要理講授（全本） 第 11 章 第 3/12 段

Do you not know that your bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? And again the prophet foretold in the person of Jesus:

Therefore He will give them up until the time of her that travails;

And what is the sign? He says next:

she shall bring forth, and the rest of their brethren shall return.

And what is the betrothal-gift of the virgin, the holy bride? 'And I will betroth you to myself in faithfulness.'

And Elizabeth, speaking to her, says likewise:

And blessed is she who believed, for there shall be a fulfillment of the things spoken to her from the Lord.

But both Greeks and Jews disparage us, and say that it was impossible for Christ to be born of a virgin.

The Greeks, then, let us silence out of their own myths.

For you who say that stones thrown at men are turned into people—how do you say it is impossible for a virgin to bear? You who tell the myth that a daughter was born from a brain—how do you say it is impossible for a son to be born from a virgin's womb? You who falsely say that Dionysus was carried in the thigh of your Zeus—how do you reject our truth? I know I am saying things unworthy of the present audience.

But that you may opportunely reproach the Greeks, we have brought these things forward from their own myths, speaking to them on their own ground.

But to those of the circumcision answer thus, asking: which is more difficult—for a barren old woman, whose customary courses have ceased, to bear, or for a youthful virgin to give birth? Sarah was barren, and when the things of women had ceased she bore contrary to nature.

Therefore, for a barren woman to bear is contrary to nature, and so is for a virgin to bear.

Either, then, reject the two, or accept the two.

For it is the same God who both did that and accomplished this.

For you will not dare to say that there it is possible for God, and here impossible.

And again, what kind of nature is it for a man's hand to be changed in a single hour into another form, and again restored? How, then, was the hand of Moses made white as snow, and at once restored again? But you say that God, willing it, transformed it.

There, God willing it, has power—and here, then, has He no power? And that was a sign for the Egyptians only, but this was a sign granted to the whole inhabited world.

O Jews, which is the more difficult—for a virgin to bear, or for a rod to be made alive into a living creature? You confess that in Moses' time a perfectly straight rod, becoming serpent-like, was terrifying to the one who cast it; and he who before this held the rod fled from it as from a serpent.

He fled, not fearing what he held, but in dread of Him who had transformed it.

The rod had teeth and the eyes of a serpent.

From a rod, then, seeing eyes spring forth—and from a virgin's womb a child is not born, when God wills it? For I pass over in silence that the rod of Aaron also did in a single night what the rest of the trees do over many years.

For who does not know that a rod which has lost its bark would never by nature sprout, even if placed amid rivers? But since God does not follow the natures of trees, but is the Maker of natures, the fruitless, dry, barkless rod blossomed and budded and bore almonds.

He, then, who for the sake of the typical high priest granted to the rod fruit beyond nature—did He not, for the sake of the true High Priest, grant to the virgin the bearing of a child? These are good reminders of the words.

But the Jews still contradict, and are not persuaded by the words about the rod, unless they are persuaded by similar marvelous and supernatural births.

Examine them, then, in this way.

Eve, in the beginning, from whom was she begotten? What mother conceived her, that motherless one? But the Scripture says that she came from Adam's rib. Then, since Eve is born from a male's rib without a mother, is a child not born from a virgin's womb without a man? A debt was owed

to men from the female sex, the grace.

For Eve was begotten from Adam, conceived not from a mother, but as it were brought forth from a man alone.

Mary, then, repaid the debt of grace, having borne not of a man, but of herself alone, undefiledly, by the Holy Spirit, by the power of God.

But let us take yet something greater than this.

For that bodies should be begotten from bodies, though marvelous, is nonetheless possible.

But that the dust of the earth should become a man—this is more wonderful.

That kneaded clay should take on the coats of the eyes and their luster—this is more wonderful.

That from uniform dust should be begotten both the firmness of bones and the softness of the lung and the rest of the diverse forms of members—this is wonderful.

That clay, made alive, should go about the inhabited world self-moving and build—this is wonderful.

That clay should teach and speak and do carpentry and reign—this is wonderful.

O most ignorant Jews, whence came Adam? Did not God, taking dust from the earth, fashion this wonderful creature? Then clay is changed into an eye, and a virgin does not bear a son? That which among men is impossible rather comes to pass, and the thing that is possible, then, does not come to pass? Let us remember these things, brethren.

Let us use these instruments as our weapons of defense.

Let us not endure the heretics who teach the coming as a mere appearance.

Let us also spit upon those who say that the birth of the Savior was from a man and a woman—those who dared to say that He was from Joseph and Mary because it is written:

and he took his wife.

For let us remember Jacob, who before taking Rachel said to Laban:

For just as she, before the establishment of the marriage, was called the wife of Jacob merely because there was a promise, so also Mary, because of the betrothal, was called the wife of Joseph.

And see the exactness of the gospel which says:

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph; and so forth.

And again, when the census took place and Joseph went up to be registered, what does the Scripture say? And Joseph also went up from Galilee to be registered with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being with child.

It did not say 'with his wife,' but 'with her who was betrothed to him.'

For God sent forth His Son, says Paul, not made of a man and a woman, but made of a woman only—that is, of a virgin.

For that the virgin too is called 'woman,' we have already demonstrated.

For of a virgin was begotten He who makes souls virgin.

But do you marvel at what happened? She who bore Him marveled at this too.

For she says to Gabriel:

How shall this be to me, since I know not a man? And he says:

The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you.

Wherefore also the holy thing that is born shall be called the Son of God.

Undefiled and unsullied is the birth.

For where the Holy Spirit breathes, there all defilement is taken away.

Unsullied is the fleshly birth of the Only-begotten from the virgin.

And even if the heretics contradict the truth, the Holy Spirit will refute them.

The power of the Most High that overshadowed will be indignant.

Gabriel will stand up face to face against them in the day of judgment.

The place of the manger that received the Master will put them to shame.

The shepherds who then received the good news will testify, and the host of angels who praised and hymned and said:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.

The temple into which He was then brought up on the fortieth day, the pair of turtledoves offered for Him, and Simeon who then took Him in his arms, and Anna the prophetess who was present.

Since, then, God testifies, and the Holy Spirit bears witness with Him, and Christ says:

Why do you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth? Let the heretics who contradict His humanity be silenced.

For they contradict Him who says:

See, that a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see me having.

Let the Lord born of the virgin be worshiped, and let the virgins recognize the crown of their own manner of life.

Let the order of monks also recognize the glory of chastity.

For we are not deprived of the dignity of chastity.

For the nine months' time of the Savior took place in the womb of a virgin, but the Lord became a man for thirty-three years; so that, if the virgin is honored on account of the nine months' time, much more are we, on account of the many years.

But let us all run the course of chastity by the grace of God—young men and virgins, old men together with the young—not pursuing licentiousness, but praising the name of Christ.

Let us not be ignorant of the glory of chastity.

For the crown is angelic, and the achievement is above man.

Let us spare the bodies that are to shine like the sun.

Let us not, for a little pleasure, defile so great and so noble a body.

For the sin is small and for an hour, but the shame is for many years and eternal.

Angels walking upon earth are the workers of chastity.

The virgins, together with Mary the Virgin, have their portion.

Let every adornment be banished, and every wanton glance, and every loose gait, and every garment and incense that is an enticing bait of pleasure.

But let the incense in all be the prayer of sweet fragrance, and the doing of good works, and the sanctification of the bodies, that the Lord born of the virgin may say also concerning us—both men who live in chastity and women who are crowned:

I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

To whom be the glory unto the ages of the ages.

Thirteenth Catechetical Lecture, to those being enlightened, delivered extempore in Jerusalem, upon Him who was crucified and buried.

And a reading from Isaiah:

Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? And so forth:

as a sheep he was led to the slaughter.

The boast of the catholic Church is indeed every deed of Jesus, but the boast of boasts is the cross.

And knowing this, Paul says:

But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For it was a marvelous thing, that even the man blind from birth should receive his sight at Siloam;

but what is that to the blind of the whole world? Great and beyond nature it was that Lazarus, four days dead, should rise;

but the grace extended only as far as that one.

But what is that to those throughout the world dead in their sins? It was a marvelous thing that food should gush forth—five loaves for the five thousand;

but what is that to those hungering in ignorance throughout the whole world? It was a marvelous thing that she who had been bound by Satan eighteen years should be loosed;

but what is that to all of us who are bound fast by the cords of our sins? But the crown of the cross gave light to those blind in ignorance, loosed all who were held by sin, and ransomed the whole world of men.

And do not marvel that the whole world was ransomed.

For He who died for them was not a mere man, but the only-begotten Son of God.

And indeed the sin of one man, Adam, had power to bring death into the world.

And if by the trespass of the one death reigned in the world, how much more shall life reign by the righteousness of the One? And if then, because of the tree of eating, they were cast out of paradise, shall not now, because of the tree of Jesus, those who believe more easily enter into paradise? If the first-formed man brought from the earth a universal death, shall not He who fashioned him from the earth bring eternal life, being Himself the Life? If Phinehas, by his zeal in slaying the doer of shame, stayed the wrath of God, shall not Jesus—who slew no other, but gave Himself as a ransom—loose the wrath against men? Let us therefore not be ashamed of the cross of the Savior, but rather glory in it.

For the word of the cross is to the Jews a stumbling block, to the Gentiles foolishness, but to us salvation.

And to those who are perishing it is foolishness, but to those

of us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For He who died for them was not a mere man, as has been said, but the Son of God, God made man.

Then the sheep in Moses' time drove the destroyer far off; but did not the Sheep of God who takes away the sin of the world much more set free from sins? But the blood of the irrational sheep afforded salvation; shall not that of the Only-begotten much more save? If anyone disbelieves the power of the Crucified, let him question the demons.

If anyone does not believe the words, let him believe the things that appear.

Many throughout the world have been crucified, but the demons cower before none of them.

[But of Christ, who was crucified for us, the demons cower even at the mere sight of the sign of the cross,] since they died on account of their own sins, but He on account of the sins of others.

For He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.

It was not Peter who said this, since he might have been suspected of flattering his Teacher; but it is Isaiah who says it—he who was not present in the flesh, but in the Spirit foresaw the in-the-flesh sojourn.

And why need I now bring forward only a prophet as witness? Take as witness Pilate himself, who condemned Him, saying:

I find no fault in this man.

And handing Him over to be delivered up, and washing his hands, he says: I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man.

There is also another witness of the sinlessness of Jesus—the foremost robber of paradise, rebuking his neighbor and saying:

We receive things worthy of what we did, but this man did nothing wrong;

for I and you were present at the trial.

Jesus, then, suffered in truth on behalf of all men.

For the cross was no mere semblance, else the redemption too is a semblance.

The death was not phantasmal, else salvation too is a fable.

If the death was phantasmal, then they speak truly who say:

We remember that that deceiver said while still living:

After three days I rise again.

The passion, then, is true; for in truth He was crucified, and we are not ashamed.

He was crucified, and we do not deny it; rather I boast in saying it.

For even if I should now deny it, this Golgotha refutes me, near which we are all now present.

The wood of the cross refutes me—which, spreading little by little from here, has by now been distributed to all the inhabited world.

I confess the cross, because I know the resurrection.

For if, having been crucified, He had remained so, I would perhaps not have confessed it; for I might quickly have concealed it, along with my Teacher.

But since the resurrection succeeded the cross, I am not ashamed to relate it.

Now, being in the flesh, He was crucified like all men, but not for the like sins.

For He was not led to death because of love of money;

for He was a teacher of poverty;

nor was He condemned for lust;

He who said, Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her.

Not for rashness in striking or smiting;

for He turned the other cheek also to the one who struck.

Not for despising the law;

for He was the fulfiller of the law.

For He was the very One proclaimed by the prophets.

For He healed without pay and freely.

He sinned not in words, nor in deeds, nor in thoughts;

He who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth; who, being reviled, reviled not in return; suffering, He threatened not; who came to the passion not unwillingly, but willingly.

And should anyone in protest say even now:

And do you indeed wish to be persuaded that He came willingly to the passion? Others die unwillingly, the ones who are ignorant; but He foretold concerning the passion:

Behold, the Son of Man is delivered up to be crucified.

And do you know why the Lover of mankind did not flee from death? That the whole world might not perish in its sins.

Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be delivered up and shall be crucified.

He set His face to go to Jerusalem.

And do you wish to know clearly that the cross is glory to Jesus? Hear Him saying it, and not me.

Judas was betraying Him, having become ungrateful toward the Master of the house.

Having just gone out from the table and drunk the cup of blessing, in place of the draught of salvation he wished to shed righteous blood.

He who ate His bread lifted up his heel against Him.

Just now the hands were receiving the blessings, and just now, for the silver of betrayal, he was contriving death.

And being convicted and having heard 'You have said it,' he went out again.

The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

You see how He knows the cross as His own glory? Then is Isaiah, sawn asunder, not ashamed, and shall Christ, dying for the world, be ashamed? Now is the Son of Man glorified.

Not that He did not have the glory before;

for He was glorified with the glory which was before the foundation of the world;

but He was glorified as God always; yet now He was glorified, having borne the crown of endurance.

Not under compulsion did He lay down His life, nor was He violently slain, but voluntarily.

