But since the Logos is the source of ever-flowing life (Rev. 21:6; 22:1; John 7:38; James 3:11); since He is also called a river of oil, then, speaking of Him allegorically and calling Him milk, Paul could naturally add the following expression: "I have given you to drink" (1 Corinthians 3:2). Logos, the content of all that is true, is drunk. In any case, only liquid food is called a drink. But the same nutritive material can be both food and drink, depending on the state in which it will be. So, for example, cheese is the condensation of milk, or condensed milk, whatever you want to call it, I have no desire to chase words; I only want to say that in its essence the same nutritious material can be offered for food in both forms. But for children who feed on their mother's breasts, milk alone is enough; it can be both a drink and food for them.

I have food, says the Lord, which you do not know. My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me (John 4:32, 34). Here you are dealing with another food, which, just like milk, must be understood in a figurative sense; it is the will of God. - But the fullness of His own sufferings in an improper sense is called a cup (Matt. 20:22; Mk. 10:38; John 18:11), since it was His duty only to drink it and empty it to the bottom. Thus, the fulfillment of the will of the Father was His food for Christ, and for us, His children, He Himself serves as nourishment; we suck it into ourselves from the heavenly Logos. Hence the concept of "seek" (to strive, desire, pursue) in the Greek language is conveyed through (m a s t e u e i n ) (to reach for the breast), because the infants who strive for the Logos are given milk in abundance by the humane breasts of the Father.

Кроме того, Логос сам себя называет и небесным хлебом. Не Моисей, говорит Он, дал вам хлеб с неба, а Отец Мой дает вам истинный хлеб с небес. Ибо хлеб Божий есть тот, который сходит с небес и дает жизнь миру. Хлеб же, который Я дам, есть Плоть Моя, которую Я отдам за жизнь мира (Иоан. 6, 32, 33, 31). Здесь через присоединенный знак обозначено таинство (евхаристического) хлеба, и потому что хлебом Господь плоть свою называет, говоря о ней, что она при сгорании мира воскреснет, подобно тому как пшеница всходит из посева и тления. Но что в качестве хлеба при посредстве огня должно быть приготовлено для церкви торжествующей, то значит, как хлеб должно быть испечено.

Но это обстоятельнее мы изложим в книге "О воскресении". А как так Господь сказал: Хлеб, который Я дам, есть плоть Моя; так как далее плоть кровью орошается и так как кровь иносказательно и вином называется, то должно следующее иметь в виду: как хлеб, в смещение (вина с водой) в раздробленном виде опущенный, вино в себя поглощает, водянистых же составных частей в себя не принимает, подобным образом и плоть Господа (Дух Святой, церковь), состоя хлебом небесным, всасывает в себя кровь, т.е. небесных из людей, воспитывая их до бессмертия; и лишь с плотскими пожеланиями она не имеет деда, предоставляя им гибнуть.

Таким образом о Логосе под различными чувственными образами говорится. Называется Он пищей, плотью, питанием, хлебом, кровью, молоком; всем этим Господь состоит для нас, в Него верующих, дабы мы возрастали в Нем.

Никому поэтому пусть не кажется странным наше уверение, что это о крови Господней говорится под образом молока. Не о ней ли же иносказательно говорится и под образом вина? Он моет в вине одежду свою, и в крови гроздов одеяние свое (Быт. 49, 11). Это место означает, что в Его (Святом) Духе тело Логоса (церковь) достигает красоты и славы, подобно тому как и Он сам своим Духом питает тех, которые страстно добиваются общения с Ним.

А то, что и кровь собой означает Логоса, свидетельствует кровь праведного Авеля (Быт. 4, 10; Евр. 12, 24), к небу вопиющая. Кровь никогда не может издавать голоса; иное дело если под кровью разуметь Логоса. Праведник древнего времени есть прообраз нового Праведника; и вопиющая кровь древняя вопиет с отношением к крови новой. Вопиет же эта кровь к Богу не сама по себе, но вопиет под образом ее Логос, так как ею предзнаменован был Он, должный пострадать. Но и плоти самой, и обращающейся в оной крови молоко, в котором они как бы ответ некий на свою любовь встречают, доставляет освежение, и оно содействует собой их приумножению.

The development of the embryonic fruit is further due to the fact that the seed is mixed with the remaining pure remnants of the month's purification. The power of the seed causes the blood to thicken, just as milk coagulates from leaven, and a (new) educational process begins. The more or less successful course of this educational process depends on a more or less complete mixture; but the contact of the seed with the blood, which is superficial for the production of the fruit, is unreliable. In the same way, if too much rain falls, the seed is carried away from the ground; as a result of the dryness of the soil, the seed also dries up; the moisture is fertilizing, somewhat sticky, the seed retains and promotes its growth. Some assert that animal seed is essentially nothing but foam of blood. As a result of the natural heat of the male sex during intercourse, the blood, having come into an excited state, agitated, foams and is deposited in the seminal passages. Hence, as Diogenes Apolloniatus says, love affairs are called in Greek a j r o d i s i a. From all this it now becomes clear that blood is the substance of the human body. And whatever is in the mother's womb, all this at first remains a mammalious moist mass, and then, being assimilated by the blood, it turns into flesh; but this is condensed in the womb by the natural heat maintained by the breath; under its influence, the embryo is formed, developing further and more completely. But even after birth, the infant feeds on the same blood, because the streams of blood become waves of milk, and milk becomes a nourishing spring for him. The same milk process also serves as a clear proof that the wife has really given birth and is the mother; He also encourages the mother to share with the child the magic drink of her mother's love. That is why the Holy Spirit in the person of the Apostle, using the imagery of the Lord's speech, says mysteriously: "I have nourished you with milk" (1 Corinthians 3:2). Because if we are regenerated in Christ, then the One who regenerated us means that He nourishes us with the Logos, with this milk of His. It is characteristic of every woman in labor to strive immediately after birth to provide nourishment to the newborn. But just as the rebirth of man is spiritual, so in the same way nutrition must be spiritual. Thus, as in all other respects we maintain communion with Christ, so we become partakers of His divine nature through the reception into ourselves of His blood, which He shed for our redemption; we participate in His sufferings by taking into ourselves the food offered to us by the Logos; we become partakers of immortality because of our way of life, which is in accordance with His commandments.

And among mortal people, feeding children often

Develops more love than their work into the world. Blood and milk, equal to each other in substance, are therefore a symbol of the sufferings and teachings of the Lord. We, His children, can therefore boast in the Lord and say:

I am proud of what I come from,

From a glorious father and of the same blood (14:113).

That milk is formed from the blood by transformation, is therefore now clear. But the same thing can be observed in herds of sheep and cows. At that time of the year which we call spring, when the air becomes damper, when the grass and the pastures are full of juice and moist, these animals are more quickly and easily filled with blood, as may be observed in their tense and overflowing blood veins; Milk is then excreted more abundantly from the blood. In summer, the process of turning blood into milk stops again, because it is absorbed by heat, evaporating under its influence; therefore, the animals then become less milky. Milk, therefore, has a certain affinity for water, based on their very nature, just as the spiritual cleansing bath has a resemblance to spiritual nourishment. Therefore, those Christians who, together with milk (the acceptance of faith in the Logos), of which we spoke above, also take into themselves a little refreshing water (of course, repentance), immediately find salvation for themselves. For mixing with water does not allow the milk to dry out, which is not due to any of their opposites, but to the fact that a complete mixture with water is formed. And just as there is a kinship between the Logos and baptism, the same relationship exists between milk and water. Because of all liquids it tolerates only mixing with water, as a result of which it becomes purer, just as baptism serves to cleanse from sins.

And milk easily tolerates the addition of honey; this contributes to its purification, and at the same time gives it sweetness, which is felt when it is eaten. Passions are healed by the Logos, since He is imbued with love for mankind, and at the same time He cleanses from sins. And this Homeric word about Nestor: "Sweeter than honey flowed his word (Id. I, 249),