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Excerpts of Theodotus

Theodotus

Section 14

About this work

Author: Theodotus

XIV. Fasting, according to the signification of the word,

‹ Section 13 Section 15 ›

is

abstinence

from

food

.

Now

food

makes

us

neither

more

righteous

nor

less

.

But

mystically

it

shows

that

,

as

life

is

maintained

in

individuals

by

sustenance

,

and

want

of

sustenance

is

the

token

of

death

;

so

also

ought

we

to

fast

from

worldly

things

,

that

we

may

die

to

the

world

,

and

after

that

,

by

partaking

of

divine

sustenance

,

live

to

God

.

Especially

does

fasting

empty

the

soul

of

matter

,

and

make

it

,

along

with

the

body

,

pure

and

light

for

the

divine

words

.

Worldly

food

is

,

then

,

the

former

life

and

sins

;

but

the

divine

food

is

faith

,

hope

,

love

,

patience

,

knowledge

,

peace

,

temperance

.

For

“

blessed

are

they

that

hunger

and

thirst

after

”

God’s

“

righteousness

;

for

they

shall

be

filled

.

”

The

soul

,

but

not

the

body

,

it

is

which

is

susceptible

of

this

craving

.

Notes

30
Matt. v. 6.