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he condescended to add, that by whom men swear, by him also God swore, that is, by himself. But they indeed as by a greater, but He not as by a greater; and yet He did it. For it is not the same thing for a man to swear by himself and for God; for man has no authority over himself. You see, then, that this was said not so much to Abraham as to us. That we might have a strong consolation, he says, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. And here again, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Now, he says; and he did not say, Because He swore. And what an oath is, he showed by saying, to swear by the greater. But since the race of men is unbelieving, He condescends to the same things as we. Just as, then, He swears for our sakes, although it is unworthy of Him not to be believed; so also He said, He learned from the things which He suffered, since men consider this to be more trustworthy, to come through experience. What is, The hope set before us? From these things, he says, we conjecture the future things; for if these things came to pass after so long a time, surely those will also. So that the things that happened to Abraham give us assurance also concerning the things to come. Which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. While we are still in the world, and have not yet departed from this life, he shows that we are already in the things promised; for through hope we are already in heaven. He said, Wait; for it will surely be. Then, giving full assurance, he says; Or rather, in hope you have already obtained it. And he did not say, We are within, but, It has entered within; which was more true and more persuasive. For just as the anchor, attached to the ship, does not allow it to be carried about, even if countless winds shake it, but being attached makes it steady; so also does hope. And see how very suitable an image he found; for he did not say foundation, which was out of tune, but anchor. For that which is on the tossing sea, and does not seem to be very firm, stands on the water as on land, and is shaken, and is not shaken. For in the case of the very steadfast 63.92 and philosophic, Christ fittingly set forth that, saying: Who built his house upon the rock; but in the case of those who are despairing, and ought to be supported by hope, Paul has suitably set forth this. For the surge and the great storm shake the vessel; but hope does not allow it to be carried about, even if countless winds shake it. So that if we did not have this, we would have been sunk long ago. Not only in spiritual matters, but also in the affairs of this life, one might find its great strength; for example, in commerce, in farming, in military service; for if one does not immediately set this before him, he would not even touch the work. And he did not simply say anchor, but sure and steadfast; that he might show the unfailing nature of those who rely on it for salvation; wherefore he adds; Entering into that within the veil. What is this? Instead of, reaching through to heaven. Then he added faith also, that it might not only be hope, but also very true. For after the oath he also sets down another thing, the proof through facts, that Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us. Now the forerunner is a forerunner of some, just as John was of Christ. And he did not simply say, He entered, but, Whither the forerunner has entered for us, as we also ought to attain. For the distance between the forerunner and those who follow ought not to be great; otherwise he would not be a forerunner. For the forerunner and those who follow must be on the same road; and the one to be travelling, and the others to be overtaking him. Made an high priest for ever, he says, after the order of Melchisedec. Behold also another consolation, if indeed our high priest is above, and much better than those among the Jews, not only in the manner, but also in the place and in the tabernacle and in the covenant, and in the person. And this is said according to the flesh. 3. It is necessary, then, that those of whom He is priest should be far better; and as great as the distance is between Aaron and Christ, so great