I have authority to lay down my life, and I have authority to take it again.

Of My own will I yield to My enemies.

For if I had not willed it, it would not have come to pass.

He came, then, of His own choice to the passion, rejoicing over the achievement, smiling over the crown, glad over the salvation of men, not ashamed of the cross;

for it was no worthless man who suffered, but God made man, contending for the prize of endurance.

But the Jews contradict—those who are always ready for objection and slow toward faith—saying that the prophet now read speaks for this reason:

Lord, who has believed our report? The Persians believe, and the Hebrews do not believe.

They shall see, to whom nothing was announced about Him, and those who have not heard shall understand; and those who study shall reject the things they study.

They speak against us and say these things:

Does the Lord, then, suffer? For did human hands prevail over the Lordship? Read the Lamentations.

For Jeremiah, lamenting you in his Lamentations, wrote the things worthy of lamentation.

He saw your destruction, he beheld your downfall.

He lamented the Jerusalem of that time;

for the Jerusalem of now shall not be lamented.

For the former crucified, but the latter, now, worships Christ.

The breath of our face, Christ the Lord, was taken in our corruptions.

Am I, then, inventing arguments? Behold, it testifies that Christ the Lord was seized by men.

And what shall come to pass from this? Tell me, O prophet.

Of whom we said: In his shadow we shall live among the nations.

For he hints that the grace of the life shall thenceforth have its citizenship no longer in Israel, but among the nations.

But since much contradiction is made by them, come, by your prayers, as the brevity of the hour allows, let us by the grace of the Lord set forth a few testimonies concerning the passion.

For all things concerning Christ are written down, and nothing is doubtful; for nothing is without witness.

all these things are recorded on the prophetic pillars, not on tablets of stone, but plainly written by the Holy Spirit.

Since, then, you have heard the Gospel speaking concerning Judas, ought you not to receive the testimony? You heard that He was pierced in the side with a lance;

ought you not to see whether this too is written? You heard that He was crucified in a garden;

ought you not to see whether this too is written? You heard that He was sold for thirty pieces of silver;

ought you not to learn the prophet who foretold this? You heard that He was given vinegar to drink;

learn this too, where it is written.

You heard that His body was laid in a rock and a stone was set upon it;

ought you not to receive this testimony also from the prophet? You heard that He was crucified together with robbers;

ought you not to see whether this too is written? You heard that He was buried;

ought you not to see whether what concerns the burial is securely recorded somewhere? You heard that He rose again;

ought you not to see that we are not deceiving you in teaching these things? For our word and our preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom.

No sophistical constructions are now being set in motion;

but we preach Christ crucified, this having already been foretold beforehand by the prophets.

But do you, having received the testimonies, seal them upon your heart.

And since the time of this hour is now confined to a little space, hear now, as far as is possible, a few of the more important ones.

Having received these starting-points, become diligent and search out those that are lacking.

For let not your hand be stretched out only to receive, but be ready also to work.

For if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives, and he shall receive.

May He, through your prayers, grant both to us who speak the power to speak, and to you who hear the power to believe.

Let us, then, seek out the testimonies concerning the Passion of Christ;

for we have gathered together now not to make a speculative exposition of the Scriptures, but rather to be confirmed in the things we have believed.

First, then, you received the testimonies of the coming of Jesus;

and that He walked upon the sea (for 'in the sea is Your way,' it is written), and concerning the various healings you received testimony at another time.

I begin, then, from where the Passion began.

Judas was the betrayer, and coming up over against Him he stood, speaking words of peace while contriving things of war.

Concerning him, therefore, the Psalmist says:

'My friends and my neighbours drew near and stood over against me;'

'their words were smoother than oil, yet they were arrows.'

'Hail, Rabbi,' and he was betraying the Teacher unto death.

He was not abashed at the reminder of Him who said:

'Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?' For He was almost saying this to him:

'Remember your own name.'

'Judas' is interpreted 'confession.'

You agreed, you took the silver—confess quickly.

'O God, do not pass over my praise in silence, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man are opened against me;'

'they have spoken against me with a deceitful tongue, and with words of hatred they have surrounded me.'

And that some also from among the chief priests were present, and that the bonds were before the gates of the city, you heard the other day—if indeed you remember the exposition—the psalm having declared the time and the place, how 'they returned at evening and were famished like dogs and surrounded the city.'

Hear also concerning the thirty pieces of silver.

'If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; or refuse,' and what follows.

'Another wage is owed me by you for the healing of the blind and the lame, yet I receive another—instead of thanksgiving, dishonour; instead of worship, insult.'

Do you see how the Scripture foresaw the events? 'And they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver.'

O the precision of prophecy! O the great understanding of the unerring Holy Spirit!

For it said neither ten nor twenty, but exactly thirty, even as many as the sum was.

Tell us also, O prophet, where this price goes.

Does the one who receives it keep it, or give it back? And after it is given back, where does it go? The prophet says, therefore:

'And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them into the house of the Lord, into the foundry.'

Compare the Gospel with the prophecy.

For 'Judas,' it says, 'having repented and cast down the silver pieces in the temple, departed.'

But here now the precise resolution of an apparent difficulty is sought by me.

For those who reject the prophets say that the prophet says:

'And they cast them into the house of the Lord, into the foundry;'

but [the Gospel says] 'and they gave them for the potter's field.'

How, then, both speak truly—hear.

For the supposedly pious Jews who were then the chief priests, when they saw Judas repenting and saying:

'I have sinned in betraying innocent blood;'

—'Is it nothing to you who crucify Him? But he who took the wages of murder and gave them back shall be condemned, while you who do the murder shall not?'—then they said to one another:

'It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.'

Out of your own mouth comes the condemnation.

If the wage is defiled, the deed too is defiled;

but if you are fulfilling righteousness in crucifying Christ, why do you not accept the wage? But this is the question: how is it that they do not contradict each other—the Gospel saying 'the potter's field,' but the prophet 'the foundry'?

But not only the sons of goldsmiths have a foundry, nor only coppersmiths have a foundry, but potters too.

For straining out the fine, rich, and useful part of the earth from the gravel, and separating off the great mass of refuse-like material, they puddle the clay with water for the unimpeded working of the things to be made.

Why, then, do you wonder if the Gospel openly says 'the potter's field,' but the prophet uttered the prophecy enigmatically, since prophecy is in many places enigmatic? They bound Jesus and brought Him into the court of the high priest.

Do you wish to know and understand that this too is written? Isaiah says:

'Woe to their soul, for they have devised an evil counsel against themselves, saying:'

'Let us bind the righteous one, for he is troublesome to us.'

And truly, woe to their soul; and let us observe.

Isaiah was sawn asunder, yet afterward the people were healed.

Jeremiah was cast into the mire of a pit, yet the wound of the Jews was healed.

For it was a lesser thing, since it was against a man.

But since the Jews sinned not against a man, but against God who had become man, woe to their soul!

'Could He not, then, have loosed Himself?' someone will say—He who loosed Lazarus, four days dead, from the bonds of death, and loosed Peter from the iron bonds [of prison]? Angels stood ready, saying:

'Let us break their bonds asunder.'

But they hold back, because the Master willed to endure this.

Again He was led before the elders, to the tribunal.

'The Lord Himself shall come into judgement with the elders of the people and with its rulers.'

But the high priest, having questioned Him and heard the truth, is indignant.

And the wicked servant of wicked men gives a blow.

And the face that shone like the sun endured being struck by lawless hands.

And others came and spat in the face of Him who with spittle had healed the man blind from birth.

'Do you thus repay the Lord? This is a foolish people and not wise.'

And the prophet, marvelling, says:

'Lord, who has believed our report?' For the matter is incredible, that God, the Son of God and the arm of the Lord, should endure these things.

But that those being saved might not disbelieve, the Holy Spirit writes beforehand in the person of Christ, who says (for He who then spoke these things was Himself present afterward):

'I gave My back to scourges' (for Pilate scourged Him and delivered Him to be crucified), 'and My cheeks to blows, and My face I turned not away from the shame of spittings;'

foreknowing that they were about to strike Him, neither did He turn aside His cheek.

For how could I have nerved the disciples unto death for the truth's sake, if I myself were in agony over this? I was saying:

'He who loves his life shall lose it.'

If I clung to life, how was I teaching, while not doing what I taught? First, then, being God, He endured suffering these things at the hands of men, that we men, suffering such things afterward at the hands of men for His sake, might not be ashamed.

You see that the prophets clearly foretold these things also.

But because of the shortness of time we pass over many testimonies of the Scriptures, as I said before.

For if one were to search out everything precisely, not one of the things concerning Christ would be left without testimony.

Bound, He came from Caiaphas to Pilate.

Is this too written? 'And having bound Him, they led Him away as a gift to King Jareim.'

But one of the keen listeners interjects: