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What mindset should one who has once renounced possessions and promised to have nothing of his own use for the necessities of life, such as clothing and food. RESPONSE. Remembering, according to what is written, that it is God who gives food to all flesh. Nevertheless, there is need for care, so that as God's worker he may be worthy of his food, and this food not being in his own power, but administered by the one appointed for this care, both in season and in measure, according to what is written: And distribution was made to each, as any had need. QUESTION Δ'. If someone comes to the brotherhood, leaving behind taxes, and his relatives are hard-pressed being required to pay on his behalf, does this not bring judgment and harm either to him or to those who received him? RESPONSE. Our Lord Jesus Christ, to those asking if it is lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not, says: 'Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?' And when they said, 'Caesar's,' He answers, saying: 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' It being clear from this, then, that those were shown to be subject to Caesar's commands among whom the things of Caesar are found; if, then, he also came to the brotherhood bringing with him something of Caesar's, let him be subject to the taxes; but if he departed leaving everything behind for his relatives, let there be no judgment, neither for him nor for those who received him. QUESTION Ε'. If it is beneficial for those who have just come to learn immediately from the Scriptures. RESPONSE. Let this question also be guided by what has been said before. For it is fitting and 31.1149 necessary for each to learn from the God-inspired Scripture what is needed, both for the full assurance of piety, and so as not to become accustomed to human traditions. QUESTION ʹ. If we should permit everyone who wishes to learn letters or to pay attention to readings. RESPONSE. As the Apostle says, 'So that you may not do whatever you wish,' in every matter it is harmful to permit someone what is chosen according to his own will; rather, one must accept everything approved by the superiors, even if it is unwillingly. The charge of disbelief also fits this, as the Lord said: 'Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.' For he is clearly prescribing for himself periods of life. QUESTION Ζ'. If someone says, 'I wish to be benefited among you for a short time,' should he be received? RESPONSE Since the Lord said, 'Whoever comes to me I will never cast out,' and the Apostle related: 'Because of false brethren secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage—to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you,' it is fitting to grant him entry, also because of the uncertainty of the outcome; for often, having been benefited over time, he will be pleased with the life once and for all, as has often happened; and for the manifestation of the strictness among us, to one who perhaps has other suspicions about us. But it is necessary to maintain a more careful strictness also over him, so that the truth may be revealed, and the suspicion of any indifference may be removed. For in this way we shall both please God, and he will either be benefited or convicted. QUESTION Η'. What sort of mindset ought the superior to have in the things he commands or arranges. RESPONSE. Towards God, as a servant of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God, fearing lest he either say or model anything contrary to the will of God which is professed in the Scriptures, and be found a false witness of God, or sacrilegious, by either introducing something foreign to the teaching of the Lord, or by omitting any of the things 31.1152 pleasing to God; but towards the brethren, 'as a nursing mother cherishes her own children,' being well pleased to impart to each what is pleasing to God and is for the common benefit of all, not only the Gospel of God, but also his own

