Chapter VII.—Who the Instructor Is, and Respecting His Instruction.

Since, then, we have shown that all of us are by Scripture called children; and not only so, but that we who have followed Christ are figuratively called babes; and that the Father of all alone is perfect, for the Son is in Him, and the Father is in the Son; it is time for us in due course to say who our Instructor is.

He is called Jesus. Sometimes He calls Himself a shepherd, and says, “I am the good Shepherd.”108    John x. 11. According to a metaphor drawn from shepherds, who lead the sheep, is hereby understood the Instructor, who leads the children—the Shepherd who tends the babes. For the babes are simple, being figuratively described as sheep. “And they shall all,” it is said, “be one flock, and one shepherd.”109    John x. 16. The Word, then, who leads the children to salvation, is appropriately called the Instructor110    παιδαγωγός. (Pædagogue).

With the greatest clearness, accordingly, the Word has spoken respecting Himself by Hosea: “I am your Instructor.”111    παιδευτής; Hos. v. 2. Now piety is instruction, being the learning of the service of God, and training in the knowledge of the truth, and right guidance which leads to heaven. And the word “instruction”112    παιδαγωγία. is employed variously. For there is the instruction of him who is led and learns, and that of him who leads and teaches; and there is, thirdly, the guidance itself; and fourthly, what is taught, as the commandments enjoined.

Now the instruction which is of God is the right direction of truth to the contemplation of God, and the exhibition of holy deeds in everlasting perseverance.

As therefore the general directs the phalanx, consulting the safety of his soldiers, and the pilot steers the vessel, desiring to save the passengers; so also the Instructor guides the children to a saving course of conduct, through solicitude for us; and, in general, whatever we ask in accordance with reason from God to be done for us, will happen to those who believe in the Instructor. And just as the helmsman does not always yield to the winds, but sometimes, turning the prow towards them, opposes the whole force of the hurricanes; so the Instructor never yields to the blasts that blow in this world, nor commits the child to them like a vessel to make shipwreck on a wild and licentious course of life; but, wafted on by the favouring breeze of the Spirit of truth, stoutly holds on to the child’s helm,—his ears, I mean,—until He bring him safe to anchor in the haven of heaven.

What is called by men an ancestral custom passes away in a moment, but the divine guidance is a possession which abides for ever.

They say that Phœnix was the instructor of Achilles, and Adrastus of the children of Crœsus; and Leonides of Alexander, and Nausithous of Philip. But Phœnix was women-mad, Adrastus was a fugitive. Leonides did not curtail the pride of Alexander, nor Nausithous reform the drunken Pellæan. No more was the Thracian Zopyrus able to check the fornication of Alcibiades; but Zopyrus was a bought slave, and Sicinnus, the tutor of the children of Themistocles, was a lazy domestic. They say also that he invented the Sicinnian dance. Those have not escaped our attention who are called royal instructors among the Persians; whom, in number four, the kings of the Persians select with the greatest care from all the Persians and set over their sons. But the children only learn the use of the bow, and on reaching maturity have sexual intercourse with sisters, and mothers, and women, wives and courtesans innumerable, practiced in intercourse like the wild boars.

But our Instructor is the holy God Jesus, the Word, who is the guide of all humanity. The loving God Himself is our Instructor. Somewhere in song the Holy Spirit says with regard to Him, “He provided sufficiently for the people in the wilderness. He led him about in the thirst of summer heat in a dry land, and instructed him, and kept him as the apple of His eye, as an eagle protects her nest, and shows her fond solicitude for her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, and bears them on her back. The Lord alone led them, and there was no strange god with them.”113    Deut. xxxii. 10–12. Clearly, I trow, has the Scripture exhibited the Instructor in the account it gives of His guidance.

