Letter 532: Theodore Studite, Letter 532; Greek heading: Μιχαὴλ καὶ Θεοφίλῳ βασιλεῦσιν. Βασιλεῦσι θεοφιλεστάτοις καὶ εὐσεβεστάτοις ἐκ θεοῦ αὐγούστοις καὶ αὐτοκράτορσιν ἀπολογία τε καὶ προσφώνησις παρὰ τῶν ὧδέ τε κἀκεῖσε διεσπαρμένων.

It is acknowledged among those who partake of reason that God, the King of all things over all, bestowed upon human nature the substance and the very name of earthly kingship for this purpose: that, in imitation of the heavenly realms, things on earth too, having attained peace and freedom from sedition, might offer to him a concordant doxology and veneration [proskynesis]. Having by divine decree obtained the reins of this, your Christ-imitating majesty has fittingly summoned us, the least of men, to come into discussion with those who are set against us regarding the word of the faith, so that from this it may be known which party upholds the truth, and to it might be awarded the victory, to the end that there be no schisms among us, but that all should hold the same orthodox mind. For which reason we have praised your love of learning concerning the faith, but we have praised yet more your peace-loving purpose, which thus aims at establishing your subjects in benefit and salvation. For may there be a recompense for you from this: upon splendor an unspeakable splendor, and upon kingship a kingship without end. But, O most mighty and most God-loving masters, it is not possible for this great and much-prayed-for accomplishment to come about so simply and without toil, for with the greatest undertakings there appear together also the greatest hardships to be endured. What is this? First, that those who oppose us have, over a long time and synodically, become fixed in their own opinions, whereas we are forbidden, apostolically and after the manner of the fathers, to enter together into the discussion concerning the faith with those who are thus possessed [of their views]. Then, that the judgment concerning it belongs to none other than to those alone who have received the authority from the Lord through the Spirit, with you also concurring and setting your seal thereto, who for this purpose have been called by God to take the lead. But it is necessary to set forth what the sound and blameless conviction of our most Christian religion is. We believe in one God, worshipped and glorified together in Father and Son and Holy Spirit, the much-hymned, all-creating, and sovereign Trinity, according to the God-inspired Creed handed down to us by the holy three hundred and eighteen fathers [the Council of Nicaea, 325], through which every heresy [hairesis: false teaching] has been struck down and upon which every holy synod depends, just as branches from a root and rivers from a spring. For from this the second [council, Constantinople 381] made plain the sovereign voice [the divinity] of the Spirit; then the third [Ephesus 431] proclaimed holy Mary as Theotokos [God-bearer], as having given birth to the only-begotten Son of God himself; then the fourth [Chalcedon 451] set forth as doctrine that our Lord Jesus Christ is from two and in two natures, according to a single hypostasis [individual subsistence]; then the fifth [Constantinople 553], having set its seal upon the one before it, anathematized Origen and those about him who held pre-existence; then the sixth [Constantinople 680-81], following upon the two natures, taught two wills and two energies in the one Christ; and afterward the seventh [Nicaea 787], following upon those before it, since all the natural properties in the one Christ are twofold, proclaimed the same one to be uncircumscribable as to the invisible and circumscribable as to the visible, holding the truth firmly established in four modes: from natural doctrine, from the citations of the fathers, from synodical declarations, and from ancient legislation. Now according to natural sequence, for example, the evangelist John points this out, saying: 'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' If, then, the Word became flesh, it is clear that as Word he is uncircumscribable, but as flesh he is circumscribed; and if he dwelt among us (and the one who dwells is one thing, the dwelling another), in one respect he would be circumscribed, but in another he is above circumscription. For by what signs will he be recognized to have become man, unless he naturally possesses the property of being delineated in an image, which is the first thing in a formed man, and by the removal of which the man is done away with? But indeed he is truly man; therefore he who as God is uncircumscribable is, as man, also circumscribed. For which reason he was named mediator of God and men, as joining the two extremes to himself and being both, and possessing without deficiency in a single hypostasis the properties of both natures, from which he was composed: from the Father, together with all else, also the uncircumscribable, since he has said, 'All that is mine is thine, and thine is mine'; and from the Mother, together with all else, also the circumscribable, since it is written, 'For surely he does not take hold of angels, but he takes hold of the seed of Abraham,' whence he was obliged to be made like to the brethren in all things. One property, therefore, removed in either nature, naturally and of necessity removes along with it all the properties of the same rank; and when the properties are removed, it is clear that their natures are also removed along with them. And, as witness to this argument, the holy martyr Justin says somewhere thus: 'For none of the things that are remains what it is when even one single thing belonging to it by nature is wanting'; and hence the things of our faith are rendered void by the new supposition. Following upon the evangelist, then, the Apostle [Paul] says this: 'Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal to God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.' Now if, being in the form of God, he took the form of a servant, then incontestably, insofar as he is in the form of God, he is not delineated in an image, since the divine is beyond comprehension; but insofar as he took the form of a servant, he is delineated, since the servile form is bounded by comprehension, in touch and in color. For how will he be believed to have come to be in the likeness of men, if he is not by nature delineated in an image like men? And how will he be said to have been found in fashion as a man, if he is not seen depicted in human fashion? See, O most serene ones, how, being necessarily made like to the brethren in all things, with whom he likewise shared in flesh and blood, he must of necessity be subject to being delineated in an image equally with them? And if not, then he has not been made like, and the one who declared it has lied, and the nature has been altered. And indeed God the Word himself says somewhere thus: 'Why do you seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you which I heard from God?' But he who is not delineated in an image would never call himself a man, nor would he who is by nature subject to being killed not also be by nature subject to being delineated in an image; for the one is introductory and confirmatory of the other. This is he who was 'put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,' as the blessed Peter has said; and what else would this be than to say that he is delineated in an image as to the flesh, but not delineated as to the spirit? This is he who said, 'And he who eats me, he too shall live by me'; but he who is not circumscribed could not say that he is eaten, unless indeed he were some phantom. And if we were to accept that, we should fall into the conviction of Manichaeus [Mani, founder of Manichaeism], doing away with the great mystery of piety. For that man too says that the Son revealed his own substance on the mountain in the visible and the invisible, having not two natures but one. So that those who firmly maintain that Christ is not circumscribed, as upholding one nature, are convicted of falling in together with that man's conviction; for what is uncircumscribable is also incorporeal. Nor again, in being circumscribed, is the one person of Christ cut into a duality of persons, as seems to some, since neither does the nature of an image and its prototype know how to be cut hypostatically, but possesses its difference by the principle of essence. For the all-wise Dionysius says: 'each is in the other, save for the difference of essence.' Since also in the case of the life-giving cross no one would say that the cross-shaped image is anything other than its prototype except only that it differs by the natural principle; and the example is near at hand, and the truth is indisputable. This, then, is the first of the aforesaid modes. What is the second? The utterances of the saints, declaring that our Lord Jesus Christ is delineated in an image, not by way of syllogism, but plainly. And if we should wish to insert all of them here, we shall exceed the moderation proper to an address. But selecting from many two or three, and these the more pertinent, by these we will give credence to the rest as well, fulfilling here too what is written: 'At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.' The voice of Peter, the chief of the apostles, recorded in the history of the holy martyr Pancratius: 'Bring out the image [eikon: icon] of our Lord Jesus Christ and impress it upon the little tower, that the peoples may see what form the Son of God took, that seeing it they may believe the more, beholding the figure of the form, and may receive a reminder of the things proclaimed by us to them.' How awesome is this word, all but crying out: 'Bring out the image of him who by his virtue covered the heavens, and impress it as it were upon a height, for a manifest testimony.' 'That the peoples may see what form the Son of God took': not of an angel nor archangel nor of any other power, but the servile form according to our likeness. 'That seeing it they may believe the more': as though the history through words did not suffice, but the operation through sight was also needed for fuller assurance that the Son of God became the son of man. 'And may receive a reminder of the things proclaimed by us to them': like saying, 'This shall be a memorial to you for generations of generations.' And the history notes that the rest of the apostles also did the same in cities and villages, setting out in order the whole history of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ from the beginning, when the angel cried the 'Hail' to the Virgin, until he was also taken up; which images, it says, they also exhorted to be honored with fear. See, O most God-loving ones, that together with the setting-up of the sacred images, their being venerated with fear was also handed down by the apostles from the beginning. For their being honored is clearly acknowledged to be equivalent to their being venerated. The voice of Athanasius, the man of many contests, from his address delivered at Berytus: 'Lift up the eyes of your mind and behold this new spectacle'; and after other things: 'Then the Jews, having brought down the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, said that, just as our fathers once spat upon him, so let us too spit upon him. Then they began to spit upon the face of the image of the Lord and struck it upon the face before those who had gathered from here and there'-that is, the image of the Lord-saying: 'Whatever our fathers did to him, let us do it all to his image. And they say that they mocked him; let us do the same.' With countless mockeries, therefore, they mocked the image of the Lord, things which have not been ventured even to be told by us. Then they say: 'We have heard that they nailed his hands and feet; let us too do this to him.' Then they nailed the hands and feet of the Lord's image with nails. Again they say in their madness: 'We have heard that they gave him vinegar and gall to drink with a sponge; let us too do it to him.' And they did so, applying to the mouth of the Lord's image the sponge filled with vinegar. Again they say: 'We have learned that our fathers struck his head with a reed; let us do the same.' And taking a reed, they struck the head of the Master. Finally they say: 'As we learn precisely that they pierced his side with a lance, let us omit nothing, but add this too.' And, having a lance brought, they ordered one of them to take up the lance and strike the side of the Lord's image; and when this was done, immediately there gushed forth from it a quantity of blood and water. Faithful is the word, O most wise ones: on the one hand, that signs are for the unbelieving, not for those who believe; on the other, that we too might know that by the outrage to the image the prototype is outraged, just as conversely by the honor of the image honor is rendered [to the prototype]. The voice of Basil the Great, from the encomium upon the martyr Barlaam: 'Let Christ also, the steward of the contests, be inscribed upon the panel.' Here too, O most serene ones, the term of the iconic setting-up is secure. For it is not, as some idly argue, that Christ is said by the God-bearer [Basil] to be inscribed upon the tablet of the soul; for we have Christ not as inscribed in us, but as dwelling through faith in our hearts, as the Apostle cries out. Then, by the bringing-in of the conjunction 'and,' he indicated what precedes, which is this: 'Arise now for me, you brilliant painters of athletic triumphs; magnify by your arts the curtailed image of the general; illumine with the colors of your wisdom him whom I have portrayed too dimly, the crowned one. Let me come away vanquished by your portrayal of the martyr's deeds of prowess. I rejoice to be worsted today by such a victory of your strength. Let me see the wrestling of the hand against the fire more exactly portrayed by you; let me see the wrestler more brightly depicted in your image. Let the demons weep even now, smitten by the martyr's deeds of prowess in your work; let his hand, again aflame and conquering, be shown to them.' These things one surely could not say are inscribed in us; and even if this were granted, he would not have first commended the servant and then thus the Master; and besides, by saying straightway at the outset, 'Arise now for me, O brilliant painters of athletic triumphs,' he plainly indicated the makers of images, not the writers of words, just as in the encomium of the Forty Martyrs the same man says this: 'Since the brave deeds of wars are often set forth both by writers of words and by painters, the former adorning them with the word, the latter engraving them on panels.' Since, then, the second mode too has reached its end, what is the third? The voice of the fathers who sat in council after the sixth [council] at Constantinople [the Quinisext Council, canon 82]: 'In certain depictions of the sacred images a lamb is engraved, pointed at by the finger of the Forerunner [John the Baptist], which was received as a type of grace, foreshowing to us through the law the true Lamb, Christ our God. Therefore, embracing the ancient types and the shadows as symbols and prefigurations of the truth handed down to the Church, we prefer the grace and the truth, having received it as the fulfillment of the law. Therefore, so that the perfect might be set forth before the eyes of all even in the productions of color, we ordain that the figure according to the human aspect of the Lamb, Christ our God, who takes away the sin of the world, be from now on set up