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ἠνέσχετο προσθεῖναι, εἰ καθ' οὗ ὀμνύουσιν ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς κατ' αὐτοῦ ὤμοσε, τουτέστι, καθ' ἑαυτοῦ. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ὡς μείζονος, οὗτος δὲ οὐχ ὡς μείζονος· καὶ ὅμως ἐποίησεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἴσον, ἄνθρωπον καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ὀμόσαι καὶ Θεόν· ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἐξουσίαν ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ ἔχει. Ὁρᾷς τοίνυν ὅτι οὐ πρὸς τὸν Ἀβραὰμ μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τοῦτο εἴρηται. Ἰσχυρὰν, φησὶ, παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα πάλιν μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχε τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Νῦν, φησί· καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐπειδὴ ὤμοσεν. Ὅρκος δὲ τίς ἐστιν, ἐδήλωσεν εἰπὼν τὸ, κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμόσαι. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἄπιστόν ἐστι τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος, συγκάτεισιν εἰς τὰ αὐτὰ ἡμῖν. Ὥσπερ οὖν ὄμνυσι δι' ἡμᾶς, καίτοι ἀνάξιον αὐτοῦ τὸ μὴ πιστεύεσθαι· οὕτω καὶ τὸ, Ἔμαθεν ἐξ ὧν ἔπαθεν, εἴρηκεν, ἐπειδὴ οἱ ἄνθρωποι τοῦτο νομίζουσι μᾶλλον εἶναι ἀξιοπιστότερον, τὸ διὰ τῆς πείρας ἐλθεῖν. Τί ἐστι, Τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος; Ἀπὸ τούτων τὰ μέλλοντα, φησὶ, στοχαζόμεθα· εἰ γὰρ ταῦτα μετὰ τοσοῦτον ἐξέβη χρόνον, πάντως κἀκεῖνα. Ὥστε τὰ πρὸς τὸν Ἀβραὰμ γεγενημένα πιστοῦται ἡμᾶς καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων. Ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος· ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲχ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἔτι ὄντας, καὶ οὐδέπω μεταστάντας τοῦ βίου, δείκνυσιν ἤδη ὄντας ἐν τοῖς ἐπηγγελμένοις· διὰ γὰρ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἤδη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἐσμεν. Εἶπεν, Ἀναμείνατε· πάντως γὰρ ἔσται. Εἶτα πληροφορῶν λέγει· Μᾶλλον δὲ, τῇ ἐλπίδι ἤδη ἐτύχετε. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ἔνδον, ἀλλ', Αὐτὴ εἰσῆλθεν ἔνδον· ὅπερ ἀληθέστερον ἦν καὶ πιθανώτερον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἄγκυρα ἐξαρτηθεῖσα τοῦ πλοίου, οὐκ ἀφίησιν αὐτὸ περιφέρεσθαι, κἂν μυρίοι παρασαλεύωσιν ἄνεμοι, ἀλλ' ἐξαρτηθεῖσα ἑδραῖον ποιεῖ· οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς σφόδρα ἁρμόδιον εὗρεν εἰκόνα· οὐ γὰρ εἶπε θεμέλιον, ὅπερ ἀπῇδεν, ἀλλὰ ἄγκυραν. Τὸ γὰρ ἐν σάλῳ ὂν, καὶ οὐ σφόδρα δοκοῦν ἡδράσθαι, ἐπὶ τῆς ὑγρᾶς, ὡς ἐπὶ γῆς, ἕστηκε, καὶ σαλεύεται, καὶ οὐ σαλεύεται. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σφόδρα στεῤῥῶν 63.92 καὶ φιλοσόφων, εἰκότως ἐκεῖνο τέθεικεν ὁ Χριστὸς λέγων· Ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησε τὴν οἰκίαν αὑτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἀπαγορευόντων, καὶ ὀφειλόντων, διὰ τῆς ἐλπίδος διαβαστάζεσθαι, οἰκείως τοῦτο τέθεικεν ὁ Παῦλος. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ζάλη καὶ ὁ πολὺς χειμὼν σαλεύει τὸ σκάφος· ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐκ ἀφίησι περιφέρεσθαι, κἂν μυρίοι παρασαλεύωσιν ἄνεμοι. Ὥστε εἴ γε μὴ ταύτην εἴχομεν, πάλαι ἂν κατεποντίσθημεν. Οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς βιωτικοῖς πολλὴν ταύτης εὕροι τις ἂν τὴν ἰσχύν· οἷον, ἐπὶ ἐμπορίας, ἐπὶ γεωργίας, ἐπὶ στρατείας· ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ταύτην εὐθέως τις πρόθηται, οὐδ' ἂν ἅψαιτο ἔργου. Ἄγκυραν δὲ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπεν, ἀλλ' ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν· ἵνα δηλώσῃ τὸ ἀψευδὲς τῶν αὐτῇ ἐπερειδομένων εἰς σωτηρίαν· διὸ ἐπάγει· Εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος. Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Ἀντὶ τοῦ, διικνουμένην εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Εἶτα καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐπήγαγεν, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐλπὶς ᾖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀληθὴς σφόδρα. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸν ὅρκον καὶ ἕτερον τίθησι, τὴν διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπόδειξιν, ὅτι Πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς. Ὁ δὲ πρόδρομος, τινῶν ἐστι πρόδρομος, ὥσπερ Ἰωάννης τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς, Εἰσῆλθεν, ἀλλ', Ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν, ὡς καὶ ἡμῶν ὀφειλόντων καταλαβεῖν. Οὐ πολὺ γὰρ τοῦ προδρόμου καὶ τῶν ἑπομένων ὀφείλει εἶναι τὸ μέσον· ἐπεὶ οὐδ' ἂν εἴη πρόδρομος. Τὸν γὰρ πρόδρομον καὶ τοὺς ἑπομένους ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ χρὴ εἶναι ὁδῷ· καὶ τὸν μὲν ὁδεύειν, τοὺς δὲ ἐπικαταλαμβάνειν. Κατὰ τὴν τάξιν, φησὶ, Μελχισεδὲχ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἰδοὺ καὶ ἄλλη παράκλησις, εἴ γε ἄνω ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἡμῶν, καὶ πολὺ βελτίων τῶν παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις, οὐ τῷ τρόπῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τόπῳ καὶ τῇ σκηνῇ καὶ τῇ διαθήκῃ, καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ εἰς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα εἴρηται. γʹ. Χρὴ τοίνυν καὶ τοὺς ὧν ἐστιν ἱερεὺς σφόδρα εἶναι βελτίους· καὶ ὥσπερ πολὺ τὸ μέσον Ἀαρὼν καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοσοῦτον