Homily IX.

Philippians ii. 19–21

“But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will care truly for your state. For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.”

He had said, “have fallen out unto the progress of the Gospel; so that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole prætorian guard.” (Philip. i. 12, 13.) Again, “Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith.” (Philip. ii. 17.) By these words he strengthened them. Perchance they might suspect that his former words were spoken just to comfort them. What then? “I send Timothy unto you,” says he; for they desired to hear all things that concerned him. And wherefore said he not, “that ye may know my state,” but, “that I may know yours”? Because Epaphroditus would have reported his state before the arrival of Timothy. Wherefore further on he says, “But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother (Philip. ii. 25.); but I wish to learn of your affairs. For it is likely that he had remained long time with Paul through his bodily weakness. So that he says, I wish to “know your state.” See then how he refers everything to Christ, even the mission of Timothy, saying, “I hope in the Lord Jesus,” that is, I am confident that God will facilitate this for me, that I too may be of good courage, when I know your state. As I refreshed you when ye heard the very things of me which ye had prayed for, that the Gospel had advanced, that its enemies were put to shame, that the means by which they thought to injure, rather made me rejoice; thus too do I wish to learn of your affairs, that I too may be of good courage when I know your state. Here he shows that they ought to rejoice for his bonds, and to be conformed to them, for they begat in him great pleasure; for the words, “that I too may be of good comfort,” imply, just as you are.

Oh, what longing had he toward Macedonia! He testifies the same to the Thessalonians, as when he says, “But we, brethren, being bereaved of133    ἀπορφανισθέντες. you for a short season,” &c. (1 Thess. ii. 17.) And here he says, “I hope to send Timothy” that I may “know your state,” which is a proof of excessive care: for when he could not himself be with them, he sent his disciples, as he could not endure to remain, even for a little time, in ignorance of their state. For he did not learn all things by revelation of the Spirit, and for this we can see some reason; for if the disciples had believed that it were so, they would have lost all sense of shame,134    He means that if they thought he knew their exact condition by revelation, they would lose a motive for improvement, in the hope of standing well in his eyes. Such motives are of course still a part of our moral education. but now from expectation of concealment, they were more easily corrected. In a high degree did he call their attention by saying, “that I too may be of good comfort,” and rendered them more zealous, so that, when Timothy came he might not find any other state of things, and report it to him. He seems to have acted in like sort in his own person, when he delayed his coming to the Corinthians, that they might repent; wherefore he wrote, “to spare you I forbare to come to Corinth.” (2 Cor. i. 23.) For his love was manifested not simply in reporting his own state, but in his desire to learn of theirs; for this is the part of a soul which has a care of others, which takes thought for them, which is always wrestling for them.

At the same time too, he honors them by sending Timothy. “What sayest thou? dost thou send Timothy? and wherefore?” Because “I have no one likeminded”; that is, none of those whose care is like mine, none who “will care truly for you.” (Philip. ii. 20.) Had he then no one of those who were with him? No one likeminded, that is, who has yearnings and takes thought for you as I do. No one would lightly choose, he means, to make so long a journey for this purpose. Timothy is the one with me who loves you.135    Or, “the one who loves you with me,” i.e. “as I.” For I might have sent others, but there was none like him. This then is that likemindedness, to love the disciples as the master loves them. “Who,” says he, “will truly care for you,” that is, as a father. “For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ” (Philip. ii. 21.), their own comfort, their own safety. This too he writes to Timothy. But why doth he lament such things as these? To teach us his hearers not to fall in like sort, to teach his hearers not to seek for remission from toil; for he who seeks remission from toil, seeks not the things that are Christ’s, but his own. We ought to be prepared against every toil, against every distress.

Ver. 22. “Ye know the proof of him, that as a child serveth a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Gospel.”

And that I speak not at random, “ye yourselves,” he says, “know, that as a child serveth a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Gospel.” He presents then Timothy to them, and with reason, that he might enjoy much honor from them. This too he does when he writes to the Corinthians, and he says, “Let no man therefore despise him, for he worketh the work of the Lord as I also do.” (1 Cor. xvi. 10.) This he said not as caring for him, but for those who receive him, that they might receive a great reward.

Ver. 23. “Him therefore,” he says, “I hope to send forthwith, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me,” that is, when I see where I stand, and what end my affairs will have.

Ver. 24. “But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come to you shortly.”

I am not therefore sending him, as though I myself would not come, but that I may be of good courage when I know your state, that even in the mean time I may not be ignorant of it. “But I trust in the Lord,” says he. See how he makes all things depend on God, and speaks nothing of his own mind. That is, God willing.136    [This has the appearance of rough notes taken in shorthand. The usual editions place this brief sentence before “see,” and thus make a somewhat better connection, but without known ms. authority.—J.A.B.]

Ver. 25. “But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier.”

And him too he sends with the same praises as Timothy, for he commended him on these two points; first, in that he loved them, when he says, “who will care truly for you”; and secondly, in that he had approved himself in the Gospel. And for the same reason, and in the same terms, he praises this man also: and how? By calling him a brother, and a fellow-worker, and not stopping at this point, but also “fellow-soldier,” he showed how he shared in his dangers, and testifies of him the same things which he testifies of himself. For “fellow-soldier” is more than “fellow-worker”; for perchance he gave aid in quiet matters, yet not so in wars and dangers; but in saying “fellow-soldier,” he showed this too.

Ver. 25. “To send to you your messenger, and minister to my needs”; that is, I give you your own, since I send to you him that is your own, or, perhaps, that is your Teacher.137    Referring to the word translated “Messenger,” which is “Apostle,” and may mean “Bishop,” as Theodoret clearly takes it here. In 2 Cor. viii. 23, St. Chrys. understands it “messengers” or “deputies.” Again he adds many things concerning his love, in saying,

Ver. 26, 27. “Since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.”

Here he aims at a farther point, making it manifest, that Epaphroditus too was well aware, how he was beloved of them. And this is no light thing toward loving. You know how he was sick, he says; and he grieved that on his recovery he did not see you, and free you from the grief ye had by reason of his sickness. Here too he gives another reason for sending so late to them, not from any remissness, but he kept Timothy because he had no one else, (for, as he had written, he had “no one likeminded,”) and Epaphroditus because of his sickness. He then shows that this was a long sickness, and had consumed much time, by adding, “for he was sick nigh unto death.” You see how anxious Paul is to cut off from his disciples all occasion of slighting or contempt, and every suspicion that his not coming was because he despised them. For nothing will have such power to draw a disciple toward one, as the persuasion that his superior cares for him, and that he is full of heaviness on his account, for this is the part of exceeding love. Because “ye have heard,” he says, “that he was sick; for he was sick nigh unto death.” And that I am not making an excuse, hear what follows. “But God had mercy on him.” What sayest thou, O heretic? Here it is written, that God’s mercy retained and brought back again him who was on the point of departure. And yet if the world is evil, it is no mercy to leave a man in the evil. Our answer to the heretic is easy, but what shall we say to the Christian? for he perchance will question, and say, “if to depart and to be with Christ is far better,” how saith he that he hath obtained mercy? I would ask why the same Apostle says, that “it is more needful to abide with you”?138    [So Field, with most documents. The altered text has “for you,” “on your account,” as in Philip. i. 24.—J.A.B.] For as it was needful for him, so too for this man, who would hereafter depart to God with more exceeding riches, and greater boldness. Hereafter that would take place, even if it did not now, but the winning souls is at an end for those who have once departed thither. In many places too, Paul speaks according to the common habits of his hearers, and not every where in accordance with his own heavenly wisdom: for he had to speak to men of the world who still feared death. Then he shows how he esteemed Epaphroditus, and thence he gets for him respect, by saying, that his preservation was so useful to himself, that the mercy which had been shown to Epaphroditus reached him also. Moreover, without this the present life is a good; were it not so, why does Paul rank with punishment untimely deaths? as when he says, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and not a few sleep” (1 Cor. xi. 30.); for the future life is not (merely) better than an evil state, since (then) it were not good, but better than a good state.

“Lest I should have,” he says, “sorrow upon sorrow”; sorrow from his death in addition to that which sprung from his sickness. By this he shows how much he prized Epaphroditus.

Ver. 28. “I have sent him therefore the more diligently.” What means “more diligently”? It is, without procrastination, without delay, with much speed, having bidden him lay all aside, and to go to you, that he might be freed from heaviness; for we rejoice not on hearing of the health of those we love, so much as when we see them, and chiefly so when this happens contrary to hope, as it was in the case of Epaphroditus.

“I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.” How “less sorrowful”? Because if ye rejoice, I too rejoice, and he too joys at a pleasure of such sort, and I shall be “less sorrowful.” He said not sorrowless, but “less sorrowful,” to show that his soul never was free from sorrow: for he who said, “Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is made to stumble, and I burn not?” (2 Cor. xi. 29.), when could such an one be free from sorrow? That is, this despondency I now cast off.

Ver. 29. “Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy.”

“In the Lord” either means spiritually and with much zeal, or rather “in the Lord” means God willing. Receive him in a manner worthy of saints, as saints should be received with all joy.

All this he does for their sakes, not for that of his messengers, for greater gain has the doer than the receiver of a good deed. “And such hold in honor,” that is, receive him in a manner worthy of saints.

Ver. 30. “Because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life, to supply that which was lacking in your service towards me.”

This man had been publicly sent by the city of the Philippians, who had come as minister to Paul, and perchance bringing him some contribution, for toward the end of the Epistle he shows that he also brought him money, when he says, “Having received of Epaphroditus the things that came from you.” (Philip. iv. 18.)

It is probable then, that on his arrival at the city of Rome, he found Paul in great and urgent peril, so that those who were accustomed to resort to him were unable safely to do so, but were themselves in peril by their very attendance; which is wont to happen chiefly in very great dangers, and the exceeding wrath of kings, (for when any one has offended the king, and is cast into prison, and is strictly guarded, then even his servants are debarred from access, which probably then befell Paul,) and that Epaphroditus, being of a noble nature, despised all danger, that he might go in unto him, and minister unto him, and do everything which need required. He therefore sets forth two facts, by which he gains for him their respect; the one, that he was in jeopardy well nigh unto death, he says, for my sake; the other, that in so suffering he was representing their city, so that the recompense for that his peril would be accounted to those who sent him, as if the city had sent him as their ambassador, so that a kind reception of him and approval of what he had done may rather be called a participation in the things that he had dared. And he said not, “for my sake,” but obtains the more credit for his words, by saying, “because for the work of God,” since he acted not for my sake, but for God’s sake “he was nigh unto death.” What then? though by the providence of God he died not, yet he himself regarded not his life, and gave himself up to any suffering that might befall him, so as not to remit his attendance on me. And if he gave himself up to death to attend on Paul, much more would he have endured this for the Gospel’s sake. Or rather, this also had been for the Gospel’s sake, even to have died for Paul. For we may bind about our brows the crown of martyrdom, not only by refusing to sacrifice, but such causes as these also make death martyrdom, and if I may say something startling, these latter do so far more than the former. For he who dares to face death for the lesser cause, will much rather for the greater. Let us therefore, when we see the Saints in danger, regard not our life, for it is impossible without daring ever to perform any noble act, but need is that he who takes thought beforehand for his safety here, should fall from that which is to come.

“To supply,” he says, “your lack of service toward me.” What is this? the city was not present, but by sending him, it fulfilled through him all service toward me. He therefore supplied your lack of service, so that for this reason too he deserves to enjoy much honor, since, what ye all should have done, this hath he performed on your behalf. Here he shows that there is also a foregoing service rendered by those in safety to those in danger, for so he speaks of the lack,139    [The word means “a falling behind,” in contrast with something foregoing.—J.A.B.] and the lack of service. Seest thou the spirit of the Apostle? These words spring not from arrogance, but from his great care towards them; for he calls the matter a “service” and a “lack,” that they may not be puffed up, but be moderate, nor think that they have rendered some great thing, but rather be humble-minded.

For we owe the saints a debt, and are not doing them a favor. For as supplies are due by those who are in peace and not engaged in war to such as stand in the army and fight (for these stand on their behoof), thus too is it here. For if Paul had not taught, who would have cast him into prison? Wherefore we ought to minister to the Saints. For is it not absurd to contribute to an earthly king, when engaged in war, all that he wants, as clothing and food, not according to his need alone, but abundantly, whilst to the King of Heaven, when engaged in war, and contending against far more bitter foes (for it is written, “our wrestling is not against flesh and blood”) (Eph. vi. 12.), we will not supply urgent necessity? What folly is this! What ingratitude! What base love of gain! But, as it seems, the fear of man has greater force with us than hell, and the future torments. For this cause, in truth, all things are turned upside down; for political affairs are daily accomplished with much earnestness, and one must not be left behind, whilst of spiritual things there is no account taken at all; but the things which are demanded of us of necessity, and with compulsion, as though we were slaves, and against our wills, are laid down by us with much readiness, while such as are asked from willing minds, and as if from free men, are again deficient. I speak not against all, but against those who are behindhand with these supplies. For might not God have made these contributions compulsory? Yet He would not, for He has more care of you than of those whom you support. Wherefore He would not that you should contribute of necessity, since there is no recompense. And yet many of those who stand here are lower minded140    ταπεινότεροι, in a bad sense. than the Jews. Consider how great things the Jews gave, tithes,141    Lev. xxvii. 30–32. Deut. xiv. 22, 28; xxvi. 12. Of the shekel, see on St. Matt. Hom. lviii. init., where he says it was paid by all the first-born. He is probably mistaken, as St. Peter paid it, though he was a younger brother. first-fruits, tithes again, and again other tithes, and besides this thirteenths, and the shekel, and no one said, how much they devour; for the more they receive, the greater is the reward. They say not, They receive much, they are gluttons; which words I hear now from some. They for their part, while they are building houses, and buying estates, still think they have nothing; but if any priest is clothed in dress more bright than usual, and enjoys more than what is necessary for his sustenance, or has an attendant, that he may not be forced himself to act unbecomingly, they set the matter down for riches. And in truth we are rich even at this rate, and they admit it against their will; for we, though we have but little, are rich, whilst they, though they get everything about them, are poor.

How far shall our folly extend? does it not suffice to our punishment that we do no good deed, but must we add to it the punishment of evil speaking? For if what he has were your gifts, you lose your reward by upbraiding him for what you gave. In a word, if thou didst give it, why dost thou upbraid him? You have already borne witness to his poverty, by saying that what he has are your gifts. Why then dost thou upbraid? Thou shouldest not have given, didst thou intend so to do. But dost thou speak thus, when another gives? It is then more grievous, in that when thou thyself hast not given, thou upbraidest for another man’s good deeds. How great reward thinkest thou those who are thus spoken of will receive? It is for God’s sake they thus suffer. How and wherefore? Had they so willed, they might have taken up a trader’s life, even though they received it not from their ancestors. For I hear many speaking thus at random, when we say that a certain man is poor. Had he willed, they say, he might have been rich, and then tauntingly add, His father, his grandfather, and I know not who was so; but now see what a robe he wears! But what? tell me, ought he to go about naked? You then start nice questionings on these points, but see lest thou thus speakest against thyself. Listen to that exhortation of Christ, which says, “Judge not that ye be not judged.” (Matt. vii. 1.) He might, it is true, if he had willed, have led a trader’s or a merchant’s life, and would surely not have lacked. But he would not. What then, says one, is he here profited? Tell me, what is he profited? Does he wear silken robes? Does he proudly clear his way through the forum with a troop of followers? Is he borne along on horseback? Does he build houses, having where to dwell? If he act so, I too accuse him, and spare him not, but declare that he is unworthy of the priesthood. For how can he exhort others not to spend their time on these superfluities, who cannot advise himself? But if he has sufficient for support, is he therefore doing wrong? Would you have him lead a vagabond life, and beg? Wouldest not thou too, his disciple, be put to shame? But if thy father in the flesh did this, thou wouldest think shame of the thing. If thy spiritual father be compelled so to do, wilt thou not veil thy head, and even think thou art sinking into the earth? It is written, “A father’s dishonor is a reproach to the children.” (Ecclus. iii. 11.) But what? Should he perish with famine? This were not like a pious man; for God willeth it not. But what do they straightway philosophize? It is written, say they, “Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, neither two coats, nor yet staves” (Matt. x. 9, 10.), whilst these men have three or four garments, and beds well spread. I am forced now to heave a bitter sigh, and, but that it had been indecorous, I had wept too! How so? Because we are such curious searchers into the motes of others, while we feel not the beams in our own eyes. Tell me, why sayest thou not this to thyself? The answer is, Because the command is laid only on our Teachers. When then Paul says, “having food and covering we shall be therewith content” (1 Tim. vi. 8.), says he this only to Teachers? By no means, but to all men; and this is clear, if we will begin farther back. For what does he say? “Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Tim. vi. 6.); for we brought nothing into this world, it is certain that neither can we carry anything out” (1 Tim. vi. 7.); he then straightway adds, “And having food and covering, we shall be therewith content; but they that desire to be rich, fall into a temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts.” (1 Tim. vi. 8, 9.) You see that this is spoken to all; and how is it when he says again, “Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof” (Rom. xiii. 14.), is not this said absolutely to all? and what when he says, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall bring to nought both it and them” (1 Cor. vi. 13.); or what when he says, “But she that giveth herself to pleasure, is dead while she liveth” (1 Tim. v. 6.), speaking of a widow. Is then the widow a Teacher? Has not he said himself, “But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man”? (1 Tim. ii. 12.) But if a widow, in old age, (and age has need of great attendance,) and a woman’s nature too, (for the woman’s sex, being weak, has need of more refreshment,) if then, where there is both the age and the nature, he suffers her not to live in luxury, but even says that she is dead, (for he did not simply forbid a life of luxury, but said, “she who giveth herself to luxury is dead while she liveth,”) and thus hath cut her off, (for she that is dead is cut off,) what indulgence then will any man have, who does those things, for which a woman and an aged one too is punished?

Yet no one gives a thought to these things, no one searches them out. And this I have been compelled to say, not from any wish to free the priests from these charges, but to spare you. They indeed suffer no harm at your hands, even if it is with cause and justice that they are thus charged of being greedy of gain; for, whether ye speak, or whether ye forbear, they must there give an account to the Judge, so that your words hurt them not at all; but if your words are false besides, they for their part gain by these false accusations, whilst ye hurt yourselves by these means. But it is not so with you; for be the things true, which ye bring against them, or be they false, ye speak ill of them to your hurt. And how so? If they be true, in that ye judge your Teachers, and subvert order, ye do it to your hurt. For if we must not judge a brother, much less a Teacher. But if they be false, the punishment and retribution is intolerable; for of “every idle word ye shall give account.” (Matt. xii. 36.) For your sake then I thus act and labor.

But as I said, no one searches out these things, no one busies himself about these things, no one communes with himself on any of these things. Would ye that I should add still more? “Whosoever forsaketh not all that he hath, saith the Christ, is not worthy of Me.” (Luke xiv. 33; Matt. x. 37.) What when he says, “It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven”? (Matt. xix. 23; Mark x. 24.) What when he says again, “Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation”? (Luke vi. 24.) No one searches this out, no one bears it in mind, no one reasons with himself, but all sit as severe inquisitors on other men’s cases. Yet this is to make themselves sharers in the charges. But listen, that for your own sake I may free the priests from the charges, which ye say lie against them, for the persuasion that they transgress the law of God, inclines you not a little towards evil. Come then, let us examine this matter. Christ said, “Provide neither gold nor silver, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor girdle, nor yet staves.” (Matt. x. 9, 10.) What then? tell me, did Peter transgress this command? Surely he did so, in having a girdle and a garment, and shoes, for listen to the words of the Angel, “Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals.” (Acts xii. 8.) And yet he had no such great need of sandals, for at that season a man may go even unshod; their great use is in the winter, and yet he had them. What shall we say of Paul, when he writes thus to Timothy, “Do thy diligence to come before winter”? (2 Tim. iv. 21.) He gives him orders too and says, “The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus bring when thou comest, and the books, especially the parchments.” (2 Tim. iv. 13.) See he speaks of a cloak, and no one can say that he had not another which he wore; for if he did not wear one at all, it were superfluous to order this one to be brought, and if he could not be without one to wear, it is clear he had a second.

