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Therefore he establishes the opposite of what he wishes. For he wishes to show here that faith has no power without works. Then, intensifying them, he also added the signs; showing that not only faith, but not even the demonstration of signs profits the wonderworker at all without virtue. But if they had not done them, how could this have been established here? Otherwise, they would not have dared, in the presence of the judgment, to say these things to him. And this response itself, and their speaking in the form of a question, shows that they had done them. For since they saw an end contrary to their expectation, and while here they were admired by all for working wonders, there they see themselves then being punished, as if astonished 57.322 and amazed they say: Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? how then do you turn us away now? what does this strange and paradoxical end mean? But they are amazed that, having performed such wonders, they were punished; but you, do not be amazed. For all grace is from the gift of the Giver; and they contributed nothing from themselves; wherefore they are justly punished, because they became ungrateful and insensible toward the one who so honored them as to give grace even to the unworthy. Why then, he says, did they do such things while working iniquity? Some say that it was not at the time when they were working these wonders that they were also lawless, but that they changed later and committed iniquity. But if this were so, again the point being made does not stand. For what he has been eager to show is this: that neither faith nor miracles have power, if a life is not present; which is what Paul also said: If I have faith, so as to move mountains, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, but have not love, I am nothing. Who then are these? he says. Many of those who believed received gifts, such as the one who was casting out demons and was not with him, such as Judas; for he too, being wicked, had a gift. And in the Old Testament one might find this, grace working often in unworthy people, so that it might benefit others. For since not all were suited for all things, but some were of a pure life, but did not have so much faith, and others the contrary; he both urges the former through the latter to show great faith, and summoned the latter through this ineffable gift to become better. 2. Wherefore he also gave grace with great abundance. For many mighty works, he says, we have done. But I will confess to them then, that I do not know you. For now they think they are my friends; but then they will know that it was not as to friends that I gave. And why are you amazed if he has given gifts to men who have believed in him, but do not have a life corresponding to their faith, when indeed he is found working even in those who have fallen away from both of these? For Balaam was a stranger both to faith and to the best conduct; but nevertheless grace worked in him for the economy of others. And Pharaoh was such; but nevertheless to him also he showed things to come. And Nebuchadnezzar was most lawless, and to him again he revealed the things that would be many generations later. And again to his son who surpassed his father in lawlessness, he showed things to come, administering wondrous and great matters. Since, therefore, the preaching was then in its beginnings, and a great demonstration of his power had to be made, many even of the unworthy received gifts. But nevertheless from these signs they gained nothing, but are even more punished. Wherefore he also said to them that fearful saying: I never knew you. For many he already hates even from this life, and turns away from them before the judgment. Let us fear, therefore, beloved, and let us take great care for our life, and not think that we have less because we do not work signs now. For from this we will never have anything more, just as we will have nothing less from not doing them, if we care for 57.323 all virtue. For concerning the signs, we ourselves are debtors, but concerning our life and deeds, we have God as our debtor. Since, therefore, he has completed all things, and has spoken about virtue with all accuracy, and has shown those who feign it

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Οὐκοῦν τὸ ἐναντίον οὗ βούλεται κατασκευάζει. Καὶ γὰρ βούλεται ἐνταῦθα δεῖξαι, ὅτι ἡ πίστις οὐδὲν ἰσχύει χωρὶς ἔργων. Εἶτα ἐπιτείνων αὐτὰ, προσέθηκε καὶ τὰ σημεῖα· δηλῶν ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἡ πίστις, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἡ τῶν σημείων ἐπίδειξις ὀνίνησί τι τὸν θαυματουργοῦντα ἀρετῆς χωρίς. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐποίησαν, πῶς ἂν ἐδυνήθη τοῦτο συστῆναι ἐνταῦθα; Ἄλλως δὲ οὐδ' ἂν ἐτόλμησαν, τῆς κρίσεως παρούσης, πρὸς αὐτὸν ταῦτα εἰπεῖν. Καὶ αὑτὴ δὲ ἡ ἀπόκρισις, καὶ τὸ κατ' ἐρώτησιν λέγειν, δείκνυσιν αὐτοὺς πεποιηκότας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐναντίον τῇ προσδοκίᾳ τὸ τέλος εἶδον, καὶ ἐνταῦθα μὲν θαυμαστοὶ ἦσαν παρὰ πᾶσι θαυματουργοῦντες, ἐκεῖ δὲ ὁρῶσιν ἑαυτοὺς λοιπὸν κολαζομένους, ὡς ἐκπλητ 57.322 τόμενοι καὶ θαυμάζοντες λέγουσι· Κύριε, οὐχὶ ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι προεφητεύσαμεν; πῶς οὖν ἡμᾶς ἀποστρέφῃ νῦν; τί βούλεται τὸ ξένον καὶ παράδοξον τοῦτο τέλος; Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι μὲν θαυμάζουσιν, ὅτι τοιαῦτα θαυματουργήσαντες ἐκολάσθησαν· σὺ δὲ μὴ θαύμαζε. Ἡ γὰρ χάρις πᾶσα τῆς τοῦ δεδωκότος δωρεᾶς· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ οὐδὲν παρ' ἑαυτῶν εἰσήνεγκαν· διὸ καὶ κολάζεσθαι δίκαιοι, ὅτι περὶ τὸν οὕτω τιμήσαντα, ὡς καὶ ἀναξίοις δοῦναι τὴν χάριν, ἀγνώμονες γεγόνασι καὶ ἀναίσθητοι. Τί οὖν, φησὶν, ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν, τοιαῦτα ἐποίουν; Τινὲς μέν φασιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ, ἐν ᾧ ταῦτα ἐθαυματούργουν, καὶ ἠνόμουν, ἀλλ' ὕστερον μετεβάλοντο, καὶ τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐποίουν. Ἀλλ' ἐὰν τοῦτο ᾖ, πάλιν τὸ σπουδαζόμενον οὐχ ἵσταται. Ὃ γὰρ δεῖξαι ἐσπούδακε, τοῦτό ἐστιν· ὅτι οὔτε πίστις, οὔτε θαύματα ἰσχύει, βίου μὴ παρόντος· ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν· Ἐὰν ἔχω πίστιν, ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάνειν, καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδέν εἰμι. Τίνες οὖν εἰσιν οὗτοι; φησί. Πολλοὶ τῶν πιστευσάντων ἔλαβον χαρίσματα, οἷος ἦν ὁ τὰ δαιμόνια ἐκβάλλων, καὶ οὐκ ὢν μετ' αὐτοῦ, οἷος ἦν ὁ Ἰούδας· καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτος, πονηρὸς ὢν, χάρισμα εἶχε. Καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ δὲ τοῦτο εὕροι τις ἂν, εἰς ἀναξίους τὴν χάριν ἐνεργήσασαν πολλάκις, ἵνα ἑτέρους εὐεργετήσῃ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐ πάντες πρὸς πάντα ἐπιτηδείως εἶχον, ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν ἦσαν βίου καθαροῦ, πίστιν δὲ οὐ τοσαύτην εἶχον, οἱ δὲ τοὐναντίον· κἀκείνους διὰ τούτων προτρέπει, ὥστε πολλὴν ἐπιδείξασθαι πίστιν, καὶ τούτους διὰ τῆς ἀφάτου ταύτης δωρεᾶς ὥστε γενέσθαι βελτίους ἐξεκαλεῖτο. βʹ. ∆ιὸ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς δαψιλείας τὴν χάριν ἐδίδου. ∆υνάμεις γὰρ, φησὶ, πολλὰς ἐποιήσαμεν. Ἀλλ' ὁμολογήσω αὐτοῖς τότε, ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ νομίζουσιν εἶναί μοι φίλοι· τότε δὲ εἴσονται, ὅτι οὐχ ὡς φίλοις ἔδωκα. Καὶ τί θαυμάζεις εἰ ἀνδράσι πεπιστευκόσι μὲν εἰς αὐτὸν, βίον δὲ οὐκ ἔχουσι τῇ πίστει συμβαίνοντα, χαρίσματα δέδωκεν, ὅπου γε καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ἐκπεπτωκότας εὑρίσκεται ἐνεργῶν; Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Βαλαὰμ καὶ πίστεως καὶ πολιτείας ἀρίστης ἀλλότριος ἦν· ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐνήργησεν εἰς αὐτὸν ἡ χάρις διὰ τὴν ἑτέρων οἰκονομίαν. Καὶ ὁ Φαραὼ τοιοῦτος· ἀλλ' ὅμως κἀκείνῳ τὰ μέλλοντα ἔδειξε. Καὶ ὁ Ναβουχοδονόσορ παρανομώτατος, καὶ τούτῳ πάλιν τὰ μετὰ πολλὰς ὕστερον ἐσόμενα γενεὰς ἀπεκάλυψε. Καὶ τῷ παιδὶ πάλιν τῷ ἐκείνου νικῶντι τὸν πατέρα τῇ παρανομίᾳ, τὰ μέλλοντα ἔδειξε, θαυμαστὰ καὶ μεγάλα οἰκονομῶν πράγματα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ τότε ἀρχὰς τὸ κήρυγμα εἶχε, καὶ πολλὴν ἔδει γενέσθαι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπίδειξιν, πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν ἀναξίων δῶρα ἐλάμβανον. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀπὸ τῶν σημείων τούτων οὐδὲν ἐκέρδαναν ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον κολάζονται. ∆ιὸ καὶ τὸ φοβερὸν ἐκεῖνο ῥῆμα εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς. Πολλοὺς γὰρ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη μισεῖ, καὶ πρὸ τῆς κρίσεως ἀποστρέφεται. Φοβηθῶμεν τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, καὶ πολλὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιησώμεθα βίου, μηδὲ νομίζωμεν ἔλαττον ἔχειν, ἐπειδὴ σημεῖα οὐ ποιοῦμεν νῦν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐκ τούτου πλέον ἔσται ἡμῖν ποτε, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ ἔλαττον ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν, ἐὰν ἀρετῆς ἐπιμε 57.323 λώμεθα πάσης. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ σημείων αὐτοὶ ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν, τοῦ δὲ βίου καὶ τῶν πράξεων τὸν Θεὸν ἔχομεν ὀφειλέτην. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν πάντα ἀπήρτισε, καὶ περὶ ἀρετῆς διελέχθη μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἁπάσης, καὶ τοὺς ὑποκρινομένους αὐτὴν ἔδειξε