Theophany 4.26–4.35

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

‘ My children, a little while I am with you ; and ye shall seek me: even as I said to the Jews, whither I go, ye cannot come; and thus also I say again unto you. Simon Peter said unto Him, Whither goest Thou? And Jesus answered him: Whither I go, thou canst not now come ; but, after a time, thou shalt come.” And again, in the latter part of the book, Jesus, after his resurrection from the dead, said to Peter: “I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thy loins, and wentest whither which should arise against His Disciples; but, that He might also shew the cause of these, He said, they should suffer these things for His sake. Nor was it on account of any evil practices, nor yet for any other fault; but,—(as) He previously testified,—that every thing (of this sort) should befall them for His sake: which is present in the fact for our information! For if any one, during the time of the persecutions, denied only that he was a Christian, he was released from all blame and cause of accusation. But, so irreprehensible and sinless were the lives of His Disciples to be, that they should suffer every sort of calamity for no other cause, except only their confessing, and giving testimony to, Him. He did indeed, fully stir up and make them ready (for this), by comparing them with the ancient Prophets and Friends of God; for’, (said He), even as they persecuted the Prophets who were before you, so shall they, without cause, drive you out; and, after the manner of the Prophets, shall ye be punished, because ye worship the God who is over all ; on which account, they also persecuted the Prophets. Now that He should foretel, that even governours and kings should be moved by these things; that the time was then at hand; that He should (so) speak with His Disciples; and that His words should so come to pass and remain in fact, How greatly does it exceed (all) wonder? For there have been many others, both Barbarians and Greeks, who have said and promised many wise things to their Disciples. Of these, some supposed that there was no God; others annihilated every. consideration about Providence ; and others (received) those who were thought Gods by the many: others arose (as) the leaders of vicious factions? ; others (who thought), that Rest was the extreme (good): and others, that Rest indiscriminately was; and who indeed talked just as they might be circumstanced. But never did any one of these, previously determine such things for His Disciples. Nor do we know of any persecutions that opposed them, such as those were that opposed the teaching of our Saviour. How then shall we not wonder, and confess, that these are indeed the words of God ?—these (I say), which not only previously attested, through the Divine foreknowledge, the persecutions which should come upon His Disciples; but also, previously pointed out the cause of these, by this which He said, that these things should happen to them, for His sake? Now those also who were equals should arise, and persecute each other, in the times of the persecutions. From the Gospel of Matthew‘.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

“The brother shall deliver his brother to death, and the father his son: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake ; but he, who shall bear even to the end, shall live.” Now, how these things have, even to the present time, been fulfilled in fact, What need is there that we should shew at length, since these facts are superior to all report? We have seen too with our own eyes, how many things of this sort took place, both during the persecutions, and in our own times. Nor do you simply hear this, that “ the brother should deliver his brother to death ;” for even this might have been as any mere matter of opinion. But we can investigate (the case), and inform ourselves how it was, that “the brother delivered his brother to death.” When one surrenders himself to fraternal affection, and chooses the love of life, and denies God, and particularly with respect to his brother, whom he will solicit and persuade to worship idols; will excite and inveigle, putting forth (his) fraternal affection, so as to make him disregard the command of our Saviour; then indeed, will the brother deliver up his brother to the death of his soul. In like manner also, will the father cause his son to err (by enticing), and will persuade him to worship the idols, and (so) deliver him to death. So also the children, their parents: they will, through their affection for them, (so) lead them on, that they will choose the mortal life which now is, rather than that which is with Ged; and will (so) become the cause, both of the death and perdition of the soul of their parents’. And many such things as these, did we witness with our own eyes, during the times of the persecutions; so that in them was fulfilled the (prediction) : “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” In this place also was this addition carefully made, teaching the Disciples that, it should not be for any hateful deed, but for His name’s sake, they should be hated. On those who should impurely collect themselves into His Church, and on the punishment that should come upon them. From the Gospel of Matthew’.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

