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He said: The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; by these things showing that the sheep are his, and that the whole achievement was his own, and that he did not need a command. For if he needed a command, how did he say, I lay it down of myself? For he who lays it down of himself does not need a command. And he also gives the reason for which he does this. And what is this? That he is a shepherd, and a good shepherd. But the good shepherd does not need another to rouse him to this. And if this is so in the case of men, much more in the case of God. For this reason Paul also said, that He emptied Himself. Therefore the commandment mentioned here means nothing else than to show his agreement with the Father. And if it is spoken so humbly and humanly, the cause is the weakness of the hearers. Therefore a division occurred among the Jews. And some said, He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to him? But others, that These are not the words of one possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? For since the things said were greater than human, and not of common custom, they said he was possessed, addressing him thus for the fourth time now (for even before they said: You have a demon, who seeks to kill you? and again: Did we not say rightly, that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon? and here: He has a demon and is mad; why do you listen to him?); or rather, not the fourth time, but he had heard it many times. For to say, Did we not say rightly that you have a demon? is a sign not of saying it a second or third time, but of having said it many times. But others said, it says: These are not the words of one possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? For since they were not able to silence them with words, they then made the proof from his works. For indeed, the words are not those of one possessed; but if you are not persuaded by the words, be put to shame by the works. And if they are not of one possessed, but greater than human, it is evident that these things are of some divine power. Do you see the reasoning? For that they were greater than human is clear from their saying, He has a demon; but that he did not have a demon, he showed from what he did. What then of Christ? He answers nothing to 59.332 these things. For before he answered, I do not have a demon; but now not this. For since he provided the proof through his deeds, he was silent from then on. For they were not worthy of an answer, those who called him possessed for these things, for which they ought to have marveled, and to have considered him God. And what need was there any longer of refutations from him, when they were standing against one another and refuting one another? For this reason he was silent and bore all things meekly. And not for this reason only, but also to teach us all gentleness and long-suffering. 4. Let us, therefore, emulate him. For not only was he silent, but he came again, and when asked he answers, and demonstrates the things of his providence. and though called possessed and mad, by men who had received countless benefits, and not once or twice, but many times, not only did he not defend himself, but he also did not cease doing them good. And why do I say doing good? For their sake he even laid down his life, and being crucified for them, he speaks to the Father. Let us therefore also imitate these things. For this is to be a disciple of Christ, to be meek and gentle. And whence might we have this meekness? If we constantly reckon our sins, if we mourn, if we weep. For a soul dwelling with so much pain does not endure to be provoked and angered. For wherever there is mourning, it is impossible for anger to be; where there is sorrow, all anger is gone; where there is contrition of mind, there is no provocation. For the mind, being scourged by mourning, has no leisure to be stirred up; but it groans bitterly, and will weep more bitterly. And I know indeed that many laugh hearing these things; but I will not cease to mourn for those who laugh. For the present time is for mourning and lamentations and wailing. For we sin much both in words and in deeds. And for those who transgress in such things, Gehenna awaits, and

