John Chrysostom, On 1 Timothy

they war against us, it is possible for us to be peaceful; for hear the prophet saying, Instead of loving me, they slandered me, but I prayed; and again, With those who hated peace, I was peaceful; and again, When I spoke to them, they warred against me without cause. But the third it is not possible to escape without danger. For when the body is at odds with the soul, and stirs up harsh desires, and arms the pleasures of the body, of anger, of envy, it is not possible, if this war is not resolved, to attain the promised goods, but it is necessary for the one not suppressing this disturbance to fall and receive wounds, that death which brings forth the one in Gehenna. Therefore, we need much anxiety and care each day, so that this war neither arises in us, nor having arisen, remains, but is suppressed and put to rest. For what benefit would there be, when the world enjoys deep peace, but you are at war with yourself? This is the peace we must have; if we have this, nothing from without will be able to harm us. And the common peace contributes not a little to this; for this reason he says, That we may lead a quiet and tranquil life. But if someone, when there is quiet, is disturbed, he is extremely wretched. Do you see that he means this peace, which I call the third? For this reason, having said, That we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, he did not stop there, but added, In all godliness and gravity. But it is not possible to be in godliness and gravity, if that peace has not been achieved. For when questioning thoughts disturb our faith, what peace is there? when spirits of licentiousness, what peace is there? For lest you think that he is simply speaking of this life, which all men live, having said, That we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, he adds, In all godliness and gravity; since it is possible for Greeks to lead a quiet and tranquil life, and you would find the intemperate and the profligate and the luxurious living this life. Therefore, that you may learn that he does not mean this, he adds, In all godliness and gravity. For that life has plots and battles, the soul being wounded each day by the tumults in its thoughts. That he wishes to signify this life is clear from the addition, and clear also from his not simply saying "in godliness," but with the addition of "All." For in saying this, he seems to demand a manner of life not only according to doctrines, but also one secured by one's life; for indeed godliness must be sought in both. For what is the benefit, if being godly in faith, one is ungodly in life? For that it is possible to be ungodly in life, hear this blessed one saying again elsewhere: They profess to know God, but in their works they deny Him; and again, He has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever; and again, If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, such a one does not honor God; and again, He that hates his brother, is ignorant of God. Do you see how many ways of ungodliness there are? For this reason he says, In all godliness and gravity. For not only the fornicator is unseemly, but also the covetous man would be called unseemly and intemperate; for 62.536 this too is a desire no less than that of the body. Therefore, he who does not restrain it is called intemperate; for because they do not restrain desire they are called intemperate. So that I for one would call the wrathful man intemperate, and the envious, and the avaricious, and the deceitful, and everyone who is in sin, to be intemperate and unseemly and licentious. For this is good and acceptable, he says, in the sight of God our Savior. What is this? To pray for all, this God accepts, this He wills; For He wills all men to be saved, he says, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2. Imitate God. If He wills all men to be saved, rightly on behalf of all

πρὸς ἡμᾶς πολεμῶσιν, ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν εἶναι εἰρηνικοῖς· ἄκουε γὰρ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, Ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀγαπᾷν με, ἐνδιέβαλόν με, ἐγὼ δὲ προσηυχόμην· καὶ πάλιν, Μετὰ τῶν μισούντων τὴν εἰρήνην ἤμην εἰρηνικός· καὶ πάλιν, Ὅταν ἐλάλουν αὐτοῖς, ἐπολέμουν με δωρεάν. Τὸν δὲ τρίτον οὐκ ἔνι ἀκινδύνως διαφυγεῖν. Ὅταν γὰρ ἡμῖν διαστασιάζῃ τὸ σῶμα πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ χαλεπὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἐγείρῃ, καὶ τὰς ἡδονὰς ὁπλίζῃ τῶν σωμάτων, τῆς ὀργῆς, τοῦ φθόνου, οὐκ ἔνι, μὴ τοῦ πολέμου τούτου λυθέντος, ἐπιτυχεῖν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν, ἀλλ' ἀνάγκη τὸν μὴ καταστέλλοντα ταύτην τὴν ταραχὴν, πεσεῖν καὶ τραύματα λαβεῖν, ἐκεῖνον τὸν θάνατον τίκτοντα τὸν ἐν τῇ γεέννῃ. ∆εῖ τοίνυν ἡμῖν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν μερίμνης καὶ φροντίδος πολλῆς, ὥστε μήτε ἐγείρεσθαι ἐν ἡμῖν τοῦτον τὸν πόλεμον, μήτε διεγερθέντα μένειν, ἀλλὰ καταστέλλεσθαι καὶ κοιμίζεσθαι. Τί γὰρ ἂν ὄφελος γένοιτο, ὅταν ἡ μὲν οἰκουμένη βαθείας ἀπολαύῃ εἰρήνης, σὺ δὲ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν πολεμῇς; Ταύτην δεῖ τὴν εἰρήνην ἔχειν· ἂν ταύτην ἔχωμεν, οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς τῶν ἔξωθεν βλάψαι δυνήσεται. Συντελεῖ δὲ πρὸς ταύτην οὐ μικρὸν καὶ ἡ κοινὴ εἰρήνη· διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, Ἵνα ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν. Εἰ δέ τις, ἡσυχίας οὔσης, ταράττεται, σφόδρα ἄθλιός ἐστιν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ταύτην λέγει τὴν εἰρήνην, ἢν ἐγώ φημι τὴν τρίτην; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, Ἵνα ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν, οὐκ ἔστη μέχρι τούτου, ἀλλὰ προσέθηκεν, Ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι. Ἐν δὲ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι εἶναι οὐκ ἔνι, μὴ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐκείνης κατορθωθείσης. Ὅταν γὰρ λογισμοὶ ζητητικοὶ ταράσσωσιν ἡμῶν τὴν πίστιν, ποία εἰρήνη; ὅταν ἀσελγείας πνεύματα, ποία εἰρήνη; Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίσῃς ὅτι τοῦτον ἁπλῶς λέγει τὸν βίον, ὃν πάντες ζῶσιν ἄνθρωποι, εἰπὼν, Ἵνα ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν, ἐπάγει, Ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι· ἐπειδὴ ἔνεστι τὸν ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγειν καὶ Ἕλληνας, καὶ ἀκολάστους καὶ σπαταλῶντας καὶ τρυφῶντας εὕροις ἂν τοῦτον τὸν βίον ζῶντας. Ἵνα οὖν μάθῃς ὅτι οὐ τοῦτόν φησι, προστίθησι τὸ, Ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ὁ βίος ἐπιβουλὰς ἔχει καὶ μάχας, τῆς ψυχῆς καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τιτρωσκομένης ὑπὸ τῶν θορύβων τῶν ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς. Ὅτι δὲ τὸν βίον τοῦτον δηλοῦν βούλεται, δῆλον μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπαγωγῆς, δῆλον δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ἁπλῶς ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ προσθήκης τοῦ, Πάσῃ. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἰπὼν, ἔοικεν οὐ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν δογμάτων μόνον ἀπαιτεῖν πολιτείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου ἀσφαλιζομένην· καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἀμφοτέροις τὴν εὐσέβειαν δεῖ ζητεῖν. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος ἐν τῇ πίστει εὐσεβοῦντας διὰ τοῦ βίου ἀσεβεῖν; Ὅτι γὰρ ἔστι διὰ τοῦ βίου ἀσεβεῖν, ἄκουε τοῦ μακαρίου τούτου πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ λέγοντος· Θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν εἰδέναι, τοῖς δὲ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται· καὶ πάλιν, Τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται, καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων· καὶ πάλιν, Ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς ὀνομαζόμενος ᾖ πόρνος, ἢ πλεονέκτης, ἢ εἰδωλολάτρης, ὁ τοιοῦτος οὐ τιμᾷ τὸν Θεόν· καὶ πάλιν, Ὁ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὑτοῦ μισῶν, τὸν Θεὸν ἀγνοεῖ. Ὁρᾷς πόσοι ἀσεβείας τρόποι; ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησιν, Ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι. Ἄσεμνος γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ πόρνος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ πλεονέκτης ἄσεμνος ἂν λέγοιτο καὶ ἀκόλαστος· καὶ γὰρ 62.536 καὶ τοῦτο ἐπιθυμία οὐχ ἥττων τῆς τῶν σωμάτων. Ὁ τοίνυν μὴ κολάζων αὐτὴν, ἀκόλαστος λέγεται· διὰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ κολάζειν τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἀκόλαστοι λέγονται. Ὥστε καὶ τὸν ὀργίλον ἀκόλαστον ἂν εἴποιμι ἔγωγε, καὶ τὸν βάσκανον, καὶ τὸν φιλάργυρον, καὶ τὸν ὕπουλον, καὶ πάντα τὸν ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ ὄντα, ἀκόλαστον εἶναι καὶ ἄσεμνον καὶ ἀσελγῆ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καλὸν καὶ ἀποδεκτὸν, φησὶν, ἐνώπιον τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ. Ποῖον τοῦτο; Τὸ εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ πάντων, τοῦτο ἀποδέχεται ὁ Θεὸς, τοῦτο θέλει· Πάντας γὰρ ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι, φησὶ, καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν. βʹ. Μιμοῦ τὸν Θεόν. Εἰ πάντας ἀνθρώπους θέλει σωθῆναι, εἰκότως ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων