Paul Sabatier, La Didachè or L'enseignement des douze apôtres (1885)

* Paul Sabatier,
La Didachè or L'Enseignement des Douze Apôtres *
[Η Διδαχή ή Η Διδασκαλία των Δώδεκα Αποστόλων],
Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1885.
[French-Greek/Γαλλικά-Ελληνικά, PDF]

What happened to the acts of the Orthodox patriarchates? A memory blank & the oddments in Acta et diplomata Graeca series /Τι απέγιναν τα πρακτικά των Ορθόδοξων πατριαρχείων; Ένα κενό μνήμης & τα απομεινάρια στη συλλογή Acta et diplomata Graeca

«Τα πρακτικά των Πατριαρχείων των καθ' ημάς ορθοδόξων Εκκλησιών απωλέσθησαν σχεδόν πάντα. Μέρος των πρακτικών της εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει Μ. Εκκλησίας μετά και άλλων διαφόρων εγγράφων εξεδόθη εσχάτως υπό τον τίτλον Acta et diplomata Graeca medii aevi sacra et profana collecta ediderunt Franciscus Miklosich [Franc Miklošič] et Josephus Mueller [Joseph Müller]».

—Φιλόθεος Βρυέννιος,
Εἰσαγωγῆ εἰς τήν ἐκκλησιαστικήν Ἱστορίαν, σ. 10.

* Acta et diplomata Graeca medii aevi sacra et profana collecta: Acta Patriarchatus Constantinopolitani, MCCCXV-MCCCCII, e condicibus manuscriptis Bibliothecae Palatinae Vindobonensis, Vol./Τόμ. 1 (1860)

* Acta et diplomata Graeca medii aevi sacra et profana collecta: Acta Patriarchatus Constantinopolitani, MCCCXV-MCCCCII, e condicibus manuscriptis Bibliothecae Palatinae Vindobonensis, Vol./Τόμ. 2 (1862)

* Acta et diplomata Graeca medii aevi sacra et profana collecta: Acta et diplomata res Graecas Italasque illustrantia, Vol./Τόμ. 3 (1865)

* Acta et diplomata Graeca medii aevi sacra et profana collecta: Acta et diplomata monasteriorum et ecclesiarum orientis, Vol./Τόμ. 4 (1871)

* Acta et diplomata Graeca medii aevi sacra et profana collecta: Acta et diplomata monasteriorum et ecclesiarum orientis, Vol./Τόμ. 5 (1887)

* Acta et diplomata Graeca medii aevi sacra et profana collecta: Acta et diplomata monasteriorum et ecclesiarum orientis, Vol./Τόμ. 6 (1890)

[Ελληνικά/Greek, PDF]



Also, here. / Επίσης, εδώ.

Ιερά Σύνοδος της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος: Προς το Λαό: Η Εκκλησία απέναντι στη σύγχρονη κρίση /The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece: To the People: The Church facing the current crisis

 

 * Ιερά Σύνοδος της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος,
«Προς το Λαό: Η Εκκλησία απέναντι στη σύγχρονη κρίση»,
Δεκέμβριος 2010.
[Ελληνικά/Greek, PDF]

«Ο πλούσιος εξουσιάζει τους φτωχούς·
κι εκείνος που δανείζεται, του δανειστή είναι δούλος».

(Παροιμίες 22:7, ΜΠΚ)

«The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender».

(Proverbs 22:7, NIV)

Theocratic or Secular Greek State? /Θεοκρατικό ή Κοσμικό Κράτος;

Επίσης, εδώ.

* «Στη Γορτυνία βγήκαν οι... ρομφαίες»,
Το Βήμα, Πέμπτη 30 Δεκεμβρίου 2010.

Α chiliastically eschatological interpretation by the Greek Orthodox Church concerning current political events / Μια χιλιαστικά εσχατολογική ερμηνεία της Ελληνορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας σε σύγχρονα πολιτικά γεγονότα

«Το έναυσμα της επικριτικής αποτίμησης της εκκλησιαστικής πολιτικής των Φιλελευθέρων έδωσε ο Κασσανδρείας Ειρηναίος, ο οποίος ανέγνωσε σχετικό υπόμνημά του. Ο Ειρηναίος αναφέρθηκε σε διάφορα επιτεύγματα της κυβέρνησης των Φιλελευθέρων, για να τα αντιπαραβάλλει με την εκκλησιαστική της πολιτική και να καταστήσει πιο εμφανείς τις αδυναμίες της τελευταίας. Το καινοτόμο στοιχείο που εισήγαγε η συλλογιστική του Ειρηναίου δεν ήταν η κριτική προς την κυβέρνηση, αλλά το ερμηνευτικό εργαλείο που δεν ήταν άλλο από την επίκληση της υπονομευτικής και παγκόσμιας δράσης του Σιωνισμού και του Μασονισμού. Βασιζόμενος στα 'Πρωτόκολλα των Σοφών της Σιών', τα οποία γνώρισαν ευρύτατη απήχηση στη Θεσσαλονίκη, τα έτη 1924 και 1928, υποστήριξε στη Σύνοδο [στις 14 Ιουνίου 1929] ότι η πολιτική ηγεσία της Ελλάδας ελεγχόταν σε πολύ μεγάλο βαθμό από το Μασονισμό και ότι οι Σιωνιστές «εξαπολύουσι ανά τον Κόσμον όλας τας ανατρεπτικάς κοινωνιστικάς θεωρίας και ιδρύουσι Σωματεία οίον κομμουνισμόν, μπολσεβικισμόν, χιλιασμόν, χριστιανικάς αδελφότητας κτλ., δι' ων επιδιώκεται ο κλονισμός εν γένει των θρησκευτικών πεποιθήσεων του ανθρωπίνου γένους, η καταπολέμησις ιδία του Χριστιανισμού, η ηθική διαφθορά του Λαού, η διάλυσις των Χριστιανικών Πολιτειών και η επιβολή της βασιλείας του αντίχριστου». Το σχήμα αυτό υπήρξε ιδιαίτερα χρήσιμο για τον Ειρηναίο και όσους το αποδέχονταν, επειδή μπορούσε να αξιοποιηθεί για να ερμηνευτούν όλες σχεδόν οι πτυχές των σχέσεων του κράτους με την Εκκλησία. Παράλληλα όμως, η παραδοξότητά του έγκειτο στο γεγονός ότι γινόταν το εφαλτήριο για την ενδυνάμωση του αιτήματος των διακριτών ρόλων των δύο φορέων εξουσίας, με πρωτοβουλία μάλιστα όχι της Πολιτείας, αλλά της Εκκλησίας».

* Θεοδόσης Τσιρώνης,
Εκκλησία πολιτευόμενη Ο πολιτικός λόγος και ρόλος της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος 1913-1941,
εκδ. Επίκεντρο, 2010,
pp./σσ. 266, 267.

Philip Schaff & Φιλόθεος Βρυέννιος: Ελληνικό κείμενο & αγγλική μετάφραση της Διδαχής των Δώδεκα Αποστόλων / Philip Schaff & Philotheos Bryennios:The Greek text & the English translation of the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles

* Philip Schaff & Φιλόθεος Βρυέννιος / Philotheos Bryennios,
The oldest church manual called The teaching of the twelve apostles : ΔΙΔΑΧΗ ΤΩΝ ΔΩΔΕΚΑ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ: the Didachè and kindred documents in the original, with translations and discussions of post-apostolic teaching, baptism, worship, and discipline, and with illustrations and facsimiles of the Jerusalem manuscript
New York 1885.
[English-Greek/Αγγλικά-Ελληνικά, PDF]

Philotheos Bryennios' signature /
Υπογραφή του Φιλόθεου Βρυέννιου *

Irenaeus & chiliasm:The 5th book of his work On the Detection and Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis (Adversus Haereses [Against Heresies])Ειρηναίος Λυώνος & χιλιασμός:Έλεγχος και Ανατροπή της Ψευδωνύμου Γνώσεως (Κατά των Αιρέσεων), βιβλίο 5

Irenaeus

Adversus haereses

Liber V

(ed. A. Rousseau, L. Doutreleau and C. Mercier)

Irénée de Lyon. Contre les hérésies, livre 5, vol. 2. //

Sources chrétiennes 153. Paris:

Cerf, 1969, 14–16, 20–24, 32–48, 50, 52, 54, 62, 64, 66,

68, 70, 74, 98, 114, 116, 118, 120, 140, 142, 144, 146,

148, 150, 166–168, 172–174, 216–222, 232–234,

300–304, 334–336, 342–380, 384, 394, 416, 452–458.

Fragment 1

Τῷ δὲ μόνῳ βεβαίῳ καὶ ἀληθεῖ διδασκάλῳ ἑπόμενος τῷ Λόγῳ Θεοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, τῷ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν αὐτοῦ ἀγάπην γεγονότι τοῦτο ὅπερ ἐσμέν, ἵνα ἡμᾶς εἶναι καταρτίσῃ ἐκεῖνο ὅπερ ἐστὶν αὐτός. Οὐ γὰρ ἄλλως ἡμεῖς μαθεῖν ἐδυνάμεθα τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰ μὴ ὁ διδάσκαλος ἡμῶν, Λόγος ὤν, ἄνθρωπος ἐγένετο. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄλλος υἱός τις ἦν ἐξηγήσασθαι τὰ τοῦ Πατρός, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ Λόγος.

Fragment 2

Τῷ ἰδίῳ οὖν αἵματι λυτρωσαμένου ἡμᾶς τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ δόντος τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀντὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ψυχῆς καὶ τὴν σάρκα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀντὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων σαρκῶν.

Fragment 3

Οὐ γὰρ δοκήσει ταῦτα, ἀλλ’ ἐν ὑποστάσει ἀληθείας ἐγίνετο. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ὢν ἄνθρωπος ἐφαίνετο ἄνθρωπος, οὔτε ὃ ἦν ἐπ’ ἀληθείας ἔμεινε, Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ, ἐπεὶ ἀόρατον τὸ Πνεῦμα, οὔτε ἀλήθειά τις ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο ἦν ὅπερ ἐφαίνετο. Προείπομεν δὲ ὅτι Ἀβραὰμ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ προφῆται προφητικῶς αὐτὸν ἔβλεπον, τὸ μέλλον ἔσεσθαι δι’ ὄψεως προφητεύοντες. Εἰ οὖν καὶ νῦν τοιοῦτος ἐφάνη, μὴ ὢν ὅπερ ἐφαίνετο, προφητική τις ὀπτασία γέγονε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, καὶ δεῖ ἄλλην ἐκδέχεσθαι παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾗ τοιοῦτος ἔσται οἷος νῦν ὁρᾶται προφητικῶς. Ἀπεδείξαμεν δὲ ὅτι τὸ αὐτό ἐστι δοκήσει λέγειν πεφηνέναι καὶ μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς Μαρίας εἰληφέναι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν ἀληθῶς σάρκα καὶ αἷμα ἐσχηκώς, δι’ ὧν ἡμᾶς ἐξηγοράσατο, εἰ μὴ τὴν ἀρχαίαν πλάσιν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀνεκεφαλαιώσατο. Μάταιοι οὖν οἱ ἀπὸ Οὐαλεντίνου, τοῦτο δογματίζοντες, ἵνα ἐκβάλωσι τὴν ζωὴν τῆς σαρκός.

Fragment 4

Ἐπειδὴ μέλη αὐτοῦ ἐσμεν καὶ διὰ τῆς κτίσεως τρεφόμεθα, τὴν δὲ κτίσιν αὐτὸς ἡμῖν παρέχει, τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλων καὶ βρέχων καθὼς βούλεται, τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς κτίσεως ποτήριον ἴδιον αἷμα ὡμολόγησεν, ἐξ οὗ δεύσει τὸ ἡμέτερον αἷμα, καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς κτίσεως ἄρτον ἴδιον σῶμα διεβεβαιώσατο, ἀφ’ οὗ τὰ ἡμέτερα αὔξει σώματα. Ὁπότε οὖν καὶ τὸ κεκραμένον ποτήριον καὶ ὁ γεγονὼς ἄρτος ἐπιδέχεται τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ γίνεται εὐχαριστία καὶ σῶμα Χριστοῦ, ἐκ τούτων τε αὔξει καὶ συνέστηκεν ἡ τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν ὑπόστασις, πῶς δεκτικὴν μὴ εἶναι τὴν σάρκα λέγουσι τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἥτις ἐστὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος, τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος καὶ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου τρεφομένην καὶ μέλος αὐτοῦ ὑπάρχουσαν; Καθὼς ὁ μακάριος Ἀπόστολός φησιν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους ἐπιστολῇ ὅτι «Μέλη ἐσμὲν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ», οὐ περὶ πνευματικοῦ τινος καὶ ἀοράτου ἀνθρώπου λέγων ταῦτα, «τὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα οὔτε ὀστέα οὔτε σάρκας ἔχει», ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομίας, τῆς ἐκ σαρκῶν καὶ νεύρων καὶ ὀστέων συνεστώσης, ἥτις καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου ὅ ἐστιν αἷμα αὐτοῦ τρέφεται καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου ὅ ἐστι σῶμα αὐτοῦ αὔξεται. Καὶ ὅνπερ τρόπον τὸ ξύλον τῆς ἀμπέλου κλιθὲν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῷ ἰδίῳ καιρῷ ἐκαρποφόρησε, καὶ «ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν» καὶ διαλυθεὶς πολλοστὸς ἠγέρθη διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ συνέχοντος τὰ πάντα, ἔπειτα δὲ διὰ τῆς σοφίας τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς χρῆσιν ἐλθόντα ἀνθρώπων καὶ προσλαμβανόμενα τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐχαριστία γίνεται, ὅπερ ἐστὶ σῶμα καὶ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὕτως καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα σώματα ἐξ αὐτῆς τρεφόμενα καὶ τεθέντα εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ διαλυθέντα ἐν αὐτῇ ἀναστήσεται ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ καιρῷ, τοῦ Λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἔγερσιν αὐτοῖς χαριζομένου εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός, ὃς ὄντως τῷ θνητῷ τὴν ἀθανασίαν περιποιεῖ καὶ τῷ φθαρτῷ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν προσχαρίζεται, ὅτι ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἐξ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἔχοντες τὴν ζωὴν φυσιωθῶμεν καὶ ἐπαρθῶμέν ποτε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀχάριστον ἔννοιαν ἀναλαβόντες, πείρᾳ δὲ μαθόντες ὅτι ἐκ τῆς ἐκείνου ὑπεροχῆς ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως τὴν εἰς ἀεὶ παραμονὴν ἔχομεν, μήτε τῆς περὶ τὸν Θεὸν δόξης ὡς ἔστιν ἀστοχήσωμεν, μήτε τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν ἀγνοήσωμεν, ἀλλ’ εἰδῶμεν τί ὁ Θεὸς δύναται καὶ τί ἄνθρωπος εὐεργετεῖται, καὶ μὴ σφαλῶμέν ποτε τῆς ἀληθοῦς περὶ τῶν ὄντων ὡς ἔστι καταλήψεως, τουτέστι Θεοῦ τε καὶ ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ μήτι γε, καθὼς προείπαμεν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἠνέσχετο ὁ Θεὸς τὴν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν ἀνάλυσιν, ὅπως παντοίως παιδευθέντες ἐν πᾶσιν εἰς τὸ μέλλον ὦμεν ἀκριβεῖς, μήτε Θεὸν μήτε ἑαυτοὺς ἀγνοοῦντες;

Σαφέστατα δὲ Παῦλος ἐπέδειξεν ὅτι παρεδόθη τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀσθενείᾳ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἵνα μὴ ἐπαρθείς ποτε ἀστοχήσῃ τῆς ἀληθείας, εἰπών· «Ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.»

Fragment 5

Εἰ γὰρ τὸ θνητὸν οὐ ζωοποιεῖ καὶ τὸ φθαρτὸν μὴ ἀνάγει εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν, οὐκ ἔστι δυνατὸς ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ’ ὅτι δυνατός ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις πᾶσιν, ἐκ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἡμῶν συννοεῖν ὀφείλομεν, ὅτι λαβὼν ὁ Θεὸς χοῦν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καίπερ πολλῷ δυσκολώτερον καὶ ἀπιστότερον ἦν ἐκ μὴ ὄντων ὀστέων τε καὶ νεύρων καὶ τῆς λοιπῆς τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομίας ποιῆσαι εἰς τὸ εἶναι καὶ ἔμψυχον καὶ λογικὸν ἀπεργάσασθαι ζῷον, ἢ τὸ γεγονός, ἔπειτα ἀναλυθὲν εἰς τὴν γῆν, αὖθις ἀποκαταστῆσαι εἰς ἐκεῖνα χωρῆσαν ὅθεν τὴν ἀρχὴν μηδέπω γεγονὼς ἐγενήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ὁ γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ὄντα ποιήσας ὁπότε ἠθέλησε πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοὺς ἤδη γεγονότας αὖθις ἀποκαταστήσει θελήσας εἰς τὴν ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ διδομένην ζωήν.

Εὑρεθήσεται δὲ καὶ δεκτικὴ ἅμα καὶ χωρητικὴ ἡ σὰρξ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως· εἰ γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀπεδέξατο τὴν τέχνην τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸ μέν τι ἐγένετο ὀφθαλμὸς τοῦ ὁρᾶν, τὸ δὲ οὖς, καὶ ἄλλο ἄλλο. Τί γάρ; Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμὸν εἰπεῖν πάσης τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον μελοποιΐας, ἥτις οὐκ ἄνευ σοφίας πολλῆς ἐγένετο. Τὰ δὲ τέχνης καὶ σοφίας μετέχοντα Θεοῦ μετέχει καὶ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. Οὐκ ἄρα οὖν ἄμοιρος ἡ σὰρξ τεχνικῆς σοφίας καὶ δυνάμεως Θεοῦ, ἀλλ’ ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ, ἥτις ἐστὶ ζωῆς παρεκτική, <ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ> τελεῖται, τουτέστιν ἐν σαρκί. Εἰπάτωσαν ἡμῖν οἱ λέγοντες μὴ εἶναι δεκτικὴν τὴν σάρκα τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ διδομένης ζωῆς, πότερον ζῶντες νῦν καὶ μετέχοντες τῆς ζωῆς λέγουσι ταῦτα, ἢ τὸ καθόλου ζωῆς μετέχοντες μηδέν, νεκροὺς δὲ ἑαυτοὺς τῷ παρόντι ὁμολογοῦσιν; Ἀλλ’ εἰ μέν εἰσι νεκροί, πῶς καὶ κινοῦνται καὶ λαλοῦσι καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ποιοῦσιν, ἅπερ οὐχὶ νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων ἔργα; Εἰ δὲ ζῶσι νῦν καὶ ὅλον αὐτῶν μετέχει τὸ σῶμα τῆς ζωῆς, πῶς τολμῶσι λέγειν μὴ εἶναι τὴν σάρκα μετοχικὴν τῆς ζωῆς, ὁμολογοῦντες ἔχειν ζωὴν ἐν τῷ παρόντι; Ὅμοιον εἴ τις σπογγιὰν ὕδατος πλήρη κρατῶν ἢ λαμπάδα φωτὸς μὴ δύνασθαι λέγει μετέχειν τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπὶ τῆς σπογγιᾶς μηδὲ τὴν λαμπάδα τοῦ πυρός· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ οὗτοι ζῆν λέγοντες καὶ βαστάζειν τὴν ζωὴν ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις αὐχοῦντες μέλεσιν, ἔπειτα ἑαυτοῖς ἐναντιούμενοι, τὰ μέλη αὐτῶν ἐπιδεκτικὰ μὴ λέγουσι τῆς ζωῆς. Εἰ δὲ τὸ πρόσκαιρον τοῦ ζῆν πολλῷ ἀσθενέστερον ἐκείνης τῆς αἰωνίας ζωῆς ὅμως τοσοῦτον δύναται ὥστε ζωοποιεῖν ἡμῶν τὰ θνητὰ μέλη, ἡ τούτου δραστικωτέρα καὶ αἰώνιος ζωὴ τί ὅτι οὐ ζωοποιεῖ τὴν σάρκα τὴν ἤδη μεμελετηκυῖαν καὶ εἰθισμένην βαστάζειν τὴν ζωήν; Ὅτι γὰρ ἐπιδεκτικὴ ζωῆς ἐστιν ἡ σάρξ, ἐκ τοῦ ζῆν δείκνυται· ζῇ δὲ ἐφ’ ὅσον αὐτὴν ὁ Θεὸς θέλει ζῆν. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς δυνατὸς παρέχειν αὐτῇ τὴν ζωήν, δῆλον· ἐκείνου γὰρ παρέχοντος ἡμῖν τὴν ζωήν, ζῶμεν. Καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὖν δυνατοῦ ὄντος ζωοποιεῖν τὸ πλάσμα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς δυναμένης ζωοποιεῖσθαι, τί λοιπὸν τὸ κωλῦον αὐτὴν μετέχειν τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, ἥτις ἐστὶ μακαρία καὶ ἀτελεύτητος ὑπὸ Θεοῦ διδομένη ζωή;

Fragment 6

Τί δὲ καὶ περὶ ἐκείνων λέγομεν, ὅπου γε καὶ Ἐνὼχ εὐαρεστήσας τῷ Θεῷ ἐν σώματι μετετέθη, τὴν μετάθεσιν τῶν δικαίων προμηνύων, καὶ Ἠλίας ὡς ἦν ἐν τῇ τοῦ πλάσματος ὑποστάσει ἀνελήφθη, τὴν ἀνάληψιν τῶν πνευματικῶν προφητεύων; Καὶ οὐδὲν ἐνεπόδισεν αὐτοῖς τὸ σῶμα πρὸς τὴν μετάθεσιν καὶ ἀνάληψιν· δι’ ὧν γὰρ χειρῶν ἐπλάσθησαν τὴν ἀρχήν, διὰ τούτων τὴν ἀνάληψιν καὶ μετάθεσιν ἐλάμβανον. Εἰθισμέναι γὰρ ἦσαν ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ αἱ χεῖρες τοῦ Θεοῦ ῥυθμίζειν καὶ κρατεῖν καὶ βαστάζειν τὸ ἴδιον πλάσμα καὶ φέρειν καὶ τιθέναι ὅπου αὐταὶ βούλονται. Ποῦ οὖν ἐτέθη ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος; Ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ δηλονότι, καθὼς γέγραπται. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξεβλήθη εἰς τόνδε τὸν κόσμον παρακούσας. Διὸ καὶ λέγουσιν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι, τῶν ἀποστόλων μαθηταί, τοὺς μετατεθέντας ἐκεῖσε μετατεθῆναι – δικαίοις γὰρ ἀνθρώποις καὶ πνευματοφόροις ἡτοιμάσθη ὁ παράδεισος, ἐν ᾧ καὶ Παῦλος ὁ ἀπόστολος εἰσκομισθεὶς ἤκουσε ῥήματα ἄρρητα ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ παρόντι – κἀκεῖ μένειν τοὺς μετατεθέντας ἕως συντελείας, προοιμιαζομένους τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν.

Εἰ δέ τις ἀδύνατον ὑπολάβοι χρόνοις τοσούτοις ὑπομένειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ τὸν Ἠλίαν μὴ ἔνσαρκον ἀνειλῆφθαι, δεδαπανῆσθαι δὲ τὴν σάρκα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ πυρίνῳ ἅρματι, ἐννοησάτω μὲν ὅτι Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῷ βυθῷ ῥιφείς, σῶος πάλιν ἐξεπτύσθη τῇ γῇ κελεύσει Θεοῦ, Ἀνανίας τε καὶ Ἀζαρίας καὶ Μισαὴλ εἰς κάμινον ἐμβληθέντες πυρὸς ἑπταπλασίως ἐκκαιομένην οὔτε ἐβλάβησάν τι οὔτε ὀσμὴ πυρὸς εὑρέθη ἐν αὐτοῖς. Ἡ οὖν αὐτοῖς συμπαροῦσα χεὶρ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ παράδοξα καὶ ἀδύνατα τῇ φύσει τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐπιτελέσασα, τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς μετατεθεῖσιν ἀπείργασται παράδοξον ὑπουργοῦσα τῷ θελήματι τοῦ Πατρός;

Οὔτε οὖν φύσις τινὸς τῶν γεγονότων οὔτε μὴν ἀσθένεια σαρκὸς ὑπερισχύσει τῆς βουλῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς γεγονόσιν ἀλλὰ τὰ γεγονότα ὑποτέτακται τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐξυπηρετεῖ τῷ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ.

Fragment 7

Καθὼς καὶ πολλῶν ἀκούομεν ἀδελφῶν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ προφητικὰ χαρίσματα ἐχόντων καὶ παντοδαπαῖς λαλούντων διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος γλώσσαις καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς φανερὸν ἀγόντων ἐπὶ τῷ συμφέροντι καὶ τὰ μυστήρια τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκδιηγουμένων.

