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ANTE-NICENE CHRISTIAN LIBRARY. 
 
 ADDITIONAL VOLUME. 
 
 Containing Early Christian Works discovered since the completion of the 
 Series, and Selections from the Commentaries of Origen. 
 
NAMES OF TRANSLATORS. 
 
 J. Armitage Robinson, B.D., Norrisian 
 Professor of Divinity, Cambridge, 
 Editor of Texts and Studies 
 
 Do 
 
 The Gospel of Peter. 
 
 The Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs. 
 
 Andrew Rutherfurd, B.D. . 
 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 
 The Gospel of Peter {^Introduction and Synoptical 
 
 Table). 
 The Apocalypse of Peter. 
 Visio Pauli. 
 
 Apocalypse of Maria Virgo. 
 Apocalypse of Sedrach. 
 The Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs (Introduction). 
 
 Rev. Hope W. Hogg, B.D. 
 
 The Diatessaron of Tatian. 
 
 W. A. Craigie, M.A., B.A. (Oxon.), 
 Assistant in Humanity, St. Andrews 
 University 
 
 Do 
 
 Do 
 
 The Testament of Abraham. 
 
 The Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena. 
 
 The Narrative of Zosimus. 
 
 Rev. John Keith, B.D., Minister of 
 Largs, Ayrshire .... 
 
 The Epistles of Clement. 
 
 Rev. D. M. Kay, B.Sc, B.D., Assistant 
 in Semitic Languages, Edinburgh 
 University 
 
 The Apology of Ar is tides. 
 
 Allan Menzies, D.D., Professor of Bib- 
 lical Criticism, St. Andrews Uni- 
 versity 
 
 Do 
 
 Epistle to Gregory. 
 
 Origen's Commentary on John. 
 
 Rev. John Patrick, D.D., Minister of 
 Greenside, Edinburgh 
 
 Origen's Commentary on Matthew. 
 
THE 
 
 ANTE-NICENE FATHERS 
 
 ADDITIONAL VOLUME f 
 
 Containing Early Christian Works discovered since the 
 
 completion of the Series, and Selections from 
 
 the Commentaries of Origen 
 
 ALLAN MENZIES, D.D., >; 
 
 PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL CRITICISM IN ST. MARY'S COLLEGE, ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND, 
 
 EDITOR. -, 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF PETER, THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAH, THE APOCALYPSE OF PETER, THE VISIO 
 PAULI, THE APOCALYPSES OF THE VIRGIN AND SEDRACH, THE TESTAMENT OF 
 ABRAHAM, THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA, THE NARRATIVE 
 OF ZOSIMUS, THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES, THE EPISTLES 
 OF CLEMENT (COMPLETE TEXT), RIG ENS COM- 
 MENTARY ON JOHN, BOOKS l-X,AND 
 COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW, 
 BOOKS I. II, AND X-XIV. 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 THE CHRISTIAN LITERATURE COMPANY. 
 
 ... 1897. 
 
^vZ'^mi^ 
 
 Copyright, 1896, 1897, by 
 The Christian Literature Co. 
 
 PRINTED By 
 J. J. LITTLE AND CO., NEW YORK. U. S. A. 
 
Contents. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PREFACE V 
 
 A. RECENTLY DISCOVERED ADDITIONS TO EARLY CHRISTIAN LITERATURE. 
 
 I. WORKS CONNECTED WITH THE GOSPELS. 
 THE GOSPEL OF PETER. 
 
 Introduction 3 
 
 Translation 7 
 
 Synoptical Table of the Four Canonical Gospels and the Gospel of. 
 Peter 9 
 
 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 Introduction 35 
 
 Introductory Notes (Translated) 42 
 
 Translation 43 
 
 Subscriptions (Translated) 130 
 
 Index of Reference from the Diatessaron to the Canonical Gospels, and 
 
 Vice Versa 131 
 
 II. APOCALYPSES AND ROMANCES. 
 THE REVELATION OF PETER. 
 
 Introduction , . 141 
 
 Translation • • US 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL. 
 
 Introduction 149 
 
 Translation '5' 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OF THE VIRGIN. 
 
 Introduction '^7 
 
 Translation '^ 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OF SEDRACH. 
 
 Introduction '75 
 
 Translation '77 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 Introduction ' • • '^3 
 
 Translation '^5 
 
 THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 Introduction ^"3 
 
 Translation 205 
 
 THE NARRATIVE OF ZOSIMUS. 
 
 Introduction ^'9 
 
 . 220 
 
 Translation 
 
 iii 
 
iV CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 III. THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT, COMPLETED FROM A MANUSCRIPT RE- 
 
 CENTLY DISCOVERED. 
 
 Introductory Notice to First Clement 227 
 
 Translation of First Clement 229 
 
 Introductory Notice to Second Clement 249 
 
 Translation of Second Clement 251 
 
 IV. THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES THE PHILOSOPHER. 
 
 Introduction 259 
 
 Translation from the Greek and from the Syriac Versions . . .263 
 
 V. THE PASSION OF THE SCILLITAN MARTYRS. 
 
 Introduction 283 
 
 Translation 285 
 
 B. COMMENTARIES OF ORIGEN. 
 
 Introduction 291 
 
 Letter of Origen to Gregory . . 295 
 
 I. ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. 
 
 Book 1 297 
 
 Book II 322 
 
 Book IV. (Fragments) 345 
 
 Book V. (Fragments) 346 
 
 Book VI 349 
 
 Book X 381 
 
 II. ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW. 
 
 Introduction 411 
 
 Book I. (Fragment) . 412 
 
 Book II. (Fragment) 413 
 
 Book X 414 
 
 Book XI 43i 
 
 Book XII . 449 
 
 Book XIII 474 
 
 Book XIV 494 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The Ante-Nicene Fathers ^v\\\c!!s\ seemed many years ago to have completed its task, now 
 presents itself once more and ventures to solicit the renewal of the favour with which it was for- 
 merly received by the theological world. The publishers and the editor, who now stands, he well 
 knows how unworthily, in the place of Principal Donaldson and Professor Roberts, believe that 
 the volume now added to the series will be found most interesting in itself and not unworthy to 
 stand beside its predecessors. 
 
 This volume consists of two distinct parts. The first is a collection of recently discovered 
 additions to early Christian literature. The period which has elapsed since the last volumes of 
 this series were published has been singularly rich in such discoveries. A portion of a gospel has 
 been recovered which was read in the latter part of the second century in certain Christian 
 churches and purports to be the work of the Apostle Peter. A harmony of the four canonical 
 gospels has also been brought to our knowledge, which was made in the same century, and which, 
 in a considerable district of Eastern Christendom, supplanted these gospels themselves. Another 
 work bearing the name of the Apostle Peter, his Apocalypse, which once appeared to have some 
 claim to a place in the canon, has also been found. The Epistles of Clement, which formerly 
 broke off abruptly, have recovered their concluding portions, and the earliest public appeal to 
 the head of the state on behalf of Christianity is also now in our possession. The circumstances 
 of these various discoveries, and also of others of a similar nature, are stated in the introductions 
 prefixed by the writers in this volume to the various pieces, and it will be seen that scholars of 
 many lands have taken part in them. English scholarship, it is well known, has distinguished 
 itself highly in this field. Many of the pieces now given first saw the light in the Cambridge 
 Texts and Studies, a publication of singular interest and enduring value, without which the 
 present volume would not have come into existence. The editor of the Texts and Studies, 
 Professor Armitage Robinson, has taken a very kind interest in the present pubhcation and has 
 himself contributed translations of two pieces. 
 
 The history of the discussions awakened by these discoveries cannot yet be written, but it is 
 not too early to place the English reader in possession of the documents thus restored to the 
 Christian community. The reader of former volumes of The Ante-Nicene Fathers has already 
 become acquainted with a number of uncanonical gospels, of apocalypses, and of early Christian 
 apologies. In each of these classes of Christian literature he is now presented with pieces not 
 less interesting than any known before. A glance at the table of contents will show the principle 
 according to which the various works have been arranged. It may be stated that the Diatessaron 
 of Tatian is here for the first time translated into English from the Arabic. 
 
 The second part of this volume contains portions of two of the most important commentaries 
 of Origen. When The Ante-Nicene Fathers came to a close it was feh that more should have 
 been done for a father who occupies a position of such singular importance in the history 
 both of Scripture exegesis and of Christian thought. It is believed that the present translations 
 will be welcomed by many who feel that growing interest in Origen which now appears in many 
 quarters, and that they will be acceptable to all who care to know the varieties of treatment the 
 Scriptures have met with in the church. 
 
 " All references to The Ante-Nicene Fathers are to the American Edition, Christian Literature Co., New York, although 
 sometimes referred to as "The Ante-Nicene Library." 
 
/^^^^t^^^^ V^<^«C7^ 
 
THE GOSPEL OF PETER 
 
 BY 
 
 PROFESSOR J. ARMITAGE ROBINSON 
 
 Editor of the Cambridge Texts and Studies 
 
 INTRODUCTION AND SYNOPTICAL TABLE 
 
 By ANDREW RUTHERFURD, B.D. 
 
THE GOSPEL OF PETER. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The important fragment of which Mr. J. Armitage Robinson's translation here follows 
 was discovered by the French Archaeological Mission, Cairo, in a grave (supposed to be a 
 monk's) in an ancient cemetery at Akhmim (Panopolis), in Upper Egypt, in 1886. It was pub- 
 lished in 1892 under the care of M. Bouriant in vol. ix., fasc. i., of the Memoirs of the French 
 Archaological Mission at Cairo. The same parchment which contained this fragment also con- 
 tained a fragment of the Revelation of Peter and a fragment of the Book of Enoch in Greek. 
 The parchment codex is assigned to a date between the eighth and the twelfth century. 
 
 Before this discovery the following is all that was known of the Gospel of Peter: i. Sera- 
 PiON, Bishop of Antioch 190-203, writing to the church at Rhossus, says (Eusebius, H. £., vi., 
 12, 2): "We, brethren, receive Peter and the other Apostles even as Christ; but the writings 
 that go falsely by their names we, in our experience, reject, knowing that such things as these 
 we never received. When I was with you I supposed you all to be attached to the right faith ; 
 and so without going through the gospel put forward under Peter's name, I said, ' If this is all 
 that makes your petty quarrel,i why then let it be read.' But now that I have learned from 
 information given me that their mind was lurking in some hole of heresy, I will make a point 
 of coming to you again : so, brethren, expect me speedily. Knowing then, brethren, of what 
 kind of heresy was Marcion— [Here follows a sentence where the text is faulty.] . . . From others 
 who used this very gospel— I mean from the successors of those who started it, whom we call 
 Docet(z; for most of its ideas are of their school— from them, I say, I borrowed it, and was able 
 to go through it, and to find that most of it belonged to the right teaching of the Saviour, but 
 some things were additions." From this we learn that a Gospel of Peter was in use in the church 
 of Rhossus in the end of the second centurj', but that controversy had arisen as to its character, 
 which, on a careful examination, Serapion condemned. 
 
 2. Origen (t 253 A.D.), in commenting on Matthew x. 17, says: "But, proceeding on the 
 tradition that is recorded in the Gospel according to Peter or in the Book of James, they say 
 that there are certain brothers of Jesus, the sons of Joseph by a former wife, who lived with him 
 before Mary." 
 
 3. Eusebius {H. E., iii., 3, 2) says: "As to that work, however, which is ascribed to him, 
 called 'The Acts,' and 'The Gospel according to Peter,' and that called 'The Preaching and 
 the Revelations of Peter,' we know nothing of their being handed down as Catholic writings ; 
 since neither among the ancient nor the ecclesiastical writers of our own day has there been one 
 that has appealed to testimony taken from them." And in IT. E., iii., 25, 6 sq., he includes the 
 Gospel of Peter among the forged heretical gospels — "those that are adduced by the heretics 
 under the name of the apostles, ... of which no one of those writers in the ecclesiastical suc- 
 cession has condescended to make any mention in his works ; and, indeed, the character of the 
 style itself is very different from that of the apostles; and the sentiments, and the purport of 
 those things that are advanced in them, deviating as far as possible from sound orthodoxy, 
 evidently proves they are the fictions of heretical men ; whence they are not only to be ranked 
 
 1 napc'xeif fxiKpotfivxiav, perhaps " causes you ill-feeling." The translation of Serapion's letter with this note is taken from Mr. Armitage 
 Robinson's edition of the gospel. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 among the spurious writings, but are to be rejected as altogether absurd and impious." It is, 
 however, uncertain whether Eusebius himself was acquainted with the Gospel of Peter. 
 
 4. Theodoret (t c. 455), in his Religious History, ii., 2, says that the Nazarenes used "the 
 gospel called ' according to Peter.' " Later references in Western hterature, e.g., Jerome, Z>e vir. 
 ill., i., and the Decretum Gelasianum, condemning the book, are based upon the judgement of 
 Eusebius, and not upon direct knowledge {cf. Harnack, Geschichte der altchristl. Lit., I. Th., 
 p. n). 
 
 This was all that was known of the Gospel of Peter till the publication of the Akhmim frag- 
 ment. The latter extends to about 174 stichi, counting 32 words to the stichus. It begins in the 
 middle of the history of the Passion, just after Pilate has washed his hands of all responsibility, 
 and ends in the middle of a sentence, with the departure of the disciples into Galilee at the end 
 of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, exactly a week after the crucifixion, the ostensible author, 
 Peter, and Andrew, his brother, taking their nets and going to the sea ; " and there was with us 
 Levi the son of Alphaeus, whom the Lord ..." 
 
 The accompanying Synoptical Table shows where the Petrine narrative agrees with and 
 where it varies from those supplied by the canonical gospels. Of that part of the Passion 
 history which it narrates, it gives an account which follows the main hnes of the canonical tra- 
 dition, but with important variations in detail. Of the events between the burial and the resur- 
 rection of our Lord, its account is much more ample and detailed than anything in the canonical 
 tradition. 
 
 Harnack {^Texte und Untersuchungen, ix., 2, 2d ed., p. 76) gives the following list of new 
 traits contained in the Petrine account of the history of the Passion and burial : 
 
 1 Herod was the judge who condemned Jesus, and to him application had to be made 
 
 for the body. 
 
 2 The Jews, Herod, and the judges would not wash their hands, and Pilate then 
 
 raised the sitting. 
 
 3 Joseph was the friend of Pilate (sec. 2). 
 
 4 Joseph begged for the body before the crucifixion, and Pilate sent for permission 
 
 from Herod. 
 
 5 The soldiers " pushed him as they ran," and their speech (sec. 3). 
 
 6 The mockery of the soldiers. 
 
 7 Mocking speech. 
 
 8 "As though having no pain" (sec. 4). 
 
 9 " Having placed his garments before him." 
 
 10 One of the malefactors blamed the multitude, and his speech. 
 
 1 1 The legs of either the malefactor or Jesus were not broken, in order that he might 
 
 die in torment. 
 
 12 The gall and vinegar (sec. 5). 
 
 13 In the darkness many went about with lamps, and fell down. 
 
 14 The cry, " My power, my power." 
 
 1 5 The fact that when he had so cried Christ was taken up. 
 
 16 Mention of the nails in the hands at the taking down from the cross (sec. 6). 
 
 1 7 The earthquake when the body touched the ground. 
 
 18 The joy of the Jews when the sun shone again. 
 
 19 Joseph "had seen all the good things " that the Lord had done. 
 
 20 Joseph washed the body. 
 
 21 The cries of woe of the Jews and their leaders over their sins, and their expecta- 
 
 tion of the judgement on Jerusalem (sec. 7). 
 
 22 The disciples remained in concealment, full of grief, and fasted and wept till the 
 
 Sabbath. 
 
 23 They were searched for as malefactors and as anxious to bum the temple. 
 
 24 The name of the centurion of the watch— Petronius (sec. 8). 
 
 25 The centurion, the soldiers, and the elders rolled up the stone. 
 
 26 The elders also watched at the grave. 
 
 27 Seven seals were placed on the stone. 
 
 28 A tent pitched for the watch. 
 
 29 The gathering of the multitude on the morning of the Sabbath to view the sealed 
 
 grave (sec. 9). 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The whole narrative of the resurrection is so different from that of the canonical gospels 
 that it would be useless to go into details ; but it is important to notice the prominence assigned 
 to Mary Magdalene, and: 
 
 1 That tlie women fled from the grave and did not see the Lord (sec. 12). 
 
 2 That there is no account of any appearance of Christ for the first eight days after 
 
 his death (sec. 13). 
 
 3 That the disciples, along with the rest of those who had taken part in the feast, 
 
 returned home to Galilee on the seventh day of unleavened bread. 
 
 4 That they were then sad, and wept. 
 
 5 That the first appearance of Jesus must have taken place on the Lake of Gennesaret, 
 
 either to Peter alone, or to Peter, Andrew, and Levi (Matthew), while fishing. 
 
 Moreover, according to section 13 (see sec. 5), the author puts the resurrection and ascen- 
 sion on the same day, or, rather, did not know of the latter as a separate event. He makes the 
 angel say, " He is risen and gone away thither whence he was sent." 
 
 Whether the author used any other sources than the canonical gospels is a matter still in 
 doubt. He is certainly influenced by views which are foreign to these gospels, and which are 
 known from other quarters in early Christian literature. As between the Synpotists and the 
 Foiu'th Gospel, the narrator is generally more closely akin both in matter and in manner to the 
 Synoptists, but he agrees with the author of the Fourth Gospel in regard to the chronology of the 
 crucifixion and several of the events at the cross, and in his general attitude towards the Jews 
 and Pilate. With regard to the last two points, the Petrine Gospel seems to present a later and 
 more exaggerated form of the tendency perceptible in the Johannine, and fully worked out in 
 the Acts of Pilate, to blame the Jews and exculpate Pilate. 
 
 Of the new features in this fragment some are at least liable to a Docetic interpretation, 
 e.g., the silence on the cross "as though he had no pain" (sec. 4), the cry, "My power, my 
 power " (sec. 5), and "he was taken up " (sec. 5). This fact was recognised in subsequent times 
 and condemned this gospel in the eye of the church. The date of the work is variously fixed 
 by different scholars ; Harnack assigns it to the first quarter of the second century, while Mr. 
 Armitage Robinson and other scholars place it later. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 
 
 1 But of the Jews none washed his hands, 
 neither Herod nor any one of his judges. And 
 when they had refused to wash them, Pilate 
 rose up. And then Herod the king command- 
 eth that the Lord be taken,i saying to them. 
 What things soever I commanded you to do 
 unto him, do. 
 
 2 And there was standing there Joseph the 
 friend of Pilate and of the Lord; and, knowing 
 that they were about to crucify ^ him, he came to 
 Pilate and asked the body of the Lord for burial. 
 And Pilate sent to Herod and asked his body. 
 And Herod said, Brother Pilate, even if no one 
 had asked for him, we purposed to bury him, 
 especially as the sabbath draweth on:^ for it is 
 written in the law, that the sun set not upon one 
 that hath been put to death. 
 
 3 And he delivered him to the people on the 
 day before the unleavened bread, their feast. 
 And they took the Lord and pushed him as they 
 ran, and said, Let us drag away the Son of God, 
 having obtained power over him. And they 
 clothed him with purple, and set him on the seat 
 of judgement, saying. Judge righteously, O king 
 of Israel. And one of them brought a crown 
 of thorns and put it on the head of the Lord. 
 And others stood and spat in his eyes, and others 
 smote his cheeks: others pricked him with a 
 reed ; and some scourged him, saying, With this 
 honour let us honour the Son of God. 
 
 4 And they brought two malefactors, and 
 they crucified the Lord between them. But he 
 held his peace, as though having no pain. And 
 when they had raised the cross, they ^vrote the 
 title : This is the king of Israel. And having set 
 his garments before him they parted them among 
 them, and cast lots for them. And one of those 
 malefactors reproached them, saying. We for the 
 evils that we have done have suffered thus, but 
 this man, who hath become the Saviour of men, 
 what wrong hath he done to you ? And they, 
 being angered at him, commanded that his legs 
 
 Note.— This translation is based on that which I published in The 
 Gospel and Apocalypse of Peter : Two Lectures, an. (Camb., i8g2). 
 It is now carefully revised in accordance with the photographic 
 facsimile. A corrected Greek text will be found in Dr. Swete s 
 edition (1893). ,. 
 
 1 nap[aA))j»]<f9iji'ai is perhaps supported by TiafoXaBoviK, Mt 
 txiv 27 2 I know no other instance of crTaupia-K€Lv. 
 
 3 ^ Jo. xix. 31, where Syr. Pesch. reads: " They say, These 
 bodies shall not remain on the cross, because the sabbath dawneth. 
 
 should not be broken, that he might die in tor- 
 ment. 
 
 5 And it was noon, and darkness came over 
 all Judaea: and they were troubled and dis- 
 tressed, lest the sun had set, whilst he was yet 
 alive : [for] it is written for them, that the sun 
 set not on him that hath been put to death. 
 And one of them said, Give him to drink gall 
 with vinegar. And they mixed and gave him to 
 drink, and fulfilled all things, and accomplished 
 their sins against their own head. And many 
 went about with lamps, supposing that it was 
 night, and fell down.* And the Lord cried out, 
 saying, My power, my power, thou hast for- 
 saken me. And when he had said it he was 
 taken up. And in that hour the vail of tlie 
 temple of Jerusalem was rent in twain." 
 
 6 And then they drew out the nails from the 
 hands of the Lord, and laid him upon the earth, 
 and the whole earth quaked, and great fear 
 arose. Then the sun shone, and it was found 
 the ninth hour : and the Jews rejoiced, and gave 
 his body to Joseph that he might bury it, since he 
 had seen what good things he had done. And he 
 took the Lord, and washed him, and rolled him 
 in a linen cloth, and brought him into his own 
 tomb, which was called the Garden of Joseph. 
 
 7 Then the Jews and the elders and the 
 priests, perceiving what evil they had done to 
 themselves, began to lament and to say. Woe 
 for our sins : the judgement hath drawn nigh, 
 and the end of Jerusalem. And I with my com- 
 panions was grieved; and being wounded in 
 mind we hid ourselves : for we were being sought 
 for by them as malefactors, and as wishing to 
 set fire to the temple. And upon all these things 
 we fasted and sat moui-ning and weeping night 
 and day until the sabbath. 
 
 8 But the scribes and Pharisees and elders 
 being gathered together one with another, when 
 they heard that all the people murmured and 
 beat their breasts saying, If by his death these 
 most mighty signs have come to pass, see how 
 righteous he is,— the elders were afraid and came 
 
 4 The text here is corrupt : for ejre'trai'To I have provisionally read 
 eiretrdv re. 
 
 5 For avTos uipa? we must read auT^? ii>^a<; [cf, Clem., Horn., xx., 
 16): tx.vTt] is the equivalent in later Greek literature of e/ceti'Tj, as in the 
 modern tongue iff. Lc. x. 7, 21, and xii. 12 ; || j/teivij, Mt., Mc.J. 
 
8 
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 
 
 to Pilate, beseeching him and saying, Give us 
 soldiers, that we may guard his sepulchre for 
 three days, lest his disciples come and steal him 
 away, and the people suppose that he is risen 
 from the dead and do us evil. And Pilate gave 
 them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to 
 guard the tomb. And with them came elders 
 and scribes to the sepulchre, and having rolled 
 a great stone together with ^ the centurion and 
 the soldiers, they all together who were there set 
 it at the door of the sepulchre ; and they affixed 
 seven seals, and they pitched a tent there and 
 guarded it. And early in the morning as the 
 sabbath was drawing on, there came a multitude 
 from Jerusalem and the region round about, 
 that they might see the sepulchre that was 
 sealed. 
 
 9 And in the night in which the Lord's day 
 was drawing on, as the soldiers kept guard two 
 by two in a watch, there was a great voice in 
 the heaven ; and they saw the heavens opened, 
 and two men descend from thence with great 
 light and approach the tomb. And that stone 
 which was put at the door rolled of itself and 
 made way in part ; and the tomb was opened, 
 and both the young men entered in. 
 
 10 When therefore those soldiers saw it, they 
 awakened the centurion and the elders ; for they 
 too were hard by keeping guard. And, as they 
 declared what things they had seen, again they 
 see three men come forth from the tomb, and 
 two of them supporting one, and a cross follow- 
 ing them : and of the two the head reached 
 unto the heaven, but the head of him that was 
 led by them overpassed the heavens. And they 
 heard a voice from the heavens, saying. Thou 
 hast preached to them that sleep. And a re- 
 sponse was heard from the cross, Yea. 
 
 11 They therefore considered one with an- 
 other whether to go away and shew these things 
 to Pilate. And while they yet thought thereon, 
 the heavens again are seen to open, and a cer- 
 tain man to descend and enter into the sepul- 
 chre. When the centurion and they that were 
 with him saw these things, they hastened in the 
 night to Pilate, leaving the tomb which they 
 were watching, and declared all things which 
 they had seen, being greatly distressed and say- 
 ing. Truly he was the Son of God. Pilate an- 
 
 1 I have ventured to substitute ftcTa, "together with" {cf. Mt. 
 xxvii. 66), for jcaTa, "down upon." Dr. Swete, however, keeps Kara, 
 and interprets it as "against," ie., to guard the sepulciure against. 
 
 swered and said, I am pure from the blood of the 
 Son of God : but it was ye who determined this. 
 Then they all drew near and besought him and 
 entreated him to command the centurion and the 
 soldiers to say nothing of the things which they 
 had seen : For it is better, say they, for us to be 
 guilty of the greatest sin before God, and not 
 to fall into the hands of the people of the Jews 
 and to be stoned. Pilate therefore commanded 
 the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing. 
 
 12 And at dawn upon the Lord's day Mary 
 Magdalen, a disciple of the Lord, fearing be- 
 cause of the Jews, since they were burning with 
 wrath, had not done at the Lord's sepulchre the 
 things which women are wont to do for those 
 that die and for those that are beloved by them 
 — she took her friends with her and came to the 
 sepulchre where he was laid. And they feared 
 lest the Jews should see them, and they said. 
 Although on that day on which he was crucified 
 we could not weep and lament, yet now let us 
 do these things at his sepulchre. But who shall 
 roll away for us the stone that was laid at the 
 door of the sepulchre, that we may enter in and 
 sit by him and do the things that are due ? For 
 the stone was great, and we fear lest some one 
 see us. And if we cannot, yet if we but set at 
 the door the things which we bring for a me- 
 morial of him, we will weep and lament, until we 
 come unto our home. 
 
 13 And they went and found the tomb 
 opened, and coming near they looked in there ; 
 and they see there a certain young man sitting 
 in the midst of the tomb, beautiful and clothed 
 in a robe exceeding bright ; who said to them, 
 Wherefore are ye come? Whom seek ye? Him 
 that was crucified? 2 He is risen and gone. But 
 if ye beheve not, look in and see the place where 
 he lay, that he is not [here] ; for he is risen and 
 gone thither, whence he was sent. Then the 
 women feared and fled. 
 
 14 Now it was the last day of the unleavened 
 bread, and many were going forth, returning to 
 their homes, as the feast was ended. But we, 
 the twelve disciples of the Lord, wept and 
 were grieved : and each one, being grieved for 
 that which was come to pass, departed to his 
 home. But I Simon Peter and Andrew my 
 brother took our nets and went to the sea ; and 
 there was with us Levi the son of Alphaeus, whom 
 the Lord . . . 
 
 2 The form of the question in the Greek suggests a negative answer. 
 
SYNOPTICAL TABLE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS 
 
 AND 
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER 
 
SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW XXVII. 
 
 24 ]\ When Pilate saw 
 that he could prevail 
 nothing, but f/iat ruther 
 a tumult was made, he 
 took water, and washed 
 Ais hands before the 
 multitude, saying, I am 
 innocent of the blood 
 of this just person : see 
 ye fc it. 
 
 2 5 Then answered all 
 the people, and said, 
 His blood 6e on us, and 
 on our children. 
 
 [^/•v. 57-] 
 
 26 ^ Then released 
 he Barabbas unto 
 them : and when he 
 had scourged Jesus, he 
 delivered h'm to be 
 crucified. 
 
 MARK XV. 
 
 27 Then the soldiers 
 of the governor took 
 Jesus into the common 
 hall, and gathered unto 
 him the whole band 0/ 
 soldiers. 
 
 28 And they stripped 
 him, and put on him a 
 scarlet robe. 
 
 29 ^ And when they 
 had platted a crown of 
 thorns, they put it upon 
 his head, and a reed in 
 his right hand: and they 
 bowed the knee before 
 him, and mocked him, 
 saying. Hail, King of 
 the Jews! 
 
 30 And they spit upon 
 
 [cf. v. 43.] 
 [c/. V. 42.] 
 
 15 ^ And so Pilate, 
 wining to content the 
 people, released Barab- 
 bas unto them, and de- 
 livered Jesus, when he 
 had scourged Aim, to 
 be crucified. 
 
 16 And the soldiers 
 led him away into the 
 hall, called Praetorium ; 
 and they call together 
 the whole band. 
 
 17 And they clothed 
 him with purple, and 
 platted a crown of 
 thorns, and put it about 
 his Aead, 
 
 18 And began to sa- 
 lute him. Hail, King of 
 the Jews! 
 
 19 And they smote 
 him on the head with 
 a reed, and did spit 
 upon him, and bowing 
 tAcir knees worshipped 
 him. 
 
 LUKE XXIII. 
 
 [2^/ Lk. xxiii. 7.] 
 [^cf. Lk. xxii. 66 ; Acts 
 iv 27.] 
 
 [cf. v. 50.] 
 
 [^if. Lk. xxiii. 12.] 
 
 24 And Pilate gave 
 sentence that it should 
 be as they required. 
 
 25 And he released 
 unto them him that for 
 sedition and murder 
 was cast into prison, 
 whom they had de- 
 sired ; but he delivered 
 Jesus to their will. 
 
 JOHN XIX. 
 
 [1 cf. John Jiassifn.] 
 
 [C/.V.38.] 
 
 {cf. xix. 31.] 
 
 16 Then delivered he 
 him therefore unto them 
 to be crucified. And 
 they took Jesus, and 
 led hiin away. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 
 
 PETER, 
 
 1 But of the Jews ^ none washed his hands, neither Herod ^ nor any one of his judges.^ 2 And 
 when they had refused to wash them, Pilate rose up. And then Herod the king commandeth that 
 the Lord be taken, saying to them, What things soever I commanded you to do unto him, do. 
 
 3 And there was come there Joseph the friend of Pilate and of the Lord ; and, knowing that 
 they were about to crucify him, he came to Pilate and asked the body of the Lord for burial. 
 4 And Pilate sent to Herod and asked his body. 5 And Herod said. Brother* Pilate, even if 
 no one had asked for him, we purposed to bury him, especially as the sabbath draweth on : for 
 it is written in the law, that the sun set not upon one that hath been put to death. And he 
 delivered him to the people on the day before the unleavened bread, their feast. 
 
 6 And they took the Lord and pushed him as they ran, and said, Let us drag away the Son 
 of God, having obtained power over him. 
 
 7 And they clothed him with purple, and set him on the seat of judgement, saying. Judge 
 righteously, O King of Israel. 8 And one of them brought a crown of thorns and put it on the 
 head of the Lord. 9 And others stood and spat in his eyes, and others smote his cheeks : others 
 pricked him with a reed ; and some scourged him, saying, With this honour let us honour the 
 Son of God. 
 
SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 him, and took the reed, 
 and smote him on the 
 head. 
 
 3 1 And afterthat they 
 had mocked him, they 
 took the robe off from 
 him, and put his own 
 raiment on him, and led 
 him away to crucify /^zot. 
 
 32 And as they came 
 out, they found a man 
 of Cyrene, Simon by 
 name : him they com- 
 pelled to bear his cross. 
 
 ;};i And when they 
 were come unto a place 
 called Golgotha, that 
 
 MARK. 
 
 20 And when they 
 had mocked him, they 
 took off the purple from 
 him, and put his own 
 clothes on him, and led 
 him out to crucify him. 
 
 21 And they compel 
 one Simon a Cyrenian, 
 who passed by, coming 
 out of the country, the 
 father of Alexander 
 and Rufus, to bear his 
 cross. 
 
 22 And they bring 
 him unto the place 
 Golgotha, which is. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 26 And as they led 
 him away, they laid 
 hold upon one Simon, 
 a Cyrenian, coming out 
 of the country, and on 
 him they laid the cross, 
 that he might bear zV 
 after Jesus. 
 
 27 1] And there fol- 
 lowed him a great com- 
 pany of people, and of 
 women, which also be- 
 wailed and lamented 
 him. 
 
 28 But Jesus tiu'ning 
 unto them said. Daugh- 
 ters of Jerusalem, weep 
 not for me, but weep 
 for yourselves, and for 
 your children. 
 
 29 For, behold, the 
 days are coming, in the 
 which they shall say. 
 Blessed are the barren, 
 and the wombs that 
 never bare, and the 
 paps which never gave 
 suck. 
 
 30 Then shall they 
 begin to say to the 
 mountains, Fall on us ; 
 and to the hills. Cover 
 us. 
 
 31 For if they do 
 these things in a green 
 tree, what shall be done 
 in the dry? 
 
 32 And there were 
 also two other, male- 
 factors, led with him to 
 be put to death. 
 
 33 And when they 
 were come to the place, 
 which is called Calvary, 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 1 7 And he bearing his 
 cross went forth into a 
 place called the place of 
 askuU, which iscalled in 
 the Hebrew Golgotha : 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 13 
 
 PETER. 
 
14 
 
 SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 is to say, a place of a 
 skull, 
 
 34 II They gave him 
 vinegar to drink min- 
 gled with gall : and 
 when he had tasted 
 thereof, he would not 
 drink. 
 
 35 And they crucified 
 him, 
 
 and parted his gar- 
 ments, casting lots : 
 that it might be fulfilled 
 which was spoken by 
 the prophet. They 
 parted my garments 
 among them, and upon 
 my vesture did they 
 cast lots. 
 
 36 And sitting down 
 they watched him 
 there ; 
 
 37 And set up over 
 his head his accusation 
 written, THIS IS JE- 
 SUS THE KING OF 
 THE JEWS. 
 38 Then were there 
 two thieves crucified 
 with him, one on the 
 right hand, and another 
 on the left. 
 
 39 U And they that 
 
 MARK. 
 
 being interpreted. The 
 place of a skull. 
 
 23 And they gave him 
 to drink wine mingled 
 with myrrh : but he re- 
 ceived it not. 
 
 24 And when they 
 had crucified him, they 
 parted his garments, 
 casting lots upon them, 
 what every man should 
 take. 
 
 25 And it was the 
 third hour, and they 
 crucified him. 
 
 26 And the super- 
 scription of his accusa- 
 tion was written over, 
 THEKINGOFTHE 
 JEWS. 
 
 27 And with him they 
 crucify two thieves ; 
 the one on his right 
 hand, and the other on 
 his left. 
 
 28 And the scripture 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 there they crucified him, 
 and the malefactors, 
 one on the right hand, 
 and the other on the 
 left. 
 
 34 H Then said Jesus, 
 Father, forgive them ; 
 for they know not what 
 they do. And they 
 parted his raiment, and 
 cast lots. 
 
 35 And the people 
 stood beholding. And 
 the rulers also with 
 them derided him, say- 
 ing. He saved others ; 
 let him save himself, if 
 he be Christ, the chosen 
 of God. 
 
 36 And the soldiers 
 also mocked him, com- 
 ing to him, and offering 
 him vinegar, 
 
 37 Andsaying, If thou 
 be the King of the 
 Jews, save thyself. 
 
 38 And a superscrip- 
 tion also was written 
 over him in letters of 
 Greek, and Latin, and 
 Hebrew, THIS IS 
 THEKINGOFTHE 
 JEWS. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 18 Where they cruci- 
 fied him, and two other 
 with him, on either side 
 one, and Jesus in the 
 midst. 
 
 {cf. vv. 23, 24.] 
 
 1 9 U And Pilate wrote 
 a title, and put it on the 
 cross. And the writing 
 was, JESUS OF NAZ- 
 ARETH THE KING 
 OF THE JEWS. 
 
 20 This title then read 
 many of the Jews : for 
 the place where Jesus 
 was crucified was nigh 
 to the city : and it was 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 15 
 
 PETER. 
 
 I o And they brought two malefactors, and they crucified the Lord between them. 
 
 But he held his peace, as though having no pain. 
 
 1 1 And when they had raised the cross, they wrote upon it, This is the King of Israel. 
 
 1 2 And having set his garments before him, they parted them among them, and cast lots for 
 them. 
 
 [C/. V. II. 1 
 
r6 
 
 SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 passed by reviled him, 
 wagging their heads, 
 
 40 And saying, Thou 
 that destroyest the tem- 
 ple, and buildest it in 
 three days, save thyself. 
 If thou be the Son of 
 God, come down from 
 the cross. 
 
 41 Likewise also the 
 chief priests mocking 
 him, with the scribes 
 and elders, said, 
 
 42 He saved others; 
 himself he cannot save. 
 If he be the King of Is- 
 rael, let him now come 
 down from the cross, 
 and we will believe him. 
 
 43 He trusted in God ; 
 let him deliver him now, 
 if he will have him : for 
 he said, I am the Son of 
 God. 
 
 Vf- V- 35-] 
 
 44 The thieves also, 
 which were crucified 
 with him, cast the same 
 in his teeth. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 was fulfilled, which 
 saith. And he was num- 
 bered with the trans- 
 gressors. 
 
 29 And they that 
 passed by railed on him, 
 wagging their heads, 
 and saying, Ah, thou 
 that destroyest the tem- 
 ple, and buildest it in 
 three days, 
 
 30 Save thyself, and 
 come down from the 
 cross. 
 
 31 Likewise also the 
 chief priests mocking 
 said among themselves 
 with the scribes. He 
 saved others ; himself 
 he cannot save. 
 
 32 Let Christ the 
 King of Israel descend 
 now from the cross, that 
 we may see and believe. 
 
 \cf. V. 24.] 
 
 And they that were cru- 
 cified with him reviled 
 him. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 39 1] And one of the 
 malefactors which were 
 hanged railed on him, 
 saying. If thou be 
 Christ, save thyself and 
 us. 
 
 40 But the other an- 
 swering rebuked him, 
 saying. Dost not thou 
 fear God, seeing thou 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 written in Hebrew, and 
 Greek, and Latin. 
 
 2 1 Then said the chief 
 priests of the Jews to 
 Pilate, Write not. The 
 King of the Jews ; but 
 that he said, I am King 
 of the Jews. 
 
 2 2 Pilate answered, 
 What I have written I 
 have written. 
 
 23 fl Then the sol- 
 diers, when they had 
 crucified Jesus, took 
 his garments, and made 
 four parts, to every sol- 
 dier a part ; and also his 
 coat : now the coat was 
 without seam, woven 
 from the top through- 
 out. 
 
 24 They said therefore 
 among themselves. Let 
 us not rend it, but cast 
 lots for it, whose it shall 
 be : that the scripture 
 might be fulfilled, which 
 saith. They parted my 
 raiment among them, 
 and for my vesture they 
 did cast lots. These 
 things therefore the sol- 
 diers did. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 17 
 
 PETER. 
 
 \cf. V. 12.] 
 
 M And one of those malefactors reproached them, saying, We for the evils that we have done 
 have suffered thus, but this man, who hath become the Saviour of men, what wrong hath he 
 done to you? 
 
i8 
 
 SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 45 Now from the 
 sixth hour there was 
 darkness over all the 
 land unto the ninth 
 hour. 
 
 46 And about the 
 ninth hour Jesus cried 
 with a loud voice, say- 
 ing, Eli, Eli, lama sa- 
 bachthani? that is to 
 say, My God, my God, 
 why hast thou forsaken 
 me? 
 
 MARK. 
 
 33 And when the sixth 
 hour was come, there 
 was darkness over the 
 whole land until the 
 ninth hour. 
 
 34 And at the ninth 
 hour Jesus cried with a 
 loud voice, saying, Eloi, 
 Eloi.lama sabachthani ? 
 which is, being inter- 
 preted. My God, my 
 God, why hast thou for- 
 saken me? 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 art in the same con- 
 demnation ? 
 
 41 And we indeed 
 justly ; for we receive 
 the due reward of our 
 deeds: but this man 
 hath done nothing 
 amiss. 
 
 42 And he said unto 
 Jesus, Lord, remember 
 me when thou comest 
 into thy kingdom. 
 
 43 And Jesus said 
 unto him, Verily I say 
 unto thee. To day shalt 
 thou be with me in 
 paradise. 
 
 44 And it was about 
 the sixth hour, and there 
 was a darkness over all 
 the earth until the ninth 
 hour. 
 
 45 And the sun was 
 darkened, and the veil 
 of the temple was rent 
 in the midst. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 25 ^ Now there stood 
 by the cross of Jesus his 
 moth er,and his mother's 
 sister, Mary the wife of 
 Cleophas, and Mary 
 Magdalene. 
 
 26 When Jesus there- 
 fore saw his mother, and 
 the disciple standing 
 by, whom he loved, he 
 saith unto his mother. 
 Woman, behold thy 
 son! 
 
 27 Then saith he to 
 the disciple. Behold thy 
 mother! And from that 
 hour that disciple took 
 her unto his own home. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 19 
 
 PETER. 
 
 14 And they, being angered at him, commanded that his legs should not be broken, that he 
 might die in torment. 
 
 15 And it was noon, and darkness came over all Judsea: 
 
 and they were troubled and distressed, lest the sun had set, whilst he was yet alive : [for] it is 
 %vritten for them, that the sun set not on him that hath been put to death. 
 
20 
 
 SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 47 Some of them that 
 stood there, when they 
 heard that, said, This 
 man calleth for Elias. 
 
 48 And straightway 
 one of them ran, and 
 took a spunge, and 
 filled it with vinegar, 
 and put it on a reed, 
 and gave him to drink. 
 
 49 The rest said^ Let 
 be, let us see whether 
 Elias will come to save 
 him. 
 
 50 ^ Jesus, when he 
 had cried again with a 
 loud voice, yielded up 
 the ghost. 
 
 51 And, behold, the 
 veil of the temple was 
 rent in twain from the 
 top to the bottom ; 
 
 and the earth did quake, 
 and the rocks rent ; 
 
 52 And the graves 
 were opened ; and 
 many bodies of the 
 saints which slept arose, 
 
 53 And came out of 
 the graves after his res- 
 urrection, and went into 
 the holy city, and ap- 
 peared unto many. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 35 And some of them 
 that stood by, when 
 they heard it, said. Be- 
 hold, he calleth Elias. 
 
 36 And one ran and 
 filled a spunge full of 
 vinegar, and put it on 
 a reed, and gave him 
 to drink, saying. Let 
 alone ; let us see 
 whether Elias will come 
 to take him down. 
 
 37 And Jesus cried 
 with a loud voice, and 
 gave up the ghost. 
 
 38 And the veil of the 
 temple was rent in twain 
 from the top to the bot- 
 tom. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 46 ^ And when Jesus 
 had cried with a loud 
 voice, he said. Father, 
 into thy hands I com- 
 mend my spirit : and 
 having said thus, he 
 gave up the ghost. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 28 ^ After this, Jesus 
 knowing that all things 
 were now accom- 
 plished, that the scrip- 
 ture might be fulfilled, 
 saith, I thirst. 
 
 29 Now there was set 
 a vessel full of vinegar : 
 and they filled a spunge 
 with vinegar, and put it 
 upon hyssop, and put it 
 to his mouth. 
 
 30 When Jesus there- 
 f9re had received the 
 vinegar, he said, It is 
 finished : and he bowed 
 his head, and gave up 
 the ghost. 
 
 31 The Jews there- 
 fore, because it was the 
 preparation, that the 
 bodies should not re- 
 main upon the cross on 
 the sabbath day, (for 
 that sabbath day was 
 an high day,) besought 
 Pilate that their legs 
 might be broken, and 
 that they migh t be taken 
 away. 
 
 32 Then came the sol- 
 diers, and brake the legs 
 of the first, and of the 
 other which was cruci- 
 fied with him. 
 
 33 But when they 
 came to Jesus, and saw 
 that he was dead al- 
 ready, they brake not 
 his legs: 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 
 
 PETER. 
 
 V 
 
 16 And one of them said, Give him to drink gall with vinegar. And they mixed and gave 
 him to drink, 17 and fulfilled all things, and accomplished their sins against their own head. 
 
 18 And many went about with lamps, supposing that it was night, and fell down. 19 And 
 the Lord cried out, saying, My power, my power, thou hast forsaken me. 
 
 And when he had said it he was taken up. 
 
 20 And in that hour the vail of the temple of Jerusalem was rent in twain. 
 
SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 54 Now when the 
 centurion, and they that 
 were with him, watch- 
 ing Jesus, saw the earth- 
 quake, and those things 
 that were done, they 
 feared greatly, saying, 
 Truly this was the Son 
 of God. 
 
 5 5 And many women 
 were there beholding 
 afar off, which followed 
 Jesus from Galilee, min- 
 istering unto him : 
 
 56 Among which was 
 Mary Magdalene, and 
 Mary the mother of 
 James and Joses, and 
 the mother of Zebedee's 
 children. 
 
 57 When the even 
 was come, there came a 
 rich man of Arimathaea, 
 named Joseph, who also 
 himself was Jesus' dis- 
 ciple : 
 
 MARK. 
 
 39 ^ And when the 
 centurion, which stood 
 over against him, saw 
 that he so cried out, and 
 gave up the ghost, he 
 said. Truly this man was 
 the Son of God. 
 
 40 There were also 
 women looking on afar 
 off: among whom was 
 Mary Magdalene, and 
 Mary the mother of 
 James the less and of 
 Joses, and Salome ; 
 
 41 (Who also, when he 
 was in Galilee, followed 
 him, and ministered 
 unto him;) and many 
 other women which 
 came up with him unto 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 42 jj And now when 
 the even was come, be- 
 cause it was the prepa- 
 ration, that is, the day 
 before the sabbath, 
 
 43 Joseph of Arima- 
 thffia, an honourable 
 counsellor, which also 
 waited for the kingdom 
 of God, came, and went 
 in boldly unto Pilate, 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 47 Now when the 
 centurion saw what was 
 done, he glorified God, 
 saying. Certainly this 
 was a righteous man. 
 
 48 And all the people 
 that came together to 
 that sight, beholding 
 the things which were 
 done, smote their 
 breasts, and returned. 
 
 49 And all his ac- 
 quaintance, and the 
 women that followed 
 him from Galilee, stood 
 afar off, beholding these 
 things. 
 
 50 ^ And, behold, 
 there was a man named 
 Joseph, a counsellor ; 
 and he was a good man, 
 and a just : 
 
 5 1 (The same had not 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 34 But one of the 
 soldiers with a spear 
 pierced his side, and 
 forthwith came there 
 out blood and water. 
 
 35 And he that saw 
 it bare record, and his 
 record is true : and he 
 knoweth that he saith 
 true, that ye might 
 beheve. 
 
 36 For these things 
 were done, that the 
 scripture should be ful- 
 filled, A bone of him 
 shall not be broken. 
 
 37 And again another 
 scripture saith, They 
 shall look on him whom 
 they pierced. 
 
 38 ^ And after this 
 Joseph of Arimathasa, 
 being a disciple of Je- 
 sus, but secretly for fear 
 of the Jews, besought 
 Pilate that he might 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 23 
 
 PETER. 
 
 21 And then they drew out the nails from the hands of the Lord, and laid him upon the 
 earth, and the whole earth quaked, and great fear arose. 2 2 Then the sun shone, and it was found 
 the ninth hour : 23 and the Jews rejoiced, and 
 
24 
 
 SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 58 He went to Pilate, 
 and begged the body 
 of Jesus. Then Pilate 
 commanded the body 
 to be delivered. 
 
 59 And when Joseph 
 had taken the body, he 
 wrapped it in a clean 
 linen cloth, 
 
 60 And laid it in his 
 own new tomb, which 
 he had hewn out in the 
 rock : and he rolled a 
 great stone to the door 
 of the sepulchre, and 
 departed. 
 
 61 And there was 
 Mary Magdalene, and 
 the other Mary, sitting 
 over against the sepul- 
 chre. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 and craved the body of 
 
 Jesus. 
 
 44 And Pilate mar- 
 velled if he were already 
 dead : and calling unto 
 him the centurion, he 
 asked him whether he 
 had been any while 
 dead. 
 
 45 And when he knew 
 it of the centurion, he 
 gave the body to 
 Joseph. 
 
 46 And he bought 
 fine linen, and took him 
 down, and wrapped 
 him in the linen, and 
 laid him in a sepulchre 
 which was hewn out of 
 a rock, and rolled a 
 stone unto the door of 
 the sepulchre. 
 
 47 And Mary Mag- 
 dalene and Mary the 
 mother of Joses beheld 
 where he was laid. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 consented to the coun- 
 sel and deed of them ; ) 
 he was of Arimathaea, 
 a city of the Jews : who 
 also himself waited for 
 the kingdom of God. 
 
 52 This man went 
 unto Pilate, and begged 
 the body of Jesus. 
 
 53 And he took it 
 down, and wrapped it 
 in linen, and laid it in 
 a sepulchre that was 
 hewn in stone, wherein 
 never man before was 
 laid. 
 
 54 And that day was 
 the preparation, and the 
 sabbath drew on. 
 
 55 And the women al- 
 so, which came with him 
 from Galilee, followed 
 after, and beheld the 
 sepulchre, and how his 
 body was laid. 
 
 56 And they returned, 
 and prepared spices and 
 ointments ; and rested 
 the sabbath day accord- 
 ing to the command- 
 ment. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 take away the body of 
 Jesus : and Pilate gave 
 hitn leave. He came 
 therefore, and took the 
 body of Jesus. 
 
 39 And there came 
 also Nicodemus, which 
 at the first came to 
 Jesus by night, and 
 brought a mixture of 
 myrrh and aloes, about 
 an hundred pound 
 weight. 
 
 ■ 40 Then took they the 
 body of Jesus, and 
 wound it in linen clothes 
 with the spices, as the 
 manner of the Jews is 
 to bury. 
 
 41 Now in the place 
 where he was crucified 
 there was a garden ; 
 and in the garden a new 
 sepulchre, wherein was 
 never man yet laid. 
 
 42 There laid they 
 Jesus therefore because 
 of the Jews' preparation 
 day; for the sepulchre 
 was nigh at hand. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 25 
 
 PETER. 
 
 gave his body to Joseph that lie might bury it, 
 since he had seen what good things he had done. 
 
 24 And he took the Lord, and washed him, and wrapped him in a linen cloth, and brought 
 him into his own tomb, 
 
 which was called the Garden of Joseph. 
 
 25 Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, perceiving what evil they had done to them- 
 selves, began to lament and to say. Woe for our sins : the judgement hath drawn nigh, and the 
 end of Jerusalem. 
 
 26 And I with my companions was grieved ; and being wounded in mind we hid ourselves : 
 for we were being sought for by them as malefactors, and as wishing to set fire to the temple. 
 
26 
 
 SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 [^cf. Mt. ix. 15.] 
 
 62 f[ Now the next 
 day, that followed the 
 day of the preparation, 
 the chief priests and 
 Pharisees 
 
 came together unto Pi- 
 late, 
 
 63 Saying, Sir, we re- 
 member that that de- 
 ceiver said, while he was 
 yet alive. After three 
 days I will rise again. 
 
 64 Command there- 
 fore that the sepulchre 
 be made sure until the 
 third day, lest his disci- 
 ples come by night, and 
 steal him away, and say 
 unto the people. He is 
 risen from the dead : so 
 the last error shall be 
 worse than the first. 
 
 65 Pilate said unto 
 them. Ye have a watch : 
 go your way, make ii as 
 sure as ye can. 
 
 66 So they went, and 
 made the sepulchre 
 sure, sealing the stone, 
 and setting a watch. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 [!<:/. Mk.ii. 20.] 
 [2^/. Mk. xvi. 10.] 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 27 
 
 PETER. 
 
 27 And upon all these things we fasted 1 and sat mourning 2 and weeping 2 night and day until 
 the sabbath. r o o i 
 
 28 But the scribes and Pharisees and elders being gathered together one with another, when 
 they heard that all the people murmured and beat their breasts, saying. If by his death these 
 most mighty signs have come to pass, see how just he is,— 29 the elders were afraid and 
 
 came to Pilate, beseeching him and saying, 30 Give us Soldiers, that we may guard his 
 sepulchre for three days, lest his disciples come and steal him away, and the people suppose that 
 he is risen from the dead and do us evil. 
 
 31 And Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to guard the tomb. And with 
 them came the elders and scribes to the sepulchre, 
 
 32 And having rolled a great stone together with the centurion and the soldiers, they all together 
 who were there set it at the door of the sepulchre ; 
 
 33 And they affixed seven seals, and they pitched a tent there and guarded it. 
 
 34 And early in the morning as the sabbath was drawing on, there came a multitude from 
 Jerusalem and the region round about, that they might see the sepulchre that was sealed. 
 
 35 And in the night in which the Lord's day was drawing on, as the soldiers kept guard two 
 by two in a watch, there was a great voice in the heaven ; 36 and they saw the heavens opened, 
 and two men descend from thence with great light and approach the tomb. 37 And that stone 
 which was put at the door rolled of itself and made way in part ; and the tomb was opened, 
 and both the young men entered in. 
 
 38 When therefore those soldiers saw it, they awakened the centurion and the elders, — for they 
 too were hard by keeping guard ; 39 and, as they declared what things they had seen, again 
 they see three men coming forth from the tomb, and two of them supporting one, and a cross 
 following them. 40 And of the two the head reached unto the heaven, but the head of him 
 that was led by them overpassed the heavens. 41 And they heard a voice from the heavens, 
 saying, Hast thou preached to them that sleep? 42 And a response was heard from the cross, 
 Yea. 
 
 43 They therefore considered one with another whether to go away and shew these things to 
 Pilate. 44 And while they yet thought thereon, the heavens again are seen to open, and a certain 
 man to descend and enter into the sepulchre. 45 When the centurion and they that were with 
 him saw these things, they hastened in the night to Pilate, leaving the tomb which they were 
 
28 
 
 SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 \cf. Mt. xxvii. 24.] 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 I ^ In the end of the 
 sabbath, as it began to 
 dawn toward the first 
 day of the week, came 
 Mary Magdalene and 
 the other Mary to see 
 the sepulchre. 
 
 2 And, behold, there 
 was a great earthquake : 
 for the angel of the 
 Lord descended from 
 heaven, and came and 
 rolled back the stone 
 from the door, and sat 
 upon it. 
 
 3 His countenance 
 was like lightning, and 
 his raiment white as 
 
 snow: 
 
 MARK. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 1 U And when the 
 sabbath was past, Mary 
 Magdalene, and Mary 
 the mother of James, 
 and Salome, had bought 
 sweet spices, that they 
 might come and anoint 
 him. 
 
 2 And very early in 
 the morning the first 
 day of the week, they 
 came unto the sepulchre 
 at the rising of the sun. 
 
 3 And they said among 
 themselves. Who shall 
 roll us away the stone 
 from the door of the 
 sepulchre? • 
 
 4 And when they 
 looked, they saw that 
 the stone was rolled 
 away : for it was very 
 great. 
 
 5 And entering 
 the sepulchre, 
 
 mto 
 
 they saw a young man 
 sitting on the right side, 
 clothed in a long white 
 garment ; and they were 
 affrighted. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 I Now upon the first 
 day of the week, very 
 early in the morning, 
 they came unto the sep- 
 ulchre, bringing the 
 spices which they had 
 prepared, and certain 
 others with them. 
 
 2 And they found the 
 stone rolled away from 
 the sepulchre. 
 
 3 And they entered 
 in, and found not the 
 body of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 4 And it came to pass, 
 as they were much per- 
 plexed thereabout, be- 
 hold, two men stood by 
 them in shining gar- 
 ments : 
 
 5 And as they were 
 afraid, and bowed down 
 their faces to the earth, 
 
 JOHN. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 I ^ The first day of 
 the week cometh Mary 
 Magdalene early, when 
 it was yet dark, unto the 
 sepulchre, 
 
 and seeth the stone 
 taken away from the 
 sepulchre. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 29 
 
 PETER. 
 
 watching, and declared all things which they had seen, being greatly distressed and saying, Truly 
 he was the Son of God. 46 Pilate answered and said, I am pure from the blood of the Son of 
 God : but ye determined this. 
 
 47 Then they all drew near and besought him and entreated him to command the centurion 
 and the soldiers to say nothing of the things which they had seen : 48 For it is better, say 
 they, for us to incur the greatest sin before God, and not to fall into thehands of the people 
 of the Jews and to be stoned. 49 Pilate therefore commanded the centurion and the soldiers 
 to say nothing. 
 
 50 And at dawn upon the Lord's day, Mary Magdalen, a disciple of the Lord, fearing because 
 of the Jews, since they were burning with wrath, had not done at the Lord's sepulchre the things 
 which the women are wont to do for those that die and for those that are beloved by them — 
 51 she took her friends with her and came to the sepulchre where he was laid. 
 
 52 And they feared lest the Jews should see them, and they said. Although on the day on 
 which he was crucified we could not weep and lament, yet now let us do these things at his 
 sepulchre. 
 
 53 But who shall roll away for us the stone that was laid at the door of the sepulchre, that we 
 may enter in and sit by him and do the things that are due? 54 For the stone was great, and 
 we fear lest some one see us. And if we cannot, yet if we but set at the door the- things which 
 we bring for a memorial of him, we will weep and lament, until we come unto our home. 
 
 55 And they went away and found the tomb opened, 
 
 and coming near they looked in there ; 
 
 and they see there a certain young man sitting in the midst of the tomb, beautiful and clothed 
 in a robe exceeding bright ; 
 
SYNOPTICAL TABLE. 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 4 And for fear of him 
 the keepers did shake, 
 and became as dead 
 men. 
 
 5 And the angel an- 
 swered and said unto 
 the women, Fear not 
 ye : for I know that ye 
 seek Jesus, which was 
 crucified. 
 
 6 He is not here : for 
 he is risen, as he said. 
 Come, see the place 
 where the Lord lay. 
 
 7 And go quickly, and 
 tell his disciples that he 
 is risen from the dead ; 
 and, behold, he goeth 
 before you into Gali- 
 lee ; there shall ye see 
 him: lo, I have told 
 you. 
 
 8 And they departed 
 quickly from the sepul- 
 chre with fear and great 
 joy ; and did run to 
 bring-his disciples word. 
 
 MARK. 
 
 6 And he saith unto 
 them, Be not affright- 
 ed : ye seek Jesus of 
 Nazareth, which was 
 crucified : he is risen ; 
 he is not here : behold 
 the place where they 
 laid him. 
 
 7 But go your way, 
 tell his disciples and 
 Peter that he goeth be- 
 fore you into Galilee : 
 there shall ye see him, 
 as he said unto you. 
 
 8 And they went out 
 quickly, and fled from 
 the sepulchre ; for they 
 trembled and were 
 amazed : neither said 
 they any thing to any 
 man; for they were 
 afraid. 
 
 LUKE. 
 
 [Levi, etc. ; cf. Mk. ii. 
 14.] 
 
 they said unto them, 
 Why seek ye the living 
 among the dead? 
 
 6 He is not here, but 
 is risen : remember how 
 he spake unto you when 
 he was yet in Galilee, 
 
 7 Saying, The Son of 
 man must be delivered 
 into the hands of sinful 
 men, and be crucified, 
 and the third day rise 
 again. 
 
 8 And they remem- 
 bered his words, 
 
 9 And returned from 
 the sepulchre, and told 
 all these things unto the 
 eleven, and to all the 
 rest. 
 
 JOHN. 
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PETER. 31 
 
 PETER. 
 
 who said to them, 56 Wherefore are ye come? Whom seek ye ? Him that was crucified ? He 
 is risen and gone. But if ye believe not, look in and see the place where he lay, that he is 
 not [here] ; for he is risen and gone away thither, whence he was sent. 
 
 57 Then the women feared and fled. 
 
 58 Now it was the last day of the unleavened bread, and many were going forth, returning to 
 their homes, as the feast was ended. 59 But we, the twelve disciples of the Lord, mourned and 
 were grieved : and each one, being grieved for that which was come to pass, departed to his home. 
 60 But I, Simon Peter and Andrew my brother, took our nets and went to the sea ; and there was 
 with us Levi the son of Alphseus, whom the Lord . . . 
 
^^^- lit-jdjrff 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. HOPE W. HOGG, B.D. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The aim of the following introductory paragraphs is neither to furnish a detailed restate- 
 ment of facts already known, nor to offer an independent contribution to the discussion of the 
 problems that arise, although in other circumstances such an attempt might be made with ad- 
 vantage. All that is needed and practicable here is to describe briefly, if possible, the nature of 
 the connection between the English treatise forming the next part of this volume and the ancient 
 work known as the Diatessaron of Tatian ; and then to indicate in a few words some of the more 
 important or interesting features of the work itself, and some of the historical and other problems 
 that are in one way or another connected with it. 
 
 1 The Text Translated. — What is offered to the reader is a translation into English of an 
 Arabic text, published at Rome in 1 888, in a volume entitled in Arabic Diatessaron, which 
 Titianus Compiled from the Four Gospels, with the alternative Latin title, Tatiani Evangeliorum 
 Harmonice, Arabice. The Roman volume consists of two parts — the text, covering a little over 
 209 very clearly printed Arabic pages, and a Latin half, comprising a scholarly introduction 
 (pp. v.— XV.), a Latin translation (pp. 1-99), and a table showing the order in which the passages 
 taken from the gospels occur in the text. The editor is P. Agostino Ciasca, a well-known Orien- 
 talist, " scriptor " at the Vatican Library. 
 
 2 Former Translations. — In his Introduction (p. xiv. f.) Ciasca explains that in his translation 
 he aimed at preserving quantum, salva fidelitate, integrum fuit, indolem styliimqice Clementina Vul- 
 gates. This Latin version was in its turn translated into English by the Rev. J. Hamlyn Hill, 
 B.D., and published in 1894 in a volume entitled The Earliest Life of Christ, with an interesting 
 introduction and a number of valuable appendices. The MS. of Mr. Hill's translation of the 
 Latin of Ciasca was compared with the Arabic original.by Mr. G. Buchanan Gray, M.A., lecturer 
 in Hebrew and the Old Testament in Mansfield College, Oxford. 
 
 3 The Present Translation.— The translation offered here is quite independent of either of 
 these two. Ciasca's Latin was seldom consulted, except when it was thought the Arabic might 
 perhaps be obscured by a misprint. After the translation was completed. Hill's English was 
 compared with it to transfer Mr. Hill's valuable system of references to the margin of this work, 
 and to lessen the risk of oversights passing the last revision unnoticed. In two or three cases 
 this process led to the adoption of a different construction, and in a few of the more awkward 
 passages a word was borrowed as being less harsh than that which had originally been written. 
 Speaking generally, the present version appears to differ from Mr. Hill's in adhering more closely 
 to the original.^ 
 
 4 The Arabic Text.— Only two Arabic MSS. are known to exist. Ciasca tells us (p. xiv.) 
 that he took as the basis of his text that MS. which is more careful in its orthography, the Cod. 
 Vat. Arab. No. 14. He, however, printed at the foot of the page the variants of the other MS., 
 and supplied from it two lacunae in the Cod. Vat.,2 substituted its readings for those of the Cod. 
 Vat. where he thought them preferable, and followed its testimony in omitting two important pas- 
 sages.^ Here and there Ciasca has emended the text, but he does not profess to have produced 
 a critical edition.* 
 
 5 The Arabic ^56'.— Unfortunately, the present writer has not had an opportunity of ex- 
 amining these two MSS. ; but they have been described at some length by Ciasca; Codex XIV., 
 in Pitra's Analecta Sacra, iv., 465 ff., and the other codex in the volume with which we are deal- 
 ing, p. vi. ff. I. The former, which we shall call the Vatican MS. (in Ciasca's foot-notes it is 
 called A), was brought to the Vatican from the East by Joseph S. Assemani^ about a.d. 17 19. 
 It was described by Stephen E. Assemani,^ Rosenmiiller, and Akerblad,^ and then at length by 
 
 1 For further explanation of the method followed see jo. 2 See notes to § 7, 47, and § 52. 36, of the present translation. 
 
 7 cf, Zahn, Forschungen, i., 294 ff 
 
 J S^bdow, 137(3 * See_^ro bdo;r6, and 7o. B miOr., i.,Vr9.^" ' 4 ^Mai, Vet scritt- nova, collect, iv., 14. 
 
 n, Forschm ' " 
 
 3S 
 
36 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Ciasca, to whose account the reader must be referred for the details. It consists of 123 fohos, 
 of which the first seven are somewhat spoiled, and of which two are missing,^ and is supposed 
 by Ciasca, from the character of the writing, and from the presence of certain Coptic letters 2 
 by the first hand, to have been written in Egypt. S. Assemani assigned it to the twelfth cen- 
 tury, and Ciasca accepts his verdict, while Akerblad says the thirteenth or fourteenth century. 
 The text of the MS. is pretty fully vocalised, but there are few diacritical points. There are 
 marginal notes, some of them by a later hand,^ which Ciasca classifies as (i) emendations, (2) 
 restorations, (3) explanations. II. The second MS., which we shall call the Borgian (in Ciasca's 
 foot-notes it is called B), was brought to the Borgian Museum from Egypt in August, 1886. It 
 has at the end the following inscription in Arabic : " A present from Halim Dos Ghali, the Copt, 
 the Catholic, to the Apostolic See, in the year of Christ 1886."* Antonius Morcos, Visitor 
 Apostohc of the Catholic Copts, when, in the beginning of 1886, he was shown and informed 
 about the Vatican MS., told of this other one and was the means of its being sent to Rome. 
 The Borgian MS., which Ciasca refers to the fourteenth century, consists of 355 folios. Folios 
 1-85 5 contain an anonymous preface on the gospels, briefly described by Ciasca, who, however, 
 does not say whether it appears to have been originally written in Arabic or to have been trans- 
 lated into that language. With folios qdb, g-ja, which are reproduced in phototype in Ciasca's 
 edition, begins the Introductory Note given in full at the beginning of the present translation. 
 The text of the Diatessaron ends on foho 353a, but is followed by certain appendices, for which 
 see below, §55, 17, note. This MS. is complete, and has, as we shall see,^ in some respects a 
 better text, though it is worse in its orthography than the Vatican MS. 
 
 6 Condition of the Arabic Text. — Ciasca's text does not profess to be critically determined, 
 for which purpose a more careful study of each of the MSS. and an estimate of their respective 
 texts would be indispensable. Although the Borgian MS. is supposed by Ciasca to be a cen- 
 tury or two later than the Vatican MS. it is clearly not a copy of the latter, for not only does it 
 sometimes offer more original readings, but, as we shall see, its text in some points coincides 
 more exactly in scope with the original work. The list of various readings supplied by Ciasca,'' 
 which is equal to about a fifth or a quarter of the text itself, ought to yield, on being analysed, 
 some canons of criticism. The foot-notes of the present edition are enough to show that a 
 number of the peculiar features of Ciasca's text do not belong to the original Arabic MS. ; and 
 further study would dispose of still more. On the other hand, there are unfortunately some indi- 
 cations * that the common ancestor of both MSS., though perhaps less than two centuries 
 removed from the original, was not the original itself, and therefore emendation may be neces- 
 sary even where both MSS. agree. From first to last it has to be borne in mind that a great 
 deal of work was done at Arabic versions of the gospels,^ and the text of the copy from which 
 our two MSS. are descended may already have suffered from contact with other versions ; 
 while the special activity of the thirteenth century may have left its mark in some places on the 
 text of the Borgian MS., supposing it to be chronologically the later. 
 
 7 Origin of the Arabic Text. — If some of the uncouthness of the Arabic text is due to cor- 
 ruption in the course of transmission, much is also due to its being not an original work, but a 
 translation. That it is, in the main, a translation from Syriac is too obvious to need proof. 1* 
 The Introductory Notice and Subscription to the Borgian MS., moreover, expressly state that 
 the work was translated by one Abu'l Faraj 'Abdulla ibn-at-Tayyib,ii an " excellent and, learned 
 priest," and the inferiority of parts of the translation,!^ ^nd entire absence of any confirmatory 
 evidence,i3 hardly suffice to refute this assertion. Still, the Borgian MS. is a late witness, and 
 although it most probably preserves a genuine tradition as to the author of our work, its state- 
 ment need not therefore necessarily be correct in every point. 
 
 8 The Arabic Editor and his Method. — Ibn-a^-Tayyib (d. 1043) is a well-known man, a 
 Nestorian monk and scholar, secretary to Elias I., Patriarch of Nisibis (for references to 
 sources see, e.g., Ciasca's Introduction, p. xi. f. and Steinschneider's long note in his Polemische 
 uud apologeiische Lit. in Arabische Sprache, pp. 52-55). As we are here concerned with him 
 
 1 See below, § 7, 47, note, and § 52, 36, note. _ S See below, % 28, 43, note. 3 See below, foot-notes, passim, 
 
 4 The first leaf bears a more pretentious Latin inscription, quoted by Ciasca, p. vi. 5 Can this be a misprint for 95 ? 
 
 G See below, 13. 7 He does not state, in so many words, that the list is absolutely exhaustive. 
 
 8 See, e.g., below, § 13, 42, note, andS 14, 43, note. 
 
 D See the valuable article of Guidi, " Le traduzioni degli Evangelii in arabo e in etiopico " {Atti della R. Accademia del Lincei ; Classe 
 
 di sctenze morali, sioriche ejilologlche. Serie Quarta, i838. Parte Prima — Memorie, pp. 5-38). Some of his results are briefly 
 
 stated in Scrivener, A Plain. Jniroa. to the Crit. qfihe N, T,y 4th ed., ii., 162. 
 10 cf. the foot-notes /-w.r/;«, e.g., § 13, 14, ^ 14, 24. _ 11 See below, note to Subscription. 12 See a glaring case in § 52, 11. 
 
 13 The references to the readings of the Diatessaron in Ibn-at-Tayyib's own commentary on the gospels (see next note) are remarkably 
 
 impersonal for one who had made or was to make a translation of it. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 37 
 
 simply as a link in the chain connecting our present work with its original source, the only point 
 of interest for us is the method he followed in producing it. Did he prepare an independent 
 translation or did he make use of existing Arabic versions, his own or others'? Until this ques- 
 tion, which space forbids us to discuss here, has been more thoroughly investigated,! jt nmst 
 suffice to say that in view of the features in the present text that have not yet been shown to 
 exist in any other Arabic version, it is still at least a tenable hypothesis that Ibn-at-Tayyib's MS. 
 constituted to a considerable extent a real translation rather than a sort of Arabic parallel to the 
 Codex Fuldensis (see below, 12). 
 
 9 The Syriac Text Translated —The eleventh-century MS. of Ibn-at-Tayyib, could we reach 
 it, would bring us face to face with the more interesting question of the nature of his Syriac 
 original. The Subscription to the Borgian MS. states, probably copying the statement from its 
 exemplar, that this was a Syriac MS. in the handwriting of 'Isa ibn-'Ali al Motatabbib, pupil of 
 Honain ibn Ishak. This Honain was a famous Arabic physician and medical writer of Bagdad 
 (d. 873), whose school produced quite a number of translations and translators, among whom 
 Ibn-'Ali, supposed to be identical with the Syriac lexicographer of the same name, is known to 
 have had a high place. The Syriac MS., therefore, that Ibn-at-Tayyib translated takes us back 
 to about the year 900. But the Subscription to each of our MSS.^ states that the work ended 
 is the gospel called Diatessaron, compiled from the four gospels by Titianus ; while the Intro- 
 ductory. Note to the Borgian MS. adds that this Titianus was a Greek. The next step, there- 
 fore, is to inquire whether any traces exist of such a Syriac work, or any statements by which 
 we can check the account just given of it. 
 
 10 Other Traces of a Syriac Text. — No copy of a Syriac Diatessaron has yet been shown to 
 have survived.^ A number of quotations* from such a W9rk have, however, been found in a 
 Syriac commentary on the New Testament by Isho'dad of Merv i^circ. 852), a contemporary of 
 Honain, Ibn- 'All's teacher.^ The value of these extracts is apparent, for they take us back one gen- 
 eration earlier than Ibn-at-Tayyib's Syriac exemplar. More important still, they do not entirely 
 agree with the text of our Arabic version. To solve the problem thus raised, we must examine 
 some of the statements about the Diatessaron to be found in ecclesiastical writers. 
 
 11 Statements about the Diatessaron. — One of the most widely known is that of Isho'dad 
 himself, who, in his Preface to the Gospel of Mark, says : " Tatian, disciple of Justin, the phil- 
 osopher and martyr, selected from the four gospels, and combined and composed a gospel, and 
 called it Diatessaron, i.e., the Combined, . . . and upon this gospel Mar Ephraem commented." ^ 
 Dionysius Bar Salibi (twelfth century) repeats each of these phrases, adding, " Its commence- 
 ment was, ' In the beginning was the Word.' " '' These statements identify the author of the 
 Diatessaron with a man otherwise known, and tell us that the great Syrian father Ephraem 
 (d. 373) wrote a commentary on it. Unfortunately, no Syriac MS. of Ephraem's work is known 
 to have survived ; ^ but quotations from it, or allusions to it, are being found in other Syriac writ- 
 ers. One further reference will suffice for the present. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus, four hun- 
 dred years before Isho'dad, wrote thus in his book on Heresies (written in 453): "Tatian the 
 Syrian. . . . This [writer] also composed the gospel which is called Diatessaron, cutting out the 
 genealogies and whatever other passages show that the Lord was born of the seed of David ac- 
 
 1 A specially important part of the general question is this. What are the mutual relations of the following: (i) a supposed version of at 
 least Matthew and John made from the Syriac by Ibn-at-Tayyib, mentioned by Ibn-al-'Assal in the Preface to his scholarly recension 
 of the gospels (MS. numbered Or. 3382 in Brit. Mus., folio 384^). and used by him in determining his text: (2) the gospel text inter- 
 woven with the commentary of Ibn-at-Tayyib on the gospels, a commentary which De Slane says the author -wrote in Syriac and then 
 translated into Arabic ; (3) our present work. Of MSS. testifying to No. i we have some dating from the time of Ibn-al-'Assal him- 
 self; of No. 2 we have, in addition to others, an eleventh-century MS. in Paris, described by De Slane (catalogue No. 85) as being " un 
 volume d6pareill4 du MS. original de I'ouvrage" ; of No. 3 we have of course the Vatican and Borgian MSS. What is the mutual re- 
 lation of these texts ; were any two of them identical ? The Brit. Mus. MS. of the second has many points of contact with the third, 
 but is dated 1805 a.d. Does the older Paris MS. stand more or less closely related? Did Ibn-at-Tayyib himself really translate any 
 or all of these texts, or did he simply select or edit them ? Space does not permit us to point out, far less to discuss, the various 
 possibilities. 2 The text is given below in full at its proper place. 
 
 3 Prof Gottheil, indeed, announced in 1892 in the Journal of Biblical Literature (vol. xi., pt. i., p. 71) that he had been privately in- 
 
 formed of the existence of a complete copy of the Syriac Diatessaron. Unfortunately, however, as he has kindly informed me, he 
 has reluctantly come to the conclusion that the MS. in question, which is not yet accessible, is " nothing more than the commentary 
 of Isho'dad " mentioned in the text. A similar rumor lately circulated probably originated simply in the pamphlet of Goussen 
 mentioned in the next note. S. Biiumer, on the other hand, in his article, "Tatians Diatessaron, seine bisher. Lit. u. die Recon- 
 struction des Textes nach einer neuentdeckten 'Hi^i^Aichnh" (Lzterarischer Handweiser, 1890, 153-169) which the present writer has 
 not been able to see, perhaps refers simply to the Borgian MS. „,., ,„.,,,. _ .,„o->t vTir 
 
 4 Attention was called to these by Profs. Isaac H. Hall and R. J. H. Gottheil (Joum. of Bibl Lit., x., 153 ff.: xi., 68 fF.); then by Prof. 
 
 J. R. Harris (COTfeOT>. Rev., Aug., ^ip, p. ^■ji!!.,a.ni,moxit{a\\y, Fragments 0/ the Com. 0/ Ephr. Syr. on the Diatess., London, 1895) 
 and iiy Goussen (S'^ki/m T'Ai'c&^-K/l, fasc. i.. Lips., 1895). „„.„ , ^ c ■ ^ ■ .j 
 
 5 Prof Harris promises an edition of this commentary. 8 Hams, Fragments, p. 14, where the bynac text is quoted. ^ 
 
 t Bib Or ii 159 f Most of them are repeated again by Bar Hebrseus (d. 1286), although some confusion is produced by his interweaving 
 some phrases from Eusebius of Caisarea. (Bib. Or., i., 57 f , and a longer quotation in English in Contemf. Rev., Aug., 189S, p. 274 f.) 
 
 8 Laearde's statement (Nachrichtcn von der KSnigl. Gesellsch. der Wiss., etc., zu Gdttingen, 1891, No. 4, p. 153) that a MS. had been 
 discovered, appears to have been unfounded. Prof. Rahlfs of Gottingen kindly tells me that he beUeves this is so. 
 
38 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 cording to the flesh." ^ Before examining the testimonials we have now adduced, we must notice 
 certain more remote sources of information. 
 
 12 Non-Syriac Texts of tlie Diatessaron. — Although Ephraem's Syriac commentary on the 
 Diatessaron is for the present lost, there is an Armenian version of it ^ extant in two MSS. dating 
 from about the time of Bar Salibi and our Vat. MS.^ A Latin translation of this work, published 
 in 1876 by Moesinger,* formed the main basis of Zahn's attempt ^ to reconstruct the Diatessaron. 
 Appendix X in Hill's Diatessaron (pp. 334-377) contains an English translation of the texts com- 
 mented on by Ephraem, made from Moesinger's Latin, but collated with the Armenian by Pro- 
 fessor J. Armitage Robinson, of Cambridge. A comparison of this document with our Arabic text 
 shows a remarkable agreement in the order and contents, but just as remarkable a lack of agree- 
 ment in the kind of text presented. The same phenomenon is met with when we compare our 
 Arabic text with a document that carries us back three hundred years before the time of Isho'- 
 dad, and therefore more than six hundred years before the Armenian MSS. — the Codex Ful- 
 densis of the Vulgate.^ This MS. contains an arrangement of the gospel matter that its discov- 
 erer and pubhsher. Bishop Victor of Capua (d. 554), rightly concluded must represent the Diates- 
 saron of Tatian, but for the text of which was apparently substituted that of . the Vulgate.''' 
 We are now ready to weigh the testimony we have gathered.^ 
 
 13 Accretions to the Diatessaron. — The statements we are to consider are: (1) Bar Salibi's, 
 that Tatian's Diatessaron began with "In the beginning was the 'Word ";8 (2) Theodoret's, that 
 Tatian cut out the genealogies; and (3) the same writer's, that Tatian also cut out "whatever 
 other passages show that the Lord was born of the seed of David according to the flesh." Of 
 these statements i conflicts with the Arabic text, which begins with Mark, and the Codex Ful- 
 densis, which begins with Luke, but agrees with the Ephraem source ; the same is true of 2 ; 
 while 3 conflicts with all three texts. Our limits do not admit of our discussing these points in 
 detail. It must suffice to say (i) that, although a more careful examination at first-hand of the 
 introductory notices in the two Arabic MSS. seems needed before one can venture to propound 
 a complete theory, a comparison of the two texts, and a consideration of the descriptions given 
 by Ciasca and Lagarde,!" make it almost certain that the genuine Arabic text of Ibn-at-Tayyib 
 began with John i. i. Similarly the first four verses of Luke (on which see also below, §1,6, 
 note) were probably not in the original text of the MS. that Victor found, for they are not men- 
 tioned in the (old) table of contents. We seem thus to detect a process of gradual accretion of 
 material drawn from the ordinary gospel text. (2) The genealogies illustrate the same process. 
 In the Vatican MS. they form part of the text." But in the Borgian MS., although they pre- 
 cede the Subscription, and therefore ffiay have been already in the ninth-century Syriac MS. used 
 by Ibn-at-Tayyib, they are still placed by themselves, after a blank space, at the end of the vol- 
 ume, with a title of their own. 12 Here, therefore, we actually see stages of the process of ac- 
 cretion. (3) It is therefore possible that the same account must also be given of 3, although in 
 this case we have no direct proof. 
 
 14 Passages Lost from the Diatessaron. — If the Diatessaron has thus been growing so as to 
 represent the ordinary text of the canonical gospels more completely, we have also evidence that 
 suggests that it has been at some time or times purged of certain features that are lacking in 
 these canonical gospels. For one case of this kind see below, § 4, 36, note. 
 
 15 Preservation of the Text of the Diatessaron. — We have observed already that the Latin, 
 Armenian, and Arabic Diatessarons corrt&^ond. pretty closely in subject-matter and arrangement, but 
 differ markedly in text. The Codex Fuldensis is really a MS. of the Vulgate, although the text that 
 Victor found was probably somewhat different. The Armenian text differs materially from the 
 ordinary Syriac version of the New Testament (the Peshitta), showing a marked connection with 
 another type of Syriac text represented now by the Curetonian and Sinaitic (Lewis) MSS. The 
 Arabic text, on the other hand, almost systematically represents the Peshitta. The explanation 
 of the condition of text in the Codex Fuldensis is obvious. On the other hand, the relationship 
 of the Armenian and Arabic texts to the original Diatessaron must be determined by weighing 
 
 1 Migne, Patrol. grcEC, torn. Ixxxiii., col. 369, 372. 2 Published at Venice in 1836. 
 
 3 Tile two Armenian MSS. are dated A.D. 1195. 4 Evangelii Concordantis Expositio, facia a S. Ephraemo (Ven., 1876). 
 
 6 Forschungen zur Geschickte des neutestanteiitlicken Kanons, I. Tiieil. 6 Edited byErnestus Ranke, Marb. and Lips., i868. 
 
 7 For other forms of the Diaiessarojl, of no critical importance, see S. Hemphill, TJu Diaiessaroji o/Tahan (London, 1888), Appendix D 
 
 and the refs. there. 
 
 8 Further references, chiefly repetitions in one form or another of the statements we have quoted, may be found in a convenient form in 
 
 Hamack, Gesck. d. altchrist. Lit. bis Euseb.^ 493-496 ; cf. also the works mentioned by Hill {op. cit,') p. 378 f. 
 
 9 cf.xh^ words of Aphraates, senior contemporary of Ephraem : " Asit is written in the beginning of the Gospel of our Vivifier: In the be- 
 
 ginning was the Word.' {Patrol. Syr., pars i., tom. i., 21, lines 17-19). 
 
 10 Nachricktenvon derKSnigl. Gesellsch. der IViss., etc., March 17, 1886, No. 4, p. 151 ff. 11 See notes to § 2, i, and § 4, 29. 
 13 See note to § 55, 17. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 39 
 
 very multifarious evidence that cannot be even cited here (see above 6 ff.). The two texts de- 
 pend, as we have seen, on late MSS. ; but all the earlier references and quotations go to show 
 that the Armenian text 1 stands much more closely related to the original than does the Arabic. 
 
 16 Checkered History of the Diatessaron. — What use the Arabic edition of Ibn-af-Tayyib was 
 put to when made we do not know. 'Abd Isho' (d. 1318) speaks in the highest terms of Tatian's 
 work, saying, "... With all diligence he attended to the utmost degree to the right order of 
 those things which were said and done by the Saviour ; of his own he did not add a single say- 
 ing." 2 But the leaders of the Syrian church had not always thought so. Theodoret [loc. cit.) 
 some nine hundred years earher had written thus : " . . . Even those that follow the apostolic 
 doctrines, not perceiving the mischief of the composition," used "the book too simply as an 
 abridgment." A few years earlier Rabbula, Bishop of Edessa (d. 435), had said:^ "Let the 
 presbyters and deacons give heed that in all the churches there be provided and read a copy 
 of the Distinct Gospel," i.e., not the harmonized or mixed gospel. But obviously these men were 
 trying to suppress traditional practice due to very different views. Theodoret {loc. cit.) found 
 more than two hundred copies of the work "held in respect in the churches " ; and the Doctrine 
 of Addai (Edessa, third to fourth century) seems simply to identify the Diatessaron and the New 
 Testament.* Outside of the Syriac-speaking churches we find no signs of any such use of the 
 Diatessaron. It would seem, therefore, that at a quite early stage the Diatessai-on was very 
 widely if not universally read in the Syriac churches, and commented on by scholars as the 
 gospel ; that in time it fell under the condemnation of some at least of the church leaders, who 
 made violent efforts to suppress it ; that it could not be suppressed ; that a commentary on it 
 was (perhaps in the fifth century ^) translated into Armenian ; that it was still discussed by com- 
 mentators, and new Syriac MSS. of it made in the ninth century, and thought worth the labor of 
 reproduction in Arabic in the beginning of the eleventh century; that MSS. of the Armenian 
 volume continued to be made down to the very end of the twelfth century, and of the Arabic 
 edition down to the fourteenth century ; but that this long life was secured at the expense of a 
 more or less rapid assimilation of the text to that of the great Syriac Bible which from the fourth 
 century onwards became more and more exclusively used — the Peshitta. 
 
 17 The Author of the Diatessaron. — The Diatessaron is such an impersonal work that we do 
 not need to know very much about its compiler.^ It will suffice here to say that he tells us him- 
 self that he was born " in the land of the Assyrians," and brought up a heathen. After travel- 
 ling in search of knowledge, he settled at Rome, where he became a pupil of Justin Martyr, 
 professed Christianity, and wrote in Greek his Address to the Greeks^ translated in vol. iii. of the 
 Ante-Nicene Christian Library. He was too independent in his attitude to maintain a perma- 
 nent popularity, and after Justin's death left Rome and returned to Mesopotamia. It was prob- 
 ably here that he issued in Syriac his most important work, the Diatessaron, which won such a 
 warm place in the heart of the Syrian church. Among the Greek scholars, however, he became 
 more and more regarded as a heretic, Encratite (ascetic), and Gnostic. 
 
 18 The Diatessaron as a Harmony. — 'i^ot very much need be said on this subject, as every 
 reader can collect the facts for himself. In its present form the Harmony draws from all the 
 four canonical gospels, and from very little else. Opinions differ as to whether it originally in- 
 dicated the gospel from which any given piece was drawn, and some uncertainty must remain 
 ia special cases as to what gospel actually has been drawn upon. Professor G. F. Moore, in a 
 very interesting article on the Diatessaron,^ having counted the references in the Arabic MSS., 
 states that the Arabic text contains 50 per cent, of Mark, 66 per cent, of Luke, 76.5 per cent, of 
 Matthew, and 96 per cent, of John. The summation of his figures gives the following result : 
 out of a total of 3780 verses in the four gospels, the Diatessaron quotes 2769 and oniits ion. 
 As to the order in which the whole is arranged, Moore thinks that Matthew has chiefly been 
 followed ; while Zahn regards the Fourth Gospel as normative. For a specimen of the way in 
 which words and phrases from the different gospels are woven together, we may refer to § 52, 
 35 ff;, and the notes thereon. In the Arabic MSS., and probably in the Syriac exemplar, the 
 work is divided into fifty-four almost equal chapters, followed by one short one— a feature that 
 agrees well with what we have learned of the work as being of old the lectionary of the Syrian 
 church. 
 
 1 The Armenian version of Ephraem is supposed to date from the fifth ccntuiy. „, r., . v 
 
 2 Mai, Scritt. Tjei. nov. Coll., x., loi. 3 Overbeck, S. Ephraena, etc., Ofera Selecta, p. 220, lines 3-5. 
 4 Phillips Doct Add p 36 15-17 [E Tr p. 34]. ^ Moesinger, ^wa«^. C(7«C(7r(i. , etc., p. xi. 
 
 6 The latest discussion of the'question whether this really was Tatian is Mr. Rendel Harris's article in the Cotitemp. Rev., Aug., 189s. 
 
 7 Best ed. by Eduard Schwartz, in TVjirfe »K</ CfK!^«?-jai:fc<«.r<^B, IV. Band, Heft I. ,. „ 
 
 8 " Tatian's Diatessaron and the Analysis of the Pentateuch," Joum. of Btbl. Lit., vol. ix., 1890, pt. u., 201-215. 
 
40 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 19 Problems Connected with the Diatessaron. — The Diatessaron opens up a very wide field of 
 study A few points may be here enumerated (see also above, 8, and note there). In what 
 language was it written? On the view favoured by an increasing majority of scholars, that it 
 was written in Syriac, was it a translation or simply a compilation? What precisely is its relation 
 to the Syriac versions and the " Western " text generally? Then there is its bearing on the date 
 and formation of the canonical gospels ; the phenomenon of its so long supplying the place of 
 those gospels ; the analogy it presents to the Pentateuch, according to the critical view of the 
 origin of the latter. These and other issues make the Diatessaron an important and interesting 
 study. 
 
 20 The Present Translation. — The work of translation has been found much more tedious 
 than was anticipated, notwithstanding the fact that considerably more than half of it is the work 
 of my wife, which I have simply revised with special attention to the many obscurities dealt with 
 in the foot-notes. We have, however, worked so much together that it is very doubtful whether 
 any one could assign the various parts to their respective sources. My wife also verified the 
 Arabic references to the gospels printed on the margin to the right of the text,^ and prepared the 
 Index to these references — an extremely laborious and perplexing piece of work. This Index is 
 inserted merely for the practical purpose of enabling the reader to find any given gospel piece in 
 the Diatessaron. When a verse is not found in the Index, an equivalent passage from some of 
 the other gospels should be looked for. On the margin to the left of the text are indicated the 
 pages of the Arabic text and the sections and verses in Hill's version.^ 
 
 The aim has been to make a literal translation. As two freer translations already exist, it 
 seemed best to incline to the side of being overliteral. If, however, features due simply to 
 Arabic idiom have been preserved, this is an oversight. Uniformity could only have been 
 secured by devoting a much longer time to the work than the editor was able to allow. The 
 difficulties are due to the corrupt state of the Arabic text,^ and to the awkward reproduction * or 
 actual misunderstanding ^ of the Syriac original by the author or authors of the Arabic transla- 
 tion. It has been impossible to maintain consistency in dealing with these phenomena. If any 
 rendering seem strange, it will be well to consult the S}rriac versions before deciding that it is 
 wrong. A good deal of attention, too, has to be paid to the usage of the Arabic text, which, 
 though it has many points of contact with other Arabic versions of the gospels, e.g., the MS. 
 described by Gildemeister (De evangg. in arab. e simp. Syr., 1865), is as yet for us (see above, 
 8) a distinct version, possessed of an individuality of its own, one pronounced feature being its 
 very close adherence to its Syriac original. Another revision of the present translation, in the 
 light of a fuller study of these features, would doubtless lead to changes both in the text and in 
 the foot-notes. The latter aim at preventing misunderstanding and giving some examples of the 
 peculiarities of the text, and of the differences between the MSS. To have dealt systematically 
 with the text and various readings would have required much more time and space than was avail- 
 able. The consequence of this incompleteness has been some uncertainty at times what text to 
 translate. As already stated (paragraphs 4 and 6), Ciasca's printed text neither represents any 
 one MS. nor professes to be based in its eclecticism on any systematic critical principles. On 
 the whole Ciasca has here been followed somewhat mechanically in deciding what to exhibit in 
 the text and what to relegate to the foot-notes. As a rule conjectural emendations have not 
 been admitted into the text except where the MS. readings would hardly bear translation. 
 Italics in the text denote words supplied for the sake of English idiom ; in the foot-notes, quo- 
 tations from the MSS. It is to be noted that many linguistic usages said, for shortness, in the 
 foot-notes to be characteristic of the present work, i.e., as compared with ordinary Arabic, are 
 common in Arabic versions. " Syriac versions " means the three (Pesh., Cur., Sin.), or as many 
 of them as contain the passage in question ; if the Peshitta alone is quoted, it may be assumed 
 that Cur. and Sin. are missing or diverge. 
 
 In conclusion we may say that an effort has been made to preserve even the order of 
 words ; but it must be emphasized that it is very doubtful whether it is wise for any one to use 
 the Arabic Diatessaron for critical purposes who is not acquainted with Arabic and Syriac. The 
 tenses, e.g., are much vaguer in Arabic than in Greek and English, and are, moreover, in this 
 work often accommodated to Syriac idiom. The Greek and the Revised Version have been 
 
 1 The refs., except where the foot-notes indicate otherwise, are to the verses of the English or Greek Bible. The numbers of the Arabic 
 
 verse refs. (which follow the Vulgate and therefore in one or two passages differ from the English numbers by one) may, however, 
 have been occasionally retained through oversight. It is only the name of the gospel that can possibly be ancient. 
 
 2 It may be mentioned that it has been found very convenient to mark these figures on the margin of the Arabic text. An English index 
 
 (that given here, or that in Hill's volume) can then be used for the Arabic text also. 
 
 3 e.g., § 8, 10. For a list of suggested emendations see at end of Index. 4 e.g., § 52, 11. B e.g., § 45, 33. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 41 
 
 used to determine in almost every case how the vague Arabic tenses and conjunctions should 
 be rendered. It is therefore only where it differs from these that our translation can be quoted 
 without investigation as giving positive evidence. 
 
 This is not a final translation. Few books have had a more remarkable Hterary history than 
 the Diatessaron, and that history is by no means done. Much careful argument will yet be de- 
 voted to it, and perhaps discoveries as important as any hitherto made are yet to shed light on 
 the problems that encircle it. If our work can help any one to take a step in advance, we shall 
 not regret the toil. 
 
 Oxford, 21st December, 1895. 
 
THE DIATESSARON 
 
 INTRODUCTORY NOTES. 
 
 1. In the Borgian MS. 
 
 In the name of the one God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to him be glory 
 forever. We shall begin, with the help of God most high, the writing of the pure gospel, the 
 blooming garden, called Diatessaron (a word meaning " fourfold "), the work compiled by Titianus 
 the Greek out of the four evangelists — Matthew the elect, whose symbol is M, Mark the chosen, 
 whose symbol is R, Luke the approved, whose symbol is K, and John the beloved, whose 
 symbol is H. The work was translated from Syriac into Arabic by the excellent and learned 
 priest, Abu'l-Faraj 'Abdulla ibn-at-Tayyib,i may God grant him his favour. He began with the 
 first of -^ And he said; The Beginning S of the Gospel of Jesus the Son of the living God. John:* In the 
 beginning, etc. 
 
 2. In the Vatican MS. 
 
 In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, giver of life, the God that is 
 one in substance in his essence, and three in persons in his attributes. The first of his Gospel is 
 He began the first of his Gospel with Mark. And he said : The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, 
 the Son of God. John : In the beginning, etc. 
 
 1 The MS. here has Tabib, but the name is correctly given in the Subscription (y.^.). 2 i.e., simply i/^ began wiik. 
 
 3 The vowel signs as printed by Ciasca imply some such construction as And he said as a begiitnivg : The Gospel, etc. But the vocal- 
 
 isation is of course not authoritative, and a comparison with the preface in the Vatican MS. suggests the rendering given above. The 
 word translated Beginning in the two Introductory Notes is the very word (whichever spelling be adopted) used by Ibn-at-Tayyib him- 
 self in his comments on Mk. i. (at least according to the Brit. Mus. MS.), although not in the gospel text prefixed to the Comments 
 as it now stands, or indeed in any MS. Arabic gospel in the Brit. Mus. This would seem to militate against our theory of the original 
 form of this much-debated passage in the Introductory Notes, as indicated by the use of small type for the later inserted phrases : and 
 the difficulty appears at first to be increased by the following words in Ibn-at-'Fayyib's comments on Mk. i. (Brit. Mus. MS., fol. igcuz), 
 "and some say that the Greek citation and in the Diatessaron, which Taiianus the pupil of Justianus the philosopher wrote, the 
 guotation is not -written, " Isaiah," but, "as it is written in the prophet." This is a remarkable statement about the Diatessaron. But 
 the sentence is hardly grammatical. Perhaps the words printed in italics originally formed a complete sentence by themselves, possibly on 
 the margin. If this conjecture be correct we might emend, e.g., by restoring them to the margin, and repeating the last three words or 
 some equivalent phrase in the text It would be interesting to know how the Paris MS. reads. See below, p. 138 (Suggested Emenda- 
 tions). 
 
 4 Ciasca does not state whether the word John occurs here in the Borgian MS. or not. 
 
 42 
 
THE TEXT OF THE DIATESSARON. 
 
 [SECTION I.] 
 
 § 1 I In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God is the J°- '> '• 
 
 2, 3 Word. This was in the beginning with God. Everything was by his hand, and j°; j'_ ^i 
 
 4 without him not even one existing thing was made. In him was life, and the Hfe Jo. i, 4. 
 
 5 is the hght of men. And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness appre- Jo. i, 5. 
 h ended it not. 
 
 6 There was in the days of Herod the king a priest whose name was Zacharias, of Lk. i, 5.1 
 the family of Abijah ; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name 
 
 7 was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all his com- Lk. i, 6. 
 
 8 mands, and in the uprightness of God without reproach. And they had no son, for Lk. i, 7. 
 
 9 Elizabeth was barren, and they had both advanced in age. And while he discharged Lk. i, 8. 
 
 10 Arabic, the duties of pricst lu the Order of his servicc before God, accordiHg to the Lk. i, 9. 
 P- 2 custom of the priesthood it was his turn to burn incense ; so he entered the 
 
 1 1 temple of the Lord. And the whole gathering of the people were praying without at the Lk. i, 10. 
 
 1 2 time of the incense. And there appeared unto Zacharias the angel of the Lord, stand- Lk. i, n. 
 
 13 ing at the right of the altar of incense ; and Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, Lk. i, 12. 
 
 14 and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Be not agitated,^ Zacharias, Lk. 1, 13. 
 for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt 
 
 15 call his name John ; and thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice Lk. i, 14. 
 
 16 at his birth. And he shall be great before the Lord, and shall not drink wine nor Lk, i, 15. 
 strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit ^ while he is in his mother's 
 
 17 womb. And he shall turn back many of the children of Israel to the Lord their Lk. 1,16. 
 
 18 God. And he shall go before him in the spirit, and in the power of Elijah the Lk. i, 17. 
 prophet, to turn back the heart of the fathers to the sons, and those that obey not to 
 
 the knowledge * of the righteous ; and to prepare for the Lord a perfect people. 
 ig And Zacharias said unto the angel. How shall I know this, since I am an old man Lk. 1,18. 
 
 20 and my wife is advanced in years? And the angel answered and said unto him, I Lk. 1,19. 
 am Gabriel, that standeth before God ; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and give 
 
 21 thee tidings of this. Henceforth thou shalt be speechless, and shalt not be able to Lk. 1,20. 
 speak until the day in which this shall come to pass, because thou didst not trust 
 
 22 this my word, which shall be accomplished in its time. And the people were stand- Lk. i, zi. 
 
 Arabic, ing awaitiug Zacharias, and they were perplexed at his delaying in the temple. 
 
 23 P- 3 And when Zacharias went out, he was not able to speak unto them : so they Lk. i, 22. 
 knew that he had seen in the temple a vision ; and he made signs unto them, and 
 
 24 continued dumb. And when the days of his service were completed, he departed to Lk. i, 23. 
 his dwelling. 
 
 25 And after those days Elizabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five Lk. i, 24. 
 
 26 months, and said, This hath the Lord done unto me in the days when he looked Lk. 1,23. 
 upon me, to remove my reproach from among men. 
 
 27 And 5 in the sixth month Gabriel the angel was sent from God to Galilee* to a Lk. 1,26. 
 
 28 city called Nazareth, to a virgin given in marriage to a man named Joseph, of the Lk. 1,27. 
 
 29 house of David ; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel entered unto her Lk. i, 2S. 
 and said unto her, Peace be unto thee, thou who art filled with grace. Our Lord 
 
 1 On the margin of the Vatican MS., fol. irt, are written by a later hand these words, Tkijirst of his Gospel. _ The first 
 p/ ihe Evangel \is) the Gospel of Luke ; followed by the text of the first four verses of Luke, and that in turn by 
 the words. Four complete Gospels, Matthew, and Mark, and Luke, and John. See Ciasca's Essay, cited above 
 (Introduction, 5), p. 468. 2 This word is constantly recurring in the sense of_/tan 
 
 8 Everywhere, except in the introductory notes, the Arabic is the Spirit 0/ Holiness, as in the Arabic versions. 
 
 4 See § 28, 17, note. . ..... . a l- 
 
 6 The Vat. MS. has over this verse. The second sectio*'.,from ihe Gospel af Luke, i. e, as divided in the Synac and Arabic 
 versions. 6 The Borginn MS. omits to Galilee. 
 
 43 
 
Lk. 
 
 I 
 
 29 
 
 Lk. 
 
 I 
 
 30 
 
 Lk. 
 
 I 
 
 31 
 
 Lk. 
 
 I, 
 
 32 
 
 Lk. 
 
 X 
 
 33 
 
 Lk. 
 
 1, 
 
 34- 
 
 -14 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 1 30 is with thee, thou blessed amongst women. And she, when she beheld, was agitated 
 
 31 at his word, and pondered what this salutation could be. And the angel said unto 
 
 32 her. Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. Thou shalt now con- 
 , 33 ceive, and bear a son, and call his name Jesus. This shall be great, and shall be 
 
 called the Son of the Most High ; and the Lord God will give him the throne of 
 
 34 David his father: and he shall rule over the house of Jacob for ever; and to his 
 
 35 kingdom there shall be no end. Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be to 
 
 36 me when no man hath known me? The angel answered and said unto her. The Lk. i, 35, 
 
 Arabic, Holy Spirit will come, and the power of the Most High shall rest upon thee, 
 P- 4 and therefore shall /le that is born of thee be pure, and shall be called the Son 
 
 37 of God. And lo, Elizabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old Lk. i, 36. 
 
 38 age ; and this is the sixth month with her, her that is called barren. For nothing is Lk. i, 3, 
 
 39 difficult for God. Mary said, Lo, I am the handmaid of the Lord ; let it be unto me Lk. i, 38 
 according unto thy word. And the angel departed from her. 
 
 40 And then Mary arose in those days and went in haste into the hill country,^ to a ^ Lk. i, 39 
 
 41 city of Judah ; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and asked for the health of Lk. 1,40 
 
 42 Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in Lk. 1,41 
 
 43 her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ; and cried with a loud Lk. i, 42 
 voice and said unto Mary, Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the 
 
 44 fruit that is in thy womb. Whence have I this privilege, that the mother of my Lk. i, 43 
 
 45 Lord should come unto me? When the sound of thy salutation reached my ears, Lk. 1,44 
 
 46 with great joy rejoiced i* the babe in my womb. And blessed is she who beheved Lk. 1,45, 
 
 47 that what was spoken to her from the Lord would be fulfilled. And Mary said, Lk. i, 46. 
 
 My soul doth magnify the Lord, 
 
 48 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, Lk. 1,47, 
 
 49 Who hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden : Lk. i, 48 
 Lo, henceforth, all generations * shall pronounce blessing on me. 
 
 50 For 5 he hath done great things for me, who is mighty, Lk. 1,49. 
 And holy is his name. 
 
 5 1 And his mercy embraceth them who fear him, Lk. 1, 50. 
 Throughout the ages and the times. 
 
 52 Arabic, Hc wrought the victory with his arm, Lk 
 P- 5 And scattered them that prided themselves in their opinions. 
 
 53 He overthrew them that acted haughtily from their thrones, Lk. 1,52. 
 And raised the lowly. 
 
 54 He Satisfied with good things the hungry, Lk. 
 And left the rich without anything. 
 
 55 He helped Israel his servant, Lk. 
 And remembered his mercy 
 
 56 (According as he spake with our fathers) Lk. 
 Unto Abraham and unto his seed for ever. 
 
 57 And Mary abode with Elizabeth about three months, and returned unto her house. Lk. i, 56. 
 58, 59 And Elizabeth's time of dehvery was come ; and she brought forth a son. And Vt J'^j 
 
 her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that God had multiplied his mercy towards her ; 
 
 60 and they rejoiced with her. And when ^ it was the eighth day, they came to cir- Lk. 1,59. 
 cumcise the child, and called him Zacharias, calling him by the name of his father. 
 
 6 1 And his mother answered and said unto them, Not so ; but he shall be called John. Lk. i, 60. 
 
 62 And they said unto her, There is no man of thy kindred that is called by this name. Lk. 1,61. 
 63, 64 And they made signs to his father, saying. How dost thou wish to name him? And ^ J'& 
 
 he asked for a tablet, and wrote and said. His name is John. And every one won- 
 
 65 dered. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue, and he spake and Lk. 1,64. 
 
 66 praised God. And fear fell on all their neighbours : and this was spoken of in all Lk. 1,65- 
 
 I Vat. MS., like that described by Gildemeister (see Introduction, 20) has into Galilei (cf. 5 8, 10, note), 
 a Lit. ike, -3. form due to Syriac influence (c/? § 2, 12, ^^A passim). 
 
 3 ITie Syriac versions (like the Greek) have the same word here as in Lk. i. 41. 
 
 4 The Arabic word ordinarily means tribe or nation, but in this work it regularly represents the Syriac word used in the 
 
 N. T. ioY generation. 
 
 5 The Arabic would naturally be rendered, the blessing on me, TJiat; but a number of passages in this work seem to jus- 
 
 tify therendering given in the text {c/., e.g., § 46, 54, and especially § 15, 40). 
 
 6 The text is indistinct in the Vat. MS. The reading seems to be conflate, the doublets being ivhen it was, which is the 
 
 reading of Ibn-a(-Tayyib's Commentary, and on, 7 Lit. dtscribed {ff. ^ 2, 46). 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 45 
 
 jl 67 
 68 
 69 
 70 
 
 71 
 
 72 
 
 73 
 
 74 
 75 
 
 76 
 
 77 
 
 78 
 
 79 
 80 
 81 
 
 the mountains of Judah. And all who heard pondered in their hearts and said, 
 What shall this child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him. 
 
 And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied and 
 said. 
 
 Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, 
 
 Who hath cared for his people, and wrought for it salvation ; 
 
 And hath raised for us the horn of salvation 
 Arabic. In the house of David his servant 
 P- 6 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets from eternity). 
 
 That he might save us from our enemies, 
 
 And from the hand of all them that hate us. 
 
 And he hath performed his mercy towards our fathers. 
 
 And remembered his holy covenants, 
 
 And the oath which he sware unto Abraham our father. 
 
 That he would give us deliverance from the hand of our enemies. 
 
 And without fear we shall ^ serve before him 
 
 All our days with equity and righteousness. 
 
 And as for thee, O child, prophet of the Most High shalt thou be called. 
 
 Thou shalt go forth before the face of the Lord to prepare his way. 
 
 To give the knowledge of salvation '•' unto his people, 
 
 For the forgiveness of their sins. 
 
 Through the mercy of ^ the compassion of our God, 
 
 With which he careth for * us, to appear ^ from on high 
 
 To give light to them that sit in darkness and under the shadow of death, 
 
 And to set straight our feet in the way of peace. 
 And the child grew and became strong in the spirit, and abode in the desert until 
 the time of his appearing unto the children of Israel. 
 
 Lk. 1, 66. 
 
 Lk. 3, 67. 
 
 Lk. 1, 68. 
 
 Lk. x> 69. 
 
 Lk. I, 70. 
 Lk. I, 71 
 
 Lk. 1, 72. 
 
 Lk. 1, 73. 
 Lk. I, 7^ 
 
 Lk. I, 75. 
 Lk. 1, 76 
 
 Lk. J, 77. 
 
 Lk. I, 78. 
 
 Lk. I, 7g. 
 
 Lk. I, 80. 
 
 SECTION IL 
 
 I, 21. 
 Z, 22. 
 
 § 2 I Arabic. Now ^ the birth of Jesus the Messiah was on this wise : In the time when Mt. i, iS. 
 
 P* 7 his mother was given in marriage to Joseph, before they came together, 
 
 2 she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband was a just Mt. i, 19. 
 man and did not wish to expose her, and he purposed to put her away secretly. 
 
 3 But when he thought of this, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, Mt i, 20. 
 and said unto him, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary thy wife, for that 
 
 4 which is begotten '^ in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall bear a son, and thou shalt Mt. 
 
 5 call his name Jesus, and he shall save ^ his people from their sins. And all this was Mt 
 that the saying from the Lord by the prophet might be fulfilled : 
 
 6 Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, Mt i, 23. 
 And they shall call his name Immanuel, 
 
 7 which is, being interpreted, With us is our God. And when Joseph arose from his Mt 1, 24. 
 
 8 sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife ; and knew Mt. 1, 25a. 
 her not until she brought forth her firstborn son. 
 
 9 And in those days there went forth a decree from Augustus Caesar that all the Lk. 2, i. 
 
 1 Or, sJtould. 2 Here and elsewhere the Arabic translator uses /y^and/rWand give life, as in Syriac, {qx salvation, etc. 
 
 3 Borg. MS. has and for of. 
 
 4 The word used in the Peshitta means visit, either in the sense tA caring for or in that o{ frequenting,. See ^ 24, 29. 
 
 5 So Borg. MS. The Vat. MS. is very indistinct. Lagarde (see Introduction, 13, note), quoting Guidi, prints 
 
 Whereby there visiteth its the manifestation from on high. The difference in Arabic is in a single stroke. 
 
 6 This is preceded in Vat MS. by the genealogy, Mt i., 1-17 (see Introduction, 13), with the marginal note The 
 
 Beginning of tJie Gospel of Matthew. (Lagarde, op. cit., 1886, p. 154.) The text presents nothing worthy of 
 note in this place except that verse 16, construed on the same principle as the preceding verses, to which, except in 
 the words printed in italics, it is strictly parallel in construction, reads thus: "Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of 
 Mary, who of her begat Jesus, the Messiah " [cf. the remarkable readmg of Sin. Syriac), As it stands, this is the 
 only possible interpretation of the words, for nvho is masculine. But a mistake in the gender of a relative pronoun 
 is very common in Arabic among illiterate people, while in Syriac there is, to begin with, no distinction. If then 
 we correct the relative, w/w of her vflW become o/"w^(7?« (fern.), and begat will of course be construed as passive. 
 We thus get the text followed in Ibn-at-Tayyib*s Commentary, the ordinary reading of the Peshitta, of luhotn was 
 born Jesus. 
 
 7 The Arabic might even more naturally be rendered born, thus giving us the reading that Isho'dad tells us was that of 
 
 the Diatessaron (Harris, Fragments, p. 16 f.) ; but throughout the whole genealogy (see § i, 81, note) this word has 
 been used by the Vat MS. in the sense of begat Here the Borg. MS. has of her for in her ; but Ibn-at-Tayyib in 
 his Commentary discusses -why Matthew wrote in and not of S c/; § i, 78. 
 
46 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §2 lo people of his dominion i should be enrolled. This first enrolment was^ while Qui- Lk. 2, 2. 
 11,12 rinius was governor of Syria. And every man went to be enrolled in his city. And l|^' I' 3- 
 Joseph went up also from Nazareth, a city of Galilee, to Judaea, to the city of David 
 
 13 which is called Bethlehem (for he was of the house of David and of his tribe), with Lk. 2, 5. 
 
 14 Arabic. Mary his betrothed, she being with child, to be enrolled there. And while Lk. s, e. 
 
 15 P- ° she was there the days for her being delivered were accomplished. And Lk. 2, 7. 
 she brought forth her firstborn son ; and she wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid 
 
 him in a manger, because there was no place for them where they were staying. 
 
 1 6 And there were in that region shepherds abiding, keeping their flock in the watch Lk. 2, 8. 
 
 17 of the night. And behold,'the angel of God came unto them, and the glory of the Lk. 2, 9. 
 
 18 Lord shone upon them; and they were greatly terrified. And the angel said unto Lk. 2, 10. 
 them, Be not terrified ; for I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to the 
 
 19 whole world; there is born to you this day a Saviour, which is the Lord the Mes- Lk. 2, n. 
 
 20 siah, in the city of David. And this is a sign for you : ye shall find a babe wrapped Lk. 2, 12. 
 
 2 1 in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger. And there appeared with the angels sud- Lk. 2, 13. 
 denly many heavenly forces praising •* God and saying, 
 
 2 2 Praise be to God in the highest, Lk. 2, 14, 
 
 And on the earth peace, and good hope to men. 
 
 23 And when the angels departed from them to heaven, the shepherds spake to one Lk.2, 15. 
 another and said. We will go to Bethlehem and see this word which hath been, as 
 
 24 the Lord made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Lk. 2, 16. 
 
 25 Joseph, and the babe laid in a manger. And when they saw, they reported the word Lk.2, 17. 
 
 26 v/hich was spoken to them about the child. And all that heard wondered at the Lk.2, 18. 
 
 27 description which the shepherds described * to them. But Mary kept these ^ sayings Lk. 2, 19. 
 
 28 and discriminated 8 them in her heart. And those shepherds returned, magnifying Lk.2, 20. 
 and praising God for all that they had seen and heard, according as it was described 
 
 unto them. 
 
 29 Arabic, And when eight days were fulfilled that the child should be circumcised, Lk. 2, 21. 
 P- 9 his name was called Jesus, being that by which he was called by the angel 
 
 before his conception in the womb. 
 
 30 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were Lk.2, 22. 
 
 31 completed, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him before the Lord (as it Lk.2, 23. 
 is written in the law of the Lord, Every male opening the womb shall be called the 
 
 32 holy fAing of the Lord), and to give a sacrificial victim as it is said in the law of Lk.2, 24. 
 ;i3 the Lord, A pair of doves or two young pigeons. And there was in Jerusalem a Lk. 2, 25. 
 
 man whose name was Simeon ; and this man was upright and pious, and expecting 
 
 34 the consolation of Israel ; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been Lk. 2, 26. 
 said unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death till he had seen with 
 
 35 his eyes the Messiah^ of the Lord. And this man came by the Spirit to the tem- Lk.2, 27. 
 pie ; and at the time when his parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might 
 
 36 present for him a sacrifice, as it is written in the law, he bare him in his arms and Lk.a, 28. 
 praised God and said, 
 
 37 Now loosest thou the bonds of thy servant, O Lord, in peace,^ Lk.2, 29. 
 According to thy saying ; 
 
 38 For mine eye hath witnessed thy mercy, Lk.2, 30. 
 
 39 Which thou hast made ready because of the whole world ; Lk. 2, 31. 
 
 40 A light for the unveiling ^ of the nations, Lk. 2, 32. 
 And a glory to thy people Israel. 
 
 41 And Joseph and his mother were marvelhng at the things which were being said Lk.2, 33. 
 
 42 concerning him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother. Behold, Lk.2, 34. 
 he is set for the overthrow and rising of many in Israel ; and for a sign of conten- 
 
 43 tion ; and a spear i" shall pierce " through thine own soul ; that the thoughts of the Lk. 2, 35. 
 
 1 The Arabic expression is clearly meant to represent that used in the Peshitta. 
 
 2 This 13 the most naUtral meaning of the Arabic sentence ; which, however, is simply a word-for-word reproduction 
 
 of the Peshitta. 3 The Arab, represents Syr. idiom. 4 5/ § i, 66, note. 
 
 5 Borg. MS. inserts all above the line, after these. The meaning ought then to be, these things, namely, all tlu sayings 
 o The Arab, might mean set them apart; but the Syriac is against this. 7 Or, anointed. 
 
 8 For orders/: (in part) Sin. Syriac. 9 ,.e., becoming mani/cst. 
 
 10 So also in Syriac versions and the quotation of Isho'dad from Ephraem (Harris, Fragments, p. 34), but not the Arme- 
 
 nian version. 
 
 11 The Arabic sides with the Peshitta and Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, against the remarkable reading of Sin. supported 
 
 by Isho'dad, as in last note (Syriac text), and the Armenian in Hill, p. 336. See now also Tlie GtmrUian, Dec. 18, 1895. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 47 
 
 5 2 44 Arabic, hearts of many may be revealed. And Anna the prophetess, the daughter Lk. 2, 36. 
 p. 10 Qf phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, was also advanced in years (and she dwelt 
 
 45 with her husband seven years from her virginity, and she remained a widow about Lk. 2, 37. 
 eighty-four years) ; and she left not the temple, and served night and day with 
 
 46 fasting and prayer. And she also rose in that hour and thanked the Lord, and she Lk. 2, 38. 
 
 47 spake of him with every one who was expecting the deliverance of Jerusalem. And Lk. 2, 39. 
 when they had accomplished everything according to what is in the law of the 
 Lord, they returned to GaUlee, to Nazareth their city. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 §3 1,2 And after that,i the Magi came from the east to Jerusalem, and said, Where is J^'- ^' ^^• 
 the King of the Jews which was born? We have seen his star in the east, and have 
 
 3 come to worship him. And Herod the king heard, and he was troubled, and all Mt. 2, 3. 
 
 4 Jerusalem with him. And he gathered all the chief priests and the scribes of the Mt. : 
 
 5 people, and asked them in what place ^ the Messiah should be bom. They said, In Mt. s, 5. 
 Bethlehem of Judaaa : thus it is written in the prophet, 
 
 6 Thou also, Bethlehem of Judah, Mt : 
 Art not contemptible among the kings of Judah : 
 
 From thee shall go forth a king, 
 
 And he shall be a shepherd to my people Israel. 
 
 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly, and inquired of them the time at which Mt. 2, 7. 
 
 8 the star appeared to them. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said unto them, Mt. 2, 8. 
 Go and search about the child diligently ; and when ye have found him, come and 
 
 9 make known to me, that I also may go and worship him. And they, when they Mt. 2, 9. 
 
 Arabic, heard the king, departed ; and lo, the star which they had seen in the east 
 P- " went before them, until it came and stood above the place where the child 
 10, 1 1 was. And when they beheld the star, they rejoiced with very great joy. And they ^ \' j°- 
 entered the house and beheld the child with Mary his mother, and fell down wor- 
 shipping him, and opened their saddle-bags and offered to him offerings, gold and 
 
 1 2 myrrh and frankincense. And they saw in a dream 3 that they should not return to Mt. 2, 12. 
 Herod, and they travelled by another way in going to their country. 
 
 13 And when they had departed, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Mt. 2, 13. 
 Joseph, and said unto him, Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, 
 
 and be thou there until I speak to thee ; for Herod is determined to seek the child 
 
 14 to slay him. And Joseph arose and took the child and his mother in the night, and Mt. 2, 14. 
 
 15 fled into Egypt, and remained in it until the time of the death of Herod: that that Mt. 2, is. 
 might be fuliilled which was said by the Lord in the prophet, which said, From 
 
 16 Egypt did I call my son. And Herod then, when he saw that he was mocked of Mt. 2, 16. 
 the Magi, was very angry, and sent and killed all the male children which were in 
 Bethlehem and all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time 
 
 17 which he had inquired from the Magi. Then was fulfilled the saying in Jeremiah Mt 2,17. 
 the prophet, which said, 
 
 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, Mt 2, 18. 
 Weeping and much lamentation ; 
 
 Rachel weeping * for her children. 
 
 And not willing to be consoled for their loss. 
 
 19 But when Herod the king died, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Mt 2, 19. 
 
 20 Joseph in Egypt, and said unto him. Rise and take the child and his mother, and Mt. 2, 20. 
 
 Arabic, go into the land of Israel ; for they have died who sought the child's life. 
 
 21 p. 1 2 ji^jid Joseph rose and took the child and his mother, and came to the land Mt 2, 21. 
 
 22 of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus had become king over Judeea instead Mt 3, 22. 
 of Herod his father, he feared to go thither ; and he saw in a dream that he should 
 
 1 On the substitution of this general phrase for Mt 2, i«, see the remarks of Harris in Fragments^ etc. , p. 37 ff. 
 
 2 This periphrasis for where is very characteristic of this work. 
 
 3 So in later Arabic and some Arabic versions. According to classical usage the word means sleep. 
 
 4 Or, is weepings and so in next line is not willing. 
 
48 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 3 23 go into the land of Galilee, and that he should abide in a city called Nazareth : that Ml a, 23, 
 the saying in the prophet might be fulfilled, that he should be called a Nazarene. 
 
 24 And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, becoming filled with wisdom; Lk. 2, 40. 
 and the grace of God was upon him. 
 
 25 And his kinsfolk ^ used to go every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the pass- Lk. 2, 41. 
 
 26 over. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to their custom, Lk. 2, 42. 
 
 27 to the feast. And when the days were accomplished, they returned; and the child Lk. 2, 43. 
 
 28 Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother inew not: and they sup- Lk. 2, 44. 
 posed that he was with the children of their company. And when they had gone 
 
 one day's journey, they sought him beside their people and those who knew them, 
 
 29 and they found him not ; so they returned to Jerusalem and sought him again. Lk. 2, 45. 
 
 30 And after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teach- Lk. 2, 46. 
 
 3 1 ers, hearing them and asking them questions; and all who heard him wondered at Lk. 2, 47. 
 
 32 his wisdom and his words. And when they saw him they wondered, and his mother Lk. 2, 48. 
 said unto him. My son, why hast thou dealt with us thus? behold, I and thy father 
 
 33 have been seeking for thee with much anxiety. And he said unto them. Why were Lk. 2, 49, 
 
 34 ye seeking me? know ^ ye not that I must be in the house of my Father ? And they Lk. 2, 50. 
 
 35 understood not the word which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, Lk. 2, 51, 
 and came to Nazareth ; and he was obedient to them: and his mother used to keep 
 
 all these sayings in her heart. 
 
 36 Arabic. And Jesus grew in his stature and wisdom, and in grace with God Lk. 2, 52. 
 P- 13 and men. 
 
 37 And in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate Lk. 3, i. 
 was governor in Judaea, and one of the four rulers, Herod, in Galilee ; and Phihp 
 
 his brother, one of the four rulers, in Ituraea and in the district of Trachonitis ; and 
 
 38 Lysanias, one of the four rulers, in Abilene ; in the chief-priesthood of Annas and Lk. 3, 2. 
 Caiaphas, the command^ of God went forth to John the son of Zacharias in the 
 
 39 desert. And he came into all the region which is about Jordan, proclaiming the Lk. 3, 3. 
 
 40 baptism of repentance unto * the forgiveness of sins. And he was preaching in the Mt. 3, li. 
 
 41 wilderness of Judaea, and saying. Repent ye ; the kingdom of heaven is come near. Mt 3, 2. 
 
 42 This is he that was spoken of in Isaiah the prophet, Mt. 3, z". 
 
 The voice which crieth in the desert, 
 
 43 Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Lk. 3, 4*. 
 And make straight in the plain, paths for our God. 
 
 44 All the valleys shall become filled, Lk. 3, 5. 
 And all the mountains and hills shall become low ; 
 
 And the rough shall become plain, 
 And the difficult place, easy ; 
 
 45 And all flesh shall see the salvation ^ of God. Lk. 3, 6. 
 
 46 This man came to bear witness, that he might bear witness to the light, that Jo- 1. 1- 
 
 47 every man might believe through his mediation. He was not the light, but that he Jo. i, s. 
 
 48 might bear witness to the light, which was the light of truth, that giveth light to Jo. >, 9- 
 
 49 every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made Jo. i, 10. 
 
 50 by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received Jo. i, u. 
 
 5 1 him not. And those who received him, to them gave he the power ^ that they might Jo. i, 12. 
 
 52 be sons of God, — those which believe in his name: which were born, not of blood, Jo. 1,13. 
 
 53 nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God. And the Word Jo. i, 14. 
 became flesh, and took up his abode among us ; and we saw his glory as the glory 
 
 54 of the only Son from the Father, which is full of grace and equity.' John bare wit- Jo- 1. is- 
 
 Arabic, ness of him, and cried, and said. This is he that I said cometh after me and 
 
 55 p. 14 Yi'as before me, because he was before me.* And of his fulness received Jo. j, is. 
 
 56 we all grace for grace. For the law was given through the mediation of Moses, but Jo- 1. 17- 
 truth and grace were * through Jesus Christ. 
 
 1 A general word {cf. Syr. versions). 2 Or, knew. 
 
 3 There is a very rare use of this Arabic word in the Hebrew sense of saying. 
 
 4 So Vat. MS. The Borg. MS. has with. B See note on \ i, 78. 6 Or, authority. 
 t In Syr. this word also means truth. 8 Or, earlier than /. 9 i.e., came to bt. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 49 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 §4 I No man hath seen God at any time ; the only Son, God,i which is in the bosom jo. i, is. 
 
 of his Father, he hath told of him. 
 
 2 And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent to him from Jerusalem priests jo. i, 19. 
 
 3 and Levites to ask him, Who art thou ? And he acknowledged, and denied not ; Jo. i, 20. 
 
 4 and he confessed that he was not the Messiah. And they asked him again, What Jo. i, 21. 
 then ? Art thou Elijah ? And he said, I am not he. Art thou a prophet ? He 
 
 5 said, No. They said unto him, Then who art thou ? that we may answer them that jo. i, 22. 
 
 6 sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? And he said, I am the voice that crieth in Jo. i, 23- 
 
 7 the desert. Repair ye the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. And they Jo. i, 24. 
 
 8 that were sent were from ^ the Pharisees. And they asked him and said unto him, Jo. i, 25- 
 Why baptizest thou now, when thou art not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor a prophet? 
 
 9 John answered and said unto them, I baptize with^ water: among you is standing Jo. i, 26. 
 
 10 one whom ye know not: this is he who I said cometh after me and was before Jo. i, 27. 
 
 1 1 me, the latchets of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. And that was in Jo. i, 28. 
 Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 
 
 1 2 Now John's raiment was camel's hair, and /le was girded with skins, and his food Mt. 3, 4. 
 
 13 Arabic, was of locusts and honey of the wilderness.* Then went out unto him the Mt. 3, s- 
 P- ^5 people of Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region which is about the 
 
 14, 1 5 Jordan ; and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But Mt. f, -j. 
 when he saw many of the Pharisees » and Sadducees " coming to be baptized, he said 
 unto them, Ye children of vipers, who hath led you to flee from the wrath to come ? 
 
 16, 17 Do now the fruits which are worthy of repentance; and think and say not within ^JJ'^; 
 yourselves, We have a father, even Abraham ; for I say unto you, that God is able to 
 
 18 raise up of these stones children unto .A.braham. Behold, the axe hath been laid at the Mt. 3, 10. 
 roots of the trees, and so every tree that beareth not good fruit shall be taken and 
 
 19 cast into the fire. And the multitudes were asking him and saying. What shall we do? Lk. 3, 10. 
 
 20 He answered and said unto them. He that hath two tunics shall ' give to him that Lk. 3, n. 
 
 2 1 hath not ; and he that hath food shall ^ do likewise. And the publicans also came Lk. 3, 12. 
 
 22 to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what shall we do? He said unto Lk. 3, 13. 
 
 23 them, Seek not more than what ye are commanded to seek. And the servants » of Lk. 3, 14. 
 the guard asked him and said. And we also, what shall we do? He said unto them, 
 
 Do not violence to any man, nor wrong him ; and let your allowances satisfy you. 
 
 24 And when the people were conjecturing about John, and all of them thinking Lk.3, 15. 
 
 25 in their hearts whether he were haply ^ the Messiah, John answered and said unto Lk.3, 16. 
 them, I baptize you with water ; there cometh one after me who is stronger than I, 
 
 the latchets of whose shoes I am not worthy to loosen ; he will baptize you with the 
 
 26 Holy Spirit and fire ; who taketh the fan in his hand to cleanse his threshing-floors, Lk.3, 17- 
 
 Arabic, and the wheat he gathereth into his garners, while the straw he shall burn 
 P- 16 in fire which can i" not be put out. 
 
 27 And other things he taught and preached among the people. _ _ Lk.3, 18. 
 
 28 Then came Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized of him. Mt. 3, 13. 
 
 29 And Jesus was about thirty years old, and it was supposed that he was the son of Lk. 3, 23a, 
 
 30 Joseph.ii And John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said. This is the Lamb of Jo. i, 29. 
 
 31 God, that taketh on itself the burden of the sins of the world! This is he concern- Jo. i, 30. 
 ing whom I said, There cometh after me a man who was before me, because he was 
 
 I cf. Peshitta, etc. fnot Cur.): c/^ also Gildemelster, o/. cii., p. 29, on Lk. g, 20. 2 Vxl. from the side of. 3 Or, in. 
 
 4 On the original Diatessaron reading, Jwney and milk of the mountains, or, milk and Iwney of the mountains, iitixza. 
 
 latter Ibn-at-Tayyib cites in his Commentary <folio 44b, 45a) as a readinK, but without any allusion to the Diatessa- 
 ron, see, e.g., 'now Harris, Fragments of the Com. of Ephr. Syr. upon the Diat. (London, 1895), p. 17 f. 
 
 5 The translator uses invariably an Arabic word (name of a sect) meanmg Separatists. 
 
 6 Lit. Z!«(/rfo, a name given to Persian dualists and others. .... , / t o » 
 
 7 Grammar requires this rendering, but solecisms in this kind of word are very common, and m this work (e.g., 5 48, 21) 
 
 the jussive particle is sometimes omitted. We should therefore probably render let him give, let him do, etc. 
 
 8 cf. Peshitta, where the word has its special meaning, soldiers. .,.,,, s 
 
 9 Our translator constantly uses this Arabic word (which we render haply, or, can it he? or, perhaps, etc.) to represent 
 
 the Syriac word used in this place. The latter is used in various ways, and need not be interrogative, as our trans- 
 lator renders it (c/^ especially § 17, 6). 10 Or, shall. ... j ..t r^j ,i^ 
 
 II The Vat. MS. here gives the genealogy (Lk. 3, 23-38), of which we shall quote only thelastwords :^ the sonof Adam, who 
 
 (■was) from God. If this werenot the reading of the Peshitta (against Sin.) and Ibn-aCTayyib s Commentary, one might 
 expl.nin>»;« as a corruption ofthe Arabic iowe'ifhe words being verysimilar. On the Borg. MS. see^ss.i?, note. 
 
50 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §4 32 before me.i And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, Jo. 1,31. 
 
 33 for this cause came I to baptize with water. And John was hindering him and Ml 3, 14. 
 
 34 saying, I have need of being baptized by thee, and comest thou to me? Jesus Mt. 3, 15. 
 answered him and said, Suffer this now : thus it is our duty to fulfil all righteous- 
 
 35 ness. Then he suffered him. And when all the people were baptized, Jesus also Lk. 3, 21*. 
 
 36 was baptized. And immediately he went up out of the water, and heaven opened Mt. 3, ics. 
 
 37 Arabic, to him,2 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the similitude of the Lk. 3, 22a. 
 
 38 P- 1 7 body of a dove ; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Mt. 3, ^^. 
 
 39 Son, in whom I am well pleased. And John bare witness and said, I beheld the Jo, i, 32. 
 
 40 Spirit descend from heaven hke a dove ; and it abode upon him. But I knew him jo. i, 33. 
 not ; but he that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me. Upon whomsoever 
 
 thou shalt behold the Spirit descending and lighting upon him, the same is he that 
 
 41 baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and borne witness that this is the jo. 1,34. 
 Son of God. 
 
 42, 43 And Jesus returned from the Jordan, filled with the Holy Spirit. And immedi- Mi^.^'/it. 
 
 ately the Spirit took him out into the wilderness, to be tried of the devil ;3 and he Mk. 1,13*. 
 
 44 was with the beasts. And he fasted forty days and forty nights. And he ate noth- i.^'; ^; '|' 
 
 45 ing in those days, and at the end of them he hungered. And the tempter came and Mt. <, ^b, 3. 
 said unto him. If thou art the Son of God, speak, and these stones shall become 
 
 46 bread. He answered and said, It is written. Not by bread alone shall man live, but Mt. 4, 4. 
 
 47 by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil ^ brought Mt. 4, 5. 
 
 48 him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, Mt. 4, 6. 
 If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down : for it is written, 
 
 He shall give his angels charge concerning thee : 
 
 And they shall take thee on their arms. 
 
 So that thy foot shall not stumble against a stone. 
 
 49 Jesus said unto him, And ^ it is written also. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy Mt. 4, ^. 
 
 50 God. And the devil ^ took him up to a high mountain, and shewed him all the king- Lk.4, 5. 
 
 51 Arabic, doms of the earth, and their glory, in the least time ; and the devil ^ said unto Lk. 4, 6. 
 P- I ° him. To thee will I give all this dominion, and its glory, which is delivered to 
 
 52 me that I may give it to whomsoever I will. If then thou wilt worship before me, all Lk.4, 7- 
 of it shall be thine. 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 § 5 I Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee hence, Satan : for it is written. Thou 
 
 2 shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve. And when the 
 
 3 devil 5 had completed all his temptations, he departed from him for a season. And 
 behold, the angels drew near and ministered unto him. 
 
 4, 5 And next day John was standing, and two of his disciples ; and he saw Jesus as 
 
 6 he was walking, and said. Behold, the Lamb of God ! And his two disciples heard 
 
 7 him saying this,^ and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned and saw them coming 
 after him, and said unto them. What seek ye? They said unto him, Our master, 
 
 8 where art thou staying? And he said unto them. Come and see. And they came Jo. i, 39- 
 and saw his place, and abode with him that day : and it was about the tenth hour. 
 
 9 One of the two which heard from ' John, and followed Jesus, was Andrew the Jo. i, 40. 
 
 10 brother of Simon. And he saw first Simon his brother, and said unto him. We have Jo. i, 4"- 
 
 1 1 found the Messiah. And he brought him unto Jesus. And Jesus looked upon him Jo. i, 42a. 
 and said. Thou art Simon, son of Jonah : thou shalt be called Cephas.^ 
 
 1 2 And on the next day Jesus desired to go forth to Galilee, and he found Philip, Jo. i, 43- 
 
 13 Arabic, and said unto him. Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, of the city Jo. 1,44- 
 
 14 P- 19 of Andrew and Simon. And Philip found Nathanael, and said unto him, Jo. 1,45- 
 He of whom Moses did write in the law and in the prophets, we have found that 
 
 15 he is Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth. Nathanael said unto him. Is it possible Jo. i, 46. 
 
 1 C/^ § 3. 54. "°te. 
 
 2 For the statement of Isho'dad (see above, Introduction, lo), "And straightway, as the Diatessaron testifieth, light 
 
 shone forth," etc., see Harris, FragjnentSt etc., p. 43 f. 3 Lit. cahttnniator. 
 
 4 Borg. MS. omits and. 5 Lit. backbiter, a different word from that used above in § 4, 43, 47. 
 
 6 Or, si>eakmg. 7 cf. Peshitta. 8 The Arabic word used throughout this work means Stones. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 4 
 
 , 10. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 4> 
 
 13- 
 
 Ml 
 
 4 
 
 , iii. 
 
 \l 
 
 I, 
 
 I, 
 
 35- 
 36. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 I, 
 
 37- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 I, 
 
 38- 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 51 
 
 Jo. 
 
 I 
 
 47- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 I 
 
 48. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 I, 
 
 49. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 I 
 
 50. 
 
 Jo. r, 51- 
 
 Lk. 4, 14a. 
 
 2, 1. 
 2, 2. 
 2. 3- 
 2. 4- 
 2, 5- 
 2, 6. 
 
 2. 7- 
 2, 8. 
 
 §5 that there can be any good thing from Nazareth? Philip said unto him, Come and 
 
 16 see. And Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him. This is indeed ai 
 
 1 7 son of Israel in whom is no guile. And Nathanael said unto him. Whence knowest 
 thou me? Jesus said unto him, Before Philip called thee, while thou wast under the 
 
 18 fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and said unto him. My Master, thou art 
 
 19 the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus said unto him, Because I said 
 unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, hast thou believed? thou shalt see what is 
 
 20 greater than this. And he said unto him. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Henceforth 
 ye shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending 
 upon the Son of man. 
 
 21 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee. 
 
 22 And on the third day there was a feast in Cana,^ a^ city of Galilee; and the 
 
 23 mother of Jesus was there: and Jesus also and his disciples were invited to the 
 
 24 feast. And they lacked wine : and his mother said unto Jesus, They have no wine. 
 
 25 And Jesus said unto her. What have I to do with thee, woman? hath not mine 
 
 26 hour come? 3 And his mother said unto the servants. What he saith unto you, do. 
 
 27 And there were there six vessels of stone, placed for the Jews' purification, such as 
 
 28 Arabic, would Contain two or three jars. And Jesus said unto them. Fill the vessels 
 
 29 P- ^^ with water. And they filled them to the top. He said unto them, Draw 
 
 30 out now, and present to the ruler of the feast. And they did so. And when the ruler of 
 the company tasted that water which had become wine, and knew not whence it was 
 (but the servants knew, because they filled up the water), the ruler of the company called 
 
 31 the bridegroom, and said unto him. Every man presenteth first the good wine, and 
 on intoxication he bringeth what is poor ; but thou hast kept the good wine until 
 
 32 now. And this is the first sign * which Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested 
 
 33 his glory ; and his disciples believed on him. And his fame spread in all the coun- 
 
 34 try which was around them. And he taught in their synagogues, and was glorified 
 
 35 by 5 every man. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and 
 entered, according to his custom, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood 
 
 36 up to read. And he was given the book of Isaiah the prophet. And Jesus opened 
 the book and found the place where it was written, 
 
 37 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 
 
 And for this anointed he me, to preach good tidings to the poor ; 
 And he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted. 
 And to proclaim forgiveness to the evil-doers,' and sight to the blind, 
 And to bring the broken into forgiveness,^ 
 
 38 And to proclaim an acceptable year of the Lord. 
 
 39 And he rolled up the book and gave it to the servant, and went and sat down: 
 
 40 and the eyes of all that were in the synagogue were observing him. And he began 
 to say unto them. To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled which ye have heard with 
 
 41 your ears. And they all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace 
 which were proceeding from his mouth. 
 
 42 Arabic, And from that time began Jesus to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom 
 
 43 P- 2 1 of God, and to say. Repent ye, and believe in the gospel. The time is ful- 
 filled, and the kingdom of heaven hath come near. 
 
 44 And while he was walking on the shore of the sea of Galilee, he saw two breth- 
 ren, Simon who was called Cephas, and Andrew his brother, casting their nets into 
 
 45 the sea ; for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them. Follow me, and I will 
 
 46 make you fishers of men. And they immediately left their nets there and followed 
 
 47 him. And when he went on from thence, he saw other two brothers, James the son 
 of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the ship with Zebedee their father, mending 
 
 48 their nets; and Jesus called them. And they immediately forsook the ship and their 
 father Zebedee, and followed him. 
 
 1 Lit. the (cf. note to § i, 40). 2 Arabic QatM: at § 5, 32, Qdtina, following the Syriac form. 
 
 S The reading of Cur. and Sin. is not known ; but cf. Moesinger, p. 53, and Isho'dad quoted in Hams, J-rnginents, 
 etc., p. 46. 4 Perhaps a comma should be inserted after sigi:. . ■ s 
 
 5 If the text does not contain a misprint the word for fy is wanting in both MSB. It should doubtless be restored as in § 7, 3. 
 
 « Evil-doers could easily be an Arabic copyist's corruption of caftives; but the word used here {or firgtveness could 
 hardly spring from an Arabic release (in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, where the thing seems to have happened, a 
 different word is used). In Syriac, however, they are the same; while the first pair contain the same consonants. 
 
 7 See preceding note. 
 
 Jo. 2, 10. 
 
 Jo. 2, II. 
 
 Lk. 4, 14^. 
 Lk. 4, 15. 
 Lk. 4, 16. 
 
 Lk. 4, 17. 
 
 Lk. 4, 18. 
 
 Lk. 4, 19. 
 Lk. 4, 20. 
 Lk. 4, 21. 
 
 Lk. 4, '27a. 
 
 Mt. 4, 17a, 
 Mk. I, 15. 
 
 Mt. 4, 18. 
 
 Mt 4, ig. 
 
 Mt. 4, 20i 
 
 Mt. 4, 21. 
 Mt. 4, 22. 
 
52 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 5 49 And when the muhitude gathered unto him to hear the word of God, while he Lk. s, i. 
 
 50 was standing on the shore of the sea of Gennesaret, he saw two boats standing be- Lk. 5,2. 
 side the sea, while 1 the two fishers which were gone out of them were washing their 
 
 51 nets. And one of them belonged to Simon Cephas. And Jesus went up and sat Lk. s, 3. 
 down in it, and commanded that they should move away a httle from the land into 
 
 52 the water. And he sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. And when Lk. 5,4. 
 he had left off his speaking, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and cast your 
 
 53 net for a draught. And Simon answered and said unto him. My Master, we toiled Lk. 5, 5. 
 
 54 all night and caught nothing ; now ^ at thy word I will cast the net. And when Lk. 5, 6. 
 they did this, there were enclosed ^ a great many fishes ; and their net was on the 
 
 55 point of breaking. And they beckoned to their comrades that were in the other Lk. 5, ?. 
 boat, to come and help them. And when they came, they filled both boats, so that 
 
 they were on the point of sinking. 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 § 6 I Arabic, But when Simon Cephas saw this he fell before the feet of Jesus, and Lk. s, 8. 
 
 P- 22 said unto him, My Lord, I beseech of thee to depart from me, for I am 
 
 2 a sinful man. And amazement took possession of him, and of all who were with him, Lk, 5, 9. 
 
 3 because of the draught of the fishes which they had taken. And thus also were James Lk. 5, lo. 
 and John the sons of Zebedee overtaken,* who were Simon's partners. And Jesus said 
 
 4 unto Simon, Fear not ; henceforth thou shalt be a fisher of men unto life. And they Lk. s, n. 
 brought the boats to the land ; and they left everything, and followed him. 
 
 5 And after that came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea ; and he went Jo. 3, 22. 
 
 6 about there with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in ^non, which Jo. 3, 23. 
 is beside Salim, because there was much water there : and they came, and were bap- 
 
 7, 8 tized. And John was not yet come into prison. And there was an inquiry between ]„; ^; ^t 
 9 one of John's disciples and one of the Jews about purifying. And they ^ came unto Jo. 3, 26. 
 John, and said unto him. Our master, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom 
 
 10 thou hast borne witness, behold, he also baptizeth, and many come to him. John Jo. 3, 27. 
 answered and said unto them,^ A man can receive nothing of himself, except it be 
 
 11 given him'' from heaven. Ye are they that bear witness unto me that I said, I am Jo. 3, 28. 
 
 12 not the Messiah, but I am one sent* before him. And he that hath a bride is a Jo. 3, 29. 
 bridegroom : and the friend of the bridegroom is he that standeth and listeneth to 
 
 him, and rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Lo now,^ behold, my 
 13,14 Arabic, joy becometh complete.^* And he must increase and I decrease. For ^i he jo! 3^31! 
 P- 23 that is come from above is higher than everything ; and he that is of the earth, 
 of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh ; and he that came down from heaven is 
 
 15 higher than all. And he beareth witness of what he hath seen and heard ; and no man Jo- 3. 3=- 
 
 16 receiveth his witness. And he that hath received his witness hath asserted 12 that he is J"- 3, as- 
 
 17 truly God.13 And he whom God hath sent speaketh the words ^^ of God : God gave J"- 3. 3+- 
 
 18 not the Spirit by measure. The Father loveth the Son, and hath put everything in Jo-3>35- 
 
 19 his hands. Whosoever believeth in the Son hath eternal ^^ life ; but whosoever obey- J"- 3. 3^- 
 eth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God cometh '^ upon him. 
 
 20 And Jesus learned i'' that the Pharisees had heard that he had received many dis- J"- 4. »• 
 
 2 1 ciples, and that he was baptizing more than John (not that Jesus was himself bap- J"- 4. 3- 
 
 22 tizing, but his disciples) ; and so he left Judaea. Jo. 4. 3"- 
 
 23 And Herod the governor, because he used to be rebuked by John because of ^k. 3, 19. 
 
 I Or, but, 2 Borg. MS. has bzii. The Arabic expressions are very similar. 
 
 3 Borg. MS. has he did this, he enclosed, on which see § 38, 43, note (end). Either reading could spring from the other, 
 
 within the Arabic. 
 
 4 The verb may be active as well as passive, but does not agree in gender with amaze^nent. Mistakes in gender are, 
 
 however, very common transcriptional errors. 5 Dual. 
 
 6 Plural. In the Peshitta it is two individuals in verse 25. In Sin. the first is an individual and the second is ambiguou.s. 
 
 In Cur. both are plural. 7 Or, he be given it, 8 The ordinary word for apostle, 9 See § g, 21, note. 
 
 10 So Ciasca's printed text. The Vat. MS., however, probably represents a past tense. 
 
 II c/, Peshitta. 12 cf, con.sonants of Synac text. 
 
 13 Borg. MS., thai God is truly, or, assuming a very common grammatical inaccuracy, that God is true 01: truth, the 
 
 reading in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary. 14 LiL saying, 
 
 15 Lit. the life of eternity ; here and everywhere except § 21, 40. 
 18 i.e., alighteth-and-stayeth. 1*7 Or, ktieiv. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. S3 
 
 §6 Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, and for all the sins which he was commit- 
 
 24 ting, added to all that also this, that he shut up John in prison. Lk. 3, aa 
 
 25 And when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he went away to Galilee. Mt. 4, 12. 
 
 26 And he entered again into Cana, where he had made the water wine. And there jo. 4, 46. 
 
 27 was at Capernaum a king's servant, whose son was sick. And this man heard that jo. 4, 47. 
 Jesus was come from Judasa to Galilee ; and he went to him, and besought of him 
 that he would come down and heal his son ; for he had come near unto death. 
 
 To. 4, 48. 
 
 29 Jesus said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye do 1 not believe. The jj,; * 
 
 49- 
 
 Arabic, king's Servant said unto him. My Lord, come down, that the child die not. 
 
 30 P- 24 Jesus said unto him. Go ; for thy son is alive. And that man beUeved the J°- 4. so- 
 
 31 word which Jesus spake, and went. And when he went down, his servants met him J"- 4. S'- 
 
 32 and told him, and^ said unto him, Thy son is alive. And he asked them at what J°- 4. s^- 
 time he recovered. They said unto him. Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left 
 
 33 him. And his father knew that that was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, J"- 4. 53- 
 
 34 Thy son is alive. And he beheved, he and the whole people of his house. And this J"- 4. 54- 
 
 35 is the second sign' which Jesus did when he returned from Judaea to Galilee. And Lk. 4,44. 
 he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. 
 
 36 And he left Nazareth, and came and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea shore, in the Mt. 4, 13. 
 
 37 borders of Zebulun and Naphtali : that it might be fulfilled which was said in Isaiah Mt. 4, 14. 
 the prophet, who said, 
 
 38 The land of Zebulun, the land of Naphtali, Mt. 4, is- 
 The way of the sea, the passage of the Jordan, 
 
 Galilee of the nations : 
 
 39 The people sitting in darkness '*'■ ♦« '*• 
 Saw a great light. 
 
 And those sitting in the region and in the shadow of death, 
 
 There appeared to them a light. .^^ ^^ 
 
 40 And he taught them on the sabbaths. And they wondered because of his doc- Lki^.^sV' 
 
 41 trine:* for his word was as if it were authoritative. And there was in the synagogue Lk.4, 33. 
 
 42 a man with an unclean devil, and he cried out with a loud voice, and said. Let me Lk.4, 34- 
 alone ; what have I to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come for our 
 
 43 destruction ? I know thee who thou art, thou Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked Lk. 4, 35. 
 him, and said, Stop up thy mouth, and come out of him. And the demon threw him 
 
 44 in the midst and came out of him, having done him no harm. And great amaze- Lk. 4, 36. 
 
 Arabic, ment took hold upon every man. And they talked one with another, and 
 P- 25 said. What is this word that orders the unclean spirits with power and 
 
 45 authority, and they come out? And the news of him spread abroad in all the region Lk.4, 37. 
 which was around them. _ Lk 4 38 
 
 46 And when Jesus went out of the synagogue, he saw a man sitting among the Mttg*. 
 publicans,^ named Matthew : and he said unto him, Come after me. And he rose, 
 
 and followed him. , Mk i mi 
 
 47, 48 And Jesus came to the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. And Lk.'4,'38'.' 
 
 Simon's wife's mother was oppressed with a great fever, and they besought him for 
 
 49 her. And he stood over her and rebuked her fever, and it left her, and immediately Lk.4, 39- 
 
 50 she rose and ministered to them. And at even they brought to him many that had ml a, i6a. 
 
 51 demons : and he cast out their devils with the « word. And all that had sick, their Lk. 4, 4°*- 
 diseases being divers and mahgnant, brought them unto him. And he laid his hand 
 
 52 on them one by one^ and healed them: that that might be fulfilled which was said Mi.8, 
 
 53 in the prophet Isaiah, who said. He taketh our pains and beareth our diseases. And '"- • 
 
 54 all the city was gathered together unto the door of Jesus. And he cast out devils 
 also from many, as they were crying out and saying. Thou art the Messiah, the Son 
 of God ; and he rebuked them. And he suffered not the demons to speak, because 
 they knew him that he was the Lord the Messiah. 
 
 1 Or, ■will. 2 Or, good news, and. 3 See % s, 32, note. 
 
 BLtxrrat^'\tf:\:w^:e.(Ti::^?i^^inu^^^^^^^^ 
 
 (cf. Ibn-at-TayyiVs Commentary). »«/:§", 4°. note 2. 1 Or, ,ach. 
 
 Mk. 
 Lk. 
 
54 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 SECTION VII. 
 
 § 7 I Arabic. And in the morning of that day he went out very early, and went to a Mk. i, 35. 
 
 2 p. 26 desert place, and was there praying. And Simon and those that were with Mk. i, 36. 
 
 3 him sought him. And when they found him, they said unto him, All the people seek for Mk. i, 37. 
 
 4 thee. He said unto them, Let us go into the adjacent villages and towns, that I may Mk. i, 38. 
 
 5 preach there also ; for to this end did I come. And the multitudes were seeking Lk. 4, 42. 
 him, and came till they reached him ; and they took hold of him, that he should not 
 
 6 go away from them. But Jesus said unto them, I must preach of the kingdom of Lk. 4, 43. 
 
 7 God in other cities also : for because of this gospel was I sent. And Jesus was going Mt. 9, 35. 
 about all the cities and the villages, and teaching in their synagogues, and preach- 
 ing the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all the diseases and all the sicknesses, jyt^. ^^ 
 
 8 and casting out the devils. And his fame became known that 1 he was teaching in Lk. 4, 14^. 
 
 9 every place and being glorified by every man. And when he passed by, he saw Levi Mk.t/14. 
 the son of Alphaeus sitting among the tax-gatherers;" and he said unto him, Follow 
 
 10 me : and he rose and followed him. And the news of him was heard of in all the Mt. 4, 24. 
 land of Syria : and they brought unto him all those whom grievous ills had befallen 
 through divers diseases, and those that were enduring torment, and those that were 
 possessed, and lunatics,'' and paralytics ; and he healed them. 
 11,12 And after some days Jesus entered into Capernaum again. And when they heard JjJ}^; ^' ^; 
 
 that he was in the house,* many gathered, so that it could not hold them, even about 
 
 13 Arabic, the door ; and he made known to them the word of God. And there were Lk. 5, ^^^. 
 P- ^7 there some of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, sitting, come from 
 
 all the villages of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem ; and the power of the Lord was 
 
 14 present to heal them. And some men brought a bed with a man on it who was para- Lk. s, 18. 
 
 1 5 lytic. And they sought to bring him in and lay him before him. And when they Lk. 5, 19. 
 found no way to bring him in because of the multitude of people, they went up to 
 
 the roof, and let him down with his bed from the roofing,^ into the midst before Jesus. 
 
 16 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the paralytic, My son, thy sins are for- Lk. 5, 20. 
 
 1 7 given thee. And the scribes and Pharisees began to think within their hearts, Why Lk. s, 21. 
 doth this man blaspheme? ^ Who is it that is able to forgive sins, but God alone? 
 
 18 And Jesus knew by the spirit that they were thinking this within themselves, and he Mk. 2, 8. 
 
 19 said unto them, Why do ye think this within your heart? Which is better,'' that it Mk. 2,9. 
 should be said to the paralytic, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or that it should be said 
 
 20 to him. Arise, and take thy bed, and walk? That ye may know that the Son of man Mk. 2, 10. 
 
 21 is empowered on earth to forgive sins (and he said to the paralytic), I say unto thee, Mk. 2, n. 
 
 22 Arise, take thy bed, and go to thine house. And he rose forthwith, and took his jik. 2, 12a. 
 bed, and went out in the presence of all. And he went to his house praising God. Lk. 5, 25*. 
 
 23 And when those multitudes saw, they feared ; and amazement took possession of ^k' ?' 26a. 
 
 24 them, and they praised God, who had given such power to men. And they said, Mt. 9, ib. 
 We have seen marvellous things to-day, of which we have never before seen the like, mih'i'^c. 
 
 25 Arabic, And after that, Jesus went out, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting Lk. 5, 37. 
 
 26 P- 28 among the pubhcans:^ and he said unto him. Follow me. And he left Lk. 5, 28. 
 
 27 everything, and rose, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his Lk. 5, 29. 
 house. And there was a great multitude of the publicans and others sitting with him. 
 
 28 And the scribes and Pharisees murmured, and said unto his disciples, Why do ye eat Lk. 5, 30. 
 
 29 and drink with the publicans and sinners? Jesus answered and said unto them. The Lk, s, 31. 
 physician seeketh not those who are well, but those that are afflicted with grievous 
 
 30, 31 sickness.^ I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners, to repentance. And "^XXz- 
 they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast always, and pray, and the 
 
 32 Pharisees also, but thy disciples eat and drink ? He said unto them. Ye cannot make Lk. s, 34. 
 
 33 the sons of the marriage feast 1° fast, while the bridegroom is with them. Days will Lk. s, 35. 
 
 1 This may represent a Syriac as. 
 
 2 See above, note to § 6, 46, which applies, although the Arabic words are different. 
 
 3 Lit. son^qf-the-roo/s, a Syriac expression {cf. § 24, 31, note). 4 This is the end of verse i in the Greek. 
 
 5 This word may be either a singular or a plural. 
 
 6 This word ordinarily means to forge ties against; but our translator uses it regularly as here. 
 
 •7 Peshitta has easier, ^ 8 See above, note to § 6, 46. 9 A Syriacism. 
 
 10 The Arabic word, which occurs here in many of the Arabic versions, could also be read hriiUgroont. The Syriac 
 word for marriage chamber is also used in the sense of marriage feast. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 55 
 
 § 7 come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them ; then will they fast in those 
 
 34 days. And he spake unto them a parable : No man inserteth a new patch and ukX'^i.' 
 seweth it in a worn garment, lest the newness of the new take from the worn, and 
 
 35 there occur a great rent. And no man putteth fresh wine into old skins, lest the Mk. 2, 22. 
 wine burst the skins, and the skins be destroyed, and the wine spilled ; but they put 
 
 36 the fresh wine in the new skins, and both are preserved. And no man drinketh old Lk. 5,38, 39. 
 wine and straightway desireth fresh ; for he saith. The old is better. 
 
 37 And while Jesus was walking on the sabbath day among the sown fields, his dis- Mt, 12, i. 
 Arabic, ciples hungered. And they were rubbing the ears with their hands, and 
 
 38 P- 29 eating. But some of the Pharisees, when they saw them, said unto him, See, JJ^ '^•^''■ 
 
 39 why 1 do thy disciples on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? But Jesus said Mk] Z It 
 unto them. Have ye not read in olden time what David did, when he had need and 
 
 40 hungered, he and those that were with him? how he entered the house of God, when Mk. 2, 26. 
 Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the table of the Lord, which it was not 
 lawful that any should eat, save the priests, and gave to them that were with him also ? 
 
 41 And he said unto them. The sabbath was created because of man, and man was not Mk. 2, 27. 
 
 42 created because of the sabbath. Or have ye not read in the law, that the priests in Mt 12, 5. 
 
 43 the temple profane the sabbath, and 7^/ they are blameless? I say unto you now, Mt. 12,6. 
 
 44 that here is what ^ is greater than the temple. If ye had known fAis .■ ^ I love mercy, Mt. 12, 7. 
 
 45 not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned* those on whom is no blame. The Mt. 12, 8. 
 
 46 Lord of the sabbath is the Son of man. And his relatives heard, and went out to Mk. 3, 21. 
 take him, and said, He hath gone out of his mind. 
 
 47 And on the next ^ sabbath day he entered ^ into the synagogue and was teach- Lk. 6, 6. 
 
 48 ing. And there was there a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes Lk. 6, 7. 
 and the Pharisees were watching him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day, 
 
 49 that they might find the means of accusing him. But he knew their thoughts, and Lk. 6, 8. 
 said unto the man whose hand was withered, Rise and come near into the midst of 
 
 50 the synagogue. And when he came and stood, Jesus said unto them, I ask you, Lk. 6, 9. 
 which is lawful to be done on the sabbath day, good or evil? shall lives be saved or 
 
 51 Arabic, destroyed? But they were silent. Regarding^ them with anger, being ^j^' 5' ■*'■ 
 P- 3° grieved because of the hardness of their hearts. And he said unto the 
 
 man. Stretch out thy hand. And he stretched it out : and his hand became straight. 
 
 52 Then he said unto them. What man of you shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a Mt. 12, n. 
 
 53 well on the sabbath day, will not take it and lift it out? And how much is man Mt. 12,12. 
 better than a sheep ! Wherefore it is lawful on the sabbath to do good. 
 
 SECTION VIIL 
 
 §8 I And the Pharisees went out, and consulted together concerning him, that they Mt. 12, 14. 
 
 2 might destroy him. And Jesus perceived, and removed thence : and great multitudes Mt 12, 13. 
 
 3 followed him ; and he healed all of them : and he forbade them that they should Mt 12, 16. 
 
 4 not make him known : ^ that the saying in Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, Mt. 12, 17. 
 which said, 
 
 5 Behold, my servant ^ with whom I am pleased ; Mt 12, 18. 
 My beloved in whom my soul hath delighted:!" 
 
 My spirit have I put upon him. 
 
 And he shall proclaim to the nations judgement. 
 
 6 He shall not dispute, nor cry out ; Mt 12, 19. 
 And no man shall hear his voice in the marketplace. 
 
 7 And a bruised reed shall he not break, Mt 12, 20. 
 And a smoking lamp 11 shall he not extinguish, 
 
 1 Syr. In Arab, it means luhatf 
 
 2 This may be simply a misinterpretation of the ordinary Syriac reading, which m all probability agrees with the mascu- 
 
 line reading found in the Text Rec. of the Greek. 
 
 3 Is it possible that the Arabic word after kiiown is not meant simply to introduce the quotation, but is to be taken in the 
 
 adverbial sense, how representing the Syriac what that is ? 4 See § lo, 13, note. 
 
 5 Lit other. The definite article is a mistake of the translator. 
 
 6 Here, at the end of leaf 17 of Vat MS., is a note by a later hand: "Here a leaf is missin|;." This first lacuna extends 
 
 from § 7, 47, to § 8, 17. 7 An easy clerical error for And so he regarded (cf. Peshitta), 8 Lit lead to him. 
 
 9 The Arabic word strictly means ^OT«^ »!•>«. 1" Or, rested. II Or, wici. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 Until he shall bring forth judgement unto victory. 
 
 8 And the nations shall rejoice in his name.i Mt. 12, ji. 
 
 9 And in those days Jesus went out to the mountain that he might pray, and he Lk. 6, 12. 
 
 I o spent the night ^ there in prayer to God. And when the morning was come, he called Lk. 6, 13a. 
 
 the disciples. And he went towards the sea : and there followed him much people Mk. 3, ^. 
 
 I I from Galilee that he might pray,^ and from Judaea, and from Jerusalem, and from Mk. 3, 8. 
 Idumasa, and from beyond Jordan, and from Tyre, and from Sidon, and from De- 
 
 1 2 capolis ; and great multitudes came unto him, which had heard what he did. And Mk. 3, 9. 
 he spake to his disciples to bring him the boat because of the multitudes, that they 
 
 13 might not throng him. And he healed many, so that they were almost falling on Mk. 3, 10. 
 
 Arabic, him * on account of their seeking to get near him. And ^ those that had 
 
 14 P- 31 plagues and unclean spirits, as soon as they beheld him, would fall, and Mk. 3, n. 
 
 1 5 cry out, and say, Thou art the Son of God. And he rebuked them much, that they Mk 3, 12. 
 
 16 should not make him known. And those that were under the constraint of^ un- Lk. 6, 18. 
 
 1 7 clean spirits were healed. And all of the crowd were seeking to come near "^ him ; Lk. 6, 19. 
 because power went out from him, and he healed them all. 
 
 , 19 And when Jesus saw the multitudes, he went up to the mountain. And he Lk.' |,' I's"*. 
 
 called his disciples, and chose from them twelve ; and they are those whom he named 
 
 20 apostles : Simon, whom he named Cephas, and Andrew his brother, and James and Lk. 6, 14. 
 
 2 1 John, and Philip and Bartholomew, and Matthew and Thomas, and James the son Lk. 6, 15. 
 
 22 of Alphasus, and Simon which was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, Lk. 6, 16. 
 
 23 and Judas the Iscariot, being he that had betrayed him.^ And Jesus went down Lk. 6, 17(1. 
 with them and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and the great 
 
 24 multitude of people. And these twelve he chose to be with him, and that he might Mk. 3, 14. 
 
 25 send them to preach, and to have power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. 
 
 26 Then he lifted up his eyes unto them, and opened his mouth, and taught them, V^-^''^°- 
 and said, 
 
 27 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 
 
 28 Blessed are the sorrowful: for they shall be comforted. 
 
 29 Blessed are the humble: for they shall inherit the earth. 
 
 30 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness : for they shall be 
 satisfied. 
 
 3 1 Blessed are the merciful : for on them shall be mercy. 
 
 32 Arabic, Blessed are the pure in their hearts : for they shall see God. 
 
 33 P- 32 Blessed are the peacemakers : for they shall be called the sons of God. 
 
 34 Blessed are they that were persecuted ^ for righteousness' sake : for the kingdom Mt. s, 10. 
 of heaven is theirs. 
 
 35 Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and separate you from them, and per- Lk.6, 23a. 
 secute you, and reproach you, and shall speak against you with all evil talk, for my Mt 5, -nb. 
 
 36 sake, falsely. Then rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven : for so Mt. 5, 12. 
 persecuted they the prophets before you. 
 
 37 But woe unto you rich! for ye have received your consolation. Lk. 6, 24. 
 
 38 Woe unto you that are satisfied! ye shall hunger. Lk.6, 25. 
 Woe unto you that laugh now ! ye shall weep and be sad. 
 
 39 Woe unto you when men praise you! for so did their fathers use to do to the Lk.6, 26. 
 false prophets. 
 
 40 Unto you do I saLy,ye which hear, Ye are the salt of the earth: if then the salt JJ',; j/ij. 
 become tasteless, wherewith shall it be salted ? For any purpose it is of no use, but 
 
 4 1 is thrown outside, and men tread upon it. Ye are the light of the world. It is Mt. 5, m- 
 
 42 impossible that a city built on a mountain should be hid. Neither do they light a Mt. ;■ is- 
 
 1 The Arab, might also mean, And he s/uill preach {the g^ood tidings) to the peoples in his name {cf. §22, 47, note). 
 
 2 This phrase, in this case adopted from the Syriac, really means, in Arab., morning found him. 
 
 3 It must be remembered that we have here only one MS. The Arabic words for Galilee and for mountain are very sim- 
 
 ilar. The words that he might pray have therefore probably made their way here by some error from § 8, 9, above. 
 
 4 So (with the Peshitta) by transposing two letters. The Arabic text as it stands can hardly be translated. Almost may 
 
 be simply a corruption of the Arabic word were. 
 
 5 The syntax of the Arabic is ambiguous. The alternative followed above, which seems the most natural, is that which 
 
 agrees most nearly with the Peshitta. 6 Or, troubled with. 
 
 7 This is the meaning of the Arabic word, as it is the primary meaning of the Syriac : but in this work a number of 
 
 words meaning approach are used (and generally translated) in the sense of touch. The commonest word so used is 
 that in § 12, 13 {cj. also § 12, 35). 
 
 8 So Vat, MS., followed by Ciasca \c/. Sin.). Borg. MS. has he thai was betraying or was a traitor {cf. Peshitta). 
 This word, the ordinary meaning of which is expel, is freely used by our translator in the sense oi persecute. 
 
 Mt5, 
 
 3- 
 
 Mt.5, 
 
 4- 
 
 Mt.5, 
 
 5- 
 
 Mt. 5, 
 
 6. 
 
 Mt5, 
 
 7- 
 
 Mt.5, 
 
 8. 
 
 Mt.s, 
 
 9. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 57 
 
 §8 lamp and place it under a bushel, but on the lamp-stand, and it giveth light to all 
 
 43 who are in the house. So shall 1 your light shine before men, that they may see Mt. s, 16. 
 
 44 your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. There is nothing Mk. 4, 22. 
 
 45 secret that shall not be revealed, or hidden that shall not be known. Whoever hath Mk. 4, 23. 
 ears that hear, let him hear. 
 
 46 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets ; I came not to destroy, Mt. s, 17. 
 
 47 but to complete. Verily I say unto you, Until heaven and earth shall pass, there Mt. 5, iS. 
 
 Arabic, shall not pass one point or one letter of the law, until all of it shall be 
 
 48 P- 33 accomplished. Every one who shall violate now one of these small com- Mt. s, 19. 
 mandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called lacking in the kingdom of 
 heaven: every one that shall do and teach shall 2 be called great in the kingdom 
 
 49 of heaven. I say unto you now, unless your righteousness abound more than that Mt s, 20. 
 of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 50 Ye have heard that it was said to the ancients. Do not kill ; and every one that Mt. 5, 21. 
 
 51 killeth is worthy of the judgement. But I say unto you that every one who is angry Mt. s, 22. 
 with his brother without a cause is worthy of the judgement ; and every one that 
 
 saith to his brother, Thou foul one, is condemned ^ by the synagogue ; and whoso- 
 
 52 ever saith to him. Thou fool, is worthy of the fire of Gehenna. If thou art now Mt. 5, 23. 
 offering thy gift at the altar, and rememberest there that thy brother hath conceived 
 
 53 against thee any grudge, leave thy gift at the altar, and go first and satisfy thy Mt. 5, 24. 
 
 54 brother, and then return and offer thy gift. Join* thine adversary quickly, and Lk! fi,°58a. 
 while thou art still with him in the way, give a ransom and free thyself from him ; 
 
 55 lest thine adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the tax- Mt. s, ^v- 
 
 56 collector, and thou fall into prison. And verily I say unto thee. Thou shalt not go Mt. 5, 26. 
 out thence until thou payest the last farthing. 
 
 57, 58 Ye have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery: but I now say unto ml \,Vi. 
 
 you, that every one that looketh at a woman lusting after her hath forthwith already 
 
 59 Arabic, committed adultery with her in his heart. If thy right eye injure thee, put Mt. 5, 29. 
 P- 34 it out and cast it from thee ; for it is preferable for thee that one of thy 
 
 60 members should perish, and not thy whole body go into the fire of hell. And if thy Mt. s, so- 
 right hand injure thee, cut it off and cast it from thee ; and it is better for thee that 
 
 61 one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body fall into Gehenna. It Mt. 5, 31. 
 was said that he that putteth away his wife should give her a writing of divorcement : 
 
 62 but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, except for the cause Mt. s, 32. 
 of adultery, hath made it lawful for ^ her to commit adultery : and whosoever taketh 
 
 one that is put away committeth adultery. 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 
 § 9 I Ye have heard also that it was said unto the ancients. Lie not, but perform unto Mt 5, 33 
 
 2 God in thy oaths : but I say unto you. Swear not at all ; neither by heaven, for it Mt. 5, 34 
 
 3 is God's throne ; nor by the earth, for it is a footstool under his feet ; nor yet by Mt 5, 35 
 
 4 Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great ^ King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy Mt 5, 36. 
 
 5 head, for thou canst not make in it one lock of hair black or white. But your word Mt 5, 37. 
 shall be either Yea or Nay, and what is in excess of this is of the evil one. 
 
 6, 7 Ye have heard that it was said, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth : but I say unto JJJ; S; 3'^ 
 
 you, Stand not in opposition to the evil;^ but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right 
 
 8 cheek,8 turn to him also the other. And he that would sue thee, and take thy tunic, Mt s, 40. 
 
 9 leave to him also thy wrapper. And whosoever compelleth thee one mile, go with Mt. s, 41 
 
 10 Arabic, him twain. And he that asketh thee, give unto him: and he that would Mt 5,42 
 P- 35 borrow of thee, prevent him not. And prosecute » not him that taketh thy Lk. 6, 30, 
 
 1 1 substance. And as ye desire that men should do to you, so do ye also to them. Lk. 6, 31. 
 12, 13 Ye have heard that it was said, Love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy: but Jjjj; s.43- 
 
 I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for those that curse you, and deal well 
 
 1 Or, let (cf. § 4, 20, note). 2 Lit this (man) sliall. 3 See § lo, 13, note. 
 
 4 Tlie text is ratlier uncertain. . , „ r.,, ,. . . 1. , .• 
 
 B The text is probably corrupt. Vat. MS. lias on margin, t.e., caused her. « The adj. is in the superlative. 
 
 7 A literal reproduction of the Greek, like that in Syr. versions. 8 Lit. jaw. » Or, jiumslt. 
 
 ,«. 
 
58 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 9 with those that hate you, and pray for those who take you with violence and per- 
 
 14 secute you; that ye may be sons of your heavenly Father, who maketh his sun to Mt. 5, 45. 
 rise on the good and the evil, and sendeth down his rain on the righteous and the 
 
 1 5 unrighteous. If ye love them that love you, what reward shall ye have? for the pub- ^k- 1' ^^^ 
 
 16 licans and sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do a kindness to those Ut.6',33.' 
 
 1 7 who treat you well, where is your superiority? for sinners also do likewise. And if Lk. 6, 34. 
 ye lend to him of whom ye hope for a reward, 1 where is your superiority? for the 
 
 18 sinners also lend to sinners, seeking recompense from 2 them. But love your enemies, Lk.6, 35. 
 and do good to them, and lend, and cut not off the hope of any man ; that your re- 
 ward may be great, and ye may be the children of the Highest : for he is lenient 
 
 19 towards the wicked and the ungrateful. Be ye merciful, even as your Father also is Lk.6, 36. 
 
 20 merciful. And if ye inquire for the good of your brethren only, what more have Mt. 5, 47. 
 
 21 ye done //lan others? is not this the conduct of the publicans also? Be ye now ^ Mt. 5, 48. 
 perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 
 
 22 Consider your alms ; do them not before men to let them see you : and if it be not Mt. 6, i. 
 
 23 so,* ye have no reward before your Father which is in the heavens. When then thou Mt. 6, a. 
 givest an alms now, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as do the people of hypocrisy, 
 
 Arabic, in the synagogues and the marketplaces, that men may praise them. And 
 
 24 P- 36 verily say I unto you. They have received their reward. But thou, when Mt6, 3. 
 
 25 thou doest alms, let thy left hand not know what thy right hand doeth ; that thine Mt. 6,4. 
 alms may be concealed : and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 
 
 26 And whenever thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites, who love to stand in the Mt. 6, 5. 
 synagogues and in the corners of the marketplaces for prayers, that men may be- 
 
 27 hold them. And verily say I unto you, They have received their reward. But Mt.6, 6. 
 thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and fasten thy door, and pray to thy 
 Father in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 
 
 28 And whenever ye pray, be not babblers, as the heathen ; for they think that by the Mt. 6, 7. 
 
 29 abundance of their words they shall be heard. Then be not )^e now like unto them ; Mt. 6, 8. 
 
 30 for your Father knoweth your request before ye ask him. One of his disciples said Lk. n, li. 
 
 31 unto him. Our Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples. Jesus said unto Lk. n, sa. 
 
 32 them. Thus now pray ye now:= Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Mt. 6, 9. 
 33,34 name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be ^^«f,^ as in heaven, so on earth. Give us the Mt! Mii 
 
 35 food of to-day. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgave those that trespassif;/ Mt. 6, 12. 
 3b against us. And bring us not into temptations, but deliver us from the evil one. For Mt. 6, 13. 
 
 37 thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.'' If ye forgive Mt 6, 14. 
 
 Arabic, men their wrong-doing,^ your Father which is in heaven will forgive you. 
 
 38 P- 37 But if ye forgive not men, neither will your Father pardon your wrong-doing. Mt. 6, 15. 
 
 39 When ye fast, do not frown, as the hypocrites ; for they make their faces austere, Mt. 6, 16. 
 that they may be seen of ^ men that they are fasting. Verily I say unto you. They 
 
 40 have received their reward. But when thou fastest, wash thy face and anoint thy Mt. 6, 17. 
 
 41 head ; that thou make not an appearance to men of fasting, but to thy Father which Mt. 6, 18. 
 is in secret : and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee. 
 
 42 Be not agitated, little flock ; for your Father hath dehghted to give you the king- Lk. 12, 32. 
 
 43 dom. Sell your posses.sions, and give in alms ; take to yourselves purses that wax Lk. 12, 33a. 
 
 44 not old. Lay not up treasure on earth, where moth and worm corrupt, and where Mt 6, 19. 
 
 45 thieves break through and steal : but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where Mt 6, 20. 
 
 46 moth and worm do not corrupt, nor thieves break through nor steal : for where your Mt 6, 21. 
 
 47 treasure is, there also will your heart be. The lamp of the body is the eye : if then >" Mt 6, 22. 
 
 48 thine eye now be sound, thy whole body also shall be hght. But if thine eye be Mt 6, 23- 
 evil, all thy body shall be dark. And if the light which is in thee is darkness, how 
 
 49 great is 11 thy darkness! Be watchful that the light which is in thee be not darkness. Lk. 11,35. 
 
 50 Because that, if thy whole body is hght, and have no part dark, it shall all be hght, Lk. 11,36. 
 as the lamp giveth light to thee with its flame. 
 
 1 Or, return. 2 Or, to be given tack as much by, 
 
 'A Our tran.slator is continually using this word {cf. § g, 2-^) where the context and the originals require then or there- 
 for/:. We shall only occasionally reproduce the pecufiarity. 4 A clumsy phrase. 
 
 5 The Arabic text makes Matthew begin here. 
 
 6 Ihe text as printed reads. That thy will may be {done) ; but it is to be explained as a (very common grammatical) 
 
 transcriptiiinal error. The Cur., however, has and. 1 Lit. nnto the age oj the ages. 
 
 8 Oi, folly; and so in following verse. 9 Or, sliew to. 10 Qr, for if. U Or, ■willlie. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 59 
 
 SECTION X. 
 
 j 10 I Arabk, No man can serve two masters ; and that because it is necessary that he Mt. 6, 24. 
 
 P- 30 hate one of them and love the other, and honour one of them and despise the 
 
 2 other. Ye cannot serve God and possessions. And because of this I say unto you, Mt. 6, 23. 
 Be not anxious for yourselves,i what ye shall eat and what ye .shall drink ; neither for 
 
 your bodies, what ye shall put on. Is not the hfe better than the food, and the body 
 
 3 than the raiment? Consider the birds of the heaven, which sow. not, nor reap, nor Mt. 6, 26. 
 store in barns; and j)'^/" your Father which is in heaven feedeth them. Are not ye 
 
 4 better than they? Who of you when he trieth is able to add to his stature one Mt. 6, 27. 
 
 5 cubit? If then ye are not able for a small thing, why are ye anxious about the Lk. 12, 26. 
 6, 7 rest ? Consider the wild lily, how it grows, although it toils not, nor spins ; and I ml 6," %. 
 
 say unto you that Solomon in the greatness of his glory was not clothed like one of 
 
 8 them. And if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow Mt. 6, 30. 
 
 9 is cast 2 into the oven, how much more shall be unto you, O ye of little faith! Be Mt 6, 31. 
 not anxious, so as to say. What shall we eat? or. What shall we drink? or. With 
 
 10 what shall we be clothed ? Neither let your minds be perplexed in this : all these ^^t' "' 1^' 
 things the nations of the world seek ; and your Father which is in heaven knoweth 
 
 11 your need of all these things. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteous- Mt 6, 33. 
 
 1 2 Arabic, ness ; and all these shall come to you as something additional for you. Be Mt 6, 34. 
 P- 39 not anxious for the morrow ; for the morrow shall be anxious for what 
 
 belongs to it. Sufficient unto the day is its evil. 
 
 13 Judge not, that ye be not judged: condemn ^ not, that ye be not condemned: Lk.'e.'sV 
 
 14 forgive, and it shall be forgiven you : release, and ye shall be released : give, that ye Lk. b, 38. 
 may be given unto; with good measure, abundant, full, they shall thrust* into your 
 
 15 bosoms. With what measure ye measure it shall be measured to you. See to it Mk. 4, 24^. 
 what ye hear : with what measure ye measure it shall be measured to you ; and ye 
 
 16 shall be given more. I say unto those that hear, He that hath shall be given u7ito; Mk. 4, 25. 
 and he that hath not, that which he regards ^ as his shall be taken from him. 
 
 17 And he spake unto them a parable, Can a blind man haply guide a blind man? Lk. 6, 39. 
 
 18 shall *> they not both fall into a hollow? A disciple is not better than his master; Lk. 6, 40. 
 
 19 every perfect man shall be as his master. Why lookest thou at the mote which is Lk. 6,41. 
 in the eye of thy brother, but considerest not the column that is in thine own eye? 
 
 20 Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, I will take out the mote from thine Lk. 6, 42. 
 eye ; and the column which is in thine eye thou seest not? Thou hypocrite, take 
 
 out first the column from thine eye ; and then shalt thou see to take out the mote 
 from the eye of thy brother. 
 
 2 1 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the Mt 7, 6. 
 swine, lest they trample them with their feet, and return and wound you. 
 
 22 And he said unto them. Who of you, that hath a friend, goeth to him at mid- Lk. n, $. 
 
 23 night, and saith unto him. My friend, lend me three loaves ; for a friend hath come Lk. n, 6. 
 
 24 to me from a journey, and I have nothing to offer to him : and that friend shall Lk. n, ^. 
 
 Arabic, answer him from within, and say unto him, Trouble me not ; for the door 
 P- 40 is shut, and my children are with me in bed, and I cannot rise and give thee ? 
 
 25 And verily I say unto you. If he will not give him because of friendship, yet because Lk. n, 8. 
 
 26 of his importunity he will rise and give him what he seeketh. And I also say unto Lk. n, 9. 
 you. Ask, and ye shall be given unto; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be 
 
 27 opened unto you. Every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and Lk. u, 10. 
 
 28 he that knocketh, it shall be opened to him. What father of you, shall his son ask for Lk. n, n. 
 bread — will he, think you, give him a stone?'' and if he ask of him a fish, will he, 
 
 29 think you, instead of the fish give him a serpent? and if he ask him for an egg, will Lk. n, 12. 
 
 1 Or, your souls; or, ycmr Hijes. 2 Wx.. falleth (cf. Syriac). 
 
 3 The word means to contend sitccessfiiUy, but is used throughout by our translator in the sense oi condemn. 
 
 4 This is the reading adopted by Ciasca in his Latin version, 'I'he diacritical points in the Arabic text, as he has printed 
 
 it (perhaps a misprint), give second person plural passive instead of third plural active. 
 
 5 c/. Lk. 8, i83. Our translator uses the same word m § 50, 5=Lk. 23, Zh; and in both cases it represents the same 
 
 word in the Syriac versions. 6 Or, Do. 
 
 7 The Arabic might also be rendered, What father of you, whom his son asketh for bread, will {think you) give him a 
 stone ? But as the Peshitta preserves the confused construction of the Greek, it is probably better to render as above. 
 
6o THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 10 30 he, think you, extend to him a scorpion? If ye then, although being evil, know the Lk. h, 13. 
 gifts which are good, and give them to your children, how much more shall your 
 
 31 Father which is in heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Whatsoever Mt. 7, 12. 
 ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them : this is the law and the 
 prophets. 
 
 32 Enter 1 ye by the narrow gate ; for the wide gate and the broad way lead to de- Mt. ^, 13. 
 
 33 struction, and many they be which go therein. How narrow is the gate and strait- Mt. ^, 14. 
 ened the way leading to life! and few be they that find it. 
 
 34 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's ^ clothing, while within Mi. 7, 15. 
 
 35 they are ravening wolves. But by their fruits ye shall know them. For every tree is **'■ 7. i6a. 
 known by its fruit. For figs are not gathered ^ of thorns, neither are grapes plucked of ' ' ''''' 
 
 36 briers. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but the evil tree bringeth Mt. ^, 17. 
 
 37 Arabic, forth evil fruit. The good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither cati the Mt ^, 18. 
 
 38 P-4I evil tree bring forth good fruit. The good man from the good treasures that Lk. 6, 45. 
 are in his heart bringeth forth good things; and the evil man from the evil treasures 
 
 that are in his heart bringeth forth evil things: and from the overflowings of the 
 
 39 heart the lips speak. Every tree that beareth not good fruit is cut doiim and cast Mt. 7, 19. 
 40, 41 into the fire. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not all that say unto JJ*- 7. =o. 
 
 me. My Lord, my Lord, shall enter the kingdom of the heavens ; but he that doeth ' '' "' 
 
 42 the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many shall say imto me in that day, Mt. 7, 22. 
 My Lord, my Lord, did we not prophesy in thy name, and in thy name cast out 
 
 43 devils, and in thy name do many powers? Then shall I say unto them, I never Mt. 7, 23. 
 
 44 knew you: depart from me, ye servants of iniquity. Every man that cometh unto Lk. 6, 47. 
 
 45 me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to what he is like : he Lk. 6, 48. 
 is like the wise man which built a house, and digged and went deep, and laid the 
 
 46 foundations on a rock : and the rain carae down, and the rivers overflowed, and the Mt. 7, 25. 
 winds blew, and shook that house, and it fell not : for its foundation was laid on 
 
 47 rocks. And every one that heareth these my words, and doeth them not, is like Mt. 7, 26. 
 
 48 the foolish man which built his house on sand, without foundation : and the rain de- Mt. 7, 27. 
 scended, and the rivers overflowed, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house, 
 
 and it fell : and the fall of it was great. 
 
 SECTION XI. 
 
 \W I Arabic, And when Jesus finished these sayings, the multitudes were astonished Mt. 7, 28. 
 
 2 P- 42 at his teaching ; and that because he was teaching them as one having Mt. 7, 29. 
 authority, not as their scribes and the Pharisees. 
 
 3 And when he descended from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. Mt 8, i. 
 
 4 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, the servant of one of the chiefs was in an Lk'^^^"' 
 
 5 evil case, and he was precious to him, and he was at the point of death. And he Lk! ^, 3. 
 
 6 heard of Jesus, and came to him with the elders of the Jews ; and he besought him, Mt 8, 5*. 
 and said, My Lord, my boy is laid in the house paralysed,* and he is suffering griev- Mt 8, 6. 
 
 7 ous torment. And the elders urgendy requested of him, and said. He is worthy that Lk. 7, 4*- 
 
 8 this should be done unto him : for he loveth our people, and he also built the syna- Lk. 7, 5- 
 9, 10 gogue for us. Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him. That chief answered ^tM'. 
 
 and said, My Lord, I am not worthy that my roof should shade thee ; but it sufficeth 
 
 1 1 that thou speak a word, and my lad shall be healed. And I also am a man in obe- Lk. 7, 3. 
 dience to authority, having under my hand soldiers -fi and I say to this one, Go, and 
 
 he goeth ; and to another. Come, and he cometh ; and to my servant that he do this, 
 
 12 and he doeth it. And when Jesus heard that, he marvelled at him," and turned and Lk. 7. 9«- 
 said unto the multitude that were coming with him, Verily I say unto you, I have Mt 8, io«. 
 
 13 not found in Israel the like of \}m& faith. I say unto you, that many shall come from Mt 8, n. 
 
 Arabic, the east and the west, and shall recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob 
 
 14 P' 43 in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom shall be cast Mt 8, u. 
 
 1 There is nothing about striving. The verb is walaga, which means enter (c/T § ii, 48). 2 Or, lambs'. 
 
 3 The verbs might be singular active, but not plural as in Syriac versions (c/., however, § 38, 43, note, end). In the 
 
 Borg. MS. the nouns are in the accusative. 4 i.e., so as to be unable to walk. 
 
 B Or, bodies o/soUii^rs. 6 Or, it. 
 
Mt. 8, 
 
 i8. 
 
 Lk. 9, 
 Mt. 8, 
 
 57«- 
 19. 
 
 Mt. 8, 
 
 20. 
 
 Lk.9, 
 
 59- 
 
 Lk. 9, 
 
 60. 
 
 Lk. 9, 
 
 61. 
 
 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 61 
 
 §11 15 forth into the outer darkness : and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Mt. 8, 13. 
 Jesus said to that chief, Go thy way ; as thou hast believed, so shall it be unto thee. 
 
 16 And his lad was healed in that hour. And that chief returned to the house and found Lk. 7, 10. 
 that sick servant healed. 
 
 1 7 And the day after, he was going to a city called Nain, and his disciples with him, Lk. 7, n. 
 
 18 and a great multitude. And when he was come near the gate of the city, he saw a Lk. 7, 12. 
 crowd 1 accompanying one that was dead, the only son of his mother; and his 
 mother was a widow : and there was with her a great multitude of the people of the 
 
 19 city. And when Jesus saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep Lk. 7, 13. 
 
 20 not. And he went and advanced to the bier, and the bearers of it stood still ; and Lk. 7, 14. 
 
 21 he said. Young man, I say unto thee. Arise. And that dead man sat up and began Lk. 7, 15. 
 
 22 to speak; and he gave him to his mother. And fear came on all the people: and Lk. 7,16. 
 they praised God, and said. There hath risen among us a great prophet: and, God 
 
 23 hath had regard to his people. And this news concerning him spread in all Judaea, Lk. 7, 17. 
 and in all the region which was about them. 
 
 24 And when Jesus saw great multitudes surrounding him, he commanded them to 
 
 25 depart to the other side. And while they were going in the way, there came one 
 of the scribes and said unto him. My Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou 
 
 26 goest. Jesus said unto him. The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have 
 
 27 nests ; but the Son of man hath not a place in which to lay his head. And he said 
 unto another, Follow me. And he said unto him, My Lord, suffer me first to go and 
 
 28 bury my father. Jesus said unto him. Leave the dead to bury their dead ; but thou, 
 
 29 follow me and preach the kingdom of God. And another said unto him, I will fol- 
 
 Arabic, low thcc, my Lord ; but first suffer me to go and salute my household and 
 
 30 P- 44 come. Jesus said unto him. There is no one who putteth his hand to the Lk. 9, 62. 
 plough 2 and looketh behind him, &nd yet is fit for the kingdom of God. ' 
 
 31 And he said to them on that day in the evening, Let us go over to the other side Lk.'8,'22i. 
 
 32 of the lake; and he left^ the multitudes. And Jesus went up and sat in the ship, Lk^'g^^fj"' 
 
 33 he and his disciples, and there were with them other ships. And there occurred on Mk. 4, sfe. 
 the sea a great tempest ■* of whirlwind and wind, and the ship was on the point of Lk's,'!*"" 
 
 34 sinking from the greatness ^ of the waves. But Jesus was sleeping on a cu.shion in Mk. 4, 383. 
 the stern of the ship ; and his disciples came and awoke him, and said unto him. Our Mt. 8, 25. 
 
 35 Lord, save us; lo, we perish. And he rose, and rebuked the winds and the turbu- Lk. 8, 2415. 
 lence of the water, and said to the sea. Be still, for thou art rebuked ; and the wind Mk. 4, 39*. 
 
 36 was still, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them. Why are ye thus Mk. 4, 40. 
 
 37 afi-aid ? and why have ye no faith? And they feared greatly.^ And they marvelled, Lk. 8, 25*. 
 and said one to another. Who, think you, is this, who commandeth also the wind 
 
 and the waves and the sea, and they obey him? 
 
 38 And they departed and came to the country of the Gadarenes, which is on the Lk. s, 26. 
 
 39 other side, opposite the land of Galilee. And when he went out of the ship to the 
 land, there met him from among the tombs a man who had a devil for a long time, 
 
 40 and wore no clothes, neither dwelt in a house, but among the tombs. And no man was 
 
 Arabic, able to bind him with chains, because anytime that he was bound with chains 
 
 41 P- 45 and fetters he cut the chains and loosened the fetters ; and he was snatched ' 
 
 42 away of the devil into the desert, and no man was able to quiet him ; and at all times, 
 in the night and in the day, he would be among the tombs and in the mountains ; 
 and no man was able to pass by that way ; and he would cry out and wound himself Mk."s/si" 
 
 43 with stones. And when he saw Jesus at a distance, he hastened and worshipped Mk. 5, 6. 
 
 44 him, and cried with a loud voice and said. What have we to do with thee, Jesus, ^■^;i;^u. 
 
 45 Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not. And Jesus JJJ'-gS.^?^^ 
 commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man : and he had suffered^ a long ' ' ""-"■ 
 
 46 time since the time when he came into captivity to it. And Jesus asked him. What Lk. 8, 30. 
 is thy name? He said unto him. Legion ; for there had entered into him" many 
 
 47 devils. And they besought him that he would not command them to depart into Lk. 8, 31. 
 
 48 the depths. And there was there a herd of many swine, feeding in the mountain, Lk. 8, 32. 
 
 1 Ut. comtany. 2 XM. plough of tht yoke. _ v ■ / v ^ , 
 
 3 cf., e.g., at 5 J7> i9, § =3. i6, where the same Arabic and Synac word is used; cf. also the ambiguity of the Oreek 
 
 (R. V. has Uff). * Lit. cammotion. B Or, abundance. 
 
 6 The last clause belongs in the Greek to verse 41. 1 Imperfect tense. 8 Lit. and it was for him. 
 
 Lk. 8, 
 
 Mk. s 
 Lk. 8, 
 
 27«. 
 , zb. 
 
 ■2-lC. 
 
 Mk. 5, 
 
 ,3*. 
 
 Mk. 5 
 
 , 4a. 
 
 Lk. 8, 
 
 29c. 
 
 wk.s, 
 
 4*,5«- 
 
 Mt. 8, 
 
 28J. 
 
62 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §11 and those devils besought him to give them leave to enter the swine; and he gave 
 
 49 them leave. And the devils went out of the man and entered into the swine. And ^jH; ^' 33- 
 that herd hastened to the summit and fell down into the midst of the sea, about two ' ' '3 ■ 
 
 50 thousand, and they were choked in the water. And when the keepers saw what Lk. 8, 34. 
 
 51 happened, they fled, and told those in the cities and villages. And the people went Lk. s, 35, 
 out to see what had happened ; and they came to Jesus, and found the man whose 
 
 Arabic, devils had gone out, clothed, modest,i seated at the feet of Jesus ; and they 
 
 52 P- 46 feared. And they reported what they saw, and how the man was healed Lk. s, 36. 
 who had a devil, and concerning those swine also. Mk, s, m. 
 
 SECTION XII. 
 
 § 12 I And all the multitude of the Gadarenes entreated him to depart from them, be- Lk. 8, 37,1. 
 cause that great fear took hold upon them. 
 2, 3 But Jesus went up into the ship, and crossed, and came to his city. And that Lkl'^s 
 
 man from whom the devils went out entreated that he might stay with him ; but 
 
 4 Jesus sent him away, and said unto him, Return to thy house, and make known what Lk. 8, 39a. 
 
 5 God hath done for thee. And he went, and began to pubhsh in Decapolis ^ what Mk. s, 20. 
 Jesus had done for him ; and they all marvelled. 
 
 6 And when Jesus had crossed in the ship to that side, a great multitude received ^^-g' '"'■ 
 
 7 him ; and they were all looking for him. And a man named Jairus, the chief of the Lk. 8,' 413! 
 
 8 synagogue, fell before the feet of Jesus, and besought him much, and said unto him, Mk. s, 23a. 
 I have an only daughter, and she is come nigh unto death ; but come and lay thy Mt. 9, m. 
 
 9 hand upon her, and she shall Uve. And Jesus rose, and his disciples, and they fol- Mt. 9, ig. 
 ID lowed him. And there joined him a great multitude, and they pressed him. ■ Mk. 5, 24^. 
 
 II, 12 And a woman, which had a flow of blood for twelve years, Aad suffered much JJj^'^'^g 
 
 of many physicians, and spent all that she had, and was not benefited at all, but her 
 
 13 trouble increased further. And when she heard of Jesus, she came in the thronging of Mk. 5, 27. 
 
 14 Arabic, the crowd behind him, and touched 3 his garments ; and she thought within Mk. s, 28. 
 
 15 P- 47 herself. If I <:«//rf reach to touch his garments, I should live. Andimmedi- Mk. s, 29. 
 ately the fountain of her blood was dried ; and she felt in her body that she was healed 
 
 16 of her plague. And Jesus straightway knew within himself that power had gone out Mk. s, 30. 
 of him ; and he turned to the crowd, and said, Who approached unto my garments? 
 
 17 And on their denying, all of them, Simon Cephas and those with him said unto him, Lk. 8,45*. 
 Our Master, the multitudes throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou. Who ap- 
 
 18 proached unto me? And he said. Some one approached unto me ; and I knew that Lk. 8, 46. 
 
 19 power went forth from me. And that woman, when she saw that she was not hid 
 
 20 from him, came fearing and agitated (for she knew what had happened to her), and 
 fell down and worshipped him, and told, in the presence of all the people, for what 
 
 21 reason she touched Aim, and how she was healed immediately. And Jesus said unto 
 her, Be of good courage, daughter ; thy faith hath made thee alive ; depart in peace, 
 and be whole from thy plague. 
 
 22 And while he was yet speaking, there came a man from the house of the, chief 
 of the synagogue, and said unto him. Thy daughter hath died ; so trouble not the 
 
 23 teacher. But Jesus heard, and said unto the father of the maid. Fear not : but be- 
 
 24 Heve only, and she shall live. And he suffered no man to go with him, except 
 
 25 Simon Cephas, and James, and John the brother of James. And they reached the 
 house of the chief of the synagogue ; and he saw them agitated, weeping and wail- 
 
 26 ing. And he entered, and said unto them, M^hy are ye agitated and weeping ? the Mk. 5, 39- 
 
 27 Arabic maid hath not died, but she is sleeping. And they laughed at him, for Lk. 8,53. 
 
 28 P- 4^^ they knew that she had died. And he put every man forth without, and Mk. 5, io!>. 
 took the father of the maid, and her mother, and Simon, and James, and John, and 
 
 29 entered into the place where the maid was laid. And he took hold of the hand of Mk. 5, 41- 
 the maid, and said unto her, Maid, arise. And her spirit returned, and straightway Lk. 8, ss"- 
 
 30 she arose and walked : and she was about twelve years cf age. And he commanded Lk^'s^'ss'/' 
 
 31 that there should be given to her something to eat. And her father wondered greatly : Lk. sisc' 
 
 1 c/l Syriac versions. 2 Lit. /Ae ten cities. 3 See 5 8, 17, note. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 Mk 
 Lk. 
 
 8, 
 ■ S 
 8, 
 
 47<j. 
 
 ,33*- 
 47c. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 8, 
 
 48. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 Si 
 
 ,34*. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 8, 
 
 49. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 8, 
 
 50. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 S, 
 
 i37- 
 
 Mk, 
 
 •5 
 
 ,38. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 63 
 
 §12 32 and he warned them that they should tell no man what had happened. And this Mt. 9, 26. 
 report spread in all that land. 
 
 33 And when Jesus crossed over from there, there joined him two blind men, cry- Mt 9, 27. 
 
 34 ing out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David. And when he came to Mt. 9, 28. 
 the house, those two blind men came to him : and Jesus said unto them. Believe ye 
 
 35 that I am able to do this? They said unto him. Yea, our Lord. Then he touched 1 Mt. 9, 29. 
 
 36 their eyes, and said, As ye have believed, it shall be unto you. And immediately Mt. 9, 30. 
 their eyes were opened. And Jesus forbade them, and said. See that no man know. 
 
 37 But they went out and published the news in all that land. Mt. 9, 31. 
 
 38 And when Jesus went out, they brought to him a dumb man having a devil. Mt. 9, 32. 
 
 39 And on the going out of the devil that dumb man spake. And the multitudes mar- Mt. 9, 33. 
 veiled, and said, It was never so seen in Israel. 
 
 40 And Jesus was going about in all the cities and in the villages, and teaching in their Mt. 9, 35. 
 s)magogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease 
 
 41 Arabic, and sickness ; and many followed him. And when Jesus saw the multitudes, Mt. 9, 36. 
 P- 49 he had compassion on them, for they were wearied and scattered,^ as sheep 
 
 42 that have no shepherd. And he called his twelve disciples, and gave them power and ^k q°'il' 
 
 43 much authority over all devils and diseases ; and sent them two and two, that they Lk. 9,' 2. 
 
 44 might proclaim the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he charged them, Mt. 10, 5, 
 and said. Walk not in the way of the heathen, nor enter into the cities of the Sa- 
 
 45, 46 maritans.'' Go especially unto the sheep that are lost of the sons of Israel. And Mt! 10! 
 
 47 when ye go, proclaim and say, The kingdom of heaven is come near. And heal the Mt. 10, 8. 
 
 sick, and cleanse the lepers, and cast out the devils : freely ye have recei\'ed, freely 
 
 48, 49 give. Get you not gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; and take nothing for Mt. 10, gf. 
 
 the way, except a staff only ; nor bag, nor bread ; neither shall ye have two tunics, Lk ' *' ^^' 
 
 50 nor shoes, nor staff, but be shod with sandals ; for the labourer is worthy of his food. Mt. 10, xac. 
 
 51 And whatever city or village ye enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and there be until Mt.'io.'w. 
 52, 53 ye go out. And when ye enter into the house, ask for the peace of the house: and J^J- ^°' J^- 
 
 if the house is worthy, your peace shall come upon it ; but if it is not worthy, your Mt. 10! 13. 
 
 54 peace shall return unto you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your Mt. 10, 14a. 
 sayings, when ye go out from that house, or from that village, shake off the dust Mk. 6, n*. 
 
 55 Arabic, that is under your feet against them for a testimony. And verily I say Mt. 10, 15. 
 P- 5° unto you, To the land of Sodom and Gomorrah there shall be rest in 
 
 the day of judgement, rather than to that city. 
 
 Mt. 10, 6. 
 7- 
 
 SECTION XIII. 
 
 j 13 I I am sending you as lambs among wolves : be ye now wise as serpents, and Mtr. 10, 16. 
 
 2 harmless * as doves. Beware of men : they shall dehver you to the councils of the ml 10, 17. 
 
 3 magistrates, and scotirge you in their synagogues ; and shall bring you before gov- Mt 10, 18. 
 emors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and against the nations. 
 
 4 And when they deliver you up, be not^ anxious, nor consider beforehand, what ye Mtio, 19. 
 
 5 shall say ; but ye shall be given ^ in that hour what ye ought to speak. Ye do not Mt 10, 20. 
 
 6 speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaketh in you. The brother shall deliver up Mt 10, 21. 
 his brother to death, and the father his son ; and the sons shall rise against their 
 
 7 parents, and put them to death. And ye shall be hated of every man because of Mt lo, 22. 
 
 8 my name ; but he that endureth unto the end of the matter shall be saved.^ When Mt 10, 23. 
 they expel you from this city, flee to another. Verily I say unto you, Ye shall not 
 
 finish all the cities of the people of Israel, until the Son of man come. 
 9, 10 A disciple is not superior to his lord, nor a servant to his master. For it is Mt 1°; 25! 
 
 enough then for the disciple that he be as his lord, and the servant as his master. 
 If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the people 
 
 1 Lit went forward to {cf. § 8, 17, note). 2 Lit castaway (cf. meanings of Syriac word). 
 
 3 § 34, 40, shows that this Arabic form may be so translated. 
 
 4 The word is occasionally used in this sense, but ordinarily means sound, unhurt. 
 B From this point down to Mt. 10, 27a, is assigned by Vat. MS. to Mark. 
 
 6 Borg. MS. reads, but what ye are granted ye shall speak, and ye shall he given in, etc., and there seems to be a trace 
 oithis reading'in Ciasca's text 7 See note to § i, 78. 
 
64 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §13 II of his house! Fear them not therefore ;! for there is nothing covered, that shall Mt. 10,26. 
 
 1 2 Arabic, not be revealed ; nor hid, that shall not be disclosed and published. What Mt. 10, 27a. 
 P- 5 1 I say unto you in the darkness, speak ye in the light ; and what ye have told Lk. 12, 3*. 
 
 13 secretly in the ears in closets, let it be proclaimed on the housetops. I say unto you Lk. 12, 4^, 
 now, my beloved. Be not agitated at 2 those who kill the body, but have no power to Mt. 10, m. 
 
 14 kill the soul. I will inform you whom ye shall fear : him ^ which is able to destroy 
 
 1 5 soul and body in hell. Yea, I say unto you, Be afraid of him especially. Are not two m^'; "; 5^ 
 sparrows sold for a farthing in a bond ? * and one of them shall not fall on the 
 
 16 ground without your Father. But what concerns you : even the hair of your heads Mt. 10, 30. 
 17, 18 also is numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are better than many sparrows. Every ^t'.' ",' 32' 
 
 man who confesseth me now before men, I also will confess him before my Father 
 
 19 which is in heaven ; but whosoever denieth me before men, I also will deny him be- Mt. 10, 33. 
 fore my Father which is in heaven. 
 
 20 Think ye that I am come to cast peace into the earth? I came not to cast peace, Lk. 12, 51. 
 
 21 but to cast dissension. Henceforth there shall be five in one house, three of them Lk. 12, 32. 
 2 2 disagreeing with two, and the two with the three. The father shall become hostile Lk. 12, 53, 
 
 to his son, and the son to his father ; and the mother to her daughter, and the daugh- 
 ter to her mother ; and the mother in law to her daughter in law, and the daughter 
 
 23 in law to her mother in law: and a man's enemies shall be the people of his house. Mt. 10,36. 
 
 24 Whosoever loveth father or mother better than me is not worthy of me ; and whoso- Mt. 10, 37. 
 
 Arabic, ever loveth son or daughter more than his love of me is not worthy of me. 
 
 25 P- 5 2 And every one that doth not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of Mt. 10, 38. 
 
 26 me. Whosoever findeth his life 5 shall lose it ; and whosoever loseth his life ^ for my Mt. 10, 39. 
 sake shall find it. 
 
 27 And whosoever receiveth you receiveth me; and whosoever receiveth me re- Mi. 10, 40. 
 
 28 ceiveth him that sent me. And whosoever receiveth a prophet in the name of a Mt. 10, 41. 
 prophet shall take ^ a prophet's reward ; and whosoever shall receive a righteous man 
 
 29 in the name of a righteous man shall take^ a righteous man's reward. And every Mt. 10,42a. 
 one that shall give to drink to one of these least ones a drink of water only, in the 
 
 name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. Mk. 9, 41*. 
 
 30 And when Jesus finished charging his twelve disciples, he removed thence to Mt. h, i. 
 
 31 teach and preach in their cities. And while they were going in the way they entered Lk. 10,33. 
 into a certain village ; and a woman named Martha entertained him in her house. 
 
 32 And she had a sister named Mary, and she came and sat at the feet of our Lord, Lk. 10,39. 
 2S and heard his sayings. But Martha was disquieted by much serving ; and she came Lk. 10, 40. 
 
 and said unto him, My Lord, givest thou no heed that my sister left me alone to 
 
 34 serve? speak to her that she help me. Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Lk. 10, 41. 
 
 35 Martha, thou art solicitous and impatient'' on account of many things: but what is Lk. 10,42. 
 sought is one thing. But Mary hath chosen for herself a good portion, and that 
 which shall not be taken from her. 
 
 36 And the apostles went forth, and preached to the people that they might repent. Mk. 6, 12. 
 
 37 And they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick with oil, and healed them. Mk. 6, 13. 
 38, 39 And the disciples of John told him^ of all these things. And when John heard in m'^'. I'jL 
 
 Arabic, the prison of the doings of the Messiah, he called two of his disciples, and Lk. 7, 19. 
 P- 53 sent them to Jesus, and said. Art thou he that cometh, or look we for 
 
 40 another? And they came to Jesus, and said unto him, John the Baptist hath sent Lk. 7,20. 
 
 41 us unto thee, and said. Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another? And in that Lk. 7, 21. 
 hour he cured many of diseases, and of plagues of an evil spirit : and he gave sight 
 
 42 to many blind. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and tell John everything ye Lk. 7, 22. 
 have seen and heard ; the blind see, and the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, 
 
 and the blind ^ hear, and the dead rise, and the poor have the gospel preached to 
 
 43 them. And blessed is he who doubteth not in me. Lk. 7, 23. 
 
 1 See note to § g, 21. 
 
 3 Perhaps this Arabic word is a copyist's error for that used a few lines further down in Lk. 12, 5, the Arabic words being 
 
 very similar; but see note on § i, 14. 3 Syriac. 
 
 4 The Vat. MS., like the Brit. Mus. text of Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, omits^r a farthing, retaining in a bond. 
 
 The two phrases are simply different explanations of the same Syriac consonants. These are really the naturalised 
 Greek word rendered farthing in Eng. version ; but they also form a Syriac word meaning bond. 
 
 5 Or, soul. 6 Or, receive. "^ Or, agitated. 8 Wi. And his disciples told John, as in the Greek, etc. 
 
 9 A different word from that used in the preceding verse. It is either an Arabic copyist's error for the word for <i?(r/"used 
 in Ibn-aJ-'Tayyib's Commentary, or a careless blunder. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 65 
 
 § 13 44 And when John's disciples departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes con- Lk. ^, 24. 
 cerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken with the 
 
 45 winds? And if not, then what went ye out to see ? a man clothed in soft raiment? Lk. 7, =5. 
 Behold, they that are in magnificent garments and in voluptuousness are in the abode 
 
 46 of kings. And if not, then what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto Lk. 7, 26. 
 
 47 you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Lk. 7, 27. 
 
 I am sending my messenger before thy face 
 To prepare the way before thee. 
 
 SECTION XIV. 
 
 § 14 I Verily I say unto you, There hath not arisen among those whom women have Mt. n, h. 
 borne a greater than John the Baptist ; but he that is little now in the kingdom of 
 heaven is greater than he. 
 3 Arabic, And all the people which heard, and the publicans, justified ^ God, for Lk. 7, 29. 
 
 3 P- 54 they had been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the Lk. 7, 30. 
 scribes wronged ^ the purpose of God in themselves, in that they were not baptized of 
 
 4 him. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven is ml u, 12a. 
 
 5 snatched away by violence. The law and the prophets were until John ; and after that, Lk. 16, 16. 
 the kingdom of God is preached, and all press to enter it : and they that exert them- Mt n, ^ib. 
 
 6, 7 selves snatch it away. All the prophets and the law until John prophesied. And if ye JjJ^ JJ- J3- 
 
 8 will, then receive zV, that he is Elijah, which is to come. Whosoever hath ears that hear ml n,' 15. 
 
 9 let him hear. Easier is the perishing of heaven and earth, than the passing away of Lk. 16, 17. 
 
 10 one point of the law. To whom then shall I liken the people of this generation,' and Lk. 7, 31.^. 
 
 11 to whom are they like? They are like the children sitting in the market, which call Lk. 7, 32. 
 to their companions, and say. We sang to you, and ye danced not ; we wailed to you, 
 
 12 and ye wept not. John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine ; Lk. 7, 33. 
 
 13 and ye said. He hath demons : and the Son of man came eating and drinking ; and Lk. 7, 34. 
 ye said, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drinker of wine, and an associate of pub- 
 
 14, 15 licans and sinners! And wisdom was justified of all her children. And when he Mk.^i.^ai 
 said that, they came to the house. And there gathered unto him again multitudes, 
 
 16 so that they found not bread to eat. And while he was casting out a devil which Lk. n, 14. 
 was dumb, when he cast out that devil, that dumb man spake. And the multitudes 
 
 17 Arabic, marvclied. And the Pharisees, when they heard, said. This wa^z doth not cast ml .12, 24. 
 P- 55 out the devils, except by Beelzebul the chief of the demons, which is in him. 
 
 18, 19 And others requested of him a sign from heaven, to tempt him. And Jesus knew their ^'t! 12) 25'. 
 thoughts, and said unto them in parables, Every kingdom that withstandeth itself 
 shall become desolate ; and every house or city that disagreeth with itself shall not 
 
 20 stand : and if a devil cast out a devil, he withstandeth himself ; neither shall he be Ml 12, 26a. 
 
 21 able to stand, but his end shall be. Then how now shall his kingdom stand? for ye mliV'6^- 
 
 22 said that I cast out devils by Beelzebul. And if I by Beelzebul cast out the devils, 
 then your children, by what do they cast them out? And for this cause they shall 
 
 23 be judges against you. But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then the king- 
 
 24 dom of God is come near unto you. Or how can a man enter into the house of a 
 valiant man, and seize his garments,^ if he do not beforehand secure himself « from 
 
 25 that valiant ?nan? and then will he cut off ^ his house. But when the valiant man is 
 
 26 armed, guarding his house, his possessions are in peace. But if one come who is 
 more valiant than he, he overcometh him, and taketh his whole armour, on which 
 
 27 he reheth, and divideth his spoil. Whosoever is not with me is against me ; and 
 
 28 whosoever gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. For this reason I say unto you, 
 
 Arabic, that all sins and blasphemies with which men blaspheme shall be forgiven 
 
 29 P- 56 them : but whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, there is no 
 
 30 forgiveness for him for ever, but he is deserving of eternal punishment : because they 
 
 1 Syriac. In Arabic the word ordinarily means believed. 
 
 2 Seebdow, § 20, 28, note. 3 See 5 i, 49, note. ^ And verse zqb. j ^ , , . 
 5 The word used in the Syriac versions (Pesh. and Cur.) means garments as well as utensiis, and the Arabic translator 
 
 has chosen the wrong meaning(c/^ § 42, 44). 
 8 Certain derivatives from the same root signify bind, but hardly this word. 
 7 The two Arab. MSS. differ in this word, but the meaning is about the same. Perhaps both are corrupL 
 
 Lk. It 
 Ml 12 
 
 iS/. 
 
 27. 
 
 Ml 12, 
 
 28. 
 
 Ml 12 
 
 29. 
 
 Lk. II, 
 
 21. 
 
 Lk. II, 
 
 22. 
 
 Lk. II 
 
 23. 
 
 Mk. 3, 
 
 28. 
 
 Mk. 3, 
 
 29. 
 
 Mk. 3, 
 
 30. 
 
Mt. 
 
 I2> 
 
 22. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 12, 
 
 -3- 
 
 Mk. 
 
 6, 
 
 30. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 6, 
 
 -,i. 
 
 66 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 14 31 said that he had an unclean spirit. And he said also, Every one that speaketh a word Mt. 12, 33. 
 against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him ; but whosoever speaketh against 
 the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to 
 
 32 come. Either ye must make a good tree 1 and its fruit good ; or ye must make an evil Mt. 12, 33. 
 
 33 tree ^ and its fruit evil : for the tree is known by its fruit. Ye children of vipers, how Mt. 12, 34. 
 can ye, being evil, speak good things? from the overflowings of the heart the mouth 
 
 34 speaketh. The good man from the good treasures which are in his heart bringeth Lk. 6. ^s". 
 forth good things ; and the wicked man from the evil treasures which are in his 
 
 35 heart bringeth forth evils. I say unto you, that every idle word which men shall Mt. 12, 36. 
 
 36 speak, they shall give an answer for in the day of judgement: for by thy sayings Ml 12, 37. 
 thou shalt be justified, and by thy sayings thou shalt be judged. 
 
 37 And he said to the multitudes. When ye see the clouds appear from the west, Lk. 12,54. 
 
 38 straightway ye say that there cometh rain ; and so it cometh to pass. And when Lk. 12, 53. 
 
 39 the south wind bloweth, ye saj' that there will be heat ; and it cometh to pass. And Ml 16, 2*. 
 when the evening is come, ye say. It w/// ie fair weather, for the heaven has become 
 
 40 red. And in the morning ye say. To-day there will be severe weather, for the redness ml 16, 3. 
 
 Arabic, of the heavcu is paling. Ye hypocrites, ye know to examine the face of the Ml 16, 4.3 
 P- 57 heaven and the earth ; but the signs of this time ye know not to discern. 
 
 41 Then they brought to him one possessed of a demon, dumb a7id blind ; and he 
 
 42 healed him, so that the dumb and blind began to speak and see. And all the mul- 
 titudes wondered, and said. Is this, think you, the son of David? 
 
 43 And the apostles returned unto Jesus, and told him everything that they had 
 
 44 done and wrought.* And he said unto them. Come, let us go into the desert alone, 
 and rest ye a little. And many were going and returning, and they had not leisure, 
 not even to eat bread. 
 
 45 And after that, there came to Aim one of the Pharisees, and besought him that Lk. 7, 36. 
 he would eat bread with him. And he entered into the house of that Pharisee, and 
 
 46 reclined. And there was in that city a woman t/iai was a sinner ; and when she Lk. 7, 37. 
 knew that he was sitting in the house of that Pharisee, she took a box of sweet oint- 
 
 47 ment, and stood behind him, towards his feet, weeping, and began to wet his feet Lk. 7, 38. 
 with her tears, and to wipe them with the hair of her head, and to kiss his feet, and 
 
 48 anoint them with the sweet ointment. And when that ^ Pharisee saw it, who invited Lk. 7, 39. 
 him, he thought within himself, and said, This ?nan, if he were a prophet, would know 
 
 who she is and what is her history : for the woman which touched him was a sinner. 
 
 SECTION XV. 
 
 §15 1 Jesus answered and said unto him, Simon, I have something to say unto thee. And Lk. -, 40. 
 
 2 he said unto him. Say en, my Master. Jesus said unto him, There were two debtors Lk, 7,41. 
 
 Arabic, to one creditor ; and one of them owed five hundred pence, and the other 
 
 3 P- 5° owed fifty pence. And because they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave Lk. 7, 42. 
 
 4 them both. Which of them ought to love him more? Simon answered and said, I sup- Lk. 7, 43. 
 pose, he to whom he forgave most. Jesus said unto him. Thou hast judged rightly. 
 
 5 And he turned to that woman, and said to Simon, Dost thou see this woman? I ^k. 7,44. 
 entered into thy dwelling, and thou gavest me not water to wash my feet : but this 
 
 6 woman hath bathed « my feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair. And Lk. 7, 45- 
 thou kissedst me not : but this woman, since she "' entered, hath not ceased to kiss my 
 
 7 feet. And thou anointedst not my head with oili^ but this woman hath anointed Lk. 7,46. 
 
 8 my feet with sweet ointment.^ And for this, I say unto thee, Her many sins are for- Lk. 7, 47- 
 given her, because she loved much ; for he to whom litde is forgiven loveth little. ^ 
 
 9, 10 And he said unto that woman. Thy sins are forgiven thee. And those that were in- Lk. ^V- 
 II vited began to say within themselves. Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And Lk. 7, 50- 
 Jesus said to that woman, Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace. 
 
 1 Or, a tree good. 2 Or, a tree evil. 3 This is reckoned to verse 3 in the Greek. 
 
 4 Wrought may have arisen from taught by a transcnptional error (transposition of / and m) ■within the Arabic texL As 
 It appears to occur in both MSS., they would seem to have a common origin, which, however, can hardly have 
 been the autograph of the translator. 5 A comparison with tlie Syriac text recommends this rendering. 
 
 6 LiL sun/i, a word the choice of which is explained by the Synac. ' Or, /. 8 Same word in Arabic. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 67 
 
 jl5 12 And many believed in him when they saw the signs which he was doing. Jo. 2, 23*. 
 
 13, 14 But Jesus did not trust 1 himself to them, for he knew every man, and he needed jo.l',11: 
 
 not any man to testify to him concerning every man ; for he knew what was in man. 
 
 15 And after that, Jesus set apart from his disciples other seventy, and sent them Lk. 10, i. 
 two and two before his face to every region and city whither he was purposing to 
 
 16 go. And he said unto them, The harvest is abundant, and the labourers are few: Lk. 10, 2. 
 
 1 7 entreat now the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest. Go Lk. 10, 3. 
 
 1 8 Arabic, ye : and lo, I am sending you as Iambs among wolves. Take not with you Lk. 10, 4. 
 
 19 P- 59 purses, nor a wallet, nor shoes; neither salute any man in the way. And Lk. 10,5. 
 
 20 whatsoever house ye enter, first salute that house : and if there be there a son of peace, Lk. 10, 6. 
 
 2 1 let your peace rest upon him ; but if there be not, your peace shall return to you. And Lk. xo, 7. 
 be ye in that house eating and drinking what they have : ^ for the labourer is worthy of 
 
 22 his hire. And remove not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, Lk. 10, 8. 
 
 23 and they receive you, eat what is presented to you : and heal the sick that are Lk. 10, 9. 
 
 24 therein, and say unto them. The kingdom of God is come near unto you. But Lk. 10, 10 
 whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go out into the market, and say, 
 
 25 Even the dust that clave to our feet from your city, we shake off against you ; but Lk. 10, n 
 
 26 know 3 this,'' that the kingdom of God is come near unto you. I say unto you, that Lk. 10, i-. 
 for Sodom there shall be quiet in the day of judgement, but there shall not be for 
 
 27 that city. Then began Jesus to rebuke the cities in which there had been many Mt. n, 2. 
 
 28 mighty works,^ and they repented not. And he said. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe Mt. n, 2 
 unto thee, Bethsaida! if there had been in Tyre and Sidon the signs which were in 
 
 29 thee, it may be that they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. Howbeit I Mt. 11,2: 
 say unto you, that for Tyre and Sidon there shall be rest in the day of judgement, 
 
 30 more than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt Mt n, 2: 
 sink down unto Hades ; for if there had been in Sodom the wonders ^ which were 
 
 31 in thee, it would have remained until this day. And now I say unto thee, that for Mt. u, 24. 
 the land of Sodom there shall be quiet in the day of judgement, more than for thee. 
 
 32 Arabic, And he said again unto his apostles. Whosoever heareth you heareth Lk. 10, 16, 
 p. 60 j^g . j^jj(j whosoever heareth me heareth him that sent me : and whosoever 
 
 wrongeth^ you wrongeth me ; and whosoever wrongeth me wrongeth him that sent me. 
 ^;^ And those seventy returned with great joy, and said unto him. Our Lord, even Lk. 10, 17. 
 
 34 the devils also are subject unto us in thy name. He said unto them, I beheld Lk. 10, 18. 
 
 35 Satan ^ fallen like lightning from heaven. Behold, I am giving you authority to tread Lk. 10, 19. 
 upon serpents and scorpions, and the whole race ^ of the enemy ; and nothing shall 
 
 36 hurt you. Only ye must not rejoice that the devils are subject unto you ; but be Lk. 10, 20. 
 glad that your names are written in heaven. 
 
 37 And in that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I acknowledge thee, Lk. 10, 21. 
 my Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the 
 
 wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto children: yea, my Father; so 
 
 38 was thy will. And he turned to his disciples, i" and said unto them. Everything hath Lk. 10, 22. 
 been deUvered to me of my Father : and no man knoweth who the Son is, save the 
 Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and to whomsoever the Son willeth 
 
 39 to reveal Aim. Come unto me, all of you, ye t/iat are wearied and bearers of bur- Mt. 
 
 40 dens, and I will give you rest. Bear my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for ^ I Mt. n, 29, 
 
 41 am gentle and lowly in my heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my Mt. n, 30. 
 yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light. 
 
 42 And while great multitudes were going with him, he turned, and said unto them, 
 
 43 Whosoever cometh unto me, and hateth not his father, and his mother, and his 
 brethren, and his sisters, and his wife, and his children, and himself 12 also, cannot 
 
 44 Arabic, be a disciple to me. And whosoever doth not take his cross, and follow 
 
 45 p. 61 jjjg^ cannot be a disciple to me. Which of you desireth to build a tower, 
 
 1 The meaning is not apparent. 2 cf.^ Syriac versions. 3 The first letter of the word has been lost. 
 
 4 Lit. that, as often in this work. 5 Lit. /towers. 
 
 6 The word as printed by Ciasca perhaps means i^i/ts, but by dropping a point from the second letter vflt get the post- 
 classical word given in the text above. "7 See below, § 20, 28, note. 
 
 8 The word translated devil m preceding verse. 
 
 9 This is an Arabic clerical error {or forces. The Syriac word for power means also military forces, which was appa- 
 
 rently rendered in Arabic army, a word that differs from race only in diacritical points. 
 
 10 cf. Pesh. and A. V. margin. H Lit. that Iff above, § i, 50, note). 12 Or, his life; or, his souK 
 
 Lk. 
 
 14, =5 
 
 Lk. 
 
 14, 26 
 
 Lk. 
 
 14, 27 
 
 Lk. 
 
 14, 28 
 
14, 29. 
 14, SO- 
 14. 31. 
 
 68 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 15 and doth not sit down first and reckon his expenses and whether he hath enough to 
 
 46 complete it ? ^ lest, when he hath laid the foundations, and is not able to finish, all that Lk. 
 
 47 behold him 2 laugh at him, and say. This man began to build, and was not able to Lk. 
 
 48 finish. Or what king goeth to the batrie to fight with another king,^ and doth not Lk. 
 consider first whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh to him 
 
 49 with twenty thousand? And if he is not able, he sendeth unto him while he is afar Lk. 14, 32. 
 
 50 off, and seeketh peace. So shall* every man of you consider, that desireth to be a Lk. 14,33. 
 disciple to me ; for if he renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be a disciple to me. 
 
 SECTION XVI. 
 
 § 16 I Then answered certain of the scribes and Pharisees, that they might tempt him, Mt. 12, 38, 
 
 2 and said, Teacher, we desire to see a sign from thee. He answered and said, This Mt. 12,39. 
 evil and adulterous generation ^^ seeketh a sign ; and it shall not be given a sign, 
 
 3 except the sign of Jonah the prophet. And as Jonah was a sign to the inhabitants Lk. 11,30. 
 
 4 of Nineveh, so shall the Son of man also be to this generation. And as Jonah was Mt. 12, 40. 
 in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man 
 
 5 be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. The queen of the south Lk. n, 31. 
 shall rise in the judgement with the people of this generation, and condemn^ them: 
 
 for she came from the ends of the earth that she might hear the wisdom of Solomon ; 
 
 6 Arabic, and behold, here is a better than Solomon. The men of Nineveh shall stand Mt. 12, 41. 
 P- °2 in the judgement with this generation, and condemn it : for they repented at 
 
 7 thepreachingof Jonah; and behold, here is a greater than Jonah. The unclean .spirit, Lk. n, 24. 
 when he goeth out of the man, departeth, and goeth about through places wherein 
 
 are no waters, that he may find rest for himself; and when he findeth it not, he 
 
 8 saith, I will return to my house whence I came out. And if he come and find it Lk. n, 25. 
 
 9 adorned and set in order, then he goeth, and associateth with himself seven other Lk. 11,26. 
 spirits worse than himself ; and they enter and dwell in it : and the end of that man 
 
 10 shall be worse tiian his beginning. Thus shall it be unto this evil generation. Mt. 12, 45A 
 
 1 1 And while he was saying that, a woman from the multitude lifted up her voice, Lk. n, 27. 
 and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts that nursed 
 
 12 thee. But he said unto her, Blessed is he that heareth the word of God, and keep- Lk. h, 2S. 
 eth it. 
 
 13 And while he was speaking unto the multitude, there came unto him his mother Lk'T'i'^f"' 
 
 14 and his brethren, and sought to speak with him ; and they were not able, because of Mt. A,"'";:. 
 
 15 the multitude ; and they stood without and sent, calling him unto them. A man said uihUt 
 unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing without, and seek to "*"• "• '>^■ 
 
 16 speak with thee. But he answered unto him that spake unto him, Who is my ml 12, 48. 
 
 17 mother? and who are my brethren? And he beckoned with his hand, stretching ut.ii.i.c,. 
 it out towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother! and behold, my brethren! 
 
 18 And every man that shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven is my brother, Mt. 12,50. 
 and my sister, and my mother. 
 
 19 And after that, Jesus was going about in the cities and in the villages, and pro- Lk. 8,1. 
 Arabic, claiming and preaching the kingdom of God, and his' twelve with him, 
 
 20 P' °3 and the women which had been healed of diseases and of evil spirits, Mary Lk. 8, 2. 
 
 2 1 that was called Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven devils, and Joanna the Lk. 8, 3. 
 wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who were ministering 
 
 to them of their substance. 
 
 22 And after that, Jesus went out of the house, and sat on the sea shore. And there 
 
 23 gathered unto him great multitudes. And when the press of the people was great 
 upon him, he went up and sat in the boat ; and all the multitude was standing on the 
 
 24 shore of the sea. And he spake to them much in parables, and said. The sower 
 
 25 went forth to sow : and when he sowed, some fell on the beaten highway ; and it was 
 
 26 trodden upon, and the birds ate it. And other fell on the rocks : and some, where 
 
 1 This rendering assumes that tower is treated as feminine. 2 Or, it. 3 Or, a kiitgUke Idm. 
 
 4 Or, let. _ _ 5 See % r, 49, note. 6 See note to § 10, r3. 
 
 7 The Arabic printed text gives no sense. A simple change in the diacritical points of one letter gives the reading of the 
 Synac versions, which is adopted here. 
 
 Mt. 
 Mt. 
 
 13, 
 13, 
 
 I. 
 2. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 13, 
 
 3- 
 
 Mt. 
 Lk. 
 
 13. 
 8, 
 
 ,6,a. 
 5*. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 13, 
 
 3> 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 69 
 
 j 16 there was not much earth ; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no depth in 
 
 27 the earth : and when the sun rose, it withered ; and because it had no root, it dried Mt. 13, 6. 
 
 28 up. And some fell among thorns ; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it ; Lk. s, 7, 
 
 29 and it yielded no fruit. And other fell into excellent and good 1 ground ; and it ^ytjl' 
 came up, and grew, and brought forth fruit, some thirty, and some sixty, and some Mk. 4, si. 
 
 30 a hundred. And when he said that, he cried. He that hath ears that hear, let him Lk. s, Zc. 
 
 31 hear. And when they were alone, his disciples came, and asked him, and said unto Mk. 4, 10,2 
 
 32 him. What is this parable? and why spakest thou unto them in parables? He Mk. 4, n.a 
 
 Arabic, answered and said unto them. Unto you is given the knowledge of the 
 P- 04 secrets of the kingdom of God ; but it is not given unto them that are 
 
 33 without. He that hath shall be given unto, and there shall be added ; and he that Mt. 13, 12. 
 
 34 hath not, that which he hath shall be taken from him also. For this cause therefore Mt. 13, 13. 
 I speak unto them in parables ; because they see, and see not ; and hear, and hear 
 
 35 not, nor understand. And in them is being fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said, Mt. 13, 14. 
 
 Hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand ; 
 And seeing they shall see, and shall not perceive : 
 
 36 The heart of this people is waxed gross, Mt. 13, is- 
 And their hearing with their ears is become heavy, 
 
 And they have closed their eyes ; 
 Lest they should see with their eyes, 
 And hear with their ears. 
 And understand with their hearts. 
 And should return. 
 And I should heal them. 
 37,38 But ye, blessed are your eyes, which see; and your ears, which hear. Blessed Lk.'io;23^. 
 
 39 are the eyes which see what ye see. Verily I say unto you. Many of the prophets Mt. 13', 17. 
 and the righteous longed to see what ye see, and saw not ; and to hear what ye 
 
 40 hear, and heard not. When ye know not this parable, how shall ye know all para- Mk. 4, 13*. 
 41, 42 bles? Hear ye the parable of the sower. The sower which sowed, sowed the word ^^ '3.^is. 
 
 43 of God. Every one who heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it Mt' I'^s'/it. 
 not, the evil one cometh and snatcheth away the word that hath been sown in his 
 
 44 heart : and this is that which was sown on the middle of the highway. But that Mt. 13, 20. 
 which was sown on the rocks is he that heareth the word, and straightway receiveth 
 
 45) 46 Arabic, it with joy ; only, it hath no root in his soul, but his behef in it is for a 
 P- °5 time ; and whenever there is distress or persecution because of a* word, he 
 
 47 stumbleth^ quickly. And that which was sown among the thorns is he that heareth 
 the word ; and the care of this world, and the error of riches, and the rest of the 
 
 48 other lusts enter, and choke the word, and it becometh without fruit. And that 
 which was sown in good ground is he that heareth my word in a pure and good 
 heart, and understandeth it, and holdeth to it, and bringeth forth fruit with patience, 
 and produceth either a hundredfold or sixtyfold or thirty. 
 
 49 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, like a man who casteth seed into the 
 
 50 earth, and sleepeth and riseth by night and day, and the seed groweth and cometh 
 
 5 1 up, whence ^ he knoweth not. And the earth bringeth it to the fruit ; and first it 
 
 52 will be blade, and after it ear, and at last perfect wheat in the car: and whenever 
 the fruit ripeneth,^ he bringeth immediately the sickle, for the harvest hath come. 
 
 SECTION XVII. 
 
 §17 I And he set forth to them another parable, and said, The kingdom of heaven is Mt. 13, 24. 
 
 2 like a man who sowed good seed in his field ; but when men slept, his enemy came Mt. 13, 23. 
 
 3 and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. And when the blade sprang up Mt. 13, 26. 
 
 4 and brought forth fruit, there were noticed the tares also. And the servants of the Mt. 13, 27. 
 master of the house came, and said unto him, Our lord, didst thou not sow good 
 
 1 cf. Peshitta (against Cur. and Sin.), 
 
 2 With additions from Mt. 13, 10, and Lk. 8, g. 3 And Mt, 13, 11. 4 See above, § i, 40, note 2. 
 
 B Or, is seduced (cf. § 25, 17, note). 6 Or, while. 7 Lit. fatteneth, as in Peshitta. 
 
 Mt. 
 Lk. 
 
 8? 
 
 , 21/2. 
 13*. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 13, 
 
 , 21C. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 13^ 
 
 , 22a. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 4. 
 
 igi. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 8, 
 
 IS- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 13: 
 
 ,23*. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 4. 
 
 26. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 4. 
 
 27. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 ■4. 
 
 28. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 4> 
 
 29. 
 
70 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §17 5 Arabic, seed in thy field? whence are there tares in it? He said unto them, An Mt. 13,38. 
 P- 66 enemy hath done this. His servants said unto him, Wilt thou that we go 
 
 6 and separate it? He said unto them, Perhaps,^ when ye separate the tares, ye would Mt. 13, 29, 
 
 7 root up with them wheat also. Leave them to grow both together until the harvest : Mt. 13, 30. 
 and in the time of the harvest I will say unto the reapers, Separate the tares first, and 
 
 bind them in bundles to be burned with fire ; and gather the wheat into my barns. 
 8, 9 And he set forth to them another parable, and said. To what is the kingdom of ^k' i^',?/' 
 
 10 God like? and to what shall I liken it? and in what parable shall I set it forth ? It Mk. 4,301,' 
 
 11 is Hke a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and planted in his field: and of Mt. 13', 3'^; 
 the number of the things that are sown in the earth it is smaller than all of the things ^^- ■»' 3'^- 
 
 1 2 which are sown, which are upon the earth ; but when it is grown, it is greater than Mt. 13, 32^. 
 all the herbs, and produceth large branches, so that the birds of heaven make i/idr Mk. 4, 32,5. 
 nests in its branches. 
 
 13, 14 And he set forth to them another parable : To what shall I liken the kingdom of Lk^'A' lo« 
 
 15 God? It is like the leaven which a woman took, and kneaded into three measures Mt. 13] 334, 
 of flour, until the whole of it was leavened. 
 
 16 And Jesus spake all that to the multitudes by way of parables, according as they ^^ i3.34«- 
 
 1 7 were able to hear. And without parables spake he not unto them ; that the saying Mt. 13, 34*'. 
 of the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled : '■ '^' '^" 
 
 I will open my mouth in parables ; 
 
 And I will utter secrets which were before the foundations ^ of the world. 
 
 18 But he explained to his disciples privately everything. Mk. 4,34*. 
 
 19 Then Jesus left * the multitudes, and came to the house. And his disciples came Mt. 13, 36, 
 Aiabic, unto him, and said unto him, Explain unto us that parable about the tares 
 
 20 P- °7 and the field. He answered and said unto them, He that sowed good seed is Mt. 13, 37. 
 
 2 1 the Son of man ; and the field is the world ; and the good seed are the children of the Mt. 13, 38. 
 
 22 kingdom; and thetaresarethechildrenof theevilone ; and the enemy that sowed them ^ Mt.13,39. 
 is Satan ; and the harvest is the end of the world ; and the reapers are the angels, 
 
 23 And as the tares are separated and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of Mt. 13, 40. 
 
 24 this world. The Son of man shall send his angels, and separate from his kingdom Mt. 13, 41. 
 
 25 all things that injure, and all the doers of iniquity, and they shall cast them into the Mt. 13,42. 
 
 26 furnace of fire: and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the right- Mt. 13,43- 
 eous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whosoever hath ears that 
 
 hear, let him hear. 
 
 27 And again the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hid in a field: that which a Mt. 13,44. 
 man found and hid ; and, for his pleasure in it, went and sold all that he had, and 
 bought that field. 
 
 28 And again the kingdom of heaven is like a man (/laf is a merchant seeking ex- Mt. 13,45. 
 
 29 cellent pearls ; and when he found one pearl of great price, he went and sold every- Mt. 13, 46. 
 thing that he had, and bought it. 
 
 30 And again the kingdom of heaven is hke a net that was cast ^ into the sea, and Mt. 13, 47. 
 
 3 1 gathered of every kind : and when it was filled, they drew it up on to the shore of Mt. 13, 48, 
 the sea, and sat down to select ; and the good of them they threw into the vessels, 
 
 32 and the bad they threw outside. Thus shall it be in the end of the world : the angels Mt. 13, 49. 
 
 33 shall go forth, and separate the wicked from among the good, and shall cast them Mt 13, 50. 
 into the furnace of fire : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
 
 34 Jesus said unto them, Have ye understood all these i/iings ? They said unto Mt. 13, 51 
 
 35 *"^o him, Yea, our Lord. He said unto them. Therefore every scribe that be- Mt. 13, 52. 
 P- °° Cometh a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a house- 
 holder, who bringeth out of his treasures the new and the old. 
 
 36, 37 And when Jesus had finished all these parables, he removed thence, and came ][J|- J3' "■ 
 
 to his city; and he taught them in their synagogues, so that they were perplexed. 
 
 38 And when the sabbath came, Jesus began to teach in the synagogue ; and many of Mk. 6, z. 
 
 39 those that heard marvelled, and said, Whence came these things to this man ? And 
 many envied him and gave no heed to him, but said. What is this wisdom that is 
 
 1 See above, J 4, 24, note. 2 Or rather Mt. 13, 33a. 
 
 3 The word (if not a corruption of that used in the Bnt. Mus. text of Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, and in § 43, 46, 
 
 where, however, according to Ciasca's foot-note, it was not the word first written by the scribe) is Syriac. Perhaps it 
 
 means the ends of the earth (see P. Smith, Thes. Syr.). Still a third word is used in § 47,, 42. 
 ^ cf. % zi, yz, note. 5 Singular. 6 cf. note to § 10, 8. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 71 
 
 j 17 given to this vian, that there should happen at his hands such as these mighty works ?i 
 
 40 Is not this a carpenter, son of a carpenter? and is not his mother called Mary? and Mt. 13, 55. 
 
 41 his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas ? And his sisters, all of them, Mt. 13, 56. 
 
 42 lo, are they not all with us? Whence hath this man all these things? And they Mt. 13, 57. 
 were in doubt concerning him. And Jesus knew their opinion, and said unto them, Lk. 4, 23. 
 Will ye haply ^ say unto me this proverb. Physician, heal first thyself : and all that 
 
 43 we have heard that thou didst in Capernaum, do here also in thine own city? And Lk. 4, 24. 
 he said. Verily I say unto you, A prophet is not received in his own city, nor among 
 
 44 his brethren : for a prophet is not despised, save in his own city, and among his own Mk. 6, 4*. 
 
 45 kin, and in his 07vn house. Verily I say unto you. In the days of Elijah the prophet, Lk. 4, 25. 
 there were many widows among the children of Israel, when the heaven held back 
 
 46 three years and six months, and there was a great famine in all the land ; and Elijah Lk. 4, 26. 
 
 Arabic, was Hot Sent to one of them, save to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman that was 
 
 47 P- 09 a widow. And many lepers were among the children of Israel in the days of Lk. 4, 27. 
 Elisha the prophet ; but not one of them was cleansed, save Naaman the Nabathasan.^ 
 
 48 And he was not able to do there many mighty works,* because of their unbelief ; Mk. 6, 5. 
 
 49 except that he laid his hand upon a few of the sick, and healed them. And he mar- Mk. 6, ta. 
 
 50 veiled at their lack of faith. And when those who were in the synagogue heard, Lk. 4, 28. 
 
 5 1 they were all filled with wrath ; and they rose up, and brought him forth outside the Lk. 4, 29. 
 city, and brought him to the brow of the hill upon which their city was built, that 
 
 52 they might cast him from its summit : but he passed through among them and went Lk. 4, 30. 
 away. 
 
 53 And he went about in the villages which were around Nazareth, and taught in Mk. 6, u. 
 their synagogues. 
 
 SECTION XVIII. 
 
 §18 I At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, and all the things 
 
 which came to pass at his hand ; and he marvelled, for he had obtained excellent 
 
 2 information concerning him.^ And some men said that John the Baptist was risen 
 
 3 from among the dead ; and ^ others said that Elijah had appeared ; and others, Jere- 
 
 4 miah ; and others, that a prophet of the old prophets was risen ; and others said that he 
 
 5 was a prophet like one of the prophets. Herod said to his servants. This is John the 
 Baptist, he whom I beheaded ; he is risen from among the dead : therefore mighty 
 
 6 Arabic, works result from him. For Herod himjc^had sent and taken John, and cast 
 P- 70 him into prison, for the sake of Herodias his brother Philip's wife, whom he 
 
 7 had taken. And John said to Herod, Thou hast no authority to take the wife of thy Mk. 6, 18. 
 
 8 brother. And Herodias avoided him and wished to kill him ; and she could not, Mk. 6, 19. 
 
 9 But Herod feared John, for he knew that he was a righteous man and a holy; and Mk. 6,20. 
 ID he guarded hirii, and heard him much, and did, and obeyed him with gladness. And Mt. 14, 5. 
 
 he wished to kill him ; but he feared the people, for they adhered to him as the 
 
 11 prophet. And there was a celebrated day, and Herod had made a feast for his Mk. 6, 21, 
 great men on the day of his anniversary,'' and for the officers and for the chief men 
 
 12 of Galilee. And the daughter of Herodias came in and danced in the midst of the Mk. 6, 22, 
 company, and pleased Herod and those that sat with him. And the king said to the 
 
 13 damsel. Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Mk. 6, 23. 
 
 14 Whatsoever thou shalt ask, I will give it thee, to the half of my kingdom. And she Mk. 6, 24, 
 went out, and said unto her mother. What shall I ask him?8 She said unto her. The 
 
 15 head of John the Baptist. And immediately she came in hastily to the king, and Mk. 6, 25 
 said unto him, I desire in this hour that thou give me on a dish the head of John 
 
 16 the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; but because of the oath and the Mk. 6, =6. 
 
 1 7 guests he did not wish to refuse her. But immediately the king sent an executioner, Mk. 6, 27 
 and commanded that he should bring the head of John : and he went and cut off 
 
 1 Lit. powers. 2 cf. above, § 4, 24, note. 
 
 3 Of the Syriac versions Cur. and Sin. are wanting. VeA.\\^% AramcBO-n. i iM. powers. 
 
 5 There can be little doubt that this is the meaning of the Arabic. There is nothing like it in the Peshitta ; the Curetonian 
 
 is of course lacking; but the phrase in the Sinaitic is very similar. 8 Here begins verse %a in Greek. 
 
 7 Vcih^-ps afpointmmUcf. Moesinger, p. 165: but Isho'dad [Harris, Fragments, p. 65] and the But. Mus. text of 
 
 Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary have the ordinary reading). 8 Or simply ask. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 14 
 
 » 1- 
 
 Lk. 
 
 0, 
 
 ^b. 
 
 Mk 
 
 6, 
 
 14*. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 0, 
 
 t:- 
 
 I,k. 
 
 q. 
 
 V,a. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 iC 
 
 . 14* 
 
 I,k. 
 
 Q, 
 
 id. 
 
 Mk 
 
 6 
 
 1^6. 
 
 Mk 
 
 6 
 
 16. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 14 
 
 ,2i. 
 
 Mk 
 
 6 
 
 17- 
 
72 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §18 i8 the head of John in the prison, and brought it on a dish, and delivered it to the Mk. 6,26. 
 
 19 damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother. And his disciples heard, and came Mk. 6, 29. 
 
 Arabic, and took his body, and buried it. And they came and told ' Jesus what Mt. 14, u/i. 
 
 20 P- 71 had happened. And for this cause Herod said, I beheaded John: who Lk. 9, 9. 
 
 21 is this, of whom I hear these things. And he desired to see him. And Jesus, when Me. 14, j^a. 
 he heard, removed thence in a boat to a waste place alone, to the other side of the Jo. 6, i^. 
 sea of the Galilee of Tiberias.^ 
 
 22 And many saw them going, and knew them, and hastened by land ^ from all the Mk. 6, 33a. 
 cities, and came thither beforehand ; for they saw the signs which he was doing on the Jo. 6, 2i. 
 
 23, 24 sick. And Jesus went up into the mountain, and sat there with his disciples. And j°' j' 3- 
 
 25 the feast of the passover of the Jews was near. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and saw jo. 6,' 5a. 
 great multitudes coming to him. And he was moved with compassion for them, for Mk. 6, 34*. 
 
 26 they were like sheep that jc'fr<? without a shepherd. And he received them, and spake Lk. 9, nj. 
 to them concerning the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 
 
 27 And when the evening approached,* his disciples came to him, and said unto Mt. 14, 15a. 
 
 28 him. The place is desert, and the time is past ; send away the multitudes of the peo- Mk. 6, 36. 
 ple,5 that they may go to the towns and villages which are around us, and buy for 
 
 29 themselves bread ; for they have nothing to eat. But he said unto them. They have Mt. 14, 16. 
 
 30 no need to go away ; give ye them what may be eaten. They said unto him. We have Mt. 14, lya. 
 not here enough. He said unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? Jo. 6, 5*. 
 
 31,32 And he said that proving him ; and he knew what he was resolved to do. Philip said j^'j'^' 
 Arabic, unto him. Two hundred pennyworth of bread would not suffice them after ^ 
 
 33 P- 72 every one of them hath taken a small amount. One of his disciples said unto jo. 6, 8. 
 
 34 him (namely, Andrew the brother of Simon Cephas), Here is a lad having five loaves jo. 6, 9, 
 
 35 of barley and two fishes: but this amount, what is it for all these? But wilt thou Lk. 9, 13^.7 
 that we go and buy for all the people what may be eaten? for we have no more 
 
 36 than these five loaves and the two fishes. And the grass was plentiful in that place, jo. e.ioi.a 
 Jesus said unto them, Arrange all the people that they may sit down on the grass, 
 
 37 fifty people in a company. And the disciples did so. And all the people sat down Mk. 6, 40. 
 
 38 by companies, by hundreds and fifties. Then Jesus said unto them, Bring hither Mt. 14, 18. 
 
 39 those five loaves and the two fi.shes. And when they brought him that, Jesus took Mk. 6, 4in. 
 the bread and the fish, and looked to heaven, and blessed, and divided, and gave to 
 
 40 his disciples to set before them ; and the disciples set for the multitudes the bread Mt. 14, igJ. 
 
 41 and the fish; and they ate, all of them, and were satisfied. And when they were ^q,1'^\^'^' 
 satisfied, he said unto his disciples, Gather the fragments that remain over, that noth- 
 
 42 ing be lost. And they gathered, and filled twelve baskets with fragments, being jo. 6, 13. 
 those that remained over from those which ate of the five barley loaves and the two 
 
 43 fishes. And those people who ate were five thousand, besides the women and children. Mt. 14, 21. 
 
 44 Arabic, And straightway he pressed his disciples to go up into the ship, and Mk. 6, 45. 
 P- 73 that they should go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he 
 
 45 himx<?^ should send away the multitudes. And those people who saw the sign which Jo. 6, 14. 
 
 46 Jesus did, said. Of a truth this is a prophet who hath come into the world. And Jo. 6, 15. 
 Jesus knew their purpose to come and take him, and make him a king ; and he left 
 them, and went up into the mountain alone for prayer. 
 
 47, 48 And when the nightfall was near, his disciples went down unto the sea, and sat^ j°; \ j^; 
 
 in a boat, and came to the side of Capernaum. And the darkness came on, and Jesus 
 
 49 had not come to them. And the sea was stirred up against them by reason of a vio- Jo. 6, 18. 
 
 50 lent wind that blew. And the boat was distant from the land many furlongs, and Mt. 14.24- 
 they were much damaged by the waves, and the wind was against them. 
 
 SECTION XIX. 
 
 § 19 1 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus came unto them, walking upon the Mt. 14, 25- 
 2 water, after they had rowed i" with difficulty about twenty-five or thirty furlongs. jo.6,i9<«,f. 
 
 1 Or, to tell. 
 
 2 A misunderstanding or slavish reproduction of the Syriac. The Brit. Mus. text of Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary has of 
 
 Galilee, Tiberias. ^ ^ & c/. Syriac versions and margin of R. V. 4 Or,' came. 
 
 B cf. the addition in the Sinaitic Syriac. 6 Probably a mistaken rendering of the ordinary Syriac reading. 
 
 1 Considerably changed. 8 And Lk. 9, 14*, 15a. 8 c/. Syriac versions. 10 Lit. travelled. 
 
Mt 
 
 14 
 
 27. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 14 
 
 28. 
 
 Ml. 
 
 14 
 
 29. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 14 
 
 so- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 14 
 
 ar- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 14 
 
 s'. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 14 
 
 33- 
 
 To. 
 
 6, 21^. 
 
 Mk 
 Mk 
 Mk 
 
 6, 
 6, 
 6, 
 
 54^ 
 5=- 
 
 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 73 
 
 jl9 3 And when he drew near unto their boat, his disciples saw him walking on the water ; Mt. 14, 26. 
 and they were troubled, and supposed that it was a false appearance ; and they cried 
 
 4 out from their fear. But Jesus straightway spake linto them, and said, Take courage, 
 
 5 for it is I ; fear not. Then Cephas answered and said unto him. My Lord, if it be thou, 
 
 6 bid me to come unto thee on the water. And Jesus said unto him, Come. And 
 
 7 Cephas went down out of the boat, and walked on the water to come unto Jesus. But 
 
 Arabic, when he saw the wind strong, he feared, and was on the point of sink- 
 
 8 P- 74 ing ; and he lifted up his voice, and said, My Lord, save me. And im- 
 mediately our Lord stretched out his hand and took hold (/him, and said unto him, 
 
 9 Thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? And when Jesus came near, he went up 
 
 10 unto them into the boat, he and Simon, and immediately the wind ceased. And 
 those that were in the ship came and worshipped him, and said. Truly thou art the 
 
 11 Son of God. And straightway that ship arrived at the land which they made for. 
 
 1 2 And when they came out of the ship to the land, they marvelled greatly and were 
 
 13 perplexed in themselves: and they had not understood by means of 1 that bread, 
 because their heart was gross. 
 
 34 And when the people of that region knew of the arrival of Jesus, they made ^{^- ^' s"- 
 haste in all that land, and began to bring those that were diseased,- borne in their 
 
 1 5 beds to the place where they heard that he was. And wheresoever the place might Mk. 6, 56. 
 be which he entered, of the villages or the cities, they laid the sick in the markets, 
 and sought of him that they might touch ^ were it only the edge of his garment : 
 and all that touched * him were healed and lived. ^ 
 
 16 And on the day after that, the multitude which was standing on the shore of the Jo. 6, 221. 
 sea saw that there was there no other ship save that into which the disciples had 
 
 17 gone up, and that Jesus went not up into the ship with his disciples (but there were Jo. 6. 23. 
 other ships from Tiberias near ® the place where they ate the bread when Jesus blessed 
 
 18 it) : and when that multitude saw that Jesus was not there, nor yet his disciples, they Jo. 6, 24 
 ig Arabic, went up into those ships, and came to Capernaum, and sought Jesus. And Jo. 6, 25. 
 
 P' 75 when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him. Our 
 
 20 Master, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, Jo. 6, 26, 
 I say unto you. Ye have not sought me because of your seeing the signs, but because of 
 
 2 1 your eating the bread and being satisfied. Serve not the food which perisheth, but the Jo. 6, 27. 
 food which abideth in eternal life,* which the Son of man will give unto you : him " 
 
 22 hath God the Father sealed. They said unto him. What shall we do that we may Jo. 6,2s 
 
 23 work the work of God? Jesus answered and said imto them. This is the work of Jo. 6, 29. 
 
 24 God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent. They said unto him. What sign Jo. 6, 30, 
 hast thou done, that we may see, and believe in thee? what hast thou wrought? 
 
 25 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness ; as it was written, Bread from heaven Jo. 6, 31, 
 
 26 gave he them to eat. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses Jo. 6, 32, 
 gave you not bread from heaven ; but my Father gave '" you the bread of truth ^^ from 
 
 27 heaven. The bread of God is that which came down from heaven and gave the Jo- «, 33 
 28, 29 world life. They said unto him. Our Lord, give us at all times this bread. Jesus yo.t'.lt 
 
 said unto them, I am the bread of life : whosoever cometh unto me shall not hun 
 
 30 ger, and whosoever believeth in me shall not thirst for ever. But I said unto you, Jo. 6, 36. 
 
 31 Ye have seen me, and have not believed. And all that my Father hath given to me Jo. 6, 37. 
 cometh unto me ; and whosoever cometh unto me I shall not cast him forth with- 
 
 32 out. I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of him Jo- 6.38- 
 
 33 that sent me ; and this is the will of him that sent me, that I should lose nothing of Jo- 6, 39- 
 ,4 Arabic, that which he gave me, but raise it up in the last day. This is the will of Jo- 6, 40- 
 
 P- 76 my Father, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth in him, should 
 have eternal life ; and I will raise him up in the last day. 
 
 35 The Jews therefore murmured against him because of his saying, I am the bread Jo- .6, 41 
 
 36 which came down from heaven. And they said. Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, Jo- 6, 42, 
 whose father and mother we know? then how saith this man, I came down from ^ 
 
 3y^38 heaven? Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not one with another. No jadlJ': 
 
 1 lit/ram. 2 Strictly used of severe chronic disease. 3 ^ § 12, 13, and note to § 8, 17. 
 
 i The word used at 5 12, 35. 5 Or, rrvimJ, i.e., maJe to live. 8 Lit. on the border of. 
 
 I Or, /or the sake of. S Sic. 9 Lit. this, 10 Represents a mistaken vocalisation of tlie Peshitta. 
 
 II Lit. equity; see above, § 3, 53, note. 
 
74 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 19 man is able to come unto me, except the Father which sent me draw him ; and I will 
 
 39 raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophet, They shall all be the taught Jo. 6, 45. 
 of God. Every one who heareth from the Father now,' and learneth of him, cometh 
 
 40 unto me. No man now seeth the Father ; but he that is from God, he it is that seeth Jo- 6, 46. 
 
 41 the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whosoever believeth in me hath eternal Jo. 6, 47- 
 i!,2,43 life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and jl'. e','^^. 
 
 44 they died. This is the bread which came down from heaven, that a man may eat J°- 6. 50. 
 
 45 of it, and not die. I am the bread of life which came down from heaven : Jo- 6, si- 
 and if a man eat of this bread he shall live for ever : and the bread which I shall give Jo- 6, 51^.2 
 is my body, which I give for the life of the world. 
 
 46 The Jews therefore quarrelled one with another, and said. How can he give us Jo- 6, 52. 
 
 47 Arabic, hisbody that wemay eatit? Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto Jo- 6, 53, 
 P- 7 7 you, If ye do not eat the body of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye shall 
 
 48 not have life in yourselves. Whosoever eateth of my body and drinketh of my blood Jo. 6, 54. 
 
 49 hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up in the last day. My body truly is meat,^ and Jo. 6, 55. 
 
 50 my blood truly is drink.* Whosoever eateth my body and drinketh my blood abideth Jo. 6, 56. 
 
 51 in me, and I in him — as the living Father sent me, and I am alive because of the Jo. 6, 57. 
 5 2 Father ; and whosoever eateth me, he also shall Hve because of me. This is the Jo. 6, 58. 
 
 bread which came down from heaven : and not according as your fathers ate the 
 
 53 manna, and died : whosoever eateth of this bread shall live for ever. This he said in Jo. 6, 59. 
 
 54 the synagogue, when he was teaching in Capernaum. And many of his disciples, Jo. 6, 60. 
 when they heard, said, This word is hard ; who is he that can hear it? 
 
 SECTION XX. 
 
 §20 I And Jesus knew within himself that his disciples were murmuring because of Jo. 6, 61. 
 
 2 that, and he said unto them. Doth this trouble you? I'V/iaf if ye should see the Son Jo- 6, 62. 
 
 3 of man then ascend to the place where he was of old? It is the spirit that quick- Jo- 6, 63. 
 eneth, and the body profiteth nothing : the words ' that I speak unto you are spirit 
 
 4 and life. But there are some of you that do not believe. And Jesus knew before- Jo- 6, 64- 
 hand who they were who should ^ not believe, and who it was that should betray 
 
 5 him. And he said unto them. Therefore I said unto you. No man can come unto Jo- 6, 65. 
 me, if that hath not been given him by the Father. 
 
 6 Arabic, And because of this word many of his disciples turned back and walked Jo. 6, 66. 
 
 7 P- 7° not with him. And Jesus said unto the twelve. Do ye haply also wish to Jo. 6, 67. 
 
 8 go away? Simon Cephas answered and said, My Lord, to whom shall we go? thou Jo. 6,68. 
 
 9 hast the words of eternal life. And we have beheved and known that thou art the Jo. 6, 69. 
 
 10 Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus said unto them, Did not I choose you, Jo. 6, 70. 
 
 11 ye company of the twelve, and of you one is a devil? He said that because of Judas Jo. 6, 71. 
 the son of Simon Iscariot ; for he, being of the twelve, was purposed to '' betray him. 
 
 1 2 And while he was speaking, one of the Pharisees came asking of him that he Lk. n, 37. 
 
 13 would eat with him : and he went in, and reclined & jn^at And that Pharisee, when Lk. u, 38. 
 
 14 he saw it,* marvelled that he had not first cleansed himself before his eating. Jesus Lk. 11,39. 
 said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees wash the outside of the cup and the dish, and 
 
 ye think that ye are cleansed ; but your inside is full of injustice and wickedness. 
 15, 16 Ye of little mind, did not he that made the outside make the inside? Now give Lkl "' J°| 
 
 what ye have^ in alms, and everything s/iaN be clean unto you. 
 17,18 And there came to him Pharisees and scribes, come from Jerusalem. And when Jjjj^' ^' \ 
 
 they saw some of his disciples eating bread while they had not washed their hands, 
 
 19 they found fault. For all of the Jews and the Pharisees, if they wash not their Mk. 7, 3. 
 
 20 hands thoroughly, eat not ; for they held '" to the ordinance 11 of the elders. And they Mk. 7, 4. 
 ate not what was bought from the market, except they washed it ; and many other 
 things did they keep of what they had received, such as the washing of cups, and 
 
 2 1 measures, and vessels of brass, and couches. And scribes "i^ and Pharisees asked him, Mk. 7, 5. 
 
 1 i.e., therefore (see note, § 9, 21). 
 
 2 In Ciasca's text Jo. 6, 51^-71 are cited as 6, 52-72. (See Introduction, 20, note.) 3 Or, eaten. 
 
 4 Or, drunk. 5 Lit. speech. 6 Or, did. 1 Or, was to. 8 Or, him. 9 cf. PeBhitta. 
 
 10 i.e., wetK lu}ldi7is. 11 Or, custom, tradition ; and so wherever the word occurs. 12 Sic. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 75 
 
 Mk. 
 
 7. 
 
 14. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 7. 
 
 IS- 
 
 Mk. 
 
 7. 
 
 16. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 IS, 
 
 12. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 IS> 
 
 13- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 IS, 
 
 14. 
 
 § 20 Arabic, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the ordinances of the elders, but 
 
 22 P- 79 eat bread without washing their hands? Jesus answered and said unto Mt. 15, 3. 
 them, Why do ye also overstep the command of God by reason of your ordinance? 
 
 23 God said, Honour thy father and thy mother ; and, Whosoever revileth his father and uV^lioi. 
 
 24 his mother shall surely die. But ye say, If a man say to his father or to his mother, Mk. 7, n. 
 
 25 What thou receivest 1 from me is an offering,— and ye 1 suffer him not to do any- Mk. 7, 12. 
 
 26 thing for his father or his mother ; and ye 1 make void and reject the word of God Mk. 7, 13. 
 by reason of the ordinance that ye have ordained and commanded, such as the wash- 
 
 27 ing of cups and measures, and what resembles that ye do much. And ye forsook Mk. 7, a. 
 
 28 the command of God, and held to the ordinance of men. Do^ ye well to wrong ^ Mk. 7,5. 
 
 29 the command of God in order that ye may establish your ordinance ? Ye hypo- Mt. is, 7. 
 crites, well did Isaiah the prophet prophesy concerning you, and say, 
 
 30 This people honoureth me with its * lips ; Mt. is, s. 
 But their heart is very far from me. 
 
 31 But in vain do they fear me, Mt. 15, 9. 
 In that they teach the commands of men. 
 
 32 And Jesus called all the multitude, and said unto them. Hear me, all of you, and 
 
 33 understand : nothing without the man, which then enters him, is able to defile him ; 
 
 34 but what goeth out of him, that it is which defileth the man. He that hath ears 
 
 35 that hear, let him hear. Then his disciples drew near, and said unto him, Knowest 
 
 36 thou that the Pharisees which heard this word were angry? He answered and said 
 unto them, Every plant which my Father which is in heaven planted not shall be 
 
 37 Arabic, uprooted. Let them alone ; for they are blind leading Wind. And if the 
 P- ^° blind leads the blind, both of them shall fall into a hollow. 
 
 38 And when Jesus entered the house from the multitude, Simon Cephas asked him, ^ 7, 171- 
 
 39 and said unto him. My Lord, explain to us that parable. He said unto them, Do Mk. 7IM. 
 ye also thus not understand ? Know ye not that everything that entereth into the 
 
 40 man from without cannot defile him ; because it entereth not into his heart ; it enter- Mk. 7, 19. 
 eth into his stomach only, and thence is cast forth in the cleansing which maketh 
 
 41 clean all the food? ^ The thing which goeth forth from the mouth of the man pro- Mt 15, 18. 
 
 42 ceedeth from his heart, and it is that which defileth the man. From within '^ the Mk. 7, 21. 
 
 43 heart of men proceed evil thoughts, fornication, adultery, theft, false witness, mur- Mk. 7, 22. 
 der, injustice, wickedness, deceit, stupidity, evil eye, calumny, pride, foohshness : 
 
 44 these evils all of them from within proceed from the heart, and they are t/ie things Mk. 7, 23. 
 
 45 which defile the man : but if a man eat while he washeth not his hands, he is not Mt. 15, mb. 
 defiled. 
 
 46 And Jesus went out thence, and came to the borders of Tyre and Sidon. ^^^'^l]^f 
 And he entered into a certain house, and desired that no man should know it \^ and 
 
 47 he could not be hid. But straightway a Canaanitish woman, whose daughter had an Mk. 7, 25a. 
 48, 49 unclean spirit, heard of him. And that woman was a Gentile of Emesa of Syria. And ^k. 7^ 2&!. 
 
 she came out after him, crying out, and saying. Have mercy upon me, my Lord, thou 
 
 50 son of David ; for my daughter is seized in an evil way by Satan. ^ And he answered Mt. 15, 23. 
 
 Arabic, her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, and said. Send 
 
 51 P-Si her away ; for she crieth after us. He answered and said unto them, I was Mt. 15, 24. 
 
 52 not sent except to the sheep that are gone astray of the house of Israel. But she Mt. 15,25. 
 came and worshipped him, and said. My Lord, help me, have mercy upon me. 
 
 53 Jesus said unto her. It is not seemly that the children's bread should be taken and Mt. 15, 26. 
 
 54 thrown to the dogs. But she said. Yea, my Lord : the dogs also eat of the crumbs Mt. 15, 27. 
 
 55 that fall from their masters' tables, and live. Then said Jesus unto her, O woman, Mt. 15,28a. 
 
 56 great is thy faith : it shall be unto thee as thou hast desired. Go then thy way; and Mk. 7, 29*- 
 
 57 because of this word, the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And her daughter was Mt. 15, 28*. 
 
 58 healed in that hour. And that woman went away to her house, and found her Mk. 7, 30. 
 daughter laid upon the bed, and the devil gone out of her. 
 
 1 The printed Arabic text has he receiveih and Uiey, resulting from a misplacement of diacritical points by an Arabic 
 copyist 2 Here begins verse 9 in Greek. 3 The Synac word for injure also means reject, deny. 
 
 4 Sic. B The Arabic word is here used with a Syriac meaning. 
 
 6 This clause in the Peshitta is not very clear, and the Arabic version fails to get from it the meaning of the Greek. 
 
 7 Or, From ■within, from. 8 Or, about him. 9 Or, the devil. 
 
4, 4- 
 
 4. 5- 
 
 4,6. 
 
 76 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 SECTION XXI. 
 
 § 21 I And Jesus went out again from the bordew of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the Mt. 7, 31. 
 
 2 sea of Galilee, towards the borders of Decapolis. And they brought unto him one Mk. 7, 32. 
 dumb and deaf, and entreated him that he would lay his hand upon him and heal 
 
 3 him. And he drew him away from the multitude, and went away alone, and spat Mk. 7, 33. 
 
 4 upon his fingers, and thrust ihetn into his ears, and touched his tongue ; and looked Mk. 7, 34. 
 
 5 to heaven, and sighed, and said unto him, Be opened. And in that hour his ears Mk. 7, 35. 
 
 6 were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake with ease. And Mk. 7, 36. 
 Jesus charged them much that they should not tell this to any man : but the more 
 
 7 he charged them, the more they increased in publishing, and marvelled much, and Mk. 7, 37. 
 
 Arabic. Said, This man doeth everything well : he made the deaf to hear, and those 
 P- ^2 that lacked speech to speak. 
 8, 9 And while he was passing through the land of Samaria, he came to one of the j°; 
 
 cities of the Samaritans, called Sychar, beside the field which Jacob gave to Joseph 
 10 his son. And there was there a spring of water of Jacob's. And Jesus was fatigued Jo. 
 
 from the exertion of the way, and sat at the spring. And the time was about the 
 J I sixth hour.i And a woman of Samaria came to draw water ; and Jesus said unto Jo. 
 
 12 her. Give me water, that I may drink. And his disciples had entered into the city Jo. 
 
 13 to buy for themselves food. And that Samaritan woman said unto him. How dost Jo. 
 thou, being a Jew, ask me to give thee to drink, while I am a Samaritan woman? 
 
 14 (And the Jews mingle not with the Samaritans. 2) Jesus answered and said unto Jo. 
 her. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who this is that said unto thee. Give me 
 
 15 to drink; thou wouldest ask him, and he would give thee the water of hfe. That Jo. 
 woman said unto him. My Lord, thou hast no bucket, and the well is deep : from 
 
 16 whence hast thou the water of life? Can it be that thou art greater than our father Jo. 
 Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank from it, and his children, and his sheep? 
 
 1 7 Jesus answered and said unto her. Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst Jo. 
 
 18 again : but whosoever drinketh of the water which I shall give him shall not thirst for Jo. 
 ever ; but the water which I shall give him shall be in him a spring of water springing 
 
 19 up unto eternal life. That woman said unto him, My Lord, give me of this water, that Jo. 
 
 20 I may not thirst again, neither come and draw water from here. Jesus said unto her, jo. 
 
 21 Arabic, Go and call thy husband, and come hither. She said unto him, I have no jo. 
 
 22 P- ^3 husband. Jesus said unto her. Thou saidst well, I have no husband: five jo. 
 husbands hast thou had, and this man whom thou hast now is not thy husband ; and 
 
 23 in this thou saidst truly. That woman said unto him. My Lord, I perceive thee to jo. 
 
 24 be a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain ; and ye say that in Jeru- jo. 
 
 25 salem is the place in which worship must be. Jesus said unto her. Woman, believe jo. 
 me, an hour cometh,when neither in this mountain, nor yet in Jerusalem, shall ye wor- 
 
 26 ship the Father. Ye worship that which ye know not: but we worship that which jo. 
 
 27 we know ; for salvation is of the Jews. But an hour cometh, and now is, when the jo. 
 true worshippers sliall worship the Father in spirit and truth : and the Father also 
 
 28 seeketh such as these worshippers. For God is a Spirit: and they that worship him jo. 
 
 29 must worship him in spirit and in truth. That woman said unto him, I know that jo. 
 
 30 the Messiah cometh : and when he is come, he will teach us everything. Jesus said jo, 
 unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 
 
 3 1 And while he was speaking, his disciples came ; and they wondered how he would jo, 
 speak 3 with a woman ; but not one of them said unto him, What seekest thou? or, 
 
 32 What* speakest thou with her? And the woman left her waterpot, and went to the Jo. 
 T^T, city, and said to the people, Come, and see a man who told me all that ever I did: Jo. 
 
 34 perhaps then he is the Messiah. And people went out from the city, and came to Jo. 
 
 35 him. And in the mean while his disciples besought him, and said unto him, Oiu: Jo. 
 36, 37 master, eat. And he said unto them, I have food to eat that ye know not. And ^o- 
 
 the disciples said amongst themselves. Can any one have brought him aught to eat? ^ 
 
 I Lit. six hours {cf. Syr.). 2 For the form cf. below, § 34, 40. 3 Or, was speaking. 
 
 ^ But see note to § 7, 38. & The text is uncertain. 
 
 4. IS, 
 4, 16. 
 
 4. 
 
 4, 19. 
 
 4. 
 4i 
 
 4i!!5- 
 4, 26. 
 
 4,31 
 4. 3=' 
 4. 33 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 77 
 
 §21 38 Jesus said unto them, My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accom- jo. 4, 34. 
 29 Arabic, plish his work. Said ye not that after four months cometh the harvest? jo. 4, 35. 
 P- °4 behold, I therefore say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and behold the lands, 
 
 40 that they have become white, and the harvest is already come.i And he that reap- J"- 4. 36- 
 eth receiveth his wages, and gathereth the fruit of eternal life;^ and the sower and 
 
 41 the reaper rejoice together. For in this is found the word of truth. One soweth, and Jo. 4. 37- 
 
 42 another reapeth. And I sent you to reap that in which ye have not laboured : others Jo- 4. 38- 
 laboured, and ye have entered on their labour. 
 
 43 And from that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the words Jo- 4. 39- 
 
 44 of that woman, who testified and said, He told me all that ever I did. And when Jo. 4. 4°- 
 those Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them; and he 
 
 45, 46 abode with them two days. And many believed in him because of his word ; and jo! Ji 42^ 
 they said to that woman. Now not because of thy saying have we believed in him ; 
 we have heard and known that this truly is the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. 
 
 47, 48 And after two days Jesus went out thence and departed to Galilee. And Jesus f^. I', u- 
 
 49 testified that a prophet is not honoured in his own city. And when he came to Jo. 4, 450. 
 Galilee, the Galilseans received him. 
 
 SECTION XXII. 
 
 §22 I And when Jesus came to a certain village, there drew near to him a leper, and Lk. 5, 12. 
 
 fell at his feet, and besought him, and said unto him, If thou wilt, thou art able to 
 
 2 cleanse me. And Jesus had mercy upon him, and stretched forth his hand, and Mk. i, 41. 
 
 3 touched him, and said, I will cleanse ^ thee. And immediately his leprosy departed Mk. 1, 42. 
 
 4 from him, and he was cleansed. And he sternly charged him, and sent him out, Mk. i, 43. 
 
 5 Arabic, and said unto him. See that thou tell not any man : but go and shew thy- Mk. i, ,4. 
 P- ^5 self to the priests, and offer an offering for thy cleansing as Moses com- 
 
 6 manded for their testimony. But he, when he went out, began to publish much, and Mk, 1, 45a. 
 spread abroad the news, so that Jesus could not enter into any of the cities openly, 
 
 for the extent to which the report of him spread, but he remained without in a des- 
 
 7 ert place. And much people came unto him from one place and another,* to hear Lk. 5, 15. 
 
 8 his word, and that they might be healed of their pains. And he used to withdraw Lk. 5, 16. 
 from them into the desert, and pray. 
 
 9 And after that, was the feast of the Jews ; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Jo- 5, i- 
 
 10 And there was in Jerusalem a place prepared for bathing,^ which was called in Jo- s, 2. 
 
 11 Hebrew the House of Mercy, having five porches. And there were laid in them jo. $, 3. 
 much people of the sick, and blind, and lame, and paralysed, waiting for the mov- 
 
 12 ing of the water. And the angel from time to time went down into the place of jo. 5,4. 
 bathing,^ and moved the water; and the first that went down after the moving of 
 
 13 the water, every pain that he had was healed. And a man was there who had a jo. 5, 5. 
 
 14 disease for thirty-eight years. And Jesus saw this man laid, and knew" that he had Jo. 5, 6. 
 
 1 5 been thus a long time ; and he said .unto him, Wouldest thou be made whole? That jo. 5, 7. 
 diseased one answered and said, Yea, my Lord, I have no man, when the water mov- 
 
 eth, to put me into the bathing-place ; but when I come, another goeth down before ^ 
 
 16, 17 me. Jesus said unto him, Rise, take thy bed, and walk. And immediately that jl.l'.g. 
 man was healed ; and he rose, and carried his bed, and walked. 
 
 18 And that day was a sabbath. And when the Jews saw that healed one, they ' said Jo. 5, 10. 
 
 19 unto him. It is a sabbath ; thou hast no authority to carry thy bed. And he answered jo. s, ". 
 and said unto them. He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take thy bed, 
 
 20 Arabic, and walk. They asked him therefore. Who is this man that said unto thee, jo. 5, 12. 
 
 21 p. 86 -pake thy bed, and walk ? But he that w.as healed knew not who it was ; for jo. 5, 13. 
 Jesus had removed from that place to another, because of the press of the great mul- 
 
 22 titude which was in that place. And after two days Jesus happened upon him in the jo. s. m- 
 temple, and said unto him. Behold, thou art whole : sin not again, lest there come upon 
 
 1 Or, comg beforehand, . ,,. . ' , ^ , ^ i "jT-^^-r - 
 
 2 So in the Arabic, contrary to the usual practice of this wnter («/: § 6, ig). 3 Lit. to cleame. 
 4 This phrase does not occur in the Syriac versions (Cur. wanting), but is obviously a Syriac eonstruction. 
 B Or, baptism. The phrase almost exactly reproduces the Syriac versions. 8 Or, Uariied. 
 
 1 Vat MS. has he. 
 
78 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §S2 23 thee what is worse than the first. And that man went, and said to the Jews that it Jo. 5.15. 
 
 24 was Jesus that had healed him. And because of that the Jews persecuted Jesus and Jo. 5, ,«. 
 
 25 sought to kill him, because he was doing this on the sabbath. And Jesus said unto jo. $, 17. 
 
 26 them, My Father worketh until now, and I also work. And because of this espe- jo. 5, is. 
 cially the Jews sought to kill him, not because he profaned the sabbath only ; but 
 
 for his saying also that God was his Father, and his making himself equal with God. 
 
 27 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you. The Son cannot jo. 5, rg. 
 do anything of himself, but what he seeth the Father do ; what the Father doeth, 
 
 28 that the Son also doeth hke him. The Father loveth his Son, and everything that Jo-s. 20. 
 he doeth he sheweth him: and more than these works will he shew him, that ye 
 
 29 may marvel. And as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, so the Son Jo- 5, zi. 
 
 30 also giveth life to whomsoever he will. And the Father judgeth no man, but hath Jo- 5. 22- 
 
 31 given all judgement unto the Son ; that every man may honour the Son, as he honour- Jo- 5,23. 
 eth the Father. And he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which 
 
 3 2 sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whosoever heareth my word, and believeth Jo. 5, 24- 
 in him that sent me, hath eternal hfe, and cometh not into judgement, but passeth from 
 
 33 Arabic, death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, An hour shall come, and now Jo- 5, 25. 
 P- ^7 is also, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those 
 
 34 which hear shall live. And as the Father hath life in himself,^ likewise he gave to Jo. s. »«- 
 
 35 the Son also that he might have life in himself,^ and authority to do judgement also, Jo. 5, 27, 
 
 36 because 2 he is the Son of man. Marvel not then at that : I mean the coming of Jo. s, 28. 
 the hour when all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; Jo. s, 29. 
 
 37 those that have done good, to the resurrection of life ; and those that have done evil 
 deeds, to the resurrection of judgement. 
 
 38 I am not able of myself to do anything ; but as I hear, I judge : and my judge- Jo. 5, 30. 
 
 39 ment is just ; I seek not my own will, but the will of him that sent me. I ^ bear wit- Jo, 
 
 40 ness of myself, and so ^ my witness is not true. It is another that beareth witness Jo, 
 
 41 of me ; and I know that the witness which he beareth of me is true. Ye have sent Jo. 
 
 42 unto John, and he hath borne witness of the truth. But not from man do I seek jo. 
 
 43 witness ; but I say that ye may live.* That ^ was a lamp which shineth and jo. 
 
 44 giveth light : and ye were pleased to glory now * in his light. But I have witness jo, 
 greater than that of John : the works which my Father hath given me to accomplish, 
 
 45 those works which I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And jo, 
 the Father which sent me, he hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his 
 
 46 voiceat any time, nor seen his appearance. And his word abideth not in you ; because Jo, 
 
 47 in him whom he hath sent ye do not believe. Search the scriptures, in which ye rejoice' Jo, 
 
 48 that ye have eternal life ; and they bear witness of me ; and ye do not wish to come to Jo, 
 49. 50 Arabic, nie, that ye may have eternal life. I seek not praise of men. But I know ja 
 
 51 p. 88 yQ^^ (jj^j (.jjg jQ^g Qf Qq(J jg jjQ(- jjj yQ^_ J g^jjj come in the name of my jo. 
 
 Father, and ye received me not ; but if another come in his own name, that one will 
 
 52 ye receive. And how can ye believe, while ye receive praise one from another, and Jo, 
 
 53 praise from God, the One, ye seek not ? Can it be that ye think that I will accuse Jo 
 you before the Father? Ye have one that accuseth you, Moses, in whom ye have 
 
 54 rejoiced.'' If ye believed Moses, ye would believe me also ; Moses wrote of me. Jo 
 
 55 And if ye believed not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? Jo, 
 
 SECTION XXIII. 
 
 t§'23 I And Jesus departed thence, and came to the side of the sea of Galilee, and went Mt. is, sg- 
 
 2 up into the mountain, and sat there. And there came unto him great multitudes, M'- 'S. 3» 
 having with them lame, and blind, and dumb, and maimed, and many others, and 
 
 3 they cast them at the feet of Jesus ; for they had seen all the signs which he did in Jo- 4,45*- 
 
 4 Jerusalem, when they were gathered at the feast. And he healed them all. And jJt Jj,' 3,. ' 
 
 \ Borg. MS. reads his Jterson. 2 Lit. thai; or, Verily. 
 
 3 So Ciasca s Arabic text. Borg. MS. has If I, andinstead q/ani/ sa, e/t:. , sim'ply awitness ivkich is not true, etc.; but its 
 textof the next sentence is quite corrupt. 4 Ox, he saved. 5 Or, t/iat (man) . 
 
 6 Were it not also in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary (Brit. Mus. text) we should assume ntnu to be a corruption of an orig- 
 
 inal Arabic leading, for a season (c/. Syr.). 
 
 7 This word (often used by our translator) means in Syriac (transposed) believe, think, hope {c/. § 8, 8, note). 
 
 5.31 
 5,32- 
 5.33- 
 5.34- 
 5.35, 
 5. 36- 
 
 5. 
 
 5. 
 
 5.40- 
 5.41 
 
 S. 42- 
 
 5.44- 
 5,45- 
 
 3.46- 
 5.. 47- 
 
Mk, 
 
 8, 3*. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 15. 33- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 15. 34- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 15, 35- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 15, 36- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 15. 
 
 38. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 15, 
 
 39- 
 
 Mt. 
 Mk. 
 
 16, 
 8, 
 
 Zll. 
 
 Mk. 
 Mt. 
 
 8, 
 16, 
 
 iza. 
 4- 
 
 Mk. 
 
 8, 
 
 13*. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 8, 
 
 13. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 8, 
 
 14. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 8, 
 
 15- 
 
 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 79 
 
 23 those multitudes marvelled when they saw dumb /nen speak, and maimed men healed, 
 and lame men walk, and blind men see ; and they praised the God of Israel. 
 
 5 And Jesus called his disciples, and said unto them, I have compassion on this mul- Mt. 15, 32. 
 titude, because of their continuing with me three days, having nothing to eat ; and to 
 
 send them away fasting I am not willing, lest they faint in the way, some of them hav- 
 
 6 Arabic, ing come from far. His disciples said unto him. Whence have we in the des- 
 ■j P- °9 ert bread wherewith to satisfy all this multitude ? J esus said unto them. How 
 
 8 many loaves have ye? They said unto him. Seven, and a few small fishes. And he 
 
 9 commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the ground ; and he took those seven 
 loaves and the fish, and blessed, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before 
 
 10 them ; and the disciples set before the multitudes. And they all ate, and were sat- ml 15, 37. 
 isfied : and they took that which remained over of the fragments, seven basketfuls. 
 
 1 1 And the people that ate were four thousand men, besides the women and children. 
 
 12 And when the multitudes departed, he went up into the boat, and came to the 
 borders of Magada.i 
 
 13 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, and began to seek a discussion 
 with him. And they asked him to shew them a sign from heaven, tempting him. 
 
 14 And Jesus sighed within himself, and said. What sign seeketh this evil and adulter- 
 ous generation? It seeketh a sign, and it shall not be given a sign, except the sign 
 
 15 of Jonah the prophet. Verily I say unto you. This generation shall not be given a 
 
 16 sign. And he left^ them, and went up into the boat, and went away to that side. 
 
 17 And his disciples forgot to take with them bread, and there was not with them 
 
 18 in the boat, not even^ one loaf. And Jesus charged them, and said, Take heed, 
 and guard yourselves from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and from the 
 
 19 leaven of Herod. And they reflected within themselves that they had taken with them Mt 16, 7. 
 
 20 no bread. And Jesus knew, and said unto them. Why * think ye within yourselves, O Mt. 16, 8. 
 ye of little faith, and are anxious, because ye have no bread? until now do ye not per- Mk. 8, zji. 
 
 21 ceive, neither understand? is your heart yet hard? And have ye eyes, andj^f/see not? Mk. 8, i3. 
 
 22 Arabic, and have ye ears, and yet hear not ? and do ye not remember when I brake Mk. 8, 19. 
 P- 9° those five loaves for five thousand? and how many baskets full of broken 
 
 23 pieces took ye 5 up? They said, Twelve. He said unto them, And the seven also Mk. s, =0. 
 for four thousand : how many baskets full of broken pieces took ye » up ? They 
 
 24 said. Seven. He said unto them. How have ye not understood that I spake not to Mt' *6,''ii''' 
 you because of ^ the bread, but that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees 
 
 25 and Sadducees? Then they understood that he spake, not that they should beware Mt ic, 12. 
 of the leaven of the bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which 
 
 he called leaven. 
 
 26 And after that, he came to Bethsaida. And they brought to him a certain '' blind Mk. 8, -.2. 
 
 27 man, and besought him that he would touch him. And he took the hand of that Mk. 8, 23. 
 blind man, and led him out without the village, and spat in his eyes, and laid his 
 
 28 hand on him,^ and asked him. What seest thou? And that blind man looked in- 
 
 29 tently, and said unto him, I see men as trees walking. And he placed his hand 
 
 30 again on his eyes ; and they were restored,^ and he saw everything clearly. And 
 he sent him to his house, and said. Do not enter even into the village, nor tell any 
 man in the village. 
 
 31 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, to the villages of Csesarea Philippi. 
 
 32 And while he was going in the way, and his disciples alone,!" he asked his disciples, 
 
 33 and said, AVhat do men say of me that I am, the Son of man? " They said unto him, Mt. 16, 14. 
 Some say, John the Baptist ; and others, Elijah ; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the 
 
 34, 35 prophets. He said unto them. And ye, what say ye that I am? Simon Cephas an- 
 
 36 Arabic, swered and said, Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus an- 
 P- 91 swered and said unto him. Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonah : flesh and 
 
 37 blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I sayunto 
 
 1 Arabic Mag-adu, as in Peshitta. 2 c/. § ri, 32, note. , , „ -y. •■.. r- . /c ■» 
 
 3 The change of a smgle letter in the Arabic would turn noi even into ejccept,- but Ibr-at-Tayyib s Commentary (Bnt. 
 Mus. text) also ha.s\^?«w«. i Ut. IViat. See note to § 7, 38. B Or, :Vf ^o*.. « Or, c^ncermng:. 
 
 1 Lit me, probably representing Syriac idiom (cf. Sinaitic?). . « Thf Peshitta also omits on him. 
 
 9 An intransitive word. 10 Or, his disciples being alone. There is no such clause in the Synac versions (Pesh., bin.). 
 
 U The Arabic, which reappears in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary (Brit. Mus. text), and seems to represent the consonantal 
 text of the Peshitta, is awkward. § 23. 34 (Arabic), shows, however, that the rendenng given in the text is the mean- 
 ing intended by the translator. 
 
 Mk. 8, 
 
 24. 
 
 Mk. 8, 
 
 25- 
 
 Mk. 8, 
 
 26. 
 
 Mk. 8, 
 
 27rt. 
 
 Mt. 16, 
 
 ,13*- 
 
 Mt. 16, 
 
 14. 
 
 Mt. 16, 
 Mt 16, 
 Mt 16, 
 
 IS- 
 16. 
 
 17- 
 
 Mt. 16, 18. 
 
8o THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §23 thee also, that thou art Cephas,^ and on this rock will I build my church; and the 
 
 38 gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. To thee will I give the keys of the kingdom Mt 16, 19. 
 of heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven ; and 
 
 39 whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. And he sternly Mt. 16, 20. 
 charged his disciples, and warned them that they should not tell any man concem- 
 
 40 ing him, that he was the Messiah. And henceforth began Jesus to shew to his dis- Mt. 16, jia 
 
 41 ciples that he was determined ^ to go to Jerusalem, and suffer much, and be rejected Mk. a, 31*. 
 of the elders, and of the chief priests, and of the scribes, and be killed, and on the 
 
 42 third day rise. And he was speaking 3 plainly. And Simon Cephas, as one grieved j^J'",^' 3°^- 
 
 43 for him, said. Far be thou, my Lord, from that. And he turned, and looked upon Mk. s, 33^ 
 
 44 his disciples, and rebuked Simon, and said. Get thee behind me, Satan : for thou art Mt. 16, 23^, 
 a stumblingblock unto me : for thou thinkest not of what pertains to God, but of 
 
 what pertains to men. 
 
 45 And Jesus called the multitudes with his disciples, and said unto them. Whoso- Mk. 8,34a. 
 ever would come after me, let him deny himself, and take his cross every day, and Lk. 9, 23*. 
 
 46 come after me. And whosoever would save his life shall lose it ; and whosoever Mk. 8, 35. 
 
 47 loseth his life for my sake, and for the sake of my gospel, shall save it. What shall Lk. 9, 25. 
 
 48 a man profit, if he gain all the world, and destroy * his own life,^ or lose it? or what Mk. 8, 37. 
 
 49 Arabic, will a man give in ransom for his life? ^ Whosoever shall deny me and my Mk. a, 38. 
 P- 92 sayings in this sinful and adulterous generation, the Son of man also will 
 
 50 deny him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy angels. For the Mt 16, 27. 
 Son of man is about to ^ come in the glory of his Father with his holy angels ; and 
 
 then shall he reward each man according to his works. 
 
 SECTION XXIV. 
 
 § 24 I And he said unto them. Verily I say unto you. There be here now some standing Mk. 9, i. 
 
 that shall not taste death, until they see the kingdom of God come ' with strength, 
 
 and the Son of man who cometh in his kingdom. Mt. 16, 28.5. 
 
 2 And after six days Jesus took Simon Cephas, and James, and John his brother, Mt. 17, i. 
 
 3 and brought them up into a high mountain, the three of them only. And while they Lk. 9, 29a. 
 
 4 were praying, Jesus changed, and became after the fashion of another person ; and Mt. 17, 2<s. 
 his face shone like the sun, and his raiment was very white like the snow, and as Lk. 9, 29*. 
 
 5 the light of lightning, so that nothing on earth can whiten ^ like it. And there ap- Mk. 9, 3*. 
 
 6 peared unto him Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus. And they thought that the time Lk.'9%'l'i. 
 
 7 of his decease which was to be accomplished at Jerusalem was come. And Simon and Lk. 9, 32. 
 those that were with him were heavy in the drowsiness of sleep ; and with effort they 
 roused themselves, and saw his glory, and those two men that were standing with him. 
 
 8 Arabic, And when they began to depart from him, Simon said unto Jesus, My Lk. 9, 33<j. 
 
 9 P- 93 Master, it is good for us to be here : and if thou wilt, we will make here Mt. 17, ^. 
 three tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah ; not know- Lk. 9, ly. 
 
 10 ing what he said, because of the fear which took possession of them. And while he Mt'i^ 5I 
 
 11 was yet saying that, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And when they saw Moses Lk. 9,'34<s. 
 
 12 and Elijah that they had entered into that cloud, they feared again. And a voice Mt. 17, 5*. 
 was heard out of the cloud, saying. This is my beloved Son, whom I have chosen ; 
 
 13 hear ye therefore him. And when this voice was heard, Jesus was found alone. Lk. 9, s&r. 
 
 14 And the disciples, when they heard the voice, fell on their faces from the fear which Mt. 17, 6. 
 
 15 took hold of them. And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, be not Mt. 17, 7. 
 
 16 afraid. And they hfted up their eyes, and saw Jesus as he was. Mt. 17,8. 
 
 17 And when they went down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, and said Mt.17, 9. 
 unto them. Tell not what ye have seen to any man, until the Son of man rise from 
 
 IDA. 
 
 Lk. 9, 36^- 
 
 18 among the dead. And they kept the word within themselves, and told no man in Lk^'^^' 
 
 1 Same Arabic word in both places. See note to § 5, 11. 
 
 2 The word is freely used in this work in the post-classical sense of about to. 
 
 3 The Arabic might perhaps be construed and to speak, depending on began in § 23, 40 ; but the clause agrees with the 
 
 Sinaitic of Mark, as does the following. 4 Or, lose. 5 Or, seljf; or, soul. 
 
 6 See § 23, 40, note. 7 i.e., already come. 
 
 8 Or, oecmne white. In the Pesh. the verb is transitive. In Sin. the clause is omitted. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 8i 
 
 §24 19 those days what they had seen. And they reflected among themselves, What is this Mk, 9, 10*. 
 
 20 word which he spake unto us, I, when I am risen from among the dead? And his Mk. 9, ua. 
 disciples asked him, and said, What is that which the scribes say, then, that Elijah Mt. 17, loi 
 
 21 must first come? He said unto them, Elijah cometh first to set in order everything, Mk. 9, i:, 
 
 Arabic, and as it was written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things, 
 
 22 P- 94 and be rejected. But I say unto you, that Elijah is come, and they knew Mk. 9, 13. 
 him not, and have done unto him whatsoever they desired, as it was written of him. 
 
 23, 24 In like manner the Son of man is to suffer of them. Then understood the disciples Mt. i'^ I3. 
 that he spake unto them concerning John the Baptist. 
 
 25 And on that day whereon they came down from the mountain, there met him a Mk. 9, 14. 
 multitude of many people standing with his disciples, and the scribes were discuss- 
 
 26 ing with them. And the people, when they saw Jesus, were perplexed, ^ and in the Mk. 9, 15. 
 
 27 midst of their joy hastened ^ and saluted him. And on that day came certain of Lk. 13,31. 
 the Pharisees, and said unto him. Get thee out, and go hence ; for Herod seeketh 
 
 28 to kill thee. Jesus said unto them. Go ye and say to this fox, Behold, I am casting i,k. 13, 32. 
 out demons, and I heal to-day and to-morrow, and on the third day I am perfected. 
 
 29 Nevertheless I must be watchful ^ to-day and to-morrow, and on the last day I shall Lk. 13, 33. 
 depart ; for it cannot be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem. 
 
 30 And after that, there came to him a man from that multitude, and fell upon his ^^ %fi''^d. 
 knees, and said unto him, I beseech thee, my Lord, look upon my son ; he is my Uc. 9, 38/.. 
 
 31 only c,^//^.- and the spirit cometh upon him suddenly. A lunacy * hath come upon MVi'7,'15/.. 
 
 32 him, and he meeteth with evils. And when it cometh upon him, it beateth him about ;5 Mk. 9, is^. 
 
 33 and he foameth, and gnasheth his teeth, and wasteth ;" and many times it hath thrown Mt. 17, xy 
 him into the water and into the fire to destroy him, and it hardly leaveth him after Lk. 9, 39c. 
 
 34 Arabic, bruising him. And I brought him near to thy disciples, and they could Mt. 17, 16. 
 
 35 P- 95 not heal him. Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse genera- Mt. 17, 17. 
 tion, till when shall I be with you? and till when shall I bear with you ? bring thy son 
 
 36 hither. And he brought him unto him : and when the spirit saw him, immediately Mk. 9, 20. 
 
 37 it beat him about ; and he fell upon the ground, and was raging and foaming. And Mk. 9, =1. 
 Jesus asked his father, How long is the time during which he hath been thus? He 
 
 38 said unto him. From his youth until now. But, my Lord, help me wherein thou Mk. 9. =2*. 
 
 39 canst, and have mercy upon me. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe! All Mk. 9, 23. 
 
 40 things are possible to him that believeth. And immediately the father of the child Mk. 9, 24. 
 
 41 cried out, weeping, and said, I believe, my Lord ; help my lack of faith. And when Mk. 9, 25. 
 Jesus saw the hastening of the people, and their coming at the sound, he rebuked 
 
 that unclean spirit, and said to it. Thou dumb '' spirit that speakest not, I command 
 
 42 thee,8 come out of him, and enter not again into him. And that spirit, devil,^ cried Mk. 9, 26. 
 out much, and bruised him, and came out ; and that child fell as one dead, and 
 
 43 many thought that he had died. But Jesus took him by his hand, and raised him ^^-^.^^l- 
 
 44 up, and gave him to his father ; and that child was healed from that hour. And Mt. 17, m. 
 the people all marvelled at the greatness of God. ' '" ''^°' 
 
 45 And when Jesus entered into the house, his disciples came, and asked him Mk. 9, 28. 
 
 46 privately,!" and said unto him. Why were we not able to heal him? Jesus said unto Mt. 17, 20. 
 
 Arabic, them. Because of your unbelief. Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith 
 P- 96 as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain. Remove hence ; 
 
 47 and it shall remove ; and nothing shall overcome you. But it is impossible to cast Mk. 9, ,gi>. 
 out this kind by anything except by fasting and prayer. 
 
 48 And when he went forth thence, they passed through Galilee ; and he would not Mk. 9, 30. 
 
 49 that any man should know it." And he taught his disciples, and said unto them, \'^^-9-i^^ 
 
 50 Keep ye these sayings in your ears and your hearts : for the Son of man is to be Mk, g, jri, 
 
 X This rendering assumes that the diacritical point is due to a clerical error. The text as printed can hardly be translated 
 
 2 This'Arabfrword repeatedly represents a Syriac ran (cf. § 53. i')- A different word is so used ■» 5 '6, =i; 
 
 3 The Syriac word used in the Peshitta is here translated just as it was translated m § r, 79 (see note), but the t,reek 
 
 shows that in the present passage the Syriac word means go about {cf. Cur.). 
 
 4 Lit. The son-of-the-roof, a Syriac phrase meanmg a demon of lunacy. 
 
 6 A word used in Arabic of the devil producmg msanity : but here it reproduces the Peshitta. 
 
 6 Lit lecomeih light; but a comparison with the Peshitta suggests that we should change one dncritical point and 
 
 read withenth, as in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary. An equally easy eniendation would be wasteth. 
 
 7 In Syriac, but not in Arabic, the word means deaf or dumb, according to the context. 
 
 8 Ciasca's Arabic follows Vat. MS. in inserting a M3< (pronour) after /to. , yi- 
 9S?Iesrdtel^arivere„d?ringsofthe5ameSyriacword(^«<.»). laUt. betweenthe^selves and hzm. -^^ Or, aiauthtm. 
 
82 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 24 delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him ; and when he is killed, he 
 
 5 1 shall rise on the third day. But they knew not the word which he spake unto them, Lk. 9, 45. 
 for it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it ; and they feared to 
 
 52 ask him about this word. And they were exceeding sorrowful. Mt. 17, 23*. 
 
 SECTION XXV. 
 
 § 25 I And in that day this thought presented itself to his disciples, and they said, which Lk. 9, 46. 
 
 2 haply should be the great«/ among them.i And when they came to Capernaum, Mk. 9, 33. 
 and entered into the house, Jesus said unto them. What were ye considering in the 
 
 3 way among yourselves? And they were silent because they had considered that Mk. 9, 34a. 
 matter. 
 
 4 And when Simon went forth without, those that received two dirhams for the Mt 17, i^b. 
 tribute came to Cephas, and said unto him. Doth your master not give his two 
 
 5 dirhams? He said unto them. Yea. And when Cephas entered the house, Jesus ml 17, 25. 
 anticipated him, and said unto him. What thinkest thou, Simon? the kings of the 
 
 earth, from whom do they receive custom and tribute? from their sons, or from 
 
 6 Arabic, strangers? Simon said unto him. From strangers. Jesus said unto him, Mt. 17, 26. 
 P' 97 Children then are free. Simon said unto him, Yea. Jesus said unto him, 
 
 7 Give thou also unto them, like the stranger. But, lest it trouble them, go thou to Mt 17, 27. 
 the sea, and cast a hook ; and the first fish that cometh up, open its mouth, a7id thou 
 
 shalt find a stater : take therefore that, and give for me and thee. 
 
 8 And in that hour came the disciples to Jesus, and said unto him, Who, thinkest Mt 18, i. 
 
 9 thou, is greater in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus knew the thought of their Lk. 9, 47a. 
 heart, and called a ^ child, and set him in the midst, and took him in his arms, and Mk. 9, 36. 
 
 10 said unto them, Verily I say unto you. If ye do not return, and become as children, Mt 18, 3. 
 
 11 ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Every one that shall receive in my Lk. 9, 48. 
 name such as this child hath received me : and whosoever receiveth me receiveth Mk. 9, 37*. 
 
 12 not me, but him that sent me. And he who is little in your company,^ the same Lk. 9, 48^. 
 
 13 shall be great. But whosoever shall injure one of these little ones that believe in Mtis, 6. 
 me, it were better for him that a great millstone ^ should be hanged about his neck, 
 
 and he should be drowned in the depths of the sea. 
 
 14 John answered and said. Our Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name ; Lk. 9, 49. 
 
 15 and we prevented him, because he followed not thee with us. Jesus said unto them, Mk. 9, 39. 
 Prevent him not ; for no man doeth powers in my name, and can hasten to speak evil 
 
 16,17 of me. Every one who is not in opposition to you is with j'ou. Woe unto the world j^'fs^"^'... 
 Arabic, because of trials! 5 but woe unto that man by whose hand the trials come! 
 18 P- 9° If thy hand or thy foot injure thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee ; for it Mt 18, 8. 
 is better for thee to enter into life being halt or maimed, and not that thou shouldest 
 have two hands or two feet, and fall into the hell of fire that burneth ^ for ever ; 
 19,20 where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. And if thine eye seduce ^ Mt S.^gt. 
 21 thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee to enter the king- Mk. 9, 47*- 
 dom of God with one eye, than that thou shouldest have two eyes, and fall into the 
 22, 23 fire of Gehenna ; where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. Every ^Jj; 5'_^^; 
 
 24 one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. How good Mk. 9, sm. 
 
 25 is salt! but if the salt also be tasteless, wherewith shall it be salted? It is fit neither }^ It 35* 
 for the land nor for dung, but they cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him 
 
 26 hear. Have ye salt in yourselves, and be in peace one with another. Mk. 9, soc. 
 
 27 And he arose from thence, and came to the borders of Judaea beyond Jordan : Mk. 10, i. 
 and there went unto him thither great multitudes, and he healed them ; and he taught 
 
 28 them also, according to his custom. And the Pharisees came unto him, tempting Mk. 10, 2. 
 
 29 him, and asking him. Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? He said. What Mk. 10, 3. 
 
 30 did Moses command you? They said, Moses made it allowable for us, j-ay/w^. Who- Mk. 10, 4- 
 
 31 soever will, let him write a writing of divorcement, and put away his wife. Jesus Mk. lo, s'^- 
 
 1 Borg. MS. OTnxSs amo7ig tkem. 2 Lit one (Syriac idiom). 
 
 3 In the present work this word frequently means synagogue. 4 Lit millstone o/ an ass. 
 
 5 i.e., experiences that test one ; or, seductions. The word is variously used. 8 Or, is kindled. 
 
 ^ See note to § 25, 17, 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 83 
 
 answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, He that madeifA^m from thebeginning Mt 19, 4. 
 
 32 made them male and female, and said. For this reason shall the man leave his father Mt. 19, s- 
 
 Arabic, and his mother, and cleave to his wife ; and they both shall be one body? 
 
 33 P- 99 So then they are not twain, but one body ; the thing, then, which God hath Mt. 19, 6. 
 
 34 joined together, let no man put asunder. And those Pharisees said unto him, Why did Mt. 19, 7. 
 Moses consent ^ that a ma?t should give a writing of divorcement and put her away? 
 
 35 Jesus said unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts gave you leave Mt. 19, a. 
 
 36 to divorce your wives ; but in the beginning it was not so. I say unto you. Whoso- Mt. 19, ga. 
 ever putteth away '^ his wife without fornication, and marrieth another, hath exposed 
 
 37 her to adultery. And his disciples, when he entered the house, asked him again Mk. 10, 10. 
 
 38 about that. And he said unto them. Every one who putteth away his wife, and Mk. 10, n. 
 
 39 marrieth another, hath exposed her to adultery. And any woman that leaveth her Mk. 10, 12. 
 husband, and becometh another's, hath committed adultery. And whosoever mar- Mt. 19, g*. 
 
 40 rieth her that is divorced hath committed adultery. And his disciples said unto him, Mt. 19, 10. 
 If there be between the man and the woman such a case ^ as this, it is not good for 
 
 41 a man to marry. He said unto them, Not every man can endure this saying, except Mt. 19, n. 
 
 42 him to whom it is given. There are eunuchs which from their mother's womb * Mt. 19, 12. 
 were born so ; and there are eunuchs which through men became eunuchs ; and 
 
 there are eunuchs which made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of 
 heaven. He that is able to be content, let him be content. 
 
 43 Then they brought to him children, that he should lay his hand upon them, and Mt. 19, 13a. 
 ■ 44 pray : and his disciples were rebuking those that were bringing them. And Jesus ^- J°' ^s^- 
 
 saw, and it was distressing to him ; and he said unto them. Suffer the children to 
 Arabic, coHie uuto me, and prevent them not ; for those that are like these have 
 ^g p. 100 tjie kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you. Whosoever receiveth not the Mk. 10, 15. 
 46 kingdom of God as this child, shall not enter it. And he took them in his arms, and Mk. 10, 16. 
 
 laid his hand upon them, and blessed them. 
 
 SECTION XXVI. 
 
 j26i,2 And there came unto him publicans and sinners to hear his word. And the ^k. 15,1. 
 scribes and the Pharisees murmured, and said. This man receiveth sinners, and 
 
 3 eateth with them. And Jesus, when he beheld their murmuring, spake unto them Lk. is, 3- 
 
 4 this parable : What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if one of them were lost, Lk. 15, 4. 
 would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go and seek the straying c?ne 
 
 5 till he found it? Verily I say unto you, When he findeth it, he will rejoice over it Mt. is, 13. 
 
 6 more than over the ninety-nine that went not astray ; and bear it on his shoulders, Lk. 15, s«. 
 and bring it to his house, and call his friends and neighbours, and say unto them, Lk. 15, 6. 
 
 7 Rejoice with me, since I have found my straying sheep. So your Father which is Mt. 18, i/.. 
 in heaven willeth ^ not that one of these little ones that have strayed should perish, 
 
 8 and he seeketh for them repentance. I say unto you. Thus there shall be rejoicing Lk. 15, 7. 
 in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety-nine righteous 
 persons that do not need repentance. 
 
 9 And what woman having ten drachmas would lose one of them, and not light a Lk. 15, 8. 
 
 10 lamp, and sweep the house, and seek it with care till she found it; and when she Lk. 15,9. 
 found it, call her friends and neighbours, and say unto them. Rejoice with me, as I 
 
 11 have found my drachma that was lost? I say unto you. Thus there shall be joy Lk. 15, 10. 
 
 Arabic, before the angels of God over the one sinner that repenteth, more than 
 p. 1 01 oyer the ninety -nine righteous /^r.y(7«.f that do not need repentance. 
 12, 13 And Jesus spake unto them also another parable: A man had two sons: and Lk, '|; "2. 
 
 the younger son said unto him. My father, give me my portion that belongeth to 
 
 14 me of thy goods. And he divided between them his property. And after a few Lk. 15, 13. 
 days the younger son gathered everything that belonged to him, and went into a 
 
 15 far country, and there squandered his property by living prodigally. And when he Lk. 15, 14- 
 
 1 So the Arabic ; but the Syriac versions follow the Greek, and consent is doubtless a (very easy, and, in view of the suc- 
 ceeding context, natural) clerical error for an original Arabic cimrfe. 2 Or, leaveth. _ , ^ „ . 
 
 S Lit blame a mistranslation (found also in the Brit. Mus. text of Ibn-at-fayylb s Commentary) of the Synac word, 
 which is ambiguous (cf. even the Greek). For a somewhat similar case see § 50, 11, note. 
 
 4 Lit laambs. 5 Strictly, prefirreth, but used also as m the text. 
 
84 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §26 had exhausted everything he had, there occurred a great dearth in that "country. 
 
 16 And when he was in want, he went and joined himself to one of the people of a city Lk. ij, 15. 
 
 17 of that country ; and that man sent him into the field 1 to feed the swine. And he Lk. 15, i6. 
 used to long to fill his belly with the carob that those swine were eating : and no man 
 
 18 gave him. And when he returned unto himself, he said, How many hired servants Lk. 15, 17. 
 now in my father's house have bread enough and to spare, while I here perish with 
 
 19 hunger! I will arise and go to my father's house, and say unto him, My father, I Lk. 15, 18. 
 
 20 have sinned in heaven and before thee, and am not worthy now to be called thy Lk. 15,19. 
 
 2 1 son : make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. Lk. 15, 20. 
 But his father saw him while he was at a distance, and was moved with compassion 
 
 22 for him, and ran,^ and fell on his breast,^ and kissed him. And his son said unto Lk. 15, 1.1. 
 him. My father, I have sinned in heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be 
 
 23 called thy son. His father said unto his servants, Bring forth a stately robe, and put Lk 15, 22. 
 
 24 zVonhim; and put a ring on his hand, and put on him shoes on his feet : and bring and Lk. 15, 23. 
 
 25 slay a fatted ox, that we may eat and make merry : for this my son was dead, and is Lk. 15, 24. 
 
 26 Arabic, alive I and was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.* Now his Lk. 15, 25. 
 p. 102 elder son was in the field ; and when he came and drew near to the house, 
 
 27 he heard the sound of many singing.5 And he called one of the lads, and asked him Lk. 15, 26. 
 
 28 what this was. He said unto him, Thy brother hath arrived ; and thy father hath Lk 15, 27. 
 
 29 slain a fatted ox, since he hath received him safe and sound. ^ And he was angry, Lk. 15, 28. 
 
 30 and would not enter; so his father went out, and besought him to enter. And he Lk. 15, 29. 
 said to his father. How many years do I serve thee in bondage, and I never trans- 
 gressed a commandment of thine ; and thou hast never given me a kid, that I might 
 
 31 make merry with my friends? but this thy son, when he had squandered thy Lk. 15, 30. 
 
 32 property with harlots, and come, thou hast slain for him a fatted ox. His father Lk. 15, 31. 
 said unto him. My son, thou art at all times with me, and everything I have is 
 
 33 thine. It behoveth thee to rejoice and make merry, since this thy brother was dead, Lk. 15, 32. 
 and is alive ; and was lost, and is found. 
 
 34 And he spake a parable unto his disciples : There was a rich man, and he had Lk. 16, i. 
 
 35 a steward; and he was accused to him that he had squandered his property. So Lk. 16, 2. 
 his lord called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear regarding thee? 
 
 Give me the account of thy stewardship ; for it is now impossible that thou shouldest 
 
 36 be a steward for me. The steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that Lk. 16, 3. 
 my lord taketh from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; and to beg' I 
 
 37 am ashamed. I know what I will do, that, when I go out of the stewardship, they Lk. 16,4. 
 
 38 may receive me into their houses. And he called one after another of his lord's Lk. 16, 5. 
 
 39 debtors, and said to the first, How much owest thou my lord? He said unto him. An Lk. 16, 6. 
 hundred portions * of oil. He said unto him. Take thy writing, and sit down, and write 
 
 40 quickly fifty portions.* And he said to the next. And thou, how much owest thou my Lk. 16, 7. 
 lord? He said unto him, An hundred cors of wheat. He said unto him, Take 
 
 41 Arabic, thy writing, and sit down, and write eighty cors. And our' lord com- Lk. 16, s. 
 P" i°3 mended the sinful steward ^^ because he had done a wise deed ; for the chil- 
 
 42 dren of this world are wiser than the children of the light in this their age. And I also Lk. 16, 9. 
 say unto you, Make unto yourselves friends with the wealth of this unrighteousness ; ^i 
 
 43 so that, when it is exhausted, they may receive you into their tents for ever. He Lk. 16, la 
 who is faithful in 12 a little is faithful also in much : and he who is unrighteous in a 
 
 44 little is unrighteous also in much. If then in the wealth of unrighteousness ye were Lk. t6, u. 
 
 45 not trustworthy, who will intrust you with the truth ? ^^ If ye are not found faithful Lk. i6, 12. 
 in what does not belong to you, who will give you what belongeth to you? 
 
 SECTION XXVII. 
 
 §27 I Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who would make a Mt 18,23. 
 
 2 reckoning with his servants. And when he began to make it, they brought to him Mt 18, 24. 
 
 I This word is regularly used throughout this work in this sense. 2 See above, § 24, 26, note. 
 
 3 Did not Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary (Brit. Mus. text) also read breast, we might assume it to be a clerical error for a 
 very similar (less common) word (same as the Syriac)for neck. 4 A different word. 5 cf. Peshitta. 6 One word. 
 
 7 Vat. MS. (followed bv Ciasca's text) has and ij I deg; by a common confusion of grammatical forms. 
 
 8 Or (otherwise vocalised), ^r^j, a measure variously estimated. 8 c/. Peshitta. 10 Lit steward of sin. 
 
 II Lit injustice. 12 Or, intrusted with. 13 Or, true (wealth); but f/. Syriac. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 85 
 
 § 27 3 one who owed him ten talents.^ And because he had not wherewith to pay, his Mt 18, 25. 
 lord ordered that he should be sold, he, and his wife, and children, and all that he 
 
 4 had, and payment be made. So that servant fell down and worshipped him, and Mt. 18, 26. 
 said unto him, My lord, have patience with me, and I shall pay thee everything. 
 
 5 And the lord of that servant had compassion, and released him, and forgave him his Mt. 18, ^^. 
 
 6 debt. And that servant went out, and found one of his fellow- Jifwara/j, who owed him Mt. 18, 28. 
 
 Arabic, a hundred pence ;2 and he took him, and dealt severely with him, and said 
 
 7 p. 1 04 yjjto him, Give me what thou owest. So the fellow-servant fell down at his Mt. is, 29. 
 
 8 feet, and besought him, and said, Grant me respite, and I will pay thee. And he Mt. 18, 30. 
 would not ; but took him, and cast him into prison, till he should give him his debt. ■ 
 
 9 And when their i€A.o^ -servants saw what happened, it distressed them much ; and Mt. 18, 31. 
 
 10 they came and told their lord of all that had taken place. Then his lord called Mt. 18, 32. 
 him, and said unto him, Thou wicked servant, all that debt I forgave thee, because 
 
 1 1 thou besoughtest me : was it not then incumbent on thee also to have mercy on thy Mt. 18, 33. 
 
 1 2 fellow-servant, as I had mercy on thee?^ And his lord became wroth, and delivered Mt. 18, 34. 
 
 13 him to the scourgers, till he should pay all that he owed. So shall my Father which Mt. 18, 35. 
 is in heaven do unto you, if one forgive not his brother his wrong conduct * from 
 
 14 his heart. Take heed within ^ yoirrselves : if thy brother sin, rebuke him ; and if he Lie. 17, 3. 
 
 1 5 repent, forgive him. And if he act wrongly towards thee seven times in a day, and Lk. 17, 4, 
 on that day return seven times unto thee, and say, I repent towards thee ; forgive him. 
 
 16 And if thy brother act wrongly towards thee, go and reprove him between thee and Mt. 18. 15. 
 
 17 him alone : if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he hear thee not, Mt. is. 16. 
 take with thee one or two, and so ^ at the mouth of two or three every saying shall 
 
 18 be established. And if he listen not to these also, tell the congregation ;' and if he Mt. is, 17. 
 listen not even to the congregation, let him be unto thee as a publican and a Gen- 
 
 ig tile.8 Verily I say unto you, All that ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven : Mt. 18, is. 
 
 20 and what ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. I say unto you also, If two Mt. i8, 19. 
 of you agree on earth to ask, everything shalP be granted them from my Father 
 
 2 1 Arabic, which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there Mt. 18, co. 
 
 22 P- '°5 am I amongst them. Then Cephas drew near to him, and said unto him, My Mt. is, 21. 
 Lord, how many times, if my brother act wrongly towards me, should I forgive him? 
 
 23 until seven times? Jesus said untohim, I say not unto thee, Until seven ; but, Until sev- Mt. 18, 22. 
 
 24 enty times seven, seven. i" And the servant that knoweth his lord's will, and maketh not Lk. 12, 47. 
 
 25 ready for him according to his will, shall meet with much punishment ; but he that Lk. 12, 43. 
 knoweth not, and doeth something for which he meriteth punishment, shall meet 
 
 with shght punishment. Every one to whom much hath been given, much shall 
 be asked of him ; and he that hath had much committed to him, much shall be 
 
 26 required at his hand. I came to cast fire upon the earth ; and I would that it had Lk. 12, 49. 
 
 27 been kindled already.^! And I have a baptism to be baptized with, and greatly am Lk. 12, 50. 
 
 28 I straitened till it be accomplished! See that ye despise not 12 one of these little Mt. 18, 10. 
 ones that believe in me. Verily I say unto you, Their angels at all times see the 
 
 29 face of my Father which is in heaven. The Son of man came to save the thing Mt. 18, n. 
 which was lost. 
 
 30 And after that, Jesus walked in Galilee ; and he did not like to walk in Judeea, jo. ^, i. 
 
 31 because the Jews sought to kill him. And there came people who told him of Lk. 13, 
 
 32 the Gahlaeans, those whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Jesus Lk. 13, 2, 
 answered and said unto them. Do ye imagine that those Galilaeans were sinners 
 
 33 more than all the Galilaeans, so that this thing has come upon them? Nay. Lk. 13, 3, 
 Verily I say unto you now,'^ that ye shall all also, if ye repent not, likewise perish. 
 
 34 Or perchance those eighteen on whom the palace fell in Siloam, and slew them, do Lk. 13, 4. 
 ye imagine that they were to be condemned 1* more than all the people that dwell 
 
 3c Arabic, in Jerusalem? Nay. Verily I say unto you, If ye do not all repent, ye Lk. 13, s 
 
 P- 106 shall perish like them. 
 36 And he spake unto them this parable : A man had a fig tree planted in his vine- Lk. 13, e, 
 
 I Lit. badras, an amount variously estimated. 2 Lit. dinars. , , _ . 
 3 The inteiTogative_partide is lacking in the Arabic. ^ Or, fatty. 6 A very close reproduction of the Syriac. 
 6 Or, for. 7 This word usually means synagogue in this work. a Or, heathen. 
 9 Or, to ask everything, it shall. 10 So Vat. MS., followmg the Syriac versions: Borg. MS. has only 
 
 II Lit. beforehand; and so often. 12 Or, repeating a letter, See that ye despise not 13 Borg. MS. 
 14 Sec note, § lo, 13. 
 
 one seven. 
 omits now. 
 
86 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §27 37' yard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. So he said to the Lk.13, 7. 
 husbandman, Lo, three years do I come and seek fruit on this fig tree, and find 
 
 38 none: cut it down; why doth it render the ground unoccupied? The husbandman Lk. 13,8. 
 said unto him. My lord, leave it this year also, that I may dig about it, and dung 
 
 39 it ; then if it bear fruit — ! and if not, then cut it down in the coming year. Lk. 13 
 
 40 And when Jesus was teaching on the sabbath day in one of the synagogues, Lk. 13, 10. 
 
 41 there was there a woman that had a spirit of disease eighteen years ; and she was Lk. 13, n. 
 
 42 bowed down, and could not straighten herself at all. And Jesus saw her, and called Lk. 13, 12. 
 
 43 her, and said unto her. Woman, be loosed from thy disease. And he put his hand Lk. 13, 13. 
 
 44 upon her ; and immediately she was straightened, and praised God. And the chief 1 Lk. 13, 14. 
 of the synagogue answered with anger, because Jesus had healed on a sabbath, 
 
 and said unto the multitudes. There are six days in which work ought to be done ; 
 
 45 come in them and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered Lk. 13, 15. 
 and said unto him. Ye hypocrites, doth not each of you on the sabbath day loose 
 
 46 his ox or his ass from the manger, and go and water it? Ought not this woman, Lk. 13, 16. 
 who is a daughter of Abraham, and whom the devil 2 hath bound eighteen years, 
 
 47 to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he said this, they Lk. 13, 17. 
 were all put to shame, those standing, who were opposing him:^ and all the people 
 
 were pleased with all the wonders that proceeded from his hand. 
 
 SECTION XXVIII.i 
 
 § 28 1,2 Arabic And at that time the feast of tabernacles of the Jews drew near. So the 
 
 P- ^°7 brethren of Jesus said unto him. Remove now hence, and go to Judasa, that 
 
 3 thy disciples may see the deeds that thou doest. For no man doeth a thing secretly 
 
 4 and wisheth to be apparent. If thou doest this, shew thyself to the world. For 
 
 5 up to this time not even the brethren of Jesus believed on him. Jesus said unto 
 them. My time till now has not arrived ; but as for you, your time is alway ready. 
 
 6 It is not possible for the world to hate you ; but me it hateth, for I bear witness 
 
 7 against it, that its deeds are evil. As for you, go ye up unto this feast : but I go 
 
 8 not up now to this feast ; for my time has not yet been completed. He said this, 
 and remained behind in Galilee. 
 
 9 But when his brethren went up unto the feast, he journeyed from Galilee, and 
 
 10 came to the borders of Judasa, to f/ie country beyond Jordan ; and there came after Mt. 19, 2. 
 
 11 him great multitudes, and he healed them all there. And he went out, and proceeded Jo. 7, 10*. 
 
 1 2 to the feast, not openly, but as one that conceals himself. And the Jews sought him Jo. 7, n. 
 
 1 3 at the feast, and said. In what place is this man ? And there occurred much mur- Jo. 7, 12. 
 muring there in the great multitude that came to the feast, on his account. For 
 
 14 some said. He is good ; and others said. Nay, but he leadeth the people astray. But Jo. 7. 13- 
 no man spake of him openly for fear of the Jews. 
 
 15 Arabic, But when the days of the fcast of tabemaclcs Were half over, Jesus Went Jo. 7, 14. 
 
 16 P- 108 up to the temple, and taught. And the Jews wondered, and said. How doth Jo. 7, 15. 
 
 17 thismanknowwriting,5 seeing he hath not learned? Jesus answered and said. My doc- Jo. 7, 16. 
 
 18 trine^isnotmine, but his that sent me. Whoever wisheth to do his will understandeth Jo. 7, 17. 
 my doctrine,^ whether it be from God, or whether I speak of mine own accord. 
 
 1 9 Whosoever speaketh of his own accord seeketh praise for himself ; but whosoever Jo. 7, 18. 
 seeketh praise for him that sent him, he is true, and unrighteousness in his heart 
 
 20 there is none. Did not Moses give you the law, and no man of you keepeth the Jo- 7. 19- 
 
 2 1 law? Why seek ye to kill me? The multitude answered and said unto him. Thou Jo. 7. =o- 
 ?2 hast demons :' who seeketh to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I did Jo. 7, 21. 
 23 one deed, and ye all marvel because of this. Moses hath given you circumcision Jo. 7, 22. 
 
 (not because it is from Moses, but it is from the fathers) ; and ye on the sabbath 
 
 1 Lit. great {matt). 3 Lit. calutHniaior. 3 cf. Syriac versions. 
 
 4 On margin of Vat. MS., in another hand : " This is the beginning of the second part of Diatessarcyn^ which means The 
 
 Four." See p. 467 of Ciasca's Essay, mentioned above (Introduction, 5). ^ 5 Or, the scripture. 
 
 6 This word ordinarily means knowledge, but is used in this work in the sense of doctrine. The commoner form occurs 
 
 perhaps only in § 50, 2. ''€/■§ ^4) 12. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7. 2. 
 
 7.3- 
 
 Jo- 
 
 7.4- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7.5. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7.6. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7. 7- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7,8. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7.9- 
 
 ^°t 
 
 7. '^°^- 
 . 19, lb. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 87 
 
 §28 24 circumcise a man. And if a man is circumcised on the sabbath day, that the law Jo. 7, 23. 
 of Moses may not be broken ; are ye angry at me, because I healed on the sabbath 
 
 25 day the whole man? Judge not with hypocrisy, but judge righteous judgement. jo. ^, 24. 
 
 26 And some people from Jerusalem said, Is not this he whom they seek to slay? jo. ^, 25. 
 
 27 And lo, he discourseth with them openly, and they say nothing unto him. Think jo. 7, 26. 
 
 28 you that our elders have learned that this is the Messiah indeed? But this man is 1 jo. 7, 27. 
 known whence he is ; and the Messiah, when he cometh, no man knoweth whence 
 
 29 he is. So Jesus lifted up his voice as he taught in the temple, and said, Ye both jo. 7,28. 
 know me, and know whence I am ; and of my own accord am I not come, but he 
 
 30 Arabic, that sent me is true, he whom ye know not : but I know him ; for I am Jo. 7, 29. 
 
 31 p. 109 ixQxa. him, and he sent me. And they sought to seize him: and no man Jo. 7, 30. 
 
 32 laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. But many of the multi- Jo. 7, 31. 
 tude believed on him ; and they said. The Messiah, when he cometh, can it be that 
 
 he will do more than these signs that this man doeth ? 
 
 33 And a man of that multitude said unto our Lord, Teacher, say to my brother Lk. 12, 13. 
 
 34 that he divide with me the inheritance. Jesus said unto him, Man, who is it that Lk. 12, 14. 
 
 35 appointed me over you as a judge and divider? And he said unto his disciples, Lk. 12, 15. 
 Take heed within yourselves of all inordinate desire ; for it is not in abundance of 
 
 36 possessions that life shall be. And he gave them this parable : The ground of a Lk. 12, 16. 
 
 37 rich man brought forth abundant produce: and he pondered within himself, and Lk. 12, 17. 
 
 38 said. What shall I do, since I have no place to store my produce? And he said, I Lk. 12, 18. 
 will do this : I will pull down the buildings of my barns, and build them, and make 
 
 39 them greater ; and store there all my wheat and my goods. And I will say to my Lk. 12, 19. 
 soul. Soul, thou hast much goods laid by for many years ; take thine ease, eat, 
 
 40 drink, enjoy thyself. God said unto him, O thou of little intelligence, this night Lk. 12, 20. 
 shall thy soul be taken from thee ; and this that thou hast prepared, whose shall it 
 
 41 be? So is he that layeth up treasures for himself, and is not rich in God. Lk. 12,21. 
 
 42 And while Jesus was going in the way, there came near to him a young man ^ of Mk. 10, 17. 
 the rulers,-* and fell on his knees, and asked him, and said, Good Teacher, what is 
 
 43 it that I mustAo that I may have eternal life? Jesus said unto him. Why callest thou Mk. 10, 18. 
 
 44 me good, while there is none good but the one, even God? * Thou knowest the com- Mk. 10, zqa. 
 
 45 mandments.5 If thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments.^ The young Jj**- '9. i?*- 
 
 Arabic, man said unto him, Which of the commandments?^ Jesus said unto him, 
 
 46 P- no Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shall not steal. Thou shalt not kill, Mk. 10, ig*. 
 Thou'shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not do injury. Honour thy father 
 
 47 and thy mother: and, Love thy neighbour as thyself. That young man said unto Mt Jo' 20*' 
 
 48 him. All these have I kept from my youth : what then is it that I lack? And Jesus Mk. 10, 21a. 
 
 49 looked intently at him, and loved him, and said unto him. If thou wouldest be Mt. 19, 21*. 
 perfect, what thou lackest is one thing:'' go away and sell everything that thou 
 
 hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and take thy 
 
 50 cross, and follow me. And that young man frowned at this word, and went away lj^; J§|23|;' 
 
 51 feehng sad; for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw his sadness, he looked ^i^^'^'^"' 
 towards his disciples, and said unto them. How hard it is for them that have posses- ' '°' ^^' 
 sions to enter the kingdom of God! 
 
 SECTION XXIX. 
 
 §29 I Verily I say unto you. It is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Mt. 19, 23. 
 
 2 heaven. And I say unto you also, that it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of Mt. 19, 24. 
 
 3 a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And the disciples Mk. 10, 24. 
 were wondering at these sayings. And Jesus answered and said unto them again. 
 
 My children, how hard it is for those that rely on their possessions to enter the 
 
 4 kingdom of God! And those that were listening wondered more, and said amongst Mk. 10,26. 
 
 5 themselves, being agitated,^ Who, thinkest thou, can be saved? And Jesus looked at Mk. 10, 27. 
 
 1 Or, will be. 2 From Matthew. 3 From Luke. 
 
 * Tile scribe who wrote the Vat. MS. wrote first God, the one, and then reversed the order by writing the Coptic letters for 
 B and A over ttie words. fSee above. Introduction, 5.) 6 Different words. 6 The same word as in Mk, 10, 19a. 
 
 7 From Mark. 8 cf. note, § i, 14. Borg. MS, omits being agitated. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 } 29 them intently, and said unto them, With men this is not possible, but with God it is : 
 
 6 Arabic, it is possible for God to do everything. Simon Cephas said unto him, Lo, we Lk. is, 28. 
 P- 1 1 1 have left everything, and followed thee ; what is it, thinkest thou, that we Mt ig, 27*. 
 
 7 shall have? Jesus said unto them. Verily I say unto you. Ye that have followed me, Mt. 19, 28. 
 in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also 
 
 8 shall sit on twelve thrones, and shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Verily I say Mk. 10,29*. 
 unto you. No man leaveth houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or 
 
 wife, or children, or kinsfolk, or lands, because of the kingdom of God, or for my 
 Q sake, and the sake of my gospel, who shall not obtain 1 many times as much in this Lk. is, 30. 
 
 10 time, and in the world to come inherit eternal life: and now in this time, houses, Mk. 10, 30*. 
 and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecution ; 
 
 1 1 and in the world to come «'i?Hasting life. Many that are first shall be last,2 and Mk. 10, 31. 
 that are last shall be first. 
 
 1 2 And when the Pharisees heard all this, because of their love for wealth they Lk. 16, 14. 
 
 13 scoffed at him. And Jesus knew what was in their hearts, and said unto them, Ye Lk. 16, 15. 
 are they that justify yourselves, before men ; while God knows your hearts : the 
 
 thing that is lofty with men is base before God. 
 
 14 And he began to say, A ceriai7i man was rich, and wore silk and purple, and en- Lk. 16, 19. 
 
 1 5 joyed himself every day in splendour : and there was a poor man named Lazarus, and Lk. 16, 20. 
 
 1 6 he was cast down at the door of the rich man, afflicted with sores, and he longed to fill Lk. 16, 21. 
 
 Arabic, his belly with the crumbs that fell from the table of that rich man ; 5'ea, 
 
 17 p- 1 1 2 even ^ the dogs used to come and lick his sores. And it happened that that Lk. 16, 22. 
 poor man died, and the angels conveyed him into the bosom of Abraham : and the 
 
 18 rich man also died, and was buried. And while he was being tormented in Hades, Lk. 16, 23. 
 
 19 he hfted up his eyes from afar, and saw Abraham with * Lazarus in his bosom. And Lk. 16, 24. 
 he called with a loud voice, and said. My father Abraham, have mercy upon me, 
 
 and send Lazarus to wet the tip of his finger with water, and moisten my tongue 
 
 20 for me ; for, behold, I am burned in this flame. Abraham said unto him. My son, Lk. i6, 25. 
 remember that thou receivedst thy good things in thy hfe, and Lazarus his afHic- 
 
 21 tions : but now, behold, he is at rest here, and thou art tormented. And in addition Lk. i6, 26. 
 to all this, there is between us and you a great abyss placed, so that they that 
 would cross unto you from hence cannot, nor yet from thence do they cross unto 
 
 22 us. He said unto him. Then I beseech thee, my father, to send him to my father's Lk. 16, ^^. 
 
 23 house ; for I have five brethren ; let him go, that they also sin not,^ and come to Lk. 16, 28, 
 
 24 the abode of this torment.^ Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the Lk. 16, 29. 
 
 25 prophets; let them hear them. He said unto him, Nay,^ my father Abraham: but Lk. 16,3a 
 
 26 let a man from the dead go unto them, and they will repent. Abraham said unto Lk. 16,31. 
 him, If they hsten neither to Moses nor to the prophets, neither if a man from the 
 
 dead rose would they believe him. 
 2 7 The kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a householder, which went out early Mt. 20, i 
 
 28 in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. And he agreed with the labourers on Mt. 20, 2. 
 2g one penny a day for each labourer, and he sent them into his vineyard. And he went Mt. 20, 3. 
 
 30 Arabic, out in three hours, and saw others standing in the market idle. He said Mt. 20, 4. 
 P- 113 unto them. Go ye also into my vineyard, and what is right I will pay you. 
 
 31 And they went. And he went out also at the sixth and the ninth hour, and did like- Mt. » 
 
 32 wise, and sent them. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others Mt. 20,6. 
 standing idle. He said unto them. Why are ye standing the whole day idle ? 
 
 33 They said unto him. Because no one hath hired us. He said unto them. Go ye Mt. 20, 7. 
 
 34 also into the vineyard, and what is right ye shall receive. So when evening came, Mt. 20, 8. 
 the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward. Call the labourers, and pay them 
 
 35 their wages; and begin with the later ones, and end with the former ones. And Mtso, 9. 
 
 36 those of eleven hours ^ came, and received each a penny. When therefore the first Mt. 20, 10. 
 came, they supposed that they should receive something more ; and they also 
 
 37 received each a penny. And when they received it, they spake angrily against the Mt. 20, n. 
 
 1 Lit meet wUh; or, he recompensed with. 2 The Arabic words are not so strong. 3 Or, so thai. 4 Or, and. 
 o Tiic Sviiac and Arabic versions here agree with the Greek. For a plausible suggestion as to the origin of the strange 
 
 reading in the text, see Harris, The Diatessaron o/Tatian, p. 2t, who cites a parallel from Aphraates. 
 6 This may be simply a corruption of the Peshitta. 7 Or, Surely. The word is omitted by Borg. MS. 
 
 8 i.e., probably the eleventh hour (cf. § 21, 10). 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 89 
 
 § 29 38 householder, and said, These last worked one hour, and thou hast made them equal Mt. 20, 12. 
 
 39 with us, who have suffered the heat of the day, and its burden. He answered and Mt. 20, 13. 
 said unto one of them. My friend, I do thee no wrong : was it not for a penny that 
 
 40 thou didst bargain with me? Take what is thine, and go thy way; for I wish to Mt. 20,14. 
 
 41 give this last as I have given thee. Or am I not entided to do with what is mine 1 Mt. 20, 15. 
 
 42 what I choose? Or is thine eye perchance evil, because I am good? Thus shall Mt. 20, 16. 
 the last ones be first, and the first last. The called are many, and the chosen are 
 
 few. 
 
 43 And when Jesus entered into the house of one of the chiefs of the Pharisees to Lk. 14, i. 
 eat bread on the sabbath day, and they were watching him to see what he would 
 
 44, 45 do, and there was before him a man which had the dropsy, Jesus answered and ll '^; 3; 
 
 46 said unto the scribes and the Pharisees, Is it lawful on the sabbath to heal? But Lk. 14! 4. 
 
 Arabic, they Were silent. So he took him, and healed him, and sent him away. 
 
 47 P- 1 14 And he said unto them. Which of you shall have his son or his ox fall on Lk. 14, 5. 
 the sabbath day into a well, and not lift him up straightway, and draw water for 
 
 48 him? And they were not able to answer him a word to that. Lk. 14, 6. 
 
 SECTION XXX. 
 
 §30 I And he spake a parable unto those which were bidden there, because he saw Lk. 14, ^. 
 
 2 them choose the places that were in the highest part of the sitting room : When a Lk. 14, 8. 
 man invites thee to a feast, do not go and sit at the head of the room ; lest there 
 
 3 be there a man more honourable than thou, and he that invited you come and say Lk. 14, 9. 
 unto thee. Give the place to this man : and thou be ashamed when thou risest and 
 
 4 takest 2 another place. But when thou art invited, go and sit last ; so that when Lk. 14, 10. 
 he that invited thee cometh, he may say unto thee. My friend, go up higher : and 
 
 5 thou shalt have praise before all that were invited with thee. For every one that Lk. 14, n. 
 exalteth himself shall be abased ; and every one that abaseth himself shall be 
 exalted. 
 
 6 And he said also to him that had invited him. When thou makest a feast ^ or a Lk. 14,12. 
 banquet,^ do not invite thy friends, nor even thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor thy 
 
 7 rich neighbours ; lest haply they also invite thee, and thou have this reward. But Lk. 14, 13. 
 when thou makest a feast, invite the poor, and those with withered hand, and the 
 
 8 lame, and the blind : and blessed art thou, since they have not the means to reward Lk. 14, 14. 
 
 9 thee ; that thy reward may be at the rising of the righteous. And when one of Lk. 14, 15. 
 them that were invited heard that, he said unto him. Blessed is he that shall eat 
 
 bread in the kingdom of God. 
 
 10, 1 1 Jesus answered again in parables, and said. The kingdom of heaven hath been lik- ^t 22! 2! 
 
 Arabic, ened to * a certain king, which made a feast ^ for his son, and prepared a Lk. 14, -itb. 
 
 12 P-i^S great banquet,^ and invited many : and he sent his servants at the time of the Lk. 14, 17. 
 feast to inform them that were invited. Everything is made ready for you ; come. And Mt. 22, 3^. 
 
 13 they would not come, but began all of them with one voice to make excuse. And Lk. 14, is. 
 the first said unto them. Say to him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out 
 
 14 to see it: I pray thee to release' me, for I ask to be excused. And another said, Lk. 14,19. 
 I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them : I pray thee 
 
 15 to release me, for I ask to be excused. And another said, I have married a wife, Lk. 14, 20. 
 
 16 and therefore I cannot come. And the king sent also other servants, and said. Say Mt. 22, 4. 
 to those that were invited, that my feast is ready, and my oxen and my fatlings are 
 
 1 7 slain, and everything is ready : come to the feast. But they made light of it, and Mt. 22, 5. 
 
 1 8 went, one to his field, and another to his merchandise : and the rest took his Mt. 22, 6. 
 
 19 servants, and entreated them shamefully, and killed them. And one of the servants Lk. 14, 21a. 
 
 20 came, and informed his lord of what had happened. And when the king heard, he Mt. 22, ^. 
 became angry, and sent his armies ; and they destroyed those murderers, and 
 
 21 burned their cities. Then he said to his servants. The feast is prepared, but those Mt. 22, s, 
 
 22 that were invited were not worthy. Go out quickly into the markets and into the Lk. 14, 2i<r. 
 
 1 Lit. my thing. 2 Lit, at thy rising and taking. 3 Practically synonymous words. 
 
 4 Borg. MS,, is like. B Used specially of a marriage feast. 
 
 C Lit, bread, the Syriac word for which {not that in the versions) means ^^o feast. T Or, omit. 
 
9° THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 30 partings of the ways of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and those with pains, 
 
 and the lame, and the bhnd. And the servants did as the king commanded them. 
 
 23 And they came, and said unto him. Our lord, we have done all that thou com- Lk. 14, 22. 
 
 24 mandedst us, and there is here still room. So the lord said unto his servants. Go Lk. 14, 23a. 
 out into the roads, and the ways, and the paths, and every one that ye find, invite Mt. 22, g*. 
 
 25 Arabic, to the feast, and constrain them to enter, till my house is 1 filled. I say unto ^- '••' =3^- 
 p. 116 yQ^^ ^j^j^j jjQ Qjjg Qf those people that were invited shall taste of my feast. 
 
 26 And those servants went out into the roads, and gathered all that they found, good and Mt. 22, m. 
 2 7 bad : and the banquet-house was filled with guests. And the king entered to see those Mt. 22, n. 
 
 28 who were seated, and he saw there a man not wearing a festive garment: and he Mt. 22, 12. 
 said unto him, My friend, how didst thou come in here not having on festive gar- 
 
 29 ments? And he was silent. Then the king said to the servants, Bind his hands Mt. 22, 13. 
 and his feet, and put him forth into the outer darkness ; there shall be weeping and 
 
 30 gnashing of teeth. The called are many; and the chosen, few. Mt 22, 14. 
 
 3 1 And after that, the time of the feast of unleavened bread of the Jews arrived, Jo. 5, la. 
 ^2 and Jesus went out to go to Jerusalem. And as he went in the way, there met him ^ '7, n- 
 
 33 ten persons who were lepers, and stood afar off: and they lifted up their voice, and Lk. 17^13! 
 
 34 said, Our Master, Jesus, have mercy upon us. And when he saw them, he said Lk. 17, 14, . 
 unto them. Go and shew yourselves unto the priests. And when they went, they 
 
 35 were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw himself cleansed, returned, and Lk. 17, 15. 
 
 36 was praising God with a loud voice ; and he fell on his face before the feet of Lk. 17, 16. 
 
 37 Jesus, giving him thanks : and this OTiZw was a Samaritan. Jesus an.swered and said, Lk. 17,17. 
 
 38 Were not those that were cleansed ten? where then are the nine? Not one of Lk. 17, is. 
 them turned aside to come and praise God, but this fnan who is of a strange 
 
 39 people. He said unto him, Arise, and go thy way ; for thy faith hath given thee Lk. 17, 19. 
 hfe.2 
 
 40 And while they were going up in the way to Jerusalem, Jesus went in front of them ; Mk. 10,32. 
 and they wondered, and followed him fearing. And he took his twelve disciples apart, 
 
 4 1 and began to tell them privately ^ what was about to befall him. And he said unto Lk. 18, 31^. 
 
 Arabic, them, We are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things shall be fulfilled 
 
 42 P- 117 that are written in the prophets concerning the Son of man. He shall be Mk. 10,33*. 
 dehvered to the chief priests and the scribes ; and they shall condemn him to death, 
 
 43 and deliver him to the peoples;* and they shall treat him shamefully, and scourge Mk. 10, 342, 
 
 44 him, and spit in his face, and humble him,^ and crucify him, and slay him: and on Lk. 18,33. 
 
 45 the third day he shall rise. But they understood not one thing of this; but this Lk. 18,34. 
 word was hidden from them, and they did not perceive these things that were 
 addressed to them. 
 
 46 Then came near to him the mother of the (two) sons of Zebedee, she and her Mt. 20, 20. 
 (two) sons, and worshipped him, and asked of him a certain thing. And he said Mt 20, iw. 
 
 47 unto her. What wouldest thou? And James and John, her two sons, came Mk. 10, 35. 
 forward, and said unto him, Teacher, we would that all that we ask thou wouldest 
 
 48 do unto us. He said unto them,^ What would ye that I should do unto you? Mk. 10, 36. 
 
 49 They said unto him, Grant us that we may sit, the one on thy right, and the other Mk. 10, 37. 
 
 50 on thy left, in thy kingdom and thy glory. And Jesus said unto them. Ye know Mk. 10, 38. 
 not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am to drink? and with the 
 
 51 baptism that I am to be baptized with, will ye be baptized? And they said unto Mk. 10,39. 
 him. We are able. Jesus said unto them. The cup that I drink ye shall drink ; and 
 
 52 with the baptism wherewith I am baptized ye shall be baptized: but that ye should Mk. 10,40. 
 sit on my right and on my left is not mine to give ; but it is for him for whom my 
 Father hath prepared it. 
 
 SECTION XXXI. 
 
 § 31 I And when the ten heard, they were moved with anger against James and John. Mk. 10, 41 
 
 2 And Jesus called them, and said unto them, Ye know that the rulers of the nations Mk. 10, 4a 
 
 1 Or, that my house may he. 2 Or, saved thee. 3 Lit. between himself and them. 
 
 4 i.e., Gentiles. 
 
 5 An obscure expression : perhaps it was originally a repetition of the preceding clause. It might be emended into point 
 
 at him {thejinger oj scorn). fl Lit of course the two of them, and so all through the conversation. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 91 
 
 j31 3 are their lords ; and their great men are set in authority over them. Not thus shall it Mk. 10, 43. 
 Arabic, be amongst you : but he amongst you that would be great,let him be to you a 
 
 4 p. 118 servant; and whoever of you would be iirst,i let him be to every man a Mk. 10,44. 
 
 5 bond-servant : eve?i as the Son of man also came not to be served, but to serve, and Mt 20, 28. 
 
 6 to give himself a ransom in place of the many. He said this, and was going about Lk. 13, 22. 
 
 7 the villages and the cities, and teaching ; and he went to Jerusalem. And a man Lk. 13, 23. 
 asked him, Are those that shall be saved few? Jesus answered and said unto 
 
 . 8 them, Strive ye to enter at the narrow door : I say unto you now, that many shall Lk. 13, 24. 
 9 seek to enter, and shall not be able 2— from the time when the master of the house Lk. 13, 25. 
 riseth, and closeth the door, and ye shall be standing without, and shall knock at 
 the door, and shall begin to say. Our lord, open unto us ; and he shall answer and 
 
 10 say, I say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: and ye shall begin to say, Lk. 13,26. 
 
 1 1 Before thee we did eat and drink, and in our markets didst thou teach ; and he Lk. 13, 27. 
 shall say unto you, I know you not whence ye are ; depart ^ from me, ye servants 
 
 1 2 of untruth. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye see Abraham, Lk. 13, 28. 
 and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, while ye are 
 
 13 put forth without. And they shall come from the east and the west, and from the Lk. 13,29. 
 
 14 north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And there shall Lk. 13,30. 
 then be last that have become first, and first that have become last. 
 
 15, 16 And when Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, there was a man named Zac- Lk; J|^ \ 
 
 17 chseus, rich, and chief of the publicans. And he desired to see Jesus who he was ; and Lk. 19, 3. 
 he was not able for the pressure of the crowd, because Zacchaeus was little of stature. 
 
 18 Arabic, And he hastened, and went before Jesus, and went up into an unripe fig Lk. 19,4. 
 
 19 P- '19 tree* to see Jesus: for he was to pass thus. And when Jesus came to Lk. 19,5. 
 that place, he saw him, and said unto him, Make haste, and come down, Zacchseus : 
 
 20 to-day I must be in thy house. And he hastened, and came down, and received Lk. 19, 6. 
 
 21 him joyfully. And when they all saw, they murmured, and said. He hath gone in Lk. 19,7. 
 
 22 and lodged with a man that is a sinner. So Zacchaeus stood, and said unto Jesus, Lk. 19,8. 
 My Lord, now half of my possessions I give to the poor, and what I have unjustly 
 
 23 taken ' from every man I give him fourfold. Jesus said unto him, To-day is salva- Lk. 19,9. 
 
 24 tion come to this house, because this man also is a ^ son of Abraham. For the Son Lk. 19, 10. 
 of man came to seek and save the thing that was lost. 
 
 25 And when Jesus went out of Jericho, he and his disciples, there came after him Mt lo',"!' 
 
 26 a great multitude. And there was a blind man sitting by the way side begging. Lk. 18, 35*. 
 
 27 And his name was Timaeus, the son of Timasus. And he heard the sound of the Lk!' is^e^*' 
 
 28 mulntude passing, and asked. Who is this? They said unto him, Jesus the Naza- Lk. 18^37. 
 
 29 rene passeth by. And when he heard that it was Jesus, he called out with a loud Lk!'i8°'38!"'' 
 
 30 voice, and said, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And those that went Lk. 18, 390. 
 before Jesus were rebuking him, that he should hold his peace : but he cried the Mk. 10, 48* 
 
 31 more, and said. Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and com- Mk. 10, 49. 
 manded that they should call him. And they called the blind roan, and said unto 
 
 32 him. Be of good courage, and rise ; for, behold, he calleth thee. And the blind Mk. 10, 50. 
 
 33 man threw away his garment, and rose, and came to Jesus. Jesus said unto him, Mk. 10, si. 
 What dost thou wish that I should do unto thee? And that blind man said unto 
 
 him. My Lord and Master, that my eyes may be opened, so that I may see thee.* 
 
 34 Arabic, And Jesus had compassion on him, and touched his eyes, and said unto Mt. 20, 34<? 
 
 35 P- 120 hjnj^ gge; for thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received '^'^'^f- 
 his sight,9 and came after him, and praised God ; and all the people that saw 
 praised God. 
 
 36 And he spake a parable because he was nearing i" Jerusalem, and they supposed Lk. 19, ii« 
 
 37 that at that time the kingdom of God was about to appear. He said unto them, Lk. 19,12. 
 A man, a son of a great race, went into a far country, to receive a kingdom, and 
 
 38 return. And he called his ten servants, and gave them ten shares, and said unto Lk. 19, 13. 
 
 1 Lit. advaficeii. 2 Vit. Jind, like the Syriac. 
 
 8 This rendering requires the omission of the diacritical point over the middle radical. The text as printed mcznsferish. 
 
 4 ^ the extract from Isho'dad (Harris, .^r^.^/«^«i'j, p. 19). 
 
 5 A diacritical point must be restored to the second letter of this word. As it stands it gives no sense. 
 
 6 Lit i/u:. 7 Rather, Mt zo, 2ga+U.V. lo, 46a. 8 c/. Mt. 20, 33, and Lk. 18, 41, both m Curetonian. 
 © Lit saw. 10 Or, near. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 31 39 them, Trade till the time of my coming. But the people of his city hated him, and Lk. 19, 14. 
 
 40 sent messengers after him, and said, We will not that this man reign over us. And Lk. 19, 15. 
 when he had received a ' kingdom, and returned, he said that the servants to whom 
 
 he had given the money should be called unto him, that he might know what each 
 
 41 of them had traded. And the first came, and said, My lord, thy share hath gained Lk. 19,16. 
 
 42 ten shares. The king said unto him. Thou good and faithful servant, who hast Lk. 19, 17. 
 
 43 been found faithful in a little, be thou set over ten districts. And the second came, Lk. 19, is. 
 
 44 and said. My lord, thy portion hath gained five portions. And he said unto him Lk. 19,19. 
 
 45 also. And thou shalt be set over five districts. And another came, and said. My Lk. 19, lo. 
 
 46 lord, here is thy portion, which was with me laid by in a napkin : I feared thee, Lk. 19, zi. 
 because thou art a hard man, and takest what thou didst not leave, and seekest 
 
 47 what thou didst not give, and reapest what thou didst not sow. His lord said unto Lk. 19,22. 
 him, From thy mouth shall I judge thee, thou wicked and idle servant, who wast 
 untrustworthy. Thou knewest that I am a hard man, and take what I did not 
 
 48 leave, and reap what I did not sow: why didst thou not put my money at usury, Lk. 19,23. 
 
 49 and so I might come and seek it, with its gains? And he said unto those that were Lk. 19,24. 
 standing in front of him. Take from him the share, and give it to him that hath 
 
 50,51 Arabic, ten shares. They said unto him. Our lord, he hath ten shares. He said lJ^''''^^- 
 P- 121 unto them, I say unto you, Every one that hath shall be given unto; and 
 52 he that hath not, that which he hath also shall be taken froih him. And those mine Lk. 19, 27. 
 enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring them, and slay them 
 before me. 
 
 SECTION XXXII. 
 
 §32 I And when Jesus entered Jerusalem, he went up to the temple of God, and found ^a.T,'i^.' 
 
 2 there oxen and sheep and doves. And when he beheld those that sold and those Mt. 21, 124. 
 that bought, and the money-changers sitting, he made for himself a scourge of rope, Jo. 2, 14*. 
 and drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen, and the money- 
 changers ; and he threw down their money, and upset their tables, and the seats of Mt. 21, J2c. 
 
 3 them that sold the doves; and he was teaching, and saying unto them. Is it not Mt. 21, 13. 
 written. My house is a house of prayer for all peoples? and ye have made it a den 
 
 4 for robbers. And he said unto those that sold the doves. Take this hence, and jo. 2, 16. 
 
 5 make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. And he suffered not any Mk. n, 16. 
 
 6 one to carry vessels inside the temple. And his disciples remembered the scripture, Jo. 2, 17. 
 
 7 The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. The Jews answered and said unto him, Jo. 2, 18. 
 
 8 What sign hast thou shewn us, that thou doest this? Jesus answered and said unto Jo. 2, 19. 
 
 9 them. Destroy this temple, and I shall raise it in three days. The Jews said unto jo. 2, 20. 
 him. This temple was built in forty-six years, and wilt thou raise it in three days? 
 
 10 But he spake unto them of the temple of his body, that when ^ they destroyed it, he jo. 2, 21. 
 
 1 1 Arabic, would ralse it in three days. When therefore he rose from among the Jo. 2, 22. 
 p. 122 dead, his disciples remembered that he said this; and they believed the 
 
 scriptures, and the word that Jesus spake. 
 
 12 And when Jesus sat down over against the treasury, he observed how the multi- Mk. 12,41. 
 tudes were casting their offerings into the treasury : and many rich men were 
 
 13, 14 throwing in much. And there came a poor widow, and cast in two mites. And Jfk '//' *'" 
 Jesus called his disciples, and said unto them. Verily I say unto you. This poor 
 
 15 widow cast into the treasury more than all the people: and all of these cast into Mk. 12, 44«. 
 the place of the offering of God ^ of the superfluity of their wealth ; while this 
 woman of her want threw in all that she possessed. 
 
 1 6 And he spake unto them this parable, concerning people who trusted in them- Lk. 18, 9. 
 
 1 7 selves that they are righteous, and despised every man : Two men went up to the Lk. 18, 10. 
 
 18 temple to pray; one of them a Pharisee, and the other a publican. And the Lk. 18,11. 
 Pharisee stood apart,* and prayed thus, O Lord, I thank thee, since I am not like 
 
 the rest of men, the unjust, the profligate, the extortioners, or even like this publican ; 
 
 1 Doubtless a misinterpretation of the Syriac. 2 Or, if. 
 
 3 Lit. house qftfte offering of God, as in the MS. described by Gildemeister (at Lk. 21. 4): but it is simply a reproduction 
 
 of the phrase used in the Peshitta at Lk. 2r, 3. The parallel passages are a good deal fused together. 
 
 4 Lit. between him and himself. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 93 
 
 §32 20 ^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^° ^^y^ ^ week, and tithe all my possessions.^ And the publican was Lkis'T 
 standing at a distance, and he would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but was 
 
 2 1 beating upon his breast, and saying, O Lord, have mercy on me, me the sinner. I Lk. 18, 14. 
 say unto you, that this man went down justified to his house more than the Pharisee. 
 Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased ; and every one that abaseth him- 
 self shall be exalted. 
 
 22 Arabic, Andwheneventide was come,he left all the people, and went outside the mt'll'z^' 
 
 23 P- 123 city to Bethany, he and his twelve, and he remained there. And all the peo- Lk. 9, n. 
 pie, because they knew the place, came to him, and he received them ; and them that 
 
 24 had need of heahng he healed. And on the morning of the next day, when he returned Mk. n, 12. 
 
 25 to the city from Bethany, he hungered. And he saw a ^ fig tree at a distance on the Mk. n, 13. 
 beaten highway, having on it leaves. And he came unto it, expecting to find some- 
 thing on it ; and when he came, he found nothing on it but the leaves — it ^ was not 
 
 26 the season of figs — and he said unto it. Henceforward for ever let no man eat fruit Mk. n, 14. 
 of thee. And his disciples heard. 
 
 27 And they came to Jerusalem. And there was there a man of the Pharisees, j^'^j"!'. ''"' 
 
 28 named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews. This 7nan came unto Jesus by night, and jo, 3, 2. 
 said unto him. My Master, we know that thou hast been sent from God as a 
 teacher ; and no man can do these signs that thou doest, except him whom God is 
 
 29 with. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee. If a man Jo. 3, 3. 
 
 30 be not born a second time, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said Jo. 3, 4. 
 unto him. How can a man who is old be born ? can he, think you, return again to 
 
 31 his mother's womb a second time, to enter and be bom ? Jesus answered and said Jo. 3, 5. 
 unto him. Verily, verily, I say unto thee. If a man be not born of water and the Spirit, 
 
 32 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. For he that is born of flesh is flesh ; and he that Jo. 3, 6. 
 
 33 is born of Spirit is spirit. Wonder not that I said unto thee that ye must be born a jo. 3, 7. 
 
 34 Arabic, second ti?ne. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest its voice, jo. 3, a. 
 P- 124 but thou knowest not from what place it cometh, nor whither it goeth : so 
 
 35 is every man that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, Jo. 3,9. 
 
 36 How can that be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou teaching* Israel, Jo. 3, 10. 
 
 37 a,nA yet knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee. What we know Jo. 3, n. 
 
 38 we say, and what we have seen we witness ; and ye receive not our witness. If I Jo. 3, 12. 
 said unto you what is on earth, and ye believed not, how then, if I say unto you 
 
 39 what is in heaven, will ye believe? And no man hath ascended up into heaven, Jo. 3, 13. 
 except him that descended from heaven, the Son of man, which is in heaven. 
 
 40 And as Moses hfted up the serpent in the wilderness, so is the Son of man to be Jo. 3, 14. 
 
 41 lifted up; so that every man who may beheve in him may not perish, but have Jo. 3, 15. 
 
 42 eternal life. God so loved the world, that ^ he should give his only .Son ; and so Jo. 3, 16. 
 every one that believeth on him should not perish, but should have eternal life. 
 
 43 God sent not his Son into the world to judge the world ; but that the world might Jo. 3, 17. 
 
 44 be saved by his hand. He that believeth in him shall not be judged : but he that jo. 3, iS. 
 believeth not is condemned beforehand, because he hath not believed in the name 
 
 45 of the only Son, the Son of God.^ This is the judgement, that the light came into Jo. 3, 19. 
 the world, and men loved the darkness more than the light ; because their deeds 
 
 46 were evil. Whosoever doeth evil deeds hateth the light, and cometh not to the Jo. 3, 20. 
 
 47 light, lest his deeds be reproved. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, Jo. 3, 21. 
 that his deeds may be known, that they have been done in God. 
 
 SECTION XXXIII. 
 
 §33 I Arabic. And when evening came, Jesus went forth outside of the city, he and his Mk. 11,19. 
 
 2 P- 1 2 5 disciples. And as they passed in the morning, the disciples saw that fig tree Mk. u, 20. 
 
 3 withered away from its root. And they passed by, and said. How did the fig tree dry Mt. 21, 20*. 
 
 4 up immediately? And Simon remembered, and said unto him, My Master, behold, Mk. n, 21. 
 
 1 Or, gains. 2 Lit. one (Syriac). " Lit. and it. * Or the teacher of. 
 
 B The Arabic particle means in order that. Perhaps it is a clerical error for so tliat : or it may be meant to represent tne 
 
 8 The translator has followed too closely the order of words in his Syriac original, which agrees with the Text. Rcc. 
 
94 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 33 5 that fig tree which thou didst curse hath dried up. And Jesus answered and said Mk. n, 22, 
 
 6 unto them, Let there be in you the faith of God. Verily I say unto you, if ye Mk. n, 23. 
 beheve, and doubt not in your hearts, and assure yourselves that that will be which 
 
 7 ye say, ye shall have what ye say. And if ye say to this mountain, Remove, and Mt 21, ni. 
 
 8 fall 1 into the sea, it shall be. And all that ye ask God in prayer, and believe, he Mt 21, 22. 
 9, 10 will give you. And the apostles ^ said unto our Lord, Increase our^ faith. He l^; JH; 
 
 said unto them, If there be in you faith like a grain of mustard, ye shall say to this 
 fig tree, Be thou torn up, and be thou planted in the sea; and it will obey you. 
 
 1 1 Who of you hath a servant driving a yoke of oxen or tending sheep, and if he Lk. 17, ^. 
 
 12 come from the iield, will say unto him straightway. Go and sit down? Nay,* he Lk. 17,8. 
 will say unto him. Make ready for me wherewith I may sup, and gird thy waist, 
 
 and serve me, till I eat and drink ; and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink also. 
 
 13 Doth that servant haply, who did what he was bid, receive his praise? I think Lk. 17, 9. 
 
 14 not. So j'e also, when ye have done all that ye were bid, say. We are idle servants ; Lk. 17,10. 
 what it was our duty to do, we have done. 
 
 1 5 For this reason I say unto you. Whatever ye pray and ask, believe that ye Mk. n, 24. 
 
 16 Arabic, recelvc, and ye shall have. And when ye .stand to pray, forgive what is Mk. 11,25. 
 p. 126 jjj your heart against a7iy man ; and your Father which is in heaven will 
 
 17 forgive you also your wrong-doings. But if ye forgive not men their wrong-doings, Mk. n, 26. 
 neither will your Father forgive you also your wrong-doings. 
 
 1 8 And he spake unto them a parable also, that they should pray at all times, and Lk. 18, i. 
 
 19 not be slothful : There was a judge in a city, who feared not God, nor was ashamed Lk. 18, 2. 
 
 20 for men: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, and said, Lk. 18,3. 
 
 21 Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a long time: but afterwards Lk. 18,4. 
 he said within himself. If of God I have no fear, and before men I have no shame ; 
 
 22 yet because this widow vexeth me, I will avenge her, that she come not at all times Lk. 18,5. 
 23, 24 and annoy me. And our Lord said. Hear ye what the judge of injustice said. And ^.v, 18^7! 
 
 shall not God still more do vengeance for his elect, who call upon him in the night 
 25 and in the day, and grant them respite? I say unto you, He will do vengeance for Lk. 18,8. 
 them speedily. Thinkest thou the Son of man will come and find faith on the 
 earth? 
 26, 27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, on one of the days, Lk. 2"'!'^" 
 
 as Jesus was walking in the temple, and teaching the people, and preaching the 
 
 28 gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came upon him, and Lk. 20, ^a. 
 said unto him. Tell us: By what power doest thou this? and who gave thee this Mk. 11,28s. 
 
 29 power to do that? And Jesus said unto them, I also will ask you one word, and if yiillllllt 
 
 30 ye tell me, I also shall tell you by what power I do that. The baptism of John, from Mt. 21, 25a. 
 
 31 what place /i- it? from heaven or of men? Tell me. And they reflected within them- ml^'i^s"/' 
 
 Arabic, selves, and said. If we shall say unto him. From heaven ; he will say unto 
 
 32 P- ^ 27 iis^ por what reason did ye not beheve him? But ^ if we .shall say, Of men ; Mt. 21, 26a. 
 
 33 we fear^ that the people will stone us, all of them. And all of them were holding'' Mk.^w.sfi. 
 
 34 to John, that he was a true prophet. They answered and said unto him. We know Mk. n, 33. 
 
 35 not. Jesus said unto them. Neither tell I you also by what power I work. What Mt. 21,28. 
 think ye? A man had two sons ; and he went to the first, and said unto him. My 
 
 36 son, go to-day, and till in the vineyard. And he answered and said, I do not wish Mt. 21, 29. 
 
 37 to : but finally he repented, and went. And he went to the other, and said unto Mt 21, 30. 
 
 38 him likewise. And he answered and said. Yea, my lord : and went not. Which of Mt 21, 31. 
 these two did the will of his father? They said unto him, The first. Jesus said 
 
 unto them, Verily I say unto you. The publicans and harlots go before you into 
 
 39 the kingdom of God. John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye Mt 21, 32. 
 believed him not ; but the publicans and harlots believed him ; and ye, not even 
 
 when ye saw, did ye repent at last, that ye might believe in him. 
 
 40 Hear another parable : A man was a householder, and planted a vineyard, and Mt 21, 33a. 
 surrounded it with a hedge, and digged in it a winepress, and built in it a tower, 
 
 41, 42 and gave it to husbandmen, and went to a distance for a long time. So when the Mk.°2°',^3*4. 
 time of the fruits came, he sent his servants ^ unto the husbandmen, that they might 
 
 1 Syr. 2 The Syriac word. 3 Lit Increase its in. 4 Or, Bui. 5 Verse 26 begins here in the Greek. 
 
 6 From Mark. 7 cf. Syriac. 8 The difference between singular and plural is very slight in Arabic. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 95 
 
 § 33 43 send him of the produce ^ of his vineyard. And those husbandmen beat him, and Mk. 12, 3,5. 
 
 44 sent him away empty. And he sent unto them another servant also ; and they Mk. la, 4. 
 
 45 stoned him, and wounded ^ him, and sent him away with shameful handling. And Mk. 12, $"■ 
 he sent again another ; and they slew him. And he sent many other servants unto 
 
 46 them. And the husbandmen took his servants, and one they beat, and another they Mt 21, 35. 
 
 47 stoned, and another they slew. So he sent again other servants more than the first ; and Mt. 21, 36. 
 
 48 Arabic, they did likewise with them. So the owner of the vineyard said, What shall Lk. 20, 13. 
 p. 128 J (JqP j yfjii ggjj(j jjjy beloved son: it may be they will see him and be 
 
 49, 50 ashamed. So at last he sent unto them his beloved son that he had. But the Mt'2?/38a. 
 
 husbandmen, when they saw the son, said amongst themselves. This is the heir. 
 51,52 And they said, We will slay him, and so the inheritance will be ours. So they took Mt'|j°'39.*' 
 
 53 him, and put him forth without the vineyard, and slew him. When then the lord Mt. 21, 40. 
 
 54 of the vineyard shall come, what will he do with those husbandmen? They said Mt. 21,41. 
 unto him. He will destroy them in the worst of ways,^ and give the vineyard to 
 
 55 other husbandmen, who will give him fruit in its season. Jesus said unto them, Mt. 21, 42a. 
 Have ye never read in the scripture, 
 
 The stone which the builders declared to be base, 
 
 The same came to be at the head of the corner : Lk. 20, 17*. 
 
 56 From God was this, Mt. 21, 42c. 
 And it is wonderful in oiur eyes? 
 
 57 Therefore I say unto you. The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and Mt. 21, 43. 
 
 58 given to a people that will produce fruit. And whosoever falleth on this stone Mt 21,44. 
 shall be broken in pieces: but on whomsoever it falleth, it will grind him to 
 
 59 powder. And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they Mt. 21,45. 
 
 60 perceived that it was concerning them he spake. And they sought to seize him ; Mt. 21, 46. 
 and they feared the multitude, because they were holding to him as the prophet. 
 
 SECTION XXXIV. 
 
 § 34 I Then went the Pharisees and considered how they might ensnare him in a word, Mt. 22, 15. 
 
 2 and deliver him into the power of the judge,* and into the power of the ruler. And ^^ ^°; ^l^- 
 they sent unto him their disciples, with the kinsfolk of Herod ; and they said unto him, 
 
 Arabic. Teacher, we know that thou speakest the truth, and teachest the way of God 
 p. 1 29 y^ith equity,^ and art not lifted up ^ by any man : for thou actest not so as to 
 
 3 be seen of any man. Tell us now, What is thy opinion? Is it lawful that we should Mt. 22, 17. 
 
 4 pay the tribute to Caesar, or not? shall we give, or shall we not give? But Jesus knew Mk. 12, 15a. 
 
 5 their deceit, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the „ 1 2°2; I'g.*' 
 
 6 penny of the tribute. So they brought unto him a penny. Jesus .said unto them, Mt. 22!2o. 
 To whom belongeth this image and inscription? They said unto him. To Caesar. 
 
 7, 8 He said unto them, Give what is Cassar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God. And l^'.' to'Ai- 
 they could not make him slip in a single word before the people ; and they marvelled 
 at his word, and refrained. 
 9 And on that day came the Sadducees, and said unto him,' There is no life for Mt 22, 23. 
 
 10 the -dead. And they asked him, and said unto him, Teacher, Moses sa.id unto us, Mt22,24. 
 If a man die, not having children, let his brother take his wife, and raise up seed 
 
 11 for his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren : and the first took a wife, ^-^ ^J'S'^ 
 
 1 2 and died without children ; and the second took his wife, and died without children ; Lk. 20, 30. 
 
 13 and the third also took her; and in like manner the seven of them also, and they Lk. 20, 31. 
 14, 15 died without leaving children. And last of them all the woman died also. At the JJ^; H'^H 
 
 resurrection, then, which of these seven shall have this woman? for all of them took ^^ ^^ ^ ^ 
 
 16 her. Jesus answered and said unto them. Is it not for this that ye have erred, uViiXi- 
 
 17 because ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? And the sons of this Lk. 20, 344 
 
 1 8 world take wives, and the women become the men's ;8 but those that have become Lk. 20, 35, 
 worthy of that world, and the resurrection from among the dead, do » not take 
 
 1 Lit trotcrty 2 A word used specially of wounding the head. 3 cf. Syriac versions. 
 
 4 Vat. MS. emits the tower. We should then translate (with Pesh. and Sin.) unto judgement. B See note, % 3, 53- 
 
 6 Possibly this is the meaning of the Arabic phrase, which occurs also m Ibn-at-layyib s CommenUry (Bnt Mus. text). 
 ' C^ the Syriac versions. 8 ^ the Syriac versions. 9 Or, shall. 
 
Mk, 
 Mt. 
 Lk. 
 
 12 
 22, 
 20, 
 
 39- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 22, 
 
 34- 
 
 Mt. 
 Mk. 
 
 22, 
 
 12, 
 
 , 2U. 
 
 96 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §34 ig Arabic, wives, and the women also do 1 not become the men's. Nor is it possible Lk. 20, 36. 
 P- 13° that they should die ; but they ^ are like the angels, and are the children of 
 
 20 God, because they have become the children of the resurrection. For in ^ the resur- Mt. 22, 31M. 
 rection of the dead, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how from the bush God Mk. 12, 26J. 
 said unto him, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 
 
 2 1 And God is not the God of the dead, but of the living : for all of them are alive Lk. 20, 38. 
 with him. And ye have eiTed greatly. 
 
 22, 23 And when the multitudes heard, they were wondering at his teaching. And 
 
 24 some of the scribes answered and said unto him, Teacher, thou hast well said. But 
 the rest of the Pharisees, when they saw his silencing the Sadducees on this point, 
 gathered against him to contend with him. 
 
 25 And one of the scribes, of those that knew the law, when he saw the excellence 
 
 26 of his answer to them, desired to try him, and said unto him. What shall I do to Lk. io,'2s*. 
 inherit eternal life? and, Which of the commandments is greater, and has precedence Mk. 12, 28*. 
 
 27 in the law? Jesus said unto him. The first of all the commandments is. Hear, O Mk. 12,29. 
 
 28 Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy ml 12, 30a. 
 God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy thought, and with all thy Mt. 22, 37^.4 
 
 29,30 strength. This is the great and preeminent ^ commandment. And the second, which Mk Tj l^i 
 is like it, is. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. And another commandment 
 
 3 1 greater than these two there is not. On these two commandments, then, are hung the Mt. 22, 40. 
 
 32 Arabic, law and the prophets. That scribe said unto him. Excellent! my Master i'' Mk. 12, 32. 
 P- ^31 thou hast said truly that he is one, and there is no other outside of him : 
 
 33 and that a man should love him with all his heart, and with all his thought, and Mk. 12, 33. 
 with all his soul, and with all his strength, and that he should love his neighbour as 
 
 34 himself, is better than all savours and sacrifices. And Jesus saw him that he had Mk. 12,3+2. 
 answered wisely ; and he answered and said unto him. Thou art not far from the 
 
 35,36 kingdom of God. Thou hast spoken rightly: do this, and thou shalt live. And Lk!!°,'29. ' 
 he, as his desire was to justify himself, said unto him. And who is my neighbour? 
 
 37 Jesus said unto him, A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho ; and the robbers Lk. 10,30. 
 fell upon him, and stripped ^ him, and beat him, his life remaining in him but little,* 
 
 38 and went away. And it happened that there came down a certain priest that way ; Lk. 10,31. 
 
 39 and he saw him, and passed by. And likewise a Levite also came and reached Lk. 10, 32. 
 
 40 that place, and saw him, and passed by. And a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, Lk. 10, 33. 
 
 41 came to ^ the place where he was, and saw him, and had compassion on him, and Lk. 10, 34. 
 came near, and bound up his strokes,!" aj.,(j poured on them wine and oil ; and he 
 
 set 11 him on the ass, and brought him to the inn, and expended his care upon him. 
 
 42 And on the morrow of that day he took out two pence, and gave them to the inn- Lk. 10,35. 
 keeper, and said unto him. Care for him ; and if thou spendest upon him more, 
 
 43 when I return, I shall give thee. Who of these three now, thinkest thou, is nearest Lk. 10, 36. 
 
 44 to him that fell among the robbers? And he said unto him, He that had compas- Lk. 10,37. 
 
 45 Arabic, sion on him. Jesus said unto him. Go, and do thou also likewise. And Mk. 12,34*. 
 P- '32 no man dared afterwards to ask him anything. 
 
 46 And he was teaching every day in the temple. But the chief priests and scribes Lk. 19,47. 
 and the elders of the people sought to destroy him : and they could 1- noX. find what Lk. 19,48. 
 
 47 they should do with him; and all the people were hanging upon him to hear him. 
 
 48 And many of the multitude believed on him, and said. The Messiah, when he Jo. 7, 31. 
 
 49 Cometh, can it be that he will do more than these signs that this man doeth? And Jo. 7, 32. 
 the Pharisees heard the multitudes say that of him ; and the chief priests sent 
 
 50 officers ^^ to seize him. And Jesus said unto them, I am with you but a short time Jo. 7, 33. 
 
 I Or, shall. 2 Borg. MS., alio/ them instead oibuiihey. 3 Or, Moreover, regarding. 
 4 Rather, Mk. 12, 30*, 5 This simply representsT^r.ri' in Syriac. 
 
 6 Vat. MS. has a corruption of Excellent! Rabhi, better preserved by Borg. MS., which, however, adds our translator's 
 ordinary rendering of Rabbi — my Master. This explanation is confirmed by Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary. Ciasca's 
 emended text cannot be right. 7 The diacritical point over the third radical must be removed. 8 c/. Peshitta. 
 
 9 Ciasca's Arabic text (apparently following Borg. MS.) has till he before came. This is unsupported by any of the 
 
 three Syriac texts, although they differ from one another. Perhaps /?7/ and (ra7«^ should be transposed. The transla- 
 tion would then be as given in the text above; but this rendering may aiso be obtained according to § 54, i, note. 
 
 10 The Syriac word used means both woujids and strokes. 
 
 II The Arabic word is a favourite of the translator's, and may therefore be original. One cannot help thinking, however, 
 
 that it is a clerical error for mounted {cf. Cur. and Sin.). 
 
 12 In Syriac could ^nA/ouftd ztcz represented by the same word. The Arabic translator has chosen the wrong one. 
 
 13 See note, § 11, 11. 
 
Jo- 
 
 7. 4o- 
 
 Jo 
 
 7. 41 
 
 Jo 
 
 7.42. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7.43- 
 
 Jo 
 
 7. 44. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7. 4S. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 7,4s. 
 
 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 97 
 
 §34 51 yet, and I go to him that sent me. And ye shall seek me, and shall not find me : jo. 7, 34. 
 
 52 and where I shall be, ye shall not be able to come. The Jews said within them- jo. 7,35, 
 selves, Whither hath this man determined to go that we shall not be able 1 to faid 
 
 him? can it be that he is determined to go to the regions of the nations,'^ and teach 
 
 53 the heathen? What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find jo. 7, 36. 
 me: and where I am, ye cannot come? 
 
 SECTION XXXV. 
 
 §35 I And on the great day, which is the last of the feast, Jesus stood, crying out and Jo. 7, 37. 
 
 2 saying. If a/iy man is thirsty, let him come unto me, and drink. Every one that Jo. 7, 38. 
 believeth in me, as the scriptures said, there shall flow from his belly rivers of pure 
 
 3 water. He said that referring to the Spirit, which those who believed in him were Jo. ^, 33. 
 to receive : for the Spirit was not yet granted ; and because Jesus had not yet been 
 
 4 Arabic, glorified. And many of the multitude that heard his words said. This is 
 
 5 P- 133 in truth the prophet. And others said, This is the Messiah. But others 
 
 6 said. Can it be that the Messiah will come from Galilee? Hath not the scripture 
 said that from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village of David, the 
 
 7 Messiah cometh? And there occurred a dissension in the multitude because of him. 
 
 8 And some of them were wishing to seize him ; but no man laid a hand upon him. 
 
 9 And those officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees ; and the priests said 
 
 10 unto them, Why did ye not bring him? The officers said. Never spake man thus 
 
 11 as speaketh this man. The Pharisees said unto them. Perhaps ye also have gone jo. 7, 47. 
 12, 13 astray? Hath any of the rulers or the Pharisees haply believed in him? except ]„' j' ^g 
 
 14 this people which knows not the law ; they are accursed. Nicodemus, one of them, j^, ' 
 
 15 he that had come to Jesus by night, said unto them, Doth our law haply condemn jo. 7,51, 
 
 16 a man, except it hear him first and know what he hath done? They answered and Jo. 7. 52. 
 said unto him. Art thou also haply from Galilee? Search, and see that a prophet 
 riseth not from Galilee. 
 
 17, 18 And when the Pharisees assembled, Jesus asked them, and said, What say ye of ^^ ^^| J,^; 
 
 19 the Messiah? whose son is he? They said unto him. The son of David. He said Mt 22,43, 
 unto them. And how doth David in the Holy Spirit call him Lord? for he said, 
 
 20 The Lord said unto my Lord, ji, ^^^ ^^ 
 Sit on my right hand, 
 That I may put thine enemies under thy feet. 
 
 21, 22 If then David calleth him Lord, how is he his son? And no one was able to 
 answer him ; and no man dared from that day again to ask him of anything. 
 
 23 And Jesus addressed them again, and said, I am the hght of the world ; and he that 
 
 24 foUoweth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall find the light of life. The Pharisees 
 
 Arabic, said unto him, Thou bearest witness to thyself : thywitnessisnot true. Jesus 
 
 25 P- 134 answered and said unto them. If I bear witness to myself, my witness is true ; 
 for I know whence I came, and whither I go ; but ye know not whence I came, or 
 
 26, 27 whither I go. And ye judge after the flesh; and I judge no man. And even if I 
 judge, my judgement is true; because I am not alone, but I and my Father which 
 
 28, 29 sent me. And in your law it is written, that the witness of two men is true. I am 
 he that beareth witness to myself, and my Father which sent me beareth witness to 
 
 30 me. They said unto him. Where is thy Father? Jesus answered and said unto Jo. 8, 19. 
 them. Ye know not me, nor my Father ; for did ye know me, ye would know my 
 
 31 Father. He said these sayings in the treasury, where he was teaching in the Jo. a, 20. 
 
 32 temple: and no man seized him; because his hour had not yet come. Jesus said Jo. 8, 21. 
 unto them again, I go truly, and ye shall seek me and not find me, and ye shall die 
 
 33 m your sins : and where I go, ye cannot come. The Jews said. Will he haply kill Jo. 8, 22. 
 
 34 himself, that he saith. Where I go, ye cannot come? He said unto them, Ye are Jo. 8, 23. 
 from below ; and I am from above : ye are of this world ; and I am not of this 
 
 35 world. I said unto you, that ye shall die in your sins : if ye believe not that I am Jo. 8, 24. 
 
 36 he, ye shall die in your sins. The Jews said. And thou, who art thou? Jesus said Jo. 8, 25. 
 
 1 See note above, on § 34, 46. 2 i.e., Gentiles. 
 
 Mt 
 Mt 
 
 22. 45 
 
 22. 46 
 
 Jo. 
 
 8, 
 
 12. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 8, 
 
 13- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 8, 
 
 14- 
 
 ]o: 
 
 8, 
 8, 
 
 IS- 
 16- 
 
 jo: 
 
 8, 
 8, 
 
 xl- 
 
98 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §35 37 unto them, If I should begin to speak unto you, I have concerning you many words Jo. 8, ic. 
 and judgement : but he that sent me is true ; and I, what I heard from him is what 
 38,39 I say in the world. And they knew not that he meant by that the Father. Jesus joie'as' 
 Arabic, said unto them again, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then ye 
 P- '35 shall know that I am he: and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father 
 
 40 taught me, so I speak. And he that sent me is with me ; and my Father hath not Jo. s, 29. 
 
 41 left me alone ; because I do what is pleasing to him at all times. And while he was jo. s, 30. 
 saying that, many believed in him. 
 
 42 And Jesus said to those Jews that believed in him, If ye abide in my words, truly jo. 8,31. 
 
 43 ye are my disciples ; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. jo. 8, 32. 
 
 44 They said unto him, We are the seed of Abraham, and have never served any man Jo. 8,33. 
 
 45 in the way of slavery: how then say est thou, Ye shall be free children? Jesus said jo. 8, 34. 
 unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that doeth a sin is a slave of 
 
 46 sin. And the slave doth not remain for ever in the house ; but the son remaineth Jo. 8, 35. 
 47,48 for ever. And if the Son set you free, truly ye shall be free children. I know that Jo. 8,37. 
 
 ye are the seed of Abraham ; but ye seek to slay me, because ye are unable for my 
 
 49 word. And what I saw with my Father, I say : and what ye saw with your father, Jo. s, 33. 
 
 50 ye do. They answered and said unto him. Our father is Abraham. Jesus said Jo. 8,39. 
 unto them, If ye were the children of Abraham, ye would do the deeds of Abraham. 
 
 51 Now, behold, ye seek to kill me, a man that speak 1 with you ^ the truth, that I Jo. 8, 40. 
 
 52 heard from God: this did Abraham not do. And ye do the deeds of your father. Jo. 8,41. 
 They said unto him. We were not iiyrn of fornication ;^ we have one Father, who is 
 
 53 God. Jesus said unto them. If God were your Father, ye would love me: I pro- Jo, 8,4=. 
 ceeded and came * from God ; and it was not of my own self that I came,* but he sent 
 
 54 Arabic, me. Why then do ye not know my word? Because ye cannot hear my word. Jo. 8,43. 
 
 55 P- 136 Ye are from the father, the devil,^ and the lust of your father do ye desire Jo. 8,44. 
 to do, who from the beginning is a slayer of men, and in the truth standeth not, 
 because the truth is not in him. And when he speaketh untruth, he speaketh from 
 
 56 himself: for he is a har, and the father of untruth. And I who speak the truth, ye Jo. 8,45. 
 
 57 believe me not. Who of you rebuketh me for a sin? And if I speak the truth, ye Jo. 8, 46. 
 
 58 do not believe me.^ Whosoever is of God heareth the words of God : therefore do Jo. 8,47. 
 
 59 ye not hear, because ye are not of God. The Jews answered and said unto him, Jo. 8,4s. 
 
 60 Did we not say well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast demons? Jesus said unto Jo. 8,49. 
 them. As for me, I have not a devil ; but my Father do I honour, and ye dishonour 
 
 61 me. I seek not my glory: here is one who seeketh and judgeth. jo. 8,50. 
 
 SECTION XXXVI. 
 
 §36 I Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whosoever keepeth my word shall not see death Jo. 8,51. 
 
 2 for ever. The Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast demons. Abraham jo. 8,52.' 
 is dead, and the prophets ; and thou sayest. Whosoever keepeth my word shall not 
 
 3 taste death for ever. Art thou haply greater than our father Abraham, who is jo. 8, 53. 
 
 4 dead, and than the prophets, which are dead? whom makest thou thyself? Jesus Jo. 8, 54. 
 said unto them. If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing : my Father is he that 
 
 5 glorifieth me ; 0/ whom ye say, that he is our ' God ; and yei ye have not known J"- 8. ss- 
 him : but I know him ; and if I should say that I know him not, I should become 
 
 6 Arabic, a liar like you : but I know him, and keep his word. Abraham your father Jo. s, 56. 
 
 7 P- 137 longed to see my day ; and he saw, and rejoiced. The Jews said unto him, Jo. 8,57- 
 
 8 Thou art now not fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto Jo. 8,5s. 
 
 9 them. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Before Abraham was, I am. And they take s jo. a, 59- 
 stones to stone him : but Jesus concealed himself, and went out of the temple. And Jo. 8, 60.9 
 he passed through them, and went /ils way. 
 
 1 Lit. speaketh, according to Arabic idiom. 2 Borg. MS. omits with you. 
 
 3 Borg. MS. has a7i adulteress, mistaking the less common Arabic word for a clerical error. 
 
 4 Different words are used in the Arabic : so in the Greek, but not in the Peshitta. Sin. and Cur. are wanting. 
 
 5 Lit backbiter. 
 
 6 This is probably simply a clerical error for the ordinary reading, -why have ye not believed me? The Arabic words 
 
 •why and not having the same consonants, one of them was purposely or accidentally omitted by a copyist. 
 •7 cf. Peshitta. The Sinaitic omits our. 
 8 The Vat MS, has took him, probably omitting stones, though Ciasca does not say so. Take is probably a copyist's 
 
 error (change in diacritical points) for took. 8 Reckoned to verse 59 in the Greek. 
 
Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 9- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 0. 
 
 10. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 II. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 c. 
 
 12, 
 
 Jo. 
 
 p, 
 
 13- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 14- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 15. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 16. 
 
 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 99 
 
 ^^^11 ^^'^ ^® ^^ passed, he saw a man blind from his mother's womb. And his ]°-5'^- 
 
 disciples asked him, and said. Our Master, who sinned, this man, or his parents, so °' *' "' 
 
 12 that he was born blind ? 1 Jesus said unto them. Neither did he sin, nor his parents : Jo. 9, 3. 
 
 13 but that the works of God may be seen in him.2 It is incumbent on me to do the Jo. 9, 4. 
 deeds of him that sent me, while it is day : a night will come, and no man will be 
 
 14 able to busy himself. As lorfg as I am in the world, I am the light of the world, jo. 9, 5. 
 
 1 5 And when he said that, he spat upon the ground, and made clay of his spittle, and Jo. 9, 6. 
 
 16 smeared // on the eyes of the blind man, and said unto him. Go and wash thyself in Jo. 9, 7. 
 
 17 the pool 3 of Siloam.* And he went and washed, and came seeing. And his neigh- Jo. 9, s. 
 bours, which saw him of old begging, said. Is not this he that was sitting begging? 
 
 18 And some said, It is he; and others said. Nay, but he resembles him much. He 
 19, 20 said, I am he. They said unto him, How then were thine eyes opened? He 
 
 answered and said unto them, A man named Jesus made clay, and smeared zV on 
 
 my eyes, and said unto me. Go and wash in the water of Siloam : and I went and 
 
 2 1 washed, and received sight.^ They said unto him. Where is he? He said, I know not. 
 
 22, 23 Arabic, And they brought him that was previously blind to the Pharisees. And 
 
 P- 13° the day in which Jesus made clay and opened with it his eyes was a sabbath 
 
 24 day. And again the Pharisees asked him. How didst thou receive sight? And he said 
 
 25 unto them. He put clay on mine eyes, and I wa.shed, and received sight. The people " 
 of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, for he keepeth liot the sabbath. 
 And others said. How can a man //lai is a sinner do these signs? And there came 
 
 26 to be a division amongst them. And again they said to that blind man, Thou, Jo. 9, 17. 
 then, what sayest thou of him that opened for thee thine eyes? He said unto them, 
 
 27 I say that he is a prophet. And the Jews did not beheve concerning him, that he Jo. 9, 18. 
 was Wind, and received sight, until they summoned the parents of him who received 
 
 28 sight, and asked them. Is this'' your son, (t/ whom ye said that he was born Hind? Jo. 9, 19. 
 
 29 how then, behold, doth he now see? His parents answered and said. We know Jo. 9, 20. 
 
 30 that this is our son, and that he was born blind : but how he has come to see now, Jo. 9, 21. 
 or who it is that opened his eyes, we know not : and he also has reached his prime ; 
 
 31 ask him, and he will speak for himself. This said his parents, because they were Jo. 9, 22. 
 fearing the Jews : and the Jews decided, that if any man should confess of him that 
 
 32 he was the Messiah, they would put him out of the synagogue. For this reason Jo. 9, 23. 
 
 33 said his parents, He hath reached his prime ; ask him. And they called the man a jo. 9, 24. 
 second time, him that was blind, and said unto him. Praise God : we know that this 
 
 34 man is a sinner. He answered and said unto them. Whether he be a sinner, I know jo. 9, 25. 
 
 35 not : I know one thing, that I was blind, and I now see. They said unto him again, jo. 9, 26. 
 
 36 Arabic, What did he unto thee? how opened he for thee thine eyes ? He said unto jo. g, 27. 
 P- 139 them, I said unto you, and ye did not hear : what ^ wish ye further to hear ? 
 
 37 ye also, do ye wish to become disciples to him? And they reviled him, and said unto jo, 9, 28. 
 him. Thou art the disciple ' of that many but as for us, we are the disciples of 
 
 38 Moses. And we know that God spake unto Moses : but this man, we know not jo. 9, 29. 
 
 39 whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, From this is the wonder, Jo. 9, 30. 
 
 40 because ye know not whence he is, and mine eyes hath he opened. And we know Jo. g, 31. 
 that God heareth not the voice of sinners : but whosoever feareth him, and doeth 
 
 41 his will, him he heareth. From eternity hath it not been heard of, that a man 
 
 42 opened the eyes of a blind man, who had been born in blindness. If then this man 
 
 43 were not from God, he could not do that. They answered and said unto him, Thou 
 wast all of thee born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they put him forth without. 
 
 44 And Jesus heard of his being put forth without, and found him, and said unto 
 
 45 him. Dost thou believe in the Son of God? He that was made whole answered 
 
 46 and said. Who is he, my Lord, that I may believe in him? Jesus said unto him, 
 
 47 Thou hast seen him, and he that speaketh to thee is he. And he said, I believe, 
 my Lord. And he fell down worshipping him. 
 
 1 A different word in Arabic from that used in verses i and 6. 
 
 2 The Vat, MS, has Ma/ we may see the works of God in him. By the addition of a diacritical point this would give 
 
 the same sense as in the text above, and more gramrnatically, 
 
 3 The Arabic word properly means baptism. The Syriac has both meanings, 
 
 4 Lit ShilSha, as in Syriac, B Lit, saw. 6 An easy clerical error for Some. 
 7 Lit. them', whether this be. ^ 8 Or, why {cf. note, § 7, 38). 
 9 Disciples is probably simply a misprint in Ciasca's text 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 32. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 33. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 34. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 3S- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9> 
 
 36, 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 37. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 9. 
 
 38. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 SECTION XXXVII. 
 
 §37 I And Jesus said, To judge the world am I come, so that they that see not may jo. 9, 39, 
 
 2 see, and they that see may become Wind. And some of the Pharisees which were jo. g, 40. 
 
 3 with him heard that, and they said unto him, Can it be that we are bhnd? Jesus jo. 9, 41. 
 said unto them, If ye were Wind, ye should not have sin : but now ye say. We see : 
 
 and because of this your sin remaineth.i 
 
 4 Arabic, Verily,verily, I say unto you. Whosoever en tereth not into the fold of the jo. 10, i. 
 P- 14° sheep by the door, but goeth up from another place, that man is a thief and a 
 
 5,6 stealer. But he that entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. And therefore" j"' J°' "' 
 the keeper of the door openeth for him the door ; and the sheep hear his voice : and 
 
 7 he calleth his sheep ^ by their names, and they go forth unto him. And when he jo. 10, 4. 
 putteth forth his sheep, he goeth before them, and his sheep ^ follow him : because 
 
 8 they know his voice. And after a stranger will the sheep not go, but they flee from jo. 10, 5, 
 
 9 him : because they hear not the voice of a stranger. This parable spake Jesus unto Jo. 10, 6, 
 them : but they knew not what he was saying unto them. 
 
 10 Jesus said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the jo. i. 
 
 1 1 sheep. And all that came are thieves and stealers : but the sheep heard them not. jo. n 
 
 12 I am the door : and if a man enter by me, he shall live, and shall go in and go out, jo. 10, 9. 
 
 13 and shall find pasture. And the stealer cometh not, save that he may steal, and jo. 10, 10. 
 kill, and destroy : but I came that they might have life, and that they might have 
 
 14 the thing that is better.* I am the good shepherd ; and the good shepherd giveth jo. 10, 
 
 15 himself 5 for his sheep. But the hireling, who is not a shepherd, and whose the jo. 10, 12, 
 sheep 8 are not, when he seeth the wolf as it cometh, leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, 
 
 16 and the wolf cometh, and snatcheth away the sheep, and scattereth^ them: and the jo. 10, i 
 
 17 hireling fleeth because he is an hireling, and hath no care for the sheep. I am the jo. 10, 14, 
 
 1 8 good shepherd ; and I know what is mine, and what is mine knoweth me, as my jo. 10, i 
 Father knoweth me, and I know my Father; and I give myself ^ for the sheep. 
 
 19 And I have other sheep also, that are not of this flock: them also I must invite, jo. 10, n 
 and they shall hear my voice ; and all the sheep shall be one, and the shepherd one. 
 
 20 Arabic, And therefore doth my Father love me, because I give my life, that I may jo. 10, t,. 
 
 21 P- 141 take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I leave it of my own choice, jo. 10, 18. 
 And I have the right to leave it, and have the right also to take it. And this com- 
 mandment did I receive of my Father. 
 
 22 And there occurred a disagreement among the Jews because of these sayings, jo. 10, 19. 
 
 23 And many of them said. He hath a devil, and is afflicted with madness ;^ why listen jo. 10, 20. 
 
 24 ye to him? And others said. These sayings are not those of ;«<?« possessed with jo. 10,21. 
 demons. Can a demon haply open the eyes of a blind man ? 
 
 25, 26 And the feast of the dedication came on at Jerusalem: and it was winter. And -l"- '°' -°- 
 
 27 Jesus was walking in the temple in the porch of Solomon. The Jews therefore joiio, =4! 
 surrounded him, and said unto him, Until when dost thou make our hearts anxious? 
 
 28 If thou art the Messiah, tell us plainly. He answered and said unto them, I told Jo. 10,25. 
 you, and ye believe not : and the deeds that I do in my Father's name bear witness 
 
 29, 30 to me. But ye beheve not, because ye are not of my sheep,!" as I said unto you. Jo. 10, 26. 
 
 3 1 And my sheep 1° hear my voice, and I know them, and they come after me : and I ]°; J"' ^g' 
 give them eternal life ; and they shall not perish for ever, nor shall any man snatch 
 
 32 them out of my hands.ii For the Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater jo. 10, 29. 
 
 33 than all ; and no man is able to take them from the hand of my 12 Father. I and Jo. 10, 30. 
 34, 35 my Father are one. And the Jews took stones to stone him. Jesus said unto them, J°- '°' 31- 
 
 Many good deeds from my Father have I shewed you ; because of which i^ of them, "' '"' ^°' 
 36 then, do ye stone me? The Jews said unto him. Not for the good deeds do we Jo. 10, 33. 
 stone thee, but because thou blasphemest ; and, whilst thou art a man, makest thy- 
 
 1 Or, is permanent. 2 Or, to him. 
 
 3 A different word (lit. rams) from that used in the other verses ; so in Peshitta (cf. Sin., which, however, differs somewhat); 
 
 c/T also § 54, 40 f., note. 4 Or^ best thing. Vat. MS. omits from i5m^ /c^z;;?;?. 5 Or, his life. 
 
 6 cf. note to § 37, 6. "7 Or, to snatch . . . and scatter. 8 Or, my life. 9 Lit. epilepsy. 
 
 10 cf. §37, 6. 11 Or, hand ; but probably dual {cf. Syr.). 
 
 12 So Peshitta ; but Sin. tlie. Borg. MS. omits the hand of. 13 Lit. which deed. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 37 37 self God. Jesus said unto them, Is it not thus written in your law, I said. Ye are gods? Jo. lo, 34. 
 
 38 Arabic, And if he called those gods — for ^ to them came the word of God (and it is Jo. 10, 35. 
 
 39 P- ^42 not possible in^ the scripture that anything should be undone) — he then, jo. 10,36. 
 whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, do ye say that heblasphemeth ; 
 
 40 because I said unto you, I am the Son of God? If then I do not the deeds of my jo. 10, 37. 
 
 41 Father, ye beUeve me not.^ But if I do, even if ye beheve not me, beheve the jo. 10, 33. 
 deeds : that ye may know and beheve that my Father is in me, and I in my Father. 
 
 42 And they sought again to take him : and he went forth out of their hands. Jo. 10, 39. 
 
 43 And he went beyond Jordan to the place where John was baptizing formerly ; jo. 10, 40. 
 
 44 and abode there. And many people came unto him; and they said, John did not Jo. 10, 41. 
 
 45 work even one sign : but all that John said of this man is truth. And many believed Jo. 10, 42. 
 in him. 
 
 46 And there was a sick man, named Lazarus, of the village of Bethany, the brother Jo. n, i. 
 
 47 of Mary and Martha. And Mary was she that anointed with sweet ointment the Jo. n, 2. 
 feet of Jesus, and wiped them with her hair ; and Lazarus, who was sick, was the 
 
 48 brother of this wmnan^ And his sisters sent unto Jesus, and said unto him. Our Jo. n, 3. 
 
 49 Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. But Jesus said, This sickness is not Jo. n, 4. 
 unto death, but for the glorifying of God, that the Son of God may be glorified 
 
 50, 51 because of it. And Jesus loved Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus. And when he j°; "; 1; 
 
 52 heard that he was sick, he abode in the place where he was two days. And after that, jc n, 7. 
 
 53 hesaiduntohisdisciples, Come, let us go into Judaea. His disciples said unto him, Our Jo. n, s. 
 
 Arabic, Master, now the Jews desire to stone thee ; and goest thou again thither? 
 54,55 P- ^43 Jesus said unto them. Is not the day of twelve hours? If then a man Jo. n, 9. 
 walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the hght of the world. But if Jo. n, 10. 
 
 56 a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no lamp in him. This said Jo. n, u. 
 Jesus : and after that, he said unto them, Lazarus our friend hath fallen asleep ; but 
 
 57 I am going to awaken him. His disciples said unto him, Our Lord, if he hath jo. n, 12. 
 
 58 fallen asleep, he will recover. But Jesus said that concerning his death : while they jo. n, 13. 
 
 59 supposed that he spake of lying down to sleep. Then Jesus said unto them plainly, jo. n, 14. 
 
 60 Lazarus is dead. And I am glad that I was not there for your sakes, that ye may jo. „, 15. 
 
 61 believe ; but let us go thither. Thomas, who is called Thama,^ said to the disciples, jo. u, 16. 
 his companions, Let us also go, and die with him. 
 
 SECTION XXXVIII. 
 
 §38 1, 2 And Jesus came to Bethany, and found him already four days in the grave. And j°; J J; \l\ 
 
 Bethany was beside Jerusalem, and its distance from it was a sum of fifteen fur- 
 
 3 longs ; 8 and many of the Jews came unto Mary and Martha, to comfort their heart jo. n, 19. 
 
 4 because of their brother. And Martha, when she heard that Jesus had come, went jo. „, 20. 
 
 5 out to meet him : but Mary was sitting in the house. Martha then said unto Jesus, jo. n, 21. 
 
 6 My Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know now that, Jo. n, 22. 
 
 7 whatever thou shalt ask of God, he will give thee. Jesus said unto her, Thybrothershall Jo. n, 23. 
 
 8 rise. Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise in the resurrection at the last day. Jo. h, 24. 
 
 9 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life : whosoever believeth in Jo. n, 25- 
 
 10 A sbic, me, even though he die, he shall live : and every living one that believeth Jo. n, 26. 
 
 11 P- 144 in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She said unto him, Yea, my Jo. n, 27. 
 Lord : I believe that thou art the Messiah, the Son of God, that cometh into the 
 
 12 world. And when she had said that, she went and called Mary her sister secretly, Jo. n, 28. 
 
 13 and said unto her, Our Master hath come, and summoneth thee. And Mary, when Jo. h, 29. 
 
 14 she heard, rose in haste, and came unto him. (And Jesus then had not come into Jo. n, 30. 
 
 15 the village, but was in the place where Martha met him.) And the Jews also that Jo. n, 31. 
 were with her in the house, to comfort her, when they saw that Mary rose up and 
 
 went out in haste, went after her, because they supposed that she was going to the 
 
 16 tomb to weep. And Mary, when she came to where Jesus was, and saw him, fell Jo- ". s^- 
 at his feet, and said unto him. If thou hadst been here, my Lord, my brother had 
 
 1 cf. Peshitta 2 This in could more easily arise as a clerical error (repetition) in the Syriac text. 
 
 3 So Ciasca's text, following Vat. MS. But this is probably a clerical error for the reading of Bor?. MS., which omits >•«. 
 
 4 cf. Peshitta. B The Syriac word for Twin. 6 Arabic mil, a somewhat indefinite distance. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 j 38 17 not died. And Jesus came ; and when he saw her weeping, and the Jews that were jo. ij, 33. 
 
 18 with her weeping, he was troubled 1 in himself, and sighed; and he said. In what Jo. n, 34 
 
 19 place have ye laid him? And they said unto him, Our Lord, come and see. And Jo. n, 
 
 20 the tears of Jesus came.^ The Jews therefore said, See the greatness of his love for jo. n, 36. 
 
 21 him! But some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of that jo. 11,37, 
 
 22 blind man, have caused that this man also should not die? And Jesus came to the jo. u, 38, 
 place of burial, being troubled within himself. And the place of burial was a cave, 
 
 23 and a stone was placed at its door. Jesus therefore said, Take these stones away. jo. n, 39, 
 Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto him. My Lord, he hath come to 
 
 24 stink for some time : he hath been 3 four days i/ifffi/. Jesus said unto her. Did not I say jo, 11,40, 
 
 25 Arabic, unto thee. If thou behevest, thou shalt see the glory of God? And they re- jo. n, 41, 
 P- "45 moved those stones. And Jesus lifted his eyes on high, and said, My Father, 
 
 26 I thank thee since thou didst hear me. And I know that thou at all times hearest Jo. n, 42, 
 me : but I say this unto thee because of this multitude that is standing, that they 
 
 2 7 may beheve that thou didst send me. And when he had said that, he cried with a Jo. n, 43, 
 
 28 loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And that dead man came out, having his hands Jo. u, 44, 
 and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped in a scarf. Jesus said unto 
 them. Loose him, and let him go. 
 
 29 And many of the Jews which came unto Mary, when they saw the deed of Jesus, Jo. n, 45, 
 
 30 believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees, and informed them of Jo. u, 46. 
 all that Jesus did. 
 
 31 And the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered, and said. What shall we do? Jo. 11,47. 
 
 32 for lo, this man doeth many signs. And if we leave him thus, all men will believe Jo. 11,48. 
 
 33 in him: and the Romans will come and take our country and people. And one of Jo, 11,49. 
 them, who was called Caiaphas, the chief priest he was in that year, said unto them, 
 
 34 Ye know not anything, nor consider that it is more advantageous for us that one Jo. n, 50. 
 
 35 man should die instead of the people, and not that the whole people perish. And Jo. 11,51. 
 this he said not of himself : but because he was the chief priest of * that year, he 
 
 36 prophesied that Jesus was to die instead of the people ; and not instead of the Jo. n, 52. 
 people alone, but that he might gather the scattered children of God together. 
 
 37 And from that day they considered how to kill him. Jo. 11,53- 
 
 38 Arabic, And Jcsusdid uot Walk opeuly amougst the Jews,but departed theucetoa Jo. n, 54- 
 p. 146 placenearthewiIderness,toatown5 called Ephraim; and he was there, going 
 
 39 about with his disciples. And the passover of the Jews was near : and many went Jo. u, ss- 
 
 40 up from the villages unto Jerusalem before the feast, to purify themseh'es. And Jo. u, 56. 
 they sought for Jesus, and said one to another in the temple. What think ye of his 
 
 4 1 holding back from the feast? And the chief priests and the Pharisees had given Jo. u, 57- 
 commandment, that, if any man knew in what place he was, he should reveal // to 
 
 them, that they might take him. 
 
 42 And when the days of his going up were accomplished, he prepared himself that Lt. 9. si- 
 
 43 he might go ' to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers before him, and departed,'' and Lk. 9, 52- 
 
 44 entered into a village^ of Samaria, that they might make ready for him. And they Lk. 9, 53- 
 
 45 received him not, because he^ was prepared for going to Jerusalem. And when Lk. 9, 54. 
 James and John his disciples saw it, they said unto him, Om- Lord, wilt thou that 
 
 we speak, and fire come down from heaven, to extirpate them, as did Elijah also? 
 
 46 And Jesus turned, and rebuked them, and said. Ye know not of what spirit ye are. Lk. 9, 55. 
 
 47 Verily the Son of man did not come to destroy lives, but to give life. And they Lk. 9, 56. 
 went to another village. 
 
 1 This is the Syriac word (cf. the versions, and below, % 44, 44: see also Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, ad Ice). 
 
 2 So in Syriac versions. 3 Borg. MS. omits some tijne : he hath been. 
 
 4 So both MSS.; but the_ Vat. MS. had originally a reading equivalent to the text above with o/" omitted. 
 
 5 The Arabic word as printed (following Vat. MS.) means a place/or monks to live in, but we should certainly restore 
 
 a diacritical point over the last letter, and thus obtain another Syriac loan-word (that used here in the Peshitta), mean- 
 ing town. See also Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, ad he. 
 
 6 The present Arabic reading in going could pretty easily arise from that assumed in the translation above. 
 
 7 This and the following verb are singular in the printed -\rabic (against the versions), although Ciasca renders them plural. 
 
 A copyist using a carelessly written Arabic exemplar might conceivably overlook the plural terminations. Besides, 
 they are often omitted in Syriac MSS. 8 cf. note, § i, 40. 9 Lit. his body. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 103 
 
 SECTION XXXIX. 
 
 j39 I And Jesus six days before the passover^ came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, Jo. 12, i. 
 
 2 whom Jesus raised from among the dead. And they made 2 a feast for him there : jo. 12, 2. 
 
 3 and Martha was serving ; wjiile Lazarus was one of them that sat with him. And Mk. 14, 3a. 
 
 4 at the time of Jesus' being at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, great multitudes jo. 12, 9. 
 of the Jews heard that Jesus was there : and they came, not because of Jesus alone, but 
 
 Arabic, that they might look also on Lazarus, whom he raised from among the dead. 
 
 5, 6 P- 147 And the chief priests considered /low they might kill Lazarus also ; because J°- J^- '°- 
 
 7 many of the Jews were going on his account, and believing in Jesus. And Mary joi II', 11'. 
 took a case of the ointment of fine nard, of great price, and opened it, and poured Mk. 14, 3^;. 
 
 8 it out on the head of Jesus as he was reclining ; and she anointed his feet, and jo. 12, 3*. 
 wiped them with her hair : and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 
 
 9, 10 But Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, he that was to betray him, said. Why was j°; H'f 
 
 1 1 not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given unto the poor? This he Jo. m] e. 
 said, not because of his care for the poor, but because he was a thief, and the chest 
 
 1 2 was with him, and what was put ^ into it he used to bear. And that displeased the Mk. 14, 4. 
 rest of the disciples also within themselves, and they said. Why went this ointment 
 
 13 to waste? It was possible that it should be sold for much, and the poor be given Mt. 26, 9. 
 
 14 it. And they were angry with* Mary. And Jesus perceived zV, and said unto them, Mt!'26!'io^ 
 Leave her ; why molest ye her? a good work hath she accomplished on me : for the Mk. 14, 6i. 
 
 1 5 day of my burial kept she it. At all times the poor are with you, and when ye jo. II', la. 
 
 1 6 wish ye can do them a kindness : but I am not at all times with you. And for this Mt'.'ze^'ilf 
 cause, when she poured ^ this ointment on my body, it is as if she did it for my bur- 
 
 17 ial, and anointed my body beforehand. And verily I say unto you. In every place 
 where this my gospel shall be proclaimed in all the world, what she did shall be told 
 for a memorial of her. 
 
 18,19 Arabic. And when Jesus said that, he went out leisurely to go to Jerusalem. And 
 
 p. 148 when he arrived at Bethphage and at Bethany, beside the mount which is 
 
 20 called the mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, and he said unto them, Go 
 
 2 1 into this village that is opposite you : and when ye enter it, ye shall find an ass tied, and 
 
 22 a colt with him,^ which no man ever yet mounted : loose him, and bring them ^ unto 
 me. And if any man say unto you. Why loose ye them? say unto him thus, We 
 
 23 seek them for our Lord ; and straightway send them hither. All this was, that what 
 was said in the prophet might be fulfilled, which said, 
 
 24 Say ye unto the daughter of Zion, Mt. 21, s. 
 Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, 
 
 Meek, and riding upon an ass. 
 And upon a colt the foal of an ass. 
 
 25 And the disciples did not know this at that time: but after that Jesus was glori- Jo. 12, 16. 
 fied, his disciples remembered that these t/iings were written of him, and if/iaf this ^^ ^^ ^^ 
 
 26 they had done unto him. And when the two disciples went, they found as he had Lk.' J9,'32i. 
 
 27 said unto them, and they did as Jesus charged them. And when they loosed them, ^^- =^'- «*■ 
 
 28 their owners said unto them. Why loose ye them? They said unto them. We seek Lk. 19; 34. 
 
 29 them for our Lord. And they let them go. And they brought the ass and the colt, ^l-^^]'^^f- 
 3° and they placed on the colt their garments ; and Jesus mounted it. And most of the Mt. 21', 8. 
 
 multitudes spread their garments on the ground before him ; and others cut branches 
 
 31 from the trees, and threw //z«« in the way. And when he neared his « descent from Lk. 19,37. 
 
 Arabic, the mount of Olives, all the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with 
 
 32 p. 149 a loud voice for all the powers which they had seen ; and they said, Praise Mt. 21, gi.n 
 in the highest ; Praise to the Son of David : Blessed is he that cometh in the name 
 
 33 of the Lord ; and blessed i» is the kingdom that cometh, i/iai of " our father David : Mk. u, loa. 
 Peace in heaven, and praise in the highest. ^'^- '«' s^^- 
 
 I cf. the Greek phrase 2 Lit. he made {cf. first note to § 38, 43, last sentence). 3 lAt./ell (cf. % 25, 18). 
 4 Or, spake angrily to. 6 Lit. cast, as in Greek Sic. , ' J^""' '"/^,*'"=-v 
 
 8 The Syriac versions have t!te. » Or better Lk. 19, 38a. 10 Or, and. Blessed. , 
 
 II The Arabic has fo, but it probably represents the Syriac text with the meaning given above. 
 
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 Lk. 
 
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 Mt. 
 
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 Mk. 
 
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104 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 39 34 And a great multitude, that which came to the feast, when they heard that Jesus Jo. 12, 12*. 
 
 35 was coming to Jerusalem, took young palm branches,i and went forth to meet him, Jo. 12, 13. 
 and cried and said. Praise : Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the 
 
 36 King of Israel. Certain therefore of the Pharisees from among the multitudes Lk. 19, 39. 
 
 37 said unto him, Our Master, rebuke thy disciples. He said unto them, Verily I say Lk. 19, 40. 
 unto you. If these were silent, the stones would cry out. 
 
 38, 39 And when he drew near, and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, Would that Lk; '|'J'; 
 
 thou hadst known the things that are ^ for thy peace, in this thy day! now that is 
 
 40 hidden from thine eyes. There shall come unto thee days when thine enemies Lk. 19, 43. 
 
 41 shall encompass thee, and straiten thee from every quarter, and shall get possession Lk. 19,44. 
 of 3 thee, and thy children within thee ; and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon 
 another ; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 
 
 42 And when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was agitated, and they said, Mt. 21, 10. 
 
 43 Who is this? And the multitudes said, This is Jesus, the prophet that is from Naza- Mt. 21, n. 
 
 44 reth of Galilee. And the multitude which was with him bare witness that he called jo. 12, 17. 
 
 45 Lazarus from the grave, and raised him from among the dead. And for this catise jo. 12, 18. 
 great multitudes went out to meet him, because they heard the sign which he did. 
 
 SECTION XL. 
 
 §40 I Arabic, And when Jesus entered the temple, they brought unto him blind and Mt. 21. 14. 
 
 2 P- 15° lame ; and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the Pharisees Mt. 21, 15. 
 saw the wonders that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and 
 
 3 saying, Praise be to the Son of David ; it distressed them, and they said, Hearest Mt. 21, t6. 
 thou not what these say? Jesus said unto them. Yea : did ye not read long ago. From 
 
 4 the mouths of children and infants thou hast chosen my praise? And the Pharisees Jo.-u, 19. 
 said one to another, Behold, do ye not see that nothing availeth us? for lo, the whole 
 
 world hath followed him. 
 
 5 And there were among them certain Gentiles also, which had come up to wor- Jo. 12, 20. 
 
 6 ship at the feast : these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, Jo. 12, 21. 
 1 and asked him, and said unto him. My lord, we wish to see Jesus. And Philip Jo. 12, 22. 
 
 8 came and told Andrew : and Andrew and Philip told Jesus. And Jesus answered Jo. 12, 23. 
 and said unto them. The hour is come nigh, in which the Son of man is to be glori- 
 
 9 fied. Verily, verily, I say unto you, A grain of wheat, if it fall not and die in the Jo. 12, 24. 
 
 10 earth, remaineth alone ; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that loveth his life ^ jo. 12, 25. 
 destroyeth it ; and he that hateth his life * in this world shall keep it unto the life eter- 
 
 1 1 nal. If a man serve me, he will follow me ; and where I am, there shall my servant be jo. 12, 26. 
 •12 also : and whosoever serveth me, the Father will honour him. Now is my soul trou- Jo. 12, 27. 
 
 Arabic, bled; and what shall I say? My Father, deliver me from this hour. But 
 
 13 P- 151 for this cause came I unto this hour. My Father, glorify thy name. And a jo.12,28. 
 
 14 voice was heard from heaven, I have glorified it, and shall glorify it. And the Jo. 12, 29. 
 multitude that were standing heard, and said, This is thunder : and others said. An 
 
 15 angel speaketh to him. Jesus answered and said unto them, Not because of me Jo. 12, 30. 
 
 16 ^a-s this voice, but because of you. Now is the judgement of this world; and the jo. 12,31. 
 
 17 prince of this world shall now be cast forth. And I, when I am lifted up from the Jo. 12, 32. 
 
 18 earth, shall draw every man unto me. This he said, that he might shew by what Jo. 12,33. 
 
 19 manner of death he should die. The multitudes said unto him. We have heard out Jo. 12, 34. 
 of the law that the Messiah abideth for ever : how then sayest thou, that the Son of 
 
 20 man is to be lifted up? who is this, the Son of man? Jesus said unto them, Another Jo. 12, 35. 
 little while is the light with you. Walk so long as ye have hght, lest the darkness 
 overtake you ; for he that walketh in the darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 
 
 21 So long as ye have light, believe the hght, that ye may be the children of the hght. Jo. 12, 36. 
 
 22 And when certain of the Pharisees asked of Jesus, when the kingdom of God Lk. 17, 20. 
 should come, he answered and said unto them. The kingdom of God cometh not 
 
 1 Lit. ths heart {or, piik) of the palm, Th^vtord pith, which occurs also in the^thiopic version (Ezek, 27, 25: Jubilees, 
 
 ch, 161 and in Ibn-at-Tayjnb's exposition, though not in the Brit. Mus. Rospel text, is perhaps used here of the inner 
 branches from its resemblance to the post-biblical Hebrew word employed in accounts of the Feast of Tabernacles. 
 
 2 Lit. are/onnd, a rendering due to the Syriac. 
 
 3 So Ciasca's t^xt, followina: Vat. MS. The other MS. has drag, which by restoring a diacritical point to the third radi- 
 
 cal would give destroy, the reading of the Syriac versions. Ibn-at-l'ayyib's Commentary has hide. 4 Or, soul; or, self. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 105 
 
 §40 23 with expectation: neither shall they say, Lo, it is here! nor, Lo, it is there! for the Lk. 17,21. 
 kingdom of God is within you. 
 
 24 And in the &a.Ytime he was teaching in the temple ; and at night he used to go Lk. 21, 37. 
 
 25 out, and pass the night in the mount called the mount of Olives. And all the Lk. 21,3s. 
 people came 1 to him in the morning in the temple, to hear his word. 
 
 26, 27 Then spake Jesus unto the muldtudes and his disciples, and said unto them. On JJ|; ^3. ^; 
 
 28 Arabic, the seat ,of Moses are seated the scribes and Pharisees : everything that Mt. 23, 3. 
 P- ' 52 they say unto you now to keep, keep and do : but according to their deeds 
 
 29 do ye not ; for they say, and do not. And they bind heavy burdens, and lay them Mt. 23, 4. 
 on the shoulders of the people ; while they with one of their fingers will not come 
 
 30, 31 near''^ them. But all their deeds they do to make a shew before men. And all the Mk.^j/'j'^^. 
 multitude were hearing that with pleasure. 
 
 32 And in the course of his teaching he said unto them. Guard yourselves from the Mk. 12, 38. 
 
 33 scribes, who desire to walk in robes, and love salutation in the marketplaces, and Mk. 12, 39. 
 sitting in the highest places of the synagogues, and at feasts in the highest parts of 
 
 34 the rooms : and they broaden their amulets, and lengthen the cords' of their cloaks, Mt. 23, kB. 
 
 35 and love that they should be called by men. My master, and devour widows' houses, fj'- '3' 7*. 
 because ^ of their prolonging their prayers ; these then shall receive greater judge- 
 
 36 ment. But ye, be ye not called masters :* for your master is one ; all ye are brethren. Mt. 23, 8. 
 
 37 Call not then to yourselves any one^ father on earth : for your Father is one, who is Mt. 23, 9. 
 
 38 in heaven. And be not called directors : for your director is one, even the Messiah. Mt. 23, 10. 
 39, 40 He that is great among you shall be unto you a minister. Whosoever shall exalt j^jj; ^^^ J^; 
 
 himself shall be abased ; and whosoever shall abase himself shall be exalted. 
 
 41 Woe unto you, Pharisees! because ye love the highest places in the synagogues, Lk. 11,43. 
 and salutation in the marketplaces. 
 
 42 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye devour widows' Mt. 23, 14. 
 houses, because ^ of your prolonging your prayers : for this reason then ye shall 
 receive greater Judgement. 
 
 43 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye have shut the Mt. 23, 13^. 
 kingdom of God before men. 
 
 44 Arabic. Woe unto you that know the law! for ye concealed the keys of know- lu. 11,52(1. 
 P- ^53 ledge : ye enter not, and those that are entering ye suffer not to enter. Mt. 23, x^b. 
 
 45 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because'' ye compass land and Mt. 23, 15. 
 sea to draw ^ one proselyte ; and when he is become so, ye make him a son of hell 
 
 twice as much ® as yourselves. 
 
 46 Woe unto you, ye blind guides ! because ye say. Whosoever sweareth by the Mt. 23, 16. 
 temple, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gold that is in the temple, 
 
 47 shall be condemned.'" Ye bhnd foolish ones: which is greater, the gold, or the Mt. 23, 17. 
 
 48 temple which sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever sweareth by the altar, it is Mt.23, is. 
 nothing ; but whosoever sweareth by the offering that is upon it, shall be condemned. i" 
 
 49 Ye bhnd foohsh ones: which is greater, the offering, or the altar which sanctifieth Mt. 23, 19. 
 
 50 the offering? Whosoever then sweareth by the altar, hath sworn by it, and by all Mt. 23, 20. 
 
 5 1 that is upon it. And whosoever sweareth by the temple, hath sworn by it, and by Mt. 23, 21. 
 
 52 him that is dwelhng in it. And whosoever sweareth by heaven, hath sworn by the Mt. 23, 22. 
 throne of God, and by him that sitteth upon it. 
 
 53 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye tithe mint and rue Mt. 23, 23. 
 and dill and cummin and all herbs, and ye leave the important matters of the law, 
 judgement, and mercy, and faith, and the love of God: this ought ye to do, and 
 
 54 not to lea.ve that undone. Ye blind guides, which strain out a gnat, and swallow 11 Mt. 23, 24. 
 camels. 
 
 55 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye cleanse the outside Mt, 23, 25. 
 
 \ I.K., used to come. 2 Or, touch. .,,, , 
 
 3 TheSvriacwordmeansOT W?/«/?Jr2'(i/a3wdlasteaK«eA(cA 5 50. ". no'^l- . .. , . . . ■ 1. u 
 
 4 This word is rot spelled in the ordinary way. Doubtless we should supply two diacritical points and read, with the 
 
 Syriac versions, My master. 5 cf. Peshitta. S Synac, same as in § 40, 35 ; Arabic different 
 
 7 Adopting the reading of Borg. MS. (£■/ next verse). , , . ^ . ,^ . . , , • ,, , .■ , 
 
 8 Perhaps this reading is due to the easy confusion of d and r in Synac : but it might also conceivably be a corruption ot 
 
 the Arabic word in the next clause. It occurs also in ihe text of Ibn-at-'l'ayyib's Commentary. 
 
 9 Doubtless the Ai-abic word should be read as a monosyllable, as in Ibn-at-1 ayyib 5 Commentary. 10 See 5 10, 13. 
 11 The Arabic word as printed gives no suitable sense. Either the last radical has been omitted, or the last two radicals 
 
 have exchanged places. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 3 40 of the cup and of the platter, while the inside of them is full of injustice and wrong. 
 
 56 Ye blind Pharisees, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, then shall Mt. 23, j6. 
 the outside of them be cleansed. 
 
 57 Arabic. WoB unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye resem- Mt. 23, 27. 
 P- ^ 54 ble whited sepulchres, which appear 1 from the outside beautiful, iDut within 
 
 58 full of the bones of the dead, and all uncleanness. So ye also from without appear Mt. 23, 28. 
 unto men like the righteous, but within ye are full of wrong and hypocrisy. 
 
 59 One of the scribes answered and said unto him. Teacher, in this saying of thine Lk. 11,45. 
 00 thou art casting a slur on us. He said, And to you also, ye scribes, woe! for ye Lk. 11,46. 
 
 lade men with heavy burdens, and ye with one of your fingers come not near^ those 
 burdens. 
 
 61 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the tombs of the Mt. 23, 29a. 
 prophets, which your fathers killed, and adorn the burying-places of the righteous, Mt'. 23) tfi. 
 
 62 and say. If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers uu 23, 30. 
 
 63 with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore, behold, ye witness against Mt. 23, 31. 
 
 64 yourselves, that ye are the children of those that slew the prophets. And ye also, Mt. 23. 32. 
 
 65 ye fill up the measure ^ of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye children of vipers, where Mt. 23, 33. 
 shall ye flee from the judgement of Gehenna? 
 
 SECTION XLI. 
 
 ^41 I Therefore, behold, I, the wisdom of God, am sending unto you prophets, and Mt. 23, 34. 
 
 apostles, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall slay and crucify; 
 and some of them ye shall beat in your synagogues, and persecute * from city to 
 
 2 city : that there may come on you all the blood of the righteous that hath been Mt. 23, 33. 
 poured upon the ground,^ from the blood of Abel the pure to the blood of Zacha- 
 
 riah the son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the temple" and the altar. 
 
 3 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.'' ml 23, 36. 
 
 4 Arabic, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, slayer of the prophets, and stoner of them that Mt. 23, 37. 
 P- '55 are sent unto her! how many times did I wish to gather thy children, as 
 
 5 a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Your house shall Mt. 23, 38. 
 
 6 be left over you desolate. Verily I say unto you. Ye shall not see me henceforth, Mt 23, 39. 
 till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 
 
 7 And many of the rulers also believed on him ; but because of the Pharisees they Jo. 12,42. 
 
 8 were not confessing Iwti, lest they be put ^ out of the synagogue : and they loved jo. 12, 43. 
 
 9 the praise of men more than the praising of God. And Jesus cried and said, jo. 12,44. 
 
 10 Whosoever believeth in me, believeth not in me, but in him that sent me., And jo. 12, 45. 
 
 1 1 whosoever seeth me hath seen him that sent me. I am come a light ^ into the Jo. 12, 46. 
 
 1 2 world, and so every one that believeth in me abideth not in the darkness. And Jo. 12, 47. 
 whosoever heareth my sayings, and keepeth them not, I judge him not : for I came 
 
 13 not to judge the world, but to give the world life. 1" Whosoever wrongeth i' me, and Jo. 12, 48. 
 receiveth not my sayings, there is one that judgeth him : the word that I spake, it 
 
 14 shall judge him at the last day. I from myself did not speak; but the Father jo. 12, 49. 
 which sent me, he hath given me commandment,!^ what I should say, and what I 
 
 1 5 should speak ; and I know that his commandment 1^ is eternal life. The things that Jo. 12, 50. 
 I say now, as my Father hath said unto me, even so I say. 
 
 16 And when he said that unto them, the scribes and Pharisees began their evil- Lk. 11,53. 
 doing, being angry with him, and finding fault with his sayings, and harassing ^^ him 
 
 17 in many things; seeking to catch something from his mouth, that they might be Lk. n, 54. 
 able to calumniate him. 
 
 1 8 And when there gathered together myriads of great multitudes, which almost trode Lk. 12, i. 
 
 I Lit. are seen. 2 Or, touch. 3 Lit. lotmdary or limit. t cf.^%, 34. 
 5 Or, earth. _ 6 Or, sanctuary. 7 See § i, 49, note. 8 Lit. become 
 
 9 The text as it stands ourjht to mean /^;« a /z^,^^. / ^w c(j;Kt? / but it is a word-for-word reproduction of the Peshitta, 
 and should tlierefore doubtless be rendered as above, Iti Or, to save the world (c/. § i, 78, note). 
 
 II See §_ 20, 28. note. 12 Not the same word. 
 
 13 So Ci.^sca, following Vat. MS. The true reading, however, is probably that underlyinR^ the Borg. MS. If we restoi« 
 diacritical points to the radical letters we get deceiving {c/. § 41, 31), an alternative meaning for the word laying 'wait 
 for, used in the Peshitta. The Arabic follows the Peshitta very closely in this and the following verse. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 107 
 
 j41 Arabic, one upon another, Jesus began to say unto his disciples, Preserve yourselves 
 
 19 P- '5" from the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing Lk. is, 2. 
 
 20 concealed, that shall not be revealed : nor hid, that shall not be known. Everything Lk. 12, 3. 
 that ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light ; and what ye have 
 spoken secretly in the ears in the inner chambers shall be proclaimed on the roofs. 
 
 21,22 This said Jesus, and he went and hid himself from them. But notwithstanding l°- 1^' 3^^- 
 
 23 his having done all these signs before them, they beHeved not in him :.that the word jo! 12] 33! 
 of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, who said. 
 
 My Lord, who is he that hath believed to hear us? 
 And the arm of the Lord, to whom hath it appeared? 
 
 24 And for this reason it is not possible for them to believe, because Isaiah also said, jo. 12, 39 
 
 25 They have blinded their eyes, and made dark their heart; jo. 12, 40. 
 That they may not see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, 
 
 And turn. 
 
 So that I should heal them. 
 
 26 This said Isaiah when he saw his glory, and spake of him. jo. 12, 41. 
 
 27 And when Jesus went out of the temple, certain of his disciples came forward Mt. 24, i. 
 
 28 to shewi him the buildings of the temple, and its beauty and greatness, and the Mk. 13, i*. 
 strength of the stones that were laid in it, and the elegance of its building, and that Lk. 21, si. 
 
 29 it was adorned with noble stones and beautiful colours. Jesus answered and said Mt. 24, 2a. 
 
 30 unto them, See ye these great buildings? verily I say unto you. Days will come, Lk. 19, 43^,. 
 when there shall not be left here a stone upon another, that shall not be cast down. Lk. 19, 44*.2 
 
 31 And two days before^ the passover of unleavened bread, the chief priests and Mk. 14, i. 
 
 32 the scribes sought how they might take him by deceit,* and kill him : and they said, Mk. 14, 2. 
 It shall not be at the feast, lest the people be agitated. 
 
 23 And when Jesus sat on the mount of Olives opposite the temple, his disciples, Simon Mk. 13, 3. 
 Cephas and James and John and Andrew, came forward unto him, and said unto him 
 
 34 between themselves and him, Teacher, tell us when that shall be, and what is the sign ^; V^JX 
 
 35 Arabic, of thycomingandtheendof theworld. Jesus answered and said unto them, ^^-^^-^"^ 
 P- 157 Days will come, when ye shall long to see one of the days of the Son of Mt". 24', ^i.' 
 
 36, 37 man, and shall not behold. Take heed lest any man lead you astray. Many shall ^^_ l\-_ 5^; 
 
 38 come in my name, and say, I am the Messiah ; and they shall say, The time is come Mk. 13. «<*• 
 
 39 near, and shall lead many astray : go not therefore after them. And when ye hear Mk.Ts, ,,',. 
 of wars and tidings of insurrections, see fo it, be ^ not agitated : for these things must Lk.^^'Ji!' 
 
 40 first be ; only the end is not yet come. Nation shall rise against nation, and king- Mt! 24', ;«'. 
 
 41 dom against kingdom: and great earthquakes shall be in one place and another, Lk. 21, n. 
 and there shall be famines and deaths and agitations ; and there shall be fear and 
 
 terror and great signs that " shall appear from heaven, and there shall be great 
 42,43 storms. All these ^'/««^j- are the beginning of travail. But before all of that, they Lk;|j\'f;. 
 shall lay hands upon you, and persecute you, and deliver you unto the synagogues 
 
 44 and into prisons, and bring you before kings and judges for my name's sake. And Lk. 21, 13. 
 
 45 that shall be unto you for a witness. But first must my gospel be preached unto all Mk. 13, 10. 
 
 46 nations. And when they bring you into the synagogues before the rulers and the Lk. 12, n. 
 authorities, be not anxious beforehand how ye shall answer for yoiuselves, or what ye 
 
 47,48 shall say : because it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. Lay it to your heart, not ^^il^'J^^- 
 
 49 Arabic, to be anxious before the time what ye shall say : and I shall' give you under- Lk. 2i!i5. 
 P- 158 standing and wisdom.^ which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay. 
 
 50 And then shall they deliver you unto constraint, and shall kill you : and ye shall be Mt. 24, 9. 
 
 5 1 hated of all nations because of my name. And then shall many go astray ,8 and they Mt. 24, 10. 
 
 52 shall hate one another, and deliver one another unto death. And your parents, and Lk. 21,16. 
 your brethren, and your kinsfolk, and your friends shall deliver you up, and shall ^^ ^^ ^^ 
 
 53, 54 slay some of you. But a lock of hair from your heads shall not perish. And by Lk! 21! 19! 
 
 55 yoiu- patience ye shall gain i" your souls. And many men}'^ false prophets, shall arise, Mt. 24, n. 
 
 56 and lead many astray. And because of the abounding of iniquity, the lovie of many Mt. 24, 12. 
 
 1 Or, and shewed. 2 Or rather Mt. 24, ib, or Mk. 13, -zb. . , , , 
 
 3 Lit. ie/ore two days wmldbe {.cf. Sin. and above, ^ 39, i, note). ,^5 4i, 16, note. 
 
 5 Or, that ye be, if we suppose the present text to have resulted from the loss of the second ol two alifs. 
 
 8 Or, omit that. 7 The Arabic text lacks a letter. 
 
 8 Borg. MS. reads ^CK the/ruits o/wisdom. 9 See 5 25, 17, note. 10 Ox, possess. 
 
 U So the Arabic text ; but it doubtless simply represents the Synac, which here agrees with the Greek. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §41 57 shall wax cold. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. And ?J''°<''3 
 
 58 this, the 1 gospel of the kingdom, shall be preached in all the world for a testimony 
 to all nations ; and then shall come the end of all. 
 
 Mt. 24, 14. 
 
 SECTION XLII. 
 
 §42 I But when ye see Jerusalem with the army compassing it about, then know that Lk. 51, 20. 
 
 2 its desolation is come near. Those then that are in Judaea at that time shall flee Lk. 21, 21, 
 to the mountain ; and those that are within her shall flee ; and those that are in the 
 
 3 villages shall not enter her. For these days are the days of vengeance, that all that Lk. 21,22. 
 
 4 is written may be fulfilled. And when ye see the unclean sign of desolation,- spoken Mt. 24, 15. 
 of in Daniel the prophet, standing in the pure place, he that readeth shall understand, 
 
 5, 6 and then he that is in Judsea shall flee in to the mountain : and let him that is on the Mk.Ts'/^ 
 7 roof not go down, nor enter in to take anything from his house : and let him that is in Mk. 13, 16. 
 3 Arabic, the field not turn behind him to take his garment. Woe to them that are Lk. 21, 23. 
 
 P- '59 with child and to them that give suck in those days! there shall be great 
 9 distress in the land, and wrath against this nation. And they shall fall on the edge Lk. 21,24. 
 of the sword,' and shall be taken captive to every land: and Jerusalem shall be 
 trodden down of the nations, until the times of the nations be ended. 
 10 Then if any man say unto you. The Messiah is here ; or, Lo, he is there ; believe Mk. 13, 21. 
 
 i I him not : there shall rise then false Messiahs and prophets of lying, and shall do Mt. 24, 2^. 
 signs and wonders, in order that they may lead astray even the elect also, if they 
 
 1 2 be able. But as for you, beware : for I have acquainted you with everything Mk. 13, i-. 
 
 13 beforehand. If then they say unto you, Lo, he is in the desert ; go not out, lest ye Mt. 24, 26. 
 
 14 be taken: and if they say unto you, Lo, he is in the chamber; believe not. And Mt. 24,i7. 
 as the lightning appeareth from the east, and is seen unto the west ; so shall be the 
 
 15 coming of the Son of man. But first he must suffer much and be rejected by this Lk. 17, 25. 
 
 16 generation.* Pray therefore that your flight be not in winter, nor on a sabbath: Mt. 24, 20. 
 
 1 7 there shall be then great tribulation, ^ the like of which there hath not been from the Mt. 24, 21. 
 
 18 beginning of the world till now, nor shall be. And except the Lord had shortened Mk. 13, 20. 
 those days, no flesh would have lived : but because of the elect, whom he elected, 
 
 19 he shortened those days. And there .shall be signs in the sun and the moon and the Lk. 21,25. 
 stars ; and upon the earth affliction ^ of the nations, and rubbing of hands for the con- 
 
 20 Arabic, fusion^ of the noise of the sea, and an earthquake: the souls of men shall Lk. 21,26a. 
 2 J p. 160 go forth from fear of that which is to come upon the earth. And in those Mk. 13,24a 
 
 days, straightway after the distress of those days, the sun shall become 'dark, and the Mt. 24, 29. 
 moon shall not shew its light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers 
 
 22 of heaven shall be convulsed: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in Mt. 24, 30. 
 heaven : and at that time all the tribes of the earth shall wail, and look unto the Son 
 
 23 of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory. And he shall Mt. 24, 31. 
 send his angels with the great trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four 
 
 24 winds, from one end of heaven to the other.' But when these things begin to be, Lk. 21,28. 
 be of good cheer, and lift up your heads ; for your salvation ^ is come near. 
 
 25 Learn the example of the fig tree : when it letteth down its branches," and put- Mt. 24, 32. 
 
 26 teth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is come; so ye also, when ye see Mt.24, 33. 
 these things begun to be, know ye that the kingdom of God hath arrived at the 
 
 27 door. Verily I say unto you. This generation shall not pass away, until all these Mt. 24, 34. 
 
 28 things shall be. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my sayings shall not pass Mt. 24,35. 
 away. 
 
 29 Take heed to yourselves, that your hearts become not heavy with inordinate Lk. 21,34. 
 desire,"* and drunkenness, and the care of the world at any time, and that day come 
 
 1 So the Arabic text; but it doubtless simply represents the Syriac, which here agrees with the Greek. 
 
 2 So Vat. MS., following the Peshitta. Ciasca follows Borg. MS., which by a change of diacritical points has the hardly 
 
 grammatical reading, see that it is the desolation, the UTicUan thing spoken of. Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary supports 
 Vat. MS. 3 This word has a Syriac meaning given to it. In Arabic it means war. 
 
 4 c/C § 16, 2. B Same Arabic {and Syriac) word as in § 41, 50. 
 
 e So the Borg. MS. The Vat. MS., followed by Ciasca, has grief. 
 
 7 Lit. tJie end of heaven unto its end. 8 Or, deliverance. 
 
 6 cf Peshitta, which text the translator seems to have misread. 10 c/I Peshitta. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 109 
 
 §42 30 upon you suddenly : for it is as a shock that shocks all the inhabitants that are on the Li. 21,35. 
 
 31 face of the whole earth. Watchatalltimes,andpray, that ye may be worthy to escape Lk. 21,36. 
 
 Arabic., from all the things that are to be, and that ye may stand before the Son of 
 
 32 P- 1 1 man. Of that day and of that hour hath no man learned, not even the angels Mk. 13, 32. 
 
 33 of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. See ye, and watch and pray : for ye know Mk. 13, 33. 
 
 34 not when that time will be. It is as a man, who journeyed, and left his house, and Mk. 13, :4. 
 gave his authority to his servants, and appointed every man to his work, and 
 
 35 charged the porter to be wakeful. Be wakeful then;! since ye know not when the Mk. 13, 35. 
 lord of the house cometh, in the evening, or in the middle of the night, or when the 
 
 36 cock croweth, or in the morning ; lest he come unexpectedly, and find you sleeping. Mk. 13, 36. 
 
 37 The thing that I say unto you, unto all of you do I say it. Be ye watchful. Mk. 13, 37. 
 
 38 For as it was in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Mt. 24, 37. 
 
 39 As they were before the flood eating and drinking, and taking wives, and giving Mt. 24, 38. 
 
 40 wives to men, until the day in which Noah entered into the ark, and they perceived Mt. 24, ^g. 
 not till the flood came, and took them all ; so shall the coming of the Son of man 
 
 41 be. And as it was in the days of Lot; they were eating and drinking, and selling Lk. 17,2s. 
 
 42 and buying, and planting and building, on the day in which Lot went out from Lk. 17, 29. 
 Sodom, and the Lord rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them 
 
 43, 44 all : so shall it be in the day in which the Son of man is revealed.^ And in that day, Lk! I'j 3?! 
 whosoever is on the roof, and his garments ^ in the house, let him not go down to 
 
 45 take them: and he that is in the field shall not turn behind him. Remember Lot's Lk. 17,32. 
 
 46 wife. Whosoever shall desire to save his life shall destroy it: but whosoever shall Lk. 17, 33. 
 
 47 destroy his life .shall save it. Verily I say unto you, In that night there shall be two on Lk. 17,34. 
 
 48 Arabic, onebed; one shaUbetaken, and another left. And two aw«^« shall be grind- Lk.i7,3s. 
 
 49 P- 162 ing at one mill ; one shall be taken, and another left. And two shall be in the Lk. 17,36. 
 
 50 field ; one shall be taken, and another left. They answered and said unto him. To what Lk. 17,37. 
 place, our Lord? He said unto them, Where the body is, there will the eagles 
 
 51, 52 gather. Be attentive now : for ye know not at what hour your Lord cometh. Know ^J; ^J; J^; 
 this : if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he 
 would have been attentive, and would not make it possible that his house should be 
 53 broken through. Therefore be ye also ready : for in the hour that ye think not the Mt. 24, 44- 
 Son of man cometh. 
 
 SECTION XLIII. 
 
 §43 I Simon Cephas said unto him. Our Lord, is it to us that thou hast spoken this Lk. 12,41. 
 
 2 parable, or also to every man? Jesus said unto him, Who, thinkest thou, is the '^[^I'^^l'l-'^ 
 servant, the master of the house,^ trusted with control,'' whom his lord set over his 
 
 3 household, to give them their food in its season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Mt. 24, 46. 
 
 4 lord shall come and find having done so. Verily I say unto you, He will set him \Cll^X 
 
 5 over all that he hath. But if that evil servant say in his heart. My lord delayeth his Mt- 24, 48^ 
 
 6 coming; and shall begin to beat his servants and the maidservants of his lord, and Mt'. 24! V- 
 
 7 shall begin to eat and to drink with the drunken ; the lord of that servant shall come Mt. 24, 50. 
 
 8 in the day that he thinketh not, and in the hour that he knoweth not, and shall Mt. 24, 51a. 
 
 Arabic, judge him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites, and with those that Lk. 12, 46*. 
 
 P- 163 are not faithful: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. _ Mt. 24,51*. 
 
 9 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like unto ten virgins, those that took their Mt. 25, i. 
 10 lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom and the bride. Five of them were Mt. 25, 2. 
 n wise, and five foolish. And those foolish ones took their lamps, and took not with Mt. 25, 3. 
 
 1 2, 13 them oil : but those wise ones took oil in vessels along with their lamps. When then j^J; ^=; J; 
 
 14 the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But in the middle of the Mt. 25, 6. 
 
 night there occurred a cry. Behold, the bridegroom cometh! Go forth therefore to ^^ ^ 
 
 15, 16 meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and made ready their lamps. The foolish Mt.' 25! \. 
 
 17 said unto the wise, Give us of your oil ; for our lamps are gone out. But those wise Mt. 25, 9- 
 
 answered and said. Perhaps ' there will not be enough for us and you : but go ye to 
 
 l«:S9,2i. ^ Or, affeareik. 3 ^^ 5 14, 24, rote. 4 Borg. MS. omitsLk. 12, 4^- ^.-^ H'J\' '^'S""'^A 
 « Bore MS. has trusted and faithful. Doubtless we should supply diacnucal points to the reading of Vat. Mb., ana 
 
 at-a%\axc trusted and ivise. Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, however, has both and wise and the word translatea 
 
 with control, used in a diflerent sense. 7 See \ 10, 17, and § 4, 24, note. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 j43 1 8 the sellers, and buy for yourselves. And when they went away to buy, the bride- Mt. 25, n,. 
 groom came ; and those that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast : and 
 
 19 the door was shut. And at last those other virgins also came and said. Our Lord, Mt. 25, n. 
 
 20 our Lord, open unto us. He answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, Mt. 25, 12. 
 
 21 I know you not. Watch then, for ye know not that day nor that hour. Mt. 25, 13. 
 
 22 // is as a man, who went on a journey, and called his servants, and delivered unto Mt. 25, 14, 
 
 23 them his possessions. And unto one he gave five talents,i and another two, and another Mt. 25, 15. 
 
 24 one ; every one according to his strength ; and went on his journey forthwith. He Mt. 25, 16. 
 
 Arabic, then that received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained 
 25, 26 P- 164 other five. And so also he of the two gained other two. But he that re- Mills' ]i 
 
 27 ceived the one went and digged in the earth, and hid the money of his lord. And Mt. 25, 19. 
 after a long time the lord of those servants came, and took from them the account. 
 
 28 And he that received five talents came near and brought other five, and said. My Mt. 25, 20. 
 lord, thou gavest me five talents : lo, I have gained other five in addition to them. 
 
 29 His lord said unto him. Well done, thou good and faithful servant : over a little hast Mt. 25, 21. 
 
 30 thou been faithful, over much will I set thee : enter into the joy of thy lord. And Mt. 2s, 22. 
 he that had the two came near and said. My lord, thou gavest me two talents : lo, 
 
 31 other two have I gained in addition to them. His lord said unto him, Good,^ thou Mt. 25, 23. 
 faithful servant : over a little hast thou been faithful, over much will I set thee : enter 
 
 32 into the joy of thy lord. And he also that received the one talent came forward Mt. 25, 24. 
 and said, My lord, I knew thee that thou art a severe man, who reapest where thou 
 
 33 sowest not, and gatherest where thou didst not scatter: and so I was afraid, and Mt. 25, 25. 
 
 34 went away and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, thou hast what is thine. His lord ml 25, 26. 
 answered and said unto him. Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest me 
 
 35 that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter ; it was incumbent Mt 25, 27. 
 on thee to put my money to the bank,^ and then I should come and seek it with its 
 
 36 gains. Take now from him the talent, and give it to him that hath ten talents. Mt. 25, 28. 
 
 37 Whosoever hath shall be given, and he shall have more : but he that hath not, even Mt 25, 29. 
 
 38 Arabic, what he hath shall be taken from him. And the unprofitable servant, put Mt 2s. 3°. 
 P- '"5 him forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and gnash- 
 ing of teeth. 
 
 39,40 Your loins shall be girded, and your lamps lit; and ye shall be like the people Lk^Jj'^sl 
 
 that are looking for their lord, when he shall return from the feast ; so that, when 
 
 41 he cometh and knocketh, they may at once open unto him. Blessed are those ser- Lk. 12, 37. 
 vants, whom their lord shall come and find attentive: verily I say unto you, that 
 
 he will gird his waist, and make them sit down, and pass through * them and serve 
 
 42 them. And if he come in the second watch, or the third, and find thus, blessed are Lk. 12,3s. 
 those servants. 
 
 43 But when the Son of man cometh in his glory, and all his pure angels with him, Mt 25, 31. 
 
 44 then shall he sit on the throne of his glory : and he will gather before him all the Mt 25, 32. 
 nations, and separate them the one from the other, like the shepherd who separateth 
 
 45 the sheep from the goats; and will set^ the sheep on his right, and the goats on his Mt25, 33. 
 
 46 left. Then shall the King say to those that are at his right. Come, ye blessed of my Mt 25, 34. 
 Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations ^ of the world : 
 
 47 I hungered, and ye gave me to eat ; and I thirsted, and ye gave me to drink ; and I Mt 25, 35. 
 
 48 was a stranger, and ye took me in; and I was naked, and ye clothed me; and I Mt2s, 36. 
 
 49 was sick, and ye visited me ; and I was in prison, and ye cared for me. Then shall Mt 25, 37- 
 those righteous say unto him. Our Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? 
 
 50 or thirsty, and gave thee to drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took Mtas. 38. 
 
 5 1 thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? And when saw we thee sick, or imprisoned, and Mt 25, 39, 
 
 52 cared for thee? The King shall answerand say ''unto them, Verily I sayuntoyou, What Mt2s, 40. 
 
 53 Arabic, ye did to one of these my brethren, the little ones, ye did unto me. Then Mt25, 41. 
 p. 1 66 sjja,!! he say unto those that are on his left also. Depart from me, ye cursed, 
 
 54 into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his hosts : I hungered, and ye fed me Mt 25, 4=- 
 
 55 not ; and I thirsted, and ye did not give me to drink ; and I was a stranger, and ye Mt 25,43- 
 
 1 5/: § 27, 2, note. 2 A Persian word. The Vat. MS. omits it 3 Lit tabic (cf. Peshitta). 
 
 4 cf. Peshitta (and Greek). 5 Or, andscttcth; but the Peshitta confirms the rendering given above. 
 
 8 5/: § 17, 17, note. '' Perfect tenses, as in Peshitta. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §43 took me not in ; and I was naked, and ye clothed me not ; and I was sick, and im- 
 
 56 prisoned, and ye visited me not. Then shall those also answer and say, Our Lord, Mt. ^5,44. 
 when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or naked, or a stranger, or sick, or im- 
 
 57 prisoned, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer and say unto them, Mt. =5, 45. 
 Verily I say unto you. When ye did it not unto one of these little ones, ye did it not 
 
 58 unto me also. And these shall go away into eternal punishment : but the righteous Mt. 25, 46. 
 into eternal life. 
 
 SECTION XLIV. 
 
 §44 1,2 And when Jesus 1 finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know *J|; ^^' ^• 
 that after two days will be the passover, and the Son of man is delivered up to be 
 
 3 crucified. Then gathered together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders Mt. 26, 3. 
 
 4 of the people, unto the court of the chief priest, who was called Caiaphas ; and they Mt. 26, 4. 
 took counsel together concerning Jesus, that they might seize him by subtilty, and 
 
 5 kill him. But they said. Not during the feast, lest there take place a disturbance Mt. 26, 5. 
 among the people ; for they feared the people. Lk. 22, ^b. 
 
 6 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, who was of the number Lk. 22, 3. 
 
 7 of the twelve. And he went away, and communed with the chief priests, and the Lk. 22, i,a. 
 scribes, and those that held command in the temple, and said unto them. What Mt. 26, 15a. 
 
 8 Arabic, would ye pay me, and I will deliver him unto you ? And they, when they Mk. 14, n* 
 P- *"7 heard it, were pleased, and made ready ^ for him XhixX.-^ pieces of money.^ Mt. 26, 154. 
 
 9 And he promised * them, and from that time he sought an opportunity ^ that he might Lk. 22, 6. 
 deliver unto them Jesus without the multitude. 
 
 10 And on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, and said Mk. 14, 12. 
 unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and make ready for thee that thou mayest 
 
 eat the passover? 
 
 11 And before the feast of the passover, Jesus knew that the hour was arrived for Jo. 13, i. 
 his departure from this world unto his Father; and he loved his own in this world, 
 
 12 and to the last he loved them. And at the time of the feast, Satan put into the Jo. 13, 2. 
 
 13 heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to deliver him up. And Jesus, because Jo. 13, 3. 
 he knew that the Father had delivered into his hands everything, and that he came 
 
 14 forth from the Father, and goeth unto God, rose from supper, and laid aside his Jo. 13, 4. 
 
 15 garments; and took a towel, and girded his v/aist, and poured water into a bason, Jo. 13, 5. 
 and began to wash the feet of his disciples, and to wipe them with the towel where- 
 
 16 with his waist was girded. And when he came to Simon Cephas, Simon said unto Jo. 13, 6. 
 
 17 him, Dost thou, my Lord, wash for me my feet? Jesus answered and said unto Jo. 13, 7. 
 
 18 him. What I do, now thou knowest not; but afterwards thou shalt learn. Simon Jo. 13, 8. 
 said unto him, Thou shalt never wash for me my feet. Jesus said unto him, If I 
 
 19 wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Cephas said unto him. Then, my Jo. 13,9. 
 
 20 Lord, wash not for me my feet alone, but my hands also and my head. Jesus said Jo. 13, 10. 
 unto him. He that batheth ^ needeth not to wash save his feet, whereas his whole 
 
 21 body is clean : and ye also are clean, but not all of you. For Jesus knew him that Jo. 13, n. 
 should betray him ; therefore said he. Ye are not all clean. 
 
 22 Arabic. Sowhenhehad washed their feet, he took his garments, and sat down, and Jo. 13, la. 
 22 P- 1 68 ga{(j unto them, Know ye what I have done unto you? Ye call me. Master, jo. 13, 13. 
 
 24 and. Lord : and ye say well ; so I am. If then I, now, who am your Lord and Master, jo. 13, 14. 
 have washed for you your feet, how needful is it that ye should wash one another's feet! 
 
 25 This have I given you as an example, that as I have done to you so ye should do Jo. 13, 15. 
 
 26 also. Verily, verily, I say unto you. No servant is greater than his lord ; nor an Jo. 13, 16. 
 
 27 apostle greater than he that sent him. If ye know that, ye are happy if ye do it. Jo. 13, 17. 
 
 28 My saying this'' is not for all of you: for I know whom I have chosen: but that Jo. 13, 18. 
 the scripture might be fulfilled. He that eateth with me bread lifted against me his 
 
 1 Borg. MS., the Lord Jesus, 
 
 2 Probably the letter that stands for a«^ should be repeated, and the phrase rendered and appointed, 
 
 3 So Vat. MS. (following Peshitta) and Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary. Borg. MS., followed by Ciasca, has dirhamsqf 
 
 money. 4 Lit. became responsible unto. Syriac versions as in text above (c/ § 44, 33). 
 
 5 The Arabic (lit a stumblings or a cause 0/ stumbling) doubtless represents the Syriac. 
 
 6 Tlie Arabic word means sivimmeih. The Syriac versions have is bathed, which Borg. MS. misreads bathed, and Vat 
 
 MS. (followed by Ciasca) corrupts into batheth, rendering it swimmeih. ^ Or, This my saying. 
 
112 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §44 29 heel. Henceforth I say unto you before it come to pass, that, when it cometh to Jo. 13, jg. 
 
 30 pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whosoever Jo. 13, 20. 
 receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me ; and whosoever receiveth me receiveth 
 
 him that sent me. 
 
 31 Who is the great one, he that sitteth, or he that serveth? is it not he that sitteth? Lk. 22, 27. 
 
 32 I am among you as he that serveth. But ye are they that have continued with me Lk. 22, 28. 
 
 33 in my temptations ; I promise ^ you, as my Father promised 1 me, the kingdom, that lJ^; °^' j'.' 
 ye may eat and drink at the table of my kingdom. 
 
 34 And the first day 2 came, the feast of unleavened bread, on which the Jews were Lk. 22, 7. 
 
 35 wont^ to sacrifice* the passover. And Jesus sent two of his disciples, Cephas and Lk. 22, 8. 
 John, and said unto them, Go and make ready for us the passover, that we may eat. ^^ 
 
 36, 37 And they said unto him. Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee? He said Lk!l2'Joa. 
 unto them, Go, enter the city ; and at the time of your entering, there shall meet you LL'^^'ioi*' 
 a man bearing a pitcher of water ; follow him, and the place where he entereth, say Lk. 22, ii«. 
 
 38 to such an one, the master of the house, Our Master saith, My time is come, and Mt. 26, iSiS. 
 
 Arabic, at thy house I keep the passover. Where then is the lodging-place where Lk. 22, iw. 
 
 39 ?• 169 J gjja^n g^[ ^\^\^ jjjy disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room Lk. 22, 12. 
 
 40 spread and made ready : there then make ready for us. And his two disciples went Mk.' ij,' 16.' 
 out, and came to the city, and found as he had said unto them : and they made 
 
 ready the passover as he had said unto them. 
 
 41 And when the evening was come, and the time arrived, Jesus came and recHned, 
 
 42 and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have 
 
 43 desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: I say unto you, that hence- 
 forth I shall not eat it, until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 
 
 44 Jesus said that, and was agitated ^ in his spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, 
 
 45 verily, I say unto you, One of you, he that eateth with me, shall betray me. And 
 they were very sorrowful ; and they began to say unto him, one after another of 
 
 46 them, Can it be 1, Lord? He answered and said unto them, One of the twelve, 
 
 47 he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, will betray me. And lo, the hand of 
 4S him that betrayeth me is on the table. And the Son of man goeth, as it is written 
 
 of him : woe then to that man by whose hand the Son of man is betrayed ! for it 
 
 49 would have been better for that man had he not been born. And the disciples 
 
 50 looked one on another, for they knew not to whom he referred; and they began 
 to search among themselves, who that might be who was to do this. 
 
 SECTION XLV. 
 
 § 45 1,2 Arabic. And one of his disciples was sitting " in his bosom, he whom Jesus loved. Jo. 13, 23. 
 
 P- '7° To him Simon Cephas beckoned, that he should ask him who this was, con- Jo. 13, 24. 
 
 3 ceming whom he spake. And that disciple leaned^ on Jesus' breast, and said unto him, Jo. 13, 25. 
 
 4 My Lord, who is this? Jesus answered and said. He to whom I shall dip bread, Jo. 13,26. 
 and give it. And Jesus dipped bread, and gave to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 
 
 5 And after the bread, Satan entered him. And Jesus said unto him, What thou Jo. 13, 27. 
 
 6 desirest to do, hasten the doing of it. And no man of them that sat knew why he Jo. 13, 28. 
 
 7 said this unto him. And some of them thought, because Judas had the box, that jo. 13, 29. 
 he was bidding him buy what would be needed for the feast ; or, that he might pay 
 
 8 something to the poor. Judas the betrayer answered and said. Can it be I, my 
 
 9 Master? Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said. And Judas took the bread straight- 
 way, and went forth without : and it was still night. 
 
 10 And Jesus said. Now is the Son of man being glorified,^ and God is being glorified ^ 
 
 11 in him ; and if God is glorified in him, God also will glorify him in him, and straight- 
 way will glorify him. 
 
 12 And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and divided; and he ^^It^lu. 
 
 1 cyC § 44, 9, note. 2 Vat. MS. has the word day on the margin, added by a late hand. 
 
 3 The misprint in the Arabic text has been overlooked in the list of Corrigenda. 4 Or, kill. 
 
 5 The Syriac word is retained. In Arabic it properly means become strong or proud {cf, § 38, 17). 
 
 6 The Syriac versions have reclining. 7 LiLy^//. 
 
 S A simple change of diacritical points would give the reading of the Greek and of the Syriac versions. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 22, 
 
 14. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 22, 
 
 15- 
 
 Lk. 
 
 22, 
 
 16. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 Mk, 
 Mk 
 
 13. 
 • 14 
 ■ 14 
 
 2I«. 
 
 , 19. 
 
 Mk. 
 
 ■ "4 
 
 , 20. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 22, 
 
 21. 
 
 Mk, 
 
 14 
 
 1 2^- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 13. 
 
 22. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 22, 
 
 23. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 ,26, 
 
 , 2S- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 13. 
 
 30. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 13. 
 
 31- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 i3i 
 
 32- 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 Mt. 
 Mk 
 
 ■zi, %^/,. 
 
 ■ 11, ^-i''- 
 . 14, 24,1. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 a6, 28. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 =6, =g. 
 
 Lk. 
 Lk. 
 
 22, I9<^. 
 22, 31. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 22, 32. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 13. 
 
 35- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 13. 
 
 36. 
 
 Ml 26, 
 
 31- 
 
 Mt. 
 
 26, 
 
 i 32. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 26, 
 
 • 33- 
 
 Lk. 
 
 22, 
 
 .33*- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 13. 
 
 37*. 
 
 §45 13 gave to his disciples, and said unto them, Take and eat; this is my body. And he 
 
 Arabic, took a cup, and gave thanks, and blessed, and gave them, and said. Take 
 
 14)15 P- ^71 and drink of it, all of you. And they drank of it, all of them. And he 
 
 said unto them. This is my blood, the new covenant, that is shed for many for the 
 
 16 forgiveness of sins. I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth of this, the juice 
 of the vine, until the day in which I drink i with you new wine in the kingdom of 
 
 17 God. And thus do ye in remembrance of me. And Jesus said unto Simon, Simon, 
 
 18 behold, Satan asketh that he may sift you like wheat: but I entreat ^ for thee, that 
 thou lose not thy faith •.'^ and do thou, at some time, turn * and strengthen thy brethren. 
 
 19 My children, another little while am I with you. And ye .shall seek me: and as Jo. 13, 33 
 
 20 I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come ; I say unto you now also. A Jo. ij, 34, 
 new commandment I give you, that ye may love one another ; and as I have loved 
 
 21 you, so shall ye also love one another. By this shall every man know that ye are 
 
 22 my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Simon Cephas said unto him. Our 
 Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered and said unto him, Whither I go, thou 
 canst not now follow me ; but later thou shalt come. 
 
 23 Then said Jesus unto them. Ye all shall desert ^ me this night:* it is written, I 
 
 24 will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered. But after my 
 
 25 rising, I shall go before you into Galilee. Simon Cephas answered and said unto 
 
 26 him. My Lord, if every man desert thee, I shall at no time desert thee. I am with 
 thee ready for imprisonment and for death. And my life will I give up for thee. 
 
 27 Arabic, Jesus said unto him, Wilt thou give up thy life for me? Verily, verily, ^u\!^\'^^"^_ 
 V- ^1^ I say unto thee. Thou shalt to-day, during this night, before the cock crow 
 
 28 twice, three times deny me, that thou knowest me not. But Cephas said the more,'' ^^"l'.'^^' 
 Even if it lead to * death with thee, I shall not deny thee, my Lord. And in like 
 manner said all the disciples also. 
 
 29 Then Jesus said unto them, Let not your hearts be troubled:^ believe in God, Jo. 14,1- 
 
 30 and believe in me. The stations i" in my Father's house are many, else I should Jo. 14, =• 
 
 31 have told ^^ you. I ^^ go to prepare for you a place. And if I go to prepare for you Jo. 14, 3. 
 a place, I shall return again, and take you unto me ; and so where I am, there ye 
 
 32, 33 shall be also. And the place that I go ye know,^^ and the way ye know.^^ Thomas jo! JJ; 5, 
 said unto him, Our Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how is the way for 
 
 34 us to the knowledge of that?'* Jesus said unto him, I am the way, and the truth, Jo. 14, 6. 
 
 35 and the hfe : and no man cometla unto my Father, but through me. And if ye had Jo. 14, 7. 
 known me, ye should have known my Father : and from henceforth ye know 1^ him, 
 
 36 and have seen him. Philip '* said mito him, Our Lord, shew us the Father, and it suf- Jo. 14, 8. 
 
 37 ficeth us. Jesus said unto him. Have I been all this time with you, and dost thou not Jo. 14, 9. 
 know" me, Phihp?i* whosoever hath seen me hath seen the Father ; how then sayest 
 
 38 thou, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in my Father, and my Father Jo. 14, ro. 
 in me? and the saying that I say, I say not of myself: but my Father who dwelleth in 
 
 39 me, he doeth these deeds. Believe that I am in my Father, and my Father in me : Jo. 14, n. 
 
 40 Arabic, or else believe for the sake of the deeds. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Jo. 14, 12. 
 P- 173 Whosoever believeth in me, the deeds that I do shall he do also; and 
 
 41 more than that shall he do ; I go unto the Father. And what ye shall ask in my Jo. 14, 13, 
 
 42 name, I shall do unto you, that the Father may be glorified in his Son. And if ye Jo. 14, 14- 
 43, 44 ask me ^^ in my name, I will do //. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And j°; JJ; ',|; 
 
 I will entreat of my Father, and he will send unto you another Paraclete, that he 
 45 may be with you for ever, eve7i the Spirit of truth : whom the world cannot receive ; Jo. 14, 17. 
 for it hath not seen him, nor known him : but ye know him ; for he hath dwelt 1* 
 
 1 Peshltta adds it. The reading of the Sinaitic is doubtful. 2 Past tense in Syriac versions. 
 
 » We may translate, with the Syriac versions, that thyjaitk/nil not, only if we assign a somewhat Synac meaning to the 
 verb, and assume either an error in diacritical points (/ for y) or an unusual (Syriac) gender lax faith. 
 
 4 cf. Syriac versions. 5 The Arabic word is not unlike the word for stumble, and Borg. MS. omits me. 
 
 « Vat. MS. omits this night. 7 Or, -went on saying. S Lit. end in. Or, if I come to (the fomt of). 
 
 9 The diacritical points in both Vat. (followed by Ciasca) and Borg. MSS. appear to demand a rendering inquire for be 
 troubled. In Ibn-al-Tayyib's comments (not the iejet), however (with other points), we have the meaning wall 
 (mot nhb). Every Syriac version uses a different word. 10 Or, ranis. 11 Or, s/iaula teil. 
 
 12 Probably the Arabic represents a Syriac For I. 13 Different words. 
 
 14 cf. Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary (f. 352a) and order of words in Peshitta (not Sm.). 1° Lit. have known. 
 
 15 Different forms, as in Peshitta. IT More exactly, hast thou not come to know. 
 
 18 The Borg. MS. has me clearly {cf. Peshitta). The Vat. MS. is ambiguous. 
 
 19 Probably a misreading of the Peshitta (not Sin. or Cur.), since the next clause also agrees with it. 
 
114 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 45 46 with you, and is in you. I will not leave you orphans : I will come unto you. Jo. 14, 18. 
 
 47 Another little while, and the world seeth me not ; but ye see me that I live, and ye Jo. 14, 19. 
 
 48 shall live also. And in that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in Jo. 14, 20. 
 me, and I in you. 
 
 SECTION XLVI. 
 
 §46 I Whosoever hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me : Jo. 14, 21. 
 
 and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will 
 
 2 shew myself unto him. Judas (not Iscariot) said unto him. My Lord, what is the Jo. 14, 22. 
 
 3 purpose of thy intention to shew thyself to us, and not to the world? Jesus Jo. 14, 23. 
 answered and said unto him. Whosoever loveth me will keep my word : and my 
 Father will love him, and to him will we come, and make our^ abode with him. 
 
 4 But he that loveth me not keepeth not my word : and this word that ye hear is not Jo. 14, 24. 
 my word, but the Father's which sent me. 
 
 5, 6 This have I spoken unto you, while I was yet with you. But the Paraclete, the j°' '■*' ;|- 
 
 Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything, and 
 
 7 Arabic, hewillbring to your remembrance all that I say unto you. Peace I leave you; jo. 14, =7. 
 P- ^ 74 my peace I give unto you : and not as this world giveth, give I unto you. 
 
 8 Let your heart not be troubled,- nor fearful. Ye heard that I said unto you, that I go Jo. 14, 28. 
 away, and come unto you. If ^ ye loved me, )'e would rejoice, that I go away to my 
 
 9 Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I say unto you before it come Jo. 14, 29. 
 
 10 to pass, that, when it cometh to pass, ye may believe me. Now I will not speak Jo. 14,30. 
 with you much : the Archon of the world will come, and he will have nothing in 
 
 1 1 me : but that the world may know that I love my Father, and as my Father charged Jo. 14, 31a, 
 me, so I do. 
 
 12 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purses, or wallets, and shoes,* Lk. 22, 35. 
 
 13 lacked ye perchance anything? They said unto him. Nothing. He said unto Lk. 22, 36. 
 them. Henceforth, whosoever hath a purse, let him take it, and hkewise the wallet 
 
 also : and whosoever hath not a sword, shall sell his garment, and buy for himself a 
 
 14 sword. I say unto you, that this scripture also must be fulfilled in me, that I Lk. 22, 37. 
 should be reckoned ^ with the transgressors: for all that is said of me is fulfilled in 
 
 15 me. His disciples said unto him. Our Lord, lo, here are two swords. He said Lk. 22, 38. 
 
 16 unto them, They are sufficient. Arise, let us go hence. And they arose, and ^^'^t'^"*' 
 praised, and went forth, and went, according to their custom, to the mount of Olives, 
 
 he and his disciples. 
 
 17 And he said unto them, I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Jo. 15, i. 
 
 18 Everybranch that produceth not fruitinme, he takethit : and that which giveth fruit, Jo. 15, 2. 
 
 19 he cleanseth it, that it may give much fruit. Ye are already clean because of the word .10.15,3- 
 
 20 that I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. And as the branch of the Jo. 15, 4. 
 
 Arabic, vine cannot produce fruit of itself, if it be not abiding in the vine ; so too ye 
 
 21 P- 175 also, if ye abide not in me. I am the vine, and ye are the branches: He Jo. 15,5. 
 then that abideth in me, and I in him, he giveth much fruit : for without me ye can- 
 
 2 2 not do anything. And if a man abide not in me, he is cast without, hke a withered Jo. 15, 6. 
 
 23 branch; and it is gathered, and cast** into the fire, that it may be burned. If ye Jo. 15, 7. 
 abide in me, and my word abide in you, everything that ye desire to ask shall be 
 
 24 done unto you. And herein is the Father glorified, that ye may give much fruit ; Jo. 15, 8. 
 
 25 and ye shall be my disciples. And as my Father loved me, I loved you also: Jo. is, 9. 
 
 26 abide in my love. If ye keep my commands, ye shall abide in my love ; as I have jo. 15, 10. 
 
 27 kept my Father's commands, and abode in his love. I have spoken that unto you, jo. 15, n. 
 
 28 that my joy ' may be in you, and your joy ^ be fulfilled. This is my commandment, jo. 15, 12. 
 
 29 that ye love one another, as I loved you. And no love is greater than this, namely, jo, 15, 13. 
 
 30 that a man should give his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do all that jo. 15, 14. 
 
 31 I command you. I call you not now servants ; for the servant knoweth not what Jo. 15, 15- 
 
 1 Lit. tlie (cf. Syriac versions). 2 This word is quite unlike that used in § 45, 29. 
 
 3 The Syriac form of the introductory particle is wrongly used, for in Arabic it has interrogative force. 
 
 4 The first letter of the Arabic word has lost its diacritical point. 
 
 5 A possible rendering of the Syriac he was reckoned. 
 
 6 The verbs may be active or passive, but are singular (cf. § 38, 43, note). 7 Two words from the same root 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 115 
 
 §46 his lord doeth : my friends have I now called you ; for everything that I heard from 
 
 32 my Father I have made known unto you. Ye did not choose ^ me, but I chose ^ you, Jo. 15, iS. 
 and appointed you, that ye also should go and bear fruit, and tliat your fruit should ^ 
 
 33 abide ; and that all that ye shall ask my Father in my name, he may ^ give you. This Jo. 
 
 34 I command ^ you, that ye love one another. And if the world hate you, know that Jo. 
 
 35 before you it hated me. If then ye were of the world, the world would love its own : jo. 
 but ye are not of the world : I chose you out of the world : therefore the world 
 
 36 Arabic, hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, that no servant is jo. 
 P- 17° greater than his lord. And if they persecuted* me, you also will they 
 
 37 persecute ;* and if they kept my word, your word also will they keep. But all these Jo. 
 things will they do unto you for my name's sake, for they have not known ^ him 
 
 38 that sent me. And if I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin : Jo. 
 
 39 but now they have no excuse for their sins. Whosoever hateth me, also hateth my jo. 
 
 40 Father. And if I had not done the deeds before them that no other man did, they jo. 
 would not have had sin : but now they have seen and hated me and my Father 
 
 41 also : that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated me for jo. 
 
 42 nothing. But when the Paraclete is come, whom I will send unto you from my Father, jo. 
 even the Spirit of truth, which goeth forth from my Father, he shall bear witness of 
 
 43 me : and ye also bear witness, because from the beginning ye have been with me. jo. 
 44, 45 I have said that unto you, that ye may not stumble.^ And they shall put you j°; 
 
 out of their synagogues: and there cometh an^ hour when every one that killeth 
 
 46 you shall think that he hath offered unto God an offering. And they will do that, jo. 
 
 47 because they do not know me, nor my Father. I have said that unto you, so that jo. 
 
 48 when its time is come, ye may remember it, that I told you. And this hitherto I said jo. 
 not unto you, because I was with you. But ^ now I go unto him that sent me ; and no 
 
 49 man of you asketh me whither I go. I have said that unto you now, and grief hath jo. 
 
 50 come and taken possession of your hearts. But I say the truth unto you ; It is better^ jo. 
 for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the Paraclete will not come unto you ; 
 
 51 Arabic but if I go away, I will send him unto you. And when he cometh, he jo. 
 P- 177 will reprove the world for sin, and for righteousness, and for judgement: 
 
 5^1 53 for sin, because they have not believed in me; and for righteousness, because I go j°; 
 
 54 to my Father ; and for judgement, because i" the Archon of this world hath been jo. 
 
 55 judged. And further have I many things to speak unto you, but ye cannot tarry " Jo. 
 
 56 now. Howbeit 12 when the Spirit of truth is come, he will remind i^ you of all the Jo. 
 truth: he will say nothing from himself; but everything that he heareth, that shall 
 
 57 he say : and he shall make known unto you the things that are to be. And he shall Jo. 
 
 58 glorify me ; for from me shall he take and shew you. All that my Father hath is Jo. 
 mine : therefore said I unto you, that he taketh 1* of mine, and shall shew 1* you. 
 
 5, =7- 
 
 6, I. 
 6, 2. 
 
 6,3. 
 6,4. 
 6,5-8 
 
 6, 6. 
 6,7. 
 
 6,9. 
 6, 10. 
 6, II. 
 6, iz. 
 
 6,13. 
 
 6, 14. 
 
 e, 15- 
 
 SECTION XLVII. 
 
 ^47 1 A little while, and ye shall not behold me ; and a little while again, and ye shall Jo. is, 16. 
 
 2 behold me ; because I go to the Father. His disciples therefore said one to Jo. 16, 17. 
 another, What is this that he hath said unto us, A little while, and ye shall not 
 behold me ; and a little while again, and ye shall behold me : and, I go to my 
 
 3 Father? And they said, What is this little while that he hath said? We know not Jo. 16, 18. 
 
 4 what he speaketh. And Jesus perceived that they were seeking to ask him, and Jo. 16, 19. 
 said unto them. Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said unto 
 
 you, A httle while, and ye behold me not, and a Httle while again, and ye shall 
 
 5 behold me ? Verily, verily,^" I say unto you, that ye shall weep and grieve, but the Jo. 16, lo. 
 world shall rejoice : and ye shall be sorrowful, but your grief shall turn i« to joy. 
 
 I Different words. 2 Or, shall and will, respectively. 3 Or, have commanded. ^ cf.^i, 34, note. 
 5 The Arabic text (Vat.) is grammatically inaccurate, and the Borg. MS. has know not. 
 
 6\j.t. sway (as one does in dozing). 7 Or, M<r, as in Borg. MS. ,^,,t,i.- v 
 
 8 In the Greek and English verse 5 begins at But. 9 Or best. 10 Lit thatjcf. Peshilta). 
 
 II Or perhaps receive (them). Possibly a Synac rf has been read r. But Ibn-at-Tayyib in the text of his Lommentary 
 
 (f 357a) has a word which perhaps might be rendered accommodate yourselves (to them) (same letters, but last two 
 transposed), while his comment (f. 357*) gives j;^^«Wfc/"-;V. . }'^ '^l' ^"i -^i-i-jc , « ,ln,.=t 
 
 13 The Syriac words for remind3.-aA Uad differ only in the length of a single stroke. Ibn-at-Tayyib K'l'id.i 357«) almost 
 seems to have read illumine you with, although he calls attention to the " Greek" reading. 1* Same tense. 
 
 IB Not quite the usual formula, there being here no article. 
 
 16 The Arabic might also be rendered be turned, but the Synac is mtransiUve. 
 
ii6 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 47 6 For, a woman when the time is come for her that she should bring forth, the arrival jo. i6, 2:, 
 of the day of her bringing forth distresseth her : but whenever she hath brought 
 forth a son, she remembereth not her distress, for joy at the birth of a man into the 
 
 7 world. And ye now also grieve : but I shall see you, and your hearts shall rejoice, Jo. 16, 22. 
 
 8 Arabic, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me Jo. 16, 23. 
 P- 178 nothing. And verily, verily,^ I say unto you, All that ye ask my Father 
 
 9 in my name, he will give you. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name : ask, Jo. 16, 24. 
 and ye shall receive, that your joy may be complete. 
 
 10 I have spoken unto you now in aenigmas:^ but there will come an hour when^ Jo. 16,25. 
 I shall not speak to you in eenigmas,^ but shall reveal unto you the Father plainly, 
 
 11 in that day when * ye shall ask in my name : and I say not unto you, that I shall Jo. 16, 26. 
 
 1 2 entreat the Father for you ; for the Father loveth you, because ye have loved me, Jo. 16, 27. 
 
 13 and have believed that I came forth from my Father. I came forth from my jo. 16, 28. 
 Father, and came into the world : and I leave the world, and go unto my Father. 
 
 14 His disciples said unto him, Lo, thy speech is now plain, and thou hast not said one jo. 16, 29. 
 
 15 thing in an aenigma. Now, lo, we know that thou knowest everything, and needest jo. i6, 30. 
 not that any man should ask thee : and by this we believe that thou camest forth 
 
 16, 17 from God. Jesus said unto them. Believe that an hour cometh, and lo, it hath jo Je' '2' 
 come, and ye shall be scattered, every one of you to his place, and shall leave me 
 
 18 alone: and ye^ I am not alone, because the Father is with me. This have I said Jo. 16, 33. 
 unto you, that in me ye may have peace. And in the world trouble shall overtake 
 
 you : but be of good courage ; for I have overcome the world. 
 
 19 This said Jesus, and lifted up his eyes unto heaven, and said, My Father, the hour Jo. 17, 
 
 20 is come ; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee : as thou gavest him authority Jo. 17, 
 
 21 over all flesh, that all that thou hast given him, he might give them ^ eternal life. And Jo. 17, 3, 
 this is eternal hfe, that they should ^ know that thou alone art true God, and t/iaf he 
 
 22 Arabic, whom thou didst send is Jesus the Messiah.^ I glorified thee in the earth, Jo. r 
 
 23 P- 179 and the work which thou gavest me to do I have accomplished. And Jo. r 
 now glorify thou me, O Father, beside thee, with that glory which 1 had with thee 
 
 24 before the world was. I made known thy name to the men whom thou gavest me Jo. r 
 out of the world : thine they were, and thou gavest them to me ; and they have kept 
 
 25, 26 thy word. Now they 8 know that all that thou hast given me is from thee : and the j"; 17; \, 
 sayings which thou gavest me I have given unto them ; and they received thern, and 
 knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and believed that thou didst send me. 
 
 27 And I ask for their sake: and my asking is not for the world, but for those whom Jo- 17.9- 
 
 28 thou hast given me ; for they are thine : and all that is mine is thine, and all that is Jo- '7, lo- 
 
 29 thine is mine : and I am glorified in them. And now I am not in the world, and Jo- 17. "• 
 they are in the world, and I come to thee. My » holy Father, keep them in thy 
 
 30 name which i" thou hast given unto me, that they may be one, as we are. When I Jo- 17. '2- 
 was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name : and I kept those whom thou 
 gavest unto me : and no man of them hath perished, but the son of perdition ; that 
 
 31 the scripture might be fulfilled. Now I come to thee ; and this I say in the world, Jo- 17. 13- 
 
 32 that my joy may be complete in them. I have given them thy word ; and the world Jo- 17. m- 
 
 33 hated them, because they were not of the world, as 1 was not of the world. And I Jo. 17. is- 
 ask not this, that thou take them from the world, but that thou keep them from the 
 
 34> 3S evil one. They were not of the world, as I was not of the world. O Father, sanctify jo! 17! 17! 
 
 36 them in thy truth : for thy word is truth. And as thou didst send me into the world, I Jo. 17. 18. 
 
 37 Arab^. also send them into the world. And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they Jo. 17. 19- 
 
 38 p- 100 also may be sanctified in the truth. Neither for these alone do I ask, but for Jo. 17, 20. 
 
 39 the sake of them that believe in me through their word ; that they may be all one ; Jo. 17, 21- 
 
 1 Not quite the usual formula, there beine here no article (cf. also § 47, s). 
 
 2 Not the usual word iaj proverb ot parable {cf. Syriac versions). 
 
 3 So Vat. MS. andPeshilta. The Borg. MS., followed byCiasca, has and a Urns ■when, 
 i cf. Peshitta. 5 Lit. it or him. 
 
 6 In the Borg. MS. the sentence bejrins with that ihry mi^ht, the preceding clause being omitted. 
 
 7 The above is perhaps the niost natural rendering of the Araliic ; but the latter is really only an awkward word-for-word 
 
 reproduction of the Peshitta, which means kntyw thee, who ahne art the God of tr-uth, and him wfiom thou didst 
 send, (even) Jesus the Messiah. 
 
 8 So Ciasca's text. The Vat. MS. has /, with the Peshitta and probably Sinaitic. 
 
 9 So in Sinaitic. The Peshitta omits My. 
 
 10 Singular in both Arabic M.SS., as in the Peshitta. Ciasca prints the plural form. The Sin. passes directly from name 
 
 to When. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 117 
 
 §47 as thou art in me, and I in thee, and so they also shall be one in us : that the world 
 
 40 may believe that thou didst send me. And the glory which thou hast given unto Jo. 17, «. 
 
 41 me I have given unto them ; that they may be one, as we are one ; I in them, and Jo. ^^, 23. 
 thou in me, that they may be perfect into 1 one ; and that the world may know that 
 
 42 thou didst send me, and that I 2 loved them, as thou lovedst me. Father, and those Jo. 17, 24. 
 whom thou hast given me, I wish that, where I am, they may be with me also ; that 
 
 they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me before 
 
 43 the foundation » of the world. My righteous Father,* and the world knew thee not, Jo. 17, =5. 
 
 44 but I know thee ; and they knew that thou didst send me ; and I made known unto Jo. 17, 26. 
 them thy name, and will make it known to them ; that the love wherewith thou 
 lovedst me may be in them, and I shall ^ be in them. 
 
 SECTION XLVIII. 
 
 j48 I This said Jesus, and went forth with his disciples to a place which was called jo. 18, i. 
 
 Gethsemane,8 on ' the side that is in the plain » of Kidron, the mountain,^ the place 
 
 2 in which was a garden ; and he entered thither, he and his disciples. And Judas the Jo. 18, 2. 
 
 3 betrayer knew that place : for Jesus oft-times met with his disciples there. And when Lk. 22, ^oa. 
 Jesus came to the place, he said to his disciples. Sit ye here, so that I may go and pray ; Mt. 26, 36*. 
 
 4,5 *"'=^- and pray ye, that ye enter not into temptations. And he took with him Mt.2|t°7*' 
 P- i°i Cephas and the sons of Zebedee together, James and John; and he began to 
 
 6 look sorrowful, and to be anxious. And he said unto them, My soul is distressed unto Mt. 26, 38. 
 
 7 death : abide ye here, and watch with me. And he withdrew from them a litde, Lk. 22, 41a. 
 
 8 the space of a stone's throw ; and he kneeled,^" and fell on his face, and prayed, so Mk. 14, 35/.. 
 
 9 that, if it were possible, this hour might pass 11 him. And he said, Father, thou art Mk. 14, 36^. 
 able for all things ; if thou wilt, let this cup pass me : but let not my will be done, Lk. 22, 42*. 
 
 10 but let thy will be done. And he came to his disciples, and found them sleeping; Mt 26, 40^. 
 
 u and he said unto Cephas, Simon, didst thou sleep? Could ye thus not for one hour Mt'se^oJf' 
 
 1 2 watch with me ? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptations : the spirit is ^- =°' 't^'"; 
 
 13 wilhng and ready, but the body is weak.12 And he went again a second time, and Mt.26,'42. 
 prayed, and said. My Father, if it is not possible with regard to i^ this cup that it pass, 
 
 14 except I drink it, thy will be done. And he returned again, and found his disciples Mk. 14, 40. 
 sleeping, for their eyes were heavy from their grief and anxiety ; and they knew not 
 
 1 5 what to say to him. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed a third Mt. 26, 44. 
 
 16 time, and said the very same word. And there appeared unto him an angel from Lk. 22,43. 
 
 17 heaven, encouraging him. And being afraid 1* he prayed continuously :i^ and his sweat Lk. 22,44. 
 
 18 Arabic, bccamc like a Stream of blood, and fell On the grouud. Then he rose from Lk. 22,45a. 
 ig p. 182 jjjg prayer, and came to his disciples, and found them sleeping. And he Lk. 22,46. 
 
 20 said unto them. Sleep now, and rest : the end hath arrived,'^ and the hour hath come ; Mk.''i4,'4i,j. 
 
 21 and behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us go : ^^ for M^26l'46*'' 
 he hath come that betrayeth me. 
 
 22 And while he was still speaking, came Judas the betrayer, one of the twelve, and Mt. 26, 47. 
 with him a great multitude carrying lanterns and torches '* and swords and staves, 
 
 from the chief priests and scribes and elders of the people, and with him the foot- 
 
 23 soldiers of the Romans.^* And Judas the betrayer gave them a sign, and said, He Mt. 26, 48. 
 whom I shall kiss, he is he : take him with carej^" and lead him awayP- Mk. 14, 44*. 
 
 1 Vat. MS. has as, 3 cf. Peshitta, as pointed in the editions. _ ^ C^ § 17, 17, note. 
 
 4 The Arabic as it stands should mean My Father is righteous; but it is simply the ordinary Syriac reading, and is so 
 
 rendered above, o Or perhaps wia^. fi Mt. 26, 36. 7 Vat. MS. \i^s and on. 
 
 8 The word rendered plain {cf. Dozy, Supplement, sub voc), which occurs also in the text of Ibn-at-Tayyib {loc. cit., f. 
 
 362^), properly means lake. The word in the Jerusalem Lcctionary means valley as well as stream. For the whole 
 
 clause cf. the text ofjo. 18, in Die vzer Evangelien. arabisch, aus der Wiener Handschri/t, edited by P. de Lagarde, 
 
 1864. 9 O^Sinaitic Syriac and Lk. 22, 39. 
 
 10 \At. /ell on his knees. H Lit. let this hour pass. The Borg. MS. omits ^r'w. 
 
 12 Lit. diseased. The Arabic word is rare in the sense required by the context (r/. Pesh.). 
 
 13 This reading would perhaps more easily arise out of the Sinaitic than out of the Peshitta. 
 
 14 c/. Peshitta. Or, A nd altlwugh he was afraid. 15 The Peshitta (hardly Cur.) is capable of this interpretation. 
 
 18 yC Syr., especially Peshitta. 17 c/: § 4, 20, note. I8J0. 18, 3. 
 
 19 cf, Jo. 18, 3 {Jerusalem Leciionary), In Syriac Romans means soldiers. The A-nhv: /ooisoldiers might be tnan 
 
 20 c/. Syriac versions. Obviously we must supply a diacridcal point over the last radical, or read the middle one as dhal. 
 
 21 Lit him to — . Borg. MS. probably means bear him away. 
 
Mt 
 Lk, 
 
 . 26 
 
 18, 
 18, 
 
 ,S0i. 
 
 5. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 18, 
 
 6, 
 
 Jo. 
 
 18, 
 
 7- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 18, 
 
 8. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 18, 
 
 9- 
 
 Mt.26, 
 
 , iW. 
 
 118 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §48 24 And Jesus, because he knew everything that should come upon him, went forth Jo. 18, 4a. 
 
 25 unto them. And immediately Judas the betrayer came to Jesus, and said, Peace, Mt. 26, 49. 
 
 26 my Master ; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Judas, with a kiss betrayest -l^'.^I^u.' 
 
 27 thou the Son of man? Was it for that thou earnest, my friend? And Jesus said 
 
 28 to those that came unto him, Whom seek ye? They said unto him, Jesus the Naz- 
 arene. Jesus said unto them, I am he. And Judas the betrayer also was standing 
 
 29 with them. And when Jesus said unto them, I am he, they retreated backward, and 
 
 30 fell to the ground. And Jesus asked them again, Whom seek ye? They answered, 
 
 31 Jesus the Nazarene. Jesus said unto them, I told you that I am he : and if ye seek 
 
 32 me, let these go away: that the word might be fulfilled which he spake, Of those 
 
 33 Arabic, whom thou hast given me I lost not even one. Then came those that were 
 p. 183 with Judas, and seized Jesus, and took him. 
 
 34 And when his disciples saw what happened, they said, Our Lord, shall we smite Lk. 22, 49. 
 
 35 them with swords? And Simon Cephas had a sword, and he drew it, and struck Jo. 18, 10. 
 the servant of the chief priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name of that ser- 
 
 36 vant was Malchus. Jesus said unto Cephas, The cup which my Father hath given Jo. 18, na. 
 
 37 me, shall I not drink it? Put the sword into its sheath: for all that take with 1 the Mt.lVs^* 
 
 38 sword shall die by the sword. Thinkest ^ thou that I am not able to ask of my Mt. 26^ 53. 
 
 39 Father, and he shall now raise up for me more than'' twelve tribes of angels? Then Mt. 26, 54. 
 
 40 how should the scriptures which were spoken be fulfilled, that thus it must be? Your Lk. 22,51*. 
 
 41 leave in this.* And he touched the ear of him that was struck, and healed it. And MtsC, ss. 
 in that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, As they come out against a thief are ye 
 
 come out against me with swords and staves to take me? Daily was I with you in 
 
 42 the temple sitting teaching, and ye took me not : but this is your hour, and the power Lk. 22, 53*. 
 
 43 of darkness. And that was, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Mt 26, 56. 
 
 44 Then the disciples all left him, and fled. And the footsoldiers and the officers Jo. 18, 120. 
 
 45 and the soldiers ^ of the Jews seized Jesus, and came. And a certain ^ young man Mk. 14, 51. 
 
 46 followed him, and he was wrapped in a towel, naked : and they seized him ; so he Mk. 14, 52. 
 
 47 Arabic, left the towel, and fled naked. Then they took Jesus, and bound him, and j°' Jj' "*' 
 p. 1 84 brought him to Annas first ; because he was the father in law of Caiaphas, 
 
 48 who was chief priest that year. And Caiaphas was he that counselled the Jews, that Jo. 18, 14. 
 it was necessary that one man should die instead of the people. 
 
 49 And Simon Cephas and one of the other disciples followed Jesus. And the chief Jo. 18, 15. 
 
 50 priest knew that disciple, and he entered with Jesus into the court ; but Simon was Jo. 18, 16. 
 standing without at the door. And that other disciple, whom the chief priest knew, 
 
 5 1 went out and spake unto her that kept the door, and she brought Simon in. And Jo. 18, 17a. 
 when the maid that kept the door saw Simon, she looked stedfastly at him, and said 
 
 unto him. Art not thou also one of the disciples of this man, I mean Jesus the 
 
 52 Nazarene? But he denied, and said. Woman, I know him not, neither know I even ^'j^"''^^} 
 
 53 what thou sayest. And the servants and the soldiers rose, and made a fire in the Jo. iS.'iSu. 
 
 54 middle of the court, that they might warm themselves ; for it was cold. And when Lk. 22, 550. 
 
 55 the fire burned up, they sat down around it. And Simon also came, and sat down Jo. 18, iSc. 
 with them to warm himself, that he might see the end of what should happen. Mt. 26, 58*. 
 
 SECTION XLIX. 
 
 j 49 1,2 And the chief priest asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his doctrine.'^ And j°; Jg; ^o! 
 
 Jesus said unto him, I was speaking ^ openly to the people ; and I ever taught in the 
 synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews gather ; and I have spoken nothing in 
 
 3 Arabic, secret. Why askest thou me? ask those that have heard, what I spake unto Jo. 18, 21. 
 
 4 P- i°5 them: for they know all that I said. And when he had said that, one of jo. 18, 22. 
 the soldiers which were standing there struck the cheek ^ of Jesus, and said unto him, 
 
 1 JViih is doubtless an accidental repetition of by (the same Arabic particle) in the next clause. 
 
 2 The introductory interrogative particle may represent an original Or. 
 
 3 Vat. MS. omits ihan^ and has more only in the margin by another hand. 
 
 4 The phrase is awkward. The rendering is different m the text (f. 292^1 ; c/, Lagarxle, Die vier £vv.), and yet again in 
 
 the comment (f. 293^) of Ibn-at-fayyib's Commentary. B ^ § 11, 11. 6 Lit. one. 7 ^ § 6, 40, note. 
 
 8 Peshitta, spake; Sin. omits the verse; Cur. lacking. 8 See § g, 7, note. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 119 
 
 §49 5 Dost thou thus answer the chief priest? Jesus answered and said unto him, If I jo. 18, 23. 
 
 6 have spoken evil, bear witness of evil : 1 but if well, why didst thou smite me ? And jo. 18, 24. 
 Annas sent Jesus bound unto Caiaphas the chief priest. 
 
 7 _ And when Jesus went out, Simon Cephas was standing in the outer court warm- jo. 18, 25^. 
 
 8 ing himself. And that maid saw him again, and began to say to those that stood Mk. 14, 6ga. 
 
 9 fy, This man also was there with Jesus the Nazarene. And those that stood l>y ^J; ll'^ ^^f; 
 
 10 canie forward and said to Cephas, Truly thou art one of his disciples. And he Mt! 26! 72. 
 
 11 denied again with an oath, I know not the man. And after a little one of the ser- j^'/g^f^ 
 vants of the chief priest, the kinsman of him whose ear Simon cut off, saw him ; and 
 
 1 2 he disputed - and said. Truly this man was with him : and he also is a Galitean ; Lk. 22, 59*. 
 
 13 and his speech resembles.^ And he said unto Simon, Did not I see thee with him ^^■'^•m- 
 
 14 in the garden? Then began Simon to curse,* and to swear, I know not this man Mk.'ii,^?!.' 
 
 1 5 whom ye have mentioned. And immediately, while he was speaking, the cock crew Lk. 22, 6oi. 
 
 16 twice. And in that hour Jesus turned, he being without, and looked stedfastly at Lk. 22,6m. 
 Cephas. And Simon remembered the word of our Lord, which he said unto him, 
 
 17, 18 Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Simon went forth ^^l^'^^^tl'f' 
 without, and wept bitterly. 
 ig Arabic, And when the morning approached, the servants of all the chief priests Lk. 22, 66«. 
 
 p. i85 a,nd the scribes and the elders of the people and all the multitude assembled, 
 20, 2 1 and made a plot ; and they took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they ^^ H' j*j 
 
 sought false witnesses who should witness against him, that they might put him to 
 
 22, 23 death, and they found not ; but many false witnesses came, but their witness did not ^J; '^' ^"' 
 
 24,25 agree. But at last there came two lying witnesses, and said. We heard him say, I will Mt. 26,'6oi. 
 
 destroy this ^ temple of God that is made with hands, and will build another not Mk! 11', II. ' 
 
 26, 27 made with hands after three days. And not even so did their witness agree. But ^t^e'l'^ 
 
 Jesus was silent. And the chief priest rose in the midst, and asked Jesus, and said, Mk. 14, 60a. 
 
 28 Answerest thou not a word concerning anything? what do these ^ witness against Mt. 26, 62^. 
 
 29, 30 thee? But Jesus was silent, and answered him nothing. And they took him up Lk.'22'','66*"' 
 
 31 iiito their assembly,'' and said unto him, If thou art the Messiah, tell us. He said Lk. 22, 67. 
 
 32 unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe me : and if I ask you, ye will not answer Lk. 22, 6b. 
 
 33 me a word, nor let me go. And the chief priest answered and said unto him, I Mt. 26, 63*. 
 adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Messiah, the 
 
 34, 35 Son of the living God. Jesus said unto him. Thou hast said that I am he. They j^' l^'^ ^^"' 
 all said unto him, Then thou art now the Son of God ? Jesus said. Ye have said 
 
 36 that I am he. I say unto you, that henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting Mt. 26, e^i. 
 
 37 Arabic, at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the Mk. 14, 63a. 
 
 38 P- ^^7 chief priest rent his tunic,8 and said. He hath blasphemed. And they all said, Lk.'22,'7i.' 
 Why should we seek now witnesses ? we have heard now the blasphemy from his mouth, jy^^ ^ g ^ 
 
 39, 40 What then think ye? They all answered and said, He is worthy of death. Then Mt. 26/66. ' 
 some of them drew near, and spat in his face, and struck him, and scoffed at him. i,^'^^'(,^i,' 
 
 41 And the soldiers struck him on his cheeks,^ and said. Prophesy unto us, thott Mes- ^'l^'^^'- 
 
 42 siah: who is he that struck thee? And many other things spake they falsely,!" and Lk.'22,'65.' 
 said against him. 
 
 43 And all of their assembly arose,ii and took Jesus, and brought him bound ^^ to J?; '^' '\ 
 
 44 the praetorium,i3 and delivered him up to Pilate the judge ; but they entered not into jo. 'i8,''28<:.' 
 the praetorium, that they might not be defiled when they should eat the passover. 
 
 45 And Jesus stood before the judge. And Pilate went forth unto them without, and jo.'is.'sg. 
 
 46 said unto them. What accusation 1* have ye against this man? They answered and Jo- 18, 30. 
 said unto him. If he had not been doing evils, neither should we have delivered 
 
 47 him up unto thee. We found this 7nan leading our people astray, and restraining Lk. 23,2s. 
 from giving tribute to Csesar, and saying of himself that he is the King, the Messiah. 
 
 48 Pilate said imto them. Then take ye him, and judge him according to your law. Jo. is, 31. 
 
 1 Borg. MS. has the evil. 
 
 2 'I'his is an alternative meaning of the Syriac word affirjned, used in the Peshitta. 
 
 3 cf. Sinailic (Curetonian wanting). Vat. MS., which Ciasca follows, adds him or it 
 * Borg. MS., by adding diacritical points, gets asserted. 
 
 5 Syriac order, but not in agreement with the versions. 6 Vat. MS. has anything^ when these. 
 
 7 The word usually means synaeogue in this work. 
 
 8 The foreign word used in the Peshitta is preserved. The Sinaitic uses a Syriac word meaning garment. 
 
 9 See § Q, 7, note. 10 See § 7, 17, note. 11 cf. Lk. 23, la. 12 cf. Mt. 27, 2; Mk. 15, I. 
 13 Arabic, dfwdn. I'l Lit. ^tea. 
 
I20 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 §49 Arabic, The Jews said unto him, We have no authority to put a man to death: 
 
 49 P' ' ° that the word might be fulfilled, which Jesus spake, when he made known Jo. is, 32. 
 by what manner of death he was to die. 
 
 50 And Pilate entered into the praetorium, and called Jesus, and said unto him. Art Jo. 18, 33. 
 
 51 thou the King of the Jews? Jesus said unto him, Of thyself saidst thou this, or Jo. 18, 34. 
 
 52 did others tell it thee concerning me? Pilate said unto him, Am I, forsooth,i a Jo. 18, 35, 
 Jew? The sons of thy nation ^ and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what 
 
 53 hast thou done? Jesus said unto him. My kingdom is not of this world: if my Jo. 18, 36. 
 kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be 
 
 54 delivered to the Jews : now my kingdom is not from hence. Pilate said unto him, jo. 18, 37. 
 Then thou art a king? Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said that I am a king. And 
 
 for this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should bear witness 
 
 55 of the truth. And every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate said Jo. 18, 38a. 
 unto him, And what is the truth? And when he said that, he went out again unto 
 
 the Jews. 
 
 SECTION E. 
 
 § 50 I And Pilate said unto the chief priests and the multitude, I have not found Lk. 23, 4. 
 
 2 against this man anything. But they cried out and said. He hath disquieted ^ our Lk. 23, 5. 
 people with his teaching in all Judsea, and he began * from Gahlee and unto this 
 
 3 place. And Pilate, when he heard the name of Galilee, asked, Is this man a Gali- Lk. 23, 6. 
 
 4 lasan? And when he learned that he was under the jurisdiction of Herod, he sent Lk. 23, ^. 
 him to Herod : for he was in Jerusalem in those days. 
 
 5 And Herod, when he saw Jesus, rejoiced exceedingly : for he had desired to see him Lk. 23, s. 
 for a long time, because he had heard regarding him many things ; and he counted on^ 
 
 6 Arabic, seeing some sign from him. And he questioned him with many words ; but Lk. 23, g. 
 
 7 p- 189 Jesus answered him not a word. And the scribes and chief priests were Lk. 23, 10. 
 
 8 standing by^ and they accused him vehemently. And Herod scoffed at him, he and Lk. 23, n. 
 his servants ; and when he had scoffed at him, he clothed him in robes of scarlet, 
 
 9 and sent him to Pilate. And on that day Pilate and Herod became friends, there Lk. 23, 12. 
 having been ^ enmity between them before that. 
 
 10, II And Pilate called the chief priests and the rulers of the people, and said unto ^j^- °3'J3- 
 
 them, Ye brought unto me this man, as the perverter of your people : and I have 
 tried him before you, and have not found in this man any cause ' of all that ye 
 
 12 seek 8 against him: nor yet Herod: for I sent him unto him ; and he hath done Lk. 23, 15. 
 
 13 nothing for which he should deserve death. So now I will chastise him, and let Lk. 23, 16. 
 14, 15 him go. The multitude all cried out and said, Take him from us, take him. And jj'j- ^3- '^^• 
 
 16 the chief priests and the elders accused him of many things. And during their Mt. 27,'j2. 
 
 1 7 accusation he answered not a word. Then Pilate said unto him, Hearest thou not ml 27, 13. 
 
 18 how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him not, not even Mt. 27, m- 
 one word : and Pilate marvelled at that. 
 
 19 And when the judge sat on his tribune, his wife sent unto him, and said unto Mt. 27, ig. 
 him. See that thou have nothing to do with that righteous man: for I have suffered 
 
 much in my dream ^ to-day because of him. 
 
 20 And at every feast the custom of the judge was to release to the people one Mt. 27, is. 
 
 21 prisoner, him whom they would. And there was in their prison a well-known pris- Mt. 27, 16. 
 22, 23 oner, called Barabbas. And when they assembled, Pilate said unto them. Ye have Mt. 2^173. 
 
 a custom, that I should release unto you a prisoner at the passover : will ye that I 
 
 24 release unto you the King of the Jews? And they all cried out and said. Release not Jo. 18, 40. 
 
 Arabic, uHto US this man, but release unto us Barabbas. And this Barabbas was a 
 
 25 P- 19° robber, who for sedition!" and murder, which was in the city, was cast into the Lk. 23, ig. 
 
 1 See § 4, 24, note. 2 The Syriac word. 3 Or, led astray {cf. § 25, 17, note). 4 cf. Syriac versions. 
 
 B Same word as in § 10, 16 (sec note there). 6 Lit. and there was. 
 
 7 The Arabic word may also, like the Synac, mean things but hardly, as that does here,_/^K/i? or crime. The Vat. MS., 
 
 pointing differently, reads thing. The same confusion occurs at § 40, 35 {.cf. a converse case in § 25, 40). 
 
 8 So Ciasca's text, following the Borg. MS. The Vat. MS. hsi% plotted, which is nearer the Syriac accuse. 
 
 9 See § 3, 12, note. 
 
 10 Ciasca's text, following the Vat. MS., has disorder. Borg. MS. has division (c_f. heresies, Curetonian of § 50, 37), 
 
 v/hich by addition of a diacritical point gives sedition; cf. § 50, 37 (Ciasca, following Vat. MS.), and Peshitta (both 
 places). 
 
Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 2. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 27: 
 
 , 29^. 
 
 Mt. 
 
 27: 
 
 , 30. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 3*. 
 
 Jo- 
 
 '9. 
 
 4. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 5. 
 
 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 121 
 
 §50 26 prison. And all the people cried out and began to ask him to do as the custom was Mk. 15, s. 
 
 27 that he should do with them. And Pilate answered and said unto them, Whom Mt a'?^,' iT*. 
 will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called the Messiah, the 
 
 28 King of the Jews? For Pilate knew that envy had moved them to deliver him up. Mt. 27, 18. 
 
 29 And the chief priests and the elders asked the multitudes to deliver Barabbas, and Mt. 27, 20. 
 
 30 to destroy Jesus. The judge answered and said unto them, Whom of the two will Mt. 27, 21. 
 
 31 ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate said unto them. And Mt. 27, ija. 
 
 32 Jesus which is called the Messiah, what shall I do with him? They all cried out Mk. 15,13. 
 
 33 and said, Crucify him. And Pilate spake to them again, for he desired to release Lk. 23, 20. 
 
 34 Jesus ; but they cried out and said. Crucify him, crucify him, and release unto us Lk. 23, 2.. 
 
 35 Barabbas. And Pilate said unto them a third time. What evil hath this man done? Lk. 23,22. 
 I have not found in him any cause 1 to necessitate death : I will chastise him and 
 
 36 let him go. But they increased in importunity ^ with a loud voice, and asked him Lk. 23, 23. 
 to crucify him. And their voice, and the voice of the chief priests, prevailed. 
 
 37 Then Pilate released unto them that one who was cast into prison for sedition and u^',ll]lla. 
 murder, Barabbas, whom they asked for : and he scourged Jesus with whips.' Mt. 27, 26*. 
 
 38 Then the footsoldiers of the judge took Jesus, and went into the prsetorium, and Mt. 27,27. 
 
 39 Arabic, gathered unto him all of the footsoldiers. And they stripped him, and put on Mt. 27, 28. 
 
 40 P- 191 him a scarlet cloak. And they clothed him in garments of purple, and plaited 
 
 41 a crown of thorns, and placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand ; and while 
 they mocked at him and laughed, they fell down on their knees before him, and bowed 
 
 42 down to* him, and said, Hail,5 King of the Jews! And they spat in his face, and 
 took the reed from his hand, and struck him on his head, and smote his cheeks. 
 
 43 And Pilate went forth without again, and said unto the Jews, I bring him forth to 
 
 44 you, that ye may know that I do not find, in examining <* him, even one crime.'' And 
 Jesus went forth without, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garments. 
 
 45 Pilate said unto them. Behold, the man! And when the chief priests and the Jo. 19, 6. 
 soldiers 8 saw him, they cried out and said, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said 
 
 unto them, Take him yourselves, and crucify him : for I find not a cause ^ against 
 
 46 him. The Jews said unto him, We have a law, and according to our law he deserves Jo. 19. i- 
 
 47 death, because he made himself the Son of God. And when Pilate heard this word, Jo. 19. 8. 
 
 48 his fear increased ; and he entered again into the porch, and said to Jesus, Whence Jo. 19, 9. 
 
 49 art thou? But Jesus answered him not a word. Pilate said unto him, Speakest ^ Jo. ,9, 10. 
 thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have authority to release thee, and have 
 
 50 authority to crucify thee? Jesus said unto him. Thou hast not any " authority over Jo. 19, n. 
 me, if thou wert not given it from above : therefore the sin of him that deHvered 
 
 51 me up unto thee is greater than thy sin. And for this word Pilate wished to release Jo. 19, 12. 
 him : but the Jews cried out, If thou let him go, thou art not a friend of Csesar : for 
 
 every one that maketh himself a king is against Ctesar. 
 
 SECTION LI. 
 
 S51 I Arabic. And when Pilate heard this saying, he took Jesus out, and sat on the Jo. 19, -a- 
 
 P- '92 tribune in the place which was called the pavement of stones, but in the He- 
 
 2 brew called Gabbatha. And that day was the Friday of the passover : and it had reached Jo. 19. m- 
 
 3 about the sixth hour.i2 And he said to the Jews, Behold, your King! And they cried Jo. 19, 15- 
 out, Take him, take him, crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them. Shall I 
 crucify your King? The chief priests said unto him, We have no kmg except 
 
 4 Csesar. And Pilate, when he saw it, and " he was gaining nothing, but the tumult Mt. a?, 24- 
 
 1 Our translator ^^s retajped the Syriac word, which in this context means7&K/< (see 5 so. II. "ote). 
 
 2 ?Ke ^ord used in Vat MS. means a repeated charge or attack. That in Borg MS .s probably used in the post-cW 
 
 cal Tense of imporhmme Mm. Either word might be written by a copyist for the other. The same double reading 
 prob.ibly occurs again at § 53, 55- 
 4 T^i^^r^av W m"ere clerical error (very natural in Arabic) for scoffed at, the reading of the Syriac versions. This being 
 si kls wor*y of remark th™ the 7eading is apparently common to the two MSS. The Synac words are, however, 
 
 5u6^°.T"'"'-""^eTS=reiXT-^it::rpH:n:fT;t^^^^^^^ 
 
 Io'4oy°'MS., WHy .pe"j{it)lV.iZ^^^ might be^a 'c^^l^tii^^of^ Peshitta, U Lit. e.en one (Pesh.,. 
 
 12 Lit six hours. 13 Or, titat. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 j 51 was increasing, took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, and said, I 
 
 5 am innocent of the blood of this innocent OT(Z«.- ye shall know.i And all the people Mt. 27, 25. 
 
 6 answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then Pilate com- Jo. 19, i6«. 
 manded to grant them their request ; and delivered up Jesus to be crucified, 
 according to their wish. 
 
 7 Then Judas the betrayer, when he saw Jesus wronged, went and returned the Mt. 27, 3. 
 
 8 thirty pieces of money to the chief priests and the elders, and said, I have sinned in Mt. 27, 4. 
 my betraying innocent blood. And they said unto him, And we, what must we do? 
 
 9 know thou. And he threw down the money in the temple, and departed ; and he Mt. 27, 5. 
 
 10 went away 2 and hanged ^ himself. And the chief priests took the money, and said, Mt. 27, 
 
 6. 
 
 We have not authority to cast it into the place of the offering,* for it is the price 
 
 11 of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with it the plain of the potter, for Mt. 27,7. 
 
 12 the burial of strangers. Therefore that plain was called, The field of blood, unto Mt. 27, 8. 
 
 13 Arabic, this day. Therein 5 was fulfilled the saying in the prophet which said, I Mt. 27,9. 
 P- 193 took thirty /z'<fcif.f of money, the price of the precious one, which was fixed 
 
 14 by the children of Israel; and I paid them for the plain of the potter, as the Lord Mt. 27, 10. 
 commanded me. . 
 
 1 5 And the Jews took Jesus, and went away to crucify him. And when he bare his Mii. 15, 20'^. 
 
 16 cross and went out, they stripped him of those pturple and scarlet garments which he ^CtCvi. 
 
 1 7 had on, and put on him his own garments. And while they were going with him, Mt. 27, 32a. 
 they found a man, a Cyrenian, coming from the country, named Simon, the father Mk. 15, 21*. 
 of Alexander and Rufus : and they compelled this ina7i to bear the cross of Jesus. Mt. 27, 32*. 
 
 1 8 And they took the cross and laid it upon him, that he might bear it, and come after Lk. 23, m. 
 Jesus ; and Jesus went, and his cross behind him. 
 
 19 And there followed him much people, and women which were lamenting and Lk. 23, 27. 
 
 20 raving." But Jesus turned unto them and said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not Lk. 23, 28. 
 
 2 1 for me : weep for yourselves, and for your children. Days are coming, when they Lk. 23, 29. 
 shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that bare not, and the breasts 
 
 22 that gave not suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains. Fall on us ; and Lk. 23, 30. 
 
 23 to the hills, Cover us. For if they do so in the green tree,'' what shall be in the dry? Lk. 23, 31. 
 
 24 And they brought with Jesus two others of the malefactors,^ to be put to death. Lk. 23, 32. 
 
 25 And when they came unto a certain place called The skull, and called in the jo.'jl'ift 
 Hebrew Golgotha, they crucified him there : they crucified with him these two Lk. 23, 33*. 
 
 26 malefactors, one on his right, and the other on his left. And the scripture was Mk. 15, 28. 
 
 27 Arabic, fulfilled, which saith. He was numbered with the transgressors. And they Mk. 15, 23a. 
 P- 194 gave him to drink wine and myrrh, and vinegar which had been mixed 
 
 with the myrrh; and he tasted, and would not drink; and he received it not. Mk.75,'23*i. 
 
 28 And the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and cast lots Jo. 19, 23. 
 for them in four parts, to every party of the soldiers a part ; and his tunic was 
 
 29 without sewing, from the top woven throughout. And they said one to another, jo. 19, 24. 
 Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it .shall be : and the scripture was 
 fulfilled, which saith. 
 
 They divided my garments among them, 
 And cast the lot for my vesture. 
 30, 31 This the soldiers did. And they sat and guarded him there. And Pilate WTOte on jj'"/„'',l*' 
 a tablet the cause of his death, and put it on the wood of the cross above his head.^ 
 And there was written upon it thus : this is jesus the nazarene, the king of the 
 32 jews. And this tablet i" read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was Jo. 19, 20. 
 
 crucified was near the city: and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. 
 ;}3 And the chief priests said unto Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews ; but. He it is Jo. 19, 21. 
 
 34 that 11 said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate said unto them. What hath been Jo. 19, 22. 
 
 35 written hath been written.12 And the people were standing beholding; and they Mt'S', 39"' 
 
 1 cf. Peshitta. Or, Ye know (cf. Sinaitic). 
 
 2 Borg. MS. omits and he went away. 3 Lit, strangled. * C'^ § 32, IS, note. 
 
 6 Or, at llmt {thne). 6 I.it. being burned. The text is probably corrupt. 
 
 7 Lit. wood {cf. Syr. and Greek). 8 Or, others, malefactors. 9 Mt. 27, 37. 
 
 10 A different word from that in the preceding verse ; in each case, the word used in the Peshitta (Cur. and Sin. lacking). 
 
 11 The Syriac words, retained in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary (f. 366rt), seem to have been transposed. Vat. MS. omits 
 
 he, probably meaning hut that he said. 
 
 12 In a carelessly written Arabic MS. there is almost no difference between Jiatk been written and / have written, as it 
 
 is in Ibn-at-Tayyib {.loc. cit., i. 366a). 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 123 
 
 § 51 36 that passed by were reviling 1 him, and shaking 2 their heads, and saying. Thou that Jjj; '7, 4o«. 
 
 destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself if thou art the Son Ut.ljll^. 
 
 37 of God, and come down from the cross. And in like manner the chief priests and the Mt. 27, 41. 
 
 Arabic, scribes and the elders and the Pharisees derided him, and laughed one with 
 
 38, 39 P- ^95 another, and said, The saviour of others cannot save himself. If he is the Lk' °^; ^5^; 
 
 Messiah, the chosen of God, and the King of Israel,^ let him come down now from the Mt. =7! ^1c. 
 
 40 cross, that we may see, and believe in him. He that reHeth on God— let him deliver him Mta?, 43. 
 
 41 now, if he is pleased with him : for he said, I am the Son of God. And the soldiers Lk. 23, 36. 
 
 42 also scoffed at him, in that they came near unto him, and brought him vinegar, and Lk. =3, 37. 
 
 43 said unto him. If thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself. And likewise the Mt. 27, 44. 
 two robbers * also that were crucified with him reproached him. 
 
 44 And one of those two malefactors who were crucified with him reviled him, and Lk. 23, 39. 
 
 45 said. If thou art the Messiah, save thyself, and save us also. But his comrade Lk. 23, 40. 
 rebuked him, and said. Dost thou not even fear God, being thyself also in this 
 
 46 condemnation? And we with justice, and as we deserved, and according to our Lk. 23, 41. 
 deed,^ have we been rewarded : but this man hath not done anything unlawful. 
 
 47 And he said unto Jesus, Remember me, my Lord, when thou comest in thy kingdom. Lk. 23, 42. 
 
 48 Jesus said unto him, Verily ^ I say unto thee. To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Lk. 23, 43. 
 
 49 And there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister,' Jo. 19, 25. 
 
 50 Mary ^ that was related to Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. And Jesus saw his jo. 19, 26. 
 mother, and that disciple whom he loved standing by/ and he said to his mother, 
 
 51 Woman, behold, thy son! And he said to that disciple. Behold, thy mother! And 50.19,27, 
 from that hour that disciple took her unto himself. 
 
 52 Arabic, And from the sixth hour 8 darkness was on all the land unto the ninth i^.V^.^lt 
 22 P- 196 hour,^ and the sun became dark. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out ^^ ^'^' *^- 
 
 with a loud voice, and said, Yail, Yaili,!" why hast thou forsaken me? which " is, My 
 
 54 God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of those that stood there, Mt. 27,47. 
 when they heard, said,!^ This man called Elijah. 
 
 SECTION LII. 
 
 j 52 I And after that, Jesus knew that all things were finished ; and that the scripture jo. 19, 28. 
 
 2 might be accomplished, he said, I thirst. And there was set a vessel full of vinegar : jo. 19, 29a. 
 and in that hour one of them hasted, and took a sponge, and filled it with that Mt. 27, 43. 
 
 3 vinegar, and fastened it on a reed, and brought it near ^^ his mouth to give him a Mk. 15, 36*. 
 
 4 drink. And when Jesus had taken that vinegar, he said, Everything is finished. Jo. 19, 30a. 
 
 5 But the rest said, Let be, that we may 1* see whether Elijah cometh to save him. ^t- =7. 49- 
 6, 7 And Jesus said. My Father, forgive them ; for they know not what they do. And Lk! 23,' 46^. 
 
 Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and said, My Father, into thy hands I com- 
 mend 1^ my spirit. He said that, and bowed his head, and gave up his spirit. Jo. 19, 30*. 
 
 8 And immediately the face of ^^ the door of the temple was rent into two parts from Mi. 27, 51. 
 
 9 top to bottom ; and the earth was shaken ; and the stones were split to pieces ; and the Mt. 27, 52. 
 
 Arabic, tombs werc opened ; and the bodies of many saints which slept, arose and 
 
 10 P- ^97 came forth ; and after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and Mt. 27, 53- 
 
 11 appeared unto many. And the officer of the footsoldiers, and they that were with him Mt. 27, s4- 
 who were guarding Jesus,!' when they saw the earthquake, and the things which came ■ 
 
 12 to pass, feared greatly, and praised God, and said. This man wfl.f righteous ; and, Mt'. 27,^*.' 
 
 13 Truly he was the Son of God. And all the multitudes that were come together to Lk. 23,48. 
 the sight, when they saw what came to pass, returned and smote upon their breasts. 
 
 1 «/C 5 7, 17, note. Borg. MS. hasy«ftK^- a/. 
 
 2 The Arabic text has deriding (c/. ^ si, 37). Either wzih is accidentally omitted, or, more probably, we should correct 
 
 the spelling to shaking (cf. Syriac versions). 3 Verse 37 or Mt. 4 Borg. MS. has hoys (an easy clerical error). 
 5 Our deed might be read we have done, and perhaps our translator's style would justify our wnting as for to. 
 e Borg. MS. has Verily, verily. ' A single word in Arabic. 8 Vat MS. has and Mary. 
 
 9 lAt six hours and nine hours respectively. , 
 
 10 In Vat MS the second word is like the first. The syllable Va doubtless is the Arabic interjection C/ 
 H The Borg. MS. omits from zahich to me. 12 Borg. MS. omits when they, and has and Sfiid. 
 13 5^ S 12, 13, note. 14 Or, Let as. IS Lit. iay down. 
 
 16 cf. Syriac versions and Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary. Vat. MS. omits the face of. 
 
 17 This sentence is a good example of word-for-word translation of the Peshitta. 
 
Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 32. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 33- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 34. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 3S. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 36. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 19. 
 
 37. 
 
 Lk. 
 
 23. 
 
 49a. 
 
 Mk 
 Ml 
 Mk 
 
 . 15. 41'. 
 27, s6a. 
 ■ 15, 40*. 
 
 124 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 52 14 And the Jews, because of the Friday, said, Let these bodies not remain on their Jo. 19, 31. 
 crosses,! because it is the morning of the sabbath (for that sabbath was a great 
 day) ; and they asked of Pilate that they might break the legs of those that were 
 
 1 5 crucified, and take them down. And the soldiers came, and brake the legs of the 
 
 1 6 first, and that other which was crucified with him : but when they came to Jesus, 
 
 1 7 they saw that he had died before, so they brake not his legs : but one of the soldiers 
 pierced ^ him in his side with a spear, and immediately there came forth blood and 
 
 1 8 water. And he that hath seen hath borne witness, and his witness is true : and he 
 
 19 knoweth that he hath said the truth, that ye also may believe. This he did, that 
 
 20 the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, A bone shall not be broken in him ; and 
 the scripture also which saith. Let them look upon him whom they pierced.^ 
 
 2 1 And there were in the distance all the acquaintance of Jesus standing, and the 
 women that came with him from Galilee, those that followed him and ministered. 
 
 22 One of them was Mary Magdalene; and Mary the mother of James the little and 
 
 23 Arabic Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee, and Salome, and many others miis'Joc^c 
 p. 198 .jvhich came up with him unto Jerusalem; and they saw that. Lk. 23,49k 
 
 24 And when the evening of the Friday was come, because of the entering of the Mk. 15, 42. 
 
 25 sabbath, there came a rich man,^ a noble* of Ramah,^ a city of Judah,* named Lk. 23, 50. 
 Joseph, and he was a good man and upright; and he was a' disciple of Jesus, but jo. 19, 38*. 
 
 26 was concealing himself for fear of the Jews. And he did not agree with the accusers Lk. 23, 51a. 
 
 27 in their desire and their deeds: and he was looking for the kingdom of God. And Mk.^V43k 
 this man went boldly, and entered in unto Pilate, and asked of him the body of 
 
 28 Jesus. And Pilate wondered how he had died already : and he called the officer of Mk. 15, 44. 
 
 29 the footsoldiers, and asked him concerning his death before the time. And when Mk ij, 45^. 
 
 30 he knew, he commanded him to deliver up his body unto Joseph. And Joseph Mk.^s'.Ief'. 
 bought for him a winding cloth of pure linen, and took down the body of Jesus, 
 
 3 1 and wound it in it ; and they came and took it. And there came unto him Nicode- j°- ^5' J^''- 
 mus also, who of old came unto Jesus by night ; and he brought with him perfume ^ 
 
 32 of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. And they took the body of Jesus, jo. 19,40. 
 and wound it in the linen and the perfume, as was the custom of the Jews to bury. 
 
 2;^ And there was in the place where Jesus was crucified a garden ; and in that garden jo. 19, 41. 
 
 34 a new tomb cut out in a rock,^ wherein was never man yet laid. And they left jo. 19, 42. 
 
 35 Jesus there because the sabbath had come in, and because the tomb was near. And Mt. 27, 60*. 
 they pushed 1" a great stone, and thrust" it against the door of the sepulchre, and 
 
 36 went away. And Mary Magdalene and Mary that was related to Joses came to Mk. 15,470. 
 
 37 Arabic, the sepulchre after them,!^ and sat opposite the sepulchre,!^ and saw the Lk. 23, 55*. 
 
 38 P- ^99 body, how they took it in and laid it there. And they returned, and bought jjtk.^ie^tt 
 ointment ^^ and perfume,!^ and prepared ^^ zV, that they might come and anoint him. 
 
 39 And on the day which was the sabbath day they desisted according to the command. Lk. 23, 56<r. 
 40, 4 1 And the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered imto Pilate, and said unto him, ^t. 27I 63! 
 
 Our lord, we remember that that misleader said, while he was alive. After three days 
 
 42 I rise. And now send beforehand and guard the tomb" until the third day,^^ lest Mt 27, 64. 
 his disciples come and steal him by night, and they will say unto the people that he 
 
 43 is risen from the dead : and the last error shall be worse than the first. He said Mt 27, 65. 
 unto them. And have ye not guards? ^^ go, and take precautions as ye know Aota. 
 
 44 And they went, and set guards at the tomb, and sealed that stone, with the guards. Mt 27, 66. 
 
 45 And in the evening of the sabbath, which is the morning of the first day, and in Lk j^; J^; 
 
 46 the dawning ^c while the darkness yet remained, came Mary Magdalene and the Mt 28, i*. 
 other Mary and other women to see the tomb. They brought with them the Lk. 24, irf. 
 
 47 perfume which they had prepared, and said among themselves. Who is it that will Mk. 16, 3. 
 
 1 The word is probably plural. 2 Lit ripped. 3 Mt 27, 57. 4 Borg. MS. omits._ 
 
 5 Lk. 23, 51^. 6 Syriac versions. T Lit the. 8 The preparation used in embalming. 
 
 9 Mk. 15, 46. Lit a stone. 
 10 On the plural, which is to be found also in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary, see 5 38, 43, note (end). The word chosen 
 
 might be simply a clerical error for an original Arabic rolled. 11 Lit cast {cf. Sinaitic). 
 
 12 Dual. The clause {{xoxacame) is found verbatim in Sin. and Cur. at Lk. 23,55. Here, after the word Z«^tf of the refer- 
 ence, at the end ofleaf 117 of Vat MS,, is a note by a later hand: "Here a leaf is wanting." This second and last 
 lacuna extends from § 52, 37, to § 5^, 4. 13 Mt 27, 61^. 14 c/. Sinaitic. 
 
 15 The two Arabic words are practically synonymous (cf. Lk. 23, 56, Pesh.). 18 Lk. 23, 56. 
 
 17 The MS. omits the tomb. 18 Lit three days. 
 
 J 9 The word might be taken as a collective noun, singular. But cf. Pcshitta and § 52, 51. 
 20 (f. Peshitta. The Arabic word is variously explamed. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 125 
 
 §52 48 remove for us the stone from the door of the tomb? for it was very great. And ^^-^g-*^- 
 when they said dius, there occurred a great earthquake ; and an angel came down 
 
 49 from heaven, and came and removed the stone from the door. And they came Lk. 24, 2. 
 and found the stone removed from the sepulchre, and the angel sitting upon the Mt. 28, 2*. 
 
 50 stone. And his appearance was as the lightning, and his raiment white as the Mt 28, 3. 
 
 51 snow: and for fear of him the guards were troubled, and became as dead men. Mt. 28, 4. 
 
 52 And when he went away, the women entered into the sepulchre; and they found Lit. 24,3. 
 
 53 Arabic, not the body of Jesus. And they saw there a young man sitting on the Mk. 16, 5^. 
 g^ p. 200 right, arrayed in a white garment ; and they were amazed. 1 And the angel Mt. 28, 5. 
 
 answered and said unto the women, Fear ye not : for I know that ye seek Jesus the 
 
 5 5 Nazarene, who hath been crucified. He is not here ; but he is risen, as he said. Come Mt =8, 6. 
 and see the place where our Lord lay. 
 
 SECTION LIII.2 
 
 §53 I And while they marvelled at that, behold, two men standing above them, their Lk. 24,4. 
 
 2 raiment shining : and they were seized with fright, and bowed down their face to Lk. 24, 5. 
 
 3 the earth : and they said unto them. Why seek ye the living one with the dead? He Lk. 24, 6. 
 is not here ; he is risen : remember what he was speaking unto you while he was in 
 
 4 Galilee, and saying, The Son of man is to be delivered up into the hands of sinners, Lk. 24, 7. 
 
 5 and to be crucified, and on the third day to rise. But go in haste, and say to his Mt. 28, -/a. 
 disciples and to Cephas, He is risen from among the dead ; and lo, he goeth before 
 
 6 you into Galilee; and there ye shall see him, where ^ he said unto you: lo, I have Mt."28%c.' 
 
 7 told you. And they remembered his sayings ; and they departed in haste from the Lk- =4. s^ 
 
 8 tomb with joy and great fear, and hastened and went ; and perplexity and fear Mk. 16, si. 
 
 9 encompassed them ; and they told no man anything, for they were afraid. And Jo. 20, 2. 
 Mary hastened, and came to Simon Cephas, and to that other disciple whom Jesus 
 loved, and said unto them. They have taken our Lord from the sepulchre, and I 
 
 10 know not where they have laid him. And Simon went out, and that other disciple, Jo. 20, 3. 
 
 1 1 and came to the sepulchre. And they hastened both together : and that disciple Jo. 20, 4. 
 
 1 2 outran * Simon, and came first to the sepulchre ; and he looked down, and saw the Jo. 20, 5. 
 
 13 linen laid; but he went not in. And Simon came after him, and entered into the Jo. 20,6. 
 
 14 Arabic, sepulchre, and saw the linen laid ; and the scarf with which his head was Jo. 20, 7. 
 p. 201 bound was not with the linen, but wrapped and laid aside in a certain place. 
 
 1 5 Then entered that disciple which came first to the sepulchre, and saw, and believed. Jo. 20, 8. 
 
 16 And they knew not yet from the scriptures that the Messiah was to rise from among jo. 20, 9. 
 
 1 7 the dead. And those two disciples went to their place. Jo. 20, 10. 
 
 18 But Mary remained ^ at the tomb weeping: and while she wept, she looked Jo. 20, n. 
 
 19 down into the tomb ; and she saw two angels sitting in white raiment, one of them Jo. 20, 12. 
 toward his pillow, and the other toward his feet, where the body of Jesus had been 
 
 20 laid. And they said unto her. Woman, why weepest thou? She said unto them, Jo. 20,13. 
 
 2 1 They have taken my Lord, and I know not where they have left him. She said Jo. 20, 14. 
 that, and turned behind her, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was 
 
 2 2 Jesus. Jesus said unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? And Jo. 20, is. 
 she supposed 6 him fo be the gardener, and said, My lord, if thou hast taken him, 
 
 23 tell me where thou hast laid him, that I may go and take him Jesus said unto Jo- =0. i6- 
 her, Mary. She turned, and said unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni ; which is, being 
 
 24 interpreted, Teacher. Jesus said unto her, Touch me not ;'' for I have not ascended Jo. 20, 17. 
 yet unto my Father: go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my 
 Father and yoiu: Father, and my God and your God. 
 
 25 And on the First-day on which he rose, he appeared first unto Mary Magdalene, Mk. 16, 9. 
 from whom he had cast out seven demons. 
 
 1 The diacritical points of the 6rst letter must be corrected. _ „ 
 
 2 The Borg MS. indicates the beginning of the sections, not by titles, but by " vtttas amphitscnlas aurague oblimtas 
 
 (Ciasca, Introduction). Ciasca indicates in the Corrigenda, opposite p. 210 of the Arabic text, where this section 
 
 should begin. 3 Possibly the translator's style would warrant the translationaj. 
 
 4 Lit. hastened and prtced£d. 5 Probably an Arabic copyist's emendation (addition o( alif) iot stood. 
 
 9 c/:\ lo, 16. '' c/. §12, 13. 
 
126 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 53 26 And some of those guards ^ came to the city, and informed the chief priests of Mt. 28, h*. 
 
 27 Arabic, all that had happened. And they assembled with the elders, and took Mt. 28,12. 
 
 28 P- 202 counsel ; and they gave money, not a little, to the guards, and said unto Mt 28, 13. 
 them. Say ye, His disciples came and stole him by night, while we were sleeping. 
 
 29 And if the judge hear that, we will make a plea with him, and free you of blame. Mt 28,14. 
 
 30 And they, when they took the money, did according to what they taught them. And Mt 28, 15. 
 this word spread among the Jews unto this day. 
 
 3 1 And then came Mary Magdalene, and announced to the disciples that she had jo. 20, 18. 
 seen our Lord, and that he had said that unto her. 
 
 32 And while the first ^ women ^ were going in the way to inform* his disciples,^ Mt28,8*, 
 ^;i Jesus met them, and said unto them. Peace unto you. And they came and took Mt 28, g. 
 
 34 hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them. Fear not : but Mt 28, 10. 
 go and say to my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there they shall see 
 
 35 me. And those women returned, and told all that to the eleven, and to the rest of Lk. 24,9. 
 the disciples ; and to those that had been with him, for they were saddened and Mk. 16, lo*. 
 
 36 weeping. And those were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of Lk. 24, 10. 
 James, and the rest who were with them : and they were those that told the apostles. 
 
 37 And they, when they heard them say that he v/as alive and had appeared unto them, Mk. 16, n. 
 
 38 did not believe them: and these sayings were before their eyes as the sayings of madness. Lk. 24, im. 
 
 39 Arabic. And after that, he appeared to two of them, on that day, and while they lI''''*' 'I"' 
 P- 203 -yyere going to the village which was named Emmaus, and whose distance 
 
 40 from Jerusalem was sixty furlongs. ^ And they were talking the one of them with the Lk. 24, 14. 
 
 4 1 other of all the things which had happened. And during the time of their talking and Lk. 24, 15. 
 
 42 inquiring with one another, Jesus came and reached them, and walked with them. But Lk. 24, 16. 
 
 43 their eyes were veiled that they should not know him. And he said unto them. What Lk. 24, 17. 
 are these sayings which ye address the one of you to the other, as ye walk and are 
 
 44 sad? One of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered and said unto him, Art Lk.24, is. 
 thou perchance alone a stranger to Jerusalem, since thou knowest not what was in 
 
 45 it in these days? He said unto them, What was? They said unto him. Concerning Lk. 24, 19. 
 Jesus, he who was from Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, and powerful in 
 
 46 speech and deeds before God and before all the people: and the chief priests and Lk.24, 20. 
 
 47 the elders dehvered him up to the sentence of® death, and crucified him. But we Lk.24, 21. 
 supposed that he was the one who was to deliver Israel. And since all'' these 
 
 48 things happened there have passed three days. But certain women of us also Lk. 24, 22. 
 
 49 informed us that they had come to the sepulchre ; and when they found not his Lk. 24, 23. 
 body, they came and told us that they had seen there the angels, and they^ said 
 
 50 concerning him that he was alive. And some of us also went to the sepulchre, and Lk. 24, 24. 
 
 5 1 found the matter as the women had said : only they saw him not. Then said Jesus Lk. 24, 25. 
 
 52 unto them. Ye lacking in discernment, and heavy in heart to believe! Was it not Lk. 24,26. 
 in all the sayings of the prophets that the Messiah was to suffer these things, and to 
 
 53 Arabic, enter into his glory? And he began from Moses and from all the prophets, Lk. 24, 27. 
 
 54 p. 204 and interpreted to them concerning himself from all the scriptures. And Lk. 24,28. 
 they drew near unto the village, whither they were going : and he was leading them to 
 
 55 imagine that he was as if going to a distant region. And they pressed ^ him, and said Lk. 24, 29. 
 unto him. Abide with us : for the day hath declined now to the darkness. And he went 
 
 56 in to abide with them. And when he sat with them, he took bread, and blessed, Lk. 24,30. 
 
 57 and brake, and gave to them. And straightway their eyes were opened, and they Lk. 24, 31. 
 
 58 knew him; and he was taken away from them.i" And they said the one to the Lfc. 24,32. 
 other. Was not our heart heavy within us, while he was speaking to us in the way, 
 
 and interpreting to us the scriptures? 
 
 59 And they rose in that hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven Lk.24, 33. 
 
 60 gathered, and those that were with them, saying, Truly our Lord is risen, and hath Lk. 24, 34. 
 
 61 appeared to Simon. And they related what happened in the way, and how they Lk.24, 35. 
 knew him when he brake the bread. Neither beheved they that also. Mk. 16, 13*. 
 
 1 The Vat MS. has a form that is distinctively plural. The Borg. MS. uses, with a plural adjective, the form found in 
 
 § 52, 43. In the next verse the relation of the MSB. is reversed. 
 
 2 The ^oxAJirst is less correctly spelled in Borg. MS. 3 The Vat. MS. omits -women and to inform his disciples. 
 4 lT\form is dual and masc. in the MS., while the other verbs and pronouns are plural and feminine. 
 
 B Lit mils. 6 Borg. MS., to jud^sTnent and. 1 Borg. MS. omits a//. & Masc. plural. 
 
 9 (y^ § 50, 36, note. 10 Vat MS. omits this clause. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 127 
 
 SECTION LIV. 
 
 §54 I _ And while they talked together,! the evening of that day arrived which was the U;. ^24, 36a. 
 First-day ; and the doors were shut where the disciples were, because of the fear of the °' ^°' '^' 
 
 2 Jews ; and Jesus came and stood among them, and said unto them. Peace be with you : Lk. 24, ^tc. 
 I am he ; fear not. But they were agitated, and became afraid, and supposed that they Lk. 24, 37 
 
 3 saw a spirit. Jesus said unto them, Why are ye agitated? and why do thoughts rise Lk. 24, 38. 
 
 4 Arabic, in 2 your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that I am he : feel me, and Lk. 24,39. 
 P- 205 know that a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me having that, 
 
 5 And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his feet and his side.^ Lk. 24, 40. 
 
 6 And they were until this time unbelieving, from their joy and their wonder. He Lk. 24,41 
 
 7 said unto them. Have ye anything here to eat? And they gave him a portion of Lk. 24,42. 
 broiled fish and of honey.* And he took it, and ate before them. Lk. 24, 43. 
 
 8 And he said unto them, These are the sayings which I spake unto you, while I Lk. 24, 44, 
 was with you, that^ everything must be fulfilled, which is written in the law of 
 
 9 Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their Lk. 24, 45. 
 
 10 heart, that they might understand the scriptures; and he said unto them, Thus it is Lk. 24,46, 
 written, and thus it is necessary ^ that the Messiah suffer, and rise from among the 
 
 11 dead on the third day ; and //za/ repentance unto the forgiveness of sins be preached Lk. 24,47, 
 
 1 2 in his name among all the peoples ; and the beginning shall be from Jerusalem. And Lk. 24, 48, 
 
 13 ye shall be witnesses of that. And I send unto you the promise of my Father. And Yo',lo,t^^ 
 
 14 when the disciples heard that, they were glad. And Jesus said unto them again, Jo. 20, 21 
 
 1 5 Peace be with you : as my Father hath sent me, I also send you. And when he had jo. 20, 22, 
 said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit 
 
 16 and if ye forgive sins to any man, they shall be forgiven him ; and if ye retain them jo. 20, 23. 
 against any man, they shall be retained. 
 
 1 7 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Thama, was not there with the disciples jo 20, 24. 
 
 18 when Jesus came. The disciples therefore said unto him. We have seen our Lord, jo. 20, 25, 
 But he said unto them. If I do not see in his hands the places of the nails, and put 
 
 on them my fingers, and pass my hand over his side, I will not believe. 
 
 19 And after eight days, on the next First-day, the disciples were assembled again jo. 20,26. 
 within, and Thomas with them. And Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood 
 
 20 Arabic in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be with you. And he said to Jo. 20, 27. 
 p. 206 Thomas, Bring hither thy finger, and behold my hands ; and bring hither 
 
 21 thy hand, and spread it on my side : and be not unbelieving, but believing. Thomas 
 
 22 answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said unto him. Now since 
 thou ha.st seen me, thou hast beheved : blessed are they that have not seen me, and 
 have believed. 
 
 23 And many other signs did Jesus before his disciples, and they are they which 
 
 24 are not written in this book : but these that ' are written also are that ye may believe 
 in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God ; and that when ye have belifeved, ye may 
 have in his name eternal life. 
 
 25 And after that, Jesus shewed himself again to his disciples at the sea of Tiberias ; 
 
 26 and he shewed himself unto them thus. And there were together Simon Cephas, 
 and Thomas which was called Twin,* and Nathanael who was of Cana of Gahlee, 
 
 27 and the sons of Zebedee, and "two other of the disciples. Simon Cephas said unto Jo. 21,3 
 them, I go to catch fish. They said unto him, And we also come with thee. And 
 they went forth, and went up into the boat ; and in that night they caught nothing. 
 
 28 And when the morning arrived, Jesus stood on the shore of the sea : but the disciples Jo- 21, 4. 
 
 29 knew not that it was Jesus. And Jesus said unto them, Children, have ye anything Jo. 21, 5. 
 
 30 to eat? They said unto him. No. He said unto them. Cast your net from the Jo. 21, 6, 
 right side of the boat, and ye shall find.^ And they threw, and they were not able 
 
 31 to draw the net for the abundance of the fish that were comei" into it. And that Jo- ^l ?■ 
 
 1 The Arabic word after together looks as if it might be due to a misreading of the Syriac, but it is probably a usage cited 
 
 hy Dozy, Supplement, etc., i.,n-;. 2 hit. ox (c/. Pesh.). 3 Borg. MS. has sides, 
 
 i Borg. MS. omits ami o/i<!tieif. 5 Vat. MS.,y6r. 
 
 « Borg. MS. omits it is necessary. T cf. Peshitta. 
 
 8 Apparently the VaL MS. means to translate the word. The Borg. MS. retains Tama, as both MSS. did m 5 37, 61. 
 
 9 So Peshitta. Vat MS. has a form that might possibly be a corruption of taie. 10 Or, -were taken. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 20, 
 
 28. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 20, 
 
 29. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 2D, 
 
 30- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 20, 
 
 31- 
 
 Jo. 
 
 2r, 
 
 I. 
 
 Jo. 
 
 21, 
 
 2. 
 
128 THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 
 
 § 54 disciple whom Jesus loved said to Cephas, This is our Lord. And Simon, when he 
 heard that it was our Lord, took his tunic, and girded it on his waist (for he was 
 
 32 naked), and cast himself into the sea to come to Jesus. But some others of the Jo. 21, 8. 
 disciples came in the boat ^ (and they were not far from the land, but about two 
 
 33 Arabic, hundred cubits), and drew that net of fish. And when they went up on the Jo. 21, 9. 
 
 34 P- 207 land, they saw hve coals laid, and fish laid thereon, and bread. And Jesus Jo. 21, 10. 
 
 35 said unto them. Bring of this fish which ye have now caught. Simon Cephas therefore jo. 21, n. 
 went up, and dragged the net to the land, full of great fish, a hundred and fifty-three 
 
 36 fishes : and with all this weight that net was not rent. And Jesus said unto them, jo. 21, 12. 
 Come and sit down. And no man of the disciples dared to ask him who he was, 
 
 for they knew that it was our Lord. But he did not appear to them in his own 
 37, 38 form. And Jesus came, and took bread and fish, and gave unto them. This is j°; ^J| J^- 
 the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples, when he had risen from among 
 the dead. 
 
 39 And when they had breakfasted, Jesus said to Simon Cephas, Simon, son of jo. 21, 15. 
 Jonah, lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him. Yea, my Lord; thou 
 
 40 knowest that I love thee. Jesus said unto him. Feed for me my lambs. He said jo. 21, 16. 
 unto him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me ? He said unto 
 
 him, Yea, my Lord ; thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him. Feed for 
 
 41 me my sheep. ^ He said unto him again the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest Jo. 21, 17. 
 thou me? And it grieved Cephas that he said unto him three times, Lovest thou 
 
 me? He said unto him. My Lord, thou knowest everything; thou knowest that I 
 
 42 love thee. Jesus said unto him, Feed for me my sheep.^ Verily, verily, I say unto Jo. 21, 18. 
 thee, When thou wast a child, thou didst gird thy waist for thyself, and go whither 
 
 Arabic, thou wouldest : but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch out thy hands, 
 p. 208 ^jj(j another shall gird thy waist, and take thee whither thou wouldest not. 
 
 43 He said that to him to explain by what death he was to glorify God. And when he jo. 21, 19. 
 
 44 had said that, he said unto him, Come after me. And Simon Cephas turned, and saw jo. 21, zo. 
 that disciple whom Jesus loved following him ; he which at the supper leaned * on 
 
 45 Jesus' breast, and said. My Lord, who is it that betrayeth thee? When therefore jo. 21, 21. 
 Cephas saw him, he said to Jesus, My Lord, and this man, what shall be in his 
 
 46 case?^ Jesus said unto him. If I will that this 7nan remain until I come, what is Jo. 21, 22. 
 
 47 that to thee ? follow thou me. And this word spread among the brethren, that that Jo. 21, 23. 
 disciple should not die : but Jesus said not that he should not die ; but. If I will that 
 
 this man remain until I come, what is that to thee ? 
 
 48 This is the disciple which bare witness of that, and wrote it : and we know that jo. 21, 24. 
 his witness is true. 
 
 SECTION LV. 
 
 §55 I But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain^ where Jesus had Mt28, 16. 
 
 2 appointed theA. And when they saw him, they worshipped him : but there were of Mt. 28, 17. 
 
 3 them who doubted. And while they sat there he appeared to them again, and Mk. 16, 14. 
 upbraided thein for their lack of faith and the hardness of their hearts, those that 
 
 saw him when he was risen, and believed not.' 
 
 4 Arabic. Then said Jesus unto them, I have been given all authority in heaven Mt. 28, i83. 
 
 5 p. 209 a,nd earth ; and as my Father hath sent me, so I also send you. Go now into mL^iK^'s*. 
 
 6 all the world, and preach my gospel in all the creation ; and teach ^ all the peoples, and Mt. 28, 19*. 
 
 7 baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit ; and teach Mt. 28,20. 
 themto keep all whatsoever I commanded you : andlo, I am with you all the days, unto 
 
 8 the end of the world. For whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but Mk. 16, 16. 
 
 9 whosoever believeth not shall be rejected. And the signs ^ which shall attend those Mk. 16, 17. 
 that believe in me are these : that they shall cast out devils in my name ; and they 
 
 10 shall speak with new tongues; and they shall take up serpents, and if they drink Mk. 16, 18. 
 
 1 Vat. MS. adds unto Jesus. 2 Lit. rams. 3 Lit. elves. For the three words cf. Peshitta and Sinaitic. 
 
 ^ cf,% 45, 3, note. 5 Lit. of hint. 6 Vat. MS. omits to the tnountazn. 
 
 7 This seems to be the meaning of the text of the MSB. Ciasca conjecturally emends it by printing in his Arabic text 
 
 because they after hearts; but this is of no use unless one also ignores the and before believed. 
 
 8 Or, make disciples of. 9 Not the usual word, although that is used in the Peshitta. 
 
THE DIATESSARON OF TATIAN. 129 
 
 § 55 deadly poison,^ it shall not injure them ; and they shall lay their hands on the dis- 
 
 1 1 eased, and they shall be healed. But ye, abide in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be Lk. 24, 49.5. 
 clothed with power from on high. 
 
 12 And our Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, took them out to Bethany : and he Lkl^.'so?" 
 
 13 lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And while he blessed them, he was sepa- Lk. 24,51. 
 rated from them, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. Mk. 16, 19c, 
 
 14, 15 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and at all Lki^t 53- 
 times they were in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. 
 
 1 6 And from thence they went forth, and preached in every place ; and our Lord m^ ,6_ „o 
 helped them, and coniirmed their sayings by the signs which they did.^ 
 
 1 7 And here are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written Jo- 21. 25- 
 every one of them, not even the world, according to my opinion, would contain the 
 books which should be written.* 
 
 1 The Arabic translator renders it /A^/f32j(jM ^ff^rt/A. 2 c/C Peshitta. 
 
 3 In the Borg. MS. the text ends on folio 3532. On folios 354a-3s5a are found the genealogies, with the title. Book of 
 
 the Generation 0/ Jesus, that of Luke following that of Matthew without any break. Ciasca has told us nothing of 
 
 the nature of the text The Subscription follows oa folio 355^. 
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS. 
 
 IN BORGIAN MS. 
 
 Here eniieth the Gospel which Tatianus compiled and named Diatessaron, i.e., 
 The Fourfold, a compilation from the four Gospels of the holy Apostles, the excel- 
 lent Evangelists (peace be upon them). It was translated by the excellent and 
 learned priest, Abu'l Faraj 'Abdulla ibn-at-Tayyib ^ (may God grant him favotir), from 
 Syriac into Arabic, from an exemplar written by Tsa^ ibn-'Ali al-Motatabbib,'* pupil 
 of Honain ibn-Ishak (God have mercy on them both). Amen. 
 
 2. IN VATICAN MS.* 
 
 Here endeth, by the help of God, the holy Gospel that Titianus compiled from 
 the four Gospels, which is known as Diatessaron. And praise be to God, as he is 
 entitled to it and lord of it ! And to him be the glory for ever. 
 
 1 See note i to Introductory Note in Borg. MS. (above, p. 42). 
 
 2 MS., by misplacing the diacritical signs, has Ghobasi. 
 
 3 The MS. has Motfayyib; but Ciascaj in an additional note inserted after the volume was printed, gives the correct form. 
 
 4 The Arabic text of this Subscription is given by Ciasca in his essay, De Tatiani Diatessaron arahica Versitme, in I. B. 
 
 Vial's AnaUcia Sacra, tom. iv., p. 466. 
 
 130 
 
INDEX. 
 
 SHOWING DIATESSARON SKLECTIONS FROM THE GOSPELS IN BIBLICAL ORDER IN THE LEFT-HAND 
 COLUMN, AND OPPOSITE EACH ITS PLACE IN THE SECTIONS OF THE DIATESSARON. 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 DIATESSARON. 
 
 1, iS -25- 
 
 §2, 1-8 
 
 2, i''-23 
 
 *3, I -23 
 
 3, I"- 3" 
 
 40 -42 
 
 4-10 
 
 $4, 12 - 18 
 
 13 
 
 28 
 
 14. 15 
 
 33. 34 
 
 16" 
 
 36 
 
 17 
 
 38 
 
 4, 2» 
 
 44" 
 
 2»- 7 
 
 44° -49 
 
 10 
 
 45, 1 
 
 ii" 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 46,25 
 
 13 -16 
 
 36 -39 
 
 17a 
 
 «5, 42 
 
 18 -22 
 
 44 -48 
 
 24 
 
 «7, 10 
 
 5, 1- 
 
 {8,18 
 
 2-10 
 
 26'-34 
 
 iiti-ia 
 
 35'. 36 
 
 13 -16 
 
 40' -43 
 
 17 -25» 
 
 46 -54* 
 
 250-32 
 
 55 -62 
 
 33 -42 
 
 J9, I -io» 
 
 43 -46' 
 
 12 -15a 
 
 47. 48 
 
 20, 21 
 
 6, I - 8 
 
 22 -29 
 
 9»-i8 
 
 32 -41 
 
 19 -23 
 
 44 -48 
 
 24-27 
 
 510, 1 - 4 
 
 28'>-3i 
 
 6-9' 
 
 32-34 
 
 10 -12 
 
 7, 1 
 
 ,3a 
 
 6 
 
 21 
 
 12 -i6« 
 
 31 -34 
 
 17, 18 
 
 36, 37 
 
 19 -23 
 
 39 -43 
 
 25 -27 
 
 46 -48 
 
 28, 29 
 
 $11, I, 2 
 
 8, I 
 
 3 
 
 5" 
 
 4' 
 
 5°. 6 
 
 6 
 
 7. 8 
 
 9. 10 
 
 10"- 13 
 
 12'- 15 
 
 i^» 
 
 46, 50 
 
 17 
 
 52 
 
 18 
 
 ni, 24 
 
 19, 20 
 
 25'. 26 
 
 24» 
 
 33" 
 
 25 
 
 34;; 
 
 28" 
 
 42' 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 DIATESSARON. 
 
 9, I 
 
 §12, 
 
 2 
 
 8» 
 
 57, 
 
 23" 
 
 8" 
 
 
 23" 
 
 9" 
 
 §6, 
 
 46^ 
 
 I8^ 19 
 
 412, 
 
 8^ 9 
 
 26 -33 
 
 
 32 -39 
 
 35 
 
 §7, 
 
 7' 
 
 35. 36 
 
 §12, 
 
 40, 41 
 
 10, I" 
 
 
 42» 
 
 5'>-io« 
 
 
 44 -49" 
 
 10° 
 
 
 50" 
 
 10*- 14" 
 
 
 50° -54" 
 
 15 
 
 
 55 
 
 16 -27» 
 
 413, 
 
 I -I2» 
 
 28'> 
 
 
 13b 
 
 28" 
 
 
 14* 
 
 29 -33 
 
 
 15 -19 
 
 36 -42» 
 
 
 23 -29" 
 
 11, I 
 
 
 30 
 
 2» 
 
 
 39" 
 
 II 
 
 414, 
 
 r 
 
 12" 
 
 
 4 
 
 I2''-I5 
 
 
 5-- 8 
 
 20 -24 
 
 415, 
 
 27 -31 
 
 28 -30 
 
 
 39 -41 
 
 12, I. 2" 
 
 47, 
 
 37. 38" 
 
 5- 8 
 
 
 42 -45 
 
 II, 12 
 
 
 52. 53 
 
 14 -21 
 
 §8, 
 
 I - 8 
 
 22, 23 
 
 414, 
 
 41, 42 
 
 24 
 
 
 17 
 
 25, 26» 
 
 
 19, 20» 
 
 26" 
 
 
 21" 
 
 27 -29 
 
 
 22 -24 
 
 32 -34 
 
 
 31 -33 
 
 36, 37 
 
 
 35. 36 
 
 38. 39 
 
 416, 
 
 I, 2 
 
 40 
 
 
 4 
 
 41 
 
 
 6 
 
 45* 
 
 
 10 
 
 46" 
 
 
 13" 
 
 46° 
 
 
 '4" „ 
 
 47-50 
 
 
 15 , 18 
 
 13, I - 4" 
 
 416, 
 
 22 -25" 
 
 5. 6 
 
 
 26, 27 
 
 12 -16 
 
 
 33 -37 
 
 17 
 
 
 39 
 
 18 
 
 
 41 
 
 19 -21" 
 
 
 43 -45' 
 
 21", 22" 
 
 
 46. 47' 
 
 23'> 
 
 
 48' 
 
 131 
 
132 
 
 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 
 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 
 13, 24 -31' 
 
 §17, 
 
 I - 8 
 
 19, 4"- 9" 
 
 §25, 
 
 3i''-36 
 
 
 310 
 
 
 10" 
 
 9"- 13" 
 
 
 39" -43° 
 
 
 32" 
 
 
 I2» 
 
 i7\ i8« 
 
 §28, 
 
 44', 45 
 
 
 33° 
 
 
 13, note. 
 
 19b, 20 
 
 
 46^ 47 
 
 
 33^ 34° 
 
 
 15, 16' 
 
 21", 22° 
 
 
 49. 50° 
 
 
 34^ 35 
 
 
 i6», 17 
 
 23b, 24 
 
 §29, 
 
 I, 2 
 
 
 36 -54" 
 
 
 19 -37 
 
 27^ 28 
 
 
 6". 7 
 
 
 55 -57" 
 
 
 40, 41 
 
 20, I -16 
 
 
 27 -42 
 
 
 14, I 
 
 §18, 
 
 i» 
 
 20, 2I» 
 
 §30, 
 
 46 
 
 
 2" 
 
 
 5" 
 
 28 
 
 §31, 
 
 5 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 10 
 
 ag"" 
 
 
 25» 
 
 
 I2'> 
 
 
 19' 
 
 34" 
 
 
 34" 
 
 
 13a 
 
 
 21" 
 
 21, I^ 2' 
 
 §39, 
 
 20 
 
 
 15" 
 
 
 27 
 
 2" 
 
 
 2l'> 
 
 
 16, i7» 
 
 
 29, 30" 
 
 2° 
 
 
 21* 
 
 
 18 
 
 
 38 
 
 3"- 5 
 
 
 22*- 24 
 
 
 19', 20' 
 
 
 40 
 
 6" 
 
 
 26" 
 
 
 21 
 
 
 43 
 
 6" 
 
 
 26° 
 
 
 24 
 
 
 50 
 
 7. 8 
 
 
 29. 30 
 
 
 25 
 
 §19, 
 
 I 
 
 9- 
 
 
 32 
 
 
 26 -33 
 
 
 3-10 
 
 10, II 
 
 
 42, 43 
 
 
 15, 3. 4" 
 
 §20, 
 
 22, 23» 
 
 I2» 
 
 §32, 
 
 I' 
 
 
 7-9 
 
 
 29 -31 
 
 IZ* 
 
 
 2" 
 
 
 12 -14 
 
 
 35 -37 
 
 12", 13 
 
 
 2°, 3 
 
 
 15, 16" 
 
 
 38', 39" 
 
 14 -16 
 
 §40, 
 
 1 - 3 
 
 
 18 
 
 
 41 
 
 17 
 
 §32, 
 
 22'" 
 
 
 2o^ 2i» 
 
 
 45. 46" 
 
 20" 
 
 §33, 
 
 3 „ 
 
 
 22"- 28" 
 
 
 49 -55 
 
 2I^ 22 
 
 
 7. 8 
 
 
 28" 
 
 
 57 
 
 24*", 25" 
 
 
 29"', 30° 
 
 
 29, 30" 
 
 §23, 
 
 I, 2 
 
 2S^ 26" 
 
 
 31. 32° 
 
 
 30" -32 
 
 
 3"- 5" 
 
 28 -33" 
 
 
 35 -40 
 
 
 33 -39 
 
 
 6 -12 
 
 34 
 
 
 42 
 
 
 16, i» 
 
 
 13" 
 
 35. 36 
 
 
 46. 47 
 
 
 2', 3 
 
 §14, 
 
 39, 40 
 
 38^ 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 4" 
 
 §23, 
 
 14" 
 
 39 -42" 
 
 
 52 -55" 
 
 
 7, 8" 
 
 
 ig, 20* 
 
 42= -46 
 
 
 56 -60 
 
 
 II, 12 
 
 
 24', 25 
 
 22, I, 2 
 
 §30, 
 
 10, ii» 
 
 
 I3b_2ia 
 
 
 32 -40 
 
 3* 
 
 
 12" 
 
 
 14' 
 
 §18, 
 
 3" 
 
 4-6 
 
 
 16 -18 
 
 
 22 
 
 §23, 
 
 42" 
 
 7. 8 
 
 
 20, 21 
 
 
 23^ 
 
 
 44 
 
 gb 
 
 
 24'> 
 
 
 27 
 
 
 50 
 
 10 -14 
 
 
 26 -30 
 
 
 28» 
 
 §24, 
 
 i" 
 
 15 
 
 §34, 
 
 I" 
 
 
 17, I 
 
 
 2 
 
 16, 17 
 
 
 2, 3" 
 
 
 2" 
 
 
 4" 
 
 18"- 2 1 
 
 
 4"- 7 
 
 
 4" 
 
 
 9« 
 
 23 -25" 
 
 
 9 -ii» 
 
 
 5' 
 
 
 10 
 
 27 -29» 
 
 
 14 -16" 
 
 
 5- 
 
 
 12 
 
 30" 
 
 
 20» 
 
 
 6- 9 
 
 
 14-17 
 
 33 
 
 
 22 
 
 
 10" 
 
 
 2o'> 
 
 34. 35" 
 
 
 24. 25' 
 
 
 I2^ 13 
 
 
 23, 24 
 
 37^ 38 
 
 
 28*, 29 
 
 
 14- 
 
 
 30" 
 
 40 
 
 
 31 
 
 
 IS* 
 
 
 31" 
 
 41-46 
 
 §35, 
 
 17 -22 
 
 
 15° 
 
 
 33" 
 
 23, I - 5" 
 
 §40, 
 
 26 -30 
 
 
 16, 17 
 
 
 34. 35 
 
 5" 
 
 
 34° 
 
 
 18" 
 
 
 44" 
 
 7" 
 
 
 34" 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 46 
 
 8 -12 
 
 
 36 -40 
 
 
 23b 
 
 
 52 
 
 13" 
 
 
 43 
 
 
 240- 27 
 
 §25, 
 
 i 4- 7 
 
 13" 
 
 
 44" 
 
 
 18, I 
 
 
 8 
 
 14 
 
 
 42 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 10 
 
 15 -28 
 
 
 45 -58 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 13 
 
 29* 
 
 
 61' 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 17" 
 
 29''-33 
 
 
 6i°-65 
 
 
 r, 8 
 
 
 l7^ 18 
 
 34-39 
 
 §41, 
 
 ,1-6 
 
 
 9. 
 
 
 20 
 
 24, I 
 
 
 27 
 
 
 10, II 
 
 §27, 
 
 , 28, 29 
 
 2» 
 
 
 29 
 
 
 13 
 
 §26, 
 
 • 5 
 
 2» 
 
 
 30*, note. 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 7 
 
 3'. 4" 
 
 
 34", 35° 
 
 
 15 -22 
 
 §27, 
 
 , 16 -23 
 
 4^ 5" 
 
 
 36, 37 
 
 
 23 -35 
 
 
 I -13 
 
 6" 
 
 
 39" 
 
 
 19, i\ 2 
 
 §28, 
 
 9b, 10 
 
 7" 
 
 
 40 
 
INDEX. 
 
 133 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 24, 8 
 
 HI, 42 
 
 9, 10 
 
 50. 51 
 
 II -14 
 
 55-58 
 
 15, 16 
 
 §42, 4. 5 
 
 20, 21 
 
 16, 17 
 
 24 
 
 II 
 
 26, 27 
 
 13. 14 
 
 29 -31 
 
 2l"-23 
 
 32 -35 
 
 25 -28 
 
 37 -39 
 
 38 -40 
 
 42 -44 
 
 51 -53 
 
 45. 46 
 
 §43, 2", 3 
 
 47^ 48 
 
 4^ 5 
 
 49" -51° 
 
 6"- 8« 
 
 51" 
 
 8= 
 
 25, I -30 
 
 9-38 
 
 31 -46 
 
 43-58 
 
 26, 1-5 
 
 §44, I - 5' 
 
 9 
 
 §39, 13' 
 
 IO« 
 
 14" 
 
 12 
 
 16' 
 
 15" 
 
 §44, 7" 
 
 15° 
 
 8" 
 
 18" 
 
 38» 
 
 25 
 
 §45, 8 
 
 26" 
 
 12" 
 
 27- 
 
 13" 
 
 28, 29 
 
 15. i6« 
 
 31 -33 
 
 23 -25 
 
 36" 
 
 §48, 3' 
 
 37, 38 
 
 5. 6 
 
 40" 
 
 10 
 
 40\ 41' 
 
 11", 12' 
 
 42 
 
 13 
 
 44 
 
 15 
 
 45" 
 
 19" 
 
 46»-48 
 
 2l''-23» 
 
 49. 5°" 
 
 25, 26« 
 
 50' 
 
 26= 
 
 50° 
 
 33 
 
 52"- 54 
 
 37-39 
 
 55 
 
 41 
 
 56 
 
 43 
 
 58" 
 
 55" 
 
 59^ 60'' 
 
 §49, 21, 22 
 
 6o'> 
 
 24° 
 
 62'' 
 
 28 
 
 63* 
 
 27" 
 
 63\ 64" 
 
 33. 34 
 
 64' 
 
 36 
 
 65" 
 
 37" 
 
 66" 
 
 39 
 
 68" 
 
 41" 
 
 71" 
 
 8" 
 
 72 
 
 10 
 
 ys" 
 
 9 
 
 73° 
 
 12" 
 
 27, I" 
 
 20 
 
 3-10 
 
 §51, 7-14 
 
 II' 
 
 §49, 45" 
 
 12 -14 
 
 ^50, 16 -18 
 
 15 -17' 
 
 20 -22 
 
 17", 18 
 
 27", 28 
 
 19 
 
 19 
 
 20 -22" 
 
 29 -31 
 
 24. 25 
 
 §51, 4. 5 
 
 26" 
 
 §50, 37° 
 
 27. 28 
 
 38, 39 
 
 29", 30 
 
 41, 42* 
 
 31", 32« 
 
 §51, 16, 17* 
 
 32" 
 
 17° 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 27, 34" 
 
 §51, 27" 
 
 36. 
 
 30 
 
 39. 40° 
 
 35" „ 
 
 40=-42» 
 
 36"-38 
 
 42°. 43 
 
 39". 40 
 
 44 
 
 43 
 
 45° 
 
 52' 
 
 47 
 
 54. 
 
 48- 
 
 §52, 2" 
 
 49 
 
 5 
 
 51 -54" 
 
 8 -II 
 
 54" 
 
 12" 
 
 56- 
 
 22» 
 
 56C 
 
 22° 
 
 58" 
 
 29" 
 
 60" 
 
 35 
 
 62"- 66 
 
 40 -44 
 
 28, I" 
 
 45' 
 
 I" 
 
 46» 
 
 2' 
 
 48 
 
 2"- 4 
 
 49"-5i 
 
 5, 6 
 
 54. 55 
 
 r 
 
 §53, S 
 
 r 
 
 6" 
 
 8* 
 
 7" 
 
 8"- 10 
 
 32 -34 
 
 ii"-i5 
 
 26 -30 
 
 16, 17 
 
 §55, I, 2 
 
 18 
 
 4 
 
 19", 20 
 
 6. 7 
 
 Mark. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 1,12 
 
 §4, 43" 
 
 13" 
 
 43" 
 
 15 
 
 §5, 43 
 
 29" 
 
 §6,47 
 
 ZZ 
 
 53 
 
 35 -38 
 
 §7, 1-4 
 
 39" 
 
 7" . 
 
 41 -45« 
 
 §22, 2-6 
 
 2, I, 2 
 
 §7, II, 12 
 
 8 -12» 
 
 18 -22* 
 
 12= 
 
 24" 
 
 14 
 
 9 
 
 21, 22 
 
 34". 35* 
 
 24"-27 
 
 38"-4i 
 
 3, 4", 5 
 
 50". 51 
 
 7"- 12 
 
 §8, 10"- 15 
 
 14. IS 
 
 24, 25 
 
 19", 20 
 
 §14, 15 
 
 21 
 
 §7,46 
 
 26" 
 
 §14, 20" 
 
 28 -3,0 
 
 28 -30 
 
 31" 
 
 §16, 14° 
 
 4, 7" 
 
 28" 
 
 8" 
 
 29" 
 
 10, II 
 
 31. 32 
 
 13" 
 
 40 
 
 14 
 
 42 
 
 19" 
 
 47" 
 
 22, 23 
 
 §8, 44. 45 
 
 24". 25 
 
 §10, 15. 16 
 
 26 -29 
 
 §16, 49 -52 
 
 30" 
 
 §17, 9" 
 
 31" 
 
 II 
 
 32" 
 
 12" 
 
 33* 
 
 13 
 
 33" 
 
 16" 
 
 34" 
 
 18 
 
134 INDEX. 
 
 Mark. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 4,35° 
 
 JIL 
 
 ,31° 
 
 36a 
 
 
 32° 
 
 36° 
 
 
 3Z'' 
 
 38' 
 
 
 34° 
 
 39''-4i* 
 
 
 35', 36 
 
 5, 2» 
 
 % 
 
 39' 
 
 3^ 4° 
 
 
 40 
 
 4', 5' 
 
 
 41', 42° 
 
 5"- r 
 
 
 42'=-44° 
 
 r 
 
 
 44" 
 
 It 
 
 
 49' 
 
 16" 
 
 
 52' 
 
 20, 21" 
 
 «12, 
 
 5. 6° 
 
 23° 
 
 
 8» 
 
 24" -30 
 
 
 10 -16 
 
 33" 
 
 
 19" 
 
 34* 
 
 
 21" 
 
 37 -39 
 
 
 24 -26 
 
 40*, 41 
 
 
 28, 29» 
 
 42" 
 
 
 30° 
 
 ^' \ 
 
 *17, 
 
 38, 39 
 
 4' 
 
 
 44 
 
 S. 6' 
 
 
 48, 49 
 
 e> 
 
 
 53 
 
 8" 
 
 $12, 
 
 49' 
 
 9° 
 
 
 50' 
 
 11" 
 
 
 54' 
 
 12, 13 
 
 «13, 
 
 36, 37 
 
 14" 
 
 ns, 
 
 I" 
 
 15', 16 
 
 
 4, 5' 
 
 17-20 
 
 
 6-9 
 
 21 -29 
 
 
 II -19" 
 
 30. 31 
 
 414, 
 
 43, 44 
 
 33 
 
 418, 
 
 22" 
 
 34* 
 
 
 25' 
 
 36 
 
 
 28 
 
 40 
 
 
 37 
 
 41" 
 
 
 39 
 
 45 
 
 
 44 
 
 51*, 52 
 
 *19, 
 
 12', 13 
 
 54° 
 
 
 12" 
 
 54'- 56 
 
 
 14, 15 
 
 7, I - 5 
 
 420, 
 
 17 -21 
 
 8' 
 
 
 27 
 
 9 
 
 
 28 
 
 10"- 13 
 
 
 23"- 26 
 
 14 -16 
 
 
 32 -34 
 
 17° 
 
 
 38' 
 
 I8^ 19 
 
 
 39'. 40 
 
 21 -23 
 
 
 42 -44 
 
 24\ 25» 
 
 
 46', 47 
 
 26» 
 
 
 48 
 
 29l> 
 
 
 56 
 
 30 
 
 
 58 
 
 31 -37 
 
 421, 
 
 I - 7 
 
 8, 3" 
 
 423, 
 
 5' 
 
 II^ i2» 
 
 
 13", 14" 
 
 12"- 15 
 
 
 15 -18 
 
 I7''-2I' 
 
 
 20'' -24" 
 
 22 -27» 
 
 
 26 -31 
 
 31'. 32* 
 
 
 41, 42° 
 
 33° 
 
 
 43 
 
 34' 
 
 
 45* 
 
 35 
 
 
 46 
 
 37, 38 
 
 
 48, 49 
 
 ^' '. 
 
 424, 
 
 I" 
 
 3^ 4 
 
 
 4°, 5 
 
 6* 
 
 
 9c 
 
 10" 
 
 
 1 8" 
 
 lo"", II* 
 
 . 
 
 19, 20« 
 
 12, 13 
 
 
 21, 22 
 
 Mark. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 9, 14, 15 
 
 424, 25, 26 
 
 i8» 
 
 32 
 
 20, 21 
 
 36, 37 
 
 22"- 27* 
 
 38 -43° 
 
 28 
 
 45 
 
 29i>-3ia 
 
 47 -49' 
 
 Zi, 34° 
 
 425, 2, 3 
 
 36 
 
 9' 
 
 37' 
 
 11" 
 
 39 
 
 15 
 
 44 
 
 19 
 
 47' -50° 
 
 21 -24* 
 
 so- 
 
 26 
 
 lo, I - 5° 
 
 27 -31' 
 
 10 -12 
 
 37 -39' 
 
 13'- 16 
 
 43' -46 
 
 17 -i9» 
 
 428, 42 -44° 
 
 19' 
 
 46- 
 
 21* 
 
 48 
 
 23 
 
 51' 
 
 24 
 
 429, 3 
 
 26, 27 
 
 4, 5 
 
 ^9. 
 
 8 
 
 30', 31 
 
 10, 11 
 
 3\ 
 
 430, 40 
 
 33', 34° 
 
 42, 43 
 
 35 -40 
 
 47-52 
 
 41 -44 
 
 431, I - 4 
 
 46" 
 
 2ifi 
 
 47° 
 
 29» 
 
 48'-5i 
 
 30' -33 
 
 11, 2" 
 
 439, 21* 
 
 6" 
 
 28" 
 
 10" 
 
 33' 
 
 12 -IS" 
 
 §32, 24 -37* 
 
 15° 
 
 §33, 26 
 
 16 
 
 432, 5 
 
 19" 
 
 22* 
 
 19, 20 
 
 433, I, 2 
 
 21 -23 
 
 4- 6 
 
 24 -26 
 
 15 -17 
 
 28^ 29» 
 
 28\ 29* 
 
 30" 
 
 30' 
 
 32', 33 
 
 33, 34 
 
 12, 3'- 5° 
 
 43-45 
 
 6" 
 
 49 
 
 15° 
 
 434, 3', 4* 
 
 24' 
 
 16' 
 
 26" 
 
 20'' 
 
 27- 
 
 21" 
 
 28" 
 
 25' 
 
 28°-30« 
 
 26"- 28" 
 
 31 
 
 30 
 
 32 -34° 
 
 32 -34 
 
 34' 
 
 45 
 
 37'- 39 
 
 440, 31-33 
 
 40 
 
 35 
 
 41, 42' 
 
 432, 12, 13 
 
 44° 
 
 15 
 
 13, I*- 
 
 441, 28* 
 
 3 
 
 33 
 
 6" 
 
 38' 
 
 7° 
 
 39' 
 
 10 
 
 45 
 
 11" 
 
 47 
 
 15, 16 
 
 442, 6, 7 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 
 21 
 
 10 
 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 24° 
 
 21* 
 
 32 -37 
 
 32 -37 
 
INDEX. 
 
 135 
 
 Mark. 
 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 A, I, 
 
 2 
 
 §41, 31. 32 
 
 3" 
 
 
 «39, 3 
 
 3° 
 
 
 7- 
 
 4 
 
 
 12 
 
 5" 
 
 
 13" 
 
 6" 
 
 
 14" 
 
 7" 
 
 
 15- 
 
 8^ 
 
 9 
 
 16", 17 
 
 II» 
 
 
 $44, 8« 
 
 12 
 
 
 10 
 
 IS- 
 
 
 37" 
 
 IS'. 
 
 16 
 
 39". 40 
 
 18"- 
 
 20 
 
 44i>-46 
 
 21 
 
 
 48 
 
 22« 
 
 
 $45, 12" 
 
 ^^s 
 
 
 ,3a 
 
 23^ 
 
 24' 
 
 14 
 
 3o^< 
 
 J 
 
 27" 
 
 30"," 
 
 
 $49, 17 
 
 31 
 
 
 §45, 28 
 
 35-, 
 
 36» 
 
 §48, 8, 9» 
 
 37" 
 
 
 11° 
 
 38- 
 
 
 12* 
 
 40 
 
 
 14 
 
 41-. 
 
 42' 
 
 20, 21* 
 
 +4" 
 
 
 23" 
 
 51. 
 
 52 
 
 45. 46 
 
 57'- 
 
 59 
 
 §49, 24" -26 
 
 59 
 
 
 23 
 
 6o» 
 
 
 27>' 
 
 6i« 
 
 
 29 
 
 63» 
 
 
 37" 
 
 64" 
 
 
 38" 
 
 65» 
 
 
 40- 
 
 65= 
 
 
 4i« 
 
 68" 
 
 
 52- 
 
 69* 
 
 
 8" 
 
 71 
 
 
 14 
 
 15, i" 
 
 
 43" 
 
 3" 
 
 
 $50, 15 
 
 8, 
 
 9" 
 
 26, 27» 
 
 13 
 
 
 32 
 
 15' 
 
 
 37' 
 
 20" 
 
 
 451, 15" 
 
 21" 
 
 
 17" 
 
 23- 
 
 
 27" 
 
 23" 
 
 
 2r 
 
 28 
 
 
 26 
 
 29" 
 
 
 36» 
 
 34 
 
 
 53 
 
 36" 
 
 
 §52, 3 
 
 40'> 
 
 
 22* 
 
 40= 
 
 
 22I 
 
 41" 
 
 
 21" 
 
 41° 
 
 
 23" 
 
 42 
 
 
 24 
 
 43-- 
 
 -45* 
 
 27 -29» 
 
 46' 
 
 
 30* 
 
 47' 
 
 
 ^t 
 
 16, i" 
 
 
 38" 
 
 3 
 
 
 "^K 
 
 4- 
 
 
 47" 
 
 5" 
 
 
 S3 
 
 7- 
 
 
 §53, 6* 
 
 8" 
 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 
 25 
 
 10^ 
 
 
 35" 
 
 II 
 
 
 37 
 
 12* 
 
 
 39* 
 
 ,3b 
 
 
 61" 
 
 14 
 
 
 §55, 3 
 
 Mark. 
 
 16, 15" „ 
 16 -18 
 i9» 
 19° 
 20 
 
 Luke. 
 
 1, 5-80 
 
 2, I -39 
 
 40 -52 
 
 3, I - 3 
 
 4»- 6 
 10 -18 
 19, 20 
 
 2I» 
 22" 
 23" 
 
 4, I" 
 2" 
 
 5 - 7 
 13 
 14* 
 14'' -22* 
 
 14". 15 
 23. 24 
 25 -27 
 28 -30 
 
 3i"-38* 
 38°. 39 
 4o'> 
 
 41 
 
 42", 43 
 44 
 
 5, I - 7 
 8 -II 
 
 12 
 15". 16 
 
 I7''-2I 
 
 25" 
 
 26» 
 
 26° 
 27 -36* 
 
 38", 39 
 
 6, 6- 9 
 12, i3> 
 13"- 17* 
 18, 19 
 
 20° 
 22" 
 24 -27» 
 
 30". 31 
 32" -36 
 
 37", 38 
 39 -42 
 44 
 45 
 45* 
 47, 48* 
 
 7, 2, 3» 
 4", 5 
 8, 9* 
 
 10 -17 
 
 18 
 
 19 -27 
 
 29, 30 
 
 3i"-35 
 
 36 -39 
 
 40-50 
 
 8, I - 3 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 §55, 5" 
 
 8-10 
 I2» 
 
 13" 
 16 
 
 §1, 
 
 6 - 
 
 81 
 
 §2, 
 
 9 - 
 
 47 
 
 §3, 
 
 24 - 
 
 36 
 
 
 37- 
 
 39 
 
 
 43 - 
 
 45 
 
 §4, 
 
 19 - 
 
 ■27 
 
 §6, 
 
 23, 
 
 24 
 
 §4, 
 
 35 
 37 
 29 
 42 
 44" 
 
 
 
 50 - 
 
 ■52 
 
 §5, 
 
 2 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 33 - 
 
 -41 
 
 §7, 
 
 8 
 
 
 §17, 
 
 42, 
 
 43 
 
 
 45 - 
 
 -47 
 
 
 50 - 
 
 -52 
 
 §6, 
 
 40 - 
 
 .46a 
 
 
 48, 
 
 49 
 
 
 51 
 
 
 
 54 
 
 
 §7, 
 
 5. 
 
 6 
 
 §6, 
 
 35 
 
 
 §5, 
 
 49 - 
 
 -55 
 
 §6, 
 
 1 - 
 
 - 4 
 
 §22, 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 7. 
 
 8 
 
 §7, 
 
 13 - 
 22" 
 23" 
 24* 
 
 -17 
 
 
 25 - 
 
 -34* 
 
 
 35". 
 
 36 
 
 
 47 • 
 
 -50 
 
 §8, 
 
 9. 
 
 IO> 
 
 
 19 
 
 -23 
 
 
 16, 
 
 17 
 
 
 26'> 
 
 
 
 35* 
 
 
 
 37 
 
 -40" 
 
 §9; 
 
 , 10", 
 
 , II 
 
 
 15" 
 
 -19 
 
 §10 
 
 ,13", 
 
 . 14 
 
 
 17 
 
 -20 
 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 38 
 
 
 §14 
 
 , 34 
 
 
 §10 
 
 , 44, 
 
 45 
 
 §11 
 
 , 4" 
 
 
 
 7. 
 
 8 
 
 
 II. 
 
 I2» 
 
 
 16 
 
 -23 
 
 §13 
 
 ,38 
 
 
 
 39" 
 
 -47 
 
 §14, 2, 
 
 3 
 
 
 10 
 
 -14 
 
 
 45 
 
 -48 
 
 §15, I 
 
 -II 
 
 §ie 
 
 !, 19 
 
 -21 
 
136 INDEX. 
 
 Luke. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 8, 5" 
 
 *16, 
 
 25" 
 
 7 
 
 
 28» 
 
 8» 
 
 
 29' 
 
 8° 
 
 
 30 
 
 13* 
 
 
 45" 
 
 15 
 
 
 48" 
 
 19- 
 
 
 13" 
 
 19^ 
 
 
 14" 
 
 22'' 
 
 *11, 
 
 32" 
 
 22I 
 
 
 31" 
 
 23« 
 
 
 33" 
 
 24" 
 
 
 35" 
 
 25''-27'' 
 
 
 37 -39" 
 
 27" 
 
 
 39° 
 
 28" 
 
 
 44" 
 
 29" 
 
 
 45 
 
 29° 
 
 
 41" 
 
 30 -33" 
 
 
 46 -49' 
 
 34 -36 
 
 
 50 -52* 
 
 37" 
 
 m, 
 
 I 
 
 38, 39" 
 
 
 3, 4 
 
 40^ 4i» 
 
 
 6". 7 
 
 45''-47' 
 
 
 t; -i9« 
 
 47°, 48 
 
 
 20, 21" 
 
 49, 5° 
 
 
 22, 23 
 
 53 
 
 
 27 
 
 55" 
 
 
 29'' 
 
 55', 56 
 
 
 30", 31 
 
 9, I^ 2 
 
 
 42", 43 
 
 3* 
 
 
 49° 
 
 7" 
 
 518, 
 
 !» 
 
 7°, 8" 
 
 
 2 
 
 S^ 
 
 
 3" 
 
 9 
 
 
 20 
 
 I I'- 
 
 
 26 
 
 ll 
 
 «32, 
 
 23 
 
 ,3b 
 
 518, 
 
 35 
 
 I4^ 15" 
 
 
 36'', note. 
 
 23- 
 
 523, 
 
 45" 
 
 25 
 
 
 47 
 
 29" 
 
 524, 
 
 3 
 
 29'" 
 
 
 4" 
 
 3i''-33" 
 
 
 6-8 
 
 33° 
 
 
 9" 
 
 34" 
 
 
 II 
 
 36' 
 
 
 13 
 
 36° 
 
 
 18" 
 
 38" 
 
 
 30" 
 
 38", 39" 
 
 
 30°, 31" 
 
 39° 
 
 
 SS*" 
 
 42" 
 
 
 43" 
 
 43" 
 
 
 44" 
 
 44" 
 
 
 49" 
 
 45 
 
 
 51 
 
 46 
 
 525, 
 
 I 
 
 47" 
 
 
 9" 
 
 48" 
 
 
 ii» 
 
 48° 
 
 
 12 
 
 49 
 
 
 14 
 
 50" 
 
 
 16 
 
 51 -56 
 
 538, 
 
 42 -47 
 
 57" ^ 
 
 511, 
 
 25" 
 
 59 -62 
 
 
 27 -30 
 
 10, I -12 
 
 515, 
 
 15 -26 
 
 16 -22 
 
 
 32 -38 
 
 23" 
 
 516, 
 
 38 
 
 25" 
 
 534, 
 
 26" 
 
 28--37 
 
 
 35 -44 
 
 38 -42 
 
 513, 
 
 31 -35 
 
 11, 1", 2- 
 
 59, 
 
 30, 31 
 
 5 -13 
 
 §10, 
 
 22 -30 
 
 Luke. 
 
 DiATESSARON, 
 
 11, 14 
 
 514, 16 
 
 16 
 
 18 
 
 18" 
 
 21" 
 
 21 -23 
 
 25 -27 
 
 24 -26 
 
 516, 7-9 
 
 27, 28 
 
 II, 12 
 
 30 
 
 3 
 
 31 
 
 5 
 
 35, 36 
 
 59, 49, 50 
 
 37 -41 
 
 520, 12 -16 
 
 43 
 
 540, 41 
 
 45. 46 
 
 59, 60 
 
 47" 
 
 61" 
 
 52" 
 
 44" 
 
 53, 54 
 
 541, 16, 17 
 
 12, 1-3 
 
 18 -20 
 
 3", 4" 
 
 513, I2^ i3» 
 
 5" 
 
 14" 
 
 5° 
 
 14° 
 
 II 
 
 541, 46 
 
 13 -21 
 
 528, 33 -41 
 
 26 
 
 510, 5 
 
 29" 
 
 9" 
 
 32, 33" 
 
 59, 42, 43 
 
 35-38 
 
 543, 39 -42 
 
 41, 42" 
 
 I, 2» 
 
 44' 
 
 4" 
 
 45" 
 
 6" 
 
 46^ 
 
 8" 
 
 47 -50 
 
 527, 24 -27 
 
 51 -53 
 
 §13, 20 -22 
 
 54, 55 
 
 514,37, 38 
 
 58" 
 
 58, 54" 
 
 13, I -17 
 
 527, 31 -47 
 
 iS" 
 
 517, 9" 
 
 19" 
 
 I0» 
 
 20'' 
 
 14 
 
 22 -30 
 
 §31, 6-14 
 
 31 -33 
 
 524, 27 -29 
 
 14, 1-6 
 
 §29, 43 -48 
 
 7-15 
 
 530, I - 9 
 
 16', 17 
 
 Il\ I2» 
 
 18 -20 
 
 13 -15 
 
 21" 
 
 19 
 
 2I'=-23« 
 
 22 -24" 
 
 23", 24 
 
 24°, 25 
 
 25 -33 
 
 515, 42 -50 
 
 34", 35 
 
 525, 24^ 25 
 
 15, 1-4 
 
 526, I - 4 
 
 5", 6 
 
 6 
 
 7 -32 
 
 8-33 
 
 16, I -12 
 
 34 -45 
 
 14, 15 
 
 529, 12, 13 
 
 16 
 
 514, S" 
 
 17 
 
 9 
 
 19 -31 
 
 §29, 14 -26 
 
 17, 3, 4 
 
 §27, 14, 15 
 
 5 -10 
 
 §33, 9-14 
 
 li» 
 
 §30, 31" 
 
 12 -19 
 
 32 -39 
 
 20, 21 
 
 §40, 22, 23 
 
 22" 
 
 541, 35" 
 
 25 
 
 542, 15 
 
 28 -37 
 
 41 -50 
 
 18, I - 8 
 
 §33, 18 -25 
 
 9 -14 
 
 §32, 16 -21 
 
 23", 24" 
 
 §28, 5o\ 51' 
 
 28 
 
 529, 6' 
 
 3° 
 
 9 
 
 31" 
 
 §30, 41 
 
 33. 34 
 
 44, 45 
 
INDEX. 
 
 137 
 
 Luke. 
 
 18, 35' 
 
 
 35- 
 
 
 36, 
 
 37 
 
 3\ 
 
 39' 
 
 42-, 
 
 43 
 
 19, I - 
 
 ■10 
 
 n"- 
 
 ■27 
 
 28, 
 
 29" 
 
 30- 
 
 
 31' 
 
 
 32- 
 
 
 33, 
 
 34 
 
 37, 
 
 38' 
 
 38= 
 
 
 39 - 
 
 ■44 
 
 43' 
 
 
 44" 
 
 
 47, 
 
 48 
 
 20, I, 
 
 2' 
 
 6" 
 
 
 9» 
 
 
 13 
 
 
 14" 
 
 
 17" 
 
 
 20" 
 
 
 26 
 
 
 29''- 
 
 -31 
 
 34"- 
 
 -36 
 
 38 
 
 
 39 
 
 
 21, 3 
 
 
 5" 
 
 
 7" 
 
 
 8" 
 
 
 8" 
 
 
 9" 
 
 
 II 
 
 
 12, 
 
 13 
 
 14, 
 
 IS 
 
 16 
 
 
 18, 
 
 19 
 
 20 ■ 
 
 -22 
 
 23, 
 
 24 
 
 25. 
 
 26" 
 
 28 
 
 
 34 ■ 
 
 -36 
 
 37, 
 
 38 
 
 22, 2"- 
 
 - 4' 
 
 6 
 
 
 7 - 
 
 -IO» 
 
 Io^ 
 
 II' 
 
 II", 
 
 12 
 
 14 ■ 
 
 -16 
 
 19" 
 
 
 21 
 
 
 23 
 
 
 27 • 
 
 -30' 
 
 31, 
 
 33 
 
 33" 
 
 
 34" 
 
 
 35 ■ 
 
 -38 
 
 40' 
 
 
 40" 
 
 
 41' 
 
 
 42- 
 
 
 43 
 
 -45' 
 
 46' 
 
 
 48" 
 
 
 49 
 
 
 51" 
 
 
 52' 
 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 *31, 25'' 
 26" 
 
 27, 28 
 29", 30' 
 
 34", 35 
 
 15 -24 
 
 36 -52 
 
 $39, 18, 19 
 
 21" 
 
 22" 
 
 26* 
 
 27, 28> 
 
 31, 32' 
 
 33," 
 
 36 -41 
 ?41, 30" 
 
 30" 
 §34, 46, 47 
 §33, 27, 28. 
 
