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If a fleshly father does this, you consider the matter a shame; but if the 62.252 spiritual father is forced to do this, will you not cover it up? Or rather, will you not even think it worthy of sinking into the ground? The dishonor of a father, he says, is a reproach to his children. But what? Was it necessary to perish from famine? But this is not of a pious person either; for God does not wish it. But when we say these things to them, they immediately philosophize: It is written, he says, Acquire no gold, nor silver, nor two tunics, nor copper in your belts, nor a staff. But these men have three and four garments, and furnished beds. It came upon me to groan bitterly now; and if I were not about to behave unseemly, I would even have wept. Why so? Because we are such precise examiners concerning the specks in others, but we do not even perceive the beams in our own eyes. Tell me, why do you not say this to yourself? Because it is commanded to the teachers only, he says. Therefore, when Paul says, Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content, does he speak to the teachers only? By no means, but to all people. And it is clear to those who go through the passage from the beginning; for after saying, Godliness with contentment is great gain; then, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out; he immediately added: And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts. 5. Do you see that the word was spoken to all? And what? When he says again, Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts, is he not speaking to all without exception? And what when he says, Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them? And what when he says, But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives, speaking about a widow? Is the widow also a teacher? Did he not himself say, I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man? If then the widow, whose age is also advanced; for old age needs much care, and nature itself; for the female sex needs more rest, being weak; if, therefore, where both age and nature are an impediment, he does not permit her to live in luxury, but even says she is dead (for he did not simply say not to live in luxury, but, She who lives in luxury is dead while she lives; and he cut her off; for she who is dead is cut off); what pardon will a man have for doing these things, for which the aged woman is punished? But no one takes these things into consideration, no one examines these things. But I have been forced to say these things now, not wishing to absolve the priests from accusations, but sparing you. They, therefore, if they hear these things properly and justly, since they are being admonished, are not harmed by you at all; but whether you speak or not, they give an account to the Judge there; so that your words do not harm them at all. But if the things said by you are also false, then they have gained from being slandered for nothing, but you harm yourselves by this. But in your case it is not so; but whether the things against them are true or 62.253 false, by speaking evil of them, you are harmed. Why so? For if they are true, even so you are harmed, by judging your teachers and subverting the order; for if one must not judge a brother, much more a teacher; but if they are false, the punishment and the penalty are unbearable; for of every idle word you will give an account. So for your sake we do and labor in all things. But as I said, no one examines these things, no one is curious about these things, no one says any of these things to himself. Do you wish that I add other things? Unless a man renounces, says Christ, all his possessions, he is not worthy of me. What when he says, It is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven? and what when he says, Woe

