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in the present life we shall find rest, and in the age to come we shall enjoy all good things, through grace and love for mankind, and what follows.
HOMILY XXI.
For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same
function; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members of one another. 1. Again he has used the same example which he also used to the Corinthians, repressing this same passion. For great is the power of the medicine, and the force of this example, to correct the disease of arrogance. For on what account, he says, are you high-minded? or why again does another debase himself? are we not all one body, both great and small? When therefore in the main point we are one, and members of one another, why do you rend yourself by arrogance? why are you ashamed of your brother? For as he is your member, so are you also his; and great also in this is the equality of honor. For he has set down two things sufficient to take down their arrogance: both that we are members of one another, not the small of the great only, but also the great of the lesser; and that we are all one body. Or rather even three; for he also showed the gift which was given to be one. Therefore be not high-minded; for it was given to you by God, you did not take it, nor find it. For this reason also, when touching upon the gifts, he did not say, that "One received greater, another less," but what? "Differing." For "having," he says, "gifts," not "greater and less," but "differing." For what if you were not enjoined the same things, yet the body is the same? And beginning from a spiritual gift, he ends with a right action. For having mentioned prophecy and ministry and such things, he ended with almsgiving and diligence and helping. For since it was likely that some were virtuous, but did not have prophecy, he shows that this too is a gift, and much greater than that one, as he showed in the Epistle to the Co 60.602 rinthians; and so much greater, in that the one has a reward, but the other is deprived of recompense; for it is entirely a free gift and grace. For this reason he says; "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, according to the proportion of faith." For since he had sufficiently comforted them, he wishes also to make them earnest, and to render them more diligent, showing that they themselves provide the occasions for receiving greater or lesser gifts. For he says that it is given by God; as when he says, "To every man as God has dealt the measure of faith;" and again, "According to the grace that is given to us;" in order to subdue the proud. But he also says that the beginnings came from themselves, in order to rouse up the slothful; which he also does in the Epistle to the Corinthians, setting both these things in motion. For when he says, "Covet earnestly the gifts," he shows that they themselves are also causes of the difference of the things given; but when he says, "But all these things works that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will," he establishes this point, that those who have received ought not to be lifted up, from all quarters comforting their passion; which indeed he also does here. And again, rousing up those who have become remiss, he says, "Whether prophecy, according to the proportion of faith." For even if it is grace, yet it is not poured forth simply, but taking the measures from those who receive it, it flows in to such a degree, as it may find the vessel of faith brought to it. "Or ministry, in ministering." Here he lays down a general matter. For apostleship is also called a ministry; and every good spiritual work, a ministry. For it is also the name of a particular stewardship; here, 60.603 however, it is spoken of generally. "Or he that teaches, on teaching." See how he sets them down indifferently, the lesser first, and the greater afterward; again teaching this same thing, not to be puffed up nor lifted up. "Or he that exhorts, on exhortation." And this is a kind of teaching. For "If you have any word of exhortation," he says, "for the people"
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παρόντι βίῳ ἀνάπαυσιν εὑρήσομεν, καὶ κατὰ τὸν μέλλοντα αἰῶνα πάντων ἀπολαύσομεν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.
ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΑʹ.
Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι μέλη πολλὰ ἔχομεν, τὰ δὲ μέλη πάντα οὐ τὴν
αὐτὴν ἔχει πρᾶξιν· οὕτως οἱ πολλοὶ ἓν σῶμά ἐσμεν ἐν Χριστῷ, ὁ δὲ καθ' εἷς, ἀλλήλων μέλη. αʹ. Πάλιν τῷ αὐτῷ ὑποδείγματι κέχρηται, ᾧ καὶ πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐχρήσατο, τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο καταστέλλων πάθος. Καὶ γὰρ μεγάλη τοῦ φαρμάκου ἡ δύναμις, καὶ τοῦ παραδείγματος ἡ ἰσχὺς τούτου, εἰς τὸ διορθῶσαι τὸ τῆς ἀπονοίας νόσημα. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν σὺ μεγάλα φρονεῖς, φησίν; ἢ διὰ τί πάλιν ἕτερος ἑαυτὸν ἐξευτελίζει; οὐχὶ σῶμά ἐσμεν ἅπαντες ἓν, καὶ μεγάλοι καὶ μικροί; Ὅταν οὖν κατὰ τὸ κεφάλαιον ἓν ὦμεν καὶ ἀλλήλων μέλη, τί τῇ ἀπονοίᾳ σχίζεις σαυτόν; τί ἐπαισχύνῃ τὸν ἀδελφόν; Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνός σου μέλος, οὕτω κἀκείνου σύ· καὶ πολλὴ καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο ἡ ὁμοτιμία. ∆ύο γὰρ ἱκανὰ καθελεῖν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπόνοιαν τέθεικε· καὶ ὅτι ἀλλήλων ἐσμὲν μέλη, οὐχ ὁ μικρὸς τοῦ μεγάλου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ μέγας τοῦ ἐλάττονος, καὶ ὅτι ἕν ἐσμεν ἅπαντες σῶμα· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τρία· καὶ γὰρ καὶ χάρισμα ἔδειξεν ἓν ὂν τὸ δοθέν. Μὴ τοίνυν μέγα φρόνει· ἐδόθη γάρ σοι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐ σὺ ἔλαβες, οὐδὲ εὗρες. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῶν χαρισμάτων ἁπτόμενος, οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ὁ μὲν μεῖζον, ὁ δὲ ἔλαττον ἔλαβεν, ἀλλὰ τί; ∆ιάφορον. Ἔχοντες γὰρ, φησὶ, χαρίσματα, οὐ μείζονα καὶ ἐλάττονα, ἀλλὰ διάφορα. Τί γὰρ, εἰ μὴ καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐπετάγης, ἀλλὰ τὸ σῶμα τὸ αὐτό ἐστι; Καὶ ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ χαρίσματος, εἰς κατόρθωμα λήγει. Εἰπὼν γὰρ προφητείαν καὶ διακονίαν καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, κατέληξεν εἰς ἐλεημοσύνην καὶ σπουδὴν καὶ ἀντίληψιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν τινας ἐναρέτους μὲν εἶναι, μὴ ἔχειν δὲ προφητείαν, δείκνυσιν ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο τὸ χάρισμα, καὶ πολλῷ μεῖζον ἐκείνου, ὥσπερ ἔδειξεν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κο 60.602 ρινθίους· καὶ τοσούτῳ μεῖζον, ὅσῳ τὸ μὲν ἔχει μισθὸν, τὸ δὲ ἐστέρηται ἀμοιβῆς· ὅλον γὰρ δωρεὰ καὶ χάρις ἐστί. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησιν· Ἔχοντες δὲ χαρίσματα κατὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν διάφορα, εἴτε προφητείαν κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἱκανῶς αὐτοὺς παρεμυθήσατο, βούλεται καὶ ἐναγωνίους ποιῆσαι, καὶ σπουδαιοτέρους ἐργάσασθαι, δεικνὺς ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὰς ἀφορμὰς παρέχουσι τοῦ μείζονα, ἢ ἐλάττονα λαβεῖν. Λέγει μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ δεδόσθαι· ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ, Ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἐμέρισε μέτρον πίστεως· καὶ πάλιν, Κατὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν· ἵνα καταστείλῃ τοὺς ὑπερηφάνους. Λέγει δὲ καὶ παρ' αὐτῶν τὰς ἀρχὰς γεγενῆσθαι, ἵνα διεγείρῃ τοὺς ῥᾳθύμους· ὃ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους ποιεῖ, ἀμφότερα ταῦτα κινῶν. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ λέγῃ, Ζηλοῦτε τὰ χαρίσματα, δείκνυσι καὶ αὐτοὺς ὄντας αἰτίους τῆς διαφορᾶς τῶν διδομένων· ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ, Πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται, ἐκεῖνο κατασκευάζει, τὸ μὴ δεῖν ἐπαίρεσθαι τοὺς εἰληφότας, πάντοθεν παραμυθούμενος αὐτῶν τὸ πάθος· ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ποιεῖ. Καὶ πάλιν τοὺς ἀναπεπτωκότας διεγείρων φησὶν, Εἴτε προφητείαν, κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χάρις ἐστὶν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐκχεῖται, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέτρα παρὰ τῶν δεχομένων λαμβάνουσα, τοσοῦτον ἐπιῤῥεῖ, ὅσον ἂν εὕρῃ σκεῦος πίστεως αὐτῇ προσενεχθέν. Εἴτε διακονίαν, ἐν τῇ διακονίᾳ. Καθολικὸν πρᾶγμα ἐνταῦθα τίθησι. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἀποστολὴ διακονία λέγεται· καὶ πᾶν ἀγαθὸν πνευματικὸν ἔργον, διακονία. Ἔστι μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἰδικῆς οἰκονομίας ὄνομα τοῦτο· ἐνταῦθα 60.603 μέντοι καθολικῶς εἴρηται. Εἴτε ὁ διδάσκων, ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Ὅρα πῶς ἀδιαφόρως αὐτὰ τίθησι, τὸ μικρὸν πρῶτον, καὶ τὸ μέγα ὕστερον· πάλιν τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο παιδεύων, τὸ μὴ φυσᾶσθαι μηδὲ ἐπαίρεσθαι. Εἴτε ὁ παρακαλῶν, ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει. Καὶ τοῦτο διδασκαλίας εἶδος. Εἰ γάρ ἐστιν ἐν ὑμῖν λόγος παρακλήσεως, φησὶ, πρὸς τὸν λαὸν