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of honor" therefore "you gave away your people". ····· ····· ···· you gave away the people to those wishing to conquer. But it is also possible to call that one a people, for whom ····· ····· ···ν in foreign lands. And since "your people without a price," that is, not taking a price, "you gave away," ····· ·ω̣ them; for by their own sins they were sold. And it is possible that "without a price" ····· ····· ····· and eas····· ····υ. For this reason we endured these things, to be in captivity ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· to be scattered among the nations, so that you might gather the ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· to himself. 317 by sin he has sold himself and made himself a debtor. For instance, that by which the enemy king of souls holds fast, is called a certificate of debt. A certificate of debt is that which someone has drawn up with his own hands. Therefore "he took it out of the midst," so that he might no longer hold us by the certificate of debt, which we drew up, signing ourselves over to him. since · and they sign themselves over? -either you gave us away, being your people, without a price -then we were honored- in the manner of captivity, or they speak about the people, for whom they themselves have gone into captivity; "You gave away your people without a price." And for this reason we endure these things, since for the sake of their help you made us endure the same grievous things as them. 13 and there was no multitude in our exchanges. Often for some, ransoms and redemptions are given as exchanges. For it says: "every male that opens the womb is holy." And it says that if the firstborn was a sheep or an ox or a goat, among those that are brought to the altar, these must be sacrificed. But if the firstborn was a donkey or something else of those ····· ····· ···· anoint the priests, and is not brought to the altar; "you shall exchange a sheep for it." through a sheep its value is exchanged and it goes to the sanctuary. Therefore he says that, since many are ····· ········· ····· ··, "there was no multitude in their exchanges." there were not so many exchanges so that ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ···· thus that; since it is God who gives the exchanges for them, not ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· of those being exchanged are the exchanges given. But through a few he is able ······ ····· ····· ····· ····· ···· he nourished populous multitudes. And that I may speak from history ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ··· they were populous, and if ten righteous men had been found there—for up to them ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ·· they were exchanged when there was no multitude of exchanges. Therefore one would not say ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· to Babylon, but few in number like those who were taken captive with them ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ·· of themselves and the people and those ones on account of sins, but the people for their own, and the others for those of others. "and there was no multitude in their exchanges." but a few became sufficient for ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· it would have happened, if they had turned back and known what evils they are in. "Their sins are very great; going down I will see if they are acting according to their cry that comes to me, but if not, that I may know." As far as it came to the cry of their wickedness and the intensity ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ··· but if I should not find them to be such, but repentant like the Ninevites, I will know them. But that those who are known by God are not wicked; "The Lord knew those who are his." "But then indeed, not knowing God, you were enslaved to those who by nature are not gods; but now having known God, or rather having been known by God." When they had known, they were rather known by the benefactor. 14 You made us a reproach to our neighbors. According to the story, neighbors are those of the same city, those nearby ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· · Since therefore we were led away into captivity, "you made us a reproach to our 318 neighbors." ····· ····· ···· to us. They themselves have not suffered nor been conquered with the enemies who came up, but we have. But as for the meaning of this; just as the cross of the savior became a reproach for the sake of salvation—for it has been said: "considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt"—, so also these in a certain way have fallen into reproaches, having been conquered and led into captivity. "angels," he says, "those who did not

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τιμῆς" οὖν "ἀπέδου τὸν λαόν σου". ····· ····· ···· λαὸν ἀπέδου τοι῀̣ς κ̣ρ̣ατῆσαι ἐθέλουσιν. δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ λαὸν λέγειν ἐκεῖνον, ὑπὲρ οὗ ····· ····· ···ν ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοτρ̣ίοις. καὶ ε᾿̣πεὶ "τὸν λαόν σου ἄνευ τιμῆς", τουτέστιν οὐ τιμὴν λαβών, "ἀπέδου", ····· ·ω̣ αὐτούς· ταῖς γὰρ ἁμαρτίαις ἑαυτῶν ἐπράθησαν. δύναται δὲ καὶ τὸ "ἄνευ τιμῆς" ····· ····· ····· κ̣αὶ ευ̣κ̣ρ̣····· ····υ. διὰ τοῦτο ἡμεῖς ὑπεμείναμεν ταῦτα τὸ ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ γενέσθαι ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· · διασπαρῆναι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἵνα συναγάγῃς τὸν ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· · ἑαυτόν. 317 ἁμαρτίᾳ πέπρακεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ χρεώστην πεποίηκεν. αὐτίκα γοῦν τὸ δι' οὗ κατέχει ὁ ἐχθρὸς βα̣σιλεὺς τῶν ψυχῶν, λέγεται χειρόγραφον. χειρόγραφον δέ ἐστιν, ὃ συνεστήσατό τις ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ χερσίν. "ἦρεν" οὖν "αὐτὸ ἐκ τοῦ μέσου", ἵνα μηκέτι κρατῇ ἡμᾶς τῷ χειρογράφῳ, ᾧ ἡμεῖς συνεστησάμεθα καταγράψαντες ἑαυτοὺς αὐτῷ. ἐπερ · καὶ ἑαυτοὺς συνκαταγράφονται; -ἤτοι ἡμᾶς ὄντας λαόν σου ἀπέδω ἄνευ τιμῆς -τότε ἐτιμήθημεν-τῷ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τρόπῳ, ἢ περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ λέγουσιν, ὑπὲρ οὗ αὐτοὶ εἰς τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν γέγοναν· "τὸν λαόν σου ἄνευ τιμῆς ἀπέδου". καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα ὑπομένομεν, ἐπεὶ βοηθείας αὐτῶν ἕνεκα ἐποίησας ἡμᾶς τὰ αὐτὰ αὐτοῖς ἀναντλῆσαι ἀνιαρά. 13 καὶ οὐκ ἦν πλῆθος ἐν τοῖς ἀλλάγμασιν ἡμῶν. πολλάκις ὑπέρ τινων σῶστρα καὶ λύτρα ἀλλάγματα δίδοται. λέγει γοῦν· "ἅγιόν ἐστιν πᾶν διανοῖγον μήτραν ἀρσενικόν". καὶ λέγει ὅτι, ἐὰν πρόβατον ᾖν τὸ πρωτότοκον ἢ βοῦς ἢ αἴξ, τῶν ἀναφερομένων ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον αὐτὰ ἱερουργεῖν δεῖ. ἐὰν δὲ ὄνος ᾖν τὸ πρωτότοκον ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν ····· ····· ····ουσιν οἱ ἱερεῖς, μηδὲ προσάγεται τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ· "ἀλλάξεις πρόβατον ἀντ' αὐτοῦ". διὰ π̣ροβάτου ἀλλάττεται ἡ ἀξία αὐτοῦ καὶ χωρεῖ εἰς τὸ ἱερόν. λέγει οὖν ὅτι· ἐπεὶ πολλοί εἰσιν ο····· ·ε̣········· ····· ··, "οὐκ ἦν πλῆθος τοῖς ἀλλάγμασιν αὐτῶν". οὐκ ἐνῆν τοσαῦτα ἀλλάγματα ὥστε α····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ···· οὕτως ὅτι· ἐπεὶ θεός ἐστιν ὁ διδοὺς τὰ ἀλλάγματα ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, οὐκ ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ἀλλαττομένων τὰ ἀλλάγματα δίδοται. δι' ὀλίγων δὲ ἱκανός ἐστιν ······ ····· ····· ····· ····· ···· πολυάνθρωπα πλήθη ἔθρεψεν. καὶ ἵνα ἀπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας εἴπω ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ··· πολυάνθρωποι ἦσαν, καὶ εἰ ἦσαν εὑρεθέντες ἐκεῖ δέκα δίκαιοι-ἕως γὰρ αὐτῶν κα····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ·· οὐκ ὄντος πλήθους τῶν ἀλλαγμάτων ἠλλάττοντο. οὐ λέξοι τις οὖν ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· εἰς Βαβυλῶνα, ὀλίγοι δὲ τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὡς οἱ συναιχμαλωτισθέντες ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ·· ἑαυτῶν καὶ ὁ λαὸς καὶ ἐκεῖνοι διὰ ἁμαρτίας, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν λαὸς διὰ τὰς ἰδίας, οἱ δὲ διὰ τὰς ἄλλων. "καὶ οὐκ ἦν πλῆθος ἐν τοῖς ἀλλάγμασιν αὐτῶν". ὀλίγοι δὲ αὐτάρκεις γέγοναν πρὸς σ̣····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ἐγένετο ἄν, εἰ ἦσαν ἐπιστρέψαντες καὶ γνόντες οἷ κακῶν εἰσιν. "αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα· καταβὰς ὄψομαι εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομένην πρός με συντελοῦνται, εἰ δὲ μή, ἵνα γνῶ". ὅσον ἧκεν ἐπὶ τῇ βοῇ τῆς κακίας αὐτῶν καὶ τῇ ἐπιτάσει ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ··· εἰ δὲ μὴ εὕροιμι αὐτοὺς τοιούτους, ἀλλὰ μετανοήσαντας ὡς τοὺς Νινευίτας, γνώσομαι αὐτούς. ὅτι δὲ οἱ ὑπὸ θεοῦ γιγνωσκόμενοι οὔκ εἰσιν φαῦλοι· "ἔγνω κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ". "ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν οὐκ εἰδότες θεὸν ἐδουλεύετε τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσιν θεοῖς· νῦν δὲ γνόντες θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ θεοῦ". ὅτε ἦσαν γνόντες, μᾶλλον ἐγιγνώσκοντο ὑπὸ τοῦ εὐεργέτου. 14 ἔθου ἡμᾶς ὄνειδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν. πρὸς τὴν ἱστορίαν γείτονές εἰσιν οἱ ἀστυγείτον̣ες, οἱ πλησίον ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· · ἐπεὶ οὖν εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ἀπήχθημεν, "ὄνειδος ἡμᾶς ἔθου τοῖς 318 γείτοσιν ἡμῶν". ····· ····· ···· ἡμῖν. αὐτοὶ μὲν οὐ πεπόνθασιν οὐδὲ κεκράτηνται μετὰ τῶν ἀνελθόντων πολεμίων, ἀλλὰ ἡμεῖς. ὡς δὲ πρὸς διάνοιαν τοῦτο· ὡς ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ὄνειδος γέγονεν σωτηρίας ἕνεκα-εἴρηται γάρ̣· "τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πλείονα πλοῦτον ἡγησάμενος τῶν Αἰγύπτου θησαυρῶν"-, οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι τρόπον τινὰ ὀνείδεσιν περιπεπτώκασιν κρατηθέντες καὶ εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ἀχθέντες. "ἀγγέλους", φησίν, "τοὺς μὴ