237

continual and lasting, which none of the things of this life has. For if you speak of beauty, it is withered by sickness and consumed by old age; if you speak of power, it often changes; if of wealth, or any other of the brilliant and renowned things of this present life, it has either abandoned the living, or left the dead naked and desolate. But the fruit of righteousness is not so; it is not consumed by time, nor cut off by death, but then it becomes more secure, when it sails to that waveless harbor. Light has sprung up in the darkness for the upright. Describing the blessing of the one who fears God, he also speaks of the things that happen in the present, such as that his possessions are immortal, that he will enjoy glory, and will be superior to all, that he will see those who are like him in virtue, and become his children, unconquered, that in the difficulty of circumstances he will obtain great security. For this is, 'Light has sprung up in the darkness for the upright.' For to those so disposed, to those who walk uprightly, he will cause light to rise in the midst of darkness. What is, 'In darkness?' Even if they are in affliction and distress and temptation and dangers, he says—for these he calls darkness—he will immediately cause great pleasure to be theirs. Which Paul also, making it clear, said: For we do not want you to be unaware of the affliction we experienced in Asia, for we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired even of life. Did you see the darkness? But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He delivered us from so great a death. Did you see how the light arose? Consider it also in the case of the three young men. For while expecting to be burned, they enjoyed a most pure dew. And in the case of Daniel also and the other prophets. But if anyone wishes to take these things in another allegorical sense, he will see this has happened for the whole world. For while darkness possessed the earth and sea, 55.295 and error was poured out everywhere, from below the sun of righteousness arose. For since the people of that time, having left heaven, were seeking God on earth, from there he appeared to them, condescending to the weak, that he might lead them up to an infinite height. Merciful, and compassionate, and just is the Lord God. Since he said, 'His righteousness endures,' and offered consolation in that way, but many of the merciful, and of those who live a right life, enjoy the opposite here, he introduces another consolation, saying: The Lord is merciful, and compassionate, and just; working from this a twofold construction. For if he is merciful, and often deems sinners worthy of pardon, much more will he not overlook the righteous departing uncrowned. But even if he does not repay here, he will certainly repay there. Then also, 'Just,' he adds; but if he is just, as indeed he is, he will give to each according to his worth, even if he does not give it here; which is indeed the greatest proof of the resurrection. For when many of the virtuous are seen to have suffered countless terrible things, and the wicked to have enjoyed much security, where will each receive according to his worth, if there is not to be a resurrection and another life, and judgment, and recompense? Then, since by mentioning justice he frightened the hearer as one about to be held accountable for his sins, he quickly adds the remedy, saying: A good man is he who has compassion and lends; he will manage his words in judgment. 4. See how many rewards he sets for the philanthropist: that the fruit remains forever, that he will be delivered from temptations, that he will emulate God; for God too is compassionate; that he will receive forgiveness for his own sins. For this is, He will manage his words

237

διηνεκεῖ καὶ μονίμῳ, ὅπερ οὐδὲν ἔχει τῶν βιωτικῶν. Ἄν τε γὰρ κάλλος εἴπῃς, νόσῳ μαραίνεται, καὶ γήρᾳ δαπανᾶται· ἄν τε δυναστείαν εἴπῃς, πολλάκις μεταβάλλεται· ἄν τε πλοῦτον, ἄν τε ἄλλο ὁτιοῦν τῶν λαμπρῶν καὶ περιφανῶν τῶν κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον, ἢ ζῶντας ἀπέλιπεν, ἢ τελευτήσαντας γυμνοὺς καὶ ἐρήμους εἴασεν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης καρπὸς τοιοῦτος· οὐ χρόνῳ δαπανᾶται, οὐ θανάτῳ διακόπτεται, ἀλλὰ τότε μᾶλλον ἀσφαλέστερος γίνεται, ὅταν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον καταπλεύσῃ τὸν ἀκύμαντον λιμένα. Ἐξανέτειλεν ἐν σκότει φῶς τοῖς εὐθέσι. Τὸν μακαρισμὸν ὑπογράφων τοῦ φοβουμένου τὸν Θεὸν, λέγει καὶ τὰ ἐν τῷ παρόντι συμβαίνοντα πράγματα, οἷον ὅτι ἀθάνατα αὐτοῦ τὰ κτήματα, ὅτι δόξης ἀπολαύσεται, καὶ πάντων ἀνώτερος ἔσται, ὅτι τοὺς ἐοικότας αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ τέκνα αὐτοῦ γινομένους, ἀχειρώτους ὄψεται, ὅτι ἐν τῇ τῶν πραγμάτων δυσκολίᾳ πολλῆς τεύξεται τῆς ἀδείας. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, Ἐξανέτειλεν ἐν σκότει φῶς τοῖς εὐθέσι. Τοῖς γὰρ οὕτω διακειμένοις, τοῖς ὀρθὰ βαδίζουσι, ἐν μέσῳ σκότους φῶς ἀνατεῖλαι παρασκευάσει. Τί ἐστιν, Ἐν σκότει; Κἂν ἐν θλίψει καὶ στενοχωρίᾳ καὶ πειρασμῷ καὶ κινδύνοις γένωνται, φησὶ ταῦτα γὰρ σκότος καλεῖ, πολλὴν αὐτοῖς εὐθέως ποιήσει ἔσεσθαι τὴν ἡδονήν. Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγεν· Οὐ θέλω δὲ ἀγνοεῖν ὑμᾶς περὶ τῆς θλίψεως τῆς γενομένης ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ, ὅτι καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἐβαρύνθημεν, ὥστε ἐξαπορηθῆναι ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦ ζῆν. Εἶδες τὸ σκότος; Ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοῦ θανάτου ἐσχήκαμεν, ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες ὦμεν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ἐγείροντι τοὺς νεκροὺς, ὃς ἐκ τηλικούτων θανάτων ἐῤῥύσατο ἡμᾶς. Εἶδες τὸ φῶς πῶς ἀνέτειλε; Σκόπει δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τριῶν παίδων. Προσδοκῶντες γὰρ ἐμπίπρασθαι, δρόσου καθαρωτάτης ἀπήλαυσαν. Καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ∆ανιὴλ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων προφητῶν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ κατὰ ἑτέραν τις ἀναγωγὴν ταῦτα ἐκλαβεῖν θέλει, ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ὄψεται τοῦτο γεγονός. Κατέχοντος γὰρ τοῦ σκότους γῆν καὶ θάλατταν, 55.295 καὶ πλάνης πανταχοῦ κεχυμένης, κάτωθεν ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀνέτειλεν ἥλιος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐρανὸν ἀφέντες οἱ τότε ἄνθρωποι Θεὸν ἐπὶ γῆς ἐζήτουν, ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοῖς ἐφάνη συγκαταβὰς τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν, ἵνα ἀναγάγῃ πρὸς ὕψος ἄπειρον. Ἐλεήμων, καὶ οἰκτίρμων, καὶ δίκαιος Κύριος ὁ Θεός. Ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει, καὶ παρεμυθήσατο ἐκείνῳ τῷ τρόπῳ, πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν ἐλεημόνων, καὶ τῶν τὸν ὀρθὸν βιούντων βίον, τῶν ἐναντίων ἐνταῦθα ἀπολαύουσιν, ἑτέραν ἐπεισάγει παραμυθίαν λέγων· Ἐλεήμων, καὶ οἰκτίρμων, καὶ δίκαιος ὁ Κύριος· διπλῆν κατασκευὴν ἐργαζόμενος ἐντεῦθεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐλεήμων ἐστὶ, καὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας πολλάκις συγγνώμης ἀξιοῖ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοὺς κατορθοῦντας οὐ περιόψεται ἀστεφανώτους ἀπελθόντας. Ἀλλὰ κἂν ἐνταῦθα μὴ ἀποδῷ, ἀποδώσει πάντως ἐκεῖ. Εἶτα καὶ, ∆ίκαιος, ἐπάγει· εἰ δὲ δίκαιός ἐστιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστι, τὸ κατ' ἀξίαν ἑκάστῳ ἀποδώσει, κἂν ἐνταῦθα μὴ ἀποδῷ· ὅπερ μάλιστα καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεώς ἐστιν ἀπόδειξις μεγίστη. Ὅταν γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐναρέτων φαίνωνται μυρία παθόντες δεινὰ, καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν πολλῆς ἀπολαύσαντες ἀδείας, ποῦ τὸ κατ' ἀξίαν ἕκαστος ἀπολήψεται, εἰ μὴ μέλλοι ἀνάστασις εἶναι καὶ ἑτέρα ζωὴ, καὶ κρίσις, καὶ ἀντίδοσις; Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ δικαιοσύνης μνησθεὶς, ἐφόβησε τὸν ἀκροατὴν ὡς μέλλοντα εὐθύνας ὑπέχειν τῶν ἡμαρτημένων, ταχέως ἐπάγει τὸ φάρμακον λέγων· Χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ ὁ οἰκτείρων καὶ κιχρῶν, οἰκονομήσει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν κρίσει. δʹ. Ὅρα πόσα τίθησι τὰ ἔπαθλα τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ· ὅτι μένει διηνεκῶς ὁ καρπὸς, ὅτι πειρασμῶν ἀπαλλαγήσεται, ὅτι τὸν Θεὸν ζηλώσει· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτίρμων· ὅτι τῶν οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων λήψεται συγγνώμην. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, Οἰκονομήσει τοὺς λόγους