Chapter XV.—Different Degrees of Knowledge.

The Gnostic, then, is impressed with the closest likeness, that is, with the mind of the Master; which He being possessed of, commanded and recommended to His disciples and to the prudent. Comprehending this, as He who taught wished, and receiving it in its grand sense, he teaches worthily “on the housetops”1589    Matt. x. 27; Luke xii. 3. those capable of being built to a lofty height; and begins the doing of what is spoken, in accordance with the example of life. For He enjoined what is possible. And, in truth, the kingly man and Christian ought to be ruler and leader. For we are commanded to be lords over not only the wild beasts without us, but also over the wild passions within ourselves.

Through the knowledge, then, as appears, of a bad and good life is the Gnostic saved, understanding and executing “more than the scribes and Pharisees.”1590    Matt. v. 20. “Exert thyself, and prosper, and reign” writes David, “because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall guide thee marvellously,”1591    Ps. xlv. 4. that is, the Lord. “Who then is the wise? and he shall understand these things. Prudent? and he shall know them. For the ways of the Lord are right,”1592    Hos. xiv. 9. says the prophet, showing that the Gnostic alone is able to understand and explain the things spoken by the Spirit obscurely. “And he who understands in that time shall hold his peace,”1593    Amos. v. 13. says the Scripture, plainly in the way of declaring them to the unworthy. For the Lord says, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear,”1594    Matt. xi. 15. declaring that hearing and understanding belong not to all. To the point David writes: “Dark water is in the clouds of the skies. At the gleam before Him the clouds passed, hail and coals of fire;”1595    Ps. xviii. 11, 12. showing that the holy words are hidden. He intimates that transparent and resplendent to the Gnostics, like the innocuous hail, they are sent down from God; but that they are dark to the multitude, like extinguished coals out of the fire, which, unless kindled and set on fire, will not give forth fire or light. “The Lord, therefore,” it is said, “gives me the tongue of instruction, so as to know in season when it is requisite to speak a word;”1596    Isa. l. 4. not in the way of testimony alone, but also in the way of question and answer. “And the instruction of the Lord opens my mouth.”1597    Isa. l. 5. It is the prerogative of the Gnostic, then, to know how to make use of speech, and when, and how, and to whom. And already the apostle, by saying, “After the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ,”1598    Col. ii. 8. makes the asseveration that the Hellenic teaching is elementary, and that of Christ perfect, as we have already intimated before.

“Now the wild olive is inserted into the fatness of the olive,”1599    Rom. xii. 17. and is indeed of the same species as the cultivated olives. For the graft uses as soil the tree in which it is engrafted. Now all the plants sprouted forth simultaneously in consequence of the divine order. Wherefore also, though the wild olive be wild, it crowns the Olympic victors. And the elm teaches the vine to be fruitful, by leading it up to a height. Now we see that wild trees attract more nutriment, because they cannot ripen. The wild trees, therefore, have less power of secretion than those that are cultivated. And the cause of their wildness is the want of the power of secretion. The engrafted olive accordingly receives more nutriment from its growing in the wild one; and it gets accustomed, as it were, to secrete the nutriment, becoming thus assimilated1600    i.e., the graft is assimilated; so the Latin translator. But in the text we have συνεξομοιουμένη, dative, agreeing with fatness, which seems to be a mistake. to the fatness of the cultivated tree.

So also the philosopher, resembling the wild olive, in having much that is undigested, on account of his devotion to the search, his propensity to follow, and his eagerness to seize the fatness of the truth; if he get besides the divine power, through faith, by being transplanted into the good and mild knowledge, like the wild olive, engrafted in the truly fair and merciful Word, he both assimilates the nutriment that is supplied, and becomes a fair and good olive tree. For engrafting makes worthless shoots noble, and compels the barren to be fruitful by the art of culture and by gnostic skill.

Different modes of engrafting illustrative of different kinds of conversion.

They say that engrafting is effected in four modes: one, that in which the graft must be fitted in between the wood and the bark; resembling the way in which we instruct plain people belonging to the Gentiles, who receive the word superficially. Another is, when the wood is cleft, and there is inserted in it the cultivated branch. And this applies to the case of those who have studied philosophy; for on cutting through their dogmas, the acknowledgment of the truth is produced in them. So also in the case of the Jews, by opening up the Old Testament, the new and noble plant of the olive is inserted. The third mode of engrafting applies to rustics and heretics, who are brought by force to the truth. For after smoothing off both suckers with a sharp pruning-hook, till the pith is laid bare, but not wounded, they are bound together. And the fourth is that form of engrafting called budding. For a bud (eye) is cut out of a trunk of a good sort, a circle being drawn round in the bark along with it, of the size of the palm. Then the trunk is stripped, to suit the eye, over an equal circumference. And so the graft is inserted, tied round, and daubed with clay, the bud being kept uninjured and unstained. This is the style of gnostic teaching, which is capable of looking into things themselves. This mode is, in truth, of most service in the case of cultivated trees. And “the engrafting into the good olive” mentioned by the apostle, may be [engrafting into] Christ Himself; the uncultivated and unbelieving nature being transplanted into Christ—that is, in the case of those who believe in Christ. But it is better [to understand it] of the engrafting1601    Or inoculation (ἐνοφθαλμισμός). of each one’s faith in the soul itself. For also the Holy Spirit is thus somehow transplanted by distribution, according to the circumscribed capacity of each one, but without being circumscribed.

Knowledge and love.

Now, discoursing on knowledge, Solomon speaks thus: “For wisdom is resplendent and fadeless, and is easily beheld by those who love her. She is beforehand in making herself known to those who desire her. He that rises early for her shall not toil wearily. For to think about her is the perfection of good sense. And he that keeps vigils for her shall quickly be relieved of anxiety. For she goes about, herself seeking those worthy of her (for knowledge belongs not to all); and in all ways she benignly shows herself to them.”1602    Wisd. vi. 12–15. Now the paths are the conduct of life, and the variety that exists in the covenants. Presently he adds: “And in every thought she meets them,”1603    Wisd. ii. 16. being variously contemplated, that is, by all discipline. Then he subjoins, adducing love, which perfects by syllogistic reasoning and true propositions, drawing thus a most convincing and true inference, “For the beginning of her is the truest desire of instruction,” that is, of knowledge; “prudence is the love of instruction, and love is the keeping of its laws; and attention to its laws is the confirmation of immortality; and immortality causes nearness to God. The desire of wisdom leads, then, to the kingdom.”1604    Wisd. vi. 17–20.

For he teaches, as I think, that true instruction is desire for knowledge; and the practical exercise of instruction produces love of knowledge. And love is the keeping of the commandments which lead to knowledge. And the keeping of them is the establishment of the commandments, from which immortality results. “And immortality brings us near to God.”

True knowledge found in the teaching of Christ alone.

If, then, the love of knowledge produces immortality, and leads the kingly man near to God the King, knowledge ought to be sought till it is found. Now seeking is an effort at grasping, and finds the subject by means of certain signs. And discovery is the end and cessation of inquiry, which has now its object in its grasp. And this is knowledge. And this discovery, properly so called, is knowledge, which is the apprehension of the object of search. And they say that a proof is either the antecedent, or the coincident, or the consequent. The discovery, then, of what is sought respecting God, is the teaching through the Son; and the proof of our Saviour being the very Son of God is the prophecies which preceded His coming, announcing Him; and the testimonies regarding Him which attended His birth in the world; in addition, His powers proclaimed and openly shown after His ascension.

The proof of the truth being with us, is the fact of the Son of God Himself having taught us. For if in every inquiry these universals are found, a person and a subject, that which is truly the truth is shown to be in our hands alone. For the Son of God is the person of the truth which is exhibited; and the subject is the power of faith, which prevails over the opposition of every one whatever, and the assault of the whole world.

But since this is confessedly established by eternal facts and reasons, and each one who thinks that there is no Providence has already been seen to deserve punishment and not contradiction, and is truly an atheist, it is our aim to discover what doing, and in what manner living, we shall reach the knowledge of the sovereign God, and how, honouring the Divinity, we may become authors of our own salvation. Knowing and learning, not from the Sophists, but from God Himself, what is well-pleasing to Him, we endeavour to do what is just and holy. Now it is well-pleasing to Him that we should be saved; and salvation is effected through both well-doing and knowledge, of both of which the Lord is the teacher.

If, then, according to Plato, it is only possible to learn the truth either from God or from the progeny of God, with reason we, selecting testimonies from the divine oracles, boast of learning the truth by the Son of God, prophesied at first, and then explained.

Philosophy and heresies, aids in discovering the truth.

But the things which co-operate in the discovery of truth are not to be rejected. Philosophy, accordingly, which proclaims a Providence, and the recompense of a life of felicity, and the punishment, on the other hand, of a life of misery, teaches theology comprehensively; but it does not preserve accuracy and particular points; for neither respecting the Son of God, nor respecting the economy of Providence, does it treat similarly with us; for it did not know the worship of God.

Wherefore also the heresies of the Barbarian philosophy, although they speak of one God, though they sing the praises of Christ, speak without accuracy, not in accordance with truth; for they discover another God, and receive Christ not as the prophecies deliver. But their false dogmas, while they oppose the conduct that is according to the truth, are against us. For instance, Paul circumcised Timothy because of the Jews who believed, in order that those who had received their training from the law might not revolt from the faith through his breaking such points of the law as were understood more carnally, knowing right well that circumcision does not justify; for he professed that “all things were for all” by conformity, preserving those of the dogmas that were essential, “that he might gain all.”1605    1 Cor. ix. 19. [Note τὰ κύρια τῶν δογμάτων.] And Daniel, under the king of the Persians, wore “the chain,”1606    Dan. v. 7, 29. [Note τὰ κύρια τῶν δογμάτων.] though he despised not the afflictions of the people.

The liars, then, in reality are not those who for the sake of the scheme of salvation conform, nor those who err in minute points, but those who are wrong in essentials, and reject the Lord, and as far as in them lies deprive the Lord of the true teaching; who do not quote or deliver the Scriptures in a manner worthy of God and of the Lord;1607    [The Scriptures the authority; the canon of interpretation is the harmony of law and Gospel as first opened by Christ Himself in the walk to Emmaus. Luke xxiv. 31.] for the deposit rendered to God, according to the teaching of the Lord by His apostles, is the understanding and the practice of the godly tradition. “And what ye hear in the ear”—that is, in a hidden manner, and in a mystery (for such things are figuratively said to be spoken in the ear)—“proclaim,” He says, “on the housetops,” understanding them sublimely, and delivering them in a lofty strain, and according to the canon of the truth explaining the Scriptures; for neither prophecy nor the Saviour Himself announced the divine mysteries simply so as to be easily apprehended by all and sundry, but express them in parables. The apostles accordingly say of the Lord, that “He spake all things in parables, and without a parable spake He nothing unto them;”1608    Matt. xiii. 34. and if “all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made,”1609    John i. 3. consequently also prophecy and the law were by Him, and were spoken by Him in parables. “But all things are right,” says the Scripture,1610    Prov. viii. 9. “before those who understand,” that is, those who receive and observe, according to the ecclesiastical rule, the exposition of the Scriptures explained by Him; and the ecclesiastical rule is the concord and harmony of the law and the prophets in the covenant delivered at the coming of the Lord. Knowledge is then followed by practical wisdom, and practical wisdom by self-control: for it may be said that practical wisdom is divine knowledge, and exists in those who are deified; but that self-control is mortal, and subsists in those who philosophize, and are not yet wise. But if virtue is divine, so is also the knowledge of it; while self-control is a sort of imperfect wisdom which aspires after wisdom, and exerts itself laboriously, and is not contemplative. As certainly righteousness, being human, is, as being a common thing, subordinate to holiness, which subsists through the divine righteousness;1611    Heinsius, in a note, remarks that Plato regarded ὁσιότης and δικαιοσύνη as identical, while others ascribe the former to the immortals (as also θέμις); ὁσιότης, as the greater, comprehends δικαιοσύνη. He also amends the text. Instead of κοινόν he reads ὠς κοινόν τι, supplies κατά before θείαν δικαιοσύνην, and changes ὺπάρχουσαν into ὺπαρχούσῃ. for the righteousness of the perfect man does not rest on civil contracts, or on the prohibition of law, but flows from his own spontaneous action and his love to God.

Reasons for the meaning of Scripture being veiled.

For many reasons, then, the Scriptures hide the sense. First, that we may become inquisitive, and be ever on the watch for the discovery of the words of salvation. Then it was not suitable for all to understand, so that they might not receive harm in consequence of taking in another sense the things declared for salvation by the Holy Spirit. Wherefore the holy mysteries of the prophecies are veiled in the parables—preserved for chosen men, selected to knowledge in consequence of their faith; for the style of the Scriptures is parabolic. Wherefore also the Lord, who was not of the world, came as one who was of the world to men. For He was clothed with all virtue; and it was His aim to lead man, the foster-child of the world, up to the objects of intellect, and to the most essential truths by knowledge, from one world to another.

Wherefore also He employed metaphorical description; for such is the parable,—a narration based on some subject which is not the principal subject, but similar to the principal subject, and leading him who understands to what is the true and principal thing; or, as some say, a mode of speech presenting with vigour, by means of other circumstances, what is the principal subject.

And now also the whole economy which prophesied of the Lord appears indeed a parable to those who know not the truth, when one speaks and the rest hear that the Son of God—of Him who made the universe—assumed flesh, and was conceived in the virgin’s womb (as His material body was produced), and subsequently, as was the case, suffered and rose again, being “to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness,” as the apostle says.

But on the Scriptures being opened up, and declaring the truth to those who have ears, they proclaim the very suffering endured by the flesh, which the Lord assumed, to be “the power and wisdom of God.” And finally, the parabolic style of Scripture being of the greatest antiquity, as we have shown, abounded most, as was to be expected, in the prophets, in order that the Holy Spirit might show that the philosophers among the Greeks, and the wise men among the Barbarians besides, were ignorant of the future coming of the Lord, and of the mystic teaching that was to be delivered by Him. Rightly then, prophecy, in proclaiming the Lord, in order not to seem to some to blaspheme while speaking what was beyond the ideas of the multitude, embodied its declarations in expressions capable of leading to other conceptions. Now all the prophets who foretold the Lord’s coming, and the holy mysteries accompanying it, were persecuted and killed. As also the Lord Himself, in explaining the Scriptures to them, and His disciples who preached the word like Him, and subsequently to His life, used parables.1612    μετ᾽ αὐτὸν τὸ ζῇν παρεβάλοντο. The translation of Hervetus, which we have followed, supposes the reading αὐτου instead of αὐτόν. Others, retaining the latter, translated τὸ ζῇν παρεβάλοντο (sacrificed life). But the former is most to the author’s purpose. Whence also Peter, in his Preaching, speaking of the apostles, says: “But we, unrolling the books of the prophets which we possess, who name Jesus Christ, partly in parables, partly in enigmas, partly expressly and in so many words, find His coming and death, and cross, and all the rest of the tortures which the Jews inflicted on Him, and His resurrection and assumption to heaven previous to the capture1613    If we retain the reading of the text, we must translate “founding,” and understand the reference to be to the descent of the new Jerusalem. But it seems better to change the reading as above. of Jerusalem. As it is written, These things are all that He behoves to suffer, and what should be after Him. Recognising them, therefore, we have believed in God in consequence of what is written respecting Him.”

And after a little again he draws the inference that the Scriptures owed their origin to the divine providence, asserting as follows: “For we know that God enjoined these things, and we say nothing apart from the Scriptures.”

Now the Hebrew dialect, like all the rest, has certain properties, consisting in a mode of speech which exhibits the national character. Dialect is accordingly defined as a style of speech produced by the national character. But prophecy is not marked by those dialects. For in the Hellenic writings, what are called changes of figures purposely produce obscurations, deduced after the style of our prophecies. But this is effected through the voluntary departure from direct speech which takes place in metrical or offhand diction. A figure, then, is a form of speech transferred from what is literal to what is not literal, for the sake of the composition, and on account of a diction useful in speech.

But prophecy does not employ figurative forms in the expressions for the sake of beauty of diction. But from the fact that truth appertains not to all, it is veiled in manifold ways, causing the light to arise only on those who are initiated into knowledge, who seek the truth through love. The proverb, according to the Barbarian philosophy, is called a mode of prophecy, and the parable is so called, and the enigma in addition. Further also, they are called “wisdom;” and again, as something different from it, “instruction and words of prudence,” and “turnings of words,” and “true righteousness;” and again, “teaching to direct judgment,” and “subtlety to the simple,” which is the result of training, “and perception and thought,” with which the young catechumen is imbued.1614    Prov. i. 1–4. “He who hears these prophets, being wise, will be wiser. And the intelligent man will acquire rule, and will understand a parable and a dark saying, the words and enigmas of the wise.”1615    Prov. i. 5, 6. [Elucidation IX.]

And if it was the case that the Hellenic dialects received their appellation from Hellen, the son of Zeus, surnamed Deucalion, from the chronology which we have already exhibited, it is comparatively easy to perceive by how many generations the dialects that obtained among the Greeks are posterior to the language of the Hebrews.

But as the work advances, we shall in each section, noting the figures of speech mentioned above by the prophet,1616    i.e., Solomon. exhibit the gnostic mode of life, showing it systematically according to the rule of the truth.

Did not the Power also, that appeared to Hermas in the Vision, in the form of the Church, give for transcription the book which she wished to be made known to the elect? And this, he says, he transcribed to the letter, without finding how to complete the syllables.1617    [This volume, p. 11, supra.] And this signified that the Scripture is clear to all, when taken according to the bare reading; and that this is the faith which occupies the place of the rudiments. Wherefore also the figurative expression is employed, “reading according to the letter;” while we understand that the gnostic unfolding of the Scriptures, when faith has already reached an advanced state, is likened to reading according to the syllables.

Further, Esaias the prophet is ordered to take “a new book, and write in it”1618    Isa. viii. 1. certain things: the Spirit prophesying that through the exposition of the Scriptures there would come afterwards the sacred knowledge, which at that period was still unwritten, because not yet known. For it was spoken from the beginning to those only who understand. Now that the Saviour has taught the apostles, the unwritten rendering1619    [In the walk to Emmaus, and by the Spirit bringing all things to remembrance. John xiv. 26.] of the written [Scripture] has been handed down also to us, inscribed by the power of God on hearts new, according to the renovation of the book. Thus those of highest repute among the Greeks, dedicate the fruit of the pomegranate to Hermes, who they say is speech, on account of its interpretation. For speech conceals much. Rightly, therefore, Jesus the son of Nave saw Moses, when taken up [to heaven], double,—one Moses with the angels, and one on the mountains, honoured with burial in their ravines. And Jesus saw this spectacle below, being elevated by the Spirit, along also with Caleb. But both do not see similarly. But the one descended with greater speed, as if the weight he carried was great; while the other, on descending after him, subsequently related the glory which he beheld, being able to perceive more than the other as having grown purer; the narrative, in my opinion, showing that knowledge is not the privilege of all. Since some look at the body of the Scriptures, the expressions and the names as to the body of Moses; while others see through to the thoughts and what it is signified by the names, seeking the Moses that is with the angels.

Many also of those who called to the Lord said, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”1620    Mark x. 48, etc. A few, too, knew Him as the Son of God; as Peter, whom also He pronounced blessed, “for flesh and blood revealed not the truth to him, but His Father in heaven,”1621    Matt. xvi. 17.—showing that the Gnostic recognises the Son of the Omnipotent, not by His flesh conceived in the womb, but by the Father’s own power. That it is therefore not only to those who read simply that the acquisition of the truth is so difficult, but that not even to those whose prerogative the knowledge of the truth is, is the contemplation of it vouch-safed all at once, the history of Moses teaches, until, accustomed to gaze, at the Hebrews on the glory of Moses, and the prophets of Israel on the visions of angels, so we also become able to look the splendours of truth in the face.

Ὁ γνωστικὸς ἄρα τὴν προσεχεστέραν ἀναμάσσεται ὁμοιότητα, τὴν διάνοιαν τὴν τοῦ διδασκάλου, ἥντινα ἐκεῖνος νοῶν ἐνετείλατό τε καὶ συνεβούλευσε τοῖς φρονίμοις καὶ σώφροσι, ταύτην συνιείς, ὡς ὁ διδάξας ἐβούλετο, καὶ ἰδίᾳ τὴν νόησιν ἀναλαβὼν τὴν μεγαλοπρεπῆ, διδάξας μὲν ἀξιολόγως ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων τοὺς ὑψηλῶς οἰκοδομεῖσθαι δυναμένους, προκατάρξας δὲ τῆς τῶν λεγομένων ἐνεργείας κατὰ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα τῆς πολιτείας· δυνατὰ γὰρ ἐνετείλατο, καὶ δεῖ τῷ ὄντι ἀρχικὸν εἶναι καὶ ἡγεμονικὸν τὸν βασιλικόν τε καὶ Χριστιανόν, ἐπεὶ μὴ τῶν ἔξω μόνον θηρίων κατακυριεύειν ἐτάγημεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἀγρίων παθῶν. κατ' ἐπίστασιν οὖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ ἀγαθοῦ βίου σῴζεται ὁ γνωστικός, πλέον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων συνιείς τε καὶ ἐνεργῶν. ἔντεινον καὶ κατευοδοῦ καὶ βασίλευε, ὁ ∆αβὶδ γράφει, ἕνεκεν ἀληθείας καὶ πραότητος καὶ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ὁδηγήσει σε θαυμαστῶς ἡ δεξιά σου, τουτέστιν ὁ κύριος. τίς οὖν σοφὸς καὶ συνήσει ταῦτα; συνετὸς καὶ γνώσεται αὐτά; διότι εὐθεῖαι αἱ ὁδοὶ τοῦ κυρίου, φησὶν ὁ προφήτης, δηλῶν μόνον δύνασθαι τὸν γνωστικὸν τὰ ἐπικεκρυμμένως πρὸς τοῦ πνεύματος εἰρημένα νοήσειν τε καὶ διασαφήσειν· καὶ ὁ συνίων ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ σιωπήσεται, λέγει ἡ γραφή, δηλονότι πρὸς τοὺς ἀναξίους ἐξειπεῖν, ὅτι φησὶν ὁ κύριος· ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω, οὐ πάντων εἶναι τὸ ἀκούειν καὶ συνιέναι λέγων. αὐτίκα ὁ ∆αβὶδ σκοτεινὸν ὕδωρ ἐν νεφέλαις ἀέρων γράφει ἀπὸ τῆς τηλαυγήσεως ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ αἱ νεφέλαι διῆλθον, χάλαζα καὶ ἄνθρακες πυρός, ἐπικεκρυμμένους τοὺς ἁγίους λόγους εἶναι διδάσκων. καὶ δὴ τοῖς μὲν γνωστικοῖς διειδεῖς καὶ τηλαυγεῖς καθάπερ χάλαζαν ἀβλαβῆ καταπέμπεσθαι θεόθεν μηνύει, σκοτεινοὺς δὲ [τοῖς] πολλοῖς καθάπερ τοὺς ἐκ πυρὸς ἀπεσβεσμένους ἄνθρακας, οὓς εἰ μή τις ἀνάψαι καὶ ἀναζωπυρήσαι, οὐκ ἐκφλεγήσονται οὐδ' ἐμφωτισθήσονται. κύριος, οὖν φησι, δίδωσί μοι γλῶσσαν παιδείας τοῦ γνῶναι ἐν καιρῷ, ἡνίκα δεῖ εἰπεῖν λόγον, οὐ κατὰ τὸ μαρτύριον μόνον, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τὸν κατ' ἐρώτησιν καὶ ἀπόκρισιν· καὶ ἡ παιδεία κυρίου ἀνοίγει μου τὸ στόμα. γνωστικοῦ ἄρα καὶ τὸ εἰδέναι χρῆσθαι τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ὁπότε καὶ ὅπως καὶ πρὸς οὕστινας. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος, λέγων κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου καὶ οὐ κατὰ Χριστόν, τὴν μὲν διδασκαλίαν τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν στοιχειώδη παραδίδωσιν εἶναι, τελείαν δὲ τὴν κατὰ Χριστόν, καθάπερ ἤδη πρότερον ἐμηνύσαμεν. Αὐτίκα ἡ ἀγριέλαιος ἐγκεντρίζεται εἰς τὴν πιότητα τῆς ἐλαίας καὶ δὴ καὶ φύεται ὁμοειδῶς ταῖς ἡμέροις ἐλαίαις· χρῆται γὰρ τὸ ἐμφυτευόμενον ἀντὶ γῆς τῷ δένδρῳ τῷ ἐν ᾧ φυτεύεται· πάντα δὲ ὁμοῦ τὰ φυτὰ ἐκ κελεύσματος θείου βεβλάστηκεν. διὸ κἂν ἀγριέλαιος ὁ κότινος τυγχάνῃ, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὀλυμπιονίκας στέφει, καὶ τὴν ἄμπελον ἡ πτελέα εἰς ὕψος ἀνάγουσα εὐκαρπεῖν διδάσκει. ὁρῶμεν δὲ ἤδη πλείονα τὴν τροφὴν ἐπισπώμενα τὰ ἄγρια τῶν δένδρων διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι πέττειν. τὰ οὖν ἄγρια τῶν ἡμέρων ἀπεπτότερα ὑπάρχει, καὶ τὸ αἴτιον τοῦ ἄγρια εἶναι αὐτὰ στέρησις δυνάμεως πεπτικῆς. λαμβάνει τοίνυν τροφὴν μὲν πλείονα ἡ ἐγκεντρισθεῖσα ἐλαία διὰ τὸ ἀγρίαν ἐμφύεσθαι· οἷον δὲ ἥδε πέττειν ἐθίζεται τὴν τροφήν, συνεξομοιουμένη τῇ πιότητι τῆς ἡμέρου, ὣς δὲ καὶ ὁ φιλόσοφος, ἀγρίᾳ εἰκαζόμενος ἐλαίᾳ, πολὺ τὸ ἄπεπτον ἔχων, διὰ τὸ εἶναι ζητητικὸς καὶ εὐπαρακολούθητος καὶ ὀρεκτικὸς τῆς πιότητος τῆς ἀληθείας, ἐὰν προσλάβῃ τὴν θείαν διὰ πίστεως δύναμιν, τῇ χρηστῇ καὶ ἡμέρῳ [ἐγ]καταφυτευθεὶς γνώσει, καθάπερ ἡ ἀγριέλαιος ἐγκεντρισθεῖσα τῷ ὄντως καλῷ καὶ ἐλεήμονι λόγῳ πέττει τε τὴν παραδιδομένην τροφὴν καὶ καλλιέλαιος γίνεται. ὁ γάρ τοι ἐγκεντρισμὸς τὰς ἀχρείους εὐγενεῖς ποιεῖ καὶ τὰς ἀφόρους φορίμους γίνεσθαι βιάζεται τέχνῃ τῇ γεωργικῇ καὶ ἐπιστήμῃ τῇ γνωστικῇ. Φασὶ δ' οὖν γίνεσθαι τὸν ἐγκεντρισμὸν κατὰ τρόπους τέσσαρας· ἕνα μὲν καθ' ὃν μεταξὺ τοῦ ξύλου καὶ τοῦ φλοιοῦ ἐναρμόζειν δεῖ τὸ ἐγκεντριζόμενον, ὡς κατηχοῦνται οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἰδιῶται ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς δεχόμενοι τὸν λόγον· θάτερον δὲ ὅταν τὸ ξύλον σχίσαντες εἰς αὐτὸ ἐμβάλωσι τὸ εὐγενὲς φυτόν, ὃ συμβαίνει ἐπὶ τῶν φιλοσοφησάντων· διατμηθέντων γὰρ αὐτοῖς τῶν δογμάτων ἡ ἐπίγνωσις τῆς ἀληθείας ἐγγίνεται· ὣς δὲ καὶ Ἰουδαίοις διοιχθείσης τῆς παλαιᾶς γραφῆς τὸ νέον καὶ εὐγενὲς ἐγκεντρίζεται τῆς ἐλαίας φυτόν. ὁ τρίτος δὲ ἐγκεντρισμὸς τῶν ἀγριάδων καὶ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἅπτεται τῶν μετὰ βίας εἰς τὴν ἀλήθειαν μεταγομένων· ἀποξύσαντες γὰρ ἑκάτερον ἐπίσφηνον ὀξεῖ δρεπάνῳ μέχρι τοῦ τὴν ἐντεριώνην γυμνῶσαι μέν, μὴ ἑλκῶσαι δέ, δεσμεύουσι πρὸς ἄλληλα. τέταρτος δέ ἐστιν ἐγκεντρισμοῦ τρόπος ὁ λεγόμενος ἐνοφθαλμισμός· περιαιρεῖται γὰρ ἀπὸ εὐγενοῦς στελέχους ὀφθαλμός, συμπεριγραφομένου αὐτῷ καὶ τοῦ φλοιοῦ κύκλῳ ὅσον παλαιστιαῖον μῆκος, εἶτα ἐναποξύεται τὸ στέλεχος κατ' ὀφθαλμὸν ἴσον τῇ περιγραφῇ. καὶ οὕτως ἐντίθεται περισχοινιζόμενον καὶ περιχριόμενον πηλῷ, τηρουμένου τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ ἀπαθοῦς καὶ ἀμολύντου. εἶδος τοῦτο γνωστικῆς διδασκαλίας, διαθρεῖν τὰ πράγματα δυναμένης, ἀμέλει καὶ ἐπὶ ἡμέρων δένδρων τοῦτο μάλιστα χρησιμεύει τὸ εἶδος. ∆ύναται δὲ ὁ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου λεγόμενος ἐγκεντρισμὸς εἰς τὴν καλλιέλαιον γίγνεσθαι, τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτόν, τῆς ἀνημέρου καὶ ἀπίστου φύσεως καταφυτευομένης εἰς Χριστόν, τουτέστι τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πιστευόντων· ἄμεινον δὲ τὴν ἑκάστου πίστιν ἐν αὐτῇ ἐγκεντρίζεσθαι τῇ ψυχῇ. καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ταύτῃ πως μεταφυτεύεται διανενεμημένον κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου περιγραφὴν ἀπεριγράφως. περὶ δὲ τῆς γνώσεως ὁ Σολομὼν διαλεγόμενος τάδε φησί· λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ εὐχερῶς θεωρεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτήν· φθάνει τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας προγνωσθῆναι. ὁ ὀρθρίσας ἐπ' αὐτὴν οὐ κοπιάσει· τὸ γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῆναι περὶ αὐτῆς φρονήσεως τελειότης, καὶ ὁ ἀγρυπνήσας δι' αὐτὴν ταχέως ἀμέριμνος ἔσται· ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους αὐτῆς αὕτη περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα (οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἡ γνῶσις) καὶ ἐν ταῖς τρίβοις φαντάζεται αὐτοῖς εὐμενῶς· τρίβοι δὲ ἡ τοῦ βίου διεξαγωγὴ καὶ ἡ κατὰ τὰς διαθήκας πολυειδία. αὐτίκα ἐπιφέρει· καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπινοίᾳ ὑπαντᾷ αὐτοῖς, ποικίλως θεωρουμένη, διὰ πάσης δηλονότι παιδείας. εἶτα ἐπιλέγει, τὴν τελειωτικὴν ἀγάπην παρατιθέμενος, διὰ λόγου συλλογιστικοῦ καὶ λημμάτων ἀληθῶν ἀποδεικτικωτάτην [καὶ] ἀληθῆ ὧδέ πως ἐπάγων ἐπιφοράν· ἀρχὴ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἀληθεστάτη παιδείας ἐπιθυμία (τουτέστι τῆς γνώσεως), φροντὶς δὲ παιδείας ἀγάπη, ἀγάπη δὲ τήρησις νόμων αὐτῆς, προσοχὴ δὲ νόμων βεβαίωσις ἀφθαρσίας, ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ θεοῦ. ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας ἀνάγει ἐπὶ βασιλείαν. διδάσκει γάρ, οἶμαι, ὡς ἀληθινὴ παιδεία ἐπιθυμία τίς ἐστι γνώσεως, ἄσκησις δὲ παιδείας συνίσταται δι' ἀγάπην γνώσεως, καὶ ἡ μὲν ἀγάπη τήρησις τῶν εἰς γνῶσιν ἀναγουσῶν ἐντολῶν, ἡ τήρησις δὲ αὐτῶν βεβαίωσις τῶν ἐντολῶν, δι' ἣν ἡ ἀφθαρσία ἐπισυμβαίνει, ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ θεοῦ. εἰ ἄρα ἀγάπη τῆς γνώσεως ἄφθαρτον ποιεῖ καὶ ἐγγὺς θεοῦ βασιλέως τὸν βασιλικὸν ἀνάγει, ζητεῖν ἄρα δεῖ τὴν γνῶσιν εἰς εὕρεσιν. ἔστιν δὲ ἡ μὲν ζή τησις ὁρμὴ ἐπὶ τὸ καταλαβεῖν, διά τινων σημείων ἀνευρίσκουσα τὸ ὑποκείμενον, ἡ εὕρεσις δὲ πέρας καὶ ἀνάπαυσις ζητήσεως ἐν καταλήψει γενομένης, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ γνῶσις. καὶ αὕτη κυρίως εὕρεσίς ἐστιν ἡ γνῶσις, κατάληψις ζητήσεως ὑπάρχουσα. σημεῖον δ' εἶναί φασι τὸ προηγούμενον ἢ συνυπάρχον ἢ ἑπόμενον. Τῆς τοίνυν περὶ θεοῦ ζητήσεως εὕρεσις μὲν ἡ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ διδασκαλία, σημεῖον δὲ τοῦ εἶναι τὸν σωτῆρα ἡμῶν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ αἵ τε προηγούμεναι τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ προφητεῖαι, τοῦτον κηρύσσουσαι, αἵ τε συνυπάρξασαι τῇ γενέσει αὐτοῦ τῇ αἰσθητῇ περὶ αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαι, πρὸς δὲ καὶ [αἱ] μετὰ τὴν ἀνάληψιν κηρυσσόμεναί τε καὶ ἐμφανῶς δεικνύμεναι δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ. τεκμήριον ἄρα τοῦ παρ' ἡμῖν εἶναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν τὸ αὐτὸν διδάξαι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰ γὰρ περὶ πᾶν ζήτημα καθολικὰ ταῦτα εὑρίσκεται πρόσωπόν τε καὶ πρᾶγμα, ἡ ὄντως ἀλήθεια παρ' ἡμῖν δείκνυται μόνοις, ἐπεὶ πρόσωπον μὲν τῆς δεικνυμένης ἀληθείας ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ πρᾶγμα δὲ ἡ δύναμις τῆς πίστεως ἡ καὶ παντὸς οὑτινοσοῦν ἐναντιουμένου καὶ αὐτοῦ ὅλου ἐνισταμένου τοῦ κόσμου πλεονάζουσα. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ τοῦτο ἀνωμολόγηται βεβαιωθῆναι ἐν αἰωνίοις ἔργοις καὶ λόγοις καὶ πέφηνεν ἤδη κολάσεως, οὐκ ἀντιρρήσεως ἄξιος ἅπας ὁ μὴ νομίζων εἶναι πρόνοιαν καὶ τῷ ὄντι ἄθεος, πρόκειται δ' ἡμῖν, τί ποιοῦντες καὶ τίνα τρόπον βιοῦντες εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ παντοκράτορος θεοῦ ἀφικοίμεθα καὶ πῶς τιμῶντες τὸ θεῖον σφίσιν σωτηρίας αἴτιοι γινοίμεθα, οὐ παρὰ τῶν σοφιστῶν, ἀλλὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ γνόντες καὶ μαθόντες τὸ εὐάρεστον αὐτῷ, τὸ δίκαιον καὶ ὅσιον δρᾶν ἐγχειροῦμεν. τὸ σῴζεσθαι δ' ἡμᾶς εὐάρεστον αὐτῷ, καὶ ἡ σωτηρία διά τε εὐπραγίας διά τε γνώσεως παραγίνεται, ὧν ἀμφοῖν ὁ κύριος διδάσκαλος. Εἴπερ οὖν καὶ κατὰ Πλάτωνα ἢ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ παρὰ τῶν ἐκγόνων τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ἀληθὲς ἐκμανθάνειν μόνως οἷόν τε, εἰκότως παρὰ τῶν θείων λογίων τὰ μαρτύρια ἐκλεγόμενοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν αὐχοῦμεν ἐκδιδάσκεσθαι διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, προφητευθέντων μὲν τὸ πρῶτον, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ σαφηνισθέντων· τὰ συνεργοῦντα δὲ πρὸς τὴν εὕρεσιν τῆς ἀληθείας οὐδὲ αὐτὰ ἀδόκιμα. ἡ γοῦν φιλο σοφία, πρόνοιαν καταγγέλλουσα καὶ τοῦ μὲν εὐδαίμονος βίου τὴν ἀμοιβήν, τοῦ δ' αὖ κακοδαίμονος τὴν κόλασιν, περιληπτικῶς θεολογεῖ, τὰ πρὸς ἀκρίβειαν δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ μέρους οὐκέτι σῴζει. οὔτε γὰρ περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ οὔτε περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πρόνοιαν οἰκονομίας ὁμοίως ἡμῖν διαλαμβάνει· οὐ γὰρ τὴν κατὰ τὸν θεὸν ἔγνω θρῃσκείαν. διόπερ αἱ κατὰ τὴν βάρβαρον φιλοσοφίαν αἱρέσεις, κἂν θεὸν λέγωσιν ἕνα κἂν Χριστὸν ὑμνῶσι, κατὰ περίληψιν λέγουσιν, οὐ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν· ἄλλον τε γὰρ θεὸν παρευρίσκουσι καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν οὐχ ὡς αἱ προφητεῖαι παραδιδόασιν, ἐκδέχονται. ἀλλ' οὔτι γε τὰ ψευδῆ τῶν δογματ[ισθέντ]ων αὐτοῖς, ἔστ' ἂν ἐναντιῶνται τῇ κατὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀγωγῇ, καθ' ἡμῶν ἐστιν. αὐτίκα ὁ Παῦλος τὸν Τιμόθεον περιέτεμεν διὰ τοὺς ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πιστεύοντας, ἵνα μή, καταλύοντος αὐτοῦ τὰ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σαρκικώτερον προειλημμένα, ἀποστῶσι τῆς πίστεως οἱ ἐκ νόμου κατηχούμενοι, εἰδὼς ἀκριβῶς ὅτι περιτομὴ οὐ δικαιοῖ· τοῖς πᾶσι γὰρ πάντα γίγνεσθαι ὡμολόγει κατὰ συμπεριφορὰν σῴζων τὰ κύρια τῶν δογμάτων, ἵνα πάντας κερδήσῃ. ∆ανιὴλ δὲ τὸν μανιάκην ἐβάστασεν ἐπὶ τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν Περσῶν, μὴ ὑπεριδὼν θλιβῆναι τὸν λεών. ψεῦσται τοίνυν τῷ ὄντι οὐχ οἱ συμπεριφερόμενοι δι' οἰκονομίαν σωτηρίας οὐδ' οἱ περί τινα τῶν ἐν μέρει σφαλλόμενοι, ἀλλ' οἱ εἰς τὰ κυριώτατα παραπίπτοντες καὶ ἀθετοῦντες μὲν τὸν κύριον τὸ ὅσον ἐπ' αὐτοῖς, ἀποστεροῦντες δὲ τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἀληθῆ διδασκαλίαν, οἱ μὴ κατ' ἀξίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ κυρίου τὰς γραφὰς λαλοῦντές τε καὶ παραδιδόντες· παραθήκη γὰρ ἀποδιδομένη θεῷ ἡ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου διδασκαλίαν διὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ τῆς θεοσεβοῦς παραδόσεως σύνεσίς τε καὶ συνάσκησις· ὃ δὲ ἀκούετε εἰς τὸ οὖς (ἐπικεκρυμμένως δηλονότι καὶ ἐν μυστηρίῳ, τὰ τοιαῦτα γὰρ εἰς τὸ οὖς λέγεσθαι ἀλληγορεῖται), ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων, φησί, κηρύξατε, μεγαλοφρόνως τε ἐκδεξάμενοι καὶ ὑψηγόρως παραδιδόντες καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας κανόνα διασαφοῦντες τὰς γραφάς· οὔτε γὰρ ἡ προφητεία οὔτε ὁ σωτὴρ αὐτὸς ἁπλῶς οὕτως, ὡς τοῖς ἐπιτυχοῦσιν εὐάλωτα εἶναι, τὰ θεῖα μυστήρια ἀπεφθέγξατο, ἀλλ' ἐν παραβολαῖς διελέξατο. λέγουσιν γοῦν οἱ ἀπόστολοι περὶ τοῦ κυρίου, ὅτι πάντα ἐν παραβολαῖς ἐλάλησεν καὶ οὐδὲν ἄνευ παραβολῆς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς. εἰ δὲ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν, καὶ ἡ προφητεία ἄρα καὶ ὁ νόμος δι' αὐτοῦ τε ἐγένετο καὶ ἐν παραβολαῖς ἐλαλήθησαν δι' αὐτοῦ· πλὴν ἅπαντα ὀρθὰ ἐνώπιον τῶν συνιέντων, φησὶν ἡ γραφή, τουτέστι τῶν ὅσοι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ σαφηνισθεῖσαν [τὴν] τῶν γραφῶν ἐξήγησιν κατὰ τὸν ἐκκλησιαστικὸν κανόνα ἐκδεχόμενοι διασῴζουσι· κανὼν δὲ ἐκκλησιαστικὸς ἡ συνῳδία καὶ ἡ συμφωνία νόμου τε καὶ προφητῶν τῇ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου παρουσίαν παραδιδομένῃ διαθήκῃ. γνώσει μὲν οὖν ἕπεται φρόνησις, σωφροσύνη δὲ τῇ φρονήσει· εἰρήσθω γὰρ τὴν μὲν φρόνησιν ὑπάρχειν γνῶσιν θείαν καὶ ἐν τοῖς θεοποιουμένοις, τὴν δὲ σωφροσύνην θνητὴν καὶ ἐν ἀνθρώποις εἶναι φιλοσοφοῦσιν, οὐδέπω σοφοῖς. αὐτίκα †, εἴπερ ἀρετή τέ ἐστιν θεία καὶ γνῶσις ἑαυτῆς· ἡ σωφροσύνη δὲ οἷον ἀτελὴς φρόνησις, ἐφιεμένη μὲν φρονήσεως, ἐργατικὴ δὲ ἐπιπόνως καὶ οὐ θεωρητική, καθάπερ ἀμέλει ἡ δικαιοσύνη, ἀνθρωπίνη οὖσα, κοινόν, ὑποβέβηκε [δὲ] τὴν ὁσιότητα, θείαν δικαιοσύνην ὑπάρχουσαν. τῷ τελείῳ γὰρ οὐκ ἐν συμβολαίοις πολιτικοῖς οὐδὲ ἐν ἀπαγορεύσει νόμου, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἰδιοπραγίας καὶ τῆς πρὸς θεὸν ἀγάπης ἡ δικαιοσύνη. ∆ιὰ πολλὰς τοίνυν αἰτίας ἐπικρύπτονται τὸν νοῦν αἱ γραφαί, πρῶτον μὲν ἵνα ζητητικοὶ ὑπάρχωμεν καὶ προσαγρυπνῶμεν ἀεὶ τῇ τῶν σωτηρίων λόγων εὑρέσει, ἔπειτα [ὅτι] μηδὲ τοῖς ἅπασι προσῆκον ἦν νοεῖν, ὡς μὴ βλαβεῖεν ἑτέρως ἐκδεξάμενοι τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος σωτηρίως εἰρημένα. διὸ δὴ τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῖς τε ἐκ πίστεως εἰς γνῶσιν ἐγκρίτοις τηρούμενα τὰ ἅγια τῶν προφητειῶν μυστήρια ταῖς παραβολαῖς ἐγκαλύπτεται· παραβολικὸς γὰρ ὁ χαρακτὴρ ὑπάρχει τῶν γραφῶν, διότι καὶ ὁ κύριος, οὐκ ὢν κοσμικός, ὡς κοσμικὸς εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἦλθεν· καὶ γὰρ ἐφόρεσεν τὴν πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἔμελλέν τε τὸν σύντροφον τοῦ κόσμου ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τὰ νοητὰ καὶ κύρια διὰ τῆς γνώσεως ἀνάγειν ἐκ κόσμου εἰς κόσμον. διὸ καὶ μεταφορικῇ κέχρηται τῇ γραφῇ· τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ παραβολή, λόγος ἀπό τινος οὐ κυρίου μέν, ἐμφεροῦς δὲ τῷ κυρίῳ ἐπὶ τἀληθὲς καὶ κύριον ἄγων τὸν συνιέντα, ἤ, ὥς τινές φασι, λέξις δι' ἑτέρων τὰ κυρίως λεγόμενα μετ' ἐνεργείας παριστάνουσα. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἡ οἰκονομία πᾶσα ἡ περὶ τὸν κύριον προφητευθεῖσα παραβολὴ ὡς ἀληθῶς φαίνεται τοῖς μὴ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐγνωκόσιν, ὅταν τις τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ τὰ πάντα πεποιηκότος σάρκα ἀνειληφότα καὶ ἐν μήτρᾳ παρθένου κυοφορηθέντα, καθὸ γεγέννηται τὸ αἰσθητὸν αὐτοῦ σαρκίον, ἀκολούθως δέ, καθὸ γέγονεν τοῦτο, πεπονθότα καὶ ἀνεσταμένον ὃ μὲν λέγῃ, οἳ δὲ ἀκούωσιν, Ἰουδαίοις μὲν σκάνδαλον, Ἕλλησι δὲ μωρίαν, ὥς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος. διανοιχθεῖσαι δὲ αἱ γραφαὶ καὶ τοῖς ὦτα ἔχουσιν ἐμφήνασαι τὸ ἀληθὲς αὐτὸ ἐκεῖνο, ὃ πέπονθεν ἡ σάρξ, ἣν ἀνείληφεν ὁ κύριος, δύναμιν θεοῦ καὶ σοφίαν καταγγέλλουσιν. ἐπὶ πᾶσί τε τὸ παραβολικὸν εἶδος τῆς γραφῆς, ἀρχαιότατον ὄν, ὡς παρεστήσαμεν, εἰκότως παρὰ τοῖς προφήταις μάλιστα ἐπλεόνασεν, ἵνα δὴ καὶ τοὺς φιλοσόφους τοὺς παρ' Ἕλλησι καὶ τοὺς παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις βαρβάροις σοφοὺς ἠγνοηκέναι τὸ ἅγιον ἐπιδείξῃ πνεῦμα τὴν ἐσομένην τοῦ κυρίου παρουσίαν καὶ τὴν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ παραδοθησομένην μυστικὴν διδασκαλίαν. εἰκότως ἄρα κηρύσσουσα ἡ προφητεία τὸν κύριον, ὡς μὴ παρὰ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν ὑπολήψεις λέγουσα βλασφημεῖν τισι δοκοίη, ἐσχημάτισε τὰ σημαινόμενα φωναῖς ταῖς καὶ ἐπὶ ἑτέρας ἐννοίας ἄγειν δυναμέναις. αὐτίκα οἱ προφῆται πάντες οἱ προθεσπίσαντες τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σὺν αὐτῇ τὰ ἅγια μυστήρια ἐδιώχθησαν, ἐφονεύθησαν, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος διασαφήσας αὐτῶν τὰς γραφὰς καὶ οἱ τούτου γνώριμοι οἱ κηρύξαντες τὸν λόγον ὡσαύτως μετ' αὐτὸν τὸ ζῆν παρεβάλοντο. ὅθεν καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἐν τῷ Κηρύγματι περὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων λέγων φησίν· ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀναπτύξαντες τὰς βίβλους ἃς εἴχομεν τῶν προφητῶν, ἃ μὲν διὰ παραβολῶν, ἃ δὲ δι' αἰνιγμάτων, ἃ δὲ αὐθεντικῶς καὶ αὐτολεξεὶ τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ὀνομαζόντων, εὕρομεν καὶ τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς κολάσεις πάσας ὅσας ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ τὴν ἔγερσιν καὶ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάληψιν πρὸ τοῦ Ἱεροσόλυμα κτισθῆναι, καθὼς ἐγέγραπτο ταῦτα πάντα, ἃ ἔδει αὐτὸν παθεῖν καὶ μετ' αὐτὸν ἃ ἔσται. ταῦτα οὖν ἐπι γνόντες ἐπιστεύσαμεν τῷ θεῷ διὰ τῶν γεγραμμένων εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα ἐπιφέρει πάλιν θείᾳ προνοίᾳ τὰς προφητείας γεγενῆσθαι παριστὰς ὧδε· ἔγνωμεν γὰρ ὅτι ὁ θεὸς αὐτὰ προσέταξεν ὄντως, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄτερ γραφῆς λέγομεν. Ἔχει δ' οὖν καὶ ἄλλας τινὰς ἰδιότητας ἡ Ἑβραίων διάλεκτος, καθάπερ καὶ ἑκάστη τῶν λοιπῶν, λόγον τινὰ ἐμπεριέχουσα ἐθνικὸν ἐμφαίνοντα χαρακτῆρα. διάλεκτον γοῦν ὁρίζονται λέξιν ἐθνικῷ χαρακτῆρι συντελουμένην. ἀλλ' οὔτι γε ἐκείναις ταῖς διαλέκτοις ἡ προφητεία γνώριμος καθίσταται· ταῖς μὲν γὰρ Ἑλληνικαῖς κατ' ἐπιτήδευσιν αἱ καλούμεναι τῶν τρόπων ἐξαλλαγαὶ τὰς ἐπικρύψεις ποιοῦνται κατ' εἰκόνα τῶν παρ' ἡμῖν προφητειῶν ἀναγόμεναι, πλὴν ἑκουσίου τῆς παρατροπῆς παρὰ τὸ ὀρθὸν ἐμμέτρῳ ἢ σχεδίῳ φράσει γινομένης δείκνυται. ἔστι γοῦν ὁ τρόπος λέξις παραγεγραμμένη ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ κύριον κατασκευῆς ἕνεκα καὶ φράσεως τῆς ἐν τῷ λόγῳ εὐχρηστίας χάριν. ἡ προφητεία δὲ οὐδ' ὅλως τοὺς περὶ τὰς λέξεις σχηματισμοὺς ἐπιτηδεύει διὰ τὸ κάλλος τῆς φράσεως, τῷ δὲ μὴ πάντων εἶναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπικρύπτεται πολυτρόπως, μόνοις τοῖς εἰς γνῶσιν μεμυημένοις, τοῖς δι' ἀγάπην ζητοῦσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τὸ φῶς ἀνατέλλουσα. λέγεται δ' οὖν εἶδος τῆς προφητείας ἡ παροιμία κατὰ τὴν βάρβαρον φιλοσοφίαν λέγεταί τε καὶ παραβολὴ τό τε αἴνιγμα ἐπὶ τούτοις. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ σοφία λέγεται, καὶ ὡς ἕτερον αὐτῆς ἡ παιδεία λόγοι τε αὖ φρονήσεως καὶ στροφαὶ λόγων καὶ δικαιοσύνη ἀληθὴς διδασκαλία τε αὖ τοῦ κατευθῦναι κρῖμα καὶ πανουργία ἀκάκοις κατὰ τὴν παιδείαν περιγινομένη αἴσθησίς τε καὶ ἔννοια τῷ νεοκατηχήτῳ γινομένη. ὁ τούτων ἀκούσας, φησί, τῶν προφητῶν σοφὸς σοφώτερος ἔσται, κυβέρνησιν δὲ ὁ νοήμων κτήσεται καὶ νοήσει παραβολὴν καὶ σκοτεινὸν λόγον ῥήσεις τε σοφῶν καὶ αἰνίγματα. εἰ δὲ ἀπὸ Ἕλληνος τοῦ ∆ιὸς τοῦ κατ' ἐπίκλησιν ∆ευκαλίωνος τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς συνέβη κεκλῆσθαι διαλέκτους, ἐκ τῶν χρόνων, ὧν φθάσαντες παρεστήσαμεν, ῥᾴδιον συνιδεῖν ὅσαις γενεαῖς τῆς Ἑβραίων φωνῆς αἱ παρ' Ἕλλησι μεταγενέστεραι διάλεκτοι ὑπάρχουσι. Προϊούσης δὲ τῆς γραφῆς τοὺς προειρημένους ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου τρόπους καθ' ἑκάστην περικοπὴν σημειωσάμενοι παραστήσομεν, τὴν γνωστικὴν ἀγωγὴν κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας κανόνα φιλοτέχνως ἐνδεικνύμενοι. ἦ γὰρ οὐχὶ καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁράσει τῷ Ἑρμᾷ ἡ δύναμις ἐν τῷ τύπῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας φανεῖσα ἔδωκεν τὸ βιβλίον εἰς μεταγραφήν, ὃ τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς ἀναγγελῆναι ἐβούλετο; τοῦτο δὲ μετεγράψατο πρὸς γράμμα, φησί, μὴ εὑρίσκων τὰς συλλαβὰς τελέσαι. ἐδήλου δ' ἄρα τὴν μὲν γραφὴν πρόδηλον εἶναι πᾶσι κατὰ τὴν ψιλὴν ἀνάγνωσιν ἐκλαμβανομένην, καὶ ταύτην εἶναι τὴν πίστιν στοιχείων τάξιν ἔχουσαν, διὸ καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὸ γράμμα ἀνάγνωσις ἀλληγορεῖται· τὴν διάπτυξιν δὲ τὴν γνωστικὴν τῶν γραφῶν, προκοπτούσης ἤδη τῆς πίστεως, εἰκάζεσθαι τῇ κατὰ τὰς συλλαβὰς ἀναγνώσει ἐκδεχόμεθα. ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἡσαΐας ὁ προφήτης βιβλίον καινὸν κελεύεται λαβὼν ἐγγράψαι τινά, τὴν γνῶσιν τὴν ἁγίαν διὰ τῆς τῶν γραφῶν ἐξηγήσεως ὕστερον ἔσεσθαι προφητεύοντος τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν ἔτι κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἄγραφον τυγχάνουσαν διὰ τὸ μηδέπω γινώσκεσθαι· εἴρητο γὰρ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς μόνοις τοῖς νοοῦσιν. αὐτίκα διδάξαντος τοῦ σωτῆρος τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἡ τῆς ἐγγράφου ἄγραφος ἤδη καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς διαδίδοται παράδοσις, καρδίαις καιναῖς κατὰ τὴν ἀνακαίνωσιν τοῦ βιβλίου τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ θεοῦ ἐγγεγραμμένη. Ταύτῃ οἱ τῶν παρ' Ἕλλησι λογιώτατοι τῷ Ἑρμῇ, ὃν δὴ λόγον εἶναί φασι, διὰ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν καθιεροῦσι τῆς ῥοιᾶς τὸν καρπόν· πολυκευθὴς γὰρ ὁ λόγος. εἰκότως ἄρα καὶ τὸν Μωυσέα ἀναλαμβανόμενον διττὸν εἶδεν Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ, καὶ τὸν μὲν μετ' ἀγγέλων, τὸν δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη περὶ τὰς φάραγγας κηδείας ἀξιούμενον. εἶδεν δὲ Ἰησοῦς τὴν θέαν ταύτην κάτω πνεύματι ἐπαρθεὶς σὺν καὶ τῷ Χαλέβ, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοίως ἄμφω θεῶνται, ἀλλ' ὃ μὲν καὶ θᾶττον κατῆλθεν, πολὺ τὸ βρῖθον ἐπαγόμενος, ὃ δὲ ἐπικατελθὼν ὕστερον τὴν δόξαν διηγεῖτο ἣν ἐθεᾶτο, διαθρῆσαι δυνηθεὶς μᾶλλον θατέρου, ἅτε καὶ καθαρώτερος γενόμενος, δηλούσης, οἶμαι, τῆς ἱστορίας μὴ πάντων εἶναι τὴν γνῶσιν, ἐπεὶ οἳ μὲν τὸ σῶμα τῶν γραφῶν, τὰς λέξεις καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα, καθάπερ τὸ σῶμα τὸ Μωυσέως, προσβλέπουσιν, οἳ δὲ τὰς διανοίας καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀνομάτων δηλούμενα διορῶσι, τὸν μετὰ ἀγγέλων Μωυσέα πολυπραγμονοῦντες. ἀμέλει καὶ τῶν ἐπιβοωμένων τὸν κύριον αὐτὸν οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ υἱὲ ∆αβίδ, ἐλέησόν με ἔλεγον, ὀλίγοι δὲ υἱὸν ἐγίγνωσκον τοῦ θεοῦ, καθάπερ ὁ Πέτρος, ὃν καὶ ἐμακάρισεν, ὅτι αὐτῷ σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλ' ἢ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, δηλῶν τὸν γνωστικὸν οὐ διὰ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ τῆς κυηθείσης, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτῆς τῆς δυνάμεως τῆς πατρικῆς γνωρίζειν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ παντοκράτορος. οὐ μόνον τοίνυν τοῖς ἐπιτυγχάνουσιν ἁπλῶς οὕτως δύσκολος ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας κτῆσις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧν τυγχάνει ἡ ἐπιστήμη οἰκεία, μηδὲ τούτοις ἀθρόαν δίδοσθαι τὴν θεωρίαν ἡ κατὰ τὸν Μωυσέα ἱστορία διδάσκει, μέχρις ἂν ἐθισθέντες ἀντωπεῖν, καθάπερ οἱ Ἑβραῖοι τῇ δόξῃ τῇ Μωυσέως καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ταῖς τῶν ἀγγέλων ὀπτασίαις, οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς ταῖς τῆς ἀληθείας μαρμαρυγαῖς ἀντιβλέπειν δυνηθῶμεν.