The Straightness of Character and the Deviation of Judas

Having turned away. For he says it is fitting to call such people as being outside of themselves and having strayed. But he who is moved with innocence—that is, with virtue—concerning things to be done and things to be thought about, turns toward himself, having gathered his mind and his inner care, becoming a guide, better through wisdom, in the midst of his own household. And the houses of each of the diligent ones accomplish virtue.

In this way also James is remembered dwelling in a house, and the souls seeking the contemplations of the unseen and the hidden—which the word calls the wise women of the Hebrews—build houses inherited from virtues; after another word calling them wise women, women built the houses. 'I did not set before my eyes an unlawful thing' (Proverbs 6:26), nor did I aim or have a goal to act unlawfully.

And regarding what is written, Susanna, the three youths in the furnace, and the others are gathered into the rank of these; for they say to those fighting and persecuting them: 'Do not turn me away from my intention, while you sophistize ten thousand times ten thousand, you hang down punishments and threaten death itself.' 'I hated those committing transgressions.' 'Committing transgressions,' says those sinning; for every sin becomes an offense and a transgression of the divine law.

And the habit of the brothers calls those who have denied Christ 'transgressors'; it is fitting to hate enemies of the Savior with intensity. Therefore, the word says, regarding one wishing to be without fellowship with them: 'If any man named a brother sins with other sins and is an idolater, let him not eat with such a one' (1 Corinthians 5:11). For the apostle does not write this concerning the completely Gentile ones, for he marks in his own epistle: 'If any one calls you of the unbelievers and you wish to go, eat everything set before you without examining' (1 Corinthians 10:27). If not, he does not prevent fellowship...

To be unfaithful, and he forbids eating with a so-called brother who is an idolater, which clearly signifies that one has stepped away from Christianity in order to worship idols. And these, those committing transgressions, must be especially hated, not because they happen to be humans, but because they are such things.

A crooked heart did not cling to me. It is written in Ecclesiastes: God made man straight (Eccl 7:29). If he has not become straight by being shaped according to virtue from the beginning, all wickedness and crookedness of morals is far from him. He who has not remained abiding, guarding the straightness and the likeness to God, speaks this voice, showing that the thought having destroyed the crookedness and the straightness is not something appropriate for us coming from within, but coming from without, which we ourselves should grasp, casting away the straight.

When the evil one turned away from me, I did not know it. The evil devil turns away from everyone guarding the command: 'Do not give place to the devil' (Eph 4:27). Judas, therefore, since he did not guard himself to provide a place for him, did not turn away from him, but rather, having first cast into his heart impious thoughts, Satan entered into him the whole of Judas and worked his evils, so that Judas would feel and know that the evil one was acting in concert with him.

For according to wickedness, he himself who received the evil one has been shaped, but he who now sings, not having a crooked heart in him, the evil one is able to work; he is filled with God and those of God, as one not having the evil one having a place with him turns away from him. He sings, therefore, saying, 'When the evil one turned away from me, I did not know it,' because he did not perceive his presence; for it was not a thought, but a work of his that he had with me. And perhaps, desiring also to present his excellence, he led forward such a voice, as is the custom of the magnanimous who despise the weak and say nothing about them.