In illud Salutate Priscillam et Aquilam

On "Greet Priscilla and Aquila," and the following, Discourse 1. 1. I think many of you are amazed at this passage of the apostolic reading, or rather consider this part of the letter to be incidental and superfluous, because it contains only a continuous and repeated series of greetings. Therefore, since I too had set out today for another subject, I am preparing to lower myself into this one, setting that topic aside, so that you may learn that nothing in the divine Scriptures is superfluous, nothing incidental, even if it be one iota, even if it be one stroke, but even a bare greeting opens up to us a great sea of meanings. And why do I say a bare greeting? Often even the addition of a single letter has introduced a whole power of meanings. And this can be seen in the case of Abraham's name. For how is it not absurd, when receiving a letter from a friend, not to read only the body of the letter, but also the greeting written at the bottom, and from there especially to guess the disposition of the writer—but when Paul writes, or rather not Paul, but the grace of the Spirit dictating the letter to a whole city and so great a people, and through them to the whole world, to think that something among its contents is superfluous, and to pass over it simply, and not to understand that all these things have turned everything upside down? For this is it, this is what has filled us with great laziness: not to go through all the Scriptures, but to choose those things we think are clearer, and to make no account of the others. This is what has introduced the heresies: the unwillingness to go through the whole body, the thinking that something is superfluous and incidental.

For this reason, all other things have been treated by us with earnestness—not only superfluous things, but even unprofitable and harmful ones—while experience of the Scriptures has been neglected and overlooked. And those who are frantic over the spectacle of horse races can tell with all exactness the names, the herd, the breed, the homeland, and the rearing of the horses, and the years of their life, and the energies of their running, and who, when matched with whom, will snatch the victory, and which horse, released from which starting gate, and having which charioteer, will prevail in the race and outrun his rival. And those who have devoted themselves to the orchestra display no less madness than these—indeed more—concerning those who behave shamefully in the theaters, I mean mimes and dancers, enumerating their race, their homeland, their upbringing, and all the rest. But we, when asked how many letters Paul wrote and which they are, cannot even state the number. And if some even know the number, yet when asked about the cities that received the letters, they are at a loss before the question. And a eunuch, a barbarian, drawn by countless cares from countless affairs, was so devoted to books that he did not even rest during the time of his journey, but sitting in his carriage, he applied himself with great exactness to the reading of the divine Scriptures. But we, who do not have even the smallest fraction of that man's occupation, are bewildered by the names of the letters, and this even though we gather here every Lord's day and enjoy divine hearing.

But so that we may not spend our discourse only on reproach, come, let us bring into the middle this very salutation which seems to be superfluous and troublesome. For when it is unfolded and the profit it provides to those who attend to it with precision is shown, then there will be a greater accusation against those who neglect such great treasures, and who cast the spiritual wealth from their hands. What, then, is the salutation? "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in the Lord," he says. Does it not seem to be a bare salutation, and to display nothing great or noble to us? Come then, let us spend our whole discourse on it alone—or rather, we shall not even suffice today if we strive to draw out for you all the thoughts contained in these few words, but it is necessary that the abundance of the contemplations, which are brought forth from this brief salutation, be stored up for you for another day as well. For I do not prepare to go through the whole of it, but only a part of it, both the beginning and the preface: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila." 2. First, it is fitting to be astonished at the virtue of Paul, that, having the whole inhabited world entrusted to him—both land and sea, and all the cities under the sun, and barbarians, and Greeks, and so many peoples, carrying them in himself—he took such great care for one man and one woman; and second, to marvel at this, how he had a watchful and careful soul, remembering not only all in common, but also each of the approved and noble individually.

For now it is no wonder that the presidents of the Churches do this, since those disturbances have been calmed and they have taken up the care of only one city; but then not only the magnitude of the dangers, but also the distance of the journey, and the multitude of cares and the waves succeeding one another, and the fact that he was not continually and always visiting all of them, and many other things more numerous than these, were enough to cast out of memory even those who were exceedingly diligent. But he did not cast these out. How then were they not cast out? Because of Paul's greatness of soul, and his fervent and genuine love. For he held them so in his mind that he often remembered them in his letters. But let us see who and of what sort these were, who so subdued Paul and drew him to a longing for their own company. Were they perhaps consuls and generals and governors, or those who possessed some other distinction, or were clothed in great wealth, and were among those who lead the city? There is none of these things to say, but quite the opposite of all: poor and needy, and living from the work of their hands. For they were, he says, tentmakers by trade; and Paul was not ashamed, nor did he consider it a reproach in the most royal city and in a people that thought greatly of itself, to command that those craftsmen be greeted, nor did he think it an insult to himself through his friendship with them; so thoroughly had he taught all to philosophize at that time. And yet we, often having relatives who are a little poorer, become estranged from our intimacy with them, and think it a reproach if we should ever be found to be connected to them.

But Paul did not act this way; rather, he even takes pride in the matter, and he made it clear not only to those of that time but also to all who came after, that those tentmakers were among his first friends. And let no one say to me, "And what is so great and wonderful about it, that he himself, being of the same trade, was not ashamed of those of the same craft?" What are you saying? For this very thing is the greatest and most wonderful. For those who can speak of the distinction of their ancestors are not so ashamed of those who are inferior as are those who were once in the same low estate and then suddenly rose to some splendor and distinction. And that nothing was more splendid or more distinguished than Paul—but he was even more notable than the kings themselves—is clear to everyone, surely. For he who commanded demons and raised the dead and was able by his command both to blind and to heal the blinded, whose garments and even shadows dissolved every kind of disease—it is evident that he was no longer considered merely a man, but some angel come down from heaven. But nevertheless, enjoying such glory, and everywhere...

