The Fragments Which Are Extant Of
Book Vii.

ch. x. 18. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.

In this place He teaches that He is not only a Good Shepherd enduring peril for the sake of His flock, but also in His Nature God. Therefore He would not have suffered death, had He not been willing, through His possessing the very God-befitting power of undertaking this work, so very advantageous to us. And the structure of the discourse taught the Jews this also, that they were never going to prevail against Him unless He was willing. And not only as regards laying down life did He say: I have power; but this expression: I have power, He used with regard to both His Death and His Resurrection, in order that the action of might and energy might not appear to be that of another, as though it were a concession granted to Him as to a minister and servant in office; but in order that He might display as a fruit of His own Nature the power to exercise authority over the very bonds of death, and easily to modify the natures of things in whatever way He wished, which is really a characteristic of Him Who is by Nature God. This then He wishes to show by saying: I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again: because, neither commanded as a servant or a minister, nor even as it were from necessity, nor being violently compelled by any, but willingly, He came to do this.

This commandment received I from My Father.

For lest any one should say that against the will of the Son the Father is not able to take away His life, and hence introduce discord and variance into the One Godhead of the Father and the Son; by these words which He says: I received commandment, He shows that the Father also agrees and consents to this, and professes that They come forward to it as with one accord, although He is the Will of the Father. And this will be found consistent also with His Incarnation. By saying that He received in the way of a commandment that which seemed right in the eyes of His Father, He being by Nature God does not make Himself inferior to the Father, but observes what befits His participation of man's nature. Again, He puts us in mind that He is Himself the Prophet concerning Whom the Father said: He shall speak according as I shall command Him; speaking of the common Will of both Father and Son as received like a commandment. This He spake to the Jews lest they should think that He said things contrary to the ordinances of the Father. And if the Father named His own Consubstantial Son a Prophet, be not troubled; for when He became Man, then also the name of Prophet was suitable to Him, then also we may say that commandments were given to Him by the Father agreeably to His human nature. But one who receives commandments is not for that reason inferior or unlike in essence or nature to one who gives commandments, inasmuch as men give commandments to men, and angels to angels, and we do not for that reason say that those who are commanded are of different nature or inferior. Therefore the Son is not inferior to the Father, although He became Man, in order that He might become a Pattern of all virtue for us. By this means He also teaches us that we ought to obey our parents in all things, although we are equal to them as regards our nature. And in some places when it is said by the Father: " I will command," the meaning is: "I will deal fitly with," as when He said: And I will command the whole world for their evil deeds, and the ungodly for their sins. Moreover there are times when the Son speaks with helpful condescension, so that we may as far as is possible get an understanding of the ineffable oracles: yet His having said: I received a commandment, does not make One Who is in His Nature God cease to be God. Either therefore say He is God and ascribe to Him all that properly befits the Godhead, or say plainly He is a creature. For the fact of having received a commandment does not strip any one of the qualities which naturally belong to him. But since the Son speaks whatever the Father commands Him, and He says: I and the Father are One, thou art obliged to say, either that the Father commanded the Son to tell the truth, or to tell a lie. For what the Son hath received commandment to speak, He speaketh; for He saith: The Father which sent Me, He hath given Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And although He also said: My Father is greater than I, that is nothing to the contrary. For in so far as He is in His Nature God, He is equal to the Father; but in so far as He became Man and humbled Himself, He in accordance with this speaks words which befit His Humanity. Nevertheless, as the name of commandment is something external to the essence of a person, it could not be made an objection to His Essence. For it is not in the Father's giving Him commandment that the Son has His Being, nor could this ever be made the limit of His Essence. The Son, therefore, as being the Counsel and Wisdom of the Father, knows what is fittingly determined by Him; and if He receives it as a commandment, do not marvel. For by human modes of expression He signifies things beyond expression, and things unspeakable by our voices are brought down to the mode of expression usual amongst us, so that we may be enabled to understand them. Accordingly let us blame, not the inconsistency of the matter, but the weakness of the words, which cannot reach to the full expression and accurate interpretation of the matters, as they ought.

19, 20, 21  There arose a division again among the Jews because of those words. And many of them said, He hath a devil and is mad: why hear ye Him? Others said, These are not the sayings of one possessed with a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

The words of the Saviour go down into the hearts of His hearers, and those whom they find gentle and yielding they immediately mould and transform to a good condition, but those whom they find hard they recoil from or in some manner turn away from. So that he who has his mind somewhat prepared for fair reason will gladly receive the saving words, but he who is not so will not. Something of this sort was what happened to the people of the Jews to experience. For when they had heard the Saviour's words, they are divided into two parties, and those who are more amenable to reason now incline towards the first principle of salvation, but the hard of heart become worse than they were at first. And the inspired Evangelist seems to be struck with astonishment as to how it happened that the people of the Jews were divided on account of these words. For I think it is very evident that from surprise at the hardness of those who did not believe he says: There arose a division because of these words; by means of which, he seems to imply, the Jews ought to have been fully persuaded that Jesus was the Christ. So wonderful were the words of the Saviour. But when even these words were spoken, by which it was fair to expect that even the very hard to catch would be ensnared into conviction, there arose a division among them. He marvels much therefore that they had given themselves over in an unholy manner to a shameless disregard of evidence. For I suppose it was just to accuse them in proportion as it was reasonable to marvel at the words of Our Saviour. He certainly spake God-befitting words and such as went beyond man; and the magnificence and God-befitting boldness of His superhuman words drive the multitude to intemperate folly. And since it was usual for those who were in truth possessed with devils to speak evil very readily, being of course easily provoked to rage and outside the pale of all intelligence, and since they thought that the Lord was a mere man, not understanding that He was in His Nature God; for these reasons they said He had a devil, as one who blasphemed so intemperately. Because they heard Him say such things as it befitted only God to say. Looking upon Him as one like ourselves, and not yet knowing Who He was by Nature, they considered Him to speak evil when He spake in any way that befitted God. Therefore, agreeably to His Incarnation and condescendingly, because of the infirmity of His hearers, He also often employs our manner of speech. The people of the Jews therefore are divided: and some, understanding nothing whatever of the mysteries concerning Him, are insolent in an unholy manner; but others, who are more reasonable in their habit of mind, do not condemn Him rashly, but ruminate on His words, and carefully test them, and begin to perceive the sweetness in them. And in this way they arrive at a most praiseworthy discernment, and do not attribute to the babblings of a demoniac words so sober and full of the highest wisdom. For it is the custom of those [demons] when they are driving men mad, to speak beside the mark. The Pharisees therefore were more like demoniacs, who called by this name One Who was free of all disease; and did not notice that they were proclaiming the disease which was in themselves, and were doing no other than explaining in their folly the very evil that possessed themselves. And for my part I think that they speak with the highest degree of evil craftiness, when they say the Lord is demoniac. For since He charged them with being wretched and hireling shepherds, who abandoned their sheep to the wolf, and cared altogether so little for their flock; being in no small alarm lest perhaps the people, understanding what was said, should now refuse any longer to be shepherded by them, and follow the instruction given by Christ; on this account, trying to cheat the understanding of the common people, they say: He hath a devil; why hear ye Him? But these words too, the words of those men who spake with evil craft, had the opposite result to that which they intended. And the others, judging from the quality of the words, discern that the words of the Lord are without blame, not such as would be those of one possessed with a devil: moreover, the miracles, says one, offer an irresistible testimony. For although you find fault with His words as not blamelessly spoken, yet it is impossible that any one can at the same time be possessed with a devil and do such works as only God is able to do. Therefore, fair judges recognised Him from His works and also from admiration of the words which He spake.

22, 23  And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem, and it was winter; and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch.

But the Lord was not present at the feasts as one Who would share the feasting, for how could He? He Who said: I hate, I reject your feast days: but in order that He might speak His most profitable words in the presence of many people, showing Himself openly to the Jews, and to mingle Himself with them without being sought. And we must suppose that the feast of the dedication here signifies, either the chief feast [called by this name], in memory of that when Solomon performed the dedication; or [the other], when Zorobabel at a later time, together with Jeshua, rebuilt the temple, after the return from Babylon. And as it was winter and rainy weather at this time, probably all the people flocked to the porch. Therefore Christ also went there, in order that He might make Himself known to all who were willing to see Him, and distribute blessings to them. For those who saw Him were provoked to ask somewhat of Him, because at holidays more than at other times men are naturally given to stir up anxiously such arguments.

24 The Jews therefore came round about Him, and said unto Him, How long dost Thou hold us in suspense? If Thou art the Christ, tell us plainly.

The envy which embitters them takes away all keenness to perceive what might lead to faith, but the greatness of the works He performed forces them to admiration. Nevertheless they find fault with His words, and say that the obscurity of His teaching stood in the way of their being able to understand what they ought to learn. They accordingly request Him to speak more clearly, although they had often heard Him and had received a long instruction on this point. For though He did not say distinctly: "I am the Christ," yet He brought forward in His public teaching many statements of the honourable names which naturally belonged to Him, at one time saying: I am the Light of the world; and again at other times: Iam the Resurrection and the Life; I am the Way; I am the Door; I am the Good Shepherd. Surely by these names which He gives Himself, He signifies that He is the Christ. For the Scripture is wont by such honourable names to decorate the Christ, although the Jews required Him to call Himself plainly by that title. Yet it would perhaps have been in vain and not very easy of acceptance to say in simple words: "I am the Christ," unless actions followed for proof, by which it might have been reasonably believed that He was the Christ. And it is beyond comparison better that He should be recognised as the Christ, not from the words which He said, but from the attributes which naturally belong to Him, and from which the Divine Scriptures concerning Him foretell and declare that He would be manifestly known. Which things the Jews in their littleness of soul not understanding, they say: Howlong dost Thou hold us in suspense? For it is usual for those who are contemptuous to speak thus.

25    Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works that I do in My Fathers name, these bear witness of Me.

Even Christ therefore considered it superfluous to say the same things over again to those who had often heard them and had not been persuaded by them. For every one's nature ought to be estimated from the quality of his works, and we ought by no means to look [solely] at his words. And He says of Himself that He accomplishes His works in His Father's Name, not enjoying the use of power from above in the manner of an ordinary saint, nor accusing Himself of want of power, being God of God, Consubstantial with the Father, the Power of the Father; but as ascribing to the Divine Glory the Power of His performances, He says that He does His works in His Father's Name. Yet He also gives the honour to the Father, lest He might give the Jews a pretext for attacking Him. Moreover He also thought it fitting not to overpass the limit of the form of a servant, although He was God and Lord. And by saying that in His Father's Name He did His works, He teaches that the Jews blasphemed when they said that He cast out devils by Beelzebub. And since the Father does the marvellous deeds, not because He is a Father, but because He is in His Nature God; so the Son also, not because He is a Son, but as God of God, is able Himself to do the works of the Father: wherefore suitably to His Nature He said He did His works in His Father's Name.

26, 27, 28  But ye believe Me not, because ye are not of My sheep. But as I said unto you, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.

A willing readiness to obey characterises the sheep of Christ, as disobedience marks those that are not His. For thus we understand the word "hear," as equivalent to "obey," namely, the words that are spoken: and they who thus hear God are known by Him, and "known" signifies "brought into friendly relationship:" for no one is altogether unknown by God. When therefore He saith: I know Mine, He saith this: "I will receive them and bring them into friendly relationship both mystically and firmly. And any one might say that, inasmuch as He has become Man, He brought all men into friendly relationship by being of the same race; so that we are all united to Christ in a mystical relationship, inasmuch as He has become Man: but they are alienated from Him, who do not preserve the correspondent image of His holiness. For in this way also the Jews, who are united in a family relationship with Abraham the faithful, because they were unbelieving, were deprived of that kinship with him on account of the dissimilarity of character. And He saith: And My sheep follow Me; for they who are obedient and follow, by a certain God-given grace, in the footsteps of Christ, no longer serving the shadows of the Law, but the commandments of Christ, and giving heed to His words, through grace shall rise to His honourable Name, and be called sons of God. For when Christ ascends into the heavens, they also shall follow Him. And He says that He gives to those that follow Him as a recompense and reward, eternal life and exemption from death, or corruption, and from the torments that will be brought upon the transgressors by the Judge. And by the fact of His giving life, He shews that He is in His Nature Life, and that He furnishes this from Himself and not as receiving it from another. And we understand by eternal life, not [only] the length of days which all, both good and bad, are going to enjoy after the resurrection, but also the spending it in bliss.

It is possible also to understand by "life" the mystical blessing by which Christ implants in us His own life through the participation of His own Flesh by the faithful, according to that which is written: He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood hath eternal life.  

29, 30  And no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Which hath given them unto Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are One.

The faithful also have the succour of Christ, the devil not being able to snatch them; and they who have an endless enjoyment of good things, remain in it, no one henceforth snatching them away from the bliss that is given to them into punishment or torments. For it is not possible that they who are in Christ's hand should be snatched away to be punished, because of Christ's great might; for "the hand," in the Divine Scripture, signifies "the power:" it cannot be doubted therefore that the hand of Christ is unconquerable and mighty to all things. But when He saw the Jews mocking at Him as being a mere man, not understanding that He Who to sight and touch was Man was in His Nature God, to persuade them that He is the power of the Father, He saith: No one shall snatch them from My Father's hand, that is, from Mine. For He says that Himself is the all-powerful Right Hand of the Father, forasmuch as by Him the Father effecteth all things, even as by our hand the things are effected which we do. For in many places of the Scripture, Christ is named the Hand and Right Hand of the Father, which signifies the Power; and the all-producing energy and might of God is named simply His hand. For in some way the language used concerning God is always superior to bodily representation. And the Father is said to give to the Son, not as to one who had not alway creation under His hand, but as to Him Who is in His Nature Life; bringing us who are in need of life to the Son, that we may be made alive through Him Who is in His Nature Life, and has it of His own. But also, inasmuch as He has become Man, it is suitable for Him to ask and to receive from the Father things which He already had as being in His Nature God.

For Christ, having admitted what pertained to His humanity, recurs to His God-befitting dignity, taking pleasure in the advantages of His Nature for the profit of the faithful and for the sake of sound faith, which is, never at all to suspect that the Son is inferior to the Father. For thus He is shewn to be the undamaged Image of the Father, preserving in Himself whole and sound the Very Impress of the Father. And we say the Son and the Father are One, not blending their Individualities by the use of that number, as do some who say that the Father and the Son are the same [Person], but believing the Father by Himself and the Son by Himself to personally subsist; and collecting the two into One Sameness of Essence, also knowing them to possess one might, so that it is seen without variation now in One and now in the Other.

I and the Father are One. By the word " One" He signifies the Sameness of their Essence: and by the word "are" He severs into two that which is understood, and again binds them up into One Godhead.

But this also we must understand, in opposition to the Arians, that in His saying: I and the Father are One, there is signified, not the proof of sameness of will, but the Oneness of their Essence. For indeed the Jews understood that in saying this, He said that Himself was God and equal to the Father; and Christ did not deny that He had said this as they understood it. 

31 The Jews therefore took up stones again to stone Him.

For not refraining themselves from Him, when He said that Himself was One with the Father, they rush to kill Him; although each of the works wrought by Him proclaimed that He was in His Nature God. And not only now, but on other occasions also when they took up stones to kill Him, they stood motionless through the power of Christ; so that it became evident from this also, that He would not suffer except He was willing. Moreover in His gentleness Christ checked their unreasonable impulse, saying not: "For which of the words that I said, are ye angry?" but: " For which of the works that I did?" For if I had not done, He says, many God-befitting works which shew that I am in My Nature God, ye might be reasonably angry with Me now, hearing Me say that I and the Father are One. But I should not have said this, had I not shewn it by all things that I did. And He speaks of the works as from the Father, not from Himself, shewing this modesty for our profit, so that we may not boast when we receive anything from God. And He says the works were shown from the Father, not to indicate that the power exhibited in them was other than His own, but to teach that they were the works of the whole Godhead. And we understand One Godhead in Father and Son and Holy Spirit. For whatsoever the Father does, this is accomplished by the Son in the Spirit; and again, what the Son does, this the Father is said to do in the Spirit. Wherefore also Christ saith: I do nothing of Myself, but the Father abiding in Me, He doeth the works.

33 For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy.

Having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, they became angry when they heard Christ saying: I and the Father are One. For what was the impediment to His being One with the Father, if they believed that He was God by Nature? Wherefore also they attempt to stone Him, and in self-defence giving the reason why they did so, they say: " We stone Thee, not on account of the good works which Thou didst, but because Thou blasphemest." They were the blasphemers, on the contrary, because they wished to stone One Who was truly God, not knowing that Jesus was destined to come, not in the undisguised Godhead, but Incarnate of the Seed of David; [and thus] they speak of His true confession as blasphemy.

I said, Ye are gods, &c.

Since therefore the Father called certain men gods, and of necessity the honourable name was something external, super-added to them, for He Who is God by Nature is One only; lest Jesus also should be deemed to be one of that class----clothed in the glory of the Godhead, not as essentially His own, but rather as something external, super-added to Himself, in the same way as was the case with those others----He as a matter of necessity clearly distinguishes Himself from them. For He shews that He differed so far from their poverty, that when He was in them, [then only, and] on that very account they were called gods: because He is the Word of God the Father. And if the Word, being in them, was in any cases sufficient to make those who were really [only] men shine with the honour of the Godhead; how could He be anything else than God by Nature, Who bestowed freely even upon those others His splendour in this way?

Now convicting the Jews, that not because He said: I and the Father are One, they were stoning Him, but without reason; He says: "If, because I said I was God, 1 seem to blaspheme; why, when the Father said by the Law to certain men: Ye are gods, did ye not judge that to be blasphemy?" And this He says, not as instigating them to say anything against the Father, but to convict them of being ignorant of the Law and the inspired Scriptures. And seeing that the difference between those who were called gods and Him Who is in His Nature God is great, through the words which He uses, He teaches us the distinction; for if the men unto whom the Word of God came were called gods, and were illumined with the honour of the Godhead, by admitting and receiving the Word of God into their soul, how could He through Whom they became gods, be other than in His Nature God? For the Word was God, according to the language of John, Who also bestowed this illumination on the others. For if the Word of God through the Holy Spirit leads up to superhuman grace, and adorns with a Divine honour those in whom He may be, Why, saith He, say ye that I blaspheme when I call Myself Son of God and God? Although by the works I have done from Him I am borne witness to as in My Nature God. For having sanctified Me He sent Me into the world to be the Saviour of theworld; and it is the attribute only of One in His Nature God, to be able to save men from the devil and from sin and from corruption.

But perhaps when the Divine Scripture saith that the Son was sent from the Father, the heretic straightway deems the expression a support to his own error, and will say in all probability: "Ye who refuse to speak of the Son as inferior to the Father, do ye not see that He was sent from Him, as from a superior and a greater one?" What then shall we say? Surely, that the mention of His being sent is particularly suitable to the measure of His self-humiliation; for thou nearest that Paul, uniting Both, then says that the Son was sent from the Father, when He was also made of a woman and under the Law as a Man amongst us, although being "Lawgiver and Lord. And if the Son be understood as made in the form of a servant, then said to be sent from the Father, He suffers no damage whatever, with regard to His being also Consubstantial with Him and Coequal in glory and in no respect at all falling short. For the expressions used among ourselves, if they are applied to God, do not admit of being accurately tested; and I say that we ought not to understand them just exactly as they are usually understood among ourselves, but as far as may be suitable to the Divine and Supreme Nature itself. For what [else could happen], unless the tongue of man possessed words competent to suffice for setting forth the Divine glory? Accordingly it is absurd that the preeminence of the glory which is highest of all should suffer injury through the weakness of the human tongue and its poverty of expression. Remember that which Solomon says: The glory of the Lord maketh language obscure. For when we waste our labour in trying to express accurately the glory of the Lord, we are like to those who wish to measure the heavens by a span. Therefore when anything is said concerning God in words generally applied to men, it must be understood in a manner befitting God. Else what wilt thou do when thou hearest David singing in his psalm: O Thou that sittest upon the Cherubim, shew Thyself; stir up Thy strength and come to save us? For how does the Incorporeal sit? And where does He call upon the God of the universe to come to for us, the God Who saith by the Prophets: Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? Where therefore should He come to for us, when He filleth all things? Again, it is written that some were building a tower to reach unto heaven, and the Lord came down to see the city and the tower; and the Lord said, Gome and let Us go down and there confound their tongues. Where did the Lord go down? Or in what manner doth the Holy Trinity urge Itself on to the descent? And how, tell me, did the Saviour Himself also promise to send to us the Paraclete from heaven? For where or whence is That Which filleth all things sent? For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world, as it is written.

Therefore the expressions ordinarily used of ourselves signify things above us, if they are spoken concerning God. Dost thou wish to understand any of those things so difficult of comprehension? Then thy mind proves too weak to grasp them, and dost thou perceive that it is so? Be not provoked to anger, O man, but confess the weakness of thy nature, and remember him that said: Seek not out the things that are above thy strength. When thou di-rectest thy bodily eye to the orb of the sun, immediately thou turnest it away again, overcome by the sudden influx of the light. Know therefore that the Divine Nature also dwells in unapproachable light; unapproachable, that is, by the understandings of those who over-busily look into it. Therefore also when things concerning God are expressed in language ordinarily used of men, we ought not to think of anything base, but to remember that the wealth of the Divine Glory is being mirrored in the poverty of human expression. For what if the Son is sent from the Father? Shall He then on this account be inferior? But when from the solar body its light is sent forth, is that of a different nature from it and inferior to it? Is it not foolish merely to suppose such a thing for a moment? Therefore the Son, being the Light of the Father, is sent to us, as we may say, from a Sun that darteth forth Its Beam; which indeed David also entreats may take place, saying: O send out Thy Light and Thy Truth. And if it is a glory to the Father to have the Light, how dost thou call that in which He is glorified inferior to Him? And the Son Himself also says concerning Himself: Whom the Father sanctified and sent. Now the word "sanctified" is used in the Scripture in many senses. For it is said that anything dedicated to God is sanctified. For instance He said unto Moses: Sanctify unto Me all the firstborn. And again, that is sanctified which is prepared by God for the execution of any of His designs, for He speaks thus concerning Cyrus and the Medes, when He determined that they should make war against the city of the Babylonians; The mighty ones are come to fulfil Mine anger, being both joyous and proud; they have been sanctified, and I lead them. And again, that is sanctified which is made to participate of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Son saith that Himself is sanctified by the Father, as having been prepared by Him for the restitution of the life of the world, and for the destruction of those who oppose Him; or still further, in so far as He was sent to be slain for the salvation of the world; for indeed those things are called holy which are set apart as an offering to God. And we say that He was sanctified, even as men like ourselves are, when He became flesh: for His Flesh was sanctified, although it was not in its nature holy, by being received into union with the Word; and because this is come to pass, He is sanctified by the Father ; for the Godhead of Father and Son and Holy Spirit is One.

37, 38  If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe My works: that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him.

What He says is this. Though it is easy for any one to call God Father, yet to demonstrate the fact by works is hard and impossible to a creature. By works however of a God-befitting character, He says, I am seen to be equal to God the Father: and there is no defence for your unbelief since you have learnt that I am equal to the Father by the evidence of the God-befitting works which I do, although as regards the flesh I seemed to be one among you like an ordinary man. Hence it is possible to perceive that I am in the Father and the Father in Me. For the sameness of their Essence makes the Father to be and to be seen in the Son, and the Son in the Father. For truly even among ourselves the essence of our father is recognised in him that is begotten of him, and in the parent again that of the child. For the delineation of their nature is one in them all, and they all are by nature one. But when we distinguish ourselves by our bodies, the many are no longer one; a distinction which cannot be mentioned concerning One Who is God by Nature, for whatever is Divine is incorporeal, although we conceive of the Holy Trinity as in distinct Subsistences. For the Father is the Father and not the Son; the Son again is the Son and not the Father; and the Holy Spirit is peculiarly the Spirit: although They are not at variance, through Their fellowship and unity One with Another.

The Holy Trinity is known in the Father and in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. But the designation of each one of These Who have been enumerated denotes not a part of the Trinity, but the Whole of It; since in truth God is undivided and simple, although distributed in These Subsistences.

Therefore, as there is but One Godhead in Father and Son and Holy Spirit, we say that the Father is seen in the Son, and the Son in the Father. And it is necessary to know this other point also, that it is not the wishing the same things as the Father, nor the possessing one will with Him, that makes the Son say: I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, and: I and the Father are One; but because, being the genuine Offspring of the Essence of the Father, He shews forth the Father in Himself, and Himself also is shewn forth in the Father. For He says that He wills and speaks and effects the same things as the Father, and easily performs what He wishes, even as the Father doth, in order that He may be acknowledged in all respects Consubstantial with Him, and a true Fruit of His Essence; and not merely as having a relative unity with Him, only in similarity of will and the laws of love ; which unity we say belongs also to His creatures.

40, 41, 42  And He went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John was baptizing; and there He abode. And many came unto Him; and they said, John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever John spake of this Man were true. And many believed on Him there.

Leaving Jerusalem, the Saviour seeks a refuge in a place possessing springs of water, that He might signify obscurely as in a type how He would leave Judasa and go over to the Church of the Gentiles which possesses the fountains of Baptism: there also many approach unto Him. crossing through the Jordan; for this is signified by Christ taking up His abode beyond Jordan. They therefore having crossed the Jordan by Holy Baptism, are brought unto God: for truly He went across from the synagogue of the Jews unto the Gentiles: and then many came unto Him and believed the words spoken by the saints concerning Him. And they believe on Him there, where the springs of water are, where we are taught the mystery of Christ. For Christ was not in the streams before the Jordan, but somewhere beyond; and He came and abode, continuing constantly in the Church of the Gentiles. And we honour John, not as having performed any God-befitting work, but as having borne true witness concerning Christ. For Christ was more wonderful, not only than John, but than every saint; for whereas they were Prophets, He was the wonder-working God. And we must notice that the words of John and of the other Prophets are a way [to lead us] to believe Christ.  

