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at the ninth hour there was darkness over all the world,” he will do this again at the time of the consummation; for “The sun,” he says, “will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.” Thus through these things having shown his power, he teaches the reason for which he himself did not defend himself; 4The Lord, the Lord gives me a tongue of instruction to know when it is right to speak a word, he has set me early to understand, early he has given me an ear to hear, and the instruction 5of the Lord opens my ears. These things the master, Christ, says in a human way. And we find many such things also in the divine gospels; for “Jesus,” it says, “advanced in stature and wisdom and grace with God and men.” He calls the youthfulness of age "early"; and this the prophet also taught in what preceded, for having foretold the birth from the virgin he added: “Before he knows good or evil he rejects wickedness to choose the good,” and the evangelist similarly: “The child,” he says, “grew and became strong in spirit, and the grace of God was upon him.” But the phrase: The instruction of the Lord opens my ears, I do not think was said concerning himself but concerning the disciples who believed in him; for he calls his hearers his ears, to whom he offered the divine words, to whom he spoke as we learn from the holy gospels: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” But I do not disobey, nor do I contradict. For he gave himself up to those who came to him, saying: “I am he whom you seek.” 6I gave my back to scourges, and my cheeks to slaps, and I did not turn my face away from the shame of spitting. The history of the divine gospels teaches all these things. For the servant of the high priest struck him on the cheek, and others “struck him, saying: Prophesy to us, Christ, who is it that struck you? And others spat in his face,” and Pilate, having scourged him, handed him over to be crucified. He foretells all these things through prophecy, teaching his own long-suffering. 7And the Lord became my helper. For this reason I was not confounded, but I set my face like a hard rock and I knew<ν> that I would not be ashamed, 8for he who justifies me is near. And he has said these things in a human way; for philosophy and endurance and also the hope in the just judge are of human virtue. Who is the one who judges me? Let him draw near to me. 9Behold, the Lord helps me; who will harm me? This also the Lord said in the holy gospels: “I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks and judges,” and in another place he said to them: “I have shown you many works from my Father; for which of them do you stone me?” Thus the prophetic decrees are like the evangelical oracles. Behold, all of you will grow old like a garment, and a moth will consume you. The parable is very fitting; for the moth, being born from the garments, consumes them, and sin, being born from us, destroys those who bore it. 10Who among you fears the Lord? Let him obey the voice of his servant. Again he calls himself a servant, as a man; for though he was in the form of God, he took the form of a slave. Thus also in the divine gospels he says he has received a commandment what he should say and what he should speak. Those who walk in darkness, and there is no light for them. For even when the light had risen, they loved the darkness. Trust in the name |164 b| of the Lord and be supported by your God. If in reality, he says, you have a sincere and genuine hope in God, let him support and establish you. 11Behold, all of you kindle a fire and strengthen a flame. You both draw the Roman fire upon yourselves and prepare the flame of Gehenna to prevail over you. Walk by the light of your fire and by the flame which you have kindled. Since you did not receive my light, receive the fire of the enemies, for which you yourselves have supplied the fuel. Then more clearly: Because of me these things have happened to you; you shall lie down in sorrow. And he showed the cause of the evils and their perpetuity; for until death you will be given over to the aforesaid calamities. 51Listen to me, you who

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ἐνάτης σκότος ἐγένετο ἐφ' ὅλην τὴν οἰκουμένην», ποιήσει δὲ τοῦτο πάλιν κατὰ τὸν τῆς συντελείας καιρόν· «Ὁ ἥλιος» γάρ φησι «σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς.» Οὕτω διὰ τούτων ὑποδείξας τὴν δύναμιν διδάσκει τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐπήμυνεν· 4Κύριος κύριος δίδωσί μοι γλῶσσαν παιδείας τοῦ γνῶναι ἡνίκα δεῖ εἰπεῖν λόγον, ἔθηκέ με πρωὶ νοεῖν, πρωὶ προσέθηκέ μοι ὠτίον ἀκούειν, καὶ ἡ παιδεία 5κυρίου ἀνοίγει μου τὰ ὦτα. Ταῦτα ἀνθρω πίνως ὁ δεσπότης λέγει Χριστός. Πολλὰ δὲ τοιαῦτα καὶ ἐν τοῖς θείοις εὐαγγελίοις εὑρίσκομεν· «Ἰησοῦς» γάρ φησι «προέκοπτεν ἡλικίᾳ καὶ σοφίᾳ καὶ χάριτι παρὰ θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις.» Πρωὶ δὲ καλεῖ τῆς ἡλικίας τὸ νέον· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν ὁ προφήτης ἐδίδαξεν, τῆς γὰρ παρθένου προαγορεύσας τὸν τόκον ἐπήγαγεν· «Πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι αὐτὸν ἀγαθὸν ἢ κακὸν ἀπειθεῖ πονηρίᾳ τοῦ ἐκλέξασθαι τὸ ἀγαθόν», καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς δὲ ὡσαύτως· «Τὸ παιδίον» φησὶν «ηὔξανε καὶ ἐκραταιοῦτο πνεύματι, καὶ χάρις θεοῦ ἦν ἐπ' αὐτῷ.» Τὸ δέ· Ἡ παιδεία κυρίου ἀνοίγει μου τὰ ὦτα, οὐ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ οἶμαι εἰρῆσθαι ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν πεπιστευκότων αὐτῷ μαθητῶν· ὦτα γὰρ αὐτοῦ τ οὺς ἀκροατὰς ὀνομάζει, οἷς τοὺς θείους λόγους προσέφερε, πρὸς οὓς ἔλεγεν ὡς ἐκ τῶν ἱερῶν εὐαγγε λίων μανθάνομεν· «Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω.» Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἀπειθῶ οὐδὲ ἀντιλέγω. Ἑαυτὸν γὰρ τοῖς ὡς αὐτὸν παραγενομένοις παρέδωκεν εἰρηκώς· «Ἐγώ εἰμι ὃν ζητεῖτε.» 6Τὸν νῶτόν μου δέδωκα εἰς μάστιγας, τὰς δὲ σιαγόνας μου εἰς ῥαπίσματα, τὸ δὲ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ἀπέστρεψα ἀπὸ αἰσχύνης ἐμπτυσμάτων. Ταῦτα πάντα διδάσκει τῶν θείων εὐαγγελίων ἡ ἱστορία. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως οἰκέτης ἐπὶ κόρρης αὐτὸν ἐπάταξεν, οἱ δὲ «ἐκολάφιζον αὐτὸν λέγοντες· Προφήτευσον ἡμῖν Χριστέ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε; Οἱ δὲ ἐνέπτυσαν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ», ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος φραγελλώσας αὐτὸν παρέδωκε σταυρωθῆναι. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα διὰ τῆς προφητείας προλέγει τὴν οἰκείαν διδάσκων μακροθυμίαν. 7Καὶ κύριος ἐγενήθη βοηθός μου. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐνετράπην, ἀλλ' ἔθηκα τὸ πρόσω πόν μου ὡς στερεὰν πέτραν καὶ ἔγνω<ν> ὅτι οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ, 8ὅτι ἐγγίζει ὁ δικαιώσας με. Καὶ ταῦτα ἀνθρω πίνως εἴρηκεν· ἀνθρωπίνης γὰρ ἀρετῆς φιλοσοφία καὶ καρτερία καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ τὸν δίκαιον κριτὴν ἐλπίς. Τίς ὁ κρινόμενός μοι; Ἐγγισάτω μοι. 9Ἰδοὺ κύριος βοηθεῖ μοι· τίς κακώσει με; Τοῦτο κἀν τοῖς ἱεροῖς εὐαγγε λίοις ὁ κύριος ἔφη· «Ἐγὼ τιμῶ τὸν πατέρα μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀτιμάζετέ με. Ἐγὼ οὐ ζητῶ τὴν δόξαν μου· ἔστιν ὁ ζητῶν καὶ κρίνων», καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ δὲ χωρίῳ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔφη· «Πολλὰ ἔργα ἔδειξα ὑμῖν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου· διὰ ποῖον αὐτῶν λιθάζετέ με;» Οὕτως ἔοικε τοῖς εὐαγγε λικοῖς λογίοις τὰ προφητι κὰ θεσ πίσματα. Ἰδοὺ πάντες ὑμεῖς ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσεσθε, καὶ ὡς σὴς καταφάγεται ὑμᾶς. Λίαν πρόςφορος ἡ παραβολή· ὁ γὰρ σὴς ἐκ τῶν ἱματίων τικτόμενος ἀναλίσκει ταῦτα, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐξ ἡμῶν τικτομένη διαφθείρει τοὺς φύσαντας. 10Τίς ἐν ὑμῖν ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον; Ὑπακουσάτω τῇ φωνῇ τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ. Παῖδα ἑαυτὸν πάλιν ὡς ἄνθρωπον ὀνομάζει· ἐν μορφῇ γὰρ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων μορφὴν ἔλαβε δούλου. Οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς θείοις εὐαγγελίοις ἐντολὴν εἰληφέναι λέγει τί εἴπῃ καὶ τί λαλήσῃ. Οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν σκότει, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς φῶς. Καὶ γὰρ ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ φωτὸς αὐτοὶ τὸ σκότος ἠγάπησαν. Πεποίθατε ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι |164 b| κυρίου καὶ ἀντιστηρίζεσθε ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ ὑμῶν. Εἰ τῷ ὄντι φησὶν εἰλικρινῆ καὶ γνησίαν ἔχετε πρὸς τὸν θεὸν τὴν ἐλ πίδα, αὐτὸς ἐρειδέτω καὶ στηριζέτω. 11Ἰδοὺ πάντες ὑμεῖς πῦρ καίετε καὶ κατισχύετε φλόγα. Καὶ τὸ Ῥωμαϊκὸν πῦρ ὑμεῖς καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐπισπᾶσθε καὶ τῆς γεέννης τὴν φλόγα κατισχῦσαι ὑμῶν παρα σκευάζετε. Πορεύεσθε τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ πυρὸς ὑμῶν καὶ τῇ φλογὶ ᾖ ἐξεκαύσατε. Ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἐμὸν οὐχ ὑπεδέξασθε φῶς, τὸ τῶν πολεμίων ὑποδέξασθε πῦρ, ᾧπερ ὑμεῖς κεχορηγήκατε τὴν τροφήν. Εἶ τα σαφέστερον· ∆ι' ἐμὲ ἐγένετο ταῦτα ὑμῖν, ἐν λύπῃ κοιμηθήσεσθε. Καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἔδειξε τῶν κακῶν καὶ τὸ τούτων διηνεκές· μέχρι γὰρ θανάτου ταῖς προειρημέναις παραδοθήσεσθε συμφοραῖς. 511Ἀκούσατέ μου οἱ