 32" 
 
 41 
 
 51 
 
 55" 
 $34, l" 
 8 
 11"- 
 
 17 - 
 
 21* 
 
 23 
 §32, 14 
 §41, 28" 
 34' 
 38' 
 38" 
 39° 
 41 
 43, 
 48, 
 52 
 53, 
 §42, I - 
 
 13 
 19 
 
 44 
 49 
 
 54 
 
 ■ 3 
 
 9 
 
 20 
 
 19, 
 
 24 
 
 29 -31 
 §40, 24, 25 
 §44, 5"- 7' 
 9 
 
 34 -37' 
 
 37° 
 
 38", 39* 
 
 41 -43 
 §45, le" 
 §44, 47 
 
 50 
 
 31 -33 
 §45, 17, 18 
 
 26» 
 
 27" 
 
 §46, 12 -15* 
 
 §48, 3' 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 9" 
 
 16 -18 
 
 19' 
 
 26" 
 
 34 
 40 
 27' 
 
 Luke. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 22, S3" 
 
 §48, 42 
 
 55' 
 
 54 
 
 57 
 
 52" 
 
 58' 
 
 §49, ii» 
 
 59" 
 
 12' 
 
 6o^ 6i» 
 
 15, i6 
 
 62 
 
 18 
 
 63" 
 
 40" 
 
 65 
 
 42 
 
 66" 
 
 19 
 
 e&'-es 
 
 30 -32 
 
 70 
 
 35 
 
 71 
 
 38' 
 
 23, 2" 
 
 47 
 
 4-16 
 
 §50, I -13 
 
 i8» 
 
 14 
 
 19 
 
 25 
 
 20 -23 
 
 33 -36 
 
 25' , 
 
 37" 
 
 26i'-33' 
 
 §51, 18 -25' 
 
 33" 
 
 25° 
 
 34' 
 
 §52, 6 
 
 35' 
 
 §5], 35' 
 
 35° 
 
 39' 
 
 36, 37 
 
 41, 42 
 
 39 -43 
 
 44 -48 
 
 44", 45' 
 
 52" 
 
 46' 
 
 §52, 7' 
 
 47" 
 
 12' 
 
 48 
 
 13 
 
 49« 
 
 21' 
 
 49" 
 
 23" 
 
 50 
 
 25' 
 
 51',° 
 
 26 
 
 55", 56' 
 
 37, 38' 
 
 56° 
 
 39 
 
 24, I" 
 
 45" 
 
 i" 
 
 46" 
 
 2 
 
 49' 
 
 3 
 
 52 
 
 4- 7 
 
 §53, I - 4 
 
 9 
 
 35' 
 
 10 
 
 36 
 
 II' 
 
 38 
 
 i3"-35 
 
 Sgi'-ei' 
 
 36' 
 
 §54, I' 
 
 36° -49' 
 
 2 -12 
 
 49" 
 
 §55, II 
 
 50, SI 
 
 I2^ 13' 
 
 52, S3 
 
 14, 15 
 
 John. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 1, I - 5 
 
 §1, 1-5 
 
 7 -17 
 
 §3, 46 -56 
 
 18 -28 
 
 §4, I -II 
 
 29 -31 
 
 30-32 
 
 32 -34 
 
 39 -41 
 
 35 -41" 
 
 §5, 4-10 
 
 42' 
 
 II 
 
 43 -51 
 
 12 -20 
 
 2, I -II 
 
 22-32 
 
 14' 
 
 §32, i" 
 
 14" 
 
 2" 
 
 16 
 
 4 
 
 17 -22 
 
 6 -II 
 
 23"-25 
 
 §15, 12 -14 
 
 3, I -21 
 
 §32, 27''-47 
 
 22 -36 
 
 §6, 5 -19 
 
 4, 1-3' 
 
 20 -22 
 
 4-45' 
 
 §21, 8 -49 
 
138 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 
 
 John. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 
 John. 
 
 DiATESSARON. 
 
 4,45" 
 
 523, 3» 
 
 14, 
 
 21 -31* 
 
 $46, I -II 
 
 46 -54 
 
 §6, 26 -34 
 
 
 31" 
 
 15" 
 
 5, i» 
 
 §30, 31" 
 
 15, 
 
 I -27 
 
 17 -43 
 
 I -47 
 
 ?22, 9 -55 
 
 16, 
 
 I -IS 
 
 44-58 
 
 6, I" 
 
 §18, 21" 
 
 
 16-33 
 
 $47, I -18 
 
 2"- 5" 
 
 22''-25'' 
 
 17, 
 
 I -26 
 
 19 -44 
 
 5"- 9 
 
 30" -34 
 
 18, 
 
 I, 2 
 
 $48, I, 2 
 
 10 
 
 36 
 
 
 4' 
 
 24 
 
 12, 13 
 
 41, 42 
 
 
 4"- 9 
 
 270-32 
 
 14 -18 
 
 45 -49 
 
 
 10, 11* 
 
 ^k ^^' 
 
 1 9%° 
 
 §19, 2 
 
 
 11° 
 
 36" 
 
 21" 
 
 II 
 
 
 I2» 
 
 44 
 
 22» 
 
 16 
 
 
 j2b_ jyi 
 
 47 -51 
 
 23 -60 
 
 17 -54 
 
 
 l8» 
 
 53 
 
 61 -71 
 
 $20, I -11 
 
 
 l8» 
 
 55" 
 
 7, I 
 
 $27, 30 
 
 
 19 -25* 
 
 $49, I - 7 
 
 2 -IO> 
 
 $28, I - 9=" 
 
 
 26" 
 
 11" 
 
 lo'-si 
 
 II -32 
 
 
 26" 
 
 13 
 
 31 -36 
 
 $34, 48 -53 
 
 
 28" 
 
 43" 
 
 37 -52 
 
 $35, I -16 
 
 
 28° 
 
 44 
 
 8, 12 -50 
 
 23 -61 
 
 
 29, 30 
 
 45", 46 
 
 51 -59 
 
 $36, I - 9 
 
 
 31 -38" 
 
 48 -55 
 
 9, I -38 
 
 10 -47 
 
 
 39, 40 
 
 $50, 23, 24 
 
 39 -41 
 
 §37, I - 3 
 
 19, 
 
 2 
 
 40 
 
 10, 1-42 
 
 4 -45 
 
 
 3"- 12 
 
 42''-5I 
 
 11, I -16 
 
 46 -61 
 
 
 13 -15 
 
 §51, I - 3 
 
 17 -57 
 
 $38, I -41 
 
 
 i6> 
 
 6 
 
 12, I, 2 
 
 $39, I, 2 
 
 
 16" 
 
 15" 
 
 3" 
 
 T ! 
 
 
 17' 
 
 15° 
 
 3"- 6 
 
 8 -n 
 
 
 ir 
 
 25" 
 
 7i>, 8« 
 
 14°, 15* 
 
 
 19 -22 
 
 31 -34 
 
 9 -11 
 
 4- 6 
 
 
 23, 24 
 
 28, 29 
 
 I2\ 13 
 
 34, 35 
 
 
 25 -27 
 
 49 -51 
 
 16 
 
 25 
 
 
 28, 29» 
 
 $52, I, 2" 
 
 17, 18 
 
 44, 45 
 
 
 30« 
 
 4 
 
 19 -36" 
 
 $40, 4 -21 
 
 
 3o'> 
 
 7" 
 
 36" -41 
 
 $41, 21-26 
 
 
 31 -37 
 
 14 -20 
 
 42 -50 
 
 7 -15 
 
 
 ^t 
 
 K 
 
 13, I -20 
 
 $44, II -30 
 
 
 38'>-42 
 
 30" -34 
 
 21" 
 
 44" 
 
 20, 
 
 , 2 -17 
 
 $53, 9-24 
 
 22 
 
 49 
 
 
 18 
 
 31 
 
 23 -29 
 
 $45, I - 7 
 
 
 19 
 
 $54, 1- 
 
 30 -32 
 
 9 -n 
 
 
 20''-3I 
 
 13 -24 
 
 33 -36 
 
 19 -22 
 
 
 21" 
 
 §55, 5" 
 
 37^ 38° 
 
 26", 27" 
 
 21 
 
 , I -24 
 
 $54, 25 -48 
 
 14, I -20 
 
 29 -48 
 
 
 25 
 
 $55, 17 
 
 SUGGESTED EMENDATIONS. 
 
 We collect here a number of references to places where emendations of the Arabic text of varying degrees of impor- 
 tance and plausibility have been suggested in the notes : 
 
 $8, 10, 13; $10, 14; §13, 15,42; §14, 43; §15, 25, 30, 35; $16, 19; $20, 25 f. ; §22, 43; §24, 26, 32; §25, 34; 
 $26, 21; §31, II, 22; §34, 32, 37, 41; §35, 57; §36, 9, 25; §38, 38 (42); §39, 2, 41; $40, 36, 45, 54; $41, 11, 16, 
 49; $43, 2; $44, 8, 34; $45, 10 f., 23, (29); $46, 12; $48, 23, 37; $51, 35; $52, 53; $53, 18. 
 
 [On the last part of note 3, p. 42, see now Zahn's review of Harris's Fragments, in Theologisches Literaturblatt, Leip- 
 zig, 3 Jan. 1896, col. 3.] 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF PETER 
 
 VISIO PAULI 
 
 APOCALYPSE OF MARIA VIRGO 
 
 APOCALYPSE SEDRACH 
 
 BY 
 
 ANDREW RUTHERFURD, B.D. 
 
THE REVELATION OF PETER. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The fragment here translated was discovered in 1886 by the French Archseological 
 Mission in an ancient burying-place at Akhmlm in Upper Egypt. It was pnblished at 
 Paris in 1893 (Bouriant, Memoires puhlies par les memhres de la Mission ArcMologique 
 Fran^aise au Caire, T. ix., fasc. 1, 1892). The MS. is now in the Gizeh Museum and 
 has been held to be of a date between the eighth and twelfth centuries. 
 
 Until the discovery of the fragment, the following was all that was known about the 
 Revelation of Peter. 
 
 1. The so-called Muratorian Fragment, a list of sacred writings, first published by 
 Muratori in 1740, and found by him in a seventh or eighth century MS. belonging to the 
 Ambrosian Library in Milan, but which had previously belonged to the Columban Mon- 
 astery of Bobbio, is assigned on internal evidence to the third quarter of the second 
 century. {Vide Westcott, Cation of the N. T., p. 514.) At line 69 it says : "the Apo- 
 calypses also of John and Peter only do we receive, which (latter) some among us would not 
 have read in church." 
 
 2. Clembjstt of Alexandria (fl. e. 200 a.d.) in his Hypotoposes, according to the 
 testimony of Eusebiits, H. E., vi., 14, gave "abridged accounts of all the canonical 
 Scriptures, not even omitting those that are disputed, I mean the book of Jude and the 
 other general epistles. Also the Epistle of Barnabas and that called the Revelation of 
 Peter." Also in his Fclogce Propheticm, chapters 41, 48 and 49, he gives three, or as some 
 think, four quotations from the Revelation of Peter, mentioning it twice by name. 
 
 3. The Catalogus Claromontamis, an Eastern list of Holy Scriptures, belonging to the 
 third century, gives at the end the Revelation of Peter (v. Westcott, Canon, p. 555). 
 This catalogue gives the length of the various books it enumerates measured in stichoi. 
 Our book is said to have two hundred and seventy, which makes it rather longer than the 
 Epistle to the Colossians which has two hundred and fifty-one. 
 
 4. Methodius, bishop of Olympus in Lycia in the beginning of the fourth century, in 
 his Symposium, ii., 6, says, " wherefore we have also learned from divinely inspired Script- 
 ures that untimely births even if they are the offspring of adultery are delivered to care- 
 taking angels." Though Peter is not here mentioned, the purport of the passage is the 
 same as that of one of the quotations given by Clement of Alexandria. 
 
 5. Eusebius (f c. 339 a.d.), in his Ecclesiastical History, iii., 25, expressly mentions 
 the Bevelation of Peter along with the Acts of Paul and the Pastor as spurious books, 
 while at iii., 3, he says : " as to that which is called the Preaching and that called the 
 Apocalypse of Peter, we know nothing of their being handed down as Catholic writings. 
 Since neither among the ancients nor among the ecclesiastical writers of our own day, has 
 there been anyone that has appealed to testimony taken from them." 
 
 6. Macarius Magnes (beginning of fifth century) in his Apocritica, iv., 6, quotes 
 as from a heathen opponent of Christianity the following : " Let us by way of superfluity 
 cite also that saying in the Apocalypse of Peter. It thus introduces the heaven as being 
 about to undergo judgment along with the earth. 'The earth,' it says, 'shall present all 
 men before God at the day of judgment, being itself also to be judged along with the 
 heaven also which encompasses it.' " And at iv., 16, he examines this passage again, naming 
 the Revelation of Peter, and supporting the doctrine of the passage by the authority of 
 prophecy (Isaiah xxxiv., 4) and the Gospel (Matt, xxiv., 35). 
 
142 INTRODUCTIOISr 
 
 7. Sozome;n- (middle of fifth century), H. E., vii., 19, says : " For instance, the so- 
 called Apocalypse of Peter which was esteemed as entirely spurious by the ancients, we 
 have discovered to be read in certain churches of Palestine up to the present day, once a 
 year, on the day of preparation, during which the people most religiously fast in commem- 
 oration of the Saviour's Passion" {i.e., on Good Friday). It is to be noted that Sozomen 
 himself belonged to Palestine. 
 
 8. In the list of the Sixty Boohs which is assigned to the fifth or sixth century the 
 Revelation of Peter is mentioned among the Apocrypha {v. Westcott, Canon, p. 551). 
 
 9. The so-called Stiehometry of Nicephorus, a list of scriptures with notes of their ex- 
 tent, ascribed to Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople, 806-814 a.d., includes the 
 Revelation of Peter among the antilegoniena or disputed writings of the New Testament, 
 and gives it three hundred stichoi or thirty more than the above-mentioned Catalogus Claro- 
 raontanus. 
 
 10. The Armenian annalist Mkhitan (thirteenth century) in a list of the New Testa- 
 ment antilegomena mentions the Revelation of Peter, after the Gospel of Thomas and be- 
 fore the Feriodoi Pauli, and remarks that he has himself copied these books. (Of. 
 Harnack, GeschicJite der altohristlichen Liter atur. ) 
 
 Up till lately these facts represented all that was positively known of the Revelation of 
 Peter. From them we gather that it must have been written before the middle of the 
 second century (so as to be known at Rome and included in the Muratorian Canon), that 
 it had a wide circulation, that it was for some time very popular, so that it would appear to 
 have run a considerable chance of aohieviug a place in the canon, but that it was ultimately 
 rejected and in the long run dropped out of knowledge altogether. 
 
 But even previously to the discovery at Akhmim, the general character of the book had 
 been inferred from the scanty fragments preserved in ancient writers and from the common 
 elements contained in other and later apocalyptic writings which seemed to require some 
 such book as the Revelation of Peter as their ultimate source. Such writings are the 
 (Christian) Apocalypse of Esdras, the Vision of Paul, the Passion of S. Perpetua and the 
 visions contained in the History of Barlaam and Josaphat. (Cf. Robinson, Texts and 
 Studies, i., 3, p. 37-43, and Robinson and James, The Gospel according to Peter and the 
 Revelation of Peter, 1892. ) 
 
 The Revelation of Peter affords the earliest embodiment in Christian literature of those 
 pictorial presentations of heaven and hell which have exercised so widespread and enduring 
 an influence. It has, in its imagery, little or no kinship with the Book of Daniel, the Book 
 of Enoch, or the Revelation of S. John. Its only parallels in canonical scripture, with the 
 notable exception of the Second Epistle of Peter, are to be found in Isaiah Ixvi., 24, Mark 
 ix., 44, 48, and the parable of Dives and Lazarus in Luke xvi., 19. It is indeed Judaic in 
 the severity of its morality and even in its phraseology {cf. the frequent use of the word 
 righteous, and the idea that God and not Christ will come to judge sinners). But the true 
 parallels for, if not the sources of, its imagery of the rewards and punishments which await 
 men after death are to be found in Greek beliefs which have left their traces in such pas- 
 sages as the Vision of Er at the end of Plato's Republic. 
 
 The heaven of the Petrine Apocalypse is akin to the Elysian Fields and the Islands of 
 the Blest. In it the saints are crowned as with flowers and beautiful of countenance, sing- 
 ing songs of praise in the fragrant air, in a land all lighted up with the light of the sun.^ 
 We are reminded of "the Elysian Fields and the world's end where is Rhndamanthus of 
 the fair hair, where life is easiest for men. No snow is there, nor yet great storm, nor any 
 rain ; but alway Ocean sendeth forth the breeze of the shrill West to blow cool on 
 men" {^Odyssey, iv., 563), and of the garden of the gods on Olympus, which "is not 
 shaken by winds, or ever wet with rain, nor doth the snow come nigh thereto, but most 
 clear air is spread about it cloudless, and the white light floats over it" {Odyssey, vi., 43, 
 Butcher and Lang's transl.). Perhaps the most striking parallel of all is afforded by the 
 fragment of a dirge of Pindar : " For them shineth below the strength of the sun, while in 
 our world it is night, and the space of crimson-flowered meadow before their city is full of 
 the shade of frankincense trees, and of fruits of gold. And some in horses, and in bodily 
 
 Cf. 
 
 ' . . . the island valley of Avjlion ; 
 Where falls not rain or hail or any enow, 
 Nor ever wind blows loudly ; but it lies 
 Deep-meadowed, happy, fair with orchard lawns 
 And bowery hollows crowned with summer seas." 
 
 TENNTaoN, Passinc; of Arthur. 
 
INTEODUCTION 143 
 
 feats, and some in dice, and some in harp-playing have delight ; and among them thriveth 
 all fair-flowering bliss ; and fragrance streameth ever through the lovely land, as they 
 mingle incense of every kind upon the altars of the gods" (Pindar, E. Myer's transl., p. 
 176). Beside this heaven the New Jerusalem of the canonical Apocalypse is austere. But 
 it is the spiritual ci^. " For the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine 
 on it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb were in the midst of it and the Lamb was 
 the light thereof." 
 
 So likewise in the case of the torments of the wicked as presented in the Eevelation of 
 Peter. We are not here in the Jewish Sheol, or among the fires of the valley of Hinnom, so 
 much as among the tortures of Tartarus and the boiling mud of the Acherusian Lake (c/. Plato, 
 Plimdo, p. 113 ; Aristophanes, Frogs, line 145), or where "wild men of fiery aspect . . . 
 seized and carried off several of them, and Ardieeus and others, they bound head and foot 
 and hand, and threw them down and flayed them with scourges, and dragged them along 
 the road at the side, carding them on thorns like wool, and declaring to the passers-by what 
 were their crimes, and that they were being taken away to be cast into hell {Republic, x., 
 p. 616, Jowett's transl.). It is not surprising that in later visions of the same kind the 
 very names of the Greek under-world are ascribed to localities of hell. It is across the river 
 Oceanns. It is called Tartarus. In it is the Acherusian Lake. Notice in this connection 
 that the souls of innocent victims are present along with their murderers to accuse them. 
 
 The Eevelation of Peter shows remarkable kinship in ideas with the Second Epistle of 
 Peter. The parallels will be noted in the margin of the translation. It also presents 
 notable parallels to the Sibylline Oracles (c/. Orac. 8ih., ii., 355 sqq.), while its influence 
 has been conjectured, almost with certainty, in the Acts of Perpetua and the visions nar- 
 rated in the Acts of Thomas and the History of Barlaam and Josaphat. It certainly was 
 one of the sources from which the writer of the Vision of Paul drew. And directly or in- 
 directly it may be regarded as the parent of all the mediaeval visions of the other world. 
 
 The fragment begins in the middle of an eschatological discourse of Jesus, probably 
 represented as delivered after the resurrection, for verse 5 implies that the disciples had be- 
 gun to preach the Gospel. It ends abruptly in the course of a catalogue of sinners in hell 
 and their punishments. The fragments preserved in the writings of Clement of Alexandria 
 and Methodius probably belonged to the lost end of the book ; that preserved by Macarius 
 Magnes may have belonged to the eschatological discourse at the beginning. Taking the 
 length of the whole at from two hundred and seventy to three hundred stichoi, the Akhmim 
 fragment contains about the half. 
 
 The present translation is made from Harnack's edition of the text, 2d ed., Leipzig, 
 1893. 
 
 There is another and later Apocalypse of Peter in Arabic, of which mss. exist in Eome 
 and Oxford. It is called the Apocalypse of Peter, or the narrative of things revealed to him 
 hy Jesus Christ which had taken place from the beginning of the world and tvhich shall take 
 place till the end of the toorld or the second coming of Christ. The book is said to have 
 been written by Clement, to whom Peter had communicated the secrets revealed to him. 
 The writer himself calls the book Librum Perfectionis or Librum Completum. Judging 
 from the analysis of its contents quoted by Tischendorf {Apocalypses Apocr. ) it has no con- 
 nection with the present work. 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF PETER. 
 
 1. . . . many of them will be false 
 prophets,^ and will teach divers ways and doc- 
 trines of perdition: but these will become 
 sons of perdition.2 3. And then God will 
 come unto my faithful ones who hunger and 
 thirst and are afflicted and purify their souls 
 in this life; and he will judge the sons of law- 
 lessness.^ 
 
 4. And furthermore the Lord said: Let us 
 go into the mountain:* Let us pray. o. And 
 going with him, we, the twelve disciples, 
 begged that he would show us one of our 
 brethren, the righteous who are gone forth 
 out of the world, in order that we might see 
 of what manner of form they are, and having 
 taken courage, might also encourage^ the men 
 who hear lis. 
 
 6. And as we prayed, suddenly there ap- 
 peared two men standing before the Lord 
 towards the East, on whom we were not able 
 to look;" 7, for there came forth from their 
 countenance a ray as of the sun, and their 
 raiment was shining, such as eye of man' 
 never saw; for no mouth is able to express or 
 heart to conceive the glory with which they 
 were endued, and the beauty of their ap- 
 pearance. 8. And as we looked upon them, 
 we were astounded; for their bodies were 
 whiter than any snow and ruddier than any 
 rose;* 9, and the red thereof was mingled with 
 the white, and I am utterly unable to express 
 their beauty; 10, for their hair was curly and 
 bright and seemly both on their face and 
 shoulders, as it were a wreath' woven of spike- 
 nard and divers-coloured flowers, or like a 
 rainbow in the sky, such was their seemliness. 
 
 1 False prophets. Of. Matt. vii. 15 ; xsiv. 5, 11. Cf . Pastor 
 of Hermas, Mand. xi. 
 
 2 Sons of perdition. Cf. 2 Peter ii. 1-3 ; iii. T, 16 ; 2 Thess. 
 ii. 3, and Ep. of Lyons and Vienne, Euseb. H. E. v. 1. 
 
 5 Purify their souls. (Jf. 2 Peter i. 18. Sons of lawlessness. 
 Cf . Pastor Herm. Vis, iii. 6. 
 
 * Mountain. Cf . 2 Peter i. 18. 
 
 ' The righteous. Cf. 2 Peter i. 1 ; ill. 19. What manner of. 
 Cf. 2 Peter iii. 11. Encourage. Cf. Pastor Herm. Vis. iii. 3. 
 
 " Not able to look. Cf. 2 Cor. iii. 7 fE. 
 
 ' Eye of man, etc. Of. 1 Cor. ii. 9. 
 
 » Snow and rose. Cf . Bk. of Enoch cvi. 2. 
 
 ' Wreath. Cf. Ep. of Lyons and Vienne, ap. Euseb. H. E. v 
 1,36. 
 
 11. Seeing therefore their beauty we be- 
 came astounded at them, since they appeared 
 suddenly. 12. And I approached the Lord 
 and said: Who are these? 13. He saith to me: 
 These are your brethren the righteous, whose 
 forms ye desired to see. 14. And I said to 
 him: And where are all the righteous ones 
 and what is the seon in which they are and 
 have this glory? 
 
 15. And the Lord showed me^° a very great 
 country outside of this world, exceeding 
 bright with light, and the air there lighted 
 with the rays of the sun, and the earth itself 
 blooming with unfading flowers and full of 
 spices and plants, fair-flowering and incor- 
 ruptible and bearing blessed fruit. 16. And 
 so great was the perfume that it^^ was borne 
 thence even unto us. 17. And the dwellers 
 in that place were clad in the raiment of shin- 
 ing angels and their raiment was like unto 
 their country; and angels hovered about 
 them there. 18. And the glory of the dwell- 
 ers there was equal, and with one voice they 
 sang praises alternately to the Lord God, re- 
 joicing in that place. 19. The Lord saith to 
 us: This is the place of your high-priests,^^ 
 the righteous men. 
 
 30. And over against that place T saw an- 
 other, squalid, and it was the place of pun- 
 ishment; and those who were punished there 
 and the punishing angels had their raiment 
 dark^** like the air of the place. 
 
 21. And there were certain there hanging 
 by the tongue: and these were the blasphem- 
 ers of the way of righteousness; and under 
 them lay fire,^* burning and punishing them. 
 
 22. And there was a great lake, full of 
 
 '" Apparently all the disciples are supposed to have had the 
 vision of heaven, but Peter alone that of Hell. Unfadins. Cf . 1 
 Peter i. 4. 
 
 " Odour. Cf. Ep. of Lyons and Vienne, 1. c, and Passion of 
 S. Perpetua, ch. xiii. 
 
 12 High-priests. Cf. Didache 18, 3. 
 
 " Squahd. Cf. 2 Peter i. 19. Punishment. Cf. 2 Peter ii. 9. 
 Punishing angels. Cf. Pastor Herm. Sim. vi. 3. Dark. Cf. 
 Jude, w. 6 and 13. 
 
 i< Blasphemers. Cf . 2 Peter ii. 12 ; Pastor Herm. Sim. viii. 6 : 
 ix. 18. Fire. Cf. 2 Peter iii. T. 
 
146 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OF PETER 
 
 flaming mire, in which were certain men that 
 pervert righteousness/ and tormenting angels 
 afliieted them. 
 
 23. And there were also others, women, 
 hanged by their hair over that mire that 
 bubbled up: and these were they who adorned 
 themselves for adultery; and the men who 
 mingled with them in the defilement^ of adul- 
 tery, were hanging by the feet and their heads 
 in that mire. And I said : I did not believe 
 that I should come into this place. 
 
 24. And I saw the murderers and those 
 who conspired with them, cast into a certain 
 strait place, full of evil snakes, and smitten 
 by those beasts, and thus turning to and fro 
 in that punishment; and worms,' as it were 
 clouds of darkness, afflicted them. And the 
 souls of the murdered stood and looked upon 
 the punishment of those murderers and said: 
 God, thy judgment is just. 
 
 25. And near that place I saw another 
 strait place into which the gore and the filth 
 of those who were being punished ran down 
 and became there as it were a lake : and there 
 sat women having the gore up to their necks, 
 and over against them sat many children who 
 were born to them out of due time, crying; 
 and there came forth from them sparks of 
 fire and smote the women in the eyes: and 
 these were the accursed who conceived and 
 caused abortion. 
 
 26. And other men and women were burn- 
 ing up to the middle and were cast into a 
 dark place and were beaten by evil spirits, 
 and their inwards were eaten by restless 
 worms:* and these were they who persecuted 
 the righteous and delivered them up. 
 
 27. And near those there were again wom- 
 en and men gnawing their own lips, and 
 being punished and receiving a red-hot iron 
 in their eyes: and these were they who blas- 
 phemed and slandered"* the way of righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 28. And over against these again other 
 men and women gnawing their tongues and 
 having flaming fire in their mouths: and 
 these were the false witnesses.® 
 
 29. And in a certain other place there were 
 pebbles sharper than swords or any spit, red- 
 hot, and women and men in tattered and 
 
 ' Mire. Cf. 2 Peter U. 22. Pervert righteonsneBB. Cf . Pastor 
 Herm. Sim. viii. 6. Cf. Titus i. 14. 
 
 ■^ Cf. Jude T. Defilement. Cf. 2 Peter ii. 10, 14, IT, 20, and 
 Jude 8. Cf. Pastor Herm. Sim. vi. 6. 
 
 = Darkness. Of. 2 Peter ii. IT. Worms. Cf. Isaiah Ixvi. 24 
 and Mark ix. 48. 
 
 < Eestless worms. Cf. Isaiah Ixri. 24 and Mark ix. 48. Cf. 
 Esdras, Ante-Nicene lab., vol. viii., p. 57^ ; Pastor Herm. Sim. 
 ix. 19 ; viii. 6. 
 
 5 Slandered. Cf. 2 Peter ii. 2 and Jude, w. 8, 10. 
 
 ' False witnesses. Cf. Hennas. Mand. viii. 6. 
 
 filthy raiment rolled about on them in pun- 
 ishment: and these were the rich who trusted 
 in their riches and had no pity for orphans 
 and widows, and despised the commandment'' 
 of God. 
 
 30. And in another great lake, full of pitch 
 and blood and mire bubbling up, there stood 
 men and women up to their knees: and these 
 were the usurers and those who take interest 
 on interest. 
 
 31. And other men and women were being 
 hurled down from a great cliff and reached 
 the bottom, and again were driven by those 
 who were set over them to climb up upon the 
 clifl', and thence were hurled down again, and 
 had no rest from this punishment: and these 
 were they who defiled^ their bodies acting as 
 women; and the women who were with them 
 were those who lay with one another as a man 
 with a woman. 
 
 32. And alongside of that cliff there was a 
 place full of much fire, and there stood men 
 who with their own hands had made for 
 themselves carven images instead of God. 
 And alongside of these were other men and 
 women, having rods and striking each other 
 and never ceasing from such punishment. 
 
 33. And others again near them, women 
 and men, burning and turning themselves 
 and roasting: and these were they that leav- 
 ing the way of God° . . . 
 
 FEAGMENTS OF THE APOCALYPSE 
 OF PETER. 
 
 1. Clemens Alexandkiitus, JEcIog. 48. 
 For instance, Peter in the Apocalypse says 
 that the children who are born out of due 
 time shall be of the better part: and that 
 these are delivered over to a care-taking angel 
 that they may attain a share of knowledge 
 and gain the better abode [after suffering 
 what they would have suffered if they had 
 been in the body: but the others shall merely 
 obtain salvation as injured beings to whom 
 mercy is shown, and remain without punish- 
 ment, receiving this as a reward] .* 
 
 2. Clem. Alex. Edog. 49. But the milk of 
 the women running down from their breasts 
 and congealing shall engender small flesh- 
 
 ' The rich, etc. Cf. 2 Peter ii. 14. Cf. Paetor Herm. Vis. iii. 
 9 ; Sim. ix. 20 ; Sim. i. 8, and Mand. viii. 6. Commandment. 
 Ct. 2 Peter ii. 21 ; iii. 2. 
 
 " Defiled. 2 Peter ii. 10. Cf. Eom. i. 26 ff. ; Jnde 8. 
 
 ' Way of God. 2 Peter ii 2. Pastor Herm. Vis. iii. 7 ; viii. 
 6 ; ix. 19, 22. 
 
 • The part of the quotation between square brackets is SB- 
 slgned by Hamack to Clement himself and not to the Apoc- 
 alypse. 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF PETEE 
 
 147 
 
 eating beasts: and these run up upon them 
 and devour them.^ 
 
 3. Macaeius MAQS-ESyApocriticaiY., 6 cf. 
 16. The earth, it (se. the Apoc. of Peter) 
 says, "shall present all men before God at 
 the day of judgment, being itself also to be 
 Judged, with the heaven also which encom- 
 passes it." 
 
 ' Cf. Esdras, Ante-Nicene Lib., toI. viii., p. 573. 
 
 4. Clem. Alex. Udog. 41. The scripture 
 says that infants that have been exposed are 
 delivered to a care-taking angel, by whom 
 they are educated and so grow up, and they 
 will be, it saj^s, as the faithful of a hundred 
 years old are here. 
 
 5. Methodius, Gonviv. ii., 6. Whence also 
 we have received in divinely-inspired script- 
 ures that untimely births are delivered to 
 care-taking angels, even if they are the off- 
 spring of adultery. 
 
THE VISION OF PAUL. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The present translation of the Vision of Paul is made from the text of a Latin version, 
 edited by Mr. M. R. James in the Cambridge Texts and Studies, n., 3, p. 11 fl. — from a 
 MS. of the eighth century now in the Biblioth^que Nationale at Paris. 
 
 Tischendorf s Greek text was based on two MSS., the earliest of which is at Munich and 
 is of the thirteenth century. This version has already been translated in the Ante-Nicene 
 Library, vol. xvi. 
 
 A translation into English from a Syriac version (date unknown) was published by the 
 Eev. J. Perkins, D.D., in the Journal of Sacred Literature, N. S., vol. vi., 1865, and re- 
 published by Tischendorf alongside of the Greek version in his Apocalypses Apocryplim. 
 
 The Revelation of Paul was known to S. Augustine, who thus refers to it in his Tractate 
 98 on the Gospel of John, § 8: " . . . There have been some vain individuals, who, 
 with a presumption that betrays the grossest folly, have forged a Revelation of Paul, 
 crammed with all manner of fables, which has been rejected by the Orthodox Church ; 
 affirming it to be that whereof he had said that he was caught up into the third heavens, 
 and there heard unspeakable words ' which it is not lawful for a man to utter.' Nevertheless, 
 the audacity of such might be tolerable, had he said that he heard words which it is not as 
 yet lawful for a man to utter ; but when he said ' which it is not lawful for a man to utter,' 
 who are they that dare to utter them with such impudence and non-success ? " 
 
 Sozomen, H. E., vii., 19, after speaking of the Apocalypse of Peter, continues : "So the 
 work entitled ' The Apocalypse of the Apostle Paul,' though rejected by the ancients, is 
 still esteemed by most of the monks. Some persons affirm that the book was found during 
 this reign (i.e., of Theodosius) by divine revelation, in a marble box, buried beneath the soil, 
 in the house of Paul, at Tarsus, in Oilicia. I have been informed that this report is false, 
 by a presbyter of Tarsus, a man of very advanced age, as is indicated by his grey hairs." 
 
 The book was probably composed, or rather compiled, for it is largely indebted to 
 previous Apocalyptic writings, about the time when it purports to have been discovered at 
 Tarsus, i.e., 388 A.D., the year of the consulship of Theodosius the Less and Cynegius. 
 The alleged sending of a copy of the original to Jerusalem probably indicates the place 
 where it was composed, or, at least, first found currency. 
 
 The Vision of Paul seems to have enjoyed great popularity during the Middle Ages. 
 Brandes (Halle, 1885), in his edition of two shorter Latin versions, enumerates twenty-two 
 different mss. of the Latin and "gives particulars of French, English, Danish, and Slavonic 
 forms of the legend." 
 
 Of the three main versions, the Latin and Syriac are longer and fuller than the Greek, 
 which in its present form has been abbreviated. Taking advantage of the excellent compara- 
 tive table presented by Mr. M. R. James in his edition of the text, the translator has 
 endeavoured to point out to the reader, by notes in the margin, the passages where the Latin 
 varies from the Greek, and, to a less extent, from the Syriac. 
 
 Parallel passages in other and earlier Apocalyptic writings are also indicated in the 
 notes. 
 
THE VISION OF PAUL. 
 
 HERB BEGINS THE VISION OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE. 
 
 "But I will come to visions and revelations 
 of the Lord: I know a man in Christ fourteen 
 years ago (whether in the body, I know not; 
 or out of the body, I know not, God know- 
 eth) snatched up in this manner to the third 
 heaven: and I know such a man, whether in 
 the body or out of the body I know not, God 
 knoweth; how that he was snatched up into 
 Paradise and heard secret words which it is 
 not lawful for men to speak; on behalf of 
 such a one will I glory; but on mine own be- 
 half I will not glory, save in my infirmities." 
 —2 Cor. xii. 1-5. 
 
 1. At what time was this revelation made? 
 In the consulship of Theodosius Augustus the 
 Younger and Cynegius,'^ a certain nobleman 
 then living in Tharsus, in the house which 
 was that of Saint Paul, an angel appearing 
 in the night revealed to him, saying that he 
 should open the foundations of the house 
 and should publish what he found, but he 
 thought that these things were dreams. 
 
 2. But the angel coining for the third time 
 beat him and forced him to open the founda- 
 tion. And digging he found a marble box, 
 inscribed on the sides; there was the revela- 
 tion of Saint Paul, and his shoes in which he 
 walked teaching the word of God. But he 
 feared to open that box and brought it to the 
 judge; when he had received it, the Judge, 
 because it was sealed with lead, sent it to the 
 Emperor Theodosius, fearing lest it might be 
 something else; which when he had received 
 the emperor opened it, and found the revela- 
 tion of Saint Paul; a copy of it he sent to 
 Jerusalem, and retained the original himself. 
 
 3. While I was in the body in which I 
 was snatched up to the third heaven, the 
 word of the Lord came to me saying: speak 
 to the people: until when will ye trans- 
 gress, and heap sin upon sin, and tempt the 
 Lord who made you? Ye are the sons of 
 God, doing the works of the devil in the 
 faith of Christ, on account of the impedi- 
 
 > Theodoeins the Yonnger and Cynegius, ConBalB, 88S a.d. 
 
 ments of the world. Eemember therefore 
 and know that while every creature serves 
 God, the human race alone sins. But it 
 reigns over every creature and sins more 
 than all nature. 
 
 4. For indeed the sun, the great light, of- 
 ten addressed the Lord saying: Lord God Al- 
 mighty, I look out upon the impieties and in- 
 justices of men; permit me and I shall do un- 
 to them what are my powers, that they may 
 know that thou art God alone. And there 
 came a voice saying to him: I know all these 
 things, for mine eye sees and ear hears, but 
 my patience bears them until they shall be 
 converted and repent. But if they do not re- 
 turn to me I will judge them all. 
 
 5. For sometimes the moon and stars ad- 
 dressed the Lord saying: Lord God Almighty, 
 to us thou hast given the power of the night; 
 till when shall we look down upon the im- 
 pieties and fornications and homicides done 
 by the sons of men? Permit us to do unto 
 them according to our powers, that they may 
 know that thou art God alone. And there 
 came a voice unto them saying: I know all 
 these things, and mine eye looks forth and ear 
 hears, but my patience bears with them until 
 they shall be converted and repent. But 
 if they do not return unto me I will judge 
 them. 
 
 6. And frequently also the sea exclaimed 
 saying: Lord God Almighty, men have de- 
 filed thy holy name in me; permit me to arise 
 and cover every wood and orchard and the 
 whole world, until I blot out all the sons of 
 men from before thy face, that they may 
 know that thou art God alone. And the 
 voice came again and said: I know all things; 
 mine eye seeth everything, and mine ear 
 heareth, but my patience bears with them 
 until they be converted and repent. But if 
 they do not return, I will judge them. 
 Sometimes the waters^ also spoke against 
 the sins of men saying: Lord God Almighty, 
 
 ^ The waters (not in Greek version) ; rlvera in Syriac. 
 
152 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 all the sons of men have defiled thy holy 
 name. And there came a voice saying: I 
 know all things before they come to pass, 
 for mine eye seeth and mine ear heareth all 
 things, but my patience bears with them un- 
 til they be converted. But if not I will judge 
 them. Frequently also the earth^ too ex- 
 claimed to the Lord against the sons of men 
 saying: Lord God Almighty, I above every 
 other creature of thine am harmed, support- 
 ing the fornications, adulteries, homicides, 
 thefts, perjuries and magic and ill-doings 
 of men and all the evil they do, so that the 
 father rises up against the son, and the son 
 upon the father, the alien against the alien, 
 so that each one defiles his neighbour's wife. 
 The father ascends upon the bed of his own 
 son, and the son likewise ascends the couch 
 of his own father; and in all these evils, they 
 who offer the sacrifice to thy name have de- 
 filed thy holy place. Therefore I am injured 
 above every creature, desiring not to shew 
 my power to myself, and my fruits to the 
 eons of men. Permit me and I will destroy 
 the virtue of my fruits. And there came a 
 voice and said: I know all things, and there 
 is none who can hide himself from his sin. 
 Moreover I know their impieties, but my 
 holiness suffers them until they be converted 
 and repent. But if they do not return unto 
 me I will judge them. 
 
 7. Behold, ye sons of men, the creature is 
 subject to God, but the human race alone, 
 sins. For this cause, therefore, ye sons of 
 men, bless the Lord God unceasingly, every 
 hour and every day: but more especially when 
 the sun has set:^ for at that hour all the an- 
 gels proceed to the Lord to worship him and 
 to present the works of men, which every man 
 has wrought from the morning till the even- 
 ing, whether good or evil. And there is a 
 certain angel who proceeds rejoicing con- 
 cerning the man in whom he dwells. When 
 therefore the sun^ has set in the first hour 
 of night, in the same hour the angel of every 
 people and every man and woman, who pro- 
 tect and preserve them, because man is the 
 image of God: similarly also in the matin 
 hour which is the twelfth of the night, all 
 the angels of men and women, go up to God 
 to worship God, and present every work which 
 each man has wrought, whether good or evil. 
 Moreover every day and night the angels 
 show to God an account* of all the acts of 
 the human race. To you, therefore, I say, ye 
 
 1 The earth (not in Greek versioo, but in Syriac). 
 
 2 Cf. Test, of Abraham, Eec. B, iv. 
 s Cf. Test, of Abraham, Eec. B, § 4. 
 « Cf . Test, of Abraham, Eec. A, § 12. 
 
 sons of men, bless the Lord God without fail 
 all the days of your life. 
 
 8. Therefore at the appointed hour all 
 the angels whatever, rejoicing at once to- 
 gether, proceed before God that they may meet 
 to worship at the hour determined. And 
 behold suddenly it became the hour of meet- 
 ing, and the angels came to worship in the 
 presence of God, and the spirit proceeded to 
 meet them: and there came a voice and said: 
 AVhence come ye, our angels, bearing the 
 burdens of tidings? 
 
 9. They answered and said: We come from 
 those who have renounced this world for the 
 sake of thy holy name, wandering as pilgrims, 
 and in caves of the rocks, and weeping every 
 hour in which they inhabited the earth, and 
 hungering and thirsting because of thy 
 name, with their loins girded, having in their 
 hands the incense of their hearts, and pray- 
 ing and blessing every hour, and restraining 
 and overcoming themselves, weeping and 
 wailing above the rest that inhabit the earth. 
 And we indeed, their angels, mourn along 
 with them: whither therefore it shall please 
 thee, command us to go and minister, lest 
 others also do it, but the destitute above the 
 rest who are on earth. And there came the 
 voice of God to them saying: Know ye that 
 now henceforward my grace is appointed 
 unto you, and my help, who is my well-be- 
 loved Son, shall be present mth them, guid- 
 ing them every hour; ministering also to 
 them, never deserting them, since their 
 place is his habitation. 
 
 10. When therefore these angels had re- 
 tired, behold other angels came to adore in 
 the presence of honour, in the assembly, who 
 wept; and the spirit of God proceeded to 
 meet them, and there came the voice of God 
 and said: Whence come ye, our angels, bear- 
 ing the burdens of the ministry of the tid- 
 ings of the M'orld? They answered and said 
 in the presence of God: We have arrived 
 from those who called upon thy name, and 
 the impediments of the world made them 
 wretched, devising many occasions every 
 hour, not even making one pure prayer, nor 
 out of their whole heart, in all the time of 
 their life; what need, therefore, is- there to 
 be present with men who are sinners? And 
 there came the voice of God to them: It is 
 necessary that ye should minister to them, 
 until they be converted and repent: but if 
 they do not return to me I will judge them. 
 Know therefore, sons of men, that what- 
 ever things are wrought by you, these angels 
 relate to God, whether good or evil. 
 
THE VISION OP PAUL 
 
 153 
 
 11. And the angel answered and said unto 
 me: Follow me, and I will show yon the place 
 of the just where they are led when they are 
 deceased, and after these things taking thee 
 into the abyss, I will show thee the souls of 
 sinners and what sort of place they are led 
 into when they have deceased. And I pro- 
 ceeded back after the angel, and he led me 
 into heaven, and I looked back upon the 
 firmament, and I saw in the same place 
 power, and there was there oblivion which 
 deceives and draws down to itself the hearts 
 of men, and the spirit of detraction, and the 
 spirit of fornication, and the spirit of mad- 
 ness, and the spirit of insolence, and there 
 were there the princes of vices: these I saw 
 under the firmament of heaven: and again I 
 looked back, and I saw angels without mercy, 
 having no pity, whose countenance was full 
 of madness, and their teeth sticking out be- 
 yond the mouth: their eyes shone like the 
 morning star of the east, and from the hairs 
 of their head sparks of fire went out, or from 
 their mouth. And I asked the angel saying: 
 Sir, who are those? And the angel answered 
 and said unto me: These are those who are 
 destined to the souls of the impious in the 
 hour of need, who did not believe that they 
 had the Lord for their helper, nor hoped in 
 him. 
 
 13. And I looked on high and I saw other 
 angels whose countenance shone as the sun, 
 their loins girded with golden girdles, having 
 palms in their hands, and tie sign of God, 
 clothed with garments in which was written 
 the name of the Son of God, filled moreover 
 with all meekness and pity; and I asked the 
 angels saying: Who are these, Lord, in so 
 great beauty and pity? And the angel an- 
 swered and said unto me: These are the an- 
 gels of Justice who are sent to lead up the 
 souls of the Just, in the hour of need, who be- 
 lieved that they had the Lord for their 
 helper. And I said to him: Do the Just and 
 sinners necessarily meet witnesses when they 
 have died? And the angel answered and 
 said to me: There is one way by which all pass 
 over to God, but the Just having their helper 
 with them are not confounded when they go 
 to appear in the sight of God. 
 
 13. And I said to the angel: I wished to see 
 the souls of the Just and of sinners going out 
 of the world. And the angel answered and 
 said unto me: Look down upon the earth. 
 And I looked down from heaven upon the 
 earth, and saw the whole world, and it was 
 nothing in my sight and I saw the sons of 
 men as though they were naught, and a-want- 
 
 ing, and I wondered and said to the angel: Is 
 this the greatness of men? And the angel 
 answered and said unto me: It is, and these 
 are they who do evil from morning till even- 
 ing. And I looked and saw a great cloud of 
 fire spread over the whole world, and I said 
 to the angel: What is this, my Lord? and he 
 said to me: This is injustice stirred up by the 
 princes of sinners. 
 
 14. I indeed when I had heard this sighed 
 and wept, and said to the angel: I wished to 
 see the souls of the Just and of sinners, and to 
 see in what manner they go out of the body. 
 And the angel answered and said unto me: 
 Look again upon the earth. And I looked 
 and saw all the world, and men were as 
 naught and a- wan ting: and I looked carefully 
 and saw a certain man about to die, and the 
 angel said to me: This one whom thou seest 
 is a Just man. And I looked again and saw 
 all his works, whatever he had done for the 
 sake of God's name, and all his desires, both 
 what he remembered, and what he did not re- 
 member; they all stood in his sight in the 
 hour of need; and I saw the Just man advance 
 and find refreshment and confidence, and be- 
 fore he went out of the world the holy and 
 the impious angels both attended: and I saw 
 them all, but the impious found no place of 
 habitation in him, but tlie holy took posses- 
 sion of his soul, guiding it till it went out of 
 the body: and they roused the soul saying: 
 Soul, know thy body whence thou goest out, 
 for it is necessary that thou shouldst return 
 to the same body on the day of the resurrec- 
 tion, that thou mayest receive the things 
 promised to all the Just. Eeeeiving therefore 
 the soul from the body, they immediately 
 kissed it as familiarly known to them, saying 
 to it: Do manfully, for thou hast done the 
 will of God while placed in the earth. And 
 there came to meet him the angel who 
 watched him every day, and said to him: Do 
 manfully, soul; for I rejoice in thee, because 
 thou hast done the will of God on earth: for 
 I related to God all thy works, such as they 
 were. Similarly also the spirit proceeded to 
 meet him and said: Soul, fear not, nor be dis- 
 turbed, until thou comest into a place which 
 thou hast never known, but I will be a helper 
 unto thee: for I found in thee a place of re- 
 freshment in the time when I dwelt in thee, 
 while I was on earth. And his spirit strength- 
 ened him, and his angel received him, and led 
 him into heaven: and an angel said: Whither 
 runnest thou, soul, and dost thou dare to 
 enter into heaven? Wait and let us see if 
 there is anything of ours in thee: and behold 
 
154 
 
 THE VISION OP PAUL 
 
 we find nothing in thee. I see also thy divine 
 helper and angel, and the spirit is rejoicing 
 along with thee, because thou hast done the 
 will of God on earth. And they led him 
 along till he should worship in the sight of 
 God. And when they had ceased, immedi- 
 ately Michael and all the army of angels, with 
 one voice, adored the footstool of his feet, and 
 his doors, saying at the same time to the soul: 
 Tlus is your God of all things, who made you 
 in his own image and likeness. Moreover the 
 angel returns and points him out saying: God, 
 remember his labours: for this is the soul, 
 whose works I related to thee, doing accord- 
 ing to thy judgment. And the spirit said 
 likewise: I am the spirit of vivification in- 
 spiring him: for I had refreshment in him, 
 in the time when I dwelt in him, doing ac- 
 cording to thy judgment. And there came 
 the voice of God and said: In as much as this 
 man did not vex me, neither will I vex him; 
 for according as he had pity, I also will have 
 pity. Let him therefore be handed over to 
 Michael, the angel of the Covenant, and let 
 him lead him into the Paradise of joy, that 
 he himself may become co-heir with all the 
 saints. And after these things I heard the 
 voices of a thousand thousand angels, and 
 archangels, and cherubim, and twenty-four 
 elders saying hymns, and glorifying the 
 Lord and crying: thou art just, Lord, and 
 just are thy judgments, and there is no ac- 
 ceptance of persons with thee, but thou re- 
 wardest unto every man according to thy 
 judgment. And the angel answered and said 
 unto me : Hast thou believed and known, that 
 whatever each man of you has done, he sees 
 in the hour of need? And I said: Yes, sir. 
 
 15. And he saith to me: Look again down 
 on the earth, and watch the soul of an impi- 
 ous man going out of the body, which vexed 
 the Lord day and night, saying: I know 
 nothing else in this world, I eat and drink, 
 and enjoy what is in the world; for who is 
 there who has descended into hell, and as- 
 cending has declared to us that there is judg- 
 ment there! And again I looked carefully, 
 and saw all the scorn of the sinner, and all 
 that he did, and they stood together before 
 him in the hour of need: and it was done to 
 him in that hour, in which he was threatened 
 about his body at the judgment, and I said: 
 It were better for him if he had not been 
 bom. And after these things, there came at 
 the same time, the holy angels, and the ma- 
 lign, and the soul of the sinner and the holy 
 angels did not find a place in it. Moreover 
 the maHgn angels cursed it; and when they 
 
 had drawn it out of the body, the angels ad- 
 monished it a third time, saying: wretched 
 soul, look upon thy flesh, whence thou camest 
 out: for it is necessary that thou shouldst re- 
 turn to thy flesh in the day of resurrection, 
 that thou mayest receive the due for thy sins 
 and thy impieties. 
 
 16. And when they had led it forth, the 
 customary angel preceded it, and said to it: 
 wretched soul, I am the angel belonging to 
 thee, relating daily to the Lord thy malign 
 works, whatever thou didst by night or day: 
 and if it were in my power, not for one day 
 would I minister to thee, but none of these 
 things was I able to do: the judge is pitiful 
 and just, and he himself commanded us that 
 we should not cease to minister to the soul, 
 till you should repent, but thou hast lost 
 the time of repentance. I indeed was strange 
 to thee and thou to me. Let us go on 
 then to the just judge: I will not dismiss 
 thee, before I know from to-day why I was 
 strange to thee. And the spirit confounded 
 him, and the angel troubled him. "When, 
 therefore, they had arrived at the power, 
 when he started to enter heaven, a labour 
 was imposed upon him, above all other 
 labour: error and oblivion and murmuring 
 met him, and the spirit of fornication, and 
 the rest of the powers, and said to him: 
 Whither goest thou, wretched soul, and dar- 
 est thou to rush into heaven? hold, that we 
 may see if we have our qualities in thee, since 
 we do not see that thou hast a holy helper. 
 And after that I heard voices in the height 
 of heaven saying: Present that wretched soul 
 to God, that it may know that it is God that 
 it despised. When, therefore, it had entered 
 heaven, all the angels saw it, a thousand 
 thousand exclaimed with one voice, all say- 
 ing: Woe to thee, wretched soul, for the sake 
 of thy works which thou didst on earth; what 
 answer art thou about to give to God when 
 thou shalt have approached to adore him? 
 The angel who was with it answered and said: 
 Weep with me, my beloved, for I have not 
 found rest in this soul. And the angels an- 
 swered him and said: Let such a soul be taken 
 away from the midst of ours, for from the 
 time he entered, the stink of him crosses to 
 us angels. And after these things it was 
 presented, that it might worship in the sight 
 of God, and an angel of God showed him God 
 who made him after his own image and like- 
 ness. Moreover his angel ran before him say- 
 ing: Lord God Almighty, I am the angel of 
 this soul, whose works I presented to thee day 
 and night, not doing according to thy judg- 
 
THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 155' 
 
 inent. And the spirit likewise said: I am the 
 spirit who dwelt in it from the time it was 
 made, in itself moreover I know it, and it has 
 not followed my will: judge it, Lord, accord- 
 ing to thy judgment. And there came the 
 voice of God to it and said: Where is thy fruit 
 which thou has made worthy of the goods 
 which thou hast received? Have I put a dis- 
 tance of one day between thee and the just 
 man? Did I not make the sim to arise upon 
 thee as upon the justp But the soul was si- 
 lent, having nothing to answer: and again 
 there came a voice saying: Just is the judg- 
 ment of God, and there is no acceptance of 
 persons with God, for whoever shall have 
 done mercy, on them shall he have mercy, 
 and whoever shall not have pitied neither 
 shall God pity him. Let him therefore be 
 handed over to the angel Tartaruch, who is 
 set over the punishments, and let him place 
 him in outer darkness, where there is weeping 
 and gnashing of teeth, and let him be there 
 till the great day of judgment. And after 
 these things I heard the voice of angels and 
 archangels saying: Thou art just. Lord, and 
 thy judgment is just. 
 
 17. And again I saw, and behold a soul 
 wHch was led forward by two angels, weep- 
 ing and saying: Have pity on me, just God, 
 God the judge, for to-day is seven days since 
 I went out of my body, and I was handed over 
 to these two angels, and they led me through 
 to those places, which I had never seen. And 
 God, the just judge, saith to him: What hast 
 thou done? for thou never didst mercy, 
 wherefore thou wast handed over to such an- 
 gels as have no mercy, and because thou didst 
 not do uprightly, so neither did they act 
 piously with thee in the hour of thy need. 
 Confess therefore thy sins which thou didst 
 commit when placed in the world. And he 
 answered and said: Lord, I did not sin. 
 And the Lord, the just Lord, was angered in 
 fury when it said: I did not sin, because it lied; 
 and God said: Dost thou think thou art still 
 in the world? if any one of you, sinning there, 
 conceal and hide his sin from his neighbour, 
 here indeed nothing whatever shall be hid: 
 for when the souls come to adore in sight of 
 the throne, both the good works and the sins 
 of each one are made manifest. And hearing 
 these things the soul was silent, having no 
 answer. And I heard the Lord God, the just 
 judge, again saying: Come, angel of this soul, 
 and stand in the midst. And the angel of the 
 sinful soul came, having in his hands a manu- 
 script, and said: These, Lord, in my hands, 
 are all the sins of this soul from his youth till 
 
 to-day, from the tenth year of his birth: and 
 if thou command. Lord, I will also relate his 
 acts from the beginning of his fifteenth year. 
 And the Lord God, the just judge, said: I say 
 unto thee, angel, I do not expect of thee an 
 account of him since he began to be fifteen 
 years old, but state his sins for five years be- 
 fore he died and before he came hither. And 
 again God, the just judge, said: For by myself 
 I swear, and by my holy angels, and by my 
 virtue, that if he had repented five years be- 
 fore he died, on account of one year's life, 
 oblivion would now be thrown over all the 
 evils which he sinned before, and he would 
 have indulgence and remission of sins: now 
 indeed he shall perish. And the angel of the 
 sinful soul answered and said: Lord, com- 
 mand that angel to exhibit those souls. 
 
 18. And in that same hour the souls were 
 exhibited in the midst, and the soul of the 
 sinner knew them; and the Lord said to the 
 soul of the sinner: I say unto thee, soul, con- 
 fess thy work which thou wroughtest in these 
 souls, whom thou seest, when they were in 
 the world. And he answered and said: Lord, 
 it is not yet a full year since I slew this one 
 and poured his blood upon the ground, and 
 with another (a woman) I committed forni- 
 cation: not this alone, but I also greatly 
 harmed her in taldng away her goods. And 
 the Lord God, the just judge, said: Either 
 thou didst not know that he who does vio- 
 lence to another, if he dies first who sustains 
 the violence, is kept in this place until the 
 doer of hurt dies, and then both stand in the 
 presence of the judge, and now each receives 
 according to his deed. And I heard a voice of 
 one saying: Let that soul be delivered into 
 the hands of Tartarus, and led down into 
 hell: he shall lead him into the lower prison 
 and he shall be put in torments, and left 
 there till the great day of judgment. And 
 again I heard a thousand thousand angels 
 saying hymns to the Lord, and crying: Thou 
 art just, Lord, and just are thy judgments. 
 
 19. The angel answered and said unto me: 
 Hast thou perceived all these things? and I 
 said, Yes, sir. And he said to me: Follow 
 me again, and I will take thee, and show thee 
 the places of the just. And I followed the 
 angel, and he raised me to the third heaven, 
 and placed me at the entry of the door: and 
 looking carefully I saw, and the door was of 
 gold, and two columns of gold, full above of 
 golden letters, and the angel turned again to 
 me and said: I51essed wert thou, if thou hadst 
 entered into these doors, for it is not allowed 
 to any to enter except only to those who have 
 
156 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 goodness and innocence of body in all things. 
 And I asked the angel about everything and 
 said: Sir, tell me on what account these let- 
 ters are put upon those tables? The angel 
 answered and said unto me: These are the 
 names of the Just, serving God with their 
 whole heart, who dwell on the earth. And 
 again I said: Sir, therefore their names and 
 countenance and the likeness of these who 
 serve God are in heaven, and are known to the 
 angels: for they laiow who are the servants of 
 God with all their heart, before they go out of 
 the world. 
 
 20. And when I had entered the interior of 
 the gate of Paradise,^ there came out to meet 
 me an old man whose countenance shone as 
 the sun; and when he had embraced me he 
 said: Hail, Paul, beloved of God. And he 
 kissed m.e with a cheerful countenance. He 
 wept, and I said to him: Brother, why dost 
 thou weep? And again sighing and lament- 
 ing he said: We are hurt by men, and they vex 
 us greatly; for many are the good things 
 which the Lord has prepared, and great is 
 Ms promise, but many do not perceive them. 
 And I asked the angel, and said: Sir, who is 
 this? And he said to me: This is Enoch, the 
 scribe of righteousness. And I entered into 
 the interior of that place, and immediately 
 I saw the sun," and coming it saluted me 
 laughing and rejoicing. And when it had 
 seen (me), it turned away and wept, and said 
 to me : Paul, would that thou shouldst receive 
 thy labours which thou hast done in the hu- 
 man race. For me, indeed, I have seen the 
 great and many good things, which God has 
 prepared for the just, and the promises of 
 God are great, but many do not perceive 
 them; but even by many labours scarcely one 
 or two enters into these places. 
 
 21. And the angel answered and said to 
 me,' Whatever I now show thee here, and 
 whatever thou shalt hear, tell it not to any 
 one in the earth. And he led me and shewed 
 me: and there I heard words which it is not 
 lafl'ful for a man to speak. And again he 
 said. For now follow me, and I will shew thee 
 what thou oughtest to narrate in public and 
 relate. 
 
 And he took me down from the third 
 heaven, and led me into the second heaven, 
 and again he led me on to the firmament and 
 from the firmament he led me over the doors 
 of heaven: the beginning of its foundation 
 was on the river which waters all the earth. 
 
 ' Cf . Ascension of Isaiah 1x. 9. 
 
 ' And the snn. Not in Greek : EVUu in Syrlac. 
 
 ' CNot in Syriac.) 
 
 And I asked the angel and said. Lord, what 
 is this river of water? and he said to me. This 
 is Oceanus! And suddenly I went out of 
 heaven, and I understood that it is the light 
 of heaven which lightens all the earth. For 
 the land there is seven times brighter* than 
 silver. And I said, Lord, what is this place? 
 And he said to me. This is the land of prom- 
 ise. Hast thou never heard what is written: 
 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit 
 the earth? The souls therefore of the just, 
 when they have gone out of the body, are 
 meanwhile dismissed to this place. And I 
 said to the angel. Then this land will be man- 
 ifested before the time? The angel answered 
 and said to me. When Christ, whom thou 
 preachest, shall come to reign, then, by the 
 sentence of God,° the first earth will be dis- 
 solved and this land of promise will then be 
 revealed, and it will be like dew or cloud, and 
 then the Lord Jesus Christ, the King Eter- 
 nal, will be manifested and will come with all 
 his saints to dwell in it, r.nd he will reign over 
 them a thousand years, and they will eat of 
 the good things which I shall now show unto 
 thee. 
 
 23. And I looked around upon that land 
 and I saw a river flowing of milk and honey, 
 and there were trees planted by the bank of 
 that river, full of fruit: moreover each single 
 tree bore twelve fruits in the year, having 
 various and diverse fruits: and I saw the cre- 
 ated things which are in that place and all the 
 work of God, and I saw there palms of twenty 
 cubits, but others of ten cubits: and that land 
 was seven times brighter than silver. And 
 there were trees full of fruits from the roots 
 to the highest branches, of ten thousand 
 fruits of palms upon ten thousand fruits. 
 The grape-vines moreover had ten thousand 
 plants.* Moreover in the single vines there 
 were ten thousand thousand bunches and in 
 each of these a thousand single grapes: more- 
 over these single trees bore a thousand fruits. 
 And I said to the angel. Why does each tree 
 bear a thousand fruits? The angel answered 
 and said unto me. Because the Lord God 
 gives an abounding flood of gifts to the 
 worthy, because they also of their own will 
 afflicted themselves when they were placed 
 in the world doing all things on account of 
 his holy name. And again I said to the an- 
 gel. Sir, are these the only promises which 
 the Most Holy God makes? And he an- 
 swered and said to me: No! there are seven 
 times greater than these. But I say unto 
 
 * Cf. Rev. of Peter. 15 
 
 « Cf. Papiaa. ap. Iren. Harr, v. S3. 3, 4. 
 
 • Cf. EnociL 
 
THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 157 
 
 thee that when the just go out of the body 
 they shall see the promises and the good 
 things which God has prepared for them. 
 Till then, they shall sigh, and lament saying: 
 Have we emitted any word from our mouth 
 to vex our neighbour even on one day? I 
 asked and said again: Are these alone the 
 promises of God? And the angel answered 
 and said unto me: These whom you now see 
 are the souls of the married^ and those who 
 kept the chastity of their nuptials, containing 
 themselves. But to the virgins and those who 
 hunger and thirst after righteousness and 
 those who afSicted themselves for the sake of 
 the name of God, God will give seven times 
 greater than these, which I shall now show 
 thee. 
 
 And then he took me up from that place 
 where I saw these things and behold, a river, 
 and its waters were greatly whiter than milk, 
 and I said to the angel, What is this? And 
 he said to me: This is the Aeherousian Lake 
 where is the City of Christ, but not every man 
 is permitted to enter that city; for this is the 
 journey which leads to God, and if anyone is 
 a fornicator and impious, and is converted 
 and shall repent and do fruits worthy of re- 
 pentance, at first indeed when he thall have 
 gone out of the body, he is led and adores 
 God, and thence by command of the Lord he 
 is delivered to the angel Michael and he bap- 
 tizes him in the Aeherousian Lake — thus he 
 leads them into the City of Christ alongside 
 of those who have never sinned. But I won- 
 dered and blessed the Lord God for all the 
 things which I saw. 
 
 23. And the angel answered and said unto 
 me: Follow me and I will lead thee into the 
 City of Christ. And he was standing on the 
 Aeherousian Lake and he put me into a 
 golden ship^ and angels as it were three thou- 
 sand were saying hymns before me till I ar- 
 rived at the City of Christ. Moreover those 
 who inhabited the City of Christ greatly re- 
 joiced over me as I went to them, and 1 en- 
 tered and saw the City of Christ, and it was 
 all of gold, and twelve walls encircled it, and 
 twelve interior towers, and each wall had be- 
 tween them single stadia in the circuit: And 
 I said to the angel, Sir, how much is a sta- 
 dium? The angel answered and said to me: 
 As much as there is between the Lord God 
 and the men who are on the earth, for the 
 City of Christ is alone great. And there 
 were twelve gates in the circuit of the city, of 
 
 • (In Syriac, bnt not to Greelt version.) 
 
 • The Greek has not the golden Bhlp, the angels or the walls. 
 They are given In the Syriac. 
 
 great beauty, and four rivers which encircled 
 it. There was, moreover, a river of honey 
 and a river of milk, and a river of wine and a 
 river of oil. And I said to the angel: What 
 are these rivers surrounding that city? And 
 he saith to me: These are the four rivers 
 which flow sufficiently for those who are in 
 this land of promise, of which the names' are: 
 the river of honey is called Fison, and the 
 river of milk Euphrates, and the river of oil 
 Gion, and the river of wine Tigris, such 
 therefore they are for those who when placed 
 in the world did not use the power of these 
 things, but they hungered for these things 
 and aillicted themselves for the sake of the 
 Lord God: so that when these enter into this 
 city, the Lord will assign them these things 
 on high above all measure. 
 
 24. I indeed entering the gates saw trees 
 great and very high before the doors of the 
 city, having no fruit but leaves only, and I 
 saw a few men scattered in the midst of the 
 trees, and they lamented greatly when they 
 saw anyone enter the city. And those trees 
 were sorry for them and humbled themselves 
 and bowed down and again erected them- 
 selves. And I saw and wept with them and 
 
 I asked the angel and said: Sir, who are these 
 who are not admitted to enter into the City 
 of Christ? And he said to me: These are 
 they who zealously abstained day and night 
 in fasts, but they had a proud heart above 
 other men, glorifying and praising them- 
 selves and doing nothing for their neigh- 
 bours. For they gave some friendly greet- 
 ing, but to others they did not even say hail! 
 and indeed they shewed hospitality to those 
 only whom they wished, and if they did any- 
 thing whatever for their neighbour they were 
 immoderately puffed up. And I said: What 
 then, Sir? Did their pride prevent them from 
 entering into the City of Christ? And the 
 angel answered and said unto me: Pride is the 
 root of all evils. Are they better than the Son 
 of God who came to the Jews with much hu- 
 mility? And I asked him and said: Why is it 
 that the trees humble themselves and erect 
 themselves again? And the angel answered 
 and said to me: The whole time which these 
 men passed on earth zealously serving God, 
 on account of the confusion and reproaches 
 of men at the time, they blushed and humili- 
 ated themselves, but they were not saddened, 
 nor did they repent that they should recede 
 from their pride which was in them. This is 
 why the trees humble themselves, and again 
 
 » Not in the Gieek, but given in the Syriac. Cf. Genesis ii. 
 
 II ff. 
 
158 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 are raised up. And I asked and said: For 
 what cause were they admitted to the doors 
 of the city? The angel answered and said 
 unto me: Because of the great goodness of 
 God, and because there is the entry of his 
 holy men entering into this city: for this 
 cause they are left in this place, but when 
 Christ the King Eternal enters with his 
 saints, as he enters just men may pray for 
 these, and then they may enter into the city 
 along with them: but yet none of them is 
 able to have assurance such as they have who 
 humbled themselves, serving the Lord God 
 all their lives. 
 
 25. But I went on while the angel instruct- 
 ed me, and he carried me to the river of 
 honey, and I saw there Isaiah and Jeremiah^ 
 and Ezeldel and Amos, and Mieah and Zecha- 
 riah, the minor and major prophets, and they 
 saluted me in the city. I said to the angel: 
 What way is this? And he said to me: This is 
 the way of the prophets, every one who shall 
 have afflicted his soul and not done his own 
 will because of God, when he shall have gone 
 out of the world and have been led to the 
 Lord God and adored him, then by the com- 
 mand of God he is handed over to Michael, 
 and he leads him into the city to this place of 
 the prophets, and they salute him as their 
 friend and neighbour because he did the will 
 of God. 
 
 26. Again he led me where there is a river 
 of milk, and I saw in that place all the infants 
 whom Herod slew because of the name of 
 Christ, and they saluted me, and the angel 
 said to me: All who keep their chastity with 
 purity, when they shall have come out of the 
 body, after they adore the Lord God are de- 
 livered to Michael and are led to the infants 
 and they salute them, saying that they are 
 our brothers and friends and members; in 
 themselves they shall inherit the promises of 
 God. 
 
 27. Again he took me up and carried me to 
 the north of the city and led me where there 
 was a river of wine, and there I saw Abraham 
 and Isaac and Jacob, Lot and Job and other 
 saints,^ and they saluted me: and I asked and 
 said: What is this place, my Lord? The an- 
 gel answered and said to me: All who are re- 
 ceivers of pilgrims, when they go out of the 
 world, first adore the Lord God, and are de- 
 livered to Michael and by this way are led 
 into the city, and all the just salute him as 
 son and brother, and say unto him: Because 
 
 ' Names not In the Greek. Isaiah, Jeremiah, EzeUel, Moses 
 and all the Prophets in the Syriac. 
 « Names not in the Greelc or Sjriac. 
 
 thou hast observed humanity and the receiv- 
 ing of pilgrims, come, have an inheritance in 
 the city of the Lord our God: every just man 
 shall receive good things of God in the city, 
 according to his own action. 
 
 38. And again he carried me near the riv- 
 er of oil on the east of the city. And I saw 
 there men rejoicing and singing psalms, and 
 I said: Who are those, my Lord? And the 
 angel saith to me: Those are they who de- 
 voted themselves to God with their whole 
 heart and had no pride in themselves. For 
 all those who rejoice in the Lord God and 
 sing psalms to the Lord with their whole 
 heart are here led into this city. 
 
 29. And he carried me into the midst of 
 the city near the twelve walls.^ But there 
 was in this place a liigher wall, and I asked 
 and said: Is there in the City of Christ a wall 
 which in honour exceeds this place ? And the 
 angel answering said to me: There is a second 
 better than the first, and similarly a third 
 than the second, as each exceeds the other, 
 unto the twelfth wall. And I said: Tell me, 
 Sir, why one exceeds another in glory? And 
 the angel answered and said unto me: All 
 who have in themselves even a little detrac- 
 tion or zeal or pride, something of his glory 
 would be made void even if he were in the 
 city of Christ: look backward! 
 
 And turning round I saw golden thrones 
 placed in each gate, and on them men having 
 golden diadems and gems:* and 1 looked care- 
 fully and I saw inside between the twelve 
 men thrones placed in another rank which 
 appeared of much glory, so that no one is 
 able to recount their praise. And I asked 
 the angel and said: My lord, who is on the 
 throne? And the angel answered and said 
 unto me: Those thrones belong to those who 
 had goodness and understanding of heart 
 and made themselves fools for the sake of 
 the Lord God, nor knew new Scriptures nor 
 psalms, but, mindful of one chapter of the 
 commands of God, and hearing what it con- 
 tained they wrought thereby in much dili- 
 gence and had a right zeal before the Lord 
 God, and the admiration of them will seize 
 all the saints in presence of the Lord God, 
 for talking with one another they say, Wait 
 and see the unlearned who know nothing 
 more: by which means they merited so great 
 and such a garment and so great glory on 
 account of their innocence. 
 
 And I saw in the midst of this city a great 
 
 ' Not in (4TePk, which here has the altar in the city and 
 Dav'd. The Syriac is the same as the Latin. 
 ' Not in the Greeli. Of. Ascension of Isaiah viil. 36. 
 
THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 159 
 
 altar, very high, and there was one standing 
 near the altar whose countenance shone as 
 the sun, and he held in his hands a psaltery 
 and harp, and he sang psalms, saying Hal- 
 leluia! And his voice filled the whole city: 
 at the same time when all they who were on 
 the towers and gates heard him they re- 
 sponded Halleluia! so that the foundations 
 of the city were shaken: and I asked the an- 
 gel and said, Sir, who is this of so great 
 power? And the angel said to me: This is 
 David: this is the city of Jerusalem, for when 
 Christ the King of Eternity shall come with 
 the assurance of His kingdom, he again shall 
 go before him that he may sing psalms, and 
 all the just at the same time shall sing psalms 
 responding Halleluia! And I said. Sir, how 
 did David alone above the other saints make 
 a beginning of psalm-singing? And the an- 
 gel answered and said unto me: Because 
 Christ the Son of God sits at the right hand 
 of His Father, and this David sings psalms 
 before him in the seventh heaven, and as is 
 done in the heavens so also below, because 
 the host may not be offered to God without 
 David, but it is necessary that David should 
 sing psalms in the hour of the oblation of the 
 body and blood of Christ: as it is performed 
 in heaven so also on earth. 
 
 30. And I said to the angel: Sir, what is 
 Alleluia? And the angel answered and said to 
 me: You ask questions about everything. And 
 he said to me, Alleluia is said in the Hebrew 
 language of God and angels, for the meaning 
 of Alleluia is this : tecel cat. marith macha.^ 
 And I said. Sir, what is tecel cat. marith 
 macha? And the angel answered and said 
 unto me : Tecel cat. marith macha is : Let us 
 all bless him together. I asked the angel and 
 said. Sir, do all who say Alleluia bless the 
 Lord? And the angel answered and said to 
 me: It is so, and again, therefore, if any one 
 sing Alleluia and those who are present do not 
 sing at the same time, they commit sin be- 
 cause they do not sing along with him. And I 
 said: My lord, does he also sin if he be hesitat- 
 ing or very old? The angel answered and said 
 unto me: Not so, but he who is able and does 
 not join in the singing, know such as a de- 
 spiser of the Word, and it would be proud and 
 unworthy that he should not bless the Lord 
 God his maker. 
 
 31. Moreover when he had ceased speak- 
 ing to me, he led me outside the city through 
 the midst of the trees and far from the places 
 
 ' These letters are unintelligible. In the Greek version, the 
 Interpretation of Alleluia is given as thOiel marematha, which is 
 also nnlntfilligible. In the Syriac the interpretation of Allelnla 
 is correctly ^ven. 
 
 of the land of the good, and put me across 
 the river of milk and honey: and after that 
 he led me over the ocean which supports the 
 foundations of heaven. 
 
 The angel answered and said unto me: 
 Dost thou understand why thou goest hence? 
 And I said: Yes, sir. And he said to me 
 Come and follow me, -and I will show thee 
 the souls of the impious and sinners, that 
 thou mayest know what manner of place it is. 
 And I proceeded with the angel and he car- 
 ried me by the setting of the sun, and I saw 
 the beginning of heaven founded on a great 
 river of water, and I asked: What is this 
 river of water? And he said to me: Tliis is 
 Ocean which surrounds all the Earth. And 
 when I was at the outer limit of Ocean I 
 looked, and there was no light in that place, 
 but darkness and sorrow and sadness: and I 
 sighed. 
 
 And I saw there a fervent river of lire, and 
 iu it a multitude of men and women im- 
 mersed up to the knees, and other men up to 
 the navel, others even up to the lips, others 
 moreover up to the hair. And I asked the 
 angel and said: Sir, who are those in the fiery 
 river? And the angel answered and said to 
 me: They are neither hot nor cold, because 
 they were found neither in the number of 
 the just nor in the number of the impious.* 
 For those spent the time of their life on earth 
 passing some days in prayer, but others in 
 sins and fornications, until their death. And 
 I asked him and said: Who are these. Sir, im- 
 mersed up to their knees in fire? He an- 
 swered and said to me: These are they who 
 when they have gone out of church throw- 
 themselves into strange conversations to dis- 
 pute. Those indeed who are immersed up to 
 the navel are those who, when they have 
 taken the body and blood of Christ go and 
 fornicate and did not cease from their sins 
 till they died. Those who are immersed up 
 to the lips are the detractors of each other 
 when they assemble in the church of God: 
 those up to the eyebrows are those who nod 
 approval of themselves and plot spite against 
 their neighbour.* 
 
 33. And I saw on the north a place of vari- 
 ous and diverse punishments full of men and 
 women,* and a river of fire ran down into it. 
 Moreover I observed and I saw pits great in 
 depth, and in them several souls together, and 
 the depth of that place was as it were three 
 thousand cubits, and I saw them groaning 
 
 ' Not in Greek or Syriac. 
 
 ' Not in the Greek or Syriac. 
 
 * The Greek has here thienei and tlanderert. 
 
160 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 and weeping and saying: Have pity on us, 
 Lord! and none had pity on them. And I 
 asked the angel and said: Who are these, Sir? 
 And the angel answered and said nnto me: 
 These are they who did not hope in the Lord, 
 that they would be able to have him as their 
 helper. And I asked and said: Sir, if these 
 sonls remain for thirty or forty generations 
 thus one upon another, if they were sent 
 deeper, the pits I believe would not hold 
 them. And he said to me: The Abyss has no 
 measure, for beyond^ this it stretches down 
 below him who is down in it: and so it is, that 
 if perchance anyone should take a stone and 
 throw it into a very deep well and after many 
 hours it should reach the bottom, such is the 
 abyss. For when the souls are thrown in there, 
 they hardly reach the bottom in fifty years. 
 
 33. I, indeed, when I heard this, wept and 
 groaned over the human race. The angel an- 
 swered and said unto me: Why dost thou 
 weep? Art thou more pitiful than God? For 
 though God is good. He knows also that there 
 are punishments, and He patiently bears with 
 the human race, dismissing each one to work 
 his own will in the time in which he dwells on 
 the earth. 
 
 34. I further observed the fiery river and 
 saw there a man being tortured by Tartaru- 
 chian angels having in their hands an iron 
 with three hooks with which they pierced 
 the bowels of that old man: and I asked the 
 angel, and said: Sir, who is that old man on 
 whom such torments are imposed? And the 
 angel answered and said to me: He whom you 
 see was a presbyter who did not perform well 
 his ministry: when he had been eating and 
 drinking and committing fornication he of- 
 fered the host to the Lord at his holy altar. 
 
 35. And I saw not far away another old 
 man led on by malign angels running with 
 speed, and they pushed him into the fire up 
 to his knees, and they struck him with stones 
 and wounded his face like a storm, and did 
 not allow him to say: Have pity on me! And 
 I asked the angel and he said to me: He 
 whom you see was a bishop, and did not per- 
 form well his episcopate, who indeed ac- 
 cepted the great name but did not enter into 
 the witness of him who gave him the name in 
 all his life, seeing that he did not do just 
 judgment, and did not pity widows and or- 
 phans, but now he receives retribution ac- 
 cording to his iniquity and his works. 
 
 36. And I saw another man in the fiery 
 river up to his knees. Moreover his hands 
 
 * Passage probably corrupt. 
 
 were stretched out and bloody, and worms 
 proceeded from his mouth and nostrils and 
 he was groaning and weeping, and crying he 
 said: Have pity on me! for I am hurt above 
 the rest who are in this punishment. And I 
 asked, Sir, who is this? And he said to me: 
 This man whom thou seest, was a deacon who 
 devoured the oblations and committed forni- 
 cations and did not right in the sight of God, 
 for this cause he unceasingly pays this pen- 
 alty. 
 
 And I looked closely and saw alongside of 
 him another^ man whom they delivered up 
 with haste and cast into the fiery river, and 
 he was (in it) up to the knees: and there came 
 the angel who was set over the punishments 
 having a great fiery razor, and with it he cut 
 the lips of that man and the tongue likewise. 
 And sighing, I lamented and asked: Who 
 is that, sir. And he said to me. He whom 
 thou seest was a reader and read to the peo- 
 ple, but he himself did not keep the precepts 
 of God: now he also pays the proper penalty. 
 
 37. And I saw another multitude of pits in 
 the same place, and in the midst of it a river 
 full of a multitude of men and women,^ and 
 worms* consumed them. But I lamented 
 and sighing asked the angel and said: Sir, 
 who are these? And he said to me: These are 
 those who exacted interest^ on interest and 
 trusted in their riches and did not hope in 
 God that He was their helper. 
 
 And after that I looked and saw another 
 place, very narrow, and it was like a wall, 
 and fire round about it. And I saw inside men 
 and women gnawing" their tongues, and I 
 asked: Sir, who are these. And he said to 
 me: These are they who in church disparage 
 the Word of God, not attending to it, but as 
 it were make naught of God and His an- 
 gels: for that cause they now likewise pay 
 the proper penalty. 
 
 38. And I observed and saw another old 
 man down in a pit and his countenance was 
 like blood, and I asked and said. Sir, what is 
 this place? And he said to me: Into that pit 
 stream all the punishments. And I saw men 
 and women immersed up to the lips and I 
 asked, Sir, who are these? And he said to 
 me: These are the magicians who prepared 
 for men and women evil magic arts and did 
 not find how to stop them till they died. 
 
 And again I saw men and women with very 
 
 ' Not in the Greek bnt in the Syriae. 
 
 = Not in the Greek. The Syriae has simply those who trustai 
 in their riches 
 
 • a. Rev. of Peter, 27. 
 
 • Cf . Kev. of Peter, 81. 
 
 • Cf. Eev. of Peter, 2». 
 
THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 161 
 
 ■black faces in a pit of fire,^ and I sighed and 
 lamented and asked, Sir, who are these? And 
 he said to me: These are fornicators and adul- 
 terers who committed adultery having wives 
 of their own: likewise also the women com- 
 mitted adultery having husbands of their 
 own: therefore they unceasingly suffer pen- 
 alties. 
 
 39. And I saw there girls having black^ 
 raiment, and four terrible angels having in 
 their hands burning chains, and they put 
 them on the necks of the girls and led them 
 into darkness: and I, again weeping, asked 
 the angel: "Who are these, Sir? And he said 
 to me: These are they who, when they were 
 virgins, defiled their virginity unknown to 
 their parents; for which cause they unceas- 
 ingly pay the proper penalties. 
 
 And again I observed there men and 
 women with hands cut and their feet placed 
 naked in a place of ice and snow, and worms 
 devoured them. But seeing them I lamented 
 and asked: Sir, who are these? And he said 
 to me: These are they who harmed orphans 
 and widows and the poor," and did not hope 
 in the Lord, for which cause they unceas- 
 ingly pay the proper penalties. 
 
 And I observed and saw others hanging 
 over a channel of water, and their tongues 
 were very dry, and many fruits were placed 
 in their sight, and they were not permitted 
 to take of them, and I asked: Sir, who are 
 these? And he said to me: These are they 
 who break their fast* before the appointed 
 hour, for this cause they unceasingly pay 
 these penalties. 
 
 And I saw other men and women hanging 
 by their eyebrows and their hair,° and a fiery 
 river drew them, and I said: Who are these, 
 my Lord? And he said to me:® These are 
 they who Join themselves not to their own 
 husbands and wives but to whores, and there- 
 fore they unceasingly pay the proper pen- 
 alties. 
 
 And I saw other men and women covered 
 with dust, and their countenance was like 
 blood, and they were in a pit of pitch and sul- 
 phur and running down into a fiery river, and 
 Tasked: Sir, who are these?' And he said to 
 me: These are they who committed the in- 
 iquity of Sodom and Gomorrah, the male 
 
 ' Cf. Rev. of Peter, 24. Not in the Greek. The Syriao has 
 darkness the torment of patriarchs, bishops, etc. 
 " Of. Eev. of Peter xxl. 30. Not in Syriac. 
 ' Cf. Eev. of Peter, 30. Not in the Greek. 
 
 • Not in the Greek. 
 ' Not In the Greek. 
 
 • Cf . Eev. of Peter, 24. 
 
 ' Cf . Eev. of Peter, 32. Not In the Greek. 
 
 with the male, for which reason they un- 
 ceasingly pay the penalties. 
 
 40. And^ I observed and saw men and 
 women clothed in bright garments, having 
 their eyes bUnd, placed in a pit, and I asked: 
 Sir, who are these? And he said to me: 
 These are of the people who did alms, and 
 knew not the Lord God, for which reason 
 they unceasingly pay the proper penalties. 
 And I observed and saw other men and wom- 
 en on an obelisk of fire, and beasts tearing 
 them in pieces, and they were not allowed to 
 say. Lord have pity on us! And I saw the 
 angeP of penalties putting heavy punish- 
 ments on them and saying: Acknowledge the 
 Son of God; for this was predicted to you, 
 when the divine Scriptures were read to you, 
 and you did not attend; for which cause God's 
 judgment is Just, for your actions have ap- 
 prehended you and brought you into these 
 penalties. But I sighed and wept, and I 
 asked and said: Who are these men and wom- 
 en who are strangled in fire and pay their 
 penalties? And he answered me: These are 
 women who defiled the image of God when 
 bringing forth infants out of the womb, 
 and these are the men who lay with them. 
 And their infants addressed the Lord God 
 and the angels who were set over the punish- 
 ments, saying:^" Cursed be the hour to our 
 parents, for they defiled the image of God, 
 having the name of God but not observing 
 His precepts: they gave us for food to dogs 
 and to be trodden down of swine: others they 
 threw into the river. But their infants^^ were 
 handed over to the angels of Tartarus who 
 were set over the punishments, that they 
 might lead them to a wide place of mercy: 
 but their fathers and mothers were tortured 
 in a perpetual punishment. 
 
 And after that I saw men and women 
 clothed with rags full of pitch and fiery sul- 
 phur, and dragons were coiled about their 
 necks and shoulders and feet, and angels hav- 
 ing fiery horns restrained them and smote 
 them, and closed their nostrils, saying to 
 them: Why did ye not know the time in 
 which it was right to repent and serve God, 
 and did not do it? And I asked: Sir, who are 
 these? And he said to me: These are they 
 who seem to give up the world for God,^^ 
 putting on our garb, but the impediments 
 of the world made them wretched, not main- 
 
 « Not in the Greek. Whole section omitted in the Syriac. 
 
 9 Cf . Eev. of Peter xxi. 23. 
 
 '» Cf. Eev. of Peter, 26. 
 
 " Cf. Eev. of Peter. Fragments 4, 5. 
 
 "Not in the Greek. 
 
1G2 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 taining agapw, and they did not pity widows 
 and orphans: they did not receive the stran- 
 ger and the pilgrim, nor did they offer the ob- 
 lations, and they did not pity their neighbour. 
 Moreover their prayer did not even on one 
 day ascend pure to the Lord God, but many 
 impediments of the world detained them, and 
 they were not able to do right in the sight of 
 God, and the angels enclosed them in the 
 place of punishments. Moreover they saw 
 those who were in punishments and said to 
 them: We indeed when we lived in the world 
 neglected God, and ye also did likewise: as we 
 also truly when we were in the world knew 
 that ye were sinners. But ye said: These are 
 just and servants of God, now we know why 
 ye were called by the name of the Lord: for 
 which cause they also pay their own penalties. 
 
 And sighing I wept and said: Woe unto 
 men, woe unto sinners! why were they born? 
 And the angel answered end said \into me: 
 Why dost thou lament?^ Art thou more piti- 
 ful than the Lord God who is blessed forever, 
 who established Judgment and sent forth ev- 
 ery man to choose good and evil in his own 
 will and do what pleases him? Then I la- 
 mented again very greatly, and he said to me: 
 Dost thou lament when as yet thou hast not 
 seen greater punishments? Follow me and 
 thou shalt see seven times greater than these. 
 
 41. And he carried me south and placed 
 me above a well, and I found it sealed with 
 seven seals: and answering, the angel who was 
 with me said to the angel of that place: Open 
 the mouth of the well that Paul, the well- 
 beloved of God, may see, for authority is 
 given him that he may see all the pains of 
 hell. And the angel said to me: Stand afar 
 off that thou mayest be able to bear the 
 stench of this place. When therefore the 
 well was opened, immediately there arose 
 from it a certain hard and malign stench, 
 which surpasses all punishments: and I 
 looked into the well and I saw fiery masses 
 glowing in every part, and narrow places, 
 and the mouth of the well was narrow so as 
 to admit one man only. And the angel an- 
 swered and said unto me: If any man shall 
 have been put into this well of the abyss and 
 it shall have been sealed over him, no remem- 
 brance of him shall ever be made in the sight 
 of the Father and His Son and the holy an- 
 gels. And I said: Who are these, Sir, who 
 are put into this well? And he said to me: 
 They are whoever shall not confess that 
 Christ has come in the flesh and that the 
 
 "Not In the Greek. 
 
 Virgin Mary brought him forth, and whoever 
 says that the bread and cup of the Eucharist 
 of blessing are not this body and blood of 
 Christ. 
 
 42. And I looked to the south in the west 
 and I saw there a^ restless worm and in that 
 place there was gnashing of teeth: moreover 
 the worms were one cubit long, and had two 
 heads, and there I saw men and women in 
 cold and gnashing of teeth. And I asked and 
 said. Sir, who are these in this place? And 
 he said to me: These are they who say that 
 Christ did not rise from the dead and that 
 this flesh will not rise again. And I asked 
 and said: Sir, is there no fire nor heat in this 
 place? And he said to me: In this place 
 there is nothing else but cold and snow:" 
 and again he said to me: Even if the sun 
 should rise upon them, they do not become 
 warm on account of the superabundant cold 
 of that place and the snow. 
 
 But hearing these things I stretched out 
 my hands and wept, and sighing again, I 
 said: It were better for us if we had not been 
 born,* all of us who are sinners. 
 
 43. But when those who were in the same 
 place saw me weeping with the angel, they 
 themselves cried out and wept saying. Lord 
 God have mercy upon us! And after these 
 things I saw the heavens open, and Michael' 
 the archangel descending from heaven, and 
 with him was the whole army of angels, and 
 they came to those who were placed in pun- 
 ishment and seeing him, again weeping, they 
 cried out and said. Have pity on tis! Michael 
 the archangel, have pity on us and on the 
 human race, for on account of thy prayers 
 the earth stand eth. We now see the judg- 
 ment and acknowledge the Son of God! It 
 was impossible for us before these things to 
 pray for this, before we entered into this 
 place: for we heard that there was a judgment 
 before we went out of the world, but impedi- 
 ments and the life of the world did not allow 
 us to repent. And Michael answered and 
 said: Hear Michael speaking! I am he who 
 stands in the sight of God every hour: As the 
 Lord liveth, in whose sight I stand, I do not 
 intermit one day or one night praying inces- 
 santly for the human race, and I indeed pray 
 for those who are on the earth: but they do 
 not cease doing iniquity and fornications, 
 and they do not bring to me any good while 
 they are placed on earth: and ye have con- 
 
 > Cf. Eev, of Peter, 2T. 
 
 • Not in the Greek. 
 
 * Cf . Esdras, Atite-Nicene Lib., vol. viii., p. 571. 
 ' Qahriel in the Greek version. 
 
THE VISION" OF PAUL 
 
 10? 
 
 sumecl in vanity the time in which ye ought 
 to have repented. But I have always prayed 
 thus and I now beseech that God may send 
 dew and send forth rains upon the earth, and 
 now I desire until the earth produce its fruits 
 and verily I say, that if any have done but a 
 little good, I will agonise for him, protecting 
 him till he have escaped the judgment of 
 penalties. Where therefore are your pray- 
 ers? Where are your penances? Ye have lost 
 your time contemptuously. But now weep 
 and I will weep with you and the angels who 
 are with me with the well-beloved Paul, if 
 perchance the merciful God will have pity 
 and give you refreshment. But hearing these 
 words they cried out and wept greatly, and 
 all said with one voice: Have pity on us. Son 
 of God! And I, Paul, sighed and said: 
 Lord God! have pity on thy creature, have 
 pity on the sons of men, have pity on thine 
 image. 
 
 44. And I looked and saw the heaven move 
 like a tree shaken by the wind. Suddenly, 
 moreover, they threw themselves on their 
 faces in the sight of the throne. And I saw 
 twenty-four elders and twenty-four thousand 
 adoring God, and I saw an altar and veil and 
 throne, and all were rejoicing; and the smoke 
 of a good odour was raised near the altar of 
 the throne of God, and I heard the voice of 
 one saying: For the sake of what do ye our 
 angels and ministers intercede? And they 
 cried out sa3ring: We intercede seeing thy 
 many kindnesses to the human race. And 
 after these things I saw the Son of God de- 
 scending from heaven, and a diadem was on 
 his head. And seeing him those who were 
 placed in punishment exclaimed all with one 
 voice saying: Have pity. Son of the High 
 God! Thou art He- who shewest refreshment 
 for all in the heavens and on earth, and on us 
 likewise have pity, for since we have seen 
 Thee, we have refreshment. And a voice 
 went out from the Son of God through all 
 the punishments saying: And what work 
 have ye done that ye demand refreshment 
 from me? My blood was poured out for your 
 sakes, and not even so did ye repent: for your 
 sakes I wore the crown of thorns on my head: 
 for you I received buffets on my cheeks, and 
 not even so did ye repent. I asked water 
 when hanging on the cross and they gave me 
 vinegar mixed with gall, with a spear they 
 opened my right side, for my name's sake 
 they slew my prophets and Just men, and in 
 all these things I gave you a place of repent- 
 ance and ye would not. Now, however, for the 
 sake of Michael the archangel of my covenant 
 
 and the angels who are with him, and because 
 of Paul the well-beloved, whom I would not 
 vex, for the sake of your brethren who are 
 in the world and offer oblations, and for the 
 sake of your sons, because my precepts are 
 in them, and more for the sake of mine own 
 kindness, on the day on which I rose from 
 the dead, I give to you all who are in punish- 
 ment a night and a day of refreshment for- 
 ever. And they all cried out and said. We 
 bless thee. Son of God, that Thou hast given 
 us a night and a day of respite. For bet- 
 ter to us is a refreshment of one day above 
 all the time of our life which we were on 
 earth, and if we had plainly known that this 
 was intended for those who sin, we would 
 have worked no other work, we would have 
 done no business, and we would have done 
 no iniquity: what need had we for pride in 
 the world? For here our pride is crushed 
 which ascended from our mouth against our 
 neighbour: our plagues and excessive strait- 
 ness and the tears and the worms which are 
 under us, these are much worse to us than 
 the pains which we have left behind us. When 
 they said thus, the malign angels of the pen- 
 alties were angered with them, saying: How 
 long do ye lament and sigh? for ye had no 
 pity. For this is the Judgment of God who 
 had no pity. But ye received this great grace 
 of a day and a night's refreshment on the 
 Lord's Day for the sake of Paul the well-be- 
 loved of God who descended to you. 
 
 45. And after that the angel said to me: 
 Hast thou seen all these things? And I said: 
 Yes, Sir. And he said to me: Follow me and 
 I will lead thee into Paradise, that the Just 
 who are there may see thee, for lo! they hope 
 to see thee, and they are ready to come to meet 
 thee in Joy and gladness. And I followed the 
 angel by the impulse of the Holy Spirit, and 
 he placed me in Paradise and said to me: 
 This is Paradise in which Adam and his wife 
 erred. Moreover I entered Paradise and saw 
 the beginning of waters, and there was an 
 angel making a sign to me and he said to me: 
 Observe, said he, the waters, for this is the 
 river of Physon which surrounds all the land 
 of Evilla, and the second is Geon which sur- 
 rounds all the land of Egypt and Ethiopia, 
 and the third is Thigris which is over against 
 the Assyrians, and another is Eufrates which 
 waters all the land of Mesopotamia. And 
 when I had gone inside I saw a tree planted 
 from whose roots water flowed out, and from' 
 this beginning there were four rivers. And 
 the spirit of God rested on that tree, and 
 when the Spirit blew, the waters flowed forth, 
 
164 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 and I said: My Lord, is it this tree itself 
 which makes the waters flow? And he said 
 to me: That from the beginning, before the 
 heavens and earth were manifested, and all 
 things here invisible, the Spirit of God was 
 borne upon the waters, biTt from the time 
 when the command of God made the heavens 
 and earth to appear, the Spirit rested upon 
 tliis tree: wherefore whenever the Spirit 
 blows, the waters flow forth from the tree. 
 And he held me by the hand and led me 
 near the tree of knowledge of good and 
 evil, and he said: Tliis is the tree by which 
 death entered into the world, and receiving 
 of it through his wife Adam ate and death 
 entered into the world. And he shewed me 
 another tree in the midst of Paradise, and 
 saith to me: This is the tree of life. 
 
 46. While I was yet looking upon the tree, 
 I saw a virgin coming from afar and two hun- 
 dred angels before her sajdng hymns, and I 
 asked and said: Sir, who is she who comes in 
 so great glory? And he said to me: This is 
 Mary the Virgin, the Mother of the Lord. 
 And coming near she saluted me and said: 
 Hail, Paul! well-beloved of God and angels 
 and men. For all the saints prayed my Son 
 Jesus who is my Lord that thou mightest 
 come hither in the body that they might see 
 thee before thou goest out of the world. And 
 the Lord said to them: Bear and be patient: 
 yet a little and ye shall see him and he shall 
 be with you for ever: and again they all said 
 to him together: Do not vex us, for we desire 
 to see him in the flesh, for by him Thy name 
 was greatly glorified in the world, and we 
 have seen that he endured all the labours 
 whether of the greater or of the less. This 
 we learn from those who come hither. For 
 when we say: Who is he who directed you in 
 the world? they reply to us: There is one in 
 the world whose name is Paul, he preaches 
 and announces Christ, and we believe that 
 many have entered into the kingdom through 
 the virtue and sweetness of his speeches. Be- 
 hold all the Just men are behind me coming 
 to meet thee, Paul, and I first come for this 
 cause to meet them who did the will of my 
 Son and my Lord Jesus Christ, I first ad- 
 vance to meet them and do not send them 
 away to be as wanderers until they meet in 
 peace. 
 
 47. When she had thus spoken, I saw three 
 coming from afar, very beautiful in the like- 
 ness of Christ, and their forms were shining, 
 and their angels, and I asked: Sir, who are 
 these? And he said to me: Dost thou not 
 know those? And I said: No, Sir. And he 
 
 answered: These are the fathers of the peo- 
 ple, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And com- 
 ing near they saluted me, and said: Hail, 
 Paul, well-beloved of God and men; blessed 
 is he who sufliers violence for the Lord's sake. 
 And Abraham answered me and said: This is 
 my son Isaac, and Jacob my well-beloved, 
 and we have known the Lord and followed 
 him; blessed are all they who believed in thy 
 word, that they may be able to inherit the 
 Kingdom of God by labour, by renunciation, 
 and sanctification, and humility, and char- 
 ity, and meekness, and right faith in the 
 Lord; and we also have had devotion to the 
 Lord whom thou preachest in the testament, 
 that we might assist those who believed in 
 him with their whole soul, and might minis- 
 ter unto them as fathers minister to their 
 children. 
 
 When they had thus spoken, I saw other 
 twelve coming from afar in honour, and I 
 asked: Sir, who are these? And he said: 
 These are the patriarchs. And coming near 
 they saluted me and said: Hail, Paul, well- 
 beloved of God and men: the Lord did not 
 vex us, that we might see thee yet in the 
 body, before thou goest out of the world. 
 And each one of them reminded me of his 
 name in order, from Euben to Benjamin: 
 and Joseph said to me: I am he who was sold; 
 but I say to thee, Paul, that all the things, 
 whatever my brothers did to me, in nothing 
 did I act maliciously with them, nor in all 
 the labour which they imposed on me, nor in 
 any point was I hurt by them on that account 
 from morning till evening: blessed is he who 
 receives some hurt on account of the Lord, 
 and bears it, for the Lord will repay it to him 
 manifold, when he shall have gone out of the 
 world. 
 
 48. When he had spoken thiis far, I saw 
 another beautiful one coming from afar, and 
 his angels saying hymns, and I asked: Sir, who 
 is this that is beautiful of countenance? And 
 he saith to me: Dost thou not know him? 
 And I said: No, Sir. And he said to me: 
 This is Moses the law-giver, to whom God 
 gave the law. And when he had come near 
 me, he immediately wept, and after that he 
 saluted me: and I said to him: What dost 
 thou lament? for I have heard that thou ex- 
 cellest every man in meekness. And he an- 
 swered saying: I weep for those whom I 
 planted with toil, because they did not bear 
 fruit, nor did any profit by them; and I saw 
 all the sheep whom I fed, that they were 
 scattered and become as if they had no 
 shepherd, and because all the toils which I 
 
THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 165 
 
 endured for the sake of the sons of Israel 
 were accounted as naught, and how greatso- 
 ever virtues I did in the midst of them these 
 they did not understand, and I wonder that 
 strangers and uncircumeised and idol-wor- 
 shippers have heen converted and have en- 
 tered into the promises of God, but Israel has 
 not entered; and now I say unto thee, brother 
 Paul, that in that hour when the people 
 hanged Jesus whom thou preaehest, that the 
 Father, the God of all, who gave me the law, 
 and Michael and all the angels and arch- 
 angels, and Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, 
 and all the just .wept over the Son of God 
 hanging on the cross. In that hour aU the 
 saints attended on me looldng (upon me) and 
 they said to me: See, Moses, what men of 
 thy people have done to the Son of God. 
 Wherefore thou art blessed, Paul, and blessed 
 the generation and race which believed in 
 thy word. 
 
 49. When he had spoken thus far, there 
 came other twelve, and seeing me said: Art 
 thou Paul the glorified in heaven and on 
 earth? And I answered and said: What are 
 ye? The first answered and said: I am Esaias 
 whom Manasses cut asunder with a wooden 
 saw. And the second said likewise: I am 
 Jeremias who was stoned by the children of 
 Israel and slain. And the third said: I am 
 Ezekiel whom the children of Israel dragged 
 by the feet over a rock in a mountain till they 
 knocked out my brains, and we endured all 
 these toils, wishing to save the children of 
 Israel: and I say unto thee that after the toils 
 which they laid upon me, I cast myself on 
 my face in the sight of the Lord praying for 
 them, bending my knees until the second 
 hour of the Lord's day, till Michael came and 
 lifted me up from the earth. Blessed art 
 thou, Paul, and blessed the nation which be- 
 lieved through thee. 
 
 And as these passed by, I saw another, 
 beautiful of countenance, and I asked: Sir, 
 Who is this? Who when he had seen me, re- 
 joiced and said to me: This is Lot^ who was 
 found just in Sodom. And approaching^ he 
 saluted me and said: Blessed art thou, Paul, 
 and blessed the generation to which thou 
 didst minister. And I answered and said to 
 him: Art thou Lot who wast found just in 
 Sodom? And he said: I entertained angels, 
 as travellers, and when they of the city vrtshed 
 to violate them, I offered them my two virgin 
 daughters who had not yet known men, and 
 gave them to them saying: use them as ye 
 
 > Lot and Job, in the Svriac trat not In the Greek. 
 = For adproprimia read adpropinquam. 
 
 will, but only to these men ye shall do no 
 evil; for this cause they entered under the 
 roof of my house. For this cause, therefore, 
 we ought to be confident and know that if 
 anyone shall have done anything, God shall 
 repay him manifold when they shall come to 
 him. Blessed art thou, Paul, and blessed the 
 nation which believed in thy word. 
 
 When, therefore, he had ceased talking to 
 me, I saw another coming from a distance, 
 very beautiful of countenance, and smiling, 
 and his angels saying hymns: and I said to 
 the angel who was with me: Has then each 
 of the just an angel for companion? And he 
 said to me: Each one of the saints has his own 
 (angel) assisting him, and saying a hymn, 
 and the one does not depart from the other. 
 And I said: Who is this. Sir? And he 
 said: This is Job. And approaching, he sa- 
 luted me and said: Brother Paul, thou hast 
 great praise with God and men. And I am 
 Job, who laboured much for a period of 
 thirty years from a plague in the blood; and 
 verily in the beginning, the wounds which 
 went forth from my body were like grains of 
 wheat. But on the third day, they became 
 as the foot of an ass; worms moreover which 
 fell four digits in length: and on the third 
 (day) the devil appeared and said to me: Say 
 something against God and die. I said to 
 him: If such be the will of God that I should 
 remain under a plague all the time of my 
 life till I die, I shall not cease from blessing 
 the Lord, and I shall receive more reward. 
 For I know that the labours of that world 
 are nothing to the refreshment which is af- 
 terwards: for which cause blessed art thou, 
 Paul, and blessed the nation which believed 
 through thee. 
 
 50. When he had spoken thus far, another 
 came calling from afar and saying: Blessed 
 art thou, Paul, and blessed am I because I 
 saw thee, the beloved of the Lord. And I 
 asked the angel: Sir, who is this? And he 
 answered and said unto me: This is Noe in 
 the time of the deluge. And immediately 
 we saluted each other: and greatly rejoicing 
 he said to me: Thou art Paul the most be- 
 loved of God. And I asked him: Who art 
 thou? And he said: I am Noe, who was in 
 the time of the deluge. And I say to thee, 
 Paul, that working for a hundred years, I 
 made the ark, not putting off the tunic with 
 which I was clad, nor did I cut the hair of 
 my head. Till then also I cherished conti- 
 nence, not approaching my own wife: in 
 those hundred years not a hair of my head 
 grew in length, nor did my garments 
 
166 
 
 THE VISION OF PAUL 
 
 become soiled: and I besought men at all 
 times saying: Eepent, for a deluge of waters 
 will come upon you. But they laughed at 
 me, and mocked my words; and again they 
 said to me: But this is the time of those who 
 are able to play and sin freely, desiring her 
 with whom it is possible to commit fornica- 
 tion frequently: for God does not regard 
 this, and does not know what things are done 
 by us men, and there is no flood of waters 
 straightway coming upon this world. And 
 they did not cease from their sins, till God 
 destroyed all flesh which had the breath of 
 life in it. Know then that God loveth one 
 just man more than all the world of the im- 
 pious. Wherefore, blessed art thou, Paul, 
 and blessed is the nation which believes 
 through thee. 
 
 51. And turning round, I saw other just 
 ones coming from afar, and I asked the an- 
 gel: Sir, who are those? And he answered 
 me: These are Elias and Eliseus.^ And they 
 saluted me: and I said to them: Who are ye? 
 And one of them answered and said: I am 
 
 > Elias and Eliseos. Latin and Syriac. 
 and EUjali. 
 
 The Greek has Enoch 
 
 Elias, the prophet of God; I am Elias who 
 prayed, and because of my word, the heaven 
 did not rain for three years and six months, 
 account of the unrighteousness of men. 
 
 on 
 
 God is just and true, who doeth the will of 
 his servants: for the angels often besought 
 the Lord for rain, and he said: Be patient till 
 my servant Elias shall pray and petition for 
 this and I will send rain on the earth.^ 
 
 ' The Latin version here breaks off abmptly, as does also the 
 Greelc. In the Syriac as translated by the Eev. J. Perkins, D.D. 
 (cf. Jonmal of Sacred Literatnre, N. S., vi., 1865, p. 399), the nar- 
 rative runs as follows : " And often the anpels asked that he 
 would give them rain, and he gave not, until I called upon him 
 again ; then be gave unto them. But blessed art thou, O Paul, 
 that thy generation, and those thou teachest. are the sons of the 
 kingdom. And know thou, O Paul, that every man who believes 
 through thee hath a great blessing, and a blessing is reserved for 
 him." Then he departed from me. 
 
 And the angel who was with me led me forth, and said unto 
 me : " Lo, unto thee is given this mystery and revelation ; as 
 thou pleasest. make it known unto the sons of men." And I, 
 Paul, returned unto myself, and I knew all that I had seen ; and 
 in Hfe I had not rest that I might reveal this mystery, but I \vrote 
 it and deposited it under the ground and the foundation of a cer- 
 tain faitMnl man with whom I used to be, in Tarsus, a city of 
 Cilicia. And when I was released from this life of time and 
 stood before my Lord, thus said He unto me : " Paul, have we 
 shown all these things unto thee, that thou shouldst deposit them 
 under the foundation of a house ? Then send, and disclose, con^ 
 ceming this Revelation that men may read it, and tm-n to the 
 way of truth, that they also may not come to these hitter tor- 
 ments." 
 
 Then follows the story of the discovery of the Revelation at 
 Tarsus in the reign of Theodosius as given at the beginning of 
 the Qreek and Latin versions. 
 
 THE END OF THE VISION OF SAINT PAUL. 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF THE VIRGIN. 
 
 The present translation of this Apocalypse * is made from the text as published by Mr. M. R. 
 James in Texts and Studies, ii., 3, from a MS. in the Bodleian Library, which he assigns to the 
 eleventh century. The original he conjecturally assigns to the ninth century, and regards 
 it as a late and clumsy compilation based on (1) the Assumption Legends and (3) the Apoc- 
 alypse of Paul. Its main feature, intercession for the lost, it has in common with the 
 Testament of Abraham, the Apocalypse of Paul, 4 Esdras, the Apocalypse of Baruch, the 
 Apocalypse of Esdras and the Apocalypse of Sedrach. Parallels are pointed out in the 
 notes. 
 
 ' In thiB Apocalypse and that of Sedrach which follows, the text ia in many places so obviously corrupt that the translator can- 
 not he confident that he has given the correct meaning of the original in all cases.— A. K. 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF 
 GOD CONCERNING THE CHASTISEMENTS. 
 
 I. The all-holy mother of God was about 
 to proceed to the Mount of Olives to pray; 
 and praying to the Lord our God she said: 
 In the name of the Father and the Son and 
 the Holy Spirit; let the archangel Gabriel de- 
 scend, that he may tell me concerning the 
 chastisements and concerning things in heav- 
 en and on the earth and under the earth. 
 And as she said the word the archangel Mi- 
 chael descended with the angels of the East 
 and the AVest and angels of the South and 
 the North, and they saluted the highly fa- 
 voured one and said to her: Hail, reflection of 
 the Father, hail dwelling of the Son, hail 
 command of the Holy Spirit, hail firmament 
 of the seven heavens, hail firmament of the 
 eleven strongholds, hail worship of the an- 
 gels, hail loftier than the prophets unto the 
 throne of God. And the holy mother of God 
 said to the angel: Hail Michael, commander- 
 in-chief, the minister of the invisible Father, 
 hail Michael, commander-in-chief, associate 
 of my Son, hail Michael, commander-in- 
 chief, most dread of the six-winged, hail Mi- 
 chael, commander-in-chief, who rules through 
 all things and art worthy to stand beside the 
 throne of the Lord, hail Michael, comman- 
 der-in-chief, who art about to sound the 
 trumpet and awaken those who have been 
 asleep for ages: hail Michael, commander-in- 
 chief, first of all unto the throne of God. 
 
 II. And having greeted all the angels in 
 like manner, the highly favoured one prayed 
 the commander-in-chief regarding the chas- 
 tisements, saying: Tell to me all things on the 
 earth. And the commander-in-chief said to 
 her: If thou askest me, highly favoured one, 
 I will tell thee. And the highly favoured one 
 said to him: How many are the chastisements 
 with which the race of man is chastised? 
 And the archangel said to her: The chastise- 
 ments are innumerable. And the highly fa- 
 
 voured one said to him: Tell me the tilings in 
 heaven and on the earth. 
 
 III. Then the commander-in-chief, Mi- 
 chael, commanded the Western angels that 
 revelation should be made, and Hades opened, 
 and she saw those who were chastised^ in 
 Hades: and there lay there a multitude of men 
 and women, and there was a great lamentation. 
 And the highly favoured one asked the com- 
 mander-in-chief: Who are these and what is 
 their sin? And the commander-in-chief said: 
 These, all holy, are those who did not worship 
 the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit 
 and for this cause they are thus chastised 
 here. 
 
 IV. And she saw in another place^ a great 
 darkness: and the all holy said: What is 
 this darkness and who are they who are be- 
 ing chastised? And the commander-in-chief 
 said: Many souls are Ijdng in this darkness. 
 And the all holy one said: Let this darkness 
 be taken away in order that I may see this 
 chastisement also. And the commander-in- 
 chief said to the highly favoured one: It is 
 not possible, all holy, that thou shouldst see 
 this chastisement also. And the angels 
 guarding them answered and said: We have 
 a command from the invisible Father that 
 they shall not see the light till thy blessed 
 Son shall shine forth. And plunged in grief 
 the all holy lifted up her eyes to the angels 
 touching the undefiled word of the Father, 
 and said: In the name of the Father and 
 the Son and the Holy Spirit let the dark- 
 ness be taken away, that I may see this chas- 
 tisement also. And straightway that dark- 
 ness was lifted up and covered the seven 
 heavens: and there lay a great multitude 
 of both men and women, and there arose 
 
 • Cf . Vision of Paul, 31. 
 
 ' Eev. of Peter, 21. Paul, ST. 
 
170 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OP THE HOLY MOTHEE. 
 
 a great lamentation and a great cry began. 
 And seeing them the all holy wept and said 
 to them: What are ye doing, wretched ones? 
 AVho are ye? And how are ye found there? 
 and there was no voice or hearkening. And 
 the angels guarding them said: Why do ye 
 not speak to the highly favoured one? And 
 those who were under chastisement said to 
 her: highly favoured one, from eternity 
 we see not the light, and we are not able 
 to keep off that up there. And splashing 
 pitch flowed down upon them: and seeing 
 them the all holy wept. And again those 
 who were being chastised said to her: How 
 dost thou ask concerning us, holy lady, 
 Mother of God? Thy blessed Son came to 
 the earth and did not make enquiry con- 
 cerning us, neither Abraham the patriarch, 
 nor John the Baptist, nor Moses the great 
 prophet, nor the Apostle Paul, and unto us 
 their light shone not: and now, all holy Moth- 
 er of God, the armour of the Christians, the 
 bringer of great comfort on account of the 
 Christians, how dost thou ask concerning us? 
 Then the all holy Mother of God said to Mi- 
 chael, the commander-in-chief : What is their 
 sin? And Michael, the commander-in-chief, 
 said: These are they who did not believe in 
 the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 
 and did not confess thee^ to be the Mother of 
 God, and that the Lord Jesus Christ was born 
 of thee and took flesh, and for this cause they 
 are chastised there. And again weeping, the 
 all holy Mother of God said to them: Why 
 did ye so greatly err, wretched ones? Did ye 
 not hear that the whole creation names my 
 name? And having said these words the 
 darkness fell over them as it was from the 
 beginning. 
 
 V. And the commander-in-chief said: 
 Whither wouldst thou go, highly favoured 
 one? to the West or to the South? And the 
 highly favoured answered: Let us go to the 
 South. And immediately there appeared the 
 cherubim and the seraphim and four hun- 
 dred angels, and led out the highly favoured 
 one to the South, where came out the river 
 of fire,^and there there lay a multitude of men 
 and women, some up to the girdle, others up 
 to the neck, and others up to the crown of the 
 head: and seeing them the all holy Mother of 
 God cried out with a loud voice to the com- 
 mander-in-chief and said: Who are these, and 
 what is their sin who stand in the fire up to 
 the girdle? And the commander-in-chief 
 said: These, all holy one, are they who inher- 
 
 1 Cf. Pan), 41. 
 
 2 Cf . Paul, 31. 
 
 ited the curse of father and mother, and for 
 this cause they are thus chastised here as ac- 
 cursed. 
 
 VI. And the all holy one said: And who 
 are these standing in the fire up to the 
 breasts? And the commander-in-chief said: 
 These are whosoever cast off their wives and 
 defiled them in adultery, and for this cause 
 they are thus chastised here. 
 
 VII. And the all holy one said to the com- 
 mander-in-chief: Who are these standing up 
 to the neck in the flame of the fire? And the 
 commander-in-chief said: These, all holy one, 
 are whosoever ate of the flesh of men. And 
 the all holy one said: And how is it possible 
 for one man to eat of the flesh of another? 
 And the commander-in-chief said: Listen, all 
 holy one, and I will tell thee: These are they 
 whosoever brought down their own children 
 out of their own wombs and cast them out" as 
 food for dogs, and whosoever gave up their 
 brothers in the presence of kings and gov- 
 ernors, these ate the flesh of man, and for this 
 cause they are thus chastised. 
 
 VIII. And the all holy one said: Who are 
 these set in the fire up to the crown? And 
 the commander-in-chief said: These, all holy 
 one, are whosoever lay hold of the precious 
 cross and swear to a lie: by the power of the 
 cross of the Lord. The angels tremble and 
 worship with fear, and men lay hold of it and 
 swear to a lie and do not know what they 
 testify: and for this cause they are thus chas- 
 tised here. 
 
 IX. And in another place the all holy one 
 saw a man hung by the feet,'' and worms 
 devoured him. And she asked the comman- 
 der-in-chief: Who is this and what is his sin? 
 And the commander-in-chief said: This is he 
 who took usury^ for his gold, and for this 
 cause he is thus chastised here. 
 
 X. And she saw a woman hanging by her 
 two ears, and all the beasts" came out of her 
 mouth and gnawed her in pieces: and the 
 highly favoured one asked the commander- 
 in-chief: Who is she, and what is her sin? 
 And the commander-in-chief said: She is she 
 who turned aside into strange houses and 
 those of her neighbours and spoke evil words 
 to make strife, and for that cause she is thus 
 chastised here. 
 
 XL And seeing these things the all holy 
 Mother of God wept and said to the comman- 
 der-in-chief: It were well for man that he 
 
 « Cf. Peter, Frag.; Paul, 40 ; Peter, ZT. 
 
 * Cf. Peter, 24. 
 
 ' Cf . Peter, .M ; Paul, 3T. 
 
 « Cf. Peter, Frag. 2. 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OP TI-IE HOLY MOTHER. 
 
 171 
 
 had not been born. And the commander- 
 in-chief said: Verily, all holy one, thou hast 
 not seen the great chastisements. And the 
 all holy one said to the commander-in-chief: 
 Come, Michael, great commander-in-chief, 
 and lead me that I may see all the chastise- 
 ments. And the commander-in-chief said: 
 Where dost thou wish, all holy one, that 
 we should go? And the highly favoured one 
 answered: To the West: and straightway the 
 cherubim appeared and led the highly fa- 
 voured to the West. 
 
 XII. And she saw a cloud full of fire and 
 in it there was a^ multitude of men and wom- 
 en. _ And the all holy one said: What was 
 their sin? And the commander-in-chief 
 said: These, all holy one, are they who on the 
 morning of the Lord's day sleep like the 
 dead, and for that reason they are thus chas- 
 tised here. And the all holy one said: If any- 
 one cannot rise, what shall he do? And the 
 commander-in-chief said: Listen, all holy 
 one: if anyone's house is fastened on the four 
 (sides?) and surrounds him and he cannot 
 come out, he has forgiveness. 
 
 XIII. And she saw in another place burn- 
 ing benches of fire and on them sat a multi- 
 tude of men and women and burned on them. 
 And the all holy one asked: Who are these and 
 what is their sin? And the commander-in- 
 chief said: These, all holy one, are they who 
 do not rise up to the presbyter when they en- 
 ter into the church of God, and for this cause 
 they are thus chastised here. . 
 
 XIV. And the all holy one saw in another 
 place an iron tree and it had branches of iron, 
 and on it there hung a multitude of men and 
 women by their tongues.^ And seeing them 
 the all holy one wept, and asked the comman- 
 der-in-chief saying: Who are these and what 
 was their sin? And the commander-in-chief 
 said: These are perjurers, blasphemers, slan- 
 derers, whosoever divided brothers from 
 brothers. And the all holy one said: How is 
 it possible to divide brothers from brothers? 
 And the commander-in-chief said: Listen, all 
 holy one, and I will tell thee about this: When 
 some from among the nations desired to be 
 baptised, he would say to them one word: 
 Thou foul-feeding, unbelieving Gentile; be- 
 cause he thus blasphemed, he shall receive 
 ceaseless retribution. 
 
 XV. And in another place the all holy one 
 saw a man hanging from his four extremities, 
 and from his nails blood gushed vehemently. 
 
 ' Cf. Peter, 2S. 
 ' Ct Peter. a«. 
 
 and his tongue' was tied in a flame of fire, and 
 he was unable to gi-oan and say the Kyrie 
 ele'ison me. And when she had seen him the 
 all holy one wept and herself said the Kyrie 
 ele'ison thrice : and after the saying of the 
 prayer, came the angel who had authority over 
 the scourge and loosed the man's tongue: and 
 the all holy one asked the commander-in- 
 chief: Who is this wretched one who has this 
 chastisement? And the commander-in-chief 
 said: This, all holy one, is the steward who 
 did not the will of God, but ate the things of 
 the church and said: "He who ministers to 
 the altar shall be nourished from the altar":* 
 and for this cause he is thus chastised here. 
 And the all holy one said: Let it be unto him 
 according to his faith. And again he tied his 
 tongue. 
 
 XVI. And Michael, the commander-in- 
 chief said: Come hither, all holy one, and I 
 will show unto thee where the priests are 
 chastised. And the all holy one came out 
 and saw presbyters hanging by their twenty 
 nails, and fire came out of their heads. And 
 seeing them the all holy one asked the com- 
 mander-in-chief: Who are these and what 
 is their sin? And the commander-in-chief 
 said: These, all lioly one, are they who stand 
 beside the throne of God, and when they 
 sang of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 the pearls fell out, and the awful throne of 
 heaven shook and the footstool of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ trembled, and they did not per- 
 ceive it: and for this caiise they are thus chas- 
 tised here. 
 
 XVII. And the all holy one saw a man 
 and a winged beast having three heads like 
 flames of fire: the two heads were towards his 
 eyes and the third head towards his mouth. 
 And seeing him the all holy one asked the 
 commander-in-chief: Who is this, that he 
 cannot save himself from the mouth of the 
 dragon? And the commander-in-chief said 
 to her: This, all holy one, is the reader who 
 does not practise in his own habits according 
 to what is worthy of the holy Gospel: and 
 for this cause he is thus chastised here. 
 
 XVIII. And the commander-in-chief 
 said: Come hither, all holy one, and I will 
 show thee where the angelic and arehangelic 
 form is chastised. She proceeded and saw' 
 them lying in the fire and the sleepless worm 
 gnawed them: and the all holy one said: Who 
 are these, and what is their sin? And the 
 commander-in-chief said; These, all holy one, 
 
 ' Of. Peter, 29, 
 < Cf. Lev. X. 12) 
 » Cf. Peter, 2T. 
 
 '; Num. xriii. IS. 
 
173 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OP THE HOLY M0TH:ER. 
 
 are they who possessed the archangelie and 
 apostolic form: hearken, all holy one, con- 
 cerning this : on earth they were called patri- 
 archs and bishops, and they were not worthy 
 of their name: on earth they heard 'Bless (the 
 Lord) ye saints,' and in heaven they were not 
 called saints, because they did not act as bear- 
 ers of the archangelie form: and for this 
 cause they are thus chastised here. 
 
 XIX. And she saw women hanging by 
 their nails, and a flame of fire came out of 
 their mouth and burned them: and all the 
 beasts^ coming out of the fire gnawed them 
 to pieces, and groaning they cried out: Have 
 pity on us, have pity, for we are chastised 
 worse than all those who are under chastise- 
 ment. And seeing them the all holy one 
 wept, and asked the commander-in-chief, 
 Michael: Who are these and what is their sin? 
 And the commander-in-chief said: These are 
 the wives of presbyters who did not honour 
 the presbyters, but after the death of the 
 presbyter took husbands, and for this cause 
 they are thus chastised here. 
 
 XX. And the all holy one saw after the 
 same manner also a deaconess hanging from 
 a crag and a beast with two heads de- 
 voured her breasts. And the all holy one 
 asked: "What is her sin? And the comman- 
 der-in-chief said: She, all holy one, is an 
 archdeaconess who defiled her body in forni- 
 cation, and for this cause she is thus chas- 
 tised here. 
 
 XXI. And she saw other women hanging 
 over the fire, and all the beasts devoured them. 
 And the all holy one asked the commander- 
 in-chief: Who are these and what is their sin? 
 And he said: These are they who did not do 
 the will of God, lovers of money and those 
 who took interest^ on accounts, and the im- 
 modest. 
 
 XXII. And when she had heard these 
 things the all holy one wept and said: Woe 
 unto sinners. And the commander.-in-chief 
 said: WTiy dost thou lament, all holy one? 
 Now verily thou hast not seen the great chas- 
 tisemnts. And the highly favoured one 
 said: Come, Michael, the great commander- 
 in-chief of the powers above, tell me how T 
 may see all the chastisements. And the com- 
 mander-in-chief said: Where dost thou wish 
 that we should go, all holy one? to the East 
 or towards the left parts of Paradise? And 
 the all holy one said: To the left parts of 
 Paradise. 
 
 1 Cf . Peter fr. ap. Clem. Alex. 
 " Gf. Peter, 31. 
 
 XXIII. And immediately when she had 
 spoken, the cherubim and seraphim stood 
 beside her and led the highly favoured one 
 out to the left parts of Paradise. And be- 
 hold, there was a great river, and the appear- 
 ance of the river was blacker than pitch, and 
 in it there were a multitude^ of men and 
 women: it boiled like a furnace of forges, 
 and its waves were like a wild sea over the 
 sinners: and when the waves rose, they sank 
 the sinners ten thousand cubits and they were 
 unable to keep it off and say: Have mercy on 
 us, thou just Judge: for the sleepless worm 
 devoured them, and there was no reckoning 
 of the number of those who devoured them. 
 And seeing the all holy Mother of God the 
 angels'* who chastised them cried out with one 
 voice: Holy is God who has compassion on 
 account of the Mother of God: we give thee 
 thanks, O Son of God, that from eternity we 
 did not see the light, and to-day through the 
 Mother of God we have seen the light: and 
 again they shouted with one voice, saying: 
 Hail, highly favoured Mother of God: Hail, 
 lamp of the inaccessible light: Hail to thee 
 also, Michael, the commander-in-chief, thou 
 that art ambassador from the whole creation: 
 for we, seeing the chastisement of sinners are 
 greatly grieved. And the all holy one, when 
 she saw the angels humbled on account of 
 the sinners, lamented and said: Woe to sin- 
 ners and their neighbours. And the all holy 
 one said: Let us see the sinners. And the 
 highly favoured one, coming with the arch- 
 angel Michael and all the armies of the 
 angels lifted up one voice saying: Lord have 
 mercy. And after the making of the prayer 
 earnestly, the wave of the river rested and the 
 fiery waves grew calm, and the sinners ap- 
 peared as a grain of mustard-seed: and seeing 
 them the all holy one lamented and said: 
 What is this river, and what are its waves? 
 And the commander-in-chief said: This river 
 is the outer fire, and those who are being tor- 
 tured are the Jews who crucified our Lord 
 Jesus Christ the Son of God, and who refused 
 holy baptism, and those who commit fornica- 
 tion and sin against the sweet and passionless 
 perfume of marriage, and he who debauches 
 mother and daughter, and the poisoners 
 and those who slay with the sword, and the 
 women who strangle their offspring. And 
 the all holy one said: According to their faith 
 so be it unto them. And straightway the 
 waves rose over the sinners and the darkness 
 
 ' Cf . Paul, 31. 
 4 Cf . Peter, 23. 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF THE HOLY MOTHBE. 
 
 173 
 
 covered them. And the eonnnander-in-ehief 
 said: Hearken, thou highly favoured one: if 
 anyone shall be cast into this darkness/ his 
 remembrance shall never be in the sight of 
 God. And the all holy Mother of God said: 
 Woe to sinners, because the flame of the fire 
 is everlasting. 
 
 XXIV. And the commander-in-chief said: 
 Come hither, all holy one, and I will show 
 unto thee the lake of iire: and see thou where 
 the race of the Christians is chastised.^ And 
 the all holy one proceeded and saw: and some 
 she heard, but others she did not see: and 
 she asked the commander-in-chief: Who are 
 these, and what is their sin? And the com- 
 mander-in-chief said: These, all holy one, are 
 those who were baptised and arrayed under 
 the oracle of Christ, but worked the works of 
 the devil and wasted the time of their repen- 
 tance: and for this cause they are thus chas- 
 tised here. 
 
 XXV. And she said: I pray, one request 
 will I make of thee, let me also be chastised 
 with the Christians, because they are the chil- 
 dren of my son. And the commander-in- 
 chief said: Eest thou in Paradise, holy lady, 
 Mother of God. And the all holy one said: I 
 pray thee, move the fourteen firmaments and 
 the seven heavens, and let us pray for the 
 Christians that the Lord our God may heark- 
 en unto us and have mercy on them.^ And 
 the commander-in-chief said: As the Lord 
 God liveth, the great name, seven times a day 
 and seven times a night, when we lead up the 
 hymn of the Lord, we make remembrance for 
 the sake of sinners, and the Lord accounts us 
 as naught. 
 
 XXVI. And the all holy one said: I pray 
 thee, commander-in-chief, command the ar- 
 mies of the angels and let them place me on 
 the height of heaven and let me into the pres- 
 ence of the invisible Father. And immediate- 
 ly the commander-in-chief commanded, and 
 the chariot of the cherubim and seraphim ap- 
 peared, and they exalted the highly favoured 
 one to the height of heaven and placed her 
 in the presence of the invisible Father: And 
 she stretched forth her hands to the undefiled 
 throne of the Father and said: Have mercy, 
 Lord, on the Christian sinners, for I saw 
 them being chastised and I cannot bear their 
 complaint. Let me go forth and be chastised 
 myself for the Christians. I do not pray, 
 Lord, for the unbelieving Jews, but for the 
 Christians I entreat thy compassion. And 
 
 > Cf. Paul, 41. , . ,^ 
 
 » Cf. Esdras. Ante-Nicene Lib., vol. viil., p. 573. 
 s Cf. Pan), 43. 
 
 there came a second voice from the invisible 
 Father saying: How can I have mercy on 
 them, when they did not have mercy on their 
 own brothers?* And the all holy one said: 
 Lord, have mercy on the sinners: behold the 
 chastisements, for every creature on the earth 
 calls upon my name: and when the soul comes 
 forth out of the body, it cries saying, "Holy 
 Lady, Mother of God." Then the Lord said 
 to her: Hearken, all holy Mother of God, if 
 anyone names and calls upon thy name, I 
 will not forsake him, either in heaven or on 
 earth. 
 
 XXVII. And the all holy one said: Where 
 is Moses? Where are all the prophets and 
 fathers who never sinned? Where art thou, 
 holy Paul of God? where is the holy Lord's 
 Day, the boast of the Christians? where is 
 the power of the precious and life-giving 
 cross, which delivered Adam and Eve from 
 the ancient curse? Then Michael and all the 
 angels raised one voice saying: Lord, have 
 mercy on the sinners. Then Moses also 
 cried: Have mercy. Lord, on those to whom 
 I gave thy law. Then John also called: Have 
 mercy. Lord, on those to whom I gave thy 
 Gospel. Then Paul cried: Have mercy. Lord, 
 on those to whom I brought thy epistles in the 
 Church. And the Lord God said: Hearken, 
 all ye righteous: if according to the law which 
 Moses gave, and according to the Gospel 
 which John gave, and according to the epis- 
 tles which Paul carried, they thus be judged. 
 And they had nothing to say except, Have 
 mercy, just judge. 
 
 XXVIII. And the all holy Mother of God 
 said: Have mercy, Lord, on the Christians, be- 
 cause they kept thy law and gave heed to thy 
 gospel, but they were simple ones. Then the 
 Lord said to her: Hearken, all holy one: if 
 anyone did evil to them and they did not re- 
 quite him the evil, thou sayest well that they 
 attended to both my law and my gospel, but 
 if he did not do them wrong and they re- 
 quited him evil, how may I say that these are 
 holy men? now they shall be rewarded ac- 
 cording to their vn-ongdoing. Then all hear- 
 ing the voice of the Lord had nothing to an- 
 swer; and the all holy one, when she saw that 
 the saints were at a loss, and their Lord did 
 not hear, and his mercy was hidden from 
 them, then the all holy one said: Where is 
 Gabriel, who announced unto me the "Hail, 
 thou that from eternity shalt conceive him 
 who is without beginning like the Father," 
 and now does not look upon sinners? Where 
 
 4 Cf. BBdras, 1. c, pp. 469, 4T0. 
 
174 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OF THE HOLY MOTB[ER. 
 
 is the great commander-in-chief? come hith- 
 er, all ye saints whom God justified, and let 
 us fall down in the presence of the invis- 
 ible Father, in ofder that the Lord God may 
 hear us, and have mercy on sinners. Then 
 Michael, the commander-in-chief, and all the 
 saints fell on their faces in the presence of 
 the invisible Father, saying: Have mercy. 
 Lord, on the Christian sinners. 
 
 XXIX. Then the Lord, seeing the prayer 
 of the saints, had compassion and said: Go 
 down, my beloved son, and because of the 
 prayer of the saints let thy face shine on earth 
 to sinners. Then the Lord came down from 
 his undefiled throne: and when they saw Him, 
 those who were under chastisement raised 
 one voice saying: Have mercy on us, King of 
 ages. Then the Lord of all things said: 
 Hearken, all ye sinners and righteous men: 
 I made paradise and made man after my 
 image: but he transgressed, and for his own 
 sins was delivered to death: but I did not 
 suffer the works of my hands to be tyran- 
 nized over by the serpent: wherefore I bowed 
 the heavens and came down and was born of 
 Mary, the holy undefiled Mother of God, that 
 I might set you free: I was baptised in Jor- 
 dan in order that I might save the creature 
 (nature) which had grown old under sin: I 
 
 was nailed to the cross^ to free you from the 
 ancient curse: I asked for water and ye gave 
 me vinegar mingled with gall: I was laid in 
 the grave: I trampled on the enemy: I raised 
 up mine elect, and even thus ye would not 
 hear me. But now, because^ of the prayer of 
 my mother Mary, because she has wept much 
 for your sake, and because of Michael my 
 archangel, and because of the multitude of 
 my saints, I grant you to have rest on the day 
 of Pentecost to glorify the Father and the 
 Son and the Holy Spirit. 
 
 XXX. Then all the angels and archangels, 
 thrones, lordships, authorities, governments, 
 powers, and the many-eyed cherubim and 
 the six-winged seraphim and all the apostles 
 and prophets and martyrs and all the saints 
 raised one voice, saying: Glory to thee, 
 Lord: glory to thee, lover of men: glory to 
 thee. King of ages: glory be to thy compas- 
 sion: glory be to thy long suffering: glory be 
 to thy unspeakable justice of judgment, be- 
 caiise thou hast been long-suffering with sin- 
 ners and impious men: Thine is it to pity and 
 to save. To him be the glory and the power 
 to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy 
 Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 1 Cf. Panl, 44 ; Esdras, I. c, p. 4T0. 
 ' Cf. Paul, 44. 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF SEDRACH. 
 
 The translation is from Mr. M. E. James's text in Texts and Studies, ii. 3, p. 130£E., 
 published from a fifteenth centary ms. in the Bodleian Library. The original, Mr. James 
 conjecturally assigns to the tenth or eleventh century. It is notable for its close resem- 
 blance in several passages to 4 Esdras, to the Greek original of which the author seems to 
 have had direct access. 
 
 Like the Apocalypse of Esdras it deals with the subject of intercession for sinners and 
 the reluctance of the seer to die. The parallel passages in 4 Esdras and the Apocalypse of 
 Esdras are pointed out in the margin of the translation. 
 
 Chapter I. consists of a few lines from the beginning and end of a homily on love which 
 appears in the ms. at the beginning of the Apocalypse, but which Mr. James regards as 
 " quite unimportant and quite irrelevant." 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF SEDRACH. 
 
 The Word of the holy and blessed Sedrach 
 coneeming love and concerning repentance 
 and Orthodox Christians, and concerning the 
 Second Coming of our Ijord Jesus Christ. 
 Lord give thy blessing. 
 
 I. Beloved, let us prefer nothing in honour 
 except sincere love: for in many things we 
 stumble every day and night and hour. And 
 for this cause let us gain love, for it covereth 
 a multitude of sins: for what is the profit, my 
 children, if we have all things, and have not 
 saving love . . . 
 
 blessed love, supplier of all good things. 
 Blessed is the man who has gained the true 
 faith and sincere love, according as the Master 
 said, there is no greater love than this that a 
 man should lay down his life for his friend. 
 Cf. John XV. 13. 
 
 II. And invisibly he received a voice in his 
 ears: Come hither, Sedrach, since thou wish- 
 est and desirest to converse with God and ask 
 of him that he may reveal unto thee what- 
 ever thou wishest to ask. And Sedrach said : 
 What, Sir? And the voice said to him: I was 
 sent to thee to raise thee here into heaven. 
 And he said: I desired to speak mouth to 
 month with God: I am not fit. Sir, to come 
 into heaven. And stretching out his wings 
 he took him up and he came into heaven to 
 the very flame, and he set him as high as the 
 third heaven, and in it stood the flame of the 
 divinity. 
 
 III. And the Lord saith to him: Welcome, 
 my beloved Sedrach: What suit hast thou 
 against God who created thee, that thou 
 saidst, I desired to speak face to face with 
 God? Sedrach saith to him:^ Yea, verily, the 
 son hath a suit with the Father: my Lord, 
 why didst thou make the earth? The Lord 
 saith to him: For man's sake. Sedrach saith: 
 And why didst Thou make the sea? Why 
 didst Thou scatter every good thing on the 
 earth? The Lord saith to him: For man's 
 
 " Cf. Esdrae. Ante-Nlcene Lib., viU., 571. 
 
 sake. Sedrach saith to him:^ If thou didst 
 these things,^ why wilt Thou destroy him? 
 And the Lord said: Man is my work and the 
 creature of my hands, and I discipline him as 
 I find good. 
 
 IV. Sedrach saith to him: Chastisement 
 and fire are thy discipline: they are bitter, my 
 Lord:* it were well for man if he had not been 
 born: why then didst thou make him, my 
 Lord? Why didst thou weary thine unde- 
 filed hands" and create man, since thou didst 
 not intend to have mercy on him? God saith 
 to him: I made Adam the first creature and 
 placed him in Paradise in the midst of the 
 tree of life and said to him: Eat of all the 
 fruits, but beware of the tree of life: for if 
 thou eat of it, thou shalt die the death. But 
 he transgressed my commandment, and being 
 beguiled by the devil ate of the tree. 
 
 V. Sedrach saith to him: Of thy will 
 Adam was beguiled, my Lord: Thou com- 
 mandest thine" angels to make approach to 
 Adam, and the first of the angels himself 
 transgressed thy commandment and did not 
 make approach to him, and Thou didst ban- 
 ish him, because he transgressed thy com- 
 mandment and did not make any approach to 
 the work of thine hands: if thou lovedst man, 
 why didst Thou not slay the devil, the worker 
 of unrighteousness? Who is able to fight 
 an invisible spirit ? And he as a smoke enters 
 into the hearts of men and teaches them ev- 
 ery sin: he fights against thee, the immortal 
 God, and what can wretched man then do to 
 him? But have mercy, Lord, and stop the 
 chastisements: but if not, count me also with 
 the sinners: if thou wilt have no mercy on 
 the sinners, where are thy mercies, where is 
 thy' compassion, Lord? 
 
 VI. God saith to him: Be it known unto 
 thee that I ordered all things to be placable 
 
 3 Cf. 4 Bedras vili. 15ff. 
 
 ' Cf. Bsciraa, Ante-Nicene Lib., yiii., p. 572. 
 
 * Cf. BBdraa, Ante-Nicene Lib., vol. Tiii., p. 571. 
 » Undeflled hands. Cf. Esdrae, p. 571. 
 
 • Angels. Cf. Bsdras, p. 571. 
 
 ' Compassion. Cf. Bsdras, p. 571. 
 
178 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OF SEDKACH. 
 
 to ])im: I gave liim understanding and made 
 him the heir of heaven and earth, and I sub- 
 jeeted all things to him, and every living 
 thing flees from him and from before his face: 
 but he, having received of mine, became alien, 
 adulterous, and sinful: tell me, what father, 
 having given his son his portion, when he 
 takes his substance and leaves his father and 
 goes away and becomes an alien and serves an 
 alien, when the father sees that the son has 
 deserted him, does not darken his heart, and 
 does not the father go and take his substance 
 and banish him from his glory because he de- 
 serted his father? And how have I, the won- 
 derful and jealous God, given him everything, 
 and he having received these things has be- 
 come an adulterer and a sinner? 
 
 VII. Sedrach saith to him: Thou, Lord, 
 didst create man. Thou knewest of what 
 sort of mind he was and of what sort of 
 knowledge we are, and thou makest it a cause 
 for chastisement: but cast him forth; for 
 shall not I alone fill uiJ the heavenly places? 
 But if that is not to be so save man too, 
 Lord. He failed by thy will, wretched man. 
 Why dost thou waste words on me, Sedrach? 
 I created Adam and his wife and the sun and 
 said: Behold each other how bright he is, 
 and the wife of Adam is brighter in the 
 beauty of the moon and he was the giver of 
 her life.^ Sedrach saith: but of what profit 
 are beauties if they die away into the earth? 
 How didst thou say, Lord, Thou shalt not 
 return evil for evil? How is it, Lord? the 
 word of Thy divinity never lies, and why dost 
 Thou retaliate on man? or dost thou not in 
 so doing render evil for evil? I know that 
 among the quadrupeds there is no other so 
 wily and unreasonable as the mule. But we 
 strike it with the bridle when we wish: and 
 thou hast angels: send them forth to guard 
 them, and when man inclines towards sin, to 
 take hold of his foot and not let him go 
 whither he would. 
 
 VIII. God saith to him: If I catch him by 
 the foot, he will say. Thou hast given me no 
 joy in the world. But I have left him to his 
 own will because I loved him. Wherefore I 
 sent forth my righteous angels to guard 
 him night and day. Sedrach saith :^ I know, 
 Lord, that of all thy creatures Thou chiefly 
 lovedst man, of the quadrupeds the sheep, of 
 woods the olive, of fruits the vine, of flying 
 things the bee, of rivers the Jordan, of cities 
 Jerusalem. And all these man also loves, my 
 
 ' Passage corrapt ; the above appears to be the best sense It 
 admits of as it stands. 
 ■■■ Cf. iv. Bsdras v. 23fE. 
 
 Lord. God saith to Sedrach: I will ask thee 
 one thing, Sedrach: if thou answerest me, 
 then I may fitly help thee, even though thou 
 hast tempted thy creator. Sedrach saith: 
 Speak.^ The Ijord God saith: Since I made 
 all things, how many men were born and 
 how many died, and how many are to die and 
 how many hairs have they? Tell me, Sed- 
 rach,* since the heaven was created and the 
 earth, how many trees grew in the world, 
 and how many fell, and how many are to fall, 
 and how many are to arise, and how many 
 leaves have they? Tell me, Sedrach, since I 
 made the sea, how many waves arose and how 
 many fell, and how many are to arise, and 
 how many winds blow along the margin of 
 the sea ? Tell me, Sedrach, from the creation 
 of the world of the aaons, when the air rained, 
 how many drops fell upon the world, and 
 how many are to fall? And Sedrach said: 
 Thou alone knowest all these things, Lord; 
 thou only understandest all these things: 
 only, I pray thee, deliver man from chastise- 
 ment, and I shall not be separated from our 
 race. 
 
 IX. And God said to his only begotten 
 Son: Go,'* take the soul of Sedrach my be- 
 loved, and place it in Paradise. The only 
 begotten Son saith to Sedrach: Give me the 
 trust which our Father deposited in the 
 womb of thy mother in the holy tabernacle of 
 thy body from a child. Sedrach saith: I will 
 not give thee my soul. God saith to him: 
 And wherefore was I sent to come hither, 
 and thou pleadest against me? For I was 
 commanded by my Father not to take thy 
 soul with violence; but if not, (then) give me 
 thy most greatly desired soul. 
 
 X. And Sedrach saith to God : And 
 whence dost Thou intend to take my soul, 
 and from which limb? And God saith to 
 him: Dost thou not know that it is placed in 
 the midst of thy lungs and thy heart and is 
 dispersed into all thy Hmbs? It is brought 
 up through the throat and gullet and the 
 mouth and at whatever hour it is predestined 
 to come forth, it is scattered, and brought to- 
 gether from the points of the nails and from 
 all the limbs, and there is a great necessity 
 that it should be separated from the body 
 and parted from the heart. When Sedrach 
 had heard all these things and had consid- 
 ered the memory of death he was greatly as- 
 tounded, and Sedrach said to God: Lord, 
 
 ' Cf. iv. Esdras iv. 4-11, v. 36. 
 * Cf . Esdras, p. 574. 
 
 ' Cf . Apoc. of Esdras, in Ante-Nicene Lib., vol. vili., p. 574, 
 and TestaTrwnt of Abraltam, Eec. A., Chaps, vii. and svl. " 
 
THE APOCALYPSE OF SEDEACH. 
 
 179 
 
 give me a little respite that I may weep, 
 for I have heard that tears are able to do 
 much and much remedy comes to the lowly 
 body of thy creature. 
 
 XI. And weeping and bewailing he began 
 to say: marvellous head of heavenly adorn- 
 ment: radiant as the sun which shines on 
 heaven and earth: thy hairs are known from 
 Teman, thine eyes from Bosor, thine ears 
 from thunder, thy tongue from a trumpet, 
 and thy brain is a small creation, thy head the 
 energy of the whole body: friendly and 
 most fair beloved by all, and now falling into 
 the earth it must become forgotten. hands, 
 mild, fair-fingered, worn with toil by which 
 the body is nourished: hands, deftest of all, 
 heaping up from all quarters ye made ready 
 houses. fingers adorned and decked with 
 gold and silver (rings): and great worlds are 
 led by the fingers: the three joints enfold the 
 palms, and heap up beautiful things: and 
 now ye must become aliens to the world. 
 feet, skilfully walking about, self-running, 
 most swift, unconquerable: knees, fitted 
 together, because without you the body does 
 not move: the feet run along with the sun 
 and the moon in the night and in the day, 
 heaping up all tilings, foods and drinks, and 
 nourisliing the body: feet, most swift and 
 fair runners, moving on the face of the earth, 
 getting ready the house with every good 
 thing: feet which bear up the whole body, 
 that run up to the temples, making repent- 
 ance and calling on the saints, and now ye are 
 to remain motionless. head and hands and 
 feet, until now I have kept you. soul, what 
 sent thee into the humble and wretched 
 body? and now being separated from it, thou 
 art going up where the Lord calleth thee, 
 and the wretched body goes away to judg- 
 ment. body well-adorned, hair clothed with 
 stars, head of heavenly adornment and dress: 
 
 face well-anointed, light-bringing eyes, 
 voice trumpet-like, tongue placable, chin 
 fairly adorned, hairs like the stars, head high 
 as heaven, body decked out, light-bringing 
 eyes that know all things — and now you shall 
 fall into the earth and under the earth your 
 beauty shall disappear. 
 
 XII. Christ saith to him: Stay, Sedrach; 
 how long dost thou weep and groan? Para- 
 dise is opened to thee, and, dying, thou 
 shalt live. Sedrach saith to him: Once more 
 
 1 wiU speak unto thee, Lord: How long 
 shall I live before I die? and do not disregard 
 my prayer. The Lord saith to him: Speak, 
 Sedrach. Sedrach saith: If a man shall 
 live eighty or ninety or an hundred years, and 
 
 live these years in sin, and again shall turn, 
 and the man live in repentance, in how many 
 days dost thou forgive him his sins? God 
 saith to him: If he shall live an hundred or 
 eighty years and shall turn and repent for 
 three years and do the fruit of righteousness, 
 and death shall overtake him, I will not re- 
 member all his sins. 
 
 XIII. Sedrach saith to him: The three 
 years are a long time, my Lord, lest death 
 overtake him and he fulfil not his repentance: 
 have mercy. Lord, on thine image and have 
 compassion, for the three years are many. 
 God saith to him: If a man live an hundred 
 years and remember his death and confess be- 
 fore men and I find him, after a time I will 
 forgive all his sins. Sedrach saith again: I 
 will again beseech thy compassion for thy 
 creature. The time is long lest death overtake 
 him and snatch him suddenly. The Saviour 
 saith to him: I will ask thee one word, Sed- 
 rach, my beloved, then thou shalt ask me in 
 turn: if the man shall repent for forty days I 
 will not remember all his sins which he did. 
 
 XIV. And Sedrach saith^ to the archangel 
 Michael: Hearken to me, powerful chief, 
 and help thou me and be my envoy that God 
 may have mercy on the world. And falling 
 on their faces, they besought the Lord and 
 said: Lord, teach us how and by what sort 
 of repentance and by what labour man shall 
 be saved. God saith: By repentances, by in- 
 tercessions, by liturgies, by tears in streams, 
 in hot groanings. Dost thou not know that 
 my prophet David was saved by tears, and 
 the rest were saved in one moment? Thou 
 knowest, Sedrach, that there are nations 
 which have not the law and which do the 
 works of the law: for if they are unbaptized 
 and my divine spirit come unto them and 
 they turn to my baptism, I also receive them 
 with my righteous ones into Abraham's 
 bosom. And there are some who have been 
 baptized with my baptism and who have 
 shared in my divine part and become repro- 
 bate in complete reprobation and will not re- 
 pent: and I sufller them with much compas- 
 sion and much pity and wealth^ in order that 
 they may repent, but they do the things 
 which my divinity hates, and did not hearken 
 to the wise man asking (them), saying, we by 
 no means justify a sinner. Dost thou not 
 most certainly know that it is written: And 
 those who repent never see chastisement? 
 And they did not hearken to the Apostles 
 or to my word in the Gospels, and they 
 
 ' Of. Test.. of Abraham, Reo. A. 
 * Bom. ii. 4. 
 
 \ xiv., xvilL 
 
180 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE OF SEDEACH. 
 
 grieve my angels, and verily they do not at- 
 tend to my messenger in the assemblies (for 
 conamunion) and in my services, and they do 
 not stand in my holy churches, but they 
 stand and do not fall down and worship in 
 fear and trembling, but boast things which 
 I do not accept, or my holy angels. 
 
 XV. Sedrach saith to God: Lord, Thou 
 alone art sinless and very compassionate, hav- 
 ing compassion and pity for sinners, but thy 
 divinity said: I am not come to call the right- 
 eous but sinners to repentance. And the 
 Lord said to Sedrach: Dost thou not know, 
 Sedrach, that the thitf was saved in one mo- 
 ment to repent? Dost thou not know that 
 my apostle and evangelist was saved in one 
 moment ? " Peccatores enim non salvantur," 
 for their hearts are like rotten stone: these 
 are they who walk ia impious ways and who 
 shall be destroyed with Antichrist. Sedrach 
 saith: my Lord, Thou also saidst: My di- 
 vine spirit entered into the nations which, 
 not having the law, do the things of the law. 
 So also the thief and the apostle and evan- 
 gelist and the rest of those who have already 
 got into thy Kingdom. my Lord; so like- 
 wise do Thou pardon those who have sianed 
 
 to the last: for life is very toilsome and there 
 is no time for repentance. 
 
 XVI. The Lord saith to Sedrach: I made 
 man in three stages: when he is young, I 
 overlooked his stumblings as he was young: 
 and again when he was a man I considered 
 his purpose: and again when he grows old, 
 I watch him till he repent. Sedrach saith: 
 
 Lord, Thou knowest and understandest all 
 these things: but have sympathy for sinners. 
 The Lord saith to him: Sedrach, my beloved, 
 
 1 promise to have sympathy and bring down 
 the forty days to twenty: and whosoever shall 
 remember thy name shall not see the place of 
 chastisement, but shall be with the just in a 
 place of refreshment and rest: and if anyone 
 shall record this wonderful word his sins 
 shall not be reckoned against him for ever 
 and ever.'^ And Sedrach saith: Lord, and 
 if anyone shall bring enlightenment to thy 
 servant, save him, Lord, from all evil. And 
 Sedrach, the servant of the Lord, saith: Now 
 take my soul, Lord. And God took him 
 and placed him in Paradise with all the 
 saints. To whom be the glory and the power 
 for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 ■ Cf. Esdras, p. 574. 
 
4Jir,<J^i:^-^ ^- C^'^f^ 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM, 
 
 THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA, 
 
 THE NARRATIVE OF ZOSIMUS. 
 
 TRANSLATED BY 
 
 W. A. CRAIGIE, M.A., B.A. (Oxon.) 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Greek text of both the recensions of this work is published for the first time in 
 "Texts and Studies/' Vol. II., No. 3 (Cambridge, 1892), by Montague Rhodes James, 
 M.A._ None of the manuscripts are older than the thirteenth century ; of the six which 
 contain the longer version the best is a Paris MS. written 1315, and the principal MS. of the 
 shorter recension (also in Paris) belongs to the fifteenth century. There are also versions in 
 Roumanian, Slavonic, Ethiopic, and Arabic. 
 
 The work itself has hitherto been little noticed, and it is doubtful how far it was well 
 known in ancient times. It is perhaps that cited as " Abraham " in early lists of Apocryphal 
 works, and some passages in early Christian writers may indicate their knowledge of such 
 a work. The evidence for this is given in full by the editor of the Greek text in his in- 
 troduction (pp. 7-39). The conclusions drawn by him from these notices, and from the 
 work itself, are "that it was written in the second century, that it embodies legends 
 earlier than that century, that it received its present form perhaps in the ninth or 
 tenth century." Certain features in it also "seem to point to Egypt as its birthplace," 
 such as the conception of Death in the longer recension, which has parallels in the Coptic 
 Apocryphal books, the weighing of souls, and the presence of recording angels at the judg- 
 ment scene. 
 
 Neither of the two versions can be supposed to be true copies of the original work. They 
 differ from each other not only in length, but in arrangement. The shorter recension may 
 preserve more of the original language, but it transposes certain sections, thereby confus- 
 ing the order of the narrative, and in this the Arabic version generally agrees with it. 
 The most essential discrepancy begins with Chap. X. of the longer recension, where 
 Abraham, after being taken up on the cloud, is first shown the iniquities that take place 
 on earth. The shorter text places this at the end of his journey, quite destroying the 
 original moral of the writer, who wishes to emphasize the mercy of God, and to show how 
 Abraham's righteous indignation is replaced by feelings of compassion for the sinner. The 
 vision of judgment is then altered in the shorter version, the doubtful soul being there con- 
 demned, instead of being saved by the intercession of Abraham. In this point the editor 
 thinks that the shorter recension may have been influenced by the Apocalypse of Paul, as 
 would also seem to be the case with Michael's reason for leaving Abraham in Chap. IV, 
 which is quite different from the pretext given in the longer text. It is also remarkable 
 that in the shorter form there is no word of Abraham's unwillingness to die, which is so 
 prominent a feature of the other, and is no doubt original, as the idea is not otherwise 
 unknown in Apocryphal literature. The conclusion of the shorter version is very much 
 curtailed, compared with the longer one. 
 
 On account of these many differences between the recensions of this remarkable work, it 
 has been judged best to give both of them entire, and so arranged that the reader can 
 readily discover in what respects the one differs from the other. 
 
 The tone of the work is perhaps rather Jewish than Christian, but as phrases and 
 conceptions of a New Testament character appear in it, especially in the judgment scene, 
 it is most probably to be assigned to a Jewish Christian, who for the substance of it drew 
 partly on older legends, and partly on his own imagination. Some of its features are 
 very striking, and a few of them do not seem to occur elsewhere in literature of this class ; 
 it is possible that some of these do not go further back than the medieval editors of the 
 
184 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 text. Among the most remarkable points may be noticed the age of Abraham, varionsly 
 given in different mss., his hospitality, and the sending of Michael to announce his 
 death (Chap. I.) : Michael's refusal to mount a horse (Chap. II.): the tree speaking with a 
 human voice (Chap. III.); the tears of Michael turning into precious stones (ibid.) ; and 
 the devouring spirit sent to consume the food for him (Chap. IV.). In Chap. VI. the 
 narrative of Genesis is recalled by Sarah's recognizing Michael as one of the three who 
 came to Abraham at the oak of Mamre, with the added circumstance of the calf rising up 
 whole after being eaten. The dream of Isaac in Chap. VII. is perhaps remotely suggested 
 by that of Joseph. The whole vision of judgment, with the presence of Adam and Abel, 
 is very noteworthy, as also the conception of Death, and the explanation of his various 
 forms. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 I. Abraham lived the measure of his life, 
 nine hundred and ninety- five years, and hav- 
 ing lived all the years of his life in quietness, 
 gentleness, and righteousness, the righteous 
 one was exceeding hospitable ; for, pitching 
 his tent in the cross- ways at the oak of Mamre, 
 he received every one, both rich and poor, 
 kings and rulers, the maimed and the help- 
 less, friends and strangers, neighbours and 
 travellers, all alike did the devout, all-holy, 
 righteous, and hospitable Abraham entertain. 
 Even upon him, however, there came the 
 common, inexorable, bitter lot of death, and 
 the uncertain end of life. Therefore the 
 Lord God, summoning his archangel Michael, 
 said to him : Go down, chief - captain ' 
 Michael, to Abraham and speak to him con- 
 cerning his death, that he may set his affairs 
 in order, for I have, blessed him as the stars 
 of heaven, and as the sand by the sea-shore, 
 and he is in abundance of long life and many 
 possessions, and is becoming exceeding rich. 
 Beyond all men, moreover, he is righteous 
 in every goodness, hospitable and loving to 
 the end of his life ; but do thou, archangel 
 Michael, go to Abraham, my beloved friend, 
 and announce to him his death and assure 
 him thus : Thou shalt at this time depart 
 from this vain world, and shalt quit the 
 body, and go to thine own Lord among the 
 good. 
 
 II. And the chief-captain departed from 
 before the face of God, and went down to 
 Abraham to the oak of Mamre, and found 
 the righteous Abraham in the field close by, 
 sitting beside yokes of oxen for ploughing, 
 together with the sons of Masek and other 
 servants, to the number of twelve. And be- 
 hold the chief-captain came to him, and 
 Abraham, seeing the chief-captain Michael 
 coming from afar, like to a very comely war- 
 rior, arose and met him as was his custom, 
 meeting and entertaining all strangers. And 
 the chief -captain saluted him and said: Hail, 
 most honoured father, righteous soul chosen 
 
 ' literally Commander-in-chief, or Chief-General. 
 
 I. It came to pass, when the days of the 
 death of Abraham drew near, that the Lord 
 
 said to Michael : Arise and go to Abraham, 
 my servant, and say to him. Thou shall de- 
 part from life, for lo ! the days of thy tem- 
 poral life are fulfilled : so that he may set 
 his house in order before he die. 
 
 II. And Michael went and came to Abra- 
 ham, and found him sitting before his oxen 
 for ploughing, and he was exceeding old in 
 appearance, and had his son in his arms. 
 Abraham, therefore, seeing the archangel 
 Michael, rose from the ground and saluted 
 him, not knowing who he was, and said to 
 him : The Lord preserve thee. May thy 
 journey be prosperous with thee. And 
 Michael answered him : Thou art kind, good 
 father. Abraham answered and said to him: 
 Come, draw near to me, brother, and sit 
 down a little while, that I may order a beast 
 to be brought that we may go to my house, 
 and thou mayest rest with me, for it is toward 
 evening, and in the morning arise and go 
 
186 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABEAHAM. 
 
 of God, trne son of the heavenly one. 
 Abraham said to the chief -captain: Hail, 
 most honoured warrior, bright as the sun 
 and most beautiful above all the sons of 
 men ; thou art welcome ; therefore I beseech 
 thy presence, tell me whence the youth of 
 thy age has come ; teach me, thy suppliant, 
 whence and from what army and from what 
 journey thy beauty has come hither. The 
 chief-captain said : I, righteous Abraham, 
 come from the great city. I have been sent 
 by the great king to take the place of a good 
 friend of his, for the king has summoned 
 him. And Abraham said. Come, my lord, 
 go with me as far as my field. The chief- 
 captain said : I come ; and going into the 
 field of the ploughing, they sat down beside 
 the company. And Abraham said to his ser- 
 vants, the sons of Masek : Go ye to the 
 herd of horses, and bring two horses, quiet, 
 and gentle and tame, so that I and this 
 stranger may sit thereon. But the chief- 
 captain said, Nay, my lord, Abraham, let 
 them not bring horses, for I abstain from 
 ever sitting upon any four-footed beast. Is 
 not my king rich in much merchandise, hav- 
 ing power both over men and all kinds of 
 cattle ? but I abstain from ever sitting upon 
 any four-footed beast. Let us go, then, 
 righteous soul, walking lightly until we reach 
 thy house. And Abraham said. Amen, be 
 it so. 
 
 III. And as they went on from the field 
 toward his house, beside that way there stood 
 a cypress tree, and by the command of the 
 Lord the tree cried out with a human voice, 
 saying. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God 
 that calls himself to those that love him ; 
 but Abraham hid the mystery, thinking that 
 the chief-captain had not heard the voice of 
 the tree. And coming nigh to the house 
 they sat down in the court, and Isaac seeing 
 the face of the angel said to Sarah his mother. 
 My lady mother, behold, the man sitting 
 with my father Abraham is not a son of the 
 race of those that dwell on the earth. And 
 Isaac ran, and saluted him, and fell at the 
 feet of the Incorporeal, and the Incorporeal 
 blessed him and said. The Lord God will 
 grant thee his promise that he made to thy 
 father Abraham and to his seed, and will 
 also grant thee the precious prayer of thy 
 father and thy mother. Abraham said to 
 Isaac his son. My son Isaac, draw water from 
 the well, and bring it me in the vessel, that 
 we may wash the feet of this stranger, for 
 he is tired, having come to us from ofE 
 a long journey. And Isaac ran to the well 
 and drew water in the vessel and brought 
 it to them, and Abraham went up and washed 
 
 whithersoever thou wilt, lest some evil beast 
 meet thee and do thee hurt. And Michael 
 enquired of Abraham, saying : Tell me thy 
 name, before I enter thy house, lest I be 
 burdensome to thee. Abraham answered and 
 said, My parents called me Abram, and the 
 Lord named me Abraham, saying : Arise and 
 depart from thy house, and from thy kin- 
 dred, and go into the land which I shall show 
 unto thee. And Tvhen I went away into the 
 land which the Lord showed me, he said to 
 me : Thy name shall no more be called 
 Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham. 
 Michael answered and said to him : Pardon 
 me, my father, experienced man of God, for 
 I am a stranger, and I have heard of thee 
 that thou didst go forty furlongs and didst 
 bring a goat and slay it, entertaining angels 
 in thy house, that they might rest there. 
 Thus speaking together, they arose and went 
 towards the house. And Abraham called one 
 of his servants, and said to him : Go, bring 
 me a beast that the stranger may sit upon it, 
 for he is wearied with his journey. And 
 Michael said : Trouble not the youth, but 
 let us go lightly until we reach the house, 
 for I love thy company. 
 
 III. And arising they went on, and as 
 they drew nigh to the city, about three fur- 
 longs from it, they found a great tree hav- 
 ing three hundred branches, like to a 
 tamarisk tree. And they heard a voice from 
 its branches singing, " Holy art thou, because 
 thou hast kept the purpose for which thou 
 wast sent." And Abraham heard the voice, 
 and hid the mystery in his heart, saying 
 within himself, What is the mystery that I 
 have heard ? As he came into the house, 
 Abraham said to his servants. Arise, go out 
 to the flocks, and bring three sheep, and slay 
 them quickly, and make them ready that we 
 may eat and drink, for this day is a feast for 
 us. And the servants brought the sheep, 
 and Abraham called his son Isaac, and said 
 to him. My son Isaac, arise and put water in 
 the vessel that we may wash the feet of this 
 stranger. And he brought it as he was com- 
 manded, and Abraham said, I perceive, and 
 so it shall be, that in this basin I shall never 
 again wash the feet of any man coming to us 
 as a guest. And Isaac hearing his father say 
 this wept, and said to him. My father what 
 is this that thou sayest. This is my last time 
 to wash the feet of a stranger ? And Abra- 
 ham seeing his son weeping, also wept ex- 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAPIAM. 
 
 187 
 
 the feet of the chief captain Michael, and 
 the heart of Abraham was moved, and he 
 wept over the stranger. And Isaac, seeing 
 his father weeping, wept also, and the chief 
 captain, seeing tliem Aveeping, also wept 
 with them, and the tears of the chief captain 
 fell npon the vessel into the water of the 
 basin and became precious stones. And 
 Abraham seeing the marvel, and being aston- 
 ished, took the stones secretly, and hid the 
 mystery, keeping it by himself in his heart. 
 
 IV. And Abraham said to Isaac his son : 
 Go, my beloved son, into the inner chamber 
 of the house and beautify it. Spread for us 
 there two couches, one for me and one for 
 this man that is guest with us this day. 
 Prepare for us there a seat and a candlestick 
 and a table with abundance of every good 
 thing. Beautify the chamber, my son, and 
 spread under us linen and purple and fine 
 linen. Burn there every precious and ex- 
 cellent incense, and bring sweet-smelling 
 plants from the garden and fill our house 
 with them. Kindle seven lamps full of oil, 
 so that we may rejoice, for this man that 
 is our guest this day is more glorious than 
 kings or rulers, and his appearance surpasses 
 all the sons of men. And Isaac prepared all 
 things well, and Abraham taking the arch- 
 angel Michael went into the chamber, and 
 they both sat down npon the couches, and 
 between them he placed a table with abun- 
 dance of every good thing. Then the chief 
 captain arose and went out, as if by con- 
 straint of his belly to make issue of water, 
 and ascended to heaven in the twinkling of 
 an eye, and stood before the Lord, and said 
 to him : Lord and Master, let thy power 
 know that I am unable to remind that right- 
 eous man of his death, for I have not seen 
 upon the earth a man like him, pitiful, 
 hospitable, righteous, truthful, devout, re- 
 fraining from every evil deed. And now 
 know. Lord, that I cannot remind him of his 
 death. And the Lord said : Go down, chief- 
 captain Michael, to my friend Abraham, and 
 whatever he say to thee, that do thou also, 
 and whatever he eat, eat thou also with him. 
 And I will send my holy spirit upon his son 
 Isaac, and will put the remembrance of his 
 death into the heart of Isaac, so that even he 
 in a dream may see the death of his father, 
 and Isaac will relate the dream, and thou 
 shalt interpret it, and he himself will know 
 his end. And the chief-captain said, Lord, 
 all the heavenly spirits are incorporeal, and 
 neither eat nor drink, and this man has set 
 before me a table with abundance of all good 
 things earthly and corruptible. Now, Lord, 
 what shall I do ? How shall I escape him. 
 
 ceedingly, and Michael seeing them weeping, 
 wept also, and the tears of Michael fell upon 
 the vessel and became a precious stone. 
 
 IV. When Sarah, being inside in her 
 house, heard their weeping, she came out 
 and said to Abraham, Lord, why is it that 
 ye thus weep ? Abraham answered, and said 
 to her. It is no evil. Go into thy house, and 
 do thy own work, lest we be troublesome to 
 the man. And Sarah went away, being 
 about to prepare the supper. And the sun 
 came near to setting, and Michael went out 
 of the house, and was taken up into the 
 heavens to worship before God, for at sun- 
 set all the angels worship God and Michael 
 himself is the first of the angels. And they 
 all worshipped him, and went each to his 
 own place, but Michael spoke before the 
 Lord and said. Lord, command me to be 
 questioned before thy holy glory ! And the 
 Lord said to Michael, Announce whatsoever 
 thou wilt ! And the Archangel answered 
 and said, Lord, thou didst send me to Abra- 
 ham to say to him. Depart from thy body, 
 and leave this world ; the Lord calls thee ; 
 and I dare not. Lord, reveal myself to him, 
 for he is thy friend, and a righteous man, 
 and one that receives strangers. But I be- 
 seech thee, Lord, command the remembrance 
 of the death of Abraham to enter into his 
 own heart, and bid not me tell it him, for it 
 is great abruptness to say. Leave the world, 
 and especially to leave one's own body, for 
 thou didst create him from the beginning to 
 have pity on the souls of all men. Then the 
 Lord said to Michael, Arise and go to Abra^ 
 ham, and lodge with him, and whatever 
 thou seest him eat, eat thou also, and where- 
 ever he shall sleep, sleep thou there also. 
 For I will cast the thought of the death of 
 Abraham into the heart of Isaac his son in a 
 dream. 
 
188 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 sitting at one table with him ? The Lord 
 said : Go down to him, and take no tliought 
 for this, for when thou sittest down with 
 him, I will send upon thee a devouring 
 spirit, and it will consume out of thy hands 
 and through thy mouth all that is on the 
 table. Rejoice together with him in every- 
 thing, only thou shalt interpret well the 
 things of the vision, that Abraham may know 
 the sickle of death and the uncertain end of 
 life, and may make disposal of all his posses- 
 sions, for I have blessed him above the sand 
 of the sea and as the stars of heaven. 
 
 V. Then the chief captain went down to 
 the house of Abraham, and sat down with 
 him at the table, and Isaac served them. 
 And when the supper was ended, Abraham 
 prayed after his custom, and the chief-cap- 
 tain prayed together with him, and each lay 
 down to sleep upon his couch. And Isaac 
 said to his father. Father, I too woiild fain 
 sleep with you in this chamber, that I also 
 may hear your discourse, for I love to hear 
 the excellence of the conversation of this 
 virtuous man. Abraham said, Nay, my son, 
 but go to thy own chamber and sleep on thy 
 own couch, lest we be troublesome to this 
 man. Then Isaac, having received the 
 prayer from them, and having blessed them, 
 went to his own chamber and lay down upon 
 liis couch. But the Lord cast the thought 
 of death into the heart of Isaac as in a dream, 
 and about the third hour of the night Isaac 
 awoke and rose up from his couch, and came 
 running to the chamber where his father was 
 sleeping together with the archangel. Isaac, 
 therefore, on reaching the door cried out, say- 
 ing. My father Abraham, arise and open to 
 me quickly, that I may enter and hang upon 
 thy neck, and embrace thee before they take 
 thee away from me. Abraham therefore arose 
 and opened to him, and Isaac entered and 
 hung upon his neck, and began to weep with 
 a loud voice. Abraham therefore being 
 moved at heart, also wept with a loud voice, 
 and the chief-captain, seeing them weeping, 
 wept also. Sarah being in her room, heard 
 their weeping, and came running to them, 
 and found them embracing and weeping. 
 And Sarah said with weeping, My lord 
 Abraham, what is this that ye weep? Tell 
 me, my lord, has this brother that has been 
 entertained by us this day brought thee 
 tidings of Lot, thy brother's son, that he is 
 dead? is it for this that ye grieve thus? The 
 chief-captain answered and said to her. Nay, 
 my sister Sarah, it is not as thou sayest, but 
 thy son Isaac, methinks, beheld a dream, and 
 came to us weeping, and we seeing him were 
 moved in our hearts and wept. 
 
 V. Then Michael went into the house of 
 Abraham on that evening, and found them 
 preparing the supper, and they ate and drank 
 and were merry. And Abraham said to his 
 son Isaac, Arise, my son, and spread the 
 man's couch that he may sleep, and set the 
 lamp upon the stand. And Isaac did as his 
 father commanded him, and Isaac said to his 
 father, I too am coming to sleep beside you. 
 Abraham answered him. Nay, my son, lest 
 we be troublesome to this man, but go to 
 thy own chamber and sleep. And Isaac not 
 wishing to disobey his father's command, 
 went away and slept in his own chamber. 
 
 VI. And it happened about the seventh 
 hour of the night Isaac awoke, and came to 
 the door of his father's chamber, crying ont 
 and saying. Open, father, that I may touch 
 thee before they take thee away from me. 
 Abraham arose and opened to him, and Isaac 
 entered and hung upon his father's neck 
 weeping, and kissed him with lamentations. 
 And Abraham wept together with his son, 
 and Michael saw them weeping and wept 
 likewise. And Sarah hearing them weeping 
 called from her bed-chamber, saying. My 
 lord Abraham, why is this weeping? Has 
 the stranger told thee of thy brother's son 
 Lot that he is dead? or has aught else be- 
 fallen us? Michael answered and said to 
 Sarah, Nay, Sarah, I have brought no tidings 
 of Lot, but I knew of all your kindness of 
 heart, that therein ye excel all men upon 
 earth, and the Lord has remembered yon. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABEAHAM. 
 
 isa 
 
 VI. Then Sarah, hearing the excellence 
 of the conversation of the chief-captain, 
 straightway knew that it was an angel of the 
 Lord that spoke. Sarah therefore signified 
 to Abraham to come out towards the door, 
 and said to him. My lord Abraham, knowest 
 thou who this man is? Abraham said, I 
 know not. Sarah said. Thou knowest, my 
 lord, the three men from heaven that were 
 entertained by us in our tent beside the oak 
 of Mamre, when thou didst kill the kid with- 
 out blemish, and set a table before them. 
 After the flesh had been eaten, the kid rose 
 again, and sucked its mother with great Joy. 
 Knowest thou not, my lord Abraham, that 
 by promise they gave to us Isaac as the fruit 
 of the womb? Of these three holy men this 
 is one. Abraham said, Sarah, in this thou 
 speakest the truth. Glory and praise from 
 our God and the Father. For late in the 
 evening when I washed his feet in the basin 
 I said in my heart, These are the feet of one 
 of the three men that I washed then; and his 
 tears that fell into the basin then became pre- 
 cious stones. And shaking them out from his 
 lap he gave them to Sarah, saying, If thou be- 
 lievest me not, look now at these. And Sarah 
 receiving them bowed down and saluted and 
 said. Glory be to God that showeth us won- 
 derful things. And now know, my lord Abra- 
 ham, that there is among us the revelation 
 of some thing, whether it be evil or good ! 
 
 VII. And Abraham left Sarah, and went 
 into the chamber, and said to Isaac, Come 
 hither, my beloved son, tell me the truth, 
 what it was thou sawest and what befell thee 
 that thou camest so hastily to us. And 
 Isaac answering began to say, I saw, my 
 lord, in this night the sun and the moon 
 above my head, surrounding me with its rays 
 and giving me light. As I gazed at this 
 and rejoiced, I saw the heaven opened, and 
 a man bearing light descend from it, shin- 
 ing more than seven suns. And this man 
 like the sun came and took away the sun from 
 my head, and went up into the heavens from 
 whence he came, but I was greatly grieved 
 that he took away the sun from me. After 
 a little, as I was still sorrowing and sore 
 troubled, I saw this man come forth from 
 heaven a second time, and he took away from 
 me the moon also from off my head, and I 
 wept greatly and called upon that man of 
 light, and said. Do not, my lord, take away 
 my glory from me ; pity me and hear me, 
 and if thou takest away the sun from me, 
 then leave the moon to me. He said, 
 Suffer them to be taken up to the king 
 above, for he wishes them there. And he 
 took them away from me, but he left the 
 
 Then Sarah said to Abraham, How durst thou 
 weep when the man of God has come in to 
 thee, and why have thy eyes * shed tears for 
 to-day there is great rejoicing ? Abraham 
 said to her. How knowest thou that this is 
 a man of God ? Sarah answered and said. 
 Because I say and declare that this is one of 
 the three men who were entertained by us at 
 the oak of Mamre, when one of the servants 
 went and brought a kid and thou didst kill 
 it, and didst say to me, Arise, make ready 
 that we may eat with these men in our house. 
 Abraham answered and said, Thou has per- 
 ceived well, woman, for I too, when I 
 washed his feet knew in my heart that these 
 were the feet which I had washed at the oak 
 of Mamre, and when I began to enquire con- 
 cerning his Journey, he said to me, I go to 
 preserve Lot thy brother from the men of 
 Sodom, and then I knew the mystery. 
 
 VII. And Abraham said to Michael, 
 Tell me, man of God, and show to me why 
 thou hast come hither. And Michael said. 
 Thy son Isaac will show thee. And Abraham 
 said to his son. My beloved son, tell me 
 what thou hast seen in thy dream to-day, and 
 wast frightened. Relate it to me. Isaac 
 answered his father, I saw in my dream the 
 sun and the moon, and there was a crown 
 upon my head, and there came from heaven 
 a man of great size, and shining as the light 
 that is called the father of light. He took 
 the sun from my head, and yet left the rays 
 behind with me. And I wept and said, I be- 
 seech thee, my lord, take not away the glory 
 of my head, and the light of my house, and 
 all my glory. And the sun and the moon 
 and the stars lamented, saying. Take not 
 away the glory of our power. And that 
 shining man answered and said to me. Weep 
 not that I take the light of thy house, for it 
 is taken up from troubles into rest, from a 
 low estate to a high one ; they lift him up 
 from a narrow to a wide place ; they raise 
 him from darkness to light. ' And I said to 
 him, I beseech thee. Lord, take also the 
 
 1 ■■ Eyes of the fountain of light " is apparently what the text 
 has. 
 
190 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OE ABEAHAM. 
 
 rays xipon me. The chief-captain said, 
 Hear, righteons Abraham ; the sun which 
 thy son saw is thou his father, and the moon 
 likewise is Sarah his mother. The man bear- 
 ing light who descended from heaven, this 
 is the one sent from God who is to take thy 
 righteons soul from thee. And now know, 
 most honored Abraham, that at this time 
 thou shalt leave this worldly life, and remove 
 to Grod. Abraham said to the chief captain, 
 strangest of marvels! and now art thou 
 he that shall take my soul from me? The 
 chief-captain said to him, I am the chief- 
 captain Michael, that stands before the lord, 
 and I was sent to thee to remind thee of thy 
 death, and then I shall depart to him as I was 
 commanded. Abraham said. Now I know that 
 thou art an angel of the Lord, and wast sent 
 to take my soul, but I will not go with thee ; 
 but do thou whatever thou art commanded. 
 
 VIII. The chief-captain hearing these 
 words immediately vanished, and ascending 
 into heaven stood before God, and told all 
 that he had seen in the house of Abraham ; 
 and the chief-captain said this also to his 
 Lord, Thus says thy friend Abraham, I will 
 not go with thee, but do thou whatever thou 
 art commanded ; and now, Lord Almighty, 
 doth thy glory and immortal kingdom order 
 aught? God said to the chief -cap tain 
 Michael, Go to my friend Abraham yet once 
 again, and speak to him thus. Thus saith 
 the Lord thy God, he that brought thee into 
 the land of promise, that blessed thee above 
 the sand of the sea and above the stars of 
 heaven, that opened the womb of barrenness 
 of Sarah, and granted thee Isaac as the fruit 
 of the womb in old age. Verily I say unto 
 thee that blessing I will bless thee, and 
 multiplying I will multiply thy seed, and I 
 will give thee all that thou shalt ask from 
 me, for I am the Lord thy God, and besides 
 me there is no other. Tell me why thou hast 
 rebelled against me, and why there is grief 
 in thee, and why thou rebelled against my 
 archangel Michael ? Knowest thou not that 
 all who have come from Adam and Eve have 
 died, and that none of the prophets has es- 
 caped death? None of those that rule as 
 kings is immortal ; none of thy forefathers 
 has escaped the mystery of death. They 
 have all died, they have all departed into 
 Hades, they are all gathered by the sickle of 
 death. But upon thee I have not sent 
 death, I have not suffered any deadly disease 
 to come upon thee, I have not permitted the 
 sickle of death to meet thee, I have not al- 
 lowed the nets of Hades to enfold thee, I 
 have never wished thee to meet with any 
 evil. But for good comfort I have sent my 
 
 rays with it. He said to me. There are 
 twelve hours of the day, and then I shall 
 take all the rays. As the shining man said 
 this, I saw the sun of my house ascending 
 into heaven, but that crown I saw no more, 
 and that sun was like thee my father. And 
 Michael said to Abraham, Thy son Isaac 
 has spoken truth, for thou shalt go, and be 
 taken up into the heavens, but thy body 
 shall remain on earth, until seven thousand 
 ages are fulfilled, for then all flesh shall 
 arise. Now therefore, Abraham, set thy 
 house in order, and thy children, for thou 
 hast heard fully what is decreed concern- 
 ing thee. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 191 
 
 chief-captain Michael to thee, that thou 
 mayst know thy departure from the world, 
 and set thy house in order, and all that be- 
 longs to thee, and bless Isaac thy beloved 
 son. And now know that I have done this 
 not wishing to grieve thee. Wherefore then 
 hast thou said to my chief -cap tain, I will not 
 go with thee? Wherefore hast thou spoken 
 thus? Knowest thou not that if I give leave 
 to death and he comes upon thee, then I 
 should see whether thou wouldst come or not? 
 
 IX. And the chief-captain receiving the 
 exhortations of the Lord went down to Abra- 
 ham, and seeing him the righteous one fell 
 upon his face to the ground as one dead, and 
 the chief-captain told him all that he had 
 heard from the Most High. Then the holy 
 and just Abraham rising with many tears fell 
 at the feet of the Incorporeal, and besought 
 him, saying, I beseech thee, chief-captain of 
 the hosts above, since thou hast wholly 
 deigned to come thyself to me a sinner and in 
 all things thy unworthy servant, I beseech 
 thee even now, chief-captain, to carry my 
 word yet again to the Most High, and thou 
 shalt say to him. Thus saith Abraham thy 
 servant. Lord, Lord, in every work and word 
 which I have asked of thee thou hast heard 
 me, and hast fulfilled all my counsel. Now, 
 Lord, I resist not thy power, for I too know 
 that I am not immortal but mortal. Since 
 therefore to thy command all things yield, 
 and fear and tremble at the face of thy 
 power, I also fear, but I ask one request of 
 thee, and now. Lord and Master, hear my 
 prayer, for while still in this body I desire to 
 see all the inhabited earth, and all the crea- 
 tions which thou didst establish by one word, 
 and when I see these, then if I shall depart 
 from life I shall be without sorrow. So the 
 chief-captain went back again, and stood 
 before God, and told him all, saying. Thus 
 saith thy friend Abraham, I desired to behold 
 all the earth in my lifetime before I died. 
 And the Most High hearing this, again com- 
 manded the chief -captain Michael, and said to 
 him, Take a cloud of light, and the angels that 
 have power over the chariots, and go down, 
 take the righteous Abraham upon a chariot 
 of the cherubim, and exalt him into the air 
 of heaven that he may behold all the earth. 
 
 X. And the archangel Michael went down 
 and took Abraham upon a chariot of the 
 cherubim, and exalted him into the air of 
 heaven, and led him npon the cloud together 
 with sixty angels, and Abraham ascended 
 upon the chariot over all the earth. And 
 Abraham saw the world as it was in that day, 
 some ploughing, others driving wains, in one 
 place men herding flocks, and in another 
 
 Abraham answered and said to Michael, 
 I beseech thee, lord, if I shall depart from 
 my body, I have desired to be taken up in 
 my body that I may see the creatures that the 
 Lord my God has created in heaven and on 
 earth. Michael answered and said. This is 
 not for me to do, but I shall go and tell the 
 Lord of this, and if I am commanded I shall 
 show thee all these things. 
 
 VIII. And Michael went up into heaven, 
 and spoke before the Lord concerning Abra- 
 ham, and the Lord answered Michael, Go and 
 take up Abraham in the body, and show him 
 all things, and whatsoever he shall say to thee 
 do to him as to my friend. So Michael went 
 forth and took up Abraham in the body on a 
 cloud, and brought him to the river of 
 Ocean. 
 
192 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABEAHAM. 
 
 watching them by night, and dancing and 
 playing and harping, in another place men 
 striving and contending at law, elsewhere men 
 weeping and having the dead in remem- 
 brance. He saw also the newly-wedded re- 
 ceived with honour, and in a word he saw all 
 things that are done in the world, both good 
 and bad. Abraham therefore passing over 
 them saw men bearing swords, wielding in 
 their hands sharpened swords, and Abraham 
 asked the chief-captain. Who are these ? The 
 chief-captain said. These are thieves, who 
 intend to commit murder, and to steal and 
 burn and destroy. Abraham said. Lord, Lord, 
 hear my voice, and command that wild beasts 
 may come out of the wood and devour them. 
 And even as he spoke there came wild beasts 
 out of the wood and devoured them. And 
 he saw in another place a man with a woman 
 committing fornication with each other, and 
 said. Lord, Lord, command that the earth 
 may open and swallow them, and straightway 
 the earth was cleft and swallowed them. And 
 he saw in another place men digging through 
 a house, and carrying away other men's 
 possessions, and he said. Lord, Lord, com- 
 mand that fire may come down from heaven 
 and consume them. And even as he spoke, 
 fire came down from heaven and consumed 
 them. And straightway there came a voice 
 from heaven to the chief -captain, saying thus, 
 chief-captain Michael, command the chariot 
 to stop, and turn Abraham away that he may 
 not see all the earth, for if he behold all that 
 live in wickedness, he will destroy all creation. 
 For behold, Abraham has not sinned, and has 
 no pity on sinners, but I have made the 
 world, and desire not to destroy any one of 
 them, but wait for the death of the sinner, 
 till he be converted and live. But take 
 Abraham up to the first gate of heaven, that 
 he may see there the judgments and recom- 
 penses, and repent of the souls of the sinners 
 that he has destroyed. 
 
 XI. So Michael turned the chariot and 
 brought Abraham to the east, to the first gate 
 of heaven ; and Abraham saw two ways, the 
 one narrow and contracted, the other broad 
 and spacious, and there he saw two gates, the 
 one broad on the broad way, and the other 
 narrow on the narrow way. And outside the 
 two gates there he saw a man sitting upon a 
 gilded throne, and the appearance of that 
 man was terrible, as of the Lord.* And they 
 saw many souls driven by angels and led in 
 through the broad gate, and other souls, few 
 in number, that were taken by the angels 
 through the narrow gate. And when the 
 
 1 Two MBS. read, " Of onr Lord Jeans Christ." 
 
 XII. And after Abraham had seen the 
 place of Judgment, the cloud took him down 
 upon the firmament below, and Abraham, 
 looking down upon the earth, saw a man com- 
 mitting adultery with a wedded woman. And 
 Abraham turning said to Michael, Seest thou 
 this wickedness ? but. Lord, send fire from 
 heaven to consume them. And straightway 
 there came down fire and consumed them, for 
 the Lord had said to Michael, Whatsoever 
 Abraham shall ask thee to do for him, do 
 thou. Abraham looked again, and saw other 
 men railing at their companions, and said. 
 Let the earth open and swallow them, and as 
 he spoke the earth swallowed them alive. 
 Again the cloud led him to another place, 
 and Abraham saw some going into a desert 
 place to commit murder, and he said to 
 Michael, Seest thou this wickedness ? but 
 let wild beasts come out of the desert, and 
 tear them in pieces, and that same hour wild 
 beasts came out of the desert, and devoured 
 them. Then the Lord God spoke to Michael 
 saying. Turn away Abraham to his own 
 house, and let him not go round all the crea- 
 tion that I have made, because he has no 
 compassion on sinners, but I have compassion 
 on sinners that they may turn and live, and 
 repent of their sins and be saved. 
 
 (VIII.) And Abraham looked and saw two 
 gates, the one small and the other large, and 
 between the two gates sat a man upon a 
 throne of great glory, and a multitude of 
 angels round about him, and he was weep- 
 ing, and again laughing, but his weeping 
 exceeded his laughter seven -fold. And 
 Abraham said to Michael, Who is this that 
 sits between the two gates in great glory ; 
 sometimes he laughs, and sometimes he 
 weeps, and his weeping exceeds his laughter 
 seven-fold ? And Michael said to Abraham, 
 Knowest thou not who it is ? And he said, 
 No, lord. And Michael said to Abraham, 
 Seest thou these two gates, the small 
 and the great ? These are they which 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 193 
 
 wonderful one who sat upon the golden throne 
 saw few entering through the narrow gate, 
 and many entering through the broad one, 
 straightway that wonderful one tore the hairs 
 of his head and the sides of his beard, and 
 threw himself on the ground from his throne, 
 weeping and lamenting. But when he saw 
 many souls entering through the narrow 
 gate, then he arose from the ground and sat 
 upon his throne in great Joy, rejoicing and 
 exulting. And Abraham asked the chief- 
 captain. My lord chief-captain, who is this 
 most marvelous man, adorned with such 
 glory, and sometimes he weeps and laments, 
 and sometimes he rejoices and exults ? 
 The incorporeal one said : This is the first- 
 created Adam who is in such glory, and he 
 looks upon the world because all are born 
 from him, and when he sees many souls go- 
 ing through the narrow gate, then he arises 
 and sits upon his throne rejoicing and exult- 
 ing in joy, because this narrow gate is that 
 of the just, that leads to life, and they that 
 enter through it go into Paradise. For this, 
 then, the first-created Adam rejoices, because 
 he sees the souls being saved. But when he 
 sees many souls entering through the broad 
 gate, then he pulls out the hairs of his head, 
 and casts himself on the ground weeping and 
 lamenting bitterly, for the broad gate is that 
 of sinners, which leads to destruction and 
 eternal punishment. And for this the first- 
 formed Adam falls from his throne weeping 
 and lamenting for the destruction of sinners, 
 for they are many that are lost, and they are 
 few that are saved, for in seven thousand 
 there is scarcely found one soul saved, being 
 righteous and undefiled. 
 
 XII. While he was yet saying these things 
 to me, behold two angels, fiery in aspect, and 
 pitiless in mind, and severe in look, and they 
 drove on thousands of souls, pitilessly lashing 
 them with fiery thongs. The angel laid hold 
 of one soul, and they drove all the souls in at 
 the broad gate to destruction. So we also 
 went along with the angels, and came within 
 that broad gate, and between the two gates 
 stood a throne terrible of aspect, of terrible 
 crystal, gleaming as fire, and upon it sat a 
 wondrous man bright as the sun, like to the 
 Son of God. Before him stood a table like 
 crystal, all of gold and fine linen, and upon 
 the table there was lying a book, the thick- 
 ness of it six cubits, and the breadth of it ten 
 cubits, and on the right and left of it stood 
 two angels holding paper and ink and pen. 
 Before the table sat an angel of light, hold- 
 ing in his hand a balance, and on his left sat 
 an angel all fiery, pitiless, and severe, hold- 
 ing in his hand a trumpet, having within it 
 
 lead to life and to destruction. This 
 man that sits between them is Adam, the 
 first man whom the Lord created, and set 
 him in this place to see every soul that de- 
 parts from the body, seeing that all are from 
 him. When, therefore, thou seest him weep- 
 ing, know that he has seen many souls being 
 led to destruction, but when thou seest him 
 laughing, he has seen many souls being led 
 into life. Seest thou how his weeping ex- 
 ceeds his laughter ? Since he sees the great- 
 er part of the world being led away through 
 the broad gate to destruction, therefore his 
 weeping exceeds his laughter seven-fold. 
 
 IX. And Abraham said. And he that can- 
 not enter through the narrow gate, can he 
 not enter into life ? Then Abraham wept, 
 saying, Woe is me, what shall I do ? for I am 
 a man broad of body, and how shall I be able 
 to enter by the narrow gate, by which a boy 
 of fifteen years cannot enter ? Michael an- 
 swered and said to Abraham, Fear not, fath- 
 er, nor grieve, for thou shalt enter by it un- 
 hindered, and all those who are like thee. 
 
 And as Abraham stood and marveled, 
 behold an angel of the Lord driving sixty 
 thousand souls of sinners to destruction. 
 And Abraham said to Michael, Do all 
 these go into destruction ? And Michael 
 said to him. Yea, but let us go and search 
 among these souls, if there is among them 
 even one righteous. And when they went, 
 they found an angel holding in his hand 
 one soul of a woman from among these 
 sixty thousand, because he had found her 
 sins weighing equally with all her works, 
 and they were neither in motion nor at rest, 
 but in a state between ; but the other souls 
 he led away to destruction. Abraham said 
 to Michael, Lord, is this the angel that re- 
 moves the souls from the body or not ? 
 Michael answered and said. This is death, 
 and he leads them into the place of judg- 
 ment, that the judge may try them. 
 
 X. And Abraham said. My lord, I beseech 
 thee to lead me to the place of judgment so 
 
]04- 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 all-consnming fire with which to try the sin- 
 ners. The wondrouiB man who sat upon the 
 throne himself Judged and sentenced the 
 souls, and the two angels on the right and 
 on the left wrote down, the one on the right 
 the righteousness and the one on the left the 
 wickedness. The one before the table, who 
 held the balance, weighed the souls, and the 
 fiery angel, who held the fire, tried the souls. 
 And Abraham asked the chief-captain 
 Michael, What is this that we behold ? 
 And the chief-captain said. These things 
 that thou seest, holy Abraham, are the judg- 
 ment and recompense. And behold the 
 angel holding the soul in his hand, and he 
 brought it before the judge, and the judge 
 said to one of the angels that served him, 
 Open me this book, and find me the sins of 
 this soul. And opening the book he found 
 its sins and its righteousness equally bal- 
 anced, and he neither gave it to the torment- 
 ors, nor to those that were saved, but set 
 it in the midst. 
 
 XIII. And Abraham said. My lord chief- 
 captain, who is this most wondrous judge ? 
 and who are the angels that write down ? 
 and who is the angel like the sun, holding 
 the balance ? and who is the fiery angel 
 holding the fire ? The chief-captain said, 
 " Seest thou, most holy Abraham, the ter- 
 rible man sitting upon the throne ? This is 
 the son of the first created Adam, who is 
 called Abel, whom the wicked Cain killed, 
 and he sits thus to judge all creation, and 
 examines righteous men and sinners. For 
 God has said, I shall not judge you, but 
 every man born of man shall be judged. 
 Therefore he has given to him judgment, to 
 judge the world until his great and glorious 
 coming, and then, righteous Abraham, is 
 the perfect judgment and recompense, eternal 
 and unchangeable, which no one can alter. 
 For every man has come from the first- 
 created, and therefore they are first judged 
 here by his son, and at the second coming they 
 shall be judged by the twelve tribes of Israel, 
 
 that I too may see how they are judged. 
 Then Michael took Abraham upon a cloud, 
 and led him into Paradise, and when he 
 came to the place where the judge was, the 
 angel came and gave that soul to the judge. 
 And the soul said. Lord have mercy on me. 
 And the judge said. How shall I have mercy 
 upon thee, when thou hadst no mercy upon 
 thy daughter which thou hadst, the fruit of 
 thy womb ? Wherefore didst thou slay her ? 
 It answered. Nay, Lord, slaughter has not 
 been done by me, but my daughter has lied 
 upon me. But the judge commanded him 
 to come that wrote down the records, and 
 behold cherubim carrying two books. And 
 there was with them a man of exceeding 
 great stature, having on his head three 
 crowns, and the one crown was higher than 
 the other two. These are called the crowns 
 of witness. And the man had in his hand a 
 golden pen, and the judge said to him. Ex- 
 hibit the sin of this soul. And that man,, 
 opening one of the books of the cherubim, 
 sought out the sin of the woman's soul and 
 found it. And the judge said, wretched 
 soul, why sayest thou that thou hast not 
 done murder? Didst thou not, after the 
 death of thy husband, go and commit adul- 
 tery with thy daughter's husband, and kill 
 her ? And he convicted her also of her other 
 sins, whatsoever she had done from her 
 youth. Hearing these things the woman 
 cried out, saying. Woe is me, all the sins 
 that I did in the world I forgot, but hei-e 
 they were not forgotten. Then they took 
 her away also and gave her over to the tor- 
 mentors. 
 
 XL And Abraham said to Michael, Lord, 
 who is this judge, and who is the other, who 
 convicts the sins ? And Michael said to 
 Abraham, Seest thou the judge ? This is 
 Abel, who first testified, and God brought 
 him hither to judge, and he that bears wit- 
 ness here is the teacher of heaven and earth, 
 and the scribe of righteousness, Enoch, for 
 the Lord sent them hither to write down the 
 sins and righteousnesses of each one. Abra- 
 ham said. And how can Enoch bear the 
 weight of the souls, not having seen death ? 
 or how can he give sentence to all the souls ? 
 Michael said. If he gives sentence concern- 
 ing the souls, it is not permitted ; but Enoch 
 himself does not give sentence, but it is the 
 Lord who does so, and he has no more to do 
 than only to write. For Enoch prayed to 
 the Lord saying, I desire not. Lord, to give 
 sentence on the souls, lest I be grievous to 
 anyone ; and the Lord said to Enoch, I shall 
 command thee to write dovni the sins of the 
 soul that makes atonement and it shall enter 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 195 
 
 every breath and every creature. But the 
 third time they shall be judged by the Lord 
 God of all, and then, indeed, the end of that 
 judgment is near, and tlie sentence terrible, 
 and there is none to deliver. And now by 
 three tribunals the judgment of the world 
 and the recompense is made, and for this 
 reason a matter is not finally confirmed by 
 one or two witnesses, but by three witnesses 
 shall everything be established. The two 
 angels on the right hand and on the left, 
 these are they that write down the sins and 
 the righteousness, the one on the right hand 
 writes down the righteousness, and the one 
 on the left the sins. The angel like the sun, 
 holding the balance in his hand, is the arch- 
 angel, Dokiel the just weigher, and he weighs 
 the righteousnesses and sins with the right- 
 eousness of God. The fiery and pitiless angel, 
 holding the fire in his hand, is the archangel 
 Puruel, who has power over fire, and tries 
 the works of men through fire, and if the 
 fire consume the work of any man, the angel of 
 judgment immediately seizes him, and carries 
 him away to the place of sinners, a most 
 bitter place of punishment. But if the fire 
 approves the work of anyone, and does not 
 seize upon it, that man is justified, and the 
 angel of righteousness takes him and carries 
 him up to be saved in the lot of the just. 
 And thus, most righteous Abraham, all things 
 in all men are tried by fire and the balance." 
 XIV. And Abraham said to the chief- 
 captain. My lord the chief-captain, the soul 
 which the angel held in his hand, why was it 
 adjudged to be set in the midst ? The chief- 
 captain said. Listen, righteous Abraham. 
 Because the judge found its sins and its 
 righteousnesses equal, he neither committed 
 it to judgment nor to be saved, until the judge 
 of all shall come. Abraham said to the chief- 
 captain. And what yet is wanting for the 
 soul to be saved ? The chief-captain said. 
 If it obtains one righteousness above its sins, 
 it enters into salvation. Abraham said to 
 the chief-captain. Come hither, chief-captain 
 Michael, let us make prayer for this soul, 
 and see whether God will hear us. The 
 chief-captain said. Amen, be it so ; and they 
 made prayer and entreaty for the soul, and 
 God heard them, and when they rose up 
 from their prayer they did not see the soul 
 standing there. And Abraham said to the 
 angel, "Where is the soul that thou didst hold 
 in the midst ? And the angel answered. It has 
 been saved by thy righteous prayer, and be- 
 hold an angel of light has taken it and 
 carried it up into Paradise. Abraham said, 
 I glorify the name of God, the Most High, 
 and his immeasurable mercy. And Abra- 
 
 into life, and if the sonl make not atonement 
 and repent, thou shalt find its sins written 
 down and it shall be cast into punishment. 
 
196 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 ham said to the chief-captain, I beseech thee, 
 archangel, hearken to my prayer, and let us 
 yet call upon the Lord, and supplicate his 
 compassion, and entreat his mercy for the 
 souls of the sinners whom I formerly, in my 
 anger, cursed and destroyed, whom the earth 
 devoured, and the wild beasts tore in pieces, 
 and the fire consumed through my words. 
 Now I know that I have sinned before the 
 Lord our God. Come then, Michael, 
 chief-captain of the hosts above, come, let 
 us call upon God with tears that he may for- 
 give me my sin, and grant them to me. 
 And the chief-captain heard him, and they 
 made entreaty before the Lord, and when 
 they had called upon him for a long space, 
 there came a voice from heaven saying, 
 Abraham, Abraham, I have hearkened to 
 thy voice and thy prayer, and forgive thee 
 thy sin, and those whom thou thinkest that 
 I destroyed I have called up and brought 
 them into life by my exceeding kindness, be- 
 cause for a season I have requited them in 
 judgment, and those whom I destroy living 
 upon earth, I will not requite in death. 
 
 XV. And the voice of the Lord said also to 
 the chief-captain Michael, Michael, my ser- 
 vant, turn back Abraham to his house, for 
 behold his end has come nigh, and the meas- 
 ure of his life is fulfilled, that he may set all 
 things in order, and then take him and bring 
 him to me. So the chief-captain, turning 
 the chariot and the cloud, brought Abraham 
 to his house, and going into his chamber he 
 sat upon his couch. And Sarah his wife 
 came and embraced the feet of the Incor- 
 poreal, and spoke humbly, saying, I give 
 thee thanks, my lord, that thou hast brought 
 my lord Abraham, for behold we thought 
 he had been taken up from us. And his 
 son Isaac also came and fell upon his neck, 
 and in the same way all his men-slaves and 
 women-slaves surrounded Abraham and em- 
 braced him, glorifying God. And the Incor- 
 poreal one said to them. Hearken, right- 
 eous Abraham. Behold thy wife Sarah, 
 behold also thy beloved son Isaac, behold also 
 all thy men-servants and maid-servants round 
 about thee. Make disposition of all that 
 thou hast, for the day has come nigh in 
 which thou shalt depart from the body and 
 go to the Lord once for all. Abraham 
 said. Has the Lord said it, or sayest thou 
 this of thyself ? The chief-captain an- 
 swered. Hearken, righteous Abraham. The 
 Lord has commanded, and I tell it thee. 
 Abraham said, I will not go with thee. 
 The chief-captain, hearing these words, 
 straightway went forth from the presence of 
 Abraham, and went up into the heavens, and 
 
 And about the ninth hour Michael brought 
 Abraham back to his house. But Sarah his 
 wife, not seeing what had become of Abra- 
 ham, was consumed with grief, and gave up 
 the ghost, and after the return of Abraham 
 he found her dead, and buried her. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 197 
 
 stood before God the Most High, and said. 
 Lord Almighty, behold I have hearkened 
 to Thy friend Abraham in all he has said to 
 Thee, and have fulfilled his requests. I have 
 shown to him Thy power, and all the earth 
 and sea that is under heaven. I have shown 
 to him judgment and recompense by means 
 of cloud and chariots, and again he says, I 
 will not go with thee. And the Most High 
 said to the angel. Does my friend Abraham 
 say thus again, I will not go with thee ? 
 The archangel said. Lord Almighty, he 
 says thus, and I refrain from laying hands on 
 him, because from the beginning he is Thy 
 friend, and has done all things pleasing in 
 Thy sight. There is no man like him on 
 earth, not even Job the wondrous man, and 
 therefore I refrain from laying hands on him. 
 Command, therefore. Immortal King, what 
 shall be done. 
 
 XVI. Then the Most High said. Call me 
 hither Death that is called the shameless 
 countenance and the pitiless look. And 
 Michael the Incorporeal went and said to 
 Death, Come hither ; the lord of creation, the 
 immortal king, calls thee. And Death, hear- 
 ing this, shivered and trembled, being pos- 
 sessed with great terror, and coming with 
 great fear it stood before the invisible father, 
 shivering, groaning and trembling, awaiting 
 the command of the Lord. Therefore the 
 invisible God said to Death, Come hither, 
 thou bitter and fierce name of the world, 
 hide thy fierceness, cover thy corruption, and 
 cast away thy bitterness from thee, and put 
 on thy beauty and all thy glory, and go down 
 to Abraham my friend, and take him and 
 bring him to me. But now also I tell thee 
 not to terrify him, but bring him with fair 
 speech, for he is my own friend. Having 
 heard this. Death went out from the pres- 
 ence of the Most High, and put on a robe of 
 great brightness, and made his appearance 
 like the sun, and became fair and beautiful 
 above the sons of men, assuming the form of 
 an archangel, having his cheeks flaming with 
 fire, and he departed to Abraham. Now the 
 righteous Abraham went out of his chamber, 
 and sat under the trees of Mamre, holding 
 his chin in his hand, and awaiting the com- 
 ing of the archangel Michael. And behold, 
 a smell of sweet odor came to him, and a 
 flashing of light, and Abraham turned and 
 saw Death coming towards him in great glory 
 and beauty. And Abraham arose and went 
 to meet him, thinking that it was the chief- 
 captain of God, and Death beholding him 
 sainted him, saying, Eejoice, precious Abra- 
 ham, righteous soul, true friend of the Most 
 High God, and companion of the holy angels. 
 
 XIII. But when the day of the death of 
 Abraham drew nigh, the Lord God said to 
 Michael, Death will not dare to go near to 
 take away the soul of my servant, because he 
 is my friend, but go thou and adorn Death 
 with great beauty, and send him thus to 
 Abraham, that he may see him with his eyes. 
 And Michael straightway, as he was com- 
 manded, adorned Death with great beauty, 
 and sent him thus to Abraham that he might 
 see him. And he sat down near to Abraham, 
 and Abraham seeing Death sitting near to 
 him was afraid with a great fear. And Death 
 said to Abraham, Hail, holy soul ! hail, friend 
 of the Lord God ! hail, consolation and enter- 
 tainment of travelers ! And Abraham said. 
 Thou art welcome, servant of the Most High 
 God. I beseech thee, tell me who thou art ; 
 and entering into my house partake of food 
 and drink, and depart from me, for since I 
 have seen thee sitting near to me my soul has 
 been troubled. For I am not at all worthy 
 to come near thee, for thou art an exalted 
 spirit and I am flesh and blood, and therefore 
 I cannot bear thy glory, for I see that thy 
 beauty is not of this world. And Death said 
 to Abraham, I tell thee, in all the creation 
 that God has made, there has not been found 
 one like thee, for even the Lord himself by 
 searching has not found such an one upon 
 the whole earth. And Abraham said to 
 Death, How durst thou lie ? for I see that thy 
 
198 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 Abraham said to Death, Hail thon of appear- 
 ance and form like the sun, most glorious 
 helper, bringer of light, wondrous man, from 
 whence does thy glory come to us, and who 
 art thou, and whence comest thou ? Then 
 Death said. Most righteous Abraham, behold 
 I tell thee the truth. I am the bitter lot of 
 death. Abraham said to him, Nay, but thou 
 art the comeliness of the world, thou art the 
 glory and beauty of angels and men, thou art 
 fairer in form than every other, and sayest 
 thou, I am the bitter lot of death, and not 
 rather, I am fairer than every good thing. 
 Death said, I tell thee the truth. What the 
 Lord has named me, that also I tell thee. 
 Abraham said, For what art thou come hith- 
 er ? Death said. For thy holy soul am I come. 
 Then Abraham said, I know what thou mean- 
 est, but I will not go with thee ; and Death 
 was silent and answered him not a word. 
 
 XVII. Then Abraham arose, and went 
 into his house, and Death also accompanied 
 him thither. And Abraham went up into 
 his chamber, and Death went up with him. 
 And Abraham lay down upon his conch, and 
 Death came and sat by his feet. Then 
 Abraham said. Depart, depart from me, for 
 I desire to rest upon my couch. Death said, 
 I will not depart until I take thy spirit from 
 thee. Abraham said to him. By the im- 
 mortal God I charge thee to tell me the 
 truth. Art thou death? Death said to him, 
 I am Death. I am the destroyer of the 
 world. Abraham said, I beseech thee, since 
 thou art Death, tell me if thou comest thus 
 to all in such fairness and glory and beauty? 
 Death said. Nay, my lord Abraham, for thy 
 righteousnesses, and the boundless sea of thy 
 hospitality, and the greatness of thy love 
 towards God has become a crown upon my 
 head, and in beauty and great peace and 
 gentleness I approach the righteous, but to 
 sinners I come in great corruption and fierce- 
 ness and the greatest bitterness and with 
 fierce and pitiless look. Abraham said, I 
 beseech thee, hearken to me, and show me 
 thy fierceness and all thy corruption and 
 bitterness. And Death said. Thou canst not 
 behold my fierceness, most righteous Abra- 
 ham. Abraham said. Yes, I shall be able to 
 behold all thy fierceness by means of the 
 name of the living God, for the might of my 
 God that is in heaven is with me. Then 
 Death put off all his comeliness and beauty, 
 and all his glory and the form like the sun 
 with which he was clothed, and put upon 
 himself a tyrant's robe, and made his ap- 
 pearance gloomy and fiercer than all kind of 
 wild beasts, and more unclean than all un- 
 ci eanness. And he showed to Abraham seven 
 
 beauty is not of this world. And Death 
 said to Abraham, Think not, Abraham, that 
 this beauty is mine, or that I come thus to 
 every man. Nay, but if any one is righteous 
 like thee, I thus take crowns and come to 
 him, but if it is a sinner I come in great cor- 
 ruption, and out of their sin I make a crown 
 for my head, and I shake them with great 
 fear, so that they are dismayed. Abraham 
 therefore said to him. And whence comes thy 
 beauty ? And Death said. There is none 
 other more full of corruption than I am. 
 Abraham said to him. And art thou indeed 
 he that is called Death ? He answered him 
 and said, I am the bitter name. I am weep- 
 ing. . . . 
 
 XIV. And Abraham said to Death, Show 
 us thy corruption. And Death made mani- 
 fest his corruption; and he had two heads, 
 the one had the face of a serpent and by it 
 some die at once by asps, and the other head 
 was like a sword; by it some die by the sword 
 as by bows. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. 
 
 199 
 
 fiery heads of serpents and fourteen faces, 
 (one) of flaming fire and of great fierceness, 
 and a face of darkness, and a most gloomy 
 face of a yiper, and a face of a most terrible 
 precipice, and a face fiercer than an asp, and 
 a face of a terrible lion, and a face of a 
 cerastes and basilisk. He showed him also a 
 face of a fiery scimitar, and a sword-bearing 
 face, and a face of lightning, lightening ter- 
 ribly, and a noise of dreadful thunder. He 
 showed him also another face of a fierce 
 stormy sea, and a fierce rushing river, and a 
 terrible three-headed serpent, and a cup min- 
 gled with poisons, and in short he showed to 
 him great fierceness and unendurable bitter- 
 ness, and every mortal disease as of the odour 
 of Death. And from the great bitterness and 
 fierceness there died servants and maid -ser- 
 vants in number about seven thousand, and 
 the righteous Abraham came into indiffer- 
 ence of death so that his spirit failed him. 
 
 XVIII. And the all-holy Abraham, seeing 
 these things thus, said to Death, I beseech 
 thee, all-destroying Death, hide thy fierce- 
 ness, and put on thy beauty and the shape 
 which thou hadst before. And straightway 
 Death hid his fierceness, and put on his 
 beauty which he had before. And Abraham 
 said to Death, Why hast thou done this, that 
 thou hast slain all my servants and maid- 
 servants? Has God sent thee hither for this 
 end this day? Death said, Nay, my lord 
 Abraham, it is not as thou sayest, but on thy 
 account was I sent hither. Abraham said 
 to Death, How then have these died? Has 
 the Lord not spoken it? Death said. Believe 
 thou, most righteous Abraham, that this also 
 is wonderful, that thou also wast not taken 
 away with them. Nevertheless I tell thee 
 the truth, for if the right hand of God had 
 not been with thee at that time, thou also 
 wouldst have had to depart from this life. 
 The righteous Abraham said. Now I know 
 that I have come into indifference of death, 
 so that my spirit fails, but I beseech thee, 
 all-destroying Death, since my servants have 
 died before their time, come let us pray to the 
 Lord our God that he may hear us and raise 
 up those who died by thy fierceness before 
 their time. And death said. Amen, be it 
 so. Therefore Abraham arose and fell upon 
 the face of the ground in prayer, and Death 
 together with him, and the Lord sent a spirit 
 of life upon those that were dead and they 
 were made alive again. Then the righteous 
 Abraham gave glory to God. 
 
 XIX. And going up into his chamber he 
 lay down, and Death came and stood before 
 him. And Abraham said to him. Depart 
 from me, for I desire to rest, because my 
 
 In that day the servants of Abraham died 
 through fear of Death, and Abraham seeing 
 them prayed to the Lord, and he raised them 
 up. 
 
200 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF ABEAHAM. 
 
 spirit is in indifference. Death said, I Avill 
 not depart from thee until I take thy soul. 
 And Abraham with an austere countenance 
 and angry look said to Death, Who has or- 
 dered thee to say this ? Thou sayest these 
 words of thyself boastfully, and I will not 
 go with thee until the chief-captain Michael 
 come to me, and I shall go with him. But 
 this also I tell thee, if thou desirest that I 
 shall accompany thee, explain to me all thy 
 changes, the seven fiery heads of serpents 
 and what the face of the precipice is, and 
 what the sharp sword, and what the loud- 
 roaring river, and what the tempestuous 
 sea that rages so fiercely. Teach me also 
 the unendurable thunder, and the terri- 
 ble lightning, and the evil-smelling cup 
 mingled with poisons. Teach me concerning 
 all these. And Death answered. Listen, 
 righteous Abraham. For seven ages I destroy 
 the world and lead all down to Hades, kings 
 and rulers, rich and poor, slaves and free 
 men, I convoy to the bottom of Hades, and 
 for this I showed thee the seven heads of 
 serpents. The face of fire I showed thee 
 because many die consumed by fire, and be- 
 hold death through a face of fire. The face 
 of the precipice I showed thee, because 
 many men die descending from the tops of 
 trees or terrible precipices and losing their 
 life, and see death in the shape of a tei-rible 
 precipice. The face of the sword I showed 
 thee because many are slain in wars by the 
 sword, and see death as a sword. The face 
 of the great rushing river I showed thee be- 
 cause many are drowned and perish snatched 
 away by the crossing of many waters and 
 carried off by great rivers, and see death be- 
 fore their time. The face of the angry rag- 
 ing sea I showed thee because many in the 
 sea falling into great surges and becoming 
 shipwrecked are swallowed up and behold 
 death as the sea. The unendurable thunder 
 and the terrible lightning I showed thee be- 
 cause many men in the moment of anger 
 meet with unendurable thunder and terrible 
 lightning coming to seize upon men, and see 
 death thus. I showed thee also the poison- 
 ous wild beasts, asps and basilisks, leopards 
 and lions and lions' whelps, bears and vipers, 
 and in short the face of every wild beast I 
 showed thee, most righteous one, because 
 many men are destroyed by wild beasts, and 
 others by poisonous snakes, serpents and 
 asps and cerastes and basilisks and vipers, 
 breathe out their life and die. I showed 
 thee also the destroying cups mingled with 
 poison, because many men being given 
 poison to drink by other men straightway 
 depart unexpectedly. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF ABEAHAM. 
 
 201 
 
 XX. Abraham said, I beseech thee, is 
 there also an unexpected death? Tell me. 
 Death said, Verily, verily, I tell thee in the 
 truth of God that there are seventy-two 
 deaths. One is the just death, having its 
 fixed time, and many men in one hour enter 
 into death being given over to the grave. Be- 
 hold, I have told thee all that thou hast asked, 
 now I tell thee, most righteous Abraham, to 
 dismiss all counsel, and cease from asking 
 anything once for all, and come, go with 
 me, as the God and judge of all has com- 
 manded me. Abraham said to Death, De- 
 part from me yet a little, that I may rest on 
 my conch, for I am very faint at heart, for 
 since I have seen thee with my eyes my 
 strength has failed me, all the limbs of my 
 flesh seem to me a weight as of lead, and my 
 spirit is distressed exceedingly. Depart for 
 a little; for I have said I cannot bear to see 
 thy shape. Then Isaac his son came and 
 fell upon his breast weeping, and his wife 
 Sarah came and embraced his feet, lamenting 
 bitterly. There came also his men slaves and 
 women slaves and surrounded his couch, la- 
 menting greatly. And Abraham came into 
 indifEerence of death, and Death said to 
 Abraham, Come, take my right hand, and 
 may cheerfulness and life and strength come 
 to thee. For Death deceived Abraham, and 
 he took his right hand, and straightway his 
 soul adhered to the hand of Death. And 
 immediately the archangel Michael came with 
 a multitude of angels and took up his precious 
 soul in his hands in a divinely woven linen 
 cloth, and they tended the body of the just 
 Abraham with divine ointments and per- 
 fumes until the third day after his death, 
 and buried him in the land of promise, at 
 the oak of Mamre, but the angels received 
 his precious soul, and ascended into heaven, 
 singing the hymn of " thrice holy " to the 
 Lord the God of all, and they set it there to 
 worship the God and Father. And after 
 great praise and glory had been given to the 
 Lord, and Abraham bowed down to worship, 
 there came the undefiled voice of the God 
 and Father saying thus. Take therefore my 
 friend Abraham into Paradise, where are the 
 tabernacles of my righteous ones, and the 
 abodes of my saints Isaac and Jacob in his 
 bosom, where there is no trouble, nor grief, 
 nor sighing, but peace and rejoicing and 
 life unending. (And let us, too, my beloved 
 brethren, imitate the hospitality of the 
 patriarch Abraham, and attain to his virt- 
 uous way of life, that we may be thought 
 worthy of the life eternal, glorifying the 
 Father, Son and Holy Ghost; to whom be 
 glory and power forever. Amen.) 
 
 But God returned and removed the soul 
 of Abraham as in a dream, and the archangel 
 Michael took it up into the heavens. And 
 Isaac buried his father beside his mother 
 Sarah, glorifying and praising God, for to 
 him is due glory, honour and worship, of the 
 Father, Son and Holy Ghost, now and always 
 and to all eternity. Amen. 
 
THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The original Greek text of this work is edited for the first time in Text and Studies, 
 Vol. II., No. 3 (1893), by Montague Rhodes James, M. A., from the only MS. known to him, 
 a Paris one of the eleventh century. References to these Acts are not common in works 
 dealing with the saints of the early church, and few writers seem to have known the work 
 itself. 
 
 In substance the Acts are a religious novel, similar in form, and to some extent in matter, 
 to the Greek romances by Achilles Tatius, Heliodorus, and others, and based upon the belief 
 that St. Paul actually did visit Spain, according to the intention expressed by him in 
 Romans xv. 24. The editor of the Greek text is inclined to assign its composition to about 
 the middle of the third century, reasoning from its relations to the Acts of Paul, and those 
 of other apostles, which its author apparently knew and made use of. Thus a knowledge of 
 the Acts of Paul and Thecla may be inferred from c. xxvi., of the Acts of Peter from c. xxiv., 
 and of those of Andrew from cc. xxviii.-xxxi. 
 
 The first and longest part of the story (from c. i. to xxi.) gives an account of the con- 
 version of Xanthippe, wife of Probus, a man of rank in Spain. In this part the narrative 
 is less prominent than the speeches and prayers, which are numerous, and of considerable 
 length. With c. xxii. a new section of the story begins, of which no previous warning has 
 been given except in the title, containing the adventures of Polyxena, the sister of Xan- 
 thippe, who is carried off in the latter's absence. The rest of the story is much more 
 diversified than the early part, being full of incident and introducing a great variety of 
 persons — the apostles Peter, Philip, and Andrew, an ass-driver, the Jewess Rebecca, a wicked 
 prefect and his kind-hearted son, and finally Onesimns, who brings Polyxena back to Spain. 
 
 This difference in the character of the narrative in the two parts causes also some differ- 
 ence in the language, which in the earlier section is more diffuse and more difficult of exact 
 translation than in the later one. The meaning of some words is also doubtful : those 
 translated "lamp-stand" and "destroyer," towards the end of c. xxi., are so rendered in 
 accordance with suggestions by his Exc. M. Gennadius, who also characterises the language 
 of the text as full of errors. 
 
LIFE AND CONDUCT OF THE HOLY WOMEN, 
 XANTHIPPE, POLYXENA, AND REBECCA. 
 
 I. "WTien the blessed Paul was at Eome 
 through the woi'd of the Lord, it happened 
 that a certain servant of a ruler of Spain 
 came to Eome with letters of his master's, 
 and heard the word of God from Paul, the 
 truly golden and beautiful nightingale. This 
 servant being greatly toached, and being un- 
 able to remain and be filled with the divine 
 word because he was hastened by the letters, 
 returned into Spain in great grief, and being 
 unable to show his desire to any one, because 
 his master was an idolater, he was always 
 pained at heart and sighing greatly. Now 
 this servant was honoured and faithful to his 
 masters, and as time went past, the servant 
 fell sick and grew lean of flesh, which his 
 master perceiving said to him. What has hap- 
 pened to thee that thou art thus fallen to- 
 gether in countenance ? The servant said. 
 There is a great pain in my heart, and I 
 can in no way find rest. His master said to 
 him. And what is the pain that cannot re- 
 ceive healing from my chief physician ? The 
 servant said, While I was still in Eome, this 
 pain and its recurring mishap made itself 
 known to me. His master said. And knowest 
 thou not of any who have fallen into this 
 disease and been healed ? The servant said. 
 Yes, but where that physician is I know not, 
 for I left him in Eome. So many as have been 
 attended by that physician and have gone 
 through the water in his hands, have received 
 healing immediately. His master said, I 
 ought not to grudge to send thee yet again 
 to Eome, if perchance thou mightest obtain 
 healing. 
 
 II. And while they spoke thus, behold his 
 mistress, by name Xanthippe, overhearing 
 these words, and learning of the teaching of 
 Paul, said. What is the name of that physi- 
 cian, and what is the healing to ward o3 such 
 a disease ? The servant said to her. The 
 calling upon a new name, and anointing with 
 oil and washing with water. By this treat- 
 ment I have seen many that haid incurable 
 
 pains receive healings. As he said this, the 
 images of the idols that stood in the house 
 began to be shaken and fall down. And his 
 mistress beckoned to him, saying, Seest thou, 
 brother, the images of the idols being shaken, 
 how they cannot endure the power of the 
 word ? And his master, by name Probus, arose 
 from his mid-day sleep with a very gloomy 
 countenance, for the Devil had greatly dis- 
 turbed him, because the knowledge of God had 
 come into his house. And he questioned the 
 servant of everything in order, and the servant 
 having been seized by sickness by the fore- 
 knowledge of God, disclosed to him the life of 
 man, and Xanthippe was incurable in her 
 soul concerning this teaching. So Probus 
 too was grieved for Xanthippe, because from 
 that time she was wasting herself away with 
 waking and abstinence and other austerities. 
 III. And Xanthippe going away to her 
 couch and groaning, said. Woe is me, wretch- 
 ed one, lying in darkness, that I have not 
 learned the name of the new teacher, that I 
 might summon his prayer to help me, and 
 what to say I know not. Shall I call upon 
 him by the name of his God ? but I cannot 
 say. The God that is preached by such a one. 
 Nevertheless I shall say thus by conjecture, 
 God, giving light in Hades, and guiding 
 those in darkness. Lord of free men and 
 kings, and preached by worthy servants in 
 all the world, called upon as a brother by 
 sinful men and quick to hear, to whom not 
 even archangels can send up worthy songs 
 of praise, who hast shown to me, humble 
 and unworthy, the ever-living and abiding 
 seed (though my ignorance permits me not 
 to receive it), hasten also the things that 
 concern me, Lord, since by thy will thou hast 
 made thyself heard by me, and in thy com- 
 passion show me the proclamation of thj 
 herald, that I may learn of him what is 
 pleasing to thee. Yea, I beseech thee loolc 
 upon my ignorance, God, and enlighten 
 me with the light of thy countenance, thou 
 
206 
 
 THE ACTS OP XANTHIPPE AND P.OLYXENA. 
 
 that never overlookest any of those that call 
 npon thee in truth. Probns, her husband 
 said to her. Why troublest thou thyself so 
 much, lady, and dost not at all turn to 
 sleep ? Xanthippe said, I cannot sleep, for 
 there is in me an incurable pain. Probus 
 said to her. And what is thy pain or grief, 
 lady, that I am not sufficient to comfort 
 thee ? All that thou hast wished unto this 
 day I have served thee in, and now what is it 
 that thou hast, and dost not tell me ? Xan- 
 thippe says to him, I beseech thee this thing 
 only, my lord, permit me for a little and for 
 this day only to sleep apart from thee. And 
 Probus said to her. Be it as thou wilt, lady ; 
 only leave off thy groaning. 
 
 IV. Then entering into her bed-chamber 
 alone, she spoke thus with tears. In what 
 way, my God, I shall act, or what counsel I 
 shall take, I know not. Shall I declare the 
 thought that has come upon me ? I fear the 
 niadness and disorder of the city. Shall I 
 fly from this impious city ? I fear the con- 
 trivance of the devil for seizing the sheep. 
 Shall I await the mercy and swiftness of the 
 Lord ? Again I fear the untimely snatch- 
 ing away of life, for the death of sinners has 
 no warning. Shall I depart and flee away to 
 Rome ? I fear the length of the journey, 
 being unable to go on foot. But while I say 
 these things by conjecture, constrained by 
 my desire (for I cannot speak with surety), 
 may I find pardon with thee, my God, and 
 do thou fulfil my desire with excess of right 
 words, and think me but worthy to hear thy 
 preacher, for if I say, to see his face, I ask a 
 great thing. Blessed is he that is found in 
 the company of thy preachers, and is satis- 
 fied with their precious countenances. Bless- 
 ed are they that are yoked under the preach- 
 ing of thy commandments. Blessed are they 
 that keep thy commandments ; but where 
 now. Lord, are thy mercies to our fathers, 
 that we also may be their successors in love 
 toward thee and heirs of faith. But behold 
 now. Lord, I cannot find any one that has 
 love for thee, that communing with him I 
 might even a little refresh my soul. Speed 
 therefore, Lord, to yoke me in desire for 
 thee, and keep me under the shadow of thy 
 wings, for thou alone art God, glorified to all 
 eternity. Amen. 
 
 V. Therefore Xanthippe saying these 
 words and others like them, groaned contin- 
 ually all the night, and Probus heard her 
 and was greatly distressed, and arising from 
 his couch when the morning came he went 
 in to her, and seeing her eyes inflamed with 
 tears, he said. Wherefore, lady, dost thou 
 thus vex me, and wilt not tell me thy pain ? 
 
 Tell it me, that I may do whatever is pleas- 
 ing to thee, and distress me not with thy 
 trouble. Xanthippe says to him. Be of 
 good cheer rather, my lord, and be not 
 vexed, for my trouble shall not harm thee, 
 but if I have found favour before thee, go 
 forth now to the salutation, and allow me to 
 indulge myself in it as I will, for it is not 
 possible for man to take from me the insati- 
 able pain. And listening to her he went out 
 immediately to receive the salutations of the 
 men of the city, for he was the great man 
 among them, and was also known to Nero, 
 the Emperor. And sitting down, great 
 grief appeared in his countenance, and being 
 asked the reason of his grief by the chief men 
 of the city, he said to them that he had fall- 
 en into many and unfounded charges. 
 
 VI. And Xanthippe went out into the 
 garden, that she might await there looking 
 closely for certainty of her husband, and she 
 saw the delight of the trees, and the various 
 warbling of the birds, and said, groaning, 
 beauty of the world ! for that which we 
 hitherto thought to come of itself, we know 
 now that all things are beautifully fashioned 
 by the beautiful One. power and invention 
 of wisdom ! for not only has he placed in men 
 a thousand tongues, but also in birds he has 
 distinguished various voices, as if from an- 
 thems and responses to receive sweet-voiced 
 and heart-stirring hymns from his own 
 works. delightfulness of the air, declar- 
 ing the inimitable creator ! Who shall turn 
 my sorrow into rejoicing ? And again she 
 said, God to whom praise is sung by all, give 
 me peace and comfort. As she said these 
 things, Probus also came up from the street 
 to break his fast, and when he saw her coun- 
 tenance altered by tears, he began to pull 
 out the hairs of his head, but he dared not 
 speak to her then so as not to mingle other 
 trouble with her trouble. So he went and 
 fell upon his couch, and said, groaning, Alas, 
 that I had not even the consolation of a 
 child from her, but only acquire grief upon 
 grief. Two years are not yet full since I was 
 wedded to her, and already she meditates 
 divorce. 
 
 VII. But Xanthippe was always keeping 
 watch through the doors into the streets of 
 the city, and the blessed Paul, the preacher 
 and teacher and illuminator of the world, 
 left Rome and came even into Spain by the 
 fore-knowledge of God. And coming up to 
 the gates of the city he stood and prayed, and 
 crossing himself entered the city. When 
 Xanthippe saw the blessed Paul walking 
 quietly and equally, and adorned with all 
 virtue and understanding, she was greatly 
 
THE ACTS OF XANTI-IIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 207 
 
 delighted in him and her heart leaped con- 
 tinually, and as possessed with an unexpected 
 joy she said with herself. Why does my heart 
 beat vehemently at the sight of this man ? 
 Why is his walk quiet and equable, as of one 
 who expects to take in his arms one that is 
 pursued ? Why is his countenance kindly, 
 as of one that tends the sick ? Why does he 
 look so lovingly hither and thither, as one 
 who desires to assist those who are seeking 
 to flee from the mouths of dragons ? Who 
 shall tell me that this is one from the flock 
 of preachers ? If it were possible for me, 
 I should wish to touch the hem of his gar- 
 ments, that I may behold his kindness and 
 readiness to receive and sweet odour ; for 
 the servant had told her this also, that the 
 hems of his garments had the odour of pre- 
 cious perfumes. 
 
 VIII. Now Probus heard her words, and 
 straightway ran out by himself into the 
 street, and laying hold of Paul's hand said to 
 him, Man, who thou art I know not, but 
 deign to enter into my house ; perchance 
 thou mayest be to me a cause of salvation. 
 Paul said to him. It will be well with thee, 
 son, after thy request ! And they went in 
 together to Xanthippe. When Xanthippe 
 therefore saw the great Paul, the intellectual 
 eyes of her heart were uncovered, and she 
 read upon his forehead, having as it were 
 golden seals, these words, Paul the 
 PEEACHEB or GoD. Then exulting and re- 
 joicing she threw herself at his feet, and 
 twisting her hair together she wiped his feet, 
 saying. Welcome, man of God, to us 
 humble ones, that live as shadows among 
 shadows. For thou hast looked upon those 
 who were running into Hades as into some- 
 thing beautiful, who addressed the crooked 
 serpent and destroyer as provider and pro- 
 tector, who were running into the dark 
 Hades as to their father, those that were 
 fashioned with a rational nature but have 
 become like irrational creatures. Thou hast 
 sought me, lowly one, having the sun of 
 righteousness in my heart. Now the poison 
 is stayed^ when I have seen thy precious face. 
 Now he that troubled me is flown away, 
 when thy most beautiful counsel has ap- 
 peared to me. Now I shall be considered 
 worthy of repentance, when I have received 
 the seal of the preacher of the Lord. Before 
 now I have deemed many happy who met 
 with you, but I say boldly that from this 
 time forth I myself shall be called happy by 
 others, because I have touched thy hem, 
 because I have received thy prayers, because 
 I have enjoyed thy sweet and honeyed teach- 
 ing. Thou hast not hesitated to come to us. 
 
 thou that fishest the dry land in thy course, 
 and gatherest the fish that fall in thy way 
 into the net of the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 IX. The great Paul said to her, Arise, 
 daughter, and look not upon me as having 
 been sought out of thy ignorance by my fore- 
 sight. For Christ, the provider of the 
 world, the searcher out of sinners and the 
 lose, who has not only called to mind those 
 upon earth, but also by his own presence 
 has redeemed those in Hades, he himself has 
 pitied thee, and sent me hither that he might 
 visit and pity many others together with 
 thee. For this mercy and visitation are not 
 of us, but are his injunction and command, 
 even as we also have received mercy and been 
 saved by him. Probus hearing this was 
 astonished at their words, for he was alto- 
 gether ignorant of these things. But Paul 
 by force raised up Xanthippe from his feet, 
 and she running set a new gilded chair for 
 Paul to sit down upon. The great Paul said 
 to her. My daughter Xanthippe, do not thus, 
 for ye have not yet accorded to the faith of 
 Christ, but wait a little, till the Lord shall 
 set in order what is necessary ! Xanthippe 
 said to Paul, Sayest thou this to try me, 
 preacher of God, or hast thou any fore- 
 knowledge ? Paul said. No, daughter, but 
 the devil, who hates the servants of God, 
 sows wickedness in the hearts of his own 
 servants, to oppose those that labour for 
 Christ in preaching, for his wickedness has 
 extended to the apostles and even to the 
 Lord himself. Therefore it is fitting to ap- 
 proach the unbelievers gently and kindly ! 
 Xanthippe said to Paul, I beseech thee, if 
 thou lovest thy servants, make prayer for 
 Probus, and let me see if he that is hated by 
 thee can work in him ; let me see if he can 
 even stand against thy prayer. And Paul 
 rejoiced exceedingly at the words of her 
 faith, and said to her. Believe me, daughter, 
 that by his suggestion and working I have 
 not passed a single hour without chains and 
 blows. Xanthippe said to him. But thou 
 sufEerest these things by thy own free will, 
 since thou hast not neglected thy preaching 
 even to scourging, but this again I tell 
 thee, that thy bonds shall be the defeat of 
 the prompter, and thy humiliation their 
 overthrow. 
 
 X. Now the report of his presence ran 
 through the whole city and the country 
 round about, for some of that city having 
 been at Rome had seen the signs and wonders 
 that were done by the blessed Paul, and 
 came to see if this was he. Many therefore 
 came into the house of Probus, and he began 
 to be annoyed and to say, I will not suffer 
 
208 
 
 THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 my house to be made an inn. Xanthippe 
 knowing that the face of Probus had begun 
 to be estranged, and that he spoke thus, was 
 greatly distressed, saying, Alas, wretched 
 me, that we are not thought fully worthy to 
 keep this man in our house ; for if Paul goes 
 hence, the church also will be held else- 
 where. Then Xanthippe, considering these 
 matters, put her hand on the foot of Paul, 
 and taking dust she called Probus to her, 
 and placing her hand on his breast said, 
 Lord, my God, who hast sought out me, 
 lowly one and ignorant of thee, send what 
 is fitting into this heart. And Paul per- 
 ceived her prayer, and made the sign of the 
 cross, and for several days the people entered 
 unhindered, and as many as had sick and 
 vexed by unclean spirits brought them, and 
 all were healed. 
 
 XI. And Xanthippe said to Paul, Teacher, 
 my heart is greatly consumed because I have 
 not as yet received baptism. And after this 
 Probus being again moved by the devil, cast 
 Paul out of the house and shut up XantliipjDe 
 in her chamber. Then one of the chief men, 
 Philotheus by name, besought the great Paul 
 to come into his house, but the great Paul 
 was unwilling to do so, saying. Lest Probus 
 trouble thy house on my account. Philo- 
 theus said to him. Nay, father, I am not at 
 all subject to him, for in no other thing is 
 he greater than me, except in rank, and that 
 because the parents of Xanthippe are above 
 me. But if Probus come to me, I am above 
 him in riches and in war. Then Paul, the 
 great apostle of the Lord, was persuaded, 
 and went into the house of Philotheus the 
 ex-prefect. All this was done by the Evil 
 one that Xanthippe might receive holy bap- 
 tism with tribulation, and be faint-hearted 
 concerning the commandments of Christ. 
 
 XII. Xanthippe therefore, with tears, said 
 to her servants. Have ye learned where Paul 
 is gone to ? They said. Yea, in the house 
 of Philotheus the ex-prefect, and Xanthippe 
 rejoiced greatly that Philotheus also believed, 
 being able, as she said, to persuade Probus 
 also. Then Probus called Xanthippe to sup- 
 per, and when she consented not, Probus 
 said. Think not that in bed also thou wilt 
 keep away from me. But when he lay down 
 to supper, Xanthippe bending her knees, 
 prayed to the Lord, saying. Eternal and im- 
 mortal God, that didst take dust from the 
 ground, and didst not value it according to 
 the nature of its creation, but didst call it 
 the son of immortality, thou who didst come 
 from the heart of the father to the heart of 
 the earth for our sake, on whom the cheru- 
 bim dare not fix their gaze, and for us wast 
 
 hidden in the womb that by taking up thy 
 abode in a mother thou mightest make good 
 the offence of Eve. Thou that didst drink 
 gall and vinegar, and wast pierced in the 
 side by a spear, that thou mightest heal the 
 wound given by the rib to Adam. For Eve 
 being his rib wrought a blow for Adam, and 
 through him for all the world. Thou that 
 gavest a sleep without perception to the ser- 
 pent, so that he might not kpow thy Incar- 
 nation, remember also my groaning and tears, 
 and grant fulfilment to my sleep,' and bring 
 sleep ujDon Probus until I shall be deemed 
 worthy of the gift of holy baptism, for I 
 vehemently desire to obtain this, to the glory 
 and praise of thy holy name. 
 
 XIII. But Probus, while still at supper, 
 commanded the doors of their house to be 
 secured by cruel and wicked soldiers, and 
 having given these orders, he straightway 
 fell asleep upon the couch. Then the ser- 
 vants came and announced this to Xanthippe 
 that he might be awakened, but she said. 
 Put out the lights, my children, and leave 
 him thus. And in the first sleep, taking 
 three hundred pieces of gold, she went to 
 the doors, saying with herself. Perchance the 
 porter will be persuaded by the amount of 
 money. But he, being evil and froward, 
 would not be persuaded to do this, and she, 
 loosing also her girdle, which was set with 
 precious stones and worth two hundred pieces 
 of gold, gave it to him and went out saying. 
 Lord, I win over my own slaves with money, 
 that thy preacher Paul may not be oppressed 
 by Probus. And Xanthippe went on to the 
 house of Philotheus the ex-prefect, as to a 
 great and incredible work, running and 
 praising God. As she therefore passed 
 through a certain place, the demons pur- 
 sued her with fiery torches and lightnings, 
 and she, turning, saw behind her this ter- 
 rible sight, and Iseing possessed with great 
 fear said, What has happened to thee now, 
 wretched soul ? Thou hast been deprived of 
 thy desire. Thou wast running to salvation, 
 thou wast running to baptism, and thou hast 
 fallen into the serpent and his ministers, and 
 these things thy sins have prepared for thee. 
 Speaking thus she was even fainting at heart 
 from great despair, but the great Paul being 
 forewarned by God of the assault of the 
 demons, immediately stood beside her, being 
 also preceded by a beautiful youth. And 
 straightway the vision of the demons dis- 
 appeared, and Paul said to her. Arise, daugh- 
 ter Xanthippe, and behold the Lord desired 
 by thee, by whose flame the heavens are 
 
 ' So the text ; perhaps " prayer " ought to be read. 
 
THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 209 
 
 shaken and the deep is dried np, coming to 
 thee and pitying and saving thee. Behold 
 him that accepts thy prayers and straightway 
 gives ear. See him coming in the shape of 
 a man, and take courage against the demons. 
 Then she rising from the ground said to him. 
 Master, why hast thou left me solitary? Even 
 now make haste to seal me, so that if death 
 come upon me I may depart to him who is 
 full of compassion and has no arrogance. 
 
 XIV. Therefore the great Paul straight- 
 way taking her hand, went into the house of 
 Philotheus, and baptised her in the name of 
 the Father and of the Son and the Holy 
 Ghost. Then taking bread also he gave her 
 the eucharist saying, Let this be to thee for 
 a remission of sins and for a renewing of thy 
 soul. Then the blessed Xanthippe, receiv- 
 ing the divine grace of holy baptism, re- 
 turned to her own house, rejoicing and 
 praising the Lord. The porter seeing her 
 complained loudly in violent words, that her 
 going out might be deemed to have been 
 without his will if Probus should notice it ; 
 but he that gave her light along with Paul 
 kept the whole house, together with Probus, 
 in a deep sleep, and they did not hear his 
 words at all. Then she went running into 
 her bed-chamber, saying, What shall I say 
 of thee, searcher out of sinners, who art 
 most present with us in tribulations. Thy 
 goodness does these things, since for the 
 sake of man whom thou didst make thou 
 didst go down even to death, for, however 
 much man stir thee to anger many times, 
 yet thou. Lord, pourest out thy mercies 
 upon him. depth of compassion and 
 wealth of mercy; immeasurable goodness 
 and incomparable kindness; treasure of 
 good things, and giver of mercy, and en- 
 richer of all that believe in thee ! If, there- 
 fore, one who loves thee say. Be near me, 
 Lord, thou hast already anticipated him. If 
 he say, I give thee thanks; hear my words, 
 before they are spoken, thou understandest. 
 And as for those that ask of thee, thou 
 givest to each after his asking. Thy good- 
 ness seeks out those that know thee not, and 
 thou runnest to sinners. cheerful look, 
 fiUing the ways of sinners with mercy; ex- 
 cellent watching and exhortation of the igno- 
 rant ! Who shall tell my lord Paul of the 
 salvation that has now befallen me, that he 
 might come and give words of thanksgiving 
 for me to this protector of sinners ? Come 
 many and behold and know the Lord, who 
 hates sin, but has mercy on sinners. Come, 
 now, Paul, preacher of God, for with thee 
 even now I sit under instruction, and give 
 words of thanksgiving for me, for I desire to 
 14 
 
 keep silence, since human reason makes me 
 afraid, lest I have not the grace of eloquence. 
 I desire to keep silence, and am compelled to 
 speak, for some one inflames and sweetens 
 me within. If I say, I will shut my mouth, 
 there is some one that murmurs in me. Shall 
 I say a great thing ? Is it not that teacher 
 that is in Paul, without arrogance, filling the 
 heavens, speaking within and waiting with- 
 out, sitting on the throne with the father 
 and stretched upon the cross by man. What, 
 therefore, I shall do I know not. My worth- 
 less mind delights me, and is not unfolded to 
 the end. Thou that hadst thy hands fixed 
 with nails and thy side pierced with the 
 spear, thou star out of Jacob and lion's 
 whelp out of Judah, thou rod out of Jesse, 
 and man and God out of Mary, thou in- 
 visible God in the bosom of the Father, 
 and that canst not be looked upon by cher- 
 ubim, and art mocked in Israel, glory be to 
 thee, who didst appear on the earth and wast 
 taken by the people, hung upon the tree and 
 by the report of the wicked falsely said to be 
 stolen, and that hast bought us all together. 
 XV. While she was still speaking thus, 
 there appeared a cross on the eastern wall, 
 and straightway there entered through it a 
 beautiful youth, having round about him 
 trembling rays, and under him an extended 
 light, on which also he walked. And as he 
 entered within, all the foundations of that 
 house shook and sounded with a great trem- 
 bling. Xanthippe seeing him cried out and 
 fell to the ground as if dead ; but he being 
 pitiful and kind, changing immediately into 
 the shape of Paul, raised her up, saying. 
 Arise, Xanthippe, and fear not, for the ser- 
 vants of God are thus glorified. Then Xan- 
 thippe arising, gazed upon him, and think- 
 ing it to be Paul, said. How art thou come in 
 hither, preacher of God, seeing that I have 
 given five hundred pieces of gold to the 
 porter, and that although he is my slave, 
 while thou hast no money ? The Lord said 
 to her. My servant Paul is richer than all 
 wealth, for whatsoever treasure he acquires 
 here he sends it before him into the kingdom 
 of heaven, that departing thither he may rest 
 in the unending and eternal rest. This is 
 the treasure of Paul, thou and thy like. 
 Then Xanthippe gazing upon him, desirous 
 to say something, saw his face shining as the 
 light ; and being greatly amazed, and putting 
 both her hands over her face she threw her- 
 self to the ground, and said. Hide thyself. 
 Lord, from my bodily eyes and enlighten my 
 understanding, for I know now who thou art. 
 Thou art he whose precursor was the cross, 
 the only begotten son of the Father alone 
 
210 
 
 THE ACTS OP XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENxi. 
 
 above, and only son of the Virgin alone 
 below. Thou art he who was pierced in the 
 hands and who rent the rocks. Thou art he 
 whom none other can carry except the bosom 
 of the Father. 
 
 XVI. And as she spoke thns the Lord was 
 again hidden from her, and Xanthippe, com- 
 ing to herself, said. Woe is me wretched one, 
 that no one has told me what is the gratitude 
 of slaves towards their master. If Paul the 
 preacher of the Lord were here, how could 
 he give praise ? But perchance in the face of 
 such favors and gifts they are silent, pos- 
 sessed only with tears, for it is not possible 
 worthily to praise any one according to his 
 favour. Saying this she was seized with 
 great faintness from lack of food, for having 
 been strongly possessed with desire for Christ 
 she had forgotten to take nourishment. 
 Therefore, being greatly exhausted by absti- 
 nence and the vision and want of sleep and 
 other austerities, she was unable to rise from 
 the ground. 
 
 XVII. And Probus arose from his couch 
 with a very gloomy countenance, for in his 
 sleep he had seen a dream, and was greatly 
 troubled concerning it. But the porter see- 
 ing him about to issue to the market-place, 
 having his countenance thus troubled, was 
 greatly afraid. Lest, said he, he know what 
 has happened, and will miserably destroy me. 
 Probus, however, having gone forth and sig- 
 nified to those in the market what was fitting 
 for the day and season, speedily returned into 
 the house, and said to his servants. Call me 
 quickly the wise men Barandus and Gnosteas. 
 When they were summoned he said to them, 
 I have seen a very terrible vision, and what 
 appeared in it is difficult for our power to 
 interpret. This, however, do ye disclose to 
 me, as being the most excellent of all the 
 world. Expound it to me when I tell it you. 
 Barandus says to him. If the vision can be 
 interpreted by our wisdom, we shall explain 
 it to thee, but if it be of the faith that is 
 now spoken of we cannot expound it to thee, 
 for it is of another wisdom and understand- 
 ing. However, let our lord and master tell 
 the dream, and let ns see if there is any ex- 
 planation for it. Probus says to Gnosteas, 
 Wherefore ansv/erest thou nothing ? Gno- 
 steas said, I have not heard the dream, and 
 what can I say but whatever it may be, if it 
 is by reason of Paul ? Tell me now, and 
 thou wilt find it so. Probus said, I thought 
 I was standing in a certain unknown and 
 strange country, and that there sat there an 
 Ethiop king, who ruled over all the earth 
 and seemed never to have any successor. 
 There stood beside him multitudes of ser- 
 
 vants, and all hastened to destruction and 
 had mastery far and wide. And when that 
 Ethiop seemed to have gained his purpose, 
 there arose a raven and standing above him 
 croaked with a pitiful voice. And straight- 
 way there arose from the eastern parts an 
 eagle, and seized his kingdom, and his power 
 was made vain, and those standing by him 
 fled to the eagle. Then that king strove 
 against those that fled to the eagle, but the 
 eagle carried it up into heaven, and, behold, 
 there came a helper to those that fled to the 
 eagle and left his staff to them. Then they 
 laying hold of it were not overcome by the 
 violence of that king. So many as ran to 
 those who had the staff, he washed them in 
 pure water, and they that were washed had 
 power over his kingdom. And by that staff 
 the enemies of the king were put to flight, 
 therefore capable men laying hold of the stall 
 turned to themselves great multitudes. And 
 that king strove against them, and had no 
 might at all, but he hindered many from be- 
 lieving in him that sent out the men into tlie 
 world to bear witness, and for that reason 
 many were grieved. Nevertheless, this one 
 did not constrain any like the other, for lie 
 himself was ruler of all light. This then 
 was the end. 
 
 XVIII. Then the wise Barandus said. By 
 the grace of God I shall tell the things sent 
 into the world by the Lord. The kirig 
 whom thou sawest is the Devil, and the 
 multitudes of his servants are the demons, 
 and the throngs about him are they that 
 worship the gods. Whereas he thought to 
 have no successor, he looked not for the 
 coming of Christ. The raven betokened the 
 weakness of his kingdom, for the raven kept 
 not obedience to the righteous Noah, but 
 loved pitiful things. The eagle that arose 
 and took away his kingdom and carried it 
 up into heaven, and that there came a pro- 
 tector of those that fled to the eagle, hav- 
 ing a staff, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who left to them his staff, that is, his 
 precious cross ; and that he washed those 
 that fled to him signifies the invulner- 
 able breast-plate of baptism, and therefore 
 they were not overcome. The capable men 
 sent into the world with the cross are 
 the preachers of God like Paul who is now 
 with us, against whom that king has no 
 power. This was made known to thee be- 
 cause even on those who are hard of belief 
 God has compassion in some way. See there- 
 fore whether even thou wilt be able to in- 
 jure Paul though thou desirest, for the 
 mighty power that shields him has been 
 shown thee by the Lord. Therefore, 
 
THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 211 
 
 understand what has been said to thee 
 by me, and serve not that king of dark- 
 ness, for as thou sawest his kingdom van- 
 ish away, so shall all his servants perish 
 with him. Come now, therefore, my Lord, 
 let us go to Paul and receive baptism from 
 him, lest Satan have mastery over us also. 
 Probus said. Let us first go to Xanthippe 
 and see whether she still lives, for behold 
 there are twenty-nine days since she has tasted 
 anything; for I saw her face in the even- 
 ing, and it was as of one prepared to depart. 
 
 XIX. And as they went into the chamber, 
 they heard her singing. 
 
 Praise the Lord ye sinners also, because he 
 accepts your prayers also. Alleluia. 
 
 Praise the Lord ye that have despaired like 
 me, for many are his mercies. Alleluia. 
 
 Praise him ye ungodly, because for you 
 he was crucified. Alleluia. 
 
 Praise him ye that strive for the salvation 
 of sinners, because God loves you. Alle- 
 luia. 
 
 Praise him, yo that rejoice at the calling 
 of sinners, because ye are fellow-citizens 
 with the saints. Alleluia. 
 
 As she said these words and more than 
 these with tears, the wise men Barandus and 
 Gnosteas opening the door entered and fell 
 at her feet, saying. Pray for us lowly ones, 
 servant of Christ, that he may bring us 
 also into thy number. But she said to them. 
 Brethren, I am not Paul who remits sins, 
 but neither is he far from you. Therefore 
 fall not before my knees, but go to him, who 
 is also more able to benefit you. Then they 
 came running to the house of Philotheus to 
 Paul, and found him teaching a great multi- 
 tude. And Probus also came to hear Paul, 
 and Xanthippe entered along with him to 
 salute him, and coming near to Paul and 
 bending her knees she did him reverence. 
 Probus seeing this marvelled that her so 
 proud spirit had changed to so great humility, 
 for she sat beside the feet of Paul on the 
 ground humbly and as one of the worthless. 
 And Probus was greatly grieved, not yet at- 
 tending to the hearing of the word, but 
 was ever gazing and fixing his attention on 
 Xanthippe. 
 
 XX. The great Paul was teaching thus. 
 Let those that burn in the flesh observe law- 
 ful marriage, avoiding fornication, especially 
 that with another's wife, and let those that 
 are united keep to one another. Probus 
 heard this teaching with delight, and said, 
 Paul, how excellently and wisely thou 
 employest this teaching. Why then has 
 Xanthippe withdrawn from me? And Paul 
 said. My son Probus, they that foresee that 
 
 the works of men shall be tried with fire, and 
 that have always in their mind the inex- 
 orableness of death, cast out all desire that 
 cleaves to the flesh. But woe when the de- 
 sire shall judge him that desired, then lie 
 shall gnash his teeth to no effect and in vain, 
 for the amendment of repentance is past. 
 Hearing this Probus went up into his house 
 marvelling, and tasted nothing that day, 
 but went and lay down upon his bed. And 
 about the third hour of the night he arose 
 and said, Alas, how wretched was the day in 
 which I was wedded to Xanthippe. Would 
 that I had died and not seen her. Saying 
 this he arose and said, I shall pray to the 
 God of Paul. Perchance he will do to me 
 also what is fitting, that I may not become a 
 reproach in the world, being rejected by her. 
 And straightway falling upon the ground 
 he said, God of Paul, if, as I have heard 
 from Xanthippe, thou dost seek after the 
 ignorant and turn back those that are astray, 
 do to me also what is fitting; for thou art 
 the king of life and death, as I have heard, 
 and hast dominion over things in heaven and 
 on earth and under the earth, and over all 
 the thoughts and desires of men, and to thee 
 alone belongs glory to all eternity. Amen. 
 
 XXI. Then Probus arising from the 
 ground fell again upon the couch, and aris- 
 ing early he came to Paul, and finding him 
 baptising many in the name of the life-giving 
 Trinity, he said. My lord Paul, if only I were 
 worthy to receive baptism, beliold the hour, 
 Paul said to him. Son, behold the water is 
 ready for the cleansing of those that come to 
 Christ. Therefore immediately taking off 
 his garments, and Paul laying hold of him, 
 he leapt into the water, saying, Jesus 
 Christ, son of God, and everlasting God, let 
 all my sins be taken away by this water. 
 And Paul said. We baptise thee in tlie 
 name of the Father and Son and Holy 
 Ghost. After this he made him to receive 
 the eucharist of Christ. Then Xanthippe, 
 being greatly rejoiced, began in the house 
 toward evening together with her husband 
 to give good cheer to all those in the house, 
 and to prepare a feast, and when they came, 
 after giving orders for the supper to be mag- 
 nificent she herself went up to the chamber. 
 And behold on the stairs a demon coming in 
 the likeness of one of the actors, and stand- 
 ing in a dark corner, was desirous to frighten 
 and terrify Xanthippe. But she thinkmg it 
 to be the actor that she ordinarily had, said 
 in anger. Many a time have I said to him 
 that I no longer care for toys, and he despises 
 me as being a woman; and straightway seiz- 
 ing an iron lamp-stand, she hurled it at his 
 
212 
 
 THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 face, and crushed all his features. Then the 
 demon cried out, saying, violence, from this 
 destroyer even women have received power to 
 strike us. But Xanthippe was greatly afraid. 
 
 XXII. After supper then Probus went 
 forth to hear the word, but Xanthippe sitting 
 in her bed-chamber was reading the prophets, 
 her sister Polyxena lying upon the couch. 
 Xanthippe loved Polyxena exceedingly, be- 
 cause she was younger than herself, and 
 beautiful in appearance, and Probus also 
 loved her greatly. And as Polyxena lay upon 
 the couch she saw this dream, that a dragon, 
 hideous in appearance, came and signified to 
 her to come to him, and when she did not 
 obey him to go to him, he came running and 
 swallowed her. From fear of this the girl 
 leapt up trembling, and Xanthippe running 
 to her said. What has happened to thee, 
 dearest, that thou hast leapt up thus sud- 
 denly ? She for a long time was unable to 
 speak ; then coming to herself she said, Alas, 
 my sister Xanthippe, what danger or tribula- 
 tion awaits me, I know not ; for I saw in my 
 dream that a hideous dragon came and signed 
 to me to go to him, and, when I would not go, 
 he came running and swallowed me, begin- 
 ning at my feet. While I was terrified at 
 this, there suddenly spoke out of the air, in 
 the light of the sun, a beautiful youth, whom 
 I thought to be the brother of Paul, saying. 
 Verily, thou hast no power. Who also took 
 me by the hand and straightway drew me out 
 of him, and straightway the dragon disap- 
 peared. And behold his hand was full of 
 sweet odour as of balsam or aught else for 
 fragrance. Xanthippe said to her. Truly thou 
 must be greatly troubled, my sister Polyxena, 
 but God has thee dear, seeing that he has 
 shown thee strange and marvellous things. 
 Therefore arise quickly in the morning and 
 receive the holy baptism, and ask in the bap- 
 tism to be delivered from the snares, of the 
 dragon. 
 
 XXIII. Xanthippe, having said this to 
 Polyxena, and having made a cross of wood, 
 went to Paul, but Polyxena remained alone in 
 the bed-chamber, her nurse having gone to- 
 gether with Xanthippe. And about the 
 middle of the night, a certain man, powerful 
 in wealth and assistance, finding the doors 
 open and using magical arts, entered within, 
 desiring to carry away Polyxena. She discov- 
 ering this fled into the mill, but the magicians 
 led by the demons found her. And she, not 
 finding any door to escape by, said, Alas that 
 I am given over to this destroyer ; for she had 
 heard that he was at enmity with her suitor, 
 and he did this to assail and vex him, being a 
 man who was a robber and exceeding cruel. 
 
 Therefore seizing her they went out of the 
 city, dragging her to the sea. -She looked 
 round this way and that, but there was none 
 to deliver her, and groaning she said, Alas, 
 my sister Xanthippe, thou didst send seven 
 hundred pieces of gold to Eome and buy 
 books, that through them thou mightest 
 prophesy by me ; for this evening thou didst 
 read, I looked to my right hand and beheld, 
 but there was no one that knew me ; flight 
 perished from me and there is no one that 
 seeketh out my soul.' 
 
 XXIV. While she said these words, those 
 that were dragging her away walked in haste, 
 and coming to the shore they hired a ship 
 and sailed for Babylonia, for he that carried 
 her off had a brother there, a ruler of a dis- 
 trict. But the wind blew against them, so 
 that they could not proceed by reason of it, 
 and as they were rowing on the sea, behold 
 the great apostle of the Lord, Peter, was 
 sailing past in a ship, being urged by a dream 
 to go to Eome, because when Paul departed 
 for Spain there had entered into Rome a 
 certain deceiver and magician, Simon by 
 name, and had broken up the church which 
 Paul had established. And, behold, as he 
 journeyed he heard a voice from heaven say- 
 ing to him, Peter, to-morrow there will meet 
 thee a ship coming from Spain ; arise, there- 
 fore, and pray for the soul that is troubled in 
 it. As soon therefore as Peter saw the ship, 
 remembering the dream, he said, Jesus, 
 that hast care for the troubled, whom the 
 tribulation of those in a strange land moves 
 to compassion, whom the weeping of those in 
 captivity made to come upon the earth, who 
 givest us at all time whatsoever we desire, and 
 never turnest away from our request, show 
 now also pity and assistance to the soul that 
 is tossed about in that ship, because thou, 
 Lord, pitiest at all time those in pain. The 
 demons then, perceiving his prayer, said to the 
 magicians. Avoid ye the course of that ship, 
 for if we meet with it, we cannot move. 
 
 XXV. But the loving God taking care for 
 Polyxena, the vessel arrived in Greece, the 
 blessed Philip being there, and having come 
 down to the shore by a vision, and there ac- 
 companied him also great multitudes of those 
 who were being taught by him. And behold 
 the vessel wherein was Polyxena appeared, 
 terribly tossed about. And the blessed Philip 
 said. Behold the vessel on account of which 
 we came down here, in which there is a soul 
 in trouble. When the vessel arrived and all 
 had disembarked upon the dry land, they lay 
 as half dead, because they had been greatly 
 
 > Psalm 142, 4. 
 
THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 213 
 
 tossed about in the sea. But the apostle 
 Philip ordered Polyxena to be lifted and 
 taken to the place where he was lodging, and 
 the rest to be looked to. But he that had 
 carried off Polyxena, recovering from the dis- 
 order of the sea, was desirous to take her 
 again, for Philip, having entrusted Polyxena 
 to one of those that were taught by him, went 
 on his way rejoicing. But he that had her 
 said, She was committed to me by a holy 
 man, and I cannot give her up to thee. He, 
 however, giving no heed to him and finding 
 there a kinsman of his, a nobleman, pre- 
 pared for war, gathering eight thousand men. 
 Polyxena, knowing this, went forth by night 
 and departed, but he that had charge of 
 Polyxena said. Taking the tunic of Philip, I 
 shall go forth alone to meet them ; but as he 
 said this it was announced to him that the 
 maid was not there. Then he, leaving all 
 thought of the war, ran into the bed-chamber, 
 and not finding the maid threw himself on 
 the ground, saying. Woe is me, wretched one, 
 that have become an enemy of Philip. What 
 shall I answer him, when he asks the maiden 
 from me ? His servants came and said to 
 him. Arise, our lord, from the ground, for 
 the forces have surrounded thy house, and the 
 maid cannot be found. He said. Leave me 
 thus to die on her account. Perhaps, even by 
 this, Philip the servant of Christ may be fully 
 satisfied, since I shall be found despising his 
 command. Then the servants, seeing that he 
 heeded them not, took counsel to flee from 
 the enemies, but again after a little, being 
 moved by the fore-knowledge of God, they 
 said. It is not right for our master to die. 
 Come, let us go forth to meet them, raising 
 the sign of the cross. Then raising the pre- 
 cious cross they went forth, about thirty men, 
 upon the enemy, and slew five thousand, and 
 the rest fled. And they returned with victory 
 to their master, praising God and saying. 
 What God is so great as our God, who has 
 not suffered his servant to be slain by the 
 wicked ? And coming upon their lord, still 
 weeping, they said to him. Arise, lord, and 
 weep not, for it befits it to be not as we will, 
 but as the Lord wills. 
 
 XXVI. Polyxena, however, going out of 
 the city, and not knowing by what way she 
 should walk, found herself in desert places of 
 the hills, and sitting down said thus with 
 tears. Woe is me, outcast and captive, that I 
 cannot find even a wild beast's den to rest in. 
 Woe is me, left desolate, that not even 
 Hades, that no one escapes, has devoured 
 me. Woe is me, who at one time showed 
 myself not even to my servants, and now dis- 
 play myself to demons. Woe is me, that I am 
 
 now made manifest to all those by whom I 
 disdained to be seen. Alas for me that 
 was formerly devoted to idols ; for this now 
 even the mercy of God has passed me in 
 silence. Whom, then, shall I call upon to 
 help me ? The God of Paul whom I have 
 constantly oiiended ? But who shall help me 
 now ? No one sees or heeds or hears my 
 groaning. Verily I shall beseech Him that 
 sees the hidden things, for who is more piti- 
 ful and compassionate than He who always 
 keeps watch over the oppressed ? But be- 
 cause my mouth is unclean and defiled, I 
 dare not ask help from Him. Would that I 
 were as one of the wild beasts that I might 
 not know what captivity is. Would that I 
 had been drowned in the sea ; perhaps hav- 
 ing received the divine baptism I should 
 have gone where no one is made captive. 
 What then shall I do, for death delays, and 
 night has come on, and there is no help any- 
 where. Having said thus, she arose and be- 
 gan to walk onwards, and passing through a 
 small defile she fell into a wood very thick 
 and large, and finding there a hollow in a 
 tree, which was the den of a lioness, she sat 
 down there, for the lioness had gone forth 
 for her food. And sitting down she said, 
 wretched begetting, grievous hour in 
 which I, unhappy one, came into this world ; 
 mother that bore me, why, foreseeing my 
 troubles and wanderings, didst thou name me 
 Polyxena ? Has any other ever fallen into 
 such tribulations and misfortunes ? Truly, 
 my sister Xanthippe, didst thou read con- 
 cerning me, unhappy one, saying, I have suf- 
 fered affliction and been utterly bowed down 
 ( — Psalm xxxviii. 6). These words thou didst 
 utter with grief, while I lay upon the couch, 
 thinking not at all of my sorrows. On this ac- 
 count I have now come into the depths of 
 evils, and pass the night in deserts like a wild 
 beast. But the beasts live with others of 
 their kind, while I am left solitary, as not 
 being of one race with mankind. 
 
 XXVII. And as she was saying these 
 words, and more than these, the morning 
 dawned, and the lioness came from her hunt- 
 ing. Polyxena, seeing the wild beast, trem- 
 bled and said. By the God of Paul, wild 
 beast, have compassion on me and tear me 
 not until I receive baptism. And the wild 
 beast, fearing the adjuration, immediately 
 went away, and standing afar ofi gazed at her. 
 And she said. Behold, the beast has obeyed 
 me ; I will also retire from its dwelling. And 
 immediately she began to journey towards 
 the east, and the beast went before her until 
 she was come out of the wood. Then Polyx- 
 ena said. What shall I give to thee in return. 
 
214 
 
 THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 beast ? The God of Paul will repay thee 
 this kindness ; and the wild beast, hearing 
 her prayer, immediately returned to its 
 place. Then she, descending, found a pub- 
 lic road, and standing on it wept, not know- 
 ing whither she should go, and though many 
 went past, she turned to none of them, but 
 said. Perchance the God of Paul will remem- 
 ber me, and whoever shall have pity upon 
 me, to him will I go. 
 
 XXVIII. As she said this, Andrew, the 
 apostle of the Lord, also came journeying to 
 that place, and as he drew near to Polyxena 
 he felt in his heart some commotion arising 
 in himself. Standing, therefore, to pray, 
 and folding his arms in the sliape of the 
 cross, he said. Lord Jesus Christ, partaker 
 of light and knower of things hidden, from 
 whom nothing on earth is hid, do unto me 
 kindness and mercy, and make clear to me 
 this commotion of heart, and calm my reason, 
 thou that makest peace always with those 
 that love peace. Then Polyxenaran to him, 
 and Andrew, the apostle of the Lord, said to 
 her, Approach me not, daughter, but tell me 
 who and whence thou art. Polyxena said. 
 My lord, I am a stranger here, but I see thy 
 face is gracious, and thy words as the words 
 of Paul, and I suppose thee to be of the same 
 God. Andrew understood that she spoke of 
 the apostle Paul, and said to her. And 
 whence dost thou know of Paul ? She said. 
 From my own country, for I left him in 
 Spain. Andrew said to her. And how hap- 
 penest thou to be here, the country being far 
 distant ? She said, Because it was thus ap- 
 pointed for me, and came to pass ; but I be- 
 seech thee and fall at thy feet, seal me, as 
 Paul seals, by the baptism of regeneration, so 
 that even I, lowly one, may be known by our 
 God, for the kind God, seeing my tribula- 
 tion and distress, sent thee to pity me. An- 
 drew, the great apostle of the Lord, said to 
 her. Let us go, daughter, where there is 
 water. 
 
 XXIX. And when they had gone no long 
 way, they came to a well most transparent 
 and pure. And as the blessed Andrew stood 
 to pray beside the well, behold a certain 
 maiden named Eebecca, of the tribe of Israel, 
 brought as a captive to that country, came 
 to draw water at the well, and seeing the 
 blessed Andrew, knew him by his appear- 
 ance. For Rebecca said. This is the appear- 
 ance of a Prophet, and this is one of the 
 apostles. And bowing down to him she said. 
 Have mercy on me, servant of the true God, 
 who am captive and sold for the third time, 
 who was once honored by prophets, and am 
 now insulted by idolaters, and recall me, 
 
 lowly one, thou that wast sent to call back 
 many sinners. Andrew, the apostle of Christ, 
 said, God will care for thee also, daughter, 
 as well as for this stranger. Therefore, receive 
 ye now baptism, and be ye as of one people, 
 glorifying God always. 
 
 XXX. Therefore the apostle standing 
 prayed, and, behold, the lioness came run- 
 ning, and stood gazing upon him. And 
 Andrew the apostle of the Lord said, "What 
 then does this beast wish? The lioness open- 
 ing her mouth spoke with a human voice, 
 Andrew, apostle of Christ, the prayer of her, 
 that stands on thy right hand, has overtaken 
 me. Therefore confirm thou and instruct 
 and admonish them in the right and true 
 faith of Christ, for they greatly desire the 
 name of the Lord. And, behold, the wonder- 
 ful condescension of God, that even on 
 irrational and untamable beasts he has 
 poured out his mercy. The blessed Andrew 
 weeping said. What shall I say or what shall I 
 speak concerning thy mercy, God, that thus 
 thou at all times cleavest to the lowly, and 
 takest care for those in ignorance, being 
 without arrogance and full of mercy? And 
 having completed the prayer he baptised the 
 maidens in the name of the Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghost. Then the lioness immediately 
 set ofE to the mountain, and the Apostle 
 Andrew said to the maidens, Be zealous, 
 daughters, to be of good repute before God 
 by living well in a strange land, and separate 
 not from each other, and God, that is always 
 present to those that call upon him, keep you 
 in holiness, driving away from you the Evil 
 One. And pray ye also for me. Polyxena 
 said, "We will follow thee whithersoever thou 
 goest. The Apostle Andrew said. This was 
 not made known to me by the Lord, daugh- 
 ters; therefore remain with peace, hoping in 
 the Lord, and he will preserve you to the 
 end. 
 
 XXXI. And Andrew went his way re- 
 joicing and glorifying God. Then said 
 Polyxena, Whither shall we go, sister? 
 Rebecca said. Let us depart whither thou 
 wilt, lest my mistress send and separate us. 
 Polyxena said. Come, let us depart into the 
 mountain to the lioness. Rebecca said. It is 
 indeed better for us to live with wild beasts 
 and perish of hunger than to be compelled by 
 Greeks and idolaters to fall into the filth of 
 marriage. So they began to journey, and, 
 behold, by the providence of God, they met a 
 man driving asses, who seeing them said. Ye 
 are not of this country, and, as I see, ye wear 
 not its dress. Command therefore of your 
 servant to eat bread and receive one piece of 
 silver that ye may remember your servant 
 
THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 215 
 
 when ye buy bread. And he made haste and 
 took the sacks off his asses and spread them 
 on the ground, and made the maidens to sit 
 upon them and said to them, Seeing that the 
 wme which your servant carries is gathered 
 by Greeks, tell me of what faith ye are, that 
 thus we may taste of it. Polyxena said. We, 
 brother, taste no wine, and are of the God of 
 Paul. The ass-driver said. Is this God upon 
 earth ? Polyxena said to him, God is every- 
 where, both in heaven and on earth. The 
 ass-driver, being desirous to learn clearly, 
 said. Does this Paul then have the same God 
 that is preached by Philip? Polyxena, learn- 
 ing that he was a Christian, said. Yea, brother, 
 this is the God of all, whom Paul and Philip 
 preach. 
 
 XXXII. The ass-driver hearing this wept 
 unceasingly, and Polyxena said. Has then the 
 providence of God overtaken thee, that thou 
 weepest thus? The ass-driver said, If thou 
 art desirous to learn wherefore I weep, hear 
 the truth, for one ought not to grudge to 
 tell the things of Christ. I was a disciple of 
 Philip, the apostle of Christ, and seeing how 
 all his thought was towards the poor, I took 
 all that I had and sold it. And taking the 
 price, I bought bread and wine, and divided 
 them throughout the cities to those that had 
 need, when therefore I had done this for 
 some time in the neighbouring city, a certain 
 maimed person cried out, saying (though it 
 was not himself that spoke, but Satan 
 through his mouth), I desire nothing, I take 
 nothing from thee, because thou art a Chris- 
 tian. Then the whole city arose against me 
 and sought to take me, but some ran one way 
 and some another, while I go through their 
 midst and no one sees me. And issuing 
 from the city I gave praise and glory to God 
 that thus I had been rewarded, and I prayed 
 to my God that I should meet some one 
 who knew his all-holy name, so that relating 
 these things I might obtain relief. For the 
 men of this country will not hear at all con- 
 cerning Christ, being full of impiety and 
 filled with wickedness. I exhort you there- 
 fore, take ye also one coin from me, and if it 
 seem good, take ye rest also upon the asses. 
 Polyxena said, Mayest thou obtain mercy 
 from God, brother. But if thou wilt receive 
 a full reward, save us as far as the sea, so 
 that, if God wills, we may sail for Spain. 
 
 XXXIII. The ass-driver, as if commanded 
 by the voice of God, eagerly receiving the 
 maidens, went on his way rejoicing in the 
 Lord. And he said to Poljxena, Alter thy 
 appearance to that of a man, lest for thy 
 beauty's sake some one snatch thee away 
 from me. And coming to an inn, they 
 
 stayed there, and on the morrow they went 
 forward taking heed to the way. And behold 
 there came past a certain prefect journeying 
 to Greece, who seeing the maidens ordered 
 Polyxena to be carried off on his chariot. 
 Then the ass-driver followed, crying and say- 
 ing, A prefect does violence to none. Why 
 do ye this? Then they beat him and drove 
 him away. 
 
 XXXIV. And he going on his way 
 lamented, saying. Woe is me, wretched and 
 abominable one. Woe is me that thought to 
 do good, but now I have wrought mischief. 
 AVoe is me that my trouble and my running 
 were unacceptable. Would that I had died 
 before yesterday, that I might not have met 
 with these maidens at all. But why troublest 
 thou me, wretched soul? Let us go to 
 Philip the apostle of God. If there is not 
 forgiveness for me, it is better for me to 
 choose death in whatsoever fashion than to 
 live with such evil and bitter conscience. 
 So he went and found Philip the apostle of 
 Christ, and said to him, disciple and 
 preacher of Christ, thus and thus it has hap- 
 pened to me and befallen me. Has my soul 
 salvation? Philip the apostle of Christ said. 
 Be not distressed concerning this, my son, it 
 is impossible for them to be dishonoured, see- 
 ing that no one ever overcomes God; for this 
 same Polyxena, when she first came from the 
 sea, I entrusted to a certain brother, who also 
 was greatly distressed because of her running 
 away secretly from his house. Him also I 
 persuaded not to grieve, for through her 
 tribulation and wanderings many shall know 
 God. 
 
 XXXV. The prefect therefore carried 
 Polyxena to the city where he stayed, and 
 ordered her to be shut up in a chamber. 
 And one of the soldiers seized Rebecca, but 
 the maid secretly escaping fled into the 
 house of an old woman, who received the 
 maiden kindly and entreated her well. And 
 sitting down she wept, saying, Alas, my sis- 
 ter Polyxena, I wretched one did not think 
 that anyone was oppressed like myself, but 
 now I am persuaded and know that all my 
 misfortunes and tribulations do not compare 
 with one day of thine. And most grievous 
 of all, behold I have been separated from 
 thee and am again a captive, but do thou 
 search for me even into the next world, my 
 sister Polyxena. The old woman said to 
 her, What ails thee, daughter, that thou 
 weepest thus bitterly ? Eebecca said. Suffer 
 me, mother, to be distressed and to lament 
 the great and incurable pain of my heart. 
 The old woman greatly compassionating her 
 wept exceedingly, for the maid had told her 
 
216 
 
 THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 all that had happened to her, and how 
 through Polyxena she had believed in Christ. 
 So too Polyxena, shnt up in the chamber, 
 said. Woe is me, wretched one ; alas for me 
 miserable one ; now I know clearly how the 
 devil hates virginity, but Lord Jesus 
 Christ, God of all, since I dare not beseech 
 thee of myself, I bring to thee the prayers of 
 thy holy preacher Paul, that thou mayst not 
 suffer my virginity to be destroyed by any 
 one. 
 
 XXXVI. And as she was yet praying, the 
 attendants came to lead her to the couch of 
 the prefect. But Polyxena said to them. 
 Brethren, make not haste to any one's de- 
 struction, for this time shall quickly pass 
 away, and they that work together with the 
 destroyers shall perish with them. Rather 
 assist strangers, that ye be not found stran- 
 gers to the angels of God. The men, being 
 shamed by these words, went to the prefect 
 and said, Tlie maid from fear is seized with 
 a violent fever. And the prefect said. Let 
 her alone. And, behold, the son of the pre- 
 fect came to Polyxena by night, and she see- 
 ing him was afraid, but the youth said to 
 her. Pear not, girl. I seek not to be wedded 
 with thee as the bridegroom of destruction, 
 for I know from thy prayer that thou art the 
 bride of the God of heaven. I know this 
 God who is never overcome by any one, for a 
 certain man of glorious countenance lately in 
 Antioch preached this God, and a certain 
 maid, whose name was Thecla, believing him 
 followed him, and encountered dangers on 
 account of her beauty, of whom I have heard 
 that she was condemned to the wild beasts. 
 I therefore continually gazed upon the man, 
 and he having observed me said to me, God 
 give heed to thee, my son. Prom that time 
 therefore by the grace of Christ I have not 
 gone into the sacrifices of idols, but some- 
 times feigning illness and sometimes involv- 
 ing myself in some business, my father said 
 to me. Because thon hast no zeal for the sac- 
 rifices of the gods, therefore neither art thou 
 in health, not being worthy of the gods. But 
 I rejoiced, hearing that I was not worthy of 
 the sacrifices to idols ; and, by the grace of 
 God, art thon come hither as a providence to 
 me. Polyxena said. And what is the name 
 of that man ? The youth said, Paul is his 
 name. Polyxena said. He is in my city. 
 The youth said. Come then, girl, put on my 
 appearance, and go down to the shore and 
 wait me there ; I having taken money will 
 come quickly. 
 
 XXXVII. And one of the servants over- 
 hearing them told all this to the prefect, who 
 being filled with great anger condemned 
 
 them to be east to the wild beasts. And 
 when they were cast into the arena, a fierce 
 lioness was let loose upon them, which ran 
 and embraced the feet of Polyxena, and 
 licked the soles of her feet. Then the pre- 
 fect and all the city, seeing this fearful and 
 wonderful sight, gave praise and glory to the 
 merciful God, saying. Of a truth thou art, 
 and he, that is named by Polyxena, alone is 
 God, for the gods of the heathen are the 
 works of men's hands, unable to save or as- 
 sist any one. Let them perish now, both 
 themselves and their makers. And the pre- 
 fect straightway taking his son and Polyxena 
 into the palace, heard from them in order 
 the faith and religion in Christ without 
 omission, and he and all in the city believed, 
 and there was great joy and giving of glory 
 to God. And Polyxena said to the prefect, 
 Be of good cheer, my lord, for the man of 
 God will quickly come, who will perfectly 
 teach, exhort, instruct, and enlighten you in 
 the knowledge of Christ. She however pre- 
 pared in all haste to depart into Spain. 
 
 XXXVIII. And as I, Onesimus, was sail- 
 ing into Spain to Paul, I received from the 
 Lord a revelation saying to me, Onesimus, 
 the vessel in which thou now art will land in 
 the parts of Greece, and thou wilt find on 
 the shore of the harbour two maids and one 
 youth. Assist them and take them to Paul. 
 "When we reached this place according to the 
 command of the Lord, we found the maids 
 together with the youth seeking a vessel. 
 When the maids saw us therefore, they knew 
 that we were of the hope of Christ, and 
 Polyxena running to us said, Verily the man 
 of God cannot be concealed, for the grace 
 and kindliness of his countenance makes him 
 manifest. And when we sought to sail away, 
 the sea was troubled by the providence of 
 God. And there was with us a disciple of 
 Paul, by name Lucius, capable in word to 
 teach the city. Therefore we remained 
 seven days, and God opened to that place a 
 great door of faith, and twenty thousand be- 
 lieved, and there was great joy and rejoicing 
 in all the city. And when the season was 
 favourable for us to sail the prefect again 
 constrained us, and we stayed another seven 
 days, until all believed and rejoiced in the 
 Lord. 
 
 XXXIX. Thus now by the fore-knowledge 
 of Christ, the prefect sent us away with sup- 
 plies for the voyage, sending also his son with 
 us. And when we had sailed twenty days, 
 Polyxena was greatly exhausted, and we 
 touched at a certain island for the sake of 
 rest. And behold, certain fierce, and hard- 
 ened men, coming down to us and seeing 
 
THE ACTS OP XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA. 
 
 317 
 
 Polyxena, prepared for battle ; but by the 
 grace of Christ our men defended Polyxena 
 and vanquished them, although the strangers 
 were more numerous and more powerful. 
 Polyxena therefore fearing again to become a 
 captive threw herself into the sea ; but the 
 pilot dragged her out, having suffered no 
 harm. Then we embarked in the vessel and 
 fled, for the places were rough and wooded, 
 and we were afraid to remain, and in twelve 
 days we arrived in Spain, by the grace of 
 God. 
 
 XL._ And Paul seeing us rejoiced greatly, 
 and said. Welcome ye that have been troub- 
 led. And Polyxena, laying hold of his feet, 
 said. It may be that this trouble came upon 
 me because I would have blasphemed thee, 
 but now I beseech and entreat that I may not 
 again be delivered into such troubles and 
 misfortunes. And Paul said, weeping. Thus 
 must we be troubled, my daughter, that we 
 may know our defender, Jesus Christ. 
 
 XLI. And while we were giving the letters 
 of the brethren to Paul, one ran and told 
 Xanthippe of the arrival of Polyxena. And 
 she made haste and came to us, and seeing 
 Polyxena, was overcome by an unspeakable 
 joy and fell to the ground ; but Polyxena 
 
 embracing her and caressing her for a long 
 time brought her back to life. Then Xan- 
 thippe said to her, I, my true sister Polyxena, 
 went not forth at all for forty days, praying 
 much for thee to the loving God, that thy 
 virginity might not be taken away. And 
 Paul, the preacher of God, said to me. Her 
 virginity will not be taken away, and she will 
 come quickly. And Probus said to me. It 
 was assigned to her by God to be thus af- 
 flicted. Seest thou how by many devices 
 God saves many ? But now, my beloved 
 sister, having unexpectedly seen thy face, 
 now I shall willingly die. 
 
 XLII. Then he who had carried her away 
 came up again and sought for Polyxena, but 
 the great Paul persuaded him to refrain from 
 her, and he also believed and was baptised by 
 Paul, as also the suitor of Polyxena believed, 
 and there was great joy in all that city of 
 Spain for the recovery of Polyxena. Prom 
 that time forward she left not at all the 
 blessed Paul in her fear of temptations. These 
 things then being thus, all rejoiced in the 
 Lord, glorifying Pather, Son and Holy 
 Ghost, one God, to whom is glory and power, 
 now and ever and to all eternity. Amen. 
 
THE NARRATIVE OF ZOSIMUS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Greek text of this work is printed for the first time in the same part of " Texts and 
 Studies " as the Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena. The sources for it are two manuscripts — 
 one in Paris, belonging to the twelfth century, and the other in Oxford, dating from the 
 fifteenth or sixteenth. The latter, however, only extends to the close of c. viii., the copy 
 used by the scribe having been imperfect. There are versions of the work in Slavonic, 
 Syriac, Ethiopic, and Arabic ; in the former of these the Blessed Ones are called the 
 Brachmani. 
 
 Prom two passages in the poems of Commodian (c. 350 a.d.) it would seem that the 
 work was known in his day, and the canon of Nicephorus (c. 850 a.d.) places it among 
 certain ajjocryphal books which are to be rejected. At the same time, it is doubtful 
 whether, in its present form, it can be put as far back as the earlier of these dates. 
 
 It professes to be the account of a visit to the Makares, or Blessed Ones, given by a her- 
 mit, Zosimus, who was privileged to visit them. For forty years he had abstained from 
 bread and wine and from seeing the face of man, always praying to be permitted to see the 
 life of the Blessed. A¥ith the second chapter the narrative begins in the first person, and is 
 continued in this up to c. xxi., just where the angels come to receive the soul of Zosimus, 
 and the work is then finished off by one of the hermits who were present at his last 
 moments. 
 
 While the style is inelegant and sometimes obscure, the matter of the book is very inter- 
 esting, and shows considerable powers of imagination. The land of the Blessed is reached 
 by means of a camel, which comes from the desert, and then by a storm of wind, which 
 carries Zosimus along with it. He is addressed by the river to which he comes, as well as by 
 the wall of cloud which rises above it, and is finally lifted across it by two trees. The origin 
 of the Blessed Ones is noteworthy, as connecting the story with early literature on the Lost 
 Tribes. They are the descendants of Ecchab in the days of Jeremiah the prophet, who, for 
 refusing to give up their observances, are cast into prison by the king. From this they are 
 delivered by an angel, and brought to the place they now inhabit, — a level land covered with 
 flowers, — a view of Paradise which continues all through the Middle Ages. The chapters 
 (x.-xv.) in which the Blessed describe their life and death are of special merit, and form the 
 best part of the whole. In striking contrast to its lofty tone is the appearance of Satan with 
 his 1360 demons, whom Zosimus finally overcomes and drives away. 
 
 To the various accounts of the Earthly Paradise, the story of Zosimus_ forms an impor- 
 tant addition ; on these it may, either directly or indirectly, have had considerable influence, 
 although the difficulty of assigning a definite date to it makes this very uncertain. 
 
THE NARRATIVE OF ZOSIMUS CONCERNING 
 THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED. 
 
 I. AboTit that time there was in the desert 
 a certain man named Zosimns, who for forty 
 years ate no bread, and drank no wine, and 
 saw not the face of man. This man was en- 
 treating God that he might see the way of 
 life of the blessed, and behold an angel of 
 the Lord was sent saying to him, Zosimus, 
 man of God, behold 1 am sent by the Most 
 High, the God of all, to tell thee that thou 
 shalt journey to the blessed, but shalt not 
 dwell with them. But exalt not thy heart, 
 saying. For forty years I have not eaten 
 bread, for the word of God is more than 
 bread, and the spirit of God is more than 
 wine. And as for thy saying, I have not 
 seen the face of man, behold the face of the 
 great king is nigh thee. Zosimus said, I 
 know that the Lord can do whatsoever he 
 will. The angel said to him. Know this 
 also, that thou art not worthy of one of 
 their delights, but arise and set out. 
 
 II. And I, Zosimus, issuing from my cave 
 with God leading me, set out not knowing 
 T/hich way I went, and after I had travelled 
 forty days my spirit grew faint and my body 
 failed, and being exhausted I sat down, and 
 continued praying in that place for three 
 days. And, behold, there came a beast from 
 the desert, whose name is the camel, and 
 placing its knees on the ground, it received 
 me upon its neck and we;it into the desert 
 and set me down. There there was much 
 howling of wild beasts, and gnashing of 
 teeth, and deadly poison. And becoming 
 afraid, I prayed to the Lord, and there came 
 in that place a great earthquake with noise, 
 and a storm of wind blew and lifted me from 
 the earth, and exalted me on its wing, and I 
 was praying and journeying till it set me upon 
 a place beside a river, and the name of the 
 river is Eumgles. And behold when I desired 
 to cross the river, some one cried as if from 
 the water, saying, Zosimus, man of God, thou 
 canst not pass through me, for no man can 
 divide my waters : but look up from the 
 waters to the heaven. And looking up I 
 
 saw a wall of cloud stretching from the 
 waters to the heaven, and the cloud said, 
 Zosimus, man of God, through me no bird 
 passes out of this world, nor breath of wind, 
 nor the sun itself, nor can the tempter in 
 this world pass through me. 
 
 III. And I was astonished at these words, 
 and at the voice that spake these things 
 to me. And as I prayed, behold two trees 
 sprang up out of the earth, fair and beauti- 
 ful, laden with fragrant fruits. And the 
 tree ou this side bent down and received me 
 on its top, and was lifted up exceedingly 
 above the middle of the river, and the other 
 tree met me and received me in its branches 
 and bending down set me on the ground ; 
 and both trees were lifted up and set me 
 away from the river on the other side. In 
 that place I rested three days, and arising 
 again I went forward, Avhither I knew not, 
 and that place was filled with much fra- 
 grance, and there was no mountain on either 
 hand, but the place v/as level and flowery, 
 all crowned with garlands, and all the land 
 beautiful. 
 
 IV. And I saw there a naked man sitting, 
 and said in myself, Surely this is not the 
 tempter. And I remembered the voice of 
 the cloud that it said to me, Not even the 
 tempter in this world passes through me. 
 And thus taking courage I said to him, 
 Hail, brother. And he answering said to 
 me. The grace of my God be with thee. 
 Again I said to him. Tell me, man of God, 
 who thou art ? He answered and said to 
 me. Who art thou rather ? And I answered 
 and told him all concerning myself, and that 
 I had prayed to God and he had brought me 
 into that place. He answered and said to 
 me, I also know that thou art a man of God, 
 for if not, thou couldst not have passed 
 through the cloud and the river and the air. 
 For the breadth of the river is about thirty 
 thousand paces, and the cloud reaches to 
 heaven, and the depth of the river to the 
 abyss. 
 
THE NAERATIVE OF ZOSIMUS. 
 
 221 
 
 V. And having ended this discourse the 
 man spoke again. Hast thou come hither 
 out of the vanity of the world ? I said to 
 him. Wherefore art thou naked ? He said. 
 How knowest thou that I am naked ? Thou 
 wearest skins of the cattle of the earth, 
 that decay together with thy body, but 
 look up to the height of heaven and behold 
 of what nature my clothing is. And look- 
 ing up into heaven I saw his face as the face 
 of an angel, and his clothing as lightning, 
 which passes from the east to the west, and I 
 was greatly afraid, thinking that it was the 
 son of God, and trembled, falling upon the 
 ground. And giving me his hand he raised 
 me up, saying. Arise, I also am one of the 
 blessed. Oome with me, that I may lead 
 thee to the elders. And laying hold of my 
 hand he walked about with me and led me 
 toward a certain crowd, and there were in 
 that crowd elders like sons of God, and 
 young men were standing beside the elders. 
 And as I came near to them, they said. This 
 man has come hither out of the vanity of the 
 world ; come, let us beseech the Lord and he 
 will reveal to us this mystery. Surely the 
 end is not at hand, that the man of vanity is 
 come hither? Then they arose and besought 
 the Lord with one accord, and behold two 
 angels came down from heaven and said. 
 Fear not the man, for God has sent him, 
 that he may remain seven days and learn 
 your ways of life, and then he shall go forth 
 and depart to his own place. The angels of 
 God having said this ascended into heaven 
 before our eyes. 
 
 VI. Then the elders of the blessed gave 
 me over to one of the attendants, saying. 
 Keep him for seven days. So the attendant 
 receiving me led me to his cave, and we sat 
 under a tree partaking of food. For from 
 the sixth hour even to the sixth, then we ate, 
 
 . and the water came out from the root of the 
 tree sweeter than honey, and we drank our 
 fill, and again the water sank down into its 
 place. And all the country of those there 
 heard of me, that there had come thither a 
 man out of the vanity of the world, and all the 
 country was stirred up, and they came to see 
 me because it seemed strange to them. There- 
 fore they were asking me all things and I was 
 answering them, and I became faint in spirit 
 and in body, and besought the man of God 
 that served me, and said, I beseech thee, 
 brother, if any come to see me, tell them 
 He is not here, so that I may rest a little. 
 And the man of God cried out saying. Woe 
 is me, that the story of Adam is summed up 
 in me, for Satan deceived him through Eve, 
 and this man by his flattery desires to make 
 
 me a liar while he is here. Take me away 
 from hence, for I shall flee from the place. 
 For behold he wishes to sow in me seeds of 
 the world of vanity. And all the multitude 
 and the elders rose up against me, and said. 
 Depart from us, man; we know not whence 
 thou art come to us. But I lamented with 
 great lamentation, and my senses left me, 
 and I cried out to the elders, saying. For- 
 give me, my lords, and the elders stilled 
 them and made quietness. Then I related 
 to them all from the beginning till that time, 
 and said, I besought the Lord to come to you, 
 and he deemed me worthy. And the elders 
 said. And now what wilt thou we should do 
 to thee ? I said to them, I desire to learn of 
 you your way of life. 
 
 VII. And they rejoiced with great joy, 
 and taking up tables of stone they wrote on 
 them with their nails, thus. Hear, ye sons of 
 men, hear ye us who are become blessed, 
 that we also are of you ; for when the prophet 
 Jeremiah proclaimed that the city of Jerusa- 
 lem should be delivered into the hands of the 
 destroyers, he rent his garments, and put 
 sackcloth upon his loins, and sprinkled dust 
 upon his head, and took earth upon his bed, 
 and told all the people to turn from their 
 wicked way. And our father Eechab, the 
 son of Aminadab, heard him and said to us, 
 Ye sons and daiTghters of Eechab, hearken to 
 your father, and put off your garments from 
 your body, and drink no vessel of wine, and 
 eat no bread from the fire, and drink not 
 strong drink and honey until the Lord hear 
 your entreaty. And we said. All that he has 
 commanded us we shall do and hearken. So 
 we cast away our clothing from our bodies, 
 and we ate no bread from the fire, and drank 
 no vessel of wine nor honey nor strong drink, 
 and we lamented with a great lamentation 
 and besought the Lord, and he heard our 
 prayer and turned away his anger from the 
 city of Jerusalem, and there came to the 
 city of Jerusalem mercy from the Lord, and 
 he pitied its people, and turned away his 
 deadly anger. 
 
 VIII. And after these things the king of 
 the city of Jerusalem died, and there arose 
 another king. And all the people gathered 
 to him and informed him concerning us, and 
 said. There are certain of thy people, who 
 have changed their way from us. Therefore 
 the king summoned them, and asked them 
 wherefore they had done this ; and he sent 
 for us and asked, Who are ye and of what 
 worship and of what country ? And we said 
 to him, We are the sons of thy servant, and 
 our father is Eechab the son of Jonadab, and 
 when Jeremiah the prophet preached in the 
 
223 
 
 THE NARRATIVE OP ZOSMUS. 
 
 days of thy father the king, he proclaimed 
 death to the city of Jerusalem, saying, Yet 
 three days and all the city shall be put to 
 death. And the king thy father hearing 
 this repented of his sins, and issued a com- 
 mand to all to turn aside from their wicked 
 way. And our father thy servant hearing it 
 charged us, saying. Drink no vessel of wine, 
 and eat no bread from the fire, until the 
 Lord shall hear your , entreaty. And we 
 hearkened to the commandment of our father, 
 and made naked our bodies, we drank no 
 wine and ate no bread, and we prayed to the 
 Lord for the city of Jerusalem, and the Lord 
 pitied his people and turned away his anger, 
 and we saw it and our soul was rejoiced, and 
 we said. It is good for us to be so. 
 
 IX. And the king said to us. Ye have done 
 well. Now therefore mingle with my people, 
 and eat bread and drink wine, and glorify 
 your Lord, and ye shall be serving God and 
 the king. But we said, We v<-ill not disobey 
 God. Then the king was enraged and set us 
 in prison, and we passed that night there. 
 And behold a light shone in the building, 
 and an angel uncovered the prison and laid 
 hold of the crowns of our heads, and took us 
 out of the prison, and set us beside the water 
 of the river, and said to us, Whithersoever 
 the water goes, go ye also. And we travelled 
 with the water and with the angel. When 
 therefore he had brought us to this place, 
 the river was dried up and the water was 
 swallowed up by the abyss, and he made a 
 wall round this country, and there came a 
 wall of cloud, and shadowed above the water ; 
 and he did not scatter us over all the earth, 
 but gave to us this country. 
 
 X. Hear, ye sons of men, hear the way of 
 life of the blessed. For God placed us in 
 this land, for we are holy but not immortal. 
 For the earth produces most fragrant fruit, 
 and out of the trunks of the trees comes 
 water sweeter than honey, and these are our 
 food and drink. We are also praying night 
 and day, and this is all our occiipation. 
 Hear, ye sons of men ; with us there is no 
 vine, nor ploughed field, nor works of wood 
 or iron, nor have we any house or building, 
 nor fire nor sword, nor iron wrought or 
 unwrought, nor silver nor gold, nor air too 
 heavy or too keen. Neither do any of us 
 take to themselves wives, except for so long 
 as to beget two children, and after they have 
 produced two children they withdraw from 
 each other and continue in chastity, not know- 
 ing that they were ever in the intercourse 
 of marriage, but being in virginity as from 
 the beginning. And the one child remains 
 for marriage, and the other for virginity. 
 
 XI. And there is no count of time, neither 
 weeks nor months nor years, for all our day 
 is one day. In our caves lie the leaves of 
 trees, and this is our couch under the trees. 
 But we are not naked of body, as ye wrongly 
 imagine, for we have the garment of im- 
 mortality and are not ashamed of each other. 
 At the sixth hour of every day we eat, for 
 the fruit of the tree falls of itself at the 
 sixth hour, and we eat and drink our fill, 
 and again the water sinks into its place. 
 We also know you who are there in the 
 world, and who are in sins, and your works, 
 for every day the angels of the Lord come 
 and tell them to us, and the number of your 
 years. But we pray for you to the Lord, 
 because we also are of you and of your race, 
 except that God has chosen us, and has set 
 us in this place without sin. And the angels 
 of God dwell with us every day, and tell us 
 all things concerning you, and we rejoice 
 with the angels over the works of the just, 
 but over the Vi^orks of sinners we mourn and 
 lament, praying to the Lord that he may 
 cease from his anger and spare your ofEences. 
 
 XII. But when the time of the forty days 
 comes, all the trees cease from their fruits, 
 and the manna that he gave to our fathers 
 rains down from heaven, and the manna is 
 sweeter than honey. Thus we know that the 
 season of the year is changed. But when 
 the time of the holy passover comes, then 
 again the trees put forth fragrant fruit, and 
 thus we know that it is tlie beginning of the 
 year. But the feast of the resurrection of 
 the Lord is performed with much watching, 
 for we continue watching for three days and 
 three nights. 
 
 XIII. We know also the time of our end, 
 for we have no torment nor disease nor pain 
 in our bodies, nor exhaustion nor weakness, 
 but peace and great patience and love. For 
 our soul is not troubled by the angels to go 
 forth, for the angels rejoice when they re- 
 ceive our souls, and the souls also rejoice 
 with the angels when they behold them ; as 
 a bride receives the bridegroom, so our soul 
 receives the announcement of the holy an- 
 gels, saying nothing more than only this, 
 The Lord calls thee. Then the soul quits 
 the body and goes to the angels, and the an- 
 gels seeing the soul coming forth spotless re- 
 joice, and spreading out their robes receive 
 it. Then the angels call it blessed, saying, 
 Blessed art thou, soul, because the will of 
 the Lord is fulfilled in thee. 
 
 XIV. The time of our life is this. If one 
 quits the body in his youth, the days of his 
 life here are three hundred and sixty years, 
 and he that quits the body in old age, the 
 
THE NARRATIVE OP ZOSIMUS. 
 
 223 
 
 days of his life here are six hundred and 
 eighty-eight years. And the day of our 
 completion is made known to us by the an- 
 gels, and when the angels of God come to 
 take ns, we go with them, and the elders, see- 
 ing the angels, gather together all the people 
 and we depart together with the angels, sing- 
 ing psalms, until the angels arrive at the 
 place of our abode. And because we have 
 no tools, the angels of God themselves make 
 the grave for our body, and thus he that is 
 called by God goes down, and all salute him 
 from small to great, sending him on his 
 way and bidding him farewell. Then tlie 
 soul quits the body and the angels receive it, 
 but we see the shape of the soul as a shape 
 of light, perfect in all the body apart from 
 the distinction of male and female. 
 
 XV. Then the angels taking it up sing a 
 song and hymn, making melody to God, and 
 again other troops of angels come in haste to 
 meet them, saluting the soul that is coming 
 and entering into the firmaments. And 
 when it has come to the place where it is to 
 worship God, the son of God himself, together 
 with the angels, receives the soul of the bless- 
 ed one and bears it to the undefiled father of 
 the ages, and again, when the angels sing 
 above, we being below listen to them, and 
 again we sing and they listen in heaven 
 above, and thus between us and the angels 
 there arises a giving of praise in hymns. 
 But when the soul of the blessed one, falling 
 upon its face, worships the Lord, then we 
 also falling down worship the Lord in that 
 same hour, and when the Lord raises it up 
 then we also arise ; and when it goes to its 
 appointed place, we also go into the church, 
 fulfilling the eucharist of the Lord. 
 
 Having written these things, and all the 
 life of the blessed, we gave them to our 
 brother Zosimus, and escorted him as far as 
 the place of trees beside the river Eumeles. 
 
 XVI. And I, Zosimus, besought again the 
 blessed ones to make entreaty for me to the 
 Lord that the trees might receive me to take 
 me across. And they all cried to the Lord 
 and said, God that hast shown us thy mar- 
 vels and hast made thy servant Zosimus to 
 come to us out of the world of vanity, set 
 him again in his own place with peace, and 
 command these trees to bow down and take 
 up thy servant and set him on the further 
 side. And as they finished their prayer, the 
 trees straightway bent down before them, 
 and received me as on the second day before ; 
 and being set on the other side of the river I 
 cried with a loud voice and said. Men of 
 righteousness, who are brothers of the holy 
 angels, grant me your prayer in peace, for 
 
 behold I depart from you. And making 
 prayer they all cried out, saying. Peace, 
 peace be with you, brother. 
 
 XVII. Then I prayed to the Lord, and 
 there came to me a storm of wind, and re- 
 ceived me upon its wings, and carried me to 
 the place where it found me sitting, and left 
 me there in peace. And raising its voice 
 the wind said to me. Blessed art thou, Zosi- 
 mus, that thou hast been numbered with the 
 blessed. And the beast from the desert, 
 whose name is the camel, came and received 
 me upon its neck and carried me eighty and 
 five stations, and set me in the place where 
 it found me praying, and left me in peace, 
 crying and saying. Blessed art thou, Zosimus, 
 that thou hast been numbered with the 
 blessed. 
 
 XVIII. But seeing me thus praised, Satan 
 desired to tempt me and throw his dart at 
 me from his station, but an angel of God 
 came and said to me, Zosimus, behold Satan 
 is coming to tempt thee, but the Lord will 
 fight for thee, for the glory of thy faith must 
 bind * Satan. And an angel of God appeared, 
 crying and saying. Welcome, blessed one of 
 Christ. Come and I shall lead thee to the 
 cave that is the dwelling-place of thy body, 
 for thy cave shall be a testimony of the des- 
 ert, a healing of the sick that come to it, a 
 place of trial and touch-stone of demons. 
 And laying hold of my hand he strength- 
 ened me, and led me for forty days to the 
 cave where I had dwelt. And there was 
 there a table of righteousness, and I spent the 
 night with the angels of God. And I placed 
 the tablets that were given me by the holy 
 blessed ones on the step of the altar in my 
 cave. 
 
 XIX. And, behold, when the angels of God 
 ascended, the Devil came, having a fierce 
 shape, and possessed with anger and gall, 
 and said to me, I knew that God would do 
 with thee as with the blessed ones, and that 
 they shall be free from sin and be above the 
 angels, and therefore I brought in an evil 
 desig-n, and entered into the vessel of the 
 serpent, an evil-doer added to evil-doer. And 
 by this I made the first man Adam to trans- 
 gress and taste of the tree of life, since God 
 had commanded him not to eat of it, that he 
 might remain equal in glory to God and the 
 holy angels ; and thou again hast gone and 
 brought this commandment, but now that 
 they may not be without sin, I shall show 
 thee how I shall destroy thee and all those 
 that receive this commandment, so that they 
 may not be without sin, and the book that 
 th ou hast brought. 
 
 > Text corrupt ; " bind" is conjectural. 
 
234 
 
 TIIE NAEEATIVE OF ZOSIMUS. 
 
 XX. Saying these things the Devil de- 
 parted from me, and after eight days he 
 brought with him one thousand three hun- 
 dred and sixty demons, and dragged me from 
 the cave as I prayed, and they beat me, tos- 
 sing me about between them, for forty days. 
 And after the forty days the devil lamented 
 before me and said, "Woe is me that througli 
 one man I have lost the world, for he has 
 vanquished me by his prayer. And he began 
 to run from me, but I laying hold of him 
 stayed him and said. Thou shalt not run away 
 and flee from me until thou swearest to me 
 never again to tempt man. And lamenting 
 with great and violent lamentation he swore 
 to me by the firmament of heaven. So long as 
 thy dwelling is here, and after thee, I will not 
 come upon this place. Then I let him go, 
 sending him and the demons with him into 
 eternal fire. Then the angel came, who had 
 companied with me at the table, and led me 
 into my cave with great glory. 
 
 XXi. After this I lived thirty-six years, 
 and communicated the way of life of the 
 blessed to the fathers in the desert. But the 
 Devil wept because of the tables of the life of 
 the blessed, saying, If this get abroad in the 
 
 world, I shall be mocked, and these will 
 remain without sin and I alone in folly. And 
 after the completion of the thirty-six years, 
 the angels of God came to me as to the 
 blessed. 
 
 And all the monks were gathered together 
 and all who heard it, and this testament was 
 read to all of them, and in such life he gave 
 up his soul to God. 
 
 XXII. And I, Cryseos,' being one of those 
 in the desert, spread it abroad and gave it to 
 all that were willing to learn it and profit by 
 it. Therefore the angels of God helped to 
 bury the body of Zosimus as a precious gift, 
 and we saw the soul of the blessed one shining 
 seven times brighter than the sun. And 
 straightway upon that place there came up 
 seven palm-trees and overshadowed the cave. 
 There came up also a fountain of water in 
 that place, holy water, and unto this day a 
 healing and salvation to all the sick that come 
 to it. Peace be to all that have heard the 
 memorial of the holy Zosimus ; the Lord is 
 the advocate and helper of all to the endless 
 ages of ages. Amen. 
 
 ' The name is corrupt 
 
fyiuH /tLlL 
 
THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 Reprinted from the translation given in the ist vol. of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Completed and 
 revised from a manuscript discovered after the publication of that volume. 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. JOHN KEITH, B.D. 
 
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE TO 1st CLEMENT. 
 
 \^From Vol. I. of the Ante-Nicene Fathers.] 
 
 The first Epistle, bearing the name of Clement, has been preserved to ns in a single 
 manuscript only. Though very frequently referred to by ancient Christian writers, it 
 remained unknown to the scholars of Western Europe until happily discovered in the Alex- 
 andrian manuscript. This MS. of the sacred Scriptures (known and generally referred to as 
 Codex A) was presented in 1638 by Cyril, Patriarch of Constantinople, to Charles I., and is 
 now preserved in the British Museum. Subjoined to the books of the New Testament con- 
 tained in it, there are two writings described as the Epistles of one Clement. Of these, that 
 now before us is the first. It is tolerably perfect, but there are many slight lacunm, or 
 gaps, in the MS., and one whole leaf is supposed to have been lost towards the close. These 
 lacuncB, however, so numerous in some chapters, do not generally extend beyond a word or 
 syllable, and can for the most part be easily supplied. 
 
 Who the Clement was to whom these writings are ascribed, cannot with absolute cer- 
 tainty be determined. The general opinion is, that he is the same as the person of that 
 name referred to by St. Paul (Phil. iv. 3). The writings themselves contain no statement 
 as to their author. The first, and by far the longer of them, simply purports to have been 
 written in the name of the church at Eome to the church at Corinth. But in the catalogue 
 of contents prefixed to the MS. they are both plainly attributed to one Clement ; and the 
 judgment of most scholars is, that, in regard to the first epistle at least, this statement is 
 correct, and that it is to be regarded as an authentic production of the friend and fellow- 
 worker of St. Paul. This belief may be traced to an early period in the history of the 
 church. It is found in the writings of Eusebius {Hist. Fed., iii. 15), of Origen {C'omm. in 
 Joan., i. 39), and others. The internal evidence also tends to support this opinion. The 
 doctrine, style, and manner of thought are all in accordance with it ; so that, although, as 
 has been said, positive certainty cannot be reached on the subject, we may with great prob- 
 ability conclude that we have in this epistle a composition of that Clement who is known to 
 ns from Scripture as having been an associate of the great apostle. 
 
 The date of this epistle has been the subject of considerable controversy. It is clear from 
 the writing itself that it was composed soon after some persecution (chap, i.) which the 
 Koman church had endured ; and the only question is, whether we are to fix upon the per- 
 secution under Nero or Domitian. If the former, the date will be about the year 68 ; if the 
 latter, we must place it towards the close of the first century or the beginning of the second. 
 We possess no external aid to the settlement of this question. The lists of early Eoman 
 bishops are in hopeless confusion, some making Clement the immediate successor of St. 
 Peter, others placing Linus, and others still Linus and Anacletus, between him and the 
 apostle. The internal evidence, again, leaves the matter doubtful, though it has been 
 strongly pressed on both sides. The probability seems, on the whole, to be in favour of the 
 Domitian period, so that the epistle may be dated about a.d. 97. 
 
 This epistle was held in very great esteem by the early church. The account given of it 
 by Eusebius (Hist. Fed., iii. 16) is as follows : "There is one acknowledged epistle of this 
 Clement (whom he has just identified with the friend of St. Paul), great and admirable, 
 which he wrote in the name of the church of Eome to the church at Corinth, sedition hav- 
 ing then arisen in the latter church. We are aware that this epistle has been publicly read 
 in very many churches, both in old times and also in our own day." The epistle before us 
 thus appears to have been read in numerous churches, as being almost on a level with the 
 canonical writings. And its place in the Alexandrian MS., immediately after the inspired 
 books, is in harmony with the position thus assigned it in the primitive church. There 
 does indeed appear a great difference between it and the inspired writings in many respects. 
 
238 INTEODUGTOEY NOTICE TO 1st CLEMENT. 
 
 such as the fanciful use sometimes made of Old Testament statements, the fabulous stones 
 which are accepted by its author, and the general diffuseness and feebleness of style by 
 which it is distinguished. But the high tone of evangelical truth which pervades it, the 
 simple and earnest appeals which it makes to the heart and conscience, and the anxiety 
 which its writer so constantly shows to promote the best interests of the church of Christ, 
 still impart an undying charm to this precious relic of later apostolic times. 
 
 ADDITIONAL INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Towards the close of 1875, at Constantinople, Philotheus Bryennius, Metropolitan of 
 Serraj, published the first complete edition of the epistles ascribed to Clement. This he 
 was enabled to do by the discovery of a ms. in the library of the Holy Sepulchre at Panari 
 in Constantinople. This MS., of vellum, consists of one hundred and twenty leaves in small 
 octavo, nearly seven and a half inches in length and six in breadth. The MS. bears the 
 date 1056, and was written by one Leo. Its contents are : 
 
 1. Chrysostom's Synopsis of the Old Testament (the New also being included in the 
 title). 
 
 3. Epistle of Barnabas. 
 
 3. Clement to the Corinthians I. 
 
 4. Clement to the Corinthians II. 
 
 5. Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. 
 
 6. Ignatian Epistles. 
 
 The MS. is written with comparative accuracy and clearness. Internal evidence seems 
 to establish its independent value ; e.g., words carelessly omitted in the Codex Alexandrinns 
 are found in this MS. It also supplies the lacunm, notably chapters 57 (concluding sentence) 
 — 63 inclusive of the first Epistle and chapters 13 (concluding sentences) — 20, being the close 
 of the second Epistle. Harnack seems to prove that the new MS. is as complete as the orig- 
 inal Alexandrian. 
 
 The lacuna of the first Epistle consists mainly of a prayer, the writer somewhat abruptly 
 passing from the oratio obliqua to the oratio recta. The prayer is indicative of intense earnest- 
 ness and emotion rather than ofiicial authority. It is marked by wealth of quotation, espe- 
 cially from the Septuagint. Perhaps, too, the nature of the sufferings referred to in the 
 opening chapters may be inferred from the petitions of this prayer. 
 
 In the Notes the old ms. is indicated by A, the recently discovered ms. by I. 
 
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF CLEMENT TO THE 
 
 CORINTHIANS/ 
 
 CHAP. I. — THE SAIUTATIOK. PHAISB OF 
 THE CORIKTHIAKS BEFORE THE BREAKIN^G 
 FORTH OF SCHISM AMONG THEM. 
 
 The church of God which sojourns at 
 Rome, to the church of God sojourning at 
 Corinth, to them that are called and sancti- 
 fied by the will of God, through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, 
 from Almighty God through Jesus Christ, 
 be multiplied. 
 
 Owing, dear brethren, to the sudden and 
 successive calamitous events' which have 
 happened to ourselves, we feel that we have 
 been somewhat tardy in turning our atten- 
 tion to the points respecting which you con- 
 sulted us; and especially to that shameful 
 and detestable sedition, utterly abhorrent 
 to the elect of God, which a few rash and 
 self-confident persons have kindled to such 
 a pitch of frenzy, that your venerable and 
 illustrious name, worthy to be universally 
 loved, has suffered grievous injury.^ For 
 who ever dwelt even for a short time among 
 you, and did not find your faith to be as 
 fruitful of virtue as it was firmly estab- 
 lished?* Who did not admire the sobriety 
 and moderation of your godliness in Christ? 
 Who did not proclaim the magnificence of 
 your habitual hospitality? And who did 
 not rejoice over your perfect and well- 
 grounded knowledge? For ye did all things 
 without respect of persons, and walked in 
 the commandments of God, being obedient 
 to those who had the rule over you, and 
 
 ' Accordine to I, the title is " Clement's (Epistle) to the Corin- 
 thians." A includes in a Table of Contents of the New Testa- 
 ment after the Apocalypse : 
 
 "Clement's Epistle I." 
 " Clement's Epistle II." 
 
 The space for the title for the ist Epistle is mutilated, and we 
 find only " . . . . Corinthians I. ;" the 2d Epistle has no title. 
 
 On the authority of Ensebius, Jerome, Georgins Syncellns, 
 the earlier editions give the titles, "First Epistle of Saint 
 Clement, Bishop of Home, to the Corinthians, written in name 
 of the Church of Kome," " Second Epistle of Saint Clement, 
 Bishop of Kome, to the Corinthians." 
 
 " I. trtpiaraaeis (critical experiences). 
 
 ' Literally " is greatly blasphemed." 
 
 ♦Literally, " did not.prove your all-virtuous and firm faith." 
 
 giving all fitting honour to the presbyters 
 among you. Ye enjoined young men to be 
 of a sober and serious mind, ye instructed 
 your wives to do all things with a blameless, 
 becoming, and pure conscience, loving their 
 husbands as in duty bound; and ye taught 
 them that, living in the rule of obedience, 
 they should manage their household affairs 
 becomingly, and be in every respect marked 
 by discretion. 
 
 CHAP. II. — PRAISE OF THE CORINTHIANS 
 CONTINUED. 
 
 Moreover, ye were all distinguished by 
 humility, and were in no respect puffed up 
 with pride, but yielded obedience rather 
 than extorted it,^ and were more willing to 
 give than to receive." Content with the 
 provision which God' had made for you, and 
 carefully attending to His words, ye were 
 inwardly filled* with His doctrine, and His 
 sufferings were before your eyes. Thus a 
 profound and abundant peace was given 
 to you all, and ye had an insatiable desire for 
 doing good, while a full outpouring of the 
 Holy Spirit was upon you all. Full of holy 
 designs, ye did, with true earnestness of 
 mind and a godly confidence, stretch forth 
 your hands to God Almighty, beseeching 
 Him to be merciful unto you, if ye had been 
 guilty of any involuntary transgression. 
 Day and night ye were anxious for the 
 whole brotherhood,' that the number of 
 God's elect might be saved with mercy *" and 
 a good conscience. " Ye were sincere and un- 
 corrupted, and forgetful of injuries between 
 
 •Eph. V. 21; IPet.T. B. 
 
 " Acts XX. 35. 
 
 "> I. XpiffTou (Christ). In the monophysite controversy, 
 the theologians of Alexandria preferred to call the Lord " God " 
 rather than " Christ." 
 
 " Literally, "ye embraced it in your bowels." 
 
 • 1 Pet. if. IT. 
 
 >» I. Wou! (fear). 
 
 < > So in the Ms., but many have suspected that the text is here 
 corrupt. Perhaps the best emendation is that which substitutes 
 ffvfaiad^crcus " compassion," for avfcifiijffcws " conscience." 
 
230 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 one another. Every kind of faction and 
 Bchism was abominable in your sight. Ye 
 mourned over the transgressions of your 
 neighbours : their deficiencies you deemed 
 your own. Ye never grudged any act of 
 kindness, being " ready to every good work."' 
 Adorned by a thoroughly virtuous and re- 
 ligious life, ye did all things in the fear of 
 God. The commandments and ordinances 
 of the Lord were written upon the tablets of 
 your hearts.^ 
 
 CHAP. III. — THE SAD STATE OF THE CORIN- 
 THIAN CHUECH AFTER SEDITION" AROSE 
 IN IT FROM ENVY AND EMULATION. 
 
 Every kind of honour and happiness ^ was 
 bestowed upon you, and then was fulfilled 
 that which is written, " My beloved did eat 
 and drink, and was enlarged and became fat, 
 and kicked."* Hence flowed emulation and 
 envy, strife and sedition, persecution and 
 disorder, war and captivity. So the worth- 
 less rose up against the honoured, those of 
 no reputation against such as were renowned, 
 the foolish against the wise, the young against 
 those advanced in years. For this reason 
 righteousness and peace are now far departed 
 from you, inasmuch as every one abandons 
 the fear of God, and is become blind in His 
 faith, ^ neither walks in the ordinances of His 
 appointment, nor acts a part becoming a 
 Christian,^ but walks after his own wicked 
 lusts, resuming the practice of an unright- 
 eous and ungodly envy, by which death itself 
 entered into the world.' 
 
 CHAP. IV. — MANY EVILS HAVE ALREADY 
 FLOWED FROM THIS SOURCE IN ANCIENT 
 TIMES. 
 
 For thus it is written: " And it came to pass 
 after certain days, that Cain brought of the 
 fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God ; and 
 Abel also brought of the firstlings of his 
 sheep, and of the fat thereof. And God had 
 respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain 
 and his sacrifices He did not regard. And 
 Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance 
 fell. And God said to Cain, Why art thou 
 grieved, and why is thy countenance fallen ? 
 If thou offerest rightly, but dost not divide 
 rightly, hast thou not sinned ? Be at peace : 
 thine offering returns to thyself, and thou 
 
 1 Tit. iii. 1. 
 ^ Prov. vii. 3. 
 
 ' Literally, " enlargement." 
 * Dent, xxxii. 15. 
 
 ' It seems necessary to refer avToO to Qod, in opposition to the 
 translation given by Abp. Wake and others. 
 « Literally, '• Christ ;" comp. 2 Cor. i. 21 ; Eph. iv. 20. 
 ' Wisd. ii. 24. 
 
 shalt again possess it. And Cain said to 
 Abel his brother. Let us go into the field. 
 And it came to pass, while they were in the 
 field, that Cain rose up against Abel his 
 brother, and slew him."^ Ye see, brethren, 
 how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a 
 brother. Through envy, also, our father 
 Jacob fled from the face of Esau his brother.' 
 Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto death, 
 and to come into bondage.'" Envy compelled 
 Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king 
 of Egypt, when he heard these words from 
 his fellow-countryman, "Who made thee a 
 judge or a ruler over us ? Wilt thou kill me, 
 as thou didst kill the Egyptian yesterday ? " " 
 On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had 
 to make their abode without the camp.'^ 
 Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive 
 to Hades, through the sedition which they ex- 
 cited against God^s servant Moses. '^ Through 
 envy, David not only underwent the hatred 
 of foreigners, but was also persecuted by Saul 
 king of Israel." 
 
 CHAP. V. — NO LESS EVILS HAVE ARISEN FROM 
 THE SAME SOURCE IN THE MOST RECENT 
 TIMES. THE MARTYRDOM OF PETER AND 
 PAUL. 
 
 But not to dwell upon ancient examples, 
 let us come to the most recent spiritual 
 heroes.'^ Let us take the noble examples 
 furnished in our own generation. Through 
 envy '* and jealousy, the greatest and most 
 righteous pillars [of the church] have been 
 persecuted and put to death." Let us set be- 
 fore our eyes the illustrious '* apostles. Peter, 
 through unrighteous envy, endured not one 
 or two, but numerous labours ; and when he 
 had at length suffered martyrdom, departed 
 to the place of glory due to him. Owing to 
 envy, Paul also obtained*' the reward of 
 patient endurance, after being seven times 
 thrown into captivity,* compelled^' to flee, and 
 
 ■ Gen. iv. 3-8. The writer here, as always, follows the reading 
 of the Septuagint, which in this passage both alters and adds to 
 the Hebrew text. We have given the rendering approved by the 
 best critics ; but some prefer to translate, as in our English ver- 
 sion, "unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over 
 him." See, for an ancient explanation of the passage, Irenseue, 
 Adv. Hot., iv. 18, 3. 
 
 " Gen. xxvii. 41, etc. 
 
 *° Gen. xxxvii. 
 
 " Ex. ii. 14. 
 
 1= Num. xii. 14, 16. 
 
 " Nnm. xvi. 33. 
 
 " 1 Kings xviii. 8, etc. 
 
 " Literally, " those who'have been athletes." 
 
 *^ I. epii' (strife). 
 
 ^' I. ew9 Ba.varov i\&\-fiaav (contended unto death). 
 
 >* Literally " ^ood." 
 " I. eScifer (displayed). 
 
 '» Seven imprisonments of St. Paul are not referred to in 
 Scripture. 
 
 =1 1. i^uYaSeuSeis (having become a fugitive). Archbishop 
 Wake here reads "scourged." We have followed the most 
 recent critics in flUing up the numerous laxunm in this chapter. 
 
THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 231 
 
 stoned. After preaching both in the east and 
 west, he gained the illustrious reputation due 
 to his faith, having taught righteousness* to 
 the_ whole world, and come to the extreme 
 limit of the west,' and suffered martyrdom 
 under the prefects.^ Thus was he removed 
 from the world, and went into the holy place, 
 having proved himself a striking example of 
 patience. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 VI. — CONTIKUATION. 
 OTHER MABTYKS. 
 
 SEVERAL 
 
 To these men who spent their lives in the 
 practice of holiness, there is to be added a 
 great multitude of the elect, who, having 
 through envy endured many indignities and 
 tortures, furnished ns with a most excellent 
 example. Through envy, those women, the 
 Danaids ■* and Dircse, being persecuted, after 
 they had suffered terrible and unspeakable 
 torments, finished the course of their faith 
 with stedfastness, ^ and though weak in 
 body, received a noble reward. Envy has 
 alienated wives from their husbands, and 
 changed that saying of our father Adam, 
 " This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of 
 my flesh." '' Envy and strife have overthrown ' 
 great cities, and rooted up mighty nations. 
 
 CHAP. VII. — AN" EXHORTATION' TO REPENT- 
 ANCE. 
 
 These things, beloved, we write unto you, 
 not merely to admonish you of your duty, 
 but also to remind ourselves. For we are 
 struggling on the same arena, and the same 
 conflict is assigned to both of us. Wherefore 
 let us give up vain and fruitless cares, and 
 approach to the glorious and venerable rule 
 of our holy calling. " Let us attend to what 
 is good, pleasing, and acceptable in the sight 
 of Him who formed ns. Let ns look sted- 
 fastly to the blood of Christ, and see how 
 precious that blood is to God' which, having 
 been shed for our salvation, has set the grace 
 of repentance before the whole world." Let 
 us turn to " every age that has passed, and 
 
 ' I. pnnctnates ilui^t SiKaioaihniy, l)iSa{iK (received righteons- 
 ness, having tangbt). . „ , . i 
 
 ' Some think Rome, others Sjiam, and others even Bntam, to 
 be here referred to. , „ , . , n, , .. « iv 
 
 ' That is, under Tigellinns and Sabmns, In the last year or the 
 Emperor Nero; bat some thinls: Heliua and Polycletus referred 
 to : and others, both here and in the preceding sentence, regard 
 the words as denoting simply the witness borne by Peter and Paul 
 to the truth o£ the gospel before the rtiiera o£ the earth. 
 
 • Some suppose these to have been the names of two emment 
 female martyrs under Nero ; others regard the clause as an mter- 
 
 '' * Literally, " have reached to the stedfast course of faith." 
 «tlen. ii. 23. 
 ' I. KarinKatliev (razed to the ground). 
 
 « I. tBj TrapoSoa-eios wiv (Of OUT tradition). 
 
 » I. Tu narpl airoS t^ 9f <? (to His Father GtOd). 
 1" I. iirfiveyKev (conferred). 
 1' I. SiMOujuei' (traverse, trace). 
 
 learn that, from generation to generation, 
 the Lord has granted a place of repentance 
 to all svich as would be converted unto Him. 
 Noah preached repentance, and as many as 
 listened to him were saved. '^ Jonah pro- 
 claimed destruction to the Ninevites;*^ but 
 they, repenting of their sins, propitiated God 
 by prayer, and obtained salvation, although 
 they were aliens [to the covenant] of God. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 -CONTINUATION 
 REPENTANCE. 
 
 RESPECTINCJ 
 
 The ministers of the grace of God have, by 
 the Holy Spirit, spoken of repentance ; and 
 the Lord of all things has himself declared 
 with an oath regarding it, "As I live, saith 
 the Lord, I desire not the death of the sinner, 
 but rather his repentance ; " ''' adding, more- 
 over, this gracious declaration, "Eepent, O 
 house of Israel, of your iniquity. ■" '^ Say to 
 the children of my people. Though your sins 
 reach from earth to heaven, and though they 
 be redder '^ than scarlet, and blacker than 
 sack-cloth, yet if ye turn to me with your 
 whole heart, and say, Father ! I will listen to 
 you, as to a holy" people. And in another place 
 He speaks thus : ' ' Wash you and become clean ; 
 put away the wickedness of your souls from 
 before mine eyes ; cease from your evil ways, 
 and learn to do well; seek out judgment, de- 
 liver the oppressed, judge the fatherless, and 
 see that justice, is done to the widow; and 
 come, and let us reason together. He declares. 
 Though your sins be like crimson, I will 
 make them white as snow; though they be 
 like scarlet, I will whiten them like wool. 
 And if ye be willing and obey me, ye shall eat 
 the good of the land ; but if ye refuse, and 
 will. not hearken unto me, the sword shall 
 devour you, for the mouth of the Lord hath 
 spoken these things." '^ Desiring, therefore, 
 that all His beloved should be partakers of 
 repentance. He has, by His almighty will, 
 established [these declarations]. 
 
 CHAP. IX. — EXAMPLES OP THE SAINTS. 
 
 Wherefore, let ns yield obedience to His 
 excellent and glorious will ; and imploring 
 His mercy and loving-kindness, while we for- 
 sake all fruitless labours,*' and strife, and 
 envy, which leads to death, let ns turn and 
 have recourse to His compassions. Let us 
 
 " Gen. vii.; 1 Pet. iii. 20 ; 2 Pet. il. 5. 
 *^ Jonah iii. 
 '* Bzek. xxxiil. 11. 
 "Bzek. xviii. 80. 
 " Comp. lea. i. 18. 
 
 " These words are not found in Scripture, though they ate 
 quoted again by Clem. Alex. (Pcedag. i. 10) as from Ezekiel. 
 '» Isa. 1. 16-20. 
 1* Some read ^aratoAoviai', vain talk. 
 
332 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 stedfastly contemplate those who have per- 
 fectly ministered to his excellent glory. Let 
 US take (for instance) Enoch, who, being 
 found righteous in obedience, was translated, 
 and death was never known to happen to 
 him." Noah, being found faithful, preached 
 regeneration to the world through his minis- 
 try ; and the Lord saved by him the animals 
 which, with one accord, entered into the 
 ark. 
 
 CHAP. X. — CONTIN'trATION' OF THE ABOVE. 
 
 Abraham, styled "the friend," '^ was found 
 faithful, inasmuch as he rendered obedience 
 to the words of God. He, in the exercise of 
 obedience, went out from his own country, 
 and from his kindred, and from his father's 
 house, in order that, by forsaking a small ter- 
 ritory, and a weak family, and an insignifi- 
 cant house, he might inherit the promises of 
 God. For God said to him, " Get thee out 
 from thy country, and from thy kindred, and 
 from thy father's house, into the land which 
 I shall show thee. And I will make thee a 
 great nation, and will bless thee, and make 
 thy name great, and thou shalt be blessed. 
 And I will bless them that bless thee, and 
 curse them that curse thee ; and in thee shall 
 all the families of the earth be blessed." ^ And 
 again, on his departing from Lot, God said- 
 to him, " Lift up thine eyes, and look from 
 the place where thou now art, northward, and 
 southward, and eastward, and westward ; for 
 all the land which thou seest, to thee will I 
 give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will 
 make thy seed as the dust of the earth, [so 
 that] if a man can number the dust of tne 
 earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered." * 
 And again [the Scripture] saith, ". God 
 brought forth Abram, and spake unto him. 
 Look up now to heaven, and count the stars if 
 thou be able to number them ; so shall thy 
 seed be. And Abram believed God, and it was 
 counted to him for righteousness."^ On ac- 
 count of his faith and hospitality, a son was 
 given him in his old age ; and in the exercise 
 of obedience, he offered him as a sacrifice 
 to God on one of the mountains which He 
 showed him.^ 
 
 CHAP. XI. — CONTINUATION. LOT. 
 
 On account of his hospitality and godliness, 
 Lot was saved out of Sodom when all the 
 
 1 Gen. V. 24; Heb. xl. 6. literally, "and hia death was not 
 found." 
 
 2 lea. xll. 8 ; 2 Chron. xx. 7 ; Judith Till. 19 ; James ii. 23. 
 ' Gen. xii. 1-3. 
 
 « Gen. xUi. 14-16. 
 
 ' Gen. XV. 6, 6 ; Eom. iv. 3. 
 
 « Gen. xii. 22 ; Heh. xi. IT. 
 
 country round was punished by means of fire 
 and brimstone, the Lord thus making it 
 manifest that He does not forsake those that 
 hope in Him, but gives up such as depart 
 from Him to punishment and torture.' For 
 Lot's wife, who went forth with him, being 
 of a different mind from himself, and not 
 continuing in agreement with him [as to the 
 command which had been given them], was 
 made an example of, so as to be a pillar of 
 salt unto this day.^ This was done that all 
 might know that those who are of a double 
 mind, and who distrust the power of God, 
 bring down judgment on themselves,' and 
 become a sign to all succeeding generations. 
 
 CHAP, XII. — THE EEWAKDS OF FAITH AND 
 HOSPITALITY. EAHAB. 
 
 On account of her faith and hospitality, 
 Eahab the harlot was saved. For when spies 
 were sent by Joshua, the son of Nun, to 
 Jericho, the king of the country ascertained 
 that they were come to spy out their land, 
 and sent men to seize them, in order that, 
 when taken, they might be put to death. But 
 the hospitable Rahab receiving them, con- 
 cealed them on the roof of her house under 
 some stalks of flax. And when the men sent 
 by the king arrived and said, " There came 
 men unto thee who are to spy out our land ; 
 bring them forth, for so the king commands," 
 she answered them, "The two men whom 
 ye seek came unto me, but quickly departed 
 again and are gone," thus not discovering the 
 spies to them. Then she said to the men, " I 
 know assuredly that the Lord your God hath 
 given you this city, for the fear and dread of 
 you have fallen on its inhabitants. When 
 therefore ye shall have taken it, keep ye me 
 and the house of my father in safety." And 
 they said to her, " It shall be as thou hast 
 spoken to us. As soon, therefore, as thou 
 knowest that we are at hand, thou shalt 
 gather all thy family under thy roof, and they 
 shall be preserved, but all that are found out- 
 side of thy dwelling shall perish." '° Moreover, 
 they gave her a sign to this effect, that she 
 should hang forth from her house a scarlet 
 thread. And thus they made it manifest that 
 redemption should flow through the blood of 
 the Lord to all them that believe and hope in 
 God." Ye see, beloved, that there was not 
 only faith, but prophecy, in this woman. 
 
 ' Gen. xlx.; comp. 2 Pet. ii. 6-9. 
 
 6 So Joseph., Antiq., i. 11, 4; Irenseus. Adv. Ha:r., iv. 31. 
 
 ' Literally, " become a judgment and sign." 
 
 '"Josh, ii.; Heb xi. 31. 
 
 '• Others of the fathers adopt the same alleeorical interpreta- 
 tion, e. ST., Justin Mar., Dial. c. Tryph., n. Ill ; Irenseus, Adv. 
 3<er., iv. aO. 
 
THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 233 
 
 CHAP. XIII. — AN EXHORTATION" TO HUMILITY. 
 
 Let tis therefore, brethren, be of humble 
 mind, laying aside all haughtiness, and pride, 
 and foolishness, and angry feelings ; and let 
 us act according to that which is written (for 
 the Holy Spirit saith, " Let not the wise man 
 glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty 
 man glory in his might, neither let the rich 
 man glory in his riches ; but let him that 
 glorieth glory in the Lord, in diligently seek- 
 ing Him, and doing judgment and righteous- 
 ness" '), being especially mindful of the words 
 of the Lord Jesus which He spake, teaching 
 us meekness and long-suffering. For thus 
 He spoke : " Be ye merciful, that ye may ob- 
 tain mercy ; forgive, that it may be forgiven 
 to you ; as ye do, so shall it be done unto 
 you ; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged ; as 
 ye are kind, so shall kindness be shown to 
 you ; with what measure ye mete, with the 
 same it shall be measured to you."^ By this 
 precept and by these rules let us stablish 
 ourselves, that we walk with all humility in 
 obedience to His holy words. For the holy 
 word saith, " On whom shall I look, but on 
 him that is meek and peaceable, and that 
 trembleth at my words ?^ 
 
 CHAP. SIV. — WE SHOULD OBEY GOD RATHER 
 THAN THE AUTHORS OF SEDITION. 
 
 It is right and holy therefore, men and 
 brethren, rather to obey God than to follow 
 those who, through pride and sedition, have 
 become the leaders of a detestable emulation. 
 For we shall incur no slight injury, but rather 
 great danger, if we rashly yield ourselves to the 
 inclinations of men who aim at exciting strife 
 and tumults,'' so as to draw us away from what 
 is good. Let us be kind one to another after 
 the pattern of the tender mercy and benignity 
 of our Creator. For it is written, " The kind- 
 hearted shall inhabit the land, and the guilt- 
 less shall be left upon it, but transgressors 
 shall be destroyed from off the face of it."^ 
 And again [the Scripture] saith, " I saw the 
 ungodly highly exalted, and lifted up like the 
 cedars of Lebanon : I passed by, and, behold, 
 he was not ; and I diligently sought his place, 
 and could not find it. Preserve innocence, 
 and look on equity : for there shall be a rem- 
 nant to the peaceable man.* 
 
 > Jer.ix. 23,24 ; 1 Cor. 1. 31 ; 2 Cor. x. IT. 
 ' Comp. Matt. vi. 12-15, vii. 2; Luke m. 36-38. 
 3 lea. fcvi. 2. 
 
 * I. «ts a'tpitret^ fsects). 
 
 • Pfl.°xk!^!'35-3T. '■ Remtiaut " probably refers either to the 
 tn&nwri/ or posieritu of the righteous. 
 
 CHAP. XV. — WE MUST ADHERE TO THOSE 
 WHO CULTIVATE PEACE, NOT TO THOSE 
 WHO MERELY PRETEND TO DO SO. 
 
 Let us cleave, therefore, to those who cul- 
 tivate peace with godliness, and not to those 
 who hypocritically profess to desire it. For 
 [the Scripture] saith in a certain place, 
 " This people honoureth me with their lips, 
 but their heart is far from me." ' And again : 
 " They bless with' their mouth, but curse with 
 their heart."' ^ And again it saith, "They 
 loved Him with their mouth, and lied ' to 
 Him with their tongue ; but their heart was 
 not right with Him, neither were they faith- 
 ful in His covenant." '° " Let the deceitful lips 
 become silent," [and "let the Lord destroy 
 all the lying lips,^^] and the boastful tongue 
 of those who have said, Let us magnify our 
 tongue : our lips are our own ; who is lord 
 over us ? For the oppression of the poor, 
 and for the sighing of the needy, will I now 
 arise, saith the Lord : I will place him in 
 safety ; I will deal confidently with him." ^ 
 
 CHAP. XVI. — CHRIST AS AN EXAMPLE OF HU- 
 MILITY. . 
 
 For Christ is of those who are humble- 
 minded, and not of those who exalt them- 
 selves over His flock. Our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 the Sceptre of the majesty of God, did not 
 come in the pomp of pride or arrogance, 
 although He might have done so, but in a 
 lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had de- 
 clared regarding Him. For He says, " Lord, 
 who hath believed our report, and to whom 
 is the arm of the Lord revealed ? We have 
 declared [our message] in His presence : He 
 is, as it were, a child, and like a root in 
 thirsty ground ; He has no form nor glory, 
 yea, we saw Him, and He had no form nor 
 comeliness ; but His form was without emi- 
 nence, yea, deficient in comparison with the 
 [ordinary] form of men. He is a man ex- 
 posed to stripes and suffering, and acquaint- 
 ed with the endurance of grief : for His 
 countenance was turned away ; He was de- 
 spised, and not esteemed. He bears our in- 
 iquities, and is in sorrow for our sakes ; yet 
 we supposed that [on His own account] He 
 was exposed to labour, and stripes, and afflic- 
 tion. But He was wounded for our trans- 
 gressions, and bruised for our iniquities. 
 
 ' Isa. X3dx. 13 ; Matt. xv. 8 ; Mark Tii. 6. 
 
 « Ps. Ixii. 4. 
 
 » I. i\fit^av (blamefll. 
 mPa. IxxTiii. 36, 37. 
 1' Pb. xxxi. 18. 
 
 '2 These words within bracliets are not found In the MS , tret 
 have been inserted from the Septuagint by moat editors. 
 " Ps. xli. 3-5. 
 
234 
 
 THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 The chastisement of onr peace was upon 
 Him, and by His stripes we were healed. 
 All we, like sheep, have gone astray ; [every] 
 man has wandered in his own way ; and the 
 Lord has delivered Him up for onr sins, 
 while He in the midst of His sufferings open- 
 eth not His mouth. He was brought as a 
 sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before 
 her shearer is dumb, so He openeth not His 
 mouth. In His humiliation His judgment 
 was taken away ; who shall declare His gen- 
 eration ? for His life is taken from the earth. 
 For the transgressions of my people was He 
 brought down to death. And I will give 
 the wicked for His sepulchre, and the rich 
 for His death,' because He did no iniquity, 
 neither was guile found in His mouth. And 
 the Lord is pleased to purify him by stripes.^ 
 If ye make^ an offering for sin, your soul 
 shall see a long-lived seed. And the Lord 
 is pleased to relieve Him of the affliction 
 of His soul, to show Him light, and to 
 form Him with understanding,'' to justify 
 the Just One who ministereth well to many ; 
 and He Himself shall carry their sins. On 
 this account He shall inherit many, and 
 shall divide the spoil of the strong ; because 
 His soul was delivered to death, and He was 
 reckoned among the transgressors, and He 
 bare the sins of many, and for their sins was 
 He delivered."^ And again He saith, "lam 
 a worm, and no man ; a reproach of men, and 
 despised of the people. All that see me 
 have derided me ; they have spoken with 
 their lips ; they have wagged their head, 
 
 t saying] He hoped in God, let Him deliver 
 lim, let Him save Him, since He delighteth 
 in Him."* Ye see, beloved, what is the ex- 
 ample which has been given us ; for if the 
 Lord thus humbled Himself, what shall we 
 do who have through Him come under the 
 yoke of His grace ? 
 
 CHAP. XTII. — THE SAINTS AS EXAMPLES OF 
 HUMILITY. 
 
 Let US be imitators also of those who in 
 goat-skins and sheep-skins ' went about pro- 
 claiming the coming of Christ ; I mean 
 Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel among the 
 prophets, with those others to whom a like 
 
 1 The Latin of CoteleriUB, adopted by Hefele and Dreesel, trans- 
 lates ttiiB clause as follows : " I will set free the wicked on ac- 
 count of His sepulchre, and the rich on account of His death." 
 
 a The reading of the Ms., is t^? TrATj^i)?. '* purify, or free Him. 
 from stripes." We have adopted the emendation of Junius. 
 
 3 Wotton reads, " If He malce." 
 
 * Or, '*JiU Him with understanding," if irA^o-ai should be read 
 instead of irAao-ai, as Grabe suggests. 
 
 * Isa. liii. The reader will observe how often the text of the 
 Septuagint, here quoted, differs from the Hebrew aa represented 
 by our authorized English version. 
 
 * Ps. xxii. 6-8. 
 ' Heb. xi. 37. 
 
 testimony is borne [in Scripture]. Abraham 
 was specially honoured, and was called the 
 friend of God ; yet he, earnestly regarding 
 the glory of God, humbly declared, " I am 
 but dust and ashes." « Moreover, it is thus 
 written of Job, " Job was a righteous man, 
 and blameless, truthful. God-fearing, and one 
 that kept himself from all evil."" But bring- 
 ing an accusation against himself, he said, 
 " No man is free from defilement, even if his 
 life be but of one day.'" Moses was called 
 faithful in all God's house ; " and through 
 his instrumentality, 1^ God punished Egypt 
 with plagues and tortures. Yet he, though 
 thus greatly honoured, did not adopt lofty 
 language, but said, when the divine oracle 
 came to him out of the bush, " Who am I, 
 that Thou sendest me ? I am a man of a 
 feeble voice and a slow tongue." ^ And again 
 he said, " I am but as the smoke of a pot." '^ 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 -DAVID AS AN EXAMPLE OF 
 HUMILITY. 
 
 But what shall we say concerning David, 
 to whom such testimony was borne, and of 
 whom '^ God said, " I have found a man after 
 mine own heart, David the son of Jesse ; and 
 in everlasting mercy have I anointed him ?" '^ 
 Yet this very man saith to God, "Have mercy 
 on me, Lord, according to Thy great 
 mercy ; and according to the multitude of 
 Thy compassions, blot out my transgression." 
 Wash me still more from mine iniquity, and 
 cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge 
 mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. 
 Against Thee only have I sinned, and done 
 that which is evil in Thy sight ; that Thou 
 mayest be justiiied in Thy sayings, and 
 mayest overcome when Thou'^ art judged. 
 For, behold, I was conceived in transgres- 
 sions, and in sins did my mother conceive 
 me. For, behold. Thou hast loved truth; 
 the secret and hidden things of wisdom hast 
 Thou shown me. Thou shalt sprinkle me 
 with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed ; Thou 
 shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than 
 snow. Thou shalt make me to hear joy 
 and gladness ; my bones, which have been 
 humbled, shall exult. Turn away Thy face 
 from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 
 Create in me a clean heart, God, and 
 
 « Gen. xviil. 27. 
 
 » Job i. 1. 
 1° Job xiv. 4, 5. 
 " Num. xii. 7; Heb. iil. 2. 
 ^* I. innjpeffi'a? (service). 
 " Ex. iii. 11, iv. 10. 
 ** This is not found in Scripture. 
 ^* Or, as some render " to whom." 
 *" Ps . Ixxxix. 21. 
 
 17 "Wash me " and following verses omitted in I. 
 
 i» Or, " when Thou judgest." 
 
THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 235 
 
 renew a right spirit within me.' Cast me 
 not away from Thy presence, and take not 
 Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me 
 the joy of Thy salvation, and establish me 
 by Thy governing Spirit. I will teach trans- 
 gressors Thy ways, and the ungodly shall be 
 converted unto Thee. Deliver me from blood- 
 guiltiness,^ God, the God of my salvation : 
 my tongue shall exult in Thy righteousness. 
 Lord, Thou shalt open my mouth, and my 
 lips shall show forth Thy praise. For if 
 Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would have 
 given it; Thou wilt not delight in burnt- 
 offerings. The sacrifice [acceptable] to God 
 is a bruised spirit ; a broken and a contrite 
 heart God will not despise." * 
 
 CHAP. XIS. IMITATING THESE EXAMPLES, 
 
 LET US SEEK AFTER PEACE. 
 
 Thus the humility and godly submission 
 of so great and illustrious men have ren- 
 dered not only us, but also all the genera- 
 tions before us, better ; even as many as 
 have received His oracles in fear and truth. 
 Wherefore, having so many great and glorious 
 examples set before us, let us turn again to 
 the practice of that peace which from the 
 beginning was the mark set before us ; ^ and 
 let us look stedfastly to the Father and 
 Creator of the universe, and cleave to His 
 mighty and surpassingly great gifts and bene- 
 factions of peace. Let us contemplate Him 
 with our understanding, and look with the 
 eyes of our soul to His long-suffering will. 
 Let us reflect how free from the wrath He is 
 towards all His creation. 
 
 CHAP. XX. — THE PEACE AND HAKMONY OF 
 THE UNIVERSE. 
 
 The heavens, revolving under His govern- 
 ment, are subject to Him in peace. Day and 
 night run the course appointed by Him, in 
 no wise hindering each other. The sun and 
 moon, with the companies of the stars, roll 
 on in harmony according to His command, 
 within their prescribed limits, and without 
 any deviation. The fruitful earth, accord- 
 ing to His will, brings forth food in abun- 
 dance, at the proper seasons, for man and 
 beast and all the living beings upon it, never 
 hesitating, nor changing any of the ordi- 
 nances which He has fixed. The unsearch- 
 able places of abysses, and the indescribable ar- 
 
 1 Literally, "in my inwards." 
 ' LiteiaUy. " bloods." 
 
 • Literilly, "'Becoming partalcerB of many great and glorions 
 deeds jlrti^ return to the aim of peace deliVered to us fiom the 
 beginning." Comp. Heh. xU. 1. 
 
 rangements of the lower world, are restrained 
 by the same laws. The vast unmeasurable 
 sea, gathered together by His working into 
 various basins,^ never passes beyond the 
 bounds placed around it, but does as He has 
 commanded. For He said, " Thus far shalt 
 thou come, and thy waves shall be broken 
 within thee."* Tine ocean, impassable to 
 man and the worlds beyond it, are regu- 
 lated by the same enactments of the Lord. 
 The seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and 
 winter, peacefully give place ' to one another. 
 The winds in their several quarters ' fulfil, at 
 the proper time, their service without hind- 
 rance. The ever-flowing fountains, formed 
 both for enjoyment and health, furnish with- 
 out fail their breasts for the life of men. 
 The very smallest of living beings meet to- 
 gether in peace and concord. All these the 
 great Creator and Lord of all has appointed 
 to exist in peace and harmony ; while He 
 does good to all, but most abundantly to us 
 who have fled for refuge to His compassions 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be 
 glory and majesty for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. XXI. — LET us OBEY GOD, AND NOT 
 THE AUTHORS OF SEDITION. 
 
 Take heed, beloved, lest His many kind- 
 nesses lead to the condemnation of us all. 
 [For thus it must be] unless we walk worthy 
 of Him, and with one mind do those things 
 which are good and well-pleasing in His 
 sight. For [the Scripture] saith in a certain 
 place, " The Spirit of the Lord is a candle 
 searching the secret parts of the belly." * Let 
 us reflect how near He is, and that none of 
 the thoughts or reasonings in which we en- 
 gage are hid from Him. It is right, there- 
 fore, that we should not leave the post which 
 His will has assigned us. Let us rather offend 
 those men who are foolish, and inconsiderate, 
 and lifted up, and who glory in the pride of 
 their speech, thiin [ofliend] God. Let us 
 reverence the Lord Jesus Christ,'" whose 
 blood was given for ns ; let us esteem those 
 who have the rule over us ; " let us honour 
 the aged " among us ; let us train up the 
 young men in the fear of God; let us direct 
 our wives to that which is good. Let them 
 exhibit the lovely habit of purity [in all their 
 conduct] ; let them show forth the sincere 
 disposition of meekness ; let them make 
 
 ' Or, " collections." 
 
 " Job xxxviii. 11. 
 
 7 I. utTaSMatTi. (transfer from one to another). 
 
 ■ Or " stations." 
 
 » Prov. xs. 2T. 
 i« I. omits " Christ." 
 
 >' Comp. Heb. xiii. IT ; 1 ThesB. v. IS, IS. 
 la Or, " the presbyters." 
 
S36 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 manifest the command which they have of 
 their tongae, by their manner ' of speaking ; 
 let them display their love, not by prefer- 
 ring^ one to another, but by showing equal 
 affection to all that piously fear God. Let 
 your children be partakers of true Christian 
 training ; let them learn of how great avail 
 humility is with God — how much the spirit 
 of pure aifection can prevail with Him — how 
 excellent and great His fear is, and how it 
 saves all those who walk in ^ it with a pure 
 mind. For He is a Searcher of the thoughts 
 and desires [of the heart] : His breath is in 
 us ; and when He pleases. He will take it 
 away. 
 
 CHAP. XXII. — THESE EXHORTATIONS ARE 
 CONFIRMED BY THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, 
 WHICH PROCLAIMS THE MISERY OF SIN- 
 FUL CONDUCT. 
 
 Now the faith which is in Christ confirms 
 all these [admonitions] . For He Himself by 
 the Holy Ghost thus addresses us : " Come, ye 
 children, hearken unto me; I will teach you 
 the fear of the Lord.* What man is he that 
 desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? 
 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips 
 from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and 
 do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The 
 eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and 
 His ears are [open] unto their prayers. The 
 face of the Lord is against them that do evil, 
 to cut off the remembrance of them from the 
 earth. The righteous cried, and the Lord 
 heard him, and delivered liim out of all his 
 troubles." ^ " Many are the stripes [appointed 
 for] the wicked; but mercy shall compass 
 those about who hope in the Lord." * 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. — BE HUMBLE, AND BELIEVE 
 THAT CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN. 
 
 The all-merciful and beneficent Father 
 has bowels [of compassion] towards those 
 that fear Him, and kindly and lovingly be- 
 stows His favours upon those who come to 
 Him with a simple mind. Wherefore let us 
 not be double-minded; neither let our soul 
 be lifted ' up on account of His exceedingly 
 great and glorious gifts. Far from us be 
 that which is written, " Wretched are they 
 who are of a double mind, and of a doubting 
 heart; who say. These things we have heard 
 
 1 I. <riyr)<; fBileiice>. 
 
 2 1. jrpocn<ATJ(T€is (summonses). Comp. 1 Tim. v. 21, 
 
 3 Some translate, " who turn to Him." 
 
 ■1 I. omits rest of quotation as far as " Many," etc. 
 
 ' Ps. xxxiv. 11-17. 
 
 « Ps. xxxii. 10. 
 
 ' Or, as some render, " neither let us have any doubt of." 
 
 even in the times of our fathers; but, be- 
 hold, we have grown old, and none of them 
 has happened unto us ; " ' Ye foolish ones ! 
 compare yourselves to a tree ; take [for in- 
 stance] the vine. First of all, it sheds its 
 leaves,' then it buds, next it puts forth 
 leaves, and then it flowers ; after that comes 
 the sour grape, and then follows the ripened 
 fruit. Ye perceive how in a little time the 
 fruit of a tree comes to maturity. Of a 
 truth, soou and suddenly shall His will be 
 accomplished, as the Scripture also bears 
 witness, saying, " Speedily will He come, and 
 will not tarry ; i" and, " The Lord shall sud- 
 denly come to His temple, even the Holy 
 One, for whom ye look."" 
 
 CHAP. SSIV. — GOD CONTINUALLY SHOWS US 
 IN NATURE THAT THERE WILL BE A RES- 
 URRECTION. 
 
 Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord 
 continually proves to us that there shall be a 
 future resurrection, of which He has ren- 
 dered the Lord Jesus Christ '^ the first-fruits ^ 
 by raising Him from the dead. Let us con- 
 template, beloved, the resurrection which is 
 at all times '^ taking place. Day and night 
 declare to us a resurrection. The night 
 sinks to sleep, and the day arises ; the day 
 
 [again] departs, and the night comes on. 
 ^et us behold 1' the fruits [of the earth], how 
 the sowing of grain takes place. The sower ^^ 
 goes forth, and casts it into the ground," and 
 the seed being thus scattered, though dry 
 and naked when it fell upon the earth, is 
 gradually dissolved. Then out of its dissolu- 
 tion the mighty power of the providence of 
 the Lord raises it up again, and from one 
 seed many arise and bring forth fruit. 
 
 CHAP. SXT. — THE PHCENIX AN EMBLEM OF 
 OUR RESURRECTION. 
 
 Let us consider that wonderful sign [of 
 the resurrection] which takes place in eastern 
 lands, that is, in Arabia and the countries 
 round about. There is a certain bird which 
 is called a phoenix. This is the only one of 
 its kind, and lives five hundred years. And 
 when the time of its dissolution draws near 
 that it must die, it builds itself a nest of 
 
 ^ Some regard these words as taken from an apocryphal booli, 
 others as derived from a fusion of James i. 8 and 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4. 
 
 " I. omits. 
 
 i» Hab. li. 3 ; Heb. x. 3T. 
 >> Mai. ill. 1. 
 12 I. omits ■•Christ." 
 '3 Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 20 ; Col. i. 18, 
 1 * I. Kara. Kaipov {in due season), 
 i*" I. Mfitofitv {let us take). 
 1" Comp. Luke viii. 5. 
 1' I. adds ixaaTov Tuy (rirep/idruv (the 66edB severally.) 
 
THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 337 
 
 frankincense, and myrrh, and other spices, 
 into which, when the time is fulfilled, it 
 enters and dies. But as the flesh decays a 
 certain kind of worm is produced, which, be- 
 ing nourished by the juices of the dead bird, 
 brings forth feathers. Then, when it has 
 acquired strength, it takes up that nest in 
 which are the bones of its parent, and bear- 
 ing these it passes * from the land of Arabia 
 into Egypt, to the city called Heliopolis. 
 And, in open day, flying ' in the sight of all 
 men, it places them on the altar of the sun, 
 and having done this, hastens back to its 
 former abode. The priests then inspect the 
 registers of the dates, and find that it has re- 
 turned exactly as the five hundredth year 
 was completed.' 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. — WE SHALL RISE AGAIN, THEN, 
 AS THE SCEIPT0KE ALSO TESTIPIES. 
 
 Do we then deem it any great and wonder- 
 ful thing for the Maker of all things to raise 
 up again those that have piously served Him 
 in the assurance of a good faith, when even 
 by a bird He shows us the mightiness of His 
 power to fulfil His promise ?* For [the 
 Scripture] saith in a certain place, " Thou 
 shalt raise me up, and I shall confess unto 
 Thee";^ and again, "I laid me down, and 
 slept " ; ''I awaked, because Thou art with 
 me ;"' and again. Job says, " Thou shalt raise 
 up this fiesh of mine, which has suffered all 
 these things." ' 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. — IK THE HOPE OF THE RESUE- 
 EECTIOK, LET US CLEAVE TO THE OMNI- 
 POTENT AND OMNISCIENT GOD. 
 
 Having then this hope, let our souls be 
 bound to Him who is faithful in His prom- 
 ises, and just in His judgments. He who 
 has commanded us not to lie, shall much 
 more Himself not lie ; for nothing is impos- 
 sible with God, except to lie. ^ Let His faith 
 therefore be stirred up again within us, and 
 let us consider that all things are nigh unto 
 Him. By the word of His might ^ He estab- 
 lished all things, and by His word He can 
 overthrow them. ' ' Who shall say unto Him, 
 What hast thou done ? or. Who shall resist 
 
 ' I. Smvvti (accomplishes Its jonrney). 
 
 = 1. omits ejrtirraj (on the wing, flying). ,, „ .^ 
 
 ' ' Tliis fable respecting the phoenix le mentioned by Ueroaotns 
 (ii. 73), and by Pliny {Nat. Hist, x. 2). and is need as above by 
 Tertullian (De Reswrr., 8 13), and by others of the fathers. 
 
 < Literally, " the mightiness of His promise." 
 
 ' Ps. xxvlii. 7, or from some apocryphal booll. 
 
 " Comp. Ps. lii. 6. 
 
 ' Job xix. 25, 26. 
 
 8 Comp. Tit. L 2 ; Heb. vi. 18. 
 
 • Or "majesty." 
 
 the power of His strength ? " '" When, and as 
 He pleases, He will do all things, and none 
 of the things determined by Him shall pass 
 away.i' All things are open before Him, and 
 nothing can be hidden from His counsel, 
 " The heavens ^^ declare the glory of God, and 
 the firmament showeth His handy-work." 
 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night 
 unto night showeth knowledge. And there 
 are no words or speeches of which the voices 
 are not heard."" 
 
 CHAP. XXVIII. — GOD SEES ALL THINGS: 
 THEREFORE LET DS AVOID TEANSGRES- 
 SION. 
 
 Since then all things are seen and heard 
 [by God], let us fear Him, and forsake those 
 wicked works which proceed from evil ^' de- 
 sires ; 1^ so that, through His mercy, we may 
 be protected from the judgments to come. 
 For whither can any of us flee from His 
 mighty hand? Or what world will receive any 
 of those who run away from Him? For the 
 Scripture saith in a certain place, " Whither 
 shall I go, and where shall I be hid from Thy 
 presence? If I ascend into heaven. Thou art 
 there ; if I go away even to the uttermost 
 parts of the earth, there is Thy right hand; " 
 if I make my bed in the abyss, there is Thy 
 Spirit." 1^ Whither, then, shall any one go, 
 or where shall he escape from Him who com- 
 prehends all things? 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. — LET US ALSO DRAW NEAR TO 
 GOD IN PURITY OF HEART. 
 
 Let us then draw near to Him with holi- 
 ness of spirit, lifting up pure and undefiled 
 hands unto Him, loving our gracious and 
 merciful Father, who has made us partakers 
 in the blessings of His elect. '' For thus it is 
 written, " When the Most High divided the 
 nations, when He scattered ^" the sons of 
 Adam, He fixed the bounds of the nations 
 according to the number of the angels of God. 
 His people Jacob became the portion of the 
 Lord, and Israel the lot of His inheritance. ^' 
 And in another place [the Scripture] saith. 
 
 "Wisd. xii. 12, xi. 21. 
 
 >' Comp. Matt. xxiv. 35. 
 
 ■2 Literally, " if the heavens," etc. 
 
 "I. omits. 
 
 i*P8. xix. 1-3. I. omits Ps. xlx, 2-4, with the exception of 
 the concluding words, aKovovrat at ^xovai o-iniov (their voices are 
 heard), which are connected with the opening words of the fol- 
 lowing chapter. 
 
 I'l. 3AaSep(£5 (hnrtful). 
 
 •* Literally, " abominable lusts of evil deeds." 
 
 >' I. av cKei 1,1 (Thou art there). 
 
 >« Ps cxxxix. 7-10. 
 
 •» Literally, " has made us to Himself a part of election." 
 
 20 Literally, " sowed abroad.' ' 
 
 =1 Deut. xxxii. 8, 9. 
 
238 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 " Behold, the Lord taketh unto Himself a na- 
 tion out of the midst of the nations, as a man 
 takes the first-fruits of his threshing-floor ; 
 and from that nation shall come forth the 
 Most Holy." 1 
 
 CHAP. XXX. — LET US DO THOSE THINGS THAT 
 PLEASE GOD, AND FLEE FROM THOSE HE 
 HATES, THAT WE MAY BE BLESSED. 
 
 Seeing, therefore, that we are the portion 
 of the Holy One, ^ let us do all those things 
 which pertain to holiness, avoiding all evil- 
 speaking, all abominable and impure em- 
 braces, together with all drunkenness, seek- 
 ing after change, ^ all abominable lusts, de- 
 testable adultery, and execrable pride. " For 
 God," [saith the Scripture], "resisteth the 
 proud, but giveth grace to the humble."^ Let 
 us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has 
 been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves 
 with concord and humility, ever exercising 
 self-control, standing far off from all whis- 
 pering and evil-speaking, being justified by 
 our works, and not our words. For [the 
 Scripture] saith, " He that speaketh much, 
 shall also hear much in answer. And does 
 he that is ready in speech deem himself 
 righteous? Blessed'' is he that is born of 
 woman, who liveth but a short time : be not 
 given to much speaking."* Let our praise 
 be in God, and not of ourselves ; for God 
 hateth those that commend themselves. Let 
 testimony to our good'' deeds be borne by 
 others, as it was in the case of our righteous 
 forefathers. Boldness, and arrogance, and 
 audacity belong to ' those that are accursed 
 of God; but moderation, humility, and meek- 
 ness to such as are blessed by Him. 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. — LET US SEE BY WHAT MEAN'S 
 WE MAY OBTAIN THE DIVINE BLESSING. 
 
 Let US cleave then to His blessing, and 
 consider what are the means ' of possessing 
 it. Let us think "> over the things which have 
 taken place from the beginning. For what 
 reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was 
 it not because he wrought righteousness and 
 truth through faith? Isaac," with perfect 
 confidence, as if knowing what was to hap- 
 
 ' Formed apparently from Num. sviii. 27 and 2 Chron. xzaj. 
 14. Literally, the closing words are, "the holy of holies." 
 
 *I. fiyia (uc'pvj (holy partB.) 
 
 'Some translate, " youthful lusts." 
 
 ' PrOT. lii. 34 ; James iv. 6 ; 1 Pet. v. 5. 
 
 'I. omits. 
 
 " Job xi. 2, 3. The translation is doubtful. 
 
 ^ I. omits. 
 
 " I. eSodrt (was given). 
 
 'Literally, "what are the ways of His blessing." 
 "^ Literally, "unroll." 
 >i Comp. James li. 21. 
 
 pen, " cheerfully yielded himself as a sacri- 
 fice. '^ Jacob, through reason''' of his brother, 
 went forth with humility from his own land, 
 and came to Laban and served him ; and 
 there was given to him the sceptre of the 
 twelve tribes of Israel. 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. — WE ARE JUSTIFIED NOT BY 
 OUR OWN WORKS, BUT BY FAITH. 
 
 Whosoever will candidly consider each par- 
 ticular, will recognise the greatness of the 
 gifts which were given by him.'' For from 
 him '* have sprung the priests and all the 
 Levites who minister at the altar of God. 
 From him also [was descended] our Lord 
 Jesus Christ according to the flesh." From 
 him [arose] kings, princes, and rulers of the 
 race of Judah. Nor are his other tribes in 
 small glory, '8 inasmuch as God had promised, 
 "Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven."" 
 All these, therefore, were highly honoured, 
 and made great, not for their own sake, or for 
 their own works, or for the righteousness 
 which they wrought, but through the opera- 
 tion of His will. And we, too, being called 
 by His will^ in Christ Jesas, are not Justified 
 by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or 
 understanding, or godliness, or works which 
 we have wrought in holiness of heart ; but by 
 that faith through which, from the begin- 
 ning. Almighty God has justified all men ; to 
 whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. — BUT LET US NOT GIVE UP 
 THE PRACTICE OF GOOD WORKS AND LOVE. 
 GOD HIMSELF IS AN EXAMPLE TO US OF 
 GOOD WORKS. 
 
 What shall we do,^' then, brethren ? Shall 
 we become slothful in well-doing, and cease 
 from the practice of love ? God forbid that 
 any such course should be followed by us ! 
 But rather let us hasten with all energy and 
 readiness of mind to perform every good work. 
 For the Creator and Lord of all Himself re- 
 joices in His works. For by His infinitely 
 great power He established the heavens, and 
 by His incomprehensible wisdom He adorned 
 them. He also divided the earth from the 
 water which surrounds it, and fixed it upon 
 
 12 Some translate, "knowing what was to come." 
 
 "Gen. xxii.,0-10. 
 
 " So Jacobson : Wotton reads, " fleeing from his brother." 
 
 >' The meaning here is very doubtful. Some translate, "the 
 gifts which were given to Jacob by Him," i.e, God. 
 
 '"MS. ouTic, referring to the gifts: we have followed the 
 emendation avTov, adopted by most editors. Some refer the word 
 to Gnd, and not Jacob. 
 
 " Comp, Rom. ix. 5. 
 
 1* I. Td^fL (rank). 
 
 1" Gen. xxii. 17, xxviii. 4. 
 
 ■" I. omits. 
 
 ^^ I. cpoi/^i*' (shall we say). 
 
THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 239 
 
 the immovable foundation of His own will. 
 The animals also which are upon it He com- 
 manded by His own word * into existence. So 
 likewise, when He had formed " the sea, and 
 the living creatures which are in it, He en- 
 closed them [within their proper bounds] by 
 His own power. Above all,^ with His lioly 
 and uudefiled hands He formed man, the 
 most excellent [of His creatures], and truly 
 great through the understanding given him — 
 the express likeness of His own image. For 
 thus says God : " Let us make man in our 
 image, and after our likeness. So God made 
 man; male and female He created them."^ 
 Having thus finished all these things, He ap- 
 proved them, and blessed them, and said, 
 "Increase and multiply."^ We see," then, 
 how all righteous men have been adorned with 
 good works, and how the Lord Himself, 
 adorning Himself with His works, rejoiced. 
 Having therefore such an example, let us 
 without delay accede to His will, and let us 
 work the work of righteousness with our 
 whole strength. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. — GREAT IS THE EEWAED OF 
 GOOD WORKS WITH GOD. JOINED TO- 
 GETHER IK HARMONY, LET US IMPLORE 
 THAT REWARD FROM HIM. 
 
 The good servant ' receives the bread of his 
 labour with confidence ; the lazy and sloth- 
 ful cannot look his employer in the face. 
 It is requisite, therefore, that we be prompt 
 in the practice of well-doing ; for of Him are 
 all things. And thus He forewarns us : 
 " Behold, the Lord [cometh], and His reward 
 is before His face, to render to every man 
 according to his work."^ He exhorts us, 
 therefore,' with our whole heart to attend to 
 this,*" that we be not lazy or slothful in any 
 good work. Let our boasting and our confi- 
 dence be in Him. Let us submit ourselves to 
 His will. Let us consider the whole multi- 
 tude of His angels, how they stand ever ready 
 to minister to His will. For the Scripture 
 saith, "Ten thousand times ten thousand 
 stood around Him, and thousands of thou- 
 sands ministered unto Him," and cried, Holy, 
 holy, holy, [is] the Lord of Sabaoth; the 
 
 * Or, "commandment." 
 
 2 1. TrpoeToiMoiiTo? (having preTlouBly prepared). 
 
 ' Or, " in addition to alL" 
 
 « Gen. 1. 26, 27. 
 
 ' Gen. i. 28. 
 
 ' Or, " let us consider." 
 
 ' Or, " labourer." 
 
 » lea. xl. 10, Ixii. 11 ; Hev. xxli. 12. 
 
 • I, TnarevovTai (believing). 
 
 10 The text here seems to be coimpt. Some translate, ■ He 
 warns us with all His heart to this end, that," etc. 
 "Dan. Tii. 10. 
 
 whole creation '^ is full of His glory." *^ And 
 let us therefore, conscientiously gathering 
 together in harmony, cry to Him earnestly, 
 as with one mouth, that we may be made 
 partakers of His great and glorious promises. 
 For [the Scripture] saith, "Eye hath not seen, 
 nor ear heard, neither have entered into the 
 heart of man, the things which He hath pre- 
 pared for them that wait for " Him." *^ 
 
 CHAP. XXXT. — IMMENSE IS THIS REWARD. 
 HOW SHALL WE OBTAIN IT ? 
 
 How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are 
 the gifts of God ! Life in immortality, 
 splendour in righteousness, truth in perfect 
 confidence,*" faith in assurance, self-control 
 in holiness ! And all these fall under the 
 cognizance of our understandings [now] ; 
 what then shall those things be which are 
 prepared for such as wait for Him? The 
 Creator and Father of all worlds," the Most 
 Holy,*^ alone knows their amount and their 
 beauty. Let us therefore earnestly strive to 
 be found in the number of those that wait 
 for Him, in order that we may share in His 
 promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall 
 this be done? If our understanding be fixed 
 by faith towards God ; if we earnestly seek 
 the things" which are pleasing and accept- 
 able to Him ; if we do the things which are 
 in harmony with His blameless will ; and if 
 we follow the way of truth, casting away 
 from us all unrighteousness and inquity,^* 
 along with all covetousness,^* strife, evil prac- 
 tices, deceit, whispering, and evil-speaking, 
 all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, 
 vainglory and ambition. ^^ For they that do 
 such things are hateful to God; and not only 
 they that do them, but also those that take 
 
 Eleasure in them that do them.^ For the 
 cripture saith, " But to the sinner God said. 
 Wherefore dost thou declare my statutes, 
 and take my covenant into thy mouth, see- 
 ing thou hatest instruction, and castest my 
 words behind thee? When thou sawest a 
 thief, thou consentedst with^ him, and didst 
 make thy portion with adulterers. Thy 
 mouth has abounded with wickedness, and 
 
 "2 1, y^ (earth), 
 •sisa vi. 8. 
 
 '* I. ayaTTUatv (lOVC). 
 
 " ICor. ii. 9. 
 
 i» Some translate, " in liberty." 
 " Or, " Of the ages." 
 
 1^1. o Srifiiovpyo^ rSiif aluvtitv KoX iTOTJip irai/dyto^ (the Creator 
 Eternal and Father All-Holy.) 
 1" I. Td dya^a (good things) added. 
 20 1. iTovT]piav (wickedoess). 
 21 1, omits n-AeocE^ia (covetousneBS). 
 
 22 The reading is doubtful: some have d^iAofei'iai', "want of 
 a hospitable spu-it." 
 
 23 Kom. i.32. 
 
 2* Literally, " didst run with." 
 
240 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 thy tongue contrived * deceit. Thou sittest, 
 and speakest against thy brother; thou slan- 
 derest ^ thine own mother's son. These 
 things thou hast done, and I kept silence ; 
 thou thoughtest, wicked one, that I should 
 be like to thyself. But I will reprove thee, 
 and set thyself before thee. Consider now 
 these things, ye that forget God, lest He tear 
 you in pieces, like a lion, and there be none 
 to deliver.' The sacrifice of praise will 
 glorify me, and a way is there by which I will 
 show him the salvation of God."^ 
 
 CHAP. XXXTI. — ALL BLESSISTGS AEE GIVEN 
 TO US THROUGH CHRIST. 
 
 This is the way, beloved, in which we find 
 our Saviour,^ even Jesus Christ, the High 
 Priest of all our offerings, the defender and 
 hel]5er of our infirmity. By Him we look up 
 to the heights of heaven. By Him we behold, 
 as in a glass, His immaculate and most ex- 
 cellent visage. By Him are the eyes of 
 our hearts opened. By Him our foolish and 
 darkened understanding blossoms^ up anew 
 towards His marvellous light. By Him the 
 Lord has willed that we should taste of im- 
 mortal knowledge,' " who, being the bright- 
 ness of His majesty, is by so much greater 
 than the angels, as He hath by inheritance 
 obtained a more excellent name than they."' 
 Eor it is thus written, " Who maketh His 
 angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of 
 fire."^ But concerning His Son i° the Lord 
 spoke thus : " Thou art my Son, to-day have 
 I begotten Thee. Ask of me, and I will give 
 Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and 
 the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy pos- 
 session." " And again He saith to Him, " Sit 
 Thou at my right hand, until I make Thine 
 enemies Thy footstool." ^^ But who are His 
 enemies ? All the wicked, and those who 
 set themselves to oppose the will of God.^^ 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII. — CHRIST IS OUR LEADER, 
 AND WE HIS SOLDIERS. 
 
 Let us then, men and brethren, with all 
 energy act the part of soldiers, in accordance 
 with His holy commandments. Let us con- 
 
 1 Literally, " did weave." 
 
 2 Or. " layest a snare for." 
 
 s I. omit "tru 6e ejui(Tij(7a9 ... 6 pvd/xei/o? Ps. I., 17-22, 
 
 and connects by kv r>Z reAei (in the end). 
 
 ^ Ps. 1. 16-.23. The reader will observe bow the Septuagint 
 followed by Clement differs from tbe Hebrew. 
 
 ^ Literally, ' ' that which snves us." 
 
 " Or, " rejoices to behoid." 
 
 ' Or, "knowledge of immortality." 
 
 8 Heb. i. 3. 4. 
 
 « Ps. civ. 4 ; Heb. i. T. 
 ^^ Some render, " to the Son." 
 " Ps. ii. 7, 8; Heb. i. 5. 
 " Ps. ex. 1 ; Heb. i. 13. 
 u Some read, " who oppose their own will to that of God." 
 
 sider those who serve under our generals, 
 with what order, obedience," and submissive- 
 ness they perform the things which are com- 
 manded them. All are not prefects, nor com- 
 manders of a thousand, nor of a hundred, nor 
 of fifty, nor the like, but each one in his own 
 rank performs the things commanded by the 
 king and the generals. The great cannot 
 subsist without the small, nor the small 
 without the great. There is a kind of mixt- 
 ure in all things, and thence arises mutual 
 advantage. 1^ Let us take our body for an 
 example.^* The head is nothing without the 
 feet, and the feet are nothing without the 
 head ; yea, the very smallest members of our 
 body are necessary and useful to the whole 
 body. But all work" harmoniously together, 
 and are under one common rule ^^ for the pres- 
 ervation of the whole body. 
 
 CHAP. XXXTIII. — LET THE MEMBERS OF THE 
 CHURCH SUBMIT THEMSELVES, AND NO 
 ONE EXALT HIMSELF ABOVE ANOTHER. 
 
 Let our whole body, then, be preserved in 
 Christ Jesus ; " and let every one be subject 
 to his neighbour, according to the special 
 gift ^ bestowed upon him. Let the strong 
 not despise ^^ the weak, and let the weak 
 show respect unto the strong. Let the rich 
 man provide for the wants of the poor ; and 
 let the poor man bless God, because He hath 
 given him one by whom his need may be 
 supplied. Let the wise man display his wis- 
 dom, not by [mere] words, but through good 
 deeds. Let the humble not bear testimony 
 to himself, but leave witness to be borne 
 to him by another.^ Let him that is pure in 
 the flesh not grow proud ^ of it, and boast, 
 knowing that it was another who bestowed 
 on him the gift of continence. Let us con- 
 sider, then, brethren, of what matter we 
 were made, — who and what manner of beings 
 we came into the world, as it were out of 
 a sepulchre, and from utter darkness.^^ He 
 who made us and fashioned us, having pre- 
 pared His bountiful gifts for us before we 
 were born, introduced us into His world. 
 Since, therefore, we receive all these things 
 from Him, we ought for everything to give 
 Him thanks ; to whom be glory for ever and 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 14 I. ewTtjcMs (habitually). 
 
 >» Literally, " in these there is use." 
 
 i« ICor., xii. 12, etc. 
 
 " Literally, " all breathe together." 
 
 i« Literally, " use one subjection." 
 
 1= I. omits " Jesus." 
 
 2" Literally, " according as he has been placed in his charism." 
 
 21 I. TTjueAetTio (attend to). 
 
 22 Comp. Prov. xxvii. 2. 
 
 23 The MS. is here slightly torn, and we are left to conjecture. 
 
 24 Comp. Pb. cxxxis. 15. 
 
THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 241 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX. — THERE IS NO EEASOK FOE 
 SELF-CONCEIT. 
 
 Foolish and inconsiderate ' men, who have 
 neither wisdom^ nor instruction, mock and 
 deride us, being eager to exalt themselves in 
 their own conceits. For what can a mortal 
 man do, or what strength is there in one 
 made out of the dust ? For it is written, 
 " There was no shape before mine eyes, only 
 I heard a sound,^ and a voice [saying]. What 
 then ? Shall a man be pure before the 
 Lord ? Or shall such an one be [counted] 
 blameless in his deeds, seeing He does not 
 confide in His servants, and has charged ^ 
 even His angels with perversity ? The heav- 
 en is not clean in His sight : how much less 
 they that dwell in houses of clay, of which 
 also we ourselves were made ! He smote 
 them as a moth ; and from morning even 
 until evening they endure not. Because 
 they could furnish no assistance to them- 
 selves, they perished. He breathed upon 
 them, and they died, because they had no 
 wisdom. But call now, if any one will an- 
 swer thee, or if thou wilt look to any of the 
 holy angels; for wrath destroys the foolish 
 man, and envy killeth him that is in error. 
 I have seen the foolish taking root, but their 
 habitation was presently consumed. Let 
 their sons be far from safety ; let them be 
 despised ' before the gates of those less than 
 themselves, and there shall be none to de- 
 liver. For what was prepared for them, the 
 righteous shall eat ; and they shall not be de- 
 livered from evil."^ 
 
 CHAP. XL. — LET US PRESERVE IN THE 
 CHURCH THE ORDER APPOINTED BT GOD. 
 
 These things therefore being manifest to 
 us, and since we look into the depths of the 
 divine knowledge, it behoves us to do all 
 things in [their proper] order, which the 
 Lord has commanded us to perform at stated 
 times.' He has enjoined offerings [to be pre- 
 sented] and service to be performed [to 
 Him], and that not thoughtlessly or irregu- 
 larly, but at the appointed times and hours. 
 "Where and by whom He desires these things 
 to be done. He Himself has fixed by His own 
 supreme will, in order that all things, being 
 piously done according to His good pleasure, 
 may be acceptable unto Him." Those, there- 
 
 ' I. omits icol iaHveTm (and without understanding). 
 ' Literally, " and silly and munstracted." 
 ' Literally, " a breath." 
 * Or, *'ha8 perceived." 
 ' Some render, " they perished at the gates." 
 ' Job iv. 16-18, 19-21, v. 1-5, XV. 15. 
 
 ' Some join Kara Katpoifj rerayiiivov^, '* at stated times," to the 
 next sentence. 
 » Literally, " to His will." 
 
 16 
 
 fore, who present their offerings at the ap- 
 pointed times, are accepted and blessed ; for 
 inasmuch as they follow the laws of the 
 Lord, they sin not. For his own peculiar 
 services are assigned to the high priest, and 
 their own proper place is prescribed to the 
 priests, and their own special ministrations 
 devolve on the Levites. The layman is 
 bound by the laws that pertain to laymen. 
 
 CHAP. XLI. — CONTINUATION OF THE SAITE 
 SUBJECT. 
 
 Let every one of you, brethren, give thanks' 
 to God in" his own order, living in all good 
 conscience, with becoming gravity, and not 
 going beyond the rule of the ministry pre- 
 scribed to him. Not in every place, breth- 
 ren, are the daily sacrifices offered, or the 
 peace-offerings, or the sin-offerings and the 
 trespass-offerings, but in Jerusalem only. 
 And even there they are not offered in any 
 place, but only at the altar before the temple, 
 that which is ofi'ered being first carefully ex- 
 amined by the high priest and the ministers 
 already mentioned. Those, therefore, who 
 do anything beyond that which is agreeable 
 to His will, are punished with death. Ye 
 see,'° brethren, that the greater the knowl- 
 edge that has been vouchsafed to us, the 
 greater also is the danger to which we are 
 exposed. 
 
 CHAP. XLII. — THE ORDER OF MINISTERS IN 
 THE CHURCH. 
 
 The apostles have preached the gospel to 
 us from " the Lord Jesus Christ ; Jesus ^^ 
 Christ [has done so] from God. Christ 
 therefore was sent forth by God,''' and the 
 apostles by Christ. Both these appoint- 
 ments," then, were made in an orderly way, 
 according to the will of God. Having there- 
 fore received their orders, and being fully as- 
 sured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and established i' in the word of God, 
 with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they 
 went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of 
 God was at hand. And thus preaching 
 through countries and cities, they appointed 
 the first fruits [of their labours], having 
 first proved them by the Spirit, *' to be bishops 
 and deacons of those who should afterwards 
 believe. Nor was this any new thing, since 
 indeed many ages before it was written con- 
 
 ■ I. tvape<TT€iTia (be well-pleasing). 
 " Or, "consider." 
 " Or, " by the command of." 
 12 A. " the Christ," I. "Christ." 
 13 1, omits. 
 
 1* Literally, " both things were done." 
 1^ Or, " confirmed by." 
 »• Or, " having tested them in spirit." 
 
243 
 
 THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 cerning bishops and deacons. For thus saith 
 the Scripture in a certain place, " I will ap- 
 point their bishops ^ in righteousness, and 
 their deacons* in faith." ' 
 
 CHAP. XLIII. — MOSES OF OLD STILLED THE 
 CONTEKTIOK WHICH AROSE CONCEBNING 
 THE PKIESTLY DIGNITY. 
 
 And what wonder is it if those in Christ 
 who were entrusted with such a duty bjr God, 
 appointed those [ministers] before mentioned, 
 when the blessed Moses also, "a faithful ser- 
 vant in all his house," '' noted down in the 
 sacred books all the injunctions which were 
 given him, and when the other prophets also 
 followed him, bearing witness with one con- 
 sent to the ordinances which he had ap- 
 pointed ? For, when rivalry arose concerning 
 the priesthood, and the tribes were contending 
 among themselves as to which of them should 
 be adorned with that glorious title, he com- 
 manded the twelve princes of the tribes to 
 bring him their rods, each one being inscribed 
 with the name ' of the tribe. And he took 
 them and bound them [together], and sealed 
 them with the rings of the princes of the 
 tribes, and laid them up in the tabernacle of 
 witness on the table of God. And having 
 shut the doors of the tabernacle, he sealed 
 the keys, as he had done the rods, and said to 
 them. Men and brethren, the tribe Avhose rod 
 shall blossom has God chosen to fuliil the 
 office of the priesthood, and to minister unto 
 Him. And when the morning was come, he 
 assembled all Israel, six hundred thousand 
 men, and showed the seals to the princes of 
 the tribes, and opened the tabernacle of 
 witness, and brought forth the rods. And the 
 rod of Aaron was found not only to have 
 blossomed, but to bear fruit upon it.^ What 
 think ye, beloved ? Did not Moses know be- 
 forehand that this would happen ? Undoubt- 
 edly he knew ; but he acted thus, that 
 there might be no sedition in Israel, and that 
 the name of the true and only God might be 
 glorified; to whom be glory for ever and ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 CHAP. XLIV. — THE ORDINANCES OF THE 
 APOSTLES, THAT THERE MIGHT BE NO 
 CONTENTION RESPECTING THE PRIESTLY 
 OFFICE. 
 
 Our apostles also knew, through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, that there would be strife on 
 
 1 Or, 
 
 2 Or, • 
 
 overseers." 
 Bervants." 
 
 ' Isa. Ix. IT, Sept. ; bat the text is here altered by Clement. 
 The LXX have, "I will give thy rulers in peace, and thy over- 
 seers in rightfionsness." 
 
 •• Num. xli. 10 ; Heb. 111. 6. 
 
 ' Literally, " every tribe being written according to its name." 
 
 « SecNom. rvil. 
 
 account of the office ' of the episcopate. For 
 this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had 
 obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, 
 they appointed those [ministers] already men- 
 tioned, and afterwards gave instructions,' that 
 when these should fall asleep, other approved 
 men should succeed them in their ministry. 
 We are of opinion, therefore, that those ap- 
 pointed by them,^ or afterwards by other 
 eminent men, with the consent of the whole 
 church, and who have blamelessly served the 
 flock of Christ, in a humble, peaceable, and 
 disinterested spirit, and have for a long time 
 possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be 
 justly dismissed from the ministry. For our 
 sin will not be small, if we eject from the 
 episcopate '" those who have blamelessly and 
 holily fulfilled its duties. '^ Blessed are those 
 presbyters who, having finished their course 
 before now, have obtained a fruitful and per- 
 fect departure [from this world] ; for they 
 have no fear lest any one deprive them of the 
 place now appointed them. But we see that 
 ye have removed some men of excellent be- 
 haviour from the ministry, which they ful- 
 filled blamelessly and with honour. 
 
 CHAP. XLV. — IT IS THE PART OF THE 
 WICKED TO VEX THE RIGHTEOUS. 
 
 Ye are fond of contention, brethren, and 
 full of zeal about things which do not per- 
 tain to salvation. Look carefully into the 
 Scriptures, which are the true utterances of 
 the Holy Spirit. Observe ^^ that nothing of 
 an unjust or counterfeit character is written 
 in them. There ^^ you will not find that the 
 righteous were cast off by men who them- 
 selves were holy. The righteous were in- 
 deed persecuted, but only by the wicked. 
 They were cast into prison, but only by the 
 unholy ; they were stoned, but only by trans- 
 gressors ; they were slain, but only by the 
 accursed, and such as had conceived an un- 
 righteous envy against them. Exposed to 
 such sufferings, they endured them gloriously. 
 For what shall we say, brethren ? Was 
 Daniel " cast into the den of lions by such as 
 
 ' Literally, " on account of the title of the oversight." Some 
 nnderstand this to mean, "in regard to the dignity oJ the episco- 
 pate ; '' and others simply, " on account of the oversight." I. for 
 JirifojaiJ gives en-iSo/Li^. Bryeunius conjectu-es eTrtfio^^, which, 
 pevhapa, may be rendered " Succession " (Stafiox^). 
 
 « The meaning of this passage is much controverted. Some 
 render, "left a hst of other approved persons;" while others 
 translate the unusual word enLyof^rt, which causes the difficulty, by 
 " testament.ary direction." and many others deem the text corrupt. 
 We have given what seems the simplest version of the text as it 
 stands. 
 
 * i.e. the apostles. 
 
 10 Or, "oversight." 
 
 " Literally. " presented the offerings." 
 
 " Or, "Ye perceive." 
 
 >= Or, "For." 
 
 " Dan. vl. 16. 
 
THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 243 
 
 feared God ? Were Ananias, and Azarias, 
 and Mishael shut up in a furnace * of fire by 
 those who observed^ the great and glorious 
 worship of the Most High ? Par from us be 
 such a thought I Who, then, were they that 
 did such things ? The hateful, and those 
 full of all wickedness, were roused to such a 
 pitch of fury, that they inflicted torture on 
 those who served God with a holy and blame- 
 less purpose [of heart], not knowing that the 
 Most High is the Defender and Protector of 
 all such as with a pure conscience venerate^ 
 His all-excellent name ; to whom be glory 
 for ever and ever. Amen. But they who 
 with confidence endured [these things] are 
 now heirs of glory and honour, and have 
 been exalted and made illustrious * by God in 
 their memorial for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. XLVI. LET US CLEAVE TO THE 
 
 EIGHTEOUS: TOUK STKIEE IS PEKNICIOUS. 
 
 Such examples, therefore, brethren, it is 
 right that we should follow ; ' since it is 
 written, " Cleave to the holy, for those that 
 cleave to them shall f themselves] be made 
 holy."* And again, in another place, [the 
 Scripture] saith, " With a harmless man thou 
 shalt prove' thyself harmless, and with an 
 elect man thou shalt be elect, and with a 
 perverse man thou shalt show ^ thyself per- 
 verse." ° Let us cleave, therefore, to the in- 
 nocent and righteous, since these are the 
 elect of God. Why are there strifes, and 
 tumults, and divisions, and schisms, and 
 wars 1" among you ? Have we not [all] one 
 God and one Christ ? Is there not one Spirit 
 of grace poured out upon us ? And have we 
 not one calling in Christ? " Why do we divide 
 and tear in pieces the members of Christ, and 
 raise up strife against our own body, and have 
 reached such a height of madness as to for- 
 get that " we are members one of another ? " ^ 
 Kemember the words of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, how ^ He said, " Woe to that man [by 
 whom ^ offences come] ! It were better for 
 him that he had never been born, than that 
 he should cast a stumbling-block before one 
 of my elect. Yea, it were better for him 
 that a millstone should be hung about [his 
 
 > Dan. iii. 20. 
 
 ' Literally, " worBhipped." 
 
 = Literally, " serve." 
 
 •Or, "lifted up." L «Yyp«u(>oi (inscribed). 
 
 'Literally, "to snch examples it is ngnt that we ehonld 
 cleave." 
 
 " Not fonnd in Scripture. 
 
 ' Literally, "be." 
 
 ' Or, " thon wilt overtbrow." 
 
 ' Pb. xviii. 25, 26. 
 
 " Or, " war." Comp. James iv. 1. 
 " Comp. Eph. iv. *-6. 
 " Horn. xii. 5. 
 1* This clause is wanting in tbe text 
 
 neck], and he should be sunk in the depths 
 of the sea, than that he should cast a stum- 
 bling-block before one of my little ones." " 
 Your schism has subverted [the faith of] 
 many, has discouraged many, has given rise 
 to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us 
 all. And still your sedition continueth. 
 
 CHAP. XLTII. — TO0B RBCEITT DISCORD IS 
 WORSE THAN THE FORMER WHICH TOOK 
 PLACE ISr THE TIMES OF PAUL. 
 
 Take up the epistle of the blessed Apostle 
 Paul. What did he write to you at the time 
 when the gospel first began to be preached ? ^ 
 Truly, under the inspiration ^' of the Spirit, 
 he wrote to you concerning himself, and 
 Cephas, and Apollos," because even then par- 
 ties ^ had been formed among you. But that 
 inclination for one above another entailed 
 less guilt upon you, inasmuch as your par- 
 tialities were then shown towards apostles, 
 already of high reputation, and towards a 
 man whom they had approved. But now re- 
 flect who those are that have perverted you, 
 and lessened the renown of your far-famed 
 brotherly love. It is disgraceful, beloved, 
 yea, highly disgraceful, and unworthy of 
 your Christian profession," that such a thing 
 should be heard of as that the most stedfast 
 and ancient church of the Corinthians should, 
 on account of one or two persons, engage in 
 sedition against its presbyters. And this 
 rumour has reached not only us, but those 
 also who are unconnected ^ with us ; so that, 
 through your infatuation, the name of the 
 Lord is blasphemed, while danger is also 
 brought upon yourselves. 
 
 CHAP. XLVIII. — LET US RETURN TO THE 
 PRACTICE OF BROTHERLY LOTE. 
 
 Let US therefore, with all haste, put an 
 end ^' to this [state of things] ; and let us fall 
 down before the Lord, and beseech Him with 
 tears, that He would mercifully ^ be recon- 
 ciled to us, and restore us to our former 
 seemly and holy practice of brotherly love. 
 For [such conduct] is the gate of righteous- 
 ness, which is set open for the attainment of 
 life, as it is written, " Open to me the gates 
 of righteousness ; I will go in by them, and 
 will praise the Lord : this is the gate of the 
 
 » Comp. Matt, xviii 6, xxvi. 24 ; Mark ix. 42 ; Luke xvii. 2. 
 " Literally, "in the beginning of tbe gospel." 
 19 Or, "spiritually." 
 1' 1 Cor. lii. 13, etc. 
 
 '» Or, " inclinations for one above another." 1. 7rpoiricA^a«« 
 (smnmonses) throuffhout for irpoffKAtVei?. 
 1' Literally, "of conduct in Christ" I. iyoiri) (love). 
 2° Or, " aliens from us," i.e. the Gentiles. 
 21 Literally, "remove." 
 '2 lateially, " becoming mercif uL" 
 
344 
 
 THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 Lord: the righteous shall enter in by it."' 
 Although, therefore, many gates have been 
 set open, yet this gate of righteousness is that 
 gate in Christ by which blessed are all they 
 that have entered in and have directed their 
 way in holiness and righteousness, doing all 
 things without disorder. Let a man be faith- 
 ful : let him be powerful in the uttei'ance of 
 knowledge ; let him be wise in judging of 
 words ; let him be pure in all his deeds ; 
 yet the more he seems to be superior to others 
 [in these respects], the more humble-minded 
 ought he to be, and to seek the common 
 good of all, and not merely his own advan- 
 tage. 
 
 CHAP. XLIX. — THE PRAISE OF LOVE. 
 
 Let him who has love in Christ keep the 
 commandments of Christ. Who can describe 
 the [blessed] bond of the love of God ? 
 What man is able to tell the excellence of its 
 beauty, as it ought to be told ? The height 
 to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love 
 unites us to God. Love covers a multitude 
 of sins.^ Love beareth all things, is long- 
 suffering in all things.^ There is nothing 
 base, nothing arrogant in love. Love admits 
 of no schisms : love gives rise to no seditions : 
 love does all things in harmony. By love 
 have all the elect of God been made perfect ; 
 without love nothing is well-pleasing to God. 
 In love has the Lord taken us to Himself. 
 On account of the love He bore us, Jesus 
 Christ our Lord gave His blood for us by the 
 will of God ; His flesh for our flesh, and His 
 soul for our souls. 
 
 CHAP. L. — LET US PRAT TO BE THOUGHT 
 WORTHY OF LOYE. 
 
 Ye see, beloved, how great and wonderful 
 a thing is love, and that there is no declaring 
 its perfection. Who is fit to be found in it, 
 except such as God has vouchsafed to render 
 so ? Let us pray,^ therefore, and implore of 
 His mercy, that we may live ^ blameless in 
 love, free from all human partialities for one 
 above another. All the generations from 
 Adam even unto this day have passed away ; 
 but those who, through the grace of God, 
 have been made perfect in love, now possess 
 a place among the godly, and shall be made 
 manifest at the revelation * of the kingdom of 
 Christ.' For it is written, "Enter into thy 
 
 1 Pb. cxviii. 19, 20. 
 
 ' James v. 20 ; 1 Pet. iv. 8. 
 
 3 Comp. 1 Cor. xiii. 4, etc. 
 
 * 1. gives indicative mood. 
 
 • I. eiipediaiiev (may be found). 
 ' Literally, "visitation." 
 
 ' I. eeoii (God). 
 
 secret chambers for a little time, until my 
 wrath and fury pass away ; and I will remem- 
 ber a propitious ^ day, and will raise you up 
 out of your graves." ' Blessed are we, beloved, 
 if we keep the commandments of God in the 
 harmony of love ; that so through love our 
 sins may be forgiven us. For it is written, 
 " Blessed are they whose transgressions are 
 forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed 
 is the man whose sin the Lord will not im- 
 pute to him, and in whose mouth there is no 
 guile. ^° This blessedness cometh upon those 
 who have been chosen by God through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord ; to whom be glory for ever 
 and ever. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. LI. — LET THE PARTAKERS IN STRIFE 
 ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SINS. 
 
 Let US therefore implore forgiveness for all 
 those transgressions which through any [sug- 
 gestion] of the adversary we have committed. 
 And those who have been the leaders of sedi- 
 tion and disagreement ought to have respect " 
 to the common hope. For such as live in 
 fear and love would rather that they them- 
 selves than their neighbours should be in- 
 volved in suffering. And they prefer to bear 
 blame themselves, rather than that the con- 
 cord which has been well and piously *^ handed 
 down to us should suffer. For it is better 
 that a man should acknowledge his trans- 
 gressions than that he should harden his 
 heart, as the hearts of those were hardened 
 who stirred up sedition against Moses the 
 servant ^' of God, and whose condemnation was 
 made manifest [imto all]. For they went 
 down alive into Hades, and death swallowed 
 them up." Pharaoh with his army and all 
 the princes of Egypt, aad the chariots with 
 their riders, were sunk in the depths of the 
 Eed Sea, and perished,!^ for no other reason 
 than that their foolish hearts were hardened, 
 after so many signs and wonders had been 
 wrought in the land of Egypt by Moses the 
 servant of God. 
 
 CHAP. LII. — SUCH A CONFESSION IS PLEAS- 
 ING TO GOD. 
 
 The Lord, brethren, stands in need of 
 nothing ; and He desires nothing of any one 
 except that confession be made to Him' 
 
 ' Or, "good." 
 ' Isa. XEvi. 20. 
 '° Ps. xxxii. 1, 2. 
 1' Or, "look to." 
 ^2 Or_, "righteously." 
 ^* I. avdpoiiTov (man). 
 
 ^* Num. xvi. I. davaTQ^ irotjuacei auTou? — " Death shall feed on 
 them," Ps. xlix., 14 A. V.— should be, " Death shall tend them." 
 '» Ex. xiv. 
 
THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 345 
 
 For, says the elect David, " I will confess nnto 
 the Lord ; and that will please Him more 
 than a young bullock ^ that hath horns and 
 hoofs. Let the poor see it, and be glad."^ 
 And again he saith, " Offer ^ unto God the sac- 
 rifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the 
 Most High. And call upon me in the day of 
 thy trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou 
 Shalt glorify me." ^ For " the sacrifice of God 
 is a broken spirit."' 
 
 CHAP. LIII. — THE LOVE OF MOSES TOWARDS 
 HIS PEOPLE. 
 
 Ye understand, beloved, ye understand 
 well the sacred Scriptures, and ye have 
 looked very earnestly into the oracles of God. 
 Call then these things to your remembrance. 
 When Moses went up into the mount, and 
 abode there, with fasting and humiliation, 
 forty days and forty nights, the Lord said 
 unto him, "Moses, Moses, get thee down 
 quickly from hence ; for thy people whom 
 thou didst bring out of the land of Egypt 
 have committed iniquity. They have speedily 
 departed from the way in which I commanded 
 them to walk, and have made to themselves 
 molten images."'' And the Lord said unto 
 him, "I have spoken to thee once and again, 
 saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, 
 it is a stiff-necked people : let me destroy 
 them, and blot out their name from under 
 heaven ; and I will make thee a great and 
 wonderful nation, and one much more num- 
 erous than this."' But Moses said, " Far be it 
 from Thee, Lord : pardon the sin of this 
 people ; else blot me also out of the book of 
 the living."^ marvellous' love ! insuper- 
 able perfection ! The servant i" speaks freely 
 to his Lord, and asks forgiveness for the peo- 
 ple, or begs that he himself might perish " 
 along with them. 
 
 CHAP. LIV. — HE WHO IS PULL OF LOVE 
 WILL INCUR EVERT LOSS, THAT PEACE 
 MAT BE RESTORED TO THE CHURCH. 
 
 Who then among you is noble-minded ? 
 who compassionate ? who full of love? Let 
 him declare, " If on my account sedition and 
 disagreement and schisms have arisen, I will 
 
 1 1, omits from Ps. Ixix. , 31, 32 the words following " bullock." 
 
 2 Ps. Ixix. 31, 32. 
 
 ^ Or, " sacrifice." 
 
 * Ps. 1. 14, 15. L omits Ps. 1., IS. 
 
 ' Ps. 11. 17. 
 
 « Ex. xxxli. 7, etc. ; Deut. Ix. 12, etc. 
 
 ' Ex. xxxii. 9, etc. 
 
 « Ex. xxxii. 32. 
 
 » Or, " mighty." 
 10 I. 5ea-7r<ST7js (master). 
 1' Literally, " he wiped oat." 
 
 depart, I will go away whithersoever ye de- 
 sire, and I will do whatever the majority '■^ 
 commands ; only let the flock of Christ live 
 on terms of peace with the presbyters set over 
 it." He that acts thus shall procure to him- 
 self great glory in the Lord ; " and every 
 place will welcome " him. For " the earth is 
 the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. '^ These 
 things they who live a godly life that is 
 never to be repented of, both have done and 
 always will do. 
 
 CHAP. LV. — EXAMPLES OF SUCH LOVE. 
 
 To bring forward some examples'^ from 
 among the heathen : Many kings and 
 princes, in times of pestilence, when they 
 had been instructed by an oracle, have given 
 themselves up to death, in order that by their 
 own blood they might deliver their fellow- 
 citizens [from destruction]. Many have 
 gone forth from their own cities, that so 
 sedition might be brought to an end within 
 them. We know many among ourselves who 
 have given themselves up to bonds, in order 
 that they might ransom others. Many, too, 
 have surrendered themselves to slavery, that 
 with the price" which they received for them- 
 selves, they might provide food for others. 
 Many women also, being strengthened by the 
 grace of God, have performed numerous 
 manl"^ exploits. The blessed Judith, when 
 her city was besieged, asked of the elders 
 permission to go forth into the camp of the 
 strangers ; and, exposing herself to danger, 
 she went out for the love which she bare to 
 her country and people then besieged ; and 
 the Lord delivered Holofernes into the hands 
 of a woman. ^^ Esther also, being perfect in 
 faith, exposed herself to no less danger, in 
 order to deliver the twelve tribes of Israel 
 from impending destruction. For with fast- 
 ing and humiliation she entreated the ever- 
 lasting '' God, who seeth all things ; and He, 
 perceiving the humility of her spirit, deliv- 
 ered the people for whose sake she had en- 
 countered peril. ^ 
 
 CHAP. LVI. — LET US ADMONISH AND COR- 
 RECT ONE ANOTHER. 
 
 Let US then also pray for those who have 
 fallen into any sin, that meekness and humil- 
 
 " Literally, " the multitude." 
 
 i^ I. if X/DtoTw (in Christ). 
 
 **0r, "receive." 
 
 '» Ps. xxiv. 1 ; 1 Cor. x. 26, 28. 
 
 ^^J. virojLt»'jJjLtaTa (memorials). 
 
 I' Literally, "and haying received their prices, fed others." 
 
 >8 Judith Tiii. 30. 
 
 "I. omits 6e(7ir(iT7|i' (Lord). 
 
 ao Esther vii. viil. 
 
246 
 
 THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 ity may be given to them, so that they may 
 submit, not unto us, but to the will of God. 
 For in this way they shall secure a fruitful 
 and perfect remembrance from us, with sym- 
 pathy for them, both in our prayers to God, 
 and our mention of them to the saints. * Let 
 us receive correction, beloved, on account of 
 which no one should feel displeased. Those 
 exhortations by which we admonish one an- 
 other are both good [in themselves], and 
 highly profitable, for they tend to unite ° us 
 to the will of God. For thus saith the holy 
 Word : " The Lord hath severely chastened 
 me, yet hath not given me over to death. "^ 
 " For whom the Lord loveth He chasten eth, 
 and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."^ 
 " The righteous," 5 saith it, "shall chasten me 
 in mercy, and reprove me ;" but let not the oil 
 of sinners make fat my head.' And again 
 he saith, " Blessed is the man whom the Lord 
 reproveth, and reject not thou the warning 
 of the Almighty. For He causes sorrow, and 
 again restores [to gladness]; He woundeth, 
 and His hands make whole." He shall deliver 
 thee in six troubles, yea, in the seventh no 
 evil shall touch thee. In famine He shall 
 rescue thee from death, and in war He shall 
 free thee from the power' of the sword. 
 From the scourge of the tongue will He hide 
 thee, and thou shalt not fear when evil 
 Cometh. Thou shalt laugh at the unright- 
 eous and the wicked, and shalt not be afraid 
 of the beasts of the field. For the wild 
 beasts shall be at peace with thee : then shalt 
 thou know that thy house shall be in peace, 
 and the habitation of thy tabernacle shall 
 not fail.' Thou shalt know also that thy 
 seed shall be great, and thy children like the 
 grass of the field. And thou shalt come to 
 the grave like ripened corn which is reaped 
 in its season, or like a heap of the threshing- 
 floor which is gathered together at the proper 
 tim.e." ' Ye see, beloved, that'" " protection 
 is afforded to those that are chastened of the 
 Lord; for since God is good,ii He corrects 
 us, that we maybe admonished "^^ by His holy 
 chastisement. 
 
 CHAP. LVII.— LET THE AUTHORS OF SEDI- 
 TION SUBMIT THEMSELVES. 
 
 Ye therefore, who laid the foundation of 
 
 I Literally, "there shall be to them a fruitful and perfect re- 
 membrance, with compasBions both towards God and the 
 Baints-" 
 
 • Or, *' they unite." 
 "Pa. cxviii. IS. 
 
 ' Prov. iii. 12 ; Heb. xii. 6. 
 » I. Kvpio^ (Lord). 
 
 • Ps. cxii. 6. 
 
 ' Literally, ■' hand." 
 
 ' Literally, " err " or " Bin." 
 
 • Job V. 17-26. 
 
 i« I. pXeiTETe irdo-os fye see how great). 
 
 J^ I. (Secrn-oTou) iraTTjp yap ayadoi w** (being a good father). 
 
 " 1. eAeijS^cal (be pitied). 
 
 this sedition, submit yourselves to the presby- 
 ters, and receive correction so as to repent, 
 bending the knees of your hearts. Learn to 
 be subject, laying aside the proud and ar- 
 rogant self-confidence of your tongue. For 
 it is better for you that ye should occupy ** a 
 humble but honourable place in the flock of 
 Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye 
 should be cast out from the hope of His 
 people." For thus speaketh all-virtuous 
 Wisdom : " Behold, I will bring forth to you 
 the words of my Spirit, and I will teach you 
 my speech. Since I called, and ye did not 
 hear ; I held forth my words, and ye regarded 
 not, but set at naught my counsels, and 
 yielded not at my reproofs ; therefore I too 
 will laugh at your destruction ; yea, I will 
 rejoice when ruin cometh upon you, and 
 when sudden confusion overtakes you, when 
 overturning presents itself like a tempest, 
 or when tribulation and oppression '^ fall upon 
 you. For it shall come to pass, that when ye 
 call upon me, I will not hear you ; the wicked 
 shall seek me, and they shall not find me. 
 For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the 
 fear of the Lord ; nor would they listen to 
 my counsels, but despised my reproofs. 
 Wherefore they shall eat the fruits of their 
 own way, and they shall be filled ^^ with their 
 own ungodliness." . . . For, in punish- 
 ment for the wrongs which they practised 
 upon babes, shall they be slain, and inquiry 
 will be death to the ungodly ; but he that 
 heareth me shall rest in hope and be undis- 
 turbed by the fear of any evil." 
 
 CHAP. LVIII. — SUBMISSION THE PEECURSOB 
 OF SALVATION. 
 
 Let us, therefore, flee from the warn- 
 ing threats pronounced by Wisdom on 
 the disobedient, and yield submission to 
 His all-holy and glorious name, that we 
 may stay our trust upon the most hallowed 
 name of His majesty. Eeceive our counsel, 
 and ye shall be without repentance. For, as 
 God liveth, and as the Lord Jesus Christ 
 and the Holy Ghost live, — both the faith 
 and hope of the elect, he who in lowliness of 
 mind, with instant gentleness, and without 
 repentance hath observed the ordinances and 
 appointments given by God — the same shall 
 obtain a place and name in the number of 
 those who are being saved through Jesus 
 Christ, through whom is glory to Him for 
 ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 1' Literally, " to be found email and esteemed." 
 
 ^* Literally, "His hope." 
 
 1*1. adds trrecoYupta (straits). 
 
 1 " Here begins the laeuna in the old text referred to in the In- 
 troduction. The newly discovered portion of the Epistle extends 
 from this point to the end of Chap. Ixiii. 
 
 " Prov. i. 22-33. 
 
THE EPISTLES OP CLEMENT. 
 
 247 
 
 CHAP. LIX. — WAKNIJiTG AGAIIirST DISOBE- 
 DIENCE. PRAYER. 
 
 If, howeyer, any shall disobey the words 
 spoken by Him through us, let them 
 know that they will involye themselves in 
 transgression and serious danger ; but we 
 shall be innocent of this sin, and, instant 
 in prayer and supplication, shall desire that 
 the Creator of all preserve unbroken the 
 computed number of His elect in the whole 
 world through His beloved Son Jesus Christ, 
 through whom He called us from darkness 
 to light, from ignorance to knowledge of the 
 glory of His name, our hope resting on Thy 
 name which is primal cause of every creat- 
 ure, — having opened the eyes of our heart 
 to the knowledge of Thee, who alone " dost 
 rest highest among the highest, holy among 
 the holy,"^ who "layest low the insolence of 
 the haughty,"^ who " destroy est the calcula- 
 tions of the heathen,"' who " settest the low 
 on high and bringest low the exalted ;" * who 
 "makestrich and makest poor," ' who "killest 
 and makest to live," ^ only Benefactor of spir- 
 its and God of all flesh,'' who beholdest the 
 depths, the eye-witness of human works, the 
 help of those in danger, the Saviour of those 
 in despair, the Creator and Guardian of every 
 spirit, who multipliest nations upon earth, 
 and from all madest choice of those who 
 love Thee through Jesus Christ, Thy beloved 
 Son, through whom Thou didst instruct, 
 sanctify, honour us. "We would have Thee, 
 Lord, to prove our help and succour. Those 
 of us in affliction save, on the lowly take 
 pity ; the fallen raise ; upon those in need 
 arise ; the sick ' heal ; the wandering ones of 
 Thy people turn ; fill the hungry; redeem 
 those of us in bonds ; raise up those that are 
 weak; comfort the faint-hearted; let all the 
 nations know that Thou art God alone and 
 Jesus Christ Thy Son, and we are Thy people 
 and the sheep of Thy pasture. 
 
 CHAP. LX. — PRATER CONTINITED. 
 
 Thou didst make to appear the endur- 
 ing fabric of the world by the works of 
 Thy hand ; Thou, Lord, didst create the 
 earth on which we dwell, — Thou, who art 
 faithful in all generations, just in judgments, 
 wonderful in strength and majesty, with wis- 
 
 ' Is. Ivii. 15. 
 > Is. xiii. 11. 
 « Pa. xxxiii. 10. 
 
 • Job v. 11 ; Bzek. xtU. 24. 
 « 1 Sam. ii. 7. 
 
 • Dent, xxxii. 39. „ „ 
 
 T Numb. xvi. 22, xxvii. 16 ; Jer. xxxH. 2T. ,.„.,;. 
 
 '1. gives mre.Sei! (ungcklly) where iaemeit (BiCK) IB snbstuatea. 
 
 dom creating and with understanding fixing 
 the things which were made, who art good 
 among them that are being saved ' and faith- 
 ful among them whose trust is in Thee ; 
 merciful and Compassionate One, forgive us 
 our iniquities and oflEences and transgressions 
 and trespasses. Keckon not every sin of Thy 
 servants and handmaids, but Thou wilt purify 
 us with the purification of Thy truth ; and 
 direct our steps that we may walk in holiness 
 of heart and do what is good and well-pleasing 
 in Thy sight and in the sight of our rulers. 
 Yea, Lord, make Thy face to shine upon us 
 for good in peace, that we may be shielded by 
 Thy mighty hand and delivered from every 
 sin by Thine uplifted arm, and deliver us 
 from those who hate us wrongfully. Give 
 concord and peace to us and all who dwell 
 upon the earth, even as Thou gavest to our 
 fathers, when they called upon Thee in faith 
 and truth, submissive as we are to Thine 
 almighty and all-excellent Name. 
 
 CHAP. LXI. — PRATER CONTIIfUED — FOR 
 RULERS AND GOVERNORS. CONCLUSION. 
 
 To our rulers and governors on the earth 
 — to them Thou, Lord, gavest the power 
 of the kingdom by Thy glorious and ineffable 
 might, to the end that we may know the 
 glory and honour given to them by Thee and 
 be subject to them, in nought resisting Thy 
 will ; to them. Lord, give health, peace, con- 
 cord, stability, that they may exercise the 
 authority given to them without oilence. Por 
 Thou, heavenly Lord and King eternal, 
 givest to the sons of men glory and honour 
 and power over the things that are on the 
 earth ; do Thou, Lord, direct their counsel 
 according to that which is good and well- 
 pleasing in Thy sight, that, devoutly in 
 peace and meekness exercising the power 
 given them by Thee, they may find Thee 
 propitious. Thou, who only hast power to 
 do these things and more abundant good 
 with us, we praise Thee through the High 
 Priest and Guardian of our souls Jesus Christ, 
 through whom be glory and majesty to Thee 
 both now and from generation to generation 
 and for evermore. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. LXIL — SUMMART AND CONCLUSOET — 
 CONCERNING GODLINESS. 
 
 Concerning the things pertaining to our 
 religious observance which are most profit- 
 able for a life of goodness to those who would 
 pursue a godly and righteous course, we have 
 
 ' ffoifo/A^votc is the emendation of Harnack for bpiaiiivott 
 (seen). 
 
248 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 ■written to yon, men and brethren, at suflB- 
 cient length. Eor concerning faith and re- 
 pentance and true love and continence and 
 soberness and patience, we have touched 
 upon every passage, putting you in mind 
 that you ought in righteousness and truth 
 and long-suffering to be well-pleasing' to 
 Almighty God with holiness, being of one 
 mind — not remembering evil — in love and 
 peace with instant gentleness, even as also 
 our fathers fore-mentioned found favour by 
 the humility of their thoughts towards the 
 Father and God and Creator and all mankind. 
 And of these things we put you in mind 
 with the greater pleasure, since we were well 
 assured that we were writing to men who 
 were faithful and of highest repute and had 
 peered into the oracles of the instruction of 
 God. 
 
 CHAP. LSIII. — HORTATOKT, LETTER SENT BY 
 SPECIAL MESSENGERS. 
 
 Eight is it, therefore, to approach exam- 
 ples so good and so many, and submit 
 the neck and fulfil the part of obedience, in 
 order that, undisturbed by vain sedition, we 
 may attain unto the goal set before us in 
 truth wholly free from blame. Joy and glad- 
 ness will ye afford us, if ye become obedient 
 to the words written by us and through the 
 Holy Spirit root out the lawless wrath of 
 your jealousy according to the intercession 
 which we have made for peace and unity in 
 this letter. We have sent men faithful and 
 discreet, whose conversation from youth to 
 old age has been blameless amongst us, — the 
 same shall be witnesses between you and us. 
 This we have done, that ye may know that 
 
 » cvapK/TeZv is emendation for evj^apurrelv (give thanks). 
 
 our whole concern has been and is that ye 
 may be speedily at peace. 
 
 CHAP. LXIV. — BLESSINGS SOUGHT FOR ALL 
 THAT CALL UPON GOD. 
 
 May God, who seeth all things, and who 
 is the Ruler of all spirits and the Lord of 
 all flesh — who chose our Lord Jesus Christ 
 and us through Him to be a peculiar ^ people 
 — grant to every soul that calleth upon His 
 glorious and holy name, faith, fear, peace, 
 patience, long-suffering, self-control, purity, 
 and sobriety, to the well-pleasing of His 
 name, through our High Priest and Pro- 
 tector, Jesus Christ, by whom be to Him 
 glory, and majesty, and power, and honour, 
 both now and for evermore. Amen. 
 
 CHAP. LXV. — THE CORINTHIANS ARE EX- 
 HORTED SPEEDILY TO SEND BACK WORD 
 THAT PEACE HAS BEEN RESTORED. THE 
 BENEDICTION. 
 
 Send back speedily to us in peace and with 
 joy these our messengers to you: Claudius 
 Ephebus and Valerius Bito, with Fortunatus ; 
 that they may the sooner announce to us 
 the peace and harmony we so earnestly de- 
 sire and long for [among you], and that wo 
 may the more quickly rejoice over the good 
 order re-established among you. The grace 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and 
 with all everywhere that are the called of 
 God through Him, by whom be to Him 
 glory, honour, power, majesty, and eternal 
 dominion,^ from everlasting to everlasting.^ 
 Amen. 
 
 ' Comp. Tit. ii. 14. 
 
 * Literally, " an eternal throne." 
 
 * Literally, " from the ages to the ages of ages." 
 
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. 
 
 [From Vol. VII., p. 515 of tlie Ante- Mcene Fathers.] 
 
 The first certain reference which is made by any early writer to this so-called Epistle of 
 Clement is found in these words of Eusebius {Hist. Feci, iii. 38) : "We must know that 
 there is also a second Epistle of Clement. But we do not regard it as being equally notable 
 with the former, since we know of none of the ancients that have made use of it." Several 
 critics in modern times have endeavoured to vindicate the authenticity of this epistle. But 
 it is now generally regarded as one of the many writings which have been falsely ascribed to 
 Clement. Besides the want of external evidence, indicated even by Eusebius in the above 
 extract, the diversity of style clearly points to a different writer from that of the first 
 epistle. A commonly accepted opinion among critics at the present day is, that this is not 
 an epistle at all, but a fragment of one of the many homilies falsely ascribed to Clement. 
 There can be no doubt, liowever, that in the catalogue of writings contained in the 
 Alexandrian MS. it is both styled an epistle, and, as well as the other which accompanies it, 
 is attributed to Clement. As the MS. is certainly not later than the fifth century, the 
 opinion referred to must by that time have taken firm root in the Church ; but in the face of 
 internal evidence, and in want of all earlier testimony, such a fact goes but a small way 
 to establish its authenticity. 
 
 The second epistle differs from the first in several respects. The range of Scriptural 
 quotation is wider, the quotations of the first epistle being taken mainly from the Septua- 
 gint version of the Old Testament. The attitude of the writer is in accordance with this 
 fact ; it is distinctively Gentile. For example, Chapter XII. contains a report of words 
 purporting to have been spoken by the Lord ; these, Clemens Alexandrinus states, are taken 
 from the Apocryphal Gospel according to the Egyptians, not now extant. The reference in 
 Chapter XIV. to the spiritual church, recalling Eph. i. 3-6, is parallel to the Pastor of 
 Hermas, Vision II. 4. These passages help to determine the date ; for the quotation from 
 the Apocryphal Gospel would not have been made after the four gospels of the New 
 Testament obtained exclusive authority — toward the close of the second century ; while simi- 
 larity of idea and exposition would seem to make the second epistle and the Pastor of 
 Hermas somewhat contemporaneous. 
 
 The conclusion of the second epistle, as in the recently discovered MS., goes to establish 
 the speculation made before this ms. was discovered, that it is a homily to be read in churches. 
 
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF CLEMENT/ 
 
 CHAP. I. — ^WE OUGHT TO THINK HIGHLY OF 
 CHRIST. 
 
 Brbthken, it is fitting that you should 
 think of Jesus Christ as of God, — as the 
 Judge of the living and the dead. And it 
 does not become us to think lightly of our 
 salvation ; for if we think little of Him, we 
 shall also hope but to obtain little [from 
 Him]. And those of us who hear carelessly 
 of these things, as if they were of small im- 
 portance, commit, sin, not knowing whence 
 we have been called, and by whom, and to 
 what place, and how much Jesus Christ sub- 
 mitted to suffer for our sakes. What return, 
 then, shall we make to Him, or what fruit 
 that shall be worthy of that which He has 
 given to us ? For, indeed, how great are 
 the benefits ^ which we owe to Him ! He 
 has graciously given us light ; as a Father, 
 He has called us sons ; He has saved us 
 when we were ready to perish. What praise, 
 then, shall we give to Him, or what return 
 shall we make for the things which we have 
 received ? ^ We were deficient ^ in under- 
 standing, worshipping stones and wood, and 
 gold, and silver, and brass, the works of 
 men's hands ; ' and our whole life was 
 nothing else than death. Involved in blind- 
 ness, and with such darkness' before our 
 eyes, we have received sight, and through 
 His will have laid aside that cloud by which 
 we were enveloped. For He had compassion 
 on us, and mercifully saved us, observing 
 the many errors in which we were entangled, 
 as well as the destruction to which we were 
 exposed,' and that we had no hope of salva- 
 tion except it came to us from Him. For 
 He called us when we were not,' and willed 
 that out of nothing we should attain a real 
 existence.' 
 
 ■ No title, not even a letter, ie preserved in A. I. inserts 
 " Clement's (Epistle) to the Corinthians U." 
 ' literally, "holy things." 
 ' Comp. Ps. cxvi. 12. 
 * Literally, " lame." I. noinipoi (wicked). 
 ' Literally, " ot men." 
 
 ' Literally, " being full of snch darkness in onr sight." 
 ' Literally, " having beheld in ns much error and destruction." 
 'Comp. Ho3 ii.23; Eom.iv. IT, ix. 25. 
 ' Literally, " willed as from not being to be." 
 
 CHAP. II. — THE CHURCH, FORMERLY BAR- 
 REN, IS NOW FRUITFUL. 
 
 " Eejoice, thon barren that bearest not ; 
 break forth and cry, thon that travailest 
 not ; for she that is desolate hath many more 
 children than she that hath an husband." "• 
 In that He said, " Eejoice, thon barren that 
 bearest not," He referred to us, for our church 
 was barren before that children were given 
 to her. But when He said, " Cry out, thou 
 that travailest not," He means this, that we 
 should sincerely offer up our prayers to God, 
 and should not, like women in travail, show 
 signs of weakness." And in that He said, 
 "For she that is desolate hath many more 
 children than she that hath an husband," [He 
 means] that our people seemed to be outcast 
 from God, but now, through believing, have 
 become more numerous than those who are 
 reckoned to possess God.*^ And another 
 Scripture saith, " I came not to call the right- 
 eous, but sinners." '^ This means that those 
 who are perishing must be saved. For it is in- 
 deed a great and admirable thing to establish 
 not the things which are standing, but those 
 that are falling. Thus also did Christ^* de- 
 sire to save the things which were perishing, i* 
 and has saved many by coming and calling us 
 when hastening to destruction.^' 
 
 CHAP. III. — THE DUTY OF CONFESSING 
 CHRIST. 
 
 Since, then, He has displayed so great 
 mercy towards us, and especially in this re- 
 spect, that we who are living should not offer 
 sacrifices to gods that are dead, or pay them 
 worship," but should attain through Him to 
 
 >»l8a.liv.l; Gal.iv. 2T. 
 
 " Some render, " should not cry out, like women in travail." 
 The text is doubtful. I. eKKaKutiev (faint). 
 
 ^^ It has been remarked that the writer here implies he was a 
 Gentile. 
 
 " Matt. ix. 13 ; Luke v. 32. 
 
 n I. Kiipio! (Lord). 
 
 'fi Comp. Matt, xviii. 11. 
 
 " Literally, " already perishing." 
 
 " I. omits. 
 
253 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 the knowledge of the true Father,^ whereby 
 shall we show that we do indeed know Him,'' 
 but by not denying Him through whom this 
 knowledge has been attained ? For He him- 
 self declares, "Whosoever shall confess me 
 before men, him will I confess before my 
 Father."' This, then, is onr reward if we 
 shall confess Him by whom we have been 
 saved. But in what way shall we confess 
 Him ? By doing what He says, and not 
 transgressing His commandments, and by 
 honouring Him not with our lips only, but 
 with all our heart and all our mind.^ For 
 He says in Isaiah, " This people honoureth 
 me with their lips, but their heart is far from 
 me." 5 
 
 CHAP. IV ^TRUE CONFESSION OF CHRIST. 
 
 Let us, then, not only call Him Lord, for 
 that will not save us. For He saith, " Not 
 every one that saith to me. Lord, Lord, shall 
 be saved, but he that worketh righteous- 
 ness."^ Wherefore, brethren, let us confess 
 Him by our works, by loving one another, 
 by not committing adultery, or speaking 
 evil of one another, or cherishing envy ; but 
 by being continent, compassionate, and good. 
 We ought also to sympathize with one an- 
 other, and not be avaricious. By such works 
 let us confess Him,' and not by those that 
 are of an opposite kind. And it is not fit- 
 ting that we should fear men, but rather 
 God. For this reason, if we should do such 
 [wicked] things, the Lord hath said, " Even 
 though ye were gathered together to ' me in 
 my very bosom, yet if ye were not to keep 
 my commandments, I would cast you off, and 
 say unto you. Depart from me ; I know you 
 not whence ye are, ye workers of iniquity."' 
 
 CHAP. V. — THIS WORLD SHOULD BE DE- 
 SPISED. 
 
 Wherefore, brethren, leaving [willingly] 
 our sojourn in this present world, let us do 
 the will of Him that called us, and not fear 
 to depart out of this world. For the Lord 
 saith, "Ye shall be as lambs in the midst of 
 wolves." '" And Peter answered and said unto 
 Him," " What, then, if the wolves shall tear 
 
 ' X. Trj^ oA7j6eia5 (of truth). 
 
 2 Literally, " what ie the knowledge which is towards Him." 
 2 Matt. X. 32. 
 ' Corap. Matt. xxii. 3T. 
 ^ Ipa. xxix. 13. 
 '' Matt. vii. 21. loosely quoted. 
 ' Some read, •' God." 
 * Or, "with me." 
 
 ' The first part of this sentence is not found in Scripture ; for 
 the second comp., Matt. vii. 23 ; Luke xiii. 27. 
 10 Matt. X. 16. 
 '1 No such conversation is recorded in Scripture. 
 
 in pieces the lambs ? " Jesus said unto Peter, 
 " The lambs have no cause after they are dead 
 to fear '^ the wolves ; and in like manner, fear 
 not ye them that kill you, and can do noth- 
 ing more unto you ; but fear Him who, 
 after you are dead, has power over both soul 
 and body to cast them into hell-fire."^' And 
 consider,''' brethren, that the sojourning in 
 the flesh in this world is but brief and tran- 
 sient, but the promise of Christ is great and 
 wonderful, even the rest of the kingdom to 
 come, and of life everlasting.'' By what 
 course of conduct, then, shall we attain these 
 things, but by leading a holy and righteous 
 life, and by deeming these worldly things as 
 not belonging to us, and not fixing our de- 
 sires upon them ? For if we desire to pos- 
 sess them, we fall away from the path of 
 righteousness. 
 
 CHAP. TI. — THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 
 WORLDS ARE ENEMIES TO EACH OTHER. 
 
 Now the Lord declares, " No servant can 
 serve two masters."'^ If we desire, then, to 
 serve both God and mammon, it will be un- 
 profitable for us. " For what will it profit if 
 a man gain the whole world, and lose his own 
 soul ? " ''' This world and the next are two 
 enemies. The one urges'^ to adultery and 
 corruption, avarice and deceit ; the other 
 bids farewell to these things. We cannot, 
 therefore, be the friends of both ; and it be- 
 hoves us, by renouncing the one, to make 
 sure '' of the other. Let us reckon '* that it is 
 better to hate the things present, since they 
 are trifling, and transient, and corruptible ; 
 and to love those [which are to come,] as be- 
 ing good and incorruptible. For if we do 
 the will of Christ, we shall find rest ; other- 
 wise, nothing shall deliver us from eternal 
 punishment, if we disobey His command- 
 ments. For thus also saith the Scripture in 
 Ezekiel, " If Noah, Job, and Daniel should 
 rise up, they should not deliver their chil- 
 dren in captivity."^' Now, if men so eminent- 
 ly righteous are not able by their righteous- 
 ness to deliver their children, how ^ can we 
 hope to enter into the royal residence ^ of 
 God unless we keep our baptism holy and 
 undefiled ? Or who shall be our advocate, 
 
 '2 Or, " Let not the lambs fear." 
 ■3 Matt. X. 28 ; Luke xii. 4, 6. 
 1* Or, "know." 
 
 " The test and translation are here donbtfuL 
 ■• Matt. vi. 24 ; Luke xvi. 18. 
 " Matt. xvi. 26. I. omits oAoi- (whole). 
 " Literally, " speaks of." 
 IS Or, "enjoy." 
 20 The MS. has, "we reckon." 
 " Ezek. xiv. 14, 20. 
 
 25 Literally, "with what confidence shall we." 
 23 Wake translates "kingdom," as if the reading had been 
 ^a<ri.ktiaLii ; but the ms. has ^(uriKtion, •• palace." 
 
THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 253 
 
 unless we be found possessed of works of 
 holiness and righteousness ? 
 
 CHAP. VII. — WE MUST STRIVE IK ORDER TO 
 BE OKOWNED. 
 
 ' Wherefore, then, my brethren, let us 
 struggle "with all earnestness, knowing that 
 the contest is [in our case] close at hand, and 
 that many undertake long voyages to strive 
 for a corruptible reward ; ^ yet all are not 
 crowned, but those only that have laboured 
 hard and striven gloriously. Let us therefore 
 so strive, that we may all be crowned. Let us 
 run the straight ^ course, even the race that is 
 incorruptible ; and let us in great numbers 
 set out^ for it, and strive that we may be 
 crowned. And should we not all be able to 
 obtain the crown, let us at least come near 
 to it. We must remember'' that he who 
 strives in the corruptible contest, if he be 
 found acting unfairly,' is taken away and 
 scourged, and cast forth from the lists. 
 What then think ye ? If one does anything 
 unseemly in the incorruptible contest, what 
 shall he have to bear ? Eor of those who do 
 not preserve the seaP [unbroken], [the 
 Scripture] saith, "Their worm shall not die, 
 and their fire shall not be quenched, and 
 they shall be a spectacle to all flesh." ' 
 
 CHAP. VIII. — THE NECESSITY OP REPENT- 
 AKCE WHILE WE ARE GST EARTH. 
 
 As long, therefore, as we are upon earth, 
 let us practise repentance, for we are as clay 
 in the hand of the artificer. For as the pot- 
 ter, if he make a vessel, and it be distorted 
 or broken in his hands, fashions it over 
 again ; but if he have before this cast it into 
 the furnace of fire, can no longer find any 
 help for it : so let us also, while we are in 
 this world, repent with our whole heart of 
 the evil deeds we have done in the flesh, that 
 we may be saved by the Lord, while we have 
 yet an opportunity of repentance. For after 
 we have gone out of the world, no further 
 power of confessing or repenting will there 
 belong to us. Wherefore, brethren, by do- 
 ing the will of the Father, and keeping the 
 flesh holy, and observing the commandments 
 of the Lord, we shall obtain eternal life. 
 For the Lord saith in the Gospel, "If ye have 
 
 > Literally, " that many set Ball for corrnptible conteBte," re- 
 ferring probably to the conconree at the Isttunian games. 
 " Or, "Let ns place before us." 
 ' Or, " set sail." 
 * Literally, "know." 
 ' Literally, " if he be fonnd corrupting." 
 ' Baptism is probably meant. 
 'lBa.lxvl.2-i. 
 
 not kept that which was small, who will 
 commit to you the great ? For I say unto 
 you, that he that is faithful in that which is 
 least, is faithful also in much.-"^ This, then, 
 is what He means : "Keep the flesh holy and 
 the seal undeflled, that ^ ye may receive eter- 
 nal life." i» 
 
 CHAP. IX WE SHALL BE JUDGED TS THE 
 
 ELESH. 
 
 And let no one of you say that this very 
 flesh shall not be judged, nor rise again. 
 Consider ye in what [state] ye were saved, in 
 what ye received sight," if not while ye were 
 in this flesh. We must therefore preserve 
 the flesh as the temple of God. For as ye 
 were called in the flesh, ye shall also come 
 [to be judged] in the flesh. As Christ ^ the 
 Lord who saved us, though He was first a 
 Spirit ^ became flesh, and thus called us, so 
 shall we also receive the reward in this flesh. 
 Let us therefore love one another, that we 
 may all attain to the kingdom of God. 
 While we have an opportunity of being 
 healed, let us yield ourselves to God that 
 healeth us, and give to Him a recompense. 
 Of what sort ? Kepentance out of a sincere 
 heart ; for He knows all things beforehand, 
 and is acquainted with what is in our hearts. 
 Let us therefore give Him praise, not with 
 the mouth only, but also with the heart, 
 that He may accept us as sons. For the Lord 
 has said, " Those are my brethren who do the 
 will of my Father." " 
 
 CHAP. X. — ^VICE IS TO BE FORSAKEK, AND 
 VIRTUE EOLLOWBD. 
 
 Wherefore, my brethren, let us do the will 
 of the Father who called us, that we may 
 live ; and let us earnestly ^' follow after virtue, 
 but forsake every wicked tendency'^ which 
 would lead us into transgression ; and flee 
 from ungodliness, lest evils overtake us. For 
 if we are diligent in doing good, peace will 
 follow us. On this account, such men can- 
 not find it [i.e. peace] as are "influenced by 
 
 " Comp. Luke xvi. 10-12. 
 
 • MS. has " we," which is corrected by all editors as above. 
 
 I. aJToAd^vjTe. 
 
 *» Some have thought this a quotation from an unknown apoc- 
 ryphal book, but it seems rather an explanation of the preceding 
 words. 
 
 ^1 Literally, "looked up." 
 
 '2 The MS. has lU, " one," which Wake follows, but it seems 
 clearly a mistake for w?. 
 
 ^5 I. Adyo? (word). 
 
 " Matt. xil. 50. 
 
 >6 Literally, "rather." 
 
 '» Literally, " malice, as it were, the precursor of our sins." Some 
 deem the text corrupt. 
 
 "Literally, according to the MS., " it is not possible that a man 
 should And it who are "—the passage being evidently corrupt. 
 
254 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 human terrors, and prefer rather present en- 
 joyment ' to the promise which shall after- 
 wards be fulfilled. For they know not what 
 torment present enjoyment incurs, or what 
 felicity is involved in the future promise. 
 And if, indeed, they themselves only did such 
 things, it would be [the more] tolerable ; but 
 now they persist in imbuing innocent souls 
 with their pernicious doctrines, not knowing 
 that they shall receive a double condemna- 
 tion, both they and those that hear them. 
 
 CHAP. XI. — WE OUGHT TO SERVE GOD, TRUST- 
 ING IK HIS PROMISES. 
 
 Let us therefore serve God with a pure 
 heart, and we shall be righteous ; but if we 
 do not serve Him, because we believe not the 
 promise of God, we shall be miserable. For 
 the prophetic word also declares, " Wretched 
 are those of a double mind, and who doubt 
 in their heart, who say. All these things^ have 
 we heard even in the times of our fathers ; 
 but though we have waited day by day, we 
 have seen none of them [accomplished]. Ye 
 fools ! compare yourselves to a tree ; take, 
 for instance, the vine. First of all it sheds 
 its leaves, then the bud appears ; after that 
 the sour grape, and then the fully-ripened 
 fruit. So, likewise, my people have borne 
 disturbances and afflictions, but afterwards 
 shall they receive their good things." ^ Where- 
 fore, my brethren, let us not be of a double 
 mind, but let us hope and endure, that we 
 also may obtain the reward. For He is 
 faithful who has promised that He will be- 
 stow on every one a reward according to his 
 works. If, therefore, we shall do righteous- 
 ness in the sight of God, we shall enter into 
 His kingdom, and shall receive the promises, 
 which "ear hath not heard, nor eye seen, 
 neither have entered into the heart of man."^ 
 
 CHAP. XII. — WE ARE COSTSTANTLT TO LOOK 
 FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 Let US expect, therefore, hour by hour, 
 the kingdom of God in love and righteousness, 
 since we know not the day of the appearing 
 of God. For the Lord Himself, being asked 
 by one when His kingdom would come, re- 
 plied, " When two shall be one, that which is 
 without as that which is within, and the male 
 with the female, neither male nor female." ° 
 Now, two are one when we speak the truth one 
 
 ' I. avairavtriv (rest), 
 'I. TToAai (long ago). 
 
 '■' The same words occur in Clement's first epistle, chap, xxill. 
 « 1 Cor. ii. 9. 
 
 f* These words are quoted (Clem. Alex , StroTn., iii. 9, 1.) from 
 the Gospel according to the Egyptians, no longer extant. 
 
 to another, and there is unfeignedly one soul 
 in two bodies. And "that which is without as " 
 that which is within meaneth this : He calls 
 the soul " that which is within," and the body 
 " that which is without." As, then, thy body 
 is visible to sight, so also let thy soul be mani- 
 fest by good works. And "the male with 
 the female, neither male nor female," this * 
 He saith, that brother seeing sister may have 
 no thought concerning her as female, and 
 that she may have no thought concerning 
 him as male. " If ye do these things," saith 
 He, "the kingdom of my Father shall come."' 
 
 CHAP. XIII. — god's name NOT TO BE BLAS- 
 PHEMED. 
 
 Brethren, then, let us now at length re- 
 pent, let us soberly turn to that which is 
 good; for we are full of abundant folly and 
 wickedness. Let us wipe out from us our 
 former sins, and repenting from the heart be 
 saved; and let us not be men-pleasers, nor be 
 willing to please one another only, but also 
 the men without, for righteousness' sake, 
 that the name may not be, because of us, 
 blasphemed. For the Lord saith, "Con- 
 tinually my name is blasphemed among 
 all nations," and "Wherefore my name is 
 blasphemed ; blasphemed in what r In your 
 not doing the things which I wish." ^ For the 
 nations, hearing from our mouth the oracles 
 of Go(i, marvel at their excellence and 
 worth; thereafter learning that our deeds 
 are not worthy of the words which we speak, 
 — receiving this occasion they turn to 
 blasphemy, saying that they are a fable and 
 a delusion. For, whenever they hear from us 
 that God saith, "No thank have ye, if ye 
 love them which love you, but ye have thank, 
 if ye love your enemies and them which hate 
 you " ' — whenever they hear these words, they 
 marvel at the surpassing measure of their 
 goodness ; but when they see, that not only 
 do we not love those who hate, but that we 
 love not even those who love, they laugh us 
 to scorn, and the name is blasphemed. 
 
 CHAP. XIT. — THE CHURCH SPIRITUAL. 
 
 So, then, brethren, if we do the will of 
 our Father God, we shall be members of the 
 first church, the spiritual, — that which was 
 created before sun and moon; but if we shall 
 not do the will of the Lord, we shall come 
 under the Scripture which saith, " My house 
 became a den of robbers." ^^ So, then, let us 
 
 • Here the piece formerly broke oif. From this point to the 
 end the text of Gebhardt, Uamack, Zahn has been followed 
 ' Oomp. 1 Cor. vii. 29. » Is. Iii. 5. 
 
 ' Lnke vi. 32 sqq. 
 '» Jer. Tii. 11. 
 
THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 255 
 
 elect to belong to the church of life/ that we 
 may be saved. I think not that ye are ig- 
 norant that the living church is the body of 
 Christ (for the Scripture saith, " God created 
 man, male and female;" * the male is Christ, 
 the female the church,) and that the 
 Books* and the Apostles teach that the 
 church is not of the present, but from the 
 beginning. For it was spiritual, as was also 
 our Jesus, and was made manifest at the 
 end of the days in order to save us.^ The 
 church being spiritual, was made manifest 
 in the flesh of Christ, signifying to us that 
 if any one of us shall preserve it in the flesh 
 and corrupt it not, he shall receive it in the 
 Holy Spirit. For this flesh is the type of the 
 spirit; no one, therefore, having corrupted 
 the type, will receive afterwards the antitype. 
 Therefore is it, then, that He saith, brethren, 
 " Preserve ye the flesh, that ye may become 
 partakers of the spirit." If we say that the 
 flesh is the church and the spirit Christ, then 
 it follows that he who shall offer outrage to 
 the flesh is guilty of outrage on the church. 
 Such an one, therefore, will not partake of 
 the spirit, which is Christ. Such is the life 
 and immortality, which this flesh may after- 
 wards receive, the Holy Spirit cleaving to it; 
 and no one can either express or utter what 
 things the Lord hath prepared for His elect.' 
 
 CHAP. XV. — ^HE WHO SAVES ASD HE WHO 
 IS SAVED. 
 
 I think not that I counted trivial counsel 
 concerning continence ; following it, a man 
 will not repent thereof, but will save both 
 himself and me who counselled.* For it is no 
 small reward to turn back a wandering and 
 perishing soul for its salvation.' For this 
 recompense we are able to render to the God 
 who created us, if he who speaks and hears 
 both speak and hear with faith and love. 
 Let us, therefore, continue in that course in 
 which we, righteous and holy, believed, that 
 with confidence we may ask God who saith, 
 " Whilst thou art still speaking, I will say. 
 Here I am."* For these words are a token 
 of a great promise, for the Lord saith that He 
 is more ready to give than he who asks. So 
 great, then, being the goodness of which we 
 are partakers, let us not grudge one another 
 the attainment of so great blessings. For in 
 proportion to the pleasure with which these 
 words are fraught to those who shall follow 
 
 > Comp. 1 Pet. il. It. tqq. 
 
 2 Qen. i. 27 ; comp. Bph. v. 22-23. 
 
 ' i. e.. The Old Testament. 
 
 * 1 Pet i. 20. 
 » 1 Cor. II. 9. 
 
 • 1 Tim. It. 16. 
 ' Jas. T. 1»^25. 
 ' Is. iTiii. 9. 
 
 them, in that proportion is the condemna- 
 tion with which they are fraught to those 
 who shall refuse to hear. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. — PEEPARATIOK FOE THE DAT OF 
 JUDGMENT. 
 
 So, then, brethren, having received no 
 small occasion to repent, while we have op- 
 portunity, let us turn to God who called us, 
 while yet we have One to receive us. For 
 if we renounce these indulgences and con- 
 c^uer the soul by not fulfilling its wicked de- 
 sires, we shall be partakers of the mercy of 
 Jesus. Know ye that the day ^ of judgment 
 draweth nigh like a burning oven, and cer- 
 tain of the heavens and all the earth will 
 melt, like lead melting in fire ; and then 
 will appear the hidden and manifest deeds 
 of men. Good, then, is alms as repentance 
 from sin ; better is fasting than prayer, and 
 alms than both ; " charity covereth a multi- 
 tude of sins," '" and prayer out of a good con- 
 science delivereth from death. Blessed is 
 every one that shall be found complete in 
 these ; for alms lightens the burden of sin. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. — SAME SUBJECT COITTINUED. 
 
 Let us, then, repent with our whole heart, 
 that no one of us may perish amiss. For if 
 we have commands and engage in withdraw- 
 ing from idols and instructing others, how 
 much more ought a soul already knowing 
 God not to perish. Rendering, therefore, 
 mutual help, let us raise the weak also in 
 that which is good, that all of us may be 
 saved and convert one another and admonish. 
 And not only now let us seem to believe and 
 give heed, when we are admonished by the 
 elders ; " but also when we take our de- 
 parture home, let us remember the com- 
 mandments of the Lord, and not be allured 
 back by worldly lusts, but let us often and 
 often draw near and try to make progress in 
 the Lord's commands, that we all having 
 the same mind may be gathered together for 
 life. For the Lord said, " I come to gather 
 all nations [kindreds] and tongues."^ This 
 means the day of His appearing, when He 
 will come and redeem us — each one accord- 
 ing to his works. And the unbelievers will 
 see His glory and might, and, when they 
 see the empire of the world in Jesus, they 
 will be surprised, saying, " Woe to us, because 
 Thou wast, and we knew not and believed 
 not and obeyed not the elders ^^ who show us 
 
 •aPet. ii. 9,m. 5-10. 
 " 1 Pet. iT. 8. 
 " i. e., Presljyters. 
 
 '2 This passage proves this BO-caBed Epistle to be a homily. 
 " Is. Ixvi. 13. 
 
256 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 plainly of our salvation." And " their worm 
 shall not die, neitlier shall their fire be 
 quenched ; and they shall be a spectacle 
 unto all flesh." 1 It is of the great day of 
 judgment He speaks, when they shall see 
 those among us who were guilty of ungodli- 
 ness and erred in their estimate of the com- 
 mands of Jesus Christ. The righteous, hav- 
 ing succeeded both in enduring the trials 
 and hating the indulgences of the soul, 
 whenever they witness how those who have 
 swerved and denied Jesus by words or deeds 
 are punished with grievous torments in fire 
 unquenchable, will give glory to their God 
 and say, " There will be hope for him who has 
 served G-od with his whole heart." 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 THE AUTHOR SINFUL, YET 
 PURSUING. 
 
 And let us, then, be of the number of 
 those who give thanks, who have served God, 
 and not of the ungodly who are judged. For 
 I myself, though a sinner every whit and 
 not yet fleeing temptation but continuing in 
 the midst of the tools of the devil, study to 
 follow after righteousness, that I may make, 
 be it only some, approach to it, fearing the 
 judgment to come. 
 
 CHAP. SIX. — REWARD OF THE RIGHTEOUS, 
 ALTHOUGH THEY MAY SUFFER. 
 
 So then, brothers and sisters, ^ after the God 
 of truth ' I address to you an appeal that ye 
 may give heed to the words written,^ that ye 
 may save both yourselves and him who reads 
 an address in your midst. For as a reward 
 I ask of you repentance with the whole 
 heart, while ye bestow upon yourselves sal- 
 vation and life. For by so doing we shall 
 set a mark for all the young who wish to be 
 
 ' Is. Ixvi. 24. 
 
 "^ Indicative of the approaching close. 
 
 3 BryenniUE interprets this to refer to the Scripture-lesson. 
 
 ^ Either the Scripture-lesson or the homily. 
 
 diligent in godliness and the goodness of God. 
 And let not us, in our folly, feel displeasure 
 and indignation, whenever any one admon- 
 ishes us and turns us from unrighteousness 
 to righteousness. For there are some wicked 
 deeds which we commit, and know it not, 
 because of the double-mindedness and un- 
 belief present in our breasts, and our under- 
 standing is darkened by vain desires. Let 
 us, therefore, work righteousness, that we 
 may be saved to the end. Blessed are they 
 who obey these commandments, even if for a 
 brief space they suffer in this world, and they 
 will gather the imperishable fruit of the re- 
 surrection. Let not the godly man, therefore, 
 grieve ; if for the present he suffer afflic- 
 tion, blessed is the time that awaits him there; 
 rising up to life again with the fathers he 
 will rejoice for ever without a grief. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 GODLINESS, NOT GAIN, THE 
 TRUE RICHES. 
 
 But let it not even trouble your mind, that 
 we see the unrighteous possessed of riches 
 and the servants of God straitened. Let us, 
 therefore, brothers and sisters, believe ; in 
 a trial of the living G od we strive and are 
 exercised in the present life, that we may ob- 
 tain the crown in that which is to come. No 
 one of the righteous received fruit speedily, 
 but waiteth for it. For if God tendered the 
 reward of the righteous in a trice, straight- 
 way were it commerce that we practised, and 
 not godliness. For it were as if we were 
 righteous by following after not godliness but 
 gain ; and for this reason the divine judg- 
 ment baffled^ the spirit that is unrighteous 
 and heavily weighed the fetter. 
 
 To the only God, invisible. Father of truth, 
 who sent forth to us the Saviour and Author 
 of immortality, through whom He also mani- 
 fested to us the truth and the heavenly life, 
 to Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 * Some take the aorist here used to be the iterative aorist of 
 I proverbs and, therefore, translated by the present tense. 
 
^>T'U.<~JCAiJ. . 
 
THE APOLOGY 
 
 OF 
 
 ARISTIDES THE PHILOSOPHER 
 
 Translated from the Greek and from the Syriac Version 
 
 IN 
 
 Parallel Columns. 
 
 BY 
 
 D. M. KAY, B.Sc, B.D., 
 
 Assistant to the Professor of Semitic Languages in the University of Edinburgh, 
 
THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Church Histories, hitherto in dealing with early Christian literature, have given 
 Aristides along with Quadratus the first place in the list of lost apologists. It was known 
 that there had been such early defenders of the faith, and that Quadratus had seen persons 
 who had been miraculously healed by Christ ; but beyond this little more could be said. 
 To Justin Martyr, who flourished about A.D. 150, belonged the honour of heading the 
 series of apologists whose works are extant, viz., Tatian, Melito, Athenagoras, Theophilus, 
 the author of the Epistle to Diognetus, who all belonged to the second century and wrote in 
 Greek ; and Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Arnobins, and Lactantius, who wrote in Latin, and 
 Clement and Origen who wrote in Greek, during the third century. While Christianity was 
 winning its way to recognition in the Eoman empire, these writers tried to disprove 
 the gross calumnies current about Christians, to enlighten rulers and magistrates as to 
 the real character and conduct of the adherents of the new religion, and to remove the 
 prejudice which led to the violent persecutions of the populace. They also endeavoured 
 to commend Christianity to "the cultured among its despisers," by showing that it is 
 philosophy as well as revelation, that it can supply the answers sought by philosophy, and 
 is unlike human wisdom in being certain because divinely revealed. At the same time 
 they demonstrated the folly of polytheism and pointed out its disastrous effects on morality. 
 This faithful company of the defenders of the faith has now regained Aristides as their 
 leader in place of Justin Martyr. It will be well to recount briefly what was previously 
 known about Aristides, and to tell how the lost Apology has been found. 
 
 Eusebius, in his History of the Church, written during the reign of Constantine, A.D. 
 306-337, has a chapter (bk. iv., c. 3) headed " The authors that wrote in defence of the 
 faith in the reign of Hadrian, A.D. 117-138." After describing and quoting the Apology 
 of Quadratus, he adds : 
 
 " Aristides also, a man faithfully devoted to the religion we profess, like Quadratus, has 
 left to posterity a defence of the faith, addressed to Hadrian. This work is also preserved 
 by a great number, even to the present day." 
 
 The same Eusebius in his Chronicon states that the Emperor Hadrian visited 
 Athens in the eighth year of his reign (i.e., a.d. 125 ) and took part in the Eleusinian 
 mysteries. In the same connection the historian mentions the presentation of Apologies 
 to the Emperor by Quadratus and Aristides, "an Athenian philosopher ; " and implies that 
 Hadrian was induced by these appeals, coupled with a letter from Serenius Granianus, 
 proconsul of Asia, to issue an Imperial rescript forbidding the punishment of Christians 
 without careful investigation and trial. 
 
 About a century later Jerome (died A.D. 420) tells us that Aristides was a philosopher 
 of Athens, that he retained his philosopher's garb after his conversion to Christianity, and 
 that he presented a defence of the faith to Hadrian at the same time as Quadratus. This 
 Apology, he says, was extant in his day, and was largely composed of the opinions of 
 philosophers (" contextum philosophorum sententiis "), and was afterwards imitated by 
 Justin Martyr. 
 
 After this date Aristides passes out of view. In the mediaBval martyrologies there is a 
 faint reflection of the earlier testimony, as, e.g., the 31st of August is given as the saint's 
 
860 INTEODUCTION. 
 
 day " of the blessed Aristides, most renowned for faith and wisdom, who presented books 
 on the Christian religion to the prince Hadrian, and most brilliantly proclaimed in the 
 presence of the Emperor himself how that Christ Jesus is the only God." 
 
 In the seventeenth century there were rumours that the missing Apology of Aristides 
 was to be found in various monastic libraries in Greece ; and Spon, a French traveller, made 
 a fruitless search for it. The book had apparently disappeared for ever. 
 
 But in recent times Aristides has again " swum into our ken." Armenian literature, 
 which has done service to Christendom by preserving so many of its early documents, sup- 
 plied also the first news of the recovery of Aristides. In the Mecliitarite convent of S. 
 Lazarus at Venice there is a body of Armenian monks who study Armenian and other 
 literature. In 1878 these Armenians surprised the learned world by publishing a Latin 
 translation of an Armenian fragment (the first two chapters) of the lost Apology of 
 Aristides. Eenan at once set it down as spurious because it contained theological terms of 
 a later age, e.g., "bearer of God " applied to the Virgin Mary. These terms were after- 
 wards seen to be due to the translator. At what time the translation from Greek into 
 Armenian was made is not apparent ; but it may reasonably be connected with the 
 work begun by the famous Armenian patriarch Mesrobes. This noble Christian invented 
 an alphabet for his country, established schools, and sent a band of young Armenians to 
 Edessa, Athens, and elsewhere with instructions to translate into Armenian the best sacred 
 and classical books. And in spite of Mohammedans and Turks Armenia has remained 
 Christian, and now restores to the world the treasures committed to its keeping in the 
 early centuries. 
 
 Opinions as to the Armenian fragment of Aristides remained undecided till 1889. In the 
 spring of that year Professor J. Eendel Harris, of Cambridge, had the honour of discover- 
 ing a Syriac version of the whole Apology in the library of the Convent of St. Catharine, on ' 
 Mount Sinai. He found the Apology of Aristides among a collection of Syriac treatises of 
 an ethical character ; and he refers the MS. to the seventh century. Professor Harris has 
 translated the Syriac into English, and has carefully edited the Syriac text with minute dis- 
 cussions of every point of interest.^ 
 
 The recovery of the Syriac version by Professor Harris placed the genuineness of the 
 Armenian fragment beyond question. It also led to the strange reappearance of the greater 
 part of the original Greek. Professor J. A. Robinson, the general editor of the Cambridge 
 Texts and Studies, having read the translation of the Syriac version, discovered that the 
 Apology of Aristides is incorporated in the early Christian Eomance entitled, Tlie Life of 
 Barlaam and JosapJiat. 
 
 Some account must be given of this remarkable book in order to show its connection 
 with the Apology of Aristides. Its author is said to be John of Damascus, who died about 
 A.D. 760. Whoever wrote it, the book soon became very popular. In the East it was 
 translated into Arabic, Ethiopic, Armenian, and Hebrew ; in the West there are versions of 
 it in nearly a dozen languages, including an English metrical rendering. As early as 1204 
 a king of Norway had it translated into Icelandic. It is now known to be the story of 
 Buddha in a Christian setting, furnished with fables and parables which have migrated 
 from the far East and can be traced back to an extreme antiquity. 
 
 The outline of the story is as follows : A king in India, Abenner by name, who is an 
 enemy of the Christians, has an only son Josaphat (or Joasaph). At his birth the 
 astrologers predict that he will become great, but will embrace the new doctrine. To 
 prevent this, his father surrounds the prince with young and beautiful attendants, and 
 takes care that Josaphat shall see nothing of illness, old age, or death. At length Josaphat 
 desires his freedom, and then follow the excursions as in the case of Buddha. Josaphat 
 seeing so much misery possible in life is sunk in despair. In this state he is visited by a 
 Christian hermit — Barlaam by name. Josaphat is converted to Christianity, and Barlaam 
 withdraws again to the desert. 
 
 To undo his son's conversion the king arranges that a public disputation shall be held ; 
 one of the king's sages, Nachor by name, is to personate Barlaam and to make a very weak 
 statement of the Christian case, and so be easily refuted by the court orators. When the 
 day comes, the prince Josaphat charges Nachor, the fictitious monk, to do his best on pain 
 of torture. Thus stimulated, Nachor begins, and " like Balaam's ass he spake that which 
 
 1 Texts and Studies. Contributions to Biblical and Patristic Literature. Edited by J. A. Robinson, B.D. Vol. I., No. 1, the 
 Apology of Aristides, edited and translated by J. Bendel HaiTis, M.A., witb an Appendix by J. A. Robinson, B.D. (Cambridge 
 University Press.) 
 
INTRODUCTIOK 361 
 
 lie had not purposed to speak; and he said, 'I, king, in the providence of God/ etc." 
 He then recites the Apology of Aristides to such purpose that he converts himself, the 
 king, and all his people. Josaphat finally relinquishes his kingdom, and retires into the 
 desert with the genuine Barlaarn for prayer and meditation. Not only so, but the churches 
 of the Middle Ages, forgetting the fabulous character of the' story, raised Barlaam and 
 Josaphat to the rank of saints, with a holy day in the Christian calendar. Thus the author 
 of Barlaam and Josaphat caused Christianity unwittingly to do honour to the founder of 
 Buddhism under the name of St. Josaphat ; and also to read the Apology of Aristides in 
 nearly twenty languages without suspecting what it was. 
 
 The speech of Nachor in Greek, that is to say, the greater part of the original Greek of 
 the Apology of Aristides, has been extracted from this source by Professor Eobinson and 
 is published in Texts and Studies, Vol. I., so that there is now abundant material for 
 making an estimate of Aristides. 
 
 It may be asked whether we have in any of our three sources the actual words of Aristides. 
 The circumstances under which the Apology was incorporated in TJie Life of Barlaam and 
 Josaphat are such as to render it unlikely that the author of the Romance should copy with 
 the faithfulness of a scribe ; but examination proves that very few modifications have been 
 made. The Greek divides men into three races (the Syriac and Armenian into four) ; the 
 introductory accounts of these races are in the Greek blended with the general discussion ; 
 and at the close the description of early Christian customs is shortened. These few differ- 
 ences from the Syriac are all explained by the fact that the Apology had to be adapted to 
 tlie circumstances of an Indian court in a later age. On the other hand, when the Syriac is 
 compared with the Greek and Armenian in passages where these two agree, it is found that 
 explanatory clauses are added ; and there is throughout a cumbrous redundancy of pronouns 
 in the Syriac. In short, the actual words of Aristides may be restored with tolerable cer- 
 tainty — a task which has been already accomplished by a German scholar. Lie. Edgar 
 Heunecke.i In any case we have the substance of the Apology of Aristides with almost 
 verbal precision. 
 
 In regard to the date of Aristides, Eusebius says expressly that the Apology was presented 
 to Hadrian while he was in Athens about the year a.d. 125. The only ground for question- 
 ing this statement is the second superscription given in the Syriac version, which implies 
 that the Apology was presented to Antoninus Pius, a.d. 138-161. This heading is accepted by 
 Professor Harris as the true one ; and he assigns the Apology to " the early years of the reign 
 of Antoninus Pius; and it is at least conceivable," he adds, " that it may have been pre- 
 sented to the Emperor along with other Christian writings during an unrecorded visit of 
 his to his ancient seat of government at Smyrna." But this requires us to suppose that 
 Eusebius was wrong ; that Jerome copied his error ; that the Armenian version curiously fell 
 into the same mistake ; and that the Syriac translator is at this point exceptionally faithful. 
 So perhaps it is better with Billius, " not to trust more in one's own suspicions, than in 
 Christian charity which believeth all things," and to rest in the comfortable hypothesis that 
 Eusebius spoke the truth. 
 
 Writing in a.d. 125, or even twenty years later, Aristides becomes an important witness 
 as to the nature of early Christianity. His Apology contains no express quotation from 
 Scripture ; but the Emperor is referred for information to a gospel which is written. Various 
 echoes of New Testament expressions will at once be recognized ; and " the language- 
 moulding power of Christianity " is discernible in the new meaning given to various classical 
 words. Some topics are conspicuous by their absence. Aristides has no trace of ill-feeling 
 to the Jews ; no reference to the Logos doctrine, nor to the distinctive ideas of the Apostle 
 Paul ; he has no gnosticism or heresy to denounce, and he makes no appeal to miracle 
 and prophecy. Christianity, in his view, is worthy of a philosophic emperor because it is 
 eminently reasonable, and gives an impulse and power to live a good life. On the whole, 
 Aristides represents that type of Christian practice which is found in the Teaching of the 
 Twelve Apostles ; and to this he adds a simple Christian j)hilosophy which may be com- 
 pared with that of St. Paul at Athens. Although the details about the elements and the 
 heathen gods are discussed with tedious minuteness, still his closing section describing the 
 lives of the early Christians should always be good reading. 
 
 The translation of the Syriac given here is independently made from the Syriac text, 
 edited by Prof essor Harris.^ Eull advantage has been taken of his notes and apparatMS cviti- 
 
 > Die Apolcqie des Aristides. Recension und EekonstruWion des TeKtes, Ton Lie. Edgar Henneclie. (Die Griecbischen 
 Apologeten : Heft 3.) ' The Cambridge Texts and Studies, vol i., No. 1. 
 
262 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 cus, but no use has been made of his translation. In obscure passages the German transla- 
 tion of Dr. Richard Raabe * has been compared ; and the Text-RekonstruMion of Hennecke 
 has been consulted on textual points in both translations. The Greek translation is made 
 from the text edited by Professor Robinson.^ The translations from the Greek and from the 
 Syriac are arranged side by Side, so that their relation to one another is apparent at a glance. 
 No attempt has been made to force the same English words from passages which are evi- 
 dently meant to be identical in the two languages ; but the literal tenour of each has been 
 allowed to assert itself. 
 
 ' Texte und Untermchungen zur Geschichie der AltchristUchen Litteratur, Gebhardt und Uamock, IX. Band, Heft 1. 
 3 The Cambridge Texts and Studies, vol i., Ho. 1. 
 
THE APOLOGY OF 
 ARISTIDES 
 
 AS IT IS PRB8EKVEI) IN THE HISTOET OP 
 
 BARLAAM AND JQSAPHAT. 
 
 Translated from the Greek. 
 
 I. I, King in the providence 
 of God came into the world ; and 
 when I had considered the heaven 
 and the earth, the sun and tlie moon 
 and the rest, I marvelled at their 
 orderly arrangement. 
 
 And when I saw that the universe 
 and all that is therein is moved by 
 necessity, I perceived that the mover 
 and controller is God. 
 
 For everything which causes mo- 
 tion is stronger than that which is 
 moved, and that which controls is 
 stronger than that which is con- 
 trolled. 
 
 The self-same being, then, who 
 first established and now controls 
 the universe — him do I affirm to be 
 God 
 
 who is without beginning and with- 
 out end. 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF 
 ARISTIDES THE PHILOSOPHER. 
 
 Translated from the Syriac. 
 
 AEISTIDES. 
 
 Here follows the defence which Aristides the 
 philosopher made before Hadrian the King on behalf 
 of reverence for God. 
 
 . . . All-powerful Csesar Titus Hadrianus Antoni- 
 nus, venerable and merciful, from Marcianus Aris- 
 tides, an Athenian philosopher. ' 
 
 I. I, King, by the grace of God came into this 
 world ; and when I had considered the heaven and the 
 earth and the seas, and had surveyed the sun and 
 the rest of creation, I marvelled at the beauty of the 
 
 world. And I perceived that the world and all that 
 is therein are moved by the power of another ; and 
 I understood that he who moves them is God, who 
 
 is hidden in them, and veiled by them. And it is 
 manifest that that which causes motion is more 
 powerful than that which is moved. But that I 
 should make search concerning this same mover of 
 all, as to what is his nature (for it seems to me, 
 he is indeed unsearchable in his nature), and that 
 I should argue as to the constancy of his govern- 
 ment, so as to grasp it fully,— this is a vain efEort 
 for me ; for it is not possible that a man should fully 
 comprehend it. I say, however, concerning this 
 mover of the world, that he is God of all, who made 
 all things for the sake of mankind. And it seems to 
 me that this is reasonable, that one should fear God 
 and should not oppress man. 
 
 I say, then, that God is not born, not made, an 
 ever-abiding nature without beginning and without 
 
 I The snperBcription Beema to be duplicate in the Syriac. It Is absent from the Greek as we have it ; the Armenian has 
 " To the Emperor Ctesar Hadrian from Aristides." Varioup e-planations are offered, (a) Both emperors, as colleagues, may be 
 meant. In support of this the Syriac adioct'ves for " vener<able and merniful " are marked piu'-al ; the phrase " Your majesty " 
 occurring later has a plural suiSx ; and two Imperatives, '-Take and read," are plural. On the other hand " O King" occurs con- 
 stantly in the singular ; and the emperors were coljeagues only for a few months in the year a,d 13S. 
 
 (h) The longer heading is the true one — the shorter being due perhaps to a scribe who had a collection of works to copy. In 
 that case the word " Hadrian " has been selected from the full title of Antonine, and the two adjectives " venerable and merciful " 
 are proper names, Augustus Pius. (Harris.) 
 
 (CI The shorter heading has the support of Eusebius and the Armenian version; and the translator into Syriac may have 
 amplified. 
 
 (.^a a*-.!) Almighty is separated from the word for " God " by a pause, and is not an attribute which a Christian 
 would care to apply to a Roman emperor, ira.vT0Kp6.Tiap may have been confounded with avTOKpaTiap. Raabe supplies ?tV N"T 
 giving the sense "qui imperinm (postatem) habet," as an epithet of Coesar. If ... A is^.^ =" Renewed, or dedicated 
 again to. . . Antoninus Pius," could be read, both headings might be retained. 
 
264 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF AEISTIDES. 
 
 immortal and self-sufficing, above all 
 passions and infirmities, aboye 
 
 anger and forgetfulness 
 
 and ignorance and the rest. 
 
 Throngh Him too all things con- 
 sist. He requires not sacrifice and 
 libation nor any one of the things 
 that appear to sense ; but all men 
 stand in need of Him. 
 
 II. Having thus spoken concern- 
 ing God, so far as it was possible for 
 me to speak of Him,' let us next 
 proceed to the human race, that we 
 may see which of them participate in 
 the truth and which of them in 
 error. 
 
 For it is clear to us, King,^ that 
 there are three ^ classes of men in 
 this world ; these being the wor- 
 shippers of the gods acknowledged 
 among yon, and Jews, and Chris- 
 tians. Further they who pay hom- 
 age to many gods are themselves di- 
 vided into three classes, Chaldaeans 
 namely, and Greeks, and Egyptians ; 
 for these have been guides and pre- 
 ceptors to the rest of the nations in 
 the service and worship of these 
 many-titled deities. 
 
 end, immortal, perfect, and incomprehensible. 
 Now when I say that he is " perfect," this means 
 that there is not in him any defect, and he is not in 
 need of anything but all things are in need of him. 
 And when I say that he is " without beginning," this 
 means that everything which has beginning has also 
 an end, and that which has an end may be brought 
 to an end. He has no name, for everything which 
 has a name is kindred to things created. Form he 
 has none, nor yet any union of members ; for what- 
 soever possesses these is kindred to things fashioned. 
 He is neither male nor female. ^ The heavens do 
 not limit him, but the heavens and all things, visible 
 and invisible, receive their bounds from him. Ad- 
 versary he has none, for there exists not any stronger 
 than he. Wrath and indignation he possesses not, 
 for there is nothing which is able to stand against 
 him. Ignorance and forgetfulness are not in his 
 nature, for he is altogether wisdom and understand- 
 ing ; and in Him stands fast all that exists. He re- 
 quires not sacrifice and libation, nor even one of 
 things visible; He requires not aught from any, bnt 
 all living creatures stand in need of him. 
 
 II. Since, then, we have addressed yon concerning 
 God, so far as our discourse can bear upon him, let 
 us now come to the race of men, that we may know 
 which of them participate in the truth of which we 
 have spoken, and which of them go astray from it. 
 
 This is clear to yon, King, that there are four 
 classes of men in this world : — Barbarians and Greeks, 
 Jews and Christians. The Barbarians, indeed, trace 
 the origin of their kind of religion from Kronos and 
 from Rhea and their other gods ; the Greeks, how- 
 ever, from Helenos, who is said to be sprung from 
 Zeus. And by Helenos there were born Aiolos and 
 Xuthos ; and there were others descended from 
 Inachos and Phoronens, and lastly from the Egyptian 
 Danaos and from Kadmos and from Dionysos. 
 
 The Jews, again, trace the origin of their race from 
 Abraham, who begat Isaac, of whom was born Jacob. 
 And he begat twelve sons who migTated from Syria 
 to Egypt ; and there they were called the nation of 
 the Plebrews, by him who made their laws ; and at 
 length they were named Jews. 
 
 > The Greek might be rendered, " so far as there was room for me to speak of Him," i.e., the attributes of the Deitv are not further 
 relevant to the discussion —as the translator into Syriac takes it. The Armenian adopts the other meaning, -viz., the "theme Is beyond 
 man's power to discuss. As translated by F. C. Conybeare, the Armenian is in these words : " Now by the grace of God it was given 
 me to speak wisely concerning Him. So far as I have received the faculty I -will speak, yet not according to the measure of the 
 inscrutability of His greatness shall I be able to do so, but by faith alone dol glorify and adore Him." 
 
 = The "King" in the Greek is Abenner, the father of Josaphat ; in the Syriac, as in the Greek originally, he is the Roman Em- 
 peror, Hadrian. 
 
 » The Armenian and Syriac a9;ree in giving four races, which was probably the original division. To a Greek, men were either 
 Greeks or Barbarians : to a Greek Christian it would seem necessary to add two new peoples, Jews and Christians. The Greek calls 
 the Barbarians " Chaldsans." This change of classification is probably the cause of the omission in the Greek of the nreliminarv 
 accounts of the four classes. The Greek blends the summaries with the fuller accounts. ' 
 
 * The Armenian adds, " For that which is subject to this distinction is moved by passions." 
 
THE APOLOGY OF AEISTIDES. 
 
 265 
 
 III. Let ns see then which of them 
 participate in truth and which of 
 them in error. 
 
 The Chaldseans, then, not know- 
 ing God went astray after the ele- 
 ments and began to worship the 
 creation more than their Creator. 
 And of these they formed certain 
 shapes and styled them a representa- 
 tion of the heaven and the earth and 
 the sea, of the sun too and the moon 
 and the other primal bodies or 
 luminaries. And they shut them up 
 together in shrines, and worship 
 them, calling them gods, even though 
 they have to guard them securely 
 for fear they should be stolen by 
 robbers. And they did not perceive 
 that anything which acts as guard 
 is greater than that which is guarded, 
 and that he who makes is greater 
 than that which is made. For if 
 their gods are unfit to look after 
 their own safety, how shall they be- 
 stow protection upon others ? Great 
 
 The Christians, then, trace the beginning of their 
 religion from Jesus the Messiah ; and he is named 
 the Son of God Most High. And it is said that God 
 came down from heaven, and from a Hebrew virgin 
 assumed and clothed himself with flesh ; and the Son 
 of God lived in a daughter of man. This is taught 
 in the gospel, as it is called, which a short time ago 
 was preached among them ; and you also if you will 
 read therein, may perceive the power which belongs 
 to it. This Jesus, then, was born of the race of the 
 Hebrews ; and he had twelve disciples in order that 
 the purpose of his incarnation ' might in time be ac- 
 complished. But he himself was pierced by the Jews, 
 and he died and was buried ; and they say that after 
 three days he rose and ascended to Leaven. There- 
 upon these twelve disciples went forth throughout 
 the known parts of the world, and kept showing his 
 greatness with all modesty and uprightness. And 
 hence also those of the present day who believe that 
 preaching are called Christians, and they are become 
 famous. 
 
 So then there are, as I said above, four classes of 
 men : — Barbarians and Greeks, Jews and Christians. 
 
 Moreover the wind is obedient to God, and fire to 
 the angels ; the waters also to the demons and the 
 earth to the sons of men.^ 
 
 in. Let us begin, then, with the Barbarians, and 
 go on to the rest of the nations one after another, 
 that we may see which of them hold the truth as to 
 God and which of them hold error. 
 
 The Barbarians, then, as they did not apprehend 
 God, went astray among the elements, and began to 
 worship things created instead of their Creator ; ^ 
 and for this end they made images and shut them 
 up in shrines, and lo! they worship them, guarding 
 them the while with much care, lest their gods be 
 stolen by robbers. And the Barbarians did not ob- 
 serve that that which acts as guard is greater than 
 that which is guarded, and that every one who 
 creates is greater than that which is created. If 
 it be, then, that their gods are too feeble to see to 
 their own safety, how will they take thought for the 
 safety of men ? Great then is the error into which 
 the Barbarians wandered in worshipping lifeless 
 images which can do nothing to help them. And 
 I am led to wonder, King, at their philosophers, 
 how that even they went astray, and gave the name 
 of gods to images which were made in honour of 
 the elements ; and that their sages did not perceive 
 that the elements also are dissoluble and perishable. 
 For if a small part of an element is dissolved or de- 
 stroyed, the whole of it may be dissolved and de- 
 stroyed. If then the elements themselves are dis- 
 
 ' Literally : " a certain dispensation of his." The Greek term olKovoiiiai, " dispensation," suggests to the translator into Sjriac 
 the idea of the Incarnation, familiar, as it seems, by his time. Professor Sachau reads the equivalent of Savinao-T^ instead of psM 
 (t«). In the translation given psM is taken adverbially=aliqaamdiu. 
 
 ' This irrelevant sentence is fonnd in the Armenian version also, and therefore was probably In the original Greek. It seems 
 to be an obiter diatum. Men fall into four groups, and, by the way, so do the elements, air, flre, earth, and water ; and the powers 
 that govern them. One quaternion snggests others. 
 
 »Cf. Eom. i. 25 and Col. il. S. 
 
266 
 
 THE APOLOGY OP AEISTIDES. 
 
 then is the error into which the Chal- 
 daeans wandered in adoring lifeless 
 and good-for-nothing images. 
 
 And it occurs to me as surprising, 
 King, how it is that their so-called 
 philosophers have quite failed to ob- 
 serve that the elements themselves 
 are perishable. And if the elements 
 are perishable and subject to neces- 
 sity, how are they gods ? And if the 
 elements are not gods, how do the 
 images made in their honour come 
 to be gods? 
 
 IV. Let us proceed then, King, 
 to the elements themselves that we 
 may show in regard to them that 
 they are not gods, but perishable and 
 mutable, produced out of that 
 which did not exist at the command 
 of the true God, who is indestructi- 
 ble and immutable and invisible ; 
 yet He sees all things and as He 
 wills, modifies and changes things. 
 What then shall I say concerning the 
 elements? 
 
 They err who believe that the 
 sky is a god. Por we see that it 
 revolves and moves by necessity and 
 is compacted of many parts, being 
 thence called the ordered universe 
 (Kosmos). Now the universe is the 
 construction of some designer ; and 
 that which has been constructed 
 has a beginning and an end. And 
 the sky with its luminaries moves 
 by necessity. For the stars are 
 carried along in array at fixed inter- 
 vals from sign to sign, and, some set- 
 ting, others rising, they traverse their 
 courses in due season so as to mark 
 ofE summers and winters, as it has 
 been appointed for them by God ; 
 and obeying the inevitable necessity 
 of their nature they transgress not 
 their proper limits, keeping com- 
 pany with the heavenly order. 
 Whence it is plain that the sky is 
 not a god but rather a work of 
 God. 
 
 They erred also who believed the 
 earth to be a goddess. Por we see 
 that it is despitefully used and 
 tyrannized over by men, and is fur- 
 rowed and kneaded and becomes of 
 no account. Por if it be burned 
 with fire, it becomes devoid of life ; 
 for nothing will grow from the 
 ashes. Besides if there fall upon it 
 an excess of rain it dissolves away. 
 
 STKIAC. 
 
 solved and destroyed and forced to be subject to an- 
 other that is more stubborn than they, and if they are 
 not in their nature gods, why, forsooth, do they call 
 the images which are made in their honour, God? 
 Great, then, is the error which the philosophers 
 among them have brought upon their followers. 
 
 IV. Let US turn now, King, to the elements in 
 themselves, that we may make clear in regard to 
 them, that they are not gods, but a created thing, 
 liable to ruin and change, which is of the same nature 
 as man ; whereas God is imperishable and unvary- 
 ing, and invisible, while yet He sees, and overrules, 
 and transforms all things. 
 
 Those then who believe concerning the earth that 
 it is a god have hitherto deceived themselves, since 
 it is furrowed and set with plants and trenched ; and 
 it takes in the filthy refuse of men and beasts and 
 cattle. And at times it becomes unfruitful, for if 
 it be burnt to ashes it becomes devoid of life, for 
 nothing germinates from an earthen jar. And be- 
 sides if water be collected upon it, it is dissolved 
 together with its products. And lo! it is trodden 
 under foot of men and beast, and receives the blood- 
 
THE APOLOGY OF APJSTIDES. 
 
 267 
 
 both it and its fruits. Moreover it 
 is trodden under foot of men and 
 the other creatures ; it is dyed with 
 the blood of the murdered ; it is dug 
 open and filled with dead bodies and 
 becomes a tomb for corpses. In face 
 of all this, it is inadmissible that 
 the earth is a goddess but rather it is 
 a work of God for the use of men. 
 V. They also erred who believed 
 the water to be a god. For it, too, 
 has been made for the use of men, 
 and is controlled by them ; it is 
 defiled and destroyed and suffers 
 change on being boiled and dyed 
 with colours ; and it is congealed by 
 the frost, and polluted with blood. 
 
 and is introduced for the washing of 
 all unclean things. Wherefore it is 
 impossible that water should be a 
 god, but it is a work of God. 
 
 They also err who believe that fire 
 is a god. For fire was made for the 
 use of men, and it is controlled by 
 them, being carried about from 
 place to place for boiling and roast- 
 ing all kinds of meat, and even for 
 (the burning of) dead bodies. More- 
 over it is extinguished in many 
 ways, being quenched through man's 
 agency. So it cannot be allowed that 
 fire is a god, but it is a work of God. 
 
 They also err who think the blow- 
 ing of the winds is a goddess. For 
 it is clear that it is under the domin- 
 ion of another ; and for the sake of 
 man it has been designed by God for 
 the transport of ships and the con- 
 veyance of grain and for man's other 
 wants. It rises too and falls at the 
 bidding of God, whence it is con- 
 
 cluded that the blowing of the winds 
 is not a goddess but only a work of 
 God. 
 VI. They also err who believe the 
 
 stains of the slain ; and it is dug open, and filled with 
 the dead, and becomes a tomb for corpses. But it is 
 impossible that a nature, which is holy and worthy 
 and blessed and immortal, should allow of any one 
 of these things. And hence it appears to us that the 
 earth is not a god but a creation of God. 
 
 V. In the same way, again, those erred who be- 
 lieved the waters to be gods. For the waters were 
 created for the use of man, and are put under his 
 rule in many ways. For they suffer change and 
 admit impurity, and are destroyed and lose their 
 nature while they are boiled into many substances. 
 And they take colours which do not belong to them ; 
 they are also congealed by frost and are mingled and 
 permeated with the filth of men and beasts, and with 
 the blood of the slain. And being checked by skilled 
 workmen through the restraint of aqueducts, they 
 flow and are diverted against their inclination, and 
 come into gardens and other places in order that they 
 may be collected and issue forth as a means of fer- 
 tility for man, and that they may cleanse away every 
 impurity and fulfil the service man requires from 
 them. Wherefore it is impossible that the waters 
 should be a god, but they are a work of God and a 
 part of the world. 
 
 In like manner also they who believed that fire 
 is a god erred to no slight extent. For it, too, was 
 created for the service of men, and is subject to them 
 in many ways : — in the preparation of meats, and as a 
 means of casting metals, and for other ends whereof 
 your Majesty is aware. At the same time it is 
 quenched and extinguished in many ways. 
 
 Again they also erred who believed the motion of 
 the winds to be a god. For it is well known to us 
 that those winds are under the dominion of another, 
 at times their motion increases, and at times it 
 fails and ceases at the command of him who controls 
 them. For they were created by God for the sake of 
 men, in order to supply the necessity of trees and 
 fruits and seeds ; and to bring over the sea ships 
 which convey for men necessaries and goods from 
 places where they are found to places where they are 
 not found ; and to govern the quarters of the world. 
 And as for itself, at times it increases and again 
 abates ; and in one place brings help and in another 
 causes disaster at the bidding of him who rules it. 
 And mankind too are able by known means to confine 
 and keep it in check in order that it may fulfil for 
 them the service they require from it. And of itself 
 it has not any authority at all. And hence it is im- 
 possible that the winds should be called gods, but 
 rather a thing made by God. 
 
 VI. So also they erred who believed that the sun 
 
268 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF AEISTIDES. 
 
 sun to be a god. For we see that it 
 moves by necessity and revolves and 
 passes from sign to sign, setting 
 and rising so as to give warmth to 
 plants and tender shoots for the use 
 of man. 
 
 Besides it has its part in common 
 with the rest of the stars, and is 
 much smaller than the sky ; it suffers 
 eclipse of its light and is not the 
 subject of its own laws. Wherefore 
 it is concluded that the sun is not a 
 god, but only a work of God. They 
 also err who believe that the moon is 
 a goddess. For we see that it moves 
 by necessity and revolves and passes 
 from sign to sign, setting and rising 
 for the benefit of men ; and it is less 
 than the sun and waxes and wanes 
 and has eclipses. Wherefore it is 
 concluded that the moon is not a 
 goddess but a work of God. 
 
 VII. They also err who believe that 
 man ^ is a god. For we see that he 
 is moved by necessity, and is made 
 to grow up, and becomes old even 
 though he would not. And at one 
 time he is joyous, at another he is 
 grieved when he lacks food and 
 drink and clothing. And we see 
 that he is subject to anger and jeal- 
 ousy and desire and change of pur- 
 pose and has many infirmities. He 
 is destroyed too in many ways by 
 means of the elements and animals, 
 and by ever-assailing death. It can- 
 not be admitted, then, that man is a 
 god, but only a work of God. 
 
 Great therefore is the error into 
 which the Chaldseans wandered, fol- 
 lowing after their own desires. 
 
 For they reverence the perishable 
 elements and lifeless images, and do 
 not perceive that they themselves 
 make these things to be gods. 
 
 VIII. Let us proceed then to the 
 Greeks, that we may see whether 
 they have any discernment concern- 
 ing God. The Greeks, indeed, 
 though they call themselves wise 
 proved more deluded than the Chal- 
 dseans in alleging that many gods 
 have come into being, some of them 
 
 SYRIAC. 
 
 is a god. For we see that it is moved by the com- 
 pulsion of another, and revolves and makes its journey, 
 and proceeds from sign to sign, rising and setting 
 every day, so as to give warmth for the growth of 
 plants and trees, and to bring forth into the air 
 wherewith it (sunlight) is mingled every growing 
 thing which is upon the earth. And to it there be- 
 longs by comparison a part in common with the rest 
 of the stars in its course ; and though it is one in its 
 nature it is associated with many parts for the supply 
 of the needs of men ; and that not according to its 
 own will but rather according to the will of him who 
 rules it. And hence it is impossible that the sun 
 should be a god, but the work of God ; and in like 
 manner also the moon and the stars. 
 
 VII. And those who believed of the men of the 
 past, that some of them were gods, they too were 
 much mistaken. For as you yourself allow, King, 
 
 man is constituted of the four elements and of a soul 
 and a spirit (and hence he is called a microcosm),^ 
 and without any one of these parts he could not con- 
 sist. He has a beginning and an end, and he is born 
 and dies. But God, as I said, has none of these 
 things in his nature, but is uncreated and imperish- 
 able. And hence it is not possible that we should 
 set up man to be of the nature of God : — -man, to 
 whom at times when he looks for joy, there comes 
 trouble, and when he looks for laughter there comes 
 to him weeping, — who is wrathful and covetous and 
 envious, with other defects as well. And he is de- 
 stroyed in many ways by the elements and also by the 
 animals. 
 
 And hence, King, we are bound to recognize the 
 error of the Barbarians, that thereby, since they did 
 not find traces of the true God, they fell aside from 
 the truth, and went after the desire of their imagina- 
 tion, serving the perishable elements and lifeless 
 images, and through their error not apprehending 
 what the true God is. 
 
 VIII. Let us turn further to the Greeks also, that 
 we may know what opinion they hold as to the true 
 God. The Greeks, then, because they are more subtle 
 than the Barbarians, have gone further astray than 
 the Barbarians ; inasmuch as they have introduced 
 many fictitious gods, and have set up some of them 
 as males and some as females ; and in that some of 
 their gods were found who were adulterers, and did 
 murder, and were deluded, and envious, and wratli- 
 ful and passionate, and parricides, and thieves, and 
 
 I " I do not think it ont of place here to mention Antirons of onr day [a slave of the Emperor Haarian], whom all not- 
 withstanding they knew who and whence he was, yet affected to worship as a god."— Justin Martyr quoted in Eusebius 'Hist. 
 Bk. IV.. c. 8. 
 
 ' Or " and hence the world also gets its name /cotrfiot." The Syriac is the equivalent of the Greek "6ib kcI k6o-h.oc KaXe'irat ' 
 which occurs (Chap. rV.) in discussing the supposed divinity of the sky or heaven. ' ' 
 
THE APOLOGY OP AEISTIDES. 
 
 269 
 
 male, some female, practised masters 
 in every passion and every variety of 
 folly. [And the Greeks themselves 
 represented them to be adulterers and 
 murderers, wrathful and envious 
 and passionate, slayers of fathers 
 and brothers, thieves and robbers, 
 crippled and limping, workers in 
 magic, and victims of frenzy. Some 
 of them died (as their account goes), 
 and some were struck by thunder- 
 bolts, and became slaves to men, 
 and were fugitives, and they mourned 
 and lamented, and changed them- 
 selves into animals for wicked and 
 shameful ends.] * 
 
 Wherefore, King, they are ri- 
 diculous and absurd and impious 
 tales that the Greeks have intro- 
 duced, giving the name of gods to 
 those who are not gods, to suit their 
 I unholy desires, in order that, having 
 them as patrons of vice, they might 
 commit adultery and robbery and 
 do murder and other shocking deeds. 
 For if their gods did such deeds why 
 should not they also do them? 
 
 So that from these misguided 
 practices it has been the lot of man- 
 kind to have frequent wars and 
 slaughters and bitter captivities. 
 
 IX. But, further, if we be minded 
 to discuss their gods individually, 
 you will see how great is the ab- 
 surdity ; for instance, how Kronos is 
 brought forward by them as a god 
 above all, and they sacrifice their 
 own children to him. And he had 
 many sons by Rhea, and in his mad- 
 ness devoured his own offspring. 
 And they say that Zens cut off his 
 members and cast them into the sea, 
 whence Aphrodite is said in fable 
 
 to be engendered. Zeus, then, hav- 
 ing bound his own father, cast him 
 
 robbers. And some of them, they say, were crippled 
 and limped, and some were sorcerers, and some act- 
 ually went mad, and some played on lyres, and some 
 were given to roaming on the hills, and some even 
 died, and some were struck dead by lightning, and 
 some were made servants even , to men, and some 
 escaped by flight, and some were kidnapped by men, 
 and some, indeed, were lamented and deplored by 
 men. And some, they say, went down to Sheol, 
 and some were grievously wounded, and some trans- 
 formed themselves into the likeness of animals to 
 seduce the race of mortal women, and some polluted 
 themselves ^ by lying with males. And some, they 
 say, were wedded to their mothers and their sisters 
 and their daughters. And they say of their gods 
 that they committed adultery with the daughters of 
 men ; and of these there was born a certain race 
 which also was mortal. And they say that some of 
 the females disputed about beauty, and appeared be- 
 fore men for Judgment. Thus, King, have the 
 Greeks put forward foulness, and absurdity, and 
 folly about their gods and about themselves, in that 
 they have called those that are of such a nature 
 gods, who are no gods. And hence mankind have 
 received incitements to commit adultery and fornica- 
 tion, and to steal and to practise all that is offensive 
 and hated and abhorred. For if they who are called 
 their gods practised all these things which are writ- 
 ten above, how much more should men practise 
 them — men, who believe that their gods themselves 
 practised them. And owing to the foulness of this 
 error there have happened to mankind harassing 
 wars, and great famines, and bitter captivity, and 
 complete desolation. And lo! it was by reason Of 
 this alone that they suffered and that all these things 
 came upon them ; and while they endured those 
 things they did not perceive in their mind that for 
 their error those things came upon them. 
 
 IX. Let US proceed further to their aceonnt of 
 their gods that we may carefully demonstrate all that 
 is said above. First of all, the Greeks bring forward 
 as a god Kronos, that is to say Ohiun ^ (Saturn). 
 And his worshippers sacrifice their children to him, 
 and they burn some of them alive in his honour. 
 And they say that he took to him among his wives 
 Rhea, and begat many children by her. By her too 
 he begat Dios, who is called Zeus. And at length he 
 (Kronos) went mad, and through fear of an oracle 
 that had been made known to him, he began to de- 
 vour his sons. And from him Zeus was stolen away 
 without his knowledge ; and at length Zeus bound 
 him, and mutilated the signs of his manhood, and 
 flung them into the sea. And hence, as they say in 
 fable, there was engendered Aphrodite, who is called 
 Astarte. And he (Zeus) cast out Kronos fettered 
 
 ' The passage in bractets occurs earlier in " Barlaam and Josaphat," and is restored to its place by J. A. Eobineon. 
 
 ^ Professor NSldeke's emendation, <u»^]> in place of Om.^^2 =" they were reviled," is adopted in the translation given. 
 
 ' Cf. Amos T. 26, "Chinn, your star god," and Acts vil. 4S, 
 
270 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF AEISTIDES. 
 
 into Tartaros. You see the error 
 and brutality which they advance 
 against their god? Is it possible, 
 then, that a god should be manacled 
 and mutilated? What absurdity! 
 Who with any wit would ever say so? 
 Next Zeus is introduced, and they 
 say that he was king of their gods, 
 
 and that he changed himself into 
 animals that he might debauch mor- 
 tal women. 
 
 For they allege that he trans- 
 formed himself into a bull for Eu- 
 rope, and into gold for Danae, and 
 into a swan for Leda, and into a 
 satyr for Antiope, and into a thun- 
 derbolt for Semele. Then by these 
 there were many children, Dionysos 
 and Zethus and Amphion and Her- 
 akles and Apollo and Artemis and 
 Perseus, Kastor and Helenes and 
 Polydeukes and Minos and Ehada- 
 manthys and Sarpedon, and the nine 
 daughters whom they called the 
 Muses. Then too they bring for- 
 ward statements about the matter of 
 G-anymedes. 
 
 Hence it happened, King, to 
 mankind to imitate all these things 
 and to become adulterous men and 
 lascivious women, and to be workers 
 of other terrible iniquities, through 
 the imitation of their god. Now 
 
 how is it possible that a god should 
 be an adulterer or an obscene person 
 or a parricide ? 
 
 X. Along with him, too, they 
 bring forward one Hephaistos as a 
 god, and they say that he is lame 
 and wields a hammer and tongs, 
 working as a smith for his living. 
 
 Is he then badly off ? But it can- 
 not be admitted that a god should be 
 a cripple, and besides be dependent 
 on mankind. 
 
 Then they bring forward Hermes 
 as a god, representing him to be lust- 
 
 into darkness. Great then is the error and ignominy 
 which the Greeks have brought forward about the 
 first of their gods, in that they have said all this 
 about him, King. It is impossible that a god 
 should be bound or mutilated ; and if it be other- 
 wise, he is indeed miserable. 
 
 And after Kronos they bring forward another god 
 Zeus. And they say of him that he assumed the 
 sovereignty, and was king over all the gods. And 
 they say that he changed himself into a beast and 
 other shapes in order to seduce mortal women, and to 
 raise up by them children for himself. Once, they 
 say, he changed himself into a bull through love of 
 Europe and Pasiphae.^ And again he changed him- 
 self into the likeness of gold through love of Danae, 
 and to a swan through love of Leda, and to a man 
 through love of Antiope, and to lightning through 
 love of Luna,^ and so by these he begat many chil- 
 dren. For by Antiope, they say, that he begat Ze- 
 thus and Amphion, and by Luna Dionysos, by Alc- 
 mena Hercules, and by Leto, Apollo and Artemis, and 
 by Danae Perseus, and by Leda, Castor and Poly- 
 deuces, and Helene and Paludus,^ and by Mnemosyne 
 he begat nine daughters whom they styled the Muses, 
 and by Europe, Minos and Rhadamanthos and Sar- 
 pedon. And lastly he changed himself into the like- 
 ness of an eagle through his passion for Ganydemos 
 (Ganymede) the shepherd. 
 
 By reason of these tales, King, much evil has 
 arisen among men, who to this day are imitators of 
 their gods, and practise adultery and defile them- 
 selves with their mothers and their sisters, and by 
 lying with males, and some make bold to slay even 
 their parents. For if he who is said to be the chief 
 and king of their gods do these things how much 
 more should his worshippers imitate him ? And 
 great is the folly which the Greeks have brought for- 
 ward in their narrative concerning him. For it is 
 impossible that a god should practise adultery or 
 fornication or come near to lie with males, or kill his 
 parents ; and if it be otherwise, he is much worse 
 than a destructive demon. 
 
 X. Again they bring forward as another god 
 Hephaistos. And they say of him, that he is lame, 
 and a cap is set on his head, and he holds in his 
 hands firetongs and a hammer ; and he follows the 
 craft of iron working, that thereby he may procure 
 the necessaries of his livelihood. Is then this god so 
 very needy ? But it cannot be that a god should be 
 needy or lame, else he is very worthless. 
 
 And further they bring in another god and call 
 him Hermes. And they say that he is a thief,^ a 
 lover of avarice, and greedy for gain, and a magician 
 
 ' Pasiphae's unnatural passion for Taurus is not in the Greek mythology charged to Zeus. 
 
 " The visit of Zeus to Semele (not Selene) is evidently referred to. 2eA^n) Luna would give the Syriac &b;SO 
 
 3 Professor Rendel Harris pronounces " Paludus " a vox nihili, and explains its presence as due to a corrupt repetition of the pre- 
 ceding Polydeuces. The Syriac word in the text suggests Pollax — the Latin equivalent of Polydeuces, Clytemnestra is the name re- 
 quired. * Adopting Professor Harris's emendation ^'-n^ = kA^jtttjs instead of ^-^-iS^ = vir. 
 
THE APOLOGY OF AEISTIDES. 
 
 271 
 
 ful, and a thief, and covetous, and a 
 magician (and maimed) and an inter- 
 preter of language. But it cannot 
 be admitted that such an one is a 
 god. 
 
 They also bring forward Asklepios 
 as a god who is a doctor and pre- 
 pares drugs and compounds plasters 
 for the sake of a living. For he was 
 badly off. And afterwards he was 
 struck, they say, with a thunder- 
 bolt by Zeus on account of Tynda- 
 reos, son of Lacedaimon ; and so was 
 killed. Now if Asklepios in spite 
 of his divinity could not help him- 
 self when struck by lightning, how 
 will he come to the rescue of others ? 
 
 Again Ares is represented as a 
 god, fond of strife and given to 
 jealousy, and a lover of animals and 
 other such things. And at last while 
 corrupting Aphrodite, he was bound 
 by the youthful Eros and by Hepha- 
 istos. How then was he a god who 
 was subject to desire, and a warrior, 
 and a prisoner and an adulterer ? 
 
 They allege that Dionysos also is 
 a god who holds nightly revels and 
 teaches drunkenness, and carries off 
 the neighbours' wives, and goes 
 mad and takes to flight. And at 
 last he was put to death by the 
 Titans. If then Dionysos could not 
 save himself when he was being 
 killed, and besides used to be mad, 
 and drunk with wine, and a fugitive, 
 how should he be a god ? 
 
 They allege also that Herakles got 
 drunk and went mad and cut the 
 throats of his own children, then he 
 was consumed by fire and so died. 
 Now how should he be a god, who 
 was drunk and a slayer of children 
 and burned to death ? or how will 
 he come to the help of others, when 
 he was unable to help himself ? 
 
 XI. They represent Apollo also as 
 a jealous god, and besides as the mas- 
 ter of the bow and quiver, and some- 
 times of the lyre and flute, and as 
 divining to men for pay ? Can he 
 then be very badly off ? But it can- 
 not be admitted that a god should 
 be in want, and jealous, and a harp- 
 ing minstrel. 
 
 and mutilated and an athlete, and an interpreter of 
 language. But it is impossible that a god should be 
 a magician or avaricious, or maimed, or craving for 
 what is not his, or an athlete. And if it be other- 
 wise, he is found to be useless. 
 
 And after him they bring forward as another god 
 Asklepios. And they say that he is a physician and 
 prepares drugs and plaster that he may supply the 
 necessaries of his livelihood. Is then this god in 
 want? And at length he was struck with lightning 
 by Dios on account of Tyndareos of Lacedeemon, and 
 so he died. If then Asklepios were a god, and, when 
 he was struck with lightning, was unable to help him- 
 self, how should he be able to give help to others ? 
 But that a divine nature should be in want or be de- 
 stroyed by lightning is impossible. 
 
 And again they bring forward another as a god, 
 and they call him Ares. And they say that he is a 
 warrior, and jealous, and covets sheep and things 
 which are not his. And he makes gain by his arms. 
 And they say that at length he committed adultery 
 with Aphrodite, and was caught by the little boy 
 Eros and by Hephaistos the husband of Aphrodite. 
 But it is impossible that a god should be a warrior or 
 bound or an adulterer. 
 
 And again they say of Dionysos that he forsooth ! 
 is a god, who arranges carousals by night, and teaches 
 drunkenness, and carries off women who do not be- 
 long to him. And at length, they say, he went mad 
 and dismissed his handmaidens and fled into the 
 desert ; and during his madness he ate serpents. 
 And at last he was killed by Titanos. If then 
 Dionysos were a god, and when he was being killed 
 was unable to help himself, how is it possible that he 
 should help others ? 
 
 Herakles next they bring forward and say that he 
 is a god, who hates detestable things, a tyrant, ' 
 and warrior and a destroyer of plagues. And of him 
 also they say that at length he became mad and killed 
 his own children, and cast himself into a fire and 
 died. If then Herakles is a god, and in all these 
 calamities was unable to rescue himself, how should 
 others ask help from him ? But it is impossible 
 that a god should be mad, or drunken or a slayer of 
 his children, or consumed by fire. 
 
 XI. And after him they bring forward another, 
 god and call him Apollon. And they say that he is 
 jealous and inconstant, and at times he holds the 
 bow and quiver, and again the lyre and plectron. 
 And he utters oracles for men that he may receive 
 rewards from them. Is then this god in need of re- 
 wards ? But it is an insult that all these things 
 should be found with a god. 
 
 I « Tyrant," )ioai>- seems ont of place when connected with Herakles. 
 the paragraph, shonld be read here. Cf. also the Greek. 
 
 Perhaps J«os =el)rins, which occurs at the close of 
 
272 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES. 
 
 They represent Artemis also as his 
 sister, who is a huntress and has a 
 bow with a quiver ; and she roams 
 alone upon the hills with the dogs 
 to hunt the stag or the wild boar. 
 How then should such a woman, 
 who hunts and roams with her dogs, 
 be a divine being ? 
 
 Even Aphrodite herself they af- 
 firm to be a goddess who is adulter- 
 ous. For at one time she had Ares 
 as a paramour, and at another time 
 Anchises and again Adonis, whose 
 death she also laments, feeling the 
 want of her lover. And they say 
 that she even went down to Hades 
 to purchase back Adonis from Per- 
 sephone. Did you ever see, King, 
 greater folly than this, to bring for- 
 ward as a goddess one who is adul- 
 terous and given to weeping and 
 wailing ? 
 
 And they represent that Adonis 
 is a hunter god, who came to a vio- 
 lent end, being wounded by a wild 
 boar and having no power to help 
 himself in his distress. How then 
 will one who is adulterous and a 
 hunter and mortal give himself any 
 concern for mankind ? 
 
 All this and much more of a like 
 nature, and even far more disgrace- 
 ful and offensive details, have the 
 Greeks narrated, King, concern- 
 ing their gods ; — details which it is 
 not proper either to state or for a 
 moment to remember. And hence 
 mankind, taking an impulse from 
 their gods, practised all lawlessness 
 and brutality and impiety, polluting 
 both earth and air by their awful 
 deeds. 
 
 XII. The Egyptians, again, being 
 
 SYRIAC. 
 
 And after him they bring forward as a goddess 
 Artemis, the sister of Apollo ; and they say that she 
 was a huntress and that she herself used to carry a 
 bow and bolts, and to roam about upon the moun- 
 tains, leading the hounds to hunt stags or wild boars 
 of the field. But it is disgraceful that a virgin maid 
 should roam alone upon the hills or hunt in the 
 chase for animals. Wherefore it is impossible that 
 Artemis should be a goddess. 
 
 Again they say of Aphrodite that she indeed is a 
 goddess. And at times she dwells with their gods, 
 but at other times she is a neighbour to men. _ And 
 once she had Ares as a lover, and again Adonis who 
 is Tammuz. Once also. Aphrodite was wailing and 
 weeping for the death of Tammuz, and they say that 
 she went down to Sheol that she might redeem 
 Adonis from Persephone, who is the daughter of 
 Sheol (Hades). If then Aphrodite is a goddess and 
 was unable to help her lover at his death, how will 
 she find it possible to help others ? And this cannot 
 be listened to, that a divine nature should come to 
 weeping and wailing and adultery. 
 
 And again they say of Tammuz that he is a god. 
 And he is, forsooth ! a hunter and an adulterer. And 
 they say that he was killed by a wound from a wild 
 boar, without being able to help himself. And if he 
 could not help himself, how can he take thought for 
 the human race ? But that a god should be an adul- 
 terer or a hunter or should die by violence is impossi- 
 ble. 
 
 Again they say of Rhea that she is the mother of 
 their gods. And they say that she had once a lover 
 Atys, and that she used to delight in depraved men. 
 And at last she raised a lamentation and mourned 
 for Atys her lover. If then the mother of their gods 
 was unable to help her lover and deliver him from 
 death, how can she help others ? So it is disgraceful 
 that a goddess should lament and weep and take de- 
 light in depraved men. 
 
 Again they introduce Kore and say that she is a 
 goddess, and she was stolen away by Pluto, and could 
 not help herself. If then she is a goddess and was 
 unable to help herself how will she find means to 
 help others ? For a god who is stolen away is very 
 powerless. 
 
 All this, then, King, have the Greeks brought 
 forward concerning their gods, and they have in- 
 vented and declared it concerning them. And hence 
 all men received an impulse to work all profanity and 
 all defilements ; and hereby the whole earth was cor- 
 rupted. 
 
 XII. The Egyptians, moreover, because they are 
 
THE APOLOGY OP ARISTIDES. 
 
 273 
 
 more stupid and witless than these 
 have gone further astray than all the 
 nations. For they were not content 
 with the objects of worship of the 
 Ohaldseans and the Greeks, but in 
 addition to these brought forward 
 also brute creatures as gods, both 
 land and water animals, and plants 
 and herbs ; and they were defiled 
 with all madness and brutality more 
 deeply than all the nations on the 
 earth. 
 
 For originally they worshipped 
 Isis, who had Osiris as brother and 
 husband. He was slain by his own 
 brother Typhon ; and therefore Isis 
 with Horos her son fled for refuge to 
 Byblus in Syria, mourning for Osiris 
 with bitter lamentation, until Horos 
 grew up and slew Typhon. So that 
 neither had Isis power to help her 
 own brother and husband ; nor could 
 Osiris defend himself when he was 
 being slain by Typhon ; nor did Ty- 
 phon, the slayer of his brother, when 
 he was perishing at the hands of 
 Horos and Isis, find means to rescue 
 himself from death. And though 
 they were revealed in their true 
 character by such mishaps, they 
 
 were believed to be very gods by the 
 simple Egyptians, who were not sat- 
 isfied even with these or the other 
 deities of the nations, but brought 
 forward also brute creatures as gods. 
 For some of them worshipped the 
 sheep, and some the goat ; another 
 tribe (worshipped) the bull and the 
 pig ; others again, the raven and the 
 hawk, and the vulture and the eagle ; 
 and others the crocodile ; and some 
 the cat and the dog, and the wolf and 
 the ape, and the dragon and the asp ; 
 and others the onion and the garlic 
 and thorns and other created things. 
 And the poor creatures do not per- 
 ceive about all these that they are 
 utterly helpless. For though they 
 see their gods eaten by men of other 
 tribes, and burnt as offerings and 
 
 more base and stupid than every people that is on the 
 earth, have themselves erred more than all. For the 
 deities (or religion) of the Barbarians and the Greeks 
 did not suffice for them, but they introduced some 
 also of the nature of the animals, and said thereof 
 that they were gods, and likewise of creeping things 
 which are found on the dry land and in the waters. 
 And of plants and herbs they said that some of them 
 were gods. And they were corrupted by every kind 
 of delusion and defilement more than every people 
 
 that is on the earth. For from ancient times they 
 worshipped Isis, and they say that she is a goddess 
 whose husband was Osiris her brother. And when 
 Osiris was killed by Typhon his brother, Isis fled with 
 Horos her son to Byblus in Syria, and was there for a 
 certain time till her son was grown. And he con- 
 tended with Typhon his uncle, and killed him. And 
 then Isis returned and went about with Horos her son 
 and sought for the dead body of Osiris her lord, bit- 
 terly lamenting his death. If then Isis be a goddess, 
 and could not help Osiris her brother and lord, how 
 can she help another ? But it is impossible that a 
 divine nature should be afraid, and flee for safety, or 
 should weep and wail ; or else it is very miserable. 
 
 And of Osiris also they say that he is a serviceable 
 god. And he was killed by Typhon and was unable 
 to help himself. But it is well known that this 
 cannot be asserted of divinity. And further, they say 
 of his brother Typhon that he is a god, who killed his 
 brother and was killed by his brother's son and by his 
 bride, being unable to help himself. And how, pray, 
 is he a god who does not save himself ? 
 
 As the Egyptians, then, were more stupid than the 
 rest of the nations, these and such like gods did not 
 suffice for them. Nay, but they even apply the name 
 of gods to animals in which there is no soul at all. 
 For some of them worship the sheep and others the 
 calf ; and some the pig and others the shad fish ; and 
 some the crocodile and the hawk and the fish and the 
 ibis and the vulture and the eagle and the raven. 
 Some of them worship the cat, and others the turbot- 
 fish, some the dog, some the adder, and some the asp, 
 and others the lion ; and others the garlic and onions 
 and thorns, and others the tiger and other such 
 
 things. And the poor creatures do not see that all 
 these things are nothing, although they daily witness 
 
 their gods being eaten and consumed by men and also 
 by their fellows ; while some of them are cremated. 
 
274 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF AEISTIDES. 
 
 slain as victims and mouldering in 
 decay, they have not perceived that 
 they are not gods. 
 
 XIII. So the Egyptians and the 
 Chaldasans and the G-reeks made a 
 great error in bringing forward such 
 beings as gods, and in making images 
 of them, and in deifying dumb and 
 senseless idols. 
 
 And I wonder how they saw their 
 gods sawn out and hacked and 
 docked by the workmen, and besides 
 aging with time and falling to 
 pieces, and being cast from metal, 
 and yet did not discern concerning 
 them that they were not gods. 
 
 For when they have no power to 
 see to their own safety, how will they 
 take forethought for men ? 
 
 But further, the poets and philoso- 
 phers, alike of the Ohaldasans and 
 the Greeks and the Egyptians, while 
 they desired by their poems and 
 writings to magnify the gods of their 
 countries, rather revealed their 
 shame, and laid it bare before all 
 
 men. For if the body of man while 
 consisting of many parts does not cast 
 oif any of its own members, but pre- 
 serving an unbroken unity in all its 
 members, is harmonious with itself, 
 how shall variance and discord be 
 so great in the nature of God ? 
 
 For if there had been a unity of 
 nature among the gods, then one 
 god ought not to have pursued or 
 slain or injured another. And if 
 the gods were pursued by gods, and 
 slain, and kidnapped and struck 
 with lightning by them, then there is 
 no longer any unity of nature, but 
 
 and some die and decay and become dust, without 
 their observing that they perish in many ways. So 
 the Egyptians have not observed that such things 
 which are not equal to their own deliverance, are not 
 gods. And if, forsooth, they are weak in the case of 
 their own deliverance, whence have they power to 
 help in the case of deliverance of their worshippers ? 
 Great then is the error into which the Egyptians 
 wandered ; — greater, indeed, than that of any people 
 which is upon the face of the earth. 
 
 XIII, But it is a marvel, King, with regard to 
 the Greeks, who surpass all other peoples in their man- 
 ner of life and reasoning, how they have gone astray af- 
 ter dead idols and lifeless images. And yet they see 
 their gods in the hands of their artificers being sawn 
 out, and planed and docked, and hacked short, and 
 charred, and ornamented, and being altered by them 
 in every kind of way. And when they grow old, and 
 are worn away through lapse of time, and when they 
 are molten and crushed to powder, how, I wonder, 
 did they not perceive concerning them, that they are 
 not gods ? And as for those who did not find de- 
 liverance for themselves, how can they serve the dis- 
 tress of men ? 
 
 But even the writers and philosophers among them 
 have wrongly alleged that the gods are such as are 
 made in honour of God Almighty. And they err in 
 seeking to liken (them) to God whom man has not at 
 any time seen nor can see unto what He is like. 
 Herein, too (they err) in asserting of deity that any 
 such thing as deficiency can be present to it ; as when 
 they say that He receives sacrifice and requires burnt- 
 offering and libation and immolations of men, and 
 temples. But God is not in need, and none of these 
 things is necessary to Him ; and it is clear that men 
 err in these things they imagine. 
 
 Further their writers and their philosophers rep- 
 resent and declare that the nature of all their gods 
 is one. And they have not apprehended God our 
 Lord who while He is one, is in all. They err 
 therefore. For if the body of a man while it is many 
 in its parts is not in dread, one member of another, 
 but, since it is a united body, wholly agrees with it- 
 self ; even so also God is one in His nature. A 
 single essence is proper to Him, since He is uniform 
 in His nature and His essence ; and He is not afraid 
 
 of Himself. If then the nature of the gods is one, 
 it is not proper that a god should either pursue or slay 
 or harm a god. If then gods be pursued and wounded 
 by gods, and some be kidnapped and some struck 
 dead by lightning, it is obvious that the nature of 
 their gods is not one. And hence it is known, 
 King, that it is a mistake when they reckon and 
 bring the natures of their gods under a single 
 
THE APOLOGY OF AEISTIDES. 
 
 275 
 
 GREEK. 
 
 divided counsels, all mischievous. 
 So that not one of them is a god. 
 It is clear then, King, that all 
 their discourse on the nature of the 
 gods is an error. 
 
 But how did the wise and erudite 
 men of the Greeks not observe that 
 inasmuch as they make laws for 
 themselves they are judged by their 
 own laws ? For if the laws are 
 righteous, their gods are altogether 
 unrighteous, as they have committed 
 transgressions of laws, in slaying 
 one another, and practising sor- 
 ceries, and adultery and thefts and 
 intercourse with males. If they 
 were right in doing these things, 
 then the laws are unrighteous, being 
 framed contrary to the gods. Where- 
 as in fact, the laws are good and 
 just, commending what is good and 
 forbidding what is bad. But the 
 deeds of their gods are contrary to 
 law. Their gods, therefore, are 
 lawbreakers, and all liable to the 
 punishment of death ; and they are 
 impious men who introduce such 
 gods. For if the stories about them 
 be mythical, the gods are nothing 
 more than mere names ; and if the 
 stories be founded on nature, still 
 they who did and suffered these 
 things are no longer gods ; and if 
 the stories be allegorical, they are 
 myths and nothing more. 
 
 It has been shown then, King, 
 that all these polytheistic objects of 
 worship are the works of error and 
 perdition. For it is not right to give 
 the name of gods to beings which 
 may be seen but cannot see ; but one 
 ought to reverence the invisible and 
 all-seeing and all-creating God. 
 
 XIV. Let us proceed then, King, 
 to the Jews also, that we may see 
 what truth there is in their view of 
 God. For they were descendants of 
 Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and 
 migrated to Egypt. And thence God 
 brought them forth with a mighty 
 hand and an uplifted arm through 
 Moses, their lawgiver ; and by many 
 wonders and signs He made known 
 His power to them. But even they 
 
 nature. If then it becomes us to admire a god 
 which is seen and does not see, how much more 
 praiseworthy is it that one should believe in a nature 
 which is invisible and all-seeing ? And if further it 
 is fitting that one should approve the handiworks of 
 a craftsman, how much more is it fitting that one 
 should glorify the Creator of the craftsman ? 
 
 For behold ! when the Greeks made laws they did 
 not perceive that by their laws they condemn their 
 gods. For if their laws are righteous, their gods 
 are unrighteous, since they transgressed the law in 
 killing one another, and practising sorcery, and 
 committing adultery, and in robbing and stealing, 
 and in lying with males, and by their other prac- 
 tises as well. For if their gods were right in doing 
 all these things as they are described, then the laws 
 of the Greeks are unrighteous in not being made ac- 
 cording to the will of their gods. And in that case 
 the whole world is gone astray. 
 
 For the narratives about their gods are some of 
 them myths, and some of them nature-poems (lit: 
 natural — <^ucrtKat), and some of them hymns and 
 elegies. The hymns indeed and elegies are empty 
 words and noise. But these nature-poems, even if 
 they be made as they say, still those are not gods who 
 do such things and suffer and endure such things. 
 And those myths are shallow tales with no depth 
 whatever in them. 
 
 XIV. Let us come now, King, to the history of 
 the Jews also, and see what opinion they have as to 
 God. The Jews then say that God is one, the 
 Creator of all, and omnipotent ; and that it is not 
 right that any other should be worshipped except this 
 God alone. And herein they appear to approach the 
 truth more than all the nations, especially in that 
 they worship God and not His works. And they 
 imitate God by the philanthropy which prevails 
 among them ; for they have compassion on the poor, 
 and they release the captives, and bury the dead, and 
 do such things as these, which are acceptable before 
 God and well-pleasing also to men, — which (customs) 
 they have received from their forefathers. 
 
276 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES. 
 
 proved stubborn and ungrateful, and 
 often served the idols of the nations, 
 and put to death the prophets and 
 just men who were sent to them. 
 Then when the Son of God was 
 pleased to come upon the earth, they 
 received him with wanton violence 
 and betrayed him into tlie hands of 
 Pilate the Roman governor ; and 
 paying no respect to his good deeds 
 and the countless miracles he 
 wrought among them, they demand- 
 ed a sentence of death by the cross. 
 And they perished by their own 
 transgression ; for to this day they 
 worship the one God Almighty, but 
 not according to knowledge. For 
 they deny that Christ is the Son of 
 God ; and they are much like to the 
 heathen, even although they may 
 seem to make some approach to the 
 truth from which they have removed 
 themselves. So much for the Jews. 
 
 XV. Now the Christians 1 trace 
 their origin from the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. And He is acknowledged by 
 the Holy Spirit to be the son of the 
 most high God, who came down 
 from heaven for the salvation of 
 men. And being born of a pure 
 virgin, unbegotten and immaculate. 
 He assumed flesh and revealed him- 
 self among men that He might recall 
 them to Himself from their wander- 
 ing after many gods. And having ac- 
 complished His wonderful dispensa- 
 tion, by a voluntary choice He tasted 
 death on the cross, fulfilling an 
 august dispensation. And after 
 three days He came to life again and 
 ascended into heaven. And if you 
 would read, King, you may judge 
 the glory of His presence from the 
 holy gospel writing, as it is called 
 among themselves. He had twelve 
 disciples, who after His ascension to 
 heaven went forth into the provinces 
 of the whole world, and declared His 
 greatness. As for instance, one of 
 tliem traversed the countries about 
 us, proclaiming the doctrine of the 
 truth. From this it is, that they 
 who still observe the righteousness 
 enjoined by their preaching are 
 called Christians. 
 
 And these are they who more than 
 
 SYKIAC. 
 
 Nevertheless they too erred from true knowledge. 
 And in their imagination they conceive that it is God 
 they serve ; whereas by their mode of observance it is 
 to the angels and not to God that their service is 
 rendered :— as when they celebrate sabbaths and the 
 beginning of the months, and feasts of unleavened 
 bread, and a great fast ; and fasting and circumcision 
 and the purification of meats, which things, however, 
 they do not observe perfectly. 
 
 XV. But the Christians, King, while they went 
 about and made search,^ have found the truth ; and 
 as we learned from their writings, they have come 
 nearer to truth and genuine knowledge than the rest 
 of the nations. For they know and trust in God, the 
 Creator of heaven and of earth, in whom and from 
 whom are all things, to whom there is no other god 
 as companion, from whom they received command- 
 ments which they engraved upon their minds and 
 observe in hope and expectation of the world which is 
 to come. Wherefore they do not commit adultery nor 
 fornication, nor bear false witness, nor embezzle what 
 is held in pledge, nor covet what is not theirs. They 
 honour father and mother, and show kindness to 
 those near to them ; and whenever they are judges, 
 they judge uprightly. They do not worship idols 
 (made) in the image of man ; and whatsoever they 
 would not that others should do unto them, they do 
 not to others ; and of the food which is consecrated 
 to idols they do not eat, for they are pure. And their 
 oppressors they appease (lit: comfort) and make 
 them their friends ; they do good to their enemies ; 
 and their women, King, are pure as virgins, and 
 their daughters are modest ; and their men keep 
 themselves from every unlawful union and from all 
 nncleanness, in the hope of a recompense to come in 
 the other world. Further, if one or other of them 
 have bondmen and bondwomen or children, through 
 love towards them they persuade them to become 
 Christians, and when they have done so, they call 
 them brethren without distinction. They do not 
 worship strange gods, and they go their way in all 
 modesty and cheerfulness. Falsehood is not found 
 
 > This, the "ChriBtological" passage, occurs earlier in the Syriac. Chap. n. 
 
 a The same two words are used of Isis. The ChiistiAns are rmlilie her in fiading what they sought 
 
THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES. 
 
 277 
 
 all the nations on the earth have 
 found the truth. For they know 
 God, the Creator and Fashioner of 
 all things through the only-begotten 
 Son and the Holy Spirit i; and beside 
 Him they worship no other God. 
 They have the commands of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ Himself graven 
 upon their hearts ; and they observe 
 them, looking forward to the resur- 
 rection of the dead and life in the 
 world to come. They do not com- 
 mit adultery nor fornication, nor 
 bear false witness, nor covet the 
 things of others ; they honour father 
 and mother, and love their neigh- 
 bours ; they judge justly, and they 
 never do to others what they would 
 not wish to happen to themselves ; 
 they appeal to those who injure 
 them, and try to win them as friends ; 
 they are eager to do good to their 
 enemies ; they are gentle and easy 
 to be entreated ; they abstain from 
 all unlawful conversation and from 
 all impurity ; they despise not the 
 widow, nor oppress the orphan ; and 
 he that has, gives ungrudgingly for 
 the maintenance of him who has 
 not. 
 
 If they see a stranger, they take 
 him under their roof, and rejoice 
 over him as over a very brother ; for 
 they call themselves brethren not 
 after the flesh but after the spirit. 
 
 among them ; and they love one another, and from 
 widows they do not turn away their esteem ; and they 
 deliver the orphan from him who treats him harshly. 
 And he, who has, gives to him who has not, without 
 
 And they are ready to sacrifice 
 their lives for the sake of Christ ; for 
 they observe His commands without 
 swerving, and live holy and just 
 lives, as the Lord God enjoined upon 
 them. 
 
 And they give thanks unto Him 
 every hour, for all meat and drink 
 and other blessings. 
 
 boasting. And when they see a stranger, they take 
 him in to their homes and rejoice over him as a very 
 brother ; for they do not call them brethren after the 
 flesh, but brethren after the spirit and in God. And 
 whenever one of their poor passes from the world, 
 each one of them according to his ability gives heed 
 to him and carefully sees to his burial. And if they 
 hear that one of their number is imprisoned or af- 
 flicted on account of the name of their Messiah, all of 
 them anxiously minister to his necessity, and if it 
 is possible to redeem him they set him free. And if 
 there is among them any that is poor and needy, and 
 if they have no spare food, they fast two or three 
 days in order to supply to the needy their lack of 
 food. They observe the precepts of their Messiah 
 with much care, living justly and soberly as the Lord 
 their God commanded them. Every morning ^ and 
 every hour they give thanks and praise to God for 
 His loving-kindnesses toward them ; and for their food 
 and their drink they offer thanksgiving to Him. 
 And if any righteous man among them passes from 
 the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God ; and 
 they escort his body as if he were setting out from 
 one place to another near. And when a child has 
 been born to one of them, they give thanks to God ; 
 
 • The Armenian agrees with the Greek against the Syriac. " Und cam Spiritu Sancto " Arm. 
 
 2 Of. Pliny's letter to the Bmperor Trajan, a.d. 112, " The Christiana are wont.to meet at dawn on au appointed day, and to sing a 
 hymn to Christ as God." 
 
278 
 
 THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES. 
 
 XVI. Verily then, this is the way 
 of the truth which leads those who 
 travel therein to the everlasting 
 kingdom promised through Christ 
 in the life to come. And that you 
 may know, King, that in saying 
 these things I do not speak at my 
 own instance, if you deign to look 
 into the writings of the Christians, 
 you will find that I state nothing 
 beyond the truth. Rightly then, 
 did thy son' apprehend, and 
 justly was he taught to serve the 
 living God and to be saved for the 
 age that is destined to come upon 
 us. For great and wonderful are 
 the sayings and deeds of the Chris- 
 tians ; for they speak not the words 
 of men but those of God. But the 
 rest of the nations go astray and 
 
 8TRIAC. 
 
 and if moreover it happen to die in childhood, they 
 give thanks to God the more, as for one who has 
 passed through the world without sins. And further 
 if they see that any one of them dies in his ungodli- 
 ness or in his sins, for him they grieve bitterly, and 
 sorrow as for one who goes to meet his doom. 
 
 XVI. Such, King, is the commandment of the 
 law of the Christians, and such is their manner of 
 life. As men who know God, they ask from Him 
 petitions which are fitting for Him to grant and for 
 them to receive. And thus they employ their whole 
 lifetime. And since they know the loving-kindnesses 
 of God toward them, behold ! for their sake the glori- 
 ous things which are in the world flow forth to view. 
 And verily, they are those who found the truth when 
 they went about and made search for it ; and from 
 what we considered, we learned that they alone come 
 near to a knowledge of the truth. And they do 
 not proclaim in the ears of the multitude the kind 
 deeds they do, but are careful that no one should 
 notice them ; and they conceal their giving just as 
 he who finds a treasure and conceals it. And they 
 strive to be righteous as those who expect to behold 
 their Messiah, and to receive from Him with great 
 glory the promises made concerning them. And as 
 for their words and their precepts, King, and their 
 glorying in their worship, and the hope of earning 
 according to the work of each one of them their re- 
 compense which they look for in another world, — 
 you may learn about these from their writings. It 
 is enough for us to have shortly informed your 
 Majesty concerning the conduct and the truth of 
 the Christians. For great indeed, and wonderful is 
 their doctrine to him who will search into it and re- 
 flect upon it. And verily, this is a new people, and 
 there is something divine (lit : a divine admixture) 
 in the midst of them. 
 
 Take, then, their writings, and read therein, 
 and lo ! you will find that I have not put forth these 
 things on my own authority, nor spoken thus as 
 their advocate ; but since I read in their writings I 
 was fully assured of these things as also of things 
 which are to come. And for this reason I was con- 
 strained to declare the truth to such as care for it 
 
 and seek the world to come. And to me there is 
 no doubt but that the earth abides through the sup- 
 plication of the Christians. But the rest of the 
 nations err and cause error in wallowing before the 
 elements of the world, since beyond these their mental 
 vision will not pass. And they search about as if in 
 darkness because they will not recognize the truth ; 
 and like drunken men they reel and jostle one an- 
 other and fall. 
 
 1 The reference is to Josaphat, son of Abenner, who was taught to be a ChriBtian by the monk Barlaam. 
 
THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES. 
 
 279 
 
 GKEEK. 
 
 deceiye themselves ; for they walk 
 in darkness and bruise themselves 
 like drunken men. 
 
 XVII. Thus far, King, extends 
 my discourse to you, which has been 
 dictated in my mind by the Truth. ^ 
 Wherefore let thy foolish sages 
 cease their idle talk against the 
 Lord ; for it is proiitable for yon to 
 worship God the Creator, and to give 
 ear to His incorruptible words, that 
 ye may escape from condemnation 
 and punishment, and be found to be 
 heirs of life everlasting. 
 
 XVII. Thus far, King, I have spoken ; for con- 
 cerning that which remains, as is said above,* there 
 are found in their other writings things which are 
 hard to utter and difficult for one to narrate, — which 
 are not only spoken in words but also wrought out in 
 deeds. 
 
 Now the Greeks, King, as they follow base prac- 
 tises in intercourse with males, and a mother and a 
 sister and a daughter, impute their monstrous im- 
 purity in turn to the Christians. But the Christians 
 are just and good, and the truth is set before their 
 eyes, and their spirit is long-suffering ; and, there- 
 fore, though they know the error of these (the 
 Greeks), and are persecuted by them, they bear and 
 endure it ; and for the most part they have compas- 
 sion on them, as men who are destitute of knowl- 
 edge. And on their side, they offer prayer that 
 these may repent of their error ; and when it hap- 
 pens that one of them has repented, he is ashamed 
 before the Christians of the works which were done 
 by him ; and he makes confession to God, saying, 
 I did these things in ignorance. And he purifies his 
 heart, and his sins are forgiven him, because he com- 
 mitted them in ignorance in the former time, when 
 he used to blaspheme and speak evil of the true 
 knowledge of the Christians. And assuredly the 
 race of the Christians is more blessed than all the 
 men who are upon the face of the earth. 
 
 Henceforth let the tongues of those who utter 
 vanity and harass the Christians be silent ; and here- 
 after let them speak the truth. For it is of serious 
 consequence to them that they should worship the 
 true God rather than worship a senseless sound. 
 And verily whatever is spoken in the mouth of the 
 Christians is of God ; and their doctrine is the gate- 
 way of light. Wherefore let all who are without the 
 knowledge of God draw near thereto ; and they will 
 receive incorruptible words, which are from all time 
 and from eternity. So shall they appear before the 
 awful Judgment which through Jesus the Messiah is 
 destined to come xipon the whole human race. 
 
 The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher is fin- 
 ished. 
 
 ' The ChriBtian Scriptures are previouBly referred to as a sonrce of iatormation, not as containing difBculties. of 2 Peter iii. 16. 
 
 ^Nachor, the flctitious monk who represented Barlaam, intended to make a weak defence of Christianity, bnt, according 
 to the story, he was constrained to speak what he had not intended. It is evidently the author's intention to make it an instance of 
 " suggestioVerborum " or plenary inspiration, In the case of the fictitious monk. 
 
THE PASSION OF THE SCILLITAN MARTYRS. 
 
 BY 
 
 ANDREW RUTHERFURD, B.D. 
 
 TRANSLATION BY PROF. J. A. ROBINSON. INTRODUCTION BY A. R. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Scillitan Martyrs were condemned and executed at Carthage on the 17th July, a.d. 
 180. The martyrs belonged to Scili, a place in that part of Numidia which belonged to 
 proconsular Africa. The proconsul at the time, who is said by Tertullian to have been the 
 first to draw the sword against the Christians there, was P. Vigellius Saturninus. The 
 consuls for the year were Prsesens II. and Oondianus. Marcus Aurelius had died only a 
 few months before. 
 
 The exact date of the martyrdom was long under dispute, and the question has recently 
 arisen whether the Acts were originally written in Latin or Greek. Baronius placed the date 
 as late as 302. The text had become corrupt in passing through various Latin and Greek 
 versions and transcriptions, and it was long impossible to recognize the names of the consuls 
 for the year in the first line of the piece. But M. Leon Renier conjectured that the word 
 bis pointed to a consul's name underlying the word preceding it, and suggested the year 180, 
 when Praesens and Condianus were consuls. This conjecture was confirmed by Usener's 
 publication in 1881 of a Greek version from a ninth century MS. in the Biblioth^que 
 Nationale at Paris, though even here the names, though recognizable, were in a corrupt 
 form. Usener believed this version to be a translation from a Latin original, and his theory 
 has been confirmed by Mr. Armitage Robinson's discovery of a Latin MS. of the ninth 
 century in the British Museum, containing the Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs in a form 
 briefer than any of the other versions and believed to be the original. Mr. A. Robinson's 
 translation which follows, is from the Latin which he discovered, and which is printed in 
 Texts and Studies, vol. i.. No. 3. 
 
THE PASSION OF THE SCILLITAN MARTYRS. 
 
 Whek Prsesens, for the second time, and 
 Clandianns were the consuls, on the seven- 
 teenth day of July, at Carthage, there were 
 set in the judgment-hall Speratus, Nartzalus, 
 Cittinns, Donata, Secunda and Vestia. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said : Ye can 
 win the indulgence of our lord the Emperor, 
 if ye return to a sound mind. 
 
 Speratus said : We have never done ill, we 
 have not lent ourselves to wrong, we have 
 never spoken ill, but when ill-treated we 
 have given thanks ; because we pay heed to 
 OUB Emperor. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said : We too are 
 religious, and our religion is simple, and we 
 swear by the genius of our lord the Emperor, 
 and pray for his welfare, as ye also ought to 
 do. 
 
 Speratus said : If thou wilt peaceably lend 
 me thine ears, I can tell thee the mystery of 
 simplicity. 
 
 Saturninus said : I will not lend mine ears 
 to thee, when thou beginnest to speak evil 
 things of our sacred rites ; but rather swear 
 thou by the genius of our lord the Emperor. 
 
 Speratus said: The empire of this world I 
 know not ; but rather I serve that God, 
 whom no man Jiath seen, nor with these eyes 
 can see.^ I have committed no theft ; but if I 
 have bought anything I pay the tax ; because 
 I know my Lord, the King of kings and Em- 
 peror of all nations. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said to the rest : 
 Cease to be of this persuasion. 
 
 Speratus said: It is an ill persuasion to do 
 murder, to speak false witness. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said: Be not par- 
 takers of this folly. 
 
 Cittinus said : We have none other to fear, 
 save only our Lord God, who is in heaven. 
 
 Donata said : Honour to Caesar as Caesar: 
 but fear to God.'' 
 
 1 1 Tim. vi. 16. 
 
 » CI. Rom. xiii. 7. 
 
 Vestia said : I am a Christian. 
 
 Secunda said : What I am, that I wish to 
 be. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said to Speratus : 
 Dost thou persist m being a Christian ? 
 
 Speratus said : I am a Christian. And 
 with him they all agreed. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said : Will ye 
 have a space to consider ? 
 
 Speratus said : In a matter so straightfor- 
 ward there is no considering. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said : What are 
 the things in your chest ? 
 
 Speratus said : Books and epistles of Paul, 
 a just man. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul said : Have a de- 
 lay of thirty days and bethink yourselves. 
 
 Speratus said a second time : I am a Chris- 
 tian. And with him they all agreed. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul read out the 
 decree from the tablet : Speratus, Nartzalus, 
 Cittinus, Donata, Vestia, Secunda and the 
 rest having confessed that they live accord- 
 ing to the Christian rite, since after oppor- 
 tunity offered them of returning to the 
 custom of the Romans they have obstinately 
 persisted, it is determined that they be put 
 to the sword. 
 
 Speratus said : We give thanks to God. 
 
 Nartzalus said : To-day we are martyrs in 
 heaven; thanks be to God. 
 
 Saturninus the proconsul ordered it to be 
 declared by the herald: Speratus, Nartzalus, 
 Cittinus, Veturius, Felix, Aquilinus, Laetan- 
 tius, Januaria, Generosa, Vestia, Donata and 
 Secunda, I have ordered to be executed. 
 
 They all said : Thanks be to God. 
 
 And so they all together were crowned 
 with martyrdom ; and they reign with the 
 Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, for 
 ever and ever. Amen. 
 
ORIGEN. 
 
■MsU^Jr^Xj^ 
 
EPISTLE TO GREGORY 
 
 AND 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 GOSPEL OF JOHN 
 
 BY 
 
 ALLAN MEN2IES, D.D. 
 
COMMENTARIES OF ORIGEN. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 For a general account of Origan and of his works we may refer to Dr. Crombie's Life 
 of Origen, in vol. iv. of this series (xxiii. in Clark's issue). The principal facts of his 
 career are as follows : He was born of Christian parents at Alexandria about the year 185 
 A.D. , and from his earliest youth devoted himself to the study of Scripture in such a way as 
 to suggest that he was destined for a great career. His father suffered martyrdom in the 
 year 202, and Origen very soon afterwards succeeded the great Clement as head of the 
 school at Alexandria. Thirteen years after, the persecution of Caracalla drove him from 
 his own country to Caesarea, where though still a layman he preached at church meetings. 
 Recalled to Alexandria, he laboured there for fifteen years further as teacher and author, 
 till in the year 231 his ordination at Caesarea to the office of presbyter drew upon him the 
 condemnation of the bishop of Alexandria and became the occasion of his permanent with- 
 drawal from the place of his birth. At Caesarea he now formed a new school of Christian 
 training similar to that from which he had been driven. At this time, as well as in the 
 earlier period of his life, he made various journeys to different parts of the world. His 
 death was brought about by sufferings inflicted on him in the persecution of Decius, and 
 took place at Tyre, probably in the year 254. 
 
 Part of the Commentary on John, the first great work of Christian interpretation, and 
 part of that on Matthew, written by the father at a later period of his life, are here pre- 
 sented to the reader ; and a few words of introduction may be added on Origen's work as 
 an expositor and on these two works in particular. 
 
 Though Origen was the first great interpreter of Scripture in the Church, commentaries 
 had been written before his. He speaks of those who had preceded him in this activity ; 
 and though but little survives of the labours of these earlier expositors, we know that the 
 work of commenting on Scripture was zealously carried on in the Gnostic churches in the 
 latter part of the second century, and several of the older exegetes in the Church are also 
 known to us by name and reputation. Heracleon the Gnostic commentator on John, who 
 is often cited and often rather unfairly dealt with by Origen, as he follows him over the 
 same ground, belonged to the Valentinian school. Many of his comments the reader will 
 find to be very just and shrewd ; but the tenets of his school led him into many extra- 
 vagances. Of Pantaenus, head of the catechetical school at Alexandria in the end of the sec- 
 ond and early years of the third century, we hear that he interpreted many of the books of 
 Scripture. We also learn that he preceded Clement and Origen, his successors in office, 
 in the application of Gentile learning to Christian studies; the broad and liberal tone of 
 Alexandrian theology may be due in part to his influence. Much of his exegetical 
 work was still extant in the days of Jerome, who, however, reports that he did more 
 for the Church as a teacher than as a writer. Only fragments of his Commentaries 
 now remain. In Clement's works, on the contrary, we find, if not any set com- 
 mentaries, various extended discussions of particular texts. We also find in him a the- 
 ory of Scripture, its inspiration and its nature, which is followed also by Origen, and 
 which determines the whole character of Alexandrian exegesis. In accordance with the 
 general tendency of that age, which witnessed a reaction from the independence of phi- 
 losophy and an appeal in many quarters to the authority of ancient oracles and writ- 
 ings, the Alexandrian school treats Scripture as an inspired and infallible storehouse 
 of truth, — of truth, however, not patent to the simple reader, but requiring the spiritual 
 man to discern its mystic import. Clement discusses the question why divine things are 
 
 291 
 
292 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 wrapped up in mysteries, and holds that all who have spoken of such things have dealt 
 with them in this way. Everything in Scripture, therefore, has a mystical in addition to 
 its obvious meaning. Every minute particular about the tabernacle and its furniture 
 is charged with an unseen truth. The effect of such a view of Scripture on exegesis 
 is necessarily that the interpreter finds in the inspired words not what they plainly con- 
 vey, but what most interests his own mind. In assigning to each verse its spiritual 
 meaning, he is neither guided nor restrained by any rule or system, but enjoys complete 
 liberty. The natural good sense of these great scholars curbed to some extent the licence 
 of their theory ; but with such a view of Scripture they could not but run into many an 
 extravagance ; and the allegorical method of interpretation, which so long prevailed in 
 Christendom and is still practised in some quarters, dates from Alexandria. The roots 
 of it lie further back, in Jewish rabbinical treatment of the Old Testament, and in the Greek 
 philosophy of Alexandria. In Philo, the great contemporary of Christ at Alexandria, 
 rabbinical and Greek learning met, and Scripture being a divine authority and having to 
 furnish evidence of Greek philosophical doctrines, the allegorical method of interpretation 
 was called to perform large services. To Philo's eyes all wisdom was contained in the 
 Pentateuch, and many an idea of which Moses never dreamed had to be extracted from 
 that ancient record. The method was older than Clement and Origen, but it was through 
 them that it became so firmly established in the Church. 
 
 In Origen we first find a great teacher who deliberately sets himself to the task of explain- 
 ing Scripture. He became, at the early age of eighteen, the head of the catechetical school 
 at Alexandria, an institution which not only trained catechumens but provided open 
 lectures, on every part of Christian learning, and from that time to his death, at the 
 age of sixty-nine, he was constantly engaged in the work of public exposition. At 
 Alexandria his expositions took place in the school, but at Caesarea they formed part of the 
 church services, so that the reports of those belonging to the Csesarean period provide us 
 with the earliest examples we possess of the discourse at Christian meetings. In an ac- 
 tivity which he practised so much Origen acquired extraordinary skill and facility, and 
 gained the highest reputation, even beyond the limits of the Church. It is no wonder, 
 therefore, if he succeeded in treating nearly the whole Bible in this way, a thing which might 
 no doubt be said of many a Christian teacher since his day ; for he was not one who was 
 apt to repeat himself, but was constantly pressing on to break new ground. 
 
 But the reported homilies form only a part — and that not the most important part — of his 
 exegetical works. What he gave in his homilies was necessarily designed for edification ; 
 it had to be plain enough to be understood by a mixed audience, and serviceable to their 
 needs. Origen believed, however, that there was very much in Scripture that lay beyond 
 the capacity of the ordinary mind, and that the highest way of treating Scripture was not 
 that of practical application, but that of searching after its hidden sense. In the fourth book 
 of his De PrincipUs (vol. iv., American Ed.) he sets forth his views about the Scriptures. 
 "As man," he there says, "consists of body, soul, and spirit, so in the same way does 
 Scripture, which has been arranged to be given by God for the salvation of man." Scrip- 
 ture, therefore, has three senses, the bodily (somatic) or the obvious matter-of-fact sense, the 
 psychical or moral sense, which serves for edification of the pious, and, highest of all, the 
 spiritual sense. For this latter sense of Scripture Origen has many names, — as many as 
 forty have been counted, — he calls it the heavenly sense, the intellectual, the anagogical, 
 the mystic, the hidden. This is what chiefly engages his interest in the work of expound- 
 ing. Scripture is to him full of mysteries, every jot and tittle has its secret, and to read 
 these heavenly mysteries is the highest object of the interpreter. In addition, there- 
 fore, to his oral expositions (ofidiac) and the short notes {(nj/ietwasi'^) which are gener- 
 ally reckoned as a third class of his exegetical works, we have the written commentaries, 
 books, or To/mi of Origen, in which he discusses Scripture without being hampered by the 
 requirements of edification, according to the method which alone he recognizes as adequate. 
 He was enabled to devote himself to this labour by the generosity of a rich friend, Ambrosius, 
 who urged him to undertake it, and provided funds for the payment of shorthand writers 
 and copyists. We are told that seven of the former were at one time placed at his disposal. 
 The work which he was thus led to undertake Origen felt to be very responsible and burden- 
 some ; it was not to be approached without fervent prayer, and he sometimes complains 
 that it is too much for him, and that it is only the urgent commands of Ambrosius that make 
 him go on with it. (See the opening chapters of the various books on John.) 
 
 What has been said will to some extent explain the nature of these commentaries, parts 
 
INTRODUCTION. 293 
 
 of which are now for the first time presented to the English reader. There is a side of them, 
 however, of which we have not yet spoken. Origen was a great scholar as well as a great 
 theologian ; and he thought it right, as the reader may see from the letter to Gregory also 
 here given, that scholarship should contribute all it could to the study of Scripture. Of his 
 multifarious knowledge and of his easy command of all the science and philosophy of his 
 day, the reader may judge for himself even from what is now presented to him. His work 
 on the words of Scripture has a value quite independently of his theological views. Some of 
 the most important qualifications of the worthy interpreter of Scripture he possesses in a 
 supreme degree. His knowledge of Scripture is extraordinary both for its range and its 
 minute accuracy. He had no concordance to help him ; but he was himself a concord- 
 ance. Whatever word occurs he is able to bring from every part of Scripture the passages in 
 which it is used. He quotes passages, it is true, which are only verbally connected with the 
 text before him and have no affinity of idea ; the wealth of illustration he has at his com- 
 mand does not always assist, but sometimes, as the reader will see, impedes his progress : 
 yet the wonder is not diminished of such a knowledge of all parts of the I3ible as is probably 
 without parallel. It has to be added that he is strong in grammar, and has a true eye for 
 the real meaning of his text ; the discussions in which he does this often leave nothing to 
 be desired. In defining his terms he often goes far astray ; he has to define them according 
 to the science of his day ; but he is not guilty of loose construction of sentences. Another 
 matter in which he is distinguished is that of textual criticism. He is the first great textual 
 critic of the Church. That his name occurs more frequently than that of any other father 
 in the digests of early readings of the text of the New Testament, is due no doubt to the fact 
 that he is the earliest writer of commentaries which have been preserved ; his commentaries 
 contain complete texts of the portions of Scripture commented on, as well as copious quota- 
 tions from other parts of Scripture. But he was keenly interested in the text of the New 
 Testament for its own sake. He tells us that many variations already existed in his day 
 in different copies. And he preserves many readings which afterwards disappeared from the 
 Bible. It has also to be said that he often quotes the same text differently in different 
 passages, so that it appears probable that he used several copies of the N. T. books, and 
 that these copies differed from each other. If, therefore, as Tischendorf suggests, Origen 
 made a collation of the various texts of the N. T. with which he was acquainted, as he did 
 with his texts of the O. T. in his Hexapla, he had no strong views as to which text was to be 
 followed. He sometimes expresses an opinion as to which is the true reading (pp. 368 sq.), 
 but he does so on grounds which the textual critics of the present day could not approve. 
 
 It may be stated here that the translators of Origen in this volume have sought to 
 represent their author's critical position with regard to Scripture by translating his Scripture 
 quotations from his text. As he used the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, many 
 of his quotations from that part of Scripture appear in a form unfamiliar to the English 
 reader. In the New Testament, also, his text is also very different from that which after- 
 wards prevailed in the Church. 
 
 The weakness of Origen as an interpreter is his want of historical feeling or of any con- 
 ception of such a thing as growth or development in revelation. His mind slips inces- 
 santly away from the real scenes and events recorded in Scripture, to the ideal region where 
 he conceives that the truths reside which these prefigure. Scripture is to him not a record of 
 actual occurrences which took place as they are narrated, but a storehouse of types of hea- 
 venly things, which alone are real. He scoffs at the notion that historical facts should be re- 
 garded as the chief outcome of a Scripture narrative (John, book X. 15-17, pp. 389-394). When 
 he does treat the facts as facts he has many a shrewd observation and many a beautiful appli- 
 cation. But the facts are to a large extent in his way ; they have to give place to something 
 more important. He sees very well how the synoptic narratives clash with that of John ; 
 no better demonstration of this need be looked for than he gives in the tenth book of his 
 John ; from this, however, he infers not that the books must have had different sources of 
 information, but that the literal meaning of the passages must be altogether disregarded, and 
 their true purport looked for, not in the things of history, but in the things of the Spirit. The 
 water-pots at the feast in Cana {De Principiis), the shoe latchet of the Saviour (John, book 
 vi. 17), the ass and foal (John, book x. 18), each must receive a transcendent application. 
 
 It follows from this that the commentaries are deficient in order and sequence. The 
 method which calls the writer to look at every step for spiritual meanings, combined with 
 his own extraordinary fertility of imagination and wealth of matter, makes these books very 
 disconnected. At each point a number of questions suggests itself as to possible mean- 
 
294 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ings ; a host of texts is brought at once from every part of Scripture to afford illustration, 
 and these again have to be considered. Very modestly are the questions and themes 
 introduced. The tone is as far as possible from being ex cathedra ; it is rather that of a student 
 groping his way, and asking at each step for assistance. And the great mass of the ques- 
 tions thus raised is left, apparently, unansw^ered. So that the work as a whole is rather a 
 great collection of materials for future consideration than a finished treatise. 
 
 Such being the characteristics of Origen's commentaries, they have by many been re- 
 garded as unsuitable for the general reader, and unfavourably compared with those of later 
 writers, to whom the interpretation of Scripture was not weighted with such difficulties as 
 Origen had to contend with. Our author does not carry us along in his commentaries with 
 a stream of golden eloquence ; his interests are intellectual more than literary or practical, 
 his work is scientific rather than popular. Perhaps the historical student has more to gain 
 from them than the preacher. But among the pages which witness chiefly to restless intel- 
 lectual energy and unwearied diligence, there are also many passages of rare and touching 
 beauty, when the writer realizes the greatness of the Christian salvation, or when the 
 heavenly things to the search for which all his labour is devoted shine by their own bright- 
 ness on his sight. 
 
 The Commentaries on John are the earliest work of Christian exegesis which has come 
 down to us, and are therefore placed in this volume before those on Matthew. The first 
 five books on John were written at Alexandria before Origen's compulsory withdrawal from 
 that city to Caesarea in 231. In chaps. 4 and 8 of the first book he speaks of this work as. 
 being the first fruits of his activity as a writer on Holy Scripture. The sixth book, as he 
 tells us in vi. i, had been begun at Alexandria, but the manuscript had been left behind, 
 so that a new beginning had to be made at Csesarea. The work was again interrupted by 
 the persecution of Maximian in 238 ; the volumes from the twenty-second to the last were 
 written after that date. At the end of the thirty-second volume, which is the last we now 
 possess, the writer has only reached John xiii. 33, but he tells us in his Commentary on 
 Matthew that he has spoken of the two thieves in his work on John. In the time of Eu- 
 sebius only twenty-two books survived out of the whole number, which seems to have been 
 thirty-nine. We now possess books i., ii., vi.,x., xiii., xix., xx., xxviii., xxxii., some of which, 
 however, are not complete, and a few fragments. The thirteenth book begins in the middle 
 of the story of the Samaritan woman. Ambrosius had wished that story to be completed 
 in the twelfth book, but Origen did not like to make his books too long, and on this point 
 disregarded the authority of his mentor. The nineteenth and twentieth books are both 
 occupied with the eighth chapter of John, which, if it was all treated on the same scale, 
 must have occupied two more books in addition to these. The thirty-second book scarcely 
 completes the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel ; and if the remaining chapters only occupied 
 seven books, the treatment of these must have been much more condensed. 
 
 Two Latin translations of Origen's John were made in the sixteenth century, one by 
 Ambrosius Ferrarius of Milan from the Venice Codex, the other by Joachim Perionius. 
 
 The Commentaries on John and on Matthew are both embraced in several manuscripts. 
 Of those on John, Mr. A. E. Brooke {Texts and Studies, vol. i. No. 4 ; The Fragments 0/ 
 Heracleon, pp. 1-30 ; "the MSS. of Origen's Commentaries on S. John " ) enumerates eight or 
 nine. The Munich MS. of the thirteenth century is the source of all the rest. Huet, the 
 first editor (1668), used the Codex Regius (Paris) of the sixteenth century, which is in many 
 passages mutilated and disfigured. The brothers Delarue (1733-1759) used the MSS. Bar- 
 berinus aud Bodleianus, which are more complete, and Lommatzsch (1831) follows his 
 predecessors. The present translations are from the text of Lommatzsch, which is in many 
 places very defective. ' 
 
 ' Mr. Brooke's revised text of the Commentary of Origen on St. John's Gospel (i vok., Cambridge University Warehouse) appeared 
 unfortunately too late to be used in the preparation of this volume. 
 
LETTER OF ORIGEN TO GREGORY. 
 
 29s 
 
 LETTER OF ORIGEN TO GREGORY. 
 
 When and to whom the Learning derived from Philosophy may he of Service for the Exposition 
 of the Holy Scriptures; with a lively Personal Appeal. 
 
 This letter to Gregory, afterwards bishop of Csesarea, and called Thaumaturgus, was preserved in the Philo- 
 caha, or collection of extracts from Origen's works drawn up by Gregory of Nyssa and Basil of Caesarea. It is 
 printed by Delarue and Lommatzsch in the forefront of their editions of the works. It forms a good preface 
 to the commentaries, as it shows how Origen considered the study of Scripture to be the highest of all studies, 
 and how he regarded scientific learning, in which he was himself a master, as merely preparatory for this supreme 
 learning. Draseke ' has shown that it was written about 235, when Origen, aftei having had Gregory as his pupil 
 at Caesarea for some years, had fled before the persecution under Maximinus Thrax to Cappadocia ; while 
 Gregory, to judge from the tenor of this Epistle, had gone to Egypt. The Panegyric on Origen,^ pronounced by 
 Gregory at Cassarea about 239, when the school had reassembled there after the persecution, shows that the mas- 
 ter's solicitude for his pupil's true advancement was not disappointed. 
 
 1. GREGORY IS URGED TO APPLY HIS GENTILE 
 
 LEARNING TO THE STUDY OF SCRIPTURE. 
 
 All hail to thee in God, most excellent 
 and reverend Sir, son Gregory, from Ori- 
 gen. A natural quickness of understand- 
 ing is fitted, as you are well aware, if it 
 be diligently exercised, to produce a work 
 which may bring its owner so far as is pos- 
 sible, if I may so express myself, to the con- 
 summation of the art the which he desires 
 to practise, and your natural aptitude is 
 sufficient to make you a consummate 
 Roman lawyer and a Greek philosopher too 
 of the most famous schools. But my de- 
 sire for you has been that you should 
 direct the whole force of your intelligence 
 to Christianity as your end, and that in the 
 way of production. And I would wish that 
 you should take with you on the one hand 
 those parts of the philosophy of the Greeks 
 which are fit, as it were, to serve as general 
 or preparatory studies for Christianity, and 
 on the other hand so much of Geometry and 
 Astronomy as may be helpful for the inter- 
 pretation of the Holy Scriptures. The chil- 
 dren of the philosophers speak of geometry 
 and music and grammar and rhetoric and 
 astronomy as being ancillary to philosophy; 
 and in the same way we might speak of 
 philosophy itself as being ancillary to Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 2. THIS PROCEDURE IS TYPIFIED BY THE STORY 
 
 OF THE SPOILING OF THE EGYPTIANS. 
 
 It is something of this sort perhaps that 
 is enigmatically indicated in the directions 
 God is represented in the Book of Exodus 3 
 as giving to the children of Israel. They 
 are directed to beg from their neighbours and 
 from those dwelling in their tents vessels of 
 silver and of gold, and raiment ; thus they are 
 to spoil the Egyptians, and to obtain mate- 
 
 ^Jahrbucherfur Prat. Tkeol. 1881, I. 
 ' See Anie-Nicene Fai/urs, VOL vl 
 
 > iv o 
 
 rials for making the things they are told to 
 provide in connection with the worship of 
 God. For out of the things of which the 
 children of Israel spoiled the Egyptians the 
 furniture of the Holy of Holies was made, 
 the ark with its cover, and the cherubim 
 and the mercy-seat and the gold jar in which 
 the manna, that bread of angels, was 
 stored. These probably were made from 
 the finest of the gold of the Egyptians, and 
 from a second quality, perhaps, the solid 
 golden candlestick which stood near the in- 
 ner veil, and the lamps on it, and the golden 
 table on which stood the shewbread, and 
 between these two the golden altar of in- 
 cense. And if there was gold of a third 
 and of a fourth quality, the sacred vessels 
 were made of it. And of the Egyptian 
 silver, too, other things were made ; for it 
 was from their sojourn in Egypt that the 
 children of Israel derived the great advan- 
 tage of being supplied with such a quantity 
 of precious materials for the use of the 
 service of God. Out of the Egyptian rai- 
 ment probably were made all those requi- 
 sites named in Scripture in embroidered 
 work ; the embroiderers working ' with the 
 wisdom of God,^ such garments for such 
 purposes, to produce the hangings and the 
 inner and outer courts. This is not a suit- 
 able opportunity to enlarge on such a theme 
 or to show in how many ways the children 
 of Israel found those things useful which 
 they got from the Egyptians. The Egyp- 
 tians had not made a proper use of them ; 
 but the Hebrews used them, for the wisdom 
 of God was with them, for religious pur- 
 poses. Holy Scripture knows, however, 
 that it was an evil thing to descend from the 
 land of the children of Israel into Egypt ; 
 and in this a great truth is wrapped up. 
 For some it is of evil that they should dwell 
 
 * Reading with Drliseke, pai^L^evoVTuiv, ayppamovTiav tmv pa<^l- 
 
 ' Exod. xxxi. 3, 6 ; xxxvi. i, 2, 8. 
 
296 
 
 LETTER OF ORIGEN TO GREGORY. 
 
 with the Egyptians, that is to say, with the 
 learning- of the world, after they have been 
 enrolled in the law of God and in the Is- 
 raelite worship of Him. Ader the Edomite, ' 
 as long as he was in the land of Israel and 
 did not taste the bread of the Egyptians, 
 made no idols ; but when he fled from the 
 wise Solomon and went down into Egypt, 
 as one who had fled from the wisdom of 
 God he became connected with Pharaoh, 
 marrying the sister of his wife, and beget- 
 ting a son who was brought up among the 
 sons of Pharaoh. Therefore, though he did 
 go back to the land of Israel, he came back 
 to it to bring division into the people of 
 God, and to cause them to say to the golden 
 calf, " These are thy gods, O Israel, which 
 brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." 
 I have learned by experience and can tell 
 you that there are few who have taken of 
 the useful things of Egypt and come out of 
 it, and have then prepared what is required 
 for the service of God ; but Ader the Edom- 
 ite on the other hand has many a brother. 
 I mean those who, founding on some piece 
 of Greek learning, have brought forth here- 
 tical ideas, and have as it were made golden 
 calves in Bethel, which is, being interpreted, 
 the house of God. This appears to me to 
 be intended to convey that such persons set 
 up their own images in the Scriptures in 
 which the Word of God dwells, and which 
 therefore are tropically called Bethel. The 
 other image is said in the word to have been 
 set up in Dan. Now the borders of Dan are 
 at the extremities and are contiguous to the 
 country of the heathens, as is plainly re- 
 
 ^ 1 Kings xi. 14 (Hadad). Origen confuses him witil Jeroboam. 
 
 corded in the Book of Jesus, son of Nave. 
 Some of these images, then, are close to the 
 borders of the heathen, which the brothers, 
 as we showed, of Ader have devised. 
 
 3. PERSONAL APPEAL. 
 
 Do you then, sir, my son, study first of all 
 the divine Scriptures. Study them I say. For 
 we require to study the divine writings deeply, 
 lest we should speak of them faster than we 
 think ; and while you study these divine 
 works with a believing and God-pleasing 
 intention, knock at that which is closed in 
 them, and it shall be opened to thee by the 
 porter, of whom Jesus says,' "To him the 
 porter openeth." While you attend to this 
 divine reading seek aright and with un- 
 wavering faith in God the hidden sense 
 which is present in most passages of the 
 divine Scriptures. And do not be content 
 with knocking and seeking, for what is 
 most necessary for understanding divine 
 things is prayer, and in urging us to this the 
 Saviour says not only,^ "Knock, and it 
 shall be opened to you," and " Seek, and 
 ye shall find," but also "Ask, and it shall 
 be given you." So much I have ventured 
 on account of my fatherly love to you. 
 Whether I have ventured well or not, God 
 knows, and His Christ, and he who has part 
 of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. 
 May you partake in these; may you have 
 an always increasing share of them, so that 
 you may be able to say not only, " We are 
 partakers of Christ," 3 but also "We are 
 partakers of God." 
 
 * Joiin X. 3. 
 
 ' Matt. 
 
 ^ Heb. iii. 14. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. 
 
 BOOK I. 
 
 I. HOW CHRISTIANS ARE THE SPIRITUAL ISRAEL. 
 
 That people which was called of old the 
 people of God was divided into twelve 
 tribes, and over and above the other 
 tribes it had the Icvitical order, which 
 itself again carried on the service of 
 God in various priestly and levitical 
 sub-orders. In the same manner, it ap- 
 pears to me that the whole people of 
 Christ, when we regard it in the aspect of 
 the hidden man of the heart,' that people 
 which is called " Jew inwardly," and is cir- 
 cumcised in the spirit, has in a more mystic 
 way the characteristics of the tribes. This 
 may be more plainly gathered from John in 
 his Apocalypse, though the other prophets 
 also do not by any means conceal the state 
 of matters from those who have the faculty 
 of hearing them. John speaks as follows : ^ 
 " And I saw another angel ascending from 
 the sunrising, having the seal of the living 
 God, and he cried with a loud voice to the 
 four angels to whom it was given to hurt 
 the earth and the sea, saying. Hurt not 
 either the earth, or the sea, or the trees, till 
 we have sealed the servants of our God on 
 their foreheads. And I heard the number 
 of them that were sealed, a hundred and 
 forty-four thousand who were sealed, out 
 of every tribe of the children of Israel ; of the 
 tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand, 
 of the tribe of Roubem twelve thousand." 
 And he mentioned each of the tribes singly, 
 with the exception of Dan. Then, some 
 way further on,3 he continues: "And I 
 saw, and behold the Lamb standing on 
 Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and 
 forty-four thousand, having His name and 
 the name of His Father written on their 
 foreheads. And I heard a voice from 
 heaven as the voice of many waters, and as 
 the voice of a great thunder. And the voice 
 which I heard was as the voice of harpers 
 
 ^ Rom. ii. 29. 
 
 2 Apoc. vii. 2-5. 
 
 * Apoc. xiv. r-5. 
 
 harping with their harps ; and they sing a 
 new song before the throne and before the 
 four beasts and the elders, and no one could 
 learn the song but the hundred and forty-four 
 thousand who had been purchased from the 
 earth. These are they which were not de- 
 filed with women, for they are virgins. 
 These are they who follow the Lamb 
 whithersover He goeth. These were pur- 
 chased from among men, a first fruits to 
 God and to the Lamb ; and in their mouth 
 was found no lie, for they are without 
 blemish." Now this is said in John with 
 reference to those who have believed in 
 Christ, for they also, even if their bodily 
 descent cannot be traced to the seed of the 
 Patriarchs, are yet gathered out of the tribes. 
 That this is so we may conclude from what 
 is further said about them : " Hurt not," he 
 says, " the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, 
 till we have sealed the servants of our 
 God on their foreheads. And I heard the 
 number of them that were sealed, a hundred 
 and forty-four thousand, sealed from every 
 tribe of the children of Israel. " 
 
 2. THE 144,000 SEALED IN THE APOCALYPSE 
 ARE CONVERTS TO CHRIST FROM THE GEN- 
 TILE WORLD. 
 
 These, then, who are sealed on their 
 foreheads ' from every tribe of the children of 
 Israel, are a hundred and forty-four thou- 
 sand in number; and these hundred and 
 forty-four thousand are afterwards said in 
 John to have the name of the Lamb and of His 
 Father written on their foreheads, and to be 
 virgins, not having defiled themselves with 
 women. What else could the seal be which 
 is on their foreheads but the name of the 
 Lamb and the name of His Father? In both 
 passages their foreheads are said to have the 
 seal ; in one the seal is spoken of, in the other 
 it appears to contain the letters forming the 
 
 * Apoc. vii. 3, 4. 
 
 297 
 
298 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 name of the Lamb, and the name of His 
 Father. Now these taken from the tribes 
 are, as we showed before, the same persons 
 as the virgins. But ttie number of be- 
 lievers is small who belong to Israel accord- 
 ing to the flesh ; one might venture to assert 
 that they would not nearly make up the 
 number of a hundred and forty-four thou- 
 sand. It is clear, therefore, that the hundred 
 and forty-four thousand who have not de- 
 filed themselves with women must be made 
 up of those who have come to the divine 
 word out of the Gentile world. In this way 
 the truth of the statement may be upheld 
 that the first fruits of each tribe are its 
 virgins. For the passage goes on : "These 
 were brought from among men to be a first 
 fruits to God and to the Lamb ; and in their 
 mouth was found no guile, for they are 
 without blemish." The statement about 
 the hundred and forty-four thousand no 
 doubt admits of mystical interpretation ; 
 but it is unnecessary at this point, and 
 would divert us from our purpose, to com- 
 pare with it those passages of the prophets 
 in which the same lesson is taught regard- 
 ing those who are called from among the 
 Gentiles. 
 
 3. IN THE SPIRITUAL ISRAEL THE HIGH-PRIESTS 
 ARE THOSE WHO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO 
 THE STUDY OF SCRIPTURE. 
 
 But what is the bearing of all this for us ? 
 So you will ask when you read these words, 
 Ambrosius, thou who art truly a man of 
 God, a man in Christ, and who seekest to 
 be not a man only, but a spiritual man.' 
 The bearing is this. Those of the tribes 
 offer to God, through the levites and priests, 
 tithes and first fruits ; not everything which 
 they possess do they regard as tithe or first 
 fruit. The levites and priests, on the other 
 hand, have no possessions but tithes and first 
 fruits ; yet they also in turn offer tithes to 
 God through the high-priests, and, I believe, 
 first fruits too. Th« same is the case with 
 those who approach Christian studies. 
 Most of us devote most of our time to the 
 things of this fife, and dedicate to God only 
 a few special acts, thus resembling those 
 members of the tribes who had but few 
 transactions with the priest, and discharged 
 their religious duties with no great expense 
 of time. But those who devote themselves 
 to the divine word and have no other 
 employment but the service of God may 
 not unnaturally, allowing for the difference 
 
 ^ 1 Cor. ii. 14. 
 
 of occupation in the two cases, be called 
 our levites and priests. And those who ful- 
 fil a more distinguished office than their 
 kinsmen" will perhaps be high-priests, 
 according to the order of Aaron, not 
 that of Melchisedek. Here some one may 
 object that it is somewhat too bold to 
 apply the name of high-priests to men, 
 when Jesus Himself is spoken of in many 
 a prophetic passage as the one great 
 priest, as^ "We have a great high-priest 
 who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, 
 the Son of God." But to this we reply 
 that the Apostle clearly defined his mean- 
 ing, and declared the prophet to have 
 said about the Christ, "Thou 3 art a 
 priest for ever, according to the order of 
 Melchisedek," and not according to the 
 order of Aaron. We say accordingly that 
 men can be high-priests according to the 
 order of Aaron, but according to the order 
 of Melchisedek only the Christ of God. 
 
 4. THE STUDY OF THE GOSPELS IS THE FIRST 
 FRUITS OFFERED BY THESE PRIESTS OF CHRIS- 
 TIANITY. 
 
 Now our whole activity is devoted 
 to God, and our whole life, since we 
 are bent on progress in divine things. 
 If, then, it be our desire to have the 
 whole of those first fruits spoken of 
 above which are made up of the many first 
 fruits, if we are not mistaken in this view, 
 in what must our first fruits consist, after 
 the bodily separation we have undergone 
 from each other, but in the study of the 
 Gospel ? For we may venture to say that 
 the Gospel is the first fruits of all the Scrip- 
 tures. Where, then, could be the first fruits 
 of our activity, since the time when we 
 came to Alexandria, but in the first fruits of 
 the Scriptures ? It must not be forgotten, 
 however, that the first fruits are not the 
 same as the first growth. For the first fruits * 
 are offered after all the fruits (are ripe), but 
 the first growths before them all. Now of 
 the Scriptures which are current and are 
 believed to be divine in all the churches, 
 one would not be wrong in saying that the 
 first growth is the law of Moses, but the 
 first fruits the Gospel. For it was after all 
 the fruits of the prophets who prophesied 
 till the Lord Jesus, that the perfect word 
 shot forth. 
 
 ^ Reading with Neander and Lommatzsch (note), Sia^epoy ti 
 for Staf^cpofTes, 
 ^ Heb. iv. 14. 
 
 ^ Ps. ex. 4 ; Heb. v. 6. Cf. vii. n. 
 * awapxri, Exod. xxii. 29. 
 " jrpuToyivviina, Exod. xxiii. 16. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 299 
 
 5. ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOSPEL ; BUT THE GOS- 
 PELS ARE DISTINGUISHED ABOVE OTHER 
 SCRIPTURES. 
 
 Here, however, some one may object, ap- 
 pealing to the notion just put forward of the 
 unfolding- of the first fruits last, and may say- 
 that the Acts and the letters of the Apostles 
 came after the Gospels, and that this destroys 
 our argument to the effect that the Gospel is 
 the first fruits of all Scripture. To this we 
 must reply that it is the conviction of men 
 who are wise in Christ, who have profited by 
 those epistles which are current, and who see 
 them to be vouched for by the testimonies 
 deposited in the law and the prophets,' that 
 the apostolic writings are to be pronounced 
 wise and worthy of belief, and that they have 
 great authority, but that they are not on the 
 same level with that " Thus sayeth the Lord 
 Almighty."^ Consider on this point the 
 language of St. Paul. When he declares 
 that 3 "Every Scripture is inspired of God 
 and profitable," does he include his own 
 writings? Or does he not include his 
 dictum, 4 "I say, and not the Lord," and s 
 "So I ordain in all the churches," and ^ 
 " What things I suffered at Antioch, at Ico- 
 nium, at Lystra," and similar things which 
 he writes in virtue of his own authority, and 
 ■which do not quite possess the character of 
 words flowing from divine inspiration. 
 Must we also show that the old Scripture is 
 not Gospel, since it does not point out the 
 Coming One, but only foretells Him and 
 heralds His coming at a future time ; but 
 that all the new Scripture is the Gospel. It 
 not only says as in the beginning of the 
 Gospel, 7 "Behold the Lamb of God, which 
 taketh away the sin of the world ; " it also 
 contains many praises of Him, and many of 
 His teachings, on whose account the Gospel 
 is a Gospel. Again, if God set in the Church "* 
 apostles and prophets and evangehsts (gos- 
 pellers), pastors and teachers, we must first 
 enquire what was the office of the evangelist, 
 and mark that it is not only to narrate how 
 the Saviour cured a man who was blind from 
 his birth, 9 or raised up a dead man who was 
 already stinking, '° or to state what extraor- 
 dinary works he wrought ; and the office of 
 the evangelist being thus defined, we shall 
 not hesitate to find Gospel in such discourse 
 also as is not narrative but hortatory and 
 intended to strengthen belief in the mission 
 of Jesus ; and thus we shall arrive at the 
 position that whatever was written by the 
 
 Apostles is Gospel. As to this second 
 definition, it might be objected that the 
 Epistles are not entitled " Gospel," and that 
 we are wrong in applying the name of Gos- 
 pel to the whole of the New Testament. 
 But to this we answer that it happens not 
 unfrequently in Scripture when two or more 
 persons or things are named by the same 
 name, the name attaches itself most signifi- 
 cantly to one of those things or persons. 
 Thus the Saviour says," " Call no man 
 Master upon the earth ; " while the Apostle 
 says that Masters ^ have been appointed in 
 the Church. These latter accordingly will 
 not be Masters in the strict sense of the 
 dictum of the Gospel. In the same way 
 the Gospel in the Epistles will not extend to 
 every word of them, when it is compared 
 with the narrative of Jesus' actions and 
 sufferings and discourses. No : the Gospel 
 is the first fruits of all Scripture, and to 
 these first fruits of the Scriptures we devote 
 the first fruits of all those actions of ours 
 which we trust to see turn out as we desire. 
 
 6. THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL. JOHn's THE FIRST 
 FRUITS or THE FOUR. QUALIFICATIONS 
 
 NECESSARY FOR INTERPRETING IT. 
 
 Now the Gospels are four. These four 
 are, as it were, the elements of the faith of 
 the Church, out of which elements the whole 
 world which is reconciled to God in Christ 
 is put together ; as Paul says, 3 ' ' God was in 
 Christ, reconciling the world to Himself ; " 
 of which world Jesus bore the sin ; for it is 
 of the world of the Church that the word is 
 written,* " Behold the Lamb of God which 
 taketh away the sin of the world." The 
 Gospels then being four, I deem the first 
 fruits of the Gospels to be that which yous 
 have enjoined me to search into according 
 to my powers, the Gospel of John, that which 
 speaks of him whose genealogy had already 
 been set forth, but which begins to speak of 
 him at a point before he had any genealogy. 
 For Matthew, writing for the Hebrews who 
 looked for Him who was to come of the line 
 of Abraham and of David, says : ^ " The book 
 of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of 
 David, the son of Abraham." And Mark, 
 knowing what he writes, narrates the be- 
 ginning of the Gospel ; we may perhaps 
 find what he aims at in John ; in the be- 
 ginning the Word, God the Word. But Luke, 
 though he says at the beginning of Acts, 
 "The former treatise did I make" about all 
 that Jesus began to do and to teach," yet 
 
 ' This passage is difScult and disputed. 
 2 2 Cor. vi, 18. * 2 Tim. iii. i6. 
 
 " I Cor. vii. 17. 
 ■ Ephes. iv. 
 
 8 2 Tim. iii. 
 * John ii. I. 
 
 * I Cor, vii. la. 
 ^ John i. 29. 
 " John xi. 39. 
 
 • Malt, xxiii. 8, 9. 
 ^ 2 Cor. V. ig. 
 
 * Ambrosius. 
 
 * 5i5ao-(caAoi, Ephes. iv. 
 
 * John i. 29. 
 » Matt. i. I. 
 
300 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 leaves to him who lay on Jesus' breast the 
 greatest and completest discourses about 
 Jesus. For none of these plainly declared 
 His Godhead, as John does when he makes 
 Him say, " I am the light of the world," 
 "I am the way and the truth and the life," 
 " I am the resurrection," " I am the door," 
 "I am the good shepherd;" and in the 
 Apocalypse, "I am the Alpha and the 
 Omega, the beginning and the end, the first 
 and the last." We may therefore make bold 
 to say that the Gospels are the first fruits of 
 all the Scriptures, but that of the Gospels 
 that of John is the first fruits. No one can 
 apprehend the meaning of it except he have 
 lain on Jesus' breast and received from Jesus 
 Mary to be his mother also. Such an one 
 must he become who is to be another John, 
 and to have shown to him, like John, by 
 Jesus Himself Jesus as He is. For if Mary, 
 as those declare who with sound mind extol 
 her, had no other son but Jesus, and yet 
 Jesus says to His mother, "Woman, behold 
 thy son," " and not "Behold you have this 
 son also," then He virtually said to her, 
 " Lo, this is Jesus, whom thou didst bear." 
 Is it not the case that every one who is per- 
 fect lives himself no longer,^ but Christ lives 
 in him ; and if Christ lives in him, then it is 
 said of him to Mary, "Behold thy son 
 Christ." What a mind, then, must we have 
 to enable us to interpret in a worthy man- 
 ner this work, though it be committed to the 
 earthly treasure-house of common speech, 
 of writing which any passer-by can read, 
 a.nd which can be heard when read aloud 
 by any one who lends to it his bodily ears ? 
 What shall we say of this work ? He who is 
 accurately to apprehend what it contains 
 should be able to say with truth, 3 " We have 
 the mind of Christ, that we may know those 
 things which are bestowed on us by God." 
 It is possible to quote one of Paul's sayings 
 in support of the contention that the whole 
 of the New Testament is Gospel. He writes 
 in a certain place:'' "According to my Gos- 
 pel." Now we have no written work of 
 Paul which is commonly called a Gospel. 
 But all that he preached and said was the 
 Gospel ; and what he preached and said he 
 was also in the habit of writing, and what 
 he wrote was therefore Gospel. i5ut if what 
 Paul wrote was Gospel, it follows that what 
 Peter wrote was also Gospel, and in a word 
 all that was said or written to perpetuate the 
 knowledge of Christ's sojourn on earth, and 
 to prepare for His second coming, or to bring 
 
 1 John xix. 26. 
 * 1 Cor. ii. 12, 16. 
 
 ' Gal ii. 20. 
 * Rom. ii. 16. 
 
 it about as a present reality in those souls 
 which were willing to receive the Word of 
 God as He stood at the door and knocked 
 and sought to come into them. 
 
 7. WHAT GOOD THINGS ARE ANNOUJfCED IN THE 
 GOSPELS. 
 
 But it is time we should inquire what is 
 the meaning of the designation "Gospel," 
 and why these books have this title. Now 
 the Gospel is a discourse containing a 
 promise of things which naturally, and on 
 account of the benefits they bring, rejoice 
 the hearer as soon as the promise is heard 
 and believed. Nor is such a discourse any 
 the less a Gospel that we define it with 
 reference to the position of the hearer. A 
 Gospel is either a word which implies the 
 actual presence to the believer of something 
 that is good, or a word promising the arrival 
 of a good which is expected. Now all these 
 definitions apply to those books which are 
 named Gospels. For each of the Gospels 
 is a collection of announcements which are 
 useful to him who believes them and does 
 not misinterpret them ; it brings him a benefit 
 and naturally makes him glad because it 
 tells of the sojourn with men, on account of 
 men, and for their salvation, of the first-born 
 of all creation,' Christ Jesus. And again 
 each Gospel tells of the sojourn of the good 
 Father in the Son with those minded to re- 
 ceive Him, as is plain to every believer; 
 and moreover by these books a good is an- 
 nounced which had been formerly expected, 
 as is by no means hard to see. For John 
 the Baptist spoke in the name almost of the 
 whole people when he sent to Jesus and 
 asked, ^ ' ' Art thou He that should come or do 
 we look for another ?" For to the people 
 the Messiah was an expected good, which 
 the prophets had foretold, and they all alike, 
 though under the law and the prophets, fixed 
 their hopes on Him, as the Samaritan woman 
 bears witness when she says : ' " I know that 
 the Messiah comes, who is called Christ ; 
 when He comes He will tell us all things." 
 Simon and Cleopas too, when talking to each 
 other about all that had happened to Jesus 
 Christ Himself, then risen, though they did 
 not know that He had risen, from the dead, 
 speak thus,'* "Dost thou sojourn alone in 
 Jerusalem, and knowest not the things 
 which have taken place there in these clays? 
 And when he said what things ? they an- 
 swered, The things concerning Jesus of 
 Nazareth, 5 which was a prophet, mighty in 
 
 ' Col. i. 15. 
 
 * Luke xxiv. 18-21. 
 
 ' Matt. xi. 3. 
 
 ' John iv. 25. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 301 
 
 deed and in word before God and all the 
 people, and how the chief priests and our 
 rulers delivered Him up to be sentenced to 
 death and crucified Him. But we hoped 
 that it was He which should redeem Israel." 
 Again, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter 
 found his own brother Simon and said to 
 him," "We have found the Messiah, which 
 is, being interpreted, Christ." And a little 
 further on Philip finds Nathanael and says 
 to him,^ "We have found Him of whom 
 Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, 
 Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth. " 
 
 . 8. HOW THE GOSPELS CAUSE THE OTHER BOOKS OF 
 SCRIPTURE ALSO TO BE GOSPEL. 
 
 Now an objection might be raised to our 
 first definition, because it would embrace 
 books which are not entitled Gospels. For 
 the law and the prophets also are to our eyes 
 books containing the promise of things which, 
 from the benefit they will confer on him, 
 naturally rejoice the hearer as soon as he 
 takes in the message. To this it may be 
 said that before the sojourn of Christ, the 
 law and the prophets, since He had not come 
 who interpreted the mysteries they con- 
 tained, did not convey such a promise as 
 belongs to our definition of the Gospel ; but 
 the Saviour, when He sojourned with men 
 and caused the Gospel to appear in bodily 
 form, by the Gospel caused all things to 
 appear as Gospel. Here I would not think 
 it beside the purpose to quote the example 
 of Him who ... a few things . . . and yet 
 all. 3 For when he had taken away the veil 
 which was present in the law and the prophets, 
 and by His divinity had proved the sons of 
 men that the Godhead was at work, He 
 opened the way for all those who desired it 
 to be disciples of His wisdom, and to under- 
 stand what things were true and real in the 
 law of Moses, of which things those of old 
 worshipped the t}'pe and the shadow, and 
 what things were real of the things narrated 
 in the histories which "happened to them 
 in the way of type, "■♦but these things "were 
 written for our sakes, upon whom the ends 
 of the ages have come. " With whomsoever, 
 then, Christ has sojourned, he worships God 
 neither at Jerusalem nor on the mountain of 
 the Samaritans ; he knows that God is a 
 spirit, and worships Him spiritually, inspirit 
 and in truth ; no longer by type does he 
 worship the Father and Maker of all. Be- 
 fore that Gospel, therefore, which came into 
 being by the sojourning of Christ, none of 
 
 ' John i. 42. ' Jolin i. 46. 
 
 ^ Text defective here. The words as they stand would yield the 
 sense, " the formula, little and yet all." * i Cor. 1. 11. 
 
 the older works was a Gospel. But the 
 Gospel, which is the new covenant, having 
 delivered us from the oldness of the letter, 
 lights up for us, by the light of knowledge,' 
 the newness of the spirit, a thing which 
 never grows old, which has its home in the 
 New Testament, but is also present in all the 
 Scriptures. It was fitting, therefore, that that 
 Gospel, which enables us to find the Gospel 
 present, even in the Old Testament, should 
 itself receive, in a special sense, the name of 
 Gospel. 
 
 9. THE SOMATIC AND THE SPIRITUAL GOSPEL. 
 
 We must not, however, forget that the 
 sojourning of Christ with men took place 
 before His bodily sojourn, in an intellectual 
 fashion, to those who were more perfect and 
 not children, and were not under pedagogues 
 and governors. In their minds they saw the 
 fulness of the time to be at hand — the patri- 
 archs, and Moses the servant, and the 
 prophets who beheld the glory of Christ. 
 And as before His manifest and bodily 
 coming He came to those who were perfect, 
 so also, after His coming has been announced 
 to all, to those who are still children, since 
 they are under pedagogues and governors 
 and have not yet arrived at the fulness of 
 the time, forerunners of Christ have come to 
 sojourn, discourses (/ogoi) suited for minds 
 still in their childhood, and rightly, there- 
 fore, termed pedagogues. But the Son Him- 
 self, the glorified God, the Word, has not yet 
 come ; He waits for the preparation which 
 must take place on the part of men of God 
 who are to admit His deity. And this, too, 
 we must bear in mind, that as the law con- 
 tains a shadow of good things to come, 
 which are indicated by that law which is 
 announced according to truth, so the Gospel 
 also teaches a shadow of the mysteries of 
 Christ, the Gospel which is thought to be 
 capable of being understood by any one. 
 What John calls the eternal Gospel, and 
 what may properly be called the spiritual 
 Gospel, presents clearly to those who have 
 the will to understand, all matters concern- 
 ing the very Son of God, both the mysteries 
 presented by His discourses and those mat- 
 ters of which His acts were the enigmas. 
 In accordance with this we may conclude 
 that, as it is with Him who is a Jew out- 
 wardly and circumcised in the flesh, so it is 
 with the Christian and with baptism. Paul 
 and Peter virere, at an earlier period, Jews 
 outwardly and circumcised, but lat6r they 
 received from Christ that they should be so 
 
302 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 in secret, too ; so that outwardly they were 
 Jews for the sake of the salvation of many, 
 and by an economy they not only confessed 
 in words that they were Jews, but showed 
 it by their actions. And the same is to be 
 said about their Christianity. As Paul could 
 not benefit those who were Jews according 
 to the flesh, without, when reason shows it 
 to be necessary, circumcising Timothy, and 
 when it appears the natural course getting 
 himself shaved and making a vow, and, in a 
 word, being to the Jews a Jew that he might 
 gain the Jews — so also it is not possible for 
 one who is responsible for the good of many 
 to operate as he should by means of that 
 Christianity only which is in secret. That 
 will never enable him to improve those 
 who are following the external Christianity, 
 or to lead them on to better and higher 
 things. We must, therefore, be Christians 
 both somatically and spiritually, and where 
 there is a call for the somatic (bodily) Gospel, 
 in which a man says to those who are carnal 
 that he knows nothing but Jesus Christ and 
 Him crucified, so we must do. But should 
 we find those who are perfected in the 
 spirit, and bear fruit in it, and are enamoured 
 of the heavenly wisdom, these must be 
 made to partake of that Word which, after it 
 was made flesh, rose again to what it was 
 in the beginning, with God. 
 
 ID. HOW JESUS HIMSELF IS THE GOSPEL. 
 
 The foregoing inquiry into the nature of 
 the Gospel cannot be regarded as useless ; 
 it has enabled us to see what distinction 
 there is between a sensible Gospel and 
 an intellectual and spiritual one. What we 
 have now to do is to transform the sensible 
 Gospel into a spiritual one. For what 
 would the narrative of the sensible Gospel 
 amount to if it were not developed to a spi- 
 ritual one? It would be of little account or 
 none ; any one can read it and assure himself 
 of the facts it tells — no more. But our whole 
 energy is now to be directed to the effort 
 to penetrate to the deep things of the mean- 
 ing of the Gospel and to search out the truth 
 that is in it when divested of types. Now 
 what the Gospels say is to be regarded in the 
 light of promises of good things ; and we 
 must say that the good things the Apostles 
 announce in this Gospel are simply Jesus. 
 One good thing which they are said to an- 
 nounce is the resurrection ; but the resurrec- 
 tion is in a manner Jesus, for Jesus says : ' " I 
 am the resurrection." Jesus preaches to the 
 poor those things which are laid up for the 
 
 * John xi. 25. 
 
 saints, calling them to the divine promises. 
 And the holy Scriptures bear witness to 
 the Gospel announcements made by the 
 Apostles and to that made by our Saviour. 
 David says of the Apostles, perhaps also of 
 the evangehsts : ■ "The Lord shall give 
 the word to those that preach with great 
 power ; the King of the powers of the be- 
 loved ; " teaching at the same time that it 
 is not skilfully composed discourse, nor the 
 mode of delivery, nor well practised elo- 
 quence that produces conviction, but the 
 communication of divine power. Hence 
 also Paul says : ^ " I will know not the word 
 that is puffed up, but the power ; for the 
 kingdom of God is not in word but in 
 power." And in another passage : s "And 
 my word and my preaching were not in 
 persuasive words of wisdom, but in demon- 
 stration of the spirit and of power." To this 
 power Simon and Cleophas bear witness 
 when they say : ■» " Was not our heart burn- 
 ing within us by the way, as he opened to us 
 the Scriptures .? " And the Apostles, since the 
 quantity of the power is great which God 
 supplies to the speakers, had great power, 
 according to the word of David: "The 
 Lord will give the word to the preachers 
 with great power. " Isaiah too says : 5 " How 
 beautiful are the feet of them that proclaim 
 good tidings;" he sees how beautiful and 
 how opportune was the announcement of 
 the Apostles who walked in Him who said, 
 "I am the way," and praises the feet of 
 those who walk in the intellectual way of 
 Christ Jesus, and through that door go in to 
 God. They announce good tidings, those 
 whose feet are beautiful, namely, Jesus. 
 
 II. JESUS IS ALL GOOD THINGS; HENCE THE 
 GOSPEL IS MANIFOLD. 
 
 Let no one wonder if we have understood 
 Jesus to be announced in the Gospel under 
 a plurality of names of good things. If we 
 look at the things by the names of which the 
 Son of God is called, we shall understand 
 how many good things Jesus is, whom those 
 preach whose feet are beautiful. One good 
 thing is life ; but Jesus is the life. Another 
 good thing is the light of the world, when 
 it is true light, and the light of men; and 
 all these things the Son of God is said to be. 
 And another good thing which one may 
 conceive to be in addition to life or light is 
 the truth. And a fourth in addition to these 
 is the way which leads to the truth. And all 
 these things our Saviour teaches that He is, 
 
 ^ Ps. Ixviii, II, 12. 
 
 * I Cor. iv. 19, zo (with a peculiar readiDg). 
 
