Огласительное поучение двенадцатое

[To those preparing in Jerusalem for enlightenment, spoken without preparation, in the words: incarnate and made man; also on the words of Isaiah: And the Lord continued to speak to Ahaz, and said: Ask yourself a sign from the Lord, and so on. (Isa.7:10). Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel, and so on. (Isa.7:14).] 1. Pupils of purity and students of chastity, let us praise with lips full of purity God, born of the Virgin. Having been worthy to eat the meat (see Ex. 12:9) of the spiritual Lamb, we will eat from the head and together from the feet, by the head we mean the Divinity, and by the name of the feet we accept humanity. As hearers of the Holy Gospel, let us believe John the Theologian. He, having said: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1), added the following words: And the Word became flesh (John 1:14). But it is a holy thing to worship Him as a simple man; it is equally not a pious thing to call Him only God, not made man. For if Christ is God, as is true, but did not accept humanity, then we are strangers to salvation. So, we must worship Him as God and believe that He became man. There is no use in saying that He is a man without Godhead; there is equally no salvation not to recognize in Him, together with the Divinity, humanity. Let us confess the coming of the King and the Doctor. For King Jesus, desiring to heal, healed the sick, girding himself with the ribbon of humanity. The Perfect Teacher of infants grew up with infants in order to make the foolish wise. The bread of heaven came down to earth to feed the hungry. 2. But the children of the Jews, rejecting him who came and expecting him to come to destruction, denied the true Christ, and in their error they accepted the false one. And in this case, the truth of the Savior’s words is revealed: I came in the name of My Father, and you do not receive Me; but if another comes in his own name, you will receive him (John 5:43). By the way, here a question was proposed to the Jews: are the words of the prophet Isaiah true or false that Immanuel will be born of a Virgin? (see Isa.7:14). If he is accused of being a liar, this is not at all surprising. For it is their habit not only to accuse prophets as liars, but also to stone them. If the prophet is just, then show Emmanuel and say: He who is about to come, whom you expect, will be born of a Virgin or not? If it is not born of the Virgin, then you accuse the prophet of lying, and if you expect this in the future, then why do you reject what has already come true? 3. So, let the Jews be mistaken, since this is what they want, and let the Church of God be glorified. We recognize the Word truly made man, not from male and female lust, as the heretics say, but, according to the Gospel, made man by the Virgin and the Holy Spirit, not in a ghost, but truly. And what really became man from the Virgin, wait until the future conversation and you will hear the evidence. The errors of heretics are complex. Some of them say that this Word was not born from the Virgin at all; and others - that although It was born, it was not from a Virgin, but from a wife who lived with her husband; and some argue that Christ became man is not God, but some kind of deified man. They dared to say that it was not the eternal Word that became man, but that some man, through his success, received a crown. 4. Remember what was said yesterday about His Divinity. Believe that this very Only Begotten Son of God was subsequently born of the Virgin. Believe the words of the Evangelist John: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The eternal Word was born from the Father before all ages, and finally took on flesh for us. But many contradict this and say: what would be such an important reason for God to descend to humanity, and is it really possible for the nature of God to deal with people? And is it possible for a Virgo to give birth without a husband? With many contradictions and various debates, let us resolve each of them with the help of Christ's grace and with the prayer of those present here. 5. And, first, let us examine why Jesus came down? Don't pay attention to my inventiveness here. For one can sometimes be deceived by wisdom. But if you do not hear the testimony of the prophets on every subject, do not believe the words. If you do not learn about the Virgin, and about the place, and about the time, and about the manner of birth from Divine Scripture, do not accept human testimony. For the one who teaches now can be suspected; but who, having reason, will suspect the one who prophesied for a thousand or more years? So, if you are looking for the reason for the coming of Christ, turn to the first book of Scripture. God created the world in six days, but the world was for man. The sun shines with bright rays, however, it was created so that it could shine for man, and all animals exist to serve us. Herbs and trees were also created for our use. All creatures are good, but not one of them is the image of God, but only man. The sun is by one command, and man is formed by the hands of God. Let us create man in our image and likeness (Gen.1:26). The material image of the earthly king is revered, how much more so is the spiritual image of God? But this most excellent creation, triumphant in paradise, was driven out of it by the devil’s envy (see Wisdom 2:24). The enemy rejoiced over the fall of the one he envied, and could he wish that his enemy should remain in joy? Not daring to approach the husband because of his strength, he approached his wife as the weakest, who was then still a virgin. For Adam knew Eve his wife (Gen. 4:1) after his expulsion from paradise. 6. The second generation of the human race was Cain and Abel, and Cain was the first murderer. Afterwards, due to the increased wickedness of people, a flood flooded the earth (see Gen. 6:13); Fire fell from heaven on the Sodomites for their iniquity. Over time, God chose Israel for himself, but this too became corrupt, and the chosen race received a plague. For Moses stood on the mountain before God, and the people worshiped a calf instead of God. Then, as a legislator, Moses said: Thou shalt not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14); man, having entered into fornication (see Num. 25:8), dared to commit fornication. After Moses, prophets were sent to heal Israel, but these doctors cried, unable to stop the illness, so that some of them said: There are no more merciful on earth, there are no righteous ones among people (Mic. 7:2); and in another place: All have turned aside and become equally indecent; There is no one who does good, no, not one (Ps. 13:3). Also: Oaths and deceit, murder and theft, and adultery have become extremely widespread (Hosea 4:2). They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons (Ps. 105:37); they told fortunes, cast spells, foretold, and more: They recline on clothes taken as pledges at every altar ( Am. 2:8 ). 7. The plague that covered humanity was very great. From the soles of his feet to the crown of his head there was no healthy place... wounds that were not cleansed... and not softened with oil (Isa. 1:6). Therefore, the prophets said with tears and lamentation: who will give salvation from Zion? (Ps. 13:7) and in another place: Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You have strengthened for Yourself, and we will not depart from You (Ps. 79:18–19). Another prophet prayed with these words: “Lord! bow your heavens and come down (Ps. 143:5), the wounds of mankind exceed our healing: they killed your prophets... they destroyed your altars (1 Kings 19:10). The evil that we cannot correct requires Your correction.” 8. The Lord heard the prayer of the prophets, the Father did not despise our perishing race, and sent a Physician from heaven - His Son, our Lord. One prophet says: The Lord, whom you seek, is coming: and will come suddenly (Mal.3:1). Where to? To His church (Mal.3:1), in which you threw stones at Him. Then, hearing about this, another prophet said to him: and you, speaking about salvation from God, proclaim it quietly! and you, preaching the coming of God for salvation, speak about this in secret? Go up to the high mountain, you who bring good news to Zion...speak to the cities of Judah (Isa.40:9). What can I say? Behold, the Lord God comes with power (Isa.40:10). The Lord Himself also said: I will come and dwell in your midst (Zechariah 2:10). And many nations will flee to the Lord (cf. Zech. 2:11). “The Israelites rejected the salvation that was accomplished through Me: I will come to gather all nations and languages ​​(Isaiah 66:18).” He came to his own, and his own did not receive Him (John 1:11). - “You are coming and what will you give to the tongues?” – “I will come to gather all nations and languages ​​(Is.66:18), and I will put a sign on them (Is.66:19). For after My feat on the Cross, I will give each of My warriors a royal seal to wear on their forehead.” Another prophet said: He bowed the heavens and came down, and darkness was under His feet (Ps. 17:10). For His descent from heaven was unknown to people. 9 . Solomon, hearing these words of his father David, when he built a wonderful church and saw the One coming into it, said with surprise: Can God live on earth? (1 Kings 8:27). David, warning this question, truly so, says in the psalm inscribed on Solomon, which says: He will come down like rain on a mown meadow (Ps. 72:6). Rain - this signifies His heavenly origin, and the mown meadow - His humanity. For rain, falling on a wave, falls without noise, just as the wise men, when the secret of birth was unknown, said: where is he who has been born King of the Jews? (Matthew 2:2). And Herod, confused, inquired about the One who was born and asked: where should Christ be born? (Matthew 2:4). 