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saying to consider those who approach the godly commonwealth as their own children: Behold your children gathered together, whom he also says will be carried on their shoulders. Therefore all those from the gentiles who have believed have received a promise to rest in the bosom of Abraham. And in many places the Church from the gentiles is called daughter of Jerusalem, and of Zion, as in, "Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion. Proclaim, daughter of Jerusalem. Behold I am coming, and I will dwell in your midst, says the Lord, and many nations will go to the Lord." And to "come from afar" indicates how they were somewhere far from the kingdom of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise. "But you," he says, "who once were far off, have been brought near." For as Paul says: "Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel; but the children of the promise are counted as seed." And to Abraham it was said: I have made you a father of many nations. Concerning which a certain prophet says: "Remember, you who are far from the Lord, and let Jerusalem come upon your heart." And indeed, being persuaded of these things, according to Isaiah, they say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will announce his way, and we will walk in it." But, behold, they have come, he says, that is, their calling is not for a long time hence. For they will run as if at the heels of the evangelical proclamations, without any toil. For they will be carried on shoulders, just like infants being led by the hand in the teachings of the mystagogues. For at first they are given milk to drink, gradually ascending to the full measure of age, all those who have obtained regeneration through the Spirit. Therefore Paul says, "as a nurse cherishes her own children." Concerning which he says: Then you will see, and you will rejoice. And how will a mother not rejoice over her saved children? But the "you will fear" is not found among the others. But it means "you will be amazed," and "you will marvel." 2624 According to Habakkuk who said: "O Lord, I have heard your report, and I was afraid." And what is the reason for marveling? For the wealth of the sea will be turned to you. But Symmachus: When the multitude of the sea turns to you, and the power of the nations. And the text likened the great number of those being saved to the wealth and multitude of the sea. And the "powers of the nations" are either the mighty among them, or those who youthfully hold fast to the life according to God, so as to say: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And you will rejoice, he says, also over the more imperfect and irrational herds, which he likened to camels, Who indeed will bring you gold and frankincense, signifying the rich in the Church. For the Savior also compares the rich man to a camel, saying it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. But what is impossible with men is possible with God. At which Jerusalem too was amazed, seeing those entering into eternal life through the narrow and afflicted way, as through the eye of a needle, bringing gifts to God as a ransom for their own soul. For a ransom for a soul is one's own wealth. And Sheba is an Ethiopian nation. And Ephah and Midian are likewise barbarian, having lands productive of camels. Therefore the text used the image of these. But that such camels were certain rational beings, is clear. For he says: And camels of Midian and Ephah will cover you, all from Sheba will come. Bringing gold they will carry frankincense, and they will proclaim the salvation of the Lord. For how do camels proclaim the salvation of the Lord, They are therefore men, bringing frankincense, which is the spiritual fragrance of theology; and gold, which is bodily wealth. The paradox, therefore, is the transformation of the beast-like souls of the rich, likened to camels because of the burden-bearing, and prolific, and crooked nature of the animal; and because of exceeding usefulness to proclaim the salvation of the Lord; and furthermore he says that the sheep of Kedar will be gathered, meaning the more simple, rational souls. Such is: "Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." And: "My sheep hear my voice." And in Ezekiel he says: "Behold, I will seek out my sheep,"

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προσιόντας τῷ θεοσεβεῖ πολιτεύματι οἰκεῖα τέκνα ἡγεῖσθαι λέγων· Ἴδε συνηγμένα τὰ τέκνα σου, οὓς καί φησιν ἐπ' ὤμων ἀρθήσεσθαι. ∆ιὸ πάντες οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν πεπιστευκότες ἐπαγγελίαν εἰλήφασιν εἰς κόλπους Ἀβραὰμ ἀναπαύσασθαι. Καὶ πολλαχοῦ δὲ θυγάτηρ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ Σιὼν, ἡ ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησία χρηματίζει, ὡς ἐν τῷ, "Χαῖρε σφόδρα, θυγάτηρ Σιών. Κήρυσσε, θυγάτηρ Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ἰδοὺ ἔρχομαι, καὶ κατασκηνώσω ἐν μέσῳ σου, λέγει Κύριος, καὶ πορεύσονται ἕθνη πολλὰ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον." Τὸ δὲ πόῤῥωθεν ἥκειν, παρίστησιν ὡς ᾗ μὲν πόῤῥω που τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ξένοι τῶν διαθηκῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. "Ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς, φησὶν, οἵ ποτε μακρὰν ὄντες, ἐγγὺς ἐγενήθητε." Ὡς γὰρ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· "Οὐ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ· ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα." Καὶ πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ δὲ ἐῤῥέθη· Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε. Πρὸς ἅ τις προφήτης φησί· "Μνήσθητε, οἱ μακρὰν τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἀναβήτω ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν ὑμῶν." Ἃ δὴ καὶ πεισθέντα, κατὰ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν, φασί· "∆εῦτε, ἀναβῶμεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἰακὼβ, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πορευσόμεθα ἐν αὐτῇ." Ἀλλ', ἰδοὺ ἥκασι, φησὶ, τοῦτ' ἔστιν, οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ἡ κλῆσις αὐτῶν. ∆ραμοῦνται γὰρ ὥσπερ κατὰ πόδα τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν κηρυγμάτων, δίχα πόνου παντός. Ἐπ' ὤμων γὰρ ἀρθήσονται, οἷα δὴ βρέφη ταῖς τῶν μυσταγωγῶν παιδαγωγίαις χειραγωγούμενοι. Γάλα γὰρ ποτίζονται κατ' ἀρχὰς, κατὰ βραχὺ πρὸς μέτρον ἡλικίας ἀναβαίνοντες τέλειον ὅσοι τῆς διὰ Πνεύματος ἀναγεννήσεως ἔτυχον. Τοιγαροῦν ὁ Παῦλος "Ὡς ἄν τις τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα," φησίν. Ἐφ' οἷς λέγει· Τότε ὄψει, καὶ χαρήσῃ. Καὶ πῶς οὐ μέλλει μήτηρ περὶ τέκνοις σωζομένοις εὐφραίνεσθαι; Τὸ δὲ φοβηθήσῃ, παρὰ μὲν τοῖς λοιποῖς οὐκ ἐμφέρεται. Σημαίνει δὲ τὸ ἐκστήσῃ, καὶ θαυμάσεις. 2624 Κατὰ τὸν Ἀββακοὺμ εἰπόντα· "Κύριε, εἰσακήκοα τὴν ἀκοήν σου, καὶ ἐφοβήθην." Τίς δὲ τοῦ θαυμάζειν ἡ πρόφασις; Μεταβαλεῖ γὰρ εἰς σὲ πλοῦτος θαλάσσης. Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος· Ὅταν ἐπιστραφῇ ἐπὶ σὲ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ ἡ δύναμις τῶν ἐθνῶν. Ὁ δὲ λόγος τὴν πολυπληθίαν τῶν σωζομένων, πλούτῳ καὶ πλήθει θαλάσσης ἀπείκασεν. ∆υνάμεις δὲ ἐθνῶν ἢ οἱ ἐν αὐτοῖς δυνατοὶ, ἢ οἱ τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν βίου νεανικῶς ἀντεχόμενοι, ὡς λέγειν· "Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ." Χαρήσῃ δὲ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀτελεστέρων καὶ ἀλογωτέρων ταῖς ἀγέλαις, οὓς καμήλοις ἀπείκασεν, Οἳ δή σοι χρυσίον καὶ λίβανον οἴσουσι, τοὺς ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ πλουσίους δηλῶν. Καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ γὰρ καμήλῳ παρεικάζει τὸν πλούσιον, εὐκοπώτερον εἶναι λέγων κάμηλον διὰ τρυμαλιᾶς ῥαφίδος εἰσελθεῖν, ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ τὸ παρ' ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατον, παρὰ Θεῷ δυνατόν. Ἐφ' ᾧ καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐξέστη διὰ τῆς στενῆς καὶ τεθλιμμένης ὁδοῦ βλέπουσα τοὺς εἰσιόντας εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον ζωὴν, ὡς διὰ τρυμαλιᾶς ῥαφίδος, δῶρα φέροντας Θεῷ λύτρα τῆς ἰδίας ψυχῆς. Λύτρον γὰρ ψυχῆς ὁ ἴδιος πλοῦτος. Σαβᾶ δὲ ἔθνος Αἰθιοπικόν. Καὶ Γεφᾶ δὲ καὶ Μαδιὰμ ὁμοίως βάρβαρα, γονίμους ἔχοντα καμήλων χώρας. ∆ιὸ δὴ τῇ τούτων κέχρηται ὁ λόγος εἰκόνι. Ὅτι δὲ λογικαί τινες ἦσαν αἱ τοιαίδε κάμηλοι, δῆλον. Φησὶ γάρ· Καὶ καλύψουσί σε κάμηλοι Μαδιὰμ, καὶ Γεφᾶ, πάντες ἐκ Σαββᾶ ἥξουσι. Φέροντες χρυσίον καὶ λίβανον οἴσουσι, καὶ τὸ σωτήριον Κυρίου εὐαγγελιοῦνται. Πῶς γὰρ καμήλου τὸ σωτήριον εὐαγγελίζονται τοῦ Κυρίου, Ἄνδρες οὖν αὐταὶ, φέρουσαι λίβανον μὲν, τὴν τῆς θεολογίας πνευματικὴν εὐωδίαν· χρυσὸν δὲ, τὴν σωματικὴν εὐπορίαν. Τὸ οὖν παράδοξον, τὸ μεταβληθήσεσθαι τὰς κτηνώδεις τῶν πλουσίων ψυχὰς, καμήλοις ἀπεικασμένας διὰ τὸ ἀχθοφόρον, καὶ πολύγονον, καὶ σκολιὸν τοῦ ζώου· καὶ δι' ὑπερβάλλουσαν ὠφέλειαν εὐαγγελίζεσθαι τὸ σωτήριον Κυρίου· ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ πρόβατα Κηδάρ φησι συναχθήσεσθαι, τὰς ἀφελεστέρας λέγων ψυχὰς λογικάς. Τοιοῦτον τό· "Πορεύεσθε πρὸς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ." Καὶ τό· "Τὰ ἐμὰ πρόβατα τῆς φωνῆς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀκούει." Καὶ ἐν Ἰεζεκιὴλ δέ φησιν· "Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐκζητήσω τὰ πρόβατά μου,"