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the humble style of Holy Scripture. Therefore, leaving these things, eat the good things of the evangelical proclamation, and you will delight, he says, being nourished by truth, knowing God, and living according to virtue, receiving these things as a reward for obedience and intelligent hearing. Whence the others have rendered: Hearkening, hearken. And since the good things are not corporeal, he fittingly added "for your souls." 2553 And he says, And follow my ways. According to, "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." And it signifies the spiritual life that is laid up for the saints, which eye has not seen, and the things related to this. Having thus stirred up hearing to attention, he begins the teaching, saying: I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the holy and sure blessings of David. For the old covenant, given for a time, has passed away; but the one which I have made with David, having promised to reveal the Christ from him, I will make faithful my promise of revelation, I will make it faithful by bringing it to pass. And as for "holy things," Symmachus says "mercies," about which it was said: "The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever." And a little later: "Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie to David, his seed shall endure forever. And his throne as the sun before me." These things, therefore, I will grant to you who attend to my words. For these he called the good things of the soul and a delight, which he now says are eternal. For the law was established, according to the Apostle, until the time of reformation. Wherefore in the prophets he says: "I will make a new covenant, not according to the covenant that I made with your Fathers," and what follows this. For the one was shadowy. But the other is true. Therefore John also says, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." And you might call holy also the sacred ordinances of Christ, as they make men holy, just as David also says the fear of the Lord is pure, that is, purifying. And the Savior also said: "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life;" that is, spiritual and life-giving; and again, faithful means making faithful. For this is the power of the ordinances given through Christ. Therefore, having called him who is from the seed of David "David", he adds concerning him: Behold, I have given him as a testimony to the nations. For this reason he also previously evangelized the barren woman. And otherwise, foreseeing that the Jews would have these sayings, benefiting not at all from them, he transfers the word to the nations, saying things consistent with what was said before, that those to whom it was not announced concerning him will see; and those who have not heard will understand. And he says "testimony," as one testifying concerning the truth, and being heard by the nations when Israel disobeyed. And he testified also that the nations are henceforth acceptable to God, and no one is excluded from the knowledge of God. Therefore, they say the proclamation about him is a testimony, as he himself taught, saying: This Gospel must be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations. And in David, having called all the nations, he said: "My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart understanding." For wisdom was needed, 2556 for those who through folly worshipped idols, and the creation rather than the Creator. But if he had said only "testimony," he would have seemed to show him as one of the prophets. But now he has presented his divine authority, adding "ruler" and "commander," according to, "And he who rises to rule the nations." For Moses, and the prophets, being ranked among servants, would say, "Thus says the Lord." But Christ, as a lawgiver, gives ordinances contrary to Moses, saying, "But I say," transforming the letter to the truth. Whence the Jews marvelled that he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. And the Father glorifies him. For he who glorifies the Father also glorifies the Son; just as, therefore, also the reverse. And he is also glorified according to the flesh, as one who took the form of a servant. Wherefore he says: "And God has highly exalted him, and has given him a name which is above every name," and what follows. And "he glorified" has reference to, "We saw him, and he had no form, nor beauty." And, "he is in pain for us." And, "As a sheep he was led to the slaughter." For because of this he also says:

