1 Corinthians 8:6 — Catechetical Lecture 10:3

We say "one" to stop anyone dreaming that there could be another. We say "one" lest you should hear of his work under manifold names.

1 Corinthians 9:22 — SERMON ON THE PARALYTIC 10

Everywhere the Savior becomes "all things to all men." To the hungry, bread; to the thirsty, water; to the dead, resurrection; to the sick, a physician; to sinners, redemption.

1 Corinthians 10:1 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURE 1 1.3

There Moses was sent by God into Egypt; here Christ was sent from the Father into the world. Moses' mission was to lead out of Egypt a persecuted people; Christ's was to rescue all the people of the world who were under the tyranny of sin. There the blood of a lamb was the charm against the destroyer; here, the blood of the unspotted Lamb, Jesus Christ, is appointed your inviolable sanctuary against demons.

1 Corinthians 10:20 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURE 1.7

For as the bread and wine of the Eucharist before the holy invocation of the adorable Trinity were ordinary bread and wine, while after the invocation the bread becomes the body of Christ and the wine becomes his blood, so these foods of the pomp of Satan, though of their own nature ordinary food, become profane through the invocation of evil spirits.

1 Corinthians 11:3 — Catechetical Lecture 13:23

The Head suffered in the "place of the skull." O great and prophetic appellation! The very name all but reminds you to think not of the crucified as a mere man. He is the head of every principality and power. The Head which was crucified is the Head of all power.

1 Corinthians 11:24 — ON THE MYSTERIES, FOURTH LECTURE 1.2

The teaching of the blessed Paul is of itself sufficient to give you full assurance about the divine mysteries by admission to which you have become one body and blood with Christ.… When the Master himself has explicitly said of the bread, "This is my body," will anyone still dare to doubt? When he is himself our warranty saying, "This is my blood," who will ever waver and say it is not his blood?… With perfect confidence, then, we partake as of the body and blood of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:5 — Catechetical Lecture 14:22

The Holy Spirit adapts himself to each person. He sees the dispositions of each. He sees into our reasoning and our conscience, what we say, what we think, what we believe.

1 Corinthians 12:9 — Catechetical Lecture 5.11

This faith which is given by the Spirit as a grace is not just doctrinal faith but a faith which empowers activities surpassing human nature, a faith which moves mountains.… For just as a grain of mustard seed is of little bulk but of explosive energy, taking a trifling space for its planting and then sending out great branches all around, so that when it is grown it can give shelter to the birds, so in like manner the faith present in one's soul achieves the greatest things by the most summary decision. For such a one places the thought of God before his mind and as enlightenment of faith permits it, beholds God. His mind also ranges through the world from end to end, and with the end of this age not yet come, beholds the judgment already, and the bestowal of the promised rewards.

1 Corinthians 12:11 — Catechetical Lecture 14:12

One and the same rain comes down on all the world, yet it becomes white in the lily, red in the rose, purple in the violets and hyacinths, different and many-colored in manifold species. Thus it is one in the palm tree and another in the vine, and all in all things, though it is uniform and does not vary in itself. For the rain does not change, coming down now as one thing and now as another, but it adapts itself to the thing receiving it and becomes what is suitable to each. Similarly the Holy Spirit, being One and of one nature and indivisible, imparts to each one his grace "according as he will." The dry tree when watered brings forth shoots. So too does the soul in sin, once made worthy through repentance of the grace of the Holy Spirit, flower into justice. Though the Spirit is one in nature, yet by the will of God and in the name of the Son, he brings about many virtuous effects. For he employs the tongue of one for wisdom, illumines the soul of another by prophecy, to another he grants the power of driving out devils, to another the gift of interpreting the sacred Scriptures. He strengthens the self-control of one while teaching another the nature of almsgiving, and still another to fast and humble himself, and another to despise the things of the body. He prepares another for martyrdom. He acts differently in different persons, though he himself is not diverse.

1 Corinthians 12:11 — Catechetical Lecture 16:2

Let us assert of the Holy Spirit only what is written. Let us not busy ourselves about what is not written. The Holy Spirit has authored the Scriptures. He has spoken of himself all that he wished, or all that we could grasp. Let us confine ourselves to what he has said, for it is reckless to do otherwise.

1 Corinthians 14:35 — Catechetical Lecture 15

I wish to see each man's earnestness and each woman's devotion. Burn out impiety from your mind, put your soul on the anvil and your stubborn infidelity under the hammer.… Then let the gate of paradise be opened to each man and each woman among you.

1 Corinthians 15:3 — Catechetical Lecture 13

The iniquity of sinners was not as great as the justice of the One who died for them. The sins we committed were not as great as the justice he embodied, when he laid down his life for us.

1 Corinthians 15:6 — Catechetical Lecture 14:22

"He appeared to Cephas; and after that to the twelve." So if you disbelieve one witness, you have twelve witnesses. "Then he was seen by more than five hundred people at once"—if they disbelieve the twelve, then listen to the five hundred. "After that he was seen by James," his own brother and the first overseer of this [Jerusalem] diocese. Since so noteworthy a bishop was privileged to see the risen Christ, along with the other disciples, do not disbelieve. But you may say that his brother was a biased witness. So then he continues: "He was seen by me." But who am I? I am Paul, his enemy! "I was formerly a persecutor" but now preach the good news of the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:17 — Catechetical Lecture 13

If the cross is an illusion, the resurrection is an illusion also, and "if Christ has not risen, we are still in our sins." If the cross is an illusion, the ascension is also an illusion, and everything, finally, becomes unsubstantial.

1 Corinthians 15:25 — Catechetical Lecture 15:29

Some say that when his enemies have been put under his feet, he will no longer be king, a bad and stupid thing to say. For if he is king before he has finally defeated his enemies, must he not be all the more king when he has completely mastered them?

1 Corinthians 15:25 — Catechetical Lecture 18

This body shall be raised but not in its present weakness. It shall be raised the very same body, but by putting aside corruption it shall be transformed, just as iron becomes fire when combined with fire, as the Lord who raises us knows. This body therefore shall rise, but it will not abide in its present condition, but as an eternal body. No longer will it, as now, need nourishment for life nor stairs for its ascent. It will become spiritual, a marvelous thing, beggaring description.

1 Corinthians 15:49 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5.11

They are also a "heaven" "bearing the likeness of the heavenly man," since God is dwelling in them and mingling with them.

1 Corinthians 15:53 — Catechetical Lecture 8:18

While the identical body is raised up, it will be transformed by the putting on of incorruption, as iron exposed to fire is made incandescent. This occurs in a manner known only to the Lord who raises the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:55 — Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 3

Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man is he that despiseth Baptism? But He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace. For since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same, that having been made partakers of His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our participation might receive both salvation and honour. According to Job, there was in the waters the dragon that draweth up Jordan into his mouth. Since, therefore, it was necessary to break the heads of the dragon in pieces, He went down and bound the strong one in the waters, that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and scorpions. The beast was great and terrible. No fishing-vessel was able to carry one scale of his tail: destruction ran before him, ravaging all that met him. The Life encountered him, that the mouth of Death might henceforth be stopped, and all we that are saved might say, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is drawn by Baptism.

1 Corinthians 15:56 — Catechetical Lecture 3:11-12

Baptism destroys the sting of death. For you descend into the water laden with your sins. But the invocation of grace causes your soul to receive this seal, and after that it does not lead you to be swallowed up by the dread dragon. You go down "deadly indeed in sin," and you come up "alive unto righteousness."

1 John 3:10 — Catechetical Lecture 2:4

The chief author of sin is the devil, the begetter of all sin. Before him, no one sinned. Nor did he sin because he was by nature prone to sin (since in that case the responsibility for his sin would lie with his Creator). Rather, being created good he became a devil by his own free choice, receiving that name from his willed action. Though he was originally an archangel, he became a slanderer (diabolos), because of his slandering.

1 John 5:1 — Catechetical Lecture 11:7

We can turn this around and say that anyone who despises the Begotten also despises the One who begat him.

1 Kings 1:39 — Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 21 (Mystagogical Lecture 3)

Moreover, you should know that in the old Scripture there lies the symbol of this Chrism. For what time Moses imparted to his brother the command of God, and made him High-priest, after bathing in water, he anointed him; and Aaron was called Christ or Anointed, evidently from the typical Chrism. So also the High-priest, in advancing Solomon to the kingdom, anointed him after he had bathed in Gihon. To them however these things happened in a figure, but to you not in a figure, but in truth; because ye were truly anointed by the Holy Ghost. Christ is the beginning of your salvation; for He is truly the First-fruit, and ye the mass; but if the First-fruit be holy, it is manifest that Its holiness will pass to the mass also.

1 Kings 8:27 — Catechetical Lecture 12:9

Afterwards Solomon, hearing his father David say these things, and having built a wondrous house and foreseeing him who would come to it, says in astonishment, "Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell on earth?" Yes, says David in anticipation in the psalm inscribed "For Solomon," wherein it is said, "He shall be like rain coming down on the fleece"; "rain" because of his heavenly origin but "on the fleece" because of his humanity. For rain, falling on fleece, falls noiselessly; so that, the mystery of his birth being unknown, the wise men said, "Where is he that is born king of the Jews?" And Herod, being troubled, inquired concerning him who had been born, and said, "Where is the Christ born?"

1 Peter 3:18-19 — Catechetical Lecture 4, Sections 11-12

He was truly laid as Man in a tomb of rock; but rocks were rent asunder by terror because of Him. He went down into the regions beneath the earth, that thence also He might redeem the righteous. For, tell me, could thou wish the living only to enjoy His grace, and that, though most of them are unholy; and not wish those who from Adam had for a long while been imprisoned to have now gained their liberty? Esaias the Prophet proclaimed with loud voice so many things concerning Him; would you not wish that the King should go down and redeem His herald? David was there, and Samuel, and all the Prophets, John himself also, who by his messengers said, Are you He that should come, or look we for another [Matthew 11:3]? Would you not wish that He should descend and redeem such as these? But He who descended into the regions beneath the earth came up again; and Jesus, who was buried, truly rose again the third day. And if the Jews ever worry you, meet them at once by asking thus: Did Jonah come forth from the whale on the third day, and has not Christ then risen from the earth on the third day?

1 Peter 3:18-19 — Catechetical Lecture 13, Sections 33-34

He cried to the Father, saying, Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit [Luke 23:46]; I commend it, that I may take it again. And having said these things, He gave up the ghost [Matthew 27:50]; but not for any long time, for He quickly rose again from the dead. The Sun was darkened, because of the Sun of Righteousness [Malachi 4:2]. Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was free among the dead; He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water [Zechariah 9:11].

1 Peter 4:6 — Catechetical Lecture 13, Sections 33-34

He cried to the Father, saying, Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit [Luke 23:46]; I commend it, that I may take it again. And having said these things, He gave up the ghost [Matthew 27:50]; but not for any long time, for He quickly rose again from the dead. The Sun was darkened, because of the Sun of Righteousness [Malachi 4:2]. Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was free among the dead; He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water [Zechariah 9:11].

1 Peter 4:6 — Catechetical Lecture 4, Sections 11-12

He was truly laid as Man in a tomb of rock; but rocks were rent asunder by terror because of Him. He went down into the regions beneath the earth, that thence also He might redeem the righteous. For, tell me, could thou wish the living only to enjoy His grace, and that, though most of them are unholy; and not wish those who from Adam had for a long while been imprisoned to have now gained their liberty? Esaias the Prophet proclaimed with loud voice so many things concerning Him; would you not wish that the King should go down and redeem His herald? David was there, and Samuel, and all the Prophets, John himself also, who by his messengers said, Are you He that should come, or look we for another [Matthew 11:3]? Would you not wish that He should descend and redeem such as these? But He who descended into the regions beneath the earth came up again; and Jesus, who was buried, truly rose again the third day. And if the Jews ever worry you, meet them at once by asking thus: Did Jonah come forth from the whale on the third day, and has not Christ then risen from the earth on the third day?

1 Samuel 1:13-14 — Catechetical Lectures, Prologue, 14

Let the virgins likewise form a separate band, singing hymns or reading; silently, however, so that while their lips speak, no other's ears may hear what they say. For, "I suffer not a woman to speak in church." Let the married woman imitate them: let her pray and her lips move but her voice not be heard. So shall Samuel come among us: your barren soul, that is to say, shall bring forth the salvation of "God who has heard your prayers." For that is the meaning of "Samuel."

1 Thessalonians 4:17 — Catechetical Lecture 18:29

Now the life that is really and truly life is God the Father, the fount of life, who pours out his heavenly gifts upon all his creatures through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, and the blessings of eternal life are faithfully promised even to us men, through his love for us. There must be no incredulity about the possibility of that. For we ought to believe, because our minds should be set on his power, not on our feebleness. For anything is possible with God, and that our eternal life is both possible and to be looked forward to by us is shown when Daniel says, "the understanding … from among the many righteous shall shine as the stars for ever and ever." And Paul says, "And so shall we be ever with the Lord." For "being ever with the Lord" means the same thing as eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:13 — Catechetical Lecture 10:18

At this point in my discourse I confess my amazement at the wise dispensation of the Holy Spirit, in limiting the epistles of the others to a small number but granting grace to Paul, the former persecutor, to write fourteen. For it was not as though Peter and John were less than Paul that he withheld the gift in their case—God forbid!—but that his doctrine might be beyond question, he gave the grace to the former enemy and persecutor to write more, that thus we might all be confirmed in our faith. Indeed, all were astonished at Paul and said, "Is not this he who used to make havoc" previously "and who has come here for the purpose of taking us in bonds to Jerusalem?" Do not be astonished, Paul says, "I know that 'it is hard for me to kick against the goad.'21 I know that 'I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,' but 'I acted ignorantly.' For I considered the preaching of Christ to be the destruction of the law, for I did not know that he came 'to fulfill the law, not to destroy it.'23 But 'the grace of our Lord has abounded beyond measure in me.' "

1 Timothy 2:6 — Catechetical Lecture 13:2

Do not wonder that the whole world was redeemed, for it was no mere man but the Only-begotten Son of God who died for it. The sin of one man, Adam, availed to bring death to the world; if by one man's offense death reigned for the world, why should not life reign all the more "from the justice of the one?" If Adam and Eve were cast out of paradise because of the tree from which they ate, should not believers more easily enter into paradise because of the Tree of Jesus? If the first man, fashioned out of the earth, brought universal death, shall not he who fashioned him, being the Life, bring everlasting life? If Phinees by his zeal in slaying the evildoer appeased the wrath of God, shall not Jesus, who slew no other, but "gave himself a ransom for all," take away God's wrath against man?

1 Timothy 3:2 — Catechetical Lecture 4:26

Do not let the once-married set at nought those who have come together in marriage for the second time. For continence is a fine thing and admirable. But folk may be pardoned for contracting a second marriage, lest infirmity end in fornication.

1 Timothy 3:15 — Catechetical Lecture 18:25

"For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations." It is of this holy Catholic church that Paul writes to Timothy.… He calls the church "the pillar and mainstay of the truth."

1 Timothy 4:1 — Catechetical Lecture 17:33

That the Holy Spirit subsists, lives, speaks and foretells I have told you repeatedly on former occasions. Paul writes clearly to Timothy, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith." This we see in the factions of former times and in our own day. How diverse and multiform are the errors of the heretics.

1 Timothy 4:3 — Catechetical Lecture 4:27

Do not abhor meats as if they were taboo. The apostle evidently knew people like that, since he says that there are those "who forbid to marry and command to abstain from meats which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe." If therefore you are abstaining from these things, let it not be as from things abominated, or your reward is lost, but as good things let them be transcended, in the quest of the fairer spiritual rewards that are set before you.

1 Timothy 6:8 — Catechetical Lecture 5:2

For those who in appearance are rich, though they have many possessions, are yet poor in soul. The more they amass, the more they pine with longing for what they lack. But the believer, paradoxically, is rich even when poor. Knowing that we have need only of raiment and food and being content with these, he has trampled riches underfoot.

1 Timothy 6:20 — Catechetical Lecture 15:33

I have many other testimonies from holy Scripture to the fact that the kingdom of Christ endures throughout all ages. But I will content myself with what I have said, because the day wears on. And do you, my hearers, worship him alone as king, and flee every misguided heresy.… Flee the false Christ, and look for the true. You have been taught the way to be among those on his right hand at the judgment. Retain "that which is committed to you" concerning Christ, and be adorned with good works. So you will stand with a good courage before the Judge and thereafter inherit the kingdom of heaven.

2 Corinthians 1:3 — Catechetical Lecture 6.1

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." For in the thought of God, let the thought of Father be included, so that the glory which we ascribe to the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit may be perfectly free from difference. For the Father has not one glory and the Son another, but their glory is one and the same, since the Son is the Father's sole-begotten. When the Father is glorified, the Son shares in enjoyment of his glory, because the Son draws his glory from the honoring of the Father. Again, whenever the Son is glorified, the Father of so excellent a Son is greatly honored.

2 Corinthians 1:22 — Catechetical Lecture 17:32

To realize that Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit, and like him all the apostles, and all who after them believe in Father, Son and Holy Spirit, pay attention to the clear words of Paul himself.… "God who also stamped us with his seal and gave us the Spirit as a pledge."

2 Corinthians 3:14 — Catechetical Lecture 15:32

"Until this day" means not just until the time of Paul but until our time also, and indeed, till the end of the world.

2 Corinthians 11:14 — Catechetical Lecture 4:1

Evil apes respectability, and tares do their best to look like wheat, but however close a similarity to wheat they have in appearance their taste completely undeceives the discerning. Even the devil "transforms himself into an angel of light," not meaning to ascend again to his former place (for he possesses a heart as hard as an anvil and has no intention of repenting ever) but to snare those who are living the angelic life in blinding darkness and infest them with a condition of faithlessness. There are many wolves going about "in sheep's clothing," but though they wear the coats of sheep, they possess nonetheless both talons and teeth. They wrap themselves in the gentle creature's hide and with this disguise deceive the innocent only to inject with their teeth the deadly poison of their irreligion. We therefore need the grace of God, a sober mind and watchful eyes, so as not to eat tares for wheat and come to harm for not knowing better; so as not to mistake the wolf for a sheep and be ravaged; and so as not to take the death-dealing devil for a good angel and be devoured.

2 Corinthians 12:4 — Catechetical Lecture 14:16

Elijah was taken up to heaven only, but Paul into heaven and paradise (for it was but fitting that the disciples of Jesus should receive more manifold grace) and "heard secret words that man may not repeat." But Paul came down again from heaven, not because he was unworthy to abide in the third heaven but after enjoying gifts beyond man's lot.

2 Kings 20:1-6 — Catechetical Lecture 2:15

Would you know the power of repentance? Would you understand this strong weapon of salvation and the might of confession? By confession Hezekiah routed 185,000 of the enemy. That was important, but it was little compared with what shall be told. The same king's repentance won the repeal of the sentence God had passed on him. For when he was sick, Isaiah said to him, "Give charge concerning your house, for you shall die and not live." What expectation was left? What hope of recovery was there, when the prophet said, "For you shall die"? But Hezekiah did not cease from penitence, for he remembered what was written: "In the hour that you turn and lament, you shall be saved." He turned his face to the wall, and from his bed of pain his mind soared up to heaven—for no wall is so thick as to stifle reverent prayer—"Lord," he said, "remember me. You are not subject to circumstance, but are yourself the legislator of life. For not on birth and conjunction of stars, as some vainly say, does our life depend. No, you are the arbiter, according to your will, of life and the duration of life." He whom the prophet's sentence had forbidden to hope was granted fifteen further years of life, the sun turning back its course in witness thereof. Now while the sun retraced its course for Hezekiah, for Christ it was eclipsed, the distinction marking the difference between the two, I mean Hezekiah and Jesus. Now if even Hezekiah could revoke God's decree, shall not Jesus grant the remission of sins? Turn and lament, shut your door, and beg for pardon, that God may remove from the scorching flames. For confession has the power to quench even fire; it can tame even lions.

2 Kings 25:1-11 — Catechetical Lecture 2:17-19

What think you of Nebuchadnezzar? Have you not heard from Scripture that he was bloodthirsty, fierce, with the disposition of a lion? Have you not heard that he disinterred the kings? Have you not heard that he brought the people away into captivity? Have you not heard that he put the king's sons to the sword before Zedekiah's eyes and then blinded him? Have you not heard that he shattered the cherubim? I do not mean the invisible cherubim—it is blasphemy to think it—but the sculptured images and the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, from the midst of which God was apt to speak with his voice. He trampled on the veil of sanctification, he took the censer and carried it away to a temple of idols; he seized all the offerings; he burned the temple to its foundations. What punishment did he not deserve for slaying kings, for burning the holy object, for reducing the people to captivity, for putting the sacred vessels in the temples of the idols? Did he not deserve ten thousand deaths?You have seen the enormity of his crimes. Turn now to the loving-kindness of God. Nebuchadnezzar was turned into a wild beast; he dwelled in the wilderness; God scourged him to save him. He had claws like a lion's, for he had preyed on the saints. He had a lion's mane, for he had been a ravening, roaring lion. He ate grass like an ox, for he had behaved like a brute beast, not knowing him who had given him his kingdom. His body was drenched with dew, because, after seeing the fire quenched by the dew, he had not believed. And what happened? Afterwards he says, "I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven … and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and glorified him who lives forever." When therefore he acknowledged the Most High, and uttered words of thanksgiving to God, and repented of his past wickedness and recognized his own weakness, in that hour God restored to him his royal dignity. What then? If God granted pardon and a kingdom to Nebuchadnezzar after such terrible crimes, when he had made confession, will he not grant you the remission of your sins if you repent and the kingdom of heaven if you live worthily? God is merciful and quick to forgiveness but slow to vengeance. Therefore let no one despair of salvation. Peter, the chief and foremost of the apostles, denied the Lord thrice before a little serving maid; but, moved to repentance, he wept bitterly. His weeping revealed his heartfelt repentance, and for that reason not only did he receive pardon for his denial but also retained his apostolic prerogative.

2MA 12:39-45 — Catechetical Lecture 23, Paragraphs 9-10

Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls , for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth. And I wish to persuade you by an illustration. For I know that many say, what is a soul profited, which departs from this world either with sins, or without sins, if it be commemorated in the prayer? For if a king were to banish certain who had given him offense, and then those who belong to them should weave a crown and offer it to him on behalf of those under punishment, would he not grant a remission of their penalties? In the same way we, when we offer to Him our supplications for those who have fallen asleep, though they be sinners, weave no crown, but offer up Christ sacrificed for our sins , propitiating our merciful God for them as well as for ourselves.

