In dictum Pauli Oportet haereses esse

On the Apostolic Saying: "It is necessary that there also be heresies among you, so that the approved may become manifest." 1. Sufficiently was this spiritual theater warmed for us recently, when I brought Jerusalem before you in speech, lamenting and proclaiming her own misfortunes. For I saw your eyes then laboring to pour forth streams of tears; I saw, from what you suffered, each one's mind full of lamentations and confounded. Therefore, perceiving this quickly, I restrained the tragedy, snatched the discourse from the midst, so as to forestall that lament about to burst forth from each one's heart. For a soul seized by grief can neither say nor hear anything sound. For what reason, then, have I now reminded you of those things? Because what is about to be said today is akin to what was said then. For just as those things restrained our negligence in life and corrected our indifference concerning practical matters, so too what will now be said could render us more secure concerning the accurate observation of doctrines, so that we might be perfected from all sides, reaching the measure of full age according to the divine Apostle.

Then we healed your body; now we treat your head. Then through the words of Jeremiah, now through the sayings of Paul. What then are the sayings of Paul which it is our task to work out today? "It is necessary that there also be heresies among you," he says, "so that the approved may become manifest among you." The matter under inquiry is not trivial. For if Paul says this as one giving advice, and it is necessary that heresies exist, then those who introduce heresies are blameless. But this is not the case, it is not so; for the saying is not that of one giving advice, but of one foretelling the future. For just as a physician, seeing the patient devoted to gluttony and drunkenness and other forbidden things, says that this disorder must produce a fever, not laying down a law nor giving advice, but foretelling the future from present circumstances with consideration; and again a farmer, or a pilot, seeing the gathering of clouds and thunder bursting forth with lightning, says that these clouds must produce rain and a violent downpour, neither does he exhort, but proclaims beforehand what will happen; so also Paul has placed the word "must." Often, indeed, we ourselves, seeing men clashing with each other and washing themselves with harsh insults, say, "These men must come to blows and be imprisoned," neither giving advice nor exhorting them (for how could we?), but inferring the future from the present.

Thus also Paul does not say these things as advice, that "It is necessary that there be heresies among you," but as a foretelling and prophecy of what will come to pass. For that he does not advise that there be heresies, he himself is the one who says, "Even if an angel evangelizes you contrary to what you received, let him be anathema." He himself is the one who, when circumcision was being introduced out of season and was muddying the purity of the proclamation, casts it out and says, "If you circumcise yourselves, Christ will not benefit you at all." How then, it is said, did he add a cause by saying, "So that the approved may become manifest"? The "so that" in many places in the Scriptures is not one of causality, but of the outcome of events. For example, Christ came and made the blind man see; and that man worshipped him, but the Jews, when this man was healed, did everything to obscure the miracle and drove Christ away. Then he says, "I came into this world for judgment, so that those not seeing might see, and those seeing might become blind." Did he therefore come for this reason, so that they might become blind? He did not come for this reason, but this was the outcome, and he has set the outcome in the form of a cause. Again, a law was given so that it might prevent the flood of sins, so that it might make those who receive it more moderate. But the opposite outcome occurred due to their negligence; for the sins increased, and Paul says, "But law was introduced so that the transgression might increase," and indeed it was not introduced for this reason, but so that it might diminish the transgression. This outcome occurred due to the ingratitude of those who received it. Thus also here, the "so that" is not one of causality, but of outcome.

For that there is another cause of the heresies, and that heresies did not come about for this reason, that the approved might become manifest, but took their pretexts from elsewhere, hear Christ making this clear to us: "The kingdom of heaven," he says, "was likened to a man sowing good seed in his field; and while the men were sleeping, an enemy man came and sowed the tares." Do you see that heresies exist for this reason, because men slept, because they were negligent, because they did not attend with precision to what was said? So that no one may say, "Why did Christ permit this?" Paul says, "This permission does not harm you at all; if you are approved, you will become even more manifest." For it is not the same to stand in the right faith when no one trips you up or deceives you, and to remain unshaken and unturned when countless waves crash against you. Just as the assaults of winds from all sides, blowing upon trees, make them stronger if they are well-rooted and with precision, so too with souls that are fixed in the foundation of the right faith: whatever heresies attack them do not overturn them, but even make them stronger. What then, he says, about those who are weak and easily turned and tripped up? Not even they suffer this because of the attack of heresy, but because of their own weakness. I do not mean natural weakness, but that which comes from choice, which is worthy of reproach and subject to punishment and penalty, and which we ourselves are masters of correcting. Hence we are praised when we succeed, and punished when we do not.

2. And that you may learn that it can harm the vigilant in no way, I will also attempt to demonstrate this from another source. What could be more wicked than the devil, what more abominable? Yet this wicked and villainous one, possessing great strength, when he attacked Job with all his devices and emptied his entire quiver upon the house and body of the righteous man, not only did he not overthrow him, but he even made him more illustrious. And this man was not harmed even by the devil at that time; but Judas, because he was careless and indolent, gained nothing from his association with Christ, but remained a traitor after those many exhortations and counsels. The reason is that God neither compels nor forces anyone who is unwilling; just as he did not compel that one either. Thus, if we too are vigilant, even the devil cannot harm us; but if we are not vigilant, but indolent, we will never profit even from those who benefit us, but will suffer the utmost loss. So great an evil is indolence. The Jews, for instance, not only were not benefited by the coming of Christ, but were even harmed; yet not by Christ, but by their own indolence and ingratitude. And hear this from Christ himself, who says: "If I had not come," he says, "and spoken to them, they would have had no sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin." Do you see that his presence both deprived them of pardon and cut off their defense?

Such is the evil of not gathering oneself together, nor managing one's own affairs as one ought. One may see this also in the case of bodies: for the sun itself is accustomed to darken the one whose eyes are diseased, while darkness cannot harm the healthy one. And I do not prolong this discourse idly; but since many, having abandoned their own indolence, seek to blame it, and to correct their own ingratitude and insensibility—this they do not do—but go about seeking cold excuses for themselves, saying, "If the devil were not, we would not have been lost; if there were no law, we would not have sinned; if there were no heresies, we would not have been tripped up." These are pretexts and excuses, O man; for nothing ever harms the vigilant one, just as nothing benefits the one who sleeps and is indolent and betrays his own salvation. This very thing, then, Paul hinted at when he said, "So that the approved may become manifest among you"; that is, do not be disturbed, do not be distressed; the heresies can harm you in no way.

That it is, then, even if the discourse were about heresies, the statement does not admit of question in this way either, is clear from these things. For it is a prophecy, not a counsel; a prediction, not an exhortation; and the "in order that" is one of outcome, not of causation. But that his discourse now is not about doctrines either, but about the poor and the rich, about eating and not eating, about the profligacy and gluttony of the well-to-do, about the neglect of the poor which has come from them, allow me to relate a little from the beginning; for otherwise what is said would not become clear to you. For when the apostles began to sow the word of piety, three thousand immediately came forward, and again five thousand, and all of them had one heart and one soul. And the cause of their concord, and that which bound together their love and brought so many souls into one, was their contempt for money. For no one, it says, called any of his possessions his own, but all their goods were common. For when the root of evils—I mean love of money—was removed, all good things came in, and then they were pressed together towards one another, there being nothing to divide them. For "mine" and "thine"—that cold expression which has introduced countless wars into the world—was banished from that holy Church, and they inhabited the earth just as the angels inhabit heaven, and the poor did not envy the rich—for there were no rich—nor did the rich look down on the poor—for there were no poor—but everything was common. And no one called any of his possessions his own; for it was not, as now happens, that it was so then.

Now, for they have their own possessions and give to those in need; but then this was not the case either, but having withdrawn from the ownership of their own property, and having placed it in common and mixed it together, those who were formerly wealthy were no longer even recognizable; so that even if any pride arose from the contempt of wealth, this too was entirely abolished, all being in one equality, and all property having been mixed together. And not only from this, but also from the very manner of the offering, one can see their reverence. For as many as were owners of lands or houses, selling them, brought the prices and placed them at the feet of the apostles. It does not say that they threw them into their hands, but that they placed them at their feet, showing through this the reverence and awe and fear which they had for the apostles; for they thought they were receiving rather than giving. And this especially is to despise wealth: this is genuinely to nourish Christ, when you do this not with arrogance and pride, when you provide as if you are benefiting yourself more than the recipient. For if you are not so disposed, do not give; if you do not think you are receiving rather than giving, do not offer. This also Paul testified to others, saying thus: I make known to you, brothers, the grace of God, given in the

To the churches of Macedonia, that their deep poverty abounded into the wealth of their simplicity, that according to their power, I testify, and beyond their power, voluntarily, with much entreaty beseeching us, they fulfilled the grace and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints. Do you see how he admires them for this especially, that being grateful, and beseeching, and entreating, they displayed such liberality in money matters? 3. For this reason we also admire Abraham, not because he sacrificed a calf only, nor because he kneaded flour, but because with much pleasure and humility he received the strangers, running to them, serving them, calling them masters, thinking he had found a treasure of countless good things, if ever he saw a passing stranger. For thus almsgiving becomes double, when we both give, and giving, provide with eagerness. For a cheerful giver, it says, God loves. Since even if you pay down countless talents with arrogance and pride and vainglory, you have lost everything; just as that Pharisee, who, tithing his possessions, because he thought highly and was puffed up, having lost everything, thus went down from the temple. But not so with the apostles; but rejoicing, exulting, thinking they were gaining the greatest things, they brought the money in this way, and considered it a blessing if the apostles should deign to accept it. And just as some, when called to great offices and about to inhabit the more royal of cities, having turned all their property into money, so they departed.

Thus also did those people of that time, having been called to heaven, to the upper metropolis and the kingdom there. For since they knew that that was truly their fatherland, they liquidated their property and sent it on ahead through the apostolic hands to that place. For it is the height of folly to leave any of our possessions behind here, when we are about to depart from here shortly afterward; for whatever is left behind becomes a loss. Therefore, let everything be sent on ahead to where we are going to dwell permanently from now on. For having reasoned this out themselves, they stripped themselves of all their property, and a double achievement occurred: for they both relieved the poverty of those in need and made their own property greater and more secure, transferring their treasures to heaven. From this law and custom, then, a marvelous practice arose at that time in the churches: for all the faithful, after the hearing of the teaching, after the prayers, after the communion of the mysteries, when the assembly was dismissed, did not immediately depart for home, but the rich and more prosperous, bringing food and provisions from home, called the poor and made common tables, common feasts, common banquets in the church itself; so that both from the fellowship at the table and from the reverence of the place, and from every side, love was strengthened among them, and great pleasure and great benefit came to them.

For the poor derived no ordinary consolation, and the wealthy, having reaped great favor both from those they supported and from God, for whose sake they did these things, departed homeward in this way. And countless goods came from this practice, and the chief of all was that friendship grew warmer at each gathering, as they were united with one another in such goodwill, both conferring and receiving benefits. This custom, then, the Corinthians, as time went on, corrupted; the wealthier feasted by themselves and overlooked the poor, and did not wait for those who often lagged behind, detained by the necessities of life, as is the case with the poor, and were slow. From this it happened that when the latter arrived later, they withdrew in shame, the table having been removed, while the former begrudged them and the latter came too late. Seeing, then, Paul, that from this practice many evils arose—some already occurring, others impending (for contempt for the poor on the part of the rich increased, along with greater disdain, and despondency and enmity toward the wealthy on the part of the poor, and all else that was likely to be born from these evils)—he corrected this wicked and bitter custom. And observe with how much prudence and gentleness he introduced the correction. For beginning thus he says: "Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, because you assemble not for the better but for the worse." What does "not for the better" mean?

Your ancestors, he says, your forefathers and fathers, used to sell their own properties, their lands and possessions, and held everything in common, and had great love for one another. But you, who ought to emulate them, have not only done nothing of the sort, but have even lost the one thing you had, the agape meals that took place at the assembly. That is why he says, "You come together not for the better, but for the worse." And they gave up all their possessions to the poor, while you, in sharing a table with them, have deprived them even of that. For first of all, when you gather in church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it. 4. See how wisely he makes the correction. He did not say, "I do not believe" or "I believe," but left the expression in the middle: "I partly believe." I do not believe entirely, but neither do I disbelieve entirely; whether this or that happens is entirely up to you. For if you correct yourselves, I do not believe; but if you remain the same, I believe. So he neither accused nor accused. He did not accuse definitively, so as to give them hope of correction and a period for repentance; he did not leave them unaccused, so that they might not remain in the same negligence. "Thus I fully believed," he says; for this is what it means to say, "I partly believe." And he said this to urge them to change and correct themselves, and to lead him away from even partly believing such a thing against them. For heresies must exist, so that the approved may become evident among you. So he spoke of heresies.

Here pay attention, that the saying "There must be heresies among you" is not about doctrines, but about the discord concerning the tables. For after saying, "There must also be heresies," he added also the manner of the heresies: "For when you come together in the same place, it is not possible to eat a Lord's Supper." What is "to eat a Lord's Supper"? A Master's Supper, he says, it is not possible to eat; meaning that supper which Christ delivered on the last night, when all the disciples were with him. For in that supper both Master and slaves all lay down together; but you, being fellow slaves, have separated and divided yourselves from one another. And he did not even drive away the traitor; for Judas was with them then; but you reject your brother. For this reason he says, "It is not possible to eat a Lord's Supper," calling a Lord's Supper that which is with concord, that which is with all summoned in common. For each one eats his own supper beforehand; and one is hungry, another is drunk. And he did not say, "One is hungry, another eats," but by the name of drunkenness he reproached them more. There and here, he says, there is excess. You are bursting from gluttony, while that one is wasting away from hunger; you partake even of what is beyond need, while that one does not enjoy even the necessities. The evil is twofold, when equality is destroyed; this he calls heresies, since they were disposed contentiously toward one another and were in dissension, and one was hungry, another was drunk. And he well said, "When you come together in the same place.

For what purpose do you assemble, he says? What is the point of the gathering? What is the reason for the common assembly, when the table is not made common? The funds we have received are the Lord's; let them be placed in common for our fellow servants. Do you not have houses for eating and drinking? Or do you despise the church of God, he says, and put to shame those who have not? You think, he says, that you are only insulting your brother, but the place also shares in the insult. For you despise the whole church. For the church is so called because it receives all in common. Why then do you bring the meanness of your own house into the church? If you despise your brother, at least respect the place; for the church is insulted. And he did not say, "You deprive those who have not," or, "You do not have mercy on those who have not," but what? "You put to shame those who have not." He very effectively dramatized their profligacy. For the poor man, he says, is not so concerned about food as about the insult. See how he both made a dignified defense on this point and attacked them more vehemently. What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you. What is this? After the demonstration of the absurdity, the accusation is milder, and quite reasonably, so that they may not become more shameless. For before demonstrating that the matter was absurd, he delivered a complete verdict, saying, "In giving this instruction I do not praise you"; but when he had accurately shown that they were worthy of many charges, he used a milder accusation, leaving the greater force of the charge to reside in the structure and demonstration of what had been said.

Then he brings the discourse to the mystical table, wishing to frighten them more severely. For I, he says, received from the Lord what I also delivered to you. What consistency is this? You speak of a common meal, and you mention the awesome mysteries? Yes, he says. For if those spiritual things, if the awesome table lies common to all, both to rich and poor, and the rich does not partake of it more abundantly, nor the poor less, but there is one honor and one approach; and until all have partaken and communed of this spiritual and sacred table, the offerings are not withdrawn, but all the priests stand waiting for the poorest and most insignificant of all; much more must this be done with the sensible table. For this reason I recalled that Lord's supper. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed took bread, and having given thanks, broke it, and said: This is my body, broken for many for the remission of sins. Do this in my memory. Likewise also the cup after the supper, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood.

5. Then, after discoursing at length about those who partake of the mysteries unworthily, and vehemently attacking and refuting them, and teaching that those who take his blood and body carelessly and at random will undergo the same punishment as those who killed Christ, he again brought the discourse back to the subject at hand, saying: "Therefore, brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if someone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you do not come together to your own condemnation." See how he covertly condemned their gluttony, and did not say, "If you are hungry," but "If someone is hungry," so that each person, being ashamed to appear personally responsible for the charges, might correct himself beforehand. And he concluded the discourse with a fear of punishment, saying: "So that you do not come together to your own condemnation," that is, to judgment and reproach. For it is not food, he says, nor a table, that which occurs with shame to a brother, with contempt for the church, with gluttony or profligacy. These things are not joy, but punishment and retribution. For you draw down great judgment upon yourselves by insulting your brothers, despising the church, and making the holy place a private house by eating by yourselves. Hearing these things, beloved, you also should silence those who use the apostolic saying carelessly and

teaching: correct those who use the Scriptures to their own harm and to the harm of others. For you have learned about whom he says, "It is necessary that there also be heresies among you," concerning the dissension that occurs at the tables, since one is hungry and another is drunk. And let us display, together with right faith, a conduct consistent with the teachings, great kindness toward the poor, great care for those in need; let us engage in spiritual commerce, seeking nothing beyond our need. This is wealth, this is commerce, this is an inexhaustible treasure: to transfer all one's possessions to heaven, and thereafter to be confident about the safety of what is stored there. For from almsgiving we will have a double profit: first, that we no longer fear for the money we have laid out, lest robbers, burglars, or the malice of servants destroy it; and second, that it is not simply buried and fruitless, but just as a root planted in rich soil bears ripe fruit each year, so money planted in the hands of the poor bears spiritual fruit for us not only each year but even each day: freedom of speech before God, forgiveness of sins, closeness to angels, a good conscience, joy of spiritual exultation, unashamed hope, the wonderful goods that God has prepared for those who love him and for those who, with a warm and fervent soul, seek the mercy of his manifestation.

of which may it be that all of us, having passed through the present life in a manner pleasing to God, attain to the eternal joy of the saved, by the grace and mercies of the true God and our Savior Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and power together with the Father and his all-holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.