10. Who is this one who descends? David immediately says: And he will remain with the sun, and before the moon, generations of generations (Ps. 72:5). Another prophet also says: Rejoice with joy, daughter of Zion, rejoice, daughter of Jerusalem: it is your King who is coming to you, righteous and saving (cf. Zech. 9:9). There are many kings, which king are you talking about, prophet? Show us a sign that other kings do not have. If you are talking about a king wearing purple, then they already have this distinctive decoration; if you are talking about a king accompanied by soldiers and sitting on a gilded chariot, then others already have this. Show us a special sign of the King whose coming you herald. The Prophet, responding to this, says: Behold, your King is coming to you, righteous and saving, meek, sitting on a donkey and a colt (Zechariah 9:9), and not on a chariot. This is the only sign of the coming King. Of all the kings, only Jesus, sitting on a lot that had never been under a yoke, rode into Jerusalem as a King amid shouts of praise. What does this King who has come do? For the blood of your covenant I will release your prisoners from the pit where there is no water (Zechariah 9:11). 11. But it was also possible to sit on the lot. And you, prophet, better show us the sign where this entering King will stop; And show us this sign not at a distance from the city, so that we do not know it, but show us a sign close by, obvious, so that even if we are in the city, we will see that place. The Prophet answers this too, saying: And His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem to the east (cf. Zech. 14:4). Is it possible that anyone, being inside the city, does not see this place? 12. Now we have two signs, but we want to know the third. Tell us, what does the coming Lord do? Another prophet says: this is your God (Is.35:4) - and then: He will come and save you (Is.35:5). Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will sing (Isa. 35:5-6). May more evidence be presented to us. You, prophet, speaking about the Lord coming, imagine Him doing such signs as have never happened. What other clear sign will you show us? The Lord Himself enters into judgment with the elders of the people and with their princes (cf. Isa. 3:14). The only sign! The Lord is judged by the servants of the elders and suffers. 13. The Jews do not hear this when reading, for they have blocked the ears of their hearts so as not to hear. But let us believe in Jesus Christ who came in the flesh and became man, since otherwise we cannot comprehend Him. Since we could not look at Him and enjoy Him in His state in which He was, He became the same as us, so that in this way we would be worthy to enjoy Him. If we cannot fully see the sun created on the fourth day, then how can we see God, its Creator? The Lord descended on Mount Sinai in fire; The people could not bear this, and said to Moses: Speak to us, and we will listen, but let not God speak to us, lest we die (Ex. 20:19). And in another place: for is there any flesh that would hear the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire... and remain alive? (Deut.5:26). If hearing the voice of God speaking causes death, then how can seeing God Himself not cause death? Why should we be surprised? Moses himself said: I am in fear and trembling (Heb. 12:21). 14. So, what would you like, either for He who came for salvation to become the author of destruction, since people cannot bear His appearance, or for Him to communicate His grace to us? Daniel could not bear the vision of the Angel, and can you behold the Lord of Angels? Gabriel appeared and Daniel fell. And what was he who appeared and in what form? His face was like the appearance of lightning (Dan. 10:6), and not like the sun, his eyes were like burning lamps, and not like a fiery furnace; the voice of his speeches is like the voice of many people, and not like the voice of twelve regiments of angels. And yet the prophet fell. The angel, approaching him, said: Do not be afraid, Daniel (Dan.10:12), arise, take courage, your words are heard (Dan.10:12). Daniel says: I stood up trembling (Dan.10:11). But he did not begin to answer until something similar to a human hand touched him. When the one who appeared changed into human form (Dan. 10:18), then Daniel begins to speak. And what does he say? My lord! from this vision my insides turned within me (Dan.10:16): strength and breath froze within me (cf. Dan.10:16). If the appearance of an Angel deprived the prophet of his voice and strength, will the appearance of God leave breath in you? Until, the Scripture says, human form touched me again (Dan. 10:18), Daniel did not come to his senses. So, when the experience of our weakness was shown. The Lord took upon Himself what man needed. Since man could only hear from a person similar to himself, the Savior took upon Himself a nature similar to that in order to more conveniently teach people. 