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hating. For the word "from" is often used by him for intensification, as in "eagerly awaiting" and "redemption," and "earnest expectation." For since many, even when not doing evil things, nevertheless have the desire for them, he wishes to purify the mind as well, to have enmity and hatred towards wickedness. He did not say, "doing," only, but also "being disposed"; for this is what commanding to "cleave to" has shown. Thus also God, joining the man to the woman, said: "He shall be joined to his wife." When he speaks of those outside: "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." But when of those of the household, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." "You are brothers," he says, "therefore for this reason you would be right to love one another." "Serving the Lord." Through all these things it is possible to serve God. "Rejoicing in hope." For nothing so rouses to courage as a good hope. "Patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate." For even before the things to come, in the present you will reap a great good from tribulation, becoming steadfast and approved. 95.544 He did not say, "provide for their needs," showing that they receive more than they give; and that the matter is a business transaction. For it is a common thing. You contribute money, they contribute to you glory before God. He did not say, "practicing," but, "pursuing," teaching us not to wait for those in need to come to us, but for us to run after and pursue them. "For it requires a very noble soul, not only not to envy one who is well-reputed, but even to rejoice with him. "Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil." That is, do not think you are sufficient for yourselves; for nothing so puffs up and separates from the rest as for one to think he is sufficient for himself. "Provide things honest in the sight of all men." Similar to, "Let your light shine." But he says this, not that we should live for vainglory, but that we might not give men a handle against us. "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves." Well said, "if it be possible"; for there are times when it is not possible, for instance, when the discussion is about piety, or when the struggle is on behalf of the wronged. "But rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." To what wrath? To the wrath of God, he says. For since the wronged man especially desires to see this, to enjoy avenging himself, He gives this very thing especially with great abundance; for if you do not defend yourself, he says, God will be the avenger. Therefore allow Him, he says, to proceed against him. And this is what "give place unto wrath" means. Then, comforting him further, he added the testimony. "But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head." He increases it to something greater. It is as if he were to say: What am I saying, he says, that you must be at peace? I command you rather to do good. For I know that even if the enemy is a wild beast, and even if the wronged man is ten thousand times fainthearted, by feeding him and giving him drink, he himself will no longer remember the punishment due to that man. Wherefore, being confident in the outcome of the matter, he did not simply threaten, but is lavish with the punishment; for he did not say, "you will punish him," but, "You will heap coals of fire upon his head." "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." 95.545 He somehow gently hinted that one ought not to do this with such a disposition.

CHAPTER 13. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers." Much concerning

subjection to rulers he makes his argument, showing that it is not for the overthrow of the common

