66 και και αυτός" Και ευλόγησεν τε λεια του πατρος μου. The he also was a man. And he feast. For he did not teach being intoxicated; and he shewed again that what was blessed was wine, saying to his disciples, "I will not drink of the fruit of this vine, until I shall drink it with you in the kingdom of my Father!" The meat and drink of the divine Word, is the knowledge of the divine essence. Clem. Alexandrini Strom.* Lib. v. p. 579. Καγω αδελφοι ου ηδυνήθην υμιν λαλησαι ως πνευματικοις αλλ' ως σαρκικοις, ως νηπιοις εν Χριστω. Γαλα υμας επο τισα κικοι. And I, brethren, have not been able to speak to you as spiritual, but as carnal, as babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, not solid food. For ye were not capable (of it) neither are ye yet capable, for ye are still carnal. If then milk is said by the Apostle to be the nourishment of infants; but solid food that of the perfect; milk shall be deemed catechetical instruction, and solid food, the contemplation of Στρώματα, miscellanies. ου βρωμα. Ουκω γαρ εδυνάσθε. Αλλ' ουδε ετι νυν δυνασθε. Ετι γαρ εστε σαρΕι τοίνυν το μεν γαλα, των νηπίων· Το βρωμα δε των τελειων τροφή προς του Αποστολου ειρηται. Γαλα μεν η κατηχησις, οιονει πρωτη ψυχης τροφη νοηθήσεται βρωμα δε η εποπτικη θεωρία· Σαρκες αυται και αιμα το λόγου, τουτέστι, κατα ληψις της θειας δυναμεως και ουσίας. Γεύσασθε και ίδετε οτι Χριστος ο κύριος, φησιν. Οντως γαρ εαυτου μεταδιδωσι τοις πνευματικώτερον της τοιαυτης μεταλαμβάνουσι βρώσεως. Ο τε δη η ψυχη αυτη εαυτην ηδη τρέφει κατα τον φιλαληθη Πλατωνα. Βρωσις γαρ και ποσις του Θείου λόγου, η γνωσις εστι της θειας ουσίας.-(Editio ut supra.) the initiated, the very flesh and blood of the Word, that is, the apprehension of the divine power and essence. “Taste, and see,” he says, "that Christ is the Lord." For thus he imparts Himself to those who partake of that which is more spiritual in that food, when the soul itself is nourished according to the truth-loving Plato. For the meat and drink of the divine Word, is the knowledge of the divine essence. The wine is a symbol of the blood. Μυστικον αρα συμβολον η γραφη αιματος αγιου οινον ωνόμασεν. The Scripture truly has called the wine a mystical symbol of the holy blood. To drink of Christ's blood, is to partake of his incorruption by the unction of his Spirit. Clem. Alex. Pad. Lib. ii. Ρ. 151. Διττον το αιμα του κυρίου. Το μεν γαρ εστιν αυτου σαρκι κον, ω της φθορας λελυθρωμεθα' Το δε πνευματικόν, τουτεστιν ω κεχρισμεθα. Και τουτο εστι πιειν το αιμα του Ιησου, της κυριακης μεταλαβειν αφθαρσιας. Ισχυς δε του λόγου το πνευμα, ως αιμα σαρκος. Αναλογως τοινυν κριναται ο μεν οινος τω υδατι. Τω δε ανθρωπω, το πνευμα. Και το μεν εις πιστιν ενωχει, το κραμα. Το δε εις αφθαρσίαν οδηγεί, το πνευμα. Η δε αμφοιν αυθις κρασις, ποτου και λόγου, τε The blood of the Lord is two-fold. The one is carnal by which we are redeemed from corruption ; the other is spiritual; and it is this by which we are anointed. And to partake of the Lord's incorruption is to drink the blood of Jesus. For the strength of the Word is the Spirit, as blood is the strength of the flesh. And analogously the wine is mixed with the water, and spirit with the man. And the one, viz. the mixture, saturates unto faith; σει χαρις but the other, viz. the spirit, conducts to incorruption. But the mixture, again, of both, viz. of the drink and of the word, is called the thanksgiving (or eucharist) it being a praisegiving and excellent grace. Prayer is the best sacrifice. Clementis Alexandrini Stromatum. Lib. vii. Ρ. 717. Ει δε τιμωμενον χαίρει, φυ ουκ ανενδεες υπαρχον, απεικότως ημεις δι' ευχης τιμωμεν τον Θεόν. Και ταυτην την θυσίαν αρίστην και αγιοτατην μετα δικαιοσυνης αναπεμπομεν τω δικαιοτάτω λογω γεραιροντες" Δι' ου παραλαμβανόμεν την γνωσιν, δια τουτου δόξαζοντες α μεμαθηκαμεν. Εστι γουν το παρ' ημων θυσιαστηριον ενταυθα το επίγειον, το αθροισμα των ταις ευχαίς ανακειμενων, μιαν ωσπερ έχον φωνην, την κοιναν και μιαν γνωμην.-(Editio ut supra.) But if he, who from his nature wants nothing, delights in being honoured; wenotunreasonably honour God with prayer; and we send up with righteousness this the best and most holy sacrifice, venerating him in his most holy word, through which we receive knowledge, and by this giving him glory in the things which we have been taught. The assembly, therefore, of those who come together for prayer is there our earthly altar, which has as it were one common voice and one opinion. Prayers and praises are the constant sacrifices of a believer. Clem. Alex. Strom. Περι τουτων αρα ο γνωστι κος και συνευξεται τοις καινοτερον πεπιστευκόσι, περί ων και συμπραττεν καθήκει. Απας δε ο βιος αυτου πανηγυρις αγια Αντικα θυσιαι μεν αυτω, ευχαι τε και αινοι, και αι προ της εστιασεως εντεύξεις των γραφων, ψαλμοι δε και υμνοι παρα την Lib. vii. Ρ. 728. He, therefore, who is sagacious will pray with new believers respecting the things in which it is fitting that they should unite. And his whole life (will be) a holy festival; and his constant sacrifices will be prayers and praises, and the reading of the Scriptures be ка εστιασιν, προ τε της κοίτης. παντι τοινυν τοπω, ουκ αντικρυς δε, ουδε εμφανως τοις πολλοις, εύξεται. fore eating, and psalms and hymns after eating and before going to rest, and prayers again at night. By these he unites himself to the heavenly chorus by a perpetual memorial, being enrolled in their ever present contemplation. But does he not recognize another sacrifice, the giving both of instruction and money to the destitute ? Most certainly. But he does not use with his mouth a many-worded prayer, having learnt what it is needful to ask from the Lord. He will pray, therefore, in every place, but not right opposite to, nor openly before the multitude. Believers offer up themselves as sacrifices. Δι' ην αιτίαν, ου θυομεν εικοτως ανένδεει το Θεω, τω τα παντα τοις πασι παρεσχημένω. Τον δ' υπερ ημων ιερευθεντα δοξάζομεν, σφας αυτους ιερευθεντες, εις δε το ανενδεες εκ του ανενδεους, και εις το απαθες εκ του απαθους. Μονη γαρ τη ημετερα σωτηρία ο Θεός ηδεται. Ουτε θυσίαις, ουδε μεν αναθη μασιν, ουδε αν δοξη και τιμη καλείται το Θείον, και παραγεται τοιούτοις τισι, αλλα μονοις τοις καλοίς καγαθοις ανδρασι φαίνεται, οι το δικαιον ουκ αν ποτε προδωεν η φοβου ενεκεν απειλουμενου η δωρων υποσχέσει μειζόνων. Lib. vii. p. 707. For which cause, as it is seemly, we do not sacrifice to God who wants nothing, but who has given all things to all. But we glorify Him who offered a sacrifice for us, sacrificing our ownselves, &c. For God delights in our salvation only. The Deity is not invoked by sacrifices, nor indeed by offerings, nor by glory and honour: he dispenses with all such things ; but he manifests himself only to the good and excellent, who have never betrayed what is just, either from the fear of menaced evil, or from the promise of greater gifts. The Christian sacrifice. Clem. Alex. Pæd. Lib. iii. Ρ. 261. Πως ουν θυσω τω Κυρίω; Θυσία, φησι, τω Κυρίω πνεύμα συντετριμμενον. Πως ουν στεψω, η μυρω χρισω; η τι 9υμιασω το Κυρίω; Ωσμη, φησιν, ευωδίας τω Θεω, καρδια δοξαζουσα τον πεπλακοτα αυτην. Ταυτα στέφη, και θυσίαι, και αρωματα, και ανθή του Θεου. How shall I sacrifice to the Lord? The sacrifice to the Lord, he says, is a contrite spirit. But how shall I crown, or anoint with ointment, or what incense shall I offer to the Lord? The heart which glorifies its Maker, he says, is a sweet smelling odour. These are the crowns, and sacrifices, and perfumes, and flowers of God. BASIL. We eat the flesh and blood of Christ by partaking of the divine word and wisdom. Basilii, &c. Epist. viii. Tom.iii. p. 83. (Bened.edit. Paris. 1721.) Και 0 τρωγων με, φησι, ζησεται δι' εμε. Τρωγομεν γαρ νοι αυτού την σαρκα, και πινόμεν For "he who eats me, he says, shall live by me.” For we eat his flesh and drink his blood, being partakers through his incarnation and perceptible life of the word and of wisdom. For he called all his mystical sojourning flesh and blood, and he signified the teaching which was involved in his practical and physical and theological (life, or sojourning, or teaching)* by which the soul is nourished, and is prepared meanwhile for the contemplation of the things that exist, and this, perhaps, is manifested by that saying. Either ζωη, οι επιδημια, or διδασκαλια must be understood. |