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75

hearing, we dare. The fear of the master is always before their eyes; but this is never before ours. Because of this, everything has been turned upside down, everything is confused and corrupted; and we ourselves do not even take into account the things we have sinned, but when our servants sin, we examine everything with precision, even the smallest things. I say these things, not wishing to make the servants supine, but to turn our own supineness, to arouse our indolence, so that we might at least serve God as our servants serve us, thus serve the one who made us, as those of the same substance serve us, though having nothing of the sort from us. These are also free by nature; "Let them have dominion over the fish," was said to them also. This slavery is not of nature, but is of cause and circumstance; but nevertheless they show us great honor. But we lay tasks on them with all precision for the sake of our service; but to God we do not provide even the smallest part, and this though the benefit returns to us. For the more earnestly we serve God, the more we will benefit ourselves, and we ourselves will gain more. Let us not deprive ourselves of so great a benefit; for God is self-sufficient and in need of nothing, but the reward and the profit return to us. Therefore, as serving not God, but ourselves, let us be so disposed, I beseech you, and let us serve him with fear and trembling, that we may obtain the promised good things in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 17. 62.591 These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and does not

consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, from which comes envy, strife, railings,

evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world; it is evident that

we can carry nothing out. 1. The teacher needs not only authority, but also much gentleness, just as not only gentleness, but also authority. And the blessed Paul teaches all these things, at one time saying, "These things command and teach," and at another, "These things teach and exhort." For if physicians exhort the sick, not so that they themselves may attain health, but that they may deliver them from sickness and raise them up when they are down; much more should we use this manner towards those who are taught, by exhorting them. For the blessed Paul does not refuse to be their servant, saying: "For we preach not ourselves," he says, "but Christ Jesus, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake;" and again, "All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos." And he serves this servitude with readiness; for it is not servitude, but better than freedom. For he is the servant, he says, who commits sin. If any man teach otherwise, and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is puffed up, knowing nothing. It is not then from knowing that the

75

ἀκούοντος, τολμῶμεν. Φόβος ὁ τοῦ δεσπότου πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐκείνων διαπαντός· ἡμῶν δὲ οὗτος οὐδέποτε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πάντα ἄνω καὶ κάτω γέγονε, πάντα συγκέχυται καὶ διέφθαρται· καὶ αὐτοὶ μὲν οὐδὲ εἰς νοῦν λαμβάνομεν τὰ ἡμαρτημένα ἡμῖν, τῶν δὲ οἰκετῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτανόντων μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἅπαντα ἐξετάζομεν, καὶ τὰ μικρότατα. Ταῦτα λέγω, οὐχὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας ὑπτίους ποιῆσαι βουλόμενος, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἡμέτερον ὕπτιον ἐπιστρέψαι, τὸ ῥᾴθυμον διεγεῖραι, ἵνα κἂν οὕτω δουλεύωμεν τῷ Θεῷ, ὡς ἡμῖν οἱ οἰκέται, οὕτω τῷ πεποιηκότι ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἡμῖν οἱ ὁμοούσιοι, καὶ μηδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔχοντες παρ' ἡμῶν. Ἐλεύθεροι τῇ φύσει καὶ οὗτοί εἰσιν· Ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων, καὶ τούτοις εἴρηται. Οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη φύσεως ἡ δουλεία, ἀλλ' αἰτίας ἐστὶ καὶ περιστάσεως· ἀλλ' ὅμως πολλὴν ἡμῖν παρέχουσι τὴν τιμήν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τούτοις μὲν μετὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας ἐπιτιθέμεθα τῆς ἡμετέρας ἕνεκεν διακονίας· τῷ δὲ Θεῷ οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν παρέχομεν μέρος, καὶ ταῦτα πάλιν εἰς ἡμᾶς στρεφομένης τῆς ὠφελείας. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἂν σπουδαιότερον δουλεύσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς ὀνήσομεν, καὶ αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον κερδανοῦμεν. Μὴ δὴ τοσαύτης ἀποστερήσωμεν ὠφελείας ἡμᾶς αὐτούς· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Θεὸς αὐτάρκης ἐστὶ καὶ ἀνενδεὴς, ἡ δὲ ἀμοιβὴ καὶ τὸ κέρδος πάλιν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀνατρέχει. Ὡς οὖν οὐ τὸν Θεὸν θεραπεύοντες, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς, οὕτω διακεώμεθα, παρακαλῶ, καὶ δουλεύσωμεν αὐτῷ μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου, ἵνα τύχωμεν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΖʹ. 62.591 Ταῦτα δίδασκε καὶ παρακάλει. Εἴ τις ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ, καὶ μὴ

προσέρχεται ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις τοῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τῇ κατ' εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλίᾳ, τετύφωται, μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος, ἀλλὰ νοσῶν περὶζητήσεις καὶ λογομαχίας, ἐξ ὧν γίνεται φθόνος, ἔρις, βλασφημίαι,

ὑπόνοιαι πονηραὶ, διαπα ρατριβαὶ διεφθαρμένων ἀνθρώπων τὸν νοῦν, καὶ ἀπεστερημένων τῆς ἀληθείας, νομιζόντων πορισμὸν εἶναι τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Ἀφίστασο ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων. Ἔστι δὲ πορισμὸς μέγας ἡ εὐσέβεια μετὰ αὐταρκείας. Οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον· δῆλον ὅτι

οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα. αʹ. Οὐκ αὐθεντίας δεῖ τῷ διδασκάλῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσηνείας πολλῆς, ὥσπερ οὐ προσηνείας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐθεντίας. Καὶ ταῦτα πάντα διδάσκει ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, ποτὲ μὲν λέγων· Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε, ποτὲ δὲ, Ταῦτα δίδασκε καὶ παρακάλει. Εἰ γὰρ ἰατροὶ τοὺς κάμνοντας παρακαλοῦσιν, οὐχ ἵνα αὐτοὶ τῆς ὑγείας ἐπιτύχωσιν, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐκείνους ἀπαλλάξωσι τῆς ἀσθενείας καὶ κειμένους ἀναστήσωσι· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς τούτῳ πρὸς τοὺς διδασκομένους τῷ ἤθει κεχρῆσθαι χρὴ παρακαλοῦντας. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δοῦλος αὐτῶν εἶναι παραιτεῖται ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, λέγων· Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς κηρύσσομεν, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ δούλους ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦν· καὶ πάλιν, Πάντα ὑμῶν ἐστιν, εἴτε Παῦλος, εἴτε Ἀπολλώς. Καὶ δουλεύει τὴν δουλείαν ταύτην μετὰ προθυμίας· οὐ γάρ ἐστι δουλεία, ἀλλ' ἐλευθερίας βελτίων. Ἐκεῖνος γάρ ἐστι, φησὶ, δοῦλος ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Εἴ τις ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ, καὶ μὴ προσέρχεται ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις τοῖς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τῇ κατ' εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλίᾳ, τετύφωται, μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος. Οὐκ ἄρα ἐκ τοῦ εἰδέναι τὸ εἰς