On the Passage: "Greet Prisca and Aquila" (Homilies 1–2)

NOTICE ON THE TWO HOMILIES ON THAT TEXT: GREET PRISCILLA AND AQUILA, AND WHAT FOLLOWS, SERMON I.

^A From these two homilies we can scarcely elicit anything from which we might fish out the time at which they were delivered; this one thing, however, we say, supported by a sufficiently probable conjecture, namely, that it is likely they were delivered at Antioch. For it seems to be argued that he was still in the priestly order from those things which he says in several places about the priests of that city in which he was living; most especially, however, in the second homily, no. 5, where, rebuking his hearers because some of them were casting insults and reproaches upon the priests, while others, hearing these things, did not restrain those slanderers, he speaks as follows: "What could be more blessed than them, but what more miserable than us? Since they were pouring out blood and soul for their teachers, we, however, do not dare to utter even a word for our common fathers, ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῶν πατέρων, but when we hear them slandered and dishonored with reproaches by both their own and by strangers, we neither restrain, nor rebuke, nor prohibit the slanderers." These things certainly do not seem to have been said by Chrysostom when he was already Bishop of Constantinople: for he would not have called those priests, who were being assailed with reproaches, common fathers when he was already bishop; but it is more likely that, when he saw the senior priests of the Antiochene Church burdened with reproaches, he held them in the place of fathers.

On the text,

^A

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila," and what follows, Sermon I.

1. I think many of you wonder at this passage of the apostolic reading, or rather, consider this part of the epistle to be incidental and superfluous, because it contains only continuous and successive greetings. For this reason, I myself, having been driven elsewhere today, having departed from that subject, prepare to sit down to this one, so that you may learn that nothing in the divine Scriptures is superfluous or incidental, even if it be one iota, or one tittle, but even a bare greeting opens to us a great sea of meanings. And why do I say a bare greeting? Often the addition of even one letter has introduced the power of whole meanings. ^B And this can be seen in the greeting of Abraham. For how is it not absurd, when receiving a letter from a friend, not only to read the body of the letter, but also the greeting lying at the bottom, and from there especially to conjecture the disposition of the writer, yet when Paul is writing—or rather, not Paul, but the grace of the Spirit dictating the epistle to a whole city and such a great people, and through them to the whole world—to think that any of the things contained therein is superfluous, and to pass over them simply, and not to understand that these things have turned everything upside down? For this is it, this is what has filled us with much sloth, not to go through all the Scriptures, but to think that those which we select are clearer, and to make no account of the others. This also introduced heresies, the not wishing to go through the whole body, the thinking that there is something superfluous and incidental. For this reason, all other things have been studied by us, not only the superfluous, but also the useless and ^C harmful; but experience of the Scriptures has been neglected and overlooked; and those who are excited for the viewing of the horse races can tell with all accuracy the names, and the herd, and the breed, and the homeland, and the rearing of the horses, and the years of life, and the energy of their runs, and who, being paired with whom, will snatch the victory, and which horse, released from which starting gate, and having which charioteer, will prevail in the race and outrun his rival. And those who have spent their time on the orchestra, not less than these, but even showing greater madness 173 regarding those who behave indecently in the theaters, I mean the mimes and the dancers, listing their breed, and homeland, and rearing, and all other things; but we, when asked how many and which are the epistles of Paul, do not even know how to say the number. And if some even know the number, yet when asked about the cities that received the epistles, they are at a loss at the question. And a man, a eunuch and a barbarian, dragged by ten thousand cares by ten thousand matters, was so attached to books that he did not even rest during the time of his journey, but sitting on his chariot, he applied himself with much accuracy to the reading of the divine Scriptures; but we, not having even the thousandth part of his business, are strangers even to the names of the epistles, and this while gathering here every Sunday and enjoying divine hearing. But, so that we do not spend the discourse only on rebuke, come, let us bring into the middle the greeting itself, which seems to be superfluous and to be a nuisance. For when it is unfolded and shown how much profit it provides to those who attend to it with accuracy, then there will be a greater accusation for those who neglect such treasures.

θη- σαυρῶν, καὶ τὸν πνευματικὸν ἀπὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἀποβάλλοντες πλοῦτον. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν ἡ πρόσρησις; ^A Ἀσπάζεσθε, φησί, Πρίσκιλλαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν τοὺς συνεργούς μου ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἆρα οὐ δοκεῖ ψιλή τις εἶναι πρόσρησις, καὶ μηδὲν μέγα, μηδὲ γενναῖον ἡμῖν ἐνδείκνυσθαι; Φέρε οὖν, εἰς αὐτὴν μόνην ἅπασαν τὴν διάλεξιν ἀναλώσωμεν, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἀρκέσομεν σήμερον τὰ ἐγκείμενα ἅπαντα τοῖς ὀλίγοις τούτοις ῥήμασιν ἀνιμήσασθαι σπουδάσαντες ὑμῖν νοήματα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνάγκη καὶ εἰς ἑτέραν ὑμῖν ἡμέραν ταμιευθῆναι τὴν τῶν θεωρημάτων περιουσίαν, τῶν τικτομένων ἀπὸ τῆς ὀλίγης ταύτης προσρήσεως. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἅπασαν αὐτὴν ἐπελθεῖν παρασκευάζομαι, ἀλλὰ μέρος αὐτῆς καὶ ἀρχὴν καὶ προοίμιον μόνον· Ἀσπάσασθε Πρίσκιλλαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν.

β'. Πρῶτόν ἐστιν ἐκπλαγῆναι τοῦ Παύλου τὴν ἀρετήν, ὅτι τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν ἐγκεχειρισμένος, καὶ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν, καὶ τὰς ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ πόλεις ἁπάσας, καὶ βαρβάρους, καὶ Ἕλληνας, καὶ δήμους τοσούτους ἐν ἑαυτῷ περιφέρων, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς καὶ μιᾶς γυναικὸς τοσαύτην ἐποιεῖτο φροντίδα· καὶ δεύτερον τοῦτο θαυμάσαι, πῶς ἄγρυπνόν τε καὶ μεμεριμνημένην εἶχε ψυχήν, οὐχὶ κοινῇ πάντων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰδίᾳ μεμνημένος ἑκάστου τῶν δοκίμων καὶ γενναίων. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν τοὺς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν προεστῶτας τοῦτο ποιεῖν, τῷ καὶ τοὺς θορύβους κατεστάλθαι ἐκείνους, καὶ μιᾶς πόλεως ἀναδεδέχθαι πρόνοιαν μόνον· τότε δὲ οὐ τὸ τῶν κινδύνων μέγεθος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ διάστημα, καὶ τὸ τῶν φροντίδων πλῆθος καὶ τὰ ἐπάλληλα κύματα, καὶ τὸ μὴ συνεχῶς ἅπασιν ἐπιχωριάζειν ἀεί, καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα πλείονα τούτων, ἱκανὰ τῆς μνήμης ἐκβαλεῖν καὶ τοὺς σφόδρα ἐπιτηδείους. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐξέβαλε τούτους. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἐξεβλήθησαν; Διὰ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου μεγαλοψυχίαν, καὶ τὴν θερμὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ γνησίαν ἀγάπην. Οὕτω γὰρ αὐτοὺς εἶχεν ἐν διανοίᾳ, ὡς καὶ ἐν ἐπιστολαῖς αὐτῶν μεμνῆσθαι πολλάκις. ^B Ἀλλ᾽ ἴδωμεν τίνες καὶ ὁποῖοι ἦσαν οὗτοι, οἱ τὸν Παῦλον οὕτω χειρωσάμενοι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον ἐπισπασάμενοι πόθον. Ἆρα ὕπατοί τινες καὶ στρατηγοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ ὕπαρχοι, ἢ ἄλλην τινὰ περιφάνειαν κεκτημένοι, ἢ πλοῦτον πολὺν περιβεβλημένοι, καὶ τῶν τὴν πόλιν ἀγόντων; Οὐδὲν τούτων ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ἅπαν, πτωχοὶ καὶ πένητες, καὶ ἐκ τῆς τῶν χειρῶν ἐργασίας ζῶντες. Ἦσαν γάρ, φησί, σκηνοποιοὶ τῇ τέχνῃ· καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχύνετο ὁ Παῦλος, οὐδὲ ὄνειδος εἶναι ἐνόμιζε βασιλικωτάτῃ πόλει καὶ δήμῳ μέγα φρονοῦντι, κελεύων τοὺς χειροτέχνας ἐκείνους ἀσπάζεσθαι, οὐδὲ καθυβρίζειν αὐτοὺς ἡγεῖτο τῇ πρὸς ἐκείνους φιλίᾳ· οὕτως ἦν ἅπαντας πεπαιδευκὼς τότε φιλοσοφεῖν. Καίτοι γε ἡμεῖς πολλάκις συγγενεῖς ἔχοντες πενεστέρους ὀλίγῳ, τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἰκειότητος ἀλλοτριούμεθα, καὶ ὄνειδος εἶναι νομίζομεν, εἰ φωραθείημεν ποτε ἐκείνοις προσήκοντες· ὁ δὲ Παῦλος οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐγκαλλωπίζεται τῷ πράγματι, καὶ οὐ τοῖς τότε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα πᾶσι δῆλον ἐποίησεν, ὅτι εἰς τοὺς πρώτους αὐτῷ τὴν φιλίαν ἐτέλουν ἐκεῖνοι οἱ σκηνοποιοί. Καὶ μή μοι λεγέτω τις, ^C Καὶ εἰ γὰρ μέγα καὶ θαυμαστόν, καὶ αὐτόν, ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς ὄντα τέχνης, μὴ ἐπαισχύνεσθαι τοῖς ὁμοτέχνοις; Τί λέγεις; Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸ μέγιστόν ἐστι καὶ θαυμαστόν. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως οἱ προγόνων ἔχοντες εἰπεῖν περιφάνειαν ἐπαισχύνονται τοῖς καταδεεστέροις, ὡς οἱ γενόμενοι ποτε ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς εὐτελείας, εἶτα ἀθρόον εἰς λαμπρότητά τινα καὶ περιφάνειαν ἀναβάντες. Ὅτι δὲ Παύλου λαμπρότερον οὐδὲν ἦν, οὐδὲ περιφανέστερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν βασιλέων ἐπισημότερος ἦν, παντί που δῆλόν ἐστιν. Ὁ γὰρ δαίμοσιν ἐπιτάττων, καὶ νεκροὺς ἐγείρων, καὶ ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος καὶ πηρῶσαι, καὶ θεραπεῦσαι τοὺς πεπηρωμένους δυνάμενος, οὗ τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ αἱ σκιαὶ ἅπαν νόσημάτων εἶδος ἔλυον, εὔδηλον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος λοιπὸν εἶναι ἐνομίζετο, ἀλλ᾽ ἄγγελος τις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς. Ἂλλ᾽ ὅμως τοσαύτης ἀπολαύων δόξης, καὶ πανταχοῦ θαυμαζόμενος, καὶ ὅπουπερ ἂν φανείη πάντας ἐπιστρέφων, οὐκ ἐπῃσχύνετο τὸν σκηνοποιόν, οὐδὲ ἐλαττοῦσθαι ἐνόμιζε τοὺς ἐν τοσούτοις ἀξιώμασιν ὄντας. Καὶ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ Ῥωμαίων πολλοὺς εἶναι περιφανεῖς, οὓς ἠνάγκαζε τοὺς πτωχοὺς ἐκείνους ἀσπάσασθαι. Ἤδει γάρ, ᾔδει σαφῶς, ὅτι εὐγένειαν οὐ πλούτου περιφάνεια, οὐδὲ χρημάτων περιουσία, ἀλλὰ τρόπων ἐπιείκεια ποιεῖν εἴωθεν· ὡς οἱ γε ταύτης μὲν ἀπεστερημένοι, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς τῶν γεγεννηκότων αὐτοὺς δόξης μεγαλοφρονοῦντες, ὀνόματι μόνον εὐγενείας ψιλῷ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ πράγματι καλλωπίζονται· μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸ τὸ ὄνομα φωρᾶται πολλάκις, εἴ τις ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀνωτέρω προγόνους τῶν εὐγενῶν ἀναβαίη τούτων. Τὸν γὰρ περιφανῆ καὶ λαμπρόν, καὶ πατέρα ἔχοντα ἐπίσημον ἐπειπεῖν καὶ πάππον, ἂν μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἐξετάσῃς, πολλάκις εὑρήσεις ἐπίπαππον εὐτελῆ τινα καὶ ἀνώνυμον ἐσχηκότα· καθάπερ τῶν εὐτελῶν εἶναι δοκούντων ἂν τὸ γένος ἅπαν ἀναβαίνοντες κατὰ μικρὸν διερευνησώμεθα, ὑπάρχους καὶ στρατηγοὺς εὑρήσομεν αὐτῶν πολλάκις τοὺς ἀνωτέρω προγόνους, καὶ εἰς ἱπποφορβοὺς καὶ ὀνοφορβοὺς εἴποι τις ἂν γεγενημένους. Ἅπερ οὖν ἅπαντα Παῦλος εἰδώς, τούτων μὲν οὐ πολὺν ἐποιεῖτο λόγον, ψυχῆς δὲ εὐγένειαν ἐζήτει, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ταύτην θαυμάζειν ἐπαίδευσεν. Οὐ μικρὸν οὖν τοῦτο τέως ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμεθα, τὸ μηδενὶ τῶν εὐτελεστέρων ἐπαισχύνεσθαι, τὸ ψυχῆς ἀρετὴν ἐπιζητεῖν, τὸ πάντα τὰ ἔξωθεν ἡμῖν περικείμενα περιττὰ εἶναι νομίζειν καὶ ἀνόνητα.

γ'. Ἔστι καὶ ἕτερον οὐκ ἔλαττον τούτου καρπώσασθαι κέρδος ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ ὁ μάλιστα συνέχει ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν κατορθωθέν. Τί δέ τοῦτό ἐστι; Τὸ μὴ κατηγορεῖν τοῦ γάμου, μηδὲ νομίζειν ἐμπόδισμα εἶναι καὶ κώλυμα τῆς εἰς ἀρετὴν φερούσης ὁδοῦ, τὸ γυναῖκα ἔχειν, καὶ παῖδας τρέφειν, καὶ οἰκίας προΐστασθαι, καὶ τέχνην μεταχειρίζειν. ^D Ἰδοὺ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἀνὴρ ἦν καὶ γυνή, καὶ ἐργαστηρίων προειστήκεσαν, καὶ τέχνην μετεχειρίζοντο, καὶ τῶν ἐν μοναστηρίοις ζώντων ἀκριβεστέραν ἐπεδείξαντο πολλῷ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν. Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον; Ἀφ᾽ ὧν προσεῖπεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Παῦλος, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἀφ᾽ ὧν προσείπεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ

καὶ ^A ἐξ ὧν μετὰ ταῦτα ἐμαρτύρησεν. Εἰπὼν γάρ, Ἀσπάσασθε Πρίσκιλλαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν, προσέθηκεν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Οὐκ εἶπε τοὺς πλουσίους, τοὺς περιφανεῖς, τοὺς εὐπατρίδας· ἀλλὰ τί; Τοὺς συνεργούς μου ἐν Κυρίῳ. Τούτου δὲ οὐδὲν ἴσον εἰς ἀρετῆς γένοιτ᾽ ἂν λόγον· καὶ οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ ὧν παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἔμεινεν, οὐχ ἡμέραν μίαν, δύο καὶ τρεῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνιαυτοὺς ὁλοκλήρους δύο, τὴν αὐτῶν ἔστιν ἀρετὴν ἰδεῖν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἄρχοντες οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιντο παρ᾽ εὐτελέσι καὶ ταπεινοῖς καταχθῆναί ποτε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιζητοῦσι λαμπρὰς οἰκίας ἐπισήμων ἀνδρῶν τινων, ὥστε μὴ τὴν τῶν ὑποδεχομένων αὐτοὺς εὐτέλειαν τῷ μεγέθει τῆς ἀξίας λυμήνασθαι· οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐποίουν· οὐ πρὸς τυχόντας κατήγοντο, ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνοι οἰκίας λαμπρότητα, οὕτω τῆς ψυχῆς ἀρετὴν ἐπεζήτουν οὗτοι, καὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας διερευνώμενοι τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους αὐτοῖς, πρὸς ἐκείνους κατήγοντο. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ νόμος παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦτο κελεύων ἔκειτο. Εἰς ἣν γὰρ πόλιν, φησίν, ἢ οἰκίαν εἰσέλθητε, ἐρωτήσατε τίς ἐν αὐτῇ ἀξιός ἐστι, κἀκεῖ μείνατε. ^B Οἵδε ἄξιοι Παύλου ἦσαν οὗτοι· οἱ δὲ ἄξιοι Παύλου, τῶν ἀγγέλων ἦσαν ἄξιοι. Ἐγὼ τὸ δωμάτιον ἐκεῖνο, καὶ οὐρανὸν καὶ Ἐκκλησίαν θαρρῶν ἂν προσείποιμι. Ὅπου γὰρ Παῦλος ἦν, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἦν. Εἰ δοκιμὴν ἐπιζητεῖτε, φησί, τὸν ἐν ἐμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ; Ὅπου δὲ Χριστὸς ἦν, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἄγγελοι συνεχῶς ἐφοίτων.

Οἱ δὲ καὶ πρὸ τούτου παρασχόντες ἑαυτοὺς ἀξίους τῆς τοῦ Παύλου θεραπείας, ἐννόησον τίνες ἐγένοντο, ἔτεσι δύο συνοικοῦντες αὐτῷ, καὶ σχήματι, καὶ βάδισμα, καὶ βλέμμα, καὶ τρόπον στολῆς, καὶ εἰσόδους καὶ ἐξόδους, καὶ τἆλλα πάντα παρατηροῦντες. Ἐπὶ γὰρ τῶν ἁγίων οὐχ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα μόνον, οὐδὲ αἱ διδασκαλίαι αἱ καὶ αἱ παραινέσεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ τοῦ βίου πᾶσα ἀναστροφὴ ἀρκοῦσα γένοιτ᾽ ἂν τοῖς 176 προσεχουσι διδασκαλία φιλοσοφίας. Ἐννόησον ἡλίκον ἦν ἰδεῖν Παῦλον, καὶ δειπνοποιούμενον, καὶ ἐπιτιμῶντα, καὶ παρακαλοῦντα, καὶ εὐχόμενον, καὶ δακρύοντα, ἐξιόντα καὶ εἰσιόντα. Εἰ γὰρ δεκατέσσαρας ἐπιστολὰς ἔχοντες μόνον, πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης αὐτὰς περιφέρομεν, οἱ τὴν πηγὴν τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἔχοντες, οἱ τὴν γλῶτταν τῆς οἰκουμένης, οἱ τὸ φῶς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, οἱ τὸν θεμέλιον τῆς πίστεως, οἱ τὸν στῦλον καὶ τὸ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας, τίνες οὐκ ἂν ἐγένοντο ἀγγέλῳ τοιούτῳ συζῶντες; Εἰ γὰρ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ δαίμοσιν ἦν φοβερά, καὶ τοσαύτην εἶχον ἰσχύν, ἡ συνοίκησις αὐτοῦ πόσην οὐκ ἀνεσπάσατο Πνεύματος χάριν; Τὸ γὰρ τὴν κλίνην ὁρᾶν τὴν Παύλου, τὸ γὰρ τὴν στρωμνήν, τὸ γὰρ τὰ ὑποδήματα, οὐκ ἤρκεσεν αὐτοῖς εἰς ὑπόθεσιν κατανύξεως εἰσδιηνεκοῦς; Εἰ γὰρ οἱ δαίμονες ὁρῶντες αὐτοῦ τὰ ἱμάτια ἔφριττον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ πιστοὶ καὶ συζήσαντες αὐτῷ κατενύσσοντο βλέποντες αὐτά. Ἄξιον δὲ κἀκεῖνο ἐξετάσαι, τίνος ἕνεκεν, προσαγορεύων, τὴν Πρίσκιλλαν προτέθηκε τοῦ ἀνδρός. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀκύλαν καὶ Πρίσκιλλαν, ἀλλά, Πρίσκιλλαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτο ἁπλῶς ἐποίησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ πλείονα αὐτῇ συνειδέναι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εὐλάβειαν. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ στοχασμὸς τὸ εἰρημένον, ἔξεστι καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν Πράξεων τοῦτο μαθεῖν. Τὸν γὰρ Ἀπολλῶ, ἄνδρα λόγιον ὄντα καὶ δυνατὸν ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς, καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου μόνον εἰδότα, αὕτη λαβοῦσα κατήχησε τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ διδάσκαλον ἀπηρτισμένον ἐποίησεν. Οὐ γὰρ αἱ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων γυναῖκες ταῦτα ἐμέριμνων, ἅπερ αἱ νῦν, ὅπως λαμπρὰ ἱμάτια περιβάλοιντο, καὶ ἐπιτρίμμασι καὶ ὑπογραφαῖς τὴν ὄψιν τὴν ἑαυτῶν καλλωπίσειεν, καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἐναγχουσαι, τῆς γείτονος καὶ τῆς ὁμοτίμου πολυτελεστέραν ἀναγκάσαι πρίασθαι ^C στολήν, καὶ λευκοὺς ἡμιόνους, καὶ χρυσοπάστους χαλινούς, καὶ θεραπείαν εὐνούχων, καὶ πολὺν θεραπαινίδων ἐσμόν, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἅπασαν τὴν καταγέλαστον φαντασίαν· ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ἀποσεισάμεναι, καὶ τὸν κοσμικὸν ἀποβαλοῦσαι τῦφον, ἓν μόνον ἐζήτουν, ὅπως κοινωνοὶ γένωνται τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ τῆς θήρας αὐτῶν μετάσχοιεν τῆς αὐτῆς. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ αὐτὴ μόνη τοιαύτη, ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ πᾶσαι. Καὶ γὰρ περὶ Περσίδος τινός φησιν, Ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς ἡμᾶς, καὶ Μαρίαν καὶ Τρύφαιναν ἀπὸ τούτων θαυμάζει τῶν πόνων, ὅτι ἐκόπιων μετὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἀγῶνας ἀπεδύσαντο. Καὶ πῶς Τιμοθέῳ γράφων φησί, Γυναικὶ δὲ διδάσκειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω, οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν τοῦ ἀνδρός; Ὅταν καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ εὐλαβὴς ᾖ, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν πίστιν κεκτημένος, καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς σοφίας μετέχων· ὅταν δὲ ἄπιστος ᾖ καὶ πεπλανημένος, οὐκ ἀποστερεῖ τὴν αὐθεντίαν τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτήν. Κορινθίοις γοῦν ἐπιστέλλων λέγει· Καὶ γυνὴ ἥτις ἔχει ἄνδρα ἄπιστον, μὴ ἀφιέτω αὐτόν. Τί γὰρ οἶδας, γύναι, εἰ τὸν ἄνδρα σώσεις; Πῶς δὲ ἔσωσεν ἡ πιστὴ γυνὴ τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν ἄπιστον; Κατηχοῦσα δηλονότι καὶ διδάσκουσα 177 καὶ ἐνάγουσα πρὸς τὴν πίστιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ αὕτη Ἀπολλὼ ἡ Πρίσκιλλα. Ἄλλως δέ, ὅταν λέγῃ, Γυναικὶ διδάσκειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω, περὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ βήματι διδασκαλίας λέγει, περὶ τῆς ἐν κοινῷ διαλέξεως, καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἱερωσύνης λόγον· ἰδίᾳ δὲ παραινεῖν καὶ συμβουλεύειν οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἄν, εἰ κεκωλυμένον ἦν, ταύτην ἐπήνεσε τοῦτα ποιοῦσαν.

δʹ. Ἀκουτέωσαν ἄνδρες, ἀκουτέωσαν ταῦτα καὶ γυναῖκες· ἐκεῖναι μέν, ἵνα τὴν ὁμόφυλον καὶ συγγενῆ μιμήσωνται· οὗτοι δέ, ἵνα μὴ γυναικὸς ἀσθενεστέρο ^D φαίνωνται. Τίνα γὰρ ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν, τίνα συγγνώμην, ὅταν γυναικῶν τοσαύτην προθυμίαν ἐπιδεικνυμένων καὶ τοσαύτην φιλοσοφίαν, ἡμεῖς τοῖς τοῦ κόσμου πράγμασιν ὦμεν συνδεδεμένοι διηνεκῶς; Ταῦτα καὶ ἄρχοντες μανθανέτωσαν, καὶ ἀρχόμενοι, καὶ ἱερεῖς, καὶ οἱ τῶν λαϊκῶν τὴν τάξιν ἔχοντες, ἵν᾽ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν μὴ τοὺς πλουτοῦντας θαυμάζωσι, μηδὲ τὰς περιφανεῖς διώκωσιν οἰκίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἀρετὴν μετὰ πενίας ζητῶσι, καὶ τοῖς πτωχοτέροις τῶν ἀδελφῶν μὴ ἐπαισχύνωνται, μηδὲ τὸν σκηνοποιόν, καὶ τὸν βυρσοδέψην, καὶ τὸν πορφυροπώλην, καὶ τὸν χαλκοτύπον παρατρέχοντες, τοὺς ἐν δυναστείαις θεραπεύσωσιν· οἱ δὲ ἀρχόμενοι, ἵνα μὴ νομίζωσιν εἶναι κώλυμα πρὸς τὴν ὑποδοχὴν τῶν ἁγίων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐννοοῦντες...

ἐννοοῦντες ^A the widow, or she who received Elijah, having only a handful of meal, so too let those who provided hospitality to Paul for two years open their houses to those in need, and consider everything common property for their guests. Do not say to me, "I have no servants to wait upon them." Even if you have thousands, God commands you to pluck the fruit of hospitality with your own hands. For this reason, Paul, when speaking to the widow and commanding her to show hospitality, ordered that she do this not through others, but by herself. For having said, "If she has shown hospitality," he added, "If she has washed the saints' feet" (1 Tim. 5:10). He did not say, "If she has spent money," nor "If she has ordered servants to do it," but "if she has done it herself." For this reason, also, Abraham, although he had three hundred and eighteen house-born slaves, ran to the herd himself, and carried the calf, and rendered all the other services, and made his wife a partner in the fruits of hospitality. For this reason, also, our Lord Jesus Christ is born in a manger, and is brought up being born in a house, and having grown up, he had nowhere to lay his head, in order that he might teach you through all things not to gape at the bright things of this life, but to be a lover of simplicity everywhere, and to pursue poverty and flee wealth, and to be adorned from within. For "all the glory of the king’s daughter," he says, "is from within" (Ps. 44:14). If you have a hospitable disposition, you possess the entire vessel of hospitality, even if you possess only an obol. But if you are misanthropic and inhospitable, even if you are covered in all things, your house is too narrow for guests. She had no silver-adorned beds, but she had much temperance; she had no bedding, but she possessed a gentle and hospitable disposition; she had no flashing columns, but she had the beauty of a soul shining forth; she had no walls covered in marble, nor a pavement flowered with mosaics, but she herself was a temple of the Spirit. These things Paul praised, these things he loved; for these reasons, having remained in the house for two years, he did not depart; for these ^B reasons he remembers them continuously, and composes a great and marvelous eulogy for them, not that he might make them more brilliant, but that he might lead the rest into the same zeal, and persuade them to count blessed, not those who are rich, nor those who are in authority, but those who are hospitable, those who are merciful, those who are philanthropists, those displaying much friendliness toward the saints.

5. We, too, having learned this from this greeting, let us demonstrate it through the deeds themselves; and let us neither simply count the rich blessed, nor look down upon the poor, nor be ashamed of trades, nor consider work to be an affront, but rather idleness and the lack of something to do. For if working were an affront, Paul would not have performed it, nor would he have taken greater pride in it, saying thus: "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about. What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer the gospel of Christ without charge" (1 Cor. 9:16-18). And if a trade were an affront, he would not have commanded those not working not to eat. For only sin is an affront; and this, idleness is accustomed to beget, and not one or two or three only, but all wickedness together. For this reason, also, a certain wise man, showing that idleness has taught all wickedness, and speaking about servants, says: "Send him to work, so that he may not be idle" (Eccl. 53:28). For just as the bit is to the horse, so work is to our nature. If idleness were good, the earth would have sprouted everything unsown and unplowed; but it produces nothing of the sort. ^C Formerly, God commanded that all things be brought forth unplowed; but now he has not done so; rather, he has ordained that we yoke oxen, and draw the plow, and cut the furrow, and cast in the seed, and in many other ways cultivate the vine and the trees and the seeds for men, so that the preoccupation of work might lead the mind of the workers away from all wickedness. From the beginning, indeed, in order to show his power, he provided that all things should be rendered without our labors; "Let the earth sprout with vegetation," he says; and all things were leafy at once. But after this, not so; rather, he commanded that they be brought forth from the earth through our labors, so that you might learn that he introduced labor for our utility and benefit. And it seems to be punishment and retribution to hear, "In the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread" (Gen. 3:19); but the truth is, it is a kind of admonition and disciplining, and a medicine for the wounds caused by sin. For these reasons, Paul also labored continuously, not by day alone, but also in the very night; and he cries this out, saying: "For night and day we labored, so that we might not burden any of you" (1 Thess. 2:9). And he did not pursue work simply for the sake of amusement and entertainment, like many of the brethren, but he displayed so much labor regarding it, that he was also able to help others. "For these hands," he says, "ministered to my needs and to those who were with me" (Acts 20:34). A man commanding demons, being a teacher of the habitable world, entrusted with all those who inhabit the earth, and caring for all the Churches lying under the sun, and peoples and nations and cities with much care, labored night and day, and did not breathe for a moment from those labors. And we, not even pursuing a ten-thousandth part of his care, or rather not even being able to conceive it in our minds, continue living in idleness continuously. And what, tell me, shall we have as an apology, what excuse? From this, all evils have been introduced into life, because many consider it to be of the greatest merit not to handle their own trades, and the ultimate accusation to appear to know any such thing. And yet Paul was not ashamed of handling the knife together with tanning leather, and speaking to those in positions of authority, but he even took pride in the matter, with myriad bright and distinguished men arriving to see him. And not only was he not ashamed of doing these things, but he displayed his trade in his epistles as if on a bronze pillar. For he practiced what he had learned from the beginning, and he practiced it even then, after being caught up to the third heaven, after being carried off to paradise, after partaking of ^D unspeakable words...

to God. But we, even if we are not worthy of the price of his sandals, are ashamed of these things, in which he boasted, and daily, as we sin, we do not turn back, nor do we consider it a disgrace; whereas we shun living by honest labors as something wretched and ridiculous. What hope of salvation, I ask, will remain for us? For he who is prone to shame ought to feel shame for sin, and for having offended God, and for doing any of the things that ought not to be done, but to boast of arts and trades. For it happens in this way that we easily cast out base thoughts from our mind by the occupations of work, and we are a help to the needy, and we are not a burden to the doors of others, and we fulfill the law of Christ, who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). For this very purpose we have hands, that we might help ourselves and provide from our own resources all that is necessary to those who are mutilated in body, according to our ability. But if one persists in idleness, even if he be healthy, he is more miserable than those suffering from fever; for the latter, because of their Bodily sickness, merit forgiveness, and will easily find someone to pity them, but these, who abuse a good bodily constitution, are justly hated by all, as those who both violate the laws of God, and injure the table of the infirm, and make their own soul worse. For it is not only this that is an evil, that when they ought to seek their own living by their own labor, they are importunate at the houses of others, but that they themselves prove to be worse than all others. For there is nothing, absolutely nothing in human affairs, that is not ruined by idleness. For even water, if it stands still, is corrupted; but if it flows, as it wanders everywhere, it preserves its own virtue; and iron, if it remains in idleness, becomes softer and worse and is consumed by rust; but that which is applied to crafts becomes far more useful and elegant, and shines no less than any silver. And we see that fallow land produces nothing fruitful, but evil weeds and thorns, and thistles, and unfruitful trees; whereas that which is tilled with much labor abounds in cultivated crops. Each of existing things, to speak simply, is corrupted by idleness, but is rendered more useful by its proper activity. Knowing all these things, then, and how great is the harm brought by idleness, and how great the profit brought by work, let us shun the former and pursue the latter, that we may both pass the present life honestly, and be a help to the needy from our own resources, and by rendering our own soul better, attain to eternal goods, which may we all attain by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory and power, now and always, and for all ages of ages. Amen.

ON THE PASSAGE, GREET PRISCILLA AND AQUILA

And on not speaking ill of the priests of God. Discourse II.

^A Are you taught to think that nothing in the Holy Scriptures is superfluous? Have you learned to search diligently even for the inscriptions, and the names, and the mere salutations written in the Divine Scriptures? For my part, I think that the studious will not even endure that any little word in the Holy Scriptures should be passed over in contempt, even if only names are recounted, or counts of time are given, or there is merely a bare salutation of some persons. Yet, that this admonition may be made even more certain: come, let us today approach those things which were recently left behind in the salutation of Priscilla and Aquila—although that introduction will be of no small use to us. For it taught us how great a good work is, and how great an evil is idleness, and what kind of soul Paul had, how vigilant, how solicitous, which took great care not only for cities and peoples and nations, but also for individual believers; and it showed how hospitality is not hindered by poverty, and that virtue and a pious will are needed everywhere, not riches and wealth; and that they are the most illustrious of all who have the fear of God, even if they have fallen into extreme poverty. Whence Priscilla and Aquila, tentmakers, leading a poor life, are proclaimed blessed before all kings; and while others, puffed up with dignities and power, are passed over in silence, that tentmaker together with his wife are sung of ^B all over the world. But if their glory in the present life is so great, consider with how great rewards and crowns they will be deemed worthy on that day, who before that day received no small pleasure, utility, and glory, being such that they had association with Paul for so long a time. Indeed, what I was saying before, I say now, and I will not cease saying: not only doctrine, and admonition, and counsel, but also the very appearance of the saints, and the donning of their garments, and the manner of their sandals, has much of utility and pleasure. For from there no small benefit accrues to our life, when we learn how far they used necessary things. For not only did they not transgress the measure of use, but sometimes they did not even enjoy necessities; nay, they even spent their time in hunger, and thirst, and nakedness. And Paul indeed commanded the disciples, saying, “Having food and clothing, we shall be content with these” (1 Tim. 6:8); and he says of himself, “Unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted” (1 Cor. 4:11). It would be worth the trouble here to bring into the middle something which I was saying before, and which has come up in the conversation, concerning which there is a frequent question. And what is this? I was saying that the manner of the apostolic garments affords us much benefit.

but while I was saying these things, the law of Christ intruded, which He set for them, saying thus: *Do not possess gold, nor silver, nor brass in your girdles, neither shoes, nor a staff for the way* (Matth. 10. 9. 10). Yet Peter ^A appears to have sandals. For when the angel awakened him as he slept, and led him out of the prison, he says: *Bind on thy sandals, and cast thy garment about thee, and follow me* (Act. 12. 8). And Paul, writing to Timothy, says: *The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments* (2 Tim. 4. 13). What sayest thou? Christ did not command even shoes to be possessed, and thou hast a cloak and another again has sandals? And if they were some of the meaner sort, and of those who did not always obey the Master, the matter would not be a subject of inquiry; but since these are the men who gave their own souls, and are the leaders and primates of the disciples, and obeyed Christ in all things, while Paul not only did what was commanded, but even leaped beyond the barriers ^B; and when He was commanding to live from the Gospel, this man lived by his own hands, doing something more than was commanded—it is truly worthy to inquire for what reason, while obeying Him in all things, they seem here to transgress His law. But they do not transgress it. For this discourse will not be useful to us only for the inquiry concerning those holy men, but also for stopping the mouths of the Greeks. For many who overturn the houses of widows, despoiling orphans, clothing themselves with the goods of all, faring no better than wolves, living from the labors of others, often upbraiding some of the faithful who, on account of bodily infirmity, have clothed themselves in more garments, immediately set before us this law of Christ, and say these words: Did not Christ command you not to have two coats, nor shoes? How then do you ^C transgress the law laid down concerning these things? Then, having laughed boisterously and mocked, and put their brother to shame, they run off. In order, therefore, that these things may not happen, come, let us also stop the mouths of their shamelessness. It was possible, indeed, to dismiss them by saying this to them alone: What is this? That if you consider Christ to be a person worthy of belief, you rightly put forward these things and inquire of us; but if you do not believe Him, for what reason do you put forward His laws? But whenever you wish to accuse us, Christ seems to you a trustworthy lawgiver; but whenever it is necessary to worship and admire Him, you have no further regard for the Lord of the whole world. Whence is this evident? From the very things that were said: for having called the twelve ^D disciples, He said to them: *Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give: do not possess gold, nor silver, nor brass in your girdles* (Matth. 10. 5-9). See the wisdom of the Master, how He made the commandment light. For first having said, *Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils*, and granted His own grace abundantly to them, then He commanded these things, by the abundance of the signs making that poverty easy and light. And it is not from this alone evident that these things were commanded to them only, but also from many other things. For He even punished those virgins on account of this, because they did not have oil in their lamps; and He upbraids others because they saw Him hungering and did not feed Him, thirsting and did not give Him drink. Therefore, for one who has no brass, and no shoes, but only one garment, how was it possible to feed another, how to clothe the naked, how to bring the homeless into his house? But besides these, it will also be evident and manifest from elsewhere. For when someone approached and said: *Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?* (Matth. 19. 16), since he had recounted all the things of the law, and the man was being inquisitive, saying: *All these I have kept from my youth; what lack I yet?* He says to him: *If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor, and come, follow me* (Matth. 19. 20. 21). And yet, if it were a law and a command, this should have been said at the very beginning, and legislated, and placed in the order of a command, and not introduced in the way of counsel and exhortation. For when He says, *Do not possess gold, nor silver*, He speaks in command; but when He says, *If thou wilt be perfect*, He speaks in counsel and exhortation. But it is not the same thing to counsel and to legislate. For the one who legislates wishes the thing commanded to be done by any means; but the one who counsels and exhorts, and leaves the choice of the things said to the opinion of the hearer, makes the hearer master of whether to accept or not. For this reason He did not simply say, Go, sell what thou hast, that you might not think the saying to be a law, but how? *If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast*; that you might learn that the matter lies in the opinion of the hearers.

2. Moreover, however, that they may not think that we say this for want of an excuse, let us finally come to the solution of the questions themselves. What then will the solution be? If we see to whom, and when, and why Christ commanded these things. For one ought not to examine the things said simply by themselves, but also the person, and the time, and the cause, and all these things must be investigated with accuracy. For we shall find, accurately observing, that these things were not commanded to all, but to the apostles only, and to them not until the end, but until a certain determined time. That these things were commanded to the apostles only is clear from this; yet we have not yet found the solution. For if this was legislated for them only, for what reason, being commanded not to have even shoes, nor a double garment, are they found, one possessing sandals, and another having a cloak? What then could we say to these things? That He did not leave them under the necessity of these laws until the end, but when He was about to go to His saving death, He released them from this legislation. Whence is this evident? From the very words of the Savior. For since He was about to journey to His passion, having called them, He says: *When I sent you without purse and scrip, lacked ye anything? And they answering, said: Nothing. And He said to them: But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and*

^A his scrip likewise, and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy a sword (Luke 22:35-36). Perhaps someone will say: "The apostles, indeed, are acquitted by these words of the charge; but it is further asked, why did Christ command contrary things?" For sometimes He says, *Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses* (Matt. 10:9); and at other times, *He that hath a purse, let him take it, and scrip*. Why did He do this? Certainly He did this with great wisdom and for the care He bore for His disciples. For from the beginning He commanded this, so that they might receive proof of His power by deed and experience, and then with confidence travel throughout the whole world. But when they had already known His power, He desired that they themselves also should give a specimen of their own virtue, and He did not wish to carry them until the end; but He often exposed them and permitted them to bear their own temptations, so that they might not remain idle forever. And just as those who teach the art of swimming, at the beginning, by placing their hands underneath, carry their disciples with great care; but after one or two or three days, they withdraw their right hand and command them to help themselves, and sometimes allow them to sink a little, so that they might drink in a great deal of salt water: so also did Christ with His disciples. For at first He did not allow them to suffer anything, whether small or great, but was everywhere present, shielding and surrounding them, causing all things to flow to them in abundance. But when it was time for them to manifest their own manliness, He withdrew a little of the grace, commanding them to perform many things even by themselves. And for this cause, when they had no shoes, or girdle, or staff, or money, nothing was lacking to them; for He says, *Lacked ye anything? And they answered, Nothing* (Luke 22:35). But at the time when He permitted them to have a purse and scrip and shoes, they were also found hungry and thirsty and walking naked. Whence it is clear that He allowed them to be in peril and afflicted in many places, namely, so that they might have some reward. Just as birds fostering their chicks sit in the nest until their feathers grow; and when they have seen that they have grown, and that they are able to cut the air, they teach them first to fly around the nest, then a little further away—at the beginning they follow and support them, then they leave them entirely to their own assistance. So also did Christ. For He nurtured His disciples in Palestine as in a nest; and after He taught them to fly, being present and carrying them, at length He sent them away so that they might fly into the whole world, having given them a commandment to help themselves again and again. And that this is true, and that for this reason He sent them stripped of all things, and clothed with only one garment, and bade them walk without shoes, so that they might know His own virtue and power, we shall clearly know if we hear that saying. For He did not simply say to them, *Take a purse and a scrip*; but by reviving the memory of what went before, He was speaking thus, *When I sent you without purse and scrip, lacked ye anything?* That is, did not all things abound for you, and did you not enjoy great liberality? But now I wish you to struggle by yourselves, and to experience poverty; and for this reason I do not want you to be bound by the former law, but I permit you to have both a purse and a scrip, so that you might not think that I work through you as if through inanimate instruments; but it is necessary that you also exhibit your own philosophy.

^B But why, one might say, did not grace seem greater if they had always been conducted in this way? In truth, they would not have been so proved; for if they had experienced neither affliction, nor want, nor persecution, nor distress, they would have remained slothful and lazy. Now, however, He wished not only for the grace of Christ to shine forth, but also for the probation of the subjects to be exhibited, so that no one might be able to say thereafter that they had contributed nothing from themselves, and that all things had come to pass by the aid of God. For God could have kept them in that abundance until the end, but He did not wish to, for various and necessary causes, which I have often spoken of to your charity. One, indeed, is this which we have mentioned; another, however, not less than this, is that they might be accustomed to modesty; and the third, that a greater honor might not be exhibited to them than is due to men. Therefore, for these reasons, and for very many more, since He was about to permit many unexpected things to happen to them, He did not wish the former law to remain so strict, but He relaxed the severity of that philosophy somewhat, so that in this way life would not be burdensome and intolerable to them, if they were often abandoned and at the same time compelled to keep that harsh law. But since it was necessary to teach the obscure proposition more clearly, therefore, after He said, *He that hath a purse, let him take it, and scrip*, He adds, *And he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one* (Luke 22:36). What is this? He arms ^C His disciples, He who says: *If any man shall strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other* (Matt. 5:39, and Luke 6:29). He who commanded that we bless those who attack us with railing, that we bear with those who inflict injury, that we pray for those who persecute us—does He now arm them? And does He arm them with only one sword? And how are these consistent with reason? For if there were any need at all for arms, it would have been necessary to arm them not only with a sword, but also with a shield, and a helmet, and greaves. And in truth, if He had wished to dispense and do these things after the human manner, would this precept not have been ridiculous before you? For inasmuch as, even if they had possessed six hundred weapons of this kind against so many ambushes and attacks of peoples, tyrants, cities, [and] nations, how would the eleven have been more powerful than they? Could they have heard the voice of the neighing horses? Would men not versed in anything but marshes and rivers and boats have been terrified at the mere sight of an army? Why, then, does He say this? He wished to indicate the ambushes of the Jews, and that they were going to apprehend Him; and this He did not wish to say openly, but through enigmas, so that they would not be disturbed again. Therefore, just as when you hear Christ saying: *What ye have heard in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops; and what ye have heard in the darkness, speak ye in the light* (Matt. 10:27)—you do not think that He commands them to leave the houses and, having stood in the streets and at crossroads, to preach upon the housetops; for the disciples did not do that. But when He says, *Upon the housetops*, and *In the light*, He insinuates the confidence and freedom of preaching publicly; but when He says, *In the ear* and *In the darkness*, He signifies that they should tell everywhere in the world what they had heard in a small part of the world and in one place of Palestine. For neither in the darkness and ^D in the way you imagine, are we thought to exhibit philosophy.

^A You spoke. For He did not speak to them in darkness, nor into their ear, but upon the high mountains, and frequently in the synagogues. Thus we must also understand the text here. Just as, when we hear of "dwellings" there, we understood it in a different way, so too when we hear of "swords" here, let us not suspect this, that He commanded them to possess swords, but that by the swords He hints at the impending conspiracy, and that He is about to undergo from the Jews what He did undergo. And this is clear from what follows. For having said, "Let him buy a sword," He added: "For it is necessary that what is written concerning Me should be fulfilled, that I was reckoned among the wicked" (Luke 22.37). And when they said, "Here are two swords," and did not understand what was said, He says, "It is enough" (Luke 22.38). And yet it was not enough; for if He had wished them to use human assistance, not only two or three, but not even a hundred swords would be enough; but if He did not want them to use human assistance, even the two are superfluous. Nevertheless, ^B He did not uncover the enigma; for He appears to do this in many places: whenever they do not understand what is said, He passes over it and leaves it, entrusting the understanding of what has been said henceforth to the outcome of events which happen later; which is what He also did elsewhere. For when discussing His own resurrection, He spoke something like this: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2.19). And yet the disciples did not know what was being said; and that they did not know, the evangelist noted, saying: "But when Jesus rose, then they believed His word, and the Scripture" (John 2.22). And again elsewhere: "For they did not yet know that He must rise from the dead" (John 20.9).

But let us lead the word to the remaining part of the greeting. What then is this which is said, and from where did he digress to these things? We called Priscilla and Aquila blessed, because they lived with Paul, because they were learning his manner of dress, and the manner of his footwear, and everything else with precision. From this, this question arose for us. We were asking, for what reason—when Christ commanded them to possess nothing at all, except only a tunic—did they appear to be wearing both sandals and a cloak? Then the discourse showed that it was not by transgressing the law, but by strictly observing it, that they used these things. We said these things, not encouraging you to an abundance of wealth, nor exhorting [you] to possess more than is necessary, but that you might have something to argue against the unbelievers who mock our things. For Christ, having set aside the former law, did not command [them] to possess houses, nor slaves, nor beds, nor silver vessels, nor any other such thing at all, but to be free from the necessity of the aforementioned things. And Paul also thus exhorted, saying: "Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content" (1 Tim. 6.8). For what is in excess of need ought to be spent upon those who are in need; just as indeed these people were doing, Priscilla and Aquila. Wherefore he praises and admires them, and constructs their greatest encomium. For having said, "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ" (Rom. 16.3), he also sets down the cause of such love. What then is this? "Who for my life," he says, "laid down their own neck." ^C "Therefore do/you love and cherish them perhaps someone might say?" Most certainly; even if this were the only thing, it was a sufficient encomium. For he who saved the general would have saved the soldiers; he who delivered the physician from dangers brought the sick back to health; he who snatched the helmsman from the tempest delivered the whole ship from the waves; so too, those who delivered the teacher of the world, and poured out their own blood for his salvation, were public benefactors of the world, in the providence concerning the teacher having saved all the disciples. That you may learn that they were concerned not only for the teacher in such ways, but also displayed the same providence for the brethren, hear what follows. For having said, "Who for my life laid down their own neck," he added, saying: "To whom not I alone give thanks, but also all the Churches of the Gentiles" (Rom. 16.4). ^D What are you saying? As for tentmakers, poor artisans, having nothing more than necessary food, do all the Churches of the Gentiles give thanks? And what so great things were these two able to do to benefit such Churches? What wealth of money did they possess? What greatness of power? What boldness before rulers? They did not possess wealth of money and power with those in authority; but they had what was greater than all these: a noble eagerness and a soul prepared for dangers with great abundance. For this reason they became benefactors and saviors of many. For those who are wealthy and fearful cannot benefit the Church as much as those who live in poverty and are magnanimous. And let no one think that what is said is paradoxical; for it is true, and is shown by the facts themselves. For the rich man has many handles by which to be harmed. He fears for his house, for his servants, for his estates, for his money, lest someone take any of these away from him. And being master of many things makes him a slave to many things. The poor man, however, being light-packed and having put away all these handles, is a lion breathing fire, and has a noble soul, and standing outside of all things, he easily does everything that can benefit the Church, even if it be necessary to rebuke, even if to reprimand, even if to take upon himself a myriad of burdens for Christ’s sake; and since he has once despised the present life, he does everything easily and with great facility. For what does he fear, tell me? Lest someone take away his money? But this cannot be said. But lest he be cast out of his country? But every city under heaven is his. But lest someone deprive him of luxury and a bodyguard? But having bidden farewell to all these things, he is a citizen of heaven, and hastens toward the life to come. And if it be necessary to surrender his soul itself, and to offer his blood, he will not refuse. From this, such a person is both more powerful and more wealthy than tyrants, and kings, and crowds, and all men. And in order that you may learn that this which is said is not flattery, but is true: those who possess nothing, these more than all could speak freely. How many rich men were there in the time of Herod? How many powerful men? Who came into the middle? Who rebuked the tyrant? Who defended the laws of God when they were being treated unjustly? None of the wealthy; but the poor and needy man, he who possessed neither a bed, nor a table, nor a roof, he who was the citizen of the desert, John, he alone and first with all boldness rebuked the tyrant, and unveiled the adulterous marriages, and while all were present and listening, he delivered the verdict condemning him. And before this, again, the great Elijah, possessing nothing more than a sheepskin, rebuked the impious and lawless

Ahab. ^A For nothing gives one such freedom of speech, nor convinces one to be bold in every danger, nor makes one invulnerable, as possessing nothing and being involved in no worldly affairs. So that if anyone wishes to possess great power, let him embrace poverty, despise the present life, and think that death is nothing. Such a man will be able to be of more use to the Churches not only than the wealthy and the princes, but even than the kings themselves. For those who reign and live in abundance act out of their resources, but this man acts, for the most part, through great perils and death itself. And by how much blood is more precious than all gold, by so much is poverty better than abundance.

^B Such were some of the hosts of Paul, Priscilla and Aquila, who were without an abundance of wealth, and yet possessed a mind richer than all riches, daily expecting death, living amidst slaughter and blood, and at all times undergoing martyrdom. Therefore, our affairs in those times flourished, because the disciples were joined in such a way to their teachers, and the teachers to their disciples. For Paul testifies this not only concerning them, but also concerning many others. For, writing to the Hebrews, and to the Thessalonians, and to the Galatians, he asserts that all were afflicted with many temptations, and indicates in his epistles that they were driven out, lost their country, lost their possessions, and were in peril even unto bloodshed; their whole life was in heavy struggles, and they did not shrink from being mutilated in their own limbs on behalf of their teachers. Whence, writing to the Galatians, he said: "I bear you witness that, if it were possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me" (Gal. 4:15). And Epaphroditus, who was at Colossae, he praises on this same matter with these words: "He was sick unto death, but God had mercy on him: and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" (Phil. 2:27). Where he clearly demonstrates that he would rightly have had reason to grieve at the death of a disciple. Whose virtue he reveals again to all somewhere else, saying: "He drew near unto death, neglecting his life, that he might fill up what was lacking in your service toward me" (Phil. 2:30).

What could be more blessed than those, or what more miserable than us? Since they were pouring out their blood and their lives on behalf of their teachers, we, however, do not dare to utter even a bare word on behalf of our common fathers, but when we hear them being cursed, and dishonored by insults, and by their own people and by strangers, we neither restrain those who curse them, nor do we rebuke them, nor prohibit them.

On the magnitude of the sin of cursing the rulers of the Church.

Would that we were not the first to utter curses! Certainly, we do not see such great insults and reproaches brought by the infidels as we see brought against our leaders by those who seem to be joined with us in religion and are considered faithful. We shall seek further here, whence such sloth, and whence this contempt for piety has arisen, that we should be so hostilely affected toward our fathers? Nothing, in truth, is able to strip and dissolve the Church of God, nothing is able to ruin it so easily, as when disciples are not joined with great zeal to their teachers, children to their fathers, and subjects to their princes. ^C If any man curses one of the brethren, he is excluded from the reading of the sacred Scriptures. "For why do you take my covenant through your mouth?" says God (Ps. 49:16), and having laid out the cause, he says: "You were sitting and speaking against your brother" (Ibid. v. 20). But accusing a spiritual father, do you deem yourself worthy to approach the divine vestibules? How will this accord? For if those who curse father or mother die the death according to the law (Exod. 21:17), what judgment will he be worthy of who dares to curse him who is more necessary and better than those parents? Does he not fear lest the earth open itself and swallow him up, or a thunderbolt descending from above burn up that cursing tongue?

Did you not hear what Moses' sister suffered, when she cursed the prince? How she was rendered unclean, fell into leprosy, endured the ultimate ignominy, and with her brother praying to God, she did not obtain forgiveness; although she was the very one who had exposed that holy child, and had managed his education so that his mother might be taken as his nurse, and that the child should not be reared in a barbarian bosom; afterward she was a leader of the army of women just as Moses was of the men; and she bore all the hardships along with him, being truly the sister of Moses: nevertheless, when she cursed, all these things profited her nothing toward escaping the wrath of God: but not even Moses, who had by his prayers absolved such a great multitude after that immense impiety, could, by supplicating and asking for pardon for his sister, placate God, but she was severely rebuked by Him: so that we may learn also ourselves, how great an evil it is to curse princes, and to judge of the lives of others. ^D For in that day, God will judge us absolutely, not only concerning those things which we have sinned, but also concerning those things for which we have passed judgment upon others. And that which by nature is a light sin, this becomes grave and unpardonable when the sinner judges regarding another. Perhaps what we have said is not sufficiently clear; therefore we shall speak more plainly. Someone has sinned, and condemned another committing the same sin: he, on that very bitter day, will not suffer the punishment which the nature of the sin demands, but one greater, double and triple: for God will assign him the penalty, not because he himself sinned, but because he passed such a grave judgment upon another who had fallen in the same way. And that this is true, I shall demonstrate more clearly, as I promised, from the things that have already been done and have come to pass. For the Pharisee, although he himself had committed no sin, but had lived justly and could recount many good things about himself: because, however, he condemned the publican as a robber, a covetous man, and a most wicked person, he paid such great penalties that he is reserved for a greater punishment than was owed to the publican (Luke 18:9).

On the fact that we shall be judged for our judgments against others.

whether what we say of them be false or even if it be true; for the Pharisee did not injure the tax collector in the least, but actually benefited him, even though he was speaking the truth about him. We, however, bring the direst evils upon ourselves; for the Pharisee, too, thrust the sword into his own person and departed having received a fatal wound. That we, therefore, may not suffer the same things, let us restrain an unbridled tongue. For if the Pharisee was not excused for speaking ill of the tax collector, what defense shall we have, who speak ill of our fathers? If Mary, having once blasphemed her brother, paid such a penalty, what hope of salvation is there for us when we wash our rulers in a thousand insults every day? Let no one say to me, "That was Moses!" For I will be able to say in return, "And that woman was Mary!"

Moreover, so that you may know this ^A for yourself clearly—that even if the priests be liable for offenses, it is still not right for you to judge their life—hear what Christ says about the rulers of the Jews: "The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses; all things, therefore, whatever they tell you to do, do and observe; but do not act according to their works" (Matt. 23:2-3). And what could be worse than those whose zeal corrupted their disciples? Yet even so, He did not demote them from their rank, nor did He make them contemptible to those under their authority; and with good reason. For if those under authority took this power for themselves, they would be seen casting everyone out and removing them from office. For this reason, even Paul, when he insulted ^B the high priest of the Jews and said, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall; and do you sit judging me?"—when he heard some rebuking him and saying, "Do you insult the high priest of God?"—wishing to show how much reverence and honor one ought to attribute to rulers, what does he say? "I did not know he was the high priest of God" (Acts 23:3-5). For this reason, also, David, having seized Saul when he was acting lawlessly—breathing murder, and being worthy of a thousand punishments—not only spared his life, but did not even endure to utter a harsh word against him; and he provides the reason, saying that he is "the Christ of the Lord" (1 Reg. 24:7).

Not only from this, but from another source also, one can see in great abundance how far from correcting the ruler the subject ought to stand. For when the ark was once being brought up, because some of the subjects saw it swaying and about to fall and propped it up, they paid the penalty on that very spot, struck by the Lord and remaining dead (2 Reg. 6:6-7). And yet they were doing nothing wrong; for they were not tipping the ark, but supporting it when it was about to tip and fall. But in order that you may learn from a great abundance ^C the dignity of the priests, and how it is not right for the subordinate and him who is in the order of the laity to make such corrections, He killed them in the midst of the multitude, frightening all the others by the excess of the punishment, and persuading them never to approach the sanctuaries of the priesthood. For if each person were to intend—on the pretext of correcting things done wrongly—to introduce themselves into the dignity of the priesthood, neither would a pretext for correction ever be lacking, nor would we be able to distinguish between ruler and subject, as all things would be mingled with one another.

And let no one think that I say these things having condemned the priests (for by the grace of God, as you yourselves know, they show great gentleness in all things, and have never provided any offense to anyone), but that you may learn that even if you had wicked fathers and burdensome teachers, even then it would not be without danger for you, nor safe, to blaspheme and insult them. For if, in the case of physical parents, someone wise says that even if ^D he should lose his understanding, one is to have indulgence—for what will you give back to them, just as they have to you?—much more, in the case of spiritual ones, must one guard this law, and each one must examine and investigate his own life, that we may not hear on that day, "Hypocrite, why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?" (Matt. 7:3). For it is the work of hypocrites to kiss the hands of the priests in public and in the sight of all, to grasp their knees, and to entreat them to pray on their behalf, and when desiring baptism to run to their doors, yet at home and in the marketplaces to wash those who are the causes and ministers to us of such great goods in a thousand insults, or to endure others doing so.

For if the father is truly wicked, how do you think him a credible minister of that divine ritual of those fearful things? If, however, he seems to you a credible minister of them, for what reason do you endure others speaking ill of him, and do not stop them, nor feel indignant, nor find it burdensome, so that you may receive a great reward from God, and praise from those very ones who are accusing him? For even if they be abusive a thousand times, they will certainly praise you and commend you for your care for the fathers; just as, if we do not do this, everyone will condemn us, even those who speak ill. And this is not the only terrible thing, but also that we shall give the ultimate judgment there. For nothing so consumes the Churches as this disease; and just as a body not joined together with precision by the binding of the nerves produces many an illness and makes life unlivable, so also the Church, not encompassed by the strong and unbreakable chain of love, produces a thousand wars, increases the wrath of God, and becomes the cause of many temptations.

That these things may not occur, then, neither let us provoke God, nor increase our own evils, nor prepare for ourselves an unavoidable punishment, nor fill our life with much displeasure; but transferring our tongue toward praise, let us examine our own life every day, and leaving the judgment of others to Him who knows the mysteries with precision, let us judge our own sins. For in this way we shall also be able to escape the fire of Gehenna. For just as those who busy themselves with the evils of others do not take account of their own, so those who fear to pry into another's life will take great care of their own transgressions; and those who reflect upon their own evils, and judge these every day, and demand justice of themselves, will have a mild judge then. And Paul, declaring this, said, "For if we were judging ourselves, we would not be judged by the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:31). That we may therefore escape that sentence, leaving all other things aside, let us take care of our own life, and let us chastise the mind that persuades us to sin, and let us pierce the conscience, and demand an account of ourselves for the things we have done. For in this way we shall be able to make the burden of sins light, to enjoy much forgiveness, to spend the present life with pleasure, and to lay hold of the future.

to obtain good things, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

ON THE THREE FOLLOWING HOMILIES

In the third title of the Morellian Edition, it is read in Greek and Latin: *The Praise of Maximus, and what kind of wives should be taken.* Sigismund Gelenius, the interpreter, reads it in the same way. But in the Savilian edition, and in two manuscripts which we have used, this, *The Praise of Maximus*, is missing. Yet I do not think this addition should be spurned; for the title does not appear to have been added here by guessing, but he who added the title wrote it being acquainted with the matter, or perhaps Chrysostom himself concocted the title thus at the beginning. ^A Herman suggests that this Maximus was the Bishop of Seleucia in Isauria, who Chrysostom heard preaching in the aforementioned place in a previous assembly: it is not unlikely that this is true. Furthermore, for what he says at the beginning, "For while I am dragging the yoke," that is, *Me in trahendo jugo compar*, having recently broken the furrow, he scattered on the tongue, even the seeds—from these, I say, he argues that Chrysostom was at that time the Bishop of Constantinople. For while he was presiding at Constantinople, other bishops of diverse cities preached in this royal city with the same man assenting, which Severianus, Bishop of Gabala, did more than once, as is narrated at length in the *Life of Chrysostom*.

The Latin interpretation of the first homily is by Fronto Ducaeus; the second is by an unknown author, the third by Sigismund Gelenius. We have emended the latter two in many places.

ON THE APOSTOLIC SAYING

^A 1. I wish to lead you today to the fountains of honey, to honey which never causes satiety. For such is the nature of the words of Paul, and all who fill their own hearts with them from these fountains, speak by the Holy Spirit; nay, the sweetness of the sacred oracles surpasses the virtue even of honey. And the Prophet, to indicate this, said: *How sweet are thy words to my throat, more than honey to my mouth!* (Ps. CXVIII, 103). And the pleasure of the sacred oracles is not only sweeter than honey, but also more precious than gold and any stone, and purer than silver. For the words of the Lord are chaste words, silver tried by fire, proved on the earth, purified sevenfold (Ps. XI, 7). Therefore, a certain wise man also said: *To eat much honey is not good; but one must honor glorious words* (Prov. XXV, 27). For from that honey, indeed, a sickness we do not have is often born; ^B but from these words, we can put aside the bodily sickness which we possess; and while honey is corrupted in the process of digestion, the sacred oracles, when they have been digested, become both more pleasant and more useful, both to those who possess them and to many others. And indeed, while someone partakes lavishly of a table subject to the senses, if he then belches after being sated, he becomes unpleasant to him who provided the feast; but if, filled with spiritual doctrine, he emits [it], he diffuses a very sweet odor to his neighbor. David, certainly, when he filled himself frequently with these feasts, said: *My heart has poured forth a good word* (Ps. XLIV, 2). For we can also belch a bad word. And just as at this sensory table we see the quality of what is belched forth appear according to the condition of the food; so, truly, in the power of words, of such things as they feed upon, such do most men...