109

and their fabrics were provided as an adornment for their wisdom, concealing falsehood with deceptive and plausible words. With whom also will groan those who make bastard wine, not that from the vine. The supplier of all these things is the Egyptian river, from which another prophet turns away, saying: What have you to do with the land of Egypt, to drink the water of Geon? The things following these are foretold concerning obscure rulers, who lay in wait for the most famous and greatest cities, both Tanis and Memphis. 9But in that day the Egyptians shall be as women, in fear, in trembling, from the face of the hand of the Lord of Sabaoth, which he himself will lay upon them. And the land of the Jews shall be to the Egyptians 2153 a terror. Everyone who names it to them shall be afraid because of the counsel which the Lord has counseled against them9, etc. ...in judgment pursuing those who afflict. For in this way they will also know the Lord in the time of affliction, which he called a day. But some have understood the saying as referring entirely to his coming. For since human nature was tyrannized by demons, and was constrained by a great burden of evils, as the matter itself cried out, God had mercy on the race. For thus it is said that the blood of Abel also cries out, since God abhorred the absurdity of the deed. For how, they say, did they call upon him whom they did not know before, except only through the things they suffered, when he also sends the Word to them in human form? And he has saved by judging, that is, by bringing a just judgment upon them, having handed over those who afflict to chains of darkness. Therefore he himself says: Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. Thus Christ judged the tyrant and the world, and drew the Egyptians also to himself; in return for which they perform thanksgiving sacrifices, making vows, and contend to the very end in the contests of faith according to that which says: "Vow and pay." But it is necessary to apply the mind, how the saying presents the introduction of a new law and a New Covenant. For since Moses forbade an altar to be outside Jerusalem, and commanded that only the tribe of Levi should serve as priests, how does the prophecy establish an altar in Egypt, and say that the Egyptians would become priests of God? But according to the Apostle, when the priesthood is changed, of necessity a change of the law also takes place. And after what was said the prophet says: And the Lord will strike the Egyptians with a plague, and will heal them. "For whom the Lord loves, he chastens. And he scourges every son whom he receives." Therefore he brings a plague upon the Egyptians whenever they happen to need this, not prolonging his anger. But some say that he calls the servitude under the Romans a plague, through which he healed them, by providing a passage to them for the saving proclamation. For previously it was not possible to visit those who were disposed to have no dealings. Nevertheless, God brings a plague for benefit, and not in wrath. Knowing this, the prophets say: "Chasten us, O Lord, but in judgment, and not in wrath." And again: "In a little affliction is your chastening to us." And to the Synagogue of the Jews he says: In travail and with the scourge you will be chastened, Jerusalem. After which things he says: In that day, that is, at the same time, there will be a road for the Assyrians to the Egyptians, speaking thus according to the ancient custom of those inhabiting both Syria and Mesopotamia, who remained enemies to the Egyptians, when before the rule of the Romans they used their own kings; 2156 these under those from Antiochus, and those under the Ptolemies; and the Jews, being in the middle, were attacked by both in turn. But Christ, having come, the peace of all, not only joined the earthly things to the heavenly, but also the nations to one another. Just as he also deemed these three, who were hostilely disposed, worthy of one blessing, so that Israel should no longer be exalted as being called the people of God and the only one blessed. For all were taught piety, and to hold fast to love for one another. For having beaten their swords into sickles, they do not raise them against one another, having come under one yoke, spiritually of God, and bodily of the Romans. And they serve the