Again, when He speaks in His own person, He confesses Himself to be the Instructor: “I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.”114    Ex. xx. 2. Who, then, has the power of leading in and out? Is it not the Instructor? This was He who appeared to Abraham, and said to him, “I am thy God, be accepted before Me;”115    Gen. xvii. 1, 2. and in a way most befitting an instructor, forms him into a faithful child, saying, “And be blameless; and I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and thy seed.” There is the communication of the Instructor’s friendship. And He most manifestly appears as Jacob’s instructor. He says accordingly to him, “Lo, I am with thee, to keep thee in all the way in which thou shalt go; and I will bring thee back into this land: for I will not leave thee till I do what I have told thee.”116    Gen. xxviii. 15. He is said, too, to have wrestled with Him. “And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled with him a man (the Instructor) till the morning.”117    Gen. xxxii. 24. This was the man who led, and brought, and wrestled with, and anointed the athlete Jacob against evil.118    Or, “against the evil one.” Now that the Word was at once Jacob’s trainer and the Instructor of humanity [appears from this]—“He asked,” it is said, “His name, and said to him, Tell me what is Thy name.” And he said, “Why is it that thou askest My name?” For He reserved the new name for the new people—the babe; and was as yet unnamed, the Lord God not having yet become man. Yet Jacob called the name of the place, “Face of God.” “For I have seen,” he says, “God face to face; and my life is preserved.”119    Gen. xxxii. 30. The face of God is the Word by whom God is manifested and made known. Then also was he named Israel, because he saw God the Lord. It was God, the Word, the Instructor, who said to him again afterwards, “Fear not to go down into Egypt.”120    Gen. xlvi. 3. See how the Instructor follows the righteous man, and how He anoints the athlete, teaching him to trip up his antagonist.

It is He also who teaches Moses to act as instructor. For the Lord says, “If any one sin before Me, him will I blot out of My book; but now, go and lead this people into the place which I told thee.”121    Ex. xxxii. 33, 34. Here He is the teacher of the art of instruction. For it was really the Lord that was the instructor of the ancient people by Moses; but He is the instructor of the new people by Himself, face to face. “For behold,” He says to Moses, “My angel shall go before thee,” representing the evangelical and commanding power of the Word, but guarding the Lord’s prerogative. “In the day on which I will visit them,”122    Ex. xxxii. 33, 34. He says, “I will bring their sins on them; that is, on the day on which I will sit as judge I will render the recompense of their sins.” For the same who is Instructor is judge, and judges those who disobey Him; and the loving Word will not pass over their transgression in silence. He reproves, that they may repent. For “the Lord willeth the repentance of the sinner rather than his death.”123    Ezek. xviii. 23, 32. And let us as babes, hearing of the sins of others, keep from similar transgressions, through dread of the threatening, that we may not have to undergo like sufferings. What, then, was the sin which they committed? “For in their wrath they slew men, and in their impetuosity they hamstrung bulls. Cursed be their anger.”124    Gen. xlix. 6. Who, then, would train us more lovingly than He? Formerly the older people had an old covenant, and the law disciplined the people with fear, and the Word was an angel; but to the fresh and new people has also been given a new covenant, and the Word has appeared, and fear is turned to love, and that mystic angel is born—Jesus. For this same Instructor said then, “Thou shalt fear the Lord God;”125    Deut. vi. 2. but to us He has addressed the exhortation, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.”126    Matt. xxii. 37. Wherefore also this is enjoined on us: “Cease from your own works, from your old sins;” “Learn to do well;” “Depart from evil, and do good;” “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity.” This is my new covenant written in the old letter. The newness of the word must not, then, be made ground of reproach. But the Lord hath also said in Jeremiah: “Say not that I am a youth: before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before I brought thee out of the womb I sanctified thee.”127    Jer. i. 7. Such allusions prophecy can make to us, destined in the eye of God to faith before the foundation of the world; but now babes, through the recent fulfilment of the will of God, according to which we are born now to calling and salvation. Wherefore also He adds, “I have set thee for a prophet to the nations,”128    Jer. i. 5. saying that he must prophesy, so that the appellation of “youth” should not become a reproach to those who are called babes.