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ἔλεγεν· Ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων· διὰ τούτων δεικνὺς αὐτοῦ ὄντα τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ὅτι αὐτοῦ τὸ κατόρθωμα ἦν πᾶν τὸ γεγενημένον, καὶ οὐ δεόμενον αὐτὸν ἐντολῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐντολῆς ἐδεῖτο, πῶς ἔλεγεν· Ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ τίθημι; Ὁ γὰρ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ τιθεὶς οὐ δέεται ἐντολῆς. Καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν δὲ τίθησι, δι' ἣν τοῦτο ποιεῖ. Ποία δὲ αὕτη ἐστί; Τὸ ποιμένα αὐτὸν εἶναι, καὶ καλὸν ποιμένα. Ὁ δὲ καλὸς ποιμὴν οὐ δεῖται ἑτέρου τοῦ πρὸς τοῦτο αὐτὸν διαναστήσοντος. Εἰ δὲ ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων τοῦτο, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ Θεοῦ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν. Οὐδὲν οὖν ἄλλο ἡ ἐντολὴ ἐνταῦθα βούλεται κειμένη, ἀλλ' ἢ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ὁμόνοιαν δεῖξαι. Εἰ δὲ οὕτω ταπεινῶς εἴρηται καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως, τῆς τῶν ἀκουόντων ἐστὶν ἀσθενείας ἡ αἰτία. Σχίσμα οὖν ἐγένετο ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἔλεγον, ὅτι δαιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται. Τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε; Οἱ δὲ, ὅτι Τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα οὐκ ἔστι δαιμονιζομένου. Μὴ δαιμόνιον δύναται ὀφθαλμοὺς τυφλῶν ἀνοῖξαι; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μείζονα ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον τὰ λεγόμενα, καὶ οὐ τῆς κοινῆς συνηθείας, δαιμονῶντα αὐτὸν ἔλεγον, τέταρτον ἤδη τούτῳ αὐτὸν προσειπόντες (καὶ γὰρ ἔμπροσθεν ἔλεγον· ∆αιμόνιον ἔχεις, τίς σε ζητεῖ ἀποκτεῖναι; καὶ πάλιν· Οὐ καλῶς ἐλέγομεν, ὅτι Σαμαρείτης εἶ σὺ, καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις; καὶ ἐνταῦθα· ∆αιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται· τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε;)· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τέταρτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸν ἀκηκοέναι. Τὸ γὰρ λέγειν, Οὐ καλῶς ἐλέγομεν ὅτι δαιμόνιον ἔχεις; οὐ τοῦ δεύτερον καὶ τρίτον, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πολλάκις εἰρηκέναι τοῦτο, σημεῖόν ἐστι. Οἱ δὲ ἔλεγον, φησίν· Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα οὐκ ἔστι δαιμονιζομένου. Μὴ δαιμόνιον δύναται ὀφθαλμοὺς τυφλῶν ἀνοῖξαι; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀπὸ ῥημάτων οὐκ ἠδύναντο ἐπιστομίζειν, τὴν ἀπόδειξιν λοιπὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων ἐποιοῦντο. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ τὰ ῥήματα δαιμονῶντός ἐστιν· εἰ δὲ οὐ πείθεσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ῥημάτων, ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων δυσωπήθητε. Εἰ δὲ μὴ δαιμονῶντός ἐστι, μείζονα δὲ ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον, εὔδηλον ὅτι θείας τινὸς ταῦτά ἐστι δυνάμεως. Εἶδες συλλογισμόν; Ὅτι γὰρ μείζονα ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἦν, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ λέγειν, ὅτι ∆αιμόνιον ἔχει· ὅτι δὲ δαιμόνιον οὐκ εἶχεν, ἐδήλωσεν ἀφ' ὧν ἐποίησε. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Οὐδὲν πρὸς 59.332 ταῦτα ἀποκρίνεται. Πρότερον μὲν γὰρ ἀπεκρίνατο, Ἐγὼ δαιμόνιον οὐκ ἔχω· νυνὶ δὲ οὐ τοῦτο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὴν διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων παρέσχεν ἀπόδειξιν, ἐσίγα λοιπόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποκρίσεως ἦσαν ἄξιοι οἱ δαιμονῶντα αὐτὸν καλοῦντες ὑπὲρ τούτων, ὑπὲρ ὧν θαυμάζειν, καὶ Θεὸν ἡγεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐχρῆν. Τί δὲ καὶ ἔδει τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ λοιπὸν ἐλέγχων, αὐτῶν κατ' ἀλλήλων ἱσταμένων καὶ διελεγχόντων ἀλλήλους; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐσίγα καὶ πράως πάντα ἔφερεν. Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς παιδεύων ἐπιείκειαν καὶ μακροθυμίαν πᾶσαν. δʹ. Τοῦτον τοίνυν ζηλώσωμεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐσίγησε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλιν ἐπέστη, καὶ ἐρωτηθεὶς ἀποκρίνεται, καὶ τὰ τῆς προνοίας αὐτοῦ ἐπιδείκνυται· καὶ δαιμονῶν κληθεὶς καὶ μαινόμενος, παρὰ ἀνθρώπων μυρία εὐηργετημένων, καὶ οὐχ ἅπαξ οὐδὲ δὶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλάκις, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἠμύνατο, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐεργετῶν αὐτοὺς οὐ διέλιπε. Καὶ τί λέγω εὐεργετῶν; Ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθηκε, καὶ σταυρούμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τῷ Πατρὶ διαλέγεται. Ταῦτ' οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς μιμησώμεθα. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι Χριστοῦ εἶναι μαθητὴν, τὸ πρᾶον εἶναι καὶ ἐπιεικῆ. Πόθεν δὲ γένοιτ' ἂν ἡμῖν αὕτη ἡ πραότης; Ἂν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν λογιζώμεθα συνεχῶς, ἂν πενθῶμεν, ἂν δακρύωμεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνέχεται ψυχὴ τοσαύτῃ συνοικοῦσα ὀδύνῃ παροξύνεσθαι καὶ ὀργίζεσθαι. Ἔνθα γὰρ ἂν ᾖ πένθος, ὀργὴν εἶναι ἀμήχανον· ἔνθα λύπη, πᾶσα ἐκποδὼν ὀργή· ἔνθα συντριβὴ διανοίας, οὐδεὶς παροξυσμός. Ὑπὸ γὰρ πένθους μαστιζομένη ἡ διάνοια οὐδὲ σχολὴν ἔχει διεγερθῆναι· ἀλλὰ στενάζει πικρὸν, καὶ κλαύσεται πικρότερον. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν, ὅτι πολλοὶ γελῶσι ταῦτα ἀκούοντες· ἀλλ' ἐγὼ τοὺς γελῶντας θρηνῶν οὐ παύσομαι. Πένθους γὰρ ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς καὶ θρήνων καὶ ὀδυρμῶν. Πολλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἐν ῥήμασι καὶ ἐν πράγμασιν ἁμαρτάνομεν. Τοὺς δὲ τοιαῦτα πλημμελοῦντας γέεννα ἐκδέχεται, καὶ