AMPHILIOCHIUS’ HOMILY ON JOHN 14:28

“Before the contest (ayov) I ask thee, heretic, if thou knowest anything else, tell it us in humility, teaching those who do not know. If thou hast forgotten anything, learn it, not holding in light esteem, on account of pride, those words which are said. First I will declare my definition do thou also give thy definition, in order that those who listen may, without confusion, hear the sayings. I take the saying ‘My Father is greater than I' to refer to the dispensation in the flesh but thou? I understand, as it is written, that the Son, wishing to show the greatness of the Father, made use of this expression. Well then, because I (take this verse to refer) to the flesh, but thou dost suppose and take (it to refer) to the Godhead, let us examine the saying, appointing Stephen the protomartyr, as the judge and tester of the words. You know that greatness and smallness are not argued of substances which are unlike, but that they (sc. these expressions) appear in connection with natures which are equal and not diverse. To give an example, we do not say that a stone is greater than a fox or the sea than a stone or a mountain than an ant or the heavens than a man; for it is foolishness and ignorance for us to compare those things which are diverse in nature. 

“But we compare like things to those which are like to them. We say, for instance, that a spring is greater than a spring, and a stone than a stone, and the sun than the moon. For he made two great lights to the greater light | belongs the rule of the day, and to the lesser light the rule of the night.' And (one) star (is greater)than another star. For one star is more excellent than another star in glory.' And man than man - as Saul was goodlier and taller from his shoulders up.' (2) River than river; mountain than mountain -; sea than sea. And each of these preserves the things which they have in common with one another on account of the community of essence, but in respect of variation of size is called small or great. If it be then that thou too wishest to compare the Son with the Father, grant first of all that there is one and the same substance common to both of them, because according to true speech (logic) greatness and smallness are argued of (only) in connection with things of the same substance and then tell us, as an examiner of the divine nature, in what the Father is greater than the Son, or again the Son less than the Father. For I do not perceive in connection with incorporeal natures (lit, natures not incarnate) either denseness or greatness or depth or height or length. For the arts of men have invented these measures on account of the divergency of corporeal bodies. For if thou canst not say that (one) soul is greater than (another) soul, or that as it were (one) angel (is greater) than (another) angel; but thou dost say that (one) soul, for instance, is more excellent than (another) soul on account of intelligence, and (one) angel is more excellent than (another) angel on account of rank, in that the one is an angel but the other an archangel (for an incorporeal nature does not permit thee to seek [in it] measures and size and denseness), how dost thou say with reference to God « great » and « small » ? On the other hand, if it be that the nature of the Father is uncreated, but the nature of the Son is created, then do not compare him (sc. the Son) with the Father at all for as a sailor is not compared with a ship, nor the vessel with the potter, nor the city with the architect, so also the Creator is not numbered with / the creature. Say then in what thing thou maintainest that the Father is greater. Is he greater in time? But it is impossible that the maker of times and worlds should be subject to times. 