“ The kingdom of heaven is like a net that fell into the sea, and collected of every sort (of fish) ; and, when it was full, they drew it wp tothe shore, and sitting down they selected those that were good, and put them into vessels ; but the bad, they threw away. Thus shall it be in the end of this world: the angels shall go forth, and shall separate the evil from among the just, and shall cast them into a fiery oven: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The ““ net,”—-which is here (put) by a figure for the word,— and which is woven (as it were) from the various mind of the old and new Scriptures, He names His own doctrine: the fluctuating life of man, which is subject to hardship in its doings on account of the calamities attending it, ‘‘ the sea.” Out of this (sort of) life, as from the sea, the “‘Net,” so foretold, was to catch up tens of thousands. And under it were to be (taken), the various multitudes of those opposed Marcion', Valentinus, Basilides, and those other corrupters of souls, sprang up, viz.) Bardesanes‘, and that madman in opinion of yesterday, and of our own times, whose name became the titular badge of the Manichean heresy ; who all became the sources of lying and ungodly doctrine. Nor did they otherwise come to light, but as outwardly clothed with the skins of our Saviour’s lambs. And He plainly styled His Disciples sheep ;” saying, My sheep hear my voice:” and again, “ Behold, I send you as sheep among wolves'.” Of these then they outwardly assumed the manner, while in themselves they were ‘rapacious wolves.” (And), How many thousands of the sheep of our Saviour, did these Deceivers snatch away ? Who, presenting their persons in form as to Christ, attached themselves to His instruction, and to the terms of the doctrines relating to His Godhead, and exhibited themselves as (His) lambs ! But, that ungodly bitterness which lay (as) in ambush within them, adhered secretly to those who had been ensnared by them. These, therefore, who were now thought to be ‘ sheep,” because of their (thus) drawing near (to Him), openly appeared afterwards to be ‘‘rapacious wolves.” . the worship of God. He said therefore, “ Fear them not ; for there is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed, mor concealed that shall not be made known.” He therefore reproved these (Disciples), for a considerable time, because the things formerly escaping the many, had, on this account, been supposed (by them) to be incapable of publication ; as also those, belonging to the doctrines of the (true) worship of God, of being made openly known. But, His ordinances and precepts have now been made known to every man; and He has extinguished that (injurious) opinion respecting them, (His Disciples) which had formerly been held by the many’. On those who should remain in complete holiness in His Church, and in the life inexperienced (in conjugal) Society. From the Gospel of Matthew.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