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μὲν πατὴρ ὁ σαρκικὸς ἂν τοῦτο ποιῇ, αἰσχύνην τὸ πρᾶγμα ἡγῇ· ἂν δὲ ὁ 62.252 πνευματικὸς ἀναγκάζηται τοῦτο ποιεῖν, οὐκ ἐγκαλύψῃ; μᾶλλον οὐδὲ ἡγήσῃ ἄξιον καταδύεσθαι; Ἀδοξία, φησὶ, πατρὸς, ὄνειδος τέκνων. Ἀλλὰ τί; τῷ λιμῷ φθείρεσθαι ἔδει; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο εὐσεβοῦς· οὐ γὰρ βούλεται ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλὰ ὅταν εἴπωμεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ταῦτα, εὐθέως φιλοσοφοῦσι· Γέγραπται, φησὶ, Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν, μηδὲ ἄργυρον, μηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας, μηδὲ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν, μὴ ῥάβδον. Οὗτοι δὲ καὶ τρία καὶ τέσσαρα ἱμάτια ἔχουσι, καὶ κλίνας ἐστρωμένας. Ἐπῆλθέ μοι στενάξαι πικρὸν νῦν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀσχημονεῖν ἔμελλον, κἂν ἐδάκρυσα· τί δήποτε; Ὅτι περὶ μὲν τὰ τῶν ἄλλων κάρφη οὕτως ἐσμὲν ἀκριβεῖς ἐξετασταὶ, τὰς δὲ δοκοὺς ἔχοντες αὐτοὶ ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς οὐδὲ αἰσθανόμεθα. Εἰπέ μοι, διὰ τί γὰρ σαυτῷ τοῦτο μὴ λέγεις; Ὅτι τοῖς διδασκάλοις προστέτακται μόνον, φησίν· ὅταν οὖν ὁ Παῦλος λέγῃ, Ἔχοντες διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα, πρὸς τοὺς διδασκάλους λέγει μόνους; Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους. Καὶ δῆλον ἄνωθεν τὸ χωρίον διεξιοῦσιν· εἰπὼν γὰρ, Πορισμὸς μέγας ἐστὶν ἡ εὐσέβεια μετὰ αὐταρκείας· εἶτα, Οὐδὲν εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον, δῆλον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα· εὐθέως ἐπήγαγεν· Ἔχοντες δὲ διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα. Οἱ δὲ βουλόμενοι πλουτεῖν, ἐμπίπτουσιν εἰς πειρασμὸν καὶ παγίδα, καὶ ἐπιθυμίας πολλὰς ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβεράς. εʹ. Εἶδες ὅτι πρὸς πάντας ὁ λόγος εἴρηται; Τί δέ; ὅταν λέγῃ πάλιν, Τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε εἰς ἐπιθυμίας, οὐχὶ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς διαλέγεται; Τί δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ, Τὰ βρώματα τῇ κοιλίᾳ, καὶ ἡ κοιλία τοῖς βρώμασιν· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς καὶ ταύτην, καὶ ταῦτα καταργήσει; τί δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ, Ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε, περὶ χήρας διαλεγόμενος; μὴ καὶ ἡ χήρα διδάσκαλός ἐστιν; οὐχὶ αὐτὸς εἶπεν, ὅτι Γυναικὶ διδάσκειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω, οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός; Εἰ δὲ ἡ χήρα, ἔνθα καὶ ἡ ἡλικία γηραλέα· τὸ γὰρ γῆρας πολλῆς δεῖται θεραπείας, καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ φύσις· τὸ γὰρ τῶν γυναικῶν γένος πλείονος δεῖται ἀναπαύσεως, ἅτε ἀσθενὲς ὅν· εἰ τοίνυν, ἔνθα καὶ ἡ ἡλικία καὶ ἡ φύσις κώλυμα, οὐκ ἀφίεται αὐτὴν σπαταλᾷν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τεθνηκέναι αὐτήν φησιν (οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς εἶπε μὴ σπαταλᾷν, ἀλλ', Ἡ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε· καὶ ἐξέκοψεν αὐτήν· ἡ γὰρ τεθνηκυῖα ἐκκέκοπται)· ποίαν ἕξει συγγνώμην ἄνθρωπος ταῦτα ποιῶν, ἐφ' οἷς ἡ γυνὴ ἡ γεγηρακυῖα κολάζεται; Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα οὐδεὶς οὐδὲ εἰς ἔννοιαν λαμβάνει, ταῦτα οὐδεὶς ἐξετάζει. Ἐγὼ δὲ νῦν ταῦτα εἰπεῖν ἠναγκάσθην, οὐχὶ τοὺς ἱερέας ἀπαλλάξαι ἐγκλημάτων βουλόμενος, ἀλλ' ὑμῶν φειδόμενος. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν, ἂν μὲν προσηκόντως καὶ δικαίως ταῦτα ἀκούωσιν, ἅτε χρηματιζόμενοι, οὐδὲν παρ' ὑμῶν βλάπτονται· ἀλλ' ἄν τε εἴπητε, ἄν τε μὴ εἴπητε, λόγον τῷ δικαστῇ διδόασιν ἐκεῖ· ὥστε οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς τὰ ὑμέτερα βλάπτει ῥήματα. Ἂν δὲ καὶ ψευδῆ ᾖ τὰ παρ' ὑμῶν λεγόμενα, ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν ἐκέρδανον συκοφαντούμενοι εἰκῆ, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ἐντεῦθεν βλάπτετε. Ἐπὶ δὲ ὑμῶν οὐχ οὕτως ἐστίν· ἀλλ' ἄν τε ἀληθῆ ᾖ, ἄν τε 62.253 ψευδῆ τὰ κατ' αὐτῶν, λέγοντες αὐτοὺς κακῶς, βλάπτεσθε. Τί δήποτε; Ἄν τε γὰρ ἀληθῆ ᾖ, καὶ οὕτω βλάπτεσθε, κρίνοντες τοὺς διδασκάλους, καὶ τὴν τάξιν ἀνατρέποντες· εἰ γὰρ ἀδελφὸν οὐ δεῖ κρίνειν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον διδάσκαλον· ἂν δὲ ψευδῆ, ἀφόρητος ἡ κόλασις καὶ ἡ τιμωρία· παντὸς γὰρ ῥήματος ἀργοῦ δώσετε λόγον. Ὥστε ὑμῶν ἕνεκεν πάντα ποιοῦμεν καὶ κάμνομεν. Ὅπερ δὲ ἔφην, οὐδεὶς ταῦτα ἐξετάζει, οὐδεὶς ταῦτα πολυπραγμονεῖ, οὐδεὶς λέγει πρὸς ἑαυτὸν τούτων οὐδέν. Βούλεσθε καὶ ἕτερα προσθῶ; Ἐὰν μή τις ἀποτάξηται, φησὶν ὁ Χριστὸς, πᾶσιν αὑτοῦ τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος. Τί ὅταν λέγῃ, ∆ύσκολον πλούσιον εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν; τί δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ, Οὐαὶ