PART III

EVERY one must recognise that a man who attempts to dishonour an image which has been set up for the glory and remembrance of Christ, of His holy Mother, or one of his saints, is an enemy of Christ, of His holy Mother, and the saints. It is also set up to shame the devil and his crew, out of love and zeal for God. The man who refuses to give this image due, though not divine, honour, is an upholder of the devil and his demon host, showing by his act grief that God and the saints are honoured and glorified, and the devil put to shame.

2,11 Γινωσκέτω οὖν πᾶς ἄνθρωπος͵ ὡς ὁ τὴν εἰ κόνα τὴν πρὸς δόξαν καὶ ὑ πόμνησιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἢ τῆς τούτου μητρὸς τῆς ἁγίας θεοτόκου ἤ τινος τῶν ἁγίων καὶ πρὸς αἰσχύνην τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῆς ἥττης αὐ τοῦ καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων αὐτοῦ ἐκ θείου πόθου καὶ ζήλου γενομένην καταλύειν ἐπιχει ρῶν καὶ μὴ προσκυνῶν καὶ τιμῶν καὶ ἀσπαζόμενος ὡς εἰκό να τιμίαν καὶ οὐχ ὡς θεὸν ἐχθρός ἐστι τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῆς ἁγίας θεοτόκου καὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἐκδικητὴς τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων αὐτοῦ͵ ἔργῳ ἐπι δεικνύμενος τὴν λύπην͵ ὅτι ὁ θεὸς καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι αὐτοῦ τιμῶνται καὶ δοξάζονται͵ ὁ δὲ διάβολος καταισχύνεται

The image is a canticle and manifestation and monument to the memory of those who have fought bravely and won the victory to the shame and confusion of the vanquished.

· ἡ γὰρ εἰκὼν θρίαμβός ἐστι καὶ φανέρωσις καὶ στηλογραφία εἰς μνήμην τῆς νίκης τῶν ἀριστευσάντων καὶ δια πρεψάντων καὶ τῆς αἰσχύνης τῶν ἡττηθέντων καὶ κατα βληθέντων.

I have often seen lovers gazing at the loved one’s garment, and embracing it with eyes and mouth as if it was himself. We must give his due to every man, St Paul says “Honour to whom honour: to the king as excelling: or to governors as sent by him,” (Rom. 13.7) to each according to the measure of his dignity.

3,10.32 Εἶδον πολλάκις ποθοῦντας͵ ἱμάτιον τοῦ ποθουμένου θεασαμένους͵ ὡς αὐτὸν τὸν ποθούμενον ἀσπασαμένους τὸ ἱμάτιον ὀφθαλμοῖς τε καὶ χείλεσι. Χρὴ ἀποδιδόναι πᾶσι τὰς ὀφειλὰς κατὰ τὸν ἅγιον Παῦλον τὸν ἀπόστολον τῷ τὴν τιμὴν τὴν τιμὴν καὶ βασιλεῖ μὲν ὡς ὑπερέχοντι͵ τοῖς δὲ ἄρχουσιν ὡς δι΄ αὐτῶν ἀποστελλομένοις͵ ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τοῦ ἀξιώματος.

Where do you find in the Old Testament or in the Gospel the Trinity, or consubstantiality, or one Godhead, or three persons,  or the one substance of Christ, or His two natures, expressed in so many words? Still, as they are contained in what Scripture does say, and defined by the holy fathers, we receive them and anathematise those who do not. I prove to you that in the old law God commanded images to be made, first of all the tabernacle and everything in it. Then in the gospel our Lord Himself said to those who asked Him, tempting, whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar, “Bring me a coin,” and they showed Him a penny. And He asked them whose likeness it was, and they said to Him, Caesar’s; and He said, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s.” (Mt. 22.17, 21) As the coin bears the likeness of Caesar, it is his, and you should give it to Caesar. So the image bears the likeness of Christ, and you should give it Him, for it is His.

3,11 Ποῦ εὗρες ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ ἢ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγε λίῳ ὄνομα τριάδος ἢ ὁμοούσιον ἢ μίαν φύσιν θεότη τος τρανῶς ἢ τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις αὐτολεξεὶ ἢ μίαν ὑπόστασιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἢ δύο φύσεις αὐτολεξεί; Ἀλλ΄ ὅμως͵ ἐπειδὴ ἐκ τῶν ἰσοδυναμουσῶν λέξεων τῶν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ κειμένων ὥρισαν ταῦτα οἱ ἅγιοι πατέρες͵ δεχόμεθα καὶ τοὺς μὴ δεχομένους ἀναθεματί ζομεν. Ἐγὼ δὲ παριστῶ σοι ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ͵ ὅτι προσέταξεν ὁ θεὸς ποιεῖν εἰκόνας͵ πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὴν τὴν σκηνὴν καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄντα ἐν αὐτῇ. Καὶ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος τοῖς πειραστικῶς ἐρωτήσασιν͵ εἰ ἔξεστι καίσαρι δοῦναι κῆνσον͵ εἶπεν· Ἀγάγετέ μοι νόμισμα. Καὶ ὑπέδειξαν αὐτῷ δηνά ριον. Καὶ ἠρώτησεν αὐτούς· Τίνος εἰκόνα ἔχει; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Καίσαρος. Καὶ εἶπεν· Ἀπόδοτε τὰ καίσαρος καίσαρι͵ καὶ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ θεῷ. Ἐπειδὴ εἰκόνα καίσαρος ἔχει͵ καίσαρός ἐστι͵ καὶ ἀπόδοτε καίσαρι. Καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα Χριστοῦ͵ ἀπόδοτε Χριστῷ· Χριστοῦ γάρ ἐστιν.

Our Lord called His disciples blessed, saying, “Many kings and prophets have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear and have not heard it. Blessed are your eyes which see and your ears which hear.” (Mt. 13.16-17) The apostles saw Christ with their bodily eyes, and His sufferings and wonders, and they listened to His words. We, too, desire to see, and to hear, and to be blessed. They saw Him face to face, as He was present in the body.

3,12 Ὁ κύριος μακαρίζων τοὺς μαθητὰς εἶπε· Πολλοὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ προφῆται ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν͵ ἃ βλέπετε͵ καὶ οὐκ εἶδον͵ καὶ ἀκοῦσαι͵ ἃ ἀκούετε͵ καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν. Ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοί εἰσιν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί͵ ὅτι βλέπουσιν͵ καὶ τὰ ὦτα͵ ὅτι ἀκούουσιν. Εἶδον οὖν οἱ ἀπόστολοι σωματικῶς τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ τὰ πάθη καὶ τὰ θαύματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤκουσαν τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ· ἐπιθυμοῦμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἰδεῖν καὶ ἀκοῦσαι καὶ μακαρισθῆναι. Εἶδον ἐκεῖνοι πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον͵ ἐπειδὴ παρῆν σωματικῶς·

Now, since he is not present in the body to us, we hear His words from books and are sanctified in spirit by the hearing, and are blessed, and we adore, honouring the books which tell us of His words.

ἡμεῖς δέ͵ ἐπειδὴ σωματικῶς οὐ πάρεστιν͵ ὥσπερ διὰ βίβλων ἀκούο μεν τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἁγιαζόμεθα τὴν ἀκοὴν καὶ δι΄ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ μακαριζόμεθα καὶ προσκυνοῦμεν τιμῶντες τὰς βίβλους͵ δι΄ ὧν ἀκούομεν τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ͵

So, through the representation of images we look upon His bodily form, and upon His miracles and His sufferings, and are sanctified and satiated, gladdened and blessed.

οὕτως καὶ διὰ γραφῆς εἰκόνων θεωροῦμεν τὸ ἐκτύπωμα τοῦ σωματικοῦ χαρακτῆρος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν θαυμάτων καὶ τῶν παθημάτων αὐ τοῦ καὶ ἁγιαζόμεθα καὶ πληροφορούμεθα καὶ χαίρο μεν καὶ μακαριζόμεθα

καὶ σέβομεν καὶ τιμῶμεν καὶ προσκυνοῦμεν τὸν χαρακτῆρα αὐτοῦ τὸν σωματικόν.

Reverently we worship His bodily form, and contemplating it, we form some notion of His divine glory. For, as we are composed of soul and body, and our soul does not stand alone, but is, as it were, shrouded by a veil, it is impossible for us to arrive at intellectual conceptions without corporeal things. just as we listen with our bodily ears to physical words and understand spiritual things, so, through corporeal vision, we come to the spiritual. On this account Christ took a body and a soul, as man has both one and the other. And baptism likewise is double, of water and the spirit. So is communion and prayer and psalmody; everything has a double signification, a corporeal and a spiritual. Thus again, with lights and incense.

Θεωροῦντες δὲ τὸν σωματικὸν χαρακτῆρα αὐτοῦ ἐννοοῦμεν ὡς δυνατὸν καὶ τὴν δόξαν τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ διπλοῖ ἐσμεν͵ ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος κατεσκευασμένοι͵ καὶ οὐ γυμνὴ ἡμῶν ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς ὑπὸ παραπετάσματι καλύ πτεται͵ ἀδύνατον ἡμᾶς ἐκτὸς τῶν σωματικῶν ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ νοητά. Ὥσπερ οὖν διὰ λόγων αἰσθητῶν ἀκούομεν ὠσὶ σωματικοῖς καὶ νοοῦμεν τὰ πνευματικά͵ οὕτω καὶ διὰ σωματικῆς θεωρίας ἐρχόμεθα ἐπὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν θεωρίαν. Διὰ τοῦτο σῶμα καὶ ψυχὴν ἀνέλαβεν ὁ Χριστός͵ ἐπειδὴ σῶμα καὶ ψυχὴν ἔχει ὁ ἄνθρωπος· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα διπλοῦν͵ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος͵ καὶ ἡ κοινωνία καὶ ἡ προσ ευχὴ καὶ ἡ ψαλμῳδία͵ πάντα διπλᾶ͵ σωματικὰ καὶ πνευματικά͵ καὶ φῶτα καὶ θυμιάματα.

The devil has tolerated all these things, raising a storm against images alone. His great jealousy of them may be learnt by what St Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, recounts in his “Spiritual Garden.” Abbot Theodore Aeliotes told of a holy hermit on the Mount of Olives, who was much troubled by the demon of fornication. One day when he was sorely tempted, the old man began to complain bitterly. “When will you let me alone?” he said to the devil “be gone from me! you and I have grown old together.” The devil appeared to him, saying, “Swear to me that you will keep what I am about to tell you to yourself, and I will not trouble you any longer.” And the old man swore it. Then the devil said to him, “Do not worship this image, and I will not harass you.” The image in question represented Our Lady, the holy Mother of God, bearing in her arms our Lord Jesus Christ. You see what those who forbid the worship of images hate in reality, and whose instruments they are. The demon of fornication strove to prevent the worship of Our Lady’s image rather than to tempt the old man to impurity. He knew that the former evil was greater than fornication.

