Letter 24: When Christ said, "Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven," he was not...

To Crispos. That one must not carelessly, but with much diligence, unfold the sacred Scriptures. You ought to unroll the divine Scripture with learned skill, and to trace out its powers with prudence, and not to dare carelessly to touch the untouchable and unreachable mysteries, entrusting them to unworthy hands. For so the most audacious Uzziah, having presumed to lay hands on things not to be handled, brought leprosy upon himself through his boldness, and was unwillingly cast out of the temple, inasmuch as the law also barred entrance to those marked with leprosy. These things were written for our instruction, so that we may both flee from such presumptions and not suffer the punishments. To Olympios the Deacon. On the saying, "In the world you shall have tribulation." That unspeakable and unceasing gladness is produced by toils and struggles, and that the hardships are nothing compared to the greatness of the glory born of virtue — this you know. How then, knowing these things, did you seek to learn the meaning of "You shall have tribulation in this world"? For it is clear that the present life is the arena of struggles and contests, while the crowns and prizes belong to the life to come. To Martyrios the Reader. The terrible and all-daring love of money, knowing no satiety, drives the captured soul to the furthest extreme of evils. Therefore let us especially drive it away at the outset. For once it has seized control, it will be unconquerable. To Eutonios the Deacon. On the Lord's Prayer. You yourself seem to marvel at the brevity of the prayer, but I have always admired, and continue to admire, the surpassing philosophy contained in brief words. For even if the utterance of the words is easy, the meaning of the expressions is not. For God is not only a hearer of words, but also a doer of deeds. I therefore consider it the height of all audacity for one who does not do what befits a worthy son, yet to dare to call the Master "Father"; and for one whose deeds will cause the divine name to be blasphemed, yet to attempt to say, "Hallowed be your name"; and for one who is a most conspicuous bodyguard of the tyrant, to say, "Your kingdom come" — that is, "Appear as a victorious king to those who are tyrannized, granting the unconquerable alliance against sin"; and further, for one who does nothing that God wills, to act the part of virtue and say, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"; and for one who has given himself over to luxury and profligacy and has stored up in advance much provision, not only for nourishment but also for gluttony, to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread" — that is, either the bread suited to the soul, or that sufficient for the body. For "this day" indicates the daily economy: having led the intellect of the soul to the highest philosophy, he also limits the time of the petition. Then, for one who is unmerciful and cruel, to say, "Forgive us our debts"; and for one who bears grudges and retaliates beyond measure, to say, "As we also forgive our debtors"; and for one who throws himself into temptations and has cut every road leading to dangers, to say, "Lead us not into temptation" — this seems ridiculous, or rather is worthy of all indignation. And for one who gladly follows the enemy — for he prevails not by force or tyranny, but by deceit — to say, "But deliver us from the evil one" surpasses all irony. And to say, "For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory," while despising the one who possesses all power — what could be more contradictory than this? To Theodosius the Count. Wishing to teach something good, do not embroider your words but make your meaning plain through your deeds.

ΚΔ'. – ΚΡΙΣΠΩ. "Ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς φιλοπονίας χρὴ τὰς ἱερὰς ἀναπτύσσειν Γραφάς. Ἐπιστημονικῶς (24) τὴν θείαν Γραφὴν ἀνελίσσειν ὀφείλεις, καὶ τὰς αὐτῆς δυνάμεις νουνεχῶς ἀνιχνεύειν, καὶ μὴ κατατολμᾷν ἁπλῶς τῶν ἀψαύστων καὶ ἀνεφίκτων μυστηρίων, ἀναξίαις ταῦτα χερσὶν ἐπι- τρέπων. Οὕτω γὰρ ὁ τολμηρότατος Οζίας ἀναθαῤ- ῥήσας ἐπιβαλεῖν τοῖς ἀνεγχειρήτοις, λέπραν τῷ θρά- σει προσαπηνέγκατο, καὶ ἄκων ἀποῤῥιφεὶς τῶν ἀνακτόρων, καθότι καὶ νόμος τοῖς λέπρᾳ κατεστι- γμένοις τὴν εἴσω τούτων ἀπέκλειεν εἴσοδον. Ἐγράφη δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν, ἵνα καὶ τὰς τόλμας φύγωμεν, καὶ τὰς κολάσεις μὴ πάθωμεν. XXIV. - CRISPO. Non perfunctorie, sed multo labore Scripturas esse evolvendas. Scite et erudite divinam Scripturam evolvere de- bes, ipsiusque vires ac facultates prudenter investi- gare, nec mysteria ea, quæ attrectare nefas est, quæque comprehendi nequeunt, temere atque im- pudenter aggredi, manibus indignis ea committens. Ad hunc enim modum audacissimus Osias, cum rebus iis, quas aggredi minime licebat, manum injicere minime dubitasset, temeritate sua lepram retulit, invitusque a templo projectus est 30. Quan- doquidem lex quoque iis, qui lepra compuncti atque infecti erant, aditum ad templum claudebat 31.32 ΚΔ΄. – ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλίψιν ἔξετε. · Ὅτι τὴν ἄφραστον καὶ ἄληκτον εὐφροσύνην οἱ πόνοι καὶ οἱ ἀγῶνες φύουσι, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲν οἱ μόχθοι πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος τῆς εὐκλείας τῆς ὑπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς τικτομένης, οἶσθα. Πῶς τοίνυν ταῦτα ἐπιστάμενος, ἐκεῖνο ἐζήτησας μαθεῖν, τὸ, « Θλίψιν ἔξετε ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ; » Δῆλον μὲν γὰρ ὅτι τῶν μὲν ἀγώνων καὶ τῶν ἄθλων στάδιόν ἐστιν ὁ παρὼν βίος· τῶν δὲ στεφάνων καὶ τῶν ἐπάθλων, ὁ μέλλων. Δ΄. ΣΤΕΦΑΝΩ. Ἐπειδὴ τοῖς καλοῖς ἔξεστι, τοιαύτης τύχης ἐγκύκλιος, μήτ' ἐλέγξει πρὸς τοῦτο ἐπιτρέπῃ· ἄ καὶ πάνυ σπουδῇ καὶ αὐτὸς μᾶλλον ἀπεχεστέρ ΚΔ΄. – ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Ὁ δεινὸς καὶ πάντολμος τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ἔρως, κόρον οὐκ εἰδὼς, ἐπὶ τὸ ἔσχατον τῶν κακῶν τὴν ἀλοῦσαν ψυχὴν ἐλαύνει. Οὐκοῦν μάλιστ᾽ ἐν προ οιμίοις αὐτὸν ἀπελάσωμεν. Κρατήσας γὰρ, ἀχείρω τος ἔσται. ΚΔ', ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ, « Πάτερ ἡμῶν (9). • Αὐτὸς μὲν ἔοικας θαυμάζειν τῆς εὐχῆς τὴν βρα- χυλογίαν (95) · ἐγὼ δὲ ἡγάμην ἀεὶ, καὶ ἄγαμαι τὴν ἐν βραχέσι ῥήμασιν ὑπερφυῆ (96) φιλοσοφίαν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ τῶν λόγων ἀπαγγελία εὔκολος, ἀλλὰ οὐ τῶν φωνῶν. Οὐ γὰρ λόγων ἀκροατὴς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργων ποιητής. Πάσης τοιγαροῦν ἐπέκεινα τόλ- μης χωρεῖν ὑπολαμβάνω, τὸν μὴ πράττοντα μὲν τὰ υἱῷ εὐδοκίμῳ πρέποντα, τολμᾷν δὲ πατέρα καλεῖν τὸν Δεσπότην· καὶ δρῶντα μὲν ἐξ ὧν δυσφημηθήσε- ται τὸ θεῖον ὄνομα, ἐπιχειροῦντα δὲ λέγειν· · Άγια· σθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου· · καὶ τοῦ τυράννου ὄντα δορυφό- ρον ἐπισημότατον, φράζειν· « Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου· », ὄφθητι, τουτέστι, τοῖς τυραννουμένοις βασι- λεὺς νικηφόρος, παρέχων τὴν κατὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀήττητον συμμαχίαν· ἔτιτε μηδὲν ὧν θέλει ὁ Θεὸς, διαπραττόμενον, ὑποκρίνεσθαι ἀρετὴν, καὶ λέγειν « Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς·, τρυφῇ τε καὶ ἀσωτίᾳ ἐκδεδωκότα ἑαυτὸν καὶ πολλὰ προαποθέμενον, οὐ μόνον εἰς τροφὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς (97) γαστριμαργίαν ἐφόδια, εὔχεσθαι· « Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον (τουτέστιν, ἢ τὸν τῇ ψυχῇ ἁρμόδιον, ἢ τὸν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτάρκη) δὸς ἡμῖν σήμε- ρον. Τὸ γὰρ ἡ σήμερον τὴν καθημερινὴν οἰκονομίαν μηνύει. Εἰς γὰρ τὴν ἀκροτάτην φιλοσοφίαν ἀγα- γῶν (98) τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ νοερὸν, καὶ αὐτὸν ὁρίζει τῆς αἰτήσεως τὸν χρόνον. Εἶτα ἀμείλικτον ὄντα καὶ ὠμὸν, λέγειν· «Αφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν· » μνησι- κακοῦντα δὲ, καὶ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου ἀμυνόμενον, λέ- γειν· « Καθὼς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν· τὸν δ᾽ εἰς πειρασμοὺς ἑαυτὸν ῥίπτοντα, καὶ πᾶσαν τεμόντα (99) ὁδὸν ἐπὶ κινδύνους ἄγουσαν, φράζειν· « Μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν· » καὶ γελοῖον εἶναι δοκεῖ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀγανακτήσεως ἁπάσης ἄξιον ἐστι. Τὸ δὲ καὶ ἀσμένως ἀκολουθοῦντα τῷ ἐχθρῷ (οὐ γὰρ βίᾳ, οὐδὲ τυραννίδι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπάτῃ περιγίνεται) λέγειν· « ᾿Αλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ, πᾶσαν εἰρωνείαν ὑπερβάλλει. Τὸ δὲ φρά- ζειν μὲν· « Ὅτι σὸῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ ἡ δύνα- μις, καὶ ἡ δόξα· » καταφρονεῖν δὲ τοῦ πᾶσαν δύνα- ---END OF PAGE--- ΚΔ΄. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ Δέον εἶναι ταῖς θείαις ψυχαῖς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῆς σπουδῆς καὶ καλλωπίζειν ταύτας, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς εὐπρεπῶς ὑπομένῃ, καὶ μηδεμία προσίῃ δόξα. ΡΜΑ΄. – ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ ΚΟΜΙΤΙ Θέλων ἀγαθὸν διδάξαι, μὴ τοὺς λόγους ποίκιλλε, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔργοις κληδόνιζε.