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is of the senses; for the places of the senses are as it were caves. God therefore wants him to depart from sensible things. And the saint brings along the possession in these things that has been wisely acquired, serving him for the perfection towards intelligible things, or does not the perfect man, in addition to great things, also have the adornment of a well-ordered smile of teeth and gait of foot? And he also brings his wife, who is fittingly interpreted as "my beginning"; for the wise man is with wisdom, either being ruled by it or having from it the ability to rule, and having her as a spouse according to the word of Solomon: "I brought her to live with me", that is, wisdom, "and I became a lover of her beauty"; and she also bears prudence for a man. And he also brings Lot his nephew, about whom we might reason thus: Abraham is a son of God on account of righteousness, -for "Everyone" "who practices righteousness has been born of God", -and for this reason he is a partaker of the divine and invisible and supernatural mysteries, but such a man has a brother who wisely makes use of sensible things; for such a thing contributes to the perfect man; and his son is Lot, interpreted as "a redeemed declension"; for in that he is not the son of the wise man but of the one concerned with sensible things, he is a declension, being slightly shaken from sensible things, but in that he is under the holy man and follows him, he is redeemed, receiving this beginning of the comprehension of divine and supernatural things. This very man and type Abraham brought along, wisely accepting sensible things as well; for it is good also to be a declension, inclining toward good things and being shaken from their opposites; for thus also a prayer is sent up when the psalmist says: "Let all the earth be shaken from his 214 face"; for when this happens, the earth no longer remains earth, when his face has shone upon those on earth so that they become heavenly. Of the same thought is also "You who sit upon the cherubim, let the earth be shaken", so that a change may come about concerning it. So indeed those with the patriarch also went out, having changed for the better; for they came into Canaan, which is interpreted as "prepared"; for it is fitting for the one now being introduced, who has begun to leave sensible things, to be made ready for the reception of more divine things. xii, 6. And Abram passed through the land in its length as far as the place of Shechem, to the high oak; and the Canaanites then dwelt in the land" The account indeed introduces that, having recently moved to this land, he necessarily observes its appearance, traversing the length, and it is likely also the breadth, learning its extent; for the oracle notes "as far as the place of Shechem", and also that the Canaanites dwelt in the land. But from this it is necessary to proceed to the spiritual interpretation. The saint, having moved from sensible things, which he also pursued well, to a more divine progress, and having gone after it, he perceived the length, which gives the impression that he also perceived the height of divine things. This very thing also the blessed Paul *** what is the breadth and length and depth and to know the surpassing grace of God". Therefore he perceived all these things, being testified from the greater also concerning the others. And he comes "as far as the place of Shechem", where the well happened to be, at which Jesus sat down, being weary because he had a body consubstantial with our flesh, which might plausibly suggest that from the greater occupation with theology, which is indicated by the length, he came also to the doctrine concerning the incarnation according to what was said by Jesus 215: "Abraham desired to see my day, and he saw it and was glad". And he comes to Shechem, interpreted as shoulder-blades, being deemed worthy of all these things through virtuous actions; for the shoulder, from which is the term for shoulder-blades, is a symbol of work, as it is said: "Give your heart to your shoulders", and concerning one of the patriarchs: "He put his shoulder to the work". Thus, at any rate, it is also said concerning the man whom the Savior assumed: "His government was upon his shoulder

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ἐστιν τῶν αἰσθήσεων· οἱ τόποι γὰρ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ὡσανεὶ τρῶγλαί εἰσιν. Βούλεται οὖν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπαναστῆναι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν. Καὶ τὴν ἐν τούτοις κτῆσιν συνετῶς γεγενημένην ὁ ἅγιος συνεπάγεται χρησιμεύουσαν αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν εἰστὰ νοητὰ τελείωσιν, ἢ ὁ τέλειος πρὸς τοῖς μεγάλοις οὐκ ἔχει καὶ τὸν στολισμὸν κεκοσμημένον μειδιασμόν τε ὀδόντων καὶ βῆμα ποδός; Ἐπάγεται δὲ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἥτις ἑρμηνεύε- ται "3ἀρχή μου"3 προσφόρως· ὁ σοφὸς γὰρ μετὰ τῆς σοφίας ἐστὶν ἤτοι ἀρχόμενος ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἢ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἔχων τὸ ἄρχειν, καὶ σύζυγον αὐτὴν ἔχων κατὰ τὸ σαλομώντιον· "6Ἤγαγον αὐτὴν εἰς συμβίωσιν ἐμαυτῷ"6, τὴν σοφίαν δηλονότι, "6καὶ ἐραστὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς"6· αὕτη δὲ καὶ τίκτει ἀνδρὶ φρόνησιν. Ἐπάγεται δὲ καὶ τὸν Λὼτ τὸν ἀδελφιδοῦν, περὶ οὗ οὕτως ἂν διαλάβοιμεν· ὁ Ἀβρὰμ υἱὸς Θεοῦ διὰ δικαιοσύνην ὑπάρχει, -"6Πᾶς"6 γὰρ "6ὁ ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται"6, -καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῶν θείων καὶ ἀοράτων καὶ ὑπερφυῶν ἐστι μέτοχος μυστηρίων, ἔχει δ' ἀδελφὸν ὁ τοιοῦτος τὸν τῶν αἰσθητῶν σοφῶς μεταποιούμενον· συμβάλλεται γὰρ τῷ τελείῳ τὸ τοιοῦτον· τούτου δ' υἱὸς ὁ Λὼτ "3ἀπόκλισις λελυτρωμένος"3 ἑρμηνευόμενος· ᾗ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν υἱὸς τοῦ σοφοῦ ἀλλὰ τοῦ περὶ τὰ αἰσθητὰ ἔχοντος, ἀπόκλισίς ἐστιν ὀλίγον σαλευόμενος ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, ᾗ δὲ ὑπὸ τὸν ἅγιόν ἐστιν καὶ τούτῳ ἕπεται, λελυτρωμένος ὑπάρχει ἀρχὴν ταύτην τῆς τῶν θείων καὶ ὑπερφυῶν νοήσεως δεχόμενος. Τοῦτον δὴ καὶ ἄνθρωπον καὶ τρόπον ἐπήγετο Ἀβρὰμ σοφῶς δεχόμενος καὶ τὰ αἰσθητά· καλὸν γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἀπόκλισιν εἶναι ῥέποντα πρὸς τὰ καλὰ καὶ σαλευόμενον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ εὐχὴ ἀναπέμπεται λέγοντος τοῦ ψαλμῳδοῦ· "6Σαλευθήτω ἀπὸ προσώπου 214 αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ"6· τούτου γὰρ γινομένου οὐκέτι ἡ γῆ γῆ μένει, τοῦ προσώπου καταλάμψαντος τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς πρὸς τὸ γενέσθαι οὐρανίους. Τῆς αὐτῆς διανοίας ἐστὶν καὶ τὸ "6Ὁ καθήμεν̣ος ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβείμ, σαλευθήτω ἡ γῆ"6, ἵνα μεταβολὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ γένηται. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τῷ πατριάρχῃ ἐξῆλθον μεταβαλόντες ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον· ἦλθον γὰρ εἰς Χαναάν, ὅπερ ἑρμηνεύεται "3ἡτοι- μασμένη"3· πρέπει γὰρ τῷ νῦν εἰσαγομένῳ ἀρξαμένῳ καταλιπεῖν τὰ αἰσθητὰ εὐτρεπισθῆναι πρὸς παραδοχὴν τω῀̣ν θειοτέρων. χιι, 6. Καὶ διώδευσεν Ἀβρὰμ τὴν γῆν εἰς τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχὲμ ἐπὶ τὴν δρῦν τὴν ὑψηλήν· οἱ δὲ Χαναναῖοι τότε κατῴκουν τὴν γῆν"6 Εἰσάγει μὲν ὁ λόγος ὅτι νεωστὶ εἰς̣ τὴν γῆν ταύτην μεταστὰς ἀναγκαίως αὐτῆς τὴν εἰδέαν κατανοεῖ διοδεύων τὸ μῆκος, εἰκὸς δ' ὅτι καὶ τὸ πλάτος, τὴν περιοχὴν αὐτῆς καταμανθάνων· σημειοῦται γὰρ τὸ λόγιον "6ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχέμ"6, καὶ ὅτι δὲ οἱ Χαναναῖοι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κατῴκουν. Ἀναγκαίως δὲ ἀπὸ τούτου χωρητέον ἐπὶ τὴν ἀναγωγήν. Ὁ ἅγιος μεταστὰς ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ καλῶς μετῄει, ἐπὶ προκοπὴν θειοτέραν, καὶ μετελθὼν κατενόει τὸ μῆκος, ὅπερ ἔμφασιν παρέχει ὡς τὸ ὕψος καὶ τῶν θείων κατενόει. Τοῦτ' αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος *** τί πλάτος καὶ μῆκος καὶ βάθος γνῶναι τε τὴν ὑπερβάλ- λουσαν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ"6. Ταῦτα οὖν ἅπαντα κατενόει ἀπὸ τοῦ μείζονος καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων μαρτυρούμενος. Ἔρχεται δὲ "6ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχέμ"6, ἔνθα ἡ πηγὴ ἐτύγχανεν, ἐφ' ἣν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκαθέσθη κοπιάσας διὰ τὸ ὁμοούσιον τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ σῶμα ἔχειν, ὅπερ πιθανῶς ὑποβάλλοι ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς μείζονος καὶ περὶ θεολογίαν ἀσχολίας, ὃ δηλοῦται διὰ τοῦ μήκους, ἦλθεν καὶ εἰς τὸν περὶ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως λόγον κατὰ τὸ ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ 215 εἰρημένον· "6Ἀβρ<α>ὰμ ἐπεθύμησεν ἰδεῖν τὴν ἡμέραν [τ]ὴν ἐμήν, καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἐχάρη"6. Ἔρχεται δὲ εἰς Συχὲμ ἑρμηνευομένην ὠμίασιν διὰ πράξεων ἐναρετῶν ἁπάντων τούτων ἀξιούμενος· ὁ ὦμος γάρ, ἀφ' οὗ ἡ ὠμίασις, σύμβολον ὑπάρχει ἔργου, καθὸ εἴρηται· "6∆ὸς καρδίαν σου εἰς ὤμους σου"6, καὶ περὶ ἑνὸς τῶν πατριαρχῶν· "6Ὑπέθηκεν τὸν ὦμον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πονεῖν"6. Οὕτω γοῦν λέγεται καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, οὗ ἀνέλαβεν ὁ Σωτήρ· "6Ἐγενήθη ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου