ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΥΣΟΣΤΟΜΟΥ ΤΑ ΕΥΡΙΣΚΟΜΕΝΑ ΠΑΝΤΑ. ΥΠΟΜΝΗΜΑ Εἰς τὸν ἅγιον Ἰωάννην τὸν Ἀπόστολον καὶ Εὐαγγελιστήν. ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Αʹ. αʹ.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Βʹ. Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος. αʹ. Εἰ μὲν Ἰωάννης ἡμῖν ἔμελλε διαλέξεσθαι, καὶ τὰ αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐρεῖν, ἀναγκαῖον ἦν καὶ γένος αὐτοῦ καὶ πατρίδα εἰπε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Γʹ. Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος. αʹ. Προσοχῆς μὲν ἕνεκεν τῆς περὶ τὴν ἀκρόασιν, περιττὸν λοιπὸν ὑμῖν παραινεῖν: οὕτω ταχέως τὴν παραίνεσιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Δʹ. Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. αʹ. Τοῖς ἄρτι τῶν παίδων εἰσαγομένοις πρὸς τὰ μαθήματα οὔτε πολλὰ ἐφεξῆς ἐπιτιθέασιν οἱ δ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Εʹ. Πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἓν ὃ γέγονεν. αʹ. Μωϋσῆς μὲν ἀρχόμενος τῆς ἱστορίας καὶ τῆς συγγραφῆς τῆς ἐν τῇ Παλαι

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ϛʹ. Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ Θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης. Διαλεχθεὶς περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου τὰ κατεπείγοντα ἐν προοιμίοις ἡμῖν, ὁδῷ καὶ τάξ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ζʹ. Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρω πον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. αʹ. Διὰ τοῦτο, ὦ πολυπόθητα τέκνα, κατὰ μέρος ὑμᾶς τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ηʹ. Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρω πον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. αʹ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ κωλύει καὶ τήμερον τῶν αὐτῶν ἅψασθαι ῥημάτων, ἐπειδ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Θʹ. Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. αʹ. Ἂν τῶν προτέρων διαμνημονεύητε νοημάτων, μετὰ πλείονος προθυμίας καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἐποικοδ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ιʹ. Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρ έλαβον. αʹ. Φιλάνθρωπος ὢν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀγαπητὲ, καὶ εὐεργετικὸς, πάντα ποιεῖ καὶ πραγματεύεται, ὥστ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΑʹ. Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν. αʹ. Μίαν ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας αἰτῆσαι βούλομαι χάριν, πρὶν ἢ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἅψασθαι ῥημάτων: ἀλλ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΒʹ. Καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς Μονο γενοῦς παρὰ Πατρὸς, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀλη θείας. αʹ. Τάχα πέρα τοῦ δέοντος ἐφάνημεν ὑμῖν ἐπ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΓʹ. Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κέκραγε λέγων: «Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.» αʹ.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΔʹ. Καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλά βομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος. αʹ. Πρώην ἐλέγομεν ὅτι Ἰωάννης τὴν ἀπορίαν λύων τῶν μελλόντων

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΕʹ. Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε: ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς, ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγή σατο. αʹ. Τῶν ὀνομάτων καὶ τῶν ῥημάτων τῶν ἐν τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙϚʹ. Αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσο λύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευΐτας, ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐ τόν: Σὺ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΖʹ. Ταῦτα ἐγένετο ἐν Βηθανίᾳ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ὅπου ἦν Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων. Τῇ ἐπαύριον βλέ πει τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ λέ γει: «Ἴ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΗʹ. Τῇ ἐπαύριον πάλιν εἱστήκει ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ δύο. Καὶ ἐμβλέψας τῷ Ἰησοῦ περιπατοῦντι, λέγει: «Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.» Καὶ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΘʹ. Εὑρίσκει οὕτω πρῶτος τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ: «Εὑρήκαμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν,» ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον Χριστός: καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Κʹ. Τῇ ἐπαύριον ἠθέλησεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Γαλι λαίαν, καὶ εὑρίσκει Φίλιππον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ: Ἀκολούθει μοι. Ἦν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος ἀπὸ Βηθ σαϊδᾶ, ἐκ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΑʹ. Ἀπεκρίθη Ναθαναὴλ, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ: «Ῥαββὶ, σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσ ραήλ.» Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ: «Ὅτι εἶ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΒʹ. Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοὶ, γύναι Οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου. αʹ. Ἔχει μέν τινα πόνον τὸ λέγειν: καὶ τοῦτο ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγεν: Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΓʹ. Ταύτην ἐποίησε τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν Κανᾷ τῆς Γαλιλαίας. αʹ. Πολὺς ὁ διάβολος ἔγκειται καὶ σφοδρὸς, πάντοθεν πολιορκῶν τὴν σωτ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΔʹ. Ὡς δὲ ἦν ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐν τῷ Πάσχα ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ, πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν. αʹ. Τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν τότε οἱ μὲν τῇ πλάνῃ προσεῖχον, ο

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΕʹ. Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς: Ἀμὴν λέγω σοι: Ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. αʹ. Τὰ παιδ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚϚʹ. Τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς, σάρξ ἐστι: καὶ τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πνεῦμά ἐστιν. αʹ. Μεγάλων ἡμᾶς μυστηρίων κατηξίωσεν ὁ μονο

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΖʹ. Εἰ τὰ ἐπίγεια εἶπον ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε, πῶς, ἐὰν εἴπω ὑμῖν τὰ ἐπουράνια, πιστεύσετε Οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΗʹ. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ἵνα σώσῃ τὸν κόσμον. αʹ. Πολλοὶ τῶν ῥᾳθυμοτέρων εἰς ἁμαρτημάτων μέγεθο

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΘʹ. Ἦλθε δὲ εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν γῆν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μα θηταὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκεῖ διέτριβε μετ' αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐβάπτιζεν. αʹ. Οὐδὲν τῆς ἀληθείας φανερώτερον,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Λʹ. Ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος, ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν: ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς, ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστι, καὶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ. αʹ. Δεινὸν ὁ τῆς δόξης ἔρως, δεινὸν καὶ πολ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΑʹ. Ὁ Πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ πάντα δέδωκεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ. Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν, ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον: ὁ δὲ ἀπιστῶν τῷ Υἱῷ, οὐκ ὄψεται τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΒʹ. Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ: Πᾶς ὁ πίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος τούτου, διψήσει πάλιν: ὃς δ' ἂν πίῃ ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος οὗ ἐγὼ δώσω αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ διψήσε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΓʹ. Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς: Γύναι, πίστευσόν μοι, ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα, ὅτε οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, οὔτε ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις προσκυνήσετε τῷ Πατρί. Ὑμεῖς π

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΔʹ. Ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ ἀπ ῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις: «Δεῦτε, ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον, ὃς εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐπ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΕʹ. Ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν μεῖναι παρ' αὐτοῖς. Καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ δύο ἡμέρας. Καὶ πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛϚʹ. Τοῦτο πάλιν δεύτερον σημεῖον ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰη σοῦς, ἐλθὼν ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς τὴν Γαλι λαίαν. Μετὰ ταῦτα ἦν ἑορτὴ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ἀνέβη ὁ Ἰ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΖʹ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς: «Θέλεις ὑγιὴς γενέσθαι:» Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ ἀσθενῶν: «Ναὶ, Κύριε: ἄν θρωπον δὲ οὐκ ἔχω, ἵνα, ὅταν ταραχθῇ τὸ ὕδωρ, βάλῃ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΗʹ. Μετὰ ταῦτα εὑρίσκει αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ: «Ἴδε ὑγιὴς γέγονας: μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε, ἵνα μὴ χεῖρόν τί σοι γένηται.» αʹ. Δει

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΛΘʹ. Ὁ Πατήρ μου οὐ κρίνει οὐδένα, ἀλλὰ τὴν κρίσιν πᾶσαν δέδωκε τῷ Υἱῷ, ἵνα πάντες τιμῶσι τὸν Υἱὸν, καθὼς τιμῶσι τὸν Πατέρα. αʹ. Πολλῆς ἡμῖν δε

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Μʹ. Ἐὰν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἡ μαρτυρία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής. Ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ μαρτυρῶν περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτοῦ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΑʹ. Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς δοκεῖτε ἐν αὐ ταῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν: κἀκεῖναί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ: καὶ οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν πρός μ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΒʹ. Μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπῆλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πέραν τῆς θα λάσσης τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἰς τὰ μέρη Τιβεριάδος: καὶ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ ὄχλος πολὺς, ὅτι ἑώρων τὰ σημεῖα

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΓʹ. Ὡς δὲ ὀψία ἐγένετο, κατέβησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐ τοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν. Καὶ ἀναβάντες εἰς τὸ πλοῖον, ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς Καπερ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΔʹ. Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ εἶπεν: «Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ζητεῖτέ με, οὐχ ὅτι εἴδετε ση μεῖα, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐφάγετε ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων, καὶ ἐχορ τά

