Oration XXXVII. On the Words of the Gospel, “When Jesus Had Finished These Sayings,” Etc.—S. Matt. xix. 1

 I.  Jesus Who Chose The Fishermen, Himself also useth a net, and changeth place for place.  Why?  Not only that He may gain more of those who love God

 II.  Therefore now also, when He had finished these sayings He departed from Galilee and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan He dwelleth well

 III.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there, where the multitude was greater.  If He had abode upon His own eminence, if He had

 IV.  And pardon me meanwhile that I again suffer a human affection.  I am filled with indignation and grief for my Christ (and would that you might sy

 V.  But, as I was saying, to return to my argument for this reason great multitudes followed Him, because He condescended to our infirmities.  What n

 VI.  The question which you have put seems to me to do honour to chastity, and to demand a kind reply.  Chastity, in respect of which I see that the m

 VII.  How then dost thou demand Chastity, while thou dost not thyself observe it?  How dost thou demand that which thou dost not give?  How, though th

 VIII.  Churn milk and it will be butter examine this and perhaps you may find something more nourishing in it.  For I think that the Word here seems

 IX.  But what of the Pharisees?  To them this word seems harsh.  Yes, for they are also displeased at other noble words—both the older Pharisees, and

 X.  Marriage is honourable but I cannot say that it is more lofty than virginity for virginity were no great thing if it were not better than a good

 XI.  But He said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.  Do you see the sublimity of the matter?  It is found t

 XII.  You see how streams confined in lead pipes, through being much compressed and carried to one point, often so far depart from the nature of water

 XIII.  All men, He saith, cannot receive this saying, but they to whom it is given.  When you hear this, It is given, do not understand it in a hereti

 XIV.  In another place it is also said and understood, and perhaps it is necessary that I should add it as follows to what has already been said, in o

 XV.  I fear lest some monstrous reasoning may come in, as of the soul having lived elsewhere, and then having been bound to this body, and that it is

 XVI.  For there are eunuchs which were made eunuchs from their mother’s womb, etc.  I should very much like to be able to say something bold about eun

 XVII.  Since then, natural chastity is not meritorious, I demand something else from the eunuchs.  Do not go a whoring in respect of the Godhead.  Hav

 XVIII.  Consider those men who are devoted to horse racing.  They are named after the colours and the sides on which they have placed themselves.  You

 XIX.  For it is not only bodily sin which is called fornication and adultery, but any sin you have committed, and especially transgression against tha

 XX.  There are, He says, some eunuchs which were so born from their mother’s womb and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men and ther

 XXI.  And there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake.  Others, too, who have not met with teachers, have bee

 XXII.  Only let us cut ourselves off from passion, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble us only let us follow the image only let us reve

 XXIII.  I enact this for Laymen too, and I enjoin it also upon all Priests, and upon those commissioned to rule.  Come to the aid of the Word, all of

 XXIV.  But it remains that I speak a prayer for those who are assembled.  Husbands alike and wives, rulers and ruled, old men, and young men, and maid

III.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there, where the multitude was greater.  If He had abode upon His own eminence, if He had not condescended to infirmity, if He had remained what He was, keeping Himself unapproachable and incomprehensible, a few perhaps would have followed Him—perhaps not even a few, possibly only Moses—and He only so far as to see with difficulty the Back Parts of God.4    Exod. xx. 21; xxxiii. 20, 23.  For He penetrated the cloud, either being placed outside the weight of the body or being withdrawn from his senses; for how could he have gazed upon the subtlety, or the incorporeity, or I know not how one should call it, of God, being incorporate and using material eyes?  But inasmuch as He strips Himself for us, inasmuch as He comes down (and speak of an exinanition, as it were, a laying aside and a diminution of His glory), He becomes by this comprehensible.

Γʹ. Καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοὶ, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ, ἔνθα πλείων ἡ ἐρημία. Εἰ ἐπὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἔμεινε περιωπῆς, εἰ μὴ συγκατέβη τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ, εἰ ὅπερ ἦν ἔμεινεν, ἀπρόσιτον ἑαυτὸν φυλάττων καὶ ἀπερίληπτον, ὀλίγοι ἂν ἠκολούθησαν τυχόν: οὐκ οἶδα δὲ, εἰ καὶ ὀλίγοι, τάχα μόνος Μωϋτῆς, καὶ οὗτος τοσοῦτον, ὥστε μόλις ἰδεῖν Θεοῦ τὰ ὀπίσθια. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ νεφέλην διέσχεν, ἔξω τοῦ σωματικοῦ βάρους γενόμενος, ἢ συσταλεὶς ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθήσεων: Θεοῦ δὲ λεπτότητα, ἢ ἀσωματότητα, ἢ οὐκ οἶδα ὅπως ἄν τις ὀνομάσειε, πῶς ἂν ἐθεάσατο σῶμά τε ὢν, καὶ αἰσθητοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς προσβάλλων; Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ κενοῦται δι' ἡμᾶς, ἐπειδὴ κατέρχεται (κένωσιν δὲ λέγω τὴν τῆς δόξης οἷον ὕφεσίν τε καὶ ἐλάττωσιν), διὰ τοῦτο χωρητὸς γίνεται.