being admired, and wherever he appeared turning everyone, he was not ashamed of the tentmaker, nor did he think those in such great positions of honor were diminished. For it was likely that in the Church of the Romans many were distinguished, whom he compelled to greet those poor men. For he knew, he knew clearly, that nobility is not made by prominence of wealth, nor by abundance of money, but by gentleness of character; since those who are deprived of this, and who pride themselves on the reputation of those who begot them, are adorned with the mere name of nobility, but not with the reality; rather, the name itself is often exposed, if one traces back to the ancestors of these noble people. For the distinguished and illustrious man, who has a notable father and grandfather to mention, if you examine him carefully, you will often find that he had a great-grandfather who was lowly and nameless; just as, if we investigate the whole lineage of those who seem to be lowly, tracing it back little by little, we will often find their more distant ancestors were prefects and generals, and one might find they had become horse-keepers and swineherds. Paul, then, knowing all these things, made little account of them, but sought the nobility of the soul, and taught others to admire this. This, then, is no small fruit we reap from here for the present: not to be ashamed of any of the more lowly, to seek the virtue of the soul, to consider all the outward things wrapped around us to be superfluous and unprofitable. 3. There is also another gain, not less than this, to be reaped from here, and one which most of all holds our life together when it is set right. What is this?

Not to accuse marriage, nor to think it an obstacle and hindrance to the road that leads to virtue—to have a wife, to raise children, to preside over a household, and to ply a trade. Behold, here too there was a man and a woman, and they presided over workshops, and they plied a trade, and they displayed a philosophy far more exact than that of those living in monasteries. From where is this clear? From the things with which Paul addressed them—or rather, not only from the things with which he addressed them, but also from the things he testified concerning them afterward. For having said, "Greet Priscilla and Aquila," he added also their rank. What then is this? He did not say "the rich," "the illustrious," "the well-born," but what? "My fellow-workers in the Lord." Nothing could be equal to this for the account of virtue. And not only from this, but also from the fact that he stayed with them—not one day, two or three, but two whole years—one can see their virtue. For just as the rulers of the outside world would not choose ever to be lodged among the cheap and lowly, but seek out the splendid houses of certain distinguished men, so that the cheapness of those who receive them might not be damaged by the greatness of their dignity—so also the apostles did. They did not lodge with just anyone, but just as those sought the splendor of a house, so these sought the virtue of a soul, and investigating with exactness those suitable for them, they lodged with them. For indeed a law from Christ also lay established commanding this. "Into whatever city or house you enter," he says, "ask who in it is worthy, and stay there.

So they were worthy of Paul; and if worthy of Paul, they were worthy of the angels. That room I would confidently call both a heaven and a church. For where Paul was, there Christ was also. "Do you seek a proof," he says, "of Christ speaking in me?" And where Christ was, there the angels also continually came. But consider what those who before this had shown themselves worthy of Paul's service became, dwelling with him for two years, observing his bearing, his walk, his look, his manner of dress, his comings and goings, and all else besides. For in the case of the saints, not only these words, nor the teachings and exhortations, but also the whole remaining conduct of life would suffice as instruction in philosophy for those who attend to it. Consider how great a thing it was to see Paul, both dining and rebuking and exhorting and praying and weeping, going out and coming in. For if we who have only fourteen letters carry them everywhere throughout the whole inhabited world—we who possess the fountain of the letters, the tongue of the world, the light of the churches, the foundation of the faith, the pillar and ground of the truth—what would those not have become who lived with such an angel? For if his garments were fearful to demons and had such great power, how great a grace of the Spirit would his companionship have drawn in? For to see Paul's bed, his couch, his sandals—would this not have sufficed for them as a cause of unceasing compunction?

For if the demons, seeing his garments, shuddered, much more did the faithful who had lived with him feel compunction as they looked at them. It is worth examining this too: for what reason, when greeting them, did he place Priscilla before her husband? For he did not say, "Greet Aquila and Priscilla," but "Priscilla and Aquila." Nor did he do this without reason, but it seems to me that he knew her to have greater devotion than her husband. And that what has been said is not mere conjecture, it is possible to learn this also from the Acts. For Apollos, a man eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures, who knew only the baptism of John—she took him and instructed him in the way of God, and made him a fully equipped teacher. For the women in the time of the apostles did not concern themselves with these things, as women do now—how they might wrap themselves in splendid garments, and adorn their faces with cosmetics and paint, and nag their own husbands, forcing them to buy a robe more costly than the neighbor's and the woman of equal rank, and white mules, and gold-embroidered bridles, and a retinue of eunuchs, and a great swarm of maidservants, and all the rest of that ridiculous display—but shaking off all these things and casting away worldly vanity, they sought only one thing: to become companions of the apostles and to share in the same hunt as they. For this reason not she alone was like this, but all the rest as well. For he says of a certain Persis, "who labored much for us," and he marvels at Mary and Tryphaena for these labors, because they toiled with the apostles and stripped for the same contests.

And how is it that, writing to Timothy, he says, "But I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to have authority over a man"? This is when the man also is devout, and possesses the same faith, and shares in the same wisdom; but when he is an unbeliever and in error, she does not deprive her of the authority to teach. At any rate, writing to the Corinthians he says: "And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, let her not leave him. For how do you know, woman, whether you will save your husband?" And how would a believing woman save an unbelieving husband? Clearly by instructing him and teaching him and leading him to the faith, just as this Priscilla also did with Apollos. But in another sense, when he says, "I do not permit a woman to teach," he speaks of teaching in the assembly, of public discourse, and of the matter of the priesthood; but private exhortation and counsel he did not forbid. For he would not, if it had been forbidden, have praised this woman for doing it. Let men hear, let women also hear these things: the latter, that they may imitate one of their own sex and kin; the former, that they may not appear weaker than a woman. For what defense, what excuse shall we have, when women display such zeal and such philosophy, while we are perpetually bound to the affairs of the world?

Let rulers learn these things, and also those who are ruled, and priests, and those who hold the rank of the laity: that the former should not admire the rich, nor pursue the distinguished households, but should seek virtue together with poverty, and not be ashamed of the poorer among the brethren, nor, passing by the tentmaker, the tanner, the purple-seller, and the coppersmith, should they court those in positions of power; and that those who are ruled should not think that poverty is an obstacle to the reception of the saints, but, bearing in mind the widow who received Elijah while having only a handful of flour, and those who hosted Paul for two years, they should open their houses to those in need, and, having all things in common, hold them for strangers. For do not say to me, "I do not have servants to minister." For even if you have ten thousand, God commands you to gather the fruit of hospitality yourself. This is why Paul, when speaking to a widow and commanding her to show hospitality, ordered this to be done not through others but through herself. For having said, "If she has shown hospitality," he added, "If she has washed the feet of the saints." He did not say, "if she spent money," nor, "if she ordered her servants to do this," but, "if she did this herself." This is why Abraham also, though he had three hundred and eighteen servants born in his house, himself ran to the herd, and carried the calf, and ministered in all the other things, and made his wife a partaker of the fruits of hospitality.

For this reason also our Lord Jesus Christ is born in a manger, and being born in a house he is nourished, and having grown up he had nowhere to lay his head, so that he might teach you through all things not to gape after the splendid things of this life, but to be a lover of simplicity everywhere, and to pursue poverty, and to flee abundance, and to be adorned within. For all the glory of the king's daughter is within, it says. If you have a hospitable disposition, you have the whole treasury of hospitality, even if you possess only a single obol; but if you are a hater of men and a hater of strangers, even if you are clothed with all things, your house has been made narrow for strangers. She did not have silver-bound couches, but she had great chastity; she did not have a bed, but she possessed a gentle and hospitable disposition; she did not have gleaming columns, but she had the beauty of a soul shining forth; she did not have walls covered with marbles, nor a floor adorned with mosaics, but she herself was a temple of the Spirit. These things Paul praised, these things he loved; for these reasons, having stayed two years in the house, he did not depart; for these reasons he remembers them continually, and composes for them a great and wonderful encomium, not so that he might make them more illustrious, but so that he might lead the rest to the same zeal, and persuade them to call blessed, not those who are rich, nor those who are in positions of authority, but the hospitable, the merciful, the humane, those who display great kindness toward the saints. 5. Having learned these things also ourselves from this greeting, let us show them forth through our own deeds.

And let us neither call the rich blessed without qualification, nor despise the poor, nor be ashamed of crafts, nor consider work a reproach, but rather idleness, and having nothing to do. For if working were a reproach, Paul would not have pursued it, nor would he have thought more highly of himself on account of it, saying thus: For if I preach the gospel, I have no ground for boasting. What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may make the gospel of Christ free of charge. And if a craft were a reproach, he would not have commanded those who do not work not to eat either. For sin alone is a reproach; and idleness is accustomed to give birth to this, and not to one or two or three only, but to all wickedness together. For this reason also a certain wise man, showing that idleness has taught all vice, and speaking concerning servants, says: Put him to work, so that he may not be idle. For what the bridle is to a horse, that work is to our nature. If idleness were good, the earth would have brought forth all things unsown and unplowed; but it produces nothing of the kind. Formerly, then, God commanded all things to come forth unplowed; but now he has not done so, but he has ordained for men both to yoke oxen, and to draw a plow, and to cut a furrow, and to cast seeds, and in many other ways to tend both vine and trees and seeds, so that the occupation of work might lead the mind of those who labor away from all wickedness. From the beginning, then, in order to display his own power, he arranged for all things to spring up without our labors; Let the earth bring forth grass of the field, he says; and all things were immediately luxuriant;

But after these things it was not so; rather, he also commanded that these things be brought forth from the earth through our own labors, so that you might learn that he introduced labor for our benefit and advantage. And what was heard—"In the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread"—seems to be a punishment and a penalty, but in truth it is a kind of admonition and correction, and a remedy for the wounds that came from sin. For this reason Paul also worked continually, not only by day but also in the night itself; and this he cries out, saying: "For working night and day, so as not to burden any of you." And he did not pursue the work simply for the sake of pleasure and amusement, as many of the brethren do, but he displayed so much labor in it that he was able even to help others. "For my needs," he says, "and those who are with me, these hands have served." A man who commanded demons, who was a teacher of the inhabited world, who was entrusted with all those who dwell on the earth, and who with great care tended all the churches that lie under the sun, and peoples and nations and cities—he worked night and day, and did not breathe even a little from those labors. But we, who do not pursue even the ten-thousandth part of his care, or rather are not even able to take it into our minds, continue living in idleness continually. And what defense shall we have, or what pardon, tell me? From this all evils have been brought into life, because many think it the greatest worth not to handle their own crafts, and the last accusation, to appear to know any such thing.

