Homily XLIX.

Matt. XIV. 13.

“But when Jesus heard of it, He departed thence by ship into a desert place apart; and when the multitudes had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot out of all the cities.”1915   [R.V., “from the cities;” the word “all” is not found in the text of Matthew, but in Mark vi. 33.—R.]

See Him on every occasion “departing,”1916   [“withdrawing;” so the R.V. properly renders ἀναχωρενοκονομα, that is, of His incarnation and manhood. For not by His appearance only, but by His actions He would have this confirmed, because He knew the devil’s craft, and that he would leave nothing undone to destroy this doctrine.

He then for this end retires; but the multitudes not even so withdraw themselves from Him, but they follow, riveted to Him, and not even John’s tragical end alarmed them. So great a thing is earnest desire, so great a thing is love; in such wise doth it overcome and dispel all dangers.

Therefore they straightway also received their reward. For “Jesus,” it is said, “went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.”1917   Matt. xiv. 14.

For great as their assiduity was, yet nevertheless His doings exceeded what any diligence could earn. Wherefore He sets forth also His motive for so healing them, His mercy, intense mercy: and He healeth all.

And He requires not faith here. For both by coming to Him, and by leaving their cities, and by diligently seeking Him, and by abiding with Him even when hunger was pressing, they display their own faith.

But He is about to feed them also. And He doth not this of Himself, but waits to be entreated; on every occasion, as I have said, maintaining this rule, not to spring onward to His miracles, preventing them, but upon some call.1918   [τ μ πρτερο πιπηδν το θαμασιν, λλ καλομενο.]

And why did none of the multitude come near and speak for them? They reverenced Him exceedingly, and felt not even their hunger, through their longing to stay with Him. Neither indeed do His disciples, when they were come to Him, say, “Feed them;” for as yet they were rather in an imperfect state; but what?

“And when it was evening,” it is said, “His disciples came to Him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now passed; send the multitude away, that they may go and buy themselves victuals.”1919   Matt. xiv. 15.

For if even after the miracle they forgot what had been done, and after the baskets, supposed Him to be speaking of loaves, when He gave the name of “leaven” to the doctrine of the Pharisees;1920   Matt. xvi. 6.much less, when they had never yet had experience of such a miracle, would they have expected any such thing. And yet He had made a beginning by actually healing many sick; but nevertheless, not even from this did they expect the miracle of the loaves; so imperfect were they as yet.

But mark thou, I pray, the Teacher’s skill, how distinctly He summons them on towards believing. For He said not at once, “I feed them;” which indeed would not have been easily received; but what?

“But Jesus,” so it is written, “said unto them, “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.”1921   Matt. xiv. 16.

He said not, “I give them,” but, “Give ye them;” for as yet their regard to Him was as to a man. But they not even so are awakened, but still reason as with a man, saying,

“We have but five loaves, and two fishes.”1922   Matt. xiv. 17.

Wherefore Mark also saith, “They understood not the saying, for their heart was hardened.”1923   Matt. vi. 52. [Slightly altered.]

They continuing therefore to crawl on the ground, then at length He brings in His own part, and saith, “Bring them hither to me.” For although the place be desert, yet He that feeds the world is here; and although the time be now past, yet He that is not subject to time is discoursing with you.

But John saith also, that they were “barley loaves,”1924   John vi. 9.not mentioning it without object, but teaching us to trample under foot the pride of costly living. Such was the diet of the prophets also.1925   See 2 Kings iv. 42; v. 19–21.

2. “He took therefore the five loaves, and the two fishes, and commanded the multitude,” it is said, “to sit down upon the grass, and looking up to Heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.1926   [In verse 19τονυν is inserted; the order of the clauses changed, and το ρτου omitted.—R.] And they did all eat and were filled, and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”1927   Verses 20, 21 are verbally exact. The R.V. renders more accurately the last clause of ver. 20, “that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.”—R.]

Wherefore did He look up to Heaven, and bless? It was to be believed of Him, both that He is of the Father, and that He is equal to Him. But the proofs of these things seemed to oppose one another. For while His equality was indicated by His doing all with authority, of His origin from the Father they could no otherwise be persuaded, than by His doing all with great lowliness, and with reference to Him, and invoking Him on His works. Wherefore we see that He neither did these actions only, nor those, that both might be confirmed; and now He works miracles with authority, now with prayer.

Then again, that what He did might not seem an inconsistency, in the lesser things He looks up to Heaven, but in the greater doth all with authority; to teach thee in the lesser also, that not as receiving power from elsewhere, but as honoring Him that begat Him, so He acts. For example: when He forgave sins, and opened paradise, and brought in the thief, and most utterly set aside the old law, and raised innumerable dead, and bridled the sea, and reproved the un-uttered thoughts of men, and created an eye;—which are achievements of God only and of none else;—we see Him in no instance praying: but when He provided for the loaves to multiply themselves, a far less thing than all these, then He looks up to Heaven; at once establishing these truths which I have spoken of, and instructing us not to touch a meal, until we have given thanks to Him who giveth us this food.

And why doth He not make it of things that are not? Stopping the mouth of Marcion, and of Manichæans, who alienate His creation from Him, and teaching by His very works, that even all the things that are seen are His works and creatures, and signifying that it is Himself who gives the fruits, who said at the beginning, “Let the earth put forth the herb of grass,” and “Let the waters bring forth things moving with living souls.”1928   Gen. l. 11, 20. [LXX., ἐρπετ ψυχν ζωσν.]

For this is not at all a less work than the other. For though those were made of things that are not, yet nevertheless were they of water; and it was no greater thing to produce fruits out of the earth, and moving things with life out of the water, than out of five loaves to make so many; and of fishes again, which was a sign that He was ruler both of the earth and of the sea.

Thus, since the sick were constantly the subject of His miracles, He works also a general benefit, that the many might not be spectators only of what befell others, but themselves also partakers of the gift.

And that which in the wilderness seemed to the Jews marvellous, (they said at least, “Can He give bread also? or prepare a table in the wilderness?”1929   Ps. lxxviii. 20.) this He shows forth in His works. With this view also He leads them into the wilderness, that the miracle might be very far beyond suspicion, and that no one might think that any village lying near contributed ought to the meal. For this reason He mentions the hour also, not the place only.

And another thing too we learn, the self-restraint of the disciples which they practised in necessary things, and how little they accounted of food. For being twelve, they had five loaves only and two fishes; so secondary to them were the things of the body: so did they cling to the things spiritual only.

And not even that little did they hold fast, but gave up even it when asked. Whereby we should be taught, that though we have but little, this too we ought to give up to them that are in need. Thus, when commanded to bring the five loaves, they say not, “and whence are we to have food? whence to appease our own hunger?” but they obey at once.

And besides what I have mentioned, to this end, as I at least think, He makes it out of the materials which they had, namely, that He might lead them to faith; for as yet they were rather in a weak state.1930   In these and other places of this Homily there may be perhaps a tacit reference to the Holy Eucharist, and to the aptitude of the miracle of the loaves as a preparation of the apostles for it.

Wherefore also “He looks up to Heaven.” For of the other miracles they had many examples, but of this none.1931   In these and other places of this Homily there may be perhaps a tacit reference to the Holy Eucharist, and to the aptitude of the miracle of the loaves as a preparation of the apostles for it.

3. “He took the loaves,” therefore, “and brake them, and gave them by His disciples,” hereby to honor them; and not in honor to them only, but also that, when the miracle had been done they might not disbelieve it, nor forget it when it had past, their own hands bearing them witness.1932   In these and other places of this Homily there may be perhaps a tacit reference to the Holy Eucharist, and to the aptitude of the miracle of the loaves as a preparation of the apostles for it.

Wherefore also He suffers the multitudes first to have a sense of hunger, and waits for these to come to Him first and ask Him, and by them makes the people sit down, and by them distributes; being minded by their own confessions and actions to prepossess them every one.1933   In these and other places of this Homily there may be perhaps a tacit reference to the Holy Eucharist, and to the aptitude of the miracle of the loaves as a preparation of the apostles for it.

Therefore also, from them He receives the loaves, that the testimonies of what was doing might be many, and that they might have memorials of the miracle. For if even after these occurrences they forgot,1934   Matt. xvi. 9.what would not have been their case, had He omitted those provisions?

And He commands them to sit down on the trampled grass, instructing the multitudes in self-denial. For His will was not to feed their bodies only, but also to instruct their souls. As well by the place therefore, as by His giving them nothing more than loaves and fishes, and by setting the same before all, and making it common, and by affording no one more than another, He was teaching them humility, and temperance, and charity, and to be of like mind one towards another, and to account all things common.