When He determined for them, that (one) should not leave his wife except in the matter of fornication , and His Disciples said to Him, “ If the cause of a man with the wife be thus, it is not advantageous to take wives ;” It is written, that He said upon these things, ‘‘ Hvery man is not sufficient for this matter, except those to whom it is given. There are eunuchs, who were thus. from their mothers’ womb; and there are eunuchs, who were (made) eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who can bear (it) let him bear (it).” It is evident from the context of the Scriptures, that there never was among men, and particularly among the Jews, any one who uttered by revelation any thing like this; or, who did any thing like it: or that, throughout the whole creation and among all nations, whether in the cities or villages, there were multitudes, not of men (only), but also of women, who . kept' themselves in perfect holiness, and the state of virginity, through the hope and expectation of the kingdom of heaven. We have seen in the very experiment itself, that they learned they should soon be prepared for this. The fulfilment however, of the claim to foreknowledge, was not simply (realized here); for we have seen many men, well known to us, who (actually) availed themselves of the iron (knife,) and made eunuchs of themselves for no other cause, except that of the hope of the kingdom of heaven: who neither hesitated, nor were weak? in the doctrine of our Saviour, but simply and boldly betook themselves to the thing itself. So that the foreknowledge of our Saviour, even respecting these things, sets to its seal, that His word was in truth THE Word of God. soul and of the body, and of the joints and marrow; and is the Judge of the thoughts and intentions of the heart, and from whom no creature is hidden’?” He well declared therefore, the distinguishing marks of those who should afterwards receive His doctrines; and He also foretold, that those who should in impurity receive the seed of His instruction, should be of three kinds; as should in like manner the good, who should like good ground bear much, and give great increase to the word itself. Of those corrupters of the seed too, which should fall into their souls, He declared there should be three (moving) causes: Either from the considerations of life, and the care of things not (absolutely) necessary, and from riches and pleasures, immersing (as it were) the seed sown within them, and making it resemble the seed choked by thorns: or, others not receiving it into the depth of the mind, but immediately extinguishing it when affliction overtakes them: or, the third cause may be, that the source of the destructions of the seed within them is, the surrendering of a lax and ready hearing to (men) wishing to seduce them, and to snatch away the seed that had fallen into their souls. And these same are, in no other way cut off from bearing the fruit that is of God, except as by one or other of the means just mentioned. But those who are opposed to these, and receive the seed of salvation into a soul that is pure, and a mind that is devoted, do again, as their power may be, greatly increase their fruits. He moreover assimilates the distinctions of these, to those of good and excellent lands which bring forth some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred-fold. For such as these powers are, are those occasionally found in the souls of men. These things therefore, He prophesied on these matters. But, of the multitude of those who should in after-times bear (much) fruit, through the instruction of His words, He thus cried out and said, “The harvest is great, but the labowrers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His harvest.” And again, of these same He said on another occasion: “ Do not ye yourselves say, that there are yet four months, and the harvest cometh Lift up your eyes, and see the Jields that they are white for the harvest?!” And, Who does not wonder, that He should shew even the fewness of those who should in purity be the chiefs of His word, for He said, “The labourers are few?” And, as prayer was necessary for the obtaining of these, He said therefore, “ Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest.’ When He said therefore, “ The sower went out to sow,” He also said, that there was another sower, and another seed; and He also shewed and taught, whence, and whither, he went forth by the things said in the parable immediately following this, which is in this forms. On the teaching of Heterodoxy, which should be sown together with His word in the souls of men. From the Gospel of Matthew.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

He added another Parable, and said: “ The kingdom of heaven is like to a man, who sowed good seed in his field. But, when men slept, the Enemy came and sowed Tares among the wheat, and departed. When therefore, the wheat sprang forth and produced fruit, the Tares appeared in like manner. And his servants: drew near and said to him: Our Lord, Didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? Whence are there Lares in it? But he said to them, The man (who is) the Enemy hath done this. They say to him: Is it thy will therefore, that we go (and) gather them? But he said to them, No; lest, while ye gather the Tares, ye also root up the wheat with them. Let them both grow until the harvest. And at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the Tares, and bind them in bundles for burning; but gather ye the wheat into the granaries” (lit. treasuries). This same Parable too, He explained to His Disciples in the house, when they drew near to Him and said, “ Explain to us the Parable of the Tares of the field. And He answered them, and said: > The sower of the good seed is the Son of man; and the field is the world. (As to) the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom; and the Tares, those are the children of the wicked one; and the Enemy, who sowed them, is the Accuser. And the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the Angels. Even therefore, as the Tares are gathered up, and fall into the fire; so shall it be at the end of this world. The Son of man shall send His Angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all offences, and those that do evil, and shall cast them into the Gehenna’ of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And then shall the righteous shine in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ Our Saviour shewed therefore, by His explanation of the Parable, these things (viz.), who the sower that went out to sow the seed was, and what the seed was which He cast forth, in the expressions’: The sower of the good seed is the Son of man ; and the field is the world.” For He usually called Himself the ‘‘. Son of man,” on account of His going about among men. He therefore went forth from within’, and came out. Where then was He within, but above the world? where (indeed) He existed; and in the end of the world’ He came forth, and came down to us, who were without (out of) the kingdom of heaven. And with Him He brought the heavenly seed, which He sowed in the souls of men as in distinguished lands. For the Parable placed before us teaches respecting the field, as of what sort it is, into which He cast the seed ;——which says, “ The field is the world;” and it shews of this field, that it belongs to none but Himself;—to Him who came forth from the inner part of His kingdom, to those who were ‘‘ without” (out of it), when saying, ‘the servants drew near and said to Him, ‘‘Our Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in Tuy field?” He therefore taught plainly, that even this field is His own: and this He interpreted and shewed, was the world. In the former Parable therefore, He shewed His foreknowledge as to what the distinctions of those would be, who should receive the seed into their souls; but in this, which is placed before us, the perverse doctrines and errors of the ungodly Hereticks: when not one of them had yet so established himself among men! Nevertheless, it was not unknown to Him that this should come to pass. For, as false scriptures were scattered as seed in succeeding times throughout the whole earth, with enouncements assimilated to those of His doctrine, by an opposing nature, not unlike the Tares (sown) among His pure words and life-giving doctrines’;—and there are myriads even to this time, some of whom make their boast of Manes, some of Marcion, and some of others, of those (I say) who put forth ungodly heterodoxy, and “ T’ares” (as it were), assimilated to the doctrine of our Saviour ; making use of His name, and holding false books of the Gospels:—but he who was the Father of these things; —he who first sowed them in the souls of those who received him, was the Accuser himself: so He (our Saviour) well evinced, by the Divine power, the foreknowledge of what should come to pass; and these things He previously testified, which have been thus fulfilled in fact; and accordingly their fulfilment was, as His words (had foreshewn). As He therefore truly shewed forth these things, and as we see in the facts themselves, the fulfilment of these predictions of our Saviour; so ought we also to think, that the rest shall come to pass. And these are, “the harvest,” “the end,” and “the angels the reapers: also that the Tares shall be gathered, and shall fall into the fire :—the extreme good things too of those, who shall have preserved and multiplied the living, pure, and life-giving seed; of whom it is said, ““ Then shall the righteous shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father.” On those who should falsely name themselves the Christ’. From the Gospel of Matthew ’.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

