Homiliarum incertarum fragmenta

Those who say that the Son is of a different nature and alien from the substance of God the Father are mistaken. For it is impossible that what is from God by nature should be created and generated. For if everything that naturally gives birth produces something consubstantial with itself, and the Father has truly begotten the Son, then he has certainly begotten him consubstantial with himself. For is it not absurd that from a human being no animal of a different kind is born, and likewise from a cow or a horse? For each gives birth to what is naturally like itself. But should we think that the divine and highest nature is not even in these things in which creation exists? Therefore, if what is begotten is a creature, then the begetter is also a creature. But the Father is unbegotten, for he did not come into being from anyone; therefore the Son is also unbegotten. And if he is the character of the hypostasis of the begetter, and the begetter is truly God, then his character is also God. For God characterizes God, and creation characterizes creation. For just as if someone wished to show created and made creation to some people, he cannot say, "Behold the nature of divinity for me, and from this you will understand that," for the one saying this will appear ignorant; for the nature of divinity will not by itself show forth created substance. So if someone wished to see the uncreated nature, he would not see it as in an image in creation. Therefore the Lord said to Philip, "He who has seen me has seen the Father." The likeness of the Son to the Father is certainly natural, and the character is substantial. Do you see that God is anointed by God? For when he became man while remaining what he was, then he was anointed in a human way for his mission.

For the humanity is anointed by the divine Spirit, not activated as in the case of ordinary men, such as prophets and patriarchs; anointing is, as it were, the whole presence of the anointer. And the Son is anointed when he was introduced into the inhabited world, that is, when he was incarnate; for then he shared in creation, having united the created to himself and anointed the humanity with the divinity, so as to make both one. He who has brought many sons to glory would not slip from being truly a Son; for he did not neglect to be what he is, which he had not become, but remains Lord in the form of a servant. It may be understood by us that he who has partaken of blood and flesh in a manner similar to us is other than us by nature; for no one would say that it befits a man to partake of humanity; for how could one who is by nature something be conceived as having received it as something other than what he is? What then is it? "He partook of the same things" in a similar manner, or that certainly, that he became like us in blood and flesh, having taken a body from the holy virgin, not soulless, as some heretics thought, but ensouled with a rational soul; and thus he came forth as a man from a woman, not having neglected to be God, but even in the assumption of flesh, having remained what he always was. Since the discourse is deep, attend with an awakened mind to how we have partaken of blood and flesh; for the soul is of a different nature from blood and flesh, but we are composed into one man through both, by the skillful arts of our Creator, with the things opposite in nature having run together into some ineffable unity.

Do you wish, as Isaiah says, that we measure "water with the hand," and the heaven with a span, and the whole earth "with the fist"? Do you wish that we should look at things beyond us from things like us? So then, having set forth as a brief example the human being composed of soul and body, let us leap up to thoughts concerning Christ. We say that a true union has taken place, the Word having taken up the human element. For He made His own the body from the holy Virgin, His own as each of us might say of his own body. And this, I think, makes clear that He became flesh, not by change or transformation—for the divine nature is changeless—but because divine Scripture is somehow always accustomed, and sometimes entirely, to indicate the human being, I mean the one composed of soul and body, even from the flesh alone, as for instance: "I will pour out from my spirit upon all flesh." Therefore we confess one Son, born divinely from the Father, in so far as He is conceived and is Word, and the same one born from a woman according to flesh. For thus it will be understood that He has partaken of blood and flesh similarly to us, in order that through His own death He might abolish the devil, by whom "death entered the world through envy." For the death of Christ has become, as it were, a root of life, and an abolition of corruption, and a turning away of sin, and an end of wrath. We became accursed and subject to death like Adam, but the Word, who knows no sin, has become a son of Adam, and through Him the charges of the first transgression have been dissolved. For the nature of man was seen in Christ to be soundly without fault; this has saved those on earth.

It is not, however, to the nature of the Word itself that the name "High Priest" and such titles belong, but to the economy with flesh and to measures like our own. And let us first investigate this: who was the one who was able and had the authority to lay hold of angels, if this had been useful, but did not rather lay hold of them, but "of the seed of Abraham"? If, then, some think these things are said about a common man, how could one not yet born nor existing lay hold of the nature of the holy angels, if he wished to do this, but not having done that, rather laid hold of the seed of Abraham? Moreover, I think it is necessary to observe this as well: to say that a man laid hold of humanity is utterly senseless. Therefore, the one who is outside human nature as God lays hold of the seed of Abraham; for he took a body, ensouled and rational, from the holy and Theotokos Mary, and was made like his brothers in all things, that is, us; then he became a merciful high priest over us, and faithful besides. How then did this happen? It is fitting to see: was he not merciful even before he became like us? Was he not good as from a good Father, but when he became man, then also merciful? Did the Word from God the Father then advance and become better than himself when he laid hold of the seed of Abraham? Therefore, he became what he was not, and was benefited rather by becoming man. How then is he still changeless in nature, if he became what he was not? How has he remained the same? Where has he emptied and lowered himself into humility, if he became better than himself? But these things are not so; may it not be.

For he was merciful and is always so; and since this is the case, he took hold of the seed of Abraham, so that he might become a merciful priest for us. And in what manner, I shall say: it was not possible in the law for a man to be justified, it was not possible to transgress the given commandment and not immediately suffer penalties, even unto death. And Paul will confirm by writing: "Someone who sets aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses." Therefore, in order to deliver us from the penalty, curse, and severity of the law, he has become our priest, not demanding penalties for sins committed, not rendering those who have erred from human weakness liable to judgment, but rather justifying by faith, releasing from charges, declaring them holy and partakers of his own nature, and thus uniting them through himself to God and Father. For Christ has become a merciful high priest for us, no longer permitting the legal severities to prevail, but rather releasing those who have faltered from ancient accusations. And "faithful" means steadfast and enduring, and trustworthy in the promises made, and having an inviolable priesthood. Therefore, merciful and faithful—that is, always remaining—he became priest when

the seed of Abraham, being God the Word, and in the form and equality of the Father. Why then do they slander the truth? Why do they reject the Son from being what he is, on account of his love for us? But indeed the Christ-fighters, collecting from every side the inventions of their cunning for their own support, slander even the divine scriptures themselves. And indeed they say that the blessed Paul called Jesus an apostle and high priest. But apostleship and priesthood, they say, are forms of ministry. And indeed the disciples were sent, and Aaron and his sons served as priests. And if, they say, the measure of the Son is in these things, how can he be consubstantial with God the Father? O what great perversity! They pretend not to know the truth, and their purpose is to think or say nothing sound. For while confessing with us that the Son, although existing in the form of God the Father, willingly emptied himself, they do not praise the mystery of the economy with flesh, but hearing the apostle say "Jesus, high priest and apostle," they do not take into their mind that when the Only-begotten became like us, he was then named Jesus through the voice of the angel; then he was also called apostle and high priest. Therefore, let them either plainly deny that the Word became flesh, that is, man, taking a body both ensouled and rational, and then let them refer all that is written about him to their own purpose; or, if they fear to deny the mystery, let them marvel with us at him who for our sake became among our own circumstances, while remaining even thus God.

Then, when they scrutinize the measure of the kenosis, they will find him both as an apostle humanly and as proclaimed divinely by those sent forth. For what did the blessed disciples proclaim to the nations, and this as true God? Was it not our Lord Jesus Christ? Was he not an apostle on account of the human element? Was he not himself God, because he was the Word of the Father? How shall we regard him as having become high priest? In the manner of Aaron? According to the law of Moses, sacrificing lambs from the flock to God? Or offering turtledoves and pigeons and fine flour mixed with oil? Yet Emmanuel did none of these things; for he serves as priest beyond the law. He himself was the sacrifice, the true lamb, the same blameless and innocent high priest, not performing sacred rites for his own transgressions—for as God he was above sin—but in order to dissolve the sin of the world. He therefore became the celebrant of his own offering; for it was not fitting that a common man should offer the sacrifice for the life of the world. But otherwise, what does the blessed Paul say? Let us examine more precisely: "Consider the apostle and high priest of our confession," that is, the word of the faith which we proclaim. What then does he sacrifice to himself and to the Father? "For we believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, his Son." Therefore, let those who say that he became a priest, and are scandalized by this, teach us what kind of priest performs the sacred rite for himself, offers the sacrifice to himself.

What priest appears in equal rank and glory to the one who receives the liturgy from him? And yet, having become high priest on account of the human element, the Son has offered up our confession to himself, and through himself to the Father, and is seen upon the thrones of the divinity; and Paul will confirm this by writing, "A summary upon what has been said: we have such a high priest as sat at the right hand of the throne of majesty in the heavens, the minister of the saints, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not a man." Therefore he performs the priestly office humanly because he became man, but he sits enthroned divinely because he remained the Word. Now, however, he calls Christ a living God, from which some do not entirely and in every way depart, leaping away from the doctrines of the truth; but what does his disciple say? "As therefore you received Christ Jesus as Lord, walk in him." And we received Christ as a living God and truly Lord. The law prefigured these things, and the prophets also proclaimed them beforehand. It is written, then, in a Mosaic book: "And you shall take fine flour and make twelve loaves of it, and you shall place them in two rows upon the clean table before the Lord, and you shall place upon the row frankincense and salt, and they shall be loaves set before the Lord for a memorial." For the bread that came down from heaven and gives life to the world—who else could this be but Christ, the Savior of all? And in imitation of him, the blessed disciples are also called loaves.

For they have become partakers of the one who nourishes us for eternal life, and they themselves nourish, through their own writings, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. And just as the Savior, being the true light, also called the disciples light: "For you are the light of the world," so also, being himself the bread of life, he granted to his own disciples that they be understood in the order of the loaves. And observe the skill of the law: for it says, "You shall place upon the loaves frankincense and salt." And frankincense is a symbol of fragrance, while salt is of understanding and prudence. Both were present in the holy apostles to the highest degree. For their life was fragrant; indeed they said, "We are the fragrance of Christ to God." And in addition to this, they were also very wise; hence they heard, "You are the salt of the earth." And I hear the prophet David singing and saying concerning them: "There Benjamin the younger in ecstasy, the rulers of Judah their leaders, the rulers of Zebulun, the rulers of Naphtali." For from almost every tribe of Israel the blessed disciples were chosen, and they were universal luminaries, holding the word of life. And here is the remarkable thing: the wise men of the Greeks have brilliant eloquence and are very fluent; but the disciples of our Savior were men who were craftsmen, seafarers, and fishermen, having no boast of words, no abundance of approved expressions; but they were unlettered in speech, yet rich in knowledge. And the writings of the Greeks and their boastfulness of words have been silenced, while the power of the evangelical proclamations prevails throughout the whole world under heaven.

God remembers these things and says through the voice of Jeremiah concerning the enemy of all, I mean Satan: "Woe to him who multiplies for him what is not his own and heavily burdens his collar, because suddenly those who bite him will rise up and your plotters will wake up, and you will be plundered by them." Satan gathered all the people on earth who are not his own and declared them his own worshipers, heavily burdening his collar; but those who plunder his vessels woke up; for the net of apostolic mystagogy hunted all the wanderers and brought them to God under heaven. Now the Savior distributes talents to his own servants according to the parable in the Gospels; therefore, spread out your hearts and receive them joyfully: "Become approved money-changers." Trade the gift skillfully; multiply it with kindnesses—great and holy is the boast, and it procures the praises of genuineness. And why do I say this, leaving aside what is even greater? It makes one a citizen of heaven, leads to the kingdom, causes one to be glorified together with the Savior of us all, Christ. Let us see this also from the Gospel writings themselves: he who received five talents from the master of the house, and worked to gain another five, what does he come saying? "Lord, you gave me five talents; see, I have made another five." Do you see how great the boast of diligence is? And what did Christ say to him? "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful with a little; I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your lord." What is greater than this in glory?

What is more desirable for prosperity? Praises from Christ and the master's vote crowning the one who has labored diligently; he calls the one who has borne fruit in a spiritual sense faithful. For did he not bring profit to the Master? Does the Master lack anything in himself? He is the fullness of all things, and as the all-wise John says, "From his fullness we all have received." But when we gain ourselves and also benefit others, then Christ rejoices; he considers our success as wealth. And I will say something even greater: he makes the matter, as it were, his food. That what I say is true, you will learn again from the Gospel writings. For he instructed the woman from Samaria; then when she said, "When the Messiah comes, he will tell us everything," he revealed himself, saying, "I am the one speaking to you." And the woman hastened with a run and initiated the city of the Samaritans into the mysteries. But Christ, knowing that many would believe in him, said to the holy disciples, "I have food to eat which you do not know," for the salvation of the lost nourishes, as it were, the most gentle nature. So the genuine servant—for I will return again to the point of the discourse—has bound on the crown of gentleness, for he has been brought into the joy of his own master. But the one who received the talent, then became sluggish, and added nothing at all, but rather hid it in the earth, has fallen into the most extreme penalties.

Let us therefore flee imitation, let us banish from our mind the profitless and accursed sloth, that is, in good endeavors, and not bury in idleness the grace given us by Christ. The God of all says somewhere through the voice of Isaiah: "Priests, speak into the heart of Jerusalem." But what if the teacher weaves words that are accustomed to benefit the hearers, while they do not store the mystagogy in mind and heart, but merely applaud and repay the mystagogue with bare praises, remaining untasted of the sacred teachings? Should the mystagogue then be slothful? And what words will he find at the divine bema to help him when he accuses the hearers' indolence and excuses his own sloth on that account? For he will rather be condemned, as can be seen from the Gospel parable: the one who received the talent from the master buried it in the ground and, having it unmultiplied, brought it forward saying, "Lord, see, you have yours." Was he praised and deemed worthy of rewards, or was he rather condemned as slothful? "For you ought," he says, "to have deposited my money with the bankers, and I, coming, would have received mine with interest." Therefore, as to you, the knowledgeable bankers, I disburse the master's money; and you, having received it, store the gift in your mind and hide it in the depth of your heart, knowing well that seeds sent into the ground, when covered with clods, bear fruit, but those left uncovered are snatched away.

Nevertheless, the Lord took care neither to reveal his divinity entirely nor to conceal it completely, partly for the sake of those then living, partly for those after them, so as to make manifest both his divinity and his humanity in their distinct operations, that neither the divine power might be diminished nor the human nature be disbelieved. For since a heresy was about to arise which says that the body was a phantom and that he came down from heaven—for the incorruptible nature did not take on the flesh of a corruptible body, nor would it admit filth or defilement or stain—in order that God might convince the human race that he became what we are, while remaining what he was, for this reason he allowed the flesh to undergo its own experiences, and displayed a twofold operation, suffering as a man, yet acting as God, the same one; for he is not one and another, even if in one way and another. Of Saint Cyril, on the verse, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Again, a great and exceptional achievement for our souls through our universal Savior Christ. For since we have been justified through faith in him and in him

The human nature was found to be not without fault when it became wealthy, and it has brought about for us a new state of affairs: that the souls departing from bodies no longer run into Hades as before, but are rather sent into the hands of the living God. And knowing this, the holy Stephen said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And the blessed Peter writes, "So that even when suffering according to the will of God, they may entrust their own souls to the faithful Creator." From Cyril in a homily inscribed, "Immediately after the affliction of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky; but concerning that day and the hour, no one knows." But when he says this, he does not absolutely mean himself; for he did not add precisely, "Not even the Son of God," but said loosely, "Not even the Son," so that you may understand something like this: the disciples were eager to learn everything with precision, and they attempted, so to speak, to investigate even the depths of the Lord themselves. But the matter was far beyond them. So, in order that, by not giving up the explanation as they wished to learn, he might not seem to grieve those who were genuine, he says in a veiled manner, "Concerning that day or the hour, no one knows, not even the angels, not even the Son, except the Father," so that you may understand thus: even if man has been called to adoption and has been shown to be a new son, let him not seek things beyond his nature, nor demand to learn what the Father has not revealed even to the angels. For if an angel does not know, neither will a man know, even if he has been called to adoption.