“And He brake and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” The five loaves He brake and gave, and the five multiplied themselves in the hands of the disciples. And not even here doth He stay the miracle, but He made them even to exceed; to exceed, not as whole loaves, but as fragments; to signify that of those loaves these were remains, and in order that the absent might learn what had been done.

For this purpose indeed He suffered the multitudes to hunger, that no one might suppose what took place to be illusion.

For this also He caused just twelve baskets to remain over, that Judas also might bear one. For He was able indeed to have appeased their hunger, but the disciples would not have known His power, since in Elijah’s case also this took place.1935   1 Kings xvii. 16.

At all events, so greatly were the Jews amazed at Him for this, that they wished even to make Him a king,1936   John vi. 15.although with regard to the other miracles they did not so in any instance.

What reasoning now may set forth, how the loaves multiplied1937   ἐπγαζον.themselves; how they flowed together in the wilderness; how they were enough for so many (for there were “five thousand men beside women and children;” which was a very great commendation of the people, that both women and men attended Him); how the remnants had their being (for this again is not less than the former), and became so abundant, that the baskets were equal in number to the disciples, and neither more nor less?

Having then taken the fragments, He gave them not to the multitudes, but to the disciples, and that, because the multitudes were in a more imperfect state than the disciples.

And, having wrought the miracle, “straightway He constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.”1938   Matt. xiv. 22. [R.V., “till he should send,” etc.]

For even if He had seemed, when in sight, to be presenting an illusion, and not to have wrought a truth; yet surely not in His absence also. For this cause then, submitting His proceedings to an exact test, He commanded those that had got the memorials, and the proof of the miracles, to depart from Him.

And besides this, when He is doing great works, He disposes elsewhere of the multitudes and the disciples, instructing us in nothing to follow after the glory that comes from the people, nor to collect a crowd about us.

Now by saying, “He constrained them,” He indicates the very close attendance of the disciples.

And His pretext indeed for dismissing them was the multitude, but He was Himself minded to go up into the mountain; and He did this, instructing us neither to be always in intercourse with multitudes, nor always to fly from the crowd, but each of the two as may be expedient, and giving each duly his turn.

4. Let us learn therefore ourselves also to wait upon Jesus; but not for His bounty in things sensible, lest we be upbraided like the Jews. For “ye seek me,” saith He, “not because ye saw the miracles,1939   [R.V., “ye saw signs.”]but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.”1940   John vi. 26. Therefore neither doth He work this miracle continually, but a second time only; that they might be taught not to be slaves to their belly, but to cling incessantly to the things of the Spirit.

To these then let us also cling, and let us seek the heavenly bread, and having received it, let us cast away all worldly care. For if those men left houses, and cities, and kinsmen, and all, and abode in the wilderness, and when hunger was pressing, withdrew not; much more ought we, when approaching such a table, to show forth a more abundant self-command, and to set our love on the things of the Spirit, and to seek the things of sense as secondary to these.

Since even they were blamed, not because they sought Him for the bread, but because it was for this only they sought Him, and for this primarily. For should any one despise the great gifts, but cling to the small, and to those which the giver would have him despise, he loses these latter too: as on the other hand, if we love those, He adds these also. For these are but an appendage to the others; so vile are they and trifling, compared with those, although they be great. Let us not therefore spend our diligence on them, but account both the acquisition and loss of them alike indifferent, even as Job also neither clung to them when present, nor sought them absent. For on this account, they are called χρματα,1941   That is, “things for use.”not that we should bury them in the earth, but that we should use them aright.

And as of artisans every one hath his peculiar skill, even so the rich man, as he knows not how to work in brass, nor to frame ships, nor to weave, nor to build houses, nor any such thing;—let him learn then to use his wealth aright, and to pity the poor; so shall he know a better art than all those.

For indeed this is above all those arts. Its workshop is builded in Heaven. It hath its tools not of iron and brass, but of goodness and of a right will. Of this art Christ is the Teacher, and His Father. “For be ye merciful,” saith He, “as your Father which is in Heaven.”1942   Luke vi. 36.

And what is indeed marvellous, being so much superior to the rest, it needs no labor, no time for its perfection; it is enough to have willed, and the whole is accomplished.

But let us see also the end thereof, what it is. What then is the end of it? Heaven, the good things in the heavens, that unspeakable glory, the spiritual bride-chambers, the bright lamps, the abiding with the Bridegroom; the other things, which no speech, nor even understanding, is able to set forth.

So that herein likewise great is its difference from all others. For most of the arts profit us for the present life, but this for the life to come also.

5. But if it so far excels the arts that are necessary to us for the present, as medicine, for instance, and house-building, and all others like them: much more the rest, which if any one were nicely to examine, he would not even allow them to be arts. Wherefore I at least would not call those others, as they are unnecessary, so much as arts at all. For wherein is delicate cookery and making sauces profitable to us? Nowhere: yea, they are greatly unprofitable and hurtful, doing harm both to body and soul, by bringing upon us the parent of all diseases and sufferings, luxury, together with great extravagance.1943   φιλοτιμα.

But not these only, but not even painting, or embroidery, would I for one allow to be an art, for they do but throw men into useless expense. But the arts ought to be concerned with things necessary and important to our life, to supply and work them up. For to this end God gave us skill at all, that we might invent methods, whereby to furnish out our life. But that there should be figures1944   ζωδων. See Herod. i. 70, and Schweighæuser’s note, as quoted here by Mr. Field.either on walls, or on garments, wherein is it useful, I pray thee? For this same cause the sandal-makers too, and the weavers, should have great retrenchments made in their art. For most things in it they have carried into vulgar ostentation,1945   τ βναυσον.having corrupted its necessary use, and mixed with an honest art an evil craft; which has been the case with the art of building also. But even as to this, so long as it builds houses and not theatres, and labors upon things necessary, and not superfluous, I give the name of an art; so the business of weaving too, as long as it makes clothes, and coverlids, but does not imitate the spiders, and overwhelm men with much absurdity, and unspeakable effeminacy, so long I call it an art.

And the sandal-makers’ trade, so long as it makes sandals, I will not rob of the appellation of art; but when it perverts men to the gestures of women, and causes them by their sandals to grow wanton and delicate, we will set it amidst the things hurtful and superfluous, and not so much as name it an art.

And I know well, that to many I seem over-minute in busying myself about these things; I shall not however refrain for this. For the cause of all our evils is this, such faults being at all counted trifling, and therefore disregarded.

And what sin, say you, can be of less account than this, of having an ornamented and glittering sandal, which fits the foot; if indeed it seem right at all to denominate it a sin?

Will ye then that I let loose my tongue upon it, and show its unseemliness, how great it is? and will ye not be angry? Or rather, though ye be angry, I care not much. Nay, for yourselves are to blame for this folly, who do not so much as think it is a sin, and hereby constrain us to enter upon the reproof of this extravagance. Come then, let us examine it, and let us see what sort of an evil it is. For when the silken threads, which it is not seemly should be even inwoven in your garments, these are sewn by you into your shoes, what reproach, what derision do these things deserve?

And if thou despise our judgments, hear the voice of Paul, with great earnestness forbidding these things, and then thou wilt perceive the absurdity of them. What then saith he? “Not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.”1946   1 Tim. ii. 9. Of what favor then canst thou be worthy; when, in spite of Paul’s prohibiting the married woman to have costly clothing, thou extendest this effeminacy even to thy shoes, and hast no end of contri vances for the sake of this ridicule and reproach? Yes: for first a ship is built, then rowers are mustered, and a man for the prow, and a helmsman, and a sail is spread, and an ocean traversed, and, leaving wife and children and country, the merchant commits his very life to the waves, and comes to the land of the barbarians, and undergoes innumerable dangers for these threads, that after it all thou mayest take them, and sew them into thy shoes, and ornament the leather. And what can be done worse than this folly?

But the old ways are not like these, but such as become men. Wherefore I for my part expect that in process of time the young men amongst us will wear even women’s shoes, and not be ashamed. And what is more grievous, men’s fathers seeing these things are not much displeased, but do even account it an indifferent matter.

Would ye that I should add what is still more grievous; that these things are done even when there are many poor? Would ye that I bring before you Christ, an hungered, naked, wandering everywhere, in chains? And how many thunderbolts must ye not deserve, overlooking Him in want of necessary food, and adorning these pieces of leather with so much diligence? And He indeed, when He was giving law to His disciples, would not so much as suffer them to have shoes at all, but we cannot bear to walk, I say not barefooted, but even with feet shod as they ought to be.

7. What then can be worse than this unseemliness, this absurdity? For the thing marks a soul, in the first place effeminate, then unfeeling and cruel, then curious and idly busy. For when will he be able to attend to any necessary matter, who is taken up with these superfluous things? when will such a youth endure to take heed to his soul, or to consider so much as that he hath a soul? Yes, he surely will be a trifler who cannot help admiring such things; he cruel, who for their sake neglects the poor; he void of virtue, who spends all his diligence on them.

