Opuscula 7.0
Greek text: PG 65 (Greek text: Migne, Patrologia Graeca vol. 65 (1864), OCR of the Bavarian State Library copy).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 7
7.0PG 65:1071
Ἠρώτησέ τις τῶν ἐν λόγοις δικανικῶν γέροντὰ ἀσκητὴν, λέγων· Παρακαλῶ, πείσατέ με γνῶναι θέλοντα, τί φρονοῦντες οἱ μοναχοί φατε δεῖν τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας μὴ κρίνειν· ἢ τί μεταχειριζόμενοι, τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἔργων ἀπέχεσθε; ἐφ᾽ ὧν λίαν καταμεμφόμεθα ὑμᾶς, ὡς τὴν μὲν ἀκρισίαν παρὰ τοὺς νόμους, τὴν δὲ ἀργίαν παρὰ τὴν φύσιν ἐπιτηδεύοντας. Εἰ δὲ φιλοσοφίας χάριν τοῦτο ποιοῦντες ἐπιγνῶτε,. ἀναγκαίως καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς μέμψεως ἀποστὰς, ζηλώσω τὴν ἀρετὴν ὑμῶν. Ὁ δὲ ἀσκητὴς πρῶτον κατὰ νοῦν εὐξάμενος, οὕτως ἔφη· Ἔδει μὲν, ὦ λογιώτατε, ταῦτά σε πυθόμενον παρὰ τῶν εὖ εἰδότων μαθεῖν. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἔτι τῶν διδασκομένων τυγχάνομεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ σοφὸς πρὸς τοὺς ἰδιώτας ηὐτομόλησας, ὡς πιστωσόμενος περὶ ὧν ἔφης, ἄκουσον · Οἱ μοναχοὶ ξένον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οὐχ ἡρετίσαντο φρόνημα, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατέχειν σπουδάζουσι, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον λέγοντα· Τοῦτο φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε, μορφὴν δούλου λαβών, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος, καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος. Ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν, γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ. Γνῶθι οὖν ὅτι θεοδώρητόν ἐστι, καὶ τῆς μεγάλης ἀρετῆς, λέγω δὴ ταπεινοφροσύνης πρόξενος. Ἔργῳ δὲ ἐνετείλατο ὁ Κύριος τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦτο ἐργάζεσθαι, εἰπών· Ἐργάζεσθε, μὴ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ὁ δὲ δικανικὸς λέγει· Γνωσόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς, παρακαλῶ, ποῖόν ἐστι τὸ ἔργον. Ὁ δὲ ἀσκητῆς· Τὸ διὰ προσευχῆς ζητεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ· ἣν καὶ ἐντὸς ἡμῶν εἴρηκεν εἶναι· καὶ τοῖς ζητοῦσιν αὐτὴν τὰ σωματικά πάντα ὑπέσχετο. Ταῦτα οὖν ἀκούσαντες παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ πιστεύσαντες, κατὰ δύναμιν ἐργαζόμεθα· πῶς ἔξω τῆς φύσεως ἡμᾶς πράττειν λέγεις; Εἰ δὲ φαίνεταί σοι παρὰ φύσιν, γνῶθι τίνα καταμέμφῃ· ὁ Θεὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐντειλάμενος. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ κρίνειν τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας, Θεοῦ ἐντολή ἐστι. Πῶς παρανομοῦσιν οἱ ποιοῦντες αὐτὰ, εἰρηκότος τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· Ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω, λέγει Κύριος · καὶ ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις· Μὴ κρίνετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ κριθῆτε· καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου· Μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ τι κρίνετε· καὶ πάλιν· Μὴ ἐκδικοῦντες ἑαυτούς· καὶ πάλιν· Σὺ τί κρίνεις ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Τίς ἐστι λοιπὸν ὁ τούτων δικαιοτέρους νόμους ὁρισάμενος, καὶ πρὸ καιροῦ κρῖναι θέλων τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας, ὡσεὶ ἀναμάρτητος, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμον φυλάττειν πειρωμένοις παρανομίαν ἐγκαλῶν, καὶ τὴν ἀνεξικακίαν ὀνομάζων κακίαν; Β΄. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ σχολαστικὸς ἔφη · Οἱ οὖν ἄρχοντες ἁμαρτάνουσι, τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ἀμυνόμενοι, καὶ τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις τὸ δίκαιον ἀποσώζοντες; 'Απεκρίθη ὁ γέρων· Οἱ δικασταὶ οὐχ ἁμαρτάνουσιν, ἀλλ᾿ οἱ παραδιδόντες, καὶ μὴ τῷ Θεῷ ἀποδιδόντες· πρῶτον μὲν, πᾶν τὸ ἐπελθὸν αὐτοῖς, τῶν ἰδίων κακῶν ἐπιφορὰ τυγχάνει, εἰς μετάνοιαν αὐτοὺς ἕλκον, καὶ οὐκ εἰς ἄμυναν· δεύτερον δὲ, εἰ καὶ ἀδίκως ἔπαθον, τὸ τυχὸν πλημμέλημα ἔδει ἀφεῖναι τῷ ἀδικήσαντι, ἀκούσαντας τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρηκότος· ῎Αφετε, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν, καὶ μὴ διὰ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀνταποδόσεως ἀσυγχώρητα ποιεῖν τὰ ἑαυτῶν κακά. Οἱ δὲ ἄρχοντες, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον, οὐκ εἰσὶ φόβος τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων, ἀλλὰ τῶν κακῶν. Οὐ γὰρ τοὺς πιστοὺς καὶ εὐλαβεῖς ἀναγκάζουσι τῶν ἀδικούντων κατηγορεῖν, οὐδὲ τοῖς ἀνεξικάκοις ἐγκαλοῦσι, διότι οὐ χρῶνται τοῖς δικαστηρίοις ἀδικούμενοι, ἀλλὰ τοῖς βουλομένοις παρέχουσι τὴν ἐκδίκησιν. Τοὺς δὲ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν μακροθυμοῦντας, ὡς μᾶλλον εὐφρονοῦντας, καὶ τιμῶσι καὶ ἀποδέχονται. Ὥσπερ οὖν τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους ἐντυγχάνειν. οὐκ ἐφέλκονται οὕτω τοὺς κατηγοροῦντας ἐκδικοῦντες οὐχ ἁμαρτάνουσι. Διὸ χρὴ, ὦ σοφώτατε, μετὰ τοὺς ἔξωθεν λόγους τε καὶ νόμους, λοιπὸν καὶ τὸν πνευματικὸν διαδεχθῆναι νόμον, καὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀναδέξασθαι πόνους· καὶ ὡς ἴδια ὑπομένεις τὰ ἐπερχόμενα λυπηρὰ, ὧν χωρὶς οὐ δύναταί τις ἀληθῶς γενέσθαι σοφός. Γ΄. Τοῦ δὲ σχολαστικοῦ ζητοῦντος μαθεῖν, τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας πόνοι· εἶπεν ὁ γέρων, τὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶναι ἐντολὰς, ὧν πρώτη καὶ μεγίστη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη, καθότι οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακὸν, ἀλλὰ πάντα στέργει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ὑπομένει, κατὰ τὴν Γραφήν. Ταῦτα δὲ ποιοὔσα, οὐ δύναται κρίνειν τὸν ἀδικεῖν αὐτὴν δοκοῦντα. Ἐν ταύτῃ ἕτερος μὲν ἑτέρου διαφέρομεν, πάντα δὲ τῆς ἀξίας αὐτῆς ἀπολειπόμεθα. Ἐκδεχόμενοι χάριτι Χριστοῦ τῶν ἐλλειμμάτων τὴν ἀναπλήρωσιν, ὑπὲρ τῆς κατὰ δύναμιν ἐργασίας μὴ ἀμελήσωμεν. Θεὸς γὰρ οἶδε πόσων ἀσθενοῦντες οὐ δυνάμεθα ποιεῖν, καὶ πόσων ἀμελοῦντες οὐκ ἐργαζόμεθα τὸ ἔργον τῆς ἀγάπης. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ ἐκ τῶν προαιρετικῶν πόνων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν συμβατικῶν θλίψεων κρατύνεται, πολλῆς ἡμῖν χρεία παρὰ Θεοῦ ὑπομονῆς καὶ πραότητος· διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος. Ὁ θέλων γενέσθαι σοφὸς ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, μωρὸς γενέσθω, ἵνα γένηται σοφός. Ὁ τοιοῦτος τοὺς μὲν ἀνωτέρους αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς θελήμασι τῆς τελείας ἀγάπης οὐ κατακρίνει · ἑαυτὸν δὲ μᾶλλον πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπεροχὴν ἐπεκτείνει· καὶ ὅταν αὐτοὺς καταλάβῃ, πάλιν ἄλλους ζητεῖ ἑαυτοῦ μείζονας, καὶ εὑρὼν ἁμιλλᾶται κἀκείνοις, καὶ οὐδέποτε παύεται τοῦ δρόμου, ἕως ἂν εὑρίσκῃ τινὰς αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἀγάπη προσάγοντας. Εἰ δὲ τις αὐτῶν μὲν τοῖς ἀνωτέροις οὐ παρεικάζει, ἐκείνους δὲ ὡς μὴ τελείους κατακρίνει, ὡς οὐκ οἶδεν ἑαυτὸν, καταδικάζει. Φησὶ γάρ· Μὴ καταδικάζετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ καταδικασθῆτε. "Οθεν οἱ ἐν ῥήμασι σοφοὶ μόνους τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ἁμαρτάνειν νομίζουσιν· οἱ δὲ πνευματικοὶ καὶ ἀδικούμενοι ἑαυτοὺς καταμέμφονται, ὅταν μὴ μετὰ χαρᾶς αὐθαιρέτως τὰς ἀδικίας ὑποφέρουσιν· οὐ μόνον δὲ διὰ τοῦτο, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ ἐκ παλαιᾶς αὐτῶν αἰτίας αἱ θλίψεις ἀναφύονται, εἰ καὶ ἁμάρτημα ἁμαρτήματος ἐλαφρότερον τυγχάνει. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐκδικῶν ἑαυτὸν ἀκρισίας Θεοῦ δοκεῖ καταγινώσκειν· ὁ δὲ ὑποφέρων ὡς ἰδίαν τὴν ἐπελθοῦσαν αὐτῷ θλίψιν, τὴν ἰδίαν πρόσληψιν ὁμολογεῖ, δι᾽ ἣν καὶ ὑπομένων πάσχει τὰ δεινά. Δ΄. ᾿Αγανακτήσας δὲ ὁ κοσμικὸς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐλέγχοις, ἔφη · Εἰ ταῦτα ὁ πνευματικὸς ὑμῶν παρακελεύεται νόμος, τοῦ Θεοῦ θεσπίσαντος, καθὼς ἔφης, διὰ τἱ πίπτουσί τινες τῶν μοναχῶν, τοῦτον κρατοῦντες τὸν νόμον; Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἔφη· Οἱ κρατοῦντες αὐτὸν οὐ πίπτουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ καταλείποντες, καὶ τῶν καιρίων αὐτοῦ ἀμελήσαντες, προσευχῆς, λέγω, καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης, ὑπὸ μερίμνης βιωτικῆς καὶ κενοδοξίας κλαπέντες. Ὅθεν καὶ ὁ διάβολος πάντα τὰ βιωτικὰ ἐννοεῖν οὐκ ἀποτρέπει μόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα προσευχῆς καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης ἀποπλανήσῃ· οἶδε γὰρ τὰ ἐκτὸς τῶν δύο τούτων γινόμενα, ὅτι κἂν καλὰ τυγχάνῃ, ὀψέ ποτε ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Προσευχὴν δὲ λέγομεν, οὐ μόνον διὰ σαρκὸς ἐπιδεικνυμένην, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι᾽ ἐννοίας ἀπερισπάστου τῷ Θεῷ προσφερομένην. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἂν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀκαίρως περισπασθῇ, οὐδὲ τὸ ἕτερον καταμόνας παρίσταται τῷ Θεῷ φερομένην, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἰδίῳ θελήματι. Επερωτᾷ ὁ σχολαστικός· Ἔχει θέλημα ἡ σάρξ παρὰ τὴν διάνοιαν; ᾿Απεκρίθη ὁ ἀσκητής· Ἔχει, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον λέγοντα· Ἦμεν γάρ ποτε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπειθοῦντες, ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκός· καὶ πάλιν· Ἡ σάρξ ἐπιθυμεῖ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα κατὰ τῆς σαρκός. Ἴδε οὖν, ὅτι ἔχει καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ θέλημα, ἅπερ ἡμεῖς ἀγνοοῦμεν διὰ τὴν τῶν λογισμῶν ἀπροσεξίαν καὶ συγκατάθεσιν. Ὅθεν οὐ μόνον οἱ ἀμελοῦντες προσευχῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ τῇ διανοίᾳ μὴ προσέχοντες ἐπηρεάζονται. Ταῦτα δὲ εἰρήκαμεν οὐχ ὡς ἑτέρους κατακρίνοντες, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἐλλείμματα ὁμολογοῦντες. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ ὑπερηφανίας, τοῦτο δὲ ταπεινοφροσύνης γνώρισμα. Καὶ Ὑπερηφάνοις μὲν ἀντιτάσσεται Κύριος, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσι χάριν· δι' ἧς οὐ μόνον εἰς γνῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς ἕξιν ἡμᾶς ἄγει τῆς ἱερᾶς ἀρετῆς, λέγω δὴ τῆς ἀπερισπάστου προσευχῆς, ἧς μηδόλως ἡμᾶς ἀμελεῖν βουλόμενος ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος λέγει· ᾿Αδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε, ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε. "Αμα δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀμετεώριστον τοῦ νοὸς ἐμφαίνει λέγων· Μὴ σχηματίζεσθε τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ μεταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοὸς ὑμῶν, εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς, τὶ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πρὸς τὴν ὀλιγοπιστίαν ἡμῶν καὶ ἀσθένειαν διαφόρους ἐντολὰς ἔθετο ὁ Θεὸς, ὅπως κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ· σπουδὴν ἕκαστος ἐκφύγοι τὴν κόλασιν, καὶ τύχοι τῆς σωτηρίας, τούτου χάριν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ὁδηγεῖ ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλημα, μηδόλως ἡμῶν κριθῆναι βουλόμενος. Εἰδὼς δὲ πρὸς κατόρθωσιν πασῶν τῶν ἐντολῶν συνεργοῦσαν τὴν προσευχὴν, οὐ παύεται πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως περὶ αὐτῆς ἐντελλόμενος, καὶ λέγων· Προσευχόμενοι ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἐν πνεύματι, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐπαγρυπνοῦντες ἐν πάσῃ προσκαρτερήσει καὶ δεήσει. Ε΄. Ὅθεν γινώσκομεν, ὅτι προσευχὴ προσευχῆς διαφορωτέρα τυγχάνει. "Αλλο γάρ ἐστιν, ἀῤῥέμβῳ διανοίᾳ καὶ μὴ θολωτῷ νῷ παρακαλεῖν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἄλλο τὸ παριστᾶν τὸ σῶμα, καὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ ῥέμβεσθαι. Καὶ πάλιν, ἄλλο ἐστὶ καιροσκοπεῖν, καὶ μετὰ τὰς σωματικὰς ἀσχολίας εὐκαιρήσαντα προσεύξασθαι· καὶ ἄλλο, ὅσον δυνατὸν προτιμᾶν καὶ προαρπάζειν τὴν εὐχὴν τῶν κοσμικῶν φροντίδων, κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον λέγοντα· Ὁ Κύριος ἐγγύς. Μηδέν μεριμνᾶτε· ἀλλ' ἐν παντὶ τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ δεήσει, τὰ αἰτήματα ὑμῶν γνωριζέσθω πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Καθὼς καὶ ὁ μακάριος Πέτρος ἔφη· Σωφρονήσατε οὖν καὶ νήψατε εἰς προσευχὰς, πᾶσαν τὴν μέριμναν ὑμῶν ἐπιθέντες ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν. Πρῶτον δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος εἰδὼς, ὅτι πάντα διὰ προσευχῆς ὠχύρωται, φησί· Μὴ μεριμνήσητε τί φάγητε, ἢ τί πίητε, ἢ τί ἐνδύσησθε, ἀλλὰ μόνον ζητεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. Τάχα δὲ καὶ εἰς μείζονα πίστιν διὰ τούτου ἡμᾶς προσκαλεῖται ὁ Κύριος. Τίς γὰρ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν προσκαίρων μέριμναν ἀποβαλών, καὶ ἀνενδεὴς γενόμενος, μὴ πιστεύσει λοιπὸν αὐτῷ καὶ περὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν; Ὅθεν καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦτο φανεροποιῶν ἔλεγεν· Ὁ ἐν ὀλίγῳ ἄπιστος καὶ ἐν πολλῷ ἄπιστός ἐστιν. Ὅμως καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡμᾶς ἐφιλανθρωπεύσατο· εἰδὼς γὰρ ἀπαραίτητον οὖσαν τὴν ἐφήμερον τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπιμέλειαν, οὐ περιέκοψε τὴν καθημερινὴν φροντίδα, ἀλλὰ παραχωρήσας ἡμῖν τὴν σήμερον, περὶ τῆς αὔριον μὴ μεριμνᾷν παρακελεύεται, πάνυ θεοπρεπῶς καὶ φιλανθρώπως. Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστι δυνατὸν, σάρκα φοροῦντας καὶ ἀνθρώπους τυγχάνοντας τὰ τῆς σωματικῆς ζωῆς καθόλου παραλογίσασθαι. Συσταλῆναι γὰρ τὰ πολλὰ εἰς ὀλίγα διὰ προσευχῆς καὶ ἐγκρατείας ἐνδέχεται, παντελῶς δὲ παροραθῆναι ἀδύνατον. Γ΄. Διόπερ ὁ βουλόμενος εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ καταντῆσαι, κατὰ τὴν Γραφὴν, οὐκ ὀφείλεις προκρίνειν πάσας τὰς διακονίας, ἢ ἐκτὸς ἀνάγκης ἐπισπᾶσθαι ὡς ἔτυχεν, οὔτε ἀπαντώσας κατ᾿ ἀνάγκην τινὰ καὶ οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ, προφάσει προσευχῆς παρωθεῖν καὶ ἀποβάλλειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν διαφορὰν ἐπιγινώσκειν, καὶ τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ δουλεύειν ἀδογματίστως. Ὁ γὰρ μὴ οὕτως φρονῶν, οὔτε, κατὰ τὴν Γραφήν, ἐντολὴν ἐντολῆς διαφορωτέραν καὶ περιεκτικὴν εἶναι πιστεύει, οὔτε, κατὰ τὸν προφήτην, πρὸς πάσας τὰς ὅτι αὗται ἀναγκαῖαι καὶ ἀπαραίτητοι ἐντολαὶ οὐ Α ἐντολὰς κατορθοῦσθαι οἰκονομικῶς ἀπαντώσας βούλεται. ᾿Απαραιτήτων οὖν ὄντων τῶν ἀναγκαίων, καὶ οἰκονομικῶς ἀπαντώντων, παραιτεῖσθαι χρὴ τὰς ἀκαίρους ἀσχολίας, προτιμῶντας τὴν προσευχὴν, μάλιστα τὰς εἰς πολυτέλειαν καὶ πλεονεξίαν χρημάτων ἡμᾶς κατασπώσας. Ὅσαν γὰρ ἄν τις ἐν Κυρίῳ συστέλλοι ταύτας καὶ τὰς περισσὰς αὐτῶν ὕλας ἐκκόπτοι, τοσοῦτον καὶ τὴν ἔννοιαν ἀπὸ ῥεμβασμῶν συστέλλει· καὶ ὅσον ἂν συστέλλοι τὴν ἔννοιαν, τοσοῦτον καὶ τῇ καθαρᾷ προσευχῇ δίδωσι τόπον, καὶ τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν πίστιν εἰλικρινῆ ἐπιδείκνυσιν. Εἰ δὲ τις δι᾽ ὀλιγοπιστίαν, ἢ ἑτέραν τινὰ ἀσθένειαν, τοῦτο ποιεῖν οὐ δύναται, κἂν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπιγινωσκέτω, καὶ κατὰ δύναμιν ἐπεκτεινέσθω, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ νηπιότητα καταιτιώμενος. Κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἐλλείψεως δοῦναι λόγον, καὶ μὴ πλάνης καὶ οἰήσεως. Πειθέτω σε ἡ παραβολὴ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἕνα Φαρισαῖον καὶ ἕτερον τελώνην παρεισάγουσα. Διὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς πειρώμεθα πᾶσαν κοσμικὴν μέριμναν δι᾽ εὐχῆς καὶ ἐλπίδος ἀποκρούσασθαι. Μὴ δυνάμενοι δὲ ἀνελλειπῶς τοῦτο κατορθῶσαι, τῷ μὲν Θεῷ προσφέρομεν τῶν ἐλλειμμάτων τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν, τῆς δὲ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν σπουδῆς οὐκ ἀφιστάμεθα· βέλτιον γὰρ ἐγκληθῆναι περὶ ἐλλείψεως μερικῆς, καὶ μὴ παντελοῦς ἐγκαλύψεως. Ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ περὶ προσευχῆς ὀφείλομεν, ἐπειδὴ ἕκαστος πρὸς τὴν ἠγαπημένην αὐτῷ χρείαν ἀσχολούμενος ὀφειλομένην διακονίαν ἐκτελεῖν δοκεῖ, ἀγνοῶν, ὅτι πρὸς εὐαρέστησιν Θεοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ αὐτοῦ τὰ πράγματα κρίνειν ὀφείλεται. Τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τούτοις δυσδιάκριτον, πάντοτε οὐδὲ αἱ αὐταὶ, ἀλλ' ἐτέρα τῆς ἑτέρας ἐν ἰδίῳ καιρῷ προτιμᾶσθαι ὀφείλει, ἐπειδὴ οὐ πᾶσι μὲν διακονία πάντοτε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἰδίῳ καιρῷ ἐπιτελεῖται. Τῆς δὲ προσευχῆς ἀδιαλείπτως ἡμῖν ἡ λειτουργία νενομοθέτηται· τούτου χάριν τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἀσχολιῶν προκρίνειν αὐτὴν ὀφείλομεν. Ταύτην τὴν διαφορὰν πάντες οἱ ἀπόστολοι διδάσκοντες τὸ πλῆθος περισπᾶν αὐτοὺς εἰς διακονίαν βουλόμενον, ἔλεγον· Οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστι καταλιπόντας ἡμᾶς τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ διακονεῖν τραπέζαις· ἐπισκέψασθε οὖν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἄνδρας μαρτυρουμένους ἑπτὰ, οὓς καταστήσωμεν ἐπὶ τῆς χρείας ταύτης· ἡμεῖς δὲ τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ διακονίᾳ τοῦ λόγου προσκαρτερήσωμεν· καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ πλήθους. Εἰ δὲ διὰ τούτων μανθάνομεν, ὅτι τοῖς μὴ δυναμένοις προσκαρτερεῖν τῇ προσευχῇ καλὸν τὸ ἐγκεῖσθαι τῇ διακονίᾳ, ἵνα μὴ ἀμφοτέρων ἐκπέσωμεν· τοῖς δὲ δυναμένοις κρεϊσσόν ἐστι τὸ μὴ ἀμελοῦν τοῦ βελτίονος. Ζ΄. Ὁ δὲ δικανικὸς ἀκούσας ταῦτα οὕτως ἔφη Πῶς οἱ κατὰ κόσμον σοφοὶ προσευχῆς ἀμελοῦντες οὐ καταπίπτουσιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἑαυτοὺς φυλάττουσιν; Ὁ δὲ ἀσκητὴς στενάξας οὕτως ἔφη Καλῶς εἶπας, ὅτι οὐ πίπτουσι. Πεσόντες γὰρ ἅπαξ τὸ ἐξαίσιον καὶ δισσὸν πτῶμα, τῆς οἰήσεως καὶ ἀμελείας λέγω, οὔτε ἀναστῆναι δύνανται χωρὶς τῆς προσευχῆς, οὔτε ἔχουσι πόθεν πέσωσι. Τίς γὰρ ἔτι μέριμνα τῷ διαβόλῳ παλαίειν τοῖς ἀεὶ κάτω κειμένοις, καὶ μηδέποτε ἱσταμένοις; Ἕτεροι μέν εἰσιν οἱ ποτὲ μὲν νικῶντες, ποτὲ δὲ νικώμενοι· πίπτοντες, ἐγειρόμενοι· θλίβοντες, θλιβόμενοι· πολεμοῦντες, πολεμούμενοι· καὶ ἕτεροι οἱ τῇ πρώτῃ πτώσει διὰ πολλὴν ἄγνοιαν ἐναπομείναντες, καὶ μὴ εἰδότες, ὅτι περιπεπτώκασιν, οἷς ἐλεεινῶς ὁ προφήτης διαλέγεται Μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται; ἢ ὁ ἀποστρέφων οὐκ ἐπιστρέψει; καὶ πάλιν· Ἔγειραι, ὁ καθεύδων, καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός. Μὴ βουλομένοις δὲ τὸν τῆς ἐγέρσεως κόπον ἀναδέξασθαι, καὶ τῇ προσευχῇ παραμένειν, καὶ ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας θλιβῆναι, διὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν βασιλείαν, φησί· Τῇ διαφθορᾷ σου, Ἰσραὴλ, τίς βοηθήσῃ; Οὐκ ἔστι τραῦμα, οὔτε μώλωψ, οὔτε πληγὴ φλεγμαίνουσα, οὔτε τι τῶν παρὰ θέλημα συμβαινόντων κακῶν. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἁμαρτία ἡ πρὸς θάνατον, μηδὲ ταῖς ἑτέρων προσευχαῖς ἰατρευομένη. Ἰατρεύσαμεν γὰρ τὴν Βαβυλῶνα, καὶ οὐκ ἰάθη, διότι αὐθαίρετος ἡ νόσος, καὶ οὐκέτι μάλαγμα ἐπιθεῖναι, οὔτε ἔλαιον, οὔτε και ταδέσμους, τὰ παρ' ἑτέρων βοηθήματα. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀποφθέγγεται ἡ θεία Γραφὴ πρὸς τοὺς ἐξευτελίζοντας τὴν προσευχὴν, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἀνάγκης καὶ ἀσθενείας ὥραις καὶ καιροῖς ταύτην περιορίζοντας, τοῦ μὲν Κυρίου πάντοτε νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, τοῦ δὲ ᾿Αποστόλου ἀδιαλείπτως αὐτὴν προσφέρειν τῷ παντοδυνάμῳ Θεῷ νομοθετήσαντος. Η΄. Ἰδοὺ καὶ ἡ Παλαιά Διαθήκη πῶς ἀνακόπτει τὸν πεποιθότα ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐπαιρόμενον, λέγουσα· Ἴσθι πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ Κύριον ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ σου, ἐπὶ δὲ σῇ σοφίᾳ μὴ ἐπαίρου. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐκ εἰσὶ ψιλὰ ῥήματα, καθώς τισιν ἔδοξε, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο βίβλους ἐκτήσαντο, καὶ γνόντες τὴν τῶν γεγραμμένων δύναμιν, μηδὲν τούτων ἐργασάμενοι, ὑπερφυσῶνται ψιλοῖς τοῖς νοήμασι, καὶ διὰ λόγων καὶ ζητημάτων συνιστῶντες ἑαυτοὺς, μέγαν παρὰ τοῖς σοφίας ἀπείροις φέρουσιν ἔπαινον, τῆς φιλοπονίας μὴ ἁψάμενοι, μηδὲ τοῦ ἔργου μνησθέντες, πολλὴν παρὰ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν φιλοπόνων καὶ εὐσεβῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀποφέρονται τὴν κατάγνωσιν. Διότι τῇ εἰσαγωγικῇ γνώσει τῶν Γραφῶν οὐ πρὸς ἔργον, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν ἀποχρησάμενοι, τῆς κατ᾿ ἐνέργειαν Πνεύματος ἁγίου ἀπεστερήθησαν χάριτος. Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐν προσώπῳ καυχώμενοι, καὶ οὐ καρδίᾳ. Ὅθεν οἱ τοῦ ἔργου ἄπειροι ὀφείλουσιν αὐτοῦ ἅψασθαι· τὰ γὰρ παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς εἰρημένα, οὐχ ἵνα νοήσωμεν μόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως αὐτὰ καὶ ποιήσωμεν, εἴρηνται. Ἀρξώμεθα δὴ οὖν τοῦ ἔργου· οὕτως οὖν ἀκολούθως προκόπτοντες εὐρήσομεν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον εἰς Θεὸν ἐλπὶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ βεβαία πίστις, καὶ ἀνυπόκριτος ἀγάπη, καὶ ἀμνησικακία, καὶ φιλαδελφία, καὶ ἐγκράτεια, καὶ ὑπομονή, καὶ γνῶσις ἐσωτέρα, καὶ πειρασμῶν λύτρωσις, καὶ χαρισμάτων δωρήματα, καὶ ἐξομολόγησις καρδιακή, καὶ δάκρυον ἐκτενὲς, διὰ προσευχῆς τοῖς πιστοῖς ἐγγίνεται. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐπερχομένων θλιβερῶν ὑπομονὴ, καὶ εἰλικρινὴς τοῦ πλησίον ἄφεσις, καὶ νόμου πνευματικοῦ ἐπίγνωσις, καὶ δικαιοσύνης Θεοῦ εὕρεσις, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου ἐπιφοίτησις, καὶ θησαυρῶν πνευματικῶν δόσις, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐπηγγείλατο ὁ Θεὸς παρέχειν τοῖς πιστοῖς ἀνθρώποις, καὶ ὧδε καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι. Καὶ ἅπαξ ἁπλῶς κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἀναφανῆναι τὴν ψυχὴν ἀδύνατον, εἰ μὴ διὰ χάριτος Θεοῦ καὶ πίστεως, ἀνθρώπου μετὰ πολλῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ ἀμετεωρίστου προσευχῆς τῇ καρδίᾳ παραμένοντος. Πῶς οὖν οἱ τοιούτων καὶ τοσούτων ἀγαθῶν δι᾽ ἄγνοιαν καὶ προσευχῆς ἀμέλειαν ἀπεστερημένοι λέγουσιν· Οὐ πεπτώκαμεν ; Καὶ σοφίαν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιγράφουσιν, οἱ μηδὲ τὴν ἰδίαν καταβολὴν ἐπιστάμενοι, ἐλεεινοὶ τῆς πτώσεως, ἐλεεινοὶ τῆς ἀπειρίας, τοῦτο μόνον κερδαίνοντες, ὅτι ἡμᾶς πλεῖον πιστεύειν τῇ Γραφῇ παρασκευάζουσι, λεγούσῃ τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου μωρίαν εἶναι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ· ἡ δὲ ἐκ Θεοῦ, ἄνωθέν ἐστι κατερχομένη παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, ἧς τεκμήριόν ἐστιν ἡ ταπεινοφροσύνη. Οἱ οὖν ἀνθρωπαρεσκεῖν βουλόμενοι, ἀντὶ τῆς θείας τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἐδέξαντο, καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ φυσιούμενοι καὶ ἐγκαυχώμενοι, πολλοὺς τῶν ἁπλουστέρων ἠπάτησαν, πείσαντες οὐκ ἐν πόνοις εὐσεβείας καὶ προσευχῆς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πειθοῖ ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας, καὶ λόγοις φιλοσοφεῖν· ἣν καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος συνεχῶς μέμφεται, καὶ κένωσιν τοῦ σταυροῦ ὀνομάζει. Φησὶ γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους Ἐπιστολῇ· Οὐκ ἀπέστειλέ με Χριστὸς βαπτίζειν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου, ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν· Τὰ μωρὰ τοῦ κόσμου ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα καταισχύνῃ τοὺς σοφούς· καὶ τὰ ἀγενῆ τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ τὰ ἐξουδενούμενα ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ἵνα τὰ ὄντα καταργήσῃ, ὅπως μὴ καυχήσηται πᾶσα σάρξ ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰ οὖν ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐν ῥήμασιν Ἑλληνικῆς σοφίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πονήμασι προσευχῆς καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης εὐδοκεῖ, καθὼς καὶ ἀποδέδεικται, τί ματαιοφρονοῦσι, καὶ τὸν πρῶτον τρόπον τῆς θεοσεβείας ὡς δυσκατόρθωτον καταλιπόντες, οὐδὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ, ἢ κἂν τῷ τρίτῳ σωθῆναι βουλόμενοι, καὶ τοὺς ἁπλουστέρους ἐξαπατῶσιν; Θ΄. Τοῦ δὲ σχολαστικοῦ βουλομένου μαθεῖν, τίνες εἰσὶ τῆς θεοσεβείας τρόποι, ὁ ἀσκητὴς ἀπεκρίνατο Ὁ πρῶτός ἐστι, τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν· ὁ δεύτερος τῷ ἁμαρτήσαντι ὑπομένειν τὰ ἐπερχόμενα θλιβερά· ὁ δὲ τρίτος τρόπος, τὸν μὴ ὑπομένοντα πενθεῖν ἐν τοῖς ὑπομονῆς ἐλλείμμασι, καθότι ὧδε μὴ διορθωθέντα διὰ τῶν προσφυῶν συμβάσεων, ἐξ ἀνάγκης λοιπὸν τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἡμῖν κρίσιν ἐπάγουσιν, εἰ μήτι οὖν πενθοῦντας ἡμᾶς καὶ τεταπεινωμένους ἰδὼν ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς οἶδε, τῇ παντοδυνάμῳ αὐτοῦ ἀγαθότητι καὶ θείᾳ χάριτι ἐξαλείψῃ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν. Εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν προειρημένων ἀμελείᾳ τὸ πένθος καὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν καταλιπόντες, ἔτι ἑαυτοὺς καὶ λόγοις κοσμικῆς σοφίας εὐδοκοῦμεν, ὅπως καὶ ἐν τούτοις τῶν εὐλαβεστέρων κατεπαιρώμεθα, πῶς ἐλεηθῶμεν λοιπὸν ἐναντία τοῦ ἐλέους ποιοῦντες; ὦ ! πῶς πιθανόν ἐστι τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας πάθος καὶ δυσεύρετον, καθότι καὶ τῶν φρονίμων κατακρατεῖ; Τῶν μὲν γὰρ ἄλλων παθῶν αἱ ἐργασίαι τοῖς μετόχοις αὐτῶν εὔδηλοί εἰσιν· ὅθεν καὶ ταπεινοφρονεῖν τοὺς κεκρατημένους παρασκευάζουσιν· ἡ δὲ ἀνθρωπαρέσκεια ῥήμασί τε καὶ σχήμασιν εὐσεβείας ἐπικρύπτεται, ὡς μηδὲ τὰς παρατροπὰς αὐτῆς τοὺς δελεαζομένους ἐπιγνῶναι ῥᾴδιον. Ι'. Ἐπερώτησεν ὁ κοσμικός· Ποῖαἱ εἰσιν αἱ ἐξ ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας παρατροπαί; μᾶλλον δὲ πρὸ τούτων μαθεῖν βούλομαι, τί ἐστιν ἀνθρωπαρέσκεια· ὁρῶ γάρ σε οὐ φύσεως ἀκόλουθα λέγειν τοῖς κεχρηματισμένοις ἑπόμενον, ἀλλ᾿ ἀμαθίας αἰτίαν τῶν πάντων καταστοχαζόμενον, καὶ ἀσυναρτίστοις μαρτυρίαις ψέγοντα τὰ ὠφέλιμα. Διὸ ταύτης μοι τῆς προσωνυμίας πρῶτον εἰπὲ τὴν οἰκειότητα, καὶ οὕτως πιστεύομέν σοι, ὅτι καὶ τὴν γενικωτάτην αὐτῆς βλάβην κατείληφας. Ὁ δὲ ἀσκητὴς ἔφη· ᾿Ανθρωπαρέσκειά ἐστιν, ὡς δοκῶ, τὸ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν. Ταύτην εἶναι οἶδα τοῦ χρηματισμοῦ τὴν οἰκειότητα. Ὁ δὲ δικανικὸς, ὡς μέγα τι θαυμάσας τὸ ῥῆμα, φησί Πάνυ προσφυῶς εἴρηκας. Τί οὖν, εὐλαβέστατε, ψέγεις ἀδίκως τὸ δίκαιον; Ἢ οὐ φαίνεταί σοι δίκαιον εἶναι τὸ ἑκάστῳ τῶν οἰκείων ἔργων τὴν δοκιμασίαν ἑαυτῷ ἀποδιδόναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέροις τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ κρίσιν ἐπιτρέπειν μᾶλλον ἢ ἑαυτοῖς; Ἐγὼ δὲ φημι, μήτε ὅλως ἀρετὴν ὀνομάζεσθαι τὸ μὴ ἀρέσκον ἀνθρώποις, μήτε παρὰ τοῦ πέλας ἔχειν τὸν ἔπαινον· ὅπερ καὶ τῆς Γραφῆς ἤκουσα λεγούσης· Εγκωμιαζέτω σε ὁ πέλας, καὶ μὴ τὸ σὸν στόμα· ἀλλότρια, καὶ μὴ τὰ σὰ χείλη· καὶ πάλιν· "Εκαστος ἡμῶν τῷ πλησίον ἀρεσκέτω εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν πρὸς οἰκοδομήν· καὶ πάλιν· ᾿Απρόσκοποι γίνεσθε καὶ Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ Ἕλλησι, καὶ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τίς δὲ δύναται, μὴ ἀρέσκων τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἀπρόσκοπος εἶναι; Τί οὖν τοσοῦτον ἐβάθυνας τὴν ἀνθρωπαρέσκειαν μεμφόμενος; Εἰ δὲ τοὺς κατὰ σὲ μὴ ἀρέσκοντας χρὴ ἀποδέχεσθαι, καιρός σοι λοιπὸν τοὺς λῃστὰς, καὶ φονεῖς, καὶ ἅρπαγας, καὶ ἐπιβούλους ἐπαινεῖν, ἐπειδὴ οὐδενὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀρέσκουσιν. Εἰ δὲ ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις παρὰ σοῦ ἡμεῖς μέχρι νῦν σεσιωπήκαμεν, μὴ θαυμάσῃς· οὐ γὰρ ὡς μὴ ἐπιστάμενοι τὰς Γραφὰς, οὐδὲ ὡς ἀγνοοῦντες τὸ δίκαιον, ἀλλὰ βουλόμενοι πρότερον ὑπακοῦσαι τῶν ὑμετέρων λόγων. Οἴδαμεν δὲ καὶ συγγνώμην ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς ἐν λόγῳ σφαλλομένοις, ὅταν μὴ θελήματα ἀπαιδευσίας αἴτια τοῦτο ποιῶσι, καὶ ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς προσηγορίαις κακίαν ἐπιγράφωσιν· ὅπερ καὶ σὺ παρὰ γνώμην πέπονθας, εὐλαβέστατε· βουλόμενος γὰρ, ὡς οἶμαι, φανεροποιῆσαι τὴν αὐταρέσκειαν. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν σοι οὐκ ἀπὸ ἀμελείας, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ ἀμαθίας προσελήλυθε, δίκαιον ἂν εἴη, τῆς προσωνυμίας φανερωθείσης, καὶ τὰς αἱτίας ὡς ψευδεῖς παρασιωπηθῆναι, ἂς τοσοῦτον φαύλας καὶ δυσευρέτους ἔδοξας εἶναι, ὡς καὶ τῶν φρονίμων κατακρατεῖν. ΙΑ΄. Ὁ δὲ ἀσκητὴς ἐπιγνοὺς ὅτι φανερῶς πρὸς τοὺς ἐλέγχους ἀγανακτεῖ, καὶ τὰ ῥηθησόμενα παραιτιᾶται, ἀπηνεώθη μικρὸν, ὡς εἰκάσαι πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ὅτι τοῖς συλλογισμοῖς καταπλαγεὶς, τὰς συστάσεις κατέλειπεν. ᾿Ανοίξας δὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἔφη· Ἐπειδὴ οὐ νικῆσαι, ἀλλ' ὠφεληθῆναι προθέμενοι, ἐπὶ τούτους ἥκομεν τοὺς λόγους· αὐτὸς δὲ ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν παρεσιώπησας, οὐχ ὡς ἀγνοῶν τὸ δικαιότερον, ἔφης, ἀλλὰ πρότερον τὴν παρ' ἡμῶν ἀκοῦσαι διήγησιν βουλόμενος· τούτου χάριν παρακαλοῦμεν τὴν θαυμασιότητά σου, τέλος δοῦναι τῷ ἐπαγγέλματι, καὶ διδάξαι, ὡς οὐκ αὐτοπροσώπως, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτερωνύμως μέμφεται τὴν ἀνθρωπαρέσκειαν ἡ θεία Γραφή (ἣν πᾶσαν καλῶς ἐπιστάμενος, οὐ καλῶς ἄχρι νῦν παρεσιώπησας). Οὕτω γὰρ τὰ τῆς Γραφῆς, σοῦ λέγοντος, Β οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις πεισθῶμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοῖς διηγήμασιν ἀνεξόμεθά σου δικαιότερα λέγοντος, εἰ καὶ ἀπὸ ἰδιωτείας, ὡς ἔφης, τὰ ὀνόματα ἀνταλλάξαντες, ἀρετὴν ἀντὶ πάθους ἡτοιμασάμεθα. Ὁ δὲ βιωτικὸς ταῦτα ἀκούσας, ἀπεκρίνατο· Οὐκ εἶπον, ὅτι πᾶσαν Γραφὴν ἐπίσταμαι, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ μέρους. Σὺ οὖν με εἰς τὸ λέγειν μὴ προσκαλοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ ἐναρξάμενος, εἰ μὲν ἀπορεῖς τῶν συστάσεων, σιώπα, καὶ παρ᾿ ἡμῶν συγγνώμην ἕξεις. Εἰ δὲ πάρεστί σοι δεῖξαι καταγινωσκομένην ὀνομαστὶ τὴν ἀνθρωπαρέσκειαν, λέγε· καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐξ ἀνάγκης, κἂν μὴ θέλωμεν, τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὁμολογήσομεν. Ὁ δὲ ἀσκητὴς ἔφη· Ἐχέτω ταῦτα οὕτως· τὰς δὲ ἀδίκους παρὰ σοῦ μέμψεις ποῦ θήσομεν; Ὁ δὲ δικανικὸς λέγει · Εἰς τὸν τῆς μακροθυμίας νόμον, ὃν ἡμᾶς προεδίδαξας. Ο Ὁ δὲ γέρων πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐπαινῶ σε τῆς σοφίας, ἵνα μὴ λέγω τῆς πανουργίας, καθότι ἐπὶ τῇ ἀγνοίᾳ συμπάθειαν παρεισήγαγες, διὰ τῆς τοῦ παρέχειν ἐπαγγελίας τὸ λαβεῖν προσκεψάμενος. Ὅμως ταῦτα καταλιπόντες, τοῦ προκειμένου γενώμεθα. ΙΒ΄. ῎Ἄκουε οὖν τῆς Γραφῆς προφερούσης τὰς κατὰ τῆς ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας μέμψεις· πρῶτον τοῦ Προφήτου λέγοντος· "Ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς διεσκόρπισεν ὀστᾶ ἀνθρωπαρέσκων· κατῃσχύνθησαν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἐξουδένωσεν αὐτοὺς· καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος· Μὴ κατ' ὀφθαλμοδουλείαν, ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι· καὶ πάλιν· Εἰ ζητῶ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσαι; καὶ ἔτι· Εἰ ἀνθρώποις ἠρέσκουν, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην· καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ ἀναλεξάμενος εὑρήσεις. Ὁ δὲ κοσμικὸς ἔφη· Τί οὖν; ὅτι καὶ ἃ εἶπον γέγραπται, ἆρα ἡ Γραφὴ ἀσύμφωνος ἑαυτῇ; Ὁ ἀσκητὴς ἔφη· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἑαυτῇ ἀσύμφωνος, ἀλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς ἀμβλυωποῦμεν πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπόδειξιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐ πάντες ἀσεβεῖς ἄνθρωποι, οὐδὲ πάντες εὐσεβεῖς τυγχάνομεν· τούτου χάριν οὐ πᾶσιν ἀρέσκειν ὀφείλομεν, πλὴν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς· ὁμοίως δὲ οὐ πᾶσι μὴ ἀρέσκειν ὀφείλομεν, πλὴν τοῖς πονηροῖς. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῦτο φανεροποιῶν ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις φησίν· Οὐαὶ ὅταν καλῶς ὑμᾶς εἶπωσι πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐν τούτοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς δοκοῦσι καλοῖς ἀνθρωπαρεσκεῖν ἡμᾶς κωλύει, ὅταν μὴ δι' ἔλεγχον καὶ μίμησιν, ἀλλὰ δι' ἔπαινον καί τινα ἀντίδοσιν ἐπιδεικνύωμεν τὰ καλὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Καὶ εἰκότως. Εἰ γὰρ ἀνταποδόσεως ἕνεκεν σωματικῆς ἀρέσκειν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις βούλεται, οὐδὲν χάρισμα πνευματικὸν παρὰ Θεοῦ λαμβάνει, οὐδὲ τυγχάνει τῶν ἐκεῖ ἀνταποδόσεων, ἀπέχων τὸν μισθὸν αὐτοῦ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἐφανέρωσεν, οὐχ ἅπαξ, ᾿ἀλλὰ καὶ πλειστάκις· καὶ περὶ προσευχῆς, καὶ περὶ νηστείας, καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης ἐντελλόμενος, κρύπτειν αὐτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων παρήγγειλεν. ΙΓ΄. Ὁ δὲ σχολαστικὸς, ἔτι λαλουμένων τῶν ῥημάτων, εἶπε μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ· ἱκανῶς ἔχει, περὶ τούτου πεπληροφόρημαι. Λείπεται δέ σοι μὴ ἐν αἰνίγματι, μηδὲ ἐν εἰκασμῷ, ἀλλὰ φανερῶς εἰπεῖν, τίνες εἰσὶν αἱ τῆς κακίας παρατροπαὶ, ἵνα γνῶμεν ἀκριβῶς, εἰ εἰσὶ, καθὼς εἴρηκας, σκοτεινότεροι καὶ δυσεύρετοι, ὡς δύνασθαι αὐτὰς ἐληλυθυίας, καὶ τῶν φρονίμων κατακρατεῖν. Ὁ δὲ ἀσκητὴς ἔφη· ῎Ἄκουε συνετῶς, καὶ ἀπαγγελῶ σοι ὀνομαστί · αὐτὸς δὲ ἐπίστησον, εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς εὕρῃς πάσας ταύτας ἐν πᾶσιν ἐκείνοις τῷ πάθει οἰκειωμένας. Πρώτη καὶ μήτηρ ἐστὶ τῶν παρατροπῶν ἡ ἀπιστία. Ταύτῃ δὲ λοιπὸν ὡς τέκνα ἐπακολουθοῦσι φθόνος, μίσος, ζῆλος, δόλος, νεῖκος, ὑπόκρισις, προσωποληψία, ὀφθαλμοδουλεία, καταλαλιὰ, ψεῦδος, εὐλαβείας πρόσχημα, οὐκ ἀληθείας, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα δυσφανῆ καὶ σκοτεινὰ πάθη. Τὸ καὶ πάντων φαυλότερον, ὅτι τινὲς διὰ τῆς τοῦ λόγου σοφίας συνιστῶσιν αὐτὰ ὡς καλὰ, καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς βλάβην α ἐπικαλύπτουσιν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει, καὶ τὴν πανουργίαν αὐτῶν μερικῶς φανεροποιήσω. Ὁ πανοῦργος ἀνθρωπάρεσκος, ἑτέρῳ συμβουλεύων, ἑτέρῳ ἐπιβουλεύει ἄλλον ἐπαινῶν, ἄλλον ψέγει· νουθετῶν τὸν πλησίον, ἑαυτὸν συνίστησιν · εἰς δίκην συνηγορεῖ, οὐχ ἵνα τὸ δίκαιον κρίνῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἀμύνηται· μετὰ κολακείας ἐλέγχει, ἕως οὗ ὀνειδίζων παραδεχθῇ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἐχθρόν· ἀνωνύμως διαβάλλει, ἵνα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καταλαλιὰν ἐπικρύψῃ· ὁρκίζει τοὺς ἀκτήμονας τοῦ ὁμολογῆσαι τὰ ἐνδέοντα, ὡς παρασχεῖν βουλόμενος· καὶ ὅταν εἴπωσιν, ὡς αἰτοῦντας διαφημίζει · παρὰ ἀπείροις καυχᾶται, καὶ παρὰ ἐμπείροις ταπεινολογεῖ, τὸν ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἔπαινον θηρώμενος. Έγκωμιαζομένων ἐναρέτων ἀηδίζεται · καὶ ἐπιῤῥίψας ἑτέραν διήγησιν, περισπᾷ τὸ ἐγκώμιον · τοὺς ἀρχικοὺς ἀπόντας ἐξευτελίζει, καὶ παρόντας εἰς πρόσωπον δοξάζει τοὺς ταπεινόφρονας μυκτηρίζει, καὶ τοὺς διδασκάλους μωμοσκοπεῖ· ἰδιωτείαν ὀνειδίζει, ἵνα ὡς σοφὸν ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδείξῃ· πάντων τὰς ἀρετὰς παραλογίζεται, τὰς δὲ κακίας διὰ μνήμης ἔχει. Καὶ ἀπαξαπλῶς καιροὺς θηρεύει, καὶ προσώποις δουλεύει, ὅπως πληροφορήσῃ τὸ πολυτροπώτατον τῆς ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας πάθος κρύπτειν πειρᾶται τὰ ἑαυτοῦ κακὰ διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐρωτήσεως. Οἱ δὲ ὄντως μοναχοὶ οὐχ οὗτως, ἀλλὰ τούταντίον, τὰ τῶν ἄλλων συμπαθῶς παρορῶσι· τὰ δὲ αὐτῶν τῷ Θεῷ φανεροποιοῦσι. Διὸ καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἀγνοούντων ἀνθρώπων ἐξευτελίζονται· οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον βροτοῖς, ὅσον Θεῷ ἀρέσκειν σπουδάζουσι, τοῦτο μὲν εὐαρεστοῦντες, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἑαυτοὺς κατακρίνοντες, ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέροις ἐκδεχόμενοι παρὰ Κυρίου τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν, εἰρηκότος - Ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται. ΙΔ΄. Ὁ δὲ σχολαστικὸς, πονήσας ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐλέγχοις, ἔφη· Ἐγώ σου σὺν τοῖς νοήμασιν, ὦ ἀσκητὰ, καὶ τὴν πανουργίαν ἐθαύμασα, ἣν ἑτέροις ἐγκαλῶν αὐτὸς ἐπεσκιασμένως κατέχεις. Ἀπορῶν γὰρ τῆς ἐγκυκλίου παιδεύσεως, εἰς τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν μωρίαν ἐπεσπάσω, λέγων αὐτὴν σοφίαν εἶναι μεγίστην, καὶ Θεῷ εὐάρεστον, μεθ᾿ ἧς καὶ τὴν προσευχὴν, καὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας πόνους προσέλαβες, ὅπως τὴν εὔδηλον ἀπαιδευσίαν τῇ ἀδήλῳ εὐλαβείᾳ ἐπικαλύψῃς. Ει δὲ ὅλως ἐργάτης τυγχάνεις τῶν σῶν διηγημάτων, αὔριον πάλιν ἐπιβαλόντες ἐπιγνωσόμεθα · καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, ἀναστὰς ἀπῆλθεν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων προπέμψας αὐτὸν καὶ στραφεὶς ἐποτνία. Οἱ δὲ ἀδελφοὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν, τοῦ στεναγμοῦ τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν· ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ὁρῶ τινας ὑμῶν τεταραγμένους. Τεκμήριον γὰρ ἔλαβον, ὅτι οὐ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς βλάβην ἐδέξασθε τοῦ δικανικοῦ τὰ ῥήματα · καὶ οὐκ ὠφεληθέντας, ἀλλ᾽ ὑβρισθέντας ἑαυτοὺς ἐλογίσασθε ἐπὶ τοῖς εἰρημένοις. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τῆς ἐμῆς ἀθυμίας, ὅτι τὸν πνευματικὸν νόμον ἑτέροις λαλοῦμεν, αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐ τηροῦμεν. Εἰ δὲ οὐ προσφυῶς κατηκολούθησα τῷ βουλήματι τῶν σκυθρωπῶν, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοὶ κρατοῦσι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμον, καὶ πάντα θλιβερὰ οὐκ ἀδίκως ἐπέρχεσθαι πεπιστεύκασι κατὰ τὴν Γραφὴν, ὡς γέροντί μοι συγγνώμην τῆς μικρονοίας ἀπόδοτε, μόνον ἵνα πιστεύσωμεν, ὅτι τῶν συμβαινόντων ἡμῖν λυπηρῶν ἐσμεν ὑπεύθυνοι, καὶ εἰ μὴ προσφάτως, ἢ δι' αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ παλαιοῦ χρεωστήματος. Τότε εἷς τῶν ἀδελφῶν πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ ἐγκρατείᾳ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀγνοῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ πάντα μὲν τὰ θλιβερὰ ὑπομένειν πειρώμενος, ὅμως ὡς μάρτυρ πάσχειν ἀδίκως οἰόμενος, μετὰ θράσους ἀπεκρίνατο, λέγων· Ποῦ ἡ Γραφὴ κατὰ αἰτίαν ἑκάστου καὶ δικαίαν κρίσιν Θεοῦ ἐπέρχεσθαι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰς συμφορὰς εἴρηκεν ; Ὁ δὲ γέρων, ἐφ᾽ οἷς εἰρήκει λίαν εὐπροσωπήσας ἔφη· Ἐν πολλοῖς κεφαλαίοις τοῦτο ζητήσας εὑρήσεις, ἀγαπητέ, καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ, καὶ ἐν τῇ Καινῇ Διαθήκῃ· εἰ δὲ βούλει, καὶ ἡμεῖς σμικρὰ φανερώσωμεν · αὐτὸς δὲ μαθὼν, ἀπόβαλε τὴν ὑψηλοφροσύνην, καὶ κτῆσαι τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ταπείνωσιν, λέγοντος· Ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς, καὶ μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾶὸς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὐρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν. ΙΕ΄. Ὁ δὲ ὑποτακτικὸς ἐπιδραμὼν τῷ λόγῳ, ἔφη Εἰ ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ἐν τούτῳ μιμεῖται τὴν ταπείνωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν τῷ ἴδιον χρέος ἡγεῖσθαι τὰ ἐπερχόμενα, καθὼς εἴρηκας, δηλονότι καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς παθών, ἴδιον χρέος ἐξετέλεσεν· ὅθεν ἐγὼ βλασφημεῖν ἡγοῦμαι τὸν τοῦτο λέγοντα. ᾿Ακούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ ἡγούμενος, λέγει · Ἐγὼ μὲν ἐπειρώμην τὴν προλαβοῦσάν σου πεῦσιν πρότερον λῦσαι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ταύτῃ ἐτέραν ἐπέβαλες, ὡς ἐκ τῆς συγχύσεως τῶν μυρίων ἐρωτήσεων ἐπεκάλυψας τὰς λύσεις. Ἡμεῖς ἐν Κυρίῳ καὶ περὶ τούτου πληροφορήσομεν, τὰ προσήκοντα ἀντεπερωτήσαντες. Εἰπέ μοι, οἱ δανειζόμενοι ἴδιον χρέος, αὐτοὶ μόνοι χρεῶσται τυγχάνουσιν, ἢ καὶ οἱ ἐγγυώμενοι αὐτούς; Ὁ δὲ ὑποτακτικὸς ἀπεκρίθη Δηλονότι καὶ οἱ ἐγγυώμενοι αὐτούς. Ὁ δὲ γέρων πρὸς αὐτόν· Γνῶθι οὖν ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς ἀναδεξάμενος χρεωφειλέτην ἑαυτὸν κατέστησε, κατὰ τὰς θείας Γραφάς· Ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου· ῾Ο γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα· Ὁ πάντων τὸν θάνατον ἀναδεξάμενος, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀποθανών, σὲ μόνον οὐκ ἀνεδέξατο; Τοῦτο ὁμολόγησον σαφῶς, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἡττήμεθα. Ὁ δὲ ἀδελφὸς προσπεσὼν ἔφη · Εἰ καὶ ὡς νήπιος ἐσφάλην κατὰ ἄγνοιαν, τὸν δὲ λυτρωτὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν καὶ ἀνάδοχον οὐκ ἀρνοῦμαι. Οἶδα γὰρ, ὅτι οὐδεμία ἑτέρα ἐλπὶς σωτηρίας ὑπολέλειπται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου λέγοντος, ὅτι Πάντες ἥμαρτον, καὶ ὑστερούμενοι τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι. ΙΓ΄. Ωφεληθέντων δὲ πάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἐπιγνώσει καὶ μετανοίᾳ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, ὁ δὲ γέρων ἔφη · Λείπεται λοιπὸν ἡμᾶς δεῖξαι ἀπὸ τῆς Γραφῆς, ὅτι οὐδὲν τῶν συμβαινόντων λυπηρῶν ἑκάστῳ ἀδίκως ἐπέρχεται, ἀλλὰ πάντα κατὰ δικαίαν κρίσιν Θεοῦ, τῶν μὲν ὑπὲρ ἰδίων κακῶν, τῶν δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν πλησίον πασχόντων, εἰς κόλπον ἐπέρχεται πάντα τοῖς ἀδίκοις · Παρὰ δὲ Κυρίου πάντα δίκαια· καὶ πάλιν · Πάντα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ δικαιοσύνης· καὶ ὁ σπείρει ἕκαστος, τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει· καὶ, Εἰ ἡμῶν ἀδικία Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην συνίστησι, τί ἐροῦμεν; Μὴ ἄδικος ὁ ἐπιφέρων τὴν ὀργήν; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω. Μὴ γένοιτο. Ἰδοὺ καὶ οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ βληθέντες, διδάσκουσιν ἡμᾶς τοῦτο τὸ φρόνημα, κατὰ ἰδίαν αἰτίαν καὶ Θεοῦ παίδευσιν λέγοντες έμβεβλῆσθαι, εἰ καὶ ἄλλο ἀνεδέξαντο πρόσωπον. Καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Δαβὶδ, ὑπὸ τοῦ Σεμεῖ θλιβόμενος, κελεύσει Θεοῦ καὶ διὰ ἴδια αἰτιάματα ὁμολογεῖ θλίβεσθαι. Καὶ Ἠσαΐας δὲ καὶ Ἱερεμίας. Ἰεζεκιήλ τε καὶ Δανιὴλ, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ προφῆται, τῷ τε λαῷ καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὰ μέλλοντα θλιβερὰ κατὰ τὴν ἐἑκάστου ἁμαρτίαν ἐπἐρχεσθαι αὐτοῖς προεφήτευον, ἅμα καὶ τὰς αἰτίας καὶ τὰς ἀφορμὰς προδηλώσαντες · φησὶ γάρ· ᾿Ανθ᾽ ὧν ἐλάλουν τάδε, καὶ ἐποίουν τάδε, ἐπέλθοι αὐτοῖς τάδε. Καὶ ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ ὁ μακάριος Δαβὶδ τοῦτο φανεροποιῶν ἔλεγεν · Ἔγνων, Κύριε, ὅτι δικαιοσύνη τὰ κρίματά σου, καὶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ σου ἐταπείνωσάς με. Καὶ πάλιν · Ονειδος ἄφρονι ἔδωκάς μοι· ἐκωφώθην, καὶ οὐκ ἤνοιξα τὸ στόμα μου, ὅτι σὺ ἐποίησας. Καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ, ὅτι τῶν ἐπικεκαλυμμένων ἐν ἡμῖν ἐννοιῶν πονηρῶν ἐπέστειλεν αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἀκριβῶς τὰς ἐννοίας ἡμῶν ἐπιβλεψάμενοι, ἑαυτοὺς διορθωσώμεθα, καὶ μὴ ἀμφιβάλλωμεν εἰ τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς κακίας τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀγνοοῦμεν. Τελείου γὰρ ἀνδρός ἐστιν ἀληθάργητον εἶναι ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις ἡττήμασιν. Εἰ δὲ τὰ προφανῆ ἡττήματά ἐστι δυσκατανόητα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ ἐνθυμήματα. Γνωσόμεθα οὖν ὡς λογικοὶ, ὅτι πρὸς τὴν ἡμῶν ὠφέλειαν ἐπιφέρει Κύριος τὰς ἐπαγωγὰς, καὶ πολλὰ καλὰ δι' αὐτῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἐργάζεται. Πρῶτον εὕρεσις τῶν κρυπτῶς ἡμᾶς κατεχουσῶν ἐννοιῶν, μετὰ τὴν τούτων εὕρεσιν · καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνην προστίθησιν ἀληθινὴν καὶ ἀσχημάτιστον, εἶτα τῆς ματαίας οἰήσεως ἀπαλλαγῆναι κελεύουσαν ἀνακάλυψιν, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον · Διέκυψαν πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν, ὅπως ἂν ἐξολοθρευθῶσιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Τοῦτο οὖν ἀκριβῶς ἴστε γινώσκοντες, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ τὰς ἐπιφοράς μετὰ πίστεως καὶ εὐχαριστίας ὑπομείνωμεν, τὴν ἐγκεκρυμμένην κακίαν εὑρεῖν οὐ δυνάμεθα. Ταύτης δὲ τρανῶς μὴ εὑρεθείσης, οὔτε τοὺς ἐνεστῶτας φαύλους λογισμοὺς ἀποῤῥίψαι δυνάμεθα, Β οὔτε τῶν προγεγενημένων κακῶν ἱλασμὸν ζητῆσαι, οὔτε περὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀσφάλειαν δέξασθαι.
Ērōtēse tis tōn en logois dikanikōn geronta askētēn, legōn; Parakalō, peisate me gnōnai thelonta, ti phronountes hoi monachoi phate dein tous adikountas mē krinein; ē ti metacheirizomenoi, tōn aisthētōn ergōn apechesthe? eph᾽ hōn lian katamemphometha hymas, hōs tēn men akrisian para tous nomous, tēn de argian para tēn physin epitēdeuontas. Ei de philosophias charin touto poiountes epignōte,. anankaiōs kai autos tēs mempseōs apostas, zēlōsō tēn aretēn hymōn. Ho de askētēs prōton kata noun euxamenos, houtōs ephē; Edei men, ō logiōtate, tauta se pythomenon para tōn eu eidotōn mathein. Hēmeis gar eti tōn didaskomenōn tynchanomen. Epeidē de ho sophos pros tous idiōtas ēutomolēsas, hōs pistōsomenos peri hōn ephēs, akouson ; Hoi monachoi xenon tēs Ekklēsias ouch hēretisanto phronēma, alla to tou Christou katechein spoudazousi, kata ton Apostolon legonta; Touto phroneisthō en hymin, ho kai en Christǭ Iēsou; hos en morphę̄ Theou hyparchōn, ouch harpagmon hēgēsato to einai isa Theǭ, all᾽ heauton ekenōse, morphēn doulou labōn, en homoiōmati anthrōpōn genomenos, kai schēmati heuretheis hōs anthrōpos. Etapeinōsen heauton, genomenos hypēkoos mechri thanatou, thanatou de staurou. Gnōthi oun hoti theodōrēton esti, kai tēs megalēs aretēs, legō dē tapeinophrosynēs proxenos. Ergǭ de eneteilato ho Kyrios tę̄ Ekklēsią touto ergazesthai, eipōn; Ergazesthe, mē tēn brōsin tēn apollymenēn, alla tēn menousan eis zōēn aiōnion. Ho de dikanikos legei; Gnōsometha kai hēmeis, parakalō, poion esti to ergon. Ho de askētēs; To dia proseuchēs zētein tēn basileian tou Theou, kai tēn dikaiosynēn autou; hēn kai entos hēmōn eirēken einai; kai tois zētousin autēn ta sōmatika panta hypescheto. Tauta oun akousantes para tou Kyriou, kai pisteusantes, kata dynamin ergazometha; pōs exō tēs physeōs hēmas prattein legeis? Ei de phainetai soi para physin, gnōthi tina katamemphę̄; ho Theos gar estin ho enteilamenos. Homoiōs de kai to mē krinein tous adikountas, Theou entolē esti. Pōs paranomousin hoi poiountes auta, eirēkotos tou Theou dia tou prophētou; Emoi ekdikēsis, egō antapodōsō, legei Kyrios ; kai en tois Euangeliois; Mē krinete, kai ou mē krithēte; kai tou ᾿Apostolou; Mē pro kairou ti krinete; kai palin; Mē ekdikountes heautous; kai palin; Sy ti krineis allotrion oiketēn? Tis esti loipon ho toutōn dikaioterous nomous horisamenos, kai pro kairou krinai thelōn tous adikountas, hōsei anamartētos, kai tou Theou nomon phylattein peirōmenois paranomian enkalōn, kai tēn anexikakian onomazōn kakian? B΄. Tauta akousas ho scholastikos ephē ; Hoi oun archontes hamartanousi, tous adikountas amynomenoi, kai tois adikoumenois to dikaion aposōzontes? 'Apekrithē ho gerōn; Hoi dikastai ouch hamartanousin, all᾿ hoi paradidontes, kai mē tǭ Theǭ apodidontes; prōton men, pan to epelthon autois, tōn idiōn kakōn epiphora tynchanei, eis metanoian autous helkon, kai ouk eis amynan; deuteron de, ei kai adikōs epathon, to tychon plēmmelēma edei apheinai tǭ adikēsanti, akousantas tou Kyriou eirēkotos; ᾿Aphete, kai aphethēsetai hymin, kai mē dia tēs anthrōpinēs antapodoseōs asynchōrēta poiein ta heautōn kaka. Hoi de archontes, kata ton Apostolon, ouk eisi phobos tōn agathōn ergōn, alla tōn kakōn. Ou gar tous pistous kai eulabeis anankazousi tōn adikountōn katēgorein, oude tois anexikakois enkalousi, dioti ou chrōntai tois dikastēriois adikoumenoi, alla tois boulomenois parechousi tēn ekdikēsin. Tous de dia ton Theon makrothymountas, hōs mallon euphronountas, kai timōsi kai apodechontai. Hōsper oun tous mē boulomenous entynchanein. ouk ephelkontai houtō tous katēgorountas ekdikountes ouch hamartanousi. Dio chrē, ō sophōtate, meta tous exōthen logous te kai nomous, loipon kai ton pneumatikon diadechthēnai nomon, kai tous hyper eusebeias anadexasthai ponous; kai hōs idia hypomeneis ta eperchomena lypēra, hōn chōris ou dynatai tis alēthōs genesthai sophos. G΄. Tou de scholastikou zētountos mathein, tines eisin hoi hyper eusebeias ponoi; eipen ho gerōn, tas tou Christou einai entolas, hōn prōtē kai megistē estin hē agapē, kathoti ou logizetai to kakon, alla panta stergei, panta elpizei, panta pisteuei, panta hypomenei, kata tēn Graphēn. Tauta de poiousa, ou dynatai krinein ton adikein autēn dokounta. En tautę̄ heteros men heterou diapheromen, panta de tēs axias autēs apoleipometha. Ekdechomenoi chariti Christou tōn elleimmatōn tēn anaplērōsin, hyper tēs kata dynamin ergasias mē amelēsōmen. Theos gar oide posōn asthenountes ou dynametha poiein, kai posōn amelountes ouk ergazometha to ergon tēs agapēs. Epeidē de ouk ek tōn proairetikōn ponōn monon, alla kai ek tōn symbatikōn thlipseōn kratynetai, pollēs hēmin chreia para Theou hypomonēs kai praotētos; dia touto phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos. Ho thelōn genesthai sophos en tǭ aiōni toutǭ, mōros genesthō, hina genētai sophos. Ho toioutos tous men anōterous autou en tois thelēmasi tēs teleias agapēs ou katakrinei ; heauton de mallon pros tēn ekeinōn hyperochēn epekteinei; kai hotan autous katalabę̄, palin allous zētei heautou meizonas, kai heurōn hamillatai kakeinois, kai oudepote pauetai tou dromou, heōs an heuriskę̄ tinas auton en tę̄ agapē prosagontas. Ei de tis autōn men tois anōterois ou pareikazei, ekeinous de hōs mē teleious katakrinei, hōs ouk oiden heauton, katadikazei. Phēsi gar; Mē katadikazete, kai ou mē katadikasthēte. "Othen hoi en rhēmasi sophoi monous tous adikountas hamartanein nomizousin; hoi de pneumatikoi kai adikoumenoi heautous katamemphontai, hotan mē meta charas authairetōs tas adikias hypopherousin; ou monon de dia touto, all᾽ hoti kai ek palaias autōn aitias hai thlipseis anaphyontai, ei kai hamartēma hamartēmatos elaphroteron tynchanei. Ho men gar ekdikōn heauton akrisias Theou dokei kataginōskein; ho de hypopherōn hōs idian tēn epelthousan autǭ thlipsin, tēn idian proslēpsin homologei, di᾽ hēn kai hypomenōn paschei ta deina. D΄. ᾿Aganaktēsas de ho kosmikos epi tois elenchois, ephē ; Ei tauta ho pneumatikos hymōn parakeleuetai nomos, tou Theou thespisantos, kathōs ephēs, dia ti piptousi tines tōn monachōn, touton kratountes ton nomon? Ho de gerōn ephē; Hoi kratountes auton ou piptousin, all᾽ hoi kataleipontes, kai tōn kairiōn autou amelēsantes, proseuchēs, legō, kai tapeinophrosynēs, hypo merimnēs biōtikēs kai kenodoxias klapentes. Hothen kai ho diabolos panta ta biōtika ennoein ouk apotrepei monon, all᾽ hina proseuchēs kai tapeinophrosynēs apoplanēsę̄; oide gar ta ektos tōn dyo toutōn ginomena, hoti kan kala tynchanę̄, opse pote aphairethēsetai ap᾿ autou. Proseuchēn de legomen, ou monon dia sarkos epideiknymenēn, alla kai di᾽ ennoias aperispastou tǭ Theǭ prospheromenēn. Ean gar an ex autōn akairōs perispasthę̄, oude to heteron katamonas paristatai tǭ Theǭ pheromenēn, alla tǭ idiǭ thelēmati. Eperōtą ho scholastikos; Echei thelēma hē sarx para tēn dianoian? ᾿Apekrithē ho askētēs; Echei, kata ton Apostolon legonta; Ēmen gar pote kai hēmeis apeithountes, poiountes ta thelēmata tēs sarkos; kai palin; Hē sarx epithymei kata tou pneumatos, kai to pneuma kata tēs sarkos. Ide oun, hoti echei kai epithymian kai thelēma, haper hēmeis agnooumen dia tēn tōn logismōn aprosexian kai synkatathesin. Hothen ou monon hoi amelountes proseuchēs, alla kai hoi tę̄ dianoią mē prosechontes epēreazontai. Tauta de eirēkamen ouch hōs heterous katakrinontes, alla ta heautōn elleimmata homologountes. Ekeino men gar hyperēphanias, touto de tapeinophrosynēs gnōrisma. Kai Hyperēphanois men antitassetai Kyrios, tapeinois de didōsi charin; di' hēs ou monon eis gnōsin, alla kai eis hexin hēmas agei tēs hieras aretēs, legō dē tēs aperispastou proseuchēs, hēs mēdolōs hēmas amelein boulomenos ho makarios Paulos legei; ᾿Adialeiptōs proseuchesthe, en panti eucharisteite. "Ama de kai to ameteōriston tou noos emphainei legōn; Mē schēmatizesthe tǭ aiōni toutǭ, alla metamorphousthe tę̄ anakainōsei tou noos hymōn, eis to dokimazein hymas, ti to thelēma tou Theou to agathon kai euareston kai teleion. Epeidē gar pros tēn oligopistian hēmōn kai astheneian diaphorous entolas etheto ho Theos, hopōs kata tēn heautou; spoudēn hekastos ekphygoi tēn kolasin, kai tychoi tēs sōtērias, toutou