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of a fall, so that they may not be entirely easy to attack. After this, the planting of the elect, because they are of the seed of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the elect of God. But the tower, which was built in the midst of the vineyard, is clearly the temple established in the midst of Judea. But the winepress vat is the synagogue of the Jews itself, because a winepress is properly the Church of God, adorned from the gathering from everywhere, for which also the songs for the winepress are sung by the Psalmist. And a winepress vat is also the preparation through the law, and a preliminary exercise unto piety; and inasmuch as it leads to unity, it is a winepress; but inasmuch as it is a preparation for more perfect things, it is a winepress vat. I waited for it to make grapes, but it made thorns. It was consistent with the choice planting, and with such great care, for sweet fruits to be produced. For the children of Abraham are required to do the works of Abraham. But instead of the expected grapes, it made thorns, that is, instead of gladdening and giving rest, ready to pierce and tear and bloody those who approach. For which of the Prophets did they not kill, according to the parable in the Gospel? But I think they are accused of having made thorns not only with respect to murder, but because, having abandoned being lovers of God, they became rather lovers of pleasure and their mind was choked by the cares of life as if by thorns. And just as a thorn does not bear a grape, so neither does a vine-branch bear thorns. For this reason the Lord says, "Do they gather grapes from thorns?" But nevertheless the Jews make, instead of grapes, thorns. 5.143 And now, man of Judah and you who dwell in Jerusalem, judge between me and my vineyard. If the vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah a beloved new plant, how is judgment made upon the vineyard against the vineyard? Or because of the irrefutable nature of the reproofs does the word wish to use them as judges against themselves? Which also Nathan did in the case of David, setting him up as judge of his own wrongdoing. And the excess of loving-kindness is established by God's descending to a judgment of equal honor with His own servants. And at the same time it has a proof of justice, as none of those who are condemned have anything to say against the clarity of the justice. Judge (he says) between me and my vineyard. And say, what of the things that contribute to its fruitfulness has not been done for it? For what (he says) shall I do to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? What of the things incumbent upon me regarding its care have I not done? Is it not a rich and strong place? Is there not a fence? Are there not stakes? Is there not a most noble planting? Is there not a tower? Is there not a winepress vat? Is there not whatever one might say? These things, however, must be considered as being said by the word also to us, who, having been called to produce the fruits of righteousness, through love of wealth fall into temptation and a snare and foolish and harmful desires, which plunge men into ruin and destruction. I waited for it to make grapes, but it made thorns. The repetition has a certain necessity; for in the preceding verses the one proclaiming the song was saying: I waited for it to make grapes; but here he makes his arguments to those against whom judgment is made: Judge between me and my vineyard; the phrase, I waited for it to make grapes, but it made thorns. 5.144 But now I will announce to you what I will do to my vineyard. It is characteristic of God's loving-kindness not to bring on punishments in silence, but to proclaim them beforehand through threats, calling sinners to repentance; as he did for the Ninevites through Jonah. And upon Israel when it had sinned he did not bring destruction in silence, but moving his servant to supplication on behalf of the people, he proclaimed beforehand, saying: And now let me alone, and I will wipe out this people. Similarly also in the Gospel we have learned something about the parable of the fig tree, with its master saying to the vinedresser: Behold, three years

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πτώματος, πρὸς τὸ μὴ πάντη εὐεπιχειρήτους εἶναι. Μετὰ τοῦτο ἡ φυτεία τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν, διὰ τὸ ἐκ σπέρματος εἶναι Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακῶβ, τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ δὲ πύργος, ὁ οἰκοδομηθεὶς ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, δη λονότι ὁ ναός ἐστιν ἐν μέσῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καθιδρυμένος. Προ λήνιον δὲ αὐτὴ ἡ συναγωγὴ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, διότι ληνὸς μὲν κυρίως ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησία, ἐκ τῆς πανταχόθεν συλ λογῆς κεκοσμημένη, δι' ἣν καὶ τὰ ἐπιλήνια ᾄσματα παρὰ τῷ Ψαλμῳδῷ ᾄδεται. Προλήνιον δὲ καὶ ἡ προπαρασκευὴ ἡ διὰ τοῦ νόμου, καὶ προμελέτησις εἰς εὐσέβειαν· καὶ καθ' ὃ μὲν εἰς ἑνότητα ἄγει, ληνός· καθ' ὃ δὲ προπαρασκευὴ τε λειοτέρων, ἐστὶ προλήνιον. Ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. Ἀκό λουθον ἦν ἐπὶ τῇ φυτείᾳ τῇ ἐκλεκτῇ, καὶ τῇ ἐπιμελείᾳ τῇ τοσαύτῃ, τοὺς καρποὺς γλυκεῖς ἀποδίδοσθαι. Τὰ γὰρ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἀπαιτεῖται. Ἀλλ' ἀντὶτῆς προσδοκηθείσης σταφυλῆς, ἐποίησεν ἀκάνθας, τουτέ στιν ἀντὶ τοῦ εὐφραίνειν καὶ ἀναπαύειν, ἕτοιμος πρὸς τὸ κατακεντεῖν καὶ καταξαίνειν καὶ αἱμάσσειν τοὺς πλησιά ζοντας. Τίνα γὰρ τῶν Προφητῶν οὐκ ἀπέκτειναν, κατὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ παραβολήν; Οὐ μόνον δὲ οἶμαι κατὰ τὸ φονικὸν ἀκάνθας ἐγκαλοῦνται πεποιηκέναι, ἀλλ' ὅτι, κατα λιπόντες τὸ εἶναι φιλόθεοι, φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον γεγόνασι καὶ ταῖς μερίμναις τοῦ βίου οἱονεὶ ἀκάνθαις τὸν νοῦν συνεπνί γοντο. Ὥσπερ δὲ ἄκανθα σταφυλὴν οὐ φέρει, οὕτως οὐδὲ κληματὶς ἀκάνθας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ὁ Κύριος· Μήτι συλλέγουσι (φησὶν) ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλάς; Ἀλλ' ὅμως οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ποιοῦσιν, ἀντὶ σταφυλῶν, ἀκάνθας. 5.143 Καὶ νῦν, ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Ἰούδα καὶ οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες Ἱερουσαλὴμ, κρίνατε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀμπελῶ νός μου. Εἰ ὁ ἀμπελὼν τοῦ Κυρίου οἶκος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ ἐστι, καὶ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Ἰούδα νεόφυτον ἠγαπημένον, πῶς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος δικάζεται κατὰ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος; Ἢ διὰ τὸ ἀναντίῤῥητον τῶν ἐλέγχων αὐτοῖς βούλεται καθ' ἑαυτῶν δικασταῖς ὁ λόγος χρήσασθαι; Ὃ καὶ ὁ Νάθαν ἐπὶ τοῦ ∆αβὶδ ἐποίησεν, αὐτὸν δικαστὴν καθίσας τοῦ ἰδίου ἀδική ματος. Τὴν δὲ ὑπερβολὴν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας συνίστησι τὸ εἰς ἰσότιμον κρίσιν τὸν Θεὸν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ οἰκέταις συγκατα βαίνειν. Ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τοῦ δικαίου ἀπόδειξιν ἔχει, ὡς οὐδὲ οὐδὲν τῶν καταδικαζομένων ἐχόντων ἀντιλέγειν τῇ ἐναρ γείᾳ τοῦ δικαίου. Κρίνατε (φησὶ) μεταξὺ ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀμ πελῶνός μου. Καὶ εἴπατε, τί τῶν πρὸς καρπογονίαν αὐτῷ συντελούντων οὐχὶ γεγένηται; Τί γὰρ (φησὶ) ποιήσω τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου, καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησα αὐτῷ; Τί τῶν ἐπιβαλλόν των μοι περὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπιμελείας οὐχὶ πεποίηκα; Οὐ τόπος πίων καὶ καρτερὸς ὁ αὐτός; οὐ φραγμός; οὐ χά ρακες; οὐ φυτεία εὐγενεστάτη; οὐ πύργος; οὐ προλήνιον; οὐχ ὅ τι ἂν εἴπῃ τις; Ταῦτα μέντοιγε νομιστέον λέγεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, οἳ, κληθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ ποιεῖν τοὺς καρποὺς τῆς δικαιοσύνης, ὑπὸ φιλοπλουτίας ἐμπίπτομεν εἰς πειρασμὸν καὶ παγίδα καὶ ἐπιθυμίας ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβερὰς, αἵτινες βυθίζουσι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ ἀπώλειαν. Ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. Ἔχει τι ἀναγκαῖον ἡ ταὐτολογία· ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἄνω ὁ τὴν ᾠδὴν ἐπαγγέλλων ἔλεγεν· Ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ πρὸς τοὺς, ἐφ' ὧν κρίνεται, ποιεῖται τοὺς λό γους· Κρίνατε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός μου· τὸ Ἔμεινα τοῦ μοιῆσαι σταφυλὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. 5.144 Νῦν δὲ ἀναγγελῶ ὑμῖν τί ποιήσω τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου. Ἴδιον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας, τὸ μὴ σιωπῇ τὰς κολάσεις ἐπάγειν, ἀλλὰ προκηρύσσειν διὰ τῶν ἀπειλῶν προ καλουμένου εἰς μετάνοιαν τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας· ὡς πεποίηκε Νινευίταις διὰ τοῦ Ἰωνᾶ. Καὶ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἡμαρτηκότι οὐσιωπῇ ἐπήγαγε τὸν ἀφανισμὸν, ἀλλὰ κινῶν εἰς τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ ἱκεσίαν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θεράποντα, προεκήρυσσε, λέγων· Καὶ νῦν ἄφες με καὶ ἐξαλείψω τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον. Παραπλησίως δέ τι καὶ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν συκῆν παραβολῆς μεμαθήκαμεν, τοῦ δεσπότου αὐτῆς λέγοντος τῷ γεοργῷ· Ἰδοὺ, τρία ἔτη