For he that is curious about the beauty of threads, and the bloom of colors, and the tendrils made of such woven work, when will he be able to look upon the heaven? when will he admire the beauty there, who is excited about a kind of beauty that belongs to pieces of leather, and who is bending to the earth? And whereas God hath stretched out the Heaven, and lighted up the sun, drawing thy looks upwards; thou constrainest thyself to look downwards, and to the earth, like the swine, and obeyest the devil. For indeed this wicked demon hath devised this unseemliness, to draw thee off from that beauty. For this intent hath he drawn thee this way; and God, showing Heaven, is outvied by a devil showing certain skins, or rather not even skins (for indeed these too are God’s works), but effeminacy and a bad kind of skill.

And the young man goes about bending down towards the earth, he that is required to seek wisdom concerning the things in Heaven; priding himself more on these trifles than if he had accomplished some great and good work, and walking on tiptoe in the forum, and hereby begetting to himself superfluous sorrows and distresses, lest he should stain them with the mud when it is winter; lest he should cover them with the dust, when summer is come.

What sayest thou, O man? Hast thou cast thy whole soul into the mire through this extravagance, and dost thou overlook it trailing on the ground, and art thou so anxious about a pair of shoes? Mark their use, and respect the verdict thou passest on them. For to tread on mud and mire, and all the spots on the pavement, for this were thy shoes made. Or if thou canst not bear this, take and hang them from thy neck, or put them on thy head.

And ye indeed laugh at hearing this. But I am inclined to weep for these men’s madness, and their earnest care about these matters. For in truth they would rather stain their body with mud, than those pieces of leather.

Triflers then they become in this way, and fond of money again in another way. For he that has been used to be frantic and eager upon such matters, requires also for his clothes and for all other things much expense, and a large income.

And if he have a munificent father, his thraldom becomes worse, his absurd fancy more intense; but if a parsimonious one, he is driven to other unseemliness, by way of getting together a little money for such expenses.

Hence many young men have even sold their manhood, and have become parasites to the rich, and have undertaken other servile offices, purchasing thereby the fulfillment of such desires.

So then, that this man is sure to be at once fond of money, and a trifler, and about important things the most indolent of all men, and that he will be forced to commit many sins, is hereby evident. And that he is cruel and vainglorious, neither this will any one gainsay: cruel, in that when he sees a poor man, through the love of finery he makes as though he did not even see him, but while he is decking out these things with gold, overlooks him perishing of hunger; vainglorious, since even in such little matters he trains himself to hunt after the admiration of the beholders. For I suppose no general prides himself so much on his legions and trophies, as our profligate youths on the decking out of their shoes, on their trailing garments, on the dressing of their hair; yet surely all these are works of other persons, in their trades. But if men do not cease from vain boasting in the works of others, when will they cease from it in their own?

8. Shall I mention yet other things more grievous than these? or are even these enough for you? Well then; I must end my speech here; since even this have I said, because of the disputatious, who maintain the thing not to be so very wrong.

And although I know that many of the young will not so much as attend to what I have said, being once for all intoxicated with this fancy, I yet ought not therefore to keep silence. For such fathers as have understanding, and are as yet sound, will be able to force them, even against their will, to a becoming decency.

Say not then, “this is of no consequence, that is of no consequence;” for this, this hath ruined all. For even hereby ought you to train them, and by the things which seem trifling to make them grave, great of soul, superior to outward habiliments; so shall we find them approved in the great things also. For what is more ordinary than the learning of letters? nevertheless thereby do men become rhetoricians,1947   [ῥήτορε.]and sophists, and philosophers, and if they know not their letters, neither will they ever have that knowledge.

And this we have spoken not to young men only, but to women also, and to young damsels. For these too are liable to the like charges, and much more, inasmuch as seemliness is a thing appropriate to a virgin.

What has been said therefore to the others; do ye account to have been said to you also, that we may not repeat again the same things.

For it is full time now to close our discourse with prayer. All of you then pray with us, that the young men of the church above all things may be enabled to live orderly, and to attain an old age becoming them. Since for those surely who do not so live, it were well not to come to old age at all. But for them that have grown old even in youth, I pray that they may attain also to the very deep of gray hairs, and become fathers of approved children, and may be a joy to them that gave them birth, and above all surely to the God that made them, and may exterminate every distempered fancy, not that about their shoes, nor about their clothes only, but every other kind also.

For as untilled land, such is also youth neglected, bringing forth many thorns from many quarters. Let us then send forth on them the fire of the Spirit, and burn up these wicked desires, and let us break up our fields, and make them ready for the reception of the seed, and the young men amongst us let us exhibit with soberer minds than the old elsewhere. For this in fact is the marvellous thing, when temperance shines forth in youth; since he surely that is temperate in old age cannot have a great reward, having in perfection the security from his age. But what is wonderful, is to enjoy a calm amidst waves, and in a furnace not to be burnt, and in youth not to run wanton.

With these things then in our minds, let us emulate that blessed Joseph, who shone through all these trials, that we may attain unto the same crowns with him; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory unto the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, now and always, and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΘʹ. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν ἐν πλοίῳ εἰς ἔρημον τόπον κατ' ἰδίαν: καὶ ἀκού σαντες οἱ ὄχλοι, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ πεζῇ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων. αʹ. Ὅρα πανταχοῦ αὐτὸν ἀναχωροῦντα, καὶ ὅτε παρεδόθη Ἰωάννης, καὶ ὅτε ἀνῃρέθη, καὶ ὅτε ἤκουσαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ὅτι πλείους μαθητὰς ποιεῖ. Τὰ γὰρ πλείονα ἀνθρωπινώτερον βούλεται διοικεῖν, οὐδέπω τοῦ καιροῦ καλοῦντος ἀπογυμνῶσαι τὴν θεότητα σαφῶς. Διὸ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἔλεγε, μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός: μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐβούλετο τοῦτο γενέσθαι γνωριμώτερον. Ὅθεν τοῖς τέως διαπιστήσασι τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὐ σφόδρα ἦν βαρὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνωμονικός. Ἀναχωρήσας δὲ οὐκ ἄπεισιν εἰς πόλιν, ἀλλ' εἰς ἔρημον, καὶ ἐν πλοίῳ, ὥστε μηδένα ἀκολουθῆσαι. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει πῶς οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου λοιπὸν μᾶλλον ᾠκειώθησαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ. Αὐτοὶ γάρ εἰσιν οἱ ἀπηγγελκότες αὐτῷ τὸ γεγενημένον: καὶ γὰρ πάντας ἀφέντες, ἐπ' αὐτὸν καταφεύγουσι λοιπόν. Οὕτως οὐ μικρὸν μετὰ τῆς συμφορᾶς καὶ τὰ ἤδη παρ' αὐτοῦ διὰ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως ἐκείνης οἰκονομηθέντα κατώρθωσεν Ἀλλὰ τίνος ἕνεκεν πρὶν ἢ ἀπαγγεῖλαι αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἀνεχώρησε, καίτοιγε ᾔδει καὶ πρὶν ἢ ἀπαγγεῖλαι τὸ γεγενημένον; Δεικνὺς διὰ πάντων τῆς οἰκονομίας τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνον τῇ ὄψει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦτο πιστοῦσθαι ἐβούλετο, διὰ τὸ εἰδέναι τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν κακουργίαν, καὶ ὅτι πάντα ἐργάσεται, ὥστε ταύτην ἀνελεῖν τὴν δόξαν. Αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν διὰ τοῦτο ἀναχωρεῖ: οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀφίστανται, ἀλλ' ἕπονται προσηλωμένοι, καὶ οὐδὲ τὸ δρᾶμα αὐτοὺς ἐφόβησε τὸ Ἰωάννου. Τοσοῦτόν ἐστι πόθος, τοσοῦτον ἀγάπη: οὕτω πάντα νικᾷ καὶ διακρούεται τὰ δεινά. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν εὐθέως ἀπελάμβανον. Ἐξελθὼν γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶδεν ὄχλον πολὺν, καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ' αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐθεράπευσε τοὺς ἀῤῥώστους αὐτῶν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλὴ ἦν αὐτῶν ἡ προσεδρεία, ἀλλ' ὅμως τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ γινόμενα πάσης σπουδῆς ὑπερέβαινεν ἀμοιβήν. Διὸ καὶ αἰτίαν τῆς τοιαύτης θεραπείας τὸν ἔλεον τίθησιν, ἔλεον ἐπιτεταμένον: καὶ θεραπεύει πάντας. Καὶ οὐκ ἀπαιτεῖ πίστιν ἐνταῦθα. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ προσελθεῖν, καὶ τῷ τὰς πόλεις ἀφεῖναι, καὶ τῷ μετὰ ἀκριβείας αὐτὸν ζητῆσαι, καὶ τῷ παραμένειν, καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ καταναγκάζοντος, τὴν πίστιν ἐπιδείκνυνται τὴν ἑαυτῶν. Μέλλει δὲ καὶ τρέφειν αὐτούς. Καὶ οὐ ποιεῖ τοῦτο ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἀναμένει παρακληθῆναι, ὅπερ ἔφην, πανταχοῦ τοῦτο διατηρῶν, τὸ μὴ πρότερος ἐπιπηδᾷν τοῖς θαύμασιν, ἀλλὰ καλούμενος. Καὶ διατί μηδεὶς τῶν ὄχλων προσελθὼν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν διελέχθη; Ἠ|δοῦντο αὐτὸν μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς, καὶ οὐδὲ τῆς πείνης ἐλάμβανον αἴσθησιν τῷ πόθῳ τῆς προσεδρείας. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ προσελθόντες λέγουσι, Θρέψον αὐτούς: ἔτι γὰρ ἀτελέστερον διέκειντο: ἀλλὰ τί; Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, φησὶ, προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες: Ἔρημός ἐστιν ὁ τόπος, καὶ ἡ ὥρα ἤδη παρῆλθεν: ἀπόλυσον τοὺς ὄχλους, ἵνα ἀπελθόντες ἀγοράσωσιν ἑαυτοῖς βρώματα. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὸ θαῦμα ἐπελάθοντο τοῦ γεγενημένου, καὶ μετὰ τὰς σπυρίδας ἐνόμιζον αὐτὸν περὶ ἄρτων λέγειν, ἡνίκα ζύμην τὴν διδασκαλίαν τῶν Φαρισαίων ἐκάλεσε: πολλῷ μᾶλλον μηδέπω πεῖραν λαβόντες τοιούτου σημείου, οὐκ ἂν προσεδόκησάν τι τοιοῦτον ἔσεσθαι. Καίτοιγε προλαβὼν καὶ ἀῤῥώστους πολλοὺς ἐθεράπευσεν: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲ ἐντεῦθεν τὸ τῶν ἄρτων προσεδόκησαν: οὕτως ἦσαν ἀτελεῖς τέως. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει τοῦ Διδασκάλου τὴν σοφίαν, πῶς αὐτοὺς ἐκκαλεῖται σαφῶς πρὸς τὸ πιστεῦσαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπεν εὐθέως, Τρέφω αὐτούς: οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔμελλεν εὐπαράδεκτον εἶναι: ἀλλὰ τί; Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς, φησὶν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν ἀπελθεῖν: δότε αὐτοῖς ὑμεῖς φαγεῖν. Οὐκ εἶπε, Δίδωμι αὐτοῖς: ἀλλ', Ὑμεῖς δότε. Ἔτι γὰρ ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ προσεῖχον. Αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐδὲ οὕτω διανέστησαν, ἀλλ' ἔτι ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ διαλέγονται, λέγοντες: Οὐκ ἔχομεν, εἰ μὴ πέντε ἄρτους καὶ δύο ἰχθύας. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Μάρκος φησὶν, ὅτι Οὐ συνῆκαν τὸ λεχθέν: καὶ γὰρ ἦν ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν πεπωρωμένη. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔτι χαμαὶ ἐσύροντο, τότε τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ λοιπὸν εἰσάγει, καί φησι: Φέρετέ μοι αὐτοὺς ὧδε. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἔρημος ὁ τόπος, ἀλλ' ὁ τρέφων τὴν οἰκουμένην πάρεστιν: εἰ δὲ καὶ ἡ ὥρα παρῆλθεν, ἀλλ' ὁ μὴ ὑποκείμενος ὥρᾳ ὑμῖν διαλέγεται. Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης καὶ κριθίνους αὐτοὺς εἶναι λέγει, οὐ παρέργως τοῦτο διηγούμενος, ἀλλὰ τὸν τῦφον τῆς πολυτελείας παιδεύων ἡμᾶς καταπατεῖν. Τοιαύτη καὶ ἡ τῶν προφητῶν τράπεζα ἦν. Λαβὼν τοίνυν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, καὶ κελεύσας τοὺς ὄχλους, φησὶν, ἀνακλιθῆναι ἐπὶ τοὺς χόρτους, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εὐλόγησε: καὶ κλάσας ἔδωκε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις: καὶ ἔφαγον πάντες, καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν: καὶ ἦραν τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων δώδεκα κοφίνους πλήρεις. Οἱ δὲ ἐσθίοντες ἦσαν ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ πεντακισχίλιοι, χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων. βʹ. Διατί ἀνέβλεψεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εὐλόγησεν; Ἔδει πιστευθῆναι αὐτὸν, ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρός ἐστι, καὶ ὅτι ἴσος ἐστί. Τὰ δὲ τούτων κατασκευαστικὰ ἀλλήλοις ἐδόκει μάχεσθαι. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἰσότητα τὸ μετ' ἐξουσίας πάντα ποιεῖν ἐδείκνυ: τὸ δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς εἶναι οὐκ ἂν ἑτέρως ἐπείσθησαν, εἰ μὴ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ταπεινότητος καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν πάντα ἀναφέρων ἐποίει, καὶ καλῶν αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ γινόμενα. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὔτε ταῦτα μόνον ἐποίει, οὔτε ἐκεῖνα, ἵνα βεβαιωθῇ ἀμφότερα: καὶ νῦν μὲν μετ' ἐξουσίας, νῦν δὲ εὐχόμενος θαυματουργεῖ. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ πάλιν μάχη εἶναι τὸ γινόμενον, ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἐλάττοσιν ἀναβλέπει εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς μείζοσι μετ' ἐξουσίας πάντα ποιεῖ: ἵνα μάθῃς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐλάττοσιν ὅτι οὐκ ἐνδυναμούμενος ἑτέρωθεν, ἀλλὰ τιμῶν τὸν γεγεννηκότα οὕτω ποιεῖ. Ὅτε γοῦν ἁμαρτήματα ἀφῆκε, καὶ τὸν παράδεισον ἠνέῳξε, καὶ τὸν λῃστὴν εἰσήγαγε, καὶ τὸν παλαιὸν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς περιουσίας ἔλυσε νόμον, καὶ νεκροὺς μυρίους ἀνέστησε, καὶ θάλατταν ἐχαλίνωσε, καὶ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤλεγξε, καὶ ὀφθαλμὸν ἐδημιούργησεν, ἃ Θεοῦ μόνου κατορθώματά ἐστι, καὶ ἑτέρου οὐδενὸς, οὐδαμοῦ φαίνεται εὐχόμενος: ὅτε δὲ τοὺς ἄρτους πηγάσαι παρεσκεύασεν, ὃ πολὺ τούτων ἁπάντων ἔλαττον ἦν, τότε ἀναβλέπει εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν: ὁμοῦ μὲν ταῦτα κατασκευάζων, ἅπερ εἶπον, ὁμοῦ δὲ παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, μὴ πρότερον ἅπτεσθαι τραπέζης, ἕως ἂν εὐχαριστήσωμεν τῷ τὴν τροφὴν ἡμῖν ταύτην παρέχοντι. Καὶ διατί οὐ ποιεῖ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων; Ἐμφράττων τὸ Μαρκίωνος καὶ Μανιχαίου στόμα, τῶν τὴν κτίσιν ἀλλοτριούντων αὐτοῦ, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν παιδεύων, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ὁρώμενα ἅπαντα αὐτοῦ ἔργα καὶ κτίσματά εἰσι, καὶ δεικνὺς, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τοὺς καρποὺς διδοὺς, ὁ εἰπὼν ἐξ ἀρχῆς: Βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου: καὶ, Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔλαττον τοῦτο ἐκείνου. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐκεῖνα, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐξ ὕδατος: οὐκ ἔλαττον δὲ τοῦ ἀπὸ γῆς δεῖξαι καρπὸν καὶ ἀπὸ ὑδάτων ἑρπετὰ ἔμψυχα, τὸ ἀπὸ ἄρτων πέντε ποιῆσαι ἄρτους τοσούτους, καὶ ἀπὸ ἰχθύων πάλιν: ὃ σημεῖον ἦν τοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ τῆς θαλάττης αὐτὸν κρατεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν ἀεὶ ἐποίει τὰ θαύματα, ποιεῖ καὶ καθολικὴν εὐεργεσίαν, ἵνα μὴ θεωροὶ μόνον οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἑτέροις συμβάντων γένωνται, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς δωρεᾶς ἀπολαύσωσι. Καὶ ὅπερ ἐδόκει ἐπὶ τῆς ἐρήμου τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις εἶναι θαυμαστὸν, (ἔλεγον γοῦν, Μὴ καὶ ἄρτον δύναται δοῦναι, ἢ ἑτοιμάσαι τράπεζαν ἐν ἐρήμῳ;) τοῦτο διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπιδείκνυται. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ εἰς ἔρημον αὐτοὺς ἄγει, ἵνα μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἀνύποπτον ᾖ τὸ θαῦμα, καὶ μηδεὶς νομίσῃ πλησίον κώμην παρακειμένην εἰσενεγκεῖν τι εἰς τὴν τράπεζαν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῆς ὥρας μέμνηται, οὐχὶ τοῦ τόπου μόνον. Καὶ ἕτερον δὲ μανθάνομεν, τὴν φιλοσοφίαν τῶν μαθητῶν τὴν ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις, καὶ πῶς κατεφρόνουν τροφῆς. Δώδεκα γὰρ ὄντες πέντε ἄρτους εἶχον μόνους καὶ δύο ἰχθύας: οὕτω πάρεργα ἦν αὐτοῖς τὰ σωματικὰ, καὶ τῶν πνευματικῶν εἴχοντο μόνον. Καὶ οὐδὲ τῶν ὀλίγων ἀντείχοντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὺς αἰτηθέντες ἔδωκαν. Ὅθεν παιδεύεσθαι χρὴ, ὅτι κἂν ὀλίγα ἔχωμεν, καὶ αὐτὰ προΐεσθαι δεῖ τοῖς δεομένοις. Κελευσθέντες γοῦν ἐνεγκεῖν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους, οὑ λέγουσι: Καὶ πόθεν ἡμῖν ἔσται ἡ διατροφή; πόθεν δὲ ἡμεῖς παραμυθησόμεθα τὴν πεῖναν τὴν ἡμετέραν; ἀλλ' ὑπακούουσιν εὐθέως. Πρὸς δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τῶν ὑποκειμένων ποιεῖ, ἵνα αὐτοὺς εἰς πίστιν ἀγάγῃ: ἔτι γὰρ ἀσθενέστερον διέκειντο. Διὸ καὶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέπει. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ ἄλλων σημείων εἶχον πολλὰ ὑποδείγματα: τούτου δὲ οὐδέν. Λαβὼν τοίνυν διέκλασε, καὶ ἐδίδου διὰ τῶν μαθητῶν, τούτῳ αὐτοὺς τιμῶν: οὐ τιμῶν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλ' ἵνα ὅταν γένηται τὸ θαῦμα, μὴ ἀπιστήσωσι, μηδὲ ἐπιλάθωνται παρελθόντος, τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῖς μαρτυρουσῶν. Διὸ καὶ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀφίησι πρότερον τῆς πείνης αἴσθησιν λαβεῖν, καὶ τούτους ἀναμένει πρότερον προσελθεῖν καὶ ἐρωτῆσαι, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν αὐτοὺς κατακλίνει, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν διανέμει, ταῖς οἰκείαις ὁμολογίαις καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις προκαταλαβεῖν βουλόμενος ἕκαστον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ παρ' αὐτῶν λαμβάνει τοὺς ἄρτους, ἵνα πολλὰ τὰ μαρτύρια ᾖ τοῦ γινομένου, καὶ ὑπομνήματα τοῦ θαύματος ἔχωσιν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τούτων συμβάντων ἐπελάθοντο, τί οὐκ ἂν ἔπαθον, εἰ μὴ καὶ ταῦτα κατεσκεύασε; Καὶ κελεύει αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ στιβάδος ἀναπεσεῖν, φιλοσοφεῖν τοὺς ὄχλους παιδεύων. Οὐ γὰρ θρέψαι τὰ σώματα μόνον ἐβούλετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν παιδεῦσαι. γʹ. Καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου τοίνυν, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ μηδὲν πλέον ἄρτων δοῦναι καὶ ἰχθύων, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πᾶσι τὰ αὐτὰ προθεῖναι καὶ ποιῆσαι κοινὰ, καὶ μηδὲν θατέρῳ θατέρου πλέον παρασχεῖν, καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνην, καὶ ἐγκράτειαν, καὶ ἀγάπην, καὶ τὸ ὁμοίως πρὸς ἀλλήλους διακεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸ κοινὰ πάντα νομίζειν εἶναι ἐπαίδευε. Καὶ κλάσας ἔδωκε τοῖς μαθηταῖς, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις. Τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους κλάσας ἔδωκε, καὶ οἱ πέντε ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐπήγαζον. Καὶ οὐδὲ μέχρι τούτου τὸ θαῦμα ἱστᾷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ περισσεῦσαι ἐποίησε: καὶ περισσεῦσαι οὐχὶ ἄρτους ὁλοκλήρους, ἀλλὰ κλάσματα: ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι ἐκείνων τῶν ἄρτων ταῦτα λείψανα ἦν, καὶ ὥστε τοὺς ἀπόντας μαθεῖν τὸ γεγενημένον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πεινᾶσαι ἀφῆκε τοὺς ὄχλους, ἵνα μή τις φαντασίαν εἶναι νομίσῃ τὸ γεγενημένον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ δώδεκα κοφίνους περισσεῦσαι ἐποίησεν, ἵνα καὶ Ἰούδας βαστάσῃ. Ἠδύνατο μὲν γὰρ καὶ σβέσαι τὴν πεῖναν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔγνωσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ τὴν δύναμιν, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπὶ Ἠλίου τοῦτο γέγονεν. Οὕτω γοῦν αὐτὸν ἐξεπλάγησαν ἐντεῦθεν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ὅτι καὶ βασιλέα ἠθέλησαν ποιῆσαι, καίτοιγε ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων σημείων οὐδαμοῦ τοῦτο ποιήσαντες. Τίς τοίνυν παραστήσειε λόγος, πῶς ἐπήγαζον οἱ ἄρτοι; πῶς ἐπέῤῥεον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ; πῶς τοσούτοις ἤρκεσαν; (καὶ γὰρ πεντακισχίλιοι ἦσαν, χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων: ὃ μέγιστον ἦν τοῦ δήμου ἐγκώμιον, ὅτι καὶ γυναῖκες καὶ ἄνδρες προσήδρευον:) πῶς τὰ λείψανα γέγονε; (καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τοῦ προτέρου οὐκ ἔλαττον:) καὶ τοσαῦτα γέγονεν, ὥστε ἰσαρίθμους γενέσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς κοφίνους, καὶ μήτε πλείω μήτε ἐλάττω; Λαβὼν τοίνυν τὰ κλάσματα, οὐχὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις ἔδωκεν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μαθηταῖς: καὶ γὰρ τῶν μαθητῶν οἱ ὄχλοι ἀτελέστερον διέκειντο. Ποιήσας δὲ τὸ σημεῖον, Εὐθέως ἠνάγκασε τοὺς μαθητὰς ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον, καὶ προάγειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πέραν, ἕως οὗ ἀπολύσῃ τοὺς ὄχλους. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ παρὼν ἐδόκει φαντάζειν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀλήθειαν πεποιηκέναι, οὐ δήπου καὶ ἀπών. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο ἀκριβεῖ βασάνῳ ἐπιτρέπων τὰ γεγενημένα, τοὺς τὰ ὑπομνήματα λαβόντας καὶ τὸν ἔλεγχον τῶν σημείων ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοῦ χωρίζεσθαι. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ, ὅταν μεγάλα ἐργάζηται, ἀποσκευάζεται τοὺς ὄχλους καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς μηδαμοῦ τὴν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν δόξαν διώκειν, καὶ μὴ ἐπισύρεσθαι πλῆθος. Ὅταν δὲ εἴπῃ, Ἠνάγκασε, τὴν πολλὴν τῶν μαθητῶν προσεδρείαν δείκνυσι. Καὶ ἔπεμπεν αὐτοὺς, ἐπὶ προφάσει μὲν τῶν ὄχλων, αὐτὸς δὲ εἰς τὸ ὄρος βουλόμενος ἀναβῆναι: ἐποίει δὲ τοῦτο πάλιν παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, μήτε ὄχλοις ἀναμίγνυσθαι διηνεκῶς, μήτε φεύγειν ἀεὶ τὸ πλῆθος, ἀλλ' ἑκάτερα χρησίμως, καὶ ἕκαστον ἐναλλάττοντας πρὸς τὸ δέον. Μάθωμεν τοίνυν καὶ ἡμεῖς προσεδρεύειν τῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἀλλὰ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῶν αἰσθητῶν δόσιν, ἵνα μὴ ὀνειδισθῶμεν κατὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους. Καὶ γὰρ, Ζητεῖτέ με, φησὶν, οὐχ ὅτι εἴδετε σημεῖα, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐφάγετε ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων καὶ ἐχορτάσθητε. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ συνεχῶς ποιεῖ τουτὶ τὸ σημεῖον, ἀλλὰ δεύτερον μόνον, ὥστε παιδεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς μὴ τῇ γαστρὶ δουλεύειν, ἀλλὰ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἔχεσθαι διηνεκῶς. Τούτων οὖν ἐχώμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ ζητῶμεν τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἐπουράνιον, καὶ λαβόντες πᾶσαν ἐκβάλωμεν φροντίδα βιωτικήν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι καὶ οἰκίας καὶ πόλεις καὶ συγγενεῖς καὶ πάντα ἀφῆκαν, καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ διέτριβον, καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ καταναγκάζοντος οὐκ ἀνεχώρουν: πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς, τοιαύτῃ προσιόντας τραπέζῃ, πλείονα ἐπιδείκνυσθαι χρὴ φιλοσοφίαν, καὶ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἐρᾷν, καὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ μετὰ ταῦτα ζητεῖν. Ἐπεὶ κἀκεῖνοι ἐνεκαλοῦντο, οὐχ ὅτι ἐζήτησαν αὐτὸν διὰ τὸν ἄρτον, ἀλλ' ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο μόνον αὐτὸν ἐζήτησαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προηγουμένως. Ἂν γάρ τις τῶν μεγάλων μὲν δώρων καταφρονῇ, τῶν δὲ μικρῶν ἔχηται, καὶ ὧν βούλεται καταφρονεῖν αὐτὸν ὁ διδοὺς, καὶ ἐκείνων ἐκπίπτει: ὥσπερ οὖν, ἂν ἐκείνων ἐρῶμεν, καὶ ταῦτα προστίθησι. Καὶ γὰρ προσθήκη ταῦτα ἐκείνων: οὕτως εὐτελῆ ταῦτα καὶ μικρὰ πρὸς ἐκεῖνα ἐξεταζόμενα, κἂν μεγάλα ᾖ. Μὴ τοίνυν περὶ ταῦτα σπουδάζωμεν, ἀλλ' ἀδιάφορον αὐτῶν εἶναι νομίζωμεν καὶ τὴν κτῆσιν καὶ τὴν ἀφαίρεσιν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ οὔτε παρόντων ἀντείχετο, οὔτε ἀπόντα ἐζήτει. Καὶ γὰρ χρήματα διὰ τοῦτο λέγεται, οὐχ ἵνα κατορύξωμεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα εἰς δέον αὐτοῖς χρησώμεθα. Καὶ καθάπερ τῶν τεχνιτῶν ἕκαστος ἰδίαν ἐπιστήμην ἔχει, οὕτω καὶ ὁ πλουτῶν οὐκ οἶδε χαλκεύειν, οὐδὲ ναυπηγεῖν, οὐδὲ ὑφαίνειν, οὐδὲ οἰκοδομεῖν, οὐδὲ ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδέν: μανθανέτω τοίνυν τῷ πλούτῳ κεχρῆσθαι εἰς δέον, καὶ ἐλεεῖν τοὺς δεομένους, καὶ πάντων ἐκείνων βελτίονα εἴσεται τέχνην. δʹ. Καὶ γὰρ αὕτη τῶν τεχνῶν ἐκείνων ἀνωτέρα πασῶν. Ταύτης τὸ ἐργαστήριον ἐν οὐρανοῖς ᾠκοδόμηται. Αὕτη οὐκ ἀπὸ σιδήρου καὶ χαλκοῦ τὰ ὄργανα ἔχει, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἀγαθότητος καὶ ἀπὸ γνώμης. Ταύτης τῆς τέχνης ὁ Χριστός ἐστι διδάσκαλος, καὶ ὁ τούτου Πατήρ. Γίνεσθε γὰρ, φησὶν, οἰκτίρμονες, ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστὸν, ὅτι οὕτω τῶν ἄλλων οὖσα βελτίων, οὐ πόνου, οὐ χρόνου δεῖται πρὸς τὸ κατορθωθῆναι: ἀρκεῖ θελῆσαι, καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἤνυσται. Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὸ τέλος αὐτῆς οἷόν ἐστι. Τί οὖν ἐστιν αὐτῆς τὸ τέλος; Ὁ οὐρανὸς, τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀγαθὰ, ἡ δόξα ἡ ἀπόῤῥητος ἐκείνη, αἱ πνευματικαὶ παστάδες, αἱ φαιδραὶ λαμπάδες, ἡ μετὰ τοῦ Νυμφίου διαγωγὴ, τὰ ἄλλα, ἃ μηδεὶς λόγος, μηδὲ νοῦς παραστῆσαι δύναται. Ὥστε καὶ ἐντεῦθεν πολλὴ πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας αὐτῇ ἡ διαφορά. Τῶν γὰρ τεχνῶν αἱ πλείους πρὸς τὸν παρόντα βίον εἰσὶ χρήσιμοι ἡμῖν, αὕτη δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν ζωήν. Εἰ δὲ τῶν εἰς τὸ παρὸν ἡμῖν ἀναγκαίων τεχνῶν τοσοῦτον διενήνοχεν, οἷον ἰατρικῆς λέγω, καὶ οἰκοδομικῆς, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν τοιούτων, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων, ἃς εἴ τις ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσειεν, οὐδὲ τέχνας ἂν εἶναι φαίη. Ὅθεν ἔγωγε τὰς ἄλλας τὰς περιττὰς οὐδὲ τέχνας εἴποιμι ἂν εἶναι. Ποῦ γὰρ ἡ ὀψαρτυτικὴ καὶ ἡ καρυκευτικὴ χρήσιμοι ἡμῖν; Οὐδαμοῦ: ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα ἄχρηστοι καὶ βλαβεραὶ, σώματι καὶ ψυχῇ λυμαινόμεναι, τῷ τὴν μητέρα τῶν νοσημάτων ἁπάντων καὶ τῶν παθημάτων τὴν τρυφὴν μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπεισάγειν τῆς φιλοτιμίας. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ταύτας, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὴν ζωγραφικὴν, οὐδὲ τὴν ποικιλτικὴν εἴποιμ' ἂν ἔγωγε τέχνην εἶναι: εἰς γὰρ δαπάνην μόνην ἐμβάλλουσι περιττήν. Τὰς δὲ τέχνας τῶν ἀναγκαίων καὶ συνεχόντων ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν παρεκτικὰς εἶναι δεῖ καὶ κατασκευαστικάς. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ σοφίαν ἡμῖν ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα εὕρωμεν μεθόδους, δι' ὧν δυνησόμεθα τὸν βίον συγκροτεῖν τὸν ἡμέτερον. Τὸ δὲ ζώδια γίνεσθαι, ἢ ἐν τοίχοις, ἢ ἐν ἱματίοις, ποῦ χρήσιμον; εἰπέ μοι. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τῶν ὑποδηματοῤῥάφων καὶ τῶν ὑφαντῶν πολλὰ περικόπτειν ἔδει τῆς τέχνης. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ βάναυσον τὰ πλείονα αὐτῆς ἐξήγαγον, τὸ ἀναγκαῖον αὐτῆς διαφθείραντες, τέχνῃ κακοτεχνίαν μίξαντες: ὃ καὶ ἡ οἰκοδομικὴ ἔπαθεν. Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ταύτην, ἕως ἂν οἰκίας οἰκοδομῇ καὶ οὐ θέατρα, τά τε ἀναγκαῖα καὶ οὐ περιττὰ ἐργάζηται, τέχνην καλῶ: οὕτω καὶ τὴν ὑφαντικὴν, ἕως ἂν ἱμάτια ποιῇ καὶ ἐπιβλήματα, ἀλλὰ μὴ τὰς ἀράχνας μιμῆται, καὶ πολὺν καταχέῃ τὸν γέλωτα καὶ τὴν βλακείαν ἄφατον, τέχνην ὀνομάζω. Καὶ τὴν τῶν ὑποδηματοποιῶν, ἕως ἂν ὑποδήματα ποιῇ, οὐκ ἀποστερήσω τὸ τῆς τέχνης ὄνομα: ὅταν δὲ τοὺς ἄνδρας εἰς τὰ τῶν γυναικῶν ἐξάγῃ σχήματα, καὶ μαλακίζεσθαι ποιῇ διὰ τῶν ὑποδημάτων καὶ θρύπτεσθαι, μετὰ τῶν βλαβερῶν καὶ περιττῶν αὐτὴν τάξομεν, καὶ οὐδὲ τέχνην ἐροῦμεν. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν, ὅτι πολλοῖς μικρολόγος εἶναι δοκῶ ταῦτα περιεργαζόμενος: οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο ἀποστήσομαι. Τὸ γὰρ ἁπάντων αἴτιον τῶν κακῶν τοῦτο, τὸ καὶ μικρὰ ταῦτα δοκεῖν εἶναι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀμελεῖσθαι. Καὶ τί τούτου, φησὶν, εὐτελέστερον ἁμάρτημα γένοιτ' ἂν, κεκαλλωπισμένον ἔχειν ὑπόδημα καὶ ἀποστίλβον, καὶ τῷ ποδὶ προσηρτημένον, εἴγε καὶ ἁμάρτημα τοῦτο καλεῖν δοκεῖ; Βούλεσθε οὖν ἐπαφήσω τὴν γλῶτταν αὐτῷ, καὶ δείξω τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην ὅση, καὶ οὐκ ὀργιεῖσθε; Μᾶλλον δὲ, κἂν ὀργίζησθε, οὐ πολύς μοι λόγος. Καὶ γὰρ ὑμεῖς αἴτιοι τῆς ἀνοίας ταύτης, οἱ μηδὲ ἁμάρτημα εἶναι νομίζοντες, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡμᾶς ἀναγκάζοντες εἰς τὴν κατηγορίαν τῆς ἀσωτίας ἐμβῆναι ταύτης. εʹ. Φέρε οὖν αὐτὸ ἐξετάσωμεν, καὶ ἴδωμεν ὁποῖόν ἐστι κακόν. Ὅταν γὰρ τὰ νήματα τὰ σηρικὰ, ἃ μηδὲ ἐν ἱματίοις ὑφαίνεσθαι καλὸν, ταῦτα ἐν ὑποδήμασι διαῤῥάπτητε, πόσης ὕβρεως, πόσου γέλωτος ταῦτα ἄξια; Εἰ δὲ τῆς ἡμετέρας ψήφου καταφρονεῖς, ἄκουσον τῆς τοῦ Παύλου φωνῆς, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σφοδρότητος ταῦτα ἀπαγορεύοντος, καὶ τότε αἰσθήσῃ τοῦ γέλωτος. Τί οὖν ἐκεῖνός φησι; Μὴ ἐν πλέγμασιν, ἢ χρυσῷ, ἢ μαργαρίταις, ἢ ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ. Τίνος οὖν ἂν εἴης συγγνώμης ἄξιος, ὅταν τῇ γεγαμημένῃ μὴ ἐπιτρέποντος Παύλου πολυτελῆ ἱμάτια ἔχειν, σὺ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑποδήματα τὴν βλακείαν ταύτην ἐξάγῃς, καὶ μυρία κατασκευάζῃς ὑπὲρ τῆς καταγελάστου ὕβρεως; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ναῦς πήγνυται, καὶ ἐρέται καταλέγονται, καὶ πρωρεὺς καὶ κυβερνήτης, καὶ ἱστίον ἀναπετάννυται, καὶ πέλαγος πλεῖται, καὶ γυναῖκα καὶ παιδία καὶ πατρίδα ἀφεὶς, καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὁ ἔμπορος ἐκδίδωσι κύμασι, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν βαρβάρων ἔρχεται χώραν, καὶ μυρίους ὑπομένει κινδύνους διὰ ταῦτα τὰ νήματα, ἵνα σὺ μετὰ πάντα ἐκεῖνα λαβὼν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποδημάτων διαῤῥάψῃς, καὶ τὸ δέρμα καλλωπίσῃς. Καὶ τί ταύτης τῆς ἀλογίας χεῖρον γένοιτ' ἄν; Ἀλλ' οὐ τὰ παλαιὰ τοιαῦτα, ἀλλ' ἀνδράσι πρέποντα. Ὅθεν ἔγωγε προσδοκῶ, χρόνου προϊόντος τοὺς νέους τοὺς παρ' ἡμῖν καὶ γυναικῶν ὑποδήματα σχήσειν, καὶ οὐκ αἰσχυνεῖσθαι. Καὶ τὸ χαλεπώτερον, ὅτι οἱ πατέρες ταῦτα ὁρῶντες οὐκ ἀγανακτοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀδιάφορον τὸ πρᾶγμα εἶναι νομίζουσι. Βούλεσθε εἴπω καὶ τὸ ἔτι χαλεπώτερον, ὅτι καὶ πενήτων ὄντων πολλῶν ταῦτα γίνεται; Βούλεσθε εἰς μέσον ἀγάγω τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν λιμώττοντα, τὸν γυμνὸν, τὸν ἀλώμενον πανταχοῦ, τὸν δεδεμένον; Καὶ πόσων οὐκ ἂν εἴητε σκηπτῶν ἄξιοι, ἐκεῖνον μὲν τροφῆς ἀναγκαίας ἀποροῦντα περιορῶντες, τὰ δέρματα δὲ μετὰ τοσαύτης καλλωπίζοντες τῆς σπουδῆς; Καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἡνίκα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐνομοθέτει, οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ὑποδήματα ἔχειν ἐπέτρεπεν: ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ μόνον γυμνοῖς ποσὶν οὐκ ἀνεχόμεθα βαδίζειν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὑποδεδεμένοις ὡς ὑποδεδέσθαι δεῖ. Τί τοίνυν τῆς ἀκοσμίας ταύτης χεῖρον γένοιτ' ἄν; τί τοῦ γέλωτος; Καὶ γὰρ ψυχῆς ἐστι μαλακώδους τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ ἀπηνοῦς καὶ ὠμῆς, καὶ περιέργου καὶ ματαιοπόνου. Πότε γὰρ δυνήσεται ἀναγκαίῳ τινὶ προσέχειν ὁ περὶ ταῦτα τὰ περιττὰ ἠσχολημένος; πότε ἀνέξεται ὁ τοιοῦτος νέος ψυχῆς ἐπιμελήσασθαι, ἢ ἐννοῆσαι ὅτι κἂν ψυχὴν ἔχει; Καὶ γὰρ μικρολόγος ἔσται ὁ τὰ τοιαῦτα θαυμάζειν ἀναγκαζόμενος, καὶ ὠμὸς ὁ διὰ ταῦτα τῶν πτωχῶν ἀμελῶν, καὶ ἀρετῆς ἔρημος ὁ πᾶσαν εἰς ταῦτα καταναλίσκων τὴν σπουδήν. Ὁ γὰρ νημάτων ἀρετὴν, καὶ χρωμάτων ἄνθος, καὶ τοὺς κισσοὺς τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων ὑφασμάτων περιεργαζόμενος, πότε εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν δυνήσεται ἰδεῖν; πότε τὸ ἐκεῖ θαυμάσεται κάλλος ὁ πρὸς κάλλος ἐπτοημένος δερμάτων, καὶ χαμαὶ κύπτων; Καὶ ὁ μὲν Θεὸς ἔτεινεν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἥλιον ἀνῆψεν, ἄνω σου τὰς ὄψεις ἕλκων: σὺ δὲ κάτω σαυτὸν καὶ πρὸς τὴν γῆν κατὰ τοὺς χοίρους νεύειν ἀναγκάζεις, καὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ πείθῃ. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ πονηρὸς δαίμων οὗτος ταύτην ἐπενόησε τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην, ἐκείνου σε τοῦ κάλλους ἀπάγων. Διὰ τοῦτό σε ἐνταῦθα εἵλκυσε, καὶ παρευδοκιμεῖται Θεὸς οὐρανὸν δεικνὺς ὑπὸ διαβόλου δέρματα δεικνύντος: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ δέρματα: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα ἔργα Θεοῦ: ἀλλὰ βλακείαν καὶ κακοτεχνίαν. Καὶ κάτω εἰς τὴν γῆν νεύων ὁ νέος περίεισιν, ὁ τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς φιλοσοφεῖν κελευσθεὶς, μᾶλλον ἐγκαλλωπιζόμενος τούτοις, ἢ εἰ τῶν μεγάλων τι κατωρθωκὼς ἦν, καὶ ἀκροβατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς, καὶ λύπας καὶ ἀθυμίας ἐντεῦθεν τίκτων ἑαυτῷ περιττὰς, μὴ μολύνῃ τῷ πηλῷ χειμῶνος ὄντος, μὴ καλύψῃ τῷ κονιορτῷ θέρους ἐπιστάντος. Τί λέγεις, ἄνθρωπε; τὴν ψυχὴν ἅπασαν εἰς πηλὸν ἔῤῥιψας διὰ ταύτης τῆς ἀσωτίας, καὶ χαμαὶ συρομένην περιορᾷς, καὶ περὶ ὑποδημάτων τοσοῦτον ἔχεις ἀγῶνα; Μάθε τὴν χρῆσιν αὐτῶν, καὶ αἰδέσθητι τὴν ψῆφον ἣν περὶ αὐτῶν φέρεις. Ὥστε γὰρ πηλὸν πατεῖν καὶ βόρβορον, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους κηλῖδα, γέγονε τὰ ὑποδήματα. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἀνέχῃ, λαβὼν ἐξάρτησον τοῦ τραχήλου, ἢ τῇ κεφαλῇ περίθες. Ϛʹ. Καὶ ὑμεῖς μὲν γελᾶτε ταῦτα ἀκούοντες: ἐμοὶ δὲ δακρύειν ἔπεισι τὴν τούτων μανίαν, καὶ τὴν περὶ ταῦτα σπουδήν. Καὶ γὰρ ἥδιον ἂν οὗτοι τὸ σῶμα μολύναιεν πηλῷ, ἢ τὰ δέρματα ἐκεῖνα. Μικρολόγοι μὲν οὖν οὕτω γίνονται, φιλοχρήματοι δὲ πάλιν ἑτέρως. Ὁ γὰρ περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα μαίνεσθαι καὶ σπουδάζειν ἐθισθεὶς, καὶ ἐν ἱματίοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι πολλῆς δεῖται δαπάνης καὶ πολλῆς τῆς προσόδου. Κἂν μὲν φιλότιμον ἔχῃ πατέρα, μᾶλλον αἰχμάλωτος γίνεται, τὴν ἄτοπον ταύτην ἐπιτείνων ἐπιθυμίαν: ἂν δὲ μικρολόγον, ἀναγκάζεται ἕτερα ἀσχημονεῖν, ὥστε χρυσίον συνάγειν εἰς τὰς τοιαύτας δαπάνας. Ἐντεῦθεν πολλοὶ τῶν νέων καὶ τὴν ὥραν ἀπέδοντο, καὶ παράσιτοι τοῖς εὐπόροις ἐγένοντο, καὶ ἑτέρας δουλοπρεπεῖς ὑπέμειναν διακονίας, ἀντὶ τούτων ὠνούμενοι τὸ τὰς τοιαύτας ἐπιθυμίας πληροῦν. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν καὶ φιλοχρήματος οὗτος ἔσται καὶ μικρολόγος, καὶ περὶ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα πάντων ἀργότερος, καὶ πολλὰ ἀναγκασθήσεται ἁμαρτάνειν, δῆλον ἐκ τούτων: ὅτι δὲ ὠμὸς καὶ κενόδοξος, οὐδὲ τοῦτό τις ἀντερεῖ: ὠμὸς μὲν, ὅταν πένητα ἰδὼν, τῷ πόθῳ τοῦ καλλωπισμοῦ μηδὲ ἑωρακέναι δοκῇ, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν χρυσῷ καλλωπίζῃ, ἐκεῖνον δὲ ὑπὸ λιμοῦ διαφθειρόμενον περιορᾷ: κενόδοξος δὲ, ὅταν καὶ ἐν τοῖς μικροῖς παιδεύηται τὴν παρὰ τῶν ὁρώντων δόξαν θηρᾷν. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως οἶμαι στρατηγὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς στρατοπέδοις καὶ τροπαίοις μέγα φρονεῖν, ὡς τοὺς ἀκολάστους νέους ἐπὶ τῷ καλλωπισμῷ τῶν ὑποδημάτων, ἐπὶ τοῖς συρομένοις ἱματίοις, ἐπὶ τῇ κουρᾷ τῆς κεφαλῆς: καίτοιγε ταῦτα πάντα τεχνιτῶν ἔργα ἐστὶν ἑτέρων. Εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις οὐκ ἀφίστανται κενοδοξοῦντες, πότε ἐπὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀποστήσονται; Εἴπω καὶ ἕτερα τούτων χαλεπώτερα, ἢ καὶ ταῦτα ὑμῖν ἀπόχρη; Οὐκοῦν ἀνάγκη καταλῦσαι τὸν λόγον ἐνταῦθα: ἐπεὶ καὶ ταῦτά μοι εἴρηται διὰ τοὺς φιλονείκους καὶ οὐδὲν ἄτοπον τὸ πρᾶγμα εἶναι λέγοντας. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὅτι πολλοὶ τῶν νέων οὐδὲ προσέξουσι τοῖς λεγομένοις, μεθύοντες ἅπαξ τῷ πάθει: οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο σιγῆσαι ἔδει. Οἱ γὰρ νοῦν ἔχοντες πατέρες καὶ ὑγιαίνοντες τέως, καὶ ἄκοντας αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν προσήκουσαν εὐσχημοσύνην ἐμβιβάσαι δυνήσονται. Μὴ τοίνυν λέγε, Οὐδὲν παρὰ τοῦτο, καὶ οὐδὲν παρ' ἐκεῖνο: τοῦτο γὰρ, τοῦτο πάντα ἀπώλεσεν. Ἔδει γὰρ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς παιδεύειν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι μικρῶν σεμνοὺς ποιεῖν, μεγαλοψύχους, κρείττους σχημάτων: οὕτως αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐν τοῖς μεγάλοις εὑρήσομεν δοκίμους. Τί γὰρ τῆς τῶν στοιχείων μαθήσεως εὐτελέστερον; Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀπὸ τούτων καὶ ῥήτορες, καὶ σοφισταὶ, καὶ φιλόσοφοι γίνονται: κἂν ταῦτα ἀγνοήσωσιν, οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνά ποτε εἴσονται. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν οὐ πρὸς νέους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς γυναῖκας καὶ κόρας εἴρηται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὗται τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐγκλήμασιν ὑπόκεινται, καὶ πολλῷ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳ παρθένῳ κοσμιότης ἐπιτήδειον. Τὰ τοίνυν πρὸς ἐκείνους εἰρημένα καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰρῆσθαι νομίζετε, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν τὰ αὐτὰ ἀναλάβωμεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὥρα λοιπὸν εὐχῇ κατακλεῖσαι τὸν λόγον. Ἅπαντες τοίνυν ἡμῖν συνεύξασθε, ὥστε τοὺς νέους τοὺς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μάλιστα δυνηθῆναι κοσμίως ζῇν, καὶ εἰς γῆρας ἐλθεῖν αὐτοῖς πρέπον. Ὡς τούς γε οὐχ οὕτω ζῶντας, οὐδὲ εἰς γῆρας ἐλθεῖν καλόν: τοὺς δὲ καὶ ἐν νεότητι γεγηρακότας εὔχομαι καὶ εἰς πολιὰν βαθυτάτην ἐλθεῖν, καὶ πατέρας γενέσθαι παίδων δοκίμων, καὶ τοὺς γεγεννηκότας εὐφρᾶναι, καὶ πρό γε πάντων τὸν πεποιηκότα αὐτοὺς Θεὸν, καὶ πᾶσαν ἐξελάσαι νόσον, οὐ τὴν ἐν τοῖς ὑποδήμασιν, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐν τοῖς ἱματίοις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἅπασαν. Καὶ γὰρ οἷον γῆ χερσουμένη, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ νεότης ἀμελουμένη, πολλὰς πολλαχόθεν ἐκφέρουσα τὰς ἀκάνθας. Ἐπαφῶμεν τοίνυν τὸ πῦρ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καὶ κατακαύσωμεν τὰς πονηρὰς ταύτας ἐπιθυμίας, καὶ νεώσωμεν τὰς ἀρούρας, καὶ ἑτοίμους πρὸς τὴν τοῦ σπόρου ποιήσωμεν ὑποδοχὴν, καὶ τοὺς νέους τοὺς παρ' ἡμῖν τῶν ἀλλαχοῦ γερόντων ἀποδείξωμεν σωφρονεστέρους. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ θαυμαστὸν τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅταν ἐν νεότητι σωφροσύνη λάμπῃ, ὡς ὅγε ἐν γήρᾳ σωφρονῶν οὐδὲ μισθὸν ἂν ἔχοι πολὺν, ἀκριβῆ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἀσφάλειαν ἔχων. Τὸ δὲ παράδοξον, ἐν κύμασι γαλήνης ἀπολαύειν, καὶ ἐν καμίνῳ μὴ κατακαίεσθαι, καὶ ἐν νεότητι μὴ ἀσελγαίνειν. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἐννοοῦντες, ζηλώσωμεν τὸν μακάριον ἐκεῖνον Ἰωσὴφ, τὸν διὰ πάντων λάμψαντα τούτων, ἵνα καὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιτύχωμεν στεφάνων αὐτῷ: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.