What shall we say of his remaining “two whole years in his own hired dwelling”? (Acts xxviii. 30.) Did then this chosen vessel disobey Christ? this man who said, “Yet I live; and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. ii. 20.), concerning whom Christ testified, saying, “He is a chosen vessel unto Me”? (Acts ix. 15.) I ought to leave this difficulty with you, without supplying any solution to the question. I ought to exact of you this penalty for your negligence in the Scriptures, for this is the origin of all such difficulties. For we know not the Scriptures, we are not trained in the law of God, and so we become sharp inquirers into the faults of others, whilst we take no account of our own. I ought then to have exacted from you this penalty. But what shall I do? Fathers freely give to their sons many things beyond what is fitting: when their fatherly compassion is kindled, on seeing their child with downcast look, and wasted with grief, they themselves also feel sharper pangs than he, and rest not until they have removed the ground of his dejection.

So be it at least here, be ye at least dejected at not receiving, that ye may receive well. What then is it? They opposed not, far be it; but diligently followed the commands of Christ, for those commands were but for a season, and not enduring; and this I say not from conjecture, but from the divine Scriptures. And how? Luke relates that Christ said to His disciples, “When I sent you forth without purse, and wallet, and girdle, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said nothing. (Luke xxii. 35.) But for the future provide them.” But tell me, what could he do? could he have but one coat? How then? If need was that this be washed, should he, because without it, stay at home? should he without it go abroad in an unbecoming manner, when need called? Consider what a thing it would have been that Paul, who made the circuit of the world with such great success, should remain at home for want of raiment, and thus hinder his noble work. And what if violent cold had set in, or rain had drenched it, or perhaps frozen in, how could he dry his raiment? must he again remain without it? And what if cold had deprived his body of strength? must he waste away with disease, and be unable to speak? For hear what he says to Timothy, to prove that they were not furnished with adamantine bodies, “Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thine often infirmities.” (1 Tim. v. 23.) And again, when he speaks of another, “I counted it necessary to send to you your messenger, and minister to my needs.” (Philip. ii. 25.) “For indeed he was sick, nigh unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also.” (Philip. ii. 27.) So that they were subject to every sort of sickness. What then? must they die? By no means. For what cause then did Christ at that time give them that command? To show His own power, and to prove that in after times He was able to do it, though He did it not. But wherefore did He not do it? They were much more admirable than the Israelites, whose shoes did not wax old, neither their garments, and that too whilst they were journeying through that desert where the glowing rays of the sun strike so hot, that they are capable of consuming even stones. (Ref. to Deut. xxix. 5.) Why then did he do this? For thy sake. For since thou wouldest not remain in health, but be full of wounds, He gave you that which might serve for medicine. And this is hence manifest; could He not Himself have fed them? He that gave to thee, who wast an enemy with Him, would He not much more have given to Paul? He who gave to the Israelites, those murmurers, those fornicators, those idolaters, would He not much more have given to Peter, who spent all for His sake? He who suffered wicked men to possess aught, would He not much more have freely given to John, who for Him forsook even his father? Yet he would not: through your hands he feeds them, that you may be sanctified. And see the excess of His lovingkindness. He chose that His disciples should be in want, that thou mightest be a little refreshed.

For if He had freed them from all want, they would have been much more admirable, far more glorious. But then that which is to thee salvation would have been cut off. God willed not then that they should be admirable, that thou mightest be saved, but that they should rather be lowered. He hath suffered them to be less accounted of, that thou mightest be able to be saved. The Teacher who receiveth is not equally reverenced, but he who receives not is chiefly honored. But then in the latter case the disciple is not benefited, he is hindered of his fruit. Seest thou the wisdom of God who thus loveth man? For as He Himself sought not His own glory, nor had respect to Himself, but when He was in glory, chose to be dishonored for thy sake, thus too is it in the case of your Teachers. When they might have been highly reverenced, He preferred that they should be subject to contempt for thy sake, that thou mightest be able to profit, that thou mightest be able to be rich. For he is in want of the things of this life, that you may abound in things spiritual. If then He might have made them above all want, He showed that for thy sake He suffers them to be in want. Knowing then these things, let us turn ourselves to well doing, not to accusations. Let us not be overcurious about the failings of others, but take account of our own; let us reckon up the excellences of other men, while we bear in mind our faults; and thus shall we be well pleasing to God. For he who looks at the faults of others, and at his own excellences, is injured in two ways; by the latter he is carried up to arrogance, through the former he falls into listlessness. For when he perceives that such an one hath sinned, very easily will he sin himself; when he perceives that he hath in aught excelled, very easily becometh he arrogant. He who consigns to oblivion his own excellences, and looks at his failings only, whilst he is a curious enquirer of the excellences, not the sins, of others, is profited in many ways. And how? When he sees that such an one hath done excellently, he is raised to emulate the same; when he sees that he himself hath sinned, he is rendered humble and modest. If we act thus, if we thus regulate ourselves, we shall be able to obtain the good things which are promised, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, &c.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Θʹ. Ἐλπίζω δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Τιμόθεον ταχέως πέμψαι ὑμῖν, ἵνα κἀγὼ εὐψυχῶ, γνοὺς τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν. Οὐδένα γὰρ ἔχω ἰσόψυχον, ὅστις γνη σίως τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει. Οἱ πάντες γὰρ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ζητοῦσιν, οὐ τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ. αʹ. Εἶπεν, ὅτι τὰ κατ' ἐμὲ εἰς προκοπὴν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐλήλυθεν, Ὥστε τοὺς δεσμούς μου φανεροὺς γενέσθαι ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ πραιτωρίῳ: εἶπεν, ὅτι Εἰ καὶ σπένδομαι ἐπὶ τῇ θυσίᾳ καὶ λειτουργίᾳ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν: ἐστήριξεν αὐτοὺς διὰ τούτων. Ἴσως ἂν ὑπώπτευσαν τὰ πρότερα παραμυθίας ἕνεκεν εἰρῆσθαι. Τί οὖν ποιεῖ, καὶ πῶς λύει τὴν ὑποψίαν; Τιμόθεον πέμπω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, φησί: καὶ γὰρ ἐπόθουν πάντα ἀκοῦσαι τὰ κατ' αὐτόν. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ', Ἵνα γνῶ τὰ ὑμέτερα; Τὰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ Ἐπαφρόδιτος πρὸ Τιμοθέου ἔμελλεν ἀπαγγέλλειν: διὸ προϊών φησιν, Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ ἡγησάμην Ἐπαφρόδιτον τὸν ἀδελφὸν πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Τὰ δὲ ὑμέτερα βούλομαι, φησὶ, μαθεῖν. Πολὺν γὰρ εἰκὸς αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι χρόνον παρὰ τῷ Παύλῳ διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τὴν σωματικήν. Ὥστε ἀναγκαίως βούλομαι, φησὶ, μαθεῖν τὰ καθ' ὑμᾶς. Ὅρα πῶς πάντα ἀνατίθησι τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ τὴν ἀποστολὴν τοῦ Τιμοθέου, λέγων, Ἐλπίζω δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ, τουτέστι, θαῤῥῶ, ὅτι ἐξευμαρίσει μοι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦτο, ἵνα κἀγὼ εὐψυχῶ, γνοὺς τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν. Ὥσπερ ὑμᾶς, φησὶν, ἀνεκτησάμην ταῦτα ἀκούσαντας, ἅπερ ηὔχεσθε περὶ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἐπέδωκεν, ὅτι κατῃσχύνθησαν ἐκεῖνοι, ὅτι δι' ὧν ἐνόμιζον βλάπτειν, διὰ τούτων εὔφραναν: οὕτω βούλομαι καὶ τὰ καθ' ὑμᾶς μαθεῖν, ἵνα κἀγὼ εὐψυχῶ, γνοὺς τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν. Δεικνύει ἐνταῦθα, ὅτι ἐκείνους χαίρειν ἔδει ἐπὶ τοῖς δεσμοῖς, καὶ τούτοις κατακολουθεῖν: πολλὴν γὰρ ἔτικτον αὐτῷ τὴν ἡδονήν: τὸ γὰρ, Ἵνα κἀγὼ εὐψυχῶ, τοῦτό ἐστιν, Ὥσπερ ὑμεῖς. Βαβαὶ, πόσον εἶχε τῆς Μακεδονίας πόθον! Καὶ Θεσσαλονικεῦσι τὸ αὐτὸ μαρτυρεῖ, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ, Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀποφανισθέντες ἀφ' ὑμῶν πρὸς καιρὸν ὥρας. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα, Ἐλπίζω, φησὶ, πέμψαι Τιμόθεον, ἵνα γνῶ τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν: ὃ κηδεμονίας ἦν μεγίστης. Ὅτε γὰρ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐδύνατο παραγενέσθαι, τοὺς μαθητὰς ἔπεμπε, μὴ καρτερῶν μηδὲ ὀλίγον χρόνον ἀγνοεῖν τὰ κατ' αὐτούς: οὐ γὰρ δὴ τῷ πνεύματι πάντα ἐμάνθανε: καὶ τοῦτο δὲ εἰκότως ἐγίνετο. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἐπείσθησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ, ἀναίσχυντοι ἂν ἐγένοντο: νῦν δὲ προσδοκῶντες λανθάνειν, ῥᾷον ἐπανωρθώσαντο. Καὶ τούτῳ αὐτοὺς μάλιστα ἐπέστρεψε, τῷ εἰπεῖν, Ἵνα κἀγὼ εὐψυχῶ, καὶ σπουδαιοτέρους αὐτοὺς ἐποίησεν, ὥστε μὴ ἐλθόντα Τιμόθεον, ἀλλά τινα εὑρεῖν, καὶ ἀπαγγεῖλαι αὐτῷ. Φαίνεται δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς τούτῳ κεχρημένος τῷ τρόπῳ, καὶ ἀναβαλλόμενος αὑτοῦ τὴν παρουσίαν, ὥστε μεταβαλέσθαι Κορινθίους. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔγραφε: Φειδόμενος ὑμῶν, οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον, Οὐ γὰρ τούτῳ μόνον ἡ ἀγάπη δείκνυται, τῷ τὰ οἰκεῖα ἀπαγγέλλειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τὰ ἐκείνων ζητεῖν μαθεῖν: μεριμνώσης γὰρ τοῦτο ψυχῆς καὶ πεφροντισμένης καὶ ἀεὶ ἐναγωνίου οὔσης. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ τιμᾷ αὐτοὺς, Τιμόθεον πέμπων. Τί λέγεις; Τιμόθεον πέμπεις; τί δήποτε; Ναὶ, φησίν: Οὐδένα γὰρ ἔχω ἰσόψυχον, τουτέστι, τῶν ὁμοίως μοι μεριμνώντων, ὅστις γνησίως τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει. Οὐδένα οὖν οὐκ εἶχε τῶν μετ' αὐτοῦ ἰσόψυχον; Οὐδένα. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν; Ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ὁμοίως ἐμοὶ κηδόμενον ὑμῶν καὶ φροντίζοντα. Οὐκ ἄν τις εὐκόλως ἕλοιτο, φησὶ, ταύτης ἕνεκεν τῆς αἰτίας ὁδοιπορίαν τοσαύτην ποιήσασθαι. Ὁ φιλῶν ὑμᾶς μετ' ἐμοῦ, Τιμόθεός ἐστιν: ἐνῆν μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἄλλους πέμψαι, ἀλλ' οὐδεὶς τοιοῦτός ἐστιν. Ἄρα τοῦτο ἰσοψύχου ἐστὶ, τὸ τοὺς μαθητευομένους αὐτῷ ὁμοίως φιλεῖν. Ὅστις, φησὶ, γνησίως τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει: τουτέστι, πατρικῶς. Οἱ πάντες γὰρ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ζητοῦσιν, οὐ τὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ: τουτέστι, τὴν οἰκείαν ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ τὸ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ εἶναι. Τοῦτο καὶ Τιμοθέῳ γράφων λέγει. Τί δήποτε δὲ ἀποδύρεται ταῦτα; Παιδεύων ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀκούοντας μὴ τοῖς αὐτοῖς περιπεσεῖν, παιδεύων τοὺς ἀκούοντας μὴ ζητεῖν ἄνεσιν. Ὁ γὰρ ἄνεσιν ζητῶν, οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ Χριστοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ: δεῖ γὰρ παρεσκευάσθαι πρὸς πάντα πόνον, πρὸς πᾶσαν ταλαιπωρίαν. Τὴν δὲ δοκιμὴν αὐτοῦ, φησὶ, γινώσκετε, ὅτι ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον, σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐδούλευσεν εἰς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Καὶ ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς λέγω, ὑμεῖς, φησὶν, αὐτοὶ ἐπίστασθε, ὅτι, ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον, σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐδούλευσεν εἰς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Παρατίθεται ἐνταῦθα τὸν Τιμόθεον, εἰκότως, ὥστε πολλῆς ἀπολαῦσαι παρ' αὐτῶν τιμῆς. Τοῦτο καὶ πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστέλλων ποιεῖ, λέγων, Μή τις αὐτοῦ καταφρονήσῃ: τὸ γὰρ ἔργον Κυρίου ἐργάζεται, ὡς καὶ ἐγώ: οὐκ ἐκείνου κηδόμενος, ἀλλὰ τῶν δεχομένων αὐτὸν, ὥστε πολὺν ἀπενέγκασθαι τὸν μισθόν. Τοῦτον μὲν οὖν, φησὶν, ἐλπίζω πέμψαι, ὡς ἂν ἀπίδω τὰ περὶ ἐμὲ, ἐξ αὐτῆς. Τουτέστιν, Ὅταν ἴδω ἐν τίνι ἕστηκα, καὶ ποῖον ἕξει τέλος τὰ κατ' ἐμέ. Πέποιθα δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς ταχέως ἐλεύσομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Οὐ διὰ τοῦτο πέμπω αὐτὸν, ὡς μὴ ἐλευσόμενος, ἀλλ' Ἵνα εὐψυχῶ, γνοὺς τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, ἵνα μηδὲ τὸν ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ χρόνον ὦ ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ. Πέποιθα δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ, φησί: τουτέστιν, ἂν ὁ Θεὸς βούληται. βʹ. Ὅρα πῶς πάντα ἐξαρτᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐξ οἰκείας φθέγγεται διανοίας. Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ ἡγησάμην Ἐπαφρόδιτον τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ συνεργὸν καὶ συστρατιώτην μου. Καὶ τοῦτον πάλιν μετὰ ἐγκωμίων τῶν αὐτῶν, ὧν καὶ τὸν Τιμόθεον, ἀποστέλλει. Ἐκεῖνον γὰρ ἀπὸ δύο τούτων συνέστησεν, ὅτι τε αὐτοὺς ἀγαπᾷ, εἰπὼν, Ὅστις γνησίως τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει, καὶ ὅτι ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ηὐδοκίμησε: καὶ τοῦτον ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν πάλιν διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν αἰτίαν, ἣν καὶ ἐκεῖνον, ἐπῄνεσε. Πῶς; Τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν ἀδελφὸν καὶ συνεργὸν, καὶ μὴ μέχρι τούτου μόνον στῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ συστρατιώτην προσθεῖναι, δεικνύντος ἐστὶ τὴν πολλὴν αὐτοῦ κοινωνίαν τὴν ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις, καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ αὐτῷ μαρτυροῦντος, ἅπερ καὶ ἑαυτῷ. Τὸ δὲ, Συστρατιώτην, πλέον ἐστὶ τοῦ, Συνεργόν. Ἴσως γάρ τις ἐν μὲν ψιλοῖς πράγμασι συνήργησεν, ἐν δὲ πολέμῳ καὶ κινδύνοις οὐκέτι: τῷ δὲ εἰπεῖν, Συστρατιώτην, καὶ τοῦτο ἐδήλωσεν. Ὑμῶν δὲ, φησὶν, ἀπόστολον, καὶ λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας μου, πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Τουτέστι, Τὰ ὑμέτερα ὑμῖν χαρίζομαι. Ἤτοι τὸν ὑμέτερον ὑμῖν πέμπομεν, ἢ τὸν ὑμᾶς διδάσκοντα. Πάλιν πολλὰ περὶ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ προστίθησι, λέγων: Ἐπειδὴ ἐπιποθῶν ἦν πάντας ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἀδημονῶν, διότι ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἠσθένησε. Καὶ γὰρ ἠσθένησε παραπλήσιον θανάτου: ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἠλέησεν, οὐκ αὐτὸν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμὲ, ἵνα μὴ λύπην ἐπὶ λύπῃ σχῶ. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ ἕτερον κατασκευάζει, δηλῶν ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς σφόδρα οἶδε, φησὶν, ὅτι ἀγαπᾶται παρ' ὑμῶν. Οὐ μικρὸν δὲ τοῦτο εἰς τὸ φιλεῖν ἐπισπάσασθαι. Πῶς; Ἠσθένησε, φησὶ, καὶ ἠλγεῖτε: ὑγίαινε, καὶ ἀπήλλαξεν ὑμᾶς τῆς λύπης, ἣν εἴχετε διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν αὐτοῦ: οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ οὕτως ἔξω λύπης ἦν, ἀλλ' ἤλγει, διότι ὑγιάνας οὐκ εἶδεν ὑμᾶς. Ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἄλλο κατασκευάζει, ἀπολογούμενος ὅτι διὰ χρόνου πέμπει πρὸς αὐτοὺς, Οὐ διὰ ῥᾳθυμίαν, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν Τιμόθεον διὰ τὸ μηδένα ἔχειν κατεῖχον: Οὐκ ἔχω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἰσόψυχον: τὸν δὲ Ἐπαφρόδιτον διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν. Εἶτα δεικνὺς, ὅτι μακρὰ αὕτη γέγονε, καὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἀνάλωσε, φησί: Καὶ γὰρ ἠσθένησε παραπλήσιον θανάτου. Ὁρᾷς ὅσην ποιεῖται Παῦλος σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ πάσης ῥᾳθυμίας καὶ ὀλιγωρίας πρόφασιν ἐκκόψαι ἐκ τῆς τῶν μαθητῶν διανοίας, καὶ μὴ ὑποπτευθῆναι, ὅτι καταφρονῶν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἦλθεν; Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω τὸν μαθητὴν ἐπαγαγέσθαι δυνήσεται, ὡς τὸ πεπεῖσθαι, καὶ ὅτι φροντίζει αὐτοῦ ὁ προεστὼς, καὶ ὅτι ἀδημονεῖ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ὅπερ ὑπερβαλλούσης ἀγάπης ἐστίν. Ἠκούσατε, φησὶν, ὅτι ἠσθένησε: καὶ γὰρ ἠσθένησε παραπλήσιον θανάτου. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ προφασίζομαι, ἀκούσατε: Ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἠλέησε. Τί λέγεις, ὦ αἱρετικέ; Ἐνταῦθα ἔλεόν φησι τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶναι τὸ τὸν μέλλοντα ἀπιέναι κατέχειν καὶ ὑποστρέψαι πάλιν. Καὶ μὴν εἰ πονηρὸν ὁ κόσμος, οὐκ ἔλεος οὗτός ἐστι τὸ ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ ἀφιέναι. Ἀλλὰ πρὸς μὲν τὸν αἱρετικὸν εὔκολον εἰπεῖν, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Χριστιανὸν τί ἐροῦμεν; Καὶ γὰρ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀμφισβητήσει ἴσως, καὶ ἐρεῖ: Εἰ τὸ ἀναλῦσαι σὺν Χριστῷ πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον, τίνος ἕνεκέν φησιν αὐτὸν ἐλεεῖσθαι; Ἐγὼ δὲ μᾶλλον ἐρήσομαι: Τίνος ἕνεκεν ὁ αὐτός φησιν ἀναγκαιότερον εἶναι τὸ ἐπιμεῖναι δι' ὑμᾶς; Ὥσπερ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν ἐκεῖνο, οὕτω καὶ τούτῳ μετὰ πλείονος πλούτου καὶ μείζονος παῤῥησίας μέλλοντι πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀπιέναι. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ κἂν μὴ νῦν ἐγένετο, ὕστερον ἔμελλε: τὸ δὲ κερδᾶναι ψυχὰς οὐκ ἔνι λοιπὸν ἀπελθόντας ἐκεῖ. Τὰ πολλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν κοινὴν συνήθειαν τῶν ἀκουόντων ὁ Παῦλος φθέγγεται, καὶ οὐ πανταχοῦ φιλοσοφεῖ: πρὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπους κοσμικοὺς ὁ λόγος ἦν αὐτῷ, δεδοικότας ἔτι τὸν θάνατον. Εἶτα δείκνυσιν ἐν ὅσῳ λόγῳ ἐστὶν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἐπαφρόδιτος, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου αἰδέσιμον αὐτὸν ποιῶν, εἴ γε τὴν ἐκείνου σωτηρίαν οὕτω χρησίμην ἑαυτῷ φησιν εἶναι, ὡς ἠλεῆσθαι καὶ αὐτὸν δι' ἐκείνου. Ἄλλως δὲ, καὶ χωρὶς τούτου καλὸν ἡ παροῦσα ζωή: ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ καλὸν, διὰ τί ἐν τάξει τιμωρίας τίθησι τοὺς ἀώρους θανάτους; ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ, Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄῤῥωστοι, καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ μέλλουσα ζωὴ οὐχὶ πονηροῦ κρείττων, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ, ἀλλὰ καλοῦ κρείττων. Ἵνα μὴ λύπην, φησὶν, ἐπὶ λύπῃ σχῶ, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς τελευτῆς ἐπὶ τῇ διὰ τὴν ἀῤῥωστίαν γενομένῃ αὐτῷ. Διὰ τούτων δείκνυσιν, ὅσου τιμᾶται τὸν Ἐπαφρόδιτον. Σπουδαιοτέρως οὖν ἔπεμψα αὐτόν. Τί ἐστι, Σπουδαιοτέρως; Τουτέστιν, Ἀνυπερθέτως, χωρὶς μελλήσεως, μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ τάχους, κελεύσας πάντα ὑπερθέμενον ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἵνα τῆς ἀδημονίας ἀπαλλαγῇ. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτω τοὺς ποθουμένους ἀκούοντες ἐν ὑγείᾳ ὄντας χαίρομεν, ὡς ὅταν ἴδωμεν, καὶ μάλιστα, ὅταν παρ' ἐλπίδας ἐκβῇ τὸ πρᾶγμα: ὅπερ ἐπὶ Ἐπαφροδίτου τότε γέγονε. Σπουδαιοτέρως οὖν, φησὶν, ἔπεμψα αὐτὸν, ἵνα ἰδόντες αὐτὸν χαρῆτε, κἀγὼ ἀλυπότερος ὦ. Πῶς ἀλυπότερος; Ὅτι ἐὰν ὑμεῖς χαίρητε, κἀγὼ χαίρω, καὶ οὗτος χαίρει ἐπὶ τοιαύτῃ ἡδονῇ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀλυπότερος ἔσομαι. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἄλυπος, ἀλλ', Ἀλυπότερος, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἦν λύπης ἐκτός. Ὁ γὰρ λέγων, Τίς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενῶ; τίς σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι; πότε λύπης ἐκτὸς ἦν; Ὡσεὶ ἔλεγε: Ταύτην ἀποτίθεμαι τὴν ἀθυμίαν. Προσδέχεσθε οὖν αὐτὸν ἐν Κυρίῳ μετὰ πάσης χαρᾶς. Ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὅ ἐστι, πνευματικῶς. Τουτέστι, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σπουδῆς: μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ, Ἐν Κυρίῳ, τοῦτό ἐστι, τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλοντος. Ἀξίως τῶν ἁγίων ὑποδέξασθε, καὶ ὥσπερ τοὺς ἁγίους ὑποδέχεσθαι προσῆκε, Μετὰ πάσης, φησὶ, χαρᾶς. γʹ. Ταῦτα πάντα ποιεῖ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων, οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν πεμπομένων. Μεῖζον γὰρ τὸ κέρδος τῷ ποιοῦντι, ἢ τῷ πάσχοντι εὖ. Καὶ τοὺς τοιούτους ἐντίμους ἔχετε. Τουτέστι, Προσδέχεσθε αὐτὸν ἀξίως τῶν ἁγίων. Ὅτι διὰ τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Χριστοῦ μέχρι θανάτου ἤγγισε, παραβουλευσάμενος τῇ ψυχῇ, ἵνα ἀναπληρώσῃ τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα τῆς πρὸς ἐμὲ λειτουργίας. Οὗτος κοινῇ παρὰ τῆς πόλεως ἦν ἀπεσταλμένος τῶν Φιλιππησίων, ὥστε τῷ Παύλῳ διακονεῖν, ἢ καὶ ἴσως τι ἀποκομίζων αὐτῷ ἐληλύθει. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ χρήματα ἐκόμισε, δείκνυσι πρὸς τῷ τέλει λέγων: Δεξάμενος γὰρ παρὰ Ἐπαφροδίτου τὰ παρ' ὑμῶν. Εἰκὸς οὖν αὐτὸν ἐπιστάντα τῇ πόλει Ῥωμαίων, ἐν οὕτω πολλῷ τὸν Παῦλον κινδύνῳ καταλαβεῖν καὶ σφοδρῷ, ὡς μηδὲ τοὺς πλησιάζοντας αὐτῷ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας δύνασθαι τοῦτο ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐπισφαλῶς προσιέναι: ὅπερ εἴωθε γίνεσθαι μάλιστα ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις τοῖς μεγάλοις, καὶ ταῖς ὀργαῖς τῶν βασιλέων ταῖς ὑπερβαλλούσαις. Ὅταν γάρ τις βασιλεῖ προσκεκρουκὼς εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐμβληθῇ, καὶ ἐν πολλῇ γένηται φυλακῇ, τότε καὶ τοῖς οἰκέταις ἡ πρόσοδος ἀποτετείχισται, ὅπερ εἰκὸς τὸν Παῦλον τότε πάσχειν: τὸν δὲ Ἐπαφρόδιτον ἄνδρα γενναῖον ὄντα, παντὸς καταφρονῆσαι κινδύνου, ὥστε προσελθεῖν καὶ ὑπηρετήσασθαι, καὶ πάντα πρᾶξαι, ἅπερ ἐχρῆν. Δύο τοίνυν τίθησιν, ἀφ' ὧν ποιεῖ αὐτὸν αἰδέσιμον: ἓν μὲν, ὅτι μέχρι θανάτου ἐκινδύνευσε, φησὶ, δι' ἐμέ: δεύτερον δὲ, ὅτι τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς πόλεως περιθέμενος ταῦτα ἔπαθεν, ὡς ἐν τῷ κινδύνῳ ἐκείνῳ τοῖς πέμψασι λογίσασθαι τὸν μισθὸν, ὡς ἂν ἡ πόλις πρεσβευτὴν ἔπεμψεν. Ὥστε τὸ μετὰ θεραπείας ὑποδέξασθαι, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν γεγενημένων εὐχαριστῆσαι, μᾶλλόν ἐστι κοινωνῆσαι τοῖς τετολμημένοις. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Δι' ἐμὲ, ἀλλ' ἀξιοπιστότερον αὐτὸ ποιεῖ λέγων, ὅτι Διὰ τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δι' ἐμὲ ποιεῖ, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἤγγισε μέχρι θανάτου. Τί γάρ; εἰ μὴ ἀπέθανε, τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκονομήσαντος, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς παρεβουλεύσατο καὶ ἐξέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν, ὡς κἂν ὁτιοῦν δέῃ παθεῖν, οὐκ ἀποστησόμενος τῆς πρός με θεραπείας. Εἰ δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦ Παύλου θεραπεῦσαι εἰς θάνατον ἑαυτὸν ἐξέδωκε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ τοῦ κηρύγματος τοῦτο ἂν ἔπαθε: μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ὑπὲρ τοῦ κηρύγματος ἦν, τὸ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου ἀποθανεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ θῦσαι μαρτυρίου στέφανον ἔστιν ἀναδήσασθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ τοιαῦται προφάσεις μαρτύριον ποιοῦσι: καὶ εἰ δεῖ τι θαυμαστὸν εἰπεῖν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον αἱ τοιαῦται, ἢ ἐκεῖναι. Ὁ γὰρ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐλάττονος κατατολμῶν τοῦ θανάτου, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ τοῦ μείζονος. Ὥστε καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅταν ἴδωμεν ἁγίους ἐν κινδύνοις, παραβουλευώμεθα. Οὐ γὰρ ἔνι μὴ τολμῶντα, γενναῖόν τι πρᾶξαί ποτε, ἀλλὰ ἀνάγκη τὸ[ν] τῆς ἐνταῦθα ἀσφαλείας προνοούμενον ἐκπεσεῖν τῆς μελλούσης: Ἵνα ἀναπληρώσῃ, φησὶ, τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα τῆς πρός με λειτουργίας. Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Οὐ παρῆν ἡ πόλις, ἀλλ' ἐλειτούργησέ μοι δι' ἐκείνου πᾶσαν λειτουργίαν τῷ ἐκεῖνον πέμψαι. Τὸ οὖν ὑστέρημα τῆς ὑμετέρας λειτουργίας αὐτὸς ἐνεπλήρωσεν, ὥστε καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο δίκαιος ἂν εἴη ἀπολαῦσαι τιμῆς πολλῆς, ὅτι ὅπερ ἐχρῆν πάντας ποιῆσαι, τοῦτο ἔπραξεν αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. Καὶ δείκνυσι καὶ πρώτην οὖσαν λειτουργίαν παρὰ τῶν ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ τοῖς κινδυνεύουσι: Τὸ γὰρ ὑστέρημα τῆς λειτουργίας οὕτως εἴρηται, ὡς πρὸς ἐκείνην. Ὁρᾷς φρόνημα ἀποστολικόν; Τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ἀπονοίας γίνεται, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ πολλῆς κηδεμονίας. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἐπαίρωνται, ἀλλὰ μετριάζωσι, μηδὲ μέγα τι παρεσχηκέναι νομίζωσιν, ἀλλὰ ταπεινῶνται, λειτουργίαν τὸ πρᾶγμα καλεῖ καὶ ὑστέρημα. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ ἡμεῖς μέγα φρονῶμεν, τοῖς ἁγίοις παρέχοντες, μηδὲ χαρίζεσθαι αὐτοῖς ἐν τούτῳ νομίζωμεν: καὶ γὰρ ὀφείλεται τοῖς ἁγίοις παρ' ἡμῶν τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς χαριζόμεθα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τοῖς ἐν στρατοπέδῳ ἑστῶσι καὶ πολεμοῦσι παρὰ τῶν ἐν εἰρήνῃ ὄντων καὶ μὴ πολεμούντων ὀφείλεται τὰ τελέσματα (ὑπὲρ γὰρ ἐκείνων ἑστήκασιν οὗτοι), οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐδίδασκεν ὁ Παῦλος, τίς ἂν αὐτὸν τότε ἐνέβαλεν εἰς δεσμωτήριον; Ὥστε λειτουργεῖν χρὴ τοῖς ἁγίοις. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἄτοπον τῷ μὲν στρατευομένῳ βασιλεῖ τῷ ἐπιγείῳ πάντα εἰσφέρειν, καὶ ἐνδύματα καὶ τροφὰς, οὐ κατὰ τὴν χρείαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν περιουσίαν, τῷ δὲ στρατευομένῳ βασιλεῖ τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ, καὶ παραταττομένῳ πρὸς πολλῷ χαλεπωτέρους (Ἡ πάλη γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐ πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα), μηδὲ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν χρείαν χορηγεῖν; πόσης ἀγνωμοσύνης, πόσης τοῦτο ἀχαριστίας, πόσης μικρολογίας; δʹ. Ἀλλ', ὡς ἔοικε, πλέον ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἰσχύει φόβος παρ' ἡμῖν τῆς γεέννης καὶ τῶν μελλουσῶν κολάσεων. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο πάντα ἀνατέτραπται, ὅτι τὰ μὲν πολιτικὰ πράγματα μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐντρεχείας καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀνύεται, καὶ ἐλλειφθῆναι οὐκ ἔνι: τῶν δὲ πνευματικῶν οὐδεὶς οὐδαμοῦ λόγος: ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν μετ' ἀνάγκης ἀπαιτούμενα καὶ βασάνων, καὶ ὡς παρὰ δούλων καὶ ἀκόντων, κατατίθεται μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης: τὰ δὲ παρὰ ἑκόντων, καὶ ὡς παρὰ ἐλευθέρων, πάντα ἐλλιμπάνεται. Οὐ κατὰ πάντων λέγω, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τῶν τὰ τελέσματα ταῦτα ἐγκαταλιμπανόντων. Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ὁ Θεὸς ἀνάγκῃ ταῦτα ποιεῖν; Ἀλλ' οὐ βούλεται: ὑμῶν γὰρ φείδεται μᾶλλον, ἢ τῶν τρεφομένων. Διὰ τοῦτο ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀνάγκη βούλεται κατατιθέναι, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστι μισθός. Καὶ ὅμως πολλοὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα, τῶν Ἰουδαίων εἰσὶ ταπεινότεροι. Ἐννόησον ὅσα Ἰουδαῖοι ἐδίδοσαν, δεκάτας, ἀπαρχὰς, πάλιν δεκάτας, καὶ πάλιν ἄλλας δεκάτας, καὶ πάλιν ἑτέρας τρισκαιδεκάτας, καὶ τὸ σίκλον: καὶ οὐδεὶς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι πολλὰ κατεσθίουσιν. Ὅσῳ ἂν πλείονα λάβωσι, τοσούτῳ καὶ πλείων ὁ μισθός. Οὐκ ἔλεγον, Πολλὰ λαμβάνουσι, γαστρίζονται, ἃ νῦν ἀκούω λεγόντων τινῶν. Καὶ οἱ μὲν οἰκοδομοῦντες οἰκίας, καὶ ἀγροὺς ὠνούμενοι, οὐδὲν ἡγοῦνται ἔχειν: ἂν δέ τις τῶν ἱερέων λαμπρότερον ἱμάτιον περιβάληται, ἢ τῆς ἀναγκαίας εὐπορήσῃ τροφῆς, ἢ τὸν διακονούμενον ἔχῃ, ἵνα μὴ ἀναγκάζηται αὐτὸς ἀσχημονεῖν, πλοῦτον τὸ πρᾶγμα τίθενται. Ὄντως πλουτοῦμεν καὶ ἐν τούτοις, καὶ ἄκοντες ὁμολογοῦσιν. Ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ κἂν μικρὰ ἔχωμεν, πλουτοῦμεν: ἐκεῖνοι δὲ κἂν πάντα περιβάλωνται, πένονται. Μέχρι τίνος ἀνοηταίνομεν; οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τὸ μηδὲν ποιεῖν εἰς κόλασιν ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς κακηγορίας προστιθέναι ζημίαν; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ, ἅπερ κέκτηται, τὸν μισθὸν ἀπώλεσας, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔδωκας ἐγκαλῶν: ὅλως δὲ εἰ σὺ ἔδωκας, τί ἐγκαλεῖς; Πρότερον μὲν οὖν αὐτῷ πενίαν ἐμαρτύρεις, λέγων ἅπερ ἔχει δεδωκέναι αὐτός: τί τοίνυν ἐγκαλεῖς; Οὐκ ἐχρῆν δοῦναι, εἴ γε ἔμελλες ἐγκαλεῖν. Ἀλλ' ἑτέρου δόντος ταῦτα λέγεις; Χαλεπώτερον τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὅτι οὐδὲ διδοὺς ἐγκαλεῖς ὑπὲρ ὧν ἕτερος ποιεῖ εὖ. Πόσον οἴει τοὺς ταῦτα ἀκούοντας μισθὸν ἔχειν; Διὰ γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν ταῦτα πάσχουσι. Πῶς καὶ διὰ τί; Ἐξῆν, εἴ γε ἐβούλοντο, καπηλικὸν ἀναδέξασθαι βίον, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἀπὸ προγόνων εἶχον. Καὶ γὰρ ἀκούω καὶ ταῦτα πολλῶν λεγόντων ἰταμῶς, ὅταν εἴπωμεν, ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα πένεται: Εἰ γὰρ ἐβούλετο, φησὶν, ἠδύνατο πλουτεῖν: εἶτα ὑβριστικῶς, Ὁ προγόνος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ πάππος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ δεῖνα, τοιόσδε ἦν: νῦν δὲ τοιαύτην ἐσθῆτα περιβέβληται. Ἀλλὰ τί; εἰπέ μοι, γυμνὸν αὐτὸν ἐχρῆν περιιέναι; Σὺ μὲν οὖν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀκριβολογῇ: ὅρα δὲ μὴ κατὰ σαυτοῦ ταῦτα λέγῃς. Ἀλλ' ἄκουε τῆς παραινέσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς λεγούσης, Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε. Ἀλλ' ἐξῆν, εἴ γε ἐβούλετο, καπηλικὸν καὶ ἐμπορικὸν βίον ζῇν, καὶ πάντως οὐκ ἂν ἠπόρησεν: ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠθέλησε. Τί οὖν ἐνταῦθα κερδαίνει, εἰπέ μοι; σηρικὰ ἱμάτια περίκειται; πλῆθος ἀκολούθων ἔχων σοβεῖ κατὰ τὴν ἀγοράν; ἐπὶ ἵππου φέρεται; οἰκίας οἰκοδομεῖ, ἔχων ὅπου καταμείνῃ; Ἂν ταῦτα ποιῇ, καὶ ἐγὼ κατηγορῶ, καὶ οὐ φείδομαι, ἀλλ' ἀνάξιον αὐτὸν εἶναι τῆς ἱερωσύνης φημί. Πῶς γὰρ ἑτέροις δυνήσεται παραινεῖν μὴ περὶ τὰ περιττὰ ταῦτα ἐσχολακέναι, αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ παραινέσαι μὴ δυνάμενος; Εἰ δὲ ὅτι τῆς ἀναγκαίας εὐπορεῖ τροφῆς, διὰ τοῦτο ἀδικεῖ: ἀλλὰ περιιέναι ἐχρῆν αὐτὸν, καὶ προσαιτεῖν; καὶ οὐκ ἂν σὺ κατῃσχύνθης, εἰπέ μοι, ὁ μαθητής; Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν πατὴρ ὁ σαρκικὸς ἂν τοῦτο ποιῇ, αἰσχύνην τὸ πρᾶγμα ἡγῇ: ἂν δὲ ὁ πνευματικὸς ἀναγκάζηται τοῦτο ποιεῖν, οὐκ ἐγκαλύψῃ; μᾶλλον οὐδὲ ἡγήσῃ ἄξιον καταδύεσθαι; Ἀδοξία, φησὶ, πατρὸς, ὄνειδος τέκνων. Ἀλλὰ τί; τῷ λιμῷ φθείρεσθαι ἔδει; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο εὐσεβοῦς: οὐ γὰρ βούλεται ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλὰ ὅταν εἴπωμεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ταῦτα, εὐθέως φιλοσοφοῦσι: Γέγραπται, φησὶ, Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν, μηδὲ ἄργυρον, μηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας, μηδὲ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν, μὴ ῥάβδον. Οὗτοι δὲ καὶ τρία καὶ τέσσαρα ἱμάτια ἔχουσι, καὶ κλίνας ἐστρωμένας. Ἐπῆλθέ μοι στενάξαι πικρὸν νῦν: εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀσχημονεῖν ἔμελλον, κἂν ἐδάκρυσα: τί δήποτε; Ὅτι περὶ μὲν τὰ τῶν ἄλλων κάρφη οὕτως ἐσμὲν ἀκριβεῖς ἐξετασταὶ, τὰς δὲ δοκοὺς ἔχοντες αὐτοὶ ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς οὐδὲ αἰσθανόμεθα. Εἰπέ μοι, διὰ τί γὰρ σαυτῷ τοῦτο μὴ λέγεις; Ὅτι τοῖς διδασκάλοις προστέτακται μόνον, φησίν: ὅταν οὖν ὁ Παῦλος λέγῃ, Ἔχοντες διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα, πρὸς τοὺς διδασκάλους λέγει μόνους; Οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους. Καὶ δῆλον ἄνωθεν τὸ χωρίον διεξιοῦσιν: εἰπὼν γὰρ, Πορισμὸς μέγας ἐστὶν ἡ εὐσέβεια μετὰ αὐταρκείας: εἶτα, Οὐδὲν εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον, δῆλον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα: εὐθέως ἐπήγαγεν: Ἔχοντες δὲ διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα. Οἱ δὲ βουλόμενοι πλουτεῖν, ἐμπίπτουσιν εἰς πειρασμὸν καὶ παγίδα, καὶ ἐπιθυμίας πολλὰς ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβεράς. εʹ. Εἶδες ὅτι πρὸς πάντας ὁ λόγος εἴρηται; Τί δέ; ὅταν λέγῃ πάλιν, Τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε εἰς ἐπιθυμίας, οὐχὶ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς διαλέγεται; Τί δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ, Τὰ βρώματα τῇ κοιλίᾳ, καὶ ἡ κοιλία τοῖς βρώμασιν: ὁ δὲ Θεὸς καὶ ταύτην, καὶ ταῦτα καταργήσει; τί δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ, Ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε, περὶ χήρας διαλεγόμενος; μὴ καὶ ἡ χήρα διδάσκαλός ἐστιν; οὐχὶ αὐτὸς εἶπεν, ὅτι Γυναικὶ διδάσκειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω, οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός; Εἰ δὲ ἡ χήρα, ἔνθα καὶ ἡ ἡλικία γηραλέα: τὸ γὰρ γῆρας πολλῆς δεῖται θεραπείας, καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ φύσις: τὸ γὰρ τῶν γυναικῶν γένος πλείονος δεῖται ἀναπαύσεως, ἅτε ἀσθενὲς ὅν: εἰ τοίνυν, ἔνθα καὶ ἡ ἡλικία καὶ ἡ φύσις κώλυμα, οὐκ ἀφίεται αὐτὴν σπαταλᾷν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τεθνηκέναι αὐτήν φησιν (οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς εἶπε μὴ σπαταλᾷν, ἀλλ', Ἡ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε: καὶ ἐξέκοψεν αὐτήν: ἡ γὰρ τεθνηκυῖα ἐκκέκοπται): ποίαν ἕξει συγγνώμην ἄνθρωπος ταῦτα ποιῶν, ἐφ' οἷς ἡ γυνὴ ἡ γεγηρακυῖα κολάζεται; Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα οὐδεὶς οὐδὲ εἰς ἔννοιαν λαμβάνει, ταῦτα οὐδεὶς ἐξετάζει. Ἐγὼ δὲ νῦν ταῦτα εἰπεῖν ἠναγκάσθην, οὐχὶ τοὺς ἱερέας ἀπαλλάξαι ἐγκλημάτων βουλόμενος, ἀλλ' ὑμῶν φειδόμενος. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν, ἂν μὲν προσηκόντως καὶ δικαίως ταῦτα ἀκούωσιν, ἅτε χρηματιζόμενοι, οὐδὲν παρ' ὑμῶν βλάπτονται: ἀλλ' ἄν τε εἴπητε, ἄν τε μὴ εἴπητε, λόγον τῷ δικαστῇ διδόασιν ἐκεῖ: ὥστε οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς τὰ ὑμέτερα βλάπτει ῥήματα. Ἂν δὲ καὶ ψευδῆ ᾖ τὰ παρ' ὑμῶν λεγόμενα, ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν ἐκέρδανον συκοφαντούμενοι εἰκῆ, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ἐντεῦθεν βλάπτετε. Ἐπὶ δὲ ὑμῶν οὐχ οὕτως ἐστίν: ἀλλ' ἄν τε ἀληθῆ ᾖ, ἄν τε ψευδῆ τὰ κατ' αὐτῶν, λέγοντες αὐτοὺς κακῶς, βλάπτεσθε. Τί δήποτε; Ἄν τε γὰρ ἀληθῆ ᾖ, καὶ οὕτω βλάπτεσθε, κρίνοντες τοὺς διδασκάλους, καὶ τὴν τάξιν ἀνατρέποντες: εἰ γὰρ ἀδελφὸν οὐ δεῖ κρίνειν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον διδάσκαλον: ἂν δὲ ψευδῆ, ἀφόρητος ἡ κόλασις καὶ ἡ τιμωρία: παντὸς γὰρ ῥήματος ἀργοῦ δώσετε λόγον. Ὥστε ὑμῶν ἕνεκεν πάντα ποιοῦμεν καὶ κάμνομεν. Ὅπερ δὲ ἔφην, οὐδεὶς ταῦτα ἐξετάζει, οὐδεὶς ταῦτα πολυπραγμονεῖ, οὐδεὶς λέγει πρὸς ἑαυτὸν τούτων οὐδέν. Βούλεσθε καὶ ἕτερα προσθῶ; Ἐὰν μή τις ἀποτάξηται, φησὶν ὁ Χριστὸς, πᾶσιν αὑτοῦ τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος. Τί ὅταν λέγῃ, Δύσκολον πλούσιον εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν; τί δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ, Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς πλουσίοις, ὅτι ἀπέχετε τὴν παράκλησιν ὑμῶν; Οὐδεὶς τοῦτο ἐξετάζει, οὐδεὶς τοῦτο ἐννοεῖ, οὐδεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν διαλέγεται, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς ἑτέρων σφοδροὶ κάθηνται πάντες ἐξετασταί. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μέν ἐστι κοινωνοὺς ποιῆσαι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων. Ἵνα δὲ καὶ αὐτῶν, ὧν φατε τοὺς ἱερεῖς ὑπευθύνους εἶναι, ἀπαλλάξω δι' ὑμᾶς, ἀκούσατε: τὸ γὰρ περὶ τούτων πεπεῖσθαι, ὡς παραβαινόντων τὸν νόμον τοῦ Θεοῦ, πολλὴ πρὸς τὸ κακόν ἐστι ῥοπή. Φέρε οὖν κἀκεῖνα ἐξετάσωμεν: Εἶπεν ὁ Χριστὸς, Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν, μηδὲ ἄργυρον, μηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας, μηδὲ ὑποδήματα, μὴ ζώνην, μὴ ῥάβδον. Τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι; Πέτρος παρὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα ἐποίει; πῶς γὰρ οὒ, ὁ καὶ ζώνην ἔχων καὶ ἱμάτιον καὶ ὑποδήματα; ὅτι γὰρ εἶχεν, ἄκουε τοῦ ἀγγέλου λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτὸν, Περίζωσαι καὶ ὑπόδησαι τὰ σανδάλιά σου: καίτοι οὐ τοσαύτη χρεία τούτων τῶν ὑποδημάτων ἦν: ἔνεστι γὰρ κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν καὶ ἀνυπόδετον εἶναι, ἡ δὲ πολλὴ χρεία ἐν τῷ χειμῶνί ἐστιν: ἀλλ' ὅμως εἶχε. Τί δὲ ὁ Παῦλος; Ὅταν λέγῃ Τιμοθέῳ γράφων, Σπούδασον πρὸ χειμῶνος ἐλθεῖν: εἶτα παραγγέλλει καὶ λέγει: Τὸν φελώνην, ὃν ἀπέλιπον ἐν Τρωάδι παρὰ Κάρπῳ, ἐρχόμενος φέρε, καὶ τὰ βιβλία, μάλιστα τὰς μεμβράνας: Ἰδοὺ φελώνην εἶπε: καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι τις εἰπεῖν, ὅτι καὶ ἕτερον οὐκ εἶχεν, ὃν ἐφόρει. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ μηδὲ ὅλως ἐφόρει, περιττῶς ἐκέλευσε τοῦτον ἀπενεχθῆναι: εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐνῆν μὴ φορεῖν, δῆλον ὅτι ἕτερον εἶχε. Τί δὲ, ὅτι διετίαν ὅλην ἐν οἰκείῳ μισθώματι ἔμενεν; ἆρα παρήκουσε τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς, ὁ λέγων: Ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός; περὶ οὗ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐμαρτύρησε λέγων, ὅτι Σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μοί ἐστιν οὗτος; Ἔδει ταύτην ἀφεῖναι τὴν ἀμφιβολίαν παρ' ὑμῖν, καὶ μηδεμίαν ἐπαγαγεῖν τῷ ζητήματι λύσιν, ἀλλὰ ταύτην ὑμᾶς δίκην εἰσπράξασθαι τῆς περὶ τὰς Γραφὰς ὀλιγωρίας: πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα ἐκ τούτου γίνεται. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑτέρων ἁμαρτήμασίν ἐσμεν πικροὶ ἐξετασταὶ, καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων οὐδένα λόγον ποιούμεθα, ὅτι τὰς Γραφὰς οὐκ ἴσμεν, ὅτι τοὺς θείους οὐ παιδευόμεθα νόμους. Ἔδει μὲν οὖν ταύτην ὑμᾶς εἰσπράξασθαι τὴν δίκην: ἀλλὰ τί πάθω; πατήρ εἰμι: πολλὰ καὶ πέρα τοῦ δέοντος οἱ πατέρες χαρίζονται τοῖς παισὶ, τῶν σπλάγχνων αὐτοῖς διαθερμαινομένων [ἐκεῖνοι] τῶν πατρικῶν: κἂν ἴδωσι τὸ παιδίον κατηφιάσαν, τηκόμενον, αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον ἐκείνου δάκνονται, καὶ οὐ παύονται, ἕως ἂν τῆς ἀθυμίας τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ἀνέλωσι. Πλὴν κἂν τοῦτο γενέσθω, κἂν κατηφιάσατε ἐπὶ τῷ μὴ λαβεῖν, ἵνα λάβητε καλῶς. Ϛʹ. Τί οὖν ἔστιν εἰπεῖν; Οὐκ ἠναντιώθησαν, μὴ γένοιτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα ἠκολούθησαν τοῖς ἐπιτάγμασι τοῦ Χριστοῦ: τὰ γὰρ ἐπιτάγματα ἐκεῖνα πρόσκαιρα ἦν, καὶ οὐ διαπαντός. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐ στοχαζόμενος λέγω, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν. Πῶς; Φησὶν ὁ Λουκᾶς εἰρηκέναι τὸν Χριστὸν τοῖς μαθηταῖς, Ὅτε ἀπέστειλα ὑμᾶς ἄτερ βαλαντίου καὶ πήρας καὶ ζώνης καὶ ὑποδημάτων, μήτι ὑστέρησεν ὑμῖν; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ: Οὔ. Οὐκοῦν λοιπὸν κτήσασθε. Ἀλλὰ τί ἔδει, εἰπέ μοι; ἕνα χιτῶνα ἔχειν; Τί οὖν; εἰ πλύνεσθαι τοῦτον ἔδει, γυμνὸν ἐχρῆν οἴκοι καθέζεσθαι; ἢ γυμνὸν περιιέναι καὶ ἀσχημονεῖν, χρείας καλούσης; Ἐννόησον οἷον ἦν Παῦλον τὸν ἐπὶ τοσούτοις κατορθώμασι περιιόντα τὴν οἰκουμένην διὰ ἱματίου ἔνδειαν οἴκοι καθῆσθαι, καὶ τηλικούτοις πράγμασιν ἐμποδίζειν. Τί δέ; εἰ κρυμὸς ἐπετέθη σφοδρὸς, καὶ κατέβρεξεν, ἢ καὶ ἐπάγωσε, πῶς ξηραίνεσθαι ἐνῆν; πάλιν γυμνὸν ἐχρῆν καθῆσθαι; τί δέ; εἰ ψῦχος κατέτεινε τὸ σῶμα, τήκεσθαι ἔδει, καὶ μὴ φθέγγεσθαι; Ὅτι γὰρ οὐκ ἀδαμάντινα σώματα αὐτοῖς κατεσκεύαστο, ἄκουσον τί φησι περὶ Τιμοθέου: Οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ διὰ τὸν στόμαχόν σου καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας: καὶ πάλιν περὶ ἑτέρου, Ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην ἀποστεῖλαι ὑμῖν τὸν ὑμῶν ἀπόστολον καὶ λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας μου. Καὶ γὰρ ἠσθένησε παραπλήσιον θανάτου, ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἠλέησεν: οὐκ αὐτὸν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμέ. Ὥστε ἁλώσιμοι πᾶσιν ἦσαν τοῖς πάθεσι. Τί οὖν; ἀπόλλυσθαι ἐχρῆν; Οὐδαμῶς. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τότε τοῦτο ἐπέταξε; Τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ θέλων δεῖξαι, ὅτι καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐδύνατο οὕτω ποιῆσαι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐποίησε. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἐποίησε; Πολλῷ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν ἦσαν οὗτοι θαυμασιώτεροι, ὧν τὰ ὑποδήματα οὐ κατετρίβετο, οὐδὲ τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ ταῦτα ἐκείνην τὴν ἔρημον διοδευόντων, ἔνθα θερμοτέρα ἐπιπίπτουσα ἡ ἀκτὶς ἡ ἡλιακὴ καὶ λίθους αὐτοὺς καταφρύγειν δύναται. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τοῦτο ἐποίησε; Διὰ σέ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλες ὑγιαίνειν, ἀλλὰ τραυματίζεσθαι, τῶν φαρμάκων σοι τὴν ὑπόθεσιν παρέσχε: καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον ἐκεῖθεν. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, οὐκ ἠδύνατο αὐτὸς αὐτοὺς θρέψαι; εἰ σοὶ τῷ προσκεκρουκότι ἔδωκεν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον Παύλῳ ἂν ἔδωκεν; ὁ τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις διδοὺς τοῖς γογγυσταῖς, τοῖς πόρνοις, τοῖς εἰδωλολάτραις, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἂν Πέτρῳ τῷ καταλείψαντι ἅπαντα δι' αὐτὸν ἀφῆκεν; ὁ μιαροὺς ἀφεὶς ἔχειν ἄνδρας, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἂν Ἰωάννῃ ἐχαρίσατο, τῷ καὶ τὸν πατέρα δι' αὐτὸν καταλείποντι; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠθέλησεν: ἀλλὰ διὰ σοῦ αὐτοὺς τρέφει, ἵνα σὺ ἁγιασθῇς. Καὶ θέα μοι τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας. Εἵλετο τοὺς αὑτοῦ μαθητὰς ἐλαττωθῆναι, ἵνα σὺ μικρὸν ἀναπνεύσῃς. Ἀλλ' εἰ ἐποίησεν αὐτοὺς ἀνενδεεῖς, φησὶ, πολλῷ θαυμαστότεροι ἂν ἦσαν, πολλῷ ἐπιδοξότεροι. Ἀλλὰ σοῦ ἡ σωτηρία ἐξεκέκοπτο. Οὐχ εἵλετο τοίνυν ἐκείνους γενέσθαι θαυμαστοὺς, ἀλλ' ἐλαττοῦσθαι μᾶλλον, ἵνα σὺ σωθῇς: καὶ ἐλαττωθῆναι ἐκείνους συνεχώρησεν, ἵνα σὺ δυνηθῇς σωθῆναι. Οὐ γὰρ ὁμοίως αἰδέσιμός ἐστι διδάσκαλος λαμβάνων, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος μάλιστα τιμᾶται ὁ μὴ λαμβάνων: ἀλλ' ὁ μαθητὴς οὐκ ὠφελεῖται, ἀλλὰ τὸν καρπὸν ἐγκόπτεται. Ὁρᾷς τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ; Ὥσπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς οὐχὶ τὴν ἰδίαν δόξαν ἐζήτησεν, οὐδὲ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἐσκόπησεν, ἀλλὰ ἐν δόξῃ ὢν εἵλετο ἀτιμασθῆναι διὰ σὲ, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν διδασκάλων: δυνάμενος αὐτοὺς ποιῆσαι αἰδεσίμους, εἵλετο εἶναι εὐκαταφρονήτους διὰ σὲ, ἵνα σὺ ἔχῃς κερδαίνειν, ἵνα σὺ ἔχῃς πλουτεῖν. Ἵνα γὰρ σὺ εὐπορῇς ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνος ἀπορεῖ ἐν τοῖς βιωτικοῖς. Ὅτι τοίνυν ἐδύνατο ποιῆσαι αὐτοὺς ἀνενδεεῖς, ἔδειξε διὰ πολλῶν: ὅτι δὲ διὰ σὲ ἀφίησιν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἐνδείᾳ εἶναι, καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυται ὁμοίως. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες, μὴ πρὸς κατηγορίας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς εὐποιίας τραπῶμεν: μὴ τὰ ἑτέρων κακὰ περιεργαζώμεθα, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἡμέτερα αὐτῶν ἀναλογιζώμεθα: τὰ ἑτέρων κατορθώματα ἐννοῶμεν, τὰ δὲ ἡμέτερα ἁμαρτήματα ἀναλογιζώμεθα: καὶ οὕτως εὐαρεστήσομεν τῷ Θεῷ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὰ ἑτέρων ἁμαρτήματα ὁρῶν, καὶ τὰ αὑτοῦ κατορθώματα, διπλῇ βλάπτεται: ἀπό τε γὰρ τούτων εἰς ἀπόνοιαν αἴρεται, ἀπό τε ἐκείνων εἰς ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐμπίπτει. Ὅταν γὰρ ἐννοήσῃ, ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα ἥμαρτεν, εὐκόλως ἁμαρτήσει καὶ αὐτός: ὅταν ἐννοήσῃ, ὅτι αὐτὸς κατώρθωσεν, εὐκόλως ἀπονοεῖται. Ὁ δὲ τὰ μὲν αὐτοῦ κατορθώματα λήθῃ παραδιδοὺς, τὰ δὲ ἁμαρτήματα βλέπων μόνα, καὶ τὰ ἑτέρων ἁμαρτήματα μὴ περιεργαζόμενος, ἀλλὰ τὰ κατορθώματα, πολλὰ κερδανεῖ. Πῶς, ἄκουε: Ὅταν ἴδῃ, ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα κατώρθωσε, πρὸς τὸν ἴσον αἴρεται ζῆλον: ὅταν ἴδῃ, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἥμαρτε, ταπεινοφρονήσει καὶ μετριάσει. Ἂν οὕτω ποιῶμεν, καὶ οὕτω τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς οἰκονομῶμεν, δυνησόμεθα τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων τυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.