2 Peter 1:4 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 4.3

When Christ's body and blood become the tissue of our members, we become Christ-bearers and "partakers of the divine nature," as the blessed Peter said.

2 Samuel 12:13-14 — Catechetical Lecture 2:11-12

If you like, however, I will give you further examples relating to our condition. Come then to the blessed David, and take him for your example of repentance. Great as he was, he suffered a fall. It was in the afternoon, after his siesta, that he took a turn on the housetop and saw by chance what stirred his human passion. He fulfilled the sinful deed, but his nobility, when it came to confessing the lapse, had not perished with the doing of the deed. Nathan the prophet came, swift to convict, but now as a healer for his wound, saying, "The Lord was angry, and you have sinned." So spoke a simple subject to his reigning sovereign. But David, though king and robed in purple, did not take it amiss, for he had regard not to the rank of the speaker but to the majesty of him who sent him. He was not puffed up by the fact that guardsmen were drawn up all around him, for the angelic host of the Lord came to his mind and he was in terror "as seeing him who is invisible." So he answered and said to the man that came to him, or rather, in his person, to the God whose messenger he was, "I have sinned against the Lord." You see this royal humility and the making of confession. Surely no one had been convicting him, nor were there many who knew what he had done. Swiftly the deed was done and immediately the prophet appeared as accuser. Lo! The sinner confesses his wicked deed, and as it was full and frank confession, he had the swiftest healing. For the prophet Nathan first threatened him, but then said immediately, "And the Lord has put away your sin." And see how quickly lovingkindness changes the face of God! Except that he first declares, "you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme" as though he said "you have many that are your foes because of your righteousness, from whom nevertheless, you were kept safe by your upright living. But as you have thrown away this best of armors, you have now, standing ready to strike, these foes that are risen up against you."So then the prophet comforted David as we have seen, but that blessed man, though he received most gladly the assurance, "The Lord has put away your sin," did not, king as he was, draw back from penitence. Indeed he put on sackcloth in place of his purple robe, and the king sat in ashes on the bare earth instead of on his gilded throne. And in ashes he did not merely sit, but took them for eating, as he himself says, "I have eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drink with weeping." His lustful eye he wasted away with tears; as he says, "every night I wash my bed and water my couch with my tears." And when his courtiers exhorted him to eat food, he would not, but prolonged his fast for seven whole days.

2 Samuel 15:30 — Catechetical Lecture 2:12, 20

Again, after Absalom's rebellion, when David was in flight, with many possible routes before him, he chose to make his escape by the Mount of Olives, as good as invoking in his own mind the Deliverer who should from there ascend into the heavens. And when Shimei cursed him bitterly he said, "Let him be." For he knew that forgiveness is for those who forgive.… As, then, brothers, you have many examples of people who have sinned and then repented and been saved, do you also make confession to the Lord with all your heart, so as to receive pardon of all your sins of the time past and be accounted worthy of the heavenly gift and inherit the heavenly kingdom with all the saints in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory, world without end. Amen.

2 Samuel 23:2 — Catechetical Lecture 16:26, 28

In Moses' day the Spirit was given by the imposition of hands; and Peter imparted the Spirit by the imposition of hands. Upon you also, who are to be baptized, the grace will come. In what manner I do not say, for I do not anticipate the proper time.… We learn clearly in the book of Kings [Samuel], of Samuel and David, how by the Holy Spirit they prophesied and were leaders of the prophets. Samuel in fact was called the "seer." David says plainly: "The spirit of the Lord has spoken by me;" and in the psalms: "and do not take your holy spirit from me;" and again: "May your good spirit guide me on level ground."

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 — Catechetical Lecture 15:9

Such is Paul's account. And we have reached the "falling away." Men, that is, have fallen away from the true faith. Some proclaim the identity of Father and Son. Others dare to assert that one should believe Christ has come into existence out of nonexistence. Formerly heretics were quite evident, but now the church is full of masked heretics. For men have deserted the truth and want to have their ears tickled. Make a plausible case, and everyone is ready to listen to you. Talk of changing one's life, and everyone deserts you. The majority have fallen away from the sound doctrines and are readier to choose what is bad than to prefer what is good. So there you have the "falling away," and the coming of the enemy is to be expected next. Meanwhile, he has begun to send out his forerunners here and there, so that the spoil may be prepared for him when he comes. Therefore, brothers, look to yourselves. Watch over your souls carefully.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 — Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 15

Who opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped; (against every God; Antichrist forsooth will abhor the idols,) so that he seateth himself in the temple of God. What temple then? He means, the Temple of the Jews which has been destroyed. For God forbid that it should be the one in which we are! Why say we this? That we may not be supposed to favour ourselves. For if he comes to the Jews as Christ, and desires to be worshipped by the Jews, he will make great account of the Temple, that he may more completely beguile them; making it supposed that he is the man of the race of David, who shall build up the Temple which was erected by Solomon. And Antichrist will come at the time when there shall not be left one stone upon another in the Temple of the Jews, according to the doom pronounced by our Saviour; for when, either decay of time, or demolition ensuing on pretence of new buildings, or from any other causes, shall have overthrown all the stones, I mean not merely of the outer circuit, but of the inner shrine also, where the Cherubim were, then shall he come with all signs and lying wonders, exalting himself against all idols; at first indeed making a pretence of benevolence, but afterwards displaying his relentless temper, and that chiefly against the Saints of God.

2 Thessalonians 2:8 — Catechetical Lecture 15:12

The Antichrist just mentioned by Paul will come when the destined period of the Roman Empire has run its course and the subsequent end of the world is drawing near. Ten claimants to the empire will arise simultaneously, I suppose in different parts, but all wearing the purple at the same time. Antichrist will form an eleventh after them, having seized the imperial power by the use of magic arts. He will humble three of those who came to power before him and cause the remaining seven to be Caesars under him. At first he will feign mildness and will appear to be a learned and understanding man, with pretended prudence and kindness. Then he will take in the Jews, by making them suppose him to be their expected Messiah, by false signs and wonders produced by magical trickery. And afterwards his character will be written large in evil deeds of inhumanity and lawlessness of every kind, so as to outdo all wicked and godless men that were before him. He will display a murderous, most absolute, pitiless and unstable temper toward all people, but especially toward us Christians. He will act insolently for only three and a half years. Then he will be defeated by the second glorious coming from heaven of the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus, the true Christ. He will destroy Antichrist "with the spirit of his mouth" and commit him to the flames of hell.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 — Catechetical Lecture 15:14-15

"And his coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders." This means that Satan will use him as his personal instrument. Realizing that his own condemnation will be no longer deferred, he will no longer wage war through his ministers in his usual way, but now openly, in person. "With all signs and lying wonders," for the father of falsehood will display his lying works and cheating fantasies, to make the people think they see a dead man raised, when he is not raised, and the lame walking, and the blind receiving sight, when there have been no such cures.

2 Thessalonians 2:14-15 — Catechetical Lecture 5:12

In learning and professing the faith, embrace and guard that only which is now delivered to you by the church and confirmed by all the Scriptures. For since not everyone has the education and the leisure required to read and know the Scriptures, to prevent the soul perishing from ignorance, we sum up the whole doctrine of the faith in a few lines.… For the present, just listen and memorize the creed as I recite it, and you will receive in due course the testimony from Scripture of each of its propositions. For the articles of faith have not been composed to please human desire, but the most important points collected from the Scriptures make up one complete teaching of the faith. And just as the mustard seed in a small grain contains in embryo many future branches, so also the creed embraces in a few words all the religious knowledge in both the Old and New Testament. Pay attention, therefore, brothers, and cling to the teachings which are now delivered to you, and "write them on the tablet of your heart."

Acts 1:5 — Catechetical Lecture 17.14

This grace was not in part, but his power was in full perfection; for as he who plunges into the waters and is baptized is encompassed on all sides by the waters, so were they also baptized completely by the Holy Spirit. The water, however, flows round the outside only, but the Spirit baptizes also the soul within, and that completely. And why do you wonder at this? Take an example from matter, a simple and common example, but one that helps the ordinary person. If the fire passing in through the mass of the iron makes the whole of it fire, so that what was cold becomes burning and what was black is made bright, if fire which is a body thus penetrates and works without hindrance in iron which is also a body, why wonder that the Holy Spirit enters into the very inmost recesses of the soul?

Acts 2:2 — Catechetical Lecture 17.15

And lest people should be ignorant of the greatness of the mighty gift coming down to them, there sounded as it were a heavenly trumpet. For suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, signifying the presence of him who was to grant power to people to seize with violence the kingdom of God, that both their eyes might see the fiery tongues and their ears hear the sound. And it filled all the house where they were sitting; for the house became the vessel of the spiritual water; as the disciples sat within, the whole house was filled. Thus they were entirely baptized according to the promise and invested soul and body with a divine garment of salvation.

Acts 2:3 — Catechetical Lecture 17.15

They partook of fire, not of burning but of saving fire. This is a fire that consumes the thorns of sins but gives luster to the soul. This is now coming upon you also in order to strip away and consume your sins, which are like thorns, and to brighten yet more that precious possession of your souls, and to give you grace, the same given then to the apostles. The Spirit descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, that they might crown themselves with new and spiritual diadems by fiery tongues upon their heads. As a fiery sword had barred of old the gates of paradise, a fiery tongue that brought salvation restored the gift.

Acts 2:4 — Catechetical Lecture 17.16-17

The Galilean Peter or Andrew spoke Persian or Median. John and the other apostles spoke all the tongues of various nations, for the thronging of multitudes of strangers from all parts is not something new in Jerusalem, but this was true in apostolic times. What teacher can be found so proficient as to teach people in a moment what they have not learned? So many years are required through grammar and other arts merely to speak Greek well; and all do not speak it equally well. The rhetorician may succeed in speaking it well, the grammarian sometimes less well; and one who is skilled in grammar is ignorant of philosophical studies. But the Spirit taught them at once many languages, which they do not know in a whole lifetime. This is truly lofty wisdom. This is divine power. What a contrast between their long ignorance in the past and this sudden, comprehensive, varied and unaccustomed use of languages. The multitude of those listening was confounded; it was a second confusion, in contrast to the first evil confusion at Babylon. In that former confusion of tongues there was a division of purpose, for the intention was impious. Here there was a restoration and union of minds, since the object of their zeal was righteous. Through what occasioned the fall came the recovery.

Acts 2:13 — Catechetical Lecture 17.18

For in truth the wine was new, the grace of the New Testament. But this new wine was from a spiritual vine, which already had often borne fruit in the prophets and sprouted forth in the New Testament. For just as in the order of nature the vine, remaining ever the same, brings forth new fruit according to the seasons, so too the same Spirit, remaining what he is, having wrought in the prophets, now manifested something new and marvelous. His grace had indeed been granted to the fathers in times past, but now it came in superabundance; in their case they received a share of the Holy Spirit, now they were baptized in all fullness.

Acts 2:15 — Catechetical Lecture 17.19

For he who, according to Mark, was crucified at the third hour, has now at the third hour sent his grace. For his grace is not one and the Spirit's another, but he who was then crucified and had promised, fulfilled what he had promised.

Acts 2:24 — Catechetical Lecture 13, Sections 33-34

He cried to the Father, saying, Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit [Luke 23:46]; I commend it, that I may take it again. And having said these things, He gave up the ghost [Matthew 27:50]; but not for any long time, for He quickly rose again from the dead. The Sun was darkened, because of the Sun of Righteousness [Malachi 4:2]. Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was free among the dead; He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water [Zechariah 9:11].

Acts 2:36 — Unknown work

For on Christ our Savior we confess the anointing to have been performed, not however figuratively, (as formerly on kings by the oil,) and as if by prophetic grace, but the Savior as man in the form of a servant, was anointed by the Holy Spirit as God He Himself by His Holy Spirit anoints those that believe in Him.

Acts 2:38 — Unknown work

and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ: Saving holy Baptism suffices for our cleansing of sin, and erases the stain of previous falls.

Acts 5:3 — Catechetical Lecture 16:17

Peter was not with Ananias and Sapphira when they sold their possessions, but he was present by the Spirit; Why, he says, hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? There was no accuser; there was no witness; whence knew he what had happened? Whiles it remained was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? The unlettered Peter, through the grace of the Spirit, learnt what not even the wise men of the Greeks had known.

Acts 8:19 — Catechetical Lecture 16.10

He did not say, "Give me also the participation in the Holy Ghost," but "Give me this power," with a view to selling to others what could not be sold—something he himself did not possess.

Acts 8:20 — Catechetical Lecture 16.10

He offered money to people without possessions, and that too after seeing people bring the price of what they sold and lay it at the feet of the apostles. He did not realize that they who trod underfoot the wealth offered for the sustenance of the poor would surely never sell him the power of the Holy Spirit for a price.

Acts 8:32 — Catechetical Lecture 10.3

He is called a sheep; not a senseless one, but that which cleanses the world from sin by its precious blood, and when led before its shearer knows when to be silent.

Acts 9:17 — Catechetical Lecture 17.26

The Holy Spirit worked immediately and not only changed Paul's blindness to sight but also imparted the seal to his soul, making him a vessel of election to carry the name of the Lord who had appeared to him before kings and the children of Israel; and he fashioned his former persecutor into a herald and a good servant who "from Jerusalem round about as far as Illyricum completed the gospel of Christ."

Acts 10:47 — Catechetical Lecture 3.4

For since a person is of twofold nature, soul and body, the purification also is twofold, the one incorporeal for the incorporeal part, and the other bodily for the body. The water cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul, that we may draw near to God, "having our heart sprinkled" by the Spirit "and our body washed with pure water." … Neither does he who is baptized with water, but not found worthy of the Spirit, receive the grace in perfection; nor if a person is virtuous in his deeds, but receives not the seal by water, shall he enter into the kingdom of heaven. A bold saying, but not mine, for it is Jesus who has declared it, and here is the proof of the statement from holy Scripture. Cornelius was a just man who was honored with a vision of angels and had set up his prayers and alms deeds as a good memorial before God in heaven. Peter came, and the Spirit was poured out on them that believed, and they spoke with other tongues and prophesied. And after the grace of the Spirit the Scripture says that Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; in order that, the soul having been born again by faith, the body also might by the water partake of the grace.

Acts 15:28 — Catechetical Lecture 17.29

They indicated clearly by what they wrote that though the decree had been written by men who were apostles, it was from the Holy Spirit and universal. Barnabas and Paul took this decree and confirmed it to the whole world.

Amos 2:8 — CATECHETICAL LECTURE 12:6

Cain was the first murderer. Afterwards a deluge engulfed the earth because of the exceeding wickedness of humanity. Fire came down from heaven upon the people of Sodom because of their corruption. Subsequently God elected Israel, but even Israel became perverse, and the chosen people were wounded. For while Moses stood on the mountain before God, the people worshiped a calf in the place of God. In the days of their lawgiver Moses, who said, "You shall not commit adultery," a man dared to enter a brothel and be wanton. After Moses, prophets were sent to heal Israel, but in their exercise of healing they deplored the fact that you could not overcome evil. One of them says, "The faithful are gone from the earth. Among men the upright are no more!" and again, "All alike have gone astray; they have become perverse; there is not one who does good, not even one." And again, "Cursing and theft, and adultery, and killing have overflowed" upon the land. "They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons." They engaged themselves in auguries and enchantments and divinations; and again, "They fastened their garments with cords and hung veils next to the altar."

Amos 4:13 — CATECHETICAL LECTURE 10:15

When Christ came, the people of the old covenant denied him, but the devils confessed him. His forefather David was not ignorant of him when he said, "I will place a lamp for my anointed." Some have interpreted "lamp" as the splendor of prophecy; others have understood by the lamp the flesh he assumed of the Virgin, according to the words of the apostle: "But we carry this treasure in vessels of clay." The prophet was not ignorant of him when he said, "And declaring his Christ to men." Moses also knew him, and Isaiah and Jeremiah as well. None of the prophets was ignorant of him. Even the devils acknowledged him, for he rebuked them, and Scripture adds, "Because they knew that he was the Christ."

Colossians 1:16 — Catechetical Lecture 11:24

Christ then is the Only-begotten Son of God, and Maker of the world. For He was in the world, and the world was made by Him; and He came unto His own, as the Gospel teaches us. And not only of the things which are seen, but also of the things which are not seen, is Christ the Maker at the Father's bidding. For in Him, according to the Apostle, were all things created that are in the heavens, and that are upon the earth, things visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things have been created by Him and for Him; and He is before all, and in Him all things consist. Even if thou speak of the worlds, of these also Jesus Christ is the Maker by the Father's bidding. For in these last days God spake unto us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.

Colossians 1:20 — Catechetical Lecture 13:33

These things the Saviour endured, and made peace through the Blood of His Cross, for things in heaven, and things in earth. For we were enemies of God through sin, and God had appointed the sinner to die. There must needs therefore have happened one of two things; either that God, in His truth, should destroy all men, or that in His loving-kindness He should cancel the sentence. But behold the wisdom of God; He preserved both the truth of His sentence, and the exercise of His loving-kindness. Christ took our sins in His body on the tree, that we by His death might die to sin, and live unto righteousness. Of no small account was He who died for us; He was not a literal sheep; He was not a mere man; He was more than an Angel; He was God made man. The transgression of sinners was not so great as the righteousness of Him who died for them; the sin which we committed was not so great as the righteousness which He wrought who laid down His life for us,—who laid it down when He pleased, and took it again when He pleased.

Colossians 2:8 — Catechetical Lecture 4:2

For the method of godliness consists of these two things, pious doctrines, and virtuous practice: and neither are the doctrines acceptable to God apart from good works, nor does God accept the works which are not perfected with pious doctrines. For what profit is it, to know well the doctrines concerning God, and yet to be a vile fornicator? And again, what profit is it, to be nobly temperate, and an impious blasphemer? A most precious possession therefore is the knowledge of doctrines: also there is need of a wakeful soul, since there are many that make spoil through philosophy and vain deceit. The Greeks on the one hand draw men away by their smooth tongue, for honey droppeth from a harlot's lips: whereas they of the Circumcision deceive those who come to them by means of the Divine Scriptures, which they miserably misinterpret though studying them from childhood to old age, and growing old in ignorance. But the children of heretics, by their good words and smooth tongue, deceive the hearts of the innocent, disguising with the name of Christ as it were with honey the poisoned arrows of their impious doctrines: concerning all of whom together the Lord saith, Take heed lest any man mislead you. This is the reason for the teaching of the Creed and for expositions upon it.

Colossians 2:15 — Catechetical Lecture 13:36

Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the sake of the poor; without toil, for the sick; since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils: for He triumphed over them in it, having made a shew of them openly; for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the gift; but for this the rather honour thy Benefactor.

Colossians 3:20 — Unknown work

But while honoring our heavenly Father, let us also honor the "fathers of our flesh," since the Lord in the Law and the Prophets has clearly laid this down, saying: "Honor your mother and your father, that it may be well with you, and that you may have a long life in the land." Let those present who have mothers and fathers pay attention to this command. "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord." For our Lord did not say: "He who loves father or mother is not worthy of me," else what was well written you might interpret falsely out of ignorance, but he added "more than me."

Daniel 3:27 — ''Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 2''

For confession has power to quench even fire, power to tame even lions. But if thou disbelieve, consider what befel Ananias and his companions. What streams did they pour out? How many vessels of water could quench the flame that rose up forty-nine cubits high? Nay, but where the flame mounted up a little too high, faith was there poured out as a river, and there spake they the spell against all ills: Righteous art Thou, O Lord, in all the things that Thou hast done to us: for we have sinned, and transgressed Thy law. And their repentance quelled the flames. If thou believest not that repentance is able to quench the fire of hell, learn it from what happened in regard to Ananias.

Daniel 4:3 — Catechetical Lecture 8:5

Nothing is excluded from the dominion of God, for Scripture says of him, "All things serve you." God, then, rules over all things, and in his forbearance he endures even murderers and robbers and fornicators, having determined a fixed time for requiting each, that they who, granted a long reprieve, remain impenitent may suffer the greater condemnation. There are kings … who reign on earth, yet not without power from on high. This, of old, Nebuchadnezzar knew from experience when he said, "his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom."

Daniel 4:8 — Catechetical Lecture 16:31

The spirit filled the soul of Daniel with wisdom.… Even Nebuchadnezzar recognized that the Holy Spirit was in Daniel.… One thing he said was true and one was false. That he had the spirit was true, but he was not the chief of the magicians. He was no magician, but he was wise by the Holy Spirit.… You see the power of the Holy Spirit; they who had seen the vision do not understand, while they who had not seen it understand and interpret it.

Daniel 6:23 — Catechetical Lecture 5:4

The lesson that was read today invites you to the true faith, by setting before you the way in which you also must please God. It affirms that "without faith it is impossible to please him." For when will an individual resolve to serve God, unless he believes that "he is a giver of reward"? When will a young woman choose a virgin life, or a young man live soberly, if they do not believe that for chastity there is "a crown that does not fade away"? Faith is an eye that enlightens every conscience and imparts understanding. The prophet says, "And if you do not believe, you shall not understand." Faith "stops the mouth of lions," as in Daniel's case, for Scripture says concerning him, "Daniel was brought up out of the den and was found to be hurt in no way, because he believed in his God."

Daniel 7:9 — Catechetical Lecture 15:19-21

This is spoken anthropomorphically. And its spiritual sense is that he is the king of those who are not defiled with sins. For God says, "Your sins shall be as white as snow and shall be as wool." Wool is the emblem of forgiveness of sins, as also of innocence.

Daniel 7:10 — Catechetical Lecture 15:24

"The Son of man," it is written, "shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him." Note, my friend, before how many you will come to be judged. Every race of humankind will be present then. Think therefore of the numbers of imperial citizens. Think what the barbarian nations amount to. Take the numbers now living and those who have died in the last hundred years. Think how many have been buried in the last thousand years. Think of all the human race from Adam till today. It is a vast multitude, and yet by comparison it is nothing much, for the angels are more numerous. They are the "ninety and nine" sheep, while the human race is the lone one. For we must suppose that the multitude of inhabitants is everywhere in proportion to the space. Now the whole earth's surface is like a point when compared with the heaven above it. And the heaven that wraps the earth around is inhabited by a multitude proportioned to its extent. And the heavens of heavens contain a multitude beyond computation. Scripture says, "Thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him." That does not mean that those who were all there were but that the prophet could find no expression to convey more than that. At that day of judgment there will be present God the Father of all, with Jesus Christ enthroned be side him, and the Holy Spirit present with them. The angel trumpet will summon us before them, bringing our deeds with us.

Daniel 7:13 — Catechetical Lecture 10:4

He is called Christ, not for any unction from human hands but from the Father's, as having been anointed for eternal high priesthood on behalf of humanity. He is called the dead, not as having gone to "join the majority," like all souls in Hades, but as the one "free among the dead." He is called Son of man, not as it is said of each one of us that we sprang from earth, but in the context of his "coming in the clouds of heaven" to judge both the living and the dead. He is called Lord, not in the catachrestic sense in which the title is given to people, but as possessing lordship by right of nature and forever. He is called Jesus because the name fits him, and he has that appellation in view of the saving medicine he brings. He is called Son, not meaning that God promoted him to that dignity but that he was naturally begotten as Son.

Daniel 7:13-14 — Catechetical Lecture 15:1

What we proclaim is not one single coming of Christ but a second as well, much fairer than the first. For the first presented a demonstration of longsuffering, but the second wears the crown of the kingdom of God. Most things about our Lord Jesus Christ are twofold. His birth is twofold, once of God before the ages, and once of the Virgin in the end of the ages. Twice he comes down, once all unseen like dew on a fleece, and a second time still future and manifest. When first he came, he was swaddled in a manger. When next he comes, he will "clothe himself with light as with a garment." At his first coming "he endured the cross, despising the shame";6 at his second, he comes surrounded with glory and escorted by hosts of angels. We do not therefore simply rest on Christ's first coming, by itself, but let us look forward also to his second.… The Savior comes again, but not to be judged again, for he will pass judgment on those who passed judgment on him, and he who previously kept silence as they judged him now reminds those lawless people who did their outrageous deeds to him on the cross and says, "these things you have done, and I kept silent." He adapted himself when he came then and taught humankind by persuasion, but this time it is they who will be forced to bow to his rule, whether they will or not.

Daniel 7:21 — Catechetical Lecture 15:15

Paul says further, "who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called god or that is worshiped," that is, above every divinity, so that antichrist will be the bitter foe of the idolatrous cults. He continues, "so that he sits in the temple of God." What temple is that? Paul says it is the destroyed temple of the Jews. For God forbid that it should be that temple of God in which we are! Why should I suggest such a thing? Lest you should think me complacent about us Christians. For if antichrist will come to the Jews as messiah and seek worship from the Jews, he will show great zeal for the temple so as to deceive them the more, hinting that he is that man of the house of David destined to rebuild the temple erected by Solomon. Antichrist will come at such a time as there shall not be left of the temple of the Jews "one stone on another," to quote the sentence pronounced by the Savior. For it is not until all the stones are overthrown, whether by the decay of age or through being pulled down for building material or in consequence of this or that other happening, and I do not mean merely the stones of the outer walls but the floor of the inner temple where the cherubim were, that antichrist will come "with all signs and lying wonders" treating all the idols with disdain, at first adopting a show of being humane but later displaying his ruthlessness, especially toward the holy people of God. For it says, "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints," and in another Scripture it says, "And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time." Antichrist is the terrible wild beast, the great dragon unconquerable by people and ready to swallow them up.

Daniel 7:23-24 — Catechetical Lecture 15:13

These doctrines are not the fruit of ingenuity but are derived from the sacred Scriptures read in the church, particularly as gathered out of the prophecy of Daniel, in today's lection, and according to the interpretation given by the archangel Gabriel, who spoke as follows, "the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall surpass all kingdoms." Ecclesiastical commentators have traditionally taken this kingdom to be the Roman Empire.… Further on Gabriel continues his interpreting and says, "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another king shall rise up after them, and he shall surpass in wickedness all who were before him" (not merely the ten kings, you note, but all kings that ever were) "and he shall subdue three kings" (clearly out of the ten that preceded him; and he had reduced three of the ten to powerlessness; it is equally clear that he will reign as the eighth king) "and he will speak great words against the Most High." Antichrist is a blasphemer and flouter of all law. He will not succeed to the empire but will usurp it by means of sorcery.

Daniel 7:27 — Catechetical Lecture 15:32

Take, also, another like expression. "For until this day … when Moses is read, the veil is on their hearts." Does "until this day" mean "up to the time that Paul wrote the words and no longer"? Does it not mean until this present day and indeed to the very end? And if Paul should say, "For we come as far as you also in preaching the gospel of Christ, having hope, when your faith is increased, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you," you can see clearly that the phrase "as far as" sets no limit but indicates what lies beyond. With what meaning, therefore, ought you to recall the words "till he has put all enemies"? Just the same as in another saying of Paul, "But exhort each other daily, while it is called today," this clearly means for all time. For as we must not talk of a beginning of the days of Christ, so never suffer anyone to speak of an end of his kingdom. For Scripture says, "his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom."

Daniel 10:7 — Catechetical Lecture 12:14

What would you do then? That he who came for our salvation should become a minister of destruction because people could not bear him? Or that he should suit his grace to our measure? Daniel could not bear the vision of an angel, and were you capable of the sight of the Lord of angels? Gabriel appeared, and Daniel fell down; and of what nature or in what guise was he that appeared? His countenance was like lightning, not like the sun, "and his eyes as lamps of fire," not as a furnace of fire. "And the voice of his words [was] as the voice of a multitude," not as the voice of twelve legions of angels; nevertheless the prophet fell down.… If an angel appearing took away the prophet's strength, would the appearance of God have allowed him to breathe?… So then after trial had shown our weakness, the Lord assumed that which people required: for since people required to hear from one of like countenance, the Savior took on him the nature of like affections, that people might be the more easily instructed.

Daniel 12:3 — Catechetical Lecture 18:18-19

This body shall rise, but it will not abide in its present condition but as an eternal body. No longer will it, as now, need nourishment for life or stairs for its ascent, for it will become spiritual, a marvelous thing, beggaring description. "Then shall the just," it is said, "shine forth like the sun and the moon and like the splendor of the firmament." God, foreknowing human unbelief, has given to the smallest worms to emit from their bodies beams of light in the summer, that natural fluorescence might be a parable of what we expect.… He who makes the worm shine luminously will much more illumine the just person. Therefore we shall rise again, all with eternal bodies, though not all with like bodies. A just person will receive a heavenly body, to dwell worthily with the angels, whereas the sinner will receive an eternal body and so never be consumed, though it burn eternally in fire.

Daniel 12:12 — Catechetical Lecture 15:16-17

"Blessed is he that waits." … That is why we are to go into hiding and take to flight. For quite likely "we shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man comes." Who are the "blessed" that bear witness devoutly for Christ? I tell you that those who are martyrs at that time take precedence over all other martyrs. For … the martyrs under antichrist do battle with Satan in his own person.… [The antichrist will] show illusory signs and wonders.… May it not enter into anyone's heart to ask, "What did Christ do greater than this? For what power enables this man to do such deeds? Unless God willed it, he would not have allowed it."

Daniel 13:45 — Catechetical Lecture 16:31

The Spirit endued the soul of Daniel with wisdom so that, young as he was, he became a judge of elders. The chaste Susanna was condemned as a wanton harlot. There was no one to plead her case, for who was to deliver her from the rulers? She was led away to death; she was now in the hands of the executioners. But her Helper was close at hand, the Comforter, the Spirit who sanctifies every rational nature. Come here to me, he says to Daniel. Even though you are young, convict old men infected with the sins of youth. For it is written, God raised up the Holy Spirit on a young lad; and nevertheless (to pass on quickly) by the sentence of Daniel that chaste woman was saved. We bring this forward as testimony since this is not the time for expounding further. Nebuchadnezzar also knew that the Holy Spirit was in Daniel because he says to him, "O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, I know about you that the Holy Spirit of God is in you." One thing he said truly, and one falsely. Daniel did have the Holy Spirit, that was true; but he was not the master of the magicians because he was no magician. His wisdom came through the Holy Spirit. And before this he had also interpreted for Nebuchadnezzar the vision of the image that he who had seen it did not himself understand. For he says, Tell me the vision, which I who saw it do not know. See the power of the Holy Spirit: those who saw it did not know, while those who did not see it did know and interpreted.

Daniel 14:36 — Catechetical Lecture 14:25

When they object by saying that the ascension of the Savior is impossible, it will be well for you to recall to your memory what I have said to you about the carrying away of Habakkuk: if it were possible for an angel to take Habakkuk away by the hair of his head and to transport him from one place to another, there is even all the more reason for it to be possible for the Lord of the prophets and the angels to go up on a cloud and to ascend by virtue of his own power and with more power from on high from the Mount of Olives to the sky.

Deuteronomy 5:26 — Catechetical Lecture 12.13-14

If to hear the voice of God speaking is a cause of death, how will the sight of God not cause death? And why wonder? Even Moses himself says, "I am greatly terrified and trembling." What then? Would you that he who came for our salvation become a minister of destruction because men could not bear him? Or rather that he should temper his grace to our measure?

Deuteronomy 9:10 — Catechetical Lecture 18.24

Moses anticipates the name of the ecclesia once again when he says of the tablets: "And on them were inscribed all the words that the Lord spoke to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly." It is as if he might have said more plainly: "you were called and gathered together."

Deuteronomy 9:20 — Catechetical Lecture 2.10

It was not the people alone that sinned but also Aaron, the high priest. For Moses says, "And the wrath of the Lord was upon Aaron"; "and I prayed for him," he says, "and God forgave him." Now Moses made supplication on behalf of the high priest who sinned and prevailed upon the Lord by his importunity. If so, will not Jesus, his only-begotten Son, imploring God in our behalf, more so prevail? If he did not prevent Aaron, because of his falling away, from acceding to the high priesthood, can it be that he will prevent you, coming from paganism, from attaining salvation?

Deuteronomy 19:15 — Catechetical Lecture 4.12

[Christ] did then truly rise, and after he had risen, he was seen again by his disciples. And the twelve disciples were witnesses of his resurrection, testifying not with words meant to please but contending for the truth of the resurrection even unto torture and death. Further, "on the word of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed," according to Scripture. There are twelve witnesses to the resurrection of Christ, and do you still disbelieve in the resurrection?

Deuteronomy 34:9 — Catechetical Lecture 16.26

It is written, "Now Joshua, the son of Nun, was filled with the Spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him." Note the same ceremonial everywhere, both in the Old and the New Testament. In Moses' day the Spirit was given by the imposition of hands; and Peter imparted the Spirit by the imposition of hands. Upon you also, who are to be baptized, the grace will come.

Ecclesiastes 3:2 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 2:4

For as our Savior passed three days and three nights in the bowels of the earth, so you by your first rising out of the water represented Christ's first day in the earth, and by your descent the night. For as in the night one no longer sees, while by day one is in the light, so you during your immersion, as in a night, saw nothing, but on coming up found yourselves in the day. In the same moment you were dying and being born, and that saving water was at once your grave and your mother. What Solomon said in another context is applicable to you: "A time for giving birth, a time for dying," although for you, contrariwise, it is a case of "a time for dying and a time for being born." One time brought both, and your death coincided with your birth.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 4:8

For this reason Solomon also, in Ecclesiastes, covertly alluding to this grace, says, "Come hither, eat your bread with joy," that is, the mystical bread. "Come hither," he calls, a saving, beatific call. "And drink your wine with a merry heart," that is, the mystical wine. "And let oil be poured out upon your head": you see how he hints also of the mystical chrism. "And at all times let your garments be white, because the Lord approves what you do." It is now that the Lord approves what you do, for before you came to the grace your doings were "vanity of vanities."

Ecclesiastes 10:4 — Catechetical Lecture 2:3

You alone are not the source of the trouble, but there is also one who instigates you, the accursed devil. He makes his suggestions to all, but he does not prevail by force over those who do not give way to him. Therefore Ecclesiastes says, "Should the anger of the ruler burst upon you, forsake not your place." If you shut your door, you will be out of his reach and he will not harm you. But if you are so careless as to admit the lustful thought, reflection will cause it to strike roots within you; it will capture your mind and drag you down into an abyss of sins.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 — Catechetical Lecture 15:20

Ecclesiastes knew of the Lord's coming at the end of the world when he said, "Rejoice, O young man, while you are young." Subsequently [he said], "Ward off grief from your heart, and put away trouble from your presence. Remember your Creator, before the evil days come, before the sun is darkened, and the light, and the moon, and the stars; and they who look through the windows go blind" (this signifies the power of sight). [Remember] "before the silver cord is snapped" (he means the cluster of the stars, silvery in appearance). [Remember before] "the golden fillet shrinks back" (here is indicated the sun with its golden aspect, for the fillet-like flower is a well-known plant, with ray-like shoots of foliage circling it), "and they shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and they shall see from the height, and terrors shall be in the way." What shall they see? "Then they will see the Son of man coming upon clouds of heaven," and they will mourn, tribe by tribe. What happens when the Lord comes? "The almond tree will bloom, and the locust will grow sluggish, and the caper berry will be scattered abroad." According to the interpreters the blooming of the almond tree signifies the passing of winter; our bodies, after the winter, then, are to flourish with a heavenly bloom.

Ephesians 4:8-9 — Catechetical Lecture 13, Sections 33-34

He cried to the Father, saying, Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit [Luke 23:46]; I commend it, that I may take it again. And having said these things, He gave up the ghost [Matthew 27:50]; but not for any long time, for He quickly rose again from the dead. The Sun was darkened, because of the Sun of Righteousness [Malachi 4:2]. Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was free among the dead; He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water [Zechariah 9:11].

Ephesians 4:8-9 — Catechetical Lecture 4, Sections 11-12

He was truly laid as Man in a tomb of rock; but rocks were rent asunder by terror because of Him. He went down into the regions beneath the earth, that thence also He might redeem the righteous. For, tell me, could thou wish the living only to enjoy His grace, and that, though most of them are unholy; and not wish those who from Adam had for a long while been imprisoned to have now gained their liberty? Esaias the Prophet proclaimed with loud voice so many things concerning Him; would you not wish that the King should go down and redeem His herald? David was there, and Samuel, and all the Prophets, John himself also, who by his messengers said, Are you He that should come, or look we for another [Matthew 11:3]? Would you not wish that He should descend and redeem such as these? But He who descended into the regions beneath the earth came up again; and Jesus, who was buried, truly rose again the third day. And if the Jews ever worry you, meet them at once by asking thus: Did Jonah come forth from the whale on the third day, and has not Christ then risen from the earth on the third day?

Exodus 4:22 — Catechetical Lecture 11.4

When you hear "firstborn," do not think of this in human fashion; for among humans the firstborn have other brothers; and it is somewhere written, "Israel is my son, my firstborn." But like Reuben, Israel was a rejected firstborn; for Reuben went up to his father's bed, and Israel cast the Son of the Father out of the vineyard and crucified him. To others also Scripture says, "You are children of the Lord your God" and elsewhere, "I said, you are gods; all of you sons of the Most High." Note "I said," not "I begot." They, from the fact that God said it, received adoption which they did not have, but he was not begotten to be other than he was before. Rather he was begotten Son from the beginning, Son of the Father, like in all things to his Genitor, begotten Life of Life, Light of Light, Truth of Truth, Wisdom of Wisdom, King of King, God of God, Power of Power.

Exodus 12:9 — Catechetical Lecture 12.1

Children of purity and disciples of chastity, let us celebrate the praises of the virgin-born God with lips all pure. Being counted worthy to partake of the flesh of the spiritual Lamb, let us take the head with the feet, understanding the head as the divinity and the feet as the humanity.

Exodus 29:4 — Catechetical Lecture 3.5

The high priest washes himself, then offers incense; for Aaron was first washed, then became high priest. For how could one who had not yet been cleansed by water pray for others? Further, the laver had been set within the tabernacle, as a symbol of baptism.

Exodus 33:13 — Catechetical Lecture 10.7

Moses says to him, "Show me yourself." You see that then also the prophets saw Christ, that is, in the measure each was able. "Show me yourself, that I may see you clearly." But he said, "No one sees me and still lives." Therefore, because no one could see the face of the Godhead and live, he assumed the face of human nature, that seeing this we might live. Yet when he wished to show even this with a little majesty, at the time when "his face shone as the sun," the disciples fell to the earth terrified. His bodily countenance shined, not according to the full power of him who wrought it but in the measure the disciples could bear. Now if this terrified them and even thus they could not bear it, how could anyone gaze upon the majesty of the Godhead? It is a great thing which you desire, O Moses, the Lord says; and I approve your insatiable longing and "this word will I do" for you, but according to your capacity. "Behold, I will set you in the hollow of the rock";10 for as you are small, you will lodge in a small place.

Exodus 33:19 — Catechetical Lecture 10.8

Now here please note carefully what I am to say, because of the Jews. For it is our purpose to demonstrate that the Lord, Jesus Christ, was with the Father. The Lord then said to Moses, "I will make all my beauty pass before you, and in your presence I will pronounce my name, 'Lord.' " Being himself the Lord, what Lord does he proclaim? You see how in a veiled manner he was teaching the holy doctrine of Father and Son. Again, in what follows, it is written in express terms: "Having come down in a cloud, the Lord stood with him there and proclaimed his name, 'Lord.' Thus the Lord passed before him and cried out, 'The Lord, the Lord, merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, and guarding justice and continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin.' " And thereafter: "Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship" before the Lord proclaiming the Father, and said, "O Lord, do come along in our company."

Ezekiel 1:5-10 — Catechetical Lecture 9:3

After this description of the prophet, we still cannot comprehend as we read. But if we cannot comprehend the throne that he has described, how will we be able to comprehend him who sits on it, the invisible and ineffable God? It is impossible to examine closely the nature of God, but for his works, which we see, we can offer him praise and glory.

Ezekiel 1:28 — Catechetical Lecture 9:1

One might gather from a passage in Ezekiel that Ezekiel saw him, but what does Scripture actually say? He saw "the likeness of his glory"; not the Lord but only the likeness of his glory, not the glory as it really is. Yet, on beholding the likeness of his glory and not the glory itself, he fell to the earth in fear. But if the vision of the likeness of the glory inspired the prophets with fear and trembling, anyone attempting to look on God would surely lose his life.

Ezekiel 18:21 — Catechetical Lecture 2:1

Sin is a terrible thing, and the most grievous disease of the soul is iniquity, which corrodes the fiber of the soul and makes it liable to eternal fire. It is an evil freely chosen, the product of the will.

Ezekiel 18:31 — Catechetical Lecture 1:1

"Make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit" that you may become a subject of joy for the citizens of heaven. For if there is joy "over one sinner who repents," according to the Gospel, how much more will the salvation of so many souls gladden the blessed saints? You have entered on a good and glorious course: run the holy race in good earnest.

Ezekiel 28:12-13 — Catechetical Lecture 2:4

The chief author of sin, then, is the devil, the author of all evil. Not I but the Lord has said, "The devil sins from the beginning." Before him no one sinned. Nor did he sin because by nature he was of necessity prone to sin—or else the responsibility for sin would reflect on him who created him in this way—but after being created good, he became a devil by his own free choice, receiving that name from his action. Though he was an archangel, he was afterwards called devil (slanderer) from his slandering, and though he was once a good servant of God, he was afterwards rightly named Satan, for Satan is interpreted "the adversary." This is not my teaching but that of the inspired prophet Ezekiel. For taking up a lament against him, he says, "You were a seal of resemblance and crown of beauty; you were begotten in the paradise of God," and a little further on, "Blameless you were in your conduct from the day you were created until evil was found in you."

Ezekiel 37:1-14 — Catechetical Lecture 18:1

The hope of resurrection is the root of every kind of good work, for the expectation of reward braces the soul to productive toil. And whereas every worker is ready to sustain his toil if he can look forward to being repaid for his labors, where toil has no recompense the soul is soon discouraged and the body flags with it. A soldier who expects his share of the spoils is ready for war. But no one is prepared to die serving a king so undiscerning that he does not provide rewards for labors. In the same way, any soul that believes in resurrection takes care for itself, as is right, but any soul that disbelieves the resurrection abandons itself to destruction. A person who believes that the body survives to rise again is careful of this garment and does not soil it by fornicating. But a person who does not believe in the resurrection gives himself up to fornication, abusing his own body as if it were nothing to him. A mighty message and teaching of the holy Catholic church is belief about the resurrection of the dead; mighty and most indispensable. While many deny it, the truth claims credence for it. Greeks deny it, Samaritans disbelieve, while heretics tear away the half. Truth never appears but in one shape, while contradiction assumes a hundred.

Genesis 1:6 — Catechetical Lecture 9:5

For what fault have they to find with the vast creation of God, who out of the fluid nature of the waters formed the stable substance of the heavens? For God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters." God spoke once for all, and it stands fast, never failing.

Genesis 1:14-15 — Catechetical Lecture 9:8

Men ought to have been astonished and amazed not only at the arrangement of the sun and moon but also at the well-ordered movements of the stars and their unfettered courses and the timely rising of each of them; how some are signs of summer, others of winter; how some indicate the time for sowing, others the times of navigation.

Genesis 1:24-25 — Catechetical Lecture 9:13

God said: "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." Different natures of animals sprang forth from the one earth at a single command—the gentle sheep and the carnivorous lion—and the various tendencies of irrational animals that display analogies to various human characteristics. Thus the fox typifies the craftiness of men, the snake the venomous treachery of friends and the neighing horse the wanton young man. There is the busy ant to rouse the indolent and sluggish; for when a man spends an idle youth, then he is instructed by the irrational creatures, being chided by the sacred Scripture, which says, "Go to the ant, O sluggard, and considering her ways, emulate her and become wiser than she." For when you observe her treasuring up food for herself in good season, imitate her. Treasure up for yourself the fruits of good works for the world to come.

Genesis 2:16-17 — Catechetical Lecture 13:31

Although to Adam it was said "For the day you eat of it, you must die," today you have been faithful. Today will bring you salvation. The tree brought ruin to Adam; the tree [of life] shall bring you into paradise. Fear not the serpent; he shall not cast you out, for he has fallen from heaven. I say not to you, "This day you shall depart," but "This day you shall be with me."

Genesis 2:21-23 — Catechetical Lecture 12:29

Of whom in the beginning was Eve begotten? What mother conceived her, the motherless? But the Scripture says that she was born out of Adam's side. Is Eve then born out of man's side without a mother, and is a child not to be born without a father, of a virgin's womb? This debt of gratitude was due to men from womankind: for Eve was begotten of Adam and not conceived of a mother, but as it were brought forth of man alone.

Genesis 4:12 — Catechetical Lecture 2:7

Do you, who have but lately come to the catechesis, wish to see the loving kindness of God? Would you want to behold the loving kindness of God and the extent of his forbearance? Listen to the story of [Cain].… Cain, the firstborn man, became a fratricide, from whose wicked designings first stemmed murder and envy. Yet consider his sentence for slaying his brother. "Groaning and trembling shall you be upon the earth." Though the sin was great, the sentence was light.