Chap. xi. 1, 2. Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany,of the village of Mary and her sister Martha. And it was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

With a purpose does the Evangelist make mention of the names of the women, showing that they were distinguished for their piety. Wherefore also the Lord loved them. And of the many things which probably had been done for the Lord by Mary, he mentions the ointment, not at haphazard, but to shew that Mary had such thirst after Christ that she wiped His feet with her own hair, seeking to fasten to herself more really the spiritual blessing which comes from His holy Flesh; for indeed she appears often with much warmth of attachment to have sat close to Christ without being distracted by interruption, and to have been drawn into friendly relationship with Him.

3      His sisters therefore sent unto Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.

The women send to the Lord, ever wishing to have Him near them, but on this occasion sending under a fair pretext on account of him who was sick. For they believed that if Christ would only appear the sufferer would be set free from his disease. And they gently remind Him of the love which He had for the sick man, drawing Him thither especially by this means; for they knew that He took thought for this man. And He was able, even though absent, to heal him, as being God and tending all things; nevertheless, they thought that if He were present, He would put forth His hand and awaken him. Not even they possessed as yet the perfection of faith, wherefore also they are troubled, as it seems probable, with the thought that Lazarus would not have been ill at all, had not Christ neglected him: for, say they, since such as are beloved by God possess all good things, why is he whom Thou lovest, sick? Or perhaps they even say: Great is the audacity of the sickness, because it dared to attack such as are beloved by God. And it may be too that they seem to say something of this sort. Since Thou lovest and healest even Thine enemies, much rather oughtest Thou to confer such benefits on them that love Thee. For Thou art able to do all things by merely Thy Will. Therefore their language is full of faith and proves their close relationship to Christ.

4 But when Jesus heard it, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby.

The Lord now says this, not that the men may go away and report it to the sisters of Lazarus, but as God foretelling what should come to pass, because He saw that the conclusion of the affair would be for the glory of God; not that the sickness came upon the man for this reason, that He should be glorified; for it would be silly to say this; but since it had come, He also saw that it would result in a wonderful end. And He says that Himself is in His Nature God, for that which is done, is done for His glory. For after saying that the sickness was for the glory of God, He added: That the Son of God may be glorified thereby, speaking concerning Himself.

And if He Himself said that the sickness of Lazarus was not unto death, and yet his death took place, there is nothing to marvel at. For looking on to the final result of the affair, and seeing that He was going to raise him up after a little time, we do not consider anything that took place in the interval, but only how the end would result. For the Lord determined to set forth the weakness of death, and to shew forth all that happened as for the glory of God, that is, of Himself.

6 When therefore He heard that he was sick, He abode at that time two days in the place where He was.

And He deferred His arrival in order that He might not heal him while sick, but raise him when dead; which is a work of greater power, so that He would be more greatly glorified.  

7, 8  And after this He saith to His disciples, Let us go into Judaea again, His disciples say unto Him. Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone Thee; and goest Thou thither again?

Now when the Lord said: Let us go into Judaea again, He seems almost to declare "Even though the people there are unworthy of kindness, yet now that an opportunity presents itself of conveying them some advantage, let us go back to them;" but the disciples in their love for Him think it right to try to hinder Him, and moreover as men they suppose that He would be unwilling to put Himself in peril by going amongst the Jews. Wherefore also they remind Him of the madness of the Jews against Him, all but saying: "Why again dost Thou seek to be amidst the unbelieving and ungrateful people who are not softened either by Thy words or even by Thy works? who even yet are of murderous intent against Thee, and who are boiling with passionate rage?" Either then they say this, or their language signifies that He is leading them into evident danger. Nevertheless, they are obedient to their Teacher, as to One Who knows what is best.

9, 10  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If therefore a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he may see the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.

Perhaps He compares to the ever-moving course of the day, the easily-swayed and novelty-loving mind of men, which is not established in one opinion, but vacillates from one way of thinking to another, just as the day changes from one hour to another. And thus also thou wilt understand the words: Are there not twelve hours in the day? That is, "I," says He, "am the Day and the Light. Therefore, just as it is not possible for the light of the day to fail, without having completed its appointed time; so it is not among possibilities that the illumination which proceeds from Me should be shrouded from the Jews, without having fully reached its fitting measure of philanthropy." And He speaks of the time of His presence as "day," and of that before it as "night;" as also when the Lord says: We must work the works of Himthat sent us, while it is day. This therefore is what He here says: "It is not now a time for Me to separate Myself from the Jews, even though they be unholy, but I must do all things that pertain to their healing. For they must not now be punished, by having the Divine grace (like the light of the sun) withdrawn from them. But just as the light of the day does not fail until the twelve hours have been completed, so the illumination that proceeds from Me is not shrouded before the proper time; but until I am crucified I remain among the Jews, sending forth unto them like light the understanding of the knowledge of God. For since the Jews are in the darkness of unbelief, and so stumble at Me as at a stone, I must go back to them and enlighten them, that they may desist from their madness in fighting against God."

11      These things spake He: and after this He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep: but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

"A worthy cause draws Me towards Jerusalem;" for so much is signified by the words: Our friend is fallen asleep; "and if we should let it pass neglected, we should incur the reputation of being devoid of compassion. Wherefore we must avoid the disgrace of such conduct, and run to the help of our friend, despising the plots of the Jews." And shewing His own God-befitting power, He calls the departure of the human soul from the body by the name of sleep, and very rightly: for He does not think it proper to call it death, Who created man for immortality, according as it is written, and made the generations of the world to be healthful. Moreover, the language is also true, because the temporary death of our body is in the sight of God really a sleep and nothing different, brought to an end by a mere and single sign from that which is by nature Life, namely, Christ. And notice that He did not say: "Lazarus is dead and I go to raise him to life," but says: "He is fallen asleep," avoiding boastfulness, for our instruction and profit; for [without some such good reason] He would not have uttered a sentence so obscure in its hidden meaning that not even the disciples themselves understood what was said. For He did not say: " I go to quicken him into life" or "to raise him up from the dead," but " that I may awake him out of sleep;" which was at the time insufficient to suggest His real meaning.

12, 13 His disciples therefore said, Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he will recover. Now Jesus had spoken of his death; but they thought that He spake of taking rest in sleep.

They, not understanding the force of the words, thought that Jesus spake of taking rest in sleep, which when sick men can do, they generally experience refreshment; wherefore the disciples say: "It is not worth while to go and disturb Lazarus from his sleep, for it does not benefit a sick man to awake him out of sleep." And this they said, wishing to hinder Him from the journey by remarking that it was not meet to go into the midst of those murderers for the sake of doing something which would produce no good result.

14, 15  Then Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

The disciples therefore not understanding that He had called death by the name of sleep, He made His meaning clearer, saying: He is dead. And He says that He is glad, not out of a love of glory, because He was going to do the marvellous deed, but because this was going to become for the disciples a ground of faith. And the words: I was not there, signify as follows: "If I had been there, he would not have died, because I should have had pity on him when he was suffering only a little; but now in My absence his death has taken place, so that, by raising him life, I shall bestow upon you much advantage through your faith in Me." And Christ says this, not as being able to do God-befitting deeds only when He was present; but because if He had been present, He could not have neglected His friend until the occurrence of death. And He says: Let us go unto him, as unto a living person; for the dead, inasmuch as they are destined to live, are alive unto Him as God.

16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him.

The language of Thomas has indeed zeal, but it also has timidity; it was the outcome of devout feeling, but it was mixed with littleness of faith. For he does not endure being left behind, and even tries to persuade the others to adopt the same resolution: nevertheless he thinks that they are destined to suffer [death] at the hands of the Jews, even against the will of Christ, by reason of the murderous passion of the Jews; not looking at the power of the Deliverer, as he ought rather to have done. And Christ made them timid, by enduring with patience beyond measure the sufferings He experienced at the hands of the Jews. Thomas therefore says that they ought not to separate themselves from their Teacher, although undoubted danger lay before them; so, perhaps with a gentle smile, He said: Let us go, that is, Let us die. Or he speaks thus: Of a certainty if we go we shall die: nevertheless let us not refuse to suffer, for we ought not to be cowardly to such a degree; because if He raises the dead, fear is superfluous, for we have One Who is able to raise us again after we have fallen.

17, 18, 19  So when Jesus came to Bethany, He found that he had been in the tomb four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, fifteen furlongs off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

He mentions also the length of days that had intervened after the death of Lazarus for this reason, that the miracle may be the more marvelled at, and lest any one should chance to say that He had come after one day, and that Lazarus was not dead, but He had raised him up from sickness. And he says that many Jews were in Bethany, although the place was not a populous one, being come out of Jerusalem; for the distance of road between the two places was not so great as to hinder their sincere friends from being with Martha and Mary. And since the miracle was talked about by all in Jerusalem and the country round about, he gives the reason, that as there were many people there, the story was naturally spread abroad in all directions; some telling what had been done from admiration, and others through envy, to attach a false accusation to the miracle through their lying account of it.

20  Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him; but Mary still sat in the house.

Perhaps Martha was the more eager to do such things as might be necessary; wherefore also she first went and met Him: but Mary was the more intelligent. Wherefore, as possessing a more sensitive soul, she remained at home, receiving the attentions of her consoling friends; but Martha, as a simpler person, started off, intoxicated indeed with her grief, but nevertheless acting with more vigour.

21, 22, 23, 24    Martha therefore said unto Jesus, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. And even now I know that, whatsoever Thou shalt ask of God, God will give Thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha answered Him, 1 know that he shall rise again at the last day.

What Martha says, amounts to this. "Not for this reason," she says, "did my brother die, because the nature of man is subject to death; but because Thou wast not present, Who art able by Thy word to conquer death." But in her grief, wandering beyond propriety, she considered that the Lord was no longer able to do anything, as the time for help had gone by; and she thought that He had come, not for the raising again of Lazarus, bat that He might console them. For softly and gently she reproaches Him for His tardiness in not immediately coming when it would have been possible for Him to help them, when they sent saying: Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is side. And the words: Whatsoever Thou shalt ask of God He will give Thee, are the words of one who is almost afraid to ask plainly what she wishes; nevertheless she stumbles concerning the truth in that she speaks not as to God, but as to one of the saints ; His being seen in the flesh causing her to think that whatsoever He should ask as a saint, He would receive from God; not indeed knowing that, being in His Nature God and the Power of the Father, He possesses irresistible might over all things. For if she had known that He was God, she would not have said: If Thou hadst been here; for God is everywhere. Through His aversity to arrogance, however, the Lord did not say: "I will raise up thy brother," but: "He shall rise again;" all but softly rebuking her and saying: "He indeed rises again as thou wishest, but not as thou thinkest. For if thou supposest that it will be accomplished by prayer and supplication, take upon thyself the part of prayer, but do not bid Me do it, Who am a Wonder-worker, able by My own Might to raise the dead." The woman having heard this and being ashamed now to say: "Raise him to life," yet in some degree instigating Him to do the work at once, seems somewhat to be saddened at the postponement of the time, saying: " I know that he shall rise again at the last day, but I long to see before that time the resurrection of my brother." Again when the Lord said: Thy brother shall rise again, the woman all but signifies her agreement with this doctrine, saying: "I know that; for I believe that the dead will be raised, according as Thou didst teach: For the hour cometh, and they shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done ill, unto the resurrection of judgment. And likewise Isaiah also in the Spirit said: The dead shall be raised and they that are in the tombs shallbe awakened. For I do not disbelieve in the doctrine of the resurrection, as the Sadducees do."

25, 26, 27  Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection and the Life; he that believeth on Me though he die, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth on Me, shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto Him. Yea, Lord: I have believed that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even He that cometh into the world.

Assuredly a fruit and reward of faith in Christ is eternal life, and in no other way does this come to the soul of man. For although we are all raised to life through Christ, yet this [eternal life given to the faithful] is the true life, namely, to live unendingly in bliss; for to be restored to life only for punishment differs nothing from death. If therefore any one notices that even the saints, who have received promises of life, die; this is nothing, for it is only what naturally comes to pass. And until the proper time has been reserved the display of the grace [of resurrection], which is powerful, not partially, but effectually, in the case of all men, even of those saints who have died in time past and are tasting death for a short time, until the general resurrection. For then, together, all will enjoy the good things. And in saying: Though he die, yet shall he live, the Saviour did not take away the death in this present world: but admits that it has such might against the faithful that it naturally happens to them, and no more; because He has reserved the grace of resurrection until the proper time. He certainly says: " He that helieveth on Me shall not be without a participation in the death of the flesh in the ordinary course of human nature, but nevertheless he will suffer nothing worthy of fear in this, as God is able easily to make alive whomsoever He will." For he that believeth on Him, hath in the world to come an endless life in bliss and perfect immortality. Wherefore let not any of the unbelieving mock: for Christ did not say: "From this present moment he shall in no wise see death," but when He said absolutely: "He shall never see death in any wise," He spake concerning the world to come, reserving the end of the promise until then. And saying unto Martha: Believest thou? He demands the confession of faith as the parent and patron of the [eternal] life; and she readily assented and accurately confesses: not simply believing that He is a Christ and a Son of God; for a prophet also can be a christ, by reason of being anointed, and the same person can be understood to be a son [of God]: but using the definite article and saying: " The Christ, the Son of God," she confessed the Only and Preeminent and True Son. Therefore her faith was on the Son, not on a creature.

Believest thou in this?

Having previously explained the force of the mystery in Himself, and shown plainly that He is by Nature Life and Very God, He demands assent to the faith, furnishing in this matter a model to the Churches. For we ought not quite vainly to cast our words into the air when we confess the venerable mystery, but to fix the roots of the faith in heart and mind and then to let it bear fruit in our confession; and we ought to believe without any hesitation or double-mindedness. For the double-minded man is insolent and halting as regards the faith; wherefore also he is unstable in all his ways. Nevertheless, it is necessary to know that we make the confession of our faith unto God, although we are questioned by men, I mean those whose lot it is to minister in sacred things, when we say the "I believe" at the reception of Holy Baptism. Certainly therefore to speak falsely and to slip aside towards unbelief is a most aweful thing; lest we may have as both Judge and Witness of our folly the Lord of all Himself, saying: Even I am a Witness, saith the Lord. And we must observe that, as Lazarus was lying dead, on his behalf in a certain way the assent to the faith is demanded of the woman, that the type in this also may have force among the Churches; for when a newborn babe is brought, either to receive the chrism of the catechumenate, or that of the complete- [Christian] -condition at Holy Baptism the person who brings it repeats aloud the "Amen" on its behalf. And on behalf of those who are assailed by extreme sickness, and on that account are going to be baptized, certain persons make the renunciation [of Satan] and the declaration of attachment [to Christ], by an act of charity lending as it were their voices to those who are disabled by sickness: a thing which we see to have been done in the case of Lazarus and his sister. And Martha wisely and prudently first sows the confession of faith, that afterwards she may reap the fruit of it.

28, 29  And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is here, and calleth thee. And she, when she heard it, arose, and went unto Him.

She went away to call her sister, that she also might share the happiness which arose from the expected event, and receive at once in common with herself the dead one raised again beyond all hope. For she had heard the words: Thy brother shall rise again. And she told the good news of the coming of the Saviour to her sister secretly, because there were sitting by her some of those Jews who felt ill-will towards Christ for His wondrous works.

And we shall not find in the Gospels that Christ said: "Call thy sister to Me;" but Martha taking the undeniable emergency of the affair and the right due to her sister of being invited to come, as equivalent to an uttered command, she speaks as she does. And Mary readily ran towards Him, and was willing to go to meet Him. For how could she help doing this, when she was in such great grief at His absence, and had such a warm feeling of piety and great love towards Him?

30, 31  Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and were comforting her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying that she was going unto the tomb to weep there.

The Jews therefore who were present, thinking she had run to the tomb to tear herself [in her grief], follow her; doing this by the will of God, in order that they might go in a body to see the marvellous deed, even without wishing to do so. For had this not taken place by the providence of God, the Evangelist would not have mentioned it; neither would he have written down the concurrent causes of each matter, had he not been everywhere very zealous for the truth. Therefore he stated the cause wherefore many ran to the tomb, and were found there, and became beholders of the marvellous deed, and reported it to others.

32 Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw Him, fell down at His feet, saying, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Certainly Mary says that death had happened to her brother prematurely through the absence of the Lord, and says that He had come to the house, when the time for healing had passed by: and it is possible also from this to conjecture that she said this as to God Himself; although she did not speak accurately, from thinking that He was not present even though absent in the body. But being more accurate and intelligent than Martha, she did not say: Whatsoever Thou shalt ask of God God will give Thee. Wherefore to her the Lord says nothing, whereas to Martha He spake at some length. And Mary intoxicated with her grief, He does not reprove for saying: " If Thou hadst been here" to Him Who fills all creation; doing this also for our example, that we should not reprove those who are in an agony of mourning: and He condescends still further, revealing His human nature, and weeps and is troubled, when He sees her weeping and the Jews who came with her also weeping.

33, 34  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him?

Now since Christ was not only God by Nature, but; also Man, He suffers in common with the rest that which is human; and when grief begins somehow to be stirred within Him, and His Holy Flesh now inclines to tears, He does not allow It to indulge in them without restraint, as is the custom with us. But He groans in the spirit, that is, in the power of the Holy Spirit He reproves in some way His Own Flesh: and That, not being able to endure the action of the Godhead united with It, trembles and presents the appearance of trouble. For this I think to be the signification of "He was troubled; " for how otherwise could He endure trouble? Shall that Nature which is ever undisturbed and calm be troubled in any way? The flesh therefore is reproved by the Spirit, being taught to feel things beyond its own nature. For indeed on this account the Almighty Word of Glod was made in Flesh, or rather was made Flesh, that He might strengthen the weaknesses of the flesh by the energies of His own Spirit, and withdraw our nature from too earthly feelings, and transform it as it were to such feelings only as are pleasing to God. Surely it is an infirmity of human nature to be abjectly overcome by griefs, but this as well as the rest is brought into subjection, in Christ first, that it may be also in us.

Or thus we must understand the words: He groaned in the spirit and was troubled, viz:----as equivalent to: "Being moved to compassion by reason of many weeping, He in a manner gave commandment to His own Spirit to overthrow death before the time, and to raise up Lazarus." And it is not as being ignorant that He asks: Where have ye laid him? For He Who had known of Lazarus' death when He was in another part of the country, how could He be ignorant about the tomb? But He speaks thus as being averse to arrogance: therefore He did not say: "Let us go to the tomb, for I will awaken him," although asking the question particularly in the way He did has this significance. Moreover also by saying this, He prepared many to go before Him that they might shew Him that which He sought. With a set purpose therefore He said this also, drawing by His words many to the place, and appears not to know, not at all shrinking from the poverty of man's condition, although in His Nature God and knowing all things, not only those which have been, but also those which shall be, before their existence.

And the asking a question therefore does not imply any ignorance in Him Who for our sakes was made like unto us, but rather He is shown from this to be equal to the Father; for He too asks a question: Adam, where art thou? Christ also feigns ignorance and inquires: Where have ye laid him? so that through the inquiry a multitude might be gathered together to the manifestation, and that by His enemies, rather than by others, testimony should be given to the miracle of restoring to life one who was already corrupt.

36, 37  The Jews therefore said, Behold how He loved him! But some of them said, Could not this Man, which opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die?

Certainly the Evangelist, seeing the tearless Nature weeping, is astonished, although the suffering was peculiar to the flesh, and not suitable to the Godhead. And the Lord weeps, seeing the man made in His own image marred by corruption, that He may put an end to our tears. For for this cause He also died, even that we may be delivered from death. And He weeps a little, and straightway checks His tears; lest He might seem to be at all cruel and inhuman, and at the same time instructing us not to give way overmuch in grief for the dead. For it is one thing to be influenced by sympathy, and another to be effeminate and unmanly. For this cause therefore He permitted His own flesh to weep a little, although it was in its nature tearless and incapable of any grief, so far as regards its own nature. And even they who hate the Lord, admire His tears. For they who follow philosophy to an extreme and have a brilliant reputation therein, shed tears with the greatest reluctance, as overcoming by manly vigour every misfortune. And the Jews thought that He wept on account of the death of Lazarus, but He wept out of compassion for all humanity, not bewailing Lazarus only, but understanding that which happens to all, that the whole of humanity is made subject to death, having justly fallen under so great a penalty. And others, being wounded by envy, said nothing good; for in truth they did not find fault with the Lord for suffering Lazarus to die ; for this would have been the language of men who believed that He was able to stay death: but they almost speak thus: "Where is Thy might, O Wonder-worker? For behold, even when Thou wert unwilling, He who was beloved by Thee has died. For that Thou didst love him is evident from Thy weeping. If therefore that which was done to the blind man was the work of Thy might, Thou wouldst be able also to stay death, which is a similar deed beyond the nature of man." As malignantly rejoicing therefore, because they saw His glory in a manner diminished, they say this.

38, 39  Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. And Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone.

Here we understand the groaning as if it were the will struggling with a sort of movement according to its power, both because He rather sternly reproved His grief, and the tears which were about to be shed from His grief. For, as God, He in the way of a master reproves His Manhood, bidding it be manly in sorrowful circumstances; or by His God-befitting movement He distinctly lays it down that we must hence forward overthrow the powerful influence of death. And this He makes manifest by His very own Flesh, and signified by the movement of His Body that which was concealed within. And this is shown here by the expression: "He groaned," which means, that through the outward action of His Body He indicated His hidden commotion.

And He did not roll away the stone Himself for these two reasons: first, to teach that it was superfluous to work wonders when there was no necessity for them; and secondly, [to teach] that He Himself awakes the dead, but His angels will be at hand to minister in the event, whom indeed the Lord elsewhere in a parable calls reapers.

Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

It is usual to refuse to believe in the possibility of great deeds, and to be somewhat reluctant to admire is a feeling which naturally is consequent upon things beyond our experience. It seems to me that even the good Martha suffered this; for the excessive greatness of the event took from her the sure confidence of faith, and the strangeness of the hope bewilders her proper reason. And it is nothing astonishing if she who had confessed her faith is again overtaken by littleness of faith through the excessive greatness of the marvellous deed. And either solely out of honour to Christ she said: By this time he stinketh; that He might not be disgusted by the bad smell of the corpse: or she says this as if from shame. For the relatives of the dead hasten, before the body becomes ill-smelling, to bury it down in the earth, out of consideration for the living, and deeming it a dishonour to the dead that it should become an object of loathing to any.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

A most excellent thing is faith, when it is produced from an ardent mind; and it has such great power that not only is the believer healed, but in fact others also have been healed besides them that believed; as the paralytic let down [through the tiles] at Capernaum, by the faith of those who carried him; and as Lazarus, by that of his sister, to whom the Lord said: If thou believest, thou shall see the glory of God; all but saying: "Since Lazarus, being dead, is not able to believe, do thou fill up that which is lacking of the faith of him that is dead." And the form of faith is twofold: first, dogmatic, consisting of an assent of the soul to something, as: He that believeth on the Son is not judged; and secondly, a gift by the participation of grace from Christ: For to one, He says, is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another faith, which is not merely dogmatic, but also capable of effecting things beyond human power, so as even to remove mountains. The faith of Martha however, by the feebleness of her reason, fell away into unbelief. But the Lord does not permit it to remain so: He effects a speedy remedy for the suffering. For He says she must believe, that she may behold what was beyond hope. For double-mindedness is a great infirmity and deprives us of the gracious gifts of God. Wherefore, by rebuking her, [Christ] warned the whole human race not to be detected in the evil ways of double-mindedness. And shunning vainglory, the Christ did not say: Thou shalt see My glory, but: the glory of God. And the glory of God was the raising the dead. Surely therefore He Himself Who said: I am the Resurrection, is by Nature the God Whose glory He says not long afterwards the woman should see, since Thou wilt suppose that the Truth----and the Christ is the Truth----does not lie. And it was promised to her that her dead brother should rise again. And Mary, being more intelligent, utters no word of doubt; but Martha was affected by the disease of double-mindedness.

42 And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the multitude which standeth by I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me.

Of course it is agreeably to His self-humiliation as a Man that the Christ thus speaks in a lowly manner, not according to the excellency of the Godhead: and He offers His thanks to the Father not on account of Lazarus only, but for the life of all men. For being good, He is of one mind with the Father in bringing back to life the nature of man which had fallen into liability to corruption through its disobedience; and there is no distinction between His goodness and that of the Father. And just as we ourselves even are persuaded by our own reasonings to leave undone what we had intended to do, so also the Lord, being the Word and Counsel of the Father, has made the Father friendly to us. And of course we do not say that what is Divine indulges in anger, but that [God], being just and good, knows when it is the proper time to rebuke, and when it is the proper time to relax. However, the Lord gives thanks, and this He does as a Pattern for us, honouring the Father. But when an equal gives thanks to an equal, he by no means does this as a mark of inferiority of essence. And on this account [Jesus] notifies that because of the multitude He spake thus, all but saying: "I have simulated the outward appearance of prayer, and I gave thanks, in conformity with My assumed condition." For I knew that Thou hearest Me always. For the one Nature of the Godhead is not disobedient to itself, since the Mind of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit, is One. Knowing therefore, He says, that Our purpose is one and Our will one, because of the multitude I spake thus. And the Christ thus speaks because of the Jews, giving thanks to the Father as if effecting by Him His God-befitting deeds, that they might no more say it was by Beelzebub He did signs. And He also explains His conduct with regard to the outward appearance of prayer, that we may not be caused to stumble, saying: because of the multitude I did this. Moreover, He says: Thou didst send Me, because of the suspicions of the Jews: for I came not of Myself, as do the false prophets; but with Thy approbation and good will I emptied Myself, taking the form of a servant, that I might restore the life to all. The manner of the prayer therefore was in agreement with His assumed condition and suitable to His outward appearance in the flesh, not to the excellency and incomparable splendour of the Godhead. For to ask and to receive would be actions altogether befitting a servant rather than a lord, and are usual with such as are under dominion. Nevertheless, Christ does even these things without blame; for having accepted for Himself the condition of a Man, how could He any longer decline the characteristics of humanity?

