On the Incarnation of Christ

On the Incarnation of Christ Of the holy church. Another of his own, as it were his own. Homily forty-four: which he composed on the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is fitting for the holy church. A prayer. The nations have learned to bow down to your crown, for your bones are in the earth and your writings in heaven. Brethren. The church, full of distinctions, possessor of treasures and wisdoms. The teaching that flows from her is sealed in four corners. The nations, divided in tongues and far from unity, through one man she taught, who teaches love to his erring ones. The great mystery that was hidden from generations and from tribes, its truth was revealed in the church to the upper and lower ones. The Son, whose Father is with his begetter, hidden and revealed in his likenesses. The church learned the fire of his teaching, that he is the one who is born from the Father. The Spirit, whose being is from the Father, and not diminished from him in essence. Within the church she divided his wealth, and received it like a dowry. In the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, she named the three holy ones. She received power and authority, and learned that one is the essence. One God was proclaimed by Israel as it was called. And the church learned the interpretation of the confession in three hypostases. The Son was hidden with his begetter from the upper and lower ones. And in mysteries and revelations, the prophets wrote down his likeness. When, then, the completion of the time arrived, which was fixed by his knowledge, God sent his Son to come and renew the covenant.

He went forth from where he was and came to where he was. He went forth from the Father and did not depart, and he came to the world by his will. For he was not able in his nature to move from place to places of place, for times and worlds are within him, and creations do not contain him. He came entirely by his will and remained entirely in his nature. His nature is in all places, and his will goes and comes. He came to the dwelling of mortals, that he might renew the image that had worn out. And from his pure nature he made a garment and dwelt in it. Without seed, the Spirit fashioned him in a womb without marriage, that he might renew creations and that he might restore the high ones. He sent a messenger of peace, who proclaimed in the land by his coming. And from the gate through which death entered, life entered and abolished death. "Peace to you, full of grace," the angel said to Mary. "The Lord is with you, daughter of mortals, from whom the Savior will dawn." Behold the place where the heretics stumbled, the mad ones, and set it up like a house of contest for the confusion of their questions. That Word changed and became flesh, as it is written. And he did not take a body from Mary, but his existence was in flesh. If the Word changed, then he received composition, and if he received composition, that was the beginning of his limitation. And if he began by limitation, he would be equal in his creation to every man. And in name he is the Creator, while being far from actions. This blasphemy turns back upon the heads of the heretics.

of the truth of the confession of the faith of the apostles. See, the blind have come to the measure and the deaf from the sound. Why this disturbance and upon what this command? From where does this thought come, that it thinks of a nature that does not feel? And to him who is equal with his Father, the creation of flesh has called him. Hearer, do not be divided and separated among those things that you have heard. Come, approach the measure, and hear and learn accurately. It is not that the Word was changed and became flesh in his person. But the Word put on flesh, by which he redeemed the dead. It is not that the Word became flesh, but that he took a head, which was to be completed in everything, in body and soul equally. It is the head that was limited by the belly, birth, and upbringing; by hunger, thirst, pain, and death, which filled a time. Sin, however, did not rule over him, and Paul testifies concerning this: that he was a dwelling place of divinity, which sanctifies by the Holy Spirit. And again, let the hearer not suppose, because of that which is called a head, that he speaks of two natures, as the wicked think. He is one Son, of one nature, who is equal with his begetter. And he was hidden in the bosom of his Father until the time of his coming. And because of his love for us, he took a perfect head, and made with it one thing, in lordship and authority. And from the day the spirit formed him in the womb without marriage, he is Lord, heir, and ruler, in height and depth equally. It was not possible that, by his nature, the dead should be separated from him.

And on this account the mind took to conceal its radiance in humanity. And with this it did not increase that the garment of the body might be put on. And it ascended with him to heaven for the honor of that which is from his right hand. In his image he called the body in the beginning when it was fashioned for him, and this image was corrupted by the counsel of the slanderer. But now he desires, in his compassion, to renew the image that has perished. And he took from the beginning and brought it to him with praises. This is the entire confession which from the scribes of the Spirit she learns: that God does not change and does not descend into lower sufferings. The sufferings of humanity are those of that sentient being of the race, who participated in the glorious things because of the love of his Creator. In the error and birth of the human, the weakness and sacrifices of the human, the hunger and thirst of the human, the weariness and thirst of the human, the prayers and suffering which are his own belong to the Son from the Word of God. Jesus the child grew in stature and wisdom of the separations, and he was increased in grace toward God and humanity. Behold, how many are these all the separations, of the maker who is not to be divided, the human being of the race. Not perceptions, not understandings, the upbringing of the race is that which came to perfection in the joy of being with the Word. Not that his authority was diminished from the day of his birth, but that this was fitting that with his upbringing his exaltation. He speaks, then, about his fasting and his vigil with the adversary.

that at the end of the forty days he said he hungered and was tempted. Come, translate for us, O theologians, the new scriptures that followed you. And interpret for us the meanings of what hunger and temptation are. Here in silence they were perplexed and raised a finger to the truth that this revelation of the called one conceals the wickedness of their words. For the evil one would not dare to approach the tempter. To that knower of everything who knew without being tempted. He would offer from the tempter to that one who was standing in the members. For he saw that at the end of his fast he was enticed to food. And like that first Adam he was enticed by food when he saw that he was wearing his garment. And he thought that the Word was receiving in all these things he was tempted, the Son of the Creator was not a creature. For high is the garment of the Creator from passions and from temptation. He was not weary from the toil of the road, and he sat and rested from his labor. And he asked for water for the palate that the pain of his thirst might be cooled. Here is the sign of the beginning, and hunger and thirst are his own. And when the Word dwelt in him, he was being tempted in his own. The cause of the dead he was casting into error against his teaching. And by the knowledge of his divinity he brought to light the deeds of her. To his disciples, however, he said when they brought food to him: "I have another food that you do not know, you do not know it." And when this food was that he might do the will of his father.

that he was hungry and tempted. To the repentance of sinners he slept in the ship and they woke him, and he rose and sat by the sea and sent forth the year of death it is, and the sending of the sea of the servant. He lay down, he loved, he called to Lazarus, and one sign that was not there. In his humanity he was not hungry, in his divinity he was hungry. And when he went to wake him, the entrails of pain were rebelling. When he called him to the tomb, upon the dust of his fellow man. The words of what are they? The errors that strayed from the path. But he who put on members, he was covered in everything. And by the spirit he was not strengthened, and with a voice he called to Lazarus: "Come, dead one, come out and see the dwelling of the living that you have left." Here is the voice of the servant who called to Lazarus and revived him. As if from the grave from the hour, raising the dead from the living. Openly he spoke to them, to the wounds upon himself, when he said to his disciples, "Go, I go to my father and my God." Say to you, O lying scriptures: There is a God to a God, and a servant has no secret. By whose fear everything exists. He called his God to a God, who is the servant of himself and of all. And his father hid the height, that he equated this with grace. Now, behold, I am troubled in myself from the pains that I endure, and I am weary unto death from the harshness of the cross. The self of what is it that is troubled, the wounds that have no healing. The Word that came from the Father, he who cast with his begetter. Do not err, O heretics, the coming is high from pains.

The sufferings of men are his, that Sufferer, the Son of the race. These are of men, that which was created by grace. It was not the Word alone that is always with his Father. Nor was it the Word that was said to have stood in creation by grace. For Arius was not alarmed, lest the man should worship his race. For the Father is greater than the servant, in essence and in authority. He did not cast down the created to be equal with his Creator. The Father is greater than he in essence, whose life is without beginning. And that which has a beginning is smaller than the one who begot it. We have, then, a High Priest who is faithful to his Creator. Like Moses in all his house, and more than the son of Amram. What is this High Priest, and his Creator, what is called man? For he is true to his house, and rules over the work of his hands. The High Priest is Jesus, and his Creator is the hidden essence. And that which became a dwelling for the Creator, the Lord made his servant for his purposes. One is the mediator of God and of men. In the head, Jesus, who is great, became king and ruler. Here he calls the mediator that which was from David. And in his death he became mediator, and placed us with the Creator. Death, then, he tasted in his life, apart from the divine Word. And when the Word dwelt in him, suffering did not approach his life. Suffering and death are of the Sufferer, who stood in death in his life. The resurrection and life of the Creator, who has life in his life.

Everything that was in him is life, and he gives life and light. He is the fullness of life that never passes away. For he does not diminish in his nature, nor does he increase from what he is. And he did not fall under sufferings, for his nature is above sufferings. The sufferings are of the human race, which was small, grew, and was exalted. The small one tasted death for a time, and the grown one came to be in lordship. Not that the hearer should think that the distinction of persons is in this. For he says that there are two persons, the Word and the body that he took. And in one Son he confesses, and he proclaims two natures. The nature is worshiped and praised, that of the Word who is from the Father. And our nature, which took from his incarnation and was united. He is perfect in his divinity, equal to his begetter. And again, complete in his humanity, in the body and soul of mortals. The two were in unity, one love and one will. The Word is one from the Father, and the likeness of the servant who took him. And because of the love of the servant, he placed his honor with the servant. And he humbled himself in names, while in his nature he is not small. He became dust by grace, and an heir with the Word. His honor is in all his nature, and he subjected height and depth to him. The servant, however, took the names of the Word, of dust in a borrowed name. And the mortal was also honored by the glories of the Unique One. While it was not in the fullness of time that he was honored by the glories. But now and forever, without end, is his authority. Once his self was offered in his sacrifice to God.

the law of priesthood in heaven, and his priesthood is not dissolved. For the holy of holies above, he entered upon the sanctuary of all. And in his hand he found the salvation of the whole race of mortals. He did not enter into the blood of animals according to the order of the priests of the priesthood. But his standing was that of a lamb, and his blood was shed for all. To him it is said, "Sit at my right hand until all is subdued to him." When he rules over all that was with his God, his is also the coming which is destined at the end. The evil that suffered in the earth, in him is doubled what came. By the voice of his word they are warned, from the houses of Adam and all. And they fly to his light in the clouds, those who loved his revelations. By the breath of his mouth he destroyed the one who came astray in his name. And by the thorns of his word he loosed the dominion of the slanderer. By a thousand of the watchful they are increased, and by myriads of angels, and seraphs without number, the holiness of his greatness they taste. To the revelation of his body they see, the heavenly and the earthly, while his divinity is hidden in the face of the door of his humanity. In him mortals are proclaimed face to face openly. And as an image by his revelation, to that hidden one he leads all. Not without his God did he accomplish these things that came. With him he is without change from beginning to end. One Son and one Person, two natures that were one. The Word united from the Father, and the form of the servant who took. And it was not because they were one that two natures were in one union.

He again received the hearing of the mixture that was in his nature. The substance is not mixed, and the maker is not changed. It is he who is hidden and concealed, and removed from changes. Nor did his holy dwelling take the likeness of a servant. Change did not approach his nature, which is preserved with the Word. But in thought the divisions of praises from deaths are distinguished. And concerning that one son, two natures that were one are held. The powers of men came, that which was born from Mary. In the prostrations of the Word came the son of the Father, the eternal one. He who willed because of his love to honor his race through him. Here the one who read his image took its end. It was not in the image of his nature, but in the image of his honor. For he has no composition, nor form and likeness. The creator is without composition, and is not perceived by sight. The prophets depicted him in names according to the understanding of humanity. And when he is neither small nor great, they said he is small and also great. And when he is in his nature in every place, they said he descended and also ascended. But the fools who heard these things did not perish completely. They placed their hands on the powers naturally upon the maker. And the audacity did not suffice for them to err in it from the truth. Rather, they mounted the storms and were driven against the truth. Come then, O hearer, be a disciple of scripture. And travel the path of truth, and do not stray on the way of falsehood. Believe in the father without beginning, the existence that precedes beings.

His substance is not changed by the thought of created things. He is the Father, from whom the Son is born without suffering. The Lord, the sign, and the maker are equal to him in his nature. He glorified the person of the Spirit, who is from him of the nature. And the Father and the Son are not diminished in lordship and authority. One nature equally of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Three persons, distinct, one substance without beginning. This nature the prophets proclaimed in mysteries and wonders. When the distinction of persons was preserved in the Son and awaited, and when the time came for the revelation of him who was hidden from the ages, he revealed to us this distinction, which confesses three persons. Behold, the confession of truth, not to be forgotten in the ages. And the weight of words is not lost, which the hearer confesses in it. The coming of the Son to us was not a journey or a passage, but of love and will, while he did not diminish from what he is. For I said in these words of wonder that the maker is not diminished, and he does not come, for his nature is entirely what it is. It is the body that diminished and increased in the suffering and death of the cross, and was honored after these in the resurrection and ascension, and became a true dwelling for the divinity without division, which was honored with substance in lordship and authority. The Father did not give to the Son, nor did the Son give to the Father, but he gave all of himself, while he chose in the mystery of himself for the upper and lower realms.

He is the one who gives recompense to the righteous for their labors. And from him the evil are condemned in shame and reproach. And because of this he chose him from all and made him a shepherd for his honor, so that mortals might be established in him while they examine their deeds. And because the purity of his glory is not subjected to sight, he appears in a sign to us like one who is seen. Here, in mysteries and wonders, he is established in a vision. And there, in manifest faces, his person is seen. It is not the person of the Word that this is unable to be, but rather the son of our race and the beginning of our nature. For God cannot be seen by mortals and living beings. And Paul testifies concerning this, that no one has seen him and he has not seen. And concerning this, the human took and made an image of his honor, so that mortals might be established in it in place of the concealment of his essence. Good thanks to your gift, which has hidden the love of your nature. And I have honored you with your praises, while nature is not equal. In the beginning of your taking, the entire race was honored. And with you, heaven and earth and all that is in them were renewed together. And when the higher ones among us were good, the spirits in their lamentations learned from you and confessed in your name, and with you they were renewed together. Through the Church, the hidden wisdom of the Creator was revealed to you. To the powers of the heavens, which were hidden from the beginning, the spiritual ones learned that there is a Son to the Father and he is hidden. And with them they received the confession that the Spirit is, like the Father. And they also learned the proof that the two natures are one.

of the Word, who is from the Father, and of the man, the son of the race. With him they received the knowledge that in Christ everything is renewed. And by the choice of our own, they are revealed from the servitude of their labors. And also to them the creation with him is freed from servitude. When they receive the redemption of the mortality of the just one. Come, O wanderers, to the path while there is time for reconciliation. For he is the one who enriches the creatures who with him receive renewal. He is the one who helps the spirits who with him receive change. And he enriches for himself the redemption according to the confession of the doer. The love of the friends of teaching, I have awakened that I might say these things. And the error of those of whom we spoke, I have separated from the true ones. And when I have well separated the true ones, praises from the lowly. In my confession I have not done what is right, that in one Son I confess a man. One lordship I believe, a man, and one authority I know, a man. When a man worships equally the Word and the dwelling that he chose for himself. A man confesses the king who put on the members of the body of Adam. And a man worships the Lord who chastens the just with his greatness. I have separated these from those, not by a division of thought, but so that the simple might not err, who are the creation, as they supposed. These have lengthened their words and placed the being under the heresy. And they have perverted the true one of our own from the honor of his receiver. For their thoughts are sick, their minds are disturbed, and they do not receive the words of truth, whose sight sin has blinded. They are not sufficient for the perfection that the many have broken for knowledge.

And like children they are shaken at the fleshly table. They laid the foundation of their words on sand and not on rock. They began a search in a search that is bitter and empty of truth. They boiled with murderous envy against the holy scriptures. And they covered their error with the name of a God who is bent. The simple ones, without discernment, entered after their words. And they left the path of truth and now wander after a lie. The truth, which is clearer than the sun, is darkness to their minds. And a straight confession was twisted for them into a crooked lie. Faith, the anchor that holds the ship of the church, the fools abandoned and were submerged in a sea of error like in the sea. They sought the sweet honey of teaching, but thorns grew up in its place. They squeezed from it something bitter, and its place became a place of evil. They became sick and were cast into fire, with thoughts instead of limbs. And they became arrogant as if they were true, and did not perceive how much they were deceived. They stood upright against truth like the errors of the law. And they put on pride like the followers of rebellion. Until then there were no disciples, nor did they study the books. And with the boldness of their thoughts they wish to be teachers. Come, be subject to the truth, the freeborn, and learn the truth. And put aside from yourselves harshness, and take up the yoke of meekness. Not with envy does the father wish to overturn the meaning of their words, but to turn, if possible, your minds toward the truth. For you will learn that you are ignorant, and they wish to teach you.

And like one who teaches within the church, his thought is like a merchant. He corrupted the simplicity, and he despised the words of the Spirit. And with a new, empty voice, from common teachers. And here the work is completed, that which is written in the Gospel: that if a blind man leads a blind man, the end of his path is a pit. In what does he differ from the blind, he who is blind from knowledge? For he who does not know the truth, is confused by the teaching of his companions. The sick man who is immersed in fire, in body and soul equally. Behold, he is confused by health, for bodies that are base in sin. Do not follow the desire of your soul, foolish one who does not stand in the way. Lower your mind a little, and hear the words of the Scriptures. He seeks a gentle teaching, which gives life to its hearers. And the illuminations that enlighten souls, to the equal path of truth. Not he who boasts, I say, by means of these that are beneath, and I said: I call a witness to my word, I honor the truth that is not. Not he who is disturbed, I ask, concerning the members of my honor. For I am a member from the body, and I suffer among them. And this is fitting for the knowledgeable, that in this order and wonder, the unity of one member. For the whole body is its foundation. Christ, the head of the members, made his church one body. And he rejoiced over the death of the sacrifice, because of the love of his mystery. [Or of his members.] Behold, the physician who knows the pains, of the hidden and the revealed. The sick, come, receive health, so that you do not die in your sins.

Awake, you who are asleep in sin, and cast off the burden of your guilt. Behold, the morning of awakening has drawn near, to rouse you from the slumber of death. The sick who have languished in sickness, and the hidden wounds of the soul, behold, the merciful physician has come, who heals bodies and souls. You who have gone astray from the house of truth, seek the path while life remains yours. And do not rely on the one who is called by the name of the house of truth. For the sinner who has increased in the name of the priest is disgraced. For the name of the priest is a title, far removed from the deeds. When Judah increased, the apostolic missions were cut short by the sword. And when he was helped by the power of the mystery of the body that gives life to all, his thought was not established, but became a merchant for his election. And all his will changed; envy killed him instead of the sword. He did not take pride in names, but drew near to deeds. For a deed can be fitting even for a name that is distant. Come, you who err, gather yourselves in the economy of the body of our Lord, which can, through your souls, by hope, lead you into heaven. For the gift from the side of the race is not repaid by deeds. Repay the reception of grace with undivided thanksgiving.