3. But even
although
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we should be
under the necessity of accepting the exegesis advocated by
some,—for the subject is not altogether unworthy of
notice,—and of saying thus, that He hath actually blinded the
minds
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of them that
believe not, we should still have to affirm that He hath blinded them
for good, in order that they may recover their sight to behold things
that are holy. For it is not said that He hath blinded their
soul,
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but only that
He hath blinded the minds of them that believe not. And that mode
of expression means something like this: Blind the whorish mind
of the whore-monger, and the man is saved; blind the rapacious and
thievish mind of the thief and the man is saved. But do you
decline to understand the sentence thus? Well, there is still
another interpretation. For the sun blinds those who have bad
sight; and those who have watery eyes are also blinded when they are
smitten by the light: not, however, because it is of the nature
of the sun to blind, but because the eye’s own
constitution
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is not one of
correct vision. And in like manner, those whose hearts are
afflicted with the ailment of unbelief are not capable of looking upon
the rays
of the glory
of the Godhead. And again, it is
not said, “He hath blinded their minds lest they should hear the
Gospel,” but rather “lest the light of the glory of the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ should shine unto them.”
For to hear the Gospel is a thing committed
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to all; but the glory of the Gospel of
Christ is imparted only to the sincere and genuine. For this
reason the Lord spake in parables to those who were incapable of
hearing, but to His disciples He explained these parables in
private. For the illumination of the glory is for those who have
been enlightened, while the blinding is for them who believe not.
These mysteries, which the Church now declares to you who are
transferred from the lists of the catechumens, it is not her custom to
declare to the Gentiles. For we do not declare the mysteries
touching the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit to a Gentile;
neither do we speak of the mysteries plainly in presence of the
catechumens; but many a time we express ourselves in an occult manner,
so that the faithful who have intelligence may apprehend the truths
referred to, while those who have not that intelligence may receive no
hurt.
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For
εἰ δὲ
δεῖ καὶ ὡς
, etc.,
various codices read
εἰ
δὲ δικαίως
,
etc.
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νοήματα
, thoughts.
2174
ψυχήν
.
2175
ὑπόστασις
.
2176
ἐφίεται
.