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to live well is no small contribution for us; for by these, even now, those who preside train and form the pure virgin whom he betrothed to Christ and lead her to spiritual beauty; by these they also ward off the diseases that attack her and preserve the health she gains. Such are the medicines the "unlearned man" left for us, having such power that those who use them constantly know their effect well. And that he himself made much effort in this area is clear from these things.

4.8 8. That he wishes us also to succeed in this

But hear what he says when instructing his disciple: “Attend to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.” And he adds the fruit of this, saying: “For in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” And again: “But a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.” And going on he says: “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise.” And again: “All Scripture is God-breathed,” he says, “and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete.” Hear also what he adds when discussing with Titus about the appointment of bishops: “For a bishop must,” he says, “be holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able to convict those who contradict.” How then will someone who is “unlearned,” as these people say, be able to convict and silence those who contradict? What need is there to attend to reading and the Scriptures, if one must embrace this “unlearnedness”? These are excuses and pretexts and covers for laziness and sloth. But, he says, these things are commanded to the priests; and indeed our discourse is now about priests. But that it is also for the laity, hear what again he advises to others in another epistle: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” And again: “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” And it is said to all to be ready to make a defense, and writing to the Thessalonians: “Build up,” he says, “one another, just as you also are doing.” But when he discusses priests: “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” For this is the most perfect definition of teaching, when by what they do and by what they say they lead their disciples to the blessed life which Christ ordained; for to do is not sufficient for teaching. And the word is not mine, but the Savior’s own: “For whoever,” he says, “does and teaches them, he shall be called great.” If to do were to teach, the second would have been superfluous; for it would have been enough to say: “whoever does,” only. But now by distinguishing both, he shows that one belongs to works, and the other to word, and that each requires the other for perfect edification. Do you not hear what the chosen vessel of Christ says to the elders of the Ephesians? “Therefore watch, remembering that for three years I did not cease to warn every one of you night and day with tears.” For what need was there of tears or of admonition through words, when his apostolic life shone so brightly?

4.9 9. That if this is not present in a priest, the laity must of necessity suffer great loss

But for the practice of the commandments, this might contribute a great part for us; for not even there would I say that it alone accomplishes everything, but when a contest over doctrines arises and all fight from the same scriptures, what power will a good life be able to show here? What is the benefit of much toil, when

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τὸ βιοῦν εὖ οὐκ ἐλάχιστον ἡμῖν συντελεῖ μέρος· τούτοις γὰρ ἔτι καὶ νῦν οἱ προεστῶτες χρώμενοι, τὴν ἁγνὴν παρθένον ἣν ἡρμόσατο τῷ Χριστῷ ῥυθμίζουσί τε καὶ πλάττουσι καὶ πρὸς τὸ πνευματικὸν ἄγουσι κάλλος· τούτοις καὶ τὰ ἐπισκήπτοντα αὐτῇ νοσήματα ἀποκρούονται καὶ τὴν προσγινομένην διατηροῦσιν ὑγίειαν. Τοιαῦτα ἡμῖν ὁ ἰδιώτης κατέλιπε φάρμακα, τοσαύτην ἔχοντα δύναμιν ὧν ἴσασι τὴν πεῖραν καλῶς οἱ χρώμενοι συνεχῶς. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν πολλὴν αὐτὸς ἐποιεῖτο τοῦ μέρους τούτου σπουδήν, ἐκ τούτων δῆλον.

4.8 ηʹ. Ὅτι καὶ ἡμᾶς τοῦτο βούλεται κατορθοῦν Ἄκουε δὲ καὶ τῷ μαθητῇ τί φησιν ἐπιστέλλων· «Πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ.» Καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ τούτου καρπὸν προστίθησι λέγων· «Τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν, καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου.» Καὶ πάλιν· «∆οῦλον δὲ Κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι, ἀλλ' ἤπιον εἶναι πρὸς πάντας, διδακτικόν, ἀνεξίκακον.» Καὶ προϊὼν δέ φησι· «Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης, εἰδὼς παρὰ τίνος ἔμαθες καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος, φησί, πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἔλεγχον, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παίδευσιν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, ἵνα ἄρτιος ᾖ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος.» Ἄκουε δὲ καὶ τῷ Τίτῳ περὶ τῆς τῶν ἐπισκόπων καταστάσεως διαλεγόμενος τί προστίθησιν· «∆εῖ γάρ, φησίν, εἶναι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀντεχόμενον τοῦ κατὰ τὴν διδαχὴν πιστοῦ λόγου, ἵνα δυνατὸς ᾖ καὶ τοὺς ἀντιλέγοντας ἐλέγχειν.» Πῶς οὖν ἰδιώτης τις ὤν, ὡς οὗτοί φασι, τοὺς ἀντιλέγοντας ἐλέγχειν δυνήσεται καὶ ἐπιστομίζειν; τίς δὲ χρεία προσέχειν τῇ ἀναγνώσει καὶ ταῖς γραφαῖς, εἰ ταύτην δεῖ τὴν ἰδιωτείαν ἀσπάζεσθαι; Σκήψεις ταῦτα καὶ προφάσεις καὶ ῥαθυμίας καὶ ὄκνου προσχήματα. Ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι, φησί, ταῦτα διατάττεται· καὶ γὰρ περὶ ἱερέων ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος νῦν. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις, ἄκουε τί πάλιν ἑτέροις ἐν ἑτέρᾳ ἐπιστολῇ παραινεῖ· «Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐνοικείτω ἐν ὑμῖν πλουσίως ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.» Καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἀπολογίαν ἑτοίμους εἶναι ἅπασιν εἴρηται, Θεσσαλονικεῦσι δὲ ἐπιστέλλων· «Οἰκοδομεῖτε, φησίν, εἷς τὸν ἕνα, καθὼς καὶ ποιεῖτε.» Ὅταν δὲ περὶ ἱερέων διαλέγηται· «Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν, μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ.» Καὶ γὰρ οὗτος ὁ τελεώτατος τῆς διδασκαλίας ὅρος, ὅταν καὶ δι' ὧν πράττουσι καὶ δι' ὧν λέγουσι τοὺς μαθητευομένους ἐνάγωσι πρὸς τὸν μακάριον βίον ὃν ὁ Χριστὸς διετάξατο· οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ τὸ ποιεῖν πρὸς τὸ διδάσκειν. Καὶ οὐκ ἐμὸς ὁ λόγος, ἀλλ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· «Ὃς γὰρ ἄν, φησί, ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται.» Εἰ δὲ τὸ ποιῆσαι διδάξαι ἦν, περιττῶς τὸ δεύτερον ἔκειτο· καὶ γὰρ ἤρκει εἰπεῖν· ὃς ἂν ποιήσῃ, μόνον. Νῦν δὲ τῷ διελεῖν ἀμφότερα δείκνυσιν ὅτι τὸ μὲν τῶν ἔργων ἐστί, τὸ δὲ τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἀλλήλων δεῖται ἑκάτερα πρὸς τελείαν οἰκοδομήν. Ἦ οὐκ ἀκούεις τί φησι τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις Ἐφεσίων τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σκεῦος τὸ ἐκλεκτόν; «∆ιὸ γρηγορεῖτε, μνημονεύοντες ὅτι τριετίαν νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν οὐκ ἐπαυσάμην μετὰ δακρύων νουθετῶν ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν.» Τίς γὰρ χρεία τῶν δακρύων ἢ τῆς διὰ τῶν λόγων νουθεσίας, οὕτω τοῦ βίου αὐτῷ λάμποντος τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ;

4.9 θʹ. Ὅτι τούτου μὴ παρόντος τῷ ἱερεῖ, πολλὴν ἀνάγκη τοὺς ἀρχομένους ζημίαν ὑφίστασθαι Ἀλλὰ πρὸς μὲν τὴν τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐργασίαν δύναιτ' ἂν ἡμῖν οὗτος πολὺ συμβάλλεσθαι μέρος· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖ μόνον αὐτὸν τὸ πᾶν κατορθοῦν φαίην ἄν, ὅταν δὲ ὑπὲρ δογμάτων ἀγὼν κινῆται καὶ πάντες ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν μάχωνται γραφῶν, ποίαν ἰσχὺν ὁ βίος ἐνταῦθα ἐπιδεῖξαι δυνήσεται; Τί τῶν πολλῶν ὄφελος ἱδρώτων, ὅταν