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Not an angel, but the Lord himself saved us. And he says she is to be called 'Sought Out,' that is, deemed worthy of remembrance. For such is that which is sought. But the first has become forsaken. For through Jeremiah he says: "I have forsaken my house, I have left my inheritance." And the Savior also says: "Behold, your house is left to you desolate." Some, however, have explained the whole thing thus from the beginning. It is the custom for the prophets to mourn over the grievous things they foresee, but to rejoice greatly over the good things; which the prophet also does now. For having announced the good news of the Savior's arrival and the salvation of all, and having put on Christ himself (with whom he is adorned and clothed), he celebrates in the spirit, having the disposition that a young man would have toward a virgin, he himself also being with Christ. But the phrase, 'as the earth brings forth its flower,' signifies the seminal principles stored up in souls, preparing the way for Christ. For just as eyes, having a kinship with the light, see whenever it is present, so when Christ has risen, we shine by the aptitude within us, immediately putting away the darkness. And he says that the exultation appears to the nations as from the root of Israel. Then, so that he might not seem to have forsaken Jerusalem, 'I will not let go,' he says, 'of the relationship from above, and its venerable things.' 2664 Therefore he first sends the disciples to the lost sheep of Israel. And to the Syrophoenician woman he for a time endured to call dogs those who would later be numbered among the children. For his purpose was both that these be enlightened, and that those not fail. But it was necessary that they be preferred, to whom, according to Paul, was given the lawgiving, and the worship, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh; for grace was sufficient for salvation for both these and those. And he calls the name 'of Christians' and 'of the faithful' a new name. But let the contradicting Jew show a new name that has come upon himself. And 'My Will' he calls those who do his will, whom he also says he loves, as a young man living with a virgin; which signifies not corruption, but a flourishing relationship. For he keeps her a virgin, according to the mystery in Paul, which he says is in reference to Christ and the Church. Then he indicates the present state of the Churches, according to the instruction of the priests day and night, while the people are ignorant of God, in return for which he becomes for them an impregnable wall, barring the ways of the demon. And he promises, according to the text, a secure dwelling in the cities, so that having made progress they might seek the intelligible one; just as Abraham, then, having received the promise of a land, was not occupied with it, nor did he ask for it, but longed for the one to come. And for those so disposed, and especially for those from the race of Abraham according to the flesh, he says there is no comparison with the nations, but that they are far superior, as far as it comes to honor. For they also obtained holy fathers, and the law, and have seen the wonders in Egypt and in the wilderness, if only they will make a correction of their ways, trusting in God. For this is their boast. And speaking to souls that doubt the promises, he uses an oath, not for his own sake (for he is truth), but to make them believe. And he promises the fruits from the earth, teaching that he himself is the provider of these things, and that they turn to idols in vain, for which reason these also were being corrupted at the harvest, since he was able both to bring to fruition and willing to provide, if they happened to be worthy. And now, as you are being corrected, I will prevent the attacks of the enemies. And he calls 'gates' an introductory word, and Christ, who was named 'door', through whom we have access to the Father. Concerning whom it has been said: "This is the gate of the Lord. The righteous will enter through it." And he exhorts the priests to make the characters of those under their hand smooth, so that they may not stumble on evil thoughts. And it might also be said 2665 to the mind in each person, that as it is appointed to be the charioteer, it should make the whole soul smooth. Then he exhorts those from Israel to become an example of virtue and knowledge of God to the nations. For I have kindled you from above as a lamp, so that the nations may walk by your light. And he encourages those who were cowering at the continuous attacks of the invaders, his own presence

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οὐκ ἄγγελος, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς Κύριος ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς. Ἐπιζητουμένην δὲ κληθῆναί φησι, τοῦτ' ἔστι μνήμης ἀξιουμένην. Τοιοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ζητούμενον. Ἡ δὲ πρώτη γέγονεν ἐγκαταλελειμμένη. ∆ιὰ γὰρ Ἱερεμίου φησίν· "Ἐγκαταλέλοιπα τὸνοἶκόν μου, ἀφῆκα τὴν κληρονομίαν." Καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ δέ φησιν· "Ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος." Τινὲς δὲ τὸ πᾶν οὕτως ἄνωθεν ἐξηγήσαντο. Ἔθος τοῖς προφήταις ἐφ' οἷς προθεωροῦσιν ἀνιαροῖς μὲν πενθεῖν, ἀγαθοῖς δὲ λίαν εὐφραίνεσθαι· ὃ καὶ νῦν ὁ προφήτης ποιεῖ. Εὐαγγελισάμενος γὰρ τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὴν ἄφιξιν, καὶ τὴν ἁπάντων σωτηρίαν, αὐτόν τε τὸν Χριστὸν ἐνδυσάμενος (ᾧ κοσμεῖται, καὶ περιβάλλεται), πανηγυρίζει τῷ πνεύματι διάθεσιν ἔχων, ἢν ἂν ἔσχε νεανίσκος πρὸς παρθένον, καὶ αὐτὸς συνὼν τῷ Χριστῷ. Τὸ δὲ, ὡς γῆ αὔξουσα ἄνθος αὐτῆς, δηλοῖ τοὺς ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐναποκειμένους λόγους σπερματικοὺς, ὁδοποιοῦντας Χριστῷ. Ὡς γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὶ συγγένειαν ἔχοντες πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ἐπειδ' ἂν παρῇ, βλέπουσιν, οὕτως ἀνατείλαντος Χριστοῦ, τῇ ἐν ἡμῖν ἐπιτηδειότητι λάμπομεν, εὐθὺς τὸ σκοτεινὸν ἀποθέμενοι. Ὡς ἐκ ῥίζης δὲ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσι φανεῖσθαι λέγει τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἀφηκέναι, Οὐκ ἀνήσω, φησὶ, τὴν ἄνωθεν σχέσιν, καὶ τὰ ταύτης σεμνά. 2664 ∆ιὸ πρῶτον πρὸς τὰ ἀπολωλότα πρόβατα Ἰσραὴλ πέμπει τοὺς μαθητάς. Καὶ πρὸς τὴν Συροφοινίκισσαν ἠνείχετο τέως κύνας καλεῖν τοὺς ἐν τέκνοις ὕστερον καταταχθησομένους. Σκοπὸς γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ καὶ τούτους φωτισθῆναι, κακείνους μὴ ἀποτυχεῖν. Ἐχρῆν δὲ προτιμηθῆναι, οἷς, κατὰ Παῦλον, ἐδόθη ἡ νομοθεσία, καὶ ἡ λατρεία, ὧν οἱ πατέρες, καὶ ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς κατὰ σάρκα· ἤρκει γὰρ εἰς σωτηρίαν καὶ τούτοις κἀκείνοις ἡ χάρις. Καινὸν δέ φησιν ὄνομα τὸ Χριστιανῶν καὶ τὸ πιστῶν. Ὁ δὲ ἀντιλέγων Ἰουδαῖος, δεικνύτω ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ καινὸν γενόμενον ὄνομα. Θέλημα δέ φησι τοὺς τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιοῦντας, οὓς καὶ ἀγαπᾷν λέγει, ὡς συνοικῶν νεανίσκος παρθένῳ· ὅπερ οὐ φθορὰν, ἀλλ' ἀκμάζουσαν σχέσιν δηλοῖ. Τηρεῖ γὰρ αὐτὴν παρθένον, κατὰ τὸ παρὰ Παύλῳ μυστήριον, ὅπερ εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν λέγει. Εἶτα τὴν νῦν κατάστασιν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐμφαίνει, κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἱερέων ὑφήγησιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς, ἀγνοοῦντος τοῦ λαοῦ τὸν Θεὸν, ἀνθ' ὧν ἀμειβόμενος τεῖχος αὐτῶν ἀπόρθητον γίνεται, τὰς ἀφόδους ἀπείργων τοῦ δαίμονος. Ἐπαγγέλλεται δὲ, κατὰ τὴν λέξιν, καὶ ἀσφαλῆ ταῖς πόλεσιν οἴκησιν, ὡς ἂν προκόψαντες ἐπιζητῶσι τὴν νοητήν· ὥσπερ οὖν Ἀβραὰμ γῆς λαβὼν ἐπαγγελίαν, οὐ περὶ ταύτην ἠσχόλητο, οὐδὲ ταύτην ᾔτει, τὴν δὲ μέλλουσαν ἐπόθει. Τοῖς δὲ οὕτω διακειμένοις, καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς ἐκ γένους Ἀβραὰμ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐδεμίαν σύγκρισιν πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη φησὶν, ὑπερκεῖσθαι δὲ λίαν, ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς τιμήν. Καὶ γὰρ ἔτυχον πατέρων ἁγίων, καὶ νόμου, καὶ τὰς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ θαυματουργίας καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ τεθέανται, μόνων ἐὰν διόρθωσιν τρόπων ποιήσονται πεποιθότες ἐπὶ Θεῷ. Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ἀγαυρίαμα. Πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀμφιβαλλούσαις ψυχαῖς λαλῶν ὅρκῳ κέχρηται, οὐ δι' ἑαυτὸν (ἀλήθεια γάρ ἐστιν), ἀλλ' ἐκείνας πιστούμενος. Καὶ τοὺς ἐκ γῆς καρποὺς ἐπαγγέλλεται, διδάσκων ὡς αὐτὸς τούτων ἐστὶ χορηγὸς, καὶ μάτην περὶ εἴδωλα στρέφονται, διὸ καὶ οὗτοι πρὸς τῇ συγκομιδῇ διεφθείροντο, ὡς ἂν καὶ τελεσφορεῖν δυναμένου, καὶ παρέχειν ἐθέλοντος, εἴπερ ἐτύγχανον ἄξιοι. Καὶ νῦν δὲ διορθουμένων ὑμῶν τὰς τῶν πολεμίων ἐφόδους κωλύσω. Πύλας δὲ καλεῖ λόγον εἰσαγωγικὸν, καὶ Χριστὸν, ὃς ἐχρημάτισε θύρα, δι' οὗ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα τὴν εἴσοδον ἔχομεν. Περὶ οὗ λέλεκται· "Αὕτη ἡ πύλη τοῦ Κυρίου. ∆ίκαιοι εἰσελεύσονται ἐν αὐτῇ." Τοῖς δὲ ἱερεῦσι παρακελεύεται ὁμαλὰ τῶν ὑπὸ χεῖρα τὰ ἤθη ποιεῖν, ὡς ἂν μὴ πονηροῖς προσκόπτοιεν λογισμοῖς. Λέγοιτο δ' ἂν καὶ 2665 πρὸς τὸν ἐν ἑκάστῳ νοῦν, ὡς ἂν ἡνιοχεῖν τεταγμένος τὴν ἅπασαν ἐξομαλίζοι ψυχήν. Εἶτα παρακελεύεται τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, ἀρετῆς καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ παράδειγμα γενέσθαι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Ἀνῆψα γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἄνωθεν ὡς λαμπάδα, ὡς ἂν ὑμῶν τῷ φωτὶ τὰ ἔθνη πορεύηται. Κατεπτηχότας δὲ τὰς συνεχεῖς τῶν ἐπιόντων ἐφόδους παραθαῤῥύνει, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρουσίαν