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In illud: Pater, si possibile est, transeat

On: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as you will. And against the Marcionites and Manichaeans; and that one must not rush into dangers, but prefer the will of God to every will.

51.31 1. We recently made a deep incision on those who seize and wish to be covetous; not in order to strike, but in order that we might correct; not hating the men, but turning away from the wickedness. Since a physician also cuts the ulcer, not warring against the sick body, but fighting the disease and the wound. Come now, today let us yield a little to them, so that they may catch their breath from the pain, and not, being continually struck, leap away from the cure. Physicians also do this; after the incisions they apply plasters and medicines, and they let days pass, devising things that soothe the pain.

Imitating them, we too, devising this today, so that they may reap the benefit from our discourse, let us also set in motion the discussion concerning doctrines, directing the discourse to the things that have been read. For I think many are perplexed, for what reason these things were said by Christ; and it is likely that heretics who are present will pounce upon what has been said, and from this trip up many of the simpler brethren. Therefore, in order that we might both build a wall against their attack, and deliver those who are perplexed from confusion and turmoil, let us take in hand what was said, let us linger on the saying, and let us go down to the depth of the thoughts. For reading is not sufficient, unless knowledge is also present. Since the eunuch of Candace also was reading, but until he who taught him what it was he was reading came along, he reaped no great fruit. Therefore, so that you do not suffer the same thing, pay attention to what is said, concentrate your mind, provide me your soul at leisure, let your eye be sharp, your judgment focused; let the soul be free from worldly cares, so that we may not cast what is said among the thorns, nor upon the rocks, nor by the wayside; but cultivating deep and rich soil, we may reap the full ear of corn. For if you pay attention to what is said in this way, you will both make the labor lighter for us, and you will prepare an easier discovery for yourselves. What then is it that has been read? Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. What is it that He says?

For we must interpret what has been said more clearly, and then bring on the solution. What then is it that He says? Father, if it is possible, take away the cross. What are you saying? Is he ignorant whether this is possible or impossible? And who would say this? And yet the words are of one who is ignorant; for the addition of 'If' is of one who is doubting, 51.32 but, as I said, one must not pay attention to the words, but turn to the thoughts, and know the purpose of the speaker, and the cause, and the occasion, and gathering all things together, thus hunt for the meaning that lies within. How then could the ineffable wisdom, He who knows the Father as the Father knows the Son, have been ignorant of this? For this knowledge concerning the passion is not greater than the knowledge concerning the essence, which He alone knows precisely. For as, He says, the Father knows me, I also know the Father. And what am I saying about the only-begotten Son of God? For not even the prophets appear to have been ignorant of this, but both knowing it clearly and proclaiming it beforehand with

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In illud: Pater, si possibile est, transeat

ΕΙΣ ΤΟ Πάτερ, εἰ δυνατόν ἐστι, παρελθέτω ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο· πλὴν οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω, ἀλλ' ὡς σύ· καὶ κατὰ Μαρκιωνιστῶν καὶ Μανιχαίων· καὶ ὅτι οὐ χρὴ ἐπιπηδᾷν τοῖς κινδύνοις, ἀλλὰ παντὸς

θελήματος προτιμᾷν τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλημα.

51.31 αʹ. Βαθεῖαν τομὴν τοῖς ἁρπάζουσι καὶ πλεονεκτεῖν βουλομένοις πρώην

ἐδώκαμεν· οὐχ ἵνα πλήξωμεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα διορθωσώμεθα· οὐ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μισοῦντες, ἀλλὰ τὴν πονηρίαν ἀποστρεφόμενοι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἰατρὸς τέμνει τὸ ἕλκος, οὐ τῷ νοσοῦντι σώματι πολεμῶν, ἀλλὰ τῇ νόσῳ καὶ τῷ τραύματι μαχόμενος. Φέρε δὴ, σήμερον μικρὸν ἐνδῶμεν αὐτοῖς, ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ὀδύνης ἀναπνεῦσαι, καὶ μὴ συνεχῶς πληττομένους ἀποσκιρτῆσαι τῆς θεραπείας. Οὕτω καὶ ἰατροὶ ποιοῦσι· μετὰ τὰς τομὰς ἐμπλάστρους ἐπιτιθέασι καὶ φάρμακα, καὶ διαλιμπάνουσιν ἡμέρας, τὰ παραμυθούμενα τὴν ὀδύνην ἐπινοοῦντες.

Τούτους δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς μιμούμενοι σήμερον ἐπινοοῦντες, ὥστε καρπώσασθαι τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας διαλέξεως ὠφέλειαν, καὶ τὸν περὶ δογμάτων κινήσωμεν λόγον, εἰς τὰ ἀνεγνωσμένα τὸν λόγον ἀφιέντες. Καὶ γὰρ οἶμαι πολλοὺς διαπορεῖν, τίνος ἕνεκεν ταῦτα εἴρηται παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· εἰκὸς δὲ καὶ αἱρετικοὺς παρόντας ἐπιπηδῆσαι τοῖς εἰρημένοις, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ἀφελεστέρων ἀδελφῶν ἐντεῦθεν ὑποσκελίζειν. Ἵν' οὖν καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων ἔφοδον ἀποτειχίσωμεν, καὶ τοὺς διαποροῦντας θορύβου καὶ ταραχῆς ἀπαλλάξωμεν, μεταχειρίσαντες τὸ εἰρημένον, ἐνδιατρίψωμεν τῇ λέξει, καὶ πρὸς τὸ βάθος καταβῶμεν τῶν νοημάτων. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ ἡ ἀνάγνωσις, ἐὰν μὴ προσῇ καὶ ἡ γνῶσις. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ εὐνοῦχος Κανδάκης ἀνεγίνωσκεν, ἀλλ' ἕως ὅτε παρεγένετο ὁ διδάσκων αὐτὸν τί ποτε ἦν ὃ ἀνεγίνωσκεν, οὐδὲν ἐκαρποῦτο μέγα. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸ αὐτὸ πάθητε, προσέχετε τοῖς λεγομένοις, συντείνατε τὴν διάνοιαν, σχολάζουσάν μοι τὴν ψυχὴν παράσχετε, ὀξυδερκὲς ἔστω τὸ ὄμμα, συντεταμένη ἡ γνώμη· ἀπηλλαγμένη φροντίδων βιωτικῶν ἡ ψυχὴ, ἵνα μὴ καταβάλωμεν εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας, μηδὲ εἰς τὰς πέτρας, μηδὲ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τὰ λεγόμενα· ἀλλὰ βαθύγειον καὶ λιπαρὰν γεωργοῦντες ἄρουραν, κομῶντα τὸν ἄσταχυν ἀμήσωμεν. Ἐὰν γὰρ οὕτω προσέχητε τοῖς λεγομένοις, καὶ ἡμῖν κουφότερον τὸν πόνον ἐργάσεσθε, καὶ ὑμῖν εὐκολωτέραν τὴν εὕρεσιν κατασκευάσετε. Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ ἀνεγνωσμένον; Πάτερ, εἰ δυνατὸν, παρελθέτω τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο ἀπ' ἐμοῦ. Τί ποτέ ἐστιν ὅ φησι;

∆εῖ γὰρ τὸ εἰρημένον σαφέστερον ἑρμηνεύσαντας, οὕτως ἐπαγαγεῖν τὴν λύσιν. Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὅ φησι; Πάτερ, εἰ δυνατὸν, παράγαγε τὸν σταυρόν. Τί λέγεις; ἀγνοεῖ εἴτε δυνατὸν, εἴτε ἀδύνατον, τοῦτο; Καὶ τίς ἂν τοῦτο εἴποι; Καίτοι τὰ ῥήματα ἀγνοοῦντός ἐστιν· ἡ γὰρ τοῦ, Εἰ, προσθήκη, ἀμφιβάλλοντός 51.32 ἐστιν, ἀλλ', ὅπερ ἔφην, οὐ δεῖ τοῖς ῥήμασι προσέχειν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰ νοήματα τρέπεσθαι, καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ λέγοντος εἰδέναι, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν, καὶ τὸν καιρὸν, καὶ πάντα συναγαγόντα, οὕτω θηρᾷν τὴν ἐναποκειμένην διάνοιαν. Ἡ οὖν σοφία ἡ ἀπόῤῥητος, ὁ τὸν Πατέρα οὕτως εἰδὼς, ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ οἶδε τὸν Υἱὸν, πῶς ἂν τοῦτο ἠγνόησεν; Οὐδὲ γὰρ μείζων αὕτη ἡ γνῶσις ἡ περὶ τοῦ πάθους τῆς γνώσεως τῆς περὶ τῆς οὐσίας, ἣν ἀκριβῶς μόνος οἶδεν αὐτός. Καθὼς γὰρ, φησὶ, γινώσκει με ὁ Πατὴρ, κἀγὼ γινώσκω τὸν Πατέρα. Καὶ τί λέγω περὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ; Οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ προφῆται φαίνονται τοῦτο ἠγνοηκότες, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰδότες σαφῶς καὶ προαναφωνοῦντες μετὰ