(From the Syriac.)

In The Seventh Book Of The Commentary On The Gospel Of John, Cyril [Writes] As Follows.

For the Son is in every respect perfect in Himself, and in no way does He lack any single excellence. For He is begotten of the Essence of God the Father, and is full of power and of God-befitting glory. Everything is under His feet and there is nothing which His power cannot effect. For, according to the voice of the saint, He can do everything. Yet, although it is true that everything is in His possession, He asks, it is said, from the Father, and receives the heathen and the uttermost parts of the earth as a glorious inheritance. But it is necessary that we should ask how He receives or when: for this is in truth fitting and necessary, I mean, that we should in such matters ask about the times, and investigate the occasions, and make a diligent inquiry as to their significations. When, therefore, He became Man; when He emptied Himself, as it is written; when He humbled Himself to the form of those to whom it is befitting that they should ask; then it was that He both did and spake those things that are befitting to men, and we are told that they were made perfect concerning Him from the Father. For where did He exhibit the outward appearance of humility, or how did that self-emptying show itself victoriously, except that contrary to His Majesty He endured something willingly, when for our sake He emptied Himself? For in the same way that He was weary from the fatigue of the journey, although He is the Lord of Powers; and as He was in need of food, although He is the Bread which came down from heaven, and giveth life to the world; and as He endured death in the flesh, although it is He in Whom we move and have our being; so it is said that He asked, although He is the Lord of all. That when the Only-Begotten became Man, He was not then at first called to His kingdom, we might easily show. But to dispute much about this would be not far removed from folly. Therefore we maintain that what thou hast spoken of was done rather for the same reason. Thinkest thou that the Lord prayed for Lazarus, and thus obtained for him life? But thou wilt not continue to think this at all, when thou art reminded of the words that remain. For He not only said: Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me; but He added further: Because of the multitude which standeth around I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me. And thou seest here the occasion of the prayer clearly. For because the Jews were wicked and bold, so that they made an accusation when the Lord was working miracles, and said that by Beelzebub He performed those God-befitting deeds; therefore He justly refuted the thought that was in them, and shewed that He performed everything together with the Father as God, and did not (like those men the false prophets) come of His own will. Moreover, as regards His choosing to speak words which seemed not right for God, He said: Because of the multitude which standeth around I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me. Had it not therefore been meet to correct the notion of those standing around, in order that it might be understood that the miracle, which He received for Lazarus' sake, was from above, and from the Father, He would not have said at all these words: Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. For He was both the Will and the Word, and the Counsel of the Father as regards all excellencies. What counsel did He ask, or what will, or what word, of Him Who begat Him, that He might receive some works,----when He had the Father in Him by Nature, and He was in the Father, because He was of His Essence? How as one far removed did He ask of the Father, or how was He not able to expel from a corpse sad death, Who even at the beginning formed man out of inanimate matter, and exhibited him animated and rational? We will accept therefore the explanation which does not err in the faith, not of those men who speak foolishly, but of the Scripture spoken by the Spirit, in which there is nothing crooked or perverse.

43, 44  And when He had thus spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin.

O the marvel! the ill-smelling corpse, even after the fourth day from death, He brought forth out of the tomb; and him that was fettered fast and bound hand and foot, He commanded to walk! And immediately, the dead man started up, and the corpse began to run, being delivered from its corruption and losing its bad smell, and escaping through the gates of death, and without any hindrance to running being caused by the bonds. And although deprived of sight by the covering which was over his face, the dead man runs without any hindrance towards Him Who had called him, and recognises the masterful voice. For Christ's language was God-befitting and His command was kingly, having power to loose from death, and to bring back from corruption, and to exhibit energy beyond expression. The use of a piercing cry, however, was altogether strange and unwonted in the Saviour Christ. For instance, God the Father somewhere says concerning Him: He shall not strive nor cry aloud, and so on. For the works of the true Godhead are without noise or tumult of any kind ; and this was the case with Christ, for He is in His Nature God of God and Very God. So then what do we say when we see that He cried aloud in an unusual manner? For surely no one will degrade himself to such a depth of folly as to say that Christ ever went beyond what was fitting or indeed ever erred from absolute perfection. How then is it to be explained? Certainly the cry has a reason and a purport, which we feel it necessary to state. It was for the good of the hearers. Christ wrought the miracle upon Lazarus as a sort of type of the general resurrection of the dead, and that which was fulfilled in the case of an individual He set forth as a beautiful image of what will be universal and common to the whole race. For it is part of our belief that the Lord will come, and we hold that there will be a cry made by the sound of a trumpet, according to the language of Paul, proclaiming the resurrection to those that lie in the earth, although it is manifest that the deed will be effected by the unspeakable power of the Almighty God.

For on this account also the Law given by Moses, when laying down directions concerning the feast of Tabernacles, says: Celebrate it as a memorial of trumpets. For when human bodies are about to be set up again, as tabernacles, and every man's soul is about to take to itself its own bodily habitation in a way as yet unknown, the masterful command will be previously proclaimed, and the signal of the resurrection will sound forth, even the trump of God, as it is said. As a type therefore of this, in the case of Lazarus Christ uttered a great and audible cry, not much heeding His usual habit, that He might exhibit the type of what is to be expected hereafter.

Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go.

For their good therefore He bade them with their own hands to loose him, that they might have no opportunity of misrepresenting what had been done, but might be witnesses of the miracle. And this too is representative of the general resurrection, when, being loosed from sin and the corruption of death, every one will be set free. For, falling into sin, we have wrapped the shame of it like a veil about the face of our soul, and are fast bound by the cords of death. When therefore the Christ shall at the time of the resurrection bring us out from our tombs in the earth, then in very truth does He loosen us from our former evils, and as it were remove the veil of shame, and command that we be let go freely from that time forward; not under the dominion of sin, not subject to corruption, or indeed any of the other troubles that are wont to cause suffering; so that there will be fulfilled in us that which was said by one of the holy prophets: Ye shall both go forth and leap as calves let loose from bonds.

And consider I pray you the miracle as regards its inner meaning. For if our mind be dead like Lazarus, it behoves our material flesh and our nobler soul, like Martha and Mary [respectively,] to approach the Christ with a confession of faith, and to entreat His help. Then He will stand by us, and command the hardness that lies upon our memory to be taken away, and cry with the loud voice of the Evangelic trumpet: " Come forth from the distractions of the world," and loose the cords of our sins; so that we may be able in full vigour to devote ourselves to virtue.

45, 46  Many therefore of the Jews, which came to Mary and beheld that which Jesus did, believed on Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them that which Jesus had done.

Overcome by the miracle many believe; but others, wounded with envy, deem the marvellous deed a fit opportunity for carrying into effect the intentions of the envious, and reported to the leaders what had taken place; that when those men also were grieved at the works which the Christ had wrought, they might have some consolation of their own grief in the knowledge that others shared their feelings and were partakers of the same foolish grief; and that, as they were unable themselves to injure Him Who had done no wrong, they might rouse to anger against Him those who possessed more power.

47, 48  The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, What do we? for this Man doeth many signs. If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.

Of course the Pharisees also cease to wonder and are turned to grief, and when they see Him stronger than death, they take counsel to kill Him. Not considering His unspeakable authority, but thinking of Him as a mere man, they said: What do we? for this Man doeth many signs. Although they ought rather to have believed from this that He was indeed the Christ, of Whom the inspired Scripture had previously proclaimed in many places that He would be a Worker of many signs. But they actually allege it as a reason, by which they endeavoured to persuade the more thoughtless to kill Him; and they say: If we leave Him thus alone, that is, if we allow Him to live and to work wonders, we shall suffer terrible things. For if many believe in this breaker of the Law, all that we have will bye and bye go from us; and presently, when at length the Jews have grown weak, the Romans will attack us, and will not permit us to freely practise the customs of our fathers, or to rule our own people, or to give judgment; themselves rather giving judgment, and we doing so no longer.

49, 50, 51, 52  But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor do ye take account that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. Now this he said not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad.

Behold, the very thing of which we were speaking, the very thing which the Jews were secretly exercising themselves to bring into effect, this their high priest openly counsels them to do, even to kill the Christ; saying that it would be for the nation, although the nation was unjust. And he makes a true statement, his words being verified not by the perversity of the people, but by the power and wisdom of God. For they, to their own destruction put the Christ to death, but He, being put to death in the flesh, became for us a source of all good things. And what he calls the destruction of the nation, namely, the being under the hand of the Romans and losing the shadow of the law: the very thing which they were seeking to turn away, they actually suffered. Prompted therefore by an unlawful principle, Caiaphas said what he did; nevertheless his language was made to indicate something true, as being spoken by one in the official position of a prophet. For he proclaims beforehand of what good things the death of the Christ would become the source, saying that which he did not understand, and glorifying God (as Balaam did) under constraint, since he was holding the prerogative of the priestly order: the prophecy being as it were given, not to him personally, but to the outward representative of the priesthood. Unless indeed, as may have been the case, the words spoken by Caiaphas were accomplished and came to pass afterwards, without his having received any prophetic gift whatever. For it is probable that what some people say, will really happen, although they may say it without certainly knowing that it will come to pass. Caiaphas then said that the death of Christ would be for the Jews only, but the Evangelist says that it would be for all mankind. For we are all called the offspring and children of God inasmuch as He is the Father of all, having by way of creation begotten as it were and brought into existence the things that were not. And also, because we had from the first the honour of being made in His image, and were allotted the supremacy over earthly things, and were accounted worthy of the Divine covenant, and enjoyed the life and bliss of Paradise. But Satan, being unwilling that we should remain in that condition, scattered us, and in divers manners led man astray from his nearness to God. And the Christ collected us all together again and brought us through faith into one fold, the Church; and united us under one yoke, all being made one, Jews, Greeks, Barbarians, Scythians; and we are fashioned again into one new man, and worship one God.

53 So from that hour forth they took counsel together that they might put Him to death.

For they had the desire to defile themselves with Christ's Blood, and from the moment at which the assembly took place, it received as it were a fresh start, the common consent of all to it being publicly acknowledged. For the Evangelist did not say simply: "From that hour they took counsel to commit the murder," but: "They took counsel together;" that is to say, the very thing which seemed desirable to each one individually was pleasing to them all collectively.

54  Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into a city called Ephraim near to the wilderness; and there He tarried with His disciples.

Here also therefore as God, to the condemnation of the Jews, He knows their secret design, although no one reported it to Him ; and withdraws, not because He was afraid, but lest His presence might seem to irritate those who were already eager for His death. And He also teaches us to retire from the passions of those who are angry, and not to thrust ourselves into dangers, not even when they may be for the sake of truth: when we are actually overtaken by dangers, to stand firm; but when we see them coming, to get out of their way; because of the uncertainty of the issue.

55  Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover to purify themselves.

Passing over everything else, the Evangelist goes on to the time of the passion. And he calls it the passover of the Jews typically; for [he refers to] the true Passover, not of the Jews, but of Christians, who eat the Flesh of Christ the true Lamb. And, according to the ancient custom, those who had sinned whether wilfully or through inadvertence purified themselves before the feast; and the typical passover was not shared in by any gentile, or un-circumcised person, or stranger, or hired servant, or unclean person; all which types are spiritually fulfilled in the case of Christians.  

56, 57  They sought therefore for Jesus, and spake one with another, as they stood in the temple, What think ye? That He will not come to the feast? Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that, if any man knew where He was, he should shew it, that they might take Him.

The form of expression however leaves it doubtful whether the words: Think ye that He will not come to the feast?, are the utterance of those who hated or of those who loved Him. For it was not unlikely that those who believed on Him might speak to the unbelievers thus: "Since ye took counsel to put Jesus to death, and think that He is ignorant of what you have secretly planned, this will be a clear sign to you that He is God. For of course He will not come now to join us in celebrating the feast, because as God He knows your plans." Or the expression may be thus paraphrased as the utterance of those who hated Jesus: "As it is ever a custom with Jesus to set aside the law, are ye who believe on Him willing to acknowledge that this is His character, seeing that He is not now come to the feast, disregarding the law of the feast by not joining us in the celebration of it?" And they say this, not because it was necessary for all to go together to Jerusalem at the passover, as at the feast of Tabernacles, but rather implying that His not coming up to Jerusalem was an indication of cowardice, as though He was unable to protect Himself at such a time, and on that account failed to come. Or again, those appointed to take Him may have said these words to one another, being in despair, because they did not yet see Him come, and were eager quickly to execute that to which they had been appointed.

Chap. xii. 1, 2. Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, the dead man whom He had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with Him.

Disdaining the plot of the Jews, the Lord gives Himself up, willing to suffer when the time for suffering was come, going to Bethany; not actually into Jerusalem, lest, suddenly appearing to the Jews, He might kindle them to anger; but by the rumour of His being so near gradually softening the rage of their wrath. And He eats with Lazarus, thereby reminding those who saw them of His God-befitting power. And by telling us this, the Evangelist shows that Christ did not despise the law; whence also six days before the passover, when it was necessary that the lamb should be purchased and kept until the fourteenth day, He ate with Lazarus and his friends: perhaps because it was a custom, not of law but from long usage, for the Jews to have some little merry-making on the day before the lamb was taken, in order that after the lamb was obtained they might devote themselves, from that time until the feast, to fasting or spareness of food, and to purifications. The Lord therefore is seen to have honoured even in this the customs of the feast. And in amazement the Evangelist says that he who had been four days dead was eating with the Christ, to remind us of His God-befitting power. And he adds that Martha, out of her love towards Christ, served, and ministered at the labours of the table.

