15.
If we hear what prayer is, perhaps no generated being at all is to be prayed to — not even Christ himself — but only the God of all and Father, to whom our Savior himself prayed, as we set out above, and teaches us to pray. For when he heard 'Teach us to pray,' he does not teach to pray to himself, but to the Father, saying 'Our Father who art in the heavens,' and what follows. For if the Son is other than the Father, as is shown elsewhere, in essence and in substrate — then either the Son is to be prayed to and not the Father, or both, or the Father alone. That the Son be prayed to and not the Father, anyone at all will agree is most absurd, said in the face of the plain evidence. But if both, then clearly we would address plural demands through our prayers, saying 'Grant, and do good, and supply, and save,' and anything like these — which is self-evidently unseemly, and no one can show it lying anywhere in the Scriptures, said by anyone. It remains, then, to pray to the God and Father of all alone — but not apart from the High Priest, who was established by the Father with an oath, according to 'He swore, and will not repent: thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.'
So when the saints give thanks in their prayers, they confess their thanks to God through Christ Jesus. And as the one who is exact about praying must not pray to the one who prays, but to him whom our Lord Jesus taught us to call Father over our prayers — so no prayer at all is to be offered to the Father apart from him, as he himself shows this plainly, saying: 'Amen, amen, I say to you: whatever you ask my Father, he will give you in my name. Until now you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.' For he did not say 'Ask me,' nor simply 'Ask the Father,' but: 'If you ask the Father, he will give you in my name.' For until Jesus taught these things, no one had asked the Father in the name of the Son — and true was the saying, spoken by Jesus, 'Until now you have asked nothing in my name,' and true also is 'Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.'
But if someone, supposing that Christ himself must be prayed to, confuses the issue and brings against us, from what worship signifies, the 'Let all the angels of God worship him' — spoken of Christ, as all agree, in Deuteronomy — we must say to him that Jerusalem too, the church, named by the prophet, is said to be worshiped by kings and rulers, who become her nurses and nourishers, in these words: 'Behold, I lift my hand to the nations, and to the islands I will raise my signal, and they shall bring thy sons in the bosom, and carry thy daughters on shoulders; and kings shall be thy nurses, and their princesses thy nourishers; they shall worship thee on the face of the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord, and shalt not be ashamed.'
And how is it not in keeping with the one who said, 'Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, God, the Father,' to say: 'Why pray to me? To the Father alone must you pray — to whom I too pray'? Which you learn through the holy Scriptures. For you must not pray to the High Priest established for you by the Father, who has received from the Father to be a Paraclete — but through the High Priest and Paraclete, who can sympathize with your weaknesses, having been tempted in all things as you are, yet, by the gift of the Father to me, tempted apart from sin. Learn, then, what a gift you have received from my Father, having received by the new birth in me the spirit of adoption, that you may be called sons of God, and my brothers. For you have read the voice spoken through David by me concerning you to the Father: 'I will declare thy name to my brothers; in the midst of the church I will sing to thee.' But for those counted worthy of one Father with them to pray to a brother is not reasonable; to the Father alone, with me and through me, must prayer be sent up by you.
Greek (GCS)
XV 1. Ἐὰν δὲ ἀκούωμεν ὃ τι ποτέ ἔστι προσευχὴ, μή ποτε οὐ- devi τῶν γεννητῶν προσευχτέον ἐστὶν οὐδὲ αὐτῷ τῷ Χριστῷ ἀλλὰ μόνῳ τῷ ϑεῷ τῶν ὅλων καὶ πατρὶ, ᾧ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν σῆ von 1. Η. ΤΊ 12 ἀνθρώποις (&yloıs) schreibe ich mit Angl. (bei Del. I 917), vgl. unten Z. 19; ἁγίοις Bent. u. Del. (I 221 Anm. e) | 13 δὴ (1)] δὲ Del. | 14 (ἄλλοις) ἀνθρώποις schreibe ich nach Εἰ. Klostermann, der ANOIZ als Schreib- fehler für AAAOIZ ansieht; (πᾶσιν) ἀνθρώποις Angl. (a.a. 0.) | 27 τῶν γεννη- τῶν von 1. [ἢ] H. übergeschr., am Rand etwas ausradiert T. προσηύχετο, ὡς προπαρεϑέμεϑα, καὶ διδάσχει ἡμᾶς προσεύχεσϑαι. ἀχούσας yap' ,Θδίδαξον ἡμᾶς προσεύχεσϑαι“ οὐ διδάσκει αὐτῷ ,,.προο- εὐχεσϑαι΄ ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρὶ, λέγοντας" «πάτερ ἡμῶν ὃ ἐν τοῖς οὐ- pavols“ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. εἰ γὰρ ἕτερος, ος ἐν ἄλλοις δείκνυται, κατ᾽ οὐσίαν καὶ ὑποκείμενόν ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ “πατρὸς, ἤτοι προσευχτέον τῷ υἱῷ καὶ οὐ τῷ πατρὶ ἢ ἀμφοτέροις n τῷ πατρὶ μόνφ. τὸ μὲν οὖν τῷ υἱῷ καὶ οὐ τῷ πατρὶ πᾶς ὁστισοῦν ὁμολογήσει εἶναι ἀτο- πώτατον καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἐνάργειαν λεχϑησόμενον av' εἰ δὲ ἀμφο- τέροις, δῆλον ὅτι xav ἀξιώσεις προσενέγκοιμεν πληϑυντικῶς, πα- ράσχεσϑε καὶ εὐεργετήσατε καὶ ἐπιχορηγήσατε καὶ σώσατε, καὶ εἴ τι τούτων ὕμοιον, διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν λέγοντες" ὅπερ καὶ αὐτόϑεν ἀπεμφαῖνον, οὐδὲ ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς ἔχει τις δεῖξαι κείμενον ὑπό τινῶν λεγόμενον. λείπεται τοίνυν προσεύχεσϑαι μόνῳ τῷ ϑεῷ τῷ τῶν ὅλων πατρὶ, ἀλλὰ μὴ χωρὶς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, ὅστις »μεϑ᾽ ὁρχωμοσίας" κατεστάϑη ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς χατὰ τὸ „&uooe, καὶ οὐ μεταμεληϑήσε- ται σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέχ."΄ 2. εὐχαριστοῦντες οὖν οἱ ἅγιοι ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς ἑαυτῶν τῷ ϑεῷ διὰ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ χάριτας ὁμολογοῦσιν αὐτῷ. ὥσπερ δὲ τὸν ἀχριβοῦντα τὸ προσεύχεσϑαι οὐ χρὴ τῷ εὐχομένῳ προσεύχεσϑαι ἀλλὰ τῷ ὃν ἐδίδαξεν ἐπὶ τῶν εὐχῶν καλεῖν πατρὶ ὁ χύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς, οὕτως οὐ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ προσευχήν τινα προσενεχτέον τῷ πατρὶ, ὡς αὐτὸς τοῦτο παραδείϊκνυσι σαφῶς οἵτω λέγων" ,ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἂν τι αἰτήσητε τὸν πατέρα μου, δώσει ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μοῦ. ἕως ἄρτι οὐχ ἠτήσατε οὐδὲν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί uov' αἰτεῖτε, καὶ λήψεσϑε, ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν ῇ πεσληθαμενῆς. οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν" „al- teite‘ μὲ οὐδὲ ,αἰτεῖτε «τὸν πατέρα“ ἁπλῶς ἀλλά: ἐάν τε al- τήσητε τὸν πατέρα, | δώσει ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου." ἕως γὰρ ἐσὶ- δαξε ταῦτα ὃ Ἰησοῦς, οὐδεὶς ἡτήχει ,τὸν πατέρα“ „ev τῷ ὀνόματι“ ἂν εν = ᾿ > ᾿ 3 (Se } “- ’ "τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ ἀληϑὲς ἦν ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ λεγόμενον τὸ „Eos ἄρτι οὐχ 5. 12 2. 13. — 22 Joh. 16, 23. 24. — 26 Joh. 16, 23. — 29 Joh. 16, 24. 5 ὑποκείμενόν schreibe ich mit Angl. (bei Del. 1 9188) u. Del. (1 222 Anm. b), ὑποκείμενός TAusgg. | 9 χὰν ἀξ. προσενέγχοιμεν schreibe ich, χαὶ ἀξ. προσ- ἐνεγχοῦμεν TAusgg. | 18 λείπεται schreibe ich mit Bent.Del. (I 222 Anm. d)u Ang]. (a. a. O.), λέγεται TAusgg. | 15 hinter ὥμοσε + χύριος Angl. (bei Del. I 9180) nach ἃ. LXX u. d.N.T., vielleicht richtig | 20 πατρὶ] πατέρα liest Angl. (a. a. Ὁ.) ohne Grund | 28 αἰτήσητε] αἰτησήται ΤΊ 24-25 am Rand σῇ von 1. Η. T | 26 ἀλλὰ T ἀλλ᾽ Ausge. | 27 ἐδίδαξε schreibe ich mit Angl. (a. a. O.), διδάξῃ Bent. u. Del. (I 223 Anm. a) unrichtig; διδάξει T Ausgg. ἠἡτήσατε οὐδὲν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου,“ ἀληϑὲς δὲ καὶ τὸ „alrelte, καὶ λήψεσϑε. ἕνα ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν 7 πεπληρωμένη." 3. ἐὰν δέ τις, οἰόμενος δεῖν αὐτῷ τῷ Χριστῷ προσεύχεσϑαι, συγχεόμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐχ τοῦ προσχυνεῖν σημαιγνομένου προσάγῃ ἡμῖν τὸ, “προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι ϑεοῦ," ὁμολογου- μένως ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίφ περὶ Χριστοῦ εἰρημένον, λεχτέον πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησία Ἱερουσαλὴμ παρὰ τοῦ “προφήτου ὀνομαζο- μένη προσχυνεῖσϑαι ὑπὸ βασιλέων καὶ ἀρχουσῶν, γινομένων τιϑη- νῶν αὐτῆς καὶ τροφῶν, λέγεται διὰ τούτων" ιἰδοὺ αἴρω εἰς τὰ ἔϑνη τὴν χεῖρά μου, καὶ εἰς τὰς νήσους ἀρῶ σύσσημόν μου καὶ ἄξουσι τοὺς υἱούς σου ἐν κόλπῳ, τὰς δὲ ϑυγατέρας σου ἐπὶ τῶν ὥμων ἀροῦσι᾽ καὶ ἔσονται βασιλεῖς τιϑηνοί σου, αἱ δὲ ἄρχουσαι αὖὐ- τῶν τροφοί σου" ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς προσχυνήσουσί (σοὼ,, καὶ τὸν χοῦν τῶν ποδῶν σου λείξουσι. καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος καὶ οὐχ αἰσχυνϑήσῃ." 4. πῶς δὲ οὐχ ἔστε κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα. „te μὲ λέγεις ἀγαϑόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαϑὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ ϑεὸς, ὁ πατὴρ“ εἰπεῖν ἄν" τί ἐμοὶ προσ- εὔχῃ; μόνῳ τῷ πατρὶ προσεύχεσϑαι χρὴ, ᾧ ᾧ κἀγὼ προσεύχομαι" ὅπερ διὰ τῶν ἁγίων γραφῶν μανϑάνετε. ἀρχιερεῖ γὰρ τῷ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν χατασταϑέντει ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ παραχλήτῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι λαβόντι εὔχεσϑαι ὑμᾶς οὐ δεῖ ἀλλὰ δι’ ἀρχιερέως καὶ παρα- κλήτου, δυναμένου ,δυμπαϑεῖν „Talg ἀσϑενείαις ὑμῶν,“ πεπειρασ- μένου υχατὰ πάντα“ ὁμοίως ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν δωρησάμενόν μοι πατέρα πεπειρασμένου »χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας.“ μάϑετε οὖν, ὅσην δωρεὰν ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου εἰλήφατε, διὰ τῆς ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀναγεννήσεως τὸ τῆς „viodeolag πνεῦμα“ ἀπειληφότες, ἵνα χρημαϊτίσητε „viol ϑεοῦ“ ἀδελφοὶ δὲ ἐμοῦ. ἀνέγνωτε γὰρ τὴν διὰ τοῦ Aavid ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἰρη- μένην περὶ ὑμῶν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα φωνήν ,ἀπαγγελῶ τὸ ὄνομά 5 Deut. 32, 43 (Hebr. 1, 6). — 9 Jes. 49, 22. 23. — 16 Mark. 10, 18. Luk. 15. 19. 23. Gal. 4, 5. 6. — 28 Peal. 21, 23 (Hebr. 2, 12). 7 παρὰ τοῦ προφήτου] παρὰ τῷ προφήτῳ Angl. (bei Del. I 918b), vgl. oben füge ich mit Lond. ein, während Del. (oe) einschaltet | 16 χατὰ] xal Ang]. (a.a.0.) | 17 εἰπεῖν ἄν" τί ἐμοὶ Del. εἰπεῖν, ἄν τε ἐμοὶ Ox. Lond. εἰπεῖν αὐτῷ, τί ἐμοὶ ver- ınutet Angl. (a. ἃ. O.); εὐτεῖν" ἂν τί ἐμοι T | 19 ὑμῶν Bent. Del. (I 223 Anm. 6) Angl. (a. a. O.), diese und die folgenden ähnlichen Correcturen sind wegen δωρησᾶ- μενόν μοι (unten Z. 23) notwendig; ἡμῶν T Ausgg. | 20 ἀπὸ Angl. (a. a. O.), vgl. unten 2.25; ὑπὸ TAusgg. | 21 ὑμᾶς Bent. Del. (IT 223 Anm. f) Angl. (a. a. O.) ἡμᾶς T Ausgg. | 22 ὑμῶν Bent. Del. (1 223 Anm. g) Angl. (a. a. Ο) ἡμῶν T Ausgg. | 28 ὑμῖν Bent. Del. (I 223 Anm. h) Angl. (a. a. O.) ἡμῖν TAusgg. ὅου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐχκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε. ἀδελφῷ δὲ προσεύχεσϑαι τοὺς κατηξιωμένους ἑνὸς αὐτῶν πατρὸς 00x ἔστιν εὔλογον' μόνῳ γὰρ τῷ πατρὶ μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ δ ἐμοῦ ἀναπεμπτέον ἐστὶν ὑμῖν προσευχήν.