And Paul was not ashamed both to handle a knife and to stitch leather and to converse with men in positions of honor, but he even took pride in the matter, though countless distinguished and notable men came to him. And not only was he not ashamed to do these things, but he even published his trade abroad in his letters as if on a bronze pillar. What he learned from the beginning, he continued to practice afterward, and then after being caught up to the third heaven, after being carried off to paradise, after sharing ineffable words with God—yet we, who are not worthy even of his sandals, are ashamed of those things in which he exulted; and though we sin every day, we do not even turn back, nor do we consider it a reproach; but living from righteous labors we flee from as shameful and ridiculous. What hope of salvation, then, shall we have, tell me? For the one who is ashamed ought to be ashamed of sin, and of offending God, and of doing something improper—but in crafts and labors he ought to exult. For in this way we shall easily cast out evil thoughts through the occupation of work from the mind, and we shall help those in need, and we shall not trouble others' doors, and we shall fulfill the law of Christ who said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. For for this reason we have hands, that we may help ourselves, and that we may contribute to those maimed in body from our own means according to our ability in all things; so that if anyone continues idle, even if

he is more pitiable than those sick with fever; for the latter have forgiveness from their sickness, and might obtain mercy; but these, shaming the good health of the body, would reasonably be hated by all, as both transgressing the laws of God and damaging the table of the sick and making their own soul more worthless. For this is not the only terrible thing, that when they ought to be fed from home and from their own resources, they trouble the houses of others, but also that they themselves become worse than all. For there is nothing, nothing at all, that is not destroyed through idleness. For water, the standing kind rots, but the running kind, wandering everywhere, preserves its own virtue; and iron, when it lies in idleness, becomes softer and more worthless, consumed by much rust; but when it is in work, it is much more useful and more seemly, shining no less than any silver. And one might see land that lies idle bringing forth nothing healthy, but evil plants and thorns and briars and fruitless trees, while land that enjoys work flourishes with cultivated fruits. And, to speak simply, each of existing things is corrupted by idleness, but by its own work becomes more useful. Knowing all these things, then, and how great is the harm from idleness, and how great the gain from work, let us flee the one and pursue the other, so that we may both live the present life respectably and help those in need from what we have, and, having made our own soul better, obtain the eternal goods.

May it be that we all attain these things, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the might, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. TO AQUILA AND PRISCILLA. And on not speaking evil of the priests of God. Discourse 2. 1. Have you then been taught to consider nothing in the divine Scripture as incidental? Have you learned to examine carefully even inscriptions and names and mere forms of address written in the divine Oracles? For I think that no one of the diligent will any longer endure to pass over any of the words that lie in the Scriptures, whether it be a list of names, or a number of years, or a mere address to certain persons. However, so that this correction may become more secure, come, let us today go through the remaining parts of the address to Priscilla and Aquila; although indeed its introduction has benefited us not a little. For it taught us how great a good is work, and how great an evil is idleness, and what the soul of Paul was, how wakeful and full of care, making great provision not for cities and peoples and nations, but even for each one of the faithful individually. It showed how poverty is no hindrance to hospitality, and that there is everywhere need not of wealth and money but of virtue and of a disposition possessing piety, and that those who have the fear of God are more illustrious than all, even if they are brought down to the utmost poverty. At any rate, Priscilla and Aquila, being tentmakers and craftsmen and living in poverty, we now count more blessed than all kings.

And while those in positions of honor and power have been silenced, the tentmaker together with his wife are sung of everywhere in the inhabited world. And if here they enjoy such great glory, consider how great will be the recompenses and crowns they will be deemed worthy of on that day; and even before that day, they have now reaped no small pleasure and benefit and glory, having lived together with Paul for so long a time. For indeed, what I was saying before, this I also say now, and in saying it I will not cease: that not only the teaching, nor the exhortation and counsel, but even the very sight of the saints had great pleasure and benefit, and the very adornment of their garments, and the very style of their sandals. For from this too great benefit has been brought into our life—the learning of how far they used necessary things. For not only did they not exceed the measure of need, but there were times when they did not even enjoy all of their need; but they continued in hunger and thirst and nakedness. And Paul, commanding the disciples, said: Having food and covering, with these we shall be content; but concerning himself he appears to say: Until this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted. But indeed, what I was saying in between, and what came in after these things, it is necessary to set forth in the middle, since it has much inquiry. And what is this? I was saying that even the adornment of the apostolic garments provides us with great benefit; but while I was saying these things, the law of Christ came in between, which he set before them, saying thus:

Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your belts, nor sandals, nor a staff for the journey; yet Peter appears to have sandals. At any rate, when the angel woke him as he slept and led him out of the prison, he says: Put on your sandals, and wrap your cloak around you, and follow me. And Paul, writing to Timothy, says: Bring the cloak that I left in Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments. What do you say? Christ did not command even to have sandals, and you have a cloak, and another again has sandals? And if they were some of the lowly, and of those who did not always obey the Teacher, what is said would not be a question; but since these are men who gave up even their own lives, and are leaders and first of the disciples, and they obeyed Christ in all things, and Paul not only did what was commanded but even leaped beyond the boundaries, and when he commanded to live from the Gospel, this man lived from his own hands, doing something more than what was commanded, it is truly worth asking for what reason, though they obeyed him in all things, they seem here to transgress his law. But they do not transgress. For this word will not be useful to us only for this, for the inquiry on behalf of those saints, but also for stopping the mouths of the Greeks.

For many who overturn the houses of widows, strip orphans bare, wrap themselves in everyone's possessions, being in no way better than wolves, living off the labors of others, often seeing some of the faithful who, because of bodily weakness, are clothed in more garments, immediately bring forward against us the law of Christ, and say these words: Did not Christ command you not to have two tunics, nor sandals? How then do you transgress the law laid down concerning these things? Then, having laughed heartily and burst into loud laughter, and having put the brother to shame, they leap away. So that these things may not happen, come, let us also stop the shamelessness of those men. It was possible, indeed, to be done with them by saying only this. And what is this? That if you think Christ to be someone trustworthy, you reasonably bring these things forward and seek answers from us; but if you disbelieve him, for what reason do you bring forward his legislation? But when you wish to accuse us, Christ seems to you to be a trustworthy lawgiver; but when it is necessary to worship and marvel at him, no longer is there any account for you of the common Master of the world. 2. Nevertheless, so that they may not think we say this from a lack of defense, let us come now to the very solution of the questions. What then will the solution be? If we see,

To whom, and when, and why Christ gave these commands. For one must not examine the things said simply in themselves, but also the person, and the time, and the cause, and all these things must be investigated with precision. For examining accurately, we shall find that these commands were not given to all, but to the apostles only, and to them not forever, but until a certain definite time. From where is this clear? From the very words spoken; for having called the twelve disciples, he said to them: Do not go into a road of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give; do not acquire gold, nor silver, nor bronze for your belts. Observe the Teacher's wisdom, how he made the command light. For having first said, Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, and having given them his grace abundantly, then he gave these commands, by the abundance of signs making that poverty easy and light. And it is clear not only from this that these commands were given to them alone, but also from many other things. For he punished those virgins for this reason, because they did not have oil in their lamps; and he reproaches others, because they saw him hungry and did not feed him, thirsty and did not give him drink. Therefore, the one who did not have bronze, nor sandals, but only one garment, how was it possible for him to feed another, how to clothe the naked, how to bring the homeless into his house?

Apart from these considerations, this very point will also be clear and evident from another angle. For when someone came and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"—after he had listed all the things of the law, and the man, busying himself further, said, "All these I have kept from my youth; what do I still lack?"—he says to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and come, follow me." And yet if this were a law and a commandment, he should have said it first from the beginning, and legislated it, and set it in the order of a commandment, and not introduced it as counsel and exhortation. For when he says, "Do not acquire gold or silver," he speaks as one commanding; but when he says, "If you wish to be perfect," he speaks as one counseling and exhorting. And counseling is not the same as legislating. For the one who legislates wishes the thing commanded to be done by every means; but the one who counsels and exhorts and entrusts the choice of what is said to the judgment of the hearer makes the hearer master of whether to receive it or not. For this reason he did not say simply, "Go, sell your possessions," so that you might not think what is said is a law, but how? "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions," so that you may learn that the matter lies in the judgment of the hearers. That these things were commanded to the apostles alone is clear from this; but we have not yet found the solution. For if this has been legislated for them alone, for what reason, when they were commanded not even to have sandals or a second cloak, are they found, one possessing sandals, and another even having a cloak?

What then should we say to this? That he did not allow them to remain under this compulsion of the laws forever, but when he was about to go to his saving death, he released them from this legislation. From where is this clear? From the very words of the Savior. For since he was about to journey to his passion, he called them and said: "When I sent you without purse and bag, did you lack anything?" And they answered and said: "Nothing." And he said to them: "But now let the one who has a purse take it, and a bag; and let the one who does not have one sell his cloak and buy a sword." But perhaps someone might say: You have cleared the apostles of the charges through what has been said; but what is being sought is to say for what reason Christ legislated in opposite ways, at one time saying, "Do not acquire a bag," and at another time saying, "Let the one who has a purse take it, and a bag." For what reason, then, did he do this? In a manner worthy of his own wisdom and his providence for the disciples. For at the beginning he gave these commands so that by deed and experience they might receive the proof of his power, and having received it, might thenceforth take courage to go out into the whole inhabited world. But since they had by then sufficiently come to know his power, he wished that they themselves also demonstrate their own virtue from their own resources, and that they not be carried along by him to the very end, but that he give way and concede in many places, and that they endure temptations, so that they might not remain idle to the very end.

And just as those who teach swimming, at the beginning placing their own hands under their students, carry them along with great care, but after the first and second and third day, withdrawing their right hand from them in many places, they command them to help themselves, and sometimes even allow them to be immersed a little and to take in much salt water with the mouth—so indeed Christ also did with his disciples. At the beginning and in the preliminaries he did not let them suffer anything small or great, but was everywhere present, walling them about, fencing them in, causing all things to flow to them abundantly. But when it was necessary for them also to display their own courage, he restrained grace a little, commanding them to accomplish many things by themselves. For this reason, when they had no sandals, nor belt, nor staff, nor bronze, they lacked nothing. For he says, "Did you lack anything?" And they answered and said, "Nothing." But when he commanded them to have a purse and a bag and sandals, they are found both hungry and thirsty and naked. From this it is clear that in many places he allowed them both to run risks and to be pressed hard, so that they might have some reward. So too do the birds do with their own nestlings; for they, as long as they have soft feathers, sitting upon the nest, warm them.

But when they see them feathered and able to cut through the air, first they prepare them to fly around the nest itself, then they lead them further out, at the beginning following and carrying them, but after this leaving them to help themselves. So also Christ did, feeding his disciples in Palestine as in a nest; but when he had taught them to fly, being present and carrying them, at last he released them to fly into the inhabited world, commanding them also to help themselves in many places. And that this is true, and so that they might learn his power, he stripped them of everything and sent them out in a single tunic, and commanded them to walk without sandals; so then, having heard the saying itself, we shall know clearly. For he did not simply say to them, "Take a purse and a bag," but he reminded them of former things, saying thus: "When I sent you without purse and bag, did you lack anything?" That is, did not all things flow to you abundantly, and did you not enjoy great plenty? But now I wish you also to strive by yourselves; I wish you also to experience poverty; therefore I no longer lead you to necessity under the former law, but I permit you to have both purse and bag, so that I may not be thought to work your affairs as through lifeless instruments, but that you also may have your own philosophy to display.

3. And what, he says, would not the grace have appeared greater, if they had continued thus to the end? But they themselves did not become so approved; for if they had received no experience of affliction, neither of poverty, nor of persecution, nor of distress, they would have remained idle and sluggish; but now he wished not only that the grace shine forth, but also that the proof of those who obey be displayed, so that after these things no one might have it to say, "Those men contributed nothing of their own, but the whole came about by the divine impulse." For God was able to establish them to the end in abundance so great, but he did not wish it, for many and necessary reasons, which we have often stated to your love; one indeed is this, and another not less than this, that they might know how to be moderate; and a third, that they might not receive glory greater than is fitting for a man. For these reasons, and many more than these, having let them fall into many unexpected things, he did not wish to leave them under the strictness of the former legislation, but he relaxed and slackened the tension of that philosophy, so that life might not become burdensome and unbearable for them, who were abandoned in many places and compelled to keep that exact law. But since it is necessary to make clear also what lies before us, which is obscure, it is necessary to say this too. For having said, "Let him who has a purse take it, and a bag," he added, "And let him who has not, sell his garment and buy a sword." What then is this? He who says, "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also," arms the disciples?

He who commands to bless those who revile, to endure those who abuse, to pray for those who persecute, then arms them, and with a sword only? And what sense would this have? For if it were necessary at all to arm them, it was necessary to acquire not a sword only, but also a shield and a helmet and greaves. And in general, if he was going to manage such things in a human way, to how many would the command not have been a laughingstock? For if they had acquired countless such weapons against so great an assault and plot of peoples, tyrants, cities, and nations, who would the eleven have appeared to be? For was it possible for them to hear the sound of a neighing horse? And at the mere sight of the camps, would they not have been terrified, having been raised in marshes and rivers and small boats? For what reason, then, does he say this? Wishing to indicate the assault of the Jews, and that they were going to seize him. And this he did not wish to say openly, but through riddles, so as not to alarm them again. Just as, therefore, when you hear him saying, "What you heard in the ear, proclaim on the housetops," and "What you heard in the darkness, speak in the light," you do not suspect that he commands them to leave the narrow streets and the marketplace and proclaim on the housetops—for the disciples do not appear to have done this—but "on the housetops" and "in the light" hint at speaking with boldness; and "in the ear" and "in the darkness" make this clear: that what you heard in a small part of the world and in one place of Palestine, this you were to resound everywhere on the earth.

For he was not speaking in darkness, nor whispering into their ear, but on the high mountains, and often in the synagogues. So here too it must be understood. Just as there, when we hear "dwellings," we understood it otherwise, so here too, when we hear "swords," let us not suppose that he commanded them to possess swords, but that through the swords he hints at the plot that was at hand, and that he was about to suffer at the hands of the Jews the very things he suffered. And this is clear from what follows. For having said, "He will buy a sword," he added: "For what is written concerning me must be fulfilled, that he was reckoned among the lawless." And when they said, "There are two swords here," not understanding what was said, he says, "It is enough." And yet it was not enough; for if he wished them to use human aid, not only two or three, but not even a hundred swords would have been enough; but if he did not wish them to use human aid, even the two were superfluous. Nevertheless he did not uncover the riddle; for he is seen doing this in many places: whenever they do not understand what was said, he passes over it and lets it go, by the...

...leaving the understanding of what was said to the outcome of events afterward; which indeed he also did elsewhere. For when he was speaking about his resurrection, he said something like this: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." And yet the disciples did not know what was being said; and that they did not know, the evangelist noted, saying: "But when Jesus rose, then they believed his word, and the Scripture." And again elsewhere: "For they did not know that he must rise from the dead." 4. But the question has a sufficient solution; let us bring our discourse to the remaining part of the address. What then is it that is said, and from where did we come to this? We were blessing Priscilla and Aquila, because they lived with Paul, because they carefully learned from him the manner of his clothing, and the manner of his sandals, and all the other things with precision. From here this question was begotten for us. For we were inquiring for what reason, when Christ forbade having anything at all, except only a cloak, they appeared to have both sandals and a cloak. Then the argument demonstrated that they used these things not transgressing the law, but even very much observing it. And we were saying these things, not anointing you for an abundance of money, nor exhorting you to possess more than need, but so that you might have arguments against the unbelievers who mock our ways. For Christ, having dissolved the former law, did not command them to have houses, nor slaves, nor couches, nor silver vessels, nor anything else of that sort, but to be free from the necessity of the things previously mentioned.

And Paul also exhorted in this way, saying: "Having food and covering, with these we shall be content." For the surplus beyond need must be spent on those in want; just as these also did, Priscilla and Aquila. Therefore he praises and marvels at them, and composes the greatest encomium of them. For having said, "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in the Lord," he also sets down the reason for such love. What sort is this? "Who," he says, "laid down their own neck for my soul." Therefore do you love and cherish them for this reason, someone might say? Yes, most certainly; even if this alone were the case, it was a sufficient encomium. For the one who saved the general would have preserved the soldiers; the one who delivered the physician from dangers would have restored the sick to health; the one who snatched the pilot from the surge would have freed the whole ship from the waves; so also those who preserved the teacher of the world, and poured out their own blood for his salvation, were common benefactors of the world, having preserved all the disciples in their providence for the teacher. But that you may learn that they were not such only toward the teacher, but also displayed the same providence toward the brethren, hear what follows. For having said, "Who laid down their own neck for my soul," he added, saying: "To whom not I alone give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles." What are you saying? To tentmakers, poor craftsmen, having nothing more than necessary food, do all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks?

And how could these two have been able to benefit so many churches? What abundance of money did they have? What greatness of power? What boldness before rulers? They did not possess abundance of money or power among those in authority; but what was greater than all these things, a noble eagerness and a soul arrayed against dangers, they had along with great abundance. For this reason they became benefactors and saviors of many. For those who are rich and fearful of noise cannot benefit the churches as those who live with poverty and are great-souled can. And let no one consider what is said to be paradoxical; for it is true, and is demonstrated from the facts themselves. For the rich man has many handles for being harmed. He fears for his house, for his servants, for his fields, for his money, lest someone take any of these from him. And being master of many things makes him a slave of many. But the poor man, being lightly equipped and having laid aside all these handles, is a lion breathing fire, and has a noble soul, and rising up against all things easily does everything that can benefit the churches, whether he must refute, or rebuke, or endure countless annoyances for Christ's sake; and since he has once despised the present life, he does everything easily and with great readiness. For what, tell me, does he fear? Lest someone take his money? But this cannot be said. But lest he be driven from his homeland? But every city under heaven is his. But lest someone cut him off from luxury and a bodyguard?

But having said farewell to all these things, he conducts his life as a citizen of heaven and hastens toward the life to come. And if he must even give up his very soul and bring in his blood, he will not refuse. Hence such a man is more powerful and better supplied than tyrants, kings, peoples, and all others. And so that you may learn that what is said is not flattery but the truth—those who possess nothing, these above all are able to speak with frankness. How many rich men were there in the time of Herod? How many men of power? Who came forward into the midst? Who rebuked the tyrant? Who defended the laws of God when they were being wronged? Of the wealthy, not one; but the poor and destitute man, who had neither bed nor table nor roof, the citizen of the desert, John—this man alone and first with all boldness rebuked the tyrant and exposed the adulterous marriage and, with all present and listening, pronounced the verdict that condemned him. And before him again, the great Elijah, possessing nothing more than his sheepskin cloak, alone rebuked that impious and lawless Ahab with great courage. For nothing so prepares one to speak with frankness and persuades one to be confident in all terrors and renders one unconquerable and strong as possessing nothing and having no wrapping of possessions. So if anyone wishes to possess great power, let him embrace poverty, let him despise the present life, let him consider death to be nothing. This man will be able to benefit the Churches not only more than the wealthy, nor than rulers, but even than kings themselves.

For those who reign and the wealthy, whatever they do, they do from their money; but such a person often accomplished many great things even at the cost of dangers and deaths. And by as much as blood is more precious than all gold, by so much is this contribution better than that one. 5. Such were these hosts of Paul, Priscilla and Aquila, who did not possess an abundance of money, but had acquired a disposition richer than all wealth, expecting to die each day, and living amid slaughters and blood, and bearing witness all the time. For this reason our affairs flourished in those times, because the disciples were bound to their teachers in this way, and the teachers to their disciples in that way. For Paul says this not only about these but also about many others. For writing to the Hebrews and the Thessalonians and the Galatians, he testifies to all of them of a great onslaught of trials, and he shows through what he wrote that they were both driven about and cast out of their homeland, and lost their possessions, and were in danger even to the shedding of blood; and their whole life was a struggle, and they would not have refused even to have their very limbs cut off for the sake of their teachers. At any rate, writing to the Galatians he said: For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. And Epaphras, who was in Colossae, for the sake of

He receives them again, saying, "He was sick near to death, and God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, so that I should not have sorrow upon sorrow." He said this to show that he was justly grieved at the death of the disciple. And again he reveals his virtue to all, speaking thus: "He drew near to death, having disregarded his own life, so that he might supply what was lacking in your service to me." What could be more blessed than those men, or more wretched than we? If indeed they surrendered even their blood and their life for their teachers, while we often do not dare to utter even a bare word on behalf of the common fathers, but when we hear them blasphemed and reviled, badly, both by their own and by strangers, we do not stop the speakers, we do not hinder them, we do not rebuke them. Would that we were not ourselves the authors of this slander. But as it is, one could see as much mockery and reproach from the unbelievers as from those who seem to be believers and to be ranked with us, directed against the rulers. Shall we then still ask whence such great negligence and contempt for piety has arisen, when we are so hatefully disposed toward our own fathers? For there is nothing, nothing, that could overthrow and destroy the Church—or rather, this cannot easily come about from any other source than when disciples are not bound to teachers, and children to fathers, and subjects to rulers, with great strictness.

Then, if someone speaks ill of his brother, he is even kept from the reading of the divine Scriptures. "Why do you take my covenant upon your lips?" says God; then, giving the reason, he added: "Sitting, you spoke against your brother." But if you accuse your spiritual father, do you think yourself worthy to set foot upon the sacred vestibules? And how could that be reasonable? For if those who speak evil of father or mother die by death, of what punishment will he be worthy who dares to speak evil of one who is far more necessary than those parents and better? And does he not fear lest the earth, opening, utterly destroy him, or a thunderbolt hurled from above burn up his accusing tongue? Have you not heard what the sister of Moses suffered when she spoke against the ruler? How she became unclean, and fell into leprosy, and endured the utmost dishonor, and though her brother pleaded and fell before God, she obtained no forgiveness, even though she had exposed that holy child and contributed to his rearing, and brought it about that his mother became his nurse, so that the child should not from the beginning be raised in a barbarian hand, and afterward led the race of women as Moses led that of men, and shared in all the dangers, and was the sister of Moses—yet from all these things she gained nothing toward escaping the wrath of God for her evil-speaking? But Moses, who by his entreaty rescued so great a people after that unspeakable impiety—he, falling before God on behalf of his sister and asking forgiveness, could not make God propitious, but was even sharply rebuked.

So that we may learn how great an evil it is to speak ill of rulers and to judge the lives of others. For on that day God will certainly judge us not only by the sins we commit but also by the verdicts we have passed on others; and often a sin that is light by nature becomes grievous and unforgivable through the judgment the sinner passes on another. Perhaps what has been said is unclear; so I will try to make it clear. Someone has sinned; another who committed the same sin has condemned him severely. On that day he draws down not as much punishment as the nature of the sin demands, but far more—twice and three times as much; for God will pass sentence of punishment on him not by the sins he himself committed but by the fact that he harshly punished another for committing the same sins. And that this is true, from events that have happened and come to pass, I will make it more abundantly clear, as I promised you. The Pharisee, although he himself had committed no sin but had lived in righteousness and had many good deeds to mention, when he condemned the tax collector—the robber, the covetous man, the most lawless of men—suffered such a penalty that a greater punishment is kept in store for him than for that man. But if he who had committed no sin himself, yet condemned with a mere word another who was sinning and was conspicuous to all for his lawlessness, drew down such great punishment, consider how great a punishment we will undergo—we who sin greatly every day and condemn the lives of others, who are not even evident or manifest to anyone—and how we will fall away from all forgiveness. For with the judgment you judge, it says, you also will be judged.

For these reasons I beseech, exhort, and entreat you to abandon this evil habit. For we shall do no harm to the priests who are spoken ill of—not only if what is said is false, but even if it is true; since the Pharisee did no harm to the tax collector, but actually benefited him, even though he spoke the truth about him. But we shall wrap ourselves in the worst evils; since the Pharisee thrust the sword into himself and departed with a fatal wound. So that we too may not suffer the same things, let us restrain an unruly tongue. For if that man did not escape when he spoke ill of the tax collector, what defense shall we have, we who speak ill of our fathers? If Mary, having blasphemed her brother once, paid so great a penalty, what hope of salvation is there for us, when we wash the rulers with countless insults each day? For let no one say to me, "That was Moses"—for I too can say, "That was Mary." Moreover, so that you may learn this very thing clearly—that even if the priests are liable to charges, not even so is it lawful for you to judge their life—hear what Christ says about the rulers of the Jews: "The scribes and Pharisees sat on Moses' seat; therefore do all things whatsoever they tell you to do; but do not do according to their works." And what could be worse than those whose zeal corrupted their disciples? Yet not even so did he depose them from their dignity, nor make them to be easily despised by their subjects—and very reasonably so.

For if those who are ruled should seize this authority, they will be seen deposing everyone and bringing them down from the judgment seat. For this reason Paul also, having insulted the high priest of the Jews and said, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall; and do you sit judging me?"—when he heard some people silencing him and saying, "Do you revile the high priest of God?"—wishing to show how much reverence and honor must be rendered to rulers, what does he say? "I did not know that he was the high priest of God." For this reason David also, having caught Saul in lawlessness and breathing murder and worthy of countless punishments, not only spared his life, but did not even endure to utter a burdensome word against him; and he states the reason, saying, "He is the Lord's anointed." And not only from this, but also from another instance, out of great abundance, is it possible to see how far removed the ruler ought to stand from correcting the affairs of the priests. For when the ark was once being carried up, since some of those who were ruled, seeing it overturned and about to fall, set it upright, they paid the penalty in that very place, struck by the Lord and left dead. And yet they were doing nothing improper; for they were not overturning the ark, but were setting upright what was about to be overturned and fall. But so that from great abundance you may learn the dignity of the priests, and how it is not lawful for the subordinate

and, being in the rank of laymen, to correct such things, he killed them in the midst of the multitude, frightening all the others by the great excess of it, and persuading them never to approach the sanctuaries of the priesthood. For if each person were to undertake, on the pretext of correcting what is done badly, to introduce himself into the dignity of the priesthood, neither will a pretext for correction ever fail, nor will we be able to distinguish ruler from ruled, since all things would be mixed together. And let no one think that I say these things having condemned the priests (for by the grace of God they display great forbearance in all things, as you also know, and they have never given anyone any handle), but so that you may learn that even if you had wicked fathers and burdensome teachers, not even so was it without danger or safe for you to blaspheme and revile them. For if in the case of bodily parents someone wise says, "Even if he loses understanding, have forgiveness; for what will you repay them, as they themselves did for you?" how much more in the case of spiritual fathers must this law be observed, and each person must busy himself and meddle with the life of each, so that we may not hear on that day, "Hypocrite, why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam that is in your own eye?

For it is the work of hypocrites, on the one hand publicly and with all watching to kiss the hands of the priests, and to touch their knees, and to entreat them to pray on their behalf, and, when asking for baptism, to run to their doors, but at home and in the marketplaces to wash with countless reproaches those who are the causes and ministers of so many good things to us, or to endure it when others reproach them. For if the father is truly wicked, how do you think him worthy of trust as a minister of those dread mysteries? But if he seems to you worthy of trust as a minister of those things, for what reason do you endure others speaking evil of him, and do not stop their mouths, nor are you indignant, nor do you resent it, so that you might receive a great reward from God, and praise from those very accusers? For even if they are insolent ten thousand times over, they will surely praise you and approve your care for the fathers; just as, if we do not do this, all will condemn us, even those who speak evil. And this is not the only terrible thing, but that there too we shall pay the ultimate penalty. For nothing so corrupts the Churches as this disease; and just as a body not bound together with precision by the wrapping of its sinews breeds many infirmities and makes life unlivable, so too a Church not wrapped in the fierce and unbreakable chain of love breeds countless wars, and increases the wrath of God, and becomes the occasion of many temptations.

So then, that these things may not happen, nor we provoke God, and increase our own evils, and make our punishment inexorable, and fill our life with great disgust, let us turn our tongue to speaking well, let us examine our own life each day, and, having entrusted the judging of another's life to the one who knows hidden things with exactness, let us ourselves judge our own sins. For in this way we shall also be able to escape the fire of Gehenna. For just as those who busy themselves with the evils of others make no account of their own, so those who fear to peer into another's life will take great care over their own transgressions; but those who reckon up their own evils, and judge them each day, and demand an account of themselves, will then have a gentle judge. And Paul, making this clear, said: For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged by the Lord. Therefore, that we may escape that verdict, having let go of all other things,

Let us examine our own life, and let us chastise the reasoning that persuades us to sin, and let us compunct our conscience, and let us demand of ourselves an account of what we have done. For thus we shall be able, having made the burden of our sins light, to enjoy much forgiveness, and to pass the present life with pleasure, and to attain to the good things to come, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.