A SERMON ON ALMSGIVING
A [1. The occasion for holding this homily.] I have risen today to undertake a certain just, useful, and appropriate embassy to you; not on behalf of any other, but because the poor who dwell in our city have elected me to this—not by ballots or decrees or the common resolution of a council, but by the sight of their pitiable and most bitter condition. For as I was passing through the marketplace and the alleys, hastening to your assembly, and then saw many cast down in the middle of the lanes, some with their hands cut off, others their eyes, others filled with incurable sores and wounds—and these exhibiting precisely those parts which it was necessary to cover on account of the putrefaction that had set in upon them—I considered it the ultimate inhumanity not to discourse on these matters to your charity, especially when the aforementioned things and the season itself urge us to this. For it is indeed necessary to make speeches about almsgiving, since we ourselves stand in much need of this from the Master who made us; but most especially at the present time, when the cold is severe.
For in summer, the poor have much comfort from the season; for it is safe to walk naked, the rays of the sun sufficing them instead of clothing, it is safe to sleep simply upon the ground and spend the night in the open air; and there is no such great need of footwear for them, nor of wine-drinking, nor of more abundant food, but they are satisfied with fountains of water, and some are satisfied with the more common vegetables, others with a small amount of dry seeds, the season of the year providing the table sketched out for them. And they have another comfort no less than this: the ease of labor; for those building houses, and those digging the earth, and those sailing the sea, have the greatest need of their cooperation. And what fields and houses and other revenues are to the wealthy, this their body is for them, and all their revenue is from B their hands, and from nowhere else. For this reason, in summer they enjoy a certain comfort; but in the winter season, the war is great for them from every direction, and the siege is twofold: famine consuming their inward parts, and the cold freezing their flesh on the outside and rendering it as if dead. Therefore, they need more food, and stronger clothing, and shelter, and a mat, and footwear, and many other things. And what is most difficult of all, there is no opportunity for work for them; for the season of the year does not permit it.
Since, then, they have a greater need of necessities, and have been deprived of the ability to work along with this, with no one hiring the wretched nor calling them to service, come, let us introduce the hands of the merciful in place of those who hire them, taking as a partner for this embassy Paul, the true protector and guardian of those living in poverty. For he takes great care of this matter, and such as no one else does. For this reason, dividing the disciples with Peter, he did not divide the protection of the poor; but having said, *They gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision* (Gal. 2:9), he added, *Only that we should remember the poor; which same thing I was also eager to do* (Ibid. v. 10). And indeed, everywhere in his Epistles he brings in the discussion concerning these, and it is impossible to find any epistle that is outside this exhortation. For he knows just how great is the power of the matter; for this reason, just as if putting a marvelous roof upon the rest of his exhortations and counsels, he introduces the teaching concerning these. Which is just what he did here: having discoursed about the resurrection, and corrected all other things, he concluded with the speech concerning almsgiving, saying thus: *Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have directed the Churches of Galatia, so do you also: on one of the sabbaths let each of you* (1 Cor. 16:1–2). See the apostolic wisdom, how opportunely he touched on this exhortation. For after he had reminded them of the future judgment, and that fearful seat, and the glory which those who had succeeded in their duties were about to be clothed in, and the immortal dwelling; then finally he casts in the discourse concerning these things, so that the listener, having recovered his breath with good hopes and having become more at ease, might receive him with greater readiness, having a fear of the judgment that is still flourishing, and a soul emboldened by the expectations of the stored-up goods. For one who is capable of philosophizing about the resurrection, and has transferred himself entirely toward the life there, will deem the present things to be nothing—neither wealth, nor ease, nor gold, nor silver, nor the wearing of garments, nor luxury, nor expensive tables, nor anything else of this sort. And he who considers these to be nothing will more easily hold fast to the protection of the poor.
And for this reason, Paul also, having well prepared their mind with the philosophy concerning the resurrection, then introduced the exhortation. And he did not say, "Now concerning the collection for the beggars," nor, "for the poor," but "for the C saints"; training the listeners both to wonder at those who are in poverty, when they are pious, and to disdain those in wealth, when they disregard virtue. For he knows how to call even a king profane and lawless when he is an enemy to God, and poor men saints when they are upright and moderate. He even calls Nero the mystery of lawlessness, saying: *For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work* (2 Thess. 2:7); but these men, not even having a sufficiency of necessary food, but being fed from begging, he has named saints. At the same time, he was secretly teaching those others not to think highly of themselves, nor to be puffed up by the giving of the command, as if it were for some common and easily D
A performed deed, but to know clearly and convince themselves that it is a very great honor to share in the suffering of those others.
B Let us also examine the following: who are these saints? For he does not mention them here alone, but also elsewhere when he says: "But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints" (Rom. 15:25). And Luke in the Acts, when a great famine was looming, mentions these same saints in this way: "The disciples, according to their means, determined each of them to send to the relief of the brothers who lived in Judea" (Acts 11:29). And again, as I was saying before, he says: "Only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I was eager to do" (Gal. 2:10). But after we made such a division among ourselves, that the Gentiles were to fall to me and the Jews to Peter, we determined by common consent, he says, that this division should not extend to the poor. For when they were preaching, the one to the Jews, the other to the Gentiles, they were preaching; but when they were acting as patrons for the poor, the situation was not so arranged that one was responsible for the poor of the Jews and the other for the poor of the Gentiles; rather, both held great solicitude for the poor of the Jews. That is why he said: "Only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I was eager to do." Who then are those of whom he speaks here, and in the Epistle to the Romans, and in the Epistle to the Galatians, for whom he also urges the Macedonians? The poor of the Jews who dwelt in Jerusalem. And why does he have such great care for them? Were there not poor and beggars in each city? Why does he send for them, and ask all for their sake? Not without reason, certainly, nor rashly, nor out of favoritism; but usefully and conveniently. But it is necessary to repeat the matter from a little higher up. Since the affairs of the Jews had collapsed, and when they crucified Jesus, they had validated against themselves that voice, "We have no king but Caesar" (John 19:15), and were finally subject to the Roman Empire, they were neither of their own law, as before, nor entirely servants, as they are now, but they were established in the order of subjects, paying tribute to the emperors, and receiving their governors from them: for the most part they even used their own laws, and those who committed offenses among them they punished according to the customs of their fathers. That they paid tribute to the Romans is clear from this, that when they were testing Jesus they asked, "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" (Matt. 22:17); but he, having ordered them to show the coin, said: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Ib. v. 21); and Luke says that they had soldiers and tribunes in the temple (Luke 22:52). These are not minor arguments that the Jews were subject to the Romans: that they used their own laws is clear from this, that they stoned Stephen when he was not brought to a tribunal, that they killed James the brother of the Lord, that they crucified Christ himself, even though the judge granted that he might depart free from every charge. Wherefore he washed his hands, saying: "I am innocent of this blood" (Matt. 27:24). And because he saw them C extremely insistent, he himself did not pass the judgment, but departed; but they, using their own tyranny, performed everything afterwards. They also often assailed Paul.
Because, therefore, they used their own tribunal, it happened that the fellow-tribesmen who believed suffered harsher things than all others. In other cities there were both tribunals and laws and magistrates; but it was not permitted for the Gentiles to kill or bury under stones any of their own who defected, by their own decision, or to inflict any evil upon them; or if anyone was caught having done such a thing outside the judgment of the judges, he was punished; but to the Jews great power was granted in this matter. Wherefore, those among them who believed suffered more severely than all others, as if they were intercepted in the midst of wolves, with no one to rescue them. Thus, certainly, they often scourged Paul: hear how he declares it himself: "Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned" (2 Cor. 11:24-25). And that these things were not said by conjecture, Paul himself declares while writing to the Hebrews: "But recall the former days in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly, by being exposed as a spectacle in reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming partners of those who were so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you accepted the plundering of your property with joy, knowing that you yourselves have a better and an abiding possession in heaven" (Heb. 10:32-34). And therefore he brought them into the middle: "For you, brothers, became imitators of the Churches of God which are in Judea: for you suffered the same things from your own fellow-tribesmen as they did from the Jews" (1 Thess. 2:14). Because, therefore, they suffered more severely than all others, and not only was there no mercy dealt with them, but even all their things were plundered and carried off, and they were driven out on all sides, rightly does he stir up everyone to take up their patronage. And again he urges the Corinthians for their sake with these words: "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do" (1 Cor. 16:1).
That he takes greater care of them has already been sufficiently demonstrated; it remains that we ask also why he mentioned the Galatians. And why did he not say: "Now concerning the collection for the saints do this: let each of you lay aside at home, treasuring up," but after he had said, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do"? Why does he do this, and mention not one or two or three cities, but a whole nation? That they might undertake greater zeal, and that the praises of others might be an occasion of greater emulation for them. Then he declares the manner in which he commanded: "On the first day of the week, he says, each of you lay aside at home, storing up whatever he may have been pleased with, that when I come, the collections may not be made" (1 Cor. 16:2). He called the first day of the week the Lord's Day. And why does he appoint such a day for the offering? Why did he not say, the second day of the week or the third day of the week, or on the Sabbaths themselves? Not rashly, for certain, nor without cause; but because he wished to be helped by the timeliness of the day, so that greater zeal might come to those offering.
And is there no small appropriateness of time in all things? And what, you say, does the time have that is appropriate for persuading one to give alms? On this day, the abstaining from all labor, the becoming more cheerful in soul from the rest, and, greatest of all, the fact that we have enjoyed countless blessings on this very day. For on this day death was destroyed, the curse extinguished, sin vanished, the gates of Hades broken, the devil became a prisoner, the long-standing war was abolished, and reconciliations of God toward men were made; and our race returned to its former, or rather to a far greater, nobility; and the sun beheld that wondrous and paradoxical spectacle: man become immortal. A Wishing to remind us of all these things, and of such things as these, he brought the day into the middle, taking it almost as an advocate, and saying to each one: Consider how many and how great goods you have enjoyed on this day, O man; of how many evils you have been relieved; who you were before, who you became after these things. And if many even of the servants celebrate with great honor their own birthdays, and those in which they were set free, B and some provide banquets, while others are set free and given gifts, honoring the time greatly: much more is it right for us to honor this day, which one would not err in calling the birthday of the entire human race. For we were lost, and we were found; dead, and we have come to life again; enemies, and we have been reconciled. For this reason it is also fitting to honor it with a spiritual honor, not by making banquets, not by pouring out wine, not by getting drunk and dancing, but by setting the poorer of our brothers in great abundance. I say these things, not that you may praise them, but that you may also imitate them. C For do not think that these things were said only to the Corinthians, but also to each one of us, and to all who will be after us; and let us do this very thing which Paul commanded: and let each one on the Lord’s day put aside money at home; and let the matter be a law and an immovable custom, and we shall no longer be in need of exhortation or advice; for speech and exhortation do not have such power to accomplish such things as a custom confirmed by time. If we ratify this, to put aside something on the Lord's day for the relief of the poor, not even if ten thousand necessities should arise, shall we transgress this law.
But having said, *On the first day of the week*, he added, *Each one of you*. I do not say to the rich alone, he says, but also to the poor; D not only to the free, but also to the slaves; not only to men, but also to women. Let no one be exempt from this ministry, nor without a share in the profit, but let each bring in. For poverty would not be an impediment to such an offering. For even if you are ten thousand times poor, you are not poorer than that widow who emptied her whole substance (Luke 21:2–4). Even if you are ten thousand times a beggar, you are not poorer than the Sidonian woman, who had only a handful of flour, nor even so was she straitened in the reception of the prophet; but seeing also a choir of children standing around, and hunger pressing upon her, and nothing else laid away, with great eagerness she received the prophet (3 Kings 17:10 ff.).
And for what reason did he say, *that he may treasure up by himself*? Since he who was putting it aside was perhaps ashamed and blushed to show a little. For this reason he says, Do you keep it and guard it, and when, by the contributions made part by part, the little becomes much, then bring it into the middle. And he did not say, collecting, but, *treasuring up*, so that you may learn that this expenditure is a treasure, that this giving is a revenue; a treasure better than every treasure. For this one, the perceptible, is both plotted against and diminished, and often has ruined those who found it; but the one in the heavens is the complete opposite: it is unconsumable and immune to being plotted against, a salvation to those who possess it; it is not consumed by time, it is not snatched away by envy, but is invulnerable to all such plots, and brings ten thousand goods to those who possess it.
4. Let us be persuaded, therefore, and let us do so ourselves; and let holy money be stored up together with private money in our houses, so that the private money also may be guarded through these. For just as in royal treasuries, if the money of any of those under rule is found stored, even those [private funds] enjoy much security on account of these; so also in your house, if you deposit the money of the poor and collect it on the Lord’s day, this will be a security for those other funds. Thus you also shall become a steward of your own money, having been ordained by Paul. What am I saying? Even the money already collected will become for you a subject and a greater occasion for collecting more things. For if you only make a beginning of this good custom, you will be able to rise up again by yourself, with no token being required. Therefore, let the house of each one become a church in this way, with sacred moneys stored inside. For indeed the treasury boxes lying here are a symbol of these. Where the money of the poor is laid, the place is inaccessible to demons; and more than a shield, and a spear, and arms, and physical strength, and a multitude of soldiers, the money collected for almsgiving fortifies houses.
Having said, therefore, when, and from whom, and how such money should be collected, he then left the quantity to those who bring it themselves. For he did not say that you should bring so much and so much, so that the command might not become heavy, as many bring forward their poverty; so that the poor may not say, What then, if we cannot? But he defined the measure of the contribution by the power of those who bring it. *Each one of you*, he says, *let him treasure up by himself, whatever he may prosper in*. And he did not say, whatever he might be able, whatever might be found, but *Whatever he may prosper in*; showing that he will also have grace from above and favor cooperating with him. For Paul was not concerned only with this, that money should be brought to the poor, but also that [it should be done] with great eagerness. For God also determined almsgiving for this reason, not that those in need might merely be fed, but that those who provide might also be benefited, and because of these even more than because of those. For if he were concerned only with those, he would have commanded that the money be given, he would not have sought the eagerness of those who give; but now you see the Apostle ordering this especially clearly, that it is how they might provide joyfully, how they might be cheerful, not from necessity; *for God loves a cheerful giver* (2 Cor. 9:7). And sometimes he says: *Not out of sorrow or out of necessity*; but not simply a giver, but one who does this with pleasure. And again elsewhere: *He who gives, in simplicity; he who manages, in diligence; he who shows mercy, in cheerfulness* (Rom. 12:8). This is true almsgiving, if you give in such a way that you rejoice, and…
987 A (Rom. 12:8). For this is almsgiving: if you give in such a way that you rejoice, and think that you receive rather than give. And for this reason, he tries in every way to make the commandment easy, so that the offering may be made with alacrity. And observe with how many heads he strives to remove the weight of the precept. First, he commands not one, or two, or three to offer, but the whole city. For a collection is nothing else than a contribution and B a symbol offered by all. Second, he looks to the dignity of the recipients; for he did not say, "the poor," but "the saints." Third, he brings forward the example of others who had done something similar: *As I have ordered*, he says, *to the Churches of Galatia*. In addition to these, he adds the convenience of the time: *On the first day of the week*, he says, *let each one of you lay aside at home, storing up*. Fifth, he does not command the entire alms to be brought in at once, but bit by bit and gradually. For it is not the same thing to command all to be brought in on one day, or to distribute it little by little over a long time; for in this way the expense is not even felt. Sixth, he does not prescribe a measure, but leaves it to the judgment of the givers, and declares it to be that which is given by God; for when he says, *As it shall prosper him*, he indicates both. He adds a seventh way also, saying, *That when I come, the collections may not be made then*. For at once he both stirs them up, awaiting his arrival, and consoles them, signifying a certain day of his arrival. Nor content with these, he adds an eighth. What is that? *But when I am present*, he says, *whomever you shall approve by letters, them will I send to carry your grace. But if it be worthy that I also go, they shall go with me* (1 Cor. 16:3–4). See how alien to pride and how modest that blessed and generous soul is; see how solicitous, how full of love. For he did not wish, nor did he allow, that those who were to administer the money should be appointed by his own judgment, but he left the election of them to themselves, nor did he consider it a place of insult if they were appointed by the calculation and opinion C of the Corinthians, and not of Paul; on the contrary, he thought it would be absurd if the offering were theirs, but the choice of the ministers were his. And so he entrusted that to them, displaying his own modesty at the same time, and removing every handle and shadow of adverse suspicion. For although he was brighter than the sun and alien to every evil suspicion, yet he took care out of abundance to accommodate himself to the weaker, and to escape false suspicions. Therefore he says: *But when I am present, whomever you shall approve, them will I send to carry your grace*. What do you say? You do not sail, nor do you receive the money, but you entrust the matter to others? That they might not, therefore, thinking such things, become sluggish, see how he again guards against this. For he did not simply say, "Whom you shall approve, I will send," but what? *By letters*. Even if I am not to be present in body, yet by my letters I shall be present, and a participant in their ministry. Are we worthy, when he, shining with such great glory before all, rejects the honors of all, while we fret and take it badly if the prompt givers of such money are not created by our opinion and calculation, and think that an insult is being offered to us when some people spend their own money without consulting us? See also by what reason he makes mention of himself everywhere, nor does he forget anywhere: for he does not call it here a commandment, nor an alms, but "Grace"; showing that, just as it is the work of grace to raise the dead, to drive out demons, and to cleanse lepers, so also to help the poor is a work D of grace—or rather, this more than that; and although it is a grace, yet we have need of zeal and alacrity in order to choose and to will, and to make ourselves worthy of grace. He brought this, therefore, for consolation, that he would send his letters with them; but he added something greater, that he promised he would be a companion of their journey: *But if it be worthy*, he says, *that I also go, they shall go with me* (1 Cor. 16:3–4). Here I would have you observe his prudence. For he neither denied that he would go with them, nor did he promise it absolutely; but he left even that to the judgment of the Corinthians, and made them the masters of his own departure; indicating, if the gift were so great, he could be stirred to undertake the journey. When he says, *If it be worthy*, he hints at that. For if he had entirely denied that journey, he would have made them the more sluggish and idle; if he had promised it without doubt, he would have made them more negligent. Therefore he neither refuses entirely, nor does he promise; but he leaves that to the judgment of the Corinthians, saying, *If it be worthy*. For hearing that Paul himself would carry the offering, they were carried to that matter with greater zeal and alacrity, because those holy hands were to handle the gifts, and his prayers were to be added to this sacrifice. Furthermore, if the Corinthians did it with greater alacrity to turn over the gifts to Paul, to the Master of Paul you are about to give (for He receives through the poor), what excuse will you have? For unless it had been a great offering and worthy of much care, he to whom the whole orb of the earth was entrusted, and who had the care of all the Churches under the sun, would not have promised that he would administer the money. These things, therefore, weighing in your mind, whether it is to be given, or whether we are to minister to others giving, let us not be sluggish, nor sad because our wealth is diminished. For how would it not be absurd, while the farmer, casting seed and pouring out his goods, is not saddened, nor grieved, nor does he hold it as an expenditure, but thinks it rather a profit and a gain, although the hope is uncertain: that you, who are not sowing for equal things, but for much greater, and who are about to throw your silver into the very hands of Christ, should shrink, grow sluggish, and pretend poverty? Could not God have commanded the earth to bring forth pure gold? For He who said, *Let the earth sprout with the herb of hay* (Gen. 1:11), and presently showed it blooming, could without doubt have commanded that fountains and rivers continually pour forth gold. But He did not wish this, but left many in poverty, both for their own sake and for your usefulness. For poverty is more convenient for virtue than riches, and for those who are in sins, no small consolation arises from help provided to the needy. And so great is the care of this matter with God, that when He had arrived and, clothed in flesh, conversed with men, He did not refuse, nor hold it as a place of ignominy, that He Himself dispensed what concerned the poor. Although He had indeed made so many loaves, and performed whatever He willed by His command, although He could have shown six hundred treasuries at once, He did not wish it, however; but [alt-version omitted]
He ordered the disciples to have a money-box, and to carry what was deposited, and to provide from there for those in need. When, therefore, He discoursed enigmatically to Judas concerning the betrayal, A the disciples, not understanding what was said, thought, he says, that He had told him to give something to the poor. For, he says, he himself had the money-box and carried what was deposited. For God has great concern for mercy, not only that which comes from Him to us, but also that which ought to occur from us to our fellow servants; and in both the Old and New Testaments He sets forth ten thousand laws concerning this, ordering us to be humane in all ways—both through speech, and wealth, and deeds. And Moses B scatters words about these matters up and down in all his legislation; and the prophets shout this from the person of God, that "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" (Osee 6:6); and all the apostles both do and say things in accordance with these. Let us not, therefore, neglect the matter; for we are not benefiting the poor so much as we are benefiting ourselves the most, and we receive greater things than we provide.
6. I do not say these things now simply, but because many people are often overly precise C with those in need, examining their native land, and way of life, and customs, and trade, and the health of their body, bringing accusations, and demanding ten thousand reckonings regarding their soundness. Because of this, many even feign bodily mutilations, so that they might bend our cruelty and inhumanity through this drama of misfortune. And that one should complain of these things while it is summer, though it is terrible, is not as terrible; but to become such a cruel and inhuman judge in frost and cold, and to grant no forgiveness to those who are idle, D would this not have some excess of cruelty? What, then, does Paul say, he asks, when he legislated to the Thessalonians, saying: "If any will not work, neither let him eat" (2 Thess. 3:10)? So that you also might hear these things, and that you might discourse upon the words of Paul not only to him, but also to yourself. For the laws of Paul are laid down not only for the poor, but also for us. Let me say something burdensome and heavy: I know that you will be angry; nevertheless, I will say it; for I do not say this to strike, but to correct. We accuse these men of idleness—a matter that is often deserving of forgiveness; but we ourselves often do such things as are more grievous than any idleness. "But I have an ancestral inheritance," he says. Since, therefore, this man is poor, and from the poor, and did not have wealthy ancestors, is he deserving to perish, tell me? For this very reason, more than any other, he would be worthy to be shown mercy and pitied by those who have means. For you, often spending the day in theaters, or in councils and assemblies that have no profit, and speaking ill of ten thousand people, you think you are doing nothing terrible, nor being idle; but this wretched and miserable man, spending the whole day in supplications, in tears, in ten thousand hardships, you judge, and drag him to court, and demand reckonings? And where is this of human wisdom, tell me? So that when you say, "What then shall we say to Paul?" speak these things while discoursing not to the poor, but to yourself. Otherwise, do not read the threat alone, but also the forgiveness; for he who said, "If any will not work, neither let him eat," added: "But you, brethren, do not grow weary in well-doing" (2 Thess. 3:13). But what is their fair-sounding excuse? "They are some runaways," he says, "and strangers, and scoundrels, and having left their own homelands, they flow into our city." For this reason, then, are you angry, tell me, and do you cut off the crown of the city, because everyone thinks it is a common harbor, and prefers it to the one that gave them birth? For this reason, indeed, one ought to rejoice and be glad, because they all run to your hands as if to a common marketplace, and think this city to be a common mother. Do not destroy the encomium, nor mutilate the praise that is her patron and ancient glory. For once, when a famine was about to fall upon the whole earth, those who dwelt in this city sent to those sitting in Jerusalem—to those very ones, indeed, about whom this entire argument of ours has been set in motion—no small amount of money through the hand of Barnabas and Saul (Acts 11:30). Of what forgiveness, then, would we be worthy, or what apology, when our ancestors are seen feeding even those sitting far away through their own money, and they themselves running to them; yet we drive away even those who have fled to us from elsewhere, and we demand precise reckonings, and this while knowing that we are responsible for ten thousand evils? And if God were to examine our situation as precisely as we examine that of the poor, we would obtain no forgiveness, nor any mercy: "For with what judgment you judge," He says, "you shall also be judged" (Matt. 7:2). Become, therefore, humane and gentle to your fellow servant, and forgive many things that have been sinned, and show mercy, so that you yourself may obtain a similar decision. Why are you weaving troubles for yourself? Why are you being over-curious? If God had ordered us to investigate lives, and to demand reckonings, and to be over-curious about customs, would not many have been annoyed? Would they not have said to themselves: "What is this? God has made the matter difficult for us; for are we able to examine the life of others? Do we know the things sinned by such-and-such a person?" Would not many have said many such things? But now, when He has freed us from all such over-curiosity, and has promised to give the reward fully completed, even if those receiving it are wicked or good, we draw troubles upon ourselves. And from where is this evident, he says, that giving to the good and to those not such will obtain for us the reward? From the things He Himself said: "Pray for those who mistreat and persecute you, that you may become like your Father who is in heaven, for He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:44-45). Just as, therefore, your Master, with ten thousand people blaspheming Him, ten thousand committing adultery, stealing, robbing, desecrating tombs, doing ten thousand evils, does not desist from His beneficence toward everyone, but sets forth for all a common ray of light, common rains, and the fruits of the earth, demonstrating His own humanity; so you also do, and when the time comes for mercy and humanity, correct the poverty, resolve the famine, take away the distress, and do not be over-curious about anything further. For if we are to investigate lives, we will never show mercy to any man; but being blocked by this untimely over-curiosity, we will remain unfruitful and destitute of all help, and we will undergo much labor in vain and to no purpose. Therefore, I entreat you to cast out this untimely curiosity, to give to all those in need, and to do this with much bounty, so that we ourselves, on that day, may obtain much of the
mercy and loving-kindness from God; may it befall us all to obtain this by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, authority, and honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
NOTICE CONCERNING THE THREE HOMILIES ON THAT SAYING OF THE APOSTLE
As to whether or not the three following homilies are by Chrysostom, some have dared to doubt, although the style, diction, and figures of speech of Chrysostom so clearly betray themselves that anyone who has even lightly touched upon the sermons of this doctor would immediately recognize the holy doctor himself speaking. The reasons for doubting, for a man otherwise learned and eloquent, were of this kind: namely, that this preacher in Homily I, no. 3, seems to favor the Semipelagians when he says, speaking of the beginning of faith: "For neither God nor the grace of the Spirit anticipates our resolve; but although He calls, He expects that we approach of our own accord and by our own will, and only then, when we have approached, does He extend to us His complete assistance." But it can be demonstrated, both from the words preceding and following these in this homily of Chrysostom, and also from other similar passages scattered throughout his various works, that although not a few things consonant with the above occur now and then in Chrysostom, he nevertheless truly held that the assistance of grace is necessary at the very beginning of faith. But because matters pertaining to grace had not yet been called into controversy nor circumscribed by certain limits of terminology, some similar things occur in Chrysostom as he speaks in passing; whence, if anyone should pass a judgment of spuriousness on this basis, he plainly proves himself a stranger to the writings of the holy doctor. But another place has been appointed for us to treat these matters more fully. The same person who brought forward the former reason offers another: at the beginning of the third homily, DE VERBIS APOSTOLI HABENTES AUTEM EUMDEM SPIRITUM fidei, sicut scriptum est (2 Cor. 4:13), also DE HIS VERBIS, CREDIDI, PROPTER QUOD LOCUTUS SUM (Ps. 115:10), ET DE ELEEMOSYNA.
ON THE APOSTOLIC SAYING
Which says, "Having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed, therefore I spoke,'" and concerning almsgiving.
The wisest of physicians, when they see a wound requiring the knife, apply the incision, yet they do not apply it without feeling, nor without sympathy, but they are pained and they rejoice no less than those who undergo the surgery: they are pained indeed because of the pain they inflict by cutting; they rejoice, however, because of the health which is thus obtained. This also Paul did, that wise physician of souls. For when he rebuked the Corinthians, who had need of a sharper chiding, he rejoiced and was saddened at the same time: he was saddened that he inflicted pain, he rejoiced that he was of benefit. And signifying both these things, he said: "For although I saddened you by the former letter, I do not repent, although I had repented"—for he had repented, because he had rebuked them too sharply; he does not repent, because he corrected the error. And so that you might know this is the reason, hear what follows: "For I see that that letter, although for a time, saddened you: now I rejoice, not because you were saddened, but because you were saddened unto repentance" (cf. 2 Cor. 7:8-9). Although for a time I saddened you, that annoyance was momentary, he says: but its utility is perpetual. Permit me now also to use these words before your love: wherefore
even if I have saddened you by my former instructions, I do not repent, and even if I were repenting, still I see that that instruction and advice, although it saddened you for a time, yet it gladdened me more greatly. Not that you were saddened, but that you were saddened to repentance. For behold, this very thing, that you were saddened according to God, what eagerness did it work in you? A More brilliant to us today is the gathering, more cheerful the theatre, more numerous the choir of the brethren. This eagerness is the fruit of that sadness. For this reason, as much as I was pained then, so much do I rejoice now, seeing our spiritual vine heavy with fruit. For if in the case of sensory foods the multitude of the guests brings a certain honor and joy to the host, how much more would this happen in the case of spiritual foods? Although there, the multitude of those invited consumes more of what is set before them and creates greater expense; but here, the opposite: not only does the multitude of the invited not consume, but it even multiplies the table; and if there the expenditure produces pleasure, much more will this produce revenue. For such is the nature of spiritual things: distributed among many, it increases all the more B. Since, therefore, our table is full, I expect also the grace of the Spirit to sound in our understanding. For when it sees many present, then it sets forth a more abundant feast; not because it despises the few, but because it desires the salvation of the many. For this reason also, when Paul was passing by other cities, Christ appeared and commanded him to remain in Corinth, saying: "Do not fear, but speak, and do not be silent, because I have much people in this city" (Act. 18:9-10). For if a shepherd goes over mountains and glens and pathless country for the sake of one sheep, when he is going to lead away many sheep from sloth and error, how much eagerness will he not display? For that He does not despise even the few, hear Him saying: "It is not the will of my Father that one of these little ones should perish" (Matt. 18:14). Neither, therefore, the fewness, he says, nor the insignificance persuades Him to overlook our salvation.
2. Since, therefore, His providence for the small and least is so great, and so great also for the many, casting our hope entirely upon the inclination from above, let us bring our speech to the saying of Paul that was read today. And what is the saying? "For we know that if our earthly house of this tent," he says, "is dissolved—" But rather let us go higher and to the very head of the meaning. For just as those who are tracking a spring, then seeing a damp area of land, do not dig only there, but guided by the very moisture and the vein itself, they go deeper until they come to the root and the source of the waters; so let us also do. Having found a spiritual spring issuing from the wisdom of Paul, like being guided by some vein of the saying, let us ascend to the very root of the meaning. What then is the head and the root? "Having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: I believed, C therefore I spoke; and we believe, therefore we also speak" (2 Cor. 4:13; Ps. 115:10). What are you saying? If you do not believe, do you not speak, but stand speechless? Yes, he says; I cannot move my mouth without faith, nor stir my tongue, nor open my lips; I stand speechless as a rational being without the instruction from that source. For just as, if a root is not planted, fruit would not blossom, so, if faith has not been laid down beforehand, a word of instruction would not come forth. For this reason also he says elsewhere: "With the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. 10:10). What could be better than this tree, or equal to it, when not only the branches, but the root itself bears fruit, the one righteousness, the others salvation? For this reason he says: "We believe, therefore we also speak." For just as for limbs that are trembling or relaxed by age, a staff provides safe guidance and does not allow one to stumble or fall, so faith, pulling our soul D—which is shaken and carried about by the weakness of our reasonings—more securely than a staff, and resting it upon the power of its own strength, supports it with precision, and does not allow it ever to be tripped up, correcting the weakness of the reasonings with the abundance of its own strength, driving away the darkness from it, and illuminating with its own light the soul, which sits in a dark house amid the tumult of reasonings. For this reason, those deprived of this are in no better condition than those living in darkness; but just as they both stumble against walls and are bruised by those they meet and are carried down into pits and precipices, and their eyes are of no benefit to them, there being no light to guide them; so also those deprived of faith are bruised against one another, and stumble against walls, and in the end, dragging themselves into the pit of destruction, they cast themselves down.
A And the faith which is present removes one from shipwreck, just as in a calm harbor it settles the ship, leading it into the certainty of conscience. Which Paul himself B indicating says: *For this cause God gave apostles for the perfecting of the saints, until we all meet in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, that we be no more children, tossed, and carried about with every wind* (Eph. iv, 11-14). You see the character of faith, which, like some most safe anchor, frees one from fluctuation; just as the same man writes again to the Hebrews, speaking of faith in this way: *Which we have as an anchor of the soul, safe and firm, and which entereth in even within the veil* (Heb. vi, 19). By saying *which entereth in*, he shows that there is a new kind of anchor, which does not depress, but lifts the mind on high, raised up as far as heaven, and led in as if by the hand within the veil; for he called heaven the veil in this place. Why, or for what reason? Because, just as the veil from the exterior part of the tabernacle separated the holy of holies, so this heaven, like a intervening veil placed before the creation, separates from the exterior tabernacle—that is, this world which we see—the holy of holies, namely those things which are above itself, where Christ has entered as a forerunner for us.
C He says, then, that faith lifts our soul on high, not allowing it to be oppressed by any present evils, but alleviating the labors by the hope of the future. For he who looks toward the future, hoping for heavenly things, and directing the eyes of the mind thither, does not even feel the trouble of present evils, just as Paul did not feel it, and taught the reason for this philosophy, saying: *For our momentary lightness of affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us an eternal weight of glory in an exceeding manner* (II Cor. iv, 17). How and by what reason? While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen (v. 18), namely with the eyes of faith. For just as the eyes of the body see nothing intelligible, so the eyes of faith see nothing sensible. D But of what faith does Paul speak here? For the word of faith has a twofold meaning. For that is called faith, through which the apostles were performing wonders, of which Christ was saying: *If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove, and it shall remove* (Matt. xvii, 19). And when the disciples were not able to deliver from the demon, and were inquiring the cause, he sub-indicated this to them, that their faith was lacking, saying, *Because of your unbelief* (Ibid.). And Paul was saying of the same: *If I have faith so that I could move mountains* (I Cor. xiii, 2). And Peter, when he was in danger of being submerged while walking on feet through the sea, heard the same rebuke from Christ: *O you of little faith, why did you doubt?* (Matt. xiv, 31). Therefore, that is called faith by which miracles and prodigies are performed; that also is called faith which leads us to the knowledge of God, because of which each of us is faithful: just as writing to the Romans he says: *I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ, that your faith is spoken of in the whole world* (Rom. i, 8). For throughout that region the word of the Lord sounded, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but even in every place your faith, which is toward God, has gone forth (I Thess. i, 8).
Why he calls the faith of knowledge the Spirit of faith; why faith needs the help of the Spirit.
What sort of faith, therefore, does he indicate in this place? Without doubt, the faith of knowledge; that which is clear from the things that follow. *We believe*, he says, *therefore we also speak*. What do we believe? That He who raised Christ will also raise us through His power (II Cor. iv, 14). But why does he call it the Spirit of faith, and number it in the order of gifts? For if faith is a gift, and a gift of the Spirit alone, not our merit, neither will the unbelievers be punished, nor shall the believers earn praises. For such A is the nature of gifts, they are not crowns, nor are they rewards. For a gift is not the merit of the receiver, but a bestowal of the giver's liberality. For this reason he even commanded the disciples not to rejoice over the fact that they were casting out demons, and cast out from the kingdom of heaven those who had prophesied in his name and had done many virtues: because they had no confidence from their own merits, but wished to be saved because of the gifts alone. But what we contributed from our own is nothing, but the whole is of the grace of the Spirit, and it itself spontaneously infused itself into our souls, and we are to receive no reward for it; how, therefore, does he say: *For with the heart we believe unto justice; but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation* (Rom. x, 10)? Because faith is also the merit of the virtue of him who has believed. By what manner, then, does he B sub-indicate [this] again elsewhere, saying, *But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice* (Ibid. iv, 5), if the whole is of the grace of the Spirit? Who, therefore, even redeemed the patriarch Abraham with very many crowns of praise, because, having despised present things, he believed in hope against hope? For what reason, therefore, does he call it the Spirit of faith? Wishing to show, namely, that to believe at the beginning, and to obey the caller, is of our good mind: but after the foundations of the faith have been laid, now there is need of the help of the Spirit, that it may remain in us eternally unshaken and inexpugnable. For neither God, nor the grace of the Spirit anticipates our purpose: but although He calls, yet He waits C for us to approach by our own spontaneous will, and only then when we have approached does He show us His full help. For because the devil, after we have come to faith, immediately creeps in wanting to pluck out this excellent root, and hastening to intersperse weeds, and to corrupt the genuine and pure seed, we then need the help of the Spirit, so that like a strenuous farmer he may sit upon our soul, and with much care and providence may fortify the newly planted faith on every side. Therefore, to the Thessalonians also he was writing, saying: *Do not extinguish the Spirit* (I Thess. v, 19): so that he may show that, with the grace of the Spirit approaching, we will be inexpugnable to the evil demon and all his snares. For if no one can say the Lord Jesus except in the Holy Spirit, much more will one not be able to have a safe and rooted faith except D in the Holy Spirit. But how are you able to combine virginity with kindness—
A and seek aid from the Spirit, and persuade him to wish to remain with us? Through good works and an excellent way of life. For just as the flame of a lamp is sustained by oil, and when this is consumed, that also is consumed and vanishes; so too the grace of the Spirit, when we have good works and much almsgiving poured out for the soul, remains like the flame sustained by oil; but when this is absent, it departs and withdraws. This is what happened with the five virgins. For even they, after many labors and toils, because they did not have the help that comes from philanthropy, were unable to retain the gift of the Spirit with themselves; and for this reason they were cast out of the bridal chamber, and heard that terrible voice: I do not know you (Matt. 25:12), which was even more grievous than Gehenna. For this reason he also called them foolish; and rightly so, because after they had overcome more tyrannical desires, they were captured by a weaker one. See, I pray: they overcame the violence of nature, they bridled maddened insanity, they calmed the waves of desire, they dwelt on earth while manifesting an angelic life, and while clothed in a body they vied with incorporeal powers; and after such labor, they did not control the desire for money—they were truly foolish and senseless. For this reason they were not even deemed worthy of forgiveness. It was solely a failure of negligence; for those who had been able to extinguish the furnace of desire in such a flame, and had leaped over the race-course, and had shown more than what was enjoined (for virginity is not a law, but is left to the choice of those who hear), then to be defeated by money—who would not be more pitiable than they, having cast the crown from their heads for the sake of a few pieces of silver? I say these things, not to loosen the hands of virgins, nor wishing to extinguish virginity, but so that they may not run to no purpose, so that after myriads of toils they may not depart from the race-course uncrowned and filled with shame. Virginity is good, and the accomplishment is above nature; but this good and great thing, which is above nature, if it does not have philanthropy yoked to it, will not even be able to set foot on the thresholds of the bridal chamber. And mark for me the strength of philanthropy, and the power of almsgiving. Virginity without almsgiving could not lead even to the thresholds of the bridal chamber; but almsgiving without virginity has escorted its own foster-children with many praises into the kingdom prepared before the foundation of the world. For they, because they did not show abundant almsgiving, heard: I do not know you; but those who have given drink to the thirsty and fed the hungry Christ, although they did not put forward virginity, heard: Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Ibid., v. 34). And very rightly: for the one who remains a virgin and fasts is useful to himself; but the one who shows mercy is a common harbor for those who are shipwrecked, correcting the poverty of neighbors, and dissolving the necessities of others. And among good deeds, those are accustomed to be most approved which happen to be to the advantage of others. B
7. And that you may learn that these commandments are more pursued by God than the others: while discoursing about fasting and virginity, he mentions the kingdom of heaven; but when legislating about almsgiving, philanthropy, and making yourselves merciful, he has set a reward much greater than the kingdom of the heavens: That you may become like your Father who is in the heavens, he says. For those laws most of all make men like God—as it is fitting for men to become like God—which result in the common good. And declaring this very thing, Christ said: That he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and rains on the just and the unjust. So also you, having exhausted your power for the common good of your brothers, imitate him who sets his good things before all alike. Great is the dignity of virginity, and for this reason I wish it to be more firmly established. For the dignity of virginity is not just to abstain from marriages, but to be philanthropic, brotherly, and sympathetic. For what is the profit of virginity with cruelty? What is the gain of self-control with inhumanity? You were not overcome by the desire for the beauty of bodies, but you were overcome by the desire for money; you did not admire the beauty of gold; you overcame the greater antagonist, but the lesser and weaker one controlled you and prevailed. For this reason, it made your defeat more shameful; for this reason you did not obtain forgiveness, since after overcoming such violence, and having stripped yourself against nature itself, you were captured by avarice, which servants and barbarians have often been able to overcome without toil.
8. Knowing all these things, beloved, both those who occupy themselves with marriages and those who practice virginity, let us show great zeal regarding almsgiving, since there is no other way to attain the kingdom of heaven. For if virginity without almsgiving could not lead into the kingdom, what other good deed will be able to do this, or will be able to without it? There is none. With all soul and strength, therefore, let us pour oil into the lamps, and let it be abundant and continuous, so that the light may remain bright and rich. For do not look at the poor man who is receiving, but at God who is paying back; not at the one receiving the silver, but at the one who becomes liable for the debt. For on this account one receives and another pays back, so that the poverty and calamity of the one receiving may incline toward mercy and sympathy; C and D the wealth of him who is to pay back, guaranteeing the deposit, and the repayment following with much addition, may make one confident about the loan and the interest, and call forth almsgiving with greater abundance. For who, tell me, being about to receive a hundredfold, and being confident in every way about the repayment, would not give up everything? Let us not, therefore, spare our money, or rather let us spare our money; for he who spares his possessions deposits them into the hands of the poor, into the inviolable treasure-house, which is unassailable to robbers, servants, malicious sycophants, and all assaults. If, even hearing these things, you hesitate to give up any of your possessions, and neither the hope of receiving a hundredfold, nor the calamity of the poor man, nor anything else can incline you, then reflect on your transgressions and enter into the conscience of your sins; examine your whole life; understand your failings.
And even if you are the most inhuman of all men, surely being compelled by fear of your sins at all times, and hoping for the remission [of these] through almsgiving, you would expend your very body, not to mention your money. For if we are injured, and wishing to repel bodily diseases, we spare no resources, even if it be necessary to sell one's very clothing, so that we may be freed from that infirmity: how much more shall we, intending to heal the infirmity of the soul and the most grievous wounds of our sins through almsgiving, perform this with the greatest alacrity? B And yet, when you are ill, you are not immediately freed from the disease by the counting out of money, but often there is need of surgery, and cauterization, and bitter drugs, and hunger, and cold, and other more grievous mandates: here, however, it is not so, but it is enough to place money into the hands of the poor, and you are immediately cleansed of all your sins, without any pain or labor. For the Physician who heals the soul has no need of art, nor of the instruments of art, nor of iron or fire: but the mere wish alone suffices, and at once all sins are taken away from the soul and vanish.
B Do you not see those monks who embrace the solitary life, and withdraw to the mountain peaks, what a hard way of life they endure? For they lay down on ashes, and wear sackcloth, and weigh down their whole body with iron chains, and shutting themselves within a cell, they struggle perpetually with hunger, living in lamentation and intolerable vigils, so that they may wash away a small portion of their sins: but you, though without all that hard living, may enter upon this easy and ready way of piety. For what labor is it, I ask, to enjoy what is present, and to spend what is superfluous upon the needy? For even if no reward were proposed, and even if no such ample retribution were set, would not the very nature of the thing be able to persuade even the most inhuman to use what they have left over for the consolation of the needy? Now, since such a quantity of crowns, such a quantity of retributions, such a great oblivion of sins is prepared through almsgiving, what excuse, I ask, have those who spare their money, and sink their soul into the depths of sins? For even if nothing else moves and excites you to show compassion and to give alms, at least reflect how uncertain the end of life is, and consider that even if you do not give to the poor, yet when death comes, whether you will it or not, you will yield your possessions to others. Therefore, dispense your riches, and while you may, be humane. For it would be of extreme madness not to be willing to share voluntarily with the needy those things which you will yield to others even against your will, and that when such great goods are to come to you from this kindness. "That your plenty," he says, "may supply their want": you receive what you give. You give visible things, you receive invisible and spiritual things; you give money, you receive remission of sins; you free the poor man from hunger, he frees you from divine wrath. This is a kind of retribution and commerce, which has a greater and more useful return than the expense. For the expense is of money: indeed, the return brings not only money, but also the remission of sins, and at the same time confidence before God, and the kingdom of heaven, and those goods which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have ascended into the heart of man (1 Cor. 2:9). C Is it not, therefore, absurd that merchants spare nothing for their business, and that when they are accustomed to exchange not some unique things, but things almost equal for equal: yet we, when it is permitted to exchange not corruptible and momentary things, but incorruptible and everlasting ones for our corruptible and momentary ones, do not apply the same diligence as they?
Faith requires the help of the Spirit. Unbelief arises from the depravity of morals.
C Not so, brothers, let us not take such ill counsel for our salvation, but moved by the example of the virgins, and of those who are led into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels, because they did not feed, nor give drink to Christ, let us retain the fire of the Holy Spirit through large kindness and profuse almsgiving, lest we make shipwreck regarding the faith. For faith has need of the help of the Spirit and of perseverance, so that it may remain unshaken: but the help of the Spirit is wont to be retained among us by purity of life and by approved morals. Wherefore, if we desire to have faith rooted, we have need of a pure way of life, which retains the Spirit, upon whom the whole strength of faith is agreed to depend. For it is impossible, indeed impossible, if you have an impure life, not to falter in faith.
D Those who are held by [the doctrine of] fate, and who do not believe in the resurrection by the word, cast themselves down into this abyss of unbelief because of an evil conscience and depraved morals. And just as those laboring with fever, while they wish to drive away the heat, often throw themselves into cold water, and with the evil mitigated for a little while, kindle for themselves a more grievous burning: so they who are oppressed by an evil conscience, and seek some consolation, yet do not wish to wash away their sins through repentance, flee to the tyranny of fate and to the denial of the resurrection: and in this way, while they console themselves for a little while in this life with cold reasonings, they kindle for themselves a greater flame of hell; since, having become more slothful here, after they reach there, they will see that every man pays the due punishments for his own sins. And so that you may know this to be true, namely that evil works vehemently hinder the strength of faith, hear what Paul says writing to Timothy: "That you may wage," he says, "a good warfare, having faith and a good conscience (now a good conscience is wont to come about from life and good works): which some," he says, "rejecting, have made shipwreck concerning the faith" (1 Tim 1:18-19). Again elsewhere: "The root of all evils is avarice, through the desire of which some have strayed from the faith" (Ibid. 6:10). Do you see that both they made shipwreck for that reason, and these strayed for this very cause: because those rejected a good conscience, but these clung to avarice? Thinking on all these things, let us have great concern for living as well as possible, so that a double reward may fall to us, one from the retribution of works, the other from the strength of faith. For as it stands in relation to the heart, it is right...
that the body of Scripture should not be wasted without the nourishment of good works; for faith without works is dead. A One thing remains to be said: what is it, "The Same"? For he did not say simply, "Having the Spirit of faith," but what? "Having the same Spirit of faith." And I indeed wished to pursue this also in my discourse; but because I see many rivers of thoughts flowing out from this brief phrase, I fear that by the multitude of things about to be spoken, I might overwhelm all that has been said, and render the instruction useless to you by harming it with immoderation. Therefore, halting the discourse here, I pray and beseech you to keep with accuracy the things that have been said—as much as you have heard concerning conduct, and faith, and virginity, and philanthropy, and almsgiving—and holding these securely, to come together for the hearing of what is to follow. For thus our building of the things said will be firm and unshakeable, when, the former things being well-founded in your minds, we cast the second upon them. But may God, who gave to us both to speak these things and you to hear with eagerness, deign to show forth the fruit through works, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
On the same words of the Apostle, "Having the same spirit of faith," as it is written (2 Cor. 4:13); and against the Manichaeans, and all who slander the Old Testament and attempt to separate it from the New, and concerning almsgiving.
1. B Being mindful of the things promised. I owe you a debt of apostolic exposition from long ago; but you perhaps have forgotten this debt because of the time, and I have not forgotten it because of the longing I have for you. For such is love: it is an unsleeping thing, and full of care; and those who love do not only carry the beloved in their minds, but they also have a more accurate memory of whatever they promised them than those who are to receive it. Just so, a very loving mother, having kept the remnants of the table for her children, even if *they* happen to forget, she at least will not forget, but with all diligence she preserves them and brings them into the midst and feeds those who are hungry. If mothers are so very loving towards their offspring, much more ought we to show greater diligence and care concerning your love, by as much as the pangs of the Spirit are stronger than those of nature. What then was the table, the remnants of which we kept for you? It was an apostolic phrase, which at that time provided us with much spiritual nourishment, of which we placed a part in your minds, and a part we postponed to the present day, so as not to overwhelm the power of your memory with the multitude of things spoken. What then is the phrase? "Having the same Spirit of faith, according to what is written: I believed, therefore I spoke; and we believe, therefore we speak." Concerning what faith it is spoken—whether that which produces signs, about which Christ says, "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move,' and it shall move"; or that which implants knowledge in us, according to which we are all faithful; and why "Spirit of faith" is said, and what this faith is—all these things we discussed according to our ability with your love at that time, when we also stirred up our discourses concerning almsgiving. But since it remained to say why it is said, "The same Spirit of faith," and the multitude of things said then did not permit us to pursue this point with accuracy, for this sake we saved it for the present day, and now we have risen to pay you this debt. Why then did he say, "The same"? C He wishes to show the great kinship of the New Testament with the Old; for this reason he reminded us of the prophetic phrase, saying, "Having the same Spirit," and adding, "According to what is written: I believed, therefore I spoke." This David had said from above and many years before, which Paul produced now, declaring that the grace of the Spirit is the same both in him then, and in us now, that has rooted the power of faith; as if to say: "The same Spirit of faith that spoke in him, has also worked in us."
2. D Against the Manichaeans. Where now are those who slander the Old Testament, who tear apart the body of Scripture, who attribute one God to the New and another to the Old? Let them hear Paul, who seals the mouths that are full of impiety, and who muzzles the God-fighting tongue, and through this phrase shows that the same Spirit is both in the Old and in the New. For the very names themselves show us much harmony of the Testaments. For the New is named because of the Old, and the Old because of the New; just as Paul also says, "In saying 'New,' he has made the former old" (Hebr. 8:13). And if they were not of the same Master, neither could this be called New, nor that Old. So this difference in the names shows the kinship of each. And this difference is not according to essence, but according to the change of times; for the commonality with the old is only distinguished according to this; and the change of times introduces neither a difference of master nor a lessening. And Christ again indicated this, saying: "Therefore I say to you, every scribe trained in the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who brings out from his treasure new and old things" (Matth. 13:52). Do you see that the possessions are different, but the mastery is one? Just as he there is able to bring out new and old things as one master of a house, so truly even here it is possible for the New and the Old to be of one God; for this very thing especially indicates His wealth and abundance, that He not only possesses new things, but also demonstrates His abundance in the old ones. So that there is only a difference of names in the Testaments.
A And it is true that to differentiate by name alone is not a conflict, nor is there a contradiction. For the Old Testament is made the "old" by the New, but this is not out of conflict or contradiction, but merely out of a difference of name. I add, moreover, that even if the laws of the Old were contrary to the laws of the New, I would still assert that it would not have been necessary to introduce another God. For if He had established contrary laws at the same time, to the same people, about the same matters, performing the same duties, their fabrication might perhaps have had some ground. But if these laws were written for others, and those for these, at one time for one group and another time for another, with those people being in one state and these in another, what necessity is there to introduce two contrary legislators because of the difference in laws? Indeed, I see no necessity; let them bring one forward if they have anything to say, but they can have nothing. For a physician very often does many contrary things, yet not from a contrary intention, but from the same and suitable one. He burns and does not burn, he cuts and does not cut B the same body; he offers bitter medicine to drink at one time, and sweet at another. He does indeed perform contrary acts, but with a similar and identical intention; for he keeps one end in view, namely, the health of the invalid. Is it not, therefore, absurd not to accuse the physician for doing many contrary things regarding the nature of a single body, but to criticize God for having given different commands to different people at different times?
What I am saying, I will make clearer to you as follows. The training of the Old Testament is like the nourishment of milk, while the philosophy of the New Testament is like solid food; and no one provides solid food before the nourishment of milk. This is what the God of the New Testament did, if He is not the same one who also gave the Old; for before He nourished with milk, that is, the discipline of the Law, He led us to solid food. They hold Him guilty not only of this, but also of a greater crime, in that He finally undertook the providence of our race after five thousand years or more. If He who was dispensing our affairs through the prophets and patriarchs and righteous men was not the same, but someone else apart from Him, He will seem to have undertaken our providence very late and tardily, as if He returned to Himself through repentance for what had been done before; which is so far from being true of God, that it does not befit any ordinary person to allow so many to perish for so long a time, and only at the very end of the ages to attend to the providence and care of a few. C
But that we may know they are not contrary, but only different, let us bring the laws themselves into the middle. "You have heard," He says, "that it was said to those of old, You shall not kill" (Matt. 5:21). This is the old law; let us now see the new: "But I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to the fire of Gehenna" (Matt. 5:22). Are these, I ask, contrary commands? And what mortal, provided he is in his right mind, would say so? For if the former law forbade killing, and the latter ordered it, perhaps someone might say there is a conflict of laws in these words; now, however, when the former commands not to kill, and the latter commands not even to be angry, the prior command is increased, not contradicted. For it prunes away the fruit of malice, that is, murder; but this one tears out the very root, that is, anger; it removes the stream of vice, while the latter dries up the fountain itself. For the fountain and root of murder is fury and anger. That law made our nature more prepared for the latter, and this one coming afterward supplied what was lacking. What kind of contradiction is this, when one removes the end of evils, and the other removes even the beginning? The former makes the hand clean from blood, the latter also preserves the mind from evil thought. These are the characteristics of concurring laws, not conflicting ones, as the enemies of the truth attempt to construct—not noticing that in doing so, they object to the God of the New Testament a great crime of neglect and sloth; for God will be found (which blasphemy may it turn back upon the heads of those who impose on us the necessity of speaking these things) to have dispensed our affairs at the wrong time. D
The error of the Samosatene. Do you see to how many blasphemies they make God liable, those who say the legislator of the New Testament is one, and the legislator of the Old is another? All of which evaporate if we agree that God is one for both Testaments. For thus it will appear that He dispenses our affairs with order and good reason, then indeed through the Law, but now through grace; and that He has governed all our affairs not recently, nor just now, but from the beginning and from the very first day. But in order that we may the more stop their mouths, come let us now bring forward the testimonies both of the prophets and of the apostles, crying out that the legislator of both Testaments is one. Let Jeremiah, then, sanctified in the womb, proceed into the middle and prove this manifestly, that the God of the New Testament and of the Old is one and the same. What then does he say here, crying out from the person of the legislator? "I will make a new testament with you, not like the testament that I made with your fathers" (Jer. 31:31). It is God who had once given that Old testament as well. Here, certainly, the mouths of the followers of Paul of Samosata are also stopped, who deny that the Only-begotten of God existed before the ages. For if He did not exist before the birth of Mary, and before He presented Himself to be seen in the flesh, how was He establishing the law when He did not exist? Or how was He saying: "I will make a new testament with you, not like the testament that I made with your fathers"? For how was He giving a testament to their fathers when He did not yet exist, as they indeed affirm? But against the Jews, and the Paulians who suffer from the same disease, the testimony of this prophet is sufficient to be opposed; but that we may also restrain the mouths of the Manichaeans, let us bring forth a testimony from the New Testament, since they count the Old as nothing; nay rather, they even treat the New, to which they wish to seem to pay respect, with no less injury than the other, in one way indeed, because while they cut it off from the Old, they also undermine the authority of this one.
the proclamation of the prophets, whom these men, turning away, do not perceive, having insulted the apostles more than the prophets. A On this account, they insult the New Testament; and again in a second way, by cutting away the greater part of it. Nevertheless, the power of those things which remain in it is so great that it makes the wickedness of these men evident even from the very remnants; for the severed members cry out and wail, seeking harmony with their own members.
5. How, then, shall we prove that one and the same is the Lawgiver of both the New and the Old Testament? From those apostolic words left with them, which, although they seem to involve an accusation against the Law, in fact establish it most strongly, and show it to be a divine oracle coming from above. And this was done by the wisdom of the Spirit, so that those who accuse the Law, being lured by the surface meaning, might—unwillingly and unknowingly—receive the defense written on its behalf: so that, if they should be willing to look toward the truth, they might have the instruction that leads them by the hand; but if they should persist in unbelief, they might receive no further pardon, disbelieving even against their own salvation those whom they claim to believe. Where, then, does the New Testament say that it and the Old have the same Lawgiver? It says so in many places B and often; but we are currently endeavoring to bring forward that passage which still survives even now among the Manichaeans. What, then, is this? "Tell me," it says, "you who desire to be under the Law, do you not hear the Law, that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-woman, and one by the free woman?" (Gal. IV, 21-22). The heretics heard, "one by the slave-woman," and they immediately leaped upon it; for they thought what was said was an accusation of the Law; and having cut it off from the rest of the sequence, they keep it as if it were pleading their cause. Come, then, let us show from this very passage that there is one Lawgiver. "Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-woman, and one by the free woman; these," it says, "are allegorical." What is it, "are allegorical"? Those things which came to pass in the Old Testament were types of those who have come into the grace. For just as there were two women there, so here there are two Testaments. First, in this, he shows the kinship of the New with the Old, whenever the former things are a type of the latter. For the type C of the truth is not an opposite, but a relative. If the God of the Old Testament were opposed to the God of the New, He would not have been going to prefigure the preeminence of the New Testament through the women. If, however, He did prefigure it, Paul ought not to have used the type. But if they say that he was doing this to condescend to the weakness of the Jews, he ought also, when preaching to the Gentiles, to have introduced Greek types and to have made mention of the events that had occurred among the Greeks. But he did nothing of the sort; and with very good reason. For those things had nothing in common with the truth, but these are oracles of God and Law; wherefore the old things have much kinship with the New Testament.
6. The second argument from the same history. Not a few, having been led by the Old Testament, do not fear. In the first place, therefore, this argument is: the Old Testament is in all ways in harmony with the New. Second—which is no less than this—it is taken from the history itself. For just as then there were two women of one husband, so also now there are two Testaments of one Lawgiver; since, if there were one Lawgiver for the New and another for the Old, he would have introduced the history to no purpose. For the husband of Sarah was not one, and the husband of Hagar another, but one and the same. So that, when he says, "For these are the two D testaments," he is saying nothing other than that they have one Lawgiver, just as those women had one husband, Abraham. "But," he says, "the one was a slave, and the other was free." And what of that? For the time being, the question was whether there is one Lawgiver for both. Let them concede this first, and then we will answer them regarding that. For if you force them to concede this, and they are persuaded, their entire doctrine will vanish. For when the Old Testament is found to be of the same Lawgiver—as it indeed is—the entire dispute we have with them is resolved. But so that this does not trouble you, let us attend exactly to the wording. For he did not say, "The one was a slave, and the other was free"; but, "The one was born into slavery." Yet the one who gives birth into slavery is not necessarily a slave; and the very fact of being born into slavery is not an accusation against the one who gave birth, but against the children who were born. Since they deprived themselves of freedom through their own wickedness, and fell away from their nobility, God disciplined them as ungrateful slaves with continual fear, punishing them with torments and threats. For many fathers [E] even now raise their own children not as sons, but with the fear appropriate to servants; and the accusation is not with the fathers, but with the children who prepared their fathers to use those who are free as though they were slaves. Thus did God also lead that people then with as much fear and punishment as it was fitting to lead an ungrateful servant; but what was occurring was not an accusation of God, nor an accusation of the Law, but of the Jews who were kicking against the goad and had need of a harsher bridle. In the Old Testament itself, therefore, many will be found who were not led in this way, such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and all the others who emulated the philosophy found in the New. For they did not become such as they were through fear and punishment, nor through threat and torment, but through divine love and a burning affection for God. For they did not have need of commands, nor of precepts and laws, in order to choose virtue and avoid wickedness, but like noble and free children, having recognized their own worth, they went over to virtue without any fear and punishment; whereas all the other Jews, since they had inclined toward wickedness, had need of the bridle according to the Law. When, therefore, they made the calf, and worshiped the graven image, then they heard: "The Lord your God, the Lord is one"; because they committed murder, and defiled the wives of their neighbors, then they heard—
A *Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery*, and all the rest likewise. B For it is no accusation against the law that it inflicts punishment and chastisement, and corrects servants as if they were base, but it is a mark of its great excellence, and no ordinary praise, that it was able to deliver those who had fallen into such extreme wickedness from their evils, to soften them and make them obedient, and to pave the way, as it were, for this new philosophy. For the same Spirit was dispensing all things in both the Old and the New Testament, although it did so in different ways. Therefore Paul said: *Having the same Spirit of faith, as it is written, I believed, therefore I have spoken.*
The probity of morals must be joined with the sincerity of faith. C And not only for this did he say "the same Spirit," but also for another cause, not less than the one mentioned, which I wished to bring forward now; but fearing that, being burdened by many things, you might forget what has already been said, I shall reserve it for you for another day, exhorting you in the meantime to store up the whole present discourse in your memory, and to hold it fast, that you may join Christian virtues with the purity of doctrines: *That the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work* (II Tim. III, 17): since it will profit us nothing to think rightly, if life meanwhile is corrupted by evil morals: just as, on the other hand, a life without blemish profits nothing, unless sincerity of faith also be added. D Therefore, that we may attain complete utility, let us provide for ourselves on both sides, bringing forth generous fruits in other respects as well: and first of all, alms, concerning which I also spoke to you recently, exercising them with great liberality and readiness. *For he who sows sparingly*, says the Scripture, *shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows in blessings, shall also reap of blessings* (II Cor. IX, 6). What is, *in blessings*? With great liberality. In secular matters, both the harvest and the sowing are of the same seeds: for he who sows, sows wheat or barley, or something similar, and he who reaps, reaps the same thing; but in alms, it does not happen that way. A But you scatter money, and collect confidence before God: you give money, and you receive the remission of sins: you offer bread and clothing, and for these the kingdom of heaven is prepared for you, and those infinite goods, *which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man* (I Cor. II, 9): and what is the sum of all good things, you become like God, as far as it is possible for man. For when Christ had discoursed concerning alms and kindness, he subjoined: *That you may be like your Father who is in heaven, who makes his sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and rains upon the just and the unjust* (Matt. V, 45). You cannot command the sun to rise, nor send forth rain, nor be beneficent to the whole world so widely and far-reaching: use your faculties for beneficence, and you have become like him who commands his sun to rise, in so far as it is permitted for a man to become like God.
[Regarding the idle, Paul does not so much turn them away from benevolence.] B Observe diligently what I say: *Upon the good and the bad*, he says. Therefore you too, as often as you give alms, do not examine the life, nor require an account of morals. For alms, that is mercy, is so called, that we may provide even for the unworthy: for he who shows mercy, does not pity the one who lives correctly, but the one who is begging; for he who lives correctly is worthy of praise and a crown; but he who sins, of pardon and mercy. Therefore in this part too we shall imitate God, if we do not withdraw our kindness even from the wicked. For consider how many blasphemers, criminals, and sorcerers inhabit the world, filled with all vices; yet God feeds even these daily, teaching us that we should embrace all men with beneficence. C But we do all things in the contrary way: for we not only turn away from men who are evil and wicked, but even when any healthy man comes to us, either on account of his probity, or on account of his frankness, or perhaps even on account of his laziness (that I may add this too), living in poverty, we cast reproaches, insults, and countless taunts at him, and we send him away with empty hands, upbraiding his health, objecting his idleness, demanding punishment. Have you been ordered, O man, to rebuke and scold the needy? God commanded you to pity and relieve their poverty, not to demand an account and rail at them. D But do you wish to correct his morals, and to call back an idle man from his sloth to apply himself to some work? Give first, and then at last rebuke, that you may not be suspected of cruelty, but may carry away the praise of kindness. For the pauper turns away from him who, giving nothing, only upbraids, and he bears it ill, and does not even sustain to look at him; and deservedly so. For he thinks that he is not a rebuker because he wishes him well, but because he does not want to give; just as it is in reality. But he who upbraids *after* he has given, makes his upbraiding be received with a willing mind: because he seems to apply the rebuke not on account of inhumanity, but on account of benevolence. So also Paul did; for when he had said: *He who does not wish to work, let him not eat* (II Thess. III, 10), he immediately added: *And you, brethren, doing good, do not fail* (ibid. v. 13). And yet these precepts seem to be contrary. For if it is not proper for the idle to take food, how do you command to do good to such? But they are not contrary: far from it. For I said this, he says, *He who does not wish to work, let him not eat*, not to turn away those who were otherwise about to give from giving alms, but to recall those living in idleness from their laziness. Therefore when he says, *Let him not eat*, he stirs them up to labor, holding them terrified with a threat: but when he says, *Doing good, do not fail*, he excites these to beneficence, moved by useful exhortation. For lest some should withdraw their hands having heard with what threat those are struck, he provokes them to beneficence with these words: *Doing good, do not fail.* Therefore even if you give to an idle man, you have done good. [For when he had said: *If anyone does not obey our words by this epistle, note him, and do not mingle with him* (II Thess. III, 14), and in this way had cast the man out of the Church, again he reconciles him in another way, bringing him back into favor with those from whom he had been ejected: ]
A he says, "Do not regard him as an enemy, but as a brother." Just as therefore, once he had said, "If anyone is not willing to labor, let him not eat," he commanded the masters to take great care of them again; so too here, once having said, "Do not associate with him," he did not withdraw the hearers from the care of him, but rather exhorted them strongly to take hold of them, adding and saying, "And do not regard him as an enemy, but as a brother." You have been separated from his company, but do not be separated from your guardianship; you have cut him off from the assembly, but do not cut him off from love. For he commanded this very thing to be done out of love, so that by being separated he might become better and return to the rest of the body; since even fathers cast their children out of their own house, not so that they remain outside forever, but so that by having fallen out of the house they might become more sober-minded and return to the house again.
As for those who accuse him of laziness, these things are sufficient. But since there is also another argument, practiced by many as an excuse, which is full of inhumanity and cruelty, it is necessary to refute this too, not so that we may deprive them of an apology, B but so that we may persuade them to lay aside the apology that does not exist and does not profit, and to practice constantly through their deeds that which does exist and can stand before the judgment seat of Christ. What then is this cold and useless apology of the many? I am bringing up children, he says, I manage a household, I support a wife, I have many necessary expenses, because of which I have no means to show mercy to those who approach me. What are you saying? You are raising children, and for this reason you do not show mercy to those who approach you? For these very reasons, you ought to show mercy to the needy—because of your children and their protection—so that from a few funds you may make God, the giver of those children, gracious to you; so that you may leave Him as their protector even after your death; so that you may draw down to them from above much favor from the wealth of those things spent on God. Do you not see that many men possess wealth and are in positions of power, having no relation to them at all, yet they often brought them into their own wills and made them co-heirs with their own children, for no other reason than to secure their own children's possessions with a few funds? And this, without knowing how those who become partners in the inheritance will be disposed toward their children after their own passing. But you, knowing the humanity and kindness and gentleness of your Master, C will you not make Him a partner in your will? Will you not make Him a co-heir of your children? And this, tell me, when you are a father who loves his children? For if you care for the children you have brought forth, leave behind for them a document in which you have God as guarantor. This is the greatest inheritance, this is wealth, this is security. Introduce Him into the inheritance here, so that He may introduce you along with your children into the inheritance there. This is a noble heir, humane, kind, powerful, wealthy, so that there is no room to suspect his partnership.
For this reason, almsgiving is called seed; since the thing is not an expenditure, but an income. But as for you, when it is time to sow, you do not pay attention to the fact that you are emptying your storehouses of old grain, but you pay attention to the harvest of crops not yet present—and this, without knowing that it will come to be. For even blight, and hail, and locusts, and the irregularity of the seasons, and many things thwart our hope for a future harvest; but when you are about to sow into heaven, where all irregularity of the seasons is cast out, and the cause of all grief and plotting is removed, do you hesitate and draw back? And what excuse will you find, when you have confidence while casting into the earth and do so with eagerness, but when you are about to cast into the hand of God, you hesitate and are negligent? For if the earth gives back what has been cast into it, much more will the hand of God give back to you everything you receive with all of its abundance.
D 10. Knowing these things, therefore, let us not pay attention to the expenditure when we give alms, but to the income and to future hopes—and also to the present gain; for almsgiving does not merely procure the kingdom of heaven, but also safety and abundance in the present life. Who says these things? The Lord Himself who gives them. For whoever gives his own to the poor, He says, will receive a hundredfold in this age, and will inherit eternal life (Matt. 19:29). Do you see rewards given in both lives with great abundance? Let us not, therefore, hesitate, nor procrastinate, but let us bring the fruit of almsgiving each day, so that both our present affairs may be carried out according to our mind, and we may attain the life to come; of which may it be granted that we all partake, by the grace and humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the holy Spirit, be glory, honor, and power for ever and ever. Amen.
CONCERNING THE SAME WORDS,
"HAVING THE SAME SPIRIT OF FAITH, ACCORDING TO WHAT IS WRITTEN" (2 Cor. 4:13) AND CONCERNING THE FACT THAT ALL REGARDING MONEY AND ALMSGIVING IS COMMON.
1. In the previous assembly, and in the one before that, having taken up one utterance of the Apostle, we spent the whole discourse on its explanation; and today we also strive to spend time again on this same one. We do this intentionally for the benefit of your love, not for our own display. For it is not so that I may show myself to be prolific and deep-thinking, but so that I may reveal to you the wisdom of Paul and stir up your zeal, that I handle the discourse in this way. For the depth of his understanding appears greater when he brings forth such rivers of thoughts for us from a single utterance; you, having learned that it is possible to reap a wealth of philosophy from a single apostolic phrase, will not pass over the Epistles simply, but will be led forward, nourished by these hopes, to examine each of the assigned sayings with great diligence.
A If, then, those who dig in mines for gold—even if they have exhausted a great wealth of it—do not depart therefrom until they have removed all the gold, much more is it incumbent upon us to apply the utmost alacrity and diligence in the search of the divine oracles. For we too are digging for gold, not a perceptible, but a spiritual one; for we do not labor in the mines of the earth, but in the mines of the Spirit. For the Epistles of Paul are mines and fountains of the Spirit: mines, because they offer us wealth more precious than any gold; fountains, because they never fail, but however much you exhaust them, just as much and much more flows forth again. B And the whole time that has elapsed can clearly demonstrate this. For since Paul lived, five hundred years have now passed, and in all this time many, both commentators and teachers and interpreters, have often drawn out many things many times from there, yet they have not been able to empty the riches stored within. For this treasure is not perceptible, and therefore it is not consumed by the many hands of those digging, but is increased and multiplied. And why do I speak of those who were before us? How many are going to speak after us, and others after them, yet the riches, gushing like a fountain, will not fail, nor will this type of mine be exhausted; for they are spiritual, and by their own nature can never be wholly consumed. What then is that apostolic saying? *Having the same Spirit of faith, according to that which is written: I have believed, therefore have I spoken.*
C But since we are asking why he said, *The same Spirit of faith*, and we have already briefly brought forward the reason—namely, this one: to show the consistency of the Old and New Testaments. For when it is found that the same Spirit of faith moved the tongue of David, saying, *I have believed, therefore have I spoken* (Ps. CXV. 10), and also worked in the soul of Paul, it is sufficiently evident that there is a great kinship between the prophets and the apostles, and thus it necessarily follows that there is a great consistency between the Old and New Testaments. But lest we be troublesome to you by repeating the same things, come, let us also bring forward another reason why he said, "The same." For we had already promised another reason for this saying. But it is necessary that you be awakened; for the thought I am about to tell your charity is deep, and it requires a discerning mind and a sharp wit; wherefore I beseech you to listen to what must be said with the utmost attention. It is your gain, but our toil; or rather, it is a gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit, by whose revelation of secrets neither he who speaks nor he who hears grows weary; for great ease follows upon revelation. Let us therefore listen with diligence; for although we follow the greater part with our ears, if you doze off even a little, once the thread is broken, you will know nothing of the whole. And just as to those who do not know the way and need a guide, if they follow him for a long time but through negligence lose sight of him even for a little, it is of no use to have followed him thus far, but they stand still, not knowing in which direction to proceed; so even those who follow the speaker with their mind, even if they have imbibed his teaching attentively, if they listen even for a little while inattentively, with the whole chain lost, they cannot reach the end of the thoughts. Lest this happen to you, attend to all that we are about to say with equal care, until we arrive at the end.
D Having said, then, why he says, *Having the same Spirit of faith*, wishing to show that the faith of both Testaments is the same and the mother of all good things, let us take up our discourse from a little higher point. For so will the cause appear to us more clearly. What, then, is this cause? A great war surrounded the faithful when these things were being said; a war, I say, grave and without any truce. For entire cities and peoples had risen up against them on all sides, and all tyrants were laying snares, and kings were preparing war against them; weapons were being moved, swords sharpened, armies arrayed, and all kinds of punishments and tortures were being devised; thence came the looting of property and confiscations, and daily imprisonments and deaths, tortures, chains, fire, iron, wild beasts, gallows, wheels, abysses, precipices, and whatever could be devised for the destruction of the faithful; and the war did not even contain itself within these bounds. For it was not only incited by enemies, but nature itself was irritated against itself. For fathers were laying snares for their children, and daughters had mothers for their enemies, and friends turned away from friends, and this war secretly insinuated itself into kinships and families, and there was a great tumult throughout the entire habitable world. And just as a ship, with waves rising, clouds meeting, thunder crashing, gloom surrounding the hull on all sides, the sea raging, wild beasts raging, pirates attacking, and the passengers themselves in conflict among themselves, can by no means escape unless the heavenly right hand, that great and powerful one, having dispelled the danger and calmed the storm, leads the voyagers into tranquility; so also it happened then among the beginnings of the preaching. For they were not only struck by external storms, but they also often labored within from sedition. Who says this? Paul himself, writing thus: *Without, fightings; within, fears* (2 Cor. VII. 5). And that this is true, and that teachers as well as disciples were surrounded by countless evils, and that this war had been waged equally through all, I again bring Paul himself as a witness. Your part, however, is to remember all these things that I say, so that, having known the perils and temptations, and all the adversities which the faithful of that time endured, you may render all the greater thanks to God, who put an end to all those calamities, and having averted the war, fashioned a most tranquil peace for us; so that no one might escape the punishment of sloth, nor be puffed up on account of a life rightly lived. Hence it is, if you stand generously though attacked from every side and overwhelmed by countless adversities, just as if you were now sitting in a harbor, and possessing a confident spirit in the utmost security. For their condition was no better than those who are tossed by a troubled sea; we, however, live more securely than those who have been brought into port
Let us not, therefore, grow haughty over our successes, nor collapse under the temptations that befall us, nor let us misuse this rest and peace as an excuse for sloth; rather, let us be ever sober and vigilant. For we too have a struggle against the desires of our nature. It is not men who rise up against us now, but the pleasures of the flesh; it is not tyrants and kings who make war, but anger, the lust for vainglory, envy, malice, and the myriad passions of the soul. Since, then, we have been delivered 284 from those early temptations, let us overcome these. For this reason I have reminded you of the hardships of those times, so that he who is currently in affliction may receive sufficient consolation from it, and he who enjoys great security may, in place of the lack of trials, bring great fervor into the battle against perverse thoughts. For all those things were written for our admonition, consolation, and endurance; and it is necessary now to tell you of them, and to teach you the magnitude of the evils that surrounded the faithful in those days—not only the teachers, but the disciples as well. Hear, then, what Paul says while writing to the Hebrews: *Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions* (Heb. 10:32). For not even a short time had passed; but in the very prelude to their instruction and teaching, temptations rose up against them, and immediately upon being baptized they were in danger; and what were they suffering? *Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions* (Ibid. v. 33). For everyone spat upon them, insulted them, mocked them, ridiculed them, calling them fools and senseless, because they had departed from their ancestral way of life and embraced a new doctrine. This is no small thing to shake a soul, if the faith is not deeply rooted. For nothing bites the soul so much as reproach; nothing so wastes away the soul and mind as taunts and calumnies; for many men have often been tripped up by being reproached. I am saying this now so that we may hold our faith with confidence. For if then, when the whole world was reproaching them, they were not tripped up, much more now ought we to hold the preaching of the truth with confidence, when the whole world has changed sides to be with us.
And that those men did not stop at accusations, reproaches, and calumnies, but that those who suffered these things actually rejoiced, hear what follows. *For ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods* (Ibid. v. 34). You see that their possessions were being confiscated in ancient times, and were set before everyone for plunder by those who wished to oppress them. These things he said while writing to the Hebrews.
[5.] But to the Thessalonians he testifies other such things again, saying: *For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews* (1 Thess. 2:14). Behold a war, but a civil war, which makes the pain greater. For if an enemy had reproached me, I could have borne it, he says; but it was you, a man of another soul, my guide and my acquaintance; which is what happened symbolically at that time. Therefore they were in need of much consolation. Seeing this, and beholding those under him suffering and sweating, weighed down by the magnitude of their calamities and pained by the relentless blows, Paul rouses their spirits in many ways: sometimes saying, *It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us* (2 Thess. 1:6, 7); at another time saying, 283 *The Lord is at hand; be careful for nothing* (Phil. 4:5, 6); and again, *Cast not away therefore your confidence; for ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise* (Heb. 10:35, 36). Then, inciting them to patience, he adds: *For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry* (Ibid. v. 37). And just as someone sitting near a crying, fretful child who is seeking its mother consoles it by saying, "Wait yet a little while, and your mother will surely appear," so Paul, seeing those who believed at that time distressed, lamenting, and seeking the presence of Christ because of the unbearable infliction of evils, consoled them by saying: *For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry*. That they were suffering terrible things, and were driven about on every side like lambs caught in the midst of wolves, is clear from these accounts. But in order that you may learn that the teachers were enduring things no less than these, but rather things much more grievous at that time (for the more they grieved the enemies of the truth, the more they were infested by the masses), [6. The teachers themselves were more grievously afflicted.] Thus, what the disciples were suffering, and the many evils they were undergoing, were like lambs being persecuted on all sides in the midst of wolves, and it is evident from these things that—but that you may know that the teachers were enduring things no less than these, but rather much more grievous things (for the more they grieved the enemies of the truth, the more they were infested by the majority), D
let us also hear this from the same person who taught the previous things. Writing to the Corinthians, he speaks thus: *Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in insurrections, in labors, in watchings, in fastings* (II Cor. VI, 3-5). Do you see how many struggles he enumerated, how many temptations? Writing to them again, he says: *Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more,* as if to say that it is much more excellent to suffer affliction for Christ than to work wonders; and bringing forward the proof of his apostleship, and showing that he is to be preferred to others—not to the apostles, but to the false apostles—he does not argue from miracles performed by himself, but from the constant dangers in which he moved, writing in this manner: *In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, beside those things that are without* (II Cor. XI, 23-28). These are the true marks of apostleship. For others often performed wonders, and it did not profit them to have performed them, but after all those things they heard: *Depart from me, ye that work iniquity* (Matt. VII, 23). But no one of those who can recount the same things as Paul is ever going to hear that voice; rather, with great confidence he will ascend to heaven and will enjoy all the heavenly goods.
The Master: But do not be anxious; I have not forgotten the promise, but I will return to it immediately. We have not pursued these things with a longer discourse in vain, but that we might confirm our doctrine more certainly and clearly with a more prolific apparatus of words, and at the same time might console the souls of the afflicted, so that as many as are caught in dangers and temptations might depart having found suitable consolation, knowing that they are made companions of Paul through these afflictions, or rather, indeed, of the Lord of the angels himself. For whoever is a participant of his afflictions in this life will also be a participant of his glory in that life; for he says: *If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together* (Rom. VIII, 17); and again: *If we suffer, we shall also reign with him* (II Tim. II, 12). For it is absolutely necessary that the race of the faithful be pressed by afflictions: *For all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution* (II Tim. III, 12); and again: *My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation; make not haste in the time of trouble, and be patient* (Ecclus. II, 1-2). Are these fine promises, to fall immediately from the beginning into temptations? By no means; rather, it is an excellent exhortation and a signal consolation of that servitude, to taste dangers immediately. They are clearly excellent and at the same time admirable, and bring the greatest gain. What is that gain? Hear what follows: *For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of temptation* (Ecclus. II, 5). Take what he says thus: just as gold assayed by fire is rendered purer, in like manner also the soul that spends its time among afflictions and dangers emerges more cheerful and splendid through them, and wipes away every stain of sin. Hence it is that Abraham said to that rich man: *Lazarus received his evil things: but now he is comforted* (Luke XVI, 25). And Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says: *For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world* (I Cor. XI, 30-32). And he even delivered that fornicator for this cause unto the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved (I Cor. V, 5), showing that salvation is perfected by present temptation, and that dangers are the greatest purgation of the soul for those who undergo them with thanksgiving. So, that the faithful endured afflictions, and that both disciples and teachers endured countless calamities, and did not breathe even for a minimum time, being surrounded on all sides by wars of every kind, this our discourse has sufficiently declared, and those who are diligent can collect more also from the holy Scriptures.
Let us bring the discourse back to the matter at hand. But what had we proposed to say? For what reason did Paul say, *Having the same spirit of faith*? Why, then, did he say it? It troubled the disciples that they experienced heavy things in the present life, but conceived good things only in hope, and the former were already present, while the latter were far off; the former were already occurring, the latter were still being hoped for. What wonder if this happened to some at the beginning of the preaching, when now, after such a length of time, after the preaching has been propagated in the whole world, after so many certain arguments for the promises, the same thing is still wont to happen to many?
In the Old Testament rewards were received in this life. — Nor did this alone terrify them, but also something else, and that not less. What is this? They thought within themselves that in the Old Testament human affairs were not dispensed in this way, but that whoever had preferred a just and temperate manner of living received the rewards of virtue immediately. For they were not promised that all these things would be fulfilled after the resurrection of the body, nor in the future life, but here in the present life. For it says: *If thou shalt love the Lord thy God, it shall be well with thee, and the Lord will multiply the herds of thy oxen, and the flocks of thy sheep; there shall not be among you one that is fruitless, neither shall there be among you one that is sterile; there shall not be among you languor or sickness* (Deut. VII, 12-14); he will open the heavens, and he will give thee early and latter rain. The harvester will overtake the vintage, and the vintage...
will overtake the sowing. And many other such things He promised them, all of which were rendered to them during this present life. A If anyone is sharper, he already foresees the solution. Since, therefore, soundness of body, the fruitfulness of the land, the abundance and excellence of children, a flourishing old age, the best tempering of the seasons, prosperity, the timely arrival of rain, and many herds and flocks B—and, in a word, all good things—were filled up for them in this present life, and nothing was held in hope, not even after their departure from here; the faithful, therefore, reckoning these things—that for their ancestors everything good occurred right at their feet, whereas for themselves all the prizes and crowns were stored up in the life to come, and that the promises were in faith—labored, and grew weary, being compelled to drag their whole present life through temptations.
Paul, therefore, considering these things and the magnitude of the terrible trials hanging over them, and that for the latter God promised the reward of their labors after their departure from here, whereas He requited their ancestors here, and seeing much despondency arising in them from these reasonings, wishing to rouse them and teach them that even in the case of their fathers things were thus ordered, and that many received their reward in faith, not in experience, he reminded them of the prophetic utterance, saying: *Having the same Spirit of faith, according to what is written: I believed, therefore I spoke*; as if to say that even the great David, that admirable and noble prophet, obtained his reward by faith, and not by experience; for if this were not so, he would not have said, *I believed, therefore I spoke*. For faith is the substance of things hoped for, not things seen; and what anyone sees, he does not entirely hope for. If, therefore, he believed, he believed in things hoped for. And if he C believed in things hoped for, and the things hoped for are not yet seen, he had not yet received these things in which he believed. For this reason he says, *Having the same Spirit of faith*, that is, the same faith that was in the Old Testament, we also have.
For this reason, he says elsewhere, speaking of the saints of that time: *They wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy*; then, teaching that they endured the terrible things but have not yet received the rewards even now, he added, saying: *In faith all these died, not having received the promises, but seeing them afar off and embracing them.* And how, tell me, did they see things not yet present? With the eyes of faith, the eyes that transcend the heavens and look upon all things that are there.
D 9. And you observe for me the wisdom of God, how He both showed them the prizes from afar, and did not give them immediately, so that He might create in them a greater endurance; but He showed them from afar so that, nourished by these hopes, they might not even have a perception of the present labors.
But perhaps some of those who pay closer attention will think that the argument has encountered a contradiction. For if, he says, not even the former ones received their good things and rewards at their feet, why have you drawn out a long discourse to us, enumerating the tempering of the seasons, the soundness of the body, the excellence and abundance of children, prosperity, the abundance of fruits, flocks, herds, and all worldly well-being? What, then, could we say to this? That God then treated the multitude and the weaker mob differently, and differently the noble ones who were already entering into the philosophy of the New Testament. For to the many, who were creeping on the ground and were able to see nothing great, nor to extend the hope of their soul toward the enjoyment of the goods of the future, He provided these present goods, comforting the weakness of their soul, and through these guiding them toward the practice of virtue, and casting them into a desire for noble things; but Elijah and Elisha, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and all the prophets without exception, and as many as have been of the choir of holy and great men, He called toward the heavens and the goods prepared there for those who have distinguished themselves.
For this reason, Paul did not merely enumerate everyone, but those in sheepskins, in goatskins, those in the furnace, those in the prison, those who were tortured, those who were stoned, those in famine, those in poverty, those in deserts, those in caves, those in the holes of the earth, those who suffered myriad terrible things. And then he said they all died in faith, and had not yet received the promises; not hinting at the Jewish multitude, but at those according to Elijah.
But if anyone says: "Why is it that these themselves have not yet received the crowns owed to them even now?" let him learn this reason also from Paul. For after saying, *In faith all these died, not having received the promises*, he added: *God having provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.* For, he says, the festival is common, since there is a greater pleasure when we are all crowned together. This also happens in the Olympic games: the wrestler, the boxer, the contender in the pankration endure their contests at different times, but at one moment of time, all are proclaimed. This also happens at the finest banquets. For when some of the guests arrive first, and others still linger, the hosts, honoring those who are left behind, command those who have already arrived and are present to wait for those who are late. This also God has done; for since He called those from the whole world who had distinguished themselves at different times to a common and spiritual feast, He commands those who have already arrived and departed to wait for those who are to depart after them, so that with everyone arriving together in this way, both the honor and the pleasure may be one for all.
10. For consider what a great thing it is for the sake of honor that Paul and all those who were with him, Abraham and those with him, and those before him again, having contended and conquered so many years ago, should sit now awaiting our own distinction. For the fact that Paul has not yet received the crown, nor anyone else of those who have been pleasing to God from the beginning, nor will they receive it until all those who until the end are to be crowned
have arrived, hear Paul himself saying: A *I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me* (2 Tim. 4:7-8). When? *In that day; and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.* And again elsewhere, showing that the enjoyment of these goods is to be granted to all in common, he writes thus to the Thessalonians: *For it is just before God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted along with us* (2 Thess. 1:6-7). And again: *For we who are left alive until the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who have fallen asleep* (1 Thess. 4:14). By all these, he teaches that we ought all together and in common to receive the possession and the fruit of the heavenly honor. This even brings great pleasure to those who have preceded us, that they are about to enjoy those ineffable goods together with their own members. For indeed a father, having a splendid and bountiful table, then truly enjoys it with greater pleasure when his children are partakers of his delight and joy. So also Paul and those like him will then feel a more ample joy of soul when they enjoy them together with their own members. For parents do not have such affection for their children as they bear concern for those who have entered the same path of virtue. That we, therefore, may also be in the number of those who will then be honored, let us take pains to attain those saints. And how shall we be able to attain them, you say? Who will point out to us the way that leads to them? The Lord of those saints himself, who teaches not only how we may attain them, but also how we may become their table-companions and associates: for he says: *Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails, they may receive you into their eternal dwellings* (Luke 16:9). Here, for indeed, even if you have a splendid house, it is destined to perish entirely by time; B nay, before that perishes, death, rushing in, will cast you out of this magnificent dwelling; not rarely, indeed, even before death, unfortunate business, the onslaughts and traps of calumniators, cause you to be cast out from there. But there, there is nothing for you to fear of such a kind; there is no corruption, no death, no ruin, no loss from calumniators, nor anything else; but the dwelling is immovable and immortal. Therefore, he called it eternal. *Make for yourselves friends,* he says, *of the unrighteous mammon.*
The praises of almsgiving. Why the poor are before the doors of the temples; fountains before oratories.
See how great the kindness of the Lord is, how great his goodness and equity; for he did not add this rashly, but because many of the rich have acquired for themselves wealth from rapine and fraud. "Badly done," he says, "and it was not right for you to collect money in this way; nevertheless, since you have already collected it, desist from rapine and fraud, and use the money for those things of which you have need. I do not order you to be merciful from what is stolen, but to be temperate from fraud, and to use your wealth for kindness and almsgiving." For unless you desist from rapine, not even the almsgiving will count; but even if you give stolen money into the hands of the needy, not abstaining meanwhile from fraud and rapine, you will be reckoned by God in the number of murderers. Therefore, it is necessary to abstain from fraud, and then at last to be merciful to the needy.For great is the power of almsgiving, about which we also discoursed in the previous assembly before you, and now also let us discourse. But let no one of you so think that this persistence of exhortation tends toward the accusation of the hearers. For even in athletic contests, those are most stirred up by the spectators who draw closer to the goal and seem to have more certain hope of victory. Therefore, because I see you with great alacrity receiving the discourse concerning almsgiving, so much the more it pleases me to continue this exhortation. The poor are the physicians of our souls, benefactors and protectors; for you do not give as much as you receive; you give money, and you receive the kingdom of heaven; you relieve need, and you reconcile the Lord to yourself. Do you see the unevenness of the retribution? These are earthly, those celestial; these are perishing, those permanent; these are corrupted, those are outside the danger of corruption. For this reason our ancestors established the poor before the doors of the churches, that even the most inhuman and sluggish person might be stirred to almsgiving by the very sight of the needy. For where a chorus of old men stands, bent, clothed in rags, C squalid, filthy, holding staves, and with these only with difficulty sustaining themselves, sometimes blinded, and in their whole body badly punished, who is so stony, who so adamantine, who can remain hardened and inflexible toward their old age, weakness, blindness, need, cheapness of clothing, and so many other things that move one to pity? For this reason they stand before our doors, and by their very appearance, more than by any words they can, they provoke those who enter to beneficence. For just as it is customary that fountains are ready before oratories, so that those about to worship God may lift up their hands, first washed, while praying: so did our ancestors place the poor in the stead of fountains before the doors, that just as we wash our hands with water, so might we first, having wiped off our souls through beneficence, then at last offer our prayers.
D 12. Nor is water so great at washing away the stains of the body as almsgiving is at wiping away the filth of the soul. Just as, therefore, you do not dare to enter to pray with unwashed hands, although this crime is lighter, so neither should you ever approach to pray without almsgiving. And yet, not rarely, even when we have clean hands, we do not stretch them out to God unless they are first washed: so much avails custom. The same thing, therefore, must be done in almsgiving; and even if we are conscious to ourselves of no great sin, yet we ought to wipe away our conscience through almsgiving. You have contracted many evils for yourself in the forum: an enemy has provoked you, a judge has compelled you to do something little becoming, you have often uttered words not good, you have committed some sin so as not to offend a friend; you have contracted other not few stains, as is the habit of men who are occupied in the forum, in the law courts, doing the affairs of the city, for all of which I enter to ask God for pardon and to make apology. Therefore, wash with the hands of the poor, and wipe off those stains, so that with boldness you may call—
upon Him who is able to forgive these sins for you. If you habituate yourself never to approach these sacred thresholds without almsgiving, you will never, either willingly or unwillingly, fall short of this good work, for such is the power of habit. And just as you do not endure to pray with unwashed hands—a thing that should be done—because you have once established the habit, so too with almsgiving: if you impose this law upon yourself, you will perform it every day, both willingly and by nature, being drawn on by the habit. B Prayer is fire, especially when it is sent up from a sober and awakened soul; but this fire also requires oil, so that it may reach the very heavenly arches. And the oil of this fire is nothing other than almsgiving. Pour out this oil abundantly, so that, rejoicing in your good deed, you may perform your prayers with greater boldness and zeal. For just as those who are conscious of no good in themselves cannot pray with boldness, so also those who have achieved something, and who come to prayer after that righteousness, rejoicing in the memory of their good deed, perform their supplication with much greater zeal. So that our prayer may be more powerful in this regard as well, let our minds be watchful in our petitions through the memory of our good deeds, and let us come to our prayers with almsgiving. And let us remember with precision everything that has been said; and before all other things, keep that image consistently before me, according to which I said that the poor stand before the doors of the houses of prayer, performing for the soul that same service which the fountain performs for the body. For if we are always mindful of this, continually washing our understanding, we shall be able to perform our prayers in purity and to draw down great favor from God, and to attain to the kingdom of heaven, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
NOTICE REGARDING THE HOMILY ON "WOULD TO GOD YOU COULD BEAR WITH ME A LITTLE IN MY FOOLISHNESS"
This homily bears no mark of either place or time. But Chrysostom, having begun with the praises of Paul, teaches everyone by his example that one must always abstain from self-praise, as far as ability allows; and if at any time, under urgent circumstance, one is compelled to commemorate those things which turn to one's own honor, that it should be done with moderation. He confirms this very thing with the example of David and Samuel; and he touches only incidentally upon whether he delivered this sermon at Antioch or at Constantinople.
The interpretation of some unknown author, which was less well arranged, we have deleted and have prepared a new one.
ON THIS SAYING OF THE APOSTLE, WOULD TO GOD YOU COULD BEAR WITH ME A LITTLE IN MY FOOLISHNESS (2 Cor. 11. 1)
1. The manner of true love. — I love all the saints, but especially the blessed Paul, the vessel of election, the heavenly trumpet, the bridal escort of Christ. I have said this, and I have brought into the middle [of our discourse] the love I have for him, so that I may make you sharers in this affection. For those who love with bodily desire are reasonably ashamed to confess it, inasmuch as they both shame themselves and harm those who hear them; but those who love with spiritual desire should never cease from confessing it, for they benefit both themselves and those who hear them through this good confession. For that love is a crime, but this is a panegyric; that is a perverted passion of the soul, while this is the soul’s gladness, exultation, and finest adornment. That introduces war into the minds of those who love, while this drives away even existing war and establishes those who love in great peace. And from that source no benefit comes, but rather much loss of money and senseless expenditure, the reversal of a life, and the total destruction of homes; from this, however, comes the great wealth of good deeds and a great abundance of virtue. Furthermore, those who love beautiful bodies and gape at bright faces gain nothing toward the removal of their own ugliness if they themselves are ugly and ill-favored; indeed, they are judged all the more base and unsightly. In the case of this love, however, the exact opposite is true. For he who loves a holy, beautiful, bright, and truly handsome soul, even if he himself is ugly and ill-favored, even if he is the most base of all men, by persevering in the love of the saints, will quickly become such as the one he loves. For this too is a work of God’s love for mankind: that while the body, being misshapen and crippled, cannot be corrected, the soul, even if it be base and ill-favored, can be made bright and truly handsome. For from the beauty of the former, no profit could come; but from the beauty of the latter, it is possible to harvest as many good things as it is natural for the lover to possess who has God. Concerning this beauty, David also sings in the Psalms: "Hear, daughter," he says, "and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house, and the king shall desire your beauty" (Ps. 44. 11, 12); calling "beauty" here that which is in the soul, which is built up by virtue and piety.
2. Since, therefore, there is such gain for those who with the saints
are joined and communicate, he is a participant of my love; let us love this holy man with the highest affection. For if this love should enter our soul and kindle a bright flame: if it should find any thorny, or stony, or rough, or stupid thing in our thoughts, by consuming the one and softening the other, it will make our soul like a rich field, fit for the divine seed. And do not say to me, "Paul is not present now, nor is he seen by our eyes; how can someone be loved whom we do not see?" For nothing is an impediment to this love: for we can love even one who is absent, and cherish one who is not seen, especially when we see every day so many and such great monuments of that virtue: namely, the Churches established everywhere in the world, the overthrow of impiety, the change of a bad life for the better, the expulsion of error, the ruined altars, the closed temples, the silence of the demons. For all these things the effective tongue of Paul, through the inspiration of divine grace, destroyed, and kindled a splendid flame of piety everywhere. Along with so many and such great deeds of his, there are also those holy epistles of his, which accurately depict for us the image of that blessed soul. And so, then, if we were discoursing with Paul himself, now present and living among us, we would thus studiously obey his writings; let us unfold these intimate and deep things, and learn what that is which was proclaimed today, saying: B *Would you could bear with me a little in my foolishness; but do bear with me: for I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy* (2 Cor. 11. 1-2). What do you say, Paul? You who bid disciples to walk in wisdom toward those outside, who say, *Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one* (Col. 4. 5-6); you who pray for all, that they may be filled with spiritual wisdom (Col. 4. 9), do you yourself say, *Would you could bear with me a little in my foolishness*? Was it not enough for you to have uttered some word of foolishness, but you also bring it before the disciples? And not only do you bring it before the disciples, but you make it known to all future men through your epistle? Observe how one ought not to pass over words rashly, but to examine each one accurately; for if that is read simply, it is tossed about before the hearers: but if it is examined, it shows Paul's great wisdom, great prudence, and ineffable care.
C 3. What, then, is that which is said? There were many pseudo-apostles among the Corinthians who were corrupting them and accusing Paul, craftily wounding the fame he had among his disciples, mocking him with taunts, charging him with arrogance. He is found to be attacking them frequently in his epistle: just as when he says, *For we are not as the many, peddling the word of God* (2 Cor. 2. 17); and again when he says, *I have kept myself without cost to you* (2 Cor. 11. 9); and when he asserted that he would preserve it: *For the truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting of mine shall not be stopped in the regions of Achaia* (2 Cor. 11. 10). When he subsequently added the reason, he points to those villains, saying: *What is it? Because I love you not? God knows. But what I do, and will do: that I may cut off occasion from them that desire occasion* (2 Cor. 11. 11-12); and before these things he exhorts the disciples not to force him to exhibit his authority to them himself, saying thus: *But I beseech you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence wherewith I am reckoned to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked D according to the flesh* (2 Cor. 10. 2). For these very men, of whom he says these things, accusing him through irony, used to say: Paul's epistles carry before them great terror and arrogance of words, but he himself is naught, vile, and abject. But after he has arrived here, they said, he will be seen to be worth nothing: which he declaring, said: *That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters; for his letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account* (2 Cor. 10. 9-10). Then, accusing the Corinthians themselves, who had been persuaded, he says, *Did I commit a sin in abasing myself, that you might be exalted* (2 Cor. 11. 7)? And answering this crime, he says again, *What we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present* (2 Cor. 10. 11). Because, therefore, there were many pseudo-apostles among them, whom he also calls deceitful workers, he speaks thus: *For such pseudo-apostles are deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder: for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing, therefore, if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness* (2 Cor. 11. 13-15). Since these, with the slanders they devised against him, were harming the disciples and introducing an assessment of the teacher that was not congruent, he is forced finally to fall into a commemoration of his own praises; for it was no longer safe to be silent. Since, therefore, he is about to narrate his own contests to us, and also the revelations he saw, and the labors he underwent: to show to all that he does this with difficulty and unwillingly, and though he sees it is necessary, he calls it foolishness, speaking thus: *Would you could bear with me a little in my foolishness*. I am about, he says, to address a foolish matter, that I may praise and celebrate myself; yet I am not the cause, but they rather, who forced me into this necessity: wherefore I beseech you to bear with me, and impute the cause to them. *Would you could bear with me a little in my foolishness; but do bear with me: for I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy*. He does not come immediately to the narration of his praises, but with words interposed, he thus introduces: *I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if you do, yet as foolish receive me* (2 Cor. 11. 16). Nor yet does he thus come to the narration, but again he subjoins and says: *That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this substance of boasting* (2 Cor. 11. 17). Nor even after these things does he dare to enter, but puts it off and says: *Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also; for you gladly bear with the foolish, being wise yourselves* (2 Cor. 11. 18-19). Furthermore, later he shrinks and hesitates, and with some things interposed again he introduces: *In whatever any man is bold, I speak in foolishness, I am bold also* (2 Cor. 11. 21). And only then, after so many excuses made beforehand, he entered upon the narration, but not immediately, for he brings in again and says: *If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness* (2 Cor. 11. 30). And not even after these things did he dare to throw down the words, but again he strikes and says: *For if many glory according to the flesh, I will also glory; gladly do you bear with the foolish, being wise yourselves* (2 Cor. 11. 18-19). Then he hesitates and shrinks, and after saying other things, he again adds: *In whatever any man is bold, in foolishness I speak, I am bold also* (2 Cor. 11. 21). And then at last
after thousands of times calling himself a fool and senseless, he finally dared to come to his own praises. *Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? So am I* (2 Cor. 11. 22-23). And not even there did he restrain himself, but again he places the correction, adding: *I speak as a fool, I more* (2 Cor. 11. 23). Nor did he stop there, but after recounting all his praises, he says: *I have become a fool in boasting; you compelled me* (2 Cor. 12. 11). For he was saying: "I had no concern for those things, if your affairs were secure, if you were not being subverted and shaken." For even if those men were always speaking evil of us, no harm would have come through their slander. But since I saw the flock being corrupted, and the disciples leaping away, I despised this burdensome and grievous task, and I was compelled to become a fool, speaking my own praises for your sake and for your salvation.
[E] 5. Such is the custom of the saints: if they have done anything base, they parade it and mourn it every day and make it plain to all; but if they have done anything noble and great, they hide it and let it pass into oblivion. This very saint, then, was constantly turning over and parading his sins, even when no one was coercing him; at one time saying, *Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief* (1 Tim. 1. 15); at another time saying, *I give thanks to Christ who has strengthened me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, who was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy, because I did it unknowingly in unbelief* (1 Tim. 1. 12-13); and again, *Last of all He was seen by me also, as by one untimely born; for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God* (1 Cor. 15. 8-9); and again, *To me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given* (Eph. 3. 8). Do you see how he calls himself not only the least of the apostles, but simply the least of all believers, saying, *To me, the least of all the saints, was this grace given*? Thus, he says he is not worthy even of the salvation by which he was saved; for having said that *Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief*, hear also for what reason he says this: *But for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who were to believe in Him for everlasting life* (1 Tim. 1. 16). A What he says is this: "I did not obtain mercy because of a worthy change of life,"—do not imagine that!—"but that no one of those who have lived in wickedness should despair, nor any of those who have warred against Christ, seeing the chief of all sinners—after whom there was no other so hostile to Christ—saved." And Christ says, *For he is a chosen vessel of Mine, to bear My name before Gentiles and kings* (Acts 9. 15). But he, not being puffed up by those praises, remains condemning himself after such great boldness, calling himself the first of sinners, and saying that he obtained mercy for this reason, that no one, even if they have reached the extremity of wickedness, might despair of their own salvation, while looking at him and the philanthropy that happened to him.
6. Sins, therefore, he parades every day in all his epistles, even when there is no need, condemning himself and making them clear not only to the men of that time, but to all who would be hereafter. But his praises—even when he saw there was a necessity—he hesitates and shrinks from recounting. And this is clear not only from the fact that he called it "foolishness" thousands of times, but also from the length of time he kept silent about that marvelous and divine revelation; for he had seen it not just then, nor two or three years before, but much further back. For this reason he also states the time, saying thus: *I know a man fourteen years ago caught up to the third heaven* (2 Cor. 12. 2). That you might learn that not even then would he have spoken, had he not seen that a great necessity was pressing upon him. For if he had wished to recount his own praises, he would have done it immediately, in the first, second, or third year. But now, he waited fourteen years and kept silent, and spoke to no one, but only to the Corinthians. And when? When he saw the pseudo-apostles attacking, showing that a corruption had occurred among the disciples. But not even then would he have spoken, had he not seen such B constraint. But we do not do this; rather, we do everything to the contrary. We do not remember our sins for a single day, but if we hear others mentioning them, we are indignant and wash them with thousands of insults. But if we have even done some small good, we dwell on this continually, and we are grateful to those who remember it, and we consider such to be our friends; and yet Christ commanded the opposite: to forget our achievements, but to remember our sins. And He made this clear to us also through those things which He advised His disciples, saying: *When you have done all things, say, "We are unprofitable servants"* (Luke 17. 10); and through the parable of the Pharisee, having set the publican before him. For just as the remembrance of sins justified the latter, so the remembrance of achievements destroyed the former. And God advises these very same things to the Jews, saying, C D
507 Behold, I am he who blots out your sins, and I will not remember them; but you, remember (Isa. 43:25). Of all the just men, David truly remembered his own sin continuously, but his good deeds never, unless at times necessity compelled him. When, therefore, that barbaric war was vexing the Jews, and all things were full of danger, and he was still a youth and unskilled in war, he left the sheep and descended into the battle line; and seeing everyone terrified, fearing, and trembling, he suffered nothing human, nor did he become faint-hearted seeing the others downcast, but by faith transcending all that was seen, and looking toward the King of heaven, he filled himself with much zeal and approached the soldiers and his brethren, promising that he would deliver them from the impending danger. But when those he addressed mocked him (for they did not see the God within urging him on, nor did they know that generous soul, full of such great wisdom), leaving them, he departed to others. But when they had brought him to the king, whom he found dead with fear, first he raised up his spirit, saying thus: Let not the heart of my lord fail over him, for thy servant will go and fight with this alien (1 Kings 17:32). But when he did not believe and said, Thou canst not go; thou art a boy, but he is a warrior from his youth (1 Kings 17:33), David, being placed in a dilemma, is forced to recount his own praises. For that he was unwilling to do so is proven by his prior behavior, since he had not told his brothers anything about the deeds he had bravely performed, nor the soldiers, nor even the king himself, until he saw that he did not believe and was preventing his engagement against the adversary. What then remained to be done? Or were his praises to be kept silent? But then he would not have let him go forth, nor would he have delivered them from the imminent danger. Therefore, since he had kept silent when it was proper to be silent, when he saw the nature of the time required him to speak, he was silent no longer but addressed him thus: Thy servant was feeding my father's flock, and when a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock, I went out after it and struck it and rescued it from its mouth, and I seized its throat and killed it: and thy servant struck the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised alien shall be as one of them (1 Kings 17:34-36). Do you see how he clearly explained for what reason he mentioned the deeds he did bravely? Then, clearly, the king having taken confidence, ordered him to depart. He departed further, fought, and conquered. But if he had not narrated his own praises, by no means would the king have granted him such a duel; if he had not believed, he would not have let him descend into the battle line; if he had not let him, he would have prevented the victory: and with the victory prevented, neither would God have been glorified at that time, nor would the city have been delivered from the pressing evils. Lest, therefore, so many absurd things should happen, and so great a work of providence should be obstructed, David was forced to recount his own victories. For as they know how to be silent where there is no necessity for speaking, so they also know how to speak when the time presses and is urgent.
A One might see that the same thing happened there. For when he had been over the Jewish people for so many years, and that according to the pleasure of God, and had never said anything great about himself, though he had many things to say, if he had wished, concerning his upbringing from early childhood, his time in the temple, the gift of prophecy from his swaddling clothes, and after these, the wars and the victories which he carried off not by arms, but by marshalling the battle line with the benevolence of God—yet he had said nothing of these in the previous time. But when he was about to abdicate the principate and hand over the rule to another, then he was forced to recount his own praises, and that very sparingly. And the whole people having been called together, in the presence of Saul, he spoke thus: Behold, I have heard your voice, and I have appointed a king over you: and behold, I have walked in your sight from my youth, even unto this day, and I am grown old. Answer against me in the presence of the Lord, and in the presence of his anointed; whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I oppressed? or whom have I defrauded? or from whose hand have I taken a bribe or a shoe, and hidden my eyes from him? Say against me, and I will restore it to you (1 Kings 12:1-3). And what necessity was there to say these things, you will ask? Many and great ones. For because he was about to introduce Saul to them as prince, in order to teach them in his own defense how it behooved one to rule and care for the subjects, he brings the subjects themselves as witnesses to his own philosophy. And he did not do that during the time of his rule, lest anyone should say they had testified to what was not true out of fear and dread of him; but now when his administration was ended, when the prefecture had been transferred to another, and no danger loomed for the accuser, then he contends with them. Although if another had been in his place, he would have been ill-disposed toward the Jews, nor would he have wanted his princely successor to be fair and moderate, and that not only from the memory of injuries received, but in order that he himself might obtain greater praise. For that malady resides in the souls of princes, the desire that their successors be wicked and villainous. For if they are sturdy and generous, they think they will be judged more illustrious if those who take over the rule are not like them: but if they are perverse and corrupt, they think the wickedness of their successors will be an apology for themselves. But the blessed man was not like this; indeed, he wished and desired with all his prayers that they might enjoy a far better rule: with such great love, in fact, was he held, so completely was he free of envy and alien to vain glory. For he sought only one thing, the salvation of men. Therefore, in his defense, he was depicting the duties of a prince. For because, if he had compelled the king and said, Be fair, gentle, impervious to gifts, do no violence to anyone, harm no one, nor defraud, that would have been heavy and burdensome to the listener; if, likewise, he had been silent, that was to betray the people: but under the guise of an apology he applied a remedy to both: he taught him who ought to be king, and he escaped the burden of such teaching. And indeed, he appears to be contending only for his own affairs, and in the meantime, he teaches him how [the ruler] should... [The rest of the page is cut off]
care for those under his charge. But you observe with me how, with all precision, he showed himself pure of greed. For he did not say, “Have I taken a field from any of you? Or gold?” but what is the most trivial of all: “A sandal?” he says. B Thereafter he revealed to us much other virtue of his own. For since many of the rulers, when they steal, are gentle and moderate and mild—not from within, but forced by the necessity of their conscience, having been stripped of boldness by their thefts—while those who are incorruptible [are] burdensome and heavy, not because of their own nature, but because of a certain vainglory and the desire to be pure of greed; and as one would not easily see both coming together in one man—this holy man, wishing to show that he had overcome both, and that he was master of both greed and anger, when he had said, “Have I taken a calf from any of you?” he did not stop, but added, “Or have I oppressed any of you or crushed [you]?”—that is, squeezed [you]?
The meaning of his words is as follows: No one could say, “Though he did not take [from us], yet because he did not take, he became burdensome and heavy and cruel and wild.” For this reason he said, “Or have I oppressed any of you?” What, then, [was] their response? “You have neither oppressed us, nor crushed [us], nor have you taken anything from our hand.” C And so that you might learn that he said these things in order to teach the king himself, he added: “The Lord is witness, and His Christ is witness.” By this he pointed out and showed to us that his testimony was not given out of favor, since he called as witness Him who knows the secrets of the mind, which is proof of a pure conscience. For no one, no one—unless he were completely mad and distraught—would ever call God as witness to his own conscience, unless he were very confident in himself.
Having therefore received their testimony regarding what he had said, he shows another virtue of his own; and having reminded them of all the ancient things in Egypt, and of God's protection, and of the wars that happened after them, he reminds them of the battle that took place in his own time and of the miraculous victory; and after saying how, because of their own sins, they were often delivered to their enemies, and how he himself D called upon God, and He delivered them from their enemies, joining the new to the old, he adds and says: “The Lord sent Jerobaal, and Gedeon, and Barac, and Jephthe, and Samuel, and delivered you round about from the hand of your enemies, and you dwelt in safety.” (1 Reg. 12, 11).
10. That the saints do not offer their own praises except under urgent necessity.
Do you see how it is the custom of the saints not to speak of their own accomplishments unless they are compelled? For this reason also Paul, looking toward these things, and being accurately instructed that even for one to speak about himself is heavy and burdensome, said: “I wish you would bear with me a little in my foolishness; not much, but a little” (2 Cor. 11, 1). For he was not prepared, without the presence of necessity, to pour himself out in abundance into the narration of his commendations, but he passes over them in few words; and even this he does for their sake and for their salvation. For just as, when there is no need to speak of one's own accomplishments, it is the height of folly, so, when necessity presses and violence drives, it is again a betrayal to remain silent about what one has done. 310 Nevertheless, Paul, seeing that there was a necessity, was reluctant, and called the thing “foolishness,” so that you might learn his prudence and his wisdom and his great caution. For even when he said, “That which I speak, I speak not according to the Lord,” he added, “In this substance of boasting” (2 Cor. 11, 17). “Do not think,” he says, “that I say this generally.” Therefore, on this account I especially praise and admire him and call him most wise, because he considered it a thing of foolishness to boast of and praise himself. But if he, seeing that there was a necessity, called this foolishness, of what forgiveness would they be worthy, of what defense, who speak great things about themselves when there is no necessity, or who force others to speak [of them]?Knowing these things, then, let us not only praise what is said, but let us also imitate and emulate [them], and forgetting our accomplishments, let us always remember our sins, so that we may be able to be moderate, and reaching forward to those things which are before, we may receive the prize of the upward calling, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, [and] honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The remark concerning Jerobaal is from a marginal gloss. And indeed, the same person was Jerobaal and Gedeon. And so either the voice “Gedeon” or the stroke between Gedeon and Jerobaal is to be deleted; however, the stroke is deleted. Two names signify one and the same person.
NOTICE CONCERNING THE HOMILY ON THE SAYING OF THE APOSTLE
It is, if not entirely certain, at least very probable that Chrysostom delivered this homily at the time when he was contending with the Anomoeans at Antioch. The words of the exordium suggest this. "When recently," he says, "we made mention of the Pharisee and the publican, and yoked two chariots from virtue and from vice, we both showed how great is the gain in humility and how great the loss in arrogance, etc." Compare these things, furthermore, with these words of the fifth homily against the Anomoeans, no. 6 and 7: "But in order that you may learn how great a good it is not to be wise above others, imagine two chariots, yoke justice with arrogance, and sin with humility: and you will see the chariot of sin outstrip the chariot of justice.... But in order that you may see that this pair is swifter than that, remember the Pharisee and the publican; the Pharisee joined justice and arrogance, etc." Having observed these things, there is hardly any reason to doubt that this homily was delivered a few days after the fifth discourse against the Anomoeans. The fifth homily against the Anomoeans, which was spoken on the day of St. Philogonius five days before the Nativity of the Lord, preceded it. Wherefore, if no time elapsed between the homilies on Philogonius and those on the Nativity of the Lord, as Tillemont well concludes, it is fittingly conjectured that this was delivered on the days following the Nativity of the Lord, and thus in the final days of the year 386. Concerning which matter, more will be discussed in the Life of Chrysostom. The occasion, however, for delivering this discourse A IN THOSE WHO MAKE WRONG USE OF THIS APOSTOLIC SAYING, “WHETHER BY OCCASION, OR BY TRUTH, CHRIST IS ANNOUNCED” (Philipp. 1:18); AND CONCERNING HUMILITY—how much evil it contains. When recently we made mention of the Pharisee and the publican, and yoked two chariots from virtue and from vice, we both showed how great is the gain in humility and how great the loss in arrogance. For the latter, although joined with justice and with fasts and the payment of tithes, nevertheless failed; the former, however, even when coupled with sin, outstripped the Pharisee, though it obtained a wicked charioteer. For what is worse than a publican? Yet because he crushed his soul and declared himself a sinner, as in truth he was, he surpassed the Pharisee, who was able to bring forward fasts and the payment of tithes, and was free from all iniquity. Why, and for what cause? Because although he was alien to avarice and rapine, he had vanity and arrogance, the mother of all evils, rooted in his mind. For this reason Paul exhorts and says: "Let every man prove his own work, and so he shall have glory in himself, and not in another" (Gal. 6:4). But that one, the accuser of the whole world, burst into the midst and declared himself better than all men. And yet, if he had preferred himself to ten, to five, to two, or even to one, not even that would be endurable; but now he not only set himself before the whole world, but also accused everyone. For this reason he failed in the race. And as a ship that has crossed countless waves and escaped many tempests, and then strikes some reef at the very mouth of the harbor, loses the whole treasure stored within it: so also this Pharisee, after the labors of fasting and all other virtues, because he did not restrain his tongue, made shipwreck in the very harbor. For to depart with such great loss from the prayers, from where gain ought to have been expected, was nothing else than to make shipwreck in the harbor.B We know these things, beloved; and even if we have reached the summit of virtue, let us consider ourselves the very last of all: when we have learned that arrogance is able to cast down the man who is not attentive to himself, even from the very heavens, and that humility is able to raise up on high the man who has been submerged into the abyss of sins, if he acts modestly. For this preference of the publican over the Pharisee—that, wondrous arrogance and pride, overcame the power of the bodiless devil himself, while humility and the acknowledgment of one's own sins brought the thief into paradise before the apostles. But if those who confess their own sins procure for themselves such confidence, those who are conscious of many good deeds but nevertheless humble their soul, how great crowns will they not obtain? For when sin is yoked with humility, it runs so expeditiously that it surpasses and outstrips justice yoked with arrogance. If, therefore, you yoke that with justice, to where will it not arrive? How many heavens will it not traverse? It will stand with great confidence among the angels before the very throne of God. On the contrary, if arrogance, coupled with justice, was able to draw away his confidence by the mass and weight of its iniquity, if it is joined with sin, into what gehenna will it not cast down the man who is held by it? Humility is the foundation of our philosophy. I say this not so that we may neglect justice, but that we may flee from arrogance; not so that we may sin, but that we may act modestly. For humility is the foundation of our philosophy. Even if you build countless things above, even if you heap up alms, prayers, fasting, and all virtues, unless you place it as a foundation, you have built all things in vain and to no purpose, and they will quickly collapse, just like that building which is erected upon the sand. C For no good work lacks it, nor can any stand without it. And even if you speak of continence, even if of virginity, even if of the contempt of money, even if of anything else, all are unclean and accursed and abominable with humility absent. Everywhere, therefore, itself...
let us lay hold of it—in words, in deeds, in thoughts—and with it let us build these things up.
C 3. But enough has been said concerning humility, not in proportion to the worth of the achievement—for no one could ever hymn it according to its worth—but in proportion to the understanding of your love. For I know well that even from the few things said, you will draw it forth with much diligence. But since it is necessary to make clear and manifest the apostolic declaration read today, which seems to many to provide an excuse for sloth, so that some, by deriving from it a cold apology, do not neglect their own salvation, come, let us direct our speech to this. D What, then, is this declaration? "Whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is proclaimed" (Philipp. 1. 18). Many repeat this simply and as it happens, without reading what comes before or what comes after; but having cut it off from the sequence of the other members, they present it to the more slothful to the destruction of their own souls. For attempting to lead them away from the sound faith, and then seeing them fearful and trembling—as if it were not without danger to do this—and wishing to loosen their fear, they bring forward this apostolic statement, saying: "Paul permitted this, saying: 'Whether in pretense, or in truth, let Christ be proclaimed.'" But this is not the case, it is not. A For first of all, he did not say "let him be proclaimed," but "is proclaimed"; and there is a great difference between this and that. For to say "let him be proclaimed" is to legislate, but to say "is proclaimed" is to announce what is happening. That Paul does not legislate that there be heresies, but leads away all who attend to him, hear what he says: "If anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you have received, let him be anathema, even if I, even if an angel from heaven" (Gal. 1. 8, 9). He would not have anathematized both himself and an angel if he knew the matter to be without danger. And again, B "For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God," he says, "for I betrothed you to one man, a pure virgin. But I fear that perhaps as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts might be corrupted from the simplicity that is toward Christ" (2 Cor. 11. 2, 3). Behold, he has placed "simplicity," and he gave no indulgence. For if there were indulgence, there was no danger; but if there was no danger, Paul would not have feared. Nor would Christ have ordered the weeds to be burnt (Matt. 13. 30), if it were a matter of indifference to attend to this one, and that one, and another, and to all indiscriminately.
4. What then is the meaning of what is said? I wish to narrate to you the whole history from above; for it is necessary to know in what situation Paul was when he wrote these things. C In what situation, then, was he at that time? In a prison, 343 and in chains, and in unbearable dangers. Whence is this clear? From the epistle itself. For above this he says: "But I wish you to know, brothers, that the things concerning me have come rather for the progress of the gospel, so that my bonds have become manifest in Christ in the whole praetorium and to all the rest; and most of the brothers, being confident in my bonds, are more exceedingly bold to speak the word without fear" (Philipp. 1. 12-14). Nero was he who had cast him into prison at that time. For just as a robber, D having entered a house while all are sleeping, stealing everything, as soon as he sees someone having lit a lamp, both extinguishes the light and kills the lamp-bearer, so that he may with security steal and plunder other people's goods; thus also Nero Caesar at that time, like some robber and housebreaker, while all were sleeping a certain deep and insensible sleep, plundering everyone's goods, destroying marriages, overturning houses, showing every form of wickedness, when he saw Paul having lit a lamp throughout the inhabited world—the word of the teaching—and exposing his wickedness, he was eager both to extinguish the preaching and to kill the teacher, so that he might have authority to do all things. And having bound that holy man, he threw him into prison. At that time, then, the blessed Paul was writing these things. Who would not be amazed? Who would not marvel? Or rather, who would be able to be amazed and marvel according to their worth at that noble and heaven-high soul, that being bound in Rome and incarcerated, he was writing to the Philippians from such a great distance? You know how great the distance is between Macedonia and Rome. But neither the length of the road, nor the length of time, nor the throng of affairs, nor the danger and the consecutive disasters, 344 nor anything else cast out the love and memory of the disciples, but he held them all in mind; and his hands were not so tied by the chains as his soul was bound and nailed by the yearning for his disciples; which indeed he himself, declaring in the preamble of the epistle, said: "Because I have you in my heart, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel" (Philipp. 1. 7). And just as a king, having ascended the throne under the dais and sat in the royal halls, immediately receives countless letters from everywhere; so too he, sitting in the prison as in royal halls, was receiving and sending much more letters, as all nations from everywhere were referring to his wisdom concerning their own affairs; and he was managing so many more affairs than the kings, by as much as he had been entrusted with a greater rule. For God had placed in his hands not only those inhabiting the Roman territory, but also all the barbarians, and land and sea. And declaring this to the Romans he said: "But I do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, that I often proposed to come to you, and was hindered until now, so that I might have some fruit also in you, as also in the other nations; to Greeks and to barbarians, to wise and to foolish, I am a debtor" (Rom. 1. 13, 14). So, every day he was concerned: this for the Corinthians, that for the Macedonians, how the Philippians are, how the Cappadocians, how the Galatians, how the Athenians, how those dwelling in Pontus, how all men. But nevertheless, having been entrusted with the whole earth, he was not anxious only for entire nations, but also for a single man; and now he was sending the epistle for Onesimus, now for him who had committed fornication among the Corinthians. For he did not consider this, that there was one who had sinned and was in need of protection; but he was yet a man, man the most precious creature to God, and for whom the Father did not spare even His Only-begotten.
5. Do not say to me this, that such a one is a fugitive, and a robber and a thief, and of ten thousand evil marriages...
matters; but consider that Christ died for him, and this is enough for you to undertake every care. Consider who he must be, whom Christ so honored that He did not even spare His own blood. For we would not seek any other proof that someone is a great person and very dear to a king, if that king were willing to sacrifice himself for him, than his death, which I think is sufficient to declare the affection of the one who underwent death toward him. Now, however, it is not a man, not an angel, not an archangel, but the Lord of the heavens Himself, the Only-begotten Son of God Himself, who, having taken on flesh, delivered Himself up for us. Shall we not therefore do everything, shall we not attempt everything, so that men touched by such honor might enjoy our care and solicitude? And what excuse shall we have? What pardon? A This very thing, Paul, indicating, said: "Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died" (Rom. 14:15). For in order to put to shame those who despise their brothers and look down upon them as though they were weak, and to lead them to the care and zeal for their neighbor, he put forward the death of the Lord instead of evil deeds. From such a distance, therefore, sitting in chains, he wrote to the Philippians. Such, indeed, is charity towards God: it is hindered by no human things, as it has its root in the heavens and its reward. And what does he say? "I want you to know, brothers" (Phil. 1:12). Have you seen the care for the disciples? Have you seen the master's solicitude? Hear also of the affection of the disciples towards the master, so that you may know that they were strong and invincible because they were bound together by mutual love. For if "a brother helped by a brother is like a fortified city" (Prov. 18:19), much more do so many men, bound by the chains of charity, drive away all the snares of the evil demon. Certainly, that Paul was bound to his disciples, there is no need to demonstrate or say, since even when constrained by chains he bore their solicitude, and daily died for them, kindled by love. B Being bound, not only men, but even women—hear what he says about Phoebe: "I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is in the ministry of the Church, which is in Cenchreae, that you may receive her in the Lord as is worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself" (Rom. 16:1-2). Truly, here he gave testimony to her zeal concerning her patronage alone; but Priscilla and Aquila progressed even unto death for Paul's sake. Concerning them he writes thus: "Greet Aquila and Priscilla, who for my soul have laid down their own necks" (Rom. 16:3). And he writes of another again to them: "He came close unto death, delivering up his soul, that he might fulfill that which was lacking in your service toward me" (Phil. 2:30). Do you see how they loved their master, how they provided for his tranquility before their own souls? Wherefore no one surpassed them at that time. I say these things, however, not that we might only hear, but also that we might imitate; and I am not speaking to the subjects only, but also to those in authority, that the disciples may show much care for their masters, and that the masters may have the same affection for their subjects as Paul did, and not only for those present, but also for those far away. For Paul, as if he lived in the whole world as in one house, was thus solicitous for the salvation of all, and with his chains sent, and hardships, and blows, and straits, he considered and inquired daily how those things were faring which concerned his disciples; and he sent C often for this reason alone, now Timothy, now Tychicus. For indeed of the latter he says: "That he may know how you are, and may console your hearts" (Eph. 6:22); but concerning Timothy: "I sent him to you, no longer able to endure, lest perhaps he who tempts has tempted you" (1 Thess. 3:5). And elsewhere Titus, elsewhere another. For since he, having been detained in one place, could not be present with them, he used to visit them through his disciples, who were his very bowels. Therefore, when he was in chains, he wrote to the Philippians: "I want you to know, brothers" (Phil. 1:12); he calls his disciples brothers. Such indeed is charity: it casts away all inequality, it knows not preeminence and rank; but even if someone is higher than everyone, he descends to the most humble of all, which Paul also used to do. D But let us hear what he wants them to know: "That the things which happened to me have come to the progress of the Gospel" (Phil. 1:12). Tell me, how and in what manner? Have you been freed from your chains? Have you cast off your shackles and are you preaching in the city in freedom? Have you entered the Church and woven long and many sermons about the faith, and departed having gained many disciples? Have you raised the dead and been an object of admiration? Have you cleansed lepers and were all astonished? Have you chased away demons and become exalted thence? "None of these," he says. How, then, was there progress of the Gospel? Tell me, I pray. "So that," he says, "my chains in Christ have become manifest in all the praetorium, and in all the rest" (Phil. 1:13). What are you saying? Is this the progress? Is this the access? Is this the increase of the preaching, that all have learned that you are bound? "Yes," he says. Hear, therefore, the things that follow, so that you may learn that the chains not only were no hindrance, but were even a proof of greater confidence: "So that most of the brothers in the Lord, confident in my chains, more abundantly dared to speak the word without fear" (Phil. 1:14). What are you saying, Paul? Have the chains instilled not anxiety, but confidence? Not fear, but love? "These words do not have a sequence." I know it also. "For these things did not happen according to the custom of human affairs," he says, "but they are above nature, and are works of divine grace." And that which brings anxiety to others, that brought confidence to him. For if someone divulges that a leader has been captured and constrained, he puts the whole army to flight; and if someone has abducted a shepherd from the sheepfold, he provides liberty to drive away the flock. But it was not so with Paul, but the contrary was happening. For the leader was being bound, and the soldiers were more eager, and with greater spirit were attacking their adversaries; the shepherd was constrained, and the sheep were not consumed, nor were they scattered.
A Who has seen, who has heard of disciples receiving greater consolation amidst the hardships of their teachers? How did they not fear? How were they not terrified? How did they not say to Paul, “Physician, heal yourself! Deliver yourself from these manifold hardships, and then you shall provide us with ten thousand benefits”? Why did they not say these things? Why? Because they had been instructed by the grace of the Spirit that these things were not happening out of weakness, but by the permission of Christ, so that the truth might shine more brightly, growing and rising to greater magnitude through chains, prisons, afflictions, and straits. Thus, the power of Christ is perfected in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). B For if the chains had overthrown Paul and rendered him, or those attending to him, more cowardly, they would have had cause for confusion; but if they prepared him to be more confident and led him to greater glory, one ought to be struck with wonder at how, through a thing that brings disgrace, glory was provided to the disciple, and through a thing that casts fear, boldness and consolation were provided to all those others. For who was not struck with amazement then, seeing him wearing a chain? Demons fled all the more when they saw him dwelling in the prison. For the diadem does not make a kingly head as bright as the chain made his hands—not by their own nature, but because of the grace that blossomed within them. For this reason, there was much consolation for the disciples. For they saw his body bound, but his tongue not bound; C his hands constricted, but his word set free, running through the entire inhabited world faster than a sunbeam. And this was a source of consolation to them, as they learned through his deeds that none of the present hardships were dreadful. For when the soul has been genuinely dyed with divine longing and love, it is not turned aside by any of the present things; but just as those who are frantic dare to face fire, iron, wild beasts, the sea, and everything, so too these men, having been seized by a certain most noble and spiritual madness—a madness born of self-mastery—laughed at all visible things. For this reason, seeing the teacher bound, they leapt and rejoiced all the more, giving proof to their adversaries through their deeds that they are entirely unconsumable and unconquerable.
9. Since things were in this state, some of Paul's enemies, wishing to stir up the war more fiercely and to inflame the tyrant with greater hatred against him, pretended that they too were preaching, and they preached the correct and sound faith so that the doctrine might increase all the more; they were doing this, not wishing to sow the faith, but so that when Nero learned that the preaching was growing and the doctrine increasing, he might lead Paul to the pit all the sooner. There were, therefore, two schools: that of the disciples of Paul, and that of the enemies of Paul; the former preaching from truth, the latter from contentiousness and hatred toward Paul. D And revealing these things, he said: *Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife* (Philipp. 1:15), indicating those enemies; *and some also of good will*, saying this about his own disciples. Again he spoke about the former: *The one party preacheth Christ of faction — the enemies; not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction to my bonds* (Philipp. 1:17). *Not* preaching, he says, *but thinking to raise up*, that is, imagining; showing that even if they are thinking as they do, he himself is not disposed that way, but rather he rejoices because of the increase of the preaching. He added, therefore, saying: *But in this I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice* (Philipp. 1:18). But if it had been an error in doctrine, and those men brought in heresies, Paul could not have rejoiced. Because the doctrine was sound and unadulterated, for that reason he says, “I rejoice, and will rejoice.” For what matters it if those men destroy themselves by doing this out of hatred? But even against their will, they increase my cause. Do you see the extent of Paul’s power, and how he is not caught by any of the devil’s machinations? And he is not only not caught, but he overcomes [the devil] by these very things. For indeed, the devil’s guile and the wickedness of those who serve him are great; for under the pretext of holding the same opinions, they wanted to extinguish the preaching. But *He that catcheth the wise in their craftiness* (1 Cor. 3:19) did not allow this to happen then. Acknowledging this very thing, Paul said: *But to abide in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all* (Philipp. 1:24-25). For those men desire to cast me out of the present life, and for this reason they endure everything; but God does not allow it, for your sake. Therefore, remember all these things with accuracy, so that you may be able to correct with all wisdom those who use the Scriptures simply and as occasion serves, to the ruin of their neighbors.