On the Sinful Woman
In mulierem peccatricem
The Shepherd and the Lost§1
1Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, offers a discourse concerning the sinful woman who anointed the Lord with myrrh and concerning the Pharisee.
Christ previously greatly cheered us while dining with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10); for where Christ dines and reclines with men, and enjoys our drink and table, he brings all things toward the matter of gladness. For who, having come to tax collectors or prostitutes and those who have done unspeakable things, would justify the matter of making it a feast and a festival, seeing the maker of the heaven and earth as a tax collector, the giver of the grain receiving human bread with hands, and the provider of the grapes blessing the loaves for the communion of drink? This is truly a feast, this is truly the gladness of an angelic banquet: to see the Master with the slaves, God with men, the Judge with those under accountability, enjoying a common table.
For this reason he came upon earth, not leaving heaven desolate, and he has become man, not being far from being God, so that he might also, sailing the sea, draw up from the depth of sin and guilt those tossed by the waves of the livelihood, and circling cities, running through narrow ways, paths, and streets, those wandering at the crossroads, like lost sheep, back to their own fold, the shepherd (Luke 15:4). For he is the one seeking the lost sheep, having left the ninety-nine and going about the search for the one. For he seeks the one, neither regarding the many nor preferring the one over the multitude. But since he left the ninety-nine, for it was necessary that they be safely penned in the fold, he went circling to seek the one, so that he might not be lost and become the devil's. For a lost sheep is a ready supper for beasts and an unsealed soul, vulnerable to demons. Therefore, having previously snatched Zacchaeus as a sheep from the mouth of a wolf and brought him to the fold...
And he deserved the seal. For just as a shepherd, wishing to hunt a sheep that has gone astray, sees a captured animal so that he may pull back the one that leaped away while grazing absolutely, so also the Word of God, the flesh which he took from the virgin, left Zacchaeus as a sheep in a pasture at the table of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), so that, having pulled him by the common law of the meal, he might secretly join him to the domestic flock for communion.
But the Pharisees, not understanding this, were grumbling seeing him eating with tax collectors (Luke 5:30). But let those be torn like an old wineskin (Mark 2:22), for they are not able to receive the new wine of the teaching of goodness; but let us walk after the Philanthropist Shepherd. For having joined Zacchaeus the tax collector to the flock by the logic of the apostles, he himself also, having pulled the sinful fornicatress, the worker of myriads of evils, from the throat of the devil like a lamb, delivered her to the unassailable fold.
In order that you may know also the philanthropy of Christ, and the irrationality of the Pharisees, and the turning back of the sinner, I will set before you those evangelical sayings; for if you listen to the style of the reading, you will easily grasp the sense of the interpretation. One of the Pharisees, he says, asked Jesus to eat with him. And having entered into the house of the Pharisee, he reclined (Luke 7:36). O unutterable grace! O unspeakable philanthropy! And he dines with Pharisees, and does not shun tax collectors, and receives fornicatresses, and converses with a Samaritan woman (John 4:7), and deems a Canaanite woman worthy of a word (Matthew 15:22), and grants the basin to the woman with the hemorrhage (Mark 5:25).
Yes, for he is a physician touching all sufferings, so that he might benefit all, both the wicked and the good, the ungrateful and the thankful. Therefore also now, having been called by the Pharisee, he enters into a house full of evils until the end. For where there is a Pharisee, there is a starting-place of malice, a gathering-place of sin, a reception of pride. But even so, with his house being in such a state, he does not consider it unworthy to come near.
Greek · §1
In mulierem peccatricem Ἀμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ἰκονίου λόγος εἰς τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν ἁμαρτωλὸν τὴν ἀλείψασαν τὸν κύριον μύρῳ καὶ εἰς τὸν φαρισαῖον. Ἱκανῶς ἡμᾶς πρώην ἐψυχαγώγησεν ὁ Χριστὸς παρὰ Ζακχαίῳ ἑστιώμενος· ὅπου γὰρ Χριστὸς ἑστιᾶται καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώ ποις συνανακλίνεται καὶ ποτοῦ καὶ τραπέζης ἀπολαύει τῆς ἡμετέρας, πάντα πρὸς τὸν τῆς εὐφροσύνης μετάγεται λόγον. Τίς γὰρ τελωνῶν ἢ πορνῶν καὶ τῶν τὰ ἄρρητα ἐργασαμένων δεινὰ τὸν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ποιητὴν στέγην ὑπελθόντα τελωνικὴν βλέπων καὶ τὸν τῶν σταχύων δοτῆρα ἄρτον ἀνθρώπινον μετὰ χεῖρας λαμβάνοντα καὶ τὸν τῶν βοτρύων χορηγὸν τῇ κοινωνίᾳ τοῦ ποτοῦ τὰς ληνοὺς εὐλογοῦντα, μὴ ἑορτὴν καὶ πανήγυριν θέσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα δικαιώσειεν; Αὕτη ἀληθῶς ἑορτή, αὕτη ἀληθῶς ἀγγελικῆς ἑστιάσεως εὐφροσύνη, τὸ τὸν δεσπότην μετὰ δούλων, τὸν θεὸν μετὰ ἀνθρώπων, τὸν δικαστὴν μετὰ τῶν ὑπευθύνων ὁρᾶν κοινῆς ἀπολαύοντα τραπέζης. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπὶ γῆς ἦλθεν οὐκ ἔρημον καταλιπὼν τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν οὐκ ἀποδὺς τὸ εἶναι θεός, ἵνα καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν πλέων τοὺς εἰς τὸ βιωτικὸν χειμαζομένους πέλαγος ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀνασύρῃ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ κώμας καὶ πόλεις περιϊών, στενωποὺς καὶ ἀτραποὺς καὶ δρόμους περιτρέχων τοὺς ἐν ταῖς τριόδοις πλανωμένους ὡς ἀποίμαντα πρόβατα ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐπαναγάγῃ ποίμνην. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς πρόβατον ἐπιζητῶν, ὁ τὰ ἐννενήκοντα ἐννέα καταλιπὼν καὶ περὶ τὴν τοῦ ἑνὸς παραγε νόμενος ζήτησιν. Ἐζήτει γὰρ τὸ ἓν οὔτε τῶν πολλῶν κατα φρονῶν οὔτε τοῦ πλήθους τὸ ἓν προκρίνων. Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἐννενήκοντα ἐννέα κατελίμπανεν, ἔδει γὰρ ἀσφαλῶς αὐτὰ ἐν τῇ μάνδρᾳ αὐλίζεσθαι· τὸ δὲ ἓν περιϊὼν ἐζήτει, ἵνα μὴ θοίνη τῷ διαβόλῳ γένηται. Πρόβατον γὰρ ἀποίμαντον θηρσὶν ἕτοιμον δεῖπνον καὶ ψυχὴ ἀσφράγιστος δαίμοσιν εὐεπιβούλευτος. Ὅθεν πρώην τὸν Ζακχαῖον ὡς πρόβατον ἐκ στόματος λύκου ἀφήρπασε καὶ τῇ μάνδρᾳ συνέμιξε καὶ σφραγίδος ἠξίωσεν. Ὡς γὰρ ποιμὴν πρόβατον ἀποπλανηθὲν θηρᾶσαι θέλων χειρόηθες ζῷον ἐᾷ, ἵνα ἀπολύτως νεμόμενον τὸ ἀποπηδῆσαν ἑλκύσῃ θήραμα, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος τὴν σάρκα ἣν ἐκ τῆς παρθένου ἀνέλαβεν, ὡς πρόβατον ἐν νομῇ, ἐν τῇ τραπέζῃ Ζακχαίου ἀφῆκεν, ἵνα τῷ κοινῷ τῆς ἑστιάσεως νόμῳ ἑλκύσας αὐτὸν πρὸς συνουσίαν λανθα νόντως τῇ οἰκείᾳ συζεύξῃ ποίμνῃ. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὴ συνιέντες οἱ φαρισαῖοι ἐγόγγυζον ὁρῶντες αὐτὸν μετὰ τελωνῶν ἐσθίοντα. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ὡς ἀσκὸς παλαιὸς διαρρηγνύσθωσαν, οὐ γὰρ δύνανται τὸν νέον τῆς διδασ καλίας δέξασθαι οἶνον· ἡμεῖς δὲ κατόπιν τοῦ φιλανθρώπου βαδίσωμεν ποιμένος. Ὁ γὰρ Ζακχαῖον τὸν τελώνην τῇ λογικῇ τῶν ἀποστόλων συνάψας ποίμνῃ, αὐτὸς καὶ τὴν πόρνην τὴν ἁμαρτωλόν, τὴν μυρίων κακῶν ἐργάτιν, ἐκ τοῦ φάρυγγος τοῦ διαβόλου ὡς ἀμνάδα ἑλκύσας τῇ ἀνεπηρεάστῳ ἀπέδωκεν μάνδρᾳ. Ἵνα δὲ γνῶτε καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν καὶ τῶν φαρισαίων τὴν ἀλογίαν καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτωλοῦ τὴν παλινοδίαν, αὐτὰς ὑμῖν τὰς εὐαγγελικὰς παραθήσομαι ῥήσεις· ἐὰν γὰρ τοῦ ὕφους τοῦ ἀναγνώσματος ἐπακούσητε, ῥᾳδίως καὶ τῆς ἑρμηνείας τὴν ἔννοιαν ἀναμάσσεσθε. Ἠρώτησε, φησί, τις τῶν φαρισαίων τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἵνα φάγῃ μετ' αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ φαρισαίου ἀνεκλίθη. Ὢ χάριτος ἀφράστου! Ὢ φιλανθρωπίας ἀρρήτου! Καὶ φαρισαίοις συνεστιᾶται καὶ τελώνας οὐκ ἀποσείεται καὶ πόρνας προσδέχεται καὶ Σαμαρείτιδι διαλέγεται καὶ Χανα ναίαν λόγου ἀξιοῖ καὶ τῇ αἱμορροούσῃ τὸ 1 κράσπεδον παραχωρεῖ. Ναί, ἰατρὸς γάρ ἐστι πάντων ἐφαπτόμενος τῶν παθῶν, ἵνα πάν τας ὠφελήσῃ, πονηροὺς ἅμα καὶ ἀγαθούς, ἀχαρίστους καὶ εὐγνώ μονας. Ὅθεν καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ τοῦ φαρισαίου κληθεὶς εἰσέρχεται εἰς οἰκίαν τέως μεστὴν κακῶν. Ὅπου γὰρ φαρισαῖος, ἐκεῖ πονηρίας ὁρμητήριον, ἁμαρτίας καταγώγιον, ὑπεροψίας ὑποδοχή. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως αὐτοῦ διακειμένης τῆς οἰκίας οὐκ ἀπαξιοῖ παραγε νέσθαι
Marriage and the Fall of the Woman§2
2The Lord. It is truly so; for just as the sun is not defiled by filth when casting its own rays, but on the contrary clothes itself in the present joy without being insulted itself, so also Christ, as the sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2), seizes every impure and profane place, and consumes the malodorous sin with his rays of goodness, undergoing no insult, no diminution, no stain, according to the nature of the divinity. Therefore, he easily sympathized with the Pharisee who was calling, being calm, silent, and leaving his life unexamined.
First, in order to sanctify those called, the one who called the woman arranged the arrangement of the house and the abundance of food; then showing that the incarnation was not a phantom, from the reclining, the eating, the drinking, and the expenditure on provisions. Furthermore, because the harlot was about to approach and show that fervent and fiery way of repentance, for this reason, in calling the Pharisee, he sympathizes quickly, so that, having theatrically exposed the domestic evils before the eyes of scribes and Pharisees, he might teach them how sinners, loathing at sins, must be honored by God. Behold, he says, a woman in the city, who was a sinner (Luke 7:37). Woman: the easily deceived nature, the first net of the devil, the introduction to error, the teacher of transgression, having become a helper indeed but having been revealed as a war, having been born good according to nature but having been shown evil by choice, the bringer of death, she who showed the beauty of the tree and lost the whole paradise. And behold, a woman, he says, in the city, who was a sinner, bearing the burdens of Eve, being covered by many evils. And I shall speak of the abundance of her former evils, so that you may know the abundance of her repentance.
God, having taken a bone from the side of Adam and having clothed this in flesh, made Eve, whom having called woman, he gave as a helper to Adam (Genesis 2:22). But after sinning and transgressing the law and being cast out of paradise and receiving death as the penalty, so that the race might not be lost by spending itself away by death immediately, marriage wages death, so that one may sow and another reap, one may cut and another may sprout (2 Corinthians 9:6). And that after being subjected to death, the grace of marriage was given, is evident from the fact that Adam, after the departure from paradise, was joined to Eve.
For it is written that after the exit from paradise, then Adam knew his woman (Gen 4:1). Before the sin, therefore, virginity was keeping the garment of nature unstained, but after the transgression, after the decision of death, marriage was given in response, so that by drawing from death he might overcome, and by ripening while being defeated, he might conquer.
Since the law of marriage was given for the succession of the race and the increase of nature, it introduced pleasure to the man, but made the female a creature of desire; not so that they might incite one another toward sexual mixing in a companionable way, but so that they might join together for marriage according to law. Therefore, the lawful mixing of marriage is precious before God, but that which is performed for the sake of pleasures is subjected to death. For marriage and the bed are precious and without blame; but God will judge prostitutes and adulterers.
Therefore, those who mix with men lawfully for the sake of upbringing are blameless, just like Sarah and Rebekah and Rachel, and if there is any other from them; but those who, by the word of pleasure, stir up the young toward lawlessness, as if they were destroying the temple of God (1 Cor 6:19), are delivered to corruption. For if anyone, he says, destroys the temple of God (1 Cor 6:19), God destroys this one.
And this one also was once one, the sinful one after the hand marriage. For, capturing nature and coloring the cheeks with external paints and striving to appear beautiful by art, she dragged the young toward lawlessness, unexpectedly turning them into the abyss of prostitution. And I say these things not to make a comedy of her before which she acted, but to praise her because of what she has become suddenly; for I say what she was, in order to show what she has become now; I say the stumbles of her sin, in order to show the achievements of repentance.
But this one, having used the body not without fault before, some by the lure of charms, some by the medicine of tears, some by the enchantment of ointments, calling all from everywhere toward the feast of lawlessness, transforms the shameful and pleasurable desire of it into a divine and heavenly filter. For as he saw Jesus, at times conversing with the Samaritan woman without a husband, at times approaching the Canaanite, at times announcing the theft when the blood was flowing, and in one way eating with tax collectors, and in another way the Pharisees seizing the houses, he reasoned: If prostitutes and sinners and...
Greek · §2
ὁ κύριος. Εἰκότως· ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ ἥλιος οὐ καταβλάπτεται βορβόρῳ τὰς οἰκείας ἀκτῖνας ἐπιβάλλων, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον καὶ τὴν ἐνοῦσαν ἀηδίαν περιμάσσεται μηδὲν αὐτὸς ὑβριζόμενος, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὡς ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης πάντα ἐναγῆ καὶ βέβη λον τόπον καταλαμβάνει καὶ τὴν δυσώδη ἁμαρτίαν ταῖς ἀκτῖσιν αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀγαθότητος ἀναλίσκει, οὐχ ὕβριν, οὐ μείωσιν, οὐ μο λυσμὸν ὑπομένων κατὰ τὸν τῆς θεότητος λόγον. Ὅθεν ἐπένευσεν εὐκόλως τῷ φαρισαίῳ καλοῦντι, ἠρεμῶν, σιωπῶν, ἀνεξέλεγκτον αὐτοῦ τὸν βίον ἀφείς. Πρῶτον μέν, ἵνα ἁγιάσῃ τοὺς κληθέντας, τὸν καλέσαντα, τῆς οἰκίας τὸ σύστημα, τῆς πολυτελείας τὰ βρώματα· ἔπειτα δεικνὺς ὡς οὐ φάσμα ἦν ἡ ἐνανθρώπησις, ἐκ τῆς ἀνακλίσεως, τῆς βρώσεως, τῆς πόσεως, τῆς τῶν σιτίων δαπάνης. Ἄλλως δέ, ἐπειδὴ ἤμελλεν ἡ πόρνη προσιέναι καὶ τὸν θερμὸν ἐκεῖνον καὶ διάπυρον τῆς μετανοίας δεικνύναι τρόπον, διὰ τοῦτο καλοῦντι τῷ φαρισαίῳ ἐπινεύει ταχέως, ἵνα ἐπ' ὄψεσι γραμματέων καὶ φαρισαίων τὰ οἰκεῖα ἐκτραγῳδήσασα κακὰ διδάξῃ αὐτοὺς πῶς δεῖ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις στυγνάζοντας ἐξευμενίζεσθαι θεόν. Ἰδοὺ γάρ, φησί, γυνὴ ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἥτις ἦν ἁμαρτωλός. Γυνή, ἡ εὐόλισθος φύσις, τὸ πρῶτον δίκτυον τοῦ διαβόλου, ἡ τῆς πλάνης εἰσαγωγή, ἡ τῆς παραβάσεως διδάσκαλος, ἡ βοηθὸς μὲν γεναμένη, πολεμία δὲ ἀναδειχθεῖσα, ἡ γεναμένη κατὰ φύσιν καλή, ἐκ προαιρέσεως δὲ ἀποδειχθεῖσα κακή, ἡ θανάτου πρόξενος, ἡ τὸ κάλλος τοῦ ξύλου δείξασα καὶ ὅλον τὸν παράδεισον ἀπολέσασα. Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνή, φησίν, ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἥτις ἦν ἁμαρτωλός, τὰ τῆς Εὔας φέρουσα βάρη, πολλοῖς κακοῖς βριθομένη. Ἐρῶ δὲ αὐτῆς τῶν προτέρων κακῶν τὴν δαψίλειαν, ἵνα γνῶτε αὐτῆς τῆς μετανοίας τὴν πολυτέλειαν. Ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὀστέον λαβὼν καὶ τοῦτο σαρκώσας τὴν Εὔαν εἰργάσατο, ἣν δὲ γυναῖκα καλέσας ἔδωκε βοηθὸν τῷ Ἀδάμ. Ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὸ ἁμαρτεῖν καὶ παραβῆναι τὸν νόμον καὶ ἐκβληθῆναι τοῦ παραδείσου καὶ θάνατον τὸ ἐπιτίμιον λαβεῖν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ θανάτῳ δαπανώμενον ἄρδην τὸ γένος ἀπώλη ται, γάμον ἐπιστρατεύει τῷ θανάτῳ, ἵν' ὁ μὲν σπείρῃ, ὁ δὲ θερίζῃ, ὁ μὲν τέμνῃ, ὁ δὲ βλαστάνῃ. Καὶ ὅτι μετὰ τὸ θανάτῳ ὑποβληθῆναι ἡ τοῦ γάμου ἐδόθη χάρις, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ τὸν Ἀδὰμ μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον τοῦ παραδείσου συναφθῆναι τῇ Εὔᾳ. Γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι μετὰ τὸ ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου, τότε ἔγνω Ἀδὰμ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ. Πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας οὖν παρθενία ἦν ἀμόλυντον τηροῦσα τὸν χιτῶνα τῆς φύσεως, μετὰ δὲ τὴν παράβασιν, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ θανάτου ἀπόφασιν ὁ γάμος ἀντεισήχθη, ἵνα ἀντλοῦντα τὸν θάνατον νικήσῃ βρύων καὶ τρυγῶντα ἡττήσῃ φύων. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐπὶ διαδοχῇ τοῦ γένους καὶ ἐπὶ αὐξήσει τῆς φύσεως ὁ τοῦ γάμου ἐδόθη νόμος, τῷ μὲν ἀνθρώπῳ ἡδόνην ἐνέσπειρε, τὸ δὲ θῆλυ θωπευτικὸν ἐποίησεν· οὐχ ἵνα ἑταιρικῶς πρὸς μίξεις ἐρεθίζων ται, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐννόμως πρὸς γάμον συνάπτωνται. Ὅθεν ἡ μὲν ἔνθεσμος τοῦ γάμου μῖξις τιμία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ, ἡ δὲ πρὸς χάριν τῶν ἡδονῶν ἐκτελουμένη θανάτῳ ὑποβέβληται. Τίμιος γὰρ ὁ γάμος καὶ ἡ κοίτη ἀμίαντος· πόρνους δὲ καὶ μοιχοὺς κρινεῖ ὁ θεός. Αἱ οὖν χάριν παιδογονίας ἐννόμως τοῖς ἀνδράσι μιγνύμεναι ἀνέγκλητοί εἰσιν, ὥσπερ ἡ Σάρρα καὶ ἡ Ῥεβέκκα καὶ ἡ Ῥαχήλ, καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλη ἀπ' αὐτῆς· αἱ δὲ λόγῳ ἡδυπαθείας τοὺς νέους πρὸς ἀκολασίαν διεγείρουσαι, ὡς φθείρουσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, παραδίδονται φθορᾷ. Εἴ τις γάρ, φησί, φθείρει τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, φθερεῖ τοῦτον ὁ θεός. Ὧν καὶ αὕτη μία ἦν, ἡ μετὰ χεῖρας ἁμαρτωλός. Τὴν γὰρ φύσιν καπηλεύουσα καὶ ταῖς ἔξωθεν 2 βαφαῖς τὰς παρειὰς φοινίσ σουσα καὶ τέχνῃ βιαζομένη φανῆναι καλή, τοὺς νέους πρὸς ἀκολασίαν ὑπέσυρεν, ἀπροόπτως αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ τῆς πορνείας ἀποκλίνουσα βάραθρον. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω οὐ κωμῳδῶν αὐτὴν ἐφ' οἷς ἔδρασε πρίν, ἀλλ' ἐπαινῶν αὐτὴν ἀφ' οἵων οἵα γέγονεν ἄφνω· λέγω γὰρ τί ἦν, ἵνα δείξω τί γέγονεν νῦν· λέγω αὐτῆς τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὰ πταίσματα, ἵνα δείξω τῆς μετανοίας τὰ κατορθώματα. Ἀλλ' αὕτη ἡ τῷ σώματι οὐκ ἀμέμπτως χρησαμένη τὸ πρίν, τοὺς μὲν διὰ βοστρύχων σαγηνεύουσα, τοὺς δὲ διὰ δακρύων φαρμάττουσα, τοὺς δὲ δι' ἀλείμματος γοητεύουσα, πάντας δὲ πανταχόθεν ἐπὶ τὸν βόρ βορον τῆς ἀκολασίας προσκαλουμένη, τὸν αἰσχρὸν αὐτῆς καὶ ἡδυπαθῆ ἔρωτα εἰς θεῖον καὶ ἐπουράνιον μεταβάλλει φίλτρον. Ὡς εἶδε γὰρ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ποτὲ μὲν ἀδέως τῇ Σαμαρείτιδι διαλεγόμε νον, ποτὲ δὲ τὴν Χαναναίαν προσιέμενον, ἄλλοτε τῆς αἱμορ ροούσης ἀνακηρύττοντα τὴν κλοπήν, καὶ πῆ μὲν τελώναις συν εσθίοντα, πῆ δὲ τῶν φαρισαίων τοὺς οἴκους καταλαμβάνοντα, ἐλογίσατο· Εἰ πόρνας καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὺς καὶ
The Silent Confession of Tears§3
3As a tax collector approaches, how long will I scoop out the sea of sin without restraint? I remain neither young nor beautiful; for everything passes away, everything withers, both flowers and lilies and the beauty of faces. What then do I suffer because of those things upon which I relied? For I already perceive the fire of Gehenna (Matt 13:42), and my soul is already receiving the realization that I used to run in the streets of the city, in the marketplaces, in the alleys, appearing beautiful while violently pressing upon destruction, having a net for my feet and a snare for my tongue. Oh, how many youths I used to lay low, bearing a shameless gaze!
For, being delighted by the ruin of onlookers, at times I would build up my head with many-braided hairstyles, and at times wander in a crowd of curls from the summit toward the front; at other times I would smooth the cheeks and trace the eyes, and at other times I would pour out floods of tears, casting the soul aside through flattery. What then should I become regarding these things? What physician shall I find for one having suffered these things? If I speak about myself to men, the way of my deliverance becomes useless to me. But shall I cover the evils? Yet I am unable to remain hidden; for how can I hide from God, whom I am unable to avoid? Where then shall I flee, finding the Judge everywhere, the one who is not visible indeed, but everywhere exposing my evils?
One hope of salvation remains to me, one provision of life is set out for me: to come to knowledge of Jesus and to run toward Him. For the tax collector, being received, does not reject the prostitute, nor does the one associating with the Pharisees (Matt 21:31) waive the tears of the sinner. Since, therefore, I have learned how it comes to Simon the Pharisee, to a leper and a sinner, I will run to him. But what shall I ask upon approaching? Health of the eyes? But grace is fleeting. Deliverance from disease? But the achievement is small, for the eternal death of the present is heavier. Leaving all the things of the body aside, I will seek the cure of the soul. For I find one solution for the evils that remain attached, if I see the Judge, if I forestall the time of punishment. I will imitate Rahab the prostitute (Josh 2:1); I will pursue the way of the virtuous woman; for God does not will a change of nature from us. Having piously considered these things and having applied my mind toward faith, she approaches Jesus where she was previously practicing her former shamelessness.
Taking a presumption of boldness, she says nothing to him; for she did not dare, knowing that he who carries the thoughts needs no words. For what could she say to him who knows all things? That she had sinned? That she had become a worker of many evils? That she had loved and pursued all kinds of pleasure? These things were manifest to God, not only in her deeds, but also being laid bare in the hidden council of the soul.
Knowing therefore that he knows all and that she can nothing escape, she guards her tongue, but speaks with her tears. For standing, she says, by his feet weeping, she began to rain upon his feet with tears. But even if she did not speak with her tongue, but expressed herself with silent groans, uncovering the crushing of her heart, proclaiming a triumph of the multitude of sins, emitting strange thoughts, shameful memories, impious acts, and lawless associations; for there was nothing of the evils she had done which she did not cry out with tears. For she knew that from these she had received the remission of her confession. For I said, she says, I will confess my lawlessness to the Lord, and you have forgiven the impiety of my heart.
And she did not only express herself wordlessly with the groans of the heart, shaming the Lord, but her form also traced the beauty of repentance. She wept with beautiful tears as if having laughed much, washing away the evil laughter, and with the streams of her eyes washing away the filth of her cheeks, so that in those things in which she sinned, she might be absolved, and in those in which she acted lawlessly, she might appease the Lawgiver. For just as David washed with tears the bed which he had shamelessly defiled with entanglement, he says: 'I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my couch with my tears' (Psalm 6:6); so also this woman, having let fall streams from those eyes through which she had led many youths into incontinence, washed away the filth of the difficult sin, setting forth the tears as a bath of repentance for herself. For she provided the tears as water herself, but received the remission invisibly from Christ. But indeed, perhaps not only imitating Abraham, but overcoming him, she washed the feet of Christ. For he, having been placed as a laver, washed with water and wiped with a cloth, but this woman, not having drawn water, but having cried out tears...
Greek · §3
τελώνας προσίεται, μέχρι πότε ἀκαθέκτως οἰστρῶσα τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πέλαγος ἀντλῶ; Οὐ μένω νέα, οὐ μένω καλή· πάντα γὰρ παρέρχεται, πάντα μαραίνεται, καὶ ἄνθη καὶ κρίνα καὶ τῶν προσώπων τὰ κάλλη. Τί οὖν πάθω ἐφ' οἷς ἔδρασα; Ἤδη γὰρ τὸ τῆς γεέννης πῦρ ἐννοῶ, ἤδη μου τὴν ψυχὴν μετάγνωσις λαμβάνει, ὅτι ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ τῶν νέων βιαζομένη φανῆναι καλὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀγυίαις τῆς πόλεως, ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, ἐν ἀμφόδοις ἔτρεχον, δίκτυον μὲν τοὺς πόδας ἔχουσα καὶ σαγήνην τὴν γλῶσσαν. Ὢ πόσους νεανίσκους κατέθελγον μεστὸν ἀναιδείας βλέμμα περιφέρουσα! Ἐπὶ λύμῃ γὰρ τῶν θεατῶν ὡραϊζομένη πῆ μὲν πολυπλόκοις σειραῖς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐπύργουν, πῆ δὲ νομάδας πλοκάμων ἐκ κορυφῆς εἴων κατὰ μετώπου πλανᾶσθαι· ἄλλοτε δὲ τὰς παρειὰς ἐφοίνισσον καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς κατέγραφον, καὶ ἄλλοτε δακρύων λιβάδας ἠφίουν τῇ κολακείᾳ ἐκτραχηλίζουσα τὴν ψυχήν. Τίς οὖν ἐπὶ τούτοις γένωμαι; Τίνα ἰατρὸν εὕρω τῶν ἀπείρων τούτων παθῶν; Ἐὰν ἀνθρώποις τὰ κατ' ἐμαυτὴν εἴπω, ἀνωφελής μοι γίνεται τῆς ἐξαγορεύσεως ὁ τρόπος. Ἀλλὰ καλύψω τὰ κακά; Ἀλλ' οὐ δύναμαι λαθεῖν· τίνα γὰρ λάθω θεὸν λαθεῖν μὴ δυναμένη; Ποῦ οὖν φύγω πανταχοῦ τὸν δικαστὴν εὑρίσκουσα τὸν μὴ φαινόμενον μέν, πανταχοῦ δὲ διελέγχοντά μου τὰ κακά; Μία μοι σωτηρίας ὑπολέλειπται ἐλπίς, ἕν μοι ἐφόδιον πρόκειται ζωῆς, τὸ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιγνῶναι καὶ αὐτῷ προσδραμεῖν. Ὁ γὰρ τελώνας προσδεχόμενος οὐκ ἀπαναίνεται πόρνην, ὁ φαρισαίοις συνεσ θίων οὐ παραιτεῖται τῆς ἁμαρτωλοῦ τὰ δάκρυα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔγνων ὡς παρὰ Σιμῶνι φαρισαίῳ κατάγεται, ἀνδρὶ λεπρῷ καὶ ἁμαρτω λῷ, δραμοῦμαι πρὸς αὐτόν. Ἀλλὰ τί αἰτήσω προσελθοῦσα; Ὀφθαλμῶν ὑγίειαν; Ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιρος ἡ χάρις. Νόσου ἀπαλλαγήν; Ἀλλὰ μικρὸν τὸ κατόρθωμα, ὁ γὰρ αἰώνιος θάνατος τοῦ παρόντος ἐστὶ βαρύτερος. Πάντα παρεῖσα τὰ τοῦ σώματος τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιζητήσω ἴαμα. Μίαν γὰρ εὑρίσκω λύσιν τῶν ἐπηρτη μένων κακῶν, ἐὰν τὸν δικαστὴν ἴδω, ἐὰν προλάβω τῆς κολάσεως τὸν καιρόν. Μιμήσομαι Ῥαὰβ τὴν πόρνην, γυναικὸς τὸν ἐνάρετον μεταδιώξω τρόπον· οὐδὲν γὰρ παρ' ἡμῶν βούλεται θεὸς ἢ γνώμης ἐναλλαγήν. Ταῦτα εὐσεβῶς ἐπισκεψαμένη καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς πίστιν ἐπαλείψασα ἐπεισέρχεται τῷ Ἰησοῦ ὅπου ἀνέκειτο τὴν προτέραν ἀναίδειαν εἰς ὑπόθεσιν παρρησίας λαβοῦσα. Καὶ λέγει μὲν αὐτῷ οὐδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἐτόλμα, ᾔδει γὰρ ὡς ὁ τῶν λογισμῶν ἔφορος οὐ δεῖται λόγων. Τί γὰρ εἰπεῖν εἶχε τῷ τὰ πάντα εἰδότι; Ὅτι ἥμαρτεν; Ὅτι πολλῶν κακῶν ἐργάτις γέγονεν; Ὅτι ἐρῶσα καὶ ἐρωμένη τὴν πάνδημον ἡδονὴν ἐθεράπευσεν; Ταῦτα θεῷ δῆλα ἦν, οὐ πραττόμενα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀφανεῖ τῆς ψυχῆς βουλευτηρίῳ γυμνούμενα. Εἰδυῖα οὖν ὡς πάντα οἶδε καὶ λαθεῖν αὐτὸν δύναται οὐδέν, θυροῖ μὲν τὴν γλῶσσαν, λαλεῖ δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσι. Στᾶσα γάρ, φησί, παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ κλαίουσα, ἤρξατο βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ τοῖς 3 δάκρυσιν. Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ μὴ τῇ γλώσσῃ ἐλάλει, ἀλλὰ στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις ἐφθέγγετο τὸν συντριμμὸν τῆς καρδίας ἐκκαλύπτουσα, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν θριαμ βεύουσα, τοὺς ἀτόπους λογισμούς, τὰς ἐναγεῖς ἐνθυμήσεις, τὰς βεβήλους πράξεις, τὰς παρανόμους ὁμιλίας ἐκπομπεύουσα· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἦν τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτῇ κακῶν, ὃ μὴ δάκρυσιν ἐξετραγῴδει. Ἤδει γὰρ ὅτι ὧν ὡμολόγει τὴν ἀμνηστίαν ἐλάμβα νεν. Εἶπα γάρ, φησίν, Ἐξαγορεύσω τὴν ἀνομίαν μου τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ σὺ ἀφῆκας τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς καρδίας μου. Καὶ οὐ μόνον ἀλαλήτως ἐφθέγγετο τοῖς στεναγμοῖς τῆς καρδίας δυσωποῦσα τὸν κύριον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σχήματι τὸ τῆς μετανοίας διέγραφε κάλλος. Ἐδάκρυσεν μὲν ὡς πολλὰ γελάσασα τοῖς καλοῖς δάκρυσι τὸν κακὸν ἐκπλύ νουσα γέλωτα, ταῖς δὲ ῥανίσι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὸν τῶν παρειῶν ἐκπλύνουσα ῥύπον, ἵνα ἐν οἷς ἥμαρτεν, ἐν τούτοις καὶ ἀπο λογήσηται, ἐν οἷς ἠνόμησεν, ἐν τούτοις τὸν νομοθέτην ἐξιλεώση ται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν κοίτην ἣν ἐκθέσμως ἐμόλυνε συμπλοκῇ, δάκρυσιν ἀπέπλυνεν ὁ ∆αβίδ· Λούσω γάρ, φησί, καθ' ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου βρέξω, οὕτω καὶ αὕτη δι' ὧν ὀφθαλμῶν πολλοὺς τῶν νέων εἰς ἀκολασίαν ὑπέσυρε δακρύων ἀφεῖσα πηγὰς τὸν δύσπλυτον τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπέπλυνε ῥύπον, αὐτὴ ἑαυτῇ λοῦτρον μετανοίας προβαλλομένη τὰ δάκρυα. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ δάκρυα ὡς ὕδωρ αὐτὴ παρεῖχε, τὴν δὲ ἄφεσιν ἀοράτως παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπεδέχετο. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ τάχα οὐ μιμουμένη μόνον, ἀλλὰ νικῶσα, τοὺς πόδας ἀπέπλυνε τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ νιπτῆρα θεὶς ὕδασιν ἀπέπλυ νεν καὶ λεντίῳ κατέμασσεν, αὕτη δὲ οὐχ ὕδωρ ἀντλήσασα, ἀλλὰ κρήνας δακρύων
The Pharisee's Ignorance vs. the Woman's Repentance§4
4Letting go of his feet, she washed the feet of Jesus. But sparing them — lest with sinful tears she affront the holy feet — she laid the beauty of her hair beneath them like a towel and wiped his feet. And one could see the whole woman bent over him, tending Jesus: her eyes, like fountains from above, poured out streams of tears, while her soul, like a basin set beneath, received the drops falling from his feet; her locks did the wiping, serving as a towel; and her hands, pouring out the alabaster of ointment, anointed his divine feet with myrrh to honor him — for, as she says, 'myrrh emptied out is your name' (Song 1:3).
You saw how a sinful woman overcame the ungrateful mindset of the Jews and the divine lack of laws. For they threw stones at him, but she refreshed him with the ointments of fragrance. But the Jews, being ungrateful, foolish, and ignorant, repaid the benefactor with stones, thinking to love the cornerstone (Matt 21:42); but she anointed the feet that were to stand all day because of her upon the cross. And why do I say that she overcame the ungrateful people of the Jews, where the whole choir of the saints surpassed them? For she received grace which kings did not receive, which the powerful did not attain; for kings of Tarshish and islands will bring gifts, and all the kings of the earth will worship him (Ps 72:10). And indeed according to the prophet, they gave gifts and worshiped boldly, but none of them loved the feet of Jesus.
How? The Magi came having taken the star as an ally of guidance (Matt 2:2), but they brought gifts boldly, knowing the measure of their own rank. For the heaven, he says, is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet (Ps 102:13). Therefore let the woman be praised as having received the honor of the whole earth, as having touched the stainless feet whose dust the nations and patriarchs shall scatter, according to what was said that they shall scatter the dust of his feet. She touched stainless feet, and shared the body toward John of Christ. For he fell upon his chest, for from that place he was to send out divine teaching; but she left behind the feet of him who walks for our sake. But Christ, who does not judge sin but praises repentance, who does not despise the past, but the future...
Testing existing things, having passed over her former evils with forgiveness, He honors the woman and praises her repentance, justifying the tears and crowning the intention. But the Pharisee, seeing the wonder, is struck in his mind and, being cast by envy, does not accept the woman's repentance, but even mocks the one who thus honored the Lord and diminishes the dignity of the one honored, seeking to vote down his ignorance.
For, he says, the Pharisee who called him, seeing, said to himself: 'If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.' 'O thoughtless and senseless and all-encompassing Pharisee!' Saying these things, you do not expose the manner of the woman, but you accuse your own forethought of being ignorant, saying what sort of woman she once was. Surely you did not honor him as knowing all things as God in the calling; therefore, have you no shame, O bright accuser and slanderer, that you call him as God and able to bless, but you shout at him as a man and saying he knows nothing concerning us. 'This,' he says, 'if he were a prophet.'
And how much better than you, O Pharisee, is the woman in Shechem, who did not know a prophet and, from first sight, having recognized the Savior, most gratefully confessed: 'Lord, I see that you are a prophet.' How much more wonderful than you is even this sinner, whose sin you see, but whose repentance you do not see. But you also condemn her whom the Judge justifies, and you blame and lie about her whom God, having accepted, crowns; because, having seen God lying beside you in human form, she knew and honored; and having uncovered the wounds of the soul, she asked for mercy and for the forgiveness of those having been burdened.
But you, having honored by the calling, dishonor by mockery, saying: 'If he were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who touches him.' Wretched man! Just because you did not expose her evils, do you vote down his ignorance? Just because she went up to your roof, burdened with many evils, do you reject his knowledge? But because you deigned him to go up to your roof, to recline with you and to lay hands on your bound ones, you grumble and did not deign him, thinking him one of many? Were you worthy to host God or to set a table for the one preparing a table in the wilderness? But being a lover of mankind, you not...
Greek · §4
ἀφεῖσα τοὺς πόδας ἀπέπλυνε τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Φεισαμένη δὲ μὴ δάκρυσιν ἁμαρτωλοῖς ἁγίους ἐνυβρίσῃ πόδας, τὸ τῶν τριχῶν κάλλος ὡς λέντιον ὑποβαλοῦσα ἀπέμασσε τοὺς πόδας. Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν ὅλον δι' ὅλου τὸ γύναιον πρὸς θεραπείαν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καμπτόμενον· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἄνωθεν ὡς κρῆναι δακρύων ἔπεμπον ὀχετούς, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ὥσπερ νιπτὴρ ὑποκειμένη τὰς ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν ἀποσταζούσας ἐδέχετο ῥανίδας, οἱ δὲ πλόκα μοι ἀπέμασσον λεντίου πληροῦντες σχῆμα, αἱ δὲ χεῖρες τὸ ἀλάβαστρον τοῦ μύρου καταχέουσαι τοὺς θείους ἤλειφον πόδας μύρῳ τὸ μύρον τιμῶσαι· Μύρον γάρ, φησίν, κενωθὲν ὄνομά σοι. Εἶδες πῶς ἐνίκησε τὴν ἀχάριστον τῶν Ἰουδαίων γνώμην γυνὴ ἁμαρτωλὸς καὶ θείων ἄμοιρος νόμων. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ λίθοις αὐτὸν ἔβαλλον, ἡ δὲ τοῖς τῆς εὐωδίας ηὔφραινε μύροις. Ἀλλ' Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν ὡς ἀχάριστοι, ὡς ἀσύνετοι καὶ ἀγνώμονες, κακοῖς ἠμείβοντο τὸν εὐεργέτην λίθοις τὸν ἀκρογωνιαῖον φιλο φρονούμενοι λίθον· ἡ δὲ μύρῳ ἤλειφε τοὺς πόδας τοὺς μέλλοντας δι' αὐτὴν πανημέριον ἐπὶ τῆς ἰκρίας ἰστᾶσθαι τοῦ σταυροῦ. Καὶ τί λέγω ὅτι τὸν ἀχάριστον τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐνίκησε δῆμον, ὅπου γε ὅλον τῶν ἁγίων ὑπερηκόντισε τὸν χορόν; Ἔλαβε γὰρ χάριν ἣν οὐκ ἔλαβον βασιλεῖς, ἧς οὐκ ἔτυχον δυνάσται· Βασιλεῖς γὰρ Θαρσεῖς καὶ νῆσοι δῶρα προσοίσουσι καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ δὴ κατὰ τὸν προφήτην καὶ ἔδωκαν τὰ δῶρα καὶ πόρρωθεν προσεκύνησαν, ἀλλ' οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοὺς πόδας ἐφίλησε. Πῶς γάρ; Ἦλθον μάγοι λαβόντες ἀστέρα τῆς ἡγεσίας σύμμαχον, ἀλλὰ πόρρωθεν ἐδωροφόρουν τῆς οἰκείας τάξεως τὸ μέτρον γινώσκοντες. Ὁ οὐρανὸς γάρ μοι, φησίν, θρόνος, ἡ δὲ γῆ ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν μου. Ἐπαινείσθω τοίνυν ἡ γυνὴ ὡς ὅλης τῆς γῆς τὴν τιμὴν ὑποδεξαμένη, ὡς ἁψα μένη ποδῶν ἀχράντων ὧν τὸν χοῦν ἔθνη καὶ πατριαὶ λείξουσι, κα τὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ὅτι τὸν χοῦν τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ λείξουσι. Ἥψατο ποδῶν ἀχράντων, ἐμερίσατο πρὸς Ἰωάννην τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ σῶμα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους ἀνέπεσε, θείαν γὰρ αὐτόθεν ἔμελλε διδασκαλίαν ἀπομάσσεσθαι· ἡ δὲ τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν βαδίζον τας πόδας ὑπήλειφεν. Ἀλλ' ὁ Χριστὸς μέν, ὁ μὴ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν κρίνων, ἀλλὰ τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐπαινῶν, ὁ μὴ τὰ παρελθόντα κο λάζων, 4 ἀλλὰ τὰ μέλλοντα δοκιμάζων, ἀμνηστίᾳ παρελθὼν τὰ προλαβόντα αὐτῆς κακὰ τιμᾷ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ ἐπαινεῖ τὴν μετά νοιαν, δικαιοῖ τὰ δάκρυα καὶ στεφανοῖ τὴν πρόθεσιν. Ὁ δὲ φαρισαῖος ὁρῶν τὸ θαῦμα πλήττεται τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ φθόνῳ βαλλόμενος οὐ παραδέχεται τῆς γυναικὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν οὕτω τιμήσασαν τὸν κύριον ἐπιρραπίζει τῇ λοιδορίᾳ καὶ τοῦ τιμηθέντος ἐλαττοῖ τὸ ἀξίωμα ἄγνοιαν αὐτοῦ καταψηφι ζόμενος. Ἰδὼν γάρ, φησίν, ὁ φαρισαῖος ὁ καλέσας αὐτὸν εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ· Οὗτος εἰ ἦν προφήτης, ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνή, ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. Ὦ ἄφρον καὶ ἀσύνετε καὶ τὰ ὅλα φαρισαῖε! Ταῦτα λέγων οὐ τῆς γυναικὸς διελέγχεις τὸν τρόπον, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἰδίας κατηγορεῖς προαιρέσεως ἀγνοεῖν αὐτὸν λέγων τίς ποτε ὑπῆρχε ἡ γυνή. Οὐκοῦν οὐχ ὡς θεὸν πάντα γινώσκοντα τῇ κλήσει ἐτίμησας· οὐκ αἰδῇ οὖν, ὦ λαμπρὲ κατήγο ρε καὶ συκοφάντα, ὅτι καλεῖς μὲν αὐτὸν ὡς θεὸν καὶ εὐλογῆσαι δυνάμενον, καταβοᾷς δὲ αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀνθρώπου καὶ μηδὲν ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς εἰδότος. Οὗτος, φησίν, εἰ ἦν προφήτης. Καὶ πόσον σου βελτίων, ὦ φαρισαῖε, ἡ ἐν Σικήμοις γυνή, ἡ μὴ προφήτην εἰδυῖα καὶ ἐκ πρώτης ὄψεως τὸν σωτῆρα εὐγνωμόνως ὁμολογήσασα. Κύριε γάρ, φησί, θεωρῶ ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σύ. Πόσῳ δέ σου θαυμασιωτέρα καὶ αὕτη ἡ ἁμαρτωλός, ἧς τὴν μὲν ἁμαρτίαν ὁρᾷς, τὴν δὲ μετάνοιαν οὐ βλέπεις. Ἀλλὰ καὶ κατακρίνεις ἣν ὁ κριτὴς δικαιοῖ, καὶ μέμφῃ καὶ ψέγεις ἣν ὁ θεὸς ἀποδεξάμενος στεφανοῖ, ὅτι ἰδοῦσα παρά σοι θεὸν ἐν ἀνθρώπου μορφῇ κατακείμενον ἔγνω καὶ ἐτίμησε· καὶ τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐκκαλύψασα τραύματα ἔλεον ᾔτησε καὶ τῶν βεβιωμένων τὴν ἀμνηστίαν. Σὺ δὲ τιμήσας τῇ κλήσει ἀτιμάζεις τῇ λοιδορίᾳ λέγων· Εἰ ἦν προφήτης ἐγίνωσκεν ἂν τίς καὶ ποταπὴ ἡ γυνὴ ἥτις ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ. Ἄθλιε! Ἐπειδὴ τὰ σὰ οὐκ ἤλεγξε κακά, ἄγνοιαν αὐτοῦ καταψηφίζῃ; Ἐπειδὴ τὴν πολλοῖς κακοῖς βεβαρημένην σου στέγην ὑπῆλθεν, ἀναιρεῖς αὐτοῦ τὴν γνῶσιν; Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἠξίωσας αὐτὸν τὴν σὴν ὑπελθεῖν στέγην, ἀνακλιθῆ ναι μετά σου καὶ χεῖρα ἐπιβαλεῖν τοῖς ἐδέσμασί σου, ἐπένευσε καὶ οὐκ ἀπηξίωσεν, ἕνα αὐτὸν τῶν πολλῶν νομίζεις; Ἄξιος δὲ ἦσθα ξενοδοχῆσαι θεὸν ἢ τράπεζαν παραθῆναι τῷ ἑτοιμάζοντι τράπε ζαν ἐν ἐρήμῳ; Ἀλλὰ φιλάνθρωπος ὢν οὐ
Unit 2§5
5magnifying the mote, swallowing the camel
Greek · §5
παρῃτήσατο καὶ παρὰ τῶν σῶν οἰκετῶν πόμα καὶ σιτίον ὑποδέξασθαι. Τί οὖν αἰτιᾶσαι φιλάνθρωπον δεσπότην, ὦ φαρισαῖε, ὁμοίως εἰς πάντας τὸν τῆς χρηστότητος ζυγὸν ταλαντεύοντα; Τί δὲ τὸν κώνωπα τῆς γυναικὸς διϋλίζων τὴν κάμηλον τῶν οἰκείων κακῶν καταπίνεις; Καὶ ἐπὶ σοὶ μὲν μακρόθυμον εἶναι τὸν θεὸν βούλῃ, ἐπὶ ταύτῃ δὲ ἀπότομον; Τί ἐπ' ἀλλοτρίοις ἐγκλήμασι παροξύνεις τὸν δικαστήν, ἐπὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις συγγνώμην αἰτῶν; Τί συνεφωνήσατε σὺ καὶ Ἰούδας πειρᾶσαι τὸν κύριον; Σὺ μὲν γὰρ ὡς καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ῥύπου ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι διασύρων τὴν ἄνθρωπον ἄγνοιαν καταψη φίζῃ θεοῦ, ὁ δὲ ὡς φιλόπτωχος ἀγανακτεῖ λέγων· Τίς ἡ ἀπώλεια τοῦ μύρου τούτου; Ἠδύνατο γὰρ πραθῆναι πολλοῦ καὶ δοθῆναι πτωχοῖς. Ὢ τῆς ἀγνώμονος γνώμης! Ὢ τῶν ἀχαρίστων τρόπων! Ἀπώλειαν τίθεις, Ἰούδα, τὴν θεραπείαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ μάταιον ἀνάλωμα καλεῖς τὸ εἰς τιμὴν προχωρῆσαν θεοῦ; Πόσον ἐδώκαμεν ὧν ἐλάβομεν; Λογισώμεθα ἀφ' οὗπερ ὁ κόσμος ἀνεδείχθη, πόσοι παρὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ φύσεως ἐλέους ῥέουσι ποταμοί, καὶ οὐ λογίζεται θεὸς ζημίαν τὴν ἀφθονίαν. Πόσας ἡ γῆ εὐωδίας βλαστάνει; Πόας ῥόδων καὶ κρίνων, καὶ στύρακα, νάρδον καὶ στακτὴν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἀφ' ὧν τὸ καλὸν κατασκευάζεται μύρον. Καὶ οὐ λογίζεται θεὸς ἀπώλειαν. Καὶ ἵνα μικρὸν ἀλάβα στρον μύρου τοῖς ποσὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιχεθῇ, γογγύζεις; Μὴ οὖν προῖκα αὐτὸ ἔλαβεν, ἵνα γογγύσῃς; Ἔλαβεν μύρον καὶ ἔδειξε μετανοίας τρόπον· ἔλαβε δάκρυα καὶ ἔστησε πηγὴν ἁμαρτη μάτων. Ποία οὖν ἐστιν ἀπώλεια, εἰ ἐσώθη ἡ γυνή, δι' ἣν ὁ παράδεισος ἀπεκλείσθη, δι' ἣν Ἀδὰμ συνεξεβλήθη; Ἀλλὰ λυπεῖ σε τοῦτο, Ἰούδα; Εἰκότως· καὶ γὰρ τὸν διάβολον 5 ἐλύπησεν αὐτῆς ἡ σωτηρία. Εἶδεν γὰρ δι' αὐτῆς λοιπὸν τὸ γένος πρὸς μετάνοιαν μεταβαλλόμενον καὶ δάκνεται καὶ ἀνιᾶται οὐκ ἔχων λοιπὸν δίκτυον δι' οὗ θηράσει τὸν ἄνθρωπον· ὅθεν καί σε εἰς τὸ γογγύσαι παρώρμησεν. Εἰς τί, φησίν, ἡ ἀπώλεια αὕτη; Ἠδύνατο γὰρ πραθῆναι πολλοῦ. Ἤδη πρᾶσις, Ἰούδα; Ἤδη προδοσίας μελέτη, κακῶναἰνιγμάτων ἀρχή; Ἀλλ' ὁ Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἐλέγχει αὐτοῦ τὴν νόσον, οὐ γυμνοῖ τὸ φιλάργυρον, ἵνα μὴ τὴν μέλλουσαν προδοσίαν ἀνακρούσηται. Χριστὸς δὲ ἐπιπλήττων λέγει· Τί κόπους παρέχετε τῇ γυναικί; Τί πρὸς τοῖς προλαβοῦσι κακοῖς κακίζετε τὴν ἄνθρω πον; Αὐτάρκως ἔκαμε τὸ τῶν γυναικῶν γένος· μηδεὶς αὐτῶν τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐμποδιζέτω, μηδεὶς κοπούτω τὴν λούσασαν μύρῳ τοὺς πόδας τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς βαδίσαντας ἐπὶ γῆς. Τοὺς πτωχοὺς γὰρ ἔχετε μεθ' ἑαυτῶν, λάβετε δὲ κἀμὲ μετὰ τῶν πτωχῶν· δι' ὑμᾶς γὰρ ἐπτώχευσα πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐμῇ πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε. Ἀναιρεῖτέ με καὶ οὐκ ἐγκαλῶ· ἐνταφιάζει με αὕτη καὶ γογγύζετε; Βαλοῦσα γὰρ αὕτη τὸ μύρον ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματός μου πρὸς τὸ ἐνταφιάσαι με πεποίηκεν. Οὐκ αἰδῇ οὖν, Ἰούδα, ὅτι αὕτη μὲν ἁμαρτωλὸς οὖσα μύροις με τιμᾷ, σὺ δὲ
The Contrast of the Woman and Judas§6
6Being an apostle, do you rebuke me? And while the woman prepares for the tomb, the disciple hands over the Lord to death. The woman is a sinner, I know; but she had nothing to grant me, or a fountain of tears, pouring out fountain upon fountain, offering an incorporeal atonement to an unskillful teacher.
