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“The arrangement”: Concerning the ecclesiastical deacons, and what is the liturgy of the monks; for he calls them ministers. He says these things also in the “Ecclesiastical Hierarchy.”

“The gates of the inner sanctuary”: For to deacons the guarding of the Church’s gates has been assigned, as in the “Ecclesiastical Hierarchy,” he says in the chapter concerning the priestly consecrations, a little after the beginning of the chapter.

(15∆_440> “Of the divine curtains”: That even then there were curtains around the altar.

“Nor do you have any of the things that are fitting”: Note that he who rushes upon the holy things in a disorderly way and contrary to the sacred ordinances, is believed to see, or hear, or possess nothing of them, even if he touches them with his hands.

“He dared; for not yet”: The phrase “He was justly punished” is understood, as if it applied to this one as well.

“When someone attempts things beyond his worth”: That, even if someone does fitting things, but contrary to his own rank and worth, this one also exceeds what is possible for him.

“Demons truly theologizing”: Concerning the demons who theologize about Jesus.

“But an outcast”: That every meddler is an outcast from theology. “And the priests prepare”: Who can gather and lift up the holy things,

and that it is not possible for all. “And Miriam becomes a leper”: Note the reason for which Miriam, the

sister of Moses, was made a leper. “And upon the sons of Sceva”: But upon the sons of Sceva the demons

leaped, because neither believing in Christ, nor having been ordained, did they exorcise the demons, which was permitted only to the exorcists. This is found in the Acts of the holy Apostles.

“Not even just things not according to worth”: Note what is meant by, “what is just shall be justly pursued,” which Moses says, and that it is not permitted to pursue even just things not according to worth. You have this also in what follows. Origen treats this at length in the 10th book of his “on the Lamentations of Jeremiah.”

(15∆_442> § 2. “What then do you say?”: An objection as if from Demophilus, that there is impiety among the priests which is not corrected.

“But I will make my defense to you”: A defense against the objection concerning minding one's own business. [a’] “And not locally”: That the things concerning angelic foundations and ranks are not

to be received locally, that they draw near to God, but according to the aptitude of each; [b’] for God is not in a place, therefore, it is fitting that neither are the intelligible powers.

[c’]“Symbols in a Christ-like manner”: That is, the celebration of the mysteries. And in a Christ-like manner, because the priests, praying over the divine gifts, that is, symbols, hold the rank of Christ.

§ 3. [d’] “But not to Demophilus”: For it is not lawful, he says, for Demophilus, being a minister, to correct these sins.

“And they are just”: What it is to pursue just things justly, and that justice is assigned to angels.

[e’] “But Demophilus by reason”: That is, let Demophilus punish his own irrationality, and his anger, and the desire for his own love of rule.

[s’] And note, that in all existing things, through the first to the second, things are assigned according to worth.

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«Ἡ διακόσμησις»: Περί τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν διακόσμων, καί τίς ἡ τῶν μοναζόντων λειτουργία· αὐτούς γάρ καλεῖ θεραπευτάς. Ταῦτα καί ἐν τῇ «Ἐκκληστιαστικῇ ἱεραρχίᾳ» φησίν.

«Αἱ πύλαι τῶν ἀδύτων»: ∆ιακόνοις γάρ ἡ φυλακή τῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας πυλῶν ἀφώρισται, ὡς ἐν τῇ «Ἐκκλησιαστικῇ ἱεραρχίᾳ», ἐν τῷ περί τῶν ἱερατικῶν τελειώσεων κεφαλαίῳ φησί, μετ' ὀλίγα τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ κεφαλαίου.

(15∆_440> «Τῶν θείων παραπετασμάτων»: Ὅτι καί τότε παραπετάσματα ἦν περί τό θυσιαστήριον.

«Οὔτε ἔχεις τί τῶν προσηκόντων»: Σημείωσαι, ὅτι ὁ ἀτάκτως καί παρά τούς ἱερούς θεσμούς τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐπεισπηδῶν, οὐδέν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὔτε ἰδεῖν, οὔτε ἀκοῦσαι, οὔτε ἔχειν πιστεύεται, εἰ καί ταῖς χερσίν αὐτῶν ἅπτεται.

«Ἐτόλμησεν· οὔπω γάρ»: Κατά κοινοῦ τό Ἐνδίκως ἐτιμωρεῖτο, ὡσανεί καί οὗτος.

