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by the grace of God and to obtain the good things to come; of which may we all be deemed worthy in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOMILY 13.

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken partakes of another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

1. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, he says. Having spoken of Melchizedek, and shown how much greater he was than Abraham, and having declared the great difference, from this point he at last begins to show the difference of the covenant itself, and how the one is imperfect, the other perfect. And he does not yet enter into the things themselves, but for the present he argues from the priesthood and the covenant. For these things were more trustworthy to the unbelieving, when the proof is made from things already received and believed. He showed that Melchizedek was much better than both Levi and Abraham, having been in the order of priests for them. And again he attempts it from another point. From what point? From the present priesthood, and the Jewish one. And behold, I pray you, the exceeding greatness of his wisdom; for from the very point from which it was likely to cast Him out of the priesthood, since He was not after the order 63.102.30 of Aaron, from this he establishes Him; and casts them out. And he does this by introducing himself as if perplexed by something, why He is not said to be after the order of Aaron, thus solving the perplexity. And I myself, he says, am perplexed about this very thing, for what reason He was not made after the order of Aaron. For he indicates this by saying, "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood." And the phrase, "What further need," has great emphasis. If then Christ had formerly [come] according to the flesh after the order of Melchizedek, and then the Law had been given, and the things concerning Aaron; one might reasonably say that these latter things, being more perfect, abolish the former, as having been introduced later. but if Christ is later, and takes up another type of priesthood, it is clear that it is because those other things were less perfect. For let us suppose, he says, for the sake of argument, that all things were fulfilled, and that there was nothing imperfect in the priesthood; why then was it necessary for Him to be called, "After the order of Melchizedek," and not, "After the order of Aaron"? for what reason, having left Aaron aside, did he introduce another priesthood, that of Melchizedek? "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood," he says; that is, if the perfection of things, of doctrines, of life were by the Levitical priesthood. And see how he proceeds step by step. He said, "After the order of Melchizedek," showing that the order of Melchizedek is better; for that one was much better. Finally, he also shows this from the time, that it was after 63.103 Aaron, evidently as being better. And what does the following mean, "For the people," he says, "received the law under it"? What is, "Under it"? They adhere to it, he says, through it they do all things; it cannot be said that it was given to others. The people received the law under it; that is, has used it and did use it; it cannot be said that it was perfect, but did not preside over the people. They received the law under it; that is, they used it. What need then was there of another priesthood, if it had perfection? "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law." If there must be another priest, or rather another priesthood, there must also be another law. This is for those who say: What need was there of a new covenant? For he could also have cited a testimony from prophecy: "This is the covenant that I made with your fathers"; but for the present he argues from the priesthood. And see how he has been in travail from the beginning to say these things. He said, "After the order of Melchizedek." This cast out [the order] of Aaron; for it would not have been, "After the order"

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χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν· ὧν πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀξιοῦσθαι γένοιτο ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΓʹ.

Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερω σύνης ἦν (ὁ λαὸς γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτῇ

νενομοθέ τητο), τίς ἔτι χρεία, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισε δὲχ ἕτερον ἀνίστασθαι ἱερέα, καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν λέγεσθαι; μετατιθεμένης γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται. Ἐφ' ὃν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα, φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν, ἀφ' ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκε τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ. Πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, εἰς ἣν φυλὴν οὐ δὲν περὶ ἱερωσύνης Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησεν. αʹ. Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν, φησίν. Εἰπὼν περὶ τοῦ Μελχισεδὲχ, καὶ δείξας ὅσῳ κρείττων ἦν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ πολὺ τὸ διάφορον ἀποφήνας, ἐντεῦθεν ἄρχεται λοιπὸν τῆς διαθήκης αὐτῆς τὸ μέσον ἀποδεικνύναι, καὶ πῶς ἡ μὲν ἀτελὴς, ἡ δὲ τελεία. Καὶ οὐδέπω εἰς αὐτὰ τὰ πράγματα ἐμβαίνει, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς ἱερωσύνης τέως μάχεται καὶ τῆς διαθήκης. Τότε γὰρ ταῦτα πιστότερα ἦν τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ὅταν ἀπὸ τῶν ἤδη προειλημμένων καὶ πεπιστευμένων ἡ ἀπόδειξις γίνηται. Ἔδειξεν ὅτι πολὺ καὶ τοῦ Λευῒ καὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ βελτίων ἦν ὁ Μελχισεδὲχ, ἐν τάξει ἱερέων αὐτοῖς γενόμενος. Ἐξ ἑτέρου δὲ πάλιν ἐπιχειρεῖ. Ποίου δὴ τούτου; Τῆς νῦν ἱερωσύνης, καὶ τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς. Καὶ θέα μοι συνέσεως ὑπερβολήν· ἀφ' οὗ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτὸν ἐκβαλεῖν τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐπειδὴ μὴ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν 63.102.30 Ἀαρὼν, ἀπὸ τούτου τοῦτον μὲν ἵστησιν; ἐκβάλλει δὲ ἐκείνους. Ποιεῖ δὲ τοῦτο ἑαυτὸν εἰσάγων ὥσπερ ἀπό τινος διαπορούμενον, τί δήποτε μὴ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν λέγεται, οὕτω τὴν διαπόρησιν λύοντα. Καὶ ἐγὼ, φησὶ, τοῦτο αὐτὸ διαπορῶ, τίνος ἕνεκεν μὴ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν γέγονε. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τῷ εἰπεῖν, Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν. Καὶ τὸ, Τίς ἔτι χρεία, πολλὴν ἔμφασιν ἔχει. Εἰ μὲν οὖν πρώην ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲχ, ἔπειτα ὁ νόμος γέγονε, καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἀαρών· εἰκότως ἄν τις εἴποι, ἅτε ὄντα τελειότερα, ταῦτα ἐκεῖνα καταλύειν, ἅτε ἐπεισελθόντα· εἰ δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς ὕστερος, καὶ ἕτερον λαμβάνει τύπον τὸν τῆς ἱερωσύνης, δῆλον ὅτι ὡς ἀτελεστέρων ὄντων ἐκείνων. Θῶμεν γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ λόγῳ πάντα πεπληρῶσθαι, καὶ μηδὲν ἀτελὲς εἶναι ἐν τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ· τί οὖν ἔδει, Κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲχ, λέγεσθαι, καὶ οὐ, Κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρών; τίνος ἕνεκεν, ἀφεὶς τὸν Ἀαρὼν, ἑτέραν εἰσήνεγκεν ἱερωσύνην, τὴν τοῦ Μελχισεδέχ; Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερωσύνης, φησὶν, ἦν· τουτέστι, τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων, τῆς τῶν δογμάτων, τοῦ βίου ἡ τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς ὁδῷ προβαίνει. Εἶπεν ὅτι κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲχ, δεικνὺς ὅτι βελτίων ἡ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέχ· πολὺ γὰρ βελτίων ἐκεῖνος. Λοιπὸν δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ χρόνου τοῦτο δείκνυσιν, ὅτι μετὰ 63.103 Ἀαρὼν δηλονότι ὡς ἀμείνων. Καὶ τί βούλεται τὸ ἑξῆς, Ὁ λαὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐπ' αὐτῇ νενομοθέτητο; τί ἐστιν, Ἐπ' αὐτῇ; Αὐτῇ στοιχεῖ, φησὶ, δι' αὐτῆς ἅπαντα πράττει· οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἑτέροις ἐδόθη. Ὁ λαὸς ἐπ' αὐτῇ νενομοθέτητο· τουτέστι, κέχρηται αὐτῇ καὶ ἐχρήσατο· οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ὅτι τελεία μὲν ἦν, οὐ προειστήκει δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ. Ἐπ' αὐτῇ νενομοθέτητο· τουτέστιν, αὐτῇ ἐχρήσατο. Τίς οὖν ἑτέρας ἦν ἱερωσύνης χρεία, εἰ τὸ τέλειον εἶχε; Μετατιθεμένης γὰρ τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται· εἰ δὲ ἕτερον δεῖ ἱερέα εἶναι, μᾶλλον δὲ ἑτέραν ἱερωσύνην, ἀνάγκη καὶ νόμον ἕτερον εἶναι. Τοῦτο πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας· Τί ἔδει καινῆς διαθήκης; Εἶχε μὲν γὰρ καὶ μαρτυρίαν εἰπεῖν ἀπὸ προφητείας· Αὕτη διαθήκη, ἣν διεθέμην τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν· τέως δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἱερωσύνης μάχεται. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς ἄνωθεν ταῦτα εἰπεῖν ὤδινεν. Εἶπε· Κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέχ. Τοῦτο τὴν Ἀαρὼν ἐξέβαλεν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν, Κατὰ τὴν τάξιν