charin ho ᾿Apostolos hodēgei hēmas epi to teleion tou Theou thelēma, mēdolōs hēmōn krithēnai boulomenos. Eidōs de pros katorthōsin pasōn tōn entolōn synergousan tēn proseuchēn, ou pauetai polymerōs kai polytropōs peri autēs entellomenos, kai legōn; Proseuchomenoi en panti kairǭ en pneumati, kai eis auto touto epagrypnountes en pasę̄ proskarterēsei kai deēsei. E΄. Hothen ginōskomen, hoti proseuchē proseuchēs diaphorōtera tynchanei. "Allo gar estin, arrhembǭ dianoią kai mē tholōtǭ nǭ parakalein ton Theon, kai allo to paristan to sōma, kai tę̄ dianoią rhembesthai. Kai palin, allo esti kairoskopein, kai meta tas sōmatikas ascholias eukairēsanta proseuxasthai; kai allo, hoson dynaton protiman kai proarpazein tēn euchēn tōn kosmikōn phrontidōn, kata ton ᾿Apostolon legonta; Ho Kyrios engys. Mēden merimnate; all' en panti tę̄ proseuchę̄ kai tę̄ deēsei, ta aitēmata hymōn gnōrizesthō pros ton Theon. Kathōs kai ho makarios Petros ephē; Sōphronēsate oun kai nēpsate eis proseuchas, pasan tēn merimnan hymōn epithentes epi ton Theon. Prōton de autos ho Kyrios eidōs, hoti panta dia proseuchēs ōchyrōtai, phēsi; Mē merimnēsēte ti phagēte, ē ti piēte, ē ti endysēsthe, alla monon zēteite tēn basileian tou Theou, kai tēn dikaiosynēn autou, kai tauta panta prostethēsetai hymin. Tacha de kai eis meizona pistin dia toutou hēmas proskaleitai ho Kyrios. Tis gar tēn hyper tōn proskairōn merimnan apobalōn, kai anendeēs genomenos, mē pisteusei loipon autǭ kai peri tōn aiōniōn agathōn? Hothen kai autos touto phaneropoiōn elegen; Ho en oligǭ apistos kai en pollǭ apistos estin. Homōs kai en toutǭ hēmas ephilanthrōpeusato; eidōs gar aparaitēton ousan tēn ephēmeron tēs sarkos epimeleian, ou periekopse tēn kathēmerinēn phrontida, alla parachōrēsas hēmin tēn sēmeron, peri tēs aurion mē merimnąn parakeleuetai, pany theoprepōs kai philanthrōpōs. Kai gar ouk esti dynaton, sarka phorountas kai anthrōpous tynchanontas ta tēs sōmatikēs zōēs katholou paralogisasthai. Systalēnai gar ta polla eis oliga dia proseuchēs kai enkrateias endechetai, pantelōs de parorathēnai adynaton. G΄. Dioper ho boulomenos eis andra teleion, eis metron hēlikias tou plērōmatos tou Christou katantēsai, kata tēn Graphēn, ouk opheileis prokrinein pasas tas diakonias, ē ektos anankēs epispasthai hōs etychen, oute apantōsas kat᾿ anankēn tina kai oikonomian Theou, prophasei proseuchēs parōthein kai apoballein, alla kai tēn diaphoran epiginōskein, kai tę̄ oikonomią tou Theou douleuein adogmatistōs. Ho gar mē houtōs phronōn, oute, kata tēn Graphēn, entolēn entolēs diaphorōteran kai periektikēn einai pisteuei, oute, kata ton prophētēn, pros pasas tas hoti hautai anankaiai kai aparaitētoi entolai ou A entolas katorthousthai oikonomikōs apantōsas bouletai. ᾿Aparaitētōn oun ontōn tōn anankaiōn, kai oikonomikōs apantōntōn, paraiteisthai chrē tas akairous ascholias, protimōntas tēn proseuchēn, malista tas eis polyteleian kai pleonexian chrēmatōn hēmas kataspōsas. Hosan gar an tis en Kyriǭ systelloi tautas kai tas perissas autōn hylas ekkoptoi, tosouton kai tēn ennoian apo rhembasmōn systellei; kai hoson an systelloi tēn ennoian, tosouton kai tę̄ katharą proseuchę̄ didōsi topon, kai tēn eis Christon pistin eilikrinē epideiknysin. Ei de tis di᾽ oligopistian, ē heteran tina astheneian, touto poiein ou dynatai, kan tēn alētheian epiginōsketō, kai kata dynamin epekteinesthō, tēn heautou nēpiotēta kataitiōmenos. Kreisson gar elleipseōs dounai logon, kai mē planēs kai oiēseōs. Peithetō se hē parabolē tou Kyriou, hena Pharisaion kai heteron telōnēn pareisagousa. Dio kai hēmeis peirōmetha pasan kosmikēn merimnan di᾽ euchēs kai elpidos apokrousasthai. Mē dynamenoi de anelleipōs touto katorthōsai, tǭ men Theǭ prospheromen tōn elleimmatōn tēn exomologēsin, tēs de peri tōn autōn spoudēs ouk aphistametha; beltion gar enklēthēnai peri elleipseōs merikēs, kai mē pantelous enkalypseōs. Epi pasi de peri proseuchēs opheilomen, epeidē hekastos pros tēn ēgapēmenēn autǭ chreian ascholoumenos opheilomenēn diakonian ektelein dokei, agnoōn, hoti pros euarestēsin Theou mallon ē autou ta pragmata krinein opheiletai. To de epi toutois dysdiakriton, pantote oude hai autai, all' etera tēs heteras en idiǭ kairǭ protimasthai opheilei, epeidē ou pasi men diakonia pantote, all᾽ en idiǭ kairǭ epiteleitai. Tēs de proseuchēs adialeiptōs hēmin hē leitourgia nenomothetētai; toutou charin tōn ek tēs anankēs ascholiōn prokrinein autēn opheilomen. Tautēn tēn diaphoran pantes hoi apostoloi didaskontes to plēthos perispan autous eis diakonian boulomenon, elegon; Ouk areston esti katalipontas hēmas ton logon tou Theou diakonein trapezais; episkepsasthe oun ex hymōn autōn andras martyroumenous hepta, hous katastēsōmen epi tēs chreias tautēs; hēmeis de tę̄ proseuchę̄ kai tę̄ diakonią tou logou proskarterēsōmen; kai ēresen ho logos enōpion pantos tou plēthous. Ei de dia toutōn manthanomen, hoti tois mē dynamenois proskarterein tę̄ proseuchę̄ kalon to enkeisthai tę̄ diakonią, hina mē amphoterōn ekpesōmen; tois de dynamenois kreïsson esti to mē ameloun tou beltionos. Z΄. Ho de dikanikos akousas tauta houtōs ephē Pōs hoi kata kosmon sophoi proseuchēs amelountes ou katapiptousin, alla dia tēs philosophias heautous phylattousin? Ho de askētēs stenaxas houtōs ephē Kalōs eipas, hoti ou piptousi. Pesontes gar hapax to exaision kai disson ptōma, tēs oiēseōs kai ameleias legō, oute anastēnai dynantai chōris tēs proseuchēs, oute echousi pothen pesōsi. Tis gar eti merimna tǭ diabolǭ palaiein tois aei katō keimenois, kai mēdepote histamenois? Heteroi men eisin hoi pote men nikōntes, pote de nikōmenoi; piptontes, egeiromenoi; thlibontes, thlibomenoi; polemountes, polemoumenoi; kai heteroi hoi tę̄ prōtę̄ ptōsei dia pollēn agnoian enapomeinantes, kai mē eidotes, hoti peripeptōkasin, hois eleeinōs ho prophētēs dialegetai Mē ho piptōn ouk anistatai? ē ho apostrephōn ouk epistrepsei? kai palin; Egeirai, ho katheudōn, kai anasta ek tōn nekrōn, kai epiphausei soi ho Christos. Mē boulomenois de ton tēs egerseōs kopon anadexasthai, kai tę̄ proseuchę̄ paramenein, kai hyper eusebeias thlibēnai, dia tēn mellousan basileian, phēsi; Tę̄ diaphthorą sou, Israēl, tis boēthēsę̄? Ouk esti trauma, oute mōlōps, oute plēgē phlegmainousa, oute ti tōn para thelēma symbainontōn kakōn. Hautē estin hē hamartia hē pros thanaton, mēde tais heterōn proseuchais iatreuomenē. Iatreusamen gar tēn Babylōna, kai ouk iathē, dioti authairetos hē nosos, kai ouketi malagma epitheinai, oute elaion, oute kai tadesmous, ta par' heterōn boēthēmata. Tauta kai ta toiauta apophthengetai hē theia Graphē pros tous exeutelizontas tēn proseuchēn, kai ek tēs anankēs kai astheneias hōrais kai kairois tautēn periorizontas, tou men Kyriou pantote nyktos kai hēmeras, tou de ᾿Apostolou adialeiptōs autēn prospherein tǭ pantodynamǭ Theǭ nomothetēsantos. Ē΄. Idou kai hē Palaia Diathēkē pōs anakoptei ton pepoithota eph᾽ heautǭ, kai epi tę̄ sophią autou epairomenon, legousa; Isthi pepoithōs epi Kyrion en holę̄ kardią sou, epi de sę̄ sophią mē epairou. Tauta de ouk eisi psila rhēmata, kathōs tisin edoxe, kai dia touto biblous ektēsanto, kai gnontes tēn tōn gegrammenōn dynamin, mēden toutōn ergasamenoi, hyperphysōntai psilois tois noēmasi, kai dia logōn kai zētēmatōn synistōntes heautous, megan para tois sophias apeirois pherousin epainon, tēs philoponias mē hapsamenoi, mēde tou ergou mnēsthentes, pollēn para Theou kai tōn philoponōn kai eusebōn andrōn apopherontai tēn katagnōsin. Dioti tę̄ eisagōgikę̄ gnōsei tōn Graphōn ou pros ergon, alla pros epideixin apochrēsamenoi, tēs kat᾿ energeian Pneumatos hagiou apesterēthēsan charitos. Houtoi eisin hoi en prosōpǭ kauchōmenoi, kai ou kardią. Hothen hoi tou ergou apeiroi opheilousin autou hapsasthai; ta gar para tēs Graphēs eirēmena, ouch hina noēsōmen monon, all᾽ hopōs auta kai poiēsōmen, eirēntai. Arxōmetha dē oun tou ergou; houtōs oun akolouthōs prokoptontes eurēsomen, hoti ou monon eis Theon elpis, alla kai bebaia pistis, kai anypokritos agapē, kai amnēsikakia, kai philadelphia, kai enkrateia, kai hypomonē, kai gnōsis esōtera, kai peirasmōn lytrōsis, kai charismatōn dōrēmata, kai exomologēsis kardiakē, kai dakryon ektenes, dia proseuchēs tois pistois enginetai. Ou monon de tauta, alla kai tōn eperchomenōn thliberōn hypomonē, kai eilikrinēs tou plēsion aphesis, kai nomou pneumatikou epignōsis, kai dikaiosynēs Theou heuresis, kai Pneumatos hagiou epiphoitēsis, kai thēsaurōn pneumatikōn dosis, kai panta hosa epēngeilato ho Theos parechein tois pistois anthrōpois, kai hōde kai en tǭ mellonti aiōni. Kai hapax haplōs kat' eikona Theou anaphanēnai tēn psychēn adynaton, ei mē dia charitos Theou kai pisteōs, anthrōpou meta pollēs tapeinophrosynēs kai ameteōristou proseuchēs tę̄ kardią paramenontos. Pōs oun hoi toioutōn kai tosoutōn agathōn di᾽ agnoian kai proseuchēs ameleian apesterēmenoi legousin; Ou peptōkamen ? Kai sophian heautois epigraphousin, hoi mēde tēn idian katabolēn epistamenoi, eleeinoi tēs ptōseōs, eleeinoi tēs apeirias, touto monon kerdainontes, hoti hēmas pleion pisteuein tę̄ Graphę̄ paraskeuazousi, legousę̄ tēn sophian tou kosmou toutou mōrian einai para tǭ Theǭ; hē de ek Theou, anōthen esti katerchomenē para tou Patros tōn phōtōn, hēs tekmērion estin hē tapeinophrosynē. Hoi oun anthrōpareskein boulomenoi, anti tēs theias tēn anthrōpinēn edexanto, kai en tautę̄ physioumenoi kai enkauchōmenoi, pollous tōn haplousterōn ēpatēsan, peisantes ouk en ponois eusebeias kai proseuchēs, all᾽ en peithoi anthrōpinēs sophias, kai logois philosophein; hēn kai ho ᾿Apostolos synechōs memphetai, kai kenōsin tou staurou onomazei. Phēsi gar en tę̄ pros Korinthious Epistolę̄; Ouk apesteile me Christos baptizein, all᾽ euangelizesthai, ouk en sophią logou, hina mē kenōthę̄ ho stauros tou Christou. Kai palin; Ta mōra tou kosmou exelexato ho Theos, hina kataischynę̄ tous sophous; kai ta agenē tou kosmou, kai ta exoudenoumena exelexato ho Theos kai ta mē onta, hina ta onta katargēsę̄, hopōs mē kauchēsētai pasa sarx enōpion tou Theou. Ei oun ho Theos ouk en rhēmasin Hellēnikēs sophias, all᾽ en ponēmasi proseuchēs kai tapeinophrosynēs eudokei, kathōs kai apodedeiktai, ti mataiophronousi, kai ton prōton tropon tēs theosebeias hōs dyskatorthōton katalipontes, oude tǭ deuterǭ, ē kan tǭ tritǭ sōthēnai boulomenoi, kai tous haplousterous exapatōsin? Th΄. Tou de scholastikou boulomenou mathein, tines eisi tēs theosebeias tropoi, ho askētēs apekrinato Ho prōtos esti, to mē hamartanein; ho deuteros tǭ hamartēsanti hypomenein ta eperchomena thlibera; ho de tritos tropos, ton mē hypomenonta penthein en tois hypomonēs elleimmasi, kathoti hōde mē diorthōthenta dia tōn prosphyōn symbaseōn, ex anankēs loipon tēn ekeithen hēmin krisin epagousin, ei mēti oun penthountas hēmas kai tetapeinōmenous idōn ho Theos, hōs oide, tę̄ pantodynamǭ autou agathotēti kai theią chariti exaleipsę̄ tas hamartias hēmōn. Ei de epi tę̄ tōn proeirēmenōn ameleią to penthos kai tēn tapeinōsin katalipontes, eti heautous kai logois kosmikēs sophias eudokoumen, hopōs kai en toutois tōn eulabesterōn katepairōmetha, pōs eleēthōmen loipon enantia tou eleous poiountes? ō ! pōs pithanon esti to tēs anthrōpareskeias pathos kai dyseureton, kathoti kai tōn phronimōn katakratei? Tōn men gar allōn pathōn hai ergasiai tois metochois autōn eudēloi eisin; hothen kai tapeinophronein tous kekratēmenous paraskeuazousin; hē de anthrōpareskeia rhēmasi te kai schēmasin eusebeias epikryptetai, hōs mēde tas paratropas autēs tous deleazomenous epignōnai rhądion. I'. Eperōtēsen ho kosmikos; Poiai eisin hai ex anthrōpareskeias paratropai? mallon de pro toutōn mathein boulomai, ti estin anthrōpareskeia; horō gar se ou physeōs akoloutha legein tois kechrēmatismenois hepomenon, all᾿ amathias aitian tōn pantōn katastochazomenon, kai asynartistois martyriais psegonta ta ōphelima. Dio tautēs moi tēs prosōnymias prōton eipe tēn oikeiotēta, kai houtōs pisteuomen soi, hoti kai tēn genikōtatēn autēs blabēn kateilēphas. Ho de askētēs ephē; ᾿Anthrōpareskeia estin, hōs dokō, to tois anthrōpois areskein. Tautēn einai oida tou chrēmatismou tēn oikeiotēta. Ho de dikanikos, hōs mega ti thaumasas to rhēma, phēsi Pany prosphyōs eirēkas. Ti oun, eulabestate, psegeis adikōs to dikaion? Ē ou phainetai soi dikaion einai to hekastǭ tōn oikeiōn ergōn tēn dokimasian heautǭ apodidonai, all᾽ heterois tēn tou kalou krisin epitrepein mallon ē heautois? Egō de phēmi, mēte holōs aretēn onomazesthai to mē areskon anthrōpois, mēte para tou pelas echein ton epainon; hoper kai tēs Graphēs ēkousa legousēs; Enkōmiazetō se ho pelas, kai mē to son stoma; allotria, kai mē ta sa cheilē; kai palin; "Ekastos hēmōn tǭ plēsion aresketō eis to agathon pros oikodomēn; kai palin; ᾿Aproskopoi ginesthe kai Ioudaiois, kai Hellēsi, kai tę̄ Ekklēsią tou Theou. Tis de dynatai, mē areskōn tois anthrōpois, aproskopos einai? Ti oun tosouton ebathynas tēn anthrōpareskeian memphomenos? Ei de tous kata se mē areskontas chrē apodechesthai, kairos soi loipon tous lę̄stas, kai phoneis, kai harpagas, kai epiboulous epainein, epeidē oudeni tōn anthrōpōn areskousin. Ei de en tois eirēmenois para sou hēmeis mechri nyn sesiōpēkamen, mē thaumasę̄s; ou gar hōs mē epistamenoi tas Graphas, oude hōs agnoountes to dikaion, alla boulomenoi proteron hypakousai tōn hymeterōn logōn. Oidamen de kai syngnōmēn apodidonai tois en logǭ sphallomenois, hotan mē thelēmata apaideusias aitia touto poiōsi, kai tais agathais prosēgoriais kakian epigraphōsin; hoper kai sy para gnōmēn peponthas, eulabestate; boulomenos gar, hōs oimai, phaneropoiēsai tēn autareskeian. Epeidē oun soi ouk apo ameleias, alla apo amathias proselēlythe, dikaion an eiē, tēs prosōnymias phanerōtheisēs, kai tas haitias hōs pseudeis parasiōpēthēnai, as tosouton phaulas kai dyseuretous edoxas einai, hōs kai tōn phronimōn katakratein. IA΄. Ho de askētēs epignous hoti phanerōs pros tous elenchous aganaktei, kai ta rhēthēsomena paraitiatai, apēneōthē mikron, hōs eikasai pantas tous akouontas, hoti tois syllogismois kataplageis, tas systaseis kateleipen. ᾿Anoixas de to stoma autou ephē; Epeidē ou nikēsai, all' ōphelēthēnai prothemenoi, epi toutous hēkomen tous logous; autos de achri tou nyn paresiōpēsas, ouch hōs agnoōn to dikaioteron, ephēs, alla proteron tēn par' hēmōn akousai diēgēsin boulomenos; toutou charin parakaloumen tēn thaumasiotēta sou, telos dounai tǭ epangelmati, kai didaxai, hōs ouk autoprosōpōs, all᾽ heterōnymōs memphetai tēn anthrōpareskeian hē theia Graphē (hēn pasan kalōs epistamenos, ou kalōs achri nyn paresiōpēsas). Houtō gar ta tēs Graphēs, sou legontos, B ou monon epi tois proeirēmenois peisthōmen, alla kai pollois diēgēmasin anexometha sou dikaiotera legontos, ei kai apo idiōteias, hōs ephēs, ta onomata antallaxantes, aretēn anti pathous hētoimasametha. Ho de biōtikos tauta akousas, apekrinato; Ouk eipon, hoti pasan Graphēn epistamai, all' apo merous. Sy oun me eis to legein mē proskalou, all᾿ enarxamenos, ei men aporeis tōn systaseōn, siōpa, kai par᾿ hēmōn syngnōmēn hexeis. Ei de paresti soi deixai kataginōskomenēn onomasti tēn anthrōpareskeian, lege; kai hēmeis ex anankēs, kan mē thelōmen, tēn alētheian homologēsomen. Ho de askētēs ephē; Echetō tauta houtōs; tas de adikous para sou mempseis pou thēsomen? Ho de dikanikos legei ; Eis ton tēs makrothymias nomon, hon hēmas proedidaxas. O Ho de gerōn pros auton; Epainō se tēs sophias, hina mē legō tēs panourgias, kathoti epi tę̄ agnoią sympatheian pareisēgages, dia tēs tou parechein epangelias to labein proskepsamenos. Homōs tauta katalipontes, tou prokeimenou genōmetha. IB΄. ᾿Akoue oun tēs Graphēs propherousēs tas kata tēs anthrōpareskeias mempseis; prōton tou Prophētou legontos; "Hoti ho Theos dieskorpisen osta anthrōpareskōn; katę̄schynthēsan, hoti ho Theos exoudenōsen autous; kai ho ᾿Apostolos; Mē kat' ophthalmodouleian, hōs anthrōpareskoi; kai palin; Ei zētō anthrōpois aresai? kai eti; Ei anthrōpois ēreskoun, Christou doulos ouk an ēmēn; kai polla hetera en tę̄ theią Graphę̄ analexamenos heurēseis. Ho de kosmikos ephē; Ti oun? hoti kai ha eipon gegraptai, ara hē Graphē asymphōnos heautę̄? Ho askētēs ephē; Ouk estin heautę̄ asymphōnos, all᾽ hēmeis amblyōpoumen pros tēn tēs alētheias apodeixin. Epeidē gar ou pantes asebeis anthrōpoi, oude pantes eusebeis tynchanomen; toutou charin ou pasin areskein opheilomen, plēn tois agathois; homoiōs de ou pasi mē areskein opheilomen, plēn tois ponērois. Dio kai ho Kyrios touto phaneropoiōn en tois Euangeliois phēsin; Ouai hotan kalōs hymas eipōsi pantes hoi anthrōpoi. Ou monon de en toutois, alla kai en autois tois dokousi kalois anthrōpareskein hēmas kōlyei, hotan mē di' elenchon kai mimēsin, alla di' epainon kai tina antidosin epideiknyōmen ta kala tois anthrōpois. Kai eikotōs. Ei gar antapodoseōs heneken sōmatikēs areskein tois anthrōpois bouletai, ouden charisma pneumatikon para Theou lambanei, oude tynchanei tōn ekei antapodoseōn, apechōn ton misthon autou, kathōs kai ho Kyrios en tois Euangeliois ephanerōsen, ouch hapax, ᾿alla kai pleistakis; kai peri proseuchēs, kai peri nēsteias, kai eleēmosynēs entellomenos, kryptein auta apo tōn anthrōpōn parēngeilen. IG΄. Ho de scholastikos, eti laloumenōn tōn rhēmatōn, eipe megalę̄ tę̄ phōnę̄; hikanōs echei, peri toutou peplērophorēmai. Leipetai de soi mē en ainigmati, mēde en eikasmǭ, alla phanerōs eipein, tines eisin hai tēs kakias paratropai, hina gnōmen akribōs, ei eisi, kathōs eirēkas, skoteinoteroi kai dyseuretoi, hōs dynasthai autas elēlythuias, kai tōn phronimōn katakratein. Ho de askētēs ephē; ᾿Akoue synetōs, kai apangelō soi onomasti ; autos de epistēson, ei mē autos heurę̄s pasas tautas en pasin ekeinois tǭ pathei oikeiōmenas. Prōtē kai mētēr esti tōn paratropōn hē apistia. Tautę̄ de loipon hōs tekna epakolouthousi phthonos, misos, zēlos, dolos, neikos, hypokrisis, prosōpolēpsia, ophthalmodouleia, katalalia, pseudos, eulabeias proschēma, ouk alētheias, kai hosa toiauta dysphanē kai skoteina pathē. To kai pantōn phauloteron, hoti tines dia tēs tou logou sophias synistōsin auta hōs kala, kai tēn ep᾿ autēs blabēn a epikalyptousin. Ei de boulei, kai tēn panourgian autōn merikōs phaneropoiēsō. Ho panourgos anthrōpareskos, heterǭ symbouleuōn, heterǭ epibouleuei allon epainōn, allon psegei; nouthetōn ton plēsion, heauton synistēsin ; eis dikēn synēgorei, ouch hina to dikaion krinę̄, all᾽ hina ton echthron amynētai; meta kolakeias elenchei, heōs hou oneidizōn paradechthę̄ ton heautou echthron; anōnymōs diaballei, hina tēn heautou katalalian epikrypsę̄; horkizei tous aktēmonas tou homologēsai ta endeonta, hōs paraschein boulomenos; kai hotan eipōsin, hōs aitountas diaphēmizei ; para apeirois kauchatai, kai para empeirois tapeinologei, ton ex amphoterōn epainon thērōmenos. Enkōmiazomenōn enaretōn aēdizetai ; kai epirrhipsas heteran diēgēsin, perispą to enkōmion ; tous archikous apontas exeutelizei, kai parontas eis prosōpon doxazei tous tapeinophronas myktērizei, kai tous didaskalous mōmoskopei; idiōteian oneidizei, hina hōs sophon heauton epideixę̄; pantōn tas aretas paralogizetai, tas de kakias dia mnēmēs echei. Kai apaxaplōs kairous thēreuei, kai prosōpois douleuei, hopōs plērophorēsę̄ to polytropōtaton tēs anthrōpareskeias pathos kryptein peiratai ta heautou kaka dia tēs tōn allotriōn erōtēseōs. Hoi de ontōs monachoi ouch houtōs, alla toutantion, ta tōn allōn sympathōs parorōsi; ta de autōn tǭ Theǭ phaneropoiousi. Dio kai para tōn agnoountōn anthrōpōn exeutelizontai; ou gar tosouton brotois, hoson Theǭ areskein spoudazousi, touto men euarestountes, touto de kai heautous katakrinontes, ep᾿ amphoterois ekdechomenoi para Kyriou tēn antapodosin, eirēkotos - Ho hypsōn heauton tapeinōthēsetai. ID΄. Ho de scholastikos, ponēsas epi tois elenchois, ephē; Egō sou syn tois noēmasin, ō askēta, kai tēn panourgian ethaumasa, hēn heterois enkalōn autos epeskiasmenōs katecheis. Aporōn gar tēs enkykliou paideuseōs, eis tēn kata Theon mōrian epespasō, legōn autēn sophian einai megistēn, kai Theǭ euareston, meth᾿ hēs kai tēn proseuchēn, kai tous hyper eusebeias ponous proselabes, hopōs tēn eudēlon apaideusian tę̄ adēlǭ eulabeią epikalypsę̄s. Ei de holōs ergatēs tynchaneis tōn sōn diēgēmatōn, aurion palin epibalontes epignōsometha ; kai tauta eipōn, anastas apēlthen. Ho de gerōn propempsas auton kai strapheis epotnia. Hoi de adelphoi parekaloun auton, tou stenagmou tēn aitian eipein; ho de eipen; Horō tinas hymōn tetaragmenous. Tekmērion gar elabon, hoti ou pros ōpheleian, alla pros blabēn edexasthe tou dikanikou ta rhēmata ; kai ouk ōphelēthentas, all᾽ hybristhentas heautous elogisasthe epi tois eirēmenois. Hautē estin hē aitia tēs emēs athymias, hoti ton pneumatikon nomon heterois laloumen, autoi de ou tēroumen. Ei de ou prosphyōs katēkolouthēsa tǭ boulēmati tōn skythrōpōn, all᾽ autoi kratousi ton tou Theou nomon, kai panta thlibera ouk adikōs eperchesthai pepisteukasi kata tēn Graphēn, hōs geronti moi syngnōmēn tēs mikronoias apodote, monon hina pisteusōmen, hoti tōn symbainontōn hēmin lypērōn esmen hypeuthynoi, kai ei mē prosphatōs, ē di' autōn tōn pragmatōn, all᾽ ek palaiou chreōstēmatos. Tote heis tōn adelphōn pepoithōs epi enkrateią, kai dia touto agnoōn tēn alētheian, kai panta men ta thlibera hypomenein peirōmenos, homōs hōs martyr paschein adikōs oiomenos, meta thrasous apekrinato, legōn; Pou hē Graphē kata aitian hekastou kai dikaian krisin Theou eperchesthai tois anthrōpois tas symphoras eirēken ? Ho de gerōn, eph᾽ hois eirēkei lian euprosōpēsas ephē; En pollois kephalaiois touto zētēsas heurēseis, agapēte, kai en tę̄ Palaią, kai en tę̄ Kainę̄ Diathēkę̄; ei de boulei, kai hēmeis smikra phanerōsōmen ; autos de mathōn, apobale tēn hypsēlophrosynēn, kai ktēsai tēn tou Christou tapeinōsin, legontos; Arate ton zygon mou eph᾽ hymas, kai mathete ap' emou, hoti praos eimi kai tapeinos tę̄ kardią, kai eurēsete anapausin tais psychais hymōn. IE΄. Ho de hypotaktikos epidramōn tǭ logǭ, ephē Ei hekastos hēmōn en toutǭ mimeitai tēn tapeinōsin tou Christou, en tǭ idion chreos hēgeisthai ta eperchomena, kathōs eirēkas, dēlonoti kai ho Christos pathōn, idion chreos exetelesen; hothen egō blasphēmein hēgoumai ton touto legonta. ᾿Akousas de tauta ho hēgoumenos, legei ; Egō men epeirōmēn tēn prolabousan sou peusin proteron lysai; epeidē de kai tautę̄ eteran epebales, hōs ek tēs synchyseōs tōn myriōn erōtēseōn epekalypsas tas lyseis. Hēmeis en Kyriǭ kai peri toutou plērophorēsomen, ta prosēkonta anteperōtēsantes. Eipe moi, hoi daneizomenoi idion chreos, autoi monoi chreōstai tynchanousin, ē kai hoi engyōmenoi autous? Ho de hypotaktikos apekrithē Dēlonoti kai hoi engyōmenoi autous. Ho de gerōn pros auton; Gnōthi oun akribōs, hoti kai ho Christos hēmas anadexamenos chreōpheiletēn heauton katestēse, kata tas theias Graphas; Ho amnos tou Theou, ho airōn tēn hamartian tou kosmou; ῾O genomenos hyper hēmōn katara; Ho pantōn ton thanaton anadexamenos, kai hyper pantōn apothanōn, se monon ouk anedexato? Touto homologēson saphōs, kai hēmeis hēttēmetha. Ho de adelphos prospesōn ephē ; Ei kai hōs nēpios esphalēn kata agnoian, ton de lytrōtēn tōn psychōn hēmōn kai anadochon ouk arnoumai. Oida gar, hoti oudemia hetera elpis sōtērias hypoleleiptai tois anthrōpois, tou ᾿Apostolou legontos, hoti Pantes hēmarton, kai hysteroumenoi tēs doxēs tou Theou, dikaioumenoi dōrean tę̄ autou chariti. IG΄. Ōphelēthentōn de pantōn epi tę̄ epignōsei kai metanoią tou adelphou, ho de gerōn ephē ; Leipetai loipon hēmas deixai apo tēs Graphēs, hoti ouden tōn symbainontōn lypērōn hekastǭ adikōs eperchetai, alla panta kata dikaian krisin Theou, tōn men hyper idiōn kakōn, tōn de hyper tōn plēsion paschontōn, eis kolpon eperchetai panta tois adikois ; Para de Kyriou panta dikaia; kai palin ; Panta ta erga tou Theou meta dikaiosynēs; kai ho speirei hekastos, touto kai therisei; kai, Ei hēmōn adikia Theou dikaiosynēn synistēsi, ti eroumen? Mē adikos ho epipherōn tēn orgēn? kata anthrōpon legō. Mē genoito. Idou kai hoi treis paides en tę̄ kaminǭ blēthentes, didaskousin hēmas touto to phronēma, kata idian aitian kai Theou paideusin legontes embeblēsthai, ei kai allo anedexanto prosōpon. Kai ho hagios Dabid, hypo tou Semei thlibomenos, keleusei Theou kai dia idia aitiamata homologei thlibesthai. Kai Ēsaïas de kai Hieremias. Iezekiēl te kai Daniēl, kai hoi loipoi prophētai, tǭ te laǭ kai tois ethnesi ta mellonta thlibera kata tēn heekastou hamartian eperchesthai autois proephēteuon, hama kai tas aitias kai tas aphormas prodēlōsantes ; phēsi gar; ᾿Anth᾽ hōn elaloun tade, kai epoioun tade, epelthoi autois tade. Kai en tǭ psalmǭ ho makarios Dabid touto phaneropoiōn elegen ; Egnōn, Kyrie, hoti dikaiosynē ta krimata sou, kai en alētheią sou etapeinōsas me. Kai palin ; Oneidos aphroni edōkas moi; ekōphōthēn, kai ouk ēnoixa to stoma mou, hoti sy epoiēsas. Kai eucharistei, hoti tōn epikekalymmenōn en hēmin ennoiōn ponērōn epesteilen autǭ, hina akribōs tas ennoias hēmōn epiblepsamenoi, heautous diorthōsōmetha, kai mē amphiballōmen ei to pleiston tēs kakias tēs heautōn agnooumen. Teleiou gar andros estin alēthargēton einai en tois idiois hēttēmasin. Ei de ta prophanē hēttēmata esti dyskatanoēta, pollǭ mallon ta enthymēmata. Gnōsometha oun hōs logikoi, hoti pros tēn hēmōn ōpheleian epipherei Kyrios tas epagōgas, kai polla kala di' autōn en hēmin ergazetai. Prōton heuresis tōn kryptōs hēmas katechousōn ennoiōn, meta tēn toutōn heuresin ; kai tapeinophrosynēn prostithēsin alēthinēn kai aschēmatiston, eita tēs mataias oiēseōs apallagēnai keleuousan anakalypsin, kata to gegrammenon ; Diekypsan pantes hoi ergazomenoi tēn anomian, hopōs an exolothreuthōsin eis ton aiōna tou aiōnos. Touto oun akribōs iste ginōskontes, adelphoi, hoti ean mē tas epiphoras meta pisteōs kai eucharistias hypomeinōmen, tēn enkekrymmenēn kakian heurein ou dynametha. Tautēs de tranōs mē heuretheisēs, oute tous enestōtas phaulous logismous aporrhipsai dynametha, B oute tōn progegenēmenōn kakōn hilasmon zētēsai, oute peri tōn mellontōn asphaleian dexasthai.
One of those skilled in legal speech asked an old ascetic, saying, “Please, persuade me, for I wish to know: with what thought do you monks say that one must not take wrongdoers to court? Or what do you have in hand that you abstain from visible works? We blame you greatly for these, as practising refusal to go to law against the laws, and idleness against nature. But if you show that you do this for the sake of philosophy, I too will necessarily give up my blame and emulate your virtue.” The ascetic, having first prayed in his mind, said: “You ought, most learned sir, to have asked these things and learned them from those who know well; for we are still among those being taught. But since you, the wise man, have come over to the unlettered, to be assured about what you said, listen. The monks have not chosen a way of thinking foreign to the church, but strive to hold the mind of Christ, according to the apostle who says, ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross.’ Know, then, that this is God-given, and the source of the great virtue, I mean humility. And the Lord commanded the church to do this work, saying, ‘Work not for the food that perishes, but for that which endures to eternal life.’” The lawyer said, “Let us too know, please, what kind of work this is.” The ascetic said: “To seek through prayer the kingdom of God and his righteousness, which he said is within us; and to those who seek it he promised all bodily things. Having heard this from the Lord and believed it, we work as far as we can. How do you say we act outside nature? And if it seems to you against nature, know whom you blame: for it is God who gave the command. Likewise, not taking wrongdoers to court is a commandment of God. How do those who do this break the law, when God has said through the prophet, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’; and in the Gospels, ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged’; and the apostle, ‘Do not judge anything before the time’; and again, ‘Not avenging yourselves’; and again, ‘Who are you to judge another's servant?’ Who, then, has laid down laws more just than these, wishing to judge wrongdoers before the time as though sinless himself, accusing of lawlessness those who try to keep God's law, and calling forbearance wickedness?” [2] Hearing this, the scholar said, “Do rulers sin, then, when they punish wrongdoers and preserve justice for the wronged?” The old man answered: “The judges do not sin, but those who hand others over and do not leave them to God. First, everything that comes upon them is the consequence of their own evils, drawing them to repentance and not to revenge. Second, even if they suffered unjustly, they ought to have forgiven the wrongdoer whatever offence it was, having heard the Lord say, ‘Forgive, and you will be forgiven,’ and not make their own evils unforgivable through human repayment. Rulers, according to the apostle, are not a terror to good works but to evil. For they do not compel the faithful and devout to accuse wrongdoers, nor do they accuse the forbearing because they do not use the courts when wronged; but they give vengeance to those who want it. Those who are patient for God's sake they honour and accept as wiser. So, just as they do not drag in those who do not wish to appeal, so they do not sin in avenging those who accuse. Therefore, most wise sir, after the outward words and laws, you must now take up the spiritual law as well, accept the labours for godliness, and endure as your own the painful things that come; without these no one can truly become wise.” [3] When the scholar sought to learn what the labours for godliness are, the old man said they are the commandments of Christ, the first and greatest of which is love, since it does not reckon evil, but bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things, endures all things, according to Scripture. “Doing these things, it cannot take to court the one who seems to wrong it. In this we differ from one another, but we all fall short of its worth. Awaiting from the grace of Christ the filling up of our deficiencies, let us not neglect working as far as we can. For God knows how much we cannot do through weakness and how much of the work of love we do not do through negligence. And since love is strengthened not only by chosen labours but also by afflictions that befall us, we need much patience and meekness from God. That is why the apostle says, ‘Whoever wishes to become wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.’ Such a person does not condemn those above him in the wishes of perfect love, but rather stretches himself toward their excellence; and when he reaches them, he again seeks others greater than himself, and finding them, competes with them too, and never ceases from the race until he finds some leading him in love. But if someone does not compare himself with those higher, but condemns them as imperfect, he condemns himself without knowing it. For it says, ‘Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.’ Hence those wise in words think that only the wrongdoers sin; but the spiritual, even when wronged, blame themselves when they do not bear the injustices with joy and of their own will; and not only for this, but because their afflictions spring from some old cause of their own, even if one sin is lighter than another. For whoever avenges himself seems to condemn God's lack of judgment; but whoever bears as his own the affliction that comes upon him confesses his own prepossession, for which he endures terrible things.” [4] The worldly man, indignant at the reproofs, said, “If your spiritual law commands these things, as you say, by God's decree, why do some of the monks fall, who hold this law?” The old man said: “Those who hold it do not fall, but those who abandon it and neglect its vital parts, I mean prayer and humility, stolen away by worldly care and vainglory. Hence the devil does not turn us away from thinking only of worldly things, but in order to lead us astray from prayer and humility; for he knows that what is done without these two, even if it is good, will sooner or later be taken from him. By prayer we mean not only what is shown through the flesh, but what is offered to God through undistracted thought. For if one of these is distracted untimely, the other does not stand alone before God either, but is carried along by one's own will.” The scholar asked, “Does the flesh have a will apart from the mind?” The ascetic answered: “It has, according to the apostle who says, ‘For we too were once disobedient, doing the wishes of the flesh’; and again, ‘The flesh desires against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.’ See, then, that it has both desire and will, which we do not know because of our inattention and consent to thoughts. Hence not only those who neglect prayer but also those who do not attend to their thought are harmed. We have said this not condemning others, but confessing our own deficiencies. For the first is a mark of pride, the second of humility. And ‘the Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble’; through it he leads us not only to the knowledge but also to the habit of the sacred virtue, I mean undistracted prayer, which blessed Paul, not wishing us to neglect it at all, speaks of: ‘Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks.’ And at the same time he shows the mind's freedom from distraction, saying, ‘Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may prove what is the will of God, good, pleasing, and perfect.’ For since God laid down various commandments for our little faith and weakness, so that each according to his zeal might escape punishment and obtain salvation, for this reason the apostle guides us to God's perfect will, not wishing us to be judged at all. And knowing that prayer helps toward achieving all the commandments, he does not cease commanding about it in many parts and many ways, saying, ‘Praying at all times in the Spirit, and keeping alert to this with all perseverance and supplication.’” [5] “Hence we know that one prayer is more excellent than another. It is one thing to entreat God with an unwandering thought and an untroubled mind, and another to present the body while wandering in thought. Again, it is one thing to wait for an opportunity and pray when free after bodily occupations, and another to prefer prayer as far as possible and snatch it before worldly cares, according to the apostle who says, ‘The Lord is near. Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God.’ As blessed Peter also said, ‘Be sober, then, and watchful in prayers, casting all your care on God.’ But first the Lord himself, knowing that all things are fortified through prayer, says, ‘Do not be anxious what you will eat, or what you will drink, or what you will wear; but seek only the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’ Perhaps by this the Lord also calls us to greater faith. For who, having cast off care for temporal things and become free of need, will not then believe him about eternal goods also? Hence he made this plain himself, saying, ‘Whoever is faithless in little is faithless also in much.’ Yet even in this he showed his love for humankind; for knowing that daily care of the flesh is unavoidable, he did not cut off daily concern, but allowing us today, he commands us not to be anxious about tomorrow, in a manner most worthy of God and most loving. For it is not possible for those who bear flesh and are human to disregard the things of bodily life altogether. Many things can be reduced to few through prayer and self-control, but they cannot be wholly overlooked.” [6] “Therefore one who wishes to attain to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, according to Scripture, ought not to prefer all ministries, or draw them to himself without necessity at random, nor push away and reject on the pretext of prayer those that meet him by some necessity and by God's ordering, but to recognize the difference and serve God's ordering without fixed rules. For whoever does not think so neither believes, according to Scripture, that one commandment is more excellent and comprehensive than another, nor wishes, according to the prophet, that all the commandments that meet him by God's ordering be set right. Since necessary things that meet us by God's ordering cannot be refused, we must refuse untimely occupations, preferring prayer, especially those that drag us down to extravagance and greed for money. For as much as one reduces these in the Lord and cuts off their superfluous material, so much does he also reduce his thought from wandering; and as much as he reduces his thought, so much does he give place to pure prayer and show sincere faith in Christ. And if someone cannot do this through little faith or some other weakness, let him at least recognize the truth and stretch forward as far as he can, blaming his own childishness. For it is better to give account for a lack than for error and conceit. Let the Lord's parable persuade you, which brings in one Pharisee and another tax collector. Therefore let us too try to beat off every worldly care through prayer and hope. And if we cannot achieve this without failing, let us offer God the confession of our deficiencies, but not give up our zeal for these things; for it is better to be accused of a partial lack than of complete concealment. Above all we owe it concerning prayer, since each one, busy with the need he loves, thinks he is carrying out the service he owes, not knowing that matters ought to be judged by God's good pleasure rather than his own. What is hard to discern in these things is that the same ministries are not always to be preferred, but one before another in its own time, since not every ministry is for all always, but is carried out in its own time. But the service of prayer has been laid down for us without ceasing; for this reason we ought to prefer it to the occupations of necessity. All the apostles taught this difference when the multitude wished to draw them away into service, saying, ‘It is not right that we should leave the word of God to serve tables. Choose out from among you seven men of good report, whom we may appoint over this need; but we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.’ And the saying pleased the whole multitude. If we learn from this that for those who cannot persevere in prayer it is good to be occupied with service, so that we may not fall from both, for those who can it is better not to neglect the better.” [7] Hearing this, the lawyer said, “How do the wise of the world, who neglect prayer, not fall, but guard themselves through philosophy?” The ascetic groaned and said: “You have said well that they do not fall. For having once fallen the extraordinary and double fall, I mean of conceit and negligence, they can neither rise without prayer nor have anywhere from which to fall. For what further care has the devil to wrestle with those who always lie down and never stand? Others there are who sometimes conquer and sometimes are conquered, fall and rise, afflict and are afflicted, wage war and are warred upon; and others who have remained in the first fall through great ignorance, not knowing that they have fallen, to whom the prophet speaks pitifully: ‘Does not he who falls rise again? Or does not he who turns away return?’ And again, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ But to those who do not wish to accept the labour of rising, to persevere in prayer, and to be afflicted for godliness for the sake of the kingdom to come, he says, ‘In your destruction, Israel, who will help you?’ It is not a wound, nor a bruise, nor an inflamed sore, nor any of the evils that happen against our will. This is the sin unto death, which is not healed even by the prayers of others. ‘For we would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed,’ because the disease is self-chosen, and there is no longer any salve to apply, nor oil, nor bandages, the helps from others. The divine Scripture utters these and such things to those who belittle prayer and limit it to hours and times out of necessity and weakness, while the Lord laid it down to be offered to the almighty God always, night and day, and the apostle, without ceasing.” [8] “See also how the Old Testament checks the one who trusts in himself and is elated by his own wisdom, saying, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not be lifted up by your own wisdom.’ These are not bare words, as some have thought, who for this reason acquired books, and knowing the force of what is written but doing none of it, are puffed up by bare ideas; and commending themselves through words and questions they win great praise from those inexperienced in wisdom; not touching diligent labour nor remembering the work, they bring on themselves much condemnation from God and from diligent and devout men. For having used the introductory knowledge of the Scriptures not for work but for display, they have been deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit's working. These are the ones who boast in appearance and not in heart. Hence those inexperienced in the work ought to take it up; for the things said by Scripture were said not that we might only understand them, but that we might also do them. Let us, then, begin the work; so, advancing in order, we shall find that not only hope in God, but also firm faith, unfeigned love, freedom from resentment, brotherly love, self-control, patience, inner knowledge, deliverance from temptations, gifts of graces, heartfelt confession, and constant tears come to the faithful through prayer. And not only these, but also patience in painful things that come, sincere forgiveness of one's neighbour, knowledge of the spiritual law, finding of God's righteousness, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the giving of spiritual treasures, and all that God promised to give to faithful people, both here and in the age to come. In a word, it is impossible for the soul to appear in the image of God except through the grace of God and the faith of a person who perseveres in his heart with much humility and undistracted prayer. How, then, do those deprived of so many such goods through ignorance and neglect of prayer say, ‘We have not fallen’? And they ascribe wisdom to themselves who do not even know their own downfall, pitiable for their fall, pitiable for their inexperience, gaining only this, that they make us believe Scripture the more, which says that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; but the wisdom from God comes down from above from the Father of lights, and its proof is humility. Those, then, who wish to please people have received human wisdom instead of divine, and puffed up and boasting in it, they have deceived many of the simpler, persuading them to philosophize not in labours of godliness and prayer but in persuasive human wisdom and words; which the apostle constantly blames and calls an emptying of the cross. For he says in the Letter to the Corinthians, ‘Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ be emptied’; and again, ‘God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; and the low things of the world and the despised God chose, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no flesh might boast before God.’ If, then, God is well pleased not with the words of Greek wisdom but with the labours of prayer and humility, as has been shown, why are they vain in mind, abandoning the first way of godliness as hard to achieve, not wishing to be saved by the second or even the third, and deceiving the simpler?” [9] When the scholar wished to learn what the ways of godliness are, the ascetic answered: “The first is not to sin; the second, for one who has sinned, to endure the painful things that come; the third, for one who does not endure, to mourn over his failures in patience; since, if they are not corrected here through fitting occurrences, they necessarily bring upon us the judgment there, unless God, seeing us mourning and humbled, wipes out our sins as he knows, by his almighty goodness and divine grace. But if, after neglecting these things, we abandon mourning and humility and still take pleasure in ourselves and in words of worldly wisdom, so as to exalt ourselves even in these over the more devout, how shall we obtain mercy, doing the opposite of mercy? O how persuasive and hard to detect is the passion of people-pleasing, since it masters even the prudent! The workings of the other passions are plain to those who share in them, so that they make those mastered by them humble; but people-pleasing hides itself under words and appearances of godliness, so that it is not easy even for those enticed by it to recognize its deviations.” [10] The worldly man asked, “What are the deviations that come from people-pleasing? Or rather, before these I wish to learn what people-pleasing is; for I see that you do not say what follows from nature in keeping with the terms used, but conjecture that ignorance is the cause of everything, and blame useful things with disconnected testimonies. So tell me first the proper meaning of this name, and then we will believe you that you have grasped its most general harm.” The ascetic said, “People-pleasing, I think, is pleasing people. This I know to be the proper meaning of the term.” The lawyer, as though greatly admiring the word, said: “You have spoken very fittingly. Why then, most devout sir, do you blame unjustly what is just? Or does it not seem to you just that each should not give himself the testing of his own works, but entrust the judgment of good to others rather than himself? I say that what does not please people should not be called virtue at all, nor have praise from one's neighbour; which I have heard Scripture also say: ‘Let your neighbour praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips’; and again, ‘Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, for building up’; and again, ‘Give no offence to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God.’ Who can be without offence without pleasing people? Why then have you gone so deep in blaming people-pleasing? And if, according to you, we must approve those who do not please, it is time for you to praise robbers, murderers, plunderers, and plotters, since they please no one. And if we have kept silent until now about what you said, do not be surprised; not as not knowing the Scriptures, nor as ignorant of what is just, but wishing first to listen to your words. We know also how to forgive those who err in speech, when they do this not from wills that cause lack of education, nor write wickedness over good names; which you too have suffered against your intention, most devout sir; for you wished, I think, to make plain self-pleasing. Since, then, this came to you not from negligence but from lack of learning, it would be just, now that the name has been made plain, for the charges also to be passed over in silence as false, which you thought so base and hard to find as to master even the prudent.” [11] The ascetic, recognizing that he was plainly indignant at the reproofs and was rejecting what would be said, kept silent a little, so that all the hearers guessed that, struck by the syllogisms, he had abandoned his positions. Opening his mouth he said: “Since we have come to these discussions intending not to win but to be helped, and you yourself kept silent until now, not, as you said, as ignorant of what is more just, but wishing first to hear our account; for this reason we beg your excellency to fulfil your promise and to teach how the divine Scripture blames people-pleasing not by its own name but by another (you know all of it well, yet have not kept silent well until now). For in this way, when you speak the words of Scripture, we shall not only be persuaded about what was said before, but shall also bear with you in many accounts when you speak more justly, even if, from lack of learning, as you said, we exchanged the names and prepared a virtue in place of a passion.” The man of the world, hearing this, answered: “I did not say I know all Scripture, but in part. So do not call me to speak, but begin; if you lack proofs, be silent, and you will have pardon from us. But if you can show people-pleasing condemned by name, speak; and we will necessarily confess the truth even against our will.” The ascetic said, “Let it be so; but where shall we put your unjust blames?” The lawyer said, “Into the law of patience, which you taught us before.” The old man said to him: “I praise you for your wisdom, not to say your cunning, since you brought in sympathy for ignorance, looking to receive through the promise of giving. But leaving these things, let us come to the matter in hand.” [12] “Hear, then, Scripture bringing forward its blame of people-pleasing; first the prophet, saying, ‘For God has scattered the bones of people-pleasers; they were put to shame, because God despised them’; and the apostle, ‘Not with eye-service, as people-pleasers’; and again, ‘Do I seek to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ’; and you will find many others by gathering them in the divine Scripture.” The worldly man said, “What then? Since what I said is also written, is Scripture inconsistent with itself?” The ascetic said: “It is not inconsistent with itself, but we are dim-sighted toward the demonstration of the truth. Since not all people are ungodly, nor are we all godly, for this reason we ought not to please all, except the good; likewise we ought not to displease all, except the wicked. That is why the Lord, making this plain in the Gospels, says, ‘Woe when all people speak well of you.’ And not only in these, but even in things that seem good he forbids us to please people, when we show good things to people not for reproof and imitation but for praise and some return. And rightly; for whoever wishes to please people for the sake of a bodily return receives no spiritual gift from God, nor obtains the rewards there, having received his wage, as the Lord made plain in the Gospels not once but many times; and in commanding about prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, he ordered that they be hidden from people.” [13] While the words were still being spoken, the scholar said with a loud voice, “That is enough; I am fully convinced about this. It remains for you to say not in a riddle nor by conjecture but plainly what the deviations of this wickedness are, so that we may know exactly whether they are, as you said, darker and hard to find, so that when they come they master even the prudent.” The ascetic said: “Listen with understanding, and I will tell you by name; and see for yourself whether you do not find all of them belonging to this passion in all those people. First and mother of the deviations is unbelief. Following her as children come envy, hatred, jealousy, deceit, strife, hypocrisy, partiality, eye-service, slander, falsehood, a show of reverence and not of truth, and all such obscure and dark passions. What is worse than all is that some by wisdom of speech commend them as good and cover up the harm in it. If you wish, I will also make their cunning plain in part. The cunning people-pleaser, counselling one, plots against another; praising one, blames another; admonishing his neighbour, he commends himself; he pleads in a lawsuit not to judge what is just but to take revenge on his enemy; he rebukes with flattery, until by reproaching he gets his enemy accepted; he slanders anonymously to hide his own slander; he adjures those without possessions to confess their needs, as though wishing to supply them, and when they speak, he spreads it about that they are beggars; among the inexperienced he boasts, and among the experienced he speaks humbly, hunting praise from both. When the virtuous are praised he is displeased, and throwing in another story he diverts the praise; he belittles superiors when absent and glorifies them to their faces when present; he sneers at the humble and finds fault with teachers; he reproaches lack of learning to show himself wise; he disregards everyone's virtues, but keeps their vices in memory. In short, he hunts opportunities and serves persons, so as to satisfy the most many-sided passion of people-pleasing, and tries to hide his own evils by inquiring into those of others. But true monks are not so, but the opposite: they overlook the faults of others with compassion and make their own known to God. That is why they are despised by people who do not know; for they are eager to please not so much mortals as God, on the one hand pleasing him, on the other condemning themselves, awaiting from the Lord the reward for both, since he said, ‘Whoever exalts himself will be humbled.’” [14] The scholar, pained by the reproofs, said: “Along with your thoughts, ascetic, I have admired your cunning too, which you accuse in others and hold yourself in a shadowy way. For lacking general education, you have taken refuge in foolishness according to God, saying it is the greatest wisdom and pleasing to God, and with it you have taken up prayer and labours for godliness, so as to cover your obvious lack of education with an unseen devotion. Whether you are indeed a doer of what you describe, we shall find out when we come again tomorrow.” And having said this, he rose and left. The old man, having seen him off, turned and groaned. The brothers begged him to tell the cause of his groaning, and he said: “I see some of you troubled. For I have received a sign that you received the lawyer's words not for benefit but for harm, and reckoned yourselves not helped but insulted by what was said. This is the cause of my dejection: that we speak the spiritual law to others, but do not keep it ourselves. But if I have not rightly followed the meaning of your gloomy faces, and they hold God's law and have believed that all painful things come not unjustly, according to Scripture, forgive me as an old man for my small-mindedness; only let us believe that we are responsible for the painful things that befall us, even if not recently or through the very matters, then from an old debt.” Then one of the brothers, confident in his self-control and therefore ignorant of the truth, who tried to endure all painful things but thought he suffered unjustly like a martyr, answered boldly, saying, “Where has Scripture said that misfortunes come upon people because of each one's cause and by God's just judgment?” The old man, greatly cheered by what he had said, said: “You will find it if you seek in many chapters, beloved, both in the Old and in the New Testament; and if you wish, we too will show a few. But when you have learned, cast away haughtiness and acquire the humility of Christ, who says, ‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’” [15] The disciple, running ahead of the argument, said, “If each of us imitates the humility of Christ in this, by considering what comes upon him his own debt, as you said, then clearly Christ too, in suffering, paid his own debt; hence I think the one who says this blasphemes.” Hearing this, the abbot said: “I was trying to resolve your earlier question first; but since you have thrown another on top of it, you have hidden the answers, as it were, by the confusion of countless questions. We will satisfy you on this too in the Lord, by asking fitting questions in return. Tell me: those who borrow are they alone debtors for their own debt, or also those who stand surety for them?” The disciple answered, “Clearly also those who stand surety for them.” The old man said to him: “Know, then, exactly that Christ too, taking us upon himself, made himself a debtor, according to the divine Scriptures: ‘The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’; ‘He who became a curse for us.’ He who took upon himself the death of all and died for all, did he not take you alone upon himself? Confess this clearly, and we are defeated.” The brother fell down and said: “Even if I erred as a child through ignorance, I do not deny the Redeemer of our souls and our surety. For I know that no other hope of salvation remains for people, since the apostle says, ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace.’” [16] When all had been helped by the brother's recognition and repentance, the old man said: “It remains for us to show from Scripture that none of the painful things that befall each person comes unjustly, but all by God's just judgment, some suffering for their own evils, others for their neighbours. ‘With the Lord all things are just’; and again, ‘All the works of God are with righteousness’; and, ‘Whatever each one sows, that he will also reap’; and, ‘If our unrighteousness shows God's righteousness, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? I speak in a human way. Far from it.’ See, the three youths too, cast into the furnace, teach us this way of thinking, saying that they were cast in for their own cause and God's discipline, even though they took upon themselves the role of another. And holy David, afflicted by Shimei, confesses that he is afflicted by God's command and for his own faults. And Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, and the other prophets foretold to the people and to the nations that coming afflictions would come upon them according to each one's sin, showing beforehand both the causes and the occasions; for it says, ‘Because they said this and did this, let this come upon them.’ And in the psalm blessed David made this plain, saying, ‘I know, O Lord, that your judgments are righteousness, and in your truth you humbled me’; and again, ‘You made me a reproach to the fool; I was mute and did not open my mouth, because you did it.’ And he gives thanks that he sent this to him because of the evil thoughts hidden in us, so that, looking carefully at our thoughts, we may correct ourselves, and not doubt whether we are ignorant of most of our wickedness. For it belongs to a perfect man not to be forgetful of his own failings. And if visible failings are hard to perceive, how much more our inward designs. Let us know, then, as rational beings, that the Lord brings trials for our benefit and works many goods in us through them. First, the discovery of the thoughts that hold us hiddenly; after their discovery he adds true and unfeigned humility, and then the disclosure that bids us be freed from vain conceit, as it is written, ‘All the workers of lawlessness peeped out, that they might be destroyed for ever and ever.’ Know this exactly, then, brothers: unless we endure afflictions with faith and thanksgiving, we cannot find the hidden wickedness. And if it is not clearly found, we can neither cast away the present base thoughts, nor seek propitiation for past evils, nor receive security for the future.”
Phil 2:5 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 17:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 12:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 32:35 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 7:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 14:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 6:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 13:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Jas 4:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 4:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 5:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:34 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 4:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 18:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 6:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 8:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 13:9 (quotation, medium confidence) · Jer 51:9 (28:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Jas 1:17 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 27:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 53:5 (52:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 6:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 14:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 11:29 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 3:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 6:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 119:75 (118:75 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 39:9 (38:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 92:7 (91:8 LXX) (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: An old ascetic answers a lawyer on not going to law, on prayer, on worldly wisdom, and on people-pleasing, then teaches his monks that afflictions come by God's just judgment.
- A dialogue with a lawyer. The section numerals Β–ΙϚ printed in the text (two of them misread as Γ and ΙΓ) are rendered [2]–[16]. Several lines are displaced in the scan; the clear ones are restored by logged corrections, and some garbled phrases are translated by sense (e.g. in [4], [6], and [16], where the scan reads εἰς κόλπον ἐπέρχεται πάντα τοῖς ἀδίκοις, left untranslated). Scripture: Phil 2:5–8; John 6:27; Matt 6:33; Luke 17:21; Rom 12:19 (Deut 32:35); Matt 7:1; 1 Cor 4:5; Rom 14:4; Luke 6:37; Rom 13:3; 1 Cor 13:5–7; 1 Cor 3:18; Eph 2:3; Gal 5:17; Jas 4:6; 1 Thess 5:17–18; Rom 12:2; Eph 6:18; Phil 4:5–6; 1 Pet 4:7; 5:7; Matt 6:25, 33–34; Luke 16:10; Eph 4:13; Luke 18:10; Acts 6:2–5; Jer 8:4; Eph 5:14; Hos 13:9 (LXX); Jer 51:9; Prov 3:5; 2 Cor 5:12; Jas 1:17; 1 Cor 3:19; 1:17, 27–29; Prov 27:2; Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 10:32; Ps 53:5 (LXX 52:6); Eph 6:6; Gal 1:10; Luke 6:26; Matt 6:1–18; Luke 14:11; Matt 11:29; John 1:29; Gal 3:13; Rom 3:23–24; Gal 6:7; Rom 3:5–6; 2 Sam 16:10–11; Ps 119:75 (LXX 118:75); Ps 39:8–9 (LXX 38:9–10); Ps 92:7 (LXX 91:8). The three youths: Prayer of Azariah. Several Latin words from the facing column are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin syllable from the facing column removed; Latin word from the facing column removed; OCR letter slip; displaced line moved back; margin letter removed; displaced line restored; displaced line restored inside the words; line displaced in the scan moved back to its place below; stray repeated word removed; word split and misread by the OCR; word split by a margin letter in the OCR; word split by the OCR): μαθεῖν. ἀπολλυμένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν Ἡμεῖς → μαθεῖν. Ἡμεῖς; τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν αἰώνιον → τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον; Ἐπει· Β δὴ → Ἐπειδὴ; ἐργαζό μεθα → ἐργαζόμεθα; spi-ἔφη → ἔφη; ἠρέσκουν, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην· καὶ ΙΒ΄. → ΙΒ΄.; Εἰ ἀνθρώποις πολλὰ ἕτερα → Εἰ ἀνθρώποις ἠρέσκουν, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην· καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα; αὐταρέσκεια, ΙΑ΄. → ΙΑ΄.; σπουτοὺς κατακρίνοντες → σπουδάζουσι, τοῦτο μὲν εὐαρεστοῦντες, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἑαυτοὺς κατακρίνοντες; ταπεινωθήσεται. Α δάζουσι, τοῦτο μὲν εὐαρεστοῦντες, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἑαυΙΔ΄. → ταπεινωθήσεται. ΙΔ΄.; Novoο μόνον → μόνον; καὶ postulaἡμεῖς → καὶ ἡμεῖς; βλά6ην → βλάβην; Διd καὶ → Διὸ καὶ; ἐπερχοΑ μένων → ἐπερχομένων; ἀν θρώπου → ἀνθρώπου; κερδαίνονΒ τες → κερδαίνοντες; και ταλιπόντες, οὐδὲ → καταλιπόντες, οὐδὲ; και ταλιπόντες, τοῦ → καταλιπόντες, τοῦ; πολΑ λῷ → πολλῷ; παραι· τιᾶται → παραιτιᾶται; και τὰ ἰδίαν αἰτίαν → κατὰ ἰδίαν αἰτίαν; ἐπερχό μενα → ἐπερχόμενα; ἡγούμε νος → ἡγούμενος; τε λώνην → τελώνην; ἀπο κρούσασθαι → ἀποκρούσασθαι; ἐλλεί ψεως → ἐλλείψεως; νενομο θέτηται → νενομοθέτηται; και λὸν → καλὸν; μά λιστα → μάλιστα; πιστεύ σει → πιστεύσει; ἐκεί νων → ἐκείνων; εἰρή καμεν → εἰρήκαμεν; λέγο μεν → λέγομεν; ποιοῦν. τες → ποιοῦντες.
Extrabiblical texts: Pr Azar 4-5 (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 7.0 (PG 65:1071; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/7-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/7-0
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.