But you also test, you wretch, saying it is worthy of three hundred denarii; yet you test not so that you might praise her great extravagance, that she consumed all the wealth gathered from evils for the honor of the perfume, but so that, grumbling, you might show how you have fallen into such an evil misfortune. But it is not great, if you are distressed by the loss of three hundred denarii, from which, having taken thirty, you departed from the Lord. For, he says, 'What do you want to give me, and I will give you Him?'
Wretch, does a slave sell a master? The order is overturned; for I myself buy you from sin with my own blood, but you repel Him with thirty obols? Furthermore, does a man sell God? Let it be granted that He is being sold, but who is the one buying? How much will someone buy God for? And why do you make the matter a triviality? Someone sells God for thirty obols in the form of a man, as a servant, as a barbarian? Even if one distinguishes, how much is the God dwelling within, and how much is the man appearing?
'What do you want to give me?' he says. What do you want to receive? For they have nothing to give in exchange for God. And they stood before Him with thirty pieces of silver, he says. Someone sells a physician for thirty obols' wages, a physician blinding the eyes of the blind, raising the lame to run? I say these things so that I may catechize your mind, that you cause toil for the woman, because she honored Him who is free among the dead and, before death, as one dead, and through the perfume of the burial and the resurrection, she prefigured the grace.
But you shall have the fruit of betrayal, the rod; but her memory, wherever the gospel shall be proclaimed, shall remain undiminished. And the deed was spoken and done thus: that the offering of Aaron, the offering of Eleazar has ceased, the perfume and the horn have worked, but the alabaster of this woman is extended to the whole age, having the fragrance of memory undiminished.
But toward Judas, and toward the grumbling Pharisee, Christ says thus: 'Simon, I have something to say to you.' O unutterable grace! O unspeakable philanthropy! God and man are conversing, and He proposes a problem and a standard of philanthropy, dissolving its wickedness. For 'Simon,' he says, 'I have something to say to you'; I have something to say which is like none of the old ways.
Greek · §6
ἀπόστολος ὢν πράσει με καθυβρίζεις; Καὶ ἡ μὲν γυνὴ τὰ πρὸς τάφον ἑτοιμάζει, ὁ δὲ μαθητὴς τῷ θανάτῳ προδίδωσιν. Ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν ἡ γυνή, οἶδα· ἀλλ' οὐδὲν εἶχέ μοι χαρίσασθαι ἢ πηγὴν δακρύων, πηγῇ τὴν πηγὴν ἐξευμενίζουσα, ἀκτήμονι διδασκάλῳ ἄϋλον ἱλαστήριον προσκο μίζουσα. Ἀλλὰ καὶ δοκιμάζεις, ἄθλιε, τὸ μύρον τριακοσίων δηναρίων ἄξιον λέγων· δοκιμάζεις δὲ οὐχ ἵνα αὐτῆς τὴν μεγα λοψυχίαν ἐπαινέσῃς, ὅτι ὅλον τὸν ἐκ κακῶν συναχθέντα πλοῦτον εἰς τιμὴν μύρου κατανάλωσεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα γογγύζων δείξῃς ὡς ἀπεύκτῳ περιέπεσας κακῷ τοσοῦτον ζημιωθείς. Ἀλλ' οὐ μέγα, εἰ τριακοσίων δηναρίων στέρησιν δυσχεραίνεις, ὅπου τριάκοντα λαβὼν ἀπέδου με τὸν κύριον. Τί γάρ, φησί, θέλετέ μοι δοῦναι, κἀγὼ ὑμῖν παραδώσω αὐτόν. Ἄθλιε, δοῦλος δεσπότην πωλεῖ; Ἀντέστραπται ἡ τάξις· καὶ ἐγὼ μὲν σὲ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ οἰκείῳ ὠνοῦμαι αἵματι, σὺ δὲ μὲ τριάκοντα ἀπεμπολεῖς ὀβολῶν; Εἶτα δὲ ἄνθρωπος θεὸν πωλεῖ; ∆εδόσθω δὲ ὅτι πωλεῖ, τίς ὁ ὠνούμενος; Πόσου δέ τις ἀγοράσει θεόν; Τί δὲ καὶ εὔωνον ποιεῖς τὸ πρᾶγμα; Τριάκοντά τις ὀβολῶν θεὸν πωλεῖ ἐν ἀνθρώπου μορφῇ, ὡς οἰκέτην, ὡς βάρβαρον; Κἂν διάκρινον, πόσου μὲν τὸν ἐνοικοῦντα θεόν, πόσου δὲ τὸν φαινόμενον ἄνθρωπον; Τί μοι, φησί, θέλετε δοῦναι; Σὺ τί θέλεις λαβεῖν; Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ οὐδὲν ἔχουσι δοῦναι ἀντάξιον θεοῦ. Καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτῷ, φησί, τριάκοντα ἀργύρια. Τριάκοντα ὀβολῶν ἄμισθόν τις ἰατρὸν πωλεῖ, ἰατρὸν τυφλοὺς ὀμματοῦντα, χωλοὺς πρὸς δρόμον ἐγείροντα; Ταῦτα λέγω, ἵνα σου κατηχήσω τὴν διάνοιαν, ὅτι κόπους παρέχετε τῇ γυναικί, ὅτι τὸν ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερον καὶ πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου ὡς νεκρὸν ἐτίμησεν, ὅτι διὰ τοῦ μύρου τῆς ταφῆς καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τὴν χάριν προεσήμανεν. Ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν καρπὸν τῆς προδοσίας τὸν σχοῖνον ἕξεις, ταύτης δὲ ἡ μνήμη, ὅπου ἂν κηρυχθῇ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἀνεξάλειπτος ἔσται. Εἶπε καὶ γέγονε τὸ ἔργον οὕτως· ὅτι τὸ τοῦ Ἀαρών, τὸ τοῦ Ἐλεάζαρ πέπαυται μύρον καὶ τὸ κέρας ἤργησε, τὸ δὲ ἀλάβαστρον ταύτης παντὶ τῷ αἰῶνι συνεπεκτείνεται ἀκένωτον ἔχον τῆς μνήμης τὴν εὐωδίαν. Ἀλλὰ πρὸς μὲν τὸν Ἰούδαν οὕτως, πρὸς δὲ τὸν φαρισαῖον γογγύζοντα Χριστὸς οὕτως λέγει· Σίμων, ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν. Ὢ χάριτος ἀφράστου! Ὢ φιλανθρωπίας ἀρρήτου! Θεὸς καὶ ἄνθρωπος κοινολογοῦνται καὶ προτίθησι πρόβλημα καὶ κανόνα φιλανθρωπίας ἐκλύων αὐτοῦ τὴν πονηρίαν. Σίμων γάρ, φησίν, ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν· ἔχω εἰπεῖν ὃ μηδενὶ τῶν παλαιῶν
Unit 2 rem mid§7
7introduce grace alongside the law
Greek · §7
εἶπον, οὐ πατριάρχῃ, οὐ προφήτῃ, οὐ νομοθέτῃ. Τότε μὲν γὰρ ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ἐζήτουν τὸ δίκαιον ἀπαιτῶν· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οὐ δύνασθε φέρειν τὸ δίκαιον, χάριν ἀντεισάγω τῷ νόμῳ, ἀλάλητόν σοι μυστήριον ἐρῶ. Ὁ δέ φησι· διδάσκαλε εἰπέ. ∆ύο χρεωφειλέται ἦσαν ἑνὶ ἀνδρί. Ὅρα θεοῦ σοφίαν· 6 ἀποσιωπᾷ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἵνα μὴ κακουργήσῃ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν. Ὁ εἷς, φησίν, ὤφειλε δηνάρια πεντακόσια καὶ ὁ ἕτερος πεντήκοντα. Φοβερὸς τοῦ διηγήματος ὁ τρόπος· γραμματεῖόν ἐστιν ὁ ἡμέτερος βίος ἀοράτως γράφων καὶ λογισμοὺς καὶ πράξεις καὶ ὀφθαλμῶν ῥεμβασμοὺς καὶ ψυχῆς κινήματα. Ἀλλὰ λύει τὸν φόβον ὁ φιλάνθρωπος δανειστής, ὁ τὰ χειρόγραφα διαρρήσσων τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ οὐ μόνον διαρρήσσων ἀλλὰ καὶ λεαίνων τοῖς ὕδασι τοῦ βαπτίσματος, ἵνα μὴ ἴχνος στοιχείου ἢ συλλαβῆς ἀπομεῖναν ὑπόμνημα γένηται τῶν παρωχηκότων κακῶν. Μὴ ἐχόντων οὖν, φησίν, αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο. Εἶδες φιλάνθρωπον δανειστήν, πῶς δανείζει μέν, οὐκ ἀπολαμβάνει δέ; Πῶς δὲ ἀγνωμονούμενος οὐ ναρκᾷ, ἀλλ' ἥπλωται αὐτοῦ τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν ἡ χείρ; Μὴ ἐχόντων, φησίν, αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο. Ἀφῆκε μὴ ἐχόντων, οὐχὶ μὴ θελόντων· ἕτερον γὰρ μὴ ἔχειν καὶ ἕτερον μὴ θέλειν. Οἷόν τι λέγω· θεὸς οὐδὲν παρ' ἡμῶν ζητεῖ ἢ μετάνοιαν, ὅθεν βούλεται ἡμᾶς χαίρειν ἀεὶ καὶ προστρέχειν τῇ μετανοίᾳ. Ἐὰν οὖν θελόντων ἡμῶν μετανοῆσαι τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἄτονον τὴν μετάνοιαν ἡμῶν δείξῃ, οὐ παρὰ τὸ μὴ θέλειν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν οὐκ ἐκτίννυμεν τὸ χρέος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὖν λέγει· Μὴ ἐχόντων αὐτῶν, ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς βουλομένους διὰ μετανοίας ἀποδοῦναι τὸ χρέος, μὴ δυναμένους δὲ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ὡς φιλάνθρωπος αὐτοῖς συνεχώρησε οὐκ ἀπὸ πράξεως ἀλλ' ἀπὸ προαιρέσεως ἐλευθερώσας τῆς ὀφειλῆς τὸ ὑπόχρεον. Μὴ ἐχόντων οὖν αὐτῶν ἀποδοῦναι μὴ μαστίξας, μὴ στρεβλώσας, μὴ ὕβρει παραδοὺς ἀμφοτέροις ἐχαρίσατο. Τίς οὖν αὐτὸν ὀφείλει πλέον ἀγαπῆσαι; Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Σίμων εἶπεν· Ὑπολαμβάνω ὅτι ᾧ τὸ πλεῖον ἐχαρίσατο. Βλέπε τοῦ φαρισαίου τὸ δεινόν· ὡς εἶδεν ἑαυτὸν τῷ λόγῳ ἤδη τῆς ἀληθείας ἀποκλειόμενον, τὸ ὑπολαμβάνω τέθεικε φοβούμενος τελείαν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν δοῦναι. Ὁ δὲ κύριος οὐ τὴν γνώμην αὐτοῦ ἀνέγραφεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ἁρπάσας λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης. Καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ Σίμωνι ἔφη· Βλέπεις ταύτην τὴν γυναῖκα, τὴν
The Contrast of the Sinner and the Saint§8
8A sinner, forbidden to you but being saved in me? You let her enter your house—for the house is yours and not mine, full of reproach—she did not give water to my feet, feet which were dusty because of you, which endured toil so that I might free those who toil and are burdened. You brought half the price, marveling at the things above but not healing the things below.
But while you did not give water to my feet, she, by leaving springs of tears from her eyelids, washed away the filth of her sin. You did not give me a kiss, lest you be like Judas who accomplished the betrayal through a kiss; but she, from the moment she entered, did not cease kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, for a sinner's oil should not anoint my headw could you honor the head while neglecting the feet?
But she also anointed my feet prophetically with myrrh; for myrrh, she says, empties its name for you; emptied, not poured out. Since the vessel of the Jewish mindset was shallow, therefore from your alabaster jar the myrrh was emptied into my feet, so that through me grace might participate in the fragrance among the Gentiles. For this reason I say to you: her many sins are forgiven; for while you, receiving me as an equal, neither honored me with a kiss nor healed me with ointment, she, receiving remission of many evils, honored me with tears and myrrh, like a vessel of two natures joined together.
Let us therefore bless the woman who covered the evils of Eve, the sinner, the fornicatress, the enemy of good things, who showed a way of repentance and stripped bare the law of philanthropy, having had the judge himself as her advocate, who conquered the wailing of judgment with tears. Therefore, all of you who are present, zeal for what you have heard, and do not imitate the pleasure of the fornicatress, but imitate the throne. For pleasure produced the throne, but the throne brought forth the solution to evils.
Wash not your bodies with water, but with tears; anoint not with ointments, but your members with purity. Clothe yourselves not in the fabrics of Tyre, but in the incorruptible garment of sobriety, so that you may share in that same glory, returning thanks to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, to whom belongs the glory and the honor, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Greek · §8
ἁμαρτωλόν, τήν σοι μὲν ἀπηγορευμένην, ἐμοὶ δὲ σῳζομένην; Εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου–σὸς γὰρ ὁ οἶκος καὶ οὐκ ἐμός, ὁ λοιδορίας μεστός–ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας μου οὐκ ἔδωκας, πόδας τοὺς διά σε κονισθέντας, τοὺς κόπον ὑπομείναντας ἵνα κόπων τοὺς κοπιῶντας καὶ πεφορτισμένους ἐλευθερώσω. Ἐξ ἡμισείας τὴν τιμὴν προσήνεγκας τὰ μὲν ἄνωθεν θαυμάσας, τὰ δὲ κάτωθεν μὴ θεραπεύσας. Ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν ὕδωρ εἰς τοὺς πόδας μου οὐκ ἔδωκας, αὕτη δὲ πηγὰς δακρύων ἐκ τῶν βλεφάρων ἀφεῖσα τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῆς τὸν ῥύπον ἀπέσμηξε. Σύ μοι φίλημα οὐκ ἔδωκας, ὡς εἴθε μή τε Ἰούδας ὁ φιλήματι τὴν προδοσίαν ἐργασάμενος· αὕτη δὲ ἀφ' ἧς εἰσῆλθεν οὐ διέλειπε καταφιλοῦσά μου τοὺς πόδας. Ἐλαίῳ τὴν κεφαλήν μου οὐκ ἤλειψας, ἔλαιον γὰρ ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ λιπανάτω τὴν κεφαλήν μου. Πῶς γὰρ εἶχες τὴν κεφαλὴν τιμῆσαι ὁ ποδῶν ἀμελήσας; Αὕτη δὲ καὶ τοὺς πόδας μου προφητικῶς ἤλειψε μύρῳ· Μύρον γάρ, φησίν, ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομά σοι· ἐκκενωθέν, οὐκ ἐκχυθέν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ σκεῦος τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς γνώμης ὑπόσαθρον ἦν, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τῆς ἀλαβαστροθήκης ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς ποσί μου ἐξεκενώθη τὸ μύρον, ἵνα δι' ἐμοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη μετοχετευθῇ τῆς εὐωδίας ἡ χάρις. Οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι· Ἀφέωνται αὐτῆς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αἱ πολλαί· ὅτι σὺ μὲν ὁμορρόφιόν με δεξάμενος οὐδὲ φιλήματί με ἐτίμησας οὐδὲ ἀλείμματί με ἐθεράπευσας, αὕτη δὲ πολλῶν κακῶν ἀμνηστίαν λαβοῦσα ἐτίμησέ με ἐκ δακρύων καὶ μύρων οἱονεὶ διφυῆ κρατῆρα κερασαμένη. Μακαρίσωμεν οὖν τὴν ἄνθρωπον τὴν τὰ τῆς Εὔας καλύψασαν κακά, τὴν ἁμαρτωλόν, τὴν πόρνην, τὴν πρόξενον τῶν ἀγαθῶν, τὴν δείξασαν μετανοίας τρόπον καὶ γυμνώσασαν φιλανθρωπίας νόμον, τὴν αὐτὸν τὸν κριτὴν συνήγορον ἐσχηκυῖαν, τὴν δάκρυσι νικήσασαν τὸν τῆς κρίσεως ὀδυρμόν. Ὅσοι οὖν πάρεστε, ζηλώσατε ἅπερ ἠκούσατε καὶ τῆς πόρνης μὴ τὴν 7 ἡδονήν, ἀλλὰ τὸν θρῆνον μιμήσασθε. Ἡ ἡδονὴ μὲν γὰρ τὸν θρῆνον ἐγέννησεν, ὁ θρῆνος δὲ τῶν κακῶν τὴν λύσιν προεξένη σε. Λούσατε οὖν ὑμῶν μὴ ὕδασιν, ἀλλὰ δάκρυσι τὸ σῶμα· ἀλείψατε μὴ μύροις, ἀλλ' ἁγνείᾳ τὰ μέλη. Ἐνδύσασθε μὴ τὰ Σηρῶν ὑφάσματα, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἄφθαρτον τῆς σωφροσύνης ἱμάτιον, ἵνα τῆς αὐτῆς τύχητε δόξης, χάριν ἀναπέμποντες τῷ ἀμνῷ τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ αἴροντι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ τιμή, σὺν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 8