Chapter 21.

Just as the wild fig tree, having grown on the building of a beautiful temple, having grown in breadth and height, and having spread by its many-branched roots through all the connections of the stones, does not cease to grow until it is completely torn off by the breaking of the stones in the places where it grew (for when the fig tree is cut off, the stones may be again piled up in their places, so that the temple may be preserved, having no longer with him any of the unfavorable conditions that destroy it, and meanwhile the fig tree, which has fallen off all by the roots, dries up): in the same way the artist God destroyed his temple, the man who brought forth sin, like a wild fig tree, putting to death with temporary attachments of death, as it is written, and giving life, so that after the drying up and mortification of sin, the flesh with the same members, like the renewed temple, rose immortal and undamaged, after the complete and final destruction of sin. For while the body still lives until death, sin necessarily lives with it, which hides its roots within us, even though it is struck by sound thoughts and suggestions from without; otherwise, after baptism, after the complete removal of sin from us, no unrighteousness would occur. And now, even after we have believed and come to the water of baptism, we are often found in sins. For no one can boast that he is so far apart from sin that he does not even think of unrighteousness at all. From this it follows that now sin is restrained and put to sleep by faith, so as not to bring forth pernicious fruits, and is not destroyed to the root. Now in this life we restrain its vegetative habits, such as evil desires, so that we may not be disturbed by any bitter root and caused no harm when it arises (Hebrews 12:15), and we do not allow ourselves to open our eyes and open our clenched lips to these vegetations, while the mind, like an axe, cuts the bitter roots born below. In the future, the very thought of evil will be destroyed.

Chapter 22.

Those who wish to speak the truth sincerely have no lack of the testifying word of the Scriptures; thus the Apostle knew that the root of sin was not yet wholly destroyed in men, when he said in one place: "For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh: for the desire for good is in me, but I do not find it to do it." I do not do the good that I want, but I do the evil that I do not want. But if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin that dwells in me. And again: for according to the inner man I find pleasure in the law of God: but in my members I see another law, which is contrary to the law of my mind, and makes me (perfect) a prisoner of the law of sin, which is in my members (Romans 7:18-20, 22-23). Thus it has not yet happened that sin has been cut off, having been uprooted (for it has not died completely), but is still alive (for how can this be before a man is subjected to death?), so that, withered and withered like a plant, it may perish and be destroyed by the destruction of that on which, as I have said, it was secretly rooted; but man will be resurrected, no longer having the bitter root penetrating into him again. For this reason, in order to eradicate and destroy sin, our true Intercessor and Physician, our God, like an antidote, permitted death, so that evil, having arisen in us as immortals, would not be eternally immortal, and we ourselves, crippled and, like the sick, deprived of our own strength, would not remain in this state for a long time, nourishing the great disease of sin in constantly abiding and immortal bodies. Therefore it is beautiful that for the salvation of both, soul and body, God invented death, as it were a medical purification, so that we might become truly blameless and unharmed.

Chapter 23.

And since many examples are necessary for this, we shall here set them forth in particular, without ceasing to speak until we have reached the clearest interpretation and proof. Let us imagine an example of a skilful artist, who melted down a beautiful statue, made of gold or some other substance, and decorated proportionately in all parts to elegance, when he suddenly saw that it had been damaged by some most wicked person, who, out of envy, could not endure that the statue was magnificent, and defaced it, enjoying the vain pleasure of envy. Observe, most wise Aglaophon, that if an artist wishes that the statue on which he has labored with such diligence and care should not be completely decayed and disfigured, he will again try to melt it and make it the same as it was before. And if he does not melt and renew it, but leaves it as it is, repairing and correcting it, then the statue cannot of necessity remain the same from tempering in fire and forging, but will be changed and distorted. Therefore, if he wants it to be a beautiful and irreproachable work, he must melt it down and reunite it, so that by alteration and recasting the ugliness and all the changes that have happened to it through deceit and envy will be destroyed, and that the statue may be restored to its intact and pure form, which is most similar to its former appearance. With the statue, this is done not so that it would perish for the artist himself, even if it was again converted into its original substance, but so that it would be restored. It is necessary that ugliness and damage should be destroyed (for they disappear with the overflow), and not that they should reappear; for an excellent artist in any art has in mind not ugliness or irregularity, but the proportionality and correctness of the work. In the same way does God's dispensation for us appear to me. Seeing that man is the most beautiful work of God, damaged by the evil slanders of envy, God, out of love for mankind, did not wish to leave him in such a way that, bearing within himself the stain indelible by death, he would not be subjected to eternal shame, but would resolve it again into the original substance, so that through recreation all that is shameful in him would be destroyed and destroyed. For as there is the melting of the statue, there is death and the dissolution of the body; that there is a new form or alteration of matter, here is the resurrection after death, as the prophet Jeremiah also says; for he declares in agreement with this, when he says, "And the vessel which the potter made of clay fell apart in his hand; and he again made of it another vessel, such as the potter thought to make. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Can I not deal with you, O house of Israel, like this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel" (Jeremiah 18:4-7).

Chapter 24.

Notice how, after the transgression of man, the great hand, as I have said, did not want to leave its creation in humiliation, as of poor quality, when the evil one unlawfully damaged it out of envy, but having dissolved it again turned it into dust, like a potter making a vessel anew, so that all the ugliness and ulcers in it would be destroyed by the alteration, and everything would become irreproachably beautiful as before. Does not the potter have power over the clay, so that from the same mixture he can make one vessel for honorable use, and another for low use? (Romans 9:21) This means (for it seems to me that the Apostle clearly points out this): does not God have power from the same substance, having recreated and renewed each in his own way, to raise up one to our honor and glory, and another to dishonor and condemnation? To dishonor those who have spent their lives badly in sins, and to honor those who have lived in righteousness, as is shown in Daniel, who says that many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, others to eternal reproach and shame. And the prudent shall shine like the lights in the firmament (Dan. 12:2-3). For it is not in our power to completely destroy the root of evil, but to prevent it from growing more and bearing fruit. For the complete and complete destruction and destruction of evil to its very roots is accomplished by God, as it is said, after the destruction of the body, and by us in parts, so that it does not sprout. Therefore, whoever has brought up evil to multiply and increase it, and has not made it as barren as much as he could, and has not suppressed it, is necessarily subject to judgment, because, being able and having the power to do so, he has decided to prefer harmful to useful.

Chapter 25.

And so no one, being guilty himself; let not the Being of God be blamed with unbridled tongue, as if He had unjustly distributed to each the recompense for evil or virtue. And who are you, man, that you argue with God? Shall the work say to him that made it, Why hast thou made me so? (Romans 9:20) And how is this possible, when man has chosen evil by his own will? For this reason he cannot say to God, Who judges according to the immutable laws of righteousness: "Why hast Thou created me so that I should be condemned to tribulation?" Notice how the Apostle, like a skilful archer, having let go (from his mouth) these impious words, nevertheless turns the obscure and hidden in the depths of the letter conclusion into the most true and Orthodox, and having nothing imprudent or blasphemous in it. For those who do not heed the words with zeal, but with low goals, it sometimes seems that he speaks strange and incongruous things, and those who speak with zeal and with sober thoughts, for those of what order and truth his words are filled with! However, a thorough study of this alone would be sufficient this time. But it would be ridiculous, leaving aside your perplexity, in consequence of which we have embarked on an investigation, to pass on to another. We have said this as a punishment and condemnation of those who intentionally do evil. And so, when it is most clearly indicated that death is not arranged for any evil to man, then he who hears the words must finally understand what concerns the resurrection of the body. For how is it that death is not profitable, when it destroys that which hides our nature, although at the time when it comes, it seems disagreeable, as the most acidic medicine for the sick? But in order not to say the same thing many times about the same thing, we, having supported what has been said with the words from the song of Deuteronomy, will proceed to further investigation.

Chapter 26.

For what God has said: I kill and revive, I smite and I heal; and no one shall deliver out of my hand (Deuteronomy 32:39), what else does he aim to teach, if not that the body first undergoes death and dies, in order to be resurrected afterwards and come to life? — is it first struck down and destroyed, so that afterwards it may form whole and sound? And in general, nothing is able to snatch (us) from His great and sovereign hand for destruction and destruction, neither fire, nor death, nor darkness, nor chaos, nor corruption. Whosoever shall separate us, says the Apostle, from the love of the Lord (which is called the hand of the Father and the Word), tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword, as it is written (Psalm 43:23): for Thy sake we are put to death all day long; Are we considered to be sheep doomed to the slaughter: but do we overcome all this by the power of Him who loved us? (Romans 8:35-37) And this is quite true, so that these words may be fulfilled, as I have said: I kill and live, I smite and I heal; and: no one will separate us from the love of God in Christ, for our destruction. For this reason we have become as sheep doomed to the slaughter, so that, having died to sin, we may live for God. But enough about this; it is still necessary to consider what is in connection with this.

Chapter 27.

"Everything that is born is subject to disease (so the opponent objects), and in birth and in nourishment it grows, he says, from that which comes, and decreases from that which decreases. On the contrary, what is not born is healthy, because it is not subject to disease, does not need anything, and has no desires. And that which is born desires both company and food. To desire is to be sick, and not to need and not to desire is to be healthy. That which is born hurts because it desires, and that which is not born does not hurt. The sick suffers either from abundance or from lack of substances, coming and going. But that which suffers both perishes and is destroyed, because it is born. And man is born, therefore man cannot be impassible and immortal." But this is where the conclusion falls. For if everything that happens or is born perishes (there is nothing to prevent us from saying so, because even the first-created are not begotten, but produced), and yet both angels and souls are produced (as it is said in the Scriptures): Thou makest spirits by Thy angels (Psalm 103:4); then, in their opinion, both angels and souls perish. But neither angels nor souls perish; for they are immortal and indestructible, according to the will of the Creator. Therefore man is also immortal. But it is also unsuitable to say that the universe will perish to its foundations, and there will be no earth, no air, and no sky. Although for purification and renewal the whole world, enveloped in descended fire, will burn, yet it will not come to complete destruction and destruction. For if it is better for the world not to be than to be, why did God, who created the world, choose the worst? But God did nothing in vain. For this reason God arranged that the creation should exist and continue to exist, as Wisdom also affirms: for He created all things for existence, and everything in the world is saving, and there is no pernicious poison (Wis. 1:14). And Paul clearly testifies, saying: "For the creation awaits with hope the revelation of the sons of God: for the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own free will, but according to the will of him who subjected it, in the hope that the creation itself will be freed from slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:19-21). The creature has submitted (he says) to vanity, but he expects the creature to be freed from such slavery, wishing to call the present world so. For it is not the invisible that works for corruption, but it is the visible. Wherefore the creature continues to be when it is renewed into a better and more splendid form, rejoicing and rejoicing in the resurrection with the children of God, for whom the creature groans and suffers together to this day (v. 22), waiting for our very deliverance from the corruption of the body, so that when we arise and shake off the deadness of the flesh, as it is written, Shake off the dust from yourselves; arise, O captive Jerusalem" (Isaiah 52:2), and when we have been delivered from sin, let it also be delivered from corruption, and work no longer for vanity, but for righteousness. For we know that all creation groans together and is tormented to this day; and not only it, but we ourselves have the firstfruits of the Spirit, and we groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of sons, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:22-23). And Isaiah says, "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I shall make, shall always be before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name be" (Isaiah 66:22). And again: For thus saith the Lord, who made the heavens, He is God, who formed the earth and created it; he confirmed it; He did not create it in vain; He formed it to dwell (45:18). Truly, it was not in vain and in vain, not for destruction, that God created the universe, as the superstitious think, but in order that it might exist, be inhabited, and continue to exist. Therefore both earth and heaven will necessarily exist again after all things have been burned and set on fire. Why this is necessary, the word would be longer than what has been said. For the universe, having been destroyed, will not be transformed into formless matter and not into the state in which it was before the dispensation, nor will it be subjected to complete destruction and corruption.