 " I Cor. ii. 4. * Lulie xxiv. 32. ° Isa. lii. 7 ; Rom. \. 15. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 303 
 
 when He says : ' "I am the way and the 
 truth and the life." Ah, is not that good, to 
 shake off earth and mortality, and to rise 
 again, obtaining this boon from the Lord, 
 since He is the resurrection, as He says : * 
 _" I am the resurrection. " But the door also 
 is a good, through which one enters into the 
 highest blessedness. Now Christ says : 3 "I 
 am the door." And what need is there to 
 speak of wisdom, which "the Lord created ■> 
 the first principle of His ways, for His works," 
 in whom the father of her rejoiced, delighting 
 in her manifold intellectual beauty, seen by 
 the eyes of the mind alone, and provoking 
 him to love who discerns her divine and 
 heavenly charm ? A good indeed is the wis- 
 dom of God, proclaimed along with the other 
 good foresaid by those vsrhose feet are beau- 
 tiful. And the power of God is the eighth 
 good we enumerate, which is Christ. Nor 
 must we omit to mention the Word, who is 
 God after the Father of all. For this also is 
 a good, less than no other. Happy, then, 
 are those who accept these goods and re- 
 ceive them from those who announce the 
 good tidings of them, those whose feet 
 are beautiful. Indeed even one of the Corin- 
 thians to whom Paul declared that he knew 
 nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, 
 should he learn Him who for our sakes 
 became man, and so receive Him, he would 
 become identified with the beginning of the 
 good things we have spoken of ; by the man 
 Jesus he would be made a man of God.andby 
 His death he would die to sin. For ' ' Christ, s 
 in that He died, died unto sin once." But 
 from His life, since "in that He liveth. He 
 liveth unto God," every one who is con- 
 formed to His resurrection receives that liv- 
 ing to God. But who will deny that right- 
 eousness, essential righteousness, is a good, 
 and essential sanctification, and essential 
 redemption ? And these things those preach 
 who preach Jesus, saying * that He is made 
 to be of God righteousness and sanctification 
 and redemption. Hence we shall have writ- 
 ings about Him without number, showing 
 that Jesus is a multitude of goods ; for from 
 the things which can scarcely be numbered 
 and which have been written we may make 
 some conjecture of those things which ac- 
 tually exist in Him in whom ? "it pleased 
 God that the whole fulness of the Godhead 
 should dwell bodily," and which are not 
 contained in writings. Why should I say, 
 ' ' are not contained in writings " ? For John 
 speaks of the whole world in this connec- 
 
 ' John xiv. 6. ' John xi. 25. = John x. 9. 
 
 * Prov. viii 22. ° Rom. vi. 10. ' Cor. i. 30. 
 
 ^ Coloss. i. 19 : ii. 9. 
 
 tion, and says : ' "I suppose that not even 
 the world itself would contain the books 
 which would be written." Now to say that 
 the Apostles preach the Saviour is to say 
 that they preach these good things. For 
 this is He who received from the good Father 
 that He Himself should be these good things, 
 so that each man receiving from Jesus the 
 thing or things he is capable of receiving 
 may enjoy good things. But the Apostles, 
 whose feet were beautiful, and those imita- 
 tors of them who sought to preach the good 
 tidings, could not have done so had not Jesus 
 Himself first preached the good tidings to 
 them, as Isaiah says: * "I myself that speak 
 am here, as the opportunity on the moun- 
 tains, as the feet of one preaching tidings of 
 peace, as one preaching good things ; for I 
 will make My salvation to be heard, saying, 
 God shall reign over thee, O Zion 1 " For 
 what are the mountains on which the 
 speaker declares that He Himself is present, 
 but those who are less than none of the 
 highest and the greatest of the earth? And 
 these must be sought by the able ministers 
 of the New Covenant, in order that they may 
 observe the injunction which says :3 Go up 
 into a high mountain, thou that preachest 
 good tidings to Zion ; thou that preachest 
 good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice 
 with strength ! " Now it is not wonderful 
 if to those who are to preach good tidings 
 Jesus Himself preaches good tidings of good 
 things, which are no other than Himself; 
 for the Son of God preaches the good tidings 
 of Himself to those who cannot come to 
 know Him through others. And He who 
 goes up into the mountains and preaches 
 good things to them, being Himself in- 
 structed by His good Father,* who "makes 
 His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, 
 and sends rain on the just and on the unjust," 
 He does not despise those who are poor in 
 soul. To them He preaches good tidings, 
 as He Himself bears witness to us when He 
 takes Isaiahs and reads : "The spirit of the 
 Lord is upon me, for the Lord hath anointed 
 me to preach good tidings to the poor, He 
 hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the 
 captives, and sight to the blind. For clos- 
 ing the book He handed it to the minister 
 and sat down. And when the eyes of all 
 were fastened upon Him, He said. This day 
 is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." 
 
 1 2. THE GOSPEL CONTAINS THE ILL DEEDS ALSO 
 WHICH WERE DONE TO JESUS. 
 
 It ought not to be forgotten that in such a 
 
 ^ John xxi. 25, 
 * Matt. V. 45. 
 
 ' Isa. Hi. 6. 
 
 ^ Luke iv. i8 sq. 
 
 ^ Isa. xl. g. 
 
304 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 Gospel as this there is embraced every good 
 deed which was done to Jesus ; as, for 
 example, the story of the woman ' who had 
 been a sinner and had repented, and who, 
 having experienced a genuine recovery from 
 her evil state, had grace to pour her oint- 
 ment over Jesus so that every one in the 
 house smelt the sweet savour. Hence, too, 
 the words, " Wherever this Gospel shall be 
 preached among all the nations, there also 
 this that she has done shall be spoken of, 
 for a memorial of her. " And it is clear that 
 whatever is done to the disciples of Jesus is 
 done to Him. Pointing to those of them 
 who met with kind treatment. He says to 
 those who were kind to them,^ "What ye did 
 to these, ye did to IVTe. " So that every good 
 deed we do to our neighbours is entered in 
 the Gospel, that Gospel which is written on 
 the heavenly tablets and read by all who 
 are worthy of the knowledge of the whole 
 of things. But on the other side, too, there 
 is a part of the Gospel which is for the con- 
 demnation of the doers of the ill deeds which 
 have been done to Jesus. The treachery of 
 Judas and the shouts of the wicked crowd 
 when it said,' "Away with such a one 
 from the earth," and "Crucify Him, crucify 
 Him," the mockings of those who crowned 
 Him with thorns, and everything of that 
 kind, is included in the Gospels. And as a 
 consequence of this we see that every one 
 who betrays the disciples of Jesus is reckoned 
 as betraying Jesus Himself. To Saul,'' when 
 still a persecutor, it is said, "Saul. Saul, why 
 persecutest thou Me?" and, "I am Jesus 
 whom thou persecutest." There are those 
 who still have thorns with which they crown 
 and dishonour Jesus, those, namely, who are 
 choked by the cares, and riches, and plea- 
 sures of life, and though they have received 
 the word of God, do not bring it to perfec- 
 tion, s We must beware, therefore, lest we 
 also, as crowning Jesus with thorns of our 
 own, should be entered in the Gospel and 
 read of in this character by those who learn 
 the Jesus, who is in all and is present in all 
 rational and holy lives, learn how He is 
 anointed with ointment, is entertained, is 
 glorified, or how, on the other side. He 
 is dishonoured, and mocked, and beaten. 
 All this had to be said ; it is part of our 
 demonstration that our good actions, and 
 also the sins of those who stumble, are em- 
 bodied in the Gospel, either to everlast- 
 ing life or to reproach and everlasting 
 shame. 
 
 ^ Matt. ixvi. 6-13, combined with Luke vii. 36-50. 
 
 ' Matt. XXV. 40. " John xix. 6, 15. » Acts ix. 4, 5. 
 
 ^ Luke viii. 14. 
 
 13. THE ANGELS ALSO ARE EVANGELISTS. 
 
 Now if there are those among men who are 
 honoured with the ministry of evangelists, 
 and if Jesus Himself brings tidings of good 
 things, and preaches the Gospel to the poor, 
 surely those messengers who were made 
 spirits by God,' those who are a flame of 
 fire, ministers of the Father of all, cannot 
 have been excluded from being evangelists 
 also. Hence an angel standing over the 
 shepherds made a bright light to shine round 
 about them, and said : ^ " Fear not ; behold 
 1 bring you good tidings of great joy, which 
 shall be to all the people ; for there is born 
 to you, this day, a Saviour, who is Christ the 
 Lord, in the city of David." And at a time 
 when there was no knowledge among men of 
 the mystery of the Gospel, those who were 
 greater than men and inhabitants of heaven, 
 thearmy of God, praisedGod, saying, "Glory 
 to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 
 good will among men."^ And having said 
 this, the angels go away from the shepherds 
 into heaven, leaving us to gather how the 
 joy preached to us through the birth of Jesus 
 Christ is glory in the highest to God ; they 
 humbled themselves even to the ground, and 
 then returned to their place of rest, to glorify 
 God in the highest through Jesus Christ. But 
 the angels also wonder at the peace which 
 is to be brought about on account of Jesus on 
 the earth, that seat of war, on which Lucifer, 
 star of the morning, fell from heaven, to be 
 warred against and destroyed by Jesus. 
 
 14. THE OLD TESTAMENT, TYPIFIED BY JOHN, IS 
 THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL. 
 
 In addition to Vi^hat we have said, there is 
 also this to be considered about the Gospel, 
 that in the first instance it is that of Christ 
 Jesus, the head of the whole body of the 
 saved; as Mark says.-t " The beginning of 
 the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Then als'o it 
 is the Gospel of the Apostles ; whence Paul s 
 says, "According to my Gospel." But the 
 beginning of the Gospel — for in respect of its 
 extent it has a beginning, a continuation, a 
 middle, and an end — is nothing but the 
 whole Old Testament. John is, in this re- 
 spect, a type of the Old Testament, or, if we 
 regard the connection of the New Testament 
 with the Old, John represents the termination 
 of the Old. For the same Mark says :* 
 "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus 
 Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the pro- 
 phet, Behold I send my messenger be- 
 
 * Ps. civ. 4. 
 ^ Origan, however, appears 
 
 "among men of good will." 
 
 * Mark i. i. " Rom. ii. 16. 
 
 * Luke ii. 10, n. 
 also to have read 
 
 eySo« 
 
 "i. 2,3. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 305 
 
 fore thy face, who shall prepare thy way. 
 The voice of one crying in the wilder- 
 ness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, 
 make His paths straight." And here I 
 must wonder how the dissentients' can 
 connect the two Testaments with two dif- 
 ferent Gods. These words, were there no 
 others, are enough to convict them of their 
 error. For how can John be the beginning 
 of the Gospel if they suppose he belongs 
 to a different God, if he belongs to the de- 
 miurge, and, as they hold, is not acquainted 
 with the new deity ? And the angels are not 
 entrusted with but one evangelical ministry, 
 and that a short one, not only with that ad- 
 dressed to the shepherds. For at the end an 
 exalted and flying angel, having the Gospel, 
 will preach it to every nation, for the good 
 Father has not entirely deserted those who 
 have fallen away from Him. John, son of 
 Zebedee, says in his Apocalypse : ^ " And I 
 saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven, 
 having the Eternal Gospel, to preach it to 
 those who dwell upon the earth, and to 
 every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and 
 people, saying, with a loud voice. Fear 
 God and give Him glory, for the hour of 
 His judgment hath come, and worship Him 
 that made the heaven, and the earth, and 
 the sea, and the fountains of waters." 
 
 15. THE GOSPEL IS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 
 AND INDEED IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. 
 PRAYER FOR AID TO UNDERSTAND THE 
 MYSTICAL SENSE OF THE WORK IN HAND. 
 
 As, then, we have shown that the begin- 
 ning of the Gospel, according to one inter- 
 pretation, is the whole Old Testament, and 
 is signified by the person of John, we 
 shall add, lest this should be called a mere 
 unsupported assertion, what is said in the 
 Acts about the eunuch of the queen of the 
 Ethiopians and Philip. Philip, it is said, 
 began at the passage of Isaiah : " He was 
 led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
 lamb before his shearer is dumb," and so 
 preached to him the Lord Jesus. How can 
 he begin with the prophet and preach 
 Jesus, if Isaiah was not a part of the begin- 
 ning of the Gospel ? From this we may de- 
 rive a proof of the assertion made at the out- 
 set, that every divine Scripture is Gospel. 
 If he who preaches the Gospel preaches 
 good things, and all those who spoke before 
 the sojourn of Jesus in the flesh preach 
 Christ, who is as we saw good things, then 
 the words spoken by all of them alike are in 
 a sense a part of the Gospel. And when the 
 
 * irepoSo^OL. 
 
 ' Apoc. xiv. 6, 7. 
 
 ■* Acts viii. 26, sqq. 
 
 Gospel is said to be declared throughout the 
 whole world, we infer that it is actually 
 preached in the whole world, not, that is to 
 say, in this earthly district only, but in the 
 whole system of heaven and earth, or from 
 heaven and earth. And why should we 
 discuss any further what the Gospel is.? 
 What we have said is enough. Be- 
 sides the passages we have adduced, — 
 passages by no means inept or unsuited 
 for our purpose, — much to the same effect 
 might be collected from the Scriptures, 
 so that it is clearly seen what is the glory 
 of the good things in Jesus Christ shed forth 
 by the Gospel, the Gospel ministered by 
 men and angels, and, I believe, also by 
 authorities and powers," and thrones and 
 dominions, and every name that is named, 
 not only in this world, but also in the world 
 to come, and indeed even by Christ Himself 
 Here, then, let us bring to a close what has 
 to be said before proceeding to read the 
 work itself. And now let us ask God to 
 assist us through Jesus Christ by the Holy 
 Spirit, so that we may be able to unfold the 
 mystical sense which is treasured up in the 
 words before us. 
 
 16. MEANING OF "BEGINNING." (l) IN SPACE. 
 
 " /71 the beginning was the Word." ^ It is 
 not only the Greeks who consider the word 
 ' ' beginning " to have many meanings. Let 
 any one collect the Scripture passages in 
 which the word occurs, and with a view to 
 an accurate interpretation of it note what it 
 stands for in each passage, and he will find 
 that the word has many meanings in sacred 
 discourse also. We speak of a beginning in 
 reference to a transition. Here it has to do 
 with a road and with length. This appears 
 in the saying : J " The beginning of a good 
 way is to do justice." For since the good 
 way is long, there have first to be con- 
 sidered in reference to it the question con- 
 nected with action, and this side is pre- 
 sented in the words "to do justice ;" the 
 contemplative side comes up for considera- 
 tion afterwards. In the latter the end of it 
 comes to rest at last in the so-called restora- 
 tion of all things, since no enemy is left 
 them to fight against, if that be true which 
 is said : ■* " For He must reign until He have 
 placed His enemies under His feet. But the 
 last enemy to be destroyed is death." For 
 then but one activity will be left for those 
 who have come to God on account of His 
 word which is with Him, that, namely, of 
 
 * Ephes. i. 21. 
 ^ Prov. xvi. 5. 
 
 "^ John i. I, 
 
 * 1 Cor. XV. 25, 26. 
 
3o6 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 knowing God, so that, being found by the 
 knowledge of the Father, they may all be 
 His Son, as now no one but the Son knows 
 the Father. For should any one enquire 
 carefully at what time those are to know 
 the Father to whom He who knows the 
 Father reveals Flim, and should he con- 
 sider how a man now sees only through 
 a glass and in a riddle, never having learned 
 to know as he ought to know, he would be 
 justified in saying that no one, no apostle 
 even, and no prophet had known the 
 Father, but when he became one with 
 Him as a son and a father are one. And if 
 any one says that it is a digression which 
 has led us to this point, our consideration 
 of that one meaning of the word beginning, 
 we must show that the digression is neces- 
 sary and useful for the end we have in view. 
 For if we speak of a beginning in the case 
 of a transition, and of a way and its length, 
 and if we are told that the beginning of a 
 good way is to do justice, then it concerns 
 us to know in what manner every good 
 way has for its beginning to do justice, and 
 how after such beginning it arrives at con- 
 templation, and in what manner it thus 
 arrives at contemplation. 
 
 17. (2) IN TIME. THE BEGINNING OF CREATION. 
 
 Again, there is a beginning in a matter of 
 origin, as might appear in the saying : ' "In 
 the beginning God made the heaven and the 
 earth." This meaning, however, appears 
 more plainly in the Book of Job in the 
 passage : ^ "This is the beginning of God's 
 creation, made for His angels to mock at." 
 One would suppose that the heavens 
 and the earth were made first, of all that 
 was made at the creation of the world. 
 But the second passage suggests a better 
 view, namely, that as many beings were 
 framed with a body, the first made of these 
 was the creature called dragon, but called 
 in another passages the great whale (levia- 
 than) which the Lord tamed. We must ask 
 about this ; whether, when the saints were 
 living a blessed life apart from matter and 
 from any body, the dragon, falling from the 
 pure life, became fit to be bound in matter 
 and in a body, so that the Lord could say, 
 speaking through storm and clouds, "This 
 is the beginning of the creation of God, 
 made for His angels to mock at." It is 
 possible, however, that the dragon is not 
 positively the beginning of the creation of 
 the Lord, but that there were many crea- 
 tures made with a body for the angels to 
 
 iGen. i. i. 
 
 * Job xl. 19. 
 
 ' Job iii. 8. 
 
 mock at, and that the dragon was the first 
 of these, while others could subsist in a 
 body without such reproach. But it is 
 not so. For the soul of the sun is placed 
 in a body, and the whole creation, of which 
 the Apostle says : ' "The whole creation 
 groaneth and travaileth in pain together 
 until now," and perhaps the following is 
 about the same : "The creation was made 
 subject to vanity, not willingly, but on ac- 
 count of Him who subjected it for hope;" so 
 that bodies might be in vanity, and doing 
 the things of the body, as he who is in the 
 body must.^ . . . One who is in the body 
 does the things of the body, though unwill- 
 ingly. Wherefore the creation was made 
 subject to vanity, not willingly, but he who 
 does unwillingly the things of the body does 
 what he does for the sake of hope, as if we 
 should say that Paul desired to remain in 
 the flesh, not willingly, but on account of 
 hope. For though he thought it betters to 
 be dissolved and to be with Christ, it was 
 not unreasonable that he should wish to re- 
 main in the flesh for the sake of the benefit 
 to others and of advancement in the things 
 hoped for, not only by him, but also by 
 those benefited by him. This meaning of 
 the term ' ' beginning," as of origin, will serve 
 us also in the passage in which Wisdom 
 speaks in the Proverbs.'' "God," we read, 
 " created me the beginning of His ways, for 
 His works." Here the term could be inter- 
 preted as in the first application we spoke 
 of, that of a way: "The Lord," it says, 
 "created me the beginning of His ways." 
 One might assert, and with reason, that God 
 Himself is the beginning of all things, and 
 r'light go on to say, as is plain, that the 
 Father is the beginning of the Son ; and the 
 demiurge the beginning of the works of the 
 demiurge, and that God in a word is the 
 beginning of all that exists. This view is 
 supported by our: "In the beginning was 
 the Word." In the Word one may see the 
 Son, and because He is in the Father He 
 may be said to be in the beginning. 
 
 18. (3) OF SUBSTANCE. 
 
 In the third place a beginning may be 
 that out of which a thing comes, the under- 
 lying matter from which things are formed. 
 This, however, is the view of those who 
 hold matter itself to be uncreated, a view 
 which we believers cannot share, since we 
 believe God to have made the things that 
 are out of the things which are not, as the 
 
 * Rom. viii. 22, 20. 
 » Phil. i. 23. 
 
 ' The text is defective here. 
 • viii. 22. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 307 
 
 mother of the seven martyrs in the Macca- 
 bees teaches," and as the angel of repentance 
 in the Shepherd inculcated.' 
 
 19. (4) OF TYPE AND COPY. 
 
 In addition to these meanings there is 
 that in which we speak of an arche.s accord- 
 ing to form ; thus if the first-born of every 
 creature* is the image of the invisible God, 
 then the Father is his arche. In the same 
 way Christ is the arche of those who are 
 made according to the image of God. For 
 if men are according to the image, but the 
 image according to the Father ; in the first 
 case the Father is the arche of Christ, and 
 in the other Christ is the arche of men, and 
 men are made, not according to that of 
 which he is the image, but according to the 
 image. With this example our passage will 
 agree : "In the arche was the Word." 
 
 20. (5) OF ELEMENTS AND WHAT IS FORMED FROM 
 THEM. 
 
 There is also an arche in a matter of 
 learning, as when we say that the letters 
 are the arche of grammar. The Apostle ac- 
 cordingly says : s "When by reason of the 
 time you ought to be teachers, you have 
 need ag^iin that some one teach you what 
 are the elements of the arche of the oracles 
 of God." Now the arche spoken of in con- 
 nection with learning is twofold ; first in re- 
 spect of its nature, secondly in its relation 
 to us ; as we might say of Christ, that by 
 nature His arche is deity, but that in relation 
 to us who cannot, for its very greatness, 
 command the whole truth about Him, His 
 arche is His manhood, as He is preached to 
 babes, "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 
 In this view, then, Christ is the arche of learn- 
 ing in His own nature, because He is the 
 wisdom and power of God ; but for us, the 
 Word was made flesh, that He might taber- 
 nacle among us who could only thus at first 
 receive Him. And perhaps this is the reason 
 why He is not only the firstborn of all crea- 
 tion, but is also designated the man, Adam. 
 For Paul says He is Adam : * " The last 
 Adam was made a life-giving spirit." 
 
 21. (6) OF DESIGN AND EXECUTION. 
 
 Again we speak of the arche of an action, 
 in which there is a design which appears 
 after the beginning. It may be considered 
 whether wisdom is to be regarded as the 
 arche of the works of God because it is in 
 this way the principle of them. 
 
 * 2 Mace, vii. 28. * Hcrm. Sim. viii. 
 
 » We must here reproduce the Greek word, as Origen passes to 
 meanings of it which the English " beginning " does not cover. 
 
 ♦ Coloss. i. 15. ' Heb. v. 12. • i Cor. xv. 45. 
 
 22. THE WORD WAS IN THE BEGINNING, I.E., IN 
 WISDOM, WHICH CONTAINED ALL THINGS IN 
 IDEA, BEFORE THEY EXISTED. CHRISt's CHAR- 
 ACTER AS WISDOM IS PRIOR TO HIS OTHER 
 CHARACTERS. 
 
 So many meanings occur to us at once of 
 the word arche. We have now to ask which 
 of them we should adopt for our text, "In 
 the beginning was the Word." It is plain 
 that we may at once dismiss the meaning 
 which connects it with transition or with a 
 road and its length. Nor, it is pretty plain, 
 will the meaning connected with an origin 
 serve our purpose. One might, however, 
 think of the sense in which it points to the 
 author, to that which brings about the effect, 
 if, as we read," " God commanded and they 
 were created." For Christ is, in a manner, 
 the demiurge, to whom the Father says, 
 " Let there be light," and " Let there be a fir- 
 mament." But Christ is demiurge as a begin- 
 ning (arche), inasmuch as He is wisdom. It 
 is in virtue of His being wisdom that He 
 is called arche. For Wisdom says in Solo- 
 mon : ' " God created me the beginning of 
 His ways, for His works," so that the Word 
 might be in an arche, namely, in wisdom. 
 Considered in relation to the structure of 
 contemplation and thoughts about the whole 
 of things, it is regarded as wisdom ; but in 
 relation to that side of the objects of 
 thought, in which reasonable beings appre- 
 hend them, it is considered as the Word. 
 And there is no wonder, since, as we have 
 said before, the Saviour is many good 
 things, if He comprises in Himself thoughts 
 of the first order, and of the second, and of 
 the third. This is what John suggested 
 when he said about the Word : ^ "That 
 which was made was life in Him." Life 
 then came in the Word. And on the one 
 side the Word is no other than the Christ, 
 the Word, He who was with the Father, by 
 whom all things were made ; while, on the 
 other side, the Life is no other than the Son 
 of God, who says : ■* " I am the way and the 
 truth and the life." As, then, life came into 
 being in the Word, so the Word in the arche. 
 Consider, however, if we are at liberty to 
 take this meaning of arche for our text : "In 
 the beginning was the Word, " so as to obtain 
 the meaning that all things came into being 
 according to wisdom and according to the 
 models of the system which are present in 
 his thoughts. For I consider that as a house 
 or a ship is built and fashioned in accordance 
 with the sketches of the builder or designer, 
 
 ' Ps. cxlviii. 5. 
 ' John i. 3, 4, 
 
 * Prov. viii. 22. 
 . * John xiv. 6. 
 
3o8 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 the house or the ship having their beginning 
 (arche) in the sketches and reckonings in 
 his mind, so all things came into being in 
 accordance with the designs of what was to 
 be, clearly laid down by God in wisdom. 
 And we should add that having created, so 
 to speak, ensouled » wisdom, He left her to 
 hand over, from the types which were in 
 her, to things existing and to matter, the ac- 
 tual emergence of them, their moulding and 
 their forms. ^ But I consider, if it be per- 
 mitted to say this, that the beginning (arche) 
 of real existence was the Son of God, say- 
 ing :' "I am the beginning and the end, 
 the A and the D,, the first and the last. " We 
 must, however, remember that He is not 
 the arche in respect of every name which is 
 applied to Him. For how can He be the be- 
 ginning in respect of His being life, when 
 life came in the Word, and the Word is 
 manifestly the arche of life ? It is also 
 tolerably evident that He cannot be the 
 arche in respect of His being the first-born 
 from the dead. And if we go through all 
 His titles carefully we find that He is the 
 arche only in respect of His being wisdom. 
 Not even as the Word is He the arche, for 
 the Word was in the arche. And so one 
 might venture to say that wisdom is anterior 
 to all the thoughts that are expressed in the 
 titles of the first-born of every creature. 
 Now God is altogether one and simple ; but 
 our Saviour, for many reasons, since God * 
 set Him forth a propitiation and a first fruits 
 of the whole creation, is made many things, 
 or perhaps all these things ; the whole crea- 
 tion, so far as capable of redemption, stands 
 in need of Him.s And, hence. He is made 
 the light of men, because men, being dark- 
 ened by wickedness, need the light that 
 shines in darkness, and is not overtaken 
 by the darkness ; had not men been in dark- 
 ness. He would not have become the light 
 of men. The same thing may be observed 
 in respect of His being the first-born of the 
 dead. For supposing the woman had not 
 been deceived, and Adam had not fallen, 
 and man created for incorruption had ob- 
 tained it, then He would not have descended 
 into the grave, nor would He have died, 
 there being no sin, nor would His love of 
 men have required that He should die, and 
 if He had not died, He could not have been 
 the first-born of the dead. We may also 
 ask whether He would ever have become a 
 
 * Opp. to embodied. 
 
 ' Mr. Brooke, T. dj^ .S". I. iv. p. 15, discusses this corrupt passage 
 and suggests an improved text which would yield the sense, that 
 wisdom was to give to things and matter, " it might be rash to say 
 bluntly their essences, but their moulding and their forms." 
 
 * Apoc. xxii. 13. 
 
 * Rom. iii. 25. ^ Passage obscure and probably corrupt. 
 
 shepherd, had man not been thrown to- 
 gether with the beasts which are devoid of 
 reason, and made like to them. For if God 
 saves man and beasts. He saves those beasts 
 which He does save, by giving them a shep- 
 herd, since they cannot have a king. Thus 
 if we collect the titles of Jesus, the question 
 arises which of them were conferred on Him 
 later, and would never have assumed such 
 importance if the saints had begun and had 
 also persevered in blessedness. Perhaps 
 Wisdom would be the only remaining one, 
 or perhaps the Word would remain too, or 
 perhaps the Life, or perhaps the Truth, not 
 the others, which He took for our sake. 
 And happy indeed are those who in their 
 need for the Son of God have yet become 
 such persons as not to need Him in His 
 character as a physician healing the sick, 
 nor in that of a shepherd, nor in that of re- 
 demption, but only in His characters as 
 wisdom, as the word and righteousness, or 
 if there be any other title suitable for those 
 who are so perfect as to receive Him in His 
 fairest characters. So much for the phrase 
 "In the beginning." 
 
 23. THE TITLE " WORD " IS TO BE INTERPRETED 
 BY THE SAME METHOD AS THE OTHER TITLES 
 OF CHRIST. THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT A 
 MERE ATTRIBUTE OF GOD, BUT A SEPARATE 
 PERSON. WHAT IS MEANT WHEN HE IS 
 CALLED THE WORD. 
 
 Let US consider, however, a little more 
 carefully what is the Word which is in the 
 beginning. I am often led to wonder when 
 I consider the things that are said about 
 Christ, even by those who are in earnest in 
 their belief in Him. Though there is a 
 countless number of names which can be 
 applied to our Saviour, they omit the most 
 of them, and if they should remember them, 
 they declare that these titles are not to be 
 understood in their proper sense, but tropi- 
 cally. But when they come to the title 
 Logos (Word), and repeat that Christ alone 
 is the Word of God, they are not consistent, 
 and do not, as in the case of the other titles, 
 search out what is behind the meaning of 
 the term "Word." I wonder at the stupidity 
 of the general run of Christians in this 
 matter. I do not mince matters ; it is 
 nothing but stupidity. The Son of God 
 says in one passage, " I am the light of the 
 world," and in another, " I am the resurrec- 
 tion," and again, "I am the way and the 
 truth and the life." It is also written, "I 
 am the door," and we have the saying, "I 
 am the good shepherd," and when the 
 woman of Samaria says, ' ' We know the 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 309 
 
 Messiah is coming, who is called Christ ; 
 when He comes, He will tell us all things," 
 Jesus answers, " I that speak unto thee am 
 He." Again, when He washed the disciples' 
 feet, He declared Himself in these words ' 
 to be their Master and Lord: "You call 
 Me Master and Lord, and you say well, for 
 so I am." He also distinctly announces 
 Himself as the Son of God, when He says,^ 
 "He whom the Father sanctified and sent 
 unto the world, to Him do you say. Thou 
 blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son 
 of God ? " and 3 " Father, the hour is come ; 
 glorify Thy Son, that the Son also may glorify 
 Thee. " We also find Him declaring Himself 
 to be a king, as when He answers Pilate's 
 question,* " Art Thou the Kingof the Jews ?" 
 by saying, "Mykingdomisnot of this world ; 
 if My kingdom were of this world, then 
 would My servants fight, that I should not 
 be delivered to the Jews, but now is My 
 kingdom not from hence." We have also 
 read the words, 5 " I am the true vine and My 
 Father is the husbandman," and again, "I 
 am the vine, ye are the branches." Add to 
 these testimonies also the saying,^ "I am 
 the bread of life, that came down from 
 heaven and giveth life to the world." 
 These texts will suffice for the present, 
 which we have picked up out of the store- 
 house of the Gospels, and in all of which He 
 claims to be the Son of God. But in the 
 Apocalypse of John, too, He says,' "lam 
 the first and the last, and the living One, and 
 I was dead. Behold, I am alive for ever- 
 more." And again,* "I am the A and the 
 II, and the first and the last, the beginning 
 and the end." The careful student of the 
 sacred books, moreover, may gather not a few 
 similar passages from the prophets, as where 
 He calls Himself^ a chosen shaft, and a 
 servant of God, '° and a light of the Gentiles. " 
 Isaiah also says," " From my mother's 
 womb hath He called me by my name, and 
 He made my mouth as a sharp sword, and 
 under the shadow of His hand did He hide 
 me, and He said to me, Thou art My ser- 
 vant, O Israel, and in thee will I be glori- 
 fied." And a little farther on : " And my 
 God shall be my strength, and He said to 
 me, This is a great thing for thee to be called 
 My servant, to set up the tribes of Jacob 
 and to turn again the diaspora of Israel. 
 Behold I have set thee for a light of the 
 Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salva- 
 tion to the end of the earth." And in 
 
 1 John xiu. 13. ' John x. 36. 
 
 • John xviii. 33, 36- " Joh" ^^- '< 5- 
 
 ' Apoc. i. 18. "Apoc. xxu. 13. 
 
 1" Isa. xlii. I, etc. " Isa. xlix. 6. 
 
 * John xvii. i, 
 ' John vi. 35, 41, 33. 
 " Isa. xlix. 2. 
 *' Isa. xlix. I, 2, 3. 
 
 Jeremiah too ■ He likens Himself to a lamb, 
 as thus : " I was as a gentle lamb that is led 
 to the slaughter." These and other similar 
 sayings He applies to Himself. In addition 
 to these one might collect in the Gospels 
 and the Apostles and in the prophets a 
 countless number of titles which are applied 
 to the Son of God, as the writers of the 
 Gospels set forth their own views of what 
 He is, or the Apostles extol Him out of what 
 they had learned, or the prophets proclaim 
 in advance His coming advent and announce 
 the things concerning Him under various 
 names. Thus John calls Him the Lamb 
 of God, saying,^ "Behold the Lamb of God 
 which taketh away the sins of the world," 
 and in these words he declares Him as a 
 man, 3 "This is He about whom I said, that 
 there cometh after me a man who is there 
 before me; for He was before me." And 
 in his Catholic Epistle John says that He is 
 a Paraclete for our souls with the Father, as 
 thus:-* "And if any one sin, we have a 
 Paraclete with the Father, Jesus Christ the 
 righteous," and he adds that He is a pro- 
 pitiation for our sins, and similarly Paul 
 says He isa propitiation : s "Whom God 
 set forth as a propitiation through faith in 
 His blood, on account of forgiveness of the 
 forepast sins, in the forbearance of God." 
 According to Paul, too. He is declared to be 
 the wisdom and the power of God, as in the 
 Epistle to the Corinthians:* "Christ the 
 power of God and the wisdom of God." 
 It is added that He is also sanctification and 
 redemption: " He was made to us of God," 
 he says, "wisdom and righteousness and 
 sanctification and redemption." But he 
 also teaches us, writing to the Hebrews, 
 that Christ is a High-Priest : 7 "Having, 
 therefore, a great High-Priest, who has 
 passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son 
 of God, let us hold fast our profession." 
 And the prophets have other names for Him 
 besides these. Jacob in his blessing of his 
 sons^ says, " Judah, thy brethren shall extol 
 thee; thy hands are on the necks of thine 
 enemies. A lion's whelp is Judah, from a 
 shoot, my son, art thou sprung up ; thou 
 hast lain down and slept as a lion ; who shall 
 awaken him ? " We cannot now linger over 
 these phrases, to show that what is said of 
 Judah applies to Christ. What may be quoted 
 against this view, viz., "A ruler shall not 
 part from Judah nor a leader from his loins, 
 until He come for whom it is reserved ; " 
 this can better be cleared up on another occa- 
 
 ' Jerem. xi. 19. ' John i. 29. ^ John 1. .^o, 31. 
 
 * I John ii. I, tXatriioi. ^ Rom. iii. 25, 26, iXa<TTrjfiiov, 
 
 * I Cor. i. 24, 30. ' Heb. iv. 14. * Gen. xlix. 10. 
 
310 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 sion. But Isaiah knows Christ to be spoken 
 of under the names of Jacob and Israel, when 
 he says,' "Jacob is my servant, I will help 
 Him ; Israel is my elect, my soul hath ac- 
 cepted Him. He shall declare judgment to 
 the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry, 
 neither shall any one hear His voice on the 
 streets. A bruised rod shall He not break, 
 and smoking- flax shall He not quench, till 
 He bring forth judgment from victory, and 
 in His name shall the nations hope." That 
 it is Christ about whom such prophecies 
 are made, Matthew shows in his Gospel, 
 where he quotes from memory and says : ^ 
 "That the saying might be fulfilled, He shall 
 not strive nor cry," etc. David also is 
 called Christ, as where Ezekiel in his pro- 
 phecy to the shepherds adds as from the 
 mouth of God : 3 "I will raise up David my 
 servant, who shall be their shepherd." For 
 it is not the patriarch David who is to rise 
 and be the shepherd of the saints, but Christ. 
 Isaiah also called Christ the rod and the 
 flower : * "There shall come forth a rod out 
 of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall 
 spring out of his root, and the spirit of 
 God shall rest upon Him, the spirit of 
 wisdom and understanding, the spirit of 
 counsel and of might, the spirit of know- 
 ledge and of godliness, and He shall be full 
 of the spirit of the fear of the Lord." And 
 in the Psalms our Lord is called the stone, as 
 follows : 5 "The stone which the builders 
 rejected is made the head of the corner. It 
 is from the Lord, and it is wonderful in our 
 eyes." And the Gospel shows, as also does 
 Luke in the Acts, that the stone is no other 
 than Christ ; the Gospel as follows : * " Have 
 ye never read, the stone which the builders 
 rejected is made the head of the corner. 
 Whosoever falls on this stone shall be 
 broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it 
 will scatter him as dust." And Luke writes 
 in Acts :7 "This is the stone, which was set 
 at naught of you the builders, which has 
 become the head of the corner." And one 
 of the names applied to the Saviour is that 
 which He Himself does not utter, but which 
 John records ; — the Word who was in the 
 beginning with God, God the Word. And 
 it is worth our while to fix our attention for 
 a moment on those scholars who omit con- 
 sideration of most of the great names we 
 have mentioned and regard this as the most 
 important one. As to the former titles, they 
 look for any account of them that any one 
 may offer, but in the case of this one they 
 
 * Isa. xlii, 1-4. 
 
 * Isa. xi. 1-3. 
 ^ Actsiv. II. 
 
 ' Matt. xii. 17, ig. 
 * Ps. cxviii. 22, 23. 
 
 * Ezek. xxxiv. 23. 
 ^ Matt. xxi. 42, 44. 
 
 proceed differently and ask. What is the 
 Son of God when called the Word ? The 
 passage they employ most is that in the 
 Psalms,' "My heart hath produced a good 
 Word ; " and they imagine the Son of God 
 to be the utterance of the Father deposited, 
 as it were, in syllables, and accordingly 
 they do not allow Him, if we examine them 
 farther, any independent hypostasis, nov 
 are they clear about His essence. I do no» 
 mean that they confuse its qualities, but 
 the fact of His having an essence of His 
 own. For no one can understand how 
 that which is said to be "Word" can be 
 a Son. And such an animated Word, not 
 being a separate entity from the Father, and 
 accordingly as it, having no subsistence, 
 is not a Son, or if he is a Son, let them say 
 that God the Word is a separate being and 
 has an essence of His own. We insist, 
 therefore, that as in the case of each of the 
 titles spoken of above we turn from the 
 title to the concept it suggests and apply it 
 and demonstrate how the Son of God is 
 suitably described by it, the same course 
 must be followed when we find Him called 
 the Word. What caprice it is, in all these 
 cases, not to stand upon the term employed, 
 but to enquire in what sense Christ is to be 
 understood to be the door, and in what 
 way the vine, and why He is the way ; but 
 in the one case of His being called the Word, 
 to follow a different course. To add to the 
 authority, therefore, of what we have to say 
 on the question, how the Son of God is the 
 Word, we must begin with those names of 
 which we spoke first as being applied to 
 Him. This, we cannot deny, will seem to 
 some to be superfluous and a digression, 
 but the thoughtful reader will not think it 
 useless to ask as to the concepts for which 
 the titles are used ; to observe these matters 
 will clear the way for what is coming. And 
 once we have entered upon the theology 
 concerning the Saviour, as we seek with 
 what diligence we can and find the various 
 things that are taught about Him, we shall 
 necessarily understand more about Him not 
 only in His character as the Word, but in 
 His other characters also. 
 
 24. CHRIST AS LIGHT ; HOW HE, AND HOW HIS 
 DISCIPLES ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 
 
 He said, then, that He was the light 
 of the world ; and we have to examine, 
 along with this title, those which are paral- 
 lel to it ; and, indeed, are thought by some 
 to be not merely parallel, but identical with 
 
 I Ps. xlv. I. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 311 
 
 it. He is the true light, and the light of the 
 Gentiles. In the opening of the Gospel now 
 before us He is the light of men : ' ' That 
 which was made,"' it says, "was life in 
 Him, and the life was the light of men ; and 
 the light shines in darkness, and the dark- 
 ness did not overtake it." A little further 
 on, in the same passage, He is called the 
 true light : ^ "The true light, which lightens 
 every man, was coming into the world." 
 In Isaiah, He is the light of the Gentiles, as 
 we said before. " Behold, 3 I have set Thee 
 for a light of the Gentiles, that Thou 
 shouldest be for salvation to the end of the 
 earth." Now the sensible light of the world 
 is the sun, and after it comes very worthily 
 the moon, and the same title may be applied 
 to the stars ; but those lights of the world 
 are said in Moses to have come into exist- 
 ence on the fourth day, and as they shed 
 light on the things on the earth, they are 
 not the true light. But the Saviour shines 
 on creatures which have intellect and sove- 
 reign reason, that their minds may behold 
 their proper objects of vision, and so he is 
 the light of the intellectual world, that is to 
 say, of the reasonable souls which are in the 
 sensible world, and if there be any beings 
 beyond these in the world from which He 
 declares Himself to be our Saviour. He is, 
 indeed, the most determining and distin- 
 guished part of that world, and, as we may 
 say, the sun who makes the great day of the 
 Lord. In view of this day He says to those 
 who partake of His light, "VVork^ while it 
 is day ; the night cometh when no man can 
 work. As long as I am in the world, I am 
 the light of the world." Then He says to 
 His disciples, 5 "Ye are the hght of the 
 world," and "Let your light shine before 
 men." Thus we see the Church, the bride, 
 to present an analogy to the moon and stars, 
 and the disciples have a Hght, which is 
 their own or borrowed from the true sun, 
 so that they are able to illuminate those who 
 have no command of any spring of light in 
 themselves. We may say that Paul and 
 Peter are the light of the world, and that 
 those of their disciples who are enlightened 
 themselves, but are not able to enlighten 
 others, are the world of which the Apostles 
 were the light. But the Saviour, being the 
 light of the world, illuminates not bodies, 
 but by His incorporeal power the incorporeal 
 intellect, to the end that each of us, en- 
 lightened as by the sun, may be able to dis- 
 cern the rest of the things of the mind. 
 And as when the sun is shining the moon 
 
 I John i. 3-5. 
 * John ix. 4, 5. 
 
 * John i. g. 
 
 * Matt. V. 14, 16. 
 
 * Isa. xlix. 6. 
 
 and the stars lose their power of giving light, 
 so those who are irradiated by Christ and re- 
 ceive His beams have no need of the minis- 
 tering apostles and prophets — we must have 
 courage to declare this truth — nor of the 
 angels ; I will add that they have no need 
 even of the greater powers when they are 
 disciples of that first-born light. To those 
 who do not receive the solar beams of 
 Christ, the ministering saints do afford an 
 illumination much less than the former ; this 
 illumination is as much as those persons can 
 receive, and it completely fills them. Christ, 
 again, the light of the world, is the true light 
 as distinguished from the light of sense ; 
 nothing that is sensible is true. Yet though 
 the sensible is other than the true, it does 
 not follow that the sensible is false, for the 
 sensible may have an analogy with the in- 
 tellectual, and not everything that is not 
 true can correctly be called false. Now I 
 ask whether the light of the world is the 
 same thing with the light of men, and I con- 
 ceive that a higher power of light is intended 
 by the former phrase than by the latter, for 
 the world in one sense is not only men. 
 Paul shows that the world is something more 
 than men when he writes to the Corinthians 
 in his first Epistle : ' "We are made a spec- 
 tacle unto the world, and to angels, and to 
 men." In one sense, too, it may be con- 
 sidered,^ the world is the creation which is 
 being delivered from the bondage of corrup- 
 tion into the liberty of the glory of the chil- 
 dren of God, whose earnest expectation is 
 waiting for the manifestation of the sons of 
 God. We also draw attention to the com- 
 parison which may be drawn between the 
 statement, " I am the light of the world," 
 and the words addressed to the disciples, 
 "Ye are the light of the world." Some sup- 
 pose that the genuine disciples of Jesus are 
 greater than other creatures, some seeking 
 the reason of this in the natural growth of 
 these disciples, others inferring it from their 
 harder struggle. For those beings which 
 are in flesh and blood have greater labours 
 and a life more full of dangers than those 
 which are in an ethereal body, and the lights 
 of heaven might not, if they had put on 
 bodies of earth, have accomplished this life 
 of ours free from danger and from error. 
 Those who incline to this argument may 
 appeal to those texts of Scripture which say 
 the most exalted things about men, and to 
 the fact that the Gospel is addressed directly 
 to men ; not so much is said about the crea- 
 tion, or, as we understand it, about the 
 
 ^ 1 Cor. iv. g. 
 
 ^ Rom, vlii, 24, ig. 
 
312 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 world. We read, ' " As I and Thou are one, 
 that they also may be one in Us," and ^ 
 " Where I am, there willalsoMy servant be. " 
 These sayings, plainly, are about men ; 
 while about the creation it is said that it is 
 delivered from the bondage of corruption into 
 the liberty of the glory of the children of 
 God. It might be added that not even when 
 it is delivered will it take part in the glory 
 of the sons of God. Nor will those who hold 
 this view forget that the first-born of every 
 creature, honouring man above all else, be- 
 came man, and that it was not any of the 
 constellations existing in the sky, but one of 
 another order, appointed for this purpose 
 and in the service of the knowledge of Jesus, 
 that was made to be the Star of the East, 
 whether it was like the other stars or per- 
 chance better than they, to be the sign of 
 Him who is the most excellent of all. And 
 if the boasting of the saints is in their tribula- 
 tions, since s " tribulation worketh patience, 
 and patience probation, and probation hope, 
 and hope maketh not ashamed," then the 
 afflicted creation cannot have the like pa- 
 tience with man, nor the like probation, nor 
 the like hope, but another degree of these, 
 since'* "the creation was made subject to 
 vanity, not willingly, but on account of Him 
 who subjected it, for hope." Now he who 
 shrinks from conferring such great attributes 
 on man will turn to another direction and 
 say that the creature being subjected to 
 vanity groans and suffers greater affliction 
 than those who groan in this tabernacle, for 
 has she not suffered for the utmost extent of 
 time in her service of vanity — nay, many 
 times as long as man? For why does she 
 do this not willingly, but that it is against 
 her nature to be subject to vanity, and not 
 to have the best arrangement of her life, that 
 which she shall receive when she is set free, 
 when the world is destroyed and released 
 even from the vanity of bodies. Here, how- 
 ever, we may appear to be stretching too 
 far, and aiming at more than the question 
 now before us requires. We may return, 
 therefore, to the point from which we set 
 out, and ask for what reason the Saviour is 
 called the light of the world, the true light, 
 and the light of men. Now we saw that He 
 is called the true light with reference to the 
 sensible light of the world, and that the light 
 of the world is the same thing as the light of 
 men, or that we may at least enquire 
 whether they are the same. This discussion 
 is not superfluous. Some students do not 
 
 ^ John xvii. 21. 
 * Rom. viii. 30. 
 
 * John xii. 26. 
 
 ® Rom. V. 3-5. 
 
 take anything at all out of the statement that 
 the Saviour is the Word ; and it is important 
 for us to assure ourselves that we are not 
 chargeable with caprice in fixing our atten- 
 tion on that notion. If it admits of being 
 taken in a metaphorical sense we ought not 
 to take it literally.' When we apply the 
 mystical and allegorical method to the ex- 
 pression " light of the world" and the many 
 analogous terms mentioned above, we 
 should surely do so with this expression 
 also. 
 
 25. CHRIST AS THE RESURRECTION. 
 
 Now lie is called the light of men and the 
 true light and the light of the word, because 
 He brightens and irradiates the higher parts 
 of men, or, in a word, of all reasonable be- 
 ings. And similarly it is from and because 
 of the energy with which He causes the old 
 deadness to be put aside and that which is 
 par excellence life to be put on, so that those 
 who have truly received Him rise again 
 from the dead, that He is'calledthe resurrec- 
 tion. And this He does not only at the 
 moment at which a man says,^ "We are 
 buried with Christ through baptism and 
 have risen again with Him," but much rather 
 when a man, having laid off all about him 
 that belongs to death, walks in the newness 
 of life which belongs to Him, the Son, while 
 here. We always 3 "carry about in our 
 body the dying of the Lord Jesus," and thus 
 we reap the vast advantage, "that the life of 
 the Lord Jesus might be made manifest in 
 our bodies." 
 
 26. CHRIST AS THE WAY. 
 
 But that progress too, which is in wisdom 
 and which is found by those who seek their 
 salvation in it to do for them what they re- 
 quire both in respect of exposition of truth in 
 the divine word and in respect of conduct ac- 
 cording to true righteousness, it lets us under- 
 stand how Christ is the way. In this way 
 we have to take nothing with us,'* neither 
 wallet nor coat ; we must travel without 
 even a stick, nor must we have shoes 
 on our feet. For this road is itself sufficient 
 for all the supplies of our journey ; and 
 every one who walks on it wants nothing. 
 He is clad with a garment vsfhich is fit 
 for one who is setting out in response 
 to an invitation to a wedding ; and on this 
 road he cannot meet anything that can 
 annoy him. "No one," Solomon says,5 
 " can find out the way of a serpent upon a 
 
 ^ Text corrupt. The above seems to be the meaning. Cf. chap. 
 13 init. p. 306. 
 
 * Rom. vi. 4. '3 Cor. iv. lo. 
 
 * Matt. X. 10. ' Prov. xxx. 19. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 313 
 
 rock." I would add, or that of any other 
 beast. Hence there is no need of a staff on 
 this road, on which there is no trace of any 
 liostile creature, and the hardness of which, 
 whence also it is called rock (J>etra), makes 
 it incapable of harbouring anything hurtful. 
 
 27. CHRIST AS THE TRUTH. 
 
 Further, the Only-begotten is the truth, 
 because He embraces in Himself according 
 to the Father's will the whole reason of all 
 things, and that with perfect clearness, and 
 being the truth communicates to each crea- 
 ture in proportion to its worthiness. And 
 should any one enquire whether all that the 
 Father knows, according to the depth of His 
 riches and His wisdom and His knowledge, 
 is known to our Saviour also, and should 
 he, imagining that he will thereby glorify 
 the Father, show that some things known 
 to the Father are unknown to the Son, 
 although He might have had an equal share 
 of the apprehensions of theunbegotten God, 
 we must remind him that it is from His 
 being the truth that He is Saviour, and add 
 that if He is the truth complete, then there 
 is nothing true which He does not know ; 
 truth must not limp for the want of the 
 things which, according to those persons, 
 are known to the Father only. Or else let 
 it be shown that some things are known to 
 which the name of truth does not apply, but 
 which are above the truth. 
 
 28. CHRIST AS LIFE. 
 
 It is clear also that the principle of that 
 life which is pure and unmixed with any 
 other element, resides in Him who is the 
 first-born of all creation, taking from which 
 those who have a share in Christ live the 
 life which is true life, while all those who 
 are thought to live apart from this, as they 
 have not the true light, have not the true 
 life either. 
 
 29. CHRIST AS THE DOOR AND AS THE SHEP- 
 HERD. 
 
 But as one cannot be in the Father or 
 with the Father except by ascending from 
 below upwards and coming first to the 
 divinity of the Son, through which one may 
 be led by the hand and brought to the 
 blessedness of the Father Himself, so the 
 Saviour has the inscription "The Door." 
 And as He is a lover of men, and approves 
 the impulse of human souls to better things, 
 even of those who do not hasten to reason 
 (the Logos), but like sheep have a weakness 
 and gentleness apart from all accuracy and 
 reason, so He is the Shepherd. For the Lord 
 
 saves men and beasts," and Israel and Juda 
 are sowed with the seed not of men only 
 but also of beasts.^ 
 
 30. CHRIST AS ANOINTED (cHRIST) AND AS KING. 
 
 In addition to these titles we must con- 
 sider at the outset of our work that of 
 Christ, and we must also consider that of 
 King, and compare these two so as to find 
 out the difference between them. Now it is 
 said in the forty-fourth Psalm, 3 " Thou hast 
 loved righteousness and hated iniquity, 
 whence Thou art anointed (Christ) above 
 Thy fellows." His loving righteousness and 
 hating iniquity were thus added claims in 
 Him; His anointing was not contemporary 
 with His being nor inherited by Him from the 
 first. Anointing is a symbol of entering on 
 the kingship, and sometimes also on the 
 priesthood ; and must we therefore conclude 
 that the kingship of the Son of God is not 
 inherited nor congenital to Him 1 But how 
 is it conceivable that the First-born of all 
 creation was not a king and became a king 
 afterwards because He loved righteousness, 
 when, moreover, He Himself was righteous- 
 ness.? We cannot fail to see that it is as a 
 man that He is Christ, in respect of His soul, 
 whicli was human and liable to be troubled 
 and sore vexed, but that He is conceived 
 as king in respect of the divine in Him. 
 I find support for this in the seventy-first 
 Psalm,* which says, "Give the king Thy 
 judgment, O God, and Thy righteousness to 
 the king's Son, to judge "I'hy people in right- 
 eousness and Thy poor in judgment." This 
 Psalm, though addressed to Solomon, is 
 evidently a prophecy of Christ, and it is 
 worth while to ask to what king the prophecy 
 desires judgment to be given by God, and 
 to what king's Son, and what king's right- 
 eousness is spoken of. I conceive, then, 
 that what is called the King is the leading 
 nature of the First-born of all creation, to 
 which judgment is given on account of its 
 eminence ; and that the man whom He as- 
 sumed, formed and moulded by that nature, 
 according to righteousness, is the King's 
 Son. I am the more led to think that this 
 is so, because the two beings are here 
 brought together in one sentence, and are 
 spoken of as if they were not two but one. 
 For the Saviour made both one.sthat is, He 
 made them according to the prototype of 
 the two which had been made one in Him- 
 self before all things. The two I refer to 
 human nature, since each man's soul is 
 
 * Ps. xxxvi. 6. 
 
 * Ps. Ixxii. I, 2. 
 
 ' Jer. xxxi. 27. 
 * Ephes. ii 14. 
 
 » Ps. xlv. 8. 
 
314 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 mixed with the Holy Spirit, and each of 
 those who are saved is thus made spiritual. 
 Now as there are some to whom Christ is a 
 shepherd, as we said before, because of their 
 meek and composed nature, though they 
 are less guided by reason ; so there are those 
 to whom He is a king, those, namely, who 
 are led in their approach to religion rather 
 by the reasonable part of their nature. And 
 among those who are under a king there 
 are differences ; some experience his rule 
 in a more mystic and hidden and more 
 divine way, others in a less perfect fashion. 
 I should say that those who, led by reason, 
 apart from all agencies of sense, have beheld 
 incorporeal things, the things which Paul 
 speaks of as "invisible," or "not seen," 
 that they are ruled by the leading nature of 
 the Only-begotten, but that those who have 
 only advanced as far as the reason which 
 is conversant with sensible things, andon ac- 
 count of these glorify their Maker, that 
 these also are governed by the Word, by 
 Christ. No offence need be taken at our 
 distinguishing these notions in the Saviour ; 
 we draw the same distinctions in His sub- 
 stance. 
 
 31. CHRIST AS TEACHER AND MASTER. 
 
 It is plain to all how our Lord is a teacher 
 and an interpreter for those who are striv- 
 ing towards godliness, and on the other hand 
 a master of those servants who have the 
 spirit of bondage to fear, ' who make progress 
 and hasten towards wisdom, and are found 
 worthy to possess it. For* "the servant 
 knoweth not whatthe masterwills," since he 
 is no longer his master, but has become his 
 friend. The Lord Himself teaches this, for 
 He says to hearers who were still servants : 3 
 " You call Me Master and Lord, and you say 
 well, for so I am, "but in another passage, < " I 
 call you no longer servants, for the servant 
 knoweth not what is the will of his master, 
 but I call you friends," because 5 " you have 
 continued with Me in all My temptations." 
 They, then, who live according to fear, which 
 God exacts from those who are not good 
 servants, as we read in Malachi,* "If I am 
 a Master, where is My fear? " are servants of 
 a master who is called their Saviour. 
 
 32. CHRIST AS SON. 
 
 None of these testimonies, however, sets 
 forth distinctly the Saviour's exalted birth; 
 but when the words are addressed to Him, 
 "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten 
 
 1 Rom. viii. 15. 
 ^ John xUi. 13. 
 c Luke xxii. 28. 
 
 ' John XV. 15 ; deAet for iroT«t. 
 * John XV. 15. 
 « i. 6. 
 
 Thee," ■ this is spoken to Him by God, with 
 whom all time is to-day, for there is no 
 evening with God, as I consider, and there 
 is no morning, nothing but time that 
 stretches out, along with His unbeginning 
 and unseen life. The day is to-day with 
 Him in which the Son was begotten, and 
 thus the beginning of His birth is not found, 
 as neither is the day of it. 
 
 33. CHRIST THE TRUE VINE, AND AS BREAD. 
 
 To what we have said must be added how 
 the Son is the true vine. Those will have 
 no difficulty in apprehending this who un- 
 derstand, in a manner worthy of the pro- 
 phetic grace, the saying;^ "Wine maketh 
 glad the heart of man." For if the heart be 
 the intellectual part, and what rejoices it is 
 the Word most pleasant of all to drink which 
 takes us off human things, makes us feel 
 ourselves inspired, and intoxicates us with 
 an intoxication which is not irrational but 
 divine, that, I conceive, with which Joseph 
 made his brethren merry,3 then it is very 
 clear how He who brings wine thus to re- 
 joice the heart of man is the true vine. 
 He is the true vine, because the grapes He 
 bears are the truth, the disciples are His 
 branches, and they, also, bring forth the 
 truth as their fruit. It is somewhat difficult 
 to show the difference between the vine and 
 bread, for He says, not only that He is the 
 vine, but that He is the bread of life. May 
 it be that as bread nourishes and makes 
 strong, and is said to strengthen the heart 
 of man, but wine, on the contrary, pleases 
 and rejoices and melts him, so ethical 
 studies, bringing life to him who learns 
 them and reduces them to practice, are the 
 bread of life, but cannot properly be called 
 the fruit of the vine, while secret and mys- 
 tical speculations, rejoicing the heart and 
 causing those to feel inspired who take them 
 in, delighting in the Lord, and who desire 
 not only to be nourished but to be made 
 happy, are called the juice of the true vine, 
 because they flow from it. 
 
 34. CHRIST AS THE FIRST AND THE LAST ; HE IS 
 ALSO WHAT LIES BETWEEN THESE. 
 
 Further, we have to ask in what sense He 
 is called in the Apocalypse the First and 
 the Last, and how, in His character as the 
 First, He is not the same as the Alpha and the 
 beginning, while in His character as the Last 
 He is not the same as the Omega and the end. 
 It appears to me, then, that the reason- 
 
 ' Mark i. 11 ; Ps. ii. 7; Heb. i. 5. 
 
 ' Ps. civ. 15. ' Gen. xliii. 34. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 315 
 
 able beings which exist are characterized by 
 many forms, and that some of them are the 
 first, some the second, some the third, and 
 so on to the last. To pronounce exactly, 
 however, which is the first, what kind of a 
 being the second is, which may truly be 
 designated third, and to carry this out to 
 the end of the series, this is not a task for 
 man, but transcends our nature. We shall 
 yet venture, such as we are, to stand still a 
 little at this point, and to make some ob- 
 servations on the matter. There are some 
 gods of whom God is god, as we hear in 
 prophecy,' "Thank ye the God of gods," 
 and^ "The God of gods hath spoken, and 
 called the earth." Now God, according to 
 the Gospel, 3 "is not the God of the dead 
 but of the living." Those gods, then, are 
 living of whom God is god. The Apostle, 
 too, writing to the Corinthians, says :■* "As 
 there are gods many and lords many," and 
 so we have spoken of these gods as really 
 existing. Now there are, besides the gods 
 of whom God is god, certain others, who 
 are called thrones, and others called domin- 
 ions, lordships, also, and powers in addition 
 to these. The phrase.s " above every name 
 that is named, not only in this world, but 
 also in that which is to come," leads us to 
 believe that there are yet others besides 
 these which areless familiar to us ; one kind 
 of these the Hebrews called Sabai, from 
 which Sabaoth was formed, who is their 
 ruler, and is none other than God. Add to 
 all these the reasonable being who is mortal, 
 man. Now the God of all things made first 
 in honour some race of reasonable beings ; 
 this I consider to be those who are called 
 gods, and the second order, let us say, for 
 the present, are the thrones, and the third, 
 undoubtedly, the dominions. And thus we 
 come down in order to the last reasonable 
 race, which, perhaps, cannot be any other 
 than man. The Saviour accordingly be- 
 came, in a diviner way than Paul, all things 
 to all, that He might either gain all or per- 
 fect them ; it is clear that to men He became 
 a man, and to the angels an angel. As for 
 His becoming man no believer has any 
 doubt, but as to His becoming an angel, we 
 shall find reason for believing it was so, if 
 we observe carefully the appearances and 
 the words of the angels, in some of which 
 the powers of the angels seem to belong to 
 Him. In several passages angels speak in 
 such a way as to suggest this, as when * 
 "the angel of the Lord appeared in a flame 
 
 ' Ps. cxxxvi. a. 
 * I Cor, viU. 5. 
 
 « Ps. I. I. 
 ' Ephei. L 31. 
 
 • Matt. XI. J, 
 ' Exod, iii. 3, 6. 
 
 of fire. And he said, 1 am the God of Abra- 
 ham and of Isaac and of Jacob. " But Isaiah 
 also says : ' " His name is called Angel of 
 Great Counsel." The Saviour, then, is the 
 first and the last, not that He is not what 
 lies between, but the extremities are named 
 to show that He became all things. Con- 
 sider, however, whether the last is man, or 
 the things said to be under the earth, of 
 which are the demons, all of them or some. 
 We must ask, too, about those things which 
 the Saviour became which He speaks of 
 through the prophet David, ^ "And I became 
 as a man without any to help him, free 
 among the dead. " His birth from the Vir- 
 gin and His life so admirably lived showed 
 Him to be more than man, and it was the 
 same among the dead. He was the only 
 free person there, and His soul was not left 
 in hell. Thus, then. He is the first and the 
 last. Again, if there be letters of God, as 
 such there are, by reading which the saints 
 may say they have read what is written on 
 the tablets of heaven, these letters, by which 
 heavenly things are to be read, are the no- 
 tions, divided into small parts, into A and 
 so on to fl, the Son of God. Again, He is 
 the beginning and the end, but He is this 
 not in all His aspects equally. For He is 
 the beginning, as the Proverbs teach us, in- 
 asmuch as He is wisdom ; it is written : 
 "The Lord founded Me in the beginning of 
 His ways, for His works." In the respect 
 of His being the Logos He is not the begin- 
 ning. " The Word was in the beginning." 
 Thus in His aspects one comes first and is 
 the beginning, and there is a second after 
 the beginning, and a third, and so on to the 
 end, as if He had said, I am the beginning, 
 inasmuch as I am wisdom, and the second, 
 perhaps, inasmuch as I am invisible, and 
 the third in that I am life, for "what was 
 made was life in Him. " One who was quali- 
 fied to examine and to discern the sense of 
 Scripture might, no doubt, find many mem- 
 bers of the series ; I cannot say if he could 
 find them all. "The beginning and the 
 end" is a phrase we usually apply to a thing 
 that is a completed unity ; the beginning of 
 a house is its foundation and the end the 
 parapet. We cannot but think of this figure, 
 since Christ is the stone which is the head 
 of the corner, to the great unity of the body 
 of the saved. For Christ the only-begotten 
 Son is all and in all. He is as the beginning 
 in the man He assumed. He is present as 
 the end in the last of the saints, and He i.s 
 also in those between, or else He is present 
 
 > Isa. ix. 6. 
 
 ' Pb, IxxxviiL 4*5' 
 
3i6 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 as the beginning in Adam, as the end in His 
 life on earth, according to the saying : "The 
 last Adam was made a quickening spirit." 
 This saying harmonizes well with the inter- 
 pretation we have given of the first and the 
 last. 
 
 35. CHRIST AS THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. 
 
 In what has been said about the first and 
 the last, and about the beginning and the 
 end, we have referred these words at one 
 point to the different forms of reasonable 
 beings, at another to the different con- 
 ceptions of the Son of God. Thus we have 
 gained a distinction between the first and 
 the beginning, and between the last and 
 the end, and also the distinctive meaning 
 of A and Q. It is not hard to see why he 
 is called' " the Living and the Dead, " and 
 after being dead He that is alive for ever- 
 more. For since we were not helped by 
 His original life, sunk as we were in sin. He 
 came down into our deadness in order that. 
 He hnving died to sin, we,^ bearing about 
 in our body the dying of Jesus, might then 
 receive that life of His which is for evermore. 
 For tho^e who always carry about in their 
 body the dying of Jesus shall obtain the 
 life of Jesus also, manifested in their bodies. 
 
 36. 
 
 CHRIST AS A SWORD. 
 
 The texts of the Neiv Testament, which 
 we have discussed, are things said by 
 Himself about Himself In Isaiah, how- 
 ever. He said^ that His mouth had 
 been set by His Father as a sharp 
 sword, and that He was hidden under 
 the shadow of His hand, made like to a 
 chosen shaft and kept close in the Father's 
 quiver, called His servant by the God of all 
 things, and Israel, and Light of the Gentiles. 
 The mouth of the .Son of God is a sharp 
 sword, for ■> "The word of God is living, 
 and active, and sharper than any two-edged 
 sword, and piercing to the dividing of soul 
 aad spirit, of both joints and marrow, and 
 quick to discern the thoughts and intents of 
 the heart." And indeed He came not to 
 bring peace on the earth, that is, to corporeal 
 and sensible things, but a sword, and to cut 
 through, if I may say so, the disastrous 
 friendship of soul and body, so that the 
 soul, committing herself to the spirit which 
 was against the flesh, may enter into friend- 
 ship with God. Hence, according to the 
 prophetic word. He made His mouth as a 
 sword, as a sharp sword. Can any one be- 
 
 ' Apoc. i. 17, 18 
 * Isa. xlix. , 3. 
 
 * 2 Cor. iv. 10. 
 
 • Heb. It. 11. 
 
 hold SO many wounded by the divine love, 
 like her in the Song of Songs, who com- 
 plained that she was wounded : • "I am 
 wounded with love," and find the dart that 
 wounded so many souls for the love of God, 
 in any but Him who said, " He hath made 
 Me as a chosen shaft." 
 
 37. CHRIST AS A SERVANT, AS THE LAMB OF 
 GOD, AND AS THE MAN WHOM JOHN DID 
 NOT KNOW. 
 
 Again, let any one consider how Jesus 
 WHS to His disciples, not as He who sits at 
 meat, but as He who serves, and how 
 though the Son of God He took on Him the 
 form of a servant for the sake of the freedom 
 of those who were enslaved in sin, and he 
 will be at no loss to account for the Father's 
 saying to ilim:= " Thou art My servant," 
 and a little further on ; "It is a great thing 
 that thou shouldst be called My servant." 
 For we do not hesitate to say that the good- 
 ness of Christ appears in a greater and more 
 divine light, and more according to the 
 image of the F"ather, because J " He hum- 
 bled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, 
 even the death of the cross," than if He had 
 judged it a thing to be grasped to be equal 
 with God, and had shrunk from becoming 
 a servant for the salvation of the world. 
 Hence He says,-* desiring to teach us that 
 in accepting this state of servitude He had 
 received a great gift from Flis Father : "And 
 My God shall be My strength. And He said 
 to Me, It is a great thing for Thee to be called 
 My servant." For if He had not become a ser- 
 vant. He would not have raised up the tribes 
 of Jacob, nor have turned the heart of the 
 diaspora of Israel, and neither would He 
 have become a light of the Gentiles to be for 
 salvation to the ends of the earth. And it is 
 no great thing for Him to become a servant, 
 even if it is called a great thing by His 
 Father, for this is in comparison with His be- 
 ing called with an innocent sheep and with 
 a lamb. For the Lamb of God became like 
 an innocent sheep being led to the slaughter, 
 that He may take away the sin of the world. 
 He who supplies reason (^.oytn) to all is 
 made like a lamb which is dumb before her 
 shearer, that we might be purified by His 
 death, which is given as a sort of medicine 
 against the opposing power, and also 
 against the sin of those who open their 
 minds to the truth. For the death of Christ 
 reduced to impotence those powers which 
 war against the human race, and it set free 
 
 ^ Songii. 5. 
 
 ' Phjlipp. iL 6, 8. 
 
 ' Isa. xlix. 3, 6. 
 Isa. xlix. 5, 6. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 317 
 
 from sin by a power beyond our words the 
 life of each believer. Since, then, He takes 
 away sin until every enemy shall be de- 
 stroyed and death last of all, in order that the 
 whole world may be free from sin, therefore 
 John points to Him and says : ' "Behold the 
 Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of 
 the world." It is not said that He will take 
 it away in the future, nor that He is at pre- 
 sent taking it, nor that He has taken it, but 
 is not taking it away now. His taking- away 
 sin is still going on, He is taking it away 
 from every individual in the world, till sin 
 be taken away from the whole world, and 
 the Saviour deliver the kingdom prepared 
 and completed to the Father, a kingdom in 
 which no sin is left at all, and which, there- 
 fore, is ready to accept the Father as its 
 king, and which on the other hand is wait- 
 ing to receive all God has to bestow, fully, 
 and in every part, at that time when the 
 saying^ is fulfilled, "That God may be all 
 in all." Further, we hear of a man who is 
 said to be coming after John, who was 
 made before him and was before him. 
 This is to teach us that the man also of the 
 Son of God, the man who was mixed with 
 His divinity, was older than His birth from 
 Mary. John says he does not know this 
 ' man, but must he not have known Him 
 when he leapt for joy when yet a babe un- 
 born in Ehsabeth's womb, as soon as the 
 voice of Mary's salutation sounded in the ears 
 of the wife of Zacharias .' Consider, there- 
 fore, if the words "I know Him not" may 
 have reference to the period before the bodily 
 existence. Though he did not know Him 
 before He assumed His body, yet hei knew 
 Him when yet in his mother's womb, and 
 perhaps he is here learning something new 
 about Him beyond what was known to him 
 before, namely, that on whomsoever the 
 Holy Spirit shall descend and abide on him, 
 that is he who is to baptize with the Holy 
 Spirit and with fire. He knew him from his 
 mother's womb, but not all about Him. He 
 did not know perhaps that this is He who 
 baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire, 
 when he saw the Spirit descending and 
 abiding on Him. Yet that He was indeed 
 a man, and the first man, John did not know. 
 
 38. CHRIST AS PARACLETE, AS PROPITIATION, 
 AND AS THE POWER OF GOD. 
 
 But none ot the names we have mentioned 
 expresses His representation of us with the 
 Father, as He pleads for human nature, and 
 makes atonement for it ; the Paraclete, and 
 
 * John i. 29. 
 
 ' I Cor. XV. 28. 
 
 the propitiation, and the atonement. He 
 has the name Paraclete in the Epistle of 
 John:" " If any man sin, we have a Para- 
 clete with the Father, Jesus Christ the 
 righteous." And He is said in the same 
 epistle to be the atonement ^ for our sins. 
 Similarly, in the Epistle to the Romans, He 
 is called a propitiation : 3 " Whom God set 
 forth to be a propitiation through faith." 
 Of this proportion there was a type in the 
 inmost part of the temple, the Holy of 
 Holies, namely, the golden mercy-seat 
 placed upon the two cherubim. But how 
 could He ever be the Paraclete, and the 
 atonement, and the propitiation without the 
 power of God, whicfi inakes an end of our 
 weakness, flows over the souls of believers, 
 and is administered by Jesus, who indeed is 
 prior to it and Plimself the power of God, 
 who enables a man to say : ■* " I can do all 
 things through Jesus Christ who strength- 
 eneth me." Whence we know that Simon 
 Magus, who gave himself the title of " The 
 power of God, which is called great," was 
 consigned to perdition and destruction, he 
 and his money with him. We, on the con- 
 trary, who confess Christ as the true power 
 of God, believe that we share with Him, in- 
 asmuch as He is that power, all things in 
 which any energy resides. 
 
 39. CHRIST AS WISDOM AND SANCTIFICATION 
 AND REDEMPTION. 
 
 We must not, however, pass over in 
 silence that He is of right the wisdom of 
 God, and hence is called by that name. 
 For the wisdom of the God and Father of 
 all things does not apprehend His substance 
 in mere visions, like the phantasms of hu- 
 man thoughts. Whoever is able to con- 
 ceive a bodiless existence of manifold spec- 
 ulations which extend to the rationale of all 
 existing things, living and, as it were, en- 
 souled, he will see how well the Wisdorri of 
 God which is above every creature speaks of 
 herself, when she says :S "God created me 
 the beginning of His ways, for His works." 
 By this creating act the whole creation was 
 enabled to exist, not being unreceptive of 
 that divine wisdom according to which it 
 was brought into being ; for God, according 
 to the prophet David,* made all things in 
 wisdom. But many things came into being 
 by the help of wisdom, which do not lay 
 hold of that by which they were created; 
 and few things indeed there are which lay 
 hold not only of that wisdom v.'hich con- 
 
 1 I John ii. I, 2. 
 * Philipp. iv. 13. 
 
 " Prov. viii. 22. 
 
 "* tXoo-T^jpio*', Rom. iii. 25. 
 " Ps. civ. 24. 
 
318 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 cerns themselves, but of that which has to 
 do with many things besides, namely, of 
 Christ who is the whole of wisdom. But 
 each of tlie sages, in proportion as he em- 
 braces wisdom, partakes to that extent of 
 Christ, in that He is wisdom ; just as every 
 one who is greatly gifted with power, in 
 proportion as he has power, in that propor- 
 tion also has a share in Christ, inasmuch 
 as He is power. The same is to be thought 
 about sanctification and redemption ; for 
 Jesus Himself is made sanctification to us 
 and redemption. Each of us is sanctified 
 with that sanctification, and redeemed with 
 that redemption, Consider, moreover, if the 
 words "to us," added by the Apostle, have 
 any special force. Christ, he says, " was 
 made to us of God, wisdom, and righteous- 
 ness, and sanctification, and redemption." 
 In other passages, he speaks about Christ as 
 being wisdom, without any such qualifica- 
 tion, and of His being power, saying that 
 Christ is the power of God and the wisdom 
 of God, though we might have conceived 
 that He was not the wisdom of God or the 
 power of God, absolutely, but only for us. 
 Now, in respect of wisdom and power, we 
 have both forms of the statement, the rela- 
 tive and the absolute ; but in respect of 
 sanctification and redemption, this is not 
 the case. Consider, therefore, since ' " He 
 that sanctifies and they that are sanctified 
 are all of one," whether the Father is the 
 sanctification of Him who is our sanctifica- 
 tion, as, Christ being our head, God is His 
 head. But Christ is our redemption because 
 we had become prisoners and needed ran- 
 soming. I do not enquire as to His own 
 redemption, for though He was tempted in 
 all things as we are. He was without sin, 
 and His enemies never reduced Him to cap- 
 tivity. 
 
 4Q. CHRIST AS RIGHTEOUSNESS ; AS THE DEMIURGE, 
 THE AGENT OF THE GOOD GOD, AND AS 
 HIGH-PRIEST. 
 
 Having expiscated the " to us " and the 
 " absolutely " — santification and redemption 
 being "to us" and not absolute, wisdom 
 and redemption both to us and absolute — we 
 must not omit to enquire into the position 
 of righteousness in the same passage. That 
 Christ is righteousness relatively to us ap- 
 pears clearly from the words: "Who was 
 made to us of God wisdom and righteous- 
 ness and sanctification and redemption." 
 And if we do not find Him to be righteous- 
 ness absolutely as He is the wisdom and the 
 
 »Heb. U. II. 
 
 power of God absolutely, then we must en- 
 quire whether to Christ Himself, as the 
 Father is santification, so the Father is also 
 righteousness. There is, we know, no un- 
 righteousness with God ; ' He is a righteous 
 and holy Lord,' and His judgments are in 
 righteousness, and being righteous, He 
 orders all things righteously. 
 
 The heretics drew a distinction for pur- 
 poses of their own between the just and the 
 good. They did not make the matter very 
 clear, but they considered that the demiurge 
 was just, while the Father of Christ was 
 good. That distinction may, I think, if 
 carefully examined, be applied to the Father 
 and the Son ; the Son being righteousness, 
 and having received powers to execute 
 judgment, because He is the Son of Man 
 and will judge the world in righteousness, 
 but the Father doing good to those who 
 have been disciplined by the righteousness 
 of the Son. This is after the kingdom of 
 the Son ; then the Father will manifest in 
 His works His name the Good, when God 
 becomes all in all. And perhaps by His 
 righteousness the Saviour prepares every- 
 thing at the fit times, and by His word, by 
 His ordering, by His chastisements, and, if 
 I may use such an expression, by His 
 spiritual healing aids, disposes all things to 
 receive at the end the goodness of the 
 Father. It was from His sense of that 
 goodness that He answered him who ad- 
 dressed the Only-begotten with the words 
 "Good Master, "4 and said, "Why callest 
 thou Me good ? None is good but one, God, 
 the Father." This we have treated of else- 
 where,especially in dealing with the question 
 of the greater than the demiurge ; Christ we 
 have taken to be the demiurge, and the Father 
 the greater than He. Such great things, 
 then. He is, the Paraclete, the atonement, 
 the propitiation, the sympathizer with our 
 weaknesses, who was tempted in all human 
 things, as we are, without sin ; and in con- 
 sequence He is a great High-Priest, having 
 offered Himself as the sacrifice which is 
 offered once for all, and not for men only 
 but for every rational creature. For without' 
 God He tasted death for every one. In 
 some copies of the Epistle to the Hebrews 
 the words are "by the grace of God." 
 Now, whether He tasted death for every one 
 without God, He died not for men only but 
 for all other intellectual beings too, or 
 whether He tasted death for every one by 
 the grace of God, He died for all without 
 
 * John vii. i8. * Apoc. xvi. 5, 7. 
 
 ^ John V. 27, * Heb. ii. q, 
 
 ' X"P« {<"• Xop'Ti. a widely difiused early variant. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 319 
 
 God, for by the grace of God He tasted death 
 for every one. It would surely be absurd 
 to say that He tasted death for human sins 
 and not for any other being besides man 
 which had fallen into sin, as for example for 
 the stars. For not even the stars are clean 
 in the eyes of God, as we read in Job, ' 
 "The stars are not clean in His sight," unless 
 this is to be regarded as a hyperbole. Hence 
 he is a great High-Priest, since He restores 
 all tilings to His Father's kingdom, and 
 arranges that whatever defects exist in each 
 part of creation shall be tilled up so as to be 
 full of the glory of the Father. This High- 
 Priest is called, from some other notion of 
 him than those we have noticed, Judas, that 
 those who are Jews secretly ^ may take the 
 name of Jew not from Judah, son of Jacob, 
 but from Him, since they are His brethren, 
 and praise Him for the freedom they have 
 attained. For it is He who sets them free, 
 saving them from their enemies on whose 
 backs He lays His hand to subdue them. 
 When He has put under His feet the oppos- 
 ing power, and is alone in presence of His 
 Father, then He is Jacob and Israel ; and 
 thus as we are made light by Him, 
 since He is the light of the world, so 
 we are made Jacob since He is called Jacob, 
 and Israel since He is called Israel. 
 
 41. CHRIST AS THE ROD, THE FLOWER, THE 
 STONE. 
 
 Now He receives the kingdom from the 
 king whom the children of Israel appointed, 
 beginning the monarchy not at the divine 
 command and without even consulting God. 
 He therefore fights the battles of the Lord 
 and so prepares peace for His Son, His peo- 
 ple, and this perhaps is the reason why He 
 is called David. Then He is called a rod ; i 
 such He is to those who need a harder and 
 severer discipline, and have not submitted 
 to the love and gentleness of God. On this 
 account, if He is a rod. He has to "go 
 forth ; " He does not remain in Himself, but 
 appears to go beyond His earlier state. 
 Going forth, then, and becoming a rod. He 
 does not remain a rod, but after the rod He 
 becomes a flower that rises up, and after 
 being a rod He is made known as a flower 
 to those who, by His being a rod, have met 
 with visitation. For "God will visit their 
 iniquities with a rod,"-* that is, Christ. But 
 "His mercy He will not take from him," 
 for He will have mercy on him, for on 
 whom the Son has mercy the Father has 
 
 mercy also. An interpretation may be 
 given which makes Him a rod and a flower 
 in respect of different persons, a rod to those 
 who have need of chastisement, a flower to 
 those who are being saved ; but I prefer the 
 account of the matter given above. We 
 must add here, however, that, perhaps, 
 looking to the end, if Christ is a rod to any 
 man He is also a flower to him, while it is 
 not the case that he who receives Him as a 
 flower must also know Him as a rod. And 
 yet as one flovver is more perfect than an- 
 other and plants are said to flower, even 
 though they bring forth no perfect fruit, so 
 the perfect receive that of Christ which 
 transcends the flower. Those, on the other 
 hand, who have known Him as a rod will 
 partake along with it, not in His perfection, 
 but in the flower which comes before the 
 fruit. Last of all, before we come to the 
 word Logos, Christ was a stone,' set at 
 naught by the builders but placed on the 
 head of the corner, for the living stones are 
 built up as on a foundation on the other 
 stones of the Apostles and prophets, Christ 
 Jesus Himself our Lord being the chief 
 corner-stone, because He is a part of the 
 building made of living stones in the land 
 of the living ; therefore He is called a stone. 
 All this we have said to show how capri- 
 cious and baseless is the procedure of those 
 who, when so many names are given to 
 Christ, take the mere appellation " the 
 Word," without enquiring, as in the case of 
 His other titles, in what sense it is used ; 
 surely they ought to ask what is meant 
 when it is said of the Son of God that He 
 was the Word, and God, and that He was 
 in the beginning with the Father, and that 
 all things were made by Him. 
 
 42. OF THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH CHRIST IS 
 THE LOGOS. 
 
 As, then, from His activity in enlightening 
 the world whose light He is, Christ is named 
 the Light of the World, and as from His 
 making those who sincerely attach them- 
 selves to Him put away their deadness and 
 rise again and put on newness of life. He is 
 called the Resurrection, so from an activity 
 of another kind He is called Shepherd and 
 Teacher, King and Chosen Shaft, and Ser- 
 vant, and in addition to these Paraclete and 
 Atonement and Propitiation. And after the 
 same fa.shion He is also called the Logos," 
 because He takes away from us all that is 
 
 ' Job XXV. 5. 
 * Isa. xi. I. 
 
 * Rom. ii. 29. 
 
 * Ps. Ixxxix. 32, 33. 
 
 * Ps. cxviii. 22. 
 
 ^ It is impossible to render by any one English word the Greelt 
 ^6yoq as used by Origen in the following discussion. We shall 
 therefore in many passages leave it untranslated. 
 
320 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 irrational, and malces us truly reasonable, 
 so that we do all things, even to eating and 
 drinking, to the glory of God, and discharge 
 by the Logos to the glory of God both the 
 commoner functions of life and those which 
 belong to a more advanced stage. For if, 
 by having part in Him, we are raised up and 
 enlightened, herded also it may be and ruled 
 over, then it is clear that we become in a 
 divine manner reasonable, when He drives 
 away from us what in us is irrational and 
 dead, since He is the Logos (reason) and 
 the Resurrection. Consider, however, 
 
 wliether all men have in some way part in 
 Him in His character as Logos. On this 
 point the Apostle teaches us that He is to 
 be sought not outside the seeker, and that 
 those tind Him in themselves who set their 
 heart on doing so ; "Say not' in thy heart, 
 Who shall ascend into heaven ? That is to 
 bring Christ down ; or, Who shall descend 
 into the abyss ? That is to bring Christ up 
 from the dead. But what saitli the Scrip- 
 ture .■■ The Word is very nigh thee, in thy 
 mouth and in thy heart," as if Christ Llim- 
 self were the same thing as the Word said 
 to be sought after. But when the Lord 
 Himself says,= " If I had not come and 
 spoken unto them, they had not had sin ; 
 but now they have no cloak for their sin," 
 the only sense we can find in His words is 
 that the Logos Himself says that those are 
 not chargeable with sin to whom He (rea- 
 son) has not fully come, but that those, if 
 they sin, are guilty who, having had part in 
 Him, act contrary to the ideas by which 
 He declares His full presence in us. Only 
 when thus read is the saying true : " If I 
 had not come and spoken to them, they had 
 not had sin." Should the words be applied, 
 as many are of opinion that they should, to 
 the visible Christ, then how is it true that 
 those had no sin to whom He did not come ? 
 In that case all who lived before the advent 
 of the Saviour will be free from sin, since 
 Jesus, as seen in flesh, had not yet come. 
 And more — all those to whom He has never 
 been preached will have no sin, and if they 
 have no sin, then it is clear they are not 
 liable to judgment. But the Logo's in man, 
 in which we have said that our whole race 
 had part, is spoken of in two senses ; first, 
 in that of the filling up of ideas which takes 
 place, prodigies excepted, in every one 
 who passes beyond the age of boyhood, but 
 secondly, in that of the consummation, 
 which takes place only in the perfect. The 
 words, therefore, "If I had not come and 
 
 ' Rom. X. 6 8. 
 
 * John XV. 22. 
 
 spoken to them, they would not have had 
 sin, but now they have no cloak for their 
 sin," are to be understood in the former 
 sense; but the words," " All that ever came 
 before me are thieves and robbers, and the 
 sheep did not hear them," in the latter. 
 For before the consummation of reason 
 comes, there is nothing in man but what is 
 blameworthy ; all is imperfect and defective, 
 and can by no means command the obe- 
 dience of those irrational elements in us 
 which are tropically spoken of as sheep. 
 And perhaps the former meaning is to be 
 recognized in the words " The Logos was 
 made flesh," but the second in " The Logos 
 was God. " We must accordingly look at what 
 there is to be seen inhuman affairs between 
 the saying, "The Word (reason) was made 
 flesh" and "The Word was God. " When 
 the Word was made flesh can we say that it 
 was to some extent broken up and thinned 
 out, and can we say that it recovered from 
 that point onward till it became again what 
 it was at first, God the Word, the Word with 
 the Father; the Word whose glory John saw, 
 the verily only-begotten, as from the Father. 
 But the Son may also be the Logos (Word), 
 because He reports the secret things of His 
 Father who is intellect in the same way as 
 the Son who is called the Word. For as 
 with us the word is a messenger of those 
 things which the mind perceives, so the 
 Word of God, knowing the Father, since no 
 created being can approach Him without a 
 guide, reveals the Father whom He knows. 
 For no one knows the Father save the Son,^ 
 and he to whomsoever the Son reveals Him, 
 and inasmuch as He is the Word He is the 
 iWessenger of Great Counsel, s who has the 
 government upon His shoulders ; for He en- 
 tered on His kingdom by enduring the cross. 
 In the Apocalypse,* moreover, the Faithful 
 and True (the Word), is said to sit on a 
 white horse, the epithets indicating, I con- 
 sider, the clearness of the voice with which 
 the Word of truth speaks to us when He 
 sojourns among us. This is scarcely the 
 place to show how the word "horse" is 
 often used in passages spoken for our en- 
 couragement in sacred learning. I only 
 cite two of these : " A horse is deceitful for 
 safety," s and "Some trust in chariots and 
 some in horses, but we will rejoice in the 
 name of the Lord our God. " * Nor must we 
 leave unnoticed a passage in the forty- 
 fourth Psalm, 7 frequently quoted by many 
 writers as if they understood it : " My heart 
 
 1 John X. 8. 
 * xix. TI. 
 ' Ps. xlv. I. 
 
 ' Matt, xi, 27. 
 ** Ps. xxxiii. 17. 
 
 ^ Isa. ix. 5, 6. 
 ° Ps. XX. 7. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 321 
 
 hath belched forth a good word, I speak my 
 works to the King." Suppose it is God the 
 Father who speaks thus ; what is His heart, 
 that the good word should appear in accord- 
 ance with His heart ? If, as these writers 
 suppose, the Word (Logos) needs no inter- 
 pretation, then the heart is to be taken in 
 the natural sense too. But it is quite absurd 
 to suppose God's heart to be a part of Him 
 as ours is of our body. We must remind 
 such writers that as when the hand of God 
 is spoken of, and His arm and His finger, we 
 do not read the words literally but enquire 
 in what sound sense we may take them so 
 as to be worthy of God, so His heart is to be 
 understood of His rational power, by which 
 He disposes all things, and His word of that 
 which announces what is in this heart of 
 His. But who is it that announces the 
 counsel of the Father to those of His 
 creatures who are worthy and who have 
 risen above themselves, who but the 
 Saviour.' That "belched forth" is not, 
 perhaps, without significance ; a hundred 
 other terms might have been employed ; 
 "My heart has produced a good word," it 
 might have been said, or "My heart has 
 spoken a good word." But in belching, some 
 wind that was hidden makes its way out to 
 the world, and so it may be that the Father 
 gives out views of truth not continuously, 
 but as it were after the fashion of belching, 
 and the word has the character of the things 
 thus produced, and is called, therefore, the 
 image of the invisible God. We may en- 
 ter our agreement, therefore, with the ordi- 
 nar}' acceptation of these words, and take 
 them to be spoken by the Father. It is not, 
 however, a matter of course, that it is God 
 Himself who announces these things. 
 Why should it not be a prophet? Filled 
 with the Spirit and unable to contain him- 
 self, he brings forth a word about his 
 prophecy concerning Christ: "My heart 
 hath belched forth a good word, I speak 
 my works to the King, my pen is the tongue 
 of a ready writer. Excellent in beauty is 
 He beyond the sons of men." Then to the 
 Christ Himself: "Grace is poured out on 
 Thy lips. " If the Father were the speaker, 
 how could He go on after the words, ' ' Grace 
 is poured out on thy lips," to say, "There- 
 fore God hath blessed thee for ever," and a 
 little further on, "Therefore God, thy God, 
 hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness 
 above thy fellows." Some of those who 
 wish to make the Father the speaker may 
 appeal to the words, "Hear, O daughter, 
 and behold and incline thine ear, and forget 
 thy people and thy father. " The prophet. 
 
 it may be said, could not address the Church 
 in the words, " Hear, O daughter." It is 
 not difficult, however, to show that changes 
 of person occur frequently in the Psalms, 
 so that these words, " Hear, O daughter," 
 might be from the Father, in this passage, 
 though the Psalm as a whole is not. To 
 our discussion of the Word we may here add 
 the passage,' " By the word of the Lord 
 were the heavens founded, and all the 
 power of them by the breath of His mouth." 
 Some refer this to the Saviour and the Holy 
 Spirit. The passage, however, does not 
 necessarily imply any more than that the 
 heavens were founded by the reason (logos) 
 of God, as when we say that a house is 
 built by the plan (logos) of the architect, or 
 a ship by the plan (logos) of the shipbuilder. 
 In the same way the heavens were founded 
 (made solid) by the Word of God, for they 
 are ^ of a more divine substance, which 
 on this account is called solid ; s it has little 
 fluidity for the most part, nor is it easily 
 melted like other parts of the world, and 
 specially the lower parts. On account of 
 this difference the heavens are said in a 
 special manner to be constituted by the 
 Word of God. 
 
 The saying then stands, first, " In the 
 beginning was the Logos ; " we are to 
 place that full in our view ; but the testi- 
 monies we cited from the Proverbs led us to 
 place wisdom first, and to think of wisdom 
 as preceding the Word which announces 
 her. We must observe, then, that the Logos 
 is in the beginning, that is, in wisdom, 
 always. Its being iti wisdom, which is called 
 the beginning, does not prevent it from 
 being with God and from being God, and it 
 is not simply with God, but is in the begin- 
 ning, in wisdom, with God. For he goes 
 on : " He was in the beginning with God." 
 He might have said, " He was with God ; " 
 but as He was in the beginning, so He was 
 with God in the beginning, and " All things 
 were made by Him," being in the begin- 
 ning, for God made all things, as David tells 
 us, in wisdom. And to let us understand 
 that the Word has His own definite place 
 and sphere as one who has life in Himself 
 (and is a distinct person), we must also speak 
 about powers, not about power. "Thus 
 saith the Lord of powers, (A.V. hosts) " we 
 frequently read ; there are certain creatures, 
 rational and divine, which are called powers ; 
 and of these Christ was the highest and best, 
 and is called not only the wisdom of God but 
 
 ^ Ps. xxxiii. 6. 3 Reading rvyx'i-^oixTa';. 
 
 3 trT€pe<is, of which tlie aTepetaij.a, firmament, is made. 
 
322 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 also His power. As, then, there are sev- 
 eral powers of God, each of them in its 
 own form, and the Saviour is different from 
 these, so also Christ, even if that which is 
 Logos in us is not in respect of form out- 
 side of us, will be understood from our dis- 
 
 cussion up to this point to be the Logos, 
 who has His being in the beginning, in 
 wisdom. This for the present may suffice, 
 on the word: " In the beginning was the 
 Logos. " 
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 I. "And the Word was with God, a7id the 
 Word was God." In the preceding section, 
 my revered brother Ambrosius, brother 
 formed according to the Gospel, we have 
 discussed, as far as is at present in our 
 power, what the Gospel is, and what is 
 the beginning in which the Word was, 
 and what the Word is which was in the 
 beginning. We now come to consider 
 the next point in the work before us. 
 How the Word was with God. To this 
 end it will be of service to remember that 
 what is called the Word came to certain 
 persons ; as " The Word of the Lord ' which 
 came to Hosea, the son of Beeri," and 
 " The Word^ which came to Isaiah, the son 
 of Amos, concerning Judah and concerning 
 Jerusalem," and "The Word which came 
 to Jeremiah' concerning the drought. " We 
 must enquire how this VVord came to Hosea, 
 and how it came also to Isaiah the son of 
 Amos, and again to Jeremiah concerning the 
 drought ; the comparison may enable us to 
 find out hovv the Word was with God. The 
 generality will simply look at what the 
 prophets said, as if that were the Word of 
 the Lord or the Word, that came to them. 
 May it not be, however, that as we say 
 that this person comes to that, so the Son, 
 the Word, of whom we are now theologizing, 
 came to Hosea, sent to him by the Father ; 
 historically, that is to say, to the son of 
 Beeri, the prophet Hosea, but mystically to 
 him who is saved, for Hosea means, etymo- 
 logically. Saved ; and to the son of Beeri, 
 which etymologically means wells, since 
 every one who is saved becomes a son of 
 that spring which gushes forth out of the 
 depths, the wisdom of God. And it is nowise 
 marvellous that the saint should be a son of 
 wells. From his brave deeds he is often 
 called a son, whether, from his works shin- 
 ing before men, of light, or from his possess- 
 ing the peace of God which passes all un- 
 
 * IIos. i. I, 
 
 * Isa. U. I. 
 
 * Jer. xiv. I. 
 
 derstanding, of peace, or, once more, from 
 the help which wisdom brings him, a child 
 of wisdom ; for wisdom,' it says, is justified 
 of her children. Thus he who by the divine 
 spirit searches all things, and even the deep 
 things of God, so that he can exclaim,^ "O 
 thedepth of therichesboth of the wisdomand 
 the knowledge of God ! " he can be a son of 
 wells, to whom the Word of the Lord comes. 
 Similarly the Word comes also to Isaiah, 
 teaching the things which are coming upon 
 Judsea and Jerusalem in the last days ; and 
 so also it comes to Jeremiah lifted up by a 
 divine elation. For Iao means etymologi- 
 cally lifting up, elation. Now the Word 
 comes to men who formerly could not re- 
 ceive the advent of the Son of God who is 
 the Word ; but to God it does not come, as if 
 it had not been with Him before. The Word 
 was always with the Father ; and so it is 
 said, "And the Word was with God." He 
 did not come to God, and this same word 
 " was" is used of the Word because He was 
 in the beginning at the same time when He 
 was with God, neither being separated from 
 the beginning nor being bereft of His Father. 
 And again, neither did He come to be in the 
 beginning after He had not been in it, nor 
 did He come to be with God after not having 
 been with Him. For before all time and the 
 remotest age ' the Word was in the begin- 
 ning, and the Word was with God. Thus to 
 find out what is meant by the phrase, ' ' The 
 Word was with God," we have adduced the 
 words used about the prophets, how He 
 came to Hosea, to Isaiah, to Jeremiah, and 
 we have noticed the difference, by no 
 means accidental, between "became" and 
 " was." We have to add that in His coming 
 to the prophets He illuminates the prophets 
 with the light of knowledge, causing them 
 to see things which had been before them, 
 but which they had not understood till then. 
 With God, however, He is God, just because 
 
 * Matt. xi. ig. 
 
 ' Omitting to, with Jacobi 
 
 • Rom. li. 33. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 323 
 
 He is with Him. And perhaps it was be- 
 cause he saw some such order in the Logos, 
 that John did not place the clause "The 
 Word was God" before the clause "The 
 Word was with God." The series in 
 which he places his different sentences 
 does not prevent the force of each axiom 
 from being separately and fully seen. One 
 axiom is, "In the beginning was the 
 Word," a second, "The Word was with 
 God," and then comes, "And the Word was 
 God." The arrangement of the sentences 
 might be thought to indicate an order ; we 
 have first " In the beginning was the Word," 
 then, "And the Word was with God," and 
 thirdly, "And the Word was God," so that 
 it might be seen that the Word being with 
 God makes Him God. 
 
 2. IN WHAT WAY THE LOGOS IS GOD. ERRORS 
 TO BE AVOIDED ON THIS QUESTION. 
 
 We next notice John's use of the article 
 in these sentences. He does not write with- 
 out care in this respect, nor is he unfamiliar 
 with the niceties of the Greek tongue. In 
 some cases he uses the article, and in some 
 he omits it. He adds the article to the 
 Logos, but to the name of God he adds it 
 sometimes only. He uses the article, when 
 the name of God refers to the uncreated 
 cause of all things, and omits it when the 
 Logos is named God. Does the same 
 difference which we observe between God 
 with the article and God without it prevail 
 also between the Logos with it and without 
 it ? We must enquire into this. As the 
 God who is over all is God with the article, 
 not without it, so " the Logos " is the source 
 of that reason (Logos) which dwells in 
 every reasonable creature ; the reason which 
 is in each creature is not, like the former, 
 cedled par ext:eUe7tce The Logos. Now there 
 are many who are sincerely concerned about 
 religion, and who fall here into great per- 
 plexity. They are afraid that they may be 
 proclaiming two Gods, and their fear drives 
 them into doctrines which are false and 
 wicked. Either they deny that the Son has 
 a distinct nature of His own besides that of 
 the Father, and make Him whom they call 
 the Son to be God all but the name, or 
 they deny the divinity of the Son, giving 
 Him a separate existence of His own, and 
 making His sphere of essence fall outside 
 that of the Father, so that they are separ- 
 able from each other. To such persons we 
 have to say that God on the one hand is 
 Very God (Autotheos, God of Himself) ; and 
 so the Saviour says in His prayer to the 
 
 Father,' "That they may know Thee the 
 only true God ; " but that all beyond the Very 
 God is made God by participation in His 
 divinity, and is not to be called simply God 
 (with the article), but rather God (without 
 article). And thus the first-born of all 
 creation, who is the first to be with God, and 
 to attract to Himself divinity, is a being of 
 more exalted rank than the other gods beside 
 Him, of whom God is the God, as it is 
 written,^ "The God of gods, the Lord, hath 
 spoken and called the earth." It was by 
 the offices of the first-born that they became 
 gods, for He drew from God in generous 
 measure that they should be made gods, and 
 He communicated it to them according to 
 His own bounty. The true God, then, is 
 "The God," and those who are formed 
 after Him are gods, images, as it were, of 
 Him the prototype. But the archetypal 
 image, again, of all these images is the Word 
 of God, who was in the beginning, and who 
 by being with God is at all times God, not 
 possessing that of Himself, but by His being 
 with the Father, and not continuing to be 
 God, if we should think of this, except by 
 remaining always in uninterrupted contem- 
 plation of the depths of the Father. 
 
 3. VARIOUS RELATIONS OF THE LOGOS TO MEN. 
 
 Now it is possible that some may dislike 
 what we have said representing the Father 
 as the one true God, but admitting other 
 beings besides the true God, who have be- 
 come gods by having a share of God. 
 They may fear that the glory of Him who 
 surpasses all creation may be lowered to 
 the level of those other beings called gods. 
 We drew this distinction between Him and 
 them that we showed God the Word to be 
 to all the other gods the minister of their 
 divinity. To this we must add, in order to 
 obviate objections, that the reason which is 
 in every reasonable creature occupied the 
 same relation to the reason who was in the 
 beginning with God, and is God the Word, 
 as God the Word occupies to God. As the 
 Father who is Very God and the True God 
 is to His image and to the images of His 
 image — men are said to be according to the 
 image, not to be images of God — so He, the 
 Word, is to the reason (word) in every man. 
 Each fills the place of a fountain — the Father 
 is the fountain of divinity, the Son of reason. 
 As, then, there are many gods, but to us 
 there is but one God the Father, and many 
 Lords, but to us there is one Lord, Jesus 
 Christ, so there are manyil«;-o(,but we, for our 
 
 ^ John xvii. 3. 
 
 ' Ps. I. 
 
324 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 part, pray that that one A6-/'og may be with 
 ns who was in the beginning and was with 
 God, God the Logos. For whoever does 
 not receive this Logos who was in the 
 beginning with God, or attach himself to 
 Him as He appeared in flesh, or take part in 
 some of those who had part in this Logos, 
 or whoever having had part in Him falls away 
 from Him again, he will have his portion in 
 what is called most opposite to reason. 
 What we have drawn out from the truths 
 with which we started will now be clear 
 enough. First, we spoke about God and the 
 Word of God, and of Gods, either, that is, 
 beings who partake in deity or beings who 
 are called Gods and are not. And again of 
 the Logos of God and of the Logos of God 
 made flesh, and of logoi, or beings which 
 partake in some way of the Logos, of second 
 logoi or of third, thought to be logoi, in 
 addition to that Logos that was before them 
 all, but not really so. Irrational Reasons 
 these may be styled ; beings are spoken of 
 who are said to be Gods but are not, and 
 one might place beside these Gods who are 
 no Gods, Reasons which are no Reasons. 
 Now the God of the universe is the God of 
 the elect, and in a much greater degree of 
 the Saviours of the elect ; then He is the God 
 of these beings who are truly Gods, and then 
 He is the God, in a word, of the living and 
 not of the dead. But God the Logos is the 
 God, perhaps, of those who attribute every- 
 thing to Him and who consider Him to be 
 their Father. Now the sun and the moon 
 and the stars were connected, according to 
 the accounts of men of old times, with beings 
 who were not worthy to have the God of 
 gods counted their God. To this opinion 
 they were led by a passage in Deuteronomy 
 which is somewhat on this wise:' " Lest when 
 thou liftest up thine eyes to heaven, and 
 seest the sun and the moon and the whole 
 host of heaven, thou wander away and wor- 
 ship them and serve them which the Lord 
 thy God hath appointed to all the peoples. 
 But to you the Lord thy God hath not so 
 given them." But how did God appoint 
 the sun and the moon and all the host of 
 heaven to all the nations, if He did not give 
 them in the same way to Israel also, to the 
 end that those who could not rise to the 
 realm of intellect, might be inclined by 
 gods of sense to consider about the Godhead, 
 and might of their own free will connect 
 themselves with these and so be kept from 
 falling away to idols and demons ? Is it not 
 the case that some have for their God the 
 
 * Deut. iv. 19, quoted apparently from memory. 
 
 God of the luiiverse, while a second class, 
 after these, attach themselves to the Son of 
 God, His Christ, and a third class worship 
 the sun and the moon and all the host of 
 heaven, wandering, it is true, from God, but 
 with a far different and a better wandering 
 than that of those who invoke as gods the 
 works of men's hands, silver and gold, — 
 works of human skill. Last of all are those 
 who devote themselves to the beings which 
 are called gods but are no gods. In the same 
 way, now, some have faith in that Reason 
 which was in the beginning and was with 
 God and was God ; so did Hosea and Isaiah 
 and Jeremiah and others who declared that 
 the Word of the Lord, or the Logos, had 
 come to them. A second class are those 
 who know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him 
 crucified, considering that the Word made 
 flesh is the whole Word, and knowing only 
 Christ after the flesh. Such is the great 
 multitude of those who are counted believers. 
 A third class give themselves to logoi (dis- 
 courses) havingsomepartin the Logos which 
 they consider superior to all other reason : 
 these are they who follow the honourable and 
 distinguished philosophical schools among 
 the Greeks. A fourth class besides these are 
 they who put their trust in corrupt and god- 
 less discourses, doing away with Providence, 
 which is so manifest and almost visible, and 
 who recognize another end for man to follow 
 than the good. It may appear to some that 
 we have wandered from our theme, but to 
 my thinking the view we have reached of 
 four things connected with the name of God 
 and four things connected with the Logos 
 comes in very well at this point. There 
 was God with the article and God without 
 the article, then there were gods in two 
 orders, at the summit of the higher order of 
 whom is God the Word, transcended Himself 
 by the God of the universe. And, again, 
 there was the Logos with the article and the 
 Logos without the article, corresponding to 
 God absolutely and a god ; and the Logoi 
 in two ranks. And some men are connected 
 with the Father, being part of Him, and 
 next to these, those whom our argument now 
 brings into clearer light, those who have 
 come to the Saviour and take their stand 
 entirely in Him. And third are those of 
 whom we spoke before, who reckon the sun 
 and the moon and the stars to be gods, and 
 take their stand by them. And in the fourth 
 and last place those who submit to soulless 
 and dead idols. To all this we find anal- 
 ogies in what concerns the Logos. Some 
 are adorned with the Word Him'self ; some 
 with what is next to Him and appears to be 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 325 
 
 the very original Logos Himself, those, 
 namely, who know nothing but Jesus Christ 
 and Him crucified, and who behold the 
 Word as flesh. And the third class, as we 
 described them a little before. Why should 
 I speak of those who are thought to be in 
 the Logos, but have fallen away, not only 
 from the good itself, but from the very 
 traces of it and from those who have a part 
 in it ? 
 
 4. THAT THE LOGOS IS ONE, NOT MANY. OF 
 THE WORD, FAITHFUL AND TRUE, AND OF 
 HIS WHITE HORSE. 
 
 " He was in the beginning with God." By 
 his three foregoing propositions the Evange- 
 list has made us acquainted with three 
 orders, and he now sums up the three in 
 one, saying, "This (Logos) was in the be- 
 ginning with God." In the first premiss we 
 learned where the Logos was ; He v\'as in 
 the beginning ; then we learned with whom 
 He was, with God ; and then who He was, 
 that He was God. He now points out by 
 this word " He," the Word who is God, and 
 gathers up into a fourth proposition the three 
 which went before, "In the beginning was 
 the Word," "The Word was with God," and 
 " The Word was God." Now he says, He, 
 this (Word) was in the beginning with God. 
 The term beginning may be taken of the 
 beginning of the world, so that we may 
 learn from what is said that the Word was 
 older than the things which were made from 
 the beginning. For if "in the beginning 
 God created heaven and earth," but " He " 
 was in the beginning, then the Logos is 
 manifestly older than those things which 
 were made at the beginning, older not only 
 than the firmament and the dry land, but 
 than the heavens and earth. Now some one 
 might ask, and not unreasonably, why it is 
 not said, " In the beginning was the Word 
 of God, and the Word of God was with God, 
 and the Word of God was God." But he 
 who asked such a question could be shown 
 to be taking for granted that there are a 
 plurality of logoi, differing perhaps from 
 each other in kind, one being the word of 
 God, another perhaps the word of angels, a 
 third of men, and so on with the other logoi. 
 Now, if this were so with the Logos, the 
 case would be the same with wisdom and 
 with righteousness. But it would be absurd 
 that there should be a number of things 
 equally to be called "The Word ; " and the 
 same would apply to wisdom and to right- 
 eousness. We shall be driven to confess 
 that we ought not to look for a plurality of 
 logoi, or of wisdom, or of righteousness, 
 
 if we look at the case of truth. Any one 
 will confess that there is only one truth ; it 
 could never be said in this case that there is 
 one truth of God, and another of the angels, 
 and another of man, — it lies in the nature of 
 things that the truth about anything is one. 
 Now, if truth be one, it is clear that the pre- 
 paration of it and its demonstration, which 
 is wisdom, must in reason be conceived as 
 one, since what is regarded as wisdom can- 
 not justly claim that title where truth, which 
 is one, is absent from its grasp. But if 
 truth is one and wisdom one, then Rea- 
 son (Logos) also, which announces truth 
 and makes truth simple and manifest to 
 those who are fitted to receive it, will be 
 one. This we say, by no means denying 
 that truth and wisdom and reason are of 
 God, but we wish to indicate the purpose of 
 the omission in this passage of the words 
 "of God," and of the form of the statement, 
 "In the beginning the Logos was with 
 God." The same John in the Apocalypse 
 gives Him His name with the addition "of 
 God," where he says : " "And I saw heaven 
 opened, and behold a white horse, and He 
 that sat thereon called Faithful and True ; 
 and in righteousness doth He judge and 
 make war. And His eyes are as a flame of 
 fire, and on His head are many diadems, 
 and He hath a name written which no one 
 knoweth but He Himself. And He is ar- 
 rayed in a garment sprinkled with blood, 
 and His name is called ^ Word of God. And 
 His armies in heaven followed Him on 
 white horses, clothed in pure fine linen. 
 And out of His mouth proceedeth a sharp 
 sword, that with it He should smite the 
 nations, and He shall rule them with a rod 
 of iron, and He treadeth the winepress of the 
 fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. 
 And He hath on His garment and on His thigh 
 a name written : King of kings, and Lord of 
 lords." In this passage Logos is necessarily 
 spoken of absolutely without the article, and 
 also with the addition Logos of God ; had 
 the first not been the case {i.e., had the 
 article been given) we might have been led 
 to take up the meaning wrongly, 3 and so to 
 depart from the truth about the Logos. For 
 if it had been called simply Logos, and had 
 not been said to be the Logos of God, then 
 we would not be clearly informed that the 
 Logosis the Logos of God. And, again, had 
 it been called Logos of God but not said to 
 be Logos absolutely, then we might imagine 
 many logoi, according to the constitution 
 
 1 Apoc. xix. 11-16. * In the Greek the article is here omitted. 
 ^ Reading irapEfcSefatrdai, with Huet. 
 
326 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 of each of the rational beings which exist ; 
 then we might assume a number of logoi 
 properly so called. Again, in his description 
 in the Apocalypse of the Logos of God, the 
 Apostle and Evangelist (and the Apocalypse 
 entitles him to be styled a prophet, too) says 
 he saw the Word of God in the opened 
 heaven, and that He was riding on a white 
 horse. Now we must consider what he means 
 to convey when he speaks of heaven being 
 opened and of the white horse, and of the 
 Word of God riding on the white horse, and 
 also what is meant by saying that the Word 
 of God is Faithful and True, and that in 
 righteousness He judges and makes war. 
 All this will greatly advance our study on 
 the subject of the Word of God. Now I 
 conceive heaven to have been shut against 
 the ungodly, and those who bear the image 
 of the earthly, and to have been opened to 
 the righteous and those adorned with the 
 image of the heavenly. For to the former, 
 being below and still dwelling in the flesh, 
 the better things are closed, since they 
 cannot understand them and have neither 
 power nor will to see their beauty, looking 
 down as they do and not striving to look up. 
 But to the excellent, or those who have their 
 commonwealth in heaven,^ he opens, with 
 the key of David, the things in heavenly 
 places and discloses them to their view, and 
 makes all clear to them by riding on his 
 horse. These words also have their mean- 
 ing ; the horse is white because it is the 
 nature of higher knowledge (j-vaJa-ij) to be 
 clear and white and full of light. And on 
 the white horse sits He who is called Faith- 
 ful, seated more firmly, and so to speak 
 more royally, on words which cannot be set 
 aside, words which run sharply and more 
 swiftly than any horse, and overbear in their 
 rushing course every so-called word that 
 simulates the Word, and every so-called 
 truth that simulates the Truth. He who sits 
 on the white horse is called Faithful, not be- 
 cause of the faith He cherishes, but of that 
 which He inspires, because He is worthy of 
 faith. Now the Lord Jehovah, according to 
 Moses, ^ is Faithful and True. He is true also 
 in respect of His relation to shadow, type, 
 and image ; for such is the Word who is 
 in the opened heaven, for He is not on 
 earth as He is in heaven ; on earth He is 
 made flesh and speaks through shadow, 
 type, and image. The multitude, therefore, 
 of those who are reputed to believe are 
 disciples of the shadow of the Word, not 
 of the true Word of God which is in the 
 
 * Philipp. iii. 20. 
 
 ' Deut. xxxii. 4. 
 
 opened heaven. Hence Jeremiah says,' 
 "The Spirit of our face is Christ the Lord, 
 of whom we said. In His shadow shall we 
 live among the nations. " Thus the Word of 
 God who is called Faithful is also called 
 True, and in righteousness He judges 
 and makes war ; since He has received from 
 God the faculty of judging in very right- 
 eousness and very judgment, and of appor- 
 tioning its due to every existing creature. 
 For none of those who have some portion 
 of righteousness and of the faculty of judg- 
 ment can receive on his soul such copies and 
 impressions of righteousness and judg- 
 ment as to come short in no point of 
 absolute righteousness and absolute justice, 
 just as no' painter of a picture can com- 
 municate to the representation all the 
 qualities of the original. This, I conceive, 
 is the reason why David says,^ " Before 
 Thee shall no living being be justified." 
 He does not say, no man, or no angel, but 
 no living being, since even if any being 
 partakes of life and has altogether put off 
 mortality, not even then can it be justified in 
 comparison of Thee, who art, as it were. 
 Life itself Nor is it possible that one who 
 partakes of life and is therefore called living, 
 should become life itself, or that one who 
 partakes of righteousness and, therefore, is 
 called righteous should become equal to 
 righteousness itself. Now it is the function 
 of the Word of God, not only to judge in 
 righteousness, but also to make war in 
 righteousness, that by making war on His 
 enemies by reason and righteousness, so 
 that what is irrational and wicked is de- 
 stroyed,3 He may dwell in the soul of him 
 who, for his salvation, so to speak, has be- 
 come captive to Christ, and may justify that 
 soul and cast out from her all adversaries. 
 We shall, however, obtain a better view of 
 this war which the Word carries on if we 
 remember that He is an ambassador for the 
 truth, while there is another who pretends 
 to be the Word and is not, and one who 
 calls herself the truth and is not, but a lie. 
 Then the Word, arming Himself against the 
 lie, slays it with the breath of His mouth 
 and brings it to naught by the manifestation 
 of His coming. -t And consider whether 
 these words of the Apostle to the Thessa- 
 lonians may be understood in an intellectual 
 sense. For vi^hat is that which is destroyed 
 by the breath of the mouth of Christ, Christ 
 being the Word and Truth and Wisdom, but 
 the lie ? And what is that which is brought 
 
 ' Lam. XV. 20. 
 
 * Omitting Xcyeaflai, with Jacobi. 
 
 • Ps. cxliii. 2. 
 
 * 2 Thess. ii. 8. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 327 
 
 to naught by the manifestation of Christ's 
 coming, Christ being conceived as wisdom 
 and reason, what but that which announces 
 itself as wisdom, when in reality it is one of 
 those things with which God deals as the 
 Apostle describes,' " He taketh the wise, 
 those who are not wise with the true wis- 
 dom, in their own craftiness " ? To what 
 he says of the rider on the white horse, John 
 adds the wonderful statement: "His eyes 
 are like a flame of fire." For as the flame 
 of fire is bright and illuminating, but at the 
 same time fiery and destructive of material 
 things, so, if I may so say, are the eyes of 
 the Logos with which He sees, and every 
 one who has part in Him ; they have not 
 only the inherent quality of laying hold of 
 the things of the mind, but also that of con- 
 suming and putting away those conceptions 
 which are more material and gross, since 
 whatever is in any way false flees from the 
 directness and lightness of truth. It is in a 
 very natural order that after speaking of Him 
 who judges in righteousness and makes war 
 in accordance with His righteous judgments, 
 and then after His warring of His giving 
 light, the writer goes on to say, "On His 
 head are many diadems." For ha.d the lie 
 been one, and of one form only, against 
 which the True and Faithful Word contend- 
 ed, and for conquering which He was 
 crowned, then one crown alone would 
 naturally have been given Him for the 
 victory. As it is, however, as the lies are 
 many which profess the truth and for 
 warring against which the Word is crowned, 
 the diadems are many which surround the 
 head of the conqueror of them all. As He has 
 overcome every revolting power many 
 diadems mark His victory. Then after the 
 diadems He is said to have a name written 
 which no one knows but He Himself For 
 there are some things which are known to 
 the Word alone ; for the beings which come 
 into existence after Him have a poorer 
 nature than His, and none of them is able to 
 behold all that He apprehends. And per- 
 haps it is the case that only those who have 
 part in that Word know the things which 
 are kept from the knowledge of those who 
 do not partake of Him. Now, in John's 
 vision, the Word of God as He rides on the 
 white horse is not naked : He is clothed 
 with a garment sprinkled with blood, for 
 the Word who was made flesh and therefore 
 died is surrounded with marks of the fact 
 that His blood was poured out upon the 
 earth, when the soldier pierced His side. 
 
 ^ I Cor. iii. 19. 
 
 For of that passion, even should it be our 
 lot some day to come to that highest and 
 supreme contemplation of the Logos, we 
 shall not lose all memory, nor shall we for- 
 get the truth that our admission was 
 brought about by His sojourning in our 
 body. This Word of God is followed by 
 the heavenly armies one and all ; they 
 follow the Word as their leader, and imitate 
 Him in all things, and chiefly in having 
 mounted, they also, white horses. To him 
 that understands, this secret is open. And 
 as sorrow and grief and wailing fled away 
 at the end of things, so also, I suppose, did 
 obscurity and doubt, all the mysteries of 
 God's wisdom being precisely and clearly 
 opened. Look also at the white horses of 
 the followers of the Word and at the white 
 and pure linen with which they were 
 clothed. As linen comes out of the earth, 
 may not those linen garments stand for the 
 dialects on the earth in which those voices 
 are clothed which make clear announce- 
 ments of things ? We have dealt at some 
 length with the statements found in the 
 Apocalypse about the Word of God ; it is 
 important for us to know clearly about 
 Him. 
 
 5. HE (this one) was IN THE BEGINNING WITH 
 GOD. 
 
 To those who fail to distinguish with care 
 the different propositions of the context the 
 Evangelist may appear to be repeating him- 
 self " He was in the beginning with God "^ 
 may seem to add nothing to ' ' And the Word 
 was with God." We must observe more 
 carefully. In the statement ' ' The Word was 
 with God " we are not told anything of the 
 when or the where ; that is added in the 
 fourth axiom. There are four axioms, or, as 
 some call them, propositions, the fourth 
 being "He was in the beginning with God." 
 Now "The Word was with God" is not the 
 same thing as " He was," etc ; for here we 
 are told, not only that He was with God, but 
 when and where He was so : " He was in 
 the beginning with God." The " He," too, 
 used as it is for a demonstration, will be con- 
 sidered to refer to the Word, or by a less 
 careful enquirer, to God. What was noted 
 before is now summed up in this designation 
 " He," the notion of the Logos and that of 
 God ; and as the argument proceeds the 
 different notions are collected in one ; for the 
 notion God is not included in the notion 
 Logos, nor the notion Logos in that of God. 
 And perhaps the proposition before us is a 
 summing up in one of the three which have 
 preceded. Taking the statement that the 
 
328 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 Word was in the beginning-, we have not yet 
 learned that He was with God, and taking 
 the statement that the Word was with God 
 it is not yet clear to us that He was with 
 God in the beginning ; and taking the state- 
 ment that the Word was God, it has neither 
 been shown that He was in the beginning, 
 nor that He was with God. 
 
 Now when the Evangelist says, " He was 
 in the beginning with God," if we apply the 
 pronoun " He'' to the Word and to God (as 
 He is God) and consider that "in the be- 
 ginning" is conjoined with it, and "with 
 God " added to it, then there is nothing left 
 of the three propositions that is not summed 
 up and brought together in this one. And as 
 ■" in the beginning " lias been said twice, we 
 may consider if there are not two lessons we 
 may learn. First, that the Word was in the 
 beginning, as if He was by Himself and not 
 with anyone, and secondly, that He was in 
 the beginning with God. And I consider that 
 there is nothing untrue in saying of Him 
 both that He was in the beginning, and in 
 the beginning with God, for neither was He 
 with God alone, since He was also in the 
 beginning, nor was He in the beginning 
 alone and not with God, since " He was in 
 the beginning with God." 
 
 6. HOW THE WORD IS THE MAKER OF ALL 
 THINGS, AND EVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS 
 WADE THROUGH HIM. 
 
 "■^ All things were made through Him." 
 The " through ' whom " is never found in the 
 first place but always in the second, as in 
 the Epistle to the Romans,^ " Paul a servant 
 of Christ Jesus, a called Apostle, separated 
 to the Gospel of God which He promised be- 
 fore by His prophets in Holy Scriptures, 
 concerning His Son, who was born of the 
 seed of David according to the flesh, deter- 
 mined the Son of God in power according to 
 the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of 
 the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through 
 whom we received grace and apostleship, 
 for obedience of the faith among all the na- 
 tions, for His name's sake." For God prom- 
 ised aforehand by the prophets His own 
 Gospel, the prophets being His ministers, 
 and having their word to speak about Him 
 "through whom." And again God gave 
 grace and apostleship to Paul and to the 
 others for the obedience of the faith among 
 all the nations, and this He gave them 
 through Jesus Christ the Saviour, for the 
 "through whom " belonged to Him. And 
 the Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the 
 
 * See R. V. margin, Joha i. 3. 
 
 • Rom. i. 1-5, 
 
 Hebrews :' "At the end of the days He spoke 
 to us in His Son, whom He made the heir of 
 all things, 'through whom' also He made 
 the ages," showing us that God made the 
 ages through His Son, the " through whom " 
 belonging, when the ages were being made, 
 to the Only-begotten. Thus, if all things 
 were made, as in this passage also, through 
 the Logos, then they were not made hy the 
 Logos, but by a stronger and greater than 
 He. And who else could this be but the 
 Father ? Now if, as we have seen, all things 
 were made through Him, we have to enquire 
 if the Holy Spirit also was made through 
 Him. It appears to me that those who hold 
 the Floly Spirit to be created, and who also 
 admit that " all things were made through 
 Him," must necessarily assume that the 
 Holy Spirit was made through the Logos, 
 the Logos accordingly being older than He. 
 And he who shrinks from allowing the Holy 
 Spirit to have been made through Christ 
 must, if he admits the truth of the statements 
 of this Gospel, assume the Spirit to be un- 
 created. There is a third resource besides 
 these two (that of allowing the Spirit to have 
 been made by the Word, and that of regard- 
 ing it as uncreated), namely, to assert that 
 the Holy Spirit has no essence of His own 
 beyond the Father and the Son. But on fur- 
 ther thought one may perhaps see reason to 
 consider that the Son is second beside the 
 Father, He being the same as the Father, 
 while manifestly a distinction is drawn be- 
 tween the Spirit and the Son in the passage,^ 
 "Whosoever shall speak a word against the 
 Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him, but 
 whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy 
 Spirit, he shall not have forgiveness, either 
 in this world or in the world to come." We 
 consider, therefore, that there are three hy- 
 postases, the Father and the Son and the 
 Holy Spirit ; and at the same time we be- 
 lieve nothing to be uncreated but the Father. 
 We therefore, as the more pious and the truer 
 course, admit that all things were made by 
 the Logos, and that the Holy Spirit is the 
 most excellent and the first in order' of all 
 that was made by the Father through Christ. 
 And this, perhaps, is the reason why the Spirit 
 is not said to be God's own Son. The Only- 
 begotten only is by nature and from the 
 beginning a Son, and the Holy Spirit seems 
 to have need of the Son, to minister to Him 
 His essence, so as to enable Him not only to 
 exist, but to be wise and reasonable and 
 just, and all that we must think of Him as 
 being. All this He has by participation of 
 
 ' i, 1, 2. * Matt. xii. 32. ^ Reading Trpb wauTwr, with Jacobl. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 3"9 
 
 the character of Christ, of which we have 
 spoken above. And I consider that the 
 Holy Spirit supplies to those who, through 
 Him and through participation in Him, are 
 called saints, the material of the gifLs, which 
 come from God ; so that the said material 
 of the gifts is made powerful by God, is 
 
 i ministered by Christ, and owes its actual 
 existence in men to the Holy Spirit. I am 
 led to this view of the charisms by the 
 words of Paul which he writes somewhere," 
 "There are diversities of gifts but the same 
 Spirit, and diversities of ministrations, and 
 the same Lord. And there are diversities of 
 workings, but it is the same God that worlc- 
 eth all in all." The statement that all things 
 were made by Hi m, and its seeming corollary, 
 that the Spirit must have been called into 
 being by the Word, may certainly raise some 
 difficulty. There are some passages in which 
 the Spirit is placed above Christ ; in Isaiah, 
 for example, Christ declares that He is sent, 
 not by the Father only, but also by the Holy 
 Spirit. "Now the Lord hath sent Me," He 
 says,^ "and His Spirit." And in the Gospel 
 He declares that there is forgiveness for the 
 sin committed against Himself, but that for 
 blasphemy against the Holy Spirit there is 
 no forgiveness, either in this age or in the 
 age to come. What is the reason of this.-' 
 Is it because the Holy Spirit is of more value 
 than Christ that the sin against Him cannot 
 be forgiven ? May it not rather be that all 
 rational beings have part in Christ, and that 
 forgiveness is extended to them when they 
 repent of their sins, while only those have 
 part in the Holy Spirit who have been found 
 worthy of it, and that there cannot well be 
 any forgiveness for those who fall away to 
 evil in spite of such great and powerful co- 
 operation, and who defeat the counsels of 
 the Spirit who is in them. When we find 
 the Lord saying, as He does in Isaiah, that 
 He is sent by the Father and by His Spirit, 
 we have to point out here also that the Spirit 
 is not originally superior to the Saviour, but 
 that the Saviour takes a lower place than He 
 in order to carry out the plan which has 
 been made that the Son of God should be- 
 come man. Should any one stumble at our 
 saying that the Saviour in becoming man 
 was made lower than the Holy Spirit, we 
 ask him to consider the words used in the 
 Epistle to the Hebrews, 3 where Jesus is 
 shown by Paul to have been made less than 
 the angels on account of the suffering of 
 death. "We behold Him," he says, "who 
 hath been made a little lower than the an- 
 
 ^ I Cor. xii. 4-6. 
 
 ' Isa, .\lviH. 16. 
 
 gels, Jesus, because ofthe suffering of death, 
 crowned with glory and honour." Andthis, 
 too, has doubtless to be added, that the crea- 
 tion, in order to be dehvered from the bon- 
 dage of corruption, and not least of all the 
 human race, required the introduction into 
 human nature of a happy and divine power, 
 which should set right what was wrong upon 
 the earth, and that this action fell to the 
 share, as it were, ofthe Holy Spirit ; but the 
 Spirit, unable to support such a task, puts for- 
 ward the Saviour as the only one able to en- 
 dure such a conflict. The Father therefore, 
 the principal, sends the Son, but the Holy 
 Spirit also sends Him and directs Him to go 
 before, promising to descend, when the time 
 comes, to the Son of God, and to work with 
 Him for the salvation of men. This He did, 
 when, in a bodily shape like a dove. He flew 
 to Him after the baptism. He remained on 
 Him, and did not pass Him by, as He might 
 have done with men not able continuously to 
 bear His glory. Thus John, when explain- 
 ing how he knew who Christ was, spoke 
 not only of the descent of the Spirit on Jesus, 
 but also of its remaining upon him. For it 
 is written that John said :' "He who sent 
 me to baptize said, On whomsoever thou shalt 
 see the Spirit descending and abiding upon 
 Him, the same is He that baptizeth with the 
 Holy Spirit and with fire." It is not said only, 
 "On whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit 
 descending," for the Spirit no doubtdescend- 
 ed on others too, but " descending and abid- 
 ing on Him." Our examination of this point 
 has been somewhat extended, since we were 
 anxious to make it clear that if all things 
 were made by Him, then the Spirit also was 
 made through the Word, and is seen to be 
 one of the "all things" which are inferior 
 to their Maker. This view is too firmly 
 settled to be disturbed by a few words which 
 may be adduced to the opposite effect. If 
 any one should lend credence to the Gospel 
 according to the Hebrews, where the Saviour 
 Himself says, "My mother, the Holy Spirit 
 took me just now by one of my hairs and 
 carried me off to the great mount Tabor," 
 he will have to face the difficulty of explain- 
 ing how the Holy Spirit can be the mother 
 of Christ when it was itself brought into 
 existence through the Word. But neither the 
 passage nor this difficulty is hard to explain. 
 For if he who does the will of the Father in 
 heaven ^ is Christ's brother and sister and 
 mother, and if the name of brother of Christ 
 may be applied, not only to the race of men, 
 but to beings of diviner rank than they. 
 
 ' John i. 32. 
 
 " Matt. xii. so. 
 
330 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 then there is nothing- absurd in the Holy 
 Spirit's being His mother, every one being 
 His mother who does the will of the Father 
 in heaven. 
 
 On the words, "All things were made 
 by Him," there is still one point to be 
 examined. The "word" is, as a notion, 
 from " life," and yet we read, " What 
 was made in the Word was life, and the 
 life was the light of men." Now as all 
 things were made through Him, was the 
 life made through Him, which is the light 
 of men, and the other notions under which 
 the Saviour is presented to us ? Or must 
 we take the "all things were made by Him " 
 subject to the exception of the things whiqh 
 are in Himself ? The latter course appears to 
 be the preferable one. For supposing we 
 should concede that the life which is the light 
 of men was made through Him, since it said 
 that the life " was made " the light of men, 
 what are we to say about wisdom, which is 
 conceived as being prior to the Word ? That, 
 therefore, which is about the Word (His rela- 
 tions or conditions) was not made by the 
 Word, and the result is that, with the excep- 
 tion of the notions under which Christ is 
 presented, all things were made through the 
 Word of God, the Father making them in 
 wisdom. " In wisdom hast Thou made them 
 all," it says,' not through, but in wisdom. 
 
 7. OF THINGS NOT MADE THROUGH THE LOGOS. 
 
 Let us see, however, why the words are 
 added, "And without Him was not anything 
 (Gr. even one thing) made." Some might 
 think it superfluous to add to the words ' ' All 
 things were made through Him," the phrase 
 "Without Him was not anything made." For 
 if everything whatsoever was made through 
 the Logos, then nothing was made without 
 Him. Yet it does not follow from the pro- 
 position that without the Logos nothing was 
 made, that all things were made through the 
 Logos. It is possible that though nothing 
 was made without the Logos, all things 
 were made, not through the Logos only, but 
 some things by Him. We must, therefore, 
 make ourselves sure in what sense the "all 
 things" is to be understood, and in what 
 sense the "nothing." For, vi-ithout a clear 
 preliminary definition of these terms, it 
 might be maintained that, if all things were 
 made through the Logos, and evil is a part 
 of all things, then the whole matter of sin, 
 and everything that is wicked, that these 
 also were made through the Logos. But 
 this we must regard as false. There is no- 
 
 * Pa. civ. 34, 
 
 thing absurd in thinking that creatures were 
 made through the Logos, and also that men's 
 brave deeds have been done through Him, 
 and all the useful acts of those who are now 
 in bliss ; but with the sins and misfortunes 
 of men it is otherwise. Now some have 
 held that since evil is not based in the con- 
 stitution of things — for it did not exist at the 
 beginning and at the end it will have ceased 
 — that, therefore, the evils of which we spoke 
 are the Nothing ; and as some of the Greeks 
 say that genera and forms, such as the 
 (general) animal and the man, belong to the 
 category of No-things, so it has been sup- 
 posed that all that is not of God is Nothing, 
 and has not even obtained through the Word 
 the subsistence it appears to have. We ask 
 whether it is possible to show from Scripture 
 in any convincing way that this is so. As 
 for the meanings of the word "Nothing" 
 and " Not-being," they would appear to be 
 synonymous, for Nothing can be spoken of 
 as Not-being, and the Not-being can be de- 
 scribed as Nothing. The Apostle, however, 
 appears to count the things which are not, 
 not among those which have no existence 
 whatever, but rather among things which 
 are evil. To him the Not-being is evil ; 
 "God," he says,' "called the things that are 
 not as things that are." And Mardochseus, 
 too, in the Esther of the Septuagint, calls 
 the enemies of Israel "those that are not," 
 saying,^ "Deliver not Thy sceptre, O Lord, 
 to those that are not." W^emay also notice 
 how evil men, on account of their wicked- 
 ness, are said not to be, from the name 
 ascribed to God in Exodus : s " For the Lord 
 said to Moses, I am, that is My name." The 
 good God says this with respect of us also 
 who pray that we may be part of His con- 
 gregation. The Saviour praises him, say- 
 ing, -i "None is good but one, God the 
 Father." The good, then, is the same as 
 He who is. Over against good is evil 
 or wickedness, and over against Him who 
 is that which is not, whence it follows 
 that evil and wickedness are that which is 
 not. This, perhaps, is what has led some to 
 affirm that the devil is not created by God. 
 In respect that he is the devil he is not the 
 work of God, but he who is the devil is a 
 created being, and as there is no other creator 
 but our God, he is a work of God. It is as 
 if we should say that a murderer is not a 
 work of God, while we may say that in 
 respect he is a man, God made him. His 
 being as a man he received from God ; 
 
 * Rom. Iv. 17. 
 ' Exod. iu.14, 
 
 ' Esth. iv. 22. 
 * Mark x. 18. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 331 
 
 we do not assert that he received from God 
 his being as a murderer. All, then, who 
 have part in Him who is, and the saints have 
 part in Him, may properly be called Beings ; 
 but those who have given up their part in 
 the Being, by depriving themselves of Being, 
 have become Not-beings. But we said when 
 entering on this discussion, that Not-being 
 and Nothing are synonymous, and hence 
 those who are not beings are Nothing, and 
 all evil is nothing, since it is Not-being, and 
 thus since they are called Not-being came 
 into existence without the Logos, not being 
 numbered among the all things which were 
 made through Him. Thus we have shown, 
 so far as our powers admit, what are the 
 "all things" which were made through the 
 Logos, and what came into existence with- 
 out Him, since at no time is it Being, and 
 it is, therefore, called "Nothing." 
 
 heracleon's view that the logos is not 
 the agent of creation. 
 
 It was, I consider, a violent and unwar- 
 ranted procedure which was adopted by 
 Heracleon,' the friend, as it is said, of Val- 
 entinus, in discussing this sentence: "All 
 things were made through Him." He ex- 
 cepted the whole world and all that it con- 
 tains, excluding, as far as his hypothesis 
 goes, from the "all things " what is best in 
 the world and its contents. For he says 
 that the aeon (age), and the things in it, 
 were not made by the Logos ; he considers 
 them to have come into existence before the 
 Logos. He deals with the statement, 
 "Without Him was nothing made," with 
 some degree of audacity, nor is he afraid of 
 the warning:^ "Add not to His words, lest 
 He find thee out and thou prove a liar," for 
 to the "Nothing" he adds : "Of what is in 
 the world and the creation. " And as his 
 statements on the passage are obviously- 
 very much forced and in the face of the evi- 
 dence, for what he considers divine is ex- 
 cluded from the all, and what he regards as 
 purely evil is, that and nothing else, the all 
 things, we need not waste our time in re- 
 butting what is, on the face of it, absurd, 
 when, without any warrant from Scripture, 
 he adds to the words, " Without Him was 
 nothing made," the further words, " Of what 
 is in the earth and the creation." In this 
 proposal, which has no inner probability to 
 recommend it, he is asking us, in fact, to 
 trust him as we do the prophets, or the Apos- 
 tles, who had authority and were not re- 
 
 • On the fragments of Heracleon in this work of Origen, see 
 Texts and Studits, vol. i. part iv. by A. E. Brooke, M.A. 
 ' Frov. XXX. 6. 
 
 sponsible to men for the writings belonging 
 to man's salvation, which they handed to 
 those about them and to those who should 
 come after. He had, also, a private inter- 
 pretation of his own of the words: "All 
 things were made through Him," when he 
 said that it was the Logos who caused the 
 demiurge to make the world, not, however, 
 the Logos from whom or by whom, but 
 Him through whom, taking the written 
 words in a different sense from that of com- 
 mon parlance.' For, if the truth of the 
 matter was as he considers, then the writer 
 ought to have said that all things were made 
 through the demiurge by the Word, and not 
 through the Word by the demiurge. We 
 accept the "through whom," as it is usually 
 understood, and have brought evidence in 
 support of our interpretation, while he not 
 only puts forward a new rendering of his 
 own, unsupported by the divine Scripture, but 
 appears even to scorn the truth and shame- 
 lessly and openly oppose it. For he says : 
 "It was not the Logos who made all things, 
 as under another who was the operating 
 agent," taking the "through whom" in this 
 sense, "but another made them, the Logos 
 Himself being the operating agent." This 
 is not a suitable occasion for the proof that 
 it was not the demiurge who became the 
 servant of the Logos and made the world ; 
 but that the Logos became the servant of 
 the demiurge and formed the world. For, 
 according to the prophet David,^ "God 
 spake and they came into being. He com- 
 manded and they were created." Foe the 
 unbegotten God commanded the first-born ofi 
 all creation, 3 and they were created, noti 
 only the world and what is therein, but also 
 all other things, whether thrones or domin- 
 ions or principalities or powers, for all 
 things were made through Hirn and unto 
 Him, and He is before all things." 
 
 9. THAT THE LOGOS PRESENT IN US- IS NOT RE- 
 SPONSIBLE FOR OUR SINS. 
 
 One point more on the words : "Without 
 Him was not anything made." The ques- 
 tion about evil must receive adequate dis- 
 cussion ; what was said of it has not, it is 
 true, a very likely appearance, and yet it 
 appears to me that it ought not to be simply 
 overlooked. The question is whether evil, 
 also, was made through the Logos, taking 
 the Logos, now be it welL noted, in the 
 sense of that reason which is in every one, 
 as thus brought' into being by the reason 
 
 * Accepting Jaaobi's.and. Brook'tS correction irapa t\)v. 
 
 • P3..cid*iiiu5, » Coloss. I 15, 16. 
 
332 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 which was from the beginning-. The Apos- 
 tle says : ' "Without the law sin was dead, " 
 and adds, "But when the commandment 
 came sin revived," and so teaches generally 
 about sin that it has no power before the 
 law and the commandment (but the Logos 
 is, in a sense, law and commandment), and 
 there would be no sin were there no law, 
 for,^ "sin is not imputed where there is no 
 law." And, again, there would be no sin 
 but for the Logos, for "if I had not come 
 and spoken unto them," Christ says, 3 "they 
 had not had sin." For every excuse is 
 taken away from one who wants to make 
 excuse for his sin, if, though the Word is in 
 him and shows him what he ought to do, 
 he does not obey it. It seems, then, that all 
 things, the worse things not excepted, were 
 made by the Logos, and without Him, tak- 
 ing the nothing here in its simpler sense, 
 was nothing made. Nor must we blame 
 the Logos if all things were made by Him, 
 and without Him nothing was made, any 
 more than we blame the master who has 
 showed the pupil his duty, when the instruc- 
 tion has been such as to leave the pupil, 
 should he sin, no excuse or room to say 
 that he erred through ignorance. This ap- 
 pears the more plainly when we consider 
 that master and pupil are inseparable. For 
 as master and pupil are correlatives, and be- 
 long together, so the Logos is present in the 
 nature of reasonable beings as such, always 
 suggesting what they ought to do, even 
 should we pay no heed to his commands, 
 but devote ourselves to pleasure and allow 
 his best counsels to pass by us unregarded. 
 As the eye is a servant given us for the best 
 purposes, and yet we use it to see things on 
 which it is wrong for us to look, and as we 
 make a wrong use of our hearing when we 
 spend our time in listening to singing com- 
 petitions and to other forbidden sounds, so 
 we outrage the Logos who is in us, and use 
 Him otherwise than as we ought, when we 
 make Him assist in our transgressions. For 
 He is present with those who sin, for their 
 condemnation, and He condemns the man 
 who does not prefer Him to everything else. 
 Heiice we find it written : ■» "The word 
 which I have spoken unto you, the same 
 shall judge you." That is as if He should 
 say : " I, the Word, who am always lifting 
 up my voice in you, I, myself, will judge 
 you, and no refuge or excuse will then be 
 left you." This interpretation, however, 
 may appear somewhat strained, as we have 
 
 ' Rom. vii. 8, 9. 
 * John XV. 23. 
 
 * Rom. V. rj. 
 
 * John xii. 48. 
 
 taken the Word in one sense to be the Word 
 in the beginning, who was with God, God 
 the Word, and have now taken it in another 
 sense, speaking of it, not only in reference 
 to the principal works of creation, as in the 
 words, "All things were made through 
 Him," but as related to all the acts of reason- 
 able beings, this last being the Logos (rea- 
 son), without whose presence none of our 
 sins are committed. The question arises 
 whether the Logos in us is to be pronounced 
 the same being as that which was in the be- 
 ginning and was with God, God the Word. 
 The Apostle, certainly, does not appear to 
 make the Logos in us a different being from 
 the Logos who was in the beginning with 
 God. " Say not in thine heart," he says,' 
 " who shall go up into heaven ; that is to 
 bring Christ down, or who shall go down 
 into the abyss ; that is to bring Christ up 
 from the dead. But what saith the Scrip- 
 ture? The Logos is very nigh thee, in thy 
 mouth and in thy heart." 
 
 10. "th.\t which was made was life in him, 
 and the life was the light of men." 
 this involves the paradox that what 
 does not derive life from the logos 
 does not live at all. 
 
 The Greeks have certain apothegms, called 
 paradoxes, in which the wisdom of their sages 
 is presented at its highest, and some proof, 
 or what appears to be proof, is given. Thus 
 it is said that the wise man alone, and that 
 every wise man, is a priest, because the 
 wise man alone and every wise man pos- 
 sesses knowledge as to the service of God. 
 Again, that the wise man alone and that every 
 wise man is free and has received from the 
 divine law authority to do what he himself 
 is minded to do, and this authority they call 
 lawful power of decision. Why should we 
 say more about these so-called paradoxes ? 
 Much discussion is devoted to them, and 
 they call for a comparison of the sense of 
 Scripture with the doctrine thus conveyed, 
 so that we may be in a position to deter- 
 mine where religious doctrine agrees with 
 them and where it differs from tlicm. This 
 has been suggested to us by our study of 
 the words, " That which was made was life 
 in Him ; " for it appears possible to follow 
 the words of Scripture here and to make out 
 a number of things which partake of the 
 character of the paradoxes and are even 
 more paradoxical than these sentences of the 
 Greeks. If we consider the Logos in the 
 beginning, who was with God, God the 
 
 ' Rom. I. 6-8. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 333 
 
 Word, we shall perhaps be able to declare 
 that only he who partakes of this being, 
 considered in this character, is to be pro- 
 nounced reasonable ("logical"), and thus 
 we should demonstrate that the saint alone 
 is reasonable.^ Again, if we apprehend that 
 life has come in the Logos, he, namely, who 
 said, " I am the life," then we shall say that 
 no one is alive who is outside the faith of 
 Christ, that all are dead who are not living 
 to God, that their life is life to sin, and there- 
 fore, if I may so express myself, a life of 
 death. Consider however, whether the 
 divine Scriptures do not in many places teach 
 this ; as where the Saviour says, ' "Or have 
 ye not read that which was spoken at the 
 bush, I am the God of Abraham and the 
 God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He is 
 not God of the dead but of the living." 
 And^ "Before Thee shall no living being be 
 justified." But why need we speak about 
 God Himself or the Saviour ? For it is dis- 
 puted to which of them the voice belongs 
 which says in the prophets,3 "As I live, 
 saith the Lord. " 
 
 II. HOW NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS OR CAN TRULY BE 
 SAID TO LIVE IN COMPARISON WITH GOD. 
 
 First let us look at the words, " He is not 
 the God of the dead but of the living. " That 
 is equivalent to saying that He is not the 
 God of sinners but of saints. For it was a 
 great gift to the Patriarchs that God in place 
 of His own name should add their name to 
 His own designation as God, as Paul says,'' 
 "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called 
 their God." He is the God, therefore, of the 
 fathers and of all the saints ; it might be hard 
 to find a passage to the effect that God is 
 theGodof any of the wicked. If, then, He is 
 the God of the saints, and is said to be the 
 God of the living, then the saints are the 
 living and the living are saints ; neither is 
 there any saint outside the living, nor when 
 any one is called living is the further implica- 
 tion absent that in addition to his having life 
 he is a holy one. Near akin to this is the 
 lesson to be drawn from the saying, s " I shall 
 be well pleasing to the Lord in the land of 
 the living. " The good pleasure of the Lord, 
 he appears to say, is in the ranks of the 
 saints, or in the place of the saints, and it is 
 there that he hopes to be. No one pleases 
 God well who has not entered the rank of 
 the saints, or the place of the saints ; and to 
 that place every one must come who has 
 assumed beforehand, as it were in this life, 
 
 * Mark xii. 26. 
 
 * Heb. li. 16. 
 
 ' Ps. cxliii. 2. 
 * Pb. cxvi. 9. 
 
 •Numb xiv. aS. 
 
 the shadow and, image of true God-pleasing. 
 The passage which declares that before God 
 no living being shall be justified shows that 
 in comparison with God and the righteous- 
 ness that is in Him none, even of the 
 most finished saints, will be justified. We 
 might take a parable from another quarter 
 and say that no candle can give light before 
 the sun, not that the candle will not give 
 light, only it will not when the sun out- 
 shines it. In the same way every " living " 
 will be justified, only not before God, when 
 it is compared with those who are below 
 and who are in the power of darkness. To 
 them the light of the saints will shine. Here, 
 perhaps, we have the key to the meaning of 
 that verse:' "Let your light shine before 
 men. " He does not say, Let your light shine 
 before God ; had he said so he would have 
 given a commandment impossible of fulfil- 
 ment, as if he had bidden those lights which 
 have souls to let their light shine before the 
 sun. It is not only, therefore, the ordinary 
 mass of the living who will not be justified 
 before God, but even those among the living 
 who are distinguished above the rest, or, to 
 put it more truly, the whole righteousness of 
 the living will not be justified before God, 
 as compared with the righteousness of God, 
 as if I were to call together all the lights 
 which shine on the earth by night, and to 
 say that they could not give light in com- 
 parison with the rays of the sun. We rise 
 from these considerations to a higher level 
 when we take the words before our minds, 
 "I live, saith the Lord." Life, in the full 
 sense of the word, especially after what we 
 have been saying on the subject, belongs 
 perhaps to God and none but Him. Is this 
 the reason why the Apostle, after speaking of 
 the supreme excellency of the life of God 
 and being led to the highest expression about 
 it, says about God (showing in this a true 
 understanding of that sajnng, " I live, saith 
 the Lord ") ; " who only hath immortality." ^ 
 No living being besides God has life free 
 from change and variation. Why should 
 we be in further doubt .' Even Christ did 
 not share the Father's immortality ; for He 
 "tasted death for every man." 
 
 12. IS THE SAVIOUR ALL THAT HE IS, TO ALL? 
 
 We have thus enquired as to the life of 
 God, and the life which is Christ, and the 
 living who are in a place by themselves, 
 and have seen how the living are not justi- 
 fied before God, and we have noticed the 
 cognate statement, "Who alone hath im- 
 
 > Matt. V. 16. 
 
 « I Tim. iv. 16. 
 
334 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 mortality." We may now take up the as- 
 sumption which may appear to be involved 
 in this, namely, that whatever being- is gifted 
 with reason does not possess blessedness as 
 a part of its essence, or as an inseparable 
 part of its nature. For if blessedness and 
 the highest life were an inseparable charac- 
 teristic of reasonable being, how could it be 
 truly said of God that He only has immor- 
 tality ? We should therefore remark, that 
 the Saviour is some things, not to Plimself 
 but to others, and some things both to Him- 
 self and others, and we must enquire if there 
 are some things which He is to Himself and 
 to no other. Clearly it is to others that He is 
 a Shepherd, not a shepherd like those among 
 men who make gain out of their occupation ; 
 unless the benefit conferred on the sheep 
 might be regarded, on account of His love 
 to men, as a benefit to Himself also. Simi- 
 larly it is to others that He is the Way and 
 the Door, and, as all will admit, the Rod. 
 To Himself and to others He is Wisdom and 
 perhaps also Reason (Logos). It may be 
 asked whether, as He has in Himself a sys- 
 tem of speculations, inasmuch as He is wis- 
 dom, there are some of those speculations 
 which cannot be received by any nature that 
 is begotten, but His own, and which He 
 knows for Himself only. Nor should the 
 reverence we owe to the Holy Spirit keep 
 us from seeking to answer this question. 
 For the Holy Spirit Himself receives instruc- 
 tion, as is clear from what is said about the 
 Paraclete and the Holy Spirit,' "He shall 
 take of mine and shall declare it to you." 
 Does He, then, from these instructions, take 
 in everything that the Son, gazing at the 
 Fatherfrom the first, Himself knows ? That 
 would require further consideration. And if 
 the Saviour is some things to others, and 
 some things it may be to Himself, and to 
 no other, or to one only, or to few, then we 
 ask, in so far as He is the life which came 
 in the Logos, whether he is life to Himself and 
 to others, or to others, and if to others, to 
 what others. And are life and the light of 
 men the same thing, for the text says, ' ' That 
 which was made was life in Him and the 
 life was the light of men." But the light of 
 men is the light only of some, not of all, 
 rational creatures ; the word " men " which 
 is added shows this. But He is the light of 
 men, and so He is the life of those whose 
 light he is also. And inasmuch as He is 
 life He may be called the Saviour, not for 
 Himself but to be life to others, whose light 
 also He is. And this life comes to the Logos 
 
 ' John xvi. 14, 15. 
 
 and is inseparable from Him, once it has 
 come to Him. But the Logos, who cleanses 
 the soul, must have been in the soul first; 
 it is after Him and the cleansing that pro- 
 ceeds from Him, when all that is dead or 
 weak in her has been taken away, that pure 
 life comes to every one who has made him- 
 self a fit dwelling for the Logos, considered 
 as God. 
 
 13. HOW THE LIFE IN THE LOGOS COMES AFTER 
 
 THE BEGINNING. 
 
 Here, we must carefully observe, we have 
 two things which are one, and we have to 
 define the difference between them. First, 
 what is before us in The Word- m the begin- 
 ning, then what is implied in The Life in the 
 Word. The Word was not made in the be- 
 ginning ; there was no time when the be- 
 ginning was devoid of the Word, and hence 
 it is said, " In the beginning was the Word." 
 Of life, on the other hand, we read, not that 
 it was as the Word, but that it was made ; 
 if at least it be the case that the life is the 
 light of men. For when man was not yet, 
 there was no light of men ; for the light of 
 men is conceived only in relation to men. 
 And let no one annoy us with the objection 
 that we have put this under the category of 
 time, though it be the order of the things 
 themselves, that make them first and sec- 
 ond and so on, and even though there 
 should have been no time when the things 
 placed by the Logos third and fourth were 
 not in existence. As, then, all things were 
 made by Him, not all things were by Him, 
 and as without Him was nothing made, not, 
 without Him nothing was, so what was made 
 in Him, not what was in Him, was life. 
 And, again, not what was m.ade in the be- 
 ginning was the Word, but what was in the 
 beginning was the Word. Some of the 
 copies, it is true, have a reading which is 
 not devoid of probability, "What was made 
 is life in Him." But if life is the same 
 thing as the light of men, then no one who 
 is in darkness is living, and none of the liv- 
 ing is in darkness ; but every one who is 
 alive is also in light, and every one who is 
 in light is living, so that not he only who is 
 living, but every one who is living, is a son 
 of light ; and he who is a son of light is he 
 whose work shines before men. 
 
 14. HOW THE NATURES OF MEN ARE NOT SO FIXED 
 
 FROM THE FIRST, BUT THAT THEY MAY PASS 
 FROM DARNKESS TO LIGHT. 
 
 We have been discussing certain things 
 which are opposite, and what has been 
 said of them may serve to suggest what 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 335 
 
 has been omitted. We are speaking of 
 life and the light of men, and the op- 
 posite to Hfe is death; the opposite to the 
 light of men, the darkness of men. It is 
 therefore plain that he who is in the dark- 
 ness of men is in death, and that he who 
 works the works of death is nowhere but 
 in darkness. But he who is mindful of 
 God, if we consider what it is to be mindful 
 of Him, is not in death, according to the 
 saying," " In death there is no one who re- 
 members Thee." Are the darkness of men, 
 and death, such as they are by nature.' On 
 this point we have another passage,^ "We 
 were once darkness, but now light in the 
 Lord," even if we be now in the fullest 
 sense saints and spiritual persons. Thus he 
 who was once darkness has become, like 
 Paul, capable of being light in the Lord. 
 Some consider thatsome natures are spiritual 
 from the first, such as those of Paul and the 
 holy Apostles ; but I scarcely see how to 
 reconcile with such a view, what the above 
 text tells us, that the spiritual person was 
 once darkness and afterwards became light. 
 For if the spiritual was once darkness what 
 can the earthy have been ? But if it is true 
 that darkness became light, as in the text, 
 how is it unreasonable to suppose that all 
 darkness is capable of becoming light ? Had 
 not Paul said, " We were once in darkness, 
 but now are we light in the Lord," and thus 
 implied of those whom they consider to be 
 naturally lost, that they were darkness, or 
 are darkness still, the hypothesis about the 
 different natures might have been admis- 
 sible. But Paul distinctly says that he had 
 once been darkness but was now light in 
 the Lord, which implies the possibility that 
 darkness should turn into light. But he who 
 perceives the possibility of a change on each 
 side for the better or for the worse, will not 
 find it hard to gain an insight into every 
 darkness of men, or into that death which 
 consists in the darkness of men. 
 
 15. heracleon's view that the lord brought 
 life only to the spiritual. refutation 
 
 OF THIS. 
 
 Heracleon adopts a somewhat violent 
 course when he arrives at this passage, 
 "What was made in Him was life." In- 
 stead of the "In Him" of the text he under- 
 stands "to those men who are spiritual," as 
 if he considered the Logos and the spiritual 
 to be identical, though this he does not 
 plainly say ; and then he proceeds to give, 
 as it were, an account of the origin of the 
 
 ' P«. vi. 6. 
 
 ' Ephe». V. 8. 
 
 matter and says, " He (the Logos) provided 
 them with their first form at their birth, carry- 
 ing further and making manifest what had 
 been sown by another, ' into form and into 
 illumination and into an outline of its own." 
 He did not observe how Paul speaks of the 
 spiritual,^ and hov/ he refrains from saying 
 that they are men. "A natural man re- 
 ceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, 
 for they are foolishness to him ; but the 
 spiritual judgeth all things." We maintain 
 thatitwasnot without a meaning that he did 
 not add the word meti to the word spiritual. 
 Spiritual is something better than man, for 
 man receives his form either in soul, or in 
 body, or in both together, not in what is 
 more divine than these, namely, in spirit ; 
 and it is after he has come to have a prevail- 
 ing shareof this that he is called "spiritual." 
 Moreover, in bringing forward such a hy- 
 pothesis as this, he furnishes not even the 
 pretence of a proof, and shows himself un- 
 able to reach even a moderate degree of 
 plausibility for his argument on the subject. 
 So much, then, for him. 
 
 16. THE LIFE MAY BE THE LIGHT OF OTHERS 
 BESIDES MEN. 
 
 Let us suggest another question, namely, 
 whether the life was the light of men 
 only, and not of every being as well 
 that is in blessedness. For if the life were 
 the same thing as the light of men, and if 
 the light of Christ were for men alone, then 
 the life also would be only for men. But 
 such a view is both foolish and impious, 
 since the other Scriptures testify against 
 this interpretation and declare that, when 
 we are somewhat more advanced, we shall 
 be equal to the angels.' The question is 
 to be solved on the principle that when a 
 predicate is applied to certain persons, it is 
 not to be at once taken to apply to them 
 alone. Thus, when the light of men is 
 spoken of, it is not the light of men only; 
 had that been the meaning, a word would 
 have been added to express it ; the life, it 
 would have read, was the light of men only. 
 For it is possible for the light of men to be 
 the light of others besides men, just as it is 
 possible that certain animals and certain 
 plants may form the food of men, and that 
 the same animals and plants should be the 
 food of other creatures too. That is an ex- 
 ample from common life ; it is fitting that 
 another analogy should be adduced from 
 the inspired books. Now the question here 
 
 ' The demiurge. 
 3 Matt. ixii. 30. 
 
 [ Cor. ii. 14, 15. 
 
336 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 before us, is why the light of men should not 
 be the light of other creatures also, and we 
 have seen that to speak of the light of men 
 by no means excludes the possibility that 
 the light may be that of other beings besides 
 man, whether inferior to him or like him. 
 Now a name is given to God ; He is said to 
 be the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of 
 Jacob. He, then, who infers from the say- 
 ing, " Thelife was the light of men," that the 
 light is for no other than for men, ought 
 also to conclude that the God of Abraham 
 and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob 
 is the God of no one else but these three 
 patriarchs. But He is also the God of 
 Elijah,' and, as Judith says,^ of her father 
 Simeon, and the God of the Hebrews. By 
 analogy of reasoning, then, if nothing pre- 
 vents Him from being the God of others, 
 nothing prevents the light of men from being 
 the light of others besides men. 
 
 17. THE HIGHER POWERS ARE MEN ; AND CHRIST 
 IS THEIR LIGHT ALSO. 
 
 Another, again, appeals to the text, "Let 
 us make man according to our image and 
 likeness,'' and maintains that whatever is 
 made according to God's image and likeness 
 is man. To support this, numberless in- 
 stances are adduced to show that in Scripture 
 " man " and " angel " are used indifferently, 
 and that the same subject is entitled both 
 angel and man. This is true of the three 
 who were entertained by Abraham, and of 
 the two who came to Sodom ; in the whole 
 course of Scripture, persons are styled some- 
 times men, sometimes angels. Those who 
 hold this view will say that since persons 
 are styled angels who are manifestly men, 
 as when Zechariah says,'* "The messenger 
 of the Lord, I am with you, saith the Lord 
 Almighty," and as it is written of John the 
 Baptist,^ "Behold I send My messenger be- 
 fore thy face,'' the angels (messengers) of 
 God are so called on account of their office, 
 and are not here called men on account of 
 their nature. It confirms this view that the 
 names applied to the higher powers are not 
 those of species of living beings, but those of 
 the orders, assigned by God to this and to that 
 reasonable being. "Throne " is not a species 
 of hving being, nor " dominion," nor "prin- 
 cipality," nor "power"; these are names 
 of the businesses to which those clothed 
 witli the names have been appointed ; the 
 subjects themselves are nothing but men, 
 but the subject has come to be a throne, or 
 
 * 2 Kings U 14. ^ Judith Lx. 2. 
 
 * Zechar. i. ,• Hagg. i. 13. ^ Mai. iii. 
 
 •Gen.i. 26. 
 i Mark i. 2. 
 
 a dominion, or a principality, or a power. 
 In Joshua, the son of Nun, we read ' that in 
 Jericho there appeared to Joshua a man who 
 said, " I am captain of the Lord's host, now 
 am I come. " The outcome of this is that the 
 light of men must be held to be the same as 
 the light of every being endowed with rea- 
 son ; for every reasonable being is man, 
 since it is according to the image and like- 
 ness of God. It is spoken of in three dif- 
 ferent ways, "the light of men, "and simply 
 "the light," and " the true light." It is the 
 light of men either, as we showed before, 
 because there is nothing to prevent us from 
 regarding it as the light of other beings 
 besides men, or because all beings endowed 
 with reason are called men because they are 
 made in the image of God. 
 
 18. HOW GOD ALSO IS LIGHT, BUT IN A DIF- 
 FERENT WAY ; AND HOW LIFE CAME BEFORE 
 LIGHT. 
 
 The Saviour is here called simply light. 
 But in the Catholic Epistle of this same 
 John ^ we read that God is light. This, it 
 has been maintained, furnishes a proof that 
 the Son is not in substance different from 
 the Father. Another student, however, look- 
 ing into the matter more closely and with a 
 sounder judgment, will say that the light 
 which shines in darkness and is not over- 
 taken by it, is not the same as the light in 
 which there is no darkness at all. The light 
 which shines in darkness comes upon 
 this darkness, as it were, and is pursued by 
 it, and, in spite of attempts made upon it, is 
 not overtaken. But the light in which there 
 is no darkness at all neither shines on dark- 
 ness, nor is at first pursued by it, so as to 
 prove victor and to have it recorded that it 
 was not overtaken by its pursuer. The third 
 designation was "the true light." But in 
 proportion as God, since He is the Father of 
 truth, is more and greater than truth, and 
 since He is the Father of wisdom is greater 
 and more excellent than wisdom, in the 
 same proportion He is more than the true 
 light. We may learn, perhaps, in a more sug- 
 gestive manner, how the Feather and the Son 
 are two lights, from David, who says in the 
 thirty-fifth Psalm, 3 "In Thy light we shall 
 see light." This same light of men which 
 shines in darkness, the true light, is called, 
 further on in the Gospel, the light of the 
 world ; Jesus says,-* " I am the light of the 
 world." Nor must we omit to notice that 
 whereas the passage might very well have 
 
 • V. 13, 14. 
 
 ^ Ps. XXXVl. !•• 
 
 ' VIU. 12. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 337 
 
 run, "That which was made was in Him 
 the light of men, and the light of men was 
 life," he chose the opposite order. He puts 
 life before the light of men, even if life and 
 the light of men are the same thing ; in 
 thinking of those who have part in life, 
 though that life is also the light of men, we 
 are to come first to the fact that they are liv- 
 ing the divine life spoken of before ; then we 
 come to their enlightenment. For life must 
 come first if the living person is to be en- 
 lightened ; it would not be a good arrange- 
 ment to speak of the illumination of one 
 not yet conceived as living, and to make life 
 come after the illumination. For though 
 "life " and "the light " of men are the same 
 thing, the notions are taken separately. 
 This light of men is also called, by Isaiah, 
 "the light of the Gentiles," where he says,' 
 "Behold I have set Thee for a covenant of 
 the generation, for a light of the Gentiles ; " 
 and David, placing his confidence in this 
 light, says in the twenty-sixth Psalm, ' 
 "The Lord is my illumination and my 
 Saviour ; whom shall I fear ? " 
 
 19. THE LIFE HERE SPOKEN OF IS THE HIGHER 
 LIFE, THAT OF REASON. 
 
 As for those who make up a mythology 
 about the aeons and arrange them in syzy- 
 gies (yokes or pairs), and who consider the 
 Logos and Life to have been emitted by Li- 
 tellect and Truth, it may not be beside the 
 point to state the following difficulties. How 
 can life, in their system, the yokefellow of 
 the Word, derive his origin from his yoke- 
 fellow .■■ For " what was made in Him," he 
 says, evidently referring to the Word, men- 
 tioned immediately before, "washfe.'' Will 
 they tell us how life, the yokefellow, as they 
 say, of the Word, came into being in the 
 Word, and how life rather than the Word is 
 the light of men. It would be quite natural if 
 men of reasonable minds, who are perplexed 
 with such questions and find the point we 
 have raised hard to dispose of, should turn 
 round upon us and invite us to discuss the 
 reason why it is not theWord that is said to be 
 the light of men, but life which originated in 
 the Word. To such an enquiry we shall reply 
 that the life here spoken of is not that which 
 is common to rational beings and to beings 
 without reason, but that life which is added 
 to us upon the completion of reason in us, 
 our share in that life, being derived from 
 the first reason (Logos). It is when we turn 
 away from the life which is life in appear- 
 ance only, not in truth, and when we yearn 
 
 * Isa. xlii. 6. 
 22 
 
 ' P». xxrii. I, 
 
 to be filled with the true life, that we are 
 made partakers of it, and when it has arisen 
 in us it becomes the foundation of the light 
 of the higher knowledge (gnosis). With some 
 it may be that this life is only potentially 
 and not actually light, with those who do 
 not strive to search out the things of the 
 higher knowledge, while with others it is 
 actually light. With these it clearly is so 
 who act on Paul's injunction, "Seek ear- 
 nestly the best gifts;" and among the greatest 
 gifts is that which all are enjoined to seek, 
 namely, the word of wisdom, and it is fol- 
 lowed by the word of knowledge. This 
 wisdom and this knowledge lie side by side ; 
 into the difference between them this is not 
 a fitting occasion to enquire. 
 
 20. DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIGHT ; AND OF DARK- 
 NESS. 
 
 " And ' the light shineth in darkness and 
 the darkness hath not overtaken it." We 
 are still enquiring about the light of men, 
 since it is what was spoken of in the pre- 
 ceding verse, and also, I consider, about 
 darkness, which is named as its adversary, 
 the darkness also being, if the definition of 
 it is correct, that of men. The light of men 
 is a generic notion covering two special 
 things ; and with the darkness of men it 
 is the same. He who has gained the light 
 of men and shares its beams will do the 
 work of light and know in the higher sense, 
 being illuminated by the light of the higher 
 knowledge. And we must recognize the 
 analogous case of those on the other side, 
 and of tlieir evil actions, and of that which 
 is thought to be but is not really knowledge, 
 since those who exercise it have the reason 
 (Logos) not of light but of darkness. And 
 because the sacred word knows the things 
 which produce light, Isaiah says ;^ "Be- 
 cause Thy commandments are a light upon 
 the earth," and David says in the Psalm, J 
 "The precept of the Lord is clear, enlighten- 
 ing the eyes." But since in addition to the 
 commandments and the precepts there is a 
 light of higher knowledge, we read in one 
 of the twelve (prophets),"* "Sow to your- 
 selves for righteousness, reap to yourselves 
 for the fruit of life, make light for yourselves 
 the light of knowledge." There is a further 
 light of knowledge in addition to the com- 
 mandments, and so we read, " Make light 
 for yourselves, " not simply light, but what 
 light ? — the light of knowledge. For if any 
 lieht that a man kindles for himself were a 
 
 M. 5. 
 
 • xis. 9. 
 
 ^ xxvi. 9. 
 
 * Hosea x. 12. 
 
338 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 light of knowledge, then the added words, 
 "Make light for yourselves, the light of 
 knowledge," would have no meaning. And 
 again that darkness is brought upon men by 
 their evil deeds, we learn from John him- 
 self, when he says in his epistle,' "If we 
 say that we have fellowship with Him and 
 walk in darkness, we lie and do not the 
 truth," and again, " He that saith he is in 
 the light, and hateth his brother, is in dark- 
 ness even until now," and again, " He that 
 hateth his brother is in darkness, and 
 walketh in darkness, and knoweth not 
 whither he goeth, because darkness hath 
 blinded his eyes." Walking in darkness 
 signifies evil conduct, aiid to hate one's 
 brother, is not that to fall away from that 
 which is properly called knowledge ? But 
 he also who is ignorant of divine things 
 walks in darkness, just because of that igno- 
 rance ; as David says,^ "They knew not, 
 they understood not, they walk in dark- 
 ness." Consider, however, this passage,' 
 "God is light and in Him is no * darkness," 
 and see if the reason for this saying is not 
 that darkness is not one, being either two, 
 because there are two kinds of it, or many, 
 because it is taken distributively, individu- 
 ally with reference to the many evil actions 
 and the many false doctrines ; so that there 
 are many darknesses, not one of which is in 
 God. The saying of the Saviour could not 
 bespoken of the Holy One, " Ye are the light 
 of the world ; " for the Holy One is light of 
 the world (absolute, not particular), and 
 there is not in Him any darkness. 
 
 21. CHRIST IS NOT, LIKE GOD, QUITE FREE FROM 
 DARKNESS : SINCE HE BORE OUR SINS. 
 
 Now some one will ask how this state- 
 ment that there is no darkness in Him can 
 be regarded as a thing peculiar to Him, 
 when vi^e consider that the Saviour also was 
 quite without sin. Could it not be said of 
 Him also that " He is light, and that there 
 is no darkness in Him " ? The difference 
 -between the two cases has been partly set 
 forth above. We will now, however, go a 
 step further than we did before, and add, 
 that if God made Christ who knew no 
 sin to be sin for us, 5 then it could not be 
 said of Him that there was no darkness in 
 Him. For if Jesus was in the likeness* of 
 the flesh of sin and for sin, and condemned 
 sin by taking upon Him the Hkeness of the 
 flesh of sin, then it cannot be said of Him, 
 absolutely and directly, that there was no 
 
 ^ I John I. 0; ii. g, 
 * oiiScixCa, not one. 
 
 * Pa. Ixxxii. 5. 
 
 * 2 Cor. V. a 1. 
 
 ' I John i. 5. 
 • Rom. viii. 3. 
 
 darkness in Him. We may add that " He' 
 took our infirmities and bare our sick- 
 nesses," both infirmities of the soul and 
 sicknesses of the hidden man of our heart. 
 On account of these infirmities and sick- 
 nesses which He bore away from us, He 
 declares His soul to be sorrowful and sore 
 troubled,^ and He is said in Zechariah to 
 have put on filthy garments,' which, when 
 He was about to take them off, are said to 
 be sins. "Behold, it is said, I have taken 
 away thy sins." Because He had taken on 
 Himself the sins of the people of those who 
 believed in Him, he uses many such ex- 
 pressions as these : " Far from my salvation 
 are the words of my transgressions,"'* and 
 "Thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins 
 were not hid from Thee. " 5 And let no one 
 suppose that we say this from any lack of 
 piety towards the Christ of God ; for as 
 the Father alone has immortality and our 
 Lord took upon Himself, for His love to 
 men, the death He died for us, so to the 
 Father alone the words apply, "In Him is 
 no darkness," since Christ took upon Him- 
 self, for His goodwill towards men, our 
 darknesses. This He did, that by His 
 power He might destroy our death and re- 
 move the darkness which is in our soid, so 
 that the saying in Isaiah might be fulfilled,' 
 "The people that sat in darkness saw a 
 great light." This light, which came into 
 being in the Logos, and is also life, shines 
 in the darkness of our souls, and it has 
 come where the rulers of this darkness carry 
 on their struggle with the race of men and 
 strive to subdue to darkness those who do 
 not stand firm with all their power ; that 
 they might be enlightened the light has 
 come so far, and that they might be called 
 sons of light. And shining in darkness this 
 light is pursued by the darkness, but not 
 overtaken. 
 
 22. HOW THE DARKNESS FAILED TO OVERTAKE 
 THE LIGHT. 
 
 Should any one consider that we are add- 
 ing something that is not written, namely, 
 the pursuit of the light by the darkness, let 
 him reflect that unless the darkness had 
 pursued the light the words, "The darkness 
 did not overtake it," would have no mean- 
 ing. John writes for those who have wit to 
 see what is omitted and to supply it as the 
 context requires, and so he wrote, "The 
 darkness did not overtake it." If it did not 
 overtake it, it must first have pursued it. 
 
 ^ Matt. viii. 17. 
 * Ps. xxii. I. 
 
 ^ Matt. xxvi. 38. 
 ° Ps. Ixix. 5. 
 
 ^ Zech. iii, 4. 
 * ix. 2. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 339 
 
 and that the darkness did pursue the light 
 is clear from what the Saviour suffered, and 
 those also who received His teachings, His 
 own children, when darkness was doing what 
 it could against the sons of light and was 
 minded to drive light away from men. But 
 since, if God be for us,' no one, however 
 that way minded, can be against us, the 
 more they humbled themselves the more 
 they grew, and they prevailed exceedingly. 
 In two ways the darkness did not overtake 
 the li.ght. Either it was left far behind and 
 was itself so slow, while the light was in its 
 course so sharp and swift, that it was not 
 even able to keep following it, or if the 
 light sought to lay a snare for the darkness, 
 and waited for it in pursuance of the plan it 
 had formed, then darkness, coming near the 
 light, was brought to an end. In either 
 case the darkness did not overtake the 
 light. 
 
 23. THERE IS A DIVINE DARKNESS WHICH IS 
 NOT EVIL, AND WHICH ULTIMATELY BECOMES 
 LIGHT. 
 
 In connection with this subject it is nec- 
 essary for us to point out that darkness is 
 not to be understood, every time it is men- 
 tioned, in a bad sense ; Scripture speaks of 
 it sometimes in a good sense. The hetero- 
 dox have failed to observe this distinction, 
 and have accordingly adopted most shame- 
 ful doctrines about the Maker of the world, 
 and have indeed revolted from Him, and 
 addicted themselves to fictions and myths. 
 We must, therefore, show how and when 
 the name of darkness is taken in a good 
 sense. Darkness and clouds and tempest 
 are said in Exodus ^ to be round about God, 
 and in the seventeenth Psalm, 3 " He made 
 darkness His secret place. His tent round 
 about Him, dark water in clouds of the air." 
 Indeed, if one considers the multitude of 
 speculation and knowledge about God, be- 
 yond the power of human nature to take in, 
 beyond the power, perhaps, of all originated 
 beings except Christ and the Holy Spirit, 
 then one may know how God is surrounded 
 with darkness, because the discourse is hid 
 in ignorance which would be required to 
 tell in what darkness He has made His hid- 
 ing-place when He arranged that the things 
 concerning Him should be unknown and 
 beyond the grasp of knowledge. Should 
 any one be staggered by these expositions, 
 he may be reconciled to them both by the 
 "dark sayings " and by the "treasures of 
 darkness," hidden, invisible, which are given 
 
 to Christ by God. In nowise different, I 
 consider, are the treasures of darkness which 
 are hid in Christ, from what is spoken of in 
 the text, "God made darkness His secret 
 place," and (the saint) "shall understand 
 parable and dark saying." ' And consider 
 if we have here the reason of the Saviour's 
 saying to His disciples, ' ' What ye have 
 heard in darkness, speak ye in the light." 
 The mysteries committed to them in secret 
 and where few could hear, hard to be 
 known and obscure, He bids them, when 
 enlio-htened and therefore said to be in the 
 light, to make known to every one who is 
 made light. I might add a still stranger 
 feature of this darkness which is praised, 
 namely, that it hastens to the light and 
 overtakes it, and so at last, after having 
 been unknown as darkness, undergoes for 
 him who does not see its power such a 
 change that he comes to know it and to de- 
 clare that what was formerly known to him 
 as darkness has now become light. 
 
 24. JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS SENT. FROM 
 WHERE ? HIS SOUL WAS SENT FROM A 
 HIGHER REGION. 
 
 "There was a man sent from God, whose 
 name was John."^ He who is sent is sent 
 from somewhere to somewhere ; and the 
 careful student will, therefore, enquire from 
 what quarter John was sent, and whither. 
 The "whither" is quite plain on the face 
 of the story ; he was sent to Israel, and to 
 those who were willing to hear him when 
 he was staying in the wilderness of Judaea 
 and baptizing by the banks of the Jordan. 
 According to the deeper sense, however, he 
 was sent into the world, the world being 
 understood as this earthly place where men 
 are ; and the careful student will have this 
 in view in enquiring from where John was 
 sent. Examining the words more closely, 
 he will perhaps declare that as it is written of 
 Adam,' "And the Lord sent him forth out 
 of the Paradise of pleasure to till the earth, 
 out of which he was taken," so also John 
 was sent, either from heaven or from Para- 
 dise, or from some other quarter to this 
 place on the earth. He was sent that he 
 might bear witness of the light. There is, 
 however, an objection to this interpreta- 
 tion, which is not to be lightly dismissed. 
 It is written in Isaiah:* "Whom shall I 
 send, and who will go to the people ? " The 
 prophet answers: " Here am I, — send me. 
 He, then, who objects to that rendering of 
 
 ' Rom. viii. 31. 
 
 ' 301. 9, 16. 
 
 * Ps. xviii. II. 
 
 • Prov. i. 6. 
 2 Gen. iii. 23. 
 
 » John i. 6. 
 * vi. 1, 9. 
 
340 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 our passage which appears to be the 
 deeper may say that Isaiah was sent not 
 to this world from another place, but after 
 having- seen "the Lord sitting on a throne 
 high and lifted up," was sent to the people, 
 to say, "Hearing, ye shall hear and shall 
 not understand," and so on ; and that 
 in the same manner John, the begin- 
 ning of his mission not being narrated, 
 is sent after the analogy of the mission 
 of Isaiah, to baptize,' and to make 
 ready for the Lord a people prepared 
 for Him, and to bear witness of the light. 
 So much we have said of the first sense ; 
 and now we adduce certain solutions 
 which help to confirm the deeper meaning 
 about John. In the same passage it is 
 added, "He came for witness, to bear wit- 
 ness of the light." Now, if he came, where 
 did he come from.? To those who find it 
 difficult to follow us, we point to what John 
 says afterwards of having seen the Holy 
 Spirit as a dove descending on the Saviour. 
 " He that sent me," he says,^ "to baptize 
 with water. He said unto me. Upon whom- 
 soever thou shalt see the Holy Spirit de- 
 scending and abiding upon Him, the same 
 is He that baptizeth with the Holy Spirit 
 and with fire." When did He send him and 
 give him this injunction ? The answer to 
 this question will probably be that when He 
 sent him to begin to baptize, then He who 
 was dealing with him uttered this word. 
 But a more convincing argument for the 
 view that John was sent from another 
 region when he entered into the body, the 
 one object of his entry into this life being 
 that he should bear witness of the truth, 
 may be drawn from the narrative of his 
 birth. Gabriel, when announcing to Za- 
 charias the birth of John, and to Mary the 
 advent of our Saviour among men, says : 3 
 That John is to be "filled with the Holy 
 Spirit even from his mother's womb." And 
 we have also the saying, "Forbehold, when 
 the voice of thy salutation came into mine 
 ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy." 
 He who sedulously guards himself in his 
 dealings with Scripture against forced, or 
 casual, or capricious procedure, must neces- 
 sarily assume that John's soul was older 
 than his body, and subsisted by itself before 
 it was sent on the ministry of the witness 
 of the light. Nor must we overlook the 
 text, "This is Elijah which is to come."4 
 For if that general doctrine-of the soul is to 
 be received, namely, that it is not sown at 
 
 * Luke \. 17. 
 ' Luke i. 13, 15, 
 
 ' John i. 33. 
 • Matt. li. 14. 
 
 the same time with the body, but is before 
 it, and is then, for various causes, clothed 
 with flesh and blood ; then the words "sent 
 from God " will not appear to be applicable 
 to John alone. The most evil of all, the 
 man of sin, the son of perdition, is said by 
 Paul to be sent by God : " "God sendeththem 
 a working of error that they should believe 
 a lie ; that they all might be judged who 
 believed not the truth, but had pleasure 
 in unrighteousness." But our present ques- 
 tion may, perhaps, be solved in this way, 
 that as every man is a man of God, simply 
 because God created him, but not every man 
 is called a man of God, but only he who has 
 devoted himself to God, such as Elijah and 
 those who are called men of God in the 
 Scriptures, thus every man might be said 
 in ordinary language to be sent from God, 
 but in the absolute sense no one is to 
 be spoken of in this way who has not en- 
 tered this life for a divine ministry and in 
 the service of the salvation of mankind. 
 We do not find it said of any one but the 
 saints that he is sent by God. It is said of 
 Isaiah as we showed before ; it is also 
 said of Jeremiah, "To whomsoever I shall 
 send thee thou shalt go " ; ^ and it is said of 
 Ezekiel,3 " I send thee to nations that are 
 rebellious and have not believed in Me." 
 The examples, however, do not expressly 
 speak of a mission from the region outside life 
 into life, and as it is amission into life that 
 we are enquiring about, they may seem to 
 have little bearing on our subject. But there 
 is nothing absurd in our transferring the 
 argument derived from them to our ques- 
 tion. They tell us that it is only the saints, 
 and we were speaking of them, whom God 
 is said to send, and in this sense they may 
 be applied to the case of those who are sent 
 into this life. 
 
 25. ARGUMENT FROM THE PRAYER OF JOSEPH, 
 TO SHOW THAT THE BAPTIST MAY HAVE 
 BEEN AN ANGEL WHO BECAME A MAN. 
 
 As we are now engaged M'ith what is said 
 of John, and are asking about his mission, 
 I may take the opportunity to state the view 
 which I entertain about him. We have 
 read this prophecy about him, "Behold, I 
 send My messenger (angel) before Thy face, 
 who shall prepare Thy way before Thee ; " 
 and at this we ask if it can be one of the holy 
 angels who is sent down on this ministry as 
 forerunner of our Saviour. No wonder if, 
 when the first-born of all creation was as- 
 suming a human body, some of them should 
 
 ^ 2 Theu. ii. ii, 12. 
 
 •Jer.i 
 
 » Ezek. ii. 3. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 341 
 
 have been filled with love to man and be- 
 come admirers and followers of Christ, and 
 thought it good to minister to his kindness 
 towards man by having a body like that of 
 men. And who would not be moved at the 
 thought of his leaping for joy when yet in 
 the belly, surpassing as he did the common 
 nature of man ? Should the piece entitled 
 "The prayer of Joseph," one of the apo- 
 cryphal works current among the Hebrews, 
 be thought worthy of credence, this dogma 
 will be found in it clearly expressed. 
 Those at the beginning, it is repre- 
 sented, having some marked distinction be- 
 yond men, and being much greater than 
 other souls, because they were angels, they 
 have come down to human nature. Thus 
 Jacob says : "I, Jacob, who speak to you, 
 and Israel, I am an angel of God, a ruling 
 spirit, and Abraham and Isaac were created 
 before every work of God ; and I am Jacob, 
 called Jacob by men, but my name is Is- 
 rael, called Israel by God, a man seeing 
 God, because I am the first-born of every 
 creature which God caused to live." And 
 he adds: "When I was coming from Me- 
 sopotamia of Syria, Uriel, the angel of God, 
 came forth, and said, I have come down to 
 the earth and made my dwelling among 
 men, and I am called Jacob by name. He 
 was wroth with me and fought with me 
 and wrestled against me, saying that his 
 name and the name of Him who is before 
 every angel should be before my name. 
 And I told him his name and how great he 
 was among the sons of God ; Art not thou 
 Uriel my eighth, and I am Israel and arch- 
 angel of the power of the Lord and a 
 chief captain among the sons of God ? Am 
 not I Israel, the first minister in the sight 
 of God, and I invoked my God by the in- 
 extinguishable name?" It is likely that 
 this was really said by Jacob, and was there- 
 fore written down, and that there is also 
 a deeper meaning in what we are told, " He 
 supplanted his brothel in the womb." Con- 
 sider whether the celebrated question about 
 Jacob and Esau has a solution. We read,' 
 " The children being not yet born, neither 
 having done anything good or bad, that the 
 purpose of God according to election might 
 stand, not of works but of him that calleth, 
 it was said, "The elder shall serve the 
 younger." Even as it is written : "Jacob 
 I loved, but Esau I hated." What shall we 
 say, then ? Is there unrighteousness with 
 God ? God forbid." If, then, when they 
 were not yet born, and had not done any- 
 
 * Rom. ix. 11-14. 
 
 thing either good or evil, in order that God's 
 purpose according to election might stand, 
 not of works, but of him that calleth, if at 
 such a period this was said, how if we do 
 not go back to the works done before this 
 life, can it be said that there is no unright- 
 eousness with God when the elder serves 
 the younger and is hated (by God) before 
 he has done anything worthy of slavery or 
 of hatred ? We have made something of a 
 digression in introducing this story about 
 Jacob and appealing to a writing which we 
 cannot well treat with contempt ; but it 
 certainly adds weight to our argument about 
 John, to the effect that as Isaiah's voice de- 
 clares ■ he is an angel who assumed a body 
 for the sake of bearing witness to the light. 
 So much about John considered as a man. 
 
 26. JOHN IS VOICE, JESUS IS SPEECH. RELATION 
 OF THESE TWO TO EACH OTHER. 
 
 Now we know voice and speech to be dif- 
 ferent things. The voice can be produced 
 without any meaning and with no speech in 
 it, and similarly speech can be reported to 
 the mind without voice, as when we make 
 mental excursions, within ourselves. And 
 thus the Saviour is, in one view of Him, 
 speech, and John differs from Him ; for as 
 the Saviour is speech, John is voice. John 
 himself invites me to take this view of him, 
 for to those who asked who he was, he an- 
 swered, " I am the voice of one crying in 
 the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord ! 
 make His paths straight ! " This explains, 
 perhaps, how it was that Zacharias lost his 
 voice at the birth of the voice which points 
 out the Word of God, and only recovered it 
 when the voice, forerunner of the Word, 
 was born. A voice must be perceived with 
 the ears if the mind is afterwards to receive 
 the speech which the voice indicates. 
 Hence, John is, in point of his birth, a little 
 older than Christ, for our voice comes to us 
 before our speech. But John also points to 
 Christ ; for speech is brought forward by the 
 voice. And Christ is baptized by John, 
 though John declares himself to have need 
 to be baptized by Christ; for with men speech 
 is purified by voice, though the natural way 
 is that speech should purify the voice which 
 indicates it. In a word, when John points 
 out Christ, it is man pointing out God, the 
 Saviour incorporeal, the voice pointing out 
 the Word. 
 
 27. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAMES OF JOHN AND 
 OF HIS PARENTS. 
 
 The force that is in names may be applied 
 
 * laa. xl. 3. 
 
342 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 in many matters, and it may be worth our 
 while to ask at this point what is the signi- 
 ficance of the names Jolm and Zacharias. 
 The relatives wish, as the giving of a name 
 is a thing not to be lightly disposed of, to 
 call the child Zacharias, and are surprised 
 that Elisabeth should want him to be called 
 John. Zacharias then writes, " His name 
 is John," and is at once freed from his 
 troublesome silence. On examining the 
 names, then, we find " Joannes " to be " Joa" 
 without the "nes. " The New Testament 
 gives Hebrew names a Greek form and 
 treats them as Greek words ; Jacob is 
 changed into Jacobus, Symeon into Simon, 
 and Joannes is the same as Joa. Zacharias 
 is said to be memory, and Elisabeth "oath 
 of my God," or "strength of my God." 
 John then came into the world from grace 
 of God (^Joa=Joannes), and his parents 
 were Memory (about God) and the Oath of our 
 God, about the fathers. Thus was he born 
 to maKe ready for the Lord a people fit for 
 Him, at the end of the Covenant now grown 
 old, which is the end of the Sabbatic period. 
 Hence it is not possible that the rest after 
 the Sabbath should have come into exist- 
 ence from the seventh of our God ; on the 
 contrary, it is our Saviour who, after the pat- 
 tern of His own rest, caused us to be made 
 in the likeness of His death, and hence also 
 of His resurrection.' 
 
 28. THE PROPHETS BORE WITNESS TO CHRIST 
 AND FORETOLD MANY THINGS CONCERNING 
 HIM. 
 
 " He came for a witness that He might bear 
 witness of the light, that all through Him 
 might believe."^ Some of the dissenters 
 from the Church's doctrine, men who pro- 
 fess to believe in Christ, have desired 
 another being, as indeed their system re- 
 quires, besides the Creator, and hence can- 
 not allow His coming to the world to have 
 been foretold by the prophets. 3 They there- 
 fore endeavour to get rid of the testimonies 
 of the prophets about Christ, and say that 
 the Son of God has no need of witnesses, 
 but that He brings with Him His own evi- 
 dence, partly in the sound words full of 
 power which He proclaimed and partly in 
 the vvonderful works He did, which were 
 sufficient at once to convince any one what- 
 ever. Then they say : If iVIoses is believed 
 
 1 Ongen appears to be pointing to the fact that the Christian rest 
 which IS connected in Its origin with the resurrection of Christ is 
 not held as the Jewish Sabbath rest on the seventh but on the first 
 day of the week. John marking the end of the old period is the 
 son of Elisabeth the oath, or seventh, of God, and is thus connected 
 with the seventh day ; but not so Jesus. 
 
 ^ John i. 7, 
 
 " The Old Testament belongs to the Creator, the Demiurge. 
 
 on account of his word and his works, and 
 has no need of any witnesses to announce 
 him beforehand, and if the prophets were 
 received, every one of them, by these people, 
 as messengers from God, how should not 
 one who is much greater than Moses and 
 the prophets accomplish His mission and 
 benefit the human race, without prophets to 
 bear witness about Him.' They regard it 
 as superfluous that He should have been fore- 
 told by the prophets, since the prophets were 
 concerned, as these opponents would say, 
 that those who believed in Christ should not 
 receive Him as a new God, and therefore did 
 what they could to bring them to that same 
 God whom Moses and the prophets taught 
 before Jesus. To this we must say that as 
 there are many causes which may lead men 
 to believe, since men who are not moved by 
 one argument may be by another, so God 
 is able to provide for men a number of oc- 
 casions, any of whicli may cause their minds 
 to open to the truth that God, who is over 
 all, has taken on Himself human nature. It 
 is manifest to all, how some are brought by 
 the prophetic writings to the admiration of 
 Christ. They are astounded at the voices of 
 so many prophets before Him, which es- 
 tablish the place of His birth, the country of 
 His upbringing, the power of His teaching. 
 His working of wonderful works, and His 
 human passion brought to a close by His 
 resurrection. We must notice, too, that 
 Christ's stupendous acts of power were able 
 to bring to the faith those of Christ's own 
 time, but that they lost their demonstrative 
 force with the lapse of years and began to 
 be regarded as mythical. Greater evidential 
 value than that of the miracles then per- 
 formed attaches to the comparison which 
 we now make between these miracles and 
 the prophecy of them ; this makes it impos- 
 sible for the student to cast any doubt on 
 the former. The prophetic testimonies do 
 not declare merely the advent of the Mes- 
 siah ; it is by no means the case that they 
 teach this and nothing else. They teach 
 a great deal of theology. The relation of the 
 Father to the Son and of the Son to the 
 Father may be learned not less from what 
 the prophets announce about Christ, than 
 from the Apostles narrating the splendours 
 of the Son of God. A parallel case, which we 
 may venture to adduce, is that of the martyrs, 
 who were honoured by the witness they 
 bore Him, and by no means conferred any 
 favour on Him by their witnessing for the 
 Son of God. And how is it if, as many of 
 Christ's true disciples were honoured by 
 having thus to witness for Him, so the 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 343 
 
 prophets received from God as their special 
 gift that of understanding about Christ and 
 announcing Him before, and that they 
 taught not only those living after Christ's 
 advent how they should regard the Son of 
 God, but those also who lived in the gene- 
 rations before Him ? As he who in these 
 times does not know the Son has not the 
 Father either, " so also we are to understand it 
 was in th ese earlier times. H ence ' 'Abraham 
 rejoiced to see the day of Christ, and he saw 
 it and was glad."' He, therefore, who 
 declares that they are not to testify about 
 Christ is seeking to deprive the chorus of the 
 prophets of the greatest gift they have ; for 
 what ofBce of equal importance would be 
 left to prophecy, inspired as it is by the Holy 
 Spirit, if all connection with the economy of 
 ourLordand Master were taken away from it? 
 For as these have their faith well ordered who 
 approach the God of the universe through 
 Mediator and High-Priest and Paraclete, and 
 as his religion is a halting one who does 
 not go in through the door to the Father, so 
 also in the case of men of old time. Their 
 religion was sanctified and made acceptable 
 to God by their knowledge and faith and ex- 
 pectation of Christ. For we have observed 
 that God declares Himself to be a witness 
 and exhorts them all to declare the same 
 about Christ, and to be imitators of Him, 
 bearing witness of Him to all who require it. 
 For he says,3 " Be witnesses for Me, and I 
 am witness, saith the Lord God, and My 
 servant whom 1 have chosen." Now every 
 one who bears witness to the truth, whether 
 he support it by words or deeds, or in 
 whatever way, may properly be called a 
 witness (martyr) ; but it has come to be the 
 custom of the brotherhood, since they are 
 struck with admiration of those who have 
 contended to the death for truth and valour, 
 to keep the name of martyr more properly 
 for those who have borne witness to the 
 mystery of godliness by shedding their 
 blood for it. The Saviour gives the name 
 of martyr to every one who bears witness to 
 the truth He declares ; thus at the Ascension 
 He says to His disciples:* "You shall be 
 my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judaea 
 and in Samaria and unto the uttermost 
 parts of the earth." The leper who was 
 cleansed 5 had still to bring the gift which 
 Moses commanded for a testimony to those 
 who did not believe in the Christ. In the 
 same way the martyrs bear witness for a 
 testimony to the unbelieving, and so do all 
 
 ' I John ii. 23. 
 • Acts i. 8. 
 
 ' John viii. 56. 
 ' Matt. viii. 4. 
 
 ' Isa. xliii. 10. 
 
 the saints whose deeds shine before men. 
 They spend their life rejoicing in the cross 
 of Christ and bearing witness to the true 
 light. 
 
 29. THE SIX TESTIMONIES OF THE BAPTIST 
 ENUMERATED. JESUS' " COME AND SEE." 
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TENTH HOUR. 
 
 Accordingly John came to bear witness 
 of the light, and in his witness-bearing he 
 cried, saying," "He that cometh after me 
 exists before me ; for He was before 
 me ; for of His fulness we have all 
 received and grace for grace, for the 
 law was given by Moses, but grace and 
 truth came through Jesus Christ. No one 
 hath seen God at any time ; the only-be- 
 gotten God, who is in the bosom of the 
 Father, He hath declared Him." This 
 whole speech is from the mouth of the 
 Baptist bearing witness to the Christ. Some 
 take it otherwise, and consider that the 
 words from " for of His fulness" to "He 
 hath declared Him " are from the writer, 
 John the Apostle. The true state of the 
 case is that John's first testimony begins, as 
 we said before, " He that cometh after me," 
 and ends, "He hath declared Him," and 
 his second testimony is that spoken to the 
 priests and levites sent from Jerusalem, 
 whom the Jews had sent. To them he 
 confesses and does not deny the truth, 
 namely, that he is not the Christ, nor Elijah, 
 nor the prophet, but " the voice of one 
 crying in the wilderness, Make straight the 
 way of the Lord, as saith Isaiah the 
 prophet. " ^ After this there is another testi- 
 mony of the same Baptist to Christ, still 
 teaching His superior nature, which goes 
 forth into the whole world and enters into 
 reasonable souls. He says,' " There 
 standeth One among you whom you know 
 not, even He that cometh after me, the 
 latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to 
 unloose." Consider if, since the heart is in 
 the middle of the whole body, and the 
 ruling principle in the heart, the saying, 
 "There standeth One among you whom 
 you know not," can be understood of "• the 
 reason which is in every man. John's 
 fourth testimony of Christ after these points 
 to His human sufferings. He says,' "Be- 
 hold the Lamb of God, which taketh away 
 the sin of the world. This is He of whom 
 I said. After me cometh a man who exists 
 before me, for He was before me. And I 
 knew Him not, but that He should be made 
 
 > 1. 7. i5-'8. 
 
 ' Reading kuts for xal. 
 
 "i. 23. 
 ' i. 29-31. 
 
 • 1. 36. 
 
344 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 manifest to Israel, therefore am I come 
 baptizing with water." And the fifth testi- 
 mony is recorded in the words," "I beheld 
 the Spirit descending as a dove out of 
 heaven, and it abode upon Him, and I 
 knew Him not, but He that sent me to 
 baptize with water, He said unto me, 
 Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the 
 Spirit descending and abiding upon Him, 
 the same is He that baptizeth with the Holy- 
 Spirit. And I have seen and borne witness 
 that this is the Son of God." In the sixth 
 place John witnesses of Christ to the two 
 disciples:^ "He looked on Jesus as He 
 walked and saith, Behold the Lamb of 
 God." After this testimony the two dis- 
 ciples who heard it followed Jesus ; and 
 Jesus turned and beheld them following, 
 and saith unto them, "What seek ye?" 
 Perhaps it is not without significance that 
 after six testimonies John ceases from his 
 witness-bearing and Jesus brings forward in 
 the seventh place His "What seek ye.'" 
 Very becoming in those who have been 
 helped by John's testimony is the speech in 
 which they address Christ as their IVlaster, 
 and declare their wish to see the dwelling 
 of the Son of God ; for they say to Him, 
 "Rabbi," which answers to "Master," in 
 our language, "where dwellest Thou?" 
 And since every one that seeketh findeth, 
 when John's disciples seek Jesus' dwelling, 
 Jesus shows it to them, saying, "Come 
 and see." By the word "Come" He ex- 
 horts them perhaps to the practical part of 
 life, while the "see " is to suggest to them 
 that that speculation which comes in the 
 train of right conduct will be vouchsafed to 
 those who desire it ; in Jesus' dwelling they 
 will have it. After they had asked where 
 Jesus dwells, and had followed the Master 
 and had seen, they desired to stay with 
 Him and to spend that day with the Son of 
 God. Now the number ten is a sacred one, 
 not a few mysteries being indicated by it ; 
 and so we are to understand that the men- 
 tion of the tenth hour as that at which 
 these disciples turned in with Jesus, is not 
 without significance. Of these disciples, 
 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, is one ; 
 and he having profited by this day with 
 Jesus and having found his own brother 
 Simon (perhaps he had not found him be- 
 fore), told him that he had found the 
 Messiah, which is, being interpreted, Christ. 
 It is written that " he that seeketh findeth." 
 Now he had sought where Jesus dwelt, and 
 had followed Him and looked upon His 
 
 ' >■ 32-34- 
 
 ' i. 35-38. 
 
 dwelling ; he stays with the Lord " at the 
 tenth hour," and finds the Son of God, the 
 Word, and Wisdom, and is ruled by Him as 
 King. That is why he says, "We have 
 found the Messiah," and this a thing 
 which every one can say who has found 
 this Word of God and is ruled as by a king, 
 by His Divinity. As a fruit he at once 
 brings his brother to Christ, and Christ 
 deigned to look upon Simon, that is to say, 
 by looking at him to visit and enlighten his 
 ruling principle ; and Simon by Jesus' 
 looking at him was enabled to grow strong, 
 so as to earn a new name from that work 
 of firmness and strength, and to be called 
 Peter. 
 
 30. HOW JOHN WAS A WITNESS OF CHRIST, AND 
 SPECIALLY OF "THE LIGHT." 
 
 It may be asked why we should have gone 
 through all this when the verse before us is, 
 "He came for witness, that he might bear 
 witness of the light." But it was necessary 
 to give John's testimonies to the light, and 
 to show the order in which they took place, 
 and also, in order to show how effective 
 John's testimony proved, to set forth the 
 help it afforded afterwards to those to whom 
 he bore it. But before all these testimonies 
 there was an earlier one when the Baptist 
 leaped in the womb of Elisabeth at the greet- 
 ing of Mary. That was a testimony to Christ 
 and attested His divine conception andbirth. 
 And what more need I say? John is every- 
 where a witness and forerunner of Christ. 
 He anticipates His birth and dies a little be- 
 fore the death of the Son of God, and thus 
 witnesses not only for those at the time of 
 the birth, but to those who were expecting 
 the freedom which was to come for man 
 through the death of Christ. Thus, in all his 
 life, he is a little before Christ, and everywhere 
 makes ready for the Lord a people prepared 
 for Him. And John's testimony precedes 
 also the second and diviner coming of Christ, 
 for we read, ' " If ye will receive it, this is 
 Elijah which is to come. He that hath ears 
 to hear let him hear. " Now, there was a be- 
 ginning, in which the Word was, — and we 
 saw from Proverbs that that beginning was 
 wisdom, — and the Word was in existence, 
 and in the Word life was made, and the life 
 was the light of men ; and all this being so, 
 I ask why the man who came, sent from God, 
 whose name was John, why he came for 
 witness to bear witness especially of the 
 light? Why did he not come to bear wit- 
 ness of the life, or of the Word, or about the 
 
 ' Matt. xi. 14, 15, 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 345 
 
 beginning-, or about any other of the many- 
 aspects in which Christ appears ? Consider 
 here the texts, "The people which sat in 
 darkness saw a great light," and " The Hght 
 shineth in darkness, and the darkness over- 
 took it not," and consider how those who are 
 in darkness, that is, men, have need of Hght. 
 For if the hght of men shines in darkness, and 
 there is no active power in darkness to at- 
 tain to it, then we must partake of other 
 aspects of Christ ; at present we have no 
 real share of Him at all. For what share 
 have we of life, we who are still in the body 
 of death, and whose life is hid with Christ 
 in God ? • " For when Christ who is our life 
 shall appear, then shall we also appear with 
 Him in glory." It was not possible, there- 
 fore, that he who came should bear witness 
 about a life which is still hid with Christ in 
 God. Nor did he come for witness to bear 
 witness of the Word, for we know the Word 
 who was in the beginning with God and who 
 
 * Coloss. iii. 3, 4. 
 
 is God the Word ; for the Word was made 
 flesh on the earth. And though the witness 
 had been, at least apparently, about the Word, 
 it would in fact have been about the Word 
 made flesh and not about the word of God. 
 He did not come, therefore, to bear witness 
 of the Word. And how could there be any 
 witness-bearing about wisdom, to those 
 who, even if they appear to know something, 
 cannot understand pure truth, but behold it 
 through a glass and in an enigma? It is 
 likely, however, that before the second and 
 diviner advent of Christ, John or Elias will 
 come to bear witness about life a little before 
 Christ our life is made manifest, and that then 
 they will bear witness about the Word, and 
 offer also their testimony about wisdom. 
 Some inquiry is necessary whether a testi- 
 mony such as that of John is to precede each 
 of the aspects of Christ. So much for the 
 words, " He came for witness, to bear wit- 
 ness of the light." What we are to understand 
 by the further words, "That all might be- 
 lieve through Him," may be considered later. 
 
 FRAGMENTS OF THE FOURTH BOOK.' 
 
 {Three Leaves from the Beginning.') 
 
 1. He who distinguishes in himself voice 
 and meaning and things for which the mean- 
 ing stands, will not be offended at rudeness 
 of language if, on enquiry, he hnds the things 
 spoken of to be sound. The more may this 
 be so when we remember how the holy men 
 acknowledge their speech and their preach- 
 ing to be not in persuasion of the wisdom 
 of words, but in demonstration of the Spirit 
 and of power. . . . 
 
 [Tlien, after speaking of the rudeness of 
 style of the Gospel, he proceeds : ] 
 
 2. The Apostles are not unaware that in 
 some things they give offence, and that in 
 some respects their culture is defective, and 
 they confess themselves ^ accordingly to be 
 rude in speech but not in knowledge ; for we 
 must consider that the other Apostles would 
 have said this, too, as well as Paul. As for 
 the text, 3 ' ' But we have this treasure in 
 earthen vessels, that the excellency of the 
 power may be of God and not of us," we 
 interpret it in this way. By "treasures" 
 we understand here, as in other passages, 
 
 ' From the PhUocalia. ^ 1 Cor. xi. 6. =2 Cor. iv. 7. 
 
 the treasure of knowledge (gnosis) and of 
 hidden wisdom. By "earthen vessels " we 
 understand the humble diction of the Scrip- 
 tures, which the Greek might so readily be 
 led to despise, and in which the excellency 
 of God's power appears so clearl)-. The 
 mystery of the truth and the power of the 
 things said were not hindered by the humble 
 diction from travelling to the ends of the 
 earth, nor from subduing to the word of 
 Christ, not only the foolish things of the 
 world, but sometimes its wise things, too. 
 For we see our calling, ' not that no wise 
 man according to the flesh, but that not 
 many wise according to the flesh. But Paul, 
 in his preaching of the Gospel, is a debtor^ to 
 deliver the word not to Barbarians only, but 
 also to Greeks, and not only to the unwise, 
 who would easily agree with him, but also 
 to the wise. For he was made sufficient ^ 
 by God to be a minister of the New Cove- 
 nant, wielding the demonstration of the 
 spirit and of power, so that when the 
 believers agreed with him their belief should 
 
 > I Cor. 1. 26, 27. 
 
 ■ Rom. i. 14. 
 
 * 2 Cor. iii. 6. 
 
346 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 not be in the wisdom of men, but in the 
 power of God. For, perhaps, if the Scrip- 
 ture possessed, like the works the Greeks 
 admire, eleg;ance and command of diction, 
 then it would be open to suppose that not 
 
 the truth of them had laid hold of men, but 
 that the apparent sequence and splendour of 
 language had carried off the hearers, and 
 had carried them off by guile. 
 
 FROM THE FIFTH BOOK. 
 
 {Fro7n the Preface.) ' 
 
 You are not content to fulfil the ofifice, 
 when I am present with you, of a taskmaster 
 to drive me to labour at theology ; even 
 when I am absent you demand that I should 
 spend most of my time on you and on the 
 task I have to do for you.^ I, for my part, 
 am inclined to shrink from toil, and to avoid 
 that danger which threatens from God those 
 who give themselves to writing on divinity ; 
 thus I would take shelter in Scripture in re- 
 fraining from making many books. For 
 Solomon says in Ecclesiastes,' "My son, 
 beware of making many books ; there is no 
 end of it, and much study is a weariness of 
 the flesh." For we, except that text have 
 some hidden meaning which we do not yet 
 perceive, have directly transgressed the in- 
 junction, we have not guarded ourselves 
 against making many books. 
 
 [TJten, after saying that this discussion of 
 but a few sentences of the Gospel have run 
 to four volumes, he goes on .■] 
 
 2. HOW SCRIPTURE WARNS US AGAINST MAKING 
 MANY BOOKS. 
 
 For, to judge by the words of the phrase, 
 " My son, bevi^are of making many books," 
 two things appear to be indicated by it : 
 first, that we ought not to possess many 
 books, and then that we ought not to com- 
 pose many books. If the first is not the 
 meaning the second must be, and if the 
 second is the meaning the first does not ne- 
 cessarily follow. In either case we appear 
 to be told that we ought not to make many 
 books. I might take my stand on this 
 dictum which now confronts us, and send 
 you the text as an excuse, and I might 
 appeal in support of this position to the fact 
 that not even the saints found leisure to 
 compose many books ; and thus I might cry 
 
 ' From the Philocalia. 
 
 ^ This is addressed to Ambrose, who was at the time absent from 
 Alexandria. Cf. book i. chap. 6, p. agg. 
 * xii. 12. 
 
 off from the bargain we made w^ith each 
 other, and give up writing what I was to 
 send to you. You, on your side, would no 
 doubt feel the force of the text I have cited, 
 and might, for the future, excuse me. But 
 we must treat Scripture conscientiously, and 
 must not congratulate ourselves because we 
 see the primary meaning of a text, that we 
 understand it altogether. I do not, there- 
 fore, shrink from bringing forward what ex- 
 cuse I think I am able to offer for myself, 
 and to point out the arguments, which you 
 vi'ould certainly use against me, if I acted 
 contrary to our agreement. And in the first 
 place, the Sacred History seems to agree 
 with the text in question, inasmuch as none 
 of the saints composed several works, or set 
 forth his views in a number of books. I will 
 take up this point : when I proceed to write 
 a number of books, the critic will remind 
 me that even such a one as Moses left behind 
 him only five books. 
 
 3. THE APOSTLES WROTE LITTLE.' 
 
 But he who was made fit to be a minister 
 of the New Covenant, not of the letter, but 
 of the spirit, Paul, who fulfilled the Gospel 
 from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum,^ 
 did not write epistles to all the churches he 
 taught, and to those to whom he did write 
 he sent no more than a fevi' lines. And 
 Peter, on whom the Church of Christ is built, 
 against which the gates of hell shall not 
 prevail,3 left only one epistle of acknow- 
 ledged genuineness. Suppose we allow that 
 he left a second ; for this is doubtful. What 
 are we to say of him who leaned on Jesus' 
 breast, namely, John, who left one Gospel, 
 though confessing 4 that he could make so 
 many that the world would not contain 
 them .? But he wrote also the Apocalypse, 
 being commanded to be silent and not to 
 write the voices of the seven thunders, s But 
 he also left an epistle of very few lines. 
 
 ^ From Eusebiua, Hist, Eccl. vi. 25. 
 
 ' Rom. XV. 19. 
 * John i. 20, zf . 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 18. 
 * Apoc. X. 4. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 347 
 
 Suppose also a second and a third, since not 
 all pronounce these to be genuine ; but the 
 two together do not amount to a hundred 
 lines. 
 
 \Then, after enumerating the prophets 
 and Apostles, and showing how each wrote 
 only a little, or not even a little, he goes 
 on : J ' 
 
 4. I feel myself growing dizzy with all 
 this, and wonder whether, in obeying you, 
 I have not been obeying God, nor walking 
 in the footsteps of the saints, unless it be 
 that my too great love to you, and my un- 
 willingness to cause you any pain, has led 
 nie astray and caused me to think of all 
 these excuses. We started from the words 
 of the preacher, where he says : " My son, 
 beware of making many books." With this 
 I compare a saying from the Proverbs of the 
 same Solomon,^ "In the multitude of words 
 thou shalt not escape sin ; but in sparing 
 thy lips thou shalt be wise." Here I ask 
 whether speaking many words of whatever 
 kind is a multitude of words (in the sense 
 of the preacher), even if the many words a 
 man speaks are sacred and connected with 
 salvation. If this be the case, and if he 
 who makes use of many salutary words is 
 guilty of "multitude of words," then Solo- 
 mon himself did not escape this sin, for "he 
 spoke 3 three thousand proverbs, and five 
 thousand songs, and he spoke of trees from 
 the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the 
 hyssop that springeth out of the wall, he 
 spoke also of beasts, and of fowl, and of 
 creeping things and of fishes. " How, I may 
 ask, can any one give any course of in- 
 struction, without a multitude of words, us- 
 ing the phrase in its simplest sense ? Does 
 not Wisdom herself say to those who are 
 perishing, ■♦ "I stretched out my words, and 
 ye heeded not"? Do we not find Paul, 
 too, extending his discourse from morning 
 to midnight,5 when Eutychus was borne 
 down with sleep and fell down, to the dis- 
 may of the hearers, who thought he was 
 killed? If, then, the words are true, "In 
 much speaking thou wilt not escape sin," 
 and if Solomon was yet not guilty of great 
 sin when he discoursed on the subjects above 
 mentioned, nor Paul when he prolonged his 
 discourse till midnight, then the question 
 arises. What is that much speaking which is 
 referred to ? and then we may pass on to 
 consider what are the many books. Now 
 the entire Word of God, who was in the be- 
 
 ^ The following fragments is found in Pkilocalia, pp. 27-30. 
 
 * X. ig. 3 I Kings iv. 32. 
 
 * Prov. i. 24. *Acts XX. 7-9. 
 
 ginning with God, is not much speaking, is 
 not words ; for the Word is one, being com- 
 posed of the many speculations (theore- 
 mata), each of which is a part of the Word 
 in its entirety. Whatever words there be 
 outside of this one, which promise to give 
 any description and exposition, even though 
 they be words about truth, none of these, to 
 put it in a somewhat paradoxical way, is 
 Word or Reason, they are all words or rea- 
 sons. They are not the monad, far from it ; 
 they are not that which agrees and is one 
 in itself, by their inner divisions and con- 
 flicts unity has departed from them, they 
 have become numbers, perhaps infinite 
 numbers. We are obliged, therefore, to 
 say that whoever speaks that which is for- 
 eign to religion is using many words, while 
 he who speaks the words of truth, even 
 should he go over the whole field and omit 
 nothing, is always speaking the one word. 
 Nor are the saints guilty of much speak- 
 ing, since they always have the aim in 
 view which is connected with the one word. 
 It appears, then, that the much speaking 
 which is condemned is judged to be so 
 rather from the nature of the views pro- 
 pounded, than from the number of the 
 words pronounced. Let us see if we can- 
 not conclude in the same way that all the 
 sacred books are one book, but that those 
 outside are the "many books" of the 
 preacher. The proof of this must be drawn 
 from Holy Scripture, and it will be most 
 satisfactorily established if I am able to 
 show that it is not only one book, taking 
 the word now in its commoner meaning, 
 that we find to be written about Christ. 
 Christ is written about even in the Penta- 
 teuch ; He is spoken of in each of the Pro- 
 phets, and in the Psalms, and, in a word, 
 as the Saviour Himself says, in all the 
 Scriptures. He refers us to them all, when 
 He says:' "Search the Scriptures, for in 
 them ye think ye have eternal life, and these 
 are they which testify of Me." And if He 
 refers us to the Scriptures as testifying of 
 Him, it is not to one that He sends us, to 
 the exclusion of another, but to all that 
 speak of Him, those which, in the Psalms, 
 He calls the chapter of the book, saying,* 
 " In the chapter of the book it is written of 
 Me." If any one proposes to take these 
 words, "In the chapter of the book it is 
 written of Me," literally, and to apply them 
 to this or that special passage where Christ 
 is spoken of, let him tell us on what prin- 
 ciple he warrants his preference for one 
 
 * John V. 39. 
 
 'd. 
 
348 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 book over another. If any one supposes 
 that we are doing something of this kind 
 ourselves, and applying the words in ques- 
 tion to the book of Psalms, we deny that 
 we do so, and we would urge that in that 
 case the words should have been, " In this 
 book it is written of Me." But He speaks 
 of all the books as one chapter, thus sum- 
 ming up in one all that is spoken of Christ 
 for our instruction. In fact the book was 
 seen by John," " written within and without, 
 and sealed ; and no one could open it to 
 read it, and to loose the seals thereof, but 
 the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of 
 David, who has the key of David, ^ he that 
 openeth and none shall shut, and that shut- 
 teth and none shall open." For the book 
 here spoken of means the whole of Scrip- 
 ture ; and it is written within (lit. in front), 
 on account of the meaning which is obvious, 
 and on the back, on account of its remoter 
 and spiritual sense. Observe, in addition 
 to this, if a proof that the sacred writings 
 are one book, and those of an opposite 
 character many, may not be found in the 
 fact that there is one book of the living 
 from which those who have proved un- 
 worthy to be in it are blotted out, as it is 
 written : ' " Let them be blotted out of the 
 book of the living," while of those who are 
 to undergo the judgment, there are books in 
 the plural, as Daniel says:* "The judg- 
 ment was set, and the books were opened. " 
 But Moses also bears witness to the unity 
 of the sacred book, when he says:5 "If 
 Thou forgive the people their sins, forgive, 
 but if not, then wipe me out of the book 
 which Thou hast written." The passage in 
 Isaiah,* too, I read in the same way. It is 
 not peculiar to his prophecy that the words 
 of the book should be sealed, and should 
 neither be read by him who does not know 
 letters, because he is ignorant of letters, nor 
 by him who is learned, because the book is 
 sealed. This is true of every writing, for 
 every written work needs the reason (Logos) 
 which closed it to open it. "He shall 
 shut, and none shall open," 7 and when He 
 opens no one can cast doubt on the inter- 
 pretation He brings. Hence it is said that 
 He shall open and no man shall shut. I in- 
 fer a similar lesson from the book spoken 
 of in Ezekiel,^ in which was written lamen- 
 tation, and a song, and woe. For the whole 
 book is full of the woe of the lost, and the 
 song of the saved, and the lamentation of 
 those between these two. And John, too, 
 
 * Apoc. V. 1-5. 
 
 * Dan. vii. lo. 
 ^ Isa. xxii. 22. 
 
 ' Apoc. iii. 7. 
 * Exod. xxxii. 32. 
 ^ ii, 10. 
 
 » Ps. kii. 28. 
 * xxii. II, 13. 
 
 when he speaks of his eating the one roll," 
 in which both front and back were written 
 on, means the whole of Scripture, one book 
 which is, at first, most sweet when one be- 
 gins, as it were, to chew it, but bitter in 
 the revelation of himself which it makes to 
 the conscience of each one who knows it. 
 I will add to the proof of this an apostolic 
 saying which has been quite misunderstood 
 by the disciples of Marcion, who, therefore, 
 set the Gospels at naught. The Apostle 
 says:^ "According to my Gospel in Christ 
 Jesus ; " he does not speak of Gospels in the 
 plural, and, hence, they argue that as the 
 Apostle only speaks of one Gospel in the 
 singular, there was only one in existence. 
 But they fail to see that, as He is one of 
 whom all the evangelists write, so the Gos- 
 pel, though written by several hands, is, in 
 effect, one. And, in fact, the Gospel, though 
 written by four, is one. From these con- 
 siderations, then, we learn what the one 
 book is, and what the many books, and 
 what I am now concerned about is, not the 
 quantity I may write, but the effect of what 
 I say, lest, if I fail in this point, and set 
 forth anything against the truth itself, even 
 in one of my writings, I should prove to 
 have transgressed the commandment, and 
 to be a writer of "many books." Yet I see 
 the heterodox assailing the holy Church of 
 God in these days, under the pretence of 
 higher wisdom, and bringing forward works 
 in many volumes in which they offer expo- 
 sitions of the evangelical and apostolic 
 writings, and I fear that if I should be silent 
 and should not put before our members the 
 saving and true doctrines, these teachers 
 might get a hold of curious souls, which, in 
 the absence of wholesome nourishment, 
 might go after food that is forbidden, and, 
 in fact, unclean and horrible. It appears 
 to me, therefore, to be necessary that one 
 who is able to represent in a genuine man- 
 ner the doctrine of the Church, and to re- 
 fute those dealers in knowledge, falsely 
 so-called, should take his stand against his- 
 torical fictions, and oppose to them the true 
 and lofty evangelical message in which the 
 agreement of the doctrines, found both in 
 the so-called Old Testament and in the so- 
 called New, appears so plainly and fully. 
 You yourself felt at one time the lack of 
 good representatives of the better cause, and 
 were impatient of a faith which was at issue 
 with reason and absurd, and you then, for 
 the love you bore to the Lord, gave your- 
 self to composition from which, however, in 
 
 * Apoc. X. 9, 10. 
 
 ' Rom. U 16, 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 349 
 
 the exercise of the judgment with which 
 you are. endowed, you afterwards desisted. 
 This is the defence which I think admits of 
 being made for those who have the facuUy 
 of speaking and writing. But I am also 
 pleading my own cause, as I now devote 
 
 myself with what boldness I may to the 
 work of exposition ; for it may be that I am 
 not endowed with that habit and disposition 
 which he ought to have who is fitted by 
 God to be a minister of the New Covenant, 
 not of the letter but of the spirit. 
 
 SIXTH BOOK. 
 
 I. THE WORK IS TAKEN UP AFTER A VIOLENT IN- 
 TERRUPTION, WHICH HAS DRIVEN THE WRITER 
 FROM ALEXANDRIA. HE ADDRESSES HIMSELF 
 TO IT AGAIN, WITH THANKS FOR HIS DELIVER- 
 ANCE, AND PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE. 
 
 When a house is being built which is to 
 be made as strong as possible, the building 
 takes place in fine weather and in calm, so 
 that nothing may hinder the structure from 
 acquiring the needed solidity. And thus it 
 turns out so strong and stable that it is able 
 to withstand the rush of the flood, and the 
 dashing of the river, and all the agencies ac- 
 companying a storm which are apt to find 
 out what is rotten in a building and to show 
 what parts of it have been properly put to- 
 gether. And more particularly should that 
 house which is capable of sheltering the 
 speculations of truth, the house of reason, as 
 it were, in promise or in letters, be built 
 at a time when God can add His free co-oper- 
 ation to the projector of so noble a work, 
 when the soul is quiet and in the enjoyment 
 of that peace which passes all understanding, 
 when she is turned away from all disturbance 
 and not buffeted by any billows. This, it 
 appears to me, was well understood by the 
 servants of the prophetic spirit and the min- 
 isters of the Gospel message ; they made 
 themselves worthy to receive that peace 
 which is in secret from Him who ever gives 
 it to them that are worthy and who said,' 
 "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give 
 unto you ; not as the world giveth give 1 
 unto you." And look if some similar lesson 
 is not taught under the surface with regard 
 to David and Solomon in the narrative about 
 the temple. David, who fought the wars of 
 the Lord and stood firm against many 
 enemies, his own and those of Israel, desired 
 to build a temple for God. But God, through 
 Nathan, prevents him from doing so, and 
 Nathan says to him, ^ "Thoushalt not build 
 me an house, because thou art a man of 
 
 * John xiv. 27. 
 
 * 1 Chron, xxii. 8, 9. 
 
 blood." But Solomon, on the other hand, 
 saw God in a dream, and in a dream received 
 wisdom, for the reality of the vision was kept 
 for him who said, " Behold a greater than 
 Solomon is here. " The time was one of the 
 profoundest peace, so that it was possible 
 for every man to rest under his own vine 
 and his own fig-tree, and Solomon's very 
 name was significant of the peace which 
 was in his days, for Solomon means peace- 
 ful ; and so he was at liberty to build the 
 famous temple of God. About the time of 
 Ezra, also, when "truth conquers wine and 
 the hostile king and women," ' the temple of 
 God is restored again. All this is said by 
 way of apology to you, reverend Ambrosius. 
 It is at your sacred encouragement that I 
 have made up my mind to build up in writ- 
 ing the tower of the Gospel ; and I have 
 therefore sate down to count the cost,'' if I 
 have sufficient to finish it, lest I should be 
 mocked by the beholders, because I laid the 
 foundation but was not able to finish the 
 work. The result of my counting, it is true, 
 has been that I do not possess what is re- 
 quired to finish it ; yet I have put my trust 
 in God, who enriches us s with all wisdom 
 and all knowledge. If we strive to keep 
 His spiritual laws we believe that He does 
 enrich us ; He will supply what is necessary 
 so that we shall get on with our building, 
 and shall even come to the parapet of the 
 structure. That parapet it is which keeps 
 from falling those who go up on the house 
 of the Word ; for people only fall off those 
 houses which have no parapet, so that the 
 buildings themselves are to blame for their 
 fall and for their death. We proceeded as 
 far as the fifth volume in spite of the obstacles 
 presented by the storm in Alexandria, and 
 spoke what was given us to speak, for Jesus 
 rebuked the winds and the waves of the sea. 
 We emerged from the storm, we were 
 brought out of Egypt, that God delivering 
 
 > 3 Esdras iv. 37, 41, 47. 
 ' 1 Cor. 1. J. 
 
 * Luke xiv. 28. 
 
3SO 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 us who led His people forth from there. 
 Then, when the enemy assailed us with all 
 bitterness by his new writings, so directly 
 hostile to the Gospel, and stirred up against 
 us all the winds of wickedness in Egypt, I 
 felt that reason called me rather to stand 
 fast for the conflict, and to save the higher 
 part in me, lest evil counsels should succeed 
 in directing the storm so as to overwhelm 
 my soul, rather to do this than to finish my 
 work at an unsuitable season, before my 
 mind had recovered its calm. Indeed, the 
 ready writers who usually attended me 
 brought my work to a stand by failing to 
 appear to take down my words. But now 
 that the many fiery darts directed against 
 me have lost their edge, for God extin- 
 guished them, and my soul has grown accus- 
 tomed to the dispensation sent me for the 
 sake of the heavenly word, and has learned 
 from necessity to disregard the snares of my 
 enemies, it is as if a great calm had settled 
 on me, and I defer no longer the continua- 
 tion of this work. I pray that God will be 
 with me, and will speak as a teacher in the 
 porch of my soul, so that the building I have 
 begun of the exposition of the Gospel of John 
 may arrive at completion. May God hear 
 my prayer and grant that the body of the 
 whole work may now be brought together, 
 and that no interruption may intervene 
 which might prevent me from following the 
 sequence of Scripture. And be assured that 
 it IS with great readiness that I now make 
 this second beginning and enter on my sixth 
 volume, because what I wrote before at 
 Alexandria has not, I know not by what 
 chance, been brought with me. I feared I 
 might neg;lect this work, If I were not en- 
 gaged on it at once, and therefore thought 
 it better to make use of this present time 
 and begin without delay the part which re- 
 mains. I am not certain if the part formerly 
 written will come to light, and would be 
 very unwiUing to waste time in waiting to 
 see if it does. Enough of preamble, let us 
 now attend to our text. 
 
 2. HOW THE PROPHETS AND HOLY MEN OF THE 
 OLD TESTAMENT KNEW THE THINGS OF 
 CHRIST. 
 
 ''And this is the witness of John."- 
 This is the second recorded testimony of 
 John the Baptist to Christ. The first begins 
 With "This was He of whom I said. He 
 that Cometh after me," and goes down to 
 "The only-begotten Son of God who is in 
 the bosom of the Father, He hath declared 
 
 * John i, 19. 
 
 him." Heracleon supposes the words, "No 
 one has seen God at any time," etc., to have 
 been spoken, not by the Baptist, but by the 
 disciple. But in this he is not sound. He 
 himself allows the words, "Of his fulness 
 we all received, and grace for grace ; for 
 the law was given by Moses, but grace and 
 truth came by Jesus Christ," to have been 
 spoken by the Baptist. And does it not 
 follow that the person who received of the 
 fulness of Christ, and a second grace in 
 addition to that he had before, and who de- 
 clared the law to have been given by Moses, 
 but grace and truth to have come through 
 Jesus Christ, is it not clear that this is the 
 person who understood, from what he re- 
 ceived from the fulness of Christ, how "no 
 one hath seen God at any time," and how 
 " the only-begotten who is in the bosom of 
 the Father" had delivered the declaration 
 about God to him and to all those who had 
 received of His fulness? He was not de- 
 claring here for the first time Him that is in 
 the bosom of the Father, as if there had 
 never before been any one fit to receive 
 what he told His Apostles. Does he not 
 teach us that he was before Abraham, and 
 that Abraham rejoiced and was glad to see 
 his day? The words "Of his fulness all 
 we received, " and "Grace for grace," show, 
 as we have already made clear, that the pro- 
 phets also received their gift from the ful- 
 ness of Christ and received a second grace 
 in place of that they had before ; for they 
 also, led by the Spirit, advanced from the 
 introduction they had in types to the vision 
 of truth. Hence not all the prophets, but 
 many of them,' desired to see the things, 
 which the Apostles saw. For if there was 
 a difference among the prophets, those who 
 were perfect and more distinguished of them 
 did not desire to see what the Apostles saw, 
 but actually beheld them, while those who 
 rose less fully than these to the height of 
 the Word were filled with longing for the 
 things which the Apostles knew through 
 Christ. The word "saw" we have not 
 taken in a physical sense, and the word 
 "heard" we have taken to refer to a 
 spiritual communication ; only he who has 
 ears is prepared to hear the words of Jesus 
 — a thing which does not happen too fre- 
 quently. There is the further point, that the 
 saints before the bodily advent of Jesus had 
 an advantage over most believers in their 
 insight into the mysteries of divinity, since 
 the Word of God was their teacher before 
 He became flesh, for He was always work- 
 
 ' Matt, xiii, 17. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 35 1. 
 
 ing, in imitation of His Father, of whom He 
 says, ' My father worketh hitherto." On 
 this point we may adduce the words He 
 addresses to the Sadducees, wlio do not 
 believe the doctrine of the resurrection. 
 "Have you not read," He says,' "what is 
 said by God at the Bush, I am the God of 
 Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the 
 God of Jacob ; He is not the God of the 
 dead but of the living." If, then, God is not 
 ashamed to be called the God of these men, 
 and if they are counted by Christ among 
 the living, and if all believers are sons of 
 Abraham,^ since all the Gentiles are blessed 
 with faithful Abraham, who is appointed by 
 God to be a father of the Gentiles, can we 
 hesitate to admit that those living persons 
 made acquaintance with the learning of liv- 
 ing men, and were taught by Christ who was 
 born before the daystar,^ before He became 
 flesh? And for this cause they lived, be- 
 cause they had part in Him who said, " I 
 am the life," and as the heirs of so great 
 promises received the vision, not only of 
 angels, but of God in Christ. For they saw, 
 it may be, the image of the invisible God,-* 
 since he who hath seen the Son hath seen 
 the Father, and so they are recorded to have 
 known God, and to have heard God's words 
 worthily, and, therefore, to have seen God 
 and heard Him. Now, I consider that 
 those who are fully and really sons of Abra- 
 ham are sons of his actions, spiritually un- 
 derstood, and of the knowledge which was 
 made manifest to him. What he knew and 
 what he did appears again in those who 
 are his sons, as the Scripture teaches those 
 who have ears to hear,s " If ye were the 
 children of Abraham, ye would do the 
 works of Abraham." And if it is a true 
 proverb* which says, "A wise man will 
 understand that which proceeds from his 
 own mouth, and on his lips he will bear pru- 
 dence, " then we must at once repudiate 
 some things which have been said about 
 the prophets, as if they were not wise men, 
 and did not understand what proceeded 
 from their own mouths. We must believe 
 what is good and true about the prophets, 
 that they were sages, that they did under- 
 stand what proceeded from their mouths, 
 and that they bore prudence on their lips. 
 It is clear indeed that Moses understood in 
 his mind the truth (real meaning) of the 
 law, and the higher interpretations of the 
 stories recorded in his books. Joshua, too, 
 understood the meaning of the allotment of 
 
 • Mark xii. 20. 'Rom. iy. 11. ' Ps. cv. 3. 
 
 * Coloss. i. 15 ; John xiv. 19. '' John viiL 39. 
 Prov. xvi. 23. 
 
 the land after the destruction of the nine 
 and twenty kings, and could see better 
 than we can the realities of which his 
 achievements were the shadows. It is 
 clear, too, that Isaiah saw the mystery of 
 Him who sat upon the throne, and of the 
 two seraphim, and of the veiling of their 
 faces and their feet, and of their wings, 
 and of the altar and of the tongs. Ezekiel, 
 too, understood the true significance of the 
 cherubim and of their goings, and of the 
 firmament that was above them, and of 
 Him that sat on the throne, than all 
 which what could be loftier or more 
 splendid? I need not enter into more par- 
 ticulars ; the point I aim at establishing is 
 clear enough already, namely, that those 
 who were made perfect in earlier genera- 
 tions knew not less than the Apostles did of 
 what Christ revealed to them, since the same 
 teacher was with them as He who revealed 
 to the Apostles the unspeakable mysteries of 
 godliness. I will add but a few points, and 
 then leave it to the reader to judge and to 
 form what views he pleases on this subject. 
 Paul says in his Epistle to the Romans," 
 "Now, to him who is able to establish you 
 according to my Gospel, according to the 
 revelation of the mystery which hath been 
 kept in silence through times eternal, but is 
 now made manifest by the prophetic Scrip- 
 tures and the appearance of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ." For if the mystery concealed of 
 old is made manifest to the Apostles 
 through the prophetic writings, and if the 
 prophets, being wise men, understood what 
 proceeded from their own mouths, then the 
 prophets knew what was made manifest to 
 the Apostles. But to many it was not re- 
 vealed, as Paul says,' "In other genera- 
 tions it was not made known to the sons of 
 men as it hath now been revealed unto His 
 holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 
 that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and mem- 
 bers of the same body." Here an objection 
 may be raised by those who do not share 
 the view we have propounded ; and it be- 
 comes of importance to define what is meant 
 by the word ''revealed." It is capable of 
 two meanings : firstly, that the thing in 
 question is understood, but secondly, if 
 a prophecy is spoken of, that it is accom- 
 plished. Now, the fact that the Gentiles 
 were to be fellow-heirs and members of the 
 same body, and partakers of the promise, 
 was known to the prophets to this extent, 
 that they knew the Gentiles were to be 
 fellow-heirs and members of the same 
 
 ^ XVI, 25, 
 
 * Ephes. iii. 5. 
 
3S2 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 body, and partakers of the promise in 
 Christ. When this should be, and why, and 
 what Gentiles were spoken of, and how, 
 though strangers from the covenants, and 
 aliens to the promises, they were yet to be 
 members of one body and sharers of the 
 blessings ; all this was known to the pro- 
 phets, being revealed to them. But the 
 things prophesied belong to the future, and 
 are not revealed to those who know them, 
 but do not witness their fulfilment, as they 
 are to those who have the event before their 
 eyes. And this was the position of the 
 ■ Apostles. Thus, I conceive, they knew the 
 events no more than the fathers and the 
 prophets did ; and yet it is truly said of them 
 that "what to other generations was not 
 revealed was now revealed to the Apostles 
 and prophets, that the Gentiles were fellow- 
 heirs and members of the same body, and 
 partakers in the promise of Christ." For, in 
 addition to knowing these mysteries, they 
 saw the power at work in the accomplished 
 fact. The passage, "Many prophets and 
 righteous men desired to see the things ye 
 see and did not see them ; and to hear 
 the things ye hear and did not hear them," 
 may be interpreted in the same way. They 
 also desired to see the mystery of the incar- 
 nation of the Son of God, and of His coming 
 down to carry out the design of His suffering 
 for the salvation of many, actually put in 
 operation. This may be illustrated from 
 another quarter. Suppose one of the Apos- 
 tles to have understood the " unspeakable 
 words which it is not lawful for a man to 
 utter,"' but not to witness the glorious 
 bodily appearing of Jesus to the faithful, 
 which is promised, although He desired to 
 see it and suppose another had not only 
 not^ marked and seen what that Apostle 
 marked and saw, but had a much feebler 
 grasp of the divine hope, and yet is present 
 at the second coming of our Saviour, which 
 the Apostle, as in the parallel above, had 
 desired, but had not seen. We shall not 
 err from the truth if we say that both of 
 these have seen what the Apostle, or in- 
 deed the Apostles, desired to see, and yet 
 that they are not on that account to be 
 deemed wiser or more blessed than the 
 Apostles. In the same way, also, the Apos- 
 tles are not to be deemed wiser than the 
 fathers, or than Moses and the prophets, 
 than those in fact who, for their virtue, 
 were found worthy of epiphanies and of 
 
 * 2 Cor. xii. 4. 
 J LommatMch omits oi before inpi^uKoTo, but it is necessary to 
 tne sense. ' 
 
 1 
 
 divine manifestations and of revelations of 
 mysteries. 
 
 3. "grace and truth came through JESUS 
 CHRIST." THESE VTORDS BELO^fG TO THE 
 BAPTIST, NOT THE EVANGELIST. WHAT THE 
 BAPTIST TESTIFIES BY THEM. 
 
 We have lingered rather long over these dis- 
 cussions, but there is a reason for it. There 
 are many who, under the pretence of glori- 
 fying the advent of Christ, declare the 
 Apostles to be wiser than the fathers or the 
 prophets ; and of these teachers some have 
 invented a greater God for the later period, 
 while some, not venturing so far, but moved, 
 according to their own account of the 
 matter, by the difficulty connected with 
 doctrine, cancel the whole of the gift con- 
 ferred by God on the fathers and the 
 prophets, through Christ, through whom all 
 things were made. If all things were made ' 
 through Him, clearly so must the splendid 
 revelations have been which were made to 
 the fathers and prophets, and became to 
 them the symbols of the sacred mysteries 
 of religion. Now the true soldiers of Christ 
 must always be prepared to do battle for 
 the truth, and must never, so far as lies with 
 them, allow false convictions to creep in. 
 We must not, therefore, neglect this matter. 
 It may be said that John's earlier testimony 
 to Christ is to be found in the words. 
 " He who Cometh after me exists before 
 me, for He was before me," and that the 
 words, " For of His fulness we all 
 received, and grace for grace," are in the 
 mouth of John the disciple. Now, we must 
 show this exposition to be a forced one, and 
 one which does violence to the context ; it 
 is rather a strong proceeding to suppose the 
 speech of the Baptist to be so suddenly and, 
 as it were, inopportunely interrupted by 
 that of the disciple, and it is quite apparent 
 to any one who can judge, in whatever 
 small degree, of a context, that the speech 
 goes on continuously after the words, 
 "This is He of whom I spoke. He that 
 Cometh after me exists before me, for He 
 was before me." The Baptist brings a 
 proof that Jesus existed before him 
 because He was before him, since He is the 
 first-born of all creation ; he says, " For of 
 His fulness all we received." That is the 
 reason why he says, " He exists before me, 
 for He was before me." That is how I 
 know that He is first and in higher honour 
 with the Father, since of His fulness both I 
 and the prophets before me received the 
 more divine prophetic grace instead of the 
 grace we received at His hands before in 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 353 
 
 respect of our election. That is why I say, 
 "He exists before me, forHe was before me," 
 because we know what we have received 
 from His fuhiess ; namely, that the law was 
 given through Moses, not by Moses, while 
 grace and truth not only were given but 
 came into existence ' through Jesus Christ. 
 For His God and Father both gave the law 
 through Moses, and made grace and truth 
 through Jesus Christ, that grace and truth 
 which came to man. If we give a reason- 
 able interpretation to the words, " Grace and 
 truth came through Jesus Christ," we shall 
 not be alarmed at the possible discrepancy 
 with them of that other saying, " I am the 
 way and the truth and the life." If it is Jesus 
 who says, "I am the truth," then how does 
 the truth come through Jesus Christ, since 
 no one comes into existence through him- 
 self? We must recognize that this very 
 truth, the essential truth, which is proto- 
 typal, so to speak, of that truth which exists 
 in souls endowed with reason, that truth 
 from which, as it were, images are impressed 
 on those who care for truth, was not made 
 through Jesus Christ, nor indeed through 
 any one, but by God ; — just as the Word 
 was not made through any one which was 
 in the beginning with the Father ; — and as 
 wisdom which God created the beginning of 
 His ways was not made through any one, 
 so the truth also was not made through any 
 one. That truth, however, which is with 
 men came through Jesus Christ, as the 
 truth in Paul and the Apostles came 
 through Jesus Christ. And it is no wonder, 
 since truth is one, that many truths should 
 flow from that one. The prophet David 
 certainly knew many truths, as he says,^ 
 " The Lord searcheth out truths," for the 
 Father of truth searches out not the one 
 truth but the many through which those are 
 saved who possess them. And as with the 
 one truth and many truths, so also with 
 righteousness and righteousnesses. For the 
 very essential righteousness is Christ, 
 "Who was made to us of God wisdom and 
 righteousness and sanctification and re- 
 demption." But from that righteousness is 
 formed the righteousness which is in each 
 individual, so that there are in the saved 
 many righteousnesses, whence also it is 
 written, 3 "For the Lord is righteous, and 
 He loved righteousnesses." This is the 
 reading in the exact copies, and in the other 
 versions besides the Septuagint, and in the 
 Hebrew. Consider if the other things which 
 Christ is said to be in a unity admit of 
 
 ^ Fs. jaod. 24. 
 
 ' Ps. a. 7. 
 
 being multiplied in the same way and 
 spoken of in the plural. For example, 
 Christ is our life as the Saviour Himself 
 says," "I am the way andthe truth and the 
 Hfe." The Apostle, too, says,' "When 
 Christ our life shall appear, then shall ye 
 also appear with Him in glory." And in 
 the Psalms again we find,' "Thy mercy is 
 better than life ; " for it is on account of 
 Christ who is life in every one that there are 
 many lives. This, perhaps, is also the key 
 to the passage, -t " If ye seek a proof of the 
 Christ that speaketh in me. " For Christ is 
 found in every saint, and so from the one 
 Christ there come to be many Christs, 
 imitators of Him and formed after Him who 
 is the image of God ; whence God says 
 through the prophet,s "Touch not my 
 Christs." Thus we have explained in 
 passing the passage which we appeared to 
 have omitted from our exposition, viz. : 
 "Grace and truth came through Jesus 
 Christ ; " and we have also shown that the 
 words belong to John the Baptist and form 
 part of his testimony to the Son of God. 
 
 4. JOHN DENIES THAT HE IS ELIJAH OR " THE " 
 PROPHET. YET HE WAS "a" PROPHET. 
 
 Now let us consider John's second testi- 
 mony. Jews from Jerusalem,* kindred to 
 John the Baptist, since he also belonged to a 
 priestly race, send priests and levites to ask 
 John who he is. In saying, "I am not 
 the Christ," he made a confession of the 
 truth. The words are not, as one might 
 suppose, a negation ; for it is no negation 
 to say, in the honour of Christ, that one is 
 not Christ. The priests and levites sent 
 from Jerusalem, having there heard in the 
 first place that he is not the expected 
 Messiah, put a question about the second 
 great personage whom they expected, 
 namely, Elijah, whether John were he, 
 and he says he is not Elijah, and by his 
 " I am not " makes a second confession of 
 the truth. And, as many prophets had ap- 
 peared in Israel, and one in particular was 
 looked for according to the prophecy of 
 Moses, who said,? "A prophet shall the 
 Lord your God raise up to you of your 
 brethren, like unto me, him shall ye hear; 
 and it shall come to pass that every soul 
 that shall not hear that prophet shall be de- 
 stroyed from among the people," they, 
 therefore, ask a third question, not whether 
 he is a prophet, but whether he is the 
 prophet. Now, they did not apply this 
 
 * John xiv. 6. 
 
 ♦ 2 Cor. xiii. 3. 
 
 ' Deut. xviii. 15. 
 
 * Coloss. iii. 4, 
 ' Ps. cv. 15. 
 
 * Ps. Ixiii. 3. 
 John i. 19-21. 
 
 23 
 
354 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 name to the Christ, but supposed the prophet 
 to be a second figure beside the Christ. 
 But John, on the contrary, who knew that 
 He whose forerunner he was was both the 
 Christ and the prophet thus foretold, 
 answered " No ; " whereas, if they had asked 
 if he was a prophet, he would have 
 answered " Yes ; "' for he was not uncon- 
 scious that he was a prophet. In all these 
 answers John's second testimony to Christ 
 was not yet completed ; he had still to give 
 his questioners the answer they were to 
 take back to those who sent them, and to 
 declare himself in the terms of the prophecy 
 of Isaiah, which says, "The voice of one 
 crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the 
 way of the Lord. " 
 
 5. THERE WERE TWO EMBASSIES TO JOHN THE 
 BAPTIST ; THE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS OF 
 THESE. 
 
 Here the enquiry suggests itself whether 
 the second testimony is concluded, and 
 whether there is a third, addressed to those 
 who were sent from the Pharisees. They 
 wished to know why he baptized, if he was 
 neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the pro- 
 phet ; and he said : ^ " I baptize with water ; 
 but there standeth one among you whom 
 you know not, He that cometh after me, the 
 latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to 
 unloose." Is this a third testimony, or is 
 this which they were to report to the Phari- 
 sees a part of the second i As far as the 
 words allow me to conjecture I should say 
 that the word to the emissaries of the Phari- 
 sees was a third testimony. It is to be ob- 
 served, however, that the first testimony as- 
 serts the divinity of the Saviour, while the 
 second disposes of the suspicion of those 
 who were in doubt whether John could be 
 the Christ, and the third declares one who 
 was already present with men, although they 
 saw Him not, and whose coming was no 
 longer in the future. Before going on to the 
 subsequent testimonies in which he points 
 out Christ and witnesses to Him, let us look 
 at the second and third, word for word, and 
 let us, in the first place, observe that there 
 are two embassies to the Baptist, one "from 
 Jerusalem " from the Jews, who send priests 
 and levites, to ask him, " Who art thou ? " 
 the second sent by the Pharisees, 3 who were 
 in doubt about the answer which had been 
 made to the priests and levites. Observe 
 how what is said by the first envoys is in 
 keeping with the character of priests and 
 levites, and shows gentleness anda willing- 
 
 ^ John i. 25. ' John i. 25 sqq. 
 
 * Ver. 24. 
 
 ness to learn. "Who art thou ? " they say, 
 and "What then? art thou Elijah?" and 
 "Art thou that prophet?" and then, "Who 
 art thou, that we may give an answer to 
 them that sent us? What sayest thou of 
 thyself?" There is nothing harsh or arro- 
 gant in theenquiries of these men; everything 
 agrees well with the character of true and 
 careful servants of God ; and they raise no 
 difficulties about the replies made to them. 
 Those, on the contrary, who are sent from 
 the Pharisees assail the Baptist, as it were, 
 with arrogant and unsympathetic words : 
 " Why then baptizest thou if thou be not the 
 Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet?" This 
 mission is sent scarcely for the sake of in- 
 formation, as in the former case of the priests 
 and levites, but rather to debar the Baptist 
 from baptizing, as if it were thought that no 
 one was entitled to baptize but Christ and 
 Elijah and the prophet. The student who 
 desires to understand the Scripture must 
 always proceed in this careful way ; he 
 must ask with regard to each speech, who 
 is the speaker and on what occasion it was 
 spoken. Thus only can we discern how 
 speech harmonizes with the character of the 
 speaker, as it does all through the sacred 
 books. 
 
 6. MESSIANIC DISCUSSION WITH JOHN THE BAP- 
 TIST. 
 
 Then the Jews sent priests and levites 
 from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou ? 
 And he confessed and denied not ; and he 
 confessed, I am not the Christ." What le- 
 gates should have been sent from the Jews 
 to John, and where should they have been 
 sent from? Should they not have been 
 men held to stand by the election of God 
 above their fellows, and should they not 
 have come from that place which was 
 chosen out of the whole of the earth, though 
 it is all called good, from Jerusalem where 
 was the temple of God ? With such honour, 
 then, do they enquire of John. In the case 
 of Christ nothing of this sort is reported to 
 have been done by the Jews ; but what the 
 Jews do to John, John does to Christ, send- 
 ing his own disciples to ask him, ^ " Art thou 
 He that should come, or do we look for an- 
 other?" John confesses to those sent to 
 him, and denies not, and he afterwards de- 
 clares, "I am the voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness ; " but Christ, as having a greater 
 testimony than John the Baptist, makes 
 His answer by words and deeds, saying, 
 "Go and tell John those things which ye do 
 
 ' Tohn i. 19, 20. 
 
 * Matt. xi. 3. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 355 
 
 hear and see ; the blind receive their sight, 
 and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed 
 and the deaf hear, and the poor have the 
 Gospel preached to them." On this passage 
 I shall, if God permit, enlarge in its proper 
 place. Here, however, it might be asked 
 reasonably enough why John gives such an 
 answer to the question put to him. The 
 priests and levites do not ask him, "Art thou 
 the Christ ? " but " Who art thou? " and the 
 Baptist's reply to this question should have 
 been, " I am the voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness." The proper reply to the ques- 
 tion, "Art thou the Christ? " is, 'I am not 
 the Christ ; " and to the question, " Who art 
 thou?" — " The voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness." To this we may say that he 
 probably discerned in the question of the 
 priests and levites a cautious reverence, 
 which led them to hint the idea in 
 their minds that he who was baptizing 
 might be the Christ, but withheld them 
 from openly saying so, which might have 
 been presumptuous. He quite naturally, 
 therefore, proceeds in the first place to remove 
 any false impressions they might have taken 
 up about him, and declares publicly the true 
 state of the matter, "I am not the Christ." 
 Their second question, and also their third, 
 show that they had conceived some such 
 surmise about him. They supposed that he 
 might be that second in honour to whom 
 their hopes pointed, namely, Elijah, who held 
 with them the next position after Christ ; 
 and so when John had answered, "I am not 
 the Christ," they asked, "What then? Art 
 thou Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." 
 They wish to know, in the third place, if he 
 is the prophet, and on his answer," No," they 
 have no longer any name to give the per- 
 sonage whose advent they expected, and 
 they say, " Who art thou, then, that we may 
 give an answer to them thatsentus. What 
 sayest thou of thyself ? " Their meaning is: 
 "You are not, you say, any of those person- 
 ages whose advent Israel hopes and expects, 
 and who you are, to baptize as you do, we 
 do not know ; tell us, therefore, so that we 
 may report to those who sent us to get light 
 upon this point." We add, as it has some 
 bearing on the context, that the people were 
 moved by the thought that the period of 
 Christ's advent was near. It was in a 
 manner imminent in the years from the 
 birth of Jesus and a little before, down to the 
 publication of the preaching. Hence it was, 
 in all likelihood, that as the scribes and law- 
 yers had deduced the time from Holy 
 Scripture and were expecting the Coming 
 One, the idea was taken up by Theudas, 
 
 who came forward as the Messiah and 
 brought together a considerable multitude, 
 and after him by the famous Judas of Galilee 
 in the days of the taxing. ' Thus the com- 
 ing of the Messiah was more warmly ex- 
 pected and discussed, and it was natural 
 enough for the Jews to send priests and 
 levites from Jerusalem to John, to ask him, 
 "Who art thou ? " and learn if he professed 
 to be the Christ. 
 
 7. OF THE BIRTH OF JOHN, AND OF HIS ALLEGED 
 IDENTITY WITH ELIJAH. OF THE DOCTRINE 
 OF TRANSCORPORATION. 
 
 "And^ they asked him. What then? Art 
 thou Elijah? and he said, I am not." No 
 one can fail to remember in this connection 
 what Jesus says of John,^ " If ye will re- 
 ceive it, this is Elijah which is to come." 
 How, then, does John come to say to those 
 vs^ho ask him, "Art thou Elijah ? " — "lam 
 not." And how can it be true at the same 
 time that John is Elijah who is to come, 
 according to the words of Malachi,'* "And 
 behold I send unto you Elijah the Tishbite, 
 before the great and notable day of the Lord 
 come, who shall restore the heart of the 
 father to the son, and the heart of a man to 
 his neighbour, lest I come, and utterly smite 
 the earth." The words of the angel of the 
 Lord, too, who appeared to Zacharias, as he 
 stood at the right hand of the altar of in- 
 cense, are somewhat to the same effect as 
 the prophecy of Malachi : "Ands thy wife 
 Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou 
 shalt call his name John." And a little fur- 
 ther on : * "And he shall go before His face 
 in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the 
 hearts of the fathers to the children, and the 
 disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to 
 make ready for the Lord a people prepared 
 for Him." As for the first point, one might 
 say that John did not know that he was 
 Elijah. This will be the explanation of those 
 who find in our passage a support for their 
 doctrine of transcorporation, as if the soul 
 clothed itself in a fresh body and did not 
 quite remember its former lives. These 
 thinkers will also point out that some of the 
 Jews assented to this doctrine when they 
 spoke about the Saviour as if He was one of 
 the old prophets, and had risen not from 
 the tomb but from His birth. His mother 
 Mary was well known, and Joseph the car- 
 penter was supposed to be His father, and 
 it could readily be supposed that He was 
 one of the old prophets risen from the dead. 
 
 * Acts V. 36, 37, 
 
 ♦ Mai. iv. 5, 6. 
 
 ? John i. 21. 
 ^ Luke i. 13. 
 
 ' Matt, xi, 14. 
 " Luke i. 17. 
 
356 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 The same person will adduce the text in 
 Genesis, ' " I will destroy the whole resur- 
 rection," and will thereby reduce those who 
 give themselves to finding in Scripture solu- 
 tions of false probabilities to a great diffi- 
 culty in respect of this doctrine. Another, 
 however, a churchman, who repudiates the 
 doctrine of transcorporation as a false one, 
 and does not admit that the soul of John 
 ever was Elijah, may appeal to the above- 
 quoted words of the angel, and point out 
 that it is not the soul of Elijah that is spoken 
 of at John's birth, but the spirit and power 
 of Elijah. " He shall go before him," it is 
 said, "in the spirit and power of Elijah, to 
 turn the hearts ot the fathers to the chil- 
 dren." Now it can be shown from thou- 
 sands of texts that the spirit is a different 
 tiling from the soul, and that what is called 
 the power is a different thing from both the 
 soul and the spirit. On these points I can- 
 not now enlarge ; this work must not be 
 unduly expanded. To establish the fact 
 that power is different from spirit, it will be 
 enough to cite the text,^ "The Holy Spirit 
 shall come upon thee, and the power of the 
 Highest shall overshadow thee. " As for the 
 spirits of the prophets, these are given to 
 them by God, and are spoken of as being in 
 a manner their property (slaves), as "The 
 spirits of the prophets are subject to the 
 prophets," 3 and " The spirit of Elijah rested 
 upon Elisha. " 'i Thus, it is said, there is 
 nothing absurd in supposing that John, "in 
 the spirit and power of Elijah," turned the 
 hearts of the fathers to the children, and that 
 it was on account of this spirit that he was 
 called "Elijah who vi'as to come." And to 
 reinforce this view it may be argued that if 
 the God of the universe identified Himself 
 with His saints to such an extent as to be 
 called the God of Abraham and the God of 
 Isaac and the God of Jacob, much more 
 might the Holy Spirit so identify Himself 
 with the prophets as to be called their spirit, 
 so that when the spirit is spoken of it might 
 be the spirit of Elijah or the spirit of Isaiah. 
 Our churchman, to go on with his views, 
 may further say that those who supposed 
 Jesus to be one of the prophets risen from 
 the dead were probably misled, partly by the 
 doctrine above mentioned, and partly by 
 supposing Him to be one of the prophets, 
 and that as for this misconception that He 
 was one of the prophets, these persons pro- 
 bably fell into their error from not knowing 
 about Jesus' supposed father and actual 
 mother, and considering that He had risen 
 
 * vu. 4. 
 
 ' I Cor. riv. 32. 
 
 ^ Luke i. 35. 
 ' 2 Kings ii. 15. 
 
 from the tombs. As for the text in Genesis 
 about the resurrection, the churchman 
 will rejoin with a text to an opposite effect, 
 "God hath raised up for me another seed 
 in place of Abel whom Cain slew ; " ' show- 
 ing that the resurrection occurs in Genesis. 
 As for the first difficulty which was raised, 
 our churchman will meet the view of the be- 
 lievers in transcorporation by saying that 
 John is no doubt, in a certain sense, as he 
 has already shown, Elijah who is to come ; 
 and that the reason why he met the enquiry 
 of the priests and levites with " I am not," 
 was that he divined the object they had in 
 view in making it. For the enquiry laid 
 before John by the priests and levites was 
 not intended to bring out whether the same 
 spirit was in both, but whether John was 
 that very Elijah who was taken up, and 
 who now appeared according to the expec- 
 tation of the Jews without being born (for 
 the emissaries, perhaps, did not know about 
 John's birth); and to such an enquiry he 
 naturally answered, "I am not;" for he 
 who was called John was not Elijah who 
 was taken up, and had not changed his body 
 for his present appearance. Our first scho- 
 lar, whose view of transcorporation we have 
 seen based upon our passage, may go on 
 with a close examination of the text, and 
 urge against his antagonist, that if John was 
 the son of such a man as the priest Zacha- 
 rias, and if he was born when his parents 
 were both aged, contrary to all human ex- 
 pectation, then it is not likely that so many 
 Jews at Jerusalem would be so ignorant 
 about him, or that the priests and levites 
 whom they sent would not be acquainted 
 with the facts of his birth. Does not Luke 
 declare^ that "fear came upon all those 
 who lived round about," — clearly round 
 about Zacharias and Elisabeth — and that 
 "all these things were noised abroad 
 throughout the whole hill country of Judaea"? 
 And if John's birth from Zacharias was a 
 matter of common knowledge, and the Jews 
 of Jerusalem yet sent priests and levites to 
 ask, " Art thou Elijah ? " then it is clear that 
 in saying this they assumed the doctrine of 
 transcorporation to be true, and that it was 
 a current doctrine of their country, and not 
 foreign to their secret teaching. John there- 
 fore says, I am not Elijah, because he does 
 not know about his own former life. These 
 thinkers, accordingly, entertain an opinion 
 which is by no means to be despised. Our 
 churchman, however, may return to the 
 charge, and ask if it is worthy of a prophet, 
 
 > Gen. iv, 25, 
 
 « Luke I. 65. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 357 
 
 who is enlifjhtened by the Holy Spirit, who 
 is predicted by Isaiah, and whose birth was 
 foretold before it took place by so great an 
 angel, one who has received of the fulness 
 of Christ, who shares in such a grace, who 
 knows truth to have come through Jesus 
 Christ, and has taught such deep things 
 about_ God and about the only-begotten, 
 who is in the bosom of the Father, is it 
 worthy of such a one to lie, or even to 
 hesitate, out of ignorance of what he was. 
 For with respect to what was obscure, he 
 ought to have refrained from confessing, 
 and to have neither affirmed nor denied the 
 proposition put before him. If the doctrine 
 in question really was widely current, ought 
 not John to have hesitated to pronounce 
 upon it, lest his soul had actually been in 
 Elijah? And here our churchman will ap- 
 peal to history, and will bid his antagonists 
 ask experts of the secret doctrines of the 
 Hebrews, if they do really entertain such a 
 belief For if it should appear that they do 
 not, then the argument based on that suppo- 
 sition is shown to be quite baseless. Our 
 churchman, however, is still free to have 
 recourse to the solution given before, and 
 to insist that attention be paid to the mean- 
 ing with which the question was put. For 
 if, as I showed, the senders knew John to 
 be the child of Zacharias and Elisabeth, and 
 if the messengers still more, being men of 
 priestly race, could not possibly be ignorant 
 of the remarkable manner in which their 
 kinsman Zacharias had received his son, 
 then what could be the meaning of their 
 question, "Art thou Elijah.''" Had they 
 not read that Elijah had been taken up into 
 heaven, and did they not expect him to 
 appear.' Then, as they expect Elijah to 
 come at the consummation before Christ, 
 and Christ to follow him, perhaps their 
 question was meant less in a literal than in 
 a tropical sense : Are you he who announces 
 beforehand the word which is to come before 
 Christ, at the consummation ? To this he 
 very properly answers, "I am not." The 
 adversary, however, tries to show that the 
 priests could not be ignorant that the birth 
 of John had taken place in so remarkable 
 a manner, because "all these things had 
 been much spoken of in the hill country 
 of Judaea ; " and the churchman has to 
 meet this. He does so by showing that 
 a similar mistake was widely current about 
 the Saviour Himself; for "some said that 
 He was John the Baptist, others Elijah, 
 others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."' 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 13, 14. 
 
 So the disciples told the Lord when He was 
 in the parts of Ceesarea Philippi, and ques- 
 tioned them on that subject. And Herod, 
 too, said,' "John whom I beheaded, he is 
 risen from the dead ; " so that he appears 
 not to have known what was said about 
 Christ, as reported in the Gospel,^ "Is not 
 this the son of the carpenter, is not His 
 mother called Mary, and His brothers James, 
 and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? And 
 His sisters, are they not all with us ? " Thus 
 in the case of the Saviour, while many knew 
 of His birth from Mary, others were under 
 a mistake about Him ; and so in the case 
 of John, there is no wonder if, while some 
 knew of his birth from Zacharias, others 
 were in doubt whether the expected Elijah 
 had appeared in him or not. There was 
 not more room for doubt about John, 
 whether he was Elijah, than about the 
 Saviour, whether He was John. Of the two, 
 the question of the outward form of Elijah 
 could be disposed of from the words of 
 Scripture, though not from actual observa- 
 tion, for we read, 3 "He -was a hairy man, 
 and girt with a leather girdle about his 
 loins." John's outward appearance, on the 
 contrary, was well known, and was not 
 like that of Jesus ; and yet there were those 
 who surmised that John had risen from the 
 dead, and taken the name of Jesus. As for 
 the change of name, a thing which reminds 
 us of mysteries, I do not know how the 
 Hebrews came to tell about Phinehas, son 
 of Eleazar, who admittedly prolonged his 
 life to the time of many of the judges, as 
 we read in the Book of Judges, 4 to tell about 
 him what I now mention. They say that 
 he was Elijah, because he had been promised 
 immortality (in Numbers s), on account of 
 the covenant of peace granted to him be- 
 cause he was jealous with a divinejealousy, 
 and in a passion of anger pierced the Midi- 
 anitish woman and the Israelite, and stayed 
 the wrath of God as it is called, as it is 
 written, " Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the 
 son of Aaron, hath turned my wrath away 
 from the children of Israel, in that he was 
 jealous with my jealousy among them." 
 No wonder, then, if those who conceived 
 Phinehas and Elijah to be the same person, 
 whether they judged soundly in this or not, 
 for that is not now the question, considered 
 John and Jesus also to be the same. This, 
 then, they doubted, and desired to know if 
 John and Elijah were the same. At another 
 time than this, the point would certainly 
 
 ' Mark vi. i6. 
 ♦ Jud. XX. a8. 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 55. 
 ^ Numb. XXV. la. 
 
 • 2 Kings i. 8. 
 
358 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 call for a careful enquiry, and the argument 
 would have to be well weighed as to the 
 essence of the soul, as to the principle of her 
 composition, and as to her entering into this 
 body of earth. We should also have to en- 
 quire into the distributions of the life of 
 each soul, and as to her departure from this 
 life, and whether it is possible for her to 
 enter into a second life in a body or not, 
 and whether that takes place at the same 
 period, and after the same arrangement in 
 each case, or not ; and whether she enters 
 the same body, or a different one, and if the 
 same, whether the subject remains the 
 same while the qualities are changed, or if 
 both subject and qualities remain the same, 
 and if the soul will always make use of the 
 same body or will change it. Along with 
 these questions, it would also be necessary 
 to ask what transcorporation is, and how it 
 differs from incorporation, and if he who 
 holds transcorporation must necessarily 
 hold the world to be eternal. The vievirs of 
 these scholars must also be taken into ac- 
 count, who consider that, according to the 
 Scriptures, the soul is sown along with the 
 body, and the consequences of such a view 
 must also be looked at. In fact the subject 
 of the soul is a wide one, and hard to be 
 unravelled, and it has to be picked out of 
 scattered expressions of Scripture. It re- 
 quires, therefore, separate treatment. The 
 brief consideration we have been led to give 
 to the problem in connection with Elijah 
 and John may now suffice ; we go on to 
 what follows in the Gospel. 
 
 8. JOHN IS A PROPHET, BUT NOT THE PROPHET. 
 
 "Art thou that prophet.' And he an- 
 swered No. " ' If the law and the prophets 
 were until John,^ what can we say that 
 John was but a prophet ? His father Za- 
 charias, indeed, says, filled with the Holy 
 Ghost and prophesying, ^ " And thou, child, 
 shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, 
 for thou shalt go before the Lord to prepare 
 His ways." (One might indeed get past 
 this passage by laying stress on the word 
 called : he is to be called, he is not said to 
 be,a prophet.) And still more weighty is it 
 that the Saviour said to those who con- 
 sidered John to be a prophet, ■• " But what 
 went ye out to see ? A prophet ? Yea, I 
 say unto you, and more than a prophet." 
 The words, Yea, I say unto you, manifestly 
 affirm that John is a prophet, and that is 
 nowhere denied afterwards. If, then, he is 
 
 ' John i. 21. 
 ' Luke i. 76. 
 
 * Luke xvi. 16. 
 
 • Matt. 3d. 9. 
 
 said by the Saviour to be not only a pro- 
 phet but "more than a prophet," how is it 
 that when the priests and levites come and 
 ask him, "Art thou the Prophet.?" he an- 
 swers No ! On this we must remark that it 
 is not the same thing to say, " Art thou the 
 Prophet?" and "Art thou a prophet.?" 
 The distinction between the two expressions 
 has already been observed, when we asked 
 what was the difference between the God 
 and God, and between the Logos and 
 Logos.' Now it is written in Deuteronomy,^ 
 "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise 
 up unto you, like me; Him shall ye hear, and 
 it shall be that every soul that will not hear 
 that prophet shall be cut off from among 
 His people." There was, therefore, an expec- 
 tation of one particular prophet having a re- 
 semblance to Moses in mediating between 
 God and the people and receiving a new 
 covenant from God to give to those who ac- 
 cepted his teaching ; and in the case of each 
 of the prophets, the people of Israel re- 
 cognized that he was not the person of whom 
 Moses spoke. As, then, they doubted about 
 John, whether he were not the Christ.s so 
 they doubted whether he could not be the 
 prophet. And there is no wonder that those 
 who doubted about John whether he vv'ere the 
 Christ, did not understand that the Christ 
 and the prophet are the same person ; their 
 doubt as to John necessarily implied that 
 they were not clear on this point. Now the 
 difference between "the prophet" and "a 
 prophet " has escaped the observation of 
 most students ; this is the case with Hera- 
 cleon, who says, in these very words : " As, 
 then, John confessed that he was not the 
 Christ, and not even a prophet, nor Elijah." 
 If he interpreted the words before us in such 
 a way, he ought to have examined the 
 various passages to see whether in saying 
 that he is not a prophet nor Elijah he is or 
 is not saying what is true. He devotes no 
 attention, however, to these passages, and in 
 his remaining commentaries he passes over 
 such points without any enquiry. In the 
 sequel, too, his remarks, of which we shall 
 have to speak directly, are very scanty, and 
 do not testify to careful study. 
 
 9. JOHN L 3 2. 
 
 "They said therefore unto him, Who 
 art thou ? that we may give an answer to 
 them that sent us. What sayest thou of 
 thyself?" This speech of the emissaries 
 amounts to the following : We had a surmise 
 what you were and came to learn if it was 
 
 »P. 3JI. 
 
 ' xviii. 15 sq. 
 
 ' Luke iii. 15. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 359 
 
 so, but now we know that you are not that. 
 It remains for us, therefore, to hear your ac- 
 count of yourself, so that we may report 
 your answer to those who sent us. 
 
 10. OF THK VOICE JOHN THE BAPTIST IS. 
 
 " He said, I am the voice of one crying 
 in the wilderness : Make straight the way of 
 the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet." As 
 He who is peculiarly the Son of God, being 
 no other than the Logos, yet makes use of 
 Logos (reason) — for He was the Logos in 
 the beginning, and was with God, the Logos 
 of God — so John, the servant of that Logos, 
 being, _ if we take the Scripture to mean 
 what it says, no other than a voice, yet 
 uses his voice to point to the Logos. He, 
 then, understanding in this way the pro- 
 phecy about himself spoken by Isaiah the 
 prophet, says he is a voice, not crying in the 
 wilderness, but " of one crying in the wilder- 
 ness," of Him, namely, who stood and cried,' 
 "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me 
 and drink." He it was, too, who said,^ 
 " Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His 
 paths straight. Every valley shall be filled 
 and every mountain and hill shall be brought 
 low ; and all the crooked shall be made 
 straight." For as we read in Exodus that 
 God said to Moses, 3 "Behold I have given 
 thee for a God to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy 
 brother shall be thy prophet ; " so we are to 
 understand — the cases are at least analo- 
 gous if not altogether similar — it is with the 
 Word in the beginning, who is God, and 
 with John. For John's voice points to that 
 word and demonstrates it. It is therefore a 
 very appropriate punishment that falls on 
 Zacharias on his saying to the angel, -t 
 " Whereby shall I know this .' For I am an 
 old man and my wife well stricken in years. " 
 For his want of faith with regard to the 
 birth of the voice, he is himself deprived of 
 his voice, as the angel Gabriel says to him, 
 "Behold, thou shalt be silent and not able 
 to speak until the day that these things 
 shall come to pass, because thou hast not 
 believed my words, which shall be fulfilled 
 in their season." And afterwards when he 
 had " asked for a writing tablet and written, 
 His name is John ; and they all marvelled," 
 he recovered his voice ; for " his mouth was 
 opened immediately and his tongue, and he 
 spake, blessing God. " We discussed above 
 how it is to be understood that the Logos is 
 the Son of God, and went over the ideas 
 connected with that ; and a similar sequence 
 
 of ideas is to be observed at this point. 
 John came for a witness ; he was a man 
 sent from God to bear witness of the light, 
 that all men through him might believe ; he 
 was that voice, then, we are to understand, 
 which alone was fitted worthily to announce 
 the Logos. We shall understand this aright 
 if we call to mind what was adduced in our 
 exposition of the texts : " That all might be- 
 lieve through Him," and "This is he of 
 whom it is written,Behold I send My messen- 
 ger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way 
 before thee." ' There is fitness, too, in his 
 being said to be the voice,not of one saying 
 in the wilderness, but of one crying in the 
 wilderness. He who cries, ' ' Prepare ye the 
 way of the Lord," also says it; but he 
 might say it without crying it. But he cries 
 and shouts it, that even those may hear who 
 are at a distance from the speaker, and that 
 even the deaf may understand the greatness 
 of the tidings, since it is announced in a 
 great voice ; and he thus brings help, both 
 to those who have departed from God and 
 to those who have lost the acuteness of 
 their hearing. This, too, was the reason 
 why "Jesus stood and cried, saying, If 
 any man thirst, let him come unto Me and 
 drink." Hence, too,^ "Johnbeareth witness 
 of Him, and cried, saying," " Hence also 
 God commands Isaiah to cry, with the 
 voice of one saying. Cry. And I said, 
 What shall I cry ? '' The physical voice we 
 use in prayer need not be great nor startling ; 
 even should we not lift up any great cry or 
 shout, God will yet hear us. He says to 
 Moses, 3 " Why criest thou unto Me ? " when 
 Moses had not cried audibly at all. It is 
 not recorded in Exodus that he did so ; but 
 Moses had cried mightily to God in prayer 
 with that voice which is heard by God alone. 
 Hence David also sa)i's,'t " With my voice I 
 cried unto the Lord, and He heard me." 
 And one who cries in the desert has need of 
 a voice, that the soul which is deprived of 
 God and deserted of truth — and what more 
 dreadful desert is there than a soul deserted 
 of God and of all virtue, since it still goes 
 crookedly and needs instruction — may be 
 exhorted to make straight the way of the 
 Lord. And that way is made straight by 
 the man who, far from copying the serpent's 
 crooked journey ; while he who is of the 
 contrary disposition perverts his way. 
 Hence the reljuke directed to a man of this 
 kind and to all who resemble him, "Why 
 pervert ye the right ways of the Lord ? " s 
 
 * John vU. 37. 
 ^ vii. I. 
 
 * Luke ill. 4. 
 
 * Luke i. iS. 
 
 * Matt. xi. 10. 
 
 * Pa. Ixxvii. 7. 
 
 ' John i. 15. 
 ^ Acts xiii, 10. 
 
 ' Exod. xiv. 13. 
 
36o 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 II. OF THE WAT OF THE LORD, HOW IT IS 
 NARROW, AND HOW JESUS IS THE WAY. 
 
 Now the way of the Lord is made straight 
 in two fashions. First, in the way of con- 
 templation, when thought is made clear in 
 truth without any mixture of falsehood ; and 
 then in the way of conduct, after the sound 
 contemplation of what ought to be done, 
 when action is produced which harmonizes 
 with sound theory of conduct. And that 
 we may the more clearly understand the 
 text, "Make straight the way of the Lord," 
 it will be well to compare with it what is 
 said in the Proverbs," "Depart not, either 
 to the right hand or to the left. " For he who 
 deviates in either direction has given up 
 keeping his path straight, and is no longer 
 worthy of regard, since he has gone apart 
 from the straightness of the journey, for 
 "the Lord ^ is righteous, and loves right- 
 eousness, and His face beholds straightness. " 
 Hence he who is the object of regard, and 
 receives the benefit that comes from this 
 oversight, says, 3 "The light of Thy coun- 
 tenance was shown upon us, O Lord.'' Let 
 us stand, then, as Jeremiah '* exhorts, upon 
 the ways, and let us see and ask after the 
 ancient ways of the Lord, and let us see 
 which is the good way, and walk in it. Thus 
 didthe Apostles stand and ask for the ancient 
 ways of the Lord ; they asked the Patriarchs 
 and the Prophets, enquiring into their writ- 
 ings, and when they came to understand 
 these writings they saw the good way, 
 namely, Jesus Christ, who said, "I am the 
 way," and they walked in it. For it is a 
 good way that leads the good man to the 
 good father, the man who, from the good 
 treasure of his heart, brings forth good 
 things, and who is a good and faithful ser- 
 vant. This way is narrow, indeed, for the 
 many cannot bear to walk in it and are 
 lovers of their flesh ; but it is also hard- 
 pressed 5 by those who use violence '^ to walk 
 in it, for it is not called afflicting, but 
 afflicted.5 For that way which is a living 
 way, and feels the qualities of those who 
 tread it, is pressed and afflicted, when he 
 travels on it who has not taken off his shoes 
 from off his feet? nor truly realized that the 
 place on which he stands, or indeed treads, 
 is holy ground. And it will lead to Him who 
 is the life, and who says, " I am the life." 
 For the Saviour, in whom all virtues are 
 combined, has many aspects. To him who, 
 though by no means near the end, is yet 
 
 ' iv. 37. s Ps. 3d. 7, 
 
 ' Ps. iv. 7. ' Jer, iv. i6. 
 
 " T«9Ai(i;iiiT), the word translated " narrow " in Matt. vii. 14. 
 
 Matt. xi. 12. ' Exod. iii. 5. 
 
 advancing. He is the way ; to him who has 
 put off all that is dead He is the life. He 
 who travels on this way is told to take 
 nothing with him on it, since it provides 
 bread and all that is necessary for life, 
 enemies are powerless on it, and he needs 
 no staff, and since it is holy, he needs no 
 shoes. 
 
 12. HERACLEOn's VIEW OF THE VOICE, AND OF 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 The words, however, "I am the voice of 
 one crying in the wilderness," etc., may be 
 taken as equivalent to " I am He of whom 
 the 'voice in the wilderness' is written." 
 Then John would be the person crying, and 
 his voice would be that crying in the wilder- 
 ness, " Make straight the way of the Lord." 
 Heracleon, discussing John and the pro- 
 phets, says, somewhat slanderously, that 
 " the Word is the Saviour ; the voice, that in 
 the wilderness which John interpreted ; the 
 sound is the whole prophetic order. " To this 
 we may reply by remindnig him of the text,' 
 "If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, 
 who shall prepare himself for the battle, "and 
 that which says that though a man have 
 knowledge of mysteries, or have prophecy 
 but wants love, he is a sounding or a tinkling 
 cymbal.'- If the prophetic voice be nothing 
 but sound, how does our Lord come to refer 
 us to it as where He says, 3 ' ' Search the Scrip- 
 tures, for in them you think you have eternal 
 life, and these are they which bear witness," 
 and * " If ye believed Moses, ye would be- 
 lieve Me," and 5 "Well did Isaiah prophesy 
 concerning you, saying. This people honours 
 me with their lips " ? I do not know if any 
 one can reasonably admit that the Saviour 
 thus spoke in praise of an uncertain sound, 
 or that there is any preparation to be had 
 from the Scriptures to which we are referred 
 as from the voice of a trumpet, for our war 
 against opposing powers, should their sound 
 give an uncertain voice. If the prophets 
 had not love, and if that is why they were 
 sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, then 
 how does the Lord send us to their sound, 
 as these writers will have it, as if we could 
 get help from that ? He asserts, indeed, that 
 a voice, when well fitted to speech, becomes 
 speech, as if one should say that a woman is 
 turned into a man ; and the assertion is not 
 supported by argument. And, as if he were 
 in a position to put forth a dogma on the sub- 
 ject and to get on in this way, he declares 
 that sound can be changed in a similar way 
 
 ' I Cor. xiv. 8. ' I Cor. xiii. i. ' John v, 30. 
 
 • John V. ^6. ' Matt. xv. 7 j Isa, xxlx. 13. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 361 
 
 into voice, and the voice, which is changed 
 intospeech, he says, is in the position of a 
 disciple, while sound passing into voice is in 
 that of a slave. If he had taken any kind of 
 trouble to establish these points we should 
 have had to devote some attention to re- 
 futing them ; but as it is, the bare denial is 
 sufficient refutation. There was a point some 
 way back which we deferred taking up, that, 
 namely, of the motive of John's speeches. 
 We may now take it up. The Saviour, ac- 
 cording to Fleracleon, calls him both a pro- 
 phet and Elijah, but he himself denies that 
 he is either of these. When the Saviour, 
 Heracleon says, calls him a prophet and 
 Elijah, He is speaking not of John himself, 
 but of his surroundings ; but when He calls 
 him greater than the prophets and than those 
 who are born of women, then He is describing 
 the character of John himself. When John, 
 on the other hand, is asked about himself, 
 his answers relate to himself, not to his sur- 
 roundings. This we have examined as care- 
 fully as possible, comparing each of the 
 terms in question with the statements of 
 Heracleon, lest he should not have expressed 
 himself quite accurately. For how it comes 
 that the statements that he is Elijah and that 
 he is a prophet apply to those about him, 
 but the statement that he is the voice of one 
 crying in the wilderness, to himself, no 
 attempt whatever is made to show Hera- 
 cleon only gives an illustration, namely, this : 
 His surroundings were, so to speak, his 
 clothes, and other than himself, and when he 
 was asked about his clothes, if he were his 
 clothes, he could not answer "Yes." Now 
 that his being Elijah, who was to come, was 
 his clothes, is scarcely consistent, so far as 
 I can see, with Heracleon's views ; it might 
 consist, perhaps, with the exposition we our- 
 selves gave of the words, " In the spirit and 
 power of Elijah ; " it might, in a sense, be 
 said that this spirit of Elijah is equivalent to 
 the soul of John. He then goes on to try to 
 determine why those who were sent by the 
 Tews to question John were priests and 
 ievites, and he answers by no means badly, 
 that it was incumbent on such persons, being 
 devoted to the service of God, to busy them- 
 selves and to make enquiries about such 
 matters. When he goes on, however, to say 
 that it was ' ' because John was of the levitical 
 tribe, this is less well considered. We raised 
 the question ourselves above, and saw that 
 if the Jews who were sent knew John's birth, 
 it was not open to them to ask if he was 
 Elijah. Then, again, in dealing with the 
 question, " Art thou the prophet .' " Heracleon 
 does not regard the addition of the article as 
 
 having any special force, and says, "They 
 asked him if he were a prophet, wishing to 
 know this more general fact." Again, not 
 Heracleon alone, but, so far as I am informed, 
 all those who diverge from our views, as if 
 they had not been able to deal with a trifling 
 ambiguity and to draw the proper distinction, 
 suppose John to be greater than Elijah and 
 than all the prophets. The words are, "Of 
 those born of women there is none greater 
 than John ; " but this admits of two mean- 
 ings, that John is greater than they all, or 
 again, that some of them are equal to him. 
 For though many of the prophets were equal 
 to him, still it might be true in respect of the 
 grace bestowed on him, that none of them 
 was greater than he. He regards it as con- 
 firming the view that John was greater, that 
 "he is predicted by Isaiah ; " for no other of 
 all those who uttered prophecies was held 
 worthy by God of this distinction. This, 
 however, is a venturesome statement and 
 implies some disrespect of what is called the 
 Old Testament, and total disregard of the 
 fact that Elijah himself was the subject of 
 prophecy. For Elijah is prophesied by 
 Malachi, who says,' "Behold, I send unto 
 you Elijah, the Tishbite, who shall restore 
 the heart of the father to the son." Josiah, 
 too, as we read in third Kings, ^ was pre- 
 dicted by name by the prophet who came 
 out of Judah ; for he said, Jeroboam also 
 being present at the altar, "Thus saith the 
 Lord, Behold a son is born to David, his 
 name is Josiah." There are some also who 
 say that Samson was predicted by Jacob, 
 when he said,3 "Dan shall judge his own 
 people, he is as one tribe in Israel," for 
 Samson who judged Israel was of the tribe 
 of Dan. So much by way of evidence of the 
 rashness of the statement that John alone 
 was the subject of prophecy, made by Hera- 
 cleon in his attempted explanation of the 
 words, " I am the voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness." 
 
 13. JOHN I. 24, 25. OF THE BAPTISM OF JOHN, 
 THAT OF ELIJAH, AND THAT OF CHRIST. 
 
 And they that were sent were of the Phari- 
 sees. And they asked him, and said unto 
 him,* "Why baptizest thou then, if thou art 
 not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet .' " 
 Those who sent from Jerusalem the priests 
 and Ievites who asked John these questions, 
 having learned who John was not, and 
 who he was, preserve a decent silence, as if 
 tacitly assenting and indicating that they ac- 
 
 ' iv. 5, 6, 
 
 ' Gen. xlix. 16. 
 
 ' I Kin^ xiil. 2. 
 ^ John 1. 24, 25, 
 
362 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 cepted what was said, and saw that baptism 
 was suited to a voice crying in the wilderness 
 for the preparing of the way of the Lord. 
 But the Pharisees being, as their name in- 
 dicates, a divided and seditious set of people, 
 show that they do not agree with the Jews of 
 the metropolis and with the ministers of the 
 service of God, the priests and levites. They 
 send envoys who deal in rebukes, and so far 
 as their power extends debar him from bap- 
 tizing ; their envoys ask, Why baptizest thou, 
 then, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, 
 nor the prophet? And if we were to stitch 
 together into one statement what is written 
 in the various Gospels, we should say that 
 at this time they spoke as is here reported, 
 but that at a later time, when they wished to 
 received baptism, they heard the address of 
 John :' "Generations of vipers, wlio hath 
 warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 
 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of re- 
 pentance." This is what the Baptist says in 
 Matthew, when he sees many of the Phari- 
 sees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, 
 without, it is clear, having the fruits of 
 repentance, and pharisaicall}'' boasting in 
 themselves that they had Abraham for their 
 father. For this they are rebuked by John, 
 who has the zeal of Elijah according to the 
 communication of the Holy Spirit. For that 
 is a rebuking word, "Think not to say 
 within yourselves, We have Abraham for 
 our father," and that is the word of a 
 teacher, when he speaks of those who for 
 their stony hearts are called unbelieving 
 stones, and says that by the power of God 
 these stones may be changed into children of 
 Abraham ; for they were present to the eyes 
 of the prophet and did not shrink from his 
 divine glance. Hence his words: "I say 
 unto you that God is able of these stones to 
 raise up children to Abraham." And since 
 they came to his baptism without having 
 done fruits meet for repentance, he says to 
 them most appropriately, "Already is the 
 axe laid to the root of the tree ; every tree 
 that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn 
 down and cast into the fire." This is as 
 much as to say to them : Since you have 
 come to baptism without having done fruits 
 meet for repentance, you are a tree that does 
 not bring forth good fruit and which has to 
 be cut down by the most sharp and piercing 
 axe of the Word which is living and power- 
 ful and sharper than every two-edged sword. 
 The estimation in which the Pharisees held 
 themselves is also set forth by Luke in the 
 passage : == "Two men went up to the tem- 
 
 - Matt. iii. 7, ; 
 
 2 Luke xviii. lo, ii. 
 
 pie to pray, the one a Pharisee and the 
 other a publicarn. And the Pharisee stood 
 and prayed thus with himself : God, I 
 thank Thee that I am not as other men are, 
 extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as 
 this publican." The result of this speech is 
 that the publican goes down to his house 
 justified rather than the Pharisee, and the 
 lesson is drawn, that every one who exalts 
 himself is abased. They came, then, in the 
 character in which the Saviour's reproving 
 words described them, as hypocrites to John's 
 baptism, nor does it escape the Baptist's ob- 
 servation that they have the poison of vipers 
 under their tongue and the poison of asps, 
 for "the poison of asps is under their 
 tongue."^ The figure of serpents rightly 
 indicates their temper, and it is plainly re- 
 vealed in their bitter question : " Why bap- 
 tizest thou then, if thou art not the Christ, 
 nor Elijah, nor the prophet ? " To these I 
 would fain reply, if it be the case that the 
 Christ and Elijah and the prophet baptize, 
 but that the voice crying in the wilderness 
 has no authority to do so, "Most harshly, 
 my friends, do you question the messenger 
 sent before the face of Christ to prepare His 
 way before Him. The mysteries which be- 
 long to this point are all hidden to you ; for 
 Jesus being, whether you will or not, the 
 Christ, did not Himself baptize but His dis- 
 ciples, He who was Himself the prophet. 
 And how have you come to believe that 
 Elijah who is to come will baptize?" He did 
 not baptize the logs upon the altar in the 
 times of Ahab,^ though they needed such 
 a bath to be burned up, what time the 
 Lord appeared in fire. No, he commands 
 the priests to do this for him, and that not 
 only once; for he says, "Do it a second 
 time," upon which they did it a second time, 
 and " Do it a third time," and they did it a 
 third time. If, then, he did not at that time 
 himself baptize but left the work to others,' 
 how was he to baptize at the time spoken 
 of by Malachi ? Christ, then, does not bap- 
 tize with water, but tlis disciples. He re- 
 serves for Himself to baptize with the Holy 
 Spirit and with fire. Now Heracleon ac- 
 cepts the speech of the Pharisees as distinctly 
 implying that the office of baptizing belonged 
 to the Christ and Elijah and to every pro- 
 phet, for he Tises these words, " Whose office 
 alone it is to baptize." He is refuted by 
 what we have just said, and especially by 
 the consideration that he takes the word 
 " prophet " in a general sense ; 3 for he can- 
 
 ^ Ps. xiv. 3. 
 
 '' Py nnt noticing the Hifferenci 
 prophet." Vide siipra,^. 35). 
 
 ^ I Kings xviii. 31 •5']. 
 :e between " a propliet " and " tlie 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 363 
 
 not show that any of the prophets baptized. 
 He adds, not incorrectly, that the Pharisees 
 put the question from malice, and not from 
 a desire to learn. 
 
 14 COMPARISON OF THE STATEMENTS OF THE 
 FOUR EVANGELISTS RESPECTING JOHN THE 
 BAPTIST, THE PROPHECIES REGARDING HIM, 
 HIS ADDRESSES TO THE MULTITUDE AND 
 TO THE PHARISEES, ETC. 
 
 We deem it necessary to compare with 
 the expression of the passage we are con- 
 sidering the similar expressions found else- 
 where in the Gospels. This we shall con- 
 tinue to do point by point to the end of this 
 work, so that terms which appear to dis- 
 agree may be shown to be in harmony, and 
 that the peculiar meanings present in each 
 may be explained. This we shall do in the 
 present passage. The words, "-The voice 
 of one crying in the wilderness. Make 
 straight the way of the Lord, " are placed 
 by John, who was a disciple, in the mouth 
 of the Baptist. In Mark, on the other hand, 
 the same words are recorded at the begin- 
 ning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in accord- 
 ance with the Scripture of Isaiah, as thus : 
 "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus 
 Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 
 Behold, I send My messenger before thy 
 face, who shall prepare thy way before 
 thee. The voice of one crying in the wil- 
 derness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, 
 make His paths straight." Now the words, 
 "Make straight the way of the Lord," 
 added by John, are not found in the 
 prophet. Perhaps John was seeking to 
 compress the "Prepare ye the way of 
 the Lord, make straight the paths of our 
 God," and so wrote, "Make straight the 
 way of the Lord ; " while Mark combined 
 two prophecies spoken by two different pro- 
 phets in different places, and made one pro- 
 phecy out of them, "As it is written in 
 Isaiah the prophet. Behold I send My 
 messenger before thy face, who shall pre- 
 pare thy way. The voice of one crying in 
 the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the 
 Lord, make His paths straight." The 
 words, "The voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness," are written immediately after 
 the narrative of Hczekiahs recovery from his 
 sickness,' while the words, "Behold I send 
 My messenger before thy face," are written 
 by Malachi.^ What John does here, abbre- 
 viating the text he quotes, we find done by 
 Mark also at another point. For while the 
 words of the prophet are, " Prepare ye the 
 
 » I»a. x\. 3. ' iii. I. 
 
 way of the Lord, make straight the paths 
 of our God," Mark writes, " Prepare ye the 
 way of the Lord, make His paths straight." 
 And John practises a similar abbreviation 
 in the text, "Behold I send My messenger 
 before thy face, who shall prepare thy way 
 before thee," when he does not add the 
 words "before thee," as in the original. 
 Coming now to the statement, "They were 
 sent from the Pharisees and they asked 
 Him,"' we have been led by our examina- 
 tion of the passage to prefix the enquiry 
 of the Pharisees — which Matthew does not 
 mention — to the occurrence recorded in 
 Matthew, when John saw many of the 
 Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his bap- 
 tism, and said to them, "Ye generations of 
 vipers," etc. For the natural sequence is 
 that they should first enquire and then 
 come. And we have to observe how, when 
 Matthew reports that there went out to 
 John Jerusalem and all Judaea, and all the 
 region round about Jordan, to be baptized 
 by him in Jordan, confessing their sins, 
 it was not these people who heard from the 
 Baptist any word of rebuke or refutation, 
 but only those many Pharisees and Saddu- 
 cees whom he saw coming. They it was 
 who were greeted with the address, "Ye 
 offspring of vipers," etc.^ Mark, again, does 
 not record any words of reproof as having 
 been used by John to those who came to 
 him, being all the country of Judaea and all 
 of them of Jerusalem, who were baptized 
 by him in the Jordan and confessed their 
 sins. This is because Mark does not men- 
 tion the Pharisees and Sadducees as having 
 come to John. A further circumstance 
 which we must mention is that both 
 Matthew and Mark state that, in the one 
 case, all Jerusalem and all Judaea, and the 
 whole region round about Jordan, in the 
 other, the whole land of Judaea and all they 
 of Jerusalem, were baptized, confessing their 
 sins ; but when Matthew introduces the 
 Pharisees and Sadducees as coming to 
 the baptism, he does not say that they 
 confessed their sins, and this might very 
 likely and very naturally be the reason 
 why they were addressed as "offspring 
 of vipers." Do not suppose, reader, that 
 there is anything improper in our ad- 
 ducing in our discussion of the ques- 
 tion of those who were sent from the Phari- 
 sees and put questions to John, the parallel 
 passages from the other Gospels too. For 
 if we have indicated the proper connection 
 between the enquiry of the Pharisees, re- 
 
 ^ John i. 24. 
 
 ' Matt. iii. 7. 
 
364 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 corded by the disciple John, and their bap- 
 tism which is found in Matthew, we could 
 scarcely avoid inquiring into the passages 
 in question, nor recording the observations 
 made on them. Luke, like Mark, re- 
 members the passage, "The voice of one 
 crying in the wilderness," but he for his 
 part treats it as follows :" "The word of 
 God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, 
 in the wilderness. And he came into all 
 the region round about Jordan preaching the 
 baptism of repentance unto remission of 
 sins ; as it is written in the book of the 
 words of Isaiah the prophet. The voice of 
 one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye 
 the way of the Lord, make His paths 
 straight." Luke, however, added the con- 
 tinuation of the prophecy : "Every valley 
 shall be filled, and every mountain and hill 
 shall be brought low, and the crooked shall 
 become straight, and the rough ways 
 smooth, and all fiesh shall see the salvation 
 of God." He writes, like Mark, " Make His 
 ways straight ; " curtailing, as we saw be- 
 fore, the text, "Make straight the ways of 
 our God." In the phrase, "And all the 
 crooked shall become straight," he leaves 
 out the "all," and the word "straight" he 
 converts from a plural into a singular. In- 
 stead of the phrase, moreover, "The rough 
 land into a plain," he gives, "The rough 
 ways into smooth ways," and he leaves 
 out "And the glory of the Lord shall 
 be revealed," and gives what follows, 
 "And all flesh shall see the salvation 
 of God." These observations are of use as 
 showing how the evangelists are accustomed 
 to abbreviate the sayings of the prophets. 
 It has also to be observed that the speech, 
 "Offspring of vipers," etc., is said by 
 Matthew to have been spoken to the Phari- 
 sees and Sadducees when coming to baptism, 
 they being a different set of people from those 
 who confessed their sins, and to whom no 
 words of this kind were spoken. With Luke, 
 on the contrary, these words were addressed 
 to the multitudes who came out to be baptized 
 by John, and there were not two divisions of 
 those who were baptized, as we found in 
 Matthew. But Matthew, as the careful 
 observer will see, does not speak of the 
 multitudes in the way of praise, and he 
 probably means the Baptist's address. 
 Offspring of vipers, etc., to be understood 
 as addressed to them also. Another point 
 is. that to the Pharisees and Sadducees he 
 says, "Bring forth a fruit," in the singular, 
 "worthy of repentance," but to the multi- 
 
 ' Luke ill >. 
 
 tudes he uses the plural, "Bring forth 
 fruits worthy of repentance. " Perhaps the 
 Pharisees are required to yield the special 
 fruit of repentance, which is no other than 
 the Son and faith in Him, while the multi- 
 tudes, who have not even a beginning of 
 good things, are asked for all the fruits of 
 repentance, and so the plural is used to 
 them. Further, it is said to the Pharisees, 
 "Think not to say within yourselves. We 
 have Abraham for our father." For the 
 multitudes now have a beginning, appear- 
 ing as they do to be introduced into the 
 divinb Word, and to approach the truth ; 
 and thus they begin to say within them- 
 selves, "We have Abraham for our father." 
 The Pharisees, on the contrary, are not be- 
 ginning to this, but have long held it to be 
 so. But both classes see John point to the 
 stones aforesaid and declare that even from 
 these children can be raised up to Abraham, 
 rising up out of unconsciousness and dead- 
 ness. And observe how it is said to the 
 Pharisees, ' according to the word of the 
 prophet,^ "Ye have eaten false fruit," and 
 they have false fruit, — "Every tree which 
 bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down 
 and castinto the fire," while to the multitudes 
 which do not bear fruit at all, 3 " Every tree 
 which bringeth not forth fruit is hewn 
 down." For that which has no fruit at all 
 has not good fruit, and, therefore, it is worthy 
 to be hewn down. But that which bears 
 fruit has by no means good fruit, whence it 
 also calls for the axe to lay it low. But, if we 
 look more closely into this about the fruit, 
 we shall find that it is impossible that that 
 which has just begun to be cultivated, even 
 should it not prove fruitless, should bear the 
 first good fruits. The husbandman is con- 
 tent that the tree just coming into cultivation 
 should bear him at first such fruits as it may ; 
 afterwards, when he has pruned and trained 
 it according to his art, he will receive, not 
 the fruits it chanced to bear at first, but 
 good fruits. The law itself favours this inter- 
 pretation, for it says t that the planter is to 
 wait for three years, having the trees pruned 
 and not eating the fruit of them. "Three 
 years," it says, " the fruit shall be unpurified 
 to you, and shall not be eaten, but in the 
 fourth year all the fruit shall be holy, for 
 giving praise unto the Lord. " This explains 
 how the word "good" is omitted from the 
 address to the multitudes, "Every tree, 
 therefore, which bears not fruit is hewn 
 down and cast into the fire." The tree 
 
 ^ Matt. iii. lo. 
 ^ Luke iii, 9, 
 
 * Hos. X. 13. 
 
 * Deut. xix. 23. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 3^5 
 
 which goes on bearing such fruit as it did 
 at first, is a tree which does not bear good 
 fruit, and is, therefore, cut down, and cast 
 into the fire, since, when the three years 
 have passed and the fourth comes round, it 
 does not bear good fruit, for praise unto the 
 Lord. In thus adducing the passages from 
 the other Gospels I may appear to be 
 digressing, but I cannot think it useless, or 
 without bearing on our present subject. 
 For the Pharisees send to John, after the 
 priests and levites who came from Jeru- 
 salem, men who came to ask him who 
 he was, and enquire, Why baptizest thou 
 then, if thou be not the Christ, nor Elijah, 
 nor the prophet .' After making this enquiry 
 they straightway come for baptism, as 
 Matthew records, and then they hear words 
 suited to their quackery and hypocrisy. 
 But the words addressed to them were very 
 similar to those spoken to the multitudes, 
 and hence the necessity to look carefully at 
 both speeches, and to compare them to- 
 gether. It was while we were so engaged 
 that various points arose in the sequence of 
 the matter, which we had to consider. To 
 what has been said we must add the follow- 
 ing. We find mention made in John of two 
 orders of persons sending : the one, that 
 of the Jews from Jerusalem sending 
 priests and levites ; the other, that of the 
 Pharisees who want to know why he 
 baptizes. And we found that, after the 
 enquiry, the Pharisees present themselves 
 for baptism. May it not be that the Jews, 
 whohad sent the earlier mission from Jerusa- 
 lem, received John's words before those who 
 sent the second mission, namely, the 
 Pharisees, and hence arrived before them ? 
 For Jerusalem and all Judaea, and, in con- 
 sequence, the whole region round about 
 Jordan, were being baptized by him in the 
 river Jordan, confessing their sins ; or, as 
 Mark says, "There went out to him the 
 whole land of Judaea, and all they of 
 Jerusalem, and were baptized of him in the 
 river Jordan, confessing their sins.'' Now, 
 neither does Matthew introduce the Phari- 
 sees and Sadducees, to whom the words, 
 "Offspring of vipers," etc., are addressed; 
 nor does Luke introduce the multitudes who 
 meet with the same rebuke, as confessing 
 their sins. And the question may be raised 
 how, if the whole city of Jerusalem, and the 
 whole of Judsea, and the whole region 
 round about Jordan, were baptized of John 
 in Jordan, the Saviour could say,' "John the 
 Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, and 
 
 ye say he hath a devil ; " and how could He 
 say to those who asked Him,' " By what 
 authority doest thou these things ? I also 
 will ask you one word, which if ye tell 
 me, I also will tell you by what authority 1 
 do these things. The baptism of John, 
 whence was it ? from heaven or of men ? 
 And they reason, and say. If we shall say. 
 From heaven, He will say, Why did ye not 
 believe him ? " The solution of the difficulty 
 is this. The Pharisees, addressed by John, 
 as we saw before, with his "Offspring of 
 vipers, " etc. , came to the baptism, without be- 
 lieving in him, probably because they feared 
 the multitudes, and, with their accustomed 
 hypocrisy towards them, deemed it right to 
 undergo the washing, so as not to appear 
 hostile to those who did so. Their belief 
 was, then, that he derived his baptism from 
 men, and not from heaven, but, on account 
 of the multitude, lest they should be 
 stoned, they are afraid to say what they 
 think. Thus there is no contradiction be- 
 tween the Saviour's speech to the Pharisees 
 and the narratives in the Gospels about the 
 multitudes who frequented John's baptism. 
 It was part of the effrontery of the Phari- 
 sees that they declared John to have a 
 devil, as, also, that they declared Jesus to 
 have performed His wonderful works by 
 Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. 
 
 15. HOW THE BAPTIST ANSWERS THE QUESTION 
 OF THE PHARISEES AND EXALTS THE NATURE 
 OF CHRIST. OF THE SHOE-LATCHET WHICH HE 
 IS UNABLE TO UNTIE. 
 
 John ^ answered them, saying, " I baptize 
 with water, but in the midst of you standeth 
 one whom ye know not, even He who 
 cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe 
 I am not worthy to unloose." Heracleon 
 considers that John's answers to those sent 
 by the Pharisees refer not to what they 
 asked, but to what he wished, not observing 
 that he accuses the prophet of a want of 
 manners, by making him, when asked 
 about one thing, answer about another ; for 
 this is a fault to be guarded against in con- 
 versation. We assert, on the contrary, that 
 the reply accurately takes up the question. 
 It is asked, "Why baptizest thou then, if thou 
 art not the Christ ? " And what other answer 
 could be given to this than to show that his 
 baptism was in its nature a bodily thing? 
 I, he says, " baptize with water ; " this is his 
 answer to, "Why baptizest thou." And to 
 the second part of their question, "If thou 
 art not the Christ," he answers by exalting the 
 
 ^ Matt. xi. 13. 
 
 1 Matt. xxi. 23. 
 
 2 Johni. 26. 
 
366 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 superior nature of Christ, that He has such 
 virtue as to be invisible in His deity, though 
 present to every man and extending over 
 the whole universe. This is what is 
 indicated in the words, "There standeth 
 one among you. " The Pharisees, moreover, 
 though expecting the advent of Christ, saw 
 nothing in Him of such a nature as John 
 speaks of ; they believed Him to be simply 
 a perfect and holy man. John, therefore, 
 rebukes their ignorance of His superiority, 
 and adds to the words, "There standeth one 
 among you," the clause, " whom ye know 
 not." And, lest any one should suppose 
 the invisible One who extends to every 
 man, or, indeed, to the whole world, to be 
 a different person from Him who became 
 man, and appeared upon the earth and 
 conversed with men, he adds to the words, 
 " There standeth one among you whom you 
 know not," the further words, "Who cometh 
 after me," that is. He who is to be mani- 
 fested after me. By whose surpassing 
 excellence he well understood that his own 
 nature was far surpassed, though some 
 doubted whether he might be the Christ ; 
 and, therefore, desiring to show how far he is 
 from attaining to the greatness of the Christ, 
 that no one should think of him beyond 
 what he sees or hears of him, he goes on : 
 ' ' The latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy 
 to unloose." By which he conveys, as in a 
 riddle, that he is not fit to solve and to 
 explain the argument about Christ's assum- 
 ing a human body, an argument tied up 
 and hidden (like a shoe-tie) to those who do 
 not understand it, — so as to say anything 
 worthy of such an advent, compressed, as 
 it was, into so short a space. 
 
 l6. COMPARISON OF JOHn's TESTIMONY TO JESUS 
 IN THE DIFFERENT GOSPELS. 
 
 It may not be out of place, as we are 
 examining the text, " I baptize with water," 
 to compare the parallel utterances of the 
 evangelists with this of John. IMatthew 
 reports that the Baptist, when he saw many 
 of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to 
 his baptism, after the words of rebuke 
 which we have already studied, went on : ■ 
 "I indeed baptize you with water unto 
 repentance ; but He that cometh after me is 
 mightier than I, whose shoes I am not 
 worthy to bear ; He shall baptize you 
 with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." This 
 agrees with the words in John, in which the 
 Baptist declares himself to those sent by the 
 Pharisees, on the subject of his baptizing 
 
 ^ Matt. iii. ii. 
 
 with water. Mark, again, says,' "John 
 preached, saying. There cometh after me 
 He that is mightier than I, the latchet of 
 whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down 
 and unloose. I baptized you with water, 
 but He shall baptize you with the Holy 
 Ghost. " And Luke says ^ that, as the people 
 were in expectation, and all were reasoning 
 in their hearts concerning John, whether 
 haply he were the Christ, John answered 
 them all, saying, "I indeed baptize you 
 with water ; but there cometh one mightier 
 than I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy 
 to unloose ; He shall baptize you with the 
 Holy Ghost, and with fire." 
 
 17. of the testimony of john to jesus in 
 Matthew's gospel. 
 
 These, then, are the parallel passages of 
 the four ; let us try to see as clearly as we 
 can what is the purport of each and wherein 
 they diifer from each other. And we will 
 begin with Matthew, who is reported by 
 tradition to have published his Gospel be- 
 fore the others, to the Hebrews, those, name- 
 ly, of the circumcision who believed. I, he 
 says, baptize you with water unto repent- 
 ance, purifying you, as it were, and turning 
 you away from evil courses and calling you 
 to repentance ; for I am come to make ready 
 for the Lord a people prepared for Him, and 
 by my baptism of repentance to prepare the 
 ground for Him who is to come after me, 
 and who will thus benefit you much more 
 effectively and powerfully than my strength 
 could. For His baptism is not that of the 
 body only ; He fills the penitent with the 
 Holy Ghost, and His diviner fire does away 
 with everything material and consumes 
 everything that is earthy, not only from 
 him who admits it to his life, but even 
 from him who hears of it from those who 
 have it. So much stronger than I is He 
 who is coming after me, that I am not able 
 to bear even the outskirts of the powers 
 round Him which are furthest from Him 
 (they are not open and exposed, so that any 
 one could see them), nor even to bear those 
 who support them. I know not of which I 
 should speak. Should I speak of my own 
 great weakness, which is not able to bear 
 even these things about Christ which in 
 comparison with the greater things in Him 
 are least, or should I speak of His transcend- 
 ent Deity, greater than all the world .' If I 
 who have received such grace, as to be 
 thought worthy of prophecy predicting my 
 arrival in this human life, in the words, ' ' The 
 
 ' Mark i. 6. 7. 
 
 ' Luke iu. 16. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 367 
 
 voice of one crying in the wilderness," and 
 " Behold I send my messenger before thy 
 face ; " if I whose birth Gabriel who stands 
 before God announced to my father so ad- 
 vanced in years, so much against his ex- 
 pectation, I at whose name Zacharias re- 
 covered his voice and was enabled to use it 
 to prophesy, I to whom my Lord bears 
 witness that among them that are born of 
 women there is none greater than I, I am 
 not able so much as to bear His shoes ! 
 And if not His shoes, what can be said about 
 His garments ? Who is so great as to be 
 able to guard His coat ? Who can suppose 
 that He can understand the meaning con- 
 tained in His tunic which is without seam 
 from the top because it is woven through- 
 out? It is to be observed that while the 
 four represent John as declaring himself to 
 have come to baptize with water, Matthew 
 alone adds the words " to repentance," 
 teaching that the benefit of baptism is con- 
 nected with the intention of the baptized 
 person ; to him who repents it is salutary, 
 but to him who comes to it without repent- 
 ance it will turn to greater condemnation. 
 And here we must note that as the wonder- 
 ful works done by the Saviour in the cures 
 He wrought, which are symbolical of those 
 who at any time are set free by the word of 
 God from any sickness or disease, though 
 they were done to the body and brought a 
 bodily relief, yet also called those who were 
 benefited by them to an exercise of faith, so 
 the washing with water which is symbolic of 
 the soul cleansing herself from every stain 
 of wickedness, is no less in itself to him 
 who yields himself to the divine power of 
 the invocation of the Adorable Trinity, the 
 beginning and source of divine gifts ; for 
 " there are diversities of gifts. " This view 
 receives confirmation from the narrative 
 recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, which 
 shows the Spirit to have descended so mani- 
 festly on those who receive baptism, after the 
 water had prepared the way for him in those 
 who properly approached the rite. Simon 
 Magus, astonished at what he saw, desired 
 to receive from Peter this gift, but though it 
 was a good thing he desired, he thought to 
 attain it by the mammon of unrighteous- 
 ness. We next remark in passing that the 
 baptism of John was inferior to the baptism 
 of Jesus which was given through His dis- 
 ciples. Those persons in the Acts ' who 
 were baptized to John's baptism and who 
 had not heard if there was any Holy Ghost 
 are baptized over again by the Apostle. 
 
 ' Acts xix. 2. 
 
 Regeneration did not take place with John, 
 but with Jesus through His disciples it does 
 so, and what is called the laver of regenera- 
 tion takes place with renewal of the Spirit ; 
 for the Spirit now comes in addition since it 
 comes from God and is over and above the 
 water and does not come to all after the 
 water. So far, then, our examination of 
 the statements in the Gospel according to 
 Matthew. 
 
 18. OF THE TESTIMONY IN MAKK. WHAT IS 
 MEANT BY THE SAVIOUR's SHOES AND BY 
 UNTYING HIS SHOE-LATCHETS. 
 
 Now let US consider what is stated by 
 Mark. Mark's account of John's preaching 
 agrees with the other. The words are, 
 " Ther ecometh after me He that is mightier 
 than I," which amounts to the same thing 
 as "He that cometh after me is mightier 
 than I." There is a difference, however, in 
 what follows, "The latchets of His shoes I 
 am not worthy to stoop down and untie." 
 For it is one thing to bear a person's shoes, — 
 they must, it is evident, have been untied 
 already from the feet of the wearer, — and it 
 is another thing to stoop down and untie 
 the latchet of his shoes. And it follows, 
 since believers cannot think that either of 
 the Evangelists made any mistake or mis- 
 representation, that the Baptist must have 
 made these two utterances at different times 
 and have meant them to express different 
 things. It is not the case, as some suppose, 
 that the reports refer to the same incident 
 and turned out differently because of a loose- 
 ness of memory as to some of the facts or 
 words. Now it is a great thing to bear the 
 shoes of Jesus, a great thing to stoop down 
 to the bodily features of His mission, to 
 that which took place in some lower region, 
 so as to contemplate His image in the lower 
 sphere, and to untie each difficulty connected 
 with the mystery of His incarnation, such 
 being as it were His shoe-latchets. For the 
 fetter of obscurity is one as the key of 
 knowledge also is one ; not even He who is 
 greatest among those born of women is suf- 
 ficient of Himself to loose such things or to 
 open them, for He who tied and lockedat 
 first, He also grants to whom He will to 
 loose His shoe-latchet and to unlock what 
 He has shut. If the passage about the 
 shoes has a mystic meaning we ought not 
 to scorn to consider it. Now I consider 
 that the inhumanisation when the Son of 
 God assumes flesh and bones is one of His 
 shoes, and that the other is the descent to 
 Hades, whatever that Hades be, and the 
 journey with the Spirit to the prison. As 
 
368 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 to the descent into Hades, we read in the 
 sixteenth Psalm, "Thou wilt not leave my 
 soul in Hades," and as for the journey in 
 prison with the Spirit we read in Peter in 
 his Catholic Epistle," "Put to death," he 
 says, "in the flesh, but quickened in the 
 Spirit ; in which also He went and preached 
 unto the spirits in prison, which at one time 
 were disobedient, when the long-suffering 
 of God once waited in the days of Noah 
 while the ark was a preparing-." He, then, 
 who is able worthily to set forth the mean- 
 ing of these two journeys is able to untie 
 the latchet of the shoes of Jesus ; he, bend- 
 ing down in his mind and gomg with Jesus 
 as He goes down into Hades, and descend- 
 ing from heaven and the mysteries of Christ's 
 deity to the advent He of necessity made 
 with us when He took on man (as His shoes). 
 Now He who put on man also put on the 
 dead, for ^ "for this end Jesus both died 
 and revived, that He might be Lord both 
 of dead and living." This is why He put 
 on both living and dead, that is, the inhabi- 
 tants of the earth and those of Hades, that 
 He might be the Lord of both dead and liv- 
 ing. Who, then, is able to stoop down and 
 untie the latchet of such shoes, and having 
 untied them not to let them drop, but by the 
 second faculty he has received to take them 
 up and bear them, by bearing the meaning 
 of them in his memory? 
 
 19. LUKE AND JOHN SUGGEST THAT ONE MAY 
 LOOSE THE SHOE-LATCHETS OF THE LOGOS 
 WITHOUT STOOPING DOWN. 
 
 We must not, however, omit to ask how it 
 comes that Luke and John give the speech 
 without the phrase " to stoop down." He, 
 perhaps, who stoops down may be held to 
 unloose in the sense which we have stated. 
 On the other hand, it may be that one who 
 fixes his eyes on the height of the exaltation 
 of theLogos.may find the loosing of those 
 shoes which when one is seeking them 
 seem to be bound, so that He also looses 
 those shoes which are separable from the 
 Logos, and beholds the Logos divested of 
 inferior things, as He is, the Son of God. 
 
 20. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOT BEING 
 " SUFFICIENT " AND NOT BEING "WORTHY." 
 
 John records that the Baptist said he was 
 not worthy, Mark that he was not sufficient, 
 and these two are not the same. One who 
 was not worthy might yet be sufficient, and 
 one who was worthy might not be sufficient. 
 For even if it be the case that gifts are be- 
 
 1 Pet. iii. iS-20, 
 
 ' Kom. xir. g. 
 
 stowed to profit withal and not merely ac- 
 cording to the proportion of faith, yet it 
 would seem to be the part of a God who 
 loves men and who sees before what harm 
 must come from the rise of self-opinion or 
 conceit, not to bestow sufficiency even on 
 the worthy. But it belongs to the goodness 
 of God by conferring bounties to conquer 
 the object of His bounty, taking in advance 
 him who is destined to be worthy, and adorn- 
 ing him even before he becomes worthy 
 with sufficiency, so that after his sufficiency 
 he may come to be worthy ; he is not first 
 to be worthy and then to anticipate the 
 giver and take His gifts before the time and 
 so arrive at being sufficient. Now with the 
 three the Baptist says he is not sufficient, 
 while in John he says he is not worthy. 
 But it may be that he who formerly declared 
 that he was not sufficient became sufficient 
 afterwards, even though perhaps he was not 
 worthy, or again that while he was saying 
 he was not worthy, and was in fact not 
 worthy, he arrived at being worthy, unless 
 one should say that human nature can never 
 come to perform worthily this loosing or 
 this bearing, and that John, therefore, says 
 truly that he never became sufficient to loose 
 the latchets of the Saviour's shoes,nor worthy 
 of it either. However much we take into 
 our minds there are still left things not yet 
 understood ; for, as we read in the wisdom 
 of Jesus, son of Sirach, ' "When a man hath 
 done, then he beginneth, and when he 
 leaveth off, then he shall he doubtful." 
 
 21. THE FOURTH GOSPEL SPEAKS OF ONLY ONE 
 SHOE, THE OTHERS OF BOTH. THE SIGNIFI- 
 CANCE OF THIS. 
 
 As to the shoes, too, which are spoken of 
 in the three Gospels, we have a question to 
 consider ; we must compare them with the 
 single shoe named by the disciple John. 
 "I am not worthy," we read there, "to 
 untie the latchet of His shoe." Perhaps he 
 was conquered by the grace of God, and 
 received the gift of doing that which of 
 himself he would not have been worthy to 
 do, of untying, namely, the latchet of one 
 of the shoes, namely, after he had seen the 
 Saviour's sojourn among men, of which he 
 bears witness. But he did not know the 
 things which were to follow, namely, whe- 
 ther Jesus was to come to that place also, 
 to which he was to go after being beheaded 
 in prison, or whether he was to look for 
 another ; and hence he alludes enigmatically 
 to that doubt which was afterwards cleared 
 
 * xvUi. 7. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 369 
 
 up to us, and says, "I am not worthy to 
 untie His shoe-latchet." If any one con- 
 siders this to be a superfluous speculation, 
 he can combine in one the speech about the 
 shoes and that about the shoe, as if John 
 said, I am by no means worthy to loose 
 His shoestring, not even at the beginning, 
 the string of one of His shoes. Or the fol- 
 lowing may be a way to combine what is 
 said in the Four. If John understands about 
 Jesus' sojourn here, but is in doubt about 
 the future, then he says with perfect truth 
 that he is not worthy to loose the latchet 
 of His shoes ; for though he loosed that of 
 one shoe, he did not loose both. And on 
 the other hand, what he says about the 
 latchet of the shoe is quite true also ; since 
 as we saw he is still in doubt whether Jesus 
 is He that was to come, or whether another 
 is to be looked for, in that other region. 
 
 22. HOW THE WORD STANDS IN THE MIDST OF 
 MEN WITHOUT BEING KNOWN OF THEM. 
 
 As for the saying, "There standeth one 
 among you whom you know not," we are 
 led by it to consider the Son of God, the 
 Word, by whom all things were made, since 
 Hs exists in substance throughout the under- 
 lying nature of things, being the same as 
 wisdom. For He permeated, from the be- 
 ginning, all creation, so that what is made 
 at any time should be made through Him, 
 andthat it might be always true of anything 
 soever, that " All things were made by Him, 
 and without Him was not anything made 
 that was made ; " and this saying also, " By 
 wisdom didst thou make them all." Now, 
 if He permeates all creation, then He is also 
 in those questioners who ask, " Why bap- 
 tizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor 
 Elijah, nor the prophet ? " In the midst of 
 them stands the Word, who is the same and 
 steadfast, being everywhere established by 
 the Father. Or the words, " There stan deth 
 among you," may be understood to say. 
 In the midst of you men, because you are 
 reasonable beings, stands He who is proved 
 by Scripture to be the sovereign principle in 
 the midst of every body, and so to be pre- 
 sent in your heart. Those, therefore, who 
 have the Word in the midst of them, but 
 who do not consider His nature, nor from 
 what spring and principle He came, nor how 
 He gave them the nature they have," these, 
 while having Him in the midst of them, 
 know Him not. But John knew Him : for 
 the words, "Whom you know not," used 
 in reproach to the Pharisees, show that he 
 
 * Reading avrouc. 
 
 well knew the Word whom they did not 
 know. And the Baptist, therefore, know- 
 ing Him, saw Him coming after himself, 
 who was now in the midst of them, that is 
 to say, dwelling after him and the teaching 
 he gave in his baptism, in those who, 
 according to reason (or the Word), sub- 
 mitted to that purifying rite. The word 
 " after," however, has not the same mean- 
 ing here as it has when Jesus commands 
 us to come "after" Him ; for in this case 
 we are bidden to go after Him, so that, 
 treading in His steps, we may come to the 
 Father ; but in the other case, the meaning 
 is that after the teachings of John (since 
 ' ' He came in order that all men through Him 
 might believe "), the Word dwells with those 
 who have prepared themselves, purified as 
 they are by the lesser words for the perfect 
 Word. Firstly, then, stands the Father, be- 
 ing without any turning or change ; and then 
 stands also His Word, always carrying on 
 His work of salvation, and even when He is 
 in the midst of men, not comprehended, and 
 not even seen. He stands, also, teaching, 
 and inviting all to drink from His abundant 
 spring, for ' " Jesus stood and cried, saying. 
 If any man thirst, let him come unto Me 
 and drink." 
 
 23. HERACLEOn's VIEW OF THIS UTTERANCE OF 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND INTERPRETATION OF 
 THE SHOE OF JESUS. 
 
 But Heracleon declares the words, "There 
 standeth one among you," to be equivalent 
 to "He is already here, and He is in the 
 world and in men, and He is already mani- 
 fest to you all." By this He does away 
 with the meaning which is also present in 
 the words, that the Word had permeated the 
 whole world. For we must say to him. 
 When is He not present, and when is He 
 not in the world ? Does not this Gospel 
 say, " He was in the world, and the world 
 was made by Him, and the world knew 
 Him not." And this is why those to whom 
 the Logos is He "whom you know not," 
 do not know Him : they have never gone 
 out of the world, but the world does not 
 know Him. But at what time did He cease 
 to be among men ? Was He not in Isaiah, 
 when He said,^ "The Spirit of the Lord is 
 upon me, because He hath anointed me," 
 and 3 "I became manifest to those who 
 sought me not. " Let them say, too, if He 
 was not in David when he said, not from 
 himself,!* "But I was established by Him a 
 
 ' John vii. 37. 
 ' Isa. Ixv. I, 
 
 ^ Isa. Ixi. : 
 « Ps. u. 6. 
 
370 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 king in Zion His holy hill," and the other 
 words spoken in the Psalms in the person 
 of Christ. And why should I go over the 
 details of this proof, truly they are hard to 
 be numbered, when I can show quite clearly 
 that He was always in men ? And that is 
 enough to show Heracleon's interpretation of 
 " There standeth in the midst of you," to be 
 unsound, when he says it is equivalent to 
 " He is already here, and He is in the world 
 and in men." We are disposed to agree 
 with him when he says that the words, 
 " Who Cometh after me," show John to be 
 the forerunner of Christ, for he is in fact a 
 kind of servant running before his master. 
 The words, however, "Whose shoe-latchet I 
 am not worthy to unloose," receive much 
 too simple an interpretation when it is said 
 that "in these words the Baptist confesses 
 that he is not worthy even of the least hon- 
 ourable ministration to Christ." After this 
 interpretation he adds, not without sense, 
 "I am not worthy that for my sake He 
 should come down from His greatness and 
 should take flesh as His footgear, concern- 
 ing which I am not able to give any ex- 
 planation or description, nor to unloose the 
 arrangement of it. " In understanding the 
 world by his shoe, Heracleon shows some 
 largeness of mind, but immediately after he 
 verges on impiety in declaring that all this 
 is to be understood of that person whom 
 John here has in his mind. For he con- 
 siders that it is the demiurge of the world 
 who confesses by these words that he is a 
 lesser person than the Christ ; and this is the 
 height of impiety. For the Father who 
 sent Him, He who is the God of the living 
 as Jesus Himself testifies, of Abraham and 
 of Isaac and of Jacob, and He who is greater 
 than heaven and earth for the reason that 
 He is the Maker of them. He also alone is 
 good and is greater than He who was sent 
 by Him. And even if, as we said, Heracleon's 
 idea was a lofty one, that the whole world 
 was the shoe of Jesus, yet I think we ought 
 not to agree with him. For how can it be 
 harmonized with such a view, that " Heaven 
 is My throne and the earth My footstool," a 
 testimony which Jesus accepts as said of 
 the Father? ' " Swear not by heaven," He 
 says, "for it is God's throne, nor by the 
 earth, for it is the footstool of His feet." 
 How, if he takes the whole world to be the 
 shoe of Jesus, can he also accept the text,^ 
 "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" saith 
 the Lord. It is also worth while to enquire, 
 whether as the Word and wisdom per- 
 
 ' Matt. 
 
 V. 34. 35- 
 
 * Jer. xxiii, 34. 
 
 meated the whole world, and as the Father 
 was in the Son, the words are to be under- 
 stood as above or in this way, that He who 
 first of all was girded about with the whole 
 creation, in addition to the Son's being in 
 Him, granted to the Saviour, as being second 
 after Him and being God the Word, to per- 
 vade the whole creation. To those who 
 have it in them to take note of the uninter- 
 rupted movement of the great heaven, how 
 it carries with it from East to West so great 
 a multitude of stars, to them most of all it 
 will seem needful to enquire what that force 
 is, how great and of what nature, which is 
 present in the whole world. For to pro- 
 nounce that force to be other than the Father 
 and the Son, that perhaps might be incon- 
 sistent with piety. 
 
 24. THE NAME OF THE PLACE WHERE JOHN 
 BAPTIZED IS NOT BETHANY, AS IN MOST COPIES, 
 BUT BETHABARA. PROOF OF THIS. SIMILARLY 
 ' ' GERGESA " SHOULD BE READ FOR ' ' GERASA, " 
 IN THE STORY OF THE SWINE. ATTENTION IS 
 TO BE PAID TO THE PROPER NAMES IN SCRIP- 
 TURE, WHICH ARE OFTEN WRITTEN INACCU- 
 RATELY, AND ARE OF IMPORTANCE FOR INTER- 
 PRETATION. 
 
 " These things were done in Bethabara, 
 beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing." ' 
 We are aware of the reading which is found 
 in almost all the copies, "These things 
 were done in Bethany." This appears, 
 moreover, to have been the reading at an 
 earlier time ; and in Heracleon we read 
 "Bethany." We are convinced, however, 
 that we should not read "Bethany," but 
 "Bethabara." We have visited the places 
 to enquire as to the footsteps of Jesus and 
 His disciples, and of the prophets. Now, 
 Bethany, as the same evangelist tells us,^ 
 was the town of Lazarus, and of Martha and 
 Mary ; it is fifteen stadia from Jerusalem, 
 and the river Jordan is about a hundred 
 and eighty stadia distant from it. Nor is 
 there any other place of the same name 
 in the neighbourhood of the Jordan, 
 but they say that Bethabara is pointed 
 out on the banks of the Jordan, and that 
 John is said to have baptized there. The 
 etymology of the name, too, corresponds 
 with the baptism of him who made ready 
 for the Lord a people prepared for Him ; for 
 it yields the meaning " House of prepara- 
 tion," while Bethany means "House of 
 obedience." Where else was it fitting that 
 he should baptize, who was sent as a mes- 
 senger before the face of the Christ, to pre- 
 
 '■ John i. 28. 
 
 * John xi. I, iS. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 371 
 
 pare His way before Him, but at the House 
 of preparation ? And what more fitting 
 home for Mary, who chose the good part," 
 which was not talcen away from her, and 
 for Martha, who was cumbered for the 
 reception of Jesus, and for their brother, 
 who is called the friend of the Saviour, than 
 Bethany, the House of obedience ? Thus 
 we see that he who aims at a complete 
 understanding of the Holy Scriptures must 
 not neglect the careful examination of the 
 proper names in it. In the matter of proper 
 names the Greek copies are often incorrect, 
 and in the Gospels one might be misled by 
 their authority. The transaction about the 
 swine, which were driven down a steep 
 place by the demons and drowned in the 
 sea, is said to have taken place in the 
 country of the Gerasenes.^ Now, Gerasa is 
 a town of Arabia, and has near it neither 
 sea nor lake. And the Evangelists would 
 not have made a statement so obviously 
 and demonstrably-false ; for they were men 
 who informed themselves carefully of all 
 matters connected with Judaea. But in a 
 few copies we have found, " into the coun- 
 try of the Gadarenes ; " and, on this read- 
 ing, it is to be stated that Gadara is a town 
 of Judaea, in the neighbourhood of which 
 are the well-known hot springs, and that there 
 is no lake there with overhanging banks, 
 nor any sea. But Gergesa, from which the 
 name Gergesenes is taken, is an old town 
 in the neighbourhood of the lake now called 
 Tiberias, and on the edge of it there is a 
 steep place abutting on the lake, from which 
 it is pointed out that the swine were cast 
 down by the demons. Now, the meaning 
 of Gergesa is ' ' dwelling of the casters- 
 out," and it contains a prophetic reference 
 to the conduct towards the Saviour of the 
 citizens of those places, who "besought Him 
 to depart out of their coasts. " The same in- 
 accuracy with regard to proper names is also 
 to be observed in many passages of the law 
 and the prophets, as we have been at pains 
 to learn from the Hebrews, comparing our 
 own copies with theirs which have the con- 
 firmation of the versions, never subjected to 
 corruption, of Aquila and Theodotion and 
 Symmachus. We add a few instances to 
 encourage students to pay more attention 
 to such points. One of the sons of Levi, 3 
 the first', is called Geson in most copies, in- 
 stead of Gerson. His name is the same as 
 that of the first-born of Moses ; ^ it was given 
 appropriately in each case, both children 
 
 * Luke X. 41, 43. 
 
 ' Matt. viii. z8, 32 ; Mark v. i, 13 ; 
 
 • Gen. xlvi. 11 ; Ex. vi. 16. 
 
 24 
 
 Luke viii. 26-37. 
 * Ex. ii. 32. 
 
 being born, because of the sojourn in 
 Egypt, in a strange land. The second son 
 of Juda,' again, has with us the name 
 Annan, but with the Hebrews Onan, "their 
 labour." Once more, in the departures of 
 the children of Israel in Numbers,^ we find, 
 "They departed from Sochoth and pitched 
 in Buthan ; " but the Hebrew, instead of 
 Buthan, reads Aiman. And why should I 
 add more points like these, when any one 
 who desires it can examine into the proper 
 names and find out for himself how they 
 stand ? The place-names of Scripture are 
 specially to be suspected where many of 
 them occur in a catalogue, as in the account 
 of the partition of the country in Joshua, 
 and in the first Book of Chronicles from the 
 beginning down to, say, the passage about 
 Dan, 3 and similarly in Ezra. Names are 
 not to be neglected, since indications may 
 be gathered from them which help in the 
 interpretation of the passages where they 
 occur. We cannot, however, leave our 
 proper subject to examine in this place into 
 the philosophy of names. 
 
 25. JORDAN MEANS "THEIR GOING DOWN." 
 SPIRITUAL MEANINGS AND APPLICATION OF 
 THIS. 
 
 Let US look at the words of the Gospel 
 now before us. "Jordan" means "their 
 going down." The name " Jared " is 
 etymologically akin to it, if I may say so ; 
 it also yields the meaning "going down ;" 
 for Jared was born to Maleleel, as it is 
 written in the Book of Enoch — if any one 
 cares to accept that book as sacred — in the 
 days when the sons of God came down to 
 the daughters of men. Under this descent 
 some have supposed that there is an 
 enigmatical reference to the descent of 
 souls into bodies, taking the phrase 
 ' ' daughters of men " as a tropical expression 
 for this earthly tabernacle. Should this be 
 so, what river will ' ' their going dovif n " be, to 
 which one must come to be purified, a 
 river going down, not with its own descent, 
 but "theirs," that, namely, of men, what 
 but our Saviour who separates those who 
 received their lots from Moses from those 
 who obtained their own portions through 
 Jesus (Joshua) ? His current, flowing in 
 the descending stream, makes glad, as we 
 find in the Psalms,-* the city of God, not the 
 visible Jerusalem — for it has no river beside 
 it — but the blameless Church of God, built 
 
 * Gen. xxxviii. 4. * xxxiii. 6. 
 
 * The name " Saul " or " David " sliould probably stand here. 
 1 Chron. x., where the genealogies give place to narrative. 
 
 * xlvi. 4. 
 
372 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 on the foundation of the Apostles and 
 Prophets, Christ Jesus our Lord being the 
 chief corner-stone. Under the Jordan, 
 accordingly, we have to understand the 
 Word of God who became flesh and taber- 
 nacled among us, Jesus who gives us as 
 our inheritance the humanity which He 
 assumed, for that is the head corner-stone, 
 which being taken up'into the deity of the 
 Son of God, is washed by being so assumed, 
 and then receives into itself the pure and 
 guileless dove of the Spirit, bound to it and 
 no longer able to fly away from it. For 
 "Upon whomsoever," we read, "thoushalt 
 see the Spirit descending and abiding upon 
 Him, the same is He that baptizeth with the 
 Holy Spirit." Hence, he who receives the 
 Spirit abiding on Jesus Himself is able to 
 baptize those vi^ho come to him in that 
 abiding Spirit. But John baptizes beyond 
 Jordan, in the regions verging on the 
 outside of Judaea, in Bethabara, being the 
 forerunner of Him who came to call not the 
 righteous but sinners, and who taught that 
 the whole have no need of a physician, but 
 they that are sick. For it is for forgiveness 
 of sins that this washing is given. 
 
 26. THE STORY OF ISRAEL CROSSING JORDAN UNDER 
 JOSHUA IS TYPICAL OF CHRISTIAN THINGS, 
 AND IS WRITTEN FOR OUR INSTRUCTION. 
 
 Now, it may very well be that some one 
 not versed in the various aspects of the 
 Saviour may stumble at the interpretation 
 given above of the Jordan ; because John says, 
 " I baptize with water, but He that cometh 
 after me is stronger than I ; He shall bap- 
 tize you with the Holy Spirit." To this we 
 reply that, as the Word of God in His char- 
 acter as something to be drunk is to one set 
 of men water, and to another wine, making 
 glad the heart of man, and to others blood, 
 since it is said, " ' ' Except ye drink My blood, 
 ye have no life in you," and as in His char- 
 acter as food He is variously conceived as liv- 
 ing bread or as flesh, so also He, the same 
 person, is baptism of water, and baptism of 
 Holy Spirit and of fire, and to some, also, 
 of blood. It is of His last baptism, as some 
 hold, that He speaks in the words,^ "I 
 have a baptism to be baptized with, and 
 how am I straitened till it be accomplished ? " 
 And it agrees with this that the disciple 
 John speaks in his Epistle 3 of the Spirit, 
 and the water, and the blood, as being one. 
 And again He declares Himself to be the way 
 and the door, but clearly He is not the door 
 to those to whom He is the way, and He is 
 
 ^ John vi. 53. 
 
 ^ Luke xii. 50. 
 
 * I John V, 8. 
 
 no longer the way to those to whom He is 
 the door. All those, then, who are being 
 initiated in the beginning of the oracles of 
 God, and come to the voice of him who 
 cries in the wilderness, " Make straight the 
 way of the Lord," the voice which sounds 
 beyond Jordan at the house of preparation, 
 let them prepare themselves so that they 
 may be in a state to receive the spiritual 
 word, brought home to them by the en- 
 lightenment of the Spirit. As we are now, 
 as our subject requires, bringing together 
 all that relates to the Jordan, let us look at 
 the "river." God, by Moses, carried the 
 people through the Red Sea, making the 
 water a wall for them on the right hand and 
 on the left, and by Joshua He carried them 
 through Jordan. Now, Paul deals with this 
 Scripture, and his warfare is not according 
 to the flesh of it, for he knew that the law 
 is spiritual in a spiritual sense. And he 
 shows us that he understood vi'hat is said 
 about the passage of the Red Sea ; for he 
 says in his first Epistle to the Corinthians,' 
 " I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, 
 how that our fathers were all under the 
 cloud, and all passed through the sea, 
 and were all baptized into Moses in the 
 cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the 
 same spiritual meat, and drink the same 
 spiritual drink ; for they drank of the 
 spiritual rock which followed them, and the 
 rock was Christ." In the spirit of this pas- 
 sage let us also pray that we may receive 
 from God to understand the spiritual mean- 
 ing of Joshua's passage through Jordan. 
 Of it, also, Paul would have said, " I would 
 not, brethren, have you ignorant, that all 
 our fathers went through Jordan, and were 
 all baptized into Jesus in the spirit and 
 in the river." And Joshua, who succeeded 
 Moses, was a type of Jesus Christ, who 
 succeeds the dispensation through the law, 
 and replaces it by the preaching of the 
 Gospel. And even if those Paul speaks of 
 were baptized in the cloud and in the sea, 
 there is something harsh and salt in their 
 baptism. >They are still in fear of their 
 enemies, and crying to the Lord and to 
 Moses, saying,^ " Because there were no 
 graves in Egypt, hast thou brought us forth 
 to slay us in the wilderness.? Why hast 
 thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth 
 out of Egypt ? " But the baptism to Joshua, 
 which takes place in quite sweet and drink- 
 able water, is in many ways superior to that 
 earlier one, religion having by this time 
 grown clearer and assuming a becoming 
 
 • 1-4- 
 
 ^ Exod. xiv. II. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 373 
 
 order. For the ark of the covenant of the 
 Lord our God is carried in procession by the 
 priests and levites, the people following the 
 ministers of God, it, also, accepting the law 
 of holiness. For Joshua says to the peo- 
 ple, ' "Sanctify yourselves against to-mor- 
 row ; the Lord will do wonders among 
 you." And he commands the priests to go 
 before the people with the ark of the 
 covenant, wherein is plainly showed forth 
 the mystery of the Father's economy about 
 the Son, which is highly exalted by Him 
 who gave the Soil this office ; " That at the 
 name of Jesus ^ every knee should bow, of 
 things in heaven and things on earth and 
 things under the earth, and that every 
 tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is 
 Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 
 This is pointed out by what we find in the 
 book called Joshua,' "In that day I will 
 begin to exalt thee before the children of 
 Israel." And we hear our Lord Jesus say- 
 ing to the children of Israel,* "Come 
 hither and hear the words of the Lord your 
 God. Hereby ye shall know that the 
 living God is in (among) you ; " for when 
 we are baptized to Jesus, we know that the 
 living God is in us. And, in the former 
 case, they kept the passover in Egypt, and 
 then began their journey, but with Joshua, 
 after crossing Jordan on the tenth day of 
 the first month they pitched their camp in 
 Galgala ; for a sheep had to be procured be- 
 fore invitations could be issued to the 
 banquet after Joshua's baptism. Then the 
 children of Israel, since the children of 
 those who came out of Egypt had not re- 
 ceived circumcision, were circumcised by 
 Joshua with a very sharp stone ; the Lord 
 declares that He takes away the reproach 
 of Egypt on the day of Joshua's baptism, 
 when Joshua purified, the children of Israel. 
 For it is written : 5 " And the Lord said to 
 Joshua, the son of Nun, This day have I 
 taken away the reproach of Egypt from off 
 you." Then the children of Israel kept the 
 passover on the fourteenth day of the 
 month, with much greater gladness than in 
 Egypt, for they ate unleavened bread of the 
 corn qf the holy land, and fresh food better 
 than manna. For when they received the 
 land of promise God did not entertain them 
 with scantier food, nor when such a one as 
 Joshua was their leader do they get inferior 
 bread. This will be plain to him who 
 thinks of the true holy land and of the 
 Jerusalem above. Hence it is written in 
 
 * Josh. iii. 5. 
 
 * Jbsh. iii, 9, 10. 
 
 2 Philipp. ii. 9-11. 
 ^ Josh. V. 9. 
 
 » lu. 7. 
 
 this same Gospel : ' Your fathers did eat 
 bread in the wilderness, and are dead ; he 
 that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 
 For the manna, though it was given by 
 God, yet was bread of travel, bread supplied 
 to those still under discipline, well fitted for 
 those who were under tutors and governors. 
 And the new bread Joshua managed to get 
 from corn they cut in the country, in the land 
 of promise, others having laboured and his 
 disciples reaping, — that was bread more full 
 of life, distributed as it was to those who, 
 for their perfection, were able to receive the 
 inheritance of their fathers. Hence, he 
 who is still under discipline to that bread 
 may receive death as far as it is concerned, 
 but he who has attained to the bread that 
 follows that, eating it, shall live for ever. 
 All this has been added, not, I conceive, 
 without appropriateness, to our study of the 
 baptism at the Jordan, administered by 
 John at Bethabara. 
 
 27. OF ELIJAH AND ELISHA CROSSING THE JORDAN. 
 
 Another point which we must not fail to 
 notice is that when Elijah was about to be 
 taken up in a whirlwind, as if to heaven,^ 
 he took his mantle and wrapped it together 
 aud smote the water, which was divided 
 hither and thither, and they went over both 
 of them, that is, he and Elisha. His bap- 
 tism in the Jordan made him fitter to be 
 taken up, for, as we showed before, Paul 
 gives the name of baptism to such a remark- 
 able passage through the water. And 
 through this same Jordan Elisha receives, 
 through Elijah, the gift he desired, saying, 
 "Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon 
 me." What enabled him to receive this 
 gift of the spirit of Elijah was, perhaps, 
 that he had passed through Jordan twice, 
 once with Elijah, and the second time, 
 when, after receiving the mantle of Elijah, 
 he smote the water and said, "Where is 
 the God of Elijah, even He ? And he smote 
 the waters, and they were divided hither 
 and thither." 
 
 28. NAAMAN THE SYRIAN AND THE JORDAN. NO 
 OTHER STREAM HAS THE SAME HEALING 
 POWER. 
 
 Should any one object to the expression 
 "He smote the water," on account of the 
 conclusion we arrived at above with respect 
 to the Jordan, that it is a type of the Word 
 who descended for us our descending, we 
 rejoin that with the Apostle the rock is 
 plainly said to be Christ, and that it is 
 
 '»i.49- 
 
 ^2 Kings ii. 8, ii. 
 
374 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 smitten twice with the rod, so that the people 
 may drink of the spiritual rock which follows 
 them. The "smiting" in this new diffi- 
 culty is that of those who are fond of sug- 
 gesting something that contradicts the con- 
 clusion even before they have learned what 
 the question is which is in hand. From 
 such God sets us free, since, on the one hand, 
 He gives us to drink when vi^e are thirsty, 
 and on the other He prepares for us, in the 
 immense and trackless deep, a road to pass 
 over, namely, by the dividing of His Word, 
 since it is by the reason which distinguishes 
 (divides) that most things are made plain to 
 us. But that we may receive the right in- 
 terpretation about this Jordan, so good to 
 drink, so full of grace, it may be of use to 
 compare the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian 
 from his leprosy, and what is said of the 
 rivers of religion of the enemies of Israel. 
 It is recorded of Naaman ■ that he came 
 with horse and chariot, and stood at the 
 door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha 
 sent a messenger to him, saying, " Go, w^ash 
 seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh 
 shall come again unto thee, and thou shalt 
 be cleansed." Then Naaman is angry ; he 
 does not see that our Jordan is the cleanser 
 of those who are impure from leprosy, from 
 that impurity, and their restorer to health ; 
 it is the Jordan that does this, and not the 
 prophet ; the office of the prophet is to 
 direct to the healing agency. Naaman then 
 says, not understanding the great mystery 
 of the Jordan, "Behold, I said that he will 
 certainly come out to me, and will call upon 
 the name of the Lord his God, and lay his 
 hand upon the place, and restore the leper." 
 For to put his hand on the leprosy^ and 
 cleanse it is a work belonging to our Lord 
 Jesus only ; for when the leper appealed to 
 Him with faith, saying, " If Thou wilt Thou 
 canst make me clean," He not only said, 
 " I will, be thou clean," but in addition to 
 the word He touched him, and he was 
 cleansed from his leprosy. Naaman, then, 
 is still in error, and does not see how far 
 inferior other rivers are to the Jordan for 
 the cure of the suffering; he extols the 
 rivers of Damascus, Arbana, and Pharpha, 
 saying, "Are not Arbana and Pharpha,' 
 rivers of Damascus, better than all the 
 waters of Israel ? Shall I not wash in them 
 and be clean ?" For as none is goods but 
 one, God the Father, so among rivers none 
 is good but the Jordan, nor able to cleanse 
 from his leprosy him who with faith washes 
 
 aL'^'PS^-''-'''"^, , ' Matt. viii. 2, 3. 
 
 = Matt. XIX. 17 ; Mark i. i8 ; Luke xviii. 19. 
 
 his soul in Jesus. And this, I suppose, is 
 the reason why the Israelites are recorded 
 to have wept when they sat by the rivers 
 of Babylon and remembered Zion ; those 
 who are carried captive, on account of their 
 wickedness, when they taste other waters 
 after sacred Jordan, are led to remember 
 with longing their own river of salvation. 
 Therefore it is said of the rivers of Babylon, 
 "There we sat down," clearly because they 
 were unable to stand, "and wept." And 
 Jeremiah rebukes those who wish to drink 
 the waters of Egypt, and desert the water 
 which comes down from heaven, and is 
 named from its so coming down — namely, 
 the Jordan. He says," "What hast thou to 
 do with the way of Egypt, to drink the 
 water of Geon, and to drink the water of the 
 river," or, as it is in the Hebrew, "to drink 
 the water of Sion." Of which water we 
 have now to speak. 
 
 29. THE RIVER OF EGYPT AND ITS DRAGON, CON- 
 TRASTED WITH THE JORDAN. 
 
 But that the Spirit in the inspired Scrip- 
 tures is not speaking mainly of rivers to be 
 seen with the eyes, may be gathered from 
 Ezekiel's prophecies against Pharaoh, king 
 of Egypt:* "Behold I am against thee, 
 Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great dragon, 
 seated in the midst of rivers, who sayest, 
 Mine are the rivers, and I made them. 
 And I will put traps in thy jaws, and I will 
 make the fishes of the river to stick to thy 
 fins, and I will bring thee up from the midst 
 of thy river, and all the fish of the river, and 
 I will cast thee down quickly and all the 
 fish of the river; thou shalt fall upon the 
 face of thy land, and thou shalt not be 
 gathered together, and thou shalt not be 
 adorned." For what real bodily dragon 
 has ever been reported as having been seen 
 in the material river of Egypt? But con- 
 sider if the river of Egypt be not the dwell- 
 ing of the dragon who is our enemy, who 
 was not even able to kill the child Moses. 
 But as the dragon is in the river of Egypt, 
 so is God in the river which makes glad the 
 city of God ; for the Father is in the Son. 
 Hence those who come to wash themselves 
 in Him put away the reproach of Egypt, 
 and become more fit to be restored. They 
 are cleansed from that foulest leprosy, re- 
 ceive a double portion of spiritual gifts, and 
 are made ready to receive the Holy Spirit, 
 since the spiritual dove does not light on 
 any other stream. Thus we have consid- 
 ered in a way more worthy of the sacred 
 
 >£.!<. 
 
 ' «u. 3-s. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 375 
 
 subject the Jordan and the purification that 
 is in it, and Jesus being washed in it, and 
 the house of preparation. Let us, then, 
 draw from the river as much help as we 
 require. 
 
 30. OF WHAT JOHN LEARNED FROM JESUS WHEN 
 MARY VISITED ELISABETH IN THE HILL COUN- 
 TRY. 
 
 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming- 
 unto him." ' The mother of Jesus had 
 formerly, as soon as she conceived, stayed 
 with the mother of John, also at that time 
 with child, and the Former then communi- 
 cated to the Formed with some exactness 
 His own image, and caused him to be con- 
 formed to His glory. And from this out- 
 ward similarity it came that with those who 
 did not distinguish between the image itself 
 and that which was according to the image, 
 John was thought to be Christ^ and Jesus 
 was supposed 3 to be John risen from the 
 dead. So now Jesus, after the testimonies 
 of John to Him which we have examined, 
 is Himself seen by the Baptist coming to 
 him. It is to be noticed that on the former 
 occasion, when the voice of Mary's saluta- 
 tion came to the ears of Elisabeth, the babe 
 John leaped in the womb of his mother, 
 who then received the Holy Spirit, as it 
 were, from the ground. For it came to 
 pass, we read,* "when Elisabeth heard the 
 salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her 
 womb ; and Elisabeth was filled with the 
 Holy Spirit, and she lifted up her voice with 
 a loud cry and said, " etc. On this occasion, 
 similarly, John sees Jesus coming to him 
 and says, "Behold the Lamb of God which 
 taketh away the sin of the world." For 
 with regard to matters of great moment 
 one is first instructed by hearing and after- 
 wards one sees them with one's own eyes. 
 That John was helped to the shape he was 
 to wear by the Lord who, still in the pro- 
 cess of formation and in His mother's 
 womb, approached Elisabeth, will be clear 
 to any one who has grasped our proof that 
 John is a voice but that Jesus is the Word, 
 for when Elisabeth was filled with the Holy 
 Spirit at the salutation of Mary there was a 
 great voice in her, as the words themselves 
 bear; for they say, "And she spake out 
 with a loud voice." Elisabeth, it is plain, 
 did this, "and she spake." For the voice 
 of Mary's salutation coming to the ears of 
 Elisabeth filled John with itself; hence John 
 
 * John. i. 29. 
 ' Matt* xiv. 2. 
 
 * Luke iii. 14. 
 ' Lukei. 41,41. 
 
 leaps, and his mother becomes, as it were, 
 the mouth of her son and a prophetess, 
 crying out with a loud voice and saying, 
 " Blessed art thou among women, and 
 blessed is the fruit of thy womb." Now 
 we see clearJy how it was with Mary's 
 hasty journey to the hill country, and her 
 entrance into the house of Zacharias, and 
 the greeting with which she salutes Elisa- 
 beth ; it was that she might communicate 
 some of the power she derived from Him 
 she had conceived, to John, yet in his 
 mother's womb, and that John too might 
 communicate to his mother some of the 
 prophetic grace which had come to him, 
 that all these things were done. And most 
 rightly was it in the hill country that these 
 transactions took place, since no great thing 
 can be entertained by those who are low 
 and may be thence called valleys. Here, 
 then, after the testimonies of John, — the 
 first, when he cried and spoke about His 
 deity ; the second, addressed to the priests 
 and levites who were sent by the Jews 
 from Jerusalem ; and the third, in answer 
 to the sharper questions of those from the 
 Pharisees, — Jesus is seen by the witness- 
 bearer coming to him while he is still ad- 
 vancing and growing better. This advance 
 and improvement is symbolically indicated 
 in the phrase, " On the morrow.'' For 
 Jesus came in the consequent illumination, 
 as it were, and on the day after what had 
 preceded, not only known as standing in 
 the midst even of those who knew Him 
 not, but now plainly seen advancing to him 
 who had formerly made such declarations 
 about Him. On the first day the testi- 
 monies take place, and on the second Jesus 
 comes to John. On the third John, stand- 
 ing with two of his disciples and looking 
 upon Jesus as He walked, said, " Behold 
 the Lamb of God," thus urging those who 
 were there to follow the Son of God. On 
 the fourth day, too, He was minded to go 
 forth into Galilee, and He who came forth 
 to seek that which was lost finds Philip and 
 says to him, "Follow Me." And on that 
 day, after the fourth, which is the sixth from 
 the beginning of those we have enumerated, 
 the marriage takes place in Cana of Galilee, 
 which we shall have to consider when we 
 get to the passage. Note this, too, that 
 Mary being the greater comes to Elisabeth, 
 who is the less, and the Son of God comes 
 to the Baptist ; which should encourage us 
 to render help without delay to those who 
 are in a lower position, and to cultivate for 
 ourselves a moderate station. 
 
376 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 31. OF THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN JOHN AND 
 JESUS AT THE BAPTISM, RECORDED BY MAT- 
 THEW ONLY. 
 
 John the disciple does not tell us where 
 the Saviour comes from to John the Baptist, 
 but we learn this from Matthew, who writes:' 
 "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan 
 to John, to be baptized of him." And Mark 
 adds the place in Galilee; he says,^ "And 
 it came to pass in those days, that Jesus 
 came from Nazareth in Galilee and was 
 baptized by John in Jordan.' Luke does 
 not mention the place Jesus came from, 
 but on the other hand he tells us what we 
 do not learn from the others, that immedi- 
 ately after the baptism, as He was coming 
 up, heaven was opened to Him, and the 
 Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily 
 form like a dove. Again, it is Matthew 
 alone who tells us of John's preventing the 
 Lord, saying to the Saviour, "I have need 
 to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to 
 me?" None of the others added this after 
 Matthew, so that they might not be saying 
 just the same as he. And what the Lord 
 rejoined, "Suffer it now, for thus it be- 
 cometh us to fulfil all righteousness," this 
 also Matthew alone recorded. 
 
 32. JOHN CALLS JESUS A "LAMB." WHY DOES 
 
 HE NAME THIS ANIMAL SPECIALLY ? OF THE 
 TYPOLOGY OF THE SACRIFICES, GENERALLY. 
 
 "And he sayeth, Behold the Lamb of 
 God, which taketh away the sin of the 
 world." 3 There were five animals which 
 were brought to the altar, three that walk 
 and two that fly ; and it seems to be worth 
 asking why John calls the Saviour a lamb 
 and not any of these other creatures, and 
 why, when each of the animals that walk is 
 offered of three kinds he used for the sheep- 
 kind the term "lamb." The five animals 
 are as follows : the bullock, the sheep, the 
 goat, the turtle-dove, the pigeon. And of 
 the walking animals these are the three kinds 
 — bullock, ox, calf ; ram, sheep, lamb ; he- 
 goat, goat, kid. Of the flying animals, of 
 pigeons we only hear of two young ones ; 
 of turtledoves only of a pair. He, then, who 
 would accurately understand the spiritual 
 rationale of the sacrifices must enquire of 
 what heavenly things these were the pattern 
 and the shadow, and also for what end the 
 sacrifice of each victim is prescribed, and he 
 must specially collect the points connected 
 with the lamb. Now that the principle of 
 the sacrifice must be apprehended with re- 
 
 ' iii. 13. 
 
 • John i. 29. 
 
 ference to certain heavenly mysteries, ap- 
 pears from the words of the Apostle, who 
 somewhere " says, ' ' Who serve a pattern and 
 shadow of heavenly things," and again, "It 
 was necessary that the patterns of the things 
 in the heavens should be purified with these, 
 but the heavenly things themselves with 
 better sacrifices than these." Now to find 
 out all the particulars of these and to state 
 in its relation to them that sacrifice of the 
 spiritual law which took place in Jesus 
 Christ (a truth greater than human nature 
 can comprehend) — to do this belongs to no 
 other than the perfect man,^ who, by reason 
 of use, has his senses exercised to discern 
 good and evil, and who is able to say, from 
 a truth-loving disposition, 3 " We speak wis- 
 dom among them that are perfect." Of these 
 things truly and things like these, we can 
 say, 4 "Which none of the rulers of this world 
 knew." 
 
 33. A LAMB WAS OFFERED AT THE MORNING 
 AND EVENING SACRIFICE. SIGNIFICANCE OF 
 THIS. 
 
 Now we find the lamb offered in the con- 
 tinual (daily) sacrifice. Thus it is written, ■> 
 " This is that which thou shalt offer upon the 
 altar ; two lambs of the first year day by 
 day continually, for a continual sacrifice. 
 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morn- 
 ing, and the other lamb thou shalt offer at 
 even, and a tenth part of fine flour mingled 
 with beaten oil, the fourth part of a hin; 
 and for a drink-offering the fourth part of a 
 hin of wine to the first lamb. And the other 
 lamb thou shalt offer in the evening, accord- 
 ing to the first sacrifice and according to its 
 drink-offering. Thou shalt offer a sweet 
 savour, an offering to the Lord, a continual 
 burnt offering throughout your generations 
 at the door of tent of witness before the 
 Lord, where I will make myself known to 
 thee, to speak unto thee. And I will ap- 
 point thee for the children of Israel, and I 
 will be sanctified in my glory, and with 
 sanctification I will sanctify the tent of 
 witness. " But what other continual sacrifice 
 can there be to the man of reason in the 
 world of mind, but the Word growing to 
 maturity, the Word who is symbolically 
 called a lamb and who is offered as soon as 
 the soul receives illumination. This would 
 be the continual sacrifice of the morning, 
 and it is offered again when the sojourn of the 
 mind with divine things comes to an end. 
 For it cannot maintain for ever its inter- 
 
 * Heb. viii. 5 ; ix. 23. 
 » J Cor. U. 6. 
 
 ' Heb. V. 14. 
 
 * £xod. xxix. 38-44. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 377 
 
 course with higher things, seeing that the 
 soul is appointed to be yoked together with 
 the body which is of earth and heavy. 
 
 34. THE MORNING AND EVENING SACRIFICES OF 
 THE SAINT IN HIS LIFE OF THOUGHT. 
 
 But if any one asks what the saint is to do 
 in the time between morning and evening, 
 let him follow what takes place in the cultus 
 and infer from it the principle he asks for. 
 Ill that case the priests begin their offerings 
 with the continual sacrifice, and before they 
 come to the continuous one of the evening 
 they offer the other sacrifices which the law 
 prescribes, as, for example, that for trans- 
 gression, or that for involuntary offences, or 
 that connected with a prayer for salvation, 
 or that of jealousy, or that of the Sabbath, 
 or of the new moon, and so on, which it 
 would take too long to mention. So we, be- 
 ginning our oblation with the discourse of 
 that type which is Christ, can go on to 
 discourse about many other most useful 
 things. And drawing to a close still in the 
 things of Christ, we come, as it were, to 
 evening and night, when we arrive at the 
 bodily features of His manifestation. 
 
 35. JESUS IS A LAMB IN RESPECT OF HIS 
 HUMAN NATURE. 
 
 If we enquire further into the significance 
 of Jesus being pointed out by John, when 
 he says, "This is the Lamb of God which 
 taketh away the sin of the world," we 
 may take our stand at the dispensation of 
 the bodily advent of the Son of God in 
 human life, and in that case we shall con- 
 ceive the lamb to be no other than the man. 
 For the man "was led like a sheep to the 
 slaughter, and as a lamb, dumb before his 
 shearers,"' saying, " I was as like a gentle 
 lamb led to the slaughter."^ Hence, too, 
 in the Apocalypse 3 a lamb is seen, stand- 
 ing as if slain. This slain lamb has been 
 made, according to certain hidden reasons, 
 a purification of the whole world, for 
 which, according to the Father's love to 
 man, He submitted to death, purchasing us 
 back by His own blood from him who had 
 got us into his power, sold under sin. And 
 He who led this lamb to the slaughter was 
 God in man, the great High-Priest, as he 
 shows by the words :* "No one taketh My 
 life away from Me, but I lay it down of My- 
 self. I have power to lay it down, and I 
 have power to take it again." 
 
 36. OF THE DEATH OF THE MARTYRS CONSIDERED 
 AS A SACRIFICE, AND IN WHAT WAY IT 
 OPERATES TO THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS. 
 
 Akin to this sacrifice are the others of which 
 the sacrifices of the law are symbols, and 
 another kind of sacrifice also appears to me 
 to be of the same nature ; namely, the shed- 
 ding of the blood of the noble martyrs, 
 whom the disciple John saw, for this is not 
 without significance, standing beside the 
 heavenly altar. ' ' Who is wise, ' and he shall 
 understand these things, prudent, and he 
 shall know them ? " It is a matter of higher 
 speculation to consider even slightly the 
 rationale of those sacrifices which cleanse 
 those for whom they are offered. Jephthah's 
 sacrifice of his daughter should receive 
 attention ; it was by vowing it that he con- 
 quered the children of Ammon, and the 
 victim approved his vow, for when her 
 father said,^ "I have opened my mouth 
 unto the Lord against thee," she answered, 
 " If thou hast opened thy mouth unto the 
 Lord against me, do that vphich thou hast 
 vowed." The story suggests that the being 
 must be a very cruel one to whom such 
 sacrifices are offered for the salvation of 
 men ; and we require some breadth of mind 
 and some ability to solve the difficulties 
 raised against Providence, to be able to ac- 
 count for such things and to see that they 
 are mysteries and exceed our human nature. 
 Then we shall say,3 "Great are the judg- 
 ments of God, and hard to be described ; 
 for this cause untutored souls have gone 
 astray." Among the Gentiles, too, it is re- 
 corded that many a one, when pestilential 
 disease broke out in his country, offered 
 himself a victim for the public good. That 
 this was the case the faithful Clement 
 assumes,'' on the faith of the narratives, to 
 whom Paul bears witness when he says,' 
 "With Clement also, and the others, my 
 fellow-labourers, whose names are in the 
 book of life." If there is anything in these 
 narratives that appears incongruous to one 
 who is minded to carp at mysteries revealed 
 to few, the same difficulty attaches to the 
 office that was laid on the martyrs, for it 
 was God's will that we should rather en- 
 dure all the dreadful reproaches connected 
 with confessing Him as God, than escape 
 for a short time from such sufferings (which 
 men count evil) by allowing ourselves by 
 our words to conform to the will of the 
 enemies of the truth. We are, tliercforc, led 
 to believe that the powers of evil do suffer 
 
 ' Isa. liii. 7. 
 'v. 6. 
 
 * Jer. xi. 19. 
 « John K. 18, 
 
 * Hosea xiv. 10. 
 
 * I Clement, 55. 
 
 ' Judges xi. 35. 
 " Philipp. iv. 3. 
 
 MV 
 
 isaoin ;:vii. 
 
378 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 defeat by the death of the holy martyrs ; 
 as if their patience, their confession, even 
 unto death, and their zeal for piety blunted 
 the edge of the onset of evil powers against 
 the sufferer, and their might being thus 
 dulled and exhausted, many others of those 
 whom they had conquered raised their heads 
 and were set free from the weight with 
 which the evil powers formerly oppressed 
 and injured them. And even the martyrs 
 themselves are no longer involved in suf- 
 fering, even though those agents which 
 formerly wrought ill to others are not 
 exhausted ; for he who has offered such 
 a sacrifice overcomes the power which 
 opposed him, as I may show by an illus- 
 tration which is suited to this subject. 
 He who destroys a poisonous animal, 
 or lulls it to sleep with charms, or by 
 any means deprives it of its venom, he does 
 good to many who would otherwise have 
 suffered from that animal had it not been 
 destroyed, or charmed, or emptied of its 
 venom. Moreover, if one of those who 
 were formerly bitten should come to know 
 of this, and should be cured of his malady 
 and look upon the death of that which in- 
 jured him, or tread on it, or touch it when 
 dead, or taste a part of it, then he, who 
 was formerly a sufferer, would owe cure and 
 benefit to the destroyer of the poisonous 
 animal. In some such way must we sup- 
 pose the death of the most holy martyrs to 
 operate, many receiving benefit from it by 
 an influence we cannot describe. 
 
 37. OF THE EFFECTS OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST, 
 OF HIS TRIUMPH AFTER IT, AND OF THE 
 REMOVAL BY HIS DEATH OF THE SINS OF 
 
 MEN. 
 
 We have lingered over this subject of the 
 martyrs and over the record of those who 
 died on account of pestilence, because this 
 lets us see the excellence of Him who was 
 led as a sheep to the slaughter and was 
 dumb as a lamb before the shearer. For if 
 there is any point in these stories of the 
 Greeks, and if what we have said of the 
 martyrs is well founded, — the Apostles, too, 
 were for the same reason the filth of the 
 world and the offscouring of all things,' — 
 what and how great things must be said of 
 the Lamb of God, who was sacrificed for this 
 very reason, that He might take away the 
 sin not of a few but of the whole world, for 
 the sake of which also He suffered ? If any 
 one sin, we read,^ "We have an advocate 
 with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ; 
 
 ' I Cot 
 
 ' I John ii. I, J. 
 
 and He is the propitiation for our sins, and 
 not for ours only, but for those of the whole 
 world," since He is the Saviour of all men,' 
 especially of them that believe, who ^ blotted 
 out the written bond that was against us by 
 His own blood, and took it out of the way, 
 so that not even a trace, not even of our 
 blotted-out sins, might still be found, and 
 nailed it to His cross; who having put off 
 from Himself the principalities and powers, 
 made a show of them openly, triumphing 
 over them by His cross. And we are taught 
 to rejoice when we suffer afflictions in the 
 world, knowing the ground of our rejoicing 
 to be this, that the vvorld has been conquered 
 and has manifestly been subjected to its 
 conqueror. Hence all the nations, released 
 from their former rulers, serve Him, because 
 He ^ saved the poor from his tyrant by His 
 own passion, and the needy who had no 
 helper. This Saviour, then, having humbled 
 the calumniator by humbling Himself, abides 
 with the visible sun before His illustrious 
 church, tropically called the moon, from 
 generation to generation. And having by 
 His passion destroyed His enemies. He who 
 is strong in battle and a mighty Lord ^ re- 
 quired after His mighty deeds a purification 
 which could only be given Him by His 
 Father alone; and this is why He forbids 
 Mary to touch Him, saying,5 "Touch Me 
 not, for I am not yet ascended to My Father ; 
 but go and tell My disciples, I go to My 
 Father and your Father, to My God and 
 your God." And when He comes, loaded 
 with victory and with trophies, with His 
 body which has risen from the dead, — for 
 what other meaning can we see in the 
 words, "I am not yet ascended to My 
 Father," and " I go unto My Father,"— then 
 there are certain powers which say. Who is 
 this that cometh from Edom, red garments 
 from Bosor ; this that is beautiful ? * Then 
 tnose who escort Him say to those that are 
 upon the heavenly gates, 7 "Lift up your 
 gates, ye rulers, and be ye lifted up, ye 
 everlasting doors, and the king of glory shall 
 come in." But they ask again, seeing as it 
 were His right hand red with blood and His 
 whole person covered with the marks of His 
 valour, ' ' Why are Thy garments red, and Thy 
 clothes like the treading of the full winefat 
 when it is trodden ? " And to this He an- 
 swers, "I have crushed them." For this 
 cause He had need to wash " His robe in 
 wine, and His garment in the blood of the 
 grape. " » For when He had taken up our 
 
 * I Tim. iv. lo. 
 
 * Ps. xxiv. 8. 
 
 ' Ps. XHV. 7 9. 
 
 * Coloss. ii. 14, 15. 
 
 * John XX. 17. 
 ° Gen. xlix. i. 
 
 ' Ps. Ixxii. 12. 
 " Isa. Ixiii. i. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 379 
 
 infirmities and carried our diseases, and had 
 borne the sin of the whole world, and had 
 conferred blessings on so many, then, per- 
 haps, He received that baptism which is 
 greater than any that could ever be con- 
 ceived among men, and of which 1 think 
 He speaks when He says,' " I have a bap- 
 tism to be baptized with, and how am I 
 straitened till it be accomplished?" I en- 
 quire here with boldness and I challenge the 
 ideas put forward by most writers. They 
 say that the greatest baptism, beyond which 
 no greater can be conceived, is His passion. 
 But if this be so, why should He say to 
 Mary after it, " Touch Me not " .^ He should 
 rather have offered Himself to her touch, 
 when by His passion He had received His 
 perfect baptism. But if it was the case, as 
 we said before, that after all His deeds of 
 valour done against His enemies. He had 
 need to wash " His robe in wine, His gar- 
 ment in the blood of the grape," then He 
 was on His way up to the husbandman of 
 the true vine, the Father, so that having 
 washed there and after having gone up on 
 high, He might lead captivity captive and 
 come down bearing manifold gifts — the 
 tongues, as of fire, which were divided to the 
 Apostles, and the holy angels which are to 
 be present with them in each action and to 
 deliver them. For before these economies, 
 they were not yet cleansed and angels could 
 not dwell with them, for they too perhaps 
 do not desire to be with those who have not 
 prepared themselves nor been cleansed by 
 Jesus. For it was of Jesus' benignity alone 
 that He ate and drank with publicans and 
 sinners, and suffered the penitent woman 
 who was a sinner to wash His feet with her 
 tears, and went down even to death for the 
 ungodly, counting it not robbery to be equal 
 with God, and emptied Himself, assuming 
 theform of a servant. And in accomplishing 
 all this He fulfils rather the will of the Father 
 who gave Him up for sinners than His 
 own. For the Father is good, but the Savi- 
 our is the image of His goodness ; and doing 
 good to the world in all things, since God 
 was in Christ reconciling the world to Him- 
 self, which formerly for its wickedness was 
 an enemy to Him, He accomplishes His 
 good deeds in order and succession, and 
 does not all at once take all His enemies for 
 His footstool. For the Father says to Him, 
 to the Lord of us all, ^ "Sit Thou on My right 
 hand, until I make Thy enemies the foot- 
 stool of Thy feet. " And this goes on till the 
 last enemy, Death, is overcome by Him. 
 
 ^ Luke xii. 50. 
 
 * Ps. CIt. I. 
 
 And if we consider what is meant by this 
 subjection to Christ and find an explanation 
 of this mainly from the saying, ' " When all 
 things shall have been put under Him, then 
 shall the Son Himself be subjected to Him 
 who put all things under Him," then we 
 shall see how the conception agrees with 
 the goodness of the God of all, since it is 
 that of the Lamb of God, taking away the 
 sin of the world. Not all men's sin. how- 
 ever, is taken away by the Lamb of God, 
 not the sin of those who do not grieve and 
 suffer affliction till it be taken away. For 
 thorns are not only fixed but deeply rooted 
 in the hand of every one who is intoxicated 
 by wickedness and has parted with sobriety, 
 as it is said in the Proverbs,^ " Thorns grow 
 in the hand of the drunkard," and what pain 
 they must cause him who has admitted 
 such growth in the substance of his soul, 
 it is hard even to tell. Who has allowed 
 wickedness to establish itself so deeply in 
 his soul as to be a ground full of thorns, 
 he must be cut down by the quick and 
 powerful word of God, which is sharper than 
 a two-edged sword, and which is more caus- 
 tic than any fire. To such a soul that fire 
 must be sent which finds out thorns, and by 
 its divine virtue stands where they are and 
 does not also burn up the threshing-floors 
 or standing corn. But of the Lamb which 
 takes away the sin of the world and begins 
 to do so by His own death there are several 
 ways, some of which are capable of being 
 clearly understood by most, but others are 
 concealed from most, and are known to 
 those only who are worthy of divine wis- 
 dom. Why should we count up all the 
 ways by which we come to believe among 
 men ? That is a thing vi'hich every one living 
 in the body is able to see for himself And 
 in the ways in which we believe in these 
 also, sin is taken away ; by afflictions and 
 evil spirits and dangerous diseases and 
 grievous sicknesses. And who knows what 
 follows after this? So much as we have 
 said was not unnecessary — we could not 
 neglect the thought which is so clearly con- 
 nected with that of the words, "Behold the 
 Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the 
 world," and had therefore to attend some- 
 what closely to this part of our subject. 
 This has brought us to see that God con- 
 victs some by His wrath and chastens them 
 by His anger, since His love to men is so 
 great that He will not leave any without 
 conviction and chastening ; so that we 
 should do what in us lies to be spared such 
 
 ' I Cor. XV. j6. 
 
 * XXVI. 9. 
 
38o 
 
 OR-IGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 conviction and such chastening by the sorest 
 
 trials. 
 
 38. THE WORLD, OF WHICH THE SIN IS TAKEN 
 AWAY, IS SAID TO BE THE CHURCH. REASONS 
 FOR NOT AGREEING WITH THIS OPINION. 
 
 The reader will do well to consider what 
 was said above and illustrated from various 
 quarters on the question what is meant in 
 Scripture by the word " world " ; and I 
 think it proper to repeat this. I am aware 
 that a certain scholar understands by the 
 world the Church alone, since the Church is 
 the adornment of the world,' and is said to 
 be the light of the world. " You," he says,^ 
 "are the light of the world." Now, the 
 adornment of the world is the Church, Christ 
 being her adornment, who is the first light 
 of the world. We must consider if Christ is 
 said to be the light of the same world as His 
 disciples. When Christ is the light of the 
 world, perhaps it is meant that He is the 
 light of the Church, but when His disciples 
 are the light of the world, perhaps they are 
 the light of others who call on the Lord, 
 others in addition to the Church, as Paul 
 says on this point in the beginning of his 
 first Epistle to the Corinthians, where he 
 writes, "To the Church of God, with all 
 who call on the name of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ." Should any one consider that the 
 Church is called the light of the world, 
 meaning thereby of the rest of the race 
 of men, including unbelievers, this may be 
 true if the assertion is taken prophetically 
 and theologically ; but if it is to be taken of 
 the present, we remind him that the light of 
 a thing illuminates that thing, and would ask 
 him to show how the remainder of the race 
 is illuminated by the Church's presence in the 
 world. If those who hold the view in ques- 
 tion cannot show this, then let them con- 
 sider if our interpretation is not a sound one, 
 that the light is the Church, and the world 
 those others who call on the Name. The 
 words which follow the above in Matthew 
 will point out to the careful enquirer the 
 proper interpretation. "You," it is said, 
 "are the salt of the earth," the rest of man- 
 kind being conceived as the earth, and be- 
 lievers are their salt ; it is because they be- 
 
 > Koo-jio? means both " oniament " and " world ' 
 ' Matt. V. 14. 
 
 lieve that the earth is preserved. For the 
 end will come if the salt loses its savour, 
 and ceases to salt and preserve the earth, 
 since it is clear that if iniquity is multiplied 
 and love waxes cold upon the earth," as the 
 Saviour Himself uttered an expression of 
 doubt as to those who would witness His 
 coming, saying,^ "When the Son of man 
 Cometh, shall He find faith upon the earth?" 
 then the end of the age will come. Sup- 
 posing, then, the Church to be called the 
 world, since the Saviour's light shines on it 
 — we have to ask in connection with the 
 text, "Behold the Lamb of God, vi'hich 
 taketh away the sin of the world," whether 
 the world here is to be taken intellectually 
 of the Church, and the taking away of sin is 
 limited to the Church. In that case what 
 are we to make of the saying of the same 
 disciple with regard to the Saviour, as the 
 propitiation for sin ? " If any man sin," we 
 read, ' ' we have an advocate with the 
 Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ; and He 
 is the propitiation for our sins, and not for 
 our sins only, but for the sins of the whole 
 world ? " Paul's dictum appears to me to 
 be to the same effect, when he says,3 "Who 
 is the Saviour of all men, especially of the 
 faithful." Again, Heracleon, dealing with 
 our passage, declares, without any proof 
 or any citation of witnesses to that effect, 
 that the words, ' ' Lamb of God," are spoken 
 by John as a prophet, but the words, "who 
 taketh away the sin of the world," by John 
 as more than a prophet. The former ex- 
 pression he considers to be used of His body, 
 but the latter of Him who was in that body, 
 because the lamb is an imperfect member 
 of the genus sheep ; the same being true of 
 the body as compared with the dweller in 
 it. Had he meant to attribute perfection to 
 the body he would have spoken of a ram as 
 about to be sacrificed. After the careful 
 discussions given above, I do not think it 
 necessary to enter into repetitions on this 
 passage, or to controvert Heracleon's care- 
 less utterances. One point only may be 
 noted, that as the world was scarcely able 
 to contain Him who had emptied Himself, it 
 required a lamb and not a ram, that its sin 
 might be taken away. 
 
 ' Matt. xriv. II. 
 
 * Luke xviii. 8. 
 
 * J Tim, iv. 10, 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 381 
 
 TENTH BOOK. 
 
 I. JESUS COMES TO CAPERNAUM. STATEMENTS 
 OF THE FOUR EVANGELISTS REGARDING THIS. 
 
 "After this ' He went down to Capernaum, 
 He and His mother and His brothers and His 
 disciples ; and there they abode iiot many- 
 days. And the passover of the Jews was 
 at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 
 and He found in the temple those that sold 
 oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers 
 of mone}' sitting, and He made a sort of 
 Scourge of cords, and cast them all out of 
 the temple, and the sheep and the oxen, and 
 He poured out the small money of the 
 changers and overthrew their tables, and to 
 those that sold the doves He said. Take 
 these things hence ; make not My Father's 
 house a house of merchandize. Then His 
 disciples remembered that it was written, 
 that the zeal of thy house shall eat me up. 
 The Jews therefore answered and said unto 
 Him, What sign showest Thou unto us, that 
 Thou doest such things ? Jesus answered 
 and said unto them. Destroy this temple, 
 and in three days I will raise it up. The 
 Jews therefore answered. Forty-six years 
 was this temple in building, and wilt thou 
 raise it up in three days? But He spoke of 
 the temple of His body. When therefore He 
 rose from the dead. His disciples remem- 
 bered that He said this, and they believed 
 the Scripture and the word which Jesus said. 
 Now when He was at Jerusalem at the pass- 
 over at the feast, many believed in His name, 
 beholding His signs which He did. But 
 Jesus Himself did not trust Himself to them, 
 for that He knew all men, and because He 
 had no need that any should bear witness 
 concerning man. For He Himself knew 
 what was in man." 
 
 The numbers which are recorded in the 
 book of that name ^ obtained a place in 
 Scripture in accordance with some principle 
 which determines their proportion to each 
 thing. We ought therefore to enquire whe- 
 ther the book of Moses which is called 
 Numbers teaches us, should we be able to 
 trace it out, in some special way, the prin- 
 ciple with regard to this matter. This 
 remark I make to you at the outset of 
 my tenth book, for in many passages of 
 
 ^ John ii. 12-25. 
 
 ' The text is doubtful here, but the above seems to be the mean- 
 ing. 
 
 Scripture I have observed the number ten to 
 hare a peculiar privilege, and you may con- 
 sider carefully whether the hope is justified 
 that this volume will bring you from God 
 some special benefit. That this may prove 
 to be the case, we will seek to yield our- 
 selves as fully as we can to God, who loves 
 to bestow His choicest gifts. The book be- 
 gins at the words : "After this He went down 
 to Capernaum, He and His mother and His 
 brothers and His disciples, and there they 
 abode not many days." The other three 
 Evangelists say that the Lord, after His con- 
 flict with the devil, departed into Galilee. 
 Matthew and Luke represent that he was 
 first at Nazara, ' and then left them and came 
 and dwelt in Capernaum. Matthew and 
 Mark also state a certain reason why He de- 
 parted thither, namely, that He had heard that 
 John was cast into prison. The words are 
 as follows : Matthewsays,^ "Then the devil 
 leaveth Him, and behold, angels came and 
 ministered unto Him. But when He heard 
 that John was delivered up. He departed 
 into Galilee, and leaving Nazareth He came 
 and dwelt at Capernaum on the seashore in 
 the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, that 
 it might be fulfilled which was spoken by 
 Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of 
 Zebulun and the land of Naphtali ; " and 
 after the quotation from Isaiah: "From 
 that time Jesus began to preach and to say. 
 Repent ye ; for the kingdom of heaven is at 
 hand." Mark has the following : 3 "And 
 He was in the desert forty days and forty 
 nights tempted by Satan, and He was with 
 the wild beasts ; and the angels ministered 
 unto Him. But after John was delivered up 
 Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gos- 
 pel of God, that the time is fulfilled and the 
 kingdom of God is at hand ; repent ye, and 
 believe in the Gospel." Then after the nar- 
 rative about Andrew and Peter and James 
 and John, Mark writes: "And He entered 
 into Capernaum, and straightway on the 
 Sabbath He was teaching in thesynagogue. " 
 Luke has,+ "And having finished the temp- 
 tation the devil departed from Him for a 
 season. And Jesus returned in the power ot 
 the Spirit into Galilee, and a fame went out 
 
 * Nazara is with Origen a neuter plural, 
 ' iv. ii-is, 17. ^ i. 13, 14, 21. 
 
 * iv. 13-16. 
 
382 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 concerning Him into all the region round 
 about, and He taught in their synagogues 
 being glorified of all. And He came to Na- 
 zara, where He Iiad been brought up, and He 
 entered as His custom was into the syna- 
 gogue on the Sabbath day. " Then Luke' 
 gives what He said at Nazara, and how 
 those in the synagogue were enraged at Him 
 and cast Him out of the city and brought 
 Him to the brow of the hill on which their 
 cities were built, to cast Him down head- 
 long, and how going through the midst of 
 them the Lord went His way ; and with 
 this he connects the statement, "And He 
 came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, 
 and He was teaching them on the Sabbath 
 day. " 
 
 2. THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN JOHN AND THE 
 FIRST THREE GOSPELS AT THIS PART OF THE 
 NARRATIVE. LITERALLY READ, THE NARRA- 
 TIVES CANNOT BE HARMONIZED ; THEY MUST 
 BE INTERPRETED SPIRITUALLY. 
 
 The truth of these matters must lie in 
 that which is seen by the mind. If the dis- 
 crepancy between the Gospels is not solved, 
 we must give up our trust in the Gospels, 
 as being true and written by a divine spirit, 
 or as records worthy of credence, for both 
 these characters are held to belong to these 
 works. Those who accept the four Gospels, 
 and who do not consider that their appa- 
 rent discrepancy is to be solved anagogically 
 (by mystical interpretation), will have to 
 clear up the difficulty, raised above, about 
 the forty days of the temptation, a period 
 for which no room can be found in any way 
 m John's narrative ; and they will also have 
 to tell us when it was that the Lord came 
 to Capernaum. If it was after the six days 
 of the period of His baptism, the sixth being 
 that of the marriage at Cana of Galilee, 
 then it is clear that the temptation never 
 took place, and that Fie never was at Na- 
 zara, and that John was not yet delivered 
 up. Now, after Capernaum, where He 
 abode not many days, the passover of the 
 Jews was at hand, and He went up to Jeru- 
 salem, where He cast the sheep and oxen 
 out of the temple, and poured out the small 
 change of the bankers. In Jerusalem, too, 
 it appears that Nicodemus, the ruler and 
 Pharisee, first came to Him by night, and 
 heard what we may read in the Gospel. 
 "After these things,^ Jesus came, and His 
 disciples, into the land of Judaea, and there 
 He tarried with them and baptized, at the 
 same time at which John also was baptizing 
 
 ^ iv. 21 sqq. 
 
 ' John iii. 23-26. 
 
 in .(Enon near Salim, because there were 
 many waters there, and they came and 
 were baptized ; for John was not yet cast 
 into prison." On this occasion, too, there 
 was a questioning on the part of John's 
 disciples with the Jews about purification, 
 and they came to John, saying of the Sa- 
 viour, "Behold, He baptizeth, and all come 
 to Him." They had heard words from the 
 Baptist, the exact tenor of which it is better 
 to take from Scripture itself Now, if we 
 ask when Christ was first in Capernaum, 
 our respondents, if they follow the words of 
 Matthew, and of the other two, will say, 
 After the temptation, when, " leaving Naza- 
 reth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum by 
 the sea." But how can they show both the 
 statements to be true, that of Matthew and 
 Mark, that it was because He heard that 
 John was delivered up that He departed into 
 Galilee, and that of John, ■ found there, after 
 a number of other transactions, subsequent 
 to His stay at Capernaum, after His going to 
 Jerusalem, and His journey from there to 
 Judaea, that John was not yet cast into pri- 
 son, but was baptizing in .^non near Salim? 
 There are many other points on which 
 the careful student of the Gospels will find 
 that their narratives do not agree ; and 
 these we shall place before the reader, ac- 
 cording to our power, as they occur. The 
 student, staggered at the consideration of 
 these things, will either renounce the at- 
 tempt to find all the Gospels true, and not 
 venturing to conclude that all our informa- 
 tion about our Lord is untrustworthy, will 
 choose at random one of them to be his 
 guide ; or he will accept the four, and will 
 consider that their truth is not to be sought 
 for in the outward and material letter. 
 
 3. WHAT WE ARE TO THINK OF THE DISCREPAN- 
 CIES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT GOSPELS. 
 
 We must, however, try to obtain some 
 notion of the intention of the Evangelists in 
 such matters, and we direct ourselves to 
 this. Suppose there are several men who, 
 by the spirit, see God, and know His words 
 addressed to His saints, and His presence 
 which He vouchsafes to them, appearing to 
 them at chosen times for their advancement. 
 There are several such men, and they are 
 in different places, and the benefits they re- 
 ceive from above vary in shape and char- 
 acter. And let these men report, each of 
 them separately, what he sees in spirit about 
 God and His words, and His appearances to 
 His saints, so that one of them .speaks of 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 383 
 
 God's appearances and words and acts to one 
 righteous man in such a place, and another 
 about other oracles and great works of the 
 Lord, and a third of something else than 
 what the former two have dealt with. And let 
 there be a fourth, doing with regard to some 
 particular matter something of the same kind 
 as these three. And let the four agree with 
 each other about something the Spirit has 
 suggested to them all, and let them also 
 make brief reports of other matters besides 
 that one ; then their narratives will fall out 
 something on this wise : God appeared to 
 such a one at such a time and in such a 
 place, and did to him thus and thus ; as if 
 He had appeared to him in such a form, and 
 had led him by the hand to such a place, 
 and then done to him thus and thus. The 
 second will report that God appeared at the 
 very time of the foresaid occurrences, in a 
 certain town, to a person who is named, a 
 second person, and in a place far removed 
 from that of the former account, and he will 
 report a different set of words spoken at the 
 same time to this second person. And let 
 the same be supposed to be the case with the 
 third and with the fourth. And let them, 
 as we said, agree, these witnesses who re- 
 port true things about God, and about His 
 benefits conferred on certain men, let them 
 agree with each other in some of the narra- 
 tives they report. He, then, who takes the 
 writings of these men for history, or for a 
 representation of real things by a historical 
 image, and who supposes God to be within 
 certain limits in space, and to be unable to 
 present to several persons in different places 
 several visions of Himself at the same 
 time, or to be making several speeches 
 at the same moment, he will deem it im- 
 possible that our four writers are all speak- 
 ing truth. To him it is impossible that 
 God, who is in certain limits in space, 
 could at the same set time be saying one 
 thing to one man and another to another, 
 and' that He should be doing a thing and 
 the opposite thing as well, and, to put it 
 bluntly, that He should be both sitting and 
 standing, should one of the writers repre- 
 sent Him as stan ding at the time, and making 
 a certain speech in such a place to such a 
 man, while a second writer speaks of Him 
 as sitting. 
 
 4. SCRIPTURE CONTAINS MANY CONTRADICTIONS, 
 AND MANY STATEMENTS WHICH ARE NOT 
 LITERALLY TRUE, BUT MUST BE READ SPIRIT- 
 UALLY AND MYSTICALLY. 
 
 In the case I have supposed where the 
 historians desire to teach us by an image 
 
 what they have seen in their mind, their 
 meaning would be found, if the four were 
 wise, to exhibit no disagreement ; and we 
 must understand that with the four Evange- 
 lists it is not otherwise. They made full 
 use for their purpose of things done by 
 Jesus in the exercise of His wonderful and 
 extraordinary power ; they use in the same 
 way His sayings, and in some places they 
 tack on to their writing, with language appa- 
 rently implying things of sense, things 
 made manifest to them in a purely intellec- 
 tual way. I do not condemn them if they 
 even sometimes dealt freely with things 
 which to the eye of history happened 
 differently, and changed them so as to sub- 
 serve the mystical aims they had in view ; so 
 as to speak of a thing which happened in a 
 certain place, as if it had happened in 
 another, or of what took place at a certain 
 time, as if it had taken place at another 
 time, and to introduce into what was 
 spoken in a certain way some changes of 
 their own. They proposed to speak the truth 
 where it was possible both materially and 
 spiritually, and where this was not possible 
 it was their intention to prefer the spiritual 
 to the material. The spiritual truth was 
 often preserved, as one might say, in the 
 material falsehood. As, for example, we 
 might judge of the story of Jacob and 
 Esau." Jacob says to Isaac, "I am Esau 
 thy firstborn son," and spiritually he spoke 
 the truth, for he already partook of the rights 
 of the first-born, which were perishing in 
 his brother, and clothing himself with the 
 goatskins he assumed the outward semblance, 
 of Esau, and was Esau all but the voice 
 praising God, so that Esau might afterward 
 find a place to receive a blessing. For if 
 Jacob had not been blessed as Esau, 
 neither would Esau perhaps have been able 
 to receive a blessing of his own. And 
 Jesus tools many things, according to the 
 conceptions of Him, of which it is quite 
 likely that the Evangelists took up different 
 notions ; while yet they were in agreement 
 with each other in the different things they 
 wrote. Statements which are verbally con- 
 trary to each other, are made about our 
 Lord, namely, that He was descended from 
 David and that He was not descended from 
 David. The statement is true, 'He was 
 descended from David," as the Apostle 
 says,^ "born of the seed of David according 
 to the flesh," if we apply this to the bodily 
 part of Him ; but the self-same statement is 
 untrue if we understand His being born of 
 
 1 Gen. xxvU. 
 
 - Rom. i. 3. 
 
384 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 the seed of David of His diviner power; for 
 He was declared to be the Son of God with 
 power. And for this reason too, perhaps, 
 the sacred prophecies speak of Him now as 
 a servant, and now as a Son. Tliey call 
 Him a servant on account of the form of a 
 servant which he wore, and because He was 
 of the seed of David, but they call Him the 
 Son of God according- to His character as 
 first-born. Thus it is true to call Him man 
 and to call Him not man ; man, because He 
 was capable of death ; not man, on account 
 of His being diviner than man. Marcion, 
 I suppose, took sound words in a wrong 
 sense, when he rejected His birth from Mary, 
 and declared that as to His divine nature 
 He was not born of Mary, and hence made 
 bold to delete from the Gospel the passages 
 which have this effect. And a like fate 
 seems to have overtaken those who make 
 away with His humanity and receive His 
 deity alone ; and also those opposites of 
 these who cancel His deity and confess Him 
 as a man to be a holy man, and the most 
 righteous of all men. And those who hold 
 the doctrine of Dokesis, not remembering 
 that He humbled Himself even unto death ' 
 and became obedient even to the cross, but 
 only imagining in Him the absence of suffer- 
 ing, the superiority to all such, accidents, 
 they do what they can to deprive us of the 
 man who is more just than all men, and 
 are left with a figure which cannot save 
 them, for as by one man camedeath,so also 
 by one man is the justification of life. We 
 could not have received such benefit as we 
 have from the Logos had He not assumed 
 the man, had He remained such as He was 
 from the beginning with God the Father, 
 and had He not taken up man, the first 
 man of all, the man more precious than all 
 others, purer than all others and capable of 
 receiving Him. But after that man we also 
 shall be able to receive Him, to receive 
 Him so great and of such nature as He was, 
 if we prepare a place in proportion to Him in 
 our soul. So much I have said of the 
 apparent discrepancies in the Gospels, and 
 of my desire to have them treated in the 
 way of spiritual interpretation. 
 
 5. PAUL ALSO MAKES CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS 
 ABOUT HIMSELF, AND ACTS IN OPPOSITE WAYS 
 AT DIFFERENT TIMES. 
 
 On the same passage one may also make 
 use of such an example as that of Paul, who 
 at one place ^ says that he is carnal, sold 
 under sin, and thus was not able to judge 
 
 ' Philipp. ii. 8. 
 
 ^ Rom. vii. 14. 
 
 anything, while in another place he is the 
 spiritual man who is able to judge all things 
 and himself to be judged by no man. Of 
 the carnal one are the words, "Not what I 
 would that do I practise, but what I hate that 
 do I. " And he too who was caught up to the 
 third heaven and heard unspeakable words ' 
 is a different Paul from him who says. 
 Of such an one I will glory, but of myself I 
 will not glory. If he becomes ^ to the Jews 
 as a Jew that he may gain the Jews, and to 
 those under the law as under the law that 
 he may gain those under the law, and to 
 them that are without law as without law, 
 not being without law to God, but under law 
 to Christ, that he may gain those without 
 law, andif to the weak he becomes weak that 
 he may gain the weak, it is clear that these 
 statements must be examined each by itself, 
 that he becomes a Jew, and that sometimes 
 he is under the law and at another time with- 
 out law, and that sometimes he is weak. 
 Where, for example, he says something by 
 way of permission 3 and not by command- 
 ment,there we may recognize that he is weak ; 
 for who, he says,* is weak, and I am not 
 weak .' When he shaves his head and makes 
 an offering, 5 or when he circumcises Timo- 
 thy,* he is a Jew ; but when he says to the 
 Athenians,? " I found an altar with the in- 
 scription. To the unknown God. That, then, 
 which ye worship not knowing it, that declare 
 I unto you," and, "As also some of your 
 own poets have said. For we also are His 
 offspring," then he becomes to those with- 
 out the law as without the law, adjuring the 
 least religious of men to espouse religion, 
 and turning to his own purpose the saying 
 of the poet, " From Love do we begin ; his 
 race are we."^ And instances might per- 
 haps be found where, to men not Jews and 
 yet under the law, he is under the law. 
 
 6. DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS OF THE CALL OF PETER, 
 AND OF THE IMPRISONMENT OF THE BAPTIST. 
 THE MEANING OF " CAPERNAUM." 
 
 These examples may be serviceable to 
 illustrate statements not only about the 
 Saviour, but about the disciples too, for here 
 also there is some discrepancy of statement. 
 For there is a difference in thought perhaps 
 between Simon who is found by his own 
 brother Andrew, and who is addressed 
 "Thou shalt be called Cephas," 9 and him 
 who is seen by Jesus when walking by the 
 sea of Galilee,'" along with his brother, and 
 
 > 2 Cor. xii, 3, 4, 5. 2 , Qq^ ;,; 20-22. ' i Cor. vii. 6. 
 
 ' 2 Cor. xi. 2(5. " Acts xxi. 24, 26. ' Acts xvi. 3. 
 
 ' Acts xvii. 23. ' Aratus phenom. 5. » John i. 41. 
 
 i» Matt. iv. 18. Cf. Mark i. 16. * 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 385 
 
 addressed conjointly with that brother, 
 "Come after Me, and I will make you 
 fishers of men." There was some. fitness in 
 the fact that the writer who goes more to 
 the root of the matter and tells of the Word 
 becoming flesh, and hence does not record 
 the human generation of the Word who was 
 in the beginning with God, should not tell 
 us of Simon's being found at the seashore 
 and called away from there, but of his being 
 found by his brother who had been staying 
 with Jesus at the tenth hour, and of his re- 
 ceiving the name Cephas in connection with 
 his being thus found out. If he was seen by 
 Jesus when walking by the sea of Galilee, 
 it would scarcely be on a later occasion 
 thathe was addressed, "Thou artPeterand 
 upon this rock I will build My church." 
 With John again the Pharisees know Jesus to 
 be baptizing with His disciples,' adding this 
 to His other great activities ; but the Jesus 
 of the three does not baptize at all. John 
 the Baptist, too, with the Evangelist of the 
 same name, goes on a long time without 
 being cast into prison. With Matthew, on 
 the contrary, he is put in prison almost at 
 the time of the temptation of Jesus, and this 
 is the occasion of Jesus retiring to Galilee, 
 to avoid being put in prison. But in John 
 there is nothing at all about John's being put 
 in prison. Who is so wise and so able as to 
 learn all the things that are recorded about 
 Jesus in the four Evangelists, and both to 
 understand each incident by itself, and have 
 a connected view of all His sojournings and 
 words and acts at each place ? As for the 
 passage presently before us, it gives in the 
 order of events that on the sixth day the 
 Saviour, after the business of the marriage at 
 Cana of Galilee, went down with His mother 
 and His brothers and His disciples to Ca- 
 pernaum, which means " field of consolation." 
 For after the feasting and the wine it was 
 fitting that the Saviour should come to the 
 field of consolation with His mother and His 
 disciples, to console those whom He was 
 training for disciples and the soul which 
 had conceived Him by the Holy Ghost, with 
 the fruits which were to stand in that full 
 field. 
 
 7. WHY HIS BROTHERS ARE NOT CALLED TO THE 
 WEDDING ; AND WHY HE ABIDES AT CAPER- 
 NAUM NOT MANY DAYS. 
 
 But we must ask why His brothers are not 
 called to the wedding : they were not there, 
 for it is not said they were ; but they go 
 down to Capernaum with Him and His 
 mother and His disciples. We must also 
 
 25 
 
 examine why on this occasion they do not 
 "■'go in to " Capernaum, nor "go up to,'' but 
 "go down to " it. Consider if we must not 
 understand by His brothers here the powers 
 which went down along with Him, not 
 called to the wedding according to the ex- 
 planations given above, since it is in lower 
 and humbler places than those who are 
 called disciples of Christ, and in another 
 way, that these brothers receive assistance. 
 For if His mother is called, then there are 
 some bearing fruit, and even to these the 
 Lord goes down with the servants and dis- 
 ciples of the Word, to help such persons. 
 His mother also being with Him. Those 
 indeed who are called Capernaum appear 
 not to be able to allow Jesus and those who 
 went down with Him to make a longer stay 
 with them ; hence they remain with them 
 not many days. For the lower field of con- 
 solation does not admit the illumination o£ 
 many doctrines, but is only capable of a 
 few. To get a clear view of the difference 
 between those who receive Jesus for longer 
 and for shorter time, we may compare with 
 this, "They abode there not many days," 
 the words recorded in Matthew as spoken 
 by Christ when risen from the dead to His 
 disciples who were being sent out to teach 
 all nations,' "Behold, I am with you al- 
 ways, even to the end of the world." To 
 those who are to know all that human 
 nature can know while it still is here, is said 
 with emphasis, "I am with you;" and as 
 the rise of each new day upon the field 
 of contemplation brings more days before 
 the eyes of the blessed, therefore He says, 
 "All the days till the end of the world." 
 As for those in Capernaum, on the contrary, 
 to whom they go down as to the more 
 needy, not only Jesus, but also His mother 
 and His brothers and His disciples " abode 
 there not many days. " 
 
 8. HOW CHRIST ABIDES WITH BELIEVERS TO THE 
 END or THE AGE, AND WHETHER HE ABIDES 
 WITH THEM AFTER THAT CONSUMMATION. 
 
 Some may very likely and not unreason- 
 ably ask, whether, when all the days of this 
 age are over, there will no longer be any one 
 to say, " Lo, I am with you," with those, 
 namely, who received Him till the fulfil- 
 ment of the age, for the " until " seems to 
 indicate a certain limit of time. To this we 
 must say that the phrase, "I am with you," 
 is not the same as " I am in you." We 
 might say more properly that the Saviour 
 was not in His disciples but with them, so 
 
386 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 long- as they had not arrived in their minds 
 at the consummation of the age. But when 
 they see to be at hand, as far as their effort 
 is concerned, the consummation of the 
 world which is crucified to them, then Jesus 
 will be no longer with them, but in them, 
 and they will say, "It is no longer I that 
 live but Christ that lives in me," 'and "If 
 ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in 
 me. "^ In saying this we are keeping for 
 our part also to the ordinary interpretation 
 which makes the "always" the time down 
 to the consummation of the age, and are not 
 asking more than is attainable to human 
 nature as it is here. That interpretation 
 may be adhered to and justice yet be done 
 to the "I." He who is with His disciples 
 who are sent out to teach all the nations, 
 until the consummation, may be He who 
 emptied Himself and took the form of a 
 servant, and yet afterwards may be another 
 in point of state ; afterwards He may be such 
 as He was before He emptied Himself, until 
 all His enemies are made by His Father the 
 footstool of His feet ; and after this, when 
 the Son has delivered up the kingdom to 
 God and the Father, it may be the Father 
 who says to them, "Behold, I am with you." 
 But whether it is " all the dfiys" up to that 
 time, or simply " all the days, " or not "all 
 days " but "every day," any one may con- 
 sider that likes. Our plan does not allow 
 us at present to digress so far. 
 
 9. HERACLEON SAYS THAT JESUS IS NOT STATED 
 TO HAVE DONE ANYTHING AT CAPERNAUM. 
 BUT IN THE OTHER GOSPELS HE DOES MANY 
 THINGS THERE. 
 
 But Heracleon, dealing with the words, 
 "After this He went down to Capernaum," 
 declares that they indicate the introduction 
 of another transaction, and that the word 
 "went down" is not without significance. 
 "Capernaum," he says, "means these 
 farthest-out parts of the world, these dis- 
 tricts of matter, into which He descended, 
 and because the place was not suitable, he 
 says. He is not reported either to have 
 done anything or said anything in it." Now 
 if the Lord had not been reported in the 
 other Gospels either as having done or said 
 anything at Capernaum, we might perhaps 
 have hesitated whether this view ought or 
 ought not to be received. But that is far 
 from being the case. Matthew says our 
 Lord left Nazareth and came and dwelt at 
 Capernaum on the seaside, and that from 
 that time He began to preach, saying, " Re- 
 
 ' Gal. iL 20. 
 
 ' 2 Cor. xiii. 3, 
 
 pent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at 
 hand. " And Mark, starting in his narrative ' 
 from the temptation by the devil, relates 
 that after John was cast into prison, Jesus 
 came into Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel 
 of God, and after the call of the four fisher- 
 men to the Apostleship, "they enter into 
 Capernaum ; and straightway on the Sabbath 
 day He taught in the synagogue, and they 
 were astonished at His doctrine.'' And 
 Mark records an action of Jesus also which 
 took place at Capernaum, for he goes on to 
 say, " In their synagogue there was a man 
 with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 
 saying. Ah ! what have we to do with 
 Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth ? Art Thou 
 come to destroy us.? We know Thee who 
 Thou art, the Son of God. And Jesus re- 
 buked him, saying. Hold thy peace and 
 come out of him ; and the unclean spirit, 
 tearing him and crying with a loud voice, 
 came out of him. And they were all 
 amazed." And at Capernaum Simon's 
 mother-in-law is cured of her fever. And 
 Mark adds that when evening was come all 
 those were cured who were sick and who 
 were possessed with demons. Luke's re- 
 port is very like Mark's about Capernaum.^ 
 He says, "And He came to Capernaum, a 
 city of Galilee, and He was teaching them 
 on the Sabbath day, and they were aston- 
 ished at His teachings, for His word was 
 with power. And in the synagogue there 
 was a man having a spirit of an unclean 
 demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 
 Ah I what have we to do with Thee, Thou 
 Jesus of Nazareth ? Hast Thou come to de- 
 stroy us.? I know Thee who Thou art, the 
 holy one of God. And Jesus rebuked him, 
 saying, Hold thy peace and come out of 
 him. Then the demon having thrown him 
 down in the midst, went out of him, doing 
 him no harm." And then Luke reports how 
 the Lord rose up from the synagogue and 
 went into the house of Simon, and rebuked 
 the fever in his mother-in-law, and cured 
 her of her disease ; and after this cure, 
 "when the sun was setting," he says, " all, 
 as many as had persons sick with divers 
 diseases, brought them to Him, and He 
 laid his hands on each one of them and 
 cured them. And demons also went out 
 from many, crying and saying. Thou art the 
 Son of God, and He rebuked them and suf- 
 fered them not to speak because they knew 
 that He was the Christ. " We have presented 
 all these statements as to the Saviour's say- 
 ings and doings at Capernaum in order 
 to refute Heracleon's interpretation of our 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 387 
 
 passage, "Hence He is not said to have 
 done or to have spoken anything there." 
 He must either give two meanings to Caper- 
 naum, and sliow us his reasons for them, or 
 if he cannot do this he must give up saying 
 that the Saviour visited any place to no pur- 
 pose. We, for our part, should we come to 
 passages where even a comparison of the 
 other Gospels fails to show that Jesus' visit 
 to this place or that was not accompanied by 
 any results, will seek with the divine assist- 
 ance to make it clear that His coming was 
 not in vain. 
 
 10. SIGNIFICANCE OF CAPERNAUM. 
 
 Matthew for his part adds,' that when 
 the Lord had entered into Capernaum the 
 centurion came to him, saying, " My boy is 
 lying in my house sick of the palsy, griev- 
 ously tormented,'" and after telling the Lord 
 some more about him, received the reply, 
 "Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it 
 unto thee." And Matthew then gives us 
 the story of Peter's mother-in-law, in close 
 agreement with the other two. I conceive 
 it to be a creditable piece of work and be- 
 coming to one who is anxious to hear about 
 Christ, to collect from the four Gospels all 
 that is related about Capernaum, and the 
 discourses spoken, and the works done 
 there, and how many visits the Lord paid 
 to the place, and how, at one time. He is said 
 to have gone down to it, and at another to 
 have entered into it, and where He came 
 from when He did so. If we compare all 
 these points together, we shall not go astray 
 in the meaning we ascribe to Capernaum. 
 On the one hand, the sick are healed, and 
 other works of power are done there, and 
 on the other, the preaching, Repent ye, for 
 the kingdom of heaven is at hand, begins 
 there, and this appears to be a sign, as we 
 showed when entering on this subject, of 
 some more needy place of consolation, 
 made so perhaps by Jesus, who comforted 
 men by what He taught and by what He did 
 there, in that place of consolation. For we 
 know that the names of places agree in their 
 meaning with the things connected with 
 Jesus ; as Gergesa, where the citizens of these 
 parts besought Him to depart out of their 
 coasts, means, " The dwelling of the casters- 
 out. " And this, also, we have noticed about 
 Capernaum, that not only did the preaching, 
 " Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is 
 at hand," begin there, but that according to 
 the three Evangelists Jesus performed there 
 His first miracles. None of the three, 
 
 • viii. 5 sqq. 
 
 however, added to the first wonders which 
 he records as done in Capernaum, that note 
 attached by John the disciple to the first 
 work of Jesus, ' ' This beginning of His signs 
 did Jesus in Cana of Galilee." For that 
 which was done in Capernaum was not the 
 beginning of the signs, since the leading 
 sign of the Son of God was good cheer, and 
 in the light of human experience it is also 
 the most representative of Him. For the 
 Word of God does not show forth His own 
 beauty so much in healing the sick, as in 
 His tendering the temperate draught to 
 make glad those who are in good health 
 and are able to join in the banquet. 
 
 II. WHY THE PASSOVER IS SAID TO BE THAT OF 
 THE ' ' JEWS. " ITS INSTITUTION, AND THE 
 DISTINCTION BETWEEN "FEASTS OF THE 
 LORD " AND FEASTS NOT SO SPOKEN OF. 
 
 "And the passover of the Jews was at 
 hand. " ' Inquiring into the accuracy of the 
 most wise John (on this passage), I put my- 
 self the question. What is indicated by the 
 addition "of the Jews"? Of what other 
 nation was the passover a festival? Would 
 it not have been enough to say, "And the 
 passover was at hand"? It may, however, 
 be the case that the human passover is one 
 thing when kept by men not as Scripture 
 intended, and that the divine passover is 
 another thing, the true passover, observed 
 in spirit and truth by those who worship 
 God m spirit and in truth ; and then the dis- 
 tinction indicated in the text may be that 
 between the divine passover and that said 
 to be of the Jews. We should attend to the 
 passover law and observe what the Lord 
 says of it when it is first mentioned in 
 Scripture.* "And the Lord spake unto Moses 
 and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 
 This month is to you the beginning of 
 months, it is the first for you among the 
 months of the year. Speak thou to all the 
 congregation of the children of Israel, say- 
 ing. On the tenth of this month shall every 
 man take a sheep, according to the houses 
 of your families ; " then after some directions 
 in which the word passover does not occur 
 again, he adds,' " "Thus shall ye eat it, your 
 loins girt and your shoes on your feet, and 
 your staves in your hands, and ye shall eat 
 it with haste. It is the passover of the 
 Lord." He does not say, " It is your pass- 
 over." And a little further on He names the 
 festival again in the same way,-* "And it 
 shall come to pass, when your sons say to 
 
 * John ii. 13. 
 ' Ver. II. 
 
 ' Exod. xii. 1-3. 
 * Ver. 26. 
 
388 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 you, What is this service? And ye shall 
 say to them, It is the sacrifice, the passover 
 of the Lord, how He guarded the houses of 
 tlie children of Israel. " And again, a little 
 further on, ■ "And the Lord spake to Moses 
 and Aaron, saying, This is the law of the 
 passover. No alien shall eat of it." And 
 again in a little,^ "But if a proselyte come 
 to you, and keep the passover of the Lord, 
 every male of him shall be circumcised." 
 Observe that in the law we never find it 
 said, "Your passover ;" but in all the pas- 
 sages quoted the phrase occurs once without 
 any adjunct, while we have three times 
 ' ' The passover of the Lord. " To make sure 
 that there is such a distinction between the 
 passover of the Lord and the passover of the 
 Jews, we may consider the way in which 
 Isaiah speaks of the matter : 3 "Your new 
 moons and your Sabbaths and your great day 
 I cannot bear ; your fast and your holiday 
 and your new moons and your feasts my 
 soul hateth." The Lord does not call them 
 His own, these observances of sinners (they 
 are hated of His soul, if such there be) ; 
 neither the new moons, nor theSabbaths, nor 
 the great day, nor the fast, nor the festivals. 
 And in the legislation about the Sabbath in 
 Exodus, we read,+ "And Moses said unto 
 them. This is the word which the Lord spake. 
 The Sabbath is a holy rest unto the Lord." 
 And a httle further on, "And Moses said, 
 Eat ye; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the 
 Lord." And in Numbers, s before the sacri- 
 fices which are offered at each festival, as if 
 all the festivals came under the law of the 
 continuous and daily sacrifice, we find it 
 written, " And the Lord spake unto Moses, 
 Announce to the children of Israel, and thus 
 Shalt thou say unto them. My gifts, My 
 offerings, My fruits for a smell of sweet 
 savour, ye shall observe to offer unto Me at 
 My festivals. And thou shall say unto them. 
 These are the offerings which ye shall offer 
 unto the Lord." The festival set forth in 
 Scripture He calls His own, not those of the 
 people receiving the law, He speaks of His 
 gifts, His offerings. A similar way of speak- 
 ing is that in Exodus with regard to the peo- 
 ple ; it is said by God to be Flis own people, 
 when it does not sin ; but in the section 
 about the calf He abjures it and calls it the 
 people of Moses. 6 On the one hand, "Thou 
 Shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, 
 Let My people go, that they may serve Me 
 in the wilderness. But if thou wilt not let 
 
 > Ver. 43-48. 
 * xvi. 23. 
 
 ' Ver. 48. 
 "xxviii. I. 
 
 ' Isa. i. 13. 
 
 * Exod. viii. 21-23. 
 
 My people go, behold, I will send against 
 thee and against thy servants, and against 
 thy people and against thy houses, the dog- 
 fly ; and the houses of the Egyptians shall 
 be full of the dog-fly, and on the land on 
 which they are, against it will I send them. 
 And I will glorify on that day the land of 
 Gesem, on which My people are ; on it there 
 shall be no dog-fly, that thou mayest know 
 that I am the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. " 
 And I will make a distinction between My 
 people and thy people." To Moses, on the 
 other hand. He says,' " Go, descend quickly, 
 for thy people hath transgressed, which 
 thou leddest out of the land of Egypt." As, 
 then, the people when it does not sin is the 
 people of God, but when it sins is no longer 
 spoken of as His, thus, also, the feasts when 
 they are hated by the Lord's soul are said to 
 be feasts of sinners, but when the law is 
 given regarding them, they are called feasts 
 of the Lord. Now of these feasts passover 
 is one, which in the passage before us is 
 said to be that not of the Lord, but of the 
 Jews. In another passage, too,^ we find it 
 said, " These are the feasts of the Lord, 
 which ye shall call chosen, holy." From the 
 mouth of the Lord Himself, then, we see that 
 there is no gainsaying our statement on this 
 point. Some one, no doubt, will ask about 
 the words of the Apostle, where he writes to 
 the Corinthians : 3 "For our Passover also 
 wassacrified for us, namely, Christ ;" he does 
 not say, ' 'The Passover of the Lord was sacri- 
 ficed, even Christ." To this we must say, 
 either that the Apostle simply calls the pass- 
 over our passover because it was sacrificed 
 for us, or that every sacrifice which is really 
 the Lord's, and the passover is one of these, 
 awaits its consummation not in this age nor 
 upon earth, but in the coming age and in 
 heaven when the kingdom of heaven ap- 
 pears. As for those feasts, one of the twelve 
 prophets says,-* ' ' What will ye do in the days 
 of assembly, and in the days of the feast of 
 the Lord?" But Paul says in the Epistle 
 to the Hebrews : s " But ye are come unto 
 Mount Zion, and to the city of the living 
 God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ten 
 thousands of angels, the assembly and church 
 of the firstborn, who are written in heaven." 
 And in the Epistle to the Colossians :^ " Let 
 no one judge you in meat and in drink, or 
 in respect of a feast-day or a new moon, or 
 a sabbath-day ; which are a shadow of the 
 things to come." 
 
 * Exod. xxxii. 7. 
 
 * Hosea ix. 5. 
 
 ^ Levit. xxiii. 2. 
 ^ xii. 22, 23. 
 
 > I Cor. 1 
 ' u. 16. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 389 
 
 12. OF THE HEAVENLY FESTIVALS, OF WHICH 
 THOSE ON EARTH ARE TYPICAL. 
 
 Now in what manner, in those heavenly- 
 things of which the shadow was present to the 
 Jews on earth, those will celebrate festivals 
 who have first been trained by tutors and 
 governors under the true law, until the fulness 
 of the time should come, namely, above, when 
 we shall be able to receive into ourselves 
 the perfect measure of the Son of God, this 
 it is the work of that wisdom to make plain 
 which has been hidden in a mystery ; and 
 it also may show to our thought how the 
 laws about meats are symbols of those things 
 which will there nourish and strengthen our 
 soul. But it is vain to think that one desir- 
 ing to work out in his fancy the great sea of 
 such ideas, even if he wished to show how 
 local worship is still a pattern and shadow 
 of heavenly things, and that the sacrifices and 
 the sheep are full of meaning, that he should 
 advance further than the Apostle, who seeks 
 indeed to lift our minds above earthly views 
 of the law, but who does not show us to any 
 extent how these things are to be. Even if we 
 look at the festivals, of which passover is one, 
 from the point of view of the age to come, 
 we have still to ask how it is that our pass- 
 over is now sacrificed, namely, Christ, and 
 not only so, but is to be sacrificed hereafter. 
 
 13. SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE PASSOVER. 
 
 A few points may be added in connection 
 with the doctrines now under consideration, 
 though it would require a special discussion 
 in many volumes to treat of all the mystical 
 statements about the law, and specially of 
 those connected with the festivals, and more 
 particularly still with the passover. The 
 passover of the Jews consists of a sheep 
 which is sacrificed, each taking a sheep ac- 
 cording to his father's house ; and the pass- 
 over is accompanied by the slaughter of 
 thousands of rams and goats, in proportion 
 to the number of the houses of the people. 
 But our Passover is sacrificed for us, namely, 
 Christ. Another feature of the Jewish festi- 
 val is unleavened bread ; all leaven is made 
 to disappear out of their houses ; but "we 
 keep the feast' not with the old leaven, nor 
 with the leaven of malice and wickedness, 
 but with the unleavened bread of sincerity 
 and truth." Whether there be any passover 
 and any feast of leaven beyond the two we 
 have mentioned, is a point we must ex- 
 amine more carefully, since these serve for 
 a pattern and a shadow of the heavenly 
 ones we spoke of, and not only such things 
 
 > I Cor. V. 8. 
 
 as food and drink and new moons and 
 sabbaths, but the festivals also, are a 
 shadow of the things to come. In the 
 first place, when the Apostle says, "Our 
 passover is sacrificed, Christ," one may feel 
 with regard to this such doubts as these. 
 If the sheep with the Jews is a type of the 
 sacrifice of Christ, then one should have 
 been offered and not a multitude, as Christ 
 is one ; or if many sheep were offered it is 
 to follow out the type, as if many Christs 
 were sacrificed. But not to dwell on this, 
 we may ask how the sheep, which was the 
 victim, contains an image of Christ, when 
 the sheep was sacrificed by men who were 
 observing the law, but Christ was put to 
 death by transgressors of the law, and what 
 application can be found in Christ of the 
 direction," "They shall eat the flesh this 
 night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread 
 on bitter herbs shall they eat," and "Eat 
 not of it raw, nor sodden with water, but 
 roast with fire ; the head with the feet and the 
 entrails ; ye shall not set any of it apart till 
 the morning, and a bone thereof ye shall 
 not break. But that which is left thereof 
 till the morning ye shall burn." The sen- 
 tence, "A bone of it ye shall not break," 
 John appears to have made use of in his 
 Gospel, as applying to the transactions con- 
 nected with Christ, and connecting with 
 them the occasion spoken of in the law 
 when those eating the sheep are bidden not 
 to break a bone of it. He writes as fol- 
 lows : * " The soldiers therefore came and 
 brake the legs of the first, and of the other 
 ■who was crucified with him ; but when they 
 came to Jesus and saw that He was already 
 dead, they brake not His legs, but one of 
 the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, 
 and straightway there came out blood and 
 water. And he that hath seen hath borne 
 witness and his witness is true, and he 
 knoweth that he sayeth truth that ye also 
 may believe. And these things took place 
 that the Scripture might be fulfilled, " A 
 bone of Him ye shall not break." There 
 are a myriad other points besides this in the 
 Apostle's language which would call for in- 
 quiry, both about the passover and the un- 
 leavened bread, but they would have to be 
 dealt with, as we said above, in a special 
 work of great length. At present we can 
 only give an epitome of them as they bear 
 on the text presently before us, and aim at 
 a short solution of the principal problem. 
 We call to mind the words, "This is the 
 Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the 
 
 > Exod. xii. 8. 
 
 " 3ax. 32. 
 
390 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 world," for it is said of the passover,' "Ye 
 shall take it of the lambs or of the goats." 
 The Evangelist here agrees with Paul, and 
 both are involved in the difficulties we spoke 
 of above. But on the other hand we have 
 to say that if the Word became flesh, and 
 the Lord says,^ "Unless ye eat the flesh of 
 the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye 
 have no life in you. He that eateth My 
 flesh and drinketh My blood, hath eternal 
 life, and I will raise him up at the last 
 day. For My flesh is meat indeed and 
 My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth 
 My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth 
 in Me, and I in him," — then the flesh 
 thus spoken of is that of the Lamb that 
 takes away the sin of the world ; and 
 this is the blood, some of which was to be 
 pnt on the two side posts of the door, and 
 on the lintels in the houses, in which we eat 
 the passover. Of the flesh of this Lamb it 
 is necessary that we should eat in the time 
 of the world, which is night, and the flesh 
 is to be roast with fire, and eaten with 
 unleavened bread ; for the Word of God is 
 not flesh and flesh only. He says, in fact, 
 Hirnself,3 "I am the bread of life," and 
 " This is the bread of life which came down 
 from heaven, that a man should eat of it, 
 and not die. I am the bread of life that 
 came down from heaven ; if a man eat of 
 this bread, he shall live for ever." We 
 must not overlook, however, that by a loose 
 use of words, any food is called bread, as 
 we read in Moses in Deuteronomy, -t " Forty 
 days He ate no bread and drank no water," 
 instead of. He took no food, either wet or 
 dry. I am led to this observation by John's 
 saying, " And the bread which I will give 
 is My flesh, for the life of the world." 
 Again, we eat the flesh of the Lamb, 
 with bitter herbs, and unleavened bread, 
 when we repent of our sins and grieve with 
 the sorrow which is according to God, a 
 repentance which operates for our salva- 
 tion, and is not to be repented of ; or when, 
 on account of our trials, we turn to the 
 speculations which are found to be those of 
 truth, and are nourished by them. We are 
 not, however, to eat the flesh of the Lamb 
 raw, as those do who are slaves of the let- 
 ter, like irrational animals, and those who 
 are enraged at men truly reasonable, be- 
 cause they desire to understand spiritual 
 things ; truly, they share the nature of 
 savage beasts. But we must strive to convert 
 the rawness of Scripture into well-cooked 
 food, not letting what is written grow 
 
 • Exod. xii. 5. 2 John vi. 53. 3 John vi. 48-50. • 
 
 flabby and wet and thin, as those do who 
 have itching ears," and turn away their 
 ears from the truth ; their methods tend to 
 a loose and flabby conduct of life. But let 
 us be of a fervent spirit and keep hold of the 
 fiery words given to us of God, such as 
 Jeremiah received from Him who spoke to 
 him,^ "Behold, I have made My words in 
 thy mouth like fire," and let us see that the 
 flesh of the Lamb be well cooked, so that 
 those who partake of it may say, as Christ 
 speaks in us, "Our heart burned by the 
 way, as He opened to us the Scriptures." ^ 
 Further, if it is our duty to enquire into such 
 a point as the roasting of the flesh of the 
 Lamb with fire, we must not forget the 
 parallel of what Jeremiah suffered on 
 account of the words of God, as he says M 
 ' ' And it vi'as as a glowing fire, burning in my 
 bones, and I am without any strength, and 
 I cannot bear it." But, in this eating, we 
 must begin at the head, that is to say, at 
 the principal and the most essential doctrines 
 about heavenly things, and we must end at 
 the feet, the last branches of learning which 
 enquire as to the final nature in things, or 
 about more material things, or about things 
 under the earth, or about wicked spirits and 
 unclean demons. For it may be that the 
 account of these things is not obvious, like 
 themselves, but is laid away among the 
 mysteries of Scripture, so that it may be 
 called, tropically, the feet of the Lamb. 
 Nor must we fail to deal with the entrails, 
 which are within and hidden from us ; we 
 must approach the whole of Scripture as 
 one body, we must not lacerate nor break 
 through the strong and well-knit connec- 
 tions which exist in the harmony of its 
 whole composition, as those do who 
 lacerate, so far as they can, the unity of the 
 Spirit that is in all the Scriptures. But this 
 aforesaid prophecy of the Lamb is to be our 
 nourishment only during the night of this 
 dark life of ours ; what comes after this life 
 is, as it were, the dawn of day. and why 
 should we leave over till then the food which 
 can only be useful to us now ? But when 
 the night is passed, and the day which suc- 
 ceeds it is at hand, then we shall have 
 bread to eat which has nothing to do with 
 the leavened bread of the older and lower 
 state of things, but is unleavened, and that 
 will serve our turn until that which comes 
 after the unleavened bread is given us, the 
 manna, which is food for angels rather than 
 men. Every one of us, then, may sacrifice 
 his lamb in every house of our fathers ; and 
 
 u. 9. I 
 
 ' 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4. ' Jer. v. 14. • Luke xxiv. 32. ' xx. 9. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 391 
 
 while one breaks the law, not sacrificing the 
 lamb at all, another may keep the com- 
 mandment entirely, offering his sacrifice, 
 and cooking it aright, and not breaking a 
 bone of it. This, then, in brief, is the 
 interpretation of the Passover sacrificed for 
 us, which is Christ, in accordance with the 
 view taken of it by the Apostles, and with 
 the Lamb in the Gospel. For we ought not 
 to suppose that historical things are types 
 of historical things, and material things of 
 material, but that material things are 
 typical of spiritual things, and historical 
 things of intellectual. It is not necessary 
 that our discourse should now ascend to 
 that third passover which is to be celebrated 
 with myriads of angels in the most perfect 
 and most blessed exodus ; we have already 
 spoken of these things to a greater extent 
 than the passage demands. 
 
 14. IN THE FIRST THREE GOSPELS THE PASSOVER IS 
 SPOKEN OF ONLY AT THE CLOSE OF THE MINIS- 
 TRY ; IN JOHN AT THE BEGINNING. REMARKS 
 ON THIS. HERACLEON ON THE PASSOVER. 
 
 We must not, however, fail to enquire into 
 the statement that the passover of the Jews 
 was at hand, when the Lord was at Caper- 
 naum with His mother and His brothers and 
 His disciples. In the Gospel according to 
 IVIatthevv,' after being left by the devil, and 
 after the angels came and ministered to 
 Him, when He heard that John was delivered 
 up He withdrew into Galilee, and leaving 
 Nazara He came and dwelt in Capernaum. 
 Then He began to preach, and chose the four 
 fishermen for His Apostles, and taught in the 
 synagogues of the whole of Galilee and 
 healed those who were brought to Him. 
 Then He goes up into the mountain and 
 speaks the beatitudes and what follows 
 them ; and after finishing that instruction He 
 comes down from the mountain and enters 
 Capernaum a. second time.^ Then He em- 
 barked in a ship and crossed over to the other 
 side to the country of the Gergesenes. On 
 their beseeching Him to depart out of their 
 coasts He embarked s in a ship and crossed 
 over and came to His own city. Then He 
 wrought certain cures and went about all 
 the cities and the villages, teaching in their 
 synagogues ; after this most of the events 
 of the Gospels take place, before Matthew 
 indicates the approach of the time of pass- 
 over. ■• With the other Evangelists also, after 
 the stay at Capernaum it is long till we 
 come to any mention of the passover ; 
 which may confirm in their opinion those 
 
 *iv. II sqq. 
 
 » Matt. viii. 
 
 who take the view about Capernaum which 
 was set forth above. That stay, in the 
 neighbourhood of the passover of the Jews, 
 is set in a brighter light by that nearness, 
 both because it was better in itself, and still 
 more because at the passover of the Jews 
 there are found in the temple those who sell 
 oxen and sheep and doves. This adds em- 
 phasis to the statement that the passover 
 was not that of the Lord but that of the 
 Jews ; the Father's house was made, in the 
 eyes of those who did not hallow it, a house 
 of merchandise, and the passover of the 
 Lord became for those who took a low and 
 material view of it a Jewish passover. A 
 fitter occasion than the present will occur 
 for enquiring as to the time of the passover, 
 which took place about the spring equinox, 
 and for any other enquiry which may arise 
 in connection with it. As for Heracleon, 
 he says, "This is the great festival; for it 
 was a type of the passion of the Saviour ; 
 not only was the lamb put to death, the 
 eating of it afforded relaxation, the killing it 
 pointed to what of the passion of the Saviour 
 was in this world, and the eating it to the 
 rest at the marriage." We have given his 
 words, that it may be seen with what a want 
 of caution and how loosely he proceeds, and 
 with what an absence of constructive skill 
 even on such a theme as this ; and how little 
 regard in consequence is to be paid to him. 
 
 1 5. DISCREPANCY OF THE GOSPEL NARRATIVES CON- 
 NECTED WITH THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE. 
 
 " And Jesus went up to Jerusalem.^ And 
 He found in the temple those that sold oxen 
 and sheep and doves and the changers of 
 money sitting ; and He made a scourge of 
 cords, and cast out of the temple the sheep 
 and the oxen, and poured out the small 
 coin of the changers, and overturned their 
 tables, and to those who sold the doves 
 He said, Take these things hence ; make 
 not My Father's house a house of mer- 
 chandise. Then His disciples remembered 
 that it was written, The zeal of thy house 
 shall eat me up." It is to be noted that 
 John makes this transaction of Jesus with 
 those He found selling oxen and sheep and 
 doves in the temple His second work; 
 while the other Evangelists narrate a simi- 
 lar incident almost at the end and in 
 connection with the story of the passion. 
 Matthew has it thus :^"AtJesus' entry into 
 Jerusalem the whole city was stirred, saying. 
 Who is this ? And the multitudes said. This 
 is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth of 
 Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple 
 
 1 John ii. 13-17. 
 
 ' Matt. xxi. 10-13. 
 
392 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 and cast out all them tnat sold and L;o'jjht 
 in the temple, and He overturned the tables 
 of the money-changers and the seats of them 
 that sold doves. And He says to them, It 
 is ■wnti.p.n, My house shall be called a house 
 of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers." 
 Mark has the following : " And they came to 
 Jerusalem. And having entered into the tem- 
 ple He began to cast out those that sold and 
 bought in the temple, and the tables of the 
 money-changers He overthrew and the seats 
 of them that sold doves. And He suffered 
 not that any should carry a vessel through Lh? 
 temple; and He taught and said unto them, 
 Is it not written that My house shall be 
 called a house of prayer for all the nations ? 
 But you have made it a den of robbers." 
 And Luke : ' "And when he came near. He 
 beheld the city and wept over it, saying 
 that, if thou hadst known in this day, even 
 thou, the things that belong to peace ; but 
 now they are hid from thine eyes. For the 
 days shall come upon thee, when they 
 shall surround thee and shut thee in on 
 every side, and shall dash thee to the 
 ground and thy children, and they shall not 
 leave in thee one stone upon another, 
 because thou knewest not the time of thy 
 visitation. And He entered into the temple 
 and began to cast out those that sold, say- 
 ing to them, It is written. My house shall 
 be a house of prayer, but ye have made it a 
 den of robbers. " It is further to be observed 
 that what is recorded by the three as having 
 taken place in connection with the Lord's 
 going up to Jerusalem, when He did these 
 things in the temple, is narrated in a very 
 similar manner by John as taking place 
 long after this, after another visit to Jeru- 
 salem different from this one. We must 
 consider the statements, and in the first 
 place that of Matthew, where we read : ^ 
 "When He drew nigh to Jerusalem and came 
 to _ Bethphage over against the Mount of 
 Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, say- 
 ing unto them. Go ye into the village over 
 against you, and straightway ye shall find 
 an ass tied and a colt with her; loose them 
 and bring them to Me. And if any man 
 say unto you. What are you doing? you 
 shall say, The Lord hath need of them, and 
 straightway he will send them. But this 
 was done that it might be fulfilled which 
 was spoken by the prophet, saying, Say ye 
 to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy king 
 Cometh, meek and seated upon an ass and 
 upon the colt of an ass. And the disciples 
 went and did as Jesus commanded them ; 
 
 ^ Luke 3dx. 41, 42. 
 
 ' Matt, juti. I. 
 
 they brousrht the ass and the foal, and they 
 placed on them their garments, and He sat 
 thereon. And the most part of the multi- 
 tude spread their garments on the road, but 
 the multitudes that went before Him, and 
 they that followed, cried, Hosanna to the 
 Son of David, blessed is He that cometh in 
 the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the high- 
 est. " After this comes, "And when He had 
 entered into Jerusalem the whole city was 
 stirred," which we cited above. Then we 
 have Mark's account : ' "And when they 
 drew nigh unto Jerusalem, to Bethphage 
 aii'l Bethany, to the Mount of Olives, He 
 sends t\v'0 of His disciples and says to them, 
 Go ye into the village over against you. And 
 straightway as ye enter ivAn it ye shall find a 
 colt tied, on which no man hath ever sat, 
 loose it and bring it. And if any one say 
 to you. Why do ye this ? say, Because the 
 Lord hath need of him, and straightway he 
 will send him back hither. And they went 
 and found the colt tied at the door outside 
 on the road, and they loose him. And 
 some of them that stood there said to them, 
 What do ye, loosing the colt ? And they 
 said to them as Jesus told them, and they 
 let them go. And they brought the colt to 
 Jesus, and cast on it their garments. But 
 others cut down branches from the field and 
 spread them in the way. And they that 
 went before and they that followed cried, 
 Hosanna, blessed is He that cometh in the 
 name of the Lord ; blessed be the kingdom 
 that cometh, of our father David ! Ho- 
 sanna in the highest I And He went into 
 Jerusalem to the temple, and looked round 
 about on all things, and as it was already 
 evening. He went out to Bethany with the 
 twelve. And on the morrow when they 
 were come forth from Bethany He was 
 hungry." Then, after the affair of the 
 withered fig tree, ' ' They came to Jerusalem. 
 And He went into the temple and began to 
 cast out them that sold." Luke narrates as 
 follows : * "And it came to pass, when He 
 drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the 
 mount that is called the Mount of Olives, 
 He sent two of his disciples, saying, Go ye 
 into the village over against you, in which 
 when ye enter, ye shall find a colt tied, on 
 which no man ever hath sate ; loose him 
 and bring him. And if any man asks you, 
 Why do ye loose him ? Ye shall say thus. 
 The Lord hath need of him. And the dis- 
 ciples went and found as He said to them. 
 And when they were loosing the colt its 
 owners said to them. Why loose ye the colt ? 
 
 * Mark li. 1-12. 
 
 * Luke xix. 29, 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 393 
 
 and they said, Because the Lord hath need 
 of him. And they brought him to Jesus, 
 and they threw their garments on the colt, 
 and set Jesus thereon. And as He went, 
 they strewed their garments in the way. 
 And when He was drawing near, being now 
 at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the 
 whole multitude of the disciples began to 
 rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for 
 all the mighty works which they had seen, 
 saying. Blessed is the King in the name of 
 the Lord ; peace in heaven and glory in the 
 highest. And some of the Pharisees from 
 the multitude said unto Him, Master, re- 
 buke Thy disciples. And He answered and 
 said, I say unto you, If these shall hold 
 their peace, the stones will cry out. And 
 when He drew near He beheld the city and 
 wept over it," and so on, as we cited 
 above. John, on the contrary, after giving 
 an account nearly identical with this, as far 
 as, "And Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and 
 He found in the temple those who were 
 selling oxen and sheep," gives a second ac- 
 count of an ascent of the Lord to Jerusalem, 
 and then goes on to tell of the supper in 
 Bethany six days before the passover, at 
 which Martha served and Lazarus was at 
 table. "On the morrow,^ a great multi- 
 tude that had come to the feast, having 
 heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 
 took branches of palm trees and went forth 
 to meet Him ; and they cried, Hosanna, 
 blessed be the King of Israel in the name of 
 the Lord. And Jesus, having found a 
 young ass, sat thereon, as it is written, 
 Fear not, daughter of Zion ; behold thy 
 King Cometh, sitting on the foal of an ass." 
 I have written out long sections from the 
 Gospels, but I have thought it necessary to 
 do so, in order to exhibit the discrepancy at 
 this part of our Gospel. Three of the 
 Gospels place these incidents, which we 
 supposed to be the same as those narrated 
 by John, in connection with one visit of the 
 Lord to Jerusalem. While John, on the 
 other hand, places them in connection with 
 two visits which are widely separated from 
 each other and between which were various 
 journeys of the Lord to other places. I con- 
 ceive it to be impossible for those who 
 admit nothing more than the history in 
 their interpretation to show that these dis- 
 crepant statements are in harmony with each 
 other. If any one considers that we have 
 not given a sound exposition, let him write a 
 reasoned rejoinder to this declaration of ours. 
 
 1 John xU. 12-15. 
 
 16. THE STORY OF THE PURGING OF THE TEMPLE 
 SPIRITUALIZED. TAKEN LITERALLY, IT PRE- 
 SENTS SOME VERY DIFFICULT AND UNLIKELY 
 FEATURES. 
 
 We shall, however, expound according to 
 the strength that is given to us the reasons 
 which move us to recognize here a har- 
 mony ; and in doing so we entreat Him 
 who gives to every one that asks and strives 
 acutely to enquire, and we knock that by 
 the keys of higher knowledge the hidden 
 things of Scripture may be opened to us. 
 And first, let us fix our attention on the 
 words of John, beginning, "And Jesus went 
 up to Jerusalem."' Now Jerusalem, as the 
 Lord Himself teaches in the Gospel accord- 
 ing to Matthew,^ "is the city of the great 
 King." It does not lie in a depression, or 
 in a low situation, but is built on a high 
 mountain, and there are mountains round 
 about it, 3 and the participation of it is to 
 the same place, -t and thither the tribes of 
 the Lord went up, a testimony for Israel. 
 But that city also is called Jerusalem, to 
 which none of those upon the earth ascends, 
 nor goes in ; but every soul that possesses 
 by nature some elevation and some acute- 
 ness to perceive the things of the mind is a 
 citizen of that city. And it is possible even 
 for a dweller in Jerusalem to be in sin (for 
 it is possible for even the acutest minds to 
 sin), should they not turn round quickly 
 after their sin, when they have lost their 
 power of mind and are on the point not 
 only of dwelling in one of those strange 
 cities of Judsea, but even of being inscribed 
 as its citizens. Jesus goes up to Jerusalem, 
 after bringing help to those in Cana of 
 Galilee, and then going down to Capernaum, 
 that He may do in Jerusalem the things 
 which are written. He found in the temple, 
 certainly, which is said to be the house of 
 the Father of the Saviour, that is, in the 
 church or in the preaching of the ecclesi- 
 astical and sound word, some who were 
 making His Father's house a house of mer- 
 chandise. And at all times Jesus finds 
 some of this sort in the temple. For in 
 that which is called the church, which is 
 the house of the living God, the pillar and 
 ground of the truth, s when are there not 
 some money-changers sitting who need the 
 strokes of the scourge Jesus made of small 
 cords, and dealers in small coin who require 
 to have their money poured out and their 
 tables overturned ? When are there not 
 those who are inclined to merchandise, but 
 
 ' John ii. 13. 
 
 * Ps. cxxii. 2, 3, 4, 
 
 * Matt. V. 35. 
 
 * Tim. iii. 15. 
 
 3 Ps. CXXV. 2. 
 
394 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 need to be held to the plough and the oxen, 
 that having put their hand to it and not 
 turning round to the things behind them, 
 they may be fit for the kingdom of God? 
 When are there not those who prefer the 
 mammon of unrighteousness to the sheep 
 which give them the material for their true 
 adornment? And there are always many 
 who look dow^n on what is sincere and pure 
 and unmixed with any bitterness or gall, 
 and who, for the sake of miserable gain, 
 betray the care of those tropically called 
 doves. When, therefore, the Saviour finds 
 m the temple, the house of His Father, 
 those who are selling oxen and sheep and 
 doves, and the changers of money sitting. 
 He drives them out, using the scourge of 
 small cords which He has made, along with 
 the sheep and oxen of their trade, and pours 
 out their stock of coin, as not deserving to 
 be kept together, so little is it worth. He 
 also overturns the tables in the souls of 
 such as love money, saying even to those 
 who sell doves, "Take these things hence," 
 that they may no longer traffic in the house 
 of God. But I believe that in these words 
 He indicated also a deeper truth, and that 
 we may regard these occurrences as a sym- 
 bol of the fact that the service of that temple 
 was not any longer to be carried on by the 
 priests in the way of material sacrifices, 
 and that the time was coming when the 
 law could no longer be observed, however 
 much the Jews according to the flesh de- 
 sired it. For when Jesus casts out the oxen 
 and sheep, and orders the doves to be taken 
 away, it was because oxen and sheep and 
 doves were not much longer to be sacrificed 
 there in accordance with Jewish practices. 
 And possibly the coins which bore the 
 stamp of material things and not of God 
 were poured out by way of type ; because 
 the law which appears so venerable, with 
 its letter that kills, was, now that Jesus 
 had come and had used His scourge to 
 the people, to be dissolved and poured 
 out, the sacred office (episcopate) being 
 transferred to those from the Gentiles 
 who believed, and the kingdom of God 
 being taken away from the Jews ' and 
 given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of 
 it. But it may also be the case that the 
 natural temple is the soul skilled in reason, 
 which, because of its inborn reason, is higher 
 than the body; to which Jesus ascends from 
 Capernaum, the lower-lying place of less dig- 
 nity, and in which, before Jesus' discipline is 
 applied to it, are found tendencies which are 
 
 ^ Matt. xxi. 43. 
 
 earthly and senseless and dangerous, and 
 things which have the name but not the real- 
 ity of beauty, and which are driven away by 
 Jesus with His word plaited out of doctrines 
 of demonstration and of rebuke, to the end 
 that His Father's house may no longer be a 
 house of merchandize but may receive, for 
 its own salvation and that of others, that ser- 
 vice of God which is performed in accord- 
 ance with heavenly and spiritual laws. The 
 ox is symbolic of earthly things, for he is a 
 husbandman. The sheep, of senseless and 
 brutal things, because it is more servile than 
 most of the creatures without reason. ' Of 
 empty and unstable thoughts, the dove. Of 
 things that are thought good but are not, 
 the small change. If any one objects to this 
 interpretation of the passage and says that 
 it is only pure animals that are mentioned 
 in it, we must say that the passage would 
 otherwise have an unlikely air. The occur- 
 ence is necessarily related according to the 
 possibilities of the story. It could not have 
 been narrated that a herd of any other ani- 
 mals than pure ones had found access to the 
 temple, nor could any have been sold there 
 but those used for sacrifice. The Evange- 
 list makes use of the known practice of the 
 merchants at the times of the Jewish feasts; 
 they did bring in such animals to the outer 
 court ; this practice, with a real occurrence 
 He knew of, were His materials. Anyone, 
 however, who cares to do so may enquire 
 whether it is in agreement with the position 
 held by Jesus in this world, since He was 
 reputed to be the Son of a carpenter, to 
 venture upon such an act as to drive out 
 a crowd of merchants from the temple? 
 They had come up to the feast to sell to a 
 great number of the people, the sheep, sev- 
 eral myriads in number, which they were to 
 sacrifice according to their fathers' houses. 
 To the richer Jews they had oxen to sell, 
 and there were doves for those who had 
 vowed such animals, and many no doubt 
 bought these with a view to their good cheer 
 at the festival. And did not Jesus do an 
 unwarrantable thing when He poured out 
 the money of the money-changers, which 
 was their own, and overthrew their tables ? 
 And who that received a blow from the 
 scourge of small cords at the hands of One 
 held in but slight esteem, was driven out of 
 the temple, would not have attacked Him 
 and raised a cry and avenged himself 
 with his own hand, especially when there 
 was such a multitude present who might all 
 feel themselves insulted by Jesus in the 
 same way ? To think, moreover, of the Son 
 of God taking the small cords in His hands 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 395 
 
 and plaiting a scourge out of them for this 
 driving out from the temple, does it not be- 
 speak audacity and temerity and even some 
 measure of lawlessness ? One refuge re- 
 mains for the vsrriter who wishes to defend 
 these things and is minded to treat the 
 occurrence as real history, namely, to appeal 
 to the divine nature of Jesus, who was able to 
 quench, when He desired to do so, the rising 
 anger of His foes, by divine grace to get 
 the better of myriads, and to scatter the 
 devices of tumultuous men ; for " the Lord 
 scatters the counsels of the nations ■ and 
 brings to naught devices of the peoples, but 
 the counsel of the Lord abideth for ever." 
 Thus the occurrence in our passage, if it 
 really took place, was not second in point 
 of the power it exhibits to any even of the 
 most marvellous works Christ wrought, and 
 claimed no less by its divine character the 
 faith of the beholders. One may show it to 
 be a greater work than that done at Cana of 
 Galilee in the turning of water into wine ; 
 for in that case it was only soulless matter 
 that was changed, but here it was the soul 
 and will of thousands of men. It is, how- 
 ever, to be observed that at the marriage the 
 mother of Jesus is said to be there, and Jesus 
 to have been invited and His disciples, but 
 that no one but Jesus is said to have de- 
 scended to Capernaum. His disciples, how- 
 ever, appear afterwards as present with 
 Him; they remembered that "the zeal of 
 thine house shall devour me." And per- 
 haps Jesus was in each of the disciples as 
 He ascended to Jerusalem, whence it is not 
 said, Jesus went up to "Jerusalem and His 
 disciples," but He went down to Capernaum, 
 "He and His mother and His brothers and 
 His disciples." 
 
 1 7. Matthew's story of the entry into Jeru- 
 salem. DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN IT FOR 
 THOSE WHO TAKE IT LITERALLY. 
 
 We have now to take into consideration 
 the statements of the other Gospels on the 
 expulsion from the temple of those who 
 made it a house of merchandise. Take in 
 the first place what we find in Matthew. 
 On the Lord's entering Jerusalem, he says,^ 
 "All the city was stirred, saying. Who is 
 this ? " But before this he has the story of 
 the ass and the foal which were taken by 
 command of the Lord and found by the two 
 disciples whom he sent from Bethphage into 
 the village over against them. These two 
 disciples loose the ass which was tied, and 
 they have orders, if any one says anything 
 
 ' Ps. xxxUi. 10. 
 
 to them, to answer that "the Lord has need 
 of them ; and immediately he will seiid 
 them." By these incidents Matthew de- 
 clares that the prophecy was fulfilled which 
 says, " Behold, the King cometh, meek and 
 sitting on an ass and a colt the foal of an ass," 
 which we find in Zechariah. ' When, then, 
 the disciples went and did as Jesus com- 
 manded them, they brought the ass and the 
 colt, and placed on them, he says, their own 
 garments, and the Lord sat upon them, 
 clearly on the ass and the colt. Then "the 
 most part of the multitude spread their gar- 
 ments in the way, and others cut down 
 branches from the trees and strewed them 
 in the way, and the multitudes that went 
 before and that followed cried, Hosanna to 
 the Son of David, blessed is He that cometh 
 in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the 
 highest." Hence it was that when He 
 entered Jerusalem, the whole city was 
 moved, saying, Who is this ? " and the multi- 
 tudes said," those obviously who went be- 
 fore Him and who followed Him, to those 
 who were asking who He was, "This is the 
 prophet Jesus of Nazareth of Galilee. And 
 Jesus entered into the temple and cast out 
 all those that sold and bought in the temple, 
 and overthrew the tables of the money- 
 changers and the seats of them that sold 
 doves : and He saith unto them. It is writ- 
 ten. My house shall be called a house of 
 prayer ; but ye make it a den of robbers." 
 Let us ask those who consider that Matthew 
 had nothing but the history in his mind 
 when he wrote his Gospel, what necessity 
 there was for two of the disciples to be 
 sent to the village over against Bethphage, 
 to find an ass tied and its colt with it and 
 to loose them and bring them ? And how 
 did it deserve to be recorded that He sat 
 upon the ass and the foal and entered into 
 the city ? And how does Zechariah pro- 
 phesy about Christ when he says," " Rejoice 
 greatly, thou daughter of Zion, proclaim 
 it, thou daughter of Jerusalem. Behold 
 thy king cometh unto thee, just is He 
 and bringing salvation, meek and sitting on 
 an ass and a young foal " ? If it be the case 
 that this prophecy predicts simply the 
 material incident described by the Evan- 
 gelists, how can those who stand on the 
 letter maintain that this is so with regard to 
 the following part also of the prophecy, 
 which runs : " And He shall destroy chariots 
 from Ephraim and horse from Jerusalem, 
 and the bow of the warrior shall be de- 
 stroyed, an da multitude and peace from the 
 
 * Zech. ix, 9. 
 
 ^ Zech. ix. 9. 
 
396 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 Gentiles, and He shall rule over the waters 
 as far as the sea, and the rivers to the ends 
 of the earth," etc. It is to be noted, too, 
 that Matthew does not give the words as 
 they are found in the prophet, for instead 
 of " Rejoice greatly, thou daughter of Zion, 
 proclaim it, thou daughter of Jerusalem," 
 he makes it, " Tell ye the daughter of Zion." 
 He curtails the prophetic utterance by 
 omitting the words, " Just is He and bring- 
 ing salvation," then he gives, " meek and 
 sitting," as in the original, but instead of 
 " on an ass and a young colt, " he gives, " on 
 an ass and a colt the foal of an ass." The 
 Jews, examining into the application of the 
 prophecy to what is recorded about Jesus, 
 press us in a way we cannot overlook with 
 the enquiry how Jesus destroyed chariots out 
 ofEphraim and horse from Jerusalem, and 
 how He destroyed the bow of the enemy and 
 did the other deeds mentioned in the passage. 
 .So much with regard to the prophecy. 
 Our literal interpreters, however, if there is 
 nothing worthy of the appearance of the 
 Son of God in the ass and the foal, may per- 
 haps point to the length of the road for an 
 explanation. But, in the first place, fifteen 
 stades are not a great distance and afford no 
 reasonable explanation of the matter, and, 
 in the second place, they would have to tell 
 us how two beasts of burden were needed 
 for so short a journey ; " He sat," it is said, 
 "on them." And then the words : " If any 
 man say aught unto you, say ye that the Lord 
 hath need of them, and straightway he will 
 send them." It does not appear to me to be 
 worthy of the greatness of the Son's divinity 
 to say that such a nature as His confessed 
 that it had need of an ass to be loosed from 
 its bonds and of a foal to come with it ; for 
 everything the Son of God has need of 
 should be great and worthy of His good- 
 ness. And then the very great multitude 
 strewing their garments in the way, while 
 Jesus allows them tp do so and does not 
 rebuke them, as is clear from the words used 
 ip another passage,' "If these should hold 
 their peace, the stones will cry out." I do 
 not know if it does not indicate a certain 
 degree of stupidity on the part of the writer 
 to take delight in such things, if nothing 
 more is meant by them than what lies on 
 the surface. And the branches being cut 
 down from the trees and strewn on the 
 road where the asses go by, surely they are 
 rather a hindrance to Him who is the centre 
 of the throng than a well-devised reception 
 of Him. The difKculties which met us on 
 
 ' Lnke lix. 40. 
 
 the part of those who were cast out of the 
 temple by Jesus meet us here in a still 
 greater degree. In the Gospel of John He 
 casts out those who bought, but Matthew 
 says that He cast out those who sold and 
 those who bought in the temple. And the 
 buyers would naturally be more numerous 
 than the sellers. We have to consider if the 
 casting out of buyers and sellers in the 
 temple was not out of keeping with the repu- 
 tation of one who was thought to be the 
 Son of a carpenter, unless, as we said be- 
 fore, it was by a divine power that He sub- 
 jected them. The words addressed to them, 
 too, are harsher in the other Evangelists 
 than in John. For John says that Jesus said 
 to them, "Make not My Father's house a 
 house of merchandise," while in the others 
 they are rebuked for making the house of 
 prayer a den of robbers. Now the house of 
 His Father did not admit of being turned 
 into a den of robbers, though by the acts of 
 sinful men it was brought to be a house of 
 merchandise. It was not only the house of 
 prayer, but in fact the house of God, and by 
 forceOf human neglect it harboured robbers, 
 and was turned not only into their house but 
 their den — a thing which no skill, either of 
 architecture or of reason, could make it. 
 
 18. THE ASS AND THE COLT ARE THE OLD AND 
 THE NEW TESTAMENT. SPIRITUAL MEANING 
 0? THE VARIOUS FEATURES OF THE STORY. 
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JOHn's NARRATIVE 
 AND THAT OF THE OTHER EVANGELISTS. 
 
 Now to see into the real truth of these 
 matters is the part of that true intelligence 
 which is given to those who can say," "But 
 we have the mind of Christ that we may see 
 those things which are freely given to us 
 of God ; " and doubtless it is beyond our 
 powers. For neither is the ruling principle 
 in our soul free from agitation, nor are 
 our eyes such as those of the fair bride of 
 Christ should be, of which the bridegroom 
 says,' "Thy eyes are doves," signifying, 
 perhaps, in a riddle, the observant power 
 which dwells in the spiritual, because the 
 Holy Spirit came like a dove to our Lord 
 and to the lord in every one. Such as we 
 are, however, we will not delay, but will 
 feel about the words of life which have been 
 spoken to us and strive to lay hold of that 
 power in them which flows to him who 
 touches them in faith. Now Jesus is the 
 word of God which goes into the soul that 
 is called Jerusalem, riding on the ass freed 
 by the disciples from its bonds. That is to 
 
 * 1 Cor. iL 16. 
 
 ' Song of Sol. i. 15. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 397 
 
 say, on the simple language of the Old Tes- 
 tament, interpreted by the two disciples who 
 loose it : in the tirst place him who applies 
 what is written to the service of the soul and 
 shows the allegorical sense of it with refer- 
 ence to her, and in the second place him who 
 brings to light by the things which lie in 
 shadow the good and true things of the 
 future. But He also rides on the young 
 colt, the New Testament ; for in both alike 
 we find the word of truth which purifies us 
 and drives away all those thoughts in 
 us which incline to selling and buy- 
 ing. But He does not come alone to 
 Jerusalem, the soul, nor only with a few 
 companions ; for many things have to enter 
 into us before the word of God which 
 makes us perfect, and as many things 
 have to come after Him, all, however, hymn- 
 ing and glorifying Him and placing under 
 Him their ornaments and vestures, so that 
 the beasts He rides on may not touch the 
 ground, when He who descended out of 
 heaven is seated on them. But that His 
 bearers, the old and the new words of Scrip- 
 ture, may be raised yet higher above the 
 ground, branches have to be cut down from 
 the trees that they may tread on reasonable 
 expositions. But the multitudes which go 
 before and follow Him may also signify the 
 angelic ministrations, some of which pre- 
 pare the way for Him in our souls, and help 
 in their adorning, while some come after 
 His presence in us, of which we have often 
 spoken, so that we need not now adduce 
 testimonies about it. And perhaps it is not 
 without reason that I have likened to an ass 
 the surrounding voices which conduct the 
 Word Himself to the soul ; for it is a beast of 
 burden, and many are the burdens, heavy the 
 loads, which are brought into view from the 
 text, especially of the Old Testament, as he 
 can clearly see who observes what is done 
 in this connection on the part of the Jews. 
 But the foal is not a beast of burden in 
 the same way as the ass. For though 
 every load of the latter be heavy to those 
 who have not in themselves the upbearing 
 and most lightening power of the Spirit, yet 
 the new word is less heavy than the old. I 
 know some who interpret the tied-up ass as 
 being believers from the circumcision, who 
 are freed from many bonds by those who 
 are truly and spiritually instructed in the 
 word ; and the foal they take to be those 
 from the Gentiles, who before they receive 
 the word of Jesus are free from any control 
 and subject to no yoke in their unbridled and 
 pleasure-loving existence. The writers 1 
 am speaking of do not say who those are 
 
 that go before and who those follow after'; 
 but there would be no absurdity in saying 
 that those who went before were like Moses 
 and the prophets, and those who followed 
 after the holy Apostles. To what Jerusa- 
 lem all these go in it is now our business to 
 enquire, and what is the house which has 
 many sellers and buyers to be driven out by 
 the Son of God. And perhaps the Jerusalem 
 above to which the Lord is to ascend driv- 
 ing like a charioteer those of the circumci- 
 sion and the believers of the Gentiles, while 
 prophets and Apostles go before Him and 
 follow after Him (or is it the angels who 
 minister to Him, for they too may be meant 
 by those who go before and those who 
 follow), perhaps it is that city which before 
 He ascended to it contained the so-called ' 
 "spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly 
 places," or the Canaanites and Hittites and 
 Amorites and the other enemies of the 
 people of god, and in a word, the for- 
 eigners. For in that region, too,it was pos- 
 sible for the prophecy to be fulfilled which 
 says, ^ ' ' Your country is desolate, your cities 
 are burned with fire, your land, strangers 
 devour it in your presence." For these are 
 they who defile and turn into a den of rob- 
 bers, that is, of themselves the heavenly 
 house of the Father, the holy Jerusalem, the 
 house of prayer ; having spurious money, 
 and giving pence and small change, cheap 
 worthless coinage, to all who come to them; 
 These are they who, contending with the 
 souls, take from them what is most preciou'fe, 
 robbing them of their better part to return 
 to them what is worth nothing. But the 
 disciples go and find the ass tied and loose 
 it, for it cannot have Jesus on account of 
 the covering that is laid upon it by the law.' 
 And the colt is found with it, both having 
 been lost till Jesus came ; I mean, namely, 
 those of the circumcision and those of 
 the Gentiles who afterwards believed. 
 But how these are sent back again after 
 Jesus has ascended to Jerusalem seated upon 
 them, it is somewhat dangerous to say ; for 
 there is something mystical about it, in con- 
 nection with the change of saints into angels. 
 After that change they will be sent baclc, irt 
 the age succeeding this one, like the minis- 
 tering spirits,* virho are sent to do service for 
 the sake of them who will thereby inherit 
 salvation. But if the ass and the foal are the 
 old and the new Scriptures, on which the 
 Word of God rides, it is easy to see how, after 
 the Word has appeared in them, they are 
 
 ' Ephes. vi. 12. 
 ' 2 Cor. ill. 14. 
 
 * Isa. i. 7. 
 •HeULii. 
 
398 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 sent back and do not wait after the Word 
 has entered Jerusalem among; those who 
 have cast out all the thoughts of selling and 
 buying. I consider, too, that it is not with- 
 out significance that the place where the ass 
 was found tied, and the foal, was a village, 
 and a village without a name. For in com- 
 parison with the great world in heaven, the 
 whole earth is a village where the ass is 
 found tied and the colt, and it is simply- 
 called "the village" without any other de- 
 signation being added to it. From Beth- 
 phage Matthew says the disciples are sent 
 out who are to fetch the ass and the colt ; 
 and Bethphage is a priestly place, the name 
 of which means " House of Jaw-bones." So 
 much we have said, as our power allowed, 
 on the text of Matthew, reserving for a fur- 
 ther opportunity, when we may be per- 
 mitted to take up the Gospel of Matthew by 
 itself, a more complete and accurate discus- 
 sion of his statements. Mark and Luke 
 say that the two disciples, acting on their 
 Master's instructions, found a foal tied, on 
 which no one had ever sat, and that they 
 loosed it and brought it to the Lord. Mark 
 adds that they found the foal tied at the 
 door, outside on the road. But who is out- 
 side.' Those of the Gentiles who were 
 strangers • from the covenants, and aliens 
 to the promise of God ; they are on the 
 ■road, not resting under a roof or a house, 
 bound by their own sins, and to be loosed 
 hy the twofold knowledge spoken of above, 
 of the friends of Jesus. And the bonds with 
 which the foal was tied, and the sins com- 
 mitted against the wholesome law and re- 
 proved by it,— for it is the gate of life,— in 
 respect of it, I say, they were not inside but 
 outside the door, for perhaps inside the door 
 there cannot be any such bond of wick- 
 edness. But there were some persons 
 standing beside the tied-up foal, as Mark 
 says ; those, I suppose, who had tied it ; as 
 Luke records, it was the masters of the foal 
 who said to the disciples. Why loose ye the 
 foal.? For those lords who subjected and 
 bound the sinner are illegal masters and 
 cannot look the true master in the face when 
 he frees the foal from its bonds. Thus when 
 the disciples say, " The Lord hath need of 
 him," these wicked masters have nothing 
 to say in reply. The disciples then bring 
 the foal to Jesus naked, and put their own 
 dress on it, so that the Lord may sit on the 
 disciples' garments which are on it, at His 
 ease. What is said further will not> in the 
 light of Matthew's statements, present any 
 
 ■ Ephea. ii. 12. 
 
 difficulty ; hovi' ' "They come to Jerusalem, 
 and entering into the temple He began to 
 cast out them that sold and bought in the 
 temple," or how ^ "When He drew nigh and 
 beheld the city He wept over it ; and entering 
 into the temple He began to cast out them 
 that sold." For in some of those who have 
 the temple in themselves He casts out all 
 that sell and buy in the temple ; but in 
 others who do not quite obey the word of 
 God, He only makes a beginning of casting 
 out the sellers and buyers. There is a third 
 class also besides these, in which He began 
 to cast out the sellers only, and not also the 
 buyers. With John, on the contrary, they are 
 all cast out by the scourge woven of small 
 cords, along with the sheep and the oxen. 
 It should be carefully considered whether it 
 is possible that the changes of the things 
 described and the discrepancies found in 
 them can be satisfactorily solved by the 
 anagogic method. Each of the Evangelists 
 ascribes to the Word different modes of 
 action, which produce in souls of different 
 tempers not the same effects but yet similar 
 ones. The discrepancy we noticed in re- 
 spect of Jesus' journeys to Jerusalem, which 
 the Gospel now in hand reports quite differ- 
 ently from the other three, as we have ex- 
 pounded their words, cannot be made good 
 in any other way. John gives statements 
 which are similar to those of the other three 
 but not the same ; instead of branches cut 
 from the trees or stubble brought from the 
 fields and strewed on the road he says they 
 took branches of palm trees. He says that 
 much people had come to the feast, and 
 that these went out to meet Him, crying, 
 ' ' Blessed is He that cometh in the name of 
 the Lord," and "Blessed is the King of 
 Israel." He also says that it was Jesus 
 Himself who found the young ass on which 
 Christ sat, and the phrase, young ass,doubt- 
 less conveys some additional meaning, as 
 the small animal afforded a benefit not of 
 men. nor through men, but through Jesus 
 Christ. John moreover does not, any more 
 than the others, reproduce the prophetic 
 words exactly ; instead of them he gives us 
 ' ' Fear not, O daughter of Zion ; behold thy 
 King cometh sitting" (instead of "mounted") 
 "on the foal of an ass " (for " on an ass and 
 a young foal"). The words "Fear not, 
 daughter of Zion," are not in the prophet at 
 all. But as the prophetic utterance has 
 been applied by all in this way, let us see 
 if there was not a necessity that the daughter 
 of Zion should rejoice greatly and that the 
 
 ^ Mark xi. iS- 
 
 ' Luke idx. 41. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 399 
 
 greater than she, the daughter of Jerusalem, 
 should not only rejoice greatly but should 
 also proclaim it when her king was coming 
 to her, just and bringing salvation, and 
 meek, having mounted an ass and a young 
 colt. Whoever, then, receives Him will no 
 longer be afraid of those who are armed 
 with the specious discourses of the heterodox, 
 those chariots of Ephraim said to be de- 
 stroyed by the Lord," nor the horse, the 
 vain thing for safety,^ that is the mad desire 
 which has accustomed itself to the things 
 of sense and which is injurious to many of 
 those who desire to dwell in Jerusalem and 
 to attend to the sound word. It is also 
 fitting to rejoice at the destruction by Him 
 who rides on the ass and the young foal of 
 every hostile dart, since the fiery darts of 
 the enemy are no longer to prevail over him 
 who has received Jesus to his own temple. 
 And there will also be a multitude from the 
 Gentiles with peace 3 at the Saviour's com- 
 ing to Jerusalem, when He rules over the 
 waters that He may bruise the head of the 
 dragon on the water,'* and we shall tread 
 tipon the waves of the sea and to the mouths 
 of all the rivers on the earth. Mark, how- 
 ever, writing about the foal, 5 reports the Lord 
 to have said, "On which never man sat ; " 
 and he seems to me to hint at the circum- 
 stance that those who afterwards believed 
 had never submitted to the Word before 
 Jesus' coming to them. For of men, per- 
 haps, no one had ever sate on the foal, but 
 of hearts or of powers alien to the Word 
 some had sate on it, since in the prophet 
 Isaiah the wealth of opposing powers is said 
 to be borne on asses and camels.* "In the 
 distress and the affliction," he writes, "the 
 lion and the lion's whelp, whence also the 
 offspring of flying asps, who carried their 
 riches on asses and camels." The question 
 occurs again, for those who have no mind 
 but for the bare words, if according to their 
 view the words, "on whichnever man sat," 
 are not quite meaningless. For who but a 
 man ever sits on a foal ? So much of our 
 
 19. VARIOUS VIEWS OF HERACLEON ON THE 
 PURGING OF THE TEMPLE. 
 
 Let us see what Heracleon makes of this. 
 He says that the ascent to Jerusalem sig- 
 nifies the Lord's going up from material 
 things to the spiritual place, which is a like- 
 ness of Jerusalem. And he considers that 
 the words are, "He found in the temple," 
 
 * Zech. ix. 10. 
 
 * Ps. lixiv. 13. 
 
 ^ Ps. xxxiii. 17. 
 "m.2. 
 
 ^ Zech. ix. 9, 10. 
 ^ Isa. XXX, 6, 
 
 and not "in the sanctuary,"' because the 
 Lord is not to be understood as instrumental 
 in that call only, which takes place where 
 the spirit is not. He considers the temple 
 to be the Holy of Holies, into which none 
 but the High-Priest enters, and there I 
 believe he says that the spiritual go ; while 
 the court of the temple, where the levites 
 also enter, is a symbol of these psychical 
 ones who are saved,but outside the Pleroma. 
 Then those who are found in the temple 
 selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the 
 money-changers sitting, he took to repre- 
 sent those who attribute nothing to grace, 
 but regard the entrance of strangers to the 
 temple as a matter of merchandise and 
 gain, and who minister the sacrifices for 
 the worship of God, with a view to their 
 own gain and love of money. And the 
 scourge which Jesus made of small cords 
 and did not receive from another, he ex- 
 pounds in a way of his own, saying that the 
 scourge is an image of the power and 
 energy of the Holy Spirit, driving out by 
 His breath those who are bad. And he de- 
 clares that the scourge and the linen and 
 the napkin and other things of such a kind 
 are symbolic of the power and energy of 
 the Holy Spirit. Then he assumes what is 
 not written, as that the scourge was tied to 
 a piece of wood, and this wood he takes to 
 be a type of the cross ; on this wood the 
 gamblers, merchants, and all evil was 
 nailed up and done away. In searching 
 into the act of Jesus, and discussing the 
 composition of the scourge out of two sub- 
 stances, he romances in an extraordinary 
 way ; He did not make it, he says, of dead 
 leather. He wished to make the Church 
 no longer a den of robbers, but the house of 
 His Father. We must here say what is 
 most necessary on the divinity, as referred 
 to in Heracleon's text. If Jesus calls the 
 temple at Jerusalem the house of His Father, 
 and that temple was made in honour of 
 Him who made heaven and earth, why are 
 we not at once told that He is the Son of 
 no one else than the Maker of heaven and 
 earth, that He is the Son of God ? To this 
 house of the Father of Jesus, as being the 
 house of prayer, the Apostles of Christ also, 
 as we find in their "Acts," are told^ by the 
 angel to go and to stand there and preach 
 all the words of this life, But they came 
 to the house of prayer, through the Beau- 
 tiful Gate, to pray there, a thing they 
 
 * ev tCi tcptw, not Tw vaiZ. The latter is Neander's correction for 
 Tbiv avu), " the things above." Heracleon's point is that the if poi-, 
 the Holy of Holies, represents the spiritual realm ; and that Jesus 
 entered it as beiiig^as well as the vao^j in need of His saving work. 
 
 * Acts V. 20. 
 
■400 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 woulcj not have done had they not known 
 -Him to be the same with the God wor- 
 shipped by those who had dedicated 
 that temple. Hence, too, they say, those 
 who obeyed God rather than men, Peter 
 and the Apostles, "The God' of our 
 Fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, 
 hanging: Him on a tree ; " for they know that 
 by no other God was Jesus raised from the 
 dead but the God of the fathers, whom Jesus 
 also extols as the God of Abraham and Isaac 
 and Jacob, who are not dead but living. 
 How, too, could the disciples, if the house 
 was not that of the same God with the God 
 of Christ, have remembered the saying' in the 
 sixty-ninth Psalm, "The zeal of thy house 
 shall devour Me ; " for thus it is found in 
 the prophet, and not "hath devoured Me." 
 Now Christ is zealous principally for that 
 house of God which is in each of us ; He 
 does not wish that it should be a house of 
 merchandise, nor that the house of prayer 
 should be a den of robbers ; for He is the 
 Son of a jealous God. We ought to give a 
 liberal intepretation to such utterances of 
 Scripture ; they speak of human things, but 
 in the way of metaphor, to show that God 
 desires that nothing foreign should be mixed 
 up with His will in the soul of all men, indeed, 
 but principally of those who are minded to 
 accept the message of our most divine faith. 
 But we must remember that the sixty-ninth 
 Psalm, which contains the words, "The 
 zeal of thy house shall devour me," and a 
 little further on, "They gave Me gall for 
 My drink and for My thirst they gave Me 
 vinegar," both texts being recorded in the 
 Gospels, that that Psalm is spoken in the 
 person of the Christ, and nowhere shows 
 any change of person. It shows a great 
 want of observation on Heracleon's part that 
 he considers the words, "The zeal of thy 
 house shall devour Me," to be spoken in the 
 person of those powers which were cast out 
 and destroyed by the Saviour ; he fails to 
 see the connection of the prophecy in the 
 Psalm. For if these words are understood 
 as spoken by the expelled and destroyed 
 powers, it follows that he must take the 
 words, "They gave Me vinegar to drink," 
 which are a part of the same psalm, to be 
 also spoken by those powers. What misled 
 him was probably that he could not under- 
 stand how the "shall devour Me" could 
 be spoken by Christ, since He did not ap- 
 preciate the way in virhich anthropo- 
 pathic statements are applied to God and 
 to Christ. 
 
 * Acts V. 29, 30. 
 
 20. THE TEMPLE WHICH CHRIST SAYS HE WILL 
 RAISE UP IS THE CHURCH. HOW THE DRY 
 BONES WILL BE MADE TO LIVE AGAIN. 
 
 "The Jews then answered and said unto 
 Him, What sign showest Thou unto us, 
 seeing that Thou doest these things ? ' 
 Jesus answered and said unto them. Destroy 
 this temple, and in three days I will raise 
 it up." Those of the body, and those who 
 incline to material things, seem to me to be 
 meant by the Jews, who, after Jesus has 
 driven out those who make God's house a 
 house of merchandise, are angry at Him 
 for treating these matters in such a way, 
 and demand a sign, a sign which will show 
 that the Word, whom they do not receive, 
 has a right to do such things. The Saviour 
 joins on to His statement about the temple 
 a statement which is really one with the 
 former, about His own body, and to the 
 question. What sign doest Thou, seeing 
 that Thou doest such things ? answers, 
 "Destroy this temple, and in three days I 
 will raise it up." He could have exhibited 
 a thousand other signs, but to the question, 
 " Seeing that Thou doest such things," He 
 could not answer anything else ; He fit- 
 tingly gave the answer about the sign con- 
 nected with the temple, and not about signs 
 unconnected with the temple. Now, both 
 of these two things, the temple and the 
 body of Jesus, appear to me, in one inter- 
 pretation at least, to be types of the Church, 
 and to signify that it is built of living 
 stones,^ a spiritual house for a holy priest- 
 hood, built 3 on the foundation of the 
 Apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being 
 the head corner-stone ; and it is, therefore, 
 called a temple. Now, from the text,* 
 ' ' Ye are the body of Christ, and members 
 each in his part," we see that even though 
 the harmonious fitting of the stones of the 
 temple appear to be dissolved and scattered, 
 as it is written in the twenty-second Psalm s 
 that all the bones of Christ are, by the plots 
 made against it in persecutions and afflic- 
 tions, on the part of those who war 
 against the unity of the temple in persecu- 
 tions, yet the temple will be raised again, 
 and the body will rise again on the third 
 day after the day of evil which threatens 
 it,* and the day of consummation which 
 follows. For the third day will rise on the 
 new heaven and the new earth, when these 
 bones, the vs'hole house of Israel, ' will rise 
 in the great Lord's day, death having been 
 overcome. And thus the resurrection of 
 
 > John ii. i8, ig. » i Pet. ii. ;. a Ephes. ii. 20. < , Cor. xii. 27. 
 "Ver. 14. « 2 Peter m. 3, 10, 13. 'Ezek.xxxvii.11. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 401 
 
 the Saviour from the passion of the cross 
 contains the mystery of the resurrection of 
 the whole body of Christ. But as that 
 material body of Jesus was sacrificed for 
 Christ, and was buried, and was afterwards 
 raised, so the whole body of Christ's saints 
 is crucified along with Him, and now lives 
 no longer ; for each of them, like Paul, 
 glories' in nothing but the cross of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, through which He is crucified 
 to the world, and the world to Him. Not 
 only, therefore, is it crucified with Christ, 
 and crucified to the world ; it is also buried 
 with Christ, for we were buried with Christ, 
 Paul says.^ And then he says, as if enjoy- 
 ing some earnest of the resurrection, "We 
 rose with Him,"' because He walks in a 
 certain newness of life, though not yet risen 
 in that blessed and perfect resurrection 
 which is hoped for. Either, then, he is 
 now crucified, and afterwards is buried, or 
 he is now buried and taken down 
 from the cross, and, being now buried, is 
 to rise at some future time. But to 
 most of us the mystery of the resurrection 
 is a great one, and difficult of contempla- 
 tion ; it is spoken of in many other passages 
 of Scripture, and is specially announced in 
 the following passage of Ezekiel : ■• "And 
 the hand of the Lord was upon me, and He 
 led me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set 
 me in the midst of the plain, and it was full 
 of human bones. And He led me round 
 about them in a circle, and behold there 
 were very many on the face of the plain, 
 and behold they were very dry. And He 
 said to me, Son of man, shall these bones 
 live? And I said, Lord, Lord, Thou 
 knowest. And He said to me. Prophesy to 
 these bones, and thou shalt say to them, 
 Hear the word of the Lord, ye dry bones ; " 
 and a little further on, "And the Lord 
 spake to me, saying, Son of man, these 
 bones are the house of Israel. And they 
 say, Our bones are become dry, our hope is 
 lost, we have breathed our last." For what 
 bones are these which are addressed, 
 " Hear ye the word of the Lord," as if they 
 heard the word of the Lord .' They belong 
 to the house of Israel, or to the body of 
 Christ, of which the Lord says,s "All My 
 bones are scattered," although the bones of 
 His body were not scattered, and not even 
 one of them was broken. But when the 
 resurrection itself takes place of the true 
 and more perfect body of Christ, then those 
 who are now the members of Christ, for 
 
 > Gal. -n. 14. 
 
 •' These words do not occur in Rom. vi. 4. 
 
 * Rom. vi. 4, 
 • Ps. xxii. 13. 
 
 they will then be dry bones, will be 
 brought together, bone to bone, and fitting 
 to fitting (for none of those who are 
 destitute of fitting dp/xovia) will come to the 
 perfect man), to the measure ' of the stature 
 of the fulness of the body of Christ. And 
 then the many members ' will be the 
 one body, all of them, though many; 
 becoming members of one body. But it 
 belongs to God alone to make the dis- 
 tinction of foot and hand and eye and 
 hearing and smelling, which in one sense 
 fill up the head, but in another the feet and 
 the rest of the members, and the weaker 
 and humbler ones, the more and the 
 less honourable. God will temper the body- 
 together, and then, rather than now. He 
 will give to that which lacks the more 
 abundant honour, that there may be, by no 
 means, any schism in the body, but that the 
 members may have the same care for one 
 another, and, if any member be well off, 
 all the members may share in its good 
 things, or if any member be glorified, all 
 the members may rejoice with it. 
 
 21. THAT THE SON WAS RAISED UP BY THE 
 FATHER. THE CHARGE BROUGHT AGAINST 
 JESUS AT HIS TRIAL WAS BASED ON THE 
 INCIDENT NOW BEFORE US. 
 
 What I have said is not alien to the pas- 
 sage now engaging us, dealing as it does 
 with the temple and those cast-out from it, 
 of which the Saviour says, "The zeal of thy 
 house shall devour Me ; " and with the Jews 
 who asked that a sign should be showed 
 them, and the Saviour's answer to them, in 
 which He combines the discourse on the 
 temple with that on His own body, and says, 
 "Destroy this temple and in three days I 
 will raise it up." For from this temple, 
 which is the body of Christ, everything that 
 is irrational and savours of merchandise must 
 be driven away, that it may no longer be 
 a house of merchandise. And this temple 
 must be destroyed by those who plot against 
 the Word of God, and after its destruction 
 be raised again on that third day which we 
 discussed above : when the disciples also will 
 remember what He, the Word, said before 
 the temple of God was destroyed, and will 
 believe, not only their knowledge but their 
 faith also being then made perfect, and that 
 by the word which Jesus spoke. And every 
 one who is of this nature, Jesus purifying 
 him,' puts away things that are irrational 
 and things that savour of selling, to be 
 destroyed on account of the zeal of the 
 
 * Ephes. iv, 13. 
 
 ' 1 Cor. xii. [2 fiq. 
 
 * John XV. 3, 
 
402 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 Logos that is in Him. But they are destroyed 
 to be raised again by Jesus, not on the 
 third day, if we attend to the exact words 
 before us, but "in three days." For the 
 rising again of the temple takes place on the 
 first day after it has been destroyed and on 
 the second day, and its resurrection is ac- 
 complished in all the three days. Hence a 
 resurrection both has been and is to be, if 
 indeed we were buried with Christ, and rose 
 with Him. And since the word, " We rose 
 with Him," does not cover the whole of the 
 resurrection, "in Christ shall all be made 
 alive,' but every one in his own order, 
 Christ the first fruits, then they that are 
 Christ's at His coming, and then the end." 
 It belongs to the resurrection that one should 
 be on the first day in the paradise of God,^ 
 and it belon^jjs to the resurrection when Jesus 
 appears and sa)'^s, "Touch Me not; for I 
 am not yet ascended to My Father, "3 but 
 the perfection of the resurrection was when 
 He came to the Father. Now there are 
 some who fall into confusion on this head of 
 the Father and the Son, and we must devote 
 a few words to them. They quote the text,"* 
 "Yea, and we are found false witnesses for 
 God, because we testified against God that 
 He raised up Christ, whom He raised not up," 
 and other similar te.xts which show the 
 raiser-up to be another person than He who 
 was raised up ; and the text, "Destroy this 
 temple and in three days I will raise it up," 
 as if it resulted from these that the Son did 
 not differ in number from the Father, but that 
 both were one, not only in point of substance 
 but in point of subject, and that the Father 
 and the Son were said to be different in some 
 of their aspects but not in iheir hypostases. 
 Against such views we must in the first 
 place adduce the leading texts which prove 
 the Son to be another than the Father, and 
 that the Son must of necessity be the son 
 of a Father, and the Father, the father of a 
 Son. Then we may very properly refer to 
 Christ's declaration that He cannot do any- 
 thing but what He sees the Father doing 
 and saying, s because whatever the Father 
 does that the Son also does in like manner, 
 and that He had raised the dead, i.e., the 
 body, the Father granting Him this, who 
 must be said to have been the principal 
 agent in raising up Christ from the dead. 
 But Heracleon says, "In three days," in- 
 stead of "On the third day," not having 
 examined the point (and yet having noted 
 the words "in three"), that the resurrection 
 
 * I Cor. XV. 22-24. 
 
 * 1 Cor. XV. 15. 
 
 * Luke xxiii. 43, 
 
 * John V. 19, 
 
 ' John XX. 17. 
 
 is brought about in three days. But he also 
 calls the third the spiritual day, in which 
 they consider the resurrection of the Church 
 to be indicated. It follows from this that the 
 first day is to be called the "earthly" day, and 
 the second the psychical, the resurrection of 
 the Church not having taken place on them: 
 Now the statements of the false witnesses^ 
 recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew 
 and Mark ' tovsrards the end of the Gospel, 
 and the accusation they brought against our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, appear to have reference 
 to this utterance of His, "Destroy this tem- 
 ple, and I will build it up in three days." 
 For He was speaking of the temple of His 
 body, but they supposed His words to refer 
 to the temple of stone, and so they said when 
 accusmg Him, "This man said, I am able 
 to destroy the temple of God and to build it 
 up in three days," or, as Mark has it, "We 
 heard Him say, that I will destroy this tern- ' 
 pie made with hands, and in three days I 
 will build up another temple not made with 
 hands." Here the high-priest stood up and 
 said to Him, "Answerest Thou nothing? 
 What do these witness against Thee? But 
 Jesus held His peace." Or, as Mark says, 
 "And the high-priest stood up in the midst, 
 and asked Jesus saying, Answerest Thou 
 nothing? What do these witness against 
 Thee ? But He held His peace and answered 
 nothing." These words must, I think, ne- 
 cessarily have reference to the text now be- 
 fore us. 
 
 22. THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON DID NOT TAKE 
 FORTY-SIX YEARS TO BUILD. WITH REGARD 
 TO THAT OF EZRA WE CANNOT TELL HOW 
 LONG IT TOOK. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUM- 
 BER FORTY-SIX. 
 
 The Jews therefore said, "Forty and six 
 years was this temple in building,^ and wilt 
 thou raise it up in three days ? " How the 
 Jews said that the temple had been forty- 
 six years building, we cannot tell, if we 
 adhere to the history. For it is written in 
 the third Book of Kings, ^ that they prepared 
 the stones and the wood three years, and in 
 the fourth year, in the second month,'* when 
 Solomon was king over Israel, the king com- 
 manded, and they brought great precious 
 stones for the foundation of the house, and 
 unhewn stones. And the sons of Solomon 
 and the sons of Hiram hewed the stones and 
 laid them in the fourth year, and they 
 founded the house of the Lord in the month 
 Nisan and the second month : in the tenth 
 
 ^ Matt. xxvi. 61 ; Mark xiv. 58. 
 * I Kings V. 18. 
 
 * John ii. 20. 
 
 * I Kings vi. i. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 403 
 
 j'ear in the month Baal, which was the 
 eighth month, the house was finished accord- 
 ing to the whole count and the whole plan 
 of it. Thus comparing the time of its com- 
 pletion with the period of building, the build- 
 ing of it occupies less than eleven years. 
 How, then, do the Jews come to say that the 
 temple was forty-six years in building ? One 
 might, indeed, do violence to the words and 
 make out the period of forty-six years at 
 all costs, by counting from the time when 
 David, after planning about the building of 
 the temple, said to Nathan the prophet,' 
 " Behold I dwell in a house of cedar, and 
 the ark of God dwelleth in the midst of the 
 tent," for though it is true that he was pre- 
 vented, as being a man of blood, ^ from 
 carrying out the building, he seems to have 
 busied himself in collecting materials for it. 
 In the first Book of Chronicles, 3 certainly, 
 David the king says to all the congregation, 
 "Solomon my son, whom the Lord hath 
 chosen, is young and tender, and the work 
 is great, because he is not to build for man 
 but for the Lord God. According to my 
 whole power I have prepared for the house 
 of my God, gold, silver, brass, and iron, 
 wood, stones of Soom, and stones for filling 
 up, and precious stones of many kinds, and 
 all sorts of precious wood, and a large quan- 
 tity of Parian marble. And besides this, for 
 the pleasure I have taken in the house of 
 my God, the gold and the silver I possess, 
 lo, I have given it for the house of my 
 Lord, to the full ; from such supplies ^ 
 I prepared for the house of the saints, three 
 thousand talents of gold from Suphir, and 
 seven thousand talents of stamped silver, 
 that the houses of God may be overlaid with 
 them by the hands of artificers." For David 
 reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty- 
 three years in Jerusalem ; s so that if it could 
 be shown that the beginning of the prepa- 
 rations forthe temple and of David's collect- 
 ing the necessary material, was in the fifth 
 year of his reign, then, with some forcing, 
 the statement about forty-six years might 
 stand. But some one else will say that the 
 temple spoken of was not that built by 
 Solomon, for that it was destroyed at the 
 period of the captivity, but the temple built 
 at the time of Ezra,* with regard to which 
 the forty-six years can be shown to be quite 
 accurate. But in this Maccabean period 
 things were very unsettled with regard to 
 
 * 2 Sam, vii. 2. ■ r Chron. xxii. 8 ; xxvii. 3. 
 " I Chron. jodx. 1-5. 
 
 * LXX. reads " besides what ; " neither reading yields a good 
 sense. 
 
 ' I Kings a. II. " Eira vi. i. 
 
 the people and the temple, and I do not 
 know if the temple was really built in that 
 number of years. Heracleon pays no at- 
 tention to the history, but says that in that 
 he was forty-six years preparing the temple, 
 Solomon was an image of the Saviour. The 
 number six he connects with matter, that is, 
 the image, and the number forty, which he 
 says is the tetrad, not admitting of combi- 
 nation, he connects with the inspiration and 
 the seed in the inspiration. Consider if the 
 forty cannot be taken as due to the four 
 elements of the world arranged in the build- 
 ing of the temple at the points at issue," 
 and the six to the fact that man was created 
 on the sixth day. 
 
 23. THE TEMPLE SPOKEN OF BY CHRIST IS THE 
 CHURCH. APPLICATION TO THE CHURCH OF 
 THE STATEMENTS REGARDING THE BUILDING 
 
 OF Solomon's temple, and the numbers 
 
 STATED IN THAT NARRATIVE. 
 
 "But He spake of the temple of His 
 body. * When, therefore. He was raised 
 from the dead, His disciples remembered 
 that He said this, and they believed the 
 Scripture and the word which Jesus had 
 said." This refers to the statement that the 
 body of the Son is His temple. It may be 
 asked whether this is to be taken in its plain 
 sense, or whether we should try to connect 
 each statement that is recorded about the 
 temple, with the view we take about the body 
 of Jesus, whether the body which He re- 
 ceived from the Virgin, or that body of 
 Christ which the Church is said to be, as we 
 are said by the Apostle ' to be all members 
 of His body. One may, on the one hand, 
 suppose it to be hopeless to get everything 
 that is said about the temple properly con- 
 nected with the body, in whatever sense 
 the body be taken, and one may have re- 
 course to a simpler explanation, and say 
 that the body (in either of these senses) is 
 called the temple, because as the temple 
 had the glory of God dwelling in it, so He 
 who was the image and glory of God, the 
 first-born of every creature, could rightly be 
 called, in respect of Hisl>ody or the Church, 
 the temple containing the image. We, for 
 our part, see it to be a hard task to expound 
 every particular of what is said about the 
 temple in the third Book of Kings, and far 
 beyond our powers of language, and we 
 defer it in the meantime, as a thing beyond 
 the scale of the present work. We also 
 
 * Reading ^ywrttrjuerois. Another suggested reading is ye^ 
 yuvLia^ievoii;, wtiich might give the sense " at the comers." Neither 
 is satisfactory. 
 
 » John ii. 21. ' I Cor. xii. 27. 
 
404 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 have a strong^ conviction that in such mat- 
 ters, which transcend human nature, it must 
 be the work of divine wisdom to make plain 
 the meaningof inspired Scripture, of thatwis- 
 dom which is hidden in a mystery, which 
 none of the rulers of this world knew. We 
 are well aware, too, that we need the assist- 
 ance of that excellent Spirit of wisdom, in 
 order to understand such matters, as they 
 should be understood by ministers of sacred 
 things ; and in this connection we will at- 
 tempt to describe, as shortly as we may, 
 our view of what belongs to this subject. 
 The body is the Church, and we learn from 
 Peter ' that it is a house of God, built of liv- 
 ing stones, a spiritual house for a holy priest- 
 hood. Thus the son of David, who builds 
 this house, is a type of Christ. He builds 
 it when his wars are at an end,' and a period 
 of profound peace has arrived ; he builds 
 the temple for the glory of God in the Jeru- 
 salem on earth, so that worship may no 
 longer be celebrated in a moveable erection 
 like the tabernacle. Let us seek to find in 
 the Church the truth of each statement made 
 about the temple. If all Christ's enemies 
 are made the footstool of His feet,' and 
 Death, the last enemy, is destroyed, then 
 there will be the most perfect peace. Christ 
 will be Solomon, which means " Peaceful,"'' 
 and the prophecy will find its fulfilment in 
 Him, which says,s " With those who hated 
 peace I was peaceful." And then each of 
 the living stones will be, according to the 
 work of his life here, a stone of that temple, 
 one, at the foundation, an apostle or a pro- 
 phet, bearing those placed upon him, and 
 another, after those in the foundation, and 
 supported by the Apostles, will himself, 
 with the Apostles, help to bear those in more 
 need. One will be a stone of the inmost 
 parts, where the ark is, and the cherubim, 
 and the mercy-seat ; another will be on the 
 outer wall, and another even outside the 
 outer wall of the levites and priests, a stone 
 of the altar of whole burnt oiferings. And 
 the management and service of these things 
 will be entrusted to holy powers, angels of 
 God, being, respectively, lordships, thrones, 
 dominions, or powers ; and there will be 
 others subject to these, typified by three 
 thousand six hundred* chief officers, who 
 were appointed over the works of Solomon, 
 and the seventy thousand of those who 
 bore burdens, and the eighty thousand 
 stone-cutters in the mountain, who wrought 
 in the work, and prepared the stones and 
 
 ' I Pet. ii. 5. " I Kings v. 3-5. 
 
 * I Chroa. xxn. 9. ' Ps. cxx. 7, 
 
 * I Cor. XT. 25. 
 
 • I Kings V. 15-18. 
 
 the wood. It is to be remarked that those 
 reported as bearing burdens are related to 
 the Hebdomad. The quarrymen and stone- 
 cutters, who make the stones fitted for the 
 temple, have some kinship to the ogdoad. 
 And the officers, who are six hundred in 
 number, are connected with the perfect 
 number six multiplied into itself The pre- 
 paration of the stones, as they are taken 
 out and fitted for the building, extends over 
 three years ; this appears to me to point 
 solely to the time of the eternal interval 
 which is akin to the triad. This will come to 
 pass when peace is consummated after the 
 number of years of the transaction of the 
 matters connected with the exodus from 
 Egypt, namely, three hundred and forty, and 
 of what took place in Egypt four hundred 
 and thirty years after the covenant made by 
 God with Abraham. Thus, from Abraham to 
 the beginning of the building of the templ^ 
 there are two sabbatic numbers, the 700 and 
 the 70 ; and at that time, too, our King Christ 
 will command the seventy thousand burden- 
 bearers not to take any chance stones for the 
 foundation of the temple, but great stones, 
 precious, unhewn, that they may be hewn, 
 not by any chance workmen, but by the 
 sons of Solomon ; for so we find it written 
 in the third Book of Kings. Then, too, on 
 account of the profound peace, Hiram, king 
 of Tyre, co-operates in the building of the 
 temple, and gives his own sons to the sons 
 of Solomon, to hew, in company with them, 
 the great and precious stones for the holy 
 place, which, in the fourth year, are placed 
 in the foundation of the house of the Lord. 
 But in an ogdoad of years the house is fin- 
 ished in the eighth month of the eighth year 
 after its foundation. 
 
 24. THE ACCOUNT OF THE BUILDING OF SOLOMOn's 
 TEMPLE CONTAINS SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES 
 AND IS TO BE INTERPRETED SPIRITUALLY. 
 
 For the sake of those, however, who con- 
 sider that nothing further than the narrative 
 itself is meant to be indicated in these words, 
 it may not be unfitting to introduce at this 
 point some considerations which they can 
 scarcely withstand, to show that the words 
 ought to be regarded as those of the Spirit, 
 and that the mind of the Spirit should be 
 sought for in them. Did the sons of the 
 kings really spend their time in hewing the 
 great and precious stones, and practise a 
 craft so little in keeping with royal birth ? 
 And the number of the burden-bearers and 
 of the stone-cutters and of the officers, the 
 duration, too, of the period of preparing the 
 stones and marking them, is all this recorded 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 405 
 
 as it really was ? The holy house, too, was 
 got ready in peace and was to be built for 
 God without hammer or axe or any iron 
 tool, that there might be no disturbance in 
 the house of God. And again I would ask 
 those who are in bondage to the letter how 
 it is possible that there should be eighty 
 thouand stone-cutters and that the house of 
 God should be built out of hard white stones 
 without the noise of hammer or axe or any 
 iron tool being heard in His house while the 
 building was going on ? Is it not living 
 stones that are hewn without any noise or 
 tumult somewhere outside the temple, so 
 that they are brought ready prepared to the 
 place which awaits them in the building? 
 And there is some sort of an ascent about 
 the temple of God, not with angles, but with 
 bends of straight lines. For it is written, ' 
 " And there was a winding staircase to the 
 middle, and from the middle to the third 
 floor;'" for the staircase in the house of God 
 had to be spiral, thus imitating in its ascent 
 the circle, which is the most perfect figure. 
 But that this house might be secure, five 
 ties are built in it,^ as fair as possible, a 
 cubit high, that on looking up one might see 
 it to be suggested how we rise from sensible 
 things to the so-called divine perceptions, 
 and so be brought to perceive those things 
 which are seen only by the mind. But the 
 place of the happier stones appears to be 
 that called Dabir,3 where the ark of the 
 covenant of the Lord was, and, as I may say, 
 the handwriting of God, the tables written 
 with His own finger. And the whole house 
 is overlaid with gold ; "the whole house," 
 we read,* " he overlaid with gold until all the 
 house was finished." But there were two 
 cherubim in Dabir, a word which the trans- 
 lators of the Hebrew Bible into Greek failed 
 to render satisfactorily. Some, failing to do 
 justice to the language, render it the tem- 
 ple ; but it is more sacred than the temple. 
 Now everything about the house was made 
 golden, for a sign that the mind which is 
 quite made perfect estimates accurately the 
 things perceived by the intellect. But it is 
 not given to all to approach and know 
 them ; and hence the veil of the court is 
 erected, since to most of the priests and 
 levites the things in the inmost part of the 
 temple are not revealed. 
 
 25. FURTHER SPIRITUALIZING OF SOLOMONS 
 TEMPLE-BUILDING. 
 
 It is worth while to enquire how, on the 
 
 » I Kings vi. 8. . ,, , ,, 
 
 " I Kings VI. j6, 19, the oracle." 
 
 ' I Kings vi. lo. 
 * X Kings vi. 21. 
 
 one hand, Solomon the king is said to have 
 built the temple, and on the other the master- 
 builder whom Solomon sent and fetched," 
 " Hiram of Tyre, the son of a woman who 
 was a widow ; and he was of the tribe of 
 Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a 
 worker in brass, and tilled with wisdom and 
 understanding, to work all works in brass ; 
 and he was brought in to King Solomon and 
 wrought all his works." Here I ask whether 
 Solomon can be taken for the first-born of 
 all creation,^ and Hiram for the man whom 
 he assumed, from the constraint of men — for 
 the wordTyrians means " constrainers " — the 
 man who derived his birth from nature, and 
 being filled with all manner of art and wis- 
 dom and understanding, was brought in to 
 co-operate with the first-born of all creation, 
 and to build the temple. In this temple 
 there are also windows, ^ placed obliquely 
 and out of sight, so that the illumination of 
 the divine light may enter for salvation, and 
 — why should I go into particulars ? — that 
 the body of Christ, the Church, may be 
 found having the plan of the spiritual house 
 and temple of God. As I said before, we 
 require that wisdom which is hidden in a 
 mystery, and which he alone can ap- 
 prehend who is able to say, "But we have 
 the mind of Christ," — we require that wisdom 
 to interpret spiritually each detail of vv^hat 
 is said in accordance with the will of Him 
 who caused it to be written. To enter into 
 these details is not in accordance with our 
 present subject. What has been said may 
 suffice to let us understand how " He spake 
 about the temple of His body." 
 
 26. THE PROMISES ADDRESSED TO JERUSALEM IX 
 THE PROPHETS REFER TO THE CHURCH, 
 AND ARE STILL TO BE FULFILLED. 
 
 After all this it is proper to ask whether 
 what is narrated as having taken place about 
 the temple has ever taken place or ever will 
 take place about the spiritual house. The 
 argument may seem to pinch in whichever 
 way we take it. If we say that it is possible 
 that something like what is told about the 
 temple may take place with regard to the 
 spiritual house, or has already taken place 
 in it, then those who hear us will, with dif- 
 ficulty, be brought to admit that a change 
 can take place in such good things as these, 
 firstly, because they do not wish it, and 
 secondly, because of the incongruity of 
 thinking that such things admit of change. 
 If, on the other hand, we seek to maintain 
 the unchangeableness of the good things once 
 
 » I Kings vii. 13. > Coloss. i. 15. ' i Kings vi. 4. 
 
4o6 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 given to the saints, then we cannot apply to 
 them what we find in the history, and we 
 shall seem to be doing what those of the 
 heresies do, who fail to maintain the unity 
 of the narrative of Scripture from beginning; 
 to end. If we are not to take the view 
 proper to old wives or Jews, of the promises 
 recorded in the prophets, and especially in 
 Isaiah, if, that is to say, we are to look for 
 their fulfilment in connection with the Jeru- 
 salem on earth, then, as certain remarkable 
 things connected with the building of the 
 temple and the restoration of the people from 
 the captivity are spoken of as happening after 
 the captivity and the 'destruction of the tem- 
 ple, we must say that we are now the temple 
 and the people -which was carried captive, 
 but is to come up again to Judaea and Jeru- 
 salem, and to be built with the precious 
 stones of Jerusalem. But I cannot tell if it 
 be possible that, at the revolution of long 
 periods of time, things of the same nature 
 should take place again, but in a worse way. 
 The prophecies of Isaiah which we men- 
 tioned are the following : ' " Behold I pre- 
 pare for thy stone carbuncle and for thy 
 foundation sapphire ; and I will make thy 
 battlements jasper, and thy gates stones of 
 crystal, and thy outer wall choice stones ; 
 and all thy sons shall be taught of the Lord, 
 and in great peace shall thy children be, and 
 in righteousness shalt thou be built." And 
 a little further on, to the same Jerusalem : ^ 
 "And the glory of Lebanon shall come to 
 thee with cypress,, and pine, and cedar, 
 along with those who will glorify My holy 
 place. And the sons of them that humbled 
 thee and insulted thee shall come to thee in 
 fear ; and thou shalt be called the city of the 
 Lord, Sion of holy Israel, because thou wert 
 desolate and hated, and there was none to 
 help thee. _ And I will make thee an eternal 
 delight, a joy of generations of generations. 
 And thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles 
 and shalt eat the riches of kings, and thou 
 shalt know that I am the Lord that saveth 
 thee and the God of Israel that chooseth 
 thee. And instead of brass I will bring thee 
 gold, and instead of iron I will bring thee 
 silver, and for wood I will bring thee brass, 
 and for stones iron. And I will establish 
 thy rulers in peace and thy overseers in 
 righteousness. And wickedness shall no 
 more be heard in thy land, nor affliction and 
 distress in thy borders, but thy walls shall 
 be called salvation and thy gates sculpture. 
 And the sun shall no longer be to thee for 
 light by day, nor shall the rising of the moon 
 
 ^Isa.liT. 11-14. 
 
 ' Isa, Ix. 13-20. 
 
 give light to thee by night, but Christ shall 
 be to thee an everlasting light and thy God 
 thy glory. For thy sun shall no more go 
 down, and thy moon shall not fail, for thy 
 Lord shall be to thee an everlasting light, 
 and the days of thy mourning shall be ful- 
 filled." These prophecies clearly refer to 
 the age still to come, and they are addressed 
 to the children of Israel in their captivity, to 
 whom He was sent and came, who said, "I 
 am not sent but to the lost sheep of the 
 house of Israel. " ' Such things, though they 
 are captives, they are to receive in their own 
 land ; and proselytes also are to come to 
 them at that time through Christ, and are 
 to fly to them, according to the saying,' 
 "Behold, proselytes shall come to thee 
 through Me, and shall flee to thee for rer 
 fuge." And if all this is to take place with 
 the captives, then it is plain that they must 
 be about their temple, and that they must 
 go up there again to be built up, having be- 
 come the most precious of stones. For we 
 find with John in his Apocalyse, 3 the promise 
 made to him that overcomes, that he will be 
 a pillar in the temple of God, and will go no 
 more out. All this I have said with a view 
 to our obtaining a cursory view at least of 
 the matters pertaining to the temple, and 
 the house of God, and the Church and Jerusa- 
 lem, which we cannot now take up system- 
 atically. Those, however, who, in their 
 reading of the prophets, do not shrink from 
 the labour of seeking after their spiritual 
 meaning, must enquire into these matters 
 with the greatest particularity, and must 
 take account of every possibility. So far of 
 " the temple of His body." 
 
 27. OF THE BELIEF THE DISCIPLES AFTERWARDS 
 ATTAINED IN THE WORDS OF JESUS. 
 
 "When He was raised from the dead,* 
 His disciples remembered that He spake this, 
 and they beheved the Scripture and the 
 word which Jesus had said." This tells us 
 that after Jesus' resurrection from the dead 
 His disciples saw that what He had said 
 about the temple had a higher application to 
 His passion and His resurrection ; they 
 remembered that the words, "In three days 
 I will raise it up," pointed to the resurrec- 
 tion ; " And they believed the Scripture and 
 the word which Jesus had said. " We are not 
 told that they believed the Scripture or 
 the word which Jesus said, before. For 
 faith in its full sense is the act of him who 
 accepts with his whole soul what is pro- 
 
 * Matt. XV. 24. 
 ' Apoc. iii. 12. 
 
 * Isa. liv. 15. 
 
 * John :i. 2a. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 407 
 
 fessed at baptism. As for the higher sense, 
 as we have already spoken of the resur- 
 rection from the dead of the whole 
 body of the Lord, we have now to note 
 that the disciples were put in mind 
 by the fulfilment of the Scripture which 
 when they were in life they had not 
 fully understood ; its meaning was now 
 brought under their eyes and made quite 
 clear to them, and they knew of what hea- 
 venly things it was the pattern and shadow. 
 Then they believed the Scripture who for- 
 merly did not believe it, and believed the 
 word of Jesus which, as the speaker means to 
 convey, they had not believed before the 
 resurrection. For how can any one be said 
 in the full sense to believe the Scripture 
 when he does not see in it the mind of the 
 Holy Spirit, which God would have us to 
 believe rather than the literal meaning? 
 From this point of view we must say that 
 none of those who walk according to the 
 flesh believe the spiritual things of the law, 
 of the very beginnings of which they have no 
 conception. But, they say, those are more 
 blessed who have not seen and yet believe, 
 than those who have seen and have believed, 
 and for this they quote the saying to 
 Thomas at the end of the Gospel of John, ' 
 " Blessed are they that have not seen and 
 yet have believed." But it is not said here 
 that those who have not seen and yet have 
 believed are more blessed than those who 
 have seen and believed. According to 
 their view those after the Apostles are more 
 blessed than the Apostles ; than which 
 nothing can be more foolish. He who is to 
 be blessed must see in his mind the things 
 which he believes, and must be able with 
 the Apostles to hear the words spoken to 
 him, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, 
 and your ears, for they hear," ^ and "Many 
 prophets and righteous men have desired to 
 see the things which ye see. and have not 
 seen them, and to hear the things which ye 
 hear, and have not heard them." Yet he may 
 be content who only receives the inferior 
 beatitude, which says : 3 "Blessed are they 
 who have not seen and yet have believed." 
 But how much more blessed are those eyes 
 which Jesus calls blessed for the things 
 which they have seen, than those which 
 have not attained to such a vision ; Simeon 
 is content to take into his arms the salva- 
 tion of God, and after seeing it, he says,-* 
 " Now, O Lord, lettest Thou Thy servant 
 depart in peace, according to Thy word ; for 
 
 * XX. zg. 
 
 • John XI. 29. 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. i6. 
 * Luke u. 29, 30. 
 
 mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." We 
 must strive, therefore; as Solomon says, to 
 open our eyes that we may be satisfied 
 with bread; "Open thine eyes," he says, 
 "and be satisfied with bread." What I have 
 said on the text, "They believe the Scrip- 
 ture and the word which Jesus had said 
 unto them," may lead us to understand, 
 after discussing the subject of faith, that the 
 perfection of our faith will be given us at the 
 great resurrection from the dead of the whole 
 body of Jesus which is His Holy Church. 
 For what is said about knowledge, "Now 
 I know in part," " that, I think, may be said 
 in the same way of every other good ; and 
 one of these others is faith. " Now I be- 
 lieve in part," we may say, "but when 
 that which is perfect is come, then the faith 
 which is in part will be done away." As 
 with knowledge, so with faith, that which is 
 through sight is far better, if I may say so, 
 than that which is through a glass and in 
 an enigma. 
 
 28. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BELIEVING IN 
 THE NAME OF JESUS AND BELIEVING IN 
 JESUS HIMSELF. 
 
 " Now, when He was in Jerusalem at the 
 passover, during the feast, many believed 
 in His name, beholding His signs which He 
 did. But He, Jesus, did not trust Himself to 
 them, because He knew all (men) and be- 
 cause He needed not that any should testify 
 of man, for he Himself knew what was in 
 man."^ One might ask how Jesus did not 
 Himself believe in those of whom we 
 are told that they believed. To this 
 we must say it was not those who believed 
 in Him that Jesus did not trust, but those 
 who believed in His name ; for believing in 
 His name is a different thing from believ- 
 ing in Him. He who will not be judged 
 because of his faith is exempted from the 
 judgment, not for believing in His name, but 
 for believing in Him; for the Lord says,' 
 "He that believeth in Me is not judged," 
 not, " He who believes in My name is not 
 judged;" the latter believes, and hence he 
 is not worthy to be condemned already, 
 but he is inferior to the other who believes 
 in Him. Hence it is that Jesus does not trust 
 Himself to him who believes in His name. 
 We must, therefore, cleave to Him rather 
 than to His name, lest after we have 
 done wonders in His name, we should hear 
 these words addressed to us which He will 
 speak to those who boast of His name 
 alone.* With the Apostle Paul 5 let us seek 
 
 1 I Cor. xiii. 12. 
 * Matt. vii. 21-23. 
 
 ' u. 23-25. 
 
 ' Philipp. iv. 13. 
 
 3 Joiin iii. 18. 
 
408 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON JOHN. 
 
 joyfully to say, "I can do all things in 
 Christ Jesus strengthening me." We have 
 also to notice that in a former passage' the 
 Evangelist calls the passover that of the 
 Jews, while here he does not say that Jesus 
 was at the passover of the Jews, but at the 
 passover at Jerusalem ; and in the former 
 case when the passover is called that of the 
 Jews, it is not said to be a feast ; but here 
 Jesus is recorded to have been at the feast ; 
 when at Jerusalem He was at the passover 
 during the feast, and many believed, even 
 though only in His name. We ought to 
 notice certainly that "many" are said to 
 believe, not in Him, but in His name. 
 Now, those who believe in Him are those 
 who walk in the straight and narrow way,* 
 which leads to life, and which is found by 
 few. It may well be, however, that many 
 of those who believe in His name will sit 
 down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob 
 in the kingdom of heaven, the Father's 
 house, in which are many mansions. And 
 it is to be noted that the many who believe 
 in His name do not believe in the same 
 way as Andrew does, and Peter, and 
 Nathanael, and Philip. These believe the 
 testimony of John when he says, "Behold 
 the Lamb of God," or they believe in Christ 
 as found by Andrew, or Jesus saying to 
 Philip, "Follow Me," or Philip saying, 
 " We have found Him of whom Moses and 
 the prophets did write, Jesus the Son of 
 Joseph from Nazareth." Those, on the 
 other hand, of whom we now speak, "be- 
 lieved in His name, beholding His signs 
 which Fie did." And as they believe the 
 signs and not in Him but in His name, 
 Jesus "did not trust Himself to them, be- 
 cause He knew all men, and needed not 
 that any should testify of man, because He 
 knew what is in every man." 
 
 29. ABOUT WHAT BEINGS JE.SUS NEEDED TESTI- 
 MONY. 
 
 The words, "He needed not that any 
 should testify of man," may fitly be used to 
 show that the Son of God is able of Him- 
 self to see the truth about each man and is 
 in no need of such testimony as any other 
 could supply. The words, however, "He 
 had no need that any should testify of man," 
 are not equivalent to "He had no need of 
 testimony about any being." If we take 
 the word "man" to include every being 
 who is according to the image of God, or 
 every reasonable creature, then He will 
 have no need that any should testify to Him 
 
 * John ii. 13. 
 
 * Matt. vii. 14. 
 
 of any reasonable being whatever, since He 
 Himself, by the power given Him by the 
 Father, knows them all. But if the term 
 "man'' be restricted to mortal animated 
 reasonable beings, then it might be said, on 
 the one hand, that He had need of testimony 
 respecting the beings above man, and while 
 His knowledge was adequate with regard 
 to man it did not extend to those other be- 
 ings. On the other hand, however, it might 
 be said that He who humbled Himself had 
 no need that any should testify to Him con- 
 cerning man, but that He had such need in 
 respect of beings higher than men. 
 
 30. HOW JESUS KNEW THE POWERS, BETTER OR 
 WORSE, WHICH RESIDE IN MAN. 
 
 It may also be asked what signs those 
 many saw Him do who believed on Him, 
 for it is not recorded that He did any signs 
 at Jerusalem, though some may have been 
 done which are not recorded. One may, 
 however, consider if what He did may be 
 called signs, when He made a scourge of 
 small cords, and cast them all out of the 
 temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and 
 poured out the changers' money, and over- 
 threw the tables. As for those who suppose 
 that it was only about men that He had no 
 need of witnesses, it has to be said that the 
 Evangelist attributes to Him two things, 
 that He knew all beings, and that He had 
 no need that any one should testify of man. 
 If He knew all beings, then He knew not 
 only men but the beings above men, all 
 beings who are without such bodies as ours ; 
 and He knew what was in man, since He 
 was greater than those who reproved and 
 judged by prophesying, and who brought 
 to the light the secret things of the hearts of 
 those whom the Spirit suggested to them to 
 be thus dealt with. The words, " He knew 
 what was in man," could also be taken as 
 referring to the powers, better or worse, 
 which work in men. For if any one gives 
 place to the devil, Satan enters into him ;. 
 thus did Judas give place, and thus did the 
 devil put it in his heart to betray Jesus, and 
 " after the sop," therefore, " the devil entered 
 into him."' But if any one gives place to 
 God, he becomes blessed ; for blessed is 
 the man whose help is from God, and the 
 ascent is in his heart from God.' Thou 
 knowest what is in man. Thou whoknowest 
 all things, O Son of God. And now that 
 our tenth book has come to be large enough 
 we will here pause in our theme. 
 
 * John xiii. 3-37. 
 
 » P«. IxHiv. 5. 
 
/^.«^' a .^/<r 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN PATRICK, D.D. 
 
COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 According to Eusebius (H. E. vi. 36) the Commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew were 
 written about the same time as the Contra Celsicm, when Origen was over sixty years of age and 
 may therefore be probably assigned to the period 246-248. This statement i$; confirmed by 
 internal evidence. In the portion here translated, books x.-xiv., he passes by the verses Matt, 
 xviii. 12, 13, and refers for the exposition of them to his Homilies on Luke (book xiii. 29). Else- 
 where, he refers his readers for a fuller discussion on certain points to'his Cbrnmentaries 
 on John (book xvi. 20), and on Romans (book xvii. 32). Of the twenty-five books into which 
 the work was divided, the first nine, with the exception of two fragments, are lost ; books x.-xvii., 
 covering the portion from Matt. xiii. 36 to xxii. 33, are extant in the Greek, and the greater 
 part of the remaining books survives in a Latin version, which is co-extensive with the Greek 
 from book xii. 9 to book xvii. 36, and contains further the exposition 'from Matt. xxii. 34 
 toxxvii. 66. The passages in Cramer's Ca/^«« do not seem to be taken from the Commen- 
 taries. Of the numerous quotations from Matthew only one (Matt. xxi. 35) can be definitely 
 traced to this section of the writings of Origen ; and as this differs greatly from ^our present 
 text, and is moreover purely narrative, it is probably taken like the others either from the 
 '&^Q\\-a. {commaticum mferprefafwm's genus), or from the Homilies to which" referdhce is made 
 by Jerome (Frol. in Matt. I. iv). The majority of them may be ascribed to the Scholia. 
 
 In addition to the MSS. already referred to (p. 294) the old Latin version is often useful 
 for determining the text, though it contains some interpolations and has many omissions. The 
 omissions (cf. book xiii. 28, book xiv. i, 3, book xiv. 19-22) are not due to any dogmatic bias, 
 but have been made by the translator or some subsequent transcriber on the ground that the 
 passages were uninteresting or unimportant. The version is otherwise for the most part 
 literal, and has in some cases preserved the correct reading, though it often fails just whenit 
 would have been of most service. For an estimate of the work and method of Origen as an 
 exegete, see pp. 291—294; and for a fuller statement on some of the points here touched upon, 
 see Westcott's article on Origen in Smith's Dictionary of Christian Biography (vol. iv.). 
 
 411 
 
FROM THE FIRST BOOK OF THE COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW.' 
 
 Concerning the four Gospels which alone are uncontroverted in the Church of God under 
 heaven, I have learned by tradition that the Gospel according to Matthew, who was at one 
 time a publican and afterwards an Apostle of Jesus Christ, was written first ; and that he com- 
 posed it in the Hebrew tongue and published it for the converts from Judaism. The second 
 written was that according to Mark, who wrote it according to the instruction of Peter, who, 
 in his General Epistle, acknowledged him as a son, saying, " The church that is in Babylon, 
 elect together with you, saluteth j'ou ; and so doth Mark my son." ^ And third, was that accord- 
 ing to Luke, the Gospel commended by 3 Paul, which he composed for the converts from the 
 Gentiles. Last of all, that according to John. 
 
 ^ This fragment is found in Eusebius, H, ^, vi. 25. ' i Pet. v, 13. ' Ort who is commended by PauJ. 
 
 412 
 
FROM THE SECOND BOOK OF THE COMMENTARY 
 ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. 
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 THE UNITY AND HARMONY OF SCRIPTURE. 
 
 " Blessed are the peacemakers. . . ."^ To 
 the man who is a peacemaker in either sense 
 there is in the Divine oracles nothing 
 crooked or perverse, for they are all plain to 
 those who understand.' And because to 
 such an one there is nothing crooked or 
 perverse, he sees therefore abundance of 
 peace ■• in all the Scriptures, even in those 
 which seem to be at conflict, and in contra- 
 diction with one another. And likewise he 
 becomes a third peacemaker as he demon- 
 strates that that which appears to others to 
 be a conflict in the Scriptures is no conflict, 
 andexhibits their concordand peace, whether 
 of the Old Scriptures with the New, or of the 
 Law with the Prophets, or of the Gospels 
 with the Apostolic Scriptures, or of the 
 Apostolic Scriptures with each other. For, 
 also, according to the Preacher, all the 
 Scriptures are " words of the wise like goads, 
 and as nails firmly fixed which were given 
 by agreement from one shepherd ; " s and 
 there is nothing superfluous in them. But 
 the Word is the one Shepherd of things 
 rational which may have an appearance of 
 discord to those who have not ears to hear, 
 but are truly at perfect concord. For as the 
 different chords of the psalter or the lyre, 
 each of which gives forth a certain sound 
 of its own which seems unlike the sound of 
 another chord, are thought by a man who is 
 not musical and ignorant of the principle 
 
 ^ This fragment, which is preserved in the Philocalia^ c. vi., is all 
 that is extant of Book II. 
 * Matt. V. 9. ' Prov. viii. 8, 9. 
 
 ♦Ps. lKii.7 »Ecciii. n. 
 
 of musical harmony, to be inharmonious, 
 because of the dissimilarity of the sounds, 
 so those who are not skilled in hearing the 
 harmony of God in the sacred Scriptures 
 think that the Old is not in harmony with 
 the New, or the Prophets with the Law, or 
 the Gospels with one another, or the Apostle 
 with the Gospel, or with himself, or with 
 the other Apostles. But he who comes 
 instructed in the music of God, being a 
 man wise in word and deed, and, on this 
 account, like another David — which is, 
 by interpretation, skilful with the hand — 
 will bring out the sound of the music of 
 God, having learned from this at the right 
 time to strike the chords, now the chords 
 of the Law, now the Gospel chords in har- 
 mony with them, and again the Prophetic 
 chords, and, when reason demands it, the 
 Apostolic chords which are in harmony with 
 the Prophetic, and likewise the Apostolic 
 with those of the Gospels. For he knows 
 that all the Scripture is the one perfect and 
 harmonised' instrument of God, which from 
 different sounds gives forth one saving voice 
 to those willing to learn, which stops and 
 restrains every working of an evil spirit, 
 just as the music of David laid to rest the 
 evil spirit in Saul, which also was choking 
 him.^ You see, th^n, that he is in the third 
 place a peacemaker, who sees in accordance 
 with the Scripture the peace of it all, and 
 implants this peace in those who rightly 
 seek and make nice distinctions in a genuine 
 spirit. 
 
 • Or, fitted, 
 
 * t Sam. xvi. 14. 
 
414 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 BOOK X. 
 
 I. THE PARABLE OF THE TARES : THE 
 HOUSE OF JESUS. 
 
 ' ' TTien He left the multitudes and went 
 into His house, and His disciples came unto 
 Him saying, Declare to us the parable of the 
 tares of the field." ' When Jesus then is with 
 the multitudes, He is not in His house, for 
 the multitudes are outside of the house, and 
 it is an act which springs from His love of 
 men to leave the house and to go awaj' to 
 those who are not able to come to Him. 
 Now, having discoursed sufficiently to the 
 multitudes in parables, He sends them 
 away and goes to His own house, where 
 His disciples, who did not abide with those 
 whom He had sent away, come to Him. 
 And as many as are more genuine hearers 
 of Jesus first follow Him, then having in- 
 quired about His abode, are permitted to 
 see it, and, having come, see and abide with 
 Him, all for that day, and perhaps some of 
 them even longer. And, in my opinion, 
 such things are indicated in the Gospel ac- 
 cording to John in these words, "On the 
 morrow again John was standing and two 
 of his disciples."^ And in order to explain 
 the fact that of those who were permitted 
 to go with Jesus and see His abode, the one 
 who was more eminent becomes also an 
 Apostle, these words are added : "One of 
 the two that heard John speak and followed 
 him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. "3 
 And if then, unlike the multitudes whom 
 He sends away, we wish to hear Jesus and 
 go to the house and receive something 
 better than the multitudes, let us become 
 friends of Jesus, so that as His disciples we 
 may come to Him when He goes into the 
 house, and having come may inquire about 
 the explanation of the parable, whether of 
 the tares of the field, or of any other. And 
 in order that it may be more accurately 
 understood what is represented by the house 
 of Jesus, let some one collect from the Gos- 
 pels whatsoever things are spoken about 
 the house of Jesus, and what things were 
 spoken or done by Him in it ; for all the 
 passages collected together will convince 
 any one who applies himself to this reading 
 that the letters of the Gospel are not abso- 
 lutely simple as some suppose, but have 
 
 ' Matt. xiji. 36. 
 
 ' John i. 35. 
 
 " John i. 40. 
 
 become simple to the simple by a divine 
 concession ; ' but for those who have the 
 will and the power to hear them more 
 acutely there are concealed things wise and 
 worthy of the Word of God. 
 
 2. EXPOSITION or THE PARABLE. 
 
 "After these things He answered and 
 said to them. He that soweih the good seed 
 is the Son of man." ^ Though we have 
 already, in previous sections, according to 
 our ability discussed these matters, none 
 the less shall we now say what is in har- 
 mony with them, even if there is reasonable 
 ground for another explanation. And con- 
 sider now, if in addition to what we have 
 already recounted, you can otherwise take 
 the good seed to be the children of the 
 kingdom, because whatsoever good things 
 are sown in the human soul, these are the 
 offspring of the kingdom of God and have 
 been sown by God the Word who was in 
 the beginning with God, 3 so that wholesome 
 words about anything are children of the 
 kingdom. But while men are asleep who 
 do not act according to the command of 
 Jesus, "Watch and pray that ye enter not into 
 temptation," 4 the devil on the watch sows 
 what are called tares — that is, evil opinions 
 — over and among what are called by some 
 natural conceptions, even the good seeds 
 which are from the Word. And according 
 to this the whole world might be called a 
 field, and not the Church of God only, for 
 in the whole world the Son of man sowed 
 the good seed, but the wicked one tares, — 
 that is, evil words, — which, springing from 
 wickedness, are children of the evil one. 
 And at the end of things, which is called " the 
 consummation of the age,"s there will of 
 necessity be a harvest, in order that the 
 angels of God who have been appointed for 
 this work may gather up the bad opinions 
 that have grown upon the soul, and over- 
 turning them may give them over to fire 
 which is said to burn, that they may be 
 consumed. And so the angels and ser- 
 vants of the Word will gather from all the 
 kingdom of Christ all things that cause a 
 
 * Or, by a dispensation. ' Matt. xiii. 37. 
 
 ' John I. 2. * Matt. xxvi. 41. 
 
 ^ Matt. Tiii. 39. Or, reading a^ KaXeWai. for h, and at the end of 
 things, there will of necessity be a harvest, which is called the 
 consummation of the age. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 415 
 
 stumbling-block to souls and reasonings that 
 create iniquity, which they will scatter and 
 cast into the burning furnace of fire. Then 
 those who become conscious that they have 
 received the seeds of the evil one in them- 
 selves, because of their having been asleep, 
 shall wail and, as it were, be angry against 
 themselves; for this is the "gnashing of 
 teeth."' Wherefore, also, in the Psalms it 
 is said, " They gnashed upon me with their 
 teeth. " ' Then above all ' ' shall the righteous 
 shine," no longer differently as at the first, 
 but all " as one sun in thekingdom of their Fa- 
 ther. " 3 Then, as if to indicate that there was 
 indeed a hidden meaning, perhaps, in all that 
 is concerned with the explanation of the para- 
 ble, perhaps most ofall in the saying, "Then 
 shall the righteous shine as the sun in the 
 kingdom of their Father, " the Saviour adds, 
 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," + 
 thereby teaching those who think that in the 
 exposition, the parable has been set forth 
 with such perfect clearness that it can be 
 understood by the vulgar, 5 that even the 
 things connected with the interpretation of 
 the parable stand in need of explanation. 
 
 3. THE SHINING OF THE RIGHTEOUS. ITS IN- 
 TERPRETATION. 
 
 But as we said above in reference to the 
 words, "Then shall the righteous shine as 
 the sun," that the righteous will shine not 
 differently as formerly, but as one sun, we 
 will, of necessity, set forth what appears to 
 us on the point. Daniel, knowing that the 
 intelligent are the light of the world, and 
 that the multitudes of the righteous differ in 
 glory, seems to have said this, "And the 
 intelligent shall shine as the brightness of 
 the firmament, and from among the multi- 
 tudes of the righteous as the stars for ever 
 and ever."* And in the passage, "There 
 is one glory of the sun, and another glory 
 of the moon, and another glory of the stars : 
 for one star differeth from another star in 
 glory : so also is the resurrection of the 
 dead, "7 the Apostle says the same thing 
 as Daniel, taking this thought from his pro- 
 phecy. Some one may inquire how some 
 speak about the difference of light among 
 the righteous, while the Saviour on the con- 
 trary says, " They shall shine as one sun." 
 I think, then, that at the beginning of the 
 blessedness enjoyed by those who are be- 
 ing saved (because those who are not such 
 are not yet purified), the difference con- 
 nected with the light of the saved takes 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 42. 
 * Matt. xiii. 43. 
 ^ J Cor. XV. 41, 42. 
 
 ' Ps. XXXV. 16. 
 
 ° Or, in little details. 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 43. 
 * Dan. xii. 3. 
 
 place : but when, as we have indicated, 
 he gathers from the whole kingdom of Christ 
 all things that make men stumble, and the 
 reasonings that work iniquity are cast into 
 the furnace of fire, and the worse elements 
 utterly consumed, and, when this takes 
 place, those who received the words which 
 are the children of the evil one come to self- 
 consciousness, then shall the righteous hav- 
 ing become one light of the sun shine in the 
 kingdom of their Father. For whom will 
 they shine? For those below them who 
 will enjoy their light, after the analogy of 
 the sun which now shines for those upon 
 the earth? For, of course, they will not 
 shine for themselves. But perhaps the say- 
 ing, " Let your light shine before men," ■ can 
 be written " upon the table of the heart," " 
 according to what is said by Solomon, in a 
 threefold way ; so that even now the light 
 of the disciples of Jesus shines before the 
 rest of men, and after death before the resur- 
 rection, and after the resurrection "until all 
 shall attain unto a full-grown man," ' and 
 all become one sun. Then shall they shine 
 as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 
 
 4. CONCERNING THE PARABLE OF THE TREASURE 
 HIDDEN IN THE FIELD. THE PARABLE DIS- 
 TINGUISHED FROM THE SIMILITUDE. 
 
 "Again (he kingdom of heaven is like 
 unto a treasure hidden in the field, which a 
 man/ound and hid." ^ The former parables 
 He spoke to the multitudes ; but this and the 
 two which follow it, which are not parables 
 but similitudes in relation to the kingdom 
 of heaven. He seems to have spoken to the 
 disciples when in the house. In regard to 
 this and the next two, let him who " gives 
 heed to reading " s inquire whether they are 
 parables at all. In the case of the latter the 
 Scripture does not hesitate to attach in each 
 case the name of parable ; but in the pre- 
 sent case it has not done so ; and that 
 naturally. For if He spoke to the multitudes 
 in parables, and "spake all these things 
 in parables, and without a parable spake 
 n othing to them, " * but on going to the house 
 He discourses not to the multitudes but to 
 the disciples who came to Him there, mani- 
 festly the things spoken in the house were 
 not parables : for, to them that are without, 
 even to those to whom "it is not given to 
 know the mysteries of the kingdom of 
 heaven," ^ He speaks in parables. Some one 
 will then say. If they are not really parables, 
 
 1 Matt. V. 16. 
 
 ' Prov. vii. 3. Or, on the breadth of the heart. 
 
 ' Eph. iv. 13. * Matt. xiii. 44. ' i Tim. iv. 13. 
 
 *^ ^Kitt. xiii. 34. ' Matt. xiii. 11. 
 
4i6 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 what are they ? Shall we then say in keeping 
 with the diction of the Scripture that they are 
 similitudes (comparisons) ? Now a simili- 
 tude differs from a parable ; for it is written in 
 Mark, " To what shall we compare the king- 
 dom of God, or in what parable shall we set 
 it forth ? " ■ From this it is plain that there is 
 a difference between a similitude and a par- 
 able. The similitude seems to be generic, 
 and the parable specific. And perhaps also 
 as the similitude, which is the highest genus 
 of the parable, contains the parable as one 
 of its species, so it contains that particular 
 form of similitude which has the same name 
 as the genus. This is the case with other 
 words as those skilled in the giving of many 
 names have observed ; who say that "im- 
 pulse " ' is the highest genus of many species, 
 as.forexample, of "disinclination "3 and"m- 
 clination," and say that, in the case of the 
 species which has the same name as the 
 genus, "inclination" is taken in opposition 
 to and in distinction from " disinclination." 
 
 5. THE FIELD AND THE TREASURE INTERPRETED. 
 
 And here we must inquire separately as 
 to the field, and separately as to the treasure 
 hidden in it, and in what way the man who 
 has found this hidden treasure goes away 
 with joy and sells all that he has in order 
 to buy that field ; and we must also inquire 
 — what are the things which he sells. The 
 field, indeed, seems to me according to 
 these things to be the Scripture, which was 
 planted with what is manifest in the words 
 of the history, and the law, and the pro- 
 phets, and the rest of the thoughts ; for 
 great and varied is the planting of the 
 words in the whole Scripture ; but the trea- 
 sure hidden in the field is the thoughts con- 
 cealed and lying under that which is mani- 
 fest, "of wisdom hidden in a mystery," 
 "even Christ, in whom are all the trea- 
 sures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. "■» 
 But another might say that the field is that 
 which is verily full, which the Lord blessed, 
 the Christ of God ; but the treasure hidden 
 in it is the things said to have been " hidden 
 in Christ" by Paul, who says about Christ, 
 "in whom are the treasures of wisdom and 
 knowledge hidden." The heavenly things, 
 therefore, even the kingdom of heaven, as 
 in a figure it is written in the Scriptures,— 
 which are the kingdom of heaven, or Christ— 
 Himself the king of the ages, are the king- 
 dom of heaven which is likened to a trea- 
 sure hidden in the field. 
 
 * Mark iv. 30. 
 
 O. THE EXPOSITION CONTINUED. 
 
 And at this point you will inquire, 
 whether the kingdom of heaven is likened 
 only to the treasure hidden in the field, so 
 that we are to think of the field as different 
 from the kingdom, or is likened to the whole 
 of this treasure hidden in the field, so that 
 the kingdom of heaven contains according 
 to the similitude both the field and the trea- 
 sure hidden in the field. Now a man who 
 comes to the field, whether to the Scriptures 
 or to the Christ who is constituted both 
 from things manifest and from things 
 hidden, finds the hidden treasure of wisdom 
 whether in Christ or in the Scriptures. For, 
 going round to visit the field and searching 
 the Scriptures and seeking to understand the 
 Christ, he finds the treasure in it ; and, hav- 
 ing found it, he hides it, thinking that it is 
 not without danger to reveal to everybody 
 the secret meanings of the Scriptures, or the 
 treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ. 
 And, having hidden it, he goes away, work- 
 ing and devising how he shall buy the field, 
 or the Scriptures, that he may make them 
 his own possession, receiving from the 
 people of God the oracles of God with which 
 the Jews were first entrusted." And when 
 the man taught by Christ has bought the 
 field, the kingdom of God which, accord- 
 ing to another parable, is a vineyard, "is 
 taken from them and is given to a nation 
 bringing forth the fruits thereof,"^ — to him 
 who in faith has bought the field, as the fruit 
 of his having sold all that he had, and no 
 longer keeping by him anything that was 
 formerly his ; for they were a source of evil 
 to him. And you M'ill give the same ap- 
 plication, if the field containing the hidden 
 treasure be Christ, for those who give up 
 all things and follow Him, have, as it were 
 in another way, sold their possessions, in 
 order that, by having sold and surrendered 
 them, and having received in their place 
 from God — their helper — a noble resolution, 
 they may purchase, at great cost worthy 
 of the field, the field containing the treasure 
 hidden in itself. 
 
 7. THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. 
 THE FORMATION AND DIFFERENCE OF PEARLS. 
 
 ' ' Again ihe kingdom of heaven is like unto 
 a man that is a merchant seeking goodly 
 pearls." i There are many merchants en- 
 gaged in many forms of merchandise, but 
 not to any one of these is the kingdom of 
 heaven like, but only to him who is seeking 
 
 * op^i; ; also, inclination. 
 
 * Col. u. 3. 
 
 ^ Rom. lit. 2. 
 
 ■ Matt. ixi. 43. 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 45 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 41; 
 
 goodly pearls, and has found one equal in 
 value to many, a very costly pearl which he 
 has bought in place of many. I consider it 
 reasonable, then, to make some inquiry 
 into the nature of the pearl. " Be careful how- 
 ever to note, that Christ did not say, "He 
 sold all the pearls that he had," for he sold 
 not only those which one seeking goodly 
 pearls had bought, but also everything 
 which he had, in order to buy that goodly 
 pearl. We find then in those who write on 
 the subject of stones, with regard to the 
 nature of the pearl, that some pearls are 
 found by land, and some in the sea. 
 The land pearls are produced among the 
 Indians only, being fitted for signet-rings 
 and collets and necklaces ; and the sea 
 pearls, which are superior, are found among 
 the same Indians, the best being produced 
 in the Red Sea. The next best pearls are 
 those taken from the sea at Britain; and those 
 of the third quality, which are inferior not 
 only to the first but to the second, are those 
 found at Bosporus off Scythia. Concerning 
 the Indian pearl these things further are 
 said. They are found in mussels, like in 
 nature to very large spiral snail-shells ; and 
 these are described as in troops making the 
 sea their pasture-ground, as if under the 
 guidance of some leader, conspicuous in 
 colour and size, and different from those 
 under him, so that he has an analogous po- 
 sition to what is called the queen of the 
 bees. And likewise, in regard to the fish- 
 ing for the best — that is, those in India — the 
 following is told. The natives surround 
 with nets a large circle of the shore, and 
 dive down, exerting themselves to seize that 
 one of them all which is the leader ; for they 
 say that, when this one is captured, the 
 catching of the troop subject to it costs no 
 trouble, as not one of those in the troop re- 
 mains stationary, but as if bound by a thong 
 follows the leader of the troop. It is said 
 also that the formation of the pearls in India 
 requires periods of time, the creature under- 
 going many changes and alterations until 
 it is perfected. And it is further reported 
 that the shell — I mean, the shell of the ani- 
 mal which bears the pearl — opens andgapes, 
 as it were, and being opened receives in- 
 to itself the dew of heaven ; when it is filled 
 with dew pure and untroubled, it becomes 
 illumined and brings forth a large and well- 
 formed pearl ; but if at any time it receives 
 dew darkened, or uneven, or in winter, it 
 conceives a pearl cloudy and disfigured 
 with spots. And this we also find that if it 
 be intercepted by lightning when it is on 
 
 > Cf . Pliny, Nat. Hist. ijt. 54, etc. 
 
 the way towards the completion of the stone 
 with which it is pregnant, it closes, and, as 
 it were in terror, scatters and pours forth its 
 offspring, so as to form what are called 
 ' ' physemata. " And sometimes, as if prema- 
 ture, they are born small, and are somewhat 
 cloudy though well-formed. As compared 
 with the others the Indian pearl has these 
 features. It is white in colour, like to sil- 
 ver in transparency, and shines through as 
 with a radiance somewhat greenish yellow, 
 and as a rule is round in form ; it is also of 
 tender skin, and more delicate than it is the 
 nature of a stone to be ; so it is delightful to 
 behold, worthy to be celebrated among the 
 more notable, as he who wrote on the sub- 
 ject of stones used to say. And this is also 
 a mark of the best pearl, to be rounded off 
 on the outer surface, very white in colour, 
 very translucent, and very large in size. So 
 much about the Indian pearl. But that 
 found in Britain, they say, is of a golden 
 tinge, but somewhat cloudy, and duller in 
 sparkle. And that which is found in the 
 strait of Bosporus is darker than that of 
 Britain, and livid, and perfectly dim, soft 
 and small. And that which is produced in 
 the strait of Bosporus is not found in the 
 "pinna" which is the pearl-bearing species 
 of shells, but in what are called mus- 
 sels ; and their habitat — I mean those at 
 Bosporus — is in the marshes. There is also 
 said to be a fourth class of pearls in Acar- 
 naniainthe " pinnae "of oysters. Theseare 
 not greatly sought after, but are irregular in 
 form, and perfectly dark and foul in colour ; 
 and there are others also different from these 
 in the same Acarnania which are cast away 
 on every ground. 
 
 8. THE PARABLE INTERPRETED IN THE LIGHT OF 
 
 THESE VIEWS. 
 
 Now, having collected these things out of 
 dissertations about stones, I say that the 
 Saviour with a knowledge of the difference 
 of pearls, of which some are in kind goodly 
 and others worthless, said, "The kingdom 
 of heaven is like unto a man that is a mer- 
 chant seeking goodly pearls ; " " for, if some 
 of the pearls had not been worthless, it 
 would not have been said, "to a man seek- 
 ing goodly pearls." Now among the words 
 of all kinds which profess to announce 
 truth, and among those who report them, 
 he seeks pearls. And let the prophets be, 
 so to speak, the mussels which conceive 
 the dew of heaven, and become pregnant 
 with the word of truth from heaven, the 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 45. 
 
 27 
 
4i8 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 goodly pearls which, according to the phrase 
 here set forth, the merchantman seeks. And 
 the leader of the pearls, on the finding of 
 which the rest are found with it, is the very 
 costly pearl, the Christ of God, the Word 
 which is superior to the precious letters and 
 thoughts in the law and the prophets, on 
 the finding of which also all the rest are 
 easily taken. And the Saviour holds con- 
 verse with all the disciples, as merchant- 
 men who are not only seeking the goodly 
 pearls but who have found them and pos- 
 sess them, when He says, "Cast not your 
 pearls before swine. " ' Now it is manifest 
 that these things were said to the disciples 
 from that which is prefixed to His words, 
 "And seeing the multitudes He went up 
 into the mountain, and when He had sat 
 down His disciples came unto Him ; " ^ 
 for, in the course of those words. He said, 
 "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, 
 neither cast your pearls before the swine. "3 
 Perhaps, then, he is not a disciple of Christ, 
 who does not possess pearls or the very 
 costly pearl, the pearls, I mean, which are 
 goodly ; not the cloudy, nor the darkened, 
 such as the words of the heterodox, which 
 are brought forth not at the sunrise, but at 
 the sunset or in the north, if it is necessary 
 to take also into the comparison those things 
 on account of which we found a difference 
 in the pearls which are produced in different 
 places. And perhaps the muddy words and 
 the heresies which are bound up with works 
 of the flesh, are the darkened pearls, and 
 those which are produced in the marshes, 
 not goodly pearls. 
 
 9. CHRIST THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. 
 
 Now you will connect with the man seek- 
 ing goodly pearls the saying, " Seek and ye 
 shall find,"4 and this — "Every one that 
 seeketh findeth." 5 For what seek ye ? Or 
 what does every one that seeketh find ? I 
 venture to answer, pearls and the pearl 
 which he possesses, who has given up all 
 things, and counted them as loss; "for 
 which," says Paul, "I have counted all 
 things but loss that I may win Christ ;"* 
 by "all things " meaning the goodly pearls, 
 "that I may win Christ," the one very pre- 
 cious pearl. Precious, then, is a lamp to 
 men in darkness, and there is need of a 
 lamp until the sun rise ; and precious also 
 IS the glory in the face of Moses, and of the 
 prophets also, I think, and a beautiful sight, 
 
 ' Matt. vii. 6. 
 * Matt, vii. 7. 
 
 ' Matt. V. I. 
 * Matt. vii. 8 
 
 ' Matt. vii. 6. 
 « PhU. iU. 8. 
 
 by which -we are introduced so as to be 
 able to see the glory of Christ, to which the 
 Father bears witness, saying, "This is My 
 beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased." ' 
 But "that which hath been made glorious 
 hath not been made glorious in this respect 
 by reason of the glory that surpasseth ; " ^ 
 and there is need to us first of the glory 
 which admits of being done away, for the 
 sake of the glory which surpasseth ; as 
 there is need of the knowledge which is in 
 part, which will be done away when that 
 which is perfect comes. 3 Every soul, there- 
 fore, which comes to childhood, and is on 
 the way to full growth, until the fulness of 
 time is at hand, needs a tutor and stewards 
 and guardians, in order that, after all these 
 things, he who formerly differed nothing 
 from a bond-servant, though he is lord of 
 all,* may receive, when freed from a tutor 
 and stewards and guardians, the patrimony 
 corresponding to the very costly pearl, and 
 to that which is perfect, which on its com- 
 ing does away with that which is in part, 
 when one is able to receive "the excellency 
 of the knowledge of Christ," 5 having been 
 previously exercised, so to speak, in those 
 forms of knowledge which are surpassed 
 by the knowledge of Christ. But the multi- 
 tude, not perceiving the beauty of the many 
 pearls of the law, and all the knowledge, 
 "in part," though it be, of the prophets, 
 suppose that they can, without a clear ex- 
 position and apprehension of these, find 
 in whole * the one precious pearl, and be- 
 hold "the excellency of the knowledge of 
 Christ," in comparison with which all things 
 that came before such and so great know- 
 ledge, although they were not refuse in their 
 own nature, appear to be refuse. This 
 refuse is perhaps the ' ' dung " thrown down 
 beside the fig tree by the keeper of the 
 vineyard, which is the cause of its bearing 
 fruit. 7 
 
 10. THE PEARL OF THE GOSPEL IN RELATION 
 TO THE OLD TESTAMENT. 
 
 "To everything then is its season, and a 
 time for everything under heaven," 'a time 
 to gather the goodly pearls, and a time after 
 their gathering to find the one precious 
 pearl, when it is fitting for a man to go away 
 and sell all that he has in order that he may 
 buy that pearl. For as every man who is 
 going to be wise in the words of truth must 
 first be taught the rudiments, and further 
 pass through the elementary instruction, and 
 
 * Matt. iii. 17. * 2 Cor. iii. 10. 
 
 * Cf. Gal. iv. I, 2. » Phil. iii. 8. 
 
 3 Luke xiii. 8. " Eccles. iii. i. 
 
 * I Cor. xiii. 9. 10 
 "^r, absolutely. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 419 
 
 appreciate it highly but not abide in it, as 
 one who, havinghonouredit at the beginning 
 but passed over towards perfection, is grate- 
 ful for the introduction because it was use- 
 ful at the first ; so the perfect apprehension 
 of the law and the prophets is an elementary 
 discipline for the perfect apprehension of the 
 Gospel, and all the meaning in the words 
 and deeds of Christ. 
 
 II. THE PARABLE OF THE DRAG-NET. 
 
 " Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a 
 net that was cast into the sea. " ' As in the case 
 of images and statues, the likenesses are not 
 likenesses in every respect of those things 
 in relation to which they are made ; but, for 
 example, the image painted with wax on 
 the plane surface of wood has the like- 
 ness of the surface along with the colour, 
 but does not further preserve the hol- 
 lows and prominences, but only their 
 outward appearance ; and in the moulding 
 of statues an endeavour is made to preserve 
 the likeness in respect of the hollows and 
 the prominences, but not in respect of the 
 colour ; and, if the cast be formed of wax, 
 it endeavours to preserve both, I mean both 
 the colour and also the hollows and the pro- 
 minences, but is not indeed an image of the 
 things in the respect of depth ; so conceive 
 with me also that, in the case of the simili- 
 tudes in the Gospel, when the kingdom of hea- 
 ven is likened unto anything, the comparison 
 does not extend to all the features of that to 
 which the kingdom is compared, but only 
 to those features which are required by the 
 argument in hand. And here, accordingly, 
 the kingdom of heaven is "like unto a net 
 that was cast into the sea," not (as supposed 
 by some,^ who represent that by this word 
 the different natures of those who have come 
 into the net, to-wit, the evil and the right- 
 eous, are treated of), as if it is to be thought 
 that, because of the phrase " which gathered 
 of every kind," there are many different na- 
 tures of the righteous and likewise also of 
 the evil ; for to such an interpretation all 
 the Scriptures are opposed, which emphasise 
 the freedom of the will, and censure those 
 who sin and approve those who do right ; 
 or otherwise blame could not rightly attach 
 to those of the kinds that were such by na- 
 ture, nor praise to those of a better kind. 
 For the reason why fishes are good or bad 
 lies not in the souls of the fishes, but is based 
 on that which the Word said with know- 
 ledge, " Let the waters bring forth creeping 
 things with living souls," 3 when, also, " God 
 made great sea-monsters and every soul of 
 
 creeping creatures which the waters brought 
 forth according to their kinds. " ' There, 
 accordingly, " The waters brought forth 
 every soul of creeping animals according to 
 their kinds," the cause not being in it ; but 
 here we are responsible for our being good 
 kinds and worthy of what are called " ves- 
 sels," or bad and worthy of being cast out- 
 side. For it is not the nature in us which 
 is the cause of the evil, but it is the volun- 
 tary choice which worketh evil ; and so our 
 nature is not the cause of righteousness, as 
 if it were incapable of admitting unright- 
 eousness, but it is the principle which we 
 have admitted that makes men righteous ; 
 for also you never see the kinds of things in 
 the water changing from the bad kinds of 
 fishes into the good, or from the better kind 
 to the worse ; but you can always behold 
 the righteous or evil among men either 
 coming from wickedness to virtue, or return- 
 ing from progress towards virtue to the 
 flood of wickedness. Wherefore also in 
 Ezekiel, concerning the man who turns 
 away from unrighteousness to the keeping 
 of the divine commandments, it is thus writ- 
 ten : " But if the wicked man turn away from 
 all his wickednesses which he hath done," 
 etc., down to the words, " that he turn from 
 his wicked way and live ; "^ but concerning 
 the man who returns from the advance to- 
 wards virtue unto the flood of wickedness it 
 is said, "But in the case of the righteous 
 man turning away from his righteousness 
 and committing iniquity," etc., down to the 
 words, "in his sins which he hath sinned in 
 them shall he die. "3 Let those who, from 
 the parable of the drag-net, introduce the 
 doctrine of different natures, tell us in regard 
 to the wicked man who afterwards turned 
 aside from all the wickednesses which he 
 committed and keeps all the commandments 
 of God, and does that which is righteous and 
 merciful, of what nature was he when he 
 was wicked? Clearly not of a nature to be 
 praised. If verily of a nature to be censured, 
 of what kind of nature can he reasonably be 
 described, when he turns away from all his 
 sins which he did ? For if he were of the 
 bad class of natures, because of his former 
 deeds, how did he change to that which was 
 better? Or if because of his subsequent 
 deeds you would say that he was of the good 
 class, how being good by nature did he be- 
 come wicked? And you will also meet 
 with a like dilemma in regard to the right- 
 eous man turning away from his righteous- 
 ness and committing unrighteousness in all 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 47 " Valentiniis and his followers. ' Gen. i. 20. 
 
 > Gen. i. 21. 
 
 ' £zek. xviiL 20-23. 
 
 ^ Ezek. xviii. 24. 
 
420 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 manner of sins. For before he turned away 
 from righteousness, being occupied with 
 righteous deeds he was not of a bad nature, 
 for a bad nature could not be in righteous- 
 ness, since a bad tree — that is, wickedness — 
 cannot produce good fruits, — the fruits that 
 spring from virtue. Again, on the other 
 hand, if he had been of a good and un- 
 changeable nature he would not have turned 
 away from the good after being called right- 
 eous, so as to commit unrighteousness in 
 all his sins which he committed. 
 
 1 2, THE DIVINE SCRIPTURES COMPARED TO A 
 
 NET. 
 
 Now, these things being said, we must hold 
 that " the kingdom of heaven is likened to a 
 net that was cast into the sea and gathered of 
 every kind, ' " in order to set forth the varied 
 character of the principles of action among 
 men, which are as different as possible from 
 each other, so that the expression " gathered 
 from every kind " embraces both those 
 worthy of praise and those worthy of blame 
 in respect of their proclivities towards the 
 forms of virtues or of vices. And the king- 
 dom of heaven is likened unto the varie- 
 gated texture of a net, with reference to the 
 Old and the New Scripture which is woven 
 of thoughts of all kinds and greatly varied. 
 As in the case of the fishes that fall into the 
 net, some are found in one part of the net 
 and some in another part, and each at the 
 part at which it was caught, so in the case of 
 those who have come into the net of the 
 Scriptures you would find some caught in 
 the prophetic net ; for example, of Isaiah, 
 according to this expression, or of Jeremiah 
 or of Daniel ; and others in the net of the 
 law, and others in the Gospel net, and some 
 in the apostolic net; for when one is first 
 captured by the Word or seems to be cap- 
 tured, he is taken from some part of the 
 whole net. And it is nothing strange if 
 some of the fishes caught are encompassed 
 by the whole texture of the net in the Scrip- 
 tures, and are pressed in on every side and 
 caught, so that they are unable to escape but 
 are, as it were, absolutely enslaved, and not 
 permitted to escape from the net. And this 
 net has been cast into the sea — the wave- 
 tossed life of men in every part of the world, 
 and which swims in the bitter affairs of life. 
 And before our Saviour Jesus Christ this net 
 was not wholly filled ; for the net of the law 
 and the prophets had to be completed by 
 Him who says, "Think not that I came to 
 destroy the law and the prophets, I came 
 
 ' Matt. liii. ^^, 
 
 not to destroy but to fulfil. " ' And the tex- 
 ture of the net has been completed in the 
 Gospels, and in the words of Christ through 
 the Apostles. On this account, therefore, 
 " the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net 
 that was cast into the sea and gathered of 
 every kind." And, apart from what has 
 been said, the expression, " gathered from 
 every kind," may show forth the calling of 
 the Gentiles from every race. And those 
 who attended to the net which was cast into 
 the sea are Jesus Christ, the master of the 
 net, and "the angels who came and min- 
 istered unto Him,"^ who do not draw up 
 the net from the sea, nor carry it to the 
 shore beyond the sea, — namely, to things 
 beyond this life, unless the net be filled full, 
 that is, unless the " fulness of the Gentiles" 
 has come into it. But when it has come, 
 then they draw it up from things here 
 below, and carry it to what is figuratively 
 called the shore, where it will be the work 
 of those who have drawn it up, both to sit 
 by the shore, and there to settle themselves, 
 in order that they may place each of the 
 good in the net into its own order, accord- 
 ing to what are here called "vessels," but 
 cast without and away those that are of an 
 opposite character and are called bad. By 
 "without" is meant the furnace of fire as 
 the Saviour interpreted, saying, "So shall 
 it be at the consummation of the age. The 
 angels shall come forth and sever the 
 wicked from among the righteous and shall 
 cast them into the furnace of fire."^ Only 
 it must be observed, that we are already 
 taught I)y the parable of the tares and the 
 similitude set forth, that the angels are to be 
 entrusted with the power to distinguish and 
 separate the evil from the righteous ; for it 
 is said above, "The Son of man shall send 
 forth His angels, and they shall gather out 
 of His kingdom all things that cause stum- 
 bling, and them that do iniquity, and shall 
 cast them into the furnace of fire : there shall 
 be the weeping and gnashing of teeth."* 
 But here it is said, '"The angels shall come 
 forth and sever the wicked from among the 
 righteous and shall cast them into the fur- 
 nace of fire." 
 
 13. RELATION OF MEN TO ANGELS. 
 
 From this it does not follow, as some 
 suppose, that the men who are saved in 
 Christ are superior even to the holy angels ; 
 for how can those who are cast by the holy 
 angels into vessels be compared with those 
 
 * Matt. V. 17. 
 
 ' Matt. xUi. 49, 5a 
 
 * Matt. iv. n, 
 
 * Matt. xiii. 42. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 421 
 
 who cast them into vessels, seeing that 
 they have been put under the authority of 
 the angels? While we say this, we are not 
 ignorant that the men who will be saved in 
 Christ surpass some angels — namely, those 
 who have not been entrusted with this 
 office — but not all of them. For we read, 
 " Which things angels desire to look into," ' 
 where it is not said "all" angels. And we 
 know also this — " We shall judge angels " ^ — 
 where it is not said " all " angels. Now 
 since these things are written about the net 
 and about those in the net, we say that he 
 who desires that, before the consummation 
 of the age, and before the coming of the 
 angels to sever the wicked from among the 
 righteous, there should be no evil persons 
 " of every kind " in the net, seems not to have 
 understood the Scripture, and to desire the 
 impossible. Wherefore let us not be surprised 
 if, before the severing of the wicked from 
 among the righteous by the angels who are 
 sent forth for this purpose, we see our gather- 
 ings also filled with wicked persons. And 
 would that those who will be cast into the fur- 
 nace of fire may not be greater in number 
 than the righteous ! But since we said in the 
 beginning, that the parables and similitudes 
 are not to be accepted in respect of all the 
 things to which they are likened or com- 
 pared, but only in respect of some things, 
 we must further establish from the things to 
 be said, that in the case of the fishes, so 
 far as their life is concerned, an evil thing 
 happens to them when they are found in 
 the net. For they are deprived of the life 
 which is theirs by nature, and whether they 
 are cast into vessels or cast away, they 
 suffer nothing more than the loss of the life 
 as it is in fishes ; but, in the case of those 
 to whom the parable refers, the evil thing 
 is to be in the sea and not to come into the 
 net, in order to be cast along with the good 
 into vessels. And in like manner the bad 
 fishes are cast without and thrown away ; 
 but the bad in the similitude before us are 
 cast into " the furnace of fire," that what is 
 said in Ezekiel about the furnace of fire 
 may also overtake them — "And the Word 
 of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of 
 man behold the house of Israel is become 
 to me all mixed with brass and iron," etc., 
 down to the words, "And ye shall know 
 that I the Lord have poured My fury upon 
 you. " 3 
 
 14. THE DISCIPLES AS SCRIBES. 
 
 ''Have ye understood all these things? 
 
 ' r Pet. i. II. 
 
 ' I Cor. vi, J. 
 
 * Ezek. xviii. 17-21. 
 
 They say, JTea." ' Christ Jesus, who knows 
 the things in the hearts of men,* as John 
 also taught concerning Him in the Gospel, 
 puts the question not as one ignorant, but 
 having once for all taken upon Him the 
 nature of man. He uses also all the char- 
 acteristics of a man of which "asking" is 
 one. And there is nothing to be wondered 
 at in the Saviour doing this, since indeed 
 the God of the universe, bearing with the 
 manners of men as a man beareth with the 
 manners of his son, makes inquiry, as — 
 "Adam, where art thou?"3and, "Where 
 is Abel thy brother? "4 But some one with 
 a forced interpretation will say here that 
 the words "have understood " are not to be 
 taken interrogatively but affirmatively ; and 
 he will say that the disciples bearing testi- 
 mony to His affirmation, say, " Yea." 
 Only, whether he is putting a question or 
 making an affirmation, it is necessarily said 
 not " these things " only, — which is demon- 
 strative, — not "all things" only, but "all 
 these things." And here He seems to 
 represent the disciples as having been scribes 
 before the kingdom of heaven ;S but to this 
 is opposed what is said in the Acts of the 
 Apostles thus, " Now when they beheld the 
 boldness of Peter and John, and perceived 
 that they were unlearned and ignorant men, 
 they marvelled, and they took knowledge 
 of them that they had been with Jesus."* 
 Some one may inquire in regard to these 
 things — if they were scribes, how are they 
 spoken of in the Acts as unlearned and 
 ignorant men ? Or if they were unlearned 
 and ignorant men, how are they very plainly 
 called scribes by the Saviour ? And it might 
 be answered to these inquiries that, as a 
 matter of fact, not all the disciples but only 
 Peter and John are described in the Acts as 
 unlearned and ignorant, but that there were 
 more disciples in regard to whom, because 
 they understood all things, it is said, "Every 
 scribe," etc. Or it might be said that 
 everyone who has been instructed in the 
 teaching according to the letter of the law 
 is called a scribe, so that those who were 
 unlearned and ignorant and led captive by 
 the letter of the law are spoken of as scribes 
 in a particular sense. And it is very spe- 
 cially the characteristic of ignorant men, 
 who are unskilled in figurative interpreta- 
 tion and do not understand what is con- 
 cerned with the mystical 'exposition of the 
 Scriptures, but believe the bare letter, and, 
 vindicate it, that they call themselves scribes. 
 
 1 Matt. xiii. 51. * John ii. 25, ■ Gen. iii. 9. • Gen. Iv. 9. 
 ^ Matt. xiii. 52. ' Acts iv. 13. ^ Or, anagogical. 
 
422 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 And so one will interpret the words, 
 " Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, 
 hypocrites,"' as having been said to every 
 one that knows nothing- but the letter. 
 Here you will inquire if the scribe of the 
 Gospel be as the scribe of the law, and if 
 the former deals with the Gospel, as the 
 latter with the law, reading and hearing 
 and telling ' ' those things which contain an 
 allegory,''^ so as, while preserving the his- 
 toric truth of the events, to understand the 
 unerring principle of mystic interpretation 
 applied to things spiritual, so that the things 
 learned may not be " spiritual things whose 
 characteristic is wickedness," 3 but may be 
 entirely opposite to such, namely, spiritual 
 things whose characteristic is goodness. 
 And one is a scribe " made a disciple to the 
 kingdom of heaven " in the simpler sense, 
 when he comes from Judaism and receives 
 the teaching of Jesus Christ as defined by 
 the Church ; but he is a scribe in a deeper 
 sense, when having received elementary 
 knowledge through the letter of the Scrip- 
 tures he ascends to things spiritual, which 
 are called the kingdom of the heavens. 
 And according as each thought is attained, 
 and grasped abstractly ■• and proved by 
 example and absolute demonstration, can 
 one understand the kingom of heaven, so 
 that he who abounds in knowledge free 
 from error is in the kingdom of the multitude 
 of what are here represented as " heavens." 
 So, too, you will allegorise the word, "Re- 
 pent, for the kingdom of the heavens is at 
 hand,"s as meaning that the scribes — 
 that is, those who rest satisfied in the bare 
 letter — may repent of this method of inter- 
 pretation and be instructed in the spiritual 
 teaching which is called the kingdom of 
 the heavens through Jesus Christ the living 
 Word. Wherefore, also, so far as Jesus 
 Christ, "who was in the beginning with 
 God, God the word," ^ has not His home in 
 a soul, the kingdom of heaven is not in it, 
 but when any one becomes nigh to admis- 
 sion of the Word, to him the kingdom of 
 heaven is nigh. But if the kingdom of 
 heaven and the kingdom of God are the 
 same thing in reality, ' if not in idea, 
 manifestly to those to whom it is said, ' ' The 
 kingdom of God is within you, "^ to them 
 also it might be said, "The kingdom of 
 heaven is within you ; " and most of all be- 
 cause of the repentance from the letter unto 
 the spirit ; since "When one turn to the 
 Lord, the veil over the letter is taken away. 
 
 ' Matt, xxiii, 13. 2 Gal, iv. 24. 
 
 * Or, in an exalted sense. " Matt. iii. 2. 
 ' Or^ substance. 8 Luke xvii. 21, 
 
 * Eph. vi. 12. 
 " John i. 1, 2. 
 
 But the Lord is the Spirit."' And he who 
 is truly a householder is both free and rich ; 
 rich because from the office of the scribe 
 he has been made a disciple to the kingdom 
 of heaven, in every word of the Old Testa- 
 ment, and in all knowledge concerning the 
 new teaching of Christ Jesus, and has this 
 riches laid up in his own treasure-house, — 
 in heaven, in which he stores his treasure 
 as one who has been made a disciple to the 
 kingdom of heaven, — where neither moth 
 doth consume, nor thieves break through.^ 
 And in regard to him, who, as we have 
 said, lays up treasure in heaven, we may 
 truly lay down that not one moth of the 
 passions can touch his spiritual and hea- 
 venly possessions. "A moth of the pas- 
 sions," I said, taking the suggestion from 
 the " Proverbs " in which it is written, "As 
 a worm in wood, so pain woundeth the 
 heart of man." 3 For pain is a worm and a 
 moth, which wounds the heart which has 
 not its treasures in heaven and spiritual 
 things, for if a man has his treasure in these 
 — " for where the treasure is, there will the 
 heart be also," -t — he has his heart in hea- 
 ven, and on account of it he says, ' ' Though 
 an host should encamp against me, my 
 heart shall not fear."^ And so neither can 
 thieves in regard to whom the Saviour said, 
 "All that came before Me are thieves 
 and robbers,"^ break through those things 
 vi^hich are treasured up in heaven, and 
 through the heart which is in heaven and 
 therefore says, "He raised us up with Him, 
 and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly 
 places in Christ, "7 and, "Our citizenship is 
 in heaven. " * 
 
 15 THE HOUSEHOLDER AND HIS TREASURY. 
 
 Now since "every scribe who has been 
 made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven 
 is like unto a man that is a householder 
 who bringeth forth out of his treasury things 
 new and old, "9 it clearly follows, by "con- 
 version of the proposition," as it is called, 
 that every one who does not bring forth out 
 of his treasury things new and old, is not a 
 scribe who has been made a disciple unto 
 the kingdom of heaven. We must en- 
 deavour, therefore, in every way to gather 
 in our heart, "by giving heed to reading, to 
 exhortation, to teaching, " '° and by ' ' meditat- 
 ing in the law of the Lord day and night," " 
 not only the new oracles of the Gospels 
 and of the Apostles and their Revelation, but 
 
 ' 2 Cor. iii. 16, 17. 
 * Matt. vi. 21. 
 ' Eph. ii. 6. 
 " I Tim. iv. 13. 
 
 * Matt. vi. 20. 
 ■ Ps. xxvii. 3. 
 
 • Phil. iii. 20. 
 " Ps. i, 2. 
 
 * Prov. XXV. 20. 
 'John. X. 8. 
 ' Matt. liii. 52. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 423 
 
 also the old things in the law " which has 
 the shadow of the good things to come," ' 
 and in the prophets who prophesied in ac- 
 cordance with them. And these things will 
 be gathered together, when we also read 
 and know, and remembering them, compare 
 at a fitting time things spiritual with spirit- 
 ual, not comparing things that cannot be 
 compared with one another, but things 
 which admit of comparison, and which 
 have a certain likeness of diction signifying 
 the same thing, and of thoughts and of 
 opinions, so that by the mouth of two or 
 three or more witnesses ' from the Scripture, 
 we may establish and confirm every word 
 of God. By means of them also we must 
 refute those who, as far as in them lies, 
 cleave in twain theGodheadand cut off the 
 New from the Old, 3 so that they are far re- 
 moved from likeness to the householder 
 who brings forth out of his treasury things 
 new and old. And since he who is likened 
 to any one is different from the one to whom 
 he is likened, the scribe "who is made a 
 disciple unto the kingdom of heaven " will 
 be the one who is likened, but different 
 from him is the householder " who brings 
 out of his treasury things new and old." 
 But he who is likened to him, as in imitation 
 of him, wishes to do that which is like. Per- 
 haps, then, the man who is a householder 
 is Jesus Himself, who brings forth out of His 
 treasury, according to the time of the teach- 
 ing, things new, things spiritual, which also 
 are always being renewed by Him in 
 the "inner man" of the righteous, who are 
 themselves always being renewed day by 
 day, 4 and old things, things "written and 
 engraven on stones," 'and in the stony hearts 
 of the old man, so that by comparison of 
 the letter and by exhibition of the spirit He 
 may enrich the scribe who is made a dis- 
 ciple unto the kingdom of heaven, and make 
 him like unto Himself; until the disciple 
 shall be as the Master, imitating first the 
 imitator of Christ, and after him Christ Him- 
 self, according to that which is said by Paul, 
 " Be ye imitators of me even as I also of 
 Christ."" And likewise, Jesus the house- 
 holder may in the simpler sense bring forth 
 out of His treasury things new, — that is, the 
 evangelic teaching — and things old, — that is, 
 the comparison of the sayings which are 
 taken from the law and the prophets, of 
 which we may find examples in the Gospels. 
 And with regard to these things new and 
 old, we must attend also to the spiritual law 
 
 > Heb. %. I. 
 * 3 Cor. iv. 16. 
 
 2 Matt, xviii. 16. 
 ^ 2 Cor. iii. 7. 
 
 ^ Marcion and his school. 
 * 1 Cor. xi. I. 
 
 which says in Leviticus, "And ye shall eat 
 old things, and the old things of the old, and 
 ye shall bring forth the old from before the 
 new ; and I will set my tabernacle among 
 you."' For we eat with blessing the old 
 things, — the prophetic words, — and the old 
 things of the old things, — the words of the 
 law ; and, when the new and evangelical 
 words came, living according to the Gospel 
 we bring forth the old things of the letter 
 from before the new, and He sets His taber- 
 nacle in us, fulfilling the promise which He 
 spoke, "I will dwell among them and walk 
 in them."' 
 
 16. PARABLES IN RELATION TO SIMILITUDES. 
 JESUS IN HIS OWN COUNTRY. 
 
 " And it came to pass, when Jesus had 
 finished these parables, He departed thence. 
 And coming into His own comitrjy." ^ Since 
 we inquired above whether the things spoken 
 to the multitude were parables, and those 
 spoken to the disciples were similitudes, 
 and set forth observations bearing on this in 
 my judgment not contemptible, you must 
 know that the sentence which is subjoined, 
 "And it came to pass when Jesus had 
 finished these parables, He departed thence," 
 will appear to be in opposition to all these 
 arguments, as applying not only to the par- 
 ables, but also to the similitudes as we have 
 expounded. We inquire therefore whether 
 all these things are to be rejected, or whether 
 we must speak of two kinds of parables, 
 those spoken to the multitudes, and those 
 announced to the disciples ; or whether we 
 are to think of the name of parable as equi- 
 vocal ; or whether the saying, " And it came 
 to pass when Jesus had finished these par- 
 ables," is to be referred only to the parables 
 above, which come before the similitudes. 
 For, because of the saying, "To you it is 
 given to know the mysteries of the kingdom 
 of heaven, but to the rest in parables, "■• it 
 was not possible to say to the disciples, in- 
 asmuch as they were not of those without, 
 that the Saviour spoke to them in parables. 
 And it follows from this, that the saying, 
 "And it came to pass when Jesus had finished 
 these parables. He departed thence, " is to be 
 referred to the parables spoken above, or 
 that the name parable is equivocal, or that 
 there are two kinds of parables, or that these 
 which we have named similitudes were 
 not parables at all. And observe that it 
 was outside of His own country He speaks 
 the parables "which, when He had 
 
 :' Lev. xxvi. 10, II. 
 * Matt, xiii 53, S4. 
 
 • Lev, xxvi. 12 ; 2 Cor. vi. 16. 
 
 ♦ Matt. xiii. 11. 
 
424 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 finished, He departed thence ; and coming 
 into His own country He taught them in 
 their synagogue." And Mark says, "And 
 He came into His own country and His dis- 
 ciples follow Him."' We must therefore 
 inquire whether, by the expression, "His 
 own country," is meant Nazareth or Beth- 
 lehem, — Nazareth, because of the saying, 
 " He shall be called a Nazarene,"^ or Beth- 
 lehem, since in it He was born. And 
 further I reflect whether the Evangelists 
 could have said, "coming to Bethlehem," 
 or, "coming to Nazareth. " They have not 
 done so, but have named it " His country," 
 because of something being declared in a 
 mystic sense in the passage about His 
 country, — namely, the vi^hole of Judaea, — in 
 which He was dishonoured according to the 
 saying, "A prophet is not without honour, 
 save in his own country." 3 And if any one 
 thinks of Jesus Christ, "a stumbling-block 
 to the Jews," * among whom He is persecuted 
 even until now, but proclaimed among the 
 Gentiles and believed in, — for His word has 
 run over the whole world, — he will see that 
 in His own country Jesus had no honour, 
 but that among those who were "strangers 
 from the covenants," s the Gentiles, He is 
 held in honour. But what things He taught 
 and spake in their synagogue the Evangelists 
 have not recorded, but only that they were 
 so great and of such a nature that all were as- 
 tonished. And probably the things spoken 
 were too high to be written down. Only 
 be it noted, He taught in their synagogue, 
 not separating from it, nor disregarding it. 
 
 17. THE BRETHREN OF JESUS. 
 
 And the saying, " Whence ha/k /his man 
 this wisdom,"^ indicates clearly that there 
 was a great and surpassing wisdom in the 
 words of Jesus worthy of the saying, " And 
 lo, a greater than Solomon is here. "7 And 
 He was wont to do greater miracles than 
 those wrought through Elijah and Elisha, 
 and at a still earlier date through Moses and 
 Joshua the son of Nun. And they spoke, 
 wondering, (not knowing that He was the 
 son of a virgin, or not believing it even if it 
 was told to them, but supposing that He 
 was the son of Joseph the carpenter, ) " is not 
 this the carpenter's son?"* And depreci- 
 ating the whole of what appeared to be His 
 nearest kindred, they said, " Is not His 
 mother called Mary? And His brethren, 
 James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 
 And His sisters, are they not all with us ? " 9 
 
 ' Mark vi. i. See pp. 1-31 of this volume. ' Matt, ii x\ 
 
 ' Matt. xui. 57. « , Cor. i. 23. » Eph. ii. ,2. 
 
 « Matt. xm. 54. ' Matt. xu. 42. • Wbtt. xiil. 55. 
 
 " Matt. xili. 55, 56. " 
 
 They thought, then, that He was the son of 
 Joseph and Mary, But some say, basing it 
 on a tradition in the Gospel according to 
 Peter,' as it is entitled, or "The Book of 
 James, "* that the brethren of Jesus were 
 sons of Joseph by a former wife, whom he 
 married before Mary. Now those who say 
 so wish to preserve the honour of Mary in 
 virginity to the end, so that that body of hers 
 which was appointed to minister to the Word 
 which said, "The Holy Ghost shall come 
 upon thee, and the power of the Most High 
 shall overshadow thee," 3 might not know 
 intercourse with a man after that the Holy 
 Ghost came into her and the power from on 
 high overshadowed her. And I think it in 
 harmony with reason that Jesus was the first- 
 fruit among men of the purity which con- 
 sists in chastity, and Mary among women ; 
 for it were not pious to ascribe to any 
 other than to her the first-fruit of virginity. 
 And James is he whom Paul says in the 
 Epistle to the Galatians that he saw, "But 
 other of the Apostles saw I none, save James 
 the Lord's brother." ■» And to so great a re- 
 putation among the people for righteous- 
 ness did this James rise, that Flavins Jo- 
 sephus, who wrote the "Antiquities of the 
 Jews " in twenty books, when wishing to 
 exhibit the cause why the people suffered 
 so great misfortunes that even the temple 
 was razed to the ground, said, that these 
 things happened to them in accordance with 
 the wrath of God in consequence of the 
 things which they had dared to do against 
 James the brother of Jesus who is called 
 Christ. 5 And the wonderful thing is, that, 
 though he did not accept Jesus as Christ, he 
 yet gave testimony that the righteousness 
 of James was so great ; and he says that 
 the people thought that they had suffered 
 these things because of James. And Jude, 
 who wrote a letter of few lines, it is true, 
 but filled with the healthful words of hea- 
 venly grace, said in the preface, "Jude, 
 the servant of Jesus Christ and the brother 
 of James."* With regard to Joseph and 
 Simon we have nothing to tell ; but the say- 
 ing, "And His sisters are they not all with 
 us, "7 seems to me to signify something of 
 this nature — they mind our things, not those 
 of Jesus, and have no unusual portion of 
 surpassing wisdom as Jesus has. And per- 
 haps by these things is indicated a new 
 doubt concerning Him, that Jesus was not 
 a man but something diviner, inasmuch as 
 
 ' The Gospel of Peter, of which a fragment was recovered in 
 1886 and published in 1892. 
 » Protevangelium Jacobi. c. o. • Luke i. .15. « Gal. L 10. 
 
 • Jos. y4»/. xviii. 4. 'Jude I. ' Matt. xiii. 56. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 425 
 
 He was, as they supposed, the son of Joseph 
 and Mary, and the brother of four, and of the 
 others — the women — as well, and yet had 
 nothing like to any one of His kindred, and 
 had not from education and teaching come 
 to such a height of wisdom and power. 
 For they also say elsewhere, " Howknoweth 
 this man letters having never learned?"' 
 which is similar to what is here said. Only, 
 though they say these things and are so 
 perplexed and astonished, they did not be- 
 lieve, but were offended in Him ; as if they 
 had been mastered in the eyes of their mind 
 by the powers which, in the time of the 
 passion. He was about to lead in triumph 
 on the cross. 
 
 18. PROPHETS IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. 
 
 " But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not 
 without honour, save in his own country." ^ 
 We must inquire whether the expression has 
 the same force when applied universally to 
 every prophet (as if each one of the prophets 
 was dishonoured in his own country only, 
 but not as if every one who was dishonoured 
 was dishonoured in his country) ; or, be- 
 cause of the expression being singular, 
 these things were said about one. If, then, 
 these words are spoken about one, these 
 things which have been said sulifice, if we 
 refer that which is written to the Saviour. 
 But if it is general, it is not historically true ; 
 for Elijah did not suffer dishonour in Tish- 
 beth of Gilead, nor Elisha in Abelmeholah, 
 nor Samuel in Ramathaim, nor Jeremiah in 
 Anathoth. But, figuratively interpreted, it 
 is absolutely true ; for we must think of 
 Judaea as their country, and that famous 
 Israel as their kindred, and perhaps of the 
 body as the house. For all suffered dis- 
 honour in Judaea from the Israel which is 
 according to the flesh, while they were yet 
 in the body, as it is written in the Acts of 
 the Apostles, as having been spoken in 
 censure to the people, " Which of the 
 prophets did not your fathers persecute, 
 who showed before of the coming of the 
 Righteous one ? " ' And by Paul in the 
 First Epistle to the Thessalonians like 
 things are said : " For ye brethren became 
 imitators of the churches of God which are 
 in Judsea in Christ Jesus, for ye also suffered 
 the same things of your own countrymen 
 even as they did of the Jews, who both 
 killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, 
 and drave out us, and please not God, 
 and are contrary to all men." •♦ A 
 
 * John vii. 15. 
 ' Act* vii. 52. 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 57. 
 ' I Tlieu. ii. M, ij. 
 
 prophet, then, is not without honour 
 among the Gentiles ; for either they do not 
 know him at all, or, having learned and re- 
 ceived him as a prophet, they honour him. 
 And such are those who are of the Church. 
 Prophets suffer dishonour, first, when they 
 are persecuted, according to historical fact, 
 by the people, and, secondly, when their 
 prophecy is not believed by the people. 
 For if they had believed Moses and the 
 prophets they would have believed Christ, 
 who showed that when men believed Moses 
 and the prophets, belief in Christ logically 
 followed, and that when men did not be- 
 lieve Christ they did not believe Moses.' 
 Moreover, as by the transgression of the law 
 he who sins is said to dishonour God, so by 
 not believing in that which is prophesied 
 the prophet is dishonoured by the man who 
 disbelieves the prophecies. And so far as 
 the literal truth is concerned, it is useful to 
 recount what things Jeremiah suffered 
 among the people in relation to which he 
 said, "And I said, I will not speak, nor 
 will I call upon the name of the Lord." ' 
 And again, elsewhere, "I was continually 
 being mocked." i And how great sufferings 
 he endured from the then king of Israel are 
 written in his prophecy. And it is also writ- 
 ten that some of the people often came to 
 stone Moses to death ; for his fatherland 
 was not the stones of any place, but the 
 people who followed him, among whom 
 also he was dishonoured. And Isaiah is 
 reported to have been sawn asunder by the 
 people ; and if any one does not accept the 
 statement because of its being found in the 
 Apocryphal Isaiah,t let him believe what 
 is written thus in the Epistle to the 
 Hebrews, " They were stoned, they were 
 sawn asunder, they were tempted ; " J for 
 the expression, " They were sawn asunder," 
 refers to Isaiah, just as the words, "They 
 were slain with the sword," refer to Zacha- 
 rias, who was slain "between the sanctuary 
 and the altar,"* as the Saviour taught, 
 bearing testimony, as I think, to a Scripture, 
 though not extant in the common and 
 widely circulated books, but perhaps in 
 apocryphal books. And they, too, were 
 dishonoured in their own country among 
 the Jews who went about " in sheep-skins, 
 in goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted," 
 and so on ; 7 "For all that will to live godly 
 in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. " * 
 And probably because Paul knew this, 
 
 ' John V. 46. ' Jer. xx. 9. ' Jer. xx. 7. 
 
 • Probably the Ascetuio Isaue, Cf. Griff. Ep. ad Afric. c. 9. 
 •Heb. xi. 37. • Matt, xxiii. 35. Ci. On^. Ep. ad A/ric. c. t). 
 "* Heb. xi. 37. ^ 2 Tun. iiL la. 
 
426 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 "That a prophet has no honour in his own 
 country," thoug-h he preached the Word in 
 many places he did not preach it in Tarsus. 
 And the Apostles on this account left Israel 
 and did that which had been enjoined on 
 them by the Saviour, ' ' Make disciples of all 
 the nations,"' and, "Ye shall be My wit- 
 nesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea 
 and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part 
 of the earth. "^ For they did that which 
 had been commanded them in Judaea and 
 Jerusalem ; but, since a prophet has no 
 honour in his own country, when the Jews 
 did not receive the Word, they went away 
 to the Gentiles. Consider, too, if, because 
 of the fact that the saying, "I will pour 
 forth of My Spirit upon all flesh, and they 
 shall prophesy,"' has been fulfilled in the 
 churches from the Gentiles, you can say 
 that those formerly of the world and who 
 by believing- became no longer of the world, 
 having received the Holy Spirit in their own 
 country — that is, the world — and prophesy- 
 ing, have not honour, but are dishonoured. 
 Wherefore blessed are they who suffer the 
 same things as the prophets, according to 
 what was said by the Saviour, "For in the 
 same manner did their fathers unto the 
 prophets."'' Now if any one who attends 
 carefully to these things be hated and at- 
 tacked, because of his living with rigorous 
 austerity, and his reproof of sinners, as a man 
 who is persecuted and reproached for the 
 sake of righteousness, he will not only 
 not be grieved, but will rejoice and be 
 exceeding glad, being assured that, because 
 of these things, he has great reward in 
 heaven from Him who likened him to the 
 prophets on the ground of his having 
 suffered the same things. Therefore, he 
 who zealously imitates the prophetic life, 
 and attains to the spirit which was in them, 
 must be dishonoured in the world, and in 
 the eyes of sinners, to whom the life of the 
 righteous man is a burden. 
 
 19. RELATION OF FAITH AND UNBELIEF TO THE 
 SUPERNATURAL POWERS OF JESUS. 
 
 Following this you may see, "Hedidnot 
 there many mighty works because of their un- 
 belief." 5 We are taught by these things that 
 powers were found in those who believed, 
 since "to every one that hath shall be given 
 and he shall have abundance,"* but among 
 unbelievers not only did the powers not 
 work, but as Mark wrote, "They could not 
 work. "7 For attend to the words, "He 
 
 ^ Matt, xxviii. 19. 
 
 * Luke vi. 23, 
 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 19, 20. 
 
 ^ Acts i. 8. 
 ^ Matt. xiii. 58. 
 
 s Joel ii. 28 
 " Matt. xUi. 12. 
 
 could not there do any mighty works," 
 for it is not said, "He would not," but 
 "He could not ; " as if there came to the 
 power when working co-operation from 
 the faith of him on whom the power 
 was working, but this co-operation was 
 hindered in its exercise by unbelief. See, 
 then, that to those who said, "Why 
 could we not cast it out.?" He said, "Be- 
 cause of your little faith."' And to Peter, 
 when he began to sink, it was said, "O 
 thou of little faith, v^fherefore didst thou 
 doubt? "^ "But, moreover, she who had the 
 issue of blood, who did not ask for the cure, 
 but only reasoned that if she were to touch 
 the hem of His garment she would be 
 healed, was healed on the spot. And the 
 Saviour, acknowledging the method of heal- 
 ing, says, " Who touched Me? For I per- 
 ceived that power went forth from Me. "3 
 And perhaps, as in the case of material 
 things there exists in some things a natural 
 attraction towards some other thing, as in the 
 magnet for iron, and in what is called naph- 
 tha for fire, so there is an attraction in such 
 faith towards the divine power, according 
 to what is said, " If ye have faith as a grain 
 of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this 
 mountain. Remove hence to yonder place, 
 and it shall remove. "-^ And Matthew and 
 Mark, wishing to set forth the excellency of 
 the divine power, that it has power even in 
 unbelief, but not so great power as it has 
 in the faith of those who are being bene- 
 fited, seem to me to have said with 
 accuracy, not that He did not "any" 
 mighty works because of their unbe- 
 lief, but that He did not "many" 
 there.5 And Mark also does not say, that 
 He could not do any mighty work there, 
 and stop at that point, but added, "Save 
 that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk 
 and healed them,"* the power in Him thus 
 overcoming the unbelief. Now it seems to 
 me that, as in the case of material things, 
 tillage is not sufficient in itself for the 
 gathering in of the fruits, unless the air co- 
 operates to this end, nay, rather, He who 
 forms the air with whatever quality He 
 wills and makes it whatever He wills ; nor 
 the air apart from tillage, but rather He 
 who by His providence has enacted that the 
 things which spring up from the earth could 
 not spring up apart from tillage ; for this 
 He has done once for all in the law, "Let the 
 earth put forth grass sowing seed after its 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 31. 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 20. 
 " Mark vi. 5. 
 
 * Luke viii. 45, 46. 
 
 * Matt. xiii. 58. 
 ® Mark vi. 5. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 427 
 
 kind and after its lilceness ; " ■ so also neither 
 do the operations of the powers, apart from 
 the faith of those who are being healed, ex- 
 hibit the absolute work of healing, nor 
 faith, however great it may be, apart from 
 the divine power. And that which is writ- 
 ten about wisdom, you may apply also to 
 faith, and to the virtues specifically, so as 
 to make a precept of this kind, " If any one 
 be perfect in wisdom among the sons of 
 men, and the power that comes from Thee be 
 wanting, he will be reckoned as nothing ; " ^ 
 or, " If any one be perfect in self-control, so 
 far as is possible for the sons of men, and 
 the control that is from Thee be wanting, he 
 will be reckoned as nothing ; " or, " If any 
 one be perfect in righteousness, and in the 
 rest of virtues, and the righteousness and 
 the rest of the virtues that are from Thee be 
 wanting to him, he will be reckoned as no- 
 thing." Wherefore, " Let not the wise man 
 glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in 
 his strength," 1 for that which is fit matter 
 for glorying is not ours, but is the gift of 
 God; the wisdom is from Him, and the 
 strength is from Him ; and so with the rest. 
 
 20. DIFFERENT CONCEPTIONS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 " Al Ihat seasoTi Herod the tetrarch heard 
 the report concerning Jesus and said unto his 
 own servants, This is John the Baptist." ^ In 
 Marks it is the same, and also in Luke. ^ 
 The Jews had different opinions, some false, 
 such as the Sadducees held about the resur- 
 rection of the dead, that they do not rise, 
 and in regard to angels that they do not 
 exist, but that those things which were 
 written about them were only to be inter- 
 preted figuratively, but had no reality in 
 point of fact ; and some true opinions, such 
 as were taught by the Pharisees about the 
 resurrection of the dead that they rise. We 
 must therefore here inquire, whether the 
 opinion regarding the soul, mistakenly held 
 by Herod and some from among the people, 
 was somewhat like this — that John, who a 
 little before had been slain by him, had 
 risen from the dead after he had been be- 
 headed, and was the same person under a 
 different name, and being now called Jesus 
 was possessed of the same powers which 
 formerly wrought in John. For what credi- 
 bility is there in the idea that One, who was 
 so widely known to the whole people, and 
 whose name was noised abroad in the whole 
 of Judaea, whom they declared to be the son 
 
 • Gen. i. ii. 
 ' Jer. ix. 23. 
 
 * Luke ix. 7. 
 
 » Wisdom of Solomon ix. 6. 
 
 • Matt. xiv. 1. • Mark -A. 14. 
 
 of the carpenter and Mary, and to have such 
 and such for brothers and sisters, was thought 
 to be not different from ' John whose father 
 was Zacharias, and whose mother was Elisa- 
 beth, who were themselves not undistin- 
 guished among the people ? But it is prob- 
 able that the fact of his being the Son of 
 Zacharias was not unknown to the people, 
 who thought with regard to John that he 
 was truly a prophet, and were so numerous 
 that the Pharisees, in order to avoid the ap- 
 pearance of saying that which was displeas- 
 ing to the people, were afraid to answer the 
 question, " Was his baptism from heaven or 
 from men ? " ^ And perhaps, also, to some 
 of them had come the knowledge of the inci- 
 dent of the vision which was seen in the 
 temple, when Gabriel appeared to Zacharias. 
 What credibility, forsooth, has the erroneous 
 opinion, whether of Herod or of some of the 
 people, that John and Jesus were not two 
 persons, but that it was one and the same 
 person John who rose from the dead after 
 that he had been beheaded and was called 
 Jesus ? Some one might say, however, that 
 Herod and some of those of the people held 
 the false dogma of the transmigration of 
 souls into bodies, in consequence of which 
 they thought that the former John had ap- 
 peared again by a fresh birth, and had come 
 from the dead into life as Jesus. But the 
 time between the birth of John and the birtb' 
 of Jesus, which was not more than six 
 months, does not permit this false opinion- 
 to be considered credible. And perhaps- 
 rather some such idea as this was in the- 
 mind of Herod, that the powers which; 
 wrought in John had passed over to Jesus, 
 in consequence of which He was thought: 
 by the people to be John the Baptist. And, 
 one might use the following line of argu- 
 ment. Just as because of the spirit and the 
 power of Elijah, and not because of his soul, 
 it is said about John, " This is Elijah which 
 is to come," 3 the spirit in Elijah and the 
 power in him having gone over to John — so 
 Herod thought that the powers in John 
 wrought in his case works of baptism and 
 teaching, — for John did not one miracle,* 
 but in Jesus miraculous portents. It may 
 be said that something of this kind was 
 the thought of those who said that Elijah 
 had appeared in Jesus, or that one of 
 the old prophets had risen, s But the 
 opinion of those who said that Jesus was 
 " a prophet even as one of the prophets," * 
 has no bearing on the question. False, 
 
 ' Or, none other than. • Matt. xxi. 35. 
 * John X. 41. <• Luke ix. 8, 
 
 * Matt. xi. 14. 
 " Markvi. 15. 
 
428 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 then, is the saying concerning Jesus, 
 whether that recorded to have been the 
 view of Herod, or that spoken by others. 
 Only, the saying, "That John went before 
 in the spirit and power of Elijah,"' which 
 corresponds to the thoughts which they were 
 now cherishing concerning John and Jesus, 
 seems to me more credible. But since 
 we learned, in the first place, that when the 
 Saviour after the temptation heard that John 
 was given up, He retreated into Galilee, 
 and in the second place, that when John 
 was in prison and heard the things about 
 Jesus he sent two of his disciples and said 
 to Him, "Art thou He thatcometh, or look 
 we for another .? "^ and in the third place, 
 generally that Herod said about Jesus, " It is 
 John the Baptist, he is risen from the dead," ^ 
 but we have not previously learned from any 
 quarter the manner in which the Baptist 
 was killed, therefore Matthew has now re- 
 corded it, and Mark almost like unto him ; 
 but Luke passed over in silence the greater 
 part of the narrative as it is found in them."-' 
 
 21, HEROD AND THE BAPTIST. 
 
 The narrative of Matthew is as follows, — 
 ^' for Herod had laid hold on John and bound 
 him in Ihe prison." i In reference to these 
 things, it seems to me, that as the law and 
 the prophets were until John,'' after whom 
 the grace of prophecy ceased from among 
 the Jews ; so the authority of those who had 
 rule among the people, which included the 
 power to kill those whom they thought 
 worthy of death, existed until John ; and 
 when the last of the prophets was unlaw- 
 fidly killed by Herod, the king of the Jews 
 was deprived of the power of putting to 
 death ; for, if Herod had not been deprived 
 of it, Pilate would not have condemned 
 Jesus to death ; but for this Herod would 
 have sufficed along with the council of the 
 chief priests and elders of the people, met for 
 the purpose. And then I think was fulfilled 
 that which was spoken as follows bv Jacob to 
 Judah : " A ruler shall not depart from Judah, 
 nor a leader from Israel, until thatcome which 
 IS laid up in store, and he is the expectation 
 of the Gentiles. "7 And perhaps also the 
 Jews were deprived of this power, the Provi- 
 dence of God arranging for the spread of the 
 teaching of Christ among the people, so that 
 even if this were hindered by the Jews, the 
 opposition might not go so far as the slay- 
 ing of believers, which seemed to be accord- 
 
 ' Th 'l- fru , '^''!'- ^' "■ 3. • Matt. xiv. 2. 
 
 Ih- quesHoi! of John's relation to Jesus and of the supposed 
 
 S^ „n'r„"h r' 'tf "°"= ^""5' '^i=':"===d by Origen in his Commen- 
 tary on John, Ijook Vl. 7, p. 353, sqq 
 •Matt. xiv. 3. OI.i'iIi, vvr 
 
 " Luke xvi. 16. 
 
 ' Gen, xlix. 10. 
 
 ing to law. "But Herod laid hold on John 
 and bound him in prison and put him 
 away,"' by this act signifying that, so fur 
 as it depended on his power and on the 
 wickedness of the people, he bound and im- 
 prisoned the prophetic word, and prevented 
 him from continuing to abide a herald of 
 the truth in freedom as formerly. But this 
 Herod did for the sake of Herodias, the wife 
 of his brother Philip. For John said unto 
 him, "It is not lawful for thee to have 
 her."^ Now this Philip was tetrarch of the 
 region of Itursea and of Trachonitis. Some, 
 then, suppose that, when Philip died leav- 
 ing a daughter, Herodias, Herod married 
 his brother's wife, though the law permitted 
 marriage only when there were no children. 
 But, as we find nowhere clear evidence that 
 Philip was dead, we conclude that a yet 
 greater transgression was done by Herod, 
 namely, that he had induced his brother's 
 wife to revolt from her husband while he 
 was still living. 
 
 22. THE DANXING OF HERODIAS. THE KEEPING 
 OF OATHS. 
 
 AVherefore John, endued with prophetic 
 boldness and not terrified at the royal dig- 
 nity of Herod, nor through fear of death 
 keeping silence in regard to so flagrant a 
 sin, filled with a divine spirit said to Herod, 
 "It is not lawful for thee to have her ; for 
 it is not lawful for thee to have the wife of 
 thy brother." For Herod having laid' hold 
 on John bound him and put him in prison, 
 not daring to slay him outright and to take 
 away the prophetic word from the people; 
 but the wife of the king of Trachonitis— - 
 which is a kind of evil opinion and wicked 
 teaching — gave birth to a daughter of the 
 same name, whose movements, seemingly 
 harmonious, pleasing Herod, who was fond 
 of matters connected with birthdays, be- 
 came the cause of there being no longer a 
 prophetic head among the people. And up 
 to this point I think that the movements 
 of the people of the Jews, which seem to be 
 according to the law, were nothing else than 
 the movements of the daughter of Herodias ; 
 but the dancing of Herodias was opposed tb 
 that holy dancing with which those whohave 
 not danced will be reproached when they 
 hear the words, "We piped unto you, and 
 ye did not dance." 3 And on birthdays, 
 when the lawless word reigns over them, 
 they dance so that their movements please 
 that word. Some one of those before us 
 has observed what is written in Genesis 
 about the birthday of Pharaoh, and has told 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 3. : Matt. xiv. 3, 4. » Matt. xi. 17 ; Luke vii. JJ. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 429 
 
 that the worthless man who loves things 
 connected with birth keeps birthday festi- 
 vals ; and we, taking this suggestion from 
 him, find in no Scripture that a birthday- 
 was kept by a righteous man. For Herod 
 was more unjust than that famous Pharaoh ; 
 for by the latter on his birthday feast a chief 
 baker is killed ; ' but by the former^ John, 
 " than whom no one greater hath risen 
 among those born of women," ^ in regard 
 to whom the Saviour says, "But for what 
 purpose did ye go out ? To see a prophet ? 
 Yea, I say unto you, and more than a 
 prophet."' But thanks be unto, God, that, 
 even if the grace of prophecy was taken 
 from the people, a grace greater than all 
 that was poured forth among the Gentiles by 
 our Saviour Jesus Christ, who became "free 
 among the dead ; " ■* for " though He were 
 crucified through weakness, yet He liveth 
 through the power of God. "s Consider also 
 the word in which pure and impure meats 
 are inquired into ; but prophecy is despised 
 when it is brought forward in a charger in- 
 stead of meat. But the Jews have not the 
 head of prophecy, inasmuch as they disown 
 the crown of all prophecy, Christ Jesus ; 
 and the prophet is beheaded, because of 
 an oath in a case where the duty was 
 rather to break the oath than to keep 
 the oath ; for the charge of rashness in 
 taking an oath and of breaking it because 
 of the rashness is not the same in guilt as 
 the death of a prophet. And not on this 
 account alone is he beheaded, but because 
 "of those who sat at meat with him," who 
 preferred that the prophet should be killed 
 rather than live. And they recline at the 
 same table and also feast along with the 
 evil word which reigns over the Jews, who 
 make merry over his birth. At times j'ou may 
 make a graceful application of the passage 
 to those who swear rashly and wish to hold 
 fast oaths which are taken with a view to 
 unlawful deeds, by saying that not every 
 keeping of oaths is seemly, just as the keep- 
 ing of the oath of Herod was not. And 
 mark, further, that not openly but secretly 
 and in prison does Herod put John to death. 
 For even the present word of the Jews does 
 not openly deny the prophecies, but vir- 
 tually and in secret denies them, and is 
 convicted of disbelieving them. For as ' ' if 
 they believed Moses they would have be- 
 lieved Jesus," * so if they had believed the 
 prophets they would have received Him 
 who had been the subject of prophecy. 
 
 But disbelieving Him they also disbelieve 
 them, and cut off and confine in prison 
 the prophetic word, and hold it dead and 
 divided, and in no way wholesome, since 
 they do not understand it. But we have 
 the whole Jesus, the prophecy concerning 
 Him being fulfilled which said, "A bone 
 shall not be broken." ' 
 
 23. THE WITHDRAWAL OF JESUS. 
 
 And the disciples of John having come bury 
 his remains, and " Ihey ivent and told Jesus." '^ 
 And He withdrew to a desert place, — that 
 is, the Gentiles — and after the killing of the 
 prophet multitudes followed Him from the 
 cities everywhere ; seeing which to be great 
 He had compassion on them, and healed 
 their sick ; and afterwards with the loaves 
 which were blessed and multiplied from a 
 few loaves He feeds those who followed 
 Him. "Aviv when Jesus heard it He with- 
 drew thence in a boat to a desert place apart. " 3 
 The letter teaches us to withdraw as far as 
 it is in our power from those who persecute 
 us, and from expected conspiracies through 
 words ; for this would be to act according 
 to prudence ; and, when one can keep out- 
 side of critical positions, to go to meet them 
 is rash and headstrong. For who would 
 still hesitate about avoiding such things, 
 when not only did Jesus retreat in view of 
 vi'hat happened to John, but also taught and 
 said, " If they persecute you in this city, flee 
 ye into the other'" ?■♦ When a temptation 
 comes which is not in our power to avoid, we 
 must endure it with exceeding nobleness 
 and courage ; but, when it is in our power to 
 avoid it, not to do so is rash. But since 
 after the letter we must also investigate the 
 place according to the mystical meaning, 
 we must say that, when prophecy was 
 plotted against among the Jews and de- 
 stroyed, because of their giving honour to 
 matters of birthdays, and in respect of their 
 reception of vain movements which, though 
 conceived by the ruler of the wicked and 
 those who feast along with him to be regu- 
 lar and pleasing to them, were irregular 
 and out of tune, if truth be umpire, then 
 Jesus withdraws from the place in which 
 prophecy was attacked and condemned ; 
 and He withdraws to the place which had 
 been barren of God among the Gentiles, in 
 order that the Word of God, when the king- 
 dom was taken from the Jews and "given 
 to a nation bringing forth the fruits there- 
 of,"' might be among the Gentiles ; and, on 
 
 ' Gen. xl. 20. 
 * Ps. Ixxxviii. 6. 
 
 » Matt. xi. II. 
 » 2 Cor. xiii. 4. 
 
 * Luke vii. 26. 
 
 • JoJm V. 46. 
 
 * Ex. xii. 46 ; John xix. 36. 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 13. 
 
 ' Matt. xxi. 43, . 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 12. 
 , * Matt. X. 23. 
 
43° 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 account of it, "the children of the desolate 
 one "who had not been instructed either m 
 the 'law or the prophets, "might be more 
 than of her who has the husband," ' that is, 
 the law. When, then, the word was of old 
 among the Jews, it was not so among them 
 as it is among the Gentiles ; wherefore it is 
 said that, " in a boat,"— that is, in the body 
 
 He went to the desert place apart, when 
 
 He heard about the killing of the prophet. 
 And, having come into the desert place 
 apart, He was in it, because that the Word 
 dwelt apart, and His teaching was contrary 
 to the customs and usages which obtained 
 among the Gentiles. And the crowds among 
 the Gentiles, when they heard that Jesus 
 had come to stay in their desert, and that 
 He was apart, as we have already reported, 
 followed Him from their own cities, because 
 each had left the superstitious customs of 
 his fathers and come to the law of Christ. 
 And by land they followed Him, and not in 
 a boat, inasmuch as not with the body but 
 with the soul only, and with the resolution 
 to which they had been persuaded by the 
 Word, they followed the Image of God. 
 And to them Jesus comes out, as they were 
 not able to go to Him, in order that, having 
 gone to those who were without, He might 
 lead within those who were without. 
 And great is the crowd without to whom 
 the Word of God goes out, and, having 
 poured out upon it the light of His " visita- 
 tion," beholds it ; and, seeing that they were 
 rather deserving of being pitied, because 
 they were in such circumstances, as a lover 
 of men He who was impassible suffered the 
 emotion of pity, and not only had pity but 
 healed their sick, who had sicknesses diverse 
 and of every kind arising from their wick- 
 edness. 
 
 24. THE DIVERSE FORMS OF SPIRITUAL SICKNESS. 
 
 And, if you wish to see of what nature 
 are the sicknesses of the soul, contemplate 
 with me the lovers of money, and the lovers 
 of ambition, and the lovers of boys, and if 
 any be fond of women ; for these also be- 
 holding among the crowds and taking com- 
 passion upon them, He healed. For not 
 every sin is to be considered a sickness, but 
 that which has settled down in the whole 
 soul. For so you may see the lovers of 
 money wholly intent on money and upon 
 preserving and gathering it, the lovers of 
 ambition wholly intent on a little glory, for 
 they gape for praise from the masses and 
 the vulgar ; and analogously you will under- 
 
 • Isa. liv. I ; Gal. iv, 27. 
 
 stand in the case of the rest which we have 
 named, and if there be any other like to 
 them. Since, then, when expounding the 
 words, "He healed their sick,"' we said 
 that not every sin is a sickness, it is fitting 
 to discuss from the Scripture the difference 
 of these. The Apostle indeed says, writing 
 to the Corinthians who had diverse sick- 
 nesses, " For this cause many among you are 
 weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. "^ Hear 
 Him in these words, knitting a band and 
 making it plaited of different sins, accord- 
 ing as some are weak, and others sickly 
 more than weak, and others, in comparison 
 with both, are asleep. For some, because 
 of impotence of soul, having a tendency to 
 slip into any sin whatever, although they 
 may not be wholly in the grasp of any form 
 of sin, as the sickly are, are only weak ; but 
 others who, instead of loving God "with all 
 their soul and all their heart and all their 
 mind," love money, or a little glory, or wife, 
 or children, are suffering from something 
 worse than weakness, and are sickly. And 
 those who sleep are those who, when they 
 ought to be taking heed and watching with 
 the soul, are not doing this, but by reason 
 of great vi^ant of attention are nodding in re- 
 solution and are drowsy in their reflections, 
 such as "in their dreamings defde the flesh, 
 and set at naught that which is highest in 
 authority, and rail at dignities. "^ And these, 
 because they are asleep, live in an atmos- 
 phere of vain and dream-like fancies con- 
 cerning realities, not admitting the things 
 which are actually true, but deceived by 
 what appears in their vain imaginations, in 
 regard to whom it is said in Isaiah, " Like as 
 when a thirsty man dreams that he is drink- 
 ing, but when he has risen up is still thirsty, 
 and his soul has cherished a vain hope, so 
 shall be the wealth of all the nations as 
 many as have warred in Jerusalem."'' If, 
 then, we have seemed to make a digression 
 in recounting the difference between the 
 weak and the sickly and those that sleep, 
 because of that which the Apostle said in 
 the letter to the Corinthians which we have 
 expounded, we have made the digression in 
 our desire to represent what is meant to be 
 understood by the saying, " And He healed 
 their sick."s 
 
 25. HEALING PRECEDES PAPTICIPATION IN THE 
 LOAVES OF JESUS. 
 
 After this the word says, "And when 
 
 * Matt. xlv. 14. • I Cor. xi. 30. ' Jude 8. 
 
 * Isa. xxix. 8 (LXX., which has "against mount Zion," where 
 Origen has " in Jerusalem "). 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 14. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 431 
 
 even was come, His disciples came to Him, 
 saying, Tlie place is desert and the time is al- 
 ready past ; send, there/ore, the multitudes 
 away, that they may go into the villages and 
 buy themselves food." ^ And first observe 
 that when about to give to the disciples the 
 loaves of blessing, that they might set them 
 before the multitudes, He healed the sick, 
 in order that, having been restored to health, 
 they might participate in the loaves of bless- 
 ing ; for while they are yet sickly, they are 
 
 notable to receive the loaves of the blessing 
 of Jesus. But if any one, when he ought to 
 listen to the precept, "But let each prove 
 himself, and so let him eat of the bread," 
 etc.,' does not obey these words, but in 
 haphazard fashion participates in the bread 
 of the Lord and His cup, he becomes weak 
 or sickly, or even — if I may use the expres- 
 sion — on account of being stupefied by the 
 power of the bread, asleep. 
 
 BOOK XI. 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE 
 THOUSAND. 
 
 And when even was come His disciples 
 came to Him," ^ that is, at the consummation 
 of the age in regard to which we may fitly 
 say what is found in the Epistle of John, 
 "It is the last hour. "3 They, not yet under- 
 standing what the Word was about to do, say 
 to Him, "The place is desert, "-t seeing the 
 desert condition of the masses in respect of 
 God and the Law and the Word ; but they 
 say to Him, "The time is past, "s as if the 
 fitting season of the law and prophets had 
 passed. Perhaps they spoke this saying, in 
 reference to the word of Jesus, that because 
 of the beheading of John both the law and 
 the prophets who were until John had 
 ceased.* "The time is past," therefore they 
 say, and no food is at hand, because the 
 season of it is no longer present, that those 
 who have followed Thee in the desert may 
 serve the law and the prophets. And, 
 further, the disciples say, " Send them 
 away, "7 that each one may buy food, if he 
 cannot from the cities, at least from the vil- 
 lages, — places more ignoble. Such things 
 the disciples said, because, after the letter of 
 the law had been abrogated and prophecies 
 had ceased, they despaired of unexpected 
 and new food being found for the multitudes. 
 But see what Jesus answers to the disciples 
 though He does not cry out and plainly say 
 it : " You suppose that, if the great multitude 
 go away from Me in need of food, they will 
 find it in villages rather than with Me, and 
 among bodies of men, not of citizens but of 
 villagers, rather than by abiding with Me. 
 But I declare unto you, that in regard to 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 15. 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 15. 
 ' Matt. xiv. IS. 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 15. 
 * Matt. xiv. 15. 
 
 * I John ii. i8. 
 
 * Luke xvi. it. 
 
 that of which you suppose they are in need 
 they are not in need, for they have no need 
 to go away ; but in regard to that of which 
 you think they have no need — that is, of Me 
 ■ — as if I could not feed them, of this con- 
 trary to your expectation they have need. 
 Since, then, I have trained you, and made 
 you fit to give rational food to them who 
 are in need of it, give ye to the crowds who 
 have followed Me to eat ; for ye have the 
 power, which ye have received from Me, of 
 giving the multitudes to eat ; and if ye had 
 attended to this, ye would have understood 
 that I am far more able to feed them, and 
 ye would not have said, ' Send the multi- 
 tudes away that they may go and buy food 
 for themselves. ' " ^ 
 
 2. EXPOSITION OF THE DETAILS OF THE MIRACLE. 
 
 Jesus, then, because of the power which 
 He gave to the disciples, even the power of 
 nourishing others, said. Give ye them to 
 eat. 5 But (not denying that they can give 
 loaves, but thinking that there were much 
 too few and not sufficient to feed those who 
 follow^ed Jesus, and not considering that 
 when Jesus takes each loaf — the Word — He 
 extends it as far as He wills, and makes it 
 suffice for all whomsoever He desires to 
 nourish), the disciples say. We have here 
 but five loaves and two fishes.* Perhaps 
 by the five loaves they meant to make 
 a veiled reference to the sensible words 
 of the Scriptures, corresponding in num- 
 ber on this account to the five senses, 
 but by the two fishes either to the word 
 expressed 5 and the word conceived,* 
 which are a relish, so to speak, to the 
 sensible things contained in the Scriptures ; 
 
 • I Cor. xi. 28. 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 17. 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 15. 
 
 ^ AoYOs irpot^opiKOf . 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 16. 
 
432 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 or, perhaps, to the word which had come to 
 them about the Father and the Son. Where- 
 fore also after His resurrection He ate of a 
 broiled fish,' having taken a part from the 
 disciples, and having received that theology 
 about the Father which they were in part 
 able to declare to Him. Such is the contri- 
 bution we have been able to give to the 
 exposition of the word about the five loaves 
 and the two fishes ; and probably those, 
 who are better able than we to gather 
 together the five loaves and the two fishes 
 among themselves, would be able to give 
 a fuller and better interpretation of their 
 meaning. It must be observed, however, 
 that while in Matthew, Mark, and Luke,= 
 the disciples say that they have the five 
 loaves and the two fishes, without indicat- 
 ing whether they were wheaten or of barley, 
 John alone says, that the loaves were 
 barley loaves, s Wherefore, perhaps, in the 
 Gospel of John the disciples do not acknow- 
 ledge that the loaves are with them, but say 
 in John, "There is a lad here who has five 
 barley loaves and two fishes. "■• And so long 
 as these five loaves and two fishes were not 
 carried by the disciples of Jesus, they did 
 not increase or multiply, nor were they 
 able to nourish more ; but, when the Sav- 
 iour took them, and in the first placed looked 
 up to heaven, with the rays of His eyes, 
 as it were, drawing down from it power 
 which was to be mingled with the loaves 
 and the fishes which were about to feed the 
 five thousand ; and after this blessed the 
 five loaves and the two fishes, increasing 
 and multiplying them by the word and the 
 blessing ; and in the third place dividing 
 and breaking He gave to the disciples that 
 they might set them before the multitudes, 
 then the loaves and the fishes were suffi- 
 cient, so that all ate and were satisfied, and 
 some portions of the loaves which had been 
 blessed they were unable to eat. For so 
 much remained over to the multitudes, 
 which was not according to the capacity of 
 the multitudes but of the disciples who were 
 able to take up that which remained over of 
 the broken pieces, and to place it in baskets 
 filled with that which remained over, which 
 were in number so many as the tribes of 
 Israel. Concerning Joseph, then, itis written 
 in the Psalms, " His hands served in the 
 basket," s but about the disciples of Jesus that 
 they took up that which remained over of the 
 broken pieces twelve baskets,twelve baskets, 
 I take it, not half-full but filled. And there 
 
 * Luke xxiy. 42, 43. 
 
 * John vi. g. 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 17 ; 
 * John vi. 9. 
 
 Mark vL 38 ; Luke ix. 13. 
 ' Ps. Ixiii. 7. 
 
 are, I think, up to the present time, and will 
 be until the consummation of the age with 
 the disciples of Jesus, who are superior to the 
 multiudes, the twelve baskets, filled with the 
 broken pieces of living bread which the 
 multitudes cannot eat. Now those who ate 
 of the five loaves which existed before the 
 twelve baskets that remained over, were 
 kindred in nature to the number five ; for 
 those who ate had reached the stage of 
 sensible things, since also they were nour- 
 ished by Him who looked up to heaven and 
 blessed and brake them, and were not boys 
 nor women, but men. For there are, I 
 think, even in sensible foods differences, so 
 that some of them belong to those who 
 "have put away childish things,"^ and some 
 to those who are still babes and carnal in 
 Christ. 
 
 3. THE EXPOSITION OF DETAILS CONTINUED. THE 
 SITTING DOWN ON THE GRASS. THE DIVI- 
 SION INTO COMPANIES. 
 
 We have spoken these things because of the 
 words, " TTiey that did eal were five thousand 
 men, beside children and wonie7i," ^ which is 
 an ambiguous expression ; for either those 
 who ate were five thousand men, and 
 among those who ate there was no child or 
 woman ; or the men only were five thou- 
 sand, the children and the women not being 
 reckoned. Some, then, as we have said by 
 anticipation, have so understood the pas- 
 sage that neither children nor women were 
 present, when the increase and multiplica- 
 tion of the five loaves and the two fishes 
 took place. But some one might say that, 
 while many ate and according to their de- 
 sert and capacity participated in the loaves 
 of blessing, some worthy to be numbered, 
 corresponding to the men of twenty years 
 old who are numbered in the Book of Num- 
 bers, 3 were Israelitish men, but others who 
 were not worthy of such account and num- 
 bering were children and women. More- 
 over, interpret with me allegorically the 
 children in accordance with the passage, "I 
 could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, 
 but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ ;"■• 
 and the women in accordance with the say- 
 ing, "I wish to present you all as a pure vir- 
 gin to Christ ;"5 and the men according to 
 the saying, "When I am become a man I 
 have put away childish things. " ^ Let us not 
 pass by without exposition the words, "ZTe 
 commanded the multitudes to sit down on the 
 grass, and He look the five loaves and the two 
 
 ^ r Cor. xiii. ii 
 * 1 Cor. iii. 1. 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 21. 
 
 * 2 Cor. xi. 2. 
 
 * Num. i. 3. 
 ^ 1 Cor. xiii. ii. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 433 
 
 fishes, and looking tip to heaven, He blessed, 
 and brake, and gave the loaves to the disciples, 
 and the disciples to the multitudes. And they 
 did all eat."'^ For what is meant by the 
 words, "And He commanded all the multi- 
 tudes to sit down on the grass ? " And what 
 are we to understand in the passage worthy 
 of the command of Jesus? Now, I think 
 that He commanded the multitudes to sit 
 down on the grass because of what is said in 
 Isaiah, "All flesh is grass ; " ^ that is to say. 
 He commanded them to put the flesh under, 
 and to keep in subjection "the mind of the 
 flesh,"3that so any one might be able to 
 partake of the loaves which Jesus blesses. 
 Then since there are different orders of those 
 who need the food which Jesus supplies and 
 all are not nourished by equal words, on 
 this account I think that Mark has written, 
 "And He commanded them that they should 
 all sit down by companies upon the green 
 grass ; and they sat down in ranks by hun- 
 dreds and by fifties ; "♦ but Luke, "And He 
 said unto His disciples, Make them sit down 
 in companies about fifty each."s For it 
 was necessary that those who were to find 
 rest in the food of Jesus should either be in 
 the order of the hundred — the sacred num- 
 ber — which is consecrated to God, because 
 of the unit, (in it) or in the order of the 
 fifty — the number which embraces the re- 
 mission of sins, in accordance with the 
 mystery of the Jubilee which took place 
 every fifty years, and of the feast at Pen- 
 tecost. And I think that the twelve baskets 
 were in the possession of the disciples 
 to whom it was said "Ye shall sit upon 
 twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of 
 Israel."* And as the throne of him who 
 judges the tribe of Reuben might be said to 
 be a mystery, and the throne of him who 
 judges the tribe of Simeon, and another of 
 him who judges the tribe of Judah, and so 
 on with the others ; so there might be a 
 basket of the food of Reuben, and another 
 of Simeon, and another of Levi. But it is 
 not in accordance with our present discourse 
 now to digress so far from the subject in 
 hand as to collect what is said about the 
 twelve tribes, and separately what is said 
 about each of them, and to say what each 
 tribe of Israel may signify. 
 
 4. THE MULTITUDES AND THE DISCIPLES CON- 
 TRASTED. 
 
 ". And straightway He constrained the dis- 
 ciples to enter into the boat, and to go before 
 Him unto the other side, till He should send 
 
 * Matt xiv. 19, 20. 
 
 * Mark vi. 39, 40. 
 
 ' Isa. xl. 6. 
 5 Luke ix. 14. 
 
 " Rom. viii. 6. 
 • Matt. xix. 38. 
 
 the multitudes away."^ It should be ob- 
 served how often in the same passages is 
 mentioned the word, "the multitudes," and 
 another v/ord, "the disciples," so that by 
 observing and bringing together the pas- 
 sages about this matter it may be seen that 
 the aim of the Evangelists was to represent 
 by means of the Gospel history the differ- 
 ences of those who come to Jesus ; of whom 
 some are the multitudes and are not called 
 disciples, and others are the disciples who 
 are better than the multitudes. It is suffi- 
 cient, however, for the present, for us to set 
 forth a few sayings, so that any one who is 
 moved by them may do the like with the 
 whole of the Gospels. It is written then — 
 as if the multitudes were below, but the dis- 
 ciples were able to come to Jesus when He 
 went up into the mountain, where the mul- 
 titudes were not able to be — as follows : 
 "And seeing the multitudes He went up into 
 the mountain, and when He had sat down 
 His disciples came unto Him ; and He 
 opened His mouth and taught them saying, 
 Blessed are the poor in spirit," etc.^ And 
 again in another place, as the multitudes 
 stood in need of healing, it is said, " Many 
 multitudes followed Him and He healed 
 them. "3 We do not find any healing re- 
 corded of the disciples ; since if any one is 
 already a disciple of Jesns he is whole, and 
 being well he needs Jesus not as a physician 
 but in respect of His other powers. Again 
 in another place, when He was speaking to 
 the multitudes. His mother and His brethren 
 stood without, seeking to speak to Him ; 
 this was made known to Him by some 
 one to whom He answered, stretching forth 
 His hand not towards the multitudes but 
 towards the disciples, and said, "Behold 
 My mother and My brethren. " -t And bearing 
 testimony to the disciples as doing the will 
 of the Father which is in heaven. He added, 
 " He is My brother and sister and mother." s 
 And again in another place it is written, " All 
 the multitude stood on the beach and He 
 spake to them many things in parables."* 
 Then after the parable of the Sowing, it was 
 no longer the multitudes but the disciples 
 who came and said to Him, not "Why 
 speakest thou to us in parables," but, "Why 
 speakest thou to them in parables."' Then 
 also He answered and said, not to the mul- 
 titudes but to the disciples, " To you it is 
 given to know the mysteries of the kingdom 
 of heaven, but to the rest in parables."* 
 
 ^ Matt. xiv. 22. 
 * Matt. xiv. 46-49. 
 ^ Matt, xiii. 10. 
 
 ' Matt. V. 1-3. 
 " Matt. xiv. so. 
 ' Matt. xiii. 11. 
 
 2 ]\Iatt. xii. 15. 
 " Matt. xiii. z, 3. 
 
434 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 Accordingly, of those who come to the name 
 of Jesus some, who know the mysteries of 
 the kingdom of heaven, would be called dis- 
 ciples ; but those to whom such a privilege 
 is not given would be called multitudes, who 
 would be spoken of as inferior to the dis- 
 ciples. For observe carefully that He said 
 to the disciples, " To you it is given to know 
 the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," 
 but about the multitudes, "To them it is not 
 given. "^ And in another place He dismisses 
 the multitudes indeed, and goes into the 
 house, ^ but He does not dismiss the dis- 
 ciples ; and there came to Him into His 
 house, not the multitudes but His disciples, 
 saying, "Declare to us the parable of the 
 tares of the field." 3 Moreover, also, in 
 another place when Jesus heard the things 
 concerning John and withdrew in a boat to 
 a desert place apart, the multitudes followed 
 Him ; when He came forth and saw a great 
 multitude He had compassion on them and 
 healed their sick — the sick of the multitudes, 
 not of the disciples. ■* "And when even was 
 come there came to H!im," not the multi- 
 tudes, but the disciples, as being different 
 from the multitudes, saying, " Send the mul- 
 titudes away that they may go into the vil- 
 lages and buy themselves food." s And, 
 further, when Jesus took the five loaves and 
 the two fishes, and looking up to heaven 
 He blessed and brake the loaves. He gave 
 not to the multitudes but to the disciples,"^ 
 that the disciples might give to the multi- 
 tudes who were not able to take from Him, 
 but received with difficulty at the hands of 
 the disciples the loaves of the blessing of 
 Jesus, and did not eat even all these ; for 
 the multitudes were filled and left that which 
 remained over in twelve baskets which were 
 full. 
 
 5. THE DISCIPLES IN CONFLICT. JESUS WALKS 
 UPON THE WATERS. 
 
 The reason why we have taken up this 
 subject is the passage under discussion 
 which tells that Jesus separated the disciples 
 from the multitudes, and constrained them 
 to enter into the boat and to go before Him 
 unto the other side until He Himself should 
 send the multitudes away ; ^ for the multi- 
 tudes were not able to go away to the other 
 side, as they were not in the mystic sense He- 
 brews, which are by interpretation, "dwell- 
 ing on the other side." But this was the 
 work of the disciples of Jesus— I mean to 
 
 * Matt. xiii. ir. 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 13, 14. 
 ' Matt. xiv. 22. 
 
 Matt. xiii. 36. 
 
 " Matt 
 
 XIV. 15. 
 
 ' Matt. xiii. 36. 
 • Matt. xiv. 19. 
 
 go away to the other side, and to pass 
 beyond things seen and material, as tem- 
 poral, and to go on to things unseen and 
 eternal. To be dismissed by Jesus was a 
 sufficient act of kindness bestowed on the 
 multitudes by Jesus ; for just because they 
 were multitudes they were not able to go 
 away to the other side ; and this kind of 
 dismissal no one has the power to effect 
 save Jesus only, and it is not possible for 
 any one to be dismissed unless he has first 
 eaten of the loaves which Jesus blesses. 
 Nor is it possible for any one to eat of the 
 loaves of blessing of Jesus unless he has 
 done as Jesus commanded and sat dovvii 
 upon the grass as we have told. Nor again 
 was it possible for the multitudes to do this 
 unless they had followed Jesus from their 
 own cities, when He withdrew into a desert 
 place apart. And at first, when He was 
 asked by the disciples to send away the 
 multitudes. He did not send them away 
 until He had fed them with the loaves of 
 blessing ; but now He sends them away, 
 having first constrained the disciples to 
 enter into the boat ; and He sends them 
 away, while they were somewhere below, — 
 for the desert was below,— but He Himself 
 went up into the mountain to pray.' And 
 you must observe this, that immediately 
 after the five thousand had been fed, Jesus 
 constrained the disciples to embark into 
 the boat, and to go before Him unto the 
 other side. Only, the disciples were not able 
 to go before Jesus to the other side ; but. 
 when they had got as far as the middle of 
 the sea, and the boat was distressed 
 "because the wind was contrary to them,"' 
 they were afraid when about the fourth 
 watch of the night Jesus came to them. And 
 if Jesus had not gone up into the boat neither 
 would the wind which was contrary to the 
 disciples who were sailing have ceased, nor 
 would those who were sailing have gone 
 across and come to the other side. And, 
 perhaps, wishing to teach them by experi- 
 ence that it was not possible apart from 
 Him to go to the other side He constrained 
 them to enter into the boat and go before 
 Him to the other side ; but, when they were 
 not able to advance farther than the middle 
 of the sea, He appeared to them, and did 
 what is written,' and showed that he who 
 arrives at the other side reaches it because 
 Jesussails along with him. But what is the 
 boat into which Jesus constrained the dis- 
 ciples to enter .? Is it perhaps the conflict of 
 temptations and difficulties into which any 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 23, 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 24. 
 
 ^ Matt. xiv. 25. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 435 
 
 one is constrained by the Word, and goes 
 unwillingly, as it were, when the Saviour 
 wishes to train by exercise the disciples in 
 this boat which is distressed by the waves 
 and the contrary wind ? But since Mark 
 has made a slight change in the reading, 
 and for " Straightway He constrained the 
 disciples to enter into the boat and to go 
 before Him to the other side," has written, 
 "And straightway He constrained His dis- 
 ciples to enter into the boat and to go 
 before Him unto the other side unto Beth- 
 saida, "^ we must attend to the word, " He 
 constrained," when first we have seen to 
 the slight variation in Mark who indicates 
 something more definite by the addition of 
 the pronoun ; for the same thing is not ex- 
 pressed by the words, straightway "He 
 constrained the disciples. " Something more 
 than ' ' the " disciples simply is written in 
 Mark, namely, " His " disciples. Perhaps, 
 therefore, to attend to the expression, the 
 disciples who found it hard to tear them- 
 selves away from Jesus, and could not be 
 separated from Him by any ordinary cause, 
 wished to be present with Him; but He 
 having judged that they should make trial 
 of the waves and of the contrary wind, 
 which would not have been contrary if they 
 had been with Jesus, put on them the neces- 
 sity of being separated from Him and enter- 
 ing into the boat. The Saviour then com- 
 pels the disciples to enter into the boat of 
 temptations and to go before Him to the 
 other side, and through victory over them 
 to go beyond critical difficulties ; but when 
 they had come into the midst of the sea, 
 and of the vvraves in the temptations, and of 
 the contrary winds which prevented them 
 from going away to the other side, they were 
 not able, struggling as they were without 
 Jesus, to overcome the waves and the con- 
 trary wind and reach the other side. Where- 
 fore the Word, taking compassion upon them 
 who had done all that was in their power to 
 reach the other side, came to them walking 
 upon the sea, which for Him had no waves 
 or wind that was able to oppose if He so 
 willed ; for it is not written, "He came to 
 them walking upon the waves," but, "upon 
 the waters ; " ^ Just as Peter, who at first 
 when Jesus said to him, "Come," went 
 down from the boat and walked not upon 
 "the waves," but upon "the waters"' to 
 come to Jesus ; but when he doubted he saw 
 that the wind was strong, which was not 
 strong to him who laid aside his little 
 faith and his doubting. But, when Jesus 
 
 went up with Peter into the boat, the wind 
 ceased, as it had no power to energise against 
 the boat when Jesus had gone up into it. 
 
 6. INTERPRETATION OF THE DETAILS IN THE 
 NARRATIVE. APPLICATION THEREOF TO ALL 
 DISCIPLES. 
 
 And then the disciples " having crossed 
 over came to the land Gennesarel," ' of which 
 word, if we knew the interpretation, we 
 might gain some assistance in the exposi- 
 tion of the present passage. And observe, 
 since God is faithful, and will not suffer the 
 multitudes to be tempted above that they 
 are able,^ in what way the Son of God con- 
 strained the disciples to enter into the boat, 
 as being stronger and able to get as far as 
 the middle of the sea, and to endure the 
 trials by the waves, until they became 
 worthy of divine assistance, and saw Jesus 
 and heard Him when He had gone up, and 
 to cross over and come to the land Gen- 
 nesaret ; but as for the multitudes who, 
 because they were weaker, did not make 
 trial of the boat and the waves and the 
 contrary wind, them He sent away, and 
 went up into the mountain apart to pray.' 
 To pray for whom ? Was it perhaps to 
 pray for the multitudes that, when they 
 were dismissed after the loaves of blessing, 
 they might do nothing opposed to their 
 dismissal by Jesus .? And for the disciples 
 that, when they were constrained by Him 
 to enter into the boat and to go before Him 
 unto the other side, they might suffer noth- 
 ing in the sea nor from the contrary wind ? 
 And I would say with confidence, that, 
 because of the prayer of Jesus to the Father 
 for the disciples, they suffered nothing when 
 sea and wave and contrary wind were 
 striving against them. The simpler dis- 
 ciple, then, may be satisfied with the bare 
 narrative; but let us remember, if ever we 
 fall into distressful temptations, that Jesus 
 has constrained us to enter into their boat, 
 wishing us to go before Him unto the other 
 side ; for it is not possible for us to reach 
 the other side, unless we have endured the 
 temptations of waves and contrary wind. 
 Then when we see many difficulties beset- 
 ting us, and with moderate struggle we have 
 swum through them to some extent, let us 
 consider that our boat is in the midst of the 
 sea, distressed at that time by the waves 
 which wish us to make shipwreck concern- 
 ing faith or some one of the virtues ; but 
 when we see the spirit of the evil one striv- 
 ing against us, let us conceive that then 
 
 ' Mark vi. 45. 
 27 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 25. 
 
 3 Matt. xiv. 29. 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 34. 
 
 « CI. I Cor. X. 13. 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 22, 23. 
 
43<5 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 the wind is contrary to us. When then in 
 such suffering- we have spent three watches 
 of the night — that is, of the darkness which 
 is in the temptations — striving nobly with all 
 our might and watching ourselves so as not 
 to make shipwreck concerning the faith or 
 some one of the virtues, — the first watch 
 against the father of darkness and wicked- 
 ness, the second watch against his son " who 
 opposeth and exalteth himself against all that 
 is called God or thing that is worshipped,"' 
 and the third watch against the spirit ^ that 
 is opposed to the Holy Spirit, then we be- 
 lieve that when the fourth watch impendeth, 
 when "the night is far spent, and the day 
 is at hand, "3 the Son of God will come to 
 us, that He may prepare the sea for us, 
 walking upon it. And when we see the 
 Word appearing unto us we shall indeed 
 be troubled before we clearly understand 
 that it is the Saviour who has come to us, 
 supposing that we are still beholding an ap- 
 parition, and for fear shall cry out ; but He 
 Himself straightway will speak to us saying, 
 "Be of good cheer; it is I ; be not afraid. "■» 
 And if, warmly moved by His "Be of good 
 cheer," any Peter be found among us, who 
 is on his way to perfection but has not yet 
 become perfect, having gone down from the 
 boat, as if coming out of that temptation in 
 which he was distressed, he will indeed walk 
 at first, wishing to come to Jesus upon the 
 waters ; but being as yet of little faith, and 
 as yet doubting, will see that the wind is 
 strong and will be afraid and begin to sink ; 
 but he will not sink because he will call 
 upon Jesus with loud voice, and will say to 
 Him, " Lord, save me ; " 5 then immediately 
 while such a Peter is yet speaking and say- 
 ing, " Lord save me," the Word will stretch 
 forth His hand, holding out assistance to 
 such an one, and will take hold of him when 
 he is beginning to sink, and will reproach 
 him for his little faith and doubting « Only 
 observe that He did not say, "O thou with- 
 out faith," but, "O thou of little faith,"and 
 that It was said, "Wherefore didst thou 
 doubt," as he had still a measure of faith 
 but also had a tendency towards that which 
 was opposed to faith. 
 
 7. THE HEALING OF THE SICK ON THE OTHER 
 SIDE. THE METHOD OF HEALING. 
 
 But after this both Jesus and Peter will go 
 up into the boat, and the wind will cease • 
 and those in the boat, perceiving the great 
 
 ^ 2 Thess. ii. 4, 
 T,!- TJ"=,';o°«.Ption of prigen seems to be that opposed to the Divine 
 Tnmty there IS an evil trmify. Cf. book xii. 20 ftneumne 
 
 « M S- ""'■ "■ * Matt. xiv. 27. 
 
 Matt av. 30. . Matt. liv. 31. 
 
 dangers from which they have been saved, 
 will worship Him, saying, not simply, 
 "Thou art the Son of God," as also the two 
 demoniacs said, but, " Of a truth, Thou art 
 the Son of God." ^ This the disciples in the 
 boat say, for I do not think that others 
 than the disciples said so. And when we 
 have undergone all these experiences, hav- 
 ing crossed over, we shall come to the land 
 where Jesus commanded us to go before Him. 
 And perhaps, also, some secret and occult 
 mystery with reference to some who were 
 saved by Jesus is indicated by the words, 
 "And when the men of that place knew 
 Him," — plainly of the place on the other 
 side, — "they sent into all that region round 
 about," — round about the other side, not on 
 the other side itself, but round about it,— 
 "and they brought unto Him all that were 
 sick. " 2 And here observe that they brought 
 untoHim not only many that were sick, but 
 all in that region round about ; and the sick 
 who were brought to Him besought Him 
 that they might touch if it were only the 
 border of His garment,^ beseeching this 
 grace from Him, since they were not like 
 "the woman who had an issue of blood 
 twelve years, and who came behind Him 
 and touched the border of His garment, say- 
 ing within herself. If I do but touch His 
 garment, I shall be made whole. " 4 For ob- 
 serve in what is said about the border of 
 His garment, on account of what the flow- 
 ing of her blood ceased at once. But those 
 from the country round the land cf Genne- 
 saret, to which Jesus and His disciples 
 crossed over and came, did not come of 
 themselves to Jesus, but were brought by 
 those who had sent the tidings, inasmuch 
 as they were not able because of their ex- 
 treme weakness to come of themselves. 
 Nor did they merely touch the garment, like 
 the woman who had an issue of blood, 
 but they touched after that they had be- 
 sought Him. Only, of these, "as many a? 
 touched were made whole. " ^ And whether 
 there be any difference between the "They 
 were made whole,"* which is said in their 
 case, andthe "being saved," 7 — for it was 
 said to the woman with the issue of blood, 
 "Thy faith hath saved thee,"^ you may 
 yourself consider. 
 
 8. CONCERNING THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES WHO 
 CAME AND INQUIRED, WHY DO THY DISCIPLES 
 TRANSGRESS THE TRADITION OF THE ELDERS ? 
 
 " Then there came to Him from Jerusalem 
 
 ^ Matt. xiv. 33. 
 * Matt. ix. 2o, 21. 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 35. 
 ' Matt. xiv. 36. 
 ° Matt. ix. 22. 
 
 ° Matt. xiv. 36. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 437 
 
 Pharisees and scribes, saying, Why do Thy 
 disciples transgress the iradiiion of the elders P 
 For they wash not their hands when they eat 
 bread." ^ He who observes at what time 
 the Pharisees and scribes came from 
 Jerusalem to Jesus, saying, "Why do Thy 
 disciples transgress the tradition of the 
 elders," etc., will perceive that Matthew of 
 necessity wrote not simply that Phari- 
 sees and scribes from Jerusalem came to 
 the Saviour to inquire of Him the matters 
 before us, but put it thus, "Then come to 
 Him from Jerusalem." What time, there- 
 fore, are we to understand by " then " ? At 
 the time when Jesus and His disciples 
 crossed over and came in the boat to the 
 land of Gennesaret, when the wind ceased 
 from the time that Jesus entered into the 
 boat, and when "the men of that place 
 knowing Him sent into all that region round 
 about, and brought unto Him all that were 
 sick, and besought Him that they might 
 touch if it were only the border of His gar- 
 ment, and as many as touched were made 
 whole. "^ At that time came to Him 
 from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, not 
 struck with admiration at the power which 
 was in Jesus, which healed those who only 
 touched even the border of His garment, 
 but in a censorious spirit, accusing the dis- 
 ciples before their Teacher, not concerning 
 the transgression of a commandment of 
 God, but of a single tradition of the Jewish 
 elders. And it is probable that this very 
 charge of these censorious persons is a proof 
 of the piety of the disciples of Jesus, who 
 gave to the Pharisees and scribes no oppor- 
 tunity of censure with reference to the trans- 
 gression of the commandments of God, as 
 they would not have brought the charge of 
 transgression against the disciples, as trans- 
 gressing the commandment of the elders, if 
 they had had it in their power to censure 
 those whom they accused, and to show that 
 they were transgressing a commandment of 
 God. But do not suppose that these things 
 go to establish the necessity of keeping the 
 law of Moses according to the letter, because 
 the disciples of Jesus up to that time kept it ; 
 for not before He suffered did He "redeem 
 us from the curse of the law," 3 who in suf-^ 
 fering for men "became a curse for us." 
 But just as fittingly Paul became a Jew to 
 the Jews that he might gain Jews,'* what 
 strange thing is it that the Apostles, whose 
 way of life was passed among the Jews, 
 even though they understood the spiritual 
 
 ^ Matt. XV. I, : 
 ' Gal. iii. 13. 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 35, 36. 
 * I Cor. ix. 20. 
 
 things in the law, should have used a spirit 
 of accommodation, as Paul also did when 
 he circumcised Timothy," and offered sacri- 
 fice in accordance with a certain legal vow, 
 as is written in the Acts of the Apostles ? * 
 Only, again, they appear fond of bringing 
 accusations, as they have no charge to bring 
 against the disciples of Jesus with reference 
 to a commandment of God, but only with 
 reference to one tradition of the elders. And 
 especially does this love of accusation be- 
 come manifest in this, that they bring the 
 charge in presence of those very persons 
 who had been healed from their sickness ; 
 in appearance against the disciples, but in 
 reality purposing to slander their Teacher, as 
 it was a tradition of the elders that the wash- 
 ing of hands was a thing essential to piety. 
 For they thought that the hands of those 
 who did not wash before eating bread were 
 defiled and unclean, but that the hands of 
 those who had washed them with water 
 became pure and holy, not in a figurative 
 sense, in due relation to the law of Moses 
 according to the letter. But let us, not ac- 
 cording to the tradition of the elders among 
 the Jews, but according to sound reason, en- 
 deavour to purify our own actions and so to 
 wash the hands of our souls, when we are 
 about to eat the three loaves which we ask 
 from Jesus, who wishes to be our friend ; * 
 for with hands that are defiled and un- 
 washed and impure, we ought not to par- 
 take of the loaves. 
 
 9. EXPLANATION OF ' ' CORBAN. " 
 
 Jesus, however, does not accuse them 
 with reference to a tradition of the Jewish 
 elders, but with regard to two most imper- 
 ative commandments of God, the one of 
 which was the fifth in the decalogue, being 
 as follows : "Honour thy father and thy 
 mother, that it may be well with thee, and 
 that thy days may be long on the land which 
 the Lord thy God giveth thee ; " * and the 
 other was written thus in Leviticus, " If a 
 man speak evil of his father or his mother, 
 let him die the death ; he has spoken evil of 
 his father or mother, he shall be guilty." 5 
 But when we wish to examine the very letter 
 of the words as given by Matthew, "He 
 that speaketh evil of father or mother, let 
 him die the death," ^ consider whether it 
 was taken from the place where it was 
 written, "Whoso striketh his father or 
 mother, let him die the death ; and he that 
 speaketh evil of father or mother let him die 
 
 I Gal. ii. 3. 
 ^ Ex. XX. 12. 
 
 * Acts xxi. 26 ; 
 
 * Lev. XX. 9. 
 
 xvili, 18. 
 
 ' Cf. Luke xi. 5. 
 ° Matt. XV. 4, 
 
438 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 the death." ' For such are the exact words 
 taken from the Law with regard to the two 
 commandments ; but Matthew has quoted 
 them in part and in an abridged form, and 
 not in the very words. But what the nature 
 of the charge is which the Saviour brings 
 against the Pharisees and scribes from Jeru- 
 salem, when He says that they transgress 
 the commandment of God because of their 
 tradition we must consider. And God said, 
 "Honour thy father and thy mother,"^ 
 teaching that the child should pay the honour 
 which is due to his parents. Of this honour 
 to parents one part was to share with them 
 the necessaries of life, such as food and 
 clothing, and if there was any other thing 
 in which it was possible for them to show 
 favour towards their own parents. But the 
 Pharisees and scribes promulgated in oppo- 
 sition to the law a tradition which is found 
 rather obscurely in the Gospel, and which 
 we ourselves would not have thought of, 
 unless one of the Hebrews had given to us 
 the following facts relating to the passage. 
 Sometimes, he says, when money-lenders 
 fell m v/ith stubborn debtors who were able 
 but not willing to pay their debts, they con- 
 secrated what was due to the account of the 
 poor, for whom money was cast into the 
 treasury by each of those who wished to 
 give a portion of their goods to the poor ac- 
 cording to their ability. They, therefore, 
 said sometimes to their debtors in their own 
 tongue, "That which you owe to me is 
 Corban," — that is, a gift — "fori have con- 
 secrated it to the poor, to the account of 
 piety towards God." Then the debtor, as 
 no longer in debt to men but to God and to 
 piety towards God, was shut up, as it were, 
 even though unwilling, to payment of the 
 debt, no longer to the money-lender, but 
 now to God for the account of the poor, in 
 name of the money-lender. What then the 
 money-lender did to the debtor, that some- 
 times some sons did to their parents and 
 said to them, ' ' That wherewith thou might- 
 est have been profited by me, father or 
 mother, know that you will receive this from 
 Corban," ^ from the account of the poor who 
 are consecrated to God. Then the parents, 
 hearing that that which should have been 
 given to them was Corban,— consecrated to 
 God,— no longer wished to take it from their 
 sons, even though they were in extreme 
 need of the necessaries of life. The elders, 
 then, declared to the people a tradition of 
 this kind, " Whosoever said to his father or 
 
 ^ Exod. x>d. IS ; Lev. xi. 9. 
 ^ Matt. XV. 4. 
 
 Exod. 
 
 mother, that which should be given to any 
 of them is Corban and a gift, that man was 
 no longer a debtor to his father or mother in 
 respect of giving to them the necessaries of 
 life." The Saviour censures this tradition, as 
 not being sound but opposed to the com- 
 mandment of God. For if God says, 
 "Honour thy father and thy mother," but 
 the tradition said, he is not bound to honour 
 his father or mother by a gift, who has 
 consecrated to God, as Corban, that which 
 would have been given to his parents, mani- 
 festly the commandment of God concerning 
 the honour due to parents was made void 
 by the tradition of the Pharisees and scribes 
 which said, that he was no longer bound to 
 honour his father or mother, who had, once 
 for all, consecrated to God that which the 
 parents would have received. And the 
 Pharisees, as lovers of money, in order that 
 under pretext of the poor they might receive 
 even that which would have been given to 
 the parents of any one, gave such teaching. 
 And the Gospel testifies to their love of 
 money, saying, "But the Pharisees who 
 were lovers of money heard these things 
 and they scoffed at Him. " ' If, then, any one 
 of those who are called elders among us, or 
 of those who are in any way rulers of the 
 people, profess to give to the poor under the 
 name of the commonweal, rather than to 
 be of those who give to their kindred if they 
 should chance to be in need of the neces- 
 saries of life, and those who give cannot do 
 both, this man might with justice be called 
 a brother of those Pharisees who made void 
 the word of God through their own tradition, 
 and were accused by the Saviour as hypo- 
 crites. And as a very powerful deterrent to 
 any one from being anxious to take from the 
 account of the poor, and from thinking that 
 " the piety of others is a way of gain,"^ we 
 have not only these things, but also that 
 which is recorded about the traitor Judas, 
 who in appearance championed the cause of 
 the poor, and said with indignation, "This 
 ointment might have been sold for three 
 hundred pence and given to the poor,"3 but 
 in reality " was a thief, and having the bag 
 took away what was put therein. " ■» If, then, 
 any one in our time vi'ho has the bag of the 
 Church speaks likes Judas on behalf of the 
 poor, but takes away what is put therein, 
 let there be assigned to him the portion 
 along with Judas who did these things ; on 
 account of which things eating like a gan- 
 grene into his soul, the devil cast it into his 
 
 ' Luke xvi. 14. 
 
 • Mark xiv. 5 ; John xii, 5. 
 
 ' r Tim. vi. 5. 
 * John xii. 6. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 439 
 
 heart to betray the Saviour ; and, when he 
 had received the "fiery dart,"' with refer- 
 ence to this end, the devil afterwards himself 
 entered into his soul and took full possession 
 of him. And perhaps, when the Apostle 
 says, "The love of money is a root of all 
 evils, "^ he says it because of Judas' love of 
 money, which was a root of all the evils that 
 were committed against Jesus. 
 
 lO. THE TRADITIONS OF THE ELDERS IN COL- 
 LISION WITH DIVINE LAW. 
 
 But let US return to the subject before 
 us, in which the Saviour abridged and ex- 
 pounded two commandments from the law, 
 the One from the decalogue from Exodus, and 
 the other from Leviticus, or the other from 
 some one of the books of the Pentateuch. 
 Then since we have explained in what way 
 they made void the word of God which said, 
 "Honour thy father and thy mother," by 
 saying, "Thoushalt not honour thy father 
 or thy mother," whosoever shall say to his 
 father or mother, " It is a gift that where- 
 with thou mightest have been profited by 
 me," some one may inquire whether the 
 words, "He that speaketh evil of father or 
 mother, let him die the death," ' are not ex- 
 traneous. For, granted that he does not 
 honour his father and mother, who conse- 
 crates to what is called Corban that which 
 would have been given in honour of father 
 and mother, in what way, therefore, does 
 the tradition of the Pharisees make void the 
 word which said, " He that speaketh evil of 
 father or mother, let him die the death.? 
 But, perhaps, when any one said to his 
 father or his mother, "It is a gift, that where- 
 with thou mightest have been profited by 
 me,"* he, as it were, casts abuse on his 
 father or mother as if he were calling his 
 parents sacrilegious, in taking that which 
 was consecrated to Corban from him who 
 had consecrated it to Corban. The Jews 
 then punish their sons s according to the 
 law, as speaking evil of father or mother, 
 when they say to their father or mother, 
 "It is a gift, that wherewith thou mightest 
 have been profited by me," but you by one 
 of your traditions make void two command- 
 ments of God. And then you are not 
 ashamed to accuse My disciples who trans- 
 gress no commandment ; for they walk "in 
 all His commandments and ordinances 
 blamelessly, "^ but transgress atradition of the 
 elders, so as not to transgress a command- 
 ment of God. And if you had held this aim 
 
 before you, you would have kept the com- 
 mandment about the honour due to father 
 and mother, and that which said, " He that 
 speaketh evil of father and mother, let him 
 die the death ; " but the tradition of the 
 elders which is opposed to these command- 
 ments you would not have kept. 
 
 1 1. EXPOSITION OF THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 
 QUOTED BY JESUS. 
 
 And, after this, wishing to refute com- 
 pletely from the words of the prophets all 
 these traditions of the elders among the 
 Jews, He brought before them a saying, 
 from Isaiah, which in the exact words is as 
 follows: "And the Lord said. This people 
 draws nigh to Me with their mouth," etc. ; ' 
 and, as we said before, Matthew has not 
 written out the prophetical saying in the 
 very words. And, if it be necessary be- 
 cause of its use in the Gospel to interpret it 
 according to our ability, we will take in 
 addition the preceding passage which is, in 
 my judgment, noted with advantage by us 
 for the exposition of that passage in the 
 Gospel which was taken from the prophet. 
 The passage in Isaiah from the beginning 
 is thus, " Be ye faint, and be maddened: 
 be ye drunken, but not with strong drink 
 nor with wine : for the Lord hath given you 
 to drink of the spirit of stupor, and He will 
 close their eyes, both of their prophets, and 
 of their rulers who see things secret. And 
 all these sayings shall be to you as the 
 words of the book, which has been sealed, 
 which if they give to a man who knows 
 letters, saying, Read this, he shall answer, I 
 cannot read, for it is sealed. And this book 
 will be given into the hands of a man who 
 does not know letters, and one will say to 
 him. Read this, and he will say, I know not 
 letters. And the Lord said. This people is 
 nigh to Me," etc., down to the words, 
 "Woe unto them that form counsel in secret, 
 and their works shall be in darkness." * 
 Taking up then the passage before us in the 
 Gospel, I have put some of the verses which 
 come before it, and some which follow it, 
 in order to show in what way the Word 
 threatens to close the eyes of those of the 
 people who are astonished and drunken, and 
 have been made to drink of the spirit of 
 deep sleep. And it threatens also to close 
 the eyes of their prophets and their rulers 
 who profess to see things secret, — which 
 things, I think, took place after the advent 
 of the Saviour among that people ; for all 
 the words of the whole of the Scriptures, 
 
 > Eph. vl. i5. 
 • Matt. XT. s. 
 
 > 1 Tim. vi. lo. • Matt. xv. 4. 
 
 » Or, you, if we read »(«». • Cf . Luke i. 6. 
 
 * Isa. zxix. I]. 
 
 * Isa. xxix. 9-15. 
 
440 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 and of Isaiah also, have become to them as 
 the words of a sealed book. Now the ex- 
 pression "sealed" is used of a book closed 
 in virtue of its obscurity and not open in 
 virtue of its lucidity, which is equally ob- 
 scure to those who are not able to read it 
 at all because they do not know letters, and 
 to those who profess to know letters but do 
 not understand the meaning in the things 
 which have been written. Well, then, does 
 he add to this, that when the people, faint- 
 ing because of their sins and being in a state 
 of madness rage against Him through those 
 sins wherewith they shall be drunken against 
 Him with the spirit of stupor, which shall 
 be given to them to drink by the Lord when 
 He closes their eyes, as unworthy to see, and 
 the eyes of their prophets and of their rulers 
 who profess to see the hidden things of the 
 mysteries in the Divine Scriptures ; and, 
 when their eyes are closed, then shall the 
 prophetic words be sealed to them and 
 hidden, as has been the case with those who 
 do not believe in Jesus as the Christ. And 
 when the prophetic sayings have become 
 as the words of a sealed book, not only to 
 those who do not know letters but to those 
 who profess to know, then the Lord said, 
 that the people of the Jews draw nigh to 
 God with their mouth only, and He says 
 that they honour Him with their lips, be- 
 cause their heart by reason of their unbelief 
 in Jesus is far from the Lord. And now, 
 especially, from the time at which they 
 denied our Saviour, it might be said about 
 them by God, " But in vain do they wor- 
 ship Me;"' for they no longer teach the 
 precepts of God but of men, and doctrines 
 which are human and no longer of the 
 Spirit of wisdom. Wherefore, when these 
 things happen to them, God has removed 
 the people of the Jews, and has caused to 
 perish the wisdom of the wise men amono- 
 them ; for there is no longer wisdom among 
 them, just as there is no prophecy ; but 
 God has utterly destroyed the prudence of 
 the prudent and concealed it, = and no longer 
 is it splendid and conspicuous. Wherefore, 
 although they may seem to form some 
 counsel in a deep fashion, because they do 
 it not through the Lord they are called 
 miserable ; and even though they profess to 
 tell some secrets of the Divine counsel they 
 lie, since their works are not works of light, 
 but of darkness and night. 3 I have thought 
 it right briefly to set forth the prophecy, and 
 to a certain extent elucidate its meaning 
 seeing that Alatthew made mention of it.' 
 
 And Mark also made mention of it, from 
 whom we may usefully set down the fol- 
 lowing words in the place, with reference 
 to the transgression of the elders who held 
 that it was necessary to wash hands when 
 the Jews ate bread, " For the Pharisees and 
 all the Jews, except they wash their hands 
 diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of 
 the elders ; and when they come from the 
 market-place except they wash themselves 
 they eat not. And there are some other 
 things which they have received to hold, 
 washings of cups and pots and brazen ves- 
 sels and couches." ' 
 
 12. THINGS CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ACCORDING TO 
 THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. 
 
 "And He called to Him the multitude and 
 said unto them, Hear and understand," ^iz.' 
 We are clearly taught in these words by 
 the Saviour that, when we read in Leviticus 
 and Deuteronomy the precepts about meat 
 clean and unclean, for the transgression of 
 which we are accused by the material Jews 
 and by the Ebionites who differ little from 
 them, we are not to think that the scope oi 
 the Scripture is found in any superficial un^ 
 derstanding of them. For if "not that 
 which entereth into the mouth defileth the 
 man, but that which proceedeth out of the 
 mouth," 3 and especially when, according 
 to Mark, the Saviour said these things 
 " making all meats clean, "t manifestly we 
 are not defiled when we eat those things 
 which the Jews who desire to be in bondage 
 to the letter of the law declare to be un- 
 clean, but we are then defiled when, where- 
 as our lips ought to be bound with percep- 
 tion and we ought "to make for them what 
 we call a balance and weight," 5 we speak 
 offhand and discuss matters we ought not, 
 from which there comes to us the spring of 
 sins. And it is indeed becoming to the law 
 of God to forbid those things which arise 
 from wickedness, and to enjoin those things 
 which tend to virtue, but as for things which 
 are in their own nature indifferent to leave 
 thern in their own place, as they may, ac- 
 cording to our choice and the reason which 
 is in us, be done ill if we sin in them, but 
 if rightly directed by us be done well. And 
 any one who has carefully thought on these 
 matters will see that, even in those things 
 which are thought to be good, it is possible 
 for a man to sin who has taken them up in 
 an evil way and under the impulse of pas- 
 sion, and that these things called impure 
 
 ' Matt. XY. 9. ! Isa. xxbc 14. • isa. xxbi. .5. 
 
 ' Mark vii. 3, 4. 
 * Mark vii. 19. 
 
 ' Matt. XV. 10. 
 
 ' Maft. XV. II. 
 
 ° Ecclus. xxviii. 25. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 441 
 
 may be considered pure, if used by us in 
 accordance with reason. As, then, when 
 the Jew sins his circumcision shall be reck- 
 oned for uncircumcision, but when one of 
 the Gentiles acts uprightly his uncircum- 
 cision shall be reckoned for circumcision, ' so 
 those things which are thought to be pure 
 shall be reckoned for impure in the case of 
 him who does not use them fittingly, nor 
 when one ought, nor as far as he ought, 
 nor for what reason he ought. But as for 
 the things which are called impure, "All 
 things become pure to the pure," for, "To 
 them that are defiled and unbelieving noth- 
 ing is pure, since both their minds and their 
 conscience are defiled."^ And when these 
 are defiled, they make all things whatsoever 
 they touch defiled ; as again on the con- 
 trary the pure mind and the pure conscience 
 make all things pure, even though they may 
 seem to be impure ; for not from intemper- 
 ance, nor from love of pleasure, nor with 
 doubting which draws a man both ways, do 
 the righteous use meats or drinks, mindful 
 of the precept, " Whether ye eat or drink or 
 whatsoever other thing ye do, do all to the 
 glory of God. "3 And if it be necessary to 
 delineate the foods which are unclean accord- 
 ing to the Gospel, we will say that they are 
 such as are supplied by covetousness, and are 
 the result of base love of gain, and are 
 taken up from love of pleasure, and from 
 deifying the belly which is treated with 
 honour, when it, with its appetites, and not 
 reason, rules our souls. But as for us who 
 know that some things are used by demons, 
 or if we do not know, but suspect, and are 
 in doubt about it, if we use such things, we 
 have used them not to the glory of God, nor 
 in the name of Christ ; for not only does the 
 suspicion that things have been sacrificed to 
 idols condemn him who eats, but even the 
 doubt concerning this ; for "he that doubt- 
 eth," according to the Apostle, "is con- 
 demned if he eat, because he eateth not of 
 faith ; and whatsoever is not of faith is 
 sin."-* He then eats in faith who believes 
 that that which is eaten has not been sacri- 
 ficed in the temples of idols, and that it is 
 not strangled nor blood ; s but he eats not of 
 faith who is in doubt about any of these 
 things. And the man who knowing that 
 they have been sacrificed to demons never- 
 theless uses them, becomes a communicant 
 with demons, while at the same time, his 
 imagination is polluted with reference to 
 dem'ons participating in the sacrifice. And 
 
 1 Rom. ii. 25, 26. 
 * Rom. xiv. 23. 
 
 ' Tit. i. 15. 
 
 ^ Cf. Acts XV. 20. 
 
 I Cor. 
 
 the Apostle, however, knowing that it is not 
 the nature of meats which is the cause of 
 injury to him who uses them or of advantage 
 to him who refrains from their use, but opin- 
 ions and the reason which is in them, said, 
 " But meat commendeth us not to God, for 
 neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we 
 eat not are we the worse."' And since he 
 knew that those who have a loftier concep- 
 tion of what things are pure and what impure 
 according to the law, turning aside from the 
 distinction about the use of things pure and 
 impure, and superstition, I think, in respect 
 of things being different, become indifferent 
 to the use of meats, ^ and on this account 
 are condemned by the Jews as transgressors 
 of law, he said therefore, somewhere, "Let 
 no man therefore judge you in meat or in 
 drink," etc. ,3 teaching us that the things 
 according to the letter are a shadow, but 
 that the true thoughts of the law which are 
 stored up in them are the good things to 
 come, in which one may find what are the 
 pure spiritual meats of the soul, and what 
 arc the impure foods in false and contradic- 
 tory words which injure the man who is 
 nourished in them, "For the law had a 
 shadow of the good things to come."** 
 
 13. THE OFFENCE OF THE PHARISEES. 
 
 And as in many cases we have to con- 
 sider the astonishment of the Jews at the 
 words of the Saviour, because they were 
 spoken with authority, so also in regard to 
 the words in this place. Having called the 
 multitudes therefore. He said unto them, 
 " Hear and understand," 5 etc. And He said 
 this, the Pharisees being offended at this 
 saying, as, because of their evil opinions 
 and their worthless interpretation of the law, 
 they were not the plant of his own Father 
 in heaven, and on this account were being 
 rooted up ; * for they were rooted up as they 
 did not receive the true vine, which was 
 cultivated by the Father, even Jesus Christ.' 
 For how could they be a plant of His 
 Father who were offended at the words of 
 Jesus, words which turn men away from 
 the precept, " Handle not, nor taste, nor 
 touch, — all which things were to perish in 
 the using — after the precepts and doctrines 
 of men,"* but induce the intelligent hearer 
 of them to seek in regard to them the 
 things which are above and not the things 
 upon the earth as the Jews do ? 9 And since, 
 because of their evil opinions, the Pharisees 
 were not the plant of His Father in heaven. 
 
 ' I Cor. viii. t 
 ' Hcb. X. I. 
 ' John XV, I, 
 
 * The text is uncertain. 
 
 * Matt. XV. 10. 
 ^ Col. ii. 21, 23. 
 
 = Col, ii. :6. 
 ° Matt. XV. 13. 
 » Col. iu. 1. 
 
442 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 on this account, as about such as were m- 
 corrio-ible, He says to the disciple, "Let them 
 alone ■"■ "Let them alone," He said for 
 this reason, that as they were blind they 
 ou"-ht to become conscious of their blmdness 
 and seek guides ; but they, being uncon- 
 scious of their own blindness.profess to guide 
 the blind, not reckoning that they would fall 
 into a pit, about which it is written m the 
 Psalms, " He hath made a pit, and digged 
 it, and will fall into the ditch which he_ hath 
 made."^ Again, elsewhere it is written, 
 "And seeing the multitudes. He went up 
 into the mountain, and when He had sat 
 down His disciples came unto Him;"' 
 but here He stretches forth His hand 
 to the multitude, calling them unto Him, 
 and turning their thoughts away from the 
 literal interpretation of the questions in the 
 law, when He in the first place said to them, 
 who did not yet understand what they heard, 
 "Hear and understand," and thereafter as 
 in parables said to them, " Not that which 
 entereth into the mouth defileth the man, but 
 that which proceedeth out of the mouth." * 
 
 14. WHY THE PHARISEES WERE NOT A PLANT OF 
 GOD. TEACHING OF ORIGEN ON THE "BREAD 
 OF THE LORD. " 
 
 After this, it is worth while to look at the 
 phrase which has been assailed in a sophis- 
 tical way by those who say s that the God 
 of the law and the God of the Gospel of 
 Jesus Christ is not the same ; for they say 
 that the heavenly Father of Jesus Christ is 
 not the husbandman of those who think 
 that they worship God according to the law 
 of Moses. Jesus Himself said that the 
 Pharisees, who were worshipping the God 
 who created the world and the law, were 
 not a plant which His heavenly Father had 
 planted, and that for this reason it was be- 
 ing rooted up.* But you might also say 
 this, that even if it were the Father of Jesus 
 who "brought in and planted the people," 
 when it came out of Egypt, "to the moun- 
 tain of His own inheritance, to the place 
 which He had prepared for Himself to dwell 
 in, "7 yet Jesus would have said, in regard 
 to the Pharisees, " Every plant which My 
 heavenly Father planted not, shall be 
 rooted up." Now, to this we will say, that 
 as many as on account of their perverse 
 interpretation of the things in the law 
 were not a plant of His Father in heaven, 
 were blinded in their minds, as not believ- 
 ing the truth, but taking pleasure in un- 
 
 righteousness, ' by him who is deified by the 
 sons of this world, and on this account is 
 called by Paul the god of this world. ^ And 
 do not suppose that Paul said that he was 
 truly God ; for just as the belly, though it 
 is not the god of those who prize pleasure 
 too highly, being lovers of pleasure rather 
 than lovers of God, is said by Paul to be 
 their god, 3 so the prince of this world, in re- 
 gard to whom the Saviour says, "Now has 
 the prince of this world been judged," ■» 
 though he is not God, is said to be the god 
 of those who do not wish to receive the 
 spirit of adoption, in order that they may 
 become sons of that world, and sons of the 
 resurrection from the dead,s and who, on 
 this account, abide in the sonship of this 
 world. I have deemed it necessary to in- 
 troduce these matters, even though they 
 may have been spoken by way of digres- 
 sion, because of the saying, "They are 
 blind guides of the blind. " * Who are such ? 
 The Pharisees, whose minds the god of this 
 world hath blinded as they are unbelieving, 
 because they have not believed in Jesus 
 Christ ; and he hath blinded them so that 
 the "light of the Gospel of the glory of God 
 in the face of Christ should not dawn upon 
 them." 7 But not only must we avoid being 
 guided by those blind ones who are con- 
 scious that they are in need of guides, be- 
 cause they have not yet received the power 
 of vision of themselves ; but even in the 
 case of all who profess to guide us in sound 
 doctrine, we must hear with care, and apply 
 a sound judgment to what is said, lest be- 
 ing guided according to the ignorance of 
 those who are blind, and do not see the 
 things that concern sound doctrine, we our- 
 selves may appear to be blind because we 
 do not see the sense of the Scriptures, so 
 that both he who guides and he who is guided 
 will fall into the ditch of which we have 
 spoken before. Next to this, it is written 
 in what way Peter answered and said to the 
 Saviour, as if he had not understood the 
 saying, " Not that which cometh into the 
 mouth defileth the man, but that which 
 goeth out of the mouth," "Declare unto us 
 the parable. "* To which the Saviour says, 
 "Are ye also, even yet, without understand- 
 ing.'"' As if He had said, "Having been 
 so long time with Me, do ye not yet under- 
 stand the meaning of what is said, and do 
 ye not perceive that for this reason that 
 which goeth into his mouth does not defile 
 the man, because it passeth into the belly, 
 
 * Matt. XV. 14, 
 
 * Matt, XV. 10, II. 
 " Matt. XV. 13. 
 
 ' Ps. vii. 15. a Matt. 
 
 " Marcion and his followers. 
 '*Exod. XV. 17. 
 
 > 2 Thess. ii. 
 * John xvi. 1 1 
 ' 2 Cor. iv. 4. 
 
 * 2 Cor. iv. 4. 
 
 " Cf. Luke XI. 36. 
 
 ® Matt. XV. II. 
 
 » Phil. iii. 19. 
 * Matt. XV. 14. 
 ' Matt. IV. 16. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 443 
 
 and going out from it is cast into the 
 draught ? " ' It was not in respect of the law 
 in which they appeared to believe, that the 
 Pharisees were not a plant of the Father of 
 Jesus, but in respect of their perverse inter- 
 pretation of the law and the things written 
 in it. For since there are two things to be 
 understood in regard to the law, the minis- 
 tration of death which was engraven in 
 letters' and which had no kinship wit"h the 
 spirit, and the ministration of life which is 
 understood in the spiritual law, those who 
 were able with a sincere heart to say, " We 
 know that the law is spiritual," 3 and there- 
 fore " the law is holy, and the command- 
 ment holy and righteous and good,"'* were 
 the plant which the heaven ly Father planted ; 
 but those who were not such, but guarded 
 with care the letter which killeth only, were 
 not a plant of God but of him who hardened 
 their heart, and put a veil over it, which 
 veil had power over them so long as they 
 did not turn to the Lord ; "for if any one 
 should turn to the Lord, the veil is taken 
 away, and the Lord is the Spirit.'' s Now 
 some one when dealing with the passage 
 might say, that just as "not that which 
 entereth into the mouth defileth the man," " 
 of even though it may be thought by the 
 Jews to be defiled, so not that which entereth 
 into the mouth sanctifieth the man, even 
 though what is called the bread of the Lord 
 may be thought by the simpler disciples to 
 sanctify. And the saying, is I think, not to 
 be despised, and on this account, demands 
 clear exposition, which seems to me to 
 be thus; as it is not the meat but the con- 
 science of him who eats with doubt which 
 defiles him that eateth, for "he that doubteth 
 is condemned if he eat, because he eateth 
 not of faith," 7 and as nothing is pure to 
 him who is defiled and unbelieving, not in 
 itself, but because of his defilement and 
 unbelief so that which is sanctified through 
 the word of God and prayer ^ does not, in 
 its own nature, sanctify him who uses it, 
 for, if this were so, it would sanctify even 
 him who eats unworthily of the bread of 
 the Lord, and no one on account of this food 
 would become weak or sickly or asleep for 
 something of this kind Paul represented in 
 saying, "For this cause many among you 
 are weak and sickly and not a few sleep. "» 
 And in the case of the bread of the Lord, 
 accordingly, there is advantage to him who 
 uses it, when with undefiled mind and pure 
 conscience he partakes of the bread. And 
 
 so neither by not eating, I mean by the 
 very fact that we do not eat of the bread 
 which has been sanctified by the word of 
 God and prayer, are we deprived of any 
 good thing, nor by eating are we the better 
 by any good thing ; for the cause of our 
 lacking is wickedness and sins, and the 
 cause of our abounding is righteousness 
 and right actions ; so that such is the mean- 
 ing of what is said by Paul, "For neither if 
 we eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are 
 we the worse." ' Now, if " everything that 
 entereth into the mouth goes into the belly 
 and is cast out into the draught," * even the 
 meat which has been sanctified through the 
 word of God and prayer, in accordance 
 with the fact that it is material, goes into the 
 belly and is cast out into the draught, but in 
 respect of the prayer which comes upon it, 
 according to the proportion of the faith, 
 becomes a benefit and is a means of clear 
 vision to the mind which looks to that which 
 is beneficial, and it is not the material of 
 the bread but the word which is said over- 
 it which is of advantage to him who eats; 
 it not unworthily of the Lord. And these 
 things indeed are said of the typical and 
 symbolical body. But many things might 
 be said about the Word Himself who 
 became flesh,^ and true meat of which he 
 that eateth shall assuredly live for ever, no 
 worthless person being able to eat it ; for 
 if it were possible for one who continues 
 worthless to eat of Him who became flesh, 
 who was the Word and the living bread, it 
 would not have been written, that " every 
 one who eats of this bread shall live for 
 ever. "4 
 
 I 5. EATING WITH UNWASHED HEART DEFILES THE 
 MAN. 
 
 Next to this let us see how the things 
 which proceed out and defile the man do 
 not defile the man because of their proceed- 
 ing out of the mouth, but have the cause of 
 their defilement in the heart, when there 
 come forth out of it, before those things 
 which proceed through the mouth, evil 
 thoughts, of which the species are — murders, 
 adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, 
 railings. 5 For these are the things which 
 defile the man, when they come forth out 
 of the heart, and going out from it proceed 
 through the mouth ; so that, if they did not 
 come out of the heart, but were retained 
 there somewhere about the heart, and were 
 not allowed to be spoken through the mouth. 
 
 ' Matt. XV. 17. 
 * Rom vii. 12. 
 ^ Rom. xiv. 33. 
 
 ' CI. 2 Cor. iii. 7. 
 ^ 2 Cor. iii. 16, 17. 
 ' a. I Tim. iv. s. 
 
 8 Rom. vii. 14. 
 • Matt. XV. II. 
 ' I Cor. xj. 30. 
 
 * 1 Cor. viii. 8. 
 
 * John vi. 51. 
 
 • Matt. XV. 17. 
 ' Matt. XV. 18, iq. 
 
 * John i. 14. 
 
444 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 they would very quickly disappear, and a 
 man would be no more defiled. The spring 
 and source, then, of every sin are evil 
 thoughts ; for, unless these gained the mas- 
 tery, neither murders nor adulteries nor any 
 other such thing would exist. Therefore, 
 each man must keep his own heart with all 
 watchfulness ; ' for when the Lord comes in 
 the day of judgment, " He will bring to 
 hght the hidden things of darkness and will 
 make manifest the counsels of the hearts,"^ 
 " all the thoughts of men meanwhile ac- 
 cusing or else excusing them,"' " when 
 their own devices have beset them about."'' 
 But of such a nature are the evil thoughts 
 that sometimes they make worthy of cen- 
 sure even those things which seem good, 
 and which, so far as the judgment of the 
 masses is concerned, are worthy of praise. 
 -Accordingly, if we do alms before men, 
 having in our thoughts the design of ap- 
 pearing to men philanthropic, and of being 
 honoured because of philanthropy, we re- 
 ceive the reward from men ; s and, uni- 
 versally, everything that is done with the 
 consciousness in the doer that he will be 
 glorified by men, has no reward from Him 
 who beholds in secret, and renders the re- 
 ward to those who are pure, in secret. So, 
 too, therefore, is it with apparent purity if it 
 is influenced by considerations of vain glory 
 or love of gain.; and the teaching which is 
 thought to be the teaching of the Church, if 
 it becomes servile through the word of flat- 
 tery, either when it is made the excuse for 
 covetousness, or when any one seeks glory 
 from men because of his teaching, is not 
 reckoned to be the teaching of those " who 
 have been set by God in the Church : first, 
 apostles ; secondly, prophets ; and thirdly, 
 teachers."*^ And you will say the like 'in 
 the case of him who seeks the office of a 
 bishop for the sake of glory with men, or 
 of flattery from men, or for the sake of the 
 gain received from those who, coming over 
 to the word, give in the name of piety ; for 
 a bishop of this kind at any rate does not 
 "desire a good work,"? nor can he be 
 without reproach, nor temperate, nor sober- 
 minded, as he is intoxicated with glory and 
 intemperately satiated with it. And the 
 same also you will say about the elders 
 and deacons. And if we seem to some to 
 have made a digression in speaking of these 
 thnigs, consider if it were not necessary 
 that they should be said, because that evil 
 thoughts are the spring of all sins, and can 
 
 ^ Prov. iv. 23. 
 ' H05. vii, 2. 
 ' I Tim. iii. i. 
 
 ' I Cor. iv. 5. 
 ' Matt. vi. I, J. 
 
 * Rom. ii. 15. 
 
 • I Cor. xU. 28. 
 
 pollute even those actions which, if they 
 were done apart from evil thoughts, would 
 have justified the man who did them. We 
 have thus investigated according to our 
 ability what are the things which defile ; 
 but to eat with unwashed hands does not 
 defile the man ; but if we must say it with 
 boldness, with unwashed heart to eat any- 
 thing whatsoever which is the natural food 
 of our reason, defileth the man. 
 
 16. CONCERNING THE CANAANITISH WOMAN. 
 MEANING OF THE ' ' BORDERS OF TYRE AND 
 SIDON." 
 
 " And Jesus went out ihcnce and withdrew 
 i?ito the parts of Tyre and Sidoii. And be- 
 hold a Canaanitish woman." ^ Whence the 
 "thence"? W^as it from the land of Gen- 
 nesaret, concerning which it was said be- 
 fore, "And when they had crossed over they 
 came into the land of Gennesaret .^ "^ But 
 He withdrew, perhaps because the Pharisees 
 were offended when they heard that "not 
 that which entereth in, but that which pro- 
 ceedeth out, defileth the man ;"3 and that, 
 because of their being suspected of plotting 
 against Him, it is said, " He withdrew," is 
 manifest from the passage, "And when He 
 heard that John was delivered up He with- 
 drew into Galilee. " ■» Perhaps also on this 
 account, when describing the things in this 
 place, Mark says that " He rose up and 
 went into the borders of Tyre, and having 
 entered into the house wished no man to 
 know it. "5 It is probable that He sought 
 to avoid the Pharisees who were offended 
 at Plis teaching, waiting for the time for 
 His suffering, which was more fitting and 
 rightly appointed. But some one might 
 say that Tyre and Sidon are used for the 
 Gentiles ; accordingly when He withdrew 
 from Israel He came into the parts of the 
 Gentiles. Among the Hebrews, then, Tyre 
 is called Sor, and it is interpreted "anguish." 
 Sidon, which is also the Hebrew name, 
 is rendered "hunters." And among the 
 Gentiles likewise the hunters are the evil 
 powers, and among them is great distress, 
 the distress, namely, which exists in wicked- 
 ness and passions. When Jesus, then, went 
 out from Gennesaret He withdrew indeed 
 from Israel and came, not to Tyre and 
 Sidon, but into "the parts" of Tyre and 
 Sidon, with the result that those of the 
 Gentiles now believe in part ; so that if He 
 had visited the whole of Tyre and Sidon, 
 no unbeliever would have been left in it. 
 
 ' Matt. XV. 21, 3X. 
 * Matt. iv. 12. 
 
 • Matt. xiv. 34. 
 ' Mark vii. 34. 
 
 ^ Matt. XV. II. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 445 
 
 Now, according to Mark, " Jesus rose up 
 and went into the borders of Tyre,"' — that 
 is, the distress of the Gentiles, — in order that 
 they also from these borders who believe 
 can be saved, when they come out of them ; 
 for attend to this : "And behold a Canaan- 
 itish woman came out from these borders 
 and cried saying, Have mercy on me, O 
 Lord, Thou Son of David, my daughter is 
 terribly vexed with a demon. "^ And I 
 think that if she had not come out from 
 those borders she would not have been 
 able to cry to Jesus with the great faith to 
 vsrhich testimony was borne ; and according 
 to the proportion of faith one comes out 
 from the borders among the Gentiles, which 
 "when the Most High divided the nations 
 He set up according to the number of the 
 sons of Israel,"^ and prevented their further 
 advance. Here, then, certain borders are 
 spoken of as the borders of Tyre and Sidon, 
 but in Exodus the borders of Pharaoh, ■» in 
 which, they say, were formed the plagues 
 against the Egyptians. And we must sup- 
 pose that each of us when he sins is in the 
 borders of Tyre or Sidon or of Pharaoh and 
 Egypt, or some one of those which are out- 
 side the allotted inheritance of God ; but 
 when he changes from wickedness to virtue 
 he goes out from the borders of evil, and 
 comes to the borders of the portion of God, 
 there being among these also a difference 
 which will be manifest to those who are able 
 to understand the things that concern the 
 division and the inheritance of Israel, in 
 harmony with the spiritual law. And attend 
 also to the meeting, so to speak, which took 
 place between Jesus and the Canaanitish 
 woman ; for He comes as to the parts of 
 Tyre and Sidon, and she comes out of those 
 parts, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on 
 me, O Lord, Thou Son of David. " s Now the 
 woman was Canaanitish, which is rendered, 
 prepared for humiliation. The righteous, 
 indeed, are prepared for the kingdom of 
 heaven and for the exaltation in the kingdom 
 of God ; ^ but sinners are prepared for the 
 humiliation of the wickedness which is in 
 them, and of the deeds which flow from it 
 and prepare them for it, and of the sin which 
 reigns in their mortal body. Only, the 
 Canaanitish woman came out of those 
 borders and went forth from the state of 
 being prepared for humiliation, crying and 
 saying, " Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou 
 Son of David." 
 
 " Mark vii. 24. 
 * Exod. viii. 3. 
 
 ' Matt. 3CV. 22. 
 » Matt. XV. 22. 
 
 " Deut xjtxii. 8. 
 • C£. Matt. jDtv. 34. 
 
 17. EXPOSITION OF THE DETAILS IN THE NAR- 
 RATIVE. 
 
 Now bring together from the Gospels 
 those who call Him Son of David, as she, 
 and the blind men in Jericho ; ' and who 
 call Him Son of God, and that without the 
 addition "truly" like the demoniacs who 
 say, " What have we to do with Thee, Thou 
 Son of God; " ^ and who call Him so with the 
 addition " truly," like those in the boat who 
 worshipped Him saying, " Truly Thou art 
 the Son of God." ^ For the bringing together 
 of these passages will, I think, be useful to 
 you with a view to seeing the difference of 
 those who come (to Jesus) ; some indeed 
 come as to Him "who was born of the 
 seed of David according to the flesh ;"■♦ 
 but others come to Him who ' ' was declared 
 to be the Son of God with power, according 
 to the spirit of holiness ; " 5 and of these some 
 with the "truly," and some without it. 
 Further, observe, that the Canaanitish 
 woman besought Him not about a son, 
 whom she does not seem to have brought 
 forth at all, but about a daughter who was 
 terribly vexed with a demon ; but another 
 mother receives back alive her son who was 
 being carried forth dead.** And again the 
 ruler of the s)niagogue makes supplication 
 for a daughter twelve years old, as being 
 dead, 7 but the nobleman about a son as 
 being still sick, and at the point of death.* 
 The daughter, accordingly, who was dis- 
 tressed by a demon, and the dead son sprang 
 from two mothers ; and the dead daughter, 
 and the son who was sick unto death, sprang 
 from two fathers, of whom the one was a 
 ruler of the synagogue, and the other was 
 a nobleman. And I am persuaded these 
 things contain reasons concerning the di- 
 verse kinds of souls which Jesus vivifies and 
 heals. And all the cures that He works 
 among the people, especially those recorded 
 by the Evangelists, took place at that time, 
 that those who would not otherwise have 
 believed unless they saw signs and wonders 
 might believe ; ' for the things aforetime were 
 symbols of the things that are ever being 
 accomplished b)'' the power of Jesus ; for 
 there is no time when each of the things 
 which are written is not done by the power 
 of Jesus according to the desert of each. 
 The Canaanitish woman, therefore, because 
 of her race was not worthy even to receive 
 an answer from Jesus, who acknowledged 
 that He had not been sent by the Father 
 
 ^ Matt. XX. 30. 
 * Rom.i. 3. 
 ' Matt. ix. 18. 
 
 ' Matt. viii. 29. 
 
 • Rom. i. 4, 
 
 * Jolui iv. 46. 
 
 ' Matt. xiv. 33, 
 ' Luke vii. la. 
 • Jolm iv. 48. 
 
446 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 for any other thing than to the lost sheep 
 of the house of Israel,' — a lost race of souls 
 possessed of clear vision ; but, because of 
 her resolution and of having worshipped 
 Jesus as Son of God, she obtains an answer, 
 which reproaches her with baseness of birth 
 and exhibits the measure of her worthiness, 
 namely, that she was worthy of crumbs as 
 the little dogs, but not of the loaves. But 
 when she with intensified resolution, accept- 
 ing the saying of Jesus, puts forth the claim 
 to obtain crumbs even as a little dog, and 
 acknowledges that the masters are of a 
 nobler race, then she gets a second answer, 
 which bears testimony to her faith as great, 
 and a promise that it shall be done unto her 
 as she wills.^ And corresponding, I think, 
 " to the Jerusalem above, vi'hich is free, the 
 mother " ^ of Paul and those like to him, must 
 we conceive of the Canaanitish woman, the 
 mother of her who was terribly distressed 
 with a demon, who was the symbol of the 
 mother of such a soul. And consider 
 whether it is not according to sound reason 
 that there are also many fathers and many 
 mothers corresponding to the fathers of Abra- 
 ham to whom the patriarch went away,"* and 
 to Jerusalem the " mother," as Paul says, con- 
 cerning himself and those like to him. And 
 it is probable that she of whom the Ca- 
 naanitish woman was a symbol came out of 
 the borders of Tyre and Sidon, of which the 
 places on earth were types, and came to the 
 Saviour and besought Him and even now 
 beseeches Him saying, "Have mercy on me, 
 O Lord, Thou Son of David, my daughter is 
 terribly vexed with a demon. "5 Then also 
 to those without and to the disciples when 
 necessary He answers and says, "I was not 
 sent ; " * teaching us that there are some lost 
 souls pre-eminently intellectual and clear of 
 vision, figuratively called sheep of the house 
 of Israel ; which things, I think, the simpler 
 who are of opinion that they are spoken in 
 regard to the Israel which is after the flesh 
 will of necessity admit, namely, that our 
 Saviour was sent by the Father to no others 
 than to those lost Jews. But we, who can 
 truthfully boast that " if we have once known 
 Christ after the flesh, but now no longer do 
 we know Him so,"? are assured that it is 
 pre-eminently the work of the Word to save 
 the more intelligent, for these are more akin 
 to Him than those who are duller. But since 
 the lost sheep of the house of Israel, with the 
 exception of "the remnant according to the 
 election of grace," s disbelieved the Word, on 
 
 1 Matt. XV. 24. 
 * Gen. XV. 15. 
 ^ 2 Cor. V. 16. 
 
 2 Matt. XV. 28 
 ^ Matt. XV. 22 
 ^ Rom. xi. 5. 
 
 » Gal. iv. 26. 
 " Matt. XV. 24. 
 
 this account "God chose the foolish things 
 of the world," ' namely, that which was not 
 Israel, nor clear of vision, that He might put 
 to shame the wise ones of Israel ; and He 
 called "the things which are not," ^hand- 
 ing over to them an intelligent nation who 
 were able to admit "the foolishness of the 
 preaching, "3 and of His good pleasure saved 
 those who believe in this, that He might 
 refute "the things which are," having per- 
 fected praise for Himself, ' ' out of the mouths 
 of babes and sucklings," '* when they became 
 hostile to truth. Now, the Canaanitish wo- 
 man, having come, worshipped Jesus as God, 
 saying, "Lord, help me," but He answered 
 and said, "It is not possible to take the 
 children's bread and cast it to the little 
 dogs." 5 But someone might inquire also 
 into the meaning of this saying, since,— 
 inasmuch as there was a measure of loaves 
 such that both the children and the dogs of 
 the household could not eat loaves, unless 
 the dogs ate other loaves than those which 
 were well made, — it was not possible ac- 
 cording to right reason for the well-made 
 loaf of the children to be given as food to 
 the little dogs. But no such thing appears 
 in the case of the power of Jesus, for of this 
 it was possible both for the children and 
 those called little dogs to partake. Con- 
 sider, then, whether perhaps with reference 
 to the saying, "It is not possible to take 
 the bread of children," we ought to say 
 that, "He who emptied Himself and took 
 upon Him the form of a servant,"* brought 
 a measure of power such as the world 
 was capable of receiving, of which power 
 also He was conscious that a certain 
 quantity went forth from Him as is plain 
 from the words, "Some one did touch 
 Me, for I perceived that power had gone 
 forth from Me."? From this measure of 
 power, then. He dispensed, giving a larger 
 portion to those who were pre-eminent 
 and who were called sons, but a smaller 
 portion to those who were not such, as 
 to the little dogs. But though these things 
 were so, nevertheless where there was 
 great faith, to her, who because of her 
 base birth in Canaanitish land was a 
 little dog. He gave as to a child the 
 bread of the children. And perhaps, 
 also, of the words of Jesus there are 
 some loaves which it is possible to give 
 to the more rational, as to children only ; 
 and other words, as it were, crumbs from 
 the great house and table of the well- 
 
 ^ r Cor. i. 27. 
 * Ps. viii. 2. 
 ' Luke viii. 46. 
 
 ' I Cor. i. 28. 
 'Matt. XV. 25,26. 
 
 " t Cor.i. 21. 
 » Phil. ii. 7. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 447 
 
 bom and the masters, which may be used 
 by some souls, like the dogs. And accord- 
 ing to the law of Moses it is written about 
 certain things, " Ye shall cast them to the 
 dogs," ' and it was a matter of care to the 
 Holy Spirit to give instruction about certain 
 foods that they should be left to the dogs. 
 Let others, then, who are strangers to the 
 doctrine of the Church, assume that souls 
 pass from the bodies of men into the bodies 
 of dogs, according to their varying degree 
 of wickedness ; but we, who do not find 
 this at all in the divine Scripture, say that 
 the more rational condition changes into 
 one more irrational, undergoing this affec- 
 tion in consequence of great slothfulness 
 and negligence. But, also, in the same 
 way, a will which was more irrational, 
 because of its neglect of reason, sometimes 
 turns and becomes rational, so that that 
 which at one time was a dog, loving to eat 
 of the crumbs that fell from the table of its 
 masters, comes into the condition of a son. 
 For virtue contributes greatly to the making 
 of one a son of God, but wickedness, and 
 mad fury in wanton discourses and shame- 
 lessness, contribute to the giving of a man 
 the name of dog according to the word of 
 the Scripture. » And the like you will also 
 understand in the case of the other names 
 which are applied to animals without rea- 
 son. Only, he who is reproached as a dog 
 and yet is not indignant at being called 
 unworthy of the bread of children and with 
 all forbearance repeats the saying of that 
 Canaanitish woman, "Yea, Lord, for even 
 the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall 
 from their masters' J table," will obtain the 
 very gaiitle answer of Jesus saying to him, 
 "Great is thy faith," — when he has re- 
 ceived so great faith— and saying, "Be it 
 done unto thee even as thou wilt,"* so that 
 he himself may be healed, and if he has 
 produced any fruit which stands in need of 
 healing, that this, too, may be cured. 
 
 1 8. CONCERNING THE MULTITUDES WHO -WERE 
 HEALED. COMPARISON OF THE MOUNTAIN 
 WHERE JESUS SAT TO THE CHURCH. 
 
 " And Jesus departed thence" — manifestly, 
 from what has been said before, from the 
 partsofTyre and Sidon, — " and came nigh 
 unto the sea of Galilee," 5 which is commonly 
 called the Lake of Gennesaret, and again 
 went up into the mountain where He went 
 up and sat. We may say, then, that into 
 this mountain where Jesus sits, not only the 
 
 ' Exod. xxii. 31. 
 
 ' Malt. XV. 28. 
 
 * 2 Sam. xvi. 9. 
 ^ Matt. XV. 29. 
 
 1 Matt. 3tv. 17. 
 
 sound in health go up, but along with the 
 sound, those also who were sulfering from 
 various disorders. And, perhaps, this moun- 
 tain to which Jesus went up and sat is that 
 which is morecommonly called the Church, 
 which has been set up through the word of 
 God over the rest of the world and the men 
 upon it ; whither go not the disciples only, 
 leaving the multitudes as in the case of the 
 beatitudes, but great multitudes who were 
 not accused themselves of being deaf or 
 suffering from any affection, but who had 
 such along with themselves. For you may 
 see, along with the multitudes vi^ho come 
 to this mountain where the Son of God sits, 
 some who have become deaf to the things 
 promised, and others blind in soul and not 
 looking at the true light, and others who 
 are lame and not able to walk according to 
 reason, and others who are maimed and 
 not able to work according to reason. 
 Those, accordingly, who are suffering in 
 soul from such things, though they go up 
 along with the multitudes into the moun- 
 tain where Jesus was, so long as they are 
 outside of the feet of Jesus, are not healed 
 by Him ; but when, as men suffering from 
 such disorders, they are cast by the multi- 
 tude at His feet,' and at the extremities of 
 the body of Christ, not being worthy to 
 obtain such things so far as they themselves 
 are concerned, they are then healed by Him. 
 And when you see in the congregation of 
 what is more commonly called the church 
 the catechumens cast behind those who 
 are at the extreme end of it, and as it were 
 at the feet of the body of Jesus — the church 
 — coming to it with their own deafness and 
 blindness and lameness and crookedness, 
 and in time cured according to the Word, 
 you would not err in saying that such hav- 
 ing gone up with the multitudes of the 
 church to the mountain where Jesus was, 
 are cast at His feet and are healed ; so that 
 the multitude of the church is astonished at 
 beholding transformations which have taken 
 place from so great evils to that which is 
 better, so that it might say, those who were 
 formerly dumb afterwards speak the word 
 of God, and the lame walk, the prophecy of 
 Isaiah being fulfilled, not only in things 
 bodily but in things spiritual, which said, 
 "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, 
 and the tongue of him that hath an impedi- 
 ment in his speech be plain." ^ And there, 
 unless the expression, "the lame man shall 
 leap as an hart," is to be taken as acci- 
 dental, we will say that those formerly lame. 
 
 ^ Matt. XV. 30.. 
 
 ' Isa. XXXV. 6. 
 
448 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 and who now through the power of Jesus 
 leap as an hart are not without design com- 
 pared to a hart, which is a clean animal, 
 and hostile to serpents and cannot at all 
 be injured by their poison. But also, in 
 respect of the fact that the dumb are seen 
 speaking is the prophecy fulfilled which 
 said, "And the tongue of him that hath an 
 impediment shall be plain," or rather that 
 which said, " Hear ye deaf ; " but the bhnd 
 see according to the prophecy following, 
 " Hear ye deaf, and ye blind look up that ye 
 may see." ' Now the blind see, when they 
 see the world and from the exceeding great 
 beauty of the things created they contem- 
 plate the Creator corresponding in greatness 
 and beauty to them ; and when they see 
 clearly "the invisible things of God Him- 
 self from the creation of the world, which 
 are perceived through the things that are 
 made ; "^ that is, they see and understand 
 with care and clearness. Now the multi- 
 tudes seeing these things, glorified the God 
 of Israel, 3 and glorify Him in the persua- 
 sion that it is the same God, who is the 
 Father of Him who healed those previously 
 mentioned, and the God of Israel. For He 
 is not the God of the Jews only, but also of 
 the Gentiles.'' Let us then cause to go up 
 along with ourselves to the mountain where 
 Jesus sits — His church — those who wish to 
 go up to it along with us, the deaf, the 
 blind, the lame, the maimed and many 
 others, and let us cast them at the feet of 
 Jesus that He may heal them, so that the 
 multitudes are astonished at their healing ; 
 for it is not the disciples who are described 
 as wondering at such things, although at 
 that time they were present with Jesus, as 
 is manifest from the words, "And Jesus 
 called unto Him His disciples and said, I 
 have compassion on the multitudes, " s etc. ; 
 and perhaps if you attend carefully to the 
 words, " There came unto Him great multi- 
 tudes,"'' you would find that the disciples 
 at that time did not come to Him, but had 
 begun long ago to follow Him and followed 
 Him into the mountain. But there came 
 unto Him those who were inferior to the 
 disciples, and were then for the tirst time ap- 
 proaching Him, who had not the same 
 experience as those who had gone up with 
 them. Observe, moreover, in the Gospel 
 who are described as having followed Jesus, 
 and who as having come to Him, and who 
 as having been brought to Him, and the 
 division between those who go before and 
 
 ' Isa. xlii. i8. 
 * Kom. iii. 29. 
 
 ^ Rom. i. 20. 
 ' Matt. IT. 3.2 
 
 ^ Matt. XV. 31. 
 " Matt. XV. 30. 
 
 of those who follow ; and of those who 
 came, who came to Him in the house, and 
 who when He was elsewhere. For by ob- 
 servation, and by comparing things spiritual 
 with spiritual, you would find many things 
 worthy of the accurate wisdom in the 
 Gospels. 
 
 19. CONCERNING THE SEVEN LOAVES. THE 
 NARRATIVE OF THE FEEDING OF THE FOUR 
 THOUSAND COMPARED WITH THAT OF THE 
 FIVE THOUSAND. 
 
 " And Jesus called unto Him His disciples 
 and said.' ■ Above in the similar history to 
 this about the loaves, before the loaves are 
 spoken of, "Jesus came forth and saw a 
 great multitude and had compassion upon 
 them and healed their sick. And when 
 even was come the disciples came to Him 
 saying. The place is desert and the time is 
 already past, send them away," ^ etc. But 
 now after the healing of the deaf and the 
 rest, He takes compassion on the multitude 
 which had continued with Him now three 
 days and had nothing to eat. And there 
 the disciples make request concerning the 
 five thousand ; 3 but here He speaks of His 
 own accord about the four thousand.* 
 Those, too, are fed when it was evening 
 after they had spent a day with Him ; but 
 these, who are testified to have continued 
 with Him three days, partake of the loaves 
 lest they might faint by the way. And 
 there the disciples say to Him when He 
 was not inquiring, that they had only five 
 loaves and two fishes ; but here to Him 
 making inquiry, they give answer about the 
 seven loaves and the few small fishes. And 
 there He commands the multitudes to sit 
 down or lie upon the grass ; for Luke also 
 wrote, "Make them sit down," 5 and Mark 
 says, "He commanded them all to sit 
 down; "* but here He does not command but 
 proclaims 7 to the multitude to sit down. 
 Again, there, the three Evangelists say in 
 the very same words that " He took the five 
 loaves and the two fishes and looking up to 
 heaven He blessed ; "* but here, as Matthew 
 and Mark have written, "Jesus gave thanks 
 and brake ;" 9 there, they recline upon the 
 grass, but here they sit down upon the 
 ground. You will moreover investigate in 
 the accounts in the different places the varia- 
 tion found in John, who wrote in regard to 
 that transaction that Jesus said, " Make the 
 
 ^ Matt. XV. 32. * Matt. xiv. 15. ^ Matt. xiv. 15. 
 
 * Matt. XV. 32. ^ Luke ix. 14. " Marie vi. 39. 
 ' 6u JCeAevet aAXo Trapa-yYcAAei 
 
 ^ Matt. xiv. rg; Mark vi. 41 ; Luke ix. 16. 
 
 * Matt. XV 36 ; Mark viii. 6. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 449 
 
 men sit down," ' and that, having given 
 thanks, He gave of the loaves to them that 
 v^ereset down, but he did not mention this 
 miracle at all.* Attending, then, to the dif- 
 ference of those things which are written in 
 the various jjlaces in regard to the loaves, I 
 think that these belong to a different order 
 from those ; wherefore these are fed in a 
 mountain, and those in a desert place; and 
 these after they had continued three days 
 with Jesus, but those one day, on the even- 
 ing of which they were fed. And further, 
 unless it be the same thing for Jesus to do 
 a thing of Himself and to act after having 
 heard from the disciples, consider if those 
 to whom Jesus shows kindness are not 
 superior when He fed them on the spot with 
 a view to showing them kindness. And, if 
 according to John, s they were barley loaves 
 of which the twelve baskets remained over, 
 but nothing of this kind is said about these, 
 how are not these superior to the former? 
 And the sick of those He healed,^ but here 
 He heals these, along with the multitudes, 
 who were not sick but blind, and lame, and 
 deaf, and maimed ; wherefore also in regard 
 to these the four thousand marvel,' but in 
 regard to the sick no such thing is said. 
 And these I think who ate of the seven 
 loaves for which thanks were given, are 
 superior to those who ate of the five which 
 were blessed ; and these who ate the few 
 little fishes to those who ate of the two, and 
 perhaps also these who sat down upon the 
 ground to those who sat down on the grass. 
 
 And those from fewer loaves leave twelve 
 baskets, but these from a greater number 
 leave seven baskets, inasmuch, as they 
 were able to receive more. And perhaps 
 these tread upon all earthly things and sit 
 down upon them, but those upon the grass 
 — upon their flesh only — for "all flesh is 
 grass."' Consider also after this, that 
 Jesus does not wish to send them away fast- 
 ing lest they faint on the way, as being 
 without the loaves of Jesus, and while they 
 were still on the way — the way to their own 
 concerns — might suffer injury. Take note 
 also of the cases where Jesus is recorded to 
 have sent any one away, that you may see 
 the difference of those who were sent avi'ay 
 by Him after being fed, and those who had 
 been sent away otherwise ; and, as a pattern 
 of one who was sent away otherwise, take 
 "Woman, thou art loosed from thine in- 
 firmity. ■' ^ But further the disciples who 
 are always with Jesus are not sent away by 
 Him ; but the multitudes after they have 
 eaten are sent avi'ay. Likewise, again, the 
 disciples who conceive nothing great about 
 the Canaanitish woman say, "Send her 
 away, for she crieth after us;"3 but the 
 Saviour does not at all appear to send her 
 away; for saying unto her, "O woman, 
 great is thy faith, be it done to thee even as 
 thou wilt,"* He healed her daughter from 
 that hour : it is not however written that 
 He sent her away. So far at the present 
 time have we been able to investigate and 
 see into the passage before us. 
 
 BOOK XII. 
 
 I. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ASKED HIM TO 
 SHOW THEM A SIGN FROM HEAVEN. 
 
 " Andihe Sadducees and Pharisees came, 
 and tempting Him kept asking Him to shew 
 them a sign from heaven."^ The Sadducees 
 and Pharisees who disagreed with each 
 other in regard to the most essential truths, 
 — for the Pharisees champion the doctrine of 
 the resurrection of the dead, hoping that 
 there will be a world to come, while the 
 Sadducees know nothing after this life in 
 store for a man whether he has been ad- 
 vancing towards virtue, or has made no 
 effort at all to come out from the mountains 
 of wickedness,— these, I say, agree that 
 
 • John vi. lo. • Or, did not mention tlie occasion of this. 
 
 » John vi. 13. ♦ Matt. jdv. 14. " Matt. iv. 31. ' Matt. ivi. i. 
 
 they may tempt Jesus. Now, a similar 
 thing, as Luke has narrated, 5 happened in 
 the case of Herod and Pilate, who became 
 friends with one another that they might kill 
 Jesus ; for, perhaps, their hostility with one 
 another would have prevented Herod from 
 asking that He should be put to death, 
 in order to please the people, who said, 
 "Crucify Him, Crucify Him,"* and would 
 have influenced Pilate, who was somewhat 
 inclined against His condemnation, his 
 hostility with Herod giving fresh impulse 
 to the inclination which he previously 
 cherished to release Jesus. But their ap- 
 parent friendship made Herod stronger in 
 
 * Isa. xl. 6. ' Lulce xiii. 12, Literally * thou art sent away.* 
 
 " Matt. XV. 13. * Matt. xv. 28. ° Luke xxiii. 12. ° Luke xxiii. 21 
 
450 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 his demand against Jesus with Pilate, who 
 wished, perhaps, also because of the newly- 
 formed friendship to do something to 
 gratify Herod and all the nation of the 
 jews. And often even now you may see 
 in daily life those who hold the most diver- 
 gent opinions, whether in the philosophy of 
 the Greeks or in other systems of thought, 
 appearing to be of one mind that they may 
 scoff at and attack Jesus Christ in the 
 person of His disciples. And from these 
 things I thmk you may go on by rational 
 argument to consider, whether when forces 
 join in opposition which are in disagree- 
 ment with one another, as of Pharaoh with 
 Nebuchadnezzar,' and of Tirhakah, king of 
 the Ethiopians, with Sennacherib,^ a com- 
 bination then takes place against Jesus and 
 His people. So perhaps, also, "The kings 
 of the earth set themselves and the rulers 
 were gathered together," 3 though not at all 
 before at harmony with one another, that 
 having taken counsel against the Lord and 
 His Christ, they might slay the Lord of glory. 
 
 2. WHY THE PHARISEES ASKED A SIGN FROM 
 
 HEAVEN. 
 
 Now, to this point we have come in our 
 discourse, because of the Pharisees and 
 Sadducees coming together unto Jesus, who 
 disagreed in matters relating to the resur- 
 rection, but came, as it were, to an agree- 
 ment for the sake of tempting our Saviour, 
 and asking Him to show them a sign from 
 heaven. For, not satisfied with the won- 
 derful signs shown among the people in the 
 healing of all forms of disease and sickness, 
 and with the rest of the miracles which 
 our Saviour had done in the knowledge 
 of many, they wished Him to show \o 
 them also a sign from heaven. And I 
 conjecture that they suspected that the 
 signs upon earth might possibly not be of 
 God; for they did not hesitate indeed to 
 say, "Jesus casts out demons by Beelze- 
 bub the prince of the demons ; " * and it 
 seemed to them that a sign from heaven 
 could not spring from Beelzebub or any 
 other wicked power. But they erred in 
 regard to both, in regard to signs upon earth 
 as well as to signs from heaven, not being 
 
 approved money-changers, " s nor knowing 
 how to distinguish between the spirits that 
 are working, which kind are from God, and 
 which have revolted from Him. And they 
 ought to have known that even many of the 
 
 i2King6xxiv. 7. " 2 Kings xix. 9. 
 
 '?t'V'T ■ . 'Matt. ix. 24ixii,24. 
 
 r„??t ," =^y'"g.=" '«<IV='"'>"l"°'='i as Scripture in the 
 
 See s"ker " '° ''""" ^^ "'"""■ ^°"^'™" to Paul 
 
 portents wrought against Egypt in the time 
 of Moses, though they were not from heaven , 
 were clearly from God, and that the fire 
 which fell from heaven upon the sheep of 
 Job was not from God ; ' for that fire be- 
 longed to the same one as he to vvhom be- 
 longed those who carried off, and made 
 three bands of horsemen against, the cattle 
 of Job. I think, moreover, that in Isaiah — 
 as if signs could be shown both from the 
 earth and from heaven, the true being from 
 God, but " with all power and signs and lying 
 wonders"^ those from the evil one — it was 
 said to Ahaz, "Ask for thyself a sign from 
 the Lord thy God in the depth or in the 
 height. " ' For, unless there had been some 
 signs in the depth or in the height which 
 were not from the Lord God, this would not 
 have been said, " Ask for thyself a sign from 
 the Lord thy God in the depth or in the 
 height." But I know well that such an in- 
 terpretation of the passage, "Ask for thy- 
 self a sign from the Lord thy God," will seem 
 to some one rather forced ; but give heed to 
 that which is said by the Apostle about 
 the man of sin, the son of perdition, that, 
 " with all power and signs and lying won- 
 ders and with all deceit of unrighteousness,"'' 
 he shall be manifested to them that are per- 
 ishing, imitating all kinds of wonders, to- 
 wit, those of truth. And as the enchanters 
 and magicians of the Egyptians, as being 
 inferior to the man of sin and the son of 
 perdition, imitated certain powers, both the 
 signs and wonders of truth, doing lying 
 wonders so that the true might not be be- 
 lieved ; so I think the man of sin will 
 imitate signs and powers. And perhaps, 
 also, the Pharisees suspected these things 
 because of the prophecies concerning Him ; 
 but I inquire whether also the Sadducees 
 tempting Him asked Jesus to show them 
 a sign from heaven. For unless we say 
 that they suspected this, how shall we de- 
 scribe their relation to the portents which 
 Jesus wrought, who continued hard-hearted 
 and were not put to shame by the miraculous 
 things that were done ? But if any one sup- 
 poses that we have given an occasion of 
 defence to the Pharisees and Sadducees, 
 both when they say that the demons were 
 cast out by Jesus through Beelzebub, and 
 when tempting Him, they ask Jesus about 
 a heavenly sign, let him know that we 
 plausibly say that they were drawn away 
 to the end that they might not believe in 
 the miracles of Jesus ; but not as to deserve 
 
 ' Job i.i 6. 
 ' Isa. vii. II 
 
 ' 2 Thess. ii. 9. 
 * 2 Thess. ii. 9, lo. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 451 
 
 forgiveness ; for they did not look to the 
 words of the prophets which were being 
 fulfilled in the acts of Jesus, which an evil 
 power was not at all capable of imitating. 
 But to bring back a soul which had gone 
 out, so that it came out of the grave when 
 already stinking and passing the fourth day, ' 
 was the work of no other than Him who 
 heard the word of the Father, " Let us 
 make man after our image and likeness."^ 
 But also to command the winds and to 
 make the violence of the sea cease at a 
 word, was the work of no other than Him 
 through whom all things, both the sea it- 
 self and the winds, have come into being. 
 Moreover also as to the teaching which 
 stimulates men to the love of the Creator, 
 in harmony with the law and the prophets, 
 and which checks passions and moulds 
 morals according to piety, what else did it 
 indicate to such as were able to see, than 
 that He was truly the Son of God who 
 wrought works so mighty ? In respect of 
 which things He said also to the disciples 
 of John, " Go your way and tell John what 
 great things ye see and hear ; the blind re- 
 ceive their sight," etc. 3 
 
 3. THE ANSWER OF JESUS TO THEIR REQUEST. 
 
 Next let us remark in what way, when 
 asked in regard to one sign, that He might 
 show it from heaven, to the Pharisees and 
 Sadducees who put the question. He an- 
 swers and says, "An evil and adulterous 
 generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall 
 he no sign given to it, but the sign of Jonah 
 the prophet," when also, "He left the7n and 
 departed." * But the sign of Jonah, in truth, 
 according to their question, was not merely 
 a sign but also a sign from heaven ; so that 
 even to those who tempted Him and sought 
 a sign from heaven He, nevertheless, out of 
 His own great goodness gave the sign. For 
 if, as Jonah passed three days and three 
 nights in the whale's belly, so the Son of man 
 did in the heart of the earth, and after this 
 rose up from it, — whence but from heaven 
 shall we say that the sign of the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ came .? And especially when, 
 at the time of the passion, He became a sign 
 to the robber who obtained favour from 
 Him to enter into the paradise of God ; after 
 this, I think, descending into Hades to the 
 dead, " as free among the dead." s And the 
 Saviour seems to me to conjoin the sign 
 which was to come from Himself with the 
 reason of the sign in regard to Jonah when 
 
 * John xi. 39. 
 
 ♦ Matt. xvi. 4. 
 
 » Gen. i. 26. 
 8 Ps. btxxviii. 6. 
 
 ° Matt. xi. 4, 5. 
 
 He says, not merely that a sign like to that 
 is granted by Him but that very sign ; for 
 attend to the words, "And there shall no 
 sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the 
 prophet." ' Accordingly that sign was this 
 sign, because that became indicative of this, 
 so that the elucidation of that sign, which 
 was obscure on the face of it, might be 
 found in the fact that the Saviour suffered, 
 and passed three days and three nights in 
 the heart of the earth. At the same time 
 also we learn the general principle that, if 
 the sign signifies something, each of the 
 signs which are recorded, whether as in 
 actual history, or by way of precept, is in- 
 dicative of something afterwards fulfilled-; 
 as for example, the sign of Jonah going out 
 after three days from the whale's belly was 
 indicative of the resurrection of our Saviour, 
 rising after three days and three nights from 
 the dead ; and that which is called circum- 
 cision is the sign of that which is indicated 
 by Paul in the words : "We are the circum- 
 cision."^ Seek you also every sign in the 
 Old Scriptures as indicative of some passage 
 in the New Scripture, and that which is 
 named a sign in the New Covenant as in- 
 dicative of something either in the age about 
 to be, or even in the subsequent generations 
 after that the sign has taken place. 
 
 4. WHY JESUS CALLED THEM AN ADULTEROUS 
 GENERATION. THE LAW AS HUSBAND. 
 
 And He called them, indeed, "an evil 
 generation," because of the quality arising 
 from evil which had been produced in them, 
 for wickedness is voluntary evil-doing, but 
 "adulterous" because that when the Phari- 
 sees and Sadducees left that which is figu- 
 ratively called man, the word of truth or the 
 law, they were debauched by falsehood and 
 the law of sin. For if there are two laws, 
 the law in our members warring against the 
 law of the mind, and the law of the mind,3 
 we must say that the law of the mind — that 
 is, the spiritual — is man, to whom the soul 
 was given by God as wife, that is, to the 
 man who is law, according to what is writ- 
 ten, " A wife is married to a man by God ; " ■» 
 but the other is a paramour of the soul 
 which is subject to it, which also on account 
 of it is called an adulteress. Now that the 
 law is husband of the soul Paul clearly ex- 
 hibits in the Epistle to the Romans, saying, 
 " The law hath dominion over a man for 
 so long time as he liveth ; for the woman 
 that hath a husband is bound to the husband 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 4. 
 
 * Rom. vii. 23, 
 
 ' Phil. iii. 3. 
 * Prov. xix. 14. 
 
 29 
 
452 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 while he liveth, to the husband who is law, " ' 
 etc. For consider in these things that the 
 law hath dominion over the man so long 
 time as the law liveth,— as a husband over a 
 wife. "For the woman that hath a hus- 
 band," that is, the soul under the law, "is 
 bound to the husband while he liveth," to the 
 husband who is the law ; but if the husband 
 — that is, the law die — she is discharged from 
 the law, which is her husband. Now the 
 law dies to him who has gone up to the 
 condition of blessedness, and no longer 
 lives under the law, but acts like to Christ, 
 who, though He became under law for 
 the sake of those under law, that He 
 might gain those under law,^ did not con- 
 tinue under law, nor did He leave sub- 
 ject to law those who had been freed 
 by Him ; for He led them up along with 
 Himself to the divine citizenship which 
 is above the law, which contains, as for 
 the imperfect and such as are still sin- 
 ners, sacrifices for the remission of sins. 
 He then who is without sin, and stands 
 no longer in need of legal sacrifices, per- 
 haps when he has become perfect has 
 passed beyond even the spiritual law, and 
 comes to the Word beyond it, who be- 
 came flesh to those who live in the flesh, 
 but to those who no longer at all war after 
 the flesh. He is perceived as being the 
 Word, as ^ He was God in the beginning 
 with God, and reveals the Father. Three 
 things therefore are to be thought of in con- 
 nection with this place — the woman that 
 hath a husband, who is under a husband — 
 the law ; and the woman who is an adul- 
 teress, to-wit, the soul, which, while her 
 husband, the law, liveth, has become joined 
 to another husband, namely, the law of the 
 flesh ; and the woman who is married to the 
 brother of the dead husband, to the Word 
 who is alive and dies not, who "being 
 raised from the dead dieth no more, for 
 death hath no more dominion over Him. "-t 
 So far then because of the saying, " But if 
 the husband die she is discharged from the 
 law, the husband," and because of this, 
 "so then, while her husband liveth, she 
 shall be called an adulteress, if she be joined 
 to another man," and because of this, "but 
 if the husband die, she is free from the law, 
 so that she is no adulteress though she be 
 joined to another man."s But this very 
 saying, "So then while her husband liveth, 
 she shall be called an adulteress," we have 
 
 * Rom. vii. i, z. 'H yap VTrauSpo^ yvvii T<Z ^wvTi arfipi SeSerai 
 yoiKf. The reader must note that Origen takes v6ij.(f in apposi- 
 
 tion to avi ^ 
 ^ 1 Cor. ix. I 
 • Rom. vi. g, 
 
 • Or, who was God. 
 
 * Rom. vii. 2, 3. 
 
 brought forward, wishing clearly to show 
 why in answer to the Pharisees and Sad- 
 ducees who were tempting Him and asking 
 Him to show them a sign from heaven, Hd 
 said not only "a wicked generation," but 
 an ' ' adulterous " generation. ' In a general 
 way, then, the law in the members which 
 wars against the law of the mind,^ as a man 
 who is an adulterer, is an adulterer of the 
 soul. But now also every power that is 
 hostile, which gains the mastery over the 
 human soul, and has intercourse with it, 
 commits adultery with her who had a bride- 
 groom given to her by God, namely, the 
 Word. After these things it is written that 
 "He left them and departed." For how 
 was the bridegroom — the Word — not going 
 to leave the adulterous generation and de- 
 part from it ? But you might say that the 
 Word of God, leaving the synagogue of the 
 Jews as adulterous, departed from it, and 
 took a wife of fornication,' namely, those 
 from the Gentiles ; since those who were 
 "Sion, a faithful city, "■* have become har- 
 lots ; but these have become like the harlot 
 Rahab, who received the spies of Joshua, 
 and was saved with all her house ;s after 
 this no longer playing the harlot, but com- 
 ing to the feet of Jesus, and wetting them 
 with the tears of repentance, and anointing 
 them with the fragrance of the ointment of 
 holy conversation, on account of whom, re- 
 proaching Simon the leper, — the former 
 people, — He spoke those things which are 
 written.* 
 
 5. CONCERNING THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES. 
 
 "And His disciples came to the other side 
 and forgot to take loaves." ' Since the loaves 
 which they had before they came to the 
 other side were no longer useful to the dis- 
 ciples when they came to the other side, — 
 for they needed one kind of loaves before 
 they crossed and a different kind when they 
 crossed, — on this account, being careless of 
 taking loaves when going to the other side, 
 they forgot to take loaves with them. 
 To the other side then came the disciples of 
 Jesus who had passed over from things ma- 
 terial to things spiritual, and from things 
 sensible to those which are intellectual. 
 And perhaps that He might turn back those 
 who, by crossing to the other side, " had 
 begun in spirit,"^ from running back to car- 
 nal things, Jesus said to them when on the 
 other side, "Take heed and bevi'are. "' 
 For there was a certain lump of teaching 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 4. ' Rom. vii. 23. • Hos. i. 2. * Isa. i. 21. 
 " Josh. vi. 25. ® Luke vii. 37-50. Cf. Matt. xxvi. 6. 
 ' Matt. xvi. 5. » CJ. Gal. iu. 3. » Matt. xvi. 6. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 453 
 
 and of truly ancient leaven, — that ac- 
 cording to the bare letter, and on this 
 account not freed from those things which 
 arise from wickedness, — which the Pharisees 
 and Sadducees offered, of which Jesus does 
 not wish His own disciples any longer to 
 eat, having made for them a new and spir- 
 itual lump, offering Himself to those who 
 gave up the leaven of the Pharisees and 
 Sadducees and had come to Him — "the liv- 
 ing bread which came down from heaven 
 and gives life to the world." ^ But since, to 
 him who is no longer going to use the 
 leaven and the lump and the teaching of the 
 Pharisees and the Sadducees, the first thing 
 is to "see" and then to "beware," so that 
 no one, by reason of not seeing and from 
 want of taking heed, may ever partake of 
 their forbidden leaven, — on this account 
 He says to the disciples, first, "see," and 
 then, " beware." It is the mark of the clear- 
 sighted and careful to separate the leaven of 
 the Pharisees and Sadducees and every food 
 that is not of "the unleavened-bread of sin- 
 cerity and truth"' from the living bread, 
 even that which came down from heaven, 
 so that no one who eats may adopt the 
 things of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, 
 but by eating the living and true bread may 
 strengthen his soul. And we might season- 
 ably apply the saying to those who, along 
 with the Christian way of life, prefer to live 
 as the Jews, materially, for these do not see 
 nor beware of the leaven of the Pharisees 
 and Sadducees, but, contrary to the will of 
 Jesus who forbade it, eat the bread of the 
 Pharisees. Yea and also all, who do not 
 wish to understand that the law is spiritual, 
 and has a shadow of the good things to 
 come, 3 and is a shadow of the things to 
 come,* neither inquire of what good thing 
 about to be each of the laws is a shadow, 
 nor do they see nor beware of the leaven of 
 the Pharisees ; and they also who reject the 
 doctrine of the resurrection of the dead are 
 not on their guard against the leaven of the 
 Sadducees. And there are many among the 
 heterodox who, because of their unbelief in 
 regard to the resurrection of the dead, are 
 imbued with the leaven of the Sadducees. 
 Now, while Jesus said these things, the 
 disciples reasoned, saying not aloud, 
 but in their own hearts, "We took no 
 loaves. "5 And something like this was what 
 they said, " If we had loaves we would 
 not have had to take of the leaven of the 
 Pharisees and the Sadducees ; but since. 
 
 * John vi. 33, 51. 
 
 ♦ Col. ii. 17. 
 
 ' 1 Cor. V. 8. 
 ' Matt. xvL 7. 
 
 » Heb. I. I. 
 
 from want of loaves, we run the risk of tak- 
 ing from their leaven, while the Saviour does 
 not wish us to run back to their teaching, 
 therefore He said to us, "Take heed and 
 beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and 
 the Sadducees."' And these things then 
 they reasoned ; Jesus, while looking to that 
 which was in their hearts, and hearing the 
 reasons in them, as the true overseer of 
 hearts, reproves them because they did not 
 see nor remember the loaves which they re- 
 ceived from Him ; on account of which, 
 even when they appeared to be in want of 
 loaves, they did not need the leaven of the 
 Pharisees and the Sadducees. 
 
 6. THE MEANING OF LEAVEN. JESUS' KNOWLEDGE 
 OF THE HEART. 
 
 Then expounding clearly and representing 
 to them, who were being distracted because 
 of the equivocal meaning of loaf and lea- 
 ven, in an undisguised fashion, that He 
 was not speaking to them about sensible 
 bread but about the leaven in the teaching, 
 He subjoins, " Hoiv is it thatye do not per- 
 ceive that I spake not toy ou concerning bread? 
 But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and 
 the Sadducees."^ And though He had not 
 laid bare the interpretation, but still con- 
 tinued to use metaphorical language, the dis- 
 ciples would have understood that the dis- 
 course of the Saviour was about the teach- 
 ing, figuratively called leaven, which the 
 Pharisees and Sadducees were teaching. So 
 long, then, as we have Jesus with us fulfill- 
 ing the promise which runs, " Lo, I am with 
 you always unto the consummation of the 
 age, " 3 we cannot fast nor be in want of food, 
 so that, because of want of it we should de- 
 sire .to take and eat the forbidden leaven, 
 even from the Pharisees and Sadducees. 
 Now there may sometimes be a time, when 
 He is with us, that we are without food, as 
 is spoken of in the passage above, "They 
 continue with me now three days and have 
 nothing to eat ; " ^ but, even though this 
 should happen, being unwilling to send us 
 away fasting lest we faint on the way. He 
 gives thanks over the loaves which were 
 with the disciples, and causes us to have 
 the seven baskets over from the seven loaves, 
 as we have recorded. And moreover this 
 also is to be observed, in view of those who 
 think that the divinity of the Saviour is 
 not at all demonstrable from the Gospel of 
 Matthew, that the fact that, when the dis- 
 ciples were reasoning among themselves 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 6. 
 ' Matt. xxviiL 30. 
 
 * Matt. xvi. II, 
 ' Matt. XV. 3a. 
 
454 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 and saying-, "We have no loaves," Jesus 
 knew their reasonings and said, "Why rea- 
 son ye among- yourselves, O ye of little 
 faith, because ye took no loaves," ' -was be- 
 yond the power of man ; for the Lord alone, 
 as Solomon says in the third Book of Kings, 
 knows the hearts of men.* But since the 
 disciples understood, when Jesus said, "Be- 
 ware of the leaven, "3 that He did not tell 
 them to beware of the loaves but of the 
 teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, 
 you will understand that whenever leaven is 
 named it is put figuratively for teaching, 
 ■whether in the law, or in the Scriptures 
 which come after the law ; and so perhaps 
 leaven is not offered upon the altar ; for it 
 is not right that prayers should take the 
 form of teaching, but should only be sup- 
 phcations of good things from God. But 
 one might inquire, on account of what has 
 been said about disciples who came to the 
 other side, if any one who has reached the 
 other side can be reproached as one of little 
 faith, and as not yet understanding nor re- 
 membering what was done by Jesus. But 
 it is not dilficult, I think, to say to this, that 
 in relation to that which is perfect, on the 
 coming of which "that which is in part 
 shall be done away," ♦ all our faith here is 
 little faith, and in regard to that, we -who 
 know in part do not yet know nor remem- 
 ber ; for we are not able to obtain a memory 
 which is sufficient and able to attain to the 
 magnitude of the nature of the speculations. 
 
 7. RELATIVE MAGNITUDE OF SINS OF THE HEART 
 AND ACTUAL SINS. 
 
 But we may also learn from this, that in 
 respect of the reasonings only which we 
 reason within ourselves, we are sometimes 
 convicted and reproached as being of little 
 faith. And I think that just as a man com- 
 mits adultery in his heart only, though not 
 proceeding altogether to the overt act, so 
 he commits in his heart the rest of the things 
 which are forbidden. As then he who has 
 committed adultery in his heart will be 
 punished proportionately to adultery of this 
 kind, so also he who has done in his heart 
 any one of the things forbidden, for example, 
 who has stolen in his heart only, or borne 
 false witness in his heart only, will not be 
 punished as he who has stolen in fact, or who 
 has completed the very act of false testimony, 
 but only as he who has done such things in 
 his heart. There is also the case of the man 
 ■who while he did not arrive at the evil action, 
 
 ' Matt. rvi. 8. 
 ' Matt. xvi. 6. 
 
 ' I Kings viii, 39. 
 * I Cor. xiii. 10. 
 
 came short of it in spite of his own will. 
 For if, in addition to willing it, he has at- 
 tempted it, but not carried it out, he will be 
 punished not as one who has sinned in his 
 heart alone but in deed. To questions of 
 this sort one might ask, whether any one 
 commits adultery in his heart, even if he 
 does not do the deed of adultery, but lacks 
 self-control in heart only. And the like also 
 you -will say concerning the rest of things 
 which are deserving of praise. But the 
 passage possibly contains a plausible fallacy 
 which must be cleared away, I think, in this 
 manner : adultery which takes place in the 
 heart is a less sin, than if one were also to 
 add to it the act. But it is impossible that 
 there can be chastity in the heart, hindering 
 the chaste action — unless indeed one brings 
 forward for an illustration of this the case 
 of the virgin who according to the law 
 was violated in solitude ; ^ for it may 
 be granted that the heart of any one may 
 be most pure, ° but that force in a matter of 
 licentiousness has caused the corruption of 
 the body of her who was chaste. In truth 
 she seems to me to be altogether chaste in 
 secret heart, but no longer to be pure in 
 body such as she was before the act of vio- 
 lence ; but though she is not pure outwardly, 
 is she therefore now also unchaste ? I have 
 said these things because of the words, 
 "They reasoned among themselves saying. 
 We took no loaves," to which is added, 
 "And Jesus perceiving it, said, O ye ol 
 little faith, why reason ye among your- 
 selves," ^ etc. ; for it was necessary that in- 
 vestigation should be made in regard to the 
 censure of things in secret and correlatively 
 to the praise of things in secret. 
 
 8. THE LEAVEN FIGURATIVE LIKE THE -WATER 
 SPOKEN OF BY JESUS TO THE ■WOMAN OF 
 SAMARIA. 
 
 But I wonder if the disciples thought, be- 
 fore the saying was explained to them by 
 Jesus, that their Teacher and Lord was for- 
 bidding them to beware of the sensible 
 leaven of the Pharisees or the Sadducees as 
 impure, and on this account forbidden, lest 
 they might use that leaven because they had 
 not taken loaves. And we might make a like 
 inquiry in regard to other things ; but by- 
 way of illustration the narrative about the 
 woman of Samaria sufficeth, ".Every one 
 that drinketh of this water shall thirst again; 
 but whosoever drinketh of the water that I 
 shall give him shall never thirst."'* For 
 there, also, so far as the mere form of ex- 
 
 * Deut. xxii. 25. 
 » Matt. ivi. 7, 8. 
 
 * Or, violence in the licentious person. 
 
 * John xiv. 13,14. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 455 
 
 pression is concerned, the Samaritan woman 
 would seem to have thought that the Sa- 
 viour was giving a promise about sensible 
 water, when He said, "Whosoever drinketh 
 of the water that I shall give him shall 
 never thirst." And those things then must 
 be figuratively interpreted, and we must 
 examine and compare the water of the 
 spring of Jacob from which the woman of 
 Samaria drew water with the waterof Jesus; 
 and here the like must be done ; for perhaps 
 the loaves were not baked, but a kind of 
 raw leaven solely, the teaching, namely, of 
 the Pharisees and Sadducees. 
 
 9. CONCERNING THE QUESTION OF JESUS IN CjE- 
 SAREA, WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM ? DIF- 
 FERENT CONCEPTIONS OF JESUS. 
 
 " Now when Jesus came into the parts of 
 Ccesarea Fhilippi, He asked His disciples. " ' 
 Jesus inquires of the disciples, "Who do 
 men say that I am," that we may learn from 
 the answer of the Apostles the different con- 
 ceptions then held among the Jews in 
 regard to our Saviour ; and perhaps also 
 that the disciples of Jesus might learn to be 
 interested in knowing what is said by men 
 about them ; ^ because that will be an advan- 
 tage to them who do it, by cutting off in 
 every way occasions of evil if anything evil 
 is spoken of, and by increasing the incite- 
 ments to good, if anything good is spoken 
 of. Only, observe how, on account of the 
 different movements of opinion among the 
 Jews about Jesus, some, under the influence 
 of unsound theories, said that He was John 
 the Baptist, like Herod the tetrarch who 
 said to his servants, ' ' This is John the 
 Baptist, he is risen from the dead, and there- 
 fore do the powers work in him; " 3 but others 
 that He who was now called Jesus was 
 Elijah, either having been born a second 
 .time, or living from that time in the flesh, 
 and appearing at the present time. But 
 those who said that Jesus was Jeremiah, 
 and not that Jeremiah was a type of the 
 Christ, were perhaps influenced by what is 
 said in the beginning of Jeremiah about 
 Christ, which was not fulfilled in the pro- 
 phet at that time, but was beginning to be 
 fulfilled in Jesus, whom "God set up over 
 nations and kingdoms to root up, and to 
 break down, and to destroy, and to build 
 up, and to transplant,"* having made Him 
 to be a prophet to the Gentiles to whom He 
 proclaimed the word. Moreover also those 
 who said, " that he was a certain one of the 
 
 • Matt. jnri. 13. 
 
 * Matt. xiv. 1. 
 
 prophets," ' conceived this opinion concern- 
 ing Him because of those things which had 
 been said in the prophets as unto them, but 
 which had not been fulfilled in their case. 
 But also the Jews, as worthy of the veil 
 which was upon their heart, held false 
 opinions concerning Jesus ; while Peter as 
 not a disciple " of flesh and blood," ^ but as 
 one fit to receive the revelation of the 
 Father in heaven, confessed that He was the 
 Christ. The saying of Peter to the Saviour, 
 "Thou art the Christ," when the Jews did 
 not know that He was Christ, was indeed a 
 great thing, but greater that he knew Him 
 not only to be Christ, but also " the Son of 
 the living God, "swho had also said through 
 the prophets, " I live," ■* and "They have 
 forsaken Me the spring of living water ; " s — 
 and He is life also, as from the Father the 
 spring of life, who said, "I am the Life ;" * 
 And consider carefully, whether, as the 
 spring of the river is not the same thing as 
 the river, the spring of life is not the same 
 as life. And these things we have added 
 because to the saying, "Thou art the Christ, 
 the Son of God," was subj'oined the word 
 "living ; " 7 for it was necessary to set forth 
 something noteworthy in regard to that 
 which is said about God and the Father of 
 all things as living, both in relation to His 
 absolute life, and in relation to those 
 things which participate in it. But since 
 we said that they were under the influ- 
 ence of unsound opinions who declared 
 that Jesus was John the Baptist, or any 
 one of those named, in saying this let 
 us prove that if they had fallen in with 
 Jesus as He was going away to John for 
 baptism, or with John when he was baptiz- 
 ing Jesus, or if they had heard it from any 
 one, they would not have said that Jesus 
 was John. But also if they had understood 
 the opinions under the influence of which 
 Jesus said, "If ye are willing to receive it, 
 this is Elijah which is to come," ^ and had 
 heard what was said, as men having ears, 
 some would not have said that He was 
 Elijah. And if those who said that He was 
 Jeremiah had perceived that the most of the 
 prophets took upon themselves certain fea- 
 tures that were symbolical of Him, they 
 would not have said that He was Jeremiah ; 
 and in like manner the others would not 
 have said that He was one of the prophets. 
 
 10. THE ANSWER OF PETER. 
 
 And perhaps that which Simon Peter an- 
 
 
 « Matt. xvi. 14. 
 
 ' Matt. xn. 17. 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 16 
 
 • Or, Him. 
 
 * Jer. xxii. 24. 
 
 * Jer. ii. 13. 
 
 * Joiln xiv. 6. 
 
 « Jer. i. 10. 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. i6. 
 
 ' Matt xi. 14. 
 
 
456 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 swered and said, " Thou art the Christ, the 
 Son 0/ the living God," '■ if we say it as Peter, 
 not by flesh and blood revealing it unto us, 
 but by the light from the Father in heaven 
 shining in our heart, we too become as Peter, 
 being pronounced blessed as he was, be- 
 cause that the grounds on which he was 
 pronounced blessed apply also to us, by 
 reason of the fact that flesh and blood have 
 not revealed to us with regard to Jesus that 
 He is Christ, the Son of the living God, but 
 the Father in heaven, from the very heavens, 
 that our citizenship may be in heaven,^ re- 
 vealing to us the revelation which carries 
 up to heaven those who take away every 
 veil from the heart, and receive " the spirit of 
 the wisdom and revelation" of God. 3 And if 
 we too have said like Peter, "Thou art the 
 Christ, the Son of the living God," not as if 
 flesh and blood had revealed it unto us, but 
 by light from the Father in heaven having 
 shone in our heart, we become a Peter, and 
 to us there mightbesaidby the Word, "Thou 
 art Peter," etc.-t For a rocks is every dis- 
 ciple of Christ of whom those drank who 
 drank of the spiritual rock which followed 
 them,^ and upon every such rock is built 
 every word of the church, and the polity in 
 accordance with it ; for in each of the per- 
 fect, who have the combination of words and 
 deeds and thoughts which fill up the blessed- 
 ness, is the church built by God. 
 
 II. THE PROMISE GIVEN TO PETER NOT RESTRICTED 
 TO HIM, BUT APPLICABLE TO ALL DISCIPLES 
 LIKE HIM. 
 
 But if you suppose that upon that one 
 Peter only the whole church is built by God, 
 what would you say about John the son of 
 thunder or each one of the Apostles ? Shall 
 we otherwise dare to say, that against Peter 
 in particnlar the gates of Hades shall not 
 prevail, but that they shall prevail against 
 the other Apostles and the perfect.? Does 
 not the saying previously made, "The gates 
 of Hades shall not prevail against it,"^ hold 
 in regard to all and in the case of each of 
 them? And also the saying, "Uponthisrock 
 I will build My church " ? « Are the keys of 
 the kingdom of heaven given by the Lord to 
 Peter only, and will no other of the blessed re- 
 ceive them? But if this promise, "I will 
 give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of 
 heaven," 9 be common to the others, how shall 
 not all the things previously spoken of, and 
 the things which are subjoined as havingbeen 
 addressed to Peter,be common to them ? For 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 16. 
 * Mr.tt. xvi. 18. 
 ' Matt. xvi. 18. 
 
 ' Phil.iii. 20. 
 '■ Or, ,T Peter. 
 " Jlatt. xvi. 18. 
 
 » Eph. i. 17. 
 ° I Cor. X. 4. 
 ' Matt. xvi. 19. 
 
 in this place these words seem to be addressed 
 as to Peter only, "Whatsoever thou shalt 
 bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,"' 
 etc ; but in the Gospel of John the Saviour 
 having given the Holy Spirit unto the disci- 
 ples by breathing upon them said, "Receive 
 ye the Holy Spirit,"^ etc. Many then will 
 say to the Saviour, "Thou art the Christ, 
 the Son of the living God ; " but not all who 
 say this will say it to Him, as not at all hav- 
 ing learned it by the revelation of flesh and 
 blood but by the Father in heaven Himself 
 taking away the veil that lay upon their 
 heart, in order that after this "with unveiled 
 face reflecting as a mirror the glory of the 
 Lord "3 they may speak through the Spirit 
 of God saying concerning Him, " Lord 
 Jesus," and to Him, " Thou art the Christ, 
 the Son of the living God."* And if any one 
 says this to Him, not by flesh and blood re- 
 vealing it unto Him but through the Father in 
 heaven, he will obtain the things that were 
 spoken according to the letter of the Gospel 
 to that Peter, but, as the spirit of the Gospel 
 teaches, to every one who becomes such as 
 that Peter was. For all bear the surname 
 of "rock" who are the imitators of Christ, 
 that is, of the spiritual rock which follovired 
 those who are being saved, s that they may 
 drink from it the spiritual draught. But 
 these bear the surname of the rock just as 
 Christ does. But also as members of Christ 
 deriving their surname from Him they are 
 called Christians, and from the rock, Peters. 
 And taking occasion from these things 
 you will say that the righteous bear the sur- 
 name of Christ who is Righteousness, 
 and the wise of Christ who is Wisdom.* 
 And so in regard to all His other names, 
 you will apply them by way of surname to 
 the saints ; and to all such the saying of 
 the Saviour might be spoken, "Thou art 
 Peter," etc., down to the words, "prevail 
 against it." But what is the "it"? Is it 
 the rock upon which Christ builds the church, 
 or is it the church ? For the phrase is am- 
 biguous. Or is it as if the rock and the 
 church were one and the same? This I think 
 to be true ; for neither against the rock on 
 which Christ builds the church, nor against 
 the church will the gates of Hades prevail ; 
 just as the way of a serpent upon a rock, 
 according to what is written in the Pro- 
 verbs,? cannot be found. Now, if the gates 
 of Hades prevail against any one, such an 
 one cannot be a rock upon which Christ 
 builds the church, nor the church built by 
 
 • Matt. xvi. 19. 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 16 
 ' Prov. XXX. 19. 
 
 * John. XX. 23. 
 
 • I Cor. X. 4. 
 
 • 2 Cor. iii. 18 
 " I Cor. i. 30. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 457 
 
 Jesus upon the rock ; for the rock is inac- 
 cessible to the serpent, and it is stronger 
 than the gates of Hades which are opposing 
 it, so that because of its strength the gates 
 of Hades do not prevail against it ; but the 
 church, as a building of Christ who built 
 His own house wisely upon the rock," is 
 incapable of admitting the gates of Hades 
 which prevail against every man who is 
 outside the rock and the church, but have no 
 power against it. 
 
 12. every sin every false doctrine is a 
 
 "gate of hades." 
 
 But when we have understood how each 
 of the sins through which there is a way to 
 Hades ^ is a gate of Hades, we shall appre- 
 hend that the soul, which has "spot or 
 wrinkle or any such thing, "J and because of 
 wickedness is neither holy nor blameless, 
 is neither a rock upon which Christ builds, 
 nor a church, nor part of a church which 
 Christ builds upon the rock. But if any one 
 wishes to put US'* to shame in regard to 
 these things because of the great majority of 
 those of the church who are thought to be- 
 lieve, it must be said to him not only 
 "Many are called, but few chosen ; "s but 
 also that which was said by the Saviour to 
 those who come to Him, as it is recorded 
 in Luke in these words, "Strive to enter in 
 by the narrow door, for many, I say unto 
 you, shall seek to enter in through the nar- 
 row door and shall not be able ; " '' and also 
 that which is written in the Gospel of 
 Matthew thus, "For narrow is the gate, 
 and strait is the way that leadeth unto 
 life, and few be they that find it."? Now, 
 if you attend to the saying, "Many, I say 
 unto you, shall seek to enter in and shall 
 not be able," * you will understand that this 
 refers to those who boast that they are of 
 the church, but live weakly and contrary to 
 the word. Of those, then, who seek to 
 enter in, those who are not able to enter 
 will not be able to do so, because the gates 
 of Hades prevail against them ; but in the 
 case of those against w^hom the gates of 
 Hades will not prevail, those seeking to 
 enter in will be strong, being able to do all 
 things, in Christ Jesus, who strengtheneth 
 them.^ And in like manner each one of 
 those who are the authors of any evil 
 opinion has become the architect of a cer- 
 tain gate of Hades ;but those who co-operate 
 
 ' Matt, vii, 24. 
 
 * Or, each of the sins on account of which Christ was about to go 
 to Hades. (Erasmus.) 
 
 * Eph. V. 27. * Or, you. * Matt. xxii. 14, * Luke xiii. 24. 
 ' A^tt. vii. 14. ' Phil. iv. 13. 
 
 with the teaching of the architect of such 
 things are servants and stewards, who are 
 the bond-servants of the evil doctrine which 
 goes to build up impiety. And though the 
 gates of Hades are many and almost in- 
 numerable, no gate of Hades will prevail 
 against the rock or against the church which 
 Christ builds upon it. Notwithstanding, 
 these gates have a certain power by which 
 they gain the mastery over some who do 
 not resist and strive against them ; but they 
 are overcome by others who, because they 
 do not turn aside from Him who said, "I 
 am the door," 'have rased from their soul 
 all the gates of Hades. And this also we 
 must know that as the gates of cities have 
 each their own names, in the same way the 
 gates of Hades might be named after the 
 species of sins ; so that one gate of Hades is 
 called "fornication," through which forni- 
 cators go, and another "denial," through 
 which the deniers of God go down into 
 Hades. And likewise already each of the 
 heterodox and of those who have begotten 
 any "knowledge which is falsely so 
 called,"' has built a gate of Hades — Mar- 
 cion one gate, and Basilides another, and 
 Valentinus another. 
 
 13. THE " gates OF HADES " AND THE "GATES 
 OF ZION " CONTRASTED. 
 
 In this place, then, the gates of Hades 
 are spoken of; but in the Psalms the pro- 
 phet gives thanks saying, "He who lifteth 
 me up from the gates of death that I may 
 declare all tliy praises in the gates of the 
 daughter of Zion." ^ And from this we 
 learn that it is never possible for any one 
 to be fit to declare the praises of God, unless 
 he has been lifted up from the gates of 
 death, and has come to the gates of Zion. 
 Now the gates of Zion may be conceived as 
 opposed to the gates of death, so that there 
 is one gate of death, dissoluteness, but a 
 gate of Zion, self-control ; and so a gate of 
 death, unrighteousness, but a gate of Zion, 
 righteousness, which the prophet shows 
 forth saying, " This is the gate of the Lord, 
 the righteous shall enter into it."'' And 
 again there is cowardice, a gate of death, 
 but manly courage, a gate of Zion ; and 
 want of prudence, a gate of death, but its 
 opposite, prudence, a gate of Zion. But to 
 all the gates of the "knowledge which is 
 falsely so called"' one gate is opposed, the 
 gate of knowledge which is free from false- 
 hood. But consider if, because of the say- 
 
 * John X. 9. 
 ' Pb. ix. 13, 14. 
 
 * I Tim. vi. 20. 
 
 * Ps. cxviii. 20. 
 
458 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 ing, " our wrestling is not against flesh and 
 blood,"' etc., you can say that each power 
 and world-ruler of this darkness, and each 
 one of the "spiritual hosts of wickedness 
 in the heavenly places " Ms a gate of Hades 
 and a gate of death. Let, then, the princi- 
 palities and powers with which our wrestling 
 is, be called gates of Hades, but the "minis- 
 tering spirits " 3 gates of righteousness. But 
 as in the case of the better things many 
 gates are first spoken of, and after the gates, 
 one, in the passage, " Open to me the gates 
 of righteousness, I will enter into them, and 
 will make full confession to the Lord," and 
 "this is the gate of the Lord, by it the 
 righteous shall enter ; " ■* so also in the case 
 of those gates which are opposed, many are 
 the gates of Hades and death, each a power ; 
 but over all these the wicked one himself. 
 And let us take heed in regard to each sin, 
 as if we were descending into some gate of 
 death if we sin ; but when we are lifted up 
 from the gates of death let us declare all the 
 praises of the Lord in the gates of the daugh- 
 ter of Zion ; as, for example, in one gate 
 of the daughter of Zion — that which is called 
 self-control — we will declare by our self- 
 control the praises of God ; and in another 
 which is called righteousness, by righteous- 
 ness we will declare the praises of God ; 
 and, generally, in all things whatsoever of 
 a praiseworthy character with which we are 
 occupied, in these we are at some gate of 
 the daughter of Zion, declaring at each gate 
 some praise of God. But we must make 
 inquiry whether in one of the Twelve 5 it is 
 said, " They hated him that reproveth in the 
 gates, and they loathed the holy word."* 
 Perhaps, then, he who reproves in the gates 
 is of the gates of the daughter of Zion, re- 
 proving those who are in sins which are 
 opposed to this gate, even of the gates of 
 Hades or death. But if ye do not so under- 
 stand the words, "They hated him that 
 reproveth in the gates," either the expres- 
 sion "in the gates" will beheld to be super- 
 fluous, or investigate how that which is 
 said can be worthy of the prophetic spirit. 
 
 14. IN WHAT SENSE THE " KEYS " ARE GIVEN TO 
 PETER, AND EVERY PETER. LIMITATIONS OF 
 THIS POWER. 
 
 And after this let us see in what sense it 
 is said to Peter, and to every Peter, " I will 
 give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of 
 heaven." ^ And, in the first place, I think 
 that the saying, "I will give unto thee the 
 
 ! Eph. vi, 12. J Eph. vi. 12. » Heb. i. 14. 
 
 • Ps. cxvm. 19, 20. » That is, the Minor Prophets. « Amos v. lo. 
 ' Matt. in. 19. 
 
 keys of the kingdom of heaven," is spoken 
 in consistency with the words, "The gates 
 of Hades shall not prevail against it. " ^ For 
 he is worthy to receive from the same Word 
 the keys of the kingdom of heaven, who is 
 fortified against the gates of Hades so that 
 they do not prevail against him, receiving, 
 as it vi'ere, for a prize, the keys of the king- 
 dom of heaven, because the gates of Hades 
 had no power against him, that he might 
 open for himself the gates that were closed to 
 those who had been conquered by the gates 
 of H^ades. And he enters in, as a temperate 
 man, through an opened gate — the gate of 
 temperance — by the key which opens tem- 
 perance ; and, as a righteous man, by 
 another gate — the gate of righteousness — 
 which is opened by the key of righteousness ; 
 and so with the rest of the virtues. For I 
 think that for every virtue of knowledge 
 certain mysteries of wisdom corresponding 
 to the species of the virtue are opened up to 
 him who has lived according to virtue ; the 
 Saviour giving to those who are not mas- 
 tered by the gates of Hades as many keys 
 as there are virtues, which open gates equal 
 in number, which correspond to each virtue 
 according to the revelation of the mysteries. 
 And perhaps, also, each virtue is a kingdom 
 of heaven, and all together are a kingdom 
 of the heavens ; so that according to this he 
 is already in the kingdom of the heavens who 
 lives according to the virtues, so that 
 according to this the saying, "Repent, for 
 the kingdom of heaven is at hand, " " is to be 
 referred, not to the time, but to deeds and 
 dispositions ; for Christ, who is all virtue, 
 has come, and speaks, and on account of 
 this the kingdom of God is within His 
 disciples, and not here or there. 3 But con- 
 sider how great power the rock has upon 
 which the church is built by Christ, and 
 how great power every one has who says, 
 "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living 
 God," so that the judgments of this man 
 abide sure, as if God were judging in him, 
 that in the very act of judging the gates of 
 Hades shall not prevail against him. But 
 when one judges unrighteously, and does 
 not bind upon earth according to the Word 
 of God, nor loose upon earth according to 
 His will, the gates of Hades prevail against 
 him ; but, in the case of any one against 
 whom the gates of Hades do not prevail, 
 this man judges righteously. Wherefore he 
 has the keys of the kingdom of heaven, 
 opening to those who have been loosed 
 on earth that they may be also loosed in 
 
 • Matt. ivi. 18. ' Matt. iii. 2 ; iv. 17. 
 
 • Luke xvU. 21. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 459 
 
 heaven, and free ; and shutting to those 
 who by his just judgment have been bound 
 on earth that they also may be bound in 
 heaven, and condemned. But when those 
 who maintain the function of the episcopate 
 make use of this word as Peter, and, having 
 received the keys of the kingdom of heaven 
 from the Saviour, teach that things bound 
 by them, that is to say, condemned, are 
 also bound in heaven, and that those which 
 have obtained remission by them are also 
 loosed in heaven, we must say that they speak 
 wholesomely if they have the way of life 
 on accountof which it was said to that Peter, 
 " Thou art Peter ;" ■ and if they are such 
 that upon them the church is built by Christ, 
 and to them with good reason this could be 
 referred ; and the gates of Hades ought not 
 to prevail against him when he wishes to bind 
 and loose. But if he is tightly bound with 
 the cords of his sins,^ to no purpose does he 
 bind and loose. And perhaps you can say 
 that in the heavens virhich are in the wise 
 man — that, is the virtues, — the bad man is 
 bound; and again in these the virtuous man 
 is loosed, and has rg^eived an indemnity 
 for the sins which he committed before his 
 virtue. But, as the man, who has not the 
 cords of sins nor iniquities compared to a 
 " long rope or to thestrap of the yoke of a 
 heifer, "3 not even God could bind, in like 
 manner, no Peter, whoever he may be ; and 
 if any one who is not a Peter, and does not 
 possess the things here spoken of, imagines 
 as a Peter that he will so bind on earth that 
 the things bound are bound in heaven, and 
 will so loose on earth that the things loosed 
 are loosed in heaven, he is puffed up, not 
 understanding the meaning of the Scriptures, 
 and, being puffed up, has fallen into the 
 ruin of the devil. ^ 
 
 15. RELATION OF THE FORMER COMMISSION GIVEN 
 BY JESUS TO THE DISCIPLES, TO HIS PRESENT 
 INJUNCTION OF SILENCE. BELIEF AND KNOW- 
 LEDGE CONTRASTED. 
 
 " Then enjoined He His disciples that they 
 should tell no man that He was the Christ." 5 
 It is written above that Jesus sent forth 
 these twelve saying unto them, " Go not 
 into any way of the Gentiles,"* and the 
 other words which are recorded to have 
 been said to them when.Hesent them to the 
 apostleship. Did He then wish them when 
 they were already discharging the function 
 , of Apostles to proclaim that He was the 
 Christ .? For, if He wished it, it is fitting to 
 
 • Matt. xvi. 18. 
 
 * i Tim. iii. lo, 
 
 2 Prov, V. 22. 
 ^ Matt. xvi. 20. 
 
 » Isa. V. t8. 
 « Matt. X. 5. 
 
 inquire why He now at all commands the 
 disciples that they should not say that He 
 was the Christ.? Or if He did not wish it, 
 how can the things concerning the apostle- 
 ship be safely maintained? And these 
 things also one may inquire at this place, — 
 whether, when lie sent away the Twelve, 
 He did not send them away with the under- 
 standing that He was the Christ } But if 
 the Twelve had such understanding, mani- 
 festly Peter had it also ; how, then, is he 
 now pronounced blessed ? For the expres- 
 sion here plainlj' indicates that now for the 
 first time Peter confessed that Christ was the 
 Son of the living God, Matthew then, ac- 
 cording to some of the manuscripts, has 
 written, " Then He commanded His dis- 
 ciples that they should tell no man that He 
 was the Christ," but ^ Mark says, " He 
 charged them that they should tell no man 
 of Him ; " ^ and Ltike, "He charged them 
 and commanded them to tell this to no 
 man." ^ But what is the " this "? Was it 
 that also according to him, Peter answered 
 and said to the question, " Who say ye that 
 I am," — " The Christ, the Son of the living 
 God.?"'> You must know, however, that 
 some manuscripts of the Gospel according to 
 Matthew have, " He charged, "s The dif- 
 ficulty thus started seems to me a very real 
 difBculty ; but let a solution which can- 
 not be impugned be sought out, and let the 
 finder of it bring it forward before all, if it be 
 more credible than that which shall be ad- 
 vanced by us as a fairly temperate view.* 
 Consider, then, if you can say, that the 
 belief that Jesus is the Christ is inferior to 
 the knowledge of that which is believed. 
 And perhaps also there is a difference in 
 the knowledge of Jesus as the Christ, as 
 every one who knows does not know Him 
 alike. From the words in John, "If ye 
 abide in My word, ye shall know the truth, 
 and the truth shall make you free," 7 it is 
 plain that belief without knowledge is in- 
 ferior to knowing ; but that there is a differ- 
 ence in the knowledge of Jesus as the Christ, 
 as all who know Him do not know Him 
 equally, is a fact self-evident to any one 
 who gives even a very little consideration to 
 the matter. For who would not acknow- 
 ledge, for example, that Timothy, though he 
 knew that Jesus was the Christ, had not 
 been enlightened to such an extent in the 
 knowledge of Him as the Apostle had been 
 enlightened 1 And who would not also 
 admit this — that though many, speaking the 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 20 
 
 ^ Mark viii. 30. 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 15, 16. 
 
 ^ Or, which he may regard as mediocre. 
 
 3 Luke ix. 21. 
 " Matt. xvi. 20. 
 ^ John viii. 31, 32. 
 
460 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 truth, say about God, " He has given to me 
 a true knowledge of things that are," yet 
 they will not say this with equal insight and 
 apprehension of the things known, nor as 
 knowing the same number of things? But 
 it is not only in respect of the difference of 
 knowing that those who know do not know 
 alike, but also according to that which is the 
 source of the knowledge ; so that according 
 to this he who knows the Son by the 
 revelation of the Father,* as Peter is testified 
 to have known, has the highest beatitude. 
 Now, if these views of ours are sound, you 
 will consider whether the Twelve formerly 
 believed but did not know ; but, after believ- 
 ing, they gained also the rudiments of 
 knowledge and knew a few things about 
 Him ; and afterwards they continued to 
 advance in knowledge so that they were 
 able to receive the knowledge from the 
 Father who reveals the Son ; in which posi- 
 tion Peter was, when he was pronounced 
 blessed ; for also he is pronounced blessed 
 not merely because he said, "Thou art the 
 Christ," but with the addition, "the Son of 
 the living God. " Accordingly Mark and Luke 
 who have recorded that Peter answered and 
 said, "Thou art the Christ," but have not 
 given the addition found in Matthew, have 
 not recorded that he was declared blessed 
 for what had been said, nor the blessing 
 which followed the declaration of blessed- 
 ness, " Thou art Peter, "^ etc. 
 
 16. GRADU.4L GROWTH IN KNOWLEDGE OF THE 
 DISCIPLES. 
 
 But now we must first investigate the fact 
 that they were declaring other things about 
 Him as being great and wonderful, but did 
 not yetproclaim that He was the Christ,lest the 
 Saviour may not appear to take away from 
 them the authority to announce that He was 
 the Christ, which He had formerly bestowed 
 upon them. And perhaps some one will 
 support an argument of this kind, saying 
 that on their introduction into the school of 
 Christ the Jews were taught by the disciples 
 glorious things about Jesus, so that in due 
 season there might be built upon these as a 
 foundation the things about Jesus being the 
 Christ ; and perhaps many of the things 
 which were said to them were said to all 
 who virtually believed; for not to the 
 Apostles alone did the saying apply, "Be- 
 fore governors and kings also shall ye be 
 brought for My sake for a testimony to them 
 and to the Gentiles ; " 3 and perhaps also not 
 to the Apostles absolutely, but to all who 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 16. 
 
 ^ Matt. xvi. 18. 
 
 ' Matt. X. 18. 
 
 were about to believe the word, " And 
 brother shall deliver up brother to death,"* 
 etc. ; but, " Whosoever shall confess Me,"' 
 etc., is said not specially to the Apostles, 
 but also to all believers. According to this, 
 then, through that which was said to the 
 Apostles an outline was given beforehand of 
 the teaching which would afterwards come 
 to be of service both to them and to every 
 teacher. 
 
 17. REASONS FOR THAT GRADUAL KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 And likewise he who holds that the fact 
 that He was Christ had been formerly pro- 
 claimed by the Apostles when they heard 
 the saying, ' ' What I tell you in the dark- 
 ness, speak ye in the light, and what ye 
 hear in the ear proclaim on the house- 
 tops," 3 will say, that He wished first to give 
 catechetical instruction as it were to those 
 of the Apostles who were to hear the name 
 of Christ, then to permit this, so to speak, to 
 be digested in the minds of the hearers, that, 
 after there had been a period of silence in 
 the proclamation of something of this kind 
 about Him, at a more seasonable time there 
 might be built up upon the former rudiments 
 "Christ Jesus crucified and raised from the 
 dead," which at the beginning not even the 
 Apostles knew ; for it is written in the pas- 
 sage now under consideration, "From that 
 time began Jesus to show unto His disciples 
 that He must go unto Jerusalem " ^ and suffer 
 this and that. But if now, for the first time, 
 the Apostles learn from Jesus the things that 
 were about to happen unto Him, namely, 
 that the elders will plot against Him, and 
 that He will be killed, and that after these 
 things, on the third day, He will rise from 
 the dead,— what necessity is there for sup- 
 posing that those who had been taught by 
 the Apostles concerning Jesus knew them 
 before, or that although Christ was an- 
 nounced to them He was announced to them 
 by way of an introduction which did not 
 clearly elucidate the things concerning 
 Him? For our Saviour wished, when He 
 enjoined the disciples to tell no man that 
 He was the Christ, to reserve the more per- 
 fect teaching about Him to a more fitting 
 time, when to those who had seen Him cru- 
 cified, the disciples who had seen Him cruci- 
 fied and risen could testify the things relat- 
 ing to His resurrection. For it the Apostles, 
 who were always with Him and had seen 
 all the wonderful things which He did, and 
 who bore testimony to His words that they 
 
 ' Matt. X. 21. 
 ^ Matt. X. 27. 
 
 ' Matt. X. 32. 
 * Matt. xvi. 21. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 461 
 
 were words of eternal life. ^ were offended on 
 the night on which He was betrayed, — what 
 do you suppose would have been the feelings 
 of those who had formerly learned that He 
 was the Christ f To spare them, I think, He 
 grave this command. 
 
 18. JESUS WAS AT FIRST PROCLAIMED BY THE 
 TWELVE AS A WORKER AND A TEACHER 
 ONLY. 
 
 But he who holds that the things spoken 
 to the Twelve refer to the times subsequent 
 to this, and that the Apostles had not as yet 
 announced to their hearers that He was the 
 Christ, will say that He wished the con- 
 ception of the Christ which was involved in 
 the name of Jesus to be reserved for that 
 preaching which was more perfect, and 
 which brought salvation, such as Paul knew 
 of when he said to the Corinthians, " I de- 
 termined not to know anything among )'-ou 
 save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. " " 
 Wherefore, formerly they proclaimed Jesus 
 as the doer of certain things, and the 
 teacher of certain things ; but now when 
 Peter confesses that He was the Christ, the 
 Son of the living God, as He did not wish 
 it to be proclaimed already that He was the 
 Christ, in order that He might be proclaimed 
 at a more suitable time, and that as cruci- 
 fied. He commands His disciples that they 
 should tell no man that He was the Christ. 
 And that this was His meaning, when He 
 forbade proclamation to be made that He 
 was the Christ, is in a measure established 
 by the words, " From that time began Jesus 
 to show unto His disciples how that He 
 must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many 
 things of the elders," and what is annexed ;3 
 for then, at the fitting time. He proclaims, 
 so to speak, to the disciples who knew that 
 Jesus was Christ, the Son of the living God, 
 the Father having revealed it to them, that 
 instead of believing in Jesus Christ who had 
 been crucified, they were to believe in 
 Jesus Christ who was about to be crucified. 
 But also, instead of believing in Christ Jesus 
 and Him risen from the dead. He teaches 
 them to believe in Christ Jesus and Flim 
 about to be risen from the dead. But since 
 "having put off from Himself the principali- 
 ties and the powers, He made a show of 
 them openly, triumphing over in the 
 cross,"* if any one is ashamed of the cross 
 of Christ, he is ashamed of the dispensation 
 on account of which these powers were 
 triumphed over ; and it is fitting that he, who 
 
 both believes and knows these things, should 
 glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 through which, when Christ was crucified, 
 the principalities — among which, I think, 
 was also the prince of this world — were 
 made a show of and triumphed over 
 before the believing world. Wherefore, 
 when His suffering was at hand he said, 
 "Now the prince of this world has been 
 judged,"^ and, "Now shall the prince of 
 this world be cast out, " and, " I, if I be lifted 
 from the earth, will draw all men unto My- 
 self ; " ^ as he no longer had sufficient power 
 to prevent those going to Jesus who were 
 being drawn by Him. 
 
 I 9. IMPORTANCE OF THE PROCLAMATION OF JESUS 
 AS THE CRUCIFIED. 
 
 It is necessary, therefore, to the proclama- 
 tion of Jesus as Christ, that He should be 
 proclaimed as crucified ; and the proclama- 
 tion that Jesus was the Christ does not 
 seem to me so defective when any of His 
 other miracles is passed over in silence, as 
 when the fact of His crucifixion is passed 
 over. Wherefore, reserving the more per- 
 fect proclamation of the things concerning 
 Him by the Apostles, He commanded His 
 disciples that they should tell no man that 
 He was the Christ ; and He prepared them to 
 say that He was the Christ crucified and 
 risen from the dead, "when He began" not 
 only to say, nor even to advance to the 
 point of teaching merely, but "to show"' 
 to His disciples that He must go to Jerusa- 
 lem, etc. ; for attend to the expression 
 "show"; because just as sensible things 
 are said to be shown so the things spoken 
 by Him to His disciples are said to be shown 
 by Jesus. And I do not think that each of 
 the things seen was shown to those who 
 saw Him suffering many things in body 
 from the elders of the people, with such 
 clearness as was the rational demonstration 
 about Him to the disciples. 
 
 20. WHY JESUS HAD TO GO TO JERUSALEM. 
 
 " Then began He to show;"* and prob- 
 ably afterwards when they were able to re- 
 ceive it He shewed more clearly, no longer 
 beginning to show as to those who were 
 learning the introduction, but already also 
 advancing in the showing ; and if it is 
 reasonable to conceive that Jesus altogether 
 completed what He began, then, sometime, 
 He altogether completed that which He 
 began to show to His disciples about the 
 necessity of His suffering the things which 
 
 1 John vi. 68. 
 • Col. u. 15. 
 
 ' I Cor. ii. I. 
 » Gal. vi. 14. 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 21, 
 
 * John xvi. II, 
 ' Matt. xvi. 21. 
 
 * John xii. 31, 32. 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 21, 
 
462 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 are written. For, when any one apprehends 
 from the Word the perfect knowledge of these 
 things, then it must be said that, from a ra- 
 tional exhibition (the mind seeing the things 
 which are shown,) the exhibition becomes 
 complete for him who has the will and the 
 power to contemplate these things, and does 
 contemplate them. But since "it cannot 
 be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem," ^ — 
 a perishing which corresponds to the words, 
 "He that loseth his life for My sake shall 
 find it,"^ — on this account it was necessary 
 for Him to go to Jerusalem, that having suf- 
 fered many things in that Jerusalem, He 
 might make " the first-fruits " 3 of the resur- 
 rection from the dead in the Jerusalem 
 above, doing away with and breaking up 
 the city upon the earth with all the worship 
 which was maintained in it. For so long 
 as Christ " had not been raised from the 
 dead, the first-fruits of them that are 
 asleep," 3 and those who become conformed 
 to His death and resurrection had not yet 
 been raised along with Him, the city of God 
 was sought for below, and the temple, and 
 the purifications, and the rest ; but when this 
 took place, no longer were the things below 
 sought for, but the things above ; and, in 
 order that these might be set up, it was 
 necessary that He should go unto the Jeru- 
 salem below, and there suffer many things 
 from the elders in it, and the chief priests 
 and scribes of the people, in order that He 
 might be glorified by the heavenly elders 
 who could receive his bounties, and by 
 diviner high-priests who are ordained under 
 the one High-Priest, and that He might be 
 glorified by the scribes of the people who 
 are occupied with letters "not written with 
 ink"^ but made clear by the Spirit of the 
 living God, and might be killed in the Jeru- 
 salem below, and having risen from the 
 dead might reign in Mount Zion, and the 
 city of the living God — the heavenly Jeru- 
 salem, s But on the third day He rose from 
 the dead,^ in order that having delivered 
 them from the wicked one, and his son,' in 
 whom was falsehood and unrighteousness 
 and war and everything opposed to that 
 which Christ is, and also from the profane 
 spirit who transforms himself into the Holy 
 Spirit, He might gain for those whohadbeen 
 delivered the right to be baptized in spirit 
 and soul and body, into the name of the 
 Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 
 
 » Luke xiii. 33. ' Malt. x. 35. s i Cor. xv. 20. 
 
 * 2 Cor. iii. 3. ^ Heb. xii. 22. 
 
 <■ Or (putting a comma after Jerusalem), but that on the third 
 day He might rise. 
 ^ pfe xi. c. 6, p. 434, DOte 2. 
 
 which represent the three days eternally 
 present at the same time to those who by 
 means of them are sons of light. 
 
 21. THE REBUKE OF PETER AND THE ANSWER OF 
 JESUS. 
 
 "And Peter took Him and began to rebuke 
 Him, saying, God be propitious to Thee, 
 Lord, this shall never be unto thee. " ^ To 
 whom He said, " Get thee behind Me, Satan ; 
 thou art a stumbling-block unto Me ; for thou 
 mindest not the thi?igs of God but the things 
 of men." "^ Since Jesus had begun to show 
 unto His disciples that He must go unto 
 Jerusalem, and suffer many things, Peter up 
 to this point learned the beginnings of those 
 things which were shown.' But since he 
 thought that the sufferings were unworthy 
 of Christ the Son of the living God, and 
 below the dignity of the Father who had 
 revealed to him so great things about Christ, 
 — for the things that concerned His coming 
 suffering had not been revealed to him, — on 
 this account he took Him, and as one forget- 
 ful of the honour due to the Christ, and that 
 the Son of the living God neither does nor 
 says anything worthy of rebuke, he began 
 to rebuke Him ; and as to one who needed 
 propitiation, — for he did not yet know that 
 ' ' God had set Him forth to be a propitiation 
 through faith in His blood,"* hesaid, "God 
 be propitious to thee, O Lord."s Approving 
 his purpose, indeed, but rebuking his igno- 
 rance, because of the purpose being right, 
 He says to him, "Get thee behind Me,"°as 
 to one who, by reason of the things of 
 which he was ignorant and spake not rightly, 
 had abandoned the following of Jesus ; but 
 because of his ignorance, as to one who had 
 something antagonistic to the things of God, 
 He said, "Satan," which in the Hebrew 
 means "adversary." But, if Peter had not 
 spoken from ignorance, nor rebuked the Son 
 of the living God, saying unto Him, "God 
 be propitious to thee, Lord, this shall never 
 be unto Thee," Christ would not have said to 
 him, "Get thee behind Me," as to one who 
 had given up being behind Him and follow- 
 ing Him ; nor would He have said as to one 
 who had spoken things adverse to what He 
 had said, "Satan." But now Satan prevailed 
 over him who had followed Jesus and was 
 going behind Him, to turn aside from follow- 
 ing Him and from being behind the Son of 
 God, and to make him, by reason of the 
 words which he spoke in ignorance, worthy 
 
 ■ Matt. xvi. 22. 2 Matt. xvi. 23. 
 
 " These three sentences are supplied from the old Latin version, 
 as at this point there is a hiatus in the MSS. 
 * Rom. iii. 25. ' Matt. xvi. 22. ° Matt. xvi. 23. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 463 
 
 of being called "Satan" and a stumbling- 
 block to the Son of God, and "as not mind- 
 ing the things of God but the things of men." 
 But that Peter was formerly behind the Son 
 of God, before he committed this sin, is 
 manifest from the words, "Come ye behind 
 Me, and I will make you fishers of men." * 
 
 22. IMPORTANCE OF THE EXPRESSIONS " BEHIND ' 
 AND "turned." 
 
 But you will compare together His say- 
 ing to Peter, " Get thee behind me, Satan, " ^ 
 with that said to the devil (who said to 
 Him, " All these things will I give Thee if 
 Thou wilt fall down and worship me"),' "get 
 thee hence,"* without the addition, "be- 
 hind Me ; ' for to be behind Jesus is a good 
 thing. Wherefore it was said, " Come ye 
 behind Me and I will make you fishers of 
 men." ^ And to the same effect is the say- 
 ing, "He that doth not take his cross and 
 follow behind Me is not vi'orthy of Me. "s 
 And as a general principle observe the ex- 
 pression "behind"; because it is a good 
 thing when any one goes behind the Lord 
 God and is behind the Christ ; but it is the 
 opposite when any one casts the words of 
 God behind him, or when he transgresses 
 the commandment which says, "Do not 
 walk behind thy lusts. ''^ And Elijah also, 
 in the third Book of Kings, says to the 
 people, " How long halt ye on both your 
 knees ? If God is the Lord, go behind Him, 
 but if Baal is the Lord, go behind him." 7 
 And Jesus says this to Peter when He 
 " turned," and He does so by way of con- 
 ferring a favour. And if therefore you will 
 collect more illustrations of the " having 
 turned," and especially those which are 
 ascribed to Jesus, and compare them with 
 one another, you would find that the expres- 
 sion is not superfluous. But it is sufficient 
 at present to bring forward this from the 
 Gospel according to John, " Jesus turned and 
 beheld them — " clearly, Peter and Andrew — 
 "following, and saith unto them, What 
 seek ye ? " ' For observe that, when He 
 "turned," it is for the advantage of those 
 to whom He turned. 
 
 23. PETER AS A STUMBLING-BLOCK TO JESUS. 
 
 Next we must inquire how He said to 
 Peter, " Thou art a stumbling-block unto 
 Me," 9 especially when David says, "Great 
 peace have they that love Thy law, and 
 there is no stumbling-block to them. " " For 
 
 1 Matt. iv. 19. ' Matt. xvi. 23. 
 
 * Matt. iv. 10. • Matt. x. 38. 
 ® Ecclus. xviii. 30. 
 
 « John i. 38. «Matt. xvi. 23. 
 
 ^ Matt. iv. g. 
 
 ' I Kings xviii. 21 
 ^° Ps. cxix. 165. 
 
 some one will say, if this is said in the pro- 
 phet, because of the steadfastness of those 
 who have love, and are incapable of being 
 offended, for ' ' love beareth all things, be- 
 lieveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth 
 all things, love never faileth," ' how did the 
 Lord Himself, " who upholdeth all that fall, 
 and raiseth up all that be bowed down,"" 
 say to Peter, "Thou art a stumbling-block 
 unto Me"? But it must be said that not 
 only the Saviour, but also he who is per- 
 fected in love, cannot be offended. But, so 
 far as it depends on himself, he who says or 
 does such things is a stumbling-block even 
 to him who will not be offended ; unless 
 perhaps Jesus calls the disciple who sinned 
 a stumbhng-block even to Himself, as much 
 more than Paul He would have said froni 
 love, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? 
 Who is made to stumble, and I burn not ? " 3 
 In harmony with which we may put, "Who 
 is made to stumble, and I am not made to 
 stumble ? " But if Peter, at that time be- 
 cause of the saying, " God be propitious to 
 Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee, "■• was 
 called a stumbling-block by Jesus, as not 
 minding the things of God in what he said 
 but the things of men, what is to be said 
 about all those who profess to be made dis- 
 ciples of Jesus, but do not mind the things 
 of God, and do not look to things unseen 
 and eternal, but mind the things of man, 
 and look to things seen and temporal,^ but 
 that such still more would be stigmatized by 
 Jesus as a stumbling-block to Him, and be- 
 cause stumbling-blocks to Him, as stum- 
 bling-blocks to His brethren also ? As in 
 regard to them He says, "I was thirsty and 
 ye gave Me no drink," ° etc., so also He 
 might say, "When I was running ye caused 
 Me to stumble." Let us not therefore sup- 
 pose that it is a trivial sin to mind the 
 things of men, since we ought in everything 
 to mind the things of God. And it will be 
 appropriate also to say this to every one that 
 has fallen away from the doctrines of God 
 and the words of the church and a true mind ; 
 as, for example, to him who minds as true 
 the teaching of Basilides, or Valentinus, or 
 Marcion, or any one of those who teach 
 the things of men as the things of God. 
 
 24. SELF-DENIAL AND CROSS-BEARING. 
 
 " Then Jestis said to His disciples, If any 
 man wills to follow after Me, " etc. 7 He shows 
 by these words that, to will to come after 
 Jesus and to follow Him, springs from no 
 
 ' I Cor. xiii. 7, 8. 
 * Matt. xvi. 22. 
 ^ Matt. xvi. 24, 
 
 * Ps. cxlv. 14. 
 ^ 2 Cor. iv. 18. 
 
 * 2 Cor. xi. 29, 
 ° Matt. XXV. 41. 
 
464 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 ordinary manly courage, and that no one 
 who has not denied himself can come after 
 Jesus. And the man denies himself who 
 wipes out by a striking revolution his own 
 former life which had been spent in wicked- 
 ness ; as by way of illustration he who was 
 once licentious denies his licentious self, hav- 
 ing become self-controlled even abidingly. 
 But it is probable that some one may put 
 the objection, whether as he denied himself 
 so he also confesses himself, when he 
 denied himself, the unjust, and confesses 
 himself, the righteous one. But, if Christ 
 is righteousness, he who has received right- 
 eousness confesses not himself but Christ ; 
 so also he who has found wisdom, by the 
 very possession of wisdom, confesses Christ. 
 And such a one indeed as, "with the heart 
 believes unto righteousness, and with the 
 mouth maketh confession unto salvation,"'' 
 and bears testimony to the works of Christ, 
 as making confession by all these things 
 of Christ before men, will be confessed 
 by Him before His Father in heaven.^ 
 So also he who has not denied himself but 
 denied the Christ will experience the say- 
 ing, "I also will deny him."' On this ac- 
 count let every thought and every purpose 
 and every word and every action become a 
 denial of ourselves, but a testimony about 
 Christ and in Christ ; for I am persuaded 
 that every action of the perfect man is a 
 testimony to Christ Jesus, and that absti- 
 nence from every sin is a denial of self, lead- 
 ing him after Christ. And such an one is 
 crucified with Christ, and taking up his own 
 cross follows Him who for our sakes bears 
 His own cross, according to that which is 
 said in John : "They took Jesus therefore 
 and put it on Him," etc., down to the words, 
 "Where they crucified Him."'' But the 
 Jesus according to John, so to speak, bears 
 the cross for Himself, and bearing it went 
 out ; but the Jesus according to Matthew 
 and Mark and Luke, does not bear it for 
 Himself, for Simon of Cyrene bears it.s 
 And perhaps this man refers to us, who be- 
 cause of Jesus take up the cross of Jesus, 
 but Jesus Himself takes it upon Himself ; 
 for there are, as it were, two conceptions of 
 the cross, the one which Simon of Cyrene 
 bears, and the other which Jesus Himself 
 bears for Himself. 
 
 25. REFERENCE TO THE SAYING OF PAUL ABOUT 
 CRUCIFIXION WITH CHRIST. 
 
 Moreover in regard to the saying, "Let 
 
 ' Rom. I. 10. J Mall. X. 32. 
 
 •Matt. X. 3,5. • John xix. ,7, ,8. 
 
 • Malt. xxvu. 32 ; Mark iv. 21 j Luke xxiii. 26. 
 
 him deny himself," ' the following saying of 
 Paul who denied himself seems appropriate, 
 "Yet I live, and yet no longer 1 but Christ 
 liveth in me ; '' ' for the expression, "I live, 
 yet no longer I," was the voice of one 
 denying himself, as of one who had laid 
 aside his own life and taken on himself the 
 Christ, in order that He might live in him 
 as Righteousness, and as Wisdom, and as 
 Sanctification, and as our Peace,* and as the 
 Power of God, who worketh all things in 
 him. But further also, attend to this, that 
 while there are many forms of dying, the 
 Son of God was crucified, being hanged on 
 a tree, in order that all who die unto sin 
 may die to it, in no other way than by the 
 way of the cross. Wherefore they will say, 
 "Ihave been crucified with Christ," and, 
 "Far be it from me to glory save in the 
 cross of the Lord, through which the world 
 has been crucified unto me and I unto the 
 world. "4 For perhaps also each of those 
 who have been crucified with Christ puts 
 off from himself the principalities and the 
 powers, and makes a show of them and 
 triumphs over them in the cross ; ^ or rather, 
 Christ does these things in them. 
 
 26. THE LOSS OF LIFE ; AND THE SAVING OF IT. 
 
 "For whosoever would save his own life 
 shall lose it. " * The first ■ expression is 
 ambiguous ; for it may be understood, 
 in one way thus. If any one as being a 
 lover of life, and thinking that the present 
 life is good, tends carefully his own hfe 
 with a view to living in the flesh, being 
 afraid to die, as through death going to lose 
 it, this man, by the very willing to save in 
 this way his own life will lose it, placing it 
 outside of the borders of blessedness. But 
 if any one despising the present life because 
 of my word, which has persuaded him to 
 strive in regard to eternal life even unto 
 death for truth, loses his own life, surrender- 
 ing it for the sake of piety to that which is 
 commonly called death, this man, as for 
 my sake he has lost his life, will save it 
 rather, and keep it in possession. And ac- 
 cording to a second way we might inter- 
 pret the saying as follows. If any one, who 
 has grasped what salvation really is, wishes 
 to procure the salvation of his own life, let 
 this man having taken farewell of this life, 
 and denied himself and taken up his own 
 cross, and following me, lose his own life 
 to the world ; for having lost it for my sake 
 and for the sake of all my teaching, he will 
 gain the end of loss of this kind— salvation. 
 
 ' Matt._xvi. 24. 
 * Gal. ii 20 ; vi 14. 
 
 » Gal. ii. 20. 
 " Col. iL IS. 
 
 » I Cor. i. 30; Eph. ii. 14 
 " Matt. xvi. 25. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 465 
 
 27. LIFE LOST TO THE WORLD IS SAVED. 
 
 But at the same time also observe that at 
 the beginning; it is said, " Whosoever wills," 
 but afterwards, "Whoso shall lose."* If 
 we then wish it to be saved let us lose it to 
 the world, as those who have been crucified 
 with Christ and have for our glorying that 
 which is in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 through which the world is to be crucified 
 unto us and we unto the world,' that we 
 may gain our end, even the salvation of our 
 lives, which begins from the time when we 
 lose it for the sake of the word. But if we 
 think that the salvation of our life is a 
 blessed thing, with reference to the salva- 
 tion which is in God and the blessednesses 
 with Him, then any loss of life ought to 
 be a good thing, and, for the sake of Christ 
 must prove to be the prelude to the 
 blessed salvation. It seems to me, there- 
 fore, following the analogy of self-denial, 
 according to what has been said, that 
 each ought to lose his own life. Let 
 each one therefore lose his own sinning life, 
 that having lost that which is sinful, he may 
 receive that which is saved by right actions ; 
 but a man will in no way be profited if he 
 shall gain the whole world. Now he gains 
 the world, I think, to whom the world is 
 not crucified ; and to whom the world is 
 not crucified, to that man shall be the loss 
 of his own life. But when two things are 
 put before us, either by gaining one's life to 
 forfeit the world, or by gaining the world 
 to forfeit one's life, much more desirable is 
 the choice, that we should forfeit the world 
 and gain our life by losing it on account of 
 Christ. 
 
 28. THE EXCHANGE FOR ONe's LIFE. 
 
 But the saying, " What shall a man give 
 in exchange for his own life," ' if spoken by 
 way of interrogation, will seem to be able 
 to indicate that an exchange for his own' 
 life is given by the man who after his sins 
 has given up his whole substance, that his 
 property may feed the poor, as if he were 
 going by that to obtain salvation ; but, if 
 spoken affirmatively, I think, to indicate 
 that there is not anything in man by the 
 giving of which in exchange for his own life 
 which has been overcome by death, he will 
 ransom it out of its hand. A man, there- 
 fore, could not give anything as an ex- 
 change for his own life, but God gave an ex- 
 change for the life of us all, "the precious 
 blood of Christ Jesus,"* according as "we 
 
 • Matt. xvi. 25. 
 ' Matt. xvi. 26. 
 
 ' Gal. vi. 14. 
 • I Pet. i. 19. 
 
 were bought with a price," ■ "having been 
 redeemed, not with corruptible things as 
 silver or gold, but with precious blood, as of 
 a lamb without blemish and without spot," 
 even of Christ' And in Isaiah it is said to 
 Israel, "I gave Ethiopia in exchange for 
 thee, and Egypt and Syene for thee ; 
 from what time thou hast become honour- 
 able before Me thou wast glorified, "s For 
 the exchange, for example, of the first-born 
 of Israel was the first-born of the Egyptians, 
 and the exchange for Israel was the 
 Egyptians who died in the last plagues 
 that came upon Egypt, and in the drowning 
 which took place after the plagues. But, 
 from these things, let him who is able 
 inquire whether the exchange of the true 
 Israel given by God, " who redeems Israel 
 from all his transgressions,"* is the true 
 Ethiopia, and, so to speak, spiritual Egypt, 
 and Syene of Egypt ; and to inquire with 
 more boldness, perhaps Syene is the 
 exchange for Jerusalem, and Egypt for 
 Judaea, and Ethiopia for those who fear, 
 who are different from Israel, and the house 
 of Levi, and the house of Aaron. 
 
 29. 
 
 THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN IN GLORY. 
 
 " For the Son of man shall come in the 
 glory of His own Father with His angels. " 5 
 Now, indeed, the Son of man has not come 
 in His glory; "for we saw Him, and He 
 had no form nor beauty ; but His form was 
 dishonoured and defective compared with 
 the sons of men ; He was a man in affliction 
 and toil, and acquainted with the enduring 
 of sickness, because His face was turned 
 away. He was dishonoured and not 
 esteemed."* And it was necessary that He 
 should come in such form that He might 
 bear our sins ? and suffer pain for us ; for it 
 did not become Him in glory to bear our 
 sins andsufferpain for us. But He alsocomes 
 in glory, having prepared* the disciples 
 through that epiphany of His which has no 
 form nor beauty ; and, having become as 
 they that they might become as He, 
 "conformed to the image of His gIory,"9 
 since He formerly became conformed to 
 "the body of our humiliation," '° when He 
 "emptied Himself and took upon Him the 
 form of a servant," " He is restored to the 
 image of God and also makes them con- 
 formed unto it. 
 
 * I Cor. vi. 20. 
 « Ps. cxxx. 8. 
 ' Isa. liii. 4. 
 •* Rom. viii. 29. 
 
 * r Pet. i. 18, 19. ' Isa. xlili. 3, 4. 
 ^ Matt. xvi. 27. * Isa. liii. 2, 3 
 
 * Readine TrpOL-uTpen-ura?, .7S the Vetus luter. 
 "Phil. ill. 21. uPhil. ii. 7. 
 
466 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 30. THE WORD APPEARS IN DIFFERENT FORMS. 
 THE TIME OF HIS COMING IN GLORY. 
 
 But if you will understand the differences 
 of the Word which by "the fooUshness of 
 preaching"' is proclaimed to those who be- 
 lieve, and spoken in wisdom to them that are 
 perfect, you will see in what way the Word 
 has the iorm of a slave to those who are learn- 
 ing the rudiments, so that they say, "We 
 saw Him and He had no form or beauty." ^ 
 But to the perfect He comes " in the glory of 
 His own Father," ' who might say, " and 
 we beheld His glory, the glory as of the 
 only-begotten from the Father, full of grace 
 andtruth."'^ For indeed to the perfect ap- 
 pears the glory of the Word, and the only- 
 begotten of God His Father, and the fulness 
 of grace and likewise of truth, which that 
 man cannot perceive who requires the 
 "foolishness of the preaching," in order to 
 believe. But " the Son of man shall come 
 in the glory of His own Father" not alone, 
 but " with His own angels." And if you can 
 conceive of all those who are fellow-helpers 
 in the glory of the Word, and in the revela- 
 tion of the Wisdom which is Christ, coming 
 along with Him, you will see in what way 
 the Son of man comes in the glory of His 
 own Father with His own angels. And 
 consider whether you can in this connection 
 say that the prophets who formerly suffered 
 in virtue of their word having "no form or 
 beauty "had an analogous position to the 
 Word who had "no form or beauty." And, 
 as the Son of man comes in the glory of His 
 own Father, so the angels, who are the 
 words in the prophets, are present with Him 
 preserving the measure of their own glory. 
 But when the Word comes in such form with 
 His own angels, He will give to each a part 
 of His own glory and of the brightness of 
 His own angels, according to the ac- 
 tion of each. But we say these things 
 not rejecting even the second coming of 
 the Son of God understood in its simpler 
 form. _ But when shall these things happen ? 
 Shall it be when that apostolic oracle is 
 fulfilled which says, " For we must all stand 
 before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each 
 one may receive the things done in the body, 
 according to what he has done, whether it 
 be good or bad? "s But if He will render 
 to each according to his deed, not the good 
 deed only, nor the evil apart from the good, 
 It is manifest that He will render to each 
 according to every evil, and according to 
 every good, deed. But I suppose— in this 
 
 ' I Cor. i. 21. 
 * John i. 14. 
 
 ' Isa. liii. 2. 
 ' 2 Cor. V. 10. 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 27. 
 
 also following the Apostle, but comparing 
 also the sayings of Ezekiel, in which the 
 sins of him who is a perfect convert are 
 wiped out, and the former uprightness of 
 him who has utterly fallen away is not held 
 of account — that in the case of him who is 
 perfected, and has altogether laid aside 
 wickedness, the sins are wiped out, but that, 
 in the case of him who has altogether re- 
 volted from piety, if anything good was 
 formerly done by him, it is not taken into 
 account' But to us, who occupy a middle 
 position between the perfect man and the 
 apostate, when we stand before the judg- 
 ment-seat of Christ,^ there is rendered what 
 we have done, whether good or bad ; for 
 we have not been so pure that our evil 
 deeds are not at all imputed unto us, nor 
 have we fallen away to such an extent that 
 our better actions are forgotten. 
 
 31. THE SIMPLER INTERPRETATION OF THE 
 PROMISE ABOUT NOT TASTING OF DEATH. 
 
 ' ' Verily I say unto you there be some 0/ 
 them that stand here that shall not taste of 
 death."''' Some refer these things to the 
 going up — six days after, or, as Luke says,'» 
 eight days — of the three disciples into the 
 high mountain with Jesus apart ; and those 
 who adopt this interpretation say that Peter 
 and the remaining two did not taste of death 
 before they saw the Son of man coming in 
 His own kingdom and in His own glory. 
 For when they saw Jesus transfigured before 
 them so that " His face shone," etc., "they 
 saw the kingdom of God coming with 
 power." 5 For even as some spear-bearers 
 stand around a king, so Moses and Elijah 
 appeared to those who had gone up into the 
 mountains, talking with Jesus. But it is 
 worth while considering whether the sitting 
 on the right hand and on the left hand of the 
 Saviour in His kingdom refers to them, so 
 that the words, "But for whom it is pre- 
 pared," were ^ spoken because of them. 
 Now this interpretation about the three 
 Apostles not tasting of death until they have 
 seen Jesus transfigured, is adapted to those 
 who are designated by Peter as "new-born 
 babes longing for the reasonable milk which 
 is without guile," 7 to whom Paul says, "I 
 have fed you with milk, not with meat,"* 
 etc. Now, too, every interpretation of a 
 text which is able to build up those who 
 cannot receive greater truths might reason- 
 ably be called milk, flowing from the holy 
 ground of the Scriptures, which flows with 
 
 ^ Ezek. xviii, 21-24. 
 * Luke ix. 28. 
 ' I Pet. ii. 2. 
 
 ^ 2 Cor. V. 10. 
 '' Mark ix. i. 
 * I Cor. iii. 2, 
 
 ^ Matt. xvi. 28. 
 " Matt. XX. 23, 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 467 
 
 milk and honey. But he who has been 
 weaned, like Isaac,* worthy of the good 
 cheer and reception which Abraham gave at 
 the weaning of his son, would seek here and 
 in every Scripture food which is different, I 
 think, from that which is meat, indeed, but 
 is not solid food, and from what are figura- 
 tively called herbs, which are food to one 
 who has been weaned and is not yet strong 
 but weak, according to the saying, " He that 
 is weak eateth herbs." ^ In like manner also 
 he who has been weaned, like Samuel, and 
 dedicated by his mother to God,3 — she was 
 Hannah, which is, by interpretation, grace, — 
 would be also a son of grace, seeking, like 
 one nurtured in the temple, flesh of God, the 
 holy food of those who are at once perfect 
 and priests. 
 
 32. STANDING BY THE SAVIOUR. 
 
 The reflections in regard to the passage 
 before us that occur to us at the present 
 time are these : Some were standing where 
 Jesus was, having the footsteps of the soul 
 firmly planted with Jesus, and the standing 
 of their feet was akin to the standing of 
 which Moses said in the passage, "And I 
 stood on the mountain forty days and forty 
 nights,"'* who was deemed worthy to have 
 it said to him by God who asked him to 
 stand by Him, " But stand thou here with 
 Me. "5 Those who really stand by Jesus 
 — that is, by the Word of God — do not all 
 stand equally ; for among those who stand 
 by Jesus are differences from each other. 
 Wherefore, not all who standby the Saviour, 
 but some of them as standing better, do not 
 taste of death until they shall have seen the 
 Word who dwelt with men, and on that 
 account called Son of man, coming in His 
 own kingdom ; for Jesus does not always 
 come in His own kingdom when He comes, 
 since to the newly initiated He is such that 
 they might say, beholding the Word Him- 
 self not glorious nor great, but mferior to 
 many among them, "We saw Him, and He 
 had no form or beauty, but His form was 
 dishonoured, defective compared with all the 
 sons of men."' And these things will be 
 said by those who beheld His glory in con- 
 nection with their own former times, when 
 at first the Word as understood in the syna- 
 gogue had no form nor beauty to them. To 
 the Word, therefore, who has assumed most 
 manifestly the power above all words, there 
 belongs a royal dignity which is visible to 
 some of those who stand by Jesus, when 
 
 ' Gen. xxi. 8. 
 * Deut. X. 10. 
 
 * Rom. xiv. 2. 
 
 * Deut. V. 31. 
 
 ^ I Sam. i. 23, 24. 
 ° Isa. liii. 2, 3. 
 
 they have been able to follow Him as He 
 goes before them and ascends to the lofty 
 mountain of His own manifestation. And 
 of this honour some of those who stand by 
 Jesus are deemed worthy if they be either a 
 Peter against whom the gates of Hades do 
 not prevail, or the sons of thunder,' and are 
 begotten of the mighty voice of God who 
 thunders and cries aloud from heaven great 
 things to those who have ears and are wise. 
 Such at least do not taste death. 
 
 33. INTERPRETATION OF "TASTING OF DEATH." 
 
 But we must seek to understand what is 
 meant by "tasting of death." And He is 
 life who says, "I am the life,"^ and this 
 life assuredly has been hidden with Christ in 
 God; and, " when Christ our life shall be 
 manifested, then along with Him "3 shall 
 be manifested those who are worthy of 
 being manifested with Him in glory. But 
 the enemy of this life, who is also the last 
 enemy of all His enemies that shall be de- 
 stroyed, is death,'* of which the soul that 
 sinneth dies, having the opposite disposition ' 
 to that which takes place in the soul that 
 lives uprightly, and in consequence of living 
 uprightly lives. And when it is said in the 
 law, " I have placed life before thy face, "5 
 the Scripture says this about Him who said, 
 "I am the Life," and about His enemy, 
 death ; the one or other of which each of 
 us by his deeds is always choosing. And 
 when we sin with life before our face, the 
 curse is fulfilled against us which says, 
 "And thy life shall be hanging up before 
 thee," etc., down to the words, "and for 
 the sights of thine eyes which thou shalt 
 see. " * As, therefore, the Life is also the 
 living bread which came down from heaven 
 and gave life to the world, ' so His enemy 
 death is dead bread. Now every rational 
 soul is fed either on living bread or dead 
 bread, by the opinions good or bad which 
 it receives. As then in the case of more 
 common foods it is the practice at one time 
 only to taste them, and at another to eat of 
 them more largely ; so also, in the case of 
 these loaves, one eats insufficiently only 
 tasting them, but another is satiated, — he 
 that is good or is on the way to being good 
 with the living bread which came down 
 from heaven, but he that is wicked with the 
 dead bread, which is death ; and some per- 
 haps sparingly, and sinning a little, only 
 taste of death ; but those who have attained 
 to virtue do not even taste of it, but are 
 
 * Mark iii. 17. 
 
 * I Cor. XV. 26. 
 
 ' John vi. 33, 51. 
 
 * John xiv. 6. 
 ^ Deut. XXX. 15. 
 
 * Col. iii. 3, 4. 
 
 ^ Deut. xxviii. 66, 67. 
 
468 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 always fed on the living bread. It naturally- 
 followed then in the case of Peter, against 
 whom the gates of Hades will not prevail, 
 that he did not taste of death, since any 
 one tastes of death and eats death at the 
 time when the gates of Hades prevail 
 ao-ainst him ; and one eats or tastes of 
 death in proportion as the gates of Hades 
 to a greater or less extent, more or fewer in 
 number, prevail against him. But also for 
 the sons of thunder who were begotten of 
 thunder, which is a heavenly thing, it was 
 impossible to taste of death, which is ex- 
 tremely far removed from thunder, their 
 mother. But these things the Word prophe- 
 sies to those who shall be perfected, and 
 who by standing with the Word advanced 
 so far that they did not taste of death, until 
 they saw the manifestation and the glory 
 and the kingdom and the excellency of the 
 Word of God in virtue of which He excels 
 every word, which by an appearance of 
 truth draws away and drags about those 
 who are not able to break through the 
 bonds of distraction, and go up to the 
 height of the excellency of the Word ot 
 truth. 
 
 34. MEANING OF "UNTIL." NO LIMITATION OF 
 PROMISE. 
 
 But since some one may think that the 
 promise of the Saviour prescribes a limit of 
 time to their not tasting of death, namely, 
 that they will not taste of death "until"' 
 they see the Son of man coming in His own 
 kingdom, but after this will taste of it, let 
 us show that according to the scriptural 
 usage the word "until" signifies that the 
 time concerning the thing signified is press- 
 ing, but is not so defined that after the 
 "until," that which is contrary to the thing 
 signified should at all take place. Now, 
 the Saviour says to the eleven disciples 
 when He rose from the dead, this among 
 other things, " Lo, I am with you all the 
 days, even until the consummation of the 
 age." 2 When He said this, did He promise 
 that He was going to be with them until 
 the consummation of the age, but that after 
 the consummation of the age, when another 
 age was at hand, which is " called the age 
 to come," He would be no longer with 
 them .?— so that according to this, the con- 
 dition of the disciples would be better before 
 the consummation of the age than after the 
 consummation of the age ) But I do not 
 think that any one will dare to say, that 
 after the consummation of the age the Son 
 
 » Matt. xvi. 28. 
 
 ' Matt. xxviiL 10. 
 
 of God will be no longer with the disciples, 
 because the expression declares that He 
 will be with them for so long, until the con- 
 summation of the age is at hand; for it is 
 clear that the matter under inquiry was, 
 whether the Son of God was forthwith 
 going to be with His disciples before the 
 age to come and the hoped for promises 
 of God which were given as a recom- 
 pense. But there might have been a ques- 
 tion — it being granted that He would be 
 with them — whether sometimes He was 
 present with them, and sometimes not pre- 
 sent. Wherefore setting us free from the 
 suspicion that might have arisen from 
 doubt. He declared that now and even all 
 the days He would be with the disciples, and 
 that He would not leave those who had 
 become His disciples until the consumma- 
 tion of the age ; (because He said "all the 
 days " He did not deny that by night, 
 when the sun set. He would be present 
 with them.) But if such is the force of the 
 words, "until the consummation of the 
 age," plainly we shall not be compelled to 
 admit that those who see the Son of man 
 coming in His own kingdom shall taste of 
 death, after being deemed worthy of bar 
 holding Him in such guise. But as in the 
 case of the passage we brought forward, 
 the urgent necessity was to teach us that 
 "until the consummation of the age" He 
 would not leave us but be with us all the 
 days ; so also in this case I think that it is 
 clear to those who know how to look at the 
 logical coherence of things that He who 
 has seen once for all "the Son of man 
 comingin His own kingdom," and seen Him 
 "in His own glory," and seen "the king- 
 dom of God come with power," could not 
 possibly taste of death after the contempla- 
 tion of things so good and great. But apart 
 from the word of the promise of Jesus, we 
 have conjectured not without reason that we 
 would taste of death, so long as we were 
 not yet held worthy to see "the kingdom 
 of God come with power," and "the Son 
 of man coming in His own glory and in 
 His own kingdom." 
 
 35. SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES TO DEATH. 
 
 But since here it is written in the three 
 Evangelists, "They shall not taste of 
 death," ' but in other writers different things 
 are written concerning death, it may not be 
 out of place to bring forward and examine 
 these passages along with the "taste." In 
 the Psalms, then, it is said, " What man is 
 
 ' Matt xvi. 28 ; Marie ix. i ; Luke ii. 27. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 469 
 
 he that shall live and not see death ? " ' 
 And again, in another place, "Let death 
 come upon them and let them go down into 
 Hades alive ; " ' but in one of the prophets, 
 "Death becoming mighty has svirallowed 
 them up ; "3 and in the Apocalypse, "Death 
 and Hades follow some."* Now in these 
 passages it appears to me that it is one 
 thing to taste of death, but another thing 
 to see death, and another thing for it to 
 come upon some, and that a fourth thing, 
 different from the aforesaid, is signified by 
 the words, " Death becoming mighty has 
 swallowed them up," and a fifth thing, dif- 
 ferent from these, by the words, "Death 
 and Hades follow them." And if you were 
 to collect them, you would perhaps find also 
 other differences than those which we have 
 mentioned, by a comparison of which with 
 one another and right investigation, you 
 would find the things signified in each place. 
 But here I inquire whether it is a less evil 
 to see death, but a greater evil than seeing 
 to taste of it, but still worse than this that 
 death should follow any one, and not only 
 follow him, but also now come upon him 
 and seize him whom it formerly followed ; 
 but to be swallowed up seems to be more 
 grievous than all the things spoken of. But 
 giving heed to what is said, and to the 
 differences of sins committed, you will not, 
 I think, be slow to admit that things of this 
 kind were intended by the Spirit who caused 
 these things to be written in the oracles of 
 God. But, if it be necessary to give an 
 exposition clearer than what has been said 
 of what is signified by seeing the Son of 
 man coming in His own kingdom, or in His 
 own glory, and what is signified by seeing 
 the kingdom of God come with power, these 
 things — whether those that are made to 
 shine in our hearts, or that are found by those 
 who seek, or that enter gradually into our 
 thoughts, — let eacli one judge as he wills 
 — we will set forth. He who beholds and 
 apprehends the excellency of the Word, as 
 He breaks down and refutes all the plausible 
 forms of things which are truly lies but pro- 
 fess to be truths, sees the Son of man, (accord- 
 ing to the word of John, " the Word of God," ) 
 coming in His own kingdom ; but if such an 
 one were to behold the Word, not only 
 breaking down plausible oppositions, but 
 also representing His own truths with per- 
 fect clearness, he would behold His glory 
 in addition to His kingdom. And such an 
 one indeed would see in Him the kingdom 
 
 • Ps. lixxix. ^8. 
 
 * Isa, XXV. 8. 
 
 » Ps. Iv. 18. 
 * Rev. vi. 10. 
 
 of God come with power ; and he would see 
 this, as one who is no longer now under the 
 reign of "sin which reigns in the mortal 
 body of those who sin,"' but is ever under 
 the orders of the king, who is God of all, 
 whose kingdom is indeed potentially " with- 
 in us,"^ but actually, and, as Mark has 
 called it, "with power," and not at all in 
 weakness within the perfect alone. These 
 things, then, Jesus promised to the disciples 
 who were standing, prophesying not about 
 all of them, but about some. 
 
 36. CONCERNING THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE 
 SAVIOUR. 
 
 "Now after six days," according to Mat- 
 thew and Mark, 3 "He takelh with him Peler 
 and James and John his brother, and leads 
 them, up into a high mountain apart, and was 
 transfigured before them.." Now, also, let it 
 be granted, before the exposition that occurs 
 to us in relation to these things, that this 
 took place long ago, and according to the 
 letter. But it seems to me, that those who 
 are led up by Jesus into the high mountain, 
 and are deemed worthy of beholding His 
 transfiguration apart, are not without pur- 
 pose led up six days after the discourses 
 previously spoken. For since in six days 
 — the perfect number — the whole world, — 
 this perfect work of art, — was made, on this 
 account I think that he who transcends all 
 the things of the world by beholding no 
 longer the things which are seen, for they 
 are temporal, but already the things which 
 are not seen, and only the things which are 
 not seen, because that they are eternal, is 
 represented in the words, "After six days 
 days Jesus took up with Him " certain per- 
 sons. If therefore any one of us wishes to 
 be taken by Jesus, and led up by Him into 
 the high mountain, and be deemed worthy 
 of beholding His transfiguration apart, let 
 him pass beyond the six days, because he 
 no longer beholds the things which are 
 seen, nor longer loves the world, nor the 
 things in the world, ■» nor lusts after any 
 worldly lust, which is the lust of bodies, 
 and of the riches of the body, and of the 
 glory which is after the flesh, and whatever 
 things whose nature it is to distract and 
 drag away the soul from the things which 
 are better and diviner, and bring it down 
 and fix it fast to the deceit of this age, in 
 wealth and glory, and the rest of the lusts 
 which are the foes of truth. For when he 
 has passed through the six days, as we have 
 
 ^ Rom. vi. 12. 
 ^ Matt. xvii. I 
 
 Mark ix. 2. 
 
 * Luke xvii, 2r. 
 
 * ijohn ii. 15. 
 
470 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 said, he will keep a new Sabbath, rejoicing 
 in the lofty mountain, because he sees Jesus 
 transfigured before him ; for the Word has 
 different forms, as He appears to each as is 
 expedient for the beholder, and is manifested 
 to no one beyond the capacity of the be- 
 holder. 
 
 37. FORCE OF THE WORDS "BEFORE THEM." 
 
 But you will ask if, when He was trans- 
 figured before those who were led up by 
 Him into the lofty mountain. He appeared 
 to them in the form of God, in which He 
 formerly was, so that He had to those below 
 the form of a servant, but to those who had 
 followed Him after the six days to the lofty 
 mountain, He had not that form, but the 
 form of God. But hear these things, if you 
 can, at the same time giving heed spiritually, 
 that it is not said simply, " He was trans- 
 figured," but with a certain necessary addi- 
 tion, which Matthew and Mark have re- 
 corded ; for, according to both, "He was 
 transfigured before them."' And according 
 to this, indeed, you will say that it is pos- 
 sible for Jesus to be transfigured before some 
 with this transfiguration, but before others 
 at the same time not to be transfigured. But 
 if you wish to see the transfiguration of 
 Jesus before those who went up into the lofty 
 mountain apart long with Him, behold 
 with me the Jesus in the Gospels, as more 
 simply apprehended, and as one might say, 
 known "according to the flesh," by those 
 who do not go up, through works and 
 words which are uplifting, to the lofty 
 mountain of wisdom, but known no longer 
 after the fiesh, but known in His divinity 
 by means of all the Gospels, and beholden 
 in the form of God according to their know- 
 ledge ; for before them is Jesus transfigured, 
 and not to any one of those below. But 
 when He is transfigured. His face also 
 shines as the sun, that He maybe mani- 
 fested to the children of light, who have 
 put off the works of darkness, and put on 
 the armour of light,^ and are no longer the 
 children of darkness or night, but have be- 
 come the sons of day, and walk honestly 
 asm the day ; 3 and being manifested. He 
 will shine unto them not simply as the sun, 
 but as demonstrated to be the sun of right- 
 eousness. 
 
 38. THE GARMENTS WHITE AS THE LIGHT. 
 
 And not only is He transfigured before 
 such disciples, nor does He only add to the 
 transfiguration the shining of His face as the 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 2 ; Mark ix. 2. 
 ' Rom. xUi, 13 ; I Thess. v. 5. 
 
 ' Rom. xlii. 12. 
 
 sun ; but further also to those who were led 
 up by Him into the high mountain apart. 
 His garments appear white as the light.' 
 But the garments of Jesus are the expres- 
 sions and letters of the Gospels with which 
 He invested Himself. But 1 think that even 
 the words in the Apostles which indicate 
 the truths concerning Him are garments of 
 Jesus, which become white to those who go 
 up into the high mountain along with Jesus. 
 But since there are differences also of things 
 white, His garments become white as the 
 brightest and purest of all white things ; and 
 that is light. When therefore you see any 
 one not only with a thorough understanding 
 of the theology concerning Jesus, but also 
 making clear every expression of the Gos- 
 pels, do not hesitate to say that to Him the 
 garments of Jesus have become white as the 
 light. But when the Son of God in His 
 transfiguration is so understood and beheld, 
 that His face is a sun, and His garments 
 white as the light, straightway there will 
 appear to him who beholds Jesus in such 
 form Moses, — the law — and Elijah, — in the 
 way of synecdoche, not one prophet only, 
 but all the prophets — holding converse with 
 Jesus ; for such is the force of the words 
 "talking with Him ; " ^ but, according to 
 Luke, " Moses and Elijah appeared in 
 glory," down to the words, "in Jerusa- 
 lem. "3 But if anyone sees the glory of 
 Moses, having understood the spiritual law 
 as a discourse in harmony with Jesus, and 
 the wisdom in the prophets which is hidden 
 in a mystery,4 he sees Moses and Elijah in 
 glory when he sees them with Jesus. 
 
 39. JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED "AS HE WAS 
 
 PRAYING. " 
 
 Then, since it will be necessary to ex- 
 pound the passage as given in Mark, " A7id 
 as He was praying He was transfigured be/ore 
 them," 5 we must say that perhaps it is pos- 
 sible especially to see the Word transfigured 
 before us if we have done the things afore- 
 said, and gone up into the mountain, and 
 seen the absolute Word holding converse 
 with the Father, and praying to Him for 
 such things as the true High-Priest might 
 pray for to the only true God. But in order 
 that He may thus hold fellowship with God 
 and pray to the Father, He goes up into the 
 mountain ; and then, according to Mark, 
 " His garments become white and glisten- 
 ing as the light, so as no fuller on earth can 
 whiten them."^ And perhaps the fullers 
 
 * Luke ix. 30, 31. 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 2. = Matt. xvii. 3. 
 
 * I Cor. ii. 7. 
 
 ^ Luke (ix. 28, 29) alone mentions the praying. « Mark ix. 3. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW, 
 
 471 
 
 upon the earth are the wise men of this 
 world who are careful about the diction 
 which they consider to be bright and pure, 
 so that even their base thoughts and false 
 dogmas seem to be beautified by their full- 
 ing, so to speak ; but He who shows His 
 own garments glistering to those who have 
 ascended and brighter than their fulling can 
 make them, is the Word, who exhibits in the 
 expressions of the Scriptures which are 
 despised by many the glistering of the 
 thoughts, when the raiment of Jesus, ac- 
 cording to Luke, becomes white and daz- 
 zling. ■* 
 
 40. DISCUSSION OF THE SAYING OF PETER. 
 
 But let us next see what was the thought 
 of Peter when he answered and said to 
 Jesus, ' ' Lord, ii is good for us to he here ; 
 let us make three tabernacles," ^ etc. And on 
 this account these words call for very 
 special examination, because Mark, in his 
 own person, has added, "For he wist not 
 what to answer, "3 but Luke, "not know- 
 ing," he says, " what he spake." * You will 
 consider, therefore, if he spake these things 
 as in a trance, being filled with the spirit 
 which moved him to say these things, which 
 could not be a Holy Spirit ; for John taught in 
 the Gospel that, before the resurrection of 
 the Saviour, no one had the Holy Spirit, 
 saying, " For the Spirit was not yet, because 
 Jesus was not yet glorified."^ But if the 
 Spirit was not yet, and he, not knowing 
 what he said, spoke under the influence of 
 some spirit, the spirit which caused these 
 things to be said was some one of the spirits 
 which had not yet been triumphed over in 
 the cross, nor made a show of along with 
 them, about whom it is written, " Having 
 put off from Himself the principalities and 
 the powers. He made a show of them openly, 
 triumphing over them in the cross. ^" But 
 this spirit was perhaps that which is called a 
 stumbling-block by Jesus, and which is 
 spoken of as Satan in the passage, "Get 
 thee behind Me, Satan ; thou art a stum- 
 bling-block unto me."' But I know well 
 that such things will offend many who 
 meet with them, because they think that 
 it is opposed to sound reason that he 
 should be spoken ill of who a little before 
 had been pronounced blessed by Jesus, on 
 the ground that the Father in heaven had 
 revealed to him the things concerning the 
 Saviour, to-wit, that He was verily Jesus, 
 and the Christ, and the Son of the Hving 
 
 ' Luke ix. 29. ^ Matt. xvii. 4 j Mark ix. 5 ; Luke ix. 33. 
 
 ' Mark ix. 6. ' Luke ix. 33. <■ John vii. 39. 
 
 • Col. il. 15. ' Matt. xvi. 23. 
 
 God. But let such an one attend more ex- 
 actly to the statements about Peter and the 
 rest of the Apostles, how even they made 
 requests as if they were yet alien from Plim 
 who was to redeem them from the enemy 
 and purchase them with His own precious 
 blood ; or let them also, who will have it 
 that even before the passion of Jesus the 
 Apostles were perfect, tell us whence it came 
 about that "Peter and they that were with 
 him were heavy with sleep."' But to an- 
 ticipate something else of what follows and 
 apply it to the subject in hand, I would 
 raise in turn these questions, — whether it is 
 possible for any one to find occasion of 
 stumbling in Jesus apart from the working 
 of the devil who caused him to stumble ; 
 and whether it is possible for any one to 
 deny Jesus, and that in presence of a little 
 maid and a doorkeeper and men most 
 worthless, unless a spirit had been with him 
 in his denial hostile to the Spirit which is 
 given and the wisdom, (which is given) to 
 those who are assisted by God to make con- 
 fession, accordingto a certain desert of theirs. 
 But he who has learned to refer the roots of 
 sin to the father of sin, the devil, will not say 
 that apart from him either the Apostles were 
 caused to stumble, or that Peter denied 
 Christ thrice before that well-known cock- 
 crowing. But if this be so, consider whether 
 perhaps with a view to make Jesus stumble, 
 so far as was in his power, and to turn Him 
 aside from the dispensation whose character- 
 istic was suffering that brought salvation to 
 men, which He undertook with great will- 
 ingness, seeking to effect these things which 
 seemed to contribute to this end, he himself 
 also here wishes as it were, by deceit, to 
 draw away Jesus, as if calling upon Him 
 no longer to condescend to men, and come 
 to them, and undergo death for them, but 
 to abide on the high mountain with Moses 
 and Elijah. But he promised also to build 
 three tabernacles, one apart for Jesus, and 
 one for Moses, and one for Elijah, as if one 
 tabernacle would not have sufficed for the 
 three, if it had been necessary for them to 
 be in tabernacles and in the high mountain. 
 And perhaps also in this he acted with evil 
 intent, when he incited him "who did not 
 know what he said," not desiring that Jesus 
 and Moses and Elijah should be together, 
 but desiring to separate them from one 
 another, under pretext of the three taber- 
 nacles. And likewise it was a lie, "It is 
 good for us to be here ; " » for if it had 
 been a good thing they would also have re- 
 
 ^ Luke ix. 32. 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 4. 
 
472 
 
 ORIGENS COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 mained there. But if it were a lie, you will 
 seek to know who caused the lie to be 
 spoken ; and especially since according to 
 John, " When he speaketh a lie he speaketh 
 of his own ; for he is a liar and the father 
 thereof;"' and as there is no truth apart 
 from the working of Him who says, "I am 
 the Truth,' ' so there is no lie apart from 
 him who is the enemy of truth. These con- 
 trary qualities, accordingly, were still in 
 Peter truth and falsehood ; and from truth 
 he said, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the 
 living God," 3 but from falsehood he said, 
 "May God be propitious to Thee, Lord, 
 this shall not be unto Thee,"* and also, 
 "It is good for us to be here." s But if any 
 one will not admit that Peter spoke these 
 things from any evil inspiration, but that 
 his words were of his own mere choice, and 
 it is demanded of him how he will interpret, 
 "not knowing what he said," and,'^ "for 
 he did not know what to answer," 7 he will 
 say, that in the former case Peter held it to 
 be a shameful thing and unworthy of Jesus 
 to admit that the Son of the living God, the 
 Christ, whom already the Father had re- 
 vealed to him, should be killed ; and in the 
 present case that, as having seen the two 
 forms of Jesus and the one at the transfigu- 
 ration which was much more excellent, 
 being well pleased with that, he said that it 
 was good to make their sojourning in that 
 mountain, in order that he himself and those 
 with him might rejoice as they beheld the 
 transfiguration of Jesus and His face shin- 
 ing as the sun, and His garments white as 
 the light, and, in addition to these things, 
 might always behold in glory those whom 
 they had once seen in glory, Moses and 
 Elijah; and that they might rejoice at the 
 things which they might hear, as they talked 
 and held intercourse with each other, Moses 
 and Elijah with Jesus, and Jesus with them. 
 
 41. FIGURATIVE INTERPRETATION OF THE SAME. 
 
 But since we have not yet spent our energy 
 in interpreting the things in the place figu- 
 ratively, but have said these things by vi'ay 
 of searching into the mere letter, let us in 
 conformity with these things, consider whe- 
 ther the aforesaid Peter and the sons of 
 thunder who were taken up into the moun- 
 tam of the dogmas of the truth, and who 
 saw the transfiguration of Jesus and of 
 Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory 
 with Him, might wish to make tabernacles 
 m themselves for the Word of God who was 
 
 ^ John viii. 44. 
 * Matt. xvi. 20. 
 ' Mark ix. 6. 
 
 ' John xiv. 6. 
 ■ Matt. xvii. 4. 
 
 ' Matt. xvi. 16. 
 • Luke ix. 33. 
 
 going to dwell in them, and for His law 
 which had been beholden in glory, and for 
 the prophecy which spake of the decease of 
 Jesus, which He was about to accomplish ; ' 
 and Peter, as one loving the contemplative 
 life, and having preferred that which was 
 delightsome in it to the life among the crowd 
 with its turmoil, said, with the design of 
 benefiting those who desired it, "It is good 
 for us to be here."^ But since "love 
 seeketh not its own,"3 Jesus did not do that 
 which Peter thought good ; wherefore He 
 descended from the mountain to those who 
 were not able to ascend to it and behold 
 His transfiguration, that they might behold 
 Him in such form as they were able to see 
 Him. It is, therefore, the part of a righteous 
 man who possesses ' ' the love which seeketh 
 not its own " ■* to be free from all, but to bring 
 himself under bondage to all those below 
 that He might gain the more of them.' But 
 some one, with reference to what we have 
 alleged about the trance and the working of 
 an evil spirit in Peter, concerning the words, 
 " not knowing what he said,"* not accept- 
 ing that interpretation of ours, may say that 
 there were certain mentioned by Paul " de- 
 siring to be teachers of the law," 7 who do 
 not know about what they speak, but who, 
 though they do not clearly expound the 
 nature of what is said, nor understand their 
 meaning, make confident affirmations of 
 things which they do not know. Of such a 
 nature was the affection of Peter also, for 
 not apprehending what was good with re- 
 ference to the dispensation of Jesus and of 
 those who appeared in the mountain, — 
 Moses and Elijah, — he says, " It is good for 
 us to be here," etc., " not knowing what he 
 said," " for he wist not what to say," for if 
 "a wise man will understand the things 
 from his own mouth, and carries prudence 
 in his lips,"' he who is not so does not un- 
 derstand the things from his ovi'n mouth, nor 
 comprehend the nature of the things spoken 
 by him. 
 
 42. THE MEANING OF THE "BRIGHT CLOUD." 
 
 Next to these come ihe wor As, " While He 
 was yet speaking, behold, also, a bright cloud 
 overshadowed them," •) eXc. Now, I think that 
 God, wishing to dissuade Peter from making 
 three tabernacles, under which so far as it 
 depended on his choice he was going to 
 dwell, shows a tabernacle better, so to 
 speak, and much more excellent, the cloud. 
 For since it is the function of a tabernacle 
 
 * Luke ix. 51. 
 
 * I Cor. xiii. 5. 
 ' I Tim. i. 7. 
 
 * Matt. xvii. 4. 
 
 * 1 Cor. ix. 19. 
 
 • Prov. xvi. 23. 
 
 ' I Cor. xiii. 5. 
 ' Luke ix. 33. 
 • Matt, xvii J. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 473 
 
 to overshadow him who is in it, and to 
 shelter him, and the bright cloud over- 
 shadowed them, God made, as it were, a 
 diviner tabernacle, inasmuch as it was 
 bright, that it might be to them a pattern of 
 the resurrection to come ; for a bright cloud 
 overshadows the just, who are at once pro- 
 tected and illuminated and shone upon by 
 it. But what might the bright cloud, which 
 overshadows the just, be ? Is it, perhaps, 
 the fatherly power, from which comes the 
 voice of the Father bearing testimony to the 
 Son as beloved and well-pleasing, and ex- 
 horting those who were under its shadow to 
 hear Him and no other one? But as He 
 speaks of old, so also always does He speak 
 through what He wills. And perhaps, too, 
 the Holy Spirit is the bright cloud which 
 overshadows the just, and prophesies of the 
 things of God, who works in it, and says, 
 "This is My beloved Son in whom I am 
 well-pleased ; " but I would venture also to 
 say that our Saviour is a bright cloud. 
 When, therefore, Peter said, "Let us make 
 here three tabernacles," ' . . . one from the 
 Father Himself, and from the Son, and one 
 from the Holy Spirit. For a bright cloud 
 of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit over- 
 shadows the genuine disciples of Jesus ; or 
 a cloud overshadows the Gospel and the law 
 and the prophets, which is bright to him who 
 is able to see the light of it in the Gospel, 
 and the law, and the prophets. But perhaps 
 the voice from the cloud says to Moses and 
 Elijah, "This is My beloved Son in whom I 
 am well-pleased, hear Him," as they were 
 desirous to see the Son of man, and to hear 
 Him, and to behold Him as He was in 
 glory. And perhaps it teaches the disciples 
 that He who was, in a literal sense, the Son 
 of God, and His beloved in whom He was 
 well-pleased, whom it behoved them espe- 
 cially to hear, was He who was then beheld, 
 and transfigured, and whose face shone as 
 the sun, and who was clothed with garments 
 white as the light. 
 
 43. RELATION OF MOSES AND ELIJAH TO JESUS. 
 THE INJUNCTION OF SILENCE. 
 
 But after these things it is written that, 
 when they heard the voice from the cloud 
 bearing testimony to the Son, the three 
 Apostles, not being alile to bear the glory of 
 the voice and power resting upon it, ' ' fell on 
 their face, "^ and besought God; for they 
 were sore afraid at the supernatural sight, 
 and the things which were spoken from the 
 
 1 The text is mutilated. 
 
 • Malt. ivii. 6. 
 
 sight. But consider if you can also say 
 this with reference to the details in the pas- 
 sage, that the disciples, having understood 
 that the Son of God had been holding con- 
 ference with Moses, and that it was He who 
 said, "A man shall not see My face and 
 live," ^ and taking further the testimony of 
 God about Him, as not being able to endure 
 the radiance of the Word, humbled them- 
 selves under the mighty hand of God ; '^ but, 
 after the touch of the Word, lifting up their 
 eyes they saw Jesus only and no other. ' 
 Moses, the law, and Elijah, the prophet, 
 became one only with the Gospel of Jesus ; 
 and not, as they were formerly three, did 
 they so abide, but the three became one. 
 But consider these things with me in rela- 
 tion to mystical matters ; for in regard to 
 the bare meaning of the letter, Moses and 
 Elijah, having appeared in glory and talked 
 with Jesus, went away to the place from 
 which they had come, perhaps to communi- 
 cate the words which Jesus spake with 
 them, to those who were to be benefited by 
 Him, almost immediately, namely, at the 
 time of the passion, when many bodies of 
 the saints that had fallen asleep, their tombs 
 being opened, were to go to the city which 
 is truly holy — not the Jerusalem which Jesus 
 wept over — and there appear unto many.* 
 But after the dispensation in the mountain, 
 when the disciples were coming down from 
 the mountain in order that, when they had 
 come to the multitude, they might serve the 
 Son of God concerning the salvation of the 
 people, Jesus commanded the disciples say- 
 ing, "Tell the vision to no man until the 
 Son of man rise from the dead, "s But that 
 saying, "Tell the vision to no man," is like 
 that which was investigated in the passage 
 above, when "He enjoined the disciples to 
 tell no man that He was the Christ." * 
 Wherefore the things that were said at that 
 passage may be useful to us also for the pas- 
 sage before us ; since Jesus wishes also, in 
 accordance with these, that the things of His 
 glory should not be spoken of, before His 
 glory after the passion ; for those who heard, 
 and in particular the multitudes, would have 
 been injured when they saw Him crucified, 
 who had been so glorified. Wherefore since 
 Hip being glorified in the resurrection was 
 akin to His transfiguration, and to the 
 vision of His face as the sun, on this account 
 He wishes that these things should then be 
 spoken of by the Apostles, when He rose 
 from the dead. 
 
 * Exod, XXX. 20. 
 
 * Matt, xxvii. 52, 53, 
 
 = I Pet. V. 6. 
 • Matt. xvU. 9. 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. S. 
 • Malt, xvi, 20. 
 
474 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 BOOK XIII. 
 
 I. RELATION OF THE BAPTIST TO ELIJAH. THE 
 THEORY OF TRANSMIGRATION CONSIDERED. 
 
 " Tile disciples asked Him, saying, Why 
 then say the scribes that Elijah must first 
 comep"^ The disciples indeed who went 
 up with Jesus remembered the traditions of 
 the scribes concerning Elijah, that before 
 the advent of Christ, Elijah would come 
 and prepare for Him the souls of those who 
 were going to receive Him. But the vision 
 in the mountain, at which Elijah appeared, 
 did not seem to be in harmony with the 
 things which were said, since to them it 
 seemed that Elijah had not come before 
 Jesus but after Him ; wherefore, they say 
 these things, thinking that the scribes lied. 
 But to this the Saviour answers, not setting 
 aside the traditions concerning Elijah, but 
 saying that there was another advent of 
 Elijah before that of Christ of which the 
 scribes were ignorant ; and, in regard to 
 this, being ignorant of him, they "had 
 done unto him whatsoever they listed,"^ 
 as if they had been accomplices in his 
 having been cast into prison by Herod and 
 slain by him ; then He says that according 
 as they had done towards Elijah so would 
 He suffer at their hands.' And these things 
 indeed as about Elijah the disciples asked 
 and the Saviour answered, but when they 
 heard they understood that the words, 
 " Elijah has already come," and that follow- 
 ing which was spoken by the Saviour, had 
 reference to John the Baptist.'' And let 
 these things be said by way of illustration 
 of the passage before us. But now accord- 
 ing to our ability let us make investigation 
 also into the things that are stored up in it. 
 In this place it does not appear to me that 
 by Elijah the soul is spoken of, lest I should 
 fall into the dogma of transmigration, which 
 is foreign to the church of God, and not 
 handed down by the Apostles, nor anywhere 
 set forth in the Scriptures ; for it is also in 
 opposition to the saying that "things seen 
 are temporal," = and that "this age shall 
 have a consummation," and also to the fulfil- 
 ment of the saying, " Heaven and earth shall 
 pass away, " '' and "the fashion of this world 
 
 * Matt. xvii. 10. 
 ^ iNfatt. xvii. 12. 
 ' 2 Cor iv. i8. 
 
 - Halt. xvii. 12. 
 * Matt. xvii. 13, 
 ° Matt. xxiv. 35. 
 
 passeth away,"' and "the heavens shall 
 perish," ' and what follows. For if, by hy- 
 pothesis, in the constitution of things which 
 has existed from the beginning unto the end 
 of the world, the same soul can be twice in 
 the body, for what cause should it be in it ? 
 For if because of sin it should be twice in 
 the body, why should it not be thrice, and 
 repeatedly in it, since punishments, in 
 respect of this life, and of the sins com- 
 mitted in it, shall be rendered to it only by 
 the method of transmigration ? But if this 
 be granted as a consequence, perhaps there 
 will never be a time when a soul shall not 
 undergo transmigration ; for always because 
 of its former sins will it dwell in the body ; 
 and so there will be no place for the 
 corruption of the world, at which "the 
 heaven and the earth shall pass away. " ' And 
 if it be granted, on this hypothesis, that one 
 who is absolutely sinless shall not come 
 into the body by birth, after what length of 
 time do you suppose that a soul shall be found 
 absolutely pure and needing no transmigra- 
 tion ? But nevertheless, also, if any one soul 
 is always thus being removed from the 
 definite number of souls and returns no 
 longer to the body, sometime after infinite 
 ages, as it were, birth shall cease ; the world 
 being reduced to some one or two or a few 
 more, after the perfecting of whom the 
 world shall perish, the supply of souls com- 
 ing into the body having failed. But this is 
 not agreeable to the Scripture ; for it knows 
 of a multitude of sinners at the time of the 
 destruction of the world. This is manifest 
 from consideration of the saying, " How- 
 beit when the Son of man cometh shall He 
 find faith on the earth.?"* So we find it 
 thus said in Matthew, "As were the days 
 of Noah so shall also be the coming of the 
 Son of man ; for as they were in the days of 
 the flood," etc. s But to those who are then 
 in existence there shall be the exaction of a 
 penalty for their sins, but not by way of 
 transmigration ; for, if they are caught while 
 still sinning, either they will be punished 
 after this by a different form of punishment, 
 — and according to this either there will be 
 two general forms of punishment, the one 
 by way of transmigration, and the other 
 
 ^ 1 Cor. vii. 31. 
 * Luke xviii. 8, 
 
 2 Ps. cii. 26. 3 Matt. xxiv. 35. 
 
 ° Matt. xxiv. 37-39. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 475 
 
 outside of a body of this kind, and let them 
 declare the causes and differences of these, — 
 or they will not be punished, as if those 
 who were left at the consummation of 
 things had forthwith cast away their sins ; 
 or, which is better, there is one form of 
 punishment for those who have sinned in 
 the body, namely, that they should suffer, 
 outside of it, that is, outside the constitu- 
 tion of this life, what is according to the 
 desert of their sins. But to one who has 
 insight into the nature of things it is clear 
 that each of these things is fitted to over- 
 turn the doctrine of transmigration. But 
 if, of necessity, the Greeks who introduce 
 the doctrine of transmigration, laying down 
 things in harmony with it, do not acknowl- 
 edge that the world is coming to corrup- 
 tion, it is fitting that when they have 
 looked the Scriptures straight in the face 
 which plainly declare that the world will 
 perish, they should either disbelieve them, 
 or invent a series of arguments in regard to 
 the interpretation of the things concerning 
 the consummation ; which even if they wish 
 they will not be able to do. And this 
 besides we will say to those who may have 
 had the hardihood to aver that the world will 
 not perish, that, if the world does not perish 
 but is to exist for infinite periods of time, 
 there will be no God knowing all things 
 before they come into being. But if, perhaps. 
 He knows in part, either He will know each 
 thing before it comes into being, or certain 
 things, and after these again other things ; 
 for things infinite in nature cannot possibly 
 be grasped by that knowledge whose nature 
 it is to limit things known. From this it 
 follows that there cannot be prophecies 
 about all things whatsoever, since all things 
 are infinite. 
 
 2. "the SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH*' NOT 
 
 THE SOUL WERE IN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 I have thought it necessary to dwell some 
 time on the examination of the doctrine of 
 transmigration, because of the suspicion of 
 some who suppose that the soul under con- 
 sideration was the same in Elijah and in 
 John, being called in the former case Elijah, 
 and in the second case John ; and that, not 
 apart from God, had he been called John, 
 as is plain from the saying of the angel who 
 appeared to Zacharias, "Fear not, Zacharias, 
 for thy supplication is heard, and thy wife 
 Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou 
 shalt call his name John ; " ^ and from the 
 fact that Zacharias regained his speech after 
 he had written in the tablet, that he who 
 
 * Luke I. 13. 
 
 had been born should be called John. ' But 
 if it were the soul of Elijah, then, when he 
 was begotten a second time, he should 
 have been called Elijah ; or for the change 
 of name some reason should have been 
 assigned, as in the case of Abram and 
 Abraham, Sarah and Sarrah, Jacob and 
 Israel, Simon and Peter. And yet not even 
 thus would their argument in the case 
 be tenable ; for, in the case of the afore- 
 said, the changes of name took place in one 
 and the same life. But some one might 
 ask, if the soul of Elijah was not first in the 
 Tishbite and secondly in John, what might 
 that be in both which the Saviour called 
 Elijah ? And I say that Gabriel in his words 
 to Zacharias suggested what the substance 
 was in Elijah and John that was the same; 
 for he says, " Many of the children of Israel 
 shall he turn to the Lord their God ; and he 
 shall go before his face in the spirit and 
 power of Elijah."'' For, observe, he did 
 not say in the "soul" of Elijah, in which 
 case the doctrine of transmigration might 
 have some ground, but "in the spirit and 
 power of Elijah." For the Scripture well 
 knows the distinction between spirit and 
 soul, as, " May God sanctify you wholly, and 
 may your spirit and soul and body be pre- 
 served entire, without blame at the coming 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ ;"'and the passage, 
 " Bless the Lord, ye spirits and souls of 
 the righteous "■» as it stands in the book 
 of Daniel, according to the Septuagint, repre- 
 sents the difference between spirit and soul. 
 Elijah,therefore,was not called John because 
 of the soul, but because of the spirit and the 
 power, which in no way confiicts with the 
 teaching of the church, though they were 
 formerly in Elijah, and afterwards in John ; 
 and "the spirits of the prophets are sub- 
 ject to the prophets,"^ but the souls of the 
 prophets are not subject to the prophets, 
 and "the spirit of Elijah rested on 
 Elisha. "° But we ought to inquire whether 
 the spirit of Elijah is the same as the spirit 
 of God in Elijah, or whether they are dif- 
 ferent from each other, and whether the 
 spirit of Elijah which was in him was some- 
 thing supernatural, different from the spirit 
 of each man which is in him ; for the Apos- 
 tle clearly indicates that the Spirit of God, 
 though it be in us, is different from the 
 spirit of each man which is in Him, when 
 he says somewhere, "The Spirit itself 
 beareth witness with our spirit that we are 
 the children of God;"' and elsewhere, 
 
 1 Luke i. 63. * Luke i. 16, 17. * i Thess. v. 23, 
 
 * Dan. iii. 86. (Song of the Three Children v. 64.) 
 
 ' I Cor. xiv. 33. * 2 Kings ii. 15. ^ Rom. viii. 16. 
 
47(3 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 "No one of men knoweth the things of a 
 man save the spirit of the man which is in 
 him; even so the things of God none 
 knoweth save the Spirit of God." ' But do 
 not marvel in regard to what is said about 
 Elijah, if, just as something strange hap- 
 pened to him different from all the saints 
 who are recorded, in respect of his hav- 
 ing been caught up by a whirlwind into 
 heaven,^ so his spirit had something of 
 choice excellence, so tliat not only did it 
 rest on Elisha, but also descended along 
 with Johu at his birth ; and that John, sepa- 
 rately, "was filled with the Holy Ghost 
 even from his mother's womb," and sepa- 
 rately, "came before Christ in the spirit and 
 power of Elijah." 3 For it is possible for 
 several spirits not only worse, but also better, 
 to be in the same man. David accord- 
 ingly asks to be established by a free 
 spirit,* and that a right spirit be renewed 
 in his inward parts, s But if in order that 
 the Saviour may impart to us of "the spirit 
 of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of 
 counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge 
 and reverence,"'' he was filled also with 
 the spirit of the fear of the Lord ; it is possi- 
 ble also that these several good spirits may 
 be conceived as being in the same person. 
 And this also we have brought forward, be- 
 cause of John having come before Christ 
 "in the spirit and power of Elijah,"' in 
 order that the saying, "Elijah has already 
 come,"* may be referred to the spirit of 
 Elijah that was in John ; as also the three 
 disciples who had gone up with Him under- 
 stood that He spake to them about John the 
 Baptist.9 Upon Elisha, then, only the spirit 
 of Elijah rested, but John came before,'" not 
 only in the spirit, but also in the power of 
 Elijah. Wherefore, also, Elisha could not 
 have been called Elijah, but John was 
 Elijah himself But if it be necessary to 
 adduce the Scripture from which the scribes 
 said that Elijah must first come, listen to 
 Malachi who says, "And behold I will send 
 to you Elijah the Tishbite," etc., down to the 
 words, "Lest I come and smite the earth 
 utterly." " And it seems to be indicated by 
 these words, that Elijah was to prepare for 
 the glorious coming of Christ by certain holy 
 words and dispositions in theirsouls, those 
 who had been made fittest for this, 
 which those upon earth could not have 
 endured, because of the excellency of the 
 glory, unless they had been prepared before 
 hand by Elijah. And likewise, by Elijah, 
 
 * I Cor. U. II. 
 
 * Ps. li. 12. 
 'Luke i. 17. 
 
 " C£. Luke i. 17. 
 
 ^ 2 Kings ii. II. 
 » Ps. li. 10. 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 12. 
 " Mai. iv. 5, 6. 
 
 ^ Luke i. 15, 17. 
 
 " Isa. xi. 2. 
 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 13. 
 
 in this place, I do not understand the soul 
 of that prophet but his spirit and his power ; 
 for these it is by which all things shall be 
 restored, ' so that when they have been re- 
 stored, and, as a result of that restoration, 
 become capable of receiving the glory of 
 Christ, the Son of God who shall appear in 
 glory may sojourn with them. But if also 
 Elijah be in some sort a word inferior to 
 "the Word who was in the beginning with 
 God, God the Word," ^ this word also 
 might come as a preparatory discipline to 
 the people prepared by it, that they might 
 be trained for the reception of the per- 
 fect Word. But some one may raise the 
 question vi'hether the spirit and power of 
 Elijah, suffered what was suffered in John, 
 according to the words, "They did in him 
 whatsoever they listed. "3 And to this it 
 will be said on the one hand, in simpler 
 fashion that there is nothing strange in 
 the thought, that the things which assist 
 do, because of love, suffer along with 
 those that are assisted; and Jesus indeed 
 says, " Because of the weak I was weak, 
 and I hungered because of the hungry, and 
 I thirsted because of the thirsty," 4 and, on 
 the other hand, in a deeper sense that the 
 words are not, "But they did unto him 
 whatsoever they listed in him," for the things 
 which suffered leaned upon the spirit and 
 the power of Elijah, the soul of John being 
 in no wise Elijah ; and probably also the 
 body (leaned upon them). For in one 
 fashion is the soul in the body, and the 
 spirit, and the power ; and in another 
 fashion is the body of the righteous man in 
 these better parts, as leaning upon them, 
 and clinging to them ; but "they who are 
 in the flesh cannot please God ; but ye 
 are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, 
 if the Spirit of God dwell in you ; " 5 for 
 the soul of the sinner is in the flesh, but of 
 the righteous man in spirit. And likewise, 
 further, this might be inquired into, to whom 
 refer the words, "But they did in him 
 whatsoever they listed." * Was it to the 
 scribes in regard to whom the disciples in- 
 quired and said, " Why then do the scribes 
 say that Elijah must first come } " '> But it is 
 not at all evident that John suffered anything 
 at the hands of the scribes, except, indeed, 
 that they did not believe him ; or, as we 
 said also before, that they were accomplices 
 in the wrongs which Herod dared to inflict 
 on him. But another might say that the 
 words, "But they did in him whatsoever 
 
 * Matt. xvii. ii. 
 ' Cf. Matt. XXV. 35. 
 ' Matt. xvii. lo. 
 
 * John i. 1. ' Matt. xvii. 12. 
 
 ^ Rom. viii. 8, 9. " Matt. xvii. 12. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 477 
 
 they listed," refer not to the scribes but to 
 Herodias and her daughter, and Herod, who 
 did in him whatsoever they listed. And 
 that which follows, "So shall the Son of 
 man suffer from them," ' might be referred 
 to the scribes, if the former were referred 
 to them ; but, if the former refers to Herod 
 and Herodias and her daughter, the second 
 passage will also refer to them ; ^ for Herod 
 also seems to have joined in the vote that 
 Jesus should die, perhaps his wife also tak- 
 ing part with him in the plot against Him. 
 
 3. CONCERNING THE EPILEPTIC. 
 
 ' 'And when they were come to the multitude, 
 there came to Him a man k^ieeling to Him, 
 and saying, Lord, have m-ercy upon my son. " s 
 Those who are suffering, or the kinsfolk of 
 the sufferers, are along with the multitudes ; 
 wherefore, when He has dispensed the things 
 that were beyond the multitudes. He de- 
 scends to them, so that those, who were not 
 able to ascend because of the sicknesses that 
 repressed their soul, might be benefited 
 when the Word descended to them from the 
 loftier regions. But we ought to make in- 
 quiry, in respect of what diseases the suffer- 
 ers believe and pray for their own healing, 
 and in respect of what diseases others do 
 this for them, as, for example, the centurion 
 for his servant, and the nobleman for his 
 son, and the ruler of the synagogue for a 
 daughter, and the Canaanitish woman for 
 her female child who was vexed with a de- 
 mon, and now the man who kneels to Him 
 on behalf of his epileptic son. And along 
 with these you will investigate when the 
 Saviour heals of Himself and unasked by 
 any one, as for example, the paralytic ; for 
 these cures, when compared with one 
 another for this very purpose, and examined 
 together, will exhibit to him who is able to 
 hear "the wisdom of God hidden in a mys- 
 tery," -t many dogmas concerning the differ- 
 ent diseases of souls, -as well as the method 
 of their healing. 
 
 4. SPIRITUAL EPILEPTICS. 
 
 But since our present object is not to 
 make inquiry about every case, but about 
 the passage before us, let us, adopting a figu- 
 rative interpretation, consider who we may 
 say the lunatic was, and who was his father 
 who prayed for him, and what is meant by 
 the sufferer falling not constantly but oft- 
 times, sometimes into the fire, and some- 
 times into the water, and what is meant by 
 the fact that he could not be healed by the 
 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 12. 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 14, 15. 
 
 2 The text is uncertain. 
 * I Cor. ii. 7. 
 
 disciples but by Jesus Himself For if 
 every sickness and every infirmity, which 
 our Saviour then healed among the people, 
 refers to different disorders in souls, it is 
 also in accordance with reason that by the 
 paralytics are symbolised the palsied in soul, 
 who keep it l)nng paralysed in the body ; 
 but by those who are blind are symbolised 
 those who are blind in respect of things 
 seen by the soul alone, and these are really 
 blind; and by the deaf are symbolised those 
 who are deaf in regard to the reception of 
 the word of salvation. On the same princi- 
 ple it will be necessary that the matters re- 
 garding the epileptic should be investigated. 
 Now this affection attacks the sufferers at 
 considerable intervals, during which he who 
 suffers from it seems in no way to differ from 
 the man in good health, at the season when 
 the epilepsy is not working on him. Similar 
 disorders you may find in certain souls, 
 which are often supposed to be healthy in 
 point of temperance and the other virtues ; 
 then, sometimes, as if they were seized with 
 a kind of epilepsy arising from their pas- 
 sions, they fall down from the position in 
 which they seemed to stand, and are drawn 
 away by the deceit of this world and 
 other lusts. Perhaps, therefore, you would 
 not err if you said, that such persons, so to 
 speak, are epileptic spiritually, having been 
 cast down by ' ' the spiritual hosts of wicked- 
 ness in the heavenly places," ' and are often 
 ill, at the time when the passions attack 
 their soul ; at one time falling into the fire 
 of burnings, when, according to what is 
 said in Hosea, they become adulterers, like 
 a pan heated for the cooking from the 
 burning flame;* and, at another time, into 
 the water, when the king of all the dragons in 
 the waters casts them down from the sphere 
 where they appeared to breath freely, so that 
 they come into the depths of the waves of the 
 sea of human life. This interpretation of 
 ours in regard to the lunatic will be sup- 
 ported by him who says in the Book of Wis- 
 dom with reference to the even temperament 
 of the just man, "The discourse of a pious 
 man is always wisdom," but, in regard to 
 what we have said, "The fool changes as 
 the moon." ' And sometimes even in the 
 case of such you may see impulses which 
 might carry away in praise of them those 
 who do not attend to their want of bal- 
 last, so that they would say that it was 
 as full moon in their case, or almost full 
 moon. And you might see again the 
 lieht that seemed to be in them dim- 
 
 ^ Eph. vi. 12. 
 
 * H08. vii. 4. 
 
 ' Ecclus. xxvii. 11. 
 
478 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 inishing,— as it was not the light of day 
 but the light of night,— fading to so great 
 an extent, that the light which appeared to 
 be seen in them no longer existed. But 
 whether or not those who first gave their 
 names to things, on account of this gave the 
 name of lunacy to the disease epilepsy, you 
 vi'ill judge for yourself 
 
 5. THE DEAF AXD DUMB SPIRIT. 
 
 Now the father of the epileptic — perhaps 
 the angel to whom he had been allotted, 
 if we are to say that every human soul is 
 put in subjection to some angel — prays the 
 Physician of souls for his son that He may 
 heal him who could not be healed from his 
 disorder by the inferior word which was 
 in the disciples. But the dumb and deaf 
 spirit, who was cast out by the Word, must 
 be figuratively understood as the irrational 
 impulses, even towards that which seems to 
 be good, so that, what things any man once 
 did by irrational impulse which seemed to 
 onlookers to be good, he may do no longer 
 irrationally but according to the reason of 
 the teaching of Jesus. Under the inspiration 
 of this Paul also said, "If I have all faith 
 so as to remove mountains ; " ' for he, who 
 has all faith, which is as a grain of mustard 
 sced,^ removes not one mountain only, but 
 also several analogous to it ; for although 
 faith is despised by men and appears to be 
 something very little and contemptible ; 
 )'ct when it meets with good ground, that 
 is the soul, which is able tittingly to receive 
 such seed, it becomes a great tree, so that 
 no one of those things which have no wings, 
 but the birds of heaven which are winged 
 spiritually, are able to lodge in the branches 
 of faith so great.' 
 
 6. INFLUENCE OF THE MOON AND STARS ON MEN. 
 
 Let us now, then, give heed to the very 
 letter of the passage, and first let us inquire, 
 how he who has been cast into darkness 
 and repressed by an impure and deaf and 
 dumb spirit is said to be a "lunatic," and 
 for what reason the expression to be a 
 " lunatic " derives its name from the great 
 light in heaven which is next to the sun, 
 which God appointed "to rule over the 
 niglit. "4 Let physicians then, discuss the 
 physiology of the matter, inasmuch as they 
 think that there is no impure spirit in the 
 case, but a bodily disorder, and inquiring 
 into the nature of things let them say, that 
 the moist humours which are in the head 
 are moved by a certain sympathy which 
 
 ^ I Cor. xiii. 2. 
 
 " Cf. Matt. xiii. 31,32. 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 2o. 
 « Gen. i. 16. 
 
 they have with the light of the moon, which 
 has a moist nature ; but as for us, who also 
 believe the Gospel that this sickness is 
 viewed as having been effected by an im- 
 pure dumb and deaf spirit in those who suffer 
 from it, and who see that those, who are accus- 
 tomed like the magicians of the Egyptians 
 to promise a cure in regard to such, seem 
 sometimes to be successful in their case, 
 we will say that, perhaps, with the view of 
 slandering the creation of God, in order that 
 "unrighteousness may be spoken loftily, 
 and that they may set their mouth against 
 the heaven,"' this impure spirit watches 
 certain configurations of the moon, and so 
 makes it appear from observation of men 
 suffering at such and such a phase of the 
 moon, that the cause of so great an evil is 
 not the dumb and deaf demon, but the great 
 liglit in heaven which was appointed "to 
 rule by night," and which has no povi^er to 
 originate such a disorder among men. But 
 they all "speak unrighteousness loftily," as 
 many as say, that the cause of all the dis- 
 orders which exist on the earth, whether of 
 such generally or of each in detail, arises 
 from the disposition of the stars ; and such 
 have truly "set their mouth against the 
 heaven," when they say that some of the 
 stars have a malevolent, and others a bene- 
 volent influence ; since no star was formed 
 by the God of the universe to work evil, 
 according to Jeremiah as it is written in. the 
 Lamentations, "Out of the mouth of the 
 Lord shall come things noble and that 
 which is good."^ And it is probable that 
 as this impure spirit, producing what is 
 called lunacy, observes the phases of the 
 moon, that it may work on him who for 
 certain causes has been committed to it, 
 and who has not made himself worthy of 
 the guardianship of angels, so also there are 
 other spirits and demons who work at cer- 
 tain phases of the rest of the stars ; so that 
 not the moon only, but the rest of the stars 
 also may be calumniated by those "who 
 speak unrighteousness loftily." It is worth 
 while, then, to listen to the casters of nati- 
 vities, who refer the origin of every form of 
 madness and every demoniacal possession 
 tothephasesof the moon. That those, then, 
 whosufferfrom what is called lunacy some- 
 times fall into the water is evident, and that 
 they also fall into the fire, less frequently 
 indeed, yet it does happen ; and it is evi- 
 dent that this disorder is very difficult to 
 cure, so that those who have the power to 
 cure demoniacs sometimes fail in respect of 
 
 ' Ps. Ixxiii. S, q. 
 
 * Lam. iii. 3S. Origen reads ra KoAa instead of ra kokol. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 479 
 
 this, andsometimes with fastings and suppli- 
 cations and more toils, succeed. But you 
 will inquire whether there are such dis- 
 orders in spirits as well as in men ; so that 
 some of them speak, but some of them are 
 speechless, and some of them hear, but 
 some are deaf; for as in them will be found 
 the cause of their being impure, so also, be- 
 cause of their freedom of will, are they con- 
 demned t,o be speechless and deaf; for some 
 men will suffer such condemnation if the 
 prayer of the prophet, as spoken by the 
 Holy Spirit, shall be given heed to, in which 
 it is said of certain sinners, " Let the lying 
 lips be put to silence."' And so, perhaps, 
 those who make a bad use of their hearing, 
 and admit the hearing of vanities, will be 
 rendered deaf by Him who said, ' ' Who hath 
 made the stone-deaf and the deaf," ^ so that 
 they may no longer lend an ear to vain 
 things. 
 
 7. THE POWER OF FAITH. 
 
 But when the Saviour said, " O faithless 
 and perverse generalion," ^ He signifies that 
 wickedness, which is contrary to nature, 
 stealthily enters in from perversity, and 
 makes us perverted. But of the whole 
 race of men on earth, I think, being 
 oppressed by reason of their wickedness 
 and His tarrying with them, the Saviour 
 said, " How long shall I be with you .? " We 
 have already, then, spoken in part of the 
 words, "If ye have faith as a grain of mus- 
 tard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,"'* 
 etc. ; but nevertheless also we shall speak 
 in this place the things that appear to us 
 fitted to increase perspicuity. The moun- 
 tains hire spoken of, in my opinion, are 
 the hostile powers that have their being 
 in a flood of great wickedness, such as are 
 settled down, so to speak, in some souls of 
 men. Whenever, then, any one has all 
 faith so that he no longer disbelieves in any 
 things which are contained in the Holy 
 Scriptures, and has faith such as was that 
 of Abraham, who believed in God to such a 
 degree that his faith was counted for right- 
 eousness, he has all faith as a grain of mus- 
 tard seed ; then will such an one say to this 
 mountain — I mean, the dumb and deaf spirit 
 in him who is called lunatic, — "Remove 
 hence," clearly, from the man who is suffer- 
 ing, perhaps to the abyss, and it shall 
 remove. And the Apostle, taking, I think, 
 his starting-point from this place, says with 
 apostolical authority, " If I have all faith 
 
 so as to remove mountains,"' for not one 
 mountain merely, but also several analogous 
 to it, he removes who has all faith which is 
 as a grain of mustard-seed ; and nothing 
 shall be impossible to him who has so great 
 faith. ^ But let us also attend to this, "This 
 kind goeth not out save by prayer and fast- 
 ing," 3 in orderthat if at any time it is neces- 
 sary that we should be engaged in the heal- 
 ing of one suffering from such a disorder, 
 we may not adjure, nor put questions, nor 
 speak to the impure spirit as if it heard, but 
 devoting ourselves to prayer and fasting, 
 may be successful as we pray for the 
 sufferer, and by our own fasting may thrust 
 out the unclean spirit from him. 
 
 8. JESUS' PREDICTION OF HIS " DELIVERY " INTO 
 THE HANDS OF MEN. 
 
 "And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus 
 said unto them, The Son of ?nan shall be 
 delivered into the hands of men." ^ Andthese 
 things will appear to be of the same effect as 
 those, "that Jesus began to show unto His 
 disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem, 
 and suffer many things of the elders and 
 chief priests and scribes. "5 But it is not so; 
 for it is not the same thing "to show unto 
 the disciples that He must go unto Jeru- 
 salem, and suffer many things of the elders 
 and chief priests and scribes," and, after suf- 
 fering, "be killed," and, after being killed, 
 " be raised up on the third day," as that which 
 was said to them, when they were in 
 Galilee, — which we did not learn before, — 
 that the Son of man "would be delivered 
 up ; " for the being delivered up was not 
 mentioned above, but now also it is said 
 that " He is to be delivered up into the hands 
 of men." ' As forthese matters let us inquire 
 by what person or persons He will be 
 delivered up into the hands of men ; for 
 there we are taught of whom He will suffer, 
 and in what place He will suffer ; but here, 
 in addition, we learn that while His suffering 
 many things takes place at the hands of the 
 aforesaid, they are 'not the prime causes of 
 His suffering many things, but the one or 
 ones who delivered Him up into the hands 
 of men. For some one will say that the 
 Apostle, interpreting this, says with reference 
 to God, " He that spared not His own Son, 
 but delivered Him up for us all ; "' but the 
 Son also gave Himself to death for us, so 
 that He was delivered up, not only by the 
 Father but also by Himself But another 
 will say not merely that, but also collecting 
 
 > Ps. xxxi, 18. 
 * Matt. xvii. 17. 
 
 ' Exod. iv. II. 
 * Matt. xvii. 20. 
 
 ^ I Cor. xiii. 2. 
 * Matt. xvii. 22. 
 ' Rom. viii. 32. 
 
 * Matt. xvii. 20. 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 21. 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 21. 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 22. 
 
48o 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 the passages together, will say that the Son 
 is first delivered up by God, — then about to be 
 tempted, then to be in conflict, then to suffer 
 for men, or even for the whole world that 
 He might take away its sin,'— to the prince 
 of this age, and to the rest of its princes, and 
 then by" them delivered into the hands of 
 men who would slay Him. The case of 
 Job will be taken as an illustration. " Lo, 
 all that is his I give into thy hands, but do 
 not touch him;"^ thereafter, he was, as it 
 were, delivered up by the devil to his princes, 
 namely, to those who took prisoners of war, 
 to the horsemen, to the fire that came down 
 from heaven, to the great wind that came 
 from the desert and broke up his house. 3 
 But you will consider if, as he delivered up 
 the property of Job to those who took them 
 captive, and to the horsemen, so also he 
 delivered them up to a certain power, 
 subordinate to "the prince of the power 
 of the air, of the spirit that now worketh 
 in the sons of disobedience,"'' in order 
 that the fire which descended thence on the 
 sheep of Job might seem to fall from heaven, 
 to the man who announced to Job that 
 "fire fell from heaven, and burned up his 
 sheep, and consumed the shepherds like- 
 wise, "s And in the same way you will in- 
 quire whether also the sudden mighty wind, 
 that came down from the desert and assailed 
 the four corners of the dwelling, was one of 
 those which are under the devils to whom 
 the devil delivered up the banquet of the 
 sons and daughters of Job, that the house 
 might fall on the children of the just man, 
 and they might die. Let it be granted, 
 then, that, as in the case of Job, the Father 
 first delivered up the Son to the opposing 
 powers, and that then they delivered Him 
 up into the hands of men, among which 
 men Judas also was, into whom after the 
 sop* Satan entered, who delivered Him up 
 in a more authoritative manner than Judas. 
 But take care lest on comparing together the 
 delivering up of the Son by the Father to the 
 opposing powers, with the delivering up of 
 the Saviour by them into the hands of men, 
 you should think that what is called the de- 
 livermg up is the same in the case of both. 
 For understand that the Father in His love 
 of men delivered Him up for us all ; but the 
 opposing powers, when they delivered up 
 the Saviour into the hands of men, did not 
 intend to deliver Him up for the salvation 
 of some, but, as far as in them lay, since 
 none of them knew "the wisdom of God 
 
 ^ John i. 2g. 
 ' Eph. u. 2. 
 
 • Job i. 12. 
 
 " Job i. i5. 
 
 ■ Job i. 15-19. 
 " John xiii. 27. 
 
 which was hidden in a mystery,"' they 
 gave Him up to be put to death, that His 
 enemy death might receive Him under its 
 subjection, like those who die in Adam;' 
 and also the men who slew Him did so, as 
 they were moulded after the will of those who 
 wished indeed that Jesus should become sub- 
 ject to death. I have deemed it necessary 
 also to examine into these things, because 
 that when Jesus was delivered up into the 
 hands of men, He was not delivered up by 
 men into the hands of men, but by powers 
 to whom the Father delivered up His Son 
 for us all, and in the very act of His being 
 delivered up, and coming under the power 
 of those to whom He was delivered up, de- 
 stroying him that has the power of death ; 
 for "through death He brought to nought 
 him that hath the power of death, that is, 
 the devil, and delivered all them who 
 through fear of death were all their lifetime 
 subject to bondage." 3 
 
 9. SATAN AND THE "DELIVERY" OF JESUS. 
 
 Now we must think that the devil has the 
 power of death, — not of that which is com- 
 mon and indifferent, in accordance with 
 which those who are compacted of soul and 
 body die, when their soul is separated 
 from the body, — but of that death which 
 is contrary to and the enemy of Him who 
 said, ''I am the Life, "■* in accordance with 
 which "the soul that sinneth, it shall die."s 
 But that it was not God who gave Him up 
 into the hands of men, the Saviour mani- 
 festly declares when He says, " If My king- 
 dom were of this world, then would My ser- 
 vants fight that I should not be delivered to 
 the Jews."* For, when He was delivered 
 up to the Jews, He was delivered into the 
 hands of men, not by His own servants, but 
 by the prince of this age who says, concern- 
 ing the powers which are in the sphere of 
 the invisible, the kingdoms which are set 
 up against men, "All these things will I 
 give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and wor- 
 ship Me. " 7 Wherefore also we should 
 think that in regard to them it was said, 
 " The kings of the earth stood side by side, 
 and the rulers were gathered together 
 against the Lord and against His Christ."* 
 And those kings, indeed, and those rulers 
 stood side by side and were gathered 
 against the Lord and against His Christ ; 
 but we, because we have been benefited by 
 His being delivered by them into the hands 
 of men and slain, say, " Let us break their 
 
 1 I Cor. ii. 7, S 
 * John xiv. 6. 
 ' Matt. iv. 9. 
 
 ^ I Cor. XV. 22. 
 * Ezek. xviii. 4. 
 ' Pa. u. 3. 
 
 ^ Heb. ii. 14. 15. 
 * John xviii, 36. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 481 
 
 bonds asunder and cast away their yoke 
 from us.'''' For, when we become con- 
 formed to the death of Christ, we are no 
 longer under the bonds of the kings of the 
 earth, as we have said, nor under the yoke 
 of the princes of this age, who were gathered 
 together against the Lord. And, on this 
 account, "the Father spared not His own 
 Son, but delivered Him up for us all,"^ 
 that those, who took Him and delivered 
 Him up into the hands of men, might be 
 laughed at by Him vvho dwells in the hea- 
 vens, and might be derided by the Lord, in- 
 asmuch as, contrary to their expectation, it 
 was to the destruction of their own king- 
 dom and power, that they received from the 
 Father the Son, who was raised on the third 
 day, by having abolished His enemy 
 death, and made us conformed, not only 
 to the image of His death but also of 
 His resurrection ; through whom we walk 
 in newness of life, 3 no longer sitting "in 
 the region and shadow of death, "+ through 
 the light of God which has sprung up upon 
 us. But when the Saviour said, "The Son 
 of man shall be delivered up into the hands 
 of men, and they shall kill Him, and the 
 third day He shall rise again," they were 
 "exceeding sorry, "s giving heed to the fact 
 that He was about to be delivered up into 
 the hands of men, and that He would be 
 killed, as matters gloomy and calling for 
 sorrow, but not attending to the fact that 
 He would rise on the third day, as He 
 needed no longer time "to bring to nought 
 through death him that had the power of 
 death. "^ 
 
 10. CONCERNING THOSE WHO DEMANDED THE 
 HALt-SHEKEL. 
 
 "And when they were come to Capernaum, 
 they that received the half-shekel came to 
 Peter." ^ There are certain kings of the 
 earth, and the sons of these do not pay 
 toll or tribute ; and there are others, differ- 
 ent from their sons, who are strangers to the 
 kings 01 the earth, from whom the kings of 
 the earth receive toll or tribute. And among 
 the kings of the earth, their sons are free as 
 among fathers ; but those who are strangers 
 to them, while they are free in relation to 
 things beyond the earth, are as slaves in re- 
 spect of those who lord it over them and 
 keep them in bondage ; as the Egyptians 
 lorded it over the children of Israel, and 
 greatly afHicted their life and violently held 
 them in bondage.* It was for the sake of 
 
 those who were in a bondage, corresponding 
 to the bondage of the Hebrews, that the Son 
 of God took upon Him only the form of a 
 slave, ' doing no work that was foul or servile. 
 As then, having the form of that slave, He 
 pays toll and tribute not different from that 
 which was paid by His disciple ; for the 
 same stater sufficed, even the one coin which 
 was paid for Jesus and His disciple. But this 
 coin was not in the house of Jesus, but it 
 was in the sea, and in the mouth of a fish of 
 the sea which, in my judgment, was bene- 
 fited when it came up and was caught in 
 the net of Peter, who became a fisher of men, 
 in which net was that which is figuratively 
 called a fish, in order also that the coin with 
 the image of Csesar might be taken from it, 
 and that it might take its place among those 
 which were caught by them who have 
 learned to become fishers of men. Let him, 
 then, who has the things of Csesar render 
 them to Ctesar,^ that afterwards he may be 
 able to render to God the things of God. 
 But since Jesus, who was "the image of 
 the invisible God," ' had not the image of 
 Cffisar, for " the prince of this age had noth- 
 ing in Him,"-* on this account He takes 
 from its own place, the sea, the image of 
 Csesar, that He may give it to the kings of 
 the earth for Himself and His disciple, so 
 that those who receive the half-shekel might 
 not imagine that Jesus was the debtor of 
 them and of the kings of the earth ; for He 
 paid the debt, not having taken it up, nor 
 having possessed it, nor having acquired it, 
 nor at any time having made it His own 
 possession, so that the image of Csesar might 
 never be along with the image of the invis- 
 ible God. 
 
 II. THE FREEDOM OF SONS. 
 
 And this may be put in another way. 
 There are some who are kings' sons on 
 the earth, and yet they are not sons of those 
 kings, but sons, and sons absolutely ; but 
 others, because of their being strangers to 
 the sons of the kings of the earth, and sons 
 of no one of those upon the earth, but on 
 this very account are sons, whether of God or 
 of Plis Son, or of some one of those who are 
 God's. If, then, the Saviour inquires of 
 Peter, saying, " The kings of the earth from 
 whom do they receive toll or tribute — from 
 their own sons or from strangers? " 5 and 
 Peter replies not from their own sons, but 
 "from strangers," then Jesus says about 
 such as are strangers to the kings of the 
 
 • Ps. ii. 3. 
 
 • Matt. iv. t6. 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 24. 
 
 "* Rm. viii. 32. 
 
 5 Matt. xvii. 22, 23. 
 
 *Exod. i. 13, 14. 
 
 ■ Rom. vi. 4. 
 ° Heb. ii. 14. 
 
 > Phil. ii. 7. 
 * John xiv. 31. 
 
 2 Mark xii. 77; Luke xx. 25. 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 25. 
 
 » Col. i. 15. 
 
482 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 earth, and on account of being free are sons, 
 "Therefore the sons are free;"' for the 
 sons of the kings of the earth are not free, 
 since "every one that committeth sin is the 
 bond-servant of sin," ^ but they are free who 
 abide in the trutli of the word of God, 
 and on tliis account, Itnow the truth, that 
 they also may become free from sin. If, 
 any one then, is a son simply, and not in this 
 matter wholly a son of the kings of the earth, 
 he is free. And nevertheless, though he is 
 free, he takes care not to oflend even the 
 kings of the earth, and their sons, and those 
 who receive the half-shekel ; wherefore He 
 says, " Let us not cause them to stumble, 
 but go thou and cast thy net, and take up 
 the fish that first cometh up, "3 etc. But I 
 would inquire of those who are pleased to 
 make myths about different natures, of what 
 sort of nature they were, whether the kings 
 of the earth, or their sons, or those who 
 receive the half-shekel, whom the Saviour 
 does not wish to offend ; it appears of 
 a verity, ex hypoihesi, that they are not of a 
 nature worthy of praise, and yet He took 
 heed not to cause them to stumble, and He 
 prevents any stumbling-block being put in 
 their way, that they may not sin more griev- 
 ously, and that with a view to their being 
 saved — if they will — even by receiving Him 
 who has spared them from being caused to 
 stumble. And as in a place verily of con- 
 solation, — for such is, by interpretation, 
 Capernaum, — comforting the disciple as 
 being both free and a son. He gives to him 
 the power of catching the fish first, that 
 when it came up Peter might be comforted 
 by its coming up and being caught, and by 
 the stater being taken from its mouth, in 
 order to be paid to those whose the stater 
 was, and who demanded as theirown such a 
 piece of money. 
 
 12. THE STATER ALLEGORIZED. 
 
 But you might sometimes gracefully ap- 
 ply the passage to the lover of money, who 
 has nothing in his mouth but things about 
 silver, when you behold him healed by some 
 Peter, who takes the stater, which is the 
 symbol of all his avarice, not only from his 
 mouth and words, but from his whole char- 
 acter. For you will say that such an one was 
 in the sea, and in the bitter affairs of life, 
 and in the waves of the cares and anxieties 
 of avarice, having the stater in his mouth 
 when he was unbelieving and avaricious, 
 but that he came up from the sea and was 
 caught in the rational net, and being bene- 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 26. 
 
 ^ John vUi. 34. 
 
 » Matt. xvii. 27. 
 
 fited by some Peter who has taught him 
 the truth, no longer has the stater in his 
 mouth, but in place of it those things which 
 contain His image, the oracles of God. 
 
 13. THE SACRED HALF-SHEKEL. 
 
 Moreover to the saying, "They that 
 received the half-shekel came to Peter,"' 
 you will adduce from Numbers that, for the 
 saints according to the law of God, is paid 
 not a half-shekel simply, but a sacred half- 
 shekel. For it is written, '' And thou shalt 
 take five shekels per head, according to the 
 sacred half-shekel." ^ But also on behalf of 
 all the sons of Israel is given a sacred half- 
 shekel per head. Since then it was not pos- 
 sible for the saint of God to possess along 
 with the sacred half-shekels the profane 
 shekels, so to speak, on this account, to 
 them who do not receive the sacred half- 
 shekels, and who asked Peter and said, 
 " Doth not your master pay the half-shekel ? " 
 the Saviour commands the stater to be paid, 
 in which was the half-shekel which was 
 found in the mouth of the first fish that came 
 up, in order that it might be given for the 
 Teacher and the disciple. 
 
 14. CONCERNING THOSE WHO SAID, WHO IS THE 
 GREATEST ? AND CONCERNING THE CHILD 
 THAT WAS CALLED BY JESUS. 
 
 " In that day came the disciples unto Jesus 
 saying, Who then is g?'eatest in the kingdom 
 0/ heaven r"" ^ In order that we might be 
 taught what it was that the disciples came 
 to Jesus and asked to learn of Him, and 
 how He answered to their inquiry, Matthew, 
 though he might have given an account of 
 this very thing only, has added, according 
 to some manuscripts, " In that hour the dis- 
 ciples came unto Jesus," but, according to 
 others, " In that day ; " and it is necessary 
 that we should not leave the meaning of the 
 evangelist without examination. Where- 
 fore giving attention to the words preceding 
 " in that day," or "hour," let us see if it is 
 possible from them to find a way to under- 
 stand, as being necessary, the addition, "in 
 that day, " or "hour." Jesus then had come 
 to Capernaum along with His disciples, 
 where "they that received the half-shekel 
 came to Peter," and asked and said, "Doth 
 not your Master pay the half-shekel?" 
 Then, when Peter answered and said to 
 them, Yea, Jesus giving further a defence 
 with reference to the giving of the half- 
 shekel, sends Peter to drag up the fish into 
 the net, in the mouth of which He said that 
 
 ' Matt. xvii. 24. 
 
 ^ Num. iii. 47. 
 
 " Matt, xviii. i. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 483 
 
 a stater would be found which was to be 
 given for Himself and Peter. It seems to 
 me, then, that thinking that this was a very- 
 great honour which had been bestowed on 
 Peter by Jesus, who judged that he was 
 greater than the rest of His friends, they 
 wished to learn accurately the truth of their 
 suspicion, by making inquiry of Jesus and 
 hearing from Him, whether, as they sup- 
 posed. He had judged that Peter was greater 
 than they ; and at the same time also they 
 hoped to learn the ground on which Peter 
 had been preferred to the rest of the dis- 
 ciples. Matthew then, I think, wishing to 
 make this plain, has subjoined to the words 
 "that take" — the stater, to-wit — "and give 
 unto them for thee and me," the words, " In 
 that day came the disciples unto Jesus, say- 
 ing, Who then is the greatest in the kingdom 
 of heaven ? " ' And, perhaps, they were 
 also in doubt because of the preference 
 which had been given to the three at the 
 transfiguration, and they were in doubt 
 about this— which of the three was judged 
 by the Lord to be greatest. For John 
 reclined on His breast through love, and 
 we may conclude that before the Sup- 
 per they had seen many tokens of special 
 honour given by Jesus to John ; but Peter 
 on his confession was called blessed in their 
 hearing, because of his saying, "Thou art 
 the Christ, the Son of the living God ; "^ but 
 again because of the saying, "Get thee be- 
 hind Me, Satan ; thou art a stumbling-block 
 unto Me, for thou mindest not the things of 
 God but the things of men,"' they were dis- 
 tracted in mind as to whether it was not he 
 but one of the sons of Zebedee, that was the 
 greatest. So much for the words " in that 
 day" or "hour," on which took place the 
 matters relating to the stater. 
 
 15. GREATNESS VARIES IN DEGREE. 
 
 But next we must seek to understand this : 
 the disciples came to Him, as disciples to 
 a teacher proposing difficult questions, and 
 making inquiry, Who then is greatest in the 
 kingdom of heaven ? ■• And, in this respect, 
 we must imitate the disciples of Jesus; for 
 if, at any time, any subject of investigation 
 among us should not be found out let us go 
 with all unanimity in regard to the question 
 in dispute to Jesus, who is present where two 
 or three are gathered together in His name,5 
 and is ready by His presence with power to 
 illumine the hearts of those who truly desire 
 to become Plis disciples, with a view to 
 
 ^ Matt, xvii. 27; xviii. i. 
 
 • Matt. xvi. 23. * Matt, xviii. i. 
 
 * Matt. xvi. 16, 17. 
 ^ Matt, xviii. 20. 
 
 their apprehension of the matters under in- 
 quiry. And likewise it would be nothing 
 strange for us to go to anyof those who have 
 been appointed by God as teachers in the 
 church, and propose any question of a like 
 order to this, "Who, then, is greatest in the 
 kingdom of heaven ? " What, then, was 
 already known to the disciples of the mat- 
 ters relating to this question ? And what 
 was the point under inquiry ? That there is 
 not equality in regard to those who are 
 deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven 
 they had apprehended, and that, as there 
 was not equality, some one was greatest, 
 and so in succession down to the least ; 
 but of what nature was the greatest, and 
 what was the way of life of him who was 
 the least, and who occupied the middle 
 position, they further desired to know ; un- 
 less, indeed, it is more accurate to say that 
 they knew who was least from the words, 
 " VVhosoever shall break one of these least 
 commandments, and shall teach men so, 
 shall be called least in the kingdom of 
 heaven ; " but who was the greatest of all 
 they did not know, even if they had grasped 
 the meaning of the words, "Whosoever 
 shall do and teach them, the same shall be 
 called great in the kingdom of heaven ; " ' 
 for as there were many great, it was not 
 clear to them who was the greatest of the 
 great, to use a human standard. And that 
 many are great, but the great not equally 
 great, will be manifest from the ascription 
 of the epithet "great" to Isaac, "who 
 waxed great, and became exceedingly 
 great, "^ and from what is said in the case 
 of Moses, and John the Baptist, and the Sa- 
 viour. And every one will acknowledge 
 that even though all these were great ac- 
 cording to the Scripture, yet the Saviour 
 was greater than they. But whether John 
 also (than whom there was no greater 
 among those born of women), 3 was greater 
 than Isaac and Moses, or whether he was 
 not greater, but equal to both, or to one of 
 them, it would be hazardous to declare. 
 And from the saying, "But Isaac, waxing 
 great, became greater,"^ until he became 
 not simply great, but with the twice re- 
 peated addition, "exceedingly," we may 
 learn that there is a difference among the 
 great, as one is great, and another exceed- 
 ingly great, and another exceedingly ex- 
 ceedingly great. The disciples, therefore, 
 came to Jesus and sought to learn, who was 
 the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ; and 
 perhaps they wished to learn, hearing from 
 
 ^ Matt. V. 19. 
 
 * Gen. xxvi. 13. 
 
 ' Matt. xi. 1 1, 
 
484 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 Him sometimes like this, "A certain one is 
 greatest in tlie Icingdom of heaven ; " but 
 He gives a universal turn to the discourse, 
 showing what was the quality of him who 
 was greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 
 Let us seek to understand, from what is 
 written, to the best of our ability, who this 
 is. "For Jesus called a little child," ' etc. 
 
 1 6. WHY THE GREAT ARE COMPARED TO LITTLE 
 CHILDREN. 
 
 But first we may expound it in simple 
 fashion. One, expounding the word of the 
 Saviour here after the simple method, might 
 say that, if any one vi'ho is a man mortifies 
 the lusts of manhood, putting to death by 
 the spirit the deeds of the body, and ' ' always 
 bearing about in the body the putting to death 
 of Jesus," ^ to such a degree that he has 
 the condition of the little child who has not 
 tasted sensual pleasures, and has had no 
 conception of the impulses of manhood, 
 then such an one is converted, and has 
 become as the little children. And the 
 greater the advance he has made towards 
 the condition of the little children in regard 
 to such emotions, by so much the more 
 as compared with those who are in training 
 and have not advanced to so great a height of 
 self-control, is he the greatest in the king- 
 dom of heaven. But that which has been 
 said about little children in respect of lust- 
 ful pleasures, the same might also be said 
 in regard to the rest of the affections and 
 infirmities and sicknesses of the soul, into 
 which it is not the nature of little children 
 to fall, who have not yet fully attained 
 to the possession of reason ; as, for example, 
 that, if any one be converted, and, though 
 a man, such an one becomes as a child in 
 respect of anger ; and, as is the child in 
 relation to grief, so that sometimes he 
 laughs and plays at the very time that his 
 father or mother or brother Is dead, he who 
 is converted would become such an one as 
 little children ; and, having received from 
 the Word a disposition incapable of grief, so 
 that he becomes like the little child in re- 
 gard to grief. And the like you will say 
 about what is called pleasure, in regard to 
 which the wicked are irrationally lifted up, 
 from which little children do not suffer, nor 
 such as have been converted and become 
 as little children. As, then, it has been ac- 
 curately demonstrated also by others, that 
 no passion is incident to the little children 
 who have not yet attained to full possession 
 
 * Matt, xviii. 2. 
 
 * 2 Cor. iv. 10. 
 
 of reason ; and if no passion, clearly fear 
 also ; but, if there be anything corresponding 
 to the passions, these are faint, and very 
 quickly suppressed, and healed in the case 
 of little children, so that he is worthy of 
 love, who, being converted as the little chil- 
 dren, has reached such a point as to have, as 
 it were, his passions in subjection like the lit- 
 tle children. And with regard to fear, there- 
 fore, similar things to those spoken might 
 be conceived, that the little children do not 
 experience the fear of the wicked, but a 
 different thing, to which those who have an 
 accurate knowledge of questions in regard 
 to the passions and their names give the 
 name of fear ; as, for example, in the case 
 of children there is a forgetfulness of their 
 evils at the very time of their tears, fot 
 they change in a moment, and laugh and 
 play along with those who were thought to 
 grieve and terrify them, but in truth had 
 wrought in them no such emotion. So too, 
 moreover, one will humble himself like the 
 little child which Jesus called ; for neither 
 haughtiness, nor conceit in respect of noble 
 birth, or wealth, or any of those things which 
 are thought to be good, but are not, comes 
 to a little child. Wherefore you may see 
 those who are not altogether infants, up to 
 three or four years of age, like to those who 
 are of mean birth, though they may seem 
 to be of noble birth, and not appearing at 
 all to love rich children rather than the poor. 
 If, therefore, in the same way as according 
 to their age children are affected towards 
 those passions which exalt the senseless, 
 the disciple of Jesus under the influence of 
 reason '■ has humbled himself like the little 
 child which Jesus showed, not being exalted 
 because of vainglory, nor puffed up on the 
 ground of wealth, or raiment, nor elated be- 
 cause of noble birth, in particular are they 
 to be received and imitated in the name of 
 Jesus, who have been converted as the Word 
 showed, like the little child which Jesus 
 took to Him ; since especially in such the 
 Christ is, and therefore He says, " Whoso- 
 ever shall receive one such little child in My 
 name receiveth Me. "^ 
 
 17. THE LITTLE ONES AND THEIR STUMBLING- 
 BLOCKS. 
 
 But it is a hard task to expound what fol- 
 lows in logical harmony with what has 
 already been said ; for one might say, how is 
 it that he v\'ho is converted and has become 
 as the little children, is a little one among 
 such as believe in Jesus, and is capable 
 
 » Or, the Word. 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 5. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 485 
 
 of being caused to stumble? And likewise 
 let us attempt to explain this coherently. 
 Every one that gives his adherence to Jesus 
 as the Son of God according to the true his- 
 tory concerning Him, and by deeds done 
 according to the Gospel, is on the way to 
 living the life which is according to virtue, 
 is converted and is on the way towards be- 
 coming as the little children ; and it is im- 
 possible for him not to enter into the 
 kingdom of heaven. There are, indeed, 
 many such ; but not all, who are converted 
 with a view to becoming like the little 
 children, have reached the point of being 
 made hke unto little children ; but each 
 wants so much of the likeness to the little 
 children, as he falls short of the disposition 
 of little children towards the passions, of 
 which w,e have spoken. In the whole 
 multitude, then, of believers, are also those 
 who, having been, as it v/ere, just converted 
 in regard to their becoming as the little 
 children, at the very point of their conver- 
 sion that they may become as the little 
 children, are called little ; and those of 
 them, who are converted that they may 
 become as the little children, but fall far 
 short of having truly become as the little 
 children, are capable of being caused to 
 stumble ; each of whom falls so far short of 
 the likeness to them, as he falls short of the 
 disposition of children towards the passions, 
 of which we have spoken, to whom we 
 ought not to give occasions of stumbling- 
 block ; but, if it be otherwise, he who has 
 caused him to stumble will require, as con- 
 tributing towards his cure, to have "an 
 ass's millstone hanged about his neck, and 
 be sunk into the depths of the sea." ' For, 
 in this way, when he has paid the due pen- 
 alty in the sea, where is "the dragon which 
 God formed to play in it," ^ and, so far as is 
 expedient for the end in view, has been 
 punished and undergone suffering, he shall 
 then 3 have his part in those troubles which 
 belong to the depths of the sea, which he 
 endured when he was dragged down by the 
 ass's millstone. For there are also differ- 
 ences of millstones, so that one of them 
 may be, so to call it, the millstone of a 
 man, and another that of an ass ; and that 
 is human, about which it is written, "Two 
 women shall be grinding at the mill; one 
 is taken and one is left;"'' but the mill- 
 stone of the ass is that which shall be put 
 round him who has given occasion of stum- 
 bling-block. But some one might say — I 
 
 ' Matt, xviii.fi. ' Ps. civ. 26. 
 
 3 Or, be free from. The Vetus Inter, has ^^ extra dolores" 
 It has had eJu instead of efij5. * Matt. xxiv. 41. 
 
 know not whether he would speak soundly 
 or erroneously — that the ass's millstone is 
 the heavy body of the wicked man, which 
 is sunken downwards, and vi^hich he vi'ill 
 receive at the resurrection that he may be 
 sunk in the abyss which is called the depth 
 of the sea, where " is the dragon which God 
 formed to play therein." ' But another will 
 refer the creating of a stumbling-block to 
 one of the little ones to the powers that 
 are unseen by men ; for from these arise 
 many stumbling-blocks to the little ones 
 pointed out by Jesus. But when they cause 
 to stumble one of the little ones pointed out 
 by Jesus, who are believers in Him, he shall 
 assume an ass's millstone, the corruptible 
 body which presses heavily on the soul, 
 which is itself hung from the neck, which is 
 dragged down to the affairs in this life, that 
 by means of these their conceit may be 
 taken away, and having paid the penalty, 
 they shall come, through means of the ass's 
 millstone, to the condition expedient for 
 them. 
 
 18. WHO WAS THE LITTLE CHILD CALLED BY 
 
 JESUS. 
 
 Now another interpretation different from 
 what is called the simpler may be uttered; 
 whether as dogma, or for the sake of exer- 
 cise, so to speak, let us also inquire what was 
 the little child who was called by Jesus and 
 set in the midst of the disciples. Now con- 
 sider if you can say that the little child, 
 whom Jesus called, was the Holy Spirit who 
 humbled Himself, when He was called by 
 the Saviour, and set in the midst of the reason 
 of the disciples of Jesus; if, indeed, Hewishes 
 us, being turned away from everything else, 
 to be turned towards the examples suggested 
 by the Holy Spirit, so that we may so be- 
 come as the little children, who are them- 
 selves also turned and likened to the Holy 
 Spirit ; which little children God gave to the 
 Saviour, according to what is said in Isaiah, 
 "Behold, I and the little children which 
 God has given to me. "^ And it is not 
 possible for any one to enter into the king- 
 dom of heaven, who has not been turned 
 away from the affairs of this world, and 
 made like unto the little children who pos- 
 sess the Holy Spirit ; which Holy Spirit was 
 called by Jesus, and, descending from His 
 own perfection to men as a little child, was 
 set by Jesus in the midst of the disciples. 
 It is necessary, then, for him who has 
 turned away from the desires of this world 
 to humble himself not simply as the little 
 child, but, according to what is written, 
 
 * Ps. civ. 26. 
 
 ' Psa. viii. 18. 
 
486 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 "as this little child."' But to humble one- 
 self as that little child is to imitate the Holy- 
 Spirit, who humbled Himself for the salva- 
 tion of men. Now, that the Saviour and the 
 Holy Spirit were sent by the Father for the 
 salvation of men has been declared m Isaiah, 
 in the person of the Saviour, saying-, "And 
 novif the Lord hath sent me and His Spirit." ^ 
 You must know, however, that this expres- 
 sion is ambig-uous ; for either God sent, but 
 also the Holy Spirit sent, the Saviour ; or, 
 as we have taken it, the Father sent both — 
 the Saviour and the Holy Spirit. He, there- 
 fore, who has humbled himself more than 
 all those who have humbled themselves in 
 imitation of that little child, is the g-reatest 
 in the kingdom of heaven. For there are 
 many who are willing to humble themselves 
 as that little child ; but the man, who in every 
 respect has become like to the little child 
 who humbled himself, in the name of Jesus 
 — especially in Jesus Himself, — in reality, 
 would be found to be he who is named 
 greater than all in tlie kingdom of heaven. 
 But as he receives Jesus, whosoever receives 
 one such of the little children in His name, 
 so he rejects Jesus and casts Him out, who 
 does not wish to receive one such little child 
 in the name of Jesus. But if, also, there is 
 a difference in those who are deemed worthy 
 of the Holy Spirit, as believers receive more 
 or less of the Holy Spirit, there would be 
 some little ones among those who believe 
 in God who can be made to stumble : to 
 avenge whose being made to stumble the 
 Word says, with reference to those who 
 had caused them to stumble, "It is profit- 
 able for him that an ass's millstone should 
 be hanged about his neck, and that he 
 should be sunk in the depth of the sea. "3 
 Let these things be said in regard to the 
 passage of Matthew before us. 
 
 19. THE PARALLEL PASSAGES IN MARK AND 
 LUKE. 
 
 But let us consider also the like account 
 in the other Evangelists. Mark, 4 then, says, 
 that the Twelve reasoned in the way as to 
 which of them was the greatest. Where- 
 fore He sat down, and called them, and 
 teaches who is the greatest, saying, that he 
 who became last of all by means of his 
 moderation and gentleness, would as the 
 greatest obtain the first place, so that he 
 did not receive the place of one who was 
 being ministered unto, but the place of one 
 who ministered, and that not to some but 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 4. 
 ' Matt, xviii. 6. 
 
 ' Isa. xlviii. 16. 
 * MaA ix. 33, 34. 
 
 not to others, but to all absolutely ; for at- 
 tend to the words, " If any man would be 
 first he shall be last of all, and minister of 
 all."' Andnext to that He says, that "He," 
 — Jesus to-vi'it — "took a little child, and 
 set him in the midst of His own disciples, 
 and taking him in His arms, He said unto 
 them, Whosoever shall receive one of the 
 little children in My name receiveth Me."' 
 But what was the little child which Jesus 
 took and placed in His arms, according to 
 the deeper meaning in the passage ? Was» 
 it the Holy Spirit.' And to this little child, 
 indeed, some were likened, of whom He 
 said, " Whosoever shall receive one of such 
 little children in My name receiveth Me.'' 
 According to Luke, however, the reasoning 
 did not arise spontaneously in the disciples, 
 but was suggested to them by the question, 
 " which of them should be greatest. " 3 And 
 Jesus, seeing the reasoning of their heart, as 
 He had eyes that see the reasonings of hearts, 
 — seeing the reasoning of their heart, — with- 
 out being questioned, according to Luke, 
 " took the little child and set him," not in 
 the midst alone, as Matthew and Mark have 
 said, but now, also, "by His side,'' and said 
 to the disciples, not only, " Whosoever shall 
 receive one such little child," or, "Whoso- 
 ever shall receive one of such little ones in 
 My name receiveth Me," but, now going 
 even a step higher, "Whosoever shall re- 
 ceive this little child in My name receiveth 
 Me."-* It is necessary, therefore, according 
 to Luke, to receive in the name of Jesus that 
 very little child which Jesus took and placed 
 by His side. And I knovi^ not if there be 
 any one who can interpret figuratively the 
 word, "Whosoever shall receive this little 
 child in My name." For it is necessary that 
 each ofus should receive in the name of Jesus 
 that little child which Jesus then took and 
 set by His side ; for he lives as immortal, 
 and we must receive him from Jesus Him- 
 self in the name of Jesus ; and without being 
 separated from him, Jesus is with him 
 who receives the little child, so that accord- 
 ing to this it is said, " Whosoever shall re- 
 ceive this little child in My name receiveth 
 Me." Then, since the Father is inseparable 
 from the Son, He is with him who receives 
 the Son. Wherefore it is said, "And who- 
 soever shall receive Me receives Him that 
 sent Me. "5 But he who has received the 
 little child, and the Saviour, and Him that 
 sent Him, is least of all the disciples of 
 Jesus, making himself little. But, so far as 
 
 * Mark ix. 35. 
 
 * Luke ix. 47, 48. 
 
 ^ Mark ix. 36, 37. 
 ' Luke ix. 48. 
 
 * Luke ix. 46. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 487 
 
 he belittles himself, to that extent does he 
 become great ; as that very thing, which 
 caused him the more to make himself little, 
 contributes to his advance in greatness ; 
 for attend to what is said, " He that is least 
 among you all the same is great ; " but in 
 other manuscripts we read, "The same 
 shall be great." Now, according to Luke, 
 " If any one shall not receive the kingdom 
 of God as the little child, he shall in no wise 
 enter therein."' And this expression is am- 
 biguous ; for either it means that he who 
 receives the kingdom of God may become 
 as a little child, or, that he may receive the 
 kingdom of God, which has become to him 
 as a little child. And perhaps here those 
 who receive the kingdom of God receive it, 
 when it is as a little child, but in the world 
 to come no longer as a little child ; and they 
 receive the greatness of the perfection in the 
 spiritual manhood, so to speak, which per- 
 fection is manifested to all who in the pre- 
 sent time receive it, when it is here as a 
 little child. 
 
 20. THE WORLD AND OFFENCES. VARIOUS MEAN- 
 INGS OF WORLD. 
 
 " Woe unto the world because of occasions 
 of stumbling." '^ The expression "cosmos," 
 is used in itself and absolutely in the pas- 
 sage, "He was in the cosmos and the 
 cosmos knew Him not," 3 but it is used 
 relatively and in respect of its connection 
 with that of which it is the cosmos, in 
 the words, " Lest you look up to the heaven, 
 and seeing the sun, and the moon, and 
 all the cosmos of the heavens, you should 
 stray and bow down to them and worship 
 them."* And the like you will find in the 
 Book of Esther, spoken about her, when it is 
 written, stripping off all her "cosmos." 5 For 
 the word "cosmos," simply, is not the same 
 as the " cosmos " of heaven, or the " cosmos " 
 of Esther; and this which we are now in- 
 vestigating is another. I think, then, that the 
 world is not this compacted whole of 
 heaven and earth according to the Divine 
 Scriptures, but only the place which is 
 round about the earth, and this is not to be 
 conceived in respect of the whole earth, but 
 only in respect of ours which is inhabited ; 
 for the true light "was in the world," that 
 is, in the place which is around, conceived 
 in relation to our part of the earth ; "and the 
 world knew Him not,"* that is, the men in 
 
 ' Luke xviii. 17. ' Matt, xviii. 7. 
 
 * John i. 10. * Deut. iv. 19. 
 
 " Lomm., foUowinK Huet. refers to Esther (The addition to 
 Esther, xiv. 2). But the word xtja/xo; does not occur in this passage. 
 See Judith x. 4; i Mace. ii. 11. 
 
 ^ John i. 10. 
 
 the region round about, and perhaps also the 
 powers that have an affinity to this place. 
 For it is monstrous to understand by the 
 world here the compacted whole formed of 
 heaven and earth, and those in it ; so that it 
 could be said, that the sun and moon and 
 the choir of the stars and the angels in all 
 this world, did not know the true light, and, 
 though ignorant of it, preserved the order 
 which God had appointed for them. But 
 when it is said by the Saviour in the prayer 
 to the Father, "And, now, glorify me, O 
 Father, with Thine own self, with the glory 
 which I had with Thee before the world 
 was,"' )'ou must understand by the "world," 
 that which is inhabited by us on the earth ; 
 for it was from this world that the Father 
 gave men to the Son, in regard to whom 
 alone the Saviour beseeches His Father, 
 and not for the whole world of men. More- 
 over, also, when the Saviour says, " And I 
 come to thee and am no longer in the 
 world," ^ He speaks of the terrestrial 
 world; for it is not to be supposed that He 
 spoke things contradictory when He said, 
 " And I come to thee, and I am no longer 
 in the world," and "I am in the world." 
 But also in this, "And these things I speak 
 in the world," ° we must think of the place 
 round about the earth. And this is clearly 
 indicated also by the words, "And the 
 world hated them, because they are not of 
 the world." ■• For it hated us from the time 
 when we no longer "look at the things 
 which are seen, but at the things which are 
 not seen," 5 because of the teaching of 
 Jesus ; not the world of heaven and earth 
 and them that are therein, all compacted to- 
 gether but the men on the earth along 
 with us. And the saying, "They are not of 
 the world," * is equivalent to, They are not of 
 the place round about the earth. And so 
 also the disciples of Jesus are not of this 
 world, as He was not of the world. And 
 further also the saying, "That the world 
 may believe that Thou hast sent Me," ^ twice 
 spoken in the Gospel according to John, 
 does not refer to the things that are superior 
 to men, but to men who need to believe 
 that the Father sent the Son into the world 
 here. Yea, and also in the Apostle, "Your 
 faith is proclaimed in the whole world. " * 
 
 21. THE "woe" does NOT APPLY TO THE DIS- 
 CIPLES OF JESUS. 
 
 But if there is woe unto men everywhere 
 on the earth, because of occasions of stum- 
 
 ^ John xvii. 5. 
 * John xvii. 14. 
 ^ John xvii. 21, 23. 
 
 • John xvii. 11. 
 » 2 Cor. iv. 18. 
 « Rom. 1. 8. 
 
 ' John xvii. 13. 
 ' John xvii. 21. 
 
488 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 bling to those who are laid hold of by them ; 
 but the disciples are not of the world, as 
 they do not look at thing-s seen, like as the 
 Master is not of this world ; to no one of the 
 disciples of Jesus does the " woe because of 
 occasions of stumbling- " appl}^ since "great 
 peace have they who love the law of God, 
 and there is to them no occasion of stumb- 
 ling." ' But if any one seems to be called a 
 disciple, but yet is of the world, because of his 
 loving the world, and the things therein, — 
 I mean, the life in the place round about 
 the earth, and the property in it, or the pos- 
 sessions, or any form of wealth whatsoever, 
 — so that the saying-, "they are not of the 
 world," ^ does not fit him ; to him, as being- 
 really of the world, shall come that which hap- 
 pens to the world, the "woe, because of occa- 
 sions of stumbling." But let him who wishes 
 to avoid this woe not be a lover of life, but let 
 him say w^ith Paul, " ' ' The world is crucified 
 unto me, and I unto the world. "^ For the 
 saints while "in the tabernacle, do groan 
 being burdened " ^ with ' ' the body of humi- 
 liation," and do all things that they may 
 become worthy to be found in the mystery 
 of the resurrection, when God shall fashion 
 anew the bod}^ of humiliation not of all, but 
 of those who have been truly made disciples 
 to Christ, so that it may be conformed to 
 the body of the glory of Christ, s For as 
 none of the "woes" happen to any of the 
 disciples of Christ, so does not this " woe, 
 because of occasions of stumbling ; " for, 
 supposing that thousands of occasions 
 should arise, they shall not touch those who 
 are no longer of the world. But if any one, 
 because of his faith wanting ballast, and the 
 instability of his submission in regard to the 
 Word of God, is capable of being caused to 
 stumble, let him know that he is not called 
 by Jesus His disciple. Now we must sup- 
 pose that so many stumbling-blocks come, 
 that, as a result, the woes extend not to 
 some parts of the earth, but to the whole 
 "world" which is in it. 
 
 22. WHAT THE "OCCASIONS OF STUMBLING " ARK. 
 
 "And it must needs he that occasions of 
 stumbling come," ^ which I take to be dif- 
 ferent from the men by whom they come. 
 The occasions then which come are an army 
 of the devil, his angels, and a wicked band 
 of impure spirits, which, seeking out instru- 
 ments through whom they will work, often 
 find men altogether strangers to piety, and 
 sometimes even some of those who are 
 
 ' Ps. crix. 165. 
 * 2 Cor. V. 4, 
 
 * John xvii. 16. 
 " PhU. iii. lu 
 
 » Gal. vi. 14. 
 " Matt, xviii. 7. 
 
 thought to believe the Word of God, for 
 whom exists a worse woe than that which 
 comes to him who is caused to stumble, just 
 as also it shall be more tolerable for Tyre 
 and Sidon in the day of judgment, ' than for 
 the places where Jesus did signs and won- 
 ders, and yet was not believed. But as one 
 might undertake to make a collection from 
 the Scriptures of those who are pronounced 
 blessed, and of the things in respect of 
 which they are so called, so also he might 
 undertake to do with the woes which are 
 written, and those in whose case the woes 
 are spoken. But that the woe is worse in 
 the case of him who causes to stumble, than 
 in him who is made to stumble, you may 
 prove by the passage, "Whoso shall cause 
 to stumble one of these little ones which 
 believe in Me, it is profitable for him," ^ etc. ; 
 for, while the little one who is made to 
 stumble receives retribution from him who 
 caused him to stumble, it is expedient that 
 the severe and intolerable punishment which 
 is written should befall the man who has 
 caused the stumbling. But if we were to 
 give more careful consideration to these 
 things, we should be on our guard against 
 sinning against the brethren, and womiding 
 their conscience when it is weak, lest we 
 sin against Christ ; ^ as often our brethren 
 about us, " for whom Christ died," perish, 
 not only through our knowledge, but also 
 through some other causes connected with 
 us ; in the case of whom, we, sinning against 
 Christ, shall pay the penalty, the soul of 
 them who perish through us being required 
 of us. 
 
 23. IN -WHAT SENSE "NECESSARY." 
 
 Next we must test accurately the mean- 
 ing of the word "necessity" in the pas- 
 sage, "For there is a necessity that the occa- 
 sions come," 4 and to the like effect in Luke, 
 " It is ' inadmissible ' but that occasions of 
 stumbling should come,"^ instead of " im- 
 possible." And as it is necessary that that 
 which is mortal should die, and it is impos- 
 sible but that it should die, and as it must 
 needs be that he v^'ho is in the body should 
 be fed, for it is impossible for one who is 
 not fed to live, so it is necessary and impos- 
 sible but that occasions of stumbling should 
 arise, since there is a necessity also that 
 wickedness should exist before virtue in 
 men, from which wickedness stumbling- 
 blocks arise ; for it is impossible that a man 
 should be found altogether sinless, and who, 
 
 * Matt. xi. 22. 
 
 * Matt xviii. 7. 
 
 * Matt, xviii. 6. 
 ' Luke xviii 1, 
 
 ' I Cor. viil, II, II, 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 489 
 
 without sin, has attained to virtue. For 
 the wickedness in the evil powers, which is 
 the primal source of the wickedness among 
 men, is altogether eager to work through 
 certain instruments against the men in the 
 world. And perhaps also the wicked powers 
 are more exasperated when they are cast 
 out by the word of Jesus, and their worship 
 is lessened, their customary sacrifices not 
 being offered unto them ; and there is a ne- 
 cessity that these offences come ; but there 
 is no necessity that they should come 
 through any particular one ; wherefore the 
 "woe" falls on the man through whom the 
 stumbling-block comes, as he has given a 
 place to the wicked power whose purpose it 
 is to create a stumbling-block. But do not 
 suppose that by nature, and from constitu- 
 tion, there are certain stumbling-blocks 
 which seek out men through whom they 
 come; for as God did not make death, so 
 neither did He create stumbling-blocks ; but 
 free-will begot the stumbling-blocks in some 
 who did not wish to endure toils for virtue. 
 
 24. THE OFFENDING HAND, OR FOOT, OR EYE. 
 
 And it is well, then, if the eye and the 
 hand are deserving of praise, that the eye 
 cannot with reason say to the hand, " 1 have 
 no need of thee."' But if any one in the 
 whole body of the congregations of the 
 church, who because of his practical gifts 
 has the name of hand, should change and 
 become a hand causing to stumble, let the 
 eye say to such a hand, " I have no need of 
 thee," and, saying it, let him cut it off and 
 cast it from him.' And so it is well, if any 
 head be blessed, and the feet worthy of the 
 blessed head, so that the head observing the 
 things which are becoming to itself, may not 
 be able to say to the feet, " I have no need 
 of you." If, however, any foot be found to 
 become a stumbling-block to the whole 
 body, let the head say to such a foot, "I 
 have no need of thee," and having cut it off, 
 let him cast it from himself; for even it is 
 much better that the rest of the body should 
 enter into life, wanting the foot or the hand 
 which caused the stumbling-block, rather 
 than, when the stumbling-block has spread 
 over the whole body, it should be cast into 
 the hell of fire with the two feet or the two 
 hands. And so it is well, that he who can 
 become the eye of the whole body should 
 be worthy of Christ and of the whole body ; 
 but if such an eye should ever change, and 
 become a stumbling-block to the v/hole 
 body, it is well to take it out and cast it 
 
 > Cor. xU. 21. 
 
 ' Matt. xviU. 8 
 
 outside the whole body, and that the rest of 
 the body without that eye should be saved, 
 rather than that along with it, when the 
 whole body has been corrupted, the whole 
 body should be cast into the hell of fire. ' For 
 the practical faculty of the soul, if prone to 
 sin, and the walking faculty of the soul, so 
 to speak, if prone to sin, and the faculty of 
 clear vision, if prone to sin, may be the hand 
 that causes to stumble, and the foot that 
 causes to stumble, and the eye that causes 
 to stumble, which things it is better to cast 
 away, and having put them aside to enter 
 into life without them, like as one halt, or 
 maimed, or one-eyed, rather than along with 
 them to lose the whole soul. And likewise 
 in the case of the soul it is a good and 
 blessed thing to use its power for the 
 noblest ends ; but if we are going to lose 
 one for any cause, it is better to lose the 
 use of it, that along with the other powers 
 we may be saved. 
 
 25. THE EYE OR HAND ALLEGORIZED. 
 
 And it is possible to apply these words 
 also to our nearest kinsfolk, who are our 
 members, as it were ; being considered to 
 be our members, because of the close rela- 
 tionship ; whether by birth, or from any 
 habitual friendship, so to speak ; whom we 
 must not spare if they are injuring our soul. 
 For let us cut off from ourselves as a hand 
 or a foot or an eye, a father or mother who 
 wishes us to do that which is contrary to 
 piety, and a son or daughter who, as far as 
 in them lies, would have us revolt from the 
 church of Christ and the love of Him. But 
 even if the wife of our bosom, or a friend 
 who is kindred in soul, become stumbling- 
 blocks to us, let us not spare them, but let 
 us cut them out from ourselves, and cast 
 them outside of our soul, as not being truly 
 our kindred but enemies of our salvation ; 
 for "whosoever hates not his father, and 
 mother,"^ and the others subjoined, when 
 it is the fitting season to hate them as 
 enemies and assailants, that he may be 
 able to win Christ, this man is not worthy 
 of the Son of God. And in respect of these 
 we may say, that from a critical position 
 any lame one, so to speak, is saved, when 
 he has lost a foot— say a brother — and alone 
 obtains the inheritance of the kingdom of 
 God ; and a maimed one is saved, when 
 his father is not saved, but they perish, 
 while he is separated from them, that he 
 alone may obtain the benedictions. And 
 so also any one is saved with one eye, who 
 
 ^ Cf. Matt, xviii. 9. 
 
 * Luke xiv. 26. 
 
49° 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 has cut out the eye of his own house, his 
 wife, if she commit fornication, lest having 
 two eyes he may go away into the hell of 
 fire. 
 
 26. THE LITTLE ONES AND THEIR ANGELS. 
 
 " See tJiatye despise not one of these liitle 
 ones." ' It seems to me that as among the 
 bodies of men there are differences in point 
 of size, — so that some are little, and others 
 great, and others of middle height, and, 
 an-ain, there are differences among the little, 
 as they are more or less little, and the same 
 holds of the great, and of those of middle 
 height, — so also among the souls of men, 
 there are some things which give them the 
 stamp of littleness, and other things the 
 stamp of greatness, so to speak, and gener- 
 ally, after the analogy of things bodily, 
 other things the stamp of mediocrity. But in 
 the case of bodies, it is not due to the action 
 of men but to the spermatic principles, that 
 one is short and little, another great, and 
 another of middle height ; but in the case 
 of souls, it is our free-will, and actions of 
 such a kind, and habits of such a kind, that 
 furnish the reason why one is great, or little, 
 or of middle height ; and it is of our free- 
 will either by advancing in stature to in- 
 crease our size, or not advancing to be 
 short. And so indeed I understand the 
 words about Jesus having assumed a human 
 soul, "Jesus advanced;"^ for as from the 
 free-will there was an advance of His soul 
 in wisdom and grace, so also in stature. 
 And the Apostle says, "Until we all attain 
 unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of 
 the stature of the fulness of Christ ; " 3 for 
 we must think that he attains unto a man, 
 and that full-grown, according to the inner 
 man, who has gone through the things of 
 the child, and has reached the stage of the 
 man, and has put away the things of the 
 child, and generally, has perfected the things 
 of the man.-t And so we must suppose that 
 there is a certain measure of spiritual stature 
 unto which the most perfect soul can attain 
 by magnifying the Lord, and become great. 
 Thus, then, these became great, of whom 
 this is written, Isaac, and Moses, and John, 
 and the Saviour Himself above all; for also 
 about Him Gabriel said, " He shall be 
 great ; "^ but the little ones are "the new- 
 born babes which long for the reasonable 
 milk which is without guile,"* such as 
 stand in need of nursing-fathers and nurs- 
 ing-mothers, spoken of in Isaiah when he 
 
 r Matt, xviii. to. 
 * Cf. 1 Cor. xiii. ii 
 
 ' Luke ii. 52. 
 " Luke i. 32. 
 
 * Eph. iv. 13. 
 ° I Pet. ii. 2. 
 
 says, about the calling from the Gentiles, 
 "And they shall bring the sons in the 
 bosom, and take their daughters on the 
 shoulders, and kings shall be thy nursing- 
 fathers and their princesses thy nursing- 
 mothers."' For these reasons you will, 
 then, attend to the vi^ord, "Do not despise 
 one of these little ones," ^ and consider 
 whether it is their angels who bring them 
 in their bosom, since they have become 
 sons, and also take on their shoulders what 
 are called daughters, and whether from 
 them are the nursing- fathers who are called 
 kings, and the nursing-mothers who are 
 called princesses. And since the little ones, 
 pointed out by our Saviour, are under the 
 stevi'ardship as of nursing-fathers and nurs- 
 ing-mothers, on this account I think that 
 iVIoses, who believed that he had been al- 
 ready assigned a place among the ranks of 
 the great, said, with regard to the promise, 
 " My angel shall go before you," 3 " If thou 
 thyself do not go along with me, carry me 
 not up hence. "■» For though the little one 
 even be an heir, yet as being a child he 
 differs nothing from a servant when he is a 
 child,s and to the extent to which he is little 
 "has the spirit of bondage to fear ;"^ but 
 he who is not at all any longer such has 
 no longer the spirit of bondage, but already 
 the spirit of adoption, when "perfect love 
 casteth out fear ;" '' it will be plain to thee, 
 how that according to these things " the 
 angel of the Lord" is said "to encamp 
 round about them that fear Hiin, and to 
 save them."^ But you will consider, ac- 
 cording to these things also, whether these 
 are indeed angels of the little ones "who 
 are led by the spirit of bondage to fear," 
 " when the angel of the Lord encamps 
 round about them that fear Him and deliv- 
 ereth them ; " but of the great, whether it 
 is the Lord who is greater than the angels, 
 who might say about each of them, " I am 
 with him in affliction ; " 9 and, so long as 
 we are imperfect, and need one to assist us 
 that we may be delivered from evils, we 
 stand in need of an angel of whom Jacob 
 said, "The angel who delivered me from 
 all the evils ; " '° but, when we have become 
 perfected, and have passed through the 
 stage of being subject to nursing-fathers 
 and nursing-mothers and guardians and 
 stewards," we are meet to be governed by 
 the Lord Himself. 
 
 * Isa. xlix. 22, 23. 
 
 * Exod. xxxiii. 15. 
 ^ r John iv. 18. 
 
 ^° Gen. xlviii. 16. 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 1 
 ' Gal. iv. I. 
 " Ps. xxxiv. 7. 
 " Gal. iv. 4. 
 
 ^ Exod. xxxii. 34. 
 " Rom. viii. 15. 
 * Ps. xci. 15. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 491 
 
 27. WHEN THK LITTLE ONES ARE ASSIGNED TO 
 ANGELS. 
 
 Then again one might inquire at what 
 time those who are called their angels as- 
 sume guardianship of the little ones pointed 
 out by Christ ; whether they received this 
 commission to discharge concerning them, 
 from what time " by the laver of regenera- 
 tion," ' through which they were born 
 "as new-born babes, they long for the 
 reasonable milk which is without guile," ^ 
 and no longer are in subjection to any 
 wicked power ; or, whether from birth 
 they had been appointed, according to the 
 foreknowledge and predestination of God, 
 over those whom God also foreknew, and 
 foreordained to be conformed to the glory 
 of the Christ. 3 And with reference to the 
 view that they have angels from birth, one 
 mightquote, "He who separated me from my 
 mother's womb," -t and, " From the womb of 
 my mother thou hast been my protector," 5 
 and, " He has assisted me from my mother's 
 womb,"* and, "Upon thee I was cast from 
 my mother, "7 and in the Epistle of Jude, "To 
 them that are beloved in God the Father 
 andare kept for Jesus Christ, being called," ^ 
 — kept completely by the angels who keep 
 them. 
 
 28. CLOSE RELATIONSHIP OF ANGELS TO THEIR 
 ' ' LITTLE ONES. " 
 
 With reference to the words, " When 
 through the Iccoer I became a child in Christ,'"^ 
 it may be said, that there is no holy angel 
 present with those who are still in wicked- 
 ness, but that during the period of unbelief 
 they are under the angels of Satan ; '° but, 
 after the regeneration, He who has redeemed 
 us with His own blood consigns us to a 
 holy angel, who also, because of his pur- 
 ity, beholds the face of God. And a third 
 exposition of this passage might be some- 
 thing like the following, which would say, 
 that as it is possible for a man to change 
 from unbelief to faith, and from intemper- 
 ance to temperance, and generally from 
 wickedness to virtue, so also it is possible 
 that the angel, to whom any soul has been 
 entrusted at birth, may be wicked at the 
 first, but afterwards may at some time be- 
 lieve in proportion as the man believes, and 
 may make such advance that he may be- 
 come one of the angels who always behold 
 
 > Tit. iii. 5. » I Pet. ii. 2. 
 
 « Gal. i. 15. 5 Ps. Ixxi. 6. 
 
 ' Ps. xxii. Jo. * Jude i. 
 
 '" The text is perhaps corrupt. 
 
 ■ Rom. viii. 29. 
 * Pa. cxxxix. 13. 
 »Cf. Tit. iii. 5 I Pet. a. 2. 
 
 the face of the Father in heaven,' begin- 
 ning from the time that he is yoked 
 along with the man who was foreknown 
 and foreordained to believe at that time, the 
 judgments of God, which are unspeakable 
 and unsearchable and like to the depths, 
 fitly bringing together all this harmonious 
 relationship — angels with men. And it may 
 be that as when a man and his wife are 
 both unbelievers, sometimes it is the man 
 who first believes and in time saves his 
 wife, and sometimes the wife who begins 
 and afterwards in time persuades her hus- 
 band, so it happens with angels and with 
 men. If, however, anything of this kind 
 takes place in the case of other angels or 
 not, you may seek out for yourself. But 
 consider whether it may not be appropriate 
 to say something of this kind in regard to 
 each angel who is so honoured according to 
 the word of the Saviour, that he is said 
 to behold always the face of the Father who 
 is in heaven. But since in what we said 
 above, that the little ones have angels, but 
 that the great have passed beyond such a 
 position, some one will quote in opposition 
 to us from the Acts of the Apostles, where it is 
 written, that a certain maid Rhoda, when 
 Peter knocked at the door, came to answer, 
 and recognizing the voice of Peter, ran 
 in and announced that Peter stood before 
 the gate ; but when they who were gathered 
 together in the house wondered, and thought 
 that it was quite impossible that Peter verily 
 stood before the gate, they said. It is his 
 angel.' For the objector will say that, as 
 they had learned once for all that each of 
 the believers had some definite angel, they 
 knew that Peter also had one. But he, 
 who adheres to what we have previously 
 said, will say that the word of Rhoda was 
 not necessarily a dogma, and perhaps also 
 the word of those who did not accurately 
 know, when one as being little and God- 
 fearing is governed by angels, and when 
 now by the Lord Himself. After this, in 
 order to establish our conception of the little 
 one which we have brought forward, it will 
 be said that we need no command about 
 " not despising " in the case of the great, 
 but we do need it in the case of the little ; 
 wherefore it is not merely said, "Do not de- 
 spise one of these," pointing to all the dis- 
 ciples, but " one of these little ones," 3 pointed 
 out by Him, who sees the littleness and the 
 greatness of the soul. 
 
 » Matt. iwiU. lo. 
 
 * Acts xii. 13-15. 
 
 * Matt, xviii. lo. 
 
492 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 29. THE LITTLE ONES AND THE PERFECT. 
 
 But another mig-ht say that the perfect 
 man is here called little, applying the word, 
 "For he that is least among- you all, the 
 same is great," ' and will affirm that he who 
 humbles himself and becomes a child in the 
 midst of all that believe, though he be an 
 apostle or a bishop, and becomes such "as 
 when a nurse cherisheth her own children, " ^ 
 is the little one pointed out by Jesus, 
 and that the angel of such an one is worthy 
 to behold the face of God. For to say that 
 the little are here called perfect, according 
 to the passage, "He that is least among 
 you all, the same is great, "3 and as Paul 
 said, "Unto me who am less than the 
 least of all saints was this grace given,"* 
 will seem to be in harmony with the saying, 
 " Whoso shall cause one of these little ones 
 to stumble," s and "So it is not the will of 
 My Father in heaven, that one of these little 
 ones should perish." * For he, as has been 
 stated, who is now little, could not be made 
 to stumble nor perish, for "great peace 
 have they who love the law of God, and 
 there is no stumbling-block to them ;" ' and 
 he could not perish, who is least of all 
 among all the disciples of Christ, and on this 
 account becomes great ; and, since he could 
 not perish, he could say, "Who shall 
 separate us from the love," ^ etc. But he 
 who wishes to maintain this last exposition 
 will say that the soul even of the just man 
 is changeable, as Ezekiel also testifies, say- 
 ing, that the righteous man may abandon 
 the commandments of God, so that his 
 former righteousness is not reckoned unto 
 him ; 9 wherefore it is said, "Whoso shall 
 cause to stumble one of these little ones, "s 
 and, " It is not the will of My Father which 
 is in heaven that one of these little ones 
 should perish."* 
 
 [As for the exposition of the matters relat- 
 ing to "the hundred sheep," you may con- 
 sult the homilies on Luke. ">] 
 
 30. THE SINNING BROTHER. 
 
 "If thy brother sin against thee, go, shew 
 him his fault between thee and him alone." '" 
 He, then, who attends closely to the 
 expression, in proof of the surpassing phi- 
 lanthropy of Jesus, will say, that as the 
 words do not suggest a difference of sins, 
 they will act in a singular manner and con- 
 trary to the goodness of Jesus, who supply 
 the thought, that these words are to be 
 understood as being limited in their appli- 
 
 ' Luke ix, 4S. = i Thess. !i. 7. 
 
 ' Epll. iii, 8. ' Matt, xviii. 6. 
 
 ' Ps. cxix. 165. " Rom. viii. 35. 
 
 '" Matt, xviii. 12-14. " Matt, xviii. 15. 
 
 ' Luke ix. 48. 
 " Matt, xviii. 14. 
 ^ Ezek. xxxiii. 12. 
 
 cation to lesser sins. But another, also at- 
 tending closely to the expression, and not 
 wishing to introduce these extraneous 
 thoughts, nor admitting that it is spoken 
 about every sin, will say, that he who 
 commits those great sins is not a brother, 
 even if he be called a brother, as the Apostle 
 says, " If any one that is named a brother 
 be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, 
 etc., with such an one not to eat ; " ' for no 
 one who is an idolater, or a fornicator, or 
 covetous, is a brother ; for if he, who 
 seems to bear the name of Christ, though 
 he is named a brother, has something 
 of the features of these, he would not 
 rightly be called a brother. As then he, 
 who says that such words are spoken about 
 every sin, whether the sin be murder, or 
 poisoning, or peederasty, or anything of that 
 sort, would give occasion of injury to the ex- 
 ceeding goodness of Christ, so, on the con- 
 trary, he who distinguishes between the 
 brother and him who is called the brother, 
 might teach that, in the case of the least of 
 the sins of men, he who has not repented 
 after the telling of the fault is to be reckoned 
 as a Gentile and a publican, for sins which 
 are "not unto death, "^ or, as the law has 
 described them in the Book of Numbers, not 
 " death-bringing. "3 This would seem to 
 be very harsh ; for I do not think that any 
 one will readily be found who has not been 
 censured thrice for the same form of sin, 
 say, reviling, with which revilers abuse 
 their neighbours, or those who are carried 
 away by passion, or for over-drinking, or 
 lying and idle words, or any of those things 
 which exist in the masses. You will 
 inquire, therefore, whether any observation 
 of the passage has escaped the notice of 
 those, who are influenced by their conception 
 of the goodn ess of the Word, an d grant pardon 
 to those who have committed the great- 
 est sins, as well as of those who teach that, 
 in the case of the very least sins, he is to be 
 reckoned as a Gentile and a publican, mak- 
 ing him a stranger to the church, after he 
 has committed three very trivial transgres- 
 sions. But the following seems to me to 
 have been overlooked by both of them, 
 namely, the words, "Thou hast gained thy 
 brother."* It is assigned by the Word to 
 him only who heard, and He no longer ap- 
 plies it in the case of him who has stumbled 
 twice or thrice and been censured ; but that 
 which was to be said about him who was 
 censured twice or thrice, corresponding to 
 
 * I Cor. V. II. 
 ' Num. xviii. 22. 
 
 * I John V. 16. 
 
 * Matt, xviii. 15. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 493 
 
 the saying:, " Thouhast gained thy brother," 
 He has left in the air, so to speak. He is not, 
 therefore, altogether gained, nor will he 
 altogether perish, or he will receive stripes. 
 And attend carefully to the first passage, 
 "If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy 
 brother," and to the second passage, which 
 is literally, "If he hear thee not, take with 
 thyself one or two more, that at the mouth 
 of two or three witnesses every word may 
 be established. " ' What, then, will happen 
 to him who has been censured for the 
 second time, after every word has been es- 
 tablished by two or three witnesses, He has 
 left us to conceive. And, again, "If he refuse 
 to hear them "• — -manifestly, the witnesses 
 who have been taken — "tell it," he says, 
 " to the church ; " * and He does not say 
 what he will suffer if he does not hear the 
 church, but He taught that if he refused 
 to hear the church, then he who had 
 thrice admonished, and had not been heard, 
 was to regard him for the future as the 
 Gentile and the publican.' Therefore he is 
 not altogether gained, nor will he altogether 
 perish. But what at all he will suffer, who 
 at first did not hear, but required witnesses, 
 or even refused to hear these, but was 
 brought to the church, God knows ; for we 
 do not declare it, according to the precept, 
 "Judge not that ye be not judged," -t " until 
 the Lord come, who will both bring to light 
 the hidden things of darkness and make 
 manifest the counsels of the hearts, "s But, 
 with reference to the seeming harshness in 
 the case of those who have committed less 
 sins, one might say that it is not possible 
 for him who has not heard twice in succes- 
 sion to hear the third time, so as, on this 
 account, no longer to be as a Gentile or a 
 publican, or no longer to stand in need of 
 the censure in presence of all the church. 
 For we must bear in mind this, " So it is not 
 the will of My Father in heaven that one of 
 these little ones should perish. " * For if ' ' we 
 must all stand before the judgment-seat of 
 Christ, that each one may receive the things 
 done in the body, according to what he hath 
 done, whether it be good or bad," ^ let each 
 one with all his power do what he can so 
 that he may not receive punishment for 
 more evil things done in the body, even if 
 he is going to receive back for all the wrongs 
 which he has done ; but it should be our 
 ambition to procure the reward for a greater 
 number of good deeds, smce "with what 
 measure we mete, it shall be measured to 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 15, 
 • Matt. vii. I. 
 ' 2 Cor. V. 10. 
 
 • Matt, xviii. 17. 
 
 • I Cor. iv. 5. 
 
 • Matt, xviii. 17. 
 ^ Matt, xviii, 14. 
 
 us,'" and, "according to the works of our 
 own hands shall it happen unto us,"^ and 
 not in infinite wise, but either double or 
 sevenfold shall sinners receive for their sins 
 from the hand of the Lord ; since He does 
 not render unto any one according to the 
 works of his hands, but more than that which 
 he has done, for "Jerusalem," as Isaiah 
 taught, " received from the hand of the Lord 
 double for her sins ; " 3 but the neighbours of 
 Israel, whoever they may be, will receive 
 sevenfold, according to the following expres- 
 sion in the Psalms, "Render unto our neigh- 
 bours sevenfold into their bosom the re- 
 proach with which they have reproached 
 Thee, O Lord."'* And other forms of pay- 
 ment in return could be found, which, if we 
 apprehend, we shall know that to repent 
 after any sin, whatever its greatness, is ad- 
 vantageous, in order that, in addition to our 
 not being punished for more offences, there 
 may be some hope left to us concerning good 
 deeds done afterwards at some time, even 
 though, before them, thousands of errors 
 have been committed by any one of us. For 
 it would be strange that evil deeds should be 
 reckoned to any one, but the better which 
 are done after the bad should profit nothing ; 
 which may also be learned from Ezekiel,5 
 by those who pay careful consideration to 
 the things said about such cases. 
 
 31. THE POWER TO BIND ON EARTH AND IN 
 
 HEAVEN. 
 
 But to me it seems that, to the case of him 
 who after being thrice admonished was ad- 
 judged to be as the Gentile and the publican, 
 it is fitly subjoined, " Verily, I say unlo you," 
 — namely, to those who have judged any one 
 to be as the Gentile and the publican, — " and 
 what things soever ye shallhind on the earth, " *> 
 etc.; for with justice has he, who has thrice 
 admonished and not been heard, bound him 
 who is judged to be as a Gentile and a 
 publican ; wherefore, when such an one is 
 bound and condemned by one of this char- 
 acter, he remains bound, as no one of those 
 in heaven overturns the judgment of the man 
 who bound him. And, in like manner, he 
 who was admonished once for all, and did 
 things worthy of being gained, having been 
 set free by the admonition of the man who 
 gained him, and no longer bound by the 
 cords of his own sins,' for which he was ad- 
 monished, shall be adjudged to have been 
 set free by those in heaven. Only, it seems 
 to be indicated that the things, which above 
 
 ' Matt. 'vii. 2. 
 * Ps. Ixxix. 12 
 ^ Prov. V. 22 
 
 * Isa. iii. II. 
 ' £zek, xxxiii. 
 
 * Isa. xl. 2. 
 ■ Matt. xviii,i8 
 
494 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 were granted to Peter alone, are here given 
 to all who give the three admonitions to all 
 that have sinned ; so that, if they be not 
 heard, they will bind on earth him who is 
 judged to be as a Gentile and a publican, as 
 such an one has been bound in heaven. But 
 since it was necessary, even if something in 
 common had been said in the case of Peter 
 and those who had thrice admonished the 
 brethren, that Peter should have some ele- 
 ment superior to those who thrice ad- 
 monished, in the case of Peter, this saying 
 " I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom 
 of the heavens," ' has been specially set be- 
 fore the words, "And what things soever ye 
 shall bind on earth," etc. And, indeed, if 
 we were to attend carefully to the evan- 
 gelical writings, we would also find here, 
 and in relation to those things which seem 
 
 to be common to Peter and those who have 
 thrice admonished the brethren, a great dif- 
 ference and a pre-eminence in the things 
 said to Peter, compared with the second 
 class. For it is no small difference that 
 Peter received the keys not of one heaven 
 but of more, and in order that whatsoever 
 things he binds on the earth may be bound 
 not in one heaven but in them all, as com- 
 pared with the many who bind on earth and 
 loose on earth, so that these things are 
 bound and loosed not in the heavens, as in 
 the case of Peter, but in one only ; for they 
 do not reach so high a stage, with power as 
 Peter to bind and loose in all the heavens." 
 The better, therefore, is the binder, so much 
 more blessed is he who has been loosed, so 
 that in every part of the heavens his 
 loosing has been accomplished. 
 
 BOOK XIV. 
 
 I. THE POWER OF HARMONY IN RELATION TO 
 PRAYER. 
 
 "Again I say wito you that if two of you 
 shall agree ^ on earth as touching anything 
 that they shall ask, it shall be done for them. " 3 
 The word symphony is strictly applied to 
 the harmonies of sounds in music. And 
 there are indeed among musical soundssome 
 accordant and others discordant. But the 
 Evangelic Scripture is familiar with the name 
 as applied to musical matters in the passage, 
 " He heard a symphony and dancing. " 4 For 
 it was fitting that when the son who had been 
 lost and found came by penitence into con- 
 cord with his father a symphony should 
 be heard on the occasion of the joyous 
 mirth of the house. But the wicked Laban 
 was not acquainted with the word sym- 
 phony in his saying to Jacob, "And if thou 
 hadst told me I would have sent thee away 
 with mirth and with music and with drums 
 and a harp. "5 But akin to the symphony 
 of this nature is that which is written in the 
 second Book of Kings when "the brethren 
 of Aminadab went before the ark, and David 
 and his son played before the Lord on in- 
 struments artistically fitted with might and 
 with songs; "6 for the instruments thus 
 fitted with might and with songs, had in 
 themselves the musical symphony which is 
 
 " Matt. xvi. 19. 
 * Luke XV. 25. 
 
 * Gen. xxxi. 27. 
 
 ' Matt, ivlii. 19. 
 * 2 Saiu. vi. 4, 5. 
 
 so powerful that when two only, bring along 
 with the symphony which has relation to 
 the music that is divine and spiritual, 
 a request to the Father in heaven about 
 anything whatsoever, the Father grants 
 the request to those who ask along with 
 the symphony on earth, — which is most 
 miraculous, — those things which those who 
 have made the symphony spoken of may 
 have asked. So also I understand the 
 apostolic saying "Defraud ye not one 
 the other except it be by agreement for a 
 season that ye may give yourselves unto 
 prayer."^ For since the word harmony is 
 applied to those who marry according to 
 God in the passage from Proverbs which is 
 as follows : "Fathers will divide their house 
 and substance to their sons, but from God 
 thewoman is married to the man," 3 it is a 
 logical consequence of the harmony being 
 from God, that the name and the deed 
 should enjoy the agreement with a view to 
 prayer, as is indicated in the word, "unless 
 it be by agreement." t Then the Word re- 
 peating that the agreeing of two on the 
 earth is the same thing as the agreeing with 
 Christ, adds, "For where two or three are 
 gathered together in My name."5 There- 
 fore the two or three who are gathered to- 
 gether in the name of Christ are those who 
 are in agreement on earth, not two only 
 
 ; Matt. xvi. 19. > , Cor. vii. 5. « Prov. xix. 14, ipudf<Tai- 
 ' 1 Cor. v». J. » Matt, iviii. 20. »(i(*"ieTai 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 495 
 
 but sometimes also three. But he who has 
 the power will consider whether this agree- 
 ment and a congregation of this sort in the 
 midst of which Christ is, can be found in 
 more, since "narrow and straightened is 
 the way that leadeth unto life, and few be 
 they that find it." ' But perhaps also not 
 even few but two or three make a sym- 
 phony as Peter and James and John, to 
 whom as making a symphony the Word of 
 God showed His own glory. But two made 
 a symphony, Paul and Sosthenes, when 
 writing the first Epistle to the Corinthians ; ^ 
 and after this Paul and Timothy when send- 
 ino- the second Epistle to the same.s And 
 even three made a symphony when Paul 
 and Silvanus and Timothy gave instruction 
 by letter to the Thessalonians.* But if it be 
 necessary also from the ancient Scriptures 
 to bring forward the three who made a sym- 
 phony on earth, so that the Word was in 
 the midst of them making them one, attend 
 to the superscription of the Psalms, as for 
 example to that of the forty-first, which is as 
 follows: "Unto the end, unto understand- 
 ing, for the sons of Korah."s For though 
 there were three sons of Korah whose names 
 we find ill the Book of Exodus, ^ Aser, which 
 is, by interpretation, " instruction," and the 
 second Elkana, which is translated, "pos- 
 session of God," and the third Abiasaph, 
 which in the Greek tongue might be ren- 
 dered, "congregation of the father," yet the 
 prophecies were not divided but were both 
 spoken and written by one spirit, and 
 one voice, and one soul, which wrought 
 with true harmony, and the three speak as 
 one, "As the heart panteth after the springs 
 of the water, so panteth my soul after thee, 
 O God."' But also they say in the plural 
 in the forty-fourth Psalm, "O God, we have 
 heard with our ears." But if you wish 
 still further to see those who are making 
 symphony on earth look to those who heard 
 the exhortation, "that ye may be perfected 
 together in the same mind and in the same 
 judgment," 9 and who strove after the goal, 
 "the soul and the heart of all the believers 
 were one," '° who have become such, if it be 
 possible for such a condition to be found 
 in more than two or three, that there is 
 no discord between them, just as there is 
 no discord between the strings of the ten- 
 stringed psaltery with each other. But they 
 were not in symphony in earth who said, "I 
 am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of 
 
 Cephas, and I of Christ," ' but there were 
 schisms among them, upon the dissolution 
 of which they were gathered together in 
 company with the spirit in Paul, with the 
 power of the Lord Jesus Christ,^ that they 
 might no longer " bite and devour one an- 
 other so that they were consumed by one an- 
 other;" 3 for discord consumes, as concord 
 brings together, and admits -• the Son of God 
 who comes in the midst of those who have be- 
 come at concord. And strictly, indeed, 
 concord takes place in two things generic, 
 through the perfecting together, as the Apostle 
 has called it, of the same mind by an intel- 
 lectual grasp of the same opinions, and 
 through the perfecting together of the same 
 judgment, by a like way of living. But if 
 whenever two of us agree on earth as touch- 
 ing anything that they shall ask, it shall be 
 done for them of the Father of Jesus who is 
 in heaven, 5 plainly when this is not done for 
 them of the Father in heaven as touching any- 
 thing that they shall ask, there the two have 
 not been in agreement on earth ; and this is 
 the cause why we are not heard when we 
 pray, that we do not agree with one another 
 on earth, neither in opinions nor in life. But 
 further also if we are the body of Christ and 
 God hath set the members each one of them 
 in the body that the members may have 
 the same care one for another, and may 
 agree with one another, and when one 
 member suffers, all the members suffer with 
 it, and if one be glorified, they rejoice with 
 it,* we ought to practise the symphony 
 which springs from the divine music, that 
 when we are gathered together in the name 
 of Christ, He may be in the midst of us, the 
 Word of God, and the Wisdom of God, and 
 His Power.' 
 
 2. THE HARMONY OF HUSBAND AND WirE. 
 
 So much then for the more common un- 
 derstanding of the two or three whom the 
 Word exhorts to be in agreement. But now 
 let us also touch upon another interpreta- 
 tion which was uttered by some one of our 
 predecessors, exhorting those who were 
 married to sanctity and purity ; for by the 
 two, he says, whom the Word desires to 
 agree on earth, we must understand the 
 husband and wife, who by agreement de- 
 fraud each other of bodily intercourse that 
 they may give themselves unto prayer; ^ 
 when if they pray for anything whatever 
 
 ' Matt. vii. M. 
 • I Thess. i. i. 
 ' Ps. xlii. I. 
 >» Acts iv. 32. 
 
 » I Cor. i. I. 
 » Ps. xlii. 
 B Ps. xliv. I. 
 
 a 2 Cor. 
 
 « Exod. 
 8 I Cor. 
 
 i. 
 vi 
 i. 
 
 I. 
 
 24. 
 10. 
 
 1 I Cor. i. J2. 2 < Cor. v. 4. » Gal. v. 15. 
 
 * Or reading x<»pi?ei, following the Vetus Inter, keeps apart. 
 » Matt, xviii. 19. » 1 Cor. xii. 25, iS, 25, 26. ' i Cor.i. 2 4. 
 
 8 1 Cor. vii. 5. 
 
496 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 that they shall ask, they shall receive it, the 
 request being granted to them by the Father 
 in heaven of Jesus Christ on the ground of 
 such agreement. And this interpretation 
 does not appear to me to cause dissolution 
 of marriage, but to be an incitement to 
 agreement, so that if the one wished to be 
 pure, but the other did not desire it, and on 
 this account he vi'ho willed and was able to 
 fulfil the better part, condescended to the 
 one who had not the power or the will, 
 they would not both have the accomplish- 
 ment from the Father in heaven of Jesus 
 Christ, of anything whatever that they might 
 ask. 
 
 3. THE HARMONY OF BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT. 
 
 And next to this about the married, I am 
 familiar also with another interpretation of 
 the agreement between the two which is as 
 follows. In the wicked, sin reigns over the 
 soul, being settled as on its own throne in 
 this mortal body, so that the soul obeys the 
 lusts thereof;' but in the case of those, 
 who have stirred up the sin which formerly 
 reigned over the body as from a throne 
 and who are in conflict with it, " the flesh 
 lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit 
 against the flesh ; " ^ but in the case of those 
 who have now become perfected, the spirit 
 has gained the mastery and put to death 
 the deeds of the body, and imparts to the 
 body of its own life, so that already this is 
 fulfilled, " He shall quicken also your mortal 
 bodies because of His Spirit that dwelleth in 
 you;"' and there arises a concord of the 
 two, body and spirit, on the earth, on the 
 successful accomplishment of which there 
 is sent up a harmonious prayer also of him 
 who "with the heart believes unto right- 
 eousness, but with the mouth maketh con- 
 fession unto salvation, "4 so that the heart 
 is no longer far from God, and along with 
 this the righteous man draws nigh to God 
 with his own lips and mouth. But still 
 more blessed is it if the three be gathered 
 together in the name of Jesus that this 
 may be fulfilled, "May God sanctify you 
 wholly, and may your spirit and soul and 
 body be preserved entire without blame at 
 the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. "5 
 But some one may inquire with regard to 
 the concord of spirit and body spoken of, 
 if it IS possible for these to be at concord 
 without the third being so,— I mean the 
 soul, — and whether it does not follow from 
 the concord of these on the earth after 
 
 'Rom. 
 'Rom. 
 
 VI. 12. 
 X, 10. 
 
 ' Gal. V. 17. 
 '' I Thess. V. 23. 
 
 the two have been gathered together in 
 the name of Christ, that the three also are 
 already gathered together in His name, 
 in the midst of whom comes the Son of God 
 as all are dedicated to Him, — I mean the 
 three, — and no one is opposed to Him, there 
 being no antagonism not only on the part 
 of the spirit, but not even of the soul, nor 
 further of the body. 
 
 4. HARMONY OF THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS. 
 
 And likewise it is a pleasant thing to 
 endeavour to understand and exhibit the 
 fact of the concord of the two covenants, — 
 of the one before the bodily advent of the 
 Saviour and of the new covenant ; for among 
 those things in which the tvi^o covenants 
 are at concord so that there is no discord 
 between them would be found prayers, to 
 the effect that about anything whatever they 
 shall ask it shall be done to them from the 
 Father in heaven. And if also you desire 
 the third that unites the two, do not hesitate 
 to say that it is the Holy Spirit, since "the 
 words of the wise," whether they be of those 
 before the advent, or at the time of the ad- 
 vent, or after it, " are as goads, and as nails 
 firmly fixed, which were given by agree- 
 ment from one shepherd. " ' And do not let 
 this also pass unobserved, that He did not 
 say, where two or three are gathered to- 
 gether in My name, there "shall I be "in 
 the midst of them, but "there am I," ^ not 
 going to be, not delaying, but at the very 
 moment of the concord being Himself found, 
 and being in the midst of them. 
 
 5. THE LIMIT OF FORGIVENESS. 
 
 "Then came Feter and said unto Hun, Lord, 
 how often shall my brother sin against me 
 and I forgive him P" i The conception that 
 these things were said in a simple sense by 
 Peter, as if he were inquiring whether he 
 was to forgive his brother when he sinned 
 against him seven times, but no longer if 
 he sinned an eighth time, and by the 
 Saviour, as if He thought that one should sit 
 still and reckon up the sins of his neigh- 
 bours against him in order that he might 
 forgive seventy times and seven, but that 
 from the seventy-eighth he should not 
 forgive the man who wronged him, seems 
 to me altogether silly and unworthy 
 alike of the progress which Peter had made 
 in the company of Jesus and of the divine 
 magnanimity of Jesus. Perhaps, then, 
 these things also border on an obscurity 
 akin to the words, " Hear My voice, ye 
 
 * Rom. viii. ii. 
 
 i Ecd. xU. 
 
 2 Matt, xviii. 20. 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 2i. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 497 
 
 wives of Lamech,"' etc. If any one has 
 already become a friend of Jesus so as to 
 be taught by His spirit which illumines the 
 reason of him who has advanced so far ac- 
 cording to his desert, he might know the 
 true meaning, therefore, in regard to these 
 things, and such as Jesus Himself would 
 have clearly expounded it ; but we who fall 
 short of the greatness of the friendship of 
 Jesus must be content if we can babble a 
 little about the passage. The number six, 
 then, appears to be working and toilsome, 
 but the number seven to contain the idea of 
 repose. And consider if you can say that 
 he, who loves the world and works the 
 things of the world, and does those things 
 which are material, sins six times, and that 
 the number seven is the end of sin in his 
 case, so that Peter with some such thought 
 in his mind wished to pardon seven sins 
 of those which his brother had committed 
 against him. But since as units the tens 
 and the hundreds have a certain common 
 measure of proportion to the number which 
 is in units, and Jesus knew that the num- 
 ber might be exceeded, on this account, I 
 think, that He added to the number seven 
 also the seventy,^ and said that there 
 ought to be forgiveness to brethren here, 
 and to them who have sinned in respect 
 to things here. But if any one going be- 
 yond the things about the world and this 
 age were to commit sin, even if it were 
 trifling, he could not longer reasonably 
 have forgiveness of sins ; for forgiveness 
 extends to the things here, and in relation 
 to the sins committed here, whether the 
 forgiveness comes late or soon ; but there 
 is no forgiveness, not even to a brother, 
 who has sinned beyond the seven and 
 seventy times. But you might say that 
 he who has sinned in such wise, whether 
 as against Peter his brother, or as against 
 Peter, against whom the gates of Hades 
 do not prevail, is by sins of this kind in the 
 smaller number of the sin, but according to 
 sins still worse is in the number which has 
 no forgiveness of sins. 
 
 6. CONCERNING THE KING WHO MADE A RECKON- 
 ING WITH HIS OWN SERVANTS, TO WHOM WAS 
 BROUGHT A MAN WHO OWED TEN THOUSAND 
 TALENTS. 
 
 " Therefore I say unto you the kingdom 
 of heaven is likened unto a certain king, 
 wko wished to make a reckoning with his 
 own servants." i The general conception 
 of the parable is to teach us that we should 
 
 > Gen. iv. 23. 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 22. 
 
 8 Matt, xviii. 23. 
 
 be inclined to forgive the sins committed 
 against us by those who have wronged us, 
 and especially if after the wrongdoing he 
 who has done it supplicates him who has 
 been wronged, asking forgiveness for the 
 sins which he has committed against him. 
 And this the parable wishes to teach us by 
 representing that even when forgiveness 
 has been granted by God to us of the sins 
 in respect of which we have received re- 
 mission, exaction will be demanded even 
 after the remission, unless we forgive the 
 sins of those who have wronged us, so that 
 there is no longer left in us the least re- 
 membrance of the wrong that was done, 
 but the whole heart, assisted by the spirit of 
 forgetfulness of wrongs, which is no com- 
 mon virtue, forgives him who has wronged 
 us those things which have been wickedly 
 done against any of us by him, even 
 treacherously. But next to the general 
 conception of the parable, it is right to 
 examine the whole of it more simply 
 according to the letter, so that he who 
 advances with care to the right investiga- 
 tion of each detail of the things previously 
 written may derive profit from the examina- 
 tion of what is said. Now there is, as is 
 probable, an interpretation, transcendental 
 and hard to trace, as it is somewhat mystical, 
 according to which, after the analogy of 
 the parables which are interpreted by the 
 Evangelists, one would investigate each 
 of the details in this ; as, for example, who 
 the king was, and who the servants were, 
 and what was the beginning of his making 
 a reckoning, and who was the one debtor 
 who owed many talents, and who was his 
 wife and who his children, and what were 
 the "all things" spoken of besides those 
 which the king ordered to be sold in order 
 that the debt might be paid out of his 
 belongings, and what was meant by the 
 going out of the man who had been forgiven 
 the many talents, and who was the one of 
 the servants who was found and was a 
 debtor not to the householder, but to the 
 man who had been forgiven, and what is 
 meant by the number of the hundred pence, 
 and what by the word, "He took him by 
 the throat saying, Pay what thou owest," 
 and what is the prison into which he who 
 had been forgiven all the talents went out 
 and cast his fellow-servant, and who were 
 the fellow-servants who were grieved and 
 told the lord all that had been done, and who 
 were the tormentors to whom he who had 
 cast his fellow-servant into prison was 
 delivered, and how he who was delivered 
 to the tormentors paid all that was due, so 
 
498 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 that he no longer owed anything.' But 
 it is probable also that some other things 
 could be added to the number by a more 
 competent investigator, the exposition and 
 interpretation of which I think to be beyond 
 the power of man, and requiring the Spirit 
 of Christ who spoke them in order that 
 Christ may be understood as He spoke ; for 
 as " no one among men knows the things 
 of the man, save the spirit which is in him," 
 and "no one knows the things of God, 
 save the Spirit of God," ^ so no one knows 
 after God the things spoken by Christ in 
 proverbs and parables save the Spirit of 
 Christ, in which he who participates in 
 Christ not only so far as He is Spirit, but in 
 Christ as He is Wisdom, as He is Word, 
 would behold the things which were revealed 
 to him in this passage. But with regard to 
 the interpretation of the loftiest type, we 
 make no profession ; nor on the other hand 
 with the assistance of Christ who is the 
 Wisdom of God do we despair of apprehend- 
 ing the things signified in the parable ; but 
 whether it shall be the case that such things 
 shall be dictated to us in connection with 
 this Scripture or not, may God in Christ 
 suggest the doing of that which is pleasing 
 to Him, if only there be granted to us also 
 concerning these things, the word of wis- 
 dom which is given from God through the 
 Spirit, and the word of knowledge which is 
 supplied according to the Spirit' 
 
 7. EXPOSITION CONTINUED : THE KING AND THE 
 SERVANTS. 
 
 " TJie kingdom of heaven," He says, "is 
 likened," 'i etc. But if it be likened to such 
 a king, and one who has done such things, 
 who must we say that it is but the Son of 
 God ? For He is the King of the heavens, 
 and as He is absolute Wisdom and absolute 
 Righteousness and absolute Truth, is He not 
 so also absolute Kingdom.? But it is not a 
 kingdom of any of those below, nor of a 
 part of those above, but of all the things 
 above, which were called heavens. But if 
 you enquire into the meaning of the words, 
 "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven, "s you 
 may say that Christ is theirs in so far as He 
 is absolute Kingdom, reigning in every 
 thought of the man who is no longer under 
 the reign of sin which reigns in the mortal 
 body of those who have subjected them- 
 selves to it.^ And if I say, reigning in 
 every thought, I mean something like this, 
 reignmg as Righteousness and Wisdom and 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 23, 34. 
 * Matt, xviii. 23. 
 
 ' I Cor. ii. II 
 ^ Matt. V. 3. 
 
 ■ I Cor. xii. 8. 
 * Rom. vi. 12. 
 
 Truth and the rest of the virtues in him who 
 has become a heaven, because of bearing 
 the image of the heavenly, and in every 
 power, whether angelic, or the rest that are 
 named saints, not only in this age, but also 
 in that which is to come, and who are 
 worthy of a kingdom of such a kind. Ac- 
 cordingly this kingdom of heaven (when it 
 was made "in the likeness of sinful flesh,"' 
 that for sin it might condemn sin, when 
 God made "Him who knew no sin to be 
 sin on behalf of us, "^ who bear the body of 
 our sin), is likened to a certain king who is 
 understood in relation to Jesus being united 
 to Him, if we may dare so to speak, having 
 more capacity towards being united and be- 
 coming entirely one with the " First-born 
 of all creation," s than he, who, beingjoined 
 to the Lord, becomes one spirit with Him.* 
 Now of this kingdom of the heavens which 
 is likened unto a certain king, according to 
 the conception of Jesus, and is united to 
 Him, it is said by anticipation that he wished 
 to make a reckoning with his servants. But 
 he is about to make a reckoning with them in 
 order that it may be manifested how each 
 has employed the tried money of the house- 
 holder and his rational coins. And the image 
 in the parables was indeed taken from 
 masters who made a reckoning with their 
 own servants ; but we shall understand 
 more accurately vi'hat is signified by this 
 part of the parable, if w& fix our thought 
 on the things done by the slaves who had 
 administered their master's goods, and who 
 were asked to give a reckoning concerning 
 them. For each of them, receiving in dif- 
 ferent measure from his master's goods, has 
 used them either for that which was right 
 so as to increase the goods of his master, 
 or consumed it riotously on things which 
 he ought not, and spent profusely without 
 judgment and without discretion that which 
 had been put into his hands. But there are 
 those who have wisely administered these 
 goods and goods so great, but have lost 
 others, and whenever they give the reckon- 
 ing when the master makes a reckoning 
 with them, there is gathered together how 
 much loss each has incurred, and there is 
 reckoned up how much gain each has 
 brought, and according to the worthiness of 
 the way in which he has administered it, 
 he is either honoured or punished, or in 
 some cases the debt is forgiven, but in 
 others the talents are taken away. Well, 
 then, from what has been said, let us 
 
 ' Rom. viii. 3. 
 = Col. i. .5. 
 
 ' 2 Cor. V. 21. 
 * I Cor. vi. 17. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 499 
 
 first look at the rational coins and the tried 
 money of the householder, of which one 
 receives more and another less, for accord- 
 ing to the ability of each, to one are given 
 five talents as he has the ability to ad- 
 minister so many, but to another two as 
 not being able to receive the amount of the 
 man before him, and to another one as 
 being also inferior to the second.' Are 
 these, then, the only differences, or are 
 we to recognize these differences in the 
 case of certain persons of whom the 
 Gospel goes on to speak while there are 
 also others besides these : In other parables 
 also are found certain persons, as the 
 two debtors, the one who owed five hundred 
 pence, and the other fifty ; ^ but whether 
 these'had been entrusted with them and had 
 administered them badly as being inferior in 
 ability to him who had been entrusted with 
 a talent, or had received them, we have not 
 learned ; but that they owed so much, 
 we seem to be taught from the parable. 
 And there are found other ten servants who 
 were each entrusted with a pound sep- 
 arately.^ And if any one understood the 
 varied character of the human soul and the 
 wide differences from each other in respect 
 of natural aptitude, or want of aptitude for 
 more or fewer of the virtues, and for these 
 virtues or for those, perhaps he would com- 
 prehend how each soul has come with cer- 
 tain coins of the householder which come to 
 light with the full attainment of reason, and 
 with the attention which follows the full 
 attainment of reason, and with exercise in 
 things that are right, or with diligence and 
 exercise in other things, whether they be 
 useful as pursuits, or in part useful and in 
 part not useful, such as the opinions which 
 are not wholly true nor wholly false. 
 
 8. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE RECKONING. 
 
 But you will here inquire whether all men 
 can be called servants of the king, or some 
 are servants whom he foreknew and fore- 
 ordained, while there are others who trans- 
 act business with the servants, and are 
 called bankers.* And in like manner you 
 will inquire if there are those outside the 
 number of the slaves from whom the house- 
 holder declares that he will exact his own 
 with usury, not only men alien from piety, 
 but also some of the believers. Now the 
 servants alone are the stewards of the Word, 
 but the king, making a reckoning with the 
 servants, demands from those who have 
 borrowed from the servants, whether a hun- 
 
 1 Matt. XXV. 15. 
 3 Luke xix. 13. 
 
 ' Luke vii. 41. 
 * Matt. XXV. 27. 
 
 dred measures of wheat or a hundred mea- 
 sures of oil,' or whatever in point of fact those 
 who are outside of the household of the 
 king have received ; for he who owed the 
 hundred measures of wheat or the hundred 
 measures of oil is not found to be, accord- 
 ing to the parable, a fellow-servant of the 
 unjust steward, as is evident from the ques- 
 tion — how much owest thou to my lord.?^ 
 But mark with me that each deed which is 
 good or seemly is like a gain and an incre- 
 ment, but a wicked deed is like a loss; and 
 as there is a certain gain when the money is 
 greater and another when it is less, and as 
 there are differences of more or less, so 
 according to the good deeds, there is as it 
 were a valuing of gains more or less. To 
 reckon what work is a great gain, and what 
 a less gain, and what a least, is the pre- 
 rogative of him who alone knows to in- 
 vestigate such things, looking at them in 
 the light of the disposition, and the word, 
 and the deed, and from consideration of the 
 things which are not in our power co- 
 operating with those that are; and so also 
 in the case of things opposite, it is his to 
 say what sin, when a reckoning is made 
 with the servants, is found to be a great loss, 
 and what is less, and what, if we may so call 
 it, is the loss of the very last mite.s or the last 
 farthing. * The account, therefore, of the 
 entire and whole life is exacted by that which 
 is called the kingdom of heaven which is 
 likened to a king, when "we must all 
 stand before the judgment-seat of Christ 
 that each one may receive the things done 
 in the body according to what he hath done, 
 whether good or bad ; " 5 and then when the 
 reckoning is being made, shall there be 
 brought into the reckoning that is made also 
 every idle word that men shall speak,^ and 
 any cup of cold water only which one has 
 given to drink in the name of a disciple. 7 
 
 9. THE TIME OCCUPIED BY THE RECKONING. 
 
 And these things will take place when- 
 ever that happens which is written in 
 Daniel, "The books were opened and the 
 judgment was set ; " * for a record, as it 
 were, is made of all things that have been 
 spoken and done and thought, and by 
 divine power every hidden thing of ours 
 shall be manifested, and everything that is 
 covered shall be revealed, ° in order that 
 when anyone is found who has not "given 
 diligence to be freed from the adversary," 
 he may go in succession through the hands 
 
 » Luke xvi. 6, 7. ' Luke xvi. 5. ' Luke xii. 59. 
 
 • Matt. V. 25. " 2 Cor. v. 10. " Matt. xii. 36. 
 
 ' Matt. x. 42. ^ Dan. vii. jo. 
 
 ' Matt. X. 26; Luke xii. 2. 
 
500 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 of the magistrate, and the judge, and the 
 attendant into the prison, until he pays the 
 very last mite ; ' but when one has given 
 diligence to be freed from him and owes 
 nothing to any one, and already has made 
 the pound ten pounds or five pounds, or 
 doubled the five talents, or made the two 
 four, he may obtain the due recompense, 
 entering into the joy of his Lord, either 
 being set over all His possessions,^ or hear- 
 iug the word, " Flave thou authority over 
 ten cities," 3 or "Have thou authority over 
 five cities." -t But we think that these 
 things are spoken of as if they required a 
 long period of time, in order that an ac- 
 count may be made by us of the whole 
 times of the earthly life, so that we might 
 suppose that when the king makes a reck- 
 oning with each one of his many servants 
 the matter would require so vast a period of 
 time, until these things come to an end 
 which have existed from the beginning of 
 the world down to the consummation of the 
 age, not of one age, but of many ages. 
 But the truth is not so ; for when God 
 wished all at once to rekindle in the mem- 
 ories of all everything that had been done 
 by each one throughout the whole time, in 
 order that each might become conscious of 
 his own doings whether good or bad, He 
 would do it by His ineffable power. For it 
 is not with God as with us ; for if we wish 
 to call some things to remembrance, we 
 require sufficient time for the detailed 
 account of what has been said by us, and 
 to bring to our remembrance the things 
 which we wish to remember ; but if He 
 wishedto call to our memory the things which 
 have been done in this life, in order that 
 becoming conscious of what we have done 
 we may apprehend for what we are punish- 
 ed or honoured, He could do so. But if 
 any one disbelieves the swiftness of the 
 power of God in regard to these matters, 
 he has not yet had a true conception of the 
 God who made the universe, who did not 
 require times to make the vast creation of 
 heaven and earth and the things in them ; 
 for, though He may seem to have made 
 these thmgs in six days, there is need of 
 understanding to comprehend in what sense 
 the words "in six days" are said on 
 account of this, " This is the book of the 
 generation of heaven and earth " ^ etc 
 Therefore it may be boldly affirmed that 
 
 ' Luke xii. 58, 59 = Matt. xxiy. 47, 'Lukcxii,, 
 
 ' Luke XIX. 19. In chap. 12 Crimen reads ■ Bp thn,r,l,„ I' 
 
 *■ Gal. u. 4. 
 
 the season of the expected judgment does 
 not require times, but as the resurrection is 
 said to take place "in a moment, in the 
 twinkling of an eye," ■ so I think will the 
 judgment also be. 
 
 10. THE MAN WHO OWED MANY TALENTS. 
 
 Next we must speak in regard to this, 
 '■'And when he had begun to reckon, there 
 was brought u7iio him one which owed many 
 talents." ^ The sense of this appears to me 
 to be as follows : The season of begin- 
 ning the judgment is with the house of God, 
 who says, as also it is written in Ezekiel, 
 to those who are appointed to attend to 
 punishments, "Begin ye with My saints ; "' 
 and it is like "the twinkling of an eye;" 
 but, the time of making a reckoning in- 
 cludes the same "twinkling," ideally ap- 
 prehended, for we are not forgetful of what 
 has been previously said of those who owe 
 more. Wherefore it is not written, when 
 he was making reckoning, but it is said, 
 "When he began to reckon," there was 
 brought, at the beginning of his making a 
 reckoning, one who owed many talents; 
 he had lost tens of thousands of talents, 
 having been entrusted with great things, 
 and having had many things committed to 
 his care, but he had brought no gain to 
 his master, but had lost tens of thousands 
 so that he owed many talents ; and, per- 
 haps on this account, he owed many 
 talents, seeing that he followed often the 
 woman, who was sitting upon the talent of 
 lead, whose name is wickedness. 4 But ob- 
 serve here that every great sin is a loss of 
 the talents of the master of the house, and 
 such sins are committed by fornicators, 
 adulterers, abusers of themselves with men, 
 effeminate, idolaters, murderers. Perhaps, 
 then the one who is brought to the king' 
 owing many talents has committed no 
 small sin but all that are great and hein- 
 ous ; and if you were to seek for him 
 among men, perhaps you would find him 
 to be " the man of sin, the son of perdition, 
 he that opposeth and exalteth himself 
 against every God or object of worship ; "s 
 but if you seek him outside the number of 
 men, who can this be but the devil who 
 has ruined so many who received him, who 
 wrought sin in them. For "man is a great 
 thing, and a pitiful man is precious," * pre- 
 cious so as to be worthy of a talent, whether 
 of gold like as the lamp which was equal to 
 
 ^ I Cor. XV. 52. 
 ' Zech. V. 7, 8. 
 
 * Matt, xviii. 24. 
 
 * 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4. 
 
 ' Ezek. ix. 6. 
 " Prov. XX. 6. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 SOI 
 
 a talent of gold,' or of silver or of any- 
 kind of material whatsoever understood 
 intellectually, the symbols of which are 
 recorded in the Words of the Days,^ when 
 David became enriched with many talents 
 of which the number is mentioned, so 
 many talents of gold, and so many of 
 silver, and of the rest of the material there 
 named, from which the temple of God was 
 built. 
 
 II. THE SERVANT WHO OWED A HUNDRED 
 PENCE. 
 
 Only, though he cannot pay the talents, 
 for he has lost them, he has a wife and 
 children and other things, of which it is 
 written, "All that he has." J And it was 
 possible that when he had been sold along 
 with his own, he would have prospered 
 if some one had bought him, and, by his 
 worth and the things that were his, have 
 paid the whole debt in full ; and it was 
 possible that he might no longer be the 
 servant of the king, but become that of his 
 purchaser. And he makes a request that he 
 be not sold along with his own, but may con- 
 tinue to abide in the house of the king ; 
 wherefore he fell down and worshipped 
 him, knowing that the king was God, and 
 said, " Have patience with me, and I will 
 pay thee all ; " 4 for he was, as is probable, 
 an active man, who knew that he could by a 
 second course of action fill up the whole de- 
 ficiency of the former loss of many talents. 
 And this truly good king was moved with 
 . compassion for the man who owed him 
 many talents and then released him, having 
 bestowed upon him a favour greater than 
 the request which had been made ; for the 
 debtor promised to the long-suffering 
 master to pay all his debts, but the Lord 
 moved with compassion for him did not 
 merely forgive him with the idea of receiv- 
 ing his own back as a result of his patience, 
 but even entirely released him and forgave 
 him the whole debt. But this wicked ser- 
 vant, who had besought his master to have 
 patience for his many talents, acted without 
 mercy, for, having found one of his fellow- 
 servants which owed him a hundred pence, 
 he laid hold on him and took him by the 
 throat, saying, "Pay if thou owest."5 And 
 did he not exhibit the very excess of wick- 
 edness who laid hold of his fellow-servant 
 for a hundred pence, and took him by the 
 throat and deprived him of freedom to 
 breathe, when he himself, for the many 
 
 * Exod. XXV. 39- 
 
 * ^latt. xviii. 26. 
 
 * Chron. xxii. 14. 
 " Matt, xviii. 28. 
 
 ' Matt, xviii. 35. 
 
 talents, had neither been laid hold of, nor 
 seized by the throat, but at first was ordered 
 to be sold along with his wife and children 
 and all that was his own; but afterwards, 
 when he had worshipped him, the master 
 was moved with compassion for him, and 
 he was released and forgiven in regard to 
 the whole of the debt. But it were indeed a 
 hard task to tell according to the concep- 
 tion of Jesus who is the one fellow-servant 
 who was found to be owing a hundred 
 pence, not to his own lord, but to him who 
 owed many talents, and who are the fel- 
 low-servants who saw the one taking by 
 the throat, and the other taken, and were 
 exceedingly sorry, and represented clearly 
 unto their own lord all that had been done. 
 But what the truth in these matters is, I 
 declare that no one can interpret unless 
 Jesus, who explained all things to His own 
 disciples privately, takes up His abode in 
 his reason, and opens up all the treasures in 
 the parable which are dark, hidden, unseen, 
 and confirms by clear demonstrations the 
 man whom He desires to illumine with the 
 light of the knowledge of the things that are 
 in this parable, that he may at once repre- 
 sent who is brought to the king as the 
 debtor of many talents, and who is the 
 other one who owes to him a hundred pence, 
 etc. ; whether he can be the man of sin previ- 
 ously mentioned,' or the devil, or neither of 
 these, but some other, whether a man, or 
 some one of those under the sway of the 
 devil ; for it is a work of the wisdom of God 
 to exhibit the things have have been pro- 
 phesied concerning those who are in them- 
 selves of a certain nature, or have been 
 made according to such and such quali- 
 ties, whether among visible powers or also 
 among some men, in whatever way they 
 may have been written by the Holy Spirit. 
 But as we have not yet received the compe- 
 tent mind which is able to be blended with 
 the mind of Christ, and which is capable of 
 attaining to things so great, and which is 
 able with the Spirit to "search all things, 
 even the deep things of God," ^ we, form- 
 ing an impression still indefinitely with re- 
 gard to the matters in this passage, are of 
 opinion that the wicked servant indicated 
 by the parable who is here represented in 
 regard to the debt of many talents, refers to 
 some definite one. 
 
 12. THE TIME OF THE RECKONING. 
 
 But it is fitting to examine at what time 
 the man — the king — in the parable wished 
 
 * 1 TheS9. ii. 3. 
 
 * I Cor. ii. lo. 
 
502 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW, 
 
 to make a reckoning with his own servants, 
 and to what period we ought to refer the 
 things that are said. For if it be after the 
 consummation, or at it at the time of the ex- 
 pected judgment, how are we to maintain 
 the things about him who owed a hun- 
 dred pence, and was taken by the throat by 
 the man who had been forgiven the many 
 talents? But if, before the judgment, how 
 can we explain the reckoning that was 
 made before this by the king, with his 
 own servants ? But we ought to think 
 in a general way about every parable, the 
 interpretation of which has not been re- 
 corded by the evangelists, even though 
 Jesus explained all things to His own dis- 
 ciples privately ; ' and for this reason 
 the writers of the Gospels have con- 
 cealed the clear exposition of the parables, 
 because the things signified by them were 
 beyond the power of the nature of words to 
 express, and every solulion and exposition 
 of such parables was of such a kind that 
 not even the whole world itself could con- 
 tain the books that should be written ^ 
 in relation to such parables. But it may 
 happen that a fitting heart be found, and, 
 because of its purity, able to receive 
 the letters of the exposition of the par- 
 able, so that they could be written in 
 it by the Spirit of the living God. But 
 some one will say that, perhaps, we 
 act with impiety, who, because of the 
 secret and mystical import of some of 
 the Scriptures which are of heavenly origin, 
 wish them to be symbolic, and endeavour 
 to expound them, even though it might 
 seem ex hypolhest that we had an ac- 
 curate knowledge of their meaning. But 
 to this we must say that, if there be those 
 who have obtained the gift of accurate ap- 
 prehension of these things, they know 
 what they ought to do ; but as for us, who 
 acknowledge that we fall short of the 
 ability to see into the depth of the things 
 here signified, even though we obtain a 
 somewhat crass perception of the things 
 in the passage, we will say, that some of 
 the things which we seem to find after much 
 examination and inquiry, whether by the 
 grace of God, or by the power of our own 
 mind, we do not venture to commit to 
 writing; but some things, for the sake of 
 our own intellectual discipline, and that 
 of those who may chance to read them, we 
 will to some extent set forth. But let these 
 things, then, be said by way of apology, 
 because of the depth of the parable ; but, 
 
 with regard to the question at what time the 
 man — the king — in the parable wished to 
 make a reckoning with his own servants, M'e 
 will say that it seems that this takes place 
 about the time of the judgment which had 
 been proclaimed. And this is confirmed ' 
 by two parables, one at the close of the 
 Gospel before us,' and one from the Gospel 
 according to Luke.^ And not to prolong 
 the discussion by quoting the very letter, as 
 any one who wishes can take it from the 
 Scripture himself, we will say that the 
 parable according to Matthew declares, 
 "For it is as when a man going into 
 another country called his own servants, 
 and delivered unto them his own goods, 
 and to one he gave five talents, and to 
 another two, and to another one talent ; "s 
 then they took action with regard to that 
 which had been entrusted to them, and, 
 after a long time, the lord of those servants 
 cometh, and it is written in the very words, 
 that he also makes a reckoning with them.'t 
 And compare the words, "And when he 
 began to make a reckoning," s and consider 
 that he called the going of the householder 
 into another country the time at vi^hich 
 "we are at home in the body but absent 
 from the Lord;"<^ but his advent, when, 
 "after a long time the lord of those ser- 
 vants cometh," 7 the time at the consum- 
 ination in the judgment ; for after a long 
 time the lord of those servants cometh and 
 makes a reckoning with them, and those 
 things which follow take place. But the 
 parable in Luke represents with more clear- 
 ness, that "a certain nobleman went into a 
 far country to receive for himself a kingdom, 
 and to return," and when going, "he 
 called ten servants, and gave to them ten 
 pounds, and said unto them. Trade ye till I 
 come. "8 But the nobleman, being hated by 
 his own citizens, who sent an ambassage 
 after him, as they did not wish him foreign 
 over them, came back again, having re- 
 ceived the kingdom, and told the servants 
 to whom he had given the money to be 
 called to himself that he might know what 
 they had gained by trading. And, seeing 
 what they had done, to him who had made 
 the one pound ten pounds, rendering praise 
 in the words, "Well done, thou good ser- 
 vant, because thou wast found faithful in a 
 very little," 9 he gives to him authority over 
 ten cities, to-wit, those which were 'under 
 his kingdom. And to another, who had 
 multiplied the pound fivefold, he did not 
 
 • Mark iv. 34. 
 
 ' John nd. 25. 
 
 ' Matt. XXV. 14-30. 
 * Matt. XXV. ig. 
 ' Matt. XXV. 19. 
 
 * Luke xix. 12-27. 
 
 * Matt, xviii. 24. 
 
 * Luke xix. 12, 13. 
 
 ■ Matt. XXV. 14, 15. 
 « 2 Cor. V. 6. 
 • Luke xix. 17. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 503 
 
 render the praise which he assigned to the 
 first, nor did he specify the word "author- 
 ity," as in the case of the first, but said to 
 him, "Be thou also over five cities." ' But 
 to him who had tied up the pound in a nap- 
 kin, he said, " Out of thine own mouth will I 
 judge thee, thou wicked servant ; " "^ and he 
 said to them that stood by, T;ike from him 
 the pound, and give it unto him that hath 
 the ten pounds 3 Who, then, in regard to 
 this parable, will not say that the nobleman, 
 who goes into a far country to receive for 
 himself a kingdom and to return, is Christ, 
 going, as it were, into another country to 
 receive the kingdoms of this world, and the 
 things in it ? And those who have received 
 the ten talents are those who have been en- 
 trusted with the dispensation of the Word 
 which has been committed unto them. And 
 His citizens who did not wish Him to reign 
 over them when He was a citizen in the 
 world in respect of His incarnation,'' are per- 
 haps Israel who disbelieved Him, and per- 
 haps also the Gentiles who disbelieved Him. 
 
 13. NO FORGIVENESS TO THE UNFORGIVING. 
 
 Only, I have said these things with the 
 view of referring his return when he comes 
 with his kingdom to the consummation, 
 when he commanded the servants to whom 
 he had given the money to be called to him 
 that he might know what they had gained 
 by trading, and from a desire to demon- 
 strate from this, and from the parable of the 
 Talents, that the passage ' ' he who wished to 
 make a reckoning with his own servants " 5 is 
 to be referred to the consummation when now 
 he is king, receiving the kingdom, on account 
 of which, according to another parable,* he 
 went into a far country, to receive for him- 
 self a kingdom and to return. Therefore, 
 when he returned after receiving the king- 
 dom, he wished to make a reckoning with 
 his own servants. And "when he had be- 
 gun to reckon, there was brought unto him 
 one who owed many talents,"' and he was 
 brought as to a king by those who had been 
 appointed his ministers — I think, the angels. 
 And perhaps he was one of those under the 
 kingdom who had been entrusted with a 
 great administration and had not dispensed 
 it well, but had wasted what had been en- 
 trusted to him, so that he came to owe the 
 many talents which he had lost. This very 
 man, perhaps not having the means to pay, 
 is ordered by the king to be sold along with 
 his wife, by intercourse with whom he be- 
 
 ^ Luke xix. 19. 
 ^ J.uke xix. 24. 
 ^ Luke xix. 13. 
 
 See note 4, p. 500. 
 
 * Luke xix. 14. 
 7 Matt, xviii. 24. 
 
 ' Luke xix. 22. 
 ^ Matt, xviii. 23. 
 
 came the father of certain children. But it 
 is no easy task to see what is intellectually 
 meant by father and mother and children. 
 What this means in point of truth God 
 may know, and whether He Himself has 
 given insight to us or not, he who can may 
 judge. Only this is our conception of the 
 passage; that, as " the Jerusalem which is 
 above" is "the mother"^ of Paul and of 
 those like unto him, so there may be a 
 mother of others after the analogy of Jeru- 
 salem, the mother, for example, of Syene in 
 Egypt, or Sidon, or as many cities as are 
 named in the Scriptures. Then, as Jerusa- 
 lem is "a bride adorned for her husband,"^ 
 Christ, so there may be those mothers of 
 certain powers who have been allotted to 
 them as wives or brides. And as there are 
 certain children of Jerusalem, as mother, 
 and of Christ, as father, so there would be 
 certain children of Syene, or Memphis, or 
 Tyre, or Sidon, and the rulers set over them. 
 Perhaps then, too, this one, the debtor of 
 many talents who was brought to the king, 
 has, as we have said, a wife and children, 
 whom at first the king ordered to be sold, 
 and also all that he had to be sold ; but 
 afterwards, being moved with compassion, 
 he released him and forgave him all the 
 debt ; not, as if he were ignorant of the fu- 
 ture, but, in order that we might understand 
 what happened, it was written that he did 
 so. Each one then of those who have, as 
 we have said, a wife and children will ren- 
 der an account whenever the king comes to 
 make a reckoning, having received the 
 kingdom and having returned ; and each of 
 them as a ruler of any Syene or Memphis, 
 or Tyre or Sidon, or any like unto them, has 
 also debtors. This one, then, having been 
 released, and having been forgiven all the 
 debt, "went out froin the king and found 
 one of his fellow-servants, "3 etc.; and, on 
 this account, I suppose that he took him by 
 the throat, when he had gone out from the 
 king, for unless he had gone out he would 
 not have taken his own fellow-servant by 
 the throat. Then observe the accuracy of 
 the Scripture, how that the one fell down 
 and " worshipped," but the other fell down 
 and did not worship but "besought;"* and 
 the king being moved with compassion re- 
 leased him and forgave him all the debt, 
 but the servant did not wish even to pity 
 his own fellow-servant ; and the king before 
 his release ordered him to be sold and what 
 was his, while he who had been forgiven 
 
 » Gal. iv. 26. 
 ^ Matt, xviii. 28. 
 
 ■ Rev. xxl. 2. 
 
 ^ Matt. xvii. 26, 29. 
 
504 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 cast him into prison. And observe that his 
 fellow-servants did not bring any accusa- 
 tion or "said," but "told,"' and that he did 
 not use the epithet " wicked" at the begin- 
 ning- in regard to the money lost, but re- 
 served it afterwards for his action towards 
 the fellow-servant. But mark also the mod- 
 eration of the king ; he does not say. You 
 worshipped me, but You besought me ; and 
 no longer did he order him and his to be 
 sold, but, what was worse, he delivered him 
 to the tormentors, because of his wicked- 
 ness. = But who may these be but those 
 who have been appointed in the matter of 
 punishments.? But at the same time ob- 
 serve, because of the use made of this para- 
 ble by adherents of heresies, that if they 
 accuse the Creator' of being passionate, be- 
 cause of words that declare the wrath of 
 God, they ought also to accuse this king, 
 because that "being wroth," he delivered 
 the debtor to the tormentors. But it must 
 further be said to those whose view it is 
 that no one is delivered by Jesus to the tor- 
 mentors, — pray, explain to us, good sirs, 
 who is the king who delivered the wicked 
 servant to the tormentors? And let them 
 also attend to this, "So therefore also shall 
 My heavenly Father do unto you ; "* and to 
 the same persons also might rather be said 
 the things in the parable of the Ten Pounds 
 that the Son of the good God said, " How- 
 beit these mine enemies which would not 
 that I should reign over them,"s etc. The 
 conclusion of the parable, however, is 
 adapted also to the simpler ; for all of us who 
 have obtained the forgiveness of our own 
 sins, and have not forgiven our brethren, are 
 taught at once that we shall suffer the lot of 
 him who was forgiven but did not forgive 
 his fellow-servant. 
 
 14. HOW JESUS FINISHED HIS WORDS. 
 
 " And il came to pass when Jesus had 
 finished these words." ^ He who gives a 
 detailed and complete account of each of 
 the questions before him so that nothing is 
 left out, finishes his own words. But he 
 will give a declaration on this point with 
 more confidence who devotes himself with 
 great diligence to the entire reading of the 
 Old and New Testament ; for if the expres- 
 sion, " he finished these words," may be ap- 
 plied to no other, neither to Moses, nor to 
 any of the prophets, but only to Jesus, then 
 one would dare to say that Jesus alone 
 finished His words, He who came to put 
 
 \ Mf "■. ""'• y- ' Matt, xviii. 34. 
 
 ' Matt 'ivlu° ^f "' the Old Testament-according to Marcion. 
 i Matt. xvm. 35. t Luke xix. 27. • Matt. xix. i. 
 
 an end to things, and to fulfil what was 
 defective in the law, by saying, "It was 
 said to them of old time,"' etc., and, 
 again, "That the things spoken through the 
 prophets might be fulfilled."* But if it is 
 written somewhere also in them, then you 
 may compare and contrast the discourses 
 finished by them with those finished by the 
 Saviour, that you may find the difference 
 between them. And yet at this point, also, 
 investigation might be made whether in the 
 case of the things spoken by way of oracle 
 the expression, "he finished," is applied 
 either to the things spoken by Moses, or 
 any of the prophets, or of both together ; 
 for careful observation would suggest very 
 weighty thoughts to those who know how 
 " to compare spiritual things with spiritual," 
 and on this account "speak not in words 
 which man's wisdom teacheth, but which 
 the Spirit teacheth."' But perhaps some 
 other one, attending with over-curious 
 spirit to the word "finished," which is as- 
 signed to things of a more mystical order, 
 just as we say that some one delivered to 
 those who were under his control mysteries 
 and rites of " perfecting " ■* not in a praise- 
 worthy fashion, and another delivered the 
 mysteries of God to those who are worthy, 
 and rites of " perfecting " proportionate to 
 such mysteries, might say that having initiat- 
 ed them, he made a rite of " perfecting," by 
 which " perfecting" the words were shown 
 to be powerful, so that the gospel of Jesus was 
 preached in the whole world, and by virtue of 
 the divine " perfecting " gained the mastery 
 of every soul which the Father draws to the 
 Son, according to what is said by the 
 Saviour, "No one comes to Me except the 
 Father which has sent Me draw him."5 
 Wherefore also "the word" of those who 
 by the grace of God are ambassadors of the 
 gospel, "and their preaching, is not in per- 
 suasive words of wisdom, but in demon- 
 stration of the spirit of power,"* to those 
 for whom the words of the doctrine of 
 Jesus were finished. You will therefore 
 observe how often it is said, " He finished," 
 and of what things it is said, and you will 
 take as an illustration that which is said in 
 regard to the beatitudes, and the whole of 
 
 ' Matt. T. J3. ! Mark xiv. 49 ; Matt. xxvi. 56. 
 
 ^ I Cor. 11. 13. 
 
 ' TtAtTat. Origen's play on the words eTi\t(rtv and TtAer^ can- 
 not be fully reproduced in English. The word TeXen), in re- 
 ference to the mysteries, meant the rite, or participation in the rite, 
 by which one became perfect ; and in later Christian usage it was 
 applied to the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
 See Suicer. 
 
 * John vi. 44. 
 
 ® I Cor. ii. 4. iryevfiaro^ Svyifieio^. The omission of the Kai is 
 strange ; for in the Contra Celsum (i. 2) Origen characterises the 
 argument from prophecy as " the demonstration of the Spirit"' and 
 the aigumeot from miracles as "the demonstration of power." 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 50s 
 
 the discourse to which is subjoined, "And it 
 came to pass when Jesus had finished these 
 words, all the multitudes were astonished 
 at His teaching;."' But now the saying, 
 "Jesus finished these words, " is referred also 
 immediately to the very mystical parable 
 according to which the kingdom of heaven 
 is likened unto a king, but also beyond this 
 parable to the sections which were written 
 before it. 
 
 15. HOW MEN FOLLOWED JESUS. 
 
 Only, when Jesus had finished these 
 words, having spoken them in Galilee about 
 Capernaum, then " He departed thence, and 
 came into the borders of Judasa," * which 
 Were different from Galilee. But He came 
 to the borders of Juda2a, and not to the 
 middle of it, but, as it were, to the outer- 
 most parts, where great multitudes followed 
 Him,^ whom He healed at "the borders of 
 Judaea beyond Jordan," — where baptism 
 had been given. •* But you will observe the 
 difference iSetween the crowds who simply 
 followed, and Peter and the others who gave 
 up everything and followed, and Mattliew, 
 who arose and followed him ; s he did not 
 simply follow, but "having arisen;" for 
 " having arisen " is an important addition. 
 There are always those, then, who follow 
 like the great multitudes, who have not 
 arisen that they may follow, nor have given 
 up all that was theirs formerly, but few are 
 they who have arisen and followed, who 
 also, in the regeneration, shall sit on twelve 
 thrones.* Only, if one wishes to be healed, 
 let him follow Jesus. 
 
 16. CONCERNING THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES 
 TEMPTING JESUS (bY ASKING) WHETHER IT 
 WAS LAWFUL FOR A MAN TO PUT AWAY HIS 
 WIFE FOR EVERY CAUSE. 
 
 After this it is written that " there came 
 unto Him the Pharisees tempting Him and 
 saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his 
 wife for every cause P" ^ Mark, also, has 
 written to the like effect.* Accordingly, of 
 those who came to Jesus and inquired of 
 Him, there were some who put questions to 
 tempt Him ; and if our Saviour so tran- 
 scendent was tempted, which of His disci- 
 ples who is ordained to teach need be vexed, 
 when he is tempted by some who inquire, 
 not from the love of learning, but from the 
 wish to tempt ? And you might find many 
 passages, if 3^ou brought them together, in 
 which the Pharisees tempted our Jesus, and 
 
 • Matt. vii. 28. 
 
 • Joha i. 2S. 
 
 ^ Matt. xix. 3. 
 
 * Matt. xix. I. 
 " Matt. ix. Q. 
 ' Mark x. 2. 
 
 * Matt. xix. a. 
 ' Matt. xix. 28. 
 
 others, different from them, as a certain 
 lawyer,' and perhaps also a scribe,' that by 
 bringing together what is said about those 
 who tempted Him, you might find by in- 
 vestigation what is useful for this kind 
 of inquiries. Only, the Saviour, in re- 
 sponse to those who tempted Plim, laid 
 down dogmas ; for they said, "Is it lawful 
 for a man to put away his own wife for 
 every cause.? " and He answered and said, 
 "Have ye not read that He who created 
 them from the beginning made them male 
 and female? "3 etc. And I think that the 
 Pharisees put forward this word for this 
 reason, that they might attack Him what-, 
 ever He might say ; as, for example, if He 
 had said, "It is lawful," they would have 
 accused Him of dissolving marriages for 
 trifles; but, if He had said, "It is not law- 
 ful," they would have accused Him of per- 
 mitting a man to dwell with a woman, even 
 with sins ; so, likewise, in the case of the 
 tribute-money,'* if He had told them to give, 
 they would have accused Him of making 
 the people subject to the Romans, and not 
 to the law of God, but if He had told them 
 not to give, they would have accused Him 
 of creating war and sedition, and of stirring 
 up those who were not able to stand against 
 so powerful an army. But they did not 
 perceive in what way He answered blame- 
 lessly and wisely, in the first place, reject- 
 ing the opinion that a wife was to be put 
 away for every cause, and, in the second 
 place, giving answer to the question about 
 the bill of divorcement; for He saw that 
 not every cause is a reasonable ground 
 for the dissolution of marriage, and that 
 the husband must dwell with the wife as 
 the weaker vessel, giving honour,5 and 
 bearing her burdens in sins;* and by 
 what is written in Genesis, He puts to 
 shame the Pharisees who boasted in the 
 Scriptures of Moses, by saying, ' ' Have ye 
 not read that He who created them from 
 the beginning made them male and female," 
 etc., and, subjoining to these words, be- 
 cause of the saying, "And the twain shall 
 become one flesh," teaching in harmony 
 with one flesh, namely, " So that they are 
 no more twain, but one flesh. "7 And, as 
 tending to convince them that they should 
 not put away their wife for every cause, is it 
 said, " What God hath joined together, let not 
 man put asunder. " ^ It is to be observed, 
 however, in the exposition of the words 
 quoted from Genesis in the Gospel, that they 
 
 ' Matt. xxii. 35. 
 * Matt. xxii. 17. 
 ' Matt. xix. 4-6. 
 
 * Marlt xii. 28. 
 ' I Pet. iii. 7. 
 ' Matt, xix, 6. 
 
 ' Matt. xix. 4. 
 » Gal. vi. a. 
 
5o6 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 were not spoken consecutively as they are 
 written in the Gospel ; and I think that it is 
 not even said about the same persons, 
 namely, of those who were formed after the 
 image of God, and of those who were formed 
 from the dust of the ground and from one 
 of the ribs of Adam. For where it is said, 
 " Male and female made He them,"' the 
 reference is to those formed "after the 
 image," but where He also said, "For this 
 cause shall a man leave his own father 
 and mother,"^ etc., the reference is not to 
 those formed after the image ; for some 
 time after the Lord God formed the man, 
 taking dust from the ground, and from his 
 side the helpmate. And mark, at the same 
 time, that in the case of those who are 
 formed " after the image," the words 
 were not "husband and wife" but "male 
 and female." But we have also observed 
 this in the Hebrew, for man is indicated by 
 the word "is," tiut male by the word 
 "zachar," and again woman by the word 
 "essa," but female by the word " agkeba." 
 For at no time is it " woman " or " man " 
 "after the image," but the superior class, 
 the male, and the second, the female. But 
 also if a man leave his mother and his 
 father, he cleaves not to the female, 
 but to his own wife, and "they become," 
 since man and woman are one in flesh, 
 " one flesh." Then, describing what 
 ought to be in the case of those who 
 are joined together by God, so that they 
 may be joined together in a manner 
 worthy of God, the Saviour adds, ' ' So that 
 they are no more twain ; " s and, wherever 
 there is indeed concord, and unison, and 
 harmony, between husband and wife, when 
 he is as ruler and she is obedient to the 
 word, "He shall rule over thee,"'* then of 
 such persons we may truly say, "They are 
 no more twain." Then since it was neces- 
 sary that for "him who was joined to the 
 Lord," it should be reserved ' ' that he should 
 become one spirit with Him," s in the case 
 of those who are joined together by God, 
 after the words, ' ' So that they are no more 
 twain," it is said, "but one flesh." And it 
 is God who has joined together the two in 
 one so that they are no more twain, from the 
 time that * the woman is married to the man. 
 And, since God has joined them together, 
 on this account in the case of those who 
 are joined together by God, there is a 
 ''gift"; and Paul knowing this, that mar- 
 riage according to the Word of God was a 
 
 1 Gen. i. 27. J Gen. ii. 24. 
 
 J Gen. m. 16. t , cor. vi. ry. 
 
 Cr, fay God the woman is married to tlie man. 
 
 ' Matt. MX. 6. 
 
 " gift," like as holy celibacy was a gift, 
 says, "But I would that all men were like 
 myself; howbeit, each man hath his own 
 gift from God, one after this manner, and 
 another after that."' And those who are 
 joined together by God both mind and keep 
 the precept, " Husbands love your wives, as 
 Christ also the church." ^ The Saviour then 
 commanded, "What God hath joined to- 
 gether, let not man put asunder," 3 but man 
 wishes to put asunder what God hath joined 
 together, vi'hen, " falling away from the 
 sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits 
 and doctrines of demons, through the hypo- 
 crisy of men that speak lies, branded in 
 their own conscience as with a hot iron, 
 forbidding," not only to commit fornication, 
 but "to marry,"-* he dissolves even those 
 who had been before joined together by the 
 providence of God. Let these things then 
 be said, keeping in view what is expressly 
 said concerning the male and the female, 
 and the man and the woman, as the Saviour 
 taught in the answer to the Pharisees. 
 
 I 7. UNION OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH. 
 
 But since the Apostle understands the 
 words, "And they twain shall be one flesh," 5 
 of Christ and the church,* we must say that 
 Christ keeping the saying, " What God hath 
 joined together let not man put asunder," 7 
 did not put away His former wife, so to 
 speak — that is, the former synagogue — for 
 any other cause than that that wife com- 
 mitted fornication, being made an adul- 
 teress by the evil one, and along with him 
 plotted against her husband and slew Him, 
 saying, "Away with such a fellow from the 
 earth, crucify Him, crucify Him."* It was 
 she therefore who herself revolted, rather 
 than her husband who put her away and 
 dismissed her ; wherefore, reproaching her 
 for falling away from him, it says in Isaiah, 
 "Of what kind is the bill of your mother's 
 divorcement, with which I sent her away ? " ' 
 And He who at the beginning created Him 
 "who is in the form of God" after the 
 image, made Him male, and the church 
 female, granting to both oneness after the 
 image. And, for the sake of the church, the 
 Lord — the husband — left the Father whom 
 He saw when He was " in the form of God,"" 
 left also His mother, as He was the very 
 son of the Jerusalem which is above, and 
 was joined to His wife who had fallen 
 down here, and these two here became one 
 
 'iCor. vii. 7. 'Eph. V. 25. ' Matt. xii. 6. 
 
 * I Tim. iv. 1-3. " Matt. xix. 5. " Epii. v. 31, 3a. 
 
 ' Matt, xix, 6. ^ John xix. 6, ic ; Luke xxiii. iS. 
 
 » Isa. 1. 1. "> Phil. u. 6. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 So> 
 
 flesh. For because of her, He Himself also 
 became flesh, when "the Word became 
 flesh and dwelt among us," ' and they are 
 no more two, but now they are one flesh, 
 since it is said to the wife, " Now ye are 
 the body of Christ, and members each in 
 his part ; " ' for the body of Christ is not 
 something apart different from the church, 
 which is His body, and from the members 
 each in his part. And God has joined to- 
 gether these who are not two, but have 
 become one flesh, commanding that men 
 sliouldnot separate the church from the Lord. 
 And he who takes heed for himself so as not 
 to be separated, is confident as one who will 
 not possibly be separated and says, "Who 
 shall separate us from the love of Christ ? " 3 
 Here, therefore, the saying, "What God 
 hath joined together, let not man put 
 asunder,"* was written with relation to 
 the Pharisees, but to those who are su- 
 perior to the Pharisees, it could be said, 
 " What then God hath joined together, let 
 nothing put asunder," neither principality 
 nor power ; for God, who has joined to- 
 gether is stronger than all those which any 
 one could conceive and name. 
 
 1 8. THE BILL OF DIVORCEMENT. 
 
 After this we will discuss the saying of 
 the Pharisees which they said to Jesus, 
 '• Why then did Moses command to give a bill 
 of divorcement and put her away ?"s And with 
 good reason we will bring forward for this 
 purpose the passage from Deuteronomy 
 concerning the bill of divorcement, which 
 is as follows : " But if a man taketh a wife 
 and cohabit with her, and it shall be, if she 
 do not find favour in his sight because he 
 hath found in her a thing unseemly," etc., 
 down to the words, ' ' and ye shall not pol- 
 lute the land which the Lord your God 
 giveth you for an inheritance. " * Now I in- 
 quire whether in these things according to 
 this law, we are to seek nothing in it be- 
 yond the letter seeing that God has not 
 given it, or whether to the Pharisees who 
 quoted the saying, " Moses commanded 
 to give a bill of divorcement and put her 
 away," it was of necessity said, "Moses, 
 for your hardness of heart, suffered you to 
 put away your wives ; but from the begin- 
 ning it hath not been so." 7 But if any one 
 ascends to the Gospel of Christ Jesus which 
 teaches that the law is spiritual, he will 
 seek also the spiritual understanding of this 
 
 * John i. 14. 
 
 * Matt. xix. 6. 
 ° Matt. xix. 8. 
 
 29 
 
 ' f Cor. xii. 27. 
 ' Matt, xix, 7. 
 
 • Rom. viii. 35. 
 ' Deut. xxiv. 1-4. 
 
 law. And he who wishes to interpret these 
 things figuratively will say that, just as 
 it was said by Paul confident in the grace 
 which he had, "A wife is bound for 
 so long time as her husband liveth, but if 
 the husband be dead she is free to be mar- 
 ried to whom she will, only in the Lord ; 
 but she is happier if she abide as she is., 
 after my judgment, and I think that I also 
 have the Spirit of God " ■ (for here to the 
 words, " after my judgment," lest it should 
 be despised as being without the Spirit of 
 God, he well added, "and I think that I 
 also have the Spirit of God )," so also it would 
 be possible for Moses, by reason of the power 
 given to him to make laws, to the effect 
 that he suffered for the hardness of heart of 
 the people certain things, among which was 
 the putting away of wives, to be persuaded 
 in regard to the laws which he promulgated 
 according to his own judgment, that in these 
 also the legislation took place with the Spirit 
 of God. And he will say that, unless one 
 law is spiritual and another is not such, this 
 is a law, and this is spiritual, and its spiri- 
 tual significance ought to be investigated. 
 
 19. 
 
 THE DIVORCE OF ISRAEL. 
 
 Now, keeping in mind what we said 
 above in regard to the passage from Isaiah 
 about the bill of divorcement, we will say 
 that the mother of the people separated 
 herself from Christ, her husband, without 
 having received the bill of divorcement, but 
 afterwards when there was found in her an 
 unseemly thing, and she did not find favour 
 in his sight, the bill of divorcement was 
 written out for her ; for when the new cove- 
 nant called those of the Gentiles to the 
 house of Him who had cast away his former 
 wife, it virtually gave the bill of divorce- 
 ment to her who formerly separated from 
 her husband — the law, and the Word. 
 Therefore he, also, having separated from 
 her, married, so to speak, another, having 
 given into the hands of the former the bill 
 of divorcement ; wherefore they can no 
 longer do the things enjoined on them by 
 the law, because of the bill of divorcement. 
 And a sign that she has received the bill of 
 divorcement is this, that Jerusalem was de- 
 stroyed along with what they called the 
 sanctuary of the things in it which were 
 believed to be holy, and with the altar of 
 burnt offerings, and all the worship asso- 
 ciated with it. And a further sign of the bill 
 of divorcement is this, that they cannot keep 
 their feasts, even though according to the 
 
 * I Cor. vii. 39, 40. . 
 
5o8 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 letter of the law designedly commanded 
 them, in the place which the Lord God 
 appointed to them for keeping feasts ; but 
 there is this also, that the whole syna- 
 gogue has become unable to stone those 
 who have committed this or that sin ; and 
 thousands of things commanded are a sign 
 of the bill of divorcement ; and the fact that 
 "there is no more a prophet," and that 
 they say, " We no longer see signs ;"' for 
 the Lord says, " He hath taken avvay 
 from Judaea and from Jerusalem," according 
 to the word of Isaiah, " Him that is mighty, 
 and her that is mighty, a powerful giant," 
 etc., down to the words, "a prudent hear- 
 er."^ Now, He who is the Christ may 
 have taken the synagogue to wife and 
 cohabited with her, but it may be that 
 afterwards she found not favour in His 
 sight ; and the reason of her not having 
 found favour in His sight was, that there 
 was found in her an unseemly thing ; for 
 what was more unseemly than the circum- 
 stance that, when it was proposed to them 
 to release one at the feast, they asked for the 
 release of Barabbas the robber, and the 
 condemnation of Jesus ? ' And what was 
 more unseemly than the fact, that they all 
 said in His case, "Crucify Him, crucify 
 Him," and "Away with such a fellow 
 from the earth " ? ■• And can this be freed 
 from the charge of unseemliness, "His 
 blood be upon us, and upon our 
 children"?' Wherefore, when He was 
 avenged, Jerusalem was compassed with 
 armies, and its desolation was near,* and 
 their house was taken away from it, and 
 "the daughter of Zion was left as a booth 
 in a vineyard, and as a lodge in a garden of 
 cucumbers, and as a besieged city. "' And, 
 about the same time, I think, the husband 
 wrote out a bill of divorcement to his 
 former wife, and gave it into her hands, and 
 sent her away from his own house, and the 
 bond of her who came from the Gentiles 
 has been cancelled about which the Apostle 
 says, " Having blotted out the bond written 
 in ordinances, which was contrary to us, 
 and He hath taken it out of the way, nailing 
 it to the cross ; " * for Paul also and others be- 
 came proselytes of Israel for her who came 
 from the Gentiles.* The first wife, accord- 
 ingly, not having found favour before her 
 husband, because in her had been found an 
 unseemly thing, went out from the dwell- 
 ing of her husband, and, going away, has 
 become joined to another man, to whom 
 
 * Ps. Ixxiv. 9, 
 
 * John xix. 15. 
 ' Isa. i. 8. 
 
 * Isa. iii, 1-3. 
 
 * Matt. xxvi.. 2s- 
 
 * Col. u. 14. 
 
 ^ Matt, xxvii. zr. 
 
 *• Luke xxi. 20. 
 
 * The text is corrupt. 
 
 she has subjected herself, whether we 
 should call the husband Barabbas the rob- 
 ber, who is figuratively the devil, or some 
 evil power. And in the case of some of 
 that synagogue there has happened the 
 former thing which was written in the law, 
 but in the case of others, that which was 
 second. For the last husband ' hated his 
 wife and will write out for her some day at 
 the consummation of things a bill of di- 
 vorcement, when God so orders it, and will 
 give it into her hands and will send her 
 away from his dwelling ; for as the good 
 God will put enmity between the serpent 
 and the woman, and between his seed and 
 her seed, ^ so will He order it that the last 
 husband shall hate her. 
 
 20. CHRIST AND THE GENTILES. 
 
 Now there are those in whose case it has 
 happened that the man dwells with them 
 without having hated them, because they 
 abide in the house of the last husband, 
 who took to himself their synagogue as 
 wife. But also in their case the latter 
 husband dies,' perhaps whenever the last 
 enemy of Christ, death, is destroyed. But 
 whichever of these things may happen, 
 whether the former or the latter to the wife, 
 the former husband, it says, who sent her 
 away, will not be able to turn back and 
 take her to be a wife to himself after she 
 has been defiled, since "it is abomination," 
 it says, "before the Lord thy God." 3 But 
 these things will not seem to be consistent 
 with this, " If the fulness of the Gentiles be 
 come in, all Israel shall be saved." * But 
 consider if it can be said to this, that, if 
 she shall be saved by her former husband 
 returning and taking her to himself as wife, 
 she will in any case be saved after she has 
 been polluted. A priest, then, will not take 
 to himself as a wife one who has been a 
 harlot and an outcast,' but no other, as 
 being inferior to the priest, is hindered from 
 doing so. But if you seek for the harlot in 
 regard to the calling of the Gentiles, you 
 may use the passage, "Take to yourself 
 a wife of fornication, and children of forni- 
 cation, " * etc. ; for, as "the priests in the 
 temple profane the sabbath, and are guilt- 
 less," 7 so he who, casting out his former 
 wife, takes in due season "a wife of forni- 
 cation," having done it according to the 
 command of Him who says, when it is 
 necessary, and so long as it was necessar)', 
 " He shall not take a harlot to wife," and, 
 when it was reasonable, He says, "Take to 
 
 * Deut. xxiv. 3. 
 
 * Rom. xi. 25, 26. 
 ^ Matt. xii. s. 
 
 * Gen. iii. 15. 
 
 * Lev. xxi. 14. 
 
 ' Deut. xxiv. 4. 
 ^ Hos. i. 2. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 509 
 
 yourself a wife of fornication." For as the 
 Son of man is Lord of the sabbath,' and 
 not the slave of the sabbath as the people 
 are, so He who gives the law has power to 
 give it "until a time of reformation," ^ and 
 to change the law, and, when the time of 
 the reformation is at hand, also to give 
 after the former way and after the former 
 heart another way and another heart, "in 
 an acceptable time, and in a day of salva- 
 tion." 3 And let these things be said ac- 
 cording to our interpretation of the law in 
 regard to the bill of divorcement. 
 
 21. UNION OF ANGELS AND THE SOULS OF MEN. 
 
 But some one may inquire whether the 
 human soul can be figuratively called a 
 wife, and the angel who is set over her and 
 is her ruler, with whom as her sovereign she 
 holds conversation, can be called her hus- 
 band ; so that according to this each law- 
 fully dwells along with the soul which is 
 worthy of the guardianship of a divine 
 angel ; but sometimes after long sojourning 
 and intercourse a cause may arise in the 
 soul why she does not find favour in the 
 eyes of the angel who is her lord and 
 ruler, because that in it there is found 
 an _ unseemly thing; and bonds may be 
 written out, as such are written, and a bill 
 of divorcement be written and put into the 
 hands of her who is cast out, so that she 
 may no longer be familiar with her former 
 guardian, when she is cast out from his 
 dwelling. And even she who has gone 
 away from her former dwelling may be 
 joined to another husband, and be unfortu- 
 nate with him, not only, as in the case of the 
 former, not finding favour in his sight be- 
 cause an unseemly thing was found in her, 
 but even being hated by him.-* Yea, and 
 even there might be written out from the 
 second husband a bill of divorcement and 
 it might be put into her hands from the last 
 husband wlio sends her away from his 
 dwelling. But whether there can be such 
 a change of the life of angels with men, 
 as to amount, so far as concerns their 
 relation to us, to their death, one may 
 put the question rash though it be ; but 
 be that as it may, she also who has 
 once fallen away from the former hus- 
 band will not return again to him, for the 
 former husband who sent her away will not 
 be able to turn back and take her as wife to 
 himself, after she was defiled. 5 And if one 
 should dare, using a Scripture which is in 
 circulation in the church, but not acknow- 
 
 • Matt. xii. 8. 
 
 ' Cf. Deut. xxiv. 1-3. 
 
 • Heb. ix. 10. 
 ' Deat. xar. 4. 
 
 ' 2 Cor. ri. 2. 
 
 ledged by all to be divine, to soften down 
 a precept of this kind, the passage might 
 be taken from The Shepherd, concerning 
 some who as soon as they believe are put 
 in subjection to Michael,' but falling away 
 from him from love of pleasure, are put in 
 subjection to the angel of luxury, » then to 
 the angel of punishment, 3 and after this to 
 the angel of repentance ; for you observe 
 that the wife or soul who has once been 
 given to luxury no longer returns to the first 
 ruler, but also besides suffering punish- 
 ment, is put in subjection to one inferior to 
 Michael ; for the angel of penitence is 
 inferior to him. We must therefore take 
 heed lest there be found in us any unseemly 
 thing, and we should not find favour in the 
 eyes of our husband Christ, or of the angel 
 who has been set over us. For if we do 
 not take heed, perhaps we also shall 
 receive the bill of divorcement, and either 
 be bereft of our guardian, or go to another 
 man. But I consider that it is not of good 
 omen to receive, as it were, the marriage 
 of an angel with our own soul.* 
 
 22. THE MARRIAGE OF CHURCH DIGNITARIES. 
 
 But, while dealing with the passage, I 
 would say that we will be able perhaps now 
 to understand and clearly set forth a ques- 
 tion which is hard to grasp and see into, 
 with regard to the legislation of the Apostle 
 concerning ecclesiastical matters,; for Paul 
 wishes no one of those of the church, who 
 has attained to any eminence beyond the 
 many, as is attained in the administration 
 of the sacraments, to make trial of a second 
 marriage. For laying down the law in 
 regard to bishops in the first Epistle to 
 Timothy, he says, "If a man seeketh the 
 office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 
 The bishop, therefore, must be without re- 
 proach, the husbands of one wife, temperate, 
 sober-minded," 5 etc. ; and, in regard to 
 deacons, " Let the deacons," he says, "be 
 the husbands of one wife, ruling their chil- 
 dren and their own houses well, " *" etc. Yea, 
 and also when appointing widows, he says, 
 "Let there be no one as a widow under 
 threescore years old, having been the wife 
 of one man ; " 7 and after this he says the 
 things superadded, as being second or third 
 in importance to this. And, in the Epistle to 
 Titus, " For this cause," he says, ' ' I left thee 
 in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the 
 things that were wanting, and appoint elders 
 
 »Cf. Her. Sim.viii. 3. • Cf. Her. Sim. vi. 2. » Cf . Her. Sim.vi. 3. 
 
 * The text is probably corrupt. Perhaps it means the marriage 
 of a second angel with our soul. 
 
 • I Tim. iii. i, 2, " i Tim. iiL i j. ' i Tim. v. 9. 
 
510 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 in every city as I gave thee charge. If any 
 one is blameless, the husband of one wife, 
 having children, that believe " ' — of course — 
 and so on. Now, when we saw that some who 
 have been married twice may be much better 
 than those who have been married once, 
 we were perplexed why Paul does not at all 
 permit those who have been twice married 
 to be appointed to ecclesiastical dignities ; 
 for also it seemed to me that such a thing 
 was worthy of examination, as it was pos- 
 sible that a man, who had been unfortunate 
 in two marriages, and had lost his second 
 wife while he was yet young, might have 
 lived for the rest of his years up to old age 
 in the greatest self-control and chastity. 
 Who, then, would not naturally be per- 
 plexed why at all, when a ruler of the 
 church is being sought for, we do not ap- 
 point such a man, though he has been twice 
 married, because of the expressions about 
 marriage, but lay hold of the man who has 
 been once married as our ruler, even if he 
 chance to have lived to old age with his 
 wife, and sometimes may not have been dis- 
 ciplined in chastity and temperance.'' But, 
 from what is said in the law about the bill 
 of divorcement, I reflect whether, seeing 
 that the bishop and the presbyter and the 
 deacon are a symbol of things that truly 
 exist in accordance with these names, he 
 wished to appoint those who were 
 figuratively once married, in order that he 
 who is able to give attention to the matter, 
 may find out from the spiritual law the one 
 who was unworthy of ecclesiastical rule, 
 whose soul did not find favour in the eyes 
 of her husband because there had been 
 found in her an unseemly thing, and she 
 had become worthy of the bill of divorce- 
 ment ; for such a soul, having dwelt along 
 with a second husband, and having been 
 hated by such an one, can no longer, after 
 the second bill of divorcement, return to her 
 former husband.* It is likely, therefore, 
 also, that other arguments will be found by 
 those who are wiser than we, and have 
 more ability to see into such things, 
 whether in the law about the bill of divorce- 
 ment, or in the apostolic writings which 
 prohibit those who have been twice married 
 from ruling over the church or being pre- 
 ferred to preside over it. But, until some- 
 thing shall be found that is better and able 
 by the excessive brilliancy of the light of 
 knowledge to cast into the shade what we 
 have uttered, we have said the things which 
 have occurred to us in regard to the 
 passages. 
 
 » Tit. i. 5, 6. 
 
 * Cf. Deut. Kxiv. 4. 
 
 23- 
 
 SOME LAWS GIVEN BY CONCESSION TO 
 HUMAN WEAKNESS. 
 
 But, even if we have seemed to touch on 
 things too deep for our capacity in the 
 passages, nevertheless, because of the literal 
 expression these things must further be 
 said, that some of the laws were written 
 not as excellent, but as by way of accom- 
 modation to the weakness of those to whom 
 the law was given ; for something of this 
 kind is indicated in the words, " Moses for 
 your hardness of heart suffered you to put 
 away your wives ; " ' but that which is 
 pre-eminent and superior to the law, which 
 was written for their hardness of heart, is 
 indicated in this, "But from the beginning 
 it hath not been so." But in the new 
 covenant also there are some legal injunc- 
 tions of the same order as, ' ' Moses for 
 your hardness of heart suffered you to put 
 away your wives ; " for example, because 
 of our hardness of heart, it has been written 
 on account of our weakness, "But because 
 of fornications, let each man have his own 
 wife and let each woman have her own 
 husband;"^ and this, "Let the husband 
 render unto the wife her due, and likewise 
 also the wife unto the husband. " 3 To these 
 sayings it is accordingly subjoined, "But 
 this I say by way of permission, not of 
 commandment."* But this also, "A wife 
 is bound for so long time as her husband 
 liveth, but if her husband be dead, she is 
 free to be married to whom she will, only 
 in the Lord,"5 was said by Paul in view 
 of our hardness of heart and weakness, 
 to those who do not wish to desire ear- 
 nestly the greater gifts ^ and become more 
 blessed. But now contrary to what was 
 written, some even of the rulers of the 
 church have permitted a woman to marry, 
 even when her husband was living, doing 
 contrary to what was written, where it is 
 said, "A wife is bound for so long time as 
 her husband liveth," and " So then if while 
 her husband liveth, she shall be joined to 
 another man she shall be called an adulter- 
 ess, " 7 not indeed altogether without reason, 
 for it is probable this concession was per- 
 mitted in comparison with worse things, 
 contrary to what was from the beginning 
 ordained by law, and written. 
 
 24. JEWISH CRITICISM OF THE LAW OF CHRIST. 
 
 But perhaps some Jewish man of those 
 M-ho dare to oppose the teaching of our 
 Saviour will say, that when Jesus said, 
 
 ' Matt, xix. 8. 
 * I Cor. vii. 6. 
 ' Rom, vii. 3. 
 
 * I Cor. vii. 2. 
 
 * I Cor. vii. 39. 
 
 [ Cor. viii. 3. 
 I Cor. xii. 31 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 511 
 
 "Whosoever shall put away his own wife, 
 saving for the cause of fornication, maketh 
 her an adulteress,"' He also gave permis- 
 sion to put away a wife like as well as 
 Moses did, who was said by Him to 
 have given laws for the hardness of heart 
 of the people, and will hold that the say- 
 ing, " Because he found in her an unseemly 
 thing,"* is to be reckoned as the same as 
 fornification on account of which with 
 good cause a wife could be cast away from 
 her husband. But to him it must be said 
 that, if she who committed adultery was 
 according to the law to be stoned, clearly it 
 is not in this sense that the unseemly thing is 
 to be understood. For it is not necessary 
 for adultery or any such great indecency to 
 write a bill of divorcement and give it into 
 the hands of the wife ; but indeed perhaps 
 Moses called every sin an unseemly thing, 
 on the discovery of which by the husband 
 in the wife, as not finding favour in the eyes 
 of her husband, the bill of divorcement is 
 written, and the wife is sent away from the 
 house of her husband; "but from the 
 beginning it hath not been so. " 3 After this 
 our Saviour says, not at all permitting the 
 dissolution of marriages for any other sin 
 than fornication alone, when detected in 
 the wife, "Whosoever shall but away his 
 own wife, saving for the cause of fornica- 
 tion, maketh her an adulteress."* But it 
 might be a subject for inquiry if on this 
 account He hinders any one putting away 
 a wife, unless she be caught in fornication, 
 for any other reason, as for example for 
 poisoning, or for the destruction during the 
 absence of her husband from home of an 
 infant born to them, or for any form of 
 murder whatsoever. And further, if she 
 were found despoiling and pillaging the 
 house of her husband, though she was not 
 guilty of fornication, one might ask if he 
 would with reason cast away such an one, 
 seeing that the Saviour forbids any one to 
 put away his own wife saving for the cause 
 of fornication. In either case there appears 
 to be something monstrous, whether it be 
 really monstrous, I do not know ; for to 
 endure sins of such heinousness which seem 
 to be worse than adultery or fornication, 
 will appear to be irrational ; but again on 
 the other hand to act contrary to the de- 
 sign of the teaching of the Saviour, every 
 one would acknowledge to be impious. I 
 wonder therefore why He did not say, Let 
 no one put away his own wife saving 
 for the cause of fornication, but says, 
 
 * Matt. V. 32. 
 ' Matt. xix. 8, 
 
 * Deut. xxiv. I. 
 
 * Matt. V. 31. 
 
 "Whosoever shall put away his own wife, 
 saving for the cause of fornication, maketh 
 her an adulteress."' For confessedly he 
 who puts away his wife when she is not a 
 fornicator, makes her an adulteress, so far 
 as it lies with him, for if, "when the hus- 
 band is living she shall be called an 
 adulteress if she be joined to another man ; " ' 
 and when by putting her away, he gives to 
 her the excuse of a second marriage, very 
 plainly in this way he makes her an adul- 
 teress. But as to whether her being caught 
 in the act of poisoning or committing mur- 
 der, furnishes any defence of his dismissal 
 of her, you can inquire yourselves; for the 
 husband can also in other ways than 
 by putting her away cause his own wife to 
 commit adultery ; as, for example, allowing 
 her to do what she wishes beyond what is 
 fitting, and stooping to friendship with what 
 men she wishes, for often from the simpli- 
 city of husbands such false steps happen to 
 wives ; but whether there is a ground of 
 defence or not for such husbands in the 
 case of such false steps, you will inquire 
 carefully, and deliver your opinion also in 
 regard to the difficult questions raised by us 
 on the passage. And even he who with- 
 holds himself from his wife makes her often- 
 times to be an adulteress when he does not 
 satisfy her desires, even though he does so 
 under the appearance of greater gravity and 
 self-control. And perhaps this man is more 
 culpable who, so far as it rests with him, 
 makes her an adulteress when he does not 
 satisfy her desires than he who, for other 
 reason than fornication, has sent her away, 
 — for poisoning or murder or any of the 
 most grievous sins. But as a woman is an 
 adulteress, even though she seem to be 
 married to a man, while the former husband 
 is still living, so also the man who seems 
 to marry her who has been put away, does 
 not so much marry her as commit adultery 
 with her according to the declaration of our 
 Saviour. 
 
 25. CHASTITY AND PRAYER. 
 
 Now after these things, having considered 
 how many possible accidents may arise in 
 marriages, which it was necessary for the 
 man to endure and in this way suffer very 
 great hardships, or if he did not endure, to 
 transgress the word of Christ, the disciples 
 say to him, taking refuge in celibacy as 
 easier, and more expedient than marriage, 
 though the latter appears to be expedient, 
 ' ' J/ the case of the man is so with his 
 
 ' Matt. V. 33. 
 
 ' Rom. vii. 3. 
 
512 
 
 ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW. 
 
 wife, it is not expedient to marry." " 
 Aivd to this the Saviour said, teaching 
 us that absolute chastity is a gift given 
 by God, and not merely the fruit of train- 
 ing, but given by God with prayer, 
 "AH men cannot receive the saying, but 
 they to whom it is given." ^ Then seeing 
 that some make a sophistical attack on the 
 saying, "To whom it is given," as if those 
 who wished to remain pure in celibacy, but 
 were mastered by their desires, had an 
 excuse, we must say that, if we believe the 
 Scriptures, why at all do we lay hold of the 
 saying, " But they to whom it is given," 
 but no longer attend to this, "Ask and it 
 shall be given you,"' and to that which is 
 added to it, "For every one that asketh 
 receiveth " ? -t For if they "to whom it is 
 given " can receive this saying about abso- 
 lute purity, let him who wills ask, obeying 
 and believing Him who said, "Ask and it 
 shall be given you,"' and not doubting 
 about the saying, "Every one that asketh 
 receiveth. " ■• But when there you will in- 
 quire who it is that asketh, for no one of 
 those who do not receive has asked, even 
 though he seems to have done so, since it is 
 not lawful to say that the saying, "Every 
 one that asketh receiveth," is a lie. Who 
 then is he that asketh, but he who has 
 
 obeyed Jesus when He says, "If ye stand 
 praying, believe that ye receive, and ye 
 shall receive"?' But he that asketh must 
 do everything in his power that he may 
 pray "with the spirit " and pray also " with 
 the understanding,"* and pray "without 
 ceasing,"' keeping in mind also the saying, 
 "And He spake a parable unto them to the 
 end that they ought always to pray, and 
 not to faint, saying, There was in a city a 
 judge," ■» etc. And it is useful to know what 
 it is to ask, and what it is to receive, and 
 what is meant by "Every one that asketh, 
 receiveth," s and by " I say unto you though 
 he will not rise and give him, because he is 
 his friend, yet because of his importunity, 
 he will arise and give him as many as he 
 needeth."* It is therefore ' added, "And I 
 say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given 
 you," and soon. Further, let the saying, 
 "All men cannot receive the saying but 
 they to whom it is given," ' be a stimulus 
 to us to ask worthily of receiving ; and 
 this, "What son is there of you who shall 
 ask his father for a fish, will he for a fish 
 give him a serpent,"* etc. God therefore 
 will give the good gift, perfect purity in 
 celibacy and chastity, to those who ask 
 Him with the whole soul, and with faith, 
 and in prayers without ceasing. 
 
 ^ Matt. xix. 10. 
 ' Matt vU. 7. 
 
 * Matt. xix. II, 
 ' Matt, vii 8. 
 
 * Mark xt. 24, 25. 
 
 * Luke xviii. i, 2. 
 ^ Matt. xix. 11. 
 
 ^ I Cor. xiv. 15. 
 " Matt. vii. 8. 
 ^Luke xi. ii. 
 
 * I Thess. V. 17. 
 ' Luke xi. g. 
 
INDICES. 
 
THE APOCALYPSES OF PETER, VISIO PAULI, 
 MARIA VIRGO, AND OF SEDRACH. 
 
 OF 
 
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 Abraham in paradise, 158, 164, 165. 
 Abraham, Testament of, 152, 167, 179. 
 Abraham's bosom, 179. 
 Abyss, the, 153, 160, 162. 
 Acherousian, Acherusian, lake, 143, 
 
 Adam and his wife Eve, 163, 173, 
 177, 178. 
 
 Adulterers punished in Tartarus, 146, 
 161, 170. 
 
 Agapae, 162. 
 
 Alleluia, the, interpreted, 159. 
 
 Akhmim, 141, 143. 
 
 Altar in the city of Christ, 159, 163. 
 
 Amos, the prophet, 158. 
 
 Angel directing the vision, 151 sq. 
 
 Angels are guardians to souls, 165, 
 169 sq. ; report upon men's 
 actions, 152, 154, 155, 169 sq. ; 
 have times for their adoration 
 and for receiving their instruc- 
 tions, 152 ; have a glorious ap- 
 pearance, 153 ; are under Mich- 
 ael as their commander-in-chief, 
 169 sq. ; the western, 169. 
 
 Angels, the Tartaruchian or lost, 
 and their equipments, 160; fell 
 and then were tempters, 177. 
 
 Apocalypse of Baruch, 167. 
 
 Apocalypse of Esdras, 142, 167, 173, 
 174. 175. 177. 178, 180. 
 
 Apocalypse offohn, 141. 
 
 Apocalypse of Peter, 141-3, 145-7, 
 139; its bibliography 141 sq. ; 
 is referred to, 149, 170, 171, 172; 
 as translated, 145 sq. 
 
 Apocalypse of Sedrach, 167, 175, 177 
 sq. ; its bibliography, 175; as 
 translated, 177 sq. 
 
 Apocalypse of the Virgin, l6y sq. ; as 
 translated, 169 sq. 
 
 Apostates, punished in Tartarus, 
 146. 
 
 Archdeacons, punished in Tartarus, 
 172. 
 
 Aristophanes quoted, 143. 
 
 Ascension of Isaiah, 156, 1 58. 
 
 Assumption legends, 167. 
 
 Augustine quoted, 149. 
 
 Barlaam and Josaphat, History of, 
 
 143- 
 Barnabas, Epistle of, 141. 
 Baruch, Apocalypse of, idrj. 
 Benjamin in paradise, 164. 
 Bishop, is punished in Tartarus, 146, 
 
 171. 
 
 Blessed, the happy condition of, 153, 
 
 156. 
 Born, if better we had not been, 162. 
 Bouriant, 141. 
 Brandes, his information as editor, 
 
 149. 
 
 Catalogus Claromontanus, 141. 
 
 Chastisements of the human race, 
 innumerable, 169. 
 
 Christ, the Mediator, 158; his body 
 and blood in the Eucharist, 
 162. 
 
 Christ, the City of, 157, 158; de- 
 scribed, 157, 158. 
 
 Clement of Alexandria, 141, 143, 146, 
 172. 
 
 Cold, extreme, in Tartarus, 162. 
 
 Cross is swoni by, 170. 
 
 Cynegius consul, 151. 
 
 David, how saved, 176. 
 
 Deacon is punished in Tartarus, 160, 
 
 172. 
 Death, its physical mode, 178; is 
 
 declined 178, 179. 
 Devil beguiled Adam and Eve, 177 
 
 Earth pleads against men, 1 52. 
 
 East, the direction for worship, 145 ; 
 east, or left parts of paradise, 172. 
 
 Elias, in paradise. 166. 
 
 Eliseus in paradise, 166. 
 
 Elysian fields, 147. 
 
 Enoch, Book of, 145, 156. 
 
 Enoch, the scribe of righteousness in 
 paradise, 156. 
 
 Eschatology, Christian, 142. 
 
 Esdras, Fourth Book of, 146, 147, 
 167, 175, 177, 178. 
 
 Esdras, Apocalypss of, 142, 167, 173, 
 174. 175. 177. 178, 180. 
 
 Eucharist of blessing, 162. 
 
 Euphrates, Eufrates, river in para- 
 dise, 157; ran milk, 1 57. 
 
 Eusebius, Eccl. Hist., 141, 145. 
 
 E villa, land of, 163. 
 
 Ezekiel, the prophet, 158. 
 
 Fison, Physon, river in paradise, 1 57 ; 
 ran honey, 157. 
 
 Fasts broken, cause tortures in Tar- 
 tarus, 161. 
 
 Forgiveness, pleas for, 171 ; on what 
 conditions, 179. 
 
 Fornicators punished in Tartarus, 
 161. 
 
 Freedom given to mankind, 177, 178. 
 
 Gabriel the archangel, 169; his place 
 in the Vision of the Virgin, 
 169 sq. 
 
 Gion, Geon, river in paradise, 157; 
 ran oil, 157, 158. 
 
 God knows man and waits, 151 sq., 
 160,179; is very pitiful, 160, 162, 
 179, 180; is fuller of pity than 
 men are, 162 j in Holy Trinity, 
 162, 163, 164, 169; is questioned 
 upon His creative acts, 177; has 
 His moralgovemmentarraigned, 
 177, 178; disciplines the human 
 race, 177. 
 
 God the Son, 162 ; is judge, 162; is 
 mediator, 1 63 ; is redeemer by 
 bloodshedding, 163. 
 
 Gospel of Thomas, 142. 
 
 Halleluiah interpreted, 159. 
 
 Harnack, 142, 146. 
 
 Heaven, a lost soul enters it, 154, 
 
 155; its door described, 155; 
 
 the second described, 156; the 
 
 third, 155, 177; the .seventh, 
 
 159. 
 History of Barlaam, and fosaphat, 
 
 142, 143. 
 Horner, 142. 
 
 Idolaters, punished in Tartarus, 146. 
 
 Infanticides punished in Tartarus, 
 146, i6r, 170. 
 
 Infants, made happy if slain at birth, 
 146, 161 ; if exposed are cared 
 for by angels, 146; those slain 
 by Herod, 158 ; as murdered at 
 birth, 161, 170. 
 
 Irenseus, 156. 
 
 Isaac in paradise, 158, 164, 165. 
 
 Isaiah the prophet, 158. 
 
 Islands of the blest, 142. 
 
 Jacob in paradise, 158, 164, 165. 
 
 James, M. R., 149, 167. 
 
 Jeremiah the prophet, 158. 
 
 Jews, their punishment in Tartarus, 
 172. 
 
 Job in paradise, 158, 165 ; descrip- 
 tion of his afflictions, 165; his 
 faith in God, 165. 
 
 Joseph in paradise, 164. 
 
 Judgment, the day of, 146; vision of 
 the process of, 151 sq. ; by God, 
 151 sq.; by the Son of God, 162. 
 
 Lake of fire, 145, 146. 
 
 515 
 
5i6 
 
 PETER, VISIO PAULI, MARIA VIRGO, SEDRACH. 
 
 Librum Perfectionis or Comfletum, 
 
 143- 
 
 Lord's Day, 163. 
 
 Lost souls, their abode, 153, 154, 
 158 sq., 169 sq. ; as they leave 
 the body, 154; the accounts of, 
 167 ; why they were lost, 173. 
 
 Lot in paradise, 158. 
 
 Love, a Christian virtue, 158. 
 
 Lyons and Vienne, Epistle of tlie 
 Martyrs of, 145. 
 
 Macarius Magnus, 141, 143, 146. 
 
 Magicians are punished in Tartarus, 
 160. 
 
 Man, in sin is borne with by God, 
 151 sq, 160; is allowed his 
 freedom, 160, 177, 178 ; is under 
 God's discipline, 177; his place in 
 God's moral government, 177, 
 178 ; why was he not hindered 
 from sin ? 177, 178; the beauty 
 of every part, 179; was made in 
 three stages, 180. 
 
 Mariolatry In full expression, 169 sq. 
 
 Matin hour for universal worship, 
 152. 
 
 Merit, as conveyed to the unlearned, 
 158 
 
 Methodius, bishop of Olympus, 141, 
 
 143- 
 
 Micah the prophet, 158. 
 
 Michael the archangel, his charge of 
 souls, 154, 158, 162, 165, 179; is 
 prayed to by the lost, 162; prayed 
 always for the lost, 162, 163, 165, 
 172; commander-in-chief, 169 
 sq. ; mediates by his prayers, 
 179. 
 
 Mischief-makers are punished in 
 Tartarus, 171. 
 
 Mkhiton, 142. 
 
 Monks, unfaithful, are punished in 
 Tartarus, 161. 
 
 Moon and stars plead against man, 
 151. 
 
 Moses in paradise, 164, 173. 
 
 Mount of Olives, 169. 
 
 Muratorian Fragment, 141, 142. 
 
 Murderers are punished in Tartarus, 
 146. 
 
 Nicephorus, Pat. Const., 142. 
 
 Noe in paradise, 165 ; describes his 
 
 work, 165, 166. 
 North, for a place of punishment, 
 
 169. 
 
 Ocean river surrounds the Earth, 159, 
 Oceanus, river of the second heaven, 
 156. 
 
 Papias, 156. 
 
 Paradise described, 156 sq., 163; 
 had temptation for man, 177. 
 
 Passion of St. Perpetua, 142, 145. 
 
 Pastor of Hernias, 141, 145. 
 
 Patriarch and Bishop punished in 
 Tartarus, 172. 
 
 Patriarchs, the twelve, in paradise, 
 164. 
 
 Paul, Acts of, 141. 
 
 Paul, Vision of, and its biblio- 
 graphy, 149, r66 n. ; was popular 
 in the Middle Ages, 149; as 
 translated, 151 sq. ; story of the 
 
 finding of, 151, 166 n. ; referred 
 
 to, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174. 
 Paul, friend of God in the Vision, 
 
 151, 156, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166; 
 
 his preaching was a means of sal- 
 vation, 164, 166; his honor in 
 
 paradise, 165, 166. 
 Penalties exacted in Tartarus, 160, 
 
 1161. 
 Penances, 163. 
 Periodoi Pauli, 1 42. 
 Perkins, Dr. I., 149. 
 Persecutors are punished in Tartarus, 
 
 146. 
 Peter, Second Epistle of, its escha- 
 
 tology, 142, 143. 
 Peter, Apocalypse or Revelation of, 
 
 145 sq. 149 i its bibliography, 141 
 
 sq.; referred to, 169, 170, 171, 
 
 172. 
 Peter, Gospel according to, 142. 
 Pilgrims and hermits are under 
 
 angelic care, 152. 
 Pindar, 142, 143. 
 Plato, 142, 143. 
 Presbyters, the wives and widows of, 
 
 172. 
 Pride, its sinfulness, 1 57. 
 Priests are punished in Tartarus, 
 
 171. 
 Prophets, the Minor and Major, 158; 
 
 false are promised, 145. 
 Psalms and psaltery in paradise, 159. 
 Punishment, its place seen, 145, 153 
 
 sq., 169 sq. 
 
 Reader punished in Tartarus, 160, 
 
 171. 
 Refreshment to the lost souls, 163 ; 
 
 in paradise, 174. 
 Repentance, its value, 155, 157, 161, 
 
 162, 163, 173, 177, 179, 180; may 
 
 be in a moment, 180. 
 Resurrection necessary, 1 53. 
 Revelation of Peter, 145 sq., 156 sq., 
 
 160, 161, 162, 169, 170, 171, 172; 
 
 its bibliography, 141 sq. 
 Righteous, their form shown in vis- 
 ion, 145 ; their place of abode, 
 
 1 53 ; in departing from the body, 
 
 153- 
 Rivers, the four, of paradise, 157, 
 
 163. 
 Robinson, 142. 
 Robinson and James, 142. 
 Ruben in paradise, 164. 
 
 Scripture disparagers punished in 
 
 Tartarus, 160. 
 Sea pleads against men, 151. 
 Sedrach, Apocalypse of, 167, 175, 177 
 
 sq. ; its bibliography, 175; as 
 
 translated, 177 sq. 
 Sedrach, declines to give his soul to 
 
 paradise, 178; his name to be a 
 
 talisman for salvation, 180. 
 Sheol, 143. 
 
 Sibylline Oracles, 143. 
 Slanderers punished in Tartarus, 171. 
 Sodomites punished in Tartarus. 
 Soul, where placed in the body, 178 ; 
 
 is refused to be given up by 
 
 Sedrach, 178 : a lost one enters 
 
 heaven, 154, 155. 
 
 Souls according to their character, 
 151 sq. . 
 
 South m paradise, 162, 170. 
 
 South in the west in paradise, 162. 
 
 Sozomen, 142, 149. 
 
 Steward, unfaithful, punished in Tar- 
 tarus, 171. 
 
 Sun pleads against men, 151. 
 
 Sunset, time for universal worship, 
 152. 
 
 Talebearer is punished in Tartarus, 
 170, 171. 
 
 Tartarus, 143, 155. 
 
 Tartuchian angels and their equip- 
 ments, 160. 
 
 Temptation by the devil allowed by 
 God, 177. 
 
 Tennyson, 142. 
 
 Testament of Abraham, 152,167, 179, 
 
 Theodosius Yr., 151, 166 n. 
 
 Thomas, Acts of, 143. 
 
 Thomas, Gospel of, 142. 
 
 Throne in the City of Christ, 158, 
 163. 
 
 Tigris, Thigris, river, 157, 163; ran 
 wine, 157, 158. 
 
 Tischendorf, 143, 149, 
 
 Tongue, the gnawing of, 146, 160. 
 
 Torments of the lost in Eschatology, 
 143; described in detail, 145, 
 146,153, 154, 155, 159, 160. 
 
 Trees beside the City of Christ, 157, 
 
 159, 164. 
 
 Uncharitable, punished in Tart£(rus, 
 
 146, 161, 162. 
 Usurers, punished in Tartarus, 146, 
 
 160, 170, 172. 
 
 Vision of Paul, 142 [Paul]. 
 
 Virgin, Apocalypse of the, 167, 169 sq. 
 
 Virgin Mary, 162, 164, 169 sq. ; 
 Mother of the Lord, 164, 169 sq.; 
 " The holy mother of God," 
 169: "the all holy mother of 
 God," 170 ; " the holy, undefilfid 
 mother of God," 174; "lamp of 
 the inaccessible light," 172; in 
 paradise, 162, 164, 169 sq. ; her 
 rest in paradise, 173; her exal- 
 tation to heaven, 173, 174; her 
 intercession for sinners, 173; 
 her worship in full expression, 
 169 sq. 
 
 Well, sealed, 162; filled with the 
 stench of Hell, 162. 
 
 West in paradise, 170, 171. 
 
 West cott, 141. 
 
 Witnesses, false, punished in Tar- 
 tarus, 146, 170. 
 
 Wives and widows of presbyters, 
 punished in Tartarus, 172, 
 
 Worms used in Tartarus for torture, 
 146, 160, 161, 162, 163, 171, 172. 
 
 Worship, neglect of, punished in 
 Tartarus, 171. 
 
 Worshippers neglecting duties, 
 punished in Tartarus, 171. 
 
 Zechatiah the prophet, 158. 
 
ABRAHAM, XANTHIPPE, POLYXENA, ZOSIMUS. 
 
 517 
 
 INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 Gen. ii. 11 sq. . 
 Lev. V. 12 sq. . . 
 Num. xviii. 7 sq. 
 Isa. xxxiv. 4 . . 
 
 Ixvi. 24 . . . 
 2 Esdras iv. 4-11 
 
 V. 23sq. . . 
 
 V. 36 . . . 
 
 viii. IS sq. . 
 Matt. vii. 15 . . 
 
 xxiv. 5, II . 
 
 xxiv. 35 . . 
 
 • 157 
 
 • 171 
 
 • 171 
 
 142, 146 
 
 . 178 
 
 • '78 
 . 178 
 
 • 177 
 . MS 
 
 • 145 
 . 141 
 
 Mark ix. 44, 48 
 
 PAGB 
 ... 142 
 
 ix. 48 . 
 
 ... 146 
 
 Luke xvi. 19 
 
 ... 142 
 
 John XV. 13 
 Rom. i. 26 sq 
 
 ... 177 
 
 ... 146 
 
 11.4. . 
 
 ... 178 
 
 I Cor. n. 9 . 
 
 • ■ • 145 
 
 2 Cor. iii. 7 sq 
 
 • • • 145 
 
 vii. 1-5 
 
 . ... 151 
 
 sThess.ii. 3 
 
 . ... 14s 
 
 I Peter i. 4. 
 
 . ... 145 
 
 PAGE 
 
 2 Peter i. i 145 
 
 i. 18 145 
 
 I: 19 145 
 
 !!■ 1-3 145 
 
 n. 2 146 
 
 ij- 9 145 
 
 n. 10 146 
 
 ii. ID, 14, 17, 20. . 146 
 
 ii. 12 145 
 
 ii. 14 146 
 
 ii 17 146 
 
 PAGB 
 
 ii. 21 146 
 
 ii. 22 146 
 
 2 Peter iii. 2 . . . . 146 
 
 iii. 7 ■ . ■ ■ • 145 
 
 ni. 7, 16 . . . . 145 
 
 iii. II 145 
 
 iii. 19 145 
 
 Jude 6, 13 145 
 
 7 146 
 
 8 146 
 
 8-10 146 
 
 TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM. ACTS OF XANTHIPPE 
 AND POLYXENA, AND NARRATIVE OF ZOSIMUS. 
 
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 Abel in judgment, 184, 194; seated 
 on the throne of judgment, 194; 
 his death in Cain, 194. 
 
 Abraham, taken up on a cloud, 183, 
 igr, 194 ; his righteous indigna- 
 tion, 183, 192; his feelings of 
 pity, 183, 196 ; intercedes for the 
 sinners, 183, 196 ; at Mamre, 
 184, 185; Michael is sent to him, 
 185: confers with Michael, 185 
 sq. ; his name changed from 
 Abram, 186; washes Michael's 
 feet, 186, 187 ; had entertained 
 three holy ones at Mamre, 189; 
 desires to see all creation and is 
 allowed, 191 sq. ; as a man he 
 has little compassion, 192 ; not 
 allowed to see more evil, 192 ; 
 taken to the first gate of heaven, 
 192; invites Michael to unite in 
 intercession, 196; brought back 
 to die, 196 ; is shown death in 
 various forms, 197-200; gives 
 himself up to death, 198, 199, 
 200, 201 ; long unwilling to die, 
 183, 190, 191, 196, 197, 198 ! pro- 
 cures life to his dead servants, 
 199 J his burial, 201 ; enters 
 paradise, 201 ; his age, 184, 185 ; 
 his character, 185. 
 
 Achilles Tatius (or Statins), 203. 
 
 Acts of Paul, 203. 
 
 Acts of Thecla, 203. 
 
 Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena,\ts 
 bibliography, 203 sq., 219; as 
 
 translated, 205 sq. ; its probable 
 date, 203. 
 
 Adam, in judgment, 184 ; he and 
 Eve have died, 190. 
 
 Andrew, the apostle in Greece 215 1 
 baptizes Polyxena, 214. 
 
 Angel of light holding the balance, 
 193, 194, 195 ; holding the trum- 
 pet of all consuming fire, 193, 
 194. 
 
 Angels take home the Blessed, 233 ; 
 two were lashing and driving 
 sinners, 193; recording sins and 
 righteousness, 195 ; instruct 
 Zosimus, 221. 
 
 Apocalypse of Paul, 183. 
 
 Ass-driver feeds and defends Poly 
 xenaand Rebecca, 203, 214, 215; 
 his charity and persecution, 215. 
 
 Balance for weighing justice, 193, 
 
 194, 195. 
 Baptism in name of the Tnnity, 211, 
 
 214; for washing away sin, 211 ; 
 
 to Polyxena's captor, 217. 
 Barandus or Gnosteas a reader of 
 
 dreams, 210. 
 Blessed, way to life of the, 222 ; hap- 
 piness and peace of, 222, 223 ; 
 
 are taken at last by the angels, 
 
 223. 
 Book on the table at heaven's gate, 
 
 193; two carried by cherubim, 
 
 194. 
 
 Cain killed Abel, 194. 
 
 Calf eaten and restored to life, 184. 
 
 Commodian, 219. 
 
 Cross, one brilliant on the eastern 
 
 wall, 209 ; one of wood, 212. 
 Crowns of witness, 194. 
 Cryseos in the desert, 224. 
 Cypress tree speaks in human voice, 
 
 186. 
 
 Death, its forms, 184, 190, 193, 197, 
 198, 199, 200, 201 ; is common 
 to all, 190 ; " the shameless 
 countenance and the pitiless 
 look," 197 ; is shown to Abra- 
 ham in various forms, 197, 198; 
 unknown to the Blessed, 222. 
 
 Demon tried to frighten Xanthippe, 
 211. 
 
 Dokiel, archangel, " the just weigh- 
 er," 195. 
 
 Dreams, Isaac's, 184, 187, 189 sq. ; 
 interpreted, 189, 190. 
 
 Elders, like sons of God. 
 
 Enoch, scribe of righteousness, 194; 
 
 does not pronounce sentence, 
 
 194. 
 Eumeles, river, 220, 223. 
 
 Gates and ways, two, 192. 
 Gennadius, 203. 
 
 Gnosteas, reader of dreams, 210. 
 God pities sinners, 192. 
 
 Hades, 190, 207. 
 
Si8 
 
 ABRAHAM, XANTHIPPE, POLYXENA, ZOSIMUS. 
 
 Heaven, sights at the first gate of, 
 
 192 sq. 
 Heliodorus, 203. 
 
 Idols shaken and overthrown, 205. 
 Isaac, his dream, 184, 187, 188, 189 ; 
 draws water for feetwashing, 
 
 186 i prepares the inner chamber, 
 
 187 ; serves the table at supper, 
 188 ; declares his dream, 189 : 
 prepares Abraham to die, 196; 
 is at Abraham's death, 201. 
 
 James, Montague Rhodes, as editor, 
 183, 203. 
 
 Jerusalem, its king changed, 221,222. 
 
 Judgment, vision of, 184 sq. ; re- 
 members all sin, 194. 
 
 Justice done at heaven's gate, 194. 
 
 Kid was killed, eaten and restored 
 to life, 189. 
 
 Land of the Blessed, 219. 
 
 Lioness is blessed by Polyxena, 214; 
 
 spoke with human voice, 214. 
 Lost tribes, the, 219. 
 Lot, brother's son to Abraham, 188, 
 
 1S9. 
 
 Makares, or the Blessed ones, 219. 
 
 Mamre, Abraham's home, 184, 185, 
 189. 
 
 Man, one at heaven's gate weeping 
 and laughing, 192, 193; tried by 
 the fire and the balance, 195 ; 
 one instructs Zosimus, 220, 221. 
 
 Marriage despised, 214. 
 
 Michael, archangel and chief cap- 
 tain, 185 sq. ; the incorporeal, 
 186 sq., 196; as messenger, 184, 
 1S5, 187, 188, 190; leave Abra- 
 ham on pretext, 183 ; refuses to 
 ride, 184, 186 ; his tears become 
 precious stones, 184, 187 ; con- 
 fers with Abraham, 185 sq. ; his 
 feet washed by Abraham, 186, 
 187 ; sits at Abraham's table, 
 188; reports to God, 190; goes 
 a second time to Abraham, 191 ; 
 goes a third time to Abraham, 
 196, 197 ; takes Abraham in the 
 chariot of the cherubim, 191 sq. ; 
 brings Abraham home to die, 
 196; takes Abraham's soul to 
 tiie heavens, 2oi. 
 
 Narrative of Zosimus, and its biblio- 
 graphy, 219 sq. 
 Nicephorus, 219. 
 
 Onesimus, 203, 216; has a revela- 
 tion, 216. 
 
 Paradise, 193, 194, 219. 
 
 Paul, apostle perhaps visited Spain, 
 203, 212; at Rome, 205; has a 
 message from Spain, 205 ; is 
 heard of as a physician, 205; 
 comes to Spain, 206 ; is received 
 into Probus' house, 207 ; heals 
 the sick and possessed, 208 ; 
 baptizes Xanthippe, 209; bap- 
 tizes Probus, 211. 
 
 Paul, prefect's son and friend of 
 Polyxena, 216. 
 
 Pen, golden one for judgment, 194. 
 
 Peter, apostle, 203 ; is at sea, 212. 
 
 Philip, apostle, 203; in Greece re- 
 covers Polyxena, 212; delivers 
 up Polyxena, 213. 
 
 Philotheus invites Paul to his house, 
 208 ; ex-prefect in Spain, 208 ; 
 receive Xanthippe to his house 
 209. 
 
 Polyxena, sister of Xanthippe, 212 
 her dream of a dreadful dragon, 
 212; is carried off to sea, 212; 
 to Greece, 212, 213; delivered 
 by St. Philip, 213; flees to the 
 desert, 213; finds refuge with a 
 lioness, 214 ; desires baptism, 
 213, 214; received by St. Andrew 
 and baptized, 214 ; carried off 
 by a prefect, 215; entertained 
 by an ass-driver, 214, 215 ; saved 
 from a forced marriage, 216 ; 
 saved by the prefect's son, 216 ; 
 finally delivered, 216, 217. 
 
 Prayer saved the soul in the even 
 balance, 195 
 
 Prefect, wickecl, 203, 215. 
 
 Probus, Spaniard, husband of Xan- 
 thippe, 205 ; was known to the 
 Emperor Nero, 206; in great 
 grief about his wife, 206 ; St. 
 Paul's prayer for, 207, 208 ; casts 
 out St. Paul, 208 ; restless and 
 troubled with dreams, 210; is 
 baptized, 211 ; receives the 
 Eucharist, 211: makes a great 
 feast, 211, 
 
 Rebecca, Jewess, 203, 214; is bap- 
 tized by St. Andrew, 214; flees 
 with Polyxena. 
 
 Rechabites among the Blessed, 321 ; 
 stand true to their principles, 
 222. 
 
 Repentance to life, 192. 
 
 Sarah recognizes St. Michael, 184, 
 189; in family with Abraham 
 and Isaac, 186; heraffection for 
 Isaac, 188; her barrenness, 190; 
 thanks St. Michael for bringing 
 Abraham back, 196; dies and is 
 
 buried, 196 ; is at Abraham's 
 
 death, 201. 
 Simon Magus, 212. 
 Sins are recorded by the angels, 195. 
 Souls, the weighing of, 183, 193, 194; 
 
 lashed and driven by angels, 
 
 192; saved or lost, 192, 193; 
 
 more lost than saved, 193; saved 
 
 by prayer when in the balance, 
 
 195. 
 Spain, early Christian, 203, 205. 
 Spirit, a devouring, 184, 188. 
 Spirits are incorporeal, 187. 
 
 Table like crystal at heaven's gate, 
 
 193- 
 
 Testajnent of Abraham, its biblio- 
 graphy, 183 ; as translated, 185 
 sq. ; its date and origin, 183 ; 
 two versions, 183 ; tone is Jew- 
 ish more than Christian, 183. 
 
 Thecla, the story of, 216. 
 
 Thieves seen in Abraham's vision, 
 192. 
 
 Three holy men at Mamre, 189. 
 
 Time unknown to the Blessed, 222. 
 
 Tree speaks with human voice, 184, 
 186. 
 
 Trees, two, carry Zosimus over the 
 cloud, 220, 223 ; stand by the 
 Eumelus, 233. 
 
 Wall of cloud crossed over by Zos- 
 imus, 220. 
 
 Way of life of the Blessed, 222. 
 
 Ways and gates, two and different, 
 192. 
 
 Well of healing in the desert, 224. 
 
 World shown to Abraham, 191 sq. 
 
 Xanthippe, wife of Probus, 203 ; her 
 conversion, 203 ; her desire to 
 hear of St. Paul, 205, 206 ; meets 
 St. Paul, 206, 207 ; throws her- 
 self at his feet, 207 ; is shut up 
 in Probus' house, 208; desires 
 baptism, 208 ; visits St. Paul in 
 Philotheus' house, 208 ; is bap- 
 tized, 209 ; has angelic visita- 
 tions, 209 ; at last gets Polyxena 
 back, 217. 
 
 Zosimus, The narrative of, its biblio- 
 graphy, 219; as translated, 220 
 sq. 
 
 Zosimus, a recluse in the desert forty 
 years, 220; is led from the 
 desert by a camel, 220; is taken 
 up on a storm and placed beside 
 Eumeles, 220; suggests a lie and 
 is to be expelled by the Blessed, 
 221 ; joins the Rechabites, 221 ; 
 dies and is buried, 224. 
 
THE EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 Aaron and Miriam in sedition, 230. 
 Abel, 230. 
 
 Abiram in sedition, 230. 
 Abraham, preacher of righteousness, 
 232 ; blessed as friend of God, 
 
 232, 234. 
 
 Anacletus, bishop of Rome, 227. 
 Ananias, Azarias, and Misael in the 
 
 furnace, 243. 
 ApoUos, centre of a party at Corinth, 
 
 243- 
 
 Bishops, how appointed at first, 
 
 241, 242. 
 Body an example of harmonious 
 
 action in Christ, 240. 
 Bryennius publishes a complete 
 
 edition of Clement's Epistles, 
 
 228. 
 
 Cain, 230. 
 
 Cephas, centre of a party at Corinth, 
 
 243- 
 Christ, our example in humility, 
 
 233. 234. 240. 243, 244, 252; 
 His blood given for us, 235; is 
 against evil-doers, 236; will 
 come again, 236, 251 ; is our 
 leader, 240, 251 ; is to be very 
 highly thought of, 251 ; is our 
 Saviour, 235, 251, 255; author 
 of all blessings, 240, 252 ; is to 
 be confessed, 251, 252 ; our 
 judge, 251. 
 
 Chrysostom's Synopsis of the Old 
 Testament, 228. 
 
 Church, its order under God, 241 ; 
 its services and offerings, 241 ; 
 the order of her ministers, 241, 
 246 ; must live in love, 245, 246 ; 
 is fruitful in Christ, 251 j is spir- 
 itual, 2J4. 
 
 Claudius Ephebus, Valerius Bito, 
 and Fortunatus, 248. 
 
 Clemens Alexandrinus, 231, 249, 254. 
 
 Clement, attempts at his identifica- 
 tion, 227 ; probably friend of St. 
 Paul, 227 ; sends his letters by 
 special messengers, 248. 
 
 Clement, first epistle of, its biblio- 
 graphy, 227, 228, 229 ; as trans- 
 lated, 229 sq. ; its date, 227 ; 
 esteemed in the early church, 
 227, 229; new MS. discovered 
 and published by Bryennius,228. 
 
 Clement, second Epistle, 228, 229; 
 
 its bibliography, 249 ; has wide 
 range of Scripture quotation, 
 249; its probable date, 249; 
 possibly a homily, 249, 250; 
 belongs to second century, 249; 
 
 Corinth, its church in trouble, ad- 
 dressed by Clement, 227, 228, 
 229, 243 ; its church's good 
 character, 229, 248 ; effects of se- 
 dition upon the church, 230, 243. 
 
 Cotelerius' Latin version, 234. 
 
 Danaids and Dircas, 231. 
 
 Daniel in the lions' den, 242. 
 
 Dathan in sedition, 230, 244. 
 
 David persecuted by Saul, 230; an 
 example in humility, 234. 
 
 Deacons appointed with bishops, 
 241, 242. 
 
 Disobedience to be changed and re- 
 pented of, 235, 243, 244, 245. 
 
 Dressel, 234. 
 
 Egyptians, Apoc. Gospel according 
 to the, 249. 
 
 Elijah and Elisha, examples of hu- 
 mility, 234. 
 
 Enoch, preacher of repentance and 
 obedience, 232 ; his death is un- 
 known, 232. 
 
 Envy, its evil in ancient and recent 
 times, 230. 
 
 Episcopal succession, 242. 
 
 Esther, an example of divine love, 
 245. 
 
 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 227, 229, 249. 
 
 Ezekiel, an example of humility, 234. 
 
 Faith toward God, 237, 238, 239. 
 Future lot unknown, 254. 
 
 Gebhardt's text followed, 254. 
 
 God, to be always obeyed, 233, 235, 
 237, 246, 247, 248; the Creator 
 and Ruler, 235 ; omniscient and 
 omnipotent, to be obeyed, 237 ; 
 to be served in purity of heart, 
 237 ; our blessedness in pleasing 
 Him, 238, 248, 254; His rewards 
 and blessings, 39, 248, 254 ; has 
 ordered all things by His will, 
 241 ; is protector of the pure 
 conscience, 243, 248; is to be 
 served in faith, 254 ; His king- 
 dom, to be always expected, 254 ; 
 
 His name not to be blasphemed, 
 
 254. 
 Godliness the true riches, 256. 
 Gods, not to be worshipped, 252. 
 Good works for our justification, 238, 
 
 239, 252. 
 Grabe, 234. 
 
 Hades, 230, 244. 
 
 Harnack, 22S, 247 ; his text followed, 
 
 254. 
 Hefele, 234. 
 
 Helius and Polycletus, prefects, 231. 
 Hermas, Pastor of, 249. 
 Herodotus, 237. 
 Holofernes and Judith, 245. 
 Humility, exhortation, to, 233, 244, 
 
 245, 246; Christ its example, 
 
 233. 234, 236, 244. 
 
 Ignatian Epistles, 228. 
 Irenseus, 232. 
 
 Jacob against Esau, 230. 
 
 Jerome, 229. 
 
 Job righteous and blameless, 234. 
 
 Jonah, preached repentance to the 
 
 Ninevites, 231. 
 Joseph persecuted by his brethren, 
 
 230. 
 Josephus, 232. 
 Joshua, saved with his army by 
 
 Rahab, 232. 
 Judgment prepared for all, 253 ; the 
 
 day of, to be prepared for, 255. 
 Judith, an example of divine love, 
 
 245- 
 Junms, 234. 
 Justin Martyr, 232. 
 J ustification by faith, not by works, 
 
 238, 246, 248. 
 
 Kingdom of God to be always 
 looked for, 254. 
 
 Lacunce in the Epistles filled in, 228. 
 Layman is bound by the layman's 
 
 law, 241. 
 Linus, bishop of Rome, 227. 
 Lot, saved for his hospitality and 
 
 goodness, 232. 
 Love, required for our justification 
 
 238, 244 ; brotherly, required for 
 
 the church's prosperity, 243, 245; 
 
 its praise, 244, 245; we should 
 
520 
 
 EPISTLES OF CLEMENT. 
 
 be worthy of divine love, 244; 
 
 examples of, 245. 
 Man, blessedness in pleasing God, 
 
 238; liis means of justification, 
 
 238,240; a soldier under Christ, 
 
 240. 
 Martyrs were made through envy, 
 
 230,331- 
 
 Meekness, exhortations to, 245, 246. 
 
 Ministry, orders in, 241. 
 
 Miriam in sedition, 230. 
 
 Monophysite controversy, 229. 
 
 Moses, had to flee from envy, 230, 
 244; was faithful in all God's 
 house, 234; appeased the strife 
 of the priests, 242'; was plotted 
 against through strife, 244; 
 God's servant, 244; His love 
 for His people, 245. 
 
 Nero, the Emperor, 231. 
 
 Ninevites, repented and obtained 
 
 salvation, 231. 
 Noah, preacher of repentance, 231 ; 
 
 saved the animals in the ark, 
 
 232. 
 
 Obedience to God rather than to 
 
 men, 233 ; required while we are 
 
 here, 353, 
 Ocean is regulated and obeys, 
 
 235- 
 Offerings and sacrifices, 241 ; at the 
 
 Temple in Jerusalem, 241. 
 Origen, 227. 
 
 Paul, his imprisonments, 230 ; suf- 
 fered martyrdom, 231 ; his 
 address to the Corinthians, 
 243- 
 
 Peace, to be always followed, 233 
 235, 242 ; to be joined with godi 
 
 liness, 233 ; examples of, 233 sq. ; 
 
 its harmony in all nature, 235. 
 Peter, as bishop of Rome, 227 ; 
 
 martyred, 230, 231. 
 Pharaoh and his army drowned in 
 
 the Red Sea, 244. 
 Phoenix, a type of the resurrection, 
 
 236. 
 Pliny, 237. 
 Prayer through Jesus Christ, 247 ; 
 
 to be made for rulers, 247. 
 Presbyters, 235, 242, 246. 
 Pride causes sedition, 233. 
 Priest, his services, 241 ; ordinances 
 
 of succession, 243. 
 Priests, their strife appeased by 
 
 Moses, 242. 
 •KpooKXijOEi^ and TrpoatcXuret^, 243. 
 
 Rahab, saved for her faith and hos- 
 pitality, 232 
 
 Redemption through the blood of 
 Christ, 233. 
 
 Repentance, exhortations to, 231, 
 244, 246, 253, 255, 256 ; confirmed 
 by examples, 231, 232 ; was 
 preached by Noah and Jonah, 
 231 ; was preached by the pro- 
 phets, 231 ; has the divine re- 
 ward, 239, 246, 253, 255, 256; 
 from strife, 244, 246; to be 
 while we are here, 253, 256. 
 
 Resurrection, seen first in Christ, 
 236; natural images of, 236; 
 illustrated by the Phoenix, 236; 
 testified to by Scripture, 237 ; a 
 motive to hope and obedience, 
 237, 253. 
 
 Righteous, to be imitated, 243, 247, 
 252. 
 
 Roman bishops and their succession 
 in hopeless confusion, 227. 
 
 Saints, examples of, in humility, 234. 
 
 Saul persecuted David, 230, 
 
 " Scarlet thread," its interpretation, 
 
 232. 
 Scriptures, the true utterances of the 
 
 Holy Spirit, 242. 
 Sea, obeys in harmony, 235. 
 Seasons, regular in succession, 235. 
 Sedition, its effects in the Corinthian 
 
 Church, 230, 246; its general 
 
 effects, 230, 246. 
 Self conceit unreasonable, 241. 
 Septuagint, its readings, 230, 233, 234, 
 
 240. 
 Sin, its confession and forgiveness, 
 
 244. 
 Sinful and yet pursuing righteous- 
 ness, 256. 
 Strife, displeasing to God, 235, 242, 
 
 243- 
 cmataS^aeac for awu&fiaeuQ, 229. 
 
 Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, 228. 
 
 TertuUian, 237. 
 
 Tigellinus and Sabinus prefects, 231. 
 
 Vice to be forsaken for virtue, 25J. 
 
 Wake, Abp. 230. 
 
 West, its limit reached by St. Paul, 
 231. 
 
 Winds regulated by law, 235. 
 
 Wives dutiful, 229. 
 
 Works, good, for our justification, 
 238, 239, 252. 
 
 World, present and future are 
 enemies to each other, 252 ; pre- 
 sent alone for repentance, 253. 
 
 Wotton, 234, 238. 
 
 Zahn's text followed, 254. 
 
 INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 Gen. i. 26, 27 . . 
 
 FAGE 
 ■ 239 
 
 \.r] . . . 
 
 • 255 
 
 1.28. . . . 
 
 • 239 
 
 11. 23 . . . 
 
 . 231 
 
 IV. 3-8 . . . 
 
 ■ 230 
 
 V. 24 . . . 
 
 ■ 232 
 
 vu 
 
 . 231 
 
 xii. 1-3 . . 
 
 . 232 
 
 xn. 22 . . . 
 
 • 232 
 
 xiii. 14-16 . 
 
 . 232 
 
 XV. 5, 6 . . 
 
 • 232 
 
 xvm. 27 . . 
 
 • 234 
 
 XIX. .... 
 
 • 232 
 
 xxii. 6-:o . . 
 
 . 238 
 
 xxii. 17 . . 
 
 . 238 
 
 xxvn. 41 sq. . 
 
 . 230 
 
 x.wiii. 4 . . 
 
 . 238 
 
 xxxvn. . . . 
 Ex. ii. 14 , . . 
 
 . 230 
 • 230 
 
 III. II . . . 
 
 • 234 
 
 IV. 10 . . . 
 
 ■ 234 
 
 XIV 
 
 • 244 
 
 Ex xxxii. 7 sq. . 
 
 xxxii. 9 sq. . 
 
 xxxii. 32 . . 
 Num. xii. 7 . . 
 
 xii. 10 . . . 
 
 xii; 14, 15 . . 
 
 XVI. I . • . 
 
 xvi. 22 . . . 
 
 xvi. 33 . . . 
 
 xvii. . . . 
 
 xxvii. 16 . . 
 Deut. ix. 12 sq. . 
 
 xxxii. 8, 9 . 
 
 xxxii. 15 . . 
 
 xxxii. 39 . . 
 
 Josh, ii 
 
 I Sam. ii, 7 . . 
 
 1 Kings xviii. 8 . 
 
 2 Chron. xx. 7 . 
 Esther vii. viii. . 
 Job. i. I . . . . 
 
 iv. 16-18, 19-2: 
 
 245 
 
 24s 
 245 
 234 
 
 242 
 
 230 
 244 
 247 
 230 
 242 
 
 247 
 24s 
 237 
 230 
 
 247 
 232 
 247 
 230 
 232 
 245 
 234 
 241 
 
 Job.v. I-S . , 
 
 
 v. II . . 
 
 
 v. 17-26 ■ 
 
 
 XI. 2-3 . . 
 
 
 XIV. 4,5 . 
 
 
 XV. 15 . . 
 
 
 XIX. 25, 26 
 
 
 xxxvm, II 
 
 Ps. 
 
 ii. 7, 8 . . 
 
 
 iii. 6 . . 
 
 
 ''":..3-S ■ 
 
 
 Xvm. 25, 26 
 
 
 XIX. 1-3 . 
 
 
 xix. 2-4 . 
 xxii.6,8 . 
 
 
 
 XXIV. I . . 
 
 
 xxviii. 7 . 
 
 
 xxxi. 18 . 
 
 
 xxxn. 1, 2 
 
 
 XXXll. 10 . 
 
 
 xxxui. 10 . 
 
 
 xxxiv. 11-17 
 
 241 
 247 
 
 246 
 
 238 
 
 234 
 241 
 
 237 
 235 
 
 240 
 
 237 
 233 
 243 
 237 
 237 
 234 
 245 
 237 
 233 
 244 
 230 
 247 
 236 
 
 Ps. xxxvii. 35, 37 
 xlix. 14 . . 
 1. 14, IS . . 
 1.15. . . . 
 1. 16-23 ■ • 
 1. 17-22 . . 
 Ii. I-17 . . 
 Ixii. 4 . . . 
 Ixix. 31 .. . 
 Ixix. 31, 32 4 
 Ixxviii. 36, 37 
 Ixxxix. 21 
 ex. I . 
 cxvi. 12 
 cxviii. 18 
 cxviii. 19, 20 
 cxxxix. 7-10 
 cxxxix. 15 
 
 Prov. i. 22-33 • 
 ii. 21, 22 . 
 iii. 12 . . 
 iii. 34 • • 
 
 PAGE 
 
 • 233 
 
 • 244 
 
 • 24s 
 
 • 24s 
 . 240 
 . 240 
 
 23s 245 
 
 . 233 
 
 • 24s 
 
 ■ 245 
 
 • 233 
 
 ■ 234 
 V 240 
 
 . 246 
 
 • 244 
 
 • 237 
 
 . 240 
 
 . 246 
 
 . 233 
 
 . 246 
 
 . 23S 
 
INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 521 
 
 
 
 
 PAGH 
 
 Prov. vii. 3 .... 230 1 
 
 XX. 2y . 
 
 
 
 ■ 23s 
 
 xxvii. 2 
 
 
 
 . 240 
 
 Is. i. l6-20 . 
 
 
 
 . 231 
 
 i. 18. . 
 
 
 
 . 231 
 
 ^•..3. . 
 
 
 
 > 239 
 
 Xlll. II . 
 
 
 
 • 247 
 
 xxvi. 20 
 
 
 
 • 2« 
 
 xxix. 13 
 
 
 
 . 252 
 
 xl. 10 . 
 
 
 
 • 239 
 
 xli. 8 . 
 
 
 
 . 232 
 
 II!-. 5 ■ 
 
 
 
 • 254 
 
 liii. . . 
 
 
 
 • 234 
 
 liv. I 
 
 
 
 . 251 
 
 Ivii. IS . 
 
 
 
 • 247 
 
 Iviii. 9 . 
 
 
 
 • 25s 
 
 Ix. 17 (Ixx 
 
 ) 
 
 
 . 242 
 
 Ixii. II . 
 
 
 
 • 239 
 
 Ixvi. 2 . 
 
 
 
 • 233 
 
 Ixvi. 18 
 
 
 
 • 255 
 253. 250 
 
 Ixvi. 24 . 
 
 . 
 
 
 Jer. vii. 11 . 
 
 
 
 - 254 
 
 x.\iii. 24 
 
 
 
 ■ 233 
 
 xxxii. 27 
 
 
 
 • 247 
 
 Ezefc xiv. 14, 
 
 20 
 
 
 . 232 
 
 xvii. 24 
 
 
 
 • 247 
 
 xviii. 30 
 
 
 
 . 231 
 
 xxxiii. II 
 
 
 
 . 231 
 
 Dan. iii. 20 
 
 
 
 • 243 
 
 vi. 16 . 
 
 
 
 . 242 
 
 vii. 10 . 
 
 
 
 . 239 
 
 Hos. ii. 23 . 
 
 
 
 . 251 
 
 Hab. ii. 3 . 
 
 
 
 . . 236 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Mai. iii. i 236 
 
 Judith viii. 19 
 
 
 
 
 232 
 
 viii. 30 . 
 
 
 
 
 245 
 
 Wisdom' ii. 2i 
 
 
 
 
 2^0 
 
 xi. 21 . 
 
 
 
 
 237 
 
 xii. 12 . 
 
 
 
 
 237 
 
 Matt. vi. 12-15 
 
 
 
 
 233 
 
 vi. 24 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 vii. 2 . 
 
 
 
 
 233 
 
 vii. 2r . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 vii. 23 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 ix. 13 . 
 
 
 
 
 251 
 
 X. 16 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 X. 28 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 X. 32 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 xii. 50 . 
 XV. 8 . 
 
 
 
 
 253 
 
 
 
 
 233 
 
 xvi. 26 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 xviii. 6 . 
 
 
 
 
 243 
 
 xviii. II 
 
 
 
 
 251 
 
 xxii. 37 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 xxiv. 35 
 
 
 
 
 237 
 
 xxvi. 24 
 
 
 
 
 243 
 
 Mark vii. 6 
 
 
 
 
 233 
 
 ix. 42 . 
 
 
 
 
 243 
 
 Luke V. 32 . 
 
 
 
 
 251 
 
 vi. 32 . 
 
 
 
 
 254 
 
 vi. 3'^38 
 
 
 
 
 233 
 
 viii. 5 . 
 
 
 
 
 236 
 
 »;•. 4, 5 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 Xlll. 27 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 xvi. 10-12 
 
 
 
 253 
 
 xvi. 13 . 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Luke xvii. 2 . . 
 
 • 243 
 
 Acts XX. 35 . . 
 
 . 229 
 
 Rom. i. 32 . . . 
 
 • 239 
 
 iv. 3 . . . 
 
 . 232 
 
 IV. 17 . . . 
 
 . 251 
 
 ix.5. . . . 
 
 . 238 
 
 IX. 25 . . . 
 
 • 251 
 
 xii. 5 . . . 
 
 • 243 
 
 I Cor. i. 31 . . 
 
 • 233 
 
 ii. 9 . . 239, 
 
 254. 25s 
 
 111. 13 . . . 
 
 • 243 
 
 vii. 29 . . . 
 
 • 254 
 
 X. 26, 28 . . 
 
 • 243 
 
 xii. 12 . . . 
 
 . 240 
 
 xiii. 4 sq. . . 
 XV. 20 . . . 
 
 ■ ^ 
 
 2 Cor. i. 21 . . 
 
 . 230 
 
 ^ ,^- 17 . . . 
 
 . 233 
 
 Gal. IV. 27 . . . 
 
 . 251 
 
 Ephes. iv. 4-6 . 
 
 • 243 
 
 iv. 20 . . . 
 
 • 230 
 
 V. 21 . . , 
 
 . 229 
 
 v. 22, 29 . . 
 
 • 235 
 
 Phil. iv. 3 . . . 
 Col. i. 18 . . . 
 
 . 236 
 
 I Thess. V. 12, 13 
 
 • 235 
 
 1 Tim. iv. 16 . . 
 
 • 255 
 
 V. 21 . . . 
 
 . 236 
 
 Tit. i. 2 . . . . 
 
 • 237 
 
 ii. 14 . . . 
 
 . 248 
 
 iii. I . . . 
 
 . 230 
 
 Heb. i. 3, 4 . . 
 
 . 240 
 
 Heb. i. S 
 1.7 . 
 1.13. 
 111. 2 
 iii. 5 
 VI. 18 
 
 X- 37 
 XI. 5 
 
 XI. 17 
 xi. 31 
 xi. 37 
 
 XII. 1. 
 
 xii. 6 
 xiii. 17 
 James ii. 21 
 ii. 23 
 iv. 1. 
 iv. 6. 
 V. 19-25 
 V. 20 
 
 1 Peter i. 20 
 
 ii. 4 sq, 
 ii. 17 
 iii. 20 
 iv. 8. 
 
 V. 5 • 
 
 2 Peter ii. 5 
 
 ii. 6-9 
 
 !!;9- 
 
 111. s-io 
 
 iv. 4 . 
 
 Rev. xxii. 12 
 
 240 
 240 
 240 
 
 234 
 242 
 
 237 
 236 
 232 
 232 
 232 
 234 
 
 23.5 
 246 
 
 235 
 238 
 232 
 243 
 238 
 255 
 244 
 25s 
 255 
 229 
 
 231 
 
 2T4 
 229, 238 
 231 
 232 
 
 255 
 25s 
 255 
 239 
 
THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES, AND THE PASSION OF 
 THE SCILLITAN MARTYRS- 
 
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 Abenner, Indian king, 260, 264 n. 
 
 Abraham, father of the Jews, 264. 
 
 Acts vii. 43, 269. 
 
 Adonis, in mythology, 264. 
 
 A.iolos, in mythology, 272. 
 
 Alcmena, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Amos V. 26, 269. 
 
 Amphion, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Anchises, in mythology, 272. 
 
 Antinous, a slave of Hadrian, 268 n. 
 
 Antiope, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Antoninus Pius, 261. 
 
 Aphrodite (Astarte), her origin, 269, 
 271 ; her place in mythology, 
 271, 272. 
 
 Apollo (Apollon), in mythology, 270, 
 271, 272. 
 
 Apologists, lists of early Christian, 
 259; their object in writing, 259. 
 
 Aquilinus, Scillitan martyr, 285. 
 
 Ares, in mythology, 271. 
 
 Aristides, ourearUest apologist, 259; 
 classed with Quadratus, 259; 
 account of his writings, 259, 
 260, 261 ; his date, 261 ; his 
 Apology translated, 263 sq. 
 
 Armenian literature and monks, 260 ; 
 their value to scholars, 260, 
 264 n. 
 
 Arnobius, early Christian apologist, 
 259. 
 
 Artemis, in mythology, 270, 272. 
 
 Asklepios, in mythology, 271. 
 
 Athenagoras, early Christian apolo- 
 gist, 259. 
 
 Atys, in mythology, 272. 
 
 Barbarians traced their origin to 
 Kronos, 264; went astray in their 
 worship and philosophy, 265 ; 
 worshipped images, 265, 268 sq., 
 
 273- 
 
 Barlaam, Christian hermit, 260; con- 
 verted Josaphat, 260, 278. 
 
 Barlaam and Josaphat, The Life of, 
 260, 261, 263 sq. ; an outline of 
 the story, 260 ; the reported au- 
 thor, 260 ; used to illustrate the 
 Apology of Aristides, 263. 
 
 Earonius, ecclesiastical historian, 283. 
 
 Billius, 261. 
 522 
 
 Buddha, Buddhism, 260. 
 Byblus, in mythology, 273. 
 
 Chaldaeans, one of the classes of 
 men, 264, 265; went astray in 
 their worship, 264, 273, 274 ; 
 took to nature worship, 265, 
 273; worshipped images, 265, 
 266, 273. 
 
 Child, how Christianly dealt with, 
 
 277- 
 
 Chiun, in mythology, 269. 
 
 Christ, has given his name to Chris- 
 tians, 265, 276. 
 
 Christianity, a philosophy as well as 
 a revelation, 259. 
 
 Christians trace their origin to Jesus 
 the Messiah, 265, 276; have 
 found the truth, 276 ; their love 
 and sacrifice for Christ, 277; 
 their kindness to strangers, 277 ; 
 their acts of worship, 277 ; 
 their daily service, 277 ; the mo- 
 tives of their life and character, 
 278, 279 ; have sacred writings, 
 279. 
 
 Christology of Aristides Apology, 
 276, 277. 
 
 Ciltinus, Scillitan martyr, 285. 
 
 Classes of men in the world, three 
 or four, 264; classification, how 
 blended, 264 n. 
 
 Claudianus, Roman consul, 285. 
 
 Clement, early Christian apologist, 
 
 259- 
 Clytemnestra, in mythology, 270 n. 
 Conybeare, F. C, 264 n. 
 
 Danae (Danaos), in mythology, 264, 
 
 270. 
 DtogneUis, Epistle to, 259. 
 Dionysos, in mythology, 264, 270, 
 
 271. 
 Disciples, the twelve preach the 
 
 Gospel, 265. 
 Donata, SciUitan martyr, 285. 
 
 Earth, considered as god or goddess, 
 265 ; the work of God, 266. 
 
 Egyptians went astray in their wor- 
 ship, 272, 273, 274. 
 
 Elements, unsuitable for worship, 
 
 266. 
 Eros, in mythology, 271. 
 Europe, in mythology, 270. 
 Eusebius' Eccl. Hist., 259, 261, 268 
 
 n; Chron., 259, 261. 
 Felix, Scillitan martyr, 2S5. 
 Fire, is considered a god, 267 ; the 
 
 work of God, 267. 
 Four classes or groups of men, 265 n. 
 
 Ganymedes, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Generosa, Scillitan martyr. 285. 
 
 God, author of all being, 263, 267, 
 268; "an ever-abiding nature," 
 263 ; what is meant of His being 
 "perfect," 264; His attributes, 
 264; His truth to be searched 
 for, 265 sq. 
 
 Gods are unsuitable for being wor- 
 shipped, 265, 268 sq. ; those of 
 Egypt, 273; those of Greece, 
 268 sq.; cannot help themselves, 
 265 sq. 
 
 Greeks trace their origin to Hellenes, 
 264 ; have gone astray in their 
 worship, 26S sq. 
 
 Hades (Sheol), visited, 272. 
 Hadrian, the emperor, 259, 263 ; 
 
 addressed by Aristides in the 
 
 Apology, 259, 263, 279. 
 Harris, Prof., his discoveries, 260, 
 
 261, 270. 
 Hellenes (Hellenos), in mythology, 
 
 264, 270. 
 Hennecke, German scholar, 261, 
 
 262. 
 Hephaistos. in mythology, 270, 271. 
 Herakles, in mytliology, 270, 271. 
 Hermes, in mythology, 270. 
 Holy Spirit, the, 276, 277. 
 Horos, in mythology, 273. 
 
 Inachos, in mythology, 264. 
 Isaac, son of Abraham, 264, 275. 
 Isis, in mythology, 273. 
 Januaria, Scillitan martyr, 285. 
 Jacob, father of the patriarchs, 264, 
 
 275. 
 Jerome, St., 259. 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS 
 
 523 
 
 Jesus, Christ the Messiah, 265, 276 ; 
 " the Son of God most high," 
 and born of a virgin, 265, 276 ; 
 had twelve disciples evangelists 
 265, 276; died, rose and as- 
 cended, 265, 276; His treatment 
 from the Jews, 276. 
 
 Jews, trace their origin from Abra- 
 ham, 264 ; worship the true God, 
 27 S sq. 
 
 Josaphat, or Joasaph, an Indian 
 prince, 260, 261 ; learned Chris- 
 tianity from Barlaam, 260, 278. 
 
 Justin Martyr, an early Christian 
 apologist, 259, 268. 
 
 Kadmos, in mythology, 264. 
 
 Kastor, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Kore, in mythology, 272. 
 
 Kosmos, the universe, 256. 
 
 Kronos, progenitor of the barbarians, 
 264, 269; and of the Greeks, 
 269 ; his mythology, 269. 
 
 Lactantius, an early Christian apo- 
 logist, 259. 
 Lactantius, Scillitan mart)rr, 285. 
 Leda (Leto), in mythology, 270. 
 Luna, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Marcus Aurelius, the emperor, 283. 
 Martyrologies, the Medieval, 259. 
 Mechitarite convent at Venice, 260. 
 Melito, early Christian apologist, 
 
 259. 
 Men distributed into three or four 
 
 classes, 264. 
 Mesrobes, Armenian Patriarch, 260. 
 Minos, in mythology, 270. 
 Minucius Felix, early Christian 
 
 apologist, 259. 
 Mnemosyne, mother of the Muses, 
 
 270. 
 
 Moses, led the Jews from Egypt, 
 275. 
 
 Muses, the Nine, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Nachor, an Indian sage, 260; was 
 converted to Christianity, 279 n. 
 
 Nartzalus, Scillitan martyr, 285. 
 
 Nature worship, 265 sq., 273; ex- 
 plained and apologised for, 274, 
 
 275- 
 N&ldeke, German critic, 269. 
 
 Origen, early Christian apologist, 
 
 259- 
 Osiris, in mythology, 273. 
 
 Paerseus, Roman consul, 285. 
 
 Paludus, in mythology, 270, 
 
 Pasiphae, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Persephone, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Perseus, in mythology, 270. 
 
 2 Pet. iii. i6, 279. 
 
 Philosophers apologise for false wor- 
 ship, 266, 274. 
 
 Phoroneus, in mythology, 264. 
 
 Pliny, his letter to Trajan, 276. 
 
 Pluto, in mythology, 272. 
 
 Polydeukes, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Polytheism, foolish and immoral, 
 259. 
 
 Praeseus II. (Persaeus), and Con- 
 dianus, consuls, 283 ; cf. 285. 
 
 Raabe, German critic, 262. 
 Renan, French critic, 266. 
 Renier, M. Leon, French critic, 283. 
 Rhadamanthys (Rhadamanthos), in 
 
 mythology, 270. 
 Rhea, wife of Kronos, 264, 269 ; her 
 
 place in mythology, 272. 
 Robinson, Prof., 260, 262, 269, 283. 
 
 Sarpedon, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Saturninus, P. Vigellius, tried the 
 Scillitan martyrs, 283, 285. 
 
 Scillitan Martyrs, the twelve, their 
 tradition, 283; supposed date 
 of their martyrdom, 283; their 
 trial and condemnation, 285. 
 
 Scillitan Martyrs, The Passion of 
 the, translated, 281 sq. 
 
 Secunda, Scillitan martyr, 285. 
 
 Serenius Granianus, letter from, 259. 
 
 Sheol, in mythology, 272. 
 
 Solar system deified, 267, 268 ; the 
 work of God, 268. 
 
 Speratus, Scillitan martyr, 285. 
 
 Spon, a French traveller, 260, 
 
 Sun, considered a god, 267, 268. 
 
 Tammuz, in mythology, 272. 
 
 Tatian, early Christian apologist, 
 259. 
 
 Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, 
 261. 
 
 TertuUian, early Christian apologist, 
 259, 283. 
 
 Theophilus, early Christian apolo- 
 gist, 259. 
 
 Titans (Titanos), in mythology, 271. 
 
 Tyndareos, in mythology, 271. 
 
 Typhon, in mythology, 273. 
 
 Vestia, Scillitan martyr, 285. 
 Veturius, Scillitan martyr. 
 
 Water, considered a god, 267 ; the 
 
 work of God, 267. 
 Winds, considered a god, 267 ; the 
 
 work of God, 267. 
 
 Xuthos, in mythology, 264. 
 
 Zethus, in mythology, 270. 
 
 Zeus, in mythology, 264, 269, 270, 
 
 27 1 ; his transformations, 270 ; 
 
 called Dios, 271. 
 
ORIGEN'S COMMENTARIES ON THE GOSPELS OF 
 JOHN AND MATTHEW. 
 
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 Aaron, the order of, 298. 
 Abraham and his three visitors, 336 ; 
 how he saw Christ and His day, 
 
 , 35°. 351- 
 
 Adam, his fall and its results, 308. 
 
 Ader, the Edomite, meant for Ha- 
 dad, 29s ; is riot meant for Je- 
 roboam, 295. 
 
 Alexandrian school of interpreta- 
 tion, 291, 292. 
 
 Alpha and Omega, Christ is, 315 ; 
 how He is, 315. 
 
 Ambrosius, patron of Origen, 291, 
 294, 298, 299 n, 346 n. 
 
 Ambrosius Ferrarius, of Milan, 294. 
 
 Angels, their fall, 306 ; their presence 
 in light, 311, 490 ; God's servants, 
 414; His evangelists, 304; their 
 relation to men, 420, 490; at the 
 second advent, 466 ; their guard- 
 ianship, 478, 490, 491, 509; guard- 
 ians of God's little ones, 490, 
 491 ; their close relation to the 
 little ones, 491 ; their connec- 
 tion with the souls of men, 509. 
 
 inrapxfl 298 n. 
 
 Apocryphal works alluded to, 341, 
 
 424. 425. S°9- 
 
 Apostles have written little, 346. 
 
 ''^PX^ its fullness of meaning, 305, 
 307 sq. ; as applied to the Trin- 
 ity. 3°7- 
 
 •apfid^crat 494 n. 
 
 Ascensia Isaice, 425 n. 
 
 Ass and the colt, interpretation of, 
 392 sq. ; discrepancies regarding 
 392. 393. 395. 39S ; mean the Old 
 and New Testaments, 396, 397, 
 
 398- 
 
 Astronomy, helpful in the interpre- 
 tation of scripture, 295. 
 
 Autotheos, 323. 
 
 Baptism, the sacrament of, 504; re- 
 presented in Joshua's crossing 
 the Jordan, 372, 373; that of 
 John the Baptist, 362, 365. 
 
 Basil of Csesarea, 294. 
 
 Basilides, his teaching, 463. 
 
 " Before them," in the Transfigura- 
 tion, 470. 
 
 524 
 
 Beginning, the, apxv, 305, 307, 315, 
 414 ; its senses, 305 sq. ; in space, 
 305 ; in time, 306 ; of substance, 
 306; "The Alpha and Omega," 
 
 315- 
 Believers have Christ to the end, 
 
 385- 
 
 Believing in Christ's name, and in 
 Himself, 407. 
 
 Bethabara beyond Jordan, 370, 373. 
 
 Bethany, " house of obedience," 370. 
 
 Binding and loosing, the power of, 
 458, 459, 493, 497. 
 
 Bishop, seeking the office of, 444 ; 
 associated with elder and dea- 
 con, 444. 
 
 Boat, the disciples sent into, 434, 435, 
 436- 
 
 Books, ought not to be many, 346, 
 347 , few written by the apostles, 
 346; heretical, quoted by the 
 heretics, 348. 
 
 Bosporus, its pearls, 417. 
 
 Bread, Christ the true IJread, 314. 
 
 Bread, of the Lord, 462 ; of the chil- 
 dren, 446. 
 
 Brethren of Jesus, their relation to 
 Him, 424. 
 
 Britain, its pearls, 417. 
 
 Brooke's Texts and Studies, 294, 
 308. 
 
 Canaan,woman of and Christ, 444 sq. 
 
 Capernaum, Jesus at, 381, 382, 385, 
 386, 387, 391, 393, 481, 482 ; its 
 meaning, 387. 
 
 Caracalla's persecution, 291. 
 
 Charisms from the Holy Spirit, 429. 
 
 Child, how the greatest in the king- 
 dom, 481, 4,83, 484. 
 
 Children, in the kingdom, 484 ; what 
 their stumbling-blocks, 484, 488. 
 
 xup'^^i, 495 "• 
 
 Christ is Himself the Gospel, 302 ; 
 came first intellectually, 301 ; is 
 the Light, 310 sq., 335,336, 380; 
 makes His disciples the Light, 
 310 sq. ; the Resurrection, 312, 
 401, 462; the Way, 312, 334, 
 360; the Truth, 312, 335; the 
 Life, 313, 332, 333, 335, 336; the 
 
 Door, 313, 334; the Shepherd, 
 313, 334; the True Vine, 314; 
 the Bread, 314; the Rod, 319, 
 334; the Flower, 319; the Stone, 
 319; the First and the Last, 
 3H. 315. 316; the Living and 
 the Dead, 316; the Teacher and 
 Master, 314; the High Priest, 
 3'8, 319, 343; the Demiurge, 
 318 ; the only Saviour, 333, 334, 
 380; the only Meditator, 343, 
 384 ; the living Word, 422 ; the 
 Logos in various ways, 319 sq., 
 422 ; the Paraclete, 317, 334, 
 343; the Propitiation, 317, 380 ; 
 the Power of God, 317 ; the 
 Judge of all, 499; the Son, 314; 
 the King and Anointed, 313; the 
 only Begotten, 313, 318 ; the 
 Lamb of God, 316, 376; the 
 man whom the Baptist knew 
 not, 317, 369; the Pearl of great 
 price, 418 J the Householder 
 with the treasure, 422, 423 ; 
 Wisdom, 317, 318, 336, 464, 498 J 
 Sanctification, 317, 318, 464 ; 
 Redemption, 317, 318 ; the First- 
 fruits of Virginity, 424; the 
 Light and Life to others than 
 men; 336; a Sword, 316; a 
 Servant; 316,384; Author of 
 grace and truth, 352 ; how a 
 Nazarene, 424; a prophet with- 
 out honour, 425; not quite like 
 God, 358 ; not quite free from 
 darkness, 338 ; witnessed to by 
 prophets, 342, 349 sq. ; tempted, 
 318 ; tasted death for every 
 man, 318, 338; triumphed over 
 sin, 378, 379 ; over death through 
 death, 378, 379, 40I ; effects of 
 His death, 378 ; taught by mir- 
 acles and similitudes, 423, 433, 
 501 ; wrought miracles, 426, 430 
 sq., 444 sq., 477 sq. ; healed all 
 manner of sickness, 430 sq. ; 
 healed the daughter of the Ca- 
 naanitish woman, 444 sq. ; fed 
 the four thousand, 448 sq. ; fed 
 the five thousand, 431 sq. ; walk- 
 ed on the sea, 434, 435 ; healed 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 525 
 
 the epileptic, 477; cured the 
 deaf and dumb, 478 ; cleansed 
 the temple, 391 sq. ; made His 
 entry into Jerusalem, 391 sq., 
 395 ; had all treasures of wisdom 
 and knowledge, 416, 421; with- 
 drew from Herod, 449 ; refused 
 a sign from heaven, 449 ; how 
 related to Joseph, 424; his 
 brethren and their relationship, 
 424 ; was transfigured, 469 sq. ; 
 paid the tribute money, 481, 
 4S2 ; called the little child to 
 Him, 425; His knowledge of 
 the heart, 453, 454, 459, 479 ; 
 commissioned Peter and the 
 rest, 456, 459; His accusation 
 at the trial, 401 ; was careful in 
 dealing with the Pharisees and 
 others, 437, 452, 453, 505 ; was 
 proclaimed first as a Worker 
 and Teacher, 461 ; later as cru- 
 cified, 461, 464; finished His 
 word and work, 504 ; was cruci- 
 fied, 461,464; shall come again, 
 465 ; the faith and unbelief in, 
 426. 
 
 Christians, the light of the world, 
 310 sq. ; members of Christ in 
 unity, 495; representing the 
 twelve tribes, 380. 
 
 Clean and unclean, the Christian law 
 of, 440 sq. 
 
 Clement of Alexandria, 291, 377 ; as 
 an interpreter of Scripture, 291, 
 
 377- 
 
 Cloud, the bright, interpreted, 472. 
 
 Combinations of enemies are suspi- 
 cious, 449, 450. 
 
 Corban explained, 437, 438, 439. 
 
 Cramer's Catena, 411 n. 
 
 Creation of matter, 306 sq. ; made 
 subject to vanity, 306. 
 
 Criticisms of Origen,353,4549,62,50o. 
 
 Crombie's Life of Origen, 291. 
 
 Crossbearing, 403, 
 
 Crucifixion of Christ, 461, 464; with 
 Christ, 464. 
 
 Darkness, in relation to light and 
 life, 337 ; how far inhering in 
 Christ, 338 ; how failed to over- 
 take the light, 338, 339; how 
 divine darkness becomes light, 
 339. 
 
 Deaf and dumb man cured, 478. 
 
 Death, tasted of Christ for every one, 
 318. 3^9. 333; >'s opposite is 
 life, 335, 467 ; of Christ and its 
 effect, 378 ; gave Him triumph 
 over sin, 379; His tasting of 
 death, 466, 467, 468, 469 ; scrip- 
 ture references to, 468; some 
 not to taste until Christ come, 
 466. 
 
 Decius' persecution, 291. 
 
 Delarue, brothers,editors of Origen's 
 works, 294. 
 
 Demiurge, Christ is, 318 ; as Crea- 
 tor, 331, 342 n- ; is the Logos, 
 331. 
 
 Demon distressing children, 445. 
 
 Desert place, its interpretation, 429, 
 430. 
 
 Devil, not created by the Holy Spirit, 
 
 330; sows the tares, 414; is a 
 liar, 471, 472 ; as a warrior, 480, 
 488; as related to Christ's " de- 
 livery," 480, 481 ; as unmerciful, 
 501. 
 
 Otcaua?]aav and auOf/vai, 436 n. 
 
 Disciples, as scribes, 421 sq. ; their 
 training, 421 sq. ; contrasted 
 with the multitudes, 433, 434 ; 
 in conflict, 434 ; sent with the 
 boat, 434, 435, 436; why si- 
 lenced, 460. 
 
 Disciplina arcani, its purpose, 339. 
 
 Discrepancies in the Gospels, how 
 to be dealt with, 382 sq. ; to be 
 spiritually interpreted, 383; in 
 accounts of Jacob and Esau,3S3 ; 
 of Christ's visits to Capernaum 
 and Nazara, 382 ; of the call of 
 Peter, 384; in Paul's statements, 
 384; in the invitations to the 
 wedding, 385; in the time He 
 abode at Capernaum, 385 ; in 
 His abiding with believers, 385 ; 
 in Christ's passovers, 391 ; in 
 His cleansing of the Temple, 
 391 sq. ; in His entry into Jeru- 
 salem from Bethany, 392, 397 ; 
 in the time for Solomon's temple 
 402 sq. ; are dwelt on by Hera- 
 cleon, 386. 
 
 Division into companies, explained, 
 
 432- 
 
 Divorce, by putting away, 505, 506, 
 507, 509, 51 1 ; denied by Christ, 
 506, 511; the bill of, and its 
 purpose, 507, 508, 511; that of 
 Israel, 507. 
 
 Dog, and the soul in metempsy- 
 chosis, 447. 
 
 Dogfly in Egypt, 388. 
 
 Door, Christ is the, 313, 334. 
 
 Draseke, 294, 295. 
 
 Dragnet, the parable of, 419, 482. 
 
 Dragon, that fell, 306; at the river 
 of Egypt, 374. 
 
 riyuvLafikvoi^ and -ye-yoyviuficvoic, 403 n. 
 
 Egypt, the river of, 374, 375 ; con- 
 trasted with the Jordan, 374. 
 
 Egyptians, the spoiling of, inter- 
 preted, 295 ; their embroideries, 
 295 ; their enchanters and ma- 
 gicians, 450, 478. 
 
 Elias or Elijah's coming, 340, 341, 
 343. 344. 345. 353' 455. 476 ; his 
 relation to the Baptist, 353, 355, 
 
 356, 357, 360. 361, 362, 427. 474, 
 475 ; how treated in Gilead, 425 ; 
 at the Transfiguration, 466, 470, 
 471, 472, 473; his relation to 
 Christ, 473 ; his spirit and power 
 in the Baptist, 475 ; and in Eli- 
 sha, 476. 
 
 Elisha, how treated in Abelmeholah, 
 425 ; received the spirit and 
 power of Elijah, 476. 
 
 Elizabeth, meaning of the name, 
 342 ; her witness-bearing, 344, 
 356, 357 ; her recognition of 
 Christ, 375 ; was visited by Mary, 
 
 375, 427- , , 
 tv Tu upC> and £V Ttj vaQ, 399 n. 
 Epileptic boy cured, 477; spiritual 
 
 epileptics, 477. 
 
 Epiphany, different ones, 465. 
 
 Epistles, as distinct from the Gos- 
 pels, 299. 
 
 Erasmus, 427 n. t 
 
 kTEXsaev and rf/lfr/;, a play upon, 
 504 n. 
 
 Evangelists, their testimony to the 
 Baptist, 363 sq., 366 sq. 
 
 Exchange for one's life, 465. 
 
 Eye offending, is allegorized, 488. 
 
 Faith in Christ, and unbelief, 426 ; 
 
 its power as a worker, 479. 
 Fall of creation, 306. 
 Father distinguished as good by the 
 
 heretics, 518. 
 Feeding, the four thousand, miracle 
 
 in detail, 448 sq. ; that of five 
 
 thousand, 431 sq. 
 Festivals, the heavenly, typified on 
 
 earth, 3S9. 
 " Finished," often repeated, 504. 
 First and the Last, Christ is, 314. 
 Firstborn of all creation, 300,312, 
 
 313, 340; of the dead, how true 
 
 of Christ, 308, 312, 401, 402; 
 
 of scripture, 298, 299. 
 Fishers of men, 481. 
 Fishes blessed and multiplied, 431, 
 
 432. 
 Fishing as a figure of the Gospel, 
 
 419, 420, 421 ; for the tribute 
 
 money, 481. 
 Flower, Christ is the, 319. 
 Foot offending, allegorized, 489. 
 Forgiveness, and its limit, 496, 497, 
 
 503 ; a duty, 497. 
 Freedom of Sons, 481. 
 
 Gabriel, the archangel, 490. 
 
 Garments, white as the light, inter- 
 preted, 470, 472. 
 
 Gates of Hades, 456, 457, 458, 459, 
 497 ; of Zion, 457, 458. 
 
 Gentiles, as before Christ, 508. 
 
 Gerasa, Gergesa, its location, 370, 
 371 ; its meaning as " the dwell- 
 ing of the casters out," 
 
 Glory at the second coming, 465. 
 
 yviiaic, 301, 326, 345 ; its interpreta- 
 tion, 345. 
 
 Gnostic churches, 291. 
 
 God, the Father, 300, 303, 307, 309, 
 322, 323, 343, 455; was distin- 
 guished by the heretics as good, 
 318 ; approached through Christ, 
 
 343- 
 
 God, the Son is the Word, 310, 315 
 sq., 319 sq., 327 sq., 455 ; can be 
 compared with none in right- 
 eousness, 333 ; is Life and Light 
 to men and others, 336. 
 
 God, Bread of, is Christ, 442 ; Plant 
 of, is Christ, 442. 
 
 Gospel, the somatic and the spiri- 
 tual, 301 ; is Christ, 302 sq. ; 
 addressed to men, 311 ; how 
 manifold and why, 302, 413; 
 makes the rest of scripture gos- 
 pel. 
 
 Gospel of Peter, 424 n. 
 
 Gospels as distinguished from other 
 scriptures, 299, 300; are fpur- 
 folcl, 299 ; have good news, 300, 
 304 ; are complete in iheir in 
 
526 
 
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 formation, 303, 304; begin in 
 the Old Testament, 301, 304, 
 305, 413 ; discrepancies between, 
 382 ; their discrepancies re- 
 duced, 383 ; as affecting manu- 
 script readings, 353, 459 ; mys- 
 tically interpreted. 
 
 Grace and truth through Jesus 
 Christ, 352 sq. 
 
 Grass, the sitting on, explained, 433. 
 
 Greatest and greatness considered, 
 482, 4S3. 
 
 Greek philosophers, 295. 
 
 Gregory of Nyssa, 294. 
 
 Gregory Thaum., his letter from 
 Origen, 294 ; its translation, 295 ; 
 his relation to Origen, 494. 
 
 Guardian angels, 478, 480, 509 ; as- 
 signed to the little ones, 491 ; 
 their close relation to the little 
 ones, 491. 
 
 Hades, the gates of, 456, 457, 458, 
 459> 497 i are false doctrines, 
 457- 
 
 Half-shekel of tribute money, 481 ; 
 allegorized, 4S2. 
 
 Hand offending, allegorized, 489. 
 
 Harmonizing discrepancies in scrip- 
 ture, 382, 383, 384 ; by spiritual 
 interpretations, 383, 384. 
 
 Harmony by symphony in prayer, 
 495 ; of husband and wife, 495, 
 496 ; of the covenants, 496 ; of 
 body, soul and spirit, 49^ 
 
 Heart, the centre of sinful emotion, 
 454, 
 
 Heracleon, the Gnostic, 291, 331, 335, 
 350. 360, 369, 370, 3S0, 386, 399, 
 400; fragments of his writings, 
 331 n ; his news of Christ and 
 His life, 335 ; on creation, 331 ; 
 on the voice and the Baptist, 
 360, 361 ; on the Baptist's words, 
 369; on the place of baptism' 
 370 ; on the purifying of the 
 temple, 399; as a scripture in- 
 terpreter, 258 ; as a critic, 380, 
 386, 399 n. 
 
 Heretical books and teaching, 348, 
 
 Herod, 427 sq., 476 ; his connection 
 with the Baptist, 427, 428 ; and 
 with Herodias, 428 ; puts the 
 Baptist to death, 429, 476. 
 
 Herodias, her husband Philip, 428 ; 
 her daughter dancing, 428, 476 ; 
 her relation to the Baptist, 428, 
 476. 
 
 High priests, their spiritual function, 
 298. 
 
 Holy Spirit, made through the Word, 
 328, 329 ; the baptizer, 329 ; 
 His descent from Christ, 329 ; 
 all things made through Him, 
 329; some things not made by 
 Him, 331, 332. 
 
 Horse, the white, interpreted, 326, 
 327- 
 
 Householder and his treasury, 422 ; 
 distributing the talents, 502. 
 
 Huet, editor of Origen's works, 294, 
 325 n, 478 n. 
 
 Humility, as that of a little child, 
 486. 
 
 Husband and wife in harmony, 495 ; 
 
 are one in the church, 506 ; repre- 
 sent Christ and His church, 506. 
 
 t?ui(7fi6^, and i^uffrypiov, 309 n. 
 
 Image, the amount of likeness in, 
 419. 
 
 Incarnation, by a creature consider- 
 ed, 340,341 ; aninhumanization, 
 367 ; its value in Christ, 384. 
 
 Interpreters of Scripture, early, 291. 
 
 Interpretation of Scripture, 291 sq., 
 354 sq., 388 sq., 421, 425. 432 sq-' 
 435, 442, 472, 482, 489; helps to 
 it, 295, 421, 422, 423; has a 
 moral aspect, 439, 440, 442, 472 ; 
 its use of the Disciplina arcani, 
 339; as applied to propernames, 
 342, 362, 370, 371, 495; applied 
 spiritually to the Passover, 388 
 sq. 
 
 Israel, the spiritual, 298. 
 
 Jacob, in apocryphal books, 341. 
 
 Jacobi, critic, 322 n. 
 
 Jeremiah, how treated in Anathoth, 
 425. 
 
 Jesus, His Mother Mary, 300, 315, 
 3'7> 355' 381, 3^4' 4=4; bore the 
 world's sin, 299; is Christ the 
 Messiah, 300, 304, 342, 343 ; 
 Son of God, 302, 306, 307, 310 ; 
 as the op;f^, 307, 312; how the 
 Light, 310 sq., 335 sq. ; how the 
 Saviour, 308, 313; is all good 
 things, 302 ; sole topic of early 
 teaching, 303 ; first queries about 
 Him, 300 ; first born of the 
 dead, 308, 312, 401, 402 ; specu- 
 lations as to the need of His 
 death, 308 ; is more than His 
 Name, 408 ; believed in or not 
 believed in, 426 ; had all knowl- 
 edge and power. 408, 426. 
 
 Jews, called an adulterous genera- 
 tion, 451 ; criticise the law of 
 Christ, 510. 
 
 Joachim Perionius, 294. 
 
 John, his gospel, 299 sq., 304, 346, 
 412 J wrote little, 346. 
 
 John, the Baptist, his relation to 
 Christ, 317, 339 sq., 359 sq., 366, 
 427, 455 ; witness to Christ, 344, 
 345' 3^3' 365. 366; he the voice 
 and Jesus the speech, 341, 359, 
 360, 366, 427; his relation to 
 l^lias, 355 sq., 474 sq. ; if Elias 
 transcorporated, 355 sq., 428 n, 
 474' 475; 'lad the spirit and 
 power of Elijah, 475 ; a prophet 
 and not a prophet, 358 ; sent 
 from where, 339, 340; when his 
 soul was sent, 339, 340; ques- 
 tioned as to his person and mis- 
 sion, 352 sq. ; different missions 
 tO' 354. 358. 363; Messianic dis- 
 cussions with, 354 sq. ; his bap- 
 tism, and those of Elias and 
 Christ, 361, 365, 366; may have 
 been an angel, 340; his name 
 interpreted, 342 ; his six testi- 
 monies, 343; the Evangelist's 
 statements regarding, 363 sq., 
 366; his family and birth well- 
 
 known, 356, 357, 427 ; baptised 
 Jesus, 376 ; recognized Him by 
 the sign, 375; baptized at Beth- 
 abara, 370, 373; different ideas 
 regarding, 427 ; his addresses to 
 the Pharisees and others, 360 
 sq. ; his death, 429. 
 
 Jordan, "their going down," 371 ; 
 Joshua's crossing mystically in- 
 terpreted, 372, 373; crossed by 
 Elijah and Elisha, 373 ; bath of 
 healing to Naaman, 373. 
 
 Joseph, husband of Mary, 424 ; how 
 related to Jesus, 424. 
 
 Joseph us, Fl., Antiquities of the Jews, 
 424. 
 
 Joshua, his crossing Jordan inter- 
 preted, 372, 373. 
 
 Jubilee, feast of, 433. 
 
 Judas, entered into by Satan, 480. 
 
 Judging, a separation, 421 ; by Christ, 
 499. 
 
 Just and good distinguished by here- 
 tics, 318. 
 
 Keys, how and why given to Peter, 
 
 458, 459. 493. 494, 497- 
 King, Christ the anointed, 313, 319. 
 Knowledge, growth in, 459, 460 ; 
 
 gradual, in the disciples, 460. 
 lidajio^, ornament and world, 380, 
 
 487 n. 
 
 Lamb, of God is Christ, 316; His 
 name sealed on the foreheads, 
 288 ; idea as applied to Christ, 
 316, 376, 380 ; name why so ap- 
 propriatCj 376, 379; one offered 
 daily at morning and evening, 
 376, 377 ; name refers to His 
 humanity, 377. 
 
 Law, as to clean and unclean, 440 ; 
 law as to husband and wife, 451, 
 452. 
 
 Leaven, of the Pharisees, 452 ; 
 meaning of the word, 453. 
 
 Life, Christ is the, 310 sq., 334 sq. ; 
 through the Holy Spirit, 332 
 sq. ; in relation to the Logos, 
 334, 335. 336; not brought to 
 the spiritual only, 335, 336 ; in 
 relation to light, 335 sq. ; came 
 before light, 336, 337 ; its loss 
 and being saved, 464, 465 ; ex- 
 change for one's life, 465. 
 
 Light, Christ the Li-^ht of the world, 
 310 sq., 334sq.; its creation, 311; 
 in relation to life, 335 sq. ; allied 
 to reason, 336, 337 ; of different 
 kinds, 337 ; how not overtaken 
 by the darkness, 338, 339 ; out 
 of a divine darkness, 339. 
 
 Likeness in an image and statue, 
 419. 
 
 Little ones, ,and their angels, 490, 
 491, 492 ; their close association, 
 491,492. 
 
 A-oyoL, in what sense many, 323 sq. 
 
 Aci/of, its use by S. John, 315, 316, 
 319 sq., 322, 323, 326, 327, 32S 
 sq. ; His relation to man, 216, 
 316, 323, 328; is one, not many, 
 325 ; is_ Alpha and Omega, 315; 
 is Christ, and in many -ways, 
 319 sq., 327 J vifordis untranslat- 
 
INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 527 
 
 able, 31911.; maker of all things, 
 328 sq. ; some things not made 
 by Him, 330 sq. ; Heracleon's 
 views upon, 331 ; not responsible 
 for human sin, 331, 332; in re- 
 lation to life, 334. 
 
 I.omm, editor, 487. 
 
 Lommatzsch, editor of Origen's 
 works, 294. 
 
 Lord's Supper, the sacrament of, 504. 
 
 Lucifer fell from heaven, 304. 
 
 Luke, his gospel and the Acts, 299 ; 
 wrote for the Gentiles, 412. 
 
 Lunacy considered, 478. 
 
 Man, responsible for his own sin, 
 331 ; may dhange from darkness 
 to light, 334, 335; in God's 
 image, 336; fully known to 
 Jesus, 408; his relation to an- 
 gels, 420, 421 ; as influenced by 
 moon and stars, 47S; as com- 
 plete in body, soul and spirit, 
 496. 
 
 Manuscripts of the Gospels, their 
 critical use, 353,459, 462 n., 500 n. 
 Marcion, the heretic, 348, 384, 463, 
 504 ; his God of the Old Testa- 
 ment, 504; his dealings with 
 scripture, 384, 463. 
 Mark, his gospel, 299, 304, 412, 426; 
 was instructed by S. Peter, 412 ; 
 his words compared with S. 
 Matthew's, 486. 
 Marriage, its dissolution considered, 
 505, 506; t;hat of church digni- 
 taries, 509, 510 ; rule against sec- 
 ond, 509 ; its laws to meet hu- 
 man weakness, 510, 511. 
 Mary the Virgin, mother of Jesus, 
 300, 315, 317, 355, 38I' 384, 424; 
 visited Elizabeth, 375; her rela- 
 tion to Joseph, 424. 
 Matthew, his gospel, 299,411,426; 
 when written, 411 ; first in He- 
 brew, 412; compared with S. 
 Mark's, 486 ; Origen's commen- 
 tary upon, 411 sq. 
 Maximinus Thrax, persecutor, 294. 
 Meats, clean and unclean, 442 sq. 
 Mediator, Christ is ours, 343. 
 Melchisedek, the order of, 298. 
 Men, why they followed Jesus, 505. 
 Memory as between God and man, 
 Memphis in Egypt, 503. [500- 
 
 Messiah, His coming declared by 
 the prophets, 342 ; discussed by 
 the Baptist, 254, 255. 
 Metempsycliosis, doctrine of, 447. 
 Miracles of Christ, 426, 431 sq., 444 
 sq., 477 sq. ; of feeding the four 
 thousand men, 448, 449 ; the five 
 thousand, 43' sq.; of healing 
 the epileptic, 477 ; the deaf and 
 dumb man, 477; the daughter 
 of the Canaanitish woman, 444 
 sq. ; their effect on the people, 
 Mission of the Baptist, 340. [447. 
 Money, evil proceeding from the 
 
 love of, 438, 439- . „ 
 Moon and stars, their influence on 
 
 men, 478. . 
 
 Moses at the Transfiguration, 400, 
 470, 471.472, 473! 'lis relation 
 to Jesus, 473. 
 
 Multitudes, contrasted with the dis- 
 ciples, 433 ; form a strange mix- 
 ture after the miracles, 447, 
 448. 
 
 Mystical or spiritual sense of the 
 scripture, 305, 312, 362, 371,396. 
 
 398. 399. 402, 403. 404. 405. 497. 
 501, 502 ; interpretation of the 
 Passover, 3S8, 389 sq. 
 
 Naaman the Syrian healed in the 
 Jordan, 373, 374. 
 
 N?,me of Christ, and Christ are dif- 
 ferent, 407. 
 
 Names, proper, often corrupted, 371. 
 
 Nature and character, different in 
 men, 419. 
 
 Nazara, visited by Jesus, 381, 382. 
 
 ^al^apT/voVj 300 n. 
 
 Neander, historian, 298. 
 
 Net, figure applied to the scriptures, 
 420, 482. 
 
 i'6fiu, in apposition to avipi, 452 n. 
 
 Number, sacred, 344. 
 
 Oath, of God, 342 ; its sanctity, 428 ; 
 to be taken cautiously, 428 ; 
 keeping an oath, 428. 
 
 Only begotten, the, 313, 318. 
 
 Origen, historical notes upon, 291 ; 
 birth and parentage, 291 ; had 
 to flee to Cassarea, 291 ; preach- 
 ed when a layman, 291 ; teacher 
 and author in Alexandria, 291, 
 349' 35° ! '''^ travels, 291 ; his 
 death, 291 ; head of the cate- 
 chetical school in Alexandria, 
 
 292, 349 ; his ordination at C«s- 
 area, 291 ; his place as a scrip- 
 ture interpreter, 291, 292 ; ac- 
 count of his commentaries, 291, 
 
 293, 411 ; had agreat amount of 
 knowledge, 293 ; his views as a 
 critic, 353, 459 ; his writing often 
 interrupted, 349 ; commentary 
 on John, 294 sq. ; on Matthew, 
 294,411 sq. ; his letter to Gre- 
 gory Thaum., 294; bibUography 
 of his writings, 292, 293, 294, 
 
 4,1 1- 
 ovdefiia not one, 33S n. 
 
 Pederasty, 492. 
 
 Pantjenus, head of the Catechetical 
 school, 291. 
 
 Parable, as a teacher, 419, 421, 501, 
 507 ; its relation to a similitude, 
 423 ; as used by Christ and why, 
 433; of the Tares, 414 sq.; of 
 the Treasure hid in the field, 
 415 sq. ; of the Vineyard, 416; 
 of the Pearl of great price, 416' 
 417 ; of the Dragnet, 419 ; of the 
 Servant that owed 10,000 Tal- 
 ents, 497 sq., 500 sq. ; of the 
 Unjust Steward, 499 ; for urgent 
 and persevering prayer, 512. 
 
 Paraclete, Christ is, 317, 334. 
 
 Parapet, its spiritual interpretation, 
 
 349- „ 
 
 vapeKSi^aadai, 325 n. 
 
 Passover of the Jews, why so called, 
 387 ; ours is Christ, 388 ; spirit- 
 ual meaning of it, 389, 390. 
 
 Paul as a teacher and witness, 299, 
 
 300, 302, 304, 345; what his 
 gospel, 304 ; how all things to- 
 all men, 302; his work and 
 writings, 346; his preaching, 
 346; preached too long ser- 
 mons, 347; how revelations 
 came to him, 351 ; often con- 
 tradicts himself, 384 ; instructed 
 S. Luke, 412. 
 Peacemakers, their blessing, 412. 
 Pearl of great price, parable of, 416 
 sq. ; formation of a pearl, 417 ; 
 from Red Sea Bosporus, Britain 
 and India, 417; description of 
 different kinds and qualities, 
 417 ; parable interpreted, 417 sq.; 
 Christ is the great pearl, 418. 
 Pentecost and feast of Jubilee, 433. 
 Peter, his writings, 346; different 
 accounts of his call, 384, 385 ; 
 instructed S. Mark, 412 ; his 
 confession . of Christ, 455, 456 ; 
 promise made to him and to all 
 the rest, 456 ; received the keys, 
 458. 459. 493. 494, 497 ; why re- 
 buked, 462, 497 ; how a stum- 
 bling-block to Jesus, 463, 471 ; 
 his saying at theTransfiguration, 
 471, 472, 473; denied Christ 
 thrice, 471 ; paid the tribute 
 money, 4S2. 
 Peter, Gospel of, 424 n. 
 Pharaoh's birthday, 428. 
 Pharisees, a people like their name, 
 362 ; questioning the Baptist, 
 352 sq., 358 sq., 363; their 
 effrontery, 365; question Christ 
 and His disciples,436, 505 ; seek- 
 ing to censure, 437 ; not a plant 
 of God, 442. 
 Philo, as a scripture interpreter, 292 ; 
 a contemporary of Christ in 
 Alexandria, 292. 
 Philocalia, 413 n. 
 Plant of God, Pharisees were not, 
 
 442. 
 ■KvivfiaToq Swdfieoc, 504 n. 
 Pounds distributed, and the reckon- 
 ing, 502. 
 Power of God, Christ is the, 317. 
 Powers, rational and divine creat- 
 ures, 321. 
 Prayer, its power in harmony, 494 ; 
 duty in chastity, 511, 512; urged 
 by Christ in a parable, 512. 
 Prayer of Joseph, an apocryphal 
 
 work, 341 n. 
 ■Kpo TrdvTuv, 328 n. 
 
 Prophecy, argument from, 504; the 
 Baptist's relation to, 358, 360, 
 362. 
 Prophets, witnessed to Christ, 342, 
 350 sq., 360 ; " the prophet," 
 not the Baptist, 353 sq., 362 ; 
 speak of the Church's future, 
 405; how treated, 425, 426. 
 Propitiation, Christ is the, 317, 319. 
 Protevangelium Jacobi, 424 n. 
 TrpuToyewTi/ia, 298. 
 
 Rabbinnical interpretations of scrip- 
 ture, 292. 
 
 Reason in relation to light and life, 
 236, 237. 
 
 Reckoning, how interpreted, 499 sq. 
 
528 
 
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS. 
 
 Redemption, Christ is, 317 sq. 
 Red Sea, its pearls, 417. 
 Resurrection, Christ is the, 312, 319, 
 
 401 ; the general, 401. 
 Repentance, its place and value, 419, 
 
 422, 509. 
 Righteous, none to be compared 
 
 with God, 323 ; the shining of is 
 
 explained, 415. 
 Righteousness, Christ is our, 318, 
 
 464. 
 Rod, Christ is the, 319, 336. 
 
 Sabbath, as a period, 342 ; how con- 
 sidered by Origen 342 n., 388 ; 
 how dealt with by Moses, 3S8. 
 
 Sacrifice, its typology, 376, 377, 388, 
 389, 390 ; as the death of mar- 
 tyrs, 377 ; at the exodus, 3S8. 
 
 Sadducees, classed with the Phar- 
 isees, 453. 
 
 Saints are witnesses to God, 343 ; 
 their life of sacrifice, 377. 
 
 Samuel, how treated in Ramathaim, 
 
 425- 
 tianctification, Christ is our, 317 sq., 
 
 334. 464- 
 
 Satan entered into Judas, 480. 
 
 Saviour, Christ the only one and to 
 
 ^ all, 333, 334. 
 
 Scourge of small cords interpreted, 
 399- 
 
 Scripture, early interpreters of, 291 
 sq. ; its mystical or spiritual in- 
 terpretations, 292, 293, 388 sq., 
 414, 425, 472, 482, 489. 502, 504; 
 its criticism, 293, 353, 383, 459, 
 462, 500 ; helps to interpretation, 
 295; all is Gospel, 259, 300, 301, 
 413 ; forms one book, 348 ; how 
 to be treated, 346, 414, 421, 422, 
 423, 425, 472 ; in the Old and 
 New Testaments,299 sq. , 304 sq., 
 348, 420 sq., 451; its harmony 
 and unity, 413, 451 ; compared 
 to a net, 420. 
 
 Sealing of the tribes, interpreted, 
 297 ; why in the foreheads, 297 ; 
 with the name of the Lamb, 
 297. 
 
 Self-denial, 463, 464. 
 
 Septuagint, for its text, 353. 
 
 Servant, Christ is one, 316; who 
 owed 10,000 talents interpreted, 
 297 sq. ; who owed 100 pence, 
 501. 
 
 Shepherd, Christ is the, 313, 319, 
 334- 
 
 Shepherd of Hernias, 509. 
 
 Shoe latchet interpreted, 367, 368, 
 370; applied to the Incarnation, 
 367 ; one or both interpreted, 
 368 ; whole passage interpreted, 
 367 sq. 
 
 Sickness, bodily and spiritual, 430 ; 
 related to sin, 430. 
 
 Sign from heaven refused by Christ, 
 449 sq- 
 
 Signs and wonders not believed, 488. 
 
 Silence, its teaching power, 460, 473. 
 
 Similitude, as related to a parable, 
 
 ^. 423- 
 
 Simon Magus, his testimony, 367. 
 
 Simon of Cyrene, 464- 
 Sin, triumphed over by Christ's 
 death, 378, 379 ; as related to 
 sickness, 430; and to the law of 
 clean and unclean, 440, 441 ; re- 
 lative values of, 454, 467, 492, 
 493 ; causes transmigrations, 
 474. 
 
 Sinning brother, 492. 
 
 Smith and Wace, Diet. Ch. Biog. 
 41 1 n. 
 
 Solomon, prolific writer, 347; type 
 of peace and work, 349 ; church 
 is his temple, 403 sq. ; temple 
 and its time in building, 402 ; 
 visited Egypt, 295 ; married an 
 Egyptian, 295; temple building 
 is spiritualized, 403. 
 
 Somatic gospel, the, 301. 
 
 Son of God, 306, 307, 312, 313, 
 314, 327, 384; alone knows the 
 Father, 306, 327, 402; His In- 
 carnation, 312, 3i4,384;is Christ, 
 314- 
 
 Son of man shall come again in 
 glory, 465. 
 
 Sons, freedom of, 481. 
 
 Soul, if it can clothe itself with a 
 '^o''y> 355 i I'ow properly trained, 
 418; its metempsychosis, 447, 
 474 ; its transmigrations, 474. 
 
 Spiritual gospel, the, 301 ; sickness, 
 43°- 
 
 Standing by the Saviour interpreted, 
 467. 
 
 Star in the East, 312. 
 
 Stars, their influence on men, 478. 
 
 GTepco^j urepkuiia^ 321 n. 
 
 Study of the Holy Scriptures, 296, 
 298, 300 sq.; of the Gospels, 
 298 sq. 
 
 Stumbling-blocks toward God, 463, 
 489; to His little ones, 484, 485 ; 
 occasions of stumbling, 488, 
 489 ; how far necessary, 488. 
 
 Sufficient and worthy distinguished, 
 368. 
 
 fTVfj.(puv^/GQ}fft.v, 494 n. 
 
 Sword, Christ is, 316. 
 
 Syene in Egypt, 503. 
 
 Symphony in prayer, 494, 495 ; by 
 two or three in union, 495. 
 
 Synecdoche, 470. 
 
 Tabernacles, the three spiritually in- 
 terpreted, 472. 
 
 Talents, how interpreted, 498, 499, 
 503 ; distributed by the house- 
 holder, 502. 
 
 Tares, parable of the, 414. 
 
 Teacher and Master, Christ is, 314' 
 319- 
 
 Teaching by parable and simile, 419, 
 421, 423; its imperfection, 419, 
 423- 
 
 Temple cleansed by Christ, 391 sq. ; 
 the incident spiritualized, 393 
 
 ^ ^^■ 
 
 Temptation, in Christ, 318 ; to be 
 met or avoided, 429. 
 
 Testament, the Old, how accounted 
 Gospel, 302, 306, 304 ; one with 
 the New, 348, 361, 412, 422,423, 
 
 451, 496 ; how related to the 
 pearl of great price, 418, 
 
 d^Xet for worel^ 314 n. ^ 
 
 Theology regarding Jesus, 470. 
 
 Thrones for the disciples explained, 
 433 ; of the twelve tribes, 433. 
 
 Timothy perhaps less enlightened 
 than S. Paul, 459. 
 
 Touching used for curing, 436. 
 
 Tradition of the elders, 436 sq. ; in 
 collision with the divine law, 
 439, 440. 
 
 Transcorporation, ideas of, 355, 356, 
 357. 428 n., 474. 
 
 Transfiguration of Christ, 406, 469 
 sq. 
 
 1 ransmigration, ideas of, 474, 475 ; 
 caused by the soul's sin, 474, 
 475 ; a form of punishment to 
 the soul, 474, 475. 
 
 Treasure hid in the field, parable of, 
 415. 416. 
 
 Tribes, the twelve, divided by God, 
 297 ; the sealing of, 297 ; re- 
 present the Christian church, 
 297. 
 
 Tribute money, its payment, 481 sq. 
 
 Trinity, an early Christian truth, 300' 
 sq., 328 ; the " adorable Trinity," 
 267 ; Origen 's ideas upon, 426. 
 
 -ruth, Christ is the, 313 ; the Only 
 Begotten is the Truth, 313. 
 
 Tyre and Sidon, borders of, 444 
 
 "Unbegotten God," 331. 
 
 Unjust steward, the parable of, 499. 
 
 " Until," force of the word, 385, 466, 
 468 ; no limitation to the pro- 
 mise, 468. 
 
 Uriel, the angel of God, 341. 
 
 Valentinian school, 291. 
 Valentinus, his teaching, 463. 
 Vetus inter, 495. 
 Vine, Christ is the True, 314. 
 Virgin born, Christ is the, 300, 315, 
 
 317. 
 Voice crying in the wilderness, 359. 
 
 Washing, its moral and spiritual 
 meaning, 440, 443, 444. 
 
 Way, Christ the, 312, 334, 360 ; how 
 narrow, 360. 
 
 Wisdom of God, the Son is, 307, 317, 
 334- 
 
 Woe, as uttered by Christ, 487. 
 
 Woman, in relation to her husband, 
 
 452- 
 Word of God, the Son, 307 sq., 316, 
 322 sq. ; not an attribute but a 
 Person, 308, 309; with God and 
 was God, 310, 315, 322 sq., 327 ; 
 makes warin righteousness, 326, 
 327 ; appears in different ways, 
 466; will come again in glory, 
 465, 466. 
 
 Words, too many are used, 347. 
 
 World purified is the church, 380 ; 
 what its offences are, 487 ; va- 
 rious senses of the word, 487. 
 
 Zacharias, the name interpreted, 342. 
 Zion, gates of, 458. 
 
 
INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 529 
 
 INDEX OF TEXTS 
 
 Gen. Li. . . . 
 
 . . 306 
 
 L II . . . . 
 
 • • 427 
 
 i. 16. . . . 
 
 . . 478 
 
 i. 21. . . . 
 
 • • 419 
 
 i.26. . . . 
 
 •336,451 
 
 i.27. . . . 
 
 ■ • S06 
 
 11. 24 ... 
 
 • • S06 
 
 iii. 15 . . . 
 iil 16 . . . 
 
 . . S08 
 
 . . 506 
 
 111. 23 . . . 
 
 • • 339 
 
 IV. 9 . . . . 
 
 . . 421 
 
 IV. 23 . . . 
 
 • . 497 
 
 IV. 25 . . . 
 
 • • 356 
 
 vii. 4. . . . 
 
 ■ • 356 
 
 XV. 15 . . . 
 xxi. 8 . . . 
 
 ■ • 446 
 . . 407 
 
 xxvu 13 . . 
 
 . ■ 483 
 
 XXVll. . . . 
 
 . . 383 
 
 xxxi. 27 . . 
 
 • • 49t 
 
 xxxviii. 4 . . 
 
 • • 371 
 
 xl. 20 . . . 
 
 . . 429 
 
 xlui. 34 . . 
 
 • • 314 
 
 xlviii. 16 . . 
 
 • • 490 
 
 xlix. 2 . . . 
 
 . . 378 
 
 xlix 10 . . 
 
 .309,428 
 
 xlix. 16. . . 
 
 . . 361 
 
 Exod. i. 13, 14. . 
 
 . . 481 
 
 ii. 22 . . . 
 
 • ■ 371 
 
 iii. 2, 6 . . . 
 
 ■ • 315 
 
 iii. 5. . . • 
 
 . . 360 
 
 111. 14, IS . . 
 
 . • 330 
 
 IV. II . . 
 
 • • 479 
 
 VI. 21 ... 
 
 ■ • 371 
 
 VI. 24 . . . 
 
 • ■ 495 
 
 VU. I ... 
 
 • ■ 359 
 
 viu. 2 . . . 
 
 : : % 
 
 viiL 21, 23 . 
 
 xii. 1-3 . . . 
 
 . . 387 
 
 xii. S ... 
 xii. 8 . . . 
 
 ■ ■ 3^ 
 
 xii. II . . . 
 
 . . 387 
 
 xii. 26 . . . 
 
 
 xii 43-48 . . 
 
 xii. 46 . . . 
 
 • • 429 
 
 XlV. II . . . 
 
 . . 372 
 
 xiv. 15 . . . 
 
 • • 359 
 
 XV. 17 . . . 
 xvi. 23 . . . 
 
 : : fs 
 
 XVIU. II . . 
 
 ■ ■ 339 
 
 xix. 9, 16 . . 
 
 
 XX. 12 . . . 
 
 ■437.438 
 
 xxi. IS . . . 
 
 . . 438 
 
 xxii. 29. . . 
 
 . . 298 
 
 xxii. 31. . . 
 
 • • 447 
 
 xxiii. 16 . . 
 
 . . 298 
 
 xxv. 39 • • • 
 
 . . 501 
 
 xxix 38-44 . 
 
 . ■ 376 
 
 XXX. 20 . . . 
 
 . . 473 
 
 xxxi. 3, 6 . . 
 
 ■ ■ 3^^ 
 
 xxxii. 7. . . 
 
 xxxii. 32 . . 
 
 . . 348 
 
 xxxii. 34 . . 
 
 • . 490 
 
 xxxiii. 15 . . 
 
 . . 490 
 
 xxxvi. I, 2, 8 . 
 
 .'437,438 
 
 Lev. XX. 9 . . . 
 
 XXI. 14 . . . 
 
 • • 508 
 
 xxiii. 2 . . . 
 
 . . 388 
 
 xxvi. 10, II . 
 
 . . 423 
 
 xxvi. 12 . . 
 
 . ■ 423 
 
 xxxii. IS • . 
 
 . . 490 
 
 xxxu. 34 . . 
 
 . . 490 
 
 Num. i. 3 ... 
 
 • • 432 
 
 iii. 47 . . • 
 
 . . 482 
 
 Num. xiv. 28 . . 
 
 • • 333 
 
 Ps. i. 2 . . 
 
 
 422 
 
 xviii. 22 . . 
 
 ■ . 492 
 
 ii. 2 . . . . 
 
 .'430, 480 
 
 xxv. 12 . . . 
 
 : : l^ 
 
 ii. 3 • . . . 
 
 . . 481 
 
 xxviii. I . . 
 
 ii. 6 . . . . 
 
 
 369 
 
 xxxiii. 6 . . 
 
 ■ ■ 371 
 
 ii. 7 . . . . 
 
 
 314 
 
 Deut. iv. 19 . . 
 
 •324.487 
 
 iv. 7. . . . 
 
 
 360 
 
 y.31. . . . 
 
 • . 467 
 
 vi. 6 . . . . 
 
 
 335 
 
 IX. 9. . . . 
 
 . ■ 390 
 
 vii. IS . . . 
 
 
 442 
 
 X. lO. . . . 
 
 • • 467 
 
 viii. 2 . . . 
 
 
 446 
 
 xviii. IS . . 
 
 • . 353 
 
 ixi3, 14 . ■ 
 
 
 3 3^ 
 
 xviii. 15 sq . 
 
 
 XI. 7 . . . . 
 
 '•35 
 
 xix. 23 . . . 
 
 XIV. 3 . . . 
 
 
 '362 
 
 xxii. 2S. . . 
 
 • • 454 
 
 xix. 9 . . . 
 
 
 337 
 
 xxiv. I . . . 
 
 • • SH 
 
 XX. 7 ... 
 
 
 320 
 
 xxiv. 1-3 . . 
 
 • • 509 
 
 xxii. I . . . 
 
 
 338 
 
 xxiv. 1-4 . . 
 
 • • 507 
 
 xxii. 10. . . 
 
 
 491 
 
 xxiv. 3 . . . 
 
 . 508 
 
 xxii. 13. . . 
 
 
 401 
 
 xxiv. 4 . .so 
 
 8, 509. 510 
 
 xxii. 14. . . 
 
 
 400 
 
 xxviii. 66, 67 . 
 
 • • 467 
 
 xxviii. 6 . . 
 
 
 321 
 
 XXX. 15 . . . 
 
 • • 467 
 
 xxvii. I . . 
 
 
 337 
 
 xxxii. 4 . . 
 
 • • 326 
 
 xxvii. 3 . . 
 
 
 422 
 
 xxxii. 5 . . 
 
 • • 445 
 
 xxxi. 18 . . 
 
 
 479 
 
 Josh. iii. 5 . . . 
 
 • • 373 
 
 xxxi. 24 . . 
 
 
 353 
 
 iii. 7 . . . 
 
 • • 373 
 
 xxxiii. 10 . . 
 
 
 395 
 
 111. 9 . . . 
 
 • • 373 
 
 xxxiii. 17 . . 
 
 ^32 
 
 0,399 
 
 iii. 9, 10 . . 
 
 • • 373 
 
 xxxiv. 7 . . 
 
 
 490 
 
 v. 13, 14 . . 
 
 • • 336 
 
 xxxv. 16 . . 
 
 
 415 
 
 VI. 25 . . . 
 
 • • 452 
 
 xxxvi. 6 . . 
 
 
 313 
 
 Judges xi. 3S . . 
 
 • • 377 
 
 xxxvi. 10 . . 
 
 
 336 
 
 XX. 28 . . . 
 
 ■ • 467 
 
 XI.7. . . . 
 
 
 347 
 
 I Sam. i. 23, 24 . 
 
 xlii 
 
 
 495 
 
 xvi. 14 . . . 
 
 • . 413 
 
 xlii. I . . . 
 
 
 • 495 
 
 2 Sam. vi. 4, 5 . 
 
 • • 494 
 
 xliv. I . . . 
 
 
 • 495 
 
 vii. 2 . . . 
 
 • • 403 
 
 xiv. 1. . . . 
 
 '3] 
 
 0,320 
 
 xvi. 9 . . . 
 
 • • 447 
 
 xiv. 8 . . . 
 
 
 313 
 
 I Kings li. II . . 
 
 • • 403 
 
 xlvi. 4 . . . 
 
 
 371 
 
 ii. IS . . . 
 
 • • 356 
 
 1. I ... . 
 
 • 3] 
 
 
 iv. 32 . . . 
 
 • • 347 
 
 li. 10 . . . 
 
 
 • 476 
 
 V. 3-5 • • • 
 
 • • 404 
 
 li. 12 . . . 
 
 
 • 476 
 
 v. 15-18 . . 
 
 • • 404 
 
 Iv. i8 . . . 
 
 
 • 469 
 
 V. 18. . . . 
 
 . . 402 
 
 Ixviii. II, 12 . 
 
 
 . 302 
 
 vi. I . . . . 
 
 . . 402 
 
 Ixix. S . . . 
 
 
 • 338 
 
 vi. 4 . . . . 
 vi.8. . . . 
 
 • • 405 
 
 Ixix. 28 . . . 
 
 
 . 348 
 
 • • 405 
 
 Ixxi. 6 . . . 
 
 
 • 491 
 
 vi. 10 . . . 
 
 • • 405 
 
 Ixxii. I, 2 . . 
 
 
 ■ 313 
 
 vi. 16, 19 . . 
 
 - • 405 
 
 Ixxii. 9 . . 
 
 
 ;l7i 
 
 vi. 21 . . . 
 
 • • 405 
 
 Ixxii. 12 . . 
 
 
 vii. 13 . . . 
 
 • . 40s 
 
 Ixxiii. 8, 9. . 
 
 
 . 478 
 
 viii. 39 . . . 
 
 :: f 
 
 Ixxiv. 9 . . 
 
 
 . 508 
 
 xiii. 2 . . . 
 
 Ixxiv. 13 . . 
 
 
 • 399 
 
 xviii. 21 . . 
 
 • • 463 
 
 Ixxvii. I . . 
 
 
 • 359 
 
 xviii. 33 sq. . 
 2 Kings L 8 . . 
 
 . . 362 
 
 Ixxix. 12 . . 
 
 
 :3l^ 
 
 • • 357 
 
 Ixxxii. S . . 
 
 
 ii. 8, II . . . 
 
 • • 373 
 
 Ixxxiv. 5 . . 
 
 
 . 408 
 
 ii. II . . . 
 
 . . 476 
 
 lxxxviii4,S . 
 
 
 • 315 
 
 ii. 14 . . . 
 
 • • 336 
 
 Ixxxviii. 6. . 
 
 '•4- 
 
 29,451 
 
 ii. 15 . . . 
 
 • • 475 
 
 Ixxxix. 32, 33. 
 
 
 • 319 
 
 v. 9, 10 . . . 
 
 • • 374 
 
 Ixxxix. 48 . . 
 
 
 • 469 
 
 xix. 9 . . . 
 
 • . 450 
 
 xci. IS . . . 
 cii. 26 . . . 
 
 
 • 490 
 
 xxiv. 7 . . . 
 
 • • 45° 
 
 
 • 474 
 
 I Cliron. X . . . 
 
 • • 371 
 
 civ. 4 . . . 
 
 
 • 304 
 
 xxii. 8 . . . 
 
 • . 403 
 
 civ. IS . . . 
 
 
 . 314 
 
 xxii. 8, 9 . . 
 
 • • 349 
 
 civ. 24 . . . 
 civ. 20 . . . 
 
 ■ 3 
 
 .^'^5 
 
 xxii. 9 . . . 
 
 • • 404 
 
 
 xxvii. 3 . . 
 
 . . 403 
 
 cv. 3. . . . 
 
 
 • 351 
 
 xxix. i-S . . 
 
 • . 403 
 
 ex I. . . . 
 
 
 •' 39^ 
 
 Ezra vi. I . . . 
 
 . . 403 
 
 ex. 4. . . . 
 
 
 Esther iv. 22 . . 
 Job i. 12 . . . . 
 
 : : '4^ 
 
 exvi. 9 . . . 
 cxviii. 18, 20 . 
 
 
 ■ ti 
 
 i.iS. . . . 
 
 . . 486 
 
 exviii. 20 . . 
 
 
 . 457 
 
 i. 16. . . . 
 
 .450,486 
 
 cxviii. 22, 23 . 
 
 '310,319 
 
 iii 8 . . . . 
 
 • • 306 
 
 . cxix. 165 . 463, 488, 492 
 
 xL 19 . . . 
 
 . . 306 
 
 cxx. 7 . . . 
 
 • 
 
 • 404 
 
 Ps. cxxii. 2, 3, 4 
 
 cxxv. 2. 
 
 cxxxvi. 2 
 
 cxxxix. 13 
 
 cxiiii. 2. 
 
 exlv. 14. 
 
 cxlviii. S 
 Prov. I 6l . 
 
 i. 24. . 
 
 iv. 17 . 
 
 iv. 23 . 
 
 V. 22. . 
 
 vii. 3. . 
 
 viii. 8, 9 
 
 viii. 22, 303, 
 
 xvi. S . 
 
 xvi. 23 . 
 
 xix 14 . 
 
 XX. 6. . 
 
 xxv. 20. 
 
 xxvi. 9 . 
 
 xxx.6 . 
 
 XXX. 19 . 
 Eecles. iii. i 
 
 xii. II . 
 
 xii. 12 . 
 Song of Sol. i. 
 
 li. s. . 
 Is. 1. 7. . . 
 
 i. 8 . . 
 
 i. 13 ■ • 
 1. 21 . . 
 ii. I . . 
 iii. 1-3 • 
 iii. II . 
 V. 8 . . 
 vi. I, 9 . 
 vii. II . 
 viii. 18 . 
 ix. 2 . . 
 ix 5, 6 . 
 ix. o. . 
 xi. I . . 
 xi. 1-2 . 
 xi. 2 . . 
 xxii. 22 . 
 xxv. 8 . 
 xxvi. p . 
 xxix. 8 . 
 xxix 9-1S 
 xxix II, 12 
 xxix. 13 
 xxix. 14. 
 xxix 15. 
 XXX. 6 . 
 xxxv. 6 . 
 xl. 2 . . 
 xl. 3. . 
 xl. 6. . 
 xl. 9 . . 
 xlii. 1-4. 
 xlii. I sq. 
 xlii. 18 . 
 xlviii. 16 
 xlix I, 2, 
 xlix. 2 . 
 xlix 2, 3 
 xlix. 3, 6 
 xlix 5, 6 
 xlix 22, 23 
 1.1 . 
 Iii. 6. 
 Iii. 7. 
 
 306, 
 
 15 
 
 • 393 
 
 • 393 
 . 315 
 . 491 
 
 326, 333 
 
 • 463 
 307, 331 
 
 339 
 
 • 347 
 . 300 
 
 • 444 
 459. 493 
 
 . 41s 
 
 • 413 
 307, 317 
 
 • 30s 
 351, 475 
 451. 494 
 
 • 500 
 . 422 
 
 ■ 379 
 
 • 331 
 312.456 
 
 . 418 
 413. 496 
 
 • 346 
 
 • 396 
 . 316 
 
 ■ 3^ 
 
 452 
 322 
 408 
 493 
 459 
 339 
 
 $i 
 3^ 
 320 
 
 31S 
 319 
 210 
 476 
 
 337 
 430 
 439 
 348 
 •360,439 
 440 
 
 440 
 
 399 
 
 447 
 
 493 
 
 • 341, 363 
 
 •433,449 
 
 • 303 
 
 . 310 
 
 .329,486 
 309 
 309 
 316 
 316 
 316 
 490 
 506 
 
 .303.337 
 302 
 
530 
 
 INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 Is. llll. 2 466 
 
 Matt iii. 17. . 
 
 
 llli. 2, 3. . 
 
 
 ■ 46S, 467 
 
 iii. 13 . . 
 
 
 liii 4. . . 
 
 
 . . 46s 
 
 iv. 9 . . . 
 
 
 liii. 7. . . 
 
 
 
 . 377 
 
 iv. 10 . . 
 
 
 liv. I. . . 
 
 
 
 • 430 
 
 iv. II . . 
 
 
 liv. 11-14 ■ 
 
 
 
 . 406 
 
 iv. II sq. . 
 
 
 liv. 15 . . 
 
 
 
 . 406 
 
 iv. 11-15, 17 
 
 
 Ix. 13-20 . 
 
 
 
 . 406 
 
 iv. 12 . . 
 
 
 Ixi. I. . . 
 
 
 
 ■ 37^ 
 
 iv. 16 . . 
 
 
 Ixiii. I . . 
 
 
 
 iv. 17 . . 
 
 
 Ixv. I . . 
 
 
 
 • 369 
 
 iv. 18 . . 
 
 
 Jer. i. 7 . . . 
 
 
 
 • 340 
 
 iv. 19 . . 
 
 
 1. 10 . . . 
 
 
 
 455 
 
 V. 3 . • • 
 
 
 ii. 13. . . 
 ii. 18. . . 
 
 
 
 455 
 
 V. 9 . . . 
 
 
 
 
 374 
 
 V. 14. . . 
 
 
 iv. 16 . . 
 
 
 
 360 
 
 V. 14, 16 . 
 V. 10 . . 
 
 
 V. 14. . . 
 
 
 
 390 
 
 
 IX. 23 . . 
 
 
 
 427 
 
 V. 17 . . 
 
 
 xi. 19 . . 
 
 
 '3c 
 
 19,377 
 
 V. 19 . . 
 
 
 xiv. I . . 
 
 
 
 322 
 
 V. 26 . . 
 
 
 XX. 9. . . 
 
 
 39 
 
 0,425 
 
 V. 32 . . 
 
 
 xxii. 24. . 
 
 
 
 455 
 
 V. 33 ■ • 
 
 
 xxxi. 27. . 
 Lam. iii. 38. . 
 
 
 
 313 
 
 V. 34, 35 • 
 
 
 
 
 47S 
 
 V. 35 . ■ 
 
 
 iv. 20 . . 
 
 
 
 321 
 
 V. 45 • • 
 
 
 Ezek. ii. 3 . . 
 
 
 
 340 
 
 vi. I, 2 . . 
 
 
 ii. 10. . . 
 
 
 
 348 
 
 vi. 20 . . 
 
 
 ix. 6. . . 
 
 
 
 500 
 
 vi. 21 . . 
 
 
 xviii. 4 . . 
 
 
 
 480 
 
 vii. 1 . . 
 
 
 xviii. 20-23 
 
 
 
 419 
 
 vii. 2 . . 
 
 
 xviii. 21-24 
 
 
 
 466 
 
 vii. 6 . . 
 
 
 xviii. 22 . 
 
 
 
 421 
 
 vii. 7 . . 2 
 
 96 
 
 xviii. 24 . 
 
 
 
 419 
 
 vii. 8 . . 
 
 
 xxix.3-S . 
 
 
 
 374 
 
 vii. 14 360, 4 
 
 08 
 
 xxxiii. . . 
 
 
 
 493 
 
 vii. 21-23 ■ 
 
 
 xxxiii. 12 . 
 
 
 
 492 
 
 vii. 24 . . 
 vii. 28 . . 
 
 
 xxxiv. 23 . 
 
 
 
 310 
 
 
 xxxvii. 1-4 
 
 
 
 401 
 
 viii. . . 
 
 
 xxxvii. II . 
 
 
 
 400 
 
 viii. 2, 3 . 
 
 
 Dan. iii. 26 . . 
 
 
 
 475 
 
 viii. 4 . . 
 
 
 vii. 10 . . 
 
 
 34 
 
 8,499 
 
 viii. 5 sq. . 
 
 
 xii. 3. . . 
 
 
 
 415 
 
 viii. 17 . . 
 
 
 Hos. 1. I . . . 
 
 
 
 322 
 
 viii. 23 . . 
 
 
 i 2 . . . 
 
 
 45 
 
 2,508 
 
 viii. 28, 32 
 
 
 vii. 2. . . 
 
 
 
 446 
 
 viii 29 . . 
 
 
 vii. 4. . . 
 
 
 
 477 
 
 viii. 49, so 
 
 
 ix.5- . . 
 
 
 
 388 
 
 ix. 9 . . . 
 
 
 X. 12. . . 
 
 
 
 337 
 
 ix. 18 . . 
 
 
 X.13. . . 
 
 
 
 364 
 
 ix. 20, 21 . 
 
 
 xiv. 10 . . 
 
 
 
 377 
 
 ix. 22 . . 
 
 
 Joel ii. 28 . . 
 Zech. i . . . 
 
 
 
 426 
 
 ix. 34 • • 
 
 
 
 
 336 
 
 X.5 . . . 
 
 
 iii . 4. . . 
 
 
 
 338 
 
 X. 10. . . 
 
 
 v. 7. 8 . . 
 
 
 
 500 
 
 X. 18. . . 
 
 
 ix.9. . . 
 
 
 
 395 
 
 X. 21 . . . 
 
 
 IX. 9, 10. . . 
 
 
 
 399 
 
 X.23. . . 
 
 
 ix. 10 . . . 
 
 
 
 399 
 
 X.26. . . 
 
 
 Mai. i. 6. . . 
 
 
 
 314 
 
 X.27. . . 
 
 
 iii. I .... 336, 363 
 
 X.32. . . 
 
 
 ly. 5,6 . .355,361,476 
 
 Vk : : 
 
 
 I Esdras iv. 37, 41, 47 . 349 
 
 
 Judith X. 4 487 
 
 X.39. . . 
 
 
 xi. 2 . . . . 
 Rest of Esther xiv. 
 
 2'. % 
 
 X.42. . . 
 
 XI. 2, 3 . . 
 
 
 Wisdom ix. 0. . 
 
 • 427 
 
 xi. 3. . . . 
 
 
 xvii. I . . . 
 
 • 377 
 
 xi. 4, 5 . . 
 
 
 Ecclus. xviii. 7 . 
 
 
 xi. 9. . . 
 
 
 xviii. 30. . . 
 
 • 463 
 
 xi. 10 . . 
 
 
 xxvii. 11 . . . 
 
 • 477 
 
 xi. II . . 
 
 
 xxviii. 25 . . . 
 
 ■ 440 
 
 xi. 12 . . 
 
 
 Song of the Three 
 Children, 64. . 
 
 
 xi. 13 . . . 
 
 
 • 475 
 
 xi. 14 340, 3 
 
 55, 
 
 I Mace. ii. 11 . . . 
 
 • 487 
 
 xi. 14, 15 . 
 
 
 2 Mace. vii. 28 . 
 
 
 ■ 307 
 
 xi. 17 . . 
 
 
 Matt i. I ... 
 
 
 • 299 
 
 xi. 19 . . . 
 
 
 ii. 23. . . . 
 
 
 422, S 
 
 XL 22 . . . 
 
 
 iii. 2. . . . 
 iii. 7- . . . 
 
 
 xi. 27 . . . 
 XII. 5 . . . 
 
 
 in. 7, 8. . . 
 
 
 ." 362 
 
 xii. 8 . . . 
 
 
 iii. 10 . . . 
 
 
 • 364 
 
 xii. 15 . . . 
 
 
 iii. 11 . . . 
 
 
 • 
 
 300 
 
 xii. 17,19. . 
 
 
 . 418 
 
 • 376 
 463,480 
 
 . 463 
 
 . 420 
 
 • 391 
 . 381 
 
 . 444 
 . 4S 
 
 • 458 
 
 • 3«4 
 
 • 463 
 
 • 498 
 
 • 413 
 . 380 
 
 • 311 
 333, 415 
 
 . 420 
 
 • 483 
 
 ■ 499 
 
 • 511 
 
 • 504 
 
 ■ 370 
 
 ■ 393 
 
 • 303 
 
 • 444 
 . 422 
 . 422 
 
 • 493 
 
 • 493 
 . 418 
 
 418, 512 
 418,512 
 457, 495 
 407 
 
 457 
 505 
 391 
 374 
 343 
 387 
 338 
 391 
 371 
 445 
 420 
 
 505 
 44; 
 
 436 
 450 
 459 
 312 
 460 
 460 
 
 429 
 499 
 460 
 460, 464 
 464 
 
 463 
 462 
 
 49? 
 428 
 
 300,354 
 
 358 
 359 
 
 429,483 
 360 
 365 
 
 427, 455 
 344 
 428 
 322 
 488 
 320 
 508 
 509 
 432 
 310 
 
 Matt xii. 24 
 xii. 32 
 xii. 36 
 xii. 42 
 xii. 50 
 xiii. 2, 3 
 xiii. 10 
 xiii. II 
 
 32 
 
 54 
 
 14 
 
 xiii. 12 
 xiii. 16 
 xiii. 17 
 xiii. 31, 
 xiii. 3d 
 xiii. 36 
 xiii. 37 
 xiii. 39 
 xiii. 42 
 xiii. 43 
 xiii. 44 
 xiii. 45 
 xiii. 47 
 xiii. 51 
 xiii. 52 
 xiii. 53, 
 xiii. 54 
 xiii. 55 
 xiii. 55, 
 xiii. 56 
 xiii. 57 
 xiii. 58 
 xiv. I 
 xiv. 2 
 xiv. 3 
 XIV. 3, ,; 
 xiv. 12 
 xiv. 13 
 xiv. 13, 
 xiv. 14 
 xiv. 15 431 
 xiv. 16 
 xiv. 17 
 xiv. 19, 20 
 xiv. 22 
 xiv. 22, 23 
 xiv. 23 
 xiv. 24 
 xiv. 25 
 xiv. 27 
 xiv. 29 
 xiv. 30 
 xiv, 31 
 xiv. 33 
 xiv. 35 
 xiv. 35, 36 
 
 XIV. 36 
 
 XV. I, 2 
 
 XV. 4 
 XV. 5 
 
 XV. 9 
 XV. 10, II 
 
 XV. 11 440 
 XV. 13 . 
 XV. 14 . 
 XV. 16 . 
 XV. 17 . 
 XV. 18, 19 
 
 XV. 21, 22 
 XV. 22 
 
 XV. 23 . 
 
 XV. 24 . 
 
 XV. 25, 26 
 
 XV. 27 . 
 
 XV. 28 . 
 
 XV. 29 . 
 
 XV. 30 . 
 
 XV. 31 . 
 
 XV. 32 . 
 
 XV. 36 . 
 
 xvi. I . 
 
 xvL 4 . 
 
 375. 
 
 432, 
 
 437, 
 
 442, 
 
 446, 
 
 • ■ 450 
 
 Matt xvi. S 
 
 . ... 452 
 
 . 328 
 
 xvi. 6 . 
 
 452, 453, 454 
 
 • 499 
 
 xvi. 7 . 
 
 ■ • • • 453 
 
 • 424 
 
 xvi. 7, 8 
 
 ■ ... 454 
 
 • 339 
 
 xvi. 8 . 
 
 . ... 454 
 
 • 433 
 
 xvi. II . 
 
 ■ • • 453 
 
 • 433 
 
 xvi. 13 . 
 
 • ■ • • 455 
 
 415, 423, 
 
 xvi. 13, 14 
 
 • • • • .357 
 
 433, 434 
 . 426 
 
 xvi. 14 . 
 
 • • • • 455 
 
 xvi. 15, 16 
 
 ■ • • • 45"; 
 
 • 407 
 
 xvi. 16, 455, 456, 460, 472 
 
 • 350 
 
 xvi. 16, 17 
 
 . ... 483 
 
 . 478 
 
 xvi. 17 . 
 
 • ■ • ■ 455 
 
 • 415 
 
 xvi. 18 . 
 
 346, 456, 45«, 
 
 414,434 
 
 
 459,460 
 
 ■ 414 
 
 xvi. 19 . 
 
 456, 459, 494 
 
 • 414 
 
 xvi. 20 . 
 
 • 459, 472, 473 
 
 415,420 
 
 xvi. 21 . 
 
 . .460,461 
 
 • 41S 
 
 xvi. 22 . 
 
 . .462,463 
 
 ■ 415 
 
 xvi. 23 46: 
 
 , 463, 471, 483 
 
 416,417 
 
 xvi. 24 . 
 
 • .463,464 
 
 419,420 
 
 xvi. 25 . 
 xvi. 26 . 
 
 ■ -464,465 
 
 . 211 
 
 ... 465 
 
 421,422 
 
 xvi. 27 . 
 
 . .46:5,466 
 
 ■ 423 
 
 xvi. 28 . 
 
 . .466,468 
 
 • 424 
 
 xvii. I . 
 
 ... 469 
 
 357,424 
 
 xvii. 2 . 
 
 ... 470 
 
 ■ 424 
 
 xvii. 3 . 
 
 ... 470 
 
 ■ 424 
 
 xvii. 4 . 
 
 • .471,472 
 
 424,425 
 
 xvii. 5 . 
 xvii. 6 . 
 
 ... 472 
 
 . 426 
 
 ... 473 
 
 ■ 427 
 
 xvii. 8 . 
 
 • - • ■?73 
 
 428,455 
 
 xvii. 9 . 
 
 • . ■ 473 
 
 • 428 
 
 xvii. 10. . 
 
 • -474,476 
 
 . 428 
 
 xvii. 11 
 
 ... 476 
 
 • 429 
 
 xvii. 12 
 
 474,476,477 
 
 429,441 
 
 xvii. 13 
 
 ■ -474,476 
 
 • 434 
 
 xvii. 14, I'; 
 
 ... 477 
 
 430, 449 
 
 xvii. 15, 16 
 
 - - • 477 
 
 434,448 
 
 xvii. 17 
 
 ... 479 
 
 ■ 431 
 
 xvii. 19, 2C 
 
 ... 426 
 
 431, 432 
 
 xvii. 20 
 
 426, 478, 479 
 
 • 433 
 
 xvii. 21 
 
 ... 479 
 
 433, 434 
 
 xvii. 22 . 
 
 - • - 479 
 
 • 435 
 
 xvii. 22, 23 
 
 ... 481 
 
 • 434 
 
 xvii. 24 
 
 . .481,482 
 
 • 434 
 
 xvii. 25 
 
 ... 481 
 
 434, 435 
 
 xvii. 20 . 
 
 ... 482 
 
 ■ 430 
 
 xvii. 27 . 
 
 . .482,483 
 
 • 430 
 
 xviii. 1 
 
 . .482,483 
 
 xviii. 2 . . 
 
 ... 484 
 
 426,436 
 
 xviii. 4 . . 
 
 ... 486 
 
 436,445 
 • 436 
 
 xviii. S. . 
 xviii. 6 . 48 
 
 - ■ ■ 485 
 
 5,486,488,495 
 - 487,48s 
 
 • 437 
 
 xviii. 7 . 
 xviii. 8 . . 
 
 • 436 
 
 ... 489 
 
 •0 437 
 
 xviii. 9 . . 
 
 ... 489 
 
 438, 439 
 
 xviii. 10 . 
 
 - 490, 491 
 
 • 439 
 
 xviii. 12-14 
 
 ... 492 
 
 • 440 
 
 xviii. 14 . 
 
 . -492,493 
 
 • 442 
 
 xviii 15 . 
 
 ... 492 
 
 443,444 
 
 xviii. 16 . 
 
 • - - 423 
 
 • 442 
 
 xviii. 15, I 
 
 6 ... 493 
 
 • 442 
 
 xviii. 17 . 
 
 - • • 493 
 
 • 442 
 
 xviii. 18 . 
 
 • • • 493 
 
 • 443 
 
 xviii. 19 . 
 
 374, 494, 495 
 - .483, 494 
 
 • 443 
 
 xviii. 20 . 
 
 • 444 
 
 xviii. 21 . 
 
 ... 496 
 
 446, 495 
 
 xviii. 22 . 
 
 ... 497 
 
 ■ 449 
 
 xviii. 23 . 
 
 . .497,498 
 
 406,446 
 
 xviii. 23, a 
 
 » ■ - - 497 
 
 • 446 
 
 xviii. 24 . 
 
 500, 502, 503 
 
 ■ 447 
 
 xviii. 25 . 
 
 . . - 501 
 
 447,449 
 
 xviii. 26 . 
 
 - 494, 501 
 
 • 447 
 
 xviii. 28 . 
 
 - -501,503 
 
 447,448 
 448,449 
 
 xviii. 31 . 
 
 ... 504 
 
 xviii. 34 . 
 
 ... 504 
 
 "^^'^ 
 
 xviii. 35 . 
 
 ... 504 
 
 xix. I . . 
 
 ■ 504^505 
 
 ■ 449 
 
 xix. 2 . . 
 
 • ■ . .505 
 
 451, 452 
 
 xix. 3 . . 
 
 • ■ ■ 50s 
 
INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 531 
 
 Matt xix. 4 . . . . <p<i 
 
 Mark ix. 5 471 
 
 Luke xiv. 26 . . 
 
 . . 489 
 
 John ii. 20 . . . . 
 
 402 
 
 xix. 4-6 . 
 
 : : : i^ 
 
 ix. 6 . . . 
 
 
 
 
 471 
 
 xiv. 28 . . . 
 
 • • 349 
 
 ii. 21 .... 
 
 403 
 
 xix. 5 . . 
 xix. 6 . . 
 
 ix. 33. 34 • 
 
 
 
 
 486 
 
 XV. 25 . . . 
 
 . . 494 
 
 ii. 23-25 . . . 
 
 407 
 
 505, 506, 507 
 
 IX. 35 . . 
 IX. 36.37 ■ 
 
 
 
 
 4»^ 
 
 xvi.S . . . 
 
 • ■ 499 
 
 !>;25 . • • . 
 
 421 
 
 xix. 7 . . 
 
 ... 507 
 
 
 
 
 486 
 
 xvL 5, 7 . . 
 
 ; •« ^^ 
 
 111. 18 ... . 
 
 407 
 
 xix. 8 . . 
 
 S07, 510, 511 
 
 X 2 . . . 
 
 
 
 
 505 
 
 xvL 14 . . . 
 xvi. 10 . . 3 
 
 iii. 23-26 . . . 
 
 382 
 
 xix. 10 . . 
 
 ... 512 
 
 x. 18 . . 
 
 
 
 33 
 
 0,374 
 
 58, 428, 431 
 
 iii. 24 ... . 
 
 382 
 
 xix. II . . 
 
 ... 512 
 
 xi. 1-12 . 
 
 
 
 
 392 
 
 xvii. I . . . 
 
 . . 488 
 
 iv. 1, 2 . . . . 
 
 385 
 
 xix. 23 . . 
 
 • 433, 565 
 
 xi. 2. . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 xvii. 21 . .4. 
 
 22, 458, 469 
 
 iv. 25 . . . . 
 iv. 46 . . . . 
 
 300 
 
 xix. 47 . . 
 
 : : : ^S 
 
 xi. 15 . . 
 
 
 
 
 39" 
 
 xviii. I, 2 . 
 
 . . 512 
 
 445 
 
 XX. 23 . . 
 
 xi. 24, 25 . 
 
 
 
 
 512 
 
 xviii. 8 . . . 
 
 . . 380 
 
 iv. 48 . . . . 
 
 445 
 
 XX.30 . . 
 
 • , • 445 
 
 xii. 17 . . 
 
 
 
 
 481 
 
 xviii. 10, II . 
 
 • 362 
 
 V. 8 
 
 372 
 
 XX. 32 . . 
 
 • ■ • 315 
 
 xii. 20 . . 
 
 
 
 
 351 
 
 xviii. 17 . . 
 
 .487,502 
 
 V. 19 .... 
 
 • 4°i 
 
 xxi. I . . 
 
 ... 392 
 
 xii. 26 . . 
 
 
 
 
 333 
 
 xix 12 . . . 
 
 ■ • 503 
 
 V. 27 .... 
 
 31? 
 
 xxi. ID . . 
 
 • • ■ 395 
 
 xii. 28 . 
 
 
 
 
 505 
 
 xix. 12, 13. 
 
 . . 502 
 
 V. 39 ... .34 
 
 7,360 
 
 xxi. 10-13 . 
 
 
 xiv. 5 . 
 
 
 
 
 438 
 
 xix 12-27. • 
 
 . . 502 
 
 V.46 . . 360,42 
 
 5,429 
 
 x.xi. 23 . . 
 
 • • • 365 
 
 xiv. 49 . 
 xiv. 58 . 
 
 
 
 
 504 
 
 xix. 13. . 
 
 • • 499 
 
 vi. 10 . . . . 
 
 449 
 
 xxi 25 . . 
 
 ... 427 
 
 
 
 
 402 
 
 xix 14 . . 
 
 . ■ 503 
 
 vi. 13 . . . . 
 
 . 449 
 
 xxif 42, 44 
 
 ... 310 
 
 XV. 21 . 
 
 
 
 
 464 
 
 xix. 17 . . 
 
 . . 500 
 
 vi. 33,35,41. . 
 
 309 
 
 xxi. 43 . . 
 
 394, 410, 429 
 
 Luke i. 6 . 
 
 
 
 
 439 
 
 xix 19 . . 
 
 .500,503 
 
 vi. 33,51 . . .4= 
 
 3,467 
 
 xxii. 14 . . 
 
 ■ • • 457 
 
 i- 13 ■ ■ • 
 
 
 
 3; 
 
 5,475 
 
 xix 22 . . 
 
 . • 503 
 
 VI. 44 ... • 
 VI. 48-50 . . . 
 
 504 
 
 xxii. 17 . . 
 
 • • • 505 
 
 1- 1.3-15 
 
 
 
 
 340 
 
 xix 24 . . 
 
 . • S03 
 
 393 
 
 xxii. 30 . . 
 
 • • ■ 335 
 
 i- 13, 17 
 
 
 
 
 476 
 
 xix 27 . . 
 
 • • 504 
 
 vi. 49 . . . . 
 
 370 
 
 xxii. 35 . . 
 
 • • • 505 
 
 1. 16, 17 
 
 
 
 
 475 
 
 xix 29 . . 
 
 . • 392 
 
 VI. 51 ... . 
 
 443 
 
 xxiii. 8, 9 . 
 
 ... 299 
 
 i-i7 . 34 
 
 0, 
 
 35; 
 
 ,4 
 
 28,476 
 
 xix 40 . . 
 
 • • 396 
 
 vi. 53 • . .37 
 
 2,390 
 . 461 
 
 xxiii. 13 . 
 
 ... 422 
 
 1. 18 . 
 
 
 
 
 359 
 
 xix 41 . . 
 
 . . 398 
 
 VI. 68 ... . 
 
 xxiii. 35 . 
 
 • • • 425 
 
 i. 21 sq. 
 
 
 
 
 382 
 
 xix 41, 42. 
 
 • • 392 
 . . 481 
 
 vii. 15 ... . 
 
 • 42s 
 
 xxiv. 12 . 
 
 ... 380 
 
 j-3S- • 
 
 
 
 3; 
 
 6,424 
 
 XX.25 . . 
 
 vii. 18 ... . 
 
 xxiv. 35 . 
 
 • • • 474 
 
 1. 41, 42 
 
 
 
 
 375 
 
 XX36 . . 
 
 • • 142 
 
 vii. 37 • .3; 
 
 9,369 
 
 xxiv. 37-39 
 
 ... 474 
 
 ..63. . 
 
 
 
 
 475 
 
 xxi. 20 . . 
 
 . . 508 
 
 vu. 39 .... 
 
 • ilk 
 
 xxiv. 41 . 
 
 ... 485 
 
 i.76. . 
 
 
 
 
 358 
 
 xxii. 28 . . 
 
 . • 314 
 
 viii. 12 ... . 
 
 ■ 336 
 
 xxiv. 47 . 
 
 ... 500 
 
 11. 10, II 
 
 
 
 
 304 
 
 xxiii. 12 . 
 
 . • 449 
 
 viii. 31, 32 . . 
 
 . 459 
 
 XXV. 14, 15 
 
 ... 502 
 
 ii. 29, 30 
 
 
 
 
 407 
 
 xxiii. 18 . 
 
 . . 506 
 
 viii. 39 ... . 
 
 . 351 
 
 XXV. 14,30 
 XXV. 15. . 
 
 ■ • • S03 
 ... 499 
 
 ii. 32 . 
 11. 52 . 
 
 
 
 
 490 
 490 
 
 xxiii. 21 . 
 xxiii. 26 . 
 
 ■ . 449 
 • • 404 
 
 viii. 44 ... . 
 viii. 56 . . . 
 
 . 472 
 . 343 
 
 XXV. 19 
 
 
 ... 502 
 
 iii. 2 . 
 
 
 
 
 364 
 
 xxiv. l8-2l 
 
 . . 300 
 
 ix I 
 
 . 299 
 
 XXV. 27 
 
 
 ... 499 
 
 iii. 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 xxiv. 32. . 
 
 . .302,390 
 
 ix 4, 5 . . . . 
 
 • 3" 
 
 XXV. 34 
 
 
 • ■ • 44.3 
 ... 476 
 
 iii. 9. . 
 
 
 
 
 John i. I . . . 
 
 . .305,476 
 
 x8 '. ■ . '. '3: 
 
 . 296 
 
 XXV. 35 
 
 
 iii. 14 . 
 
 
 
 
 • 375 
 
 i. 2 . . . 
 
 . .414,422 
 
 0, 422 
 
 XXV. 40 
 
 
 ... 304 
 
 iii. 15 . 
 III. 16 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.3 • ■ • 
 
 . . 328 
 
 X9 . . 3C 
 
 '3. 457 
 
 XXV. 42 
 
 
 ... 463 
 
 
 
 
 !-3,4 • • 
 
 . • 307 
 
 X. 18 .... 
 
 • 371 
 
 xxvi. 2 
 
 
 • • • 391 
 
 iv. 13-16 
 
 
 
 
 ; 381 
 
 1-3-S • • 
 
 . . . 311 
 
 X36 . , . . 
 
 . 309 
 
 xxvi. 6 
 
 
 • • • 452 
 
 iv. 18 sq. 
 
 
 
 
 • 303 
 
 i'l : : : 
 
 • . 337 
 
 X4I , • 
 
 . 427 
 
 xxvi. 6-13 . 
 
 :::l^ 
 
 iv. 31-41 
 
 
 
 
 . 386 
 
 • . 339 
 
 XI. I, 18 . . . 
 
 • 370 
 
 xxvi. 38 . 
 
 vi. 23 . 
 
 
 
 
 . 426 
 
 i'7 • •„• 
 
 ■ ■ 342 
 
 xi. 25 . . . 3C 
 
 )2, 303 
 
 xxvi. 41 . 
 
 ... 414 
 
 vii. 26 . 
 
 
 
 
 • 429 
 
 1. 7, 15-18 . 
 
 ■ . • 343 
 
 xi. 39 . . . . 
 
 '. 438 
 
 xxvi. 56 . 
 xxvi. 61 . 
 
 ... 504 
 ... 402 
 
 vii. 32 . 
 vii. 36-50 
 
 
 
 
 . 428 
 • 304 
 
 i.9 . . . 
 
 1. 14 . . .4 
 
 . . 311 
 43, 466, 507 
 
 xu. 5 . . . . 
 xii. 6 . . . 
 
 xxvii. 21 ■ 
 
 ... 508 
 
 vii. 37-50 
 
 
 
 
 • 452 
 
 i.K. . . 
 
 ■ ■ 359 
 
 xii 12-15 . . . 
 xii. 26 ... . 
 
 • 393 
 
 xxvii. 32 . 
 
 ... 464 
 
 vii. 41 . 
 
 
 
 
 ■ 499 
 
 I. 16 . . . 
 
 • . 487 
 
 . 312 
 
 xxviii. 19 . 
 
 ... 420 
 
 viii. 26-37 
 
 
 
 
 . 371 
 
 i. 19 . . . 
 
 • • • 350 
 
 xii. 48 ... . 
 
 • 332 
 
 xxviii. 20 . 
 
 385, 453, 468 
 
 viii. 45, 46 
 
 
 
 
 . 426 
 
 1.19,20. . 
 
 • • 354 
 
 xiii. 2-27 . 
 
 . 408 
 
 Mark i. I . . 
 
 : : : 1 
 
 viii. 46 . 
 
 
 
 
 • 446 
 
 i. 19-21. . 
 
 • • 353 
 
 xiii. 13 . . . .3 
 
 09.314 
 
 i. 2 . 
 i.2,3 
 i.6,7 
 1.9 . 
 1. II . 
 
 
 ix.1'. '. 
 ix. 14 . 
 ix. 16 . 
 
 
 
 .4; 
 
 . 427 
 53,448 
 
 i. 20, 23. . 
 i. 21 . . . 
 i. 22 . . . 
 
 . • 346 
 
 . .355,358 
 
 . . 358 
 
 xiii. 27 ... . 
 xiv. 6 303,307,3 
 . . . • 467,4 
 
 . 480 
 53.^ 
 
 
 : : . 376 
 ... 314 
 ... 381 
 ... 386 
 
 
 
 
 448 
 
 i.23. . . 
 
 • '354.303 
 
 xiv. 13, 14 . . 4 
 
 54! 481 
 
 
 ix 21 . 
 
 
 
 
 466 
 
 1.24. . . 
 
 xiv. 19 ... . 
 
 • 351 
 
 i. 13, 14, 21 
 
 IT'. : 
 
 iii. 17 . . 
 iv. 30 . . 
 iv. 34 . . 
 V.I, 13. . 
 
 VI I . 
 
 ix. 27 . 
 ix.28 . 
 
 
 
 
 i. 24, 25 . 
 1.25. . . 
 
 . . 361 
 •354,502 
 
 xiv. 27 ... . 
 
 XV. I .... 
 
 • 349 
 . 441 
 
 . ■ • 384 
 ... 467 
 ... 416 
 ... 502 
 ... 371 
 ... 424 
 ... 426 
 
 ix 28, 29 
 ix29 . 
 
 
 
 
 ■ 470 
 • 471 
 
 \.l^. : 
 
 '. .343,365 
 
 XV. I, 5 ... 
 XV. 3 .... 
 
 . 309 
 . 401 
 
 ix30,3i 
 
 
 
 
 ■ 470 
 
 i. 28 . . . 
 
 • .370,505 
 
 XV. 15 . . . 
 
 . 314 
 
 ix 31 . 
 ix. 32 . 
 
 
 
 
 ■ 472 
 471 
 
 i. 29 . . .2 
 
 3 
 
 39. 309. 317. 
 75, 376, 480 
 
 XV. 22 ... 3 
 
 xvi. II ... 4 
 
 20,332 
 42,462 
 
 ix 33 • 
 
 
 
 •4/ 
 
 1,472 
 
 1. 29-31 . 
 
 • . . 343 
 
 xvi. 14, 15 . . 
 
 • 3^ 
 
 vils,^. • 
 vi. 14 . . 
 vi. 15 • • 
 vi.39 ■ • 
 
 VI. 39,40 . 
 vi. 41 . . 
 vi.45 . . 
 
 VII. 3, 4 • 
 vii. 19 . . 
 vii. 24 . . 
 viii. 6 . . 
 viii. 30 . . 
 ix. I . - - 
 
 ix 46 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. 30, 31 ■ 
 
 . . . 309 
 
 xvi. 31,32 . . 
 
 . 461 
 
 ... 427 
 
 ix 47, 48 
 
 
 
 
 ." 486 
 
 j. 32. . . 
 
 . ■ . 329 
 
 xvii. I . . . . 
 
 • 309 
 
 '.'.'■ '^ 
 
 : : : ^J 
 ■ • . 435 
 
 ix 48 . 
 
 
 
 '4 
 
 !6, 492 
 
 i- 32-34 • 
 
 . . . 344 
 
 xvii. 3 . . . . 
 
 • 323 
 
 X 41, 43 
 xi. 5 . . 
 xi. 8 . . 
 xi. II . 
 
 
 
 
 . 371 
 
 . 437 
 
 512 
 
 ■ 512 
 
 l'3S.38' '. 
 i.38. . . 
 
 . . . 340 
 . . . 414 
 • . • 344 
 . . • 403 
 
 xvii. 5 1..-- 
 xvii. II . . , 
 xvii. 13 . . . 
 xvii. 13 . . . 
 
 . 487 
 • 487 
 . 487 
 
 ... 440 
 
 ... 440 
 
 xii. 2. . 
 xii. 50 . 
 
 
 
 '37 
 
 499 
 2,379 
 
 i. 40 . . . 
 
 i. 41 . . . 
 
 . . . 414 
 . . . 384 
 
 xvii. Id . . 
 xvii. 10 . . . 
 
 12, 487 
 . 487 
 • 309 
 
 '. '466,46^ 
 
 xii. 58, 59 
 XII. 59 ■ 
 xiiL8 . 
 
 
 
 
 500 
 
 • 499 
 
 . 418 
 
 i.42. . . 
 I. 46 . . . 
 ji. 12-25 . 
 
 . . . 301 
 . . . 301 
 
 xvii. 21 ... 3 
 xvii. 21, 23 . . 
 xviii. 33, 36 . . 
 
 xiiL 12 . 
 
 
 
 
 . 449 
 
 ii. 13 . • 3 
 
 87, 393, 408 
 
 xviii. 34 . . . 
 XVIII. 36 . ■. . 
 xix 6, IS . . 3 
 
 . 482 
 
 ix. 2 . 
 
 ix. 3. 
 
 
 . 469, 470 
 ... 470 
 
 xiiL 24 . 
 xiii. 33 . 
 
 
 
 
 • % 
 
 u. 18, 19 . 
 
 . . . 391 
 . . . 400 
 
 . 480 
 04.506 
 
532 
 
 INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 John xix. 15 . 
 xix. 17, 18 
 xix. 26 
 xix. 32 
 xix. 36 
 XX. 17 
 
 XX. 22 
 
 XX. 29 . 
 xxi. 25 . 
 Acts i, 8 . . 
 iv. 13 . 
 iv. 32 . 
 V. 20 
 V. 29, 30 
 
 V. 36. 37 
 vii. 52 . 
 
 ix.4.5- 
 xu. 13-15 
 
 XV. 20 . 
 
 xvi. 3 . 
 xvii. 23 
 xviii. 18 
 xix. 2 . 
 XX. 7-g. 
 xxi. 24, 26 
 xxi. 26. 
 Rom. i. 1-5 
 i. 3 . . 
 
 U: : 
 
 i. 14. . 
 1. 20. . 
 ii. 15 . 
 ii. 16 . 
 ii. 25, 26 
 ii. 29 . . 
 iii. 2 . 
 iii. 25 . 
 iii. 25, 26 
 iii. 29 . 
 iv. II . 
 iv. 17 . 
 
 V. 3-S ■ 
 v. 13 . 
 vi. 4 . 
 vi. 9 . 
 vi. 10 . 
 vi. 12. . 
 vii. I, 2 
 vii. 2, 3 
 vii. 3 . . 
 vii. 8, 9 
 vii. 12 . 
 vii. 14 . . 
 vii. 23 . , 
 viii. 3 . 
 viii. 6 . . 
 viii. 8, 9 . 
 viii. II. . 
 viii. 15 . , 
 viii. 19, 24 
 viii. 20. . 
 viii. 20, 22 
 viii. 29 . , 
 viii. 31 . . 
 viii. 32 . 
 viii. 35- 
 X.3 • ■ 
 x.6-8 . 
 
 X. 10 . 
 
 X2S . 
 
 xi. 5- • 
 
 XI. 14 . 
 xi. 25, 26 
 
 xi. 33 . 
 xiii. 12. 
 xiii. 13. 
 xiv. 2 . 
 xiv. 9 . 
 xiv. 15 . 
 xiv. 23 . 
 
 300, 
 
 308, 
 
 312, 
 
 . 508 
 
 . 464 
 
 . 300 
 
 • 389 
 
 • 429 
 378, 402 
 
 ■ 456 
 
 • 407 
 
 • 303 
 343.426 
 
 • 421 
 
 ■ 493 
 . 399 
 . 400 
 
 • 355 
 
 • 425 
 
 ■ 304 
 
 • 491 
 
 . 384 
 . 384 
 
 • 367 
 
 • 347 
 . 384 
 
 ■ 437 
 . 328 
 
 383. 445 
 
 ■ 34; 
 
 ■ 44i 
 
 ' 544 
 304.308 
 
 ■ 441 
 297.319 
 
 . 416 
 317, 462 
 
 • 3' 
 
 • 351 
 
 • 330 
 . 312 
 
 • 332 
 401, 481 
 
 ■ 452 
 
 ■ 303 
 
 • 432 
 
 ■ 452 
 510, SI I 
 
 ■ 332 
 
 ■ 443 
 384.443 
 451. 452 
 338, 498 
 
 • 433 
 
 • 476 
 
 ■ 496 
 314,490 
 
 • 311 
 . 312 
 
 • 306 
 465, 491 
 
 • 339 
 479. 481 
 
 ■ 492 
 
 • 464 
 320, 332 
 
 • 496 
 
 • 302 
 
 • 446 
 
 • 341 
 
 • 508 
 
 • 322 
 
 ■ 436 
 
 • 470 
 
 • 467 
 
 ■ 368 
 
 • 512 
 441,443 
 
 Rom. XV. 19 
 
 xvi. 25 
 I Cor. i. I 
 
 i-5 • 
 1. 10. 
 i. 12. 
 i. 21. 
 i. 23. 
 i. 24. 
 
 1-24.30 
 
 I. 26, 27 
 i. 27. 
 
 i. 28. 
 i. 30 . 
 i.39. 
 ]i. 2. 
 
 U: 
 
 !l-7 ■ 
 
 II. 7, 8 
 ii. 10 
 
 ii. II . . 
 ii. 12, 16 
 ii. 13 
 ii. 14 
 
 II. 14 
 II. 16 
 
 15 
 
 40 
 
 12 
 
 III. I 
 iii. 2 
 iii. 19 
 
 !v-5 
 
 IV. 9 
 iv. 13 
 iv. 19, 20 
 
 V. 4, 
 V. 7. 
 v8. 
 V. 10 
 v. II 
 
 vi. 3 
 vi. 17 
 vii. 2 
 vii. 5 
 vii. 
 vii. 7 
 vii. 12 
 vii. 31 
 vii. 39 
 vii. 39. 
 VIII. 3 
 viii. 5 
 viii. 8 
 viii. II 
 ix. 10 
 ix. 19 
 ix. 20 
 ix. 20-22 
 X. 1-4 
 X 4 . 
 
 X. II 
 
 X.23 
 
 X.3I 
 
 xi. I 
 xi. 2 
 xi. 28 
 xi. 30 
 xii. 4-6 
 xii. 8 . 
 xii. 12 sq 
 xii. 18, 25 
 xii. 27 . 
 xii. 28 . 
 xii. 31 . 
 xiii. I . 
 xiii. 2 . 
 xiii. 5 . 
 xiii. 7, 8 
 xiii. 9, 10 
 xiii. 10. 
 xiii. II . 
 xiii. 12. 
 
 26 
 400, 
 
 . 346 
 
 I Cor. xiv. 8 . . 
 
 . . 360 
 
 Phil. iiL 19. 
 
 
 
 • ■ 442 
 
 • 351 
 
 xiv. 32 . . . 
 
 •356,475 
 
 iii. 20 . 326, 422, 456 
 iii. 21 . , . .465,488 
 
 • 495 
 
 XV. 15 . . . 
 
 . . 402 
 
 • 349 
 
 XV 20 . . . 
 
 . . 462 
 
 IV. 3 377 
 
 • 495 
 
 XV. 22 . . . 
 
 . . 480 
 
 ly. 13 . . 317, 407, 457 
 
 • 495 
 
 • 440 
 
 XV. 22-24 ■ • 
 
 . . 402 
 
 Col. I. IS 300, 307, 351, 405, 
 
 XV. 25 . . . 
 
 . . 404 
 
 481, 498 
 
 • 424 
 
 XV. 25, 26 . . 
 
 • • 305 
 
 I. 15, 16 ... . 331 
 
 • 495 
 
 XV. 26 . . . 
 
 • • 467 
 
 I. 19 . 
 
 
 
 • ■ 303 
 
 • 309 
 
 XV. 28 . . . 
 
 • . 317 
 
 11. 3 • . 
 
 
 
 . . 416 
 
 • 440 
 
 XV. 41, 42 . . 
 
 • ■ 415 
 
 li. 9. . 
 
 
 
 • • 303 
 
 XV. 45 . . . 
 
 • • 307 
 
 ii. 14 . 
 
 
 
 • . 508 
 
 . 4^6 
 303. 462 
 
 XV. 52 . . . 
 
 . . 500 
 
 }!• 14, IS 
 
 
 
 • • 378 
 
 2 Cor. i. I . . . 
 
 • • 495 
 
 II. IS . 
 
 • 4 
 
 61 
 
 464, 471 
 
 • 456 
 . 461 
 
 iii. 3 . . . 
 
 . . 462 
 
 ii. 16 . 
 
 
 
 .388,441 
 
 iii. 6 . . . 
 
 • • 345 
 
 ii. 17 . 
 
 
 
 • • 453 
 
 302, 504 
 
 iii. 7 . . . 
 
 ■423,443 
 
 11. 21, 22 
 
 
 
 • • 441 
 
 III. 10 . . . 
 
 . . 418 
 
 iii. 2 . 
 
 
 
 • • 441 
 
 470, 477 
 
 iii. 14 . . . 
 iii. 16, 17 . . 
 
 . . 397 
 
 iii. 3, 4 • 
 
 
 
 • 467 
 
 . 480 
 
 •422,443 
 
 lii. 4 . 
 
 
 
 • • 353 
 
 • 501 
 
 iv. 4 ... 
 
 • • 442 
 
 I Thess. i. i 
 
 
 
 • 495 
 
 476, 498 
 
 iv.7 ... 
 
 316, 484 
 
 ii. 7. . 
 
 
 
 • 492 
 
 . 300 
 
 IV. 10 . . 312 
 
 li. 14, 15 
 
 
 
 • 425 
 
 ■ ^i 
 
 iv. 16 . . . 
 
 • 423 
 
 V. S. . 
 
 
 
 • 470 
 
 iv. 18 . . 463 
 
 474, 487 
 
 V. 17 . 
 
 
 
 • 512 
 
 -.1^ 
 
 V.4 ... 
 
 ^.488 
 
 V. 23 . 
 
 
 
 475, 40 
 
 V. 10 . . . 
 
 466,499 
 
 2 Thess. II. 3 
 
 
 
 . 501 
 
 ■ '^21 
 
 V. 16 . . . 
 
 • 446 
 
 ii- 3, 4 • 
 
 
 
 . 500 
 
 . 466 
 ■ 327 
 
 V. 19 . . . 
 V. 21 ... 
 
 338,^ 
 
 It: : 
 
 
 
 • 436 
 
 • 326 
 
 444,493 
 
 vi. 2 ... 
 
 • 509 
 
 ii. 9. . 
 
 
 
 ■ 450 
 
 ■ 3" 
 
 vi. 16 . . . 
 
 • 423 
 
 11. 9, 10 
 
 
 
 • 450 
 
 • 378 
 
 vi. 18 . . . 
 
 • 299 
 
 ii. 11, 12 
 
 
 
 • 340 
 
 . 302 
 
 xi. 6 ... 
 
 384,43 
 
 ii. 12 . 
 
 
 
 • 442 
 
 • 495 
 
 xi. 29 . . . 
 
 I Tim. i. 7 . 
 
 
 
 • 472 
 
 388 
 
 xii. 3, 4, 5 ■ 
 
 • 384 
 
 iii. I . 
 
 
 
 • 444 
 
 389, 453 
 
 XII. 4 . . . 
 
 353,386 
 
 iii. I, 2 . 
 
 
 
 • 509 
 
 ■ 493 
 
 xiii. 3 . . . 
 
 iii. 12 . 
 
 
 
 • 509 
 
 • 492 
 
 xiii. 4 . . . 
 
 • 429 
 
 iii. IS . 
 
 
 
 • 393 
 
 •0 421 
 
 Gal. i. IS . . . 
 
 ■ 491 
 
 iv. 1-3 . 
 
 
 
 . 506 
 
 498, 506 
 
 i.19 . . . 
 
 ■ 424 
 
 iv. 5 • 
 
 
 
 • 443 
 
 . 510 
 
 11.3 ... 
 
 • 437 
 
 IV. 10 . 
 
 
 
 378, 380 
 
 494. 495 
 
 11.4 ... 
 
 0. Soo 
 
 iv. 13 . 
 
 
 
 415, 422 
 
 384, 510 
 
 II. 20 . .300 
 
 386,464 
 
 V. 9. . 
 
 
 
 -.1^ 
 
 • 506 
 
 iii. 3 . . . 
 
 • 452 
 
 vi. 5 • 
 
 
 
 • 299 
 
 III. 13 . . . 
 
 • 437 
 
 vi. 10 . 
 
 
 
 ■ 4,39 
 
 • 474 
 
 iv. I ... 
 
 • 490 
 
 vi. 16 . 
 
 
 
 • 333 
 
 . 510 
 
 iv. I, 2 . . . 
 
 . 418 
 
 vi. 20 . 
 
 
 
 • 457 
 
 ■ 507 
 
 iv. 4 ... 
 
 ■ 490 
 
 2 Tim. iii. 11 
 
 
 
 ■ 299 
 
 • 510 
 
 IV. 24 . . . 
 
 . 422 
 
 iii. 16 . 
 
 
 
 • 299 
 
 • 3i5 
 
 iv. 26 . . . 
 
 446, 503 
 
 „. iv. 3, 4 • 
 
 
 
 • 390 
 
 441,443 
 
 V. 15 ... 
 
 ■ 'i^ 
 
 Tit. i. 5, 6 . 
 
 
 
 ■ 510 
 
 . 488 
 
 v. 17 ... 
 
 
 i. IS . 
 
 
 
 • 441 
 
 ■ 452 
 
 VI. 2 ... 
 
 • 50s 
 
 iii. 5 . 
 
 
 
 • 491 
 
 • 472 
 
 vi. 14 401, 461, 
 
 464, 465, 
 
 Heb. i. I, 2 
 
 
 
 . 328 
 
 • 4.S7 
 
 
 488 
 
 i. 5 . . 
 
 
 
 • 314 
 
 • 384 
 
 Eph. i. 17 . . . 
 
 • 456 
 
 i. 11 
 
 
 
 • ^li 
 
 i. 21. . . . 
 
 305,315 
 
 i. 14 . 
 
 
 • 458 
 
 ■ 456 
 
 ii. 2 . . . . 
 
 . 480 
 
 ii.9 . . 
 
 
 318, 329 
 
 . 301 
 
 ii. 6 . . . . 
 
 . 422 
 
 11. II . 
 
 
 
 . 318 
 
 • 435 
 
 ii. 12 . . . 
 
 398,424 
 
 ii. 14 . 
 
 
 
 . 481 
 
 • 441 
 
 ii. 14 . . . 
 
 313,464 
 
 ii. 14, 15 
 
 
 
 . 486 
 
 • 423 
 
 ii. 20 ... 
 
 . 400 
 
 III. 14 . 
 
 
 
 . 296 
 
 • 432 
 
 iii. 5 . . . 
 
 • 351 
 
 iv. 12 . 
 
 
 
 . 316 
 
 • 431 
 
 iii. 8 . . . 
 
 • 492 
 
 iv. 14 . . 
 
 
 
 298, 309 
 
 430, 443 
 
 iv. II . . . 
 
 • 299 
 
 V. 6. . . 
 
 
 
 • ¥'^ 
 
 iv. 13 . . 401, 
 
 415, 490 
 
 V. 12 . 
 
 
 
 • 307 
 
 ■ 498 
 
 V. 8 . . . . 
 
 • 506 
 
 V. 14 . . 
 
 
 
 • 376 
 
 . 401 
 
 V. 25 . . . 
 
 vii. II . . 
 
 
 
 . 208 
 
 • 495 
 
 V. 27 . . . 
 
 • 457 
 
 viii. 5 . . 
 
 
 
 • 376 
 
 403, 507 
 
 V. 31,32 . . 
 
 • 506 
 
 ix. 10 . . 
 
 
 
 ■ 509 
 
 • 444 
 
 VI. 12 397, 422, 
 
 458, 477 
 
 ix. 23 . 
 
 
 
 • 376 
 
 . 510 
 • 360 
 
 VI. 16 . . . 
 Phil. i. 23 . . . . 
 
 : t^ 
 
 X. I . . 
 xi. 16 . . 
 
 4- 
 
 23, 
 
 441, 453 
 • 33^ 
 
 • 478 
 
 ii. 6 ... 
 
 . 506 
 
 xi. 37 . • 
 
 
 
 • 425 
 
 ■ 472 
 
 ii. 6, 8 . . . . 
 
 • 316 
 
 xii. 22 . . 
 
 
 
 . 462 
 
 : U 
 
 ii. 7 . . 446. 
 
 465, 481 
 
 xii. 22, 23 . 
 
 
 
 . 388 
 
 11. 8 ... 
 
 • 384 
 
 1 Pet. i. 12 . . 
 
 
 
 • 421 
 
 ■ 454 
 
 ii. 9. II . . . 
 
 • 373 
 
 i. 18, 19 . 
 
 
 
 • 465 
 
 432,490 
 
 111. 3 . . . . 
 
 • 451 
 
 i. 19 . . 
 
 
 
 . 4^*5 
 
 ■ 407 
 
 iii. 8 . . . . 
 
 . 418 
 
 ii. 2 
 
 4 
 
 36,' 
 
 490, 491 
 
INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 533 
 
 1 Pet ii. 5 . . . . 400, 404 
 
 iii. 7 505 
 
 iii. 18-20 .... 3^ 
 
 v-6 473 
 
 V. 13 412 
 
 2 Pet lii. 3, 10, 13 . . 400 
 1 John 1.5. . . .336,338 
 
 1.6 338 
 
 "• J 309 
 
 I John ii. I, 2 . 
 
 ii. 9, II . 
 
 ii. 15 . . 
 
 ii. 18 . . 
 
 ii. 23 . . 
 
 iv. 18 . . 
 
 V. 8. . . 
 V. 16 
 
 •317.378 
 
 ■ ■ 469 
 . . 431 
 
 ■ • 343 
 490 
 372 
 492 
 
 Jude I 424. 491 
 
 ude8 . . 
 iev. i. 17, 18 
 
 
 
 • 430 
 
 
 
 . 316 
 
 i. 18 . 
 iii. 7 • 
 
 
 
 : 3^ 
 
 iii. 12 . 
 
 
 
 . 406 
 
 V. i-S . 
 
 
 
 . 348 
 
 V. 6. . 
 
 
 
 . 377 
 
 vii. 2-S 
 
 
 
 ■ 297 
 
 vn. 3, 4 
 
 
 
 . 397 
 
 Rev. X. 4 . . . 
 
 • 346 
 
 X. 9, 10 . . 
 
 • 348 
 
 xiv. i-S . . 
 
 . 297 
 
 xiv. 6,7 • ■ 
 
 • 3°5 
 
 XVI. 5-7 . . 
 
 . 318 
 
 XIX. II . . . 
 
 . 320 
 
 xix. 11-16 . 
 
 . 32.S 
 
 xxi. 2 . . . 
 
 . S03 
 
 xxii. 13 . . 
 
 308,309 
 
 d 
 
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