Undusted Texts

Encomium on the Holy Andrew

By Hesychios of Jerusalem (5th c.)

Introduction

Little is known of Hesychios of Jerusalem. Even the works attributed to him are debated: there are many writers with the name of Hesychios, and their works are often mixed. Hesychios, a priest of Jerusalem, is celebrated on March 28 in the East, and he is known for his allegorical and mystical interpretations of the Scriptures, written in very short glosses. There are also a number of homilies--often short, possibly fragmentary--transmitted under Hesychios' name. Below is one of those homilies, on the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, listed as Sermon 7 in Migne's edition.

Encomium on the Holy Andrew

The priestly trumpet called us to the solemnity of Andrew, the first-born of the chorus of the apostles, the first base of the Church’s pillar, Peter before Peter, the foundation before the foundation, the first-fruits of the beginning, the one calling before being called, the one bringing forth before being brought forth. He preaches a gospel which he has not yet believed; before learning, he reveals life to his brother; he bestows such wealth in the answer to Him, “Where are you staying?” For the answer has something great, which Andrew, plunging his mind, beheld. For, “Come,” He says, “and see.” For how are you become a prophet? Whence are you suddenly God-bearing? Why do you assault Peter’s hearing? Why do you hasten to speak, what you cannot speak? The One present everywhere, how can you say to have found Him? But Andrew knew what he said, “We have found what Adam lost, what Eve was fined, what the cloud if sin concealed from our eyes, what transgression separated from us, what David sought: In the day of my affliction I sought God (Ps 76:2). And, Seek the Lord, Zephaniah cries out, all the humble of the earth (Zeph 2:3).” God smote us, because He sentenced Adam to death and toilsome life; For He healed, and, striking, bandaged (Hos 6:1); when, being crucified for our race, by His stripe, according to Isaiah (cf. Is 53:5), and in the resurrection, He healed all. Naked Christ was led onto the Cross; for, not having sin, He did not need a garment. He was blameless and did not need to be hidden. There was nothing disfigured in Him; for He displayed our disfigurements as well-formed. The myrrh-bearers found Him, Whom they lost through Eve; she who furnished the reason for loss found the gain. He came to us, like an early and slow rain on the earth (Hos 6:5). Therefore, the Lord was, after the Resurrection, revealed early to the women, appearing later to the apostles. For early to the women He said, “Rejoice”; and later, in Zion, He proclaimed peace to the disciples; to these, so that He would loose the sentence of sorrow; and to those, so that He would destroy the enmity, which the dragon evilly caused. You will be called Kephas (Jn 1:42); before the confession, the reward; before you work the vineyard, you received the denarius; before you touch the altar, you offered the sacrifice; before you preach, you were crowned. Christ chose the poor and unlettered; for wisdom does not need lawyers, but officers; for no one supplies her with anything, but we all receive everything from her.

Source: Patrologiae Cursus Completus, Series Graeca, ed. J.-P. Migne, Tomus XCIII (Paris: J.-P. Migne, 1865), 1477A-1480A. [PG 93:1477A-1480A]


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