‘ When He sat on the mount of Olives, His Disciples drew near, saying between themselves and Him, Tell us, When shall these things be? and What is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered them, and said, See that no man deceive you: for many shall come in my name, and shall say, I am the Christ ; and shall deceive many.” And again, after a few things He said, “Jf at that time any one say to you, the Christ is here, or there; believe ye not. For false Christs shall arise, and false Prophets, and shall give great signs and wonders, so that if it were possible they should deceive even the elect. Behold, I have foretold (it) to you’. If therefore they shall say to you, Behold, He is in the desert, go not forth; or, Behold, He is in the chamber, believe (it) not. For, as the lightning shineth from the East, and is seén even to the West; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” And on another occasion, when speaking with the Jews, He added these things and said, “<T am come in the name of my Father, and ye receive me not; but, if another come in his own name, him ye will receive.” ‘These things He foretold when warning His Disciples against the lying Antichrist , whom they were expecting: and one (of these) shewed of another in the Epistle to the Thessalonians, who (should be) in (the time of) the end’. But, that others also should be before this, our Saviour Himself foretold in several places: ‘ For many,” said He, ““ shall come in my name, and shall say, I am the Christ, and shall deceive many.” And there were many (such) after (these) His words. And so the Samaritans were forthwith persuaded that Dosithéus, who was after the times of our Saviour, was the prophet of whom Moses predicted’. And he so deceived them, that they declared he was the Christ. Others again, in the times of the Apostles, named Simon Magus ‘‘ the great power of God’,” and thought that he was the Christ. Others (thought the same) of Montanus in Phrygia: and others again, of others, in another place. Nor did the deceivers cease. And it is necessary we should suppose, that there were many such as these; so that even from them, testimony may be had, as to the reality of our Saviour’s foreknowledge. Our Saviour taught moreover, that His glorious second coming should not again be, as it was at the first, in some one place, so that it may be supposed to be visible in some corner of the earth: and, that no one should thus think, He said, ‘“‘ If any one shall say to you, Behold, the Christ is here, or is there, believe ye not.” For opinions such as these comport by no means with Him, but with those false Christs and false Prophets. He indeed appeared once in the form of man, and in a certain district. But, of what sort his glorious second coming from heaven should be, He taught and said, “ For, as the lightning goeth forth from the East, and is seen even to the West; so also shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” On the events that should happen at the end of things. From the Gospel of Matthew .