Catecheses ad illuminandos

 grace. He does not give what is holy to the dogs but where He sees a good purpose, there He gives the seal of salvation, the wondrous one, which demo

 may He keep you well-pleasing to Him To whom be the glory [and the power] unto the endless ages of ages. Amen. 2.t CATECHESIS II. OF THOSE WHO ARE TO

 teachings, but of Ezekiel the Spirit-bearing prophet. For he, having taken up a lamentation for him, says: You are the seal of the likeness, and the c

 extending the time? Therefore, what He did then after the hundred years, could He not have done immediately? But He deliberately extended it, giving a

 the most swift change of the philanthropic God. Nevertheless, he says: In provoking, you have provoked the enemies of the Lord you had many enemies o

 it is written: When you turn back and groan, then you shall be saved. He turned to the wall, and stretching his mind from his bed to heaven, (for the

 therefore despair of his own salvation. Peter, the chiefest and leader of the apostles, denied the Lord three times at the word of a servant-girl but

 having received it, acquires a power of holiness. 3.4 For since man is twofold, composed of soul and body, the purification is also twofold the incor

 wearing a garment of camel's hair, and showing in himself the type of asceticism who also was sanctified by the Holy Spirit, while still being carrie

 I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? And the martyrs indeed confess, having become a spectacle to the world, both to

 of such is a form of licentiousness. What is greater than crucifying Christ? And of this the purification is baptism. For to the three thousand who ca

 well, and to fornicate shamefully? What again is the benefit of being chaste well, and blaspheming impiously? The greatest possession, therefore, is t

 they worshipped the passion through what was seen but others, being amazed at the brightness of gold, deified both it and the other materials. But if

 being holy but for those from Adam, who had been shut up for a long time, not to obtain liberty at last? Isaiah the prophet preached so many things a

 Christ, having descended in the form of a dove that which worked in the Law and the Prophets that which now also at the time of baptism seals your s

 The soul has free will and the devil can make suggestions, but to compel against the will, he does not have the power. He suggests to you a thought o

 bodies those who have come to marriage for the sake of begetting children, but not for the sake of loving pleasure. 4.26 And let those in a first mar

 They say that this body is not raised. For it is raised and Isaiah is a witness, saying, The dead will be raised, and those in the tombs will be resu

 tamper with the statutes. And of the Old Testament, as has been said, study the twenty-two books which, if you are a lover of learning, be zealous to

 being about to become a partaker of the appellation. 5.2 Here, therefore, it is required, that one of you be found faithful from conscience. For it is

 was left behind. God promises childbearing to the old man and Abraham, not being weak in faith, and considering his own body now dead paid attention

 a dead man of four days, and on his own behalf to beseech the Redeemer? But what was lacking in the deceased, this was fulfilled through his true sist

 hearken to the things which have been delivered and to hold this as a provision for the whole journey of life, and besides it to receive no other no

 I do not speak of you who are present only, but even if all the flock of the whole ecumenical church, both that which now is and that which will be, s

 they contain, and archangels according to their ability But Thrones and Dominions, more so than the former, but less than is their due. But only the

 the earth is His footstool, but His power reaches even to those under the earth. 6.9 He is one, present everywhere, seeing all things, understanding a

 of great blindness! If it is a divinity, it is certainly also good but if it is not good, why is it called a divinity? For if goodness belongs to God

 and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. [Who also] brought down from the air to the earth the one considered God, who

 eponymous, which began formerly in the reign of the emperor Probus. For the error is a full seventy years old, and there are men up to the present day

 the Holy, has no forgiveness. Therefore, he blasphemed, calling himself the Holy Spirit. He who has fellowship with them, let him see with whom he ran

 to have will be taken away. 6.29 And if it is necessary, and as some interpret, to say this: for the saying is not trivial even if he blinded the min

 Into what, then, are these sons of rapine transformed? 6.32 Manichaeans, the offspring of idleness, who do not work and devour the things of those who

 Do not withdraw. Hate also those who were once suspected of such things and if you do not in time comprehend their repentance, do not rashly entrust

 between the doctrines concerning the Father, being in no way separated. 7.4 For the name of the Father, with the very utterance of the designation, al

 we have been deemed worthy, Our Father who art in heaven, but the gift is according to loving-kindness. For not being born by nature from the Father i

 Therefore the Psalm says to humanity: And forget your people, and your father's house, whom you chose as father, whom you drew to destruction. 7.13 No

 ALMIGHTY. And a reading from Jeremiah: The great God, and the mighty Lord great in counsel, and mighty in works, the Almighty, the Lord of great name

 a time for repentance, but having an unrepentant heart, they may be condemned more severely. Kings of men are those who rule upon the earth, but not w

 Gabriel, being a servant of the Lord, appeared, and immediately he was terrified and fell on his face and until the angel forced himself into the lik

 as the command ordained) how in summer, becoming higher, it makes the days longer, giving opportunity for work to men but in winter, it shortens its

 the face of a man and it is changed into bread, strengthening the heart of man, and into all sorts of created fruits. 9.10 For these things, what was

 all, which proceeds from every living creature? Already even from venomous vipers have antidotes proceeded for the salvation of men. But you will say

 the only-begotten being indignant? 10.2 If anyone therefore wishes to be pious toward God, let him worship the Son, since the Father does not accept t

 not called Lord in a figurative sense as we are, but in truth being Lord since by the will of the Father He rules over His own creations. For we have

 all things have been subjected to him it is clear that this is with the exception of the one who subjected all things to him, [and the rest] that Go

 name, lest from knowing clearly, they should readily plot against him. But he was called Jesus, not by men, but openly by an angel, who came not on hi

 New is the name of Christians, and before this it did not exist, and new things are often spoken against because of their strangeness. The prophet sec

 of God. The winds bear witness, being commanded and muzzled. The five loaves bear witness, multiplied for five thousand. The holy wood of the cross be

 Our Lord Jesus Christ, but by the many he was unknown. And wishing to teach what was unknown, gathering the disciples, he asked: Who do they say that

 he has not believed in the only-begotten Son of God. Concerning whom John, bearing witness, said: And we have seen His glory, glory as of an only-bego

 Thus, we affirm. And not we alone are ignorant of the generation of the Son from the Father, but also all created nature. Ask the earth to tell, if it

 more swiftly than our words or thoughts, He begot. For we, speaking in times, consume times but in the case of the divine power, the generation is ti

 more briefly, let us neither separate, nor work a confusion. And never say the Son is alien from the Father nor accept those who say that the Father

 dominions, or whatever is named, all things were made through Christ. He reigns over the things made by him not seizing a foreign dominion, but reign

 to the Father and to the Holy Spirit,] now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. 12.t The twelfth catechesis of those being enlightened, delivere

 is it for a virgin to give birth without a man? But since there is much contradiction and the battle is manifold, come, by the grace of Christ and the

 preaching for salvation, do you speak in secret? Go up on a high mountain, you who bring good news to Zion I have spoken to the cities of Judah. What

 having become man, since otherwise we could not contain him. For since we were not able to look upon or enjoy him as he was, he became what we are, so

 human sophistries? are not the divine scriptures our salvation? are not the prophecies of the prophets? Therefore keep this deposit for me unshaken, a

 they amount to four hundred eighty-three years. He said, therefore, that after Jerusalem was built, four hundred eighty-three years having passed and

 Therefore, when Ahaz was king, Isaiah having said this, Ahaz having reigned for only sixteen years, and the prophecy to him having been spoken during

 with adulteries and licentiousness. He who formed Adam also formed Eve, and by divine hands the male and the female were formed. None of the members i

 to men from the female sex is the grace. For Eve was born from Adam, and not conceived from a mother, but as if brought forth from a man alone. Theref

 See that a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see me having. Let the Lord who was born of a virgin be worshipped, and let the virgins know t

 to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For he was not a mere man, as has been said, who was dying for us, but the Son of God, God made man.

 having just come from the table and drunk the cup of blessing instead of the drink of salvation, he wanted to pour out righteous blood. He who ate his

 and since the remaining time of the hour is circumscribed to a little, hear now a few of the most important, as is possible. But having received these

 they have clay foundries. For by filtering out the fine and the rich and the useful part of the earth from the pebbles and separating the bulk of the

 of the earth. Hold to the accuracy of the prophets and true testimony. 13.15 Marvel at the Lord being judged. He endured being led and carried by sold

 thought, saying. Did He who knows the thoughts not know the outcome then? And what did they say? Come and let us put wood into his bread. And if the L

 of peace, rejoice in the cross only, but also in time of persecution have the same faith. Do not be a friend of Jesus in time of peace and an enemy in

