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to consider what is greater, and not to seek for all precision at the very beginning. For that He Himself also wished this more, is plain from the fact that He commanded a money-box to be carried, He who had nowhere to lay His head. But at that time the occasion did not demand this, to correct what had been done, but only to accept it. For just as if someone had asked Him before the woman had done this, He would not have declared this; so since she has done it, He henceforth looks to one thing, that she might not be perplexed by the disciples’ reproof, but might depart more cheerful and better from His healing. For after the oil had been poured, their reproof had no opportunity. You therefore, if you see someone making and offering sacred vessels, or someone else diligently working on some adornment for the Church on the walls and floor, do not command what is being done to be sold or overturned, lest you cripple his zeal. But if someone asks before making it, command that it be given to the poor; since He Himself, so as not to cripple the woman’s resolve, did this, and whatever He says, He says for her comfort. Then, since He had said, "She did it for My burial;" so that the woman might not seem to be at a loss, having been reminded of such a thing, of the tomb and of death I mean, see how through what follows He recovers her again, saying, "What this woman has done will be told throughout the whole world." And this was a comfort to the disciples, and a consolation and praise for her. For all, He says, will sing of her after this; and now she has proclaimed the Passion beforehand, bringing things for the burial; let no one therefore rebuke her. For I am so far from condemning her as having done evil, or blaming her as having acted incorrectly, that I will not even allow what has been done to be hidden, but the world will know what was done in a house and in secret. For what had been done was from a pious disposition, and fervent faith, and a contrite soul. And why did He promise nothing spiritual to the woman, but everlasting remembrance? By these things preparing her to be confident about those things also. For if she has done a good work, it is quite clear that she will also receive a worthy reward. Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, What are you willing to give me, and I will deliver Him to you? Then, when? When these things were being said, when He said, "For the burial;" and not even by this was he pricked, nor did he fear on hearing that the gospel would be preached everywhere; (for what was said was of unspeakable power;) but when women showed such honor, and 58.727 women who had been prostitutes, then he was doing the works of the devil. Why do they mention his distinctive name? Because there was also another Judas. And they do not shrink from saying that he was from the twelve; so little do they hide any of the things that seem to be reproachful. And yet it was possible to say simply that he was one of His disciples; for there were others also. But now they add, "Of the twelve," as if they were saying, of the first band of the specially chosen, of those with Peter and John. For one thing concerned them, the truth alone, not to overshadow what was happening. For this reason, they pass over many of the signs, but they hide nothing of what seems to be reproachful, but whether it be a word, or a deed, or anything of the sort, they proclaim it with boldness. 3. And not only these, but also John himself, who utters the loftier things. For he especially relates both the insults and the reproaches that happened to Him. And see how great is the wickedness of Judas, when he approaches of his own accord, when he does this for silver, and for so little silver. But Luke says that he made an agreement with the captains. For since the Jews were in a state of sedition, the Romans set over them those who would take care of their good order. For their rule having passed away was now in accordance with the prophecy. Approaching these, therefore, he says, What are you willing to give me, and I will deliver Him to you? And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought an opportunity to deliver Him up. For he was afraid of the crowd, and wanted to take Him alone. O the folly! how utterly has the

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μεῖζον ἄγειν, καὶ μὴ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν πᾶσαν ἐπιζητεῖν ἀκρίβειαν. Ἐπεὶ ὅτι γε καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἠβούλετο, δῆλον ἐξ ὧν καὶ γλωσσόκομον βαστάζεσθαι ἐκέλευσεν, ὁ μὴ ἔχων ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλῖναι. Ἀλλὰ τότε οὐκ ἀπῄτει τοῦτο ὁ καιρὸς, ὥστε διορθῶσαι τὸ γεγενημένον, ἀλλ' ὥστε ἀποδέξασθαι μόνον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις αὐτὸν ἤρετο χωρὶς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τοῦτο τὴν γυναῖκα, οὐκ ἂν τοῦτο ἀπεφήνατο· οὕτως ἐπειδὴ ἐποίησεν, εἰς ἓν ὁρᾷ λοιπὸν, ὅπως ἂν μὴ διαπορηθῇ ἐκ τῆς τῶν μαθητῶν ἐπιτιμήσεως, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ θεραπείας εὐθυμοτέρα γενομένη καὶ ἀμείνων ἀπέλθῃ. Καὶ γὰρ μετὰ τὸ χυθῆναι τὸ ἔλαιον, οὐδὲ καιρὸν εἶχεν αὐτῶν ἡ ἐπιτίμησις. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν ἂν μέν τινα ἴδῃς σκεύη κατασκευάσαντα ἱερὰ καὶ προσάγοντα, ἢ ἄλλον τινὰ Ἐκκλησίας κόσμον περὶ τοίχους καὶ ἔδαφος φιλοπονοῦντα, μὴ κέλευε πραθῆναι, ἢ ἀνατραπῆναι τὸ γινόμενον, ἵνα μὴ πηρώσῃς αὐτοῦ τὴν προθυμίαν. Ἂν δὲ πρὶν ἢ κατασκευάσαι τις ἔρηται, κέλευε δοθῆναι πτωχοῖς· ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς, ὥστε μὴ πηρῶσαι τὴν γνώμην τῆς γυναικὸς, τοῦτο ἐποίησε, καὶ ὅσα φησὶν, εἰς παραμυθίαν αὐτῆς λέγει. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν, Εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν μου ἐποίησεν· ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ἀπορεῖν τὴν γυναῖκα, τοῦ τοιούτου πράγματος ἀναμνήσας, τάφου καὶ θανάτου λέγω, ὅρα διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς πῶς αὐτὴν ἀνακτᾶται πάλιν λέγων· Ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ λαληθήσεται ὃ ἐποίησεν αὕτη. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τῶν μαθητῶν παραμυθία, κἀκείνης παράκλησις καὶ ἔπαινος ἦν. Πάντες γὰρ αὐτὴν, φησὶν, ᾄσονται μετὰ ταῦτα· καὶ νῦν δὲ προανεκήρυξε τὸ πάθος, τὰ πρὸς κηδείαν προσάγουσα· μὴ τοίνυν τις αὐτῇ ἐπιτιμάτω. Ἐγὼ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἀπέχω τοῦ καταδικάσαι αὐτὴν ὡς κακῶς πεποιηκυῖαν, ἢ μέμψασθαι ὡς οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἐργασαμένην, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἀφήσω λαθεῖν τὸ γεγενημένον, ἀλλ' ὁ κόσμος εἴσεται τὸ ἐν οἰκίᾳ εἰργασμένον καὶ ἐν κρυπτῷ. Καὶ γὰρ ἀπὸ διανοίας εὐλαβοῦς ἦν τὸ γεγενημένον, καὶ πίστεως θερμῆς, καὶ συντετριμμένης ψυχῆς. Καὶ διατί μηδὲν πνευματικὸν ὑπέσχετο τῇ γυναικὶ, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς ἀεὶ μνήμην; Ἀπὸ τούτων καὶ περὶ ἐκείνων θαῤῥεῖν παρασκευάζων. Εἰ γὰρ ἔργον καλὸν ἐποίησεν, εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ μισθὸν ἄξιον λήψεται. Τότε πορευθεὶς εἷς τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης, πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς, εἶπε· Τί θέλετέ μοι δοῦναι, καὶ ἐγὼ παραδώσω ὑμῖν αὐτόν; Τότε, πότε; Ὅτε ταῦτα ἐλέγετο, ὅτε εἶπεν, Εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν· καὶ οὐδὲ ἐντεῦθεν κατενύγη, οὔτε ἀκούσας, ὅτι κηρυχθήσεται τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πανταχοῦ, ἔδεισε· (καὶ γὰρ δυνάμεως ἀφάτου τὸ εἰρημένον ἦν·) ἀλλ' ὅτε γυναῖκες τοσαύτην ἐπεδείξαντο τιμὴν, καὶ 58.727 γυναῖκες πεπορνευμέναι, τότε αὐτὸς τὰ διαβόλου εἰργάζετο. Τί δήποτε λέγουσιν αὐτοῦ τὸ παράσημον; Ὅτι ἦν καὶ ἄλλος Ἰούδας. Καὶ οὐδὲ παραιτοῦνται εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἀπὸ τῶν δώδεκα ἦν· οὕτως οὐδὲν κρύπτουσι τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι ἐπονειδίστων. Καίτοι ἐνῆν εἰπεῖν οὕτως ἁπλῶς, ὅτι τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ τις ἦν· ἦσαν γὰρ καὶ ἄλλοι. Νῦν δὲ προστιθέασι, Τῶν δώδεκα, ὡσανεὶ ἔλεγον, τοῦ πρώτου χοροῦ τῶν ἀριστίνδην ἐξειλεγμένων, τῶν μετὰ Πέτρου καὶ Ἰωάννου. Ἑνὸς γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἔμελε, τῆς ἀληθείας μόνης, οὐ τοῦ συσκιάσαι τὰ γινόμενα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τῶν μὲν σημείων πολλὰ παρατρέχουσι, τῶν δὲ δοκούντων ἐπονειδίστων εἶναι οὐδὲν ἀποκρύπτονται, ἀλλὰ κἂν ῥῆμα, κἂν πρᾶγμα, κἂν ὁτιοῦν ᾖ τοιοῦτον, μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἀνακηρύττουσι. γʹ. Καὶ οὐχ οὗτοι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ τὰ ὑψηλότερα φθεγγόμενος Ἰωάννης. Αὐτὸς γὰρ μάλιστα λέγει καὶ τὰς ὕβρεις καὶ τὰ ὀνείδη τὰ εἰς αὐτὸν γενόμενα. Καὶ ὅρα πόση ἡ κακία τοῦ Ἰούδα, ὅταν αὐτομάτως προσίῃ, ὅταν ἀργυρίου τοῦτο ποιῇ, καὶ ἀργυρίου τοσούτου. Ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς φησιν, ὅτι τοῖς στρατηγοῖς συνέθετο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐστασίαζον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, τοὺς τῆς εὐταξίας αὐτῶν ἐπιμελησομένους ἐπέστησαν αὐτοῖς οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτῶν μεταπεσοῦσα λοιπὸν ἦν κατὰ τὴν προφητείαν. Τούτοις οὖν προσελθών φησι· Τί θέλετέ μοι δοῦναι, κἀγὼ ὑμῖν παραδώσω αὐτόν; Οἱ δὲ ἔστησαν αὐτῷ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια. Καὶ ἀπὸ τότε ἐζήτει εὐκαιρίαν, ἵνα αὐτὸν παραδῷ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐδεδοίκει τὸν ὄχλον, καὶ μόνον ἀπολαβεῖν ἤθελεν. Ὢ τῆς ἀνοίας! πῶς αὐτὸν καθάπαξ ἐπήρωσεν ἡ