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word, and advised him to be stripped of all things, showing that He does not take away existing things, but adds to existing things, and gave more than what He commanded him to provide; not only more, but also so much greater, as heaven is from earth, and even more. And He called it a treasure, indicating the abundance of the reward, its permanence, its security, as far as it was possible to signify to the hearer through human terms. It is not enough, then, to despise money, but one must also feed the poor, and principally follow Christ; that is, to do all that is commanded by Him, to be ready for slaughter, and daily death. For if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. So that this command is much greater than casting away one's possessions, to pour out even one's very blood; and to be freed from possessions contributes not a little to this. But when the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful. Then, as if the evangelist were showing that he had not suffered anything unlikely, he says: For he had great possessions. For those who have little are not possessed in the same way as those who are plunged in great abundance; for then the desire becomes more tyrannical. Which I never cease saying, that the addition of what comes in kindens a greater flame, and makes the possessors poorer, since it establishes them in greater desire, and makes them feel their want more. Consider, then, even here what power the passion displayed. For him who had approached with joy and eagerness, when Christ commanded him to cast away his possessions, it so overwhelmed and weighed him down, as not even to permit him to answer about these things, but to go away silent and downcast and sullen. What then says Christ? How difficultly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of heaven! not slandering possessions, but those who are possessed by them. If a rich man with difficulty, much more a covetous man. For if not giving one's own things is an obstacle to the kingdom, consider how much fire the taking of others' things heaps up. Why then did He say to the disciples that a rich man shall with difficulty enter, when they were poor and possessed nothing? To teach them not to be ashamed of poverty, and as it were defending Himself to them for not allowing them to have anything. And having said it is difficult, He goes on to show that it is also impossible, and not simply impossible, but impossible with emphasis; and this He showed from the example concerning the camel and the needle. It is easier, He says, for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whence it is shown that no ordinary 58.606 reward is for the rich who are able to be wise. Therefore He also said this was a work of God, to show that he who is to accomplish this needs much grace. When the disciples were troubled, He said: With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. And for what reason are the disciples troubled, being poor, and exceedingly poor? For what reason then are they disturbed? Grieving for the salvation of others, and having great affection for all, and having already taken on the heart of teachers. Thus indeed they trembled and feared for the whole world because of this declaration, so as to require much encouragement. For this reason, first looking upon them, He said: The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. For with a gentle and mild eye comforting their shuddering mind, and putting an end to their agony (for this is what the evangelist indicated by saying, “looking upon them”), then also by His words He relieves them, bringing forward the power of God, and so making them take courage. But if you wish also to learn the way, and how the impossible might become possible, listen. For He did not for this reason say, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God,” that you should fall back and abstain as from impossibilities; but that having considered the magnitude of the achievement, you might leap to it readily, and having called upon God to assist you in these good contests, you might attain life. 3. How then might this become possible? If you cast away your possessions, if

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λόγος, καὶ πάντων αὐτὸν γυμνωθῆναι παρῄνει, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐκ ἀφαιρεῖται τὰ ὄντα, ἀλλὰ προστίθησι τοῖς οὖσι, καὶ πλείονα ὧν ἐκέλευσε παρασχεῖν ἔδωκεν· οὐ πλείονα δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοσούτῳ μείζονα, ὅσον γῆς οὐρανὸς, καὶ ἔτι πλέον. Θησαυρὸν δὲ εἶπε, τὸ δαψιλὲς τῆς ἀντιδόσεως, τὸ μόνιμον δηλῶν, τὸ ἄσυλον, ὡς ἐνεχώρει διὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων αἰνίξασθαι τῷ ἀκούοντι. Οὐκ ἄρα ἀρκεῖ τὸ χρημάτων καταφρονεῖν, ἀλλὰ δεῖ καὶ διαθρέψαι πένητας, καὶ προηγουμένως ἀκολουθεῖν τῷ Χριστῷ· τουτέστι, πάντα τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ κελευόμενα ποιεῖν, πρὸς σφαγὰς εἶναι ἕτοιμον, καὶ θάνατον καθημερινόν. Εἴ τις γὰρ θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. Ὥστε τοῦ ῥῖψαι τὰ χρήματα πολλῷ μεῖζον τοῦτο τὸ ἐπίταγμα, τὸ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ αἷμα ἐκχεῖν· οὐ μικρὸν δὲ εἰς τοῦτο τὸ χρημάτων ἀπηλλάχθαι συμβάλλεται. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ νεανίσκος, ἀπῆλθε λυπούμενος. Εἶτα, ὥσπερ δεικνὺς ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπεικός τι πέπονθε, φησίν· Ἦν γὰρ ἔχων χρήματα πολλά. Οὐ γὰρ ὁμοίως κατέχονται οἱ τὰ ὀλίγα ἔχοντες, καὶ οἱ πολλῇ βαπτισθέντες περιουσίᾳ· τυραννικώτερος γὰρ τότε ὁ ἔρως γίνεται. Ὅπερ ἀεὶ λέγων οὐ παύομαι, ὅτι ἡ προσθήκη τῶν ἐπεισιόντων μείζονα ἀνάπτει τὴν φλόγα, καὶ πενεστέρους ἐργάζεται τοὺς κτωμένους, εἴ γε ἐν πλείονι καθίστησιν αὐτοὺς ἐπιθυμίᾳ, καὶ μᾶλλον αἰσθάνεσθαι τῆς ἐνδείας ποιεῖ. Σκόπει γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα οἵαν ἐπεδείξατο τὴν ἰσχὺν τὸ πάθος. Τὸν γὰρ μετὰ χαρᾶς προσελθόντα καὶ προθυμίας, ἐπειδὴ ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Χριστὸς ῥῖψαι τὰ χρήματα, οὕτω κατέχωσε καὶ ἐβάρησεν, ὡς μηδὲ ἀποκρίνασθαι περὶ τούτων ἀφεῖναι, ἀλλὰ σιγήσαντα καὶ κατηφῆ καὶ στυγνὸν γενόμενον ἀπελθεῖν. Τί οὖν ὁ Χριστός; Πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ πλούσιοι εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν! οὐ τὰ χρήματα διαβάλλων, ἀλλὰ τοὺς κατεχομένους ὑπ' αὐτῶν. Εἰ δὲ πλούσιος δυσκόλως, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ πλεονέκτης. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ δοῦναι τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, πρὸς βασιλείαν ἐμπόδιον, τὸ καὶ τὰ ἑτέρων λαβεῖν ἐννόησον πόσον σωρεύει τὸ πῦρ. Τί δήποτε δὲ τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι δυσκόλως πλούσιος εἰσελεύσεται, πένησιν οὖσι καὶ οὐδὲν κεκτημένοις; Παιδεύων αὐτοὺς μὴ αἰσχύνεσθαι τὴν πενίαν, καὶ ὡσανεὶ ἀπολογούμενος αὐτοῖς ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδὲν ἐπιτρέψαι ἔχειν. Εἰπὼν δὲ δύσκολον, προϊὼν δείκνυσιν ὅτι καὶ ἀδύνατον, καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἀδύνατον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετ' ἐπιτάσεως ἀδύνατον· καὶ τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ παραδείγματος ἐδήλωσε, τοῦ κατὰ τὴν κάμηλον καὶ τὴν βελόνην. Εὐκοπώτερον, φησὶ, κάμηλον εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τρυπήματος ῥαφίδος, ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ὅθεν δείκνυται ὅτι οὐχ ὁ τυ 58.606 χὼν μισθὸς τοῖς πλουτοῦσι καὶ δυναμένοις φιλοσοφεῖν. ∆ιὸ καὶ Θεοῦ ἔργον ἔφησεν εἶναι αὐτὸ, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι πολλῆς δεῖ τῆς χάριτος τῷ μέλλοντι τοῦτο κατορθοῦν. Τῶν γοῦν μαθητῶν ταραχθέντων ἔλεγε· Παρὰ ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἀδύνατον, παρὰ δὲ Θεῷ πάντα δυνατά. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν οἱ μαθηταὶ ταράττονται, πένητες ὄντες, καὶ σφόδρα πένητες; τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν θορυβοῦνται; Ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων σωτηρίας ἀλγοῦντες, καὶ πολλὴν πρὸς ἅπαντας φιλοστοργίαν ἔχοντες, καὶ τὰ τῶν διδασκάλων ἤδη σπλάγχνα ἀναλαβόντες. Οὕτω γοῦν ἔτρεμον καὶ ἐδεδοίκεισαν ὑπὲρ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης ἀπὸ τῆς ἀποφάσεως ταύτης, ὥστε πολλῆς δεηθῆναι τῆς παρακλήσεως. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πρότερον ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπε· Τὰ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατα, δυνατὰ παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Ἡμέρῳ γὰρ ὄμματι καὶ πράῳ φρίττουσαν αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν παραμυθησάμενος, καὶ τὴν ἀγωνίαν καταλύσας (τοῦτο γὰρ ἐδήλωσεν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς εἰπὼν, ἐμβλέψας), τότε καὶ διὰ τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοὺς ἀνίησι, τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν εἰς μέσον ἀγαγὼν, καὶ οὕτω ποιήσας θαῤῥεῖν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει καὶ τὸν τρόπον μαθεῖν, καὶ πῶς ἂν τὸ ἀδύνατον γένοιτο δυνατὸν, ἄκουε. Οὐδὲ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο εἶπε, Τὰ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατα, δυνατὰ παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ, ἵνα ἀναπέσῃς, καὶ ὡς ἀδυνάτων ἀπόσχῃ· ἀλλ' ἵνα τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ κατορθώματος ἐννοήσας, ἐπιπηδήσῃς ῥᾳδίως, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν παρακαλέσας συνεφάψασθαί σοι τῶν καλῶν τούτων ἄθλων, τῆς ζωῆς ἐπιτύχῃς. γʹ. Πῶς οὖν ἂν γένοιτο τοῦτο δυνατόν; Ἂν ῥίψῃς τὰ ὄντα, ἂν