Fragment 8

Τοὺς δὲ ἀχαλιναγωγήτους, φησί, καὶ καταφερομένους εἰς τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐπιθυμίας, μηδεμίαν ἔχοντας ἐπιθυμίαν θείου Πνεύματος, δικαίως ὁ Ἀπόστολος σαρκικοὺς καλεῖ.

Fragment 9

Ἐπεὶ ἄνευ Πνεύματος Θεοῦ σωθῆναι οὐ δυνάμεθα, προτρεπόμενος ἡμᾶς ὁ Ἀπόστολος διὰ τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἁγνῆς ἀναστροφῆς συντηρεῖν τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἄμοιροι τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος γενόμενοι ἀποτύχωμεν τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἐβόησε μὴ δύνασθαι τὴν σάρκα καθ’ ἑαυτὴν ἐν τῷ αἵματι βασιλείαν κληρονομῆσαι Θεοῦ.

Εἰ γὰρ δεῖ τἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, οὐ κληρονομεῖ ἀλλὰ κληρονομεῖται ἡ σάρξ. Ὡς οὖν ἡ νύμφη γαμῆσαι μὲν οὐ δύναται, γαμηθῆναι δὲ δύναται, ὅταν ἔλθῃ καὶ παραλήψεται αὐτὴν ὁ νυμφίος, οὕτως καὶ ἡ σὰρξ καθ’ ἑαυτὴν βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύναται, κληρονομηθῆναι δὲ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναται. Κληρονομεῖ γὰρ ὁ ζῶν τὰ τοῦ τετελευτηκότος, καὶ ἕτερον μέν ἐστι τὸ κληρονομεῖν, ἕτερον δὲ τὸ κληρονομεῖσθαι· ὁ μὲν γὰρ κυριεύει καὶ ἀφηγεῖται καὶ διατίθησι τὰ κληρονομούμενα ᾗ ἂν αὐτὸς βουληθῇ, τὰ δὲ ὑποτέτακται καὶ ὑπακούει καὶ κυριεύεται ὑπὸ τοῦ κληρονομοῦντος. Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ ζῶν; Τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τίνα δὲ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα τοῦ τετελευτηκότος; Τὰ μέλη τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὰ καὶ φθειρόμενα ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ. Ταῦτα δὲ κληρονομεῖται ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος μεταφερόμενα εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.

Fragment 10

Ὡς γὰρ φθορᾶς ἐπιδεκτικὴ ἡ σάρξ, οὕτως καὶ ἀφθαρσίας, καὶ ὡς θανάτου, οὕτως καὶ ζωῆς. Καὶ ἀμφότερα οὐ μένει κατὰ τὸ αὐτό, ἀλλ’ ἐξωθεῖται τὸ ἕτερον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου, καὶ παρόντος τοῦ ἑτέρου ἀναιρεῖται τὸ ἕτερον. Εἰ οὖν ὁ θάνατος ἐπικρατήσας τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔξωσεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ζωὴν καὶ νεκρὸν ἀπέδειξε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡ ζωὴ ἐπικρατήσασα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀπωθεῖται τὸν θάνατον καὶ ζῶντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποκαταστήσει τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ θάνατος ἐνεκροποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καθὼς Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης φησίν· «Κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας», καὶ πάλιν· «Ἀφεῖλεν ὁ Θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου».

Fragment 11

Ἕτερόν ἐστι πνοὴ ζωῆς ἡ καὶ ψυχικὸν ἀπεργαζομένη τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἕτερον Πνεῦμα ζωοποιοῦν τὸ καὶ πνευματικὸν αὐτὸν ἀποτελοῦν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Ἠσαΐας φησίν· «Οὕτω λέγει Κύριος ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ στερεώσας αὐτόν, ὁ πήξας τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ διδοὺς πνοὴν τῷ λαῷ τῷ ἐπ’ αὐτῆς καὶ Πνεῦμα τοῖς πατοῦσιν αὐτήν», τὴν μὲν πνοὴν κοινῶς παντὶ τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς λαῷ φήσας δεδόσθαι, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ἰδίως τοῖς καταπατοῦσι τὰς γεώδεις ἐπιθυμίας. Διὸ καὶ πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς Ἠσαΐας διαστέλλων τὰ προειρημένα φησίν· «Πνεῦμα γὰρ παρ’ ἐμοῦ ἐξελεύσεται, καὶ πνοὴν πᾶσαν ἐγὼ ἐποίησα», τὸ μὲν Πνεῦμα ἰδίως ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τάξας τοῦ ἐπ’ ἐσχάτων <τῶν καιρῶν> ἐκχέοντος αὐτὸ διὰ τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἐπὶ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, τὴν δὲ πνοὴν κοινῶς ἐπὶ τῆς κτίσεως, καὶ ποίημα ἀναγορεύσας αὐτήν. Ἕτερον δέ ἐστι τὸ ποιηθὲν τοῦ ποιήσαντος. Ἡ οὖν πνοὴ πρόσκαιρος, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ἀένναον. Καὶ ἡ μὲν πνοὴ ἀκμάσασα πρὸς βραχὺ καὶ καιρῷ τινι παραμείνασα μετὰ τοῦτο πορεύεται, ἄπνουν ἐγκαταλιποῦσα ἐκεῖνο περὶ ὃ ἦν τὸ πρότερον· τὸ δὲ <Πνεῦμα> περιλαβὸν ἔνδοθεν καὶ ἔξωθεν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἅτε ἀεὶ παραμένον, οὐδέποτε ἐκλείψει αὐτόν.

Fragment 12

Ὡς οὖν ὁ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν γεγονὼς ῥέψας ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἀπώλεσε τὴν ζωήν, οὕτως πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἐπανελθὼν καὶ προσλαβόμενος τὸ ζωοποιοῦν Πνεῦμα εὑρήσει τὴν ζωήν.  Οὐ γὰρ ἄλλο τὸ ἀποθνῇσκον καὶ ἄλλο τὸ ζωοποιούμενον, ὡς οὐδὲ ἄλλο τὸ ἀπολωλὸς καὶ ἄλλο τὸ ἀνευρισκόμενον, ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἀπολωλὸς πρόβατον ἦλθεν ὁ Κύριος ἀναζητῶν. Τί οὖν ἦν τὸ ἀποθνῇσκον; Πάντως ἡ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑπόστασις, ἡ καὶ ἀποβαλοῦσα τὴν πνοὴν τῆς ζωῆς καὶ ἄπνους καὶ νεκρὰ γενομένη. Ταύτην οὖν ὁ Κύριος ἦλθε ζωοποιῶν, ἵνα, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνῄσκομεν ὅτι ψυχικοί, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ ζήσωμεν ὅτι πνευματικοί, ἀποθέμενοι οὐ τὸ πλάσμα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς σαρκός, καὶ προσλαβόντες τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον.

Fragment 13

Μάταιοι οὖν ὄντως καὶ ἄθλιοι, οἱ τὰ οὕτως ἔκδηλα καὶ φανερὰ μὴ θέλοντες συνορᾶν ἀλλὰ φεύγοντες τὸ φῶς τῆς ἀληθείας, οἱ κατὰ τὸν τραγικὸν Οἰδίποδα ἑαυτοὺς τυφλώττοντες. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἀπάλαιστροι προσφιλονεικοῦντες ἑτέροις, ἕν τι μέρος τοῦ σώματος ἀπρὶξ κρατήσαντες, δι’ ἐκείνου οὗ κρατοῦσι πίπτουσι, καὶ πίπτοντες οἴονται νικᾶν διὰ τὸ φιλεριστικῶς ἔχεσθαι ἐκείνου οὗ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐδράξαντο μέλους, πρὸς δὲ τῷ πεπτωκέναι καταγέλαστοι γίνονται· οὕτω δὲ καὶ οἱ αἱρετικοὶ τὸ «σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύνανται», δύο λέξεις ἄραντες ἀπὸ Παύλου, οὔτε τοῦ Ἀποστόλου κατεῖδον οὔτε τὴν δύναμιν τῶν λεγομένων προερευνήσαντες, ψιλῶς δὲ αὐτῷ μόνον τὰς λέξεις κρατοῦντες περὶ αὐτὰς ἀποθνῄσκουσι, τὴν πᾶσαν οἰκονομίαν τὸ ὅσον ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῖς ἀνατρέποντες τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Fragment 14

«Μετασχηματίσει, φησί, τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸ σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ.» Φανερὸν ὅτι τὸ σῶμα, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ σάρξ, ἥτις καὶ ταπεινοῦται πίπτουσα εἰς τὴν γῆν. Μετασχηματισμὸς δὲ αὐτῆς, ὅτι θνητὴ καὶ φθαρτὴ οὖσα ἀθάνατος καὶ ἄφθαρτος γίνεται, οὐκ ἐξ ἰδίας ὑποστάσεως, ἀλλὰ «κατὰ τὴν» τοῦ Κυρίου «ἐνέργειαν, τὸ δύνασθαι αὐτὸν» τῷ θνητῷ τὴν ἀθανασίαν καὶ τῷ φθαρτῷ περιποιήσασθαι τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτό φησιν·

«Ἵνα καταποθῇ τὸ θνητὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς· ὁ δὲ κατεργασάμενος ἡμᾶς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο Θεός, ὁ δοὺς ἡμῖν τὸν ἀρραβῶνα τοῦ Πνεύματος», φανερώτατα περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος λέγων τοῦτο· οὔτε γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ θνητόν, οὔτε τὸ Πνεῦμα. Καταπίνεται γὰρ τὸ θνητὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς, ὅτι μηκέτι σὰρξ νεκρὰ ἀλλὰ ζῶσα καὶ ἄφθαρτος ἀναμένει, ὑμνοῦσα τὸν εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον ἡμᾶς Θεόν.

Fragment 15

Ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν χρόνοις ἐλέγομεν κατ’ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γεγονέναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, οὐκ ἐδείκνυτο δέ· ἔτι γὰρ ἀόρατος ἦν ὁ Λόγος, οὗ κατ’ εἰκόνα ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐγεγόνει· διὰ τοῦτο δὴ καὶ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν ῥᾳδίως ἀπέβαλεν. Ὁπότε δὲ σὰρξ ἐγένετο ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὰ ἀμφότερα ἐπεκύρωσε· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα ἔδειξεν ἀληθῶς, αὐτὸς τοῦτο γενόμενος ὅπερ ἦν ἡ εἰκὼν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν βεβαίως κατέστησε συνεξομοιώσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον τῷ ἀοράτῳ Πατρὶ διὰ τοῦ βλεπομένου Λόγου. Καὶ οὐ μόνον γε διὰ τῶν προειρημένων τὸν Πατέρα τε καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἐμήνυσεν ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλὰ δι’ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πάθους. Ἐκλύων γὰρ τὴν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ γενομένην τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παρακοήν, «ὑπήκοος ἐγένετο μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ», τὴν ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ παρακοὴν διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς ἰώμενος. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐληλύθει ἐκλύων τὴν πρὸς τὸν πεπλακότα ἡμᾶς παρακοήν, εἰ ἄλλον κατήγγελλε Πατέρα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ δι’ ὧν παρηκούσαμεν Θεοῦ καὶ ἠπειθήσαμεν αὐτοῦ τῷ λόγῳ, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν τὴν ὑπακοὴν εἰσηγήσατο καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ πεισμονήν, φανερώτατα αὐτὸν δεικνὺς Θεόν· ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ πρώτῳ Ἀδὰμ προσεκόψαμεν μὴ ποιήσαντες αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐντολήν, ἐν δὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ Ἀδὰμ ἀποκατηλλάγημεν ὑπήκοοι μέχρι θανάτου γενόμενοι· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄλλῳ τινὶ ἦμεν ὀφειλέται, ἀλλ’ ἐκείνῳ οὗ καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν παρέβημεν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς.

Ἔστι δὲ οὗτος ὁ Δημιουργός, ὁ κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἀγάπην Πατήρ, κατὰ δὲ τὴν δύναμιν Κύριος, κατὰ δὲ τὴν σοφίαν Ποιητὴς καὶ Πλάστης ἡμῶν, οὗ καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν παραβάντες ἐχθροποιήθημεν πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ καιρῷ εἰς φιλίαν ἀποκατέστησεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος διὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκώσεως, «μεσίτης Θεοῦ τε καὶ ἀνθρώπων» γενόμενος.

Fragment 16

Ὧδε δι’ ἔργου ἔδειξεν ὁ προφήτης ὅτι τὸν στερεὸν Λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃν ἀμελῶς ἀποβαλόντες οὐχ ηὑρίσκομεν, ἀποληψόμεθα πάλιν διὰ τῆς τοῦ ξύλου οἰκονομίας. Ὅτι δὲ ἀξίνῃ ἔοικεν ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, Ἰωάννης ὁ Βαπτιστής φησι περὶ αὐτοῦ· «Ἤδη δὲ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται.» Καὶ Ἰερεμίας δὲ ὁμοίως φησίν· «Ὁ Λόγος Κυρίου ὡς πέλεκυς κόπτων πέτραν.» Τοῦτον οὖν κεκρυμμένον ἀφ’ ἡμῶν ἡ τοῦ ξύλου ἐφανέρωσεν, ὡς προέφαμεν, οἰκονομία. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ διὰ ξύλου ἀπεβάλομεν αὐτόν, διὰ ξύλου πάλιν φανερὸς τοῖς πᾶσιν ἐγένετο, ἐπιδεικνύων τὸ ὕψος καὶ μῆκος καὶ πλάτος καὶ βάθος ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ, ὡς ἔφη τις τῶν προβεβηκότων, διὰ τῆς θείας ἐκτάσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοὺς δύο λαοὺς εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν συνάγων· δύο μὲν γὰρ αἱ χεῖρες, ὅτι καὶ δύο λαοὶ διεσπαρμένοι εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, μία δὲ μέση κεφαλή, ὅτι «εἷς Θεὸς ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων καὶ διὰ πάντων καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν ἡμῖν».

Fragment 17

Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες, φησίν, ἐν αὐλίσματι δικαιοσύνης τοὺς νόμους ἔχοντες, ὅσα μὲν δικαίως καὶ νομίμως ποιήσουσιν, οὐ περὶ τούτων ἐτασθήσονται, ὅσα δὲ κατὰ παρατροπὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἀδίκως καὶ ἀνόμως καὶ τυραννικῶς ἐπιτελέσουσιν, ἐν τούτοις καὶ ἀπολοῦνται, τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοκρισίας ἅπαντας ὁμοίως ἐξικνουμένης. Ἐπὶ συμφέροντι οὖν τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐπίγειος ἀρχὴ ἐτέθη ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὥς τινές φασιν, ἵνα φοβούμενοι αὐτὴν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀλλήλους δίκην ἰχθύων μὴ καταπίνωσιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς τῶν νόμων θέσεως ἀνακρούωσι τὴν πολλὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀδικίαν.

Καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο καὶ «αἱ οὖσαι ἐξουσίαι ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τεταγμέναι εἰσὶ λειτουργοὶ Θεοῦ», καθὼς Παῦλός φησι. Φανερὸν οὖν ὅτι ψευδόμενος ὁ διάβολος ἔλεγεν «ὅτι ἐμοὶ παραδέδοται, καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν θέλω δίδωμι αὐτάς»· οὐ γὰρ τῇ τούτου κελεύσει βασιλεῖς καθίστανται. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν εἰς ἐπανόρθωσιν καὶ ὠφέλειαν τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων δίδονται καὶ συντήρησιν δικαιοσύνης, οἱ δὲ εἰς φόβον καὶ τιμωρίαν καὶ ἐπίπληξιν, οἱ δὲ καὶ εἰς χλευασμὸν ὕβριν τε καὶ ὑπερηφανίαν, καθὼς καὶ ἄξιοί εἰσι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοκρισίας, ὡς προέφημεν.

Fragment 18

Καὶ καλῶς ὁ Ἰουστῖνος εἶπεν ὅτι πρὸ μὲν τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίας οὐδέποτε ἐτόλμησεν ὁ Σατανᾶς βλασφημῆσαι τὸν Θεόν, ἅτε μηδέπω εἰδὼς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κατάκρισιν, διὰ τὸ ἐν παραβολαῖς καὶ ἀλληγορίαις κεῖσθαι, μετὰ δὲ τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐκ τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων μαθὼν ἀναφανδὸν ὅτι πῦρ αἰώνιον αὐτῷ ἡτοίμασται κατ’ ἰδίαν γνώμην ἀποστάντι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἀμετανοήτως παραμείνασιν ἐν τῇ ἀποστασίᾳ, διὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἀνθρώπων βλασφημεῖ τὸν τὴν κρίσιν ἐπάγοντα Κύριον, ὡς ἤδη κατακεκριμένος, καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τῆς ἰδίας ἀποστασίας τῷ ἐκτικότι αὐτὸν ἀποκαλεῖ, ἀλλ’ οὐ τῇ ἰδίᾳ αὐθαιρέτῳ γνώμῃ, ὡς καὶ οἱ παραβαίνοντες τοὺς νόμους, ἔπειτα δίκας διδόντες, αἰτιῶνται τοὺς νομοθέτας, ἀλλ’ οὐχ ἑαυτούς.

Fragment 19

Ὅσα τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν τηρεῖ φιλίαν, τούτοις τὴν ἰδίαν παρέχει κοινωνίαν· κοινωνία δὲ Θεοῦ ζωὴ καὶ φῶς καὶ ἀπόλαυσις τῶν παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἀγαθῶν.

Fragment 20

Ὅσα ἀφίστανται κατὰ τὴν γνώμην αὐτῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τούτοις τὸν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ χωρισμὸν ἐπάγει· χωρισμὸς δὲ Θεοῦ θάνατος, καὶ χωρισμὸς φωτὸς σκότος, καὶ χωρισμὸς Θεοῦ ἀποβολὴ πάντων τῶν παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἀγαθῶν. Οἱ οὖν διὰ τῆς ἀποστασίας ἀποβαλόντες τὰ προειρημένα, ἅτε ἐστερημένοι πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἐν πάσῃ κολάσει καταγίνονται, τοῦ Θεοῦ μὲν προηγητικῶς μὴ κολάζοντος, ἐπακολουθούσης δὲ ἐκείνοις τῆς κολάσεως διὰ τὸ ἐστερῆσθαι πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν.

Fragment 21

Αἰώνια δὲ καὶ ἀτελεύτητα τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγαθά, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡ στέρησις αὐτῶν αἰώνιος καὶ ἀτελεύτητος, ὡς, διηνεκοῦς ὄντος τοῦ φωτός, οἱ τυφλώσαντες ἑαυτοὺς ἢ καὶ ὑπὸ ἄλλων τυφλωθέντες διηνεκῶς ἀπεστέρηνται τῆς τοῦ φωτὸς ἀπολαύσεως, οὐ τοῦ φωτὸς ἐπιφέροντος αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐν τῇ τυφλώσει τιμωρίαν, ἀλλ’ αὐτῆς τῆς τυφλώσεως ἐπαγούσης τὴν μοχθηρίαν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ οἱ μὲν προστρέχουσι τῷ φωτὶ καὶ διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἑνοῦσιν ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ, οἱ δὲ ἀφίστανται τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ ἀφορίζουσιν ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐκδέχεται ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῖς πᾶσιν τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν οἴκησιν ἐπάγων, τοῖς μὲν ἐν τῷ φωτὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀπολαύειν αὐτοὺς τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ ἀγαθῶν, τοῖς δὲ ἐν τῷ σκότει πρὸς τὸ μετέχειν αὐτοὺς τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ μοχθηρίας. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι τοὺς μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν ἀνακαλέσασθαι εἰς τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς βασιλείαν, τοὺς δὲ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν εἰς τὸ αἰώνιον πῦρ πέμψειν· ἑαυτοὺς γὰρ πάντων ἐστέρησαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν.

Fragment 22

Ὁ Ἀπόστολός φησιν· «Ἀνθ’ ὧν τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτούς, διὰ τοῦτο πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει», τοῦ μὲν γὰρ ἐρχομένου ἰδίᾳ γνώμῃ τὴν ἀπιστίαν ἀνακεφαλαιουμένου πρὸς ἑαυτὸν καὶ αὐτεξουσίου πράξαντος ὅσα καὶ πράξει καὶ εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσαντος, ἵνα ὡς Χριστὸν αὐτὸν προσκυνήσουσιν οἱ πλανώμενοι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ, διὸ καὶ δικαίως εἰς τὴν κάμινον βληθήσονται τοῦ πυρός, τοῦ Θεοῦ δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν πρόγνωσιν προειδότος τὰ πάντα καὶ ἁρμόζοντι καιρῷ τὸν τοιοῦτον μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι ἐπάγοντος «εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει», οὗ τὴν παρουσίαν Ἰωάννης ἐνταῦθα οὕτως ἐμήνυσεν.

Fragment 23

Περὶ τοῦ ὑπασπιστοῦ, ὃν καὶ ψευδοπροφήτην καλεῖ, «ἐλάλει», φησίν, «ὡς δράκων».

Fragment 22

Ἵνα οὖν μή τις αὐτὸν θεϊκῇ δυνάμει δόξει ποιεῖν τὰ σημεῖα, ἀλλὰ μαγικῇ ἐνεργείᾳ, ἔφη· «Καὶ πλανᾷ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.» Καὶ οὐδέν γε καὶ θαυμαστόν, εἰ τῶν δαιμονίων καὶ ἀποστατικῶν πνευμάτων ὑπουργούντων αὐτῷ δι’ αὐτῶν ποιεῖ σημεῖα, ἐν οἷς πλανήσει τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ «τὸν ἀριθμὸν δὲ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ» φησιν καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ «καὶ εἶναι τὸν ἀριθμὸν χξϚ´», ὅ ἐστιν ἑκατοντάδες ἓξ καὶ δεκάδες ἓξ καὶ μονάδες ἓξ εἰς ἀνακεφαλαίωσιν πάσης τῆς ἐν τοῖς ἑξακισχιλίοις ἔτεσιν γεγονυίας ἀποστασίας.

Ὅσαις γὰρ ἡμέραις ἐγένετο ὁ κόσμος, τοσαύταις χιλιονταέτεσι συντελεῖται· καὶ διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ἡ γραφή· «Καὶ συνετελέσθησαν ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῶν. Καὶ συνετέλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐποίησε καὶ κατέπαυσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ.»

Τοῦτο δ’ ἔστι καὶ τῶν προγεγονότων διήγησις, ὡς ἐγένετο, καὶ τῶν ἐσομένων προφητεία. Εἰ γὰρ «ἡμέρα Κυρίου ὡς χίλια ἔτη», ἐν δὲ ἓξ ἡμέραις συνετελέσθη τὰ γεγονότα, φανερὸν ὅτι ἡ συντέλεια αὐτῶν τὸ ἑξακισχιλιοστὸν ἔτος ἐστίν.

Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐν παντὶ τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ πλασθεὶς ἐν ἀρχῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος διὰ τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τουτέστιν Υἱοῦ καὶ Πνεύματος, γίνεται κατ’ εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ, τοῦ μὲν ἀχύρου ἀποσκευαζομένου, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀποστασία, τοῦ δὲ σίτου εἰς ἀποθήκην ἀναλαμβανομένου, ὅπερ ἐστὶν οἱ τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν πίστιν καρποφοροῦντες. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡ θλῖψις ἀναγκαία τοῖς σῳζομένοις, ἵνα, τρόπον τινὰ λεπτυνθέντες καὶ συμφυραθέντες διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς τῷ Λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πυρωθέντες, ἐπιτήδειοι ἔσονται εἰς τὴν τοῦ Βασιλέως εὐωχίαν, ὡς εἶπέ τις τῶν ἡμετέρων διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν μαρτυρίαν κατακριθεὶς πρὸς θηρία, ὅτι «σῖτός εἰμι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διὰ ὀδόντων θηρίων ἀλήθομαι, ἵνα καθαρὸς Θεοῦ ἄρτος εὑρεθῶ».

Τὰς δὲ αἰτίας ἀπεδώκαμεν ἐν ταῖς πρὸ ταύτης βίβλοις, δι’ ἃς ἀνέσχετο ὁ Θεὸς τοῦτο οὕτως γενέσθαι, καὶ ἀπεδείξαμεν ὅτι πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα ὑπὲρ τοῦ σῳζομένου ἀνθρώπου γέγονεν, τὸ αὐτεξούσιον αὐτοῦ πεπαίνοντα πρὸς τὴν ἀθανασίαν καὶ ἐπιτηδειότερον αὐτὸν πρὸς τὴν εἰς ἀεὶ ὑποταγὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καταρτίζοντα.

