B.  How should it not?

A.  Do we not conceive of Him Who hath begotten as Father, the Only-Begotten God the Word again begotten from forth Him as Son?

B.  Surely.

A. How then have we been baptized into His Death as blessed Paul saith? for as many (he says) of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death. Yet One Lord, one faith, one baptism: and we will not say that we have been baptized into Him that is forth of the seed of David as into another and several son: but since being by Nature God He is conceived of as beyond suffering, and was pleased to suffer in order that He might save those who are subject to decay, He was made like in all things unto them who are on earth and underwent birth after the flesh from forth a woman and made (as I said) His own a body capable of tasting death and living again, in order that Himself abiding Impassible, He might be said to suffer in His own flesh. For He it is Who hath saved that which was lost. And verily He said in plain terms, I am the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd layeth down His Life for His sheep, and again, No one taketh My life from Me but I lay it down of Myself, I have authority to lay it down and have authority to take it again. But it belongs not to one of us nor to a common man to have authority to lay down his life and to receive it back, but the Only-Begotten and truly Son hath laid it down, and He took it back, placing us outside of death's meshes.

And one may very easily see this outlined in the Mosaic books too in shadow unto them of old: for the sacrifice of the sheep rescued from death and decay them of Israel and abashed the destroyer, but it was a type of Christ, for Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, in order that He might undo the cheerless mastery of death and might by His own Blood win all under heaven: for we were bought with a Price and arc not our own, for One died for all, He He Whose worth surpasses all, in order that they which live no longer live to themselves but to Him Who died for them and rose; Paul too will aid saying, For I through the Law died to the Law in order to live to God, I have been co-crucified with Christ: no longer live I, hut Christ liveth in me: and what I now live in the flesh I live in faith of the Son of God Who loved me and gave Himself for me. Christ's therefore are we all and through Him have we been reconciled to the Father, Christ having suffered in the flesh for us, in order that He might manifest us cleansed. For it has been written, Wherefore Jesus too, in order that He might cleanse the people through His own blood suffered outside the gate, and again, And you who once were estranged and enemies in your understanding by wicked wories, He hath now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and spotless before Him. Understand therefore how He says that it was His Proper Blood and His Proper Flesh which was given for us, in order that we should not say that it belonged to a son other than He, conceived of individually and honoured with a bare connection and having an adventitious glory and non-essential excellence and, as a cloak and sort of mask thrown over him, the name of sonship and of the Godhead that is over all things. For if he is by nature in such case as the opponents like to think, in no wise will it befit him to have to say, I am the truth: for how is that true which is not as it is said to be, but is something bastard and falsely-called? But verily CHRIST is truth and over all as God: for the Word hath remained what it was even though it have been made flesh, in order that He Which is over all and hath been made among all by reason of the human nature may have preserved to Him the being above every thing and beyond the measures of the creation.

B. But (he says) the being said to suffer will impress on God the Word much ill-repute and will besides perchance bring accusation upon our august mystery.

A. Yet despising the shame He chose to suffer in the flesh for our sakes according to the Scriptures: and I would account it a frailty of Jewish mind and a dread charge of Gentile infatuation, to think it right to be ashamed of the suffering on the cross. The Divine Paul writes, Seeing that both Jews ask for signs and Greeks seek for wisdom, but WE preach ChristCrucified, to the Jews an offence, to the Gentiles foolishness, but to them which are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ God's Power and God's wisdom, because the folly of God, is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

B. How? for I do not at all understand.

A. Does he not say that the Suffering on the cross was an offence to the Jews, foolishness to the Greeks? for the one said, when they saw Him hanging from the wood, wagging their blood-thirsty heads at Him, If Thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe Thee (for they supposed that worsted by their might He was taken and suffered, for they were in error, supposing that He was not truly Son of God but looking to the flesh alone): and the Greeks able in no wise to understand the depth of the Mystery deem it folly that it should be said by us, that Christ died for the life of the world. Yet is this very thing that seemeth to he folly, wiser than men. For deep is the word and verily replete with the highest wisdom, that I mean in regard to Christ the Saviour of us all, and that which is thought to be weakness by the people of the Jews, is stronger than men. For the Only-Begotten Word of God hath saved us, putting on likeness to us in order that having suffered in the flesh and risen from the dead He might set forth our nature superior to death and decay. And that which has been achieved is beyond the reach of our estate. Hence stronger than men is that which seemeth to have been wrought in infirmity as ours and as it were in suffering, and it affords proof of God-befitting power.