3,13 Ἀλλὰ πάντα ἐάσας κατὰ μόνων τῶν εἰκόνων ὥρμησεν ὁ διάβολος· καὶ τοσοῦτος αὐτῷ φθόνος ἐστὶ κατὰ τῶν εἰκόνων͵ ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ Λειμωνα ρίῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Σωφρονίου τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἱεροσο λύμων γέγραπται οὕτως· Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Θεό δωρος ὁ Αἰλιώτης͵ ὅτι ἦν τις ἔγκλειστος εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐλαιῶν ἀγωνιστής· πανὺ δὲ αὐτῷ ἐπολέμει ὁ δαίμων τῆς πορνείας. Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν͵ ὡς ἐπέκειτο αὐτῷ σφοδρῶς͵ ἤρξατο ὁ γέρων ἀποδύρεσθαι καὶ λέγειν τῷ δαίμονι· Ἕως πότε οὐκ ἐνδίδως μοι; Ἀπόστα λοιπὸν ἀπ΄ ἐμοῦ͵ συνεγήρασάς μοι· Φαίνεται αὐτῷ ὁ δαίμων ὀφθαλμοφανῶς λέγων· Ὄμοσόν μοι͵ ὅτι οὐδενὶ λέγεις͵ ὃ μέλλω λέγειν σοι͵ καὶ οὐκέτι σοι πολεμῶ. Καὶ ὤμοσεν αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων͵ ὅτι μὰ τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις͵ οὐκ εἴπω τινί͵ ἅπερ εἴπῃς μοι. Τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ δαίμων· Μὴ προσκυνήσῃς ταύτῃ τῇ εἰκόνι͵ καὶ οὐκέτι σοι πολεμήσω. Εἶχε δὲ ἡ εἰκὼν ἐκτύπωμα τὴν δέσποιναν ἡμῶν τὴν ἁγίαν Μαρίαν τὴν θεοτόκον βαστάζουσαν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. Ἴδε͵ τίνα μιμοῦν ται οἱ προσκυνεῖσθαι τὰς εἰκόνας κωλύοντες καὶ τίνος εἰσὶν ὄργανα· ὁ γὰρ δαίμων τῆς πορνείας ᾑρετίσατο μὴ προσκυνεῖσθαι τὴν εἰκόνα τῆς δεσποί νης ἤπερ εἰς τὴν τῆς πορνείας ἀκαθαρσίαν ἐμπεσεῖν τὸν γέροντα ὡς μείζονα τῆς πορνείας ἁμαρτίαν ταύτην ἐπιστάμενος.

As we are treating of images and their worship, let us draw out the meaning more accurately and say in the first place what an image is; (2) Why the image was made; (3) How many kinds of images there are; (4) What may be expressed by an image, and what may not; (5) Who first made images.

3,14 Ἀλλ΄ ἐπειδὴ περὶ εἰκόνος ὁ λόγος ἐστὶ καὶ προσκυνήσεως͵ φέρε πλατύτερον περὶ τούτων τὸν λόγον διευκρινήσωμεν καὶ εἴπωμεν· πρῶτον͵ τί ἐστιν εἰκών; δεύτερον͵ τίνος χάριν γέγονεν εἰκών; τρίτον͵ πόσαι διαφοραὶ εἰκόνων; τέταρτον͵ τί τὸ εἰκονιζόμενον καὶ τί τὸ μὴ εἰκονιζό μενον; πέμπτον͵ τίς πρῶτος ἐποίησεν εἰκόνας;

Again, as to worship: (1) What is worship; (2) How many kinds of worship there are; (3) What are the things worshipped in Scripture; (4) That all worship is for God, who is worshipful by nature; (5) That honour shown to the image is given to the original.

3,15 Εἶτα καὶ περὶ προσκυνήσεως· πρῶτον͵ τί ἐστι προσκύνησις; δεύτερον͵ πόσοι τρόποι προσκυνήσεως; τρίτον͵ πόσα τὰ προσκυνούμενα εὑρίσκομεν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ; τέταρτον͵ ὅτι πᾶσα προσκύνησις διὰ τὸν φύσει προσκυνητὸν θεόν ἐστι· πέμπτον͵ ὅτι ἡ τῆς εἰκόνος τιμὴ ἐπὶ τὸ πρωτότυπον διαβαίνει.

 1st Point., What is an Image?

3,16 Πρῶτον͵ τί ἐστιν εἰκών;

An image is a likeness and representation of some one, containing in itself the person who is imaged. The image is not wont to be an exact reproduction of the original. The image is one thing, the person represented another; a difference is generally perceptible, because the subject of each is the same. For instance, the image of a man may give his bodily form, but not his mental powers. It has no life, nor does it speak or feel or move. A son being the natural image of his father is somewhat different from him, for he is a son, not a father.

Εἰκὼν μὲν οὖν ἐστιν ὁμοίωμα καὶ παράδειγμα καὶ ἐκτύπωμά τινος ἐν ἑαυτῷ δεικνύον τὸ εἰκονιζόμενον͵ πάντως δὲ οὐ κατὰ πάντα ἔοικεν ἡ εἰκὼν τῷ πρω τοτύπῳ τουτέστι τῷ εἰκονιζομένῳἄλλο γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰκὼν καὶ ἄλλο τὸ εἰκονιζόμενονκαὶ πάν τως ὁρᾶται ἐν αὐτοῖς διαφορά͵ ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἄλλο τοῦτο καὶ ἄλλο ἐκεῖνο. Οἷόν τι λέγω· Ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ ἀνθρώ που͵ εἰ καὶ τὸν χαρακτῆρα ἐκτυποῖ τοῦ σώματος͵ ἀλλὰ τὰς ψυχικὰς δυνάμεις οὐκ ἔχει· οὔτε γὰρ ζῇ οὔτε λογίζεται οὔτε φθέγγεται οὔτε αἰσθάνεται οὔτε μέλος κινεῖ. Καὶ ὁ υἱὸς εἰκὼν φυσικὴ ὢν τοῦ πατρὸς ἔχει τι παρηλλαγμένον πρὸς αὐτόν· υἱὸς γάρ ἐστι καὶ οὐ πατήρ.

 2nd Point., For what purpose the Image is made.

3,17 Δεύτερον͵ τίνος χάριν ἐστὶν ἡ εἰκών;

Every image is a revelation and representation of something hidden. For instance, man has not a clear knowledge of what is invisible, the spirit being veiled to the body, nor of future things, nor of things apart and distant, because he is circumscribed by place and time. The image was devised for greater knowledge, and for the manifestation and popularising of secret things, as a pure benefit and help to salvation, so that by showing things and making them known, we may arrive at the hidden ones, desire and emulate what is good, shun and hate what is evil.

Πᾶσα εἰκὼν ἐκφαντορικὴ τοῦ κρυφίου ἐστὶ καὶ δει κτική. Οἷόν τι λέγω· Ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὔτε τοῦ ἀοράτου γυμνὴν ἔχει τὴν γνῶσιν σώματι καλυπτο μένης τῆς ψυχῆς οὔτε τῶν μετ΄ αὐτὸν ἐσομένων οὔτε τῶν τόπῳ διεστηκότων καὶ ἀπεχόντων ὡς τόπῳ καὶ χρόνῳ περιγραφόμενος͵ πρὸς ὁδηγίαν γνώσεως καὶ φανέρωσιν καὶ δημοσίευσιν τῶν κεκρυμμένων ἐπενοήθη ἡ εἰκών͵ πάντως δὲ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν καὶ εὐεργεσίαν καὶ σωτηρίαν͵ ὅπως στηλιτευομένων καὶ θριαμβευομένων τῶν πραγμά των διαγνῶμεν τὰ κεκρυμμένα καὶ τὰ μὲν καλὰ ποθήσωμεν καὶ ζηλώσωμεν͵ τὰ δὲ ἐναντία τουτέστι τὰ κακὰ ἀποστραφῶμεν καὶ μισήσωμεν.

 3rd Point., How many kinds of Images there are.

3,18 Τρίτον͵ πόσαι διαφοραὶ εἰκόνων;

Images are of various kinds. First there is the natural image. In everything the natural conception must be the first, then we come to institution according to imitation. The Son is the first natural and unchangeable image of the invisible God, the Father, showing the Father in Himself. “For no man has seen God.” (Jn. 1.18) Again, “Not that any one has seen the Father.” (Jn. 6.46) The apostle says that the Son is the image of the Father: “Who is the image of the invisible God,” (Col. 1.15) and to the Hebrews, “Who being the brightness of His glory, and the figure of His substance.” (Heb. 1.3) In the Gospel of St John we find that He does show the Father in Himself. When Philip said to Him, “Show us the Father and it is enough for us,” our Lord replied, “Have I been so long with you and have you not known Me, Philip? He who sees Me, sees the Father.” (Jn. 14.8, 9) For the Son is the natural image of the Father, unchangeable, in everything like to the Father, except that He is begotten, and that He is not the Father. The Father begets, being unbegotten. The Son is begotten, and is not the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the image of the Son. For no one can say the Lord Jesus, except in the Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 12.3) Through the Holy Spirit we know Christ, the Son of God and God, and in the Son we look upon the Father. For in things that are conceived by nature,  language is the interpreter, and spirit is the interpreter of language. The Holy Spirit is the perfect and unchangeable image of the Son, differing only in His procession. The Son is begotten, but does not proceed. And the son of any father is his natural image. Thus, the natural is the first kind of image.

