Oration XXXVII. On the Words of the Gospel, “When Jesus Had Finished These Sayings,” Etc.—S. Matt. xix. 1

 I.  Jesus Who Chose The Fishermen, Himself also useth a net, and changeth place for place.  Why?  Not only that He may gain more of those who love God

 II.  Therefore now also, when He had finished these sayings He departed from Galilee and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan He dwelleth well

 III.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there, where the multitude was greater.  If He had abode upon His own eminence, if He had

 IV.  And pardon me meanwhile that I again suffer a human affection.  I am filled with indignation and grief for my Christ (and would that you might sy

 V.  But, as I was saying, to return to my argument for this reason great multitudes followed Him, because He condescended to our infirmities.  What n

 VI.  The question which you have put seems to me to do honour to chastity, and to demand a kind reply.  Chastity, in respect of which I see that the m

 VII.  How then dost thou demand Chastity, while thou dost not thyself observe it?  How dost thou demand that which thou dost not give?  How, though th

 VIII.  Churn milk and it will be butter examine this and perhaps you may find something more nourishing in it.  For I think that the Word here seems

 IX.  But what of the Pharisees?  To them this word seems harsh.  Yes, for they are also displeased at other noble words—both the older Pharisees, and

 X.  Marriage is honourable but I cannot say that it is more lofty than virginity for virginity were no great thing if it were not better than a good

 XI.  But He said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.  Do you see the sublimity of the matter?  It is found t

 XII.  You see how streams confined in lead pipes, through being much compressed and carried to one point, often so far depart from the nature of water

 XIII.  All men, He saith, cannot receive this saying, but they to whom it is given.  When you hear this, It is given, do not understand it in a hereti

 XIV.  In another place it is also said and understood, and perhaps it is necessary that I should add it as follows to what has already been said, in o

 XV.  I fear lest some monstrous reasoning may come in, as of the soul having lived elsewhere, and then having been bound to this body, and that it is

 XVI.  For there are eunuchs which were made eunuchs from their mother’s womb, etc.  I should very much like to be able to say something bold about eun

 XVII.  Since then, natural chastity is not meritorious, I demand something else from the eunuchs.  Do not go a whoring in respect of the Godhead.  Hav

 XVIII.  Consider those men who are devoted to horse racing.  They are named after the colours and the sides on which they have placed themselves.  You

 XIX.  For it is not only bodily sin which is called fornication and adultery, but any sin you have committed, and especially transgression against tha

 XX.  There are, He says, some eunuchs which were so born from their mother’s womb and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men and ther

 XXI.  And there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake.  Others, too, who have not met with teachers, have bee

 XXII.  Only let us cut ourselves off from passion, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble us only let us follow the image only let us reve

 XXIII.  I enact this for Laymen too, and I enjoin it also upon all Priests, and upon those commissioned to rule.  Come to the aid of the Word, all of

 XXIV.  But it remains that I speak a prayer for those who are assembled.  Husbands alike and wives, rulers and ruled, old men, and young men, and maid

V.  But, as I was saying, to return to my argument; for this reason great multitudes followed Him, because He condescended to our infirmities.  What next?  The Pharisees also, it says, came unto Him, tempting Him, and saying unto Him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?  Again the Pharisees tempt Him; again they who read the Law do not know the Law; again they who are expounders of the Law need others to teach them.  It was not enough that Sadducees should tempt Him concerning the Resurrection, and Lawyers question Him about perfection, and the Herodians about the poll-tax, and others about authority; but some one must also ask about Marriage at Him who cannot be tempted, the Creator of wedlock, Him who from the First Cause made this whole race of mankind.  And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female?  He knoweth how to solve some of their questions and to bridle others.  When He is asked, By what authority doest thou these things? He Himself, because of the utter ignorance of those who asked Him, replies with another question; The baptism of John, was it from Heaven or of men?  He on both sides entangles His questioners, so that we also are able, following the example of Christ, sometimes to check those who argue with us over-officiously, and with still more absurd questions to solve the absurdity of their questions.  For we too are wise in vanity at times, if I may boast of the things of folly.  But when He sees a question that calls for reasoning, then He does not deem His questioners unworthy of prudent answers.

Εʹ. Πλὴν ὅπερ ἔλεγον, ἵνα πρὸς τὸν ἐμὸν ἀναδράμω λόγον, διὰ τοῦτο ἠκολούθουν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοὶ, ὅτι ταῖς ἀσθενείαις συγκαταβαίνει ταῖς ἡμετέραις. Εἶτα τί; Καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ, φησὶν, οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, πειράζοντες αὐτὸν καὶ λέγοντες: Εἰ ἔξεστιν ἀνθρώπῳ κατὰ πᾶσαν αἰτίαν ἀπολῦσαι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ; Πάλιν Φαρισαῖοι πειράζουσι: πάλιν οἱ τὸν νόμον ἀναγινώσκοντες, τὸν νόμον οὐ γινώσκουσι: πάλιν οἱ ἐξηγηταὶ τοῦ νόμου τυγχάνοντες, ἄλλων διδασκάλων δέονται. Οὐκ ἤρκεσαν Σαδδουκαῖοι πειράζοντες περὶ ἀναστάσεως, καὶ νομικοὶ πυνθανόμενοι περὶ τελειότητος, καὶ Ἡρωδιανοὶ περὶ κήνσου, καὶ περὶ ἐξουσίας ἕτεροι. Ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ γάμου τις πάλιν ἐρωτᾷ τὸν ἀπείραστον, τὸν κτίστην τῆς συζυγίας, τὸν ἐκ τῆς πρώτης αἰτίας τὸ πᾶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος τοῦτο συστησάμενον. Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε, ὅτι ὁ ποιήσας ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἄῤῥεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς; Οἶδε τινὰς μὲν τῶν ἐρωτήσεων διαλύειν, τινὰς δὲ ἐπιστομίζειν. Ὅτε ἐρωτᾶται, Ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς; διὰ τὸ ἄγαν ἀπαίδευτον τῶν ἐρωτησάντων, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀντερωτᾷ: Τὸ βάπτισμα τὸ Ἰωάννου, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν, ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; Καὶ ἀμφοτέρωθεν συμποδίζει τοὺς ἐρωτῶντας. Ὥστε δυνάμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς μιμούμενοι Χριστὸν, ἔστιν ὅτε τοὺς περιέργως ἡμῖν διαλεγομένους ἐπιστομίζειν, καὶ ἀτοπωτέροις ἀντερωτήμασι λύειν τὴν ἀτοπίαν τῶν ἐρωτήσεων. Ἐσμὲν γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς σοφοὶ τὰ μάταια ἔστιν ὅτε, ἵνα τὰ τῆς ἀφροσύνης καυχήσωμαι. Ὅτε δὲ ἐρώτησιν ὁρᾷ λογισμοῦ δεομένην, τότε οὐκ ἀπαξιοῖ τοὺς ἐρωτῶντας συνετῶν ἀποκρίσεων.