Fragments on Jeremiah 1.1 {Just as all the gifts of God are exceedingly greater than mortal substance, so also the precise account of the wisdom concerning all these things, residing with God who also ordained for these things to be written, might come to be, by the will of the Father of the Word, in the soul that has been utterly purified with all devotion and with awareness of human weakness concerning the comprehension of wisdom. But if someone should give himself over too rashly, not understanding the ineffable nature of the wisdom of God and of the Word who was “in the beginning” “with God,” and was himself God, and that according to the Word and God, and according to the wisdom with him, these things must be sought and found, it is necessary for such a one, falling into mythologies and nonsensical talk and fabrications, to subject himself to the danger of impiety. Therefore, one must also remember the commandment concerning such things from Solomon in Ecclesiastes, who says: “Do not be quick to bring forth a word before the face of God; because God is in heaven above, and you are on the earth below; for this reason let your words be few.”} It is fitting to believe that the holy writings do not have a single tittle empty of the wisdom of God; for he who commanded me, a human, saying: “you shall not appear before me empty,” much more will he himself say nothing empty. For “from his fullness” the prophets received and speak; wherefore all their words breathe from fullness; and there is nothing in prophecy or law or gospel or apostle which is not from fullness. For this reason, since it is from fullness, it breathes of fullness to those who have eyes that see the things of fullness, and ears that hear the things from fullness, and a sense for the fragrance of the things breathing from fullness. But if ever, while reading scripture, you stumble over a thought which is a fine stumbling stone and a rock of offense, blame yourself. For do not despair that this stumbling stone and this rock of offense has meanings such that it would come to be according to what was said: “and he who believes will not be put to shame.” Believe first, and you will find much holy benefit beneath the supposed offense.

Fragmenta in Jeremiam 1.1 {Ὥσπερ δὲ πάντα τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ δωρήματα εἰς ὑπερβολὴν μείζονά ἐστι τῆς θνητῆς ὑποστάσεως, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀκριβὴς λόγος τῆς περὶ πάντων τούτων σοφίας, παρὰ τῷ θεῷ τῷ καὶ οἰκονομήσαντι ταῦτα γραφῆναι τυγχάνων, θέλοντος τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ λόγου γένοιτο ἂν ἐν τῇ ἄκρως μετὰ πάσης φιλοτιμίας καὶ συναισθήσεως τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀσθενείας τῆς περὶ τὴν κατάληψιν τῆς σοφίας κεκαθαρμένῃ ψυχῇ. εἰ δέ τις προπετέστερον ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδῴη, μὴ συνιδὼν τὸ ἀπόρρητον τῆς σοφίας τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ «ἐν ἀρχῇ» «πρὸς τὸν θεὸν» λόγου, καὶ αὐτοῦ θεοῦ ὄντος, καὶ ὅτι κατὰ τὸν λόγον καὶ θεόν, καὶ κατὰ τὴν παρ' αὐτῷ σοφίαν, ταῦτα καὶ ζητητέον καὶ εὑρετέον, ἀνάγκη τὸν τοιοῦτον εἰς μυθολογίας καὶ φλυαρίας ἐκπίπτοντα καὶ ἀναπλασμοὺς τῷ περὶ ἀσεβείας ἑαυτὸν ὑποβάλλειν κινδύνῳ. διόπερ μνημονευτέον καὶ τῆς παρὰ τῷ Σολομῶντι ἐν τῷ Ἐκκλησιαστῇ περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἐντολῆς, λέγοντι· «μὴ σπεύσῃς τοῦ ἐξενεγκεῖν λόγον πρὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ· ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ σὺ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κάτω· διὰ τοῦτο ἔστωσαν οἱ λόγοι σου ὀλίγοι».} Πρέπει δὲ τὰ ἅγια γράμματα πιστεύειν μηδεμίαν κεραίαν ἔχειν κενὴν σοφίας θεοῦ· ὁ γὰρ ἐντειλάμενος ἐμοὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ λέγων· «οὐκ ὀφθήσῃ ἐνώπιόν μου κενός», πολλῷ πλέον αὐτὸς οὐδὲν κενὸν ἐρεῖ. «ἐκ» γὰρ «τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ» λαβόντες οἱ προφῆται λέγουσι· διὸ πάντα πνεῖ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ πληρώματος· καὶ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ νόμῳ ἢ εὐαγγελίῳ ἢ ἀποστόλῳ, ὃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀπὸ πληρώματος. διὰ τοῦτο ἐπεί ἐστιν ἀπὸ πληρώματος, πνεῖ τοῦ πληρώματος τοῖς ἔχουσιν ὀφθαλμοὺς βλέποντας τὰ τοῦ πληρώματος, καὶ ὦτα ἀκούοντα τῶν ἀπὸ πληρώματος, καὶ αἰσθητήριον τῆς εὐωδίας τῶν ἀπὸ πληρώματος πνεόντων. Ἐὰν δέ ποτε ἀναγινώσκων τὴν γραφὴν προσκόψῃς νοήματι ὄντι καλῷ λίθῳ προσκόμματος καὶ πέτρᾳ σκανδάλου, αἰτιῶ σαυτόν. μὴ ἀπελπίσῃς γὰρ τὸν λίθον τοῦτον τοῦ προσκόμματος καὶ τὴν πέτραν τοῦ σκανδάλου ἔχειν νοήματα ὥστ' ἂν γενέσθαι κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· «καὶ ὁ πιστεύων οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται». πίστευσον πρῶτον, καὶ εὑρήσεις ὑπὸ τὸ νομιζόμενον σκάνδαλον πολλὴν ὠφέλειαν ἁγίαν.