Now the law is ancient grace given through Moses by the Word. Wherefore also the Scripture says, “The law was given through Moses,”129    John i. 17. not by Moses, but by the Word, and through Moses His servant. Wherefore it was only temporary; but eternal grace and truth were by Jesus Christ. Mark the expressions of Scripture: of the law only is it said “was given;” but truth being the grace of the Father, is the eternal work of the Word; and it is not said to be given, but to be by Jesus, without whom nothing was.130    John i. 3. Presently, therefore, Moses prophetically, giving place to the perfect Instructor the Word, predicts both the name and the office of Instructor, and committing to the people the commands of obedience, sets before them the Instructor. “A prophet,” says he, “like Me shall God raise up to you of your brethren,” pointing out Jesus the Son of God, by an allusion to Jesus the son of Nun; for the name of Jesus predicted in the law was a shadow of Christ. He adds, therefore, consulting the advantage of the people, “Him shall ye hear;”131    Deut. xviii. 15. and, “The man who will not hear that Prophet,”132    Deut. xviii. 19. him He threatens. Such a name, then, he predicts as that of the Instructor, who is the author of salvation. Wherefore prophecy invests Him with a rod, a rod of discipline, of rule, of authority; that those whom the persuasive word heals not, the threatening may heal; and whom the threatening heals not, the rod may heal; and whom the rod heals not, the fire may devour. “There shall come forth,” it is said, “a rod out of the root of Jesse.”133    Isa. xi. 1, 3, 4.

See the care, and wisdom, and power of the Instructor: “He shall not judge according to opinion, nor according to report; but He shall dispense judgment to the humble, and reprove the sinners of the earth.” And by David: “The Lord instructing, hath instructed me, and not given me over to death.”134    Ps. cxviii. 18. For to be chastised of the Lord, and instructed, is deliverance from death. And by the same prophet He says: “Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron.”135    Ps. ii. 9. Thus also the apostle, in the Epistle to the Corinthians, being moved, says, “What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, in the spirit of meekness?”136    1 Cor. iv. 21. Also, “The Lord shall send the rod of strength out of Sion,”137    Ps. cx. 2. He says by another prophet. And this same rod of instruction, “Thy rod and staff have comforted me,”138    Ps. xxiii. 4. said some one else. Such is the power of the Instructor—sacred, soothing, saving.

Τίς ὁ παιδαγωγός, καὶ περὶ τῆς παιδαγωγίας αὐτοῦ. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἀπεδείξαμεν παῖδας ἡμᾶς τοὺς πάντας ὑπὸ τῆς γραφῆς καλουμένους οὐ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς Χριστῷ κατηκολουθηκότας ἡμᾶς νηπίους ἀλληγορουμένους, μόνον δὲ εἶναι τέλειον τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὅλων, ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ ὁ πατήρ, ὥρα ἡμῖν ἑπομένοις τῇ τάξει καὶ τὸν παιδα γωγὸν ἡμῶν εἰπεῖν ὅστις ἐστί. Καλεῖται δὲ Ἰησοῦς. Ἔσθ' ὅτε οὖν ποιμένα ἑαυτὸν καλεῖ καὶ λέγει ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός, κατὰ μεταφορὰν ἀπὸ τῶν ποιμένων τῶν καθηγουμένων τοῖς προβάτοις ὁ καθηγούμενος τῶν παιδίων παιδαγωγὸς νοούμενος, ὁ τῶν νηπίων κηδεμονικὸς ποιμήν· ἁπλοῖ γὰρ οἱ νήπιοι ὡς πρόβατα ἀλληγορούμενοι· καὶ γενήσονται, φησίν, οἱ πάντες μία ποίμνη καὶ εἷς ποιμήν. Παιδαγωγὸς οὖν εἰκότως ὁ λόγος ὁ τοὺς παῖδας ἡμᾶς εἰς σωτηρίαν ἄγων. Ἐναργέστατα γοῦν ὁ λόγος περὶ ἑαυτοῦ διὰ Ὠσηὲ εἴρηκεν ἐγὼ δὲ παιδευτὴς ὑμῶν εἰμι. Παιδαγωγία δὲ ἡ θεοσέβεια, μάθησις οὖσα θεοῦ θεραπείας καὶ παίδευσις εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἀγωγή τε ὀρθὴ ἀνάγουσα εἰς οὐρανόν. Παιδαγωγία δὲ καλεῖται πολλαχῶς· καὶ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ἀγομένου καὶ μανθάνοντος, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἄγοντος καὶ διδάσκοντος, καὶ αὐτὴ τρίτον ἡ ἀγωγή, καὶ τὰ διδασκόμενα τέταρτον, οἷον αἱ ἐντολαί. Ἔστι δὲ ἡ κατὰ τὸν θεὸν παιδαγωγία κατευθυσμὸς ἀληθείας εἰς ἐποπτείαν θεοῦ καὶ πράξεων ἁγίων ὑποτύπωσις ἐν αἰωνίῳ διαμονῇ. Ὥσπερ οὖν κατευθύνει τὴν φάλαγγα ὁ στρατηγὸς τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν μισθοφόρων προμηθούμενος, καὶ ὡς ὁ κυβερνήτης οἰακίζει τὸ σκάφος σῴζειν προαιρούμενος τοὺς ἐμπλέοντας, οὕτως καὶ ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ἄγει τοὺς παῖδας ἐπὶ τὴν σωτήριον δίαιταν τῆς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἕνεκεν κηδεμονίας· καὶ καθόλου ὁπόσα ἂν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ εὐλόγως αἰτήσαιμεν ἡμῖν γενέσθαι, ταῦτα πειθομέ νοις τῷ παιδαγωγῷ περιέσται. Ὅνπερ οὖν τρόπον ὁ κυβερνήτης οὐκ αἰεὶ τοῖς ἀνέμοις ὑπείκει, ἀντίπρῳρος δὲ ἔσθ' ὅτε ὅλαις ἀνθίσταται καταιγίσιν, οὕτως ὁ παιδαγωγὸς οὐχὶ τοῖς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τῷδε καταπνέουσιν ἀνέμοις ὑπείκει ποτὲ οὐδὲ ἐπιτρέπει αὐτοῖς τὸ παιδίον, ὥσπερ σκάφος, εἰς θηριώδη καὶ ἀσελγῆ προσρῆξαι δίαιταν, μόνῳ δὲ ἄρα τῷ ἀληθείας πνεύματι ἔπουρος ἀρθεὶς ἀντέχεται μάλα ἐρρωμένως τῶν οἰάκων τοῦ παιδός, τῶν ὤτων λέγω, ἕως ἂν ἀβλαβὲς καθορμίσῃ τὸ παιδίον εἰς τὸν λιμένα τῶν οὐρανῶν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ πάτριον καλούμενον παρ' ἀνθρώποις ἔθος ὅσον οὐδέπω παρέρχεται, ἡ δὲ ἀγωγὴ ἡ θεία κτῆμά ἐστιν εἰς ἀεὶ παραμένον. Ἀχιλλέως μὲν οὖν παιδαγωγὸν τὸν Φοίνικά φασι γεγονέναι καὶ τῶν Κροίσου παίδων Ἄδραστον, Ἀλεξάνδρου δὲ Λεωνίδην καὶ Φιλίππου Ναυσίθοον. Ἀλλ' ὃ μὲν γυναικομανής, ὁ Φοῖνιξ, ἦν, ὃ δὲ φυγάς, ὁ Ἄδραστος, ἦν, Λεωνίδης δὲ οὐ περιεῖλεν τὸν τῦφον τοῦ Μακεδόνος οὐδὲ Ναυσίθοος μεθύοντα τὸν ἐκ Πέλλης ἰάσατο· Ἀλκιβιάδου δὲ τὴν πορνείαν ὁ Θρᾷξ ἐπισχεῖν οὐκ ἴσχυσεν Ζώπυρος, ἀλλ' ὠνητὸν ἀνδράποδον ὁ Ζώπυρος ἦν, καὶ τῶν Θεμιστοκλέους παίδων ὁ παιδαγωγὸς Σίκιννος οἰκέτης ῥᾴθυμος ἦν· ὀρχεῖσθαί φασιν αὐτὸν καὶ σικιννίζειν εὑρηκέναι. Οὐκ ἔλαθον ἡμᾶς οἱ παρὰ Πέρσαις βασίλειοι καλούμενοι παιδαγωγοί, οὓς τέτταρας τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀριστίνδην ἐκλέγοντες ἐκ πάντων Περσῶν οἱ βασιλεῖς Περσῶν τοῖς σφῶν αὐτῶν ἐφίστων παισίν· ἀλλὰ τοξεύειν μόνον οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῖς μανθάνουσιν, ἡβήσαντες δὲ ἀδελφαῖς καὶ μητράσιν καὶ γυναιξὶν γαμεταῖς τε ἅμα καὶ παλλακίσιν ἀναρίθμοις ἐπιμίσγονται, καθάπερ οἱ κάπροι εἰς συνουσίαν ἠσκημένοι. Ὁ δὲ ἡμέτερος παιδαγωγὸς ἅγιος θεὸς Ἰησοῦς, ὁ πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος καθηγεμὼν λόγος, αὐτὸς ὁ φιλάνθρωπος θεός ἐστι παιδαγωγός. Λέγει δέ που διὰ τῆς ᾠδῆς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον εἰς αὐτόν· αὐτάρκησεν τὸν λαὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἐν δίψει καύματος, ἐν ἀνύδρῳ· ἐκύκλωσεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπαίδευσεν αὐτὸν καὶ διεφύλαξεν ὡς κόρην ὀφθαλμοῦ. Ὡς ἀετὸς σκεπάσαι νοσσιὰν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς νεοσσοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπεπόθησεν, διεὶς τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ ἐδέξατο αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀνέλαβεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν μεταφρένων αὐτοῦ· κύριος μόνος ἦγεν αὐτοὺς καὶ οὐκ ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν θεὸς ἀλλότριος. Σαφῶς, οἶμαι, τὸν παιδαγωγὸν ἐνδείκνυται ἡ γραφὴ τὴν ἀγωγὴν αὐτοῦ διηγουμένη. Πάλιν δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου προσώπου, ἑαυτὸν ὁμολογεῖ παιδαγωγόν· ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεός σου, ὁ ἐξαγαγών σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου. Τίς οὖν ἔχει ἐξουσίαν τοῦ ἄγειν εἴσω τε καὶ ἔξω; Οὐχὶ ὁ παιδαγωγός; Οὗτος ὤφθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεός σου· εὐαρέστει ἐνώπιόν μου. Τοῦτον δὲ παιδαγωγικώτατα ὑποκατασκευάζει παῖδα πιστόν, καὶ γίνου φήσας ἄμεμπτος· καὶ θήσω τὴν διαθήκην μου ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον σοῦ καὶ τοῦ σπέρματός σου. Φιλίας ἐνταῦθα ἐπιστατικῆς ἐστι κοινωνία. Τοῦ δὲ Ἰακὼβ ἐναργέ στατα παιδαγωγὸς εἶναι φαίνεται. Λέγει γοῦν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μετὰ σοῦ, διαφυλάσσων σε ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ πάσῃ, οὗ ἂν πορευθῇς· καὶ ἀποστρέψω σε εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην, ὅτι οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλείπω ἕως τοῦ ποιῆσαί με ὅσα ἐλάλησά σοι. Τούτῳ δὲ καὶ συμπαλαίειν λέγεται. Ὑπελείφθη δέ, φησίν, Ἰακὼβ μόνος, καὶ ἐπάλαιεν μετ' αὐτοῦ ἄνθρωπος, ὁ παιδαγωγός, μέχρι πρωί. Οὗτος ἦν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἄγων καὶ φέρων, ὁ συγγυμναζόμενος καὶ ἀλείφων κατὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ τὸν ἀσκητὴν Ἰακώβ. Ὅτι δὲ ὁ λόγος ἦν ὁ ἀλείπτης ἅμα τῷ Ἰακὼβ καὶ παιδαγωγὸς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ἠρώτησεν, φησίν, αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀνάγγειλόν μοι τί τὸ ὄνομά σου. Καὶ εἶπεν· ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐρωτᾷς τὸ ὄνομά μου; Ἐτήρει γὰρ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ καινὸν τῷ νέῳ λαῷ τῷ νηπίῳ· ἔτι δὲ ἀνωνόμαστος ἦν ὁ θεὸς ὁ κύριος, μηδέπω γεγενημένος ἄνθρωπος. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Εἶδος θεοῦ· εἶδον γάρ, φησί, θεὸν πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐσώθη μου ἡ ψυχή. Πρόσωπον δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ λόγος, ᾧ φωτίζεται ὁ θεὸς καὶ γνωρίζεται. Τότε καὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπωνόμασται, ὅτε εἶδεν τὸν θεὸν τὸν κύριον. Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ὁ λόγος, ὁ παιδαγωγός, ὁ φήσας αὐτῷ πάλιν ὕστερον μὴ φοβοῦ καταβῆναι εἰς Αἴ γυπτον. Ὅρα πῶς μὲν ἕπεται τῷ δικαίῳ ὁ παιδαγωγός, ὅπως δὲ καὶ ἀλείφει τὸν ἀσκητήν, πτερνίζειν διδάσκων τὸν ἀντα γωνιστήν. Αὐτὸς γοῦν οὗτος καὶ τὸν Μωσέα διδάσκει παιδαγωγεῖν· λέγει γὰρ ὁ κύριος· εἴ τις ἡμάρτηκεν ἐνώπιόν μου, ἐξαλείφω αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς βίβλου μου. Νυνὶ δὲ βάδιζε καὶ ὁδή γησον τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον εἰς τὸν τόπον, ὃν εἶπά σοι. Ἐνταῦθα διδάσκαλός ἐστι παιδαγωγίας· καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὡς ἀληθῶς διὰ μὲν Μωσέως παιδαγωγὸς ὁ κύριος τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ παλαιοῦ, δι' αὑτοῦ δὲ τοῦ νέου καθηγεμὼν λαοῦ, πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον. Ἰδού, γάρ φησι τῷ Μωσεῖ, ὁ ἄγγελός μου προπορεύεταί σου, τὴν εὐαγγέλιον καὶ ἡγεμόνιον ἐπιστήσας τοῦ λόγου δύ ναμιν· τὸ δὲ ἀξίωμα τὸ κυριακὸν φυλάττων ᾗ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπισκέπτωμαι, φησίν, ἐπάξω ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτῶν, τουτέστιν, ᾗ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ κριτὴς καθεσθῶ, ἀποδώσω τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν τὰ ἀντάξια· ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς παιδαγωγὸς καὶ κριτὴς τοὺς παρακούσαντας αὐτοῦ δικάζει, τὸ δὲ ἁμάρτημα αὐτῶν οὐ παρασιωπᾷ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος λόγος, ἐλέγχει δέ, ἵνα μετανοήσωσιν· θέλει γὰρ ὁ κύριος τὴν μετάνοιαν τοῦ ἁμαρ τωλοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ τὸν θάνατον. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὰς ἄλλων ἁμαρτίας ὡς νήπιοι δι' ἀκοῆς παραδεξάμενοι φόβῳ τῆς ἀπειλῆς τοῦ μὴ τὰ ὅμοια παθεῖν ἀποσχώμεθα τῶν ἴσων πλημμελημάτων. Τί οὖν ἦν ὃ ἥμαρτον; Ὅτι ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτῶν ἀπέκτειναν ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ αὐτῶν ἐνευροκόπησαν ταῦρον· ἐπι κατάρατος ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν. Τίς ἂν οὖν τούτου μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς φιλανθρωπότερον παιδεύσαι; Τὸ μὲν οὖν πρότερον τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ λαῷ πρεσβυτέρα διαθήκη ἦν καὶ νόμος ἐπαιδαγώγει τὸν λαὸν μετὰ φόβου καὶ λόγος ἄγγελος ἦν, καινῷ δὲ καὶ νέῳ λαῷ καινὴ καὶ νέα διαθήκη δεδώρηται καὶ ὁ λόγος γεγέννηται καὶ ὁ φόβος εἰς ἀγάπην μετατέτραπται καὶ ὁ μυστικὸς ἐκεῖνος ἄγγελος Ἰησοῦς τίκτεται. Ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς οὗτος παιδαγωγὸς τότε μὲν φοβηθήσῃ κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἔλεγεν, ἡμῖν δὲ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου παρῄνεσεν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐντέλλεται ἡμῖν παύσασθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων ὑμῶν, τῶν παλαιῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν· ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν· ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην, ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν. Αὕτη μου ἡ νέα διαθήκη παλαιῷ κεχαραγμένη γράμματι. Οὐκ ἄρα ἡ νεότης τοῦ λόγου ὀνειδιστέα, Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ ὁ κύριος λέγει· μὴ λέγε ὅτι νεώτερός εἰμι· πρὸ τοῦ με πλάσαι σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ ἐπίσταμαί σε, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ σε ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ μήτρας ἡγίακά σε. Ταῦτα δύναται πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἡ προφητεία αἰνίττεσθαι τοὺς πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου εἰς πίστιν ἐγνωσμένους θεῷ, νυνὶ δὲ νηπίους διὰ τὴν ἔναγχος πεπληρωμένην βούλησιν τοῦ θεοῦ, καθὸ εἰς κλῆσιν καὶ σωτηρίαν νεογνοὶ γεγόναμεν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπιφέρει προφήτην εἰς ἔθνη τέθεικά σε, προφητεῦσαι λέγων αὐτὸν δεῖν μηδὲ ὄνειδος εἶναι δοκεῖν τοῦ νεωτέρου τὴν προσηγορίαν τοῖς νηπίοις καλουμένοις. Ὁ δὲ νόμος χάρις ἐστὶν παλαιὰ διὰ Μωσέως ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου δοθεῖσα. ∆ιὸ καί φησιν ἡ γραφή· ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωσέως ἐδόθη, οὐχὶ ὑπὸ Μωσέως, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ λόγου, διὰ Μωσέως δὲ τοῦ θεράποντος αὐτοῦ· διὸ καὶ πρόσκαιρος ἐγένετο, ἡ δὲ ἀίδιος χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. Ὁρᾶτε τὰς λέξεις τῆς γραφῆς· ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ νόμου ἐδόθη φησὶ μόνον, ἡ δὲ ἀλήθεια, χάρις οὖσα τοῦ πατρός, ἔργον ἐστὶ τοῦ λόγου αἰώνιον καὶ οὐκέτι δίδοσθαι λέγεται, ἀλλὰ διὰ Ἰησοῦ γίνεσθαι, οὗ χωρὶς ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὁ Μωσῆς, τῷ τελείῳ προφητικῶς παραχωρῶν παιδαγωγῷ τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα καὶ τὴν παιδαγωγίαν προθεσπίζει καὶ τῷ λαῷ παρα τίθεται τὸν παιδαγωγόν, ἐντολὰς ὑπακοῆς ἐγχειρίσας· προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει, φησίν, ὁ θεὸς ὡς ἐμὲ ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν, τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ αἰνιττόμενος τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱόν· σκιαγραφία γὰρ ἦν τοῦ κυρίου τὸ ὄνομα τὸ Ἰησοῦ προκηρυσσόμενον ἐν νόμῳ. Ἐπιφέρει γοῦν, τὸ λυσιτελὲς τῷ λαῷ συμβουλεύων, αὐτοῦ ἀκούσεσθε λέγων, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν μὴ ἀκούσῃ τοῦ προφήτου τούτου, τούτῳ ἀπειλεῖ. Τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν ὄνομα σωτηρίου προφητεύει παιδαγωγοῦ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο αὐτῷ ῥάβδον περιτίθησιν ἡ προφητεία, ῥάβδον παιδευτικήν, ἀρχικήν, κατεξουσιαστικήν, ἵν' οὓς ὁ λόγος ὁ πειθήνιος οὐκ ἰᾶται, ἀπειλὴ ἰάσεται, οὓς δὲ ἡ ἀπειλὴ οὐκ ἰᾶται, ἡ ῥάβδος ἰάσεται, οὓς δὲ ἡ ῥάβδος οὐκ ἰᾶται, τὸ πῦρ ἐπινέμεται. Ἐξελεύσεται, φησί, ῥάβδος ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσσαί. Ὅρα καὶ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ τὴν σοφίαν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ· οὐ κατὰ τὴν δόξαν, φησί, κρινεῖ, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν λαλιὰν ἐλέγξει, ἀλλὰ κρινεῖ ταπεινῷ κρίσιν καὶ ἐλέγξει τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ διὰ ∆αβίδ· κύριος παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέν με καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ οὐ παρέδωκέν με· τὸ γὰρ ὑπὸ κυρίου παιδευθῆναι καὶ παιδαγωγηθῆναι θανάτου ἐστὶν ἀπαλλαγή. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ προφήτου φησίν· ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ ποιμανεῖς αὐτούς. Ταύτῃ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστο λος κινηθεὶς ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους τί θέλετε; φησίν, ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πραΰτητος; Ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥάβδον δυνάμεως ἐξαποστελεῖ κύριος ἐκ Σιὼν δι' ἄλλου προφήτου λέγει. Ἡ δὲ παιδαγωγικὴ αὕτη ἡ ῥάβδος σου καὶ ἡ βακτηρία σου παρεκάλεσάν με, εἶπέν τις ἕτερος. Αὕτη τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ ἡ δύναμις ἡ σεμνή, ἡ παρακλητική, ἡ σωτήριος.