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΕʹ. Εἶπον οὖν πρὸς αὐτόν: «Τί ποιῶμεν ἵνα ἐργαζώ μεθα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ » Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς: «Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα πιστεύσ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜϚʹ. Ἐγόγγυζον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι εἶ πεν, Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατα βάς: καὶ ἔλεγον: Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωσὴφ, οὗ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΖʹ. Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς: «Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ φάγητε τὴν σάρκα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ πίητε αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα, οὐκ ἔχετε ζωὴν α

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΗʹ. Καὶ περιεπάτει ὁ Ἰησοῦς μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῇ Γαλι λαίᾳ: οὐ γὰρ ἤθελεν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ περιπατεῖν, ὅτι ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀποκτεῖναι. Ἦν δ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΜΘʹ. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν αὐτοῖς, ἔμεινεν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ: ὡς δὲ ἀνέβησαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, τότε καὶ αὐ τὸς ἀνέβη εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν, οὐ φανερῶς, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Νʹ. Ἔλεγον οὖν τινες ἐκ τῶν Ἱεροσολυμιτῶν: «Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὃν ζητοῦσιν ἀποκτεῖναι Καὶ ἴδε παῤῥησίᾳ λαλεῖ, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λέγουσι. Μή τι ἀληθῶ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΑʹ. Ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, τῇ μεγάλῃ τῆς ἑορτῆς, εἱστήκει ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἔκραζε λέγων: Ἐάν τις διψᾷ, ἐρχέσθω πρός με, καὶ πινέτω. Ὁ πιστεύων εἰ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΒʹ. Ἦλθον οὖν οἱ ὑπηρέται πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ Φαρισαίους, καὶ εἶπον αὐτοῖς ἐκεῖνοι: «Διατί οὐκ ἠγάγετε αὐτόν » Ἀπεκρίθησαν οὖν οἱ ὑπη ρέτα

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΓʹ. Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ γα ζοφυλακίῳ, διδάσκων ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ: καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπίασεν αὐτόν: οὔπω γὰρ ἐληλύθει ἡ ὥρα αὐ τοῦ. αʹ. Ὢ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΔʹ. Ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τοὺς πεπιστευκότας αὐτῷ Ἰουδαίους: «Ἐὰν ὑμεῖς μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, ἀληθῶς μαθηταί μού ἐστε, καὶ γνώσεσθε τὴ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΕʹ. Ἀπεκρίθησαν οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ: «Οὐ καλῶς λέγομεν ἡμεῖς, ὅτι Σαμαρείτης εἶ σὺ, καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις » Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς: «Ἐγὼ δ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝϚʹ. Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον τυφλὸν ἐκ γενετῆς. Καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, λέγοντες: «Ῥαββὶ, τίς ἥμαρτεν, οὗτος, ἢ οἱ γον

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΖʹ. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἔπτυσε χαμαὶ, καὶ ἐποίησε πηλὸν ἐκ τοῦ πτύσματος, καὶ ἐπέχρισε τὸν πη λὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ τυφλοῦ, καὶ εἶ πεν:

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΗʹ. Λέγουσι τῷ τυφλῷ πάλιν: Σὺ τί λέγεις περὶ αὐ τοῦ, ὅτι ἤνοιξέ σου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, Ὅτι προφήτης ἐστίν. Οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν οὖν οἱ Ἰου

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΘʹ. Καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω: καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὅτι ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω: καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν, εἶ πεν αὐτῷ: «Σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ »

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ξʹ. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς, καὶ γινώσκω τὰ ἐμὰ, καὶ γινώσκομαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐμῶν. Καθὼς γινώ σκει με ὁ Πατὴρ, κἀγὼ γινώσκω τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ τὴν ψυ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΑʹ. Ἐγένετο δὲ τὰ ἐγκαίνια ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, καὶ χειμὼν ἦν. Καὶ περιεπάτει ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ἐν τῇ στοᾷ Σολομῶντος. Ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐ τὸν οἱ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΒʹ. Ἦν δέ τις ἀσθενῶν Λάζαρος ἀπὸ Βηθανίας, ἐκ τῆς κώμης Μαρίας καὶ Μάρθας τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτῆς. Ἦν δὲ Μαρία ἡ ἀλείψασα τὸν Κύριον μύρῳ. αʹ. Πολλ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΙʹ. Οὔπω δὲ ἐληλύθει ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν κώμην, ἀλλ' ἦν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ὅπου ἀπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἡ Μάρθα. Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι οἱ ὄντες μετ' αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΔʹ. Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἦρε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἄνω, καὶ εἶπε: Πάτερ, εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ὅτι ἤκουσάς μου. Ἐγὼ δὲ ᾔδειν ὅτι πάντοτέ μου ἀκούεις: ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὄχ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΕʹ. Εἷς δέ τις ἐξ αὐτῶν Καϊάφας, ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε οὐδὲν, οὐδὲ διαλογίζεσθε ὅτι συμφέρει ὑμῖν,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞϚʹ. Ἔγνω οὖν ὄχλος πολὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐστι: καὶ ἦλθον, οὐ διὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν μό νον, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἴδωσιν, ὃν ἤγει ρεν ἐκ ν

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΖʹ. Ὁ φιλῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν: καὶ ὁ μισῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ, εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον φυλάξει αὐτήν. Ἐὰν ἐμοί τις διακο

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΗʹ. Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος: Ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα: καὶ πῶς λέγεις σὺ, ὅτι δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΘʹ. Ὅμως μέντοι καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχόντων πολλοὶ ἐπί στευσαν εἰς αὐτόν: ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς Φαρισαίους οὐχ ὡμολόγουν, ἵνα μὴ ἀποσυνάγωγοι γένωνται. Ἠγάπησ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Οʹ. Πρὸ δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ Πάσχα, εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα, ἵνα μεταβῇ ἐκ τοῦ κό σμου τούτου πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ἀγαπήσας τοὺς ἰδίους τ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΑʹ. Καὶ ἔλαβε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναπεσὼν πά λιν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Γινώσκετε τί πεποίηκα ὑμῖν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. αʹ. Χαλεπὸν, ἀγαπητοὶ, χαλεπὸν εἰς

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΒʹ. Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὁ λαμβάνων ἐάν τινα πέμψω, ἐμὲ λαμβάνει, καὶ ὁ ἐμὲ λαμβάνων, λαμβάνει τὸν πέμψαντά με. αʹ. Μεγάλη τῆς περὶ τοὺς δούλ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΓʹ. Λέγει Σίμων Πέτρος: Κύριε, ποῦ ὑπάγεις Ἀπε κρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς: Ὅπου ὑπάγω ἐγὼ, οὐ δύνασαί μοι νῦν ἀκολουθῆσαι: ὕστερον δὲ ἀκολουθήσεις μ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΔʹ. Λέγει αὐτῷ Φίλιππος: Κύριε, δεῖξον ἡμῖν τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰη σοῦς Τοσοῦτον χρόνον μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωκάς μ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΕʹ. Ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτέ με, τὰς ἐντολὰς τὰς ἐμὰς τηρήσα τε: καὶ ἐγὼ ἐρωτήσω τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ ἄλλον Παράκλητον δώσει ὑμῖν, ἵνα μένῃ μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰς αἰῶνα,

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟϚʹ. Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν. Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή: ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα, καὶ ὁ Πατήρ μου ὁ γεωργός ἐστιν. αʹ. Δειλὴν καὶ ἄνανδρον τὴν ψ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΖʹ. Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ, καὶ ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν πληρωθῇ. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ ἐμὴ, ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς ἐγὼ ἠ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΗʹ. Ταῦτα δὲ ἐξ ἀρχῆς οὐκ εἶπον ὑμῖν, ὅτι μεθ' ὑμῶν ἤμην. Νῦν δὲ ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πέμψαντά με, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐρωτᾷ με, Ποῦ ὑπάγεις Ἀλλ' ὅτ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΟΘʹ. Μικρὸν, καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με: καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν, καὶ ὄψεσθέ με, ὅτι ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα. Εἶπον οὖν ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἀλλήλους: Τί ἐ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Πʹ. Ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἐπῆρε τοὺς ὀφθαλ μοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ εἶπε: Πάτερ, ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα, δόξασόν σου τὸν Υἱὸν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΑʹ. Ἐφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οὓς ἔδω κάς μοι ἐκ κόσμου. Σοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ ἐμοὶ αὐτοὺς ἔδωκας, καὶ τὸν λόγον σου τετηρήκασι. αʹ. Μεγά

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΒʹ. Ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον σου, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, καθὼς ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου. αʹ. Ὅταν ἐνά

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΓʹ. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐξῆλθε σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ πέραν τοῦ χειμάῤῥου τῶν Κέδρων, ὅπου ἦν κῆπος, εἰς ὃν εἰσῆλθεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΔʹ. 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.

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΕʹ. Τότε οὖν παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλᾶτος, ἵνα σταυρωθῇ. Παρέλαβον δὲ τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτόν. Καὶ βαστάζων τὸν σταυρὸν ἑαυτοῦ, ἐξ ῆλ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠϚʹ. Ἀπῆλθον οὖν πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί: Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τὸ μνημεῖον κλαίουσα ἔξω. αʹ. Περιπαθές πως τὸ γυναικεῖον γένος, καὶ πρὸ

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΖʹ. Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν ὅτε ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί: «Ἑωράκαμεν τὸν Κύριο

 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΗʹ. Ὅτε οὖν ἠρίστησαν, λέγει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ Σίμωνι Πέ τρῳ, «Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ, ἀγαπᾷς με πλέον τούτων » Λέγει αὐτῷ: «Ναὶ, Κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε.»

Homily XVIII.

John i. 35–37

“Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.”

[1.] The nature of man is somehow a thing slothful, and easily declining to perdition, not by reason of the constitution of the nature itself, but by reason of that sloth which is of deliberate choice. Wherefore it needs much reminding. And for this cause Paul, writing to the Philippians, said, “To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” ( Philip. iii. 1 .)

The earth when it has once received the seed, straightway gives forth its fruits, and needs not a second sowing; but with our souls it is not so, and one must be content, after having sown many times, and manifested much carefulness, to be able once to receive fruit. For in the first place, what is said settles in the mind with difficulty, because the ground is very hard, and entangled with thorns innumerable, and there are many which lay plots, and carry away the seed; afterwards, when it has been fixed and has taken root, it still needs the same attention, that it may come to maturity, and having done so may remain uninjured, and take no harm from any. For in the case of seeds, when the ear is fully formed and has gained its proper strength, it easily despises rust, and drought, and every other thing; but it is not so with doctrines; in their case after all the work has been fully done, one storm and flood often comes on, and either by the attack of unpleasant circumstances, or by the plots of men skilled to deceive, or by various other temptations brought against them, brings them to ruin.

I have not said this without cause, but that when you hear John repeating the same words, you may not condemn him for vain talking;463   al. “want of taste.” nor deem him impertinent or wearisome. He desired to have been heard by once speaking, but because not many gave heed to what was spoken from the first, by reason of deep sleep, he again rouses them by this second call. Now observe; he had said, “He that cometh after me, is preferred before me”: and that “I am not worthy to unloose the latchet of His shoe”; and that “He baptizeth with the Holy Ghost, and with fire”; and that he “saw the Spirit descending like a dove, and it abode upon Him,” and he “bare record that this is the Son of God.” No one gave heed, nor asked, nor said, “Why sayest thou these things? in whose behalf? for what reason?” Again he had said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”; yet not even so did he touch their insensibility. Therefore, after this he is compelled to repeat the same words again, as if softening by tillage 464   νεώσει. some hard and stubborn soil, and by his word as by a465   al. “a kind of” plow, disturbing the mind which had hardened into clods,466   πεπιλημένην. so as to put in the seed deep. For this reason he does not make his discourse a long one either; because he desired one thing only, to bring them over and join them to Christ. He knew that as soon as they had received this saying, and had been persuaded, they would not afterwards need one to bear witness unto Him. As also it came to pass. For, if the Samaritans could say to the woman after hearing Him, “Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world,” the disciples would be much more quickly subdued,467   Morel and ms. in Bodleian, “much more would the disciples have been thus affected, and when they had come would have been subdued by His words.” as was the case. For when they had come and heard Him but one evening, they returned no more to John, but were so nailed to Him, that they took upon them the ministry of John, and themselves proclaimed Him. For, saith the Evangelist, “He findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” And observe, I pray you, this, how, when he said, “He that cometh after me is preferred before me”; and that, “I am not worthy to unloose the lachet of His shoe”; he caught no one, but when he spoke of the Dispensation, and lowered his discourse to a humbler tone, then the disciples followed Him.

And we may remark this, not only in the instance of the disciples, but that the many are not so much attracted when some great and sublime thing is said concerning God, as when some act of graciousness and lovingkindness, something pertaining to the salvation of the hearers, is spoken of. They heard that “He taketh away the sin of the world,” and straightway they ran to Him. For, said they, “if it is possible to wash away468   al. “to release ourselves from.” the charges that lie against us, why do we delay? here is One who will deliver us without labor of ours. Is it not extreme folly to put off accepting the Gift?” Let those hear who are Catechumens, and are putting off their salvation469   i.e. their baptism. to their latest breath.

“Again,” saith the Evangelist, “John stood, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God.” Christ utters no word, His messenger saith all. So it is with a bridegroom. He saith not for a while anything to the bride, but is there in silence, while some show him to the bride, and others give her into his hands; she merely appears, and he departs not having taken her himself, but when he has received her from another who gives her to him. And when he has received her thus given, he so disposes her, that she no more remembers those who betrothed her. So it was with Christ. He came to join to Himself the Church; He said nothing, but merely came. It was His friend, John, who put into His the bride’s right hand, when by his discourses he gave into His hand the souls of men. He having received them, afterwards so disposed them, that they departed no more to John who had committed them to Him.

[2.] And here we may remark, not this only, but something besides. As at a marriage the maiden goes not to the bridegroom, but he hastens to her, though he be a king’s son, and though he be about to espouse some poor and abject person, or even a servant, so it was here. Man’s nature did not go up,470   al. “depart.” but contemptible and poor as it was, He came to it, and when the marriage had taken place, He suffered it no longer to tarry here, but having taken it to Himself, transported it to the house of His Father.

“Why then doth not John take his disciples apart, and converse with them on these matters, and so deliver them over to Christ, instead of saying publicly to them in common with all the people, ‘Behold the Lamb of God’?” That it may not seem to be a matter of arrangement; for had they gone away from him to Christ after having been privately admonished by him, and as though to do him a favor, they would perhaps soon have started away again; but now, having taken upon them the following Him, from teaching which had been general, they afterwards remained His firm disciples, as not having followed Him in order to gratify the teacher, but as looking purely to their own advantage.

The Prophets and Apostles then all preached Him absent; the Prophets before His coming according to the flesh, the Apostles after He was taken up; John alone proclaimed Him present. Wherefore he calls himself the “friend of the Bridegroom” ( c. iii. 29 ), since he alone was present at the marriage, he it was that did and accomplished all, he made a beginning of the work. And “looking upon Jesus walking, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God.” Not by voice alone, but with his eyes also he bore witness to, and expressed his admiration of, Christ, rejoicing and glorying. Nor does he for awhile address any471   al. “even any.” word of exhortation to his followers, but only shows wonder and astonishment at Him who was present, and declares to all the Gift which He came to give, and the manner of purification. For “the Lamb” declares both these things. And he said not, “Who shall take,” or “Who hath taken”; but, “Who taketh away the sins of the world”; because this He ever doth. He took them not then only when He suffered, but from that time even to the present doth He take them away, not being repeatedly472   ἀ εὶ. crucified, (for He offered One Sacrifice for sins,) but by that One continually purging them. As then The Word shows us His pre-eminence,473   τὸ ἐξαίρετον. and The Son His superiority in comparison with others, so “The Lamb, The Christ, that Prophet, the True Light, the Good Shepherd,” and whatever other names are applied to Him with the addition of the article, mark a great difference. For there were many “Lambs,” and “Prophets,” and “Christs,” and “sons,” but from all these John separates Him by a wide interval. And this he secured not by the article only, but by the addition of “Only-Begotten”; for He had nothing in common with the creation.

If it seems to any unseasonable that these things should be spoken at “the tenth hour” (that was the time of day, for he says, “It was about the tenth hour”—( v. 39 ), such an one seems to me to be much mistaken. In the case indeed of the many, and those who serve the flesh, the season after feasting is not very suitable for any matters of pressing moment, because their hearts474   or, “stomachs.” are burdened with meats: but here was a man who did not even partake of common food, and who at evening was as sober as we are at morning, (or rather much more so; for often the remains of our evening food that are left within us, fill our souls with imaginations, but he loaded his vessel with none of these things;) he with good reason spake late in the evening of these matters. Besides, he was tarrying in the wilderness by Jordan, where all came to his baptism with great fear, and caring little at that time for the things of this life; as also they continued with Christ three days, and had nothing to eat. ( Matt. xv. 32.) For this is the part of a zealous herald and a careful husbandman, not to desist before he see that the planted seed has got a firm hold.475   al. “is retained.” “Why then did he not go about all the parts of Judæa preaching Christ, rather than stand by the river waiting for Him to come, that he might point Him out when He came?” Because he wished that this should be effected by His works; his own object being in the mean time only to make Him known, and to persuade some to hear of eternal life. But to Him he leaves the greater testimony, that of works, as also He saith, “I receive not testimony of men. The works which My Father hath given Me, the same bear witness of Me.” ( c. v. 34, 36.) Observe how much more effectual this was; for when he had thrown in a little spark, at once the blaze rose on high. For they who before had not even given heed to his words, afterwards say, “All things which John spake were true.” ( c. x. 41.)

[3.] Besides, if he had gone about saying these things, what was being done would have seemed to be done from some human motive, and the preaching to be full of suspicion.476   Morel. reads: καὶ ὑποψίας ἦν μετὰ τὸ κήρυγμα λοιπόν.

“And the two disciples heard him, and followed Jesus.”

Yet John had other disciples, but they not only did not “follow Jesus,” but were even jealously disposed towards him. “Rabbi,” says one, “He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come unto him.” ( c. iii. 26.) And again477   al. “these same.” they appear bringing a charge against him; “Why do we fast, but thy disciples fast not?” ( Matt. ix. 14.) But those who were better than the rest had no such feeling, but heard, and at once followed; followed, not as despising their teacher, but as being most fully persuaded by him, and producing the strongest proof that they acted thus from a right judgment of his reasonings. For they did not do so by his advice, that might have appeared suspicious; but when he merely foretold what was to come to pass, that “He should baptize with the Holy Ghost, [and with fire,]” they followed. They did not then desert their teacher, but rather desired to learn what Christ brought with Him more than John. And observe zeal combined with modesty. They did not at once approach and question Jesus on necessary and most important matters, nor were they desirous to converse with Him publicly, while all were present, at once and in an off-hand manner, but privately; for they knew that the words of their teacher proceeded not from humility, but from truth.

Ver. 40. “One of the two who heard, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.”

Wherefore then has he not made known the name of the other also? Some say, because it was the writer himself that followed; others, not so, but that he was not one of the distinguished disciples; it behooved not therefore to say more than was necessary. For what would it have advantaged us to learn his name, when the writer does not mention the names even of the seventy-two? St. Paul also did the same.478   Morel. and ms. in Bodl. “this also may be seen with Paul.” “We have sent,” says he, “with him the brother,” (who has often in many things been forward,) “whose praise is in the Gospel.” ( 2 Cor. viii. 18.) Moreover, he mentions Andrew for another reason. What is this? It is, that when you are informed that Simon having in company with him heard, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” ( Matt. iv. 19 ), was not perplexed at so strange a promise, you may learn that his brother had already laid down within him the beginnings of the faith.

Ver. 38. “Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye?”

Hence we are taught, that God does not prevent our wills by His gifts, but that when we begin, when we provide the being willing, then He gives us many opportunities of salvation. “What seek ye?” How is this? He who knoweth the hearts of men, who dwelleth479   ἐ υβατεύων. in our thoughts, doth He ask? He doth; not that He may be informed; how could that be? but that by the question He may make them more familiar, and impart to them greater boldness, and show them that they are worthy to hear Him; for it was probable that they would blush and be afraid, as being unknown to him, and as having heard such accounts of Him from the testimony of their teacher. Therefore to remove all this, their shame and their fear, he questions them, and would not let them come all the way to the house in silence. Yet the event would have been the same had He not questioned them; they would have remained by following Him, and walking in His steps would have reached His dwelling. Why then did He ask? To effect that which I said, to calm their minds,480   λογισμὸν. yet disturbed with shame and anxiety, and to give them confidence.

Nor was it by their following only that they showed their earnest desire, but by their question also: for when they had not as yet learned or even heard anything from Him, they call Him, “Master”; thrusting themselves as it were among His disciples, and declaring what was the cause of their following, that they might hear somewhat profitable. Observe their wisdom also. They did not say, “Teach us of Thy doctrines, or some other thing that we need to know”; but what? “Where dwellest Thou?” Because, as I before said, they wished in quiet to say somewhat to Him, and to hear somewhat from Him, and to learn. Therefore they did not defer the matter, nor say, “We will come to-morrow by all means, and hear thee speak in public”; but showed the great eagerness they had to hear Him, by not being turned back even by the hour, for the sun was already near its setting, (“it was,” saith John, “about the tenth hour.”) And therefore Christ does not tell them the marks of His abode, nor its situation, but rather induces them to follow Him by showing them that He had accepted them. For this reason He did not say anything of this kind to them, “It is an unseasonable time now for you to enter into the house, to-morrow you shall hear if you have any wish, return home now”;481   al. “for the present.” but converses with them as with friends, and those who had long been with Him.

How then saith He in another place, “But the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head” ( Luke ix. 58 ), while here He saith, “Come and see” ( v. 39 ) where I abide? Because the expression “hath not where to lay His head,” signifies that He had no dwelling place of His own, not that He did not abide in a house. And this too is the meaning of the comparison. 482   i.e. with the foxes and birds. The Evangelist has mentioned that “they abode with Him that day,” but has not added wherefore, because the reason was plain; for from no other motive did they follow Christ, and He draw them to Him, but only that they might have instruction; and this they enjoyed so abundantly and eagerly even in a single night, that they both proceeded straightway to the capture483   al. “the door.” of others.

[4.] Let us then also learn hence to consider all things secondary484   πάρεργα. to the hearing the word of God, and to deem no season unseasonable, and, though a man may even have to go into another person’s house, and being a person unknown to make himself known to great men, though it be late in the day, or at any time whatever, never to neglect this traffic. Let food and baths and dinners and the other things of this life have their appointed time; but let the teaching of heavenly philosophy have no separate time, let every season belong to it. For Paul saith, “In season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort” ( 2 Tim. iv. 2 ); and the Prophet too saith,485   Morel. and ms. in Bodl. “and David also glances at this, saying.” “In His law will he meditate day and night” ( Ps. i. 3 ); and Moses commanded the Jews to do this always. For the things of this life, baths, I mean, and dinners, even if they are necessary, yet being continually repeated, render the body feeble;486   ἐ ξίτηλον. but the teaching of the soul the more it is prolonged, the stronger it renders the soul which receives it. But now we portion out all our time for trifles and unprofitable silly talking, and we sit together idly during the morning and afternoon,487   δείλην. midday and evening besides, and we have appointed places for this; but hearing the divine doctrines twice or thrice in the week we become sick,488   ναυτιῶμεν. and thoroughly sated. What is the reason? We are in a bad state of soul; its faculty of desiring and reaching after these things we have relaxed altogether. And therefore it is not strong enough to have an appetite for spiritual food. And this among others is a great proof of weakness, not to hunger nor thirst, but to be disinclined to both. Now if this, when it takes place in our bodies, is a sure sign of grievous disease, and productive of weakness, much more is it so in the soul.

“How then,” says one, “shall we be able to renew it, thus fallen and relaxed, to strength? what doing, what saying?” By applying ourselves to the divine words of the prophets, of the Apostles, of the Gospels, and all the others; then we shall know that it is far better to feed on these than on impure food, for so we must term our unseasonable idle talking and assemblies. For which is best, tell me, to converse on things relating to the market, or things in the law courts, or in the camp, or on things in heaven, and on what shall be after our departure hence? Which is best, to talk about our neighbor and our neighbor’s affairs, to busy ourselves in what belongs to other people, or to enquire into the things of angels, and into matters which concern ourselves? For a neighbor’s affairs are not thine at all; but heavenly things are thine. “But,” says some one, “a man may by once speaking finish these subjects altogether.” Why do you not think this in matters on which you converse uselessly and idly, why though ye waste your lives on this have ye never exhausted the subject? And I have not yet named what is far more vile than this. These are the things about which the better sort converse one with the other; but the more indifferent and careless carry about in their talk players and dancers and charioteers, defiling men’s ears, corrupting their souls, and driving their nature into mad excesses by these narratives, and by means of this discourse introducing every kind of wickedness into their own imagination. For as soon as the tongue has uttered the name of the dancer, immediately the soul has figured to itself his looks, his hair, his delicate clothing, and himself more effeminate than all. Another again fans the flame in another way, by introducing some harlot into the conversation, with her words, and attitudes, and glances, her languishing looks and twisted locks, the smoothness of her cheeks, and her painted eyelids.489   ὑ πογραφὰς. Were you not somewhat affected when I gave this description? Yet be not ashamed, nor blush, for the very necessity of nature requires this, and so disposes the soul according as the tendency of what is said may be. But if, when it is I that speak, you, standing in the church, and at a distance from these things, were somewhat affected at the hearing, consider how it is likely that they are disposed, who sit in the theater itself, who are totally free from dread, who are absent from this venerable and awful assembly, who both see and hear those things with much shamelessness. “And why then,” perhaps one of those who heed not may say, “if the necessity of nature so disposes the soul, do you let go that, and blame us?” Because, to be softened490   μαλάττεσθαι. when one hears these things, is nature’s work; but to hear them is not a fault of nature, but of deliberate choice. For so he who meddles with fire must needs be injured, so wills the weakness of our nature; yet nature does not therefore draw us to the fire and to the injury thence arising; this can be only from deliberate perversity. I beseech you, therefore, to remove and correct this fault, that you may not of your own accord cast yourself down the precipice, nor thrust yourselves into the pits of wickedness, nor run of yourselves to the blaze, lest we place ourselves in jeopardy of the fire prepared for the devil. May it come to pass, that we all being delivered both from this fire and from that, may go to the very bosom of Abraham, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to the Father and Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΗʹ. Τῇ ἐπαύριον πάλιν εἱστήκει ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ δύο. Καὶ ἐμβλέψας τῷ Ἰησοῦ περιπατοῦντι, λέγει: «Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.» Καὶ ἤκουσαν αὐτοῦ οἱ δύο μαθηταὶ λα λοῦντος, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. αʹ. Ῥᾴθυμόν πως ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις, καὶ ὀξύῤῥοπον πρὸς ἀπώλειαν, οὐ παρὰ τὴν τῆς φύσεως κατασκευὴν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν ἐκ προαιρέσεως ῥᾳθυμίαν: διὸ πολλῆς δεῖται τῆς ὑπομνήσεως. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δὲ διὰ τοῦτο γράφων τοῖς Φιλιππησίοις ἔλεγε: Τὰ αὐτὰ γράφειν, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ὀκνηρὸν, ὑμῖν δὲ ἀσφαλές. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ γῆ τὰ σπέρματα παραλαβοῦσα ἅπαξ, εὐθέως ἀποδίδωσι τοὺς καρποὺς, καὶ οὐ δεῖται δευτέρας καταβολῆς: ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς τῆς ἡμετέρας οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ' ἀγαπητὸν πολλάκις σπείραντα καὶ πολλὴν ἐπιδειξάμενον ἐπιμέλειαν, ἅπαξ γοῦν δυνηθῆναι τὸν καρπὸν ἀπολαβεῖν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ δυσκόλως ἐνιζάνει τῇ διανοίᾳ τὰ λεγόμενα, διὰ τὸ πολλὴν μὲν ὑποκεῖσθαι τὴν σκληρότητα, μυρίαις δὲ συνέχεσθαι ταῖς ἀκάνθαις, καὶ πολλοὺς εἶναι τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας καὶ τὰ σπέρματα διαρπάζοντας. Ἔπειτα ὅταν παγῇ καὶ ῥιζωθῇ, τῆς αὐτῆς πάλιν δεῖται σπουδῆς, ὥστε πρὸς ἀκμὴν ἐλθεῖν αὐτὰ, καὶ ἐλθόντα μεῖναι ἀσινῆ, καὶ μηδὲν παραβλαβῆναι παρὰ μηδενός. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σπερμάτων, ὅταν ὁ στάχυς ἀπαρτισθῇ καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἰσχὺν ἀπολάβῃ, καὶ ἐρυσίβης καὶ αὐχμοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων εὐκόλως καταφρονεῖ: ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν δογμάτων οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τὸ τελείως ἐργασθῆναι τὸ πᾶν, πολλάκις ἐπελθὼν χειμὼν εἷς καὶ κλυδώνιον, δυσκολίας προσβαλούσης, καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἀπατᾷν εἰδότων ἐπιβουλευσάντων, καὶ ἑτέρων πειρασμῶν ποικίλων ἐπενεχθέντων, ἐλυμήνατο. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἴρηται, ἀλλ' ἵνα ὅταν ἀκούσῃς τοῦ Ἰωάννου τὰ αὐτὰ φθεγγομένου, μὴ φλυαρίας καταγνῷς, μηδὲ περιττόν τινα εἶναι νομίσῃς καὶ φορτικόν. Ἐβούλετο μὲν γὰρ ἅπαξ εἰπὼν ἀκουσθῆναι: ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ πολλοὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις προσεῖχον ἐξ ἀρχῆς διὰ τὸν πολὺν ὕπνον, καὶ δευτέρᾳ πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀφυπνίζει φωνῇ. Σκόπει δέ: Εἶπεν, ὅτι Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονε: καὶ ὅτι Οὐχ ἱκανός ἐστι λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος αὐτοῦ: καὶ, ὅτι Αὐτὸς βαπτίζει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί: καὶ ὅτι τὸ Πνεῦμα τεθέαται καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ μένον ἐπ' αὐτόν: καὶ μεμαρτύρηκεν, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ: οὐδεὶς προσέσχεν οὐδὲ ἠρώτησεν, οὐδὲ εἶπε: Τί ταῦτα λέγεις; καὶ ὑπὲρ τίνος; καὶ διατί; Εἶπε πάλιν, Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου. Οὐδὲ οὕτω καθήψατο τῆς ἀναισθησίας αὐτῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο λοιπὸν ἀναγκάζεται τὰ αὐτὰ λέγειν πάλιν, καθάπερ τινὰ σκληρὰν καὶ ἀνένδοτον γῆν τῇ νεώσει μαλάττων, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ οἷόν τινι ἀρότρῳ πεπιλημένην ἀνεγείρων τὴν διάνοιαν, ὥστε εἰς τὸ βάθος τὰ σπέρματα καταβαλεῖν. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὐδὲ μακρὸν ποιεῖ τὸν λόγον, ὅτι ἓν μόνον ἐσπούδαζε, προσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς καὶ κολλῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ. Ἤ|δει γὰρ ὅτι τοῦτο καταδεξάμενοι καὶ πεισθέντες, οὐ δεήσονται τοῦ μαρτυρήσοντος αὐτῷ λοιπόν: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ γέγονεν. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ Σαμαρεῖται λέγουσι μετὰ τὴν ἀκρόασιν αὐτοῦ τῇ γυναικὶ, Οὐκ ἔτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν: αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου, ὁ Χριστός: πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ μαθηταὶ τάχιον ἐχειρώθησαν ἂν, ὃ δὴ καὶ γέγονεν. Ἐλθόντες γὰρ καὶ ἀκούσαντες μίαν ἑσπέραν, οὐκ ἔτι πρὸς Ἰωάννην ὑπέστρεψαν, ἀλλ' οὕτως αὐτῷ προσηλώθησαν, ὥστε τὴν Ἰωάννου διακονίαν ἀναδέξασθαι, καὶ αὐτοὶ κηρύττειν αὐτόν. Εὑρίσκει γὰρ οὗτος, φησὶ, τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ: Εὑρήκαμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, ὁ Χριστός. Θέα δέ μοι κἀκεῖνο, πῶς, ὅτε μὲν ἔλεγεν, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονε, καὶ, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος αὐτοῦ, οὐδένα εἷλεν: ὅτε δὲ περὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας διελέχθη, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ταπεινότερον τὸν λόγον ἤγαγε, τότε ἠκολούθησαν οἱ μαθηταί. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἔστι κατιδεῖν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ οὐχ οὕτως οἱ πολλοὶ προσάγονται, ὅταν τι μέγα καὶ ὑψηλὸν περὶ Θεοῦ λέγηται, ὡς ὅταν χρηστὸν καὶ φιλάνθρωπον καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀκουόντων ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίαν ἧκον. Ἤκουσαν γοῦν ὅτι αἴρει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ εὐθέως ἐπέδραμον. Εἰ γὰρ ἔστιν ἀπολούσασθαι τὰ ἐγκλήματα, τίνος ἕνεκεν, φησὶν, ἀναβαλλόμεθα; πάρεστιν ὁ χωρὶς πόνων ἐλευθερώσων ἡμᾶς: πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας ὑπερτίθεσθαι τὴν δωρεάν; Ἀκουέτωσαν οἱ κατηχούμενοι, καὶ πρὸς ἐσχάτας ἀναπνοὰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀναβαλλόμενοι σωτηρίαν. Πάλιν εἱστήκει, φησὶν, ὁ Ἰωάννης καὶ λέγει: Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐδὲν ὁ Χριστὸς διαλέγεται, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἐκεῖνος. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ νυμφίου γίνεται. Οὐκ αὐτός τι λέγει πρὸς τὴν νύμφην τέως, ἀλλὰ πάρεστι μὲν σιγῇ, ἕτεροι δὲ αὐτὸν δηλοῦσι καὶ τὴν νύμφην, ἐγχειρίζουσι δὲ ἕτεροι: αὕτη δὲ φαίνεται μόνον, καὶ οὐκ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ταύτην ἄπεισι λαβὼν, ἀλλ' ἑτέρου παραδόντος αὐτήν. Ὅταν δὲ λάβῃ παραδοθεῖσαν, οὕτως αὐτὴν διατίθησιν, ὡς μηκέτι μεμνῆσθαι τῶν κατεγγυησάντων. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γέγονεν. Ἦλθεν ἁρμοσόμενος τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν: οὐδὲν αὐτὸς εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ παρεγένετο μόνον: ὁ δὲ φίλος αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάννης τὴν δεξιὰν ἐνέθηκε τῆς νύμφης, διὰ τῶν λόγων ἐγχειρίσας αὐτῷ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Λαβὼν αὐτὸς λοιπὸν, οὕτως αὐτοὺς διέθηκεν, ὡς μηκέτι πρὸς τὸν ἐγχειρίσαντα ἀπελθεῖν. βʹ. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον ἔστιν ἐνταῦθα παρατηρῆσαι. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν γάμων οὐχ ἡ κόρη πρὸς τὸν νυμφίον ἄπεισιν, ἀλλ' οὗτος πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐπείγεται, κἂν βασιλέως υἱὸς ᾖ, κἂν εὐτελῆ τινα καὶ ἀπεῤῥιμμένην, κἂν θεραπαινίδα κατεγγυήσασθαι μέλλῃ: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα συνέβη. Οὐκ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνῆλθε τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς πρὸς τὴν εὐκαταφρόνητον ταύτην καὶ εὐτελῆ παραγέγονε: καὶ γενομένων τῶν γάμων, οὐκ εἴασεν ἐνταῦθα μένειν αὐτὴν λοιπὸν, ἀλλὰ παραλαβὼν, πρὸς τὸν οἶκον ἀνήγαγε τὸν πατρικόν. Τί δήποτε δὲ οὐ κατ' ἰδίαν λαμβάνει τοὺς μαθητὰς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ περὶ τούτων αὐτοῖς διαλέγεται ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ οὕτως αὐτοὺς δίδωσι τῷ Χριστῷ, ἀλλὰ δημοσίᾳ μετὰ πάντων αὐτοῖς φησιν: Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ συσκευῆς εἶναι τὸ ἔργον. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ παρ' αὐτοῦ κατ' ἰδίαν παρακληθέντες ἀπῄεσαν, καὶ ὡς χάριν αὐτῷ παρέχοντες, ταχέως ἂν ἴσως καὶ ἀπεπήδησαν: νῦν δὲ ἐκ τῆς κοινῆς γενομένης διδασκαλίας καταδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀκολούθησιν, βέβαιοι λοιπὸν ἔμενον μαθηταὶ, ὡς οὐ διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν διδάσκαλον χάριν ἀκολουθήσαντες, ἀλλ' εἰλικρινῶς καὶ πρὸς τὸ κέρδος ὁρῶντες τὸ ἑαυτῶν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν προφῆται καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι πάντες ἀπόντα αὐτὸν ἐκήρυττον: οἱ μὲν πρὸ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα παρουσίας, οἱ δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάληψιν: οὗτος δὲ μόνος παρόντα. Διὸ καὶ φίλον αὐτὸν τοῦ νυμφίου φησὶν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐν τοῖς γάμοις μόνος αὐτὸς παρεγένετο. Καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς πάντα ἐποίησε καὶ ἀπετέλεσεν: αὐτὸς τῷ πράγματι τὴν ἀρχὴν παρέσχε. Καὶ ἐμβλέψας τῷ Ἰησοῦ περιπατοῦντι, λέγει: Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τοῦτο εἶπε, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ τῇ φωνῇ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐμαρτύρει: καὶ γὰρ ἐθαύμαζε τὸν Χριστὸν χαίρων καὶ ἀγαλλόμενος. Καὶ οὐ ποιεῖ τὸν λόγον παρακλητικὸν τέως, ἀλλὰ θαυμάζει μόνον καὶ ἐκπλήττεται τὸν παρόντα: καὶ τὴν δωρεὰν δὲ αὐτοῖς πᾶσιν ἐφ' ἣν παρεγένετο δηλοῖ, καὶ τὸν τρόπον τοῦ καθαρμοῦ. Ὁ γὰρ ἀμνὸς ἀμφότερα ταῦτα ἐμφαίνει. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὁ ληψόμενος, ἢ Ὁ ἄρας: ἀλλ', Ὁ αἴρων τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ κόσμου, ὡς ἀεὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦντος αὐτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ τότε μόνον ἔλαβεν ὅτε ἔπαθεν, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἐκείνου μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος αἴρει τὰς ἁμαρτίας, οὐκ ἀεὶ σταυρούμενος (μίαν γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν προσήνεγκε θυσίαν), ἀλλ' ἀεὶ καθαίρων διὰ τῆς μιᾶς ἐκείνης. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἡμῖν ὁ Λόγος τὸ ἐξαίρετον δείκνυσι, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς τὸ ἐξηλλαγμένον πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἐμφαίνει: οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀμνὸς, καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ὁ προφήτης, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν, καὶ ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς, καὶ ὅσα ἂν ἐπ' αὐτοῦ λέγηται μετὰ τῆς τοῦ ἄρθρου προσθήκης, πολὺ δείκνυσι τὸ διωρισμένον. Καὶ γὰρ ἀμνοὶ ἦσαν πολλοὶ, καὶ προφῆται, καὶ χριστοὶ, καὶ υἱοί: ἀλλὰ πάντων ἐκείνων αὐτὸν ἀφίστησι πολλῷ τῷ μέσῳ. Καὶ οὐδὲ τῷ ἄρθρῳ τούτῳ ἠσφαλίσατο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς προσθήκῃ. Οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ κοινὸν πρὸς τὴν κτίσιν. Εἰ δέ τινι παρὰ καιρὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ, τὸ ὥρᾳ δεκάτῃ ταῦτα λέγεσθαι (καὶ γὰρ οὗτος ὁ καιρὸς τότε τῆς ἡμέρας ἦν: Ὥρα γὰρ ἦν ὡς δεκάτη, φησὶν), ἐσφάλθαι σφόδρα ὁ τοιοῦτός μοι δοκεῖ. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ δουλευόντων, εἰκότως ὁ μετὰ τὴν ἑστίασιν καιρὸς οὐκ ἔστι σφόδρα ἐπιτήδειος πρός τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων, διὰ τὸ τὴν καρδίαν τοῖς σιτίοις βαρύνεσθαι: ἔνθα δὲ ἀνὴρ ἦν οὐδὲ τῆς κοινῆς μετέχων τροφῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἑσπέραν μετὰ τοσαύτης διάγων νήψεως, μεθ' ὅσης ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ μετὰ πολλῷ πλείονος (ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ ἡμῶν πολλάκις τῆς ἑσπερινῆς τροφῆς λείψανα ἐναπολειφθέντα, φαντάζει τὴν ψυχὴν, ἐκεῖνος δὲ οὐδενὶ τούτων τὸ πλοῖον ἐβάρυνεν): εἰκότως καὶ δείλης ὀψίας περὶ τοιούτων ἐφθέγγετο. Ἔπειτα καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ διέτριβε παρὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην, ἔνθα πάντες μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ τρόμου πρὸς τὸ βάπτισμα ἀπήντων, τῶν βιωτικῶν βραχὺ φροντίζοντες τότε: ἐπεὶ καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ τρεῖς ἡμέρας προσεκαρτέρησαν, καὶ ἦσαν ἄσιτοι. Τοῦτο γὰρ σφοδροῦ κήρυκος καὶ ἐπιμελοῦς γεωργοῦ, μὴ πρότερον ἀποστῆναι, ἕως ἂν ἴδῃ κατασχεθέντα τὸν φυτευθέντα λόγον. Τί δήποτε δὲ οὐ περιῆλθε πανταχοῦ τῆς Ἰουδαίας κηρύσσων αὐτὸν, ἀλλ' εἱστήκει παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν, περιμένων ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ δεῖξαι παραγενόμενον; Ὅτι διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐκεῖνο γενέσθαι ἐβούλετο: τὸ δὲ σπουδαζόμενον, γνώριμον τέως ποιῆσαι μόνον, καὶ πεῖσαί τινας ἀκοῦσαι τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς. Τὴν δὲ μείζονα αὐτῷ καταλιμπάνει μαρτυρίαν τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτός φησιν: Ἐγὼ οὐ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου λαμβάνω τὴν μαρτυρίαν: τὰ γὰρ ἔργα ἃ ἔδωκέ μοι ὁ Πατὴρ, ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ μαρτυροῦντα περὶ ἐμοῦ. Ὅρα γοῦν πῶς τοῦτο ἐνεργέστερον ἦν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μικρὸν ἐνέβαλε σπινθῆρα, ἀθρόως ἡ πυρὰ πρὸς τὸ ὕψος ᾔρετο. Οἱ γὰρ πρὸ τούτου μηδὲ προσέχοντες τοῖς λεγομένοις, ὕστερον λέγουσι: Πάντα ὅσα εἶπεν Ἰωάννης, ἀληθῆ ἐστιν. γʹ. Ἄλλως δὲ καὶ εἰ περινοστῶν ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ἔδοξεν ἂν ἐκ σπουδῆς τινος ἀνθρωπίνης γίνεσθαι τὰ γινόμενα, καὶ ὑποψίας ἦν μεστὸν τὸ κήρυγμα. Καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ δύο, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Καίτοι γε καὶ ἕτεροι ἦσαν αὐτῷ μαθηταὶ, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἠκολούθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζηλοτύπως πρὸς αὐτὸν διετέθησαν: Ῥαββὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὃς ἦν μετὰ σοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ᾧ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας, ἴδε οὗτος βαπτίζει, καὶ πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ πάλιν οὗτοι φαίνονται ἐγκαλοῦντες: Διατί ἡμεῖς νηστεύομεν, καὶ οἱ μαθηταί σου οὐ νηστεύουσιν; Ἀλλ' οἱ τῶν ἄλλων βελτίους οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔπαθον, ἀλλ' ὁμοῦ τε ἤκουσαν καὶ ἠκολούθησαν. Ἠκολούθησαν δὲ, οὐχ ὡς τοῦ διδασκάλου καταφρονήσαντες, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτῷ μάλιστα πεισθέντες, καὶ δεῖγμα μέγιστον τοῦ κρίσει λογισμῶν ὀρθῇ τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἐξενεγκόντες. Οὐδὲ γὰρ παρακληθέντες αὐτὸ ἐποίησαν, ὅπερ ὕποπτον ἦν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ προεῖπε μόνον τὸ μέλλον, ὅτι βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Οὐ τοίνυν ἀπέστησαν τοῦ διδασκάλου, ἀλλ' ἐβουλήθησαν μαθεῖν, τί πλέον φέρει τοῦ Ἰωάννου. Καὶ ὅρα τὴν σπουδὴν μετὰ αἰδοῦς γινομένην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εὐθέως προσελθόντες ἐπηρώτησαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὑπὲρ ἀναγκαίων καὶ μεγίστων πραγμάτων, οὐδὲ δημοσίᾳ παρόντων ἁπάντων ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλ' ἰδίᾳ διαλεχθῆναι αὐτῷ ἐσπούδαζον. Ἤ|δεισαν γὰρ οὐ ταπεινοφροσύνης, ἀλλ' ἀληθείας ὄντα τοῦ διδασκάλου τὰ ῥήματα. Ἦν Ἀνδρέας, φησὶν, ὁ ἀδελφὸς Σίμωνος Πέτρου, εἷς ἐκ τῶν δύο τῶν ἀκουσάντων Ἰωάννου, καὶ ἀκολουθησάντων αὐτῷ. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου οὐκ ἐγνώρισεν ὄνομα; Τινές φασι διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν γράφοντα τὸν ἠκολουθηκότα: τινὲς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐκεῖνος οὐχὶ τῶν ἐπισήμων ἦν. Οὐδὲν οὖν πλέον τῶν ἀναγκαίων λέγειν ἐχρῆν. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος ἐκ τοῦ μαθεῖν ἐκείνου τὴν προσηγορίαν, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα δύο λέγει τὰ ὀνόματα; Τοῦτο καὶ παρὰ Παύλῳ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν Συνεπέμψαμεν γὰρ αὐτῷ, φησὶ, τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ. Τοῦ δὲ Ἀνδρέου μέμνηται καὶ δι' ἑτέραν αἰτίαν. Ποίαν δὴ ταύτην; Ἵνα, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ὅτι Σίμων ἀκούσας μετ' αὐτοῦ, Δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων, οὐ διηπόρησε πρὸς τὴν παράδοξον ταύτην ὑπόσχεσιν, μάθῃς ὅτι τὰς ἀρχὰς τῆς πίστεως ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἤδη προκατεβάλλετο. Στραφεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας, λέγει αὐτοῖς: Τί ζητεῖτε; Ἐντεῦθεν παιδευόμεθα, ὅτι οὐ φθάνει τὰς βουλήσεις ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς ταῖς δωρεαῖς: ἀλλ' ὅταν ἡμεῖς ἀρξώμεθα, ὅταν τὸ θέλειν παράσχωμεν, τότε καὶ αὐτὸς πολλὰς δίδωσιν ἡμῖν τῆς σωτηρίας τὰς ἀφορμάς. Τί ζητεῖτε; Τί τοῦτο; ὁ εἰδὼς τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁ τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἡμῶν ἐμβατεύων, οὗτος ἐρωτᾷ; Ἀλλ' οὐχ ἵνα μάθῃ (πῶς γάρ;), ἀλλ' ἵνα διὰ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς οἰκειώσηται, καὶ πλείονος μεταδῷ τῆς παῤῥησίας, καὶ δείξῃ τῆς ἀκροάσεως ὄντας ἀξίους. Εἰκὸς γὰρ ἦν ἐρυθριᾷν καὶ δεδοικέναι, ἅτε ἀγνῶτας ὄντας, καὶ τοιαῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ διδασκάλου μαρτυροῦντος ἀκηκοότας. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα λύων, τὴν αἰδὼ, τὸν φόβον, ἐρωτᾷ, καὶ οὐκ εἴασε σιγῇ μέχρι τῆς οἰκίας ἐλθεῖν: καίτοι τὸ αὐτὸ ἂν ἐγένετο, καὶ εἰ μὴ ἠρώτησε. Παρέμειναν γὰρ ἂν ἀκολουθοῦντες αὐτῷ, καὶ κατὰ πόδας βαδίζοντες ἐπέστησαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ἐρωτᾷ; Τοῦτο ὅπερ εἶπον κατασκευάζων, καταπραΰνων τε αὐτοῖς τὸν λογισμὸν ἐρυθριῶντα, ἔτι καὶ ἀγωνιῶντα, καὶ παρέχων θαῤῥεῖν. Οὐ διὰ τῆς ἀκολουθήσεως δὲ μόνον τὸν πόθον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως ἐφανέρωσαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδέπω μαθόντες παρ' αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ἀκούσαντες, διδάσκαλον αὐτὸν καλοῦσιν, εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς εἰσωθοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν δεικνύντες, δι' ἣν ἠκολούθουν, ὥς τι τῶν χρησίμων ἀκουσόμενοι. Θέα δέ μοι καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν. Οὐκ εἶπον: Δίδαξον ἡμᾶς περὶ δογμάτων ἤ τινος ἑτέρου τῶν ἀναγκαίων: ἀλλὰ τί; Ποῦ μένεις; Μετὰ γὰρ ἡσυχίας, ὅπερ ἔμπροσθεν ἔφην, καὶ εἰπεῖν τι πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαί τι παρ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ μαθεῖν ἤθελον. Διόπερ οὐδὲ ἀνεβάλοντο, οὐδὲ εἶπον: Ἥξομεν πάντως αὔριον, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα διαλεγομένου σου δημοσίᾳ: ἀλλὰ τὴν πολλὴν σπουδὴν ἢν εἶχον περὶ τὴν ἀκρόασιν ἐπιδείκνυνται, τῷ μηδὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἀποτραπῆναι. Καὶ γὰρ ἔτυχε λοιπὸν πρὸς δυσμὰς ὁ ἥλιος ὤν. Ὥρα γὰρ ἦν ὡς δεκάτη, φησί. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς οὐ λέγει τὰ σημεῖα τῆς οἰκίας, οὐδὲ τὸν τόπον, ἀλλ' ἐπισπᾶται πλέον αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὴν ἀκολούθησιν, δεικνὺς ὅτι αὐτοὺς ἀπεδέξατο. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ αὐτὸς τοιοῦτόν τι εἶπεν: ἄκαιρόν ἐστιν εἰς οἰκίαν νῦν ὑμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν, ἀκούσεσθε αὔριον εἴ τι βούλεσθε, ἀναχωρήσατε οἴκαδε νῦν: ἀλλ' ὡς πρὸς φίλους καὶ πολὺν αὐτῷ συγγεγονότας χρόνον, οὕτω διαλέγεται. Πῶς οὖν ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν: Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ: ἐνταῦθα δὲ λέγει, Ἔρχεσθε καὶ ἴδετε ποῦ μένω; Ὅτι τὸ, Οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ, δηλωτικόν ἐστι τοῦ μηδὲ ἴδιον καταγώγιον κεκτῆσθαι, οὐχ ὅτι ἐν οἰκίᾳ οὐ κατέμενε: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡ παραβολὴ τοῦτο βούλεται. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν παρ' αὐτῷ ἔμειναν τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, εἶπεν ὁ Εὐαγγελιστής: τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν, οὐκ ἔτι προσέθηκεν, ὡς δήλου τῆς αἰτίας οὔσης. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἑτέρου τινὸς ἕνεκεν οὔτε αὐτῷ ἠκολούθησαν, οὔτε ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπεσπάσατο, ἀλλ' ἢ διὰ τὴν διδασκαλίαν: ἧς οὕτω δαψιλῶς καὶ προθύμως ἀπέλαυσαν, καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ μιᾷ, ὡς εὐθέως θατέρους καὶ ἐφ' ἑτέρων θήραν ἐλθεῖν. δʹ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐντεῦθεν διδαχθῶμεν πάντα πάρεργα τίθεσθαι τῆς θείας ἀκροάσεως, καὶ μηδένα καιρὸν ἄκαιρον εἶναι νομίζειν, ἀλλὰ κἂν εἰς οἰκίαν ἀλλοτρίαν ἀπελθεῖν δέῃ, κἂν γνώριμον ἀνδράσι γενέσθαι μεγάλοις ἀγνῶτα ὄντα, κἂν ἀωρὶ τῆς ἡμέρας, κἂν οἱῳδήποτε καιρῷ, μηδέποτε ταύτης ἀμελεῖν τῆς ἐμπορίας. Τροφὴ μὲν οὖν καὶ λουτρὰ καὶ δεῖπνα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ βιωτικὰ, καιρὸν ἐχέτω τὸν ὡρισμένον: διδασκαλία δὲ περὶ φιλοσοφίας τῆς ἄνω, μηδεμίαν ἀφωρισμένην ὥραν ἐχέτω, ἀλλ' ἅπας αὐτῆς ἔστω ὁ καιρός. Εὐκαίρως γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀκαίρως ἔλεγξον, ἐπιτίμησον, παρακάλεσον. Καὶ ὁ Προφήτης δέ φησιν, Ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτοῦ μελετήσει ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός: καὶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις δὲ ὁ Μωϋσῆς διαπαντὸς τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἐκέλευε. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ βιωτικὰ, βαλανεῖα λέγω καὶ δεῖπνα, εἰ καὶ ἀναγκαῖα, ὅμως συνεχῶς γινόμενα τὸ σῶμα ἐξίτηλον ἐργάζεται: ἡ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς διδασκαλία, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ἐπιτείνηται, τοσούτῳ τὴν δεχομένην ἰσχυροτέραν ποιεῖ ψυχήν. Νῦν δὲ λήροις μὲν καὶ φλυαρίαις ἀνονήτοις πάντα καιρὸν ἀφορίζομεν, καὶ τὸν ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω, καὶ τὸν περὶ δείλης, καὶ μεσημβρίαν, καὶ ἑσπέραν δὲ αὐτὴν συνεδρεύομεν εἰκῆ, καὶ τόπους εἰς τοῦτο ἀπετάξαμεν: τῶν δὲ θείων δογμάτων ἅπαξ ἢ δὶς τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἀκούοντες, ναυτιῶμεν, διακορεῖς γινόμεθα. Τί οὖν τὸ αἴτιον; Κακῶς διακείμεθα τὴν ψυχήν. Τὸ ἐπιθυμητικὸν αὐτῆς τὸ περὶ ταῦτα καὶ ὀρεκτικὸν ἐξελύσαμεν ἅπαν. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔῤῥωται πρὸς τὴν τῆς πνευματικῆς τροφῆς ὄρεξιν. Μέγα δὲ καὶ τοῦτο μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀῤῥωστίας τεκμήριον, τὸ μὴ πεινῇν, μηδὲ διψῇν, ἀλλὰ δυσαρέστως πρὸς ἀμφότερα ἔχειν. Εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ σωμάτων τοῦτο συμβαῖνον, νοσήματος χαλεποῖ τεκμήριον καὶ ἀῤῥωστίας ποιητικόν: πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς. Πῶς οὖν αὐτὴν ἀναπεπτωκυῖαν καὶ ἐκλελυμένην ἀναῤῥῶσαι δυνησόμεθα; τί ποιοῦντες, φησὶ, καὶ τί λέγοντες; Ἁπτόμενοι τῶν λόγων τῶν θείων, προφητικῶν, ἀποστολικῶν, εὐαγγελικῶν, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων. Τότε γὰρ εἰσόμεθα, ὅτι πολλῷ βέλτιον ταῦτα σιτεῖσθαι, ἢ τὰς ἀκαθάρτους τροφάς: οὕτω γὰρ χρὴ τὰς ἀκαίρους φλυαρίας καὶ συνόδους καλεῖν. Τί γὰρ ἄμεινον, εἰ τέ μοι, περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν, περὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις, περὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ διαλέγεσθαι, ἢ περὶ τῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ περὶ τῶν μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν; Τί βέλτιον, περὶ τοῦ γείτονος λαλεῖν καὶ τῶν τοῦ γείτονος πραγμάτων, καὶ τὰ ἀλλότρια πολυπραγμονεῖν, ἢ τὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων καὶ τὰ ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς διαφέροντα ἀναζητεῖν; Τὰ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ γείτονος, οὐ πάντως σά: τὰ δὲ τῶν οὐρανῶν, σά. Ἀλλ' ἔνεστι, φησὶν, ἅπαξ εἰπόντα ταῦτα, πληρῶσαι τὸ πᾶν. Τί δὲ περὶ ὧν διαλέγεσθε μάτην καὶ εἰκῆ, οὐκ ἐννοεῖτε τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ πάντα τὸν βίον εἰς τοῦτο καταναλίσκοντες, τὴν ὑπόθεσιν τὴν περὶ τούτων οὐδέποτε κατεδαπανήσατε; Καὶ οὔπω λέγω τὰ πολλῷ τούτων φορτικώτερα. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπιεικέστεροι, ταῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαλέγονται: οἱ δὲ ῥᾳθυμότεροι καὶ μᾶλλον ἠμελημένοι, μίμους καὶ ὀρχηστὰς καὶ ἡνιόχους ἐν τοῖς αὐτῶν περιφέρουσι λόγοις, τὴν ἀκοὴν μολύνοντες, τὴν ψυχὴν διαφθείροντες, τὴν φύσιν ἐκβακχεύοντες τούτοις τοῖς διηγήμασιν, ἅπαν κακίας εἶδος εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν διάνοιαν διὰ ταύτης εἰσάγοντες τῆς διαλέξεως. Ἅμα γὰρ ἐφθέγξατο ἡ γλῶττα τοῦ ὀρχουμένου τὸ ὄνομα, καὶ εὐθέως ἀνετύπωσεν ἡ ψυχὴ τὴν ὄψιν, τὴν κόμην, τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν ἁπαλὴν, αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον τούτων μαλακώτερον ὄντα. Ἕτερος πάλιν ἑτέρωθεν ἀνεῤῥίπισε τὴν φλόγα, γυναῖκα πόρνην εἰς τὴν διάλεξιν εἰσαγαγὼν, κἀκείνης τὰ ῥήματα, τὰ σχήματα, τῶν ὀμμάτων τὰς διαστροφὰς, τῆς ὄψεως τὸ ὑγρὸν, τῶν τριχῶν τὰς στρεβλώσεις, τῶν παρειῶν τὰ ἐπιτρίμματα, τὰς ὑπογραφάς. Ἆρα οὐκ ἐπάθετέ τι καὶ ἐμοῦ ταῦτα διηγουμένου; Ἀλλὰ μὴ αἰσχυνθῆτε, μηδὲ ἐρυθριάσητε: ἡ γὰρ τῆς φύσεως ἀνάγκη τοῦτο ἀπαιτεῖ, καὶ οὕτω διατίθησι τὴν ψυχὴν, ὡς ἂν ἡ τῶν ἀπαγγελλομένων δύναμις ἔχῃ. Εἰ δὲ ἐμοῦ φθεγγομένου, εἰ δὲ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ἑστῶτες, εἰ δὲ ἐκείνων ἀπέχοντες ἐπάθετέ τι πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόασιν: ἐννόησον πῶς εἰκὸς διακεῖσθαι τοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ θεάτρῳ καθημένους, τοὺς ἄδειαν πολλὴν ἔχοντας, τοὺς ἐκτὸς τοῦ σεμνοῦ τούτου καὶ φρικτοῦ συνεδρίου, τοὺς μετὰ πολλῆς ἀναισχυντίας καὶ ὁρῶντας ἐκεῖνα καὶ ἀκούοντας: Καὶ τί δήποτε, φήσειεν ἂν ἴσως τις τῶν οὐ προσεχόντων, εἰ τῆς φύσεως ἡ ἀνάγκη τὴν ψυχὴν οὕτω διατίθησιν, ἐκείνην ἀφεὶς, ἡμῖν ἐγκαλεῖς; Ὅτι τὸ μὲν, ἀκούοντα τοιαῦτα μαλάττεσθαι, τῆς φύσεως ἔργον: τὸ δὲ τοιαῦτα ἀκούειν, οὐκ ἔτι τῆς φύσεως, ἀλλὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως ἁμάρτημα. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸν ὁμιλοῦντα πυρὶ, διαφθείρεσθαι δεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο ἡ τῆς φύσεως ἀσθένεια βούλεται: ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔτι καὶ πρὸς τὸ πῦρ ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἄγει διαφθορὰν ἡ φύσις: τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς κατὰ προαίρεσιν μόνης ἂν εἴη διαστροφῆς. Τοῦτο οὖν ἀνελεῖν ἀξιῶ καὶ διορθῶσαι, ὥστε μὴ ἑκόντας ἑαυτοὺς κατακρημνίζειν, μηδὲ πρὸς τὰ βάραθρα τῆς κακίας ὠθεῖν, μηδὲ αὐτομάτως τρέχειν ἐπὶ τὴν πυράν: ἵνα μὴ καὶ τῇ τῷ διαβόλῳ κατεσκευασμένῃ φλογὶ καταστήσωμεν ὑπευθύνους ἑαυτούς. Γένοιτο δὲ πάντας ἡμᾶς, καὶ ταύτης κἀκείνης ἀπαλλαγέντας, πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ χωρῆσαι τοὺς κόλπους, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.