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of Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 1. It is always Paul's custom to conclude his exhortation with prayers and doxologies; for he knows that the matter has no small weight. He is accustomed to do this out of affection and reverence. For it is the part of a teacher who loves his children and loves God not only to instruct with words, but also through prayers to bring in help from God for those being taught; which indeed he also does here. And the sequence is this: To him that is of power to stablish you, be glory for ever. Amen. For again he takes up the matter of the weak, and turns his discourse to them. For when he was rebuking, he made the rebuke general; but now, in praying, he offers his supplication on their behalf. And having said, To stablish, he adds also in what way: According to my gospel. This was to show that they were not yet confirmed, but though they stood, they were being shaken. Then, to make his word trustworthy, he added, And the preaching of Jesus Christ; that is, what he himself preached. But if he himself preached it, the doctrines are not ours, but his are the laws. And then, philosophizing about the preaching, he shows that this gift is a great benefit, and a great honor. And first he establishes this from the one who announced it, and then from the things that were announced; for it was good news. In addition to these, from the fact that he made it known to no one before us. This, at least, he hinted at when he said, According to the revelation of the mystery; which is a sign of the greatest friendship, to make us partakers of mysteries, and no one before us. 60.644 which was kept secret for long ages, but now is made manifest. For it was long ago predestined, but has now appeared. How did it appear? Through the prophetic Scriptures. Here again he dispels the fear of the weak. For what do you fear? That you might depart from the law? This is what the law wills, this is what it foretold from the beginning. But if you also examine why it has been revealed now, you are not doing a safe thing, prying into the mysteries of God, and demanding an account; for one must not be meddlesome in such matters, but love and cherish them. Therefore, silencing such an opinion, he added, According to the commandment of the eternal God, for the obedience of faith. For faith requires obedience, not meddlesomeness; and when God commands, one must obey, not pry. Then he encourages them from another angle, saying, Made known to all nations. For not you alone, but the whole world so believes, having received not a man, but God as teacher. Therefore he added, Through Jesus Christ. It was not only made known, but also confirmed; and both are his works. Therefore it must be read thus, To him that is of power to stablish you through Jesus Christ. For, as I said, he ascribes both to him; or rather, not only both, but also the glory to the Father. Therefore he said: To whom be glory for ever. Amen. And again he glorifies, being astonished at the incomprehensibility of these mysteries. For not even now that it has appeared is it possible to comprehend them by reasoning, but one must know them through faith, and otherwise it is not possible. He well said, To the only wise 60.645 God. For when you consider how he brought in the nations and mixed them with those who had long ago done well, how he saved the despairing, how he led up to heaven those who were unworthy of the earth, and brought those who had fallen from the present life into that immortal and ineffable one, and made those who were trodden down by demons rivals of angels, and opened paradise, and loosed all the old evils, and did these things in a short time, and by a ready and very short way; then you will know the wisdom, when you see that what neither angels nor archangels knew, this the Gentiles have suddenly learned through Jesus. It is necessary, therefore, to marvel at his wisdom, and to glorify him; but you are concerned with small things, still cleaving to the shadow; which is not the part of one who glorifies. For he who does not take courage in him, nor trust in faith, does not bear witness to the greatness of what has been done. But he himself offered up the glory on their behalf, leading them into the same zeal. And when you hear him say, To the only wise God, do not think this is said to the setting aside of the Son. For if all these things, from which the

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στοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. αʹ. Ἔθος ἀεὶ τῷ Παύλῳ εἰς εὐχὰς καὶ δοξολογίας κατακλείειν τὴν παραίνεσιν· οἶδε γὰρ οὐ μικρὰν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἔχον ῥοπήν. Τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ φιλοστοργίας καὶ εὐλαβείας ποιεῖν εἴωθε. Καὶ γὰρ φιλόπαιδος καὶ φιλοθέου διδασκάλου τὸ μὴ μόνον λόγῳ παιδεύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' εὐχῶν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ συμμαχίαν τοῖς διδασκομένοις εἰσάγειν· ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖ. Ἡ δὲ ἀκολουθία αὕτη ἐστί· Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑμᾶς στηρίξαι δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Πάλιν γὰρ ἐκείνων ἔχεται τῶν ἀσθενῶν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τρέπει τὸν λόγον. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἐπετίμα, κοινὴν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν· νυνὶ δὲ εὐχόμενος, ὑπὲρ τούτων τίθησι τὴν ἱκετηρίαν. Εἰπὼν δὲ, Στηρίξαι, ἐπάγει καὶ κατὰ ποῖον τρόπον· Κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου. Τοῦτο δὲ δηλοῦντος ἦν, ὅτι οὔπω ἦσαν βεβαιωθέντες, ἀλλ' ἑστήκεσαν μὲν, ἐσαλεύοντο δέ. Εἶτα ποιῶν τὸν λόγον ἀξιόπιστον, ἐπήγαγε, Καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· τουτέστιν ὃ αὐτὸς ἐκήρυξεν. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς ἐκήρυξεν, οὐχ ἡμέτερα τὰ δόγματα, ἀλλ' ἐκείνου οἱ νόμοι. Φιλοσοφῶν δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ περὶ τοῦ κηρύγματος, δείκνυσιν ὅτι πολλῆς εὐεργεσίας τοῦτο τὸ δῶρον, καὶ πολλῆς τῆς τιμῆς. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ καταγγείλαντος τοῦτο κατασκευάζει, ἔπειτα καὶ ἀπ' αὐτῶν τῶν καταγγελθέντων· εὐαγγέλια γὰρ ἦν. Πρὸς τούτοις, ἀπὸ τοῦ μηδενὶ γνωρίσαι πρὸ ἡμῶν. Τοῦτο γοῦν ᾐνίξατο εἰπὼν, Κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου· ὅπερ μεγίστης φιλίας σημεῖόν ἐστι, τὸ μυστη 60.644 ρίων ποιεῖν κοινωνοὺς, καὶ μηδένα πρὸ ἡμῶν. 60.644 Χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγημένου, φανερωθέντος δὲ νῦν. Πάλαι μὲν γὰρ προώριστο, ἐφάνη δὲ νῦν. Πῶς ἐφάνη; ∆ιὰ Γραφῶν προφητικῶν. Ἐνταῦθα πάλιν ἐκλύει τὸν φόβον τοῦ ἀσθενοῦς. Τί γὰρ δέδοικας; μὴ ἀποστῇς τοῦ νόμου; Τοῦτο βούλεται ὁ νόμος, τοῦτο ἄνωθεν προὔλεγεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐξετάζεις διὰ τί νῦν ἐφανερώθη, οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς πρᾶγμα ποιεῖς, μυστήρια Θεοῦ περιεργαζόμενος, καὶ εὐθύνας ἀπαιτῶν· οὐδὲ γὰρ πολυπραγμονεῖν τὰ τοιαῦτα δεῖ, ἀλλ' ἀγαπᾷν καὶ στέργειν. ∆ιὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιστομίζων τὴν τοιαύτην γνώμην ἐπήγαγε, Κατ' ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ αἰωνίου Θεοῦ, εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως. Ὑπακοῆς γὰρ ἡ πίστις δεῖται, οὐ πολυπραγμοσύνης· καὶ ὅταν Θεὸς ἐπιτάττῃ, πείθεσθαι, οὐ περιεργάζεσθαι χρή. Εἶτα καὶ ἑτέρωθεν αὐτοὺς παραθαῤῥύνει λέγων· Εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη γνωρισθέντος. Οὐ γὰρ σὺ μόνος, ἀλλ' ἡ οἰκουμένη πᾶσα οὕτω πιστεύει, οὐκ ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ Θεὸν λαβοῦσα διδάσκαλον. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε, ∆ιὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐβεβαιώθη· ἀμφότερα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἔργα. ∆ιὸ καὶ οὕτως ἀναγνωστέον, Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑμᾶς στηρίξαι διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ, ὅπερ εἶπον, ἀμφότερα αὐτῷ ἀνατίθησι· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἀμφότερα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν εἰς τὸν Πατέρα. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν· Ὧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. ∆οξάζει δὲ πάλιν τὸ ἀκατάληπτον τῶν μυστηρίων τούτων ἐκπληττόμενος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ νῦν ὅτε ἐφάνη, λογισμοῖς αὐτὰ καταλαβεῖν δυνατὸν, ἀλλὰ διὰ πίστεως εἰδέναι χρὴ, ἄλλως δὲ οὐκ ἔνι. Καλῶς εἶπε, Μόνῳ σοφῷ 60.645 Θεῷ. Ὅταν γὰρ ἐννοήσῃς πῶς τὰ ἔθνη εἰσήγαγε καὶ ἀνεκέρασε τοῖς πάλαι κατωρθωκόσι, πῶς ἀπεγνωσμένους ἔσωσε, πῶς τῆς γῆς ἀναξίους ὄντας εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνήγαγε, καὶ τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς ἐκπεπτωκότας εἰς τὴν ἀθάνατον ἐκείνην καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον εἰσήγαγε, καὶ ὑπὸ δαιμόνων πατουμένους ἀγγέλοις ἐφαμίλλους ἐποίησε, καὶ παράδεισον ἠνέῳξε, καὶ τὰ παλαιὰ ἅπαντα κακὰ ἔλυσε, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν χρόνῳ βραχεῖ, καὶ δι' ὁδοῦ ῥᾳδίας καὶ συντομωτάτης· τότε γνώσῃ τὴν σοφίαν, ὅταν ἴδῃς, ὃ μήτε ἄγγελοι μήτε ἀρχάγγελοι ᾔδεσαν, τοῦτο ἐξαίφνης τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν μεμαθηκότας διὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. ∆έον οὖν θαυμάζειν αὐτοῦ τὴν σοφίαν, καὶ δοξάζειν αὐτόν· σὺ δὲ περὶ μικρὰ στρέφῃ, τῇ σκιᾷ προσεδρεύων ἔτι· ὅπερ οὐ σφόδρα ἐστὶ δοξάζοντος. Ὁ γὰρ μὴ θαῤῥῶν αὐτῷ, μηδὲ τῇ πίστει πεποιθὼς, οὐ μαρτυρεῖ τῷ μεγέθει τῶν γενομένων. Ἀλλ' αὐτὸς τὴν ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων δόξαν ἀνήνεγκε, κἀκείνους εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν ζῆλον ἐνάγων. Ὅταν δὲ ἀκούσῃς αὐτοῦ λέγοντος, Μόνῳ σοφῷ Θεῷ, μὴ πρὸς ἀθέτησιν τοῦ Υἱοῦ νόμιζε τοῦτο λέγεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ ἅπαντα ταῦτα, ἀφ' ὧν ἡ