“But is he greater in that he is Father? But he was not at one time Father and at another time not, so that thou mightest take the interval of the time to imply the inferiority of the Son or the promotion of the Father. For if it be a good thing that he should be Father, he did not acquire the good thing in time but, because he is eternally Father, he acquired one co-eternal with himself, the Son - since indeed the name Father pertains to him. But perhaps the heretic will say: He (sc. the Father) is greater in that he begat, for such is also the rank of begetting and although (thy) tongue is silent (this) will persuade thee to say, the Father is greater than the Son. (It will) not (so persuade) me. Wherefore? Because I do not perceive anything corporeal, nor do I require the prescribed order of nature. For among men those who beget are greater than those who are begotten, because time intervenes, while those who are begotten are lacking. But it is blasphemy and impiety for us to say of God that he begat one, who is imperfect. For the imperfection of him who is begotten is an indictment of the weakness of him who begat. For either, wishing to beget a perfect (being) he begat, on account of powerlessness, an imperfect (being) or, being unable to beget a perfect (being), he begat, on account of envy, an imperfect (being). I say these things, O heretic, that thou mayest cease to assert that at one time he was Son and at another time not; for when thou sayest this it is not the Son that thou dost blaspheme, but thou hast taken away the nobility of the Father. For if the Son be (his) Word (as John proclaims) and his Power and his Wisdom, as Paul testifies: ‘For Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God' — if (I say) thou wilt not grant that he is eternally with the Father, namely that he is his Word and his Wisdom and his Power in the interval of time, (then) thou dost not insult the Son, but thou dost accuse the Father of having, as it were, no Word, Wisdom and Power. Say then, O heretic for thou dost not depart from the battle-field until thou dost admit defeat, giving to Stephen the crown of victory in what thing thou dost maintain that the Father is greater than the Son. I, indeed, answers the heretic, do not say it, but I assent to him who did say it. For he it is who said 'My Father, who sent me, is greater than I’. Well then, if thou art convinced by him who says (this), do thou still thy dispute, and I will hold my tongue, and we will allow the Son to explain his saying. Tell us, then, Lord, wherefore dost thou say at one time, 'I and my Father are one' (and) at another time, ‘My Father, who sent me, is greater than I?' If it be that he (sc. the Father) is greater, how (is he) equal? (He is) equal as it were in the Godhead - (he is) greater as it were in the dispensation. I am like him because I was born of him he is greater than I because I was born of the Virgin. He (sc. the Father) is equal to him who in the beginning was the Word; to the only begotten Son; to the Creator of all; to the life; to his Image; to is Splendour; to his Glory; to him who shares his throne. But he is greater than the stone which was cut out without hands (according to the word of Daniel), than the shoot which sprouted from the root of Jesse (as Isaiah said), than the stone which was rejected (according to the word of David), than the Lamb which was sacrificed (as Jeremiah said), than the Son of Man (according to the word of Ezekiel), than the grain which was sown and died, than the Temple which was destroyed and rose again. 

“And, to speak briefly, when thou hast considered the begetting which is below (sc. the earthly begetting) say that the Father is greater, but when thou hast given heed to the begetting which is on high, then perceive equality (sc. with the Father). For my nature has not become diminished nor has my honour become less on account of the putting on of the body. When therefore thou hast heard, ‘My Father, who sent me, is greater than I', consider who is he who said this - whether he is God alone or man alone or both of them, God and man. For he was God before the dispensation; man on account of the dispensation. Distinguish henceforth the natures, that of God and that of man (i.e. the Divine and the human). For not, as it were, through falling away from God did he become man, nor, as it were, through progress from man did he become God. For I say God and man. Ascribe the suffering to the flesh and the miracles to God. When thou hast ascribed the sufferings to the flesh and the miracles to God, it is necessary, though thou be unwilling, that thou ascribe the humble words to the man who is of Mary, but the sublime and divine (words) to him who in the beginning was the Word. For this reason then I sometimes utter sublime words and sometimes humble (words) in order that through the sublime words, I may show the nobility of the indwelling Word but that, through the humble (words), I may declare the weakness of the humbled flesh. Therefore I say sometimes that I am equal with the Father; sometimes that my Father is greater than I; not contending against myself, but showing that I am God and man: God from the sublime (words), man from the humble (words). But if you wish to know how my Father is greater than I, I said (this) of the flesh and not of the person of the Godhead. Prove my words; scourge the Scriptures; judge not hypocritically but judge uprightly. Since then he has permitted us to give head to the Scripture and to know the aim of those things which are said — if it please thee, O heretic, let us debate the saying as it were, in a material way. Jesus said: ‘He who loves me, keeps my saying’. Which saying? For thy sayings are many. Which? That concerning love. For the Law also is perfected in love for ‘the fulfilling of the Law is love' and grace is made strong through love for ‘I give you a new commandment that ye love one another, as I also loved you'. And what is the profit of him who keeps thy love, O Lord what is it? ‘My Father will love him'. Hear, heretic, if he who confirms the saying of the Son is beloved by the Father, will the Father then praise him who detracts from his nature? For, after Nathan the prophet, when he wished to delight King David, had said: ‘May the Lord magnify the throne of Solomon more than the throne of David his father', he (sc. David) was rejoicing, and he was adorning himself with the praise of his son as with an adornment for himself. If then David the righteous (man) was honoured the more (especially) at that time when a boy who was of him (i.e. who was descended from him) was blessed, was not (God), the fount of righteousness, adorning himself much more without envy with the crowns of the Only-begotten (Son), and was he not counting the praise given to the Son his own joy? 