Fragment 24

Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ἐν τῷ τέλει ἀθρόως ἐντεῦθεν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀναλαμβανομένης, «ἔσται», φησίν, «θλῖψις, οἵα οὐκ ἐγένετο ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς οὐδ’ οὐ μὴ γένηται». Ἔσχατος γὰρ ἀγὼν οὗτος τῶν δικαίων, ὃν νικήσαντες στεφανοῦνται τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν.

Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰς τὸ θηρίον τὸ ἐρχόμενον ἀνακεφαλαίωσις γίνεται πάσης ἀδικίας καὶ παντὸς δόλου, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ συρρεύσασα καὶ συγκλυδωνισθεῖσα πᾶσα δύναμις ἀποστατικὴ εἰς τὴν κάμινον βληθῇ τοῦ πυρός. Καταλλήλως οὖν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἕξει τὸν ἀριθμὸν χξϚ´, ἀνακεφαλαιούμενον ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ πᾶσαν τῆς κακίας ἐπίδειξιν ἐξ ἀγγελικῆς ἀποστασίας γεγενημένης – Νῶε γὰρ ἦν ἐτῶν ἑξακοσίων καὶ ὁ κατακλυσμὸς ἐπῆλθε τῇ γῇ, ἐξαλείφων τὸ ἀνάστημα τῆς γῆς διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ κίβδηλον γενεάν – , ἀνακεφαλαιούμενος δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ πᾶσαν εἰδωλολατρείαν, μέχρις οὗ ἡ τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἀνασταθεῖσα εἰκών, ἥτις ὕψος μὲν εἶχε πηχῶν ἑξήκοντα, εὖρος δὲ πηχῶν ἕξ· ὅλη γὰρ ἡ εἰκὼν ἐκείνη προτύπωσις ἦν τῆς τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου παρουσίας.

Τὰ οὖν χ´ ἔτη τοῦ Νῶε ἐφ’ οὗ ἐγένετο ὁ κατακλυσμὸς διὰ τὴν ἀποστασίαν καὶ ὁ πηχισμὸς τῆς εἰκόνος τὸν ἀριθμόν, ὡς εἴρηται, σημαίνουσι τοῦ ὀνόματος, εἰς ὃν συγκεφαλαιοῦται τῶν ἑξακισχιλίων ἐτῶν πᾶσα ἀποστασία καὶ ἀδικία καὶ πονηρία.

Τούτων δὲ οὕτως ἐχόντων, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς σπουδαίοις καὶ ἀρχαίοις ἀντιγράφοις τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τούτου κειμένου, καὶ μαρτυρούντων αὐτῶν ἐκείνων τῶν κατ’ ὄψιν τὸν Ἰωάννην ἑωρακότων, καὶ τοῦ λόγου διδάσκοντος ἡμᾶς ὅτι ὁ ἀριθμὸς τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ θηρίου κατὰ τὴν τῶν Ἑλλήνων ψῆφον διὰ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ γραμμάτων, οὐκ οἶδα πῶς ἐσφάλησάν τινες ἐπακολουθήσαντες ἰδιωτισμῷ καὶ τὸν μέσον ἠθέτησαν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ ὀνόματος, ν´ ψήφους ὑφελόντες καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν ἓξ δεκάδων μίαν δεκάδα βουλόμενοι εἶναι. Ἄλλοι δὲ ἀνεξετάστως τοῦτο λαβόντες, οἱ μὲν ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀκαίρως ἐπετήδευσαν, οἱ δὲ κατὰ ἀπειροκαλίαν ἐτόλμησαν καὶ ὀνόματα ἀναζητεῖν ἔχοντα τὸν ἐσφαλμένον καὶ διημαρτημένον ἀριθμόν. Ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀκάκως τοῦτο ποιήσασιν εἰκὸς καὶ συγγνώμην ἔσεσθαι παρὰ Θεοῦ· ὅσοι δὲ κατὰ κενοδοξίαν ὁρίσουσιν ὀνόματα ἐμπεριεκτικὰ τοῦ διημαρτημένου ἀριθμοῦ καὶ τὸ ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ἐπινοηθὲν ὄνομα ὁρίσονται, οὐκ ἀζήμιοι οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἐξελεύσονται, ἔτι καὶ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐμπιστεύσαντας αὐτοῖς ἐξαπατήσαντες.

Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ζημία ἐν τῷ ἀποτυχεῖν τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὸ μὴ ὂν ὡς ὂν ὑπολαβεῖν· ἔπειτα δὲ τοῦ προσθέντος ἢ ἀφελόντος τι τῆς γραφῆς ἐπιτιμίαν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἔχοντος, εἰς αὐτὴν ἐμπεσεῖν ἀνάγκη τὸν τοιοῦτον. Ἐπακολουθήσει δὲ καὶ ἕτερος οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν κίνδυνος τοῖς ψευδῶς προειληφόσιν εἰδέναι τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου ὄνομα· εἰ γὰρ ἄλλο μὲν οὗτοι δοκοῦσιν, ἄλλο δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἔχων ἐλεύσεται, ῥᾳδίως ἐξαπατηθήσονται παρ’ αὐτοῦ, ὡς μηδέπω παρόντος ἐκείνου ὃν φυλάσσεσθαι προσήκει.

Fragment 25

Ἀσφαλέστερον οὖν καὶ ἀκινδυνότερον τὸ περιμένειν τὴν ἔκβασιν τῆς προφητείας ἢ τὸ καταστοχάζεσθαι καὶ ὑπομαντεύεσθαι ὀνόματα τὰ τυχόντα, πολλῶν ὀνομάτων εὑρεθῆναι δυναμένων ἐχόντων τὸν προειρημένον ἀριθμόν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἧττον μενεῖ αὕτη ἡ ζήτησις· εἰ γὰρ πολλά ἐστι τὰ εὑρισκόμενα ὀνόματα ἔχοντα τὸν ἀριθμόν, ποῖον ἐξ αὐτῶν φορέσει ὁ ἐρχόμενος ζητηθήσεται. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ δι’ ἀπορίαν ὀνομάτων

Fragment 26

Ἡμεῖς γ’ οὖν οὐκ ἀποκινδυνεύομεν περὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου ἀποφαινόμενοι βεβαιωτικῶς· εἰ γὰρ ἔδει ἀναφανδὸν ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ κηρύττεσθαι τοὔνομα αὐτοῦ, δι’ ἐκείνου ἂν ἐρρέθη τοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ἑωρακότος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἑωράθη, ἀλλὰ σχεδὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας γενεᾶς, πρὸς τῷ τέλει τῆς Δομετιανοῦ ἀρχῆς.

Fragment 27

Αἱ ψυχαὶ ἀπέρχονται εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν ὡρισμένον αὐταῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κἀκεῖ μέχρι τῆς ἀναστάσεως φοιτῶσι περιμένουσαι τὴν ἀνάστασιν· ἔπειτα ἀπολαβοῦσαι τὰ σώματα καὶ ὁλοκλήρως ἀναστᾶσαι, τουτέστι σωματικῶς, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἀνέστη, οὕτως ἐλεύσονται εἰς τὴν ὄψιν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Fragment 28

Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ Παπίας ὁ Ἰωάννου μὲν ἀκουστής, Πολυκάρπου δὲ ἑταῖρος γεγονώς, ἀρχαῖος ἀνήρ, ἐγγράφως ἐπιμαρτυρεῖ ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ βιβλίων· ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῷ πέντε βιβλία συντεταγμένα.

Fragment 29

Οὐ γὰρ ἡ ὑπόστασις οὐδὲ ἡ οὐσία τῆς κτίσεως ἐξαφανίζεται – ἀληθὴς γὰρ καὶ βέβαιος ὁ συστησάμενος αὐτήν – , ἀλλὰ «τὸ σχῆμα παράγει τοῦ κόσμου τούτου», τουτέστιν ἐν οἷς ἡ παράβασις γέγονεν, ὅτι ἐπαλαιώθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν αὐτοῖς. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ σχῆμα τοῦτο πρόσκαιρον ἐγένετο, προειδότος τὰ πάντα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Παρελθόντος δὲ τοῦ σχήματος τούτου καὶ ἀνανεωθέντος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἀκμάσαντος πρὸς τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν ὥστε μηκέτι δύνασθαι πέρα παλαιωθῆναι, «ἔσται ὁ οὐρανὸς καινὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καινή»· ἐν τοῖς καινοῖς παραμενεῖ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀεὶ καινὸς προσομιλῶν τῷ Θεῷ.

Fragment 30

Καὶ ὁ Ἠσαΐας φησίν· «Ὃν τρόπον γὰρ ὁ οὐρανὸς καινὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καινή, ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ, μένει ἐνώπιόν μου, λέγει Κύριος, οὕτω στήσεται τὸ σπέρμα ὑμῶν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ὑμῶν.»

Καθὼς οἱ πρεσβύτεροι λέγουσι, τότε οἱ μὲν καταξιωθέντες τῆς ἐν οὐρανῷ διατριβῆς ἐκεῖσε χωρήσουσιν, οἱ δὲ τῆς τοῦ παραδείσου τρυφῆς ἀπολαύσουσιν, οἱ δὲ τὴν καλλονὴν καὶ τὴν λαμπρότητα τῆς πόλεως καθέξουσιν, σὺν πᾶσι τοῖς περὶ αὐτὴν ἀγαθοῖς ἐπιχορηγουμένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, πανταχοῦ δὲ ὁ Σωτὴρ ὁραθήσεται, καθὼς ἄξιοι ἔσονται οἱ ὁρῶντες αὐτόν. Εἶναι δὲ τὴν διαστολὴν ταύτην τῆς οἰκήσεως τῶν τὰ ἑκατὸν καρποφορούντων καὶ τῶν τὰ ἑξήκοντα καὶ τῶν τὰ τριάκοντα, ὧν οἱ μὲν εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀναληφθήσονται, οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ διατρίψουσιν, οἱ δὲ τὴν πόλιν κατοικήσουσιν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰρηκέναι τὸν Κύριον ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς μονὰς εἶναι πολλάς. Τὰ πάντα γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς τοῖς πᾶσι τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν οἴκησιν παρέχει.

The Reliques of the Elders Preserved in Irenaeus

APOSTOLIC FATHERS (LIGHTFOOT)

1:1 I. 1:2 According to what was said of such cases by one better than we are: 1:3 the precious stone, The emerald, accounted of much worth Is shamed hy artful mimicry in glass, whenever he is not by, who hath power to prove it, and Detect the craft so cunningly devised. 1:4 Again, when alloy of Brass Is mixed with silver, who that simple is Shall easily be able to assay 1:5 IRENAEUS Heresies, preface to Bk. 1:6 i. 2:1 II. 2:2 As he that was better than we are affirmed of such persons, A daring and shameless thing is a soul heated with empty air. 2:3 IRENAEUS. 2:4 XIII-iii. 3:1 III. 3:2 Wherefore also justly did the divine Elder and herald of the truth exclaim against thee in verse, 3:3 thus saying Thou idol-framer, Mark, and portent-gazer, Skilled in the astrologer's and wizard's art, Strengthening thereby the words of thy false lore, Dazzling with signs whomever thou leadest astray, Strange handywork. 3:4 of God-defying power Such to perform thy father Satan still Affords thee might, by an angelic Power Azazel:-thee,by the destroyer marked Chosen forerunner of the impious craft. 3:5 Thus far that Elder, beloved of God. 3:6 IRENAEUS I-XV-vi. 4:1 IV. 4:2 But that the age of thirty years is the prime of a young man's ability,and that it reaches even to the fortieth year, every one will allow but after the fortieth and fiftieth year, it begins to verge towards elder age: 4:3 which our Lord was of when He taught, as the Gospel and all the Elders witness, who in Asia conferred with John the Lord's disciple, to the effect that John had delivered these things unto them: 4:4 for he abode with them until the times of Trajan. 4:5 And some of them saw not only John, but others also of the Apostles, and had this same account from them, and witness to the aforesaid account. 4:6 IRENAEUS ii. 5:1 V. 5:2 As was said by one who was before us, concerning all who in any way deprave the things of God, and adulterate the truth, It is evil mingling chalk in the milk of God. 5:3 IRENAEUS III-XVII-iv. 6:1 VI. 6:2 As one of the ancients saith, God for His part transferred the curse unto the earth, that it might not continue in the man. 6:3 IRENAEUS III-XXIII-iii. 7:1 VII. 7:2 For which cause they who have been before us, yea, and much better men than we, were nevertheless unable to dispute against the Valentinians, as not knowing their system: 7:3 which we in our first Book have very diligently expounded unto thee. 7:4 IRENAEUS preface to Bk. 7:5 iv. 8:1 VIII. 8:2 For God doeth all things in measure and order, and nothing with Him wants measure, since nothing is unnumbered. 8:3 And well spake he who said that the Immeasurable Father Himself was measured in the Son: 8:4 for the measure of the Father is the Son, since He even contains Him. 8:5 IRENAEUS IV-IV-ii. 9:1 IX. 9:2 As I have heard from a certain Elder, who had heard from those who had seen the Apostles, and from their scholars: 9:3 that it is enough for the ancients to be reproved, as they are by the Scriptures, for what they did without counsel from the Spirit. 9:4 For God, being no respecter of persons, upon things not done to His pleasure brings such reproof as is suitable. 9:5 [Thus in the case of David, when on the one hand he was suffering persecution from Saul for righteousness' 9:6 sake, and flying from king Saul, and avenged not himself on his enemy, 9:7 and was singing of Christ's Advent, and teaching the nations wisdom, and doing all by the suggestion of the Spirit, he pleased God. 9:8 But when for lust he took to his own self Bathsheba Uriah's wife, the scripture hath said of him, but the thing etc. 9:9 (2 Sam. 9:10 xi. 27:1 and Nathan the prophet is sent unto him, to shew him his sin, that he, passing sentence on himself, and judging himself, may find mercy and forgiveness from Christ. 27:2 And he said unto him, etc (2 Sam. 27:3 xii. 1-7:1 and goes over the rest in order, upbraiding him, and reckoning up God's favours towards him, and how he had provoked the Lord in having done this. 1-7:2 For that such conduct pleases not God, rather great anger is hanging over his house. 1-7:3 And hereupon David was pricked to the heart, and said, I have sinned against the Lord (2 Sam. 1-7:4 xii. 13:1 and afterwards he chanted the psalm of confession, waiting for the coming of the Lord, Who washes and cleanses the man who had been bound in sin. 13:2 And so it is also concerning Solomon as long as he went on to judge rightly, and to declare wisdom, 13:3 and was building the figure of the true Temple, and setting forth the glories of God, 13:4 and announcing the peace which should come to the Gentiles, and prefiguring the Kingdom of Christ, 13:5 and was speaking his three thousand parables on the coming of the Lord, and his five thousand songs, by way of hymn to God, 13:6 and gathering accounts of God's wisdom in the Creation,after the manner of a natural philosopher, from every tree, and from every herb, and from all fowls and quadrupeds and fishes, and saying, Will God indeed etc. 13:7 (I Kings viii. 27:1 he both pleased God, and was admired by all, and all the kings of the Earth sought his face, 27:2 to hear his wisdom which God had given him, and the Queen of the South came to him from the ends of the earth, to know the wisdom which was in him; 27:3 who also, as the Lord saith, will rise again in the judgment with the generation of those who hear His words and believe not in Him, and will pass sentence upon them: 27:4 because, while she submitted herself to the wisdom declared by the servant of God, they despised that wisdom which was given by the Son of God. 27:5 For Solomon was a servant; 27:6 but Christ the Son of God, and the Lord of Solomon. 27:7 Well then, as long as he served God without offence, and ministered to His purposes, so long he has glorified: 27:8 but when he took wives of all nations, and permitted them to set up idols in Israel, the Scripture hath said of him, And King Solomon was a lover etc. 27:9 (I Kings xi. 27:10 I, 4, 6, 9).] The rebuke laid on him by Scripture was sufficient, 27:11 as that Elder affirmed, that no flesh might glory before the Lord. 27:12 And therefore, he said, the Lord descended to the parts under the earth, announcing to them also the good news of His coming; 27:13 there being remission of sins for such as believe on Him. 27:14 [And those all believed on Him, who were hoping for Him: 27:15 i.e., who foretold His coming and ministered to His purposes, righteous men and prophets and patriarchs: 27:16 whose sins He forgave, even as He forgave ours, neither ought we to impute the same unto them, unless we despise the grace of God. 27:17 For as they did not charge us with our irregularities, which we wrought before Christ was manifested in us so neither is it just for us to charge the like, before the coming of Christ, on such as sinned. 27:18 For all men need the glory of God (Rom. 27:19 iii. 23:1 and are justified not of themselves, but by the coming of the Lord-those I mean who look steadily on His Light. 23:2 And their deeds, he said, were written for our admonition: 23:3 to teach us, first of all, that our God and theirs is one and the same; 23:4 a God, Whom sins please not, though wrought by renowned persons: 23:5 and next that we should abstain from evils. 23:6 [For if those of old time who went before us in God's special graces, for whom the Son of God had not yet suffered, were visited with such disgrace, 23:7 if they transgressed in some one thing, and became slaves to fleshly concupiscence; 23:8 what shall this generation suffer, as many as have despised the coming of the Lord, and turned utter slaves to their own pleasures 23:9 And they indeed had our Lord's death for the healing and remission of their sins: 23:10 but for those who now sin Christ shall no more die, for death shall no more have dominion over Him; 23:11 but the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, exacting from His agents and stewards the money which He lent them, with usury: 23:12 and to whom He gave most, of them will He require most.] 23:13 We ought not therefore, said that Elder, to be proud, nor to reproach the ancients, 23:14 but ourselves to fear, lest haply, after the knowledge of Christ, if we do anything which pleases not God, we no longer have remission of our sins, but find ourselves shut out of His Kingdom. 23:15 And to this he referred Paul's saying, For if He spared not etc. 23:16 (Rom. 23:17 xi. 21:1 In like manner again the transgressions of the people, 21:2 you see, are written down, not for their sake who did then transgress, 21:3 but for our rebuke, and that we might know that it is one and the same God, against Whom they sinned, and against Whom sin even now certain of those who are said to have believed. 21:4 And this again, he said, the Apostle did most clearly point out, saying in the Epistle to the Corinthians, For I would not have etc. 21:5 (I Cor. 21:6 x. 1-12:1 [Whereas therefore the Apostle declares, in a way which admits not of doubt or gainsaying, 1-12:2 that it is one and the same God, Who both judged the things which then were, and searches out those which now are, and since he tells us the purpose of their being set down: 1-12:3 unlearned and daring and senseless withal are all those proved to be, 1-12:4 who take occasion from the sin of them of old time, 1-12:5 and the disobedience of the greater part of them, 1-12:6 to affirm that their God (Who is also the Maker of the world) is a different Being from the Father taught by Christ, 1-12:7 and is in decay, and that it is this latter who is mentally received by every one of them. 1-12:8 Because they consider not, that as in that case God was not well pleased with the greater part of them, being sinners, so also in this case many are called but few chosen (S. 1-12:9 Matt. 1-12:10 x. 16:1 as among them the unjust and idolaters and fornicators lost their life, so also among us. 16:2 For both the Lord proclaims that such are sent into the eternal fire, and the Apostle saith, Know ye not etc. 16:3 (I Cor. 16:4 vi. 10:1 And in proof that he said this not to those who are without, 10:2 but to us, lest we be cast out of the Kingdom of God, for doing some such thing, he hath subjoined, And these things etc. 10:3 (I Cor. 10:4 vi. 10:5 II). 10:6 And as in that case those were condemned and cast out, 10:7 who did evil, and led the rest astray, so in this case also the very eye is dug out which gives offence, and the foot, and the hand, that the rest of the body perish not alike. 10:8 And we have it ordained, If any is named etc. 10:9 (I Cor. 10:10 v. 11:1 And again the Apostle saith, Let no man deceive you etc. 11:2 (Eph. 11:3 v. 7:1 And as then the condemnation of them that sinned imparted itself also to the rest, in that they were pleased with them, and they held converse together: 7:2 so here also a little leaven corrupteth the whole mass (I Cur. 7:3 v. 6:1 And as there God's anger came down against the unrighteous, here also saith the Apostle in like manner, For the wrath of God etc. 6:2 (Rom. 6:3 i. 18:1 And as there upon the Egyptians, who were punishing Israel unjustly, vengeance from God took place, so here also; 18:2 since both the Lord saith, And shall not God etc. 18:3 (5. 8:1 and the Apostle in the Epistle to the Thessalonians declares as follows, Since it is a righteous thing etc. 8:2 (2 Thess. 8:3 i. 6-10:1 Both here therefore and moderation; 6-10:2 but here truly, and for ever, and more severely. 6-10:3 For the fire is eternal; 6-10:4 and the anger of God which shall be revealed from heaven from the countenance of our Lord brings a greater penalty on those who incur it: 6-10:5 as David also saith, But the countenance etc. 6-10:6 (Ps. 6-10:7 xxxiv. 16:1 This being so, the Elders used to declare those persons to be very senseless, who from what befell God's disobedient people of old try to bring in another Father: 16:2 objecting the great things which the Lord when He came had done to save those who received Him, 16:3 in His pity for them but saying nothing of His judgment and of all that is to happen to such as have heard His words and fulfilled them not and how it were good for them if they had not been born 16:4 and how it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the judgement than for that city which received not the words of His disciples. 16:5 IRENAEUS IV-XXVII-i---XXVIII-i. 10:1 X. 10:2 Those again who upbraid and charge us with the circumstance, 10:3 that the people by command of God, 10:4 on point of departure, 10:5 received of the Egyptians vessels of all sorts and apparel, and so went away, from which stores the Tabernacle also was made 10:6 in the wilderness, prove themselves ignorant of God's ways of justification, and of His providences as that Elder likewise used to say. 10:7 [Since, had not God permitted this in the typical journey, no man could at this day be saved in our real journey, i.e., 10:8 in the faith wherein we are established, whereby we have been taken out of the number of the Gentiles. 10:9 For we are all accompanied by some property, moderate or large, which we have gotten out of the Mammon of iniquity. 10:10 For whence are the houses in which we dwell, and the garments which we put on, and the furniture which we use, and all the rest of what serves us for our daily life, 10:11 but out of what in our Gentile state we gained by avarice, or what we have received from Gentile parents, or kinsmen, or friends, who acquired it by injustice 10:12 Not to say that even now, while we are in the faith, we gain. 10:13 For who sells, and desires not to gain from the buyer 10:14 And who buys, and would not fain be dealt with by the seller to his profit 10:15 Again, what person in business does not carry on his business, that so he may get his bread thereby 10:16 And how is it with those believers who are in the royal court 10:17 Have they not goods from among the things which are Caesar's, and doth not each one of them according to his ability impart unto such as have not 10:18 The Egyptians were debtors to the people not only for their goods but for their life also, through the former kindness of the Patriarch Joseph: 10:19 but in what respect are the Gentiles debtors to us, from whom we receive both profit and the commodities of life 10:20 Whatsoever they gain with toil, that we, being in the faith, use without toil. 10:21 Besides, the people were serving the Egyptians in the worst of servitude, as saith the Scripture, And the Egyptians violently etc (Exod. 10:22 i. 14:1 and with much toil they built them fortified cities, adding to their stores for many years, 14:2 and in every kind of servitude whereas the others, over and above their ingratitude toward then, were fain even to destroy them utterly. 14:3 What then was unrighteously done,if they took a little out of much, and if those who might have had much property, and gone away rich, had they not served them, went away poor, receiving for their heavy servitude very scanty wages 14:4 So, if any free person, carried away violently by some one, and serving him many years and increasing his goods, 14:5 should afterwards, upon gaining some little support, 14:6 be suspected of having some small portion of his master's property (whereas in fact he goes off with a very little,out of his own many toils and of the other's great gain) and if this were charged on him by any one as a wrong; 14:7 the judge himself will rather appear unjust towards him who had been reduced to slavery by force. 14:8 Now of like sort are the aforesaid, who blame the people for taking to themselves a little out of much, 14:9 yet blame not themselves, who have made no due return according to the merit of their parents, 14:10 but rather, reducing them into most heavy servitude, have obtained from them very great advantage. 14:11 And while they charge the Jews with unjust dealings, for receiving, as we said before, in a few little vessels uncoined gold and silver; 14:12 of themselves (for the truth shall be spoken, ridiculous as it may appear to some) 14:13 they say that they do justly in bearing about in their girdles stamped gold and silver and copper from others' toils, with the inscription and image of Caesar upon it. 14:14 But if we and they are compared, which will seem to have received more honestly 14:15 The people from the Egyptians, who were in all their debtors, or we from the Romans and other Gentiles, those even who owe us no such debt 14:16 Rather by them the world hath peace, and we walk on the highways and sail whithersoever we will without fear. 14:17 Against this sort of objector then, our Lord's saying will be applicable, thou hypocrite etc. 14:18 (5. 14:19 Matt. 14:20 vii. 5:1 For, if he who lays this to th). 5:2 charge, and glories in hiss knowledge, is cut off from the assembly of the Gentiles, and there is nothing of others' property with him; 5:3 if he be simply naked and barefoot, and haunt the mountains without a home, like some of those animals which eat grass: 5:4 he will obtain pardon, as not knowing what is needed in our manner of life. 5:5 But if he take from men his share in the property of others,as it is called, while he finds fault with the type of the same, he proves himself to be most unjust, and turns back on himself the aforesaid accusation.] 5:6 For he will be convicted of carrying about what is another's, and of desiring what is not his own: 5:7 and with a view to this, they report, the Lord said, judge not that you etc. 5:8 (5. 5:9 Matt. 5:10 vii. 5:11 I, 2). 5:12 [Not of course that we rebuke not sinners, or consent to things done amiss, but that we judge not unfairly God's ways of ordering things, whereas He bath provided in righteousness whatsoever shall be profitable. 5:13 Thus, because He knew that we would make a good use of our substance, which we should have, receiving it from another, he that hath two coats, saith He, let him impart etc. 5:14 (5. 5:15 Luke iii. 5:16 II). 5:17 Again, For I was an blind etc. 5:18 (5. 5:19 Matt. 5:20 xxv. 36:1 Again, When thou doest alms etc. 36:2 (5. 36:3 Matt. 36:4 vi. 3:1 and all other acts of bounty upon which we are justified, redeeming our own as it were by what was another's. 3:2 And when I say, Another, I do not mean that the world is alien from God, 3:3 but that we receive from others and possess the aforesaid gifts, even as they from the Egyptians who knew not God and by these same we build up for ourselves the tabernacle of God. 3:4 For with doers of good God dwelleth: 3:5 as saith the Lord, be to you select friends, etc. 3:6 (5. 3:7 Luke xvi. 9:1 For whatsoever things we had acquired, when we were heathens, by unrighteousness, those same, now we have believed, we turn to the Lord's service, and so are justified. 9:2 These things were then of necessity practised in type beforehand, 9:3 and out of those materials the tabernacle of God is wrought in which matter, 9:4 as we have explained, both they received justly, and we were prophetically indicated, how that we should begin to wait on God with things not our own. 9:5 For all that journey of the people, whereby God brought them out of Egypt, was the type and image of the Church's journey, 9:6 which was to take place from among the Gentiles which journey accordingly ends also with leading her hence into her inheritance, 9:7 which not indeed Moses the servant of God, but Jesus the Son of God, will give her to inherit. 9:8 And if any one will look more carefully at what the Prophets say of the end, 9:9 and at all that John the Lord's disciple saw in the Apocalypse, he will find the Gentiles generally enduring the same plagues, which at that time Egypt in particular endured.] 9:10 By statements of this kind touching the ancients did that Elder console us, 9:11 and say that concerning those faults, which the Scriptures themselves have laid to the charge 9:12 of Patriarchs and Prophets, we must not reproach them, nor be like Ham, who scoffed at the disgrace of his father, and fell into the curse; 9:13 but we must give thanks to God for them, inasmuch as their sins were forgiven them in the coming of our Lord. 9:14 For that (his word it is) they give thanks and exult in our salvation. 9:15 But in respect of those things, for which the Scriptures reprove them not, 9:16 but simply state the facts, we must not, he said, become accusers 9:17 (for we are not more exact than God, nor can we be above our master), but look out for the typical meaning. 9:18 For none of all the things, which are set down in the Scriptures without definite censure, is without its force. 9:19 IRENAEUS IV-XXX. 11:1 XI. 11:2 In the same way also did that older disciple of the Apostles reason about the two Testaments: 11:3 declaring that both are indeed from one and the same God; 11:4 and that there is no other God, besides Him Who made and formed us, 11:5 nor any strength in their argument, who say that this world of ours was made either by Angels, or by any kind of Power, or by some other God. 11:6 [For if a person once withdraw himself from the Creator of all things, and grant that the world with which we are concerned is made by some different God, 11:7 or through another, such an one must needs fall into much absurdity and many contradictions; 11:8 for which he will render no reasons with either appearance or substance of truth. 11:9 And therefore such as introduce other doctrines, hide from us the opinion which they themselves have concerning God; 11:10 knowing the unsoundness and futility of their own doctrine, and fearing to be overcome, and so to have their salvation endangered.] 11:11 IRENAEUS IV-XXXII-i. 12:1 XII. 12:2 For the word `son,' as a certain person also before us hath said, has two meanings: 12:3 one is naturally such, as being born a son; 12:4 while another is counted for a son, because he is made such: 12:5 notwithstanding the difference between the born and the made. 12:6 IRENAEUS IV-XLI-ii. 13:1 XIII. 13:2 Where then was the first man placed 13:3 In paradise plainly, as it is written; 13:4 and he was cast out thence into this world, owing to his disobedience. 13:5 Wherefore also the Elders, disciples of the Apostles, say that those who were translated were translated thither 13:6 (for paradise was prepared for righteous and inspired men, 13:7 whither also the Apostle Paul was carried and heard words unspeakable, to us at least in this present life), 13:8 and that they who are translated remain there until the end of all things, preluding immortality. 13:9 IRENAEUS V-V-i. 14:1 XIV. 14:2 For since by wood we lost Him, by wood again He was made manifest unto all, shewing forth the length and height and depth and breadth in Himself; 14:3 and as one of those who have gone before said, by the divine extension of His Hands gathering the two peoples together unto one God. 14:4 IRENAEUS V-XVII-iv. 15:1 XV. 15:2 Now such being the state of the case, and this number being set down in all the good and old copies, and testimony being given by the persons themselves 15:3 who had seen John with their eyes, and reason teaching us that the number of the name of the Beast, according to the reckoning of the Greeks, by the letters therein, will have 600, and 60, and 6...some, 15:4 I know not how, have erred, following a particular reading, and have taken liberties with the middle number of the name, subtracting the value of fifty, and choosing to have one decade instead of six. 15:5 IRENAEUS V-XXX-i. 16:1 XVI. 16:2 As the Elders, who saw John the disciple of the Lord, relate that they had heard from him, how the Lord used to teach concerning those times, and to say..... 16:3 IRENAEUS v. 3:1 See above, Fragments of Papias, No. 3:2 XIV. 3:3 p. 533:1 XVII. 533:2 As the Elders say, then also shall they which have been deemed worthy of the abode in heaven go thither, 533:3 while others shall enjoy the delight of paradise, and others again shall possess the brightness of the city; 533:4 for in every place the Saviour shall be seen, according as they shall he worthy who see Him. 533:5 They say moreover that this is the distinction between the habitation of them that bring forth a hundred-fold, 533:6 and them that bring forth sixty-fold, and them that bring forth thirty-fold of whom the first shall be taken up into the heavens, and the second shall dwell in paradise, and the third shall inhabit the city; 533:7 and that therefore our Lord has said, In My Father's abode are many mansions; 533:8 for all things are of God, Who giveth to all their appropriate dwelling, 533:9 [according as His Word saith that allotment is made unto all by the Father, according as each man is, or shall he, worthy. 533:10 And this is the banqueting-table at which those shall recline who are called to the marriage and take part in the feast.] 533:11 The Elders, the disciples of the Apostles, say that this is the arrangement and disposal of them that are being saved, 533:12 and that they advance by such steps, and ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and 533:13 through the Son to the Father, the Son at length yielding His work to the Father,

Wesley Center Online.

Armenopoulos' Hexabiblos (14th c.): Laws against the Jewish and Pagan converts & Heretics /Η Εξάβιβλος του Αρμενόπουλου (14ος αι.): Νόμοι κατά Ιουδαιοελληνιζόντων και Αιρετικών

* Κωνσταντίνος Αρμενόπουλος / Konstantinos Armenopoulos,
Πρόχειρον Νόμων, το λεγόμενον Η Εξάβιβλος / The Hexabiblos,
Εν Αθήναις, εκ της Τυπογραφίας Ανδρέου Κορομηλά, 1835,
pp./σσ. 518, 519.
[Ελληνικά/Greek, PDF]

John 1:18: The only-begotten "son" or "god"? /Ιωάννης 1:18: Ο μονογενής "υιός" ή "θεός";

* Ezra Abbot,
«On the reading "only-begotten God," in John 1:18; with particular reference to the statements of Dr. Tregelles»
[«Περί της ανάγνωσης "μονογενής Θεός", στο Ιωάννης 1:18· με συγκεκριμένη αναφορά στις δηλώσεις του Dr. Tregelles»],
Bibliotheca Sacra and Biblical Repository, 1861,
Vol./Τόμ. 18, pp./σσ. 840-872.
[English/Aγγλικά PDF]

The 9th-century Byzantine state & pagans, Jews and heretics /Το Βυζαντινό κράτος του 9ου αιώνα& οι παγανιστές, οι Ιουδαίοι και οι αιρετικοί

«Έλληνες και Ιουδαίοι και αιρετικοί ούτε στρατεύονται ούτε πολιτεύονται, αλλ' εσχάτως ατιμούνται».

«Pagans, Jews, and heretics do not serve in the army or in state offices but are utterly dishonored.»

—Επαναγωγή του Νόμου / Epanagoge [312] 9:13

* Collectio librorum juris Graeco-Romani ineditorum,
Κ. Ε. Zachariae von Lingenthal,
Leipzig 1852,
p./σ. 83.
[Ελληνικά/Greek, PDF]

Βλέπε επίσης:

* Amnon Linder,
The Jews in the legal sources of the early Middle Ages,
Wayne State University Press, 1997,
p./σ. 146.

The face of the mighty fundamentalist obscurantism of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Greece /Το πρόσωπο του κραταιού φοντεμανταλιστικού σκοταδισμού της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος

 

Μέρος 1ο

Μέρος 2ο

Οι δηλώσεις του μητροπολίτη Πειραιώς Σεραφείμ για τους Εβραίους σε εκπομπή του Mega έχει προκαλέσει την οργή των υψηλόβαθμων Εβραίων όπου γης, οι οποίοι ζητούν την απομάκρυνσή του από την Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία. Οι επίμαχες δηλώσεις του κ. Σεραφείμ έχουν ως εξής:

Σεραφείμ: "Εσείς αρνείστε πως υπάρχει μια παγκόσμια προοπτική για την καταστροφή της οικογένειας που είναι το πρωταρχικό κύτταρο της κοινωνίας, με τις μονογονικές οικογένειες, με τα ομόφυλα ζευγάρια δηλαδή μια προσπάθεια καταστροφής των εθνικών κρατών..."

Οικονομέας: "Ποιος την ενορχηστρώνει ποιος τη χαράζει τη πολιτική αυτή;"

Σεραφείμ: " Ποιος διεθνιστικός παράγων; Ο διεθνής Σιωνισμός είναι πίσω από όλη αυτή την ιστορία. Δεν το γνωρίζεται αυτό; Δεν ενθυμίστε την περίπτωση όταν επισκέφθηκε το Εβραϊκό λόμπι τον τότε πρωθυπουργό Κώστα Σημίτη με ένα και μοναδικό αίτημα να διαγραφεί το θρήσκευμα από τις ταυτότητες με την αιτιολογία ότι οι ομόπιστοί τους εν Ελλάδι υφίστανται διακρίσεις; Μην ξεχνάμε λοιπόν τα αυτονόητα. Υπάρχει μια παγκόσμια προσπάθεια απομειώσεως της θρησκευτικής ιδιοπροσωπείας των Χριστιανών".

Σε άλλο σημείο ο Δημήτρης Καμπουράκης ερωτά τον Μητροπολίτη:

"Σεβασμιότατε πείτε μου ειλικρινά είναι προκλητικό αυτό που θα σας ρωτήσω αλλά εάν ο παγκόσμιος διεθνής Σιωνισμός είναι αυτός που καθοδηγεί για όλο τον πλανήτη όλο αυτό το καταστροφικό σύστημα πείτε μου γιατί διαφωνήσατε με την πολιτική του Χίτλερ;"

Σεραφείμ: "Εμείς δεν είμαστε εναντίον των ανθρώπων, είμαστε εναντίον των συστημάτων. Σεβόμαστε κάθε άνθρωπο ο οποίος μας μισεί και μας υβρίζει. Γιατί αυτή είναι η εντολή του Χριστού μας, αλλά εν προκειμένω θα σας πω κάτι που θα σας φανεί εξωφρενικό, αλλά ο Αδόλφος Χίτλερ όργανο του παγκοσμίου Σιωνισμού ήταν και χρηματοδοτήθηκε από την περίφημη οικογένεια Rothschild με μοναδικό σκοπό να πείσει τους Εβραίους να φύγουν από την Ευρώπη και να κατεβούν στο Ισραήλ για να συστήσουν τη νέα αυτοκρατορία. Το παγκόσμιο σύστημα όπως ξέρετε στηρίζεται επάνω στο τραπεζικό σύστημα το οποίο έχει αλωθεί από το διεθνή Σιωνισμό. Rockefeller, Rothschild, Soros και άλλοι πολλοί. Είναι γνωστά αυτά."

 Οι διεθνείς αντιδράσεις στις παραπάνω δηλώσεις του Μητροπολίτη Πειραιώς ήταν έντονες. Σύμφωνα με το πρακτορείο JTA http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/12 ... tic-tirade:

 Ένας επικεφαλής ιερέας σε πρωινή εκπομπή του μεγαλύτερου τηλεοπτικού σταθμού στην Ελλάδα κατηγορεί τον Εβραϊκό κόσμο για τα οικονομικά προβλήματα στην Ελλάδα.

Ο Μητροπολίτης Πειραιώς κ. Σεραφείμ κατηγόρησε επίσης τον Εβραϊκό κόσμο και για άλλα δεινά της χώρας κατά την εμφάνισή του στο Μega TV.

Ανάμιξη Ελευθεροτεκτόνων με την εβραίους τραπεζίτες, όπως βαρόνος Rothschild και τον διεθνή Σιωνισμό, ο Μητροπολίτης είπε ότι υπάρχει μια συνωμοσία για να υποδουλώσει την Ελλάδα και Χριστιανική Ορθοδοξία. Κατηγόρησε επίσης το διεθνή Σιωνισμό ότι προσπαθεί να καταστρέψει την οικογενειακή μονάδα, με την προώθηση των μονογονεϊκών οικογενειών και των γάμων ατόμων του ιδίου φύλου.

Στο δέκατο τρίτο λεπτό του προγράμματος ο έλληνας δημοσιογράφος ρώτησε τον Μητροπολίτη, «Γιατί διαφωνείτε με τις πολιτικές του Χίτλερ; Αν κάνουν όλα αυτά, δεν είχε δίκιο να τους κάψει;"

Ο Μητροπολίτης απάντησε, «ο Αδόλφος Χίτλερ ήταν ένα όργανο του παγκόσμιου σιωνισμού και χρηματοδοτήθηκε από τη γνωστή οικογένεια Rothschild, με μοναδικό σκοπό να πείσει τους Εβραίους να εγκαταλείψουν τις ακτές της Ευρώπης και να πάνε πίσω στο Ισραήλ για τη δημιουργία της νέας αυτοκρατορίας."

Οι Εβραίοι, όπως "Rockefeller, Rothschild και Soros έχουν τον έλεγχο του διεθνούς τραπεζικού συστήματος που ελέγχει την παγκοσμιοποίηση", ο Μητροπολίτης είπε επίσης.

Ο Μητροπολίτης Πειραιώς Σεραφείμ δεν είναι ο μόνος Έλληνας κληρικός με τέτοιες ακραίες ιδέες, όμοια ο Μητροπολίτης Θεσσαλονίκης Άνθιμος που έχει κηρύξει παρόμοιες ιδέες από τον άμβωνα του.

«Βλέποντας και ακούγοντας το πρόγραμμα, ένιωσα αηδία ακούγοντας τον Μητροπολίτη Πειραιά εκφράζοντας τον εαυτό του, με αυτό τον τρόπο εναντίου του διεθνούς Σιωνισμού, και ξεδιάντροπα λέγοντας ότι ο Χίτλερ με τη βοήθεια των εβραϊκών τραπεζιτών έκανε ό, τι έκανε», δήλωσε ο Μπέντζαμιν Albala, πρόεδρος της εβραϊκής κοινότητας Αθηνών.

Η Αμερικανική Εβραϊκή Επιτροπή την Τετάρτη, ζήτησε από τους επικεφαλής της Ελληνικής Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας να καταδικάσουν τις δηλώσεις του Μητροπολίτη αυτής.

«Τα τρομακτικά ψέματα του Σεραφείμ στην ελληνική τηλεόραση αποδεικνύουν ότι ο αντισημιτισμός είναι ζωντανός και θάλλει στην Ελληνική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία", δήλωσε ο Ραβίνος David Rosen, διευθυντής διεθνών AJC των διαθρησκευτικών υποθέσεων, σε επιστολή του προς τον επικεφαλής της Ελληνικής Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας στην Ελλάδα, Αρχιεπίσκοπο Ιερώνυμο ΙΙ, καθώς και τον Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη Βαρθολομαίο. "Είναι ευθύνη της ηγεσίας της εκκλησίας να καταδικάσουν και να ξεριζώσουν τον αντισημιτισμό."

Το European Jewish Congress ζήτησε την απομάκρυνση του μητροπολίτη.

«Είναι εντελώς απαράδεκτο το γεγονός ότι κάποιος ανώτερος στην ευρωπαϊκή θρησκευτική κοινότητα μπορεί να κάνει τέτοιους αποκρουστικούς και γεμάτους μίσους ισχυρισμούς», δήλωσε στο EJC ο Πρόεδρος Δρ Moshe Kantor σε μια δήλωση. "Αυτό που ειπώθηκε τόσο ανοιχτά στην εθνική τηλεόραση διακηρρύσει ότι υπάρχουν εκείνοι που δεν αισθάνονται ντροπή να εκφράζουν αυτές τις απόψεις μπροστά σε ένα ευρύ κοινό."

«Καλούμε την ελληνική κυβέρνηση να εφαρμόσει τους νόμους της εναντίον τέτοιων λόγων μίσους και τους ηγέτες της Ελληνικής Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας, να απομακρύνουν αμέσως αυτό το πρόσωπο από τη θέση του."


Πηγή:
Amen.gr, "Αλυσιδωτές αντιδράσεις για τα σχόλια του Πειραιώς στο Mega",
Mega.

Few remarks on Justinian's age & his governing /Στοιχεία της εποχής και της διακυβέρνησης του Ιουστινιανού

Justinian / Ο Ιουστινιανός
(Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz)

The wealth of the church had increased greatly since the early fourth century, and the clergy made up a substantial portion of the population. The great church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople had a small army of clergy; a law of Justinian from the year 535 attempted to reduce its number to 525, which is some indication of the size to which it had grown. Bishops might receive salaries higher than provincial governors, and several times higher than professional men such as professors and public doctors. The lower clergy also drew stipends according to their rank. Priests and deacons, who served at the altar, were classed in the highest order. Then came the subdeacons, readers, acolytes, singers, exorcists, and doorkeepers. Farther down the scale were the grave diggers and the hospital attendants (parabalani). There were deaconesses as well, who superintended the baptism of women. Add to these the monasteries and convents that owned a substantial amount of property, and it is clear that the Christian Church absorbed a large portion of the gross domestic product.

Yet the church had become part of the fabric of society. It dominated private life. The year was marked by a succession of church festivals celebrating the lives of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. The church had Christianized many pagan customs and incorporated them into its rituals: thus, on August 15, when the pagans had once celebrated the grape harvest, the emperor and the patriarch would lead a procession from Constantinople to celebrate a harvest festival in a vineyard in a suburban area. The church maintained hospitals for the ill and provided what relief there was for the poor. Moreover, in the cities of the empire, it was often the bishops who provided leadership. The municipal councils consisted of decurions, whose membership was hereditary. These councils, which had once governed the cities and collected the taxes, had died a slow death over much of the empire, though Justinian continued to pass laws directing the council members to fulfill their duties. The bishops stepped into the vacuum of power, though they were assisted by ad hoc advisory councils of local notables. Their relationship with the monasteries in the territories of their cities was not always harmonious, particularly in the eastern provinces, where the monasteries were in closer contact with the country folk than the bishops, and were often anti-Chalcedonian. [...]

The Codex and the Digest look back to the past, but Justinian was a reformer at heart. He felt that he had a vocation vouchsafed him by God to set the laws on an even keel. He was a tireless worker, and his laws give us some measure of the man. They reveal both his concerns and his prejudices. There is a group of laws directed against the heterodox: pagans, heretics, Samaritans, and Jews. In 527, while Emperor Justin was still alive, though gravely ill, and Justinian was co-emperor, he issued a sweeping measure directed against all who rejected the Catholic Church and the orthodox faith. Then in the next two years there appeared a group of specific laws. Pagans were barred from the civil service, where the most profitable jobs in the empire were to be found. The rights of pagans to inherit and to leave legacies to designated heirs were curtailed. Anyone who was caught sacrificing secretly to the pagan gods was to be put to death. Pagan teachers were denied salaries from the imperial treasury, and another law threatened pagan teachers with confiscation of their property and exile if they did not accept baptism.

The Samaritans, the remnants of the northern kingdom of Israel, claimed to be the descendants of the Israelite tribes of Ephraim and Manassah. Until Justinian, the Samaritan religion, like Judaism, had the status of a “permitted religion” (religio licita). The law guaranteed its freedom and granted certain privileges. But in 529, the Samaritans rose in a revolt that was ruthlessly crushed and their religion lost its favored status. In 551, Justinian relaxed his measures, but in 556 the Samaritans rose again in revolt and were suppressed without pity.

As for Judaism, it retained its status as a religio licita. The Jewish Sabbath was respected by law. Jewish male children might be circumcised, whereas Gentile children might not, though there were exceptions for the Egyptians. Rabbis and synagogue elders had the same exemptions as the Christian clergy from the burdens of serving on town councils. Synagogues were protected by law against attacks, and if a mob of fanatical monks burned a synagogue and then consecrated the site for a church to prevent the Jews from rebuilding, the Jews were to receive another site of equal value. The rabbinical school at Tiberias in Palestine, which was the intellectual center of Judaism, continued unhindered by the imperial authorities. At the same time, the Jewish community did not consider Justinian a friend. For one thing, Justinian’s zeal for legal reform extended even to the synagogues: one of his laws stipulates that the Scriptures might be read in the synagogues either in Greek or in the local language of the congregation—probably an effort to discourage Hebrew, which was being used increasingly in synagogues. For another, it is clear Justinian classed Judaism as a heresy, even though he allowed it freedom. In one of his laws, Justinian wrote “I hate heresy” and among the heresies that he listed by name was Judaism. [...]

Efficiency was another cause dear to Justinian’s heart. He proclaimed a number of measures intended to increase efficiency and honesty in the administration. He frowned on the sale of offices, which was the bane of Byzantine administration. But the practice did not end; in fact, Prokopios in his bitter Secret History claimed that the sale of offices increased enormously in Justinian’s reign. It was a method of raising money, and the imperial treasury needed money. The emperor’s concern extended to the church. No member of the clergy was to be charged a fee for installation in a benefice. There was one exception: the Great Church, called Hagia Sophia, in Constantinople. Delinquent clergymen were another concern of the emperor. Many clergymen, it seems, were absenting themselves from their churches, though they did not forget to collect their salaries. Justinian decreed that bishops should appoint other clergy to take over the posts of these delinquents. Clergy were forbidden to gamble or go to the theater, and no man who was illiterate, heterodox, or immoral was to be ordained. These measures give a glimpse of the governance of the clergy, for laws are rarely passed to forbid imaginary offenses. If a bishop was forbidden to leave his diocese except with the permission of his metropolitan, the patriarch of Constantinople, or the emperor himself, we can be sure that some bishops did spend time away from their dioceses. [...]

Justin’s efforts to enforce orthodoxy extended to the surviving Arians in the east, and in 523–524, he took severe measures against them. This provoked a reaction from Theodoric the Ostrogoth, who ruled Italy though ostensibly he recognized the suzerainty of Constantinople. The Ostrogoths were Arians, and Theodoric was anxious to defend his fellow believers in the east. He dispatched Hormisdas’ successor, Pope John I, to Constantinople to remonstrate on behalf of the Arians. John received a warm welcome from Justin and Justinian: so warm that Theodoric became suspicious, and when John returned to Italy, he threw him into prison, where he died. But Justin relaxed his anti-Arian measures, and the Arian churches in the east continued to exist until Justinian closed them in 538, during Belisarios’ campaign against the Ostrogoths, and confiscated their property. By then the objections of the Ostrogoths no longer mattered.

* James Allan Evans,
The Emperor Justinian and the Byzantine Empire (Greenwood Guides to Historic Events of the Ancient World),
[Ο Αυτοκράτορας Ιουστινιανός και η Βυζαντινή Αυτοκρατορία]
Greenwood Press  2005,
pp./σσ. 7, 8, 26-30, 87.