Festal Orations 3-1

By the same author: On Pentecost.

Let us speak briefly and thoughtfully about the feast, that we may keep it spiritually.

For one man finds his festival in one thing, another in another;

but to the servant of the Word, his festival is a discourse — and of discourses, the one most suited to the occasion.

And nothing so gladdens the lover of what is good as for the lover of feasts to celebrate spiritually.

The Jew also keeps festival, but according to the letter;

for pursuing the bodily law, he has not attained to the spiritual law.

The Greek too keeps festival, but according to the body, and to honour his own gods and demons;

of whom some, by their own account, are makers of passions, while others were honoured because they sprang from passions.

so that sinning becomes an honour to the god, to whom the passion flees for refuge, as to something venerable.

We also keep festival, but as it seems good to the Spirit.

And this is our keeping of festival: to lay up something in the soul of those things that stand fast and abide, and not of those that pass away and dissolve, and that flatter the senses a little, but for the most part mar and harm them — at least according to my view.

For sufficient unto the body is its own evil.

Why should the flame need more fuel, or the wild beast more abundant food, that it may become harder to restrain, and more violent than reason? (II.)

The beginning of the discourse is this (for it must be said, even if our discourse becomes a little too digressive, and the lovers of learning must take some pains, that we may mix in, as it were, some seasoning to the festival):

The children of the Hebrews honour the number seven, from the legislation of Moses, even as the Pythagoreans later honoured the tetractys, which indeed they made an oath;

and the eight and the thirty, the followers of Simon and Marcion, who indeed name certain Aeons equal in number to these, and honour them.

I do not know by what principles of analogy, or according to what power of this number they honour it — but honour it they do.

This much is plain: that in six days God, having brought matter into existence and given it form, and adorned it with all manner of kinds and combinations, and made this world that we now behold, rested on the seventh from His works — as the very name Sabbath shows, which signifies "rest" in Hebrew.

But if there is also some loftier principle concerning these matters, let others philosophize about it.

And their honouring of it extends not to days only, but reaches even to years.

Now the honour of days is the Sabbath; this is what is continually honoured among them, even as the removal of leaven is equal in number;

and the honour of years is the sabbatical year of release.

And not in weeks only, but also in weeks of weeks, alike in days and in years.

Now the weeks of days bring forth Pentecost, a day called holy among them;

and the weeks of years bring forth what is called among them the Jubilee, which likewise has release of land, and freedom of slaves, and the relinquishing of purchased possessions.

For this people consecrates to God not only firstfruits of produce, nor of firstborn, but already also firstfruits of days and of years.

Thus the honoured number seven introduced along with itself the honour of Pentecost.

For seven, multiplied by itself, generates fifty, lacking one day, which we have taken in addition from the age to come — the same being both an eighth and a first, or rather one and indissoluble.

to give a portion to the seven, and also to the eight, as some before us have understood Solomon's saying.

Of the honour of the seven there are many testimonies, but a few out of many will suffice us.

Thus there are seven honoured spirits named.

For Isaiah, I think, was pleased to call the operations of the Spirit "Spirits."

And the righteous man is delivered out of distresses six times, and in the seventh is not even touched.

But the sinner is forgiven not seven times only, but even seventy times seven.

And again, on the contrary (for the punishment of wickedness is also praiseworthy), Cain is avenged sevenfold — that is, exacted penalties for fratricide —

while Lamech seventy times seven, because he was a murderer after the law and the condemnation.

And the wicked neighbours receive sevenfold into their bosom;

and the house of Wisdom is upheld by seven pillars;

and the stone of Zerubbabel is adorned with as many eyes.

And God is praised seven times a day.

Moreover, the barren woman bears seven, the perfect number — the opposite of her who is imperfect in children.

And if we must also consider the ancient histories, I call to mind Enoch, the seventh among the forefathers, honoured by being translated.

And I call to mind Abraham, the twenty-first, glorified by the patriarchate, with the addition of a yet greater mystery.

For the seven, tripled, produces this number.

And one of the all-daring might venture to come even to the new Adam, my God and Lord Jesus Christ, reckoned the seventy-seventh from the old Adam who was under sin, according to Luke's genealogy that traces backward.

And I call to mind the seven trumpets of Joshua son of Nun, and as many circuits, and days, and priests, by which the walls of Jericho were shaken down.

