Letters 143 (Letters)

Theodoret of Cyrus

Letters 143

Theodoret of Cyrus · Letters · ca. 423-466 · Cyrrhus · 1 passage

Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 143

143PG 83

Οὔτε θεασάμενος πώποτε τὴν σὴν εὐσέδειαν, οὔτε διὰ γραμμάτων ὁμιληχὼς, ἐραστὴς αὐτῆς ἐγενόμην θερμότατος. Εἰργάσατο δὲ τὸ φἴλτρον, καὶ τοῦτο πυρσεύει διηνεκῶς, τὰ παρὰ τῶν τοῦ δοῦ μέλιτος γεγευμένων συμφώνως λεγόμενα. Θαυμάζουσι γὰρ ἅπαντες τῆς πίστεως τὴν ὀρθότητα, τὴν τοῦ βίον λαμπρότητα, τὴν εὐστάθειαν τῆς ψυχῆς, τὴν τῶν ἠθῶν ἁρμονίαν, τὸ τῆς συνουσίας ἐπαγωγὸν καὶ γλυκὺ, καὶ τἄλλα ὅσα τὸν τέλειον ὑπογράφει τῆς φιλοσοφίας τρόφιμον. Διὰ ταῦτα τῆς σῆς φιλοθεῖας ἐξήρτημαι, Ὁ δὲ πόθος καὶ γραμμάτων ἄρξαι πεποίηκεν, ᾿Αλλ᾽, ὦ φίλη μου κεφαλὴ, μετάδος ὡς τάχιατα τοῦ ποθουμένου, καὶ τὴν διὰ γραμμάτων ἡμῖν έχει ψυχαγωγίαν ἡ δι᾽ ἐπιστολῶν ὁμιλία. Γράψεις δὲ οὐκ ἑτεροδόξῳ, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐντεθραμμένῳ διδασκαλίᾳ, καὶ Τριάδος οὐ τετράδος χήρυχι. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ παραπλησίως ὑπείληφα δυσσεθδεῖς, τούς τε τὰς δύο τοῦ Μονογενοῦς φύσεις εἰς μίαν συνάγειν τολμῶντας, καὶ τοὺς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν ΥἹὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, τὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα Θεὸν Λόγον, εἰς δύο μερίζειν ἐπιχειροῦντας υἱους. Εἴπερ ἄρα τινές εἶσιν". ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἴομαι " Α ἀλλὰ ταύτην ἀεὶ τὴν συκοφαντίαν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οἱ τῆς ᾿Αρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου, καὶ μέντοι καὶ Καὶ ῥᾷάδιον γνῶναι τοῖς φιλοπόνοις, ὡς οὗ πανεύφημοι Πατέρες ἡμῶν, τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν οἱ φωστῆρες, παρὰ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρῶν ταύτην τὴν κατηγορίαν ὑπέμειναν, ἣν νῦν ἡμεῖς παρὰ τῶν βελτίστων ὑφἰιστάμεθα τῆς καινῆς προμάχων αἱρέσεως. Ὧν ὁ πάνσοφος Δεσπότης ἐγύμνωσς τὴν ἀσέδειαν, οὐκ ἀνασχόμενος τὴν ἀνοσίαν αἴρεσιν τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ κρατῦναι. Πεισθεὶς τοίνυν ὡς ὁμοδόξοις, δέσποτα, γράφεις (ἐἑάδιον δέ σοι τοῦτο καὶ ἐκ πολλῶν ἡμῶν συγγραμμάτων μαθεῖν), ἀντίδος τὰ γράμματα. “Ἔστι γὰρ ταῦτα πάλιν, σὺν Θεῷ φάναι, «ἧς ἀγάπης ἐχχαύματα. Πρὸ δὲ τῶν γραμμάτων, δὸς τῶν προσευχῶν τὴν βοήθειαν, καὶ τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἡ μῶν ἀντιδόλησον Κύριον, πρὸς τὴν ἀπλανῆ κατευθῦναι πορείαν τοὺς ἡμετέρους πόδας, ἵνα μετὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ νόμων ἐξανύσωμεν τὸν λειπόμενον δρόμον. Ἔχων γὰρ τὴν ἐκ τῆς καθαρᾶς βιοτῆς παῤῥησίαν, ῥᾷστα πείσεις τὸν εὐερ- Μία μὲν πάντων ἀνθρώπων φύσις, αἴ δὲ τῶν βίων προαιρέσεις πολλαὶ καὶ διάφοροι. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ναυτικὸν, οἱ δὲ πολεμικὸν αἱροῦνται βίον" καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀθλητιχὸν, οἱ δὲ γεωργικόν" καὶ οἱ μὲν τήνδε, οἱ δὲ τήνδε τὴν τέχνην μεταχειρίζουσι. Καὶ ἵνα τὰς ἄλλας παραλίπω διαφορὰς, οἱ μέν εἰσε τῶν ἀνθρώπων σπουδαῖοι καὶ ἐμμελεῖς περὶ τὰ θεῖα, καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων ἐχπαιδεύονται τὴν ἀχρίδειαν" οἱ δὲ γαστρὶ δουλεύουσι, καὶ τῶν αἰσχρῶν ἡδονῶν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν εὐημερίαν ὑπολαμδάνουσιν" ἄλλοι δέ γε μέσοι τούτῶν κἀκείνων εἰσὶ, καὶ οὔτε τὴν ἐπαινουμένην ζηλοῦσι σπουδὴνῳ οὔτε τὸν ἀκόλαστον ἀσπάζονται βίον, τὴν δὲ ἀπλότητα τιμῶσι τῆς πίστεως. Ἡγοῦμαι τοίνυν τοὺς ἐπισχήψαντας ἐκείνῳ τῷ λόγῳ, ὅς φησιν εἶναί τινα παντελῶς ἀδύνατα τῷ Θεῷ, οὐ τῶν σπουδαίων εἶναι, καὶ τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένων, ἀλλ’ ἣ τούτων, οὗ τὴν ἀχρίδειαν τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων οὐκ ἴσασιν, ἧ ἐχείνων, οἵ ταῖς ἡδυπαθείαις δεδουλωμένοι πρὸς τοὺς καιροὺς μεταθάλλονται, καὶ νῦν μὲν ταῦτα, νῦν δὲ ἐκεῖνα πρεσδεύουσιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ γράψαι περὶ τούτων ἡμᾶς ἠτήσατε, σιγᾷν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρὄντος βεδουλευμένος βραχέα εἰπεῖν ἀναγκάζομαι, τῇ Δεσποτιχῇ πειθόμενος ἐντολῇ" « Παντὶ γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ αἱτοῦντί σε δίδου. » Ἡμεῖς τοίνυν πάντα μὲν δύνασθαί φαμεν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεόν' τῇ δὲ πάντα φωνῇ μόνα τὰ χαλὰ καὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ συμπεριλαμδάνεσθαι. Ὃ γὰρ φύσει σοφός τε καὶ ἀγαθὸς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐναντίων προσίεται, ἀλλὰ μόνα τὰ τῇ φύσει πρέποντα. Ἐὶ δέ τινες ἀντιλέγουσι τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ, ἔρεσθε αὐτοὺς, εἰ δύναται ψεύσασθαι ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τῆς ἀληθείας νομοθέτης" κἂν μὲν εἴποιεν δυνατὸν τῷ Θεῷ τὸ ψεῦδος, ὡς δυσσεδεῖς καὶ βλασφήμοὺς τῆς ὑμετέρας συμμορίας ἐξελάσατε. Εἰ δὲ σύνθοιντο καὶ αὐτοὶ, μὴ δυνατὸν εἶναι τοῦτο τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, πάλιν προσερωτήσατε, εἰ δυνατὸν ἄδικον γενέσθαι τὸν τὴν δικαιοσύνην πηγάζοντα. Εἰ δὲ συνομολογήσαιεν καὶ τοῦτο ἀδύνατον εἶναι τῷ τῶν ὅλων θεῷ, πυθέσθαι χρὴ πάλιν, εἰ δυνατὸν ἄσοφον γενέσθαι τῆς σοφίας τὴν ἄδυσσον, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν μὴ εἶναι Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν Κύριον ὡσαύτως μὴ εἶναι Κύριον, καὶ τὸν Δημιουργὸν οὐ Δημιουργόν, καὶ τὸν ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἀγαθὅν, ἀλλὰ καχὺν, καὶ τὸ ἀληθινὸν φῶς μὴ εἶναι φῶς, ἀλκὰ τοὐναντίον. Εἰ δὲ συμφήσαιεν ταῦτα πάντα, καὶ τὰ τούτοις προσόμοια, ἀδύνατα εἶναι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, εἰπεῖν χρὴ πρὸς αὐτούς " Οὐκοῦν πολλὰ ἀδύνατα τῷ Θεῷ" καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα ἀδύνατα οὐκ ἀδυναμίας δηλωτικὰ, ἀλλὰ δυνάμεως μεγίστης σημαντικά. Οὐδὲ γὰρ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τῆς ἡμετέρας. λέγοντες, ὡς ἀδύνατον αὐτὴν ἀποθανεῖν, ἀσθένειαν- αὐτῇ χατηγοροῦμεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀθανασίας αὐτῆς τὸ δυνατὸν κηρύττομεν. Οὕτω τοίνυν ὁμολογοῦντες τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ἄτρεπτον, τὸ ἀπαθὲς, τὸ ἀθάνατον, οὔτε τροπὴν, οὔτε πάθος, οὔκε θάνατον ἐκείνῃ προσάψαι τῇ φύσει δυνάμεθα. Εἰ δὲ εἴποιεν, Ἅπερ ἂν ἐθελήσῃ δύναται ὁ θεὸς, χρὴ πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰπεῖν, ὅτε οὐδὲν βούλεται ποιεῖν ὧν μὴ πέφυκεν' πέφυκε δὲ ἀγαθὸς, οὐκοῦν οὐ βούλεταί τι κακόν' πέφνχε δίκαιος, οὐκοῦν οὐ βούλεταί τι ἄδικον" πέφυκεν. ἀληθὴς, οὐκοῦν τὰ ψεῦδος βδελύττεται" πέφυκεν ἄτρεπτος, οὐκοῦν τροπὴν οὐ προσίεται" εἰ δὲ τροπὴν οὐ προσίετα!, ἀεὶ κατὰ ταυτὰ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἕχει. Ἑοῦτο γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦ. Προφήτου φησίν" « Ἐγώ εἰμι, ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ἢλλοίωμαι. »: Καὶ ὁ μακάριος Δαθδίδ: ε Σὺ δὲ ὁ. αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσιν. » Εἰ δὲ ὁ αὐτός ἐστι, μεταδολὴν οὐκ ἐδέξατο. Εἰ δὲ κρείττων ὑπάρχει μεταδολῆς καὶ τροπῆς, οὐ γέγονεν ἐξ ἀθανάτου θνητὸς, οὐδὲ ἐξ ἀπαθοῦς παθητός. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο γενέσθαι οἷόν τε ἦν, οὐκ ἄν τὴν ἡμετέραν προσέλαθε φύσιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀθάνατον ἔχει φύσιν, ἔλαδε τὸ παθεῖν δυνάμενον σῶμα, καὶ σὺν τῷ σώματι τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ψυχήν. Καὶ τούτων ἑκάτερον τῶν τῆς ἁμαρτίας κηλίδων φυλάξας ἀμύητον, ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν ἡμαρτηχυιῶν ψυχῶν. δέδωκε τὴν Ψυχὴν, ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν τεθνηχύτων σωμάτων τὸ σῶμα, Καὶ ἐπειδήπερ αὐτοῦ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ. τοῦ Θεοῦ σῶμα τὸ ληφθὲν προσηγορεύθη σῶμα, εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀναφέρει τὸ τοῦ σώμακος πάθος. Ὅτι δὲ οὐκ ἡ θεία φύσις, ἀλλὰ τὸ σῶμα. τῷ σταυρῷ προοσηλώθη, μάρτυρες οἱ τέσσαρες εὐαγγελιαταί. ἽἍΛπαντες γὰρ συμφώνως τοῦτο διδάσκουσιν, ὡς Ἰωσὴφ ὁ ἀπὸ ᾿Αριμαθείας προσελθὼν τῷ. Πιλάτῳ ἤτησε τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ" καὶ ὅτι οὗτος ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου καθεῖλς τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἘὨησοῦ, καὶ ὅτι σινδόνι χαλύψας ἔθηκεν ἐν τῷ καινῷ αὑτοῦ μνημείῳ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ" καὶ ὡς αἱ περὶ Μαρίαν τὴν Μαγδαληνὴν ἦλθον. εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον. ζητοῦσαι. τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ μὴ εὑροῦσαι τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἔδραμον πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὑτοῦ, καὶ. ἀπήγγειλαν ταῦτα. ᾿ Ταῦτα οἱ τέσσαρες εὐαγγελισταὶ συμφώνως χηρύτπουσιν. Εἰ δέ φασιν οἱ ἀντιλέγοντες εἰρηκέναι τὸν ἄγγελον᾽ ε Δεῦτε, βλέπετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο ὁ Κύριος" » μαθέτωσαν οἱ ἀσύνετοι, ὡς καὶ περὶ τοῦ χαλλινίχου Στεφάνου φησὶν ἡ θεία Γραφί «ε Συνεχόμισαν δὲ τὸν Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαδεῖς. » Καίτοι τὸ σῶμα μόνον ἠξιώθη ταφῆς, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ οὗ συνετάφη τῷ σώματι, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως τοῦ κοινοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ μόνον τὸ σῶμα μετέλαχεν. Οὕτως ὁ μακάριος Ἰαχὼδ τοῖς υἱέσιν ἔλεγε΄ « Θάψετέ με μετὰ τῶν πατέρων μου" » καὶ οὐκ εἴπε' Θάψετέ μου τὸ σῶμα’ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν" « Ἑχεῖ ἔθαψαν ᾿Αδραὰμ καὶ Σάῤῥαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ" καὶ ἐκεῖ ἔθαψαν Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ῥεθέχχαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὖ-

Oute theasamenos pōpote tēn sēn eusedeian, oute dia grammatōn homilēchōs, erastēs autēs egenomēn thermotatos. Eirgasato de to philtron, kai touto pyrseuei diēnekōs, ta para tōn tou dou melitos gegeumenōn symphōnōs legomena. Thaumazousi gar hapantes tēs pisteōs tēn orthotēta, tēn tou bion lamprotēta, tēn eustatheian tēs psychēs, tēn tōn ēthōn harmonian, to tēs synousias epagōgon kai glyky, kai talla hosa ton teleion hypographei tēs philosophias trophimon. Dia tauta tēs sēs philotheias exērtēmai, Ho de pothos kai grammatōn arxai pepoiēken, ᾿All᾽, ō philē mou kephalē, metados hōs tachiata tou pothoumenou, kai tēn dia grammatōn hēmin echei psychagōgian hē di᾽ epistolōn homilia. Grapseis de ouk heterodoxǭ, alla tę̄ tōn apostolōn entethrammenǭ didaskalią, kai Triados ou tetrados chērychi. Tǭ onti gar paraplēsiōs hypeilēpha dyssethdeis, tous te tas dyo tou Monogenous physeis eis mian synagein tolmōntas, kai tous ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, ton HuIon tou Theou tou zōntos, ton enanthrōpēsanta Theon Logon, eis dyo merizein epicheirountas huious. Eiper ara tines eisin". egō gar ouk oiomai " A alla tautēn aei tēn sykophantian kata tēs Ekklēsias hoi tēs ᾿Areiou kai Eunomiou, kai mentoi kai Kai rhąadion gnōnai tois philoponois, hōs hou paneuphēmoi Pateres hēmōn, tōn Ekklēsiōn hoi phōstēres, para tōn tēs alētheias echthrōn tautēn tēn katēgorian hypemeinan, hēn nyn hēmeis para tōn beltistōn hyphiistametha tēs kainēs promachōn haireseōs. Hōn ho pansophos Despotēs egymnōss tēn asedeian, ouk anaschomenos tēn anosian airesin tę̄ makrothymią kratynai. Peistheis toinyn hōs homodoxois, despota, grapheis (heeadion de soi touto kai ek pollōn hēmōn syngrammatōn mathein), antidos ta grammata. “Esti gar tauta palin, syn Theǭ phanai, «hēs agapēs echchaumata. Pro de tōn grammatōn, dos tōn proseuchōn tēn boētheian, kai ton agathon hē mōn antidolēson Kyrion, pros tēn aplanē kateuthynai poreian tous hēmeterous podas, hina meta tōn autou nomōn exanysōmen ton leipomenon dromon. Echōn gar tēn ek tēs katharas biotēs parrhēsian, rhąsta peiseis ton euer- Mia men pantōn anthrōpōn physis, ai de tōn biōn proaireseis pollai kai diaphoroi. Hoi men gar nautikon, hoi de polemikon hairountai bion" kai hoi men athlētichon, hoi de geōrgikon" kai hoi men tēnde, hoi de tēnde tēn technēn metacheirizousi. Kai hina tas allas paralipō diaphoras, hoi men eise tōn anthrōpōn spoudaioi kai emmeleis peri ta theia, kai tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn echpaideuontai tēn achrideian" hoi de gastri douleuousi, kai tōn aischrōn hēdonōn tēn apolausin euēmerian hypolamdanousin" alloi de ge mesoi toutōn kakeinōn eisi, kai oute tēn epainoumenēn zēlousi spoudēnǭ oute ton akolaston aspazontai bion, tēn de aplotēta timōsi tēs pisteōs. Hēgoumai toinyn tous epischēpsantas ekeinǭ tǭ logǭ, hos phēsin einai tina pantelōs adynata tǭ Theǭ, ou tōn spoudaiōn einai, kai ta theia pepaideumenōn, all’ hē toutōn, hou tēn achrideian tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn ouk isasin, hē echeinōn, hoi tais hēdypatheiais dedoulōmenoi pros tous kairous metathallontai, kai nyn men tauta, nyn de ekeina presdeuousin. Epeidē de grapsai peri toutōn hēmas ētēsate, sigąn epi tou parontos bedouleumenos brachea eipein anankazomai, tę̄ Despotichę̄ peithomenos entolę̄" « Panti gar, phēsi, tǭ haitounti se didou. » Hēmeis toinyn panta men dynasthai phamen ton tōn holōn Theon' tę̄ de panta phōnę̄ mona ta chala kai ta agatha symperilamdanesthai. Ho gar physei sophos te kai agathos ouden tōn enantiōn prosietai, alla mona ta tę̄ physei preponta. Ei de tines antilegousi tǭde tǭ logǭ, eresthe autous, ei dynatai pseusasthai ho tōn holōn Theos tēs alētheias nomothetēs" kan men eipoien dynaton tǭ Theǭ to pseudos, hōs dyssedeis kai blasphēmous tēs hymeteras symmorias exelasate. Ei de synthointo kai autoi, mē dynaton einai touto tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ, palin proserōtēsate, ei dynaton adikon genesthai ton tēn dikaiosynēn pēgazonta. Ei de synomologēsaien kai touto adynaton einai tǭ tōn holōn theǭ, pythesthai chrē palin, ei dynaton asophon genesthai tēs sophias tēn adysson, kai ton Theon mē einai Theon, kai ton Kyrion hōsautōs mē einai Kyrion, kai ton Dēmiourgon ou Dēmiourgon, kai ton agathon ouk agathon, alla kachyn, kai to alēthinon phōs mē einai phōs, alka tounantion. Ei de symphēsaien tauta panta, kai ta toutois prosomoia, adynata einai tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ, eipein chrē pros autous " Oukoun polla adynata tǭ Theǭ" kai hoti tauta adynata ouk adynamias dēlōtika, alla dynameōs megistēs sēmantika. Oude gar peri tēs psychēs tēs hēmeteras. legontes, hōs adynaton autēn apothanein, astheneian- autę̄ chatēgoroumen, alla tēs athanasias autēs to dynaton kēryttomen. Houtō toinyn homologountes tou theou to atrepton, to apathes, to athanaton, oute tropēn, oute pathos, ouke thanaton ekeinę̄ prosapsai tę̄ physei dynametha. Ei de eipoien, Haper an ethelēsę̄ dynatai ho theos, chrē pros autous eipein, hote ouden bouletai poiein hōn mē pephyken' pephyke de agathos, oukoun ou bouletai ti kakon' pephnche dikaios, oukoun ou bouletai ti adikon" pephyken. alēthēs, oukoun ta pseudos bdelyttetai" pephyken atreptos, oukoun tropēn ou prosietai" ei de tropēn ou prosieta!, aei kata tauta kai hōsautōs hechei. Heouto gar kai autos dia tou. Prophētou phēsin" « Egō eimi, egō eimi, kai ouk ēlloiōmai. »: Kai ho makarios Dathdid: e Sy de ho. autos ei, kai ta etē sou ouk ekleipsousin. » Ei de ho autos esti, metadolēn ouk edexato. Ei de kreittōn hyparchei metadolēs kai tropēs, ou gegonen ex athanatou thnētos, oude ex apathous pathētos. Ei gar touto genesthai hoion te ēn, ouk an tēn hēmeteran proselathe physin. Epeidē de athanaton echei physin, elade to pathein dynamenon sōma, kai syn tǭ sōmati tēn anthrōpeian psychēn. Kai toutōn hekateron tōn tēs hamartias kēlidōn phylaxas amyēton, hyper men tōn hēmartēchuiōn psychōn. dedōke tēn Psychēn, hyper de tōn tethnēchytōn sōmatōn to sōma, Kai epeidēper autou tou monogenous Huiou. tou Theou sōma to lēphthen prosēgoreuthē sōma, eis heauton anapherei to tou sōmakos pathos. Hoti de ouk hē theia physis, alla to sōma. tǭ staurǭ proosēlōthē, martyres hoi tessares euangeliatai. HiALpantes gar symphōnōs touto didaskousin, hōs Iōsēph ho apo ᾿Arimatheias proselthōn tǭ. Pilatǭ ētēse to sōma tou Iēsou" kai hoti houtos apo tou xylou katheils to sōma tou EŌēsou, kai hoti sindoni chalypsas ethēken en tǭ kainǭ hautou mnēmeiǭ to sōma tou Iēsou" kai hōs hai peri Marian tēn Magdalēnēn ēlthon. eis to mnēmeion. zētousai. to sōma tou Iēsou, kai mē heurousai to sōma tou Iēsou edramon pros tous mathētas hautou, kai. apēngeilan tauta. ᾿ Tauta hoi tessares euangelistai symphōnōs chērytpousin. Ei de phasin hoi antilegontes eirēkenai ton angelon᾽ e Deute, blepete ton topon hopou ekeito ho Kyrios" » mathetōsan hoi asynetoi, hōs kai peri tou challinichou Stephanou phēsin hē theia Graphi «e Synechomisan de ton Stephanon andres euladeis. » Kaitoi to sōma monon ēxiōthē taphēs, hē de psychē hou synetaphē tǭ sōmati, all᾽ homōs tou koinou onomatos kai monon to sōma metelachen. Houtōs ho makarios Iachōd tois huiesin elege΄ « Thapsete me meta tōn paterōn mou" » kai ouk eipe' Thapsete mou to sōma’ kai epēgagen" « Hechei ethapsan ᾿Adraam kai Sarrhan tēn gynaika autou" kai ekei ethapsan Isaak, kai Rhethechchan tēn gynaika au-

To Andrew, monk, at Constantinople.

Though I have never seen your piety nor conversed with you by letter, I have become your most ardent lover. The charm was worked, and is kept continually alight, by what is said with one voice by those who have tasted your honey. For all admire the orthodoxy of your faith, the brilliance of your life, the steadiness of your soul, the harmony of your character, the attractiveness and sweetness of your company, and everything else that marks out the perfect nursling of philosophy. For these reasons I am bound to your God-loving self, and longing has made me begin a correspondence. Come, then, dear friend, give me as quickly as you can what I long for, and … the comfort of letters … the converse of letters. You will be writing not to one of another faith, but to one nurtured in the teaching of the apostles, a herald of a Trinity, not of a quaternity. For in truth I hold equally impious both those who dare to fuse the two natures of the Only-begotten into one, and those who try to divide our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, God the Word made man, into two sons, if indeed there are any such; for I do not think there are. This slander against the church has always been brought by the followers of Arius and Eunomius, and indeed also … And it is easy for the diligent to learn that our all-praised Fathers, the luminaries of the churches, endured from the enemies of the truth the same accusation that we now undergo from the excellent champions of the new heresy, whose impiety the all-wise Master has laid bare, not suffering the unholy heresy to be strengthened by his long-suffering. Being persuaded, then, master, that you are writing to those of like faith (you can easily learn this from our many writings as well), write back. For letters too, God willing, are kindlings of love. And before letters, give us the help of your prayers, and entreat our good Lord to direct our feet to the path without error, so that we may finish the remaining course with his laws. For since you have the boldness that comes from a pure life, you will very easily persuade the One who … to do good …

[Letter 144] To the soldiers

The nature of all human beings is one, but their choices of a way of life are many and various. Some choose the life of a sailor, others that of a soldier; some the life of an athlete, others that of a farmer; some practise one craft, others another. And, to pass over the other differences, some people are earnest and careful about divine things and are trained in the precision of the apostolic doctrines; others are slaves to the belly and take the enjoyment of shameful pleasures for happiness; others again are between the two, and neither emulate the earnestness that is praised nor embrace the licentious life, but honour the simplicity of the faith. I think, then, that those who have objected to the statement that some things are altogether impossible for God are not of the earnest and of those educated in divine things, but either of those who do not know the precision of the apostolic doctrines, or of those who are enslaved to luxury and change with the times, championing now one thing and now another. Since you have asked us to write about these things, I am compelled to say a few words, though I had resolved to keep silent for the present, in obedience to the Lord's command: 'Give to everyone who asks you.' We say, then, that the God of the universe can do all things, but that under the word 'all' only what is fair and good is included. For he who is by nature wise and good admits nothing of the contrary, but only what befits his nature. If any contradict this statement, ask them whether the God of the universe, the lawgiver of truth, can lie. If they say that falsehood is possible for God, drive them out of your company as impious and blasphemers. But if they too agree that this is not possible for the God of the universe, ask further whether the one from whom righteousness springs can become unjust. If they agree that this too is impossible for the God of the universe, one must ask again whether the abyss of wisdom can become unwise, and God not be God, and likewise the Lord not be Lord, and the Creator not Creator, and the good not good but evil, and the true light not light but its opposite. If they agree that all these and things like them are impossible for the God of the universe, one must say to them: 'Then many things are impossible for God'; and that these impossibilities do not show weakness, but signify the greatest power. For when we say of our soul that it cannot die, we do not charge it with weakness; we proclaim the power of its immortality. So, confessing God's unchangeableness, impassibility, and immortality, we cannot attach change or passion or death to that nature. If they say, 'God can do whatever he wills', one must tell them that he wills to do nothing that is not according to his nature. He is by nature good: therefore he wills nothing evil. He is by nature just: therefore he wills nothing unjust. He is by nature true: therefore he abhors falsehood. He is by nature unchangeable: therefore he admits no change; and if he admits no change, he is always the same and in the same way. For he says this himself through the Prophet: 'I am, I am, and I have not changed.' And the blessed David: 'But you are the same, and your years shall not fail.' If he is the same, he has undergone no change. And if he is above change and alteration, he did not become mortal from immortal, nor passible from impassible. For if this could have happened, he would not have taken our nature. But since his nature is immortal, he took the body that could suffer, and with the body the human soul. And keeping each of these untouched by the stains of sin, he gave the soul for the souls that had sinned and the body for the bodies that had died. And since the body that was taken was called the body of the only-begotten Son of God himself, he refers to himself the suffering of the body. That it was not the divine nature but the body that was nailed to the cross, the four evangelists are witnesses. For all teach with one voice that Joseph of Arimathea came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; that he took the body of Jesus down from the wood; that he covered the body of Jesus with a linen cloth and laid it in his new tomb; and that the women with Mary Magdalene came to the tomb seeking the body of Jesus and, not finding the body of Jesus, ran to his disciples and told them this. This the four evangelists proclaim with one voice. If the objectors say that the angel said, 'Come, see the place where the Lord lay', let the foolish learn that the divine Scripture also says of the triumphant Stephen: 'Devout men buried Stephen.' Yet only the body was counted worthy of burial; the soul was not buried with the body; and nevertheless the body alone received the common name. So too the blessed Jacob said to his sons: 'Bury me with my fathers', and did not say, 'Bury my body'; and he added: 'There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, and there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, …

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 16:16 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Tim 4:7 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 5:42 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 1:2 (echo, low confidence) · Rom 11:33 (echo, low confidence) · Mal 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 102:27 (101:28 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 27:57–60 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 15:43–46 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 23:50–53 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 19:38–41 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 24:1–10 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 20:1–2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 28:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 8:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 49:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 49:31 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret seeks the friendship of Andrew at Constantinople, rejecting both the fusion of Christ's natures and the division of Christ into two sons; then a second letter, its heading lost, explains that God cannot do what is contrary to his nature and that the passion belongs to Christ's body, not his divine nature.

Migne Letter 143, to Andrew at Constantinople (the heading is damaged). The end of Letter 143 and the heading of Letter 144 are lost in the scan: the passage breaks off at 'persuade the one who [is eager?] to do good' and resumes with Letter 144, which continues into the next passage. Letter 144 is marked '[Letter 144]'.
In Letter 143 words are lost after 'what I long for, and' and after 'Arius and Eunomius, and indeed also' (marked '…'). 'Herald of a Trinity, not of a quaternity': Theodoret rejects the charge that distinguishing Christ's natures adds a fourth person.
Letter 144: the objected statement that 'some things are impossible to God' is Theodoret's own, defended here. 'Give to everyone who asks you' is Matt 5:42; 'I am, I am, and I have not changed' is Mal 3:6 in Theodoret's wording; Ps 102:27 is LXX 101:28. The burial narratives: Matt 27:57–60 and parallels, Luke 24:1–10, John 20:1–2; the angel's words, Matt 28:6; Stephen, Acts 8:2; Jacob, Gen 49:29–31.
Theodoret's christological argument (the passion ascribed to the body, not to the divine nature) is translated as written.
The heading 'To the soldiers' for Letter 144 is lost in the scan and is supplied from NPNF² 3; the words lost after 'Arius and Eunomius, and indeed also' probably named Apollinarius. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris (margin); OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and a marginal reference; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal references inside Θε-ῷ; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column read as Greek letters; column letter inside a hyphenated word; end of the heading ('Κωνσταντινουπόλ-εως') read into the text; stray marks inside the quotation): ως. Οὔτε → Οὔτε; δογ- Ό μάτων → δογμάτων; Ἴ 1 υς. γι, ὅθ. δὶ ὅπ πἱ δῖο] οἱ [8δἰϊ, ἴῃ ἢυἃ ἃ τὰ Δ} τηϑη [τὶ ϑίη δϑϑοηβογίηιὶ οἱ ἰρ8ῖ, ος θοῦ τἶη! 6886 τϊ ταν ἤθη 511 Βομλΐμ8, οἱ γοαῖουῦ ἤθη (Γ Δίου, οἴ. ἀπ πιο τ, ἢ 6 Ο 1} Ἰδη, οδί ἢ οϑὶ αἷὶϊ : «Εξο 80π), 660 δι, οἱ πο τοῦΐον ἴ᾽..» Εἰ θεῷ → Θεῷ; ιαἱ ποι ἀδἢείοηι 19. ν Ουσὰ οἱ ἰάδπι δἰ, πιυϊδιίοποιῃ.(, → ; δὶ οἱ οὐ] 4116 ἃ 5 συ αι δὰ ἴα, → ; θα. Ὁ τοῦτο → τοῦτο; Υ ἢ 5 οἱ ἰδία πὰ ηως Δηοἱ, 98. → ; Συνεχόμισαν. ἃ δὲ τὸν → Συνεχόμισαν δὲ τὸν.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 143 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/143). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/143

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).