also in the images in place of the old lamb, perceiving through him the height of the humiliation of God the Word, and being led by the hand to the remembrance of his life in the flesh, of his Passion and saving death, and of the redemption thence accomplished for the world.' Here, together with the image of Christ, there is also a discourse concerning the images of all the saints: first, because the declaration is that he should be set up since he has already been prefigured and the [phrase] 'and in place of the old lamb' is wanting [i.e., the old type is now superseded]; then, because not only is his image to be called worthy of embrace according to the symbols and prefigurations in the law that were called worthy of embrace, but it is also to be venerated, both his and that of any saint whatsoever. For it is clear that one would acknowledge it venerable and worthy of veneration; and further, that every image is named homonymously with its prototype, through the saying, 'a lamb is engraved, pointed at by the finger of the Forerunner,' as also the divine Gregory of Nyssa says somewhere thus: 'Isaac lies before the father, at the very altar.' The voice of the fathers who sat in council at Antioch: 'Not as another in form, but as himself one Lord, being in one form, according to which there is also one character of the hypostasis of the Father, and being incorporeal before the flesh he was one, and in the flesh he is one, and in the image the same is one, not divided into two characters nor split into two glories, but gathered into one.' And after other things: 'But just as he himself is one out of two opposites and is gathered into one person, so too his image is one and of the same one Christ. And we will not call the character that appeared to us according to the flesh one thing, and the character figured according to the image in the appearance of his form another thing, but the same one, since the character is not spoken of insofar as it is body, but insofar as it is incorporeal.' And this will be made clearer through the divine Chrysostom, who calls the character heavenly, since indeed it was from heaven-not insofar as he is body, but insofar as he is incorporeal-that the only-begotten God, coming down from the heavens, was made flesh and appeared, putting on our body. And after a little: 'Therefore, since he shows the character itself by way of reference, we venerate Christ himself and not the matter that is artfully figured in the image.' Here the dogmatic clarification is plainer: first, that there is one form in both, of Christ and of the image; then, that the very character of the hypostasis of the Father, made manifest in the image in the appearance of his form, is at once both manifested and venerated with undivided glory. There remains the fourth mode, that of the ancient legislation. Lift up your eyes round about, O most benevolent one, and behold the [world] under heaven, which from the apostolic preaching itself, everywhere on land and sea, through sacred temples and divine vessels and venerable offerings, bears Christ delineated in image, and by the very works sends forth a voice that Christ has reigned over those on earth, according to what is sung in the manner of David: 'Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession'; and that there is no idol in the world, according to what was said by the Apostle, and that all things are filled with blessed light, since he has come who said, 'I have come as light into the world.' For what are the things seen? Here he is born in a cave and glorified by angels; there he is carried on the arm by his mother and venerated by the magi; then among boys, when he was seen sitting in the midst of the teachers; then baptized by the Forerunner; then working wonders with the apostles, going up upon the cross, breathing his last, being buried, rising, ascending into the heavens. Gazing, then, upon all these things in their images, as the apostles did then with their own eyes, we too may fittingly say: 'We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.' This, then, is the faith proclaimed from of old; this the holy synods embraced, and with it all the churches everywhere in every place are in accord, in east and west, in north and sea; which we too, the least, embracing, pray and pray earnestly, as is our duty, for your God-loving majesty.

Ἐγνωσμένον ἐστὶ τοῖς λόγου μετέχουσιν ὅτι ὁ παμβασιλεὺς τῶν ἁπάντων θεὸς τὸ τῆς ἐπιγείου βασιλείας χρῆμά τε καὶ ὄνομα τούτου χάριν ἐδωρήσατο τῇ ἀνθρωπείᾳ φύσει, ἵνα, μιμήσει τῶν οὐρανίων καὶ τὰ ἐπίγεια τὸ εἰρηναῖον καὶ ἀστασίαστον κεκτημένα, σύμφωνον ἄγοιεν τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν δοξολογίαν τε καὶ προσκύνησιν· ἧς τὰς ἡνίας λαχοῦσα θεοκρίτως ἡ ὑμετέρα χριστομίμητος βασιλεία εἰκότως προσκέκληκεν ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἐλαχίστους εἰς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μετὰ τῶν ἀντιδιατιθεμένων ἡμῖν τῷ τῆς πίστεως λόγῳ, ὡς ἂν ἐντεῦθεν γνοίη πότερον μέρος τὸ ἀληθὲς πρεσβεύοι καὶ ταύτῃ δοίη τὰ νικητήρια εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι σχίσματα ἐν ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ὀρθοδόξως ἅπαντας. ἐφ' ᾧ ᾐνέσαμεν μὲν ὑμῶν τὸ φιλομαθὲς τῆς πίστεως, ὑπερῃνέσαμεν δὲ τὸ εἰρηνοθελὲς τῆς προαιρέσεως, οὕτως ἐφιεμένης ἐπ' ὠφελείᾳ καὶ σωτηρίᾳ τὸ ὑπήκοον καταστήσασθαι· εἴη γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐντεῦθεν ἄμειψις, ἐπὶ λαμπρότητι λαμπρότης ἄρρητος καὶ ἐπὶ βασιλείᾳ βασιλεία ἀτελεύτητος. Ἀλλ', ὦ δεσπόται κράτιστοι καὶ φιλοθεώτατοι, οὐχ οἷόν τέ ἐστι τοῦτο τὸ μέγα καὶ πολύευκτον κατόρθωμα ἁπλῶς οὕτως καὶ ἀκαμάτως γενέσθαι, διότι τῶν μεγίστων πραγμάτων μέγισται συναναφαίνονται καὶ αἱ τληπαθήσεις. τί τοῦτο; πρῶτον μὲν τὸ τοὺς ἐναντιουμένους ἡμῖν χρονίως τε καὶ συνοδικῶς πεπαγιῶσθαι ταῖς οἰκείαις δόξαις, ἡμᾶς δὲ ἀποστολικῶς τε καὶ πατρικῶς κεκωλῦσθαι συνᾶραι μετὰ τῶν οὕτω κεκρατημένων τὸν περὶ πίστεως λόγον· ἔπειτα, ὅτι καὶ ἡ περὶ αὐτοῦ κρίσις οὐκ ἄλλοις ἀνήκει ἢ μόνοις τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου τὴν ἐξουσίαν διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος εἰληφόσι, συναιρομένων τε καὶ συνεπισφραγιζόντων καὶ ὑμῶν τῶν ἐπὶ τούτῳ ὑπὸ θεοῦ προηγουμένων κεκλημένων. τὸ δὲ ὑγιὲς καὶ ἀμώμητον τῆς χριστιανικωτάτης ἡμῶν θρησκείας φρόνημα ὁποῖόν ἐστιν ἀναγκαῖον ἐκθέσθαι. Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεόν, τὸν ἐν πατρί τε καὶ υἱῷ καὶ Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ προσκυνούμενόν τε καὶ συνδοξαζόμενον, τὴν πολυύμνητον, παντουργὸν καὶ ἀρχικὴν Τριάδα κατὰ τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων τριακοσίων δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ πατέρων παραδοθὲν ἡμῖν θεόπνευστον σύμβολον, δι' οὗ πᾶσα αἵρεσις ἐκκέκρουσται καὶ παρ' οὗ πᾶσα ἁγία σύνοδος ἤρτηται, οἷάπερ ἀπὸ ῥίζης κλάδοι καὶ πηγῆς ποταμοί. ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ ἡ δευτέρα τὴν κυρίαν φωνὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐτράνωσεν· εἶτα ἡ τρίτη τὴν ἁγίαν Μαρίαν Θεοτόκον, ὡς αὐτὸν τὸν μονογενῆ υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀποκυήσασαν, ἐκήρυξεν· ἔπειτα ἡ τετάρτη ἐκ δύο καὶ ἐν δυσὶ φύσεσι καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἑνικὴν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐδογμάτισεν· εἶτα ἡ πέμπτη, τὴν πρὸ αὐτῆς ἐπισφραγίσασα, Ὠριγένην τε καὶ τοὺς ἀμφ' αὐτὸν προϋπαρκτίτας ἀνεθεμάτισεν· ἔπειτα ἡ ἕκτη ἀκολούθως ταῖς δυσὶ φύσεσι δύο θελήματά τε καὶ ἐνεργείας ἐπὶ τοῦ ἑνὸς Χριστοῦ ἐξεδίδαξεν· εἶθ' ὕστερον ἡ ἑβδόμη ἑπομένως ταῖς πρὸ αὐτῆς, ὡς διπλᾶ πάντα τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἑνὸς Χριστοῦ φυσικὰ ἰδιώματα, τὸν αὐτὸν ἀπερίγραπτον κατὰ τὸ ἀόρατον καὶ περιγραπτὸν κατὰ τὸ ὁρώμενον ἀνεκήρυξε, τέτρασι τρόποις ἐρηρεισμένως τὸ ἀληθὲς ἔχουσα, ἔκ τε φυσικοῦ δόγματος, παρά τε πατρικῶν χρήσεων, ἔκ τε συνοδικῶν ἐκφωνήσεων καὶ παρὰ ἀρχαίας θεσμοθεσίας. κατὰ μὲν οὖν φυσικὴν ἀκολουθίαν, φέρε εἰπεῖν, ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης ὑποδείκνυσι λέγων· καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν. εἰ τοίνυν ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, δῆλον ὅτι ὡς μὲν λόγος ἀπερίγραπτος, ὡς δὲ σὰρξ περιγραφόμενος· καί, εἰ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν (ἄλλο δὲ τὸ σκηνοῦν καὶ ἕτερον ἡ σκηνή), καθ' ἕτερον μὲν περιγράφοιτο, καθ' ἕτερον δὲ περιγραφῆς ἀνώτερος. ἐπεί, ποίοις σημείοις ἄνθρωπος γεγονέναι ἐπιγνωσθήσεται, εἰ μὴ τὸ τῆς ἐξεικονίσεως ἰδίωμα, ὅπερ ἐστὶ πρῶτον ἐν μεμορφωμένῳ ἀνθρώπῳ, φυσικῶς κέκτηται, οὗ τῇ ἀναιρέσει φροῦδος ὁ ἄνθρωπος; ἀλλὰ μὴν ἄνθρωπος ἀληθῶς, οὐκοῦν καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος περιγραφόμενος ὁ ὡς θεὸς ὢν ἀπερίγραπτος. ἐφ' ᾧπερ λόγῳ μεσίτης θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἐχρημάτισεν, ὡς τὰ ἀμφότερα ἄκρα πρὸς ἑαυτὸν συνάπτων καὶ ἀμφότερα ὑπάρχων καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀμφοτέρων ἐξ ὧν συνετέθη φύσεων ἰδιώματα ἐν μιᾷ ὑποστάσει ἀνελλιπῶς κεκτημένος, ἔκ τε πατρὸς σὺν πᾶσι καὶ τὸ ἀπερίγραπτον, ἐπείπερ εἴρηκε, πάντα τὰ ἐμὰ σά ἐστι καὶ τὰ σὰ ἐμά, ἔκ τε μητρὸς σὺν πᾶσι καὶ τὸ περιγραπτόν, ἐπείπερ γέγραπται, οὐ γὰρ δήπου ἀγγέλων ἐπιλαμβάνεται, ἀλλὰ σπέρματος Ἀβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεται. ὅθεν ὤφειλε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι. ἓν οὖν καθ' ἑκατέραν φύσιν ἀναιρούμενον ἰδίωμα συναναιρεῖν πέφυκεν ἐξ ἀναγκαίου πάντα τὰ ὁμόστοιχα, ἀναιρουμένων δὲ τῶν ἰδιωμάτων δῆλον ὅτι συναναιροῦνται καὶ αἱ τούτων φύσεις. καί, μάρτυς τοῦ λόγου, ὁ ἱερομάρτυς Ἰουστῖνος ὧδέ πού φησι· οὐδὲν γὰρ διαμένει τῶν ὄντων ὅπερ ἐστίν, ἑνὸς καὶ μόνου τῶν προσόντων αὐτῷ φυσικῶς ἐλλείποντος· κἀντεῦθεν φροῦδα τὰ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν ἐκ τῆς καινῆς ὑποθέσεως καθέστηκεν. ἑπομένως δ' οὖν τῷ εὐαγγελιστῇ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος τάδε φησίν· ὅς, ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ, ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε μορφὴν δούλου λαβών. τοίνυν, εἴπερ ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων μορφὴν δούλου ἔλαβεν, ἀναντιρρήτως, ᾗ μὲν ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχει, οὐκ ἐξεικονίζεται, ὅτιπερ τὸ θεῖον ὑπὲρ κατάληψιν, ᾗ δὲ μορφὴν δούλου ἔλαβεν, ἐξεικονίζεται, ὅτι ὑπὸ κατάληψιν τῆς ἐν ἁφῇ τε καὶ χροιᾷ ἡ δουλικὴ μορφὴ περιορίζεται. πῶς γὰρ ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γεγονέναι πιστευθήσεται, εἰ μὴ ὁμοίως τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐξεικονίζεσθαι πέφυκε; πῶς δὲ καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθῆναι ὡς ἄνθρωπος λεχθήσεται, εἰ μὴ τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ σχήματι γεγραμμένος ὀφθήσεται; Ὁρᾶτε, ὦ γαληνότατοι, πῶς, ὀφειλομένως κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιούμενος, οἷς καὶ παραπλησίως μετέσχηκε σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, ἐξ ἀναγκαίου ἔχοι τὸ ἐπίσης τούτοις ἐξεικονίζεσθαι; εἰ δὲ μή, οὐχ ὡμοίωται, καὶ διέψευσται ὁ ἀποφηνάμενος, καὶ ἡ φύσις παρήλλακται. καὶ μὴν αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς καὶ λόγος ὧδέ πού φησι· τί με ζητεῖτε ἀποκτεῖναι, ἄνθρωπον, ὃς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑμῖν λελάληκα, ἣν ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ; οὐκ ἂν δὲ ὁ μὴ ἐξεικονιζόμενος ἄνθρωπον ἑαυτὸν εἴποιέ ποτε, οὐδ' ἂν ὁ πεφυκὼς ἀποκτένεσθαι μὴ οὐχὶ πεφυκὼς εἴη καὶ τοῦ ἐξεικονίζεσθαι· θάτερον γὰρ θατέρου εἰσαγωγικόν τε καὶ ὁμολογητικόν. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκί, ζωοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι, καθὼς ὁ μακάριος Πέτρος λέλεχε· τί δ' ἄλλο εἶεν τοῦτο ἢ τὸ φάναι ἐξεικονίζεσθαι σαρκί, οὐκ ἐξεικονιζόμενον πνεύματι; οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ εἰρηκώς, καὶ ὁ τρώγων με, κἀκεῖνος ζήσεται δι' ἐμέ· οὐκ ἂν δὲ ὁ μὴ περιγραφόμενος εἴποιεν ἐσθίεσθαι, εἰ μή τί γε ἆρα φάντασμα εἶεν. ὅπερ εἰ καταδεξοίμεθα, ἐμπεσούμεθα εἰς τὸ τοῦ Μανιχαίου φρόνημα, ἀποσκευαζόμενοι τὸ μέγα τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἐν τῷ ὁρατῷ καὶ ἀοράτῳ τὸν υἱὸν τὴν ἰδίαν οὐσίαν ἐν τῷ ὄρει πεφανερωκέναι φησίν, οὐ δύο ἔχοντα φύσεις, ἀλλὰ μίαν. ὥστε καὶ οἱ μὴ περιγράφεσθαι Χριστὸν διισχυριζόμενοι, ὡς μίαν φύσιν πρεσβεύοντες, ἐκείνου τῷ φρονήματι συνεμπίπτειν ἀπελέγχονται· ὃ γὰρ ἀπερίγραπτον, τοῦτο καὶ ἀσώματον, οὐδ' αὖ ἐν τῷ περιγεγράφθαι εἰς δυάδα προσώπων τὸ ἓν Χριστοῦ πρόσωπον, ὡς δοκεῖ τισι, διατέμνεται, ὅτι μηδὲ φύσις εἰκόνος τε καὶ πρωτοτύπου ὑποστατικῶς οἶδε τέμνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τῷ τῆς οὐσίας λόγῳ τὴν διαφορὰν κέκτηται. φησὶ γὰρ ὁ πάνσοφος Διονύσιος· ἑκάτερον ἐν ἑκατέρῳ παρὰ τὸ τῆς οὐσίας διάφορον. ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ σταυροῦ οὐκ ἄν τις εἴποι τὴν σταυροειδῆ εἰκόνα ἄλλο τι παρὰ τὸ ταύτης πρωτότυπον ἢ μόνον τῷ φυσικῷ λόγῳ διαφορουμένην· καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα ἐγγύθεν καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἀναμφίλεκτος. Οὗτος οὖν ὁ πρῶτος τρόπος τῶν εἰρημένων. τίς ὁ δεύτερος; αἱ τῶν ἁγίων φωναί, οὐ συλλογιστικῶς, ἀλλὰ γυμνῶς ἐξεικονίζεσθαι τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν διαγορεύουσαι· ἅς, εἰ πάσας ἐνταῦθα βουληθείημεν ἐντάξαι, ἐκβησόμεθα τοῦ μετρίου τῆς προσφωνήσεως. ἐκ πολλῶν δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς, καὶ ταύτας προυργιαιτέρας, ἀναλεξάμενοι, ἐκ τῶνδε καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς πιστωσόμεθα, πληρουμένου κἀνταῦθα τοῦ γεγραμμένου, ἐπὶ στόματος δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων σταθήσεται πᾶν ῥῆμα. φωνὴ τοῦ κορυφαίου τῶν ἀποστόλων Πέτρου, ἐν ἱστορίᾳ τοῦ ἱερομάρτυρος Παγκρατίου ὑπομνηματιζομένη· ἐξένεγκον τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἐντύπωσον αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ πυργίσκῳ, ἵνα ἴδωσιν οἱ λαοὶ ποίαν μορφὴν ἔλαβεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα ἰδόντες ἐπὶ πλεῖον πιστεύσωσιν, ὁρῶντες τὸν τύπον τῆς μορφῆς, καὶ ὑπόμνησιν λαμβάνωσι τῶν παρ' ἡμῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς κηρυχθέντων. ὡς φοβερὸς ὁ λόγος οὗτος, μονονουχὶ καὶ ἐπιβοῶντος, "4ἐξένεγκον τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ τῇ ἀρετῇ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καλύψαντος καὶ ἐντύπωσον οἱονεὶ ἐν τῷ μετεώρῳ εἰς μαρτύριον ἐμφανές"5. "4ἵνα ἴδωσιν οἱ λαοὶ ποίαν μορφὴν ἔλαβεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ"5· οὐκ ἀγγέλου οὐδ' ἀρχαγγέλου οὐδέ τινος ἄλλης δυνάμεως, ἀλλὰ τὴν καθ' ἡμᾶς δουλικὴν μορφήν. "4ἵνα ἰδόντες ἐπὶ πλεῖον πιστεύσωσιν"5· ὡς οὐκ ἀρκούσης τῆς διὰ λόγου ἱστορίας, ἀλλὰ δεομένης καὶ τῆς δι' ὄψεως ἐνεργείας εἰς πλείονα πίστωσιν ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου γέγονε. "4καὶ ὑπόμνησιν λαμβάνωσι τῶν παρ' ἡμῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς κηρυχθέντων"5· ὅμοιον τοῦ εἰπεῖν "4τοῦτο ὑμῖν μνημόσυνον εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν"5. ἐπισημαίνει δὲ ἡ ἱστορία ὅτι καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι τὸ αὐτὸ ἐποίουν ἔν τε πόλεσι καὶ κώμαις, ἅπασαν ἱστορίαν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διακοσμοῦντες ἀπ' ἀρχῆς, ὅτε ὁ ἄγγελος τὸ "4χαῖρε"5 κέκραγε τῇ παρθένῳ, μέχρις ὅτου καὶ ἀνελήφθη· ἅς, φησί, καὶ φόβῳ παρῄνουν τιμᾶσθαι. Ὁρᾶτε, ὦ φιλοθεώτατοι, ὅτι ὁμοῦ τῇ ἀναστηλώσει τῶν ἱερῶν εἰκόνων καὶ τὸ προσκυνεῖσθαι αὐτὰς φόβῳ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀπ' ἀρχῆς παραδέδοται; τὸ γάρ τοι τιμᾶσθαι ἰσόρροπον δῆλον ὅτι τοῦ προσκυνεῖσθαι ὡμολόγηται. φωνὴ Ἀθανασίου τοῦ πολυάθλου ἐκ τῆς ἐν Βηρυτῷ προσφωνήσεως· ἄρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν καὶ ἴδετε τὸ καινὸν θέαμα τοῦτο· καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα· τότε τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι κατενέγκαντες ἔφησαν ὅτι"4καθὼς οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἐνέπτυσαν αὐτῷ ποτε, οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐμπτύσωμεν αὐτῷ"5. τότε ἤρξαντο ἐμπτύειν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ ἐρράπισαν αὐτὴν κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν συνελθόντων ἔνθεν κἀκεῖθεν, ἤγουν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ Κυρίου, λέγοντες· "4ὅσα ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, πάντα ποιήσωμεν τῇ εἰκόνι αὐτοῦ. καὶ λέγουσιν ὅτι ἐνέπαιξαν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἡμεῖς τὸ αὐτὸ ποιήσωμεν"5. ἐμπαιγμοῖς οὖν ἀπείροις ἐνέπαιξαν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ Κυρίου, ἅπερ οὐδὲ λέγειν ἡμῖν τετόλμηται. εἶτα λέγουσιν, "4ἠκούσαμεν ὅτι ἥλωσαν αὐτοῦ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας· τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιήσωμεν αὐτῷ"5. τότε τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου εἰκόνος ἔπηξαν τοῖς ἥλοις. πάλιν λέγουσι μεμηνότες, "4ἠκούσαμεν ὅτι ὄξος καὶ χολὴν ἐπότισαν αὐτὸν μετὰ σπόγγου· ποιήσωμεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἡμεῖς"5. καὶ ἐποίη σαν, προσθέντες τῷ στόματι τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ Κυρίου τὸν σπόγγον τοῦ ὄξους πεπληρωμένον. πάλιν λέγουσι· "4μεμαθήκαμεν ὅτι καλάμῳ ἔτυψαν τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν· τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιήσωμεν"5. καί, λαβόντες κάλαμον, ἔτυπτον εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ δεσπότου. τέλος λέγουσιν, "4ὡς ἀκριβῶς μανθάνομεν ὅτι λόγχῃ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ ἔνυξαν, μηδὲν παραλείψωμεν, ἀλλὰ προσθῶμεν καὶ τοῦτο"5. καί, ποιήσαντες ἐνεχθῆναι λόγχην, ἐπέτρεψάν τινι αὐτῶν ἆραι τὴν λόγχην καὶ κροῦσαι κατὰ τῆς πλευρᾶς τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ Κυρίου· καὶ τούτου γενομένου εὐθέως ἀνέβλυσεν ἀπ' αὐτῆς πλῆθος αἵματος καὶ ὕδατος. Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος, ὦ σοφώτατοι, τὸ μέν, ὅτι τὰ σημεῖα τοῖς ἀπίστοις, οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσι, τὸ δέ, ὡς ἂν καὶ ἡμεῖς γνοίημεν ὅτι τῇ τῆς εἰκόνος ὕβρει ἐφύβρισται τὸ πρωτότυπον, ὡς ἔμπαλιν τῇ τῆς εἰκόνος τιμῇ ἀποτετίμηται. φωνὴ τοῦ Μεγάλου Βασιλείου ἐκ τοῦ ἐγκωμίου τοῦ εἰς τὸν μάρτυρα Βαρλαάμ· ἐγγραφέσθω τῷ πίνακι καὶ ὁ τῶν παλαισμάτων ἀγωνοθέτης Χριστός. κἀνταῦθα, ὦ γαληνότατοι, ἀσφαλὴς ὁ ὅρος τῆς εἰκονικῆς ἀναστηλώσεως. οὐ γάρ, ὥς τινες εἰκαιολογοῦσι, τῷ πίνακι τῆς ψυχῆς ἐγγεγράφθαι Χριστὸν εἴρηται τῷ θεοφόρῳ· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγγεγραμμένον ἐν ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ κατοικοῦντα τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν ἔχομεν, ὡς ὁ ἀπόστολος βοᾷ. ἔπειτα, ὅτι καὶ τῇ ἐπιφορᾷ τοῦ "4καί"5 συνδέσμου τὰ προηγούμενα ὑπεσημήνατο, ἅτινά ἐστι τάδε· ἀνάστητέ μοι νῦν, οἱ λαμπροὶ τῶν ἀθλητικῶν κατορθωμάτων ζωγράφοι, τὴν τοῦ στρατηγοῦ κολοβωθεῖσαν εἰκόνα ταῖς ὑμετέραις μεγαλύνατε τέχναις· ἀμαυρότερον παρ' ἐμοῦ τὸν στεφανίτην γραφέντα τοῖς τῆς ὑμετέρας σοφίας περιλάμψατε χρώμασιν. ἀπέλθω τῇ τῶν ἀριστευμάτων τοῦ μάρτυρος παρ' ὑμῶν νενικημένος γραφῇ. χαίρω τῇ τοιαύτῃ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἰσχύος σήμερον νίκῃ ἡττώμενος. ἴδω τῆς χειρὸς πρὸς τὸ πῦρ ἀκριβέστερον παρ' ὑμῶν ἐγγραφομένην τὴν πάλην, ἴδω φαιδρότερον ἐπὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας τὸν παλαιστὴν γεγραμμένον εἰκόνος. κλαυσάτωσαν δαίμονες καὶ νῦν, ταῖς τοῦ μάρτυρος ἐν ὑμῖν ἀριστείαις πληττόμενοι, φλεγομένη πάλιν αὐτοῖς ἡ χεὶρ καὶ νικῶσα δεικνύσθω. ταῦτα οὐ δήπου ἐγγεγράφθαι φαίη ἐν ἡμῖν· εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο δοθείη, οὐκ ἂν πρότερον τὸν δοῦλον, εἶθ' οὕτως τὸν δεσπότην παρηγγυᾶτο, ἄλλως τε καὶ τῷ εὐθὺς ἐν τῇ ἀπαρχῇ λέγειν "4ἀνάστητέ μοι νῦν, ὦ λαμπροὶ τῶν ἀθλητικῶν κατορθωμάτων ζωγράφοι"5 δῆλα δὴ τοὺς εἰκονουργούς, οὐ τοὺς λογογράφους ἐσήμανε, καθὼς καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐγκωμίῳ τῶν Τεσσαράκοντα μαρτύρων ὁ αὐτὸς τάδε φησίν· ἐπεὶ καὶ πολέμων ἀνδραγαθήματα καὶ λογογράφοι πολλάκις καὶ ζωγράφοι διασημαίνουσιν, οἱ μὲν τῷ λόγῳ κοσμοῦντες, οἱ δὲ τοῖς πίναξιν ἐγχαράττοντες. Ἐπεὶ γοῦν καὶ ὁ δεύτερος τρόπος πέρας εἴληφε, τίς ὁ τρίτος; φωνὴ τῶν μετὰ τὴν ἕκτην συνεδρευσάντων πατέρων ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει· ἔν τισι τῶν σεπτῶν εἰκόνων γραφαῖς ἀμνὸς δακτύλῳ τοῦ Προδρόμου δεικνύμενος ἐγχαράττεται, ὃς εἰς τύπον παρελήφθη τῆς χάριτος, τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἡμῖν διὰ νόμου προϋποφαίνων ἀμνόν, Χριστὸν τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν. τοὺς οὖν παλαιοὺς τύπους καὶ τὰς σκιὰς ὡς τῆς ἀληθείας σύμβολά τε καὶ προχαράγματα τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ παραδεδομένους κατασπαζόμενοι τὴν χάριν προτιμῶμεν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ὡς πλήρωμα νόμου ταύτην ὑποδεξάμενοι. ὡς ἂν οὖν τὸ τέλειον κἀν ταῖς χρωματουργίαις ἐν ταῖς ἁπάντων ὄψεσιν ὑπογράφηται, τὸν τοῦ αἴροντος τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου ἀμνοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον χαρακτῆρα καὶ ἐν ταῖς εἰκόσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀντὶ τοῦ παλαιοῦ ἀμνοῦ ἀναστηλοῦσθαι ὁρίζομεν, δι' αὐτοῦ τὸ τῆς ταπεινώσεως ὕψος τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου κατανοοῦντες καὶ πρὸς μνήμην τῆς ἐν σαρκὶ πολιτείας, τοῦ τε πάθους αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου θανάτου χειραγωγούμενοι καὶ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν γινομένης τῷ κόσμῳ ἀπολυτρώσεως. ἐνταῦθα ὁμοῦ τῇ Χριστοῦ εἰκόνι καὶ τῶν ἁπάντων ἁγίων εἰκόνων λόγος πρόσεστι, πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι ὡς ἤδη προεξεικονισμένου καὶ λείποντος τοῦ "4καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ παλαιοῦ ἀμνοῦ"5 αὐτὸν ἀναστηλοῦσθαι ἡ διαγόρευσις, ἔπειτα, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἀσπαστὴ ἡ τοῦδε εἰκὼν κατὰ τὰ ἐν νόμῳ σύμβολά τε καὶ προχαράγματα ἀσπαστὰ κεκλῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσκυνητή, αὐτοῦ τε καὶ παντὸς οὑτινοσοῦν ἁγίου. δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι τὸ σεπτὸν καὶ προσκυνητὸν ἄν τις ὁμολογήσειεν, ἔτι τε ὅτι πᾶσα εἰκὼν ὁμωνύμως τῷ αὐτῆς πρωτοτύπῳ κέκληται διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν "4ἀμνὸς δακτύλῳ τοῦ Προδρόμου δεικνύμενος ἐγχαράττεται"5, ὡς καὶ ὁ Νυσσαεὺς θεῖος Γρηγόριος ὧδέ πού φησι· πρόκειται ὁ Ἰσαὰκ τῷ πατρὶ παρ' αὐτῷ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ. φωνὴ τῶν ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ συνεδρευσάντων πατέρων· οὐχ ὡς ἕτερον τῇ μορφῇ, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἐν μιᾷ μορφῇ ὄντα, καθ' ὃν καὶ χαρακτὴρ εἷς πεφυκὼς τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ὑποστάσεως καὶ πρὸ σαρκὸς ἀσώματος εἷς τε ἦν καὶ ἐν σαρκὶ εἷς ἐστι καὶ ἐν εἰκόνι ὁ αὐτὸς εἷς ὑπάρχει, μὴ διαιρούμενος εἰς δύο χαρακτῆρας μήτε δὲ σχιζόμενος εἰς δύο δόξας, ἀλλ' εἰς μίαν συναγόμενος. καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ αὐτὸς εἷς ἐστιν ἐκ δύο τῶν ἐναντίων καὶ εἰς ἓν συνάγεται πρόσωπον, οὕτω καὶ ἡ εἰκὼν αὐτοῦ μία τέ ἐστι καὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἑνὸς Χριστοῦ. καὶ οὐχ ἕτερον χαρακτῆρα ἐροῦμεν τὸν κατὰ σάρκα ἐπιφανέντα ἡμῖν καὶ ἕτερον τὸν κατ' εἰκόνα σχηματιζόμενον χαρακτῆρα ἐν εἴδει μορφῆς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὸν αὐτὸν ἕνα, ἐπεὶ μήτε καθὸ σῶμα ὁ χαρακτὴρ εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ καθὸ ἀσώματον. καὶ τοῦτο μᾶλλον διὰ τοῦ θείου Χρυσοστόμου διευκρινηθήσεται, τὸν χαρακτῆρα οὐράνιον λέγοντος, ἐπείπερ καὶ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ οὐ καθὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ καθὸ ἀσώματον ὁ μονογενὴς θεὸς κατελθὼν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐσαρκώθη καὶ ἐπέφανε, σῶμα περιθέμενος τὸ ἡμέτερον. καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· οὐκοῦν, ἐπεὶ κατὰ ἀναφορὰν αὐτὸν δείκνυσι τὸν χαρακτῆρα, αὐτὸν Χριστὸν προσκυνοῦμεν καὶ οὐ τὴν ὕλην, τεχνικῶς σχηματιζομένην ἐν τῇ εἰκόνι. δεῦρο τρανοτέρα ἡ δογματικὴ διασάφησις, πρῶτον μέν, ὅτι μία μορφὴ ἐπ' ἀμφοῖν, τοῦ τε Χριστοῦ καὶ τῆς εἰκόνος, ἔπειτα, ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ χαρακτὴρ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ὑποστάσεως ἐν εἰκόνι τῷ εἴδει τῆς μορφῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκφαινόμενός τέ ἐστιν ὁμοῦ καὶ προσκυνούμενος ἀσχίστῳ δόξῃ. Λειπόμενός ἐστιν ὁ τέταρτος τρόπος τῆς ἀρχαίας νομοθεσίας. ἆρον κύκλῳ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, ὦ φιλανθρωπότατε, καὶ ἴδε τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανόν, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ κηρύγματος πανταχοῦ γῆς τε καὶ θαλάσσης δι' ἱερῶν ναῶν, θείων τε σκευῶν καὶ σεπτῶν ἀναθημάτων τὸν Χριστὸν ἐξεικονισμένον φέρουσαν καὶ αὐτοῖς ἔργοις φωνὴν ἀφιεῖσαν ὅτι Χριστὸς βεβασίλευκε τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς κατὰ τὸ ᾀδόμενον Δαυιτικῶς, αἴτησαι παρ' ἐμοῦ καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου καὶ τὴν κατάσχεσίν σου τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς· καί, ὅτι οὐδὲν εἴδωλον ἐν κόσμῳ κατὰ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου εἰρημένον καὶ ὅτι πάντα ὀλβίου φωτὸς πεπλήρωται, ἐληλυθότος τοῦ εἰπόντος, ἐγὼ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθα. οἷα γὰρ τὰ ὁρώμενα; ὧδε μὲν ἐν σπηλαίῳ τικτόμενος καὶ ὑπ' ἀγγέλων δοξαζόμενος, δεῦρο δὲ ἐπ' ὠλένης ὑπὸ τῆς μητρὸς βασταζόμενος καὶ ὑπὸ μάγων προσκυνούμενος· εἶτα ἐν μειρακίοις, ὁπηνίκα μέσος τῶν διδασκάλων ὦπται καθήμενος· ἔπειτα βαπτιζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Προδρόμου, εἶτα θαυματουργῶν σὺν ἀποστόλοις, ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἀνιών, ἀποπνέων, θαπτόμενος, ἀνιστάμενος, εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνερχόμενος. τούτοις οὖν πᾶσιν εἰκονικῶς ἐνατενίζοντες, ὡς τηνικαῦτα αὐτοπτικῶς οἱ ἀπόστολοι, εἴποιμεν ἂν εἰκότως καὶ ἡμεῖς· ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. Αὕτη οὖν ἐστιν ἡ ἐξ αἰῶνος κηρυττομένη πίστις, ταύτην ἠσπάσαντο αἱ ἅγιαι σύνοδοι καὶ ταύτῃ σύμψηφοι τυγχάνουσι πᾶσαι αἱ πανταχοῦ κατὰ τόπον ἐκκλησίαι, ἔν τε ἀνατολῇ καὶ δύσει, βορρᾷ τε καὶ θαλάσσῃ· ἣν καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ ἐλάχιστοι ἀσπαζόμενοι εὐχόμεθα καὶ ὑπερευχόμεθα ὀφειλομένως τῆς θεοφιλοῦς ὑμῶν βασιλείας.