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Τὸν ἅπαξ ἀποκτησάμενον, καὶ ἴδιον μηδὲν ἔχειν ἐπαγγειλάμενον ποίᾳ διανοίᾳ κεχρῆσθαι δεῖ τοῖς πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀναγκαίοις, οἷον ἐσθῆτι καὶ τροφῇ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Μνημονεύοντα, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ὅτι ὁ Θεός ἐστιν ὁ διδοὺς τροφὴν πάσῃ σαρκί. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ φρον τίδος χρεία, ἵνα ὡς Θεοῦ ἐργάτης ἄξιος ᾖ τῆς τρο φῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταύτης οὐκ ἐν ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ κει μένης, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῦ ταύτην ἐπιτεταγμένου τὴν φροντίδα οἰκονομουμένης ἔν τε καιρῷ καὶ μέ τρῳ, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· ∆ιεδίδοτο δὲ ἑκάστῳ, καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ∆ʹ. Ἐάν τις καταλιπὼν φόρους ἀδελφότητι προσέλ θῃ, οἱ δὲ οἰκεῖοι αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἀπαιτούμε νοι θλίβωνται, εἰ μὴ φέρει τοῦτο διάκρι σιν καὶ βλάβην ἢ ἐκείνῳ, ἢ τοῖς προσδεξαμέ νοισ ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς πρὸς τοὺς ἐπ ερωτῶντας, εἰ ἔξεστι δοῦναι κῆνσον Καίσαρι, ἢ οὒ, φησί· ∆είξατέ μοι δηνάριον· τίνος ἔχει εἰκόνα καὶ ἐπιγραφήν; τῶν δὲ εἰπόντων, ὅτι Καίσαρος, ἀποκρίνεται εἰπών· Ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι· καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ· φανεροῦ τοίνυν ἐκ τούτου ὄντος, ὅτι οὗτοι ὑποκεῖσθαι τοῖς τοῦ Καί σαρος ἐπιτάγμασιν ἐδείχθησαν. παρ' οἷς ἂν εὑ ρίσκηται τὰ τοῦ Καίσαρος· εἰ μέν τι τοιοῦτον τῶν ἐκ τοῦ Καίσαρος καὶ οὗτος ἐπικομιζόμενος εἰς τὴν ἀδελφότητα ἧκεν, ὑπόχρεως ἔστω τοῖς φόροις· εἰ δὲ πάντα προσκαταλιπὼν τοῖς οἰκείοις ἀπῆλθε, μηδεμία διάκρισις ἔστω, μήτε αὐτῷ, μήτε τοῖς ὑπο δεξαμένοις. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Εʹ. Εἰ συμφέρει τοῖς ἄρτι προσερχομένοις εὐθὺς τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν ἐκμανθάνειν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἐρώτημα ὑπὸ τῶν προειρημένων κατευθυνέσθω. Τὸ γὰρ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἕκαστον ἐκ μανθάνειν ἐκ τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς ἀκόλουθον καὶ 31.1149 ἀναγκαῖον, εἴς τε πληροφορίαν τῆς θεοσεβείας, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ προσεθισθῆναι ἀνθρωπίναις παρα δόσεσιν. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ʹ. Εἰ παντὶ τῷ βουλομένῳ ἐπιτρέπειν δεῖ γράμματα μανθάνειν, ἢ ἀναγνώσμασι προσέχειν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος, Ἵνα μὴ ἃ ἂν θέλητε, ταῦτα ποιῆτε, ἐν παντὶ πράγματι τὸ κατὰ θέλησιν ἰδίαν αἱρετὸν ἐπιτρέπειν τινὶ βλαβερόν ἐστι· πᾶν δὲ τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν προεστώτων ἐγκεκριμένον καταδέχε σθαι χρὴ, κἂν ἀβούλητον ᾖ. Τὸ δὲ ἔγκλημα τῆς ἀπιστίας καὶ τούτῳ ἁρμόζει, τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος· Γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι· ὅτι, ᾗ ὥρᾳ οὐ δοκεῖτε, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται. Φανερὸς γάρ ἐστι χρόνους ζωῆς ἑαυτῷ ὑπογράφων. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ζʹ. Ἐὰν λέγῃ τις, Θέλω παρ' ὑμῖν ὀλίγον χρό νον ὠφεληθῆναι, εἰ δεῖ αὐτὸν προσδέχεσθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος, Τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς μὲ οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω, καὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου διηγησαμένου· ∆ιὰ δὲ τοὺς παρεισάκτους ψευδαδέλφους, οἵτινες παρεισῆλθον κατασκοπῆσαι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡμῶν, ἣν ἔχομεν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα ἡμᾶς καταδουλώσωνται· οἷς οὐδὲ πρὸς ὥραν εἴξαμεν τῇ ὑποταγῇ, ἵνα ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου δια μένῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, συγχωρεῖν μὲν αὐτῷ τὴν εἴσοδον ἀκόλουθον, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀμφίβολον τῆς ἐκβάσεως· πολλάκις γὰρ ὠφεληθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ χρόνου, καθ άπαξ τῷ βίῳ εὐαρεστηθήσεται, ὡς πολλάκις γέγονε· καὶ εἰς φανέρωσιν δὲ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν ἀκριβείας, ἀλλοιο τέρας ἴσως περὶ ἡμῶν τὰς ὑποψίας ἔχοντι. Τὴν δὲ ἀκρίβειαν ἐπιμελεστέραν καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῷ φυλάσσειν ἀναγκαῖον, ἵνα ἥ τε ἀλήθεια φανερωθῇ, καὶ ἡ ὑπ οψία πάσης ἀδιαφορίας ἀναιρεθῇ. Οὕτω γὰρ ἡμεῖς τε τῷ Θεῷ εὐαρεστήσομεν, κἀκεῖνος ἢ ὠφεληθήσεται, ἢ ἐλεγχθήσεται. ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ηʹ. Ποταπὸν φρόνημα ὀφείλει ἔχειν ὁ προεστὼς ἐν οἷς ἐπιτάσσει, ἢ διατάσσεται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Πρὸς μὲν τὸν Θεὸν ὡς ὑπηρέτης Χριστοῦ, καὶ οἰ κονόμος μυστηρίων Θεοῦ, φοβούμενος μή τι παρὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς ὁμολογούμε νον ἢ εἴπῃ, ἢ τυπώσῃ, καὶ εὑρεθῇ ψευδόμαρτυς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ ἱερόσυλος, ἐν τῷ ἢ ἐπεισάγειν τι ἀλλότριον τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου διδασκαλίας, ἢ παραλεῖψαί τι τῶν 31.1152 ἀρεσκόντων Θεῷ· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, Ὡς ἐὰν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα εὐδοκῶν μετα δοῦναι ἑκάστῳ πρὸς τὸ ἀρέσκον Θεῷ, καὶ κοινῇ πᾶσι συμφέρον, οὐ μόνον τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