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(he says) such abundance will come upon the land, that one heifer and two sheep will supply abundant milk to the one who possesses them; so that he will have a surplus of butter, because all who dwell on the land will be nourished with butter and honey. But perhaps it is more fitting to interpret the teachings about the animals with higher meanings. For instead of saying that each one will nourish the industrious and agricultural part of the soul, he said "a heifer," the agricultural animal that works with us; and instead of a gentle, mild, and generous character, he tropologically named "sheep." Because, just as from this animal the material for our clothing exists, so from the garment of virtue the life of the zealous is naturally adorned. Since, therefore, he is both spiritually nourished and adorned, for this reason "he will nourish a heifer and two sheep." "Butter and honey" he calls the introductory teachings into divine doctrine; because the first food of man, butter and honey, has been devised. But when he is sufficiently nourished by these, after having been initiated, then, having surpassed the things on earth, he will partake of more solid and greater food, and food fitting for men, giving himself to spiritual lessons. 7.206 And it will be in that day, every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels will become wasteland and thorns. With arrow and bow they will enter there, because all the land will be wasteland and thorns, and every mountain that is plowed will be plowed. Fear shall not come there; for it will be, from the wasteland and thorns, pasture for sheep and a treading-place for the ox. Thus in places difficult to understand, we think we have found a narrative that is not entirely discordant. See, then, if you can receive such a meaning concerning the sayings, that the thousand vines worth a thousand shekels were those of the circumcision. For he brought a vine out of Egypt and, having cast out nations, he planted it; which, having flourished before, was later neglected because it turned to bitterness; and its hedge was torn down, and it became plunder for those passing by. Those fruitful vines, therefore, became wasteland and thornbrakes, when the enemy army with countless arrows and bows came upon them, bringing desolation. But the plowed mountains are the souls that have believed in Christ; formerly desolate and uncultivated, for this reason they were wasteland and bore thorns before the advent of Christ; but since he came for the fall and rising of many and called the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are, for this reason those of the circumcision, having lost their lushness and fruitfulness, turned into wasteland. But the company from the nations, which is called a plowed mountain, is plowed, having been freed from all cowardice and from the fear of enemies. A mountain, therefore, is the soul exalted by the teaching of Christ. Since, therefore, the Lord came, Israel was broken off, but the nations were planted, so that by their transgression salvation might be administered to all, and without fear both sheep and oxen grazing on these mountains, may provide abundant benefit from themselves. Evidently, "sheep" are those of more kindly character, and "oxen" are those more industrious in the work of necessities.

8.t CHAPTER 8

8.207 And the Lord said to me, "Take for yourself a large, new scroll, and write on it with a man's pen, 'To make a swift plunder of spoils.' For it is at hand. And make for me faithful men as witnesses, Uriah and Zechariah, the son of Barachiah. And I went to the Prophetess, and she conceived in the womb and bore a son. And the Lord said to me, "Call his name, 'Plunder swiftly, Spoil quickly.'" Because before the child knows how to call 'father' or 'mother,' he will take the power

