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but the accusation, and for us shame and ridicule. For the present things are not a theater, you are not sitting now watching tragedians, so that you may only applaud. What is here is a spiritual school. Therefore, the one thing we are zealous for is to rightly perform what has been said, and to show obedience through deeds. For then we will have received everything; as for now, we have given up at last. For I did not cease saying these things to those I met privately, exhorting, and speaking to you in common, and I see nothing more has been accomplished at all, but you still cling to the former elements; which is enough to instill great reluctance in the teacher. See, for example, Paul also being displeased for this reason, that his hearers spent much time on the first lessons. For when you ought to be teachers, he says, because of the time, you need again to be taught what are the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God. Therefore we also lament and mourn. And if I see you persisting, I will henceforth forbid you to set foot on these sacred thresholds, and to partake of the immortal mysteries, just as with fornicators and adulterers and those accused of murder. For it is better with two or three who keep the laws of God to offer up the accustomed prayers, than to be dragged down by a multitude of lawbreakers and those who corrupt others. Let no rich man, let no powerful man puff himself up here before me, and raise his eyebrows. All these things are to me a myth and a shadow and a dream. For none of the now wealthy will stand up for me there, when I am accused and charged with not having vindicated the laws of God with the appropriate severity. For this, this also destroyed that wonderful old man, although he provided an irreproachable life; but nevertheless, because he overlooked the laws of God being trampled upon, he was punished with his children, and paid the harsh penalty. But if where the tyranny of nature was so great, he who did not deal with his own children with the appropriate manliness 57.265 paid such a harsh penalty, what excuse will we have, we who are freed from that tyranny, and corrupt everything with flattery? Therefore, so that you do not destroy both us and yourselves, be persuaded, I beseech you, and having appointed for yourselves countless examiners and accountants, be rid of the 57.266 habit of oaths, so that proceeding on your way from here, you may with all ease achieve the other virtues, and enjoy the good things to come; may it be that all of us attain them, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.

57.265 HOMILY 18. You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the evil one; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And to him who wishes to sue you, and take your tunic, let him have

your cloak also. 1. Do you see that He was not speaking about an eye before, when He legislated

to cut out the offending eye, but about that which harms us through friendship, and casts us into the pit of destruction? For He who makes so great a hyperbole here, not even permitting one to cut out the eye of another who is gouging out one's own, how could He have legislated to cut out one's own? But if anyone accuses the old law, because it commands to retaliate in this way, he seems to me to be utterly inexperienced in the wisdom befitting a lawgiver, and to be ignorant of the power of the times, and of the gain of condescension. For if he considers who they were who heard these things, and how they were disposed, and when they received this legislation, he will strongly approve of the

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δὲ ἡ κατηγορία, καὶ ἡμῖν αἰσχύνη καὶ γέλως. Οὐδὲ γὰρ θέατρόν ἐστι τὰ παρόντα, οὐ τραγῳδοὺς κάθησθε θεώμενοι νῦν, ἵνα κροτῆτε μόνον. ∆ιδασκαλεῖόν ἐστι τὰ ἐνταῦθα πνευματικόν. ∆ιὸ καὶ τὸ σπουδαζόμενον ἕν ἐστιν, ὥστε κατορθῶσαι τὰ εἰρημένα, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπιδεῖξαι τὴν ὑπακοήν. Τότε γὰρ τὸ πᾶν ἐσόμεθα ἀπειληφότες· ὡς νῦν γε καὶ ἀπηγορεύσαμεν λοιπόν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ἰδίᾳ συντυγχάνουσιν οὐ διέλιπον ταῦτα, παραινῶν, καὶ ὑμῖν κοινῇ διαλεγόμενος, καὶ οὐδὲν ὅλως ὁρῶ γεγενημένον πλέον, ἀλλ' ἔτι τῶν προτέρων ὑμᾶς ἐχομένους στοιχείων· ὅπερ ἱκανὸν τῷ διδάσκοντι πολὺν ἐνθεῖναι τὸν ὄκνον. Ὅρα γοῦν καὶ Παῦλον διὰ τοῦτο δυσανασχετοῦντα, ὅτι πολὺν χρόνον τοῖς προτέροις ἐνδιέτριβον μαθήμασιν οἱ ἀκροαταί. Καὶ γὰρ ὀφείλοντες εἶναι, φησὶ, διδάσκαλοι διὰ τὸν χρόνον, πάλιν χρείαν ἔχετε τοῦ διδάσκεσθαι ὑμᾶς, τίνα τὰ στοιχεῖα τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν λογίων τοῦ Θεοῦ. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς θρηνοῦμεν καὶ ὀδυρόμεθα. Κἂν ἐπιμένοντας ἴδω, ἀπαγορεύσω λοιπὸν ὑμῖν τῶν ἱερῶν τούτων ἐπιβῆναι προθύρων, καὶ τῶν ἀθανάτων μετασχεῖν μυστηρίων, ὥσπερ τοῖς πορνεύουσι καὶ μοιχεύουσι καὶ ἐπὶ φόνοις ἐγκαλουμένοις. Καὶ γὰρ βέλτιον μετὰ δύο καὶ τριῶν τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ φυλαττόντων νόμους τὰς συνήθεις ἀναφέρειν εὐχὰς, ἢ πλῆθος ἐπισύρεσθαι παρανομούντων καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διαφθειρόντων. Μή μοί τις πλούσιος, μή μοί τις δυνάστης ἐνταῦθα φυσάτω, καὶ τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνασπάτω. Πάντα μοι ταῦτα μῦθος καὶ σκιὰ καὶ ὄναρ. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ τῶν νῦν πλουτούντων ἐκεῖ μου προστήσεται, ὅταν ἐγκαλῶμαι καὶ κατηγορῶμαι, ὡς μὴ μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης σφοδρότητος τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ διεκδικήσας νόμους. Τοῦτο γὰρ, τοῦτο καὶ τὸν θαυμαστὸν ἐκεῖνον πρεσβύτην ἀπώλεσε. καίτοι βίον παρεχόμενον ἄληπτον· ἀλλ' ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμους πατουμένους ὑπερεῖδεν, ἐκολάζετο μετὰ τῶν παίδων, καὶ τὴν χαλεπὴν ἐδίδου τιμωρίαν. Εἰ δὲ ἔνθα τοσαύτη τῆς φύσεως ἦν ἡ τυραννὶς, ὁ μὴ μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης ἀνδρείας τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ παισὶ χρησάμενος 57.265 οὕτω χαλεπὴν ἔδωκε δίκην, τίνα ἕξομεν συγγνώμην ἡμεῖς, καὶ τῆς τυραννίδος ἐκείνης ἀπηλλαγμένοι, καὶ κολακείᾳ τὸ πᾶν διαφθείροντες; Ἵν' οὖν μὴ καὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς προσαπολέσητε, πείσθητε, παρακαλῶ, καὶ μυρίους ἐξεταστὰς καὶ λογιστὰς ἑαυτοῖς καταστήσαντες, ἀπαλλάγητε τῆς τῶν ὅρκων 57.266 συνηθείας, ἵνα ὁδῷ προβαίνοντες ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἀρετὴν μετ' εὐκολίας κατορθώσητε πάσης, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀπολαύσητε ἀγαθῶν· ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

57.265 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΗʹ. Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐῤῥέθη Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος. Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ· ἀλλ' ὅστις σε ῥαπίσει εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην. Καὶ τῷ θέλοντί σοι κρι θῆναι, καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἄφες

αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον. αʹ. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι οὐ περὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ τὰ πρότερα ἔλεγεν, ἡνίκα ἐνομοθέτει

ὀφθαλμὸν ἐκκόπτειν τὸν σκανδαλίζοντα, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ διὰ φιλίας βλάπτοντος ἡμᾶς, καὶ εἰς τὸ τῆς ἀπωλείας ἐμβάλλοντος βάραθρον; Ὁ γὰρ τοσαύτην ἐνταῦθα ποιούμενος τὴν ὑπερβολὴν, καὶ μηδὲ ἑτέρου ἐξορύττοντος τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἐπιτρέπων ἐκκόψαι τὸν ἐκείνου, πῶς ἂν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἐκκόπτειν ἐνομοθέτησεν; Εἰ δέ τις τοῦ παλαιοῦ κατηγορεῖ νόμου, διὰ τὸ κελεύειν οὕτως ἀμύνεσθαι, σφόδρα μοι δοκεῖ σοφίας νομοθέτῃ πρεπούσης ἄπειρος εἶναι, καὶ καιρῶν δύναμιν ἀγνοεῖν, καὶ συγκαταβάσεως κέρδος. Ἂν γὰρ ἐννοήσῃ τίνες ἦσαν οἱ ταῦτα ἀκούοντες, καὶ πῶς διακείμενοι, καὶ πότε τὴν νομοθεσίαν ἐδέξαντο ταύτην, σφόδρα ἀποδέξεται τοῦ