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zeal. For it is no small thing, when he is not numbered with the rest. See at least how he shows the man to be great, if indeed his house was a church. And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans. It seems to me that there are some things written there, which these also ought to hear. And the benefit was greater for these, when, oth 62.382 ers being accused, they recognize their own sins. And that from Laodicea, that you also read it. Some say, that it was not the one sent by Paul to them, but the one from them to Paul; for he did not say, the one to the Laodiceans, but, "The one from Laodicea," he says, "which was written." And say to Archippus: "Take heed to the ministry, which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it." For what reason does he not write to him? Perhaps he did not need it, but only a bare reminder, so that he might be more diligent. The salutation by my own hand, Paul's. This is a proof of genuineness and of friendship, to see the very letters, and to feel something at them. Remember my bonds. Ah, what a comfort! For this is sufficient to exhort them to all things and to make them nobler for the struggles; and not only nobler, but it also made them more affectionate. Grace be with you. Amen. 2. A great encomium, and greater than all others, to say of Epaphras, "A servant of Christ, who is one of you." And he calls him a minister for them, just as he also calls himself a minister of the Church, as when he says: "Of which I Paul was made a minister." He raises the man to the same rank, and above he calls him a fellow-servant, and here a servant. "Who is one of you," he says; as if speaking to a mother, and saying: "He who is from your womb." But this encomium would have produced envy. For this reason he commends him not only from these things, but also from things relating to them; and there he dispels envy, and here too. "Always," he says, "striving for you"; not only now with us, so as to make a show, nor only with you, so as to make a show to you. He showed great eagerness by saying. "Striving." Then, lest he seem to flatter them, he added, that "He has a great zeal for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis." And the phrase, "That you may stand perfect," this too is not of flattery, but of a revered teacher. And "complete," he says, and "perfect." The one he granted, the other he said was lacking. And he did not say, "that you may not be shaken," but, "that you may stand." However, to be greeted by many wins them over, when not only their own people from among them, but also others remember them. And say to Archippus: "Take heed to the ministry, which you have received in the Lord." He especially subjects them to him. For they could no longer find fault with him for rebuking them, when they themselves have undertaken the whole matter; since it is not reasonable for disciples to speak about their teacher. But to silence them, he writes these things. "Say," he says, "to Archippus, 'Take heed.'" This is a word that inspires fear everywhere, as when he says: "Beware of dogs"; "Beware lest any man spoil you"; "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." And everywhere he speaks thus when he wants to inspire fear. "Take heed," he says, "to the ministry, which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it." Nor does he permit him to be master, just as he himself said: "For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation is committed unto me." "That you fulfill it"; continually using diligence. "Which you have received in the Lord." A 62.383 gain, "in" means "through the Lord"; He gave it to you, not we. And he subjects them to him, by showing that he has been entrusted [with them] by God; Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. He dispelled the fear. For even if the teacher is in bonds, yet grace looses him. And this is of grace, to permit him to be bound; for hear what Luke says, that "the apostles departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy"

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ζῆλον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μικρόν ἐστιν, ὅταν μὴ μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀριθμῆται. Ὅρα γοῦν πῶς δείκνυσι μέγαν τὸν ἄνδρα, εἴ γε ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ ἐκκλησία ἦν. Καὶ ὅταν ἀναγνωσθῇ παρ' ὑμῖν ἡ ἐπιστολὴ, ποιήσατε ἵνα καὶ ἐν τῇ Λαοδικέων Ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀναγνωσθῇ. Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ εἶναί τινα τῶν γραφέντων ἐκεῖ, ἃ καὶ τούτους ἐχρῆν ἀκοῦσαι. Καὶ τούτοις μείζων ἦν ἡ ὠφέλεια, ὅταν ἑτέ 62.382 ρων ἐγκαλουμένων, τὰ οἰκεῖα ἁμαρτήματα ἐπιγινώσκωσι. Καὶ τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀναγνῶτε. Τινὲς λέγουσιν, ὅτι οὐχὶ τὴν Παύλου πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀπεσταλμένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν παρ' αὐτῶν Παύλῳ· οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, τὴν πρὸς Λαοδικέας, ἀλλὰ, Τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας, φησὶ, γραφεῖσαν. Καὶ εἴπατε Ἀρχίππῳ· Βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν, ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς. Τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐ γράφει πρὸς αὐτόν; Ἴσως οὐκ ἐδεῖτο, ἀλλὰ ψιλῆς μόνης ὑπομνήσεως, ὥστε σπουδαιότερος εἶναι. Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου. Τοῦτο γνησιότητος καὶ φιλίας τεκμήριον, τὸ καὶ τὰ γράμματα ὁρᾷν, καὶ πάσχειν τι πρὸς ταῦτα. Μνημονεύετέ μου τῶν δεσμῶν. Βαβαὶ, πόση παράκλησις! Τοῦτο γὰρ ἱκανὸν εἰς πάντα αὐτοὺς προτρέψαι καὶ γενναιοτέρους ποιῆσαι πρὸς τοὺς ἀγῶνας· οὐ μόνον δὲ γενναιοτέρους, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἰκειοτέρους αὐτοὺς ἐποίει. Ἡ χάρις μεθ' ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν. βʹ. Μέγα ἐγκώμιον, καὶ μεῖζον τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων τὸ λέγειν περὶ τοῦ Ἐπαφρᾶ, Ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν δοῦλος Χριστοῦ. Καὶ διάκονον αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν φησιν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἑαυτὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λέγει διάκονον, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ· Ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος. Εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ ἀξίωμα ἀναφέρει τὸν ἄνδρα, καὶ σύνδουλον ἀνωτέρω καλεῖ, καὶ ἐνταῦθα δοῦλον. Ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν, φησίν· ὡς πρὸς μητέρα διαλεγόμενος, καὶ λέγων· Ὁ ἐκ τῆς γαστρὸς τῆς σῆς. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο φθόνον ἂν ἔτεκε τὸ ἐγκώμιον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπὸ τούτων αὐτὸν συνίστησι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν πρὸς αὐτούς· καὶ ἐκεῖ φθόνον λύει, καὶ ἐνταῦθα. Πάντοτε, φησὶν, ἀγωνιζόμενος ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν· οὐ νῦν μόνον παρ' ἡμῖν, ὥστε ἐπιδείξασθαι, οὐδὲ παρ' ὑμῖν μόνον, ὥστε ὑμῖν ἐπιδείξασθαι. Μεγάλην προθυμίαν ἔδειξε τῷ εἰπεῖν. Ἀγωνιζόμενος. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ κολακεύειν αὐτοὺς, ἐπήγαγεν, ὅτι Ζῆλον ἔχει πολὺν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ, καὶ τῶν ἐν Ἱεραπόλει. Καὶ τὸ, Ἵνα στῆτε τέλειοι, καὶ τοῦτο οὐ κολακείας, ἀλλ' αἰδεσίμου διδασκάλου Καὶ πεπληρωμένοι, φησὶ, καὶ τέλειοι. Τὸ μὲν ἔδωκε, τὸ δὲ εἶπεν ὑστερεῖν. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἵνα μὴ σαλεύησθε, ἀλλ', Ἵνα στῆτε. Τὸ μέντοι παρὰ πολλῶν ἀσπάζεσθαι αὐτοὺς, ἀνακτᾶται αὐτοὺς, ὅταν μὴ μόνον οἱ οἰκεῖοι ἐξ αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτεροι αὐτῶν μνημονεύωσι. Καὶ εἴπατε Ἀρχίππῳ· Βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν, ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν Κυρίῳ. Μάλιστα αὐτοὺς αὐτῷ ὑποτάττει. Οὐκέτι γὰρ ἂν ἔχοιεν ἐγκαλεῖν ἐκείνῳ ἐπιτιμῶντι αὐτοὺς, ὅταν αὐτοὶ ὦσιν ἀναδεδεγμένοι τὸ πᾶν· ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔχει λόγον τοῖς μαθηταῖς περὶ τοῦ διδασκάλου λέγειν. Ἀλλ' ἐπιστομίζων αὐτοὺς, ταῦτα γράφει. Εἴπατε, φησὶν, Ἀρχίππῳ Βλέπε. Φοβοῦντός ἐστι τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα πανταχοῦ, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ· Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας· Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς ἔσται ὁ συλαγωγῶν· Βλέπετε μή πως ἡ ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη πρόσκομμα γένηται τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσι. Καὶ πανταχοῦ οὕτω φησὶν ὅταν φοβῇ. Βλέπε, φησὶ, τὴν διακονίαν, ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς. Οὐδὲ ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν κύριον εἶναι, καθάπερ αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν· Εἰ γὰρ ἑκὼν τοῦτο πράσσω, μισθὸν ἔχω· εἰ δὲ ἄκων, οἰκονομίαν πεπίστευμαι. Ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς· διηνεκῶς κεχρημένος σπουδῇ. Ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν Κυρίῳ. Πά 62.383 λιν τὸ, Ἐν, διὰ Κυρίου, ἐστίν· Αὐτός σοι ἔδωκεν, οὐχ ἡμεῖς. Κἀκείνους ὑποτάττει αὐτῷ, τῷ δεικνύειν παρὰ Θεοῦ αὐτοὺς ἐγκεχειρισμένον· Μνημονεύετέ μου τῶν δεσμῶν. Ἡ χάρις μεθ' ὑμῶν. Ἀμήν. Τὸν φόβον ἔλυσεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ διδάσκαλος ἐν δεσμοῖς, ἀλλ' ἡ χάρις αὐτὸν λύει. Καὶ τοῦτο τῆς χάριτος τὸ συγχωρεῖν αὐτὸν δεθῆναι· ἄκουε γὰρ τοῦ Λουκᾶ λέγοντος, ὅτι Ὑπέστρεφον οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου χαίροντες ὅτι κατηξιώθησαν