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to depart from. Therefore, anticipating these things, he gave instructions, advising not to make a trade of grace nor to sell the gifts from God. And according to the others and Matthew himself, not allowing them neither a staff, nor a bag, nor sandals, nor two tunics, but not to carry bread, nor silver, as they were about to be sent into a foreign land, he was making a test of their faith and zeal, if, having been commanded to pursue a life utterly without possessions, so as not even to take thought for the day's food, nor to carry a second tunic, nor to use sandals, as they were about to travel around the entire inhabited world, they would not flee the commandments. But also wanting them to be free from the love of money 24.545 and free from the cares of life. He testified to these things, as if the gifts from God would in this way somehow be given to them, if they themselves also would prepare from themselves a suitable life worthy of the possession of the divine gifts. For it was fitting to make a certain return and exchange, on the one hand receiving from God the saving and beneficent powers for men, and on the other hand giving back to him obedience to his commandments, and zeal and a free choice from attachment to worldly things. But also, since they were receiving heavenly wealth for their souls, and being supplied with the pledge of the kingdom of God, he thought it necessary that they should despise the things on earth; and to consider neither gold, nor money, nor any of the things honored among men worthy of the heavenly wealth granted to them. But also, making them soldiers of the kingdom of God, he prepared them well-girded for the war against their adversaries. For these reasons he advised his soldiers to be without possessions; since "No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, that he may please the one who enlisted him." "And whatever house you enter, stay there." The Lord, however, since he had forbidden the disciples the possession of money and gold and silver and a second tunic, and of all property, next, accordingly, according to Matthew, necessarily explained how the things for their food would be provided. Therefore he added, saying, "The worker is worthy of his food." And he said this, permitting them to share only in food with those willing to give to them; He allowed them to receive only as much as was sufficient for a man, who had hired himself out for a day's work, to receive food. Thus indeed it was not permitted for them to collect wages for their good deeds, "For freely," he says, "you have received, freely give." and in return for their leisure and work in preaching, and in return for the toils of the body, which it was likely for them to endure being sent on so great a journey, they should partake only of necessary food; and to share this not with just anyone, nor to receive without examination from those willing to provide, but to honor only the worthy by receiving from them; to whom also they should give back the greatest reward in advance for the food, proclaiming to them peace and reconciliation with God. These things accordingly he advised the soldiers of his kingdom; testifying beforehand not to desire money, nor any possession at all, small or great, but to press on to the extreme of having no possessions; and of the daily food not to share with all, but with the worthy alone; and not to partake from them for free, but having first lent and first benefited them with their own blessings. - The Lord, having fortified the disciples with divine powers and with philosophical exhortations, having made them well-girded soldiers of the kingdom of God, sent them out, as teachers and physicians to the Jews, to be for them providers and heralds of countless good things. And they acted according to these things, and went about everywhere, on the one hand as teachers 24.548 preaching the gospel, and on the other hand as physicians healing, and confirming their words through their works and signs. Now Herod the
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ἐκχωρεῖν· διὸ ταῦτα προλαβὼν διεστέλλετο, μὴ καπηλεύειν τὴν χάριν μηδὲ πιπράσκειν τὰ ἐκ Θεοῦ παραινῶν δῶρα· κατὰ δὲ τοὺς λοιποὺς καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν Ματθαῖον μὴ ἐπιτρέπων αὐτοῖς μήτε ῥάβδον, μήτε πήραν, μήτε ὑποδήματα, μήτε δύο χιτῶνας, ἀλλὰ μήτ' ἄρτον, μήτε ἀργύριον ἐπάγεσθαι, μέλλοντας ἐπ' ἀλλοδαπῆς στέλλεσθαι, δοκιμὴν τῆς αὐτῶν πίστεώς τε καὶ προθυμίας ἐλάμβανεν, εἰ, παραγγελθέντες τὸν ἄκρως ἀκτήμονα βίον μετιέναι, ὡς μηδὲ τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς πρόνοιαν ποιεῖσθαι, μηδὲ δεύτερον ἐπάγεσθαι χιτῶνα, μηδὲ ὑποδήμασι χρῆσθαι, μέλλοντες τὴν σύμπασαν ἐκπερινοστεῖν οἰκουμένην, μὴ φεύγοιεν τὰ παραγγέλματα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀφι 24.545 λοχρημάτους ἀφρόντιδάς τε τοῦ βίου δεῖν αὐτοὺς εἶναι βουλόμενος. Ταῦτα διεμαρτύρατο, ὡς ἂν τῶν ἐκ Θεοῦ δομάτων ταύτῃ πη αὐτοῖς δοθησομένων, εἰ καὶ αὐτοὶ παρ' ἑαυτῶν τὸν κατάλληλον βίον ἐπάξιον τῆς τῶν θείων χαρισμάτων κτήσεως παρασκευάζοιεν· προσήκειν γὰρ ἀμοιβήν τινα ποιήσασθαι καὶ ἀντικαταλλάξασθαι, ὑποδεχομένους μὲν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰς σωτηρίους καὶ εὐεργετικὰς ἀνθρώπων δυνάμεις, ἀντιδιδόντες δὲ αὐτῷ ὑπακοὴν τῶν αὐτοῦ παραγγελμάτων, προθυμίαν τε καὶ προαίρεσιν ἐλευθέραν τῆς πρὸς τὰ βιωτικὰ συμπαθείας. Ἀλλὰ καὶ πλοῦτον οὐράνιον ταῖς αὐτῶν ψυχαῖς ὑποδεχομένους, τῆς τε τοῦ Θεοῦ βασιλείας ἀῤῥαβῶσιν ἐφοδιαζομένους, τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς καταφρονεῖν χρῆναι δεῖν ᾤετο· καὶ μήτε χρυσὸν, μήτε χρήματα, μήτε τι τῶν παρ' ἀνθρώποις τιμίων ἐπάξιον ἡγεῖσθαι τοῦ παρασχεθέντος αὐτοῖς οὐρανίου πλούτου. Ἀλλὰ καὶ στρατιώτας αὐτοὺς τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ βασιλείας ἀποτελῶν, εὐζώνους παρεσκεύαζεν ἐπὶ τὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἀντικειμένους πόλεμον. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα ἀκτήμονας εἶναι παρῄνει τοὺς αὐτοῦ στρατιώτας· ἐπεὶ Μηδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις, ἵνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ. Καὶ εἰς ἣν ἂν οἰκίαν εἰσέλθητε, ἐκεῖ μένετε. Ὁ μέντοι Κύριος, ἐπειδὴ χρημάτων καὶ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου καὶ χιτῶνος δευτέρου, πάσης τε ὑπάρξεως τὴν κτῆσιν τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἀπηγόρευσεν, ἑξῆς ἀκολούθως κατὰ τὸν Ματθαῖον, ὅπως τὰ πρὸς τροφὴν αὐτοῖς πορισθήσεται, ἀναγκαίως διεσάφει· διὸ ἐπῆγε λέγων· Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τοῦτ' ἔλεγε τροφῆς μόνης ἐπιτρέπων κοινωνεῖν τοῖς ἐθέλουσιν αὐτοῖς μεταδιδόναι· τοσοῦτον δ' ἀποφέρεσθαι συνεχώρει, ὅσον αὔταρκες ἦν ἀνδρὶ, πρὸς ἐφήμερον ἐργασίαν ἑαυτὸν μεμισθωκότι, τροφῆς μεταλαβεῖν. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ τοῖς δὲ ἐξεῖναι οὐ μισθοὺς τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν εἰσπράττεσθαι, ∆ωρεὰν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλάβετε, δωρεὰν δότε· ἀντὶ δὲ τῆς περὶ τὸ κήρυγμα σχολῆς τε καὶ ἐργασίας, ἀντί τε τῶν πόνων τοῦ σώματος, οὓς τοσαύτην στελλομένους πορείαν εἰκὸς ἦν ὑπομένειν αὐτοὺς, μόνης τροφῆς τῆς ἀναγκαίας χρῆναι μεταλαμβάνειν· καὶ ταύτης μὴ τοῖς τυχοῦσι κοινωνεῖν, μηδὲ παρὰ τῶν παρέχειν ἐθελόντων ἀβασανίστως λαμβάνειν, μόνους δὲ τοὺς ἀξίους τῇ λήψει τιμᾷν· οἷς καὶ μεγίστην ἀμοιβὴν τῆς τροφῆς προλαμβάνοντας ἀντιδιδόναι, εἰρήνην αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ διαλλαγὰς εὐαγγελιζομένους. Ταῦτα δ' ἀκολούθως τοῖς τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας στρατιώταις παρῄνει· προμαρτυρούμενος μὴ χρημάτων ἐφίεσθαι, μηδέ τινος τὸ παράπαν κτήματος μικροῦ ἢ μεγάλου, εἰς ἄκρον δ' ἐλαύνειν ἀκτημοσύνης· τῆς τε ἐφημέρου τροφῆς μὴ τοῖς πᾶσιν, ἢ τοῖς ἀξίοις μόνοις κοινωνεῖν· καὶ μηδὲ παρὰ τούτων προῖκα ποιεῖσθαι τὴν μετάληψιν, προδανείσαντας δὲ καὶ προευεργετήσαντας ταῖς παρ' ἑαυτῶν εὐλογίαις. - Περιφράξας τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁ Κύριος ἐνθέοις δυνάμεσι καὶ τοῖς φιλοσόφοις παραινέσεσιν, εὐζώνους αὐτοὺς οἷα Θεοῦ βασιλείας στρατιώτας ἀπεργασάμενος ἐξέπεμψε, διδασκάλους καὶ ἰατροὺς τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, μυρίων αὐτοῖς ἐσομένους ἀγαθῶν προξένους καὶ κήρυκας. Οἱ δὲ κατὰ ταῦτα ἐποίουν, καὶ πανταχοῦ περιῄεσαν, ὡς μὲν διδάσκαλοι 24.548 εὐαγγελιζόμενοι, ὡς δὲ ἰατροὶ θεραπεύοντες, καὶ τοὺς λόγους διὰ τῶν ἔργων καὶ τῶν σημείων πιστούμενοι. Ἤκουσε δὲ Ἡρώδης ὁ