John Chrysostom, On the First Letter to the Corinthians

It is necessary in considering the present charge to state also first the occasion of it. For thus again will our discourse be more intelligible. What then is this occasion?

As in the case of the three thousand who believed in the beginning, all had eaten their meals in common and had all things common; such also was the practice at the time when the Apostle wrote this: not such indeed exactly; but as it were a certain outflowing of that communion which abode among them descended also to them that came after. And because of course some were poor, but others rich, they laid not down all their goods in the midst, but made the tables open on stated days, as it should seem; and when the solemn service142 τῆς συνάξεως. was completed, after the communion of the Mysteries, they all went to a common entertainment, the rich bringing their provisions with them, and the poor and destitute being invited by them, and all feasting in common. But afterward this custom also became corrupt. And the reason was, their being divided and addicting themselves, some to this party, and others to that, and saying, “I am of such a one,” and “I of such a one;” which thing also to correct he said in the beginning of the Epistle, “For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them which are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas.” Not that Paul was the person to whom they were attaching themselves; for he would not have borne it: but wishing by concession to tear up this custom from the root, he introduced himself, indicating that if any one had inscribed upon himself even his name when breaking off from the common body, even so the thing done was profane and extreme wickedness. And if in his case it were wickedness, much more in the case of those who were inferior to him.

[2.] Since therefore this custom was broken through, a custom most excellent and most useful; (for it was a foundation of love, and a comfort to poverty, and a corrective of riches, and an occasion of the highest philosophy, and an instruction of humility:) since however he saw so great advantages in a way to be destroyed, he naturally addresses them with severity, thus saying: “But in giving you this charge, I praise you not.” For in the former charge, as there were many who kept (the ordinances), he began otherwise, saying thus: “Now I praise you that ye remember me in all things:” but here contrariwise, “But in giving you this charge, I praise you not.” And here is the reason why he placed it not after the rebuke of them that eat the idol-sacrifices. But because that was unusually harsh he interposes the discourse about wearing of long hair, that he might not have to pass from one set of vehement reproofs to others again of an invidious kind and so appear too harsh: and then he returns to the more vehement tone, and says, “But in giving you this charge, I praise you not.” What is this? That which I am about to tell you of. What is, “giving you this charge, I praise you not?” “I do not approve you,” saith he, “because ye have reduced me to the necessity of giving advice: I do not praise you, because ye have required instruction in regard to this, because ye have need of an admonition from me.” Dost thou perceive how from his beginning he signifieth that what was done was very profane? For when he that errs ought not to require so much as a hint to prevent his erring, the error would seem to be unpardonable.

And why dost thou not praise? Because “ye come together,” saith he, “not for the better but for the worse;” i.e., because ye do not go forward unto virtue. For it were meet that your liberality143 φιλοτιμίαν. should increase and become manifold, but ye have taken rather from the custom which already prevailed, and have so taken from it as even to need warning from me, in order that ye may return to the former order.

Further, that he might not seem to say these things on account of the poor only, he doth not at once strike in to the discourse concerning the tables, lest he render his rebuke such as they might easily come to think slightly of, but he searches for an expression most confounding and very fearful. For what saith he?

Ver. 18. “For first of all, when ye come together in the Church, I hear that divisions144 σχίσματα. exist among you.”

And he saith not, “For fear that you do not sup together in common;” “for I hear that you feast in private, and not with the poor:” but what was most calculated thoroughly to shake their minds, that he set down, the name of division, which was the cause of this mischief also: and so he reminded them again of that which was said in the beginning of the Epistle, and was “signified by them of the house of Chloe.” (c. i. 11.) “And I partly believe it.”

Thus, lest they should say, “But what if the accusers speak falsely?” he neither saith, “I believe it,” lest he should rather make them reckless; nor again, on the other hand, “I disbelieve it,” lest he should seem to reprove without cause, but, “I partly believe it,” saith he, i.e., “I believe it in a small part;” making them anxious and inviting them to return to correction.

[3.] Ver. 19. “For there must be also factions among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”

By “factions,” here he means those which concern not the doctrines, but these present divisions. But even if he had spoken of the doctrinal heresies, not even thus did he give them any handle. For Christ Himself said, “it must needs be that occasions of stumbling come,” (Matt. xviii. 7.) not destroying the liberty of the will nor appointing any necessity and compulsion over man’s life, but foretelling what would certainly ensue from the evil mind of men; which would take place, not because of his prediction, but because the incurably disposed are so minded. For not because he foretold them did these things happen: but because they were certainly about to happen, therefore he foretold them. Since, if the occasions of stumbling were of necessity and not of the mind of them that bring them in, it was superfluous His saying, “Woe to that man by whom the occasion cometh.” But these things we discussed more at length when we were upon the passage itself145 vid. S. Chrys. on S. Matth. Hom. 59.; now we must proceed to what is before us.

Now that he said these things of these factions relating to the tables, and that contention and division, he made manifest also from what follows. For having said, “I hear that there are divisions among you,” he stopped not here, but signifying what divisions he means he goes on to say, “each one taketh before other his own supper;” and again, “What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the Church of God?” However, that of these he was speaking is evident. And if he call them divisions, marvel not. For, as I said, he wishes to touch them by the expression: whereas had they been divisions of doctrine, he would not have discoursed with them thus mildly. Hear him, for instance, when he speaks of any such thing, how vehement he is both in assertion and in reproof: in assertion, as when he says, “If even an angel preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed;” (Gal. i. 8.) but in reproof, as when he says, “Whosoever of you would be justified by the law, ye are fallen away from grace.” (Gal. v. 4.) And at one time he calls the corrupters “dogs,” saying, “Beware of dogs:” (Philip. iii. 2.) at another, “having their consciences seared with a hot iron.” (1 Tim. iv. 2.) And again, “angels of Satan:” (2 Cor. xi. 14–15.) but here he said no such thing, but spoke in a gentle and subdued tone.

But what is, “that they which are approved may be made manifest among you?” That they may shine the more. And what he intends to say is this, that those who are unchangeable and firm are so far from being at all injured hereby, but even shows them the more, and that it makes them more glorious. For the word, “that146 ἵνα.,” is not every where indicative of cause, but frequently also of the event of things. Thus Christ Himself uses it, when He saith, “For judgement I am come into this world; that they which see not may see, and that they which see may be made blind.” (John ix. 39.) So likewise Paul in another place, when discoursing of the law, he writes, “And the Law came in beside, that the trespass might abound.” (Rom. v. 20.) But neither was the law given to this end that the trespasses of the Jews might be increased: (though this did ensue:) nor did Christ come for this end that they which see might be made blind, but for the contrary; but the result was such. Thus then also here must one understand the expression, “that they which are approved may be made manifest.” For not at all with this view came heresies into being, that “they which are approved may be made manifest,” but on these heresies taking place such was the result. Now these things he said to console the poor, those of them who nobly bore that sort of contempt. Wherefore he said not, “that they may become approved,” but, “that they which are approved may be made manifest; showing that before this also they were such, but they were mixed up with the multitude, and while enjoying such relief as was afforded them by the rich, they were not very conspicuous: but now this strife and contentiousness made them manifest, even as the storm shows the pilot. And he said not, “that ye may appear approved,” but, “that they which are approved may be made manifest, those among you who are such.” For neither when he is accusing doth he lay them open, that he may not render them more reckless; nor when praising, that he may not make them more boastful; but he leaves both this expression and that in suspense147 εἰς μετέωρον ἀφίησι, “sends it out into the air.”, allowing each man’s own conscience to make the application of what he saith.

Nor doth he here seem to me to be comforting the poor only, but those also who were not violating the custom. For it was likely that there were among them also those that observed it.

And this is why he said, “I partly believe it.” Justly then doth he call these “approved,” who not only with the rest observed the custom, but even without them kept this good law undisturbed. And he doth this, studying by such praises to render both others and these persons themselves more forward.

[4.] Then at last he adds the very form of offence. And what is it?

Ver. 20. “When ye assemble yourselves together,” saith he, “it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper.”

Seest thou how effectually appealing to their shame, even already by way of narrative he contrives to give them his counsel? “For the appearance of your assembly,” saith he, “is different. It is one of love and brotherly affection. At least one place receives you all, and ye are together in one flock. But the Banquet, when you come to that, bears no resemblance to the Assembly of worshippers.” And he said not, “When ye come together, this is not to eat in common; “this is not to feast with one another;” but otherwise again and much more fearfully he reprimands them, saying, “it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper,” sending them away now from this point to that evening on which Christ delivered the awful Mysteries. Therefore also he called the early meal “a supper.” For that supper too had them all reclining at meat together: yet surely not so great was the distance between the rich and the poor as between the Teacher and the disciples. For that is infinite. And why say I the Teacher and the disciples? Think of the interval between the Teacher and the traitor: nevertheless, the Lord Himself both sat at meat with them and did not even cast him out, but both gave him his portion of salt and made him partaker of the Mysteries.

Next he explains how “it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper.”

Ver. 21. “For in your eating,148 ἐν τῷ φαγεῖν. each one taketh before other his own supper,” saith he, “and one is hungry, and another is drunken.”

Perceivest thou how he intimates that they were disgracing themselves rather? For that which is the Lord’s, they make a private matter: so that themselves are the first to suffer indignity, depriving their own table of its greatest prerogative. How and in what manner? Because the Lord’s Supper, i.e. the Master’s, ought to be common. For the property of the master belongs not to this servant without belonging to that, but in common to all. So that by “the Lord’s” Supper he expresses this, the “community” of the feast. As if he had said, “If it be thy master’s, as assuredly it is, thou oughtest not to withdraw it as private, but as belonging to thy Lord and Master to set it in common before all. For this is the meaning of, ‘the Lord’s.’ But now thou dost not suffer it to be the Lord’s, not suffering it to be common but feasting by thyself.” Wherefore also he goes on to say,

“For each one taketh before other his own supper.” And he said not, “cutteth off,” but “taketh before,” tacitly censuring them both for greediness and for precipitancy. This at least the sequel also shows. For having said this, he added again, “and one is hungry, and another is drunken,” each of which showed a want of moderation, both the craving and the excess. See also a second fault again whereby those same persons are injured: the first, that they dishonor their supper: the second, that they are greedy and drunken; and what is yet worse, even when the poor are hungry. For what was intended to be set before all in common, that these men fed on alone, and proceeded both to surfeiting and to drunkenness. Wherefore neither did he say, “one is hungry, and another is filled:” but, “is drunken.” Now each of these, even by itself, is worthy of censure: for it is a fault to be drunken even without despising the poor; and to despise the poor without being drunken, is an accusation. When both then are joined together at the same time, consider how exceeding great is the transgression.

Next, having pointed out their profaneness, he adds his reprimand in what follows, with much anger, saying,

Ver. 22. “What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the Church of God, and put them to shame that have not?”

Seest thou how he transferred the charge from the indignity offered to the poor to the Church, that his words might make a deeper impression of disgust? Here now you see is yet a fourth accusation, when not the poor only, but the Church likewise is insulted. For even as thou makest the Lord’s Supper a private meal, so also the place again, using the Church as a house. For it was made a Church, not that we who come together might be divided, but that they who are divided might be joined: and this act of assembling shows.

“And put them to shame that have not.” He said not, “and kill with hunger them that have not,” but so as much more to put them to the blush, “shame them;” to point out that it is not food which he cares for so much as the wrong done unto them. Behold again a fifth accusation, not only to overlook the poor but even to shame them. Now this he said, partly as treating with reverence the concerns of the poor, and intimating that they grieve not so for the belly as for the shame; and partly also drawing the hearer to compassion.

Having therefore pointed out so great impieties, indignity to the Supper, indignity to the Church, the contempt practised towards the poor; he relaxes again the tones of his reproof, saying, all of a sudden149 χαλᾶ τὸν τόνον, ἀθρόον λέγων., “Shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.” Wherein one might especially marvel at him that when there was need to strike and chide more vehemently after the proof of so great offences, he doeth the contrary rather, gives way, and permits them to recover breath. What then may the cause be? He had touched more painfully than usual in aggravating the charge, and being a most excellent physician, he adapts the incision to the wounds, neither cutting superficially those parts which require a deep stroke; (for thou hast heard him how he cut off among those very persons him that had committed fornication;) nor delivering over to the knife those things which require the milder sort of remedies. For this cause then here also he conducts his address more mildly, and in another point of view likewise, he sought especially to render them gentle to the poor: and this is why he discourses with them rather in a subdued tone.

[5.] Next, wishing also from another topic to shame them yet more, he takes again the points which were most essential and of them weaves his discourse.

Ver. 23. “For I received of the Lord,” saith he, “that which also I delivered unto you: how that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread:”

Ver. 24. “And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My Body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.”

Wherefore doth he here make mention of the Mysteries? Because that argument was very necessary to his present purpose. As thus: “Thy Master,” saith he, “counted all worthy of the same Table, though it be very awful and far exceeding the dignity of all: but thou considerest them to be unworthy even of thine own, small and mean as we see it is; and while they have no advantage over thee in spiritual things, thou robbest them in the temporal things. For neither are these thine own.”

However, he doth not express himself thus, to prevent his discourse becoming harsh: but he frames it in a gentler form, saying, that “the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread.”

And wherefore doth he remind us of the time, and of that evening, and of the betrayal? Not indifferently nor without some reason, but that he might exceedingly fill them with compunction, were it but from consideration of the time. For even if one be a very stone, yet when he considers that night, how He was with His disciples, “very heavy,” how He was betrayed, how He was bound, how He was led away, how He was judged, how He suffered all the rest in order, he becometh softer than wax, and is withdrawn from earth and all the pomp of this world. Therefore he leads us to the remembrance of all those things, by His time, and His table, and His betrayal, putting us to shame and saying, “Thy Master gave up even Himself for thee: and thou dost not even share a little meat with thy brother for thine own sake.”

But how saith he, that “he received it from the Lord?” since certainly he was not present then but was one of the persecutors. That thou mayest know that the first table had no advantage above that which cometh after it. For even to-day also it is He who doeth all, and delivereth it even as then.

And not on this account only doth he remind us of that night, but that he may also in another way bring us to compunction. For as we particularly remember those words which we hear last from those who are departing; and to their heirs if they should venture to transgress their commands, when we would put them to shame we say, “Consider that this was the last word that your father uttered to you, and until the evening when he was just about to breathe his last he kept repeating these injunctions:” just so Paul, purposing hence also to make his argument full of awfulness; “Remember,” saith he, “that this was the last mysterious rite150 μυσταγωγίαν. He gave unto you, and in that night on which He was about to be slain for us, He commanded these things, and having delivered to us that Supper after that He added nothing further.”

Next also he proceeds to recount the very things that were done, saying, “He took bread, and, when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My Body, which is broken for you.” If therefore thou comest for a sacrifice of thanksgiving,151 εὐχαριστία. do thou on thy part nothing unworthy of that sacrifice: by no means either dishonor thy brother, or neglect him in his hunger; be not drunken, insult not the Church. As thou comest giving thanks for what thou hast enjoyed: so do thou thyself accordingly make return, and not cut thyself off from thy neighbor. Since Christ for His part gave equally to all, saying, “Take, eat.” He gave His Body equally, but dost not thou give so much as the common bread equally? Yea, it was indeed broken for all alike, and became the Body equally for all.

Ver. 25. “In like manner also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Covenant in My Blood: this do, as oft as ye drink of it, in remembrance of Me.”

What sayest thou? Art thou making a remembrance of Christ, and despisest thou the poor and tremblest not? Why, if a son or brother had died and thou wert making a remembrance of him, thou wouldst have been smitten by thy conscience, hadst thou not fulfilled the custom and invited the poor: and when thou art making remembrance of thy Master, dost thou not so much as simply give a portion of the Table?

But what is it which He saith, “This cup is the New Covenant?” Because there was also a cup of the Old Covenant; the libations and the blood of the brute creatures. For after sacrificing, they used to receive the blood in a chalice and bowl and so pour it out. Since then instead of the blood of beasts He brought in His own Blood; lest any should be troubled on hearing this, He reminds them of that ancient sacrifice.

[6.] Next, having spoken concerning that Supper, he connects the things present with the things of that time, that even as on that very evening and reclining on that very couch and receiving from Christ himself this sacrifice, so also now might men be affected; and he saith,

Ver. 26. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till He come.”

For as Christ in regard to the bread and the cup said, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” revealing to us the cause of the giving of the Mystery, and besides what else He said, declaring this to be a sufficient cause to ground our religious fear upon:—(for when thou considerest what thy Master hath suffered for thee, thou wilt the better deny thyself:)—so also Paul saith here: “as often as ye eat ye do proclaim His death.” And this is that Supper. Then intimating that it abides unto the end, he saith, “till He come.”

Ver. 27. “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and the Blood of the Lord.”

Why so? Because he poured it out, and makes the thing appear a slaughter and no longer a sacrifice. Much therefore as they who then pierced Him, pierced Him not that they might drink but that they might shed His blood: so likewise doth he that cometh for it unworthily and reaps no profit thereby. Seest thou how fearful he makes his discourse, and inveighs against them very exceedingly, signifying that if they are thus to drink, they partake unworthily of the elements152 τῶν προκέιμενων.? For how can it be other than unworthily when it is he who neglects the hungry? who besides overlooking him puts him to shame? Since if not giving to the poor casteth one out of the kingdom, even though one should be a virgin; or rather, not giving liberally: (for even those virgins too had oil, only they had it not abundantly:) consider how great the evil will prove, to have wrought so many impieties?

“What impieties?” say you. Why sayest thou, what impieties? Thou hast partaken of such a Table and when thou oughtest to be more gentle than any and like the angels, none so cruel as thou art become. Thou hast tasted the Blood of the Lord, and not even thereupon dost thou acknowledge thy brother. Of what indulgence then art thou worthy? Whereas if even before this thou hadst not known him, thou oughtest to have come to the knowledge of him from the Table; but now thou dishonorest the Table itself; he having been deemed worthy to partake of it and thou not judging him worthy of thy meat. Hast thou not heard how much he suffered who demanded the hundred pence? how he made void the gift vouchsafed to him153 ἐξενεχθεῖσαν, perhaps “officially declared.”? Doth it not come into thy mind what thou wert and what thou hast become? Dost thou not put thyself in remembrance that if this man be poor in possessions, thou wast much more beggarly in good works, being full of ten thousand sins? Notwithstanding, God delivered thee from all those and counted thee worthy of such a Table: but thou art not even thus become more merciful: therefore of course nothing else remaineth but that thou shouldest be “delivered to the tormentors.”

[7.] These words let us also listen to, all of us, as many as in this place approach with the poor to this holy Table, but when we go out, do not seem even to have seen them, but are both drunken and pass heedlessly by the hungry; the very things whereof the Corinthians were accused. And when is this done? say you. At all times indeed, but especially at the festivals, where above all times it ought not so to be. Is it not so, that at such times, immediately after Communion, drunkenness succeeds and contempt of the poor? And having partaken of the Blood, when it were a time for thee to fast and watch, thou givest thyself up to wine and revelling. And yet if thou hast by chance made thy morning meal on any thing good, thou keepest thyself lest by any other unsavory viand thou spoil the taste of the former: and now that thou hast been feasting on the Spirit thou bringest in a satanical luxury. Consider, when the Apostles partook of that holy Supper, what they did: did they not betake themselves to prayers and singing of hymns? to sacred vigils? to that long work of teaching, so full of all self-denial? For then He related and delivered to them those great and wonderful things, when Judas had gone out to call them who were about to crucify Him. Hast thou not heard how the three thousand also who partook of the Communion continued even in prayer and teaching, not in drunken feasts and revellings? But thou before thou hast partaken fastest, that in a certain way thou mayest appear worthy of the Communion: but when thou hast partaken, and thou oughtest to increase thy temperance, thou undoest all. And yet surely it is not the same to fast before this and after it. Since although it is our duty to be temperate at both times, yet most particularly after we have received the Bridegroom. Before, that thou mayest become worthy of receiving: after, that thou mayest not be found unworthy of what thou hast received.

“What then? ought we to fast after receiving?” I say not this, neither do I use any compulsion. This indeed were well: however, I do not enforce this, but I exhort you not to feast to excess. For if one never ought to live luxuriously, and Paul showed this when he said, “she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth” (1 Tim. v. 6.); much more will she then be dead. And if luxury be death to a woman, much more to a man: and if this done at another time is fatal, much more after the communion of the Mysteries. And dost thou having taken the bread of life, do an action of death and not shudder? Knowest thou not how great evils are brought in by luxury? Unseasonable laughter, disorderly expressions, buffoonery fraught with perdition, unprofitable trifling, all the other things, which it is not seemly even to name. And these things thou doest when thou hast enjoyed the Table of Christ, on that day on which thou hast been counted worthy to touch His flesh with thy tongue. What then is to be done to prevent these things? Purify thy right hand, thy tongue, thy lips, which have become a threshold for Christ to tread upon. Consider the time in which thou didst draw near and set forth a material table, raise thy mind to that Table, to the Supper of the Lord, to the vigil of the disciples, in that night, that holy night. Nay, rather should one accurately examine, this very present state is night. Let us watch then with the Lord, let us be pricked in our hearts with the disciples. It is the season of prayers, not of drunkenness; ever indeed, but especially during a festival. For a festival is therefore appointed, not that we may behave ourselves unseemly, not that we may accumulate sins, but rather that we may blot out those which exist.

I know, indeed, that I say these things in vain, yet will I not cease to say them. For if ye do not all obey, yet surely ye will not all disobey; or rather, even though ye should all be disobedient, my reward will be greater, though yours will be more condemnation. However, that it may not be more, to this end I will not cease to speak. For perchance, perchance, by my perseverance I shall be able to reach you.

Wherefore I beseech you that we do not this to condemnation; let us nourish Christ, let us give Him drink, let us clothe Him. These things are worthy of that Table. Hast thou heard holy hymns? Hast thou seen a spiritual marriage? Hast thou enjoyed a royal Table? Hast thou been filled with the Holy Ghost? Hast thou joined in the choir of the Seraphim? Hast thou become partaker of the powers above? Cast not away so great a joy, waste not the treasure, bring not in drunkenness, the mother of dejection, the joy of the devil, the parent of ten thousand evils. For hence is a sleep like unto death, and heaviness of head, and disease, and obliviousness, and an image of dead men’s condition. Further, if thou wouldst not choose to meet with a friend when intoxicated, when thou hast Christ within, durst thou, tell me, to thrust in upon Him so great an excess?

But dost thou love enjoyment? Then, on this very account cease being drunken. For I, too, would have thee enjoy thyself, but with the real enjoyment, that which never fadeth. What then is the real enjoyment, ever blooming? Invite Christ to sup154 ἐπ ἂριστον. (Rev. ii. 20.) with thee; give Him to partake of thine, or rather of His own. This bringeth pleasure without limit, and in its prime everlastingly. But the things of sense are not such; rather as soon as they appear they vanish away; and he that hath enjoyed them will be in no better condition than he who hath not, or rather in a worse. For the one is settled as it were in a harbor, but the other exposes himself to a kind of torrent, a besieging army of distempers, and hath not even any power to endure the first swell of the sea.155 τήν ζάλην ταύτην.

That these things be therefore not so, let us follow after moderation. For thus we shall both be in a good state of body, and we shall possess our souls in security, and shall be delivered from evils both present and future: from which may we all be delivered, and attain unto the kingdom, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΖʹ. Τοῦτο δὲ παραγγέλλων, οὐκ ἐπαινῶ ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ ἧττον συνέρχεσθε. αʹ. Ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἐγκλήματος πρότερον τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν: οὕτω γὰρ ἡμῖν εὐμαθέστερος πάλιν ἔσται ὁ λόγος. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν αὕτη; Καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν τρισχιλίων τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς πιστευσάντων κοινῇ πάντες εἱστιῶντο, καὶ κοινὰ πάντα ἐκέκτηντο: οὕτω καὶ τότε ὅτε ταῦτα ἔγραψεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐγίνετο, οὐχ οὕτω μὲν μετὰ ἀκριβείας, ὥσπερ δέ τις ἀπόῤῥοια τῆς κοινωνίας ἐκείνης ἐναπομείνασα, καὶ εἰς τοὺς μετὰ ταῦτα κατέβη. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ συνέβαινε τοὺς μὲν πένητας εἶναι, τοὺς δὲ πλουσίους, τὰ μὲν ἑαυτῶν οὐ κατετίθεντο πάντα εἰς μέσον, κοινὰς δὲ ἐποιοῦντο τὰς τραπέζας ἐν ἡμέραις νενομισμέναις, ὡς εἰκὸς, καὶ τῆς συνάξεως ἀπαρτισθείσης μετὰ τὴν τῶν μυστηρίων κοινωνίαν ἐπὶ κοινὴν πάντες ᾔεσαν εὐωχίαν, τῶν μὲν πλουτούντων φερόντων τὰ ἐδέσματα, τῶν δὲ πενομένων καὶ οὐδὲν ἐχόντων ὑπ' αὐτῶν καλουμένων, καὶ κοινῇ πάντων ἑστιωμένων. Ἀλλ' ὕστερον καὶ τοῦτο διεφθάρη τὸ ἔθος. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον ἐκ τοῦ διεσπάσθαι καὶ προσνέμειν ἑαυτοὺς, τοὺς μὲν τούτοις, τοὺς δὲ ἐκείνοις, καὶ λέγειν: Ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι τοῦ δεῖνος, ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦ δεῖνος: ὅπερ καὶ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς Ἐπιστολῆς διορθούμενος ἔλεγεν: Ἐδηλώθη γάρ μοι περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί μου, ὑπὸ τῶν Χλόης, ὅτι ἔριδες ἐν ὑμῖν εἰσι. Λέγω δὲ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἕκαστος ὑμῶν λέγει, Ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολλῶ, ἐγὼ δὲ Κηφᾶ. Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ Παύλῳ προσένεμον ἑαυτούς: οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἠνέσχετο: ἀλλ' ἐκ περιουσίας πρόῤῥιζον τὸ ἔθος ἀνασπάσαι βουλόμενος, ἑαυτὸν παρενέθηκε, δεικνὺς ὅτι εἰ καὶ αὐτόν τις ἐπεγράφετο τοῦ κοινοῦ σώματος ἀποῤῥηγνύμενος, καὶ οὕτως ἄτοπον τὸ γινόμενον ἦν καὶ παρανομίας ἐσχάτης. Εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τούτου παρανομία, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπ' ἐκείνων τῶν καταδεεστέρων. Ἐπεὶ οὖν διεσπάσθη τὸ ἔθος τοῦτο, ἔθος κάλλιστον καὶ χρησιμώτατον (καὶ γὰρ ἀγάπης ὑπόθεσις ἦν, καὶ πενίας παραμυθία, καὶ πλούτου σωφρονισμὸς, καὶ φιλοσοφίας ἀφορμὴ τῆς μεγίστης, καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης διδασκαλία): ἐπεὶ οὖν εἶδε τοσαῦτα ἀγαθὰ διαφθειρόμενα, πληκτικῶς εἰκότως τῷ λόγῳ κέχρηται, οὕτω λέγων: Τοῦτο δὲ παραγγέλλων, οὐκ ἐπαινῶ. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ προτέρῳ ἐγκλήματι, ἅτε πολλῶν ὄντων τῶν φυλαττόντων, ἑτέρως ἤρξατο, λέγων οὕτως: Ἐπαινῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι πάντα μου μέμνησθε: ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἐναντίως, Τοῦτο δὲ παραγγέλλων, οὐκ ἐπαινῶ. Διόπερ οὐδὲ μετὰ τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν τὴν κατὰ τῶν τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα ἐσθιόντων αὐτὸ τέθεικεν: ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τραχύτερον ἦν ἐκεῖνο, μέσον παρεμβαλὼν τὸν περὶ τῆς κόμης λόγον, ἵνα μὴ ἐξ ἐγκλημάτων σφοδρῶν εἰς ἕτερα πάλιν ἐπαχθῆ διαβαίνων τραχύτερος φαίνηται, τότε ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὸ σφοδρότερον πάλιν, καί φησι: Τοῦτο δὲ παραγγέλλων, οὐκ ἐπαινῶ. Ποῖον τοῦτο; Ὃ μέλλω λέγειν νῦν. Τί ἐστι, Παραγγέλλων οὐκ ἐπαινῶ; Οὐκ ἀποδέχομαι ὑμᾶς, φησὶν, ὅτι με εἰς ἀνάγκην κατεστήσατε συμβουλῆς: οὐκ ἐπαινῶ, ὅτι ἐδεήθητε διδασκαλίας εἰς τοῦτο, ὅτι χρείαν ἔχετε τοῦ παραγγελθῆναι ὑπ' ἐμοῦ. Εἶδες πῶς ἐκ προοιμίων ἔδειξε σφόδρα ἄτοπον ὂν τὸ γινόμενον; Ὅταν γὰρ μηδὲ παραγγελίας ὀφείλῃ δεῖσθαι ὁ ἁμαρτάνων εἰς τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν, ἀσύγγνωστον εἰκὸς εἶναι τὸ ἁμαρτανόμενον. Καὶ διὰ τί οὐκ ἐπαινεῖς; Ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ ἧττον συνέρχεσθε, φησὶ, τουτέστιν, ὅτι οὐ προβαίνετε εἰς ἀρετήν. Δέον γὰρ ἐπιδοῦναι καὶ πλείονα γενέσθαι τὴν φιλοτιμίαν, ὑμεῖς δὲ καὶ τὸ ἤδη κρατῆσαν ἔθος ἠλαττώσατε, καὶ οὕτως ἠλαττώσατε, ὡς καὶ παραγγελίας δεηθῆναι παρ' ἐμοῦ, ἵνα ἐπὶ τὴν προτέραν ἐπανέλθητε τάξιν. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ διὰ τοὺς πένητας ταῦτα λέγειν μόνον, οὐκ εὐθέως εἰς τὸν περὶ τῶν τραπεζῶν ἐμβάλλει λόγον, ὥστε μὴ εὐκαταφρόνητον ταύτῃ ποιῆσαι τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν ἐκείνοις, ἀλλὰ ζητεῖ λέξιν πληκτικωτάτην καὶ πολὺν ἔχουσαν τὸν φόβον: τί γάρ φησι; Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ συνερχομένων ὑμῶν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἀκούω σχίσματα ἐν ὑμῖν ὑπάρχειν. Καὶ οὐ λέγει, Ἀκούω γὰρ μὴ κοινῇ ὑμᾶς συνδειπνεῖν: ἀκούω γὰρ κατ' ἰδίαν ὑμᾶς ἑστιᾶσθαι, καὶ μὴ μετὰ τῶν πενήτων: ἀλλ' ὃ μάλιστα ἱκανὸν ἦν αὐτῶν διασεῖσαι τὴν διάνοιαν, τοῦτο τέθεικε, τὸ τοῦ σχίσματος ὄνομα, ὃ καὶ τούτου ἦν αἴτιον, κἀκείνου πάλιν ἀνεμίμνησκε τοῦ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς Ἐπιστολῆς εἰρημένου καὶ δηλωθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Χλόης. Καὶ μέρος τι πιστεύω. βʹ. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγωσι, Τί οὖν, εἰ ψεύδονται οἱ διαβάλλοντες; οὔτε ὅτι πιστεύω εἶπεν, ἵνα μὴ ἀναισχυντοτέρους ποιήσῃ, οὐδ' αὖ πάλιν ὅτι ἀπιστῶ, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ μάτην ἐπιτιμᾷν, ἀλλὰ, Μέρος τι καὶ πιστεύω, φησὶ, τουτέστιν, ἐκ μέρους μικροῦ πιστεύω, ἐναγωνίους ποιῶν, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῆς διορθώσεως καλῶν ἐπάνοδον. Δεῖ γὰρ καὶ αἱρέσεις ἐν ὑμῖν εἶναι, ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται ἐν ὑμῖν: αἱρέσεις ἐνταῦθα, οὐ ταύτας λέγων τὰς τῶν δογμάτων, ἀλλὰ τὰς τῶν σχισμάτων τούτων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰς τῶν δογμάτων ἔλεγεν, οὐδὲ οὕτω λαβὴν ἐδίδου. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστός φησιν, Ἀνάγκη ἐλθεῖν τὰ σκάνδαλα, οὐ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς προαιρέσεως λυμαινόμενος, οὐδὲ ἀνάγκην τινὰ καὶ βίαν ἐφιστὰς τῷ βίῳ, ἀλλὰ τὸ πάντως ἐσόμενον ἐκ τῆς πονηρᾶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων γνώμης προλέγων, ὅπερ ἔμελλε γίνεσθαι, οὐ διὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ πρόῤῥησιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνιάτως ἐχόντων γνώμην. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ προεῖπε, ταῦτα ἐγίνετο, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ πάντως ἔμελλε γίνεσθαι, διὰ τοῦτο προεῖπεν: Ἐπεὶ, εἰ ἀνάγκης ἦν τὰ σκάνδαλα, καὶ μὴ γνώμης τῶν εἰσαγόντων αὐτὰ, περιττῶς ἔλεγεν, Οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ, δι' οὗ τὰ σκάνδαλα ἔρχεται. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν εὐρύτερον ἐν αὐτῷ γενόμενοι τῷ χωρίῳ διελέχθημεν: νῦν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ἰέναι ἀνάγκη. Ὅτι γὰρ περὶ τῶν αἱρέσεων τούτων εἶπε τῶν κατὰ τὰς τραπέζας καὶ τῆς φιλονεικίας ταύτης καὶ διαστάσεως, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἑξῆς δῆλον ἐποίησεν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Ἀκούω σχίσματα ἐν ὑμῖν ὑπάρχειν, οὐκ ἔστη μέχρι τούτου, ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς ποῖα λέγει σχίσματα, προϊών φησιν, ὅτι Ἕκαστος τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαμβάνει: καὶ πάλιν, Μὴ γὰρ οἰκίας οὐκ ἔχετε εἰς τὸ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν; ἢ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καταφρονεῖτε; Ἀλλ' ὅτι μὲν περὶ τούτων εἶπε, δῆλον. Εἰ δὲ σχίσματα αὐτὰ καλεῖ, μὴ θαυμάσῃς: ὅπερ γὰρ ἔφην, τῇ λέξει καθικέσθαι αὐτῶν βούλεται. Εἰ δὲ δογμάτων ἦν τὰ σχίσματα, οὐκ ἂν οὕτως αὐτοῖς διελέχθη ἡμέρως. Ἄκουσον γοῦν ὅταν τι τοιοῦτον λέγῃ, πῶς ἐστι σφοδρὸς καὶ ἀσφαλιζόμενος καὶ ἐπιτιμῶν: ἀσφαλιζόμενος μὲν, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ, Κἂν ἄγγελος ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζηται παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω: ἐπιτιμῶν δὲ, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ, Οἵτινες ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦσθε, τῆς χάριτος ἐξεπέσετε. Καὶ νῦν μὲν κύνας καλεῖ τοὺς διαφθείροντας λέγων, Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας: νῦν δὲ κεκαυτηριασμένους τὴν συνείδησιν, καὶ ἀγγέλους διαβόλου πάλιν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐνταῦθα τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν εἶπεν, ἀλλ' ἡμέρως καὶ ὑφειμένως. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται ἐν ὑμῖν; Ἵνα λάμψωσι μειζόνως. Ὃ δὲ βούλεται εἰπεῖν, τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι Τοὺς ἀπεριτρέπτους καὶ στεῤῥοὺς οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν τοῦτο παραβλάπτει, ἀλλὰ καὶ δείκνυσι μᾶλλον, καὶ λαμπροτέρους ἀποφαίνει. Τὸ γὰρ, Ἵνα, τοῦτο, οὐ πανταχοῦ αἰτιολογίας ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ πολλαχοῦ καὶ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκβάσεως. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτὸ τίθησιν, ὅταν λέγῃ, Εἰς κρῖμα ἐγὼ ἦλθον εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον, ἵνα οἱ μὴ βλέποντες βλέπωσι, καὶ οἱ βλέποντες τυφλοὶ γένωνται: οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Παῦλος, ὅταν περὶ τοῦ νόμου διαλεγόμενος γράφῃ: Νόμος δὲ παρεισῆλθεν, ἵνα πλεονάσῃ τὸ παράπτωμα. Ἀλλ' οὔτε ὁ νόμος διὰ τοῦτο ἐδόθη, ἵνα αὐξηθῇ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν Ἰουδαίων: τοῦτο δὲ ἐξέβη: οὔτε ὁ Χριστὸς διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθεν, ἵνα οἱ βλέποντες τυφλοὶ γένωνται, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐναντίον: συνέβη δὲ τοῦτο. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἐνταῦθα νοητέον τὸ, Ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐγένοντο αἱρέσεις, ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται, ἀλλὰ τῶν αἱρέσεων τούτων γενομένων τοῦτο συνέβη. Ταῦτα δὲ εἶπε, τοὺς πένητας παραμυθούμενος τοὺς γενναίως φέροντας τὴν τοιαύτην ὑπεροψίαν. Διὸ οὐδὲ εἶπεν, Ἵνα δόκιμοι γένωνται: ἀλλ', Ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι ὄντες φανεροὶ γένωνται, δηλῶν ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τούτου τοιοῦτοι ἦσαν, ἀλλ' ἀνεμίγνυντο τοῖς πολλοῖς, καὶ παραμυθίας ἀπολαύοντες τῆς παρὰ τῶν πλουσίων, οὐ σφόδρα ἐφαίνοντο: νυνὶ δὲ ἡ στάσις αὕτη καὶ ἡ φιλονεικία δήλους αὐτοὺς ἐποίησεν, ὥσπερ τὸν κυβερνήτην ὁ χειμὼν δείκνυσι. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἵνα ὑμεῖς δόκιμοι φανῆτε, ἀλλ', Ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται, οἱ ἐν ὑμῖν τοιοῦτοι. Οὔτε γὰρ κατηγορῶν δήλους ποιεῖ, ὥστε μὴ ἀναισχυντοτέρους ποιῆσαι, οὔτε ἐγκωμιάζων, ὥστε μὴ χαυνοτέρους, ἀλλ' εἰς μετέωρον ἀφίησι τὸν λόγον, καὶ τοῦτον κἀκεῖνον ἑκάστου τῷ συνειδότι τὰ λεγόμενα ἁρμόζειν παρέχων. Οὐ τοὺς πένητας δὲ ἐνταῦθά μοι δοκεῖ παραμυθεῖσθαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς τὸ ἔθος μὴ διαφθείροντας. Καὶ γὰρ εἰκὸς εἶναι ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ τοὺς διατηροῦντας αὐτό: διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε, Μέρος τι πιστεύω. Εἰκότως τοίνυν τούτους δοκίμους φησὶ, τοὺς μὴ μόνον μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων διατηρήσαντας τὸ ἔθος, ἀλλὰ καὶ χωρὶς ἐκείνων ἀκίνητον τὸν καλὸν τοῦτον φυλάξαντας νόμον. Ποιεῖ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ἑτέρους καὶ τούτους διὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἐγκωμίων προθυμοτέρους ἐργάσασθαι σπεύδων. Εἶτα λοιπὸν λέγει καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος τὸ εἶδος. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι; Συνερχομένων ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ, φησὶν, οὐκ ἔστι Κυριακὸν δεῖπνον φαγεῖν. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἐντρεπτικῶς, καὶ ἐν τάξει διηγήσεως ἤδη τὴν συμβουλὴν κατεσκεύασε; Τὸ μὲν γὰρ σχῆμα τῆς συνόδου, φησὶν, ἄλλο: ἀγάπης γάρ ἐστι καὶ φιλαδελφίας: εἷς γοῦν ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας δέχεται τόπος, καὶ ὁμοῦ συναγελάζεσθε: ἡ δὲ τράπεζα λοιπὸν οὐχ ὁμοία τῇ συνόδῳ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Συνερχομένων ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔστι κοινῇ φαγεῖν, οὐκ ἔστι μετ' ἀλλήλων ἑστιαθῆναι, ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἑτέρως καὶ πολλῷ φοβερώτερον αὐτῶν καθάπτεται, λέγων, Οὐκ ἔστι Κυριακὸν δεῖπνον φαγεῖν, ἐκείνῃ παραπέμπων αὐτοὺς ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ, καθ' ἢν τὰ φρικτὰ μυστήρια παρέδωκεν ὁ Χριστός. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ δεῖπνον τὸ ἄριστον ἐκάλεσε: καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο τὸ δεῖπνον κοινῇ πάντας εἶχε κατακεκλιμένους. Καίτοι γε οὐ τοσοῦτον τὸ μέσον τῶν πλουτούντων καὶ τῶν πενομένων, ὅσον τοῦ διδασκάλου καὶ τῶν μαθητῶν: ἄπειρον γὰρ ἐκεῖνο. Καὶ τί λέγω τοῦ διδασκάλου καὶ τῶν μαθητῶν; ἐννόησον τὸ μέσον τοῦ διδασκάλου καὶ τοῦ προδότου. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ αὐτὸς μετ' αὐτῶν κατεκλίνετο, καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτον ἐξέβαλεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἁλῶν αὐτῷ μετέδωκε, καὶ τῶν μυστηρίων κοινωνὸν ἐποίησεν. γʹ. Εἶτα ἑρμηνεύει πῶς οὐκ ἔστι Κυριακὸν δεῖπνον φαγεῖν. Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαμβάνει, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ φαγεῖν: καὶ ὃς μὲν πεινᾷ, ὃς δὲ μεθύει. Εἶδες πῶς ἔδειξεν αὐτοὺς καταισχύνοντας ἑαυτοὺς μᾶλλον; Τὸ γὰρ Κυριακὸν, ἰδιωτικὸν ποιοῦσιν, ὥστε αὐτοὶ πρῶτοί εἰσιν οἱ καθυβριζόμενοι, οἱ τῆς ἑαυτῶν τραπέζης τὸ μέγιστον ἀφαιροῦντες ἀξίωμα. Πῶς καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ; Ὅτι τὸ Κυριακὸν δεῖπνον, τουτέστι, τὸ Δεσποτικὸν, ὀφείλει κοινὸν εἶναι. Τὰ γὰρ τοῦ δεσπότου οὐχὶ τοῦδε μὲν ἔστι τοῦ οἰκέτου, τοῦδε δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ κοινῇ πάντων. Τὸ οὖν Κυριακὸν τοῦτό φησι τὸ κοινόν. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦ Δεσπότου σοῦ ἐστιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστιν, οὐκ ὀφείλεις ὡς ἴδια ἀποσπᾷν, ἀλλ' ὡς τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου ὄντα, κοινῇ πᾶσι προτιθέναι. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι Κυριακόν. Νῦν δὲ οὐκ ἀφίης αὐτὸ εἶναι Κυριακὸν, μὴ ἀφεὶς εἶναι κοινὸν, ἀλλὰ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἑστιώμενος. Διὸ καὶ ἐπάγει λέγων: Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαμβάνει. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἀποσχίζει, ἀλλὰ, Προλαμβάνει, ἠρέμα καὶ εἰς λαιμαργίαν αὐτοὺς καὶ εἰς προπέτειαν διαβάλλων. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς δηλοῖ: εἰπὼν γὰρ τοῦτο, ἐπήγαγε πάλιν: Καὶ ὃς μὲν πεινᾶ, ὃς δὲ μεθύει: ἅπερ ἑκάτερα ἀμετρίας ἦν, καὶ ἡ ἔνδεια καὶ ἡ ὑπερβολή. Ἰδοὺ καὶ δεύτερον ἔγκλημα πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους καταβλάπτον. Πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι τὸ δεῖπνον αὐτῶν ἀτιμάζουσι: δεύτερον δὲ, ὅτι γαστρίζονται καὶ μεθύουσι: καὶ τὸ δὴ χαλεπώτερον, ὅτι καὶ τῶν πενήτων πεινώντων. Ἃ γὰρ ἔμελλε κοινῇ πᾶσι προκεῖσθαι, ταῦτα οὗτοι μόνοι σιτούμενοι, καὶ εἰς ἀπληστίαν καὶ εἰς μέθην ἐξέβαινον. Διὸ οὐδὲ εἶπεν, Ὃς μὲν πεινᾷ, ὃς δὲ κορέννυται, ἀλλὰ, Μεθύει. Τούτων δὲ ἕκαστον καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸ μὲν κατηγορίας ἄξιον: καὶ γὰρ τὸ μεθύειν χωρὶς τοῦ παρορᾷν πένητας ἔγκλημα, καὶ τὸ παρορᾷν πένητας χωρὶς τοῦ μεθύειν κατηγορία: ὅταν δὲ καὶ ὁμοῦ συνημμένα ᾖ, ἐννόησον ὅση ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς παρανομίας. Εἶτα δείξας τὴν ἀτοπίαν, μετὰ πολλοῦ λοιπὸν τοῦ θυμοῦ τὴν ἐπίπληξιν ἐπάγει, λέγων: Μὴ γὰρ οἰκίας οὐκ ἔχετε εἰς τὸ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν; ἢ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καταφρονεῖτε, καὶ καταισχύνετε τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας; Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν πενήτων ὕβρεως ἐπὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν μετήγαγε τὸ ἔγκλημα, ἵνα φορτικώτερον ποιήσῃ τὸν λόγον; Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν καὶ τετάρτη κατηγορία, ὅταν μὴ πένητες μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ὑβρίζηται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ Κυριακὸν δεῖπνον ἰδιωτικὸν ποιεῖς, οὕτω καὶ τὸν τόπον πάλιν, ὡς οἰκίᾳ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ κεχρημένος. Ἐκκλησία γὰρ γέγονεν, οὐχ ἵνα διῃρημένοι ὦμεν οἱ συνελθόντες, ἀλλ' ἵνα οἱ διῃρημένοι συνημμένοι: καὶ τοῦτο ἡ σύνοδος δείκνυσι. Καὶ καταισχύνετε τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας. Οὐκ εἶπε, Καὶ λιμοκτονεῖτε τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας, ἀλλὰ πολὺ ἐντρεπτικώτερον, Καταισχύνετε, ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι οὐ τροφῆς αὐτῷ τοσοῦτον μέλει, ὅσον τῆς ὕβρεως τῆς εἰς αὐτοὺς γινομένης. Ἰδοὺ καὶ πέμπτη κατηγορία, τὸ μὴ μόνον πεινῶντας περιορᾷν, ἀλλὰ καὶ καταισχύνειν αὐτούς. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγεν, ὁμοῦ μὲν σεμνοποιῶν τὰ κατὰ τοὺς πένητας, καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐχ οὕτως ὑπὲρ τῆς γαστρὸς, ὡς ὑπὲρ τῆς αἰσχύνης ἀλγοῦσιν, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ εἰς ἔλεον ἐπισπώμενος τὸν ἀκροατήν. Τοσαῦτα τοίνυν δείξας τὰ ἄτοπα, ὕβριν εἰς τὸ δεῖπνον, ὕβριν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, τὴν εἰς τοὺς πένητας γινομένην ὑπεροψίαν, χαλᾷ πάλιν τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως τὸν τόνον ἀθρόον λέγων: Ἐπαινέσω ὑμᾶς; ἐν τούτῳ οὐκ ἐπαινῶ. Ὃ καὶ μάλιστα ἄν τις αὐτοῦ θαυμάσειεν, ὅτι ἐπιπλῆξαι δέον σφοδρότερον μετὰ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τῶν τοσούτων ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ καθάψασθαι, ὁ δὲ τοὐναντίον ποιεῖ μᾶλλον, ἀνίησι καὶ ἀναπνεῦσαι δίδωσι. Τί ποτ' οὖν ἐστι τὸ αἴτιον; Φορτικώτερον αὐτῶν καθήψατο τὴν κατηγορίαν αὐξήσας, καὶ ἰατρὸς ὢν ἄριστος καταλλήλως τοῖς τραύμασι τὴν τομὴν ἐπάγει, οὔτε τὰ βαθείας δεόμενα πληγῆς ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς τέμνων: (ἤκουσας γὰρ αὐτοῦ πῶς τὸν πεπορνευκότα παρ' αὐτοῖς τούτοις ἀπέκοψεν), οὔτε τὰ προσηνεστέρων χρῄζοντα τῶν φαρμάκων σιδήρῳ παραδιδούς. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα πραότερον τῷ λόγῳ κέχρηται: καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ἡμέρους αὐτοὺς μάλιστα ἐσπούδακε καταστῆσαι τοῖς πένησι: διὸ καὶ ὑφειμένως διαλέγεται μᾶλλον αὐτοῖς. Εἶτα θέλων αὐτοὺς καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ἐντρέψαι μειζόνως, ἀπὸ τῶν κυριωτέρων τὸν λόγον ὑφαίνει πάλιν: Ἐγὼ γὰρ παρέλαβον ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, φησὶν, ὃ καὶ παρέδωκα ὑμῖν: ὅτι ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ, ᾖ παρεδίδοτο, ἔλαβεν ἄρτον, καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασε καὶ εἶπε, Λάβετε, φάγετε: τοῦτό μού ἐστι τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κλώμενον: τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν. Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐνταῦθα τῶν μυστηρίων μέμνηται; Ὅτι σφόδρα ἀναγκαῖος εἰς τὴν παροῦσαν ὑπόθεσιν ὁ λόγος ἦν οὗτος αὐτῷ. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης σου, φησὶ, τῆς αὐτῆς ἅπαντας ἠξίωσε τραπέζης, καίτοι σφόδρα φρικωδεστάτης οὔσης, καὶ πολὺ τὴν ἁπάντων ὑπερβαινούσης ἀξίαν: σὺ δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ τῆς σῆς ἀναξίους εἶναι ἡγῇ, τῆς μικρᾶς ταύτης καὶ εὐτελοῦς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς οὐδὲν αὐτῶν σου πλεονεκτούντων, ἁρπάζεις αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς: οὐδὲ γὰρ ταῦτα σά. Ἀλλ' οὕτω μὲν οὐ λέγει, ὥστε μὴ γενέσθαι τραχὺν τὸν λόγον: ἡμερώτερον δὲ αὐτὸν κατασκευάζει λέγων: Ὅτι ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ, ᾖ παρεδίδοτο, ἔλαβεν ἄρτον. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν τοῦ καιροῦ ἡμᾶς ἀναμιμνήσκει, καὶ τῆς ἑσπέρας ἐκείνης καὶ τῆς προδοσίας; Οὐχ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ ἄνευ λόγου τινὸς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς κατανύξῃ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ. Κἂν γὰρ αὐτόλιθος ᾖ τις, ἐννοήσας ἐκείνην τὴν νύκτα, πῶς ἦν μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν ἀδημονῶν, πῶς παρεδόθη, πῶς ἐδέθη, πῶς ἀπήχθη, πῶς ἐδικάσθη, πῶς καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἔπαθεν ἅπαντα, κηροῦ γίνεται ἁπαλώτερος, καὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπαλλάττεται καὶ τῆς ἐνταῦθα φαντασίας ἁπάσης. Διὰ τοῦτο πάντων ἐκείνων εἰς μνήμην ἡμᾶς ἄγει, διὰ τοῦ καιροῦ καὶ τῆς τραπέζης καὶ τῆς προδοσίας ἐντρέπων καὶ λέγων, ὅτι Ὁ μὲν Δεσπότης σου καὶ ἑαυτὸν παρέδωκεν ὑπὲρ σοῦ: σὺ δὲ τῷ ἀδελφῷ οὐδὲ σιτίων μεταδίδως ὑπὲρ σαυτοῦ; δʹ. Πῶς δέ φησι παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου παρειληφέναι; οὐδὲ γὰρ παρῆν τότε, ἀλλὰ τῶν διωκόντων ἦν. Ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι οὐδὲν πλέον ἔχει ἐκείνη ἡ τράπεζα τῆς μετὰ ταῦτα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ σήμερον αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ πάντα ἐργαζόμενος καὶ παραδιδοὺς, ὥσπερ καὶ τότε. Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον τῆς νυκτὸς ἀναμιμνήσκει ἐκείνης, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ ἑτέρως ἡμᾶς κατανύξῃ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκείνων μάλιστα μεμνήμεθα τῶν ῥημάτων, ὧν ἂν τελευταῖον παρὰ τῶν ἀπιόντων ἀκούσωμεν, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κληρονόμους τοὺς ἐκείνων, εἰ τολμήσαιεν αὐτῶν παραβῆναι τὰς ἐντολὰς, ἐντρέποντες αὐτοὺς λέγομεν, Ἐννοήσατε ὅτι ταύτην ὑστέραν ἀφῆκε πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὴν φωνὴν ὁ πατὴρ, καὶ μέχρι τῆς ἑσπέρας ἧς ἔμελλεν ἐκπνεῖν ταῦτα ἐπέσκηπτεν: οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος καὶ ἐντεῦθεν φρικτὸν ποιῆσαι τὸν λόγον βουλόμενος, Ἀναμνήσθητε, φησὶν, ὅτι ταύτην ἐσχάτην ὑμῖν δέδωκε τὴν μυσταγωγίαν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ νυκτὶ, ᾗ καὶ σφάττεσθαι ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἔμελλε, ταῦτα ἐνετέλλετο, καὶ παραδιδοὺς ὑμῖν τὸ δεῖπνον ἐκεῖνο, μετ' ἐκεῖνο οὐκέτι προσέθηκεν ἕτερον. Εἶτα καὶ αὐτὰ λοιπὸν διηγεῖται τὰ γεγενημένα λέγων ὅτι, Ἔλαβεν ἄρτον, καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασε, καὶ εἶπε: Λάβετε, φάγετε: τοῦτό μού ἐστι τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κλώμενον. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐπ' εὐχαριστίᾳ προσέρχῃ, καὶ σὺ μηδὲν ἀνάξιον ποίει τῆς εὐχαριστίας, μηδὲ καταίσχυνε τὸν ἀδελφὸν, μηδὲ περιόρα πεινῶντα, μὴ μέθυε, μὴ ὕβριζε τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Προσέρχῃ γὰρ εὐχαριστῶν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀπέλαυσας. Οὐκοῦν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀμοιβὴν ἀποδίδου, καὶ μὴ ἀπόσχιζε σεαυτὸν τοῦ πλησίον. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς πᾶσιν ἐξίσης ἔδωκε λέγων, Λάβετε, φάγετε. Ἐκεῖνος τὸ σῶμα ἐξίσης ἔδωκε, σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ τὸν κοινὸν ἄρτον δίδως ἐξίσης; καὶ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ὁμοίως ἐκλάσθη, καὶ σῶμα γέγονεν ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ἐξίσης. Ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ ποτήριον μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι, λέγων, Τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ αἵματι: τοῦτο ποιεῖτε, ὁσάκις ἂν πίνητε, εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν. Τί λέγεις; ἀνάμνησιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποιεῖς, καὶ πένητας παρορᾷς, καὶ οὐ φρίττεις; Ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν υἱοῦ ἢ ἀδελφοῦ τετελευτηκότος ἀνάμνησιν ἐποίεις, ἐπλήγης ἂν ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος, εἰ μὴ τὸ ἔθος ἐπλήρωσας, καὶ πένητας ἐκάλεσας: τὴν δὲ τοῦ Δεσπότου σου ποιῶν ἀνάμνησιν, οὐδὲ τραπέζης ἁπλῶς μεταδίδως; Τί δέ ἐστιν ὅ φησιν, ὅτι, Τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη ἐστίν; Ἦν γὰρ καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης ποτήριον, αἱ σπονδαὶ καὶ τὸ αἷμα τῶν ἀλόγων: καὶ γὰρ μετὰ τὸ θῦσαι ποτηρίῳ καὶ φιάλῃ τὸ αἷμα δεχόμενοι οὕτως ἔσπενδον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀντὶ αἵματος ἀλόγων αἷμα εἰσήγαγε τὸ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μή τις θορυβηθῇ τοῦτο ἀκούων, ἀνέμνησε τῆς παλαιᾶς θυσίας ἐκείνης. Εἶτα εἰπὼν περὶ τοῦ δείπνου ἐκείνου, συνάπτει τὰ παρόντα τοῖς τότε, ἵνα, ὡς ἐν αὐτῇ ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῆς κείμενοι στιβάδος, καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λαμβάνοντες τὴν θυσίαν ταύτην, οὕτω καὶ νῦν διακέωνται, καί φησιν: Ὁσάκις γὰρ ἂν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον, καὶ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Κυρίου καταγγέλλετε, ἄχρις οὗ ἂν ἔλθῃ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἄρτου καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ποτηρίου, Εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν ποιεῖτε τοῦτο, ἔφη, τὴν αἰτίαν ἐκκαλύπτων ἡμῖν τῆς τοῦ μυστηρίου δόσεως, καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ταύτην εἶναι λέγων ἀρκοῦσαν ἡμῖν εἰς εὐλαβείας ὑπόθεσιν: ὅταν γὰρ ἐννοήσῃς τί πέπονθεν ὁ Δεσπότης σου διὰ σὲ, φιλοσοφώτερος ἔσῃ: οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐνταῦθά φησιν: Ὁσάκις ἂν ἐσθίητε, τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ καταγγέλλετε. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνο τὸ δεῖπνόν ἐστιν. Εἶτα δεικνὺς ὅτι ἕως τῆς συντελείας αὐτὸ μένει, φησίν: Ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ. Ὥστε ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον, ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ Κυρίου ἀναξίως, ἔνοχος ἔσται τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι ἐξέχεεν αὐτὸ, καὶ σφαγὴν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀπέφηνεν, οὐκέτι θυσίαν. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τότε οἱ κεντήσαντες οὐχ ἵνα πίωσιν ἐκέντησαν, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐκχέωσιν: οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀναξίως μετιὼν, καὶ μηδὲν ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμενος. Εἶδες πῶς φοβερὸν τὸν λόγον ἐποίησε, καὶ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς αὐτῶν καθήψατο πάσης, δεικνὺς ὅτι εἰ οὕτω μέλλοιεν πίνειν, ἀναξίως μετέχουσι τῶν προκειμένων. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἀναξίως, ὁ περιορῶν πεινῶντα; ὁ καταισχύνων πρὸς τῷ περιιδεῖν; Εἰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ δοῦναι πένησιν ἐκβάλλει τῆς βασιλείας, κἂν παρθένος ᾖ τις, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ μὴ δαψιλῶς δοῦναι: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖναι ἔλαιον εἶχον, ἀλλὰ δαψιλὲς οὐκ εἶχον: τὸ καὶ τοσαῦτα ἄτοπα ἐργάσασθαι, ἐννόησον ἡλίκον ἔσται κακόν. εʹ. Ποῖα ἄτοπα; φησί. Τί λέγεις, ποῖα ἄτοπα; Τραπέζης μετέσχες τοιαύτης, καὶ πάντων ὀφείλων ἡμερώτερος εἶναι καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἴσος, πάντων ὠμότερος γέγονας: αἵματος ἐγεύσω Δεσποτικοῦ, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐπιγινώσκεις: καὶ ποίας ἄξιος εἶ συγγνώμης; Καίτοι εἰ καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἠγνόεις, ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης αὐτὸν ἐπιγνῶναι ἐχρῆν: νῦν δὲ καὶ αὐτὴν ἀτιμάζεις τὴν τράπεζαν, τὸν ἐκείνης καταξιωθέντα μέτοχον εἶναι τῶν σῶν οὐχ ἡγούμενος ἄξιον εἶναι σιτίων. Οὐκ ἤκουσας πόσα ἔπαθεν ὁ τὰ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια ἀπαιτῶν; πῶς δωρεὰν ἐξενεχθεῖσαν ἄκυρον ἐποίησεν; οὐκ ἐννοεῖς τίς ὢν τίς γέγονας; οὐκ ἀναμιμνήσκεις σαυτὸν, ὅτι τούτου τοῦ πένητος ἐν χρήμασι πολὺ πτωχότερος ἦς ἐν κατορθώμασι, μυρίων γέμων ἁμαρτημάτων; Ἀλλ' ὅμως πάντων σε ἐκείνων ἀπήλλαξεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τραπέζης ἠξίωσε τοιαύτης: σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ οὕτω φιλανθρωπότερος γίνῃ. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲν ἕτερον λείπεται, ἢ καὶ τό σε παραδοθῆναι τοῖς βασανισταῖς. Τούτων καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀκούσωμεν τῶν ῥημάτων πάντες, ὅσοι ἐνταῦθα μὲν μετὰ τῶν πενήτων προσερχόμεθα τῇ ἱερᾷ τραπέζῃ ταύτῃ: ἐξελθόντες δὲ ἔξω, οὐδὲ ἑωρακέναι δοκοῦμεν αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεθύομεν καὶ πεινῶντας παρατρέχομεν: ἃ καὶ Κορίνθιοι τότε ἐνεκαλοῦντο; Καὶ πότε τοῦτο γίνεται; φησίν. Ἀεὶ μὲν, μάλιστα δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς, ὅτε μάλιστα γίνεσθαι οὐκ ἐχρῆν. Καὶ γὰρ τότε μετὰ τὴν κοινωνίαν εὐθέως μέθη διαδέχεται, καὶ πενήτων ὑπεροψία: καὶ τοῦ αἵματος μεταλαβὼν, ὅτε νηστείας σοι καιρὸς καὶ νήψεως, παροινεῖς καὶ κωμάζεις. Κἂν μέν τι χρηστὸν τύχῃς ἠριστηκὼς, φυλάττεις σαυτὸν, ὥστε μὴ ἑτέρῳ ἐδέσματι πονηρῷ λυμήνασθαι τὸ πρότερον: πνεῦμα δὲ ἑστιαθεὶς, σατανικὴν ἐπεισάγεις τρυφήν. Ἐννόησον, ὅτε μετέλαβον οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῶν ἱερῶν δείπνων ἐκείνων, τί ἐποίησαν: οὐχὶ εἰς εὐχὰς ἐτράπησαν καὶ ὑμνῳδίας; οὐχὶ εἰς παννυχίδας ἱεράς; οὐχὶ εἰς διδασκαλίαν τὴν μακρὰν ἐκείνην καὶ πολλῆς γέμουσαν φιλοσοφίας; τὰ γὰρ μεγάλα καὶ παράδοξα τότε αὐτοῖς διηγεῖτο καὶ παρήγγελλεν, ἀπελθόντος τοῦ Ἰούδα καλέσαι τοὺς μέλλοντας αὐτὸν σταυροῦν. Οὐκ ἤκουσας πῶς καὶ οἱ τρισχίλιοι οἱ τῆς κοινωνίας ἀπολαύοντες διαπαντὸς ἦσαν προσκαρτεροῦντες τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, οὐ μέθαις καὶ κώμοις; Σὺ δὲ πρὶν ἢ μὲν μεταλαβεῖν νηστεύεις, ἵνα ὁπωσδήποτε ἄξιος φανῇς τῆς κοινωνίας: ὅταν δὲ μεταλάβῃς, δέον σε ἐπιτεῖναι τὴν σωφροσύνην, πάντα ἀπολλύεις. Καίτοι γε οὐκ ἔστιν ἴσον πρὸ τούτου νήφειν, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα: δεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἑκατέρῳ σωφρονεῖν, μάλιστα δὲ μετὰ τὸ δέξασθαι τὸν νυμφίον: πρὸ τούτου μὲν, ἵνα ἄξιος γένῃ τοῦ λαβεῖν, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, ἵνα μὴ ἀνάξιος φανῇς ὧν ἔλαβες. Τί οὖν, νηστεύειν δεῖ μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν; Οὐ λέγω τοῦτο, οὐδὲ καταναγκάζω. Καλὸν μὲν γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο: πλὴν οὐ βιάζομαι τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ παραινῶ μὴ τρυφᾷν εἰς ἀπληστίαν. Εἰ γὰρ οὐδέποτε χρὴ τρυφᾷν, καὶ τοῦτο ὁ Παῦλος ἐδήλωσεν εἰπὼν, ὅτι Ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα ζῶσα τέθνηκε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τότε τεθνήξεται. Εἰ δὲ γυναικὶ ἡ τρυφὴ θάνατος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀνδρί: καὶ εἰ ἐν ἄλλῳ καιρῷ τοῦτο γινόμενον ἀπόλλυσι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον μετὰ τὴν τῶν μυστηρίων κοινωνίαν. Σὺ δὲ ἄρτον ζωῆς λαβὼν, πρᾶγμα θανάτου ποιεῖς, καὶ οὐ φρίττεις; οὐκ οἶσθα ὅσα ἀπὸ τρυφῆς ἐπεισέρχεται κακά; γέλως ἄκαιρος, ῥήματα ἄτακτα, εὐτραπελία ὀλέθρου γέμουσα, φλυαρία ἀνόνητος, τὰ ἄλλα ἃ μηδὲ εἰπεῖν καλόν. Καὶ ταῦτα ποιεῖς τραπέζης ἀπολαύσας Χριστοῦ, κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, καθ' ἣν ἅψασθαι διὰ γλώττης τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ κατηξιώθης. Πᾶς οὖν, ἵνα ταῦτα μὴ γίνηται, καθάγνιζέ σου τὴν δεξιὰν, τὴν γλῶτταν, τὰ χείλη, ἅπερ ἐγένετο πρόθυρα τῇ ἐπιβάσει τοῦ Χριστοῦ: καὶ τράπεζαν παραθεὶς αἰσθητὴν, πρὸς ἐκείνην τὴν τράπεζαν τὸν νοῦν ἀνάτεινον, πρὸς τὸ δεῖπνον τὸ Κυριακὸν, πρὸς τὴν ἀγρυπνίαν τῶν μαθητῶν τὴν κατὰ τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην τὴν ἱεράν: μᾶλλον δὲ, εἴ τις ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσειε, καὶ τὰ παρόντα νύξ. Γρηγορῶμεν τοίνυν μετὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου, κατανυγῶμεν μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν. Εὐχῶν ὁ καιρὸς, οὐ μέθης, ἀεὶ μὲν, μάλιστα δὲ ἐν ἑορτῇ. Ἑορτὴ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο γίνεται, οὐχ ἵνα ἀσχημονῶμεν, οὐχ ἵνα ἁμαρτήματα συνάγωμεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ τὰ ὄντα ἀνέλωμεν. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὅτι εἰκῆ ταῦτα λέγω, ἀλλ' οὐ παύσομαι λέγων. Κἂν γὰρ μὴ πάντες ὑπακούσητε, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ πάντες παρακούσεσθε, μᾶλλον δὲ, κἂν πάντες παρακούσητε, ἐμοὶ μὲν μείζων ὁ μισθὸς, ὑμῖν δὲ πλέον τὸ κρῖμα. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ γένηται πλέον, διὰ τοῦτο οὐ παύσομαι λέγων: ἴσως γὰρ, ἴσως τῇ συνεχείᾳ καθάψομαι. Διὸ παρακαλῶ, ἵνα μὴ εἰς κρῖμα τοῦτο ποιῶμεν, θρέψωμεν τὸν Χριστὸν, ποτίσωμεν, ἐνδύσωμεν: ταῦτα τῆς τραπέζης ἐκείνης ἄξια. Ἤκουσας ὕμνων ἱερῶν; εἶδες γάμον πνευματικόν; ἀπέλαυσας τραπέζης βασιλικῆς; ἐνεπλήσθης Πνεύματος ἁγίου; συνεχόρευσας τοῖς Σεραφὶμ, κοινωνὸς ἐγένου τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων; Μὴ ῥίψῃς χαρὰν τοσαύτην, μὴ ἐκχέῃς τὸν θησαυρὸν, μὴ ἐπεισαγάγῃς μέθην τὴν τῆς ἀθυμίας μητέρα, τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου χαρὰν, τὴν μυρία τίκτουσαν κακά. Καὶ γὰρ ὕπνος θανάτῳ ἐοικὼς ἐντεῦθεν καὶ καρηβαρίαι καὶ νόσοι καὶ λήθη καὶ νεκρότητος εἰκών. Εἶτα φίλῳ μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιο συντυχεῖν οἰνωμένος, τὸν δὲ Χριστὸν ἔνδον ἔχων τολμᾷς, εἰπέ μοι, τοσαύτην ἐπεμβαλεῖν μέθην; Ἀλλὰ τρυφῆς ἐρᾷς; Οὐκοῦν διὰ τοῦτο παῦσαι μεθύων. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ σε βούλομαι τρυφᾷν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὄντως τρυφὴν, τὴν οὐδέποτε μαραινομένην. Τίς οὖν ἡ ὄντως τρυφὴ καὶ διηνεκῶς ἀνθοῦσα; Κάλεσον ἐπ' ἄριστον τὸν Χριστὸν, μετάδος αὐτῷ τῶν σῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ τῶν αὐτοῦ: τοῦτο τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀπέραντον ἔχει καὶ ἀκμάζουσαν διηνεκῶς. Ἀλλ' οὐ τὰ αἰσθητὰ τοιαῦτα, ἀλλ' ὁμοῦ τε ἐφάνη καὶ ἠφανίσθη, καὶ ὁ τρυφήσας οὐδὲν ἄμεινον διακείσεται τοῦ μὴ τρυφήσαντος, μᾶλλον δὲ χεῖρον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὥσπερ ἐν λιμένι κάθηται, οὗτος δὲ χειμάῤῥουν τινὰ καὶ πολιορκίαν νοσημάτων ἐδέξατο, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐνεγκεῖν τὴν ζάλην ταύτην δύναται. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ ταῦτα γένηται, τὴν συμμετρίαν διώκωμεν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τὸ σῶμα εὖ διακεισόμεθα, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ καταστήσομεν, καὶ τῶν παρόντων καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀπαλλαγησόμεθα κακῶν: ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλαγέντας, τῆς βασιλείας 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.