 They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast a lot. And the lot was the allotment. 13.27 Again, being judged before Pilate

 darkened. Wherefore he also justly heard: take courage not because your deeds are worthy of courage, but because a king is present, bestowing grace.

 nor did he unwillingly give up his spirit? He called to the Father, saying: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. I commit it, that I may take i

 He was condemned to death. The thirty pieces of silver bear witness. Gethsemane bears witness, where the betrayal took place. I do not yet speak of th

 he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. and what follows. 14.1 Rejoice, Jerusalem, and hold a festival, all you who love Jesus fo

 says: Lord, you have brought up my soul from Hades. There he says prophetically, you will not abandon, and here he speaks of what is to come as if it

 A shelter from the ambitious construction of the tomb was in front of the rock. But where is the rock that has the shelter? Does it lie around the mid

 In the evening weeping will lodge, and in the morning, rejoicing. For late was the disciples' grief, and early the joy of the resurrection. 14.5 Do yo

 to the outworks that have been made? He says, therefore, in the Songs: in the shelter of the rock, close by the outwork. 14.10 At what season is the S

 him. 14.13 For after the vision of the angels, Jesus himself, the angel, came, and the gospel says: and behold, Jesus met them, saying: rejoice. And t

 Therefore in argument you accept your own things, but you reject ours, and these things written by the Hebrews among you? 14.16 But it is impossible,

 of saints was raised through him. 14.19 Death was astonished when it saw a new man descending into Hades, not held by its bonds. For what reason, O ga

 This, having then been rolled away, witnesses to the resurrection, lying there until today. Angels of God, being present, witnessed to the resurrectio

 ten thousand times a thousand acclaiming him, and that Elijah was taken up to the east of the Jordan, but Christ ascended to the east of the brook Ced

 having gone into heaven. But the apostle Paul, writing to the Romans, says: Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of G

 at the first coming only, but we also expect the second. and having said at the first, blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord, at the secon

 to blood. Let those who have converted from the Manichæans be instructed, and let them no longer deify the luminaries, nor impiously think that this s

 this happens? He says next: When therefore you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, let the o

 but leads astray those of the Gentiles with magical illusions. 15.12 This aforementioned Antichrist comes, when the times of the Roman empire shall be

 a fall, or a demolition on the pretext of rebuilding, or resulting from some other causes, shall cast down all the stones, I do not say of the outer c

 Do not remember these things alone, but also share them generously with all. If you have a child according to the flesh, admonish him now. And if thro

 is his sign? Lest ever an opposing power should dare to imitate it. And then, he says, will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And a true si

 A thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. Not that this is the only number, but that the prophet w

 living and dead, having died for the living and the dead. And as Paul says: For to this end Christ died and lived, that he might be Lord both of the d

 of a wonderful man, nevertheless the sentence of death pronounced against Adam reached both him and those who came after, and this though they had not

 of all things having come to be from God through Christ. This illumines the souls of the righteous, this also in the prophets, this also in the apostl

 filled with ignorance, having dared to say such things about the Holy Spirit, which I do not dare to say. 16.8 Let the Phrygians be hated, and Montanu

 he says but the water that I will give him, will become in him a spring of living water, leaping up to eternal life. A newer water, living and leapin

 he went down to the road that leads to Gaza, when the eunuch was coming. And the Spirit said to Philip: Go near and join this chariot. Do you see the

 is sent far away from knowledge, and sees also the things done by others. 16.17 Peter was not present with Ananias and Sapphira when they sold the pro

 Wait for the Lord, O man. The things that happen are small, the things gifted are great. Having labored for a little time, you are about to be with an

 to you. The Father through the Son with the Holy Spirit bestows all things. The gifts of the Father are not different from those of the Son, nor from

 directly. And as we have in Chronicles, Azariah in the time of King Asa and Oziel in the time of King Jehoshaphat partook of the Holy Spirit, and agai

 to collect and narrate more broadly the things concerning the Holy Spirit. But the time is short and it is necessary to be mindful also of the due me

 that the Holy Spirit and the Paraclete are the same, it is said “but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit.” And concerning the Paraclete and the Spirit of t

 He knows, but he also recognizes married people, if the marriage is according to the law. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied

 demons. And immediately following: Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not

 Water is poured around on the outside, but the Spirit also baptizes the soul within completely. And why do you marvel? Take a bodily example, small an

 brings forth fruits, so also the same Spirit, remaining what it is, and having often worked in the prophets, now has shown something new and wonderful

 wisdom (for they were unlettered and ordinary men), but through the working of the Spirit. For it is written: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,

 Christ's calling. And let Ananias the devout, who was in Damascus, come as a witness for our words, saying to him: The Lord has sent me, Jesus who app

 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: to abstain from things sacrificed to idol

 bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. And again, writing to Timothy: Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 17.33

 He gives that which is not seen. You come to a great examination, to a great enrollment in that one hour, which if you lose, the evil is irremediable

 in Gothia. others having been burned by fire, rain or wind scattered the very ashes. From where is the body gathered? 18.3 To you, being a very small

 are we raised? 18.7 The season is winter, as you see. The trees now stand as if dead. For where are the leaves of the fig tree? Where are the clusters

 do not disbelieve in the resurrection of the dead, but what you see in the case of the moon, this you should believe also concerning yourself. Use the

 And if it says that the dead will not praise you, Lord, this shows that since the appointed time for repentance and forgiveness is only in this life,

 having received the trial, you may cause the seed to bear fruit by spreading it. But let it be remembered that the apostles also raised the dead, Pete

 having been spoken again to you by us with all diligence, let it be recited word for word and remembered by you. 18.22 And since the Faith which is re

 You should flee their defiled systems, but remain in the holy Catholic Church always, in which you were also reborn. And if ever you are visiting in c

 he will keep it for eternal life. And again, that through preferring Christ to money and family and everyone who has left brothers or sisters, and so

 Thus you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful metropolis Zion, on account of the law that came forth from Zion and the word of the

Water is poured around on the outside, but the Spirit also baptizes the soul within completely. And why do you marvel? Take a bodily example, small and simple, but useful for the more simple-minded. If fire, passing through the thickness of iron, makes the whole thing fire on the inside, and the cold becomes hot, and the black becomes shining; if fire, being a body, entering into the body of iron, works so unhinderedly, why do you marvel if the Holy Spirit enters into the innermost parts of the soul? 17.15 But so that the greatness of so much grace coming down might not be unknown, a trumpet, as it were, sounded from heaven. For suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a rushing, mighty wind, signifying the presence of the one who grants to men to seize the kingdom of God by force, so that eyes might see the tongues of fire and ears might hear the sound. And it filled the whole house where they were sitting. The house became a vessel of the spiritual water. The disciples were sitting inside and the whole house was filled. They were therefore completely baptized according to the promise, clothed both in soul and body with a divine and saving garment. And there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and it sat on each one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They partook of fire, not a consuming fire, but a saving fire, which destroys the thorns of sins, but illumines the soul. This is now about to come also upon you, and to take away and consume your thorny sins, but to make the precious possession of your soul yet brighter and to give you grace. For he gave it then also to the apostles. In the form of tongues of fire it sat upon them, that they might be crowned with newer, spiritual diadems by means of fiery tongues upon their heads. A flaming sword formerly barred the gates of paradise; a saving, fiery tongue restored grace. 17.16 And they began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Peter the Galilean and Andrew spoke either Persian or Median. John and the rest of the apostles spoke every language to those from the nations. For it was not now that crowds of foreigners began to gather here from everywhere, but from that time. What teacher so great is found, teaching at once what they have not learned? For so many years through grammar and through arts they learn only to speak Greek well. And not even all of them speak it equally well. But the orator perhaps succeeds in speaking well, while the grammarian sometimes does not speak well, and the one who knows grammar does not know philosophy. But the Holy Spirit at once teaches many languages, which they in all their time do not know. This is truly great wisdom, this is divine power. What comparison is there between their ignorance over a long time and the sudden, diverse, and strange working of tongues all at once? 17.17 There arose a confusion among the crowd of those who heard. A second confusion, in place of the first evil one at Babylon. For in the confusion of tongues there was a division of purpose, since their mindset was against God; but here there was a restoration and a union of minds, since what was sought was pious. Through the means by which the fall came, through these came the restoration. [whence] they were amazed, saying: How is it that we hear them speaking? It is not surprising if you are ignorant. For Nicodemus also was ignorant of the coming of the Spirit, and to him it was said: The Spirit blows where it wishes, and you hear its voice, but you do not know from where it comes and where it goes. But if, even when I hear its voice, I do not know from where it comes, how can I describe what its substance is? 17.18 But others mocking said, "They are full of new wine," speaking truly, but mockingly. For the wine was truly new, the grace of the New Covenant. But this new wine is from a spiritual vine, which had often before borne fruit in the prophets, and sprouted in the New Covenant. For just as, in a physical sense, the vine always remains the same, but at newer seasons

ὕδωρ ἔξωθεν περιχεῖται, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα καὶ τὴν ἔνδοθεν ψυχὴν βαπτίζει ἀπαραλείπτως. καὶ τί θαυμάζεις; λάβε ὑπόδειγμα σωματικόν, μικρὸν μὲν καὶ εὐτελές, χρήσιμον δὲ τοῖς ἀφελεστέροις. εἰ τὸ πῦρ διὰ τῆς παχύτητος τοῦ σιδήρου διαβαῖνον ἔνδον τὸ ὅλον ἀπεργάζεται πῦρ, καὶ ὁ ψυχρὸς γίνεται ζεστός, καὶ ὁ μέλας γίνεται ἐκλάμπων, εἰ σῶμα ὂν τὸ πῦρ ἐν σώματι σιδήρου ἐνδύνον οὕτως ἀπαρεμποδίστως ἐργάζεται, τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐν τοῖς ἐνδοτάτοις τῆς ψυχῆς εἰσέρχεται; 17.15 Ἵνα δὲ τοσαύτης χάριτος κατερχομένης μὴ ἀγνοηθῇ τὸ μέγεθος, σάλπιγξ ὥσπερ ἐπουράνιος ἤχησεν. ἐγένετο γὰρ ἄφνω ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἦχος ὥσπερ φερομένης πνοῆς βιαίας σημαινούσης τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ χαριζομένου τοῖς ἀνθρώποις μετὰ βίας ἁρπάζειν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα καὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἴδωσι τὰς πυρίνας γλώσσας καὶ ὦτα ἐπακούσῃ τοῦ ἤχου. καὶ ἐπλήρωσεν ὅλον τὸν οἶκον οὗ ἦσαν καθημένοι. δοχεῖον γέγονε τοῦ νοητοῦ ὕδατος ὁ οἶκος. οἱ μαθηταὶ ἔνδον ἐκαθέζοντο καὶ ὁ οἶκος πᾶς ἐπλήσθη. ἐβαπτίσθησαν τοίνυν ἀνελλειπῶς κατὰ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, ἐνεδύθησαν ψυχῇ τε καὶ σώματι θείαν ἔνδυσιν καὶ σωτήριον. Καὶ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς διαμεριζόμεναι γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐφ' ἕνα ἕκαστον αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν ἅπαντες πνεύματος ἁγίου. πυρὸς μετέλαβον, οὐ καταφλεκτικοῦ, ἀλλὰ σωτηριώδους πυρός, ἀφανίζοντος μὲν ἀκάνθας ἁμαρτιῶν, λαμπρύνοντος δὲ τὴν ψυχήν. τοῦτο μέλλει νῦν ἔρχεσθαι καὶ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς, καὶ τὰς μὲν ἀκανθώδεις ὑμῶν ἁμαρτίας περιαιρεῖν καὶ ἀναλίσκειν, τὸ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ὑμῶν κτῆμα τὸ τίμιον ἔτι λαμπρύνειν καὶ διδόναι ὑμῖν χάριν. ἔδωκε γὰρ καὶ τότε τοῖς ἀποστόλοις. ἐν εἴδει πυρίνων γλωσσῶν ἐπεκαθέζετο αὐτοῖς, ἵνα διαδήματα καινότερα περιθῶνται πνευματικὰ διὰ πυρίνων γλωσσῶν ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς. φλογίνη ῥομφαία πρότερον ἐκώλυε πύλας παραδείσου, πυρίνη γλῶσσα σωτηριώδης ἀπεκατέστησε τὴν χάριν. 17.16 Καὶ ἤρξαντο λαλεῖν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις, καθὼς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐδίδου ἀποφθέγγεσθαι αὐτοῖς. Γαλιλαῖος ὁ Πέτρος καὶ Ἀνδρέας ἢ ἐπέρσιζεν ἢ ἐμήδιζεν. Ἰωάννης καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι πᾶσαν γλῶσσαν ἐλάλουν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν. οὐ γὰρ νῦν ἐνταῦθα ἤρξατο τῶν ξένων πλήθη συναθροίζεσθαι πανταχόθεν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τότε. ποῖος τοσοῦτος διδάσκαλος εὑρίσκεται, διδάσκων ἀθρόως ἃ μὴ μεμαθήκασιν; τοσούτοις ἔτεσι διὰ γραμματικῆς καὶ διὰ τεχνῶν μανθάνουσι μόνον ἑλληνιστὶ καλῶς λαλεῖν. καὶ οὐδὲ πάντες λαλοῦσιν ὁμοίως. ἀλλ' ὁ ῥήτωρ μὲν ἴσως κατορθοῖ λαλεῖν καλῶς, ὁ γραμματικὸς δὲ ἐνίοτε οὐ καλῶς, καὶ ὁ τὴν γραμματικὴν εἰδὼς τὰ φιλοσοφούμενα οὐκ οἶδεν. τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἅμα διδάσκει πολλὰς γλώσσας, ἅσπερ ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ ἐκεῖνοι οὐκ οἴδασιν. τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθῶς σοφία πολλή, τοῦτο θεία δύναμις. ποία σύγκρισις τῆς ἐν πολλῷ χρόνῳ ἀμαθείας ἐκείνων πρὸς τὴν ἀθρόαν καὶ διάφορον καὶ ξένην ἐξαίφνης τῶν γλωσσῶν ἐνέργειαν; 17.17 Ἐγένετο σύγχυσις τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἀκουσάντων. δευτέρα σύγχυσις ἀντὶ τῆς ἐν Βαβυλῶνι πρώτης κακῆς. ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς συγχύσεως τῶν γλωσσῶν διαίρεσις ἦν τῆς προαιρέσεως, ἐπειδὴ ἀντίθεον ἦν τὸ φρόνημα, ὧδε δὲ ἀποκατάστασις καὶ ἕνωσις τῶν γνωμῶν, ἐπειδὴ εὐσεβὲς ἦν τὸ σπουδαζόμενον. δι' ὧν ἡ ἀπόπτωσις, διὰ τούτων ἡ ἐπάνοδος. [ὅθεν] ἐθαύμαζον λέγοντες· πῶς ἡμεῖς ἀκούομεν λαλούντων αὐτῶν; οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν εἰ ὑμεῖς ἀγνοεῖτε. καὶ γὰρ καὶ Νικόδημος ἠγνόησε τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν παρουσίαν, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐῤῥέθη· τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις, ἀλλ' οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει. εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἐὰν ἀκούσω οὐκ οἶδα πόθεν ἔρχεται, αὐτὸ τί ποτέ ἐστι τὴν ὑπόστασιν πῶς δύναμαι διηγήσασθαι; 17.18 Ἄλλοι δὲ διαχλευάζοντες ἔλεγον, ὅτι γλεύκους μεμεστωμένοι εἰσίν, λέγοντες μὲν ἀληθῶς, ἀλλὰ χλευαστικῶς. νέος γὰρ ἦν ἀληθῶς ὁ οἶνος, καινῆς διαθήκης ἡ χάρις. ἀλλ' ὁ νέος οὗτος οἶνος ἀπὸ νοητῆς ἀμπέλου, πολλάκις ἔτι καρποφορησάσης ἐν προφήταις, καὶ ἐν καινῇ διαθήκῃ βλαστησάσης. ὥσπερ γὰρ αἰσθητῶς ἡ μὲν ἄμπελος ἀεὶ μένει ἡ αὐτή, κατὰ δὲ καιροὺς καινοτέρους