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you have testified, then he turned this very thing, which they thought to bring forward for the deposition of Christ, back upon themselves. For having first shown that it was not from his own testimony that he shone, after this he stops their mouths with this, saying, A man can receive nothing of himself, unless it has been given him from heaven. What is this? If you hold to my testimony at all, he says, and consider it true, learn that for this very reason you ought to prefer him to me, not me to him. For what did I testify? I call you as witnesses of this. Wherefore he adds: You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I am sent before him. If, therefore, holding to my testimony, you propose these things to me, saying, He to whom you have testified, not only is he in no way diminished by receiving my testimony, but he gains the most from this; and besides, the testimony was not mine, but God's. So if I seem to you to be credible, I said this along with the other things, that I am sent before him. Do you see how he shows little by little that the voice is divine? For what he says is this: I am a servant, and I speak the things of him who sent me, not flattering him with human favor, but serving his Father who sent me. Therefore, I did not offer the testimony as a favor, but I said what I was sent to say. Do not, therefore, think that I am great on account of this. For this shows that he is great. For he is the Lord of these matters. And declaring this again, he adds and says: He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. And how does he who said, I am not worthy to loose the strap of his sandal, now say that he is his friend? He says these things not to exalt himself, nor boasting, but wishing to show that he himself especially desires this, and that these things do not happen against his will or with him grieving, but with him desiring and being eager, and that these are the things for which he did everything; which he also very wisely declared through the title of friend. For the servants of the bridegroom do not rejoice and are not as glad in such matters as the friends. Therefore, not equality—far from it—but wishing to show the greatness of his pleasure, and at the same time condescending to their weakness, he says he is a friend. Since he also hinted at his service by saying, I am sent before him. For these reasons, and because they thought he was vexed by what was happening, he called himself a friend of the bridegroom, showing that not only is he not vexed, but he rejoices exceedingly 59.170. Since, therefore, I came to accomplish this, I am so far from being pained by what is done, that I would have been especially pained then, if this had not happened. For if the bride had not come to the bridegroom, then I would have been vexed; but not now, he says, when our work has been accomplished. For when his affairs prosper, we are the ones who are well-pleased; for what we wished has come to pass, and the bride recognizes the bridegroom. And you yourselves bear witness, saying, All are coming to him. For this is what I was eager for, and for this I did everything. Wherefore, seeing this now fulfilled, I rejoice and am glad and leap for joy. 3. And what is, He who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice? He shifted the discourse from the parable to the subject at hand. For since he mentioned the bridegroom and the bride, he shows how the bridal procession takes place, that it is through voice and teaching. For thus also is the Church joined to God. Wherefore Paul also said: Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God. For this voice, therefore, I rejoice. And the phrase, who stands, he did not put simply, but to show that his own work has ceased, and that it is necessary for him henceforth to stand and listen, having delivered the bride to him; and that he is a minister and a servant, and that for him the things of good hope and gladness have come to pass. Wherefore he adds, showing this: This my joy therefore is fulfilled; that is, the work which had to be done has been accomplished by me, and more

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μεμαρτύρηκας, τότε καὶ τοῦτο ὃ ᾤοντο προβαλέσθαι εἰς τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καθαίρεσιν, εἰς αὐτοὺς αὐτὸ περιέτρεψεν. Καὶ γὰρ πρότερον δείξας ὅτι οὐ παρὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίας τὸ λάμψαι αὐτῷ γέγονε, μετὰ ταῦτα ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς ἐπιστομίζει, Οὐ δύναται, λέγων, ἄνθρωπος ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ λαμβάνειν οὐδὲ ἓν, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Εἰ ὅλως ἔχεσθε τῆς ἐμῆς μαρτυρίας, φησὶ, καὶ ἀληθῆ ταύτην ἡγεῖσθε, μάθετε ὅτι διὰ ταύτην μάλιστα οὐκ ἐμὲ ἐκείνου, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνον ἐμοῦ προτιμᾷν ἐχρῆν. Τί γὰρ ἐμαρτύρησα; Ὑμᾶς καλῶ τούτου μάρτυρας. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπάγει· Αὐτοὶ ὑμεῖς μοι μαρτυρεῖτε, ὅτι εἶπον, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ Χριστὸς, ἀλλ' ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐχόμενοι τῆς ἐμῆς μαρτυρίας ταῦτα προτείνεσθέ μοι λέγοντες, Ὧ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ἠλάττωται ἐκ τοῦ τὴν ἐμὴν δέξασθαι μαρτυρίαν, ἀλλὰ πλεονεκτεῖ μάλιστα ἐκ τούτου· ἄλλως τε οὐδὲ ἐμὴ ἡ μαρτυρία, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἦν. Ὥστε εἰ ἀξιόπιστος ὑμῖν εἶναι δοκῶ, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τοῦτο εἶπον, ὅτι Ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου. Ὁρᾷς πῶς δείκνυσι κατὰ μικρὸν θείαν τὴν φωνὴν οὖσαν; Ὃ γὰρ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· ∆ιάκονός εἰμι, καὶ τὰ τοῦ πέμψαντος λέγω, οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνῃ χάριτι κολακεύων αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ τῷ Πατρὶ αὐτοῦ τῷ πέμψαντί με διακονούμενος. Οὐκ ἄρα ἐχαρισάμην τὴν μαρτυρίαν, ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἀπεστάλην εἰπεῖν, εἶπον. Μὴ τοίνυν διὰ τοῦτο νομίσητε μέγαν εἶναι ἐμέ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐκεῖνον δείκνυσι μέγαν. Ὁ γὰρ Κύριος τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν. Ὃ καὶ δηλῶν πάλιν ἐπάγει καὶ λέγει· Ὁ ἔχων τὴν νύμφην, νυμφίος ἐστίν· ὁ δὲ φίλος τοῦ νυμφίου ὁ ἑστηκὼς καὶ ἀκούων αὐτοῦ, χαρᾷ χαίρει διὰ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ νυμφίου. Καὶ πῶς ὁ εἰπὼν, Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄξιος λῦσαι αὐτοῦ τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος, φίλον αὐτοῦ νῦν φησιν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι; Οὐκ ἐπαίρων τὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸν, οὐδὲ κομπάζων ταῦτα λέγει, ἀλλὰ δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦτο μάλιστα σπεύδει, καὶ οὔτε ἄκοντος αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ λυπουμένου ταῦτα γίνεται, ἀλλ' ἐπιθυμοῦντος καὶ σπουδάζοντος, καὶ ὅτι ταῦτά ἐστιν ὑπὲρ ὧν μάλιστα πάντα ἔπραττεν· ἃ καὶ σφόδρα συνετῶς διὰ τῆς τοῦ φίλου προσηγορίας ἐδήλωσεν. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως οἱ διάκονοι τοῦ νυμφίου, ὡς οἱ φίλοι χαίρουσι καὶ εὐφραίνονται ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις. Οὐ τοίνυν τὸ ὁμότιμον· ἄπαγε· ἀλλὰ τὸ πολὺ τῆς ἡδονῆς παραστῆσαι βουλόμενος, ἅμα δὲ καὶ συγκαταβαίνων αὐτῶν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ, φίλον ἑαυτὸν λέγει εἶναι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὴν διακονίαν ᾐνίξατο τῷ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου. ∆ιὰ δὴ ταῦτα καὶ τὸ νομίζειν αὐτοὺς δάκνεσθαι τοῖς γινομένοις, φίλον ἑαυτὸν ἐκάλεσε τοῦ νυμφίου, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ μόνον οὐ δάκνεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα 59.170 χαίρει. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τοῦτο παρεγενόμην ἀνύσαι, τοσοῦτον ἀπέχω τοῦ ἀλγῆσαι τοῖς πραττομένοις, ὅτι τότε μάλιστα ἂν ἤλγησα, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ἐγένετο. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ προσῆλθεν ἡ νύμφη τῷ νυμφίῳ, τότε ἂν ἐδήχθην· ἀλλ' οὐχὶ νῦν, φησὶν, ὅταν τὰ ἡμέτερα ἤνυσται. Καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἐκείνου προκοπτόντων, ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν οἱ εὐδοκιμοῦντες· ὃ γὰρ ἐβουλόμεθα, γέγονε, καὶ ἐπιγινώσκει τὸν νυμφίον ἡ νύμφη. Καὶ ὑμεῖς δὲ μαρτυρεῖτε αὐτοὶ λέγοντες, ὅτι Πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐσπούδαζον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πάντα ἔπραττον. Ὅθεν καὶ τοῦτο νῦν ἐκβεβηκὸς ὁρῶν, χαίρω καὶ ἀγάλλομαι καὶ σκιρτῶ. γʹ. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Ὁ ἑστηκὼς καὶ ἀκούων αὐτοῦ, χαρᾷ χαίρει διὰ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ νυμφίου; Ἀπὸ τῆς παραβολῆς τὸν λόγον μετήγαγεν ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ νυμφίου καὶ νύμφης ἐμνημόνευσε, δείκνυσιν, ἡ νυμφαγωγία πῶς γίνεται, ὅτι διὰ φωνῆς καὶ διδασκαλίας. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἁρμόζεται τῷ Θεῷ. ∆ιὸ καὶ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν· Ἡ πίστις ἐξ ἀκοῆς, ἡ δὲ ἀκοὴ διὰ ῥήματος Θεοῦ. ∆ιὰ ταύτην οὐκοῦν ἐγὼ χαίρω τὴν φωνήν. Καὶ τὸ Ὁ ἑστηκῶς δὲ, οὐχ ἁπλῶς τέθεικεν, ἀλλὰ δηλῶν ὅτι τὰ αὐτοῦ πέπαυται, καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸν λοιπὸν ἑστάναι χρὴ καὶ ἀκούειν, ἐκείνῳ παραδόντα τὴν νύμφην· καὶ ὅτι λειτουργός ἐστι καὶ διάκονος, καὶ τὰ τῆς χρηστῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτῷ καὶ τῆς εὐφροσύνης ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ἔργον. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπάγει τοῦτο δεικνύς· Αὕτη οὖν ἡ ἐμὴ χαρὰ πεπλήρωται· τουτέστιν, ἤνυσται παρ' ἐμοῦ τὸ ἔργον, ὃ γενέσθαι ἔδει, καὶ πλέον