195

that he may not despair, and calls the weak one a servant, saying: Who are you to judge another's servant? And here again he subtly attacks him. For it is not because he does things worthy of not being judged that I command you not to judge, but because he is another's servant, that is, not yours, but God's. Then, comforting him again, he did not say, He falls, but what? He stands or falls. And whether it is this, or whether it is that, both these things matter to the Master; for the loss tends thither, when he has fallen, just as indeed does the wealth, 60.630 when he is standing. But these things, if we do not again perceive the purpose of Paul, who wants them not to be rebuked before the proper time, are very unworthy of the care befitting Christians. But as I always say, one must examine the mind with which a thing is said, and the subject about which it is said, and what he is striving to achieve in saying it. And he did not turn him away without cause, by saying this. For if God, he says, who endures the loss, does nothing for the time being, how would you not be untimely and meddlesome beyond measure, throttling him and annoying him? One man indeed judges a day above another day, but another man judges every day. But here he seems to me to be gently alluding also to fasting. For it is likely that some of those who fast constantly judge those who do not fast; or also in observances, it is likely that there are some who abstain on appointed days, and observe appointed days; for which reason he also said, Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. For in this way he both released the fear of those who observe, saying that the matter is indifferent, and he took away the contentiousness of those who vehemently attack them, showing that it is not a matter of great concern to trouble them continually about these things. But not a matter of great concern, not according to its own nature, but according to the time, and because they were recent converts in the faith. Since when writing to the Colossians, he forbids this with much earnestness, saying: See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ; and again, Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink; and, Let no one disqualify you. And when writing to the Galatians, he demands from them with great exactness the wisdom and perfection in such matters. But here he does not use this tone, because the faith was newly planted among them. Let us not then apply to everything the saying, Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. For when the discussion is about dogmas, hear what he says: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, even if he were an angel, let him be accursed; and again, But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve, so your minds may be corrupted. And writing to the Philippians he said: Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil workers, look out for the mutilation. But among the Romans, since it was not yet the time to correct such things, Let every man, he says, be fully persuaded in his own mind. For the discussion was about fasting, and therefore, putting down their arrogance, and releasing the fear of these others, he said these things. He who regards the day, regards it for the Lord; and he who does not regard the day, for the Lord he does not regard it. And he who eats, eats for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who does not eat, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. He still holds to the same things. What he says is something like this: The matter is not about essentials; for what is sought is whether both this one and that one act for God's sake, if both end in thanksgiving. For both that one and this one give thanks to God. If, then, both give thanks, the difference is not great. But consider for me how here also he subtly strikes the Judaizer. For if the 60.631 thing sought is to give thanks, it is very clear that it is the one who eats who gives thanks, not the one who does not eat. For how could he, still holding to the law? Which is what he also said to the Galatians: You who are trying to be justified by law have fallen away from grace. But here he alludes to it, but does not reveal it so openly; for it was not yet time; but for now he carries them through, and through what follows he opens it up more. For having said: For none of us lives to himself,

195

ἵνα μὴ ἀπογνῷ, καὶ ἀσθενοῦντα αὐτὸν οἰκέτην καλεῖ, λέγων· Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ πάλιν λανθανόντως αὐτοῦ καθάπτεται. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ ἄξια τοῦ μὴ κρίνεσθαι ποιεῖ, διὰ τοῦτο κελεύω μὴ κρῖναι, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἀλλότριός ἐστιν οἰκέτης, τουτέστιν, οὐ σὸς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἶτα παραμυθούμενος αὐτὸν πάλιν, οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Πίπτει, ἀλλὰ τί; Στήκει ἢ πίπτει. Ἄν τε δὲ τοῦτο, ἄν τε ἐκεῖνο ἦ, τῷ ∆εσπότῃ διαφέρει ταῦτα ἀμφότερα· καὶ γὰρ ἡ ζημία ἐκεῖ τείνει, πεσόντος, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ πλοῦ 60.630 τος, ἑστῶτος. Ταῦτα δὲ, εἰ μὴ τὸν σκοπὸν πάλιν κατίδωμεν τοῦ Παύλου, βουλομένου μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ τοῦ προσήκοντος ἐπιτιμᾶσθαι αὐτοὺς, σφόδρα ἀνάξια τῆς Χριστιανοῖς πρεπούσης κηδεμονίας ἐστίν. Ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἀεὶ λέγω, τὴν γνώμην ἐξετάζειν δεῖ, μεθ' ἧς λέγεται, καὶ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, περὶ ἧς λέγεται, καὶ τί σπουδάζων κατορθῶσαι λέγει. Οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχε δὲ ἐνέτρεψε, τοῦτο εἰπών. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς, φησὶν, ὁ τὴν ζημίαν ὑπομένων, οὐδὲν ποιεῖ τέως, πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴης ἄκαιρος σὺ καὶ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου περίεργος, ἄγχων αὐτὸν καὶ ἐνοχλῶν; Ὃς μὲν κρίνει ἡμέραν παρ' ἡμέραν, ὃς δὲ κρίνει πᾶσαν ἡμέραν. Ἐνταῦθα δέ μοι δοκεῖ ἠρέμα καὶ περὶ νηστείας αἰνίττεσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ εἰκὸς τῶν νηστευόντων τινὰς τοὺς μὴ νηστεύοντας κρίνειν διηνεκῶς· ἢ καὶ ἐν ταῖς παρατηρήσεσιν εἰκὸς εἶναί τινας τοὺς ῥητὰς ἡμέρας ἀπεχομένους, καὶ ῥητὰς ἐχομένους· διὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν, Ἕκαστος τῷ ἰδίῳ νοῒ πληροφορείσθω. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τῶν παρατηρούντων τὸν φόβον ἐξέλυεν, ἀδιάφορον τὸ πρᾶγμα εἶναι λέγων, καὶ τῶν ἐπιτιθεμένων αὐτοῖς σφοδρῶς τὴν φιλονεικίαν ἀνῄρει, δεικνὺς ὅτι καὶ οὐ σφόδρα περισπούδαστον περὶ τούτων ἐνοχλεῖν συνεχῶς. Οὐ σφόδρα δὲ περισπούδαστον, οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν, καὶ διὰ τὸ νεήλυδας εἶναι ἐν τῇ πίστει. Ἐπεὶ Κολοσσαεῦσι γράφων, μετὰ πολλῆς ἀπαγορεύει τοῦτο τῆς σπουδῆς, λέγων· Βλέπετε, μή τις ὑμᾶς ἔσται ὁ συλαγωγῶν διὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης, κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ οὐ κατὰ Χριστόν· καὶ πάλιν, Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ἐν βρώσει, ἢ ἐν πόσει· καὶ, Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω. Καὶ Γαλάταις δὲ ἐπιστέλλων, μετὰ πολλῆς ἀκριβείας ἀπαιτεῖ παρ' αὐτῶν τὴν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις φιλοσοφίαν καὶ τελειότητα. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐ κέχρηται τούτῳ τῷ τόνῳ, διὰ τὸ νεόφυτον εἶναι παρ' αὐτοῖς τὴν πίστιν. Μὴ τοίνυν εἰς πάντα ἕλκωμεν τὸ, Ἕκαστος τῷ ἰδίῳ νοῒ πληροφορείσθω. Ὅταν γὰρ περὶ δογμάτων ὁ λόγος ᾖ, ἄκουσον τί φησιν· Εἴ τις ὑμῖν εὐαγγελίζεται παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, κἂν ἄγγελος ᾖ, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω· καὶ πάλιν, Φοβοῦμαι δὲ, μή πως ὡς ὄφις Εὔαν ἠπάτησεν, οὕτω φθαρῇ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν. Καὶ Φιλιππησίοις δὲ ἐπιστέλλων ἔλεγε· Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας, βλέπετε τοὺς κακοὺς ἐργάτας, βλέπετε τὴν κατατομήν. Παρὰ δὲ Ῥωμαίοις ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἦν τέως καιρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα διορθοῦν, Ἕκαστος, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ νοῒ πληροφορείσθω. Καὶ γὰρ περὶ νηστείας ὁ λόγος ἦν, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων τοίνυν ἀλαζονείαν καθαιρῶν, καὶ τούτων ἐκλύων τὸν φόβον, ταῦτα ἔλεγεν. Ὁ φρονῶν τὴν ἡμέραν, Κυρίῳ φρονεῖ· καὶ ὁ μὴ φρονῶν τὴν ἡμέραν, Κυρίῳ οὐ φρονεῖ. Καὶ ὁ ἐσθίων, Κυρίῳ ἐσθίει· εὐχαριστεῖ γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ· καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων, Κυρίῳ οὐκ ἐσθίει, καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ Θεῷ. Ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἔχεται. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόνἐστιν· Οὐ περὶ τὰ καίρια τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστι· τὸ γὰρ ζητούμενον, εἰ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν καὶ οὗτος κἀκεῖνος ἐργάζεται, εἰ ἀμφότεροι εἰς εὐχαριστίαν τελευτῶσι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖνος καὶ οὗτος εὐχαριστοῦσι τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀμφότεροι εὐχαριστοῦσιν, οὐ πολὺ τὸ μέσον. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει πῶς καὶ ἐνταῦθα πλήττει λανθανόντως τὸν ἰουδαΐζοντα. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ 60.631 ζητούμενον τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ εὐχαριστεῖν, εὔδηλον ὅτι ὁ ἐσθίων οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ εὐχαριστῶν, οὐχ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων. Πῶς γὰρ, ἔτι τοῦ νόμου ἐχόμενος; Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ πρὸς Γαλάτας ἔλεγεν· Οἵτινες ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦσθε, τῆς χάριτος ἐξεπέσετε. Ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα αἰνίττεται μὲν αὐτὸ, οὐκ ἀνακαλύπτει δὲ αὐτὸ οὕτως· οὔπω γὰρ ἦν καιρός· ἀλλὰ τέως διαβαστάζει, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς αὐτὸ παρανοίγει μᾶλλον. Εἰπὼν γάρ· Οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἡμῶν ἑαυτῷ ζῇ,