«Ὅταν ὑπέρ ἀξίαν τις ἐγχειρῶν»: Ὅτι, εἰ καί τά εἰκότα τις ποιεῖ, παρά τήν οἰκείαν δέ τάξιν τε καί ἀξίαν, καί οὗτος τό ἐφικτόν ὑπερβαίνει.

«∆αίμονες ἀληθῶς θεολογοῦντες»: Περί τῶν θεολογούντων τόν Ἰησοῦν δαιμόνων.

«Ἀλλ' ἐκκήρυκτος»: Ὅτι ἐκκήρυκτος τῇ θεολογίᾳ πᾶς ἀλλοτριεπίσκοπος. «Καί οἱ ἱερεῖς περιστέλλουσι»: Τίνες συνάγειν καί ἐπαίρειν δύνανται τά ἅγια,

καί ὅτι οὐ πᾶσιν ἐφικτόν. «Καί Μαριάμ λεπροῦται»: Σημείωσαι τήν αἰτίαν δι' ἥν ἐλεπρώθη Μαρία ἡ τοῦ

Μωϋσέως ἀδελφή. «Καί ἐπί τούς Σκευᾶ υἱούς»: Ἐπί τούς υἱούς δέ τοῦ Σκευᾶ τά δαιμόνια

ἐφήλατο, ὅτι μήτε πιστεύοντες εἰς Χριστόν, μήτε κεχειροτονημένοι ἐξώρκιζον τούς δαίμονας, ὅπερ τοῖς ἐπιορκισταῖς μόνοις θεμιτόν ἦν. Τοῦτο ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἁγίων Ἀποστόλων κεῖται.

«Οὐδέ τά δίκαια μή κατ' ἀξίαν»: Σημείωσαί τί ἐστι, «δίκαιως διώξεται τό δίκαιον», ὅ φησι Μωϋσῆς, καί ὅτι οὐδέ τά δίκαια θεμιτόν μή κατ' ἀξίαν διώκειν. Ἔχεις δέ τοῦτο καί ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς. Πλατέως δέ τοῦτο διαγυμναζει Ὠριγένης ἐν τῷ ι' τῶν «εἰς τούς Ἰερεμίου Θρήνους».

(15∆_442> § 2. «Τί οὖν φής;»: Ἀντίθεσις ὡς ἐκ ∆ημοφίλου, ὅτι ἐστίν ἀσέβεια ἐν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι μή εὐθυνομένη.

«Ἐγώ δέ ἀπολογήσομαί σοι»: Ἀπολογία πρός τήν ἀντίθεσιν περί ἰδιοπραγίας. [α'] «Καί μή τοπικῶς»: Ὅτι τά περί τῶν ἀγγελικῶν ὑποβάσεων καί τάξεων οὐ

τοπικῶς δεῖ δέχεσθαι, ὅτι πλησιάζουσι Θεῷ, ἀλλά πρός τήν ἑκάστου ἐπιτηδειότητα· [β'] οὐ γάρ ἐν τόπῳ ὁ Θεός εἰκότως οὖν οὐδ' αἱ νοηταί δυνάμεις.

[γ']«Σύμβολα Χριστοειδῶς»: Τουτέστι τήν τῶν μυστηρίων τελεσιουργίαν. Χριστοειδῶς δέ, διότι οἱ ἱερεῖς, τοῖς θείοις ἐπευχόμενοι δώροις, ἤτοι συμβόλοις, τήν τοῦ Χριστοῦ τάξιν ἐπέχουσιν.

§ 3. [δ'] «Ἀλλ' οὐ ∆ημοφίλῳ»: Οὐ γάρ ἔξεστι, φησί, ∆ημοφίλῳ, θεραπευτῇ ὄντι, ταῦτα εὐθύνειν τά ἁμαρτήματα.

«∆ίκαια δέ ἐστι»: Τί ἐστι, δικαίως τά δίκαια μεταδιώκειν, καί ὅτι ἀγγέλοις τό δίκαιον ἀπονέμεται.

[ε'] «∆ημόφιλος δέ λόγῳ»: Τουτέστι τήν ἑαυτοῦ ἀλογίαν, καί τόν θυμόν, καί τήν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ φιλαρχίας κολαζέτω ὁ ∆ημόφιλος.

[ς'] Σημείωσαι δέ, ὡς ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς οὖσι διά τῶν πρῶτων τοῖς δευτέροις ἀπονέμεται τά κατ' ἀξίαν.