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(φησὶ) τοσαύτη κατὰ τὴν χώραν εὐετη ρία γενήσεται, ὥστε μίαν δάμαλιν καὶ δύο πρόβατα τῷ κεκτημένῳ δαψιλὲς χορηγεῖν τὸ γάλα· ὥστε ἔχειν αὐτὸν περιουσίαν βουτύρου, διὰ τὸ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς βουτύρῳ καὶ μέλιτι τρέφεσθαι. Τάχα δὲ εὐπρε πέστερον ὑψηλοτέραις ἐννοίαις τὰς περὶ τῶν ζώων διδασκα λίας ἐκδέχεσθαι. Ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι θρέψει ἕκαστος τὸ φιλόπονον καὶ γεωργικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς, δάμαλιν εἶπε, τὸ γεωργικὸν καὶ συνεργὸν ἡμῖν ζῶον· καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἡμέρου καὶ ἐπιεικοῦς καὶ εὐμεταδότου ἤθους, πρόβατα τροπικῶς προσ ηγόρευσε. ∆ιότι, ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τοῦ ζώου τούτου ἡ ὕλη τῆς σκέπης ἡμῖν ὑπάρχει, οὕτως ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν περιβολῆς ἡ ζωὴ τῶν σπουδαίων κατακοσμεῖσθαι πέφυκεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ τρέφεται πνευματικῶς καὶ κεκόσμηται, διὰ τοῦτο θρέψει δάμαλιν καὶ δύο πρόβατα. Βούτυρον καὶ μέλι τὰ εἰσαγωγικὰ εἰς τὴν θείαν διδασκα λίαν διδάγματα λέγει· διότι πρῶτον ἀνθρώπου τροφὴ, βού τυρον καὶ μέλι ἐπινενόηται. Ὅταν δὲ τούτοις αὐτάρκως τραφῇ, μετὰ τὸ στοιχειωθῆναι, τότε ὑπερβὰς τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, στερεωτέρας καὶ μείζονος καὶ ἀνδράσι πρεπούσης τροφῆς μεταλήψεται, τοῖς πνευματικοῖς μαθήμασιν ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδούς. 7.206 Καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, πᾶς τόπος οὗ ἐὰν ὦσι χίλιαι ἄμπελοι χιλίων σίκλων, εἰς χέρσον ἔσονται καὶ εἰς ἄκανθαν. Μετὰ βέλους καὶ τοξεύματος εἰσελεύσονται ἐκεῖ, ὅτι χέρσος καὶ ἄκανθα ἔσται πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, καὶ πᾶν ὄρος ἀρο τριώμενον ἀροτριωθήσεται. Οὐ μὴ ἐπέλθῃ ἐκεῖ φόβος· ἔσται γὰρ, ἀπὸ τῆς χέρσου καὶ ἀκάνθης, βόσκημα προβά του καὶ καταπάτημα βοός. Ὥς γε ἐν τόποις δυσθεωρήτοις, ἡγούμεθα μὴ πάντη ἀπᾴ δουσαν διήγησιν εὑρηκέναι. Ὅρα τοίνυν, εἰ δύνασαι τοιαύτην διάνοιαν περὶ τῶν ῥητῶν ἐκλαβεῖν, ὡς ἄρα μὲν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς ἦσαν αἱ χίλιαι ἄμπελοι χιλίων σίκλων. Ἄμπελον γὰρ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετῆρε καὶ, ἐκβαλὼν ἔθνη, κατεφύτευσεν αὐτήν· ἥτις, εὐθηνήσασα πρότερον, ὕστερον ἠμελήθη διὰ τὸ στραφῆ ναι αὐτὴν εἰς πικρίαν· καὶ καθῃρέθη μὲν αὐτῆς ὁ φραγμὸς, ἐγένετο δὲ εἰς διαρπαγὴν τοῖς παραπορευομένοις. Ἐκεῖναι τοίνυν αἱ ἄμπελοι αἱ πολύφοροι ἐγένοντο εἰς χέρσον καὶ ἀνακανθῶνας, ὅτε μετὰ μυρίων βελῶν καὶ τοξευμάτων ὁ πολέμιος αὐτοῖς ἐπῆλθε στρατὸς, τὴν ἐρημίαν ἐπάγων. Ὄρη δὲ ἀροτριώμενά εἰσιν αἱ εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκυῖαι ψυχαί· πρότερον μὲν ἔρημοι καὶ ἀγεώργητοι, διὰ τοῦτο ἐχέρ σευον καὶ ἠκανθοφόρουν πρὸ τῆς Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίας· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἦλθεν εἰς πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ἵνα τὰ ὄντα καταργήσῃ, διὰ τοῦτο οἱ μὲν ἐν περιτομῇ, ἀπολέσαντες τὸ εὐθαλὲς καὶ τὸ ἔγκαρπον, εἰς χέρσον μετέ βαλον. Τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν σύστημα, ὅπερ ὄρος ὠνόμασται ἀροτριώμενον, ἀροτριᾶται, ἀπαλλαγὲν πάσης δειλίας καὶ τοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν πολεμίων φόβου. Ὄρος οὖν, ἡ ὑψωθεῖσα ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίας ψυχή. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἦλθεν ὁ Κύριος, ἐξεκλάσθη μὲν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, κατεφυτεύθη δὲ τὰ ἔθνη, ἵνα τῷ ἐκείνων παραπτώματι ἡ σωτηρία πᾶσιν οἰκονομηθῇ, καὶ ἀδεῶς τοῖς ὄρεσι τούτοις καὶ πρόβατα καὶ βόες ἐννεμό μενα, ἄφθονον τὴν παρ' ἑαυτῶν ὠφέλειαν παρέχωνται. ∆η λονότι πρόβατα οἱ χρηστότεροι τὰ ἤθη, βόες δὲ, οἱ πρὸς τὴν ἐργασίαν τῶν ἀναγκαίων φιλοπονώτεροι.

8.t ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ηʹ

8.207 Καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρός με· Λάβε σεαυτῷ τόμον καινοῦ μεγάλου, καὶ γράψον αὐτὸν γραφίδι ἀνθρώπου, τοῦ ὀξέως προνομὴν ποιῆσαι σκύλων. Πάρεστι γάρ. Καὶ μάρ τυρας ποίησαι πιστοὺς ἀνθρώπους, τὸν Οὐρίαν καὶ Ζαχαρίαν, τὸν υἱὸν Βαραχίου. Καὶ προσῆλθον πρὸς τὴν Προφῆτιν, καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβε καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν. Καὶ εἶπέ μοι Κύριος· Κά λεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, Ταχέως σκύλευσον, Ὀξέως προνό μευσον. ∆ιότι πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι τὸ παιδίον καλεῖν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα, λήψεται δύναμιν