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εὐτελὲς τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς. Ταῦτα τοίνυν ἀφέντες φάγετε τὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ κηρύγματος ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τρυφήσετε, φησὶν, ἀληθείᾳ τρεφόμενοι, γινώσκοντές τε Θεὸν, καὶ βιοῦντες κατ' ἀρετὴν, μισθὸν εὐπειθείας ταῦτα λαβόντες καὶ συνετῆς ἀκροάσεως. Ὅθεν ἐξέδωκαν οἱ λοιποί· Ἀκούσατε ἀκούοντες. Ὡς μὴ σωματικῶν δὲ ὄντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν, τὸ ταῖς ψυχαῖς, ὑμῶν εἰκότως προσέθηκε. 2553 Λέγει δὲ, Καὶ ἐπακολουθήσατε ταῖς ὁδοῖς μου. Κατὰ τὸ, "Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι." Ψυχικὴν δὲ ζωὴν τὴν ἀποκειμένην τοῖς ἁγίοις δηλοῖ, ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τούτῳ. ∆ιεγείρας οὕτω πρὸς συντονίαν τὴν ἀκοὴν, διδασκαλίας ἄρχεται φάσκων· ∆ιαθήσομαι ὑμῖν διαθήκην αἰώνιον, τὰ ὅσια ∆αβὶδ τὰ πιστά. Ἡ γὰρ παλαιὰ διαθήκη, πρὸς καιρὸν δοθεῖσα, παρῆλθεν· ἣν δὲ πεποίημαι πρὸς ∆αβὶδ, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀναδείξειν ἐπαγγειλάμενος, πιστὴν ποιήσω πρὸς ἀναδείξειν ἐπαγγειλάμενος, πιστὴν ποιήσω πρὸς ἔργον ἐκφέρων. Τὰ δὲ ὅσια, Σύμμαχος ἐλέη φησὶ, περὶ ὧν ἐλέγετο· "Τὰ ἐλέη τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ᾄσομαι." Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· "Ἅπαξ ὥμοσα ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ μου, εἰ τῷ ∆αβὶδ ψεύσομαι, τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μένει. Καὶ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος ἐναντίον μου." Ταῦτα τοίνυν ὑμῖν δωρήσομαι τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις προσέχουσι. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἔλεγεν ἀγαθὰ ψυχῆς καὶ τρυφὴν, ἃ νῦν αἰώνιά φησιν. Ὁ γὰρ νόμος ἔκειτο κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον, μέχρι καιροῦ διορθώσεως. ∆ιόπερ ἐν προφήταις φησί· "∆ιαθήσομαι διαθήκην καινὴν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην ἣν διεθέμην τοῖς Πατράσιν ὑμῶν," καὶ τὰ ἑπόμενα τούτοις. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἦν σκιώδης. Ἡ δὲ ἀληθής. ∆ιὸ καὶ Ἰωάννης φησίν "Ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ." Εἴποις δ' ἂν ὅσια καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ θεσπίσματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὡς ὁσίους ἀποτελοῦντα, ὡς καὶ τὸν φόβον Κυρίου ἁγνόν φησιν ὁ ∆αβὶδ, οἷον ἁγνοποιόν. Ἔλεγε δὲ καὶ ὁ Σωτήρ· "Τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἐγὼ ἐλάλησα ὑμῖν, πνεῦμά ἐστι καὶ ζωή·" ἀντὶ τοῦ, πνευματικὰ καὶ ζωοποιά· καὶ πιστὰ πάλιν τὰ πιστοποιά. ∆ύναμις γὰρ αὕτη τῶν διὰ Χριστοῦ θεσπισμάτων. ∆αβὶδ οὖν καλέσας τὸν ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αβὶδ, ἐπιφέρει περὶ αὐτοῦ· Ἰδοὺ μαρτύριον ἔθνεσι δέδωκα αὐτόν. ∆ιὸ καὶ πρόσθε τὴν στείραν εὐηγγελίζετο. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ προειδὼς ὅτι τὰς φωνὰς ἕξουσι ταύτας Ἰουδαῖοι, μηδὲν ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελούμενοι, πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη μεταφέρει τὸν λόγον, σύμφωνα λέγων τοῖς πρόσθε, ὅτι οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη, περὶ αὐτοῦ ὄψονται· καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσι. Μαρτύριον δέ φησιν, ὡς μαρτυροῦντα περὶ ἀληθείας, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀκουόμενον ἀπειθήσαντα Ἰσραήλ. ∆ιεμαρτύρετο δὲ καὶ τὰ ἔθνη ὡς δεκτὰ λοιπόν εἰσι τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ὁ τῆς θεογνωσίας ἀπείργων οὐδείς. Μαρτύριον οὖν φασι τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐδίδαξε λέγων· ∆εῖ κηρυχθῆναι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦτο ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ εἰς μαρτύριον πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Καὶ παρὰ τῷ ∆αβὶδ δὲ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη καλέσας ἔλεγε· "Τὸ στόμα μου λαλήσει σοφίαν, καὶ ἡ μελέτη τῆς καρδίας μου σύνεσιν." Ἔδει γὰρ σοφίας, 2556 τοῖς δι' ἀβελτηρίαν εἰδώλοις λατρεύσασι, καὶ τῇ κτίσει παρὰ τὸν Κτίσαντα. Ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν εἶπε μόνον μαρτύριον, ἐδόκει καθ' ἕνα δεικνύναι τῶν προφητῶν αὐτόν. Νῦν δὲ τὴν θεϊκὴν αὐτοῦ παρέστησεν ἐξουσίαν, προσθεὶς ἄρχοντα καὶ προστάσσοντα, κατὰ τὸ, Καὶ ὁ ἀνιστάμενος ἄρχειν ἐθνῶν. Μωσῆς γὰρ, καὶ οἱ προφῆται, ἐν οἰκέταις τεταγμένοι, "Τάδε λέγει Κύριος," ἔλεγον. Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς ὡς νομοθέτης ἀντιθεσπίζει Μωσεῖ, Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω, φάσκων, μετατιθεὶς τὸ γράμμα πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ὅθεν ἐθαύμαζον Ἰουδαῖοι ὅτι ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων, καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν. ∆οξάζει δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Πατήρ. Ὁ γὰρ δοξάζων τὸν Πατέρα δοξάζει καὶ τὸν Υἱόν· ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἀνάπαλιν. Καὶ κατὰ σάρκα δὲ δοξάζεται, ὡς μορφὴν δούλου λαβών. ∆ιό φησι· "Καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν, καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα," καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἔχει δὲ τὴν ἀναφορὰν τὸ ἐδόξασε, πρὸς τὸ, "Εἴδομεν αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἶδος, οὐδὲ κάλλος." Καὶ τὸ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται. Καὶ τὸ, "Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη." ∆ιὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καί φησι·