LIBRI VII FRAGMENTA QUAE REPERIRI POTUERUNT.
« Οὐδεὶς αἴρει αὐτὴν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ τίθημι αὐτὴν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ. ἐξουσίαν ἔχω θεῖναι αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν αὐτήν. » ΕΝΤΑΥΘΑ μέν τοι διδάσκει ὅτι οὐ μόνον ὑπῆρχεν ποιμὴν ἀγαθὸς κινδυνεύων ὑπὲρ τῆς ποίμνης, ἀλλὰ καὶ Θεὸς φύσει. διὸ οὐκ ἂν τὸν θάνατον ὑπέμεινεν, εἰ μὴ ἑκὼν διὰ τὸ ἔχειν θεοπρεπέστερον ἐξουσίαν τῆς οἰκονομίας ταύτης πολὺ τὸ χρήσιμον ἐχούσης ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν: καὶ διδασκούσης τῆς τοῦ λόγου ὑφῆς καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔμελλον αὐτοῦ περιγενέσθαι μὴ θελήσαντος. οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ θεῖναι τὴν ψυχὴν, εἶπεν Ἐξουσίαν ἔχω, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ ἀμφοτέρων τοῦ τε θανάτου καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τό Ἐξουσίαν ἔχω ἔθηκεν, ἵνα μὴ δυνάμεώς τε καὶ ἐνεργείας ἑτέρου φαίνηται τὸ κατόρθωμα καθάπερ ὑπηρέτῃ καὶ ὑπουργῷ κατ' ἐπιτροπὴν αὐτῷ συγχωρούμενον, ἀλλ' ἵνα φύσεως ἰδίας ἐπιδείξῃ καρπὸν τὸ καὶ αὐτῶν δύνασθαι κατεξουσιάζειν τῶν τοῦ θανάτου δεσμῶν, καὶ ἐφ' ὅπερ ἂν βούλοιτο μετατρέπειν εὐκόλως τῶν πραγμάτων τὰς φύσεις, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἴδιον ὄντως τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν Θεοῦ. τοῦτο οὖν βούλεται δεῖξαι, διὰ τοῦ λέγειν Ἐξουσίαν ἔχω θεῖναι τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω λαβεῖν αὐτήν: ὅτι οὐ κελευσθεὶς ὡς δοῦλος ἢ ὑπηρέτης, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἢ βιασθεὶς παρά τινων, ἀλλ' ἑκὼν ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τοῦτο.
« Ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔλαβον παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός μου. » Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις εἴπῃ, ὅτι παρὰ τὴν τοῦ Υἱοῦ βούλησιν οὐ δύναται ὁ Πατὴρ λαβεῖν αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ ἐκ τούτου στασιασμὸν καὶ διχόνοιαν εἰσαγάγῃ ἐν τῇ μιᾷ θεότητι τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ: δι' ὧν φησιν Ἔλαβον ἐντολὴν, συμφρονοῦντα καὶ συνθέλοντα πρὸς τοῦτο δείκνυσι καὶ τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ μιᾶς γνώμης εἰς τοῦτο παρελθεῖν ὁμολογεῖ, εἰ καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Πατρὸς βουλή. ἁρμόσει δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τῇ μετὰ σαρκὸς οἰκονομίᾳ. ἐν ἐντολῆς δὲ τάξει παρειληφέναι λέγων τὸ δόξαν παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ ὀρθῶς ἔχειν, οὐκ ἐλαττοῖ ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς ὢν φύσει Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν πρέπον τῇ ἐνανθρωπήσει τηρεῖ. πλὴν ὑπομιμνήσκει ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ προφήτης περὶ οὗ εἶπεν ὁ Πατήρ ” Ὅτι λαλήσει “καθότι ἂν ἐντείλωμαι αὐτῷ:” τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα κοινοβουλίαν, ὡς ἐντολὴν, δεδέχθαι λέγων. ὅπερ ἔλεγε πρὸς Ἰουδαίους πρὸς τὸ μὴ νομίζειν αὐτὸν παρὰ τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς λαλεῖν προστάγματα. εἰ δὲ προφήτην ὠνόμασε τὸν ἴδιον Υἱὸν ὁ Πατὴρ τὸν ὁμοούσιον, μὴ θορυβηθῇς: ὅτε γὰρ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τότε ἡρμόσθη αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ τοῦ προφήτου ὄνομα, τότε καὶ ἐντολὰς αὐτῷ δεδόσθαι φαμὲν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς οἰκονομικῶς. πλὴν ὁ λαμβάνων ἐντολὰς, οὐ κατὰ τοῦτο ἐλάττων ἢ ἀνόμοιός ἐστι τῆς τοῦ ἐντελλομένου οὐσίας ἢ φύσεως, ὅπου γε καὶ ἄνθρωποι ἀνθρώποις ἐντέλλονται, καὶ ἄγγελοι ἀγγέλοις: καὶ οὐ διὰ τοῦτο ἑτεροφυεῖς ἢ ἐλάττονας τοὺς ἐπιταττομένους λέγομεν. οὐκοῦν οὔτε τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱὸς ἐλάττων, εἰ καὶ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος ἵνα γένηται ἡμῖν πάσης ὑπογραμμὸς ἀρετῆς: διὸ καὶ τοῦτο διδάσκει ὅτι χρὴ τοῖς γονεῦσιν ἐν πᾶσιν ὑπακούειν ἡμᾶς, εἰ καὶ τὸ ἴσον ἔχομεν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν. ἔστι δὲ ὅπου τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς λεγόμενον Ἐντελοῦμαι, δηλοῖ τό Ἀραρότως ποιήσω, ὡς ὅταν εἴπῃ “Καὶ ἐντελοῦμαι τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ὅλῃ ” κακὰ, καὶ τοῖς ἀσεβέσι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.“ πλὴν καὶ συγκαταβατικῶς ἔσθ' ὅτε λαλεῖ ὁ Υἱὸς, διὰ τὸ ἡμᾶς νοῆσαι ὡς ἔστι δυνατὸν τὰ ἄῤῥητα λόγια: ὅμως οὐ τὸ εἰπεῖν ὅτι Ἐντολὴν ἔλαβον, ποιεῖ μὴ εἶναι Θεὸν τὸν φύσει ὄντα Θεόν. ἢ οὖν λέγε Θεὸν, καὶ δίδου ὅσα τῇ θεότητι ἁρμόζει ἔχειν, ἢ λέγε αὐτὸν κτίσμα φανερῶς. οὐ γὰρ τὸ λαβεῖν ἐντολὴν, γυμνοῖ τῶν φυσικῶς τινι προσόντων. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὅσα ὁ Πατὴρ ἐνετείλατο τῷ Υἱῷ ταῦτα λαλεῖ: καί φησιν ” Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ “Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν,” ἀνάγκη σε εἰπεῖν, ἤτοι ὅτι ἀληθεύειν ὁ Πατὴρ ἐνετείλατο τῷ Υἱῷ, ἢ ὅτι ψεύδεσθαι. ἃ γὰρ ἔλαβεν ὁ Υἱὸς ἐντολὴν λαλῆσαι, λαλεῖ: “Ὁ πέμψας με ” γὰρ, φησὶ, Πατὴρ, ἐντολὴν ἔδωκε τί εἴπω καὶ τί λαλήσω.“ εἰ δὲ καὶ εἶπεν ” Ὅτι ὁ Πατήρ μου μείζων μου ἐστὶν,“ οὐδὲν ἐναντίον. καθὸ μὲν γὰρ φύσει Θεὸς, ἴσος τῷ Πατρί: καθὸ δὲ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἐταπείπωσεν ἑαυτὸν, τὰ πρέποντα τῇ ἀνθρωποτητι λαλεῖ ῥήματα οἰκονομικῶς. ὅμως τὸ τῆς ἐντολῆς ὄνομα ἔξωθεν τῆς οὐσίας ὑπάρχον, οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο τῆς οὐσίας ἔγκλημα. οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ἐντέλλεσθαι τὸν Πατέρα, τὸ εἶναί ἐστι τῷ Υἱῷ, οὐδὲ τοῦτο γένοιτό ποτε τῆς οὐσίας ὅρος. οἶδε τοίνυν ὁ Υἱὸς, ὡς βουλὴ καὶ σοφία τοῦ Πατρὸς, τὸ ἀραρότως κεκριμένον παρ' αὐτοῦ: εἰ δὲ ὡς ἐντολὴν δέχεται, μὴ θαυμάσῃς. ἀνθρωπίνοις γὰρ λόγοις τὰ ὑπὲρ λόγον σημαίνεται, καὶ τὰ ταῖς ἡμετέραις ἄῤῥητα φωναῖς κατεσπάσθη πρὸς τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐν ἡμῖν, ἵνα καὶ νοεῖν ἰσχύσωμεν. αἰτιασώμεθα τοίνυν, οὐ τὴν τοῦ πράγματος ἀτοπίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν ῥημάτων ἀσθένειαν οὐ δυναμένων ἐφικέσθαι, καθ' ὃν ἔδει τρόπον, τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ποιότητος καὶ ἀκριβοῦς ἑρμηνείας.
« Σχίσμα πάλιν ἐγένετο ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους: ἔλεγον δὲ πολλοὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν Δαιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται: τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε; ἄλλοι ἔλεγον Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα οὐκ ἔστι δαιμονιζομένου: μὴ δαιμόνιον δύναται τυφλῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνοῖξαι; » Κάτεισι τοῦ Σωτῆρος ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰς τῶν ἀκροωμένων καρδίας, καὶ τρυφερωτέρας μὲν εὑρὼν μεταπλάττει παραχρῆμα, καὶ πρὸς ἕξιν μεθίστησιν ἀγαθήν: σκληραῖς δὲ περιτυχὼν ἀπανίσταται καὶ ἀπονεύει τρόπον τινά. οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν ἕτοιμόν πως εἰς εὐγνωμοσύνην ἔχων τὸν νοῦν, τὸν σωτήριον ἀσμένως παραδέξεται λόγον, ὁ δὲ μὴ τοιοῦτος, οὐκέτι. τοιοῦτόν τι συνέβη παθεῖν τοὺς Ἰουδαίων λαούς. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος κατηκροάσαντο λόγων, κατασχίζονται πρὸς διχόνοιαν, καὶ οἱ μὲν αἰσθητικώτεροι, ῥέπουσιν ἤδη πρὸς σωτηρίας ἀρχήν: οἱ δὲ σκληροὶ, νοσοῦσι χειρόνως, ἤπερ εἶχον ἐν ἀρχῇ. καταπλήττεται δὲ ὥσπερ ὁ θεσπέσιος Εὐαγγελιστὴς εἰ διὰ τούτους τοὺς λόγους συνέβη σχισθῆναι τοὺς Ἰουδαίων λαούς. ἐμφαντικώτατα γὰρ οἶμαι λέγειν αὐτὸν τὸ σκληρὸν τῶν ἀπειθησάντων θαυμάζοντα, ὅτι σχίσμα ἐγένετο διὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους, δι' οὓς, φησὶν, ἔδει τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἀκριβῶς πεισθῆναι ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός. τοσοῦτον ἦσαν οἱ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λόγοι θαυμαστοί. ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων αὐτοῖς εἰρημένων οἷς εἰκὸς ἦν εἰς εὐπείθειαν σαγηνεύεσθαι καὶ τὸν σφόδρα δυσθήρατον, σχίσμα γέγονεν ἐν αὐτοῖς. ἀποθαυμάζει τοίνυν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀναίσχυντον παρακοὴν ἀνοσίως ἐκτετραμμένους. τοσούτῳ γὰρ οἶμαι κατηγορεῖσθαι δίκαιον, ὅσῳπερ ἂν εἰκότως ὁ παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θαυμάζοιτο λόγος. ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐλάλει θεοπρεπῆ καὶ ἅπερ ὑπεραναβαίνει ἄνθρωπον: ἡ δὲ τῶν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον λόγων λαμπρότης καὶ ἡ θεοπρεπὴς παῤῥησία πρὸς ἄκρατον ἀβουλίαν ἐξίστησι τοὺς πολλούς. καὶ ἐπείπερ ἦν ἔθος τοῖς ἀληθῶς δαιμονιζομένοις προχειρότατα δυσφημεῖν, ἅτε δὴ λελυττηκόσιν εὐκόλως καὶ συνέσεως ἁπάσης ἔξω κειμένοις, ᾤοντο δὲ τὸν Κύριον ἄνθρωπον εἶναι ψιλὸν, οὐκ ἐννοοῦντες, ὅτι Θεὸς ἦν φύσει, διὰ τοῦτο ὡς ἀκρατήτως βλασφημοῦντα, δαιμονῶντα ἐκάλουν. ἤκουον γὰρ λέγοντος ἅπερ ἂν πρέποι μόνῳ λέγειν τῷ Θεῷ. ὡς ἕνα δὲ τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁρῶντες, καὶ τίς ἐστι κατὰ φύσιν οὔπω γινώσκοντες, δυσφημεῖν ἐνόμιζον ὅτε τι λέγοι θεοπρεπές. οὐκοῦν οἰκονομικῶς διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀκροωμένων ἀσθένειαν ὑφειμένως πολλάκις καὶ τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς κέχρηται λόγῳ. κατασχίζεται τοίνυν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὁ δῆμος: καὶ οἱ μὲν, οὐδὲν ἐννοήσαντες ὅλως τῶν ἐπ' αὐτῷ μυστηρίων, ἀνοσίως ὑβρίζουσιν: οἱ δὲ τὴν ἕξιν ἐπιεικέστεροι προχείρως οὐ κατακρίνουσιν, ἀναμασώμενοι δὲ τοὺς παρ' αὐτοῦ λόγους καὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας βασανίζοντες, τῆς ἐν αὐτοῖς γλυκύτητος ὑπαισθάνονται, δοκιμωτάτην τε οὕτω ποιοῦνται τὴν διάκρισιν, νήφοντας καὶ συνέσεως τῆς ἀνωτάτω γέμοντας λόγους, ταῖς τῶν δαιμονίων ἐλαφρίαις οὐ χαριζόμενοι. ἔθος γὰρ ἐκείνων ἐν τῷ παραπαίειν, τὸ παρεμπίπτον λαλεῖν. οἱ οὖν Φαρισαῖοι μᾶλλον ἦσαν οἱ δαιμονῶντες, οἱ τοιοῦτον καλοῦντες τὸν παντὸς ἐλεύθερον πάθους: καὶ λελήθασιν ἑαυτοὺς τὴν ἐνοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἐξαγορεύοντες νόσον καὶ τὸ συνέχον αὐτοὺς κακὸν ἐξ ἀγνοίας ἐξηγεῖσθαι οὐ παραιτούμενοι. οἶμαι δὲ ἔγωγε κακουργοτάτως σφόδρα λέγειν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι δαιμονᾷ ὁ Κύριος. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὡς ποιμένας κατῃτιᾶτο δειλοὺς καὶ μισθωτοὺς, ὡς ἀνέντας τῷ λύκῳ τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ὀλίγα παντελῶς τῆς ἀγέλης φροντίσαντας, οὐ μετρίως καταπτοούμενοι μὴ ἄρα συνιέντες οἱ δῆμοι τὸ εἰρημένον, παραιτήσωνται μὲν ἤδη τὸ ὑπ' αὐτοῖς ἔτι ποιμαίνεσθαι, προσδράμωσι δὲ τῇ ὑπὸ Χριστῷ μαθητείᾳ, διὰ τοῦτο τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἀγελαίων φενακίζοντές φασι Δαιμόνιον ἔχει, τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε; ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦτα ἐκείνων διὰ κακουργίαν λεγόντων, εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον αὐτοῖς ἀπέβη τὸ σκέμμα. ἄλλοι δὲ ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς τῶν λόγων ποιότητος, ὀρθοὺς εἶναι κρίνουσι τοὺς τοῦ Κυρίου λόγους, ὡς οὐκ ὄντων τῶν τοιούτων λόγων δαιμονιζομένου: ὅμως αἱ θαυματουργίαι, φησὶν, ἄμαχον ἔχουσι μαρτυρίαν. εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῶν λόγων ὡς οὐκ ὀρθῶς λεγομένων κατηγορεῖτε, ἀλλ' ἀμήχανον ἐν ταὐτῷ τινα καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχειν, κἀκεῖνα ποιεῖν ἅπερ μόνος δύναται Θεὸς ποιεῖν. ἀπὸ οὖν τῶν καρπῶν οἱ αἴσιοι κριταὶ ἐπεγίνωσκον αὐτὸν, μετὰ καὶ τοῦ καὶ θαυμάζειν τὸν παρ' αὐτοῦ λόγον.
« Ἐγένετο δὲ τὰ ἐγκαίνια ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις καὶ χειμὼν ἦν: καὶ περιεπάτει ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐν τῇ στοᾷ Σολομῶνος. » Παρὴν δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς ὁ Κύριος οὐχ ὡς συνεορτάσων: πῶς γάρ; ὁ εἰπών ” Μεμίσηκα ἀπῶσμαι τὰς ἑορτὰς ὑμῶν:“ ἀλλ' ἵνα τοὺς ἐπωφελεῖς αὐτοῦ λόγους ἐπὶ παρουσίᾳ πολλῶν εἴπῃ, ἐμφανῆ ἑαυτὸν καταστήσας τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ ἀζητήτως αὐτοῖς ἑαυτὸν καταμίξας. ἐγκαίνια δὲ οἰητέον ἐνταῦθα, ἤτοι τὴν πρώτην ἑορτὴν καθ' ἣν ὁ Σολομὼν ἐπετέλεσε τὰ ἐγκαίνια, ἢ ὅτε ὁ Ζοροβάβελ ὕστερον σὺν τῷ Ἰησοῦ μετὰ τὴν ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος ἐπάνοδον τὸν ναὸν ᾠκοδόμησε. χειμῶνος δὲ καὶ ὑετοῦ ὄντος τηνικαῦτα, εἰκότως ἅπαντες ἐπὶ τὴν στοὰν ἔτρεχον: διὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκεῖ ἦλθεν, ἵνα πᾶσιν γνωρίσῃ ἑαυτὸν τοῖς θέλουσιν αὐτὸν ἰδεῖν, καὶ μεταδῷ αὐτοῖς ὠφελείας. οἱ γὰρ ὁρῶντες ἠκονῶντο πρὸς τὸ ἐρωτᾶν τι αὐτόν: ὅτι καὶ μᾶλλον ἐν ταῖς ἀργίαις οἱ ἄνθρωποι πεφύκασι τοὺς τοιούτους ἐπιμελῶς ἀνακινεῖν λόγους.
« Ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, εἰπὲ ἡμῖν παῤῥησίᾳ. » Παραιρεῖται μὲν αὐτοὺς τὸ εἰς πίστιν ὀξὺ δριμύσσων ὁ φθόνος: ἐκβιάζεται δὲ πρὸς τὸ θαῦμα τῶν τελουμένων τὸ μέγεθος. ὑπαιτιῶνται γεμὴν τοῦ λόγου, καὶ τὸ τῆς διδασκαλίας περιεσταλμένον, ἐμπόδιον αὐτοῖς εἶναί φασι τοῦ συνιέναι δύνασθαι καλῶς ἅπερ ἔδει μαθεῖν. ἀξιοῦσι τοιγαροῦν εἰπεῖν αὐτὸν ἐναργέστερον, καίτοι πολλάκις ἀκροασάμενοι καὶ μακρὰν ἐπὶ τούτῳ λαβόντες ἐξήγησιν. εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ ἔφη σαφῶς Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλὰ τῶν προσεῖναι πεφυκότων αὐτῷ ἀξιωμάτων πολλὰ παρῆγεν εἰς μέσον, ποτὲ μὲν λέγων ” Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου,“ ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν ” Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή: ἐγώ εἰμι “ἡ ὁδός: ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα: ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός.” ἐξ ὧν γὰρ ταῦτα ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάζει, σημαίνει ὅτι ὁ Χριστός ἐστι. τοῖς γὰρ τοιούτοις ἀξιώμασιν εἴωθεν ἡ γραφὴ στεφανοῦν τὸν Χριστὸν, εἰ καὶ λευκῶς τοῦτο αὐτὸν ἀπῄτουν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι εἰπεῖν. ἄλλως τε τάχα πως καὶ οὐ σφόδρα εὐπαράδεκτον τὸ ἐν ἁπλαῖς λέγειν φωναῖς Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Χριστὸς, οὐχ ἑπομένων εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τῶν πραγμάτων, δι' ὧν ἂν εἰκότως ἐπιστεύθη ὡς αὐτὸς εἴη ὁ Χριστός. ἀσυγκρίτως δὲ κρεῖττον μὴ ἐξ ὧν αὐτὸς ἔλεγε γνωρίζεσθαι αὐτὸν, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν προσεῖναι πεφυκότων μᾶλλον, καὶ ἐξ ὧν αἱ θεῖαι περὶ αὐτοῦ χρησμῳδοῦσι γραφαὶ, καὶ φανερὸν αὐτὸν ἔσεσθαι μηνύουσιν. ἅπερ μὴ νοήσαντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ὡς ἄγαν μικροψυχοῦντες, φασὶ τό Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; ἔθος γὰρ τοῖς ὀλιγωροῦσι τοῦτο λέγειν.
« Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Εἶπον ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε: τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρός μου, ταῦτα μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ. » Περιττὸν οὖν ἐνόμισε καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τοῖς πολλάκις ἀκούσασι καὶ μὴ πεισθεῖσι, πάλιν τὰ αὐτὰ εἰπεῖν. χρὴ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν γινομένων ποιότητος δοκιμάζεσθαι τὰ ἑκάστου, καὶ οὐ πάντως εἰς λόγους ὁρᾶν. ἀποπληροῦν δὲ λέγει ἑαυτὸν τὰ ἔργα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐ τὴν ἄνωθεν καθά τις ἅγιος καρπούμενος δύναμιν, οὐδ' ὡς ἀδυναμίαν ἑαυτῷ κατηγορῶν, ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ, ὁ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁμοούσιος, ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀπονέμων τῇ θείᾳ δόξῃ τὴν τῶν τελουμένων δύναμιν, ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς τὰ ἔργα φησὶ ποιεῖν. πλὴν καὶ ἀνάγει ἐπὶ τὸν Πατέρα τὴν τιμήν: ἵνα μὴ δῷ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἀφορμὴν τοῦ ἐπιφύεσθαι αὐτῷ. ὅμως καὶ ἄξιον ἡγήσατο μὴ παρελθεῖν τὸ μέτρον τῆς τοῦ δούλου μορφῆς κἂν ὑπάρχῃ Θεὸς καὶ Κύριος. εἰπὼν δὲ ὅτι ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς ποιεῖ τὰ ἔργα, διδάσκει ὅτι οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι βλασφημοῦντες ἔλεγον, ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλειν αὐτὸν τὰ δαιμόνια. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ πατήρ ἐστι, ποιεῖ τὰ θαύματα, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ Θεός ἐστι φύσει: καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἄρα, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ Υἱὸς, ἀλλ' ὡς Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ, δύναται καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔργα ποιεῖν: διὸ οἰκονομικῶς εἶπεν, ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς τὰ ἔργα ποιεῖν.
« Ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετέ μοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐστε ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ἐμῶν. καθὼς δὲ εἶπον ὑμῖν, τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούουσι, κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτὰ, καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσί μοι, κἀγὼ δίδωμι αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. » Ἀπόδειξις τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ προβάτων, τὸ εὐήκοον καὶ τὸ ἕτοιμον εἰς εὐπείθειαν, ὥσπερ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τὸ ἀπειθές. τὸ γάρ Ἀκούειν ὧδε νοοῦμεν, τὸ τοῖς λεγομένοις πεισθῆναι: ἐκεῖνοι δὲ γινώσκονται ὑπὸ Θεοῦ οἱ ἀκούοντες αὐτοῦ: τὸ δέ Γινώσκεσθαι δηλοῖ τὸ οἰκειοῦσθαι: καθόλου γὰρ οὐδεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγνοεῖται. ὅταν οὖν λέγῃ Γινώσκω τὰ ἐμὰ, τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι προσδέξομαι καὶ οἰκειώσομαι αὐτὰ μυστικῶς τε καὶ σχετικῶς. εἴποι δ' ἄν τις ὅτι καὶ καθὸ ἄνθρωπος γέγονε, πάντας ἀνθρώπους ᾠκειώσατο διὰ τὸ ὁμογενὲς, ὥστε οἰκεῖοι πάντες ἐσμὲν Χριστῷ κατὰ σχέσιν μυστικὴν, καθὸ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος: ἀλλότριοι δὲ ὅσοι μὴ φυλάττουσι τὴν σύμμορφον τῆς ἁγιότητος εἰκόνα. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι οἰκεῖοι ὄντες κατὰ γένος τοῦ Ἁβραὰμ τοῦ πιστοῦ, ἐξ ὧν ἄπιστοι γεγόνασιν, ἐστερήθησαν τῆς ἐκείνου συγγενείας διὰ τὴν τῶν τρόπων ἀνομοιότητα. φησὶ δὲ ὅτι Καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσί μοι τὰ πρόβατα: οἱ γὰρ πειθόμενοι καὶ ἕπονται ἀπό τινος θεοσδότου χάριτος κατ' ἴχνος Χριστοῦ, οὐκέτι ταῖς νομικαῖς δουλεύοντες σκιαῖς, ἀλλ' οἷς ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπιτάττει καὶ τῷ αὐτοῦ ἀκολουθοῦντες λόγῳ, διὰ χάριτος εἰς τὸ αὐτοῦ ἀναβήσονται ἀξίωμα, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ καλούμενοι. Χριστοῦ γὰρ ἀνιόντος εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, κἀκεῖνοι ἀκολουθήσουσιν αὐτῷ. ἀμοιβὴν δὲ καὶ γέρας τοῖς ἑπομένοις αὐτῷ τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον χαρίσασθαί φησι, καὶ τὸ μὴ ὑποκεῖσθαι θανάτῳ ἢ φθορᾷ καὶ ταῖς βασάνοις ταῖς ἐπαγομέναις παρὰ τοῦ Κριτοῦ τοῖς πλημμελήσασι. δι' ὧν δὲ δίδωσι ζωὴν, δείκνυσιν αὐτὸς ζωὴ ὢν φύσει: καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸς ταύτην χορηγεῖ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἑτέρου λαβών. ζωὴν δὲ νοοῦμεν αἰώνιον, οὐ τὴν μακροημέρευσιν, ἧς πάντες μέλλουσιν ἀπολαύειν μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν καλοί τε καὶ κακοί: ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐν εὐθυμίᾳ διάγειν. Δυνατὸν δὲ ζωὴν νοεῖν καὶ τὴν μυστικὴν εὐλογίαν δι' ἧς ἐμφυτεύει Χριστὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ζωὴν, διὰ τῆς μεταλήψεως τῆς ἰδίας σαρκὸς τοῖς πιστοῖς, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον “Ὁ ” τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα ἔχει “ζωὴν αἰώνιον.”
« Καὶ οὐ μὴ ἁρπάσῃ τις αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου. ὁ Πατήρ μου ὃς δέδωκέ μοι πάντων μείζων ἐστὶ, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται ἁρπάζειν ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ Πατρός μου. ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατήρ μου ἕν ἐσμεν. » Οἱ πιστοὶ καὶ τὴν ἐπικουρίαν ἔχουσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὐ δυναμένου τοῦ διαβόλου ἁρπάζειν αὐτούς: ἤτοι οἱ ἔχοντες ἀκατάπαυστον τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπόλαυσιν, μένουσιν ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐχ ἁρπάζοντος αὐτοὺς ἔτι τινὸς ἀπὸ τῆς δοθείσης αὐτοῖς εὐθυμίας εἰς τιμωρίαν ἢ βασάνους. οὐ γὰρ δυνατὸν τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χειρὶ, ἁρπαγῆναι εἰς τὸ κολασθῆναι, διὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἰσχύειν τὸν Χριστόν: ἡ γὰρ χεὶρ ἐν τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ, τὴν δύναμιν δηλοῖ: ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἀνίκητος ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χεὶρ καὶ εἰς πάντα ἰσχύουσα, ἀναμφίβολον. ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ ἑώρα τοὺς Ἰουδαίους καταγελῶντας αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀνθρώπου ψιλοῦ, μὴ νοοῦντας ὅτι φύσει Θεὸς ἦν ὁ ὁρώμενος καὶ ψηλαφώμενος ἄνθρωπος, πείθων αὐτοὺς ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Πατρὸς δύναμις, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἁρπάσει ἀπὸ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ Πατρός μου, τουτέστιν ἐμοῦ. ἑαυτὸν γάρ φησι τὴν παντοδύναμον τοῦ Πατρὸς δεξιάν: ὡς δι' αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐνεργοῦντος τοῦ Πατρός: ὡς καὶ διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας χειρὸς τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν ἐνεργούμενα. ἐν πολλοῖς γὰρ τῆς γραφῆς τόποις, ὁ Χριστὸς χεὶρ ὀνομάζεται καὶ δεξιὰ τοῦ Πατρός: ὅπερ σημαίνει τὴν δύναμιν: καὶ ἁπλῶς χεὶρ ὀνομάζεται Θεοῦ ἡ παντουργικὴ ἐνέργεια καὶ ἰσχύς. ἀμείνων γάρ πως ἀεὶ σωματικῆς φαντασίας ὁ περὶ Θεοῦ λόγος. λέγεται δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ διδόναι τῷ Υἱῷ, οὐχ ὡς μὴ ἔχοντι ἀεὶ ὑπὸ χεῖρα τὴν κτίσιν, ἀλλ' ὡς ὄντι αὐτῷ φύσει ζωῇ, προσκομίζων ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἐπιδεομένους ζωῆς, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ζωοποιηθῶμεν τοῦ ὄντος φύσει ζωῆς, καὶ οἴκοθεν ἔχοντος τοῦτο. πλὴν καὶ καθὸ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, ἁρμόζει αὐτῷ τὸ αἰτεῖν τε καὶ λαμβάνειν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἃ εἶχεν ὡς φύσει Θεός. Ἐάσας γὰρ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐπὶ τὸ θεοπρεπὲς αὐτοῦ ἀνατρέχει ἀξίωμα, ἐναβρυνόμενος τοῖς φυσικοῖς αὐτοῦ πλεονεκτήμασι διὰ τὸ χρήσιμον τῶν πιστῶν καὶ τὴν ὑγιᾶ πίστιν, ἥτις ἐστὶ τὸ μηδόλως ὑποπτεύειν ἐλάττονα εἶναι τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν Υἱόν. οὕτω γὰρ δείκνυται εἰκὼν ἀσινὴς τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὁλόκληρον ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ ὑγιῆ διασώζων τὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς χαρακτῆρα. ἓν δὲ λέγομεν τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ τὸν Πατέρα, οὐκ ἀναφύροντες τὰς ἐν ἀριθμῷ μονάδας, καθώς τινες τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι λέγουσι Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν, ἀλλὰ ἰδίως ὑφεστάναι πιστεύοντες τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ ἰδίως τὸν Υἱὸν, τοὺς δὲ δύο εἰς μίαν οὐσίας ταυτότητα συνάγοντες, καὶ μίαν ἔχοντας ἰσχὺν εἰδότες, ὡς ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ ἕτερον ἀπαραλλάκτως ὁρᾶσθαι. Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν. διὰ μὲν τοῦ Ἓν, τὴν ταυτότητα τῆς οὐσίας σημαίνει: διὰ δὲ τοῦ Ἐσμὲν εἰς δυάδα τέμνει τὸ νοούμενον, καὶ πάλιν εἰς μίαν περισφίγγει θεότητα. Πλὴν κἀκεῖνο κατὰ Ἀρειανῶν σημειωτέον, ὅτι ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν, οὐ τῆς ταὐτοβουλίας ἡ δήλωσις, ἀλλ' ἡ τῆς οὐσίας ἑνότης σημαίνεται: ὅτι γὰρ καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐνόησαν ὅτι τοῦτο εἰπὼν Θεὸν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι λέγει καὶ ἴσον τῷ Πατρί: καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσατο ὁ Χριστὸς ὅτι τοῦτο εἶπεν ὅπερ ἐνενόουν.
« Ἐβάστασαν οὖν πάλιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι λίθους, ἵνα λιθάσωσιν αὐτόν. » Μὴ ἀνασχόμενοι γὰρ αὐτοῦ, ἓν εἶναι ἑαυτὸν λέγοντος πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ἐπὶ τὸ φονεῦσαι αὐτὸν ὥρμησαν: καίπερ ἑκάστου τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ γινομένων Θεὸν αὐτὸν ἀναγορευόντων φύσει. οὐ μόνον δὲ νῦν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλοτε λαβόντες λίθους ἐπὶ τῷ αὐτὸν φονεῦσαι, ἀκίνητοι ἔστησαν ἐνεργείᾳ τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ: ὡς δῆλον καὶ ἐκ τούτου γενέσθαι, ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἔπασχεν, εἰ μὴ ἑκών. ὅμως διὰ ἠπιότητα ὁ Χριστὸς κατέστελλε τὴν ἐκείνων ἄλογον ὁρμὴν, λέγων οὐ Διὰ ποῖον λόγον ὃν εἶπον, θυμοῦσθε, ἀλλά Διὰ ποῖον ἔργον ὃ ἐποίησα; εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐποίησα, φησὶ, πολλὰ θεοπρεπῆ ἔργα τὰ δεικνύντα με φύσει Θεὸν, εἰκότως ἂν ἠγανακτεῖτε νῦν ἀκούοντές μου λέγοντος “Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν.” ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν εἶπον τοῦτο, εἰ μὴ διὰ πάντων ὧν ἐποίησα, τοῦτο ἔδειξα. φησὶ δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ, τὰ ἔργα, μετριοφρονῶν πρὸς τὴν ἡμῶν ὠφέλειαν, ἵνα μὴ ὅταν λάβωμέν τι παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἀλαζονευώμεθα. δεδειχέναι δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς τὰ ἔργα φησὶν, οὐκ ἀλλότριον ἑαυτὸν δεικνὺς τῆς ἐκείνων ἐνεργείας, ἀλλὰ διδάσκων ὅτι τῆς ὅλης ἐστὶ θεότητος τὰ ἔργα. θεότης δὲ μία νοεῖται παρ' ἡμῶν ἐν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. ὅπερ γὰρ τυχὸν ποιεῖ ὁ Πατὴρ, τοῦτο τελεῖται δι' Υἱοῦ ἐν Πνεύματι: καὶ πάλιν, ὃ ποιεῖ ὁ Υἱὸς, τοῦτο λέγεται ὁ Πατὴρ ποιεῖν ἐν Πνεύματι. διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν “Ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ οὐδὲν ποιῶ, ὁ δὲ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοὶ μένων, ” αὐτὸς ποιεῖ τὰ ἔργα.“ « Περὶ καλοῦ ἔργου οὐ λιθάζομέν σε, ἀλλὰ περὶ βλασφημίας. » Ἔχοντες ” ζῆλον Θεοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐ κατ' ἐπίγνωσιν,“ ἠγανάκτουν ἀκούοντες τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος ” Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ “ἕν ἐσμεν.” τί γὰρ τὸ κωλύον αὐτὸν εἶναι ἓν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, εἴπερ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι Θεὸς ἦν κατὰ φύσιν; διὸ καὶ λιθάζειν αὐτὸν ἐπεχείρουν, καὶ ἀπολογούμενοι δι' ἣν αἰτίαν τοῦτο ἐποίουν, φασὶν, ὅτι οὐχ ἕνεκεν ὧν ἐποίησας καλῶν λιθάζομέν σε, ἀλλ' ὅτι βλασφημεῖς: αὐτοὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου βλασφημοῦντες, δι' ὧν ἤθελον λιθάζειν τὸν ὄντα ἀληθῶς Θεὸν, ἀγνοοῦντες ὅτι οὐ γυμνῇ τῇ θεότητι ἔμελλεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐπιδημεῖν, ἀλλὰ σαρκούμενος ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυεὶδ, βλασφημίαν εἶναι λέγοντες τὴν ὀρθὴν ὁμολογίαν.
« Ἐγὼ εἶπα Θεοί ἐστε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. » Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν θεούς τινας ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Πατὴρ, εἶναι δὲ δήπου αὐτοῖς ἐπακτὸν ἀνάγκη τὸ ἀξίωμα: εἷς γὰρ ὁ κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχων Θεός: ἀναγκαίως, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς εἷς ὑπάρχειν ἐκείνων νομίζηται, οὐκ οὐσιώδη τὴν τῆς θεότητος περικείμενος δόξαν, προσπεπορισμένην δὲ μᾶλλον ἐν ἴσῳ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἀντιδιαστέλλει σαφῶς ἑαυτὸν ἐκείνοις. τοσοῦτον γὰρ τῆς ἐκείνων πτωχείας διενηνοχότα δεικνύει, ὡς ἐπείπερ γέγονεν αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτοῖς, διὰ ταύτην αὐτοὺς τὴν αἰτίαν κεκλῆσθαι θεούς: αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐστὶν ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός. εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐξήρκεσέ τισιν ἐν αὐτοῖς γεγονὼς ὁ Λόγος εἰς τὸ καὶ ἀνθρώπους ὄντας τῇ τῆς θεότητος καταλαμπρύναι τιμῇ, πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴη κατὰ φύσιν Θεὸς ὁ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τὴν ἐπὶ τούτῳ προξενήσας φαιδρότητα; Νῦν ἐλέγχων τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, ὅτι οὐ διὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν “Ἐγὼ ” καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν,“ ἐλίθαζον αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ μάτην, φησίν Εἰ ἐπείπερ εἶπον ἐμαυτὸν Θεὸν, δοκῶ βλασφημεῖν, διατί τοῦ Πατρὸς εἰρηκότος διὰ τοῦ νόμου πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους Θεοί ἐστε, οὐκ ἐκρίνατε τοῦτο εἶναι βλασφημίαν; τοῦτο δέ φησιν, οὐχὶ προσκαλούμενος αὐτοὺς εἰπεῖν τι κατὰ τοῦ Πατρός: ἀλλ' ἐλέγχων ὅτι τὸν νόμον ἀγνοοῦσι καὶ τὰς θεοπνεύστους γραφάς. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων θεῶν καὶ τοῦ φύσει Θεοῦ πολὺ τὸ μέσον, δι' ὧν λέγει διδάσκει τὸ διάφορον: εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι πρὸς οὓς γέγονεν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, θεοὶ κέκληνται, καὶ ἐλαμπρύνθησαν τῇ τῆς θεότητος τιμῇ, τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον εἰσοικισάμενοι καὶ εἰσδεδεγμένοι κατὰ ψυχὴν, πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴη φύσει Θεὸς, ὁ δι' ὃν ἐκεῖνοι θεοί; ” Θεὸς γὰρ ἦν ὁ Λόγος,“ κατὰ τὴν Ἰωάννου φωνήν: ὁ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῦτο προξενήσας τὸ λαμπρόν. εἰ γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος διὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀνάγει πρὸς τὴν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον χάριν, καὶ κατακοσμεῖ θεϊκῇ τιμῇ τοὺς ἐν οἷς ἂν γένοιτο, διὰ τί, φησὶ, λέγετε ὅτι βλασφημῶ, λέγων ἐμαυτὸν Υἱὸν Θεοῦ καὶ Θεόν; καίπερ δι' ὧν ἐνεχειρίσθην παρ' αὐτοῦ μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι Θεός εἰμι φύσει. ἁγιάσας γάρ με ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ” Σωτῆρα τοῦ κόσμου:“ ὅπερ μόνου ἔστι φύσει Θεοῦ, τὸ δύνασθαι διασώζειν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ὅταν ἡ θεία λέγῃ γραφὴ, παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀπεστάλθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, εὐθὺς ὁ αἱρετικὸς τροφὴν τῇ οἰκείᾳ πλάνῃ ποιεῖται τὴν λέξιν, ἐρεῖ δέ που πάντως ὅτι ὑμεῖς οἱ παραιτούμενοι λέγειν τὸν Υἱὸν ἐλάττονα τοῦ Πατρὸς, πῶς οὐχ ὁρᾶτε παρ' αὐτοῦ πεμπόμενον ὡς παρὰ μείζονός τινος καὶ ὑπερκειμένου; τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ἢ ὅτι τὸ τῆς ἀποστολῆς ὄνομα, μάλιστα μὲν πρέπει τοῖς τῆς κενώσεως μέτροις: ἀκούεις γὰρ ὅτι συνάπτων ὁ Παῦλος ἀμφότερα, τότε φησὶν ἀπεστάλθαι παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν Υἱὸν, ὅτε καὶ γέγονεν ἐκ γυναικὸς καὶ ὑπὸ νόμον ὡς ἄνθρωπος μεθ' ἡμῶν, καίτοι νομοθέτης ὢν καὶ Κύριος. εἰ δὲ νοοῖτο γεγονὼς ἐν τῇ δούλου μορφῇ ὁ Υἱὸς, εἶτα ἀποστέλλεσθαι λέγοιτο παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐδὲν ὅλως ὑπομένει τὸ βλάβος, εἰς τὸ εἶναι καὶ ὁμοούσιος αὐτῷ καὶ ἰσοκλεὴς καὶ κατ' οὐδὲν ὅλως μειονεκτούμενος. αἱ γάρ τοι λέξεις αἱ παρ' ἡμῶν εἰ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ προφέροιντο, τὴν ἀκριβῆ παραιτοῦνται βάσανον: χρὴ δὲ αὐτὰς οὐχ οὕτω νοεῖν κατὰ τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν συνήθειαν λέγω, ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν αὐτῇ πρέποι τῇ θείᾳ καὶ ὑπερτάτῃ φύσει. τί γὰρ, εἰ μὴ ἔχοι φωνὰς ἡ ἀνθρώπου γλῶττα δυναμένας ἀρκέσαι τῇ θείᾳ δόξῃ πρὸς ἐξήγησιν; ἔστι τοίνυν ἄτοπον διὰ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης γλώττης ἀσθένειαν καὶ τὴν ἐν λέξει πτωχείαν, τῆς ἀνωτάτω πασῶν δόξης ἀδικεῖσθαι τὴν ὑπεροχήν. μέμνησο τοῦ Σολομῶντος λέγοντος ” Δόξα Κυρίου “κρύπτει λόγον.” περιεργαζόμενοι γὰρ ἀκριβῶς τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου δόξαν, ἐοίκαμεν τοῖς ἐθέλουσι σπιθαμῇ μετρῆσαι τὸν οὐρανόν. οὐκοῦν ὅταν ἀνθρωπίνως τι λέγηται περὶ Θεοῦ, νοείσθω θεοπρεπῶς. ἐπεὶ τί ποιήσεις ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ψάλλοντος τοῦ Δαυείδ “Ὁ καθήμενος ἐπὶ τῶν Χερουβὶμ ἐμφά” νηθι, ἐξέγειρον τὴν δυναστείαν σου καὶ ἐλθὲ εἰς τὸ σῶσαι “ἡμᾶς;” πῶς γὰρ κάθηται τὸ ἀσώματον; ποῦ δὲ ὄντα τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀφικέσθαι παρακαλεῖ, τὸν λέγοντα διὰ τῶν προφητῶν “Μὴ οὐχὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐγὼ ” πληρῶ, λέγει Κύριος;“ ποῦ τοίνυν ἂν ἔλθοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ πάντα πληρῶν; πάλιν γέγραπται, ὅτι πύργον οὐρανομήκη κατεσκεύαζόν τινες ” Καὶ κατέβη Κύριος ἰδεῖν τὴν πόλιν καὶ “τὸν πύργον: καὶ εἶπε Κύριος Δεῦτε καὶ καταβάντες συγ” χέωμεν αὐτῶν τὰς γλώσσας ἐκεῖ.“ ποῦ κατέβη Κύριος; ἢ τίνα τρόπον ἡ ἁγία Τριὰς ἑαυτὴν εἰς κάθοδον παροτρύνει; τί δὲ εἰπέ μοι καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ πέμπειν ἡμῖν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τὸν Παράκλητον ἐπηγγέλλετο; ποῦ γὰρ ἢ πόθεν πέμπεται τὸ πάντα πληροῦν; ” Πνεῦμα γὰρ Κυρίου πεπλήρωκε τὴν “οἰκουμένην,” καθὰ γέγραπται. Οὐκοῦν αἱ λέξεις αἱ καθ' ἡμᾶς τὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς σημαίνουσιν, εἰ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ λέγοιντο. βούλει τι νοῆσαι τῶν οὕτω δυσχερῶν; εἶτά σοι πρὸς κατάληψιν ὁ νοῦς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο παθὼν, αἰσθάνῃ; μὴ χαλεπήνῃς ἄνθρωπε, ὁμολόγει τῆς σαυτοῦ φύσεως τὴν ἀσθένειαν, μέμνησο τοῦ λέγοντος “Ἰσχυρότερά σου μὴ ζήτει:” ὅταν εἰς τὸν τοῦ ἡλίου κύκλον τὸν τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀνατείνῃς, εὐθὺς ἀποστρέφεις, τῇ τοῦ φωτὸς προσβολῇ νικώμενος. ἴσθι δὴ οὖν ὅτι καὶ ἡ θεία φύσις φῶς ἀπρόσιτον οἰκεῖ: ἀπρόσιτον δὲ ταῖς τῶν περιεργαζομένων διανοίαις. χρὴ τοίνυν ὅταν καὶ ἀνθρωπίναις φωναῖς λαλῆται τὰ περὶ Θεοῦ, μηδὲν λογίζεσθαι ταπεινὸν, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ πτωχείᾳ τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς λέξεων, τὸν τῆς θείας δόξης κατοπτρίζεσθαι πλοῦτον. τί γὰρ εἰ ἀποστέλλεται παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱός; ἆρα διὰ τοῦτο ἐλάττων ἔσται; οὐκοῦν ὅταν ἐκ τοῦ ἡλιακοῦ σώματος τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ πέμπηται φῶς, ἑτεροφυές ἐστι παρ' αὐτὸ, καὶ ἐν ἐλάττοσι παρ' αὐτοῦ; καίτοι πῶς τοῦτο καὶ μόνον ἐννοῆσαι οὐκ ἀμαθές; φῶς οὖν ὑπάρχων τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱὸς, πέμπεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἡλίου τυχὸν αὐγὴν ἀπαστράψαντος: ὃ δὴ καὶ γενέσθαι παρεκάλει λέγων ὁ Δαυείδ “Ἐξαπόστειλον τὸ φῶς σου καὶ τὴν ” ἀλήθειάν σου.“ καὶ εἰ δόξα ἐστὶ τῷ Πατρὶ τὸ φῶς ἔχειν, πῶς ἔλαττον φὴς αὐτοῦ τὸ ἐν ᾧ δοξάζεται; καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Υἱὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει Ὃν ὁ Πατὴρ ἡγίασε καὶ ἀπέστειλε. τὸ δέ Ἡγίασεν ἡ γραφὴ κατὰ πολλοὺς δέχεται τρόπους. λέγεται μὲν γὰρ ἁγιάζεσθαι τὸ ἀνατιθέμενον τῷ Θεῷ. καὶ γοῦν ἔφη πρὸς Μωυσέα ” Ἁγίασόν μοι πᾶν πρωτότοκον.“ ἁγιάζεται δὲ πάλιν τὸ προχειρισθὲν παρὰ Θεοῦ πρὸς τὸ πρᾶξαί τι τῶν κατὰ γνώμην αὐτοῦ: οὕτω γὰρ περί τε τοῦ Κύρου καὶ τῶν Μήδων φησὶν, ὅτε τῆς Βαβυλωνίων αὐτοὺς καταστρατεύειν ἤθελε ” Γίγαντες ἔρχονται πληρῶσαι τὸν “θυμόν μου χαίροντες ἅμα καὶ ὑβρίζοντες: ἡγιασμένοι εἰσὶ, ” καὶ ἐγὼ ἄγω αὐτούς.“ ἁγιάζεται δὲ πάλιν τὸ ἐν μεθέξει γεγονὸς τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος. οὐκοῦν ἡγιάσθαι φησὶν ἑαυτὸν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱὸς, ὡς προχειρισθέντα παρ' αὐτοῦ πρὸς κατόρθωσιν τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς, καὶ κατὰ τῆς τῶν ἀντικειμένων καταλύσεως: ἢ καὶ ἔτι, καθὸ ἐπέμφθη εἰς τὸ ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου σωτηρίας σφαγῆναι: καὶ γὰρ ἅγια καλοῦνται καὶ τὰ ἀφοριζόμενα εἰς θυσίαν Θεῷ. ἡγιάσθαι δέ φαμεν αὐτὸν καὶ μεθ' ἡμῶν ἀνθρωπίνως ὅτε γέγονε σάρξ: ἡγιάσθη γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἡ σὰρξ, δεξαμένη τὸν ἑνωθέντα αὐτῇ Λόγον, μὴ οὖσα φύσει ἁγία: δι' ὧν δὲ τοῦτο γίνεται, ἁγιάζεται παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός: μία γὰρ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἡ Θεότης.
« Εἰ οὐ ποιῶ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Πατρός μου, μὴ πιστεύετέ μοι: εἰ δὲ ποιῶ, κἂν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύητε, τοῖς ἔργοις μου πιστεύσατε, ἵνα γνῶτε καὶ πιστεύσητε ὅτι ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ ἐγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ. » Ὃ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. ἐπειδὴ τὸ εἰπεῖν τινα Πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν εὐχερές: τὸ μέν τοι δεῖξαι δι' ἔργων τοῦτο, δυσχερὲς καὶ ἀδύνατον τῇ κτίσει: δι' ὧν κατορθῶ, φησὶ, θεοπρεπῶς, ἴσος φαίνομαι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί: καὶ οὐδεμία ὑμῖν ἀπολογία ἀπιστοῦσι, τῇ πείρᾳ μαθοῦσιν, ὅτι ἴσος εἰμὶ τῷ Πατρὶ, δι' ὧν ποιῶ θεοπρεπῶν ἔργων, εἰ καὶ διὰ τὴν σάρκα ἔδοξά τις εἶναι παρ' ὑμῖν, ὡς εἷς τῶν πολλῶν. ἐντεῦθεν δυνατὸν ἐννοεῖν ὅτι ” Ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ ὁ “Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί.” ἡ γὰρ τῆς οὐσίας ταυτότης τὸν Πατέρα ἐν Υἱῷ καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἐν Πατρὶ εἶναι καὶ ὁρᾶσθαι ποιεῖ. καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν ἡ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν οὐσία γινώσκεται ἐν τῷ παρ' αὐτοῦ τεχθέντι, καὶ ἐν τῷ τεκόντι πάλιν ἡ τοῦ τεχθέντος. εἷς γὰρ ἐν πᾶσιν ὁ τῆς φύσεως ὅρος, καὶ ἓν οἱ πάντες τῇ φύσει. ἐν δὲ τῷ διακεχωρίσθαι ἡμᾶς τοῖς σώμασιν, οὐκέτι ἓν οἱ πολλοί. ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν Θεοῦ: ἀσώματον γὰρ τὸ θεῖον, εἰ καὶ ἐν ἰδιαζούσαις ὑπάρξεσι τὴν ἁγίαν νοοῦμεν Τριάδα. Πατὴρ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ οὐχ Υἱός: Υἱὸς δὲ πάλιν ὁ Υἱὸς καὶ οὐ Πατήρ: καὶ Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον ἰδιαζόντως τὸ Πνεῦμα, εἰ καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐν διαστάσει, διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους κοινωνίαν τε καὶ ἑνότητα. Μιᾶς τοίνυν οὔσης θεότητος ἐν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, τὸν Πατέρα ἐν Υἱῷ, τὸν δὲ Υἱὸν ἐν Πατρὶ λέγομεν ὁρᾶσθαι. ἀναγκαῖον δὲ κἀκεῖνο εἰδέναι, ὅτι περ οὐ τὸ βούλεσθαι ταὐτὰ τῷ Πατρὶ, οὐδὲ τὸ μίαν ἔχειν πρὸς αὐτὸν γνώμην, παρασκευάζει λέγειν τὸν Υἱόν “Ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ ” καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοὶ,“ καί ” Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν:“ ἀλλ' ὅτι τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας γνήσιον ὑπάρχων γέννημα, φαίνει μὲν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν Πατέρα, φαίνεται δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν Πατρί. φησὶ γὰρ ὅτι τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ βούλεται καὶ λαλεῖ καὶ ἰσχύει τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ κατορθοῖ εὐκόλως ὃ θέλει, καὶ ἅπερ ὁ Πατὴρ ποιεῖ, ἵνα διὰ πάντων δεχθῇ ὁμοούσιος αὐτῷ καὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ καρπὸς ἀληθὴς, καὶ οὐ μόνον ἔχων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑνότητα σχετικὴν ἐν μόνοις ὁμοίοις θελήμασι καὶ θεσμοῖς ἀγάπης: ὃ καὶ τοῖς κτίσμασι προσεῖναι λέγομεν.
