make them new even if they are old. This also happened in the case of the new covenant; He put it on them and made them new. *He speaks of a linen loincloth; for he adds: And put it 64.885 around your loins. He takes the prophet as a type of God. And the loincloth, as a type of the people. Put it, therefore, around your loins, just as I bound my people to me through the laws. And it shall not pass through water. Do not wash it from the filth, just as I did not turn away from it when it was stained with the blood of idolatry. Take the loincloth, and go to the Euphrates. For what reason to the Euphrates, and did he command him to walk such a great distance? For was not the river Jordan near? but so that He might show from where the evils would come, and for what reason, and He lets many days pass. And I went, and I hid it. And it came to pass after many days. So that you might learn of the long-suffering; for lest you think that the length of days caused the corruption, it is new, and it is placed in stone, where not even a worm from wood would come forth. He hid them, that is, He placed them in safety, as if in a rock. When He took them from Himself, He terrified, He threatened, and nothing more was happening, then they are corrupted. He shows that the corruption is from the wrath of God. They were not destroyed at the same time as they were taken from the loins; for God does not destroy us at the same time as He casts us off; we are not punished at the same time as we are considered unworthy of Him; but He bears for a long time, and then He brings the punishment. And acquire for yourself. He did not receive it from anyone, not for his own need; for the prophet was not in need; not that he might be covered, but that he might make it his own. Therefore, just as the prophet was not more glorious when wearing it, nor less glorious when taking it off, nor did he need it, so neither does God. But see how he does not learn everything in order, but little by little, so that you may learn of his obedience. He said: Acquire, and put it on. He did not say, Why? but he obeyed. Again He said: Go to the Euphrates; he did not say, Why? but he was fully persuaded, and was convinced. Let us also do this. He did not say, It is a disgrace, it is a laughing-stock; but he obeys in all things. For this reason He commands him little by little, so that he might learn obedience. Those who are not willing to obey my words, and who have gone after other gods. Do you see how the intensification brought forth the punishment? Do you see the healing that removes the evils, not simply the people? Then he states the wickedness: Those who are not willing to obey my word, and who have gone after other gods; and that they are not willing; Behold, others are not willing either. But these have enjoyed benefits. I did not put the nations around myself, but these, yes, not for my own sake, but for theirs. Just as the loincloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made them cling to myself. The loincloth is an image of the people, and the prophet of God; and just as at first, when clinging to the prophet's loins, it was uncorrupted, but when separated from them, it was corrupted, so also the people, when they were close to 64.888 God, remained unharmed, but having departed from Him, became completely useless. To be for me a people of renown, and for a boast, and for a glory. He says these things not as if He Himself needed glory, but because of the people. So be it; you do not wish to glorify Me, for what reason have you dishonored yourselves? And you shall say to this people: Every wineskin will be filled with wine. Again, an example; just as the wineskin is made for this, to be filled, so also it is necessary for you hereafter, as if made for this, to be filled with punishment. For through the two images he shows, not that he punishes, but that it is with excess, and incurably. And you shall say ... Behold I will fill ... and their kings. Do not think that you have a defense from your ancestors; this most of all accuses you.

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καλοῦσιν. Τοιοῦτος ἦν ἀεὶ ὁ λόγος ἴσ. λαός εἴγε ἐβούλετο. Ὁ γὰρ Θεὸν περικείμενος, οὐκ ἂν ᾔσθετο πένθους, ἢ γήρως· ἐκεῖ γὰρ παρὰ τὴν χρῆσιν τὸ τριβῆναι γίνεται. Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν οὕτω χρώμεθα, ὥστε εἰ καὶ καινὸν εἴη κατατρίψαι· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς οὕτω χρῆται, ὥστε εἰ καὶ παλαιὸν εἴη ποιῆσαι νέον. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς καινῆς γέγονε, περιέθετο αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐποίησε νέους. *Ζώνην λέγει λινῆν· ἐπάγει γοῦν· Καὶ περίθου 64.885 περὶ τὴν ὀσφύν σου. Τὸν δὲ προφήτην εἰς τύπον λαμβάνει τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τὸ δὲ περίζωμα, εἰς τύπον τοῦ λαοῦ. Περίθου οὖν περὶ τὴν ὀσφύν σου, ὡς ἐγὼ τὸν λαόν μου συνῆψα ἐμοὶ διὰ τῶν νομίμων. Καὶ ἐν ὕδατι οὐ διελεύσεται. Ἀπὸ τοῦ ῥύπου μὴ ἀποῤῥύψῃς, ὡς οὐδὲ ἐγὼ ἀπεστράφην αἵμασιν εἰδωλολατρίας πεφυρμένον. Λάβε τὸ περίζωμα, καὶ βάδισον ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐφράτην. Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐν τῷ Εὐφράτῃ, καὶ βαδίζειν τοσαύτην ὁδὸν ἐπέτρεψεν; ὁ γὰρ Ἰορδάνης ποταμὸς οὐχὶ πλησίον ἦν; ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξῃ πόθεν ἔπεισι τὰ κακὰ, καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν, καὶ πολλὰς ἀφίησιν ἡμέρας. Καὶ ἐπορεύθην, καὶ ἔκρυψα. Καὶ ἐγένετο καθ' ἡμέρας πολλάς. Ἵνα μάθῃς τὴν μακροθυμίαν· ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίσῃς, τὸ μῆκος τῶν ἡμερῶν πεποιηκέναι τὴν φθορὰν, καινόν ἐστι, καὶ ἐν λίθῳ κεῖται, ἔνθα οὔτε σκώληξ ἀπὸ ξύλου ἐξῄει. Κατέκρυψεν αὐτοὺς, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ἐποίησεν, ὥσπερ ἐν πέτρᾳ. Ὅτε ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἀφεῖλεν, ἐφόβησεν, ἠπείλησεν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐγίνετο πλέον, λοιπὸν διαφθείρονται. ∆είκνυσι ὅτι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀργῆς, ἡ διαφθορά. Οὐχ ἅμα τὸ ἀρθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς ὀσφύος ἀπώλοντο· οὐ γὰρ ἅμα ὅταν ἡμᾶς ἀποῤῥίψῃ ὁ Θεὸς, ἀναιρεῖ· οὐχ ἅμα τῷ νομισθῆναι αὐτοῦ ἀνάξιοι, κολαζόμεθα· ἀλλὰ φέρει πολὺν χρόνον, καὶ τότε ἐπάγει τὴν τιμωρίαν. Καὶ κτῆσαι σεαυτῷ. Οὐ παρά τινος ἔλαβεν, οὐκ εἰς οἰκείαν χρείαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐδεῖτο ὁ προφήτης· οὐχ ἵνα σκέπηται, ἀλλ' ἵνα αὐτὸν οἰκειώσηται. Ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ προφήτης οὐδὲ περιβαλλόμενος ἐνδοξότερος ἦν, οὔτε ἀποθέμενος ἀδοξότερος ἦν, οὔτε ἐδεῖτο αὐτοῦ, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὁ Θεός. Ὅρα δὲ πῶς οὐ πάντα μανθάνει ἐφεξῆς, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μικρὸν, ἵνα μάθῃς αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπακοήν. Εἶπεν· Κτῆσαι, καὶ περίθου. Οὐκ εἶπε, ∆ιατί; ἀλλ' ὑπήκουσε. Πάλιν εἶπεν· Ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν Εὐφράτην· οὐκ εἶπεν, ∆ιατί? ἀλλ' ἐπληροφορήθη, καὶ ἐπείσθη. Τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς πράττωμεν. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἀσχημοσύνη ἐστὶ, γέλως ἐστίν· ἀλλὰ πάντα πείθεται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο κατὰ μικρὸν αὐτῷ ἐπιτάσσει, ἵνα μάθῃ τὴν ὑπακοήν. Τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους ὑπακούειν τῶν λόγων μου, καὶ πορευθέντας ὀπίσω θεῶν ἀλλοτρίων. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἡ ἐπίτασις τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐξήνεγκεν; Ὁρᾷς ἰατρείαν τὰ κακὰ ἀναιροῦσαν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους; Εἶτα λέγει τὴν κακίαν· Τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους ὑπακούειν τῷ λόγῳ μου, καὶ πορευθέντας ὀπίσω θεῶν ἀλλοτρίων· καὶ ὅτι οὐ βούλονται· Ἰδοὺ οὐδὲ ἄλλοι βούλονται. Ἀλλ' οὗτοι εὐεργεσίας ἀπήλαυσαν. Τὰ ἔθνη οὐ περιέθηκα ἐμαυτῷ, τούτους δὲ ναὶ οὐ δι' ἐμαυτὸν, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτούς. Καθάπερ κολλᾶται τὸ περίζωμα περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, οὕτως ἐκόλλησα πρὸς ἐμαυτόν. Τὸ περίζωμα εἰκών ἐστι τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ προφήτης τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ πρῶτα κεκολλημένον τῇ τοῦ προφήτου ὀσφύϊ ἀδιάφθορον ἦν, ταύτης δὲ χωρισθὲν διεφθάρη, οὕτω καὶ ὁ λαὸς, ἡνίκα ᾠκείωτο τῷ 64.888 Θεῷ, ἔμενεν ἀβλαβὴς, τούτου δὲ ἀποστὰς, παντάπασι γέγονεν ἄχρηστος. Τοῦ γενέσθαι μοι εἰς λαὸν ὀνομαστὸν, καὶ εἰς καύχημα, καὶ εἰς δόξαν. Ταῦτα λέγει οὐχ ὡς αὐτὸς δεόμενος δόξης, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Ἔστω· ἐμὲ οὐ βούλεσθε δοξάσαι, τίνος ἕνεκεν ἑαυτοὺς ἠτιμάσατε; Καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον· Πᾶς ἀσκὸς πληρωθήσεται οἴνου. Πάλιν ὑπόδειγμα· ὥσπερ ὁ ἀσκὸς πρὸς τοῦτο γεγένηται, ὥστε πληροῦσθαι, οὕτω καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀνάγκη ἐστὶ λοιπὸν, ὥσπερ πρὸς τοῦτο γενομένους, οὕτω πληρωθῆναι τῆς τιμωρίας. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τῶν δύο εἰκόνων δείκνυσιν, οὐχ ὅτι τιμωρεῖται, ἀλλ' ὅτι, μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς, καὶ ἀνιάτως. Καὶ ἐρεῖς ... Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ πληρῶ ... καὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς αὐτῶν. Μὴ νομίσητε ἔχειν ἀπὸ προγόνων ἀπολογίαν· τοῦτο μάλιστα ὑμῶν κατηγορεῖ.