[That We Ought to Imitate Christ in Suffering, and with Zeal to Follow His Patience.]
V. Every one therefore who learns any art, when he sees his master by his diligence and skill perfecting his art, does himself earnestly endeavour to make what he takes in hand like to it. If he is not able, he is not perfected in his work. We therefore who have a Master, our Lord Jesus Christ, why do we not follow His doctrine?—since He renounced repose, pleasure, glory, riches, pride, the power of revenge, His mother and brethren, nay, and moreover His own life, on account of His piety towards His Father, and His love to us the race of mankind; and suffered not only persecution and stripes, reproach and mockery, but also crucifixion, that He might save the penitent, both Jews and Gentiles. If therefore He for our sakes renounced His repose, was not ashamed of the cross, and did not esteem death inglorious, why do not we imitate His sufferings, and renounce on His account even our own life, with that patience which He gives us? For He did all for our sakes, but we do it for our own sakes: for He does not stand in need of us, but we stand in need of His mercy. He only requires the sincerity and readiness of our faith, as the Scripture says: “If thou beest righteous, what doest thou give to Him? or what will He receive at thy hand? Thy wickedness is to a man like thyself, and thy righteousness to a son of man.” 13 1 Cor. vii. 34. 1 Cor. vii. 34.
[5] Πᾶς οὖν ὁ μανθάνων τέχνην τινά, βλέπων τὸν διδάσκαλον αὐτοῦ διὰ τῆς ἐνεργείας καὶ ἐμπειρίας ἀπαρτίζοντα τὴν τέχνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς ζηλοῖ ὅμοιον αὐτῷ ποιήσασθαι τὸ ἐγχειρισθέν: ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἐξισχύσῃ, οὐκ ἔστιν τετελειωμένος ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ. Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὖν, ἔχοντες διδάσκαλον τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν τὸν Χριστόν, διὰ τί οὐ μιμούμεθα τὴν αὐτοῦ διδαχήν; Ὅτι ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἀπετάξατο ἀνέσει, τρυφῇ, δόξῃ, πλούτῳ, τύφῳ, δυνάμει ἀμυντικῇ, μητρὶ καὶ ἀδελφοῖς, ἤδη δὲ καὶ τῇ οἰκείᾳ ζωῇ διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα εὐσέβειαν καὶ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς φιλανθρωπίαν, ὑπομείνας οὐ μόνον διωγμὸν καὶ μάστιγας, ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ ἐμπαιγμόν, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸ ξύλον πρόσπηξιν, ὅπως Ἰουδαίους καὶ Ἕλληνας μετανοήσαντας σώσῃ: εἰ οὖν αὐτὸς δι' ἡμᾶς ἀπετάξατο ἅμα πᾶσι, μὴ ἐπαισχυνθεὶς σταυρόν, μηδὲ ἀδοξήσας τὸν θάνατον, τίνος ἕνεκεν ἡμεῖς οὐ μιμούμεθα αὐτοῦ τὰ πάθη καὶ ἀποτασσόμεθα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ ζωῇ ἡμῶν, διδόντος αὐτοῦ ἡμῖν τὴν ὑπομονήν; Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ δι' ἡμᾶς, ἡμεῖς δὲ δι' ἑαυτούς, οὐ γὰρ χρῄζει ἡμῶν αὐτός, ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ ἐλέους αὐτοῦ: μόνον δὲ τὸ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν γνήσιον ἐπιζητεῖ καὶ αὐθαίρετον, ὥς φησιν ἡ γραφή: «Εἰ δίκαιος εἶ, τί δώσεις αὐτῷ ἢ τί ἐκ χειρός σου λήψεται; Ἀνδρὶ τῷ ὁμοίῳ σου ἡ ἀσέβειά σου, καὶ υἱῷ ἀνθρώπου ἡ δικαιοσύνη σου.»