Διαφοραὶ δὲ εἰκόνων εἰσί. Πρώτη μὲν οὖν εἰκών ἐστιν ἡ φυσική. Ἐν ἑκάστῳ δὲ πράγματι δεῖ πρῶτον εἶναι τὸ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ τότε τὸ κατὰ θέσιν καὶ μίμησιν͵ οἷον δεῖ πρῶτον εἶναι φύσει ἄνθρωπον καὶ τότε θέσει κατὰ μίμησιν. Πρώτη οὖν φυσικὴ καὶ ἀπαράλλακτος εἰκὼν τοῦ ἀοράτου θεοῦ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν ἑαυτῷ δεικνὺς τὸν πατέρα. Θεὸν μὲν γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε͵ καὶ πάλιν οὐχ ὅτι τὸν πατέρα τις ἑώρακεν. Ὅτι δὲ εἰκών ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ πατρός͵ φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος· Ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ ἀοράτου θεοῦ͵ καὶ πρὸς Ἑβραίους ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑπο στάσεως αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ὅτι ἐν ἑαυτῷ δεικνύει τὸν πατέρα ἐν τῷ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Φιλίπ που εἰπόντος· Δεῖξον ἡμῖν τὸν πατέρα͵ καὶ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν͵ φησὶν ὁ κύριος· Τοσοῦτον χρόνον ἔχω μεθ΄ ὑμῶν͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωκάς με͵ Φίλιππε; ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα. Ἔστι μὲν ὁ υἱὸς εἰκὼν τοῦ πατρὸς φυσική͵ ἀπαράλλακτος͵ κατὰ πάντα ὁμοία τῷ πατρὶ πλὴν τῆς ἀγεννησίας καὶ τῆς πατρότητος· ὁ μὲν γὰρ πατὴρ γεννήτωρ ἀγέννητος͵ ὁ δὲ υἱὸς γεννητὸς καὶ οὐ πατήρ. Καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα δὲ τὸ ἅγιον εἰκὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ· οὐδεὶς γὰρ δύναται εἰπεῖν κύριον Ἰησοῦν͵ εἰ μὴ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. Διὰ πνεύματος οὖν ἁγίου γινώσκομεν τὸν Χριστὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ θεὸν καὶ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ καθορῶμεν τὸν πατέρα· φύσει γὰρ νοῦ μὲν λόγος ἄγγελος͵ λόγου δὲ μηνυτι κὸν τὸ πνεῦμα. Ὁμοία δὲ καὶ ἀπαράλλακτός ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν μόνῳ τῷ ἐκπορευτῷ τὸ διάφορον ἔχον· ὁ μὲν γὰρ υἱὸς γεν νητός͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐκ ἐκπορευτός. Καὶ ἑκάστου δὲ πατρὸς ὁ υἱὸς φυσική ἐστιν εἰκών. Καὶ οὗτος μὲν ὁ πρῶτος τρόπος τῆς εἰκόνος͵ ὁ φυσικός.

The second kind of image is that foreknowledge which is in God’s mind concerning future events, His eternal and unchanging counsel. God is immutable and His counsel without beginning, and as it has been determined from all eternity, it is carried out at the time preordained by Him. Images and figures of what He is to do in the future, the distinct determination of each, are called predeterminations by holy Dionysius. In His counsels the things predetermined by Him were characterised and imaged and immutably fixed before they took place.

3,19 Δεύτερος τρόπος εἰκόνος ἡ ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῶν ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ ἐσομένων ἔννοια͵ τουτέστιν ἡ προαιώνιος αὐτοῦ βούλησις ἡ ἀεὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχουσα· ἄτρεπτον γὰρ τὸ θεῖον͵ καὶ ἡ βούλησις αὐτοῦ ἄναρχος͵ ᾗ͵ καθὼς προαιωνίως ἐβουλήθη͵ ἐν τῷ προορισθέντι ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ καιρῷ γίνεται τὰ ὁρισθέντα· εἰκόνες γὰρ καὶ παραδείγματα τῶν ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ ἐσομένων ἡ περὶ ἑκάστου αὐτῶν ἔννοια͵ οἳ καὶ προορισμοὶ παρὰ τῷ ἁγίῳ Διονυσίῳ ὀνομάζονται. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ βουλῇ αὐτοῦ ἐχαρακτηρίζετο καὶ εἰκονίζετο πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν τὰ ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ προωρισμένα καὶ ἀπαραβάτως ἐσόμενα.

The third sort of image is that by imitation (kata mimÄ”sin) which God made, that is, man. For how can what is created be of the same nature as what is uncreated, except by imitation? As mind, the Father, the Word, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God, so mind and word and spirit are one man, according to God’s will and sovereign rule.

3,20 Τρίτος τρόπος εἰκόνος ὁ κατὰ μίμησιν ὑπὸ θεοῦ γενόμενος͵ τουτέστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ κτιστὸς τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως ἔσται τῷ ἀκτίστῳ ἀλλὰ κατὰ μίμησιν; Ὥσπερ γὰρ νοῦς (ὁ πατὴρ) καὶ λόγος (ὁ υἱὸς) καὶ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον εἷς θεός͵ οὕτω καὶ νοῦς καὶ λόγος καὶ πνεῦμα εἷς ἄνθρωπος͵ καὶ κατὰ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον καὶ τὸ ἀρχικόν·

For God says: “Let us make man according to our own image and likeness,” and He adds, “I and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea and the birds of the air, and the whole earth, and rule over it.” (Gen. 1.26)

λέγει γὰρ ὁ θεός· Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ΄ εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ΄ ὁμοίωσιν͵ καὶ εὐθέως ἐπήγαγε· Καὶ ἀρχέ τωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ͵ καὶ πάλιν καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς.

The fourth kind of image are the figures and types set forth by Scripture of invisible and immaterial things in bodily form, for a clearer apprehension of God and the angels, through our incapacity of perceiving immaterial things unless clothed in analogical material form, as Dionysius the Areopagite says, a man skilled in divine things.

3,21 Τέταρτος τρόπος εἰκόνος τῆς γραφῆς σχήματα καὶ μορφὰς καὶ τύπους ἀναπλαττούσης τῶν ἀοράτων καὶ ἀσωμάτων σωματικῶς τυπουμέ νων πρὸς ἀμυδρὰν κατανόησιν θεοῦ τε καὶ ἀγγέλων διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι ἡμᾶς τὰ ἀσώματα ἄνευ σχημά των ἀναλογούντων ἡμῖν θεωρεῖν͵ καθώς φησιν ὁ πολὺς τὰ θεῖα Διονύσιος ὁ Ἀρεοπαγίτης.

Anyone would say that our incapacity for reaching the contemplation of intellectual things, and our need of familiar and cognate mediums, make it necessary that immaterial things should be clothed in form and shape.

Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ εἰκότως προβέβληνται τῶν ἀτυπώτων οἱ τύποι καὶ τὰ σχήματα τῶν ἀσχηματίστων͵ οὐ μόνην αἰτίαν φαίη τις εἶναι τὴν καθ΄ ἡμᾶς ἀναλογίαν ἀδυνα τοῦσαν ἀμέσως ἐπὶ τὰς νοητὰς ἀνατείνεσθαι θεωρίας καὶ δεομένην οἰκείων καὶ συμφυῶν ἀναγωγῶν.

If, then, holy Scripture adapts itself to us in seeking to elevate us above sense, does it not make images of what it clothes in our own medium, and bring within our reach that which we desire but are unable to see?

Εἰ τοίνυν τῆς ἡμῶν προνοῶν ἀναλογίας ὁ θεῖος λόγος͵ πάντοθεν τὸ ἀνατατικὸν ἡμῖν ποριζόμενος͵ καὶ τοῖς ἁπλοῖς καὶ ἀμορφώτοις τύπους τινὰς περιτίθησι͵ πῶς μὴ εἰκονίσει τὰ σχήμασι μεμορφωμένα κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν καὶ ποθούμενα μέν͵ διὰ δὲ τὸ μὴ παρεῖναι ὁρᾶσθαι μὴ δυνάμενα;

The spiritual  writer, Gregory, says that the mind striving to banish corporeal images reduces itself to incapability. But from the creation of the world the invisible things of God are made clear by the visible creation. We see images in created things, which remind us faintly of divine tokens. For instance, sun and light and brightness, the running waters of a perennial fountain, our own mind and language and spirit, the sweet fragrance of a flowering rose tree, are images of the Holy and Eternal Trinity.

Φησὶ γοῦν ὁ θεορήμων Γρηγόριος͵ ὅτι πολλὰ κάμνων ὁ νοῦς ἐκβῆναι τὰ σωματικὰ πάντη ἀδυνατεῖ· Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασι νο ούμενα καθορᾶται. Ὁρῶμεν δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασιν εἰκόνας μηνυούσας ἡμῖν ἀμυδρῶς τὰς θείας ἐμφάσεις͵ ὡς ὅτε λέγομεν τὴν ἁγίαν τριάδα τὴν ὑπεράρχιον εἰκονίζεσθαι δι΄ ἡλίου καὶ φωτὸς καὶ ἀκτῖνος ἢ πη γῆς ἀναβλυζούσης καὶ πηγαζομένου νάματος καὶ προχοῆς ἢ νοῦ καὶ λόγου καὶ πνεύματος τοῦ καθ΄ ἡμᾶς ἢ ῥόδου φυτοῦ καὶ ἄνθους καὶ εὐωδίας.

The fifth kind of image is that which is typical of the future, as the bush and the fleece, the rod and the urn, foreshadowing the Virginal Mother of God, and the serpent healing through the Cross those bitten by the serpent of old. Thus, again, the sea, and water and the cloud foreshadow the grace of baptism.

3,22 Πέμπτος τρόπος εἰκόνος λέγεται ὁ προ εικονίζων καὶ προδιαγράφων τὰ μέλλοντα ὡς ἡ βάτος καὶ ὁ ἐπὶ πόκον ὑετὸς τὴν παρθένον καὶ θεοτόκον καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος καὶ ἡ στάμνος καὶ ὡς ὁ ὄφις τοὺς τὸ δῆγμα διὰ σταυροῦ καταργήσαντας τοῦ ἀρχεκάκου ὄφεως ἥ τε θάλασσα͵ τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἡ νεφέλη τὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος πνεῦμα.

The sixth kind of image is for a remembrance of past events, of a miracle or a good deed, for the honour and glory and abiding memory of the most virtuous, or for the shame and terror of the wicked, for the benefit of succeeding generations who contemplate it, so that we may shun evil and do good. This image is of two kinds, either through the written word in books, for the word represents the thing, as when God ordered the law to be written on tablets, (Deut. 5.22) and the lives of God-fearing men to be recorded, (Ex. 17.14) or through a visible object, as when He commanded the urn and rod to be placed in the ark for a lasting memory, (Ex. 16.33, 34; Num. 17.10) and the names of the tribes to be engraved on the stones of the humeral. (Ex. 28.11, 12) And also He commanded the twelve stones to be taken from the Jordan as a sacred token. (Jos. 4.20 ff) Consider the prodigy, the greatest which befell the faithful people, the taking of the ark, and the parting of the waters. So now we set up the images of valiant men for an example and a remembrance to ourselves. Therefore, either reject all images, and be in opposition to Him who ordered these things, or receive each and all with becoming greeting and manner.

