XI. FRAGMENTS FOUND IN GREEK ONLY IN THE OXFORD EDITION / XII. FRAGMENTS NOT
GIVEN IN THE OXFORD EDITION
XI.--FRAGMENTS FOUND IN GREEK ONLY IN THE OXFORD EDITION.
FROM THE LAST WORK ON THE PASSOVER.
Quoted in the Paschal Chronicle.
Accordingly, in the years gone by, Jesus went to eat the passover
sacrificed by the Jews, keeping the feast. But when he had preached He who was the
Passover, the Lamb of God, led as a sheep to the slaughter, presently taught His
disciples the mystery of the type on the thirteenth day, on which also they
inquired, "Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the passover?"[1] It was
on this day, then, that both the consecration of the unleavened bread and the
preparation for the feast took place. Whence John naturally describes the
disciples as already previously prepared to have their feet washed by the Lord. And
on the following day our Saviour suffered, He who was the Passover, propitiously
sacrificed by the Jews.
THE SAME.
Suitably, therefore, to the fourteenth day, on which He also suffered, in
the morning, the chief priests and the scribes, who brought Him to Pilate, did
not enter the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might freely eat
the passover in the evening. With this precise determination of the days both
the whole Scriptures agree, and the Gospels harmonize. The resurrection also
attests it. He certainly rose on the third day, which fell on the first day of the
weeks of harvest, on which the law prescribed that the priest should offer up
the sheaf.
MACARIUS CHRYSOCEPHALUS: PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON, LUKE XV. ORATION ON LUKE
XV., TOWARDS THE CLOSE.
1. What choral dance and high festival is held in heaven, if there is one
that has become an exile and a fugitive from the life led under the Father,
knowing not that those who put themselves far from Him shall perish; if he has
squandered the gift, and substance, and inheritance of the Father; if there is one
whose faith has failed, and whose hope is spent, by rushing along with the
Gentiles into the same profligacy of debauchery; and then, famished and destitute,
and not even filled with what the swine eat, has arisen and come to his Father!
But the kind Father waits not till the son comes to Him. For perchance he
would never be able or venture to approach, did he not find Him gracious.
Wherefore, when he merely wishing, when he straightway made a beginning, when he
took the first step, while he was yet a great way off, He [the Father] was moved
with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck and kissed him. And then the
son, taking courage, confessed what he had done.
Wherefore the Father bestows on him the glory and honour that was due and
meet, putting on him the best robe, the robe of immortality; and a ring, a
royal signet and divine seal,--impress of consecration, signature of glory, pledge
of testimony (for it is said, "He hath set to his seal that God is true,")[1]
and shoes, not those perishable ones which he hath set his foot on holy ground
is bidden take off, nor such as he who is sent to preach the kingdom of heaven
is forbidden to put on, but such as wear not, and ate suited for the journey to
heaven, becoming and adorning the heavenly path, such as unwashed feet never
put on, but those which are washed by our Teacher and Lord.
Many, truly, are the shoes of the sinful soul, by which it is bound and
cramped. For each man is cramped by the cords of his own sins. Accordingly,
Abraham swears to the king of Sodom, "I will not take of all that is thine, from a
thread to a shoe-latchet."[2] On account of these being defiled and polluted on
the earth, every kind of wrong and selfishness engrosses life. As the Lord
reproves Israel by Amos, saying, "For three iniquities of Israel, yea, for four, I
will not turn him back; because they have given away the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of shoes, which tread upon the dust of the ground."[3]
2. Now the shoes which the Father bids the servant give to the repentant
son who has be-taken himself to Him, do not impede or drag to the earth (for the
earthly tabernacle weighs down the anxious mind); but they are buoyant, and
ascending, and waft to heaven, and serve as such a ladder and chariot as he
requires who has turned his mind towards the Father. For, beautiful after being
first beautifully adorned with all these things without, he enters into the
gladness within. For "Bring out" was said by Him who had first said, "While he was yet
a great way off, he ran and fell upon his neck." For it is here[4] that all
the preparation for entrance to the marriage to which we are invited must be
accomplished. He, then, who has been made ready to enter will say, "This my joy is
fulfilled."[5] But the unlovely and unsightly man will hear, "Friend, how
camest thou in here, without having a wedding garment?"[6] And the fat and unctuous
food,--the delicacies abundant and sufficing of the blessed,--the fatted calf
is killed; which is also again spoken of as a lamb (not literally); that no one
may suppose it small; but it is the great and greatest. For not small is "the
Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world,"[7] who "was led as a sheep to
the slaughter," the sacrifice full of marrow, all whose fat, according to the
sacred law, was the Lord's. For He was wholly devoted and consecrated to the
Lord; so well grown, and to such excessive size, as to reach and extend over all,
and to fill those who eat Him and feed upon Him. For He is both flesh and
bread, and has given Himself as both to us to be eaten.
To the sons, then, who come to Him, the Father gives the calf, and it is
slain and eaten. But those who do not come to Him He pursues and disinherits,
and is found to be a most powerful bull. Here, by reason of His size and prowess,
it is said of Him, "His glory is as that of an unicorn."[8] And the prophet
Habakkuk sees Him bearing horns, and celebrates His defensive attitude--"horns in
His hands."[9] Wherefore the sign shows His power and authority,--horns that
pierce on both sides, or rather, on all sides, and through everything. And those
who eat are so strengthened, and retain such strength from the life-giving
food in them, that they themselves are stronger than their enemies, and are all
but armed with the horns of a bull; as it is said, "In thee shall we butt our
enemies."[10]
3. Gladness there is, and music, and dances; although the eider son, who
had ever been with and ever obedient to the Father, takes it ill, when he who
never had himself been dissipated or profligate sees the guilty one made happy.
Accordingly the Father calls him, saying, "Son, thou art ever with me."
And what greater joy and feast and festivity can be than being continually with
God, standing by His side and serving Him? "And all that is mine is thine." And
blessed is the heir of God, for whom the Father holds possession,--the
faithful, to whom the whole world of possessions belongs.
"It was meet that we should be glad, and rejoice; for thy brother was
dead, and is alive again." Kind Father, who givest all things life, and raisest the
dead. "And was lost, and is found." And "blessed is the man whom Thou hast
chosen and accepted,"[1] and whom having sought, Thou dost find. "Blessed are
those whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered."[2] It is for man to
repent of sins; but let this be accompanied with a change that will not be
checked. For he who does not act so shall be put to shame, because he has acted not
with his whole heart, but in haste.
And it is ours to flee to God. And let us endeavour after this ceaselessly
and energetically. For He says, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest."[3] And prayer and confession with humility
are voluntary acts. Wherefore it is enjoined, "First tell thy sins, that thou
mayest be justified."[4] What afterwards we shall obtain, and what we shall be,
it is not for us to judge.
4. Such is the strict meaning of the parable.[5] The repentant son came to the
pitying Father, never hoping for these things,--the best robe, and the ring,
and the shoes,--or to taste the fatted calf, or to share in gladness, or enjoy
music and dances; but he would have been contented with obtaining what in his
own estimation he deemed himself worth. "Make me," he had made up his mind to
say, "as one of thy hired servants." But when he saw the Father's welcome meeting
him, he did not say this, but said what he had in his mind to say first,
"Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee." And so both his humility and
his accusation became the cause of justification and glory. For the righteous
man condemns himself in his first words. So also the publican departed
justified rather than the Pharisee. The son, then, knew not either what he was to
obtain, or how to take or use or put on himself the things given him; since he did
not take the robe himself, and put; it on. But it is said, "Put it on him." He
did not himself put the ring on his finger, but those who were bidden "Put a
ring on his hand." Nor did he put the shoes on himself, but it was they who
heard, "and shoes on his feet."
And these things were perhaps incredible to him and to others, and
unexpected before they took place; but gladly received and praised were the gifts with
which he was presented.
5. The parable exhibits this thought, that the exercise of the faculty of
reason has been accorded to each man. Wherefore the prodigal is introduced,
demanding from his father his portion, that is, of the state of mind, endowed by
reason. For the possession of reason is granted to all, in order to the pursuit
of what is good, and the avoidance of what is bad. But many who are furnished
by God with this make a bad use of the knowledge that has been given them, and
land in the profligacy of evil practices, and wickedly waste the substance of
reason,--the eye on disgraceful sights, the tongue on blasphemous words, the
smell on foetid licentious excesses of pleasures, the mouth on swinish gluttony,
the hands on thefts, the feet on running into plots, the thoughts on impious
counsels, the inclinations on indulgence on the love of ease, the mind on brutish
pastime. They preserve nothing of the substance of reason unsquandered. Such an
one, therefore, Christ represents in the parable,--as a rational creature,
with his reason darkened, and asking from the Divine Being what is suitable to
reason; then as obtaining from God, and making a wicked use of what had been
given, and especially of the benefits of baptism, which had been vouchsafed to him;
whence also He calls him a prodigal; and then, after the dissipation of what
had been given him, and again his restoration by repentance, [He represents] the
love of God shown to him.
6. For He says, "Bring hither the fatted calf, kill it, and let us eat and
be merry; for this my son"--a name of nearest relationship, and significative
of what is given to the faithful--"was dead and lost,"--an expression of
extremest alienation; for what is more alien to the living than the lost and dead?
For neither can be possessed any more. But having from the nearest relationship
fallen to extremest alienation, again by repentance he returned to near
relationship. For it is said, "Put on him the best robe," which was his the moment he
obtained baptism. I mean the glory of baptism, the remission of sins, and the
communication of the other blessings, which he obtained immediately he had
touched the font.
"And put a ring on his hand." Here is the mystery of the Trinity; which is
the seal impressed on those who believe.
"And put shoes on his feet," for "the preparation of the Gospel of
peace,"[6] and the whole course that leads to good actions.
7. But whom Christ finds lost, after sin committed since baptism, those
Novatus, enemy of God, resigns to destruction. Do not let us then reckon any
fault if we repent; guarding against falling, let us, if we have fallen, retrace
our steps. And while dreading to offend, let us, after offending, avoid despair,
and be eager to be confirmed; and on sinking, let us haste to rise up again.
Let us obey the Lord, who calls to us, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and I
will give you rest."[1] Let us employ the gift of reason for actions of
prudence. Let us learn now abstinence from what is wicked, that we may not be forced to
learn in the future. Let us employ life as a training school for what is good;
and let us be roused to the hatred of sin. Let us bear about a deep love for
the Creator; let us cleave to Him with our whole heart; let us not wickedly
waste the substance of reason, like the prodigal. Let us obtain the joy laid up, in
which Paul exulting, exclaimed, "Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ?"[2] To Him belongs glory and honour, with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
world without end. Amen.
MACARIUS CHRYSOCEPHALUS: ORATION VIII. ON MATT. VIII., AND BOOK VII. ON LUKE
XIII.
Therefore God does not here take the semblance of man, but of a dove,
because He wished to show the simplicity and gentleness of the new manifestation of
the Spirit by the likeness of the dove. For the law was stem, and punished
with the sword; but grace is joyous, and trains by the word of meekness. Hence
the Lord also says to the apostles, who said that He should punish with fire
those who would not receive Him, after the manner of Elias: "Ye know not what
manner of spirit ye are of."[3]
FROM THE SAME.--BOOK XIII. CHAP. IX.
Possibly by the "iota and the tittle" His righteousness exclaims, "If ye
come right to me, I also will come right to you; if ye walk crooked, I also will
walk crooked, saith the Lord of hosts,"[4] alluding to the offences of sinners
under the name of crooked ways. For the straight way, and that according to
nature, which is pointed out by the iota of Jesus, is His goodness, which is
immoveable towards those who have obediently believed. There shall not then pass
away from the law neither the iota nor the tittle; that is, neither the promise
that applies to the straight in the way, nor the punishment threatened against
those that diverge. For the Lord is good to the straight in the way; but "those
that turn aside after their crooked ways He shall lead forth with those that
work iniquity."[5] "And with the innocent He is innocent, and with the froward He
is froward; "[6] and to the crooked He sends crooked ways.
His own luminous image God impressed as with a seal, even the
greatest,--on man made in His likeness, that he might be ruler and lord over all things,
and that all things might serve him. Wherefore God judges man to be wholly His,
and His own image. He is invisible; but His image, man, is visible. Whatever
one, then, does to man, whether good or bad, is referred to Himself. Wherefore
from Him judgment shall proceed, appointing to all according to desert; for He
will avenge His own image.
XII.--FRAGMENTS NOT GIVEN IN THE OXFORD EDITION.
- IN ANASTASIUS SINAITA, QUEST. 96.
As it is possible even now for man to form men, according to the original
formation of Adam, He no longer now creates, on account of His having granted
once for all to man the power of generating men, saying to our nature,
"Increase, and multiply, and replenish the earth."[7] So also, by His omnipotent and
omniscient power, He arranged that the dissolution and death of our bodies should
be effected by a natural sequence and order, through the change of their
elements, in accordance with His divine knowledge and comprehension.
- JOANNES VECCUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, ON THE PROCESSION OF THE SPIRIT.
IN LEO ALLATIUS, VOL. I. P. 248.
Further, Clement the Stromatist, in the various definitions which he
framed, that they might guide the man desirous of studying theology in every dogma
of religion, defining what spirit is, and how it is called spirit, says: "Spirit
is a substance, subtle, immaterial, and which issues forth without form."
- FROM THE UNPUBLISHED DISPUTATION AGAINST ICONOCLASTS, OF NICEPHORUS OF
CONSTANTINOPLE; EDITED IN GREEK AND LATIN BY LE NOURRY IN HIS APPARATUS TO THE
LIBRARY OF THE FATHERS, VOL. I. P. 1334 A.B. FROM CLEMENT THE PRESBYTER OF
ALEXANDRIA'S BOOK AGAINST JUDAIZERS.
Solomon the son of David, in the books styled "The Reigns of the Kings,"
comprehending not only that the structure of the true temple was celestial and
spiritual, but had also a reference to the flesh, which He who was both the son
and Lord of David was to build up, both for His own presence, where, as a
living image, He resolved to make His shrine, and for the church that was to rise up
through the union of faith, says expressly, "Will God in very deed dwell with
men on the earth?"[8]
Please choose an option. He dwells on the earth clothed in flesh, and His
abode with men is effected by the conjunction and harmony which obtains among
the righteous, and which build and rear a new temple. For the righteous are the
earth, being still encompassed with the earth; and earth, too, in comparison
with the greatness of the Lord. Thus also the blessed Peter hesitates not to
say, "Ye also, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy temple,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
And with reference to the body, which by circumscription He consecrated as
a hallowed place for Himself upon earth, He said," Destroy this temple, and in
three days I will raise it up again. The Jews therefore said, In forty-six
years was this temple built, and wilt thou raise it up in three days ? But He
spake of the temple of His body."[2]
- FROM MS. MARKED 2431 IN THE LIBRARY OF THE MOST CHRISTIAN KING.--IBID.
P. 1336 -- A. FROM THE VERY HOLY AND BLESSED CLEMENT, PRESBYTER OF ALEXANDRIA,
THE STROMATIST'S BOOK ON PROVIDENCE.
What is God? "God," as the Lord saith, "is a Spirit." Now spirit is
properly substance, incorporeal, and uncircumscribed. And that is incorporeal which
does not consist of a body, or whose existence is not according to breadth,
length, and depth. And that is uncircumscribed[3] which has no place, which is
wholly in all, and in each entire, and the same in itself.
- FROM THE SAME MS.--IBID. 1335
<greek>Fusis</greek> (nature) is so called from <greek>to</greek>
<greek>pefukenai</greek> (to be born). The first substance is everything which subsists
by itself, as a stone is called a substance. The second is a substance capable
of increase, as a plant grows and decays. The third is animated and sentient
substance, as animal, horse. The fourth is animate, sentient, rational
substance, as man. Wherefore each one of us is made as consisting of all, having an
immaterial soul arid a mind, which is the image of God.
- IN JOHN OF DAMASCUS--PARALLEL--VOL. II. P. 307.
The fear of God, who is impassible, is free of perturbation. For it is not
God that one dreads, but the falling away from God. He who dreads this, dreads
falling into what is evil, and dreads what is evil. And he that fears a fall
wishes himself to be immortal and passionless.
- THE SAME, P. 341.
Let there be a law against those who dare to look at things sacred and
divine irreverently, and in a way unworthy of God, to inflict on them the
punishment of blindness.
- THE SAME, P. 657.
Universally, the Christian is friendly to solitude, and quiet, and
tranquillily, and peace.
- FROM THE CATENA ON THE PENTATEUCH, PUBLISHED IN LATIN BY FRANCIS ZEPHYRUS, P.
146.
That mystic name which is called the Tetragrammaton, by which alone they
who had access to the Holy of Holies were protected, is pronounced Jehovah,
which means, "Who is, and who shall be." The candlestick which stood at the south
of the altar signified the seven planets, which seem to us to revolve around the
meridian, [4] on either side of which rise three branches; since the sun also
like the lamp, balanced in the midst of the planets by divine wisdom, illumines
by its light those above and below. On the other side of the altar was
situated the table on which the loaves were displayed, because from that quarter of
the heaven vital and nourishing breezes blow.
- FROM J. A. CRAMER'S CATENAE GRAECORUM PATRUM IN NOV. TEST. OXFORD 1840 VOL.
III.
On Acts vii. 24, 25. The mystics say that it was by his word alone that
Moses slew the Egyptian; as certainly afterwards it is related in the Acts that
[Peter] slew with his word those who kept back part of the price of the land,
and lied.
- THE SAME, VOL. IV. P. 291.
On Rom. viii. 38. "Or life, that of our present existence," and
"death,"--that caused by the assault of persecutors, and "angels, and principalities, and
powers," apostate spirits.
- P. 369, CHAP. X. 3.
And having neither known nor done the requirement of the law, what they
conceived, that they also thought that the law required. And they did not believe
the law, as prophesying, but the bare word; and followed it from fear, but not
with their disposition and in faith.
- VOL. VI . P. 385.
On 2 Cor. v. 16. "And if we have known Christ after the flesh."
And so far, he says, no one any longer lives after the flesh. For that is
not life, but death. For Christ also, that He might show this,[1] ceased to
live after the flesh. How? Not by putting off the body! Far be it! For with it as
His own He shall come, the Judge of all. But by divesting Himself of physical
affections, such as hunger, and thirst, and sleep, and weariness. For now He has
a body incapable of suffering and of injury.
As "after the flesh" in our case is being in the midst of sins, and being
out of them is to be "not after the flesh;" so also after the flesh, in the
case of Christ, was His subjection to natural affections, and not to be subject to
them was not to be "after the flesh." "But," he says, "as He was released, so
also are we." Let there be no longer, he says, subjection to the influences of
the flesh. Thus Clement, the fourth book of the Hypotyposes.
- FROM THE SAME, P. 391.
On 2 Cor. vi. 11. "Our heart is enlarged." For as heat is wont to expand,
so also love. For love is a thing of warmth. As if he would say, I love you not
only with mouth, but with heart, and have you all within. Wherefore he says:
"ye are not straitened in us, since desire itself expands the soul." "Our heart
is enlarged" to teach you all things; "but ye are straitened in your own
bowels," that is, in love to God, in which you ought to love me. Thus Clement, in the
fourth book of the Hypotyposes.
- FROM VOL. III. v. 286.
Heb. i. I. "At sundry times and divers man Since the Lord, being the
Apostle of the Almighty, was sent to the Hebrews, it was out of modesty that Paul
did not subscribe himself apostle of the Hebrews, from reverence for the Lord,
and because he was the herald and apostle of the Gentiles, and wrote the Epistle
to the Hebrews in addition [to his proper work].[3]
- FROM THE SAME.
The same work contains a passage from The Instructor, book i. chap. vi.[4]
The passage is that beginning, "For the blood is found to be," down to "potent
charms of affection."
Portions, however, are omitted. There are a good many various readings;
but although the passage in question, as found in Cramer's work, is printed in
full in Migne's edition, on the alleged ground of the considerable variation from
the text of Clement, the variation is not such as to make a translation of the
passage as found in Cramer of any special interest or value. We have noted the
following readings:--
<greek>ginetai</greek>, where, the verb being omitted, we have inserted is:
There is an obstruction, etc.
<greek>suriggas</greek>, tubes, instead of <greek>s</greek><s212>,
<greek>raggas</greek> (hollows), hollows of the breasts. <greek>geitniaxouswn</greek>, for
<greek>getniouswn</greek> neighbouring (arteries).
<greek>epilhyei</greek>, for interruption (such as this).
<greek>apoklhrw</greek>,<greek>s</greek>, <greek>is</greek> occurs as in the
text, for which the emendation <greek>apolhrhsis</greek>, as specified in the
note, has been adopted. <greek>htis</greek> <greek>esti</greek>, omitted here,
which is "sweet through grace," is supplied.
P. 142.
<greek>gala</greek>, milk, instead of <greek>manna</greek>, manna, (that food)
manna.
P. 149.
<greek>krh</greek> <greek>de</greek> <greek>katanohsai</greek>
<greek>thn</greek> <greek>f</greek>,<greek>usi</greek>,<greek>n</greek> (but it is necessary
to consider nature), for <greek>ou</greek> <greek>katanenohkotes</greek>,
<greek>t</greek>. <greek>f</greek>., through want of consideration of nature.
<greek>katakleiomenh</greek>, agreeing with food, for <greek>katakleiomenw</greek>,
agreeing with heat (enclosed within).
<greek>ginetai</greek> for <greek>gar</greek> (which is untranslated), (the
blood) is (a preparation) for milk.
P. 144.
<greek>toinun</greek> <greek>ton</greek> <greek>logon</greek> is supplied, and
<greek>eikotws</greek> omitted in the clause, Paul using appropriate
figurative language.
P. 145.
<greek>plhn</greek> is supplied before <greek>alla</greek> <greek>to</greek>
<greek>en</greek> <greek>auth</greek>, and the blood in it, etc., is omitted.
P. 146.
"For Diogenes Apolloniates will have it" is omitted.
<greek>panth</greek>, rendered "in all respects," is connected with the
preceding sentence.
P. 147.
<greek>oti</greek> <greek>t</greek><ss228><greek>inun</greek>, for
<greek>Ws</greek> <greek>d</greek>. And that (milk is produced).
<greek>thnikauta</greek> for <greek>thnikade</greek> in the clause, "and the
grass and meadows are juicy and moist," not translated.
<greek>proeirhmenw</greek>, above mentioned (milk), omitted.
<greek>trufhs</greek> for <greek>trofhs</greek>, (sweet) nutriment.
<greek>tw</greek> omitted before <greek>glukei</greek>, sweet (wine), and
<greek>kaqaper</greek>, "as, when suffering."
<greek>to</greek> <greek>liparon</greek> for <greek>tw</greek>
<greek>liparw</greek>, and <greek>aridhlws</greek> for <greek>aridhlou</greek>, in the
sentence: "Further, many use the fat of milk, called butter, for the lamp, plainly,"
etc.
N. B.
[Le Nourry decides that the Adumbrations were not translated from the
Hypotyposes, but Kaye (p. 473) thinks on insufficient grounds. See, also (p. 5),
Kaye's learned note.]