“For if the root is not glorified when its fruits are reviled, how is the Father propitiated when the Son is contemned? 'He who loves me keeps my saying and my Father will love him'. Yes. And what is his profit? That ‘we will come to him '. Thou and who? I and the Father. Wherefore? That ‘we may make a dwelling-place with him'. That who may dwell therein? The Holy Spirit. Let those therefore be ashamed who belittle the exalted position of the Holy Spirit. Where the Father and the Son make a dwelling-place there also is the Spirit as Paul says: ‘For ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you'. 'He who does not love me does not keep my word'. And this is evident from the Jews. For if they had loved me they would not have planned murder against me. For love does not do that which is ‘evil to his neighbour'. 'And this word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me'. What sayest thou, Lord? 

“Sometimes / thou didst say that the word is thine; sometimes thou didst say that the word is not thine. Yes! For just as there when I speak as God, I say ‘I and the Father are one' but when I speak as man I say, 'My Father is greater than I', so also here when I speak from the Godhead I say, 'He who loves me, keeps my word', but when I speak from the flesh I say, ‘This word which ye hear is not mine but my Father's who sent me'. For word pertains to thee altogether, since thou art the Word who is of the Father. For not a slave as one of these but one word. Wherefore then didst thou say it (sc. the word) is not mine? Because the Jews, paying attention to the flesh, were despising and disdaining my word. For this reason did I refer it to the Father that I might show that, when the Word is despised, it is not I who am rejected, but it is the Father who is contemned he whom they say authoritatively that they honour refers the mission to the word of the dispensation. For it is shameful and impious to think concerning God that sometimes he is here and sometimes far off. For if the sun, being in the heavens, lights the whole habitable earth with its rays, much more do I, the Sun of Righteousness, being altogether in the bosom of the Father, light the whole creation by means of the flashes of the fear of God. When, therefore thou didst hear (the expression), ‘He sent me' or (the expression) ‘I go to my Father', do not think on these in a human way (lit. with a human thought) lest, when thou hast supposed that thou dost belittle me, thou dost diminish the honour of the Father. For if he had not sent me to you. For a man sends to a place where he is not and a man goes to the place where, at the first, he was not. If then I fill heaven / and earth as the prophet said, 'I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord', neither was I sent whither I was not, nor did he (sc. the Father) send whither he was not — but, while as God I am in the Father, I was sent as man. ‘These things have I spoken with you, while I am with you'. That is, since I have to do with you in the flesh, therefore I speak these humble words, stooping to your weakness. 'But the Paraclete (Пapáxλnτoç), the Holy Spirit, he whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you everything, and he shall bring to your remembrance all that which I say to you'. But again when thou hearest (the expression) ‘whom (the Father) sends' do not think slightingly (lit. that which is little) of the Spirit. For the Spirit is not sent to you as though he is not with you for whither has he to come or whence has he to be sent he who fills the whole creation. ‘For the Spirit of the Lord filled the creation'. ‘That I and the Father and the Holy Spirit rule (uphold) the heavens and the earth the prophet testifies he who said to the Father, 'Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, and whither shall 1 flee from thy presence (лрóошлоν)'? I am called the presence of the Father because he is seen in me for he who has seen me has seen the Father  

“(3). If it be then that those things which are on high and those things which are below and those things which are in the midst are filled with the Spirit, how, Lord, dost thou say: ‘But the Paraclete (Пapáxλnτos), the Holy Spirit, he whom my Father sends in my name'? His coming I mentioned under the name of ‘mission' (lit. sending), lest I should make the Father alien to the dispensation. For as I, after being secretly in the world as God, finally appeared openly in the world as man as John said: ‘He was in the world and the world knew him not' so also the Holy Spirit who, up to now, was invisibly with you, comes openly to you after my Ascension through the descent by means of the tongues of flame. He (sc. the Holy Spirit) comes in my name that he may fix my name firmly in the mind of the Apostles. For just as I, because my Father was not manifest, came in the name of my Father for 'blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord', and I showed his name which was not known to men, when I said, 'Father, I have made thy name known to men', so also the Holy Spirit, because no man could say my name except him for ‘no man can say that Jesus Christ is Lord, except through the Holy Spirit' - for this reason he comes in my name that he may make straight the shaken (i.e. unreliable) doctrine of many, and he shall bring out the reviled name of the Cross, and shall show the power of righteousness. 'He therefore shall teach you everything, and he shall bring everything to your remembrance'. He shall teach those things which I have not said; he shall bring to remembrance those things which I have said to you ‘Peace I leave to you; my peace I give unto you'. ‘I leave’ — as man who am set apart through suffering. I give unto as God who am with you always. ‘Not as the world gives do I give it unto you'. That is, I do not give you such peace as that which many a time war brings to an end, but through the sprinkling of my own blood, I give you peace constantly and at all times, uniting heaven to earth and angels to men, as also Paul says: ‘For Christ is our peace, he who reconciled through the blood of his sprinkling those who are in heaven and those who are on earth'. 'Let not your heart be troubled, and let it not be afraid' because I am about to be delivered up to the Jews for the deed is not of compulsion, but the Passion is voluntary. / 

"'I go and I come to you'. I go and I come both of them as man; for as God I am with you without separation. As man I go by means of death; and again as man I come by means of the resurrection. ‘If ye loved me, ye would rejoice because I go to my Father, for my Father is greater than I'. But let not your heart be troubled because I said to you, ‘My Father is greater than I'. For he (sc. the Father) is greater than the one who goes to him (but he is) not (greater) than the one who is in him. For as God I am in the Father; but as man I go to the Father. Than who, therefore, is the Father greater? Than he who now went to him; not than he who is continually with him. And, to speak briefly, he is greater and equal: Greater than he who asks, ‘How many loaves have ye?' Equal to him who from five loaves satisfied the entire multitude. Greater than he who asks: ‘Where have ye laid Lazarus?' Equal to him who by a word raised Lazarus. Greater than he who said: ‘Who touched me?' Equal to him who dried up the unemptied fountain of her whose blood was flowing. Greater than he who slept in the furthest part of the ship. Equal to him who rebuked the sea. Greater than he who was judged before Pilate. Equal to him who frees the world from judgment. Greater than he who is buffeted. Equal to him who, through a blow, bestows freedom. Greater than he who was crucified with the robbers. Equal to him who for naught declared the robber innocent. Greater than he who was stripped of his garments. Equal to him who adorns the soul. Greater than he to whom they gave vinegar to drink. Equal to him who mingled his own blood. Greater than the temple which was destroyed. Equal to him who, after the destruction, raised the temple of his soul. Greater than the one; equal to the other. When therefore I do marvellous acts, see the equality; when I suffer, I say that the Father is greater than I. For, on this account, / when I was raising the dead by the invocation (lit. word) ‘Lazarus, come out!'; when, by my will, I was cleansing the lepers ‘For I will it, be thou cleansed'; when, by a command, I was healing the hand which was withered: ‘For stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was become whole as its fellow'; when, by means of clay, I was restoring the sight of the blind (lit. I was filling up the deficiency of the eyes): 'And, when he had taken clay, he daubed it on his eyes'; when, by a rebuke, I was stilling the waves of the sea: ‘For be still, thou art restrained'; when I satisfied great multitudes out of five loaves; when I made the sources of bread into bread; when I made the limbs of the paralytic whole; when I chased away devils; when I cured diseases; I was saying, ‘I and my Father are one', as though I were giving the miracles as witnesses of (my) words. Therefore, when the Jews were disputing I was saying to them: ‘And even if ye do not believe me, believe the works, because I and my Father are one'. 

“But now, because I am about to come to suffering, and to be betrayed by Judas, and to be seized by the soldiers, and to be accused by the Pharisees, and to be judged before Pilate, and to be scourged, to be buffeted and to be stripped of my garments, and to drink vinegar, and to be fastened to the wood of the Cross- I say that my Father is greater than I, lest, on account of the dispensation in the flesh, thou think that which is base (lit. humble) concerning the freedom of the Father. Therefore he also added saying: 'And now also I have told you (these things) before they come about'. What things are they? Those pertaining to suffering. That when they are come about ye may believe 'that my Father is greater than I'. ‘Henceforth I will not speak much with you'. Thou seeest, O heretic, than who the Father is greater. Than he who says: 'Henceforth I will not speak much with you' - not than he who said: 'I will not leave you orphans, for I am with you all the days of your life.' ‘For the ruler (äpxww) of this world comes, and he has nothing in me'. Thou seest than who the Father is greater. / Than he who was judged before the judge; not than he who judges the creation. ‘Rise, let us go hence'. Thou seest than who the Father is greater. Than he who said: ‘Let us go'; not than he who says: 'I will dwell in you, and I will walk with you'. 'I am the true vine'. Thou seest than who the Father is greater. Than he who said: 'I am the vine', not than he who said: I planted the true vine'. And, that I may not prolong a lengthy discourse, briefly do I ask thee, heretic. Did he who was begotten of God before the worlds suffer, or did Jesus who, at the end of the times, was begotten of David? If then (thou sayest) that the Godhead suffered; thou sayest that which is shameful (blasphemous); but, if (thou sayest) that the flesh suffered, thou dost speak as truth has it. Wherefore, if thou dost apply (lit. bring near) the sufferings to the flesh, dost thou not refer the humble sayings to it? For if a grain, and the lamb and the worm" For he or wast thou not willing that’ the grain of wheat of does not fall on the earth and die,' for ‘he was led as a lamb to the slaughter,' 'for I am a worm and no man' —— (a man) of men is a man ‘and who shall know him?'— Should say, ‘My Father is greater than I?' And how is it possible for the man who appeared not to speak that which is humble and human? 

“But why dost thou not think this? That when he was speaking to the Jews, it was impossible for him to say at all times those things which were worthy of the Godhead? For, after he had healed the paralytic, because he said: 'I and my Father are one', they, when they had taken stones, were assailing him. Therefore Christ said to them: ‘Many good works have I done; for which work of them do ye stone me?' They say: ‘Not on account of good works do we stone thee; but because thou, being a man, makest thyself God'. O, the insipidity of the Jews! O, the arrogance of the heretics! If he says that he is equal to the Father the Jew will plan murder: if he says that the Father is greater than he the heretic will compose (lit. weave) words of blasphemy. For when he said 'I and the Father are one' (making clear the nobility which marks his Godhead) the Jew runs to Pilate, searches for Herod, seeks Caiaphas, investigates the saying with the scribes, arms the Pharisees for murder. But when he says: 'The Father is greater', wishing to show without illusion the putting on of the flesh (or perhaps, that the putting on of the flesh is without illusion), at once the heretic searches for the garment of Arius; seeks the putting on of the skill of the error of Eunomius and the doctrines of Aetius; supposing that he has proved himself wise for truth. Therefore it is time for us to say concerning them: ‘We played to you, but ye did not dance; we wailed to you, but ye did not mourn'. Shall we say ‘My Father is greater than I?'- but the heretic will murmur against him. Shall we say that he is equal? But the Jew will stone him with stones. Only grant ye (sc. Jew and heretic) that saying (in which ye do believe) and cease from madness. For thou, O Jew, if thou canst not endure to hear, 'I and my Father are one', hear, ‘My Father, who sent me, is greater than I', and throw down the stones, cast away from thee thy madness. Thou, O heretic, if thou dost not desire to hear, ‘My Father, who sent me, is greater than I', when thou hast read, 'I and my Father are one', cease from dispute, check the battle, flee from strife. But neither thou nor the Jew will cease from the battle against Christ, for ye are equal in the battle against the Lord and against his Christ. Thou, O heretic, art against Christ, for thou dost deny his generation which is without beginning. Thou, O Jew, art against Christ, for thou layest bare (or puttest to shame) the pang of virginity, that (travail) which is without suffering. But when we leave the falsehood of the heretics, / let us offer glory to Christ who is the source of truth. To him is fitting honour for ever and ever, Amen! Finished is the Homily of S. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, concerning that which is said in John the Evangelist (Evayyeλioτns), < My Father, who sent me, is greater than I ».” 

Ἐκ τῆς ὁμιλίας τοῦ ἁγίου Αμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ικονίου εἰς

τό· ὁ ἀποστείλας με πατήρ μείζων μου εστίν. Εἰπὲ, κατὰ ποῖον

λόγον λέγεις τὸν πατέρα μείζονα τοῦ υἱοῦ· οὐκ ἐγώ, φησι, λέγω,

ἀλλὰ τῷ λέγοντι πείθομαι· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ εἰπών· ὁ ἀποστείλας

με πατήρ, μείζων μου ἐστίν. Εἰ τῷ λέγοντι πείθη, παῦσον καὶ σὺ

τὴν μάχην, καγὼ συστελῶ τὴν γλῶσσαν· καὶ δῶμεν τῷ υἱῷ τὸν

οἰκεῖον λόγον ἑρμηνεῦσαι· εἰπὲ γοῦν, δέσποτα· διὰ τί ποτὲ μὲν

λέγεις· ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἓν ἐσμεν· ποτὲ δέ· ὁ ἀποστείλας με

πατὴρ μείζων μου ἐστίν ; εἰ μείζων, πῶς ἴσος; εἰ ἴσος, πῶς μείζων ;

τὰ δύο λέγω· ἐπειδὴ καὶ μείζων μου ἐστὶ καὶ ἴσος· κατὰ τὴν

θεότητα, ἴσος· κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν, μείζων· ἴσος αὐτοῦ εἰμι,

ἐπειδὴ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐγεννήθην· μείζων μου ἐστίν, ἐπειδὴ ἐκ τῆς

παρθένου ἐγεννήθην. 

PG 39 Extract XII. Apud Theodoretum, Dial. I & II. 

Αμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ικονίου, ἐκ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ εἰς τὸ,

Πατήρ μου μείζων μου ἐστίν. Διάκρινόν μοι λοιπὸν τὰς φύσεις,

τήν τε τοῦ θεοῦ, τήν τε τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· οὔτε γὰρ κατ᾽ ἔκπτωσιν

ἐκ θεοῦ γέγονεν ἄνθρωμος· οὔτε κατὰ προκοπὴν ἐξ ἀνθρώπου

θεός. θεὸν γὰρ καὶ ἄνθρωπον λέγω. Ὅταν δὲ τὰ παθήματα τῇ

σαρκὶ, καὶ τὰ θαύματα τῷ θεῷ δῷς, ἀνάγκῃ καὶ μὴ θέλων δίδως,

τοὺς μὲν ταπεινοὺς λόγους τῷ ἐκ Μαρίας ἀνθρώπῳ, τοὺς δὲ ἀνηγ-

μένους καὶ θεοπρεπεῖς, τῷ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὄντι Λόγῳ. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ,

πὴ μὲν ἀνηγμένους, πὴ δὲ ταπεινούς φθέγγομαι λόγους· ἵνα διὰ

μὲν τῶν ὑψηλῶν, τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος Λόγου δείξω τὴν συγγένειαν·

διὰ δὲ τῶν ταπεινῶν, τῆς ταπεινῆς σαρκὸς γνωρίσω τὴν ἀσθένειαν.

Ὅθεν πὴ μὲν ἑαυτὸν ἴσον λέγω τοῦ Πατρὸς, πὴ δὲ μείζονα τὸν

Πατέρα. οὐ μαχόμενος ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς ὡς θεός εἰμι καὶ

ἄνθρωπος· θεὸς μὲν ἐκ τῶν ὑψηλῶν, ἄνθρωπος δὲ ἐκ τῶν ταπεινῶν·

εἰ δὲ θέλητε γνῶναι πῶς ὁ πατήρ μου μείζων μου ἐστὶν, ἐκ τῆς

σαρκὸς εἶπον, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ προσώπου θεότητος.

Τοῦ ἁγίου Αμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ικονίου εἰς τὸ · Ὁ Πατήρ

μου μείζων μου ἐστίν.

Οὐ γὰρ ἀκούσιον τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀλλ' αὐτοπρο (1) ...... ὡς δε θεὸς

ἀχωρίστως μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν. εἰ μὲν ὑπάγω διὰ τοῦ θανάτου ὡς ἄνθρωπος,

ἔρχομαι δὲ πάλιν διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ὡς ἀνθρωπός. 

᾿Αλλὰ μὴ ταρασσέσθω ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία ὅτι εἶπον ὑμῖν ὁ πατήρ

μου μείζων μου ἐστι· μείζων γάρ ἐστι τοῦ πορευομένου πρὸς αὐτόν,

οὐ τοῦ ὄντος ἐν αὐτῷ· ὡς γὰρ θεός εἰμι ἐν τῷ Πατρί· ὥστε ὡς

ἄνθρωπος πορεύομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα· ἐκείνου οὖν μείζων ὁ

Πατήρ, τοῦ πορευομένου πρὸς αὐτόν, οὐ τοῦ ἀεὶ ὄντος ἐν αὐτῷ·

καὶ ἵνα συντόμως εἴπω, μείζων ἐστὶ καὶ ἴσος· ἴσος τοῦ ἐκ πέντε

ἄρτων δῆμον ὁλόκληρον κορεννύντος· μείζων τοῦ ἐρωτῶντος, ποῦ

τὸν Λάζαρον τεθείκατε· ἴσος τοῦ τὸν Λάζαρον ἀνιστῶντος λόγῳ·

μείζων τοῦ λέγοντος, τίς μου ἥψατο ;· ἴσος τοῦ τὰς ἀκενώτους

πηγὰς τῆς αἱμορροούσης ξηράναντος · μείζων τοῦ καθεύδοντος

ἐπὶ τῇ πρύμνη· ἴσος τοῦ ἐπιτιμῶντος τῇ θαλάσσῃ· μείζων τοῦ

κρινομένου ἐπὶ Πιλάτου · ἴσος τοῦ κρίσεως ἐλευθεροῦντος τὸν

κόσμον · μείζων τοῦ ῥαπιζομένου, μείζων τοῦ συσταυρουμένου λησ

ταῖς· ἴσος τοῦ τὸν λῃστὴν δικαιοῦντος δωρεάν· μείζων τοῦ γύμ

νουμένου τὴν ἐσθῆτα· ἴσος τοῦ στολίζοντος τὴν ψυχήν· μείζων

τοῦ ποτιζομένου ὄξος · ἴσος τοῦ τὸ οἰκεῖον οἰνοχοοῦντος αἷμα

μείζων τοῦ λυομένου ναοῦ · ἴσος τοῦ καὶ μετὰ τὴν λύσιν τὸν

οἰκεῖον ἐγείραντος ναόν. ἐκείνου μείζων, τούτου ἴσος.

—-(1) fortasse αὐτοπροαίρετον τὸ πάθημα. 

Καὶ πάλιν · Οὐκέτι πολλὰ λαλήσω μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν· ὁρᾷς, αἱρετικέ,

τίνος μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ πατήρ, τοῦ λέγοντος οὐκέτι πολλὰ λαλήσω

μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν· οὐ τοῦ λέγοντος οὐκ ἀφήσω ὑμᾶς ὀρφανούς · μεθ᾿

ὑμῶν γάρ εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας· ἔρχεται

ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμον καὶ ἐν ἐμοι εὑρήσει οὐδέν. ὁρᾷς, τίνος ἐστὶ

μείζων, τοῦ κρινομένου ἐπ' ὄψεσιν ἀρχόντων, οὐ τοῦ ποιήσαντος

τὴν οἰκουμένην· ἐγείρεσθε ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν· ὁρᾷς, τίνος ἐστὶ

μείζων ὁ πατήρ, τοῦ λέγοντος ἄγωμεν· οὐ τοῦ λέγοντος ἐνοικήσω

ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω · ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή· ὁρᾷς,

τίνος ἐστὶ μείζων ὁ πατήρ, τοῦ λέγοντος ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος·

οὐ τοῦ λέγοντος, ἐγώ ἐφύτευσα ἄμπελον ἀληθινήν. 

PG 39 Extract 2. Ap. Theod. Dial. III.

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ἀρειανῶν λόγου. καὶ ἵνα μὴ μακρὸν

ἀποτείνω τὸν λόγον, συντόμως ἐρωτῶ σε, αἱρετικέ. Ὁ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ

πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων γεννηθεὶς ἔπαθεν, ἢ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ Δαβίδ ἐν ὑστέροις

καιροῖς τεχθεὶς Ἰησοῦς; εἰ μὲν οὖν θεότης ἔπαθεν, εἶπας τὸ

βλάσφημον· εἰ δὲ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς ἔχει ἡ ἀλήθεια, τίνος οὖν ἕνεκα

μή προσάπτεις τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ πάθος ;

(= Greek extract C.)

S. Amphilochii Episcopi Iconii in eo quod dictum est :

Pater major me est.

Nec enim absque voluntate causa extitit, sed spontanea

est passio. Vado et venio ad vos. Vado et venio : utraque

sicut homo transmigro, sicut Deus autem inseperabiliter

vobiscum sum. Vado homo per mortem, venio autem iterum

per resurrectionem homo.

Vides quod major est Pater dicente, 'Eamus', non dicente:

'Inhabitabo in eis et inambulabo'. Vides quod major est

Pater dicente: Ego sum vitis', non dicente: Ego plantavi

vitem veram'. Et ut non longum extendam sermonem,

breviter, haeretice, te requiro. Qui natus est ex Deo ante

secula, passus est, an qui ex David in ultimis temporibus

generatus est, Jesus? Si quidem divinitas passa, dixisti

blasphemiam; si autem homo, sicut veritas habet, quare non

applicas homini passionem, aut humilia non consuis verba.

ܐܡܦܠܝܟܘܣ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܐܝܩܢܘܢ: ܒܐܓܪܬ ܕܥܠ ܗܝܡܢܘܬ

ܗܟܢܐ 2. The Amphilochius quotation made by the Grammarian:

ܕܐܡܦܝܠܝܟܝܣ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܿ ܓܪܡܛܝܩܘܣ . ܦܪܫ ܡܟܝܠ ܠܟܝܺܢܐܡܢ