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166

the things that were happening, nor were the matters of the battle decided by weapons and the strength of bodies, but by the nod of God, with the events showing that He himself was the general. For since the weak were conquering the strong, the few the many, the conquered the conquerors, and things were happening contrary to expectation, he rightly calls them wonders, as they occurred paradoxically and were extended throughout all the earth. 3. One would not err in taking this also anagogically, and for the present time. For he also brought to an end the difficult war of the demons, and every 55.207 where in the inhabited world he extended peace, and also cast down their perceptible war. Which Isaiah also, making it clear, said: They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles, and nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. For before the coming of Christ, all men took up arms, and no one was exempt from this service, and cities fought against cities, and in general the affairs of war were organized; but now most of the inhabited world is in peace, with everyone pursuing their crafts in security, and working the land, and sailing the sea; and the military is a small thing, set apart from all the others. And the need for this would have been abolished, if we were doing what is fitting, and did not need the reminder from afflictions. Here he calls fire His wrath, and he mentions an event that happened, that they burned their weapons, having conquered decisively, and the chariots, which Ezekiel says; and as many as are eager to learn, know the story. Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Another says, Be healed and know. Another, Desist, that you may know. But the Hebrew says, Ouarpou ouadou. Here it seems to me he is speaking to the nations, saying as it were this: You have known His strength, he says, and power, which is extended throughout the whole inhabited world; but you need leisure, you need a healthy soul. And the word "Desist" indicates the same thing: abandon your error, be freed from your former way of life, take a breath from the mist of the evil things that possess you, so that being guided by the teaching of the miracles and having a soul at leisure, you may come to know the God of all. For miracles alone are not sufficient, unless the soul is also well-disposed. Since even in the case of the Jews miracles happened, and nothing more came of it for their salvation. For just as the rays of the sun are not sufficient, unless the eye is also pure and healthy; so indeed here also miracles alone are not sufficient. Therefore, having spoken about those things, he exhorts those who are about to reap the benefit of them, to take a breath from the evils that possess them, so that they may learn of the God over all. Be still, and know that I am God, not the idols, nor the carved images. Be still, therefore, and I will provide you with many proofs. For this is the meaning of, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth; that is, Through my works I will be shown to you as great and exalted. For nature has its own height, that undefiled and ineffable one. But since you do not perceive this, I will also show it to you through works. And not only in Palestine, nor only in Jerusalem, but also among you, the nations. Thus then he is exalted, conquering them and prevailing, working wonders in Babylon, wonders in Egypt, wonders in the desert, wonders everywhere in the inhabited world, so that from everywhere they might have instruction in the knowledge of him. The Lord of hosts is with us, our helper is the God of Jacob. This then is the 55.208 God, the one who is great everywhere, who is exalted everywhere, this one always stands with us. Therefore nothing

166

τὰ γινόμενα, οὐδὲ ὅπλοις καὶ δυνάμει σωμάτων τὰ τῆς μάχης ἐκρίνετο, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ νεύματι, τῶν πραγμάτων δηλούντων, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ στρατηγῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς τοὺς δυνατοὺς ἐνίκων, οἱ ὀλίγοι τοὺς πολλοὺς, οἱ κεκρατημένοι τοὺς κρατοῦντας, καὶ παρ' ἐλπίδα τὰ πράγματα ἐγίνετο, εἰκότως αὐτὰ τέρατα καλεῖ, ἅτε παραδόξως συμβαίνοντα, καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς γῆς ἐκτεταμένα. γʹ. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἄν τις ἁμάρτοι καὶ κατὰ ἀναγωγὴν ἐκλαβὼν, καὶ εἰς τὸν παρόντα καιρόν. Καὶ γὰρ πόλεμον χαλεπὸν κατέλυσε τὸν τῶν δαιμόνων, καὶ παντα 55.207 χοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν εἰρήνην ἐξέτεινε, καὶ τὸν αἰσθητὸν δὲ αὐτῶν πόλεμον συγκατέβαλεν. Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας δηλῶν ἔλεγε· Συντρίψουσι τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν εἰς ἄροτρα, καὶ τὰς ζιβύνας αὐτῶν εἰς δρέπανα, καὶ οὐ λήψεται ἔθνος ἐπ' ἔθνος μάχαιραν, καὶ οὐ μὴ μάθωσιν ἔτι πολεμεῖν. Πρὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας πάντες ἄνθρωποι ὅπλα ἐτίθεντο, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀτελὴς ταύτης τῆς λειτουργίας ἦν, καὶ πόλεις πρὸς τὰς πόλεις ἐμάχοντο, καὶ διόλου τὰ τῶν πολέμων συνεκροτεῖτο· νῦν δὲ τὸ πλέον τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐν εἰρήνῃ, πάντων ἐν ἀδείᾳ καὶ τέχνας μετιόντων, καὶ γῆν ἐργαζομένων, καὶ θάλατταν πλεόντων· ὀλίγον δέ ἐστι τὸ στρατιωτικὸν πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων τεταγμένον. Καὶ τούτου δὲ ἂν ἡ χρεία κατελύθη, εἰ τὰ προσήκοντα ἐπράττομεν, καὶ μὴ ἐδεόμεθα τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν θλίψεων ὑπομνήσεως. Πῦρ δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ καλεῖ, καὶ πρᾶγμα συμβεβηκὸς λέγει, ὅτι τὰ ὅπλα αὐτῶν κατέκαυσαν, κατὰ κράτος νικήσαντες, καὶ τὰ ἅρματα, ὅπερ Ἰεζεκιήλ φησι· καὶ ὅσοι φιλομαθεῖς, ἴσασι τὴν ἱστορίαν. Σχολάσατε, καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός. Ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τῇ γῇ. Ἄλλος φησὶν, Ἰάθητε καὶ γνῶτε. Ἄλλος,Ἐάσατε, ἵνα γνῶτε. Ὁ δὲ Ἑβραῖός φησιν, Οὐαρφοῦ οὐαδοῦ. Ἐνταῦθά μοι δοκεῖ πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη διαλέγεσθαι, μονονουχὶ τοῦτο λέγων· Ἔγνωτε μὲν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν, φησὶ, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐκτεταμένην· δεῖ δὲ ὑμῖν σχολῆς, δεῖ δὲ ὑμῖν ὑγιαινούσης ψυχῆς. Καὶ τὸ Ἐάσατε δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ δηλοῖ· ἄφετε τὴν πλάνην, ἀπαλλάγητε τῆς προτέρας ἀναστροφῆς, ἀναπνεύσατε ἐκ τῆς ἀχλύος τῶν κατεχόντων ὑμᾶς πονηρῶν πραγμάτων, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν θαυμάτων διδασκαλίας χειραγωγούμενοι καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν σχολάζουσαν ἔχοντες, ἐπιγνῶτε τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ τὰ θαύματα μόνον, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ ψυχὴ εὐγνώμων ᾖ. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐγένετο θαύματα, καὶ οὐδὲν πλέον ἐγένετο πρὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐκείνων. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οὐκ ἀρκοῦσιν αἱ τοῦ ἡλίου ἀκτῖνες, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς καθαρὸς ᾖ, καὶ ὑγιαίνων· οὕτω δὴ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα τὰ θαύματα μόνον ἀρκεῖ. ∆ιὸ δὴ περὶ ἐκείνων διαλεχθεὶς, παραινεῖ τοῖς μέλλουσιν αὐτῶν καρποῦσθαι τὴν ὠφέλειαν, ἀναπνεῦσαι ἐκ τῶν κατεχόντων αὐτοὺς κακῶν, ὥστε μαθεῖν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ὅλων. Σχολάσατε, καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς, οὐ τὰ εἴδωλα, οὐδὲ τὰ ξόανα. Σχολάσατε τοίνυν, καὶ πολλὰς ὑμῖν παρέξομαι τὰς ἀποδείξεις. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ, Ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τῇ γῇ· τουτέστι, ∆ιὰ τῶν ἔργων ὑμῖν δειχθήσομαι μέγας καὶ ὑψηλός. Ἔχει μὲν γὰρ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἡ φύσις ὕψος, ἡ ἀκήρατος ἐκείνη καὶ ἄφραστος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο ὑμεῖς οὐ συνορᾶτε, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ὑμῖν αὐτὸ ἐπιδείξω. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐν τῇ Παλαιστίνῃ, οὐδὲ μόνον ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρ' ὑμῖν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Οὕτω γοῦν ὑψοῦται, κρατῶν αὐτῶν καὶ περιγινόμενος, θαύματα ἐργαζόμενος ἐν Βαβυλῶνι, θαύματα ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, θαύματα ἐν ἐρήμῳ, θαύματα πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης, ὡς πανταχόθεν αὐτοὺς διδασκαλίαν ἔχειν τῆς αὐτοῦ γνώσεως. Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθ' ἡμῶν, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ 55.208 Θεὸς, ὁ πανταχοῦ μέγας, ὁ πανταχοῦ ὑψηλὸς, οὗτος ἀεὶ μεθ' ἡμῶν ἕστηκε. Μηδὲν οὖν