Interpretation of 2 Thessalonians
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Preface
0PG 82
Γνοὺς ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος τὴν ἐκ τῶν προτέρων λειαν, καὶ ὅτι χαλεπῶς ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως πολεμεύμένοι φέρουσι γενναίως τῶν ἐναντίων τὰς προσβολὰς, καὶ δευτέραν αὐτοῖς Ἐπιστολὴν γέγραφε, παρχθήγων εἰς ἀνδρείαν, καὶ τῇ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδι ψυχαγωγῶν. Ἐπειδὴ ὃ καὶ πεῖσαι τινες αὐτοὺ: ἐπειράθησαν, ὡς ἐνέστηκεν ὁ τῆς συντελείας καιρὸς, τὸν Ἀπόστολον ταῦτα λέγοντες εἰρηκέναι" καὶ περὶ τούτῶν ἐπέστειλε, τὰ προσήκοντα διδάσκων, ὡς δεῖ πρόπερὸν ὀφθῆναι τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας; ἐχθρὸν, τὸν ᾿Αντίχρίστον λέγων " εἶθ᾽ οὕτω γίνεσθαι τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρο; ἡμῶν ἐπιφάνειαν, Παρήνεσε δὲ καὶ τοῖς τὸν ἀργὸν ϑίον προαιρουμένοις τὰ πρόσφορα. Ἑ κάστου δὲ τούτων τὴν διάνοιαν ἐκ τῇς τῶν ῥητῶν ἑρμηνείας εἰσόμεθα. α', β΄. « Παῦλος καὶ Σιλουανὸς καὶ Τιμόθεος τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεσσαλονικέων, ἐν Θεῷ Πατρὶ ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ - χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. » Τοὺς αὑτοὺς πάλιν ἔλαβε κοινωνοὺς τῶν γραμμάτων, ὡς συνεργοὺς τοῦ κηρύγματος γενομένους. Τὸ δὲ, ἐν Θεῷ Πωτρὶ, ἕοικε τῷ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς γραφομένῳ. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς εἰώθαμεν γράφειν" Ὁ δεῖνα τῷ δεῖνι ἐν Κυρίῳ καίρειν. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ «οὔ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ ἰσοδύναμον ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ, ἐν Θεῷ Πατρὶ ἡμῶν, ἐπήγαγε, καὶ ἐν Κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. Καὶ πάλιν εἰπὼν, ἐἰπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν, προστέθεικε, καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὡς τῶν αὐτῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ παρὰ «οὔ Πατρὸς ἡμῖν καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ χορηγουμένων.
Gnous ho theios ᾿Apostolos tēn ek tōn proterōn leian, kai hoti chalepōs hyper tēs pisteōs polemeumenoi pherousi gennaiōs tōn enantiōn tas prosbolas, kai deuteran autois Epistolēn gegraphe, parchthēgōn eis andreian, kai tę̄ tōn mellontōn elpidi psychagōgōn. Epeidē ho kai peisai tines autou: epeirathēsan, hōs enestēken ho tēs synteleias kairos, ton Apostolon tauta legontes eirēkenai" kai peri toutōn epesteile, ta prosēkonta didaskōn, hōs dei properon ophthēnai ton tēs alētheias? echthron, ton ᾿Antichriston legōn " eith᾽ houtō ginesthai tēn tou Theou kai Sōtēro? hēmōn epiphaneian, Parēnese de kai tois ton argon ϑion proairoumenois ta prosphora. He kastou de toutōn tēn dianoian ek tę̄s tōn rhētōn hermēneias eisometha. a', b΄. « Paulos kai Silouanos kai Timotheos tę̄ Ekklēsią Thessalonikeōn, en Theǭ Patri hēmōn, kai Kyriǭ Iēsou Christǭ - charis hymin kai eirēnē apo Theou Patros hēmōn, kai Kyriou Iēsou Christou. » Tous hautous palin elabe koinōnous tōn grammatōn, hōs synergous tou kērygmatos genomenous. To de, en Theǭ Pōtri, heoike tǭ par᾽ hēmōn en tais epistolais graphomenǭ. Kai gar hēmeis eiōthamen graphein" Ho deina tǭ deini en Kyriǭ kairein. Kai entautha de «ou Patros kai tou Huiou to isodynamon hēmas edidaxen. Eirēkōs gar, en Theǭ Patri hēmōn, epēgage, kai en Kyriǭ Iēsou Christǭ. Kai palin eipōn, eipo Theou Patros hēmōn, prostetheike, kai Kyriou Iēsou Christou, hōs tōn autōn agathōn kai para «ou Patros hēmin kai para tou Huiou chorēgoumenōn.
[Argument.] The divine Apostle, having learned of the … from the former [letter], and that, though fought against harshly for the faith, they bore nobly the attacks of their opponents, wrote them a second letter as well, spurring them on to courage and comforting them with the hope of the things to come. And since some had tried to persuade them that the time of the consummation had arrived, saying that the Apostle had said so, he wrote also about this, teaching what is fitting: that the enemy of the truth, meaning the Antichrist, must be seen first, and only then will the appearing of our God and Savior take place. He also gave suitable exhortation to those who chose the idle life. We shall learn the sense of each of these from the interpretation of the words.
“Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He again took the same men as partners in the letter, since they had been fellow workers in the preaching. “In God the Father” resembles what we write in our letters; for we are accustomed to write, “So-and-so to so-and-so, greeting in the Lord.” Here too he taught us the equal power of the Father and the Son. For having said “in God our Father,” he added “and in the Lord Jesus Christ”; and again, having said “from God our Father,” he added “and the Lord Jesus Christ,” since the same good things are supplied to us both by the Father and by the Son.
Chapter 1
1.3PG 82
Υ΄. « Εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν τῷ Θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοὶ, καθὼς ἄξιόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ὑπερανξάνει ἢ πίστις ὑμῶν, καὶ πλεονάζει ἡ ἀγάπη ἑνὸς ἐκάστου πάντων ὑμῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους. » Πάλιν τῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ" σχηματίζει τὴν εὐφημίαν, καὶ θαυμόζει μὲν αὐτῶν τὴν περὶ τὸν Θεὸν πίστιν, θαυμάζει δὲ τὴν περὶ τοῦ πέλας ἀγάπην. Δι᾿ ἀμφοτέρων δὲ τὴν τελεωτάτην αὖτοῖς ἀρετὴν μαρτυρεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἐν ταῖς δύο ταύταις ἐντολαῖς ὅλον ἔφη τὸν νόμον καὶ τοὺς προδ᾽, ε΄. « Ὥστε ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐν ὑμῖν καυχᾶσθαι ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὑμῶν καὶ πίστεως ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς διωγμοῖς ὑμῶν, ἐν ταῖς " θλίψεσιν αἷς ἀνέχεσθε. "Ἐνδειγμα τῆς δικαίας χρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ καταξιωθῆναι ἡμᾶς τῆς βατσιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ ἧς καὶ πάσχετε. » Καὶ τὸ μέγεθὸος τῶν προσλαμθδανόντων" ὑμῖν μανθάνοντες λυπηρῶν, καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν καρτερίαν, δι᾽ ἧς ἀποχρούεσθε ταῦτα, σεμνυνόμενοι ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀνδρτίαν ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις 'Ἔκκλησίαις θαυμάξομεν. Οἴδαμεν δὲ καὶ, ὡς ἴστε σαφῶς, τῶν κινδύνων πὰ ἄθλα, καὶ τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν προσδέχεσθε βασιλείαν, τοῦ ἀγωνοθέτου τὴν δικαίαν ἐπιστάμενοι ψῆφον. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν ἔγδειγμα τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ποιεῖ δὲ αὑτὸ σαφέστερον διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς", ς΄ η΄. « Εἴπερ δίκαιον παρὰ Θεῷ ἀνταποδοῦναι τοῖς θλίβουσιν ὑμᾶς θλίψιν, καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς θλιξομένοις ἄνεσιν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ ἀποκαλύψει τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ μετ᾽ ἀγγέλων δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς, διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τοῖς μὴ ἀκούουσι τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ. ν» Τὸ, εἵπερ, οὖχκ ἐπὶ ἀμφιβολίας τέθεικεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ βεβαιώσεως. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς εἰώθαμεν ἐσχυριζόμενοι λέγειν " Εἴπερ τόδε ἀληθὲς, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀληθές. Λέγει τοίνυν ὅτι δίκαιον καὶ πρὲπὸν τῷ τῆς δικαιοσύνης νομοθέτῃ, καὶ ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ τῶν τῆς πίστεως ἀμείψασθαι παθημάτων, καὶ τοὺς ἐνανκατὰ τὸν τῆς συντελείας χαιρήν " τηνικαῦτα γὰρ παραγίνεται μὲν οὐρανόθεν ὁ Κύριο;, ἡγοῦνται δὲ τῶν φλογὶ οἱ τὸν τῆς ἀπιστίας περικείμενοι ζόφον. Ταῦτα δὲ γέγραφεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, τοὺς τὰ δεινὰ ἐκεῖνα καὶ χαλεπὰ ὑπομένοντα: τῇ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδι ψυχαγωγῶν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ φόβου μεστὸν ἔδειξε τὸ χριπέριον " πρῶτον μὲν ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ δείξαι νόμενον τὸν Κριτήν " ἔπειτα τῶν διακονούντων τὴν δύναμιν " ἄγγελοι γὰξῤ οὗτοι - εἶτα τῆς τιμωρίας τὸ εἶδος." φλογὶ γὰρ πυρὸς παραδίδονται. Εἰ δὲ οἱ μὴ πειθόμενοι τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ταῦτα πείσονται", εὔδηλον ὡς καὶ χαλεπωτέρων πειρασθήσονται οἱ καὶ τοῖς πι- 6’,, ε Οἴτινες δίκην τίσουσιν, ὄλεθρον αἰώνιον, ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τῆ: ἰσχύος αὑτοῦ, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐνδοξασθῇναι ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πιστεύσατιν. » ᾿Αχριδέστερον.ἔδειξε τῆς τιμωρίας τὸ μέγεθος, αἰὼνιον ταύτην ἀποκαλέσας. "ἔδειξε δὲ καὶ τῶν πεὲπιστευχότων τὴν περιφάνειαν, αὐτὸν εἰρηκὼς τὸν Θεὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς δοξασθήσεσθαί τε καὶ θαυμαπθήσεσθαις ᾿ Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον, οἱ μὲν εἰσὶν ἐν ταλαιπωρίαις καὶ πόνοις, τινὲς δὲ πονηρίᾳ συζῶντες ἀφθόνων ἀπολαύουσιν ἀγαθῶν, ἐν δέ γε τῇ τῆς χρίσεως ἡμέρᾳ ἀναῤῥηθήσονται μὲν οἱ δίκαιοι, καὶ στεφάνων ἀξιωθήσονται, κολασθήσονται δὲ οἱ πονηρίᾳ συνεζηχότες " εἰκότως ἔφη, ὅταν ἔλθῃ. ἐνδοξασθῆναὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὑτοῦ, καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς μὴ πιστεύσασι. Τότε γὰρ τοῦ χριτοῦ τὴν δικαίαν ψῆφον θαυμάσουσιν ἅπαντες. «ε Ὅτι ἐπιστεύθη τὸ μαρτύριον ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. » Τὸ, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, τῷ ἄνω ἀποδοτέον - θαυμάτεται" γὰρ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς πιστεύσασιν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. δαρτύριον δὲ τὸ κήρυγμα προσηγόρευσε. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὐτοὺς ἔφη πεπιστευκέναι. ια’, ιβ΄, « Εἰς ὃ καὶ προσευχόμεθα πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἵνα ὑμᾶς ἀξιώσῃ τῆς κλήσεως ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ πληρώσῃ πᾶσαν " εὐδοκίαν ἀγαθωσύνη;, καὶ ἔργον πέστεως ἐν δυνάμει. “Ὅπως ἐνδοξχσθῇ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν αὐτῷ, κατὰ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίου Ἔηπτοῦ Χριστοῦ. ν Τούτου δὴ χάριν ἀντιδολοῦμεν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, ὥστε ὑμᾶς ἀξιωθέντας τῆς κλήσεως πάντων ἐμφορηθῆναι τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὥστε ὑμᾶς καὶ «τοὺς τῆς πίστεως βλαστῆσαι καρπούς. "Εργον δὲ «τεἰστεως " ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπομονὴν προτηγόρευσεν. Οὕτω γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ αὑτὸς ἐν ὑμῖν δοξασθήσεται, καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτῷ τῆς μελλούσης χοινωνήσετε δόξης. Οὕτω τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων φυχαἀγωγήσας αὐτοὺς, εἰς τὴν περὶ συντελείας διδασκαλίαν μεταφέρει τὸν λόγον. α’, 8'. ε ἙἘρωτῶμεν" δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ, ὑπὲρ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμῶν ἐπισυναγωγῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὺς, μήτε θροεῖσθαι, μήτε διὰ πνεύματος, μήτε διὰ λόγου, μήτε δι᾽ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς δι᾽ ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Κυρίου. » Τὸ, ἐρωτῶμεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, παρακαλοῦμεν, ἀεὶ τίθησι, Τὸ δὲ, ἡμῶν ἐπισυναγωγῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, σαφέστερον ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ δεδήλωκεν ᾿Επιστολῇ, Εἶπε γὰρ, ὅτι εἰς ἀέρα ἁρπαγησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ οὕτως πάντοτε σὺν Κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος ἔφη. ὅτι ε ᾿Αποστελεῖ τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὑτοῦ, καὶ συνάξουσι τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀνέμων, ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὑτῶν. ν Παρεγγυᾷ τοίνυν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, μὴ πιστεύειν τοῖς λέγουσιν ἐνεστηκέναι τὸν τῆς συντελείας καιρὸν, καὶ παραυτίκα τὸν Κύριον ἐπιφανήσεσθαι, μήτε εἰ γὰρ λέγει, μήτε διὰ πγεύματος " μὴτε εἰ πλασά.μενο: ὡς ἐξ αὐτοῦ γραφεῖσαν ἐπιστολὴν προφέροιεν, μὴτε εἰ ἀγράφως αὐτὸν εἰρηκέναι λέγοιεν, Εἶτα πάλιν τὸ αὑτὸ συντόμως" … Πάντα κατὰ ταὐτὸν τὰ τῆς ὁπάτης εἴδη. Διδάσκει δὲ αὑτοὺς καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν πάντας ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸ μέγιστον τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίας σημεῖον. «Ὅτι! ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀποστασία πρῶτον, καὶ ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπλείας " (δ΄.) ὁ ἀντικείμενος καὶ ὑπεραιρόμενος ἐπὶ πάντα λεγόμενον θεὸν, ἣ σέβασμα, ὥστε αὑτὸν εἰς" τὸν ναὺν τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς θεὸν καθίσαι, ἀποδεικνύντα ἑαυτὸν ὅτι ἔστι θεός. ν ᾿Αποστασίαν αὐτὺν ἐκάλεσε τὸν ᾿Αντίχριστον, ἀπὸ τοῦ πράγματος αὐτῷ τοὔνομα τεθεικώς. ᾿Αποστῆσαι γὰρ ἅπαντας τῆς ἀληθείας πειρᾶται, "Αγθρωπον δὲ αὐτὸν ἁμαρτίας 0 ῥευσεν, ἐπειδὴ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι τὴν φύσιν, πᾶσαν ἐν ἐχυτῷ τοῦ διαβόλου δεχόμενος τὴν ἐνέργειαν " υἱὸν' ὃς ἀπωλείας, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπολλύμενον, καὶ ἑτέροις πρόξενον τούτου γινόμενον. Μιμεῖται γὰρ ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀλάστωρ ποῦ θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν τὴν ἐυνανθρώπτσιν " καὶ ὥσπερ αὑτὸ; ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν ἀναλαβὼν, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπραγματεύσατο σωτηρίαν' οὕτως ἐκεῖνος ἄνθρωπον ἐκλεξάμενος πᾶσαν αὑτοῦ δέξασθαι δυνάμενον τὴν ἐνέργειαν, δε αὐτοῦ πάντας ἐξαπατῆσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πειράσεται, Χριστὸν ἐχυτὸν καὶ Θεὺν ὀνομάζων, καὶ τῶν καλουμένων θεῶν διελέγχων τὸ ψεῦδος, ὅπερ αὑτὸς ἐν τοῖς παρελη: λυθόσι χρόνοις ἐκράτυνε. Ναὸ» ὃὲ Θεοῦ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐκάλεσεν, ἐν αἷς ἁρπάσει τὴν προεδρείαν, θεὸν ἑαυτὸν ἀποδεικνύναι πειρώμενος, Ταῦτα καὶ ὁ θεῖος προηγόρενσε Δανιήλ. Ἔφη γάρ’ « Καὶ ἐπὶ θεοὺς τῶν πατρῶν αὑτοῦ οὐ συνήσει, καὶ θτὸν Μαωζεὶμ '᾿ ἐπὶ τόπῳ ἑαυτοῦ δοξάσει" » ἀντὶ τοῦ, Θεὸν ἰσχυρὸν ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάσει. Εἶτα διδάσκων ὡ; οὐ καινὴν αὐτοῖ; προσφέρει διδασκαλίαν, ἐπήγαγεν "
Y΄. « Eucharistein opheilomen tǭ Theǭ pantote peri hymōn, adelphoi, kathōs axion estin, hoti hyperanxanei ē pistis hymōn, kai pleonazei hē agapē henos ekastou pantōn hymōn eis allēlous. » Palin tę̄ eucharistią" schēmatizei tēn euphēmian, kai thaumozei men autōn tēn peri ton Theon pistin, thaumazei de tēn peri tou pelas agapēn. Di᾿ amphoterōn de tēn teleōtatēn autois aretēn martyrei. Kai gar ho Kyrios en tais dyo tautais entolais holon ephē ton nomon kai tous prod᾽, e΄. « Hōste hēmas autous en hymin kauchasthai en tais Ekklēsiais tou Theou, hyper tēs hypomonēs hymōn kai pisteōs en pasi tois diōgmois hymōn, en tais " thlipsesin hais anechesthe. "Endeigma tēs dikaias chriseōs tou Theou, eis to kataxiōthēnai hēmas tēs batsileias tou theou, hyper hēs kai paschete. » Kai to megethoos tōn proslamthdanontōn" hymin manthanontes lypērōn, kai tēn hymeteran karterian, di᾽ hēs apochrouesthe tauta, semnynomenoi eph᾽ hymin kai tēn hymeteran andrtian en tais allais 'Ekklēsiais thaumaxomen. Oidamen de kai, hōs iste saphōs, tōn kindynōn pa athla, kai tēn tōn ouranōn prosdechesthe basileian, tou agōnothetou tēn dikaian epistamenoi psēphon. Touto gar eipen egdeigma tēs dikaias kriseōs tou Theou. Poiei de hauto saphesteron dia tōn hexēs", s΄ ē΄. « Eiper dikaion para Theǭ antapodounai tois thlibousin hymas thlipsin, kai hymin tois thlixomenois anesin meth᾽ hēmōn, en tę̄ apokalypsei tou Kyriou Iēsou ap᾽ ouranou met᾽ angelōn dynameōs autou, en