3,23 Ἕκτος τρόπος εἰκόνος ὁ πρὸς μνήμην τῶν γεγονότων ἢ θαύματος ἢ ἀρετῆς πρὸς δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ στηλογραφίαν τῶν ἀριστευσάντων καὶ ἐν ἀρετῇ διαπρεψάντων ἢ κακίας πρὸς θρίαμβον καὶ αἰσχύνην τῶν κακίστων ἀνδρῶν͵ πρὸς τὴν εἰς ὕστε ρον τῶν θεωμένων ὠφέλειαν͵ ὡς ἂν τὰ μὲν κακὰ φύγωμεν͵ τὰς δὲ ἀρετὰς ζηλώσωμεν. Διπλῆ δὲ αὕτη· διά τε λόγου ταῖς βίβλοις ἐγγραφομένουεἰ κονίζει γὰρ τὸ γράμμα τὸν λόγον͵ ὡς ὁ θεὸς τὸν νόμον ταῖς πλαξὶν ἐνεκόλαψε καὶ τοὺς τῶν θεοφιλῶν ἀνδρῶν βίους ἀναγράπτους γενέσθαι προσέταξε καὶ διὰ θεωρίας αἰσθητῆς͵ ὡς τὴν στάμνον καὶ τὴν ῥάβδον ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ τεθῆναι προσέταξεν εἰς μνημόσυνον αἰώνιον καὶ ὡς τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν φυλῶν ἐγκολαφθῆναι τοῖς λίθοις τῆς ἐπωμίδος ἐκέλευσεν͵ οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς δώδεκα λίθους ἀρθῆναι ἐκ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου εἰς τύπον τῶν ἱερέωνβαβαὶ τοῦ μυστηρίου͵ ὡς μέγιστον τοῖς πιστοῖς ἐν ἀληθείᾳ τῶν αἰρόντων τὴν κιβωτὸν καὶ τῆς τοῦ ὕδατος ἐκλείψεως. Οὕτω καὶ νῦν τὰς εἰκόνας τῶν γεγονότων ἐναρέτων ἀνδρῶν πρὸς ζῆλον καὶ μνήμην καὶ ζῆλον ἡμῶν πόθῳ ἀναγράφομεν. ῍Η τοίνυν πᾶσαν εἰκόνα ἄνελε καὶ ἀντινομοθέτει τῷ ταῦτα προστάξαντι γίνεσθαι ἢ ἑκάστην δέχου κατὰ τὸν ἑκάστῃ πρέποντα λόγον καὶ τρόπον.

 Fourth Chapter. What an Image is, what it is not; and how each Image is to  be set forth.

3,24 Τέταρτον κεφάλαιον͵ τί τὸ εἰκονιζόμενον καὶ τί τὸ μὴ εἰκονιζόμενον καὶ πῶς ἕκαστον εἰκονίζε ται.

Bodies as having form and shape and colour, may properly be represented in image. Now if nothing physical or material may be attributed to an angel, a spirit, and a devil, yet they may be depicted and circumscribed after their own nature. Being intellectual beings, they are believed to be present and to energise in places known to us intellectually. They are represented materially as Moses made an image of the cherubim who were looked upon by those worthy of the honour, the material image offering them an immaterial and intellectual sight. Only the divine nature is uncircumscribed and incapable of being represented in form or shape, and incomprehensible.

Τὰ μὲν σώματα ὡς καὶ σχήματα καὶ περιγραφὴν σωματικὴν ἔχοντα καὶ χρῶμα εἰκότως εἰκονίζονται. Ἄγγελος δὲ καὶ ψυχὴ καὶ δαίμων͵ εἰ καὶ μὴ σωματι κῶς καὶ παχέως͵ ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτῶν φύσιν καὶ σχηματίζονται καὶ περιγράφονταινοητοὶ γὰρ ὄντες ἐν νοητοῖς τόποις νοητῶς παρεῖναι καὶ ἐνερ γεῖν πιστεύονται͵ εἰκονίζονται μὲν οὖν σωματι κῶς͵ ὡς εἰκόνισε Μωσῆς τὰ χερουβὶμ καὶ ὡς ὡράθη σαν τοῖς ἀξίοις͵ ἀλλ΄ ἀσώματον καὶ νοητήν τινα θεωρίαν δηλούσης τῆς σωματικῆς εἰκόνος. Ἡ δὲ θεία φύσις ἀπερίγραπτός ἐστι μόνη καὶ παντελῶς ἀνείδεος καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος καὶ ἀκατάληπτος͵

If Holy Scripture clothes God in figures which are apparently material, and can even be seen, they are still immaterial. They were seen by the prophets and those to whom they were revealed, not with bodily but with intellectual eyes. They were not seen by all. In a word it may be said that we can make images of all the forms which we see. We apprehend these as if they were seen. If at times we understand types from reasoning, and also from what we see, and arrive at their comprehension in this way, so with every sense, from what we have smelt, or tasted, or touched, we arrive at apprehension by bringing our reason to bear upon our experience.

εἰ καὶ ἡ θεία γραφὴ τύπους θεῷ περιτίθησι τὸ μὲν δοκεῖν σωματικούς͵ ὥστε σχήματα ὁρᾶσθαι͵ καὶ αὐτοὺς δὲ ἀσωμάτους· οὐ γὰρ σωματικοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς͵ ἀλλὰ νοεροῖς ἑωρῶντο τοῖς προφήταις καὶ οἷς ἀπεκαλύ πτοντο͵ οὐ γὰρ πᾶσιν ἑωρῶντο. Ἁπλῷ δὲ λόγῳ εἰπεῖν͵ δυνάμεθα ποιεῖν εἰκόνας πάντων τῶν σχη μάτων͵ ὧν εἴδομεν· νοοῦμεν δὲ ταῦτα͵ καθὼς ὡράθη. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων ἔσθ΄ ὅτε κατα νοοῦμεν σχήματα͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐξ ὧν εἴδομεν͵ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν τούτων ἐρχόμεθα κατανόησιν. Οὕτω καὶ ἐφ΄ ἑκάστης αἰσθήσεως͵ ἐξ ὧν ὠσφράνθημεν ἢ ἐγευσάμεθα ἢ ἡψάμεθα͵ διὰ λόγων ἐπὶ τὴν τούτων ἐρχόμεθα κατανόησιν.

We know that it is impossible to look upon God, or a spirit, or a demon, as they are. They are seen in a certain form, divine providence clothing in type and figure what is without substance or material being, for our instruction, and more intimate knowledge, lest we should be in too great ignorance of God, and of the spirit world.

3,25 Οἴδαμεν οὖν͵ ὅτι οὔτε θεοῦ οὔτε ἀγγέλου οὔτε ψυχῆς οὔτε δαίμονος δυνατὸν θεαθῆναι φύσιν͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐν μετασχηματισμῷ τινι θεωροῦνται ταῦτα τῆς θείας προνοίας τύπους καὶ σχήματα περιτιθείσης τοῖς ἀσωμάτοις καὶ ἀτυπώτοις καὶ μὴ ἔχουσι σχη ματισμὸν σωματικῶς πρὸς τὸ χειραγωγηθῆναι ἡμᾶς καὶ πρὸς παχυμερῆ καὶ μερικὴν αὐτῶν γνῶσιν͵ ἵνα μὴ ἐν παντελεῖ ἀγνοίᾳ ὦμεν θεοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀσωμάτων κτισμάτων.

For God is a pure Spirit by His nature. The angel, and a soul, and a demon, compared to God, who alone is incomparable, are bodies; but compared to material bodies, they are bodiless. God therefore, not wishing that we should be in ignorance of spirits, clothed them in type and figure, and in images akin to our nature, material forms visible to the mind in mental vision. These we put into form and shape, for how were the cherubim represented and described in image? But Scripture offers forms and images even of God.

Ὁ μὲν γὰρ θεὸς φύσει καὶ παντελῶς ἀσώματος· ἄγγελος δὲ καὶ ψυχὴ καὶ δαίμων πρὸς μὲν θεὸν συγκρινόμενοι τὸν μόνον ἀσύγκριτον σώματά εἰσι͵ πρὸς δὲ τὰ ὑλικὰ σώματα ἀσώματοι. Μὴ θέλων οὖν ὁ θεὸς παντελῶς ἀγνοεῖν ἡμᾶς τὰ ἀσώματα περιέθη κεν αὐτοῖς τύπους καὶ σχήματα καὶ εἰκόνας κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν σχήματα σωματι κὰ ἐν ἀύλῳ ὁράσει νοὸς ὁρώμενα͵ καὶ ταῦτα σχη ματίζομεν καὶ εἰκονίζομεν͵ ἐπεί πως ἐσχηματίσθη καὶ εἰκονίσθη τὰ χερουβίμ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ θεοῦ σχήματα καὶ εἰκόνας ἡ γραφὴ ἔχει.

 Who first made an Image.

3,26 Τίς πρῶτος ἐποίησεν εἰκόνα;

In the beginning God begot His only begotten Son, His word, the living image of Himself, the natural and unchangeable image of His eternity. And He made man after His own image and likeness. (Gen. 1.26) And Adam saw God, and heard the sound of His feet as He walked at even, and he hid in paradise. (Gen. 3.8) And Jacob saw and struggled with God. It is evident that God appeared to him in the form of a man. (Gen. 32.24 ff) And Moses saw as it were the back of a man, (Ex. 33.24 ff) and Isaias saw Him as a man seated on a throne. (Is. 6.1) And Daniel saw the likeness of a man, and as the Son of Man coming to the ancient of days. (Dan. 7.9, 13) No one saw the nature of God, but the type and image of what, was to be. For the Son and Word of the invisible God, was to become man in truth, that He might be united to our nature, and be seen upon earth. Now all who looked upon the type and image of the future, worshipped it, as St Paul says in his epistle to the Hebrews: “All these died according to faith, not having received the promises, but beholding them afar off, and saluting them.” (Heb. 11.13) Shall I not make an image of Him who took the nature of flesh for me? Shall I not reverence and worship Him, through the honour and worship of His image? Abraham saw not the nature of God, for no man ever saw God, but the image of God, and falling down he adored. (Gen. 18.2) Josue saw the image of an angel, (Jos. 5.14) not as he is, for an angel is not visible to bodily eyes, and falling down he adored, and so did Daniel. Yet an angel is a creature, and servant, and minister of God, not God. And he worshipped the angel not as God, but as God’s ministering spirit. And shall not I make images of Christ’s friends? And shall I not worship them as the images of God’s friends, not as gods? Neither Josue nor Daniel worshipped the angels they saw as gods. Neither do I worship the image as God, but through the image of the saints too, show my worship to God, because I honour His friends, and do them reverence. God did not unite Himself to the angelic nature, but to the human. He did not become an angel: He became a man in nature, and in truth. It is indeed Abraham’s seed which He embraces, not the angel’s. (Heb. 2.16)

Αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς πρῶτος ἐγέννησε τὸν μονογενῆ υἱὸν καὶ λόγον αὐτοῦ͵ εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ ζῶσαν͵ φυσικήν͵ ἀπαράλλακτον χαρακτῆρα τῆς αὐτοῦ ἀιδιότητος͵ ἐποίησέ τε τὸν ἄνθρωπον κατ΄ εἰκόνα αὑτοῦ καὶ καθ΄ ὁμοίωσιν. Καὶ Ἀδὰμ εἶδε θεὸν καὶ ἤκουσε τῆς φωνῆς τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ περιπατοῦντος τὸ δειλινὸν καὶ ἐκρύβη ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ͵ καὶ Ἰακὼβ εἶδε καὶ ἐπάλαισε μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦδῆλον δέ͵ ὅτι ὡς ἄνθρω πος ἐφάνη αὐτῷ ὁ θεός͵ καὶ Μωσῆς ὡς ὀπίσθια ἀνθρώπου εἶδε͵ καὶ Ἡσαΐας ὡς ἄνθρωπον εἶδε καθήμενον ἐπὶ θρόνου͵ καὶ Δανιὴλ ὁμοίωμα ἀνθρώ που εἶδε καὶ ὡς υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου ἐλθόντα ἐπὶ τὸν παλαιὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν. Καὶ οὐ φύσιν θεοῦ εἶδέ τις͵ ἀλλὰ τὸν τύπον καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ μέλλοντος ἔσεσθαι· ἔμελλε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ ἀόρατος ἄνθρωπος γίνεσθαι ἐν ἀληθείᾳ͵ ἵν΄ ἑνωθῇ τῇ φύσει ἡμῶν καὶ ὁραθῇ ἐπὶ γῆς. Προσεκύνησαν οὖν πάντες οἱ ἰδόντες τὸν τύπον καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ μέλλοντος͵ καθὼς Παῦλός φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους ἐπιστολῇ· Κατὰ πίστιν ἀπέθανον οὗτοι πάντες μὴ κομισάμενοι τὰς εὐαγγελίας͵ ἀλλὰ πόρρωθεν αὐτὰς ἰδόντες καὶ ἀσπασάμενοι. Ἐγὼ οὖν οὐ μὴ ποιήσω εἰκόνα τοῦ δι΄ ἐμὲ ὀφθέντος σαρκὸς φύσει καὶ προσκυνήσω καὶ τιμήσω αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς εἰς τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ τιμῆς καὶ προσκυνήσεως; Εἶδεν Ἀβραὰμ οὐ φύσιν θεοῦ (θεὸν γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε)͵ ἀλλ΄ εἰκόνα θεοῦ καὶ πεσὼν προσ εκύνησεν. Εἶδεν Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ οὐ φύσιν ἀγγέλου͵ ἀλλ΄ εἰκόνα (φύσις γὰρ ἀγγέλου σωματι κοῖς οὐχ ὁρᾶται ὀφθαλμοῖς) καὶ πεσὼν προσεκύνη σεν͵ ὁμοίως καὶ Δανιήλ (ἄγγελος δὲ οὐ θεός͵ ἀλλὰ κτίσμα καὶ δοῦλος θεοῦ καὶ παραστάτης)͵ προσε κύνησε δὲ οὐχ ὡς θεῷ͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς θεοῦ παραστάτῃ καὶ λειτουργῷ. Κἀγὼ μὴ ποιήσω εἰκόνα τῶν φίλων τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ μὴ προσκυνήσω οὐχ ὡς θεοῖς͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς εἰκόσι φίλων θεοῦ; Οὔτε γὰρ Ἰησοῦς οὔτε Δανιὴλ ὡς θεοῖς προσεκύνησαν τοῖς ὀφθεῖσιν ἀγγέλοις͵ οὐδὲ ἐγὼ ὡς θεῷ προσκυνῶ τῇ εἰκόνι͵ ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς εἰκόνος καὶ τῶν ἁγίων τῷ θεῷ προσάγω τὴν προσ κύνησιν καὶ τὴν τιμήν͵ δι΄ ὃν καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ φίλους σέβω καὶ δι΄ αἰδοῦς ἄγω.

The Son of God in person did not take the nature of the angels: He took the nature of man. The angels did not participate in the divine nature, but in working and in grace. Now, men do participate, and become partakers of the divine nature when they receive the holy Body of Christ and drink His Blood. For He is united in person to the Godhead,  and two natures in the Body of Christ shared by us are united indissolubly in person, and we partake of the two natures, of the body bodily, and of the Godhead in spirit, or, rather, of each in both. We are made one, not in person, for first we have a person and then we are united by blending together the body and the blood. How are we not greater than the angels, if through fidelity to the commandments we keep this perfect union? In itself our nature is far removed from the angels, on account of death and the heaviness of the body, but through God’s goodness and its union with Him it has become higher than the angels. For angels stand by that nature with fear and trembling, as, in the person of Christ, it sits upon a throne of glory, and they will stand by in trembling at the judgment. According to Scripture they are not partakers of the divine glory. For they are all ministering spirits, being sent to minister because of those who are to be heirs of salvation, (Heb. 1.14) not that they shall reign together, nor that they shall be together glorified, nor that they shall sit at the table of the Father.

3,26.47 Οὐκ ἐγένετο φύσις ἀγγέλων υἱὸς θεοῦ καθ΄ ὑπό στασιν͵ ἐγένετο δὲ φύσις ἀνθρώπου υἱὸς θεοῦ καθ΄ ὑπόστασιν. Οὐ μετέσχον ἄγγελοι οὐδὲ ἐγένοντο θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐνεργείας καὶ χάριτος͵ ἄνθρωποι δὲ μετέχουσι καὶ κοινωνοὶ θείας φύσεως γίνονται͵ ὅσοι μεταλαμβάνουσι τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ ἅγιον καὶ πίνουσι τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ τὸ τίμιον· θεότητι γὰρ καθ΄ ὑπόστασιν ἥνωται καὶ δύο φύσεις ἐν τῷ μεταλαμβανομένῳ ὑφ΄ ἡμῶν σώματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡνωμέναι καθ΄ ὑπόστασίν εἰσιν ἀδιασπάστως καὶ τῶν δύο φύσεων μετέχομεν͵ τοῦ σώματος σωματικῶς͵ τῆς θεότητος πνευματι κῶς͵ μᾶλλον δὲ ἀμφοῖν κατ΄ ἄμφω͵ οὐ καθ΄ ὑπό στασιν ταυτιζόμενοι (ὑφιστάμεθα γὰρ πρῶτον καὶ τότε ἑνούμεθα)͵ ἀλλὰ κατὰ συνανάκρασιν τοῦ σώ ματος καὶ αἵματος. Καὶ πῶς οὐ μείζονες ἀγγέλων οἱ φυλάττοντες διὰ τῆς τηρήσεως τῶν ἐντολῶν εἰλι κρινῆ τὴν ἕνωσιν; Ἡ μὲν φύσις ἡμῶν βραχύ τι παρ΄ ἀγγέλους ἠλαττωμένη διὰ τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος παχύτητα͵ ἀλλ΄ εὐδοκίᾳ καὶ συναφείᾳ θεοῦ γέγονεν ἀγγέλων μείζων· παρίστανται γὰρ αὐτῇ μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου ἄγγελοι καθημένῃ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς δόξης ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ καὶ παραστή σονται ἔντρομοι ἐν τῇ κρίσει· οὐ συγκαθεύδοντες οὐδὲ κοινωνοὶ τῆς θείας δόξης ὑπὸ τῆς γραφῆς ἐρ ρήθησαν (εἰσὶ γὰρ πάντες λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα͵ εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν) οὐδ΄ ὅτι συμβασιλεύσουσιν οὐδ΄ ὅτι συνδοξασθήσονται οὐδ΄ ὅτι ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ πατρὸς καθίσουσιν͵

The saints, on the contrary, are the children of God, the children of the kingdom, heirs of God, and co-heirs of Christ. (Rom. 8.17) Therefore, I honour the saints, and glorify the servants and friends and co-heirs of Christ servants by nature, friends by their choice friends and co-heirs by divine grace, as our Lord said in speaking to the Father. (Jn. 17)

οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι υἱοὶ θεοῦ͵ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας καὶ κληρονόμοι θεοῦ καὶ συγ κληρονόμοι Χριστοῦ. Τιμῶ οὖν τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ συν δοξάζω τοὺς δούλους καὶ φίλους καὶ συγκληρονό μους Χριστοῦ͵ τοὺς δούλους ἐκ φύσεως καὶ φίλους ἐκ προαιρέσεως καὶ υἱοὺς καὶ κληρονόμους ἐκ θείας χάριτος͵ ὥς φησιν ὁ κύριος πρὸς τὸν πατέρα.

As we are peaking of images, let us speak of worship also, and in the first place determine what it is.

Εἰπόντες τοίνυν περὶ εἰκόνος εἴπωμεν καὶ περὶ προσκυνήσεως͵ καὶ πρῶτον͵ τί ἐστι προσκύνησις.

 On Adoration. What is Adoration?

3,27 Περὶ προσκυνήσεως͵ τί ἐστι προσκύνησις;

Adoration is a token of subjection, , that is of submission and humiliation. There are many kinds of adoration.

Προσκύνησις τοίνυν ἐστὶ σημεῖον ὑποπτώσεως͵ τουτέστιν ὑποβάσεως καὶ ταπεινώσεως. Τρόποι δὲ προσκυνήσεώς εἰσι πλεῖστοι.

 On the kinds of Adoration.

3,28 Πόσοι τρόποι προσκυνήσεως;

The first kind is the worship of latreia, which we give to God, who alone is adorable by nature, and this worship is shown in several ways, and first by the worship of servants. All created things worship Him, as servants their master. “All things serve Thee,”(Ps. 119.91) the psalm says. Some serve willingly, others unwillingly; some with full knowledge, willingly, as in the case of the devout, others knowing, but not willing, against their will, as the devil’s. Others, again, not knowing the true God, worship in spite of themselves Him whom they do not know.

Πρῶτος τρόπος προσκυνήσεως ὁ κατὰ λατρείαν͵ ἣν προσάγομεν μόνῳ τῷ φύσει προσκυνητῷ θεῷ͵ καὶ οὗτος κατὰ διαφόρους τρόπους. Πρῶτον μὲν κατὰ τὸν τῆς δουλείας· προσκυνοῦσι γὰρ αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ κτίσματα ὡς δοῦλοι δεσπότῃ͵ ὅτι τὰ σύμπαντα γάρ͵ φησί͵ δοῦλα σά͵ καὶ οἱ μὲν ἑκουσίως͵ οἱ δὲ ἀκουσίως. Οἱ μὲν γνώσει ἑκουσίως προσκυνοῦσιν ὡς οἱ εὐσεβεῖς͵ οἱ δὲ ἐπιγινώσκοντες καὶ μὴ θέλοντες ἀκουσίως προσκυνοῦσιν ὡς οἱ δαί μονες· ἄλλοι μὴ εἰδότες τὸν φύσει θεὸν προσκυνοῦσιν ἀκουσίως͵ ὃν ἀγνοοῦσιν.

The second kind is the worship of admiration and desire which we give to God on account of His essential glory. He alone is worthy of praise, who receives it from no one, being Himself the cause of all glory and all good, He is light, incomprehensible sweetness, incomparable, immeasurable perfection, an ocean of goodness, boundless wisdom, and power, who alone is worthy of Himself to excite admiration, to be worshipped, glorified, and desired.

3,29 Δεύτερος τρόπος ὁ κατὰ θαῦμα καὶ πόθον͵ καθ΄ ὃν προσκυνοῦμεν τῷ θεῷ διὰ τὴν φυσικὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ· μόνος γάρ ἐστι δεδοξασμένος οὐκ ἔκ τινος ἔχων τὴν δόξαν͵ ἀλλ΄ αὐτὸς ὢν πάσης δόξης αἴτιος καὶ παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ φῶς ἀκατάληπτον͵ γλυκασμὸς ἀνείκαστος͵ κάλλος ἀμήχανον͵ ἀγαθότη τος ἄβυσσος͵ σοφία ἀνεξιχνίαστος͵ ἀπειροδύναμος δύναμις͵ μόνος ἄξιος δι΄ ἑαυτὸν θαυμάζεσθαι προσ κυνεῖσθαί τε καὶ δοξάζεσθαι καὶ ποθεῖσθαι.

The third kind of worship is that of thanksgiving for the goods we have received. We must thank God for all created things, and show Him perpetual worship, as from Him and through Him all creation takes its being and subsists. (Col. 1.16, 17) He gives lavishly of His gifts to all, and without being asked. He wishes all to be saved, (I Tim. 2.4) and to partake of His goodness. He is long-suffering with us sinners. He allows His sun to shine upon the just and unjust, and His rain to fall upon the wicked and the good alike. (Mt. 5.45) And being the Son of God, He became one of us for our sakes, and made us partakers of His divine nature, so that “we shall be like unto Him,” (I Jn. 3.2) as St John says in his Catholic epistle.

3,30 Τρίτος τρόπος ὁ τῆς εὐχαριστίας ὑπὲρ τῶν γεγονότων εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀγαθῶν· πάντα γὰρ τὰ ὄντα χρεωστεῖ εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ θεῷ καὶ προσφέρειν ἀένναον προσκύνησιν͵ ὅτι τε ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔχει τὸ εἶναι τὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ συνίσταται καὶ πᾶσι μετα δίδωσιν ἀφθόνως τῶν ἑαυτοῦ δωρεῶν καὶ δίχα αἰτήσεως καὶ θέλει πάντας σωθῆναι καὶ μετέχειν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀγαθότητος καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐφ΄ ἡμῖν ἁμαρ τάνουσι καὶ ἀνατέλλει τὸν ἥλιον ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ δι΄ ἡμᾶς καθ΄ ἡμᾶς γέγονε καὶ θείας κοινωνοὺς φύσεως ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς͵ ὅτι ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα͵ ὥς φησιν Ἰωάννης ὁ θεολόγος ἐν τῇ καθολικῇ ἐπιστολῇ.

The fourth kind is suggested by the need and hope of benefits. Recognising that without Him we can neither do nor possess anything good, we worship Him, asking Him to satisfy our needs and desires, that we may be preserved from evil and arrive at good.

3,31 Τέταρτος τρόπος ὁ κατ΄ ἔνδειαν καὶ ἐλπίδα εὐεργεσιῶν͵ καθ΄ ἃς ἐπιγινώσκοντες͵ ὡς οὐ δυνάμεθα ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ ποιεῖν οὐδὲν ἢ ἔχειν ἀγαθόν͵ προσκυνοῦμεν αἰτοῦντες παρ΄ αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος͵ οὗ αἰσθάνεται ἐνδεῶς ἔχειν καὶ ὃ ποθεῖ͵ ῥυσθῆναί τε κακῶν καὶ τυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν.

The fifth kind is the worship of contrition and confession. As sinners we worship God, and prostrate ourselves before Him, needing His forgiveness, as it becomes servants. This happens in three ways. A man may be sorry out of love, or lest he should lose God’s benefits, or for fear of chastisement. The first is prompted by goodness and desire for God himself, and the condition of a son: the second is interested, the third is slavish.

3,32 Πέμπτος τρόπος ὁ τῆς μετανοίας καὶ τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως· ἁμαρτάνοντες γὰρ προσκυνοῦμεν καὶ προσπίπτομεν τῷ θεῷ δεόμενοι συγχωρηθῆναι τὰ πταίσματα ὡς δοῦλοι εὐγνώμονες. Καὶ οὗτος ὁ τρόπος τρισσός ἐστιν· ἢ γὰρ κατ΄ ἀγάπην λυπεῖ ταί τις ἢ ὡς μὴ ἀποτύχῃ τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ εὐεργεσιῶν ἢ δεδιὼς τὰς κολάσεις. Καὶ ἔστιν ὁ μὲν πρῶτος ἐξ εὐγνωμοσύνης καὶ πόθου αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ υἱϊκῆς διαθέσεως͵ ὁ δεύτερος μισθωτικῆς͵ ὁ δὲ τρίτος δουλικῆς.

 What we find worshipped in Scripture, and in how many ways we show worship  to creatures

3,33 Πόσα τὰ προσκυνούμενα εὑρίσκομεν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ καὶ κατὰ πόσους τρόπους προσάγομεν προσ κύνησιν κτίσμασι;

First, those places in which God, who alone is holy, has rested, and His resting-place in the saints, as in the holy Mother of God and in all the saints. These are they who are made like to God as far as possible, of their own free will, and by God’s indwelling, and by His abiding grace. They are truly called gods, not by nature, but by participation; just as red-hot iron is called fire, not by nature, but by participation in the fire’s action. He says: “Be ye holy because I am holy.” (Lev. 19.2) The first thing is the free choice of the will. Then, in the case of a good choice, God helps it on and confirms it. “I will take up my abode in them,” (Lev. 26.12) He says. “We are the temples of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in us.” (I Cor. 3.16) Again, “He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities.” (Mt. 10.1) And again, “That which I do you shall do, and greater things.” (Jn. 14.12) Again: “As I live, God says, whosoever shall glorify Me, him will I glorify.” (I Sam. 2.30) Again: “If we suffer with Him that we may be also glorified with Him. (Rom. 8.17) And “God stood in the synagogue of the gods; in the midst of it He points out the gods.” (Ps. 82.1) As, then, they are truly gods, not by nature, but as partakers of God’s nature, so they are to be worshipped, not as worshipful on their own account, but as possessing in themselves Him who is worshipful by nature. Just in the same way iron when ignited is not by nature hot and burning to the touch, it is the fire which makes it so. They are worshipped as exalted by God, as through Him inspiring fear to His enemies, and becoming benefactors to the faithful. It is love of God which gives them their free access to Him, not as gods or benefactors by nature, but as servants and ministers of God. We worship them, then, as the king is honoured through the honour given to a loved servant. He is honoured as a minister in attendance upon his master, as a valued friend, not as king.

Πρῶτον μέν͵ ἐφ΄ οἷς ἀναπέπαυται ὁ θεὸς ὁ μόνος ἅγιος καὶ ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναπαυόμενος ὡς τῇ ἁγίᾳ θεοτόκῳ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις. Οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν οἱ κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ὁμοιωθέντες θεῷ ἔκ τε τῆς ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσεως καὶ τῆς θεοῦ ἐνοικήσεως καὶ συν εργίας͵ οἵτινες καὶ θεοὶ λέγονται ἀληθῶς͵ οὐ φύσει͵ ἀλλὰ θέσει͵ ὡς πῦρ λέγεται ὁ πεπυρακτωμένος σίδηρος͵ οὐ φύσει͵ ἀλλὰ θέσει καὶ μεθέξει πυρός· φησὶ γάρ· Ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε͵ ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιός εἰμι. Τοῦτο πρῶτον͵ ἡ προαίρεσις. Εἶτα παντὶ τῷ προ αιρουμένῳ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁ θεὸς συνεργεῖ εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν͵ εἶτα ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω͵ καὶ ναοί ἐσμεν θεοῦ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ἡμῖν͵ εἶτα ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν κατὰ πνευμά των ἀκαθάρτων͵ ὥστε ἐκβάλλειν αὐτὰ καὶ θεραπεύ ειν πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν͵ καὶ ὅσα ποιῶ͵ καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιήσετε καὶ μείζονα τούτων ποι ήσετε͵ εἶτα ζῶ ἐγώ͵ λέγει κύριος͵ ἀλλ΄ ἢ τοὺς δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω͵ καὶ εἴπερ συμπάσχομεν͵ ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν͵ καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συν αγωγῇ θεῶν· ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ. Ὥσπερ τοίνυν ἀληθῶς εἰσι θεοὶ οὐ φύσει͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς τοῦ φύσει θεοῦ μέτοχοι͵ οὕτως εἰσὶ προσκυνητοί͵ οὐχὶ φύσει͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς τὸν φύσει προσκυνητὸν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἔχοντες͵ ὥσπερ ὁ πεπυρακτωμένος σίδηρος οὐ φύσει ἐστὶν ἀπρόσιτος ἁφῇ καὶ καυστικός͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς μετέχων τοῦ φύσει καυστικοῦ. Προσκυνοῦνται οὖν ὡς δεδοξασμέ νοι ὑπὸ θεοῦ͵ ὡς ὑπὸ θεοῦ γενόμενοι τοῖς ὑπεναντί οις φοβεροὶ καὶ εὐεργέται τοῖς πίστει προσιοῦσιν οὐχ ὡς φύσει θεοῖς καὶ εὐεργέταις͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς θεράπουσι καὶ λειτουργοῖς θεοῦ καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀγάπης πρὸς αὐτὸν εὐμοιρήσασι παρρησίαν. Προσκυνοῦμεν οὖν αὐτοῖς͵ ἐπειδὴ θεραπεύεται ὁ βασιλεὺς θεωρῶν προσκυνού μενον τὸν ἠγαπημένον αὐτῷ θεράποντα οὐχ ὡς βασιλέα͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς λειτουργὸν ὑπήκοον καὶ εὐνοϊκὸν φίλον.

The prayers of those who approach with faith are heard, whether through the servant’s intercession with the king, or whether through the king’s acceptance of the honour and faith shown by the servant’s petitioner, for it was in his name that the petition was made. Thus, those who approached through the apostles obtained their cures. Thus the shadow, and winding-sheets, and girdles of the apostles worked healings. (Acts 5.15) Those who perversely and profanely wish them to be adored as gods are themselves damnable, and deserve eternal fire. And those who in the false pride of their hearts disdain to worship God’s servants are convicted of impiety towards God. The children who derided and laughed to scorn Elisseus bear witness to this, inasmuch as they were devoured by bears. (II Kgs. 2.23)

Καὶ λαμβάνουσι τὰς αἰτήσεις οἱ προσιόντες πίστει͵ εἴτε τοῦ θεράποντος αἰτοῦντος τοῦτο παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως͵ εἴτε τοῦ βασιλέως ἀποδεχομένου τὴν τιμὴν καὶ τὴν πίστιν τοῦ ζητοῦντος παρὰ τοῦ θεράποντος αὐτοῦ· δι΄ αὐτὸν γὰρ ᾔτησεν. Οὕτω διὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων οἱ προσιόντες ἐτύγχανον τῶν ἰάσεων. Οὕτως ἡ σκιὰ καὶ τὰ σουδάρια καὶ τὰ σιμικίνθια τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπήγαζον τὰ ἰάματα. Ὅσοι δὲ ἀνταρτικῶς καὶ ἀποστατικῶς θέλουσι προσκυνεῖσθαι ὡς θεοί͵ οὗτοί εἰσιν ἀπροσκύνητοι καὶ τοῦ αἰωνίου πυρὸς ἄξιοι. Καὶ ὅσοι καταφρονητι κῶς ὑπερηφάνῳ φρονήματι μὴ προσκυνοῦσι τοῖς θεοῦ θεράπουσιν͵ ὡς ἀλαζόνες καὶ ὑπερήφανοι͵ ὡς εἰς θεὸν ἀσεβοῦντες καταδικάζονται. Καὶ μαρτυροῦ σιν οἱ παῖδες οἱ Ἐλισσαίου καταφρονητικῶς κατα βοήσαντες καὶ βορὰ τοῖς ἄρκτοις γενόμενοι.

Secondly, we worship creatures by honouring those places or persons whom God has associated with the work of our salvation, whether before our Lord’s coming or since the dispensation of His incarnation. For instance, I venerate Mount Sinai, Nazareth, the stable at Bethlehem, and the cave, the sacred mount of Golgotha, the wood of the Cross, the nails and sponge and reed, the sacred and saving lance, the dress and tunic, the linen cloths, the swathing clothes, the holy tomb, the source of our resurrection, the sepulchre, the holy mountain of Sion and the mountain of Olives, the Pool of Bethsaida and the sacred garden of Gethsemane, and all similar spots. I cherish them and every holy temple of God, and everything connected with God’s name, not on their own account but because they show forth the divine power, and through them and in them it pleased God to bring about our salvation. I venerate and worship angels and men, and all matter participating in divine power and ministering to our salvation through it. I do not worship the Jews. They are not participators in divine power, nor have they contributed to my salvation. They crucified my God, the King of Glory, moved rather by envy and hatred against God their Benefactor. “Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house,” (Ps. 26.8) says David, “we will adore in the place where his feet stood. And adore at His holy mountain.” (Ps. 132.7; 99.9) The holy Mother of God is the living holy mountain of God. The apostles are the teaching mountains of God. “The mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like the lambs of the flock.” (I Cor. 10.11)

3,34 Δεύτερος τρόπος͵ καθ΄ ὃν προσκυνοῦμεν κτίσματα͵ δι΄ ὧν καὶ ἐν οἷς ἐνήργησεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν εἴτε πρὸ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου παρουσίας͵ εἴτε μετὰ τὴν ἔνσαρκον αὐτοῦ οἰκονομίαν͵ ὡς τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος καὶ τὴν Ναζαρέτ͵ τὴν φάτνην τὴν ἐν Βηθλεὲμ καὶ τὸ σπήλαιον͵ τὸν Γολγοθὰ τὸν ἅγιον͵ τοῦ σταυροῦ τὸ ξύλον͵ τοὺς ἥλους͵ τὸν σπόγγον͵ τὸν κάλαμον͵ τὴν λόγχην τὴν ἱερὰν καὶ σωτήριον͵ τὴν ἐσθῆτα͵ τὸν χιτῶνα͵ τὰς σινδόνας͵ τὰ σπάργανα͵ τὸν τάφον τὸν ἅγιον͵ τὴν πηγὴν τῆς ἡμῶν ἀναστά σεως͵ τὸν λίθον τοῦ μνήματος͵ τὴν Σιὼν τὸ ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον͵ τὸ τῶν ἐλαιῶν αὖθις ὄρος͵ τὴν προβατικὴν καὶ Γεθσημανῆς τὸ ὄλβιον τέμενος. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα σέβω καὶ προσκυνῶ καὶ πάντα ναὸν θεοῦ ἅγιον καὶ πᾶν͵ ἐφ΄ ᾧ θεὸς ὀνομάζεται͵ οὐ διὰ τὴν αὐτῶν φύσιν͵ ἀλλὰ ὅτι θείας ἐνεργείας εἰσὶ δοχεῖα καὶ δι΄ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ηὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν κατεργάσασθαι. Καὶ ἀγγέλους γὰρ καὶ ἀνθρώπους καὶ πᾶσαν ὕλην τῆς θείας ἐνεργείας μέτοχον καὶ διακονησαμένην τὴν σωτηρίαν μου σέβω καὶ προσκυνῶ διὰ τὴν θείαν ἐνέργειαν. Οὐ προσκυνῶ Ἰουδαίοις· οὐ γὰρ θείας εἰσὶν ἐνεργείας μέτοχοι οὐδὲ σκοπῷ τῆς ἐμῆς σωτηρίας τὸν κύριον τῆς δόξης͵ τὸν θεόν μου͵ ἐσταύρωσαν͵ φθόνῳ δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ μίσει πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ εὐεργέτην βαλλόμενοι. Κύριε͵ ἠγάπησα εὐπρέπειαν οἴκου σου͵ φησὶν ὁ Δαυίδ͵ καὶ τόπον σκηνώματος δόξης σου͵ καὶ προσκυνήσατε εἰς τὸν τόπον͵ οὗ ἔστησαν οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ προσκυνεῖτε εἰς ὄρος ἅγιον αὐτοῦ. Ὄρος ἅγιον ἔμψυχον θεοῦ ἡ ἁγία θεοτόκος͵ ὄρη θεοῦ λογικὰ οἱ ἀπόστολοι· τὰ ὄρη ἐσκίρτησαν ὡσεὶ κριοί͵ καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ ὡς ἀρνία προβάτων.

The third kind of worship is directed to objects dedicated to God, as, for instance, the holy Gospels and other sacred books. They were written for our instruction who live in these latter days. Sacred vessels, again, chalices, thuribles, candelabra, and altars (trapezai) belong to this category. It is evident that respect is due to them all. Consider how Baltassar made the people use the sacred vessels, and how God took away his kingdom from him. (Dan. 5.2 ff)

3,35 Τρίτος τρόπος͵ καθ΄ ὃν προσκυνοῦμεν τὰ τῷ θεῷ ἀνακείμενα͵ τὰ ἱερά φημι εὐαγγέλια καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς βίβλους· ἐγράφησαν γὰρ πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν͵ εἰς οὓς τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων κατήντησαν. Δίσκοι τε καὶ ποτήρια͵ θυμιατοί͵ λυχνίαι καὶ τρά πεζαι͵ δῆλον γάρ͵ ὡς πάντα ταῦτα σεβάσμια· ὅρα γάρ͵ ὅτε Βαλτάσαρ ἐποίησεν ὑπηρετηθῆναι τὸν λαὸν τοῖς σκεύεσιν τοῖς ἱερατικοῖς͵ πῶς καθεῖλεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ.

The fourth kind of worship is that of images seen by the prophets. They saw God in sensible vision, and images of future things, as Aaron’s rod, the figure of Our Lady’s virginity, the urn, and the table. And Jacob worshipped on the point (epi to akron) of his rod. (Gen. 47.31) He was a type of our Lord. Images of past events recall their remembrance. The tabernacle was an image of the whole world. “See,” God said to Moses, “the type which was shown to thee on the mountain, and the golden cherubim, the work of sculpturers, and the cherubim within the veil of woven work.” (Ex. 25.40) Thus we adore the sacred figure of the Cross, the likeness of our God’s bodily features, the likeness of her who bore Him, and all belonging to Him.

3,36 Τέταρτος τρόπος͵ καθ΄ ὃν προσκυνοῦν ται αἱ εἰκόνες αἱ ὀφθεῖσαι τοῖς προφήταις (ἐν εἰ κονικῇ γὰρ ὁράσει εἶδον θεόν) καὶ αἱ τῶν ἐσομένων εἰκόνες͵ ὡς ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν εἰκονίζουσα τὸ τῆς παρθένου μυστήριον καὶ ἡ στάμνος καὶ ἡ τράπεζα· καὶ Ἰακὼβ δὲ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου͵ τύπος δὲ ἦν τοῦ σωτῆρος. Ἔτι δὲ τῶν γεγονότων εἰκόνες εἰς μνημόσυνον· αὐτὴ γὰρ ἡ σκηνὴ εἰκὼν ἦν παγκόσμιος (ὅρα γάρ͵ φησὶ τῷ Μωσῇ͵ τὸν τύπον τὸν δειχθέντα σοι ἐν τῷ ὄρει) καὶ τὰ χερουβὶμ τὰ χρυσᾶ͵ ἔργον χωνευτόν͵ καὶ τὰ χερουβὶμ ἐν τῷ καταπετάσματι ἔργον ὑφαντόν. Οὕτω προσκυνοῦμεν τὸν τύπον τοῦ σταυροῦ τὸν τίμιον͵ τοῦ τε σωματικοῦ χαρακτῆρος τοῦ θεοῦ μου τὸ ὁμοίωμα καὶ τῆς αὐτὸν κατὰ σάρκα τεκούσης καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ θεραπόντων.

The fifth manner is in the worship of each other as having upon us the mark of God and being made after His image, humbling ourselves mutually, (Eph. 5.21) and so fulfilling the law of charity.

3,37 Πέμπτος τρόπος͵ καθ΄ ὃν προσκυνοῦμεν ἀλλήλοις ὡς μοῖραν θεοῦ ἔχουσι καὶ κατ΄ εἰκόνα θεοῦ γεγενημένοις ἀλλήλοις τε ταπεινούμενοι καὶ νόμον πληροῦντες ἀγάπης.

The sixth manner is the worship of those in power who have authority. “Give to all men their dues,” the apostle says; “give honour where it is due.” (Rom. 13.7) This Jacob did in worshipping Esau as his elder brother, and Pharao the ruler established by God.

3,38 Ἕκτος τρόπος τῶν ἐν ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσί αις ὄντων (ἀπόδοτε γάρ͵ φησί͵ πᾶσι τὰς ὀφειλάς͵ τῷ τὴν τιμὴν τὴν τιμήν)͵ ὡς Ἰακὼβ τῷ τε Ἠσαῦ ὡς προγενεστέρῳ ἀδελφῷ καὶ Φαραὼ ὑπὸ θεοῦ χειροτονηθέντι ἄρχοντι προσεκύνησεν.

In the seventh place, the worship of servants towards their masters and benefactors, and of petitioners towards those who grant their favours, as in the case of Abraham when he bought the double cave from the sons of Emmor. (Gen. 23.7, 12)

3,39 Ἕβδομος τρόπος͵ καθ΄ ὃν τοῖς δεσπόταις οἱ δοῦλοι καὶ τοῖς εὐεργέταις καί͵ ὧν ἂν δέοιντο͵ οἱ δεόμενοι ὡς Ἀβραὰμ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἑμμώρ͵ ὅτε τὸ δι πλοῦν ὠνήσατο σπήλαιον.

It is needless to say that fear, desire, and honour are tokens of worship, as also submission and humiliation. No one should be worshipped as God except the one true God. Whatever is due to all the rest is for God’s sake.

3,40 Καὶ ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν͵ φόβου καὶ πόθου καὶ τιμῆς ἐστιν ἡ προσκύνησις σύμβολον ὑποπτώσεώς τε καὶ ταπεινώσεως͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐδενὶ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν ὡς θεῷ εἰ μὴ μόνῳ τῷ φύσει θεῷ͵ πᾶσι δὲ ὀφειλὴν ἀπονέμειν διὰ τὸν κύριον.

You see what great strength and divine zeal are given to those who venerate the images of the saints with faith and a pure conscience. Therefore, brethren, let us take our stand on the rock of the faith, and on the tradition of the Church, neither removing the boundaries laid down by our holy fathers of old, (Prov. 22.28) nor listening to those who would introduce innovation and destroy the economy of the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of God. If any man is to have his foolish way, in a short time the whole Organisation of the Church will be reduced to nothing. Brethren and beloved children of the Church do not put your mother to shame, do not rend her to pieces. Receive her teaching through me. Listen to what God says of her: “Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee.” (Cant. 4.7) Let us worship and adore our God and Creator as alone worthy of worship by nature, and let us worship the holy Mother of God, not as God, but as God’s Mother according to the flesh. Let us worship the saints also, as the chosen friends of God, and as possessing access to Him. If men worship kings subject to corruption, who are often bad and impious, and those ruling or deputed in their name, as the holy apostle says, “Be subject to princes and powers,” (Tit. 3.1) and again, “Give to all their due, to one honour, to another fear,” (Rom. 13.7) and our Lord, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s,” (Mt. 22.21) how much more should we worship the King of Kings? He alone is God by nature; and we should worship His servants and friends who reign over their passions and are constituted rulers of the whole earth. “Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth,” (Ps. 45.16) says David. They receive power against demons and against disease, (Lk. 9.1) and with Christ they reign over an incorruptible and unchangeable kingdom. Their shadow alone has put forth disease and demons. (Acts 5.16) Should we not deem a shadow a slighter and weaker thing than an image? Yet it is a true outline of the original.

3,41 Ὁρᾶτε͵ πόση ἰσχὺς καὶ ποία θεία ἐνέρ γεια τοῖς πίστει καὶ καθαρῷ συνειδότι προσιοῦσι ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων εἰκόσι δίδοται. Διό͵ ἀδελφοί͵ στῶμεν ἐν τῇ πέτρᾳ τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῇ παραδόσει τῆς ἐκκλησίας μὴ μεταίροντες ὅρια͵ ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ ἅγιοι πατέρες ἡμῶν͵ μὴ διδόντες τόπον τοῖς βουλομένοις καινοτομεῖν καὶ καταλύειν τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τῆς ἁγίας τοῦ θεοῦ καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας· εἰ γὰρ δοθῇ ἄδεια παντὶ βουλομένῳ͵ κατὰ μικρὸν ὅλον τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας καταλυθήσεται. Μή͵ ἀδελφοί͵ μή͵ τέκνα φιλόχριστα τῆς ἐκκλησίας͵ μὴ καταισχύνητε τὴν μητέρα ὑμῶν͵ μὴ καθέλητε τὸν κόσμον αὐτῆς. Δέξασθε αὐτὴν δι΄ ἐμοῦ πρεσβεύου σαν. Μάθετε͵ τί φησι περὶ αὐτῆς ὁ θεός· Ὅλη εἶ καλή͵ ἡ πλησίον μου͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν σοὶ μῶμος. Προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ λατρεύσωμεν μόνῳ τῷ κτίστῃ καὶ δημιουργῷ ὡς φύσει προσκυνητῷ θεῷ. Προσ κυνήσωμεν καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ θεοτόκῳ οὐχ ὡς θεῷ͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς μητρὶ θεοῦ κατὰ σάρκα. Ἔτι προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις ὡς ἐκλεκτοῖς φίλοις θεοῦ καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν κεκτημένοις παρρησίαν. Εἰ γὰρ βασιλεῦσι φθαρτοῖς πολλάκις καὶ ἀσεβέσι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν χειροτονουμένοις ἄρχουσι καὶ τοῖς τούτων λαβράτοις προσκυνοῦσιν ἄνθρωποι κατὰ τὸ θεῖον τοῦ ἀποστόλου λόγιον· Ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξου σίαις ὑποτάσσεσθε͵ καὶ ἀπόδοτε πᾶσι τὰς ὀφειλάς͵ τῷ τὴν τιμὴν τὴν τιμήν͵ τῷ τὸν φόβον τὸν φόβον͵ καὶ ἀπόδοτε τὰ καίσαρος καίσαρι͵ ὥς φησιν ὁ κύριος͵ καὶ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ θεῷ͵ πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν προσκυνεῖν τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν βασιλευόντων ὡς μόνῳ φύσει δεσπόζοντι καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ δούλοις καὶ φίλοις τοῖς βασιλεύσασι τῶν παθῶν καὶ κατα σταθεῖσιν ἄρχουσι πάσης τῆς γῆς (καταστήσεις γὰρ αὐτούς͵ φησὶν ὁ Δαυίδ͵ ἄρχοντας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν)͵ κατὰ δαιμόνων καὶ νόσων ἐξουσίαν λα βοῦσι καὶ συμβασιλεύσουσι Χριστῷ βασιλείαν ἄφθαρ τον καὶ ἀκατάλυτον͵ ὧν ἡ σκιὰ μόνη ἀπήλαυνε νόσους καὶ δαίμονας; Μὴ οὖν σκιᾶς ἀσθενεστέραν καὶ ἀτιμωτέραν λογισώμεθα τὴν εἰκόνα· σκιογραφεῖ γὰρ ἀληθῶς τὸ πρωτότυπον.

Brethren, the Christian is faith.  He who walks by faith gains many things. The doubter, on the contrary, is as a wave of the sea torn and tossed; he profits nothing. (Jam. 1.6) All the saints pleased God by faith. Let us then receive the teaching of the Church in simplicity of heart without questioning. God made man sane and sound. It was man who was over curious. (Eccl. 7.30) Let us not seek to learn a new faith, destructive of ancient tradition, St Paul says, “If a man teach any other Gospel than what he has been taught, let him be anathema.” (Gal. 1.9) Thus, we worship images, and it is not a worship of matter, but of those whom matter represents. The honour given to the image is referred to the original, as holy Basil rightly says

Ἀδελφοί͵ ὁ χριστια νὸς πίστις ἐστίν· ὁ οὖν πίστει προσερχόμενος κερ δανεῖ πολλά͵ ὁ δὲ διακρινόμενος ἔοικε κλύδωνι θαλάσσης ἀνεμιζομένῳ καὶ ῥιπιζομένῳ͵ ὃς οὐ μὴ λήψεται οὐδέν· πάντες γὰρ οἱ ἅγιοι διὰ πίστεως εὐηρέστησαν τῷ θεῷ. Δεξώμεθα οὖν τὴν παράδοσιν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας καὶ μὴ ἐν πολλοῖς λογισμοῖς· ὁ θεὸς γὰρ ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον εὐθῆ͵ αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐζήτησαν λογισμοὺς πολλούς. Μὴ κατα δεξώμεθα νέαν πίστιν μαθεῖν ὡς κατεγνωσμένης τῆς τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων παραδόσεως· φησὶ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος· Εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται͵ παρ΄ ὃ παρελάβετε͵ ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Προσκυνοῦμεν οὖν ταῖς εἰκόσιν οὐ τῇ ὕλῃ προσφέροντες τὴν προσκύνησιν͵ ἀλλὰ δι΄ αὐτῶν τοῖς ἐν αὐταῖς εἰκονιζομένοις. Ἡ γὰρ τῆς εἰκόνος τιμὴ ἐπὶ τὸ πρωτότυπον ἀναβαί νει͵ καθώς φησιν ὁ θεῖος Βασίλειος.

And may Christ fill you with the joy of His resurrection, most holy flock of Christ, Christian people, chosen race, body of the Church, and make you worthy to walk in the footsteps of the saints, of the shepherds and teachers of the Church, leading you to enjoy His glory in the brightness of the saints. May you gain His glory for eternity, with the Uncreated Father, to whom be praise for ever. Amen.

3,42 Ὑμᾶς δέ͵ ὦ ἱερώτατον τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποί μνιον͵ ὁ χριστώνυμος λαός͵ τὸ ἔθνος τὸ ἅγιον͵ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας͵ ἐμπλήσαι Χριστὸς τῆς χαρᾶς τῆς αὐτοῦ ἀναστάσεως καὶ καταξιώσαι ἑπομένους τοῖς ἴχνεσι τῶν ἁγίων τῶν ποιμένων τε καὶ διδασκά λων τῆς ἐκκλησίας͵ προαγομένους τυχεῖν τῆς δό ξης αὐτοῦ ἐν ταῖς λαμπρότησι τῶν ἁγίων͵ ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι αἰωνίως αὐτὸν δοξάζοντας σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ πατρί͵ ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Speaking on the distinction between images and idols, and defining what images are, it is time to give proofs in question, according to our promise.

Εἰπόντες περὶ τῆς διαφορᾶς τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῶν εἰκόνων καὶ διδάξαντες τὸν ὅρον τῶν εἰκόνων ὥρα δὴ ἐπενεγκεῖν καὶ τὰς χρήσεις͵ καθάπερ ὑπεσχόμεθα.