Letter 218

To Theophilus the Cancellarius [a court secretary or chancery official]. Just as the Lord Jesus did not do all that he was able to do, but worked miracles only so far as he willed, so too he did not teach all that he knew, but dictated only so much as we were able to learn, measuring the word of his teaching to the weakness of our nature. For this reason he says to the disciples, who are as yet imperfect, that he does not know the day.

Ὥσπερ οὐχ ὅσα ἠδύνατο ἐποίει ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς, ἀλλ’ ὅσα ἠβούλετο ἐθαυματούργει, οὕτως οὐχ ὅσα ᾔδει ἐδίδασκεν, ἀλλ’ ὅσα μαθεῖν ἠδυνάμεθα ὑπηγό- ρευσεν, τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ τῆς φύσεως συμμετρῶν τὸν λό- γον τῆς διδασκαλίας. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀγνοεῖν τὴν ἡμέραν λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἀτελέσιν ἔτι ὑπάρ- χουσιν.