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they have gaped after human reputation. Thus if we are willing to be wise, we shall know well that human things are nothing. Let us learn then, and considering our own failings, let us accomplish their correction over time, setting ourselves to put this right in the present month, and the other in the next, and again another thing in the month after that. And thus, as if ascending by certain steps, we may reach to heaven by means of Jacob's ladder. For that ladder also seems to me to signify this through that vision, the gradual ascent through virtue, by which it is possible to ascend from earth to heaven, not using perceptible steps, but by progress in character and correction. Let us then take hold of this journey and this ascent, that 59.455 attaining to the heavens we may enjoy all the good things there, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord 59.456 Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

59.455 HOMILY 84. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth,

hears my voice. 1. Long-suffering is a wonderful thing, and establishes the soul as in a calm harbor,

the soul, delivering it from waves and wicked spirits. And Christ has taught us this everywhere; but especially now, being judged and led and led about. For being brought before Annas, He answered with much gentleness, and to the officer who struck Him, He said things able to bring down all pride; and from there to Caiaphas, then having come to Pilate, and having spent a whole night in these things, through everything He displays His meekness; and when they said that He was an evildoer, and were unable to prove it, He stood silent; but when He was asked about His kingdom, then He spoke to Pilate, teaching him and leading him up to higher things. But why does Pilate not conduct the examination in their presence, but entering into the praetorium by himself? He had a great suspicion concerning Him, and wished to learn everything accurately without the Jews making a disturbance. Then when he said, 'What have You done?' He answered nothing concerning this; but concerning that which Pilate most desired to hear, His kingdom, concerning this He answers, saying, 'My kingdom is not of this world;' that is, 'I am a King, but not such a one as you suspect, but much more glorious;' and by these things and by what followed, showing that nothing terrible has been done by Him. For He who said, 'For this I was born, and for this I came, to bear witness to the truth,' shows that nothing terrible has been done by Him. Then saying, 'Everyone who is of the truth, hears my voice,' He by these words draws him on, and persuades him to become a hearer of the things said. 'For if anyone,' He says, 'is true, and desires these things, he will surely hear me.' Thus indeed He captivated him with these brief words, so that he said, 'What is truth?' But for the time being he addresses the pressing matter. For he understood that this question required time; but he wants to snatch Him from the assault of the Jews. Therefore he went out. And what does he say? 'I find no fault in Him.' And see how wisely. For he did not say, 'Since He has sinned and is worthy of death, release him for the feast;' but having first acquitted Him of all blame, he then as a favor asks that, even if they were unwilling to release Him as innocent, they might at least grant Him as a guilty man for the occasion; for which reason he added: 'You have a custom, that I should release one to you at the Passover;' then reproachfully, 'Do you want me then to release the king of the Jews,' Therefore they all cried out, 'Not this man, but Barabbas.' O the wicked mind! They ask for those of like character, and they release the guilty; the

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ἀνθρωπίνων ὑπόνοιαν κεχήνασιν. Οὕτως ἐὰν θελήσωμεν φιλοσοφεῖν, εἰσόμεθα καλῶς ὅτι οὐδὲν τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. Μάθωμεν τοίνυν, καὶ τὰ ἐλαττώματα ἑαυτῶν ἀναλογισάμενοι, διανύσωμεν τῷ χρόνῳ τὴν τούτων διόρθωσιν, τῷ μὲν παρόντι μηνὶ τοῦτο, τῷ δὲ ἐπιόντι τὸ ἕτερον, καὶ τῷ μετ' ἐκεῖνον ἄλλο πάλιν ὁρίσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς κατορθοῦν. Καὶ οὕτω, καθάπερ βαθμοῖς τισιν ἀναβαίνοντες, φθάσωμεν πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν διὰ τῆς κλίμακος τοῦ Ἰακώβ. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ κλῖμαξ ἐκείνη καὶ τοῦτό μοι διὰ τῆς ὄψεως ἐκείνης αἰνίττεσθαι δοκεῖ, τὴν μετὰ μικρὸν διὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀνάβασιν, δι' ἧς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβῆναι ἔνι, οὐ βαθμοῖς αἰσθητοῖς χρωμένοις, ἀλλ' ἐπιδόσει τρόπων καὶ διορθώσει. Ἐπιλαβώμεθα τοίνυν τῆς ἀποδημίας ταύτης καὶ τῆς ἀναβάσεως, ἵνα ἐπι 59.455 τυχόντες τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ πάντων ἀπολαυσώμεθα ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν 59.456 Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων Ἀμήν.

59.455 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Π∆ʹ. Ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἵνα μαρτυρήσω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. Πᾶς ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας,

ἀκούει μου τῆς φωνῆς. αʹ. Θαυμαστὸν ἡ μακροθυμία, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν εὐδίῳ λιμένι καθίστησι τὴν

ψυχὴν, κυμάτων ἀπαλλάττουσα καὶ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν. Καὶ ταύτην πανταχοῦ μὲν ἡμᾶς ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπαίδευσεν· μάλιστα δὲ νῦν, κρινόμενος καὶ ἀγόμενος καὶ περιαγόμενος. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τὸν Ἄνναν ἀπενεχθεὶς, μετὰ πολλῆς ἀπεκρίνατο τῆς ἐπιεικείας, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ῥαπίσαντα ὑπηρέτην εἶπε τὰ πάντα καθελεῖν δυνάμενα τῦφον· κἀκεῖθεν πρὸς Καϊάφαν, εἶτα πρὸς τὸν Πιλᾶτον ἐλθὼν, καὶ ὁλόκληρον δαπανήσας νύκτα ἐν τούτοις, διὰ πάντων τὴν αὐτοῦ πραότητα ἐπιδείκνυται· καὶ λεγόντων, ὅτι κακοποιός ἐστι, καὶ ἐλέγξαι μὴ δυναμένων, εἱστήκει σιγῶν· ὅτε δὲ ἠρωτήθη περὶ τῆς βασιλείας, τότε ἐφθέγξατο πρὸς τὸν Πιλᾶτον, παιδεύων αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνάγων πρὸς ὑψηλότερα. Ἀλλὰ τί δήποτε ὁ Πιλᾶτος οὐκ ἐπ' αὐτῶν ποιεῖται τὴν ἐξέτασιν, ἀλλ' ἰδίᾳ εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον εἰσελθών; Μεγάλην τινὰ εἶχεν ὑπόνοιαν περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐβούλετο μὴ θορυβούντων Ἰουδαίων πάντα ἀκριβῶς μαθεῖν. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ εἶπε, Τί ἐποίησας; περὶ μὲν τούτου οὐδὲν ἀπεκρίνατο· περὶ δὲ οὗ μάλιστα ὁ Πιλᾶτος ἀκοῦσαι ἐπόθει, τῆς βασιλείας τῆς αὐτοῦ, περὶ ταύτης ἀποκρίνεται λέγων· Ἡ βασιλεία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· τουτέστι, Βασιλεὺς μέν εἰμι, ἀλλ' οὐ τοιοῦτος οἷον ὑποπτεύεις, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ λαμπρότερος· καὶ διὰ τούτων καὶ διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς, ὅτι οὐδὲν εἴργασται αὐτῷ δεινὸν, ἀποφαίνων. Ὁ γὰρ εἰπὼν, Εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἦλθον, ἵνα μαρτυρήσω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, δείκνυσιν οὐδὲν εἰργασμένον αὐτῷ δεινόν. Εἶτα εἰπὼν, Πᾶς ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀκούει μου τῆς φωνῆς, ἐπισπᾶται διὰ τούτων, καὶ πείθει γενέσθαι τῶν λεγομένων ἀκροατήν. Εἴ τις γάρ ἐστι, φησὶν, ἀληθὴς, καὶ ταῦτα ποθεῖ, πάντως ἀκούσεταί μου. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ αὐτὸν εἷλε τοῖς βραχέσι ῥήμασιν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, Τί ἐστιν ἀλήθεια; Ἀλλὰ τέως πρὸς τὸ κατεπεῖγον ἵσταται. Συνεῖδε γὰρ, ὅτι τοῦτο μὲν ἐδεῖτο καιροῦ τὸ ἐρώτημα· θέλει δὲ αὐτὸν ἐξαρπάσαι τῆς ὁρμῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐξῆλθε. Καὶ τί φησιν; Ἐγὼ οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ. Καὶ σκόπει πῶς συνετῶς. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἐπειδὴ ἥμαρτε καὶ ἄξιός ἐστι θανάτου, χαρίσασθε αὐτὸν τῇ ἑορτῇ· ἀλλὰ πρῶτον αὐτὸν ἀπαλλάξας αἰτίας ἁπάσης, τότε ἐκ περιουσίας ἀξιοῖ, εἰ καὶ μὴ βούλοιντο ὡς ἀθῶον ἀφιέναι, κἂν ὡς ὑπεύθυνον τῷ καιρῷ χαρίσασθαι· διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν· Ἔστι συνήθεια ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἕνα ἀπολύσω ἐν τῷ Πάσχα· εἶτα ἐντρεπτικῶς, Βούλεσθε οὖν ἀπολύσω τὸν βασιλέα τῶν Ἰουδαίων, Ἔκραξαν οὖν πάντες· Μὴ τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τὸν Βαραββᾶν. Ὢ τῆς μιαρᾶς γνώμης! τοὺς μὲν ὁμοτρόπους αἰτοῦσι, καὶ τοὺς ὑπευθύνους ἀφιᾶσι· τὸν