John Chrysostom, On the Letter to the Ephesians

members, let no one deceive his neighbor; what the Psalmist says everywhere: Deceitful lips in the heart, and in the heart he has spoken evil things. For there is not, there is not anything so productive of enmity, as to deceive and to mislead. See how everywhere he urges them by the example of the body. Let not the eye, he says, lie to the foot, nor the foot to the eye. 62.100 For instance, if there is a deep pit, and then reeds are spread on the ground from above, and covered by earth, giving to the eyes the appearance of solid ground on the surface, will it not use the foot, and know whether it is empty and void below, or offers resistance and is solid? does the foot lie, but does it not report what is? And what? if the eye should see a snake, or a wild beast, does it lie to the foot? Does it not immediately report, and that one, having learned from it, no longer goes forward. And what? when neither the eye nor the foot can discern, but the whole matter belongs to the sense of smell, for instance whether a drug is poisonous or not, does the sense of smell lie to the mouth? By no means. Why? For it destroys itself as well; but it says what presents itself to it. And what? Does the tongue lie to the stomach? Does it not reject this where it is bitter, but if it is sweet, send it on? See the ministry and recompense of service; see the providence born of truth, and zealously, as one might say. So then let us also not lie, if we are members of one another. This is a proof of friendship, and the opposite, of enmity. What then, if 62.101 he plots against me, he says? Learn the truth; for if he plots against you, he is not a member. But he said, Lie not to the members. Be angry, and do not sin. See his understanding; he both tells us how not to sin, and again he does not abandon those who have disobeyed; for his spiritual compassion does not leave him. For just as the physician prescribes to the sick man what must be done, and yet if he does not submit, he does not despise him, but introducing counsel derived from persuasion, he heals him again, so also does Paul. For the one doing that seeks only his own reputation, and is stung that he was scorned; but he who everywhere seeks the health of the sick person, looks to this one thing only, how he may raise up the one who is lying down. This Paul also does. He said, "Do not lie"; but if ever anger should arise from lying, this too he heals again. For what does he say? Be angry, and do not sin. For it is good not to be angry; but if anyone should ever fall into the passion, let it not be to such a degree. For let not the sun, he says, go down upon your wrath. Do you wish to be filled with anger? One hour is enough for you, and a second, and a third; let not the sun depart leaving you enemies. It rose from goodness, let it not depart having shone upon the unworthy. For if the Master sent it from his great goodness, and he has forgiven you your sins, but you do not forgive your neighbor, see how great the evil is. And another thing with this; the blessed Paul fears the night, lest it find the wronged man in his solitude still inflamed, and kindle the fire anew. For as long as many things distract you during the day, it is possible for you to be sated with anger; but when evening is about to come, be reconciled and extinguish the evil while it is fresh. For if night takes hold, the following day will not be sufficient to extinguish the evil gathered also in the night; but even if you should cut away the greater part, but are unable to do so completely, again it allows from what is left behind for the following night to work a more vehement pyre. And just as, if the sun is not sufficient with its daily heat to soften and disperse the clouded and thickened air from the night, it provides the foundation for a storm, with the night taking hold of the remnant, and again feeding it with other vapors; so it is also with anger. Neither give place to the devil. So that to make war on one another, is to give place to the devil. For when all ought to be fenced in together, and to stand against him, we, having dissolved our enmity toward him, direct it to be turned against one another. For the devil never has such a place, as in enmities. 2. Countless evils are born from this. And just as so long as stones are well-fitted, and have no gap, they stand unbreakable; but if the piercing of a single needle

μέλη, μηδεὶς ἀπατάτω τὸν πλησίον· ὅ φησιν ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς ἄνω καὶ κάτω· Χείλη δόλια ἐν καρδίᾳ, καὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἐλάλησε κακά. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲν οὕτως ἔχθραν ποιοῦν, ὡς τὸ ἀπατᾷν καὶ παραλογίζεσθαι. Ὅρα πῶς πανταχοῦ αὐτοὺς δυσωπεῖ διὰ τοῦ σώματος. Μὴ ψευδέσθω, φησὶν, ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς τὸν πόδα, μηδὲ ὁ ποῦς τὸν ὀφθαλ 62.100 μόν. Οἷον, ἐὰν βαθὺ ὄρυγμα ᾖ, εἶτα ἄνωθεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καλάμων διακειμένων, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς γῆς κεκαλυμμένων, ἐν τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ στερεᾶς γῆς παρέχῃ δόξαν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, οὐχὶ τῷ ποδὶ χρήσεται, καὶ εἴσεται πότερον εἰκῆ καὶ διάκενόν ἐστι κάτω, ἢ ἀντερείδει καὶ ἀντιτυπεῖ; μὴ ψεύδεται ὁ ποῦς, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀπαγγέλλει; Τὶ δέ; εἰ ὄφιν ἴδοι ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς, ἢ θηρίον, μὴ ψεύδεται τὸν πόδα; οὐκ εὐθέως ἀπαγγέλλει, κἀκεῖνος παρ' αὐτοῦ μαθὼν, οὐκέτι ἐπέρχεται. Τί δέ; ὅταν μήτε ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς, μήτε ὁ ποῦς εὕρῃ διαγνῶναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ πᾶν τῆς ὀσφρήσεως ᾖ, οἷον πότερον δηλητήριον φάρμακον, ἢ οὒ, μὴ ψεύδεται ἡ ὄσφρησις τὸ στόμα; Οὐδαμῶς. ∆ιὰ τί; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἑαυτὴν προσαπόλλυσιν· ἀλλ' ὅπερ αὐτῇ παρίσταται, λέγει. Τί δέ; ἡ γλῶσσα μὴ ψεύδεται τὸν στόμαχον; οὐκ ἔνθα μὲν πικρὸν ᾖ, τοῦτο ῥίπτει, ἂν δὲ γλυκὺ, παραπέμπει; Ὅρα διακονίαν καὶ δουλείας ἀντίδοσιν· ὅρα πρόνοιαν ἐξ ἀληθείας γεγενημένην, καὶ ἐκθύμως, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς μὴ ψευδώμεθα, εἰ ἀλλήλων μέλη ἐσμέν. Τοῦτο φιλίας τεκμήριον, τὸ δὲ ἐναντίον ἔχθρας. Τί οὖν, ἂν 62.101 ἐπιβουλεύῃ, φησί; Τὸ ἀληθὲς μάθε· ἂν γὰρ ἐπιβουλεύῃ, οὐκ ἔστι μέλος. Εἶπε δὲ, Μὴ ψεύδεσθε πρὸς τὰ μέλη. Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε. Ὅρα σύνεσιν· καὶ λέγει ὅπως μὴ ἁμαρτήσωμεν, καὶ παρακούσαντας πάλιν οὐκ ἐγκαταλιμπάνει· οὐ γὰρ ἀφίησιν αὐτοῦ τὰ σπλάγχνα τὰ πνευματικά. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὁ ἰατρὸς διαγορεύει μὲν τὰ πρακτέα τῷ κάμνοντι, καὶ μὴ ἀνασχομένου δὲ ὅμως οὐ καταφρονεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς πειθοῦς εἰσάγων συμβουλὴν, θεραπεύει πάλιν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνο ποιῶν, τὴν δόξαν μόνον ζητεῖ, καὶ ὅτι κατεφρονήθη δάκνεται· ὁ δὲ πανταχοῦ τὴν ὑγείαν τοῦ κάμνοντος ἐπιζητῶν, πρὸς ἓν τοῦτο μόνον ὁρᾷ, ὅπως ἀναστήσῃ τὸν κείμενον. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ποιεῖ. Εἶπε, Μὴ ψεύδεσθε· εἰ δέ ποτε γένοιτο ἀπὸ ψεύδους ὀργὴ, καὶ τοῦτο θεραπεύει πάλιν. Τί γάρ φησιν; Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε. Καλὸν μὲν γὰρ τὸ μὴ ὀργίζεσθαι· εἰ δέ τις ἐμπέσοι ποτὲ εἰς τὸ πάθος, ἀλλὰ μὴ εἰς τοσοῦτον. Ὁ ἥλιος γὰρ, φησὶ, μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν. Βούλει τῆς ὀργῆς ἐμπλησθῆναι; ἀρκεῖ σοι μία ὥρα καὶ δευτέρα καὶ τρίτη· μὴ καταλιπὼν ἐχθροὺς ὑμᾶς ὁ ἥλιος ἀπέλθοι. Ἀπὸ ἀγαθότητος ἀνέτειλε, μὴ ἀπερχέσθω εἰς ἀναξίους λάμψας. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ ∆εσπότης αὐτὸν ἀπὸ πολλῆς ἀγαθότητος ἔπεμψε, καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἀφῆκέ σοι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, σὺ δὲ τῷ πλησίον οὐκ ἀφίης, ὅρα πόσον τὸ κακόν. Καὶ ἄλλο δὲ μετὰ τούτου· δέδοικε τὴν νύκτα ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, μὴ λαβοῦσα ἐπ' ἐρημίας τὸν ἠδικημένον ἔτι φλεγμαίνοντα, ἀνακαύσῃ τὸ πῦρ. Ἕως μὲν γὰρ ἂν πολλὰ ἐκκρούῃ, τῆς ἡμέρας οὔσης, ἔξεστί σοι ἐμφορεῖσθαι· ὅταν δὲ μέλλοι ἑσπέρα γίνεσθαι, καταλλάττου καὶ πρόσφατον σβέσον τὸ κακόν. Ἂν γὰρ νὺξ ἐπιλάβηται, οὐκ ἀρκέσει ἡ μετὰ ταῦτα ἡμέρα τὸ συναχθὲν καὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ σβέσαι κακόν· ἀλλὰ κἂν τὸ πλέον ὑποτέμῃς, τὸ δὲ ὅλον μὴ δυνηθῇς, πάλιν δίδωσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑπολειφθέντος τῇ ἐπιούσῃ νυκτὶ σφοδροτέραν ἐργάσασθαι τὴν πυράν. Καὶ καθάπερ ὁ ἥλιος, ἂν τὸ νεφωθὲν καὶ πυκνωθὲν τοῦ ἀέρος διὰ τῆς νυκτὸς μὴ ἀρκέσῃ τῇ καθημερινῇ μαλάξαι καὶ διασκεδάσαι θέρμῃ, ὑπόθεσιν χειμῶνος παρέχεται, τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπιλαβομένης τοῦ λειψάνου, καὶ πάλιν αὐτὸ τρεφούσης ἑτέροις ἀτμοῖς· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ὀργῆς. Μήτε δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ. Ὥστε τὸ ἀλλήλους πολεμεῖν, τόπον ἐστὶ δοῦναι τῷ διαβόλῳ. ∆έον γὰρ πάντας συμπεφράχθαι, καὶ κατ' ἐκείνου ἵστασθαι, ἐκλύσαντες ἡμεῖς τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἔχθραν, ἐπ' ἀλλήλους κελεύομεν τρέπεσθαι. Οὐδέποτε γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει τόπον ὁ διάβολος, ὡς ἐν ταῖς ἔχθραις. βʹ. Τὰ μυρία ἐντεῦθεν κακὰ τίκτεται. Καὶ καθάπερ ἕως μὲν ἂν ὦσιν ἡρμοσμένοι λίθοι, καὶ μηδὲν διάκενον ἔχοντες, ἑστήκασιν ἀῤῥαγεῖς· ἂν δὲ βελόνης μόνης διάτρησιν