pyri phlogos, didontos ekdikēsin tois mē eidosi ton Theon, kai tois mē akouousi tǭ Euangeliǭ tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou. n» To, heiper, ouchk epi amphibolias tetheiken, all᾽ epi bebaiōseōs. Kai gar hēmeis eiōthamen eschyrizomenoi legein " Eiper tode alēthes, hōsper oun alēthes. Legei toinyn hoti dikaion kai prepon tǭ tēs dikaiosynēs nomothetę̄, kai hēmas hyper tōn tēs pisteōs ameipsasthai pathēmatōn, kai tous enankata ton tēs synteleias chairēn " tēnikauta gar paraginetai men ouranothen ho Kyrio?, hēgountai de tōn phlogi hoi ton tēs apistias perikeimenoi zophon. Tauta de gegraphen ho theios ᾿Apostolos, tous ta deina ekeina kai chalepa hypomenonta: tę̄ tōn mellontōn elpidi psychagōgōn. Dia toi touto kai phobou meston edeixe to chriperion " prōton men ap᾽ ouranou deixai nomenon ton Kritēn " epeita tōn diakonountōn tēn dynamin " angeloi gaxr houtoi - eita tēs timōrias to eidos." phlogi gar pyros paradidontai. Ei de hoi mē peithomenoi tǭ Euangeliǭ tauta peisontai", eudēlon hōs kai chalepōterōn peirasthēsontai hoi kai tois pi- 6’,, e Oitines dikēn tisousin, olethron aiōnion, apo prosōpou tou Kyriou, kai apo tēs doxēs tē: ischyos hautou, hotan elthę̄ endoxasthę̄nai en tois hagiois autou, kai thaumasthēnai epi pasi tois pisteusatin. » ᾿Achridesteron.edeixe tēs timōrias to megethos, aiōnion tautēn apokalesas. "edeixe de kai tōn peepisteuchotōn tēn periphaneian, auton eirēkōs ton Theon en autois doxasthēsesthai te kai thaumapthēsesthais ᾿ Epeidē gar kata ton paronta bion, hoi men eisin en talaipōriais kai ponois, tines de ponērią syzōntes aphthonōn apolauousin agathōn, en de ge tę̄ tēs chriseōs hēmerą anarrhēthēsontai men hoi dikaioi, kai stephanōn axiōthēsontai, kolasthēsontai de hoi ponērią synezēchotes " eikotōs ephē, hotan elthę̄. endoxasthēnai en tois hagiois hautou, kai thaumasthēnai en pasi tois mē pisteusasi. Tote gar tou chritou tēn dikaian psēphon thaumasousin hapantes. «e Hoti episteuthē to martyrion hēmōn, en tę̄ hēmerą ekeinę̄. » To, en tę̄ hēmerą ekeinę̄, tǭ anō apodoteon - thaumatetai" gar en pasi tois pisteusasin en tę̄ hēmerą ekeinę̄. dartyrion de to kērygma prosēgoreuse. Touto de kai autous ephē pepisteukenai. ia’, ib΄, « Eis ho kai proseuchometha pantote peri hymōn, hina hymas axiōsę̄ tēs klēseōs ho Theos hēmōn, kai plērōsę̄ pasan " eudokian agathōsynē?, kai ergon pesteōs en dynamei. “Hopōs endoxchsthę̄ to onoma tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou en hymin, kai hymeis en autǭ, kata tēn charin tou Theou hēmōn, kai Kyriou Eēptou Christou. n Toutou dē charin antidoloumen ton tōn holōn Theon, hōste hymas axiōthentas tēs klēseōs pantōn emphorēthēnai tōn agathōn, hōste hymas kai «tous tēs pisteōs blastēsai karpous. "Ergon de «teisteōs " entautha tēn en tois pathēmasin hypomonēn protēgoreusen. Houtō gar, phēsi, kai hautos en hymin doxasthēsetai, kai hymeis autǭ tēs mellousēs choinōnēsete doxēs. Houtō tę̄ elpidi tōn mellontōn phychaagōgēsas autous, eis tēn peri synteleias didaskalian metapherei ton logon. a’, 8'. e HeErōtōmen" de hymas, adelphoi, hyper tēs parousias tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, kai hēmōn episynagōgēs ep᾽ auton, eis to mē tacheōs saleuthēnai hymas apo tou nous, mēte throeisthai, mēte dia pneumatos, mēte dia logou, mēte di᾽ epistolēs hōs di᾽ hēmōn, hōs hoti enestēken hē hēmera tou Kyriou. » To, erōtōmen, anti tou, parakaloumen, aei tithēsi, To de, hēmōn episynagōgēs ep᾽ auton, saphesteron en tę̄ proterą dedēlōken ᾿Epistolę̄, Eipe gar, hoti eis aera harpagēsometha en nephelais eis apantēsin tou Kyriou, kai houtōs pantote syn Kyriǭ esometha. Touto de kai en tois hierois Euangeliois ho Kyrios ephē. hoti e ᾿Apostelei tous angelous hautou, kai synaxousi tous eklektous autou ek tōn tessarōn anemōn, ap᾿ akrōn ouranōn heōs akrōn hautōn. n Parengyą toinyn ho theios ᾿Apostolos, mē pisteuein tois legousin enestēkenai ton tēs synteleias kairon, kai parautika ton Kyrion epiphanēsesthai, mēte ei gar legei, mēte dia pgeumatos " mēte ei plasa.meno: hōs ex autou grapheisan epistolēn propheroien, mēte ei agraphōs auton eirēkenai legoien, Eita palin to hauto syntomōs" … Panta kata tauton ta tēs hopatēs eidē. Didaskei de hautous kai di᾽ autōn pantas hēmas, kai to megiston tēs tou Kyriou parousias sēmeion. «Hoti! ean mē elthę̄ hē apostasia prōton, kai apokalyphthę̄ ho anthrōpos tēs hamartias, ho huios tēs apleias " (d΄.) ho antikeimenos kai hyperairomenos epi panta legomenon theon, hē sebasma, hōste hauton eis" ton naun tou theou hōs theon kathisai, apodeiknynta heauton hoti esti theos. n ᾿Apostasian autyn ekalese ton ᾿Antichriston, apo tou pragmatos autǭ tounoma tetheikōs. ᾿Apostēsai gar hapantas tēs alētheias peiratai, "Agthrōpon de auton hamartias 0 rheusen, epeidē anthrōpos esti tēn physin, pasan en echytǭ tou diabolou dechomenos tēn energeian " huion' hos apōleias, hōs kai auton apollymenon, kai heterois proxenon toutou ginomenon. Mimeitai gar ho tōn anthrōpōn alastōr pou theou kai Sōtēros hēmōn tēn eunanthrōptsin " kai hōsper hauto? anthrōpeian physin analabōn, tēn hēmeteran epragmateusato sōtērian' houtōs ekeinos anthrōpon eklexamenos pasan hautou dexasthai dynamenon tēn energeian, de autou pantas exapatēsai tous anthrōpous peirasetai, Christon echyton kai Theun onomazōn, kai tōn kaloumenōn theōn dielenchōn to pseudos, hoper hautos en tois parelē: lythosi chronois ekratyne. Nao» hoe Theou tas ekklēsias ekalesen, en hais harpasei tēn proedreian, theon heauton apodeiknynai peirōmenos, Tauta kai ho theios proēgorense Daniēl. Ephē gar’ « Kai epi theous tōn patrōn hautou ou synēsei, kai thton Maōzeim '᾿ epi topǭ heautou doxasei" » anti tou, Theon ischyron heauton onomasei. Eita didaskōn hō? ou kainēn autoi? prospherei didaskalian, epēgagen "
“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you all toward one another is increasing.” Again he shapes the praise in the form of thanksgiving; he admires their faith in God and admires their love toward their neighbor. By both he bears witness to their most perfect virtue. For the Lord too said that on these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets.
“So that we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring: a sign of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering.” Learning both the greatness of the painful things that befall you and your endurance, by which you repel them, we take pride in you and admire your courage in the other churches. And we know, as you clearly know too, the prizes of the dangers; and you await the kingdom of heaven, knowing the just verdict of the president of the games. This is what he meant by “a sign of the righteous judgment of God.” He makes it clearer through what follows: “Since it is just with God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give rest to you who are afflicted, along with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power, in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” He put “since” not as a doubt but as an affirmation; for we too are accustomed to say emphatically, “If indeed this is true,” meaning, as indeed it is true. He says, then, that it is just and fitting for the lawgiver of righteousness both to reward us for the sufferings of faith and [to punish] the adversaries … at the time of the consummation. For then the Lord comes from heaven, and those wrapped in the gloom of unbelief are led to the flame. The divine Apostle wrote this to comfort those who were enduring those terrible and harsh things with the hope of things to come. That is why he showed the judgment seat full of fear: first he showed the Judge appearing from heaven; then the power of those who serve him, for these are angels; then the kind of punishment, for they are handed over to flaming fire. And if those who do not obey the gospel will suffer this, it is plain that those who [also afflict the faithful] will undergo harsher things.
“Who will pay the penalty, eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have believed.” He showed the greatness of the punishment more exactly by calling it eternal. He showed also the splendor of those who believed, saying that God himself will be glorified and marveled at in them. For since in the present life some are in miseries and toils, while some who live in wickedness enjoy goods in abundance, but on the day of judgment the righteous will be proclaimed and counted worthy of crowns, while those who have lived in wickedness will be punished, he fittingly said, “when he comes to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have not believed.” For then all will marvel at the judge’s just verdict. “Because our testimony to you was believed, on that day.” “On that day” is to be joined to what is above: for “he will be marveled at in all who have believed, on that day.” He called the preaching “testimony,” and he said that they too had believed it.
“To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling and fulfill every good pleasure of goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” For this reason we entreat the God of all that you, counted worthy of the calling, may be filled with all good things, so that you may also put forth the fruits of faith. Here he called endurance in sufferings the “work of faith.” For so, he says, he himself will be glorified in you, and you will share with him in the glory to come.
Having thus comforted them with the hope of things to come, he turns his discourse to the teaching about the consummation. “Now we ask you, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, not to be quickly shaken from your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, as though the day of the Lord had come.” He always uses “ask” for “exhort.” “Our gathering together to him” he made clearer in the former letter. For he said that we shall be caught up into the air in clouds to meet the Lord, and so we shall always be with the Lord. The Lord too said this in the holy Gospels: “He will send his angels, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” The divine Apostle, then, urges them not to believe those who say that the time of the consummation has arrived and that the Lord will appear at once: not if anyone says it, he says, through a spirit; nor if they produce a letter forged as though written by him; nor if they say that he said it without writing. Then again he says the same briefly: … All the kinds of deceit at once. He teaches them, and through them all of us, the greatest sign of the Lord’s coming as well: “For unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in the temple of God as God, proclaiming himself to be God.” He called the Antichrist himself “apostasy,” giving him his name from the thing he does; for he tries to make all apostatize from the truth. He called him “man of sin,” since he is a man by nature, receiving in himself the whole working of the devil; and “son of perdition,” as one who both perishes himself and becomes the cause of perdition for others. For the destroyer of mankind imitates the incarnation of our God and Savior: as he, assuming human nature, achieved our salvation, so that one, choosing a man able to receive his whole working, will try through him to deceive all people, calling himself Christ and God, and exposing the falsehood of the so-called gods, which he himself had established in past times. He called the churches the “temple of God,” in which he will seize the chief seat, trying to show himself to be God. The divine Daniel too foretold this; for he said: “And he will not regard the gods of his fathers, and the god Maozim he will glorify in his place,” meaning: he will name himself the mighty God. Then, teaching that he is not offering them new teaching, he added:
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ε΄. « Οὐ μνημονεύετε ὅτι ἔτι ὧν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ταῦτα ἔλεγον ὑμῖν; » Λέγει δὲ καὶ τί δήποτε μέλλει, καὶ μἢ παραυτίκα φαίνεται,
e΄. « Ou mnēmoneuete hoti eti hōn pros hymas tauta elegon hymin? » Legei de kai ti dēpote mellei, kai mē parautika phainetai,
“Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” He says also why he is to come and does not appear at once:
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ς΄. « Καὶ νῦν τὸ κατέχον οἴδατε, εἰς τὸ ἀποκαλυφθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν " τῷ ἑαυτοῦ χαιρῷ, ν» Τινὲς τὸ, κατέχον, τὴν Ῥωμαϊκην ἐνόησαν βασιλείαν " τινὲς δὲ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος. εἶς τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριτος, ἐκεῖνος οὐ παραγίνεται, Ἄλλ᾽ οὐκ οἷόν τε παύσατθα! παντελῶς τὶν χάρι" Β τοῦ Πνεύματος. Πῶς γὰρ ἕνεστι τῶν ἐκείνου περ γενέσθαι μηχανημάτων τοὺς τῆς πνευματικῆς ἐπικουρίας ἐστερημένους; ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὴν Ρωμαϊκὴν βασιλείαν ἑτέρα διαδέξεται βασιλεία, Διὰ γὰρ τοῦ τετάρτου θηρίου καὶ ὁθειότατος Δανιὴλ τὴν Ῥωμαϊκῆν ἡνίξατο βασιλείαν, Ἔν ὃὲ τούτῳ τὸ μιχρὺν κέρας ἐβλάστησε τὸ ποιοῦν πόλεμον μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων. Αὐτὸς δ᾽ οὗτός ἔστι, περὶ οὗ τὰ προῤῥηθέντα εἶπεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος. Οὐδέτερον τούτων οἷἶτιαι φάναι τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον, ἀλλὰ τὸ παρ᾽ ἑτέρων εἰρημένον ἀληθὲς; εἶναι ὑπολαυ βάνω. Ἐδοχίβασς γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς παρὰ τὸν τῆς συντελείας αὐτὸν ὀφθῆναι καιρόν. Ὃ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὄρος νῦ" ἐπέχει φανῆναι. Οἶμαι δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν ἔχειν διάνοιχν τὸ ῥητόν. Μεμαθηκὼς γὰρ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος εἰρηκέναι τὸν Κύριον, ὡς χηρυχῆῆναι δεῖ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ τότε γίνεσθαι τὸ τέλος " ὁρῶν δὲ κρατοῦσαν ἕτι τῶν εἰδώλων τὴν θεραπείαν, τῇ Δεσποτικῇ διδασκαλίᾳ ἑπόμενος, ἔφη πρότερον καταλυθήσεσθαι τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας τὸ κράτος, καὶ πανταχοῦ διαλάμψειν τὸ σωτήριον κήρυγμα, καὶ τότε φανήσεσθαι τὸν «ἡ; ἀληθείας ἀντίπαλον.
s΄. « Kai nyn to katechon oidate, eis to apokalyphthēnai auton en " tǭ heautou chairǭ, n» Tines to, katechon, tēn Rhōmaïkēn enoēsan basileian " tines de tēn charin tou Pneumatos. eis tou Pneumatos charitos, ekeinos ou paraginetai, All᾽ ouk hoion te pausattha! pantelōs tin chari" B tou Pneumatos. Pōs gar henesti tōn ekeinou per genesthai mēchanēmatōn tous tēs pneumatikēs epikourias esterēmenous? ᾿All᾽ oude tēn Rōmaïkēn basileian hetera diadexetai basileia, Dia gar tou tetartou thēriou kai hotheiotatos Daniēl tēn Rhōmaïkēn hēnixato basileian, En hoe toutǭ to michryn keras eblastēse to poioun polemon meta tōn hagiōn. Autos d᾽ houtos esti, peri hou ta prorrhēthenta eipen ho theios ᾿Apostolos. Oudeteron toutōn hoiitiai phanai ton theion ᾿Apostolon, alla to par᾽ heterōn eirēmenon alēthes? einai hypolau banō. Edochibass gar ho tōn holōn Theos para ton tēs synteleias auton ophthēnai kairon. Ho tou Theou toinyn auton oros ny" epechei phanēnai. Oimai de kai heteran echein dianoichn to rhēton. Memathēkōs gar ho theios ᾿Apostolos eirēkenai ton Kyrion, hōs chērychēēnai dei to Euangelion eis panta ta ethnē, kai tote ginesthai to telos " horōn de kratousan heti tōn eidōlōn tēn therapeian, tę̄ Despotikę̄ didaskalią hepomenos, ephē proteron katalythēsesthai tēs deisidaimonias to kratos, kai pantachou dialampsein to sōtērion kērygma, kai tote phanēsesthai ton «hē? alētheias antipalon.
“And now you know what restrains, so that he may be revealed in his own time.” Some understood “what restrains” as the Roman Empire, others as the grace of the Spirit; [for, they say, while] the grace of the Spirit [remains], that one does not come. But it is not possible for the grace of the Spirit to cease altogether. For how could those deprived of spiritual help prevail over his schemes? Nor will another empire succeed the Roman Empire. For by the fourth beast the most divine Daniel too hinted at the Roman Empire, and in it sprang up the little horn that makes war with the saints. And this, they say, is the one about whom the divine Apostle said what was foretold. I do not think that the divine Apostle meant either of these, but I suppose that what has been said by others is true. For the God of all decreed that he should be seen at the time of the consummation. It is God’s decree, then, that now restrains him from appearing. But I think the saying has another sense too. For the divine Apostle had learned that the Lord said the gospel must be preached to all the nations, and then the end would come; and seeing that the worship of idols still prevailed, he followed the Master’s teaching and said that the power of superstition would first be destroyed and the saving preaching would shine out everywhere, and then the adversary of the truth would appear.
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ζ΄. « Τὸ γὰρ μυστήριον τῆς ἀνομία; ἤδη ἕνερ- Β γεῖται "5,) Τινὲς τὸν Νέρωνα ἔφασαν κληθῆναι τῆς ἀνομίας μυστήριο», καὶ δυπαεθείας ἐργάτην γεγενημένον. Ἐγὼ ὃὲ οἶμαι τὰς ἀναφνυείσας αἱρέσεις πλοῦν τὸν ᾿Απόστολον. Δι᾽ ἐκείνων γὰρ ὁ διάβολος πολλοὺ: ἀποστήσας τῆς ἀληθείας, προκατασκευάζει τῆς: ἀπάτης τὸν ὄλεθρον. υστήριον δὲ αὐτοὺς εἱνομίας ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς κεκρυμμένην ἔχοντας τῆς ἀνημίας τὴν πάγην. Αὐτὸς γὰρ προφανῶς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀφίστησιν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ ἀποκχά- «ἴυψιν αὐτοῦ τὴν ταρουσίαν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος κέκληκεν, Ὃ γὰρ κρύβδην ἀεὶ κατεσκεύαζε, τότε προφανῶς καὶ διαῤῥήδην κηρύξει. ε« Μόνον "ὁ ὁ κατέχων ἄρτι, ἕως ἐκ μέσου γένητα'. » Δεῖ δὲ παύσασθαι τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας τὴν πλάνην, καὶ κηρυχθῆναι τὸ Εὐαγ-
z΄. « To gar mystērion tēs anomia? ēdē hener- B geitai "5,) Tines ton Nerōna ephasan klēthēnai tēs anomias mystērio», kai dypaetheias ergatēn gegenēmenon. Egō hoe oimai tas anaphnyeisas haireseis ploun ton ᾿Apostolon. Di᾽ ekeinōn gar ho diabolos pollou: apostēsas tēs alētheias, prokataskeuazei tēs: apatēs ton olethron. ystērion de autous heinomias ekalesen, hōs kekrymmenēn echontas tēs anēmias tēn pagēn. Autos gar prophanōs tou Theou tous anthrōpous aphistēsin. Hou dē charin kai apokcha- «iypsin autou tēn tarousian ho ᾿Apostolos keklēken, Ho gar krybdēn aei kateskeuaze, tote prophanōs kai diarrhēdēn kēryxei. e« Monon "ho ho katechōn arti, heōs ek mesou genēta'. » Dei de pausasthai tēs deisidaimonias tēn planēn, kai kērychthēnai to Euag-
“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” Some said that Nero was called the mystery of lawlessness, as one who had become a worker of impiety. But I think that the Apostle means the heresies that had sprung up. For through them the devil, having made many apostatize from the truth, prepares in advance the ruin his deceit will bring. He called them the mystery of lawlessness as having the snare of lawlessness hidden; for that one will openly turn people away from God. That is why the Apostle called his coming a “revelation.” For what he always contrived secretly, he will then proclaim openly and expressly. “Only he who now restrains [will do so], until he is out of the way.” The error of superstition must cease, and the gospel be preached …
1.8PG 82
η΄. « Καὶ τότε "Ἶ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος, ὃν ὁ "" Κύριος Ἰησοῦς " ἀναλώσει τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὑτοῦ. » "ἔδειξεν ὡς ἐνῆν τὸ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς δυνάμεως μέγεθος. ἙἘπιφανεὶς γὰρ, φησὶ, οὖρλνόθεν, φθέγξεται μόνον, καὶ πανωλεθρίᾳ παραδώσει τὸν ἁλιτήριον. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Προφήτης προεθέσπισεν Ἢσαϊας. Εἰρηκὼς γάρ' ε« Ἐξελεύσεται ῥάβδος ἐκ πῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσταὶ, » καὶ τὰ περὶ τούτου διεξελθὼν, ἐπήγαγε" « Καὶ τῷ πνεύματι διὰ χειλέων ἀνελῇ τὸν ἁσεβῇ. » Διδάσκει δὲ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ὑπὸ τίνος οὗτος ἐνεργούμενος ταῦτα πάντα ἐργάσεται, γ΄, τ΄, «Οὗ ἐστιν ἡ παρουσία κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν τοῦ Σατανᾶ, ἕν πάτῃ δυνάμε!, καὶ σημείοις, καὶ τέρασι ψεύδους, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀπάτῃ τῆς ἀδικίας ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις. » Οὐ γὰρ πάντων κρατήσει, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀπωλείας ἀξίων, οἱ καὶ δίχα τῆς τούτου παρουσίας σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τῆς σωτηρίας ἐστέρησαν. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐξῇς φησι. Διδάσκει δὲ ὡς καὶ τὰ ἐσόμενα … οὐκ ἀληθῇ θαύματα. Τοιαῦτα δὲ ποιοῦσι καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν ψήφων τὰς ἐπωνυμίας ἔχοντες. Δεικνύουσι γὰρ χρυσὸν οὐκ ἀληθῶς ὄντα χρυσὸν, καὶ ἕτερά τινα, ἃ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον ἐλέγχεται. εἶΑνθ᾽ ὧν " τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτοὺς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμψει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει, (ια΄.) ἵνα κριθῶσι πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύοντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ἀλλ᾽ εὐδοκήσαντες ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ "".» ᾿Ἀγάπην ἀληθείας τὸν Κύριον κέκληκεν, ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡμᾶς καὶ γνησίως ἀγαπήσαντα. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὑτὸς ὁ Δεσπότης ἔφη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις " « Ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρός μον, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετέ με᾽ ἔρχεται ἄλλος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀνόματι, κἀκεῖνον λήψεσθε. Ἰουδαίοις τοίνυν μάλιστα πρόφασις συγ- Β γνώμης οὐδεμία καταλειφθήσεται. Ὡς ἀντιθέῳ γὰρ … πιστεῦσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ μὴ βουληθέντες, ἐκείνῳ πιστεύσουσι" καίτοι ὁ μὲν Κύριος Θεὸν ἑαυτὸν προφανῶς οὐκ ἐχάλετε " ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀπεστάλθαι, καὶ ἐντολὴν εἰληφέναι, καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ποιεῖν ἔλεγε τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Οὗτος δὲ τοὐναντίον ἑαυτὸν ἀποχὰλέσει τῶν ὅλων Θεόν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως αὑτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι Τὸ δὲ, Πέμψει αὑτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πιάγης, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ᾿Συγχωρήσει φανῆναι τὴν πλάνην, τέθεικεν, ὥστε δειχθῆναι τῆς πονηρίας τοὺς ἐραστάς. Οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸς αὐτὴν πέμψει, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς αὐτὴν ἀναλώσει τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ. ιδ΄, ιγὴ. ε Ἡμεῖς δὲ ὀφείλομεν εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοὶ ἤγαπη μένοι ὑπὸ Κυρίου, ὅτι εἴλετο "" ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς εἰς σωτηρίαν ἐν ἁγιασμῷ Πνεύματος, καὶ πίστει ἀληθείας, Εἰς ὃ ἐκάλεσεν ὑμᾶς διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἡμῶν, εἰς περιποίησιν δόξης τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.» Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὸν προσήκοντα ἔσται καιρόν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν χορηγὸν ἀνυμνοῦμεν, ὅτ: «ἧς σωτηρίας ὑμᾶς ἠξίωσε, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου μετέδωκεν, ὥστε καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν αὐτὸν παρὰ πάντων ιδ΄, « ΓΑρα οὖν, ἀδελφοὶ, στήκετε, καὶ κρατεῖτε τὰς παραδόσεις ἃς ἐδιδάχθητε, εἴτε διὰ λόγον, εἴτε δι᾽ Ἐπιστολῆς ἡμῶν. » Ἔχετε κανόνα διδασκαλίας τοὺς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ὑμῖν προσενεχθέντας λόγους, οὗς καὶ παρόντες ὑμῖν ἐκηρύξαμεν, καὶ ἀπόντες ἐγράψαμεν. Εἶτα πάλιν εὐχῇ τὴν διδασκαλίαν χραιε΄, τς΄. « Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, καὶ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ἡμῶν, ὁ ἀγαπήσας ἡμᾶς, καὶ δοὺς παράκλησιν αἰωνίαν, καὶ ἐλπίδα ἀγαθὴν ἐν γάριτι, παρακαλέσαι ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας, καὶ στηρίξαι ὑμᾶς ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ ἀγαθῷ. » Ὁ μισοῦντας ἀγαπήσας, καὶ ἐχθροὺς ὄντας καλέσας, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν δεδωκὼς τὴν ἐλπίδα, κρατύναι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πίστει, ὥστε καὶ λόγοις ἀγαθοῖς καὶ ἔργοις διαλάμπειν παραπλησίοις, Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τὴν "Δρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου βλασφημίαν ἐλέγχει, καὶ διδάσκει σαφῶς, ὡς οὐδὲ ἡ τάξις τῶν ὀνομάτων διαφορὰν ἀξιωμάτων δηλοῖ, Τὸν γὰρ Υἱὸν ἐνταῦθα προέταξς «οὐ Πατρὸς, οὐ μείζονα τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν Υἱὸν εἶναι διδάσκων, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῆς τάξεως ἐναλλαγῇ τὴν ὁμοτιμίαν α’, β΄. ε Τὸ λοιπὸν προτεύχεσθε περὶ ἡμῶν, ἀδελφι, ἵνα ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου τρέχῃ καὶ δοξάζηται, καθὼς καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς" καὶ ἵνα ῥυσθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀτόπων καὶ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων. » Διπλῇ μὲν ἢ αἵτησις εἶναι δοκεῖ, μία δὲ ὅμως ἐστί. Τῶν γὰρ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡττωμένων, ἀκωλύτως καὶ ὁ τοῦ Β κηρύγματος συντρέχει λόγος, « Οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἧ πίστις. ν Τοῦτο καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἔφη " Ἧ πεισμονὴ οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος " Θεοῦ γὰρ ἴδιον τὸ καλεῖν, ἡμῶν δὲ τὸ πείθεσθαι. Οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος ἔλεγεν « Εἴ τις διψᾷ, ἐρχέσθω πρός με καὶ πινέτω.» Καί" «ε Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρντ,σάσθω ἑαντὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἀχολουθήτω μοι. » Οὐ γὰρ ἀνάγκῃ βιάζεται, ἀλλὰ τὴν γνώμην ζητεῖ.
ē΄. « Kai tote "I apokalyphthēsetai ho anomos, hon ho "" Kyrios Iēsous " analōsei tǭ pneumati tou stomatos autou, kai katargēsei tę̄ epiphaneią tēs parousias hautou. » "edeixen hōs enēn to tēs Despotikēs dynameōs megethos. HeEpiphaneis gar, phēsi, ourlnothen, phthenxetai monon, kai panōlethrią paradōsei ton halitērion. Touto kai ho Prophētēs proethespisen Ēsaïas. Eirēkōs gar' e« Exeleusetai rhabdos ek pēs rhizēs Iestai, » kai ta peri toutou diexelthōn, epēgage" « Kai tǭ pneumati dia cheileōn anelę̄ ton hasebę̄. » Didaskei de ho theios ᾿Apostolos hypo tinos houtos energoumenos tauta panta ergasetai, g΄, t΄, «Hou estin hē parousia kat᾽ energeian tou Satana, hen patę̄ dyname!, kai sēmeiois, kai terasi pseudous, kai en pasę̄ apatę̄ tēs adikias en tois apollymenois. » Ou gar pantōn kratēsei, alla tōn apōleias axiōn, hoi kai dicha tēs toutou parousias sphas autous tēs sōtērias esterēsan. Touto kai en tois exę̄s phēsi. Didaskei de hōs kai ta esomena … ouk alēthę̄ thaumata. Toiauta de poiousi kai hoi apo tōn psēphōn tas epōnymias echontes. Deiknyousi gar chryson ouk alēthōs onta chryson, kai hetera tina, ha met᾽ oligon elenchetai. eiAnth᾽ hōn " tēn agapēn tēs alētheias ouk edexanto eis to sōthēnai autous, kai dia touto pempsei autois ho Theos energeian planēs, eis to pisteusai autous tǭ pseudei, (ia΄.) hina krithōsi pantes hoi mē pisteuontes tę̄ alētheią, all᾽ eudokēsantes en tę̄ adikią "".» ᾿Agapēn alētheias ton Kyrion keklēken, hōs alēthōs hēmas kai gnēsiōs agapēsanta. Touto de kai hautos ho Despotēs ephē tois Ioudaiois " « Egō ēlthon en tǭ onomati tou Patros mon, kai ou lambanete me᾽ erchetai allos en tǭ idiǭ onomati, kakeinon lēpsesthe. Ioudaiois toinyn malista prophasis syg- B gnōmēs oudemia kataleiphthēsetai. Hōs antitheǭ gar … pisteusai tǭ Kyriǭ mē boulēthentes, ekeinǭ pisteusousi" kaitoi ho men Kyrios Theon heauton prophanōs ouk echalete " hypo de tou patros apestalthai, kai entolēn eilēphenai, kai ta aresta poiein elege tǭ Theǭ kai Patri. Houtos de tounantion heauton apochalesei tōn holōn Theon. ᾿All᾽ homōs hauton hoi Ioudaioi To de, Pempsei hautois ho Theos energeian piagēs, anti tou, ᾿Synchōrēsei phanēnai tēn planēn, tetheiken, hōste deichthēnai tēs ponērias tous erastas. Ou gar autos autēn pempsei, all᾽ autos autēn analōsei tǭ logǭ tou stomatos autou. id΄, igē. e Hēmeis de opheilomen eucharistein tǭ theǭ pantote peri hymōn, adelphoi ēgapē menoi hypo Kyriou, hoti eileto "" hymas ho Theos ap᾽ archēs eis sōtērian en hagiasmǭ Pneumatos, kai pistei alētheias, Eis ho ekalesen hymas dia tou Euangeliou hēmōn, eis peripoiēsin doxēs tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou.» Tauta men oun kata ton prosēkonta estai kairon. Hēmeis de ton tōn agathōn chorēgon anymnoumen, hot: «hēs sōtērias hymas ēxiōse, kai Pneumatos hagiou metedōken, hōste kai eph᾽ hymin auton para pantōn id΄, « GAra oun, adelphoi, stēkete, kai krateite tas paradoseis has edidachthēte, eite dia logon, eite di᾽ Epistolēs hēmōn. » Echete kanona didaskalias tous par᾽ hēmōn hymin prosenechthentas logous, hous kai parontes hymin ekēryxamen, kai apontes egrapsamen. Eita palin euchę̄ tēn didaskalian chraie΄, ts΄. « Autos de ho Kyrios hēmōn Iēsous Christos, kai Theos kai Patēr hēmōn, ho agapēsas hēmas, kai dous paraklēsin aiōnian, kai elpida agathēn en gariti, parakalesai hymōn tas kardias, kai stērixai hymas en panti ergǭ kai logǭ agathǭ. » Ho misountas agapēsas, kai echthrous ontas kalesas, kai tōn mellontōn agathōn dedōkōs tēn elpida, kratynai hymas en tę̄ pistei, hōste kai logois agathois kai ergois dialampein paraplēsiois, Kai tauta de tēn "Dreiou kai Eunomiou blasphēmian elenchei, kai didaskei saphōs, hōs oude hē taxis tōn onomatōn diaphoran axiōmatōn dēloi, Ton gar Huion entautha proetaxs «ou Patros, ou meizona tou Patros ton Huion einai didaskōn, alla tę̄ tēs taxeōs enallagę̄ tēn homotimian a’, b΄. e To loipon proteuchesthe peri hēmōn, adelphi, hina ho logos tou Kyriou trechę̄ kai doxazētai, kathōs kai pros hymas" kai hina rhysthōmen apo tōn atopōn kai ponērōn anthrōpōn. » Diplę̄ men ē haitēsis einai dokei, mia de homōs esti. Tōn gar ponērōn anthrōpōn hēttōmenōn, akōlytōs kai ho tou B kērygmatos syntrechei logos, « Ou gar pantōn hē pistis. n Touto kai allachou ephē " Hē peismonē ouk ek tou kalountos " Theou gar idion to kalein, hēmōn de to peithesthai. Houtō kai en tois hierois Euangeliois ho Kyrios elegen « Ei tis dipsą, erchesthō pros me kai pinetō.» Kai" «e Ei tis thelei opisō mou elthein, aparnt,sasthō heanton, kai aratō ton stauron hautou, kai acholouthētō moi. » Ou gar anankę̄ biazetai, alla tēn gnōmēn zētei.
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the appearing of his coming.” He showed how great the power of the Master is. For appearing from heaven, he says, he will only speak, and will hand the wicked one over to utter destruction. The prophet Isaiah too foretold this. For having said, “A rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse,” and having gone through what concerns him, he added: “And with the breath through his lips he shall slay the ungodly.” The divine Apostle teaches by whom this one will be worked in doing all these things: “Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness among those who are perishing.” For he will not prevail over all, but over those worthy of destruction, who even without his coming had deprived themselves of salvation. He says this in what follows too. He teaches also that the things that will be [done by him] … not true miracles. Such things are done also by those named after the pebbles of the conjurors. For they show gold that is not truly gold, and other things that are exposed a little later.
“Because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send them a working of error, so that they believe the lie, in order that all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.” He called the Lord the “love of the truth,” as one who loved us truly and genuinely. The Master himself said this to the Jews: “I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not receive me; another comes in his own name, and him you will receive.” To the Jews, then, above all no excuse for pardon will be left. For as one who is against God … those who refused to believe the Lord will believe that one; and yet the Lord did not openly call himself God, but said that he had been sent by the Father, had received a commandment, and did what pleases the God and Father. But that one, on the contrary, will call himself the God of all. Yet the Jews [will receive] him … “God will send them a working of error” he put in place of “he will allow the error to appear,” so that the lovers of wickedness may be shown up. For he will not send it himself; rather he himself will consume it by the word of his mouth.
“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth, to which he called you through our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” These things, then, will happen at the fitting time. But we hymn the provider of good things, because he counted you worthy of salvation and gave you a share of the Holy Spirit, so that he is [glorified] by all because of you … “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions that you were taught, whether by word or by our letter.” You have as a rule of teaching the words offered to you by us, which we preached when present and wrote when absent. Then again he strengthens the teaching with a prayer: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.” He who loved those who hated him, and called those who were his enemies, and gave the hope of the good things to come, strengthen you in the faith, so that you may shine with good words and with deeds to match. This too refutes the blasphemy of Arius and Eunomius, and teaches clearly that not even the order of the names shows a difference of dignity. For here he put the Son before the Father, not teaching that the Son is greater than the Father, but [showing] by the exchange of order their equality of honor.
“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, as it is also with you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men.” The request seems double, yet it is one. For when evil men are defeated, the word of the preaching runs unhindered. “For not all have faith.” He said this elsewhere too: “The persuasion is not from him who calls.” For calling belongs to God, being persuaded to us. So too the Lord said in the holy Gospels: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” And: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” For he does not force by necessity, but seeks the free will.
Chapter 2
2.3PG 82
Υ΄. «Πιστὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος, ὃς στηρίξει ὑμᾶς, καὶ φυλάξει ἀπὸ τοῦ Πονηροῦ. » Ἣν ἤἥτησεν εὐχὴν
Y΄. «Pistos de estin ho Kyrios, hos stērixei hymas, kai phylaxei apo tou Ponērou. » Hēn hēētēsen euchēn
“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” The prayer he had asked for …
2.4PG 82
δ. « Πεποίθαμεν δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἃ παραγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, καὶ ποιεῖτε, καὶ ποιήσετε. » ἹΚαὶ τοῦτο εἰς προτροπὴν αὐτῶν τέθεικεν, ἵνα μαθόντες οἵας ἔχει δόξας περὶ αὐτῶν, τοῖς ἔργοις βεβαιώ-
d. « Pepoithamen de en Kyriǭ eph᾽ hymas, hoti ha parangellomen hymin, kai poieite, kai poiēsete. » HiKai touto eis protropēn autōn tetheiken, hina mathontes hoias echei doxas peri autōn, tois ergois bebaiō-
“And we are confident in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things we command.” This too he set down to urge them on, so that, learning what opinion he holds of them, they may confirm it by their deeds …
2.5PG 82
ε΄. ε« Ὁ δὲ Κύριος κατευθύναι ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην 5 τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπομονὴν «τοῦ Χριστοῦ. » ᾿Αμφοτέρων ἡμῖν χρεία, καὶ προθέσεως ἀγαθῆς, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν συνεργείας. Τούτων τυχεῖν καὶ ὁ Προφήτης ἱκέτευσε" ε« Κατεύθυνον τὰ διαθδήματά μου ἐν ταῖς τρίύοις σον, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῇ διαδήματά μου. ν» Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος τὴν Τριάδα ἡμῖν ὑπέδειξε. Κύριον γὰρ τέθεικε, καὶ Θεὸν, καὶ Χριστόν. Δῆλον δὲ ὅτι Κύριον τὸ πανάγιον προσηγόρευσε {Πνεῦμα. Οὕτω καὶ Κορινθίοις ἐπιστέλλων γέγραφεν" ε Ὁ ὃὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν. » Ἐντεῦθεν λοιπὸν περὶ τῶν τοὺς ἀποστολικοὺς ὄρους παραβαινόντων ποιεῖται τοὺς λόγους.
e΄. e« Ho de Kyrios kateuthynai hymōn tas kardias eis tēn agapēn 5 tou Theou, kai eis tēn hypomonēn «tou Christou. » ᾿Amphoterōn hēmin chreia, kai protheseōs agathēs, kai tēs anōthen synergeias. Toutōn tychein kai ho Prophētēs hiketeuse" e« Kateuthynon ta diathdēmata mou en tais triyois son, hina mē saleuthę̄ diadēmata mou. n» Ho de theios ᾿Apostolos tēn Triada hēmin hypedeixe. Kyrion gar tetheike, kai Theon, kai Christon. Dēlon de hoti Kyrion to panagion prosēgoreuse {Pneuma. Houtō kai Korinthiois epistellōn gegraphen" e Ho hoe Kyrios to Pneuma estin. » Enteuthen loipon peri tōn tous apostolikous orous parabainontōn poieitai tous logous.
“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the endurance of Christ.” We need both, a good purpose and cooperation from above. The prophet too entreated to obtain these: “Direct my steps in your paths, that my steps may not be shaken.” The divine Apostle has shown us the Trinity. For he set down Lord, and God, and Christ; and it is plain that by “Lord” he named the all-holy Spirit. So too, writing to the Corinthians, he said: “Now the Lord is the Spirit.” From here he speaks about those who transgress the apostolic boundaries.
2.6PG 82
ς΄. ε Παραγγέλλομεν ὃὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοὶ, ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. » ᾿Αξιόπιστον ἀπέφηνε τὸν λόγον τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου μνήμῃ. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἔστι, φησὶν, ὁ δι᾽ ἡμῶν ταῦτα νομοθετῶν. Καὶ τίς ἡ παραγγελία; ε Στέλλεαθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδελφοῦ ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντος, καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν, ἣν κ:ερέλαδον παρ᾽ ἡμῶν.» Τὸ, στέ.λ:λεσθαι, ἀντὶ τοῦ, χωρίζεσθαι, τέθεικε. Παράδοσιν" δὲ λέγει, οὐ τὴν διὰ λόγων, ἀλλὰ τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων. Διδάσκει δὲ καὶ τίς αὐτή. ᾿
s΄. e Parangellomen hoe hymin, adelphoi, en onomati tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou. » ᾿Axiopiston apephēne ton logon tę̄ tou Kyriou mnēmę̄. Autos gar esti, phēsin, ho di᾽ hēmōn tauta nomothetōn. Kai tis hē parangelia? e Stelleathai hymas apo pantos adelphou ataktōs peripatountos, kai mē kata tēn paradosin, hēn k:ereladon par᾽ hēmōn.» To, ste.l:lesthai, anti tou, chōrizesthai, tetheike. Paradosin" de legei, ou tēn dia logōn, alla tēn dia tōn ergōn. Didaskei de kai tis autē. ᾿
“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He made the word trustworthy by mentioning the Lord. For it is he, he says, who legislates these things through us. And what is the command? “That you keep away from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which they received from us.” He put “keep away” in place of “separate.” And by “tradition” he means not the tradition through words but that through deeds. He also teaches what it is.
2.7PG 82
ζ΄. « Αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδατε πῶς δεῖ μιμεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἢταχτήσαμεν ἐν ὑμῖν. ν Τί δὲ τὸ εἶδος τῆς ἀταξίας; η΄, ε« Οὐδὲ δωρεὰν ἄρτον ἐφάγομεν παρά τινος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν ἐργαζόμενοι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν. » Ἴστε σαφῶς ὡς τὸ θεῖον ὑμῖν προσφέροντες Εὐαγγέλιον, οὐδὲν παρ᾽ οὐδενὸς ἐχομισάμεθα, ἀλλὰ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν διετελέσαμεν πονοῦντες, ὥστε τῆς ἀναγκαίας ἐντεῦθεν ἀπολαύειν τροφῆς. Εἶτα διδάσκων ὡς ὑπὲρ τὸν θεῖον ταῦτα ἣν νόμον, ἐπήγαγεν"
z΄. « Autoi gar oidate pōs dei mimeisthai hēmas, hoti ouk ētachtēsamen en hymin. n Ti de to eidos tēs ataxias? ē΄, e« Oude dōrean arton ephagomen para tinos, all᾽ en kopǭ kai mochthǭ, nykta kai hēmeran ergazomenoi, pros to mē epibarēsai tina hymōn. » Iste saphōs hōs to theion hymin prospherontes Euangelion, ouden par᾽ oudenos echomisametha, alla nyktōr kai meth᾽ hēmeran dietelesamen ponountes, hōste tēs anankaias enteuthen apolauein trophēs. Eita didaskōn hōs hyper ton theion tauta hēn nomon, epēgagen"
“For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not disorderly among you.” And what is the form of disorder? “Nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying, but with labor and toil we worked night and day, so as not to be a burden to any of you.” You know clearly that when we brought you the divine gospel we received nothing from anyone, but continued laboring night and day so as to get our necessary food from it. Then, teaching that this went beyond the divine law, he added:
2.9PG 82
θ΄. « Οὐκ ὅτι οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ἑαυτοὺς τύπον δῶμεν ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ μιμεῖσθαι ἡ μᾶς. ν Οὕτω καὶ Κορινθίοις ἐπιστέλλων γέγραφε' ε δὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξονσίαν φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν; ν Καὶ ὅτι ὁ Κύριος διέταξς τοῖς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον καταγγέλλουσιν, ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ζῇν. ᾿.« Καὶ γὰρ ὅτε ἧμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, τοῦτο παρηγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, ὅτι, εἴ τις οὐ θέλει ἐργάζεσθαι, μηδὲ ἐσθιέτω. » Οὐδὲν καινὸν ὑμῖν γράφομεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑμᾶς ἐδιδάξαμεν. Τὸ δὲ, μὴ ἐσθιέτω, οὐ πρὸς τοὺς παρέχοντας εἴρηκεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς ἀργίᾳ συζῶντας. Τοῖς δὲ παρέχουσι παραινεῖ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα, μὴ εἰς τὴν ἐκείνων ἀφορᾷν μοχθηρίαν, ἀλλὰ τῇ οἱ-
th΄. « Ouk hoti ouk echomen exousian, all᾽ hina heautous typon dōmen hymin eis to mimeisthai hē mas. n Houtō kai Korinthiois epistellōn gegraphe' e dē ouk echomen exonsian phagein kai piein? n Kai hoti ho Kyrios dietaxs tois to Euangelion katangellousin, ek tou Euangeliou zę̄n. ᾿.« Kai gar hote hēmen pros hymas, touto parēngellomen hymin, hoti, ei tis ou thelei ergazesthai, mēde esthietō. » Ouden kainon hymin graphomen, all᾽ haper ex archēs hymas edidaxamen. To de, mē esthietō, ou pros tous parechontas eirēken, alla pros tous argią syzōntas. Tois de parechousi parainei met᾽ oliga, mē eis tēn ekeinōn aphorąn mochthērian, alla tę̄ hoi-
“Not because we do not have the right, but to give ourselves as an example to you, so that you might imitate us.” So too, writing to the Corinthians, he said: “Do we not have the right to eat and drink?” and that the Lord directed that those who proclaim the gospel should live from the gospel. “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat.” We write you nothing new, but what we taught you from the beginning. He said “let him not eat” not to those who provide but to those who live in idleness. To those who provide he gives exhortation a little later, not to look at the others’ wickedness, but to their own …
2.11PG 82
ια΄. « ᾿Ακούομεν γάρ τινας περιπατοῦντας ἐν ὑμῖν ἀτάκτω; μηδὲν ἐργαζομένους, ἀλλὰ περιεργαζομένους. » ἤϊδιον γὰρ τῶν ἀργίᾳ συζώντων ἀδολεσχία, καὶ φλυαρία, καὶ ἣ ἀνόνητος πολυπραγμοσύνη.
ia΄. « ᾿Akouomen gar tinas peripatountas en hymin ataktō? mēden ergazomenous, alla periergazomenous. » ēïdion gar tōn argią syzōntōn adoleschia, kai phlyaria, kai hē anonētos polypragmosynē.
“For we hear that some among you walk disorderly, doing no work but being busybodies.” For idle talk, chatter, and useless meddling are characteristic of those who live in idleness.
2.12PG 82
ιβ΄. ε Τοῖς δὲ τοιούτοις παραγγέλλομεν καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα μετὰ ἡσυχίας ἐργαζόμενοι, τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἄρτον ἐσθίω σιν. » Οὕτω τούτοις τὴν ἐργασίαν καὶ τὴν ἡσυχίαν νομοθετήσας, παραινεῖ τοῖς ἄλλοις τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ χε» χρῆσθαι.
ib΄. e Tois de toioutois parangellomen kai parakaloumen dia tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, hina meta hēsychias ergazomenoi, ton heautōn arton esthiō sin. » Houtō toutois tēn ergasian kai tēn hēsychian nomothetēsas, parainei tois allois tę̄ philadelphią che» chrēsthai.
“Now such people we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ, that working in quietness they eat their own bread.” Having thus legislated work and quietness for these, he exhorts the others to practice brotherly love.
Chapter 3
3.10PG 82
ι΄. « Ὑμεῖς δὲ, ἀδελφοὶ, μὴ ἐκκακήσητε ποιοῦντες. » Μὴ νικήσῃ τὴν ὑμετέραν φιλοτιμίαν ἢ ἐκείνων μοχθηρία. ιδ'᾽, τε΄, « Εἰ δέ τις οὐκ ὑπακούει τῷ λόγῳ ἡμῶν, διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τοῦτον σημειοῦσθε, γκαὶ μὴ συναναμίγνυσθε αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἐντραπῇ. Καὶ μὴ ὡς ἐχθρὸν ἡγεῖσθε, ἀλλὰ νουθετεῖτε ὡς ἀδελφόν. » Τούτῳ δεῖ τῷ χανόνι προσέχειν τοὺς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν πεπιστευμέγους οἴακας. Τὴν γὰρ σωματικὴν θεραπείαν τῶν πλημμελούντων οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος" τῆς δὲ πνευματικῇς αὐτοὺς ἐστέρησε παῤῥηπίας. Ἐπιμελείας δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀξιοῦσθαι προσέταξεν' Μὴ ὡς ἐχθρὸν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡγεῖσθε, ἀ.λλὰ νουθετεῖτε ὡς ἀδειφόν. Μελῶν γὰρ νενοσηκότων ἐπέχουσι τάξιν’ τοῖς δὲ τοιούτοις τὴν πρόσφορον θεραπείαν προσφέρειν εἰώ-
i΄. « Hymeis de, adelphoi, mē ekkakēsēte poiountes. » Mē nikēsę̄ tēn hymeteran philotimian ē ekeinōn mochthēria. id'᾽, te΄, « Ei de tis ouk hypakouei tǭ logǭ hēmōn, dia tēs epistolēs touton sēmeiousthe, nkai mē synanamignysthe autǭ, hina entrapę̄. Kai mē hōs echthron hēgeisthe, alla noutheteite hōs adelphon. » Toutǭ dei tǭ chanoni prosechein tous tōn Ekklēsiōn pepisteumegous oiakas. Tēn gar sōmatikēn therapeian tōn plēmmelountōn ouk ekōlysen ho theios ᾿Apostolos" tēs de pneumatikę̄s autous esterēse parrhēpias. Epimeleias de autous axiousthai prosetaxen' Mē hōs echthron gar, phēsin, hēgeisthe, a.lla noutheteite hōs adeiphon. Melōn gar nenosēkotōn epechousi taxin’ tois de toioutois tēn prosphoron therapeian prospherein eiō-
“But you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” Let not their wickedness overcome your generosity. “If anyone does not obey our word through this letter, mark that person, and do not associate with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” Those entrusted with the helms of the churches must attend to this rule. For the divine Apostle did not forbid the bodily care of those who offend, but he deprived them of spiritual freedom of speech. He commanded that they be counted worthy of care: “Do not regard him as an enemy,” he says, “but admonish him as a brother.” For they hold the place of sick members; and to such it is customary to offer the treatment that suits them …
3.16PG 82
ις΄. « Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος τῆς εἰρήνης δῴη ὑμῖν τὴν εἰρήνην ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ. » Ὥστε καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰρηνεύειν, καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἐναντίων ἐπιβουλῆς ἀπηλλάχθαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ. ε Ὃ Κύριος μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. (τζ᾽.) Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου, ὅ ἐστι σημεῖον ἐν πάσῃ Ἐπιστολῇ. Οὕτως γράφω. » ᾿Ασπασμὸν ἐκάλεσε τὴν ἐν τῷ τέλει κειμένην εὐλογίαν.
is΄. « Autos de ho Kyrios tēs eirēnēs dǭē hymin tēn eirēnēn en panti tropǭ. » Hōste kai pros auton eirēneuein, kai pros allēlous, kai tēs tōn enantiōn epiboulēs apēllachthai. Touto gar dēloi to, en panti tropǭ. e Ho Kyrios meta pantōn hymōn. (tz᾽.) Ho aspasmos tę̄ emę̄ cheiri Paulou, ho esti sēmeion en pasę̄ Epistolę̄. Houtōs graphō. » ᾿Aspasmon ekalese tēn en tǭ telei keimenēn eulogian.
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace in every way.” So as to be at peace both with him and with one another, and to be freed from the plots of the adversaries; this is what “in every way” shows. “The Lord be with you all. The greeting is by my own hand, Paul’s, which is a sign in every letter; this is how I write.” He called the blessing placed at the end the “greeting.”
3.18PG 82
τη. « Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. ᾿λμήν. » Τοῦτο δὲ προστέθεικε διὰ τοὺς πεπλασμένας ἐπιστολὰς περιφέρειν τολμῶντας, διδάσκων ἐπιζητεῖν αὑτοῦ τὴν ὑπογραφήν. Τοῦτο γὰρ, φησὶ, τῶν ἐμῶν Ἐπιστολῶν σημεῖον. Ἔν πάσῃ γὰρ Ἐπιστολῇ τὸν ἀσπασμὸν ἐγὼ γράφω. Μανθάνομεν «οίνυν ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς τὸ, Ἢ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν "ησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμὴν " ἀντὶ «οὔ, Ἐῤῥῶσθαί σε, γράφειν εἰώθει. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν εὐλογίαν τρυγήσαντες, τὸν διὰ τούτου φθεγξάμενον Χριστὸν ἀνυμνήσωμεν. Μεθ᾿ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ, σὺν τῷ παναγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. Ἢ πρὸς θεσσαλονικεῖς δευτέρα Ἐπιστο)ἢ ἐγράφη ἀπ᾿ ᾿Αθηνῶν.
tē. « Hē charis tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou meta pantōn hymōn. ᾿lmēn. » Touto de prostetheike dia tous peplasmenas epistolas peripherein tolmōntas, didaskōn epizētein hautou tēn hypographēn. Touto gar, phēsi, tōn emōn Epistolōn sēmeion. En pasę̄ gar Epistolę̄ ton aspasmon egō graphō. Manthanomen «oinyn enteuthen, hōs to, Ē charis tou Kyriou hēmōn "ēsou Christou meta pantōn hymōn. Amēn " anti «ou, Errhōsthai se, graphein eiōthei. Hēmeis de tēn apostolikēn eulogian trygēsantes, ton dia toutou phthenxamenon Christon anymnēsōmen. Meth᾿ hou tǭ Patri, syn tǭ panagiǭ Pneumati, doxa kai megaloprepeia, nyn kai aei, kai eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Amēn. Ē pros thessalonikeis deutera Episto)ē egraphē ap᾿ ᾿Athēnōn.
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” He added this because of those who dared to circulate forged letters, teaching them to look for his signature. For this, he says, is the sign of my letters; for in every letter I write the greeting. We learn from this, then, that he was accustomed to write “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” in place of “Farewell.” But let us, having gathered the apostolic blessing, hymn Christ, who spoke through him, with whom to the Father, with the all-holy Spirit, be glory and majesty, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.
The second letter to the Thessalonians was written from Athens.