15. Listen to another reason. Christ came to be baptized and to consecrate baptism; came to work miracles by walking on the waters of the sea. Since before His appearance in the flesh the Sea saw and ran; Jordan turned back (Ps. 113:3), then the Lord accepted the body so that the sea, seeing this, stopped, Jordan accepted Him without fear. This is one reason. There is also another one. Death came through the virgin Eve, but through the Virgin, or, better, from the Virgin, life had to come, so that just as the serpent deceived her, so Gabriel would preach the gospel. People, leaving God, made idols in human form. So, since an idol in human form was falsely worshiped as God, God truly became man in order to destroy the lie. The devil used our flesh as a weapon against us, and Paul, knowing this, says: but in my members I see another law, warring against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin, etc. (Rom.7:23). So, with the weapon with which the devil defeated us, we were saved by the same weapon. The Lord took our likeness from us in order to save humanity; He accepted our likeness in order to bestow greater grace on those in need, so that sinful humanity could be in communion with God. And when sin increased, grace began to abound (Rom. 5:20). The Lord had to suffer for us, but the devil would not have dared to approach if he had known this. For if they had known (the authorities of this age - Ed.), they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8). So the body became the poison of death, so that the dragon, when it hoped to devour, would vomit those it had devoured. Death will be swallowed up forever, and again: and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces (Isa.25:8). 16. Did Christ become man in vain? Is our teaching really a fiction and human wisdom? Isn’t Divine Scripture our salvation? Aren't these prophetic predictions? So keep this pledge faithfully, so that no one can shake you. Believe in God made Man. That it was possible for Him to incarnate has already been proven. If the Jews do not yet believe, then let us ask them: what strange thing are we proclaiming, saying that God became man, when you say that Abraham entertained the Lord? What strange thing do we tell you when Jacob said: I have seen God face to face, and my soul is preserved (Gen. 32:30)? The same Lord who ate food from Abraham also ate from us. So, what strange things are we proclaiming? We will also present two witnesses who stood before the Lord on Mount Sinai. Moses was in a cleft of the rock, and Elijah was also once in a cleft of the rock. They, being on Mount Tabor together with the transfigured Lord, spoke in front of the disciples about His exodus, which He was to accomplish in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). So, that it was possible for Him to become man has been proven, as I said before. The rest of the evidence is left to those who wish to collect it. 17. I promised you in my word to reveal both the time and place of the Savior’s appearance. And we should not come out with a reproach for deception, and even more so we should let those who have recently entered the Church leave confirmed. So, let us examine the time at which the Lord came, since this coming happened recently and is subject to controversy, and since Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). To this Moses the prophet says: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from among you, from your brothers, like me (Deut. 18:15). Let us leave this word for the time being; it will be examined in its place. But when will this expected prophet come? Turn, he says, to my Scriptures, understand the prophecy of Jacob spoken to Judas: Judas! Your brothers will praise you (Gen. 49:8), etc. Let us not all say: The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until the Reconciler comes, and to Him the submission is not of the Jews, but of the nations (Gen. 49:10). So, he set the end of power among the Jews as a sign of the coming of Christ. If they are not under Roman rule, then Christ has not yet come. If they have a prince from the tribe of Judah and David, then the One who was expected has not yet come. I am ashamed to talk about the new institution of the so-called current patriarchs. What kind of family they are and who their mother is, I leave this to those who know. But this Coming One, the Hope of the nations, what other sign does he have? Jacob goes on to say: He ties his colt to the vine (Gen. 49:11). This is the lot that Zechariah clearly announced! 18. But you are still looking for another evidence of time. The Lord said to Me: You are My Son; Today I have begotten You (Ps. 2:7), and a little later: You will smite them with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9). And before I said that the Roman kingdom is clearly called a rod of iron, and what else remains to be said about it, let us remember from the prophecy of Daniel. He, announcing and explaining to Nebuchadnezzar the image of the statue, speaks of the whole vision related to it, and of the stone cut from the mountain without hands, not made so by human art, which will take possession of the entire universe. He also says very clearly: And in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will erect a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be given over to another person (cf. Dan. 2:44). 19. But we demand even clearer proof regarding the time of advent. A person, being incredulous, if he does not know the exact calculation and the years themselves, does not believe what is said. So, how long and how many years after the end of the kings from the tribe of Judah did the foreigner Herod begin to reign? The angel, talking with Daniel, says to him (note what he says): Know and understand, therefore, how the commandment for the restoration of Jerusalem will go out, until Christ the Lord is seven weeks and sixty-two weeks (cf. Dan. 9:25). Sixty-nine weeks of years make four hundred and eighty-three years. So, the words of the Angel mean that after four hundred and eighty-three years have passed since the creation of Jerusalem and after the end of the princes, a certain foreigner will be king, under whom Christ will be born. Darius Mead 4 finished the construction of Jerusalem in the sixth year of his reign, and according to the Greeks, in the first sixty-sixth Olympiad. The Greeks call the Olympics the ceremonial games held after four years, on that day, which, according to the four-year solar course, is composed of three hours remaining from each year. And Herod began to reign in the one hundred and eighty-sixth Olympiad, in the fourth year thereof. Consequently, between the sixty-sixth and one hundred and eighty-sixth Olympiads there will be a little over one hundred and twenty Olympiads. Of the one hundred and twenty Olympiads, four hundred and eighty years are made up. And the remaining three years are probably included in the time between the first and fourth year. Now you have proof based on Scripture, which says: the commandment will go out to restore Jerusalem, until Christ the Master is seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. So, here is an explanation of the times, although there are other different interpretations about the weeks of years predicted by Daniel. 20. Now listen to the words of Micah about the place of promise: And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are you small among the thousands of Judah? from you will come to me one who is to be ruler in Israel and whose origin was from the beginning, from the days of eternity (Mic. 5:2). Being a Jerusalemite, you already know in advance what is written in the one hundred and thirty-first psalm: Behold, we heard about him in Ephrath, we found him in the fields of Jearim (Ps. 132:6). For in recent years this place was wooded. You also heard Habakkuk saying to the Lord: Lord! complete your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years reveal it (Hab. 3:2). What is the sign of the coming Lord, prophet? He says further: in the midst of two living creatures you will be known (Hab. 3:2), clearly saying through this to the Lord: “Having come in the flesh, you will live and die, and having risen from the dead, you will live again.” From which side of Jerusalem will He come? From the east, or from the west, or from the north, or from the south? Tell us definitely. He answers very clearly and says: God comes from Teman (Hab. 3:3) (and Teman, according to explanation, means “south”), and the Holy One from Mount Paran. The psalmist also said according to this: they found him in the fields of Jaarim (Ps. 131:6). 21. We also want to know from whom will He come and how will He come? Isaiah tells us about this: behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel (Is. 7:14). The Jews contradict this (for from ancient times they have had the habit of viciously opposing the truth) and say, it is written: not a Virgin, but: young (νεανις). Having admitted this, I still find the truth. We must ask them: when a virgin, having been raped, makes a cry, calling for help, after the corruption, or before the corruption? When Scripture nowhere says: the girl cried (νεανις), but there was no one to save her (cf. Deut. 22:27), is he not talking about the virgin here? But in order for you to learn more clearly that in Divine Scripture a maiden is also called a young girl (νεανις), then listen to the words in the book of Kings about Abishag the Shunammite: The maiden (νεανις) was very beautiful (1 Kings 1:4). And it is known that, after her election, she was brought to David as a virgin. 22. But the Jews again say that this prophecy was spoken to Ahaz about Hezekiah. Let us read the words of Scripture: ask yourself a sign from the Lord your God, in the depths or on high (cf. Is. 7:11). This sign had to be extraordinary. For the signs were the flowing out of water from a rock, the parting of the sea, the return of the sun, and the like. But what will be said contains the clearest denunciation against the Jews. I know that I speak at length and that my listeners are tired; however, listen patiently to my lengthy word, since for Christ it is offered and is not an unimportant subject. Isaiah spoke this prophecy during the reign of Ahaz, and Ahaz reigned only sixteen years. And since during these years a prophecy was spoken to him, the successor of the kingdom, Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, who reigned for twenty-five years, denounces the contradiction of the Jews. For the prophecy refers to sixteen years, and Hezekiah was born to Ahaz nine years before the prophecy. What was the need to prophesy about one who was already born before the reign of his father Ahaz? For the prophet did not say that she conceived, but that the Virgin would receive, announcing this according to foreknowledge. 23. We clearly saw that the Lord would be born from a virgin. And from what family the Virgin was, this must be shown: The Lord swore to David in the truth, and will not deny it: “I will set the fruit of your womb on your throne” (Ps. 132:11). And in another place: I will continue his seed forever, and his throne as the days of heaven (Ps. 89:30), and then: One day I swore by My holiness: shall I lie to David? (Ps.89:36). His seed will endure forever, and his throne, like the sun before Me, will forever be firm as the moon (Ps. 89:37-38). You see that we are talking about Christ, and not about Solomon, for this throne did not remain like the sun. If anyone contradicts because Christ did not sit on the material throne of David, then we will cite the following words: the scribes and Pharisees sat on the seat of Moses (Matthew 23:2), which does not mean the material seat, but the power of teaching. So by the throne of David we mean not the material throne, but the Kingdom itself. Let the youths be witnesses for you, who exclaimed: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! (Matthew 21:9) And the blind say: Have mercy on us, Jesus, son of David (Matthew 9:27); and Gabriel clearly testifies, saying to Mary: And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David (Luke 1:32); and Paul says: Remember the Lord Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, who rose from the dead according to my gospel (2 Tim. 2:8); and at the beginning of the Epistle to the Romans he says: Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3). So, consider Him to be born of David, believing the prophecy that says: And it will happen in that day: the Gentiles will turn to the root of Jesse, which will become like a banner for the nations, and its rest will be glory (Is. 11:10). 24. But the Jews stubbornly argue against this. Isaiah also foresaw this, saying: they will be given over to be burned, as food for the fire (Is. 9:5). For to us a child was born (Isaiah 9:6), and not to them, a Son, and was given to us. And by this he shows that He was first the Son of God, then He was given to us, and a little later He says: And His peace has no end (cf. Is. 9:7). The Roman kingdom has limits, but the kingdom of the Son of God has no limits. The Persians and Medes have limits, but the Son of God has no limit. Then the words follow: on the throne of David and in his kingdom, that He might establish it. So, the Holy Virgin came from David. 25. The Most Pure One and the Teacher of purity had to come from pure palaces. For if the good priest of Jesus abstains from his wife, how could Jesus himself come from a man and wives? But You, He says in the psalm, brought me out of the womb (Ps. 21:10). Consider carefully this saying: He brought me out of the womb, which shows that He was born, being torn out of a virgin’s womb and flesh without a husband. For they are born differently from a marriage union. 26. He is not ashamed to take flesh from these members, being Himself the Creator of the members. And who tells us about this? The Lord says to Jeremiah: before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you came out of the womb, I sanctified you (Jer. 1:5). If, when creating people, he touches the members and is not ashamed, then will he consider it a shame to create holy flesh, the veil of the Divine for Himself? God still forms babies in the womb, as it is written in the book of Job: Didn’t you pour me out like milk, and thicken me like curds, clothe me with skin and flesh, bind me together with bones and sinews? ( Job 10:10–11 ). There is nothing bad in the human constitution unless it is defiled by adultery and intemperance. He who created Adam also created Eve, and both the male and female sexes were created by Divine hands. Not a single member of the body was originally created unclean. May all heretics who condemn the body, or, better, the Creator Himself, be silent. But we remember the words of Paul: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you? (1 Cor. 6:19) The prophet also says on behalf of Jesus: My flesh is of them (Hos. 9:12), and it is also written nowhere: Therefore He will leave them until the time that she who is about to give birth gives birth (cf. Mic. 5:3). What is the sign of this, he says later: then their remaining brothers will return to the children of Israel. And what is the betrothal of the Virgin, the holy Bride? And I will betroth you in fidelity (cf. Hos. 2:20). And Elizabeth, talking to Her, says in a similar way: And blessed is she who believed, because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled (Luke 1:45). 27. But both the Greeks and the Jews blame us, saying that it was impossible for Christ to be born of a Virgin. Let us block the mouths of the Hellenes with their own fables, for you who say that thrown stones turned into people, why say that it is impossible for a Virgin to give birth? Why do you, who say that a daughter was born from the brain, say that it is impossible for a Son to be born from the Virgin’s womb? You who say that Bacchus came from the thigh of your Jupiter, why do you reject our truth? I know that I am saying something that is indecent to listen to now, however, so that you can expose the Hellenes on occasion, I propose this, turning their own fables against them. 28. So object to the circumcised, asking: what is more difficult, to give birth to a barren old wife, who no longer has the usual among women, or to give birth to a young Virgin? Sarah was barren and did not have what is usual among women, but she gave birth beyond nature. So, if giving birth to a barren woman is a supernatural thing, then giving birth to a virgin is supernatural. Either reject both, or accept both. For the same God made the one and created the second. You do not dare to say that there it was possible for God, but here it is impossible. And also, what law of nature transformed the human hand during one hour into a different form and again brought it back to its previous state? How did Moses' hand become white as snow and then return to its former state? You will say that God changed her according to His will. The will of God can work there, but can it really not happen here? And besides, that sign was only for the Egyptians, but this sign was made for the universe. O Jew! What is more difficult, for a Virgo to give birth or for a rod to turn into an animal? Do you believe that Moses’ straight rod, which turned into the form of a serpent, frightened even the one who overthrew; and the one who had previously held the rod fled from it as from a serpent, for it really was a serpent; Moses fled, not afraid of what he held, but afraid of what had been transformed. The rod had teeth and snake eyes. So, looking eyes appear in the rod: and is it really possible that a Baby will not be born from the Virgin’s womb, according to the will of God? I am not saying that what happened to Aaron’s rod in one night is what happens to other trees many years later. For who does not know that a rod without bark, even if planted among rivers, will never sprout? Since God is not conformed to the nature of the trees, but is the Creator of nature, the barren and dry rod without bark blossomed and grew and bore nut fruits. So, having supernaturally bestowed fruit on the rod for the formative High Priest, could not the Virgin have been granted birth for the true High Priest? 29. The words mentioned must be convincing. But the Jews will still disagree and will not be convinced by the story of the rod, unless they are convinced by similar miracles and supernatural births. Therefore, I ask them this way: in the beginning, from whom was Eve born? What mother conceived her without a mother? Scripture says she was born from the rib of Adam. So, could Eve really be born from the rib of her husband without a mother, but from the womb of the Virgin without a husband a Baby cannot be born? The female race owes grace to their husbands, for Eve was born of Adam and was not conceived by her mother, but as if she came from a single husband. But Mary repaid the debt of this gratitude, giving birth not from her husband, but from herself alone in an immaculate manner, through the Holy Spirit, by the power of God. 30. Let us imagine something even more important than this: although the birth of bodies from bodies is miraculous, it is, however, possible. And that the dust of the earth became man is more wonderful, that ugly dirt receives shells and the light of eyes - this is more wonderful. That strong bones, tender lungs, and other various members are born from a uniform feather - this is wonderful. That animate dirt goes around the universe, moves itself, arranges it wonderfully. That dirt teaches, and speaks, and builds, and reigns - this is wonderful. Foolish Jews! Where was Adam born from? Was it not God who took dust from the earth and formed this wonderful creation? (see Gen. 2:7). And if dirt turns into an eye, will not the Virgin give birth to a Son? If what is especially impossible happens between people, then why not what is possible? 31. We, brothers, must remember this and use these weapons for defense. Let us not tolerate heretics who teach that the coming was in a ghost; Let us also turn away those who say that the birth took place from a husband and wife, who dare to assert that He was born of Joseph and Mary, because it is written: And He received His wife (Matthew 1:24). But let us remember that Jacob, before receiving Rachel, said to Laban: give me my wife (cf. Gen. 29:21). For just as she was called the wife of Jacob before the marriage took place, just because she was promised, so Mary, because she was betrothed, was called the wife of Joseph. Notice the caution of the Gospel, which says: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a husband named Joseph, and so on. (Lk1:26). And in another place, when the census took place and when Joseph went to be registered, what does the Scripture say? Joseph went from Galilee... to register with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child (Luke 2:4-5). She was not idle. Meanwhile, it does not say: with his wife, but with his betrothed. For God sent His Son, says Paul, not born of man and wife, but born of a woman (see Gal. 4:4), only, that is, of a Virgin. For we have proved before that the Virgin is also called a woman. From the Virgin was born the Creator of virgin souls. 32. But are you surprised by this event? The One who gave birth to him was also surprised at him. For She says to Gabriel: How will this be for me when I don’t know my husband? (cf. Luke 1:34). And he answers: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God (cf. Luke 1:35). Pure and immaculate birth. For where the Holy Spirit breathes, there is no uncleanness. The carnal birth from the Virgin of the Only Begotten is immaculate, although heretics will contradict this truth. The Holy Spirit will convict them, the power of the Most High will be offended by them, Gabriel will stand against them on the day of judgment, and the place of the manger that received the Lord will shame them. Witnesses will be the shepherds who preached the gospel then, and the army of angels, praising and singing: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14). The church to which He was brought then on the fortieth day, the two turtle doves brought for Him, and Simeon, who then accepted Him into his arms, and the prophetess Anna, who was with him, will be witnesses. 33. So, when God bears witness, the Holy Spirit bears witness together, and Christ says: Why do you seek to kill Me? (John 7:19), - then let the heretics who contradict His humanity be silent. For they contradict Him who says: Handle Me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have (Luke 24:39). May we worship the Lord born of a Virgin, and may virgins know the crown of their fortune, and may the monastic order also know the glory of purity, for we are not deprived of dignity for purity. Although the Savior was in the womb of the Virgin for nine months, he became a husband for thirty-three years. Therefore, if Virgo accepts honor for a period of nine months, then we accept much more for the period of many years. 34. Let us all walk the path of purity with the help of God's grace, young men and maidens, elders and youths (Ps. 149:12). Let us not indulge in intemperance, but let us praise the name of Christ. Let us recognize the glory of purity, for it is the crown of angels, a thing that exceeds man. Let us preserve the body that has the potential to shine like the sun. For a little pleasure, let us not desecrate this so glorious body. In a short time, in one hour, a sin is committed, but the shame will continue forever after many years. Those who strive for purity are the Angels living on earth. Virgos have a part with Mary the Virgin. May they reject every unnecessary adornment, every unclean look, every careless step, every shine of clothing and the lure of voluptuousness - fragrant smells. May fragrant prayer and physical holiness, united with good deeds, be an incense for everyone, so that the Lord, born of the Virgin, may say both about us, the husbands who keep purity, and about the wives worthy of the crown: I will dwell in them and will walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people (2 Cor. 6:16; Lev. 26:11–12). Glory to Him forever and ever. Amen. Probably, Saint Cyril, by the name Darius Medus, here means Darius Istasp. You might be interested in: