John Chrysostom, On the First Letter to the Corinthians

Inasmuch as he had said, “If meat make my brother to stumble I will eat no flesh forever;” a thing which he had not yet done, but professed he would do if need require: lest any man should say, “Thou vauntest thyself at random, and art severe in discourse, and utterest words of promise, a thing easy to me or to any body; but if these sayings come from thy heart, shew by deeds something which thou hast slighted in order to avoid making thy brother stumble:” for this cause, I say, in what follows he is compelled to enter on the proof of this also, and to point out how he was used to forego even things permitted that he might not give offence, although without any law to enforce his doing so.

And we are not yet come to the admirable part of the matter: though it be admirable that he abstain even from things lawful to avoid offence: but it is his habit of doing so at the cost of so much trouble and danger99 The reading here adopted is Savile’s.. “For why,” saith he, “speak of the idol sacrifices? Since although Christ had enjoined that those who preach the Gospel should live at the charge of their disciples, I did not so, but chose, if need were, to end my life with famine and die the most grievous of deaths, so I might avoid receiving of those whom I instruct.”

Not because they would otherwise be made to stumble, but because his not receiving would edify them100 A slight transposition has been made here: the sense seeming to require it.: a much greater thing for him to do. And to witness this he summons themselves, among whom he was used to live in toil and in hunger, nourished by others, and put to straits, in order not to offend them. And yet there was no ground for their taking offence, for it would but have been a law which he was fulfilling. But for all this, by a sort of supererogation101 ἐκ περιουσίας. he used to spare them.

Now if he did more than was enacted lest they should take offence, and abstained from permitted things to edify others; what must they deserve who abstain not from idol sacrifices? and that, when many perish thereby? a thing which even apart from all scandal one ought to shrink from, as being “the table of demons.”

The sum therefore of this whole topic is this which he works out in many verses. But we must resume it and make a fresh entrance on what he hath alleged. For neither hath he set it down thus expressly as I have worded it; nor doth he leap at once upon it; but begins from another topic, thus speaking;

[2.] “Am I not an Apostle?” For besides all that hath been said, this also makes no small difference that Paul himself is the person thus conducting himself. As thus: To prevent their alleging, “You may taste of the sacrifices, sealing102 i.e. making the sign of the Cross: σφραγίζοντι. at the same time:” for a while he withstands not that statement, but argues, “Though it were lawful, your brethren’s harm should keep you from doing so;” and afterwards he proves that it is not even lawful. In this particular place, however, he establishes the former point from circumstances relating to himself. And intending presently to say that he had received nothing from them, he sets it not down at once, but his own dignity is what he first affirms: “Am I not an Apostle? am I not free?”

Thus, to hinder their saying, “True; thou didst not receive, but the reason thou didst not was its not being lawful;” he sets down therefore first the causes why he might reasonably have received, had he been willing to do so.

Further: that there might not seem to be any thing invidious in regard of Peter and such as Peter, in his saying these things, (for they did not use to decline receiving;) he first shows that they had authority to receive, and then that no one might say, “Peter had authority to receive but thou hadst not,” he possesses the hearer beforehand with these encomiums of himself. And perceiving that he must praise himself, (for that was the way to correct the Corinthians,) yet disliking to say any great thing of himself, see how he hath tempered both feelings as the occasion required: limiting his own panegyric, not by what he knew of himself, but by what the subject of necessity required. For he might have said, “I most of all had a right to receive, even more than they, because ‘I labored more abundantly than they.’” But this he omits, being a point wherein he surpassed them; and those points wherein they were great and which were just grounds for their receiving, those only he sets down: as follows:

“Am I not an Apostle? am I not free?” i.e. “have I not authority over myself? am I under any, to overrule me and forbid my receiving?”

“But they have an advantage over you, in having been with Christ.”

“Nay, neither is this denied me.” With a view to which he saith,

“Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” For “last of all,” (c. xv. 8.) saith he, “as unto one born out of due time, He appeared unto me also.” Now this likewise was no small dignity: since “many Prophets,” (S. Matt. xiii. 17.) saith He, “and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them:” and, “Days will come when ye shall desire to see one of these days.” (S. Luke xvii. 22.)

“What then, though thou be ‘an Apostle,’ and ‘free,’ and hast ‘seen Christ,’ if thou hast not exhibited any work of an Apostle; how then can it be right for thee to receive?” Wherefore after this he adds,

“Are not ye my work in the Lord?” For this is the great thing; and those others avail nothing, apart from this. Even Judas himself was “an Apostle,” and “free,” and “saw Christ;” but because he had not “the work of an Apostle,” all those things profited him not. You see then why he adds this also, and calls themselves to be witnesses of it.

Moreover, because it was a great thing which he had uttered, see how he chastens it, adding, “In the Lord:” i.e., “the work is God’s, not mine.”

Ver. 2. “If to others I am not an Apostle, yet at least I am to you.”

Do you see how far he is from enlarging here without necessity? And yet he had the whole world to speak of, and barbarous nations, and sea and land. However, he mentions none of these things, but carries his point by concession, and even granting more than he need. As if he had said, “Why need I dwell on things over and above, since these even alone are enough for my present purpose? I speak not, you will observe, of my achievements in other quarters, but of those which have you for witnesses. Upon which it follows that if from no other quarter, yet from you I have a right to receive. Nevertheless, from whom I had most right to receive, even you whose teacher I was, from those I received not.”

“If to others I am not an Apostle, yet at least I am to you.” Again, he states his point by concession. For the whole world had him for its Apostle. “However,” saith he, “I say not that, I am not contending nor disputing, but what concerns you I lay down. ‘For the seal of mine Apostleship are ye:’” i.e., its proof. “Should any one, moreover, desire to learn whence I am an Apostle, you are the persons whom I bring forward: for all the signs of an Apostle have I exhibited among you, and not one have I failed in.” As also he speaks in the Second Epistle, saying, (2 Cor. xii. 12.) “Though I am nothing, truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works. For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the Churches?” Wherefore he saith, “The seal of mine Apostleship are ye.” “For I both exhibited miracles, and taught by word, and underwent dangers, and shewed forth a blameless life.” And these topics you may see fully set forth by these two Epistles, how he lays before them the demonstration of each with all exactness.

[3.] Ver. 3. “My defence to them that examine me is this.” What is, “My defence to them that examine me is this?” “To those who seek to know whereby I am proved to be an Apostle, or who accuse me as receiving money, or inquire the cause of my not receiving, or would fain shew that I am not an Apostle: to all such, my instruction given to you and these things which I am about to say, may stand for a full explanation and defence.” What then are these?

Ver. 4, 5. “Have we no right to eat and to drink? Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer?” Why, how are these sayings a defence? “Because, when it appears that I abstain even from things which are allowed, it cannot be just to look suspiciously on me as a deceiver or one acting for gain.”

Wherefore, from what was before alleged and from my having instructed you and from this which I have now said, I have matter sufficient to make my defence to you: and all who examine me I meet upon this ground, alleging both what has gone before and this which follows: “Have we no right to eat and to drink? have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer? “Yet for all this, having it I abstain?”

What then? did he not use to eat or to drink? It were most true to say that in many places he really did not eat nor drink: for (c. iv. 11.) “in hunger,” saith he, “and in thirst, and in nakedness” we were abiding.” Here, however, this is not his meaning; but what? “We eat not nor drink, receiving of those whom we instruct, though we have a right so to receive.”

“Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the Apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?” Observe his skilfulness. The leader of the choir stands last in his arrangement: since that is the time for laying down the strongest of all one’s topics. Nor was it so wonderful for one to be able to point out examples of this conduct in the rest, as in the foremost champion and in him who was entrusted with the keys of heaven. But neither does he mention Peter alone, but all of them: as if he had said, Whether you seek the inferior sort or the more eminent, in all you find patterns of this sort.

For the brethren too of the Lord, being freed from their first unbelief (vid. S. John vii. 5.), had come to be among those who were approved, although they attained not to the Apostles. And accordingly the middle place is that which he hath assigned to them, setting down those who were in the extremes before and after.

Ver. 6. “Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working?”

(See his humility of mind and his soul pure from envy, how he takes care not to conceal him whom he knew to be a partaker with himself in this perfection.) For if the other things be common, how is not this common? Both they and we are apostles and are free, and have seen Christ, and have exhibited the works of Apostles. Therefore we likewise have a right both to live without working and to be supported by our disciples.

[4.] Ver. 7. “What soldier ever serveth at his own charges?” For since, which was the strongest point, he had proved from the Apostles that it is lawful to do so, he next comes to examples and to the common practice; as he uses to do: “What soldier serveth at his own charges?” saith he. But do thou consider, I pray, how very suitable are the examples to his proposed subject, and how he mentions first that which is accompanied with danger; viz. soldiership and arms and wars. For such a kind of thing was the Apostolate, nay rather much more hazardous than these. For not with men alone was their warfare, but with demons also, and against the prince of those beings was their battle array. What he saith therefore is this: “Not even do heathen governors, cruel and unjust as they are, require their soldiers to endure service and peril and live on their own means. How then could Christ ever have required this?”

Nor is he satisfied with one example. For to him who is rather simple and dull, this also is wont to come as a great refreshment, viz. their seeing the common custom also going along with the laws of God. Wherefore he proceeds to another topic also and says, “Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof?” For as by the former he indicated his dangers, so by this his labor and abundant travail and care.

He adds likewise a third example, saying, “Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk thereof?” He is exhibiting the great concern which it becomes a teacher to show for those who are under his rule. For, in fact, the Apostles were both soldiers and husbandmen and shepherds, not of the earth nor of irrational animals, nor in such wars as are perceptible by sense; but of reasonable souls and in battle array with the demons.

It also must be remarked how every where he preserves moderation, seeking the useful only, not the extraordinary. For he said not, “What soldier serveth and is not enriched?” but, “What soldier ever serveth at his own charges?” Neither did he say, “Who planteth a vineyard, and gathereth not gold, or spareth to collect the whole fruit?” but, “Who eateth not of the fruit thereof?” Neither did he say, “Who feedeth a flock, and maketh not merchandize of the lambs?” But what? “And eateth not of the milk thereof?” Not of the lambs, but of the milk; signifying, that a little relief should be enough for the teacher, even his necessary food alone. (This refers to those who would devour all and gather the whole of the fruit.) “So likewise the Lord ordained,” saying, “The laborer is worthy of his food.” (St. Matt. x. 10.)

And not this only doth he establish by his illustrations, but he shows also what kind of man a priest ought to be. For he ought to possess both the courage of a soldier and the diligence of a husbandman and the carefulness of a shepherd, and after all these, to seek nothing more than necessaries.

[5.] Having shewn, as you see, both from the Apostles, that it is not forbidden the teacher to receive, and from illustrations found in common life, he proceeds also to a third head, thus saying,

Ver. 8. “Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same?”

For since he had hitherto alleged nothing out of the Scriptures, but put forward the common custom; “think not,” saith he, “that I am confident in these alone, nor that I go to the opinions of men for the ground of these enactments. For I can shew that these things are also well-pleasing to God, and I read an ancient law enjoining them.” Wherefore also he carries on his discourse in the form of a question, which is apt to be done in things fully acknowledged; thus saying, “Say I these things after the manner of men?” i.e. “do I strengthen myself only by human examples?” “or saith not the law also the same?”

Ver. 9. “For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.”

And on what account hath he mentioned this, having the example of the priests? Wishing to establish it far beyond what the case required. Further, lest any should say, “And what have we to do with the saying about the oxen?” he works it out more exactly, saying, “Is it for the oxen that God careth;” Doth God then, tell me, take no care for oxen? Well, He doth take care of them, but not so as to make a law concerning such a thing as this. So that had he not been hinting at something important, training the Jews to mercy in the case of the brutes, and through these, discoursing with them of the teachers also; he would not have taken so much interest as even to make a law to forbid the muzzling of oxen.

Wherein he points out another thing likewise, that the labor of teachers both is and ought to be great.

And again another thing. What then is this? That whatever is said by the Old Testament respecting care for brutes, in its principal meaning bears on the instruction of human beings: as in fact do all the rest: the precepts, for example, concerning various garments; and those concerning vineyards and seeds and not making the ground bear divers crops,103 διάφορον ποιεῖν τὴν γῆν. See Deut. xxii. 9. LXX. and those concerning leprosy; and, in a word, all the rest: for they being of a duller sort He was discoursing with them from these topics, advancing them by little and little.

And see how in what follows he doth not even confirm it, as being clear and self-evident. For having said, “Is it for the oxen that God careth?” he added, “or saith he it altogether for our sake?” Not adding even the “altogether” at random, but that he might not leave the hearer any thing whatever to reply.

And he dwells upon the metaphor, saying and declaring, “Yea for our sakes it was written, because he who ploweth ought to plow in hope;” i.e., the teacher ought to enjoy the returns of his labors; “and he that thresheth ought to thresh in hope of partaking.” And observe his wisdom in that from the seed he transferred the matter to the threshing floor; herein also again manifesting the many toils of the teachers, that they in their own persons both plough and tread the floor. And of the ploughing, because there was nothing to reap, but labor only, he used the word, “hope;” but of treading the floor he presently allows the fruit, saying, “He that thresheth is a partaker of his hope.”

Further, lest any should say, “Is this then the return for so many toils,” he adds, “in hope,” i.e., “which is to come.” No other thing therefore doth the mouth of this animal being unmuzzled declare than this; that the teachers who labor ought also to enjoy some return.

[6.] Ver. 11. “If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?”

Lo, he adds also a fourth argument for the duty of yielding support. For since he had said, “What soldier ever serveth at his own charges?” and, “who planteth a vineyard?” and, “who feedeth a flock?” and introduced the ox that treadeth the corn; he points out likewise another most reasonable cause on account of which they might justly receive; viz. having bestowed much greater gifts, no more as having labored only. What is it then? “if we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?” Seest thou a most just allegation and fuller of reason than all the former? for “in those instances,” says he, “carnal is the seed, carnal also is the fruit; but here not so, but the seed is spiritual, the return carnal.” Thus, to prevent high thoughts in those who contribute to their teachers, he signified that they receive more than they give. As if he had said, “Husbandmen, whatsoever they sow, this also do they receive; but we, sowing in your souls spiritual things, do reap carnal.” For such is the kind of support given by them. Further, and still more to put them to the blush.

Ver. 12. “If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more?”

See also again another argument, and this too from examples though not of the same kind. For it is not Peter whom he mentions here nor the Apostles, but certain other spurious ones, with whom he afterwards enters into combat, and concerning whom he says, (2 Cor. xi. 20.) “If a man devour you, if he take you captive, if he exalt himself, if he smite you on the face,” and already he is sounding the prelude104 προανακρούεται. to the fight with them. Wherefore neither did he say, “If others take of you,” but pointing out their insolence and tyranny and trafficking, he says, “if others partake of this right over you,” i.e., “rule you, exercise authority, use you as servants, not taking you captive only, but with much authority.” Wherefore he added “do not we yet more?” which he would not have said if the discourse were concerning the Apostles. But it is evident that he hints at certain pestilent men, and deceivers of them. “So that besides the law of Moses even ye yourselves have made a law in behalf of the duty of contribution.”

And having said, “do not we yet more?” he does not prove why yet more, but leaves it to their consciences to convince them of that, wishing at the same time both to alarm and to abash them more thoroughly.

[7.] Nevertheless, we did not use this right;” i.e., “did not receive.” Do you see, when he had by so many reasons before proved that receiving is not unlawful, how he next says, “we receive not,” that he might not seem to abstain as from a thing forbidden? “For not because it is unlawful,” saith he, “do I not receive; for it is lawful and this we have many ways shown: from the Apostles; from the affairs of life, the soldier, the husbandman, and the shepherd; from the law of Moses; from the very nature of the case, in that we have sown unto you spiritual things; from what yourselves have done to others.” But as he had laid down these things, lest he should seem to put to shame the Apostles who were in the habit of receiving; abashing them and signifying that not as from a forbidden thing doth he abstain from it: so again, lest by his large store of proof and the examples and reasonings by which he had pointed out the propriety of receiving, he should seem to be anxious to receive himself and therefore to say these things; he now corrects it. And afterwards he laid it down more clearly where he says, “And I wrote not these things, that it may be so done in my case;” but here his words are, “we did not use this right.”

And what is a still greater thing, neither could any have this to say, that being in abundance we declined using it; rather, when necessity pressed upon us we would not yield to the necessity. Which also in the second Epistle he says; “I robbed other Churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you; and when I was present with you, and was in want, I was not a burden on any man.” (2 Cor. xi. 8, 9.) And in this Epistle again, “We both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted.” (1 Cor. iv. 11.) And here again he hints the same thing, saying, “But we bear all things.” For by saying, “we bear all things,” he intimates both hunger and great straits and all the other things. “But not even thus have we been compelled,” saith he, “to break the law which we laid down for ourselves. Wherefore? “that we may cause no hinderance to the Gospel of Christ.” For since the Corinthians were rather weak-minded, “lest we should wound you,” saith he “by receiving, we chose to do even more than was commanded rather than hinder the Gospel,” i.e., your instruction. Now if we in a matter left free to us, and when we were both enduring much hardship and having Apostles for our pattern, used abstinence lest we should give hindrance, (and he did not say, “subversion,” but “hindrance;” nor simply “hindrance,” but “any” hindrance,) that we might not, so to speak, cause so much as the slightest suspense and delay to the course of the Word: “If now,” saith he, “we used so great care, how much more ought you to abstain, who both come far short of the Apostles and have no law to mention, giving you permission: but contrariwise are both putting your hand to things forbidden and things which tend to the great injury of the Gospel, not to its hindrance only105 The reading seems imperfect, and unintelligible: it is rendered as if it were, οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐγκοπὴν μόνον δοῦναι.; and not even having any pressing necessity in view.” For all this discussion he had moved on account of these Corinthians, who were making their weaker brethren to stumble by eating of things sacrificed to idols.

[8.] These things also let us listen to, beloved; that we may not despise those who are offended, nor, “cause any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ;” that we may not betray our own salvation. And say not thou to me when thy brother is offended, “this or that, whereby he is offended, hath not been forbidden; it is permitted.” For I have something greater to say to thee: “although Christ Himself have permitted it, yet if thou seest any injured, stop and do not use the permission.” For this also did Paul; when he might have received, Christ having granted permission, he received not. Thus hath our Lord in His mercy mingled much gentleness with His precepts that it might not be all merely of commandment, but that we might do much also of our own mind. Since it was in His power, had He not been so minded, to extend the commandments further and to say, “he who fasts not continually, let him be chastised; he who keeps not his virginity, let him be punished; he that doth not strip himself of all that he hath, let him suffer the severest penalty.” But he did not so, giving thee occasion, if thou wilt, to be forward in doing more. Wherefore both when He was discoursing about virginity, He said, “He that is able to receive, let him receive it:” and in the case of the rich man, some things He commanded, but some He left to the determination of his mind. For He said not, “Sell what thou hast,” but, “If thou wilt be perfect, sell.”

But we are not only not forward to do more, and to go beyond the precepts, but we fall very short even of the measure of things commanded. And whereas Paul suffered hunger that he might not hinder the Gospel; we have not the heart even to touch what is in our own stores, though we see innumerable souls overthrown. “Yea” saith one, “let the moth eat, and let not the poor eat; let the worm devour, and let not the naked be clothed; let all be wasted away with time, and let not Christ be fed; and this when He hungereth.” “Why, who said this?” it will be asked. Nay, this is the very grievance, that not in words but in deeds these things are said: for it were less grievous uttered in words than done in deeds. For is not this the cry, day by day, of the inhuman and cruel tyrant, Covetousness, to those who are led captive by her? “Let your goods be set before informers and robbers and traitors for luxury, and not before the hungry and needy for their sustenance.” Is it not ye then who make robbers? Is it not ye who minister fuel to the fire of the envious? Is it not ye who make vagabonds and traitors, putting your wealth before them for a bait? What madness is this? (for a madness it is, and plain distraction,) to fill your chests with apparel, and overlook him that is made after God’s image and similitude, naked and trembling with cold, and with difficulty keeping himself upright.

“But he pretends,” saith one, “this tremor and weakness.” And dost thou not fear lest a thunderbolt from heaven, kindled by this word, should fall upon thee? (For I am bursting with wrath: bear with me.) Thou, I say, pampering and fattening thyself and extending thy potations to the dead of night and comforting thyself in soft coverlets, dost not deem thyself liable to judgment, so lawlessly using the gifts of God: (for wine was not made that we should be drunken; nor food, that we should pamper our appetites; nor meats, that we should distend the belly.) But from the poor, the wretched, from him that is as good as dead, from him demandest thou strict accounts, and dost thou not fear Christ’s tribunal, so full of all awfulness and terror? Why, if he do play the hypocrite, he doth it of necessity and want, because of thy cruelty and inhumanity, requiring the use of such masks and refusing all inclination to mercy. For who is so wretched and miserable as without urgent necessity, for one loaf of bread, to submit to such disgrace, and to bewail himself and endure so severe a punishment? So that this hypocrisy of his goeth about, the herald of thine inhumanity. For since by supplicating and beseeching and uttering piteous expressions and lamenting and weeping and going about all day, he doth not obtain even necessary food, he devised perhaps even this contrivance also, the disgrace and blame whereof falls not so much on himself as on thee: for he indeed is meet to be pitied because he hath fallen into so great necessity; but we are worthy of innumerable punishments because we compel the poor to suffer such things. For if we would easily give way, never would he have chosen to endure such things.

And why speak I of nakedness and trembling? For I will tell a thing yet more to be shuddered at, that some have been compelled even to deprive their children of sight at an early age in order that they might touch our insensibility. For since when they could see and went about naked, neither by their age nor by their misfortunes could they win favor of the unpitying, they added to so great evils another yet sterner tragedy, that they might remove their hunger; thinking it to be a lighter thing to be deprived of this common light and that sunshine which is given to all, than to struggle with continual famine and endure the most miserable of deaths. Thus, since you have not learned to pity poverty, but delight yourselves in misfortunes, they satisfy your insatiable desire, and both for themselves and for us kindle a fiercer flame in hell.

[9.] And to convince you that this is the reason why these and such like things are done, I will tell you of an acknowledged proof which no man can gainsay. There are other poor men, of light and unsteady minds and not knowing how to bear hunger, but rather enduring every thing than it. These having often tried to deal with us by piteous gestures and words and finding that they availed nothing, have left off those supplications and henceforward our very wonder-workers are surpassed by them, some chewing the skins of worn-out shoes, and some fixing sharp nails into their heads, others lying about in frozen pools with naked stomachs, and others enduring different things yet more horrid than these, that they may draw around them the ungodly spectators. And thou, while these things are going on, standest laughing and wondering the while and making a fine show of other men’s miseries, our common nature disgracing itself. And what could a fierce demon do more? Next, you give him money in abundance that he may do these things more promptly. And to him that prays and calls on God and approaches with modesty, you vouchsafe neither an answer nor a look: rather you utter to him, continually teazing you, those disgusting expressions, “Ought this fellow to live? or at all to breathe and see this sun?” whereas to the other sort you are both cheerful and liberal, as though you were appointed to dispense the prize of that ridiculous and Satanic unseemliness. Wherefore with more propriety to those who appoint these sports and bestow nothing till they see others punishing themselves, might these words be addressed, “Ought these men to live, to breathe at all, or see the sun, who transgress against our common nature, who insult God?” For whereas God saith, “Give alms, and I give thee the kingdom of heaven,” thou hearest not: but when the Devil shews thee a head pierced with nails, on a sudden thou hast become liberal. And the contrivance of the evil spirit pregnant with so much mischief, hath wrought upon thee more than the promise of God bringing innumerable blessings. If gold were to be laid down to prevent the doing of these things or the looking upon them when done, there is nothing which thou oughtest not to practise and endure, to get rid of so excessive madness; but ye contrive every thing to have them done, and look on the doing of them. Still askest thou then, tell me, to what end is hell-fire? Nay, ask not that any more, but how is there one hell only? For of how many punishments are not they worthy, who get up this cruel and merciless spectacle and laugh at what both they and yourselves ought to weep over; yea, rather of the two, ye who compel them to such unseemly doings.

“But I do not compel them,” say you. What else but compelling is it, I should like to know? Those who are more modest and shed tears and invoke God, thou art impatient even of listening to; but for these thou both findest silver in abundance and bringest around thee many to admire them.

“Well, let us leave off,” say you, “pitying them. And dost thou too enjoin this?” Nay, it is not pity, O man, to demand so severe a punishment for a few pence, to order men to maim themselves for necessary food and cut into many pieces the skin of their head so mercilessly and pitifully. “Gently,” say you, “for it is not we who pierce those heads.” Would it were thou, and the horror would not be so horrible. For he that slays a man does a much more grievous106 χαλεπώτερον; the sense seems to require “less grievous:” perhaps the negative has slipped out of the text. thing than he who bids him slay himself, which indeed happens in the case of these persons. For they endure more bitter pains when they are bidden to be themselves the executors of these wicked commands.

And all this in Antioch, where men were first called Christians, wherein are bred the most civilized of mankind, where in old time the fruit of charity flourished so abundantly. For not only to those at hand but also to those very far off, they used to send, and this when famine was expected.

[10.] What then ought we to do? say you. To cease from this savage practice: and to convince all that are in need that by doing these things they will gain nothing, but if they modestly approach they shall find your liberality great. Let them be once aware of this, even though they be of all men most miserable, they will never choose to punish themselves so severely, I pledge myself; nay, they will even give you thanks for delivering them both from the mockery and the pain of that way of life. But as it is, for charioteers you would let out even your own children, and for dancers you would throw away your very souls, while for Christ an hungered you spare not the smallest portion of your substance. But if you give a little silver, you think as much of it as if you had laid out all you have, not knowing that not the giving but the giving liberally, this is true almsgiving. Wherefore also it is not those simply who give whom the prophet proclaims and calls happy, but those who bestow liberally. For he doth not say simply, He hath given, but what? (Ps. cxii. 8.) “he hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor.” For what profit is it, when out of it thou givest as it were a glass of water out of the sea, and even a widow’s magnanimity is beyond thy emulation? And how wilt thou say, “Pity me, O Lord, according to thy great pity, and according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgression,” thyself not pitying according to any great pity, nay, haply not according to any little. For I am greatly ashamed, I own, when I see many of the rich riding upon their golden-bitted chargers with a train of domestics clad in gold, and having couches of silver and other and more pomp, and yet when there is need to give to a poor man, becoming more beggarly than the very poorest.

[11.] But what is their constant talk? “He hath,” they say, “the common church-allowance.” And what is that to thee? For thou wilt not be saved because I give; nor if the Church bestow hast thou blotted out thine own sins. For this cause givest thou not, because the Church ought to give to the needy? Because the priests pray, wilt thou never pray thyself? And because others fast, wilt thou be continually drunken? Knowest thou not that God enacted not almsgiving so much for the sake of the poor as for the sake of the persons themselves who bestow?

But dost thou suspect the priest? Why this thing itself, to begin with, is a grievous sin. However, I will not examine the matter too nicely. Do thou it all in thine own person, and so shalt thou reap a double reward. Since in fact, what we say in behalf of almsgiving, we say not, that thou shouldest offer to us, but that thou shouldest thyself minister by thine own hands. For if thou bringest thine alms to me, perhaps thou mayest even be led captive by vain-glory, and oftentimes likewise thou shalt go away offended through suspicion of something evil: but if ye do all things by yourselves, ye shall both be rid of offences and of unreasonable suspicion, and greater is your reward. Not therefore to compel you to bring your money hither, do I say these things; nor from indignation on account of the priests being ill-reported of. For if one must be indignant and grieve, for you should be our grief, who say this ill. Since to them who are spoken ill of falsely and vainly the reward is greater, but to the speakers the condemnation and punishment is heavier. I say not these things therefore in their behalf, but in solicitude and care for you. For what marvel is it if some in our generation are suspected, when in the case of those holy men who imitated the angels, who possessed nothing of their own, I mean the Apostles, there was a murmuring in the ministration to the widows (Acts vi. 1.) that the poor were overlooked? when “not one said that aught of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things common?” (Acts iv. 32.)

Let us not then put forward these pretexts, nor account it an excuse that the Church is wealthy. But when you see the greatness of her substance, bear in mind also the crowds of poor who are on her list, the multitudes of her sick, her occasions of endless expenses. Investigate, scrutinize, there is none to forbid, nay, they are even ready to give you an account. But I wish to go much farther. Namely, when we have given in our accounts and proved that our expenditure is no less than our income, nay, sometimes more, I would gladly ask you this further question: When we depart hence and shall hear Christ saying, “Ye saw me hungry, and gave me no meat; naked, and ye clothed me not;” what shall we say? what apology shall we make? Shall we bring forward such and such a person who disobeyed these commands? or some of the priests who were suspected? “Nay, what is this to thee? for I accuse thee,” saith He, “of those things wherein thou hast thyself sinned. And the apology for these would be, to have washed away thine own offences, not to point to others whose errors have been the same as thine.”

In fact, the Church through your meanness is compelled to have such property as it has now. Since, if men did all things according to the apostolical laws, its revenue should have been your good will, which were both a secure chest and an inexhaustible treasury. But now when ye lay up for yourselves treasures upon the earth and shut up all things in your own stores, while the Church is compelled to be at charges with bands of widows, choirs of virgins, sojournings of strangers, distresses of foreigners, the misfortunes of prisoners, the necessities of the sick and maimed, and other such like causes, what must be done? Turn away from all these, and block up so many ports? Who then could endure the shipwrecks that would ensue; the weepings, the lamentations, the wailings which would reach us from every quarter?

Let us not then speak at random what comes into our mind. For now, as I have just said, we are really prepared to render up our accounts to you. But even if it were the reverse, and ye had corrupt teachers plundering and grasping at every thing, not even so were their wickedness an apology for you. For the Lover of mankind and All-wise, the Only-Begotten Son of God, seeing all things, and knowing the chance that in so great length of time and in so vast a world there would be many corrupt priests; lest the carelessness of those under their rule should increase through their neglect, removing every excuse for indifference; “In Moses’ seat,” saith He, “sit the Scribes and the Pharisees; all things, therefore, whatsoever they bid you, these do ye, but do not ye after their works:” implying, that even if thou hast a bad teacher, this will not avail thee, shouldest thou not attend to the things which are spoken. For not from what thy teacher hath done but from what thou hast heard and disobeyed, from that, I say, doth God pass his sentence upon thee. So that if thou doest the things commanded, thou shalt then stand with much boldness: but if thou disobey the things spoken, even though thou shouldest show ten thousand corrupt priests, this will not plead for thee at all. Since Judas also was an apostle, but nevertheless this shall never be any apology for the sacrilegious and covetous. Nor will any be able when accused to say, “Why the Apostle was a thief and sacrilegious, and a traitor;” yea, this very thing shall most of all be our punishment and condemnation that not even by the evils of others were we corrected. For this cause also these things were written that we might shun all emulation of such things.

Wherefore, leaving this person and that, let us take heed to ourselves. For “each of us shall give account of himself to God.” In order therefore that we may render up this account with a good defence, let us well order our own lives and stretch out a liberal hand to the needy, knowing that this only is our defence, the showing ourselves to have rightly done the things commanded; there is no other whatever. And if we be able to produce this, we shall escape those intolerable pains of hell, and obtain the good things to come; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΑʹ. Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἑώρακα; οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν Κυρίῳ; αʹ. Ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἐὰν βρῶμα σκανδαλίζῃ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὅπερ οὐκ ἦν μὲν πεποιηκὼς, ὑπέσχετο δὲ ποιήσειν, εἰ χρεία ἀπαιτοίη: ἵνα μή τις λέγῃ, ὅτι Κομπάζεις εἰκῆ, καὶ φιλοσοφεῖς ἐν λόγοις, καὶ ὑπισχνῇ διὰ ῥημάτων, ὃ καὶ ἐμοὶ καὶ τῷ δεῖνι εὔκολον: εἰ γὰρ ἀπὸ ψυχῆς ταῦτα λέγεις, δεῖξον διὰ τῶν ἔργων τίνος κατεφρόνησας ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ σκανδαλίσαι τὸν ἀδελφόν: διὰ τοῦτο ἀναγκάζεται λοιπὸν εἰς τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τούτων καθεῖναι, καὶ δεῖξαι πῶς καὶ τῶν συγκεχωρημένων ἀπείχετο ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ σκανδαλίσαι. καίτοι γε οὐδενὸς αὐτὸν τοῦτο καταναγκάζοντος νόμου. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτό πω θαυμαστὸν, καίπερ ὃν θαυμαστὸν, ὅτι τῶν συγκεχωρημένων ἀπείχετο, οὐ μόνον ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ σκανδαλίσαι, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ πόνου καὶ τοῦ κινδύνου τοῦτο ἐποίει. Τί γὰρ χρὴ λέγειν περὶ τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων; φησί: Τοῦ γὰρ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτάξαντος τοὺς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον κηρύττοντας ἐκ τῶν μαθητευομένων ζῇν, ἐγὼ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐποίησα: ἀλλ' εἱλόμην, εἰ δέοι, καὶ λιμῷ καταλῦσαι τὸν βίον, καὶ τὸν χαλεπώτατον θάνατον ἀποθανεῖν, ὥστε μὴ λαβεῖν παρὰ τῶν κατηχουμένων: οὐκ ἐπειδὴ σκανδαλίζεσθαι ἔμελλον, εἰ μὴ λάβοι, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οἰκοδομεῖσθαι, ὃ πολλῷ πλέον ἦν. Καὶ τούτου μάρτυρας αὐτοὺς εἰς μέσον παράγει, παρ' οἷς καὶ ἐργαζόμενος καὶ λιμώττων ἔζη, καὶ παρ' ἑτέρων τρεφόμενος, καὶ στενοχωρούμενος, ὥστε μὴ σκανδαλίσαι αὐτούς: καίτοι γε εἰκῆ ἐσκανδαλίζοντο: νόμον γὰρ οὗτος ἐπλήρου: ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐκ περιουσίας αὐτῶν ἐφείδετο. Εἰ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὸν νόμον ἐποίησεν αὐτὸς, ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῶσι, καὶ τῶν ἐπιτετραμμένων ἀπείχετο εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἑτέρων, τίνος ἂν εἶεν ἄξιοι οὗτοι οἱ τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων μὴ ἀπεχόμενοι, καὶ ταῦτα πολλῶν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπολλυμένων, ὃ καὶ χωρὶς τοῦ σκανδάλου φυγεῖν ἔδει διὰ τὸ τῶν δαιμόνων εἶναι τὴν τράπεζαν; Τὸ μὲν οὖν κεφάλαιον ἅπαν τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ διὰ πολλῶν ἐργάζεται στίχων. Δεῖ δὲ ἄνωθεν ἐπεξελθεῖν τοῖς προκειμένοις. Οὐδὲ γὰρ σαφῶς αὐτὸ οὕτως, ὥσπερ εἶπον, τέθεικεν, οὐδὲ εὐθέως αὐτῷ ἐπιπηδᾷ, ἀλλ' ἑτέρωθεν ἄρχεται, οὕτω λέγων: Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; Μετὰ γὰρ τῶν εἰρημένων καὶ αὕτη οὐ μικρὰ διαφορὰ, τὸ καὶ Παῦλον εἶναι τὸν ταῦτα ποιοῦντα. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγωσιν, ὅτι Ἔξεστιν ἀπογεύεσθαι σφραγίζοντι, τέως μὲν οὐχ ἵσταται πρὸς τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ λέγει, ὅτι Εἰ καὶ ἐξῆν, οὐκ ἔδει διὰ τὴν βλάβην τῶν ἀδελφῶν τοῦτο ποιεῖν: ὕστερον δὲ δείκνυσιν ὅτι οὐδὲ ἔξεστι. Νῦν μέντοι τὸ πρότερον κατασκευάζει ἀπὸ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτόν: καὶ μέλλων λέγειν, ὅτι οὐδὲν παρ' αὐτῶν ἔλαβεν, οὐκ εὐθέως αὐτὸ τίθησιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀξίωμα αὐτοῦ πρῶτον λέγει: Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγωσιν, ὅτι Εἰ καὶ μὴ ἔλαβες, ἐπειδὴ ἐξὸν μὴ ἦν, οὐκ ἔλαβες, διὰ τοῦτο πρῶτον τίθησι τὰς αἰτίας, δι' ἃς εὐλόγως ἂν ἔλαβεν, εἴπερ ἐβούλετο λαβεῖν. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ τοὺς περὶ Πέτρον διαβάλλων ταῦτα λέγειν (καὶ γὰρ ἐλάμβανον ἐκεῖνοι), πρότερον δείκνυσιν, τί ἐξῆν ἐκείνοις λαμβάνειν: εἶτα ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ, ὅτι Πέτρῳ μὲν ἐξῆν λαμβάνειν, σοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐξῆν, προκαταλαμβάνει τὸν ἀκροατὴν τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις τοῖς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ. Καὶ ὁρῶν ἀνάγκην οὖσαν ἑαυτὸν ἐγκωμιάσαι (οὕτω γὰρ Κορίνθιοι διωρθοῦντο), καὶ μηδὲν βουλόμενος μέγα περὶ ἑαυτοῦ εἰπεῖν, ὅρα πῶς ἀμφοτέροις εἰς δέον κέχρηται, τοσοῦτον ἑαυτὸν ἐπαινῶν, οὐχ ὅσον ἑαυτῷ συνῄδει, ἀλλ' ὅσον ἀπῄτει τῆς προκειμένης ὑποθέσεως ἡ χρεία. Δυνάμενος γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἐμὲ μάλιστα πάντων ἐχρῆν λαμβάνειν: καὶ μᾶλλον ἢ ἐκείνους, ὅτι περισσότερον αὐτῶν ἐκοπίασα, τοῦτο μὲν οὐ λέγει, ὅπερ εἶχεν ὑπεροχήν: ἀφ' ὧν δὲ ἦσαν ἐκεῖνοι μεγάλοι, καὶ ἀφ' ὧν δικαίως ἐλάμβανον, ταῦτα τίθησι μόνα, λέγων οὕτως: Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; Τουτέστιν, οὐκ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω ἐμαυτοῦ; μὴ ὑπό τινά εἰμι τὸν ἀναγκάζοντά με καὶ κωλύοντα λαβεῖν; Ἀλλ' ἔχουσί τι πλέον ἐκεῖνοι, τὸ μετὰ Χριστοῦ γενέσθαι. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τούτου ἐστέρημαι: διὰ τοῦτο λέγει, Οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἑώρακα; Ἔσχατον γὰρ πάντων, φησὶν, ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώματι, ὤφθη κἀμοί. Οὐ μικρὸν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἀξίωμα ἦν. Πολλοὶ γὰρ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν, ἃ βλέπετε, φησὶ, καὶ οὐκ εἶδον: καὶ, Ἐλεύσονται ἡμέραι, ὅτε θελήσετε μίαν τούτων ἰδεῖν τῶν ἡμερῶν. Τί οὖν, εἰ καὶ ἀπόστολος εἶ καὶ ἐλεύθερος καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἑώρακας, οὐδὲν δὲ ἐπεδείξω ἀποστόλου ἔργον, πῶς ὀφείλεις λαμβάνειν; Διὰ τοῦτο μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπήγαγεν: Οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν Κυρίῳ; Τὸ γὰρ μέγα τοῦτό ἐστιν: ἐκεῖνα γὰρ οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ τούτου χωρίς. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἰούδας καὶ ἀπόστολος ἦν καὶ ἐλεύθερος ἦν καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν εἶδεν: ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἀποστόλου ἔργον οὐκ εἶχεν, οὐδὲν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνα ὤνησε. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τοῦτο προστίθησι, καὶ αὐτοὺς μάρτυρας καλεῖ. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ μέγα ἐφθέγξατο, ὅρα πῶς αὐτὸ κολάζει λέγων, Ἐν Κυρίῳ: τουτέστι, Τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶν, οὐκ ἐμόν. Εἰ ἄλλοις οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος, ἀλλά γε ὑμῖν εἰμι. βʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς οὐκ ἐστὶ περιττός; Καίτοι γε εἶχε τὴν οἰκουμένην εἰπεῖν καὶ ἔθνη βάρβαρα καὶ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν ἐκείνων λέγει, ἀλλὰ κατὰ συνδρομὴν καὶ ἐκ περιουσίας νικᾷ. Τί γάρ μοι τῶν περιττῶν χρεία, φησὶν, ὅταν καὶ ταῦτα ἀρκῇ πρὸς τὴν παροῦσάν μοι ὑπόθεσιν; Οὐ λέγω τοίνυν τὰ παρ' ἄλλοις κατορθώματά μοι γεγενημένα, ἀλλ' ὧν ὑμεῖς ἐστε μάρτυρες. Ὥστε εἰ καὶ μηδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν, παρ' ὑμῶν μάλιστά με ἐχρῆν λαβεῖν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως παρ' ὧν μάλιστά με ἔδει λαβεῖν (διδάσκαλος γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐγενόμην), παρὰ τούτων οὐκ ἔλαβον. Εἰ ἄλλοις οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος, ἀλλά γε ὑμῖν εἰμι. Πάλιν κατὰ συνδρομὴν τὸν λόγον τίθησι: καὶ γὰρ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀπόστολος ἦν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐ λέγω τοῦτο, φησὶν, οὐδὲ μάχομαι καὶ φιλονεικῶ, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὑμέτερον τίθημι. Ἡ γὰρ σφραγὶς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀποστολῆς ὑμεῖς ἐστε: τουτέστιν, ἡ ἀπόδειξις. Κἂν βούληταί τις, φησὶ, μαθεῖν πόθεν ὅτι ἀπόστολός εἰμι, ὑμᾶς προβάλλομαι: πάντα γὰρ τὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἐν ὑμῖν ἐπεδειξάμην, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐνέλιπον: ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ φησὶν ἐπιστολῇ. Εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι, λέγων, τὰ μέντοι σημεῖα τοῦ ἀποστόλου κατειργάσθη ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν πάσῃ ὑπομονῇ, ἐν σημείοις καὶ τέρασι καὶ δυνάμεσι. Τί γάρ ἐστιν ᾧ ἡττήθητε ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς Ἐκκλησίας; Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν: Ἡ σφραγὶς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀποστολῆς ὑμεῖς ἐστε. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ σημεῖα ἐπεδειξάμην, καὶ λόγῳ ἐδίδαξα, καὶ κινδύνους ὑπέμεινα, καὶ βίον παρεσχόμην ἄληπτον. Καὶ ταῦτα ὅλα διὰ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν τῶν δύο τούτων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, πῶς ἑκάστου τούτων παρέχεται αὐτοῖς ἀπόδειξιν μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἁπάσης. Ἡ ἐμὴ ἀπολογία τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀνακρίνουσίν ἐστιν αὕτη. Τί ἐστιν, ἡ ἐμὴ ἀπολογία τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀνακρίνουσίν ἐστιν αὕτη; Τοῖς ζητοῦσι μαθεῖν πόθεν ὅτι ἀπόστολός εἰμι, ἢ τοῖς ἐγκαλοῦσί μοι ὡς χρήματα λαμβάνοντι, ἢ ἐρωτῶσι τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν οὐ λαμβάνω, ἢ τοῖς βουλομένοις με δεῖξαι οὐκ ὄντα ἀπόστολον, ἡ ὑμετέρα κατήχησις καὶ ταῦτα ἃ μέλλω λέγειν, ἀπόδειξις καὶ ἀπολογία γίνεται. Ποῖα δὴ ταῦτα; Μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν; μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφὴν γυναῖκα περιάγειν; Καὶ πῶς ταῦτα ἀπολογία; Ὅτι ὅταν φαίνωμαι καὶ τῶν συγκεχωρημένων ἀπεχόμενος, οὐκ ἂν εἴην δίκαιος ὑποπτεύεσθαι, ὡς ἀπατεὼν ἢ ἐπὶ χρήμασί τι ποιῶν. Τά τε οὖν ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένα, καὶ ἡ ὑμετέρα διδασκαλία, καὶ ταῦτα, ἅπερ εἶπον, ἀρκεῖ εἰς ἀπολογίαν ὑμῖν, καὶ πρὸς ἅπαντας τοὺς ἀνακρίνοντάς με ἐντεῦθεν ἵσταμαι, ἐκεῖνά τε λέγων καὶ ταῦτα: Μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν; μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφὴν γυναῖκα περιάγειν; Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ ἔχων, ἀπέχομαι. Τί οὖν, οὐκ ἔτρωγεν οὐδὲ ἔπινε; Μάλιστα μὲν πολλαχοῦ οὔτε ἔτρωγεν οὔτε ἔπινε: καὶ γὰρ, Ἐν λιμῷ, φησὶ, καὶ δίψει, ἐν ψύχει καὶ γυμνότητι διετρίβομεν. Ἐνταῦθα μέντοι οὐ τοῦτο λέγει, ἀλλὰ τί; Οὐ τρώγομεν οὐδὲ πίνομεν παρὰ τῶν μαθητευομένων λαμβάνοντες, καίτοι γε ἐξουσίαν ἔχοντες τοῦ λαβεῖν. Μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφὴν γυναῖκα περιάγειν, ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Κηφᾶς; Ὅρα σοφίαν: τὸν κορυφαῖον ὕστερον τέθεικε: τὸ γὰρ ἰσχυρότερον τῶν κεφαλαίων τότε τίθεται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτω θαυμαστὸν ἦν δεῖξαι τοὺς ἄλλους τοῦτο ποιοῦντας, ὡς τὸν πρωτοστάτην καὶ τὰς κλεῖς ἐμπιστευθέντα τῶν οὐρανῶν. Πλὴν οὐ μόνον τίθησιν, ἀλλὰ πάντας, μονονουχὶ λέγων: ἄν τε καταδεεστέρους ζητῇς, ἄν τε ὑπερέχοντας, ἁπάντων κεῖται τὰ ὑποδείγματα. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου τῆς προτέρας ἀπιστίας ἀπαλλαγέντες, τῶν δοκίμων ἦσαν γεγενημένοι, εἰ καὶ μὴ πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἔφθανον. Διὸ δὴ καὶ μέσους αὐτοὺς τέθεικεν, ἑκατέρωθεν τοὺς ἄκρους θείς. Ἢ μόνος ἐγὼ καὶ Βαρνάβας οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ μὴ ἐργάζεσθαι; Ὅρα τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην καὶ τὴν παντὸς φθόνου καθαρεύουσαν ψυχὴν, πῶς ὃν ᾔδει κοινωνοῦντα αὐτῷ τῆς ἀκριβείας, οὐκ ἀπέκρυψεν. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ ἄλλα κοινὰ, πῶς τοῦτο οὐ κοινόν; ἀπόστολοι κἀκεῖνοι καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἑωράκαμεν καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπεδειξάμεθα. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐξουσίαν ἔχομεν καὶ τοῦ ἀργοῦντες ζῇν, καὶ τοῦ τρέφεσθαι παρὰ τῶν μαθητευομένων. Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; Ἐπειδὴ, ὅπερ ἰσχυρότατον ἦν, ἐκ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀπέδειξεν, ὅτι ἔξεστι τοῦτο ποιεῖν, ἐπὶ παραδείγματα λοιπὸν ἔρχεται καὶ τὴν κοινὴν συνήθειαν, ὅπερ ἔθος αὐτῷ ποιεῖν, Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις, λέγων. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει πῶς τὰ ὑποδείγματα σφόδρα ἁρμόδια τῇ προκειμένῃ ἤγαγεν ὑποθέσει, καὶ πῶς πρῶτον μέμνηται τοῦ ἐπικινδύνου, στρατιᾶς καὶ ὅπλων καὶ πολέμων. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ ἀποστολὴ, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τούτων πολλῷ μεῖζον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους μόνον ὁ πόλεμος ἦν αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς δαίμονας, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐκείνων ἀρχηγὸν ἡ παράταξις. Ὃ τοίνυν φησὶ, τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι Ὃ οὐδὲ οἱ ἔξωθεν ἄρχοντες ἀπαιτοῦσιν, οἱ ὠμοὶ καὶ ἄδικοι, στρατεύεσθαι καὶ κινδυνεύειν, καὶ οἴκοθεν τρέφεσθαι τοὺς στρατευομένους: πῶς οὖν ὁ Χριστός ποτε τοῦτο ἀπῄτησεν ἄν; Καὶ οὐδὲ ἑνὶ ἀρκεῖται παραδείγματι. Τὸν γὰρ ἀφελέστερον καὶ παχύτερον καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα ἀναπαύειν εἴωθε, τὸ καὶ τὴν κοινὴν συνήθειαν ὁρᾷν τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμοις συμβαίνουσαν. γʹ. Διὸ καὶ ἐφ' ἕτερον πρόεισι, καί φησι: Τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει, Δι' ἐκείνου μὲν γὰρ τοὺς κινδύνους, διὰ δὲ τούτου τὸν πόνον καὶ τὴν πολλὴν ταλαιπωρίαν καὶ ἐπιμέλειαν ἐνέφηνε. Καὶ τρίτον πάλιν ὑπόδειγμα προστίθησι, λέγων: Τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος αὐτῆς οὐκ ἐσθίει; Τὴν κηδεμονίαν τὴν πολλὴν τὴν διδασκάλῳ πρέπουσαν περὶ τοὺς ἀρχομένους ἐπιδείκνυται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ στρατιῶται καὶ γεωργοὶ καὶ ποιμένες ἦσαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι, οὐ γῆς οὐδὲ ἀλόγων οὐδὲ πολέμων αἰσθητῶν, ἀλλὰ ψυχῶν λογικῶν καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς δαίμονας παρατάξεως. Παρατηρητέον δὲ κἀκεῖνο, ὅπως πανταχοῦ τὴν συμμετρίαν ἐφύλαξε, τὸ χρειῶδες ζητῶν μόνον, οὐχὶ τὸ περιττόν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Τίς στρατεύεται, καὶ οὐ πλουτεῖ: ἀλλὰ, Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; οὐδὲ εἶπε, Τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ οὐ συνάγει χρυσίον, ἢ τὸν καρπὸν ὁλόκληρον οὐ τρυγᾷ; ἀλλ', Ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει; οὐδὲ εἶπε, Τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ οὐκ ἐμπορεύεται τοὺς ἄρνας; ἀλλὰ πῶς; Καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος αὐτῆς οὐκ ἐσθίει; οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἀρνῶν, ἀλλ' Ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος: δεικνὺς ὅτι μικρᾷ παραμυθίᾳ τὸν διδάσκαλον ἀρκεῖσθαι δεῖ, καὶ τῇ ἀναγκαίᾳ μόνῃ τροφῇ. Ταῦτα πρὸς τοὺς βουλομένους πάντα κατεσθίειν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν ὁλόκληρον τρυγᾷν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐνομοθέτησε, λέγων: Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον διὰ τῶν ὑποδειγμάτων κατασκευάζει, ἀλλὰ καὶ δείκνυσιν ὁποῖον εἶναι χρὴ τὸν ἱερέα. Καὶ γὰρ στρατιώτου ἀνδρείαν κεκτῆσθαι δεῖ καὶ γεωργοῦ ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ ποιμένος κηδεμονίαν, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα μηδὲν πλέον τῶν ἀναγκαίων ζητεῖν. Δείξας τοίνυν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὅτι οὐ κεκώλυται λαμβάνειν τὸν διδάσκαλον, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον παραδειγμάτων, καὶ ἐπὶ τρίτον κεφάλαιον ἔρχεται, οὕτω λέγων: Μὴ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ταῦτα λαλῶ; ἢ οὐχὶ καὶ ὁ νόμος ταῦτα λέγει; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τέως ἀπὸ Γραφῶν οὐδὲν εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν κοινὴν συνήθειαν προεβάλετο, Μὴ νομίσητέ με, φησὶ, τούτοις ἰσχυρίζεσθαι μόνοις, μηδὲ ἀφ' ὧν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δοκεῖ, ταῦτα νομοθετεῖν. Ἔχω γὰρ δεῖξαι, ὅτι καὶ τῷ Θεῷ ταῦτα δοκεῖ, καὶ παλαιὸν ἀναγινώσκω νόμον ταῦτα κελεύοντα. Διὸ καὶ κατ' ἐρώτησιν προάγει τὸν λόγον, ὅπερ ἐπὶ τῶν σφόδρα ὡμολογημένων γίνεται, οὕτω λέγων: Μὴ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ταῦτα λέγω; Τουτέστι, Μὴ ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνων μόνων παραδειγμάτων ἰσχυρίζομαι; Ἦ οὐχὶ καὶ ὁ νόμος ταῦτα λέγει; Ἐν γὰρ τῷ νόμῳ Μωϋσέως γέγραπται: Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐμνήσθη τούτου, τὸ τῶν ἱερέων ὑπόδειγμα ἔχων; Ἐκ πολλῆς τῆς περιουσίας αὐτὸ κατασκευάσαι βουλόμενος. Εἶτα, ἵνα μή τις λέγῃ, Καὶ τί πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὸ περὶ τῶν βοῶν εἰρημένον; ἐπεξεργάζεται αὐτὸ μετὰ ἀκριβείας λέγων: Μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ; Οὐ μέλει οὖν περὶ τῶν βοῶν, εἰπέ μοι, τῷ Θεῷ; Μέλει μὲν οὖν, οὐχ οὕτω δὲ, ὡς καὶ νόμον θεῖναι ὑπὲρ τούτου. Ὥστε εἰ μὴ μέγα τι ᾐνίττετο, ἐγγυμνάζων τοῖς ἀλόγοις τοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἰς τὸ εἶναι φιλανθρώπους, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων καὶ περὶ τῶν διδασκάλων αὐτοῖς διαλεγόμενος, οὐκ ἂν τοσαύτην ἐποιήσατο σπουδὴν, ὡς καὶ νόμον γράψαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ κημοῦσθαι τοὺς βοῦς. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἕτερόν τι δείκνυσι, πολὺν τὸν πόνον τῶν διδασκάλων καὶ ὄντα, καὶ εἶναι ὀφείλοντα: καὶ ἕτερον πάλιν. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Ὅτι ὅσαπερ ἂν ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἀλόγων ἐπιμελείας παρὰ τῆς Παλαιᾶς λέγηται, προηγουμένως εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων συντελεῖ διδασκαλίαν: ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἅπαντα, οἷον τὰ περὶ ἱματίων ποικίλων, καὶ τὰ περὶ ἀμπελώνων καὶ σπερμάτων καὶ τοῦ μὴ διάφορον ποιεῖν τὴν γῆν, τὰ περὶ λέπρας, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ἅπαντα. Παχυτέροις γὰρ οὖσιν ἐντεῦθεν διελέγετο, κατὰ μικρὸν ἀναβιβάζων αὐτούς. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς αὐτὸ οὐδὲ κατασκευάζει λοιπὸν, ἅτε φανερὸν ὂν καὶ αὐτόθεν δῆλον. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ; ἐπήγαγεν, Ἦ δι' ἡμᾶς πάντως λέγει; οὐδὲ τὸ, Πάντως, ἁπλῶς προσθεὶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ συγχωρήσῃ μηδ' ὁτιοῦν ἀντειπεῖν τῷ ἀκροατῇ. Καὶ ἐπιμένει τῇ μεταφορᾷ λέγων καὶ ἀποφαινόμενος: Δι' ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἐγράφη, ὅτι ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ὀφείλει ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριᾷν: τουτέστιν, ὁ διδάσκαλος ὀφείλει τῶν πόνων τὰς ἀμοιβὰς ἔχειν: καὶ ὁ ἀλοῶν τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ μετέχειν ἐπ' ἐλπίδι. Καὶ θέα σύνεσιν. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ σπόρου ἐπὶ τὴν ἅλω τὸ πρᾶγμα μετήνεγκε, πάλιν κἀνταῦθα τοὺς πολλοὺς ἱδρῶτας τῶν διδασκάλων ἐμφαίνων, ὅτι αὐτοὶ καὶ ἀροτριῶσι καὶ τὴν ἅλω τρίβουσι. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ ἀροτριᾷν, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ἦν καρπώσασθαι, ἀλλὰ πόνον, τὴν ἐλπίδα τέθεικεν: ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ τρίβειν τὴν ἅλω, ἤδη τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν ἐχαρίσατο λέγων: Καὶ ὁ ἀλοῶν τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ μετέχει. δʹ. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ λέγῃ τις, Αὕτη οὖν ἡ τῶν τοσούτων ἱδρώτων ἀμοιβή; προσέθηκεν, Ἐπ' ἐλπίδι, τουτέστι, τῇ μελλούσῃ. Οὐδὲν οὖν ἕτερον τὸ στόμα ἀκήμωτον ὃν τοῦ ζώου τούτου βοᾷ, ἢ ὅτι τοὺς διδασκάλους τοὺς πονοῦντας δεῖ καὶ ἀμοιβῆς ἀπολαύειν. Εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν τὰ πνευματικὰ ἐσπείραμεν, μέγα, εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῶν τὰ σαρκικὰ θερίσομεν; Ἰδοὺ καὶ τέταρτον προστίθησι λογισμὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ δεῖν παρέχειν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπε, Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; καὶ, Τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα; καὶ, Τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην; καὶ παρήγαγε τὸν βοῦν τὸν ἀλοῶντα, δείκνυσι καὶ ἄλλην αἰτίαν εὐλογωτάτην, δι' ἣν ἦσαν δίκαιοι λαβεῖν, ὡς πολλῷ μείζονα παρεσχηκότες, οὐκέτι ὡς καμόντες μόνον. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν; Εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν τὰ πνευματικὰ ἐσπείραμεν, μέγα, εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῶν τὰ σαρκικὰ θερίσομεν; Εἶδες δικαιοτάτην αἰτίαν καὶ τῶν προτέρων εὐλογωτέραν; Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, σαρκικὸς ὁ σπόρος, σαρκικὸς καὶ ὁ καρπός: ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν σπόρος πνευματικὸς, ἡ δὲ ἀντίδοσις σαρκική. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ μέγα φρονῶσιν οἱ παρέχοντες τοῖς διδασκάλοις, ἔδειξεν ὅτι μείζονα λαμβάνουσιν, ἢ διδόασιν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ γεωργοὶ, ἅπερ ἂν κατασπείρωσι, ταῦτα καὶ λαμβάνουσιν: ἡμεῖς δὲ σπείροντες εἰς τὰς ὑμετέρας ψυχὰς πνευματικὰ, θερίζομεν σαρκικά: τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ παρ' αὐτῶν διδομένη τροφή. Εἶτα καὶ ἐντρεπτικώτερον: Εἰ ἄλλοι τῆς ἐξουσίας ὑμῶν μετέχουσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς; Ἰδοὺ καὶ ἕτερος πάλιν λογισμὸς, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκ παραδειγμάτων, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοίων. Οὐδὲ γὰρ Πέτρου μέμνηται ἐνταῦθα, οὔτε τῶν ἀποστόλων, ἀλλ' ἑτέρων τινῶν νόθων, πρὸς οὓς ὕστερον ἀποδύεται, καὶ περὶ ὧν φησιν: Εἴ τις ὑμᾶς κατεσθίει, εἴ τις λαμβάνει, εἴ τις ἐπαίρεται, εἴ τις εἰς πρόσωπον ὑμᾶς διαίρει: καὶ τὸν πρὸς ἐκείνους ἤδη προανακρούεται πόλεμον. Διὸ οὐδὲ εἶπεν, Εἰ ἄλλοι λαμβάνουσι παρ' ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς αὐτῶν τὴν αὐθάδειαν καὶ τὴν τυραννίδα καὶ τὴν ἐμπορίαν, φησίν: Εἰ ἄλλοι τῆς ὑμῶν ἐξουσίας μετέχουσι: τουτέστι, κρατοῦσιν ὑμῶν, ἐξουσιάζουσιν, ὡς οἰκέταις ἀποκέχρηνται, οὐ λαμβάνοντες μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς σπουδῆς καὶ τῆς αὐθεντίας. Διὸ προσέθηκεν, Οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς; ὅπερ οὐκ ἂν, εἰ περὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁ λόγος ἦν, εἶπεν ἄν. Ἀλλ' εὔδηλον ὅτι τινὰς αἰνίττεται λυμεῶνας καὶ ἀπατῶντας αὐτούς. Ὥστε μετὰ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ Μωϋσέως καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτοὶ νόμον τεθείκατε ὑπὲρ τοῦ δεῖν παρέχειν. Εἰπὼν δὲ, Οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς; οὐ κατασκευάζει διὰ τί οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον, ἀλλ' ἀφίησιν αὐτῶν τῷ συνειδότι τὸν ἔλεγχον, ὁμοῦ καὶ φοβῆσαι βουλόμενος καὶ ἐντρέψαι μειζόνως. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ. Τουτέστιν, Οὐκ ἐλάβομεν. Ὁρᾷς διὰ πόσων κατασκευάσας πρότερον, ὅτι οὐ παράνομον τὸ λαμβάνειν, τότε εἶπεν, ὅτι Οὐ λαμβάνομεν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ὡς κεκωλυμένου ἀπέχεσθαι; Οὐ γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἔξεστι, φησὶν, οὐ λαμβάνω: ἔξεστι γὰρ, καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ πολλῶν ἀπεδείξαμεν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν βίῳ πραγμάτων, τοῦ στρατιώτου καὶ τοῦ γεωργοῦ καὶ τοῦ ποιμένος, ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου Μωϋσέως, ἀπ' αὐτῆς τοῦ πράγματος τῆς φύσεως, ὅτι ἐσπείραμεν ὑμῖν πνευματικὰ, ἀφ' ὧν ὑμεῖς περὶ τοὺς ἄλλους πεποιήκατε: ἀλλ' ὥσπερ, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ καταισχύνειν τοὺς ἀποστόλους τοὺς λαμβάνοντας, ταῦτα τέθεικεν, ἐντρέπων αὐτοὺς καὶ δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐ κεκωλυμένου πράγματος ἀπέχεται: οὕτω πάλιν, ἵνα μὴ διὰ τῆς πολλῆς κατασκευῆς καὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων τῶν πολλῶν, δι' ὧν ἔδειξεν ὅτι δεῖ λαμβάνειν, δόξῃ ἐπιζητεῖν τὸ λαμβάνειν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα λέγειν, ἤδη διορθοῦται αὐτό: καὶ σαφέστερον μὲν ὕστερον αὐτὸ τέθεικεν, ὅταν λέγῃ: Οὐκ ἔγραψα δὲ ταῦτα, ἵνα οὕτω γένηται ἐν ἐμοί: ἐνταῦθα δέ φησιν, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ. Καὶ τὸ δὴ μεῖζον, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο ἔχοι τις ἂν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἐν εὐρυχωρίᾳ ὄντες οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνάγκης κατεπειγούσης, οὐκ εἴξαμεν τῇ ἀνάγκῃ: ὃ καὶ ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ φησίν: Ἄλλας Ἐκκλησίας ἐσύλησα, λαβὼν ὀψώνια πρὸς τὴν ὑμῶν διακονίαν: καὶ παρὼν πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ ὑστερηθεὶς, οὐ κατενάρκησα οὐδενός: καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ πάλιν: Καὶ πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν καὶ γυμνητεύομεν καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα πάλιν τὸ αὐτὸ αἰνίττεται λέγων, Ἀλλὰ πάντα στέγομεν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Πάντα στέγομεν, καὶ λιμὸν αἰνίττεται καὶ στενοχωρίαν πολλὴν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οὕτως ἠναγκάσθημεν, φησὶ, λῦσαι τὸν νόμον, ὃν ἑαυτοῖς τεθείκαμεν. Διὰ τί; Ἵνα μὴ ἐγκοπήν τινα δῶμεν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀσθενέστερον Κορίνθιοι διέκειντο, Ἵνα μὴ πλήξωμεν ὑμᾶς, φησὶ, λαμβάνοντες, εἱλόμεθα καὶ ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐπιτεταγμένα ποιῆσαι, ἢ ἐγκοπήν τινα δοῦναι τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, τουτέστι, τῇ κατηχήσει ὑμῶν. Εἰ δὲ ἡμεῖς, καὶ ἐπιτετραμμένον ἡμῖν, καὶ πολλὴν πάσχοντες βίαν, καὶ ἀποστόλους ἔχοντες ὑπόδειγμα, οὐκ ἐποιήσαμεν, Ἵνα μὴ ἐγκοπὴν δῶμεν (καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀνατροπὴν, ἀλλ' Ἐγκοπὴν, καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐγκοπὴν, ἀλλ', Ἐγκοπήν τινα: ἵνα μηδὲ τὴν τυχοῦσαν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, μέλλησιν καὶ ἀναβολὴν ἐμποιήσωμεν τῷ δρόμῳ τοῦ λόγου): εἰ τοίνυν ἡμεῖς τοσαύτῃ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ σπουδῇ, φησὶ, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς τοὺς καὶ πολὺ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀποδέοντας, καὶ οὐδὲ νόμον ἔχοντας εἰπεῖν τὸν ἐπιτρέποντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὐναντίον τῶν κεκωλυμένων ἁπτομένους καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ βλάβῃ μεγάλῃ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ ἐγκοπὴν μόνον δοῦναι, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀνάγκην ὁρῶντας ἐπικειμένην, ἀπέχεσθαι δεῖ; Τοῦτον γὰρ ἅπαντα τὸν λόγον δι' ἐκείνους ἐκίνησε τοὺς διὰ τῆς βρώσεως τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων σκανδαλίζοντας τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρους ἀδελφούς. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀκούωμεν, ἀγαπητοί: ἵνα μὴ καταφρονῶμεν τῶν σκανδαλιζομένων, μηδὲ ἐγκοπήν τινα ποιῶμεν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ: ἵνα μὴ προδιδῶμεν τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν. Μὴ γάρ μοι λέγε, ὅταν σκανδαλίζηται ὁ ἀδελφὸς, ὅτι Οὐ κεκώλυται τὸ καὶ τὸ, ἐφ' ᾧ σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ ὅτι ἐφεῖται. Ἐγὼ γάρ σοι μείζονα λέγω, ὅτι κἂν αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπιτετραφὼς ᾖ, ἴδῃς δέ τινα βλαπτόμενον, ἐπίσχες καὶ μὴ χρήσῃ τῇ ἐπιτροπῇ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ Παῦλος ἐποίησεν, ἐξὸν λαβεῖν Χριστοῦ συγχωρήσαντος, μὴ λαβών. Καὶ γὰρ φιλάνθρωπος ὢν ὁ Δεσπότης, πολλὴν τοῖς ἐπιτάγμασιν ἐκέρασεν ἡμερότητα τοῖς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐξ ἐπιταγῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ οἰκείας πολλὰ ποιῶμεν γνώμης. Καὶ γὰρ ἠδύνατο, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ἐβούλετο, μᾶλλον ἐπιτεῖναι τὰ ἐπιτάγματα, καὶ εἰπεῖν: Ὁ μὴ διόλου νηστεύων, κολαζέσθω: ὁ μὴ παρθενεύων, τιμωρείσθω: ὁ μὴ πάντα ἀποδυόμενος τὰ ὄντα, δίκην διδότω τὴν ἐσχάτην. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐποίησε τοῦτο, σοὶ παρέχων, εἰ βουληθείης, φιλοτιμεῖσθαι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὅτε περὶ παρθενίας διελέγετο, ἔλεγεν: Ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν, χωρείτω: καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ πλουσίου τὰ μὲν ἐπέταξε, τὰ δὲ ἐπέτρεψε τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τῆς διανοίας. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Πώλησον τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, ἀλλ', Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, πώλησον. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς οὐ μόνον οὐ φιλοτιμούμεθα οὐδὲ ὑπερβαίνομεν τὰ προστάγματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ μέτρου τῶν κελευσθέντων σφόδρα ἀπολιμπανόμεθα. Καὶ Παῦλος μὲν ἐλίμωττεν, ἵνα μὴ ἐγκοπὴν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ δῷ: ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ τῶν ἀποκειμένων ἡμῖν ἅψασθαι τολμῶμεν, μυρίας ὁρῶντες ἀνατρεπομένας ψυχάς. Τρωγέτω γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ σὴς, καὶ μὴ τρωγέτω ὁ πένης: κατεσθιέτω ὁ σκώληξ, καὶ μὴ περιβαλλέσθω ὁ γυμνός: ἀναλισκέσθω πάντα τῷ χρόνῳ, καὶ μὴ τρεφέσθω ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ταῦτα πεινῶν. Καὶ τίς τοῦτο εἶπε; φησί. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι σφόδρα τὸ δεινὸν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ῥήμασιν, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι ταῦτα λέγεται. Καὶ γὰρ ἧττον ἂν ἦν δεινὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ῥημάτων λεγόμενον, ἢ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων γινόμενον. Ἦ γὰρ οὐ ταῦτα βοᾷ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἡ ἀπάνθρωπος καὶ ὠμὴ τυραννὶς, ἡ φιλαργυρία τοῖς αὑτῆς αἰχμαλώτοις; Προκείσθω καὶ συκοφάνταις καὶ λῃσταῖς καὶ ἐπιβούλοις πρὸς τρυφὴν τὰ ὑμέτερα, καὶ μὴ τοῖς πεινῶσι μηδὲ τοῖς δεομένοις διατροφή. Οὐ γὰρ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε τοὺς λῃστάς; οὐ γὰρ ὑμεῖς τῷ πυρὶ τῶν βασκάνων παρέχετε τροφήν; οὐ γὰρ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε τοὺς δραπέτας καὶ τοὺς ἐπιβούλους, καθάπερ δέλεαρ αὐτοῖς τὸν ὑμέτερον προτιθέντες πλοῦτον; τίς ἡ μανία αὕτη; Μανία γὰρ καὶ παραπληξία σαφὴς, τὰ μὲν κιβώτια μεστὰ ἱματίων ποιεῖν, τὸν δὲ κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γενόμενον καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, γυμνὸν καὶ τρέμοντα ὑπὸ τοῦ κρυμοῦ περιορᾷν, καὶ μόλις ὀρθούμενον. Ἀλλὰ προφασίζεται, φησὶ, τὸν τρόμον καὶ τὴν ἀσθένειαν. Εἶτα οὐ δέδοικας μὴ σκηπτὸς ἄνωθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ῥήματος ἀναφθεὶς τούτου κατενεχθῇ; διαῤῥήγνυμαι γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ: σύγγνωτε. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ γαστριζόμενος καὶ πιαινόμενος, καὶ εἰς ἑσπέραν βαθεῖαν τὸν πότον παρατείνων, καὶ μαλακοῖς ἐνθαλπόμενος στρώμασιν, οὐκ ἀξιοῖς δοῦναι δίκην, οὕτω παρανόμως τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ χρώμενος δώροις (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἵνα μεθύωμεν, ὁ οἶνος: οὐδ' ἵνα γαστριζώμεθα, ἡ τροφὴ γέγονεν: οὐδ' ἵνα διασπῶμεν τὴν γαστέρα, τὰ σιτία): τὸν δὲ πένητα, τὸν ἄθλιον, τὸν οὐδὲν ἄμεινον νεκροῦ διακείμενον, τοῦτον εὐθύνας ἀπαιτεῖς ἀκριβεῖς, καὶ οὐ δέδοικας τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ δικαστήριον τὸ φρικτὸν ἐκεῖνο καὶ φοβερόν; Καὶ γὰρ εἰ ὑποκρίνεται, ἐξ ἀνάγκης ὑποκρίνεται καὶ ἐνδείας διὰ τὴν ὠμότητα τὴν σὴν καὶ τὴν ἀπανθρωπίαν τὴν τοιούτων δεομένην προσωπείων, τὴν μὴ ἐπικλωμένην πρὸς ἔλεον. Τίς γὰρ οὕτως ἄθλιος καὶ ταλαίπωρος, ὡς μηδεμιᾶς ἀνάγκης ἐπικειμένης ὑπὲρ ἑνὸς ἄρτου τοιαῦτα ἀσχημονεῖν καὶ κόπτεσθαι καὶ τοσαύτην ὑπομένειν δίκην; Ὥστε ἡ ὑπόκρισις ἡ ἐκείνου τῆς σῆς ἀπανθρωπίας περιέρχεται γιγνομένη κήρυξ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἱκετεύων καὶ λιπαρῶν καὶ ἐλεεινὰ προϊέμενος ῥήματα, καὶ ὀδυρόμενος καὶ δακρύων καὶ δι' ὅλης περιιὼν τῆς ἡμέρας, οὐδὲ τῆς ἀναγκαίας εὐπορεῖ τροφῆς, ἐπενόησεν ἴσως καὶ ταύτην τὴν μηχανὴν, οὐκ ἐκείνῳ τοσαύτην, ὅσην σοὶ, φέρουσαν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην καὶ τὴν κατηγορίαν. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ἐλεεῖσθαι δίκαιος, ὅτι εἰς τοσαύτην κατῆλθεν ἀνάγκην: ἡμεῖς δὲ μυρίων ἄξιοι τιμωριῶν, ὅτι τοὺς πένητας τοιαῦτα βιαζόμεθα πάσχειν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐξ εὐκολίας ἐπεκλώμεθα, οὐκ ἄν ποτε εἵλετο ἐκεῖνος τοιαῦτα ὑπομένειν. Καὶ τί λέγω γύμνωσιν καὶ τρόμον; Τὸ γὰρ τούτου φρικωδέστερον ἐρῶ, ὅτι καὶ παῖδας ἠναγκάσθησαν πηρῶσαί τινες ἄωρον ἄγοντας ἡλικίαν, ἵνα τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀναισθησίας καθίκωνται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ βλέποντες καὶ γυμνοὶ περιιόντες, οὔτε ἀπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας οὔτε ἀπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς ἐπεσπάσαντο τοὺς ἀνηλεεῖς, προσέθηκαν τοῖς τοσούτοις κακοῖς ἑτέραν χαλεπωτέραν τραγῳδίαν, ἵνα λύσωσι τὸν λιμὸν, κουφότερον εἶναι νομίζοντες ἀπεστερῆσθαι τοῦ κοινοῦ τούτου φωτὸς καὶ τῆς πᾶσι δεδομένης ἀκτῖνος, ἢ λιμῷ παλαίειν διηνεκεῖ καὶ τὸν οἴκτιστον ὑπομένειν θάνατον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐ πενίαν ἐμάθετε ἐλεεῖν, ἀλλὰ τέρπεσθαι συμφοραῖς, πληροῦσιν ὑμῶν τὴν ἀκόρεστον ἐπιθυμίαν, καὶ ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ὑμῖν χαλεπωτέραν τῆς γεέννης ἀνάπτοντες τὴν φλόγα. Καὶ ἵνα μάθητε ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα γίνεται καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, τεκμήριον ὑμῖν ὡμολογημένον ἐρῶ, πρὸς ὃ μηδεὶς ἀντερεῖ. Εἰσὶν ἕτεροι πένητες κοῦφοι καὶ μετέωροι τὰς ψυχὰς, καὶ οὐκ εἰδότες φέρειν λιμὸν, ἀλλὰ πάντα μᾶλλον, ἢ τοῦτο ὑπομένοντες. Οὗτοι πολλάκις ὑμῖν ἐλεεινοῖς καὶ σχήμασι καὶ ῥήμασιν ἐντυχόντες, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ὤνησαν τὰς ἱκετηρίας ἀφέντες ἐκείνας, τοὺς θαυματοποιοὺς ὑμῖν λοιπὸν παρήλασαν, οἱ μὲν δέρματα ὑποδημάτων μασώμενοι πεπονηκότων, οἱ δὲ κατὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἥλους ὀξεῖς διαπείροντες, ἕτεροι πεπηγόσιν ὕδασιν ὑπὸ τοῦ κρυμοῦ γυμνῇ τῇ γαστρὶ προσομιλοῦντες, ἄλλοι δὲ ἕτερα ἀτοπώτερα τούτων ὑπομένοντες, ἵνα τὸ πονηρὸν περιστήσωσι θέατρον. Ϛʹ. Σὺ δὲ, τούτων γινομένων, ἕστηκας γελῶν καὶ θαυμάζων, καὶ ἐμπομπεύων τοῖς ἑτέρων κακοῖς, τῆς κοινῆς φύσεως ἀσχημονούσης. Καὶ τί πλέον ἂν ἐργάσαιτο τούτων δαίμων ἄγριος; Εἶτα ἵνα προθυμότερον ποιήσῃ ταῦτα, δαψιλέστερον δίδως ἀργύριον. Καὶ τῷ μὲν εὐχομένῳ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν καλοῦντι, καὶ μετ' ἐπιεικείας προσιόντι οὐδὲ, ἀποκρίνεσθαι ἀξιοῖς οὐδὲ ἐμβλέψαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ φορτικὰ ἐκεῖνα πρὸς αὐτὸν φθέγγῃ ῥήματα, ὅταν συνεχῶς ἐνοχλήσῃ: Τοῦτον δὲ δεῖ ζῇν; ἀναπνεῖν δὲ ὅλως, ἢ τὸν ἥλιον τοῦτον ὁρᾷν; πρὸς δὲ ἐκείνους καὶ φαιδρὸς καὶ φιλότιμος, ἅτε ἀγωνοθέτης τις ὢν τῆς καταγελάστου καὶ σατανικῆς ἀσχημοσύνης ἐκείνης. Διὸ καὶ εὐλογώτερον πρὸς τοὺς τιθέντας τοὺς ἀγῶνας τούτους, καὶ μὴ προϊεμένους μηδὲν ἕως ἂν ἴδωσι κολαζομένους ἑτέρους, ταῦτα ἂν λεχθείη τὰ ῥήματα: Ζῇν δὲ τούτους, ἀναπνεῖν δὲ ὅλως; τὸν δὲ ἥλιον τοῦτον ὁρᾷν τοὺς εἰς τὴν κοινὴν παρανομοῦντας φύσιν, τοὺς εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ὑβρίζοντας; Καὶ τοῦ μὲν Θεοῦ λέγοντος, Δὸς ἐλεημοσύνην, καὶ δίδωμί σοι βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν, οὐκ ἤκουσας: τοῦ διαβόλου δὲ κεφαλὴν καθηλωμένην δεικνύντος, ἐξαίφνης φιλότιμος γέγονας: καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπέκαμψεν ἡ τοῦ πονηροῦ δαίμονος μηχανὴ τοσαύτην ἔχουσα βλάβην, ἢ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπόσχεσις μυρία κομίζουσα τὰ ἀγαθά: δέον, εἰ καὶ χρυσίον καταβαλεῖν ἐχρῆν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ταῦτα μὴ γίνεσθαι, μηδὲ γινόμενα ὁρᾷν, πάντα ποιεῖν καὶ ὑπομένειν, ὥστε ἀνελεῖν τὴν πολλὴν ταύτην μανίαν: ὑμεῖς δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦ καὶ γίνεσθαι καὶ γινόμενα ὁρᾷν, πάντα ποιεῖτε καὶ πραγματεύεσθε. Ἔτι οὖν ἐρωτᾷς, εἰπέ μοι, διὰ τί γέεννα; Ἀλλὰ μηκέτι τοῦτο ἐρώτα, ἀλλὰ πῶς μία γέεννα μόνη. Πόσων γὰρ οὐκ ἄξιοι κολάσεων οὗτοι οἱ τὸ ὠμὸν τοῦτο καὶ ἀπηνὲς συγκροτοῦντες θέατρον, καὶ γελῶντες ἐφ' οἷς δακρύειν ἔδει κἀκείνους καὶ ὑμᾶς αὐτούς; μᾶλλον δὲ ὑμᾶς τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀναγκάζοντας ἀσχημονεῖν; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀναγκάζω, φησί. Πῶς οὐκ ἀναγκάζεις, εἰπέ μοι, τοῖς μὲν ἐπιεικεστέροις καὶ δακρύουσι καὶ τὸν Θεὸν παρακαλοῦσιν οὐδὲ προσέχειν ἀνεχόμενος: τούτοις δὲ καὶ ἀργύριον παρέχων δαψιλὲς, καὶ πολλοὺς περιιστῶν τοὺς θαυμάζοντας; Καὶ ἀποστῶμεν, φησὶν, ἐλεοῦντες αὐτούς. Καὶ σὺ τοῦτο κελεύεις; Οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ἐλεεῖν, ἄνθρωπε, τὸ τοσαύτην ἀπαιτεῖν δίκην ὑπὲρ ὀλίγων ὀβολῶν, τὸ κελεύειν ὑπὲρ ἀναγκαίας κατακόπτεσθαι τροφῆς, καὶ εἰς πολλὰ διατέμνειν τῆς κεφαλῆς τὴν δορὰν οὕτω πικρῶς καὶ ἐλεεινῶς. Εὐφήμει, φησίν: οὐ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν οἱ τὰς κεφαλὰς καθηλοῦντες ἐκείνας. Εἴθε σύ: καὶ οὐκ ἦν οὕτω δεινὸν τὸ δεινόν. Ὁ γὰρ σφάττων τινὰ τοῦ κελεύοντος ἑαυτὸν σφάττειν πολλῷ χαλεπώτερον ποιεῖ: ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων συμβαίνει. Καὶ γὰρ δριμυτέρας ὑπομένουσι τὰς ὀδύνας, ὅταν καὶ αὐτουργοὶ κελεύωνται γίνεσθαι τῶν πονηρῶν τούτων ἐπιταγμάτων, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν ᾗ πρῶτον ἐχρημάτισαν Χριστιανοὶ, ἐν ᾗ ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων ἡμερώτεροι γεγόνασιν, ἐν ᾗ πολὺς τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης τὸ παλαιὸν ἐκόμα καρπός. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῖς παροῦσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς πόῤῥωθεν ἔπεμπον ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ διαστήματος, καὶ ταῦτα λιμοῦ προσδοκωμένου. Τί οὖν δεῖ ποιεῖν; φησί: Τῆς μὲν θηριωδίας ταύτης καθυφεῖναι, πεῖσαι δὲ τοὺς δεομένους ἅπαντας, ὅτι ταῦτα μὲν ποιοῦντες οὐδὲν λήψονται, ἐπιεικῶς δὲ προσιόντες, πολλῆς ἀπολαύσονται τῆς φιλοτιμίας. Ἂν δὲ ταῦτα μάθωσι, κἂν πάντων ὦσιν ἀθλιώτεροι, οὐχ αἱρήσονται οὐδέποτε τοιαῦτα κολάζεσθαι, ἐγὼ ἐγγυῶμαι: ἀλλὰ καὶ χάριν ὑμῖν εἴσονται, ὅτι καὶ τοῦ γέλωτος καὶ τῆς ὀδύνης αὐτοὺς ἀπηλλάξατε ἐκείνης. Νῦν δὲ ὑπὲρ μὲν ἡνιόχων καὶ παῖδας ἂν ἐκδοίητε τοὺς ὑμετέρους, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὀρχηστῶν καὶ αὐτὰς ἂν πρόοισθε τὰς ψυχάς: ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πεινῶντος, οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν τῆς οὐσίας προΐεσθε μέρος: ἀλλὰ ἂν ὀλίγον δῶτε ἀργύριον, ὡς τὸ πᾶν ἐκτετικότες, οὕτω διάκεισθε, οὐκ εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ τὸ δοῦναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ μετὰ δαψιλείας δοῦναι, τοῦτο μάλιστά ἐστιν ἐλεημοσύνη. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ προφήτης οὐ τοὺς διδόντας ἁπλῶς ἀνακηρύττει καὶ μακαρίζει, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀφθόνως παρέχοντας. Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς εἶπεν, Ἔδωκεν, ἀλλὰ πῶς; Ἐσκόρπισεν, ἔδωκε τοῖς πένησι. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος, ὅταν πλουτῶν τοσοῦτον δῷς, ὅσον ἄν τις ἀπὸ πελάγους κύαθον δοίη, καὶ μηδὲ χήρας γυναικὸς μεγαλοψυχίαν ζηλώσῃς; πῶς δὲ ἐρεῖς, Κύριε, ἐλέησόν με κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου, καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημά μου: οὐ κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος αὐτὸς ἐλεῶν, τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ κατὰ τὸ μικρόν; Καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα αἰσχύνομαι, ὅταν ἴδω πολλοὺς τῶν πλουτούντων ἐφ' ἵππων χρυσοχαλίνων φερομένους, καὶ οἰκέτας χρυσοφοροῦντας ἐπισυρομένους, καὶ κλίνας ἀργυρᾶς ἔχοντας, καὶ ἑτέραν πλείονα φαντασίαν, καὶ ἡνίκα ἂν πένητι δέῃ παρασχεῖν, τῶν σφόδρα πενήτων πτωχοτέρους γινομένους. Ἀλλὰ τίς ὁ πολὺς αὐτῶν λόγος; Ἔχει τὸ κοινὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, φησί. Καὶ τί τοῦτο πρὸς σέ; οὐδὲ γὰρ, ἐὰν ἐγὼ δῶ, σὺ διεσώθης: οὐδ' ἂν ἡ Ἐκκλησία παράσχῃ, σὺ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἐξήλειψας τὰ σά. Εἰ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δίδως, ἐπειδὴ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ὀφείλει δοῦναι τοῖς δεομένοις: ἐπειδὴ εὔχονται οἱ ἱερεῖς, σὺ οὐκ εὔξῃ ποτέ; καὶ ἐπειδὴ νηστεύουσιν ἕτεροι, σὺ μεθυσθήσῃ διηνεκῶς; οὐκ οἶσθα, ὅτι οὐχ οὕτω διὰ τοὺς πένητας τὰ περὶ ἐλεημοσύνης ἐνομοθέτησεν ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς δι' αὐτοὺς τοὺς παρέχοντας; Ἀλλ' ὑποπτεύεις τὸν ἱερέα; Μάλιστα μὲν χαλεπὴ καὶ τοῦτο ἁμαρτία: πλὴν οὐδὲν ἀκριβολογοῦμαι: διὰ σαυτοῦ πάντα ποίει, καὶ διπλοῦν οὕτω καρπώσῃ τὸν μισθόν. Καὶ γὰρ ἅπερ ἡμεῖς ὑπὲρ ἐλεημοσύνης λέγομεν, οὐχ ἵνα ἡμῖν προσαγάγῃς λέγομεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα αὐτὸς διὰ σαυτοῦ διακονῇς. Ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ προσφέρων, ἴσως καὶ κενοδοξίᾳ ἀλώσῃ, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ σκανδαλισθεὶς ἀπελεύσῃ τῷ πονηρὰ ὑποπτεῦσαι: ἂν δὲ δι' ἑαυτῶν πάντα ποιῆτε, καὶ σκανδάλων ἀπαλλαγήσεσθε καὶ ὑποψίας ἀτόπου. καὶ πλείων ὑμῖν ὁ μισθός. ζʹ. Οὐ τοίνυν ἐκβιαζόμενος ὑμᾶς ἐνταῦθα κομίζειν τὰ χρήματα, ταῦτα λέγω, οὐδὲ ἀγανακτῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν κακῶς ἀκουόντων ἱερέων. Εἰ γὰρ ἀγανακτεῖν χρὴ καὶ ἀλγεῖν, ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἀλγεῖν δεῖ τῶν λεγόντων κακῶς. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἀκούουσιν εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην κακῶς ὁ μισθὸς μείζων, τοῖς δὲ λέγουσι τὸ κρῖμα καὶ ἡ τιμωρία βαρυτέρα. Οὐ τοίνυν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ταῦτα λέγω, ἀλλ' ὑμῶν κηδόμενος καὶ φροντίζων. Τί γὰρ θαυμαστὸν, εἰ ἐπὶ τῆς γενεᾶς τινες ὑποπτεύονται τῆς ἡμετέρας, ὅπου γε ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων τῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους μιμησαμένων, τῶν οὐδὲν ἴδιον κεκτημένων, τῶν ἀποστόλων λέγω, γογγυσμὸς ἦν ἐν τῇ διακονίᾳ τῶν χηρῶν, ὅτι παρεθεωροῦντο οἱ πένητες, ὅτε οὐδείς τι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ ἔλεγεν ἴδιον εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἦν αὐτοῖς ἅπαντα κοινά; Μὴ δὴ ταύτας προβαλλώμεθα τὰς προφάσεις, μηδὲ ἀπολογίαν εἶναι νομίζωμεν τὸ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν πολλὰ κεκτῆσθαι. Ὅταν γὰρ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῆς τὸ μέγεθος ἴδῃς, ἐννόησον καὶ τῶν ἐγγεγραμμένων πενήτων τὰς ἀγέλας, τῶν ἀῤῥωστούντων τὰ πλήθη, τῶν μυρίων χορηγιῶν τὰς ὑποθέσεις: περιέργασαι, πολυπραγμόνησον, οὐδεὶς ὁ κωλύσων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτοιμοι λόγον ὑμῖν παρασχεῖν. Πλὴν ὑπερβολὴν ποιήσασθαι βούλομαι. Ὅταν γὰρ παράσχωμεν τὰς εὐθύνας, καὶ δείξωμεν οὐκ ἐλάττονα τῆς προσόδου τὴν δαπάνην οὖσαν, ἀλλ' ἔστιν ὅπου καὶ πλείω, ἡδέως ἂν ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖνο ἐροίμην: ἡνίκα ἂν ἀπέλθωμεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἀκούσωμεν τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος, Πεινῶντά με εἴδετε, καὶ οὐκ ἐθρέψατε, γυμνὸν, καὶ οὐ περιεβάλετε, τί ἐροῦμεν; τί δὲ ἀπολογησόμεθα; Τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα εἰς μέσον οἴσομεν τὸν παρακούσαντα τούτων, καί τινας τῶν ἱερέων τῶν ὑπόπτων; Καὶ τί τοῦτο πρὸς σέ: ἐγὼ γάρ σοι ἐγκαλῶ, φησὶν, ἅπερ αὐτὸς ἥμαρτες. Ἀπολογία δὲ τούτων τὸ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἀπολούσασθαι ἁμαρτήματα, οὐ τὸ δεῖξαι ἑτέρους τὰ αὐτά σοι πεπλημμεληκότας. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ Ἐκκλησία διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν μικρολογίαν ἔχειν ἀναγκάζεται ἅπερ ἔχει νῦν: ὡς εἴ γε κατὰ τοὺς ἀποστολικοὺς πάντα ἔπραττον νόμους, πρόσοδον αὐτῆς εἶναι ἐχρῆν τὴν ὑμετέραν γνώμην, ὃ καὶ ταμιεῖον ἀσφαλὲς ἂν ἦν καὶ ἀνάλωτος θησαυρός. Νῦν δὲ ὅταν ὑμεῖς μὲν θησαυρίζητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ πάντα ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις ἀποκλείητε τοῖς ὑμετέροις, αὕτη δὲ ἀναγκάζηται δαπανᾷν χηρῶν συλλόγοις, παρθένων χοροῖς, ξένων ἐπιδημίαις, ἀποδημούντων ταλαιπωρίαις, δεσμωτῶν συμφοραῖς, ἀῤῥωστούντων καὶ λελωβημένων ἀνάγκαις, ἑτέραις τοιαύταις προφάσεσι, τί δεῖ ποιεῖν; ἀποστρέφεσθαι τούτους ἅπαντας, καὶ τοσούτους προσχῶσαι λιμένας; καὶ τίς ἂν τοῖς γινομένοις ναυαγίοις ἀρκέσειε; τοῖς ὀδυρμοῖς, τοῖς θρήνοις, ταῖς οἰμωγαῖς ταῖς πανταχόθεν φερομέναις; Μὴ τοίνυν ἁπλῶς τὸ ἐπιὸν φθεγγώμεθα. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ, ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, καὶ τὰς εὐθύνας παρασχεῖν ὑμῖν ἕτοιμοι: εἰ δὲ καὶ τοὐναντίον ἦν, καὶ διεφθαρμένους εἴχετε διδασκάλους καὶ πάντα ἁρπάζοντας καὶ πλεονεκτοῦντας, οὐδὲ οὕτως ὑμῖν ἀπολογία ἡ ἐκείνων πονηρία ἦν. Ὁ γὰρ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ πάνσοφος, ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ πάντα ὁρῶν, καὶ εἰδὼς ὅτι συμβαίνει πολλοὺς ἐν τῷ μακρῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τῇ τοσαύτῃ οἰκουμένῃ ἱερέας γενέσθαι διεφθαρμένους: ἵνα μὴ ἡ τῶν ἀρχομένων ῥᾳθυμία ἐπιτείνηται διὰ τῆς ἐκείνων ὀλιγωρίας, πᾶσαν ἀναιρῶν ἀπολογίαν ῥᾳθυμίας, Ἐπὶ τῆς καθέδρας Μωϋσέως, φησὶν, ἐκάθισαν οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι: πάντα οὖν, ὅσα ἂν λέγωσιν ὑμῖν ποιεῖν, ποιεῖτε: κατὰ δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν μὴ ποιεῖτε: δεικνὺς ὅτι κἂν διδάσκαλον ἔχῃς φαῦλον, οὐδέν σε τοῦτο ὀνῆσαι δυνήσεται, ἂν μὴ προσέχῃς τοῖς λεγομένοις. Οὐ γὰρ ἀφ' ὧν ὁ διδάσκαλος ἔπραξεν, ἀλλὰ ἀφ' ὧν ἀκούσας παρήκουσας, ἀπὸ τούτων σοι φέρει τὰς ψήφους ὁ Θεός. Ὥστε ἐὰν μὲν ποιῇς τὰ ἐπιτεταγμένα, μετὰ πολλῆς τότε στήσῃ τῆς παῤῥησίας: ἂν δὲ παρακούσῃς τῶν λεγομένων, κἂν μυρίους ἱερέας διεφθαρμένους δείξῃς, οὐδέν σου τοῦτο προστήσεται. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἰούδας ἀπόστολος ἦν, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν τοῦτο ὑπὲρ τῶν ἱεροσύλων καὶ φιλαργύρων ἀπολογήσεταί ποτε. Οὐδὲ δυνήσεταί τις ἐγκαλούμενος λέγειν ὅτι, Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἀπόστολος κλέπτης ἦν καὶ ἱερόσυλος καὶ προδότης: ἀλλ' αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο μάλιστα ἡμᾶς τιμωρήσεται καὶ κατακρινεῖ, ὅτι μηδὲ τοῖς ἑτέρων κακοῖς ἐσωφρονίσθημεν. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ἀναγέγραπται ἐκεῖνα, ἵνα φύγωμεν ἐκείνων τὸν ζῆλον. Διὸ τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα ἀφέντες, ἡμεῖς ἑαυτοῖς προσέχωμεν: ἕκαστος γὰρ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δώσει τῷ Θεῷ. Ἵν' οὖν τὸν λόγον τοῦτον μετὰ καλῆς παράσχωμεν ἀπολογίας, τὸν ἑαυτῶν ῥυθμίσωμεν βίον, καὶ δαψιλῆ τὴν χεῖρα ἐκτείνωμεν τοῖς δεομένοις, εἰδότες ὅτι αὕτη μόνη ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀπολογία, τὸ δεῖξαι ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς κατωρθωκότας τὰ ἐπιτεταγμένα, ἑτέρα δὲ οὐδεμία. Κἂν ταύτην δυνηθῶμεν παρασχεῖν, τὰς ἀφορήτους ἐκείνας ὀδύνας τῆς γεέννης διαφευξόμεθα, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτευξόμεθα ἀγαθῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.