And likewise the seventh stretching, as it were mystical, of the threefold breathing of Elijah the prophet, which breathed life into the son of the widow of Zarephath; and the same prophet's flooding of the wood, equal in number, when he consumed the sacrifice with fire sent from God, and condemned the prophets of shame, who could not do the like at his challenge.

So also the seventh looking-out for the cloud, enjoined upon the servant; and Elisha's equal bending over the son of the Shunammite, which rekindled his breath.

And of the same teaching, I think (not to mention the seven-branched and seven-lamped lampstand of the temple), is the priest perfected in seven days, and the leper cleansed in seven, and the temple consecrated in as many.

And in the seventieth year the people is brought back from captivity, that what holds in units might hold also in tens, and the mystery of the seven might be honoured by a more perfect number.

Why should I tell of things far off? Jesus Himself, the pure perfection, knows how to feed five thousand in the wilderness with five loaves, and knows how again to feed four thousand with seven.

And the leftovers of the meal: there, twelve baskets; here, seven hampers;

neither without reason, I think, nor unworthily of the Spirit.

And you too, gathering for yourself, might observe many numbers that have in them something deeper than what appears.

But what is most useful for the present occasion is this: that according to these principles, perhaps, or very near to them, or even some more divine, the Hebrews honour the day of Pentecost, and we honour it too;

even as there are also certain other of the Hebrew observances, fulfilled in a figurative way among them, but restored to us in a mystical way.

Having said this much by way of preface concerning the day, let us proceed to what follows in our discourse.

We are keeping Pentecost, and the coming of the Spirit, and the appointed time of the promise, and the fulfilment of our hope.

How great and venerable it is!

For I shrink from speaking of the things of the body, until some argument should persuade me that it is better to be rid of the body.

But the things of the Spirit begin.

Now what were the things of Christ? The Virgin, the birth, the manger, the swaddling clothes, angels glorifying, shepherds running, the course of the star, the worship and gift-bringing of the Magi, Herod's slaughter of the children, Jesus fleeing into Egypt, returning from Egypt, being circumcised, being baptized, being borne witness to from above, being tempted, being stoned for our sake (to whom a pattern had to be given of suffering hardship for the Word), being betrayed, nailed up, buried, rising again, ascending — many of which He suffers even now:

from those who hate Christ He both receives and bears the things of dishonour (for He is long-suffering);

but from those who love Christ, the things of chastisement.

And He defers — as toward those His wrath, so toward us His kindness;

to the former perhaps granting time for repentance, but in us proving our longing, whether we faint not in tribulations and in the contests for godliness;

as is the principle of the divine economy from above, and of His unsearchable judgments, by which He wisely directs our affairs.

Such, then, are the things of Christ;

and we shall behold what follows as yet more glorious — and may we be found worthy to behold it.

But as for the things of the Spirit, may the Spirit be present with me, and grant me utterance, as much as I desire;

or if not so much, yet at least as much as is fitting for the occasion.

In any case He will be present in lordly fashion, and not as a servant, nor awaiting a command, as some suppose.

For He breathes where He wills, and upon whom He wills, and when, and as much as He wills.

Thus we too are inspired both to think and to speak concerning the Spirit.

As for the Holy Spirit — those who degrade it to the level of a creature are insolent, and evil servants, and worst of the worst.

But those who account it God are inspired and bright in understanding.

And those who even name it so — if to the well-disposed, are lofty;

but if to the lowly, are not prudent stewards;

entrusting a pearl to mud, and the sound of thunder to a feeble hearing, and the sun to weaker eyes, and solid food to those still being given milk to drink;

whereas they ought rather to lead them forward little by little, and advance them to higher things, bestowing light by means of light, and procuring truth by means of truth;

wherefore we too, leaving aside for now the more perfect doctrine (for the time is not yet), will discourse with them in this manner.

If you do not even confess, O you people, that the Holy Spirit is uncreated, nor timeless, then plainly the operation is of the opposite spirit;

for allow my zeal to venture a little boldness.

But if you are at least so far sound as to flee manifest impiety, and to set outside the rank of servitude that which makes even us free, then consider the rest yourselves, together with the Holy Spirit, and with us.

For I am persuaded that you in some measure partake of Him, and I will deliberate with you as with those already of the household.

Either give me the middle ground between servitude and lordship, that there I may place the dignity of the Spirit;

or, if you flee servitude, it is not unclear where you will rank the thing in question.

But you are vexed at the syllables, and you stumble at the word, and this becomes to you a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence — even as Christ was to some.

Let us come to agreement with one another spiritually.

Let us become lovers of the brethren rather than lovers of self.

confess the nature in other words, which you hold in greater reverence;

and we will heal you as the weak;

stealing in by some means even of the things that please.

For it is shameful, yes shameful, and quite unreasonable, that those who are sound in soul should be petty about the mere sound, and hide the treasure as though grudging it to others, or as though afraid lest you should sanctify your tongue as well;

but yet more shameful for us to suffer the very thing we charge against others, and, while condemning pettiness, ourselves to be petty about mere letters.

Confess the Trinity to be of one Godhead, O you people — or, if you will, of one nature;

and we will ask the word "God" for you from the Spirit.

Let me speak yet more plainly and briefly:

Neither do you call us to account for the loftier word (for there is no envy at an ascent), nor will we for the present charge against you that which is attainable — until by another road also you are borne to the same lodging.

For we do not seek to conquer, but to gain brethren, by whose separation from us we are torn.

These things we say to you, among whom we find something life-giving — to you who are sound concerning the Son;

whose life we admire, but whose doctrine we do not altogether approve;

you who have the things of the Spirit, take to yourselves the Spirit also, that you may not only contend, but contend lawfully — whence comes also the crown.

May this be given you as the reward of your manner of life: to confess the Spirit perfectly, and to proclaim, with us and before us, all that is worthy.

I dare even something greater on your behalf — to utter that saying of the Apostle.

So greatly do I cling to you, and so greatly do I revere this seemly garb of yours, and the hue of self-restraint, and these sacred companies, and the venerable virginity and purity, and the all-night psalmody, and the love of the poor, and of the brethren, and of strangers, that I am willing even to be anathema from Christ, and to suffer somewhat as one condemned —

if only you would stand with us, and together glorify the Trinity.

For concerning the others, what need is there even to speak — those who are plainly dead (whom Christ alone can raise, He who gives life to the dead according to His own power), who are evilly separated by place though bound together by reason, and who wrangle with one another as much as eyes that are distorted, looking at the one thing, yet at variance not in sight but in position;

if indeed distortion, and not blindness, is to be charged against them. But since I have moderately set forth my words to you, come, let us return again to the Spirit;

and I think you too will by now follow along.

The Holy Spirit always was, and is, and shall be — neither beginning nor ceasing, but ever ranked and numbered together with the Father and the Son;

for it was not fitting that the Son should ever be wanting to the Father, or the Spirit to the Son.

For the Godhead would thus be most greatly inglorious, as though coming, by way of an afterthought, to the filling-up of its perfection.

It was therefore ever that which is partaken, not that which partakes;

that which perfects, not that which is perfected;

that which sanctifies, not that which is sanctified;

ever the same with itself, and with those with whom it is ranked;

invisible, timeless, uncontainable, unchangeable, without quality, without quantity, without form, intangible, self-moving, ever-moving, with free will, self-powerful, all-powerful (even if, like all that belongs to the Only-begotten, so too all that belongs to the Spirit is referred back to the first Cause);

self-good, and the fountain of goodness;

a Spirit upright, sovereign, lordly, sending forth, separating, making for itself a temple, guiding, working as it wills, distributing gifts;

a Spirit of adoption, of truth, of wisdom, of understanding, of knowledge, of godliness, of counsel, of might, of fear — of the things that have been enumerated;

through whom the Father is known, and the Son is glorified, and by whom alone they are known — one ordering, one worship, adoration, power, perfection, sanctification.

Why need I be lengthy? All that the Father has belongs to the Son, except unbegottenness.

All that the Son has belongs to the Spirit, except generation.

These things do not, in my view at least, distinguish in respect of essence, but are distinguished within the one essence.

Are you in travail over the antitheses? But I over the course of my discourse.

Honour the day of the Spirit;

restrain your tongue a little, if you can.

The discourse is about other tongues;

reverence these, or fear them, seen as they are with fire.

Today let us lay down doctrine; tomorrow let us deal in technicalities.

These things mystically, those theatrically;

these things for the churches, those for the marketplaces;

these things for the sober, those for the drunken;

these things for those who are in earnest, those for such as sport against the Spirit.

But since we have cleared away what is alien, come, let us set in order what is our own.

This Spirit wrought, first of all, in the angelic and heavenly powers, and in such as are first after God, and about God.

For from no other source comes to them their perfection and illumination, and their being hard to move, or unmovable, toward evil, than from the Holy Spirit.

Then in the fathers and the prophets, of whom some imaged forth God, or knew Him, while others also foreknew the future, having their ruling faculty imprinted by the Spirit, and being present with things to come as though present with them.

For such is the power of the Spirit.

Then in the disciples of Christ (for I forbear to speak of Christ, with whom He was present, not as working, but as accompanying one of equal honour);

and in these in threefold manner, as far as they were able to receive, and at three different times:

before Christ was glorified by the Passion;

after He was glorified by the Resurrection;

and after the Ascension into the heavens, or the restoration, or whatever one must call it.

And the breathing-in after the economy, which was plainly a more divine inspiration;

and the present distribution of the fiery tongues, which we are now celebrating.

But the first was dim;

the second more distinct;

and the present one more perfect — no longer present by operation, as before, but, so to speak, essentially, accompanying them and dwelling with them as a fellow-citizen.

For it was fitting that, when the Son had conversed with us in bodily form, it too should appear in bodily form;

and that, when Christ had returned to Himself, it should come down to us;

coming as Lord, but sent as one not opposed to God.

For such expressions declare concord no less than they distinguish natures.

"Another" — that you may ponder the equality of honour.

For the word "another" is set down as "another such as I."

And this is a name of joint-lordship, not of dishonour.

For "another" I know to be said not of things alien, but of things consubstantial.

And in tongues, because of its kinship with the Word.

And in tongues of fire — I inquire whether on account of the purification (for our discourse knows also of a purifying fire, as is open to all who wish to learn from every side);

for our God is a fire, and a fire consuming wickedness — even though again you chafe, being straitened by the word "consubstantial."

And divided, because of the diversity of the gifts;

and seated, because of the kingly and the rest in the saints;

since the cherubim too are the throne of God.

And in an upper room (if I do not seem to anyone over-curious beyond what is needful), because of the ascent of those who were to receive, and their being lifted up from the ground;

since by divine waters also certain upper chambers are roofed over, through which God is praised.

And Jesus Himself, in an upper room, shares in the mystery with those being initiated into the loftier things, that this might be shown: that on the one hand God must in some measure come down to us — which I know to have happened before in the case of Moses also — and on the other hand we must ascend, and so there come to be a communion of God with men, the dignities being blended together. But so long as each remains on its own side — the one in its exalted height, the other in its lowliness — the goodness is unmingled, and the lovingkindness incommunicable;

and there is a great and impassable chasm in the midst, separating not only the rich man from Lazarus and the longed-for bosom of Abraham, but the created and flowing nature from the uncreated and abiding.

This was proclaimed by the prophets, as in the saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me";

and, "Seven Spirits shall rest upon Him";

and, "The Spirit of the Lord came down and guided them";

and, "The Spirit of understanding filled Bezalel, the architect of the tabernacle";

and, "A Spirit being stirred up";

the double portion sought from Elisha;

And it was promised — first by Joel,

saying, "And it shall come to pass in the last days":

"I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh" (that is, the flesh that believes), "and upon your sons and upon your daughters," and what follows;

and afterward by Jesus, who was glorified and gave glory in return, as to the Father, and by the Father.

And the promise, being bountiful, is that it shall abide together and continue with us throughout the ages — whether now with those who are worthy according to the time, or hereafter with those counted worthy of the things there above, whenever we shall have kept it whole in our manner of life, and not cast it off in such measure as we sin.

This Spirit creates together with the Son, both the creation and the resurrection.

And let this persuade you: "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens established, and all the host of them by the Spirit of His mouth";

and, "The divine Spirit it is that made me";

and, "The breath of the Almighty it is that teaches me."

"You will send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You will renew the face of the earth."

And let this persuade you: that no one can see or receive the Kingdom unless he has been born again from above by the Spirit, and has been cleansed of his former birth—which is a mystery of the night—by a daytime and luminous re-fashioning, by which each one fashions himself anew.

This Spirit (for it is most wise and most loving toward mankind): if it takes hold of a shepherd, it makes him a psalmist who by his song drives away evil spirits, and reveals him as a king of Israel.

If it takes a goatherd who scrapes sycamore figs, it makes him a prophet.

If it takes hold of a gifted youth, it makes him a judge of elders, even beyond his years.

If it finds fishermen, it nets them for Christ, so that by the weaving of the word they catch the whole world.

Take for me Peter and Andrew, and the sons of thunder, who thundered forth the things of the Spirit.

If it takes tax collectors, it gains them for discipleship, and makes them merchants of souls.

So says Matthew, yesterday a tax collector, and today an evangelist.

If it takes fervent persecutors, it redirects their zeal, and makes Pauls instead of Sauls, as much toward godliness as it had once seized them toward wickedness.

This is also a Spirit of gentleness;

and yet it is provoked against those who sin.

Therefore let us prove it to be gentle and not wrathful, confessing its worth and fleeing from blasphemy, and let us not wish to behold it angered to the point of refusing pardon.

This is what makes me also a bold herald to you today;

and if I am to suffer nothing for it, thanks be to God;

but if I am to suffer, thanks be to God even so;

the former, that He may spare those who hate us;

the latter, that He may sanctify us, who have received this as the reward of the priestly ministry of the Gospel—to be perfected through blood.

Now they were speaking in foreign tongues and not in their native ones, and the marvel was great: a word spoken by those who had never learned it;

and the sign was for the unbelievers, not for the believers, that it might be an accusation against the unbelievers, even as it is written:

"For with men of strange tongues and with the lips of others will I speak to this people, and not even so will they listen to Me, says the Lord."

Pause here a little, and ponder how you will divide the passage.

For the expression has something ambiguous in it, distinguished by the punctuation. Did each one hear in his own dialect—so to speak, one voice being uttered, but many being heard, the air being thus struck, and, to put it more plainly, the one voice becoming many voices?

Or should we pause at "they heard," and join "those who spoke in their own tongues" to what follows, so that it reads: "those who spoke in tongues, namely in the tongues proper to the hearers"—which were foreign to the speakers?

For in the former case the marvel would belong rather to the hearers than to the speakers;

those very ones who are condemned as drunkards—plainly because it was they themselves who, by the Spirit, were working the wonder concerning the tongues.

Yet praiseworthy too was the ancient division of tongues (when those who, wickedly and godlessly, spoke with one voice were building the tower—just as some now dare to do);

for the unanimity, broken up along with the division of speech, dissolved their enterprise;

but more praiseworthy still is the wonder now being worked.

For poured out from one Spirit upon many, it is gathered again into one harmony.

And there is a diversity of gifts, requiring yet another gift for the discernment of the better;

since all of them have something praiseworthy.

"Sink them, O Lord, and divide their tongues"—

all but openly bringing accusation against the tongues here that cut the Godhead asunder.

Let this much, then, suffice on these matters.

But since the tongues spoke to the most devout Jews dwelling in Jerusalem—Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, Egyptians, and Libyans, Cretans and Arabs, Mesopotamians and my own Cappadocians—and to the Jews from every nation under heaven (if anyone prefers to understand it so) gathered together there, it is worth seeing who these were, and from what captivity.

For the captivity into Egypt and Babylon was limited in extent, and had long since been ended by the return.

But the captivity under the Romans had not yet come to pass, though it was destined to come, being the exaction for the insolence committed against the Saviour.

It remains, then, to suppose this to be the captivity under Antiochus, which was not much earlier than these times.

But if anyone does not accept this explanation as too far-fetched (since the captivity was neither ancient nor spread over much of the inhabited world), and seeks a more plausible one, perhaps it is better to suppose this: that since the nation was often removed, and by many conquerors, as is recorded by Esdras, some of the tribes were brought back, while others were left behind;

and it is likely that, these being scattered among many nations, some of them were present at that time and shared in the marvel.

And these things have been examined beforehand for the lovers of learning, perhaps not without profit.

And whatever else anyone may contribute to the present day, that too will have been gathered together by us.

But for us the assembly must now be dismissed (for the discourse has been long enough), yet the festival never.

Rather, we must keep the feast—now indeed in a bodily manner too, but a little later wholly in the Spirit;

there too we shall know the meaning of these things more purely and more clearly, in the Word Himself, and God, and our Lord Jesus Christ—the true festival and exultation of those who are being saved;

with whom be the glory and the worship to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and unto the ages of ages. Amen.