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the sea, and invisible powers yielded to his command, being driven out. Which things the Jews, seeing, ought not to have doubted that he would not have suffered, if indeed he had wished; and that he is able to save the whole world under heaven, even though he became man; and not, seeing what was apparent, to say, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God;" it being necessary to learn, that I myself who speak am present, who in times past worked wonders, which David also declares, saying: "What ails you, O sea, that you fled? And you, O Jordan, that you turned back?" and again: "The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and were afraid." And concerning the Jordan again: "You dried up the rivers of Etham," that is, those in the south. Unless perhaps someone might say that through these things the sea being dried up signifies the multitudes of impious nations, and the desolate rivers, the discourses that formerly dragged them down into idolatry; and the fish of these perishing, the evil powers that creep in the souls of the godless, where also the dragon was said to dwell, according to, "This is the great and wide sea," and what follows. 2489 But to these fish and reptiles of the sea the word threatens to make the heaven full of darkness, not of light; and you might say again that the sea is the great multitude of the Jews; and the rivers, the discourses formerly supplied to them; and the fish, those who are discipled in the Jewish traditions; of all of whom he foretells the disappearance, and the darkness that has spread over all, not of the heaven being darkened, but a darkness having spread over those very ones like a dark covering. Therefore he said not "make," but "clothing," the darkness clearly having run under those unworthy of light. And the sackcloth, a symbol of mourning, because the heavenly powers also mourn their destruction. Being able, then, he says, not to suffer, I delivered my body to the passion. For this seemed good to my Father. Therefore, being accused, I was silent, becoming obedient to him unto death, knowing that there will be a time for me when I will no longer be silent, having received a tongue from the Father that knows how to speak in due season; when, my Church having been established everywhere, through my disciples I will cry out to all nations, making my Father known, he granting to me also ears to hear, that understand the meaning of my teaching, according to, "And they shall all be taught by God," which, attending in the morning hours, will partake of my instruction. But Symmachus says, "He has placed for me early in the morning round about." And Aquila, "Early in the morning he will awaken for me an ear to hear." For these will be for me instead of you who did not hear, who always attend to the shadows of the law. But they will receive the types into the truth of spiritual contemplation, while you have disregarded me when I said: "Search the Scriptures, because in them you think you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you are unwilling to come to me that you may have life." And the divine Apostle also writes, "For when Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts." But some say that this was said from the perspective of the disciples, speaking to each what is fitting and suitable; who also say that there has been placed for them, even early, that is, into the mind and heart, the dawning of day, and the illumination of intelligible light. For Paul also gives thanks to God, saying that "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son in the light." Some have also said that it is possible that the present saying was spoken from the perspective of the prophet. For when he announced their salvation and that of the nations, and the arrival of the Savior, and the consummation of the world, they were at a loss among themselves as to whence he could say these things. But he says: The word is not mine, but Christ who provides it, who gives to his own both a season for speech and understanding for comprehension. I do not, therefore, set aside 2492 the grace by serving his proclamation, and I am ready to suffer all things for his sake. Even if you strike me, he says, and even if you spit on me, hoping for his help, which having found, and expecting to obtain what is just,

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θάλαττα, καὶ ἀόρατοι δυνάμεις εἶξαν ἐπιτάγματι διωκόμεναι. Ἅπερ ἐχρῆν Ἰουδαίους ὁρῶντας, μὴ ἀμφισβητεῖν ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἔπαθεν, εἴπερ ἠβούλετο· καὶ ὅτι σῶσαι δύναται τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανὸν, εἰ καὶ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος· καὶ μὴ τὸ φαινόμενον ὁρῶντας λέγειν, "Περὶ καλοῦ ἔργου οὐ λιθάζομέν σε, ἀλλὰ περὶ βλασφημίας, ὅτι σὺ ἄνθρωπος ὢν, ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν Θεόν·" δέον μαθεῖν, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ λαλῶν πάρειμι, ὁ τὰ πάλαι θαυματουργήσας, ἃ δηλοῖ καὶ ∆αβὶδ λέγων· "Τί ἐστί σοι, θάλασσα, ὅτι ἔφυγες; καὶ σὺ, Ἰορδάνη, ὅτι ἀνεχώρησας εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω;" καὶ πάλιν· "Ἴδοσάν σε ὕδατα, ὁ Θεὸς, ἴδοσάν σε ὕδατα, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν." Καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου πάλιν· "Σὺ ἐξήρανας ποταμοὺς Ἠθὰμ," τοῦτ' ἔστι τοὺς ἐν τῷ νότῳ. Εἰ μὴ ἄρα τις καὶ διὰ τούτων θάλασσαν μὲν ξηραινομένην, τὰ πλήθη τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐθνῶν αἰνίττεσθαι φήσειεν, ποταμοὺς δὲ ἐρήμους, τοὺς πάλαι κατασύροντας εἰς εἰδωλολατρείαν λόγους· ἰχθύας δὲ τούτων ἀπολλυμένους, τὰς ἑρπούσας ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἀθέων ψυχαῖς δυνάμεις πονηρὰς, ἔνθα καὶ ὁ δράκων διατρίβειν ἐῤῥέθη, κατὰ τὸ, "Αὕτη ἡ θάλασσα ἡ μεγάλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος," καὶ τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα. 2489 Τούτοις δὲ τοῖς τῆς θαλάττης ἰχθύσι καὶ ἑρπετοῖς ὁ λόγος ἀπειλεῖ σκότους, οὐ φωτὸς πλήρη θήσειν τὸν οὐρανόν· εἴποις δ' ἂν πάλιν θάλασσαν μὲν, τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων πολυπληθείαν· ποταμοὺς δὲ, τοὺς πρότερον αὐτοῖς λόγους χορηγουμένους· ἰχθύας δὲ, τοὺς μαθητευομένους ταῖς Ἰουδαϊκαῖς παραδόσεσιν· ὧν δὴ προλέγει πάντων ἀφανισμὸν, καὶ τὸ πᾶσι σκότος ἐπιπολάσαν, οὐκ οὐρανοῦ σκοτισθέντος, ἀλλ' αὐτοῖς ἐκείνοις ἐπιπολάσαν ὥσπερ σκοτώδους καλύμματος. ∆ιὸ οὐ ποιήσειν ἔφη, ἀλλ' ἔνδυσιν, ὑποδραμόντος δηλαδὴ τοῦ σκότους κατὰ τῶν ἀναξίων φωτός. Ὁ δὲ σάκκος, πένθους σύμβολον, διὰ τὸ καὶ τὰς οὐρανίους δυνάμεις πενθεῖν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπώλειαν. ∆υνάμενος οὖν, φησὶ, μὴ παθεῖν, τὸ σῶμά μου τῷ πάθει παρέδωκα. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐδόκει μου τῷ Πατέρι. ∆ιὸ καὶ κατηγορούμενος ἐσιώπων, ὑπήκοος αὐτῷ μέχρι θανάτου γινόμενος, εἰδὼς ὡς ἔσται μοί ποτε καιρὸς καθ' ὃν οὐκ ἔτι σιγήσομαι γλῶσσαν λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ Πατέρος ἐν καιρῷ λέγειν ἐπισταμένην· ὅτε μου πανταχοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καθιδρυμένης, διὰ τῶν ἐμῶν βοήσομαι μαθητῶν πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν τὸν ἐμαυτοῦ γνωρίζων Πατέρα, αὐτοῦ μοι χαριζομένου καὶ ὦτα ἀκουστικὰ, τῆς ἐμῆς συνιέντα διδασκαλίας τὸν νοῦν, κατὰ τὸ, "Καὶ ἔσονται πάντες διδακτοὶ Θεοῦ," ἅπερ ταῖς ἑωθιναῖς ὥραις προσεδρεύοντα, παιδεύσεως τῆς ἐμῆς μεταλήψεται. Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, Ἔθηκέ μοι πρωῒ γύρῳ φησίν. Ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας, Ἐπρωῒ ἐξεγερεῖ μοι ὠτίον τοῦ ἀκούειν. Οὗτοι γάρ μοι ἀνθ' ὑμῶν τῶν μὴ ἀκουσάντων γενήσονται, προσεδρευόντων ἀεὶ ταῖς τοῦ νόμου σκιαῖς. Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τοὺς τύπους εἰς ἀλήθειαν πνευματικῆς θεωρίας ἐκδέξονται, ὑμῶν παρακουσάντων μου λέγοντος· "Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅτι ἐν αὐταῖς δοκεῖται ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν καὶ αὐταί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν πρός με, ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχητε." Γράφει δὲ καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος, "Ὅτι ἡνίκαἀναγινώσκηται Μωσῆς, κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν κεῖται." Τινὲς δὲ ὡς ἀπὸ τῶν μαθητῶν εἰρῆσθαι τοῦτό φασι, λαλούντων ἑκάστῳ τὰ πρόσφορα καὶ κατάλληλα· οἳ καὶ τεθεῖσθαι, φασὶν, ἑαυτοῖς καὶ πρωῒ, τοῦτ' ἔστιν εἰς νοῦν καὶ καρδίαν ἡμέρας διαύγασμα, καὶ νοητοῦ φωτὸς ἔλλαμψιν. Καὶ Παῦλος γὰρ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ Θεῷ λέγων, ὅτι "Ἐῤῥύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους, καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φωτί." Τινὲς καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ τοῦ προφήτου δυνατὸν τὸ παρὸν ἔφασαν λελέχθαι ῥητόν. Εὐαγγελισαμένου γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν αὐτῶν τε, καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν σωτηρίαν, καὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὴν ἄφιξιν, καὶ τοῦ κόσμου τὴν συντέλειαν, πόθεν τούτῳ ταῦτα λέγειν ἠπόρουν καθ' ἑαυτούς. Ὁ δέ φησιν· Οὐκ ἐμὸς ὁ λόγος, ὁ χορηγῶν δὲ Χριστὸς, ὃς τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ δίδωσι καιρόν τε λόγου καὶ σύνεσιν πρὸς τὸ νοεῖν. Οὐκ ἀθετῶ 2492 τοίνυν τὴν χάριν ὑπηρετῶν αὐτοῦ τῷ κηρύγματι, πάντα τε παθεῖν ἕτοιμός εἰμι δι' αὐτόν. Κἂν τύπτητέ με, φησὶ, κἂν ἐμπτύητε, τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ βοήθειαν ἐλπίζων, ἣν εὑράμενος, καὶ τοῦ δικαίου τεύξασθαι προσδοκῶν,