B. Then how will the Same (they say) suffer and not suffer ?

A. By suffering in His own flesh and not in the Nature of Godhead. And wholly ineffable is the plan of these things and no mind can attain ideas so subtil and exalted: yet following reasonings which tend to right belief and viewing the plan of what is fit, we neither alienate Him from being said to suffer, lest we first say that the Birth too after the flesh is not His but another's, nor do we define that the things pertaining to the flesh have been wrought upon His Divine and Supremest Nature: but He will be conceived of (as I said) as suffering in His own flesh, albeit not suffering in His Godhead after some such mode as this. And every force of illustration is feeble and comes behind the truth, yet it sends into the mind a subtil imagination of the reality and as it were from what is before it, brings it up unto the height which is beyond the reach of words. For as iron or other such matter in contact with the onset of fire gives it admission and travails with the flame: and if now it chance to be struck by ought, the matter [struck] admits of injury, but the nature of the fire is in nought damaged by that which strikes; thus will you conceive in regard of the Son being said to suffer in the flesh, not to suffer in His Godhead. And petty (as I said) is the force of the illustration, but it bears nigh to the truth them who choose not to disbelieve the holy Scriptures.

B. You say well.

A. For if the flesh ineffably and above mind and reason united to Him were not made absolutely the Word's own, how will it be conceived of as life-giving? For I am (He says) the Living Bread Which came down from Heaven and giveth life to the world, if any one eat of this bread he shalllive for ever, and the bread which I shall give is My flesh for the life of the world. But if so be the flesh, belong to a son other than He, appropriated to Him by a non-essential connection, and called by favour to equality of honour, how doth He name it His own, though He cannot lie? and how will another person's flesh too quicken the world, if it have not been made the own flesh of Life, i. e. of the Word which is forth of God the Father, of Whom the Divine John says, And we know that the Son of God is come and He gave us understanding in order that we might know Him and we are in His Very SonJesus Christ: this is the true God and Everlasting Life?

B. But I suppose that they would say to this, that it had been clearly said by Him, Verily verily I say to you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, ye have not life in you. WE therefore understand (they say) that the honoured body and blood are not those of God the Word but of the son of man which has been connected with Him.

A. Then wherever will they put the mighty Mystery of piety? for destroyed is the emptying of God the Word, Who was in the Form and Equality of the Father and chose for our sakes to take bondman's form and be made in likeness of us, and to partake blood and flesh, and to make the economy of the Incarnation His largess to all under Heaven. For through it have been saved, the Father summing up all things in Him , both the things in Heaven and the things on earth, as it is written. If therefore they say that not He is the Only-Begotten, Who says in God-befitting way and human wise alike, And the bread which I will give is My flesh for the life of the world, but that some son of man other than He conceived of apart by himself hath saved us, it is not the Lord Himself, as it is written, but one from among ourselves: and the things which are subject to decay are quickened henceforth, not through God Who is mighty to quicken, but by one of them who are subject to decay, who received along with us life of favour: but if it is true that the Word has been made flesh according to the Scriptures and appeared on earth and conversed with men, having bondman's form as His own, He will be called also son of man; and if some feel ashamed at this, they will be caught placing themselves under charge of unlearning. For in no other way was it possible that flesh should become life-giving, albeit of its own nature subjected to the need of decaying, except it have become the Proper flesh of the Word Which quickeneth all things; for thus it inworks what is His, replete with His Life-giving Power. And no marvel. For if it is true that fire having intercourse with matter, renders it warm, though not warm of its own nature (for it puts into it full richly the operation of its inherent power): how does not rather the Word being God put His own Life-giving Power and Operation into His Proper flesh, united to it and making it His own, without confusion, without turning and in mode as Himself knoweth?

B. It is therefore necessary to confess that it hath entirely become (none other intervening) the Proper Body of the Word that is forth of the Father, though ensouled with reasonable soul.

A. Most certainly, if we define aright the unerring word of the faith and are lovers of the doctrines of the truth and track the faith of the holy Fathers, not borne aside from the right way nor letting go the King's path-way, carried off by the vain-speakings of some unto a debased mind, but rather built up on the very Foundation, i. e. Christ: for other foundation can no man lay than is laid, as the in truth wise master-builder and Priest of His Mysteries has written.

We believe therefore that One is the Son of God the Father and conceived of in One Person, our LORD JESUS CHRIST, begotten forth of God the Father Divinely as Word before every age and time: in the last times of the age the Same made according to the flesh from forth a woman: and to Him we allot both the God-befitting and the human, and His we say was the birth after the flesh and the suffering upon the cross, for that He made His own the whole that belonged to His Proper flesh , yet hath remained Impassible in the Nature of the Godhead. For thus to Him boweth every knee and every tongue shall confess that JesusChrist is Lord unto the glory of God the Father, Amen.

Β: [Καὶ] πῶς γὰρ οὔ;

Α: Οὐ † ... † Πατέρα μὲν νοοῦμεν τὸν γεγεννηκότα, Υἱὸν δὲ δὴ καὶ αὖ τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατὰ φύσιν γεννηθέντα μονογενῆ Θεὸν Λόγον;

Β: Καὶ πάνυ.

Α: Πῶς οὖν εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ βεβαπτίσμεθα, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου φωνήν· Ὅσοι γάρ, φησίν, εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθημεν. Ἀλλ' εἷς Κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα, καὶ οὐ δήπου φαῖεν ἂν ὡς εἰς ἕτερον ὄντα καὶ ἰδικῶς Υἱὸν τὸν ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυεὶδ βεβαπτίσμεθα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ Θεὸς ὢν φύσει πέρα νοεῖται πάθους, εἶτα παθεῖν ἠθέλησεν, ἵνα σώσῃ τοὺς ὑπὸ φθοράν, ὡμοιώθη κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς, καὶ ἀπότεξιν ὑπέμεινε τὴν κατὰ σάρκα ἐκ γυναικός, καὶ ἴδιον ἐποιήσατο, ὡς ἔφην, σῶμα, τὸ γεύσασθαι τοῦ θανάτου δυνάμενον, ἀναβιῶναί τε αὖ, ἵνα μένων αὐτὸς ἀπαθής, σαρκὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ λέγοιτο παθεῖν. Σέσωκε γὰρ [οὕτως] τὸ ἀπολωλός. Καὶ γοῦν ἔφασκεν ἐναργῶς· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός. Ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων. Καὶ πάλιν· Οὐδεὶς αἴρει τὴν ψυχήν μου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ τίθημι αὐτὴν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ. Ἐξουσίαν [ἔχω θεῖναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἐξουσίαν] ἔχω λαβεῖν αὐτήν. Ἀλλ' ἦν οὐχ ἑνὸς τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς, οὔτε μὴν ἀνθρώπου κοινοῦ, τὸ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν θεῖναί τε ψυχὴν καὶ ἀναλαβεῖν αὐτήν. Τέθεικε δὲ καὶ ἀνέλαβεν ὁ Μονογενὴς καὶ ἀληθῶς Υἱός, τῶν τοῦ θανάτου βρόχων ἡμᾶς ἔξω τιθείς. Ἴδοι δ' ἄν τις εὖ μάλα τουτὶ καὶ ἐν ταῖς Μωϋσέως βίβλοις, ὡς ἐν σκιαῖς ἐπὶ τοῖς πάλαι διαμορφούμενον· ἐξείλετο γὰρ θανάτου καὶ φθορᾶς ἡ τοῦ προβάτου σφαγὴ τοὺς ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ δεδυσώπηκε τὸν ὀλοθρευτήν. Τύπος δὲ ἦν ἄρα τὸ χρῆμα Χριστοῦ. Τὸ γὰρ Πάσχα ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐτύθη Χριστός, ἵνα τὸ ἀμειδὲς τοῦ θανάτου καταλύσῃ κράτος, αἵματί τε τῷ ἰδίῳ κατακτήσηται τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανόν. Ἠγοράσμεθα γὰρ τιμῆς, καὶ οὔκ ἐσμεν ἑαυτῶν. Εἷς γὰρ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ὁ πάντων ἀξιώτερος, ἵν' οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι. Συλλήψεται δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος λέγων· Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα Θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστός. συνεσταύρωμαι. Ζῶ δὲ οὐκ ἔτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός. Ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ, τῇ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με, καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ [ἐμοῦ]. Χριστοῦ τοιγαροῦν οἱ πάντες ἐσμέν, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ κατηλλάγμεθα τῷ Πατρί, σαρκὶ παθόντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵν' ἡμᾶς ἀποφήνῃ κεκαθαρμένους. Γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι· ∆ιὸ καὶ Ἰησοῦς, ἵνα ἁγιάσῃ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος τὸν λαόν, ἔξω τῆς πύλης ἔπαθεν. Καὶ πάλιν· Καὶ ἡμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς, νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατήλλαξεν ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου, παραστῆσαι ἡμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ. Σύνες οὖν ὅπως ἴδιον αἷμα καὶ ἰδίαν σάρκα φησὶν αὐτοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἑτέρου παρ' αὐτὸν υἱοῦ λέγωμεν αὐτήν, νοουμένου τε ἀναμέρος, καὶ ψιλῇ συναφείᾳ τετιμημένου, καὶ ἐπακτὴν ἔχοντος δόξαν, καὶ οὐκ οὐσιώδη τὴν ὑπεροχήν, ἐπίβλημα δὲ καὶ ὥσπερ τι προσωπεῖον ἐπερριμμένον αὐτῷ, τό τε τῆς υἱότητος καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ πάντα θεότητος ὄνομα. Οὕτω γὰρ ἔχοντι κατὰ φύσιν καθὰ φρονεῖν ἐγνώκασιν οἱ δι' ἐναντίας, ἁρμόσειεν ἂν αὐτῷ κατ' οὐδένα τρόπον τὸ χρῆναι λέγειν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια. Πῶς γὰρ ἀληθὲς τὸ οὐχ οὕτως ἔχον ὡς λέγεται, νωθὸν δὲ ὥσπερ τι καὶ ψευδώνυμον; Ἀλλὰ μὴν ἀλήθεια Χριστός, καὶ ἐπάνω πάντων ὡς Θεός. Μεμένηκε γὰρ ὅπερ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, εἰ καὶ γέγονε σάρξ, ἵν' ὁ πάντων ἐπέκεινα καὶ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι γεγονὼς διὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον σωζόμενον ἔχοι τὸ εἶναι πέρα παντὸς καὶ τῶν τῆς κτίσεως ἐπέκεινα μέτρων.

Β: Ἀλλ' ἐναπομάξεται, φησί, τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ πολύ τι τὸ δυσκλεὲς τὸ λέγεσθαι παθεῖν. ∆ιαβεβλήσεται δὲ πρὸς τούτῳ καὶ αὐτό που τάχα τὸ σεπτὸν ἡμῶν μυστήριον.

Α: Ἀλλ' αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας, εἵλετο παθεῖν σαρκὶ δι' ἡμᾶς, κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς. Ἀρρώστημα δὲ φρενὸς Ἰουδαϊκῆς καὶ τῆς Ἑλλήνων ἀβελτερίας ἔγκλημα δεινὸν καταλογισαίμην ἂν τὸ αἰσχύνεσθαι δοκεῖν τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάθος. Γράφει γοῦν ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος· Ἐπειδὴ καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι σημεῖα αἰτοῦσι καὶ Ἕλληνες σοφίαν ζητοῦσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ κηρύσσομεν Χριστὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, Ἰουδαίοις μὲν σκάνδαλον, ἔθνεσι δὲ μωρίαν, αὐτοῖς δὲ τοῖς κλητοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ Ἕλλησι Χριστὸν Θεοῦ δύναμιν καὶ Θεοῦ σοφίαν, ὅτι τὸ μωρὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστί, καὶ τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστί.

Β: Τίνα τρόπον; Συνίημι γὰρ ἥκιστά γε.

Α: Οὐ γὰρ Ἰουδαίοις μὲν σκάνδαλον τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάθος γενέσθαι φησίν, Ἕλλησι δὲ μωρίαν; Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἔφασκον, ἀπηρτημένον ὁρῶντες τοῦ ξύλου, καὶ τὰς μιαιφόνους ἐπ' αὐτῷ σείοντες κεφαλάς· Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατάβηθι [νῦν] ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ, καὶ πιστεύσομέν σοι. Ὥοντο γὰρ ὅτι τῆς αὐτῶν ἰσχύος ἡττώμενος ἥλω καὶ πέπονθε. Πεπλάνηντο γάρ, οὐχ Υἱὸν εἶναι Θεοῦ νομίσαντες ἀληθῶς, ἀλλ' εἰς μόνην ὁρῶντες τὴν σάρκα. Ἕλληνές γε μήν, τὸ τοῦ μυστηρίου βάθος κατ' οὐδένα τρόπον συνιέναι δυνάμενοι, μωρίαν εἶναι νομίζουσι τὸ λέγεσθαι πρὸς ἡμῶν τεθνάναι Χριστὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς. Ἀλλ' αὐτὸ δὴ τουτὶ τὸ δοκοῦν εἶναι μωρὸν σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστί. Βαθὺς γὰρ ὁ λόγος, καὶ τῆς ἀνωτάτω σοφίας ἐπίμεστος ἀληθῶς, ὁ ἐπί γέ φημι τῷ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ, καὶ τὸ ἀσθενὲς εἶναι νομισθὲν παρά γε τοῖς Ἰουδαίων δήμοις ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστί. Σέσωκε γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁμοίωσιν ὑποδύς, ἵνα σαρκὶ παθὼν καὶ ἐγηγερμένος ἐκ νεκρῶν, κρείττονα θανάτου καὶ φθορᾶς τὴν ἡμῶν ἀποφήνῃ φύσιν. Ἔστι δὲ ὑπὲρ χεῖρα τὴν καθ' ἡμᾶς τὸ κατωρθωμένον. Οὐκοῦν, ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστὶ τὸ ἀσθενείᾳ τῇ καθ' ἡμᾶς καὶ ὡς ἔν γε τῷ παθεῖν πεπράχθαι δοκοῦν, δυνάμεώς τε τῆς θεοπρεποῦς ἐπίδειξιν ἔχον.

Β: Εἶτα πῶς ἂν ὁ αὐτός, φασί, παθὼν μὴ πάθοι;

Α: Σαρκὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ παθών, καὶ οὐ θεότητος φύσει. Καὶ ἀπόρρητος μὲν παντελῶς ὁ ἐπὶ τούτοις λόγος, καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις ἐφίκοιτο νοῦς τῶν οὕτως ἰσχνῶν καὶ ὑπερηρμένων ἐννοιῶν. Ἑπόμενοί γε μὴν τοῖς εἰς ὀρθότητα λογισμοῖς, καὶ τὸν τοῦ εἰκότος περιαθροῦντες λόγον, οὔτε τοῦ λέγεσθαι παθεῖν ἀλλοτριοῦμεν αὐτόν, ἵνα μὴ πρὸ τούτου καὶ τὴν κατὰ σάρκα γέννησιν οὐκ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον, ἀλλ' ἑτέρου φῶμεν εἶναί τινος, οὔτε μὴν εἰς τὴν θείαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑπερτάτην πεπράχθαι φύσιν διοριζόμεθα τὰ σαρκός· νοοῖτο δ' ἄν, ὡς ἔφην, σαρκὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ παθεῖν, καίτοι θεότητι μὴ παθὼν κατὰ τοιόνδε τινὰ τρόπον. Καὶ ἀσθενεῖ μὲν πᾶσα παραδειγμάτων δύναμις, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας κατόπιν ἔρχεται. Πλὴν ἐνίησι τῷ νῷ φαντασίαν ἰσχνὴν τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ ὡς ἀπό γε τῶν ἐν χερσὶν ἀναβιβάσει πρὸς τὸ ὕψος καὶ τὸ πέρα λόγου. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ σίδηρος ἢ γοῦν ἑτέρα τις ὕλη τοιαύτη, ταῖς τοῦ πυρὸς ὁμιλήσασα προσβολαῖς, εἰσδέχεται μὲν αὐτὸ καὶ κατωδίνει τὴν φλόγα, εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ καταπαίοιτο τυχὸν ὑπό του, δέχεται μὲν ἡ ὕλη τὸ βλάβος, ἀδικεῖται δὲ ὅλως πρὸς τοῦ παίοντος οὐδὲν ἡ τοῦ πυρὸς φύσις, οὕτω πως συνήσεις καὶ ἐν τῷ σαρκὶ λέγεσθαι παθεῖν, θεότητι δὲ μὴ παθεῖν τὸν Υἱόν. Καὶ σμικρὰ μέν, ὡς ἔφην, τῶν παραδειγμάτων ἡ δύναμις, ἀποφέρει δέ πως τῆς ἀληθείας ἐγγὺς τοὺς τοῖς ἱεροῖς Γράμμασιν οὐκ ἀπειθεῖν ᾑρημένους.

