# Homilies - Author: [Amphilochius of Iconium](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/amphilochius-of-iconium/) - Latin title: *Orationes* - Date: ca. 376 (approximate) - Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 39 (Paris, 1858), columns 43-93 - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Editions and translations: C. Datema, ed., Amphilochii Iconiensis opera, CCSG 3 (Turnhout, 1978) - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/ - Passages: 23 ## Homilies, Migne column 43 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-43 - Source: PG 39:44a–44b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The end of Amphilochius's first oration urges Christians to live so that their gentleness, detachment, and purity convert outsiders; the second oration, on the Presentation of Christ, opens with praise of virginity. ### Greek text τωσαν Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν νέον καὶ ἐκλεκτὸν λαὸν θεωροῦντες, ὅσῳ κάλλει κεκόσμηται πνευματικῷ, ὅσῃ λαμπρότητι καταυγάζει τὸν κόσμον. Διά τοῦτο γὰρ ἡμᾶς μεμιγμένους ὲν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἁφῆκεν, ἵνα φαινώμεθα ὡς φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ· ἵνα σπέρμα σωτηρίας ὦμεν, εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν θεωρούμενοι πᾶσι τοῖς συνοῦσι καὶ συντυγχάνουσιν. Ὁρᾶτε μή τις διʼ ὑμᾶς τῶν saw—κῶν βλασφημήσει Θεόν. Εὑφημείσθω δὲ ὲν ἡμῖν 6 καλέσας, καὶ ἁγιάσας καὶ σώσας. '0 βίαιος καὶ θρα σῦς θαυμασάτω τὴν ἐπιείκειαν ἡμῶν καὶ μετριότητα · 6 λοιδορῶν, ἀντευφη μού μενος ἐντρεπέσθω · 6 περὶ Χρημάτων φιλονικῶν καὶ δικάζεσθαι βουλόμενος ἀταράχους ἡμᾶς εύρισκέτω περὶ χρήματα, μὴ νομί ζοντες ἑαυτοὺς ἔχειν κτῆσιν ἐπίγειον, ἀλλὰ κρατοῦντες τὴν ἐπουράνιον· 6 διὰ παρακλήσεως φιλικῆς προσιέμενος ἡμᾶς είς ἡδονὰς κοσμικὰς εὑρισκέτω σεʼμνοῦς, ἁμετακινήτους, σωφροσύνην ποθοῦντας, οὐχ ἡδονῇ δελεαζομένουςο ἵνα εἴδωσι πόσον ἰσχύει Πνεύματος ἁγίου συνοίκησις, φύσιν σαρκὸς ὲκνεκρώσαντες. Ὀ πρόχειρος εἰς ἐπιορκίαν εὑρισκέτω μηδὲ ὀμνύειν ἀνεχομένους ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ δεδοικότας τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ προφέρειν ὄνομα περὶ ταπεινῶν καὶ γηΐνων πραγμάτων. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐσόμεθα πάντες διδάσκαλοι τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ἡμῖν ὲν οἱῳδήποτε πράγματι. Οὕτω δὲ πολιτευσάμενοι γενησόμεθα ζύμη ἁγία. καὶ διʼ ἡμῶν ζυμωθήσεται 6 κόσμος εἰς σωτηρίαν, καὶ πολὺς ἐξ ἡμῶν καρπὸς εὑρεθήσεται τῷ Κυρίῳ πεφυλαγμένος, καὶ δοξασθήσεται 6 Θεὸς ὲν ἡμῖν, κατὰ τὸν λέγοντα Κύριον ’ Ἐν τούτῳ ἐδοξάσθη ό Πατὴρ, ἵνα ὑμεῖς καρπὸν πολὺν φέρητε, καὶ γένησθέ μοι μαθηταί. Δοξασθεὶς δὲ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν 6 Κύριος δοξάσει ἡμᾶς τῇ αἰωνίῳ δόξῃ, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. ΛΟΓΟΣ B' Εἲς τὴν ὐπαπαντὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· καὶ εὶς τὴν Θεοτόκον, καὶ είς τὴν Ἄνναν, καὶ εἰς τὸν Συμεῶνα. A’. Πολλοὶ τῶν μεγάλων ἀνθρώπων τὴν παρθενίαν θαυμάζουσιν ’ καὶ γὰρ ἐστὶ θαυμαστὴ, ὼς τῶν ἀγγέλων σύμφυτος, ὼς τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων συνόμιλο;,.ὡς τῶν ἀσωμάτων φύσεων σύνδρομος, ὡς τῆς ἁγίας Ἐκκλησίας λαμπαδοῦχος, ὡς τὸν κόσμον νικῶσα, ὡς τὰ πάθη πατοῦσα. ὡς τὰς ὀρέξεις χαλινοῦσα, ὡς τῇ Εῦᾳ μὴ κοινωνοῦσα, ὡς λύπης ἀντηλλαγμένη, ὡς στεναγμῶν λελυτρωμένη, ὠς τὴν καταδεδικασμένην ἀπόφασιν μὴ προσδεχομένη, τὴν φάσκουσανο Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὰς λύπας σου, καὶ τὸν στεναγμόν σου· ἐνλύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα σου ἡ ἀποστροφή σου καὶ αὐτός σου κυριεύσει ’ θαυμαστὴ τοιγαροῡνὴ παρθενία, ὡς ἀδούλωτον κτῆμα, ὼς ἀμάραντον φυτὸν, ὡς ἐλεύθερον ἐνδιαίτημα, ὠς ἀσκητικὸν ἐγκαλλὼπισμα, ### English translation (Claude) … let the Jews [be put to shame], seeing the new and chosen people, with what spiritual beauty it is adorned, with what brightness it lights up the world. For this is why he left us mingled among the nations: that we might shine as lights in the world; that we might be a seed of salvation, being watched, for their conversion, by all who live with us and meet us. See that no one of the [pagans] blasphemes God because of you. Let him who called, sanctified, and saved be praised among us. Let the violent and bold man admire our gentleness and moderation; let the reviler, blessed in return, be put to shame; let him who quarrels over money and wants to go to law find us untroubled about money, since we do not think we have an earthly possession, but hold fast the heavenly one; let him who invites us with friendly persuasion to worldly pleasures find us grave, immovable, longing for self-control, not enticed by pleasure, so that they may know how strong is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, since we have put to death the nature of the flesh. Let him who is ready to perjure himself find us not even willing to swear, but afraid to bring forward the name of God about lowly and earthly matters. So we shall all be teachers of those who meet us in any matter whatever. Living in this way we shall become a holy leaven, and through us the world will be leavened to salvation; much fruit will be found from us, kept for the Lord, and God will be glorified in us, according to the Lord who says, 'By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.' And the Lord, glorified by us, will glorify us with eternal glory, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Oration 2. On the Meeting of our Lord Jesus Christ; and on the Theotokos, and on Anna, and on Simeon. 1. Many great men admire virginity; and indeed it is admirable: as akin to the angels, as companion of the powers above, as running with the bodiless natures, as torch-bearer of the holy Church, as conquering the world, as trampling the passions, as bridling the appetites, as having no share with Eve, as exchanged for grief, as redeemed from groaning, as not receiving the sentence of condemnation that says, 'I will greatly multiply your pains and your groaning; in pains you shall bear children, and your turning shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you.' Admirable, then, is virginity: as a possession never enslaved, as an unfading plant, as a free dwelling, as an ascetic adornment, ### Scripture references - Phil 2:15: allusion, high confidence - Rom 2:24: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 13:33: allusion, low confidence - John 15:8: quotation, high confidence - Gen 3:16: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The passage begins inside the end of Oration 1 (its beginning is in an earlier, missing column). The phrase rendered '[pagans]' is garbled in the scan (τῶν saw—κῶν), probably τῶν ἐθνικῶν. - Scripture: lights in the world, Phil 2:15; the name of God blasphemed because of you, Rom 2:24 (Isa 52:5); 'By this my Father is glorified', John 15:8; the sentence on Eve, Gen 3:16. The remark about the Jews is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 43 (PG 39:44a–44b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/43). ## Homilies, Migne column 45 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-45 - Source: PG 39:45a–45d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Amphilochius praises honourable marriage as the root from which virginity itself springs, insisting that virginity and marriage are not rivals but need each other. ### Greek text ὡς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἕξεως ἀνωτερα, ὡς τῶν ἐπαναγο κιιοπαθῶν ἐλευθέρα, ὼς ωνεισελθοῦσα τῷ νυμςιῖῳ Χριστῷ είς τὸν θάλαμον τῆς οὐρανῶν βασιλείας. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς παρθενίας κλέη, ταῦτα, καὶ τὰ παραπλήσια τούτων· ὁ δὲ τίμιος γάμος ὑπέρκειται παντὸς δώρου γηῒνου, ὠς ἔγκαρπον δένδρον, ὡς ἀστεῖον φυτὸν, ὠς ῥίζα τῆς παρθενίας, ὼς γεωργὸς τῶν λογικῶν καὶ ἐμψύχων κλάδων, ὡς εὐλογία τῆς τοῦ κόσμου αὐξήσεως, ὡς παρήγορος τοῦ γένους, ὡς δημιουργῂ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ὡς τῆς θεῖκῆς εἰκόνος ζωγράφος, ὡς τὸν Δεσπότην εὐλογοῦντα κεκτη μένος, ὡς πάντα τὸν κόσμον φέρειν δεχόμενος, ὼς ὲκείνῳ πολιτευόμενος ὃν καὶ ὲνανθρωπῆσαι ἐδυσώπησεν, ὡς δυνάμενος λέγειν μετὰ παρρησίας. Ἰδοὺ, ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία, ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ό Θεός. Περίελε τὸν τίμιον γάμον, καὶ ποῦ εὑρήσεις τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος ’ ἐνθεν γὲίρ καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοθεν, τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος ἀναλέγεται. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγοντες, ἀγαπητοὶ, οὐ μάχην παρεισόάλλομεν μεταξύ παρθενίας καὶ γάμουο τὰ ἑκάτερα δὲ ὡς ἀλληλόχρεα θαυμάζομεν. Ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἑκατέρων ὁ Δεσπότης καὶ προνοητὴς οὐκ ἀντιταλαντεύει ἕτερον τῷ ἑτέρῳ· πρὸς γὰρ τὰ ἑκάτερα τῆς θεοσεβείας ἔχεται.. Ἀνευ γὰρ τῆς τιμίας καὶ θεοσεβοῦς εὐσεβείας οὐτε παρθενία σεμνὴ, οὔτε γάμος τίμιος. B‘. Ταῦτα δέ μοι ὲν τῷ παρόντι λόγῳ προήχθη, διὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γραφὲν, καὶ ὲν τῇ χάριτι βεβαιωθὲν, καὶ καθόλου λεχθὲν, καὶ καθόλου μὴ εὑρεθὲν, καὶ ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ μόνῳ πληρωθὲν · περὶ τοῦ γαμικοῦ φημὶ ### English translation (Claude) as higher than the human condition, as free of the passions imposed on us, as entering with Christ the Bridegroom into the bridal chamber of the kingdom of heaven. These, and the like, are the glories of virginity. But honourable marriage surpasses every earthly gift: as a fruitful tree, as a fine plant, as the root of virginity, as the cultivator of rational and living branches, as the blessing of the world's increase, as the comforter of the race, as the craftsman of humanity, as the painter of the divine image, as having the Master to bless it, as receiving the task of bearing the whole world, as living with him whom it even persuaded to become man, as able to say with boldness, 'Behold, I and the children whom God has given me.' Take away honourable marriage, and where will you find the flower of virginity? For from there, and from nowhere else, the flower of virginity is gathered. In saying this, beloved, we are not bringing in a battle between virginity and marriage; we admire both as needing each other. For the Master and provider of both does not weigh one against the other; both hold fast to the fear of God. Without honourable and God-fearing piety, neither is virginity august nor marriage honourable. 2. These things were brought forward by me in the present discourse because of what was written in the law, confirmed in grace, spoken universally yet not found universally, and fulfilled in the Lord alone: I mean concerning the first-born ### Scripture references - Isa 8:18: quotation, high confidence - Heb 2:13: allusion, medium confidence - Heb 13:4: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - 'Behold, I and the children whom God has given me': Isa 8:18, as applied in Heb 2:13. 'Honourable marriage' echoes Heb 13:4. The phrase rendered 'the passions imposed on us' is garbled in the scan text. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 45 (PG 39:45a–45d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/45). ## Homilies, Migne column 47 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-47 - Source: PG 39:48a–48d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Amphilochius argues that the law 'every male that opens the womb shall be called holy' is fulfilled in Christ alone, who opened the Virgin's womb without intercourse, unlike Cain, Esau, and Reuben. ### Greek text ωτοβόλου καρποῦ. Ποίου τουτου ; ἤκουες ἀρτίως τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ λέγοντοςο Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐπλήσθησαν al ἡμέραι ὀκτὼ τοῦ περιτεμεῖν τὸ παιδίον, καὶ ἐκλήθη τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦς, τὸ κληθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου, πρὸ τοῦ συλληφθῆναι αὐτόν. Kal ὅτε ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ, ἀνήγαγον εὶς τὸ ἱερὸν αὐτὸν, καὶ παρέστησαν αὑ τὸν τῷ Κυρίῳ, καθώς ἐστι γεγραμμένον ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου, ὅτι Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν, ἅγιον τῷ Κυρίῳ κληθήσεται. Εἶδες τοῦ γάμου τὴν εὐλογίαν, καὶ τὸ κατὰ κοινοῦ λεχθὲν, ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου μὸο νου εὑρεθέν; Ὅπερ. Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν, ἅγιον τῷ Κυρίῳ κληθήσεται, είς τὸν Κύριον μόνον τὴν ἀναφορὰν κέκτηται, οὐχ). καὶ είς ἄλλον τινὰ, εἰ καὶ ὅτι καὶ καθολικῶς εἴρηται. Καὶ γὰρ πᾶσα φύσις ρθένου. πρῶτον ὲκ συνουσίας ἀνδρὸς διανοίγειται ἡ μήτρα, καὶ εἷθʼ οὕτως τίκτει. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν οὐχ οὕτως· ἀλλὰ χωρὶς συνουσίας αὐτὸς διανοίξας τὴν μήτραν τῆς παρθένου, ἀφράστως προ· ἦλθενο ὥστε τὸ, Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν, ἅγιον τῷ Κυρίῳ κληθήσεται, είς τὸν Κύριον ἀναφέρεται μόνον. Μὴ ἆρα 6 Κάῖν ἅγιος, ὁ ὲν βεβηλότητι τὸ ζῇν ἀπορρήξας, ἐπειδὰν πρὸ πάντων οὗ·τος τῆς μητρικῆς μήτρας ἔξαρχος γέγονεν; Μὴ ἄρα 6 Ἦσαῦ ἅγιος, ὁ πολέμιος καὶ μαχαίρας κληρονόμος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ οὗτος τῆς μητρικῆς νηδύος πρῶτος ἑξέτεσεν; Μὴ ἆρα ὁ Ῥουὸὴ μ ἅγιος, 6 τὴν πατρικὴν κοίτην ὑβρίσας, καὶ κατάρας ἀπόφασιν ἀναζέσας, ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὑτὸς τῆς πολυγόνου κοιλίας τῆς Δίας πρῶτος ὲξῆλθεν; Οὐδεὶς τούτων ἅγιος9 πάντες γὰρ οὗτοι ὲν ἐπιτιμίοις (τι). Ἐξ ὧν δείκνυται, ὅτι εἰς τὸν Κύριον μόνον τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἔχει τὸ, Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν, ἅγιον τῷ Κυρίῳ κληθήσεται, κατὰ τὸν Γαβριὴλ τὸν εἰρηκότα πρὸς τὴν Παρθένον Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ δύναμις Ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοιʼ διὸ καὶ τὸ γεννώμενον ἐκ σοῦ ἅγιον, Υἱὸς Ὑψίστου κληθήσεται. Γʼ. Ἐστι δὲ πάντως εἰπεῖν τινα τῶν ἀντιλεγόντοιν, ὅτι, Ei τοίνυν είς τὸν Κύριον τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἔχει τὺ, Πᾶν ### English translation (Claude) fruit of marriage. What is this? You heard the evangelist just now saying: 'And when eight days were completed to circumcise the child, his name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived. And when the days of purification were completed, they brought him up to the temple and presented him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.' Do you see the blessing of marriage, and how what was said generally was found in the Lord alone? For 'Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord' refers to the Lord alone, and not to anyone else, even though it is said universally. For in every nature the womb is first opened by intercourse with a man, and then it bears. But with our Saviour it was not so: without intercourse he himself opened the womb of the virgin and came forth ineffably; so that 'Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord' refers to the Lord alone. Was Cain holy, then, who broke off his life in profanity, since he was the first of all to open his mother's womb? Was Esau holy, the enemy and heir of the sword, since he too came out first from his mother's womb? Was Reuben holy, who outraged his father's bed and brought on himself the sentence of a curse, since he too came out first from Leah's fruitful womb? None of these is holy; for all of these are under punishment. From this it is shown that 'Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord' refers to the Lord alone, in accordance with Gabriel, who said to the Virgin, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child born of you will be called holy, Son of the Most High.' 3. But one of those who object may well say: 'If, then, "Every male that opens ### Scripture references - Luke 2:21–23: quotation, high confidence - Exod 13:2: quotation, high confidence - Gen 4:8: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 25:25: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 49:4: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 1:35: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Luke 2:21–23, quoting Exod 13:2, 12; Cain (Gen 4), Esau (Gen 25:25; 27:40), Reuben (Gen 35:22; 49:3–4); Luke 1:35. - A stray fragment of a word (ρθένου) in the scan is left untranslated. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 47 (PG 39:48a–48d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/47). ## Homilies, Migne column 49 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-49 - Source: PG 39:49a–49d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Answering an objection, Amphilochius holds that Mary's virginity remained intact, the 'gate' shut yet open to the Lord's power; he then praises the three orders of virginity, marriage, and widowhood, and holds up the widow Anna as a model. ### Greek text ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν, ἄγε( ν τῷ Κυρίῳ κληθήσεται, οὐκ ἔμεινεν ἡ παρθένος, παρθένος. Ἐφώνησε γὰρ ἡ ιʼραφὴ, Ὅτι πᾶνῖῗῦἷνῆδιανοῖγον μήτραν · ᾑνέῳκται ἡ παρθενικὴ μήτρα, εί είς τὸν Κύριον τὴν ἀναφορὰν κέκτηται· ἀλλʼ ἄκουε συνετῶς· πρὸς μὲν παρθενικὴν φύσιν, οὐδʼ ὅλως αἱ παρθενικαὶ πύλαι ἠνεῴχθησαν, βουλήσει τοῦ ἀρτίως κυοφορηθὲνι ‘ τος, κατὰ τὸ φάσκον περὶ αὑτοῦ ῥητόν ’ Αὕτη ἠ πύλη τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ εὶσελεύσεται καὶ ἐξελεύσεται, καὶ ἔσται ἡ πύλη κεκλασμένη. Ὠς πρὸς τὴν παρθενικὴν τοίνυν φύσιν, οὐδʼ ὅλως ἠνεῴχθησαν αἱ παρθενικαὶ πύλαι ’ ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ τε·litim; Δεσπότου, οὐδὲν κέκλεισται τῷ Κυρίῳ. ἀλλὰ πάντα ὴνέῳκται. Οὐδὲν τὸ παρεμποδίζον · οὐδὲν τὸ παρενοχλοῦν. Πάντα γὰρ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡνέῳκται. Ὅθεν καὶ αἱ ἄνω ὑπέρταται δυνάμεις, ταῖς κάτω παρεγγυῶσαι, κεκράγασι λέγοντες· Ἄρατε πύλας, οἱ ἄρχοντες, ὑμῶν. καὶ ἐπάρθητε, πύλαι αἱὼνιοι, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὀ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης. Θαυμαστὴ τοίνννὴ παρθενία, ἡ ὅντως ἀληθὴς παρθενία, ἐπειδή ἐστι καὶ ἐν παρθενίᾳ διαφορά. Ai μὲν νυστάξασαι, ai δὲ γρηγορήσασαι. Θαυμαστὸς καὶ ὁ γάμος. ὁ ἀληθὴς, καὶ τίμιος· πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐφύλαξαν, καί πολλοὶ παρεσὰλευσαν. Θαυμαστὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ χηροσύνῃ. Καλὸν γὰρ τῶν τριῶν ταγμάτων ἁπομνημονεῦο σαι. A'. Καὶ, ὡς προεῖπον, θαυμαστὴ καὶ ήχηροσύνη, ἡ ὅντως χηροσύνῃ· ἡ τῶν ἀμιάντων ἄθλων ἀγῶνα νικήσασα, ἡ τιμία καικαθαρὰ καὶ ἁκίδδηλος · ἡ ἄνευ τοδ ἰδίου. συζύγου, ῥύπου-ἀνεπίμικτος.- Οἴα γέγονε καὶὴ ἀρτίως ἡμῖν παραγνωσθεῖσα, Ἀννα ἡ προφῆ· τις, ἡ καλῶς γηράσασα, καὶ ὡς ἀετὸς ἀνακαινισθεϊσα. Ἥκουες γὰρ ἀρτίως τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ Λουκᾶ λέγοντος Καὶ ἦν Ἅννα προφῆτις, θυγάτηρ Φανουὴλ, ἐκ φυλῆς Ἀσὴρ, αὕτη προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ἡμέραις πολλαῖς, ζήσασα μετὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐτη ἑπτὰ ἀπὸ τῆς παρθενίας αὐτῆς· καὶ αὕτη χήρα ὡς ἐτῶν ὁγδοήκσντα τεσσάρων ο ἢ οὐκ ἀφίστατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, νηστείαις καὶ δεήσεσι λατρεύουσα νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν. Εἶδες ὲν τίσι, καὶ οἶα ήχήρα Ἀννα ὲν τοῖς θείοις Εὑαγγελίοις ἐγκεκαλλὼπισταις Ὄντως Ἅννα, ἡ Ἀννα- συνέδραμεν τῇ τῶν τρόπων εὐδοξίᾳ ή τοῦ ὀνόματος προσηγορία · ἁκουέτωσαν αἱ γυναῖκες, καὶ ζηλοὺτωσαν τὴν ἔνδοξον Ἄνναν, καὶ τὸν ὅμοιον δρόμον τρεχέτωσαν, ἵνα τῶν iam στεφάνων ἀπολαύσωσι. Μηδεὶς ἀποστασίαν προφασὶσηται, ἵνα μὴ τὴν ἁγνείαν τῆς μονογα μίας ἀπο- ### English translation (Claude) the womb shall be called holy to the Lord," the virgin did not remain a virgin. For Scripture declared, "Every male that opens the womb"; the virginal womb was opened, if this refers to the Lord.' But listen with understanding. As regards the nature of virginity, the virginal gates were not opened at all, by the will of the one just then conceived, according to the saying about him: 'This is the gate of the Lord; he will go in and come out, and the gate will be shut.' As regards the nature of virginity, then, the virginal gates were not opened at all; but as regards the power of the Master who was born, nothing is shut to the Lord, but all things are open. Nothing hinders, nothing obstructs; for all things are open to the Lord. That is why the supreme powers above, giving charge to those below, cried out, saying, 'Lift up your gates, O rulers, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall come in.' Admirable, then, is virginity, the truly genuine virginity, since there is a difference even in virginity: some slumbered, others kept awake. Admirable too is marriage, the true and honourable; for many have kept it, and many have shaken it. And admirable too is widowhood. For it is good to remember the three orders. 4. And, as I said before, admirable is widowhood, true widowhood: which has won the contest of undefiled struggles, honourable, pure, and genuine, unmingled with any defilement apart from her own spouse. Such was the one read to us just now, Anna the prophetess, who grew old well and was renewed like an eagle. For you heard the evangelist Luke just now saying: 'And there was Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was advanced in many days, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, serving with fastings and prayers night and day.' Do you see in what things, and with what, the widow Anna is adorned in the divine Gospels? Truly Anna is Anna: the name she bears ran together with the good repute of her ways. Let the women hear, and emulate the glorious Anna, and run the same course, so that they may enjoy the same crowns. Let no woman make separation a pretext, so as to cast off the purity of a single marriage … ### Scripture references - Ezek 44:2: quotation, high confidence - Ps 24:7 (23:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:1–13: allusion, high confidence - Ps 103:5 (102:5 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Luke 2:36–37: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: the shut gate, Ezek 44:2; 'Lift up your gates', Ps 24:7 (LXX 23:7); the wise and foolish virgins, Matt 25:1–13; renewed like an eagle, Ps 103:5 (LXX 102:5); Anna, Luke 2:36–37. - The doctrine that Mary's virginity was not lost in childbirth is translated as written. The word rendered 'separation' (ἀποστασία) may mean divorce; the sentence breaks off and continues in the next column. Two clear OCR slips (κληθήσεται, πύλαι) are corrected. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 49 (PG 39:49a–49d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/49). ## Homilies, Migne column 51 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-51 - Source: PG 39:52a–52c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Anna is praised as the crown of widows, surpassing the widow of 1 Timothy, a prophetess who confessed the infant Jesus as God, creator of the world. ### Greek text E'. Στέφανος τῶν χηρῶν ἡ Ἀννα, γυνὴ τὺ σχῆμα, προφῆτις τὸ τάγμα ὲν χηροσύνῃ διάγουσα, ὲν βασι λείᾳ διαστρεφομένη ο κεχαλασμένη τὸ σῶμα, νενευ- »ωμένη τὴν ψυχήν ἐρρυτιδωμένη τὴν ὄψιν, διατεταμένη τὴν φρόνησιν ο τῴʼγήρᾳ συγκύπτουσα, όρθοβατοῦσα τῇ γνώσει ' τῇ πολυετίᾳ πεπαλαιωμένη, σφριγῶσα τῇ θεογνωσίᾳ· νηστεύουσα, καὶ μὴ ἁδηφαγοῦσαʼ δεομένη, καὶ μὴ ῥεμβομένηο τῷ ίερῷ σχολάζουσα, καὶ ἀλλοτρίους οἴκους μὴ περιτρέχουσα· ψάλλουσα, καὶ μὴ φλυαροῦσαʼ προφητεύουσα, καὶ μὴ μυθολογοῦσα· θεῖα μελετῶσα, καὶ τὰ ἄσεμνα μὴ προξενοῦσαο ὑπερέβαλεν ή Ἀννα τὴν παρὰ τοῦ ,Ἀποστόλου μακαριζομένην χήραν· ποίαν ταύτην; Ἀκουε Παύλου λέγοντος· Χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἑτῶν ἐξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, εὶ ἐτεκνοτρόmoer · εὶ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν · εί δεομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν · ει παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀναθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν. ’Υπερέβαλεν αʼύτη τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου μακαρισθεῖσαν, καὶ τοῖς ἔτεσι, καὶ τοῖς πολιτεύμασιν. Ἦ γὰρ προφητείας ἀξιωθεῖσα, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου δορ χεῐον ὑπάρξασα, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς προσδεχομένοις τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἕνσαρκον παρουσίαν, τὰ σύμβολα τῆς παρουσίας μηνύσασα, πῶς οὐχ ὑπερηκόντισε πάσας ; τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ περὶ αὐτῆς εἰρηκότος, καθὼς ἁρτίως ἤκουεςδ Καὶ αὕτη, φησὶν, ἠ Ἀγῆνα, αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐπιστᾶσα, ἂνθωιιολογεῐτο τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἐλάλει πᾶσι τοῖς προσδεχομένοις λύτρωσιν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ. Εἶδες τῆς ’Δννης τὴν μεγαλειότητα; ’Υπὲρ τοῦ Κυρίου συνηγόρει, ἐπὶ αὑτοῦ τὰ αὑτοῦ κατενώπιον λαλοῦσα. Ὦ τῶν παραδόξων πραγμάτωνί Χήρα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς ὲδρίμυττε, καὶ δριμύττουσα, πάντα τὸν λαὸν ἐψυχαγώγει, μηνύουσα τὴν μέλλουσαν ἔσεσθαι λύτρωσιν ὲν Ἰερουσαλὴμ, τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιστασίᾳ· λέγουσα πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας, καὶ τὰ σύμβολα τοῦ Κυρίου μηνύουσα. Βρέφος ἑώρα ἡ νΛννα τὸν Κύριον δῶρα καὶ καθάρσια ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ xai. μετʼ αὐτοῦ προσφερόμενα, καὶ ού προσέκοψε τῇ ἐλαχόστητι τῆς ἡλικίαςι Θεὸν ὡμολόγησε τὸ βρέφος ἡ Ἀννα, ἰατρὸν καὶ λυτρωτὴν ἰσχυρὸν, καὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἀναιρέτην. ςʼ. Μὴ ἁπλῶς παραδράμῃς, ἀγαπητὲ, τῆς ΙἈννης τὰ ῥήματα. Πᾶσι τοῖς παροῦσι μηνύουσα ἦν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐνέργειαν, λέγουσα πρὸς τοὺς συνηθροισμέι νουςʼ Οὐχ ὁρᾶτε τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον, τὸ μάζον ’ἐλκον; δʼτὸ Olfika δανειζόμενον; τὸ μητρῴῗις κξλποιςι προσξ αναπαυόμενονς τὸ ποσὶ τὴν γῆν τέως βηματίσαι μὴ καταδεχόμενον; τὸ ὀκταήμερον περιτεμνόμενον; Οὐχ opsita; Τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο τοὺς αἰῶνας ἐθεμελίωο σεʼ τοῦτο τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ὲκαμάρωσε ο τοῦ· το τὴν γῆν ὲπλάτυνε ο τοῦτο τὴν Θάλασσαν ἐχαράκωσε ψάμμῳ. Τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον ἐκβάλλει ἀνέμους ὲκ θησαυρῶν αὐτοῦ θ τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον ἐπὶ τοῦ Νῶε τοὺς ### English translation (Claude) 5. Anna, the crown of widows: a woman in form, a prophetess in rank, living in widowhood, conducting herself [as in] a kingdom; slack in body, sinewy in soul; wrinkled in face, intent in understanding; bowed down with age, walking upright in knowledge; worn by many years, vigorous in the knowledge of God; fasting and not gluttonous; praying and not wandering; spending her time in the temple and not running round other people's houses; singing psalms and not babbling; prophesying and not telling tales; meditating on divine things and not procuring what is indecent. Anna surpassed the widow whom the Apostle calls blessed. Which is that? Hear Paul saying: 'Let a widow be enrolled who is not less than sixty years old, if she has brought up children, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has followed every good work.' This woman surpassed the one called blessed by the Apostle, both in years and in conduct. For she who was thought worthy of prophecy, who became a receptacle of the Holy Spirit, and who made known the signs of his coming to all who were waiting for the Lord's coming in the flesh, how did she not surpass all? For the evangelist said of her, as you heard just now: 'And she, coming up at that very hour, gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of him to all who were waiting for redemption in Jerusalem.' Do you see Anna's greatness? She spoke in the Lord's defence, telling of his things in his very presence. O paradox! A widow, yet she stung the priests and scribes, and while stinging them she refreshed all the people, announcing the redemption that was to come in Jerusalem through the Lord's coming, speaking to those present and making known the signs of the Lord. Anna saw the Lord as a babe, with gifts and purification offerings being offered for him and with him, and she did not stumble at the smallness of his age. Anna confessed the babe as God, physician and mighty redeemer, and destroyer of sins. 6. Do not pass over Anna's words lightly, beloved. She was making known to all present the Lord's working, saying to those gathered: 'Do you not see this child, sucking the breast, … resting in his mother's bosom, not yet consenting to tread the earth with his feet, circumcised on the eighth day? Do you not see? This child founded the ages; this one vaulted the heavens; this one spread out the earth; this one fenced in the sea with sand. This child brings forth the winds from his treasuries; this child in the time of Noah ### Scripture references - 1 Tim 5:9–10: quotation, high confidence - Luke 2:38: quotation, high confidence - Jer 5:22: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 135:7 (134:7 LXX): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: 1 Tim 5:9–10; Luke 2:38; the sea fenced with sand, Jer 5:22; winds from his treasuries, Ps 135:7 (LXX 134:7). One phrase about the child is garbled in the scan text. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 51 (PG 39:52a–52c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/51). ## Homilies, Migne column 53 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-53 - Source: PG 39:53a–53d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Anna's prophecy presents the infant as the Lord of creation and of Israel's history, both child and eternal; Amphilochius praises her widowhood, in which she kept faith with her dead husband and did not remarry. ### Greek text καταράκτας ἀνέῳξεν τοῦ οὑρανοῦ · τοῦτο τὸ παιδίω βροχῆς στήμονας κατεργάζεται ’ τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον ὡς ἔριον χιόνα τινάσσει· τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον τοὺς προπάτο ρας ήμῶν ὲκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου διὰ τῆς Μωσαῖκῆς βακτηpla; ηλευθέρωσε ' τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν ἔτεμε, καὶ ὡς διὰ χλοηφόρου πεδίου τὸν λαὸν διήγαγεν· καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὲπομβρίσας τὸ μάννα, γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι ὲκληροδότησε · τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον τὸν ναὸν τούτον είς ὕψος ἐπαρθῆναι διὰ τῶν πατέρων παρεσκεύασε · τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον ὅρκους πρὸς Ἀβρααμ προτιθέμενον, ἔλεγε ο Πληθύνων πληι θιννὼ τὸ σπέρμα σου, ὡς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ὠς τὴν ἄμμον τὴν παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης. Περὶ τούτου τοῦ παιδίου ὁ προφητικὸς χορὸς παράκλησιν προφέρων, ἔλεγενο Ἐξέγειρον τὴν δυνηστείαν σου, καὶ ἐλθὲ εἰς τὸ σῶσαι ἡμᾶς. Μὴ, ὅτι παιδίον, τῷ παιδίῳ προσκόψητε. Τὸ αὑτὸ καὶ παιδίον, καὶ τῷ Πατρ) συνάναρχον. Τὸ αὑτὸ καὶ χρόνοις ἀριθμούμενον, καὶ ἀγενεαλόγητον. Τὸ αὑτὸ καὶ παιδίον ψελλίζον, τὸ αὑτὸ καὶ σοφίαν καὶ στόμα χαριζόμενον ’ τὸ μὲν,διὰ τὴν ἐκ Παρθένου γέννησιν, [Ich δὲ, διὰ τὸ ἀκατάληπτον τῆς ὑπάρξεως· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο παρέστησεν Ἡσαΐας φάσκων Παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν, υἱός καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν. Τὸ μὲν, ἐγεννήθη ο τὸ δὲ, ἐδόθη. Τὸ μὲν, διὰ τὸ δρώμενον· τὸ δὲ, διὰ τὸ νοούμενον. Z'. Ταῦτα τῆς Ἀννης τὰ προφητεύματα ’ταῦτα τῆς ructato; τὰ ἀριστολογήματα · ταῦτα τῆς χήρας τὰ κατορθώματα, τῆς ὅντως χήρας, τῆς καλῶς τὸν βίον ἀπαλλαξάσηςʼ τῆς τὸν ἄνδρα προπεμψάσης, καί τὸν Κύριον ὑποδεξαμένης. Ἑπτὰ ἔτη τῷ ἀνδρὶ συνέζησεν ἀπὸ τῆς παρθενίας αὐτῆς, ὲτῶν ἑβδομάδα πληρώσασα. καὶ ὲν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει τὴν ἀνδρικὴν ὁμιλίαν καταπαύσασα. Καλῶς ἐβδοματίσθηο καλῶς ὲσαββάτισεʼ καλῶς τὴν Κυριακὴν τῆς χάριτος κατέλαβε (δι) · τρυγόνος τάξιν ἠ ’Ἄννα μετῆλθεν. Ούκ ἐποιήσατο λήθην τοῦ συζύγου ’ οὑκ ὴθέτησε τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ι οὑκ ἀνήγαγεν ὑβριστὴν τῇ κλίνῃο οὑκ ἐπέθηκεν ἄλλῳ τὸ τῆς μονογαμίας ξύλον. Εἶχεν ὲν τῇ κλίνη, τῇ μνήμῃ, ὡς ζῶντα τὸν τεθνεῶτα · οὑκ ὲρύπωσε τὴν νυμφικὴν σινδόνα. Οὐχ ἦψατο αὐτῇ ὁ ἐλεγχος Παύλου λέγοντος · Ὅταν δὲ καταστρηνιάσωσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσι, ἔχουσαι κρῖμα, ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν. Ὄντως κρίματος ἀξία, ἡ τὴν μνήμην συνθάψασα τῷ θεοζεύκτῳ συξύγῳ, καὶ μάλιστα τέκνου, ἢ τέκνων παρόντων, διὸ καὶ ό νόμος τοῦ γάμου πεφυτούργηταιο εί ### English translation (Claude) opened the floodgates of heaven; this child weaves the threads of the rain; this child shakes out snow like wool; this child freed our forefathers from Egypt by the rod of Moses; this child cut the Red Sea, and led the people through it as through a grassy plain; and raining down manna in the desert, gave them as inheritance a land flowing with milk and honey; this child prepared, through the fathers, that this temple should be raised on high; this child, setting forth oaths to Abraham, said, "I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the shore of the sea." Concerning this child the choir of the prophets, offering supplication, said, "Stir up your power, and come to save us." Do not stumble at the child because he is a child. The same is both a child and without beginning with the Father; the same is both counted in years and without genealogy; the same is a child lisping, and the same is the giver of wisdom and speech: the one because of his birth from the Virgin, the other because of the incomprehensibility of his existence. For Isaiah too set this forth, saying, "A child is born to us, a son is also given to us": the one "is born", the other "is given"; the one because of what is seen, the other because of what is understood.' 7. These are Anna's prophecies; these are the [widow's] noble sayings; these are the achievements of the widow, the true widow, who passed through life well; who sent her husband on ahead and received the Lord. Seven years she lived with her husband from her virginity, completing a week of years, and in the seventh year she ceased from married intercourse. Well did she keep the seventh; well did she keep sabbath; well did she reach the Lord's day of grace. Anna followed the way of the turtle-dove. She did not forget her spouse; she did not set aside her first faith; she did not bring an outrager into her bed; she did not lay on another the yoke of a single marriage. In her bed, in her memory, she kept the dead man as living; she did not defile the bridal linen. Paul's reproof did not touch her, when he says: 'When they grow wanton against Christ, they wish to marry, incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their first faith.' Truly worthy of condemnation is she who buries the memory along with her God-yoked spouse, especially when a child or children are living, for which reason too the law of marriage was planted; if ### Scripture references - Gen 7:11: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 147:16 (147:5 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Exod 14:21: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 22:17: quotation, high confidence - Ps 80:2 (79:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 9:6 (9:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 5:11–12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: the floodgates of heaven, Gen 7:11; snow like wool, Ps 147:16 (LXX 147:5); the Exodus, the Red Sea, manna, and the land of milk and honey (Exod 14; 16; 3:8); Gen 22:17; 'Stir up your power', Ps 80:2 (LXX 79:3); Isa 9:6 (LXX 9:5); 1 Tim 5:11–12. - The turtle-dove was proverbial for keeping to a single mate. Amphilochius's judgment that a widow who remarries, especially with children living, incurs condemnation, applying 1 Tim 5:11–12, is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 53 (PG 39:53a–53d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/53). ## Homilies, Migne column 55 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-55 - Source: PG 39:56a–56d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Amphilochius allows a second marriage for a young childless widow, following 1 Tim 5:14, but calls it superfluous when there are children; he then begins on Simeon's prophecy, imagining Mary's protest and Simeon's reply. ### Greek text ὲ μὴ πρόσεστι τῇ νέᾳ χήρᾳ τέκνον, είκδς αὐτὴν ἐπὶ εύτερον γάμον ὁρμᾷν, τῷ ἔρωτι τῆς φιλοτεχνίας υττομένην. Ἐπειδὰν καὶ τοῦτο παραινῶν ὁ μακάιος Παῦλος ἔλεγεν · Βούλομαι νεωτέρας χήας γαμεῖν· εἶτα δεικνὺς τί τὸ συμβάλλον τῆς προκοπῆς τοῦ δευτέρου γάμου, προσέθηκε λέγωνʼ ἴούλομαι νεωτέρας χήρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, ίκοδεσποτεῖν. Ὥστε περὶ τῆς τεκνογονίας ἡ προσήκη τοῦ δευτέρου γάμου ' ὅταν δὲ πρόσεστι τῇ ὁρμη- ‘a'ta'n χήρᾳ πρὸς γάμον τέκνα, περιττὸς λοιπὸν ὁ οιοῦτος σπόρος, τῶν λογικῶν ἀσταχύων avram- ’ὀντων. H'. Πάλιν οὖν τῷ λόγῳ ἐπανέλθωμεν προς τὴν προτε- ›αν ὑπόθεσιν. Τί οὖν λοιπὸν ὁ εὐαγγελιστής; καλὸν ’ἀρ τῆς παρούσης πραγματείας ἐπιλαβέσθαι. Ἤκουες ,ρτίως tofi εὐαγγελιστοῦ Λουκᾶ λέγοντος, πῶς ὁ ἒυμεὼν πρὸς τὴν παρθένον ἔφη ° Ἰδοὺ οὗτος κεῖac είς πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ Ἰσαήλ, καὶ εἰς σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον-ο καὶ σοῦ δὲ ιὺτὴς τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ῥομφαία. Τί δέ ὲστι, Καὶ σοῦ δὲ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ρομφαία; "Ancus συνετῶς · τοῦ Συμεῶνοςείρηκότος, περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου είς ἐξάκουστον τῶν Παρθενικῶν ἀκοῶν τὸ, Ἰδοὺ οὗτος κεῖται είς πτῶσιν καὶ circiστασιν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ εὶς σήμεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον, ἠγανάκτησεν εἰκὸς ἡ Παρθένος ὡς μήτηρ τοῦ Κυρίου κατὰ τοῦ Συμεῶνος, λέγουσα πρὸς αὐτόν ° Οὐκ οἶδας τί διαγορεύεις, ἄνθρωπε. Ἐπὶ τὸν Χριστδν σκυθρωπὰ καταγγέλλεις; Οὐκ οίδας τὴν σύλα ιηψιν τοῦ παιδίου, καὶ ὼς κοινοῦ τόκου σημεῖον ἀντι· λογίας μηνύειςς Οὐδεμία πτῶσις ὲν αὐτῷ· ὓψωσις δὲ πολλὴ καὶ συγκαταβασις τοῖς εὐεργετουμένοις. Τί οὖν οὒκ εὐλογεῖς, ἀλλὰ φάσκεις, Ἰδοὺ οὗτος κεῖται εἰς πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ εὶς σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον; 'U δὲ Συμεὼν πρὸς τὴν Παρθένον ο Ἀρκεῖ σοι, Παρθένε, τὸ, μητέρα σε κληθῆναι· ἱκανόν σοι τὸ, τροφὸν εὑρεθῆναι τοῦ τρέφοντος τὸν κόσμον. Μέγα σοι τὸ, σαρκὶ βαστάσαι τὸν τὰ πάντα βαστάζοντα. '0 ὲν σοὶ Χριστὸς νῦν κατοικήσας, καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ νῦν ὁ αὐτὸς περὶ αὐτοῦ λαληθῆναι παρεσκεύασεν, ὅτι οὗτος κεῖται εἰς πτῶσιν ml ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν ἐντῷ Ἰσραήλ είς πτῶσιν μὲν τῶν ἀπίστων Ἰουδαίων, ἀνάστασιν δὲ τῶν πιστευόντων ἐθνῶν. Ἰδοὺ οὗτος κεῖται είς ### English translation (Claude) if a young widow has no child, she is likely to be drawn to a second marriage, pricked by the longing for children. For blessed Paul too, advising this, said, 'I want younger widows to marry'; and then, showing what benefit a second marriage brings, he added, 'I want younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage a household.' So the fittingness of a second marriage concerns the bearing of children; but when a widow who is eager to marry has children, such sowing is from then on superfluous, since the rational ears of grain are already there. 8. Let us return, then, to our former subject. What does the evangelist say next? For it is good to take up the matter before us. You heard the evangelist Luke just now telling how Simeon said to the Virgin, 'Behold, this one is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against; and a sword will pass through your own soul too.' What does 'a sword will pass through your own soul too' mean? Listen with understanding. When Simeon said about the Lord, in the Virgin's hearing, 'Behold, this one is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against', the Virgin, as the Lord's mother, was naturally indignant with Simeon, and said to him: 'You do not know what you are proclaiming, man. Do you announce gloomy things about the Christ? Do you not know how the child was conceived, that you announce a sign of contradiction as if of an ordinary birth? There is no fall in him, but great exaltation and condescension for those he benefits. Why, then, do you not bless him, but say, Behold, this one is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against?' And Simeon said to the Virgin: 'It is enough for you, Virgin, to be called mother; it is sufficient for you to be found the nurse of him who nourishes the world; it is a great thing for you to carry in the flesh him who carries all things. The Christ who now dwells in you has also now prepared me to speak of him: that this one is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel; for the fall of the unbelieving Jews, and the rising of the believing nations. Behold, this one is set for ### Scripture references - 1 Tim 5:14: quotation, high confidence - Luke 2:34–35: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: 1 Tim 5:14; Luke 2:34–35. Amphilochius's view that a second marriage is justified by the desire for children and is 'superfluous' when a widow already has them is translated as written. - The dialogue between Mary and Simeon is the preacher's imaginative expansion. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 55 (PG 39:56a–56d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/55). ## Homilies, Migne column 57 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-57 - Source: PG 39:57a–57b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Simeon's 'sign spoken against' is the cross, where Christ was mocked and denied; the 'sword' through Mary's soul is the grief and doubt that pierced her at the cross before the resurrection; the cross is a sign foretold in both Testaments. ### Greek text πτῶσιν ναὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ. ταθείς στυιεῐον ἀντιλεγόμενον · σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον τὸν σταυρὸν προσαγορεύσας. Διά si; Ἐπειδὴ ιν αὖτῴ τῷ σταυρῷ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀπίστων ἀντιλογίας προσήνεγκαν τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ λόγοις καὶ ἔργοις κωο μῳδοῦντες, ὖξος ποτίζοντες, χολὴν προσάγοντες, ἀκάνθινον στέφανον περιθέντες, λόγχῃ τὴν πλευρὰν νίττοντες, χερσὶ ῥαπίζοντες, ὀνειδιστικοῖς βοῶντες λόγοις· ’Ἄλλους ἔσωσεν, ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται σῶσαι. Τοῦτο οὖν ἑρμηνεύων 6 Συμεὼν ἔλεγε Καὶ εἰς σημεῖον ἀντιλετύμενον. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἀντεῖπον · ὅ τε Πέτρος ἠρνήσατο, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀπόστολοι ὡς ἀποίμαντα πρόβατα διεσκορπίζοντο ὲν τῷ οὖν σταυρικῷ σημείῳ, καὶ uini}; τῆς Παρθένου ἐπεπλήρωτο ἡ καρδία λύπηςο διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε · Διά τί μὴ προετελεύτησα; Διά τί δὲ τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην κατέλαβον; Παρθένος μεμένηκα, καὶ μείζονα μητρῲοις τοῖς σπλάγχνοις δά. κνομαι. Τούτους τοὺς ἀπείρους λογισμοὺς τῆς Παρθένω, ῥομφαίαν 6 Συμεὼν προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς νύττοντας τὰ ἐνδόσθια, ὡς σκάνδαλα προσοίσοντας, καθὼς καὶ 6 Κύριος προεῖπε· Πάντες ἐν ἐμοὶ σκανδαλισθήσεσθε ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ ’ ὅθεν καὶ ἐπήγαγεν 6 Συμεὼν φάσκων · Kal σοῦ δὲ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ῥομφαία, ὅπως ἂν ἀποκαλυφθῶσιν ἐκ πολλῶν καρδιῶν διαλογισμοί. Ὅρα πῶς τοὺς ἀπείρους διαλογισμοὺς ῥομφαίαν προσηγόρευσεν 6 Συμεὼν, ὡς νύττοντας τὰ ἐνδόσθια, ὡς ἁπτομένους νεφρῶν καὶ μυελῶν. Τούτοις δὲ περιέπεσεν ἡ Παρθέse; Μαρία, μηδέπω τὴν δύναμιν τῆς ἀναστάσεως έδνία ° καὶ ὅτι ἐκ γειτόνων ἡ ἀνάστασις, οὐδέπω ὲγίνιος-χεν. ’Ὅθεν μετά τὴν ἀνάστασιν, οὐκέτι ῥομφαία δίπομοςο ἀλλʼ εὐφροσύνη καὶ ἀγαλλίασις. Σημεῖον τοίνυν ἀντιλογίας, τὸ σταυρικὸν σημεῖον 6 Συμεὼν προσηγόρευσεν, ὲν καιρῷ ῥομφαία λογισμῶν τὴν Παρθένον διῆλθεν. Ἔστι δὲ πάντως εἰπεῖν τινα· Καὶ πόθεν ἡμῖν ἡ anesum; Ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν τοῦ Κυρίοο δεδαγμάτων. ’Ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντοςʼ Ἠ γενεὰ αὕτη, Τενεὰ πονηρά ἐστιʼ σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ, ει μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ τοῦ προφήτου. Ὠσπερ γὰρ ἦν Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ό Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθμίιτου ὲν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς, τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ qqu νύκτας. Ὁρᾷς πῶς τὸ σταυρικὺν πάθος σηο μεῖον προσηγορεύθη, οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ Καινῇ Διαθήκῃ, καὶ ὲν τῇ Παλαιᾷ; Σφόδρα γὰρ τὰ παλαιὰ συμτωνεῖ τῇ Νέᾳ.. Διά τίς Ἐπειδὴ εἷς κα) 6 αὐτὸς Θεὸς ὁκάκείνα νομοθετήσας, καὶ ὦδε βραβεύσας. Καὶ τίς τούτοις μάρτυς; Αὐτὸς 6 Κύριος. Ἀκουε αὑτοῦ λέ- ν γοντος ὲν τῷ. προφήτῃ Ἰεςεκιὴλ, πρὸς τοὺς θεριστὰς ἀγγέλους, τὴν καθολικὴν συντέλειαν μηνύοντος, ούτω λέγων· Μὴ φείσησθε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν, ### English translation (Claude) the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against': calling the cross 'a sign that is spoken against'. Why? Because at the very cross many of the unbelieving spoke against the Lord, mocking him in words and deeds, giving him vinegar to drink, offering gall, putting a crown of thorns on him, piercing his side with a spear, striking him with their hands, and shouting words of reproach: 'He saved others; he cannot save himself.' Interpreting this, Simeon said, 'and for a sign that is spoken against'. For many spoke against him: Peter denied him, and all the apostles were scattered like sheep without a shepherd at the sign of the cross; and the Virgin's heart was filled with grief, so that she said: 'Why did I not die first? Why have I lived to see this day? I have remained a virgin, and I am stung the more in my mother's heart.' These numberless thoughts of the Virgin Simeon called a sword, as piercing her inward parts and bringing stumbling, as the Lord also foretold: 'You will all stumble because of me this night.' Therefore Simeon added: 'And a sword will pass through your own soul too, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.' See how Simeon called the numberless thoughts a sword, as piercing the inward parts, as touching the reins and the marrow. The Virgin Mary fell into these, not yet knowing the power of the resurrection, nor yet knowing that the resurrection was near. So after the resurrection there was no longer a two-edged sword, but gladness and rejoicing. Simeon, then, called the sign of the cross a sign of contradiction, at the time when a sword of thoughts passed through the Virgin. But someone may say: 'And how do we know this?' From the Lord's own teachings. Hear him saying: 'This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was in the belly of the sea-monster, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.' Do you see how the suffering of the cross was called a sign, not only in the New Testament but also in the Old? For the old things agree strongly with the New. Why? Because one and the same God gave the law there and gave the prize here. And who is witness to this? The Lord himself. Hear him saying in the prophet Ezekiel to the reaping angels, as he announces the universal consummation: 'Let your eyes not spare, ### Scripture references - Luke 2:34–35: quotation, high confidence - Matt 27:42: quotation, high confidence - John 19:34: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 26:31: quotation, high confidence - Heb 4:12: echo, low confidence - Matt 12:39–40: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Matt 27:34, 48 (vinegar and gall), 27:29 (crown of thorns), John 19:34 (the spear), Matt 27:42 ('He saved others'), Matt 26:31, Luke 2:35, Heb 4:12 (joints and marrow), Matt 12:39–40 (sign of Jonah). - Amphilochius's reading of the 'sword' as doubt and grief in Mary's soul at the cross is translated as written; her lament is the preacher's imaginative expansion. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 57 (PG 39:57a–57b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/57). ## Homilies, Migne column 59 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-59 - Source: PG 39:60a–60d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The end of Oration 2 cites Ezekiel's sign on the foreheads; Oration 3, on Lazarus, begins: of all Christ's miracles, the raising of Lazarus four days dead alone could not be slandered by his enemies. ### Greek text val μὴ ἐλεήσητε πρεσβύτην. γ μηδὲ νεανίσκον sui παρθένον ο καὶ παιδίον, καὶ γυναῖκας θανατώσατε είς ἐξάλειψιν. Τοῖς δὲ ἐπιφερομένοις ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων τὸ σημεῖον, μὴ ἅψησθε. Ἴδε τὸ ση μεῖον τῆς Παλαιᾶς καὶ τῆς Νέας. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ΛΟΓΟΣ Γʼ. Εἰς τὸν τετραιᾶμερον Λάζαρον. Λʼ. Φέρε πάλιν είς μέσον τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν Ἰωάννην· καλὸν γὰρ τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως σκοπῆσαι. Ἤκουες γάρ αὐτοῦ ἀρτίως λέγοντος · Πρό ἐξ ἡμεθῶν τοῦ Πάσχα, ἦλθεν ό Ἰησοῦς είς Βηθανίαν, ὅπου ἦν Λάζαρος, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν. Ἴδες τὴν ὶπαρχὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως ὲν Λαζάρῳ πρπυπωθεῖσαν, ἠν ὁ πιστὸς ὄχλος ὲγνώρισεν; Oi ὄχλοι ἐγνώρισαν, cui. οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἐλοιδόρησαν, τὴν θαυματουργίαν είς iacxaviav μεταβαλόντες. Ὄντως ὲβἀσκαναν τὴν Ξινόιστασιν Λαζάρου, ὅτι μετά τὴν ἀνάστασιν αὑτοῦ, ἧς ἤκουες, συνεβουλεύσαντο αὑτὸν ἀποκτεῖναι. Ἰδες βασκανίας ῦπερβολήνς Ὃν 6 Κύριος ἤγειρεν, αὐτοὶ ἀποκτεῖναι διενοήθησαν, μὴ συνειδότες, ὅτι κᾶν αὐτοὶ ἀποκτείνουσι, πάλιν κοῦφον τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀναστῆσαι τὸν φίλον...Συνεβουλεύσαντο τὸν Λάζαρον ἀποκτεῖναι. Οὐδὲν οῦτως ὲδρίμυττε τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, ὡς ἡ ἀνάστασις τοῦ Λαζάρου. Τοῦτο μόνον τὸ θαῦμα οὐκ ἴσχυσαν συκοφαντῆσαι. Τὴν ἀνάβλεψιν τοῦ ὲκ γεννητῆς τυφλοῦ ἐσυκοφάντησαν λέγοντες · Οὗτός ἐστιν ο οὺχ οὗτός ἐστιν · ὅμοιος αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. Τὴν ἔγερσιν τῆς Θυγατρδς Ἰαήρου ἐσυκοφάντησαν, λέγοντες, ὡς κατηνέχθη, καὶ οὐ τελείῳ θανάτῳ παρεδόθη. Τὴν ἀνάστασιν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς χήρας τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὲσυκοφάντησαν λέγοντες, ὡς τὸν θάνατον ἐσχηματίσατο, καὶ οὐχ ὑπὸ τῆς τυραννίδος τοῦ θανάτου κατεπόθη. Τὴν ξηρανθεῖσαν συκῆν ὲσυκοφάντησαν λέγοντες, ὡς τρυγωνισθεῖσαν, καὶ οὐχ ὡς Δεσποτικῷ ῥήματι ξηρανθεῖσαν. Τὴν τοῦ ῦδατος είς οῐνον μεταβολὴν ἐσυκοφάντησαν λέγοντες, ὼς ἤδη τῶν ἐν τῷ δείπνῳ με· θυσθὲντων, καὶ μὴ εἰδότων τὴνχλεύην. Τὴν ἀνάστασιν μόνην τοῦ Λαζάρου οὐκ ἴσχυσαν συκοφαντῆσαι. ’Ίδον αὐτὸν Λάζαρονʼ ἐπίσημος ἦν 6 ἀνήρ ἠκολούθησαν τῇ κηδίᾳ ο ἴδον τὸν τάφον σφραγιζόμενον · παρεμυθήσαντο κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς, ὡς ἐν περιδείπνῳ θανάτου. Παρεμυθήσαντο Μάρθαν καὶ Μαρίαν τὰς ἀδελφὰς τοῦ Λαζάρου ο ἔγνωσαν ὅτι τέσσαρας ἡμέρας εῖχεν, ἀκριβῶς ὲν τῷ μνημείῳ κατατεθεὶς, καὶ ὅτι τετραήμερος νεκρὸς, πάντοθεν ἐξαρθρος, τῶν σαρκῶν μειωθέντων, τῆς νευροστασίας διασπασθείσης, τῶν ὲνδοσθίων διασκορπισθέντων, τῆς γαστρὸς ἐκχυθείσης. Ταῦτα συνειδότες, ὡς ἴδον ἁθρόον τὴν ἀνάστασιν Λαζάρου σῶαν, ἀρτίαν ὡς ἀπὸ τόρνου στίλβου- ’ σαν τὴν παννεωσίαν, ἐταράχθησαν. Μικροῦ δεῖν ἀπέψυξαν, μὴ εὑρίσκοντες λόγους προφασιλογίαςν τδ ### English translation (Claude) and do not pity the old man, nor the young man and virgin, and kill child and women to destruction; but those who bear the sign on their foreheads, do not touch.' See the sign of the Old and of the New. For he himself is … Oration 3. On Lazarus, four days dead. 1. Come, let us bring the evangelist John into the midst again; for it is good to consider the first-fruits of the resurrection. You heard him just now saying, 'Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead.' Do you see the first-fruits of the resurrection prefigured in Lazarus, which the faithful crowd recognized? The crowds recognized it, but the chief priests reviled it, turning the miracle into envy. Truly they envied Lazarus's resurrection, for after his resurrection, as you heard, they took counsel to kill him. Do you see the excess of envy? The man whom the Lord had raised, they planned to kill, not realizing that even if they killed him, it would again be easy for the Lord to raise his friend. They took counsel to kill Lazarus. Nothing stung the Jews so much as the resurrection of Lazarus. This one miracle alone they could not slander. The sight given to the man blind from birth they slandered, saying, 'This is he'; 'It is not he; he is like him.' The raising of Jairus's daughter they slandered, saying that she had only fainted and had not been given over to complete death. The raising of the widow's only son they slandered, saying that he had feigned death and had not been swallowed by the tyranny of death. The withered fig tree they slandered, saying it had been blighted, and not withered by the Master's word. The changing of water into wine they slandered, saying that those at the dinner were already drunk and did not see the trick. The resurrection of Lazarus alone they could not slander. They saw Lazarus himself; the man was well known; they followed the funeral; they saw the tomb sealed; they offered consolation as usual, as at a funeral meal; they consoled Martha and Mary, Lazarus's sisters. They knew that he had been four days, laid carefully in the tomb, and that a man four days dead is disjointed everywhere, the flesh wasting, the sinews torn apart, the innards scattered, the belly burst. Knowing this, when they suddenly saw Lazarus risen whole and sound, his renewal gleaming as if from the lathe, they were troubled. They nearly fainted, finding no words of pretext ### Scripture references - Ezek 9:5–6: quotation, high confidence - John 12:1: quotation, high confidence - John 12:10: allusion, high confidence - John 9:9: quotation, high confidence - Mark 5:35–43: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 7:11–17: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 21:19: allusion, medium confidence - John 2:1–11: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Ezek 9:5–6; John 12:1, 10; the man born blind, John 9:9; Jairus's daughter, Mark 5:35–43; the widow's son, Luke 7:11–17; the fig tree, Matt 21:19; water into wine, John 2:1–11. The slanders listed are the preacher's own reconstruction; his statements about 'the Jews' are translated as written. - A sentence breaks off at the end of Oration 2 ('For he himself is …'). ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 59 (PG 39:60a–60d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/59). ## Homilies, Migne column 61 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-61 - Source: PG 39:61a–61c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ delayed so that the raising of Lazarus might be undeniable; he answers Martha's grief and half-faith with 'I am the resurrection and the life', and asks where Lazarus lies so that the whole crowd may follow and witness. ### Greek text πῶς συκοφαντήσουσι τὴν ἀνάστασιν Λαζάρου, τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πραγματείας τοῦτο κατασκευασάσης. B'. Ti ἐστι, τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου πραγματείας τοῦτο παρασκευασάσηςς Ἀκουε διὰ βραχέων. Ἦνίκα Λάζαρος τὴν παροῦσαν ζωὴν ἀπεδύσατο φυσικῶς, οὐκ ἦν 6 Κύριος Βηθανίᾳ παρὼν τοῖς σωματικοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖςιίὲγ τῇ δὲ θεότητι πανταχοῦ παρὼν, καὶ τά πάντα πληρῶν. Μετὰ γὰρ τέσσαρας ἡμέρας τοῦ ταφῆναι τὸν Λάζαρον, ἦλθεν 6 Ἰησοῦς εἰς Βηθανίαν, τὴν ἀνάστασιν τοῦ φίλου κωμῳδῆσαι. Ὅθεν καὶ τοῦ παραγενομένου ὲν Βηθανίᾳ, ὡς ἤκουσε Μάρθα ή ἀδελφὴ Λαζάρου, ἔδραμεν, ἔσπευσε, προέπεσεν ὲν παρακλήσει, αίρετικὴν πρεσβείαν προσφέρουσα. firmasti); γὰρ ἔφασκε τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγουσα · Κύριε, εί ἧς ὧδε, οὐκ ἂν ἀπέθανεν ὀ ἁδελφός μου. Καὶ νῦν οἶδα, ὅτι ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν Θεὸν, δώσει σοι ὀΘεὸς. ’0 δὲ Κύριος αὐτὸς, πέλαγος ὢν μακροθυμίας, ἀπεκρίνατο λέγων · Τί λέγεις, Μάρθα; Κύριον utsic, καὶ Κύριον άγνοεῖς; Οὐκ ἥμην ὦδε; Μικρὸν καρτερησον ἐν τάχει γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου μαθήσῃ. Ἀναστήσεται γὰρ ό ἀδελφός σουηΣυγγινώσκω Μάρθα. Μεθύεις γάρ τῇ λύπῃ.’Ὠσπερ αὐτῇ εἷπεν- Καλῶν miltin σφάλλεται · ὅτε ὲκνήψεις, τότε πξρωνισθήσῃ. ’Λναστήσεται γὰρ ό ἀδελφός σου. Ἡδὲ Μάρθα, καὶ οὕτως συμπεριενεχθεῖσα ἀνθ ρωtiam; ῥήμασιν, άνθυπένεγκε τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγουσαʼ Οἶδα ὅτι ἀναστήσεται ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. Ὀ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς αὑτήν θ Τί θαμὸεύεις, ὦ Μάρθα”; Τί είς μικράς ἐλπίδας τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἀναδύῃ; Ἡ ἀνάστα- :5; πι διαλέγεται, καὶ περὶ ἀναστάσεως Stult-5m; Ἑῃὸ εἰμι ὴ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή ο ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, κᾶν ἀποθάνῃ, ζήσεται. Ρ. Ταῦτα τοῦ Κυρίου διαλεγομένου, μικροῦ δεῖν πᾶσα ἡπόλις Βηθανία κατέδραμεν είς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου, ού θαυμάσαι, ἀλλὰ γελάσαι. Οὐκ εἷχον γὰρ ἐλπίδα, τετραήμερον νεκρὸν ἀναστῆσαι. Τί οὖν 6 Κῦριοςς Ὠς εἶδε τοσοῦτον πλῆθος καταδραμὸν, καὶ ὅτι ἄξιοί είσι, καὶ ἱκανοῦσι πρὸς μαρτυρίαν τοῦ μέλπαρʼ αὑτοῦ ἀνεγείρεσθαι, ἀποκριθεὶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔφη · Ποῦ τεθείκατε τὸν Λάζαρον; Ἆρʼ οὐκ ἤδει τὸν τύπον 6 τοῦ τόπου Δεσπότης; ’ῌδει τὸν τό· πον, ἀλλʼ ἐπραγματεύσατο τὸν τρόπον, ὅπως πάντες allii; ἀναγκασθέντες ὲπακολουθήσωσι τῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα θεασάμενοι τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἀναμφίὸολοι κή ρυγένωνται, Ποῦ τεθείκατε αὐτόν ; Οί δὲ ἐπερωτιθέντες εἷπον πρὸς αὐτόν · Ἔρχου, καὶ ἴδε. Τοῦ ἴε Ἰησοῦ βαδίζοντος, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον σπεύδοντος, ί ἀκολουθῶν δπισθεν ὄχλος ἀντέλαβε πρὸς ἑαυτὸν, λέγων· Τί θέλει οὗτος τὸν τάφον Λαζάρου θεάσασθαι; ,με οὐκ ῆν παρὼν τρῖς σωματικοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς. ### English translation (Claude) with which to slander the resurrection of Lazarus, since Christ's arrangement had prepared it so. 2. What does 'since the Lord's arrangement had prepared it so' mean? Hear briefly. When Lazarus put off the present life in the course of nature, the Lord was not present at Bethany to bodily eyes, though present everywhere in his divinity and filling all things. For four days after Lazarus was buried, Jesus came to Bethany to bring about the resurrection of his friend before them all. So when he arrived at Bethany, as soon as Martha, Lazarus's sister, heard, she ran, she hastened, she fell down in entreaty, offering her petition. For she said to the Lord, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.' But the Lord himself, a sea of patience, answered, saying: 'What are you saying, Martha? You call me Lord, and do you not know the Lord? Was I not here? Wait a little; for soon you will learn it from your brother. Your brother will rise.' I forgive Martha, for she was drunk with grief. It is as if he said to her: 'You call well, but you stumble; when you are sober again, then you will be ashamed. Your brother will rise.' But Martha, still carried along by human words, answered the Lord: 'I know that he will rise in the resurrection at the last day.' And the Lord said to her: 'Why are you amazed, Martha? Why do you put off the resurrection to distant hopes? The Resurrection is speaking with you, and do you argue about the resurrection? I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, shall live.' 3. While the Lord was saying this, almost the whole town of Bethany ran down to the Lord's arrival, not to wonder but to laugh; for they had no hope that a man four days dead would be raised. What, then, did the Lord do? When he saw so great a crowd running together, and that they were fit and sufficient to bear witness to what was to be raised by him, he answered and said to them: 'Where have you laid Lazarus?' Did the Master of the place not know the place? He knew the place, but he arranged the manner, so that all, compelled to follow Jesus, might see the resurrection and become unquestionable heralds of it. 'Where have you laid him?' And they, being asked, said to him, 'Come and see.' As Jesus walked and hastened to the tomb, the crowd following behind reasoned among themselves, saying: 'Why does this man want to see Lazarus's tomb? … he was not present to bodily eyes. ### Scripture references - John 11:21–22: quotation, high confidence - John 11:24–25: quotation, high confidence - John 11:34: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: John 11:21–22, 24–25, 34. Several words are garbled in the scan text and translated by sense; Christ's words to Martha are partly the preacher's expansion. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 61 (PG 39:61a–61c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/61). ## Homilies, Migne column 63 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-63 - Source: PG 39:64a–64d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Martha protests that Lazarus already stinks; Christ weeps to reveal the crowd's thoughts, has the stone rolled away so that the stench proves real death, and calls Lazarus out with authority. ### Greek text Υἱός ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦτον ἀναστήσει. Τῶν γὰρ προσφάτως τελευτησάντων, ὧν ἤγειρεν, οὐκ ἐπιστάι μεθα. Πόθεν οὖν ἴσμεν; Εί τελείῳ θανάτῳ παρεδόθησαν, τοῦτον ἀναστήσει, καὶ γνῶσιν λαμβάνομεν ὅτι άληθῶς Θεοῦ Υἱός ἐστιν. Ὅθεν καὶ ή Μάρθα τοῖς λόγοις τοιούτοις συμπεριενεχθεῖσα, προσῆλθε τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ αὑτὴ λέγουσα · Ποῦ πορεύῃ, Δέσποτα ; Τί θέλεις τὸν τάφον ίδεῖν Λαζάρου; Τί τὴν ὀδύνην ὴμῶι άναξέειςς Τί τὸ πένθος ὲπεγείρεις; Τί θέλεις τὸν τά· φον ίδεῖνς Οὐδὲν γὰρ ὠνήσῃ, Δέσποτα· Ἤδη ὄζει, caepa/ipequ γάρ ἐστιν. Ὀ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς τὴν Μάρθαν · Οὐκ εἶπόν σοι, ὅτι ἐὰν πιστεύσῃς, ὄψῃ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ἐμολ λέγεις, Ἤδη ὅζει; 'll ἀδελφὴ σου μυρίζει, καὶ σὺ καπνίζῃ ὲν τῇ ἀπιστίας Θέλω τὸν τάφον ίδεῖν τοῦ φίλου μου. '. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὀΚύριος, ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον ἐπορεύετο· καὶ πλησιάσας τῷ τάφῳ, μόεσνον εἶδε τὸ μνημεῖον, εύθέως ἐδάκρυσε. Τίς ἠ χρεία δακρύειν, ὃν ἤμελλεν ὲγείρειν; Ἐδάκρυσε, διὸ συνετῶς πάντα ὁ Κύριος σοφῶς ἐπραγματεύσατο. Ἐδάκρυσε γὰρ ἐπι τον τάφον, ὅπως τῶν ἀκολουθησάντων τὴν γνώμην δη μοσιεύσῃ, οἵαν ἔχουσι περὶ αὑτοῦ ὑποψίαν. Διὸ καὶ ώς εἶδον αὑτὸν δακρύσαντα, ἀνθρώπινα πάλιν παθόντες οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες ὄχλοι, ἤρξαντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἀντιβάλλειν καὶ λέγειν· Εἶδες πῶς ἐφίλει αὑτόν; Ὀ νεκροὺς ἐγείρας, καὶ τυφλοὺς ὀμματώσας, οὐκ ἠδύνατο ποιῆσαι ἵνα καὶ οὗτος μὴ ἀποθάνῃ, εί ἄρα οὕτως ἐφίλει αὺτόνς '0 δὲ Κύριος, ὡς εἶδεν αὐτοὺς ἔτι ἀνθρώπινα λαλοῦντας, ἀπεκρίνατο πρὸς αὐτούς· Κούφον μὲν ἧν μοι παρακατασχεῖν τὴν ζωὴν Λαζάρου, καὶ τοο Ἠλία..τι τοῦ Ἑνὼχ, ’ἀλλʼ οὐδεὶς ὑμῶν ἐγίνωσκεν, ὅτιτῇ ἐμῇ θελήσει ἡ ζωὴ Λαζάρου παρακατέχεται. Διά τοῦτο συνεχώρησα ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου αὑτὸν καταποθῆναι, ὅπως ἀκριβῶς μάθητε, ὅτι ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχω. Καὶ εὐθὺς πρὸς αύτούς ὁ Κύριος, καθὼς ἴστε πάντες σαφῶς· Ἀετοκυο λίσατε τὸν λίθον. Βλέπε πῶς πάντα σοφῶς ἐπραγματεύσατο, μάρτυρας ἀκριῦεἰς τῆς ἀναστάσεως Λαζάρου καθιστῶν. Ἀποκυλίσατε τὸν λίθον. Τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐπέτρεπεν ὅρη μεταγαγεῖν λόγῳ, καὶ αὐτὸς λίθον οὐκ ἀπεκύλισεν; Ἀλλά πάντα σοφῶς, καθὼς προεῖπον, πραγματευόμενος πρὸς λυσιτέλειαν, ἔλεγε τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, Ἀποκυλίσατε τὸν λίθον, ὅπως ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς νεκροφόρου ἀποφορᾶς μάθωσιν ὅτι ἐσάπη καὶ οὐκ ὲκλάπη. Ἀποκυλίσατε τὸν λίθον. Τῶν δὲ ἀποκυλισάντων μετὰ γογγυσμοῦ (ὲδρίμυττεν γὰρ αύς ὴ νεκροφόρου δυσςνιος ἀποφορά)· ἁποκυλισάντων δὲ τῶν παρόντων τὸν λίθον, εὐθέως ἐβόησεν ὁ Κύριος λέγων· Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἔξω. Δεσπότης ὁ καλῶν, οὑδεὶς ὁ ἀντιλέγων. Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἔξωο πληροφόρησον Μάρθαν τὴν ἀδελφήν σου, ὼς κελεύω, καὶ οὐχ ἱκετεύω. Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἔξω. Πρὸ τοῦ κατέλθω, ἐξελ· θε ὲν σοὶ τὸν ἀρραβῶνα, ὲν ἐμοὶ τὸ τέλειον. Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἔξω. η ### English translation (Claude) If he is the Son of God, he will raise this man. For of those who had just died whom he raised, we are not sure. How, then, shall we know? If they had been given over to complete death; this one he will raise, and we shall come to know that he is truly the Son of God.' So Martha too, carried along by such words, came to the Lord and herself said: 'Where are you going, Master? Why do you want to see Lazarus's tomb? Why do you scrape open our pain? Why do you rouse our grief? Why do you want to see the tomb? You will gain nothing, Master. He already stinks, for he has been dead four days.' And the Lord said to Martha: 'Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? Do you say to me, He already stinks? Your sister anoints with myrrh, and you smoke with unbelief. I want to see the tomb of my friend.' 4. Having said this, the Lord went to the tomb; and as he drew near and saw the monument, he at once wept. What need was there to weep for one he was about to raise? He wept because the Lord arranged everything with understanding and wisdom. He wept at the tomb so as to make public the opinion of those who followed, the suspicion they had about him. So when they saw him weeping, the crowds that followed, again feeling as men feel, began to dispute among themselves and say: 'See how he loved him! Could not he who raised the dead and opened the eyes of the blind have made this man too not die, if he loved him so much?' But the Lord, seeing them still speaking as men, answered them: 'It was easy for me to keep back the life of Lazarus, as of Elijah and of Enoch; but none of you knew that it is by my will that the life of Lazarus is kept back. That is why I allowed him to be swallowed by death, so that you might learn exactly that I have power over life and death.' And at once the Lord said to them, as you all clearly know: 'Roll away the stone.' See how he arranged everything wisely, establishing exact witnesses of Lazarus's resurrection. 'Roll away the stone.' He who allowed his disciples to move mountains by a word, did he himself not roll away a stone? But, arranging all things wisely, as I said, for their profit, he said to the Jews, 'Roll away the stone', so that from the very stench of the corpse they might learn that he had rotted and had not been stolen away. 'Roll away the stone.' They rolled it away with grumbling, for the foul stench of the corpse stung them; and as soon as those present had rolled the stone away, the Lord cried out, saying: 'Lazarus, come out!' The Master is the one who calls; no one gainsays. 'Lazarus, come out; assure your sister Martha that I command and do not entreat. Lazarus, come out. Before I go down, come out: in you the pledge, in me the completion. Lazarus, come out!' ### Scripture references - John 11:39–40: quotation, high confidence - John 11:35–37: allusion, high confidence - John 11:43: quotation, high confidence - 2 Kgs 2:11: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 5:24: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 17:20: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: John 11:36–37, 39–40, 43; Elijah and Enoch taken up alive (2 Kgs 2:11; Gen 5:24); moving mountains, Matt 17:20. 'Before I go down' refers to Christ's descent to Hades; Lazarus is the pledge of the general resurrection. Christ's speeches are partly the preacher's expansion. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 63 (PG 39:64a–64d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/63). ## Homilies, Migne column 65 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/43/#p-65 - Source: PG 39:65a–65b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ raised Lazarus with a single word, restoring his body and recalling his soul from Hades, and had him unbound before witnesses; the homily ends with the Palm Sunday acclamation. Oration 4, on the sinful woman, begins. ### Greek text Β. Μὴ οἴου τὸν Κύριον πολλάς φωνὰς βεβληκέναι. Ἀπαξ ὲλὰλησε, καὶ ὃν ἔπλασεν, ἤγειρεν. Οὔτε γὰρ ὡς Ἠλίας ἔκλαυσεν· οὔτε ὡς Ἐλισαῖος ἀπόρησε. Μονοφθὸγγῳ φωνῇ διύπνισε τὸν παρʼ αὐτῷ καθεύδοντα, εἰπὼν, Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἐξωο εἷς ό λόγος, καίδιάφορα τὰ Θαύματα. Μόνον 6 Κύριος έφώνησε, Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἔξω, καὶ εὐθέως αί σάρκες ἀπεπληροῦντο· αἱ τρίχες ἅντεφύτοντο' al ἁρμονίαι συνεεραμοῦντο· αἱ φλέβες καθαρῷ αἵματι άντεγεμίζοντο· 6 ᾅδης κάτωθεν κοπτόμενος τὸν Λάζαρον προέπεμψεν ἡ ψυχὴ Λαζάρου παρακρατουμένη. καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων παρακαλουμένη, τὸ [διον εἱς τὺ [διον μετεχωνεύετοο καὶ τὸ πάντων ἐνδοξότερον ἦν, ὃτι πανταχόθεν δεδεμένος ἦν τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὴν ὖψιν κηρίαις, καὶ ἀνεμποδίστως ἐδάδιζε. Διὸ καὶ 6 Κύριος δραστικώτενρον πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας ὄχλους παρεκελεύσατο, λέγωνʼ Λύσατε αὑτὸν, καί ἄφετε ὑπάγειν. Βλέπε τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου πραγματείαν, καὶ πῶς τὰ πάντα σοφῶς οίκονομεῖ. 1196; πληροφορίαν τῶν παρόντων ἔλεγε· Λύσατε αὺτὸν, καὶ ἆςεετε ὑπάγειν, ὡς τὸν λίθον ἀπεκυλίσατε, καὶ τὸν τάφον ὑπεδείξατε. καὶ τῆς ὀσφρήσεως μετήτχετε, καὶ τὰ νεκροτάφια ἐλύσατε· τὸ μὲν, εὐλο· γίαν τηροῦντες* τὸ δὲ, ὡς μάρτυρες φυλάττοντες. Ἐὰν άπιστήσωσιν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οί Φαρισαῖοι ὡς οὐκ ἀνέστη Λάζαρος, δείξατε τά νεκροτάιριαο ἐμφανίσατε σουδάρια ὡς 6 παραλυτικὸς τὸν κράβατον. Ἦμεξ δὲ τὰ βαΐα τῶν φοινίκων βαστάζοντες εἴπωμεν Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Αὑτῷὴ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, σὺν τῷ παναγίῳ κα) ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ είς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ’Δμῖήω ΛΟΓΟΣ Δʼ. Ὀμιλία είς τὴν γυναῖκα (τὴν ἁμαρτωλὸν, … Κύριον μύρῳ, καὶ είς Φαρισαῖον. Τῇ μ. δʼ. ἰκανῶς ἡμᾶς πρώην ἐψυχαγώγησεν 6 Χριστὸς ### English translation (Claude) 5. Do not suppose that the Lord uttered many words. He spoke once, and the man he had formed he raised. For he neither wept like Elijah nor was at a loss like Elisha. With a voice of a single sound he woke the man sleeping beside him, saying, 'Lazarus, come out': one word, and many wonders. The Lord only called, 'Lazarus, come out', and at once the flesh was filled up again; the hair grew again; the joints were fitted together; the veins were filled again with pure blood; Hades below, stricken, sent Lazarus forth; the soul of Lazarus, held back and summoned by the angels, was recast, its own into its own; and the most glorious thing of all was that, though he was bound on every side, feet and face, with grave-bands, he walked unhindered. Therefore the Lord gave the crowds present a more forceful command, saying, 'Unbind him and let him go.' See the Lord's arrangement, how he orders everything wisely. For the assurance of those present he said, 'Unbind him and let him go': as you rolled away the stone, and showed the tomb, and shared the smell, so loose the grave-clothes, the one keeping them as a blessing, the other guarding them as witnesses. If the chief priests and the Pharisees disbelieve that Lazarus has risen, show the grave-clothes; display the napkins, as the paralytic did his bed. And let us, carrying the branches of the palms, say, 'Hosanna in the highest; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' To him be glory and might, with the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Oration 4. Homily on the sinful woman who anointed the Lord with myrrh, and on the Pharisee. The other day Christ refreshed us abundantly ### Scripture references - 1 Kgs 17:21: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Kgs 4:31–35: allusion, medium confidence - John 11:44: quotation, high confidence - Mark 2:11–12: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 21:9: quotation, high confidence - Luke 7:36–50: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Elijah stretching himself on the child (1 Kgs 17:21) and Elisha's labours (2 Kgs 4:31–35); John 11:44; the paralytic carrying his bed, Mark 2:11–12; 'Hosanna', Matt 21:9. Oration 4 is on Luke 7:36–50. - Migne's '(sic)' and a few Latin letters in the heading of Oration 4 are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 65 (PG 39:65a–65b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/65). ## Homilies, Migne column 67 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-67 - Source: PG 39:68a–68d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Oration 4 opens by recalling Christ at Zacchaeus's table: the Good Shepherd eats with sinners to seek the lost sheep and bring it back to the fold. ### Greek text ιὰ Ζακχαιῳ ἑστιώμενος. Ὅπου γὰρ Χριστὸς ἑστιᾶται. καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανακλίνεται, καὶ ποτοῦ καὶ τραπέζης ἀπολαύει τῆς ἡμετέρας, πρὸς τὸν τῆς εὐφροσύνης μετάγεται λόγον. Τίς γὰρ τελωνῶν, ἢ πορνῶν, ἢ τῶν τὰ ἄρρητα ἐργασαμένων δεινὰ, τὸν ούρανοῦ ἢ καὶ γῆς Ποιητὴν, στέγην ὑπελθόντα τελωνικὴν βλέπων· ἦ τὸν τῶν ἀσταχύων δοτῆρα, ἄρτον ἀνθρώπινον μετὰ χεῖρας λαμβάνοντα, ἦ τὸν τῶν βοτρύων χορηγὸν,τῇ κοινωνίᾳ τοῦ ποτοῦ τὰς ληνοὺςίέῗί) εὐλογοῦντα· μὴ ἑορτὴν καὶ πανήγυριν θέσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα δικαιώσειεν;Αὖτη ἀληθῶς ἑορτήο αὕτη ἀληθῶς ἀγγελικῆς ἑστιάσεως εὐφροσύνη, τὸ τὸν Δεσπότην, μετὰ δούλων τὸν Θεὸν, μετά ἀνθρώπων· τὸν δικαστὴν, μετὰτῶν ὑπευθύνων ὁρᾷν κοινῆς ἀπολαύοντα τραπέζης. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἐπὶ γῆς ἦλθεν, οὐκ ημον καταλιπὼν τὸν οὐρανόν· καὶ ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν, οὐκ ἀποδὺς τὸ εἶναι Θεός· ἴνα καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν πλέων, τοὺς εἰς τὸ βιωτικὸν χειμαζομένους πέλαγος, ὲκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀνασύρῃ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ κώμας καὶ πόλεις περιϊὼν, στενοποὺς καὶ ἀτραποὺς, καὶ ὲπιδρόμους περιτρέχων, τοὺς ἐν ταῖς τριόδοις πλανωμένους ὡς ἀποίμαντα πρόβατα, ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ὲπαναγάγῃ ποίμνην. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς πρόβατον ἐπιζητῶν, τά ἐννενήκοντα ἐννέα καταλιπὼν, καὶ περὶ τὴν τοῦ ἐνὸς παραγενόμενος ζήτησιν. Ἐζήτει γὰρ τὸ ἓν, οὔτε τῶν πολλῶν καταφρονῶν, οὔτε τοῦ πλήθους τὸ ἓν προκρίνων. Ἀλλά τὰ μὲν ὲν· νενήκοντα ἐννέα κατελίμπανεν· ἔδει γὰρ ἀσφαλῶς αὐτὰ ὲν τῇ μάνδρᾳ αύλίζεσθαιʼ τὺ δὲ ἓν προῖὼν ἐζήτει. ἵνα μὴ θήνη τῷ διαβόλῳ γένηται. Πρόβατον γὰρ ἀποὶμαντον, θηρσὶν ἕτοιμον δεῖπνον. Καὶ ψυχὴ ἁο σφράγιστος, δαίμοσιν εύεπιὸούλευτος. Ὅθεν πρώην τὸν Ζακχαῖον ὡς πρόβατον ὲκ στόματος λύκου ἀφήρπασε,καὶ τῇ μάνδρᾳ συνέμιξε, καὶ σφραγῖδος ἠξίωσεν* ὡς γὰρ ποιμὴν πρόόατον ἀποπλανηθὲν θηὺματαο ### English translation (Claude) … feasting with Zacchaeus. For where Christ is entertained, and reclines with men, and enjoys our drink and table, the occasion turns into an account of joy. For which of the tax collectors or harlots, or of those who have done unspeakable and dreadful deeds, seeing the Maker of heaven and earth going under a tax collector's roof, or the giver of the ears of corn taking human bread in his hands, or the provider of the grape clusters blessing the winepresses by sharing the drink, would not think it right to make the event a feast and festival? This truly is a feast; this truly is the joy of an angelic banquet: to see the Master with servants, God with men, the Judge with those under judgment, enjoying a common table. For this is why he came to earth, without leaving heaven empty, and became man, without putting off being God: so that, sailing the sea, he might draw up from the depth of sin those storm-tossed on the sea of life; and going round villages and cities, running through lanes and paths and highways, he might bring back to his own flock those wandering at the crossroads like sheep without a shepherd. For he is the one who seeks the lost sheep, leaving the ninety-nine and coming to search for the one. He sought the one, neither despising the many nor preferring the one to the multitude; but the ninety-nine he left, for they had to be lodged safely in the fold, and the one he went out to seek, so that it might not become prey to the devil. For a sheep without a shepherd is a ready meal for wild beasts, and an unsealed soul is easily plotted against by demons. So the other day he snatched Zacchaeus like a sheep from the wolf's mouth, joined him to the fold, and granted him the seal; for as a shepherd [rejoices over] a sheep that had wandered … ### Scripture references - Luke 19:1–10: allusion, high confidence - Luke 15:4: allusion, high confidence - Matt 9:36: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1–10; the lost sheep, Luke 15:4–7 (Matt 18:12–13); sheep without a shepherd, Matt 9:36. 'The seal' may refer to baptism. - The passage breaks off at the end; the next Migne column (69) is missing from the scan text. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 67 (PG 39:68a–68d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/67). ## Homilies, Migne column 71 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-71 - Source: PG 39:72a–72d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ accepted the Pharisee's invitation so that the sinful woman might teach repentance; Amphilochius describes woman as Eve's heir and explains that marriage was given after the fall as a remedy against death, for lawful union, not for pleasure. ### Greek text ἔπειτα δεικνὺς, ὼς οὐ φάσμα ἦν ἡ ἐνανθρώπησις, ὲκ τῆς ἀνακλίσεως, τῆς βρώσεως, τῆς πόσεως, τῆς τῶν σιτίων δαπάνης. ’Ἄλλως δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ἔμελλενή πόρνη προσιέναι, καὶ τὸν θερμὸν ἐκεῖνον καὶ διάπυρον τῆς μετανοίας δεικνύναι τρόπονʼ διὰ τοῦτο καλοῦντι τῷ Φαρισαίῳ ἐπινεύει ταχέως, ἵνα ἐπʼ ὄψεσι Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων τὰ οἰκεῖα ὲκτραγῳδήσουσα κακά, διδάξῃ αὐτοὺς, πῶς δεῖ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις στυγνάζοντας, ἐξευμενίζεσθαι Θεόν. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησι, γυνὴ ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἢ τις ἦν ἁμαρτωλός. Γυνή·ἡ εύόλισθος φύσις, τὸ πρῶτον δίκτυον τοῦ διαβόλου, ἡ τῆς πλάνης είσαγωγὴ, ἡτῆς παραβάσεως διδάσκαλος· ἡ βοηθὸς μὲν γενομένη, πολεμία δὲ τίιναδειχθεῖσα ἡ γενομένη κατὰ φύσιν καλὴ, ὲκ προαιρέσεως δὲ ἀποδειχθεῖσα κακή· εδ κάλλος τοῦ ξύλου. δείξασα, καὶ παράδεισον ἀπολέσασα. Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ, φησιν, ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἥτις ἦν ἁμαρτωλὸς, τὰ τῆς Εύας φέρουσα βάρη, πολλοῖς κακοῖς βριθομένη. Ἐρῶ δὲ αὐτῆς τῶν προτέρων τρόπων τὴν δαψίλειαν, ἵνα γνῶτε αὐτῆς τῆς μετανοίας τὴν πολυτέλειαν. Δʼ. Ὀ Θεὸς ἐκ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὀστέον λαβὼν, καὶτοῦτο σαρκώσας, τὴν Εὕαν εἰργάσατο, ἢν καὶ γδναῖκα καλέσας, ἔδωκε βοηθὸν τῷ Ἀδάμ. Ἀλλά μετὰ τὸ ἁμαρτεῖν, καὶ παραβῆναι τὸν νόμον, κα). ἐκβληθῆναι τοῦ παραδείσου, καὶ θάνατον τὸ ὲπιο τίμιον λαβεῖνʼ ἵνα μὴ τῷ θανάτῳ δαπανώμενον ἄρδην τὸ γένος ἀπώληται, γάμος ἐπιστρατεύει τῷ θανάτῳ. Ἵνα ὁ μὲν σπείρῃ, ὁ δὲ θερίςηο ὁ μὲν τέμνῃ, δ δὲ αστάνῃ. Καὶ ὅτι μετὰ τὺ ὑποβληθῆναι θανάτῳ, ἡ τοῦ γάμου ἐδόθη χάρις, δῆλον ὲκ τοῦ, τὸν Ἀδὰμ με· τὰ τὴν ἔξοδον τοῦ παραδείσου συναφθῆναιτῇ Εὗᾳ. Γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι, μετὰ τὸ ἐξελθεῖν ὲκ τοῦ παρα.δείσου, τότε ἔγνω Ἀδὰμ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ· πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας οὖν, παρθενία ἦν· ἀμόλυντον τηροῦσα τὸν χιτῶνα τῆς φύσεως. Μετά δὲ τὴν παράβασιν, με· τὰ τὴν τοῦ θανάτου ἀπόφασιν, ὁ.γάμος ἁντεισήχθη, ἵνα ἁντλοῦντα τὸν θάνατον νικήσῃ βρύων, καὶ τρυο γῶντα ήττήσῃ φύων. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὲπὶτῇ συνοχῇ τοῦ γένους, καὶ ἐπὶ αὐξήσει τῆς φύσεως, ὁ τοῦ γάμου ἐδόθη νόμος· τῷ μὲν ἀνθρώπῳ ἡδονὴν ὲνέσπειρε· τὸ δὲ θῆλυ, θωπευτικὸν ἐποίησενο ούχ ἵνα ἑταιρικῶς πρὸς μίξεις ἐρεθίζωνται· ἀλλʼ ἵνα ἐννόμως πρὸς γάμον συνάπτωνται. Ὅθεν μὲν ἔνθεσμος τοῦ γάμου μίξις μία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Ἡ δὲ πρὸς χάριν τῶν ἡδονῶν ὲκτελουμένη, θανάτῳ ὑποβέβληται. Τίμιος γὰρ ### English translation (Claude) then showing, by his reclining, his eating, his drinking, and his consuming of food, that his becoming man was not a phantom. Besides, since the harlot was about to come and show that warm and fiery manner of repentance, he readily accepts the Pharisee's invitation, so that before the eyes of the scribes and Pharisees she might lament her own evils and teach them how sinners, grieving over their sins, ought to win God's favour. 'For behold', it says, 'a woman in the city, who was a sinner.' A woman: the nature that easily slips, the devil's first net, the entrance of error, the teacher of transgression; who was made a helper but showed herself an enemy; who was made good by nature but proved evil by choice; who displayed the beauty of the tree and lost paradise. 'And behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner', bearing the burdens of Eve, weighed down with many evils. I will tell you the abundance of her former ways, so that you may know the costliness of her repentance. 4. God took a bone from Adam's side, clothed it with flesh, and made Eve, whom he also called woman, and gave her to Adam as a helper. But after they had sinned and transgressed the law, been cast out of paradise, and received death as the penalty, marriage takes the field against death, so that the race might not be consumed by death and perish utterly: so that one sows and the other reaps; one cuts down and the other springs up. And that the grace of marriage was given after they had been made subject to death is clear from Adam's being united with Eve after he went out of paradise. For it is written that after they went out of paradise, then Adam knew his wife. Before sin, then, there was virginity, keeping the garment of nature undefiled; but after the transgression, after the sentence of death, marriage was brought in in exchange, so that by springing up it might conquer death that drains away, and by growing might defeat death that harvests. Since, then, the law of marriage was given for the preservation of the race and the increase of nature, God sowed pleasure in man and made the female alluring: not so that they might be stirred like harlots to intercourse, but so that they might be lawfully joined in marriage. Hence the lawful union of marriage is one, with God; but that which is carried out for the sake of pleasures is subject to death. For honourable ### Scripture references - Luke 7:37: quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:21–22: allusion, high confidence - Gen 4:1: allusion, high confidence - Heb 13:4: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The preceding Migne column (69) is missing from the scan text. Scripture: Luke 7:37; Gen 2:21–22; Gen 4:1 (Adam knew his wife after leaving paradise); 'honourable [marriage]', Heb 13:4. - Amphilochius's description of woman as 'the devil's first net' and his view that before the fall there was virginity and that marriage was given only after it are translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 71 (PG 39:72a–72d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/71). ## Homilies, Migne column 75 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-75 - Source: PG 39:76a–76d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The sinful woman reasons that only Jesus can save her, goes to him not for bodily healing but for the soul's, and without a word confesses all her sins with tears at his feet. ### Greek text τῶν ἀπείρων τούτων παθῶν; Ἐὰν ἀνθρώποις τὰ κατʼ ἐμαυτὴν είπω, ἀνωφελής μοι γίνεται τῆς ἐξ· αγορεύσεως ὁ τρόπος. Ἀλλά καλύψω τὰ κακά; Ἀλλʼ ού δύναμαι λαβεῖν. Τίνα γὰρ λάθω, Θεὸν λαθεῖν μὴ δυναμένη; Ποῦ οὖν φύγω, πανταχοῦ τὸν δικαστὴν εὑρίσκουσα; Τὸν μὴ φαινόμενον μὲν, πανταχοῦ διελέγχοντά μου τὰ κακά. Μία μοι σωτηρίας ἀπολείπεται ἐλπὶς, ἓν μοι ἐφόδιον πρόκειται ζωῆς· τὸ, τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιγνῶναι, καὶ αὑτῷ προσδραμεῖν. '0 γὰρ τελώνας προσδεχόμενος, οὐκ ἀπαναίνεται πόρνην. '0 Φαρισαίοις συνεσΟίων, ού παραιτεῖται τῇς ἁμαρτωλοῦ τὰ δάκρυα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔγνων, ὡς παρὰ Σιμῶνι Φαρισαίῳ κατάγεται, τούτῳ προσέλθω. Ἀ),ὶά τί αἰτήσω προσελθοῦσα; Ὀφθαλμῶν ύγίειαν; Ἀλλὰ. πρόσκαιρος ή χάρις. Νόσου ἀπαλλαγήν; Ἀλλὰ μικρὸν τὸ κατόρθωμα · ὁ γὰρ αἰώνιος. θάνατος τοῦ παρόντος ἐστὶ βαρύτερος. Πάντα παρήσω τὰ τοῦ σώματος. Τὸ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιζητήσω ιαμα. Μίαν γὰρ εὑρήσω λύσιν τῶν ἐπηρτημένων κακῶν, ἐὰν τὸν δικαστὴν ἴδω, ἐὰν προλάβω τῆς κολάσεως τὸν καιρόν. Μιμήσομαι Ῥαὰβ τήν πόρνην, τῆς γυναικὸς τὸν ἐνάρετον μεταδιώξω τρόπον ο οὐδὲν γὰρ παρʼ ἡμῶν ἄλλο βούλεται Θεὸς, ἢ γνώμης ἐναλλαγήν. ,Ταῦτα εὐσεβῶς διασκεψαμένη, καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς πίστιν ἐπαλείψασα, ἐπεισέρχεται τῷ Ὶησοῦ ὅπου ἀνέκειτο, τὴν προτέραν ἀναίδειαν εἰς ὑποθεσιν παρρησίας λαβοῦσα. Καὶ λέγει μὲν αὐτῷ οὺδέν ού γάρ ἐτόλμα ν ᾔδει γὰρ ὡς ὁ τῶν λογισμῶν ἔφορος οὐ δεῖται λόγων. Τί γὰρ εἰπεῖν εἶχε τῷ πάντα εἰδότι; ’Ὁτι ἥμαρτεν; Ὅτι πολλῶν κακῶν ἐργάτης γέγονεν; ’Ότι ἐρῶσα xui. ἐρωμένη τὴν πάνδη μον ἡδονὴν ἐθεράπευσε; Ταῦτα Θεῷ δῆλα ἦν, ού πραττόμενα μόνον, άλλά καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀφάνῳ τῆς ψυχῆς βουλευτηρίῳ γυμνούμενα. Εἰδυῖα οὖν ὠς πάντα οἱὸε, καὶ λαθεῖν αὑτὸν δύναται οὐδὲν, Θυροῖ μὲν τὴν γλῶσσαν, λαλεῖ δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσι. Στᾶσα γὰρ, φησὶ, παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, κλαίουσα ἤρξατο βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὺτοῦ τοῖς δάκρυσιν. Ἀλλʼ ei καὶ μὴ τῇ γλώσσῃ ἐλάλει, ἀλλά στεναγμοῖς ἁλαλήτοις ἐφθέγγετο, τὸν σύντριμμὸν τῆς καρδίας ἐκκάμπτουσα, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν θριαμβεύουσα· τοὺς ἀτόπους λογισμοὺς, τὰς ἐναγεῖς ἐνθυιήσεις, τὰς βεβήλους πράξεις, τὰς παρανόμους δμιλίας ἐκπομπεύουσα · οὐδὲν γὰρ ἧν τῶν πεπραγμέ‹ ρων αὐτῇ κακῶν, ὃ μὴ δάκρυσιν ἐξετραγῴδει. ’ᾘδει γὰρ ὃτι ὧν ὡμολόγει, τὴν ἀμνηστίαν ἐλάμβανεν· Ξῖπα γάρ, φησιν, Ἐξαγορεύσω κατʼ ἐμοῦ τὴν ἀνοιίαν μου τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ σὺ ἀφῆκας τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς καρδίας μου. Καὶ οὐ μόνον ἀλαλήτως ἐφθέγγετο, ### English translation (Claude) … [how shall I escape] these numberless passions? If I tell men about myself, the way of confession is of no use to me. But shall I hide my evils? But I cannot escape notice. From whom shall I hide, when I cannot hide from God? Where shall I flee, when I find the Judge everywhere, him who is not seen, yet everywhere exposes my evils? One hope of salvation is left to me, one provision for life lies before me: to recognize Jesus and run to him. For he who receives tax collectors does not reject a harlot; he who eats with Pharisees does not refuse a sinner's tears. Since I have learned that he is lodging with Simon the Pharisee, let me go to him. But what shall I ask when I come? Health for my eyes? But that favour is for a time. Release from disease? But that is a small achievement, for eternal death is heavier than the present one. I will let go of everything bodily, and seek the healing of the soul. For I shall find one release from the evils hanging over me, if I see the Judge, if I forestall the time of punishment. I will imitate Rahab the harlot; I will follow the virtuous way of that woman; for God wants nothing else from us than a change of mind.' Having considered this piously, and anointed her mind for faith, she comes in to Jesus where he was reclining, taking her former shamelessness as the occasion for boldness. She says nothing to him, for she did not dare; she knew that the overseer of thoughts needs no words. For what could she say to the one who knows all things? That she had sinned? That she had been the worker of many evils? That, loving and being loved, she had served the pleasure of all comers? These things were plain to God, not only as done, but laid bare in the hidden council chamber of the soul. Knowing, then, that he knows all things, and that nothing can escape him, she shuts her tongue but speaks with her tears. For 'standing at Jesus' feet', it says, 'weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.' Though she did not speak with her tongue, she uttered with groans that cannot be spoken, bending in contrition of heart, laying bare the multitude of her sins, parading the wicked reasonings, the accursed thoughts, the profane deeds, the lawless associations; for there was none of the evils she had done that she did not lament with tears. For she knew that she received amnesty for what she confessed. 'I said', it says, 'I will confess my lawlessness against myself to the Lord, and you forgave the impiety of my heart.' And not only did she speak without words, ### Scripture references - Josh 2:1: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 7:38: quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:26: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 32:5 (31:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The preceding Migne column (73) is missing from the scan text; the passage begins inside the woman's imagined soliloquy. Scripture: Rahab, Josh 2; Heb 11:31; Luke 7:38; groans that cannot be spoken, Rom 8:26; Ps 32:5 (LXX 31:5). ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 75 (PG 39:76a–76d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/75). ## Homilies, Migne column 77 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-77 - Source: PG 39:77a–77d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The sinful woman washes Christ's feet with tears, wipes them with her hair, and anoints them with myrrh, surpassing Abraham's hospitality, the ungrateful Jews, and even kings and Magi. ### Greek text τοῖς στεναγμοῖς τῆς καρδίας δυσωποῦσα τοι Κύριον· ἀλλά καὶ σχήματι τὸ τῆς μετανοίας περι-ο ἐγραφε κάλλος. Ἐδάκρυσε μὲν, ὡς πολλὰ γελάσασα ο τοῖς καλοῖς δάκρυσι τὸν κακὸν ὲκπλύνουσα γέλωτα· ταῖς δὲ ῥανίσι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὸν τῶν παρειῶν ὲκπλίνονσα ῥύπον · ἵνα ἐν οἷς ἥμαρτεν, ὲν τούτοις καὶ ἀπολογήσηται · ἐν οἷς ὴνόμησεν, ἐν τούτοις τὸν νομοθέτην ὲξιλεὼσηται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν κοίτην ἣν ἐκθέσμως ἐμόλυνε συμπλοκῇ, δάκρυσιν ἀπέπλυνεν ὁ Διαδ- Λούσω γὰρ, φησὶ, καθʼ ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κοίτην μου · ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου,βρέξω · οὕτω καὶ αὕτη διʼ ὧν ὀφθαλμῶν πολλοὺς τῶν νέων είς ἀκολασίαν ὑπέσυρε, δακρύων ἀφεῖσα πηγὰς, ’τὸν δύσπλυτον τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπέπλυνε ῥύπον, αὕτη ἑαυτῇ λοῦτρον μετανοίας προβαλλομένη τὰ δάκρυα. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ δάκρυα ὠς ὕδωρ αὐτὰ napi— εἶχε· τὴν δὲ ᾶςρεσιν ἀοράτως παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπεδέχετο. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, οὐ μιμουμένη μόνον, ἀλλά καὶ νικῶσα, τοὺς πόδας ἀπέπλυνε τού Χριστοῦ. '0 μὲν γὰρ νιπτῆρα θεὶς, ὕδατι ἀπέπλονε, καὶ λεντίῳ κατέμασσεν· αὕτη δὲ οὐχ ὕδωρ ἁντλήτασα, ἀλλά κρήνας δακρύων ἀφεῖσα, τοὺς πόis; ἀπέπλυνε τοῦ Ἰησοῦ · φεισαμένη δὲ, μὴ δάκρυσιν ἁμαρτωλοῖς ἁγνοὺς ἐνυβρίσῃ πόδας. τδ τῶν 1;?“ χῶν κάλλος ὡς λεντίον ὑποβαλοῦσα, ἀπέμασε τοὺς πέδας· καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν ὅλον διʼ ὅλου τὸ γύναιον πρὸς θεράπειαν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καμπτόμενον· Οἱ μὲν ίὰῥ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἄνωθεν, ὠς κρῆναι. δακρύων ἔπεμπον ἀχετεύς· ὴ δὲʼψυχὴ ὥσπερ νιπτὴρ ὑποκειμένη, τὰς εκ τῶν πεδῶν ἀποσταςούσας ἐδέχετο ῥανίδας. Oi δὲ πλόημοιῆπέμασσον, τὸ λεντίου πληροῦντες σχῆμα. Αἱ δὲ χεῖρες τὸ ἀλάβαστρον τοῦ μύρου τοὺς θείους ἠλείφον πόδας, μύρῳ τὸ μύρον τιμῶσαν Ηύρον γὰρ, φησὶ, κενωθὲν ὄνομά σοι. Z'. Εἶδες πῶς ἐνίκησε τὴν ἀχάριστον τῶν Ἰουδαίων γνώμην γυνὴ ἁμαρτωλὸς, ἡ θείων ἄμοιρος νόμων; Οί μὲν γὰρ λίθοις αὐτὸν ἔβαλλον, ἡ δὲ τοῖς τῆς εύωδίας ηὔφραινε μύροιςο ἀλλά Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν ὡς ἀχάpictai, ὼς ἀσύνετοι καὶ ἀγνώμονες, κακοῖς ἠμείβοντο τὸν εὐεργέτην, λίθοις τὸν ἀκρογωνιαίον φιλοφρονούalvo: λίθον· ὴ δὲ μύρῳ ἤλειφε- τοὺς πόδας τοῦ μέλλοντος διʼ αὐτὴν πανημέριον ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰκρίον ίστᾶσθαι τοῦ σταυροῦ. Καὶ τί λέγω, ὅτι τὸν ἀχάριστον τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐνίκησε δῆμον, ὅπου γε ὅλων τῶν ἁγίων ὑπερηκόντισε τὸν χορόν; Ἔλαβε γὰρ χάριν. ἣν οὐκ ἔλαβον βασιλεῖς, ἦς οὐκ ἔτυχον δυνάσται Βασιλεῖς γὰρ Θαρσεὶς καὶ νῆσοι δῶρα προσοίσουσι, καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς τῆς. Καὶ δὴ κατὰ τὸν προφήτην, ὶίωκαν τὰ δῶρα, καὶ προσεκύνησαν πόρρωθεν · ἀλλʼ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοὺς πόδας ἐφίλησε. Πῶς γάρι Ἦλθον μάγοι λαβόντες ἀστέρα τῆς ἱκεσίας σδμμαχονο ἀλλά πόρρωθεν ὲδωροφὸρουν, τῆς οἰκείας τάξεως τὸ μέτρον γινώσκοντες· ’0 οὐρανὸς γάρ ### English translation (Claude) moving the Lord by the groans of her heart; she also sketched the beauty of repentance by her posture. She wept, as one who had laughed much, washing out the evil laughter with good tears, and with the drops from her eyes washing off the stain of her cheeks; so that in the things in which she had sinned, in these she might also make her defence, and in the things in which she had transgressed, in these she might win the lawgiver's favour. For as David washed with tears the bed he had defiled with an unlawful embrace ('I will wash my bed every night', he says; 'with my tears I will wet my couch'), so she too, with the eyes by which she had drawn many of the young into licentiousness, letting loose springs of tears, washed away the hard-to-wash stain of sin, offering her tears to herself as a bath of repentance. The tears she supplied like water; the forgiveness she received invisibly from Christ. Indeed, not only imitating Abraham but surpassing him, she washed Christ's feet. For he set out a basin, washed with water, and wiped with a towel; but she, drawing no water but letting loose fountains of tears, washed the feet of Jesus; and sparing them, lest she outrage pure feet with sinful tears, she put the beauty of her hair beneath them like a towel and wiped the feet. And one could see the little woman bent wholly, from head to foot, to the service of Jesus. Her eyes above sent forth channels like fountains of tears; her soul, lying beneath like a basin, received the drops falling from the feet; her locks wiped them, filling the place of the towel; and her hands, holding the alabaster jar of myrrh, anointed the divine feet, honouring the Myrrh with myrrh. For 'your name', it says, 'is myrrh poured out.' 7. Do you see how a sinful woman, with no share in the divine laws, overcame the ungrateful mind of the Jews? They threw stones at him; she gladdened him with fragrant myrrh. The Jews, ungrateful, unintelligent, and senseless, repaid their benefactor with evils, greeting the cornerstone with stones; but she anointed with myrrh the feet of him who for her sake was to stand all day on the scaffold of the cross. And why do I say she overcame the ungrateful people of the Jews, when she surpassed the whole choir of the saints? For she received a grace which kings did not receive, which rulers did not obtain. 'The kings of Tarshish and the islands shall bring gifts, and all the kings of the earth shall worship him.' And indeed, as the prophet said, they gave gifts and worshipped from afar; but none of them kissed the feet of Jesus. How could they? The Magi came, having taken a star as ally of their supplication; but they brought their gifts from afar, knowing the measure of their own rank. 'For heaven is my ### Scripture references - Ps 6:6 (6:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 18:4: allusion, high confidence - Luke 7:38: allusion, high confidence - Song 1:3: quotation, high confidence - John 10:31: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 118:22 (117:22 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Ps 72:10–11 (71:10-Ps LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 2:11: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Ps 6:6 (LXX 6:7), referred to David's repentance; Abraham's washing of feet, Gen 18:4; Luke 7:38; Song 1:3; stones thrown at Jesus, John 8:59; 10:31; the cornerstone, Ps 118:22; Ps 72:10–11 (LXX 71:10–11); the Magi, Matt 2:1–11. The preacher's statements about 'the Jews' are translated as written. - A stray Latin note in the scan (nardi …) is removed; one word about her hair is garbled. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 77 (PG 39:77a–77d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/77). ## Homilies, Migne column 79 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-79 - Source: PG 39:80a–80b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ honours the woman's repentance; Amphilochius rebukes the Pharisee who, judging her and doubting Christ's knowledge, showed less insight than the Samaritan woman. ### Greek text tat θρόνος, ἡ δὲ γῆ, ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν μου. Ἐπαινέσθω τοίνυν ἠ γυνὴ, ὡς ὅλης τῆς γῆς τὴν τι· μὴν ὑποδεξαμένη ' ὡς ἁψαμένη ποδῶν ἀχράντων, ὧν τὸν χοῦν ἔθνη καὶ πατριαὶ λίξουσι, κατά τὸ εἰρημένον· Kal οι ἐχθροὶ αὑτοῦ χοῦν λίξουσιν. ’Ἥψατο ποδῶν ὰχράντων· ἐμερίσατο πρὸς Ἰωάννην τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ σῶμα. Ὀ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ στήθους ἀνέπεσε· θείαν γὰρ αὐτόθεν ἔμελλε διδασκαλίαν ἁπομάσσεσθαι· η δὲ τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν βαδίζοντας πόδας ὑπήλειφεν. ’Ἀλλʼ 6 Xptcrsbgwpsv, 76 μὴ τῆν ἁμαρτίαν κρίνων, ἀλλά τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐπαινῶν· 6 μὴ τὰ παρελθόντα κολὸίζων, ἀλλά τὰ μέλλοντα δοκιμάζων, ἀμνηστίᾳ παρελθὼν τὰ προλαβόντα αὐτῆς κακὰ, τιμᾷ τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ ἐπαινεῖ τὴν μετάνοιανʼ δικαιοῖ τὰ δάκρυα, καὶ στεφανοῖ τὴν πρόθεσιν. H'. Ὅ γε Φαρισαῖος ὀρῶν τὸ θαῦμα, πλήττεται τὴν διάνοιαν, καὶ φθόνῳ βαλλόμενος, οὐ παραδέχεται τῆς γυναικὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν οὕτω τιμήσασαν τὸν Κύριον, ἐπιρραπίζει τῇ λοιδορία· καὶ τοῦ τιμηθέντος ἐλαττοῖ τὸ ἀξίωμα, ἄγνοιαν αὐτῷκαταψηφιζόμενος. Ἰδὼν γὰρ, φησιν, ό Φαρισαῖος ό καλέσας αὑτὸν, εἶπεν ἐν ἐαυτῷ· Οὗτος, εί ἦν προφήτης, ἔγνωκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ, ἥ τις ἅπτεται αὑτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. Ὦ ἄφρον καὶ ἁσύνετε, καὶ τὰ ὅλα Φαρισαῖε l Ταῦτα λέγων, οὐ τῆς γυναικὸς διελέγχεις τὸν τρόπον · ἀλλά τῆς ἰδίας κατηγορεῖς προαιρέσεως, ἀγνοεῖν αὑτὸν λέγων. τίς ποτε ὑπῆρχεν ἡ γυνή. Οὐκοῦν οὐχ ὡς Θεὸν πάντα γινώσκοντα τῇ κλήσει ἐτίμησας · οὐκ αἰδῇ οὖν, ὦλαμπρὲ κατήγορε καὶ συκοφάντα, ὅτι καλεῖς μὲν αὑτὸν ὡς Θεὸν καί εὐλογῆσαι δυνάμενον, καταβοᾷς δὲ αὑτοῦ ὡς ἀνθρώπου, καὶ μηδὲν ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς εἰδότος. Οὗτος. φησὶν, εί ἦν προφήτης. Καὶ πόσον σου βελτίων, ὡ Φαρισαῖε, ή ὲν Σικήμοις γυνὴ, ή μὴ προφήτην είδυῖα, καὶ ὲκ πρώτης ὅψεως τὸν Σωτῆρα ὁμολογήσασαί Κύριε. γὰρ, φησι, θεωρῶ ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σύ. Πόσον δέ σου θαυμαστοτέρα καὶ αὕτη ήνάμαρο τωλὸς, ἦς τὴν μὲν ἁμαρτίαν ὁρᾷς, τὴν δὲ μετάνοιαν οὺ βλέπειςί Ἀλλά καὶ κατακρίνεις, ἢν 6 κριτὴς δικαιοῖ· καὶ μέμφῃ καὶ ψέγεις, ῆν ὁ Θεὸς ἀποδεξάμενος στεφανοῖ· ὅτι ἰδοῦσα παρά σοὶ Θεὸν ὲν ἀνθρώπου μορφῇ κατακείμενον, ἐπέγνω καὶ ἐτίμησε · καὶ τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς ὲκκαλύψασα τραύματα, ἔλεον ᾔτησε καὶ τῶν βεβιωμένων τὴν ἀμνηστίαν. Σὺ δὲ τιμήσας τῇ κλήσει, ἀτιμάζεις τῇ λοιδορίᾳ, λέγων· Εὶ ἦν προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἠ γυνὴ. . ἢ τις ἅπτεται αὑτοῦ. "Allata! ἐπειδὴ sd σά οὐκ ἤλεγξε κακὰ, ἄγνοιαν αὑτοῦ καταψηφίζῃς Ἐπειδὴ τὴν πολλοῖς κακοῖς βεβαρημένην σου στέγην ὑπῆλθεν. ἀναιρεῖς αὑτοῦ τὴν γνῶσιν; Ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ ἠξίωσας αὑτὸν τὴν σὴν ὑπελθεῖν στέγην, ἀνακλιθῆναι μετά σοῦ, καὶ χεῖρα ἐπιβάλλειν τοῖς ἐδέσμασι σου, ἑπένευσε καὶ οὐκ ἀπηξίωσεν, ἕνα αὐτὸν τῶν πολλῶν νοο μίζεις; ’Ἄξιος δὲ ἦσθα ξενοδοχῆσαι Θεὸν, ἢ τράπεθ ζαν παραβῆναι τῷ ἐτοιμάζοντι τράπεζαν ὲν ὲρήμῳς Ἀλλὰ φιλάνθρωπος ὢν, οὐ παρητήσατο καὶ παρʼ a6τῶν τῶν οἰκετῶν πόμα καὶ σιτίον ὐποδέξασθαι. Τί ### English translation (Claude) throne, and the earth the footstool of my feet.' Let the woman, then, be praised, for she received the honour due from the whole earth; for she touched the undefiled feet whose dust nations and families shall lick, as it is said, 'and his enemies shall lick the dust.' She touched the undefiled feet; she shared the body of Christ with John. For he reclined on his breast, since from there he was to draw divine teaching; she anointed the feet that walked for our sake. And Christ, not judging the sin but praising the repentance, not punishing the past but approving what was to come, passing over her former evils with amnesty, honours the woman and praises her repentance; he justifies her tears and crowns her purpose. 8. The Pharisee, seeing the wonder, is struck in mind, and, smitten with envy, does not accept the woman's repentance. He even slaps with reproach the woman who so honoured the Lord, and lessens the dignity of the one honoured, condemning him of ignorance. 'For the Pharisee who had invited him', it says, 'seeing it, said to himself: This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what sort of woman this is who touches him, for she is a sinner.' O foolish and senseless one, Pharisee in everything! By saying this you do not expose the woman's way of life, but accuse your own disposition, saying that he does not know who the woman was. So you did not honour him with your invitation as God who knows all things. Are you not ashamed, brilliant accuser and slanderer, that you invite him as God, able to bless, yet cry out against him as a man who knows nothing beyond us? 'This man', he says, 'if he were a prophet'. How much better than you, Pharisee, was the woman at Sychar, who did not know the prophet, yet at first sight confessed the Saviour: 'Lord', she says, 'I perceive that you are a prophet.' And how much more admirable than you is this sinful woman too, whose sin you see, but whose repentance you do not see! You even condemn her whom the Judge justifies, and blame and censure her whom God accepts and crowns; because, seeing God reclining at your house in the form of a man, she recognized and honoured him, and, uncovering the wounds of her soul, asked for mercy and amnesty for her past life. But you, having honoured him by the invitation, dishonour him by reproach, saying: 'If he were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who touches him.' What, then? Because he did not expose your evils, do you condemn him of ignorance? Because he came under your roof, burdened with many evils, do you deny his knowledge? Because you thought fit to have him under your roof, to recline with you and put his hand to your food, and he consented and did not disdain it, do you consider him one of the many? Were you worthy to receive God as a guest, or to set a table before him who prepares a table in the desert? But being a lover of mankind, he did not refuse to receive drink and food even from servants. Why ### Scripture references - Isa 66:1: quotation, high confidence - Ps 72:9 (71:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 13:23: allusion, high confidence - Luke 7:39: quotation, high confidence - John 4:19: quotation, high confidence - Ps 78:19 (77:19 LXX): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Isa 66:1 (Acts 7:49); Ps 72:9 (LXX 71:9); John reclining on Jesus' breast, John 13:23–25; Luke 7:39; the Samaritan woman, John 4:19; the table in the desert, Ps 78:19 (LXX 77:19). ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 79 (PG 39:80a–80b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/79). ## Homilies, Migne column 81 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-81 - Source: PG 39:81a–81d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Amphilochius rebukes the Pharisee for judging the woman and Judas for calling her anointing a waste; God pours out his gifts without counting the cost, and the devil grieves at the woman's salvation. ### Greek text οὖν αἰτιᾶσαι φιλάνθρωπον Δεσπότην, ὦ Φαρισαῖε, ὁμοίως εις πάντας τὸν τῆς χρηστότητος ζυγὸν ταλανcadaveri; Τί δὲ τὸν κύνωπα τῆς γυναικὸς διῦλίζων, τὴν κάμηλον τῶν οἰκείων κακῶν καταπίνεις; Καὶ ὲπὶσοὶ μὲν μακρόθυμον τὸν Θεὸν εἶναι βούλῃ, ἐπὶ ταύτῃ δὲ άπότομον; Τί ἐπʼ ἀλλοτρίοις ἐγκλήμασι παροξύνεις τὸν δικαστὴν, ἐπὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις συγγνώμην sinis; Τί συνεφωνήσατε σὺ καὶ Ἰούδας πειρᾶσαι τὸν Κύριονς Σὺ μὲν γάρ ὡς καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ρύmo, ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι διασύρων τὸν ἄνθρωπον, fimus χαταψηερίζῃ Θεοῦ · ὁ δὲ, ὡς φιλόπτωχος ἀγανακτεῖ, λέγωνʼ Τις ἢ ἀπώλεια τοῦ μύρου τούron; ἐδύνατο γὰρ πραθῆναι πολλοῦ. καὶ δοθῆναι πτωχοῖς. Ὠ τῆς ἀγνώμονος γνὼμηςί Ὤ τῶν ἀχαρίστων τρόπωνί Ἀπώλειαν τίθης, Ἰούδα, τὴν θεράτειαν τοῦῑρισοιιοῦς καὶ μάταιον ἀνάλωμα καλεῖς, τὸ ti; τιμὴν προχωρῆσαι Θεοῦ; 8'. Πότον ἐδώκαμεν ὧν ἐλάβομενςΛογισώμεοκ,ἀφʼ ὤκερό κόσμος ἀνεδείχθη, πόσοι παρά τῆς αὑτοῦ φύσεως ἐλέους ῥέουσι ποταμοὶ, καὶ οὐ λογίζεται ὁ Osi; ζημίαν τὴν ἀφθονίαν. Πόσας ή γῆ εὐωδίας βλαστὲνεις (idem, καὶ κρίνον, καὶ στύρακα, νάρδον καὶ στακτὴν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα, ἀφʼ ὧν τὸ καλὸν κατασκευάζεται μύρον· καὶ ού λογίζεται Θεὸς είς ἀπώλειανταῦταο καὶ ἵνα μικρὸν ἀλάβαστρον μύρου τοῖς αεὶτοῦ Χριστοῦ ὲπιχεθῇ, γογγύζεις; Μὴ οὖν προῖκα αὐτὸ ἔλαδεν, ἵνα γογγύζεις; Ἐλαβε μύρον, καὶ μετανοίας τρόπον. Ἐλαβε δάκρυα, καὶ ἔστησε πηγὴν ἁμαρτημάτων. Ποία οὖν ἐστιν ἀπώλεια, εἰ utar; γυνὴ, διʼ ἢν ὁ παράδεισος ἀπεκλείσθη; λυπεῖ σε τοῦτο, ’ἰούδα; Εἰκότως* καὶ γὰρ arma» ἐλύπησεν αὐτῆς ἡ σωτηρία. Οἵδε γὰρ διʼ dini}; λοιπὸν τὸ γένος πρὸς μετάνοιαν μεταβαλλόμενον· καὶ δάκνεται καὶ ἀνιᾶται ο οὐκ ἔχων λοιπὸν δίκτυον διʼ ὃν Θηράσῃ τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ὅθεν καὶ nisi; τί. γογγύσαι παρώρμησεν. Εἰς τί, φησὶν, ἠ (istiista αὕτη ; Ἐδύνατο γὰρ πραθῆναι πολλοῦ. Ἤδη πράσσεις, Ἰούδα ήδη προδοσίας μελετᾷς· κακῶν αἰνιγμάτων ἀρχή. Ἀλλʼ ὁ Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἐλέγχει αὐτοῦ τὴν νόσον· οὐ γυμνοῖ τὸ φιλάργυρον, ἵνα μὴ τὴν μέλλουσαν προδοσίαν ἀνακρούσηται* ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πάντας λέγει· Τί κόπους παρέχετε τῇ γυναικί ; Τί πρὸς τοῖς προλαὸοὗσι κακοῖς κακίζετε τὴν ἀν- ### English translation (Claude) Why, then, do you accuse the kind Master, Pharisee, who weighs out the balance of his goodness equally to all? Why do you strain out the woman's gnat and swallow the camel of your own evils? Do you want God to be long-suffering toward you, but severe toward her? Why do you provoke the Judge over the charges against others, while asking pardon for your own? Why did you and Judas agree to test the Lord? For you, as though clean of stain, disparaging the woman for her sins, condemn God of [ignorance]; and he, as a lover of the poor, is indignant, saying, 'Why this waste of myrrh? For it could have been sold for much and given to the poor.' O senseless mind! O ungrateful ways! You call the service of the Lord a waste, Judas, and what goes to the honour of God a vain expense? 9. How much have we given of what we have received? Let us reckon how many rivers of mercy have flowed from his nature since the world was made, and God does not count the abundance a loss. How many fragrances the earth puts forth: the rose, the lily, storax, nard, and oil of myrrh, and the rest from which fine myrrh is prepared; and God does not count these a waste. And do you grumble that a small alabaster jar of myrrh is poured on Christ's feet? Did she receive it from you as a gift, that you should grumble? She gave myrrh and received a way of repentance; she gave tears and stopped a fountain of sins. What waste is there, then, if a woman [is saved], the one through whom paradise was shut? Does this grieve you, Judas? Naturally; for her salvation grieved [the devil] too. For he knows that through her the race is henceforth turning to repentance, and he is stung and pained, no longer having a net with which to catch man. That is why he also stirred you to grumble. 'For what purpose', he says, 'is this waste? For it could have been sold for much.' Already you are selling, Judas; already you are planning betrayal: the beginning of evil riddles. But Jesus does not expose his disease or lay bare his love of money, so as not to forestall the betrayal to come; but he says to all: 'Why do you trouble the woman? Why, on top of her former evils, do you reproach the ### Scripture references - Matt 23:24: allusion, high confidence - Matt 26:8–10: quotation, high confidence - John 12:4–6: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: the gnat and the camel, Matt 23:24; Judas's complaint, Matt 26:8–10 and John 12:4–6. Migne's marginal Scripture references at the end are removed; one word is garbled. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 81 (PG 39:81a–81d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/81). ## Homilies, Migne column 83 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-83 - Source: PG 39:84a–84d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ defends the woman: she has anointed him for burial, while Judas, an apostle, sells his Master for thirty pieces of silver; her memory will last wherever the Gospel is preached. ### Greek text ιωπον; Αύτάρκως ἔκαμε τὸ των γυναικῶν γένοςʼ qoaig αὐτῶν τὴν σωτηρίαν ὲμποδιζέτω· μηδεὶς »πούτω τὴν λούσασαν μύρῳ τοὺς πόδας τοὺς ὑπὲρ ιτῆς βαδίσαντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Τοὺς πτωχοὺς γὰρ irtoz's ἔχετε μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν. Λάβετε κάμὲ καὶ μετὰ ῖωχῶν. Διʼ ὑμᾶς γὰρ ὲπτὼχευσα πλούσιος ὢν. ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐμῇ πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε. Ἀναιρεῖτέ με, καὶ οὐκ ἐγκαλῶʼ ὲνταφιάζει με αῦτη, καί γογγύζετε ; Βαλοῦσα γὰρ αὕτη τὸ μύρον ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματός μου, πρὸς τὸ ἐνταφιάσαι με πεποίηκεν. Οὐκ αἰδῇ οὖν, Ἰούδα, ὅτι αὕτη μὲν, ἁμαρτωλὸς οὖσα, μύροις με τιμᾷ · σὺ δὲ, ἀπόστολος ῶν, πράσει με καθυβρίζεις; Καὶ ἡ μὲν γυνὴ τὰ πρὸς τάφον ἑτοιμάζει, ὁ δὲ μαθητὴς τῷ θανάτῳ παραδίδωσιν. Ἀμαρο τωλός ἐστιν ἡ γυνὴ, οἶδα· ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν εἶχέ μοι χασασθαι, ἢ πηγὴν δακρύων · πηγῇ τὴν πηγὴν εὐμενίζουσα. Ἀλλά καὶ δοκιμάζεις, άθλιε,τὸ μύρον, τριακοσίων δηναρίων λέγων· δοκιμάζεις δὲ, οὐχ ἵνα αὐτῆς τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν ἐπαινέσῃς· ὅτι ὅλον τὸν ὲκ κακῶν συναχθέντα πλοῦτον είς τιμὴν μύρου κατανάλωσεν· ἀλλʼ ἵνα γογγύζων δείξῃς, ὼς ἀπεύκτῳ περιέπεσας κακῷ, τοσοῦτον ζημιωθείς. Ἀλλʼ οὐ μέγα εί τριακοσίων δηναρίων στέρησιν δυσχεραίνεις, ὅπου γε τριάκοντα λαβὼν, ἀπέδου με τὸν Κύριον. Τί γὰρ, φησὶ, θέλετέ μοι δοῦναι, κάγὼ ὑμῖν πα·ραδώσω αὐτόν. Ἀθλιεῑ Δοῦλος Δεσπότην πωλεῖς Ἀντέτραπται ἡ τάξις· καὶ ἐγὼ μὲν σὲ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ οἰκείῳ ὠνοῦμαι αἵματι, σὺ δὲ μὲ τριάκοντα ὲπεμπωλεῖς ὀβολῶνς Εἶτα δὲ ἄνθρωπος Θεὸν mulsi; Δεδόσθω δὲ, ὅτι πωλεῖ· τίς ὁ ὠνούμενοςς πόσου δέ τις ἀγοράσει Θεὸν ; τί δὲ καὶ εὔωνον ποιεῖς τὸ πρᾶγμας τριάκοντά τις ἀργυρίων Θεὸν πωλεῖ ὲν ἀνθρώπου μορφῇ, ὡς οἰκέτην, ὼς βάρβαρον; κᾶν διάκρινον, πόσου μὲν τὸν ἐνοικοῦντα Θεὸν, πόσου δὲ τὸν φαινόμενον ἄνθρωποψ Τί μοι, φησὶ, θέλετε δοῦο ναι. Σὺ τί Θέλεις λαβεῖν · ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ οὐδὲν ἔχουσι δοῦναι ἀντάξιον Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτῷ, φησὶ, τριάκοντα ἀργύρια. Τριάκοντα ὀβολῶν άμισθὸν τις ἰατρὸν πωλεῖ; ἰατρὸν τυφλοὺς ὀμματοῦντα, χωλοὺς πρὸς δρόμον ἐγείροντα. Ταῦτα λέγω, ἵνα σου κατηχήσω τὴν διάνοιαν, ὅτι κόπους παρέχεις τῇ γυναικί· ὅτι τὸν έν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερον, καί πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου ὡς νεκρὸν ἐτίμησεν · δτι διὰ τοῦ μύρου, τῆς ταφῆς, καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τὴν χάριν προεσήμανεν. Ἀλλά ὺ μὲν καρπὸν τῆς προδοσίας τὸν σχοῖνον ἕξεις· ταύτης δὲ ἡ μνήμη, ὅπου ἂν κηρυχθῇτὸ Εὑαγγέλιον, ἀνεξάλειπτός ἐστιν. Eii-:3, καὶ ἐγένετο ἔργον οὕτως. Ὅτι τὸ τοῦ Ἀαρὼν, τὸ τοῦ Ἐλεάζαρ πέπαυται μύρον, καί τὸ κέρας ἤργησε. Τὸ δὲ ἀλάβαστρον ταύτης παντὶ τῷ αἰῶνι συνεπεκτείνεται, ἀκένωτον ἕχον τῆς μνήμης τὴν εὐωδίαν. l'. ’Λλλά πρὸς μὲν τὸν Ἰούδαν οὕτω, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Φαρισαῖον γογγύζοντα Χριστὸς οὕτως ἔλεγε. Σίμων, ### English translation (Claude) human being? The race of women has toiled enough; let no one hinder their salvation; let no one trouble her who washed with myrrh the feet that walked on earth for her sake. For the poor you always have with you. Take me too with the poor; for I became poor for your sake though I was rich, so that you by my poverty might become rich. You are killing me, and I make no accusation; she is preparing me for burial, and do you grumble? For in pouring this myrrh on my body, she has done it for my burial. Are you not ashamed, Judas, that she, a sinner, honours me with myrrh, while you, an apostle, outrage me by selling me? The woman prepares for the tomb; the disciple hands over to death. The woman is a sinner, I know; but she had nothing to give me except a fountain of tears, winning the favour of the Fountain with a fountain. But you even put a price on the myrrh, wretch, saying "three hundred denarii"; and you value it not to praise her generosity, that she spent all the wealth gathered from evil on the price of myrrh, but so that by grumbling you might show you had fallen into an accursed evil, having lost so much. But it is no great thing if you are vexed at the loss of three hundred denarii, when, taking thirty, you sold me, the Lord. For "What will you give me", he says, "and I will hand him over to you?" Wretch! A servant sells his Master! The order is reversed: I buy you back from sin with my own blood, and you sell me for thirty obols? And then, does a man sell God? Granted that he sells: who is the buyer? For how much will anyone buy God? Why do you make the thing cheap? Does anyone sell God in the form of a man for thirty pieces of silver, like a household slave, like a barbarian? At least make a distinction: how much for the God who dwells within, how much for the man who is seen? "What will you give me?" What do you want to receive? For they have nothing worthy of God to give. "And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver." Does anyone sell for thirty obols a physician who takes no fee, a physician who gives sight to the blind and raises the lame to run?' I say these things to instruct your mind: that you are troubling the woman; that she honoured as dead, before his death, the one who is free among the dead; that through the myrrh she signified beforehand the grace of the burial and of the resurrection. But you will have the rope as the fruit of your betrayal; while her memory, wherever the Gospel is preached, cannot be blotted out. Truly it has come about so. For the myrrh of Aaron and of Eleazar has ceased, and the horn lies idle; but her alabaster jar stretches out with every age, holding the inexhaustible fragrance of her memory. 10. So he spoke to Judas; but to the grumbling Pharisee Christ spoke thus: 'Simon, ### Scripture references - Matt 26:10–13: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 8:9: allusion, high confidence - Mark 14:5: allusion, high confidence - Matt 26:15: quotation, high confidence - Matt 27:5: allusion, medium confidence - Exod 29:7: allusion, low confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Matt 26:10–13; 2 Cor 8:9; Mark 14:5; Matt 26:15; 27:5 (the rope); the anointing oil of Aaron and Eleazar, Exod 29:7; Num 20:25–28. The next Migne column (85) is missing from the scan text. - The speech to Judas is the preacher's expansion of Christ's words. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 83 (PG 39:84a–84d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/83). ## Homilies, Migne column 87 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-87 - Source: PG 39:88a–88d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ contrasts Simon's neglect with the woman's tears, kisses, and myrrh, and declares her many sins forgiven; Amphilochius urges his hearers to imitate her repentance. ### Greek text είαν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν δοῦναι. '0 δέ Κύριος, οὐ τὴν )μην αὑτοῦ ἐξήτασεν, ἀλλᾶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ἁρπάσας, λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης. Καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τήν γυναῖκα, τῷ Σίμωνι ἔφη· Βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν ἁμαωωλὸνς τὴν σοὶ μὲν ἀπηγορευμένην, ἐμοὶ δὲ σωζομένην; Εἰσῆλθον εις τὸν οἶκόν σου. Σὸς γὰρ ὁ οἶκος, κα) οὐκ ἐμός · ὁ λοιδορίας μεστός. Ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας μου οὐκ ἔδωκας ο πόδας, τοὺς διὰ σὲ κονισθέντας· τοὺς τὸν κόπον ὑπομείναντας, ἵνα κόπων τοὺς κοπιῶντας καὶ πεφορτισμένους ἐλευθερώσω. Ἐξ ἡμισείας τὴν τιμὴν προσήνεγκας, τὰ μέν ἄνωθεν θαυμάσας, τὰ δέ κάτωθεν μὴ θεραπεύσας. Ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν ὕδωρ εις τοὺς πόδας μου οὐκ ἔδωκαςο αὕτη δὲ πηγὰς δα·κρύων ἐκ τῶν βλεφάρων ἀφεῖσα, τῆς ἁμαρτίας αύτῆς ι ρύπον ἀπέσμηξε. Σύ μοι φίλημα οὐκ ἔδωκας ὼς εἴθε μή τε Ἰούδας, ό φιλήματι τὴν προδοσίαν ἐργασάμενος. Αὕτη δὲ ἀφʼ ἧς εἰσῆλθεν, οὐ διέλειπε καταφιλῆσαι μου τοὺς πόδας. Ἐνιαίῳ τὴν κεφαλήν μου οὐκ ἤλειψας· Ἔλαιον γὰρ ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ xta-tardem τὴν κεφαλήν μου. Πῶς γὰρ εἶχε τὴν κεφαλὴν τιμῆσαι, ὁ ποδῶν ἀμελήσας; Αὕτη δὲ καὶ τοὺς πόδας ἤλειφε μύρῳ. Μύρον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομα σοι. Ἐκκενωθέν, οὐκ ἐκχυθέν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ σκεῦος τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς γνώμης ὑπόσαθρον ἧν, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τῆς ἀλαβαστροθήκης ὑμῶν, ἐν τοῖς ποσί μου ἐξεκενώθη τὸ μύρον · ἵνα διʼ ἐμοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη μετοχετεύθη τῆς εὐωδίας η χάρις. Οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι · Ἀφέωνται αὐτῆς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ai πολλαί θ ὅτι σὺ μὲν όμοῤῥόφιόν με δεξάμενος, οὐδὲ φιλήματι ἐτίμησας, οὐδὲ “ ἀλείμματί με ἐθεράπευσας, αὕτη δέ πολλῶν κακῶν ἀμνηστίαν λαβοῦσα, ἐτίμησέ με, ἐκ δακρύων καὶ μύρων, οἱονεὶ δυφυῆ κερασαμὲνη. ΙΒʼ, Μακαρίσωμεν οὖν τὴν ἄνθρωπον, τὴν τὰ Εὔας καλύψασαν κακὰ, τὴν ἁμαρτωλὸν, τὴν πόρνην, τὴν πρόξενον τῶν ἀγαθῶν, τὴν αὑτὸν τὸν κριτὴν συνήγορον ἐσχηκυῖαν, τὴν δάκρυσι νικήσασαν τὸν τῆς κρίσεως ὀδυρμόν. Οσοι πάρεστε, ζηλώσατε ἅπερ ἠκούσατε ’ καὶ τῆς πόρνης μὴ τὴν ἡδονὴν, ἀλλὰ τὸν θρῆνον μιμήσασθε. Ἡ ἡδονὴ μὲν γὰρ τὸν θρῆνον ἐγέννησεν· ὁ θρῆνος δέ, τῶν κακῶν τὴν λύσιν προεξειιησε. Λούσατε οὖν ὑμῶν μὴ ὕδασιν, ἀλλὰ δάκρυσι τὸ σῶμαο ἀλείψατε μὴ μύροις, ἀλλʼ ### English translation (Claude) to give the [right] answer. But the Lord did not examine his intention; seizing on the answer, he said to him, 'You have answered rightly.' And turning to the woman, he said to Simon: 'Do you see this woman, the sinner, rejected by you but being saved by me? I entered your house' (yours is the house, not mine, full of reproach). 'You gave no water for my feet': feet covered in dust for your sake, feet that endured toil so that I might free from toil those who labour and are heavy laden. You offered half the honour, admiring what is above but not caring for what is below. 'But you gave no water for my feet; she let loose fountains of tears from her eyelids and wiped off the stain of her sin. You gave me no kiss': would that Judas too had not, who worked the betrayal with a kiss. 'But she, from the time she came in, has not ceased kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil': for 'let not the oil of a sinner anoint my head'. How could he who neglected the feet honour the head? 'But she anointed even my feet with myrrh.' For 'your name', it says, 'is myrrh emptied out': emptied out, not poured. For since the vessel of the Jewish mind was rotten, therefore the myrrh was emptied out from your alabaster box at my feet, so that through me the grace of its fragrance might be channelled to the nations. 'Therefore I tell you, her many sins are forgiven'; because you, receiving me under your roof, neither honoured me with a kiss nor served me with anointing; but she, receiving amnesty for many evils, honoured me with tears and myrrh, as if mixing a twofold offering. 12. Let us call blessed, then, the woman who covered the evils of Eve: the sinner, the harlot, the procurer of good things, who had the Judge himself as her advocate, who by her tears overcame the lament of judgment. All you who are present, emulate what you have heard; imitate not the harlot's pleasure but her lament. For pleasure begot lament, but lament procured release from evils. Wash your body, then, not with water but with tears; anoint not with myrrh but ### Scripture references - Luke 7:43–47: quotation, high confidence - Matt 11:28: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 22:48: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 141:5 (140:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Song 1:3: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The preceding Migne column (85), with the parable of the two debtors, is missing from the scan text. Scripture: Luke 7:43–47; Matt 11:28; Judas's kiss, Luke 22:47–48; Ps 141:5 (LXX 140:5); Song 1:3. The remark about 'the Jewish mind' is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 87 (PG 39:88a–88d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/87). ## Homilies, Migne column 89 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-89 - Source: PG 39:89a–89d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Oration 4 ends with a call to clothe oneself in chastity; Oration 5, for Holy Saturday, celebrates Christ's descent to Hades to free the dead, and the signs of mourning in creation at the crucifixion. ### Greek text ἁγνεία τὰ μέλη. Ἐνδύσασθε ού τά Σηρῶν ὑφάσματα, me τὸ ἄφθαρτον τῆς σωφροσύνης ἱμάτιον, ἵνα τῆς αὐτῆς τύχητε δόξης ο δόξαν ἀναπέμποντες τῷ Ἀμνῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῷ αῖροντι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου · ᾧ ἠδόξει, καὶ ἡ τιμὴ, καὶ ἡ προσκύνησις, σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ καί τῷ ἀγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ είς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων · Ἀμήν. ΛΟΓΟΣ E'. Εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἁγίου Σαββάτου. ΑΖ Ἐπιτάφιον ἑορτὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἑορτάζομεν σήμερον. Καὶ.γὸ μὲν, παρά τοῖς νεκροῖς κάτω τοῦ θανάτου τά δεσμά διαλύων, καὶ φωτὸς τὸν ᾇδην πληρῶν, καὶ ἀφυπνίζων τοὺς κεκοιμημένους ' ἡμεῖς δὲ χορεύομεν ὑπὲρ γῆν, τὴν ἀνάστασιν φανταζόμενοι, καὶ οὗ δεδοίκαμεν τὴν φθορὰν, μὴ κατισχύσῃ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας. Οὐ δώσεις γάρ, φησὶ, τὸν ὅσιόν σου ίέεῖν διαφθοράν. Καὶ ίσως ἡμῶν τὴν φιλοσοφίαν γελῶσιν Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Ἕλληνες oi μὲν ἕτερον Χριστὸν προσδεχόμενοι, oi δὲ τάφοις ἐναποκλείσαντες τὰς ἐλπίδας, περὶ ὧν είκότως 6 προφήτης φησίν· Οἱ τάφοι αὐτῶν οἰκίαι αὐτῶν είς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν γελῶντες στενάξουσι (στενάξουσι γὰρ ὕστερον, ὁρῶντες είς ὃν ἐξηκόντισαν καὶ ἐνύβρισαν ) · ἡμεῖς δὲ δακρύοντες, ἡδονῇ τὸ πάθος κεράσωμεν. ’Ἡρπασεν 6 θάνατος τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστόνς ἀλλʼ ού καθέξει παρʼ ἐαυτῷ τὴν ζωήν. Κατέπιε; κατέπιεν ἀγνοήσας, ἀλλʼ ἐξέμεσε πολλοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ. Ἐκὼν κατέχεται νῦν, μετά ταύτην τὴν ἡμέραν σκυλεύσας τὸν ᾅδην ἀνίσταται. Χθὲς ἐμαύρωσε τὸν ήλιον σταυρωθεὶς, καὶ μεσούσης ήμέρας ἐπεισῆλθε νύξ· σήμερον ὁ θάνατος παραλύεται, c ξένον νεκρὸν είσδεξάμενος · χθὲς ἐπένθησεν ἡ κτίσις τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων μανίαν ὁρῶσα, καὶ στολὴν πενθικὴν τὺ σκότος ἐνεδύσατο· σήμερον λαὸς 6 καθήμενος ἐν σκότει φῶς εἶδε μέγα. Χθὲς ἐδονήθη ἡ γῆ, καὶ περὶ φυγῆς ἐβουλεύετο, καὶ ’διαστῆναι τοῖς ἐνοικοῦciv fimilst, καὶ τά μὲν ὅρη ἐκόπτοντο, ἐσχίζοντο δὲ αί πέτραι, γυμνὸς δὲ ἦν 6 ναὸς, καθάπερ ἔμπνους, τὸ ἱμάτιον διαρρήξας. διʼ ὧν ἔπαθε δεικνὺς ὼς ἐσεβηλώθη τὰ ἆγια. Τὰ ἀψυχα τοῦ τολμήματος ᾔσθετο, οἱ δὲ ταῦτα τολμῶντες ἀναισθήτους εἶχον ψυχάς. Ἠγανάκτει τά στοιχεῖα, καὶ μικροῦ τὴν τάξιν ἀπ·fune, καὶ σύγχυσιν εἰργάσατο τοῦ παντὸς, εί μὴ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ τῆς βουλήσεως ᾔσθετο, ὅτι μὴ ἄκων ὑβρίζετο, ### English translation (Claude) your members with chastity. Put on, not the fabrics of the Seres, but the incorruptible garment of self-control, so that you may obtain the same glory, sending up glory to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; to whom be glory and honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Oration 5. On the day of holy Saturday. 1. Today we keep the funeral feast of our Saviour. He, below among the dead, is loosing the bonds of death, filling Hades with light, and waking those who sleep; and we dance on the earth, picturing the resurrection, and we do not fear that corruption may prevail over incorruption. For 'you will not give your holy one to see corruption', it says. And perhaps Jews and Greeks laugh at our philosophy, the one awaiting another Christ, the others shutting up their hopes in tombs, of whom the prophet fittingly says, 'Their tombs are their houses for ever.' But those who laugh will groan (for they will groan later, when they see him whom they pierced and outraged); while we, weeping, mix pleasure with the suffering. Death seized the Master, Christ; but it will not keep the Life with itself. It swallowed; it swallowed in ignorance, but it vomited up many with him. He is held now of his own will; after this day, having despoiled Hades, he rises. Yesterday, crucified, he darkened the sun, and night came on at midday; today death is undone, having received a strange corpse. Yesterday creation mourned, seeing the madness of the Jews, and darkness put on a robe of mourning; today 'the people sitting in darkness have seen a great light'. Yesterday the earth was shaken and took counsel to flee and part from its inhabitants; the mountains were struck, the rocks were split, and the temple stood naked, as if alive, having torn its garment, showing by what it suffered that the holy things had been profaned. The lifeless things perceived the outrage, while those who dared it had souls without perception. The elements were indignant, and would nearly have left their order and brought confusion on the whole, had they not perceived the Creator's will, that he was not outraged against his will, ### Scripture references - John 1:29: quotation, high confidence - Ps 16:10 (15:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:11 (48:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Zech 12:10: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 4:16: quotation, high confidence - Matt 27:51: allusion, high confidence - Matt 27:45: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The Seres were the silk-producing people of the East. Scripture: John 1:29; Ps 16:10 (LXX 15:10; Acts 2:27); Ps 49:11 (LXX 48:12); 'him whom they pierced', Zech 12:10 (John 19:37); Matt 4:16 (Isa 9:2); the earthquake, the split rocks, and the torn veil, Matt 27:45, 51. - The statements about the Jews in this oration are translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 89 (PG 39:89a–89d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/89). ## Homilies, Migne column 91 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-91 - Source: PG 39:92a–92d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ prayed for those who crucified him; Amphilochius taunts those who sealed and guarded the tomb of a dead man, arguing that if Christ were a mere man there would be nothing to fear, and that he who raised Lazarus will surely rise himself. ### Greek text η πατάξας τὴν Αἴγυπτον ταῖς δέκα πληγαῖς, καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ Φαραὼ καλύψας τοῖς ὕδασιν. Ἐμπτύεται τὸ πρόσωπον ὃ ’ἰδεῖν οὑ φέρει τὰ Χερου- 6ῐμ. Ταῦτα δὲ πάσχων, ὑπὲρ τῶν σταυροῦντων προσηύχετο, λέγωνʼ Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ olδασι τί ποιοῦσιν. Ἀγαθὸτητι τὴν κακίαν νικᾷ. Ἀπολογεῖται ὑπὲρ τῶν χριστοκτόνων, είς σωτηρίαν αὐτοὺς σαγινεύων. Λύει τὸ ἔγκλημα, τὴν ἄγνοιαν αἰτιώμενος. Οὐ χαλεπαίνει τῆς ἐκείνων παροινίας γινόμενος παίγνιον. Δέχεται τὴν μέθην, καὶ φιλανθ θρωπίᾳ. καλεῖ πρὸς μετάνοιαν.,Τί δεῖ λέγειν τὰ πλείῳ ; Οὐδὲν τῆς ἀγαθότητος ἀπωνάμενοι, ὲγκλείου σι τάφῳ ὃν οὐδὲν τῶν ὄντων χωρεῖ· καὶ σήμανθρα ἐπιτιθέασιν, ἡμῶν τὴν σωτηρίαν φυλάττοντες· καὶ δεδιότες τὴν ἀνάστασιν, στρατιώτας φύλακας ἑφιστῶσι τῷ μνήματι. Τίς είδε νεκρὸν- φυλαττόμεο νον; μᾶλλον δὲ τίς εἶδε νεκρὸν πολεμούμενονς τίς ἤκουσε τελευτὴν ἀμφιδαλλομένην, ’καὶ δέος ἐμποιοῦσαν τοῖς ὲργασαμένοις; τίς οὐκ ἐπαύσατο πρὸς ἐχθρὸν τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφειλάμενοςς τίς οὐ κατέλυσεν ἔχθραν ἀρκεσθεὶς θανάτῳ τοῦ δυσμενοῦς; Τί ὃν ἀνήλωσας δειλειᾷς, ὦ Ίουδαῑε; τί φοβῇ ὃν ἀπέκτεινας; τρέμεις τὸν μεταστάντα; τί δέδοικας τόν ἀναιρεθέντα; τί ὃν ὲσταύρωσας ἀγωνιᾷς; Ἔχεις ἀπὸ τῆς σφαγῆς ἀσφάλειαν. Θάρρει. Εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος ὁ τεθνηκὸς, οὐκ ἀνίσταται· εί ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, καλῶς ἔπηξας τὸν σταυρόν εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ ἀληθεύει, Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, εἰπὼν, καὶ ἐν τρισί ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν. Εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, τῷ θανάτῳ κατέχεται· εἰ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, τί τὸν τάφον σφραγίζεις, ἀνόητε; Περίμεινον τὴν τρίτην ἡμέραν, καὶ ὄψει τῆς σεαυτοῦ μανίας τὸν ἔλεγχον. Παῦσαι περιεργαζόμενος, καὶ θεάσῃ τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ἑκβασιν. Παῦσαι λύττων κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας. Παῦσαι Θεῷ πολεμῶν, καὶ τῷ πολεμεῖν κατατιτρώσκων σαυτόν. Παῦσαι τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑβρίζων. καὶ νομίζων τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐκείνου σβεννύειν. Παῦσαι τὴν πηγὴν τῆς ζωῆς προσχῶσαι φιλονεικῶν. Παῦσαι ἄρχουσιν ἐνοχλῶν, καὶ περὶ φρουρᾶς διαλεγόμενος. Παῦσαι τὸ ψεῦδος ὠνούμενος, καὶ τοὺς ὁπλίτας κικῶν. Μὴ κάμῃς ἀνόνητα · μὴ εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἀναλώσης τὰ σὰ, καὶ κατά Θεοῦ φαντάζου τὴν νίκην. Μὴ δῷς μισθὸν στρατιώταις ἔτερα ἀνθʼ ἐτέρων εἰπεῖν. Μὴ παρακοιμίσῃς τὸν ὄχλον τῷ μνήματι. Μὴ θαρ- D ρήσῃς τοῖς ὅπλοις. Ὂπλοις ἀνάστασις οὐ κωλύεταιʼ οὑκ ἐμποδίζεται ταῖς σφραγίσιν, οὐκ εἴργεται στρατιώταις, οὐ κλέπτεται χρήμασιν, ἀλλά πίστει. Μὴ οὐκ εἶδες τὸν Λάζαρον πάλιν καθάπερ ῦπνον τὸν θάνατον ἀποσεισάμενον; Εἶδες πῶς σὺν αὐταῖς κηο ρίαις ἐβάδιζε, τὸ Δεῦρο ἀκοῦσας; Εἶδες πῶς ἡκολούθησε τῷ προστάγματι ὁ νεκρὸς, καὶ ὁ δεσμὸς οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν; Εἶδες πῶς ἥρμοσεν ἡ φωνὴ τῷ τὸν δια· λυθέντα θανάτῳ; '0 ἐκεῖνα δυνηθεὶς, καὶταῦτα δυνήσεται ' ὁ τὸν δοῦλον ἀναστήσας, αὐτὸς πολλῴ μᾶλλον ἐγείρεται. Ὀ ζωογονήσας τὸν σεσηπότα, οῦκ ### English translation (Claude) who struck Egypt with the ten plagues and covered the head of Pharaoh with the waters. The face that the Cherubim cannot bear to look on is spat upon. And suffering these things, he prayed for those who crucified him, saying, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' He conquers wickedness with goodness. He makes a defence for those who killed Christ, netting them for salvation. He dissolves the charge by pleading their ignorance. He is not angry at becoming the plaything of their drunken violence; he endures the drunkenness, and with kindness calls them to repentance. What need is there to say more? Profiting nothing from his goodness, they shut up in a tomb him whom nothing that exists can contain; and they put seals on it, guarding our salvation; and, fearing the resurrection, they set soldiers as guards over the tomb. Who ever saw a corpse under guard? Or rather, who ever saw a corpse warred against? Who ever heard of a death that was doubted, and struck fear into those who brought it about? Who does not stop at an enemy once he has taken his life? Who does not end his enmity, content with the death of his foe? Why are you afraid of the one you destroyed, O Jew? Why do you fear the one you killed? Do you tremble at the departed? Why do you dread the slain? Why are you anxious about the one you crucified? You have security from the slaughter; take courage. If the dead man is a mere man, he does not rise; if a mere man, you fixed the cross well; if a mere man, he did not speak truly when he said, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it.' If a mere man, he is held by death; if a mere man, why do you seal the tomb, you fool? Wait for the third day, and you will see the refutation of your madness. Stop meddling, and you will see the outcome of events. Stop raging against the truth. Stop fighting against God and wounding yourself by fighting. Stop outraging the Sun of righteousness, thinking to quench his rays. Stop striving to choke the fountain of life. Stop troubling the rulers and talking about a guard. Stop buying falsehood and corrupting the soldiers. Do not labour uselessly; do not spend your goods on impiety and imagine a victory over God. Do not give the soldiers money to say one thing instead of another. Do not lull the crowd to sleep at the tomb. Do not trust in arms. The resurrection is not prevented by arms, not hindered by seals, not barred by soldiers, not stolen by money; it is received by faith. Did you not see Lazarus shaking off death again like sleep? Did you see how he walked with the grave-bands still on, when he heard 'Come'? Did you see how the dead man obeyed the command, and the bond did not hinder him? Did you see how the voice fitted together the one dissolved by death? He who could do those things can also do these; he who raised the servant will much more rise himself. He who brought to life one who was rotting will not ### Scripture references - Exod 7:14–12:32: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 23:34: quotation, high confidence - Matt 27:62–66: allusion, high confidence - John 2:19: quotation, high confidence - Mal 4:2: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 28:12–15: allusion, high confidence - John 11:43–44: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Exod 7–12; 14:28; Luke 23:34; Matt 26:67; Matt 27:62–66; John 2:19; Mal 4:2 (the Sun of righteousness); Matt 28:12–15; John 11:43–44. - The rhetorical address to 'the Jew' and the phrase 'those who killed Christ' are translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 91 (PG 39:92a–92d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/91). ## Homilies, Migne column 93 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/amphilochius-orationes/67/#p-93 - Source: PG 39:93a–93d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Oration 5 ends: the unbelievers do not see the miracles, while the faithful stand with Mary at the empty tomb. ### Greek text ἥσει νεκρὸν ἑαυτόν.Αλλὰ γὰρ ἡ τυφλότης τῶν Ἰουδαίων πολλὴ, καὶ ὁρῶσα τὰ θαύματα, οὐχ ὁρᾶ. ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχουσι, καί οὐ βλέπουσιν ὦτα ῐζιξυσιν καλ οὐκ ἁκούουσιν. Ὃ Θεὸς γὰρ τοῦ utimr; τούτου ἐτύφλωσε τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν, πρὸς τὸ μὴ καταυγάσαι αὐτοῖς τὸ Εὑαγγέλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης. ’ωʼ ἐκείνους μὲν τέως ὲάσωμεν τῇ ἀκατίῳ ἡμεῖς δὲ λέγωμεν μετὰ τῶν περ). Μαριὰμ, τὴν πιστὴν, κατὰ διάνοιαν ἀναπλάττοντες ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὸν τάφον Ἦραν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν, καὶούκ οῐδαμεν τι ἐποίησαν αὐτόν. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα, σὺν τῷ ἀχράντῳ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ είς τοὺς αίῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ### English translation (Claude) leave himself dead. But the blindness of the Jews is great; seeing the miracles, it does not see. They have eyes and do not see; they have ears and do not hear. For the god of this age has blinded their hearts, so that the gospel of righteousness might not shine on them. But let us leave them for the present to their folly, and let us say with Mary and those with her, the faithful, picturing to ourselves in our minds the Saviour's tomb: 'They have taken away our Lord, and we do not know what they have done with him.' To him be glory, with the undefiled Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Ps 115:5–6 (113:13-Ps LXX): allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:4: quotation, high confidence - John 20:2: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Scripture: Ps 115:5–6 (LXX 113:13–14; compare Jer 5:21); 2 Cor 4:4 (adapted); John 20:2 (adapted). The statement about the Jews is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Amphilochius, Hom. 93 (PG 39:93a–93d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/amphilochius-orationes/93).