« Καὶ ἀπῆλθε πάλιν πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου εἰς τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἦν Ἰωάννης τὸ πρῶτον βαπτίζων, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ. καὶ πολλοὶ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι Ἰωάννης μὲν ἐποίησεν σημεῖον οὐδέν: πάντα δὲ ὅσα εἶπεν Ἰωάννης περὶ τούτου ἀληθῆ ἦν. καὶ πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ. » Ἐν τόπῳ πηγὰς ἔχοντι μεθορμίζεται ὁ Σωτὴρ, τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καταλιπὼν, ἵνα ὡς διὰ τύπου αἰνίξηται ὡς καταλείψει μὲν τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξ ἐθνῶν δὲ ἐκκλησίαν μεταβήσεται τὴν ἔχουσαν τὰς πηγὰς τοῦ βαπτίσματος: ἔνθα καὶ προσέρχονται αὐτῷ πολλοὶ διαπεραιούμενοι τὸν Ἰορδάνην: τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τό Πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου αὐλίζεσθαι τὸν Χριστόν. οἱ τοίνυν περάσαντες τὸν Ἰορδάνην διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος, ἀποκομίζονται πρὸς Θεόν: καὶ γὰρ μετέβη ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγῆς ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη: καὶ τότε πολλοὶ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ταῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ λεχθείσαις παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων φωναῖς. καὶ πιστεύουσιν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ, ὅπου αἱ τῶν ὑδάτων πηγαὶ, ὅπου τὸ ἐπὶ Χριστῷ διδασκόμεθα μυστήριον. ὁ γὰρ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πρὸ Ἰορδάνου νάμασιν ἦν: ἀλλὰ πέραν που: καὶ ἐλθὼν ἔμεινεν, ἐν τῇ ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησίᾳ προσμείνας παγίως. τιμῶμεν δὲ τὸν Ἰωάννην, οὐχ ὡς ἐνεργήσαντά τι θεοπρεπὲς, ἀλλ' ὡς τἀληθῆ περὶ Χριστοῦ μαρτυρήσαντα. οὐ μόνον γὰρ Ἰωάννου, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντὸς ἁγίου ὁ Χριστὸς θαυμαστότερος: οἱ μὲν γὰρ προφῆται, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς θαυματουργός. σημειωτέον δὲ ὅτι ὁδός εἰσιν οἱ Ἰωάννου καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν προφητῶν λόγοι, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι Χριστῷ.
« Ἦν δέ τις ἀσθενῶν Λάζαρος ἀπὸ Βηθανίας, ἐκ τῆς κώμης Μαρίας καὶ Μάρθας τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτῆς. ἦν δὲ Μαρία ἡ ἀλείψασα τὸν Κύριον μύρῳ καὶ ἐκμάξασα τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς, ἧς ὁ ἀδελφὸς Λάζαρος ἠσθένει. » Ἐπίτηδες δὲ μέμνηται τῶν ὀνομάτων τῶν γυναικῶν ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς, δεικνὺς ὅτι ἐπίσημοι ἦσαν ὡς θεοσεβεῖς. διὸ καὶ ἠγάπα αὐτὰς ὁ Κύριος. πολλῶν δὲ γεγονότων ὡς εἰκὸς εἰς τὸν Κύριον ὑπὸ τῆς Μαρίας, τοῦ μύρου μέμνηται οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι τοσαύτην εἶχε δίψαν ἡ Μαρία περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν, ὅτι ἐξέμαξε τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἰδίαις θριξὶ, ζητοῦσα τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας σαρκὸς πνευματικὴν εὐλογίαν προσηλῶσαι πρὸς ἑαυτὴν γνησιέστερον: καὶ γὰρ πολλαχοῦ φαίνεται θερμότερον τῷ Χριστῷ προσεδρεύουσα καὶ ἀπερισπάστως, τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπισπωμένη οἰκειότητα.
« Ἀπέστειλαν οὖν πρὸς αὐτὸν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ αὐτοῦ λέγουσαι Κύριε, ἰδοὺ ὃν φιλεῖς ἀσθενεῖ. » Ἀποστέλλουσιν αἱ γυναῖκες πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἀεὶ μὲν θέλουσαι αὐτὸν ἔχειν πλησίον ἑαυτῶν, τότε δὲ εὐπροσώπως τοῦτο διὰ τὸν ἀῤῥωστοῦντα ποιοῦσαι. ἐπίστευον γὰρ, ὡς εἰ φανείη μόνον ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀπηλλάττετο τῆς νόσου ὁ κείμενος. ὑπομιμνήσκουσι δὲ τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς εἶχε πρὸς τὸν νοσοῦντα, ἕλκοντες αὐτὸν μάλιστα διὰ τούτου ἐκεῖ: ᾔδεισαν γὰρ ὅτι ἐφρόντιζε τούτου: καὶ ἠδύνατο μὲν καὶ ἀπὼν ὡς Θεὸς καὶ τὰ πάντα περιέπων, θεραπεῦσαι αὐτόν: ὅμως ἐνόμιζον ὅτι εἰ παραγένοιτο, καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέξει καὶ ἐγερεῖ: οὔπω τὸ τέλειον τῆς πίστεως οὐδ' αὗται ἔχουσαι: διὰ τοῦτο καὶ δυσφοροῦσιν, ὡς εἰκὸς, οἰόμεναι μηδὲ ἀῤῥωστῆσαι ὅλως τὸν Λάζαρον, εἰ μὴ ἠμέλησεν αὐτοῦ ὁ Χριστός: πάντα γὰρ, φασὶν, ἐχόντων τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῶν ἀγαπωμένων παρὰ Θεοῦ, διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν αὐτὸς ὃν φιλεῖς, ἀσθενεῖ; ἢ καὶ τοῦτο τάχα φασί Μεγάλη τῆς νόσου ἡ θρασύτης, ὅτι κατετόλμησεν ἐπιθέσθαι τοῖς ὑπὸ Θεοῦ ἀγαπωμένοις. ἴσως δὲ καὶ τοιοῦτόν τι δοκοῦσι λέγειν Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀγαπᾷς καὶ θεραπεύεις, πολλῷ μᾶλλον χρεωστεῖς εἰς τοὺς ἀγαπῶντάς σε τοῦτο ἐνδείξασθαι. δυνάσαι γὰρ ἐν μόνῳ τῷ θέλειν πάντα ποιῆσαι. πίστεως οὖν ὁ λόγος μεστὸς καὶ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν γνησιότητος ἀπόδειξις.
« Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ἡ ἀσθένεια αὕτη οὐκ ἔστι πρὸς θάνατον, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ δι' αὐτῆς. » Λέγει μέν τοι ταῦτα ὁ Κύριος, οὐχ ἵνα ἀπελθόντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀπαγγείλωσι ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς τοῦ Λαζάρου, ἀλλ' ὡς Θεὸς προλέγων τὸ ἐσόμενον, ὅτι πρὸς δόξαν Θεοῦ ἑώρα τὸ τοῦ πράγματος ἀποτέλεσμα, οὐ διὰ τοῦτο συμβάσης τῆς νόσου, ἵνα δοξασθῇ: εὔηθες γὰρ τοῦτο εἰπεῖν: ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ συνέβη καὶ εἰς θαυμαστὸν ἑώρα τέλος. ἑαυτὸν δέ φησι τὸν φύσει Θεὸν, αὐτοῦ γὰρ εἰς δόξαν γέγονε τὸ γεγονός. εἰπὼν γὰρ ὅτι ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονεν ἡ ἀσθένεια, ἐπήγαγεν Ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῇ, περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγων. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς μὲν εἶπε μὴ εἶναι πρὸς θάνατον τὴν τοῦ Λαζάρου ἀῤῥωστίαν, συμβέβηκε δὲ ὁ θάνατος, οὐδὲν θαυμαστόν. πρὸς γὰρ τὸ πέρας ὁρῶντες τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ ὅτι ἔμελλε μετ' ὀλίγον ἀναστῆναι: οὐχὶ τί συμβέβηκεν ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ σκοποῦμεν, ἀλλ' εἰς ποῖον ἀπέβη τὸ πέρας. ἔκρινε γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἀσθενοῦντα δεῖξαι τὸν θάνατον, καὶ τὸ συμβὰν εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ δεῖξαι, τουτέστιν ἑαυτοῦ.
« Ὡς οὖν ἤκουσεν ὅτι ἀσθενεῖ, τότε μὲν ἔμεινεν ἐν ᾧ ἦν τόπῳ δύο ἡμέρας. » Καὶ ἀνεβάλετο τὴν ἄφιξιν, ἵνα μὴ νοσοῦντα αὐτὸν θεραπεύσῃ, ἀλλὰ τελευτήσαντα ἀναστήσῃ: ὅπερ ἐστὶ μείζονος δυνάμεως, ἵνα καὶ μειζόνως δοξάσηται.
« Μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ Ἄγωμεν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν πάλιν. λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ Ῥαββὶ, νῦν ἐζήτουν σε οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι λιθάσαι, καὶ πάλιν ὑπάγεις ἐκεῖ; » Εἰπὼν δὲ ὁ Κύριος τό Ἄγωμεν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν πάλιν, δοκεῖ ὑπεμφαίνειν, ὅτι εἰ καὶ ἀνάξιοί εἰσιν ἐκεῖνοι εὐεργεσίας, ἀλλὰ καιροῦ καλοῦντος τοῦ ἐμποιοῦντος αὐτοῖς ὠφέλειαν, ἀπέλθωμεν πρὸς αὐτούς: οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ δοκοῦσι διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν κωλύειν αὐτὸν, πλὴν ὡς ἄνθρωποι οἴονται ὅτι καὶ ἄκων ἐκινδύνευε τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις περιτυχών. διὸ καὶ ἀναμιμνήσκουσιν αὐτὸν τῆς Ἰουδαίων κατὰ αὐτοῦ μανίας, μονονουχὶ λέγοντες Τί πάλιν ζητεῖς μετὰ τῶν ἀπειθῶν γενέσθαι καὶ ἀχαρίστων τῶν μὴ λόγοις μηδὲ ἔργοις μαλασσομένων; οἳ καὶ ἔτι φονῶσι κατὰ σοῦ, καὶ ζέοντα τὸν θυμὸν ἔχουσιν. ἤγουν τοῦτό φασιν, ἢ τοῦτο σημαίνει ὁ λόγος αὐτῶν: ὅτι εἰς προφανῆ κίνδυνον αὐτοὺς ἄγει. ὅμως ὑπακούουσι τῷ διδασκάλῳ, ὡς εἰδότι τὸ βέλτιον.
« Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς Οὐχὶ δώδεκα ὧραί εἰσι τῆς ἡμέρας; ἐὰν οὖν τις περιπατῇ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, οὐ προσκόπτει, ὅτι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου βλέπῃ: ἐὰν δέ τις περιπατῇ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ, προσκόπτει, ὅτι τὸ φῶς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτῷ. » Τάχα δὲ τῇ τῆς ἡμέρας ἀεικινήτῳ φορᾷ παρεικάζει τὴν εὐπάροιστον καὶ φιλόκαινον τῶν ἀνθρώπων διάνοιαν, τὴν μὴ ἱσταμένην ἐπὶ μιᾶς δοκήσεως, ἀλλὰ μεταπηδῶσαν ἀπὸ ἑτέρας γνώμης εἰς ἄλλην, ὡς καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα ἀπὸ ὥρας ἄλλης εἰς ἄλλην μεταβαίνει. νοήσεις δὲ καὶ οὕτως τό Οὐχὶ δώδεκά εἰσιν ὧραι τῆς ἡμέρας; τουτέστιν Ἡμέρα, φησὶν, εἰμὶ καὶ φῶς. ὥσπερ οὖν οὐκ ἔνι καταλῆξαι τῆς ἡμέρας τὸ φῶς, μὴ οὐχὶ τὸν τεταγμένον ἀποπληρῶσαν καιρόν: οὕτως οὐκ ἔστι τῶν ἐνδεχομένων, τὸν παρ' ἐμοῦ συστέλλεσθαι φωτισμὸν ἀπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, μὴ εἰς τὸ πρέπον τῆς φιλανθρωπίας προελθούσης μέτρον. ἡμέραν δὲ λέγει τὸν τῆς παρουσίας καιρόν: νύκτα δὲ, τὸν πρὸ ταύτης: ὡς καὶ ὅταν λέγῃ ὁ Κύριος ” Ἡμᾶς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πέμψαντος “ἡμᾶς, ἕως ἡμέρα ἐστί.” τοῦτο οὖν ἐνταῦθά φησιν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι νῦν καιρὸς ἀποσχίσαι ἐμαυτὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, κἂν ἀνόσιοι ὦσιν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ποιεῖν τὰ πρὸς θεραπείαν αὐτῶν. οὐ γὰρ δεῖ αὐτοὺς νῦν κολάζεσθαι, ἀποχωρούσης ἀπ' αὐτῶν τῆς θείας χάριτος ἡλίου δίκην. ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τὸ φῶς τῆς ἡμέρας οὐκ ἐκλείπει εἰ μὴ πληρωθῇ τὸ δωδεκάωρον, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὁ παρ' ἐμοῦ συστέλλεται φωτισμὸς πρὸ καιροῦ, ἀλλὰ μέχρι τοῦ σταυρωθῆναι μένω μετὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἐνιεὶς αὐτοῖς ὡς φῶς τῆς θεογνωσίας τὴν σύνεσιν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐν σκοτίᾳ ὄντες ἀπιστίας, προσκόπτουσιν ἐπ' ἐμοὶ ὡς λίθῳ, δεῖ ἀπελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ φωτίσαι αὐτοὺς, ἵνα παύσωνται τῆς θεομάχου μανίας.
« Ταῦτα εἶπε, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο λέγει αὐτοῖς Λάζαρος ὁ φίλος ἡμῶν κεκοίμηται: ἀλλὰ πορεύομαι ἵνα ἐξυπνίσω αὐτόν. » Ἀξιόλογος πρόφασις ἕλκει με εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ: τὸ γάρ Ὁ φίλος ἡμῶν κεκοίμηται, τοῦτο σημαίνει: καὶ ἐὰν παρίδωμεν τοῦτον, ἀφιλοικτίρμονος λαμβάνομεν δόξαν. διὸ δυσωπεῖσθαι χρὴ ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ δραμεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ φίλου σωτηρίαν, ὑπερορῶντας τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὰς ἐπιβουλάς. δεικνὺς δὲ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν θεοπρεπῆ δύναμιν, ὕπνον καλεῖ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ψυχῆς τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος ἔξοδον καὶ σφόδρα εἰκότως: θάνατον γὰρ οὐκ ἠξίωσεν εἰπεῖν ὁ κτίσας ἐπὶ ἀφθαρσίᾳ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, καὶ σωτηρίους ἀναδείξας τὰς γενέσεις τοῦ κόσμου. πλὴν ἔστι καὶ ἀληθὴς ὁ λόγος: ὕπνος γὰρ ὄντως παρὰ Θεῷ καὶ ἕτερον οὐδὲν ὁ πρόσκαιρος ἡμῶν τοῦ σώματος θάνατος, ψιλῷ καὶ μόνῳ καταργούμενος νεύματι τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ζωῆς, τουτέστι Χριστοῦ. ὅρα δὲ ὅτι οὐκ εἶπε Λάζαρος ἀπέθανε καὶ πορεύομαι ἀναστῆσαι αὐτὸν, ἀλλά φησι Κεκοίμηται, τὸ κομπαστικὸν φεύγων, πρὸς ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν καὶ ὠφέλειαν: οὐ γὰρ ἂν οὕτως ἀμυδρὰν μετ' ἐπικρύψεως ἠφίει φωνὴν, ὡς μηδ' αὐτοὺς συνιέναι τοὺς μαθητὰς τὸν λόγον. οὐ γὰρ ἔφη Πορεύομαι ζωώσων ἢ ἀναστήσων αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἀλλ' ἐξυπνίσων: ὅπερ ἦν ἀργὸν τέως εἰς ὑποψίαν.
« Εἶπον οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ Κύριε, εἰ κεκοίμηται, σωθήσεται. εἴρηκε δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς περὶ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ: ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἔδοξαν ὅτι περὶ τῆς κοιμήσεως τοῦ ὕπνου λέγει. » Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ μὴ νοήσαντες τοῦ λόγου τὴν δύναμιν, ᾠήθησαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν λέγειν περὶ κοιμήσεως ὕπνου, ὃς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τοῖς ἀῤῥώστοις συμβαίνων, ἀνάπαυσιν ποιεῖ: διό φασιν Οὐκ ἀξιόλογος ἡ ἄφιξις τοῦ ἄφυπνον ποιῆσαι τὸν Λάζαρον: οὐ γὰρ ἐπωφελὲς τὸ ἐξυπνίσαι ἄῤῥωστον. ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγον, ἐγκόψαι αὐτὸν βουλόμενοι τῆς ὁδοῦ, λέγοντες ὅτι οὐκ ἄξιον ἐν μέσῳ γενέσθαι τῶν φονευτῶν, διὰ τὸ ποιῆσαι πρᾶγμα οὐκ ἐπωφελές.
« Τότε εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς παῤῥησίᾳ Λάζαρος ἀπέθανε, καὶ χαίρω δι' ὑμᾶς, ἵνα πιστεύσητε, ὅτι οὐκ ἤμην ἐκεῖ. ἀλλὰ ἄγωμεν πρὸς αὐτόν. » Μὴ νοησάντων οὖν τῶν μαθητῶν, ὅτι τὸν θάνατον ὕπνον ὠνόμασε, λευκότερον ἐνέφηνεν εἰπὼν, ὅτι ἀπέθανε. φησὶ δὲ ἑαυτὸν χαίρειν, οὐ διὰ φιλοδοξίαν, ὅτι ἔμελλε ποιῆσαι τὸ θαῦμα, ἀλλ' ὅτι τοῦτο πρόφασις ἔμελλε γίνεσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς εἰς πίστιν. τὸ δὲ εἰπεῖν Ὅτι οὐκ ἤμην ἐκεῖ, τοῦτο δηλοῖ. εἰ ἤμην ἐκεῖ, οὐκ ἔμελλεν ἀποθνήσκειν, ἠλέησα γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸν καὶ ὀλίγον κάμνοντα: νῦν δὲ ἀπόντος ἐμοῦ συνέβη ὁ θάνατος, ἵνα ἀναστήσας αὐτὸν, μεγάλην ὑμῖν ἐμποιήσω τὴν ὠφέλειαν διὰ τῆς εἰς ἐμὲ πίστεως. ταῦτα δὲ λέγει ὁ Χριστὸς, οὐχ ὡς τότε μόνον δυνάμενος τὰ θεοπρεπῆ ποιεῖν, ὅταν παρῇ: ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ εἰ παρῆν, οὐκ ἂν παρεῖδε τὸν φίλον ἕως θανάτου καταβιβασθέντα. τὸ δέ Ἄγωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὡς πρὸς ζῶντά φησι: ζῶσι γὰρ αὐτῷ ὡς Θεῷ οἱ νεκροὶ, ὡς μέλλοντες ζήσειν.
« Εἶπεν οὖν Θωμᾶς ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος τοῖς συμμαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ Ἄγωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἵνα ἀποθάνωμεν μετ' αὐτοῦ. » Ὁ τοῦ Θωμᾶ λόγος ἔχει μὲν προθυμίαν: ἔχει δὲ καὶ δειλίαν, καὶ γέγονε μὲν ἐκ φιλοθέου φρονήματος, κατακεκέρασται δὲ τῇ ὀλιγοπιστίᾳ. ἀπολειφθῆναι γὰρ οὐκ ἀνέχεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀναπείθει τοῦτο ποιεῖν: ὅμως οἴεται ὅτι καὶ παθεῖν ἔμελλον ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων, καὶ οὐ θέλοντος αὐτοῦ, διὰ τὸ φονικὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, οὐ σκοπῶν τὴν τοῦ σώζοντος δύναμιν, ὅπερ ἔδει μᾶλλον. ἐποίει δὲ αὐτοὺς δειλοὺς ὁ Χριστὸς, ὑπὲρ μέτρον ἀνεξικακῶν ἐν οἷς ἔπασχεν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων. λέγει οὖν μὴ χρῆναι χωρίζεσθαι τοῦ διδασκάλου, εἰ καὶ ἀναμφίβολος πρόκειται κίνδυνος: ὡς ὑπομειδιῶν δὲ τρόπον τινὰ ὁ Θωμᾶς ἔλεγε τό Ἄγωμεν, τουτέστιν Ἀποθάνωμεν. ἢ οὕτω φησί Πάντως μὲν ἐὰν ἀπέλθωμεν, ἀποθνήσκομεν, ὅμως μὴ παραιτησώμεθα τὸ παθεῖν, οὐ γὰρ δεῖ τοσοῦτον φιλοψυχεῖν: εἰ γὰρ ἐγείρει τὸν νεκρὸν, περιττὸς ὁ φόβος, ἔχομεν γὰρ τὸν δυνάμενον ἀναστῆσαι μετὰ τὸ πεσεῖν.
« Ἐλθὼν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς Βηθανίαν, εὗρεν αὐτὸν τέσσαρας ἤδη ἡμέρας ἔχοντα ἐν τῇ μνημείῳ. ἦν δὲ ἡ Βηθανία ἐγγὺς τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἀπὸ σταδίων δεκαπέντε. πολλοὶ δὲ ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐληλύθεισαν πρὸς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ τὴν Μαρίαν, ἵνα παραμυθήσωνται αὐτὰς περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῶν. » Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ διάστημα λέγει τῶν ἡμερῶν τῶν μετὰ τὸν θάνατον Λαζάρου, ἵνα ἐπὶ πλέον θαυμασθῇ τὸ θαῦμα, καὶ μήτις εἴπῃ τυχὸν, ὅτι μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν ἐληλύθει, καὶ οὐκ ἦν τεθνεὼς, ἀλλὰ ἀῤῥωστοῦντα αὐτὸν ἤγειρε. λέγει δὲ ὅτι πολλοὶ ἦσαν ἐν τῇ Βηθανίᾳ Ἰουδαῖοι: καίτοι χωρίου οὐκ ὄντος πολυανθρώπου: ἐκ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ παραγενόμενοι: οὐ γὰρ ἦν πολὺ τὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ διάστημα τὸ κωλύον τοὺς ἐνδιαθέτους φίλους συνεῖναι ταῖς περὶ τὴν Μάρθαν, ἤτοι ἐπείπερ ἐξάκουστον γέγονε τὸ θαῦμα ἐν τῇ Ἱερουσαλὴμ παρὰ πᾶσι καὶ ἐν τῇ περιχώρῳ, τίθησι τὴν αἰτίαν, ὅτι πολλῶν ὄντων ἐκεῖ, εἰκότως ἁπανταχόσε διεδόθη ὁ λόγος: τῶν μὲν θαυμαζόντων, τῶν δὲ διὰ φθόνον λαλούντων τὸ γεγονὸς, πρὸς τὸ διαβολὴν ποιῆσαι τῷ θαύματι διὰ ψευδοκατηγορίας.
« Ἡ οὖν Μάρθα ὡς ἤκουσεν ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἔρχεται, ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ: Μαρία δὲ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ἐκαθέζετο. » Τάχα δὲ θερμοτέρα μὲν ἡ Μάρθα πρὸς τὸ ποιῆσαι τὰ δέοντα: διὸ καὶ πρώτη ὑπήντησε: συνετωτέρα δὲ ἡ Μαρία. διὸ ὡς αἰσθητικωτέραν ἔχουσα ψυχὴν, ἔμεινεν οἴκοι, τὰς ἐκ τῶν παραμυθουμένων δεχομένη θεραπείας, ἡ δὲ Μάρθα ὡς ἁπλουστέρα ἔδραμε, μεθύουσα μὲν τῷ πάθει, φέρουσα δὲ ὅμως νεανικώτερον.
« Εἶπεν οὖν ἡ Μάρθα πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν Κύριε, εἰ ἦς ὧδε, οὐκ ἂν ἀπέθανεν ὁ ἀδελφός μου: καὶ νῦν οἶδα ὅτι ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν Θεὸν, δώσει σοι ὁ Θεός. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ἀναστή σεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου. ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ἡ Μάρθα Οἶδα ὅτι ἀναστήσεται ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. » Ὃ λέγει ἡ Μάρθα, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο, φησὶν, ἀπέθανεν ὁ ἀδελφός μου, ὅτι ὑπόκειται ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις τῷ θανάτῳ, ἀλλ' ὅτι σὺ οὐ παρῆς, ὁ τὸν θάνατον νικῆσαι δυνάμενος διὰ τοῦ προστάγματος. ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς λύπης ἔξω τοῦ προσήκοντος πλανωμένη, ἐνόμιζε μηκέτι δύνασθαί τι ποιῆσαι τὸν Κύριον: ὡς παραδραμόντος τοῦ καιροῦ: καὶ ᾤετο αὐτὸν παραγεγονέναι, οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀναστῆσαι Λάζαρον, ἀλλ' ἵνα παραμυθήσηται αὐτάς. ἠρέμα γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ ὑπομέμφεται βραδύναντι, καὶ μὴ εὐθὺς ἐλθόντι ὅταν ἠδύνατο βοηθεῖν, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν λέγουσαι “Κύριε, ἴδε ὃν φιλεῖς ” ἀσθενεῖ.“ τὸ δὲ λέγειν Ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν Θεὸν δώσει σοι, ὑπερυθριώσης ἐστὶ φανερῶς αἰτῆσαι ὃ βούλεται: ὅμως σφάλλεται περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, οὐχ ὡς Θεῷ διαλεγομένη, ἀλλ' ὡς ἑνὶ τῶν ἁγίων, διὰ τὴν ὁρωμένην σάρκα οἰομένη ὅτι ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ ὡς ἅγιος, λαμβάνει ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, οὐ μὴν εἰδυῖα ὅτι φύσει Θεὸς ὢν καὶ δύναμις τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἄμαχον ἔχει τὴν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἰσχύν. εἰ ᾔδει γὰρ ὅτι Θεὸς ἦν, οὐκ ἂν εἶπεν ὅτι Εἰ ἦς ὧδε: ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς πανταχοῦ ἐστιν. ὁ μέντοι Κύριος διὰ τὸ ἀφιλόκομπον, οὐκ εἶπεν Ἐγερῶ τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, ἀλλά Ἀναστήσεται, μονονουχὶ ἠρέμα αὐτὴν ἐλέγχων καὶ λέγων Ἀνίσταται μὲν καθὼς βούλει, πλὴν οὐχ ὡς σὺ νομίζεις. εἰ γὰρ οἴει δι' εὐχῆς καὶ αἰτήσεως τοῦτο ἀνύεσθαι, σὺ ποίει τὸ τῆς εὐχῆς, μὴ μὴν ἐμοὶ ἐπίταττε τῷ θαυματουργῷ, ὃς δύναμαι τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἰσχύϊ ἀναστῆσαι τὸν νεκρόν. ταῦτα ἀκούσασα ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ αἰδουμένη μὲν εἰπεῖν ὅτι νῦν αὐτὸν ἀνάστησον, τρόπον δέ τινα παροξύνουσα αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ποιῆσαι νῦν τὸ ἔργον, δοκεῖ πως ἀδημονεῖν περὶ τὴν βραδύτητα τοῦ χρόνου, λέγουσα Οἶδα ὅτι ἀναστήσεται ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀλλὰ πρόωρον ἰδεῖν ἐπιθυμῶ τὴν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἀνάστασιν. ἤτοι τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος τό Ἀναστήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου, μονονουχὶ συναινεῖ τῷ δόγματι τούτῳ ἡ γυνὴ λέγουσα Οἶδα τοῦτο: πιστεύω γὰρ ὅτι ἀνίστανται οἱ νεκροὶ καθὼς σὺ ἐδίδαξας: ” Ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα, καὶ ἐξελεύσονται, οἱ τὰ “ἀγαθὰ ποιήσαντες εἰς ἀνάστασιν ζωῆς, οἱ δὲ τὰ φαῦλα ” πράξαντες εἰς ἀνάστασιν κρίσεως.“ ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας ἐν Πνεύματι εἶπεν ” Ἀναστήσονται οἱ νεκροὶ, καὶ “ἐγερθήσονται οἱ ἐν τοῖς μνημείοις.” οὐ γὰρ ἀπιστῶ τῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως λόγῳ, ὡς οἱ Σαδδουκαῖοι.
« Εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή. ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ κἂν ἀποθάνῃ ζήσεται, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ζῶν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. πιστεύεις τοῦτο; λέγει αὐτῷ Ναὶ Κύριε: ἐγὼ πεπίστευκα ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐρχόμενος. » Καρπὸς γεμὴν καὶ τιμὴ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως, ἡ αἰώνιος ζωὴ, καὶ οὐκ ἄλλως προσγίνεται τοῦτο τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ψυχῇ. εἰ γὰρ διὰ Χριστὸν πάντες ἀνιστάμεθα, ἀλλὰ ζωὴ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἀληθὴς, τὸ ἀτελευτήτως ἐν μακαριότητι ζῆν: οὐδὲν γὰρ διαφέρει θανάτου, τὸ εἰς κόλασιν ἀναβιῶναι μόνον. εἰ οὖν ὁρᾷ τις καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους θνήσκοντας τοὺς λαβόντας ὑποσχέσεις ζωῆς, οὐδὲν τοῦτο, μόνον γὰρ ὅσον εἰς τὸ συμβῆναι γίνεται. καιρῷ δὲ τῷ πρέποντι τετήρηται ἡ τῆς χάριτος ἀνάδειξις, οὐ κατὰ μέρος ἰσχύουσα, ἀλλ' ἐν πᾶσι διηνεκῶς καὶ τοῖς ἤδη προαποθανοῦσιν ἁγίοις πρὸς ὀλίγον γευσαμένοις τοῦ θανάτου, ἕως τῆς κοινῆς ἀναστάσεως. τότε γὰρ κοινῇ πάντες τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύσουσιν. εἰπὼν δὲ ὁ Σωτὴρ ὅτι Ἐὰν ἀποθάνῃ ζήσεται, οὐκ ἀνεῖλεν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι τὸν θάνατον: ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον αὐτὸν δίδωσι κατὰ τῶν πιστῶν ἰσχύειν, ὅσον εἰς τὸ συμβῆναι μόνον, καιρῷ γὰρ τῷ πρέποντι τετήρηκε τὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως χάριν. φησὶ γοῦν, ὅτι οὐκ ἄμοιρος ἔσται τοῦ τῆς σαρκὸς θανάτου διὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν ὁ εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύων, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν ἐκ τούτου πείσεται δεινὸν, Θεοῦ δυναμένου ζωοποιεῖν εὐκόλως ὃν ἂν ἐθέλῃ: ὁ γὰρ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύσας, ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι ἀτελεύτητον ἔχει ζωὴν ἐν μακαριότητι καὶ ὁλοκλήρῳ ἀφθαρσίᾳ. διὸ μήτις γελάτω τῶν ἀπίστων: οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν ὁ Χριστός Ἀπάρτι θάνατον οὐ μὴ ἴδῃ, ἀλλὰ ἀπολελυμένως εἰπών Θάνατον οὐ μὴ ἴδῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος εἶπεν, εἰς ἐκεῖνον τηρήσας τὸ πέρας τῆς ὑποσχέσεως. εἰπὼν δὲ τῇ Μάρθᾳ Πιστεύεις, ὡς μητέρα καὶ πρόξενον τῆς ζωῆς ἀπαιτεῖ τῆς πίστεως τὴν ὁμολογίαν: ἡ δὲ ἑτοίμως συνέθετο καὶ ἀκριβῶς ὁμολογεῖ, οὐχ ἁπλῶς πιστεύουσα ὅτι Χριστός ἐστι καὶ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ: χριστὸς γὰρ δύναται εἶναι καὶ προφήτης, διὰ τὸ κεχρίσθαι, ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ υἱὸς νοεῖσθαι δύναται: ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοῦ ἄρθρου εἰποῦσα Ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν ἕνα καὶ ἐξαίρετον καὶ ἀληθῶς Υἱὸν ὡμολόγησεν. εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν οὖν ἡ πίστις, οὐκ εἰς ποίημα.
« Πιστεύεις τούτῳ; » Προεξηγησάμενος τοῦ κατὰ αὐτὸν μυστηρίου τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ δείξας ἐναργῶς ὅτι ζωὴ κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶ καὶ Θεὸς ἀληθινὸς, ἀπαιτεῖ τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει συναίνεσιν, τύπον ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ θείς. χρὴ γὰρ οὐ διάκενον ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀέρα ῥιπτοῦντας φωνὴν, τὸ σεπτὸν ὁμολογεῖν μυστήριον, ἀλλ' ἐν καρδίᾳ καὶ νῷ τὴν πίστιν ῥιζώσαντας, καρπὸν τοῦ πράγματος ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ὁμολογίαν: χρὴ δὲ πιστεύειν ἐνδοιασμοῦ τινος δίχα καὶ διψυχίας. ὑβριστὴς γὰρ ὁ δίψυχος καὶ χωλεύων περὶ τὴν πίστιν: διὰ τοῦτο καὶ “ἀκατάστατος ” ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ.“ εἰδέναι γεμὴν ἀναγκαῖον, ὅτι Θεῷ τῆς πίστεως τὴν ὁμολογίαν ποιούμεθα, κἂν δι' ἀνθρώπων ἐρωτώμενοι, τῶν ἱερᾶσθαι λαχόντων φημὶ, τό Πιστεύω λέγομεν ἐν τῇ παραλήψει τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος. πάνδεινον οὖν ἄρα τὸ διαψεύσασθαι καὶ παρολισθῆσαι πρὸς ἀπιστίαν, ἵνα μὴ καὶ δικαστὴν καὶ μάρτυρα ἀπονοίας ἔχωμεν αὐτὸν τὸν πάντων Δεσπότην λέγοντα ” Καὶ ἐγὼ μάρτυς, φησὶ “Κύριος.” ἐπιτηρητέον δὲ ὅτι Λαζάρου κειμένου καὶ τεθνηκότος, ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τρόπον τινὰ τὸ γύναιον ἐξαιτεῖται τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει συναίνεσιν: ἵνα πάλιν ὁ τύπος ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἰσχύσῃ: ὅτε γὰρ ἀρτιγενὲς προσάγεται βρέφος, ἢ τῆς κατηχήσεως τὸ χρίσμα λαβεῖν, ἤτοι τὸ τῆς τελειώσεως ἐπὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ βαπτίσματι, ὁ προσάγων ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τό Ἀμὴν ἀναφωνεῖ. ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν ἐσχάτῃ νόσῳ κατειλημμένων, μελλόντων τε διὰ τοῦτο βαπτίζεσθαι, καὶ ἀποτάττονταί τινες καὶ συντάττονται, τὴν οἰκείαν ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀγάπης κιχρῶντες φωνὴν τοῖς νόσῳ πεπεδημένοις: ὅπερ ἔστι κατιδεῖν γεγονὸς ἐπί τε Λαζάρου καὶ τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ. σοφῶς δὲ ἡ Μάρθα καὶ οἰκονομικῶς προκατασπείρει τῆς πίστεως τὴν ὁμολογίαν, ἵνα τὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς θερίσῃ καρπόν.
« Καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἀπῆλθε καὶ ἐφώνησε Μαρίαν τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς λάθρα εἰποῦσα Ὁ διδάσκαλος πάρεστι καὶ φωνεῖ σε. ἐκείνη δὲ ὡς ἤκουσεν, ἐγέρθη καὶ ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτόν. » Ἀπῆλθε καλέσουσα τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸ καὶ αὐτὴν κοινωνῆσαι τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ προσδοκωμένῳ πράγματι εὐθυμίας, συναποληψομένην ἀναστάντα παρ' ἐλπίδα πᾶσαν τὸν τεθνηκότα. ἦν γὰρ ἀκούσασα “Ἀναστήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου.” λάθρα δὲ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος παρουσίαν τῇ ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς εὐηγγελίσατο, διὰ τὸ παρακαθέζεσθαι τῶν Ἰουδαίων τινὰς τῶν φθονούντων θαυματουργοῦντι τῷ Χριστῷ. Καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσομεν ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπε Κάλει μοι τὴν ἀδελφήν σου: ἀλλ' ἡ Μάρθα τὴν τοῦ πράγματος ἀπαραίτητον χρείαν καὶ τὸ τῆς παρουσίας χρεωστούμενον, ἀντὶ κελεύσεως καὶ φωνῆς δεξαμένη, τοῦτό φησιν. ἡ δὲ ἑτοίμως ἔδραμε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ὑπαντᾶν ἐθέλει. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλε τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἡ σφόδρα λυπουμένη ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ θερμὸν ἔχουσα φρόνημα εἰς εὐσέβειαν καὶ ἀγάπην εἰς αὐτὸν πολλήν;
« Οὔπω δὲ ἐληλύθει ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν κώμην, ἀλλ' ἦν ἔτι ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ὅπου προσυπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἡ Μάρθα. οἱ οὖν Ἰουδαῖοι οἱ ὄντες μετ' αὐτῆς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ καὶ παραμυθούμενοι αὐτὴν, ἰδόντες τὴν Μαρίαν ὅτι ταχέως ἀνέστη καὶ ἐξῆλθεν, ἠκολού θησαν αὐτῇ λέγοντες ὅτι ὑπάγει εἰς τὸ μνῆμα ἵνα κλαύσῃ ἐκεῖ. » Οἱ οὖν συνόντες Ἰουδαῖοι, οἰηθέντες αὐτὴν δεδραμηκέναι ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον πρὸς τὸ ἑαυτὴν σπαράξαι, συνακολουθοῦσιν αὐτῇ, νεύματι Θεοῦ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες, ἵνα συνέλθωσιν ἐπὶ τῷ τὸ θαῦμα ἰδεῖν καὶ μὴ βουλόμενοι. εἰ γὰρ μὴ οἰκονομίᾳ Θεοῦ τοῦτο ἐγεγόνει, οὐκ ἂν ἐμέμνητο αὐτοῦ ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς, οὔτε τὰς ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ συμβαινούσας αἰτίας ἀπεγράφετο, εἰ μὴ πανταχοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀντεποιεῖτο. εἶπεν οὖν τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν πολλοὶ εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον ἔδραμον, εὑρέθησάν τε καὶ γεγόνασι θεαταὶ τοῦ θαύματος, καὶ ἄλλοις ἀπήγγειλαν.
« Ἡ οὖν Μαρία ὡς ἦλθεν ὅπου ἦν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἴδουσα αὐτὸν ἔπεσε πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ λέγουσα Κύριε, εἰ ᾖς ὧδε, οὐκ ἂν ἀπέθανεν ὁ ἀδελφός μου. » Ἡ μέντοι Μαρία, πρόωρον γεγενῆσθαι λέγει τὸν θάνατον τῷ ἀδελφῷ διὰ τὸ ἀπεῖναι τὸν Κύριον: καὶ τότε φησὶν ἐπιδεδημηκέναι αὐτὸν τῷ οἴκῳ, ὅτε ὁ τῆς θεραπείας παρέδραμε καιρός: καὶ ἔστι μὲν καὶ ἐκ τούτου στοχάσασθαι, ὅτι ὡς Θεῷ αὐτῷ ἔλεγε τοῦτο, εἰ καὶ οὐκ ἀκριβῶς λελάληκεν, οἰομένη μὴ παρεῖναι αὐτὸν εἰ καὶ ἀπῆν τῷ σώματι. ἀκριβεστέρα δὲ οὖσα καὶ συνετωτέρα τῆς Μάρθας, οὐκ εἶπεν “Ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν Θεὸν δώσει σοι ὁ Θεός.” διὸ πρὸς ταύτην οὐδὲν λαλεῖ ὁ Κύριος, πρὸς δὲ τὴν Μάρθαν μακρὸν διέτεινε τὸν λόγον. τῇ λύπῃ μέν τοι μεθύουσαν τὴν Μαρίαν οὐκ ἐλέγχει, εἰποῦσαν τό Εἰ ἦς ὧδε, τῷ πληροῦντι τὴν ἅπασαν κτίσιν: πρὸς ἡμέτερον ὑπόγραμμον καὶ τοῦτο ποιῶν, ἵνα μὴ τοὺς ἐν ἀκμῇ τῶν θρήνων ὄντας ἐλέγχωμεν: συγκαταβαίνει δὲ μᾶλλον, τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν ἀπογυμνῶν, δακρύει δὲ καὶ συγχεῖται, ἰδὼν αὐτὴν κλαίουσαν καὶ τοὺς συνελθόντας αὐτῇ Ἰουδαίους κλαίοντας.
« Ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς ὡς εἶδεν αὐτὴν κλαίουσαν καὶ τοὺς συνεληλυθότας αὐτῇ Ἰουδαίους κλαίοντας, ἐνεβριμήσατο τῷ πνεύματι καὶ ἐτάραξεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ εἶπε Ποῦ τεθείκατε αὐτόν; » Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἦν ὁ Χριστὸς, πάσχει μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τὸ ἀνθρώπινον: ἀρχομένης δέ πως ἐν αὐτῷ κινεῖσθαι τῆς λύπης, καὶ νευούσης ἤδη πρὸς τὸ δάκρυον τῆς ἁγίας σαρκὸς, οὐκ ἀφίησιν αὐτὴν τοῦτο παθεῖν ἐκλύτως, καθάπερ ἔθος ἡμῖν. ἐμβριμᾶται δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, τουτέστι τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐπιπλήττει τρόπον τινὰ τῇ ἰδίᾳ σαρκί: ἡ δὲ, τὸ τῆς ἑνωθείσης αὐτῇ θεότητος οὐκ ἐνεγκοῦσα κίνημα, τρέμει τε καὶ θορύβου πλάττεται σχῆμα. τοῦτο γὰρ οἶμαι σημαίνειν τό Ἐτάραξεν ἑαυτόν: πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἑτέρως ὑπομείνῃ θόρυβον; ταραχθήσεται γεμὴν κατὰ τίνα τρόπον ἡ ἀθόλωτος ἀεὶ καὶ γαληνιῶσα φύσις; ἐπιτιμᾶται τοίνυν ἡ σὰρξ διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, τὰ ὑπὲρ φύσιν ἰδίαν διδασκομένη φρονεῖν. διὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο γέγονεν ἐν σαρκὶ, μᾶλλον δὲ σὰρξ, ὁ πάντα ἰσχύων τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ἵνα ταῖς ἐνεργείαις τοῦ ἰδίου πνεύματος, τὰς μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀσθενείας νευρώσῃ, καὶ γεωδεστέρου φρονήματος ἀπαλλάξῃ τὴν φύσιν, ἀναμορφώσῃ δὲ ὥσπερ εἰς μόνα τὰ δοκοῦντα Θεῷ. οὐκοῦν νόσημα μὲν φύσεως ἀνθρωπίνης, τὸ τυραννεῖσθαι ταῖς λύπαις: καταργεῖται δὲ καὶ τοῦτο μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐν πρώτῳ Χριστῷ, ἵνα καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς διαβῇ. Ἢ οὕτω νοητέον τό Ἐνεβριμήσατο τῷ πνεύματι καὶ ἐτάραξεν ἑαυτὸν, ἀντὶ τοῦ Κεκινημένος εἰς ἔλεον ἐκ τοῦ δακρῦσαι πολλοὺς, ἐνετείλατο τρόπον τινὰ τῷ ἰδίῳ πνεύματι καταπαλαίειν καὶ πρὸ καιροῦ τὸν θάνατον καὶ ἀναστῆσαι τὸν Λάζαρον. οὐκ ὡς ἀγνοῶν δὲ ἐρωτᾶ Ποῦ τεθείκατε αὐτόν: ὁ γὰρ ἐπ' ἀλλοδαπῆς ὢν καὶ εἰδὼς ὅτι τέθνηκε, πῶς ἠγνόησε τὸ μνῆμα; λέγει δὲ οὕτως ὡς ἀφιλόκομπος: οὐ μὴν εἶπεν Ἄγωμεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, ἐγερῶ γὰρ αὐτὸν, εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα τὸ ἐρωτῆσαι οὕτως, ταύτην ἔχει τὴν ἔμφασιν. ὅμως καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, πολλοὺς παρεσκεύασε προβαδίζειν αὐτοῦ, ὡς ὑποδεικνύντας τὸ ζητούμενον. οἰκονομικῶς οὖν καὶ τοῦτο εἶπεν, ἕλκων διὰ τοῦ ῥήματος πολλοὺς εἰς τὸν τόπον, καὶ ἀγνοεῖν σχηματίζεται, τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος πτωχείαν οὐδαμοῦ παραιτούμενος ὁ φύσει Θεὸς καὶ πάντα εἰδὼς, οὐ τὰ γεγονότα μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐσόμενα, πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν. Καὶ τὸ ἐρωτᾶν οὖν οὐδεμίαν ἄγνοιαν φέρει τῷ δι' ἡμᾶς καθ' ἡμᾶς γενομένῳ, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦδε μᾶλλον ἴσος τῷ Πατρὶ δείκνυται: καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἐρωτᾷ “Ἀδὰμ, ποῦ εἶ;” καὶ οὗτος ἄγνοιαν σοφίζεται καὶ πυνθάνεται Ποῦ τεθείκατε, ὥστε διὰ τῆς πεύσεως πλῆθος συναγερθῆναι πρὸς τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μᾶλλον μαρτυρηθῆναι τὸ παράδοξον τῆς ἀναβιώσεως τοῦ ἤδη διαφθαρέντος.
« Ἔλεγον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι Ἴδε πῶς ἐφίλει αὐτόν. τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶπον Οὐκ ἠδύνατο οὗτος ὁ ἀνοίξας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ τυφλοῦ ποιῆσαι ἵνα καὶ οὗτος μὴ ἀποθάνῃ; » Ὁ μέντοι Εὐαγγελιστὴς βλέπων δακρύουσαν τὴν ἀδάκρυτον φύσιν, καταπλήττεται, εἰ καὶ ἴδιον ἦν τῆς σαρκὸς τὸ πάθος, καὶ οὐ τῇ θεότητι πρέπον. δακρύει δὲ ὁ Κύριος, ἑωρακὼς τὸν κατ' ἰδίαν εἰκόνα γεγονότα ἄνθρωπον κατεφθαρμένον, ἵνα τὸ ἡμῶν περιστείλῃ δάκρυον. διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ἀπέθανεν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπαλλαγῶμεν θανάτου. δακρύει δὲ μόνον, καὶ εὐθὺς ἐπέχει τὸ δάκρυον, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ τις ὠμὸς καὶ ἀπάνθρωπος εἶναι, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς παιδεύων μὴ ἐπὶ πολὺ ἐκλύεσθαι ἐπὶ τοῖς τεθνηκόσι. τὸ μὲν γὰρ, συμπαθείας ἐχόμενον: τὸ δὲ γυναικικὸν καὶ ἄνανδρον. διὰ τοῦτο οὖν συνεχώρησε τῇ ἰδίᾳ σαρκὶ κλαῦσαι ὀλίγον, καίπερ ὢν τῇ φύσει ἄδακρυς καὶ ἁπάσης ἀνεπίδεκτος λύπης, ὅσον εἰς ἰδίαν φύσιν. θαυμάζουσι δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ μισοῦντες, τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ δάκρυον. οἱ γὰρ εἰς ἄκρον φιλοσοφοῦντες καὶ οἱ ἐν ὑπολήψει λαμπρᾷ δυσχερέστατα δακρύουσιν, ὡς κατανεανιευόμενοι πάσης συμφορᾶς. ἐνόμιζον δὲ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ὅτι διὰ τὸν θάνατον ἐδάκρυσε Λαζάρου, αὐτὸς δὲ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν κατελεῶν ἐδάκρυσεν, οὐ μόνον Λάζαρον κλαίων, ἀλλὰ τὸ πᾶσι συμβεβηκὸς ἐννοῶν, ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ ἀνθρωπότης γέγονεν ὑπὸ θάνατον, δικαίως τῷ τοιούτῳ ἐπιτιμίῳ ὑποπεσοῦσα. ἄλλοι δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ φθόνου τρωθέντες, οὐδὲν ἔλεγον ἀγαθόν: οὐ γὰρ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ᾐτιῶντο τὸν Κύριον, ὡς ἐπιτρέψαντα ἀποθανεῖν τὸν Λάζαρον: τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν πιστευόντων ὅτι ἠδύνατο τὸν θάνατον στῆσαι: ἀλλὰ μονονουχὶ τοῦτό φασιν Ποῦ ἡ ἰσχύς σου ὦ θαυματουργέ; ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ μὴ βουλομένου σου, τέθνηκεν ὁ ὑπὸ σοῦ φιλούμενος. ὅτι γὰρ ἠγάπας, δῆλον ἐξ οὗ δακρύεις. εἰ οὖν ἦν τῆς σῆς ἰσχύος τὸ τοῦ τυφλοῦ ἔργον, ἠδύνασο καὶ τὸν θάνατον στῆσαι, ὅπερ ἐστὶ καὶ αὐτὸ ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπου φύσιν. ὡς ἐπιχαίροντες οὖν ἐξ ὧν ἑώρων τρόπον τινὰ παραλυομένην τὴν αὐτοῦ δόξαν, φασὶ τοῦτο.
« Ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς πάλιν ἐμβριμώμενος ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔρχεται εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον: ἦν δὲ σπηλαῖον, καὶ λίθος ἐπέκειτο ἐπ' αὐτῷ. λέγει δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ἄρατε τὸν λίθον. » Ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐμβρίμησιν νοοῦμεν, τὴν οἱονεὶ μετὰ κινήσεως τῆς κατ' ἐξουσίαν θέλησιν: καὶ ὅτι ἀγριώτερον τῇ λύπῃ ἐπετίμησε, καὶ τῷ δακρύῳ τῷ ἐκ τῆς λύπης ἐκχεῖσθαι μέλλοντι. ὡς γὰρ Θεὸς παιδαγωγικῶς τῇ ἀνθρωπότητι ἐπιτιμᾷ, νεανιεύεσθαι ἐπιτάττων τῶν λυπηρῶν, ἢ θεοπρεπεῖ κινήματι διορίζεται, ὅτι χρὴ ἀνατρέψαι λοιπὸν τοῦ θανάτου τὸ κράτος. καὶ τοῦτο διὰ τῆς ἰδίας αὐτοῦ ἐμφαίνει σαρκός: καὶ τὸ τοῦ σώματος κίνημα τὸ κεκρυμμένον ἐσήμαινεν ἔσωθεν. καὶ τοῦτο δηλοῖ ὧδε τό Ἐνεβριμήσατο, ἀντὶ τοῦ, διὰ σχηματισμοῦ τοῦ σώματος τὸ κεκρυμμένον ἐσήμαινε κίνημα. Τὸν δὲ λίθον οὐκ ἀπεκύλισε δι' ἑαυτοῦ διὰ δύο ταῦτα: ἓν μὲν διδάσκων ὅτι περιττὸν τὸ ἐν τοῖς μὴ ἀναγκαίοις θαυματουργεῖν: ἕτερον δὲ, ὅτι αὐτὸς μὲν ἐγείρει τοὺς νεκροὺς, παραστήσονται δὲ εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν τοῦ πράγματος οἱ ἄγγελοι, οὓς καὶ θεριστὰς ἀλλαχοῦ παραβολικῶς ἀποκαλεῖ ὁ Κύριος.
« Λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ ἀδελφὴ τοῦ τετελευτηκότος Μάρθα Κύριε, ἤδη ὄζει: τεταρταῖος γάρ ἐστι. » Τὰ μεγάλα τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἀπιστεῖσθαι φιλεῖ, καὶ τοῖς ὑπὲρ λόγον ἀκολουθεῖ τὸ μὴ λίαν ἑτοίμως θαυμάζεσθαι: τοῦτό μοι δοκεῖ ὑπομεῖναι καὶ τὴν ἀγαθὴν Μάρθαν: παραιτεῖται γὰρ αὐτὴν τὸ εἰς πίστιν ἀσφαλὲς ἡ τοῦ πράγματος ὑπερβολὴ, καὶ τὸ ξένον τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ καθήκοντος ἐξίστησι λογισμοῦ: καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲν εἰ τὴν πίστιν ὁμολογήσασα πάλιν ὀλιγοπιστίᾳ χειμάζεται τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τοῦ θαύματος. ἤτοι καὶ ὡς πάνυ τιμῶσα τὸν Χριστὸν, εἶπε τό Ἤδη ὄζει, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀηδισθῆναι ἐκ τῆς τοῦ νεκροῦ δυσωδίας: ἢ ὡς αἰσχύνην τοῦτό φησι. σπεύδουσι γὰρ οἱ τῶν τεθνεώτων οἰκεῖοι, πρὸ τοῦ τὸ σῶμα γενέσθαι δυσῶδες, κατακρύψαι τῇ γῇ, αἰσχυνόμενοι τοὺς ζῶντας καὶ ἀτιμίαν ἡγούμενοι τοῦ κειμένου, τὸ βδελύττεσθαι αὐτὸν παρά τινων.
« Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Οὐκ εἶπόν σοι ὅτι ἐὰν πιστεύσῃς ὄψει τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ; » Μέγα ἀγαθὸν πίστις, ὅταν ἀπὸ θερμῆς γίνηται διανοίας, καὶ τοσαύτην ἔχει δύναμιν, ὥστε οὐ μόνον ὁ πιστεύων σώζεται, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἄλλοι ἄλλων πιστευσάντων ἐσώθησαν, ὡς ὁ ἐν Καπαρναοὺμ χαλασθεὶς παράλυτος διὰ τὴν πίστιν τῶν βασταζόντων αὐτόν: ὡς ὁ Λάζαρος, διὰ τὴν τῆς ἀδελφῆς, πρὸς ἣν ἔφη ὁ Κύριος Ἐὰν πιστεύῃς ὄψει τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ; μονονουχὶ λέγων Ἐπειδὴ Λάζαρος νεκρὸς ὢν πιστεύειν οὐ δύναται, σὺ τοῦ νεκροῦ τὸ λεῖπον τῆς πίστεως ἀναπλήρωσον. διττὸν δὲ τῆς πίστεως τὸ εἶδος: τὸ μὲν, δογματικὸν, συγκατάθεσιν τῆς ψυχῆς ἔχον περὶ τοῦδέ τινος: ὡς τό “Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν οὐ κρίνεται:” τὸ δὲ, ἐν χάριτος μέρει παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δωρούμενον: “Ὧι μὲν ” γὰρ, φησὶ, διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, “ἑτέρῳ δὲ πίστις,” ἥτις οὐ δογματικὴ μονόν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἐνεργητικὴ, ὡς καὶ “ὄρη μεθιστά” νειν.“ ἡ μέν τοι Μάρθα ὑπὸ ἀσθενείας λογισμῶν εἰς ἀπιστίαν ἐνέπεσεν. ἀλλ' ὁ Κύριος οὐκ ἐφίησι, λύσιν ὑπενεγκὼν τῷ πάθει ταχεῖαν. χρὴ γάρ φησι πιστεύειν ἀσφαλῶς, ἵνα θεάσηται τὰ παρ' ἐλπίδα. μέγα γὰρ ἡ διψυχία νόσημα, καὶ ἀποστεροῦν τῶν ἐκ Θεοῦ χαρισμάτων. διὸ ταύτῃ ἐπιτιμήσας, τὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων διωρθώσατο γένος, ὥστε μὴ ἁλῶναι τοῖς τῆς διψυχίας κακοῖς. φεύγων δὲ τὸ κενόδοξον ὁ Χριστὸς, οὐκ εἶπεν Ὄψει τὴν δόξαν μου, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. δόξα δὲ Θεοῦ, τὸ ἐγεῖραι νεκρόν. αὐτὸς οὖν ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ κατὰ φύσιν Θεὸς, ὁ εἰπών ” Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις,“ οὗ τὴν δόξαν μετ' οὐ πολὺ θεωρήσειν τὴν γυναῖκά φησιν, ὅταν οἰηθῇ μὴ ψεύδεσθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ὅς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός: ἦν δὲ αὐτῇ ἐπαγγελθὲν, τὸ ἀναστῆναι τὸν νεκρὸν αὐτῆς ἀδελφόν. καὶ ἡ μὲν Μαρία συνετωτέρα οὖσα, οὐδὲν ἐνδοιαστικὸν φθέγγεται: ἡ δὲ Μάρθα, τῷ τῆς διψυχίας κατείχετο νοσήματι.
« Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἦρε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἄνω καὶ εἶπεν Πάτερ εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι ἤκουσάς μου. ἐγὼ δὲ ᾔδειν ὅτι πάντοτέ μου ἀκούεις: ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον τὸν παρεστῶτα εἶπον, ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. » Οἰκονομικῶς μέντοι ὡς ἄνθρωπος λαλεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς χθαμαλῶς, οὐ κατὰ τὴν τῆς θεότητος ὑπεροχήν: καὶ ἀναφέρει τῷ Πατρὶ τὴν χάριν οὐχ ὑπὲρ Λαζάρου μόνον, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς πάντων ζωῆς. ἀγαθὸς γὰρ ὢν, ὁμογνώμων ἐστὶ τῷ Πατρὶ ἀνακομίζοντι τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν, τὴν εἰς φθορὰν πεσοῦσαν διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς, οὐδεμίαν ἔχων διαφορὰν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀγαθότητα. ὥσπερ δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς διὰ τῶν οἰκείων λογισμῶν ἀναπειθόμεθα εἰς τὸ μὴ ποιῆσαι τὸ δοκηθὲν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος, Λόγος ὢν καὶ βουλὴ τοῦ Πατρὸς, φίλον ἡμῖν πεποίηκε τὸν Πατέρα. καὶ οὐ δήπου φαμὲν ὅτι ὀργίζεται τὸ θεῖον, ἀλλ' ὅτι δίκαιος ὢν καὶ ἀγαθὸς, οἶδε τὸν τῇ ἐπιτιμήσει πρέποντα καιρὸν, καὶ τὸν τῇ ἀνέσει. πλὴν εὐχαριστεῖ ὁ Κύριος, καὶ τοῦτο ποιεῖ πρὸς ὑπογραμμὸν ἡμῶν, τιμῶν τὸν Πατέρα. ὅταν δὲ ὁ ἴσος τῷ ἴσῳ εὐχαριστῇ, οὐ ποιεῖ πάντως τοῦτο τῆς οὐσίας ἐλάττωσιν. δι' ὧν δὲ ἐπισημαίνεται ὅτι διὰ τὸν ὄχλον ταῦτα λέγω, μονονουχί φησιν, ὅτι προσπεποίημαι τῆς προσευχῆς τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ οἰκονομικῶς εἶπον εὐχαριστεῖν. ᾔδειν γὰρ ὅτι πάντοτέ μου ἀκούεις. οὐ γάρ ἐστι πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἀπειθὴς ἡ μία τῆς θεότητος φύσις, ἐπείπερ εἷς ἐστιν ὁ τῆς Τριάδος νοῦς, Πατρὸς Υἱοῦ καὶ Πνεύματος. εἰδὼς οὖν, φησὶν, ὅτι μία ἡμῶν ἡ βούλησις καὶ ἓν τὸ θέλημα, διὰ τὸν ὄχλον ταῦτα ἔφην. ταῦτα δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς λέγει διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, τῷ Πατρὶ εὐχαριστῶν, ὡσανεὶ δι' αὐτοῦ ἐνεργῶν τὰ θεοπρεπῆ: ἵνα μηκέτι εἴπωσιν ὅτι ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ποιεῖ τὰ σημεῖα. ἀπολογεῖται δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ σχῆμα τῆς προσευχῆς, ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῶμεν ἡμεῖς, εἰπὼν ὅτι διὰ τὸν ὄχλον τοῦτο ἐποίησα, καὶ τό Σύ με ἀπέστειλας, διὰ τὰς Ἰουδαϊκὰς ὑπονοίας φησίν: ἥκω γὰρ οὐκ ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ, ὡς οἱ ψευδοπροφῆται: ἀλλ' εὐδοκίᾳ σῇ καὶ θελήσει, ἐμαυτὸν ἐκένωσα μορφὴν δούλου λαβὼν, ἵνα πᾶσι κατορθώσω τὴν ζωήν. οἰκονομικὸς οὖν τῆς προσευχῆς ὁ τρόπος καὶ σχήματι πρέπων τῷ μετὰ σαρκὸς, οὐχὶ τῇ τῆς θεότητος ὑπεροχῇ καὶ ἀσυγκρίτῳ λαμπρότητι. τὸ γὰρ ὅλως αἰτῆσαι καὶ λαβεῖν, δουλοπρεπὲς ἂν εἴη μᾶλλον, καὶ τῷ βασιλευομένῳ κατειθισμένον. δράσει γεμὴν ἀνεγκλήτως καὶ τοῦτο Χριστός: ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος γενέσθαι καταδεξάμενος, πῶς ἂν ἔτι παραιτήσαιτο τὰ ἀνθρώπινα;
« Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκραύγασε Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἔξω. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ τεθνηκὼς δεδεμένος τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὰς χεῖρας κειρίαις, καὶ ἡ ὄψις αὐτοῦ σουδαρίῳ περιεδέδετο. » Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος: τὸν δυσώδη νεκρὸν καὶ μετὰ τετάρτην τῆς τελευτῆς ἡμέραν, ἐκ τῆς θήκης ἐξήγαγε, καὶ τὸν πεπεδημένον καὶ συμπεποδισμένον βαδίζειν ἐκέλευσε. καὶ παραχρῆμα, ὅ τε θάνατος ἐδραπέτευσε, καὶ ὁ νεκρὸς ἔδραμε τῆς σηπεδόνος ἀπαλλαγεὶς, καὶ τὴν ταύτης ἀποθέμενος δυσωδίαν, καὶ τὰς τοῦ θανάτου πύλας διαφυγὼν, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν δεσμῶν οὐ κωλυόμενος τρέχειν. καὶ τῷ μὲν καλύμματι τοῦ προσώπου, τὸ βλέπειν ἀφῃρημένος, ἀκωλύτως δὲ πρὸς τὸν καλέσαντα τρέχων, καὶ τὴν δεσποτικὴν ἐπιγινώσκων φωνήν. θεοπρεπὴς γὰρ ὁ λόγος καὶ βασιλικὸν τὸ κέλευσμα, λύσιν ἔχον θανάτου καὶ φθορᾶς ἀνατροπὴν, καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ λόγον ἐνεργείας ἀπόδειξιν. τὸ γεμὴν διαπρυσίῳ χρῆσθαι κραυγῇ, ξένον παντελῶς καὶ ἀσύνηθες τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ. καὶ γοῦν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ περὶ αὐτοῦ που φησίν ” Οὐκ ἐρίσει οὐδὲ “κραυγάσει,” καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἀψοφητὶ γὰρ καὶ θορύβου δίχα παντὸς τὰ τῆς ἀληθοῦς θεότητος ἔργα: τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ, Θεὸς γὰρ ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶ καὶ ἀληθινός. τί οὖν ἄρα φαμὲν, ὅταν ἴδωμεν ἀσυνήθως ἀνακεκραγότα; οὐ γὰρ δήπου κατοιχήσεταί τις εἰς τοῦτο μωρίας, ὡς ἔξω τοῦ πρέποντος ἰέναι ποτὲ λέγειν αὐτὸν, ἢ καὶ ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦ δέοντος. πῶς οὖν ἐνδέχεται; οὐκοῦν ἔχει λόγον ἡ κραυγὴ καὶ πρόφασιν, ἣν ἀναγκαίως ἐροῦμεν, διὰ τὸ τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις χρήσιμον: τύπον ὥσπερ τινὰ τῆς καθόλου τῶν νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως τὸ ἐπὶ Λαζάρῳ ποιεῖται θαῦμα, καὶ τὸ ἐφ' ἑνὶ πληρούμενον, εἰκόνα τοῦ γενικωτέρου καὶ κατὰ παντὸς ἔστησε καλήν. ὅτι γὰρ ἥξει Κριτὴς, πεπιστεύκαμεν, λογιζόμεθά τε ὅτι κραυγή τις ἔσται διὰ σάλπιγγος, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου φωνὴν, διακελευομένη τοῖς ἐν γῇ κειμένοις τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἐνεργούσης δηλονότι τὸ πρᾶγμα τῆς ἀῤῥήτου δυνάμεως τοῦ πάντα ἰσχύοντος Θεοῦ. Διὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωυσέως, ὅτε τῆς σκηνοπηγίας διετύπου τὴν ἑορτήν: ἑορτάσατε, φησὶν, αὐτὴν, “μνημόσυνον σαλπίγγων.” συμπήγνυσθαι γὰρ μελλόντων ἐσαῦθις τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων σωμάτων, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ὥσπερ σκηνὴν παραληψομένης ὅσον οὐδέπω τῆς ἑκάστου ψυχῆς, προαναφωνήσει κέλευσμα τὸ δεσποτικὸν καὶ προηχήσει τὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως σύνθημα, σάλπιγξ Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον. εἰς τύπον οὖν ταύτης, ἐπὶ Λαζάρῳ μέγα τι καὶ ἐξάκουστον ἐφώνησε Χριστὸς, οὐ σφόδρα τοῦ συνήθους φροντίσας, ἵνα τῶν ἔσεσθαι προσδοκωμένων ἐπιδείξῃ τὸν τύπον.
« Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Λύσατε αὐτὸν καὶ ἄφετε ὑπάγειν. » Χρησίμως οὖν διὰ χειρῶν οἰκείων ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτοῖς λῦσαι αὐτὸν, ἵνα μηδεμίαν ἔχοιεν συκοφαντίας ἀφορμὴν, ἀλλὰ μάρτυρες ὦσι τοῦ θαύματος. καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ἔχει δεῖγμα τῆς καθολικῆς ἀναστάσεως, ὅτε λυομένης τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τῆς τοῦ θανάτου φθορᾶς, ἐλεύθερος ἀφίεται ἕκαστος. πεσόντες γὰρ εἰς ἁμαρτίαν, καθάπερ τι κάλυμμα, τὴν ἐντεῦθεν αἰσχύνην τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς προσώπῳ περιτεθείκαμεν, καὶ τοῖς τοῦ θανάτου κατεδεσμεύθημεν βρόχοις. ὅταν οὖν ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀναστάσεως καιρὸν τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς μνημάτων ἐξοίσει ὁ Χριστὸς, τότε δὴ τότε τῶν ἐν ἀρχῇ ἀπολύσας κακῶν, καὶ περιαιρῶν τρόπον τινα τῆς αἰσχύνης τὸ κάλυμμα, λοιπὸν ἐλευθέρως ἀνεῖσθαι κελεύει, οὐχ ἁμαρτίᾳ τυραννουμένους, οὐχ ὑποκειμένους τῇ φθορᾷ, ἤγουν ἑτέροις τισὶ τοῖς εἰωθόσι κακοῦν, ὡς πληροῦσθαι ἐν ἡμῖν τὸ δι' ἑνὸς τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν εἰρημένον “Καὶ ἐξελεύσεσθε καὶ σκιρτήσετε ὡς ” μοσχάρια ἐκ δεσμῶν ἀνειμένα.“ Λάμβανε δέ μοι τὸ θαῦμα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἐντός. εἰ γὰρ ὁ νοῦς ἡμῶν ἀποθάνοι Λάζαρος, δεῖ μετὰ ἐξομολογήσεως, ὡς Μάρθαν καὶ Μαρίαν, τὴν ὑλικὴν σάρκα καὶ τὴν σεμνοτέραν ψυχὴν προσελθεῖν τῷ Χριστῷ καὶ παρακαλέσαι: καὶ ὃς ἐπιστὰς, τὴν ἐπικειμένην τῇ μνήμῃ ἀρθῆναι κελεύσει πώρωσιν, καὶ φωνήσει μεγάλῃ φωνῇ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς σάλπιγγος Δεῦρο ἔξω τῶν τοῦ κόσμου περισπασμῶν, καὶ τὰς σειρὰς λύσει τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ὥστε δύνασθαι κινεῖσθαι ἀραρότως πρὸς ἀρετήν.
« Πολλοὶ οὖν ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων οἱ ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὴν Μαρίαν καὶ θεασάμενοι ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν. τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον πρὸς Φαρισαίους καὶ εἶπον αὐτοῖς ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. » Τῷ παραδόξῳ νικηθέντες πολλοὶ πεπιστεύκασιν: ἕτεροι δὲ τῷ φθόνῳ τρωθέντες, ἀφορμὴν ποιοῦνται τὸ θαῦμα τοῦ δράσαι τὰ τῶν φθονούντων, καὶ τοῖς ἡγουμένοις ἀπήγγειλαν τὸ γεγονὸς, ἵνα κἀκείνων λυπηθέντων ἐφ' οἷς εἰργάσατο ὁ Χριστὸς, σχῶσί τινα παραψυχὴν τῆς ἰδίας λύπης, τῷ καὶ ἄλλους ἔχειν ὁμόφρονας καὶ συγκοινωνοὺς τῆς παράφρονος ταύτης λύπης: καὶ ἵνα αὐτοὶ μὴ ἰσχύοντες βλάψαι τὸν οὐδὲν ἀδικήσαντα, τοὺς δυνατωτέρους κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐρεθίσωσι.
« Συνήγαγον οὖν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συνέδριον καὶ ἔλεγον Τί ποιοῦμεν ὅτι ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος σημεῖα πολλὰ ποιεῖ; ἐὰν ἀφῶμεν αὐτὸν οὕτως, πάντες πιστεύσουσιν εἰς αὐτόν: καὶ ἐλεύσονται οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ ἀροῦσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν τόπον καὶ τὸ ἔθνος. » Ἀμέλει καὶ οἱ μὲν Φαρισαῖοι τὸ θαυμάζειν ἀφέντες, ἐπὶ τὸ λυπεῖσθαι τρέπονται, καὶ θανάτου αὐτὸν κρείττονα βλέποντες, ἀποκτεῖναι βουλεύονται, οὐκ ἐννοοῦντες τὴν ἄφατον ἐξουσίαν, ὡς περὶ ἀνθρώπου δὲ ψιλοῦ ἐννοοῦντες, ἐλάλουν Τί ποιοῦμεν ὅτι ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος πολλὰ σημεῖα ποιεῖ; καίτοι δέον ἐκ τούτου μᾶλλον πιστεῦσαι ὅτι αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ Χριστὸς, ὃν ἡ θεόπνευστος γραφὴ ἐν πολλοῖς προανεφώνησεν, ὅτι πολλῶν σημείων ἔσται δημιουργός. οἱ δὲ καὶ αἰτίαν προφασίζονται, δι' ἧς ἐπειρῶντο πεῖσαι τοὺς ἐλαφροτέρους ἀποκτεῖναι αὐτὸν, καί φασιν Ἐὰν ἐάσωμεν αὐτὸν οὕτως, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ζῶντα καὶ θαυματουργοῦντα, πεισόμεθα πάνδεινα. ἐὰν γὰρ τούτῳ τῷ τὸν νόμον καταλύοντι πιστεύσωσι πολλοὶ, οἰχήσεται λοιπὸν τὰ ἡμέτερα: καὶ λοιπὸν ὡς ἀσθενησάντων Ἰουδαίων εἰς τέλος, ἐπιθήσονται ἡμῖν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι, καὶ οὐκ ἐάσουσιν ἡμᾶς τοῖς πατρῴοις ἔθεσιν ἀδεῶς χρήσασθαι, οὔτε τοῦ ἰδίου ἄρχειν ἔθνους, οὔτε δικάζειν, αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον δικάζοντες καὶ οὐχ ἡμεῖς ἔτι.
« Εἷς δέ τις ἐξ αὐτῶν Καϊάφας, ἀρχιερεὺς ὣν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε οὐδὲν, οὐδὲ διαλογί ζεσθε ὅτι συμφέρει ἡμῖν ἵνα εἷς ἄνθρωπος ἀποθάνῃ ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ ἔθνος ἀπόληται. τοῦτο δὲ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου προεφήτευσεν ὅτι ἤμελλεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀποθνήσκειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους, καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους μόνον, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ διεσκορπισμένα συναγάγῃ εἰς ἕν. » Ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἐλέγομεν, ὅπερ λάθρα ἐμελέτων Ἰουδαῖοι ποιῆσαι, τοῦτο φανερῶς αὐτοῖς ὁ τούτων ἀρχιερεὺς συμβουλεύει ποιεῖν καὶ φονεῦσαι τὸν Χριστὸν, ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους τοῦτο λέγων, καίπερ τὸ ἔθνος ἄδικον. πρᾶγμα δὲ ἀληθές φησιν, οὐκ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῶν δυστροπίας κατωρθωμένον, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως καὶ σοφίας. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ ἰδίῳ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀπέκτειναν, ὁ δὲ ” θανατωθεὶς σαρκὶ,“ πάντων ἡμῖν γέγονεν αἴτιος τῶν ἀγαθῶν. ἀπώλειαν δὲ τοῦ ἔθνους καλεῖ, τὸ ὑπὸ χεῖρα γενέσθαι τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν, καὶ ἀπολέσθαι τὴν τοῦ νόμου σκιάν: ὅπερ ἀνατρέψαι ζητοῦντες, ὑπέμειναν. ἐξ ἀνόμου μὲν οὖν εἶπε γνώμης ὁ Καϊάφας ὃ εἶπεν: ὅμως ὁ λόγος γέγονε πράγματος ἀληθοῦς ἑρμηνευτικὸς, ὡς ἐν τάξει προσενεχθεὶς προφητείας. ὅσων γὰρ γέγονεν αἴτιος ἀγαθῶν ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ θάνατος, προαναφωνεῖ λέγων ὃ οὐκ οἶδε, καὶ δοξάζων τὸν Θεὸν ὡς ὁ Βαλαὰμ κατὰ ἀνάγκην, ἐπείπερ ἦν ἔχων τὸ ἱερατικὸν ἀξίωμα, ὡς οὐκ αὐτῷ δοθείσης τῆς προφητείας, ἀλλὰ τῷ τῆς ἱερωσύνης σχήματι: ἤτοι ἐξ ὧν ὕστερον τὰ εἰρημένα γέγονεν ὑπὸ τοῦ Καϊάφα καὶ ἀπέβη οὐ πάντως λαβόντος προφητικὴν χάριν. εἰκὸς γὰρ ὅτι ὃ λαλοῦσί τινες γίνεται: εἰ καὶ μὴ εἰδότες ὅτι πάντως ἔσται, λαλοῦσιν. ὁ μὲν οὖν Καϊάφας ὑπὲρ μόνων Ἰουδαίων ἔλεγεν ἔσεσθαι τὸν Χριστοῦ θάνατον, ὁ δὲ ὑπὲρ πάσης φησὶν αὐτὸν γενέσθαι τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. γένος μὲν γὰρ καὶ τέκνα Θεοῦ ἅπαντες χρηματίζομεν, καθὸ πάντων ἐστὶ πατὴρ τρόπῳ δημιουργικῷ γεννήσας καὶ ἀγαγὼν ὥσπερ εἰς ὕπαρξιν τὰ οὐκ ὄντα. ἔτι δὲ καὶ ὅτι κατ' εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ ἐτιμήθημεν γεγονότες ἐξ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἄρχειν λαχόντες τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς, καὶ τῆς θείας ὁμολογίας ἠξιωμένοι, καὶ τῆς ἐν παραδείσῳ διαίτης τε καὶ τρυφῆς ἀπολαύοντες. ἀλλ' ἐσκόρπισεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἐν ταὐτῷ μεῖναι μὴ συγχωρήσας, καὶ ἀποβουκολήσας πολυτρόπως τῆς εἰς Θεὸν προσεδρείας τὸν ἄνθρωπον. συνεισήγαγε δὲ πάλιν καὶ συνεκόμισε πάντας διὰ τῆς πίστεως ὁ Χριστὸς εἰς μίαν αὐλὴν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ὑπὸ ζυγὸν ἕνα παρεσκεύασε, πάντων ἓν γεγονότων, Ἰουδαίων, Ἑλλήνων, Βαρβάρων, Σκυθῶν, καὶ ” εἰς ἕνα καινὸν “ἄνθρωπον” ἀναπλαττομένων, καὶ προσκυνούντων ἕνα Θεόν.
« Ἀπ' ἐκείνης οὖν τῆς ὥρας συνεβουλεύσαντο ἵνα ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτόν. » Εἶχον μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς κατὰ Χριστοῦ μιαιφονίας: ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ καιροῦ καθ' ὃν τὸ συνέδριον γέγονεν, ἀρχὴν ὥσπερ ἔλαβε, δημοσιευθείσης τῆς ἁπάντων εἰς τοῦτο συναινέσεως. οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς, ὅτι Ἀπ' ἐκείνης τῆς ὥρας ἐβουλεύσαντο ποιῆσαι τὸν φόνον, ἀλλά Συνεβουλεύσαντο, τουτέστιν, ὅπερ τῷ καθ' ἕκαστον ἐδόκει, κοινῇ πᾶσιν ἤρεσεν.
« Ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔτι παρρησίᾳ περιεπάτει ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ἀλλ' ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν ἐγγὺς τῆς ἐρήμου εἰς Ἐφραῒμ λεγομένην πόλιν καὶ ἐκεῖ ἔμεινε μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ. » Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν ὡς Θεὸς τὸ λάθρα δόξαν αὐτοῖς εἰδὼς καὶ μηδενὸς ἀναγγείλαντος εἰς κατάκριμα τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὑποχωρεῖ, οὐ δειλιάσας, ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ὁρώμενος ἐρεθίζειν αὐτοὺς, καίπερ φονῶντας. διδάσκει δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς ὑπείκειν ταῖς τῶν ὀργιζομένων ἀκμαῖς, καὶ μὴ ἐπιῤῥίπτειν ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς κινδύνοις, μηδ' ἂν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ὦσιν: ἀλλὰ καταλαμβανομένους μὲν ἵστασθαι, μέλλοντας δὲ ἀναδύεσθαι, διὰ τὸ τῆς ἐκβάσεως ἄδηλον.
« Ἦν δὲ ἐγγὺς τὸ πάσχα τῶν Ἰουδαίων: καὶ ἀνέβησαν πολλοὶ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐκ τῆς χώρας πρὸ τοῦ Πάσχα, ἵνα ἁγνίσωσιν ἑαυτούς. » Παρατρέχων ἅπαντα ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς ἐπὶ τὸν τοῦ πάθους ἔρχεται καιρόν. Ἰουδαίων δὲ τὸ Πάσχα καλεῖ τὸ τυπικόν: τὸ γὰρ ἀληθινὸν Πάσχα οὐκ Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλὰ Χριστιανῶν τῶν ἐσθιόντων τὴν σάρκα Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ ἀμνοῦ. προηγνίζοντο δὲ κατὰ παλαιὸν ἔθος οἱ ἡμαρτηκότες ἑκούσια ἢ ἀκούσια ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ οὐ πᾶς ἐποίει τὸ τυπικὸν πάσχα, οὐκ ἐθνικὸς, οὐκ ἀπερίτμητος, οὐ πάροικος, οὐ μισθωτὸς, οὐ μεμολυσμένος, ἅπερ πάντα πνευματικῶς διὰ Χριστιανῶν γίνεται.
« Ἐζήτουν οὖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἔλεγον μετ' ἀλλήλων ἑστηκότες ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἔλθῃ εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν; ἐδεδώκεισαν δὲ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ φαρισαῖοι ἐντολὴν ἵνα ἐάν τις γνῶ ποῦ ἐστι, μηνύσῃ, ὅπως πιάσωσιν αὐτόν. » Ἀμφίβολος μέντοι ὁ λόγος, πότερον ἀπὸ μισούντων ἢ ἀγαπώντων ἐλέχθη τό Δοκεῖτε ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἔλθῃ εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν; εἰκὸς γὰρ ἦν λέγειν τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύοντας πρὸς τοὺς ἀπίστους οὕτως Ἐπειδὴ ἐβουλεύσασθε φονεῦσαι τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ νομίζετε ὅτι ἀγνοεῖ τὸ λάθρα ὑμῖν ἐσκεμμένον, σημεῖον ἔσται τοῦτο σαφὲς, ὅτι Θεός ἐστιν. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἥξει νῦν συνεορτάσων ἡμῖν, εἰδὼς τὰ σκέμματα ἡμῶν ὡς Θεός. ἢ οὕτως σχηματιστέον τὸν λόγον ὡς ἀπὸ τῶν μισούντων Ἐπείπερ ἔθος ἀεὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ παραλύειν τὸν νόμον, θέλετε γνῶναι ὑμεῖς οἱ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύοντες, ὅτι τοιοῦτός ἐστιν, ἐξ ὧν οὔτε νῦν εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν παραγίνεται, ἀθετῶν τὸν τῆς ἑορτῆς νόμον πρὸς τὸ μὴ συνεορτάσαι ἡμῖν; φασὶ δὲ τοῦτο, οὐχ ὅτι ἀνάγκη ἦν πάντας συνδραμεῖν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐν τῷ Πάσχα, ὡς ἐπὶ τῇ σκηνοπηγίᾳ, ἀλλ' ἤτοι δειλίας ἀπόδειξιν ἐμποιοῦνται τὸ μὴ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ὡς μὴ δυναμένου ἑαυτῷ βοηθεῖν ἐν τοιαύτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπολιμπανομένου. ἢ καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ταῦτά φασιν οἱ προσταχθέντες αὐτὸν συλλαβεῖν καὶ ὀλιγωροῦντες, ἐπείπερ οὔπω αὐτὸν ἑώρων ἐλθόντα, καὶ ἔσπευδον ταχέως ποιῆσαι τὸ προσταχθέν.
« Ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς πρὸ ἐξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα ἦλθεν εἰς Βηθανίαν, ὅπου ἦν Λάζαρος ὁ τεθνηκὼς ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν. ἐποίησαν οὖν αὐτῷ δεῖπνον ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἡ Μάρθα διηκόνει: ὁ δὲ Λάζαρος εἷς ἦν τῶν συνανακειμένων αὐτῷ. » Καταφρονήσας τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐπιβουλῆς ὁ Κύριος, ἑαυτὸν ἑκουσίως πρὸς τὸ παθεῖν ἐκδίδωσιν, ἐπεὶ παρῆν ὁ τοῦ πάθους καιρὸς, εἰς τὴν Βηθανίαν ἐλθὼν, οὐ μὴν εἰς τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἵνα μὴ αἰφνιδίως ὀφθεὶς τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ἐκκαύσῃ αὐτοὺς εἰς ὀργὴν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς φήμης τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἐγγὺς, καταστείλῃ τὸ ζέον τοῦ ἐκείνων θυμοῦ. συνεσθίει δὲ τῷ Λαζάρῳ, διὰ τούτου ὑπομιμνήσκων τοὺς ὁρῶντας τῆς θεοπρεποῦς αὐτοῦ ἐξουσίας. δείκνυσι δὲ ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς διὰ τοῦ διηγήματος, ὅτι οὐ κατεφρόνει ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ νόμου: ὅθεν καὶ πρὸ ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα, ὅτε ἔδει ἀγορασθῆναι τὸν ἀμνὸν καὶ τηρηθῆναι ἕως τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης, συνέφαγε τοῖς περὶ τὸν Λάζαρον: ἴσως τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν πρὸ τοῦ ληφθῆναι τὸ πρόβατον ἔθους ὄντος τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὀλίγον τι πανηγυρίζειν, οὐκ ἐκ νόμου ἀλλ' ἀπὸ συνηθείας, ἵνα μετὰ τὸ παραληφθῆναι τὸ πρόβατον, σχολάσωσι λοιπὸν ἕως τῆς ἑορτῆς, νηστείᾳ, ἤτοι ὀλιγοσιτίᾳ, καὶ ἁγνισμοῖς. φαίνεται οὖν ὁ Κύριος τιμήσας καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τὰ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἔθη. καταπληττόμενος δὲ ὁ Εὐαγγελιστής φησιν, ὅτι ὁ τετραήμερος νεκρὸς συνήσθιε τῷ Χριστῷ, εἰς ὑπόμνησιν τῆς θεοπρεποῦς αὐτοῦ ἐξουσίας. εἰσάγει δὲ ἐξ ἀγάπης τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν, τὴν Μάρθαν διακονοῦσαν, καὶ τοῖς τῆς τραπέζης ὑπηρετοῦσαν πόνοις.