Β: Εὖ λέγεις.

Α: Εἰ γὰρ οὐκ ἀμέσως ἰδία τοῦ Λόγου γέγονεν ἡ ἀπορρήτως αὐτῷ καὶ ὑπὲρ νοῦν καὶ λόγον ἑνωθεῖσα σάρξ, πῶς ἂν νοοῖτο ζωοποιός; Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι, φησίν, ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν, ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβὰς καὶ ζωὴν διδοὺς τῷ κόσμῳ. Ἐάν τις φάγῃ ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου τούτου, ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ ὁ ἄρτος δὲ ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω ἡ σάρξ μού ἐστιν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς. Ἀλλ' εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἡ σὰρξ υἱοῦ παρ' αὐτὸν ἑτέρου, κατὰ συνάφειαν σχετικὴν οἰκειωθέντος αὐτῷ, καὶ χάριτι κεκλημένου πρὸς ἰσοτιμίαν, πῶς ἰδίαν αὐτὴν ὀνομάζει, καίτοι ψεύδεσθαι μὴ εἰδώς; Πῶς δ' ἂν καὶ ζωοποιήσειε τὸν κόσμον ἡ ἑτέρου τινὸς σάρξ, εἰ μὴ γέγονεν ἰδία τῆς ζωῆς, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τοῦ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ὄντος Λόγου, περὶ οὗ φησιν ὁ θεσπέσιος Ἰωάννης· Καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἥκει, καὶ ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν διάνοιαν, ἵνα γινώσκωμεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ ἀληθινῷ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. Οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθινὸς Θεὸς καὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος.

Β: Ἀλλά, οἶμαι, πρὸς τοῦτο φαῖεν ἂν εἰρῆσθαι παρ' αὐτοῦ καὶ μάλα σαφῶς· Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ φάγητε τὴν σάρκα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πίητε αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα, οὐκ ἔχετε ζωὴν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς. Συνίεμεν τοίνυν ἡμεῖς, φασίν, ὡς ἔστι μᾶλλον οὐ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ συναφθέντος αὐτῷ ἀνθρώπου τὸ τετιμημένον σῶμα καὶ τὸ αἷμα.

Α: Εἶτα ὅποι ποτὲ θεῖεν ἂν τὸ μέγα τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον; Ἀναιρεῖται γάρ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου κένωσις, ὄντος μὲν ἐν μορφῇ καὶ ἰσότητι τοῦ Πατρός, ἑλομένου δὲ δι' ἡμᾶς μορφὴν δούλου λαβεῖν, καὶ ἐν ὁμοιώσει γενέσθαι τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ μετασχεῖν σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος, καὶ τὴν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως οἰκονομίαν ὅλῃ χαρίσασθαι τῇ ὑπ' οὐρανόν. Σέσωσται γὰρ δι' αὐτῆς, ἀνακεφαλαιουμένου τὰ πάντα τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ, τά τε ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καθὰ γέγραπται. Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐκ αὐτὸν εἶναί φασι τὸν Μονογενῆ, θεοπρεπῶς τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως λέγοντα· Καὶ ὁ ἄρτος δὲ ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω ἡ σάρξ μού ἐστιν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς, ἕτερον δέ τινα παρ' αὐτὸν ἰδικῶς νοούμενον Υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου σεσωκέναι ἡμᾶς, οὐκ αὐτός ἐστι Κύριος, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἀλλ' εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν, καὶ ζωοποιεῖται λοιπὸν τὰ ὑπὸ φθορὰν οὐ διά γε Θεοῦ μᾶλλον τοῦ ζωοποιεῖν ἰσχύοντος, ἀλλ' ὑφ' ἑνὸς τῶν ὑπὸ φθοράν, χάριτι μεθ' ἡμῶν λαβόντος τὸ ζῆν. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθὲς ὅτι σὰρξ γέγονεν ὁ Λόγος, κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς, καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὤφθη καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη, τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφὴν ὡς ἰδίαν ἔχων, κεκλήσεται καὶ Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, κἂν ἀσχάλλωσί τινες ἐπὶ τούτῳ, τοῖς τῆς ἀμαθίας ἐγκλήμασι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐνιέντες ἁλοῖεν ἄν. Οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἑτέρως ζωοποιὸν γενέσθαι τὴν σάρκα, καίτοι κατ' ἰδίαν φύσιν ὑπενηνεγμένην τῷ φθείρεσθαι δεῖν, εἰ μὴ γέγονεν ἰδία τοῦ ζωοποιοῦντος τὰ πάντα Λόγου. Ἐνηργεῖ γὰρ οὕτως τὰ αὐτοῦ, τὴν ζωοποιὸν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν ὠδινήσασα. Καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν, εἰ γάρ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ὅτι ταῖς ὕλαις ὁμιλῆσαν τὸ πῦρ, καίτοι θερμὰς οὐκ οὔσας αὐτὰς κατ' ἰδίαν φύσιν, ἀποφαίνει θερμάς· ἐνίησι γὰρ καὶ μάλα πλουσίως αὐταῖς τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτῷ δυνάμεως τὴν ἐνέργειαν. Πῶς οὐ μᾶλλον ἐνίησι Θεὸς ὢν ὁ Λόγος τῇ ἰδίᾳ σαρκὶ τὴν ζωοποιὸν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν καὶ ἐνέργειαν, ἑνωθεὶς αὐτῇ καὶ ἰδίαν αὐτὴν ἀποφήνας, ἀσυγχύτως καὶ ἀτρέπτως καὶ καθ' ὃν οἶδε τρόπον αὐτός;

Β: Ἀναγκαῖον οὖν ἄρα συνομολογεῖν, οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου μεσολαβοῦντος, παντελῶς ἴδιον γενέσθαι τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὄντος Λόγου, κἂν ἐψυχωμένον νοοῖτο ψυχῇ νοερᾷ.

Α: Πάνυ μὲν οὖν, εἰ τὸν ἀπλανῆ τῆς πίστεως ὀρθοτο μοῦμεν λόγον, καὶ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας δογμάτων ἐσμὲν ἐρασταί, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων ἰχνηλατοῦμεν πίστιν, οὐκ ἀποφερόμενοι τῆς εὐθείας, οὔτε μὴν τὴν βασιλικὴν ἀφέντες τρίβον, καὶ ταῖς τινων εἰκαιομυθίαις εἰς κίβδηλον νοῦν ἀποκομιζόμενοι, ἐποικοδομούμενοι δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπ' αὐτῷ τῷ θεμελίῳ, τουτέστι ΧριστῷΘεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, καθὰ γέγραφεν ἀληθῶς ὁ σοφὸς ἀρχιτέκτων καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ μυστηρίων ἱερουργός. Ἕνα τοιγαροῦν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς εἶναι πιστεύομεν, καὶ ἐν ἑνὶ προσώπῳ νοούμενον τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν τὸν Χριστόν, γεννηθέντα μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς θεϊκῶς ὡς Λόγον πρὸ παντὸς αἰῶνος καὶ χρόνου, ἐν ἐσχάτοις δὲ τοῦ αἰῶνος καιροῖς τὸν αὐτὸν γεγονότα κατὰ σάρκα ἐκ γυναικός, αὐτῷ τε προσνεμοῦμεν τά τε θεοπρεπῆ καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, καὶ αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι φαμὲν τὴν κατὰ σάρκα γέννησιν καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ πάθος, οἰκειουμένου μὲν ἅπαντα τὰ τῆς ἰδίας σαρκός, μεμενηκότος γε μὴν ἀπαθοῦς τῇ τῆς θεότητος φύσει. Κάμπτει γὰρ οὕτως αὐτῷ πᾶν γόνυ, Καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσεται ὅτι Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ Πατρός. Ἀμήν.