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μισοῦντες. Τὸ γὰρ ἀπὸ ῥῆμα πολλαχοῦ ἐπιτάσεώς ἐστι παρ' αὐτοῦ, ὡς τὸ ἀπεκδεχόμενοι καὶ ἀπολύτρωσιν, καὶ ἀποκαραδοκίαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ καὶ μὴ πράττοντες τὰ κακὰ, ὅμως τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῶν ἔχουσιν, αὐτὸς καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν καθαρεύειν βούλεται, ἔχθραν ἔχειν πρὸς τὴν κακίαν καὶ μῖσος. Οὐκ εἶπε, ποιοῦντες, μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διακείμενοι· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ κελεῦσαι, κολλᾶσθαι ἐδήλωσεν. οὕτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς συνάπτων τὸν ἄνδρα τῇ γυναικὶ, ἔλεγεν· Προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ. Ὅταν περὶ τῶν ἔξω λέγῃ· Εἰ δυνατὸν τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύετε. Ὅταν δὲ περὶ τῶν οἰκείων, τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι. Ἀδελφοὶ, φησὶν, ἔστε, οὐκοῦν διὰ τοῦτο δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε ἀγαπᾷν ἀλλήλους. «Τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες.» ∆ιὰ τούτων ἁπάντων ἐστὶ δουλεύειν τῷ Θεῷ. «Τῇ ἐλπίδι χαίροντες.» Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως πρὸς ἀνδρείαν ἐγείρει ὡς ἐλπὶς χρηστή. «Τῇ θλίψει ὑπομένοντες, τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτεροῦντες, ταῖς χρείαις τῶν ἁγίων κοινωνοῦντες, τὴν, φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες. Εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς διώκοντας ὑμᾶς· εὐλογεῖτε, καὶ μὴ καταρᾶσθε. Χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων, καὶ κλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων τὸ αὐτὸ εἰς ἀλλήλους φρονοῦντες· μὴ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονοῦντες, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόμενοι.» Καὶ γὰρ πρὸ τῶν μελλόντων ἐν τῷ παρόντι μέγα καρπώσει καλὸν ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως, τὸ καρτερικῶς καὶ δόκιμος γίνεσθαι. 95.544 Οὐκ εἶπεν, παρέχετε αὐτῶν ταῖς χρείαις, δεικνὺς ὅτι μεῖζον λαμβάνουσιν, ἢ διδόασι· καὶ ὅτι ἐμπορία τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν. Κοινὸν γάρ ἐστιν. Εἰσφέρεις χρήματα, εἰσφέρουσί σοι τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν δόξαν ἐκεῖνοι. Οὐκ εἶπεν, ἐργαζόμενοι, ἀλλὰ, διώκοντες, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς μὴ ἀναμένειν τοὺς δεομένους πότε πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἔλθωσιν, ἀλλὰ αὐτοὺς ἐπιτρέχειν καὶ καταδιώκειν. «Γενναίας γὰρ σφόδρα δεῖται ψυχῆς, ὥστε τῷ εὐδοκιμοῦντι μὴ μόνον μὴ φθονεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνήδεσθαι. «Μὴ γίνεσθε φρόνιμοι παρ' ἑαυτοῖς, μηδενὶ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ ἀποδιδόντες.» Τουτέστι, μὴ νομίζετε ἀρκεῖν ἑαυτοῖς· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἐπαίρει καὶ ἀποσχίζει τῶν λοιπῶν, ὡς τὸ νομίζειν τινὰ ἀρκεῖν ἑαυτῷ. «Προνοούμενοι καλὰ ἐνώπιον πάντων ἀνθρώπων.» Ὅμοιον τῷ, Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν. Τοῦτο δέ φησιν, οὐχ ἵνα πρὸς κενοδοξίαν ζήσωμεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ παρασχῶμεν λαβὴν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καθ' ἡμῶν. «Εἰ δυνατὸν, τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύοντες, μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικοῦντες, ἀγαπητοί.» Εὖ τὸ, εἰ δυνατόν· ἔστι γὰρ ὅπου οὐ δυνατὸν, οἷον, ὅταν περὶ εὐσεβείας ὁ λόγος, ἢ ὅταν περὶ ἀδικουμένων ὁ ἀγών. «Ἀλλὰ δότε τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ· γέγραπται γάρ· Ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις. Ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω, λέγει Κύριος.» Ποίᾳ ὀργῇ, ἢ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ, φησίν; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μάλιστα τοῦτο ἐπιθυμεῖ ἰδεῖν ὁ ἀδικηθεὶς, ἐκδικῆσαι. ἑαυτὸν ἀπολαύοντα, τοῦτο αὐτὸ μάλιστα μετὰ πολλῆς δίδωσι τῆς περιουσίας· ἂν γὰρ αὐτὸς μὴ ἀμύνῃ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς ἔσται τιμωρός. Συγχώρησον οὖν αὐτῷ, φησὶν, ἐπεξελθεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐστὶ τὸ, δότε τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ. Εἶτα παραμυθούμενος ἐπὶ πλέον, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐπήγαγεν. «Ἀλλὰ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν. Οὕτω γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.» Ἐπὶ τὸ μεῖζον αὔξει. Ὅμοιον δὲ ὡς εἰ λέγοι· Τί λέγω, φησὶν, ὅτι εἰρηνεύειν δεῖ; εὐεργετεῖν μὲν οὖν μάλιστα κελεύω. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι κἂν θηρίον ᾖ ὁ ἐχθρὸς, κἂν μυριάκις μικρόψυχος ᾖ ὁ ἠδικημένος, ψωμίζων αὐτὸν καὶ ποτίζων οὐδὲ αὐτὸς λοιπὸν τῆς τιμωρίας μνημονεύει τῆς ἐκείνου. ∆ιὸ τῷ τέλει θαῤῥῶν τοῦ πράγματος, οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ἠπείλησεν, ἀλλ' ἐπιδαψιλεύεται τῇ τιμωρίᾳ· οὐ γὰρ εἶπε τιμωρήσεις αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ, Ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ. «Μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ νίκα ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν.» 95.545 Ἠρέμα πῶς ᾐνίξατο, μὴ δεῖν τοιαύτῃ προαιρέσει ποιεῖν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΓʹ. «Πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχούσαις ὑποτασσέσθω.» Πολὺν τῆς πρὸς

ἄρχοντας ὑποταγῆς ποιεῖται λόγον, δεικνὺς, ὡς οὐκ ἐπὶ ἀνατροπῇ τῆς κοινῆς