109

καὶ κόσμον τῆς παρ' αὐτῶν σοφίας εὐπορεῖτο τὰ τούτων ὑφάσματα λόγοις τὸ ψεῦδος καλύπτουσιν ἀπατηλοῖς τε καὶ πιθανοῖς. Μεθ' ὧν στενάξουσι καὶ οἱ τὸν νόθον οἶνον, οὐ τὸν ἐξ ἀμπέλου κατασκευάζοντες. Ὧν δὴ πάντων χορηγὸς ὁ Αἰγυπτιακός ἐστι ποταμὸς, οὗ ἀποτρέπων ἕτερος προφήτης φησί· Τί σοι καὶ τῇ γῇ Αἰγύπτου τοῦ πιεῖν ὕδωρ Γηών; Τὰ δὲ τούτων ἑξῆς περὶ ἀφανῶν ἀρχόντων προλέγεται, οἳ ταῖς περιφανέσι καὶ μεγίσταις ἐφέδρευον πόλεσι, τῇ τε Τάνει καὶ Μέμφει. 9Τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσονται οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, ὡς γυναῖκες, ἐν φόβῳ, ἐν τρόμῳ, ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς χειρὸς Κυρίου Σαβαὼθ, ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπιβαλεῖ αὐτοῖς. Καὶ ἔσται ἡ χώρα τῶν Ἰουδαίων τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις 2153 εἰς φόβητρον. Πᾶς ὃς ἐὰν ὀνομάσῃ αὐτὴν αὐτοῖς, φοβηθήσονται διὰ τὴν βουλὴν ἣν βεβούλευται Κύριος ἐπ' αὐτοὺσ9, κ.τ.λ. ... ἐν κρίσει τοὺς θλίβοντας μετερχόμενος. Τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ τρόπῳ καὶ γνώσονται τὸν Κύριον ἐν τῷ τῆς θλίψεως καιρῷ, ὃν ἡμέραν ἐκάλεσε. Τινὲς δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν ὅλως τὴν ἐπιδημίαν τὸν λόγον ἐξέλαβον. Τῆς γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ὑπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων τυραννουμένης, φορτίῳ τε κακῶν συνεχομένης πολλῷ, ὡς αὐτοῦ βοῶντος τοῦ πράγματος, Θεὸς τὸ γένος ἠλέησεν. Οὕτω γὰρ λέγεται καὶ αἷμα τοῦ Ἄβελ βοᾷν, τὴν ἀτοπίαν τοῦ πράγματος βδελυξαμένου Θεοῦ. Πῶς γὰρ ἐκάλουν, φασὶν, ὃν ἠγνόουν τὸ πρότερον, ἀλλ' ἢ δι' ὧν ἔπασχον μόνον, ὅτε καὶ τὸν Λόγον αὐτοῖς ἐν ἀνθρωπείᾳ πέμπει μορφῇ; Καὶ σέσωκε κρίνων, τουτ' ἔστι δικαίαν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ἐκφέρων τὴν κρίσιν, σειραῖς ζόφου τοὺς θλίβοντας παραδούς. ∆ιό φησιν αὐτός· Νῦν κρίσις ἐστὶν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· νῦν ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἐκβληθήσεται ἔξω. Οὕτω Χριστὸς ἐδίκασε τυράννῳ καὶ κόσμῳ, εἵλκυσέν τε καὶ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους πρὸς ἑαυτόν· ἀνθ' ὧν χαριστηρίους θυσίας ἐκτελοῦσιν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, μέχρι τε παντὸς τοῖς τῆς πίστεως ἐναθλοῦσιν ἀγῶσι κατὰ τό· "Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε." Ἐπιστῆσαι δὲ τὸν νοῦν ἀναγκαῖον, ὡς καινοῦ νόμου καὶ Καινῆς ∆ιαθήκης παρίστησιν ὁ λόγος εἰσαγωγήν. Μωσέως γὰρ ἀπαγορεύσαντος ἐκτὸς, Ἱερουσαλὴμ μὴ δεῖν γενέσθαι θυσιαστήριον, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Λευῒ μόνην ἱερατεύειν φυλὴν ἐπιτάξαντος, πῶς ἡ προφητεία θυσιαστήριον ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καθίστησιν, ἱερέας τε Θεοῦ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους γενέσθαι φησί; Κατὰ δὲ τὸν Ἀπόστολον, μετατιθεμένης ἱερωσύνης, ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου μετάθεσις γίνεται. Μετὰ δὲ τὰ εἰρημένα φησὶν ὁ προφήτης· Καὶ πατάξει Κύριος τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους πληγῆ, καὶ ἰάσεται αὐτούς. "Ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος, παιδεύει. Μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται." Πληγὴν οὖν ἐπάγει τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις, ὅτ' ἂν τύχωσι τούτου δεόμενοι, μὴ μηκύνων αὐτοῦ τὴν ὀργήν. Τινὲς δέ φασιν ὡς πληγὴν καλεῖ τὴν ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίοις δουλείαν, δι' ἧς αὐτοὺς ἰάσατο, πάροδον εἰς αὐτοὺς παρασχὼν τῷ σωτηρίῳ κηρύγματι. Πρότερον γὰρ οὐκ ἦν ἐπιφοιτᾷν ἀμίκτως διακειμένοις. Πλὴν ὠφελείᾳ, καὶ οὐ θυμῷ πληγὴν ἐπάγει Θεός. Ὅπερ εἰδότες οἱ προφῆταί φασι· "Παίδευσον ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, πλὴν ἐν κρίσει, καὶ μὴ ἐν θυμῷ." Καὶ πάλιν· "Ἐν θλίψει μικρᾷ ἡ παιδεία σου ἡμῖν." Καὶ τῇ τῶν Ἰουδαίων Συναγωγῇ φησιν· Ἐν πόνῳ καὶ μάστιγι παιδευθήσῃ, Ἱερουσαλήμ. Μεθ' ἅ φησι· Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν δηλονότι καιρὸν, ἔσται ὁδὸς Ἀσσυρίοις πρὸς Αἰγυπτίους, οὔτω λέγων κατὰ τὴν παλαιὰν συνήθειαν, τούς τε Συρίαν καὶ Μεσοποταμίαν οἰκοῦντας, οἳ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις πολέμιοι διετέλεσαν, ὅτε πρὸ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς ἰδίοις βασιλεῦσιν ἐκέχρηντο· 2156 οὗτοι μὲν τοῖς ἀπὸ Ἀντιόχου, Πτολεμαίοις δὲ ἐκεῖνοι· μέσοι δὲ ὅντες Ἰουδαῖοι ὑπ' ἀμφοτέρων ἀνὰ μέρος ἐβάλλοντο. Χριστὸς δὲ παραγενόμενος, ἡ πάντων εἰρήνη, οὐ μόνον τὰ ἐπίγεια τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις συνῆψεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἔθνη πρὸς ἄλληλα. Καθὰ καὶ ταῦτα τὰ τρία δυσμενῶς διακείμενα, καὶ μιᾶς ἠξίωσεν εὐλογίας, ὡς μηκέτι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ κατεπαίρεσθαι λαὸν Θεοῦ χρηματίζοντα καὶ μόνον εὐλογημένον. Πάντες γὰρ εὐσέβειαν ἐδιδάχθησαν, καὶ τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγάπης ἀντέχεσθαι. Τὰς γὰρ μαχαίρας εἰς ζιβύνας συγκόψαντες, ταύτας ἐπ' ἀλλήλους οὐκ αἴρουσιν ὑπὸ ζυγὸν ἕνα γεγονότες, πνευματικῶς μὲν Θεοῦ, σωματικῶς δὲ Ῥωμαίων. ∆ουλεύουσι δὲ τοῖς