Chapter Vii. That the fact that something is said to have been given to the Son from the Father does not rob Him of God-befitting dignity; but He plainly appears to be Consubstantial, and of the Father, even if He is said to receive aught.

6, 7, 8 I manifested Thy Name unto the men whom Thou hast given Me out of the world: Thine they were, and Thou hast given them to Me; and they have kept Thy word. Now they know that all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are from Thee,: for the words which Thou hast given Me I have given unto them; and they received them and knew of a truth that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send Me.

I have previously stated with reference to the passages I have just examined, not without care, if I may say so, that Christ made His prayer to the Father in the heavens both as Man and also as God. For He carefully moderates His language so as to avoid either extreme, neither keeping it altogether within the limits of humanity, nor yet allowing it to be wholly affected by His Divine glory; and none the less here also may we see the same characteristic observed. For, as being by Nature God, and the express Image of His unspeakable Nature, He says to His Father: I manifested Thy Name unto the men, using the word "Name'' instead of "glory;'' for this is the usual practice in speech amongst us. Moreover, the wise Solomon wrote: A good name is more to be desired than great riches; that is, "a good reputation and honour" is better than the splendour and eminence which wealth confers. And God Himself says, by the mouth of Isaiah, to those who have madethemselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake, Let not the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep My commandments, and choose the things that please Me, Even unto them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting name. And no man ought to imagine, I think, if he be wise, that the honour with which God will requite them will be paid out in bare names and titles to those who, with noble and virtuous aspirations, have wrestled with worldly pleasure, and have mortified their members which are upon the earth, and regarded only those things which are not displeasing to the Divine law; rather He uses the word name instead of glory, for they who reign with Christ will be enviable and worthy all admiration.

The Saviour therefore plainly declares that He has manifested the Name of God the Father; that is, He has established His glory throughout the whole world. And how? Clearly by the manifestation of Himself, through His exceeding great works. For the Father is glorified in the Son, as in an Image and Type of His own form, for in the lineaments of that which is modelled, the beauty of the model is always clearly seen. The Only-begotten, then, has manifested Himself, being in His Essence Wisdom and Life, Architect and Creator of the universe, superior to death and corruption, holy, blameless, compassionate, sacred, pure. Hereby all men know that He That begat Him is even as He is; for He cannot be different in Nature from His Offspring. He showed Himself, therefore, as in an Image and Type of His own form, in the glory of the Son. Such was indeed the language concerning Him among the men of old time, but now has He manifested Himself to our very sight, and that which we see with our eyes is more convincing than any words.

I think, indeed, that what we have here stated is not irrelevant. We must now, however, tread another path, that is, enter on another line of speculation. For the Son manifested the Father's Name clearly by bringing us to the knowledge and perfect apprehension, not of the fact that He is God alone (for this message was conveyed to us before His coming by the inspired Scripture), but that, besides being God in truth, He is also Father in no spurious sense; having in Himself, and proceeding from Himself, His own Offspring, Coequal and Coeternal with His own Nature. For He did not beget in time the Creator of the ages. And God's Name of "Father" is in some sort greater than the Name God itself; for the one is symbolical only of His Majesty, while the other is explanatory of the essential attribute of His Person. For, when a man speaks of God, he indicates the Sovereign of the universe; but, when he utters the Name of Father, he touches on the definition of His individuality, for he manifests the fact that He begat. And Christ Himself gives to God the Name of Father, as in some sense a more appropriate and truer appellation; saying on one occasion, not "I and God" but I and the Father are One; and on another occasion, with reference to Himself, For Him the Father, even God, hath sealed. And also when He bade His disciples baptise all nations, He did not bid them do this in the Name of God, but He expressly enjoined them to do this into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And the inspired Moses, when he was explaining the origin of the world, did not attribute its creation to a single person, for he wrote, And God said, Let us make man in our Image, after our Likeness: and by the words Let us make, and in our Likeness, the Holy Trinity is signified; for the Father created and called into being the universe, through the Son, in the Spirit. But the men of old found such expressions hard to understand, and the language obscure; for the Father was not individually named, nor was the Person of the Son expressly introduced. Our Lord Jesus Christ, however, without any concealment, and with perfect freedom of speech, called God His Father; and by naming Himself Son, and showing that He was Himself in very truth the Offspring of the Sovereign Nature of the universe, He manifested the Father's Name, and brought us to perfect knowledge of Him. For the perfect knowledge of God and the Creator of the universe standeth not in believing merely that He is God, but in believing also that He is the Father; and the Father also of a Son, not unaccompanied of course by the Holy Spirit. For the bare belief, that God is God, suits us no better than those under the Law; for it does not exceed the limit of the knowledge the Jews attained. And just as the Law, when it brought in this axiom of instruction, which was insufficient to sustain a life of piety in God's service, perfected nothing, so also the knowledge which it instilled about God was imperfect; only able to restrain men from love of false gods, and persuade them to worship the One true God: For thou shalt have, it says, no other gods beside Me. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. But our Lord Jesus Christ sets better things before those who are under the Law of Moses; and, giving them instruction clearer than the commandment of the Law, vouchsafed them better and clearer knowledge than that of old. For He has made it plain to us, not merely that the Originator and Sovereign of the world is God, but also that He is a Father; and facts prove this; for He has set Himself before us as His Likeness, saying, He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father. I and the Father are One.

And this, as we suppose, as being God and of God by Nature, He saith openly , in His Divine character, to His Father; but He adds at once, speaking more as Man: Whom Thou hast given Me out of the world: Thine they were, and Thou hast given them to Me. We must think that our Lord says this, not as though some separate and particular portion had been allotted and belonged to the dominion of the Father, in which the Son Himself had no part, for He is King before the ages began, as the Psalmist says, and eternally shares the Father's rule. Moreover, the wise Evangelist John, teaching us that all things belong to Him and are put under His sway, wrote: He came unto His own, and they that were His own received Him not; calling those His own who knew Him not, and were rejecting the yoke of His kingdom. He spake this on this occasion, from the wish to make clear to His hearers, that there were some in this world, who did not even so much as receive into their minds the One true God, but served the creature, and devils, and the inventions of devils. Still, though they knew not the Creator of the world, and were astray from the truth, they were God's; insomuch as He is Lord of all, as their Creator. For all things belong to God, and there is nothing that exists over which the One God is not ruler, though the creature may not know his Maker. For no man can maintain that the fact, that some have gone astray from Him, can avail to deprive the Creator of the world of His universal dominion; but he must rather admit that all things are subjected to His rule, through His having made them and brought them into being. Since, then, this is the truth, even they who were fast bound by the snares of the devil, and entangled in the vanities of the world, belonged in fact to the living God. And how were they given to the Son? For God the Father consented that Emmanuel should reign over them; not as though He then first began His reign----for He was ever Lord and King as being God by Nature----but because, having become Man and ventured His life for the salvation of the world, He purchased all men for Himself, and through Himself brought them to God the Father. He then, That of old reigneth from the beginning with His Father, was appointed King as a Man, to Whom like all else the sceptre comes by gift, according to the limitations of human nature. For not in the same sense as that in which man is a rational being, capable of thought and knowledge (these things being included in his natural advantages), is he also a king; for while the former attributes are comprehended in the definition of his essence, the latter is extraneous and additional, and not among those which attach inseparably to his nature; for kingly power is given and taken away from a man, without affecting in any degree at all the definition of his essence. The dignity of kingship, therefore, is thrust upon a man by God as a gift, and from without: For by Me, He says, kings rule, and princes reign over the earth. He then, That ruleth over all with the Father, insomuch as He was, and is, and will be, by Nature God, receives power over the world, according to the form and limits proper to a man.

And therefore He saith: All things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are from Thee. For in a special and peculiar sense all things are God's, and are given to us His creatures. Universal possession and power are most appropriate to God, but to us it is most fitting to receive. He bore witness, however, before His devout believers, to what was fitting to the servant, and prompted to obedience. For, He saith, the words which Thou hast given Me I have given unto them, and they received them and knew of a truth that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send Me. He expressly here calls His own words the sayings of God the Father, because of Their identity of Substance, and because He is God the Word declaratory of His Father's Will; just as the word, which proceeds out of our own mouths, and by its utterance assailing the hearing of one who stands by, interprets the hidden mysteries of the heart. Therefore also the saying of the Prophet declared concerning Him: His Name is called Messenger of Great Counsel. For the truly great, wonderful, and mysterious counsel of the Father is conveyed to us by the Word That is in Him, and of Him, through the words He uttered as a Man, when He came among us, and also by the knowledge and light of the Spirit after His ascent into heaven; for He revealeth to His Saints His mysteries, as Paul bears witness, saying: If ye seek a proof of Christ That speaketh in Me.

He testified then to those who love Him, that they received and kept the words given Him by the Father, and were besides satisfied that He came, and was sent, from God; while those who were diseased with the contrary opinion were otherwise minded. For they who neither received His words nor kept their minds open to conviction, were not disposed to believe that He came from God, and was sent by Him. Moreover, the Jews said on one occasion: If this Man were from God, He would not have broken the Sabbath; and on another, We are disciples of Moses: we know that God hath spoken unto Moses, but as for this Man we know not whence He is. You see how they denied His mission; so that they even cried in their shamelessness, they knew not whence He was. And that they did not admit His unspeakably high birth from everlasting, I mean His proceeding from God the Father, diseased as they were by the great perversity of their thoughts, and ready to stone Him with stones merely because of His Incarnation, you may easily satisfy yourself, if you will listen to the words of the Evangelist: For this cause therefore the Jews sought to kill Him, because He not only brake the Sabbath, but also called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. And what the impious Jews said unto Him is also recorded: For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy; because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God. You will understand then very clearly, that those who truly keep His words have believed and confessed that He manifested Himself from the Father (for this is, I think, what I came forth means), and that He was sent to us to tell us the commandment of the Lord, as is said in the Psalms; while they who laughed to scorn the Word, Who was thus Divine and from the Father, rejected the faith, and plainly denied that He was God and from the Father, and that He came to us for our salvation, and dwelt among us, yet without sin. Justly, then, does He commend to God the Father, those who are good men, and are His own, and have submitted their souls to the hearing of His words, and will ever hold them in remembrance; that what He said may be made clear, beginning from the time of His sojourn amongst us. And what are His words? Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father Which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father Which is in heaven. This also God the Father Himself long ago declared that He would do, speaking by the mouth of Isaiah: Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, and the servant whom I have chosen. Our Saviour then speaks, at the same time, in His character as God, and in His character as Man. For He was at once God and Man, speaking in either character without reproach, suiting each occasion with appropriate words as it required.  

ΚΕΦΑΛΗ Ζ. Ὅτι τὸ λέγεσθαί τι δεδόσθαι τῷ Υἱῷ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐκ ἐξοικιεῖ τῆς θεοπρεποῦς ἀξίας αὐτὸν, ἀλλ' ὢν ὁμοούσιός τε καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ διαφαίνεται καὶ εἰ λέγεταί τι λαβεῖν.
« Ἐφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου: σοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ ἐμοὶ αὐτοὺς δέδωκας, καὶ τὸν λόγον σου τετηρήκασι: νῦν ἔγνωκαν ὅτι πάντα ὅσα δέδωκάς μοι παρὰ σοί εἰσιν, ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ δέδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον, καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. » ΦΘΑΣΑΣ ἤδη προεῖπον ἐν τοῖς ἔναγχος ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀβασανίστως, ὥς γε μοι φαίνεται, προεξητασμένοις, ὅτι θεοπρεπῶς τε ἅμα καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως τὴν πρὸς τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς Πατέρα διάλεξιν ἐποιεῖτο Χριστός. διακυβερνᾷ γὰρ ἐπ' ἄμφω τὸν λόγον, οὔτε τῶν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ὅρων εἰσάπαν εἴσω τιθεὶς, οὔτε μὴν ὁλοτρόπως τῆς θεοπρεποῦς ἁπτόμενον δόξης: ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἧττον κἀνθάδε πάλιν ἡμῖν ὁ αὐτὸς τετήρηται χαρακτήρ. ὡς μὲν γὰρ Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν, καὶ τῆς ἀῤῥήτου φύσεως χαρακτὴρ πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα φησίν Ἐφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἀντὶ τοῦ τὴν δόξαν εἰπεῖν τὸ ὄνομα θείς. μεμελέτηκε γάρ πως ὡδὶ καὶ ἡ καθ' ἡμᾶς συνήθεια λέγειν. καὶ γοῦν ὁ σοφώτατος ἔγραψε Σολομών “Αἱρετὸν ὄνομα καλὸν ἢ πλοῦτος πολὺς,” τουτέστιν, ἀμείνων ὑπόληψις ἀγαθὴ καὶ δόξα τῆς ἐν πλούτῳ φαιδρότητος καὶ περιφανείας ἐστί. καὶ αὐτὸς δέ που φησὶν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ φωνῆς Ἡσαΐου τοῖς εὐνουχίσασιν “ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τὴν ” βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν“ ” Μὴ λεγέτω ὁ εὐνοῦχος ὅτι ἐγώ “εἰμι ξύλον ξηρόν: τάδε λέγει Κύριος τοῖς εὐνούχοις Ὅσοι ” ἂν φυλάξωνται τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ ποιήσωσιν ἃ “ἐγὼ θέλω, δώσω αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου καὶ ἐν τῷ τείχει ” μου τόπον ὀνομαστὸν, κρεῖσσον υἱῶν καὶ θυγατέρων ὄνομα “αἰώνιον δώσω αὐτοῖς.” καὶ οὐ δή τις οἰήσεται, κατά γε τὸ εἰκὸς, εἴ γε σωφρονοίη, τῆς ἐκ Θεοῦ φιλοτιμίας τὴν ἀντίδοσιν ἐν ψιλαῖς ὀνομάτων ἀπονεμηθήσεσθαι κλήσεσι τοῖς ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ φιλαρέτου φρονήματος, ἁπάσης μὲν τῆς ἐν κόσμῳ καταθλήσασιν ἡδονῆς, νεκρώσασι δὲ “τὰ μέλη τὰ ” ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,“ καὶ μόνα τετιμηκόσι τὰ τοῖς θείοις οὐκ ἀπᾴδοντα νόμοις. ἀλλ' ὄνομα πάλιν ἀντὶ τῆς δόξης φησίν: ζηλωτοὶ γὰρ ἔσονται καὶ ἀπόβλεπτοι συμβασιλεύοντες τῷ Χριστῷ. Πεφανερωκέναι τοιγαροῦν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ εὖ μάλα διισχυρίζεται, τουτέστι, διαφανεστάτην τοῖς ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην καταστῆσαι τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ. πῶς ἢ τίνα τρόπον; ἑαυτὸν δὲ δηλονότι διὰ τῶν ὑπὲρ λόγον κατορθωμάτων παραθεὶς εἰς ἀπόδειξιν. δοξάζεται γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ, καθάπερ ἐν εἰκόνι καὶ τύπῳ τῆς ἰδίας μορφῆς: ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ χαρακτῆρος τὸ τῶν ἀρχετύπων ἀεὶ διαφαίνεται κάλλος. πεφανέρωται τοίνυν ὁ Μονογενὴς, οὐσιωδῶς ὑπάρχων σοφία καὶ ζωὴ, τεχνίτης τῶν ὅλων καὶ δημιουργὸς, θανάτου κρείττων καὶ φθορᾶς, ὅσιος ἄκακος οἰκτίρμων ἅγιος ἀγαθός. ἐγνώσθη ταῦτα ὑπάρχων καὶ ὁ γεννήσας αὐτόν: οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἑτέρως ἔχοι κατὰ τὴν φύσιν παρὰ τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ φυσικῶς. διέλαμψε τοίνυν, ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι καὶ τύπῳ τῆς ἰδίας μορφῆς ἐν τῇ τοῦ γεννήματος δόξῃ. λόγος μὲν γὰρ παρὰ τοῖς ἀρχαιοτέροις τοιοῦτός τις ἦν περὶ αὐτοῦ: νυνὶ δὲ καὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἡμῖν ὄψεως πεφανέρωται: μεῖζον δὲ εἰς πίστιν ἀεί πως ἐστὶ τῶν ἐν λόγοις τὸ θεωρούμενον. Οἶμαι μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἀπὸ σκοποῦ τὸν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἡμῖν γεγενῆσθαι λόγον: ἰτέον γεμὴν καὶ δι' ἑτέρας οἴμου, τουτέστιν, ὁδοῦ θεωρημάτων. πεφανέρωκε γὰρ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱὸς, εἰς ἔννοιαν δηλονότι καὶ εἰς ἀκραιφνῆ θεωρίαν καταστήσας ἡμᾶς, οὐχ ὅτι μόνον εἴη Θεός: ἐκηρύττετο γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας διὰ τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς: ἀλλ' ὅτι πρὸς τῷ Θεὸς εἶναι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, καὶ Πατήρ ἐστιν οὐ ψευδωνύμως, ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ἴδιον γέννημα, σύνδρομόν τε καὶ συναΐδιον τῇ ἰδίᾳ φύσει: γεγέννηκε γὰρ οὐκ ἐν χρόνῳ τὸν τῶν αἰώνων δημιουργόν. κυριώτερον δέ πως ὄνομα τῷ Θεῷ τό Πατὴρ ἢ Θεός: τὸ μὲν γάρ ἐστι τῆς ἀξίας σημαντικὸν, τὸ δὲ τῆς οὐσιώδους ἰδιότητος ἔχει τὴν δήλωσιν. Θεὸν μὲν γάρ τις εἰπὼν, τὸν τῶν ὅλων ἔδειξε Κύριον: Πατέρα γεμὴν ὀνομάσας, τῶν τῆς ἰδιότητος ἅπτεται λόγων, πεφανέρωκε γὰρ ὅτι γεγέννηκεν. οἰκειότερον δέ πως καὶ ἀληθέστερον ὄνομα τῷ Θεῷ τό Πατὴρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπονέμων ὁ Υἱὸς, ποτὲ μὲν ἔλεγεν, οὐκ Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἀλλ' ” Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν,“ ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ” Τοῦτον γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐσφράγισεν ὁ Θεός:“ ἀλλὰ καὶ βαπτίζειν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς ἐπιτάξας, οὐκ εἰς ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦτο δρᾶν, ἀλλ' ” εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ “Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος,” διαῤῥήδην ἐνομοθέτει. Μωυσῆς μὲν γὰρ ὁ θεσπέσιος, τὴν τοῦδε τοῦ κόσμου ποίησιν ἐξηγούμενος, οὐχ ἑνὶ προσώπῳ τὴν δημιουργίαν ἀνετίθει γράφων “Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός Ποιήσωμεν ” ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν:“ καὶ διὰ μὲν τοῦ Ποιήσωμεν καί Καθ' ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν εἰπεῖν, ἡ ἁγία Τριὰς σημαίνεται: δεδημιούργηκε γὰρ καὶ πρὸς τὸ εἶναι τὰ πάντα κέκληκεν ὁ Πατὴρ δι' Υἱοῦ ἐν Πνεύματι. ἀλλ' οὐκ εὐσύνοπτά πως τοῖς ἀρχαιοτέροις ἦν τὰ τοιαῦτα, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀσυμφανὴς ὁ λόγος: οὐ γὰρ ἰδικῶς ὠνόμασται Πατὴρ, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸ τοῦ Υἱοῦ παρεκομίσθη πρόσωπον ἐναργῶς: ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς, περιστολῆς τινος δίχα καὶ ἐν πολλῇ παῤῥησίᾳ Πατέρα μὲν ἴδιον ἐκάλει τὸν Θεὸν, ἑαυτὸν γεμὴν ὀνομάζων Υἱὸν καὶ καρπὸν ὄντως ἀληθῆ τῆς τῶν ὅλων κρατούσης ἐπιδείξας φύσεως, πεφανέρωκε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ εἰς τελείαν ἡμᾶς ἀνεκόμισε γνῶσιν. πληρεστάτη γὰρ γνῶσις ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς τῶν ὅλων ἀρχῆς, οὐκ ἐν τῷ εἰδέναι μόνον ὅτι Θεός ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ Πατὴρ καὶ τίνος ἐστὶ Πατὴρ, συνεισβαίνοντος δηλονότι καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος. τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἰδέναι μόνον Θεὸν ὄντα τὸν Θεὸν, οὐχ ἡμῖν ἂν πρέποι μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς ὑπὸ νόμον: φρονήσεως γὰρ Ἰουδαϊκῆς οὐχ ὑπερίσχει τὸ μέτρον. καὶ ὥσπερ οὐδὲν τετελείωκεν ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγικὸν εἰσφέρων τὸ μάθημα καὶ οὐκ ἀρκοῦν εἰς κατόρθωσιν τῆς κατ' εὐσέβειαν ἀρετῆς; οὕτως ἀτελῆ καὶ τὴν περὶ Θεοῦ γνῶσιν ἐνετίθει, μόνης ἀφιστὰς τῆς εἰς θεοὺς τοὺς ψευδωνύμους ἀγάπης, καὶ τὸν ἕνα καὶ ἀληθινὸν προσκυνεῖν ἀναπείθων ” Οὐκ ἔσονται γάρ σοι, φησὶ, θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ: “Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λα” τρεύσεις.“ ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς τοῖς διὰ Μωυσέως προστεταγμένοις τὰ ἀμείνω προστιθεὶς, καὶ λαμπροτέραν τῆς νομικῆς ἐντολῆς παρατιθεὶς τὴν παίδευσιν, τῆς ἀρχαίας ἐκείνης γνώσεως τὴν ἀμείνω καὶ λαμπροτέραν προσεχαρίζετο. φανερὸν γὰρ ἡμῖν κατέστησεν, οὐχ ὅτι μόνον ἐστὶ Θεὸς ὁ τῶν ὅλων γενεσιουργὸς καὶ κύριος, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ Πατήρ: καὶ ἡ δεῖξις ἐν πράγμασιν: ἑαυτὸν γὰρ εἰς εἰκόνα παρακατέθεικε λέγων ” Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα, “ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν.” Καὶ ταυτὶ μὲν εἰκότως, ἅτε δὴ καὶ Θεὸς ὑπάρχων ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν, ἀνηγμένως τε καὶ θεοπρεπῶς πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα φησίν: ἐπισυνάπτει δὲ παραχρῆμα, λέγων ἀνθρωπινώτερον Οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, σοὶ ἦσαν, κἀμοὶ αὐτοὺς δέδωκας. οἰησόμεθα γεμὴν ταυτὶ δὴ φάναι τὸν Κύριον, οὐχ ὡς ἰδίᾳ καὶ μεμερισμένως ἀπονεμηθέντος τινὸς ἤγουν διαφέροντος τῇ δεσποτείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, ὃ μὴ καὶ αὐτοῦ τυχόν ἐστι τοῦ Υἱοῦ: βασιλεὺς γάρ ἐστι προαιώνιος κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ψάλλοντος φωνὴν, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς δεσποτείας ἀΐδιος κοινωνός: καὶ γοῦν ὁ σοφώτατος Εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης αὐτῷ διαφέρειν καὶ ὑπεζεῦχθαι τὰ πάντα, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι βασιλεύοντος σὺν αὐτῷ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀναδιδάσκων ἔγραφεν “Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον:” ἴδια λέγων αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς μήπω συνέντας αὐτὸν, ἀποσειομένους δὲ ὥσπερ τῆς ὑπ' αὐτῷ βασιλείας τὸν ζυγόν. ἔφη δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα νυνὶ, φανερὸν ἐκεῖνο καθιστὰς τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις, ὡς ἦσαν μέν τινες ἐν τῷδε τῷ κόσμῳ, Θεὸν μὲν τὸν ἕνα καὶ ἀληθινὸν οὐδ' ὅσον εἰς νοῦν δεξάμενοι, λατρεύοντες δὲ τῇ κτίσει καὶ τοῖς δαιμονίοις καὶ τοῖς διαβολικοῖς εὑρήμασιν. ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων οὐκ ᾔδεσαν δημιουργὸν, ἔξω που τῆς ἀληθείας πλανώμενοι, Θεοῦ πάλιν ἦσαν, καθὸ πάντων ἐστὶ δεσπότης, ὡς δημιουργός. ἴδια γὰρ τὰ πάντα Θεοῦ, καὶ οὐδὲν τὸ παράπαν ἐν τοῖς γεγονόσιν ἐστὶν, ὃ μὴ δεσπότην ἔχει τὸν ἕνα, καὶ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο τυχὸν εἰδείη τὸ ποιηθέν. οὐ γὰρ δήπου φαίη τις ἂν, ὡς τῆς κατὰ πάντων ἀρχῆς τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν παραιρήσεται τὸ πεπλανῆσθαί τινας, ὑποζεύξει δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ὑποθήσει τὰ πάντα αὐτῷ τὸ δι' αὐτοῦ πεποιῆσθαι καὶ παρῆχθαι πρὸς γένεσιν. οὕτω τοιγαροῦν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχούσης, Θεοῦ μὲν ἦσαν τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν, καὶ οἱ ταῖς τοῦ διαβόλου συνεχόμενοι πλάναις καὶ ταῖς κοσμικαῖς ἀτοπίαις ἐγκατειλημμένοι. δέδονται δὲ τῷ Υἱῷ, πῶς ἢ τίνα τρόπον; βασιλεύειν γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, οὐχ ὡς ἄρτι τῆς κατ' αὐτῶν βασιλείας ἀρχόμενον: ἦν γὰρ ἀεὶ Κύριός τε καὶ βασιλεὺς, καθὸ φύσει Θεός: ἀλλ' ὅτι γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τῆς ἁπάντων προκινδυνεύσας ζωῆς, ἑαυτῷ πάντας ἐξεπρίατο, καὶ δι' ἑαυτοῦ προσκεκόμικε τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. ὁ τοίνυν πάλαι καὶ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς βασιλεύων ὡς Θεὸς ὁμοῦ τῷ ἰδίῳ γεννήτορι, κεχειροτόνηται βασιλεὺς ὡς ἄνθρωπος ᾧ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ βασιλεύειν δοτὸν, κατά γε τὸ μέτρον τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως. οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ ζῷόν ἐστι λογικὸν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, νοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμης δεκτικὸν, ἐν φυσικοῖς ἔχων τὰ τοιαῦτα πλεονεκτήμασιν, οὕτως ἂν εἴη καὶ βασιλεύς: ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῷ τῆς οὐσίας ὅρῳ παραλαμβάνεται, τὸ δὲ ἔξωθέν τε ἐστὶ καὶ προστεθειμένον καὶ οὐχὶ τῶν ἀχωρίστως προσπεφυκότων φαίνεται: προσγίγνεται γὰρ καὶ ἀπογίγνεται, μηδὲν τὸ παράπαν, ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς οὐσίας λόγον, τὸ ὑποκείμενον ἀδικοῦν. δοτὸν οὖν ἄρα καὶ θύραθεν ἐπεισκρίνεται τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ἀξίωμα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ παρὰ Θεοῦ: “Δι' ἐμοῦ γὰρ, φησὶ, βασιλεῖς βασιλεύουσι, καὶ ” τύραννοι δι' ἐμοῦ κρατοῦσι γῆς.“ ὁ τοίνυν τῶν πάντων βασιλεύων μετὰ Πατρὸς, καθόπερ ἦν τε καὶ ἔστι καὶ ἔσται φύσει Θεὸς, δέχεται τῶν ἐν κόσμῳ τὸ κράτος, κατά γε τὸ πρέπον ἀνθρώπῳ σχῆμά τε καὶ μέτρον. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτό φησιν Ὅτι πάντα ὅσα δέδωκάς μοι παρὰ σοί εἰσι. κυρίως μὲν γάρ τε καὶ ἰδικῶς τὰ πάντα ἐστὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ: δοτὰ δὲ ἡμῖν τοῖς δι' αὐτοῦ γεγονόσι. καὶ τὸ μὲν πάντα κεκτῆσθαι καὶ κατάρχειν τῶν ὅλων τῇ θείᾳ φύσει πρεπωδέστατον: ἡμῖν δὲ αὖ πάλιν τὸ λαβεῖν οἰκειότατον. ἐπεμαρτύρησε γεμὴν τὸ γνήσιον εἰς δουλείαν καὶ τὸ πρόθυμον εἰς ὑπακοὴν τοῖς ἀνενδοιάστως πιστεύουσιν εἰς αὐτόν. φησὶ γάρ Ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ δέδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας: ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, τὰς ἑαυτοῦ διαῤῥήδην ὀνομάζων φωνὰς, διὰ τὸ ἐν οὐσίᾳ ταὐτὸν, καὶ ἐπείπερ ἐστὶ Θεὸς Λόγος τῶν τοῦ Πατρὸς θελημάτων ἐκφαντικὸς καθάπερ ἀμέλει καὶ ὁ ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων προκύπτων στομάτων, καὶ τῇ πρὸς τὸ ἔξω προφορᾷ τὴν τοῦ πέλας προσαράσσων ἀκοὴν, καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς καρδίας διερμηνεύων μυστήριον. τοιγάρτοι καὶ προφητικός τε περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγος ἔφη, ὅτι ” καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ “Μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος.” τὴν γὰρ ὄντως ἐξαίσιόν τε καὶ ὑπερφυᾶ καὶ μεγάλην τοῦ τεκόντος βουλὴν, ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ διαπορθμεύει Λόγος, διὰ μὲν γὰρ ῥημάτων προφορᾶς, ὡς ἄνθρωπος, ὅτε γέγονε καθ' ἡμᾶς, διὰ δὲ γνώσεως καὶ φωταγωγίας πνευματικῆς μετὰ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάβασιν: ἀποκαλύπτει γὰρ τοῖς ἀξίοις τὰ ἑαυτοῦ μυστήρια, καὶ μαρτυρήσει λέγων ὁ Παῦλος “Εἰ δοκιμὴν ” ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ;“ Μεμαρτύρηκε τοίνυν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν, ὡς προσήκαντο καὶ τετηρήκασι τοὺς δοθέντας αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς λόγους: πεπληροφόρηνται δὲ πρὸς τούτοις, ὅτι παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐξῆλθε καὶ ἀπέσταλται, διακειμένων οὐχ οὕτω τῶν τὴν ἐναντίαν νοσούντων ὑπόνοιαν. οἱ γὰρ μήτε προσηκάμενοι τοὺς παρ' αὐτοῦ λόγους, μήτε μὴν ἐλευθέραν τηρήσαντες τὴν πίστιν, οὔτε διετέθησαν οὔτε πεπιστεύκασιν, ὡς ἐξῆλθέ τε παρὰ Θεοῦ καὶ ἀπέσταλται. καὶ γοῦν ἔφασκον Ἰουδαῖοι, ποτὲ μέν ” Εἰ ἦν οὗτος παρὰ “Θεοῦ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ ἂν ἔλυε τὸ σάββατον,” καὶ πάλιν “Ἡμεῖς τοῦ Μωυσέως ἐσμὲν μαθηταί: ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι ” Μωυσῇ λελάληκεν ὁ Θεὸς, τοῦτον δὲ οὐκ οἴδαμεν πόθεν “ἐστίν.” ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἠρνήσαντο τὴν ἀποστολὴν, ὡς μηδὲ εἰδέναι πόθεν ἐστὶν ἀναισχύντως ἀναφωνεῖν; ὅτι δὲ καὶ τὴν ἄῤῥητον αὐτοῦ καὶ προαιώνιον γέννησιν, φημὶ δὲ τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς οὐκ ἐδέχοντο πολλὴν νοσοῦντες ἀθλιότητα λογισμῶν, καὶ ὥσπερ τινὶ λίθῳ περιπταίοντες διὰ μόνην τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν, πληροφορηθήσῃ ῥᾳδίως, ὅταν ἀκούσῃ λέγοντος τοῦ Εὐαγγελιστοῦ “Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν ” οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀποκτεῖναι, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἔλυε τὸ σάββατον, “ἀλλὰ καὶ Πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγε τὸν Θεὸν, ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν ” τῷ Θεῷ:“ ἀναγέγραπται δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀνοσίων Ἰουδαίων φωνὴ πρὸς αὐτόν ” Περὶ καλοῦ ἔργου οὐ λιθάζομέν σε, ἀλλὰ “περὶ βλασφημίας, ὅτι σὺ ἄνθρωπος ὢν ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν ” Θεόν.“ συνιεῖς οὖν ἄρα καὶ μάλα σαφῶς, ὡς οἱ μὲν τῶν λόγων τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ γεγονότων γνήσιοι φύλακες συνωμολόγησάν τε καὶ πεπιστεύκασιν, ὡς ἀνέλαμψε μὲν ἐκ Πατρός: τοῦτο γὰρ οἶμαι τό Ἐξῆλθον δηλοῦν: καὶ ἀπέσταλται πρὸς ἡμᾶς ” διαγγέλλων τὸ πρόσταγμα Κυρίου,“ κατὰ τὸ ἐν ψαλμοῖς εἰρημένον: οἱ δὲ τὸν οὕτω θεῖόν τε καὶ ἐκ Πατρὸς διαγελάσαντες λόγον, συνηρνήσαντο τὴν πίστιν, καὶ ἀπειρήκασιν ἐναργῶς, ὅτι Θεός τε εἴη καὶ ἐκ Πατρὸς, καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἕνεκα σωτηρίας ὡς ἡμᾶς ἀφιγμένος, μετὰ τοῦ γενέσθαι καθ' ἡμᾶς χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας. δικαίως οὖν ἄρα τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς καὶ γνησίους καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀκοὴν εὐπειθεστέραν ὑποθέντας αὐτῷ παρατίθεται τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, τῶν μὴ τοιούτων ἀμνημονήσας παντελῶς, ἵν' ὅπερ ἔφη φαίνηται σαφὲς, ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς ἀρξάμενον χρόνων. καὶ τί δὴ τοῦτό ἐστι; ” Πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ὁμολογήσει ἐν ἐμοὶ “ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁμολογήσω κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ ” ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς: ὅστις δ' “ἂν ἀρνήσηταί με ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀρνήσομαι ” κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς “οὐρανοῖς:” ὃ δὴ καὶ δράσειν ἐπηγγέλλετο καὶ πάλαι βοῶν διὰ φωνῆς Ἡσαΐου καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατήρ “Γένεσθε ” γάρ μοι μάρτυρες, καὶ ἐγὼ μάρτυς, λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς, “καὶ ὁ παῖς ὃν ἐξελεξάμην.” διαλέγεται τοιγαροῦν ὁ Σωτὴρ θεοπρεπῶς τε ἅμα καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως. Θεὸς γὰρ ἦν ἐν ταὐτῷ καὶ ἄνθρωπος, ἀνυπαίτιον ἔχων τὸν ἐπ' ἄμφω λόγον, καὶ ταῖς τῶν καιρῶν συναρμόττων χρείαις τὸ ἑκάστῳ πρέπον οἰκονομικῶς.