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He necessarily made this speech, and by what follows He hinted at the things I have mentioned. For when she said, I know that he will rise again in the last day, showing His authority more clearly, He says, I am the resurrection and the life; making it clear that He needs no other to help, if He Himself is the life. But if He needs another, how could He Himself be the resurrection and the life? But He did not say this so plainly, but hinted at it. Again, when she said, Whatever you ask, He says in turn, He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall live; showing that He is the giver of good things, and from Him we must ask. And everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. See how He raises her mind. For the only thing sought 59.346 was not just to raise Lazarus, but it was necessary for both her and those present with her to learn about the resurrection. For this reason, before the resurrection, He philosophizes through His words. But if He is the resurrection and the life, He is not confined by place, but being present everywhere knows how to heal. If, then, they had said like the centurion, Speak the word, and my servant will be healed, He would have done this; but since they called Him to them, and asked Him to be present, for this reason He goes down, so as to raise them from their lowly opinion about Him, and He arrives at the place. Nevertheless, even by going down He shows that He can also heal while absent; for this very reason He delays. For the grace given immediately would not have been apparent, if the stench had not preceded it. And from where did the woman know of the future resurrection? She had heard Christ say many things about the resurrection, but nevertheless she desired to see it now; and see how she still looks downwards. For having heard, I am the resurrection and the life, she did not even then say, Raise him; but what? I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God. What then does Christ say to her? Everyone who believes in me, though he may die, shall live (speaking of this death); and everyone who lives and believes in me, shall not die; meaning that death. Since, therefore, I am the resurrection, do not be troubled even if he is already dead, but believe. For this is not death. For the time being He comforted her concerning what had happened, and He suggested hopes, both by saying, He will rise again, and by saying, I am the resurrection; and that having risen, even if he should die again, he will suffer nothing. Therefore one should not shudder at this death. What He says is something like this, that Neither has this man died, nor will you die. Do you believe this? She says, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. It seems to me that the woman did not understand what was said. But she perceived that it was something great; yet she did not comprehend the whole. For this reason, being asked one thing, she answers another. For the time being, however, she gained this, the cessation of her grief. For such is the power of Christ's words. For this reason both that one went ahead, and this one followed. For her goodwill toward the teacher did not permit her to feel the present situation very deeply. So that, along with grace, the women's disposition was also philosophical. 4. But now, along with other evils, this disease of women prevails. For they make a show in their dirges and wailings, baring their arms, tearing their hair, making gashes on their cheeks. And this they do, some out of grief, some for show and ambition, and some out of profligacy; and they bare their arms, and this in the sight of men. What are you doing, woman? baring yourself indecently, tell me, in the middle of the marketplace, you who are a member of Christ, with men present in the marketplace? and you tear your hair, and rend your garments, and wail loudly, and gather a chorus around you, and present the image of maenad women, and do not think you are offending God? How great is this madness? Will not the Greeks laugh? Will they not consider our beliefs to be myths? For they will say, There is no resurrection, but the Christians' beliefs are a mockery, a deceit and a contrivance. For 59.347 just as if there were nothing after this, so do their women wail; they pay no attention to the words inscribed in their books. Fabrications
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ἐποίησεν ἀναγκαίως τὸν λόγον, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς δὲ ταῦτα ἅπερ εἶπον ᾐνίξατο. Εἰπούσης γὰρ, Οἶδα ὅτι ἀναστήσεται ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, σαφέστερον δεικνὺς αὐτοῦ τὴν αὐθεντίαν, λέγει, Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή· δηλῶν, ὅτι οὐ δεῖται ἑτέρου βοηθοῦντος, εἴ γε αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ ζωή. Εἰ δὲ δεῖται ἑτέρου, πῶς ἂν εἴη αὐτὸς ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή; Ἀλλ' οὕτω φανερῶς οὐκ εἶπεν, ᾐνίξατο δὲ αὐτό. Πάλιν δὲ ἐκείνης εἰπούσης, Ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ, αὐτὸς πάλιν λέγει· Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, κἂν ἀποθάνῃ, ζήσεται· δεικνὺς, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ χορηγὸς τῶν ἀγαθῶν, καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ δεῖ αἰτεῖν. Καὶ πᾶς ὁ ζῶν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὅρα πῶς αὐτῆς ἀνάγει τὸν νοῦν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτο ἦν τὸ ζητού 59.346 μενον μόνον, τὸ Λάζαρον ἀναστῆσαι, ἀλλ' ἔδει καὶ ταύτην καὶ τοὺς παρόντας μετ' αὐτῆς τὴν ἀνάστασιν μαθεῖν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πρὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως φιλοσοφεῖ διὰ τῶν ῥημάτων. Εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀνάστασις αὐτός ἐστι, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ, οὐ τόπῳ περικλείεται, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ παρὼν οἶδεν ἰᾶσθαι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν εἶπαν ὡς ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης, Εἰπὲ λόγῳ, καὶ ἰαθήσεται ὁ παῖς μου, τοῦτο ἂν ἐποίησεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐκάλεσαν αὐτὸν πρὸς ἑαυτὰς, καὶ παραγενέσθαι ἠξίωσαν, τούτου ἕνεκεν συγκάτεισιν, ὥστε αὐτὰς ἀναστῆσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ταπεινότητος τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν, καὶ παραγίνεται κατὰ τὸν τόπον. Ὅμως καὶ συγκατιὼν δείκνυσι καὶ οὕτως, ὅτι καὶ ἀπὼν δύναται θεραπεύειν· διὰ τοῦτο δὴ καὶ βραδύνει. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐφάνη ἡ χάρις εὐθέως δοθεῖσα, εἰ μὴ καὶ ἡ δυσωδία προεχώρησε. Καὶ πόθεν ᾔδει ἡ γυνὴ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἀνάστασιν; Ἤκουσε πολλὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ περὶ ἀναστάσεως λέγοντος, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐκείνη ἄρτι ἐπεθύμει ἰδεῖν· καὶ ὅρα πῶς κάτω στρέφεται ἔτι. Ἀκούσασα γὰρ, ὅτι Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωὴ, οὐδὲ οὕτως εἶπεν, Ἀνάστησον αὐτόν· ἀλλὰ τί; Πιστεύω ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστὸς πρὸς αὐτήν; Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, κἂν ἀποθάνῃ, ζήσεται (τοῦτον τὸν θάνατον λέγων)· καὶ πᾶς ὁ ζῶν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ· τὸν θάνατον ἐκεῖνον δηλῶν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις, μὴ θορυβηθῇς εἰ καὶ τέθνηκεν ἤδη, ἀλλὰ πίστευε. Οὐ γάρ ἐστι τοῦτο θάνατος. Τέως αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τῷ συμβεβηκότι παρεμυθήσατο, καὶ ἐλπίδας ὑπέφηνε, καὶ τῷ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἀναστήσεται, καὶ τῷ εἰπεῖν, Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις· καὶ ὅτι ἀναστὰς, κἂν πάλιν ἀποθάνῃ, οὐδὲν πείσεται. Ὥστε οὐ χρὴ φρίττειν τοῦτον τὸν θάνατον. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, ὅτι Οὔτε οὗτος τέθνηκεν, οὔτε ὑμεῖς τεθνήξεσθε. Πιστεύεις τοῦτο; Λέγει ἐκείνη· Πιστεύω ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐρχόμενος. ∆οκεῖ μοι μὴ συνιέναι τὸ γύναιον τὸ λεχθέν. Ἀλλ' ὅτι μὲν μέγα τι ἦν, συνεῖδεν· οὐ μὴν κατενόησε τὸ πᾶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἕτερον ἐρωτηθεῖσα, ἕτερον ἀποκρίνεται. Τέως μέντοι ἐκεῖνο ἐκέρδανε, τὸ καταλῦσαι τὸ πένθος. Τοιαύτη γὰρ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ λόγων ἡ δύναμις. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐκείνη προέφθασε, καὶ αὕτη ἠκολούθησεν. Ἡ γὰρ εἰς τὸν διδάσκαλον εὔνοια τοῦ παρόντος οὐ σφόδρα αἰσθάνεσθαι συνεχώρει. Ὥστε μετὰ τῆς χάριτος, καὶ ἡ γνώμη τῶν γυναικῶν φιλόσοφος ἦν. δʹ. Ἀλλὰ νῦν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων κακῶν καὶ τοῦτο τῶν γυναικῶν τὸ νόσημα κρατεῖ. Ἐπίδειξιν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς θρήνοις ποιοῦνται καὶ τοῖς κωκυτοῖς, γυμνοῦσαι βραχίονας, σπαράττουσαι τρίχας, χαράδρας ποιοῦσαι κατὰ τῶν παρειῶν. Καὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν, αἱ μὲν ὑπὸ πένθους, αἱ δὲ ὑπὸ ἐπιδείξεως καὶ φιλοτιμίας, αἱ δὲ ὑπὸ ἀσωτίας· καὶ τοὺς βραχίονας γυμνοῦσιν, ἐν ὄψεσι καὶ ταῦτα ἀνδρῶν. Τί ποιεῖς, ὦ γύναι; γυμνοῖς σεαυτὴν ἀσχημόνως, εἰπέ μοι, ἐπὶ μέσης τῆς ἀγορᾶς, τοῦ Χριστοῦ μέλος οὖσα, ἀνδρῶν παρόντων κατὰ τὴν ἀγοράν; καὶ τρίχας τίλλεις, καὶ διασχίζεις ἐσθῆτα, καὶ μέγα κωκύεις, καὶ χορὸν περιιστᾷς, καὶ μαινάδων γυναικῶν εἰκόνα διασώζεις, καὶ οὐχ ἡγῇ τῷ Θεῷ προσκρούειν; Πόσης ταῦτα μανίας; ἆρ' οὐ γελάσονται Ἕλληνες; ἆρ' οὐ μύθους τὰ ἡμέτερα εἶναι νομίσουσιν; Ἐροῦσι γάρ· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνάστασις, ἀλλὰ χλεύη τὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ἀπάτη καὶ συσκευή. Καθά 59.347 περ γὰρ οὐδενὸς ὄντος μετὰ ταῦτα, οὕτω κωκύουσιν αἱ παρ' αὐτοῖς γυναῖκες· οὐ προσέχουσι τοῖς ῥήμασι τοῖς ἐν τοῖς βιβλίοις αὐτῶν κεχαραγμένοις. Πλάσματα