Genesis 4:26 — Catechetical Lecture 16:27

The Holy Spirit came upon all the righteous men and prophets, such as Enosh, Enoch, Noah and so on, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Genesis 7:7 — INTRODUCTORY LECTURE 14

During the actual exorcism, while waiting for the others, let men be with men and women with women. For now I need Noah's ark that I may have Noah and his sons together, separate from his wife and his sons' wives. For although the ark was one and the door was closed, yet decorum was observed. So now, though the church doors are barred and you are all inside, let distinctions be kept: men with men, women with women. Let not the principle of salvation be made a pretext for spiritual license. Keeping close together is a good rule, provided that passion is kept at a distance.

Genesis 49:9 — Catechetical Lecture 10:3

Again, he is called a Lion; not a man eater, but, as it were, showing by this title his kingly, strong and resolute nature, Then too, he is called a Lion in opposition to the lion, our adversary who roars and devours those who have been deceived. For the Savior came, not having changed his own gentle nature, and yet as the mighty lion of the tribe of Judah, saving them that believe but trampling upon the adversary.

Haggai 2:4 — Catechetical Lecture 16:29

Whoever scans all the books of the prophets, both of the twelve and of the others, will find many testimonies regarding the Holy Spirit. Haggai says, "For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, and my spirit continues in your midst."

Haggai 2:8 — Catechetical Lecture 8:6

Riches, gold and silver, are not the devil's as some think, for "the whole world of riches is for the faithful man, but for the unfaithful not a farthing." But nothing is more faithless than the devil. God through the prophet says plainly, "Mine is the silver, and mine is the gold." Only use it well and there is nothing blameworthy in silver; but when you abuse a good thing and are then unwilling to blame your own conduct, you impiously put the blame on the Creator. One can even be blessed by money. "I was hungry, and you gave me to eat"4—undoubtedly by the use of money; "I was naked and you covered me"—assuredly by the use of money. Consider too that money can be a door to the heavenly kingdom. "Sell," he says, "what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven."

Hebrews 1:3 — Catechetical Lecture 16:24

Every grace is given by the Father through the Son, who also acts together with the Holy Spirit. There are not some graces that come from the Father and different graces from the Son and others again from the Holy Spirit. There is but one salvation, one giving of power, one faith; and yet there is one God the Father, our Lord, his only begotten Son, and one Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Let us be content with this knowledge and not busy ourselves with questions about the divine nature or hypostasis. I would have spoken of that had it been contained in Scripture. Let us not venture where Scripture does not lead, for it suffices for our salvation to know that there is Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 1:3 — Catechetical Lecture 14:27

Recall also what I have often said regarding the sitting of the Son at the right hand of the Father, according to the sequence of the creed: "and he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father." Let us not too curiously inquire into the precise nature of this sitting, for it surpasses our understanding. Let us not endure those who perversely assert that it was only after his cross and resurrection and ascension into heaven that the Son began to sit at the right hand of the Father. For he did not gain his throne by way of advancement, but from the time he is—and he is eternally begotten—he sits with the Father. The prophet Isaiah, having beheld this throne before the coming of the Savior in the flesh, says, "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up." For "no one has ever seen" the Father, and he who then appeared to the prophet was the Son. The psalmist also says, "Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting." There are many testimonies on this point, but we will content ourselves with these only, because of the lateness of the hour.

Hebrews 2:14 — Catechetical Lecture 3:11

Jesus sanctified baptism when he himself was baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, can anyone who scorns baptism pretend to piety? Not that he was baptized to receive the remission of sins—for he was without sin—but, being sinless, he was nevertheless baptized that he might impart grace and dignity to those who receive the sacrament. For, "since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature," that we, sharing his incarnate life, might also share his divine grace. Thus Jesus was baptized that we, in turn, so made partakers with him, might receive not only salvation but also the dignity. The dragon, according to Job, was in the water, he who received the Jordan in his maw. When, therefore, it was necessary to crush the heads of the dragon, descending into the water, he bound the strong one, that we might receive the "power to tread upon serpents and scorpions." It was no ordinary beast, but a horrible monster. No fishing ship could last under a single scale of his tail; before him stalked destruction, ravaging all in her path. But life came running up, that that maw of death might be stopped and all we who were saved might say, "O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" Baptism draws death's sting.

Hebrews 3:13 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5.15

"Give us this day our superessential bread." Ordinary bread is not "superessential," but this holy bread is superessential in the sense of being ordained for the essence of the soul. Not of this bread is it said that it "passes into the stomach and is discharged into the drain." No, it is absorbed into your whole system to the benefit of both soul and body. By "this day" he means "daily," as in Paul's "while it is called 'today.' "

Hebrews 3:13 — Catechetical Lecture 15:32

Take also another like expression. "To this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds." Does "to this day" mean "up to the time that Paul wrote the words and no longer"? Does it not mean until this present day and indeed to the very end? And if Paul should say, "We are come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ, having hope, when your faith is increased, to preach the gospel in lands beyond you," you can see clearly that the phrase "all the way" sets no limit but indicates what lies beyond. With what meaning, therefore, ought you to recall the words "till he has put all enemies"? Just the same as in another saying of Paul, "But exhort each other daily, as long as it is called 'today,' " which clearly means for all time. For as we must not talk of a beginning of the days of Christ, so never suffer anyone to speak of an end of his kingdom. For Scripture says, "his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom."

Hebrews 10:22 — Catechetical Lecture 3:4

For since a person's nature is twofold, compounded of soul and body, the purification is also twofold, incorporeal for the incorporeal part, bodily for the body. For as the water purifies the body, so the Spirit seals the soul, that having our hearts sprinkled and our bodies washed with clean water, we may draw near to God. Therefore, when about to enter the water, do not regard it as mere water, but look for its saving power by the efficacy of the Holy Spirit, for without both you cannot be made perfect. It is not I who say this, but the Lord Jesus, who has the power in this matter, says, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Neither does he who is baptized but has not been deemed worthy of the Spirit possess perfect grace; nor will one who acts virtuously, but does not receive the seal by water, enter into the kingdom of heaven. This may appear a bold saying, but it is not mine, for it was Jesus who pronounced it.

Hebrews 11:1-2 — Catechetical Lecture 5:1-2

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." Notice how great a dignity the Lord bestows on you in transferring you from the order of catechumens to that of the faithful. The apostle Paul says as much when he affirms, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ." Since God is here called faithful, you also in receiving this title receive a great dignity. God is called faithful in the same way that he is called good, just, almighty and maker of the universe. Consider therefore to what kind of dignity you are rising, seeing you are to become a partaker of a title of God.Here, then, it is further required that each of you be found faithful in his conscience: "for a faithful man it is hard to find"—not that you need to reveal to me what is on your conscience, for you are not to be "judged by man's judgment." But you are supposed to show the sincerity of your faith to God, "who tries the reins and hearts" and "knows the thoughts of men." A faithful person is a great thing, being richest of all rich people. For "to the faithful person belongs the whole world of wealth," in that he disdains and tramples on it. For they who in appearance are rich and have many possessions are poor in soul: since the more they gather, the more they pine with longing for what is still lacking. But the faithful person (a strange paradox, indeed) is rich in poverty. Such a person knows that we only need to have "food and clothing" and, being "content with these," he has trampled riches under foot.

Hebrews 11:1-2 — Catechetical Lecture 5:3

It is not only among those of us who bear the name of Christ that the dignity of faith is great. Rather, all things that are accomplished in the world, even by those who are strangers to the church, are accomplished by faith. By faith the laws of marriage yoke together those who have lived as strangers. Because of the faith in marriage contracts, a stranger is made partner of another stranger's person and possessions. By faith, farmers are also sustained, for the one who does not believe that he shall receive a harvest is not going to endure the work. By faith seafaring men, trusting to the thinnest plank, exchange that most solid element, the land, for the restless motion of the waves, committing themselves to uncertain hopes and carrying with them a faith more sure than any anchor. By faith therefore most of men's affairs are held together: and not among us only has there been this belief, but also, as I have said, among those who are outside the church. For if they receive not the Scriptures but bring forward certain doctrines of their own, even these they accept by faith.

Hebrews 11:5-6 — Catechetical Lecture 5:4

The lesson also which was read today invites you to the true faith, by setting before you the way in which you also must please God. It affirms that "without faith it is impossible to please him." For when will an individual resolve to serve God, unless he believes that "He is a giver of reward"? When will a young woman choose a virgin life, or a young man live soberly, if they don't believe that for chastity there is "a crown that does not fade away"? Faith is an eye that enlightens every conscience and imparts understanding. The prophet says, "And if you do not believe, you shall not understand." Faith "stops the mouths of lions," as in Daniel's case, for Scripture says concerning him, "Daniel was brought up out of the den, and he was found to be hurt in no way, because he believed in his God." Is there anything more fearful than the devil? Yet even against him we have no other shield than faith, an impalpable buckler against an unseen foe. For he sends forth various arrows and "shoots down in the dark night" those that are not watching. However, since the enemy is unseen, we have faith as our strong armor, according to the saying of the apostle, "In all things taking the shield of faith with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." A fiery dart of desire to indulge one's baser instincts is often shot from the devil's bow. But faith, suggesting a picture of the judgment, cools down the mind and quenches the dart.

Hebrews 11:11-12 — Catechetical Lecture 5:5

There is much to tell of faith, and the whole day would not be enough time for us to describe it fully. At present let us be content with Abraham only, as one of the examples from the Old Testament, seeing that we have been made his sons through faith. He was justified not only by works but also by faith: for though he did many things well, yet he was never called the friend of God except when he believed. Moreover, his every work was performed in faith. Through faith he left his parents, left country and place and home through faith. Therefore, you too should be justified in the same way he was justified. In his body he was already dead in regard to offspring, and Sarah his wife was now old, and there was no hope left of having children. God promises the old man a child, and Abraham, "without being weakened in faith, though he considered his own body now as good as dead," did not look at the weakness of his body but at the power of him who promised because "he counted him faithful who had promised." And so, beyond all expectation, [Abraham] gained the child from bodies already dead, as it were. And when, after he had gained his son, he was commanded to offer him up, although he had heard the word, "In Isaac shall your seed be called," he proceeded to offer up his son, his only son, to God, believing "that God is able to raise up even from the dead." And having bound his son and laid him on the wood, he did in purpose offer him. But he received his son alive through the goodness of God in delivering to him a lamb instead of his child. Being faithful in these things, he was sealed for righteousness "and received circumcision as a seal of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, having received a promise that he should be the father of many nations."

Hebrews 11:11-12 — Catechetical Lecture 5:6

Let us see, then, how Abraham is the father of many nations. Of Jews he is confessedly the father, through succession according to the flesh. But if we hold to the succession according to the flesh, we shall be compelled to say that the oracle was false. For according to the flesh he is no longer father of us all: but the example of his faith makes us all sons of Abraham. How and in what manner? With people it is incredible that one should rise from the dead, just as it is also incredible that there should be offspring from aged persons who are as good as dead. But when Christ is preached as having been crucified on the tree, and as having died and risen again, we believe it. By the likeness therefore of our faith we are adopted into the sonship of Abraham. And then, following upon our faith, we receive like him the spiritual seal, being circumcised by the Holy Spirit through baptism, not in the foreskin of the body but in the heart, according to Jeremiah, where he says, "And you shall be circumcised unto God in the foreskin of your heart," and according to the apostle, "in the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism," and the rest.

Hebrews 12:2 — Catechetical Lecture 15:1

We preach not one coming of Christ but a second as well, far more glorious than the first. The first gave us a spectacle of his patience; the second will bring with it the crown of the kingdom of God. In general all things are twofold in our Lord Jesus Christ. His birth is twofold, one of God before the ages and one of a virgin in the consummation of the ages. His descent is twofold, one lowly, "like the rain upon the fleece," and a second, his manifest coming, which is yet to be. In his first coming he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger; in his second he will be "robed in light as with a cloak." In his first coming he "endured the cross, despising the shame"; in his second he will come in glory, attended by a host of angels. We do not rest, therefore, in his first coming, but we look also for his second. Just as we said of his first coming, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," so we shall repeat the same at his second.

Hosea 4:2 — CATECHETICAL LECTURE 12:6

After Moses, prophets were sent to heal Israel. But in their exercise of healing they deplored the fact that they could not overcome evil, so that one of them says, "The faithful are gone from the earth, among men the upright are no more," and again, "All alike have gone astray; they have become perverse; there is not one who does good, not even one." And again, "Cursing, and theft, and adultery, and killing have overflowed" upon the land. "They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons." They engaged themselves in auguries and enchantments and divinations; and again, "they fastened their garments with cords and hung veils next to the altar."

Hosea 6:2 — CATECHETICAL LECTURE 14:4

A few of the Jews of that time were persuaded, but the world hearkened to the truth. Those who concealed the truth were buried in oblivion, but those who received it were made manifest by the power of the Savior, who rose from the dead and raised the dead himself. In the person of the risen dead the prophet Hosea says plainly, "He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence."

Hosea 9:12 — CATECHETICAL LECTURE 12:26

God is not ashamed to take flesh from such members, for he framed these very members. Who tells us this? The Lord said to Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I dedicated you." If in fashioning me, therefore, he touched them and was not ashamed, was he ashamed in forming for himself the holy flesh, the veil of his Godhead? It is God who even now creates the babes in the womb, as it is written in Job, "Did you not pour me out as milk, and thicken me like cheese? With skin and flesh you clothed me, with bones and sinews knit me together." There is nothing corrupt in the human bodily frame unless one defiles it with adulteries and wantonness. He who formed Adam formed Eve also; and male and female were fashioned by the divine hands. None of the members of the body, as fashioned from the beginning, is corrupt. Let all heretics be silent who slander their bodies, or rather him who formed them. But let us be mindful of Paul's words: "Do you not know that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?" Again, the prophet has foretold in the person of Jesus, "my flesh is from them."

Isaiah 1:7-8 — Catechetical Lecture 16:18

Isaiah lived almost [two] thousand years ago and saw Zion in a hut. The city was still standing, beautiful with public squares and clothed in honor; yet he says, "Zion shall be plowed like a field," foretelling what has been fulfilled in our day. Observe the exactness of the prophecy; for he said, "Daughter Zion will be left like a hut in a vineyard, like a shed in a melon patch." Now the place is full of melon patches.

Isaiah 1:18 — Catechetical Lecture 15:19-21

The Father will be seated, having "his garment white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool." This is spoken anthropomorphically. And the spiritual sense? That he is the King of such as are not defiled with sins. For God says, "Your sins shall be as white as snow, and shall be as wool." Wool is the emblem of forgiveness of sins, as also of innocence.

Isaiah 2:2 — Catechetical Lecture 21:7

He calls the church a mountain when he says, "In the last days the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established."

Isaiah 3:9-10 — Catechetical Lecture 13:12

They bound Jesus and led him to the meeting place of the high priest. Can you recognize that this was already written? Isaiah says, "Woe to their souls because they have taken evil counsel against themselves, saying, 'Let us bind the just one, for he is troublesome to us.' " Woe to their souls indeed! Let us see why. Isaiah was sawn in two, but afterwards the people were restored. Jeremiah was thrown into the dungeon, but the Jews had their wound healed. In these instances the sin was against a man, and therefore less. However, when they sinned not against a man but against God become human, then woe to their souls!

Isaiah 6:3 — Catechetical Lecture 23:6

We make mention also of the seraphim, whom Isaiah in the Holy Spirit saw standing around the throne of God, and with two of their wings veiling their face, and with two their feet, while with two they flew, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts." For the reason of our reciting this confession of God, delivered down to us from the seraphim, is this, that so we may be partakers with the hosts of the world above in their hymn of praise.

Isaiah 11:2-3 — Catechetical Lecture 16:30

Isaiah signifies that the Spirit was indeed one and indivisible, but his operations diverse.

Isaiah 11:4 — Catechetical Lecture 15:23

He [Christ] does not esteem the learned above the simple, nor the rich above the poor.

Isaiah 25:6 — Catechetical Lecture 11:5-7

Having been counted worthy of this holy chrism, you are called Christians, verifying the name also by your new birth. For before you were deemed worthy of this grace, you had properly no right to this title but were advancing on your way toward being Christians.Moreover, you shall know that in the old Scripture there lies the symbol of this chrism. For at the time Moses imparted to his brother the command of God and made him high priest, he anointed him after bathing him in water. And Aaron was called Christ or anointed, evidently from the typical anointing. So also the high priest, in advancing Solomon to the kingdom, anointed him after he had bathed in Gihon. To them, however, these things happened in a figure, but to you not in a figure but in truth; because you were truly anointed by the Holy Spirit. Christ is the beginning of your salvation. He is truly the first fruit, and you are what follow. If the first fruit is holy, obviously its holiness will pass to the remainder also. Keep this teaching unspotted, for it shall teach you all things, if it abide in you.… For this holy thing is a spiritual safeguard of the body and salvation of the soul. Of this the blessed Isaiah prophesying of old time said, "On this mountain shall the Lord make for all nations a feast; they shall drink wine, they shall drink gladness, they shall anoint themselves with ointment."

Isaiah 26:19 — Catechetical Lecture 18:15-16

Isaiah the prophet says, "The dead men shall rise again, and those who are in the tombs shall awake." And the prophet Ezekiel, now before us, says most plainly, "Behold, I will open your graves and bring you up out of your graves." And Daniel says, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame."67And there are many Scriptures that testify of the resurrection of the dead. For there are many other sayings on this matter. But now, by way of remembrance only, we will make a passing mention of the raising of Lazarus on the fourth day and just allude, because of the shortness of the time, to the widow's son also who was raised. And merely for the sake of reminding you, let me mention the ruler of the synagogue's daughter, and the rending of the rocks, and how "there arose many bodies of the saints which slept," their graves having been opened. But especially be it remembered that "Christ has been raised from the dead."

Isaiah 26:19 — Catechetical Lecture 4:31

Do not listen to those who say that this body is not raised up; for raised it is, as Isaiah witnesses, saying, "The dead shall arise, and they in the tombs shall be raised." Or, as Daniel says, "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame." But while rising again is the common lot of all people, the manner of rising again is not alike for all. For while we all receive everlasting bodies, those bodies are not alike for all. That is to say, the righteous receive such bodies as may enable them to join with the band of angels throughout eternity, while sinners received bodies in which to undergo through the ages the torture of their sins.

Isaiah 28:14-15 — Catechetical Lecture 1:9

When you renounce Satan, trampling underfoot every covenant with him, then you annul that ancient "league with hell," and God's paradise opens before you, that Eden, planted in the east, from which for his transgression our first father was banished.

Isaiah 28:16 — Catechetical Lecture 13:35

Was his tomb made with hands? Does it rise above the ground, like the tombs of kings? Was the sepulcher made of stones joined together? And what is laid upon it? Tell us exactly, O prophets, about his tomb also, where it lies, and where we shall look for it. But they answer, "Look upon the solid rock which you have hewn," look and see.… I, who am "the chief corner stone, chosen, precious," lie for a while within a stone, I, who am "a stone of stumbling" to the Jews but of salvation to them that believe.

Isaiah 30:10 — Catechetical Lecture 14:14

The chief priests and the Pharisees, through the agency of Pilate, sealed the tomb; but the women saw him who was risen.… The chief priests lacked understanding, but the women beheld with their own eyes. When the soldiers came into the city and told the chief priests what had happened, they said to the soldiers, "Say, his disciples came by night and stole him while we were sleeping." Well did Isaiah foretell this also, in their persons: "But tell us, and relate another error." Christ has risen and come back from the dead, and by a bribe they persuade the soldiers.

Isaiah 30:15 — Catechetical Lecture 2:15

Would you know the power of repentance? Would you understand this strong weapon of salvation and the might of confession? By confession Hezekiah routed 185,000 of the enemy. That was important, but it was little compared to what shall be told. The same king's repentance won the repeal of the sentence God had passed on him. For when he was sick, Isaiah said to him, "Give charge concerning your house, for you shall die, and not live." What expectation was left? What hope of recovery was there when the prophet said, "For you shall die"? But Hezekiah did not cease from penitence, for he remembered what was written: "In the hour that you turn and lament, you shall be saved." He turned his face to the wall, and from his bed of pain his mind soared up to heaven—for no wall is so thick as to stifle reverent prayer—"Lord," he said, "remember me." "For it is sufficient for my healing if you remember me. You are not subject to circumstances but are yourself the legislator of life. For not on birth and conjunction of stars, as some vainly say, does our life depend. No, you are the arbiter, according to your will, of life and the duration of life." He whom the prophet's sentence had forbidden to hope was granted fifteen further years of life, the sun turning back its course in witness thereof. Now while the sun retraced its course for Hezekiah, for Christ it was eclipsed, the distinction marking the difference between the two, I mean Hezekiah and Jesus. Now if even Hezekiah could revoke God's decree, shall not Jesus grant the remission of sins? Turn and lament, shut your door and beg for pardon, that God may remove from you the scorching flames. For confession has the power to quench even fire; it can tame even lions.

Isaiah 34:4 — Catechetical Lecture 15:3

So, our Lord Jesus Christ comes from heaven, and he comes with glory at the last day to bring this world to its close. For this world will accomplish its course, and the world that once came into being is hereafter to be renewed. For seeing that corruption, theft, adultery and every form of sin has been poured out on the earth, and in the world fresh blood has been ever mingled with previous blood, this astonishing habitation filled with iniquity is not to last. This world passes away that the fairer world may be revealed. Now would you have this proved by the express words of Scripture? Listen to these from Isaiah: "And the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all the stars shall fall down, as the leaf falls off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree."

Isaiah 38:3 — Catechetical Lecture 2:15

Do you want to know the power of repentance? Do you want to understand this strong weapon of salvation and the might of confession? By confession Hezekiah routed 185,000 of the enemy. That was important, but it was small compared with what else happened. The same king's repentance won the repeal the sentence God had passed on him. When he was sick, Isaiah had said, "Give direction for your household, for you will surely die, and not live." What expectation was left? What hope of recovery was there? The prophet had said, "You will surely die." But Hezekiah remembered what was written: "In the hour that you turn and lament, you will be saved." He turned his face to the wall, and from his bed of pain his mind soared up to heaven (for no wall is so thick as to stifle fervent prayer). He said, "Lord, remember me." … He whom the prophet's sentence had forbidden to hope was granted fifteen further years of life, the sun turning back its course as a witness.

Isaiah 38:8 — Catechetical Lecture 2:15

For Hezekiah's sake the sun turned back, but for Christ the sun was eclipsed. The sun did not simply retrace its path for Christ but was completely eclipsed. This shows the difference between Hezekiah and Jesus. The former's prayer resulted in the canceling of God's decree. But does not Jesus forgive sins? Repent, shut your door, and pray to be forgiven. Pray that Christ may remove you from the burning flames, for confession has power even to quench fire, power even to tame lions.

Isaiah 40:3 — Catechetical Lecture 3:1

While the heavenly powers rejoice, let the souls that are to be united to the spiritual bridegroom make themselves ready. For the voice is heard of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord." For this is no light matter, no ordinary and indiscriminate union according to the flesh but the all-searching Spirit's election according to faith.

Isaiah 40:9 — Catechetical Lecture 17:21

For in the power of the Holy Spirit, by the will of the Father and the Son, Peter stood with the Eleven and, lifting up his voice (according to the text, "Lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem"), captured in the spiritual net of his words about three thousand souls. So great was the grace that worked in all the apostles together, that, out of the Jews … this great number believed, were baptized in the name of Christ and continued steadfast in the apostles' doctrine and in the prayers.

Isaiah 40:12 — Catechetical Lecture 4:5

Now this Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not circumscribed to some place, nor is there heaven beyond him, but "the heavens are the work of his fingers," and "the whole earth is held in the hollow of his hand." He is in everything and yet nothing contains him.

Isaiah 45:14 — Catechetical Lecture 11:16

Would you receive yet a third testimony to Christ's godhead? Hear Isaiah saying, "Egypt has labored, and the merchandise of Ethiopia," and soon after, "In you shall they make supplication, because God is in you, and there is no God except you. For you are God, and we knew it not, the God of Israel, the Savior." You see that the Son is God, having in himself God the Father, saying almost the very same which he has said in the Gospels. … And again he has not said, "I and the Father am one" but "I and the Father are one," that we should neither separate them nor make a confusion of Son-Father.

Isaiah 49:1 — Catechetical Lecture 10:12

Consider how he who was not yet born could have a people, unless he were in being before he was born. The prophet says this in his person, "From my mother's womb he gave me my name"; because the angel foretold that he would be called Jesus. Again, concerning the plots of Herod, he says, "He … concealed me in the shadow of his arm."

Isaiah 50:6 — Catechetical Lecture 13:13

[This is] as though he were to say, "Though I knew beforehand that they would strike me, I did not even turn aside my cheek; for how could I have nerved my disciples to undergo death for the truth if I had been afraid?"

Isaiah 52:5 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5:12

The name of God is in its nature holy, whether we say so or not; but since it is sometimes profaned among sinners, according to the words, "Through you my name is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles," we pray that in us God's name may be hallowed; not that it comes to be holy from our being holy but because it becomes holy in us, when we are made holy and do things worthy of holiness.

Isaiah 53:8 — Catechetical Lecture 10:3

This sheep is equally called shepherd and says "I am the good Shepherd." By his manhood he is sheep; by his divine loving-kindness he is shepherd.

Isaiah 53:12 — Catechetical Lecture 13:30

Concerning the robbers who were crucified with him it is written, "And he was numbered with the transgressors." Both of them were before this transgressors, but one was so no longer. For the one was a transgressor to the end, stubborn against salvation; who, though his hands were fastened, struck with blasphemy by his tongue. When the Jews passing by wagged their head, mocking the crucified and fulfilling what was written, "When they looked on me, they shook their head," he also reviled with them. But the other rebuked the reviler; and it was to him the end of life and the beginning of restoration, the surrender of his soul a first share in salvation.

Isaiah 63:3 — Catechetical Lecture 13:27

Who is that who for shame is clothed in scarlet? For Bosra among the Hebrews has such a meaning.

Isaiah 63:16 — ''Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 7''

For Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Sarah travailed not with us, need we inquire further on this point? And if the Psalmist says, Let them be troubled from His countenance, the Father of the fatherless, and Judge of the widows, is it not manifest to all, that when God is called the Father of orphans who have lately lost their own fathers, He is so named not as begetting them of Himself, but as caring for them and shielding them. But whereas God, as we have said, is in an improper sense the Father of men, of Christ alone He is the Father by nature, not by adoption: and the Father of men in time, but of Christ before all time, as He saith, And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.

Isaiah 65:15 — Catechetical Lecture 10:16

With the ungrudging generosity of his godhead, Christ has granted to all of us to bear his name. For whereas as human sovereigns have some special title of sovereignty that they keep exclusively from use by other people, Jesus Christ, being Son of God, has deigned to bestow on us the title of Christians.… But some will say, "The name of 'Christians' is new and was not previously in use": and new-fashioned phrases are often objected to on the score of strangeness. The prophet made this point safe beforehand, saying, "But on my servants shall a new name be called, which shall be blessed upon the earth."

James 1:2 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5.17

"Falling into temptation" may mean being overwhelmed by temptation, for temptation is like a raging torrent which engulfs the traveler. In times of temptation some people manage to cross this torrent without being overwhelmed by the rising tide, because they are good swimmers who can avoid being swept away. But if others who lack their strength try to do it, they are overcome.

James 1:13 — SERMON ON THE PARALYTIC 17

If ever we find ourselves afflicted by illness, grief or trouble, let us not blame God, for God cannot be tempted by evil and does not tempt anyone. Each of us is scourged with the ropes of our own sins.

James 2:23 — Catechetical Lecture 5:5

Abraham was justified not by works but by faith. For although he had done many good things, he was not called a friend of God until he believed, and every one of his deeds was perfected by faith.

James 2:24 — Unknown work

The person who in faith honors the God and ruler of all has righteousness as his reward.

Jeremiah 1:5 — Catechetical Lecture 12:26

He is not ashamed to assume flesh, who is the creator of those very parts. Who tells us this? The Lord said to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you. Before you came forth out of the womb, I made you holy." If, then, in making humanity he was not ashamed of the contact, was he ashamed in making for his own sake the holy flesh, the veil of his Godhead? It is God who even now creates children in the womb, as it is written in Job, "Didn't you pour me out as milk and curdled me like cheese? You have clothed me with skin and flesh and have knit me together with bones and sinews." There is nothing polluted in the human frame unless a person defiles it with fornication and adultery. God, who made Adam, also made Eve. Both male and female were formed by God's hands. None of the parts of the body as formed from the beginning are polluted.

Jeremiah 2:21-22 — Catechetical Lecture 4:19

Learn this also, that before the soul comes into the world, it has committed no sin. But though we came into the world sinless, we now of our own choice commit sin.… Remember also how God again accuses them and says, "I have planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed; how then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?"

Jeremiah 2:21-22 — Catechetical Lecture 2:1

Sin is a terrible thing, and the most grievous disease of the soul is iniquity, which corrupts the fiber of the soul and makes it liable to eternal fire. It is an evil freely chosen, the product of the will. The prophet clearly declares that we sin of our own free will: "I had planted you, a choice vine of fully tested stock; how could you turn into bitterness, a spurious vine?" The planting was good, but the fruit coming from the will is evil. So the planter is blameless, but the vine will burn with fire since it was planted for good and bore evil fruit of its own will.

Jeremiah 2:27 — Catechetical Lecture 7:12

With unspeakable mercy, God deigned to be called the Father of humankind. He is in heaven, they on earth. He is the eternal Maker. They are made in time. He holds the earth in the hollow of his hand. They are like grasshoppers on the earth. Yet people forsook their heavenly Father and said to wood, "you are my father, and to the stone, you have begotten me." And for this reason, I think, the psalmist says to humankind, "Forget your own people as well, and your father's house."

Jeremiah 4:4 — Catechetical Lecture 5:6

Let us see, then, how Abraham is the father of many nations. We confess that he is the father of Jews, through descent according to the flesh. But if we hold to the descent according to the flesh, we are forced to say that the prophecy was false. For he is no longer father of us all according to the flesh. Yet the example of his faith makes us all children of Abraham. How and in what manner? With people it is unbelievable that one should rise from the dead. In the same way, it is also unbelievable that there should be offspring from aged persons as good as dead. Yet when Christ is preached as having been crucified on the tree, as having died and risen again, we believe it. By the likeness of our faith, therefore, we become the adopted children of Abraham. And consequently by our faith, like him, we receive the spiritual seal, being circumcised by the Holy Spirit through the font of baptism, not in the foreskin of the body, but in the heart, according to the words of Jeremiah: "For the sake of the Lord, be circumcised, remove the foreskins of your hearts." And according to the apostle: In the "circumcision that is of Christ, buried together with him in baptism," and so forth.

Jeremiah 5:8 — Catechetical Lecture 9:13

The neighing horse depicts the recklessness of young men.

Jeremiah 11:18-19 — Catechetical Lecture 13:19

Listen to Jeremiah and be convinced: "I was as a meek lamb that is carried to be a victim. Did I not know it?" (Read it thus as a question, as I have put it. For he who said, "You know that after two days the Passover shall be here, and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified," did he not know?) "I was a meek lamb that is carried to be a victim. Did I not know it?" (What sort of lamb? Let John the Baptist interpret, when he says, "Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!") "They devised a wicked counsel against me, saying (Was it that he who knew the counsels did not know their result? And what did they say?): "Come, and let us put wood on his bread." (If the Lord shall count you worthy, hereafter you shall learn that his body, according to the Gospel, bore the figure of bread.) "Come, and let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living (Life is not cut off. Why do you toil to no purpose?) And let his name be remembered no more."

Jeremiah 17:7-8 — SERMON ON THE PARALYTIC 6

He said to him, "Yes, sir. The long duration of my illness makes me desire health. But, desire it as I may, I have no one." Do not lose heart, my good fellow, because you "have no one." You have God standing by you. One who is at once man and God under different aspects, for both must be confessed. The confession of the humanity without the confession of the divinity is unavailing, or rather earns a curse. For "cursed is one who puts his trust in humankind."

John 1:13 — Catechetical Lecture 11:9

The Father, being very God, begot the Son like himself, very God; not as teachers beget disciples, not as Paul says to some, "I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel." For in this case [Paul is speaking about] he who was not a son by nature becoming a son by discipleship. But in the former case [of Jesus], he was a son by nature, a true son—not as you, who are to be illuminated, are now becoming sons of God: for you also become sons but [do so] by adoption of grace, [not by nature].

John 1:14 — Catechetical Lecture 11:10

The Father begot the Son, not as a human mind begets a word. For the mind is substantially existent in us, but the word when spoken is dispersed into the air and comes to an end. But we know Christ to have been begotten not as a word pronounced but as a Word substantially existing and living; not spoken by the lips and dispersed but begotten of the Father eternally and ineffably, in substance … sitting at God's right hand; the Word understanding the Father's will and creating all things at his bidding: the Word, which came down and went up; for the word of utterance when spoken does not come down, nor does it go up; the Word speaking and saying, "I speak of what I have seen with my Father," the Word possessed of power and reigning over all things, for "all things have been delivered to him by my Father."

John 1:33 — Catechetical Lecture 17:9-10

This Holy Spirit came down when the Lord was baptized so that the dignity of him who was baptized might not be hidden.… The heavens too were opened because of the dignity of him who descended. For see, he says, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and lighting upon him. The Spirit descended voluntarily. For it was appropriate, as some have interpreted, that the primacy and firstfruits of the Holy Spirit promised to the baptized should be conferred upon the humanity of the Savior first since the Spirit is the giver of such grace. But perhaps he came down in the form of a dove, as some say, to exhibit a figure of that dove who is pure and innocent and undefiled—who also helps the prayers of the children she has begotten and who brings forgiveness of sins. It was emblematically foretold that Christ should be made known in this way in the appearance of his eyes. For in the Song of Songs she cries concerning the Bridegroom, and says, "Your eyes are as doves by the rivers of water."69The dove of Noah, according to some, was in part a figure of this dove. In the time of Noah, salvation came to them by means of wood and water along with the beginning of a whole new generation. And, the dove returned to him towards evening with an olive branch. Just as this happened, they say, so the Holy Spirit also descended upon the true Noah, the author of the second birth, who draws together into one the wills of all nations. The various dispositions of the animals in the ark were in fact a figure of him too—him at whose coming the spiritual wolves feed with the lambs, in whose church the calf, and the lion, and the ox, feed in the same pasture, as we behold to this day the rulers of the world guided and taught by churchmen. The spiritual dove therefore, as some interpret, came down at the season of his baptism so that he might show that it is he who by the wood of the cross saves those who believe, he who when evening comes grants salvation through his death.

John 2:11 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 4.2

[Jesus] once changed water into wine by a word of command at Cana of Galilee. Should we not believe him when he changes wine into blood? It was when he had been invited to an ordinary bodily marriage that he performed the wonderful miracle at Cana. Should we not be much more ready to acknowledge that to "the sons of the bridal chamber" he has granted the enjoyment of his body and blood?

John 6:46 — Catechetical Lecture 6:6

The angels behold as much as they can bear, and archangels as much as they are able; and thrones and dominions more than the former, but still less than his worthiness. For with the Son, the Holy Spirit alone can rightly behold him. For "he searches all things and knows even the deep things of God," as indeed the only begotten Son also with the Holy Spirit knows the Father fully. "For neither," he says, "does anyone know the Father, except the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him." For he [the Son] fully beholds and reveals God through the Spirit to each person as he is able to receive, since the only begotten Son together with the Holy Spirit is a partaker of the Father's Godhead. He who was begotten knows him who begat. And he who begat knows him who is begotten. Since angels then are ignorant (for the Only Begotten reveals him through the Holy Spirit to each according to his own capacity, as we have said), let no one be ashamed to confess his ignorance.

John 6:52 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 4.4-6

Failing to understand his words spiritually, [the Jews] were offended and drew back, thinking that the Savior was urging them to cannibalism. Then again in the old covenant there was the showbread. But that, since it belonged to the old covenant, has come to an end. In the new covenant there are the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation, which sanctify body and soul. For as bread corresponds to the body, so the Word is appropriate to the soul. So do not think of them as mere bread and wine. In accordance with the Lord's declaration, they are body and blood. And if our senses suggests otherwise, let faith confirm you. Do not judge the issue on the basis of taste, but on the basis of faith be assured beyond all doubt that you have been allowed to receive the body and blood of Christ.

John 7:38 — Catechetical Lecture 16:11-12

Let us drink waters out of our own cisterns and out of our own springing wells. We drink of living water springing up into everlasting life. But this is what the Savior said of the Spirit, which those who believe on him should receive. For observe what he says: "He who believes on me—not simply this, but—as the Scripture has said—here he sends you back to the Old Testament—out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." These are not rivers perceived by sense that merely water the earth with its thorns and trees. But these are rivers that bring souls to the light. And in another place he says, "But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of living water springing up into everlasting life"—a new kind of water living and springing up, springing up to those who are worthy.And why did he call the grace of the Spirit water? Because by water all things subsist; because water brings forth grass and living things; because the water of the rain showers comes down from heaven; because it comes down one in form but works in many forms. For one fountain waters the whole of paradise, and one and the same rain comes down on all the world, yet it becomes white in the lily, and red in the rose, and purple in violets and hyacinths, and different and varied in each. So it is one in the palm tree, and another in the vine, and all in all things; and yet it is one in nature, not diverse from itself. For the rain does not change itself and come down first as one thing, then as another, but adapting itself to the constitution of each thing that receives it, it becomes to each what is suitable. And so the Holy Spirit also, being one, and of one nature and indivisible, distributes to each his grace, as he wills. And as the dry tree, after being nourished with water, puts forth shoots, so also the soul in sin, when it has been through repentance made worthy of the Holy Spirit, brings forth clusters of righteousness. And though he is one in nature, yet many are the virtues he inculcates by the will of God and in the name of Christ. For he employs the tongue of one person for wisdom; the soul of another he enlightens by prophecy; to another he gives power to drive away devils, while another is given ability to interpret the divine Scriptures. He strengthens one person's self-control while another learns how to give to the poor. He teaches one to fast and be disciplined and another to despise the things of the body, and still another he trains for martyrdom—diverse in different people, yet not diverse from himself.

John 15:26 — Catechetical Lecture 16:20

He is called the Comforter because he comforts and encourages us and helps our infirmities. We do not know what we should pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us, with groanings that cannot be uttered, that is, he makes intercession to God. Very often, someone has been outraged and dishonored unjustly for the sake of Christ. Martyrdom is at hand; tortures on every side, and fire, and sword, and savage beasts and the pit. But the Holy Spirit softly whispers to him, "Wait on the Lord." What is now happening to you is a small matter; the reward will be great. Suffer a little while, and you will be with angels forever. "The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed in us." He portrays to the person the kingdom of heaven. He gives him a glimpse of the paradise of delight.

John 17:10 — Catechetical Lecture 11:22-23

Angels did not create the world, but the only-begotten Son, begotten, as I have said, before all ages, by whom all things were made, nothing having been excepted from his creation.… "For all mine are yours and yours are mine," the Lord says in the Gospels. And this we may certainly know from the Old and New Testaments. For he who said, "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness" was certainly speaking to someone present. But clearest of all are the psalmist's words, "He spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created," as if the Father commanded and spoke and the Son made all things at the Father's bidding.

John 18:3 — Catechetical Lecture 13:38

Take the cross first, therefore, as an indestructible foundation, and build on it the other articles of the faith. Do not deny the crucified. For if you deny him, you have many to arraign you. Judas the traitor will arraign you first. For he who betrayed him knows that Jesus was condemned to death by the chief priests and elders. The thirty pieces of silver bear witness. Gethsemane bears witness, where the betrayal occurred. I am not even speaking yet of the Mount of Olives on which they were with him at night, praying. The moon in the night bears witness; the day bears witness, and the sun, which was darkened. For it endured not to look on the crime of the conspirators. The fire will arraign you by which Peter stood and warmed himself. If you deny the cross, the eternal fire awaits you. I speak harsh words so that you may not experience harsh pains. Remember the swords that came against him in Gethsemane so that you do not feel the eternal sword.

John 19:3 — SERMON ON THE PARALYTIC 12

They dressed him in a purple robe in mockery, of course. But they also fulfilled the prophecy, doing so under inspiration. For he was a King. However much they did it in a spirit of derision, still they did it. His royal dignity was emblematically heralded. So, likewise, though it was with thorns they crowned him, it was still a crown. And it was soldiers who crowned him. Kings are proclaimed by soldiers.

John 19:17 — Catechetical Lecture 13:23

Now Golgotha is interpreted "the place of a skull." Who were they, then, who prophetically named this spot Golgotha in which Christ the true head endured the cross? The apostle calls him "the image of the invisible God," and a little after, "the head of the body, the church." And again, "The head of every man is Christ." And again, "[He] is the head over all principalities and powers." The head suffered in "the place of the skull." O wondrous prophetic appellation! The very name also reminds you, saying, "Do not think of the Crucified as a mere man." He is "the head of all principalities and powers." That head that was crucified is the head of all power and has for his head the Father, "for the head of the man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God."

John 19:29 — Catechetical Lecture 13:29

Jesus says, "I thirst"—he who had brought forth water for them out of the craggy rock. Then he asked for fruit of the vine that he had planted. But what does the vine do? When the Lord was thirsty, this vine … having filled a sponge and put it on a reed, offers him vinegar. "They gave me also gall for my food, and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink." See how clear the prophet's description is. But what sort of gall did they put into my mouth? "They gave him," it says, "wine mingled with myrrh." Now myrrh tastes a lot like gall, and very bitter. Are these things how you reward the Lord? Are these your offerings, O vine, for your master? The prophet Isaiah was right when in times past he wailed, "My beloved had a vineyard in a hill in a fruitful place … and I waited for it to bring forth grapes." I thirsted, and it should have given me wine "but sprouted thorns instead."

John 19:30 — Catechetical Lecture 13:32

When he had drunk the wine mingled with myrrh and vinegar, he said, "It is finished." For the mystery has been fulfilled. The things that are written have been accomplished. Sins are forgiven.

John 19:34 — Catechetical Lecture 13:21

The beginning of signs under Moses was blood and water. And the last of all Jesus' signs was the same. First, Moses changed the river into blood. And Jesus at the last gave forth from his side water with blood.… In the Gospels, the power of saving baptism happens in two ways: one is granted through water to the illuminated, a second is granted to holy martyrs in persecutions through their own blood. Since this is so, blood and water came out of that saving Side to confirm the grace of the confession made for Christ, whether in baptism or martyrdom.

John 19:41 — Catechetical Lecture 13:19

And since we have touched on things connected with paradise, I am truly astonished at the truth of the types. In Paradise was the fall, and in a garden was our salvation. From the tree came sin, and until the tree, sin lasted. In the evening, when the Lord walked in the garden, they hid themselves. And in the evening the robber is brought by the Lord into paradise.

John 19:41 — Catechetical Lecture 14:11

A garden was the place of his burial, and a vine was what was planted there, as he said, "I am the vine." He was planted therefore in the earth in order that the curse that came because of Adam might be rooted out. The earth was condemned to thorns and thistles; the true Vine sprang up out of the earth, that the saying might be fulfilled, "Truth sprang up out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven." And what will he that is buried in the garden say? "I have gathered my myrrh with my spices"; and again, "myrrh and aloes, with all chief spices." Now these are the symbols of burial.

John 20:17 — Catechetical Lecture 11:18-19

The Father, having begotten the Son, remained the Father and is not changed. He begat Wisdom yet did not lose wisdom himself. He begat power yet did not become weak. He begat God but did not lose his own Godhead. Neither did he lose anything himself by diminution or change. He who was begotten does not lack anything either. Perfect is he who begat, perfect is that which was begotten: God was he who begat, God is he who was begotten; God of all himself, yet giving the Father the title as his own God. For he is not ashamed to say, "I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." But in case you might think that he is a Father of the Son in the same way that he is Father of creation, Christ drew a distinction in what follows. For he did not say, "I ascend to our Father," lest the creatures should be made fellows of the Only Begotten. Instead, he said, "My Father and your Father." He is in one way mine, by nature. He is, in another way, yours, by adoption. And again, "to my God and your God," in one way mine, as his true and only-begotten Son, and in another way yours, as his workmanship. The Son of God then is very God, ineffably begotten before all ages.

John 20:17 — Catechetical Lecture 7:7

But in case anyone, from simplicity or perverse ingenuity, should suppose that Christ is but equal in honor to righteous people … it is well to make this distinction beforehand, that the name of the Father is one, but the power of his operation is many. And Christ himself, knowing this, has spoken unerringly, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father." He does not say, "to our Father," but distinguishing and saying first what was proper to himself, "to My Father," which was by nature. Then he adds, "and your Father," which was by adoption. For however high the privilege we have received of saying in our prayers, "Our Father," who art in heaven, yet this gift is one of loving-kindness. For we call him Father, not as having been by nature begotten of our Father who is in heaven but having been transferred from servitude to sonship by the grace of the Father, through the Son and Holy Spirit. We are permitted to speak this way because of the ineffable loving-kindness [of our Father].

John 20:22 — Catechetical Lecture 17:12

This was the second time he breathed on human beings—his first breath having been stifled through willful sins. … But though he bestowed his grace then, he was to lavish it yet more bountifully. And he says to them, I am ready to give it even now, but the vessel cannot yet hold it. For awhile therefore receive as much grace as you can bear. And look forward for yet more. "But stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high." Receive it in part now. Then, you shall wear it in its fullness. For the one who receives often possesses only a part of the gift. But the one who is clothed is completely enfolded by his robe.

Job 40:23 — ''Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 3''

Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man is he that despiseth Baptism? But He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace. For since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same, that having been made partakers of His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our participation might receive both salvation and honour. According to Job, there was in the waters the dragon that draweth up Jordan into his mouth. Since, therefore, it was necessary to break the heads of the dragon in pieces, He went down and bound the strong one in the waters, that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and scorpions. The beast was great and terrible. No fishing-vessel was able to carry one scale of his tail: destruction ran before him, ravaging all that met him. The Life encountered him, that the mouth of Death might henceforth be stopped, and all we that are saved might say, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is drawn by Baptism.

Job 41:13 — ''Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 3''

Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man is he that despiseth Baptism? But He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace. For since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same, that having been made partakers of His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our participation might receive both salvation and honour. According to Job, there was in the waters the dragon that draweth up Jordan into his mouth. Since, therefore, it was necessary to break the heads of the dragon in pieces, He went down and bound the strong one in the waters, that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and scorpions. The beast was great and terrible. No fishing-vessel was able to carry one scale of his tail: destruction ran before him, ravaging all that met him. The Life encountered him, that the mouth of Death might henceforth be stopped, and all we that are saved might say, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is drawn by Baptism.

Joel 2:28-29 — CATECHETICAL LECTURE 27:19

And if you would receive a testimony also, "listen," he says. "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass after this, says God, I will pour forth of my Spirit' "—and this word, 'I will pour forth,' implied a rich gift; 'for God gives not the Spirit by measure for the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand'; and he has given him the power also of bestowing the grace of the all-holy Spirit on whomever he will—"I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;" and afterward, "Yea, and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy." The Holy Spirit is no respecter of persons, for he seeks not dignities but piety of soul. Let neither the rich be puffed up nor the poor be dejected, but only let each prepare himself for reception of the heavenly gift.

Joel 2:30-31 — CATECHETICAL LECTURE 15:3

For just as man is said to perish, according to the text, "The just perishes, and no one takes it to heart," and this is said, though the resurrection is expected, so we look for a resurrection of the heavens. "The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood." Let the converts from the Manichaeans be instructed and no longer make the luminaries their gods or impiously think that this sun that is darkened is Christ. Listen to the Lord's words: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away," for the master's creatures are less precious than his words.

Jonah 1:17 — Catechetical Lecture 14:7

They further object: A dead man recently deceased was raised by the living; but show us that it is possible for a man dead and buried for three days to rise again. The testimony we seek is supplied by the Lord Jesus himself in the Gospels, when he says, "For even as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Now when we study the story of Jonah the force of the resemblance becomes striking. Jesus was sent to preach repentance. So was Jonah. Though Jonah fled, not knowing what was to come, Jesus came willingly, to grant repentance for salvation. Jonah slumbered in the ship and was fast asleep amid the stormy sea; while Jesus by God's will was sleeping, the sea was stirred up, for the purpose of manifesting thereafter the power of him who slept. They said to Jonah, "What are you doing asleep? Rise up, call upon your God, that God may save us," but the apostles say, "Lord, save us!" In the first instance they said, Call upon your God, and in the second, save us. In the first Jonah said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you"; in the other Christ himself "rebuked the wind and the sea, and there came a great calm." Jonah was cast into the belly of a great fish, but Christ of his own will descended to the abode of the invisible fish of death. He went down of his own will to make death disgorge those it had swallowed up, according to the Scripture: "I shall deliver them from the power of the nether world, and I shall redeem them from death."

Jonah 2:6 — Catechetical Lecture 14:20

Jonah fulfilled a type of our Savior when he prayed from the belly of the fish and said, "I cried for help from the midst of the netherworld." He was in fact in the fish, yet he says that he is in the netherworld. In a later verse he manifestly prophesies in the person of Christ: "My head went down into the chasms of the mountains." Yet he was still in the belly of the fish. What mountains encompass you? But I know, he says, that I am a type of him who is to be laid in the sepulcher hewn out of rock. While he was in the sea, Jonah says, "I went down into the earth," for he typified Christ, who went down into the heart of the earth.

Joshua 2:11 — Catechetical Lecture 2:9

Pass now, pray, to the others who were saved by repentance. Perhaps even among the women someone will say, "I have committed fornication and adultery. I have defiled my body with every excess. Can there be salvation for me?" Fix your eyes, woman, upon Rahab, and look for salvation for yourself too. For if she who openly and publicly practiced fornication was saved through repentance, will not she whose fornication preceded the gift of grace be saved by repentance and fasting? For observe how she was saved. She said only this: "Since the Lord, your God, is God in heaven above and on earth below." "Your God," she said, for she did not dare call him her God, because of her wantonness. If you want scriptural testimony of her salvation, you have it recorded in the Psalms: "I will think of Rahab and Babylon among those who know me." The salvation procured by repentance is open to men and women alike.

Joshua 3:1 — Catechetical Lecture 10:11

But Jesus [Joshua], son of Nave [Nun], was a type of him in many things; for when he began to rule the people, he began from the Jordan; thence also did Christ begin to preach the gospel after he was baptized. The son of Nave [Nun] appoints the twelve to divide the inheritance;2 and Jesus sends forth the twelve apostles, heralds of truth, into the whole world. He who was the type saved Rahab, the harlot, who had believed;4 the true Jesus … says, Behold: "the publicans and the harlots are entering the kingdom of God before you." With but a shout, the walls of Jericho collapsed in the time of the type;6 and because of these words of Jesus, "There will not be left here one stone upon another," the temple of the Jews just opposite us is fallen; not that this sentence was the cause of its ruin, but rather the sin of the transgressors.

Lamentations 4:20 — Catechetical Lecture 8:7

Read the Lamentations. In those Lamentations, Jeremiah, lamenting you, wrote what is worthy of lamentations. He saw your destruction, he beheld your downfall, he bewailed Jerusalem that then was; for that which exists now shall not be bewailed; for that Jerusalem crucified the Christ, but that which exists now worships him. Lamenting then, he says, "The breath of our countenance, Christ the Lord, was taken in our corruptions." Am I then stating views of my own? Behold he testifies of the Lord Christ seized by men. And what is to follow from this? Tell me, O prophet. He says, "Of whom we said, 'Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.' " For he signifies that the grace of life is no longer to dwell in Israel but among the Gentiles.

Lamentations 4:20 — Catechetical Lecture 17:34

Hold more steadfastly the faith in "One God the Father almighty; and in our Lord Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son; and in the Holy Spirit the Comforter." Though the word itself and title of Spirit is applied to them in common in the sacred Scriptures, it is said of the Father, God is a Spirit, as it is written in the Gospel according to John; and of the Son, a Spirit before our face, Christ the Lord, as Jeremiah the prophet says; and of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, as was said. Yet the arrangement of articles in the faith, if religiously understood, disproves the error of Sabellius also.

Leviticus 4:5 — Catechetical Lecture 10.11

He is called by two names, Jesus Christ; Jesus because he is a savior, Christ because he is a priest. With this in mind the divinely inspired prophet Moses gave these two titles to two men eminent above all, changing the name of his own successor in the sovereignty, Auses, to Jesus, and giving his own brother, Aaron, the surname Christ, that through these two chosen men he might represent at once the high priesthood and the kingship of the one Jesus Christ who was to come.

Leviticus 8:3 — Catechetical Lecture 18.24

Well is the church named ecclesia ["assembly"], because it calls forth and assembles all men, as the Lord says in Leviticus: "Then assemble the whole community at the entrance of the meeting tent." It is worthy of note that this word assemble is used in the Scriptures for the first time in the passage when the Lord established Aaron in the high priesthood. In Deuteronomy God says to Moses, "Assemble the people for me; I will have them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me." He mentions the name of the church again when he says of the tablets: "And on them were inscribed all the words that the Lord spoke to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly"; as if he would say more plainly, "on the day on which you were called and gathered together." And the psalmist says, "I will give you thanks in a great church [ecclesia], in the mighty throng I will praise you."

Leviticus 8:12 — Catechetical Lecture 3.6

You must know that this chrism [chrismation] is prefigured in the Old Testament. When Moses, conferring on his brother the divine appointment, was ordering him high priest, he anointed him after he had bathed in water, and thenceforward he was called "christ" ["anointed"], clearly after the figurative Chrism.

Leviticus 24:5 — Catechetical Lecture 4.5

The Old Covenant had its loaves of proposition, but they, as belonging to that covenant, have come to an end. The New Covenant has its heavenly bread and cup of salvation to sanctify both body and soul. For as the bread is for the body, the Word suits the soul.

Luke 1:51 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But these words may be more appropriately taken to refer to the hostile ranks of the evil spirits. For they were raging on the earth, when our Lord's coming put them to flight, and restored those whom they had bound, to His obedience.

Luke 3:16 — Catechetical Lecture 17:8

John, filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, was sanctified for the purpose of baptizing the Lord. John himself did not impart the Spirit but preached the glad tidings of him who does. He says, "I indeed baptize you with water, for repentance. But he who is coming after me, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Why fire? Because the descent of the Holy Spirit was in fiery tongues. Concerning this the Lord says with joy, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it would be kindled!"

Luke 3:21-22 — Catechetical Lecture 3:11

He [Jesus] was not baptized to receive the forgiveness of sins. He was without sin. Being sinless, still he was baptized so that he might give grace and dignity to those who receive the sacrament. "Since the children share in flesh and blood, so he in like manner has shared in these," that we, sharing his incarnate life, might also share his divine grace. Jesus was baptized that we in turn also made here partakers with him, might receive not only salvation but also the dignity.

Luke 9:30-31 — Catechetical Lecture 12:16

What strange thing do we announce when we say that God became man and when you say that Abraham received the Lord as a guest? What strange thing do we announce when Jacob says, "I have seen a heavenly being face to face, yet my life has been spared"? The same Lord who ate with Abraham also ate with us. What strange thing do we announce? We present two witnesses who stood before the Lord on Mount Sinai: Moses was "in the hollow of the rock," and Elijah was once in the hollow of the rock. Being present at his transfiguration on Mount Tabor, they spoke to his disciples "of his death that he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem."

Luke 10:19 — Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 3

Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man is he that despiseth Baptism? But He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace. For since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same, that having been made partakers of His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our participation might receive both salvation and honour. According to Job, there was in the waters the dragon that draweth up Jordan into his mouth. Since, therefore, it was necessary to break the heads of the dragon in pieces, He went down and bound the strong one in the waters, that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and scorpions. The beast was great and terrible. No fishing-vessel was able to carry one scale of his tail: destruction ran before him, ravaging all that met him. The Life encountered him, that the mouth of Death might henceforth be stopped, and all we that are saved might say, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is drawn by Baptism.

Luke 12:11-12 — Catechetical Lecture 16:21

You must also know that the Holy Spirit empowers the martyrs to bear witness.… A person cannot testify as a martyr for Christ's sake except through the Holy Spirit. If "no man can say 'Jesus is Lord,' except in the Holy Spirit," will any man give his life for Jesus' sake except through the Holy Spirit?

Luke 12:49-50 — Catechetical Lecture 17:8

Why is it "fire"? It is because the descent of the Holy Spirit was in fiery tongues. Concerning this the Lord says with joy, "I came to cast fire upon the earth, and would that it were already kindled!"

Luke 23:6-12 — Catechetical Lecture 13:14

Having been bound, Christ went from Caiaphas to Pilate; is this also written? Yes: "And having bound him, they led him away as a present to the King of Jarim." But some keen listener will object: "Pilate was not a king." (Let us pass over for the time the main points of the inquiry.) "How then, having bound him, did they lead him as a present to the king?" But read the Gospel: "Pilate, hearing that he was from Galilee, sent him to Herod; for Herod was then king and was present in Jerusalem." Notice the exactness of the prophet, for he says that he was sent as a present. For "Herod and Pilate became friends that very day; whereas previously they had been at enmity with each other." It was fitting that he, who was to restore peace between earth and heaven, should first put at peace the very men who condemned him, for the Lord himself was there present, "who reconciles the hearts of the princes of the earth." Mark the exactness of the prophets and their truthful testimony.

Luke 23:13-25 — Catechetical Lecture 13:3

Many have been crucified throughout the world, but the demons are not afraid of any of these. These people died because of their own sins, but Christ died for the sin of others. He "did not sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth." It was not Peter, who could be suspected of partiality, who said this, but Isaiah, who, although not present in the flesh, in spirit foresaw the Lord's coming in the flesh. Why do I bring only the prophet as a witness? Take the witness of Pilate himself. He passed judgment on him, by saying, "I find no guilt in this man." When he delivered him over and washed his hands, he said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just man." The robber is another witness to Jesus' innocence. He is the first man to enter paradise. He rebuked his friend and said, "We are receiving what our deeds deserved, but this man has done nothing wrong, because you and I were present at his judgment."

Luke 23:43 — Catechetical Lecture 13:31

The tree brought ruin to Adam. It will bring you into paradise. Do not fear the Serpent. He will not throw you out, for he has fallen from heaven. I do not say to you, 'This day you will depart,' but 'This day you will be with me.' " Take heart; you will not be thrown out. Do not fear the flaming sword, because it stands in awe of its Lord.

Luke 23:53 — Catechetical Lecture 13:35

We seek to know exactly where he was buried. Was his tomb made with hands? Does it rise above the ground, like the tombs of kings? Was the sepulcher made of stones joined together? What is laid upon it? O prophets, tell us exactly about his tomb. Where is it? Where should we look for it? They answer, "Look at the solid rock that you have hewn." Look and see. You have in the Gospels, "In a rock-hewn tomb." What is next? What kind of door does the sepulcher have? Again, the prophet says, "They have ended my life in the pit, and they have laid a stone over me." I am "the chief cornerstone, chosen, precious." He that is "a stone of stumbling" to the Jews but of salvation to those that believe was for a while within a stone. The tree of life was planted in the earth, to bring blessing for the earth that was cursed and to bring release for the dead.

Malachi 3:1 — Catechetical Lecture 15:2

Of these two comings the prophet Malachi says, "And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek"; that is one coming. Of the second coming he says, " 'And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire, yes, he is coming,' says the Lord of hosts. 'But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire or like the fuller's lye. He will sit refining and purifying.' " In what immediately follows the Savior himself says, "I will draw near to you for judgment, and I will be swift to bear witness against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers." It was with this in view that Paul says in due warning: "But if anyone builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—the work of each will be made manifest, for the Day of the Lord will declare it, since the day is to be revealed in fire." Paul indicates these two comings also in writing to Titus in these words: "The grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men, instructing us, in order that, rejecting ungodliness and worldly lusts, we may live temperately and justly and piously in this world; looking for the blessed hope and glorious coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Do you see how he speaks of a first coming, for which he gives thanks, and of a second we are going to look for? We find the same lesson in the wording of the creed we profess, as delivered to us, that is, to believe in him who "ascended into heaven and sat down on the right of the Father, and is to come in glory to judge the living and dead, of whose kingdom there will be no end."

Matthew 12:40 — Catechetical Lecture 4, Sections 11-12

He was truly laid as Man in a tomb of rock; but rocks were rent asunder by terror because of Him. He went down into the regions beneath the earth, that thence also He might redeem the righteous. For, tell me, could thou wish the living only to enjoy His grace, and that, though most of them are unholy; and not wish those who from Adam had for a long while been imprisoned to have now gained their liberty? Esaias the Prophet proclaimed with loud voice so many things concerning Him; would you not wish that the King should go down and redeem His herald? David was there, and Samuel, and all the Prophets, John himself also, who by his messengers said, Are you He that should come, or look we for another [Matthew 11:3]? Would you not wish that He should descend and redeem such as these? But He who descended into the regions beneath the earth came up again; and Jesus, who was buried, truly rose again the third day. And if the Jews ever worry you, meet them at once by asking thus: Did Jonah come forth from the whale on the third day, and has not Christ then risen from the earth on the third day?

Micah 3:8 — Catechetical Lecture 15:29

If, further, one works through the twelve minor prophets, many testimonies to the Holy Spirit are to be found. Thus Micah speaks as God's mouthpiece and says, "Truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord." Joel cries, " 'And it shall come to pass afterwards,' says God, 'that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh' " and what follows. Haggai said, " 'For I am with you,' says the Lord of hosts … 'my Spirit remained among you.' " And in like manner Zechariah says, "Receive my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the prophets."

Micah 3:12 — Catechetical Lecture 16:18

Isaiah lived almost a thousand years ago and saw Zion in its primitive form. The city was still standing, beautified with public squares and clothed in honor; yet he says, "Zion shall be plowed like a field." He was foretelling what has been fulfilled in our day. Observe the exactness of the prophecy; for he said, "Daughter Zion shall be left like a hut in a vineyard, like a shed in a cucumber patch." Now the place is full of cucumber patches. Do you see how the Holy Spirit enlightens the saints? Therefore do not be distracted by a common term but hold fast to what is exactly true.

Micah 5:2 — Catechetical Lecture 11:20

It is enough for piety for you to know, as we have said, that God has one only Son, one naturally begotten, who did not begin to be when he was born in Bethlehem but is before all ages. For listen to the prophet Micah: "And you, Bethlehem, house of Ephratha, are little to be among the thousands of Judah. From you shall come forth for me a leader who shall feed my people Israel; and his goings forth are from the beginning, from the days of eternity." Therefore do not fix your attention on him as coming from Bethlehem simply but worship him as begotten eternally of the Father. Admit no one who speaks of a beginning of the Son in time, but acknowledge his timeless beginning, the Father.

Micah 7:2 — Catechetical Lecture 12:6

Cain and Abel followed in the generation of humankind, and Cain was the first murderer. Afterwards a deluge engulfed the earth because of exceeding wickedness of humanity. Fire came down from heaven upon the people of Sodom because of their corruption. Subsequently God chose out Israel, but even Israel became perverse and the chosen race was wounded. For, while Moses stood on the mountain before God, the people worshiped a calf in place of God. In the days of their lawgiver Moses, who said, "You shall not commit adultery," a man dared to enter a brothel and be wanton. After Moses, prophets were sent to heal Israel, but in their exercise of healing they deplored the fact that they could not overcome evil, so that one of them [Micah] says, "The faithful are gone from the earth, among men the upright are no more!" The psalmist says, "All alike have gone astray; they have become perverse; there is not one who does good, not even one." And again, "Cursing, and theft, and adultery, and killing have overflowed" upon the land. "They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons." They engaged themselves in auguries and enchantments and divinations; and again, "They fastened their garments with cords and hung veils next to the altar."

Mark 1:1 — Catechetical Lecture 3.6

With baptism the old covenant ends and the new begins. This is seen in the fact that the inaugurator of the New Testament is John the Baptist. "Among those born of women there is none greater than John." He is the crown of all the prophetic tradition: "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." Of the gospel dispensation he was the firstfruits, for we read "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ" and after some words "John did baptize in the wilderness."

Mark 1:6 — Catechetical Lecture 3.6

He fed on locusts to make his soul grow wings. Sated with honey, the words he spoke were sweeter than honey and of more profit. Clothed in a garment of camel's hair, he exemplified in his own person the holy life.… For every snake puts off its signs of age by pushing through some narrow place, and gets rid of its old apparel by squeezing it off. From then on it is young again in body. So "enter in at the straight and narrow gate," squeeze yourself through by fasting, break yourself away from perishing, "put off the old nature with its deeds."

Mark 1:7 — Catechetical Lecture 3.6

Even though Elijah the Tishbite was taken up to heaven, he was not greater than John. Enoch too was translated but was not greater than John. Moses was the greatest of lawgivers and all the prophets were admirable, but none greater than John. It is not I who would dare to compare prophet with prophet, but their Master and ours who himself declared "Among those born of women there is none greater than John." Not "born of virgins," observe! but "born of women."

Mark 11:14 — Catechetical Lecture 13:18

Remember at the time of the sin of Adam and Eve they clothed themselves—with what? Fig leaves. That was their first act after the fall. So now Jesus is making the same figure of the fig tree the very last of his wondrous signs. Just as he was headed toward the cross, he cursed the fig tree—not every fig tree, but that one alone for its symbolic significance—saying: "May no one ever eat fruit of you again." In this way the curse laid upon Adam and Eve was being reversed. For they had clothed themselves with fig leaves.

Mark 11:21 — Catechetical Lecture 1:4

You are now being joined with the holy vine. If, then, you abide in the vine, you grow into a fruitful branch, but if you do not so abide, you will be burnt in the fire. Let us therefore bring forth worthy fruit. For let it not come about that it should happen to us what happened to the barren fig tree in the Gospel. Let not Jesus come in these days and utter the same curse upon the fruitless. But instead may all of you say, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God."

Mark 13:2 — Catechetical Lecture 15:15

Antichrist will come at such a time as there shall not be left of the temple of the Jews "one stone upon another," to quote the sentence pronounced by the Savior. For it is not until all the stones are overthrown, whether by the decay of age, or through being pulled down for building material or in consequence of this or that other happening, and I do not mean merely the stones of the outer walls, but the floor of the inner temple where the cherubim were, that Antichrist will come "with all signs and lying wonders" treating all the idols with disdain.

Mark 15:17 — SERMON ON THE PARALYTIC 12

When they "clothed him in purple," it was in mockery, yet ironically it was a fulfillment of prophecy, for he indeed was a king, so even their parody indirectly served divine revelation. Even though they did it in a spirit of derision, still they did it, and his regal dignity was by that symbolically heralded. So, likewise, though it was with thorns they crowned him, it was still a crown.

Mark 15:23 — Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 13

But though He endured these things, having come for the salvation of all, yet the people returned Him an evil recompense. Jesus saith, I thirst,—He who had brought forth the waters for them out of the craggy rock; and He asked fruit of the Vine which He had planted. But what does the Vine? This Vine, which was by nature of the holy fathers, but of Sodom by purpose of heart;—for their Vine is of Sodom, and their tendrils of Gomorrah;—this Vine, when the Lord was athirst, having filled a sponge and put it on a reed, offers Him vinegar. They gave Me also gall for My meat, and in My thirst, they gave Me vinegar to drink. Thou seest the clearness of the Prophets' description. But what sort of gall put they into My mouth? They gave Him, it says, wine mingled with myrrh. Now myrrh is in taste like gall, and very bitter. Are these things what ye recompense unto the Lord? Are these thy offerings, O Vine, unto thy Master? Rightly did the Prophet Esaias aforetime bewail you, saying, My well-beloved had a vineyard in a hill in a fruitful place; and (not to recite the whole) I waited, he says, that it should bring forth grapes; I thirsted that it should give wine; but it brought forth thorns; for thou seest the crown, wherewith I am adorned. What then shall I now decree? I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it; for the clouds which are the Prophets were removed from them, and are for the future in the Church...

Mark 15:27 — Catechetical Lecture 13:30

Of the robbers crucified with him, it was said: "He was reckoned among the wicked." Up to this time both were wicked, but one of them was wicked no longer. For one was wicked to the end, yielding not to salvation, and, though his hands were fastened, he struck blasphemously with his tongue.

Mark 15:29 — Catechetical Lecture 13:30

Those who passed by wagged their heads, mocking the crucified, fulfilling the Scripture: "When they see me, they shake their heads."

Nahum 2:1 — Catechetical Lecture 17:12

He imparted the fellowship of this Holy Spirit to the apostles, for it is written, "When he had said that, he breathed upon them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.' " This was the second breathing (the first had been impaired by willful sins)2 to fulfill the Scripture: "One who has been delivered from affliction has come up panting into your presence." He has been delivered from Hades. For it was after his resurrection, according to the gospel, that he breathed on them. He gives the grace at this time, and he will lavish it more abundantly. He says to them, "I am ready to give it to you even now, but the vessel cannot yet hold it. Accept for the time the grace of which you are capable, but look forward to yet more." "But wait here in the city" of Jerusalem "until you are clothed with power from on high." Receive it in part now; then you will be clad in its fullness. For he who receives often has the gift only in part, but he who is clothed is entirely covered by his garment. Fear not, he says, the weapons and darts of the devil, for you will possess the power of the Holy Spirit. But be mindful of our recent admonition, that the Holy Spirit is not divided, but only the grace he bestows.

Numbers 11:25 — Catechetical Lecture 16.25

This Spirit descended upon the seventy elders in Moses' day. My object is to prove that he knew all things and worked according to his will. The seventy elders were chosen: "The Lord then came down in the cloud, and taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, he bestowed it on the seventy elders." It was not that the Spirit was divided, but his gifts were distributed according to the vessels and the capacity of the recipients. Now there were sixty-eight present, and they prophesied. Eldad and Medad were not present. To make it clear that it was not Moses who bestowed the gift but the Spirit who wrought, Eldad and Medad, who had been called but had not yet presented themselves, also prophesied.

Numbers 11:28 — Catechetical Lecture 16.26

Joshua, the son of Nun and successor of Moses, was amazed, and coming to Moses said to him, Have you heard that Eldad and Medad are prophesying? They were called and did not come forward; "Moses, my lord, stop them." I cannot forbid them, he said, for the grace is from heaven. So far am I from forbidding them that I consider it a favor. But I think you have not spoken thus in envy. Do not be overzealous on my account, because they have prophesied, and you do not yet prophesy. Await the proper time. "Would that all the people of the Lord might prophesy, whenever the Lord shall give them his spirit."

Numbers 25:8 — Catechetical Lecture 13.2

If Phinehas by his zeal in slaying the evildoer appeased the wrath of God, shall not Jesus, who slew no other but "gave himself a ransom for all," take away God's wrath against humanity?

Proverbs 4:25 — Catechetical Lecture 2:2

Someone will say, "What, then, is sin? Is it an animal? An angel? A demon? What is this which infects us?" Rest assured it is not an enemy attacking from without but an evil springing up within you. "Let your eyes look straight ahead," and there exists no evil desire. If you do not steal the property of others, robbery is at an end. Be mindful of the judgment and neither fornication nor adultery nor murder nor any wickedness will prevail over you. It is when you forget God that you begin to entertain evil thoughts and commit wicked deeds.

Proverbs 5:3-4 — Catechetical Lecture 4:2

What does it profit a man to be an expert theologian if he is a shameless fornicator; or to be nobly temperate but an impious blasphemer? The knowledge of doctrines is a precious possession. There is need of a vigilant soul, since many there are who would deceive you by philosophy and vain deceit. The Greeks, indeed, by their smooth tongue lead men astray, for honey drops from the lips of a harlot.

Proverbs 5:15 — Catechetical Lecture 16:11

Let us return to the sacred Scriptures and "drink water from our own cisterns and running water from our own wells." Let us drink of the living water, "springing up unto life everlasting." … Not visible rivers merely watering the earth with its thorns and trees, but enlightening souls.

Proverbs 5:22 — Catechetical Lecture 1:1

Clothed as you are in the rotten garments of your offenses and "held fast in the meshes of your own sins," listen to the prophet's voice saying, "Wash yourselves clean! Put away the misdeeds of your souls from before my eyes," that the angelic choir may chant over you: "Happy [are] they whose faults are taken away, whose sins are covered."

Proverbs 6:8 — Catechetical Lecture 9:13

There is the busy ant to rouse the indolent and sluggish; for when a man spends an idle youth, then he is instructed by the irrational creatures, being chided by the sacred Scripture, which says, "Go to the ant, O sluggard, and considering her ways, emulate her and become wiser than she." For when you observe [the ant] treasuring up food for itself in good season, imitate it, and treasure up for yourself the fruits of good works for the world to come. And again, "Go to the bee and learn how industrious she is"; how, hovering above flowers of all kinds, it gathers the honey for your use, that you also, by ranging over the sacred Scriptures, may lay hold of salvation for yourself.

Proverbs 7:3 — Catechetical Lecture 5:12

These articles of our faith were not composed out of human opinion but are the principal points collected out of the whole of Scripture to complete a single doctrinal formulation of the faith. And in like manner as the mustard seed contains numbers of branches-to-be within its tiny grain, so also this creed embraces in a few phrases all the religious knowledge contained in the Old and New Testaments together. Look now, brethren, and "hold the traditions," which are now being imparted to you, and "write them on the table of your hearts."

Psalms 1:5 — Catechetical Lecture 18:14

They shall rise, though not to be judged, but to be sentenced. For God needs no lengthy scrutiny, but as soon as the wicked rise again, their punishment forthwith follows.

Psalms 8:3 — Catechetical Lecture 4:5

Now this Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not circumscribed to some place, nor is there heaven beyond him, but "the heavens are the work of his fingers," and "the whole earth is holden in the hollow of his hand." He is in everything, and yet nothing contains him. Do not imagine that God is smaller than the sun or that he is as large as the sun. For, as he made the sun, he must have been already incomparably greater than the sun and more resplendent with light. He knows what is to come, and nothing equals him in power. He knows everything and does as he wills. He is not subject to any law of sequence, or genesis, or fortune or fate. He is perfect by every measure. He possesses unchangeably every kind of virtue, never less and never more, but ever in the same degree and manner.

Psalms 11:2 — Catechetical Lecture 5:4

Though the enemy is unseen, we have our faith as a strong protection, according to the saying of the apostle: "In all things taking up the shield of faith, with which you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the most wicked one." Oftentimes a fiery dart of desire of base indulgence is discharged by the devil; but faith, representing to us the Judgment and cooling the mind, extinguishes the dart.

Psalms 19:5 — Catechetical Lecture 9:6

Consider the apt disposition of the sun, or rather of him whose ordering determined its course; how in summer it is higher in the heavens and makes the days longer, thereby giving people good time for their works, while in winter it contracts its course that the cold season might not be too long and that the nights, becoming longer, might serve as the repose of people and for the fruitfulness of the earth's products. See too how the days give way to each other in due order, lengthening in summer, growing shorter in winter, but in spring and autumn affording mutually equal intervals; and the nights likewise, so that the psalmist says, "Day pours out word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge." For to the heretics, who have no ears, they all but shout, and by their good order they say that there is no other God save their Creator, who fixed their bounds and laid out the universe.

Psalms 22:14-15 — Catechetical Lecture 14:3

You have often heard also the words of the psalm: "To the dust of death you have brought me down." Think also of the prophecy of Jacob in the Scriptures: "He lay down and couched as a lion, and as a lion's whelp; who will disturb him?" Similarly in Numbers: "Lying down he has slept as a lion, and as a lion's whelp."

Psalms 26:6 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5:2

You have seen the deacon who gives to the priest water to wash, and to the presbyters who stand around God's altar. He gave it not at all because of bodily defilement; it is not that, for we did not enter the church at first with defiled bodies. But the washing of hands is a symbol that you ought to be pure from all sinful and unlawful deeds; for since the hands are a symbol of action, by washing them, it is evident, we represent the purity and blamelessness of our conduct. Did you not hear the blessed David opening this very mystery and saying, "I will wash my hands in innocence, and so will I compass your altar, O Lord"? The washing therefore of hands is a symbol of immunity from sin.

Psalms 27:14 — Catechetical Lecture 16:20

[The Holy Spirit] is called Comforter, because he comforts and encourages us and "helps our weakness. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself pleads for us with unutterable groanings," that is, clearly, to God. Often a person for Christ's sake is treated with contumely and unjustly dishonored; martyrdom is at hand, tortures on every side, fire, swords, wild beasts and the abyss; but the Holy Spirit gently whispers, "Wait for the Lord," for your present sufferings are slight, while your rewards will be great; endure for a little while, and you will be with the angels forever. "The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us." He portrays for the person the kingdom of heaven and even gives him a glimpse of the paradise of pleasure; and the martyrs, who must present their bodily countenances to their judges, are in spirit already in paradise, despise what appear to be hardships.

Psalms 31:19 — Catechetical Lecture 2:6

The sum of your sins does not surpass the magnitude of God's mercies. Your wounds are not beyond the healing skill of the great Physician. Only surrender to him with faith, tell the Physician of your malady. Repeat the words of David: "I said, I will confess against myself my iniquity to the Lord," and in like manner will be verified the second part of the verse: "And you forgave the wickedness of my heart."

Psalms 32:1 — Catechetical Lectures, Prologue, 15

May God at length grant you to see that night when darkness is turned into day, of which it was said "the darkness hides not from you, but the night shall shine as the day." Then let the gate of paradise be opened to each man and each woman among you. Then may you enjoy waters that bear Christ and have his sweet savor. Then may you receive his name of Christian, and the capacity for heavenly things. And even now, I pray you, lift up the eyes of your mind: take thought now of angelic choirs, and God the master of the universe enthroned, with his only-begotten Son sitting on his right hand, and his Spirit with him, while thrones and dominations do him service, and likewise each man and woman of you as being in a state of salvation. Even now imagine that your ears catch those lovely strains wherewith the angels acclaim you saved. "Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven and whose sins are covered" when, as stars of the church, you enter paradise with glorious body and radiant soul.

Psalms 45:7 — Catechetical Lecture 21:2

Christ was not anointed by people with oil or material ointment, but the Father, having before appointed him to be the Savior of the whole world, anointed him with the Holy Spirit.… As he was anointed with an ideal oil of gladness, that is, with the Holy Spirit, called oil of gladness, because he is the author of spiritual gladness, so you were anointed with ointment, having been made partakers and "fellows of Christ."

Psalms 50:21 — Catechetical Lecture 15:1

The Savior comes again, but not to be judged again, for he will pass judgment on those who passed judgment on him, and he who aforetime kept silence as they judged him now reminds those lawless people who did their outrageous deeds to him on the cross and says, "These things have you done, and I kept silence." He adapted himself when he came then and taught people by persuasion, but this time it is they who will be forced to bow to his rule, whether they will or no.

Psalms 52:8 — Catechetical Lecture 1:4

You are being armed not with perishable but with spiritual weapons. The paradise in which you are being planted is the soul's paradise, wherein you will be named with a name you did not have before. You were a catechumen till now, but now you are to be called believer. Henceforth you are transplanted among the olives of that paradise or are being grafted on a good olive tree being taken from a wild olive. You pass from sins to righteousness, from defilements to purity. You are becoming part of the holy Vine. If, then, you abide in the Vine, you grow into a fruitful branch; but if you do not so abide, you will be burned up in the fire. Let us therefore bring forth worthy fruit. For let not that come about, that there should happen to us what happened to the barren fig tree in the Gospel. Let not Jesus come in these days and utter the curse on the fruitless; instead may all of you say, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; my trust is in the tender mercy of God, forever and ever"; not a material olive tree but a spiritual and glorious one. It is God who plants and waters, but it is yours to bear fruit; God's to bestow the gift, and yours to receive it and keep it forever. But do not esteem the gift lightly because it is given freely. Rather, receive it reverently and guard it with care.

Psalms 66:10-12 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 23:17

"And lead us not into temptation, O Lord." Is it this then what the Lord teaches us to pray, that we may not to be tempted at all? How, then, is it said elsewhere, "an untempted person is a person unproved"; and again, "My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations"? But does perchance the entering into temptation mean being overwhelmed by the temptation? For temptation is like a winter torrent difficult to cross. Those, therefore, who are not overwhelmed in temptations, pass through, showing themselves excellent swimmers and not being swept away by them at all; while those who are not such, enter into them and are overwhelmed. As for example, Judas having entered into the temptation of the love of money, did not swim through it but was overwhelmed and was strangled both in body and spirit. Peter entered into the temptation of the denial; but having entered, he was not overwhelmed by it but courageously swam through it and was delivered from the temptation. Listen again, in another place, to a company of unscathed saints, giving thanks for deliverance from temptation: "You, O God, have proved us; you have tried us by fire like silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid afflictions on our loins. You have caused people to ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; and you brought us out into a place of rest." You see them speaking boldly in regard to their having passed through and not been pierced. "But you brought us out into a place of rest"; now their coming into a place of rest is their being delivered from temptation.

Psalms 74:14 — Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 3

Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man is he that despiseth Baptism? But He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace. For since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same, that having been made partakers of His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our participation might receive both salvation and honour. According to Job, there was in the waters the dragon that draweth up Jordan into his mouth. Since, therefore, it was necessary to break the heads of the dragon in pieces, He went down and bound the strong one in the waters, that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and scorpions. The beast was great and terrible. No fishing-vessel was able to carry one scale of his tail: destruction ran before him, ravaging all that met him. The Life encountered him, that the mouth of Death might henceforth be stopped, and all we that are saved might say, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is drawn by Baptism.

Psalms 82:6 — Catechetical Lectures, Prologue, 6

Look, I ask you, and see with how great a dignity Jesus favors you. You were called a catechumen, which means one into whom something is drummed from without. You heard of some hope, but you did not know what. You heard mysteries without understanding anything. You heard Scriptures without plumbing their depth. It is not drummed in, any more, but whispered. For the indwelling Spirit is fashioning your mind into mansions for God. When you hear, in the future, Scriptures concerning mysteries, you will understand things you knew nothing of. And do not esteem as if a trifle what you are receiving. Being but a wretched person, you are recipient of a divine title. For listen to Paul, "God is faithful," or to another text in Scripture, "God is faithful and just." It was as foreseeing that a divine title would come to be applied to human beings that the psalmist, speaking in the person of God, said, "I have said, you are gods and are all the children of the most High." But see that when the title is faithful, the purpose is not faithless. You have entered the contest; run your course steadfastly. No other chance like this will come your way. If it was your wedding day ahead of you, would you not make light of all else, in preparing the banquet? When, then, you are going to consecrate your soul to the heavenly Bridegroom, will you not leave your physical concerns to chance, so that you may take a firm hold on the things of the spirit?

Psalms 87:3-4 — Catechetical Lecture 2:9

Pass now, pray, to the others who were saved by repentance. Perhaps even among the women someone will say, "I have committed fornication and adultery. I have defiled my body with every excess. Can there be salvation for me?" Fix your eyes, woman, on Rahab, and look for salvation for yourself too. For if she who openly and publicly practiced fornication was saved through repentance, will not she whose fornication preceded the gift of grace be saved by repentance and fasting? For observe how she was saved. She said only this: "Since the Lord, your God, is God in heaven above and on earth below." "Your God," she said, for she did not dare call him her God, because of her wantonness. If you want scriptural testimony of her salvation, you have it recorded in the Psalms: "I will think of Rahab and Babylon among those who know me." O the great loving-kindness of God, which is mindful even of harlots in Scripture. He did not say merely, "I shall think of Rahab and Babylon," but added, "among those who know me." The salvation procured by repentance is open to men and women alike.

Psalms 88:1 — Catechetical Lecture 14:8

Accept an additional testimony from the eighty-seventh psalm [LXX], where Christ speaks in the prophets—for he who then spoke afterwards came among us: "O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day and in the night before you"; and subsequently, "I am become as a man without help, free among the dead." He did not say, "I am become a man without help," but "as a man without help"; for he was crucified, not because of helplessness but because he willed it; his death was not a result of involuntary weakness. "I am numbered with those who go down into the pit." What is the sign? "You have taken my friends away from me" (for the disciples fled away). "Will you work wonders for the dead"? Then, "But I, O Lord, cry out to you; with my morning prayer I wait on you." See how these verses manifest the actual circumstances of the passion and the resurrection.

Psalms 102:9 — Catechetical Lecture 2:12

So then the prophet comforted David as we have seen, but that blessed man, though he received most gladly the assurance, "The Lord has put away your sin," did not, king as he was, draw back from penitence. Indeed he put on sackcloth in place of his purple robe, and the king sat in ashes on the bare earth instead of on his gilded throne. And in ashes he did not merely sit but took them for eating, as he himself says, "I have eaten ashes as if bread and mingled my drink with weeping." His lustful eye he wasted away with tears; as he says, "Every night I wash my bed and water my couch with my tears." And when his courtiers exhorted him to take bread, he would not, but he prolonged his fast for seven whole days. Now if a king was apt to make confession after this manner, should not you, as a private person, make your confession? Again, after Absalom's rebellion, when David was in flight, with many roads to choose from before him, he chose to make his escape by the Mount of Olives, as good as invoking in his own mind the Deliverer who should from there ascend into the heavens. And when Shimei cursed him bitterly, he said, "Let him be." For he knew that forgiveness is for those who forgive.

Psalms 102:25-26 — Catechetical Lecture 15:3

Our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, is to come from heaven, and to come with glory at the end of this world, on the last day. For an end of this world there will be; this created world will be made new again. Corruption, theft, adultery and sins of every kind have flooded the earth, and bloodshed has been paid with blood; so to prevent this wondrous dwelling place from continuing forever filled with iniquity, this world is to pass away, to make room for a fairer world. You want proof of this from Scripture? Listen to Isaiah: "The heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll, and all their hosts shall wither away as the leaf on the vine or as the fig withers on the fig tree." And the Gospel says, "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven." Let us not grieve as though we alone were to die, for the stars also will die; but perhaps they will rise again. The Lord shall fold up the heavens, not to destroy them but to raise them up more beautiful. Listen to David the prophet: "Of old you established the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They shall perish, but you remain." But someone will say, "Behold, he says plainly that 'they shall perish.' Ah, but hear in what sense he says, 'they shall perish'; it is clear from what follows: 'though all of them grow old like a garment. Like clothing you change them, and they are changed.' " For just as humankind is said to perish, according to the text, "The just perishes, and no one takes it to heart," and this is said, though the resurrection is expected, so we look for a "resurrection" of the heavens.

Psalms 103:20-21 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 23:14

"Your will be done on earth as in heaven." God's divine and blessed angels do the will of God, as David said in the psalm, "Bless the Lord, all his angels, mighty in strength, that do his pleasure." So then in effect this is what you mean when you pray, "as in the angels your will is done, so likewise be it done on earth by human beings, O Lord."

Psalms 104:2 — Catechetical Lecture 15:1

What we proclaim is not one single coming of Christ but a second as well, much fairer than the first. For the first presented a demonstration of long-suffering, but the second wears the crown of the kingdom of God. Most things about our Lord Jesus Christ are twofold. His birth is twofold, once of God before the ages and once of the Virgin in the end of the ages. Twice he comes down, once all unseen like dew on a fleece and a second time still future and manifest. When first he came, he was swaddled in a manger. When next he comes he will "clothe himself with light as with a garment." At his first coming "he endured the cross, despising the shame"; at his second, he comes surrounded with glory and escorted by hosts of angels. We do not therefore simply rest on Christ's first coming, by itself, but let us look forward also to his second; and as we say of his former coming, "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord," so also we will say the same words again at his second coming, that we may meet our Master in company with angels and say, "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord" as we worship him. The Savior comes again, but not to be judged again, for he will pass judgment on those who passed judgment on him, and he who before kept silence as they judged him now reminds those lawless people who did their outrageous deeds to him on the cross and says, "These things you have done, and I kept silence." He adapted himself when he came then and taught people by persuasion, but this time it is they who will be forced to bow to his rule, whether they want to or not.

Psalms 104:14-15 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 22:9

Having learned these things and been fully assured that what seems to be bread is not bread, though sensible to taste, but the body of Christ; and that what seems to be wine is not wine, though the taste will affirm that it is so, but the blood of Christ; and that of this David sang long ago, saying, "And bread strengthens a person's heart, to make his face to shine with oil," "strengthen you your heart," by partaking of it as spiritual, and "make the face of your soul to shine." And so having it unveiled with a pure conscience, may you "reflect as a mirror the glory of the Lord" and proceed from glory to glory, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be honor and might and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalms 104:25 — Catechetical Lecture 9:11

"This great and wide sea, in it there are creeping things without number." Who can describe the beauty of the fishes therein? Who can describe the greatness of the whales and the nature of the amphibious animals, how they live on the dry land and in the waters? Who can describe the depth and breadth of the sea or the shock of its tumultuous waves? The sea stays within its confines because of him who said, "This far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled!" It clearly reveals the decree imposed on it, when running out it leaves on the sands a distinct line marked by its waves, as though to signify to those who see it that it has not transgressed its appointed bounds.

Psalms 108:4 — Catechetical Lecture 8:2

Of the Greeks, some have said that God is the soul of the world; others that his power does not extend to earth but only to heaven. Some, laboring under a similar delusion, misinterpret the text "and your faithfulness to the skies" and have dared to limit the providence of God to the skies and heaven and to alienate from God the things on earth, forgetting the psalm that says, "If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the underworld, you are present there." For if there is nothing higher than heaven and the underworld is deeper than the earth, he who rules the lower regions reaches the earth also.

Psalms 110:1 — Catechetical Lecture 4:14

So let us not be ashamed of the cross of Christ, but even if someone else keeps it secret, you should openly sign it upon your forehead, so that evil spirits beholding the royal symbol may fly far from you, terrified. Make this sign as you eat and drink, when you sit down, when you go to bed, when you get up again, while you are talking, while you are walking, in brief, at your every undertaking. He who was crucified then is now in heaven above. For we would have cause to be ashamed if, after he had been crucified and buried, he had remained in the grave. But now, he who was crucified on this very Golgotha ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives there to the east. For from there he went down into hell and came again to us here. Again he went up from us into heaven, when the Father called him saying, "Sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."

Psalms 119:37 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 1:6

Next you say, "and all his pomp." The pomp of the devil is the craze for the theater, the horse races in the circus, the wildbeast hunts and all such emptiness, from which the saint prays to God to be delivered in the words, "Turn away my eyes that they may not behold worthless things." Avoid an addiction to the theater, with its portrayal of sinful conduct, the lewd and unseemly antics of actors and the frantic dancing of degenerates. Not for you, either, the folly of those who, to gratify their miserable appetite, expose themselves to wild beasts in the combats in the amphitheater. They pamper their belly at the cost of becoming themselves, in the event, food for the mouths of savage beasts; of these gladiators it is fair to say that in the service of the belly that is their god they court death in the arena. Shun also the bedlam of the races, a spectacle in which souls as well as riders come to grief. All these follies are the pomp of the devil.

Psalms 126:5 — Catechetical Lecture 4:27

Concerning food. Let the body have its victuals, that it may live and render its services unimpeded, but not so as to be given to daintiness. Let these be your rules regarding food, since many trip up over meat. There are those who eat things sacrificed to idols without taking any notice. There are others who practice abstinence and then pass judgment on those who eat. And so the soul of this person or that is soiled in different ways, all in connection with the question of meats, through their not knowing the sensible reasons for eating or not eating. For we fast by abstaining from wine and from meat, not as though these things were abominations that we must hate but as expecting a reward for doing so, namely, that in spurning sensuous things, we may enjoy a spiritual and heavenly feast, "that sowing now in tears, we may reap in joy," in the world to come. But do not, in fasting, despise those who are eating such food, and eating it because of bodily infirmity. Do not blame those "who use a little wine for their stomach's sake, and their frequent infirmities," and certainly do not adjudge them to be sinners. Do not abhor flesh meats as if they were taboo, for the apostle evidently knew people like that, since he says that there are [those] "who forbid to marry, and command to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe." If therefore you are abstaining from these things, let it not be as from things abhorred, or your reward is lost, but as good things let them be transcended, in the quest of the fairer spiritual rewards that are set before you.

Psalms 132:11 — Catechetical Lecture 12:23

That the Lord was to be born of a virgin we know clearly; now we must show of what stock the virgin was. "The Lord swore to David a firm promise from which he will not withdraw: 'Your own offspring I will set on your throne.' " Again, "I will make his posterity endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven." Then, "Once by my holiness I have sworn; I will not be false to David: his posterity shall continue forever, and his throne shall be like the sun before me; like the moon, which remains forever." You see that the words concern Christ, not Solomon, for Solomon's throne did not endure as the sun. But if anyone should object that Christ did not sit on the wooden throne of David, let us produce that saying: "The scribes and Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses." For this signifies not the chair of wood but the authority of his teaching.

Psalms 146:4 — Catechetical Lecture 16:13

There are many uses of the word spirit in general in the sacred Scriptures, and a person could easily become confused from ignorance, if he did not know to what sort of spirit the particular text refers. Therefore, we must be sure of the nature of the Holy Spirit according to Scripture. For example Aaron is called Christ (anointed), and David also, and Saul and others are called Christs, yet there is only one true Christ; similarly since the name of spirit has been given to many things, we must determine what in particular is called the Holy Spirit. Many things are called spirits; our soul is called spirit; this wind that is blowing is called spirit; great valor is called spirit; impure action is called spirit; and a hostile devil is called spirit. Take care, therefore, when you hear such things, not to mistake one for another because of the similarity of name. Scripture says of the soul, "When his spirit departs he returns to the earth"; and again of the soul, "Who forms the spirit of a person within him." It says in the Psalms of the angels, "Who make your angels spirits";16 it says of the wind: "With a vehement spirit you shall break in pieces the ships of Tharsis"; and "As the trees of the woods are moved with the spirit";18 and "Fire, hail, snow, ice, spirit of storm." Our Lord says of his blessed teaching: "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life," that is, they are spiritual. The Holy Spirit is not an utterance of the tongue; he is living, granting wise speech, speaking and discoursing himself.

Psalms 147:4-5 — Catechetical Lecture 6:4

If anyone undertakes to speak of the attributes of God, let him first describe the bounds of the earth. Though you dwell on the earth, you do not know the limit of your dwelling place; how then will you be able to form a worthy concept of its Creator? You see the stars, but their Maker you do not see; first, number the stars, which are seen, and then set forth him who is not seen; "He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name." The recent violent rains all but destroyed us; number the drops of rain in this city alone; rather, not in the city, but number the drops that fell on your own house in a single hour, if you can. But since you cannot, you acknowledge your own weakness. From this learn the power of God. For "he has numbered the raindrops" poured down on the whole earth, not only now but through all time. The sun is a work of God, great indeed, but very small compared with the whole heavens. Fix your attention on the sun first, and then inquire assiduously about its Lord. "What is too sublime for you seek not; into things beyond your strength search not. What is committed to you, O attend to."

Psalms 150:6 — Catechetical Lecture 6:5

But someone will say: if the divine nature is incomprehensible, then why do you discourse about these things? Well then, because I cannot drink up the whole stream, am I not even to take in proportion to my need? Or because I cannot take in all the sunlight owing to the constitution of my eyes, am I not even to gaze on what is sufficient for my wants? On entering a vast orchard, because I cannot eat all the fruit therein, would you have me go away completely hungry? I praise and glorify him who made us; for it is a divine command that says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!" I am endeavoring now to glorify the Lord, not to describe him, though I know that I shall fall short of glorifying him worthily; still I consider it a godly work to try all the same. For the Lord Jesus encourages my weakness when he says, "No one has at any time seen God."

Romans 2:16 — CATECHESIS 15.25

The awe-inspiring countenance of the Judge will compel you to speak the truth. Even if you are silent, it will convict you. You will rise clothed either in your sins or in your just deeds. The Judge himself declared this.

Romans 5:14 — Catechetical Lecture 15.31

Paul's meaning is that, although Moses was a righteous and admirable man, the death sentence promulgated upon Adam reached him as well, and also those who came after, even though neither he nor they copied the sin of Adam in disobediently eating of the tree.

Romans 6:4 — Catechetical Lecture 3.12

As Jesus died in taking away the sins of the world, that, by doing sin to death, he might rise in righteousness, so too, when you go down into the water and are, in a fashion, entombed in the water as he was in the rock, you may rise again to walk "in newness of life."

Romans 11:19 — THE MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 2.3

When you were stripped you were anointed with exorcised olive oil, from the topmost hairs of your head to the soles of your feet, and became partakers of the good olive tree, Jesus Christ. Cuttings from the wild olive tree, you were grafted into the good olive tree and became partakers of the richness of the true olive tree.

Romans 15:24 — CATECHESIS 17.26

Paul instructed imperial Rome and extended the zeal of his preaching even to Spain, sustaining countless conflicts and performing signs and wonders.

Romans 16:18 — Catechetical Lecture 4.2

The heretics do this by coating over their poison pills of godless doctrines with the honey of the name of Christ.

S3Y 1:4 — Catechetical Lecture 2:16

Recall what happened to Ananiah and his companions. From which sources did they make water flow or how many vessels of water did they use to extinguish the fire that rose up forty-nine cubits high? Even when the flame rose a little too high, faith was poured out there to extinguish the fire like a river when all confessed their sin, saying, "You are right, O Lord, in all this that you have made; yes, we have sinned in committing evil." And their confession dissipated the flames.

S3Y 1:32 — Catechetical Lecture 9:3

Do you want to have proof concerning the incomprehensibility of the divine nature? Try looking at the three children who praised the Lord in the fiery furnace, saying, "Blessed are you who behold the depths and sit over the cherubim." Tell me the nature of the cherubim, and then look on him or the nature of him who sits over them! And yet, Ezekiel within the limits of possibility offered a description of them, saying, "Every one has four faces, the first of a man, the second one of lion, the third of an eagle and the last one of a year-old calf; every one has six wings and has eyes on every side; under each there is a spinning wheel of four sides." But in spite of these descriptions that he made, we cannot succeed in constructing for ourselves an exact idea of what he was talking about. If we cannot understand what the throne is that the prophet has described, how will we succeed in comprehending the one who sits on the throne, when he is invisible and mysterious? It is impossible then to construct an idea of the divine nature; it is possible only to offer up praises for the works that it has made and that are before our eyes.

SIR 23:18 — Catechetical Lecture 18:20

Let us be careful about our bodies. Let us also not misuse them as though they were not our own. Let us not say, like the heretics do, that this vesture of the body does not belong to us. Instead, let us take care of it as our own, for we must give account to the Lord of all things done through the body. Do not say, No one sees me. Do not think that there is no witness of what you did. More often than not, there is no human witness, but he who made us—an unerring witness—remains faithful in heaven, and sees what you are doing. And the stains of sin also remain in the body. For as when a wound has gone deep into the body, even if there has been healing, the scar remains, so sin wounds soul and body, and the marks of its scars remain in all. And they are removed only from those who receive the washing of baptism. The past wounds therefore of soul and body God heals by baptism; against future ones let us one and all jointly guard ourselves, that we may keep this vestment of the body pure and may not, for practicing fornication and sensual indulgence or any other sin for a short season, lose the salvation of heaven but may inherit the eternal kingdom of God; of which may God, of his own grace, deem all of you worthy.

SIR 34:10 — MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 5:17

"And lead us not into temptation," Lord. Does the Lord perhaps teach us to pray that we will never be tempted? Why does he say elsewhere, "The person who has not been tempted is not proven," and again, "Consider it supreme joy, brothers and sisters, when you fall into various temptations." But to enter into temptation is not to let oneself be overwhelmed by temptation. In fact, temptation seems like a stream of difficult passage. Some, who do not let themselves be submerged by temptation, make it across. They are good swimmers who do not allow themselves to be carried away by the stream. Others, who are not good swimmers, are submerged when they enter the stream. Thus, for example, Judas, having entered into the temptation of avarice, did not overcome it but hanged himself, being materially and spiritually submerged. Peter entered into the temptation of denial but, overcoming it, was not submerged by it. He crossed the stream with courage and was not carried away. In yet another passage, listen to the chorus of the perfect saints, who give thanks for having escaped temptation. "You tried us, O God. Like silver you passed us through the fire. You pushed us into the snare, you laid sufferings on our backs. You made people pass over our heads. We passed through fire and water, and you have brought us to refreshment."

SIR 43:2 — Catechetical Lecture 9:6

How could anyone who lifts his eyes to the sun not admire the way in which it is regulated? When it first appears, it could in fact seem to be something of little account, whereas in reality it has a truly great power. It gives us light from its rising in the east until it sets in the west. When the psalmist says that it rises in the morning "like a bridegroom from his chamber," he gives an image of its temperate rays that do not bother the eyes at its rising, because at its appearance "like a bridegroom," we find it pleasant. Only when it directs its horses toward midday do we for the most part shelter ourselves from its burning rays. Note above all how it regulates itself, although it is not the sun itself that appoints the rule but him who gave it its course to follow. In the summer, rising, it lengthens the days so as to give people more time for work. In the winter, it shortens its course, not so as to lengthen the time of cold but so that, the nights being longer, it would cooperate with human beings, promoting their rest, and with the earth to make it fruitful. Note also the harmony with which the days balance each other. In the winter they are shorter and in the summer longer, in spring and autumn they accord with one other, seeking a similar length. The night is regulated in the same way. As the psalmist says, "One day to the next hands on the message, and night to night transmits the news." Day and night, with their orderly procession, cry out in unison to heretics that there is no other God than the Creator of all things, who has given them rule and order.

SIR 48:23 — Catechetical Lecture 2:15

For Hezekiah, by now without hope, according to the words of the prophet who told him the judgment, his life was extended fifteen years. The sun, continuing on its way, he made to retreat. This was a sign. The sun went backwards for Hezekiah but was eclipsed for Christ. In both phenomena, the retreat and the eclipse, a sign was given, although with different meaning with respect to Hezekiah and to Jesus. If Hezekiah managed to have the divine judgment revoked, would Jesus not give the remission of sins? Be converted, therefore, and mourn over your sins, close the door and pray to obtain the forgiveness of sins and avoid the burning flames, since confession has the power to put out the fire itself, just as it has the strength to tame lions.

Song of Songs 3:10-11 — Catechetical Lecture 13:17

Every king is proclaimed by soldiers. It was fitting that Jesus also, in figure, be crowned by soldiers. For this reason Scripture says in the Canticles: "Daughters of Jerusalem, come forth and look upon King Solomon in the crown with which his mother has crowned him." But the crown was also a mystery, for it was a remission of sins and release from the sentence of condemnation.

Song of Songs 4:2 — Catechetical Lecture 3:16

"Your teeth are like a flock of ewes to be shorn." A sincere confession is a spiritual shearing! And further: "all of them big with twins," signifying the twofold grace, either that perfected by water and the Spirit, or that announced in the Old and in the New Testament.

Song of Songs 4:12 — Catechetical Lecture 14:5

Now who is the "fountain sealed," or who is signified by the "wellspring of living water"? It is the Savior himself, of whom it is written: "For with you is the fountain of life."

Song of Songs 4:14 — Catechetical Lecture 14:11

The place of his burial was a garden.… What is he going to say who was buried in the garden? "I gather my myrrh, and my spices"; and again, "Myrrh and aloes with all the finest spices." These were the tokens of his burial, and in the Gospels it is said, "The women came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared," and "there also came Nicodemus, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes."

Song of Songs 4:15 — Catechetical Lecture 14:5

Now who is the "fountain sealed," or who is signified by the "wellspring of living water"? It is the Savior himself, of whom it is written: "For with you is the fountain of life."

Song of Songs 5:1 — Catechetical Lecture 14:11

The place of his burial was a garden.… What is he going to say who was buried in the garden? "I gather my myrrh, and my spices"; and again, "Myrrh and aloes with all the finest spices." These were the tokens of his burial, and in the Gospels it is said, "The women came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared," and "there also came Nicodemus, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes."

Song of Songs 5:12 — Catechetical Lecture 17:9

Perhaps, as some say, it was to reveal an image that he came down in the likeness of a pure, innocent, simple dove, working with prayers for the sons he begot and for the forgiveness of sins; just as in a veiled manner it was foretold that the beauty of Christ's eyes would be manifested in this way.

Song of Songs 6:11 — Catechetical Lecture 14:5

You wish to know the place? He says in the Canticles, "I came down to the nut garden"; for it was a garden where he was crucified.

Song of Songs 8:2 — SERMON ON THE PARALYTIC 11

Again, referring to the wine mingled with myrrh, the Canticle says, "I will give you a cup of spiced wine."

Song of Songs 8:7 — Catechetical Lecture 14:13

Though weak in body the women were courageous in spirit. "Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can floods drown it." He whom they sought was dead, but their hope of the resurrection was not quenched.

Titus 2:11 — Catechetical Lecture 15:2-3

For Paul has also shown us that there are these two comings, in his epistle to Titus where he says, "The grace of God our Savior has appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." You note how he acknowledges with thanksgiving the first coming and that we look for a second.… So our Lord Jesus Christ comes from heaven and comes with glory at the last day to bring this world to its close.

WIS 6:16 — Catechetical Lecture 16:19

How truly precious is the Holy Spirit, the good sovereign! Thus we receive baptism in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit! He fights against many demons who attack those who are still burdened by the body with beastly ferocity. But that demon whom so many are unable to bind with iron chains has often been conquered by the recitation of a single prayer, through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within: the mere breath of the exorcist, like a fire, puts him to flight, and he disappears. God, therefore, has given us a mighty ally for the battle, a true protector—a great Teacher for the church, a great defender for each of us. We need not fear demons or the devil, because the one who fights for us is stronger. Let us open the door that he would come to meet us, "seeking those who are worthy of him" and desiring to give us his gifts.

WIS 13:5 — Catechetical Lecture 9:2

If it is not possible to see the divine nature with eyes of flesh, it is possible to gain an image of the divine power of the Creator from his works. Solomon says this: "In fact, one knows the author by analogy from the greatness and beauty of creatures." He does not say simply that one knows the author from creatures but adds "by analogy." The more we consider his creatures in a contemplative way, in fact, the more God will show himself to be great. And the more our heart is raised in contemplation, the higher will be the image that we have of God.

Zechariah 2:10 — Catechetical Lecture 12:8

The Lord heard the prayer of the prophets. The Father did not despise our race, which was perishing; he sent from heaven his own Son the Lord as our physician. One of the prophets says, "The Lord whom you seek, comes; and he shall come suddenly." Where will he come? "The Lord shall come to his temple," where you took up stones against him. Another of the prophets, on hearing this, says to him, "In speaking of God's salvation, do you speak softly? In announcing the good tidings of God's coming for salvation, do you speak in secret?" "Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; say to the cities of Judah"—what shall I say?—"Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord God." Again the Lord himself has said, " 'Behold, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you,' says the Lord. 'And many nations shall be joined to the Lord.' " The Israelites rejected salvation through me; "I come to gather nations of every language," for, "he came unto his own, and his own received him not." You come, and what do you bestow upon the nations? "I come to gather nations of every language … I will set a sign among them." For from my conflict on the cross I will give to each of my soldiers a royal sign to bear upon his forehead. Still another prophet said, "He inclined the heavens and came down, with dark clouds under his feet." For his coming down from heaven was unknown to humanity.

Zechariah 9:11 — Catechetical Lecture 13:34

The sun was darkened because of the Sun of justice. The rocks were rent because of "the spiritual rock." Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of him who was "free among the dead." He "sent forth his prisoners out of the pit, wherein there is no water." Do not be ashamed, then, of the Crucified, but say with confidence, "He bears our sins and carries our sorrows, and by his bruises we are healed." Let us not be ungrateful to our Benefactor. Again, "For the wickedness of my people was he led to death; and I shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death." And Paul says clearly "that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures."

Zechariah 11:12 — Catechetical Lecture 13:10

Hear now in regard to thirty pieces of silver: "And I will say to them, 'If it seems good to you, give me my wages, or refuse.' " One recompense is due me for curing the blind and the lame, and I receive another; instead of thanksgiving, dishonor, and instead of worship, insult. Do you see how Scripture foresaw all this? "And they counted out my wages, thirty pieces of silver." O prophetic accuracy! A great and unerring wisdom of the Holy Spirit! For he did not say ten or twenty but thirty, exactly the right amount. Tell also what happened to this payment, O prophet! Does he who received it keep it, or does he give it back? And after its return what becomes of it? The prophet says, "So I took thirty pieces of silver, and I cast them into the house of the Lord, into the foundry." Compare with the prophecy of the Gospel, which says, "Judas repented and flung the pieces of silver into the temple and withdrew."

Zechariah 12:1 — Catechetical Lecture 16:13

There are many statements of spirit in general in the sacred Scriptures, and a person could easily become confused from ignorance, if he did not know to what sort of spirit the particular text refers; therefore we must be sure of the nature of the Holy Spirit according to Scripture. For example, Aaron is called Christ (anointed), and David also, and Saul and others are called christs, yet there is only one true Christ; similarly, since the name of spirit has been given to many things, we must determine what in particular is called the Holy Spirit. Many things are called spirits; our soul is called spirit; this wind, which is blowing, is called spirit; great valor is called spirit; impure action is called spirit; and a hostile devil is called spirit. Take care, therefore, when you hear such things, not to mistake one for another because of the similarity of the name. Scripture says of the soul, "When his spirit departs, he returns to the earth"; and again of the soul: "Who forms the spirit of man within him."

Zechariah 14:4 — Catechetical Lecture 12:11

But it might happen that he should sit upon a foal; give us rather a sign where the king who enters will stand. Give us a sign not far from the city, that it may not be unknown to us; give us a sign nearby and clearly visible, that being in the city we may behold the place. Again the prophet answers, saying, "That day his feet shall rest upon the Mount of Olives, which is opposite Jerusalem to the east." Is it possible for anyone standing within the city not to behold the place?

Zechariah 14:5-6 — Catechetical Lecture 13:24

Christ, then, was crucified for us; he was judged in the night, when it was cold, and therefore a fire of coal was laid. He was crucified in the third hour, and "from the sixth hour there was darkness until the ninth hour," but from the ninth hour there was light again. Are these details written down? Let us inquire. Zechariah says, "And it shall come to pass in that day, and there shall be no light but cold and frost through one day (the cold on account of which Peter warmed himself), and that day shall be known to the Lord." (What? Did he not know the other days? There are many days, but "this is the day [of the Lord's patience] the Lord has made.")6 "And that day shall be known to the Lord, and not day nor night." What dark saying does the prophet utter? That day is neither day nor night. What then shall we call it? The gospel interprets it, telling of the event. It was not day, for the sun did not shine without interruption from rising to setting, but from the sixth hour to the ninth there was darkness. The darkness was interposed, but God called the darkness night. Therefore it was neither all light, so as to be called day, nor all darkness, so as to be called night; but after the ninth hour the sun shone forth. This also the prophet foretells; for after saying "not day nor night," he adds, "And in the time of the evening there shall be light." Do you see the truth of the events foretold?

Zephaniah 3:14-15 — Catechetical Lecture 3:16

Take heart, O Jerusalem, the Lord will take away your iniquities. The Lord will wash away the filth of his sons and daughters by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning. He will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your sins. Choiring angels shall encircle you, chanting, "Who is it that comes up all white and leaning upon her beloved?" For the soul that was formerly a slave has now accounted its Lord as its kinsman, and he, acknowledging its sincere purpose, will answer, "Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved, ah, you are beautiful … your teeth are like a flock of ewes to be shorn"—a sincere confession is a spiritual shearing. And further: "all of them big with twins," signifying the twofold grace, either that perfected by water and the Spirit or that announced in the Old and in the New Testament. God grant that all of you, your course of fasting finished, mindful of the teaching, fruitful